Butte County Supervisor Bill Connelly has been openly opposed to the Department of Water Resources’ actions for over a decade and is hoping the national spotlight will now push forward things the county has sought for years. Butte County filed a petition Wednesday with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the agency which allows the DWR to […]
For the first time in 11 years, water splashed down the funnel drain at Lake Berryessa last weekend, as people watched from Monticello Dam and a drone flew overhead to capture this historic moment. But was the spill legitimate? Was the federal reservoir fully at capacity after years of drought? As it turned out, the […]
Drought, pests and overcrowded forests are contributing to a tree mortality epidemic in the Sierra Nevada that’s rapidly spreading, the leader of a state task force says. Aerial surveys by the U.S. Forest Service last year found 36 million more dead trees, bringing the number of trees that have died in California forests since 2010 […]
The critical document that determines how much space should be left in Lake Oroville for flood control during the rainy season hasn’t been updated since 1970, and it uses climatological data and runoff projections so old they don’t account for two of the biggest floods ever to strike the region. Independent experts familiar with the […]
Officials say a reservoir in Santa Clara County is on the cusp of spilling over for the first time since 2006. But KNTV reported Wednesday (http://bit.ly/2ljg9TP) that unlike Oroville Dam, the Anderson Reservoir is not at risk of failure or causing major flooding. County officials are warning nearby residents to watch out for flooding. At […]
With the water level at California’s Lake Oroville dropping, authorities lifted a mandatory evacuation order, allowing tens of thousands of residents to return to homes near the reservoir’s dam. But Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea on Tuesday cautioned residents and business owners to “maintain situational awareness” with a series of storms forecast for later in […]
Butte County Supervisor Has Fought With DWR For Years Over Dam Compensation, Maintenance Concerns
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /OrovilleMRby Risa JohnsonButte County Supervisor Bill Connelly has been openly opposed to the Department of Water Resources’ actions for over a decade and is hoping the national spotlight will now push forward things the county has sought for years. Butte County filed a petition Wednesday with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the agency which allows the DWR to […]
All Eyes On Lake Berryessa’s ‘Glory Hole’ As Reservoir Approaches Capacity
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /Napa Valley Registerby Barry EberlingFor the first time in 11 years, water splashed down the funnel drain at Lake Berryessa last weekend, as people watched from Monticello Dam and a drone flew overhead to capture this historic moment. But was the spill legitimate? Was the federal reservoir fully at capacity after years of drought? As it turned out, the […]
Tree Mortality Epidemic In California Forests Keeps Spreading
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /Capital Press (Salem, Ore.)by Tim HeardenDrought, pests and overcrowded forests are contributing to a tree mortality epidemic in the Sierra Nevada that’s rapidly spreading, the leader of a state task force says. Aerial surveys by the U.S. Forest Service last year found 36 million more dead trees, bringing the number of trees that have died in California forests since 2010 […]
Oroville Dam’s Flood-Control Manual Hasn’t Been Updated For Half A Century
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /The Sacramento Beeby Ryan Sabalow and Andy FurilloThe critical document that determines how much space should be left in Lake Oroville for flood control during the rainy season hasn’t been updated since 1970, and it uses climatological data and runoff projections so old they don’t account for two of the biggest floods ever to strike the region. Independent experts familiar with the […]
Santa Clara County’s Largest Dam On Cusp Of Spilling Over
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /Times Standard (Eureka)Officials say a reservoir in Santa Clara County is on the cusp of spilling over for the first time since 2006. But KNTV reported Wednesday (http://bit.ly/2ljg9TP) that unlike Oroville Dam, the Anderson Reservoir is not at risk of failure or causing major flooding. County officials are warning nearby residents to watch out for flooding. At […]
Oroville Dam: Residents Allowed To Return As Water Level Drops
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /CNNby Holly Yan, Paul Vercammen and Steve AlmasyWith the water level at California’s Lake Oroville dropping, authorities lifted a mandatory evacuation order, allowing tens of thousands of residents to return to homes near the reservoir’s dam. But Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea on Tuesday cautioned residents and business owners to “maintain situational awareness” with a series of storms forecast for later in […]