The water level at Lake Oroville continued to drop Thursday as state officials pressed on with the effort to drain the reservoir in light of a forecast calling for an “atmospheric river” to strike the area beginning Monday. The lake level fell by nearly 5 feet in the 12-hour period ending at 8 a.m., dropping […]
A soft light was just beginning to outline the Tejon Hills as Bret Adee counted rows of wizened almond trees under his breath. He placed a small white flag at the end of every 16th row to show his employees where they should place his beehives. Every so often, he fingered the buds on the […]
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 […]
Oroville Dam Update: Atmospheric River Looms As Spillway Continues To Dump Water Into Feather River
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /The Sacramento Beeby Ryan Lillis and Dale KaslerThe water level at Lake Oroville continued to drop Thursday as state officials pressed on with the effort to drain the reservoir in light of a forecast calling for an “atmospheric river” to strike the area beginning Monday. The lake level fell by nearly 5 feet in the 12-hour period ending at 8 a.m., dropping […]
A Bee Mogul Confronts The Crisis In His Field
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /The New York Timesby Stephanie StromA soft light was just beginning to outline the Tejon Hills as Bret Adee counted rows of wizened almond trees under his breath. He placed a small white flag at the end of every 16th row to show his employees where they should place his beehives. Every so often, he fingered the buds on the […]
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 […]