The Kings River’s overflow system in western Fresno County cannot carry as much floodwater as it once did, so there is greater risk of flooding in this wet year, Fresno County supervisors were told on Tuesday. The problems led to approval of an emergency proclamation by supervisors that will allow officials to seek state help […]
The drought-busting snow and rain in the mountains around Lake Tahoe have pushed the lake to its highest level in more than a decade. After five years of drought, the alpine lake atop the Sierra Nevada now has enough water to fill downstream reservoirs and meet the Reno area’s needs for at least two years, […]
Valley farmers like Joe Del Bosque, whose situation was spotlighted recently in the Los Angeles Times, was begging for and buying water during last year’s drought at $1,000 to $1,300 per acre-foot after federal water officials failed to make good on water allocation contracts.These farmers thought themselves lucky to find willing sellers. But now it […]
After flows down Oroville Dam’s fractured main spillway were dialed back to nothing Monday afternoon, heavy equipment operators worked through the night to clear the massive debris pile that has formed at the base of the damaged concrete structure. The efforts to open the channel below the spillway, which will allow engineers to once again […]
When California state biologists crested a sandbar along the Feather River on Tuesday morning, they expected to find at least some of the water that just a day before had raged through the channel, too deep to stand in – and plenty of fish needing to be rescued. Instead, to their chagrin, the flows powering […]
Federal water managers in California say they’ll provide many cities and farms their full water supply in a year of record rain and snowfall. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation on Tuesday announced its initial allocations for a wet 2017 following five drought years. The vast system of reservoirs and canals irrigates three million acres of […]
Flooding Threat: Too Much Water Filling A System With Too Little Capacity
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /The Fresno Beeby Marc BenjaminThe Kings River’s overflow system in western Fresno County cannot carry as much floodwater as it once did, so there is greater risk of flooding in this wet year, Fresno County supervisors were told on Tuesday. The problems led to approval of an emergency proclamation by supervisors that will allow officials to seek state help […]
Drought-Busting Snow Pushes Tahoe To Highest Mark Since 2006
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /The Associated Press (As Published by The Tribune - San Luis Obispo)The drought-busting snow and rain in the mountains around Lake Tahoe have pushed the lake to its highest level in more than a decade. After five years of drought, the alpine lake atop the Sierra Nevada now has enough water to fill downstream reservoirs and meet the Reno area’s needs for at least two years, […]
OPINION: Trump Should Stop Reclamation From Stealing Farmers’ Water
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /The Fresno Beeby Erik HansenValley farmers like Joe Del Bosque, whose situation was spotlighted recently in the Los Angeles Times, was begging for and buying water during last year’s drought at $1,000 to $1,300 per acre-foot after federal water officials failed to make good on water allocation contracts.These farmers thought themselves lucky to find willing sellers. But now it […]
Oroville Dam’s Power Plant May Be Operational By Thursday
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /The Sacramento Beeby Ryan SabalowAfter flows down Oroville Dam’s fractured main spillway were dialed back to nothing Monday afternoon, heavy equipment operators worked through the night to clear the massive debris pile that has formed at the base of the damaged concrete structure. The efforts to open the channel below the spillway, which will allow engineers to once again […]
Massive Fish Rescue Plays Out On Feather River After State Closes Damaged Oroville Dam Spillway
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /The Sacramento Beeby Ryan SabalowWhen California state biologists crested a sandbar along the Feather River on Tuesday morning, they expected to find at least some of the water that just a day before had raged through the channel, too deep to stand in – and plenty of fish needing to be rescued. Instead, to their chagrin, the flows powering […]
Many Cities, Farms Getting Full Water Supplies, But Not All
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /The Associated Press (as published by U.S. News - Washington, D.C.)Federal water managers in California say they’ll provide many cities and farms their full water supply in a year of record rain and snowfall. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation on Tuesday announced its initial allocations for a wet 2017 following five drought years. The vast system of reservoirs and canals irrigates three million acres of […]