California and the U.S.

The latest news and analysis covering water issues in Caliornia and the rest of the United States.

The Rest Of California Is Stealing Our Bay Water, Says Report

Where would we all be without the bay? Well, not here, that’s for sure: It’s quite literally the defining characteristic of all of our diverse communities. Which is why it’s downright annoying to learn that, gallon by gallon, the rest of the state is gradually robbing us of it.The situation is much more complex than […]

How Much Rain Will Napa County Get This Winter?

Rain season 2016-17 has a good shot at once again providing enough water to slake Napa County’s thirst, though busting California’s five-year drought is a taller order. A multi-year drought could require a multi-year fix. State Department of Water Resources spokesman Doug Carlson said more than one normal rain year is probably needed. “An extremely […]

Environmental Impacts Of Western Drought Matter To Small Farmers

While not everyone might be upset by California-based drought expert and author John Austin’s recent observation that for trees and plants in California, “it is probably the worst 16-year period in more than 850 years,” it certainly sets off alarm bells for our organization. In fact, Austin’s haunting observation that we have entered a “new […]

BLOG: Cowin on tunnels subsidy: ‘I can put that to rest’

Mark Cowin, director of the state Department of Water Resources, told water planners in Los Angeles on Monday that the state will not seek a federal subsidy for the Delta tunnels. Cowin’s comments came after tunnels opponents last month released a draft economic analysis of the project by economist David Sunding, a consultant for the […]

Northern California Will Get A Soaking, But Will It Ease The Drought?

A pair of warm storms expected to hit Northern California later this week could dump more than 8 inches of rain in the mountains and have North Coast rivers roaring. But weather forecasters and hydrologists say the first substantial storms of California’s rainy season are unlikely to put much of a dent in the state’s […]

OPINION: California Far-Reaching Benefits’s New Water Data Law Will Have

At the end of September, water wonks cheered as Governor Jerry Brown signed into law an important new bill that will set California on the path towards a 21st-century water management system. Though it received little attention amid the flurry of new bills signed by the governor, the Open and Transparent Water Data Act (AB […]