In 1933, a number of scattered newspaper articles appeared across Southern California extolling the grandeur and beauty of some recently discovered massive limestone caves within the Mojave’s Providence Mountains near the old Bonanza King Mine. Known today as Mitchell Caverns, these geological wonders were named after Jesse E. “Jack” Mitchell who had initially explored the caves […]
Dear Garden Coach: I am a new gardener who replaced a lawn with Mediterranean and native plants and have noticed some of the plants, such as a native purple sage and monkey flower, are losing their leaves. They are not dead. I see smaller leaves appearing. Do I need to water the plants more often?
A late-season surge of rain and snow melt made a bad year better for the Colorado River, but it wasn’t enough to lift Lake Mead out of record-low territory. The reservoir that supplies Boulder City’s water and 90 percent of the Las Vegas Valley’s drinking water bottomed out at 1,071.61 feet above sea level on […]
Water is an economic imperative —yet clean water supplies are diminishing around the world. Every day we hear reports of water crises—from California, to Brazil, to India, and to South Africa. Just last week for example, the UN stated that 23 million farmers are in need of urgent assistance in drought-stricken Southern Africa. NASA satellite […]
The Pajaro Valley, in southern Santa Cruz County close to Monterey Bay, is ground zero for high-value farm crops such as arugula, strawberries and cane berries. The area depends almost entirely on groundwater and is not connected to any intrastate transfers, so it has to rely only on local water resources. The valley’s farms, residents […]
Pushing a wheelbarrow filled with 350,000 petition signatures, concerned Californians gathered outside the capitol Tuesday to urge Gov. Brown and the California Water Resources Control Board to stop the potentially dangerous practice of using wastewater from oil drilling to irrigate California’s crops. The wastewater, sold by Chevron and California Resources Corporation, is now being used […]
Still Searching for the Mojave’s Lost River of Gold
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /KCET (Burbank)by Kim StringfellowIn 1933, a number of scattered newspaper articles appeared across Southern California extolling the grandeur and beauty of some recently discovered massive limestone caves within the Mojave’s Providence Mountains near the old Bonanza King Mine. Known today as Mitchell Caverns, these geological wonders were named after Jesse E. “Jack” Mitchell who had initially explored the caves […]
Are Plants Dying or Just Adapting to the Heat?
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /The San Jose Mercury News by Patrice HanlonDear Garden Coach: I am a new gardener who replaced a lawn with Mediterranean and native plants and have noticed some of the plants, such as a native purple sage and monkey flower, are losing their leaves. They are not dead. I see smaller leaves appearing. Do I need to water the plants more often?
After Record Low, News for Lake Mead Not All Bad
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /Boulder City Review (Boulder City, Nev.)by Henry BreanA late-season surge of rain and snow melt made a bad year better for the Colorado River, but it wasn’t enough to lift Lake Mead out of record-low territory. The reservoir that supplies Boulder City’s water and 90 percent of the Las Vegas Valley’s drinking water bottomed out at 1,071.61 feet above sea level on […]
California Water Policy — For The Better?
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /Forbesby Christopher P. SkroupaWater is an economic imperative —yet clean water supplies are diminishing around the world. Every day we hear reports of water crises—from California, to Brazil, to India, and to South Africa. Just last week for example, the UN stated that 23 million farmers are in need of urgent assistance in drought-stricken Southern Africa. NASA satellite […]
BLOG: Creative Incentives to Boost Groundwater Recharge
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /Water Deeply (New York)by Padma NagappanThe Pajaro Valley, in southern Santa Cruz County close to Monterey Bay, is ground zero for high-value farm crops such as arugula, strawberries and cane berries. The area depends almost entirely on groundwater and is not connected to any intrastate transfers, so it has to rely only on local water resources. The valley’s farms, residents […]
350,000 People Call on Gov. Brown to Stop Irrigating Crops With Oil Wastewater
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /EcoWatch (Cleveland, Ohio)Pushing a wheelbarrow filled with 350,000 petition signatures, concerned Californians gathered outside the capitol Tuesday to urge Gov. Brown and the California Water Resources Control Board to stop the potentially dangerous practice of using wastewater from oil drilling to irrigate California’s crops. The wastewater, sold by Chevron and California Resources Corporation, is now being used […]