Californians: A solution to the drought may be under your feet, according to a study from Stanford scientists. Thousands of feet beneath the surface of the state’s Central Valley, one of the world’s biggest agricultural hubs, there may be up to 2,700 cubic kilometers of usable groundwater — nearly three times more than the amount […]
A Northern California judge’s ruling could delay construction of two large tunnels to more easily move water from the state’s central valley to the parched south. The Sacramento Bee reported that the judge invalidated a comprehensive environmental management plan for the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. The judge ruled that the plan must be “set aside” until […]
U.S. Forest Service officials say the number of trees in Sierra Nevada forests killed by drought and bark beetles now is in the millions. And Nevada forestry’s Natural Resources Manager says the damage is starting to show on this side of the Sierra as well. “All you’ve got to do is stand back and take a look […]
California’s megadrought is stretching into its fifth year, and as the best hope for rain, El Niño, fizzles, the outlook is grim. While Northern California’s winter precipitation approached normal, 60 percent of the state remains in a severe drought. So a new discovery under the Central Valley has residents excited; researchers from Stanford mapped out a deep groundwater reservoir under the […]
Westlands Water District, which has come under fire from farmers and the federal government over its financial and other dealings, has decided it no longer wants its general manager to also function as the district’s top lawyer, agency officials said Monday. Tom Birmingham will no longer serve as both general manager and general counsel of […]
California’s combination of climate, native ecosystems, and human uses makes water management inherently hard, unsatisfactory, and evolving. California is doomed to have difficult and controversial water problems. No matter how successful we are. California is one of the few parts of the world with a Mediterranean climate (Figure 1). These climates tend to be dry […]
Is California Sitting on the Solution to its Drought?
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /CNNby Joshua BerlingerCalifornians: A solution to the drought may be under your feet, according to a study from Stanford scientists. Thousands of feet beneath the surface of the state’s Central Valley, one of the world’s biggest agricultural hubs, there may be up to 2,700 cubic kilometers of usable groundwater — nearly three times more than the amount […]
Judge’s Ruling Could Delay California’s Water Tunnel Project
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /Associated Press (As Published by KRON 4 - San Francisco)A Northern California judge’s ruling could delay construction of two large tunnels to more easily move water from the state’s central valley to the parched south. The Sacramento Bee reported that the judge invalidated a comprehensive environmental management plan for the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. The judge ruled that the plan must be “set aside” until […]
Drought Impact on Sierra Forests Starting to Show in Nevada
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /Tahoe Daily TribuneU.S. Forest Service officials say the number of trees in Sierra Nevada forests killed by drought and bark beetles now is in the millions. And Nevada forestry’s Natural Resources Manager says the damage is starting to show on this side of the Sierra as well. “All you’ve got to do is stand back and take a look […]
“Water Windfall” Discovered Under California’s Drought-Stricken Central Valley
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /Smithsonian.comby Jason DaleyCalifornia’s megadrought is stretching into its fifth year, and as the best hope for rain, El Niño, fizzles, the outlook is grim. While Northern California’s winter precipitation approached normal, 60 percent of the state remains in a severe drought. So a new discovery under the Central Valley has residents excited; researchers from Stanford mapped out a deep groundwater reservoir under the […]
Westlands Water District to Split Top Jobs Amid Missteps, Criticism
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /Fresno Beeby Rory AppletonWestlands Water District, which has come under fire from farmers and the federal government over its financial and other dealings, has decided it no longer wants its general manager to also function as the district’s top lawyer, agency officials said Monday. Tom Birmingham will no longer serve as both general manager and general counsel of […]
BLOG: How Bad is Water Management in California?
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /PublicCEO (Sacramento)by Jay LundCalifornia’s combination of climate, native ecosystems, and human uses makes water management inherently hard, unsatisfactory, and evolving. California is doomed to have difficult and controversial water problems. No matter how successful we are. California is one of the few parts of the world with a Mediterranean climate (Figure 1). These climates tend to be dry […]