Another legal challenge has been filed seeking to block the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California’s $175 million purchase of five islands in the heart of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. This time, San Joaquin County and a group of Delta farmers allege that the pending sale represents a breach of contract. Delta Wetlands Property, a […]
Matheny Tract sits deep in the bowl of California’s Central Valley, an area that’s been hit hard by the prolonged drought. Like the nearby community of East Porterville, Matheny is seeing wells run dry, but before East Porterville became famous as the town that dried up, it shared a different kind of water problem with Matheny—one that also affects […]
After a season of normal rainfall, both state and local water regulators are poised to cancel the range of use regulations put in place during the past two years. Pointing to reservoirs now almost fully-filled, water agencies here in Northern California – having just raised water rates to compensate for the reduced billings during the […]
While the rest of California may still be struggling with drought, Del Norte County is not. And, that has some local officials questioning why the state wants to apply the same tighter water regulations here as elsewhere. A new regulation requiring water diversion permit holders to monitor withdrawal beyond what they are currently doing — […]
The fact-checkers had a field day with Donald Trump’s pronouncement last week that, in effect, there is no drought in California.“Lies Trump reality,” blared the headline in Slate. I realize that because he’s running for president, and because of his track record, everything Trump says will be — and should be — closely scrutinized. But everyone […]
The perhaps not-so-secret nature of California’s major reservoirs — the big artificial lakes designed to impound floodwaters and snowmelt coursing down the state’s biggest rivers — is that they’re little more than big bathtubs. We depend on a beneficent nature to turn on the taps every winter and fill them. And we pull the plug […]
Another lawsuit filed to block water district’s Delta islands purchase
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /The Sacramento Beeby Ryan SabalowAnother legal challenge has been filed seeking to block the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California’s $175 million purchase of five islands in the heart of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. This time, San Joaquin County and a group of Delta farmers allege that the pending sale represents a breach of contract. Delta Wetlands Property, a […]
California’s Central Valley has a Water Problem Worse Than Flint’s—and a Bill to Solve It
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /Daily Kosby Mark SumnerMatheny Tract sits deep in the bowl of California’s Central Valley, an area that’s been hit hard by the prolonged drought. Like the nearby community of East Porterville, Matheny is seeing wells run dry, but before East Porterville became famous as the town that dried up, it shared a different kind of water problem with Matheny—one that also affects […]
OPINION: The Drought is Over?
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /Sonoma Valley SunAfter a season of normal rainfall, both state and local water regulators are poised to cancel the range of use regulations put in place during the past two years. Pointing to reservoirs now almost fully-filled, water agencies here in Northern California – having just raised water rates to compensate for the reduced billings during the […]
Water Regulations: California Monitoring Mandate Draws Fire
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /Del Norte Triplicate (Crescent City)by David AndersonWhile the rest of California may still be struggling with drought, Del Norte County is not. And, that has some local officials questioning why the state wants to apply the same tighter water regulations here as elsewhere. A new regulation requiring water diversion permit holders to monitor withdrawal beyond what they are currently doing — […]
BLOG: ‘Drought’ not so easily defined
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /San Joaquin Blogby Alex BreitlerThe fact-checkers had a field day with Donald Trump’s pronouncement last week that, in effect, there is no drought in California.“Lies Trump reality,” blared the headline in Slate. I realize that because he’s running for president, and because of his track record, everything Trump says will be — and should be — closely scrutinized. But everyone […]
California Reservoirs Full Again; Let the Draining Begin
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /KQED (San Francisco)by Dan BrekkeThe perhaps not-so-secret nature of California’s major reservoirs — the big artificial lakes designed to impound floodwaters and snowmelt coursing down the state’s biggest rivers — is that they’re little more than big bathtubs. We depend on a beneficent nature to turn on the taps every winter and fill them. And we pull the plug […]