Southern California’s largest water supplier was temporarily blocked from buying sprawling farmland that could be used to help build twin tunnels under the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, a court ruled Tuesday. The state’s 3rd District Court of Appeal in Sacramento granted a temporary restraining order the day before escrow was set to close on Metropolitan […]
Now in the fifth year of an epic drought, Californians have explored ways to save water and wring it out of typical and atypical sources. The search has spanned the gamut from funding research, investing in expensive solutions like desalination plants, toying with the idea of recycling wastewater, imposing water-use restrictions, letting lawns go dry […]
Sure enough, Clinton sprinkled a number of mentions of water into her standard stump speech, promising the crowd that if she’s elected president, “we’re going to get to work on water.” Her proposals were vague. She noted the “water systems here [were] built before our time,” before pledging to invest anew in infrastructure. New water projects […]
Last month, state water officials eased conservation mandates in response to slightly above-average winter rain and snow in much of California, leading many to speculate that the state’s long-running drought has tapered off.If only.The El Niño winter that forecasters said could drench the state with rain and snow veered north instead, striking mostly the Pacific […]
No surprise here, but an annual spring survey that is an important indicator of the Delta smelt’s ability to spawn shows the species has hit another record low. “I am not optimistic that the smelt can make it through the next year or two. Love to be proved wrong,” California native fish expert Peter Moyle […]
Will Gov. Jerry Brown’s $17 billion Delta tunnels divert water to Southern California that belongs to northern Californians? No, according to papers filed this week by state and federal officials — an assertion challenged by environmentalists, who are filing their own paperwork. Months of contentious public hearings start July 27. This first set of hearings […]
Court Suspends Metropolitan Water District’s Massive Delta Land Buy
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /Associated Press (As Published by KQED - San Francisco)by Scott SmithSouthern California’s largest water supplier was temporarily blocked from buying sprawling farmland that could be used to help build twin tunnels under the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, a court ruled Tuesday. The state’s 3rd District Court of Appeal in Sacramento granted a temporary restraining order the day before escrow was set to close on Metropolitan […]
BLOG: The Drought Solution That’s Under Our Feet
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /Water Deeply (New York)by Padma NagappanNow in the fifth year of an epic drought, Californians have explored ways to save water and wring it out of typical and atypical sources. The search has spanned the gamut from funding research, investing in expensive solutions like desalination plants, toying with the idea of recycling wastewater, imposing water-use restrictions, letting lawns go dry […]
Hillary Clinton in drought-plagued Fresno: ‘We’re going to get to work on water’
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /The Los Angeles Timesby MELANIE MASONSure enough, Clinton sprinkled a number of mentions of water into her standard stump speech, promising the crowd that if she’s elected president, “we’re going to get to work on water.” Her proposals were vague. She noted the “water systems here [were] built before our time,” before pledging to invest anew in infrastructure. New water projects […]
Thanks to La Niña, drought could get worse this winter
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /The Orange County Registerby AARON ORLOWSKILast month, state water officials eased conservation mandates in response to slightly above-average winter rain and snow in much of California, leading many to speculate that the state’s long-running drought has tapered off.If only.The El Niño winter that forecasters said could drench the state with rain and snow veered north instead, striking mostly the Pacific […]
BLOG: More Bad News for Delta Smelt
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /eSan Joaquin by Alex BreitlerNo surprise here, but an annual spring survey that is an important indicator of the Delta smelt’s ability to spawn shows the species has hit another record low. “I am not optimistic that the smelt can make it through the next year or two. Love to be proved wrong,” California native fish expert Peter Moyle […]
Delta tunnels won’t take northern California’s water, say officials
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /The San Jose Mercury Newsby Lisa KriegerWill Gov. Jerry Brown’s $17 billion Delta tunnels divert water to Southern California that belongs to northern Californians? No, according to papers filed this week by state and federal officials — an assertion challenged by environmentalists, who are filing their own paperwork. Months of contentious public hearings start July 27. This first set of hearings […]