Dozens of people made their way toward Oroville Dam to see water surge down the dam’s controlled spillway Thursday. It’s the first time the spillway has been in opened in five years to maintain storage space in Lake Oroville for flood control. Over the past 10 years, the spillway has been open for flood control […]
As lingering El Niño rains swell the state’s rivers, Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein joined California House Republicans on Thursday to demand that President Obama order more water to be pumped from the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta to farms in the San Joaquin Valley. Feinstein and the Republicans sent separate, similar letters to Obama timed to […]
The city of Santa Barbara won’t pursue a subsurface ocean intake for its desalination plant after a study revealed that the process would either be infeasible or fail to meet the city’s needs. Like most desalination plants, the city’s plant has an open water intake pipe in the ocean, but environmentalists say that process kills microorganisms and […]
Jesus Ramos is a first-generation Mexican immigrant and farm owner who, after coming to America to work as a field hand, grew his business into a 140-acre orange farm. But today, Jesus and his family’s way of life is under threat. California is experiencing an unprecedented drought and the exceptionally dry conditions are particularly alarming […]
Drought conditions in California have actually improved this week as a steady stream of storms and rain pelted the state, according to this week’s Drought Monitor report. Currently, about 74 percent of the state is experiencing severe drought, a 10 percent improvement over last week’s report. However, the California drought has caused unparalleled devastation to […]
California’s main water reservoir — its mountain snowpack — has made a triumphant return to the Sierra Nevada following severe shortfalls in recent years. A string of winter storms boosted by El Niño has restored much of the mountain snow that melts through summer to help top up the state’s reservoirs, but the prognosis for the […]
Oroville Dam Spillway Gates Open for First Time in Years
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /Chico Enterprise-Recordby By Ryan OlsonDozens of people made their way toward Oroville Dam to see water surge down the dam’s controlled spillway Thursday. It’s the first time the spillway has been in opened in five years to maintain storage space in Lake Oroville for flood control. Over the past 10 years, the spillway has been open for flood control […]
Feinstein, GOP press Obama administration on delta water
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /SFGate by By Carolyn LochheadAs lingering El Niño rains swell the state’s rivers, Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein joined California House Republicans on Thursday to demand that President Obama order more water to be pumped from the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta to farms in the San Joaquin Valley. Feinstein and the Republicans sent separate, similar letters to Obama timed to […]
Santa Barbara Rejects Subsurface Water Intake For Desalination Plant
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /Noozhawk (Santa Barbara)by By Joshua MolinaThe city of Santa Barbara won’t pursue a subsurface ocean intake for its desalination plant after a study revealed that the process would either be infeasible or fail to meet the city’s needs. Like most desalination plants, the city’s plant has an open water intake pipe in the ocean, but environmentalists say that process kills microorganisms and […]
VIDEO: Farming in an Age of Drought
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /The Atlantic (Washington, D.C.)by By Greyson KorhonenJesus Ramos is a first-generation Mexican immigrant and farm owner who, after coming to America to work as a field hand, grew his business into a 140-acre orange farm. But today, Jesus and his family’s way of life is under threat. California is experiencing an unprecedented drought and the exceptionally dry conditions are particularly alarming […]
Au-gust of News Episode 2—California Water Crisis
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /The Arbiter (Boise State University)by By August McKernanDrought conditions in California have actually improved this week as a steady stream of storms and rain pelted the state, according to this week’s Drought Monitor report. Currently, about 74 percent of the state is experiencing severe drought, a 10 percent improvement over last week’s report. However, the California drought has caused unparalleled devastation to […]
California Snowpack Returns, but Fears Held for Future
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /Climate Central (Princeton, N.J.)by By John UptonCalifornia’s main water reservoir — its mountain snowpack — has made a triumphant return to the Sierra Nevada following severe shortfalls in recent years. A string of winter storms boosted by El Niño has restored much of the mountain snow that melts through summer to help top up the state’s reservoirs, but the prognosis for the […]