Last June, at the height of California’s drought, the Center for Investigative Reporting revealed that a homeowner in Bel-Air was using 1,300 gallons of water per hour. Annually, that works out to about 11.8 million gallons – enough water supply for 90 average households. Reaction was immediate. Water agencies, other homeowners, and the public denounced […]
Each year, 181 species of waterfowl, shorebirds and riparian birds flock to California’s Central Valley to nest between November and March. The space they roost in is already limited: There are just 19 wetlands, comprised of National Wildlife Refuges and State Wildlife Areas, spread across little more than 270 square miles in the valley’s 22,500-square-mile […]
Californians who hoped that El Nino-driven storms would unleash a heavy dousing to the drought-parched state in February instead saw less rain than normal for the month, but forecasters said March could still deliver. Predictions of an El Nino winter, bringing a series of heavy storms to the West Coast, had been greeted optimistically in […]
Given the odd weather of late, you may be aware that we are in the midst of what could be a record-setting El Niño. Rumors of a switch to La Niña later this year have also danced into the public’s ear, particularly those with an interest in commodity markets. But comprehension of such a scenario, […]
There’s a ton of rain in the forecast for California. A fire hose of moisture from the tropical Pacific Ocean is expected to take aim at the West Coast, delivering a series of storms to the Golden State. But although the weather pattern appears to be changing, the drought is not, and even a wetter-than-average […]
Assemblyman Marc Levine has introduced a bill that could put California on the road to developing a water trading market similar to one pioneered by Australia during its “millennium drought.” “I looked at how Australia dealt with its 14-year drought and saw that water transfers had a good deal to do with them using their […]
Lost Water Is Wasted Water
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /Visalia Times-Deltaby By Johnny AmaralLast June, at the height of California’s drought, the Center for Investigative Reporting revealed that a homeowner in Bel-Air was using 1,300 gallons of water per hour. Annually, that works out to about 11.8 million gallons – enough water supply for 90 average households. Reaction was immediate. Water agencies, other homeowners, and the public denounced […]
The Disappearing Wetlands in California’s Central Valley
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /High Country News (Paonia, Colo.)by By Paige BlankenbuehlerEach year, 181 species of waterfowl, shorebirds and riparian birds flock to California’s Central Valley to nest between November and March. The space they roost in is already limited: There are just 19 wetlands, comprised of National Wildlife Refuges and State Wildlife Areas, spread across little more than 270 square miles in the valley’s 22,500-square-mile […]
California Does Not Get Expected February Rain But Hope Springs Eternal For March
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /Reuters by By Dan WhitcombCalifornians who hoped that El Nino-driven storms would unleash a heavy dousing to the drought-parched state in February instead saw less rain than normal for the month, but forecasters said March could still deliver. Predictions of an El Nino winter, bringing a series of heavy storms to the West Coast, had been greeted optimistically in […]
El Niño, La Niña: How Do They Mess With Our Weather?
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /The Washington Postby By Karen BraunGiven the odd weather of late, you may be aware that we are in the midst of what could be a record-setting El Niño. Rumors of a switch to La Niña later this year have also danced into the public’s ear, particularly those with an interest in commodity markets. But comprehension of such a scenario, […]
California is About to Get a Ton of Rain, But It’s Still Not Enough to Beat the Drought
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /The Washington Postby By Angela FritzThere’s a ton of rain in the forecast for California. A fire hose of moisture from the tropical Pacific Ocean is expected to take aim at the West Coast, delivering a series of storms to the Golden State. But although the weather pattern appears to be changing, the drought is not, and even a wetter-than-average […]
Marin Assemblyman Levine’s Bill Uses Australian Approach to Address Drought
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /Marin Independent Journal by By Richard HalsteadAssemblyman Marc Levine has introduced a bill that could put California on the road to developing a water trading market similar to one pioneered by Australia during its “millennium drought.” “I looked at how Australia dealt with its 14-year drought and saw that water transfers had a good deal to do with them using their […]