At the depth of California’s four-year drought, water-use experts found plenty of stark images to illustrate the urgent need to conserve. They pointed to half-empty Folsom Lake or once-floating boat docks aground on caked clay. Fallow fields and dying orchards echoed the dire message: Save water or perish. Motivated by such examples, many residents got […]
More than 36 million Californians are still living in drought-affected areas — roughly 95 percent of the state’s population, according to the National Drought Mitigation Center. The fight to end the drought in California, is far from over. Gov. Jerry Brown proclaimed a state of emergency for California in January of 2014 and urged residents […]
At first glance, a proposed initiative to reallocate bond funds from the controversial high-speed rail project to fund water storage projects seems tailor-made for Northern Californian water leaders who have been pushing for such projects, particularly Sites Reservoir, for decades. But the North State has staunchly opposed the proposal being circulated for signatures to qualify […]
Even in the midst of a strong El Niño, California’s sunny weather this February is not surprising, experts say: The longest dry spell this month — 14 days — is actually less than the average for a strong El Niño winter. But state water officials said Monday that unless the rainy weather returns with a […]
Californians are doing an outstanding job conserving water, reducing urban water use by nearly 26 percent during the last seven months of 2015, compared with the same period in 2013, exceeding Gov. Jerry Brown’s 25 percent reduction mandate. California’s investor-owned water utilities, together serving approximately 6 million people, are partnering with their customers to achieve […]
The California think-tank Pacific Institute released a report—Impacts of California’s Drought: Hydroelectric Generation 2015 Update—earlier this month that contains significant false and misleading information that could negatively impact California rivers and delay the transition away from dirty energy. First, the report and the news stories surrounding it repeatedly say that hydroelectric power is “less expensive” […]
Hoping Drought Lessons Stick for Sacramento Water Users Despite Rain
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /The Sacramento Beeby Debbie ArringtonAt the depth of California’s four-year drought, water-use experts found plenty of stark images to illustrate the urgent need to conserve. They pointed to half-empty Folsom Lake or once-floating boat docks aground on caked clay. Fallow fields and dying orchards echoed the dire message: Save water or perish. Motivated by such examples, many residents got […]
Drought Still Here Amid El Niño
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /Sonoma State Starby Edgar SanchezMore than 36 million Californians are still living in drought-affected areas — roughly 95 percent of the state’s population, according to the National Drought Mitigation Center. The fight to end the drought in California, is far from over. Gov. Jerry Brown proclaimed a state of emergency for California in January of 2014 and urged residents […]
‘Murky’ Rail Measure Could Hurt Sites
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /Appeal-Democrat (Marysville)by Andrew CreaseyAt first glance, a proposed initiative to reallocate bond funds from the controversial high-speed rail project to fund water storage projects seems tailor-made for Northern Californian water leaders who have been pushing for such projects, particularly Sites Reservoir, for decades. But the North State has staunchly opposed the proposal being circulated for signatures to qualify […]
Winter Best in Five Years for Rain, Snow
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /Lake County Record-Beeby Paul RogersEven in the midst of a strong El Niño, California’s sunny weather this February is not surprising, experts say: The longest dry spell this month — 14 days — is actually less than the average for a strong El Niño winter. But state water officials said Monday that unless the rainy weather returns with a […]
OPINION: Drought-Emergency Plan Exit Plan Needed by State
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /Daily Democrat (Woodland)by Jack HawksCalifornians are doing an outstanding job conserving water, reducing urban water use by nearly 26 percent during the last seven months of 2015, compared with the same period in 2013, exceeding Gov. Jerry Brown’s 25 percent reduction mandate. California’s investor-owned water utilities, together serving approximately 6 million people, are partnering with their customers to achieve […]
BLOG: Why Hydropower is Not ‘Cheap’ or ‘Clean’
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /EcoWatch (Cleveland, Ohio)by Gary WocknerThe California think-tank Pacific Institute released a report—Impacts of California’s Drought: Hydroelectric Generation 2015 Update—earlier this month that contains significant false and misleading information that could negatively impact California rivers and delay the transition away from dirty energy. First, the report and the news stories surrounding it repeatedly say that hydroelectric power is “less expensive” […]