The U.S. Drought Monitor says exceptional drought was reduced in one area of the northern Sierra this week, “despite heavy precipitation and rebounding stream flows in the short term the past few weeks.” “It was decided to hold off on making substantial changes to the depiction in the far West until next week,” according to […]
This week I testified at a legislative hearing on implementing the $7.5 billion water bond passed by voters in November 2014. One legislator asked me if the state was positioned to capture extra rainwater if El Niño brings a strong rainy season. I pointed out that many California reservoirs are empty enough to capture much […]
Even in the midst of the recent El Niño storm systems, environmentalists and vineyardists are still concerned with the impacts of four years of continued drought on crops. Yet a recent analysis of the effectiveness of water penetration — using soil moisture-monitoring instrumentation — has shown that using a deep root irrigation system can save […]
In the wake of drought and environmental concerns, more water agencies in California and across the West are finding a new water source for human consumption in an unexpected place: the sewer. The treated sewer water isn’t going directly to your tap after treatment. In most cases, it’s put into an aquifer and withdrawn […]
The recent El Niño storms soaking Northern California are recharging Marin County reservoirs, and on Tuesday, six were spilling over and funneling water into creeks and streams. This is all good news for Marin residents and local salmon as this year’s coho run is the largest in almost a decade. The Marin Municipal Water […]
The snow keeps piling up, but the rules requiring water conservation aren’t going away. California’s drought regulators agreed Tuesday to extend water conservation mandates through the end of October. The decision came in spite of increasing evidence that El Niño is delivering better-than-average precipitation, including an encouraging measurement of the Sierra Nevada snowpack recorded […]
Drought Remains ‘Very Serious’ In California
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /Capital Public Radioby Ed JoyceThe U.S. Drought Monitor says exceptional drought was reduced in one area of the northern Sierra this week, “despite heavy precipitation and rebounding stream flows in the short term the past few weeks.” “It was decided to hold off on making substantial changes to the depiction in the far West until next week,” according to […]
OPINION: To Make the Most of Rain, State Needs Delta Tunnels
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /The Sacramento Beeby John LairdThis week I testified at a legislative hearing on implementing the $7.5 billion water bond passed by voters in November 2014. One legislator asked me if the state was positioned to capture extra rainwater if El Niño brings a strong rainy season. I pointed out that many California reservoirs are empty enough to capture much […]
Getting the Most Benefit from Deep Root Irrigation
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /St. Helena Star (Napa County, Calif.)by Tom StockwellEven in the midst of the recent El Niño storm systems, environmentalists and vineyardists are still concerned with the impacts of four years of continued drought on crops. Yet a recent analysis of the effectiveness of water penetration — using soil moisture-monitoring instrumentation — has shown that using a deep root irrigation system can save […]
If You’re Not Drinking Treated Sewer Water, You Soon Will Be
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /The Sun (San Bernardino)by By Jim SteinbergIn the wake of drought and environmental concerns, more water agencies in California and across the West are finding a new water source for human consumption in an unexpected place: the sewer. The treated sewer water isn’t going directly to your tap after treatment. In most cases, it’s put into an aquifer and withdrawn […]
Thanks to El Niño, Six Out of Eight Marin Reservoirs Full and Overflowing
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /SF Gateby By Amy GraffThe recent El Niño storms soaking Northern California are recharging Marin County reservoirs, and on Tuesday, six were spilling over and funneling water into creeks and streams. This is all good news for Marin residents and local salmon as this year’s coho run is the largest in almost a decade. The Marin Municipal Water […]
California Extends Mandatory Water Cuts Despite Growing Snowpack
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /The Sacramento Beeby By Ryan Sabalow, Phillip Reese and Dale KaslerThe snow keeps piling up, but the rules requiring water conservation aren’t going away. California’s drought regulators agreed Tuesday to extend water conservation mandates through the end of October. The decision came in spite of increasing evidence that El Niño is delivering better-than-average precipitation, including an encouraging measurement of the Sierra Nevada snowpack recorded […]