During dry years, water becomes scarcer, and, economically, people should pay more for it. But most urban residents do not pay directly for water scarcity. We only pay the financial cost of providing water through pipes, pumping, treatment plants, and reservoirs. We do not pay for the lost value that water would have had for […]
For the past year, there has been a lot of optimism surrounding the potential relief from the five-year drought that El Niño could bring to California. But though we have seen our rivers swell and our mountains capped with snow, the precipitation from El Niño is not enough to provide a long-term solution to California’s […]
For some, the very idea of privatizing water — a substance essential to human life on this planet — is simply unthinkable. Clean water is the right of every person, they would argue. But if the history of water management in the western states is any indication, treating water as the commodity it is would […]
If you thought Saturday was rainy, just give it a few more days. Between now and Monday, an expected 2-3 inches of rain is being forecast for the valley floor, with 5-7.5 inches in the foothills. The snow level will drop to 4,000 feet Saturday night, with 2-3 feet accumulating. Hazardous travel is likely over […]
The glassy, cold Carmel River surged through a little valley in the Santa Lucia Mountains, cascading in front of a half-dozen workers and observers one day last week down a series of rock outcroppings, as if its sinuous path had been designed by nature. Nature, of course, had nothing to do with it. The half-mile […]
Most of the rain that reaches the ground along the Central Coast actually begins as snow high in the atmosphere where temperatures are less than 32 degrees Fahrenheit, the freezing point of water. As the snow falls, it usually encounters warmer air and melts, changing to rain. If the temperature remains below or near freezing, […]
BLOG: Let People Pay What Water is Worth – Sell Your Conserved Water
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /California WaterBlog (Davis)by By Jay LundDuring dry years, water becomes scarcer, and, economically, people should pay more for it. But most urban residents do not pay directly for water scarcity. We only pay the financial cost of providing water through pipes, pumping, treatment plants, and reservoirs. We do not pay for the lost value that water would have had for […]
OPINION: Time for the Legislature to Get Serious About Water Storage
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /Contra Costa Timesby By Devon Mathis,For the past year, there has been a lot of optimism surrounding the potential relief from the five-year drought that El Niño could bring to California. But though we have seen our rivers swell and our mountains capped with snow, the precipitation from El Niño is not enough to provide a long-term solution to California’s […]
OPINION: Bringing Water to the Markets
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /Las Vegas Review JournalFor some, the very idea of privatizing water — a substance essential to human life on this planet — is simply unthinkable. Clean water is the right of every person, they would argue. But if the history of water management in the western states is any indication, treating water as the commodity it is would […]
Forecasters: Strong Storm Continues Today
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /Daily Democrat (Woodland)by By Steve SchoonoverIf you thought Saturday was rainy, just give it a few more days. Between now and Monday, an expected 2-3 inches of rain is being forecast for the valley floor, with 5-7.5 inches in the foothills. The snow level will drop to 4,000 feet Saturday night, with 2-3 feet accumulating. Hazardous travel is likely over […]
Lessons for Renewal Flow from Freed River
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /San Francisco Chronicleby Peter FimriteThe glassy, cold Carmel River surged through a little valley in the Santa Lucia Mountains, cascading in front of a half-dozen workers and observers one day last week down a series of rock outcroppings, as if its sinuous path had been designed by nature. Nature, of course, had nothing to do with it. The half-mile […]
Why Tracking California’s Snowpack is Important
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /The San Luis Obispo Tribuneby By John LindseyMost of the rain that reaches the ground along the Central Coast actually begins as snow high in the atmosphere where temperatures are less than 32 degrees Fahrenheit, the freezing point of water. As the snow falls, it usually encounters warmer air and melts, changing to rain. If the temperature remains below or near freezing, […]