The healthy snowpack whitening Colorado’s mountain peaks has given water officials some breathing room to manage the Colorado River Basin’s ongoing drought. The challenge will be not to squander it. As winter storms wind down, water managers and policymakers are mulling over decisions about how to release and retain water in shrunken reservoirs across the […]
Marty Plaskett upgraded his farming equipment and spent $60,000 on new sprinklers to conserve water, even before the rural Nevada valley where he farms alfalfa began more strictly managing groundwater. Now, Plaskett is weighing another adjustment: selling off part of his legal right to use water that lies under his land to the state.
Nevada gets less than a 2 percent cut from the Colorado River’s waters, but the state actually uses far more water than that each year, all while staying well within its century-old legal water rights. It’s all thanks to an extensive water recycling program in the Las Vegas Valley and something called “return flow credits,” […]
If you wanted to measure California’s change of water fortunes, the boat ramp at Lake Sonoma would be one place to do it. The lake is the scene of an incredible four-month turnaround, for the very water system where the drought officially started. “As you recall, three years ago, the governor literally was up at […]
Weeks of off-and-on storms across California may have been a source of frustration for many of the state’s residents, but it’s been good news for the state’s snowpack. Precipitation has been so dramatic and persistent in recent months that this year’s historic snowpack totals are now believed to be the largest on record.
Scientists have watched in astonishment as ocean temperatures have steadily risen over the past several years – even as the cooling La Niña phenomenon had a firm grip on the Pacific. The oceans have been record-warm for the past four years, scientists reported in January. Then in mid-March, climatologists noted that global sea surface temperature climbed to a […]
Colorado River Basin Reservoirs Still Face Grim Outlook Despite Healthy Snowpack
/in California and the U.S., Home Headline, Media Coverage /by Mike Lee /The Colorado Sunby Shannon MullaneThe healthy snowpack whitening Colorado’s mountain peaks has given water officials some breathing room to manage the Colorado River Basin’s ongoing drought. The challenge will be not to squander it. As winter storms wind down, water managers and policymakers are mulling over decisions about how to release and retain water in shrunken reservoirs across the […]
To Conserve, Nevada May Try to Buy Back Groundwater Rights
/in California and the U.S., Home Headline, Media Coverage /by Mike Lee /AP Newsby Gabe SternMarty Plaskett upgraded his farming equipment and spent $60,000 on new sprinklers to conserve water, even before the rural Nevada valley where he farms alfalfa began more strictly managing groundwater. Now, Plaskett is weighing another adjustment: selling off part of his legal right to use water that lies under his land to the state.
How Nevada Uses More Than Its Tiny Share of the Colorado River Each Year
/in California and the U.S., Media Coverage /by Mike Lee /Las Vegas Review-Journalby Colton LochheadNevada gets less than a 2 percent cut from the Colorado River’s waters, but the state actually uses far more water than that each year, all while staying well within its century-old legal water rights. It’s all thanks to an extensive water recycling program in the Las Vegas Valley and something called “return flow credits,” […]
Weather Whiplash Leads to Dramatic Turnaround of Lake Sonoma
/in California and the U.S., Media Coverage /by Mike Lee /CBS Bay Areaby Wilson WalkerIf you wanted to measure California’s change of water fortunes, the boat ramp at Lake Sonoma would be one place to do it. The lake is the scene of an incredible four-month turnaround, for the very water system where the drought officially started. “As you recall, three years ago, the governor literally was up at […]
California Surpasses All-Time Snowpack Record
/in California and the U.S., Home Headline, Media Coverage /by Chelsea Campos /KTL5by Travis SchleppWeeks of off-and-on storms across California may have been a source of frustration for many of the state’s residents, but it’s been good news for the state’s snowpack. Precipitation has been so dramatic and persistent in recent months that this year’s historic snowpack totals are now believed to be the largest on record.
The Oceans Just Reached Their Hottest Temperature On Record as El Niño Looms. Here are 6 Things to Watch for
/in California and the U.S., Home Headline, Media Coverage /by Chelsea Campos /CNNby Laura Paddison and Rachel RamirezScientists have watched in astonishment as ocean temperatures have steadily risen over the past several years – even as the cooling La Niña phenomenon had a firm grip on the Pacific. The oceans have been record-warm for the past four years, scientists reported in January. Then in mid-March, climatologists noted that global sea surface temperature climbed to a […]