California’s unusually stormy winter is promising good news for the state’s struggling hydropower industry. After three years of extreme drought, winter weather has driven up the most populous U.S. state’s snow levels to 235% of normal, according to the latest figures from the California Department of Water Resources. That’s likely to fill up hydro reservoirs […]
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.
Soggy California Winter Set to Charge Up State’s Hydropower Sector
/in California and the U.S., Home Headline, Media Coverage /by Mike Lee /Reutersby Laila KearneyCalifornia’s unusually stormy winter is promising good news for the state’s struggling hydropower industry. After three years of extreme drought, winter weather has driven up the most populous U.S. state’s snow levels to 235% of normal, according to the latest figures from the California Department of Water Resources. That’s likely to fill up hydro reservoirs […]
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.