It may feel like California is flush with water at the moment, after a winter of historic storms that replenished drought-starved lakes and left the Sierra Nevada snowpack at the deepest it’s been in 28 years. But follow the Colorado River, which supplies 15% of California’s water, back to bottomed-out reservoirs like Nevada’s Lake Mead, and it becomes […]
Lake Oroville, a key component of California’s water supply, looks noticeably fuller after a series of January storms. The atmospheric rivers dumped trillions of gallons of moisture on the state, spurring widespread flooding and destruction but also providing a healthy boost to snowpack and drought-sapped reservoirs.
Deep underneath the sodden soils and the berms of snow that now coat California, fuels for fire are waiting to sprout. Grasses and other quick-growing vegetation, spurred by the downpours that saturated the state at the start of the year, quickly turn to kindling as the weather warms. “When that rain comes – and it […]
Forty percent or more of all water use in western US cities goes to outdoor watering of lawns, gardens, pools, and golf courses. One of the most effective urban water conservation strategies is to reduce the area of irrigated landscaping, or switching to less water-intensive vegetation. My research group spent three years collecting water data […]
Agriculture in the San Joaquin Valley may be able to blunt a sharp decline in the years ahead if policymakers and the industry can come together on a series of strategies for reducing demand for irrigation while also increasing water supply, according to a new assessment from a prominent policy organization. The report this month from […]
The first week of February brought only modest amounts of rain and snow but despite that, California’s snowpack and many of the state’s largest reservoirs are in good shape. According to data tracked by California’s Department of Water Resources, the statewide snowpack is at 135% of the average peak. Typically the snowpack peaks in late […]
Understanding California’s Relationship With the Colorado River
/in California and the U.S., Home Headline, Media Coverage /by Mike Lee /SFGATEby Amy GraffIt may feel like California is flush with water at the moment, after a winter of historic storms that replenished drought-starved lakes and left the Sierra Nevada snowpack at the deepest it’s been in 28 years. But follow the Colorado River, which supplies 15% of California’s water, back to bottomed-out reservoirs like Nevada’s Lake Mead, and it becomes […]
Dramatic Photos Show Lake Oroville’s Rise After Epic Storms
/in California and the U.S., Home Headline, Media Coverage /by Mike Lee /Los Angeles Timesby Hayley Smith and Brian Van Der BrugLake Oroville, a key component of California’s water supply, looks noticeably fuller after a series of January storms. The atmospheric rivers dumped trillions of gallons of moisture on the state, spurring widespread flooding and destruction but also providing a healthy boost to snowpack and drought-sapped reservoirs.
‘Double-Edged Sword’: Why the Badly Needed Rains in California Could Fuel Catastrophic Fires
/in California and the U.S., Home Headline, Media Coverage /by Mike Lee /The Guardianby Gabrielle CanonDeep underneath the sodden soils and the berms of snow that now coat California, fuels for fire are waiting to sprout. Grasses and other quick-growing vegetation, spurred by the downpours that saturated the state at the start of the year, quickly turn to kindling as the weather warms. “When that rain comes – and it […]
Big Cities Are Downsizing Their Water Footprints
/in California and the U.S., Home Headline, Media Coverage /by Mike Lee /Sustainable Watersby Brian RichterForty percent or more of all water use in western US cities goes to outdoor watering of lawns, gardens, pools, and golf courses. One of the most effective urban water conservation strategies is to reduce the area of irrigated landscaping, or switching to less water-intensive vegetation. My research group spent three years collecting water data […]
Policy Group Warns of Steep Ag Losses Without Coordinated Action on Water
/in California and the U.S., Home Headline, Media Coverage /by Mike Lee /Bakersfield.comby John CoxAgriculture in the San Joaquin Valley may be able to blunt a sharp decline in the years ahead if policymakers and the industry can come together on a series of strategies for reducing demand for irrigation while also increasing water supply, according to a new assessment from a prominent policy organization. The report this month from […]
From Snowpack to Groundwater: Here’s a Look at Water Supply Conditions Across California
/in California and the U.S., Home Headline, Media Coverage /by Mike Lee /KCRAby Heather WaldmanThe first week of February brought only modest amounts of rain and snow but despite that, California’s snowpack and many of the state’s largest reservoirs are in good shape. According to data tracked by California’s Department of Water Resources, the statewide snowpack is at 135% of the average peak. Typically the snowpack peaks in late […]