The New Year’s Atmospheric River storms of 2023 have abated and catchments across the State are draining as exemplified by continuing baseflows through their hydrograph recession limbs. River flows are still elevated, but releases have been incrementally curtailed and stage levels continue to drop. Despite early positive signs, however, the reality of what this storm (or series of storms) […]
California water agencies that rely on the Colorado River today proposed a modeling framework for the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation to evaluate as it considers actions to help stabilize reservoir elevations and protect critical infrastructure to ensure the Colorado River system can continue to support 40 million people, nearly 6 million acres of agriculture, and […]
Dueling plans for how to save the fast-drying Colorado River have been submitted by California and six other states to federal authorities, who have made clear they may impose draconian cuts if consensus is not reached regionally on deep reductions. That agreement could be hard to come by. California swung hard at six other Western […]
California released a plan Tuesday detailing how Western states reliant on the Colorado River should save more water. It came a day after the six other states in the river basin made a competing proposal. In a letter to the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, California described how states could conserve between 1 million and nearly […]
The statewide Sierra Nevada snowpack — the source of nearly one-third of California’s water supply — is at its highest level since 1995, boosting hopes that an end to the drought is near, but also raising concerns that a few warm spring storms could melt it too early and trigger major flooding. Not since Toy […]
The heavy snow blanketing the Rocky Mountains this winter is a welcome respite for the shrinking Colorado River. Yes, but: Climate experts say it still falls short from saturating the state’s drought-ridden reservoirs.
Monthly Reservoir Report for February 2
/in California and the U.S., Media Coverage /by Mike Lee /Maven's Notebookby Robert ShibataniThe New Year’s Atmospheric River storms of 2023 have abated and catchments across the State are draining as exemplified by continuing baseflows through their hydrograph recession limbs. River flows are still elevated, but releases have been incrementally curtailed and stage levels continue to drop. Despite early positive signs, however, the reality of what this storm (or series of storms) […]
California Water Agencies Submit Colorado River Modeling Framework to Bureau of Reclamation
/in California and the U.S., Home Headline, Media Coverage /by Mike Lee /Water News Network Quoted: San Diego County Water AuthorityCalifornia water agencies that rely on the Colorado River today proposed a modeling framework for the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation to evaluate as it considers actions to help stabilize reservoir elevations and protect critical infrastructure to ensure the Colorado River system can continue to support 40 million people, nearly 6 million acres of agriculture, and […]
California Fires Back at Other Western States With Its Own Colorado River Plan
/in California and the U.S., Home Headline, Media Coverage /by Mike Lee /Desert Sunby Janet WilsonDueling plans for how to save the fast-drying Colorado River have been submitted by California and six other states to federal authorities, who have made clear they may impose draconian cuts if consensus is not reached regionally on deep reductions. That agreement could be hard to come by. California swung hard at six other Western […]
California Releases Its Own Plan for Colorado River Cuts
/in California and the U.S., Home Headline, Media Coverage /by Mike Lee /AP Newsby Kathleen Ronayne and Suman NaishadhamCalifornia released a plan Tuesday detailing how Western states reliant on the Colorado River should save more water. It came a day after the six other states in the river basin made a competing proposal. In a letter to the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, California described how states could conserve between 1 million and nearly […]
Sierra Nevada Snowpack Hits Biggest Level in Nearly 30 Years
/in California and the U.S., Home Headline, Media Coverage /by Mike Lee /The Mercury Newsby Paul RogersThe statewide Sierra Nevada snowpack — the source of nearly one-third of California’s water supply — is at its highest level since 1995, boosting hopes that an end to the drought is near, but also raising concerns that a few warm spring storms could melt it too early and trigger major flooding. Not since Toy […]
Colorado’s Wet Winter is a Drop in the Drought Bucket
/in California and the U.S., Media Coverage /by Mike Lee /Axios Denverby Alayna AlvarezThe heavy snow blanketing the Rocky Mountains this winter is a welcome respite for the shrinking Colorado River. Yes, but: Climate experts say it still falls short from saturating the state’s drought-ridden reservoirs.