On a recent, scorching afternoon in Albuquerque, off-road vehicles cruised up and down a stretch of dry riverbed where normally the Rio Grande flows. The drivers weren’t thrill-seekers, but biologists hoping to save as many endangered fish as they could before the sun turned shrinking pools of water into dust. For the first time in […]
In their pleas to Western states to cut back on water use from the Colorado River Basin, federal officials are keenly focused on keeping Lake Powell’s elevation at 3,490 feet — the minimum needed to keep hydropower humming at Glen Canyon Dam. But if federal efforts can’t stop the reservoir from shrinking to new lows […]
California lawmakers representing the state’s Delta area are calling for Gov. Gavin Newsom to cancel his plan for an underground tunnel that would reroute water from Northern to Southern California. Representatives John Garamendi, Josh Harder, Jerry McNerney and Mike Thompson, all Democrats, released a joint statement in response to the draft environmental impact report for […]
This month will be a moment of truth for Arizona cities. The Federal Bureau of Reclamation is scheduled to release its “24-month study” that announces how much water Lake Powell and Lake Mead will release in 2023. Meanwhile, seven western states must also present a plan to dramatically cut 2-4 million acre-feet of water. According to federal […]
Californians began paying more attention to their water use as summer arrived, but statewide conservation remains well short of what the governor has requested during the drought. In June, municipal water consumption dropped 7.6% compared to the same month in 2020, marking a second straight month of savings, according to state data released Tuesday, and parts of the […]
Riverside County supervisors Tuesday approved a $4.12 million contract with an Encinitas-based firm to provide engineering and design services for a project to revitalize a portion of the dying Salton Sea. “We’ve been working on this project for several years now,” Salton Sea Authority Executive Director Patrick O’Dowd told the Board of Supervisors. “It’s a […]
A Race to Save the Fish as Rio Grande Dries, Even in Albuquerque
/in California and the U.S., Media Coverage /by Mike Lee /AP Newsby Brittany Peterson and Suman NaishadhamOn a recent, scorching afternoon in Albuquerque, off-road vehicles cruised up and down a stretch of dry riverbed where normally the Rio Grande flows. The drivers weren’t thrill-seekers, but biologists hoping to save as many endangered fish as they could before the sun turned shrinking pools of water into dust. For the first time in […]
Drought and Old Pipes Could Slow Colorado River to a Trickle
/in California and the U.S., Media Coverage /by Mike Lee /E&E Newsby Jennifer YachninIn their pleas to Western states to cut back on water use from the Colorado River Basin, federal officials are keenly focused on keeping Lake Powell’s elevation at 3,490 feet — the minimum needed to keep hydropower humming at Glen Canyon Dam. But if federal efforts can’t stop the reservoir from shrinking to new lows […]
Democratic Lawmakers Representing Delta-area Urge Gov. Newsom to Cancel Delta Tunnel Plan
/in California and the U.S., Media Coverage /by Mike Lee /KCRAby Hilda FloresCalifornia lawmakers representing the state’s Delta area are calling for Gov. Gavin Newsom to cancel his plan for an underground tunnel that would reroute water from Northern to Southern California. Representatives John Garamendi, Josh Harder, Jerry McNerney and Mike Thompson, all Democrats, released a joint statement in response to the draft environmental impact report for […]
Arizona’s Cities May See ‘Huge’ Water Cutbacks Soon. Here’s What That Means for Valley Residents
/in California and the U.S., Home Headline, Media Coverage /by Mike Lee /12 Newsby Joe DanaThis month will be a moment of truth for Arizona cities. The Federal Bureau of Reclamation is scheduled to release its “24-month study” that announces how much water Lake Powell and Lake Mead will release in 2023. Meanwhile, seven western states must also present a plan to dramatically cut 2-4 million acre-feet of water. According to federal […]
California Drought: Summer is Crucial for Saving Water, but Conservation Still Ho-Hum
/in California and the U.S., Media Coverage /by Mike Lee /San Francisco Chronicleby Kurtis AlexanderCalifornians began paying more attention to their water use as summer arrived, but statewide conservation remains well short of what the governor has requested during the drought. In June, municipal water consumption dropped 7.6% compared to the same month in 2020, marking a second straight month of savings, according to state data released Tuesday, and parts of the […]
As the Salton Sea Dies, $4.12M Contract Approved to Give It Life
/in California and the U.S., Media Coverage /by Mike Lee /PatchRiverside County supervisors Tuesday approved a $4.12 million contract with an Encinitas-based firm to provide engineering and design services for a project to revitalize a portion of the dying Salton Sea. “We’ve been working on this project for several years now,” Salton Sea Authority Executive Director Patrick O’Dowd told the Board of Supervisors. “It’s a […]