As the West endures another year of unrelenting drought worsened by climate change, the Colorado River’s reservoirs have declined so low that major water cuts will be necessary next year to reduce risks of supplies reaching perilously low levels, a top federal water official said Tuesday. Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Camille Calimlim Touton said during a […]
The governor of California stood in a patch of dry brown grass as he made his proclamation: “We’re in a new era. The idea of your nice little green grass getting lots of water every day — that’s going to be a thing of the past,” he said. “We’re in a historic drought, and that […]
The Cruelest Summer Yet? California Is Facing Drought, Heat, Power Outages and Fires — All at Once Even with the upheaval of the pandemic mostly behind us, the menace of drought and rising temperatures is threatening to derail the return to normal. This year’s extraordinarily dry, warm weather, which is expected to continue in the coming months, is stoking […]
A top federal water official told Congress on Tuesday that shortages on the Colorado River system have taken an even grimmer turn, with a whopping 2 million to 4 million acre feet of reduction in water use needed by 2023 just to keep Lake Mead functioning and physically capable of delivering drinking water, irrigation and power to millions of people. Bureau […]
State lawmakers are proposing to set aside $2 billion to buy up water rights and repurpose farmland to rebalance the water supply amidst the state’s second drought in the last decade. Most of the money being proposed in the 2022-23 budget, $1.5 billion, will be used to buy land with senior water rights to secure […]
Water has been flowing down the San Joaquin River since the beginning of April. But, ironically, late spring rains could halt the flow. The water coming out of Millerton Lake just above Fresno is flowing because of a contract within California’s complicated water rights system.
Major Water Cutbacks Loom as Shrinking Colorado River Nears ‘Moment of Reckoning’
/in California and the U.S., Home Headline, Media Coverage /by Mike Lee /Los Angeles Timesby Ian JamesAs the West endures another year of unrelenting drought worsened by climate change, the Colorado River’s reservoirs have declined so low that major water cuts will be necessary next year to reduce risks of supplies reaching perilously low levels, a top federal water official said Tuesday. Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Camille Calimlim Touton said during a […]
Did California Learn Anything From the Last Drought? ‘Gambling’ With Water Continues
/in California and the U.S., Home Headline, Media Coverage /by Mike Lee /Los Angeles Timesby Hayley SmithThe governor of California stood in a patch of dry brown grass as he made his proclamation: “We’re in a new era. The idea of your nice little green grass getting lots of water every day — that’s going to be a thing of the past,” he said. “We’re in a historic drought, and that […]
The Cruelest Summer Yet? California Is Facing Drought, Heat, Power Outages and Fires — All at Once
/in California and the U.S., Home Headline, Media Coverage /by Mike Lee /San Francisco Chronicleby Kurtis AlexanderThe Cruelest Summer Yet? California Is Facing Drought, Heat, Power Outages and Fires — All at Once Even with the upheaval of the pandemic mostly behind us, the menace of drought and rising temperatures is threatening to derail the return to normal. This year’s extraordinarily dry, warm weather, which is expected to continue in the coming months, is stoking […]
Feds Float Drastic Measures to Stanch California’s Water Crisis
/in California and the U.S., Home Headline, Media Coverage /by Mike Lee /Palm Springs Desert Sunby Janet WilsonA top federal water official told Congress on Tuesday that shortages on the Colorado River system have taken an even grimmer turn, with a whopping 2 million to 4 million acre feet of reduction in water use needed by 2023 just to keep Lake Mead functioning and physically capable of delivering drinking water, irrigation and power to millions of people. Bureau […]
State Budget Proposes to Buy Water Rights From Farmers
/in California and the U.S., Media Coverage /by Mike Lee /The Sun Gazetteby Reggie EllisState lawmakers are proposing to set aside $2 billion to buy up water rights and repurpose farmland to rebalance the water supply amidst the state’s second drought in the last decade. Most of the money being proposed in the 2022-23 budget, $1.5 billion, will be used to buy land with senior water rights to secure […]
How Does More Rain in Northern California Equal Less Flows in the San Joaquin River?
/in California and the U.S., Media Coverage /by Mike Lee /SJV Waterby Jesse VadWater has been flowing down the San Joaquin River since the beginning of April. But, ironically, late spring rains could halt the flow. The water coming out of Millerton Lake just above Fresno is flowing because of a contract within California’s complicated water rights system.