With California entering the third year of severe drought, federal officials said Wednesday they won’t deliver any water to farmers in the state’s major agricultural region — a decision that will force many to plant fewer crops in the fertile soil that yields the bulk of the nation’s fruits, nuts and vegetables. “It’s devastating to […]
Farmers in California’s Central Valley are in for another brutal summer of drought. The federal government announced initial 2022 water allocations Wednesday for customers of the Central Valley Project, and the figures were dismal: Most irrigation districts in the Sacramento and San Joaquin valleys can expect to receive no deliveries from the project’s vast network […]
Packed onto the slopes of the Sierra Nevada is a precious source of water for California — a frozen reservoir that climate change is already transforming. As the planet warms, the spring snowpack is dwindling. The snow is creeping up mountainsides to higher elevations, melting earlier in the year and seeping into dry soils rather than washing into rivers and streams that […]
The water level in Lake Powell was at a record low when rain and snow began to fall across the Colorado River Basin in October, soaking dry soils ahead of the winter season. Water managers, who hoped the trend would build into an above-average snow year that might delay a looming water crisis in the […]
The Modesto Irrigation District will deliver about 60% of its usual water this year because of the persistent drought. The district board voted 5-0 Tuesday morning for this allotment from the Tuolumne River. It affects about 58,000 acres of farmland, as well as a treatment plant that eases reliance on groundwater in Modesto and a […]
In the coal fields of eastern Montana, climate change is forcing a stark choice: halt mining that helped build everything from schools to senior centers or risk astronomical future damage as fossil fuel emissions warm the planet and increase disasters, crop losses and premature deaths. One of the largest mines in this arid region straddling […]
Citing Drought, US Won’t Give Water to California Farmers
/in California and the U.S., Media Coverage /by Mike Lee /AP Newsby Adam BeamWith California entering the third year of severe drought, federal officials said Wednesday they won’t deliver any water to farmers in the state’s major agricultural region — a decision that will force many to plant fewer crops in the fertile soil that yields the bulk of the nation’s fruits, nuts and vegetables. “It’s devastating to […]
California’s Drought Endures: Feds’ Central Valley Project Announces 0% Water for Farmers
/in California and the U.S., Home Headline, Media Coverage /by Mike Lee /Fresno Beeby Dale KaslerFarmers in California’s Central Valley are in for another brutal summer of drought. The federal government announced initial 2022 water allocations Wednesday for customers of the Central Valley Project, and the figures were dismal: Most irrigation districts in the Sacramento and San Joaquin valleys can expect to receive no deliveries from the project’s vast network […]
Snow Falling: As Climate Warms, Overhauling California Water Projections Gains Urgency
/in California and the U.S., Home Headline, Media Coverage /by Mike Lee /CalMattersby Rachel BeckerPacked onto the slopes of the Sierra Nevada is a precious source of water for California — a frozen reservoir that climate change is already transforming. As the planet warms, the spring snowpack is dwindling. The snow is creeping up mountainsides to higher elevations, melting earlier in the year and seeping into dry soils rather than washing into rivers and streams that […]
Climate Change, Drought Are Endangering Hydropower Production From Lake Powell. Is It Time to ‘Balance the Water Budget’?
/in California and the U.S., Home Headline, Media Coverage /by Mike Lee /The Salt Lake Tribuneby Zach PodmoreThe water level in Lake Powell was at a record low when rain and snow began to fall across the Colorado River Basin in October, soaking dry soils ahead of the winter season. Water managers, who hoped the trend would build into an above-average snow year that might delay a looming water crisis in the […]
MID Sets Water Allotment and Lets Farmers Share Supply Amid Yet Another Drought
/in California and the U.S., Home Headline, Media Coverage /by Mike Lee /The Modesto Beeby John HollandThe Modesto Irrigation District will deliver about 60% of its usual water this year because of the persistent drought. The district board voted 5-0 Tuesday morning for this allotment from the Tuolumne River. It affects about 58,000 acres of farmland, as well as a treatment plant that eases reliance on groundwater in Modesto and a […]
As Climate Change Costs Mount, Biden Seeks to Price Damages
/in California and the U.S., Media Coverage /by Mike Lee /AP Newsby Matthew BrownIn the coal fields of eastern Montana, climate change is forcing a stark choice: halt mining that helped build everything from schools to senior centers or risk astronomical future damage as fossil fuel emissions warm the planet and increase disasters, crop losses and premature deaths. One of the largest mines in this arid region straddling […]