For most of the year, the Los Angeles River is sustained by a flow of wastewater. Now, a battle is brewing between environmentalists and wastewater recycling advocates about where that wastewater should go. In an interview for “LA Times Today,” staff writer Louis Sahagun told host Lisa McRee about the water fight and the future of […]
Already diminished by drought and extreme heat, California’s water supply will face yet another peril as wildfires continue to incinerate ever larger areas of forested land, according to new research. In a UCLA-led study published Monday in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers determined that increasing forest fire activity is “unhinging” […]
Gripped by drought, communities along California’s coast are exploring innovations and investments to ensure residents have access to drinking water. But desalinating seawater, one proposed solution, has provoked heated debate, as some environmentalists say the process is inefficient, expensive and unneeded. The California Coastal Commission next month will decide whether to approve a private company’s […]
A fairly decent start to this year’s rainy season quickly dried up. The Central Coast of California is a story of ebbs and flows, wet years and drought. From man-made reservoirs to underground aquifers, we need to store rain that falls in wet years to help supply the never-ending demand for water during the dry […]
If this were the summer, it would hardly be worth mentioning. But the winter months are when the region expects to pick up a majority of its annual rainfall. The good news is that despite this near-record long winter rainless streak, the season’s total rainfall (since Oct. 1) is still above average for Sacramento. Without […]
Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory is leading a research project to profile the concentration of lithium in the geothermal field beneath California’s Salton Sea, and to explore the most environmentally benign way to extract it. Brine from the geothermal field is already pumped to the surface to generate geothermal power, and recirculated back underground. Lithium could be extracted from […]
Could the LA River Dry Up? Fears Grow as Cities Recycle More Wastewater
/in California and the U.S., Media Coverage /by Mike Lee /Spectrum News 1For most of the year, the Los Angeles River is sustained by a flow of wastewater. Now, a battle is brewing between environmentalists and wastewater recycling advocates about where that wastewater should go. In an interview for “LA Times Today,” staff writer Louis Sahagun told host Lisa McRee about the water fight and the future of […]
As Drought Lingers, Larger and More Destructive Wildfires Pose New Threats to Water Supply
/in California and the U.S., Home Headline, Media Coverage /by Mike Lee /Los Angeles Timesby Hayley SmithAlready diminished by drought and extreme heat, California’s water supply will face yet another peril as wildfires continue to incinerate ever larger areas of forested land, according to new research. In a UCLA-led study published Monday in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers determined that increasing forest fire activity is “unhinging” […]
A Parched West Remains Divided on Desalinating Seawater
/in California and the U.S., Home Headline, Media Coverage /by Mike Lee /PEWby Matt VasilogambrosGripped by drought, communities along California’s coast are exploring innovations and investments to ensure residents have access to drinking water. But desalinating seawater, one proposed solution, has provoked heated debate, as some environmentalists say the process is inefficient, expensive and unneeded. The California Coastal Commission next month will decide whether to approve a private company’s […]
H2O and the Central Coast: the Critical Connections Between Water, Jobs and Housing
/in California and the U.S., Media Coverage /by Mike Lee /KSBYby Delaney White and Richard GearhartA fairly decent start to this year’s rainy season quickly dried up. The Central Coast of California is a story of ebbs and flows, wet years and drought. From man-made reservoirs to underground aquifers, we need to store rain that falls in wet years to help supply the never-ending demand for water during the dry […]
Sacramento Approaches a Record for Days Without Rain During the Winter. Could More Water Restrictions Be Coming Soon?
/in California and the U.S., Home Headline, Media Coverage /by Mike Lee /KCRAby Heather WaldmanIf this were the summer, it would hardly be worth mentioning. But the winter months are when the region expects to pick up a majority of its annual rainfall. The good news is that despite this near-record long winter rainless streak, the season’s total rainfall (since Oct. 1) is still above average for Sacramento. Without […]
Lithium Beneath the Salton Sea
/in California and the U.S., Media Coverage /by Mike Lee /pv magazineby William DriscollLawrence Berkeley Laboratory is leading a research project to profile the concentration of lithium in the geothermal field beneath California’s Salton Sea, and to explore the most environmentally benign way to extract it. Brine from the geothermal field is already pumped to the surface to generate geothermal power, and recirculated back underground. Lithium could be extracted from […]