The cotton’s gone. The alfalfa barely exists. “Can you even call this a farm?” asked Nancy Caywood, standing on a rural stretch of land her Texas grandfather settled nearly a century ago, drawn by cheap prices and feats of engineering that brought water from afar to irrigate central Arizona’s arid soil.
Cities across time have stretched to secure water. The Romans built aqueducts, the Mayans constructed underground storage chambers, and Hohokam farmers dug more than 500 miles of canals in what is now the U.S. Southwest. Today’s cities use portfolios of technologies to conserve supply — everything from 60-story dams and chemicals to centrifugal pumps and special toilets. And yet, the cities of tomorrow […]
The president of California’s utility regulator warned a top power company Monday that power outages to prevent equipment from sparking wildfires should only be used as a last resort. “We need specifics on where you have improved, where you are lagging and where you are focusing your resources,” California Public Utilities Commission President Marybel Batjer […]
Drought conditions have prompted the building of a 750-foot wide rock barrier to prevent saltwater intrusion into the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta. The California Department of Water Resources constructed the temporary barrier with 110,000 cubic yards of rock off West False River in Contra Costa County. Principal engineer Jacob McQuirk said that without the barrier, […]
Hot, dry, and ‘unrecognizable’ describes July 2021. The West boiled with record-breaking heat, and persistent drought that has left the Colorado River, Lake Mead and Lake Powell two-thirds empty, a ‘bathtub’ ring lining the shores of the largest water sources serving California. As more frequent heat waves broke records this summer, our photojournalists documented what […]
How low can Lake Oroville go? While losing over a foot of water each day, historically low is the answer. The lake is on track to beat its lowest recorded record: 645 feet above sea level in September 1977. Friday, it sits at 646.97 feet, just feet away from a new record. This could drop […]
Starving Cows. Fallow Farms. The Arizona Drought Is Among the Worst in the Country
/in California and the U.S., Home Headline, Media Coverage /by Chelsea Campos /Los Angeles Timesby Jaweed KaleemThe cotton’s gone. The alfalfa barely exists. “Can you even call this a farm?” asked Nancy Caywood, standing on a rural stretch of land her Texas grandfather settled nearly a century ago, drawn by cheap prices and feats of engineering that brought water from afar to irrigate central Arizona’s arid soil.
How to Build a Water-Smart City
/in California and the U.S., Home Headline, Media Coverage /by Chelsea Campos /Bloomberg CityLab + Greenby Chris MalloyCities across time have stretched to secure water. The Romans built aqueducts, the Mayans constructed underground storage chambers, and Hohokam farmers dug more than 500 miles of canals in what is now the U.S. Southwest. Today’s cities use portfolios of technologies to conserve supply — everything from 60-story dams and chemicals to centrifugal pumps and special toilets. And yet, the cities of tomorrow […]
Power Shutoffs Should Be Last Resort, Regulators Warn
/in California and the U.S., Home Headline, Media Coverage /by Mike Lee /AP Newsby Janie HarThe president of California’s utility regulator warned a top power company Monday that power outages to prevent equipment from sparking wildfires should only be used as a last resort. “We need specifics on where you have improved, where you are lagging and where you are focusing your resources,” California Public Utilities Commission President Marybel Batjer […]
Drought is Pushing More Saltwater Into the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta. California Built a Wall to Keep it Out.
/in California and the U.S., Home Headline, Media Coverage /by Chelsea Campos /CapRadioby Rich IbarraDrought conditions have prompted the building of a 750-foot wide rock barrier to prevent saltwater intrusion into the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta. The California Department of Water Resources constructed the temporary barrier with 110,000 cubic yards of rock off West False River in Contra Costa County. Principal engineer Jacob McQuirk said that without the barrier, […]
Photos Show What July’s Heat and Drought Looked Like This Summer
/in California and the U.S., Home Headline, Media Coverage /by Chelsea Campos /Los Angeles TimesHot, dry, and ‘unrecognizable’ describes July 2021. The West boiled with record-breaking heat, and persistent drought that has left the Colorado River, Lake Mead and Lake Powell two-thirds empty, a ‘bathtub’ ring lining the shores of the largest water sources serving California. As more frequent heat waves broke records this summer, our photojournalists documented what […]
Lake Oroville Feet Away From Historic Low, Could Beat Record in Coming Days
/in California and the U.S., Home Headline, Media Coverage /by Chelsea Campos /ABC7by Ryan MattheyHow low can Lake Oroville go? While losing over a foot of water each day, historically low is the answer. The lake is on track to beat its lowest recorded record: 645 feet above sea level in September 1977. Friday, it sits at 646.97 feet, just feet away from a new record. This could drop […]