California and the U.S.
The latest news and analysis covering water issues in Caliornia and the rest of the United States.
The Water News Network is San Diego County’s source for water news and information.
The Water News Network is San Diego County’s source for water news and information.
Opinion: Westlands Contract Shakes the Waterscape
/in California and the U.S., Media Coverage /by Mike Lee /CalMatters (Sacramento, Calif.)by Dan WaltersCalifornia’s perpetual, uber-complex conflict over water progresses much like the tectonic plates that grind against one another beneath its surface. Periodically, as subterranean friction increases, there’s a sudden movement that we call an earthquake — sometimes imperceptibly small, but occasionally large enough to disrupt and endanger life at the surface.
Ancient Aquifers are Dropping as Tucson’s Suburbs Pump Groundwater
/in California and the U.S., Media Coverage /by Mike Lee /Arizona Daily Star (Tucson, Ariz.)by Tony DavisLiterature promoting the SaddleBrooke Ranch development west of Oracle touts feature after feature — high Sonoran Desert terrain with beautiful mountain views, “multimillion-dollar country club amenities,” an 18-hole championship golf course and more. The development, now roughly 1,000 homes strong with 5,600 total planned, also has delivered something not promoted — a falling water table.
Are Atmospheric Rivers the Reason for Northern California’s Extreme Weather?
/in California and the U.S., Home Headline, Media Coverage /by Mike Lee /The Press Democrat (Santa Rosa, Calif.)by Stephen NettIt’s been a tough few years for Northern California, disaster-wise. The north state has been hammered in quick succession by catastrophic drought, intense flooding and rampaging wildfires. While it’s reassuring to know such extreme events are historically uncommon, they’re also not simply a result of bad luck. Scientists have only recently begun to understand that […]
Lack of Rain Puts Signs of Drought Back on California Map
/in California and the U.S., Media Coverage /by Mike Lee /SFGate (San Francisco, Calif.)by Amy GraffLittle rain has fallen in California since the start of the water year on Oct. 1, putting signs of drought back on the map. The federal Drought Monitor Map, a mechanism to measure drought that’s mainly used in agriculture, shows 81% of the state as abnormally dry. A small portion (4%) of the map near […]
New Analysis Spells Out Serious Legal Risk To Colorado River Water Users
/in California and the U.S., Home Headline, Media Coverage /by Mike Lee /KUNC (Greeley, Colo.)by Luke RunyonAs climate change continues to sap the Colorado River’s water, some users face serious legal risks to their supplies, according to a new analysis by researchers in Colorado and New Mexico. Declining flows could force Southwest water managers to confront long-standing legal uncertainties, and threaten the water security of Upper Basin states of Colorado, Wyoming, […]
Surfrider Study Calls For Allowing The Ocean To Advance Inland
/in California and the U.S., Media Coverage /by Mike Lee /The Orange County Register by Martin WisckolWhile California scored the only “A” in a new environmental assessment of the nation’s beaches, the state’s sole shortcoming in the report pulls back the curtain on a growing conflict over whether beachfront homeowners should be allowed to protect their property against rising seas. Some argue that protecting coastal homes, roads and train tracks with […]