The Air Force research crew on the WC-130J Super Hercules airplane was cruising at 28,000 feet over the Pacific Ocean, preparing to deploy 25 weather-sensing devices over a long band of water vapor known as an “atmospheric river” when the hazards of air travel got in the way of science. Lt. Col. Jeff Ragusa, a […]
Water is the lifeblood of our state. It sustains communities, wildlife and our economy—all of which make California the envy of the world. Reliably securing this vital and limited resource into the future remains a challenge, especially with a warming and changing climate. For more than a year, my Administration has worked to find a […]
Throughout the year, a weather system known as an “atmospheric river” can impact the West Coast of the U.S., causing flooding, heavy snow and possible mudslides. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration defines an atmospheric river as a huge plume of subtropical moisture that moves with the weather, carrying water roughly equivalent to the average flow […]
The deadline passed at the end of January for local agencies representing 19 of the state’s most stressed groundwater basins to submit plans for how the basins will reach sustainability during the next 20 years. It’s a milestone in implementation of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act. Speaking during the annual California Irrigation Institute conference in […]
California American Water’s Plan for a desalination plant hit a major hurdle last month when the California Coastal Commission told the company it is not ready to make a decision on its permit. The news came in a letter dated January 28, 2020 and it recommend Cal Am pull its current application and resubmit at […]
The Newsom administration Tuesday floated a proposal to avert a protracted legal battle over new state standards that would make some of California’s biggest water users cut their river diversions to help struggling fish populations. State officials see a settlement as the linchpin of administration water policies that have been bogged down in the perennial conflicts over […]
To Study Atmospheric Rivers, Scientists Need to Get Close. So They Fly to Them
/in California and the U.S., Home Headline, Media Coverage /by Mike Lee /San Francisco Chronicleby Peter FimriteThe Air Force research crew on the WC-130J Super Hercules airplane was cruising at 28,000 feet over the Pacific Ocean, preparing to deploy 25 weather-sensing devices over a long band of water vapor known as an “atmospheric river” when the hazards of air travel got in the way of science. Lt. Col. Jeff Ragusa, a […]
Opinion: Gov. Newsom: California Must get Past Differences on Water. Voluntary Agreements are the Path Forward
/in California and the U.S., Home Headline, Media Coverage /by Mike Lee /CalMattersby Gov. Gavin NewsomWater is the lifeblood of our state. It sustains communities, wildlife and our economy—all of which make California the envy of the world. Reliably securing this vital and limited resource into the future remains a challenge, especially with a warming and changing climate. For more than a year, my Administration has worked to find a […]
What Does Atmospheric River Mean? How the ‘Pineapple Express’ Impacts the West Coast
/in California and the U.S., Home Headline, Media Coverage /by Mike Lee /FOX News by Travis FedschunThroughout the year, a weather system known as an “atmospheric river” can impact the West Coast of the U.S., causing flooding, heavy snow and possible mudslides. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration defines an atmospheric river as a huge plume of subtropical moisture that moves with the weather, carrying water roughly equivalent to the average flow […]
Local Agencies File Management Plans for Aquifers
/in California and the U.S., Media Coverage /by Mike Lee /Ag Alert (Sacramento) by Christine SouzaThe deadline passed at the end of January for local agencies representing 19 of the state’s most stressed groundwater basins to submit plans for how the basins will reach sustainability during the next 20 years. It’s a milestone in implementation of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act. Speaking during the annual California Irrigation Institute conference in […]
Cal Am Facing Permit Dilemma
/in California and the U.S., Media Coverage /by Mike Lee /KSBW 8 (Salinas, Calif.)by Kristina LucarelliCalifornia American Water’s Plan for a desalination plant hit a major hurdle last month when the California Coastal Commission told the company it is not ready to make a decision on its permit. The news came in a letter dated January 28, 2020 and it recommend Cal Am pull its current application and resubmit at […]
Newsom Administration Trying Again for a River Flow Deal
/in California and the U.S., Home Headline, Media Coverage /by Mike Lee /Los Angeles Timesby Bettina BoxallThe Newsom administration Tuesday floated a proposal to avert a protracted legal battle over new state standards that would make some of California’s biggest water users cut their river diversions to help struggling fish populations. State officials see a settlement as the linchpin of administration water policies that have been bogged down in the perennial conflicts over […]