The snow water equivalent of California’s snowpack is 190% of average for March 3, 2023. After three years of drought, the bountiful winter is good news, but a drier future demands more conservation and innovative solutions for water supply in the Southwestern U.S. The Department of Water Resources on March 3, conducted the third snow […]
Fast action by the San Diego County Water Authority and its partners is helping maintain water service in Tijuana after problems with the city’s aqueduct emerged in December. Emergency water deliveries started last week after a coordinated effort between the Water Authority, Otay Water District, and Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD). The typical […]
The California Department of Water Resources first manual snow survey of the season Tuesday at Phillips Station recorded 55.5 inches of snow depth and a snow water equivalent of 17.5 inches, which is 177% of average for the location. The snow water equivalent measures the amount of water contained in the snowpack and is a […]
The Water News Network top stories of 2022 were drought-related and features about technology and college scholarships also engaged readers. Water News Network Top Stories of 2022 The #1 Water News Network Top Story of 2022 focused on scholarship opportunities for water industry education and the growing need for water and wastewater industry workers: Multiple […]
/in California and the West, News/by Mike Lee /Public Policy Institute of Californiaby Sarah Bardeen Quoted: San Diego County Water Authority
After three years of virtual events, the PPIC Water Policy Center’s annual fall conference made a welcome return to an in-person format in Sacramento on Friday, November 18. The half-day event began with a welcome from PPIC Water Policy Center assistant director Caity Peterson and a presentation by senior fellow Jeffrey Mount. This year was […]
A team led by Kristen Guirguis, a climate researcher at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego, found evidence that the risk of hazardous weather is increasing in the Southwest. The researchers investigated the daily relationships among four major modes of weather affecting California. How they interact governs the formation of weather events such […]
Following Governor Gavin Newsom’s recent executive order and a State Water Board emergency regulation, members of the California Urban Water Agencies, or CUWA, including the San Diego County Water Authority continue to advance water-saving efforts, yielding measurable results. These efforts come on the back of the driest first quarter in California’s history, which prompted the […]
Few landfalling atmospheric rivers in the current water year have reached California, now in the third year of a statewide drought. The latest update from the Center for Western Weather and Water Extremes, Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego, shows that Water Year 2022 started strong in October, but weaker storms did not […]
California officials have urged residents to prepare for a third year of drought and urged people to conserve water. “With only one month left in California’s wet season and no major storms in the forecast, Californians should plan for a third year of drought conditions,” said California Department of Water Resources Director Karla Nemeth. “A […]
Research on atmospheric rivers takes flight as UC San Diego’s Center for Western Weather and Water Extremes taps “Hurricane Hunter” aircraft for specialized scientific missions. The aircraft will fly for a 13-week period (that began January 5) to glean critical data for improving forecasts of atmospheric river storms over the Pacific Ocean. Those storms, or […]
The California Department of Water Resources conducted the first Phillips Station snow survey of the season on Thursday, Dec 30 after the basin received over 200 inches of snow, and will potentially see more in the coming week.
The Center for Western Weather and Water Extremes, or CW3E, at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, released its report October 11 on atmospheric rivers during Water Year 2021. The report, “Distribution of Landfalling Atmospheric Rivers over the U.S. West Coast During Water Year 2021: End of Water Year Summary” shows that more atmospheric rivers landed on […]
Agriculture values topped $1.8 billion for the first time since 2014 and just the third time in 30 years in the County of San Diego’s annual Crop Report that covers the 2020 growing season, overcoming decreases in many crop values and reported mixed effects of the coronavirus pandemic. The total value of all agriculture crops and commodities […]
Climate change and drought will impact San Diego County’s climate future, but regional water supply planning and adaptation measures will ensure a safe, reliable supply for the region. Water supply strategy was one of the key points participants learned about during a Monday panel discussion, “San Diego County’s Climate Future,” hosted online by the San […]
As the planet warms, scientists expect that mountain snowpack should melt progressively earlier in the year. However, observations in the U.S. show that as temperatures have risen, snowpack melt is relatively unaffected in some regions while others can experience snowpack melt a month earlier in the year. This discrepancy in the timing of snowpack disappearance—the […]
California’s Snowpack Shows Huge Gains from Recent Storms
/in California and the West, News /by Mike LeeThe snow water equivalent of California’s snowpack is 190% of average for March 3, 2023. After three years of drought, the bountiful winter is good news, but a drier future demands more conservation and innovative solutions for water supply in the Southwestern U.S. The Department of Water Resources on March 3, conducted the third snow […]
Water Authority Delivers Emergency Water Supply to Tijuana
/in California and the West, News /by Mike LeeFast action by the San Diego County Water Authority and its partners is helping maintain water service in Tijuana after problems with the city’s aqueduct emerged in December. Emergency water deliveries started last week after a coordinated effort between the Water Authority, Otay Water District, and Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD). The typical […]
Snow Survey: Good Start but Drought Relief Depends on Coming Months
/in California and the West, News /by Mike LeeThe California Department of Water Resources first manual snow survey of the season Tuesday at Phillips Station recorded 55.5 inches of snow depth and a snow water equivalent of 17.5 inches, which is 177% of average for the location. The snow water equivalent measures the amount of water contained in the snowpack and is a […]
Water News Network Top Stories of 2022
/in California and the West, News /by Mike LeeThe Water News Network top stories of 2022 were drought-related and features about technology and college scholarships also engaged readers. Water News Network Top Stories of 2022 The #1 Water News Network Top Story of 2022 focused on scholarship opportunities for water industry education and the growing need for water and wastewater industry workers: Multiple […]
PPIC Video: Surplus and Shortage — California’s Water Balancing Act
/in California and the West, News /by Mike Lee /Public Policy Institute of Californiaby Sarah Bardeen Quoted: San Diego County Water AuthorityAfter three years of virtual events, the PPIC Water Policy Center’s annual fall conference made a welcome return to an in-person format in Sacramento on Friday, November 18. The half-day event began with a welcome from PPIC Water Policy Center assistant director Caity Peterson and a presentation by senior fellow Jeffrey Mount. This year was […]
More Evidence that California Weather is Trending Toward Extremes
/in California and the West, News /by Mike LeeA team led by Kristen Guirguis, a climate researcher at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego, found evidence that the risk of hazardous weather is increasing in the Southwest. The researchers investigated the daily relationships among four major modes of weather affecting California. How they interact governs the formation of weather events such […]
Urban Water Suppliers Report Water Savings Progress Statewide
/in California and the West, News /by Gayle FalkenthalFollowing Governor Gavin Newsom’s recent executive order and a State Water Board emergency regulation, members of the California Urban Water Agencies, or CUWA, including the San Diego County Water Authority continue to advance water-saving efforts, yielding measurable results. These efforts come on the back of the driest first quarter in California’s history, which prompted the […]
Few Strong Landfalling Atmospheric Rivers Reach California
/in California and the West, News /by Mike LeeFew landfalling atmospheric rivers in the current water year have reached California, now in the third year of a statewide drought. The latest update from the Center for Western Weather and Water Extremes, Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego, shows that Water Year 2022 started strong in October, but weaker storms did not […]
California Drought Now in Third Year
/in California and the West, News /by Mike LeeCalifornia officials have urged residents to prepare for a third year of drought and urged people to conserve water. “With only one month left in California’s wet season and no major storms in the forecast, Californians should plan for a third year of drought conditions,” said California Department of Water Resources Director Karla Nemeth. “A […]
Atmospheric River Storm Observations Take Flight Over Pacific Ocean
/in California and the West, News /by Mike Leeby Steve Koppes and Lauren WoodResearch on atmospheric rivers takes flight as UC San Diego’s Center for Western Weather and Water Extremes taps “Hurricane Hunter” aircraft for specialized scientific missions. The aircraft will fly for a 13-week period (that began January 5) to glean critical data for improving forecasts of atmospheric river storms over the Pacific Ocean. Those storms, or […]
Snow Pack Measurement Reveals We’re Far From Drought Recovery, According to CDWR
/in California and the U.S., California and the West, Home Headline, Media Coverage, News /by Gayle Falkenthal /Tahoe Daily Tribuneby Miranda JacobsonThe California Department of Water Resources conducted the first Phillips Station snow survey of the season on Thursday, Dec 30 after the basin received over 200 inches of snow, and will potentially see more in the coming week.
Atmospheric Rivers Left California Mostly Dry in Water Year 2021
/in California and the West, News /by Mike LeeThe Center for Western Weather and Water Extremes, or CW3E, at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, released its report October 11 on atmospheric rivers during Water Year 2021. The report, “Distribution of Landfalling Atmospheric Rivers over the U.S. West Coast During Water Year 2021: End of Water Year Summary” shows that more atmospheric rivers landed on […]
Agriculture Tops $1.8 Billion in New SD County Crop Report
/in California and the West, News /by Mike LeeAgriculture values topped $1.8 billion for the first time since 2014 and just the third time in 30 years in the County of San Diego’s annual Crop Report that covers the 2020 growing season, overcoming decreases in many crop values and reported mixed effects of the coronavirus pandemic. The total value of all agriculture crops and commodities […]
San Diego County’s Climate Future
/in California and the West, News /by Mike LeeClimate change and drought will impact San Diego County’s climate future, but regional water supply planning and adaptation measures will ensure a safe, reliable supply for the region. Water supply strategy was one of the key points participants learned about during a Monday panel discussion, “San Diego County’s Climate Future,” hosted online by the San […]
New Study Identifies Mountain Snowpack Most “At-Risk” from Climate Change
/in California and the West, News /by Mike Leeby Brittany HookAs the planet warms, scientists expect that mountain snowpack should melt progressively earlier in the year. However, observations in the U.S. show that as temperatures have risen, snowpack melt is relatively unaffected in some regions while others can experience snowpack melt a month earlier in the year. This discrepancy in the timing of snowpack disappearance—the […]