Tag Archive for: Climate Change

State Water Officials say First Snow Survey Set for December 30th

/in , /by /KSRO Santa Rosa

State water officials say the first manual snow survey of the new season is set for December 30th. The Department of Water Resources is hoping for a wet December after seeing practically no rain in the first two months of the new water year. California recorded zero rain in October, and only 53% of the average rainfall in November.

Most of the state’s largest reservoirs are running well below their historic averages for December 1st. Lake Shasta at 75% capacity was 119% of its average this time last year. Lake Oroville at 61% capacity is down from 90% one year ago.

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Is California Heading for a Multi-Year Drought? The Odds Aren’t in Our Favor, Experts Say

/in , /by /Capital Public Radioby Ezra David Romero

With no rain in the forecast for the rest of 2020 — thanks to a La Niña weather pattern pushing storms north of the state — the probability of California entering a multi-year drought is increasing.

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If Aridification Choked the Southwest for Thousands of Years, What Does The Future Hold?

/in , /by /Inside Climate Newsby Judy Fahys

The ancient people of Danger Cave lived well. They ate freshwater fish, ducks and other small game, according to detritus they left behind. They had a lush lakeside view, with cattails, bulrush and water-loving willows adorning the marshlands.

But then, the good life became history. As heat and drought set in, the freshwater dried up and forced the ancients to survive by plucking tiny seeds from desert shrubs called pickleweed. Archaeologists know this from a thick layer of dusty chaff buried in the cave’s floor.

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San Diego Coastal Marshes May Become Important Tools to Battle Climate Change

/in , /by /KPBS San Diegoby Erik Anderson

Matthew Costa stepped gingerly into a little pocket wetland near the Del Mar Fairgrounds. The squishy salt marsh is more than just a patch of habitat in the intertidal zone. “Just watch out,” said Costa, a postdoctoral researcher at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, as he warned a helper. “Watch out for birds.” Endangered ridgeway rails like hiding in the pickleweed that covers the soft, moist ground nestled between train tracks and a busy Del Mar street.

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Along the Crumbling Sonoma Coast, an Ambitious Project Paves the Way for ‘Managed Retreat’

/in , , /by /Los Angeles Timesby Rosanna Xia

A few winding turns past Bodega Bay, along foggy bluffs and coastal prairie, relentless waves pound a crumbling stretch of coastline in dire need of saving. Here at Gleason Beach, once referred to as Malibu North, the beach gets drowned during high tide. Bits of concrete and rebar are all that remain of 11 cliff-top homes that have already surrendered to the sea.

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Opinion: One More Warm, Dry Winter Could Spell Shortage for Lake Mead (and Trouble for Arizona)

/in , , /by /Arizona Republic by Joanna Allhands

This warm, dry weather we’ve been having may be good for moving activities outside.

But it’s bad news for our water supply.

The chances are growing – and quickly – that a warm, dry winter could push Lake Powell to a trigger point about a year from now that could result in significantly less water for Lake Mead, which supplies about 40% of Arizona’s water supply.

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Runners Race to Document Long-Hidden Rapids

/in , , /by /KUNCby Molly Marcello

Climate change and overuse are causing one of the Colorado River’s biggest reservoirs, Lake Powell, to drop. While water managers worry about scarcity issues, two Utah river rafters are documenting the changes that come as the massive reservoir hits historic low points.

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A Desert City Tries to Save Itself with Rain

/in , , /by /Bloomberg CityLabby Chris Malloy

In an average year, Brad Lancaster can harvest enough rain to meet 95% of his water needs. Roof runoff collected in tanks on his modest lot in Tucson, Arizona — where 100 degree days are common in the summer months — provides what he needs to bathe, cook and drink.

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Lawn Rebates for Fall Planting Season

/in , , /by /Water News Network Quoted: San Diego County Water Authority

Fall planting season is underway and a great time to take advantage of rebates for replacing your lawn.

“Fall is like a second spring for planting in our region and it’s also a great opportunity for residents to take advantage of some outdoor incentives as they replace grass with climate appropriate plants,” said Joni German, water resources specialist at the San Diego County Water Authority.

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Popular Lake Miramar Gets Key New Role Just as it Turns 60

/in , , /by /The San Diego Union-Tribuneby David Garrick

Lake Miramar, a longtime recreational oasis celebrating its 60th anniversary this year, is about to become a key part of San Diego’s new $5 billion Pure Water system that will boost the city’s water independence by recycling treated sewage.

The last of San Diego’s nine city reservoirs to be built, Lake Miramar attracts an estimated 100,000 people a year for jogging, biking, fishing, boating, picnicking and other activities.

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