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As California Droughts Intensify, Ecosystems and Rural Communities Will Bear the Brunt

/in , , /by /Los Angeles Timesby Dorany Pineda

Drought, human-caused climate change, invasive species and a “legacy” of environmental issues are permanently altering California’s landscape and placing some communities and ecosystems at increasing risk, a panel of experts told water officials recently. Invasive species and decades of disruptions from massive land and water developments are partly responsible for a continuous decline in native California species, experts told the California Water Commission on Nov. 16.

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To Save Salmon, U.S. Approves Largest Dam Removal in History

/in , /by /Reutersby Daniel Trotta

A U.S. agency seeking to restore habitat for endangered fish gave final approval on Thursday to decommission four dams straddling the California-Oregon border, the largest dam removal undertaking in U.S. history. Dam removal is expected to improve the health of the Klamath River, the route that Chinook salmon and endangered coho salmon take from the Pacific Ocean to their upstream spawning grounds, and from where the young fish return to the sea.

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Water Agencies Unite and Commit to Reducing Demands on Colorado River

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

Recognizing that a reliable water supply is critical to all economies and communities relying on the drought-stricken Colorado River Basin, more than 30 water agencies and providers have committed to take additional actions to reducing water demands and helping protect the Colorado River system.

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Is Drought in Arizona and the Southwest the New Normal?

/in , , /by /KJZZby Nicholas Gerbis

Two decades of the Southwest megadrought have marked Arizona’s driest period in 1,200 years. With climate change in full swing, greenhouse emissions well above pledged targets and the state facing cutbacks to its share of dwindling Colorado River water, many wonder: Is drought the new normal?

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A Shift in Groundwater Perspective

/in , /by /WaterWorld by Mary Jo Wagner

When it comes to natural disasters, the sudden, swift devastation of landslides, mudslides, and sinkholes may get all the attention — but natural resource scientists can attest that it’s the slow sinking of the ground surface that is just as real a danger. “Subsidence often gets neglected because it is slow moving. You don’t recognize it until you start seeing damage,” says Michelle Sneed, a land subsidence specialist at the United States Geological Survey (USGS).

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Lake Mead’s Dire Drought-Stricken Future Foreshadowed at Deadpool Reservoir

/in , , /by /Newsweekby Robyn White

Operations at one of Spain’s largest hydropower plants have been halted due to drought-like conditions, foreshadowing the future of the rapidly receding Lake Mead.

Electric utility company Endesa SA has shut down its facility in Mequinenza, Zaragoza, Spain after its water levels receded below 23 percent capacity, Bloomberg reported. This is below the minimum required to produce electricity. The plant first opened in 1966, and until now, has never been shut down.

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Draft Report Offers Starkest View Yet of U.S. Climate Threats

/in , , /by /The New York Timesby Brad Plumer and Raymond Zhong

The effects of climate change are already “far-reaching and worsening” throughout all regions in the United States, posing profound risks to virtually every aspect of society, whether it’s drinking water supplies in the Midwest or small businesses in the Southeast, according to a draft scientific report being circulated by the federal government.

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California Funds 60 MWh Tribal Long-Duration Storage Project With Nation’s Largest Vanadium Redox Flow Battery

/in , /by /Utility Diveby Kavya Balaraman

The California Energy Commission has issued a $31 million grant to build a 60 MWh long-duration energy storage system that is expected to provide backup power to the Viejas Tribe of Kumeyaay Indians and bolster the reliability of the energy system statewide.

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Here’s Why The Price of Water Fluctuates So Much Across San Diego County

/in , /by /The San Diego Union-Tribune / Ramona Sentinelby Joshua Emerson Smith and Julie Gallant Mentioned: San Diego County Water Authority

The cost of water has over last two decades risen dramatically across San Diego County as a result of investments in desalination, ongoing maintenance, ever-increasing energy prices and unprecedented conservation.

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The Scary Big Picture of Having Less Water

/in , , /by /Water FMby Greg Baird

As a society we constantly hear the “drought warning.” Then we endure some water conservation efforts and a couple of years later everything seems to go back to normal. As a result, we have become numb to the word “drought.” Wildfires are brutal and get our immediate attention, but we expect they will also burn out.

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