San Diego County’s agriculture is a rich tapestry of over 5,000 mini-farms seamlessly blended into expanding urban landscapes. Most are family-owned organic farms producing high-value crops on just a few acres of land to turn a profit in this water-scarce, highly urbanized region.
Water reuse is happening around the world, from Australia to the UK to Singapore. And it’s gaining more traction in the U.S., especially in states that face drought, population growth, or are more susceptible to climate change.
Millions of Southern California residents could see one aspect of their water bill double. On Tuesday, the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD) passed a budget that solidified rate and property tax increases for its customers over the next two years.
Californians don’t have to worry too much about drought for the foreseeable future.
The state’s Department of Water Resources said Tuesday’s snowpack survey revealed the snowfall in the Sierra Nevada mountains is above average at roughly 113%.
The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) has released the final version of California Water Plan Update 2023. This plan is a critical planning tool and can now be used by water managers, such as water districts, cities and counties, and Tribal communities, to inform and guide the use and development of water resources in the state.
On the heels of two wet winters, it’s easy to forget how close some parts of California came to running out of water a few short years ago. But this climate amnesia will not help us prepare for the next inevitable drought. Since before the state’s founding, the boom-and-bust of drought and flood have shaped our landscapes.
California may be overlooking simple ways the state could save water supply, a new study has found. The state is one of the most important for agriculture in the U.S. A third or more of the country’s vegetables, as well as three-quarters of the fruits and nuts, are grown in the state, the Department of Food and Agriculture reports.
Most U.S. snowpacks are now holding less water, scientists have found. Snowpack, and the amount of water it stores, is crucial to water management practices around the world, as it’s vital for drinking and irrigation and provides protection against drought.
Crop water demand in California’s San Joaquin Valley has increased to the size of a major reservoir in just 12 years due to climate change, a study has found.
An integral region for agriculture, particularly in fruit and nut production, it has been subjected in the past 10 years to severe drought conditions, with extreme temperatures that have evaporated water supply.
Facing criticism over their ambitious plan to curb urban water use, California’s regulators today weakened the proposed rules — giving water providers more years and flexibility to comply.
