Two major California water agencies have settled a lawsuit that once threatened to derail a multi-state agreement to protect a river that serves millions of people in the U.S. West amid gripping drought.
The Imperial Irrigation District, the largest single recipient of Colorado River water, sued the Metropolitan Water District twice in the past two years. The agencies announced Monday they have reached a settlement that resolves both lawsuits.
Terry Carney, 71, showed the head of his well Thursday and said it dried up about two weeks after the July 9 magnitude 6.0 earthquake that struck near Walker, Nevada and was felt by people up and down the Sierra Nevada and as far west as the Bay Area.
Carney’s well is one of more than a dozen that have dried up so far this year in Tuolumne County, in addition to at least 19 other wells that are failing but have not yet dried up, according to county staff.
https://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/water-news-network.png00Chelsea Camposhttps://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/water-news-network.pngChelsea Campos2021-09-21 10:02:142021-09-21 10:09:44Dry and Failing Wells in Tuolumne County are a Sign of Drought’s Severity
NPR’s Ari Shapiro speaks with author Giulio Boccaletti about his new book Water: A Biography, which takes readers through the complex and surprising history of humanity and water.
https://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/water-news-network.png00Chelsea Camposhttps://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/water-news-network.pngChelsea Campos2021-09-21 09:59:522021-09-21 10:00:39The Complex And Surprising History Of Humanity And Water
Marin County water officials are thinking of buying three desalination plants to bolster local supplies, but they’re facing an unlikely competitor — Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
The Marin Municipal Water District, which might deplete its reservoirs by next summer if the drought continues, had considered renting two portable desalination plants for nearly $30 million from Osmoflo, an Australian company. Last week, the district staff said a third plant has become available and that purchasing them might be less expensive than renting.
https://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/water-news-network.png00Chelsea Camposhttps://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/water-news-network.pngChelsea Campos2021-09-21 09:55:412021-09-21 10:05:22Drought: Marin, Saudi Crown Prince Eyeing Same Desalination Plants
As California’s drought deepens, Sacramento residents are falling short of meeting Gov. Gavin Newsom’s call for water conservation — at least so far.
Area residents reduced water usage by an average of 6% last month, compared to August 2020, according to data released this week by the Sacramento Regional Water Authority. That compares with the 15% voluntary goal announced by Newsom in an executive order in July.
https://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/water-news-network.png00Chelsea Camposhttps://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/water-news-network.pngChelsea Campos2021-09-20 10:19:342021-09-20 14:50:08Sacramento Reduces Water Consumption but Falls Short of Newsom’s Goal for California
The California drought has been brutal over the past few years, but to see just how devastating it has been, you need to see before-and-after pictures side by side.
Bay Area News Group photojournalist Nhat V. Meyer went out to the San Luis Reservoir in Merced County this week and took pictures in approximately the same places that he did in January 2019. The reservoir is one of the largest in California.
https://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/water-news-network.png00Chelsea Camposhttps://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/water-news-network.pngChelsea Campos2021-09-20 10:14:242021-09-20 11:00:24Stunning Photos Show Drought’s Impact on Huge California Reservoir
At the edge of a sandstone outcropping, Teresa Leger Fernández looks out on the Rio Chama. The river tracks a diverse landscape from the southern edge of the Rocky Mountains through rugged basalt hillsides, layers of volcanic tuff, and the red and yellow cliffs made famous by painter Georgia O’Keeffe.
https://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/water-news-network.png00Mike Leehttps://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/water-news-network.pngMike Lee2021-09-20 10:03:152021-09-20 10:11:31Drought Tests Centuries-Old Water Traditions in New Mexico
The San Diego County Water Authority today released an interactive, digital workbook to help upper elementary students learn about the region’s most precious natural resource: water.
The online digital water education workbook is the latest addition to the Water Authority’s long-running education program that has helped instill water knowledge in hundreds of thousands of students in over more than two decades. It was funded by a grant from the Hans and Margaret Doe Charitable Trust and State of California, Proposition 84 Round 4 funds.
Digital Water Education Workbook
There are eight learning modules in the workbook, which is free for all teachers and students in the San Diego region. The curriculum is aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards, which are used by schools throughout the state.
In the workbook, students can learn about important water-related topics such as the water cycle, San Diego County water supplies, bodies of water, and water-use efficiency. Photo: San Diego County Water Authority
Blue, an animated, effervescent water drop is the main character who leads students on a journey to learn about topics such as the water cycle, San Diego County’s water supplies, states of water, bodies of water, water and wastewater infrastructure, and careers in the water industry.
“Schools have relied heavily on virtual learning over the last 18 months, and the Water Authority has also adapted our education programs to virtual options to ensure that students can continue learning about important topics like water,” said Denise Vedder, Public Affairs Director at the Water Authority. “We realized there was a need for a comprehensive and interactive water education resource that students can access wherever they are learning. We are grateful to the state and the Hans and Margaret Doe Charitable Trust for their generous support of this important learning tool.”
Novus Origo, a veteran-owned company based in Vista, California, provided graphic design, animation, and web development services.
The workbook and other water education resources are available at sdcwa.org/education.
https://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Blue-intro-PRIMARY.jpg450845Mike Leehttps://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/water-news-network.pngMike Lee2021-09-16 15:45:462021-09-16 15:45:46New Digital Water Education Workbook Makes a Splash
Phil Fine stands in a parched field and watches a harvester gnaw through his carrot seed crop, spitting clouds of dust in its wake. Cracked dirt lines empty irrigation canals, and dust devils and tumbleweeds punctuate a landscape in shades of brown.
Across an invisible line separating Fine’s irrigation district from the next, it’s another world. Automated sprinklers hiss as they douse crops, cattle munch on green grass and water bubbles through verdant farmland.
https://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/water-news-network.png00Mike Leehttps://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/water-news-network.pngMike Lee2021-09-16 10:57:072021-09-16 11:00:10Drought Haves, Have-Not’s Test How to Share Water in the West
Due to the lack of rainfall in the San Diego region, even sustainable landscaping sometimes relies on artificial irrigation. Irrigation systems must be thoughtfully designed, installed, and programmed. Once in place, the many interconnected mechanical elements must be maintained properly for optimal performance.
“Irrigation efficiency” is a way of describing how well your irrigation system is doing its job delivering water for the beneficial use of the plants in your landscaping.
