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US: More Must Be Done to Protect Colorado River From Drought

/in , /by /AP News by Felicia Fonseca

A set of guidelines for managing the Colorado River helped several states through a dry spell, but it’s not enough to keep key reservoirs in the American West from plummeting amid persistent drought and climate change, according to a U.S. report released Friday.

Millions of people in seven states and Mexico rely on the river for drinking water and growing crops. The 2007 guidelines were meant to lessen the blow of any future cuts in the water supply for growing areas, giving states an idea of what to expect each year and ways to manage the risks.

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Drought, Climate Change and Groundwater Sustainability — Western Water Year in Review

/in , /by /Water Education Foundation (Western Water)by Douglas E. Beeman

The ability of science to improve water management decisions and keep up with the accelerating pace of climate change. The impact to precious water resources from persistent drought in the Colorado River Basin. Building resilience and sustainability across California. And finding hope at the Salton Sea.

These were among the issues Western Water explored in 2020. In case you missed them, they are still worth taking a look at.

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Colorado River Basin Winter Forecast Signals Dry Times Ahead

/in , /by /KUNCby Luke Runyon

All signs are pointing to a dry start to 2021 across much of the Colorado River watershed, which provides water to about 40 million people in the Western U.S.

A lack of precipitation from April to October made this spring, summer and fall one of the region’s driest six-month periods on record. And with a dry start to winter, river forecasters feel more pessimistic about the chances for a drought recovery in the early part of 2021.

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Drought Keeps Lake Mead Levels Low, But There is Plenty of Winter Left

/in , /by /KJZZby Ron Dungan

Last week’s storm did little to ease the drought in Arizona’s reservoirs. But there’s still plenty of winter left.

The Bureau of Reclamation makes two-year projections, based on weather and water levels in Colorado River reservoirs, and its most recent projections have been dire.

That could set the stage for an Arizona water shortage in 2022. Snowpack in the mountains is now 69% of normal, but Patti Aaron, a spokeswoman for the bureau, says a little snow could go a long way.

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Santa May Not Need the Heavy Red Coat When He Visits Southern California

/in , /by /Los Angeles Timesby Paul Duginski

Santa might be able to lose the heavy red coat when he makes his rounds in the Southland, and he probably won’t need an umbrella either.

The extended outlook from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration favors above-average temperatures and below-average precipitation in the Los Angeles region from Dec. 24 through Dec. 30.

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San Diego Might Not Receive Significant Rainfall During December

/in , /by /The San Diego Union-Tribuneby Gary Robbins

It’s possible that San Diego County won’t receive significant rainfall during December, which would significantly elevate the wildfire danger throughout the region, according to the National Weather Service.

“The storms that have been forming off the Pacific Northwest are not dropping into Southern California,” said Dan Gregorio, a weather service forecaster.

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From Droughts to Flooding, Here’s How California is Trying to Better Understand Atmospheric Rivers

/in , /by /ABC10 KXTV Sacramentoby Monica Woods

California weather is rarely average. Historically, the state has well above or well below average rain and snow. One of the keys to prepare for these wild swings is a better understanding of atmospheric rivers. The Center for Western Weather and Water Extremes or CW3E is at the heart of this research.

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Colorado Activates Municipal Drought Response for Second Time Ever as Water Forecast Worsens

/in , /by /The Colorado Sunby Jerd Smith

The state of Colorado has activated the municipal portion of its emergency drought plan for only the second time in history as several cities say they need to prepare for what is almost certainly going to be a dangerously dry 2021.

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Southern California is in for a Reprieve from Dangerous Fire Weather

/in , /by /Los Angeles Times by Hayley Smith

Southern Californians are in for a reprieve from dangerous fire weather that plagued the region for more than a week, with lower temperatures and moister air in the forecast — though still no rain.

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Drought Conditions Could Stretch to Spring, Set Stage for Another Rough Fire Season

/in , /by /KQED by Craig Miller

The latest outlook from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration suggests that California’s persistent drought-like conditions could last through the winter and into spring, possibly fueling another grueling fire season in 2021.

Currently, three-quarters of California is experiencing at least moderate drought conditions.

“Keep in mind, we’re coming off the driest May-through-October period, statewide at least, across California, Arizona and New Mexico,” said Mark Svoboda of the National Drought Mitigation Center in Nebraska.

Forecasting three to four months out is a dodgy proposition for scientists, but NOAA’s modeling shows the likelihood of relatively dry weather through February.

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