Tag Archive for: environment

Wet Weather Bolsters a Record Year for Water Conservation by California and Its Neighbors

A wet year and major conservation efforts are paying off in the short term for the Colorado River, with California, Arizona and Nevada on track to conserve a record 1 million acre-feet of water or more by the end of 2023, officials announced last week.

California’s First Wave-Powered Desalination Plant Underway in Fort Bragg

Since almost completely running out of water in 2015, and again in 2021, the City of Fort Bragg is working to make sure it stays ahead of any future droughts by investing in desalination.

“We stopped allowing people to wash dishes and had them use paper products and things like that, just disposable plates and things like that. So it was very serious at that time,” Director of Public Works for the City of Fort Bragg John Smith said.

Major Earthquake in the Delta Could Be Disastrous for California’s Water Supply

While the earthquake that struck near Isleton Wednesday morning wasn’t strong, the location did raise questions about the possible risk to an area that is critical to the state’s water supply.

The Delta region in Sacramento County relies on more than 1,000 miles of aging levees to protect local farms and communities that could be vulnerable in a more powerful quake.

Will El Niño’s Return Mean Rain and Snow for California’s 2023 Winter?

Climate scientists and weather forecasters suspect this winter could be as wet or wetter than last year’s torrential downpours. But just how wet will this winter become?

The answer isn’t quite as simple as forecasters pumping various inputs into computer models that then spit out what we can definitively expect.

Climate Change Is Driving a Global Water Trade You Can’t See

Every manifestation of the ­dangerous weather wreaking havoc around the world has one thing in common: water. As the Earth’s climate changes, the lack of water, or its sudden abundance, is reshaping the global economy and international trade. From prolonged drought slowing down ships in the Panama Canal to deluges halting industrial production in Japan, it’s one of the most obvious ways that rising temperatures are affect­ing businesses.

Opinion: Climate Change Isn’t Just About Emissions. We’re Ignoring a Huge Part of the Fight

Last month, we heard yet again about the need to stop global warming at about 1.5 degrees centigrade above preindustrial levels. The International Energy Agency outlined a plan to meet that goal, and the United Nations secretary-general implored nations to get serious about cutting emissions to make it a reality.

Ukiah Celebrates One Billion Gallons of Recycled Water Served

Ukiah’s recycled water project, known as the “purple pipe,” held a celebration October 5 to commemorate one billion gallons of recycled water water served since the project began. The event took place at the recycling facilities on 300 Plant Road in Ukiah, and included Congressman Jared Huffman and other elected officials, agency representatives, project staff, and a visit by Mrs. Williams’ 5th grade class at Yokayo Elementary School in Ukiah.

Wettest, Wildest, Weirdest Rainy Season in Nearly 20 Years Comes to End in San Diego County

From the backcountry of Campo to the back roads of Ramona, firefighters were ready to roll last fall at even the hint of wildfire.

Two years of below-average rain and high temperatures had left the landscape parched. Something as small as heat from a car muffler could be enough to ignite grass. Firefighters described the region as primed to burn.

IID Director Dockstader Elected to ACWA Region 9 Board

Imperial Irrigation District (IID) Director Gina Young Dockstader has been elected to serve on the Association of California Water Agency’s (ACWA) Region 9 Board for the 2024-2025 term, the water association announced this week after finalizing its board officer and regional election results.

El Niño is Coming, But Will It Be a Super One?

An El Niño winter is ahead, weather forecasters firmly believe. The question they are pondering is exactly how strong it might be.

Locally, the worldwide weather factor is mostly known for directing heavy moisture toward California and the Southwest as temperatures warm several degrees across the eastern and central Pacific Ocean.