US City Could Run Out of Water by December
Historic drought across the United States is leaving some cities desperate for answers. Coalinga, California, is expected to run out of water by December.
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America’s Water Woes
/in California and the U.S., Home Headline, Media Coverage /by Chelsea Campos /Mother JonesWater is life. It’s also big business. In our November + December 2023 issue, Mother Jones dives into the West’s deepening water crisis—and the forces behind it, from historic drought to short-sighted policies to corrupt lawmakers and the special interests they serve.
California Invests in Critical Central Valley Water Infrastructure Projects
/in California and the U.S., Home Headline, Media Coverage /by Mike Lee /Courthouse News Serviceby Natalie HansonCalifornia’s water authorities will spend $15 million in three crucial water management zones within the drought-ravaged southern Central Valley.
The hub of agricultural production in the Golden State, the Central Valley has also faced the most dire impacts from another historic drought, as thousands of wells went dry last year and many communities faced a total lack of safe drinking water.
Colorado River Water Negotiators Optimistic Ahead of Deadline
/in California and the U.S., Home Headline, Media Coverage /by Mike Lee /Bloomberg Lawby Bobby MagillOfficials involved in the talks over how to cut Colorado River water use amid a historic drought say they’re optimistic a consensus will be reached by states before a Feb. 1 deadline even though the negotiations are in a delicate place.
If the seven Western states don’t reach consensus, the Interior Department’s Bureau of Reclamation will consider mandating water cuts—a move the states are working feverishly to avoid.
With California Expected to Lose 10% of Its Water Within 20 Years, Newsom Calls for Urgent Action
/in California and the U.S., Home Headline, Media Coverage /by Mike Lee /Los Angeles Timesby Ian JamesWith California enduring a historic drought amplified by global warming, Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday released a new plan to adapt to the state’s hotter, drier future by capturing and storing more water, recycling more wastewater and desalinating seawater and salty groundwater.
The governor’s new water-supply strategy, detailed in a 16-page document, lays out a series of actions aimed at preparing the state for an estimated 10% decrease in California’s water supply by 2040 due to higher temperatures and decreased runoff.
A Billion Pounds of California Almonds Stranded at Ports Amid Drought, Trade Woes
/in California and the U.S., Media Coverage /by Mike Lee /Los Angeles Timesby Louis SahagunAlmond producer David Phippen didn’t need to hear the latest predictions from agriculture economists to know that his industry was on the verge of losing its premier position in the global market.
He saw it coming during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, when oceanic carriers discovered they could make twice as many annual round trips — and higher profit margins — by sending empty containers back to Asia to pick up more goods for export instead of waiting in port here to be loaded with his almonds. Almond exports are down by about 13% this year, industry officials said.
Newsom Urges Aggressive Action as Historic Drought Looms Over Summer
/in California and the U.S., Home Headline, Media Coverage /by Mike Lee /Courthouse News Serviceby Natalie Hanson Quoted: San Diego County Water AuthorityLeaders from California’s largest urban water suppliers and associations met with Governor Gavin Newsom on Monday to discuss aggressive actions to combat drought.
Per Newsom’s direction, the state’s Water Resources Control Board may vote on a statewide ban on watering “nonfunctional turf” in a meeting Tuesday.
California City Requiring Residents to Cut Water Usage by 10%
/in Home Headline, Media Coverage, San Diego County /by Mike Lee /KRDOMonrovia will require its residents to cut their water usage or face fines, as California continues to dry out amid this historic drought.
Beginning this March, the city of Monrovia voted to require every resident to reduce their water usage by 10% or face fines averaging at $10 a month or more for extreme water wasters. The city will compare a household’s usage in Feb. 2022 to Feb. 2020.
California City Finds a Creative Way to Conserve Water
/in California and the U.S., Home Headline, Media Coverage /by Mike Lee /Yale Climate Connectionsby YCC TeamThis past summer, as California faced a historic drought, reservoirs used by the small city of Healdsburg dropped to record lows.
“It puts us in a situation where we just simply don’t have enough water to go about our normal daily practices,” says Terry Crowley, the city’s utility director.
He says to conserve water, Healdsburg needed to slash consumption by 40%. City officials limited household use and banned watering ornamental lawns.
How One California City Cut Its Water Use in Half
/in California and the U.S., Home Headline, Media Coverage /by Chelsea Campos /NPRDespite pleas to conserve water during a historic drought, Californians have not saved much at all this year. But there are exceptions. We look at how Healdsburg dramatically cut its water use.
The Water News Network is San Diego County’s source for water news and information.
