Tag Archive for: Northern California

Mount Shasta is Nearly Snowless, a Rare Event That is Helping Melt the Mountain’s Glaciers

/in , , /by /The Washington Postby Ian Livingston, Kasha Patel and Hannah Dormido

Deep in the northern California wilderness, nestled among rolling hills and magnificent pines, the Mount Shasta volcano towers above the landscape as a lone sentinel beckoning to those around it. Rising to 14,179 feet, Shasta is one of the tallest mountains in the Lower 48. Given its height, snow cover is common year-round, especially after a snowy season or two. It is home to some of the largest glaciers in California and includes at least seven glaciers, some named after Native Americans in the 1800s. This year is testing the theory that snow and ice will always be found on Shasta.

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Bay Area: Do You Know Where Your Water Comes From?

/in , , /by /KQEDby Lauren Sommer, Ezra David Romero, Katrina Schwartz

The Bay Area water system is a byzantine patchwork of agencies — more than 50 in all — that provides water to customers. Some are the ones you see on your water bill. Others are middlemen that provide water to local agencies at the wholesale level.

And some of that water makes a long journey. Southern California has the reputation for tapping far-flung sources for its water needs, but the Bay Area is in the same boat.

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Confused About What’s Happening on the Klamath? Here’s a Rundown

/in , , /by /High Country Newsby Brian Oaster

Dams are killing salmon on the river’s lower half, while irrigation threatens endangered species on the upper half.

It’s been a tough year for the Klamath River.

The Klamath, which flows through Oregon and Northern California and into the Pacific Ocean, is suffering from drought and infrastructure problems. That’s caused trouble, not just for the fish in the river, but also for the tribes and farmers who rely on it for day-to-day living.

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Fresno, Clovis Battle Drought With ‘Purple Pipe’ Water. Toilet-to-Tap Next?

/in , /by /GV Wireby Liz Juarez

As the drought crisis worsens throughout California, Fresno and Clovis leaders, as well as residents, are answering the challenge.

Both cities are recycling water through “purple pipe” systems to offset non-potable usages like landscape irrigation, cooling towers, and agricultural irrigation.

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SCV Water Won’t Be Impacted By Historic Low Water Levels, Officials Say

/in , /by /SCV Newsby Kev Kurdoghlian

Historic low water levels at Lake Oroville will not impact the Santa Clarita Valley’s water supply this year, according to the Santa Clarita Valley Water Agency.

Dirk Marks, director of water resources for the agency, said that the water from Oroville, located in Northern California, represented 5% of the water the agency is contracted to receive from the State Water Project.

SWP sites include Oroville, Castaic Lake and many other locations and facilities in between that help transport water from Northern California to Southern California.

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California Water: 10 Charts and Maps That Explain the State’s Historic Drought

/in , , /by /Mercury Newsby Paul Rogers

A historic drought is spreading across California and much of the American West. How bad is it? Which places are most affected? What does it mean for our water supply and wildfire risk?

These 10 maps and charts tell the story.

Over the past two years, rain and snow totals in Northern California, Nevada, Utah and other parts of the West have been less than 50% of average. As this map from the Western Regional Climate Center in Reno shows, the drought is severe and widespread.

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Northern California Farmers Bracing For Drastic Water Restrictions

/in , , /by /CBS Sacramentoby Rachel Wulff

Farmers are facing a water shortage right as we head into peak growing season. It’s hitting their bottom line — and potentially yours.

Solano County farmer Spencer Bei shows us one of the wells his family uses to farm 15,000 acres. He says he is losing pressure now as he is pumping because he is pulling more from the aquifer due to a lack of surface water and no rain in sight.

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Northern California Is Working To Conserve Water To Have Some Left Over For Crops

/in , , /by /NPR

Drought-stricken reservoirs and rivers in Northern California mean painful water cutbacks for farmers and towns. Some are trying hard to conserve to avoid even worse to come.

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These Parts of California are Most Vulnerable to Drought

/in , , /by /San Francisco Chronicleby Yoohyun Jung

As California’s drought continues to intensify, thousands of water agencies across the state are now facing restrictions. For many large water districts, like those serving San Francisco, Oakland and Berkeley, this isn’t a huge problem, as they have ample water reserves. But many rural areas of the state and smaller water systems are more vulnerable, and the drought could have devastating consequences.

California’s last drought, which lasted from 2011 to 2017, was particularly hard on rural communities and small water suppliers, state officials say. In 2016, the California legislature passed a law tasking the state’s Department of Water Resources to identify the most vulnerable communities and make recommendations to help them plan for emergencies.

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NorCal Conservationists Float Emergency Water Plan To Save Salmon

/in , /by /JPRby Sydney Dauphinais

After years of drought, salmon in Northern California are facing extinction. Conservation groups in the region have drafted a water management plan that, if adopted, would send less water to Central Valley farmers and keep more cold water for fish.

Last week, fishery advocates in Northern California submitted their temperature management plan to the State Water Resources Control Board. They want to change water operations in the Shasta, Trinity, Sacramento and Lower Klamath Rivers so the region’s salmon runs have enough cold water to survive.

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