California was deluged by damaging atmospheric rivers last year and now the Golden State must brace for two more on the way this week. The photo below, taken Tuesday afternoon by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s GOES-West satellite, shows a massive storm approaching from the west.
New Mexico is teaming up with Google to hunt for leaky water pipes using satellite imagery as the drought-stricken state prepares for a future in which growing demand puts more pressure on already dwindling drinking water supplies.
For the first time in four centuries, it’s good to be a beaver. Long persecuted for their pelts and reviled as pests, the dam-building rodents are today hailed by scientists as ecological saviors. Their ponds and wetlands store water in the face of drought, filter out pollutants, furnish habitat for endangered species, and fight wildfires. In California, Castor canadensis is so prized that the state recently committed millions to its restoration.
Former Gov. Jerry Brown famously said last year that California would launch its “own damn satellite” to track climate change in defiance of the Trump administration. On Wednesday, Gov. Gavin Newsom will announce a new approach and way to pay for it.
Water utilities across the country struggle with aging infrastructure that results in water loss from leaks. The cost to rehabilitate or replace pipe often is greater than the cost of repairing leaks. Utilities tend to wait for customer-generated work orders before acting. This typically occurs when a leak surfaces after a long-standing period of water loss and possible infrastructure damage has occurred.
The Water News Network is San Diego County’s source for water news and information.
