Shasta, Lake Oroville Rise to the Top
California when it rains: water cooler talk.
Both Lake Oroville and Lake Shasta reported near-full capacity Monday with plenty of snow in the northern mountains anticipated to melt.
Tag Archive for: Water Supply
The Fate of the Imperiled Colorado River and Attempts to Mitigate Disaster
A water shortage on the Colorado River has put tremendous strain on the states that rely on it as a main water source. The fate of California’s Salton Sea is tied to the future of the river, and a catastrophic drought has only worsened conditions.
El Niño is Coming: What it Means for California Weather
El Niño conditions — the warming of ocean waters off South America that can alter weather across the globe, including California’s summer temperatures and the amount of rain it might receive next winter — are emerging in the Pacific Ocean for the first time in 4 years.
While El Niños do not automatically guarantee wet weather for California, historically, the stronger they are, the more likely it is that the state will have a rainy winter season. And after the dramatic series of storms this past winter that ended the drought and filled nearly empty reservoirs, another one back-to-back could increase flood risks.
Wildfires May Have Stoked Rare ‘Triple-Dip’ La Niña
In 2019, Australian skies glowed crimson in one of the country’s worst recorded fire seasons. The infernos blackened some 190,000 square kilometers of land, killing dozens of people along with an estimated 1 billion animals and destroying thousands of structures. The bushfires also unleashed plumes of smoke so voluminous they could be seen from space.
Water Agencies Lift Some Restrictions Following Wet Winter: What’s Changed, What Hasn’t
Coachella Valley water agencies are lifting some drought restrictions following an exceptionally wet winter in California, although experts and officials warn that California residents should keep getting used to “conservation as a way of life.”
Report Urges Metropolitan Water District to Abandon Newsom’s $16-Billion Delta Tunnel Plan
Gov. Gavin Newsom and his administration have touted plans to build a tunnel to transport water beneath the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, saying the project would modernize California’s water infrastructure and help the state adapt to climate change.
But an advocacy group is urging the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California to abandon the $16-billion project, saying it doesn’t make financial sense for the state’s largest urban water agency.
Lower Colorado River Water Users Anticipate Dry 2024
Following one of the wettest winters in recent history, Arizona officials anticipate a dry 2024 as federal water usage cuts loom.
In a joint Colorado River shortage briefing held by the Arizona Department of Water Resources and the Central Arizona Project, officials analyzed current conditions in Colorado River Basin reservoirs and how they’ll change in the near future.
Pasadena’s Watering Rules Could Be Relaxed, 15% Water Conservation Target Could Be Lifted
The City Council on Monday will consider shifting watering rules from the current two days per summertime week to three days per summertime week and to simultaneously lift the 15 percent voluntary water-use reduction target.
The current Level 2 of the City’s Water Shortage Plan went into effect on August 16, 2021, before the state was deluged with trillions of gallons of rain from a series of atmospheric river storms.
Water Authority Testifies on California’s Efforts to Support the Colorado River
During state Assembly testimony on Tuesday, May 2, San Diego County Water Authority General Manager Sandra L. Kerl highlighted the steps taken by the Water Authority and partner water agencies across California to support the Colorado River in the era of climate change.
As Arizona Looks to Desalination as a Drought Solution, Questions Mount
While Arizona received more rain and snow in recent months, a wet winter will not save the state from the decades-long mega-drought that is gripping the region. Water officials have worked on finding unique solutions, including desalination.
