California to get major boost in water supplies after January storms
1 year, 10 months ago

California to get major boost in water supplies after January storms

LA Times  

California water agencies that serve 27 million people will see an increased allocation of supplies from the state after a series of winter storms boosted reservoirs and snowpack, officials announced Thursday. “But make no mistake, while the recent storms will help alleviate the acute emergency in areas dependent on supplies from the State Water Project, Southern California’s water challenges are far from over,” he said. “We continue to draw down our largest local reservoir, Diamond Valley Lake, to meet demands.” Indeed, officials warned that there are two more months in California’s wet season, and dry conditions could develop once again. But it’s also a case for improving the state’s aging water storage and capture infrastructure through projects such as the Sites Reservoir and the proposed Delta Conveyance System, Nemeth said.

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History of this topic

Southern California water agency votes to keep funding state tunnel plans
1 week, 5 days ago

Southern California water agency votes to keep funding state tunnel plans

Associated Press  

LOS ANGELES — A Southern California water agency has approved key funding needed to support plans for a giant underground tunnel that would reroute a big part of the state’s water supply. State officials say the project is critical to help shore up water supplies in the nation’s most populous state due to aging infrastructure and climate-change induced shifts in …

Expansion of San Luis Reservoir set to boost California’s water-storing capacity
1 month, 1 week ago

Expansion of San Luis Reservoir set to boost California’s water-storing capacity

LA Times  

The Biden administration and eight California water agencies have reached an agreement to share in the costs of raising a dam to expand San Luis Reservoir, a nearly $1-billion project intended to increase the state’s water-storage capacity and benefit a group of urban communities and agricultural areas. San Luis Reservoir, which ranks among California’s largest reservoirs, is slated to gain …

Amid controversy, California and the Biden administration are preparing new water plans
1 month, 4 weeks ago

Amid controversy, California and the Biden administration are preparing new water plans

LA Times  

The Biden and Newsom administrations will soon adopt new rules for California’s major water delivery systems that will determine how much water may be pumped from rivers while providing protections for imperiled fish species. Nemeth said state officials are working with federal partners to ensure the rules governing operations of both systems “are aligned to benefit listed and endangered fish …

Opinion: Does California stand a chance of preserving our precious groundwater?
2 months, 1 week ago

Opinion: Does California stand a chance of preserving our precious groundwater?

LA Times  

One of the most consequential environmental laws in state history turned 10 years old last month. In the early days of SGMA, conversations colleagues and I had with growers throughout the valley made it clear groundwater decline was as much a land problem as a water one: We needed a robust transition plan for the hundreds of thousands of acres …

State Water Project supplies could fall up to 23% within 20 years due to climate change
4 months, 3 weeks ago

State Water Project supplies could fall up to 23% within 20 years due to climate change

LA Times  

Climate change threatens to dramatically shrink the amount of water California can deliver over the next 20 years and could reduce supplies available from the State Water Project by up to 23%, according to new projections released Wednesday by Gov. Such a loss in the State Water Project’s water delivery capacity, if not addressed, could lead to major shortages for …

Amid extreme heat, California adopts long-term water-saving targets for cities
5 months, 2 weeks ago

Amid extreme heat, California adopts long-term water-saving targets for cities

LA Times  

Welcome to Boiling Point. of California Water Agencies, which represents more than 470 public agencies, said the new rules will be challenging to meet and will require a “whole statewide effort to change the way that we use water in California.” She said the additional five years will be important for achieving the long-term goals. One National Weather Service meteorologist …

A wet year boosted California’s groundwater, but not enough to address long-term declines
7 months, 2 weeks ago

A wet year boosted California’s groundwater, but not enough to address long-term declines

LA Times  

After years of pervasive declines, groundwater levels rose significantly in much of California last year, boosted by historic wet weather and the state’s expanding efforts to replenish depleted aquifers. The state’s aquifers gained an estimated 8.7 million acre-feet of groundwater — nearly double the total storage capacity of Shasta Lake — during the 2023 water year that ended Sept. 30, …

Editorial: Even with the coming tax and rate hikes, water in SoCal is pretty cheap
7 months, 3 weeks ago

Editorial: Even with the coming tax and rate hikes, water in SoCal is pretty cheap

LA Times  

It’s the most frustrating part of conservation. Ratepayers in cities such as Los Angeles that have their own water supplies may not notice, because they will need relatively little Met water after the wet winter. Southern California’s water rates and taxes are byproducts of the 20th century, an era with vastly different climate and economic conditions from today. When the …

California increases water allocation after wet winter, but fish protections limit pumping
8 months ago

California increases water allocation after wet winter, but fish protections limit pumping

LA Times  

With runoff from this year’s snow and rain boosting the levels of California’s reservoirs, state water managers on Tuesday announced plans to increase deliveries of supplies from the State Water Project to 40% of full allotments, up from 30% last month. But the Department of Water Resources also said officials have had to limit pumping from the Sacramento-San Joaquin River …

L.A.’s water supplies are in good shape. But is the city ready for the next drought?
8 months, 1 week ago

L.A.’s water supplies are in good shape. But is the city ready for the next drought?

LA Times  

California’s second wet winter in a row has left L.A.’s water supplies in good shape, and the city has used its reprieve from drought to make progress on water-saving infrastructure projects. After the state’s final snow survey of the season, officials with the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power announced that Eastern Sierra snowpack is measuring 103% of normal, …

Amid above-average snowpack, Newsom urges focus on state water resilience and adaptation
8 months, 3 weeks ago

Amid above-average snowpack, Newsom urges focus on state water resilience and adaptation

LA Times  

With California snowpack and reservoirs at above-average levels following two wet winters, Gov. “The water system in California was designed for a world that no longer exists.” The governor presented a new water plan that lays out priorities for changing how the state captures, stores and moves water, including efforts to replenish groundwater, recycle wastewater and restore the natural ecosystems …

California storms deliver above-average snowpack, replenish reservoirs
8 months, 3 weeks ago

California storms deliver above-average snowpack, replenish reservoirs

LA Times  

California’s mountains are covered with snow, reservoirs are mostly filled and hills across the state are sprouting green grass and wildflowers after the latest round of soaking storms. “Because every year could be the first year of a 10-year drought.” Even with the state’s reservoirs at healthy levels, California continues to face complex water management problems, such as struggling fish …

Opinion: California has to conserve water. Why is Sacramento dragging its heels?
8 months, 3 weeks ago

Opinion: California has to conserve water. Why is Sacramento dragging its heels?

LA Times  

State law set in motion a process of setting of standards for indoor and outdoor water use that utilities and consumers can meet in flexible ways. That legislation established a framework for creating long-term water-use efficiency standards for urban water suppliers that would govern indoor use, allowable water loss and outdoor use. Because the water board’s latest plan for implementing …

Editorial: L.A. may not get another wet winter for a while. We should prepare for drier times
9 months ago

Editorial: L.A. may not get another wet winter for a while. We should prepare for drier times

LA Times  

A wet February weekend, as shown in this Feb. 4 photo of the Grammy Awards ceremony at L.A. Live in downtown Los Angeles, gave way to a wet March as the 2024 Southern California rainy season drew to a close. The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power captured and stored more than 13.5 billion gallons of stormwater in February …

California doubles State Water Project allocation thanks to February storms
9 months ago

California doubles State Water Project allocation thanks to February storms

LA Times  

On the heels of a soaking start to 2024, state water managers on Friday announced a considerable increase in their forecasted water allocation for the year. “Mid- to late February storms have since improved hydrological conditions particularly for Northern California, allowing for a more robust water supply allocation,” the agency said in a statement. Nemeth said similarly that “DWR continues …

California is letting billions of gallons of stormwater wash out to sea each year, report finds
9 months, 3 weeks ago

California is letting billions of gallons of stormwater wash out to sea each year, report finds

LA Times  

For too long, California and other states have viewed stormwater as either a threat or an inconvenience — something to be whisked away from cities and communities as quickly as possible. It’s time to elevate the role of stormwater capture in the national water conversation,” said Bruk Berhanu, the report’s lead author and a senior researcher with the Pacific Institute, …

The upside of California’s epic blizzard: Snowpack and water supplies should be in good shape
9 months, 3 weeks ago

The upside of California’s epic blizzard: Snowpack and water supplies should be in good shape

LA Times  

Cold gray storm clouds swirled over Phillips Station near South Lake Tahoe on Thursday as state officials trudged through fresh powder to conduct their third snow survey of the season — just hours before a monster blizzard was set to dump up to 12 feet of snow across the Sierra Nevada. Explore the section Even without the incoming storm, the …

California’s rainy season is here. What does it mean for water supply?
10 months ago

California’s rainy season is here. What does it mean for water supply?

Associated Press  

LOS ANGELES — After a dry start to winter, California’s rainy season is finally well under way. Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print WHAT ABOUT SNOW? A man shovels snow off his car in the Cleveland National Forest, on Feb. 7, 2024, in eastern San …

California is in a ‘snow drought.’ Why this week’s atmospheric rivers won’t be enough to end it
10 months, 3 weeks ago

California is in a ‘snow drought.’ Why this week’s atmospheric rivers won’t be enough to end it

LA Times  

Despite forecasts of heavy rain and possible flooding in the coming days, state water managers are warning that the “snow drought” in California’s Sierra Nevada could remain for the rest of the winter and into the spring. Swain said while it’s hard to predict how the snowpack will turn out, this year could end up with a below-average snowpack “because …

California isn’t prepared for turbocharged storms like the ones we’re getting this week
10 months, 3 weeks ago

California isn’t prepared for turbocharged storms like the ones we’re getting this week

LA Times  

As a series of major winter storms sweep over the West Coast this week, anxious Californians are looking back at the flash floods and the “thousand-year” deluge that shocked San Diego a week ago, and Oxnard a few weeks earlier, wondering what’s in store. Starting Tuesday night, and then again on Sunday, two “atmospheric river” systems will bring high winds …

Groundwater depletion is worsening worldwide. Parts of California are suffering rapid declines
10 months, 4 weeks ago

Groundwater depletion is worsening worldwide. Parts of California are suffering rapid declines

LA Times  

From California’s Central Valley to the croplands of Iran, groundwater depletion has accelerated over the last four decades across the world’s arid food-producing regions. Groundwater levels have rapidly declined in many areas, while some aquifers' levels have risen since 2000 Median change in groundwater depth per year, in meters Deeper Shallower >1 1 0.1 0 0.1 1 >1 Reno NEVADA …

California’s water-saving plan slammed as costly, complicated and unrealistic
11 months, 1 week ago

California’s water-saving plan slammed as costly, complicated and unrealistic

LA Times  

In a scathing review, advisors to the state Legislature have found that California’s proposed regulations for urban water conservation would be costly, overly complicated and difficult to implement. But the nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s Office said in its report that the regulations, as proposed by the State Water Resources Control Board, would create challenges for water suppliers, “in many cases without …

California begins 2024 with below-normal snowpack a year after one of the best starts in decades
11 months, 3 weeks ago

California begins 2024 with below-normal snowpack a year after one of the best starts in decades

Associated Press  

LOS ANGELES — California is beginning 2024 with a below-normal mountain snowpack a year after it had one of its best starts in decades, and officials said Tuesday that the weather whiplash has made the outcome of this winter uncertain. The water content of the statewide snowpack was 25% of the average to date, said Sean de Guzman, a water …

California Gov. Gavin Newsom advances water tunnel project amid opposition from environmental groups
1 year ago

California Gov. Gavin Newsom advances water tunnel project amid opposition from environmental groups

Associated Press  

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A long-sought and disputed project in drought-prone California aimed at capturing more water during heavy rain storms reached a key milestone on Friday when Gov. The Sierra Club said in a statement that the tunnel’s construction and operation would “cause mass environmental destruction for Delta communities and ecosystems.” Scott Artis, executive director of the Golden State Salmon …

California cities and farms will get 10% of requested state water supplies when 2024 begins
1 year ago

California cities and farms will get 10% of requested state water supplies when 2024 begins

Associated Press  

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California water agencies serving 27 million people will get 10% of the water they requested from state supplies to start 2024 due to a relatively dry fall, even though the state’s reservoirs are in good shape, state officials said Friday. “California’s water year is off to a relatively dry start,” Karla Nemeth, director of the Department of …

California sets initial State Water Project allocations at 10% after two dry months
1 year ago

California sets initial State Water Project allocations at 10% after two dry months

LA Times  

Last winter’s historic storms filled California’s reservoirs to the point that the state was able to deliver water agencies 100% of their allotments from the State Water Project for the first time since 2006. The State Water Project’s aqueducts and pipelines transport water from the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta to 29 water agencies that supply 27 million people. In Southern …

Federal officials say plan for water cuts from 3 Western states is enough to protect Colorado River
1 year, 1 month ago

Federal officials say plan for water cuts from 3 Western states is enough to protect Colorado River

Associated Press  

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Federal officials said Wednesday that conditions have improved on the Colorado River to the point that a plan by California, Arizona and Nevada to voluntarily reduce water use should help keep the river basin on stable footing for the next few years. The U.S. Department of the Interior said in a statement that the risk of reaching …

Officials urge California residents to brace for flooding as El Niño looms
1 year, 2 months ago

Officials urge California residents to brace for flooding as El Niño looms

LA Times  

With California facing the prospect of a second consecutive winter of heavy precipitation, state officials are urging residents to prepare for possible widespread flooding and evacuations in the coming months. Among the efforts is the Lower Elkhorn Basin Levee Setback Project, a $280-million endeavor that, in conjunction with a weir widening project from the Army Corps of Engineers, will send …

California just experienced a ‘miracle’ water year. But winter could bring new challenges
1 year, 2 months ago

California just experienced a ‘miracle’ water year. But winter could bring new challenges

LA Times  

The typically parched, brown hills above Los Angeles are a vibrant shade of green — a rarity for early October. There’s a lot of work to continue to be done — particularly when it comes to flooding and protecting our communities.” This year’s soggy conditions were due primarily to 31 atmospheric river storms that unleashed torrents on the Golden State …

‘Miracle’ water year in California: Rain, snow put state’s reservoirs at 128% of historical average
1 year, 2 months ago

‘Miracle’ water year in California: Rain, snow put state’s reservoirs at 128% of historical average

Associated Press  

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California ended its “miracle” water year on Saturday with enough rain and snow to fill the state’s reservoirs to 128% of their historical average, making it among the wettest years in recorded state history. California’s “water year” begins annually on Oct. 1 so it can include all of the fall and winter months when California gets the …

Sweeping California water conservation rules could force big cuts in some areas
1 year, 3 months ago

Sweeping California water conservation rules could force big cuts in some areas

LA Times  

With California facing a hotter and drier future — punctuated by bouts of extreme weather — state officials are moving forward with a new framework for urban water use that could require some suppliers to make cuts of 20% or more as soon as 2025. “That legislation, and the board’s regulation, really mark a turning point and a major improvement …

California is now practically drought-free, but we keep wasting so much rainwater
1 year, 3 months ago

California is now practically drought-free, but we keep wasting so much rainwater

LA Times  

A driver whose car stalled out on flooded Avenue 48 asks for help from a passerby during Tropical Storm Hilary. He still called Hilary’s rainfall “an unexpected boon” for Southern California’s local water supplies, but said too much of the storm’s water washed away — the latest reminder of the state’s urgent challenge to better capture rainwater to help refill …

Southern California’s ‘water doctor’ pushes for transformation to adapt to climate change
1 year, 4 months ago

Southern California’s ‘water doctor’ pushes for transformation to adapt to climate change

LA Times  

When Adel Hagekhalil speaks about the future of water in Southern California, he often starts by mentioning the three conduits the region depends on to bring water from hundreds of miles away: the Los Angeles Aqueduct, the Colorado River Aqueduct and the California Aqueduct. Adel Hagekhalil says Southern California needs a new “Mulholland moment,” but one based on a new …

Winter storms boost Central Valley water supplies, but aquifer levels remain depleted
1 year, 6 months ago

Winter storms boost Central Valley water supplies, but aquifer levels remain depleted

LA Times  

Snow geese gather on a flooded farm near Dunnigan, in Yolo County, in January. The historic winter storms that filled California’s reservoirs and covered the Sierra Nevada with snow have brought a major boost to water supplies across Central Valley watersheds — an increase that measurements from NASA satellites show is the largest year-over-year gain in more than two decades …

California is still at risk of flooding. Maybe rivers just need some space
1 year, 6 months ago

California is still at risk of flooding. Maybe rivers just need some space

NPR  

California is still at risk of flooding. "We love to see the floodwater on our property," says Jon Carlon, co-founder of River Partners, as he looks across the water from an aluminum boat. "Rivers move and that's a really hard concept for us with property rights and roads and infrastructure," Carlon says. toggle caption Lauren Sommer/NPR Regulations are for levees …

California’s colossal snowpack has yet to melt: ‘Less and less places for that water to go’
1 year, 7 months ago

California’s colossal snowpack has yet to melt: ‘Less and less places for that water to go’

LA Times  

A man fishes through a hole cut in the ice at Crowley Lake on the opening day of trout season Saturday. “I know that’s hard to believe, but we’re getting into May and the peak is probably yet to come.” A Department of Water Resources crew conducted its fifth snow survey of the year Monday and determined that statewide snowpack …

A wet California boosts water allocations to 100% for first time in nearly 20 years
1 year, 8 months ago

A wet California boosts water allocations to 100% for first time in nearly 20 years

LA Times  

The San Luis Reservoir near Los Banos, a key water supply for millions of Californians from Silicon Valley to San Diego, is nearly at full capacity after a series of storms this winter. “Even in pretty wet years, we haven’t gotten to 100% allocations.” Just last year — when the state faced a third season of punishing drought — officials …

Editorial: Drought and flood, California’s double whammy
1 year, 8 months ago

Editorial: Drought and flood, California’s double whammy

LA Times  

Just as federal officials were laying out alternative scenarios last week for steep water supply cuts from the Colorado River due to the drying Southwest, California officials were warning that this year’s historic Sierra snowpack could flood much of the state later this year. Lake Mead, and farther up the Colorado River, Lake Powell — Southern California’s two big out-of-state …

California farmers flood fields to boost groundwater basin
1 year, 8 months ago

California farmers flood fields to boost groundwater basin

Associated Press  

A field that has long grown tomatoes, peppers and onions now looks like a wind-whipped ocean as farmer Don Cameron seeks to capture the runoff from a freakishly wet year in California to replenish the groundwater basin that is his only source to water his crops. “We’re doing our part to protect communities downstream, but we’re also putting the water …

‘Nature gave us a lifeline’: Southern California refills largest reservoir in dramatic fashion
1 year, 8 months ago

‘Nature gave us a lifeline’: Southern California refills largest reservoir in dramatic fashion

LA Times  

Following a series of winter storms that eased drought conditions across the state, Southern Californians celebrated a sight nobody has seen for several punishing years: water rushing into Diamond Valley Lake. “We need to take this lifeline, replenish our resources, but continue to work and plan ahead.” Water cascades into Diamond Valley Lake from the DVL’s inlet/outlet tower in Winchester. …

California eases water restrictions, but drought isn’t over
1 year, 8 months ago

California eases water restrictions, but drought isn’t over

Associated Press  

DUNNIGAN, Calif. — California Gov. Gavin Newsom ended some of the state’s water restrictions on Friday because a winter of relentless rain and snow has replenished the state’s reservoirs and eased fears of a shortage after three years of severe drought. But Newsom did say he would stop asking people to voluntarily cut their water use by 15%, a request …

California ends some water limits after storms ease drought
1 year, 8 months ago

California ends some water limits after storms ease drought

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Gavin Newsom ended some of the state's water restrictions …

Newsom rolls back California drought restrictions after remarkably wet winter
1 year, 9 months ago

Newsom rolls back California drought restrictions after remarkably wet winter

LA Times  

A Rancho Cucamonga housing tract was among those where outdoor watering was restricted to one day a week during last year’s drought. Gavin Newsom on Friday announced that he will roll back some of the state’s most severe drought restrictions and dramatically increase water supplies for agencies serving 27 million people. “We’re modifying it as opposed to eliminating it because …

3 reasons why California's drought isn't really over, despite all the rain
1 year, 9 months ago

3 reasons why California's drought isn't really over, despite all the rain

NPR  

3 reasons why California's drought isn't really over, despite all the rain Enlarge this image toggle caption Ken James/California Department of Water Resources Ken James/California Department of Water Resources Ask a water expert if California's drought is finally done, and the answers sound something "Yes and no." "While we've seen some pretty fantastic wet weather and we've seen conditions improve, …

Drought over? Spring outlook finds relief -- and flood risk
1 year, 9 months ago

Drought over? Spring outlook finds relief -- and flood risk

Associated Press  

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Record snowfall and rain have helped to loosen drought’s grip on parts of the western U.S. as national forecasters and climate experts warned Thursday that some areas should expect more flooding as the snow begins to melt. Paul Miller, a hydrologist with the National Weather Service’s Colorado Basin River Forecast Center, said that sounds like a lot …

Water restrictions lifted for millions in SoCal, but region still urged to conserve
1 year, 9 months ago

Water restrictions lifted for millions in SoCal, but region still urged to conserve

LA Times  

The water below Bidwell Bar Bridge at Lake Oroville, which supplies the State Water Project, has risen dramatically with runoff from recent storms. “We don’t need to take that next step, although we really need consumers to continue to use water efficiently.” On average, about one-fourth of Southern California’s water supply comes from the Colorado River, where chronic overuse and …

Flush with rain, California plans to replenish drought-depleted groundwater with floodwaters
1 year, 9 months ago

Flush with rain, California plans to replenish drought-depleted groundwater with floodwaters

LA Times  

The Delta-Mendota Canal, part of the federal Central Valley Project, runs along the western edge of the San Joaquin Valley. California water officials have approved a plan to divert more than 600,000 acre-feet of floodwaters from the San Joaquin River to recharge groundwater and supply wildlife refuges. “We are taking steps to maximize groundwater recharge in a way that the …

Half of California freed from drought thanks to rain, snow
1 year, 9 months ago

Half of California freed from drought thanks to rain, snow

Associated Press  

LOS ANGELES — Tremendous rains and snowfall since late last year have freed half of California from drought, but low groundwater levels remain a persistent problem, U.S. Drought Monitor data showed Thursday. “Clearly the amount of water that’s fallen this year has greatly alleviated the drought,” said Daniel Swain, a climate scientist at the University of California, Los Angeles. “The …

California’s snowpack is approaching an all-time record, with more on the way
1 year, 9 months ago

California’s snowpack is approaching an all-time record, with more on the way

LA Times  

California Department of Water Resources engineers take measurements during the agency’s snow survey in the Sierra Nevada in January. A remarkably wet winter has resulted in some of the deepest snowpack California has ever recorded, providing considerable drought relief and a glimmer of hope for the state’s strained water supply. “I know the question of the day is going to …

California drought levels recede in the face of winter storms
1 year, 9 months ago

California drought levels recede in the face of winter storms

Al Jazeera  

About half of the state has been lifted out of drought conditions by a series of storms that have drenched the region. California has seen drought levels recede after a series of winter storms pummeled the western United States with snow and rainfall, a boon to a state where extreme drought and water access have been a persistent concern. As …

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