Californians urged to save water as state faces dismal snowpack in Sierra Nevada
2 years, 8 months ago

Californians urged to save water as state faces dismal snowpack in Sierra Nevada

LA Times  

Crossing a dry meadow, Karla Nemeth, director of the state Department of Water Resources, left, and Natural Resources Secretary Wade Crowfoot, second from left, accompany Sean de Guzman, manager of snow surveys, right, as he conducts the fourth snow survey of the season on Friday at Phillips Station near Echo Summit, Calif. California is going into spring with a minuscule amount of snow in the Sierra Nevada, leaving the state in a third year of extreme drought and with depleted reservoirs to draw on during what’s likely to be another hot, parched summer. “We are calling on all Californians to use water wisely, to conserve as much as you can,” said Karla Nemeth, director of the state Department of Water Resources. “Communities across our state need to eliminate water waste, continue to become more efficient with the water that’s used,” Crowfoot said. Echoing an appeal made by Brown during the last drought, he said everyone needs to “make conservation a way of life.” California’s water management officials use April 1 as a benchmark date for estimating how much water will come from snow because it’s traditionally when the snowpack reaches its peak.

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History of this topic

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 …

Editorial: California snow survey makes it official — we’re all wet
8 months, 3 weeks ago

Editorial: California snow survey makes it official — we’re all wet

LA Times  

Sean de Guzman, right, manager of the California Department of Water Resources Snow Surveys and Water Supply Forecasting Unit, and water resources engineer Anthony Burdock, left, measure the snowpack in January at Phillips Station in the Sierra Nevada. The crucial April snow survey conducted Tuesday morning showed above-average Sierra snowpack. “Average is awesome,” California Department of Water Resources Director Karla …

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 …

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 …

The Sierra’s remarkable recovery: ‘Snow drought’ fears overturned in a flash
10 months ago

The Sierra’s remarkable recovery: ‘Snow drought’ fears overturned in a flash

LA Times  

Concerns that California might remain in a “ snow drought ” this winter have eased after a series of storms this month blanketed the Sierra Nevada with a near-average amount of snow for this time of year. “Overall, I’m not worried about drought for the rest of this year,” said Jay Lund, a professor emeritus and vice director of the …

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 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 …

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 …

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’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 …

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 …

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 …

Editorial: An unfair plan to cut California’s use of Colorado River water
1 year, 9 months ago

Editorial: An unfair plan to cut California’s use of Colorado River water

LA Times  

The immediate question before the seven states that use rapidly vanishing Colorado River water is not how to renegotiate the century-old agreement and accompanying laws that divvy up the supply. The urgent question at present is what emergency steps the states must take in the interim to keep enough Colorado River water in two huge but dangerously depleted reservoirs to …

California storms improve initial federal water allocations
1 year, 10 months ago

California storms improve initial federal water allocations

Associated Press  

LOS ANGELES — After early winter storms put a dent in California’s drought, officials Wednesday cautiously announced a jump in initial allocations of federally controlled water to agricultural, municipal and industrial users of the Central Valley Project system. Nine atmospheric river storms from late December into January greatly improved the water supply outlook following three years of record drought, U.S. …

With all this rain and snow, can California really still be in a drought? Look deeper
1 year, 10 months ago

With all this rain and snow, can California really still be in a drought? Look deeper

LA Times  

Lake Oroville, seen at the beginning of February, is one of the state’s largest reservoirs and currently at 71% capacity following the January storms. “We’re in better shape than we were two months ago, but we’re not out of the woods.” California Photos: Two atmospheric river storms descend on California California’s deadly storm season continued Friday as the first of …

California’s snowpack is melting faster than ever before, leaving less available water
1 year, 10 months ago

California’s snowpack is melting faster than ever before, leaving less available water

LA Times  

For decades, Californians have depended on the reliable appearance of spring and summer snowmelt to provide nearly a third of the state’s supply of water. “So we should start thinking about how we are going to deal with this, because we expect more dry periods in a warmer climate and we expect more fire in the mountains, so it’s giving …

California has huge snowpack, but dry trend raises worries
1 year, 10 months ago

California has huge snowpack, but dry trend raises worries

Associated Press  

LOS ANGELES — The mountain snowpack that supplies a significant amount of California’s water got an incredible boost from recent powerful storms and is outpacing the state’s wettest season on record, state water officials said Wednesday. “Our snowpack is off to an incredible start, and it’s exactly what California needs to really help break from our ongoing drought,” said Sean …

Battling to avoid massive water cuts, California offers proposal on Colorado River crisis
1 year, 10 months ago

Battling to avoid massive water cuts, California offers proposal on Colorado River crisis

LA Times  

California has given the federal government its own proposal for making cuts in Colorado River water use, saying a plan offered by six other states would disproportionately burden farms and cities in Southern California. In the proposal letter, J.B. Hamby, chair of California’s Colorado River Board, said the state’s alternative “provides a realistic and implementable framework to address reduced inflows …

California winter storms boost water allocations for cities
1 year, 10 months ago

California winter storms boost water allocations for cities

Associated Press  

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Weeks of historic rainfall in California won’t be enough to end a severe drought, but it will provide public water agencies serving 27 million people with much more water than the suppliers had been told to expect a month ago, state officials announced Thursday. “We’re not out of drought in California, but this certainly makes a significant …

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 …

Editorial: The drought is over now, right? (Spoiler alert: No)
1 year, 11 months ago

Editorial: The drought is over now, right? (Spoiler alert: No)

LA Times  

Patsy Costello, 88, sits trapped in her car in Pleasant Hill in Contra Costa County on New Year’s Eve. California Toddler killed, cities evacuated as massive storm lashes Northern California The intense downpours — coming after an earlier deluge days ago — pushed some rivers toward flood stage, prompting a string of evacuations from towns along the Russian River to …

California snowpack is far above average amid January storms, but a lot more is needed
1 year, 11 months ago

California snowpack is far above average amid January storms, but a lot more is needed

LA Times  

A series of atmospheric river storms has brought California heavy rains and above-average snowpack across the Sierra Nevada, but experts say the state still needs many more storms to begin to emerge from drought. “The significant Sierra snowpack is good news, but unfortunately these same storms are bringing flooding to parts of California,” said Karla Nemeth, director of the state …

Drought emergency declared for all Southern California
2 years ago

Drought emergency declared for all Southern California

LA Times  

As California faces the prospect of a fourth consecutive dry year, officials with the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California have declared a regional drought emergency and called on water agencies to immediately reduce their use of all imported supplies. If we don’t have an extremely wet winter, we will need to elevate to our highest level — a water …

Recent storms give drought-weary California cause for hope, but will they continue?
2 years ago

Recent storms give drought-weary California cause for hope, but will they continue?

LA Times  

The Palisades Tahoe Resort, in the city of Olympic Valley, received more than 35 inches of snow over the recent weekend. “We’re going to wait and see how things play out moving forward, but I definitely would say there are some things to be optimistic about.” Simeral said soil moisture levels had also improved from the storms, especially around the …

Drought-hit California cities to get little water from state
2 years ago

Drought-hit California cities to get little water from state

Associated Press  

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California water agencies that serve 27 million people will get just 5% of what they requested from the state to start 2023, water officials announced Thursday. The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, which services Los Angeles and much of Southern California, relies on the state for about one-third of its water supply. We can get through …

L.A. water use plummets during hot summer amid calls to conserve during drought
2 years, 1 month ago

L.A. water use plummets during hot summer amid calls to conserve during drought

LA Times  

Sprinklers run on the first day of drought-watering restrictions in Los Angeles in June. Amid a record-breaking drought and calls to drastically reduce water use across California, Los Angeles residents saved a staggering 6 billion gallons during the hottest months of the summer, officials announced Monday. “We’ve notched a 9% year-over-year reduction on top of what we had done in …

More water restrictions likely as California pledges to cut use of Colorado River supply
2 years, 2 months ago

More water restrictions likely as California pledges to cut use of Colorado River supply

LA Times  

With the Colorado River in crisis and reservoir levels continuing to decline, some California water agencies are planning to significantly reduce the amount they take from the river starting next year. Four water districts and the state’s Colorado River Board said in a letter to the federal government on Wednesday that they are proposing to reduce water use by up …

California braces for dry winter as Western drought drags on
2 years, 2 months ago

California braces for dry winter as Western drought drags on

Associated Press  

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The past three years have been California’s driest on record and state officials said Monday that they’re preparing for the streak to continue. Though its impossible to predict with certainty what the winter will bring, “we are actively planning for another dry year,” said Jeanine Jones, drought manager for the state Department of Water Resources. Snow that …

California is finally reducing water use, but it’s not enough amid severe drought
2 years, 5 months ago

California is finally reducing water use, but it’s not enough amid severe drought

LA Times  

Environmentalist Zan Dubin-Scott has started placing a watering can in her shower to capture the water as it heats up, then uses it to water her potted plants. With reservoirs at record lows and Lake Mead inching closer to “dead pool” levels, Californians are beginning to heed the state’s urgent calls for water conservation — but not fast enough, officials …

Parts of Southern California used 26% more water in April, despite conservation pleas
2 years, 6 months ago

Parts of Southern California used 26% more water in April, despite conservation pleas

LA Times  

Rings around the banks of Diamond Valley Lake in Riverside County, the major drinking water storage facility for 18 million Southern Californians, show the effects of the drought in 2021. “Expect things to intensify over the next couple of months,” Ekdahl said, noting that reservoirs probably won’t receive any more precipitation until at least the start of the next water …

California cuts grass watering down as drought dries West
2 years, 7 months ago

California cuts grass watering down as drought dries West

Associated Press  

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Grass in office parks, on college campuses or in some California neighborhoods will go brown this summer after state water officials adopted a ban Tuesday on watering certain green spaces as the state’s drought drags on. Stacy Taylor, water policy manager at Mesa Water District in Orange County, said many local districts have already achieved major water …

California just adopted new, tougher water restrictions: What you need to know
2 years, 7 months ago

California just adopted new, tougher water restrictions: What you need to know

LA Times  

California water regulators strengthened the state’s drought rules this week, ordering local suppliers to take steps to reduce water usage to stretch limited supplies this summer. Gavin Newsom warned that more stringent statewide water restrictions could come if the state doesn’t make more progress on conservation soon. Water agencies that haven’t yet turned in a contingency plan are required to …

In drought-ravaged California, water use is up dramatically
2 years, 7 months ago

In drought-ravaged California, water use is up dramatically

Associated Press  

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California’s water use jumped dramatically in March, state officials said Tuesday, as one of the driest stretches on record prompted a wave of homeowners to start watering their lawns earlier than usual in defiance of Gov. Newsom last summer asked residents to voluntarily cut water use by 15% compared to 2020 as climate change intensified a drought …

California declares unprecedented water restrictions amid drought
2 years, 7 months ago

California declares unprecedented water restrictions amid drought

Al Jazeera  

Residents have been warned to scale down their water usage this summer, as critical shortages loom. “This is the first time we’ve said, we don’t have enough water to last us for the rest of the year, unless we cut our usage by 35 percent.” Depleted reservoirs Most of the water that southern California residents enjoy begins as snow in …

California drought: Officials worry there’s not enough water to get through summer without cuts
2 years, 7 months ago

California drought: Officials worry there’s not enough water to get through summer without cuts

CNN  

CNN — As Southern Californians brace for unprecedented water restrictions, officials worry some communities won’t have enough water to get through the summer – at least not without residents and businesses significantly cutting back on their usage. “Climate change is accelerating in alarming ways and faster than scientists predicted even 10 or 20 years ago and that means we have …

Southern California ‘cannot afford green lawns’ as drought forces unprecedented water cuts
2 years, 7 months ago

Southern California ‘cannot afford green lawns’ as drought forces unprecedented water cuts

LA Times  

Large portions of Southern California are being told to water outdoors just one day a week. “We knew climate change would stress our water supply, and we’ve been preparing for it, but we did not know it would happen this fast,” said Gloria Gray, chairwoman of the MWD’s board of directors. It is a challenge unlike anything Metropolitan has ever …

Sweeping water restrictions will change life in Southern California: A guide
2 years, 7 months ago

Sweeping water restrictions will change life in Southern California: A guide

LA Times  

Tony Corcoran records sprinklers watering the lawn in front of a house in Beverly Hills in June 2015. Drought and climate change are forcing unprecedented water restrictions in parts of Southern California and millions of residents are wondering what happens now. The plan On Tuesday, the Metropolitan Water District ordered outdoor water usage be restricted to just one day a …

Millions Ordered To Cut Water Use In Drought-Stricken California
2 years, 7 months ago

Millions Ordered To Cut Water Use In Drought-Stricken California

Huff Post  

LOADING ERROR LOADING LOS ANGELES — Southern California’s gigantic water supplier took the unprecedented step Tuesday of requiring about 6 million people to cut their outdoor watering to one day a week as drought continues to plague the state. We’ve never done anything like this before.” The Metropolitan Water District uses water from the Colorado River and the State Water …

Millions must cut water use in drought-stricken California
2 years, 7 months ago

Millions must cut water use in drought-stricken California

The Independent  

The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. The Metropolitan Water District uses water from the …

Millions must cut water use in drought-stricken California
2 years, 7 months ago

Millions must cut water use in drought-stricken California

Associated Press  

LOS ANGELES — Southern California’s gigantic water supplier took the unprecedented step Tuesday of requiring about 6 million people to cut their outdoor watering to one day a week as drought continues to plague the state. We’ve never done anything like this before.” The Metropolitan Water District uses water from the Colorado River and the State Water Project to supply …

Parts of Southern California don’t have enough water to meet demand, sparking sweeping cuts
2 years, 7 months ago

Parts of Southern California don’t have enough water to meet demand, sparking sweeping cuts

LA Times  

Due to severe drought, Southern California water officials are restricting outdoor watering to one day a week in some areas of Los Angeles, Ventura and San Bernardino counties. The unprecedented water restrictions imposed on parts of Southern California this week have put a spotlight on how rapidly the state’s water supply is being reduced by drought and climate change. California …

More water restrictions are coming to Southern California. How to conserve
2 years, 7 months ago

More water restrictions are coming to Southern California. How to conserve

LA Times  

Outdoor watering will be restricted to one day a week for about 6 million Southern Californians, under new rules from water authorities. “While individual actions are essential for addressing huge environmental issues like climate change and drought, they’re always insufficient,” Jason Mark, an editor at the Sierra Club magazine Sierra, told The Times last year. Heather Cooley of the Pacific …

California could shrink water use in cities by 30% or more, study finds
2 years, 8 months ago

California could shrink water use in cities by 30% or more, study finds

LA Times  

Researchers say investing in projects to capture more stormwater and recycle more wastewater could help California boost local water supplies. “California has made real progress in recent years to reduce water use and augment local water supplies,” said Heather Cooley, the institute’s research director. As for desalination, Gleick said, the team didn’t consider it in the study because although it …

California drought deepens as wet season is anything but
2 years, 8 months ago

California drought deepens as wet season is anything but

Associated Press  

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California is experiencing one of the driest starts to spring in decades, data showed Friday, and absent a heavy dose of April and May showers the state’s drought will deepen and that could lead to stricter rules on water use and another devastating wildfire season. The nearly 11 inches worth of water sitting in snow in the …

Drought-stricken California imposes new round of water cuts
2 years, 9 months ago

Drought-stricken California imposes new round of water cuts

Associated Press  

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California’s urban water users and farmers who rely on supplies from state reservoirs will get less than planned this year as fears of a third consecutive dry year become reality, state officials announced Friday. Local water agencies that know their communities’ unique needs are better poised than state officials to set water use restrictions, Nemeth said. State …

As drought deepens, Californians are saving less water
2 years, 9 months ago

As drought deepens, Californians are saving less water

LA Times  

California urban water use increased 2.6% in January 2022 over a baseline figure, new data show. “The reservoirs are lower than they were at this time last year, and last year we were in the second year of the drought.” During a board meeting Tuesday, Department of Water Resources Director Karla Nemeth said California needs to receive about four more …

With no respite from drought, officials call upon Californians to conserve water
2 years, 9 months ago

With no respite from drought, officials call upon Californians to conserve water

LA Times  

Houseboats on the water at a receding Lake Oroville, which stood at 33% full when this photograph was taken on June 29, 2021, in Oroville, Calif. With the severe drought now in a third year, the state faces depleted reservoirs, a meager snowpack in the Sierra Nevada and a worsening water shortage on the Colorado River. The latest conservation figures …

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