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 this winter and spring, as well as a very wet August marked by the rare arrival of Tropical Storm Hilary. Water was so plentiful that officials with the Metropolitan Water District were able to refill Southern California’s largest reservoir, Diamond Valley Lake, for the first time in several years, with General Manager Adel Hagekhalil exclaiming at the time that “nature gave us a lifeline.” But while California has been known to swing from wet to dry, climate change is making both conditions more extreme. “The coast was particularly hit hard, and that keeps me awake a little bit at night with going into an El Niño year,” said Gary Lippner, DWR’s deputy director of flood management and dam safety. “Hopefully, the failures will bring us to action on some of these.” In addition to flood threats, the abundance of water this year also led many to question whether the state was doing enough to capture all of that water — including some lawmakers who called for officials to relax environmental pumping restrictions that limited the amount of water that could be captured from the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta during the storms.

Water California Los Angeles This Year Los Angeles Times Lake Storms Southern California State Officials El Niño Wet Nemeth Oroville Lake Oroville Dwr Pajaro Normal State  winter  bring  lake  california  storms  challenges  normal  state  officials  wet  los  angeles  water  experienced  miracle

History of this topic

Incredible before-and-after images of reservoirs are proof of California’s winter deluges
7 months, 2 weeks ago

Incredible before-and-after images of reservoirs are proof of California’s winter deluges

LA Times  

After another wet winter, record rainfall has turned California green and replenished the state’s reservoirs, which had been perilously low during the worst days of the drought. In December 2022, Lake Oroville was experiencing low-water levels, including at its Bidwell Canyon Marina near the Bidwell Bar Bridge. It’s not just the big reservoirs that have filled up: Big Bear Lake …

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, …

‘Rivers in the sky’ have drenched California, yet even more extreme rains are possible
7 months, 4 weeks ago

‘Rivers in the sky’ have drenched California, yet even more extreme rains are possible

LA Times  

For years, scientists have said that atmospheric rivers can either make or break the water supplies of thirsty California cities and farms. The research provides the most historical context to date for the state’s rainfall variability, and found that the region “consistently registered extreme precipitation over a 3,200-year period.” Biola University students take turns using a rope from a footbridge …

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, …

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 …

Recent storms pushed California’s yearly rainfall, snowpack even higher — and more could be coming
9 months, 2 weeks ago

Recent storms pushed California’s yearly rainfall, snowpack even higher — and more could be coming

LA Times  

People cross the street amid wind and rain as they visit the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach on Wednesday. Downtown Los Angeles received 0.72 inches from Wednesday’s storm, bringing its total rainfall to 18.99 inches since Oct. 1 — the beginning of the water year. “We’re about 7.5 inches above average for this time of year,” said Kristan …

Another storm is coming to Southern California early next week. How big will it be?
10 months ago

Another storm is coming to Southern California early next week. How big will it be?

LA Times  

Sam Hale of Garden Grove looks for driftwood he can use in landscaping projects Wednesday in a debris field left by the rain-swollen Santa Ana River in Huntington Beach. Southern Californians can brace for another round of wet weather, with a storm expected to hit the region early next week to cap off a month of historically wet weather. “This …

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 …

Record rainfall, triple-digit winds, hundreds of mudslides. Here’s California’s storm by the numbers
10 months, 2 weeks ago

Record rainfall, triple-digit winds, hundreds of mudslides. Here’s California’s storm by the numbers

Associated Press  

LOS ANGELES — The slow-moving atmospheric river that was finally moving out of California on Wednesday unleashed record rainfall, triple-digit winds and hundreds of mudslides. While just missing the December 1995 record of 103 mph at Angel Island in San Francisco Bay, “102 is very, very impressive,” said meteorologist Nicole Sarment at the National Weather Service’s Bay Area office. The …

LA County captured enough rain this week to provide water to 65,600 residents for a year
10 months, 2 weeks ago

LA County captured enough rain this week to provide water to 65,600 residents for a year

CNN  

Los Angeles CNN — While this week’s atmospheric river drenched Southern California with record-breaking rainfall, some water managers were busy capturing some of that runoff to save for dry days ahead. Los Angeles County Public Works captured 2.7 billion gallons of stormwater as the rain fell in sheets, public information officer Liz Vazquez told CNN in an email – enough …

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 …

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 …

Dramatic before-and-after images show how much water California reservoirs have accumulated
11 months, 3 weeks ago

Dramatic before-and-after images show how much water California reservoirs have accumulated

LA Times  

Enterprise Bridge at Lake Oroville in Butte County, Calif. On Dec. 14, the water storage was 2,324,550 acre-feet, 66% of total capacity. After last year’s historically wet winter, many of California’s largest water stores were at or near capacity during the summer months of 2023. The images below from the California Department of Water Resources show Lake Oroville at the …

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 …

California’s epic rain year boosted groundwater levels, but not enough to recoup losses
1 year, 2 months ago

California’s epic rain year boosted groundwater levels, but not enough to recoup losses

LA Times  

California’s extraordinarily wet year brought the state vast quantities of water that have soaked into the ground and given a substantial boost to the state’s groundwater supplies, but not nearly enough to reverse long-term losses from over-pumping in many areas, according to a new state report. Groundwater levels, while recovering, are still lower than the period after the 2012-2016 drought.” …

‘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 …

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 …

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 …

California's destructively wet winter has a bright side. You'll want to see it
1 year, 8 months ago

California's destructively wet winter has a bright side. You'll want to see it

NPR  

California's destructively wet winter has a bright side. You'll want to see it Enlarge this image toggle caption Claire Harbage/NPR Claire Harbage/NPR CARRIZO PLAIN NATIONAL MONUMENT, Calif. — The roads are still rutted where rainwater carved them and farms are still flooded down the valley, but here in California's largest remaining grassland, the benefits of the state's destructively wet winter …

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 …

Volcano? Climate change? Bad luck? Why California was hit with 31 atmospheric river storms
1 year, 8 months ago

Volcano? Climate change? Bad luck? Why California was hit with 31 atmospheric river storms

LA Times  

As winter approached, few anticipated what was about to hit California. It could be random bad luck.” Many of winter’s atmospheric river storms came farther south, moved slowly after making landfall and came later in the season than in prior years — creating more disruption, said Chad Hecht, a research and operations meteorologist at the Center for Western Weather and …

Before and After: California storms fill parched reservoirs, end 3-year drought | In pics
1 year, 8 months ago

Before and After: California storms fill parched reservoirs, end 3-year drought | In pics

India Today  

As many as 12 of California’s 17 major reservoirs are filled above their historical averages for the start of spring. Houseboats rest in a channel at Lake Oroville State Recreation Area in Butte County and Houseboats float at Lake Oroville State Recreation Area on Sunday, March 26, 2023 Major reservoirs are filled above their historical averages for the start of …

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, …

Drone photos show dramatic rise in California reservoirs after record-setting rain, snow
1 year, 9 months ago

Drone photos show dramatic rise in California reservoirs after record-setting rain, snow

LA Times  

Winter storms across California have significantly improved drought conditions and filled state reservoirs that had held less than a third of their capacity. Lake Oroville’s water level rose steadily with each storm passing California this winter. A November 2022 image shows low water conditions surrounding Granite Bay Main Beach at Folsom Lake in Placer County, when the reservoir storage was …

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 …

Atmospheric river floods California towns, brings rain, snow
1 year, 9 months ago

Atmospheric river floods California towns, brings rain, snow

India Today  

More than 9,000 California residents were under evacuation orders Friday as a new atmospheric river brought heavy rain, thunderstorms and strong winds, swelling rivers and creeks and flooding several major highways and small rural communities. READ | Gigantic winter storm across northern US to produce brutal cold, blizzards Wingfield said living near Soquel Creek has meant being aware there might …

California lowering dam water levels, warns of flood threat as storm hits
1 year, 9 months ago

California lowering dam water levels, warns of flood threat as storm hits

LA Times  

Workers release water from the Santa Anita Dam after a series of January storms. Anne Lynch, integrated water management lead with the consulting firm GHD, said it’s good news that the state’s reservoirs are being actively managed for flood control, especially in areas that saw flooding previously. “It’s a complicated thing.” Some areas that flooded during the previous storms, such …

California braces for flooding, snowmelt from a warm atmospheric river set to slam state
1 year, 9 months ago

California braces for flooding, snowmelt from a warm atmospheric river set to slam state

LA Times  

Clouds hover behind the downtown Los Angeles skyline late last month after a powerful winter storm caused flooding and power outages in some areas. Another atmospheric river system has set its sights on California, raising considerable concern about flooding and structural damage as warm rain is expected to fall atop the state’s near-record snowpack this week, forecasters say. “It now …

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 …

Winter storms ease drought conditions in California, report shows
1 year, 9 months ago

Winter storms ease drought conditions in California, report shows

LA Times  

California’s remarkably wet winter has helped ease drought conditions considerably, with large swaths of the state — including the coast of Humboldt County, much of the snow-capped Sierra Nevada and the Santa Monica Mountains north of Malibu — no longer considered to be in drought, according to federal officials. According to their mapping, which includes data on hydrology, soil moisture …

Yet more rain expected to hit California in March. Warmer storms could cause problems
1 year, 9 months ago

Yet more rain expected to hit California in March. Warmer storms could cause problems

LA Times  

Soggy, snow-capped California faces the likelihood of yet another month of wet weather, but what remains uncertain is whether this late winter precipitation will augment weeks of record-setting snowpack, or cause it to vanish should warmer rains arrive. California Photos: Two atmospheric river storms descend on California California’s deadly storm season continued Friday as the first of two atmospheric river …

Before and after photos from space show storms’ effect on California reservoirs
1 year, 9 months ago

Before and after photos from space show storms’ effect on California reservoirs

LA Times  

Bidwell Bar Bridge at Lake Oroville on Feb. 8. After a series of atmospheric-river storms hit California in December and January, the state’s two largest reservoirs are looking a lot fuller than they did a few months ago. And data updated Monday from the California Department of Water Resources’ tracker show the reservoir climbing to 60%, still below historical levels …

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 …

Column: Rains and flooding leave claims of California drought high and dry
1 year, 10 months ago

Column: Rains and flooding leave claims of California drought high and dry

LA Times  

A pedestiran wades through a flooded neighborhood in Aptos in Northern California in January. Two words that government officials always try to avoid saying are “drought’s over” — even when there’s flooding. The definition of drought that I learned in school is pretty much the same as the ones I found in a Google search: “A prolonged period of abnormally …

Photos show Lake Oroville's rise after epic storms
1 year, 10 months ago

Photos show Lake Oroville's rise after epic storms

LA Times  

Lake Oroville, a key component of California’s water supply, looks noticeably fuller after a series of January storms. Shocking images that year illustrated the worsening drought conditions, including exposed portions of Oroville’s lakebed and a distinct “bathtub ring” indicating just how far the water had receded. Jeanine Jones, Interstate Resources Manager for the Department of Water Resources, said in a …

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 …

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 …

California sees extensive storm damage as weather calms
1 year, 11 months ago

California sees extensive storm damage as weather calms

Associated Press  

LOS ANGELES — Key roadways remained closed and officials estimated thousand of homes were seriously damaged in California as weeks of wild weather that flooded roadways, collapsed hillsides and toppled countless trees finally became calm Tuesday. “Some roads are completely washed away.” There is no estimated reopening date for State Route 154, a key north-south artery in the county that …

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