Did California learn anything from the last drought? ‘Gambling’ with water continues
2 years, 6 months ago

Did California learn anything from the last drought? ‘Gambling’ with water continues

LA Times  

An aerial photo shows a shrinking Lake Oroville in California’s Butte County. “In some ways, the way we use water is pretty much like gambling,” said Felicia Marcus, a fellow at Stanford University’s Water in the West Program. Marcus, who also served as chair of the state water board during the last drought, remained optimistic about the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act, particularly because the state is using its authority to “call balls and strikes” on inadequate local management plans, she said. “The reality is we’ve made really big strides, but we are still largely dependent on imported water, which is drying up,” Reznik said. “The key point is that LADWP continues to make significant investments in several programs to further diversify the city’s water supply portfolio — which includes local groundwater, recycled water, storm water capture, water conservation and water-use efficiency,” Cheng said.

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History of this topic

California has a plan for new water rules. Will it save salmon from extinction?
1 week ago

California has a plan for new water rules. Will it save salmon from extinction?

Associated Press  

The Newsom administration is refining a contentious set of proposed rules, years in the making, that would reshape how farms and cities draw water from the Central Valley’s Delta and its rivers. Crowfoot told the water board that the proposed rules would do “a good job working to balance all of needs, and ultimately help the environment to recover in …

A decade after signing of California groundwater law, major challenges remain
3 months, 1 week ago

A decade after signing of California groundwater law, major challenges remain

LA Times  

Water flows from a well to irrigate an orchard in Visalia in 2021. The state’s approach to intervention, he said, would saddle growers with an estimated $10 million annually in pumping fees, and would bring rapid and “extreme” restrictions on water use. “Under SGMA, local agencies are responsible for the sustainable management of their groundwater basins,” said Edward Ortiz, a …

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 …

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’s water outlook has brightened for now, but salmon and other fish are still in peril
8 months, 2 weeks ago

California’s water outlook has brightened for now, but salmon and other fish are still in peril

LA Times  

Welcome to today’s edition of Boiling Point. “It’s all water mismanagement.” Brown said his business was down 40% because of the shutdown of salmon fishing last year, and the outlook this year isn’t much better. For my story about the salmon fishing shutdown, I also spoke with Charlton “Chuck” Bonham, director of the state Department of Fish and Wildlife, who …

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 …

Experts urge California to avoid pitfalls in water deals in the delta
10 months ago

Experts urge California to avoid pitfalls in water deals in the delta

LA Times  

Welcome to today’s edition of Boiling Point. Summarizing their conclusions, Marcus, Kiparsky and their colleagues wrote that leading with voluntary agreements “as a solution for balancing human and environmental needs for water — rather than first, or simultaneously, pursuing a regulatory pathway to achieve key biological goals — is a perilous strategy that risks continued environmental degradation.” Although voluntary agreements …

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 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 …

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 …

Column: Newsom denies the obvious: California is no longer in drought
1 year, 8 months ago

Column: Newsom denies the obvious: California is no longer in drought

LA Times  

Gavin Newsom announces the rollback of some drought restrictions during a news conference Friday at a farm in Dunnigan, Calif. Gov. Is the drought over?” Newsom asked rhetorically in his opening comments at the farm, answering every attending reporter’s question before it was asked. “It’s incumbent upon us to continue to maintain our vigilance … to allow for the fast-tracking …

Much Of West Coast Faces Salmon Fishing Ban As Population Plummets
1 year, 8 months ago

Much Of West Coast Faces Salmon Fishing Ban As Population Plummets

Huff Post  

LOADING ERROR LOADING SAN DIEGO — As drought dried up rivers that carry California’s newly hatched Chinook salmon to the ocean, state officials in recent years resorted to loading up the fish by the millions onto trucks and barges to take them to the Pacific. DaveAlan via Getty Images Now, ocean salmon fishing season is set to be prohibited this …

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, …

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 …

Newsom wants to waive environmental rules in the delta amid drought worries
1 year, 10 months ago

Newsom wants to waive environmental rules in the delta amid drought worries

LA Times  

Photos of Lake Oroville show the reservoir in a badly depleted state in 2021 and at much higher levels after a series of atmospheric rivers hit the state in January. “Until it is clear what the remainder of the wet season will hold, the executive order includes provisions to protect water reserves.” As part of the governor’s effort, the state …

California debates what to do with water from recent storms
1 year, 10 months ago

California debates what to do with water from recent storms

Associated Press  

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Weeks after powerful storms dumped 32 trillion gallons of rain and snow on California, state officials and environmental groups in the drought-ravaged state are grappling with what to do with all of that water. “This governor is the most anti-environmental governor, with respect to endangered species and California water, that we’ve had in my lifetime,” said Jon …

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 downpours won't fix decades of drought: Scientists
1 year, 11 months ago

California downpours won't fix decades of drought: Scientists

The Hindu  

Near-record rainfall has battered California for weeks, sparking floods and landslides as the state struggles to cope with so much water. But scientists say even this much precipitation won't reverse the western US state's decades-long drought. Aquifers in deficit Beyond its reservoirs and snow reserves, the state faces a much deeper-seated problem with its depleted groundwater, says Nicholas Pinter, a …

California’s dilemma: How do you harness an epic amount of rain in a water-scarce state? Let it flood, scientists say
1 year, 11 months ago

California’s dilemma: How do you harness an epic amount of rain in a water-scarce state? Let it flood, scientists say

CNN  

CNN — California has gone from extreme drought to extreme flooding in a matter of days. “That will allow us to capture more of these flood flows, store it underground in these aquifers, and then use those ground water resources when we need them in dry years.” Many climate experts agree – using levees to prevent floods during the wet …

‘Full-on crisis’: Groundwater in California’s Central Valley disappearing at alarming rate
2 years ago

‘Full-on crisis’: Groundwater in California’s Central Valley disappearing at alarming rate

LA Times  

Water flows from an underground well to irrigate an orchard in Visalia, Calif. Scientists have discovered that the pace of groundwater depletion in California’s Central Valley has accelerated dramatically during the drought as heavy agricultural pumping has drawn down aquifer levels to new lows and now threatens to devastate the underground water reserves. “California’s groundwater, and groundwater across the southwestern …

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 …

California set for more brown lawns and water restrictions as state issues 5% allocation
2 years ago

California set for more brown lawns and water restrictions as state issues 5% allocation

LA Times  

The California Aqueduct flows water through Central Valley farmland. “California and most of the western U.S. states do remain in extreme drought conditions driven by climate change, and as water managers, we are adjusting to these hotter and drier conditions,” said Molly White, operations manager for the State Water Project. “This initial allocation is an important indicator of what Southern …

Nearly 20% of California water agencies could see shortages if drought persists, state report shows
2 years ago

Nearly 20% of California water agencies could see shortages if drought persists, state report shows

LA Times  

A 2013 aerial view of the Los Angeles Aqueduct as it flows south in its concrete-lined channel alongside Hwy 395 south of the Owens Valley town of Lone Pine. Most of California’s urban water agencies believe they have enough supplies to last through another seven months of drought, but nearly 20% of them — including many in Southern California — …

L.A. is conserving water at record levels, but it’s not enough as drought worsens
2 years, 3 months ago

L.A. is conserving water at record levels, but it’s not enough as drought worsens

LA Times  

Seriina Covarrubias with her dogs, Sage and Dusty, at her home in Altadena. “Action that we take now — and continue to take even after this drought ends — will be important for the future.” The city’s nearly 4 million residents used about 10% less water in August than the same month the prior year, despite this past August being …

Dirty water, drying wells: Central Californians shoulder drought’s inequities
2 years, 3 months ago

Dirty water, drying wells: Central Californians shoulder drought’s inequities

LA Times  

On a hot morning in August, the pressure gauge on Jesús Benítez’s well read about 10 pounds per square inch — barely enough for a trickle. “In water quality control, it’s often said, ‘The solution to pollution is dilution.’ When you have the opposite — very little amounts coming in, little recharge happening with fresher flows — you get an …

With California expected to lose 10% of its water within 20 years, Newsom calls for urgent action
2 years, 4 months ago

With California expected to lose 10% of its water within 20 years, Newsom calls for urgent action

LA Times  

With California enduring historic drought amplified by global warming, Gov. And Newsom does not seem very willing to do that.” Poole said the state plan “doesn’t fundamentally change the direction of water management, which is needed to really grapple with climate change.” The governor’s strategy calls for moving ahead with controversial plans to build a giant water tunnel beneath the …

California drought official quits, blasting Newsom for ‘gut wrenching’ inaction
2 years, 4 months ago

California drought official quits, blasting Newsom for ‘gut wrenching’ inaction

LA Times  

In his time at the California State Water Resources Control Board, Max Gomberg has witnessed the state grapple with two devastating droughts and the accelerating effects of climate change. “The way some of you have simply rolled over and accepted this has also been difficult to watch.” In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, Gomberg said he went public …

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 …

Early signs indicate Southern California finally using less water. But big test lies ahead
2 years, 6 months ago

Early signs indicate Southern California finally using less water. But big test lies ahead

LA Times  

Benita Perez teaches her grandson, Nevaeh Perez, 1, how to walk in front of their apartment on Thomas Street in Lincoln Heights, where the grass they are standing on used to be green. Less than a month after sweeping water restrictions took effect across Southern California, early indications suggest residents are finally heeding calls to conserve as officials report a …

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 …

As California’s big cities fail to cut their water use, rural communities are already tapped out
2 years, 6 months ago

As California’s big cities fail to cut their water use, rural communities are already tapped out

CNN  

CNN — Gary Biggs’ family hasn’t had water coming out of their private well for over a decade, after a multi-year drought and overpumping by agriculture and industry. “Believe it or not climate change is here, and California is a poster child for it.” As cities like Los Angeles and San Francisco struggle to cut their water use – water …

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 …

‘A race to the bottom’: New bill aims to limit frenzy of well drilling on California farms
2 years, 7 months ago

‘A race to the bottom’: New bill aims to limit frenzy of well drilling on California farms

LA Times  

In farming areas across the Central Valley, a well-drilling frenzy has accelerated over the last year as growers turn to pumping more groundwater during the drought, even as falling water levels leave hundreds of nearby homes with dry wells. Brenda Bass of the California Chamber of Commerce said the bill would “create a new permitting regime for groundwater wells that …

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 …

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 …

California says $2.6-billion pact can protect delta amid drought. Critics disagree
2 years, 8 months ago

California says $2.6-billion pact can protect delta amid drought. Critics disagree

LA Times  

It’s a major source of California’s water supply and a vital habitat for fish, migratory birds and other species. State officials called the deal an important milestone in their efforts to balance the delta’s ecological needs with the water needs of Californians, and a key step toward larger “voluntary agreements” that can help ensure substantial flows for the health of …

California calls for more local water conservation
2 years, 8 months ago

California calls for more local water conservation

Associated Press  

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Californians will be asked to further cut back on their water use, state officials said Monday as they warned water scarcity will shape the future of the drought-stricken state. Gavin Newsom’s administration saying allowing local retailers to set conservation needs is the best approach in a state of nearly 40 million people where water needs vary. “Our …

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 …

Citing drought, US won’t give water to California farmers
2 years, 10 months ago

Citing drought, US won’t give water to California farmers

Associated Press  

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — With California entering the third year of severe drought, federal officials said Wednesday they won’t deliver any water to farmers in the state’s major agricultural region — a decision that will force many to plant fewer crops in the fertile soil that yields the bulk of the nation’s fruits, nuts and vegetables. Westlands Water District, the nation’s …

California’s recent rains won’t end our stubborn drought. These charts show why
2 years, 11 months ago

California’s recent rains won’t end our stubborn drought. These charts show why

LA Times  

California just received more precipitation in the last three months of 2021 than it got in the previous year. In fact, as the U.S. Drought Monitor’s chart of California since 2000 starkly shows, the state has been gripped by drought for most of the last 22 years. Though the map of the last three months celebrates the state’s plentiful recent …

California backslides on water conservation amid drought
3 years, 1 month ago

California backslides on water conservation amid drought

Associated Press  

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A severe drought prompted California Gov. Gavin Newsom last summer to ask the state’s nearly 40 million residents to voluntarily reduce water use by 15% this year. “It’s not the news we want to see, for sure,” said E. Joaquin Esquivel, chair of the State Water Resources Control Board. State officials had hoped Californians’ conservation would continue …

As drought persists, Californians are ‘backsliding’ in effort to conserve water
3 years, 1 month ago

As drought persists, Californians are ‘backsliding’ in effort to conserve water

LA Times  

State water regulators urged Californians to do more to save water after the latest monthly data showed conservation lagging in September, with statewide water use in cities and towns decreasing 3.9% compared with the same month a year ago. Esquivel said water conservation will continue to be critical for the state, “not just in the drought but for the long …

Many California farmers have water cut off, but a lucky few are immune to drought rules
3 years, 3 months ago

Many California farmers have water cut off, but a lucky few are immune to drought rules

LA Times  

Driving between her northern Central Valley rice fields with the family dog in tow, fifth-generation farmer Kim Gallagher points out the window to shorebirds, egrets and avocets fluttering across a thousand-acre sea of green flooded in six inches of water. Now, due to decades-old agreements with the federal government, rice farmers like Gallagher are going relatively unscathed by unprecedented emergency …

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