Hopeful storms in forecast for drought plagued US West
3 years, 2 months ago

Hopeful storms in forecast for drought plagued US West

Associated Press  

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Mired in an historic drought, California is set to get its first significant soaking of the season this week, with storms forecasted to dump up to 7 inches of rain in parched parts of the state. Tuesday, state water officials warned one of the state’s large reservoirs in Mendocino County could run dry by next summer. Newsom’s order also gives state water officials permission to enact mandatory water restrictions, including banning the use of water to wash cars, clean sidewalks or fill some decorative fountains and ponds. “As the western U.S. faces a potential third year of drought, it’s critical that Californians across the state redouble our efforts to save water in every way possible,” Newsom said. “One storm is great, but we’re going to need a couple to get us back to a robust and healthy storage condition,” Erik Ekdahl, a deputy director for the State Water Resources Control Board, told board members on Tuesday.

Water Storm Drought California State Californians Sacramento Sierra State Water Officials  hopeful  plagued  week  californians  storm  state  states  california  snow  water  west  forecast  drought  storms  reservoirs

History of this topic

Newsom lifts drought declaration for most Californians, yet measures remain in some areas
3 months, 2 weeks ago

Newsom lifts drought declaration for most Californians, yet measures remain in some areas

LA Times  

Following two wet winters that boosted California’s water supplies, Gov. “This targeted action is responsive to current conditions while continuing the tools and support for work underway to help future-proof water supplies in the most impacted communities.” State officials said Newsom’s order responds to the improved conditions in parts of the state while continuing efforts to support drought recovery. “We …

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’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 …

There’s no drought anywhere in California: How long that’s expected to last, and why
1 year, 1 month ago

There’s no drought anywhere in California: How long that’s expected to last, and why

LA Times  

Agribusiness consultant Mark Grewel stands on a farm road that was flooded near Corcoran after heavy rains in the San Joaquin Valley last March. “For the most part, California had been drought-free” for weeks, but “a little smidgen” remained, said Brian Fuchs, a climatologist at the National Drought Mitigation Center at the University of Nebraska. Part of the reason for …

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 …

Californians were asked to cut water use 15% during the drought. How close did they get?
1 year, 6 months ago

Californians were asked to cut water use 15% during the drought. How close did they get?

LA Times  

JJ Bennett waters the ninth hole during the First Look for the U.S. Open Championship 2022, in Los Angeles. The South Coast region, which includes Los Angeles and half the state’s population, cut water use by 6%, or about 7 fewer gallons per person per day, the analysis found. The communities were able to “cut their water use enough to …

Half of US West out of drought, but not fully recovered
1 year, 7 months ago

Half of US West out of drought, but not fully recovered

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 Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Hydrologists from the National Oceanic …

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 …

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 …

Biden declares state of emergency for California as severe rains slam snow-hit state
1 year, 9 months ago

Biden declares state of emergency for California as severe rains slam snow-hit state

The Independent  

Sign up to the Independent Climate email for the latest advice on saving the planet Get our free Climate email Get our free Climate email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy President Joe Biden has approved a state of emergency and ordered federal assistance to support …

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 …

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 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 flooding: More storms forecast for weekend as experts warn heavy rain won’t fix drought
1 year, 11 months ago

California flooding: More storms forecast for weekend as experts warn heavy rain won’t fix drought

The Independent  

✕ Close Drone video of flooded Felton in Santa Cruz County Sign up to the Independent Climate email for the latest advice on saving the planet Get our free Climate email Get our free Climate email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. The National Weather Service is forecasting heavy rain …

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 storms ‘significantly reduced’ drought intensity, yet still more rain is needed
1 year, 11 months ago

California storms ‘significantly reduced’ drought intensity, yet still more rain is needed

CNN  

CNN — For three years, California has been in desperate need of rain. But the past several weeks of rain and snow have “significantly reduced” the state’s drought intensity, according the US Drought Monitor’s latest report. “But from a reservoir standpoint, we’d rather have it than not have it.” The recent storms have been replenishing the state’s water supply, according …

EXPLAINER: How much will the rain help California’s drought?
1 year, 11 months ago

EXPLAINER: How much will the rain help California’s drought?

Associated Press  

California has experienced a devastating, multi-year drought that’s depleted reservoirs, forced officials to plead with residents to conserve water and constrained supplies to vital farmland. And the rain and snow won’t be enough to fix some of California’s long-term water problems that climate change is making worse. “What we’ve got so far puts us in good shape, probably for at …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

California just adopted new, tougher water restrictions: What you need to know
2 years, 6 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 …

California bans watering ‘nonfunctional’ grass in some areas, strengthening drought rules
2 years, 7 months ago

California bans watering ‘nonfunctional’ grass in some areas, strengthening drought rules

LA Times  

The California water board is proposing a ban on watering ‘nonfunctional’ grass in some areas. “We need to activate Californians and really lean into the conservation that we’re needing to see,” said Joaquin Esquivel, chair of the state water board. “However, water agencies and golf courses need to evaluate whether other turf on a golf course property is functional or …

Newsom urges aggressive water conservation and warns of statewide restrictions
2 years, 7 months ago

Newsom urges aggressive water conservation and warns of statewide restrictions

LA Times  

Gavin Newsom speaks with leaders of urban water agencies during a meeting in Sacramento on May 23. Gavin Newsom met with leaders of the state’s largest urban water suppliers Monday and implored them to step up efforts to get people to reduce water use as California’s drought continues to worsen. “Every water agency across the state needs to take more …

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 …

Why some SoCal neighborhoods face dire water cuts while others escape restrictions
2 years, 7 months ago

Why some SoCal neighborhoods face dire water cuts while others escape restrictions

LA Times  

The restrictions are due to start June 1 and will apply to nearly 6 million people. The difference in these areas, MWD spokesperson Rebecca Kimitch said, is that “they are getting sufficient Colorado River supplies or local supplies to meet demand.” Some water experts, however, said they think similar restrictions should apply throughout the MWD’s service area because the Colorado …

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 …

Despite April rains, California still faces significant drought conditions as summer nears
2 years, 7 months ago

Despite April rains, California still faces significant drought conditions as summer nears

LA Times  

After a spring storm, a worker clears the deck of snow at the top of the aerial tram at Palisades Tahoe on April 17. But on Friday, the UC Berkeley Central Sierra Snow Lab in Donner Pass said it had received 76 inches of powder since the start of the month thanks to April’s storms — nearly doubling the 41 …

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 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 …

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 …

December storms allow for ‘modest increase’ in state water deliveries
2 years, 11 months ago

December storms allow for ‘modest increase’ in state water deliveries

LA Times  

The Delta-Mendota Canal runs south along the western edge of the San Joaquin Valley, parallel to the California Aqueduct for most of its journey. Nearly two months after extreme drought conditions forced the state to eliminate water allocations along the massive State Water Project, regulators have announced a modest increase in deliveries due a recent series of drenching storms. “December …

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 adopts water restrictions as drought drags on
2 years, 11 months ago

California adopts water restrictions as drought drags on

Associated Press  

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — For the second time in a decade, Californians will face mandatory restrictions governing their outdoor water use as the state endures another drought and voluntary conservation efforts have fallen short. Despite the rain, significant parts of the state’s water system are still under stress from the extremely dry conditions earlier in 2021 that dropped many of California’s …

California adopts drought rules outlawing water wasting, with fines of up to $500
2 years, 11 months ago

California adopts drought rules outlawing water wasting, with fines of up to $500

LA Times  

In an effort to discourage wasteful water practices such as hosing off driveways or allowing irrigation water to run down streets, California water officials have imposed new drought rules for cities and towns throughout the state. He said the measures in the emergency drought regulations will “help with that mindset of water savings.” The new rules also prohibit, among other …

Californians cut water use 13% in October; still behind goal
3 years ago

Californians cut water use 13% in October; still behind goal

Associated Press  

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Californians stepped up their water conservation in October, a move made easier by a massive storm that dumped record rain in some parts of the state but still wasn’t enough to combat the drought. Northern California, which saw the most rain from the storm, had the greatest reduction last month compared to October 2020, dropping by as …

Discover Related