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Articles for Pajaro

As atmospheric river soaks California, farmworkers await flood aid promised in 2023
1 month ago

As atmospheric river soaks California, farmworkers await flood aid promised in 2023

Associated Press  

After flood waters from heavy rainstorms deluged two small farmworker towns in January 2023, California set aside $20 million each for the communities to rebuild. As of this month, about $4 million of the $20 million in state aid designated for Planada had been spent, the bulk of that in direct payments to families, Merced County spokesperson Mike North said. …

Flood Families California State Help County Million
California braces for inundation as atmospheric rivers barrel in from Pacific Ocean
10 months, 3 weeks ago

California braces for inundation as atmospheric rivers barrel in from Pacific Ocean

LA Times  

Still reeling from last year’s onslaught of winter wind and rain, communities along the California coast are bracing for a one-two punch of hefty storms that began to move onshore Wednesday and could bring turbulent weather across the state through at least early next week. “With more storms on the horizon, we’ll continue to mobilize every available resource to protect …

Weather Storm Rain Flooding Rivers State Los Angeles
Strawberry Case Study: What if Farmers Had to Pay for Water?
11 months, 3 weeks ago

Strawberry Case Study: What if Farmers Had to Pay for Water?

New York Times  

With aquifers nationwide in dangerous decline, one part of California has tried essentially taxing groundwater. While corporate growers of premium products like berries, which are shipped to the shelves of major chains like Whole Foods, Safeway and Trader Joe’s, can absorb the price of Pajaro’s water, there is no way farmers of commodity crops like cotton, alfalfa and soybeans can …

Water Farmers California Pricing State Crops Valley
The epic floods receded, but the misery remains in California farm towns
1 year ago

The epic floods receded, but the misery remains in California farm towns

LA Times  

It’s been nearly a year since Erica Lopez Bedolla and her children fled their home as dangerous floodwaters rose around them, washing through neighborhood houses, drowning family pets and rendering much of her town of 4,000 uninhabitable. “The underinvestment of physical infrastructure in these communities has been going on for decades.” Merced County resident Alicia Rodriguez walks along a Planada …

Water California Nevada State Los Angeles County
Chicago and other northern U.S. cities scramble to house migrants with coldest weather just ahead
1 year ago

Chicago and other northern U.S. cities scramble to house migrants with coldest weather just ahead

LA Times  

Carolina Gonzalez of Venezuela carries supplies into the Chicago City Life Center on Wednesday. But with nighttime temperatures dropping below freezing and chillier conditions still ahead, more than 1,000 were still living at police stations or at O’Hare International Airport as of Friday, according to the city dashboard. And that is why we are mobilizing Chicago’s faith community and our …

Church New York Migrants Shelter Ramirez Police Stations Pajaro
Chicago and other northern US cities scramble to house migrants with coldest weather just ahead
1 year ago

Chicago and other northern US cities scramble to house migrants with coldest weather just ahead

Associated Press  

CHICAGO — Chicago is scrambling to house hundreds of asylum-seekers who are still sheltering on sidewalks, at police stations and at the city’s busiest airport as the cold weather sets in and with winter just around the corner. But with nighttime temperatures dropping below freezing and chillier conditions still ahead, more than 1,000 were still living at police stations or …

City Chicago New York Johnson Migrants York Shelter
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 …

Water California Los Angeles This Year Los Angeles Times Lake Storms
California, facing another wet winter, races to prevent more flooding with levee repairs
1 year, 4 months ago

California, facing another wet winter, races to prevent more flooding with levee repairs

LA Times  

As forecasters sound the alarm about another potentially wet California winter fueled by El Niño, Gov. “Whether it’s drought or flood, we have to set proper science-based environmental standards and regulate according to those standards for the protection of people.” Among the items outlined in the executive order are emergency repairs to levees directly affected by this year’s floods, including …

Winter Water Gold Order Flood California State
California’s race against time to build power lines
1 year, 8 months ago

California’s race against time to build power lines

LA Times  

This story originally published in Boiling Point, a weekly newsletter about climate change and the environment. Those new and upgraded power lines would be paid for largely by customers of the state’s major monopoly utility companies: Southern California Edison, Pacific Gas & Electric and San Diego Gas & Electric. First, he said, the system operator reached a new agreement in …

Energy Climate Change Clean Energy Climate Renewable Energy Wind Natural Gas
Flooded California farm town pleaded for weeks for federal aid. It’s finally on the way
1 year, 8 months ago

Flooded California farm town pleaded for weeks for federal aid. It’s finally on the way

LA Times  

A California State Guard member checks the depth of the floodwater in Pajaro last month. The major disaster declaration signed late Monday by President Biden for Monterey and surrounding counties will bring long-awaited aid and other resources from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to flooded and storm-battered communities across California. Gavin Newsom secured a more limited presidential emergency declaration for …

California Fema County Counties Monterey Monterey County Tulare
California lawmakers urge Army Corps of Engineers to speed up Pajaro levee repairs
1 year, 8 months ago

California lawmakers urge Army Corps of Engineers to speed up Pajaro levee repairs

LA Times  

Floodwaters surround homes and vehicles in the community of Pajaro, in Monterey County, earlier this month. On Tuesday, California lawmakers sent a letter to Michael Connor, assistant secretary of the Army for Civil Works, urging him to speed construction on a levee that failed earlier this month, flooding the small town, and to provide immediate emergency relief funds to shore …

Army California Padilla Corps Levee Pajaro Townsley
Astonishing before and after satellite photos show California towns swallowed by floods
1 year, 9 months ago

Astonishing before and after satellite photos show California towns swallowed by floods

LA Times  

The majority of Pajaro, Calif., just across the Pajaro River from Watsonville, Calif., was submerged by floodwaters after the river levee breached the night of March 10, 2023. A levee failure on the Pajaro River in Monterey County triggered massive flooding and prompted hundreds of evacuations and dozens of water rescues. The levee — three miles upstream from the town …

Water River Monterey County Pajaro California Towns
How a long history of racism and neglect set the stage for Pajaro flooding
1 year, 9 months ago

How a long history of racism and neglect set the stage for Pajaro flooding

LA Times  

Maria Terriquez, right, and Blanca Garcia push a shopping cart of supplies across the Pajaro River Bridge. “Pajaro became kind of Monterey County’s Siberia,” and Watsonville’s “fief,” he said — a place to house farmworkers. Towns that have lots of agricultural laborers don’t want them living in downtown.” Lydon said that while current Monterey County officials have made efforts to …

California County Chinese Long Town Martinez River
Another atmospheric river pounds California, 27K to evacuate
1 year, 9 months ago

Another atmospheric river pounds California, 27K to evacuate

Associated Press  

WATSONVILLE, Calif. — The latest powerful atmospheric river to drench California put nearly 27,000 people under evacuation orders Tuesday due to flooding and landslide risks. Crews raced to stabilize the Pajaro River’s ruptured levee Tuesday, placing rocks and boulders to finish filling the gap that opened late Friday, about 70 miles south of San Francisco. “Even a small amount of …

Storm California Evacuation Orders Levee River Pounds
Volunteers step up in flooded Pajaro, where many lack food, clothing — and work
1 year, 9 months ago

Volunteers step up in flooded Pajaro, where many lack food, clothing — and work

LA Times  

Jessica Sanchez felt awful about the catastrophic flooding that displaced hundreds of people in this Monterey County farm town. Pajaro is a community of “mostly Latino, low-income farmworkers and immigrants — people who are salt of the earth, but the people who have the most to lose here,” Monterey County Supervisor Luis Alejo said at a news briefing Wednesday, noting …

Food Water Work Help Bridge Residents Newsom
California deals with surging rivers, sliding rocks and flooded towns as storm passes
1 year, 9 months ago

California deals with surging rivers, sliding rocks and flooded towns as storm passes

LA Times  

Herbeto Estrada rescues his two birds from his home along Salinas Road in Pajaro, Calif., on Tuesday. The increased flow from the spillway is adding more water to the river and tributaries below, both of which are already full from the last storm, Monteiro said, adding that there is “flood concern.” An orchard worker clears storm drains on a Porterville …

Water Storm California State Los Angeles Los Angeles
SoCal sees record rainfall as storm brings flooding, evacuations and power outages in NorCal
1 year, 9 months ago

SoCal sees record rainfall as storm brings flooding, evacuations and power outages in NorCal

LA Times  

Residents look at the damage as a swollen Tule River crumbled parts of Globe Drive in Springville, Calif., in Tulare County. At least 90 flood watches, warnings and advisories were in effect statewide, as were avalanche warnings in portions of Mono and Inyo counties and the Lake Tahoe area, according to the National Weather Service, which said the storm would …

Weather Storm Rain Flooding California Los Angeles County
As Pajaro River levees erode, officials consider severing Highway 1 to relieve pressure
1 year, 9 months ago

As Pajaro River levees erode, officials consider severing Highway 1 to relieve pressure

LA Times  

A crew works on repairing a levee rupture on the Pajaro River in Monterey County on Tuesday. “The real question today is about manually breaching a section to relieve pressure,” said Zach Friend, a Santa Cruz County supervisor whose district includes Watsonville, which is now threatened by the swelling Pajaro River. Adding to the challenge is that water flowing through …

Highway River Highway 1 Levee Pajaro Pajaro River Strudley
Residents left in flooded California farm town feel ‘abandoned’ as levees fail
1 year, 9 months ago

Residents left in flooded California farm town feel ‘abandoned’ as levees fail

LA Times  

The migrant town of Pajaro, Calif., was flooded last week during powerful storms that caused the levee to break. “I know some people criticize us for not leaving, but the flooding danger isn’t here, it’s somewhere else,” Alvarez said, pointing south toward Salinas Road, which was submerged in water. “If the water continues to erode through the levee such that …

Water Highway California County Town Her Husband River
‘Probable inundation’: Salinas River communities brace for flooding, crop losses
1 year, 9 months ago

‘Probable inundation’: Salinas River communities brace for flooding, crop losses

LA Times  

Floodwaters surround homes and vehicles in the community of Pajaro in Monterey County on Monday. “Projections now include a probable inundation of roadways between the Monterey Peninsula and the rest of the county,” officials said hours before an atmospheric river was forecast to hit the agricultural region. “Crop fields in the Salinas Valley and the Pajaro Valley area are experiencing …

Water Flooding Crop County Murray River Salinas
Age, drought, rodents and neglect weaken California levees, heightening flood danger
1 year, 9 months ago

Age, drought, rodents and neglect weaken California levees, heightening flood danger

LA Times  

Much of the Monterey County town of Pajaro, just across the Pajaro River from Watsonville, was flooded when a levee failed early Saturday. “That’s just the very unfortunate way the planning and development process has worked over the past 100 plus years in the United States.” Throughout Northern California, the Central Valley and the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, there are …

Climate Change Water Age Drought Flood California Mount
As atmospheric river exits, a new storm threatens California
1 year, 9 months ago

As atmospheric river exits, a new storm threatens California

Associated Press  

WATSONVILLE, Calif. — Wet, miserable weather continued across huge swaths of California on Sunday as an atmospheric river that caused major flooding flowed eastward, while a new storm threatened another onslaught of rain, snow and gusting winds as soon as Monday. The National Weather Service said the next system could exacerbate severe flooding that overwhelmed the area in recent days, …

Weather Storm Rain Flooding California State County
As atmospheric river exits, another awaits to hit California
1 year, 9 months ago

As atmospheric river exits, another awaits to hit California

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. Read our privacy policy Wet, miserable weather continued across …

Weather California State River Monterey County Pajaro
Storm breaches California river’s levee, thousands evacuate
1 year, 9 months ago

Storm breaches California river’s levee, thousands evacuate

Associated Press  

WATSONVILLE, Calif. — A Northern California agricultural community famous for its strawberry crop was forced to evacuate early Saturday after the Pajaro River’s levee was breached by flooding from a new atmospheric river that pummeled the state. Across the Central Coast’s Monterey County, more than 8,500 people were under evacuation orders and warnings Saturday, including roughly 1,700 residents — many …

Storm California Nevada State Early County River