On the calendar today …
- WEBINAR: March 2023 Southwest Drought Briefing from 12pm to 12:35pm. Short-term drought in the Southwest has greatly improved while long-term drought continues. This webinar will look at current and forecast drought conditions for Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada, and Utah. This will be followed by an introduction to the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail, and Snow Network (CoCoRaHS). Click here to register.
- WEBINAR: Multiple-Benefit Conservation in the Delta: Quantifying multidimensional impacts of landscape change from 1pm to 2:30pm. Dr. Kristen Dybala, Principal Ecologist at Point Blue Conservation Science, presenter. Conservation efforts and other land management decisions are often intended to result in multiple benefits, but real or perceived trade-offs between goals, such as ecological and economic benefits, can contribute to conflict. To support knowledge-sharing across sectors and more informed decision-making, and with funding from the Proposition 1 Delta Water Quality and Ecosystem Restoration Program administered by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (Grant Agreement Number–Q1996022), we developed a flexible framework for evaluating multidimensional impacts of future landscape change in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta. Click here to register.
California storms …
Another strong storm may bring even more substantial and widespread flooding & wind-related impacts late Mon-Tue
Dr. Daniel Swain writes, “Welp, here we go again. After a long period (a full season, really) of different kinds of exceptional weather conditions all around California, there’s yet one more big storm to come in the immediate future … There is an unusual amount of uncertainty for such a short-range forecast regarding exactly how the Mon-Tue atmospheric river will look at the point of landfall, and this has some pretty consequential implications for flood and wind damage-related impacts. Here’s a quick overview: A moderate to strong atmospheric river, once again with deep subtropical origins (i.e., the “Pineapple Express”) will make landfall in northern and/or central California–bringing a period of widespread moderate to heavy rainfall to a wider swath of the state than the Friday event (i.e., some moderate to locally heavy rainfall will extend into most of SoCal as well). … ” Read the full post at Weather West.
Another atmospheric river to bring a hefty dose of rain and snow to California
“AccuWeather meteorologists say another atmospheric river is imminent across California by early week, causing residents to brace for an additional round of flooding rainfall, high-elevation snow and strong winds. Many eyes are on the main powerhouse of energy that will drive into the West Coast through Tuesday. Still, even in the days leading up to this event, conditions will be anything but dry in parts of California. Bursts of energy into Monday will produce rounds of heavy snow across the Klamath Mountains, southern Cascades and the Sierra Nevada. The heaviest snow is expected to impact areas above 6,500 feet. Forecasters say that above this elevation, snowfall amounts can range on the order of several feet, resulting in road closures and enhancing the risk of avalanches in the area. … ” Read more from AccuWeather.
As atmospheric river exits, another onslaught of rain and snow awaits to hit California
“Wet, miserable weather continued across huge swaths of California on Sunday as an atmospheric river that caused major flooding flowed eastward and makes way for another onslaught of rain and snow that could yet again pummel the beleaguered region as soon as Monday night. The National Weather Service said the next torrent could exacerbate the severe flooding that overwhelmed the area in the past few days, including a levee failure that prompted widespread evacuations Saturday in farming communities near the state’s Central Coast. Across Monterey County, more than 8,500 people were under evacuation orders and warnings Saturday, including roughly 1,700 residents — many of them Latino farmworkers — from the unincorporated community of Pajaro. … ” Read more from NBC News.
Tuesday’s atmospheric river will have ‘wide-reaching and long-lasting impacts’
“With flood waters still rising in Monterey County, a new threat was rapidly approaching the Bay Area Monday as powerful storm front fueled by moisture from the Hawaii Islands bore down on the region. Forecasters were predicting the Cat 2 or Cat 3 atmospheric river will pummel the region beginning late Monday night. A low pressure system spinning northeast of the Bay Area will intensify the storm’s rain and winds. Flooded roadways, landslides, falling trees and power outages were expected across the waterlogged region. “This is shaping up to be a significant system with the potential for wide-reaching and long-lasting impacts,” the National Weather Service said. … ” Read more from CBS Bay Area.
EXPLORE MORE COVERAGE:
- 15 million people could endure flooding as another atmospheric river takes aim at storm-battered California, from CNN
- PHOTOS: Atmospheric river leaves California inundated, with another in the forecast, from PBS News Hour
Sierra snowpack hits record levels after recent storms
“The snowpack in the Sierra Nevada mountains has reached record-breaking levels thanks to the deluge of snow smashing California this week. According to data from the California Department of Water Resources (CDWR), the Southern Sierras—from San Joaquin and Mono counties to Kern county—currently have a snowpack 257 percent greater than the average for this time of year, and 247 percent larger than is average for the usual snowpack peak on April 1. Central Sierra and Northern Sierra also have hugely inflated snowpacks, at 218 percent and 168 percent of the average for early March, respectively. … ” Read more from Newsweek.
CA Drought: Recent storms put the “nail in the coffin” for drought
“Following three years of drought, this winter has brought an unexpected deluge to the state, leading some experts to declare the drought over. The state once again finds itself in a wet period thanks to a couple of atmospheric rivers pointed at the state. Many areas in the Sierra have already surpassed 600 inches of snowfall and statewide the snowpack has bumped up to 212% of normal to date. These numbers will continue to rise with the higher elevations of the Sierra expected to receive another 100″ of snow in the coming days. Although the latest drought monitor showed much improvement, much of the state remains in some sort of drought or abnormally dry conditions. These numbers continue to improve with every drought update thanks to persistent storm activity moving into California from the Pacific. … ” Read more from Channel 10.
In other California water news today …
Valadao’s take on Biden’s Valley water grab: Where’s the beef?
“The Biden administration’s move to throw out the Trump-era biological opinions that govern California’s water flow is nothing more than a political move to Rep. David Valadao (R–Hanford). In an upcoming interview on Sunrise FM, Valadao discussed the history of the biological opinions and the Congressional investigation into the Biden administration’s decision. The backstory: The latest biological opinions which govern the State Water Project and the Central Valley Project were signed by President Donald Trump in 2019, capping the process of formulating the new opinions that started under President Barack Obama. … ” Read more from the San Joaquin Valley Sun.
Video: Is China stealing the Valley’s water and ag land? CA state Sen. Hurtado says the threats are very well, ‘I’d be surprised if Newsom is not paying attention’
California state senator Melissa Hurtado who is also the chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee joins Alexan Balekian on Sunday Morning Matters to discuss a wide range of topics following the atmospheric river storm, including water storage to her claim of the state’s mismanagement of water, and suspected threats of China stealing the Valley’s water and ag land.
California’s blueprint for ag growth rooted in the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act
“The atmospheric rivers that flowed over California in January dumped about a foot of rain — equal to an entire year’s average — in many parts of the state’s parched Central Valley, which encompasses only 1% of U.S. farmland but produces 40% of the nation’s table fruits, vegetables, and nuts. With February, ordinarily the second wettest month, still to be counted, talks of all the land that will have to fallowed as a result of the drought have quieted for now. But most Golden State growers have come to realize that droughts will simply be a part of farming going forward, and the safety net is gone. That safety net was groundwater pumping. For more than a half-century, farmers in the Central Valley, the multi-faceted state’s chief production area, have been pumping more water from aquifers than can be replenished, causing wells to be drilled deeper and deeper. Don Cameron, Vice President/General Manager of Terranova Ranch in Helm, CA, notes that when he started farming in 1981, the attitude at that time was growers just pumped what their crops needed. … ” Read more from Growing Produce.
Delta tunnel project up for Solano County board review
“Solano County supervisors are scheduled Tuesday to receive an update on the latest Delta tunnel project. The Delta Conveyance Project is the latest iteration of an isolated conveyance by the state Department of Water Resources to remove freshwater flows from the Delta for use in central and Southern California,” the staff report to the board states. “The (Delta Conveyance Project) includes constructing a 45-mile long, 39-foot diameter tunnel under the Delta with new diversions in the North Delta that have a capacity to divert up to 6,000 cubic feet (of water) per second and operating new conveyance facilities that would add to the existing State Water Project infrastructure.” … ” Read more from the Daily Republic.
California cancels salmon fishing season
“Even with so much recent rain, California’s drought is still having a devastating impact on the salmon fishing industry. So few fish have been found that the state has now issued a ban on salmon fishing along the entire coast. Thanks to all the atmospheric river storms, rivers on land are roaring but the effects of years of drought are only now being seen on the salmon population. Last year, 196,000 adult fish were expected to return to the Sacramento River to spawn but only 60,000 showed up. “We also know that the number of young salmon in 2022 was a really low number. That’s the number they use to forecast the abundance of adult salmon in the ocean this year,” said John McManus, president of the Golden State Salmon Association. … ” Read more from CBS News Bay Area.
SEE ALSO: Low Sacramento River salmon forecast to close California ocean salmon fishing statewide, from the Redding Record Searchlight
Restore the Delta comments on the Division 36. Climate Resiliency and Flood Protection Bond Act of 2024
“Restore the Delta, and partners joining this letter, submit these comments to express points for addition within Division 36 of the Climate Resiliency and Flood Protection Bond Act of 2024. Delta–focused organizations and their members from the upstream reaches of the Delta tributaries have a vested interest in the well–being and safety of environmental justice communities during Delta–centered flood events. Along with the adequate funding to implement flood risk management projects, levee upgrades and multi–benefit floodplain restoration, there must be a deliberate effort to fund environmental justice groups to work on restoration projects locally. The best government plans build economic, social, and
environmental justice into their structure from the time planning begins. In addition, there should be a certain number of grants that fund stipends for both low–income community members and NGOs to cover their costs of time, transport, accessibility accommodations, outreach, and organizing to help develop community benefits related to local restoration projects and encourage public participation in public meetings concerning the Flood Protection Bond Act of 2024. It is vital to apply the environmental justice lens to the value of restoration projects to ensure that they are done right to improve public health access, recreational access, and flood protection for environmental justice communities. … ” Continue reading this comment letter from Restore the Delta.
Explaining water units to real people (who like basketball)
“It’s March madness once again as we try to explain water conditions in California to real people in the midst of additional basketball madness. We all enjoy and suffer with basketball. This commonality can make it a useful unit of volume among the many units of volume used for water. A basketball has the volume of about 4 cubic feet. So a flow of 1,000 cubic feet per second (cfs) has a volume equivalent of having 4,000 basketballs coming at you every second. … ” Read more from the California Water Blog.
Suit seeks to block Forest Service use of fire retardant to combat wildfires
“A Montana-based lawsuit against the United States Forest Service could bring sweeping changes to how forest fires are fought in the Sierra Nevada mountains. Such changes could result in worse wildfire seasons in the future as the lawsuit aims to prohibit the use of aerial fire retardants. The backstory: The Forest Service Employees for Environmental Ethics (FSEEE) has filed a lawsuit against the USFS in Montana, the location of the Forest Service Northern Regional headquarters. … ” Read more from the San Joaquin Valley Sun.
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
Multiple waves of rain will bring flooding over the next few days, warns the National Weather Service
“Another storm will batter northwestern California today. The National Weather Service in Eureka warns, “Multiple waves of rain are expected through Tuesday night as an atmospheric river aims at the region.” This morning, heavy rain is expected through much of Del Norte, Trinity and Humboldt Counties. By afternoon, the National Weather Service predicts that Mendocino and Lake Counties will be impacted. “Another round of rain will move through Northwest California on Tuesday which will also result in flooding concerns for some main stem rivers,” the Weather Service warns. The Eel River at Ferndale is now predicted to hit flood stage Tuesday evening. … ” Continue reading from the Redheaded Blackbelt.
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
Atmospheric river headed to Tahoe will renew chances of flooding, structural, travel issues
“Rain and snow showers may continue Monday ahead of yet another atmospheric river that arrives in the evening bringing more possible flooding, structural and travel issues to Lake Tahoe. The National Weather Service in Reno this weekend extended the winter storm warning through Wednesday evening and also issued another flood watch. The storm advisory ends at 5 p.m. Wednesday while the flood watch is in effect through 11 p.m. Through Monday, the service is calling for 3 inches of snow at lake level and around Truckee and 8 to 16 inches above 7,000 feet. For Tuesday into Wednesday, accumulations of 2 to 6 inches is possible at Truckee-Tahoe with 1 to 3 feet above 7,000 feet. … ” Read more from the Tahoe Daily Tribune.
‘A phenomenal amount.’ Sierra Nevada communities cope with mountains of snow
“Branden Silva trundled through the luminous snow in his Caterpillar skid steer loader Monday morning to carve a path to his neighbor’s front door, cigarettes at the ready. A county plow had — luckily — hit their Twin Bridges street promptly this time, almost tunneling through the powder. Though Silva lives just off Highway 50, which the state clears promptly, the county often takes a few days to get to the side streets. That Monday, thanks to the quirk of the plow schedule, getting in and out of the homes on Tamarack Pines Road was now just a matter of clearing out the driveways and doors. Silva, smoking in the vehicle as flurries occasionally came down, was matter-of-fact in the face of severe weather. … ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee.
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
Latest atmospheric river expected Monday night, renewing flood concerns in Sacramento region
“Though the 10th atmospheric to hit California this winter wrapped up this weekend, another is right on its heels today. The storm system is set to hit the Sacramento region Monday into Tuesday, bringing more rain, mountain snow and valley flood dangers. Here’s what happened this weekend and what to expect over the coming days. A flood watch is in effect starting at noon and running through Wednesday for much of Northern California from north of Redding down to the Bay Area and Merced, including the Sacramento Valley and many areas in the foothills. … ” Continue reading at Capital Public Radio.
Sacramento River levels rise with more rain in the forecast
“The Sacramento River at Fremont Weir reached Monitor Stage on Sunday with more rain forecast into next week. Monitor Stage is when water overflows into the Yolo Bypass, which was seen on Sunday already. Along the shore of the Sacramento River, near the I Street Bridge, water levels were noticeably higher. Enough for onlookers to come out during a break in the rain to see for themselves the impacts of rain over the last few days. The combination of recent rain, future rain and continued snow melt will cause all rivers and streams to rise well into next week, according to CBS13 Chief Meteorologist Nic Merianos. The flash flood threat will be greatest in the foothills Monday night into Tuesday, according to the CBS13 Weather Team. … ” Read more from CBS Sacramento.
BAY AREA
Torrential atmospheric river is headed to the Bay Area. Here’s a timeline of impacts
“The Bay Area, soggy from the weekend rain, will not begin to dry out until the end of the week after two more heavy rain systems, along with damaging wind gusts of up to 70 mph, hit the region on Monday and Tuesday. A rainy Monday morning – courtesy of an overnight low pressure system from the Gulf of Alaska – is on tap for the Bay Area, Northern California and Pacific Northwest. With the Bay Area at the edge of this cold front, the rain will be light but the day will be blustery as the front moves east. … ” Continue reading at the San Francisco Chronicle.
Bay Area storms: New atmospheric river expected to arrive overnight
“A moderate-to-strong atmospheric river storm bringing what the National Weather Service called a “direct threat to life and property” approached the Bay Area on Monday for what was expected to be a nighttime arrival for more heavy rains to an already impacted region. A region-wide NWS flood watch was scheduled to go into effect from 10 p.m. Monday to 4 a.m. Wednesday. A Monday morning bulletin from the agency suggested that highly saturated soils paired with elevated river and streams levels made more water-related impacts a “sure bet.” Aside from light showers early in the morning, Monday’s forecast was relatively tame in terms of rainfall and wind throughout the Bay Area. While wind gusts could ramp up to 40 miles per hour or greater around 10 p.m., the bulk of the rain was expected after 1 a.m. Tuesday morning. … ” Read more from the San Jose Mercury News.
Marin mountaintop radar station planned for storms, flooding
“A state-of-the-art radar station will be built on Mount Barnabe in western Marin this summer to provide earlier and more detailed warnings of heavy storms and flooding. Marin County supervisors approved a lease agreement with the Sonoma County Water Agency on Tuesday for the project on a county-owned parcel at the mountain’s 1,466-foot peak. It is one of seven radar stations being built in the Bay Area as part of the $31 million initiative called the Advanced Quantitative Precipitation Information project. The effort is being funded with a $20 million grant from the California Department of Water Resources with additional contributions from the state’s Office of Emergency Services and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. “The radar stations are specifically designed to track these atmospheric river events that we’ve seen a lot of this year,” Roger Leventhal, a county engineer, told supervisors. … ” Read more from the Marin Independent Journal.
Lots of rain but groundwater levels remain low
“Despite recent storms and rainfall, the historic three-year drought in California is not yet over. While 2023 storms and rains have helped increase local reservoir levels, many groundwater well levels remain lower than in January 2022. Valley Water reports that groundwater well levels are higher, but many still remain low. This is a cause for concern since Santa Clara relies on the City’s groundwater wells for 60 percent of its drinking water. … ” Continue reading at Santa Clara News.
CENTRAL COAST
Levee breach in Monterey County triggers massive flooding, prompts evacuations, rescues
“A levee failure on the Pajaro River in Monterey County triggered massive flooding and prompted hundreds of evacuations and dozens of water rescues as the latest atmospheric river storm pummeled large swaths of California. The levee — three miles upstream from the town of Pajaro — breached late Friday night, said Nicholas Pasculli, a Monterey County spokesperson. Patrols noticed “bubbling up in the adjacent farmland” at 11 p.m., the first sign there was a problem. Thirty minutes later, the levee failed, Pasculli said. As of Saturday morning, he said, “the failure is approximately 100 feet wide.” The town of Pajaro — with a population of 1,700, mostly farmworkers — is underwater. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
Before disastrous flood, officials knew Pajaro River levee could fail but took no action
“Officials had known for decades that the Pajaro River levee that failed this weekend — flooding an entire migrant town and trapping scores of residents — was vulnerable but never prioritized repairs in part because they believed it did not make financial sense to protect the low-income area, interviews and records show. “It was pretty much recognized by the early ‘60s that the levees were probably not adequate for the water that that system gets,” Stu Townsley, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ deputy district engineer for project management for the San Francisco region, told The Times on Sunday. And despite having studied it on and off for years, in terms of “benefit-cost ratios,” it never penciled out, he said. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
SEE ALSO: ‘Worst case scenario’: Shocking images of flooding in Pajaro after levee bursts, from SF Gate
San Ardo Water District issues advisory against drinking tap water
“Residents of San Ardo have been advised to refrain from drinking tap water due to potential contamination caused by recent flooding. The State Water Resources Control Board, Monterey County and San Ardo Water District have jointly issued a statement advising customers to avoid using tap water for drinking and cooking until further notice. The advisory was issued after floodwater was detected in the well casing of the San Ardo Water District’s well, the county reported. The contamination could contain chemicals will still be present even after boiling or disinfection. In order to prevent potential illness, residents are urged to use only bottled water for drinking, cooking, brushing teeth, washing dishes, making ice, and food preparation until further notice. … ” Read more from KSBY.
A Central Coast reservoir is full and spilling for first time in nearly 2 decades
“The series of atmospheric river storms that have hit the Central Coast have pushed another San Luis Obispo County reservoir to full capacity — and it’s spilling for the first time in about 18 years. Whale Rock Reservoir near Cayucos along San Luis Obispo County’s northern coast has gained about 3.5 billion gallons since Jan. 1, according to data from the city of San Luis Obispo. It now holds 38,967 acre-feet of water, according to the city. It went from 72.1% capacity to 93.5% capacity before the Friday atmospheric river storm. By late Friday, the reservoir’s water reached the top of the dam and was flowing over the spillway. … ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee.
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
New evacuation warning issued: areas of Patterson, Grayson near San Joaquin River
“The Stanislaus County Office of Emergency Services has issued an evacuation warning for rural Patterson and the Grayson area along the San Joaquin River. It applies to residents and businesses on the east side of Cox Road and Elm Avenue from Grayson Road south to Crows Landing Road. An evacuation warning is issued for a potential threat to life and/or property, an OES news release said. “Those in the affected area should prepare now to leave at a moment’s notice if the situation becomes worse.” … ” Read more from AOL News.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Deluge from atmospheric river event continues into Wednesday
“The storm system generated by yet another atmospheric river will dump more rain on Southern California this week beginning Tuesday, according to the National Weather Service. One to 3 inches of rainfall is forecast for coastal areas and valleys, while mountain and foothill communities may see 3 to 6 inches of rain by the time the storm passes on Wednesday. “Monday will be partly cloudy … and then it’s Tuesday when this system really moves in,” said KTLA weather anchor Kacey Montoya. Winds of 20 to 30 mph are expected throughout Southern California, with 30 to 50 mph winds expected in Antelope Valley, San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara County communities. … ” Read more from KTLA.
SAN DIEGO
San Diego water reservoirs at 128% higher than normal
“San Diego is experiencing one of the top 17 wettest years on record, with more than four inches of rain above normal levels. “The rain is good, the precipitation is good and it’s really helping us get out of a drought,” Chris Robbins with the Vallecitos Water District said. “We’ve had three consecutive dry years, and this water year, which started October 1, has been a really fantastic water year. San Diego we are at 128% normal conditions for precipitation,” said Efren Lopez , the water resources specialist with San Diego County Water Authority. … ” Read more from Channel 5.
Along the Colorado River …
An American water crisis: The parching of U.S. southwest is becoming real. It could affect Canada, too.
“These are desperate days for the Colorado River. The pulsing lifeblood of the U.S. southwest is increasingly parched. To avert catastrophe, the U.S. government will, within weeks, propose historic cuts in water access. It’s a frantic move to protect a river that provides so much: drinking water for tens of millions of people, electricity and food. Lots of food. This indispensable waterway supplies farms that feed hundreds of millions of people, throughout the continent — including Canadians. Ever wonder how those fresh green vegetables get to your grocery store in the dead of a Canadian winter? Here’s your answer. … ” Read more from CBC News.
Las Vegas water agency seeks power to limit residential use
“Ornamental lawns are banned in Las Vegas, the size of new swimming pools is capped and much of the water used in homes is sent down a wash to be recycled, but Nevada is looking at another significant step to ensure the water supply for one of the driest major metropolitan areas in the U.S. State lawmakers on Monday are scheduled to discuss granting the power to limit what comes out of residents’ taps to the Southern Nevada Water Authority, the agency managing the Colorado River supply to the city. If lawmakers approve the bill, Nevada would be the first state to give a water agency permanent jurisdiction over the amount of residential use. … ” Read more from the Associated Press.
Arizona community worries energy company will hog water supply
“Residents in one western Arizona community worry that a clean energy company, which plans to build nearby, could hog their groundwater supply. Brenda is a small town located a few miles north of Interstate 10 in La Paz County. Like nearby Quartzsite, it caters to RV visitors who are looking for sunshine and warmth during the winter months. At Buckaroo’s Sandwich Shop, manager Lisa Lathrop said she has lived in the area for 13 years because “it’s usually quiet out here and nobody knows about us.” That’s about to change. … ” Read more from Channel 15.
Scottsdale banking huge quantities of water
“In her book “The Soul of Money,” Lynne Twist writes, “Money is like water.” If that works both ways and water is like money, Scottsdale’s savings account would be bursting while neighboring Rio Verde Foothills is “broke.” Despite the city’s repeated warnings about the drought’s impact on drinking water supplies, Scottsdale “banks” massive amounts of water every year – and is building more ways to store what some are calling “liquid gold.” A Scottsdale Water representative declined to provide 2022 figures “as those are not finalized yet.” However, near the end of 2022, Scottsdale Water Director Brian Biesemeyer informed council the city recharges around 10,000 acre feet of CAP water per year. … ” Read more from the East Valley Tribune.
In national water news today …
Kansas is showing what a drier future looks like
“There are no rivers running through northwest Kansas. But come spring, the region will turn green as farmers and ranchers pump water out of the vast Ogallala Aquifer that sprawls from north Texas to South Dakota. It took thousands of years for water to trickle into the aquifer. Now, thanks to over-pumping, some sections are running dry, and others will suffer the same fate in coming years and decades. For northwest Kansas and other swaths of the plains states, the threat is existential. “If we exhaust our portion of the Ogallala, life in our part of Kansas is gone,” said Shannon Kenyon, a government water manager in Colby, a town in western Kansas, during a recent phone call. “No ag. No towns. No nothing without it.” … ” Read more from the Washington Post.
More news and commentary in the weekend edition …
In California water news this weekend …
-
Little Shasta River by Marshal Hedin. California to be slammed again by another atmospheric river event
- As California gets drenched, officials opening Oroville Dam spillway for first time in 4 years
- Regs relaxed for storing flood water
- State water agency rescinds controversial Delta order that put fish at risk
- Delta communities brace for more rain
- El Niño queues up as three-peat La Niña ends: what it means to CA
- Ducks Unlimited’s California projects show why wetlands can help with floods
- Ocean salmon sport fisheries in California closed for April through Mid-May 2023
- Fishery Council Moves to Close California and parts of Oregon Salmon Fishing in 2023
- Groups say fire retardant injunction would increase Western U.S. risks ‘dramatically’
- Understanding California’s strange fire season and what that means for natural disasters
- How California’s climate has evolved over a geologic timescale
- Why one part of California has been in the bull’s-eye of so many storms this year
- As snow records fall along the eastern Sierra Nevada, fears loom over impending snowmelt
- Colorado River senators meet quietly to facilitate states’ water talks
- And more …
Click here to read the weekend edition.
