Drought

Overview April 24, 2014

Drought

Western Water August 10, 2018 Gary Pitzer Colorado River Basin Map Layperson's Guide to the Colorado River Gary Pitzer

New Leader Takes Over as the Upper Colorado River Commission Grapples With Less Water and a Drier Climate
WESTERN WATER Q&A: Amy Haas, executive director, Upper Colorado River Commission

Amy Haas recently became the first non-engineer and the first woman to serve as executive director of the Upper Colorado River Commission in its 70-year history, putting her smack in the center of a host of daunting challenges facing the Upper Colorado River Basin.

Yet those challenges will be quite familiar to Haas, an attorney who for the past year has served as deputy director and general counsel of the commission. (She replaced longtime Executive Director Don Ostler). She has a long history of working within interstate Colorado River governance, including representing New Mexico as its Upper Colorado River commissioner and playing a central role in the negotiation of the recently signed U.S.-Mexico agreement known as Minute 323.

Western Water November 27, 2017 Gary Pitzer Layperson's Guide to Climate Change and Water Resources Gary Pitzer

The Drought May Be Over, But California Still Wants Residents to Act Like It’s On Forever
State considers adopting permanent wise water use rules starting in April

For decades, no matter the weather, the message has been preached to Californians: use water wisely, especially outdoors, which accounts for most urban water use.

Enforcement of that message filters to the local level, where water agencies routinely target the notorious “gutter flooder” with gentle reminders and, if necessary, financial penalties.

Aquafornia news May 23, 2014 McClatchy Washington, D.C., Bureau

Friday’s Top of the Scroll: U.S. Senate Passes California Drought-relief Bill

With nary a word, the Senate on Thursday night passed a California drought-relief bill that sets up serious negotiations with the House over water storage, river protection, irrigation deliveries and more.

Aquafornia news May 5, 2014 Las Vegas Review-Journal

New Program to Pay Water Users to Take Less from Drought-stricken Colorado River

From the Las Vegas Review-Journal:

“The Colorado River System Conservation Program, as the fund is known, will be seeded with $2 million each from the Southern Nevada Water Authority, Central Arizona Water Conservation District, the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California and Denver Water.

Aquafornia news April 30, 2014 Bay Area News Group

Livermore Approves Emergency Water Conservation Rates to Address Drought

From the Bay Area News Group:

“Livermore became the East Bay’s first city to raise water rates in response to ongoing drought conditions and shortages when the City Council voted unanimously Monday to enact the third stage of the city’s conservation plan.”

Tuesday’s Top of the Scroll: California Drought Spurs Bonds for Water Tunnels

From Bloomberg:

“California water agencies plan to sell the first $200 million in bonds toward a $25 billion project to bolster supplies for about 25 million people as the worst drought in a century threatens farms and cities.”

Between Farmers and Frackers, California Water Caught In Tussle

From NPR:

“California’s extreme drought has drawn battle lines over who gets water and who doesn’t.”

Listen to the story

Aquafornia news April 29, 2014 Capital Public Radio

Food Banks Feel the Drought

From Capital Public Radio:

“Hundreds of thousands of farm acres in California won’t be growing crops for lack of water. This means higher prices for produce and that will affect food banks throughout the state.”

Aquafornia news April 29, 2014 Riverside Press-Enterprise

Drought: Cash for Grass Takes Aim at Lawns

From the Riverside Press-Enterprise:

“People who have ditched their lawns in favor of water-sparing landscapes reel off the benefits with hardly a pause. Lower water bills. More wildlife. Less maintenance. And not least, a feeling of satisfaction.”

Aquafornia news April 29, 2014 KQED Science blog

Blog: True Water Restrictions Rare, Even in California’s Record-Breaking Drought

From the KQED Science blog:

“May is fast approaching, and with it, the end of the rainy season. At least, what passed for a rainy season this year. …

“So communities are cracking down on water wasters, right?”

Aquafornia news April 28, 2014 Sacramento Bee

Gov. Brown Orders More Emergency Drought Measures

From The Sacramento Bee:

“Gov. Jerry Brown on Friday signed a sweeping new emergency drought proclamation, cutting red tape for a variety of government functions to help water agencies find new supplies, and to press the public to use water carefully.”

New Calif. Drought Orders, Requests From Gov. Brown

From Capital Public Radio:

“Governor Jerry Brown’s latest executive order to combat the drought has some aid for farmers, fish and firefighters – and some requests for all Californians.”

Aquafornia news April 28, 2014 Los Angeles Times

Gov. Jerry Brown Issues New Executive Order on Drought

From the Los Angeles Times:

“With every part of California suffering from the drought, Gov. Jerry Brown issued a new executive order on Friday in an attempt to provide some relief from the persistent dry conditions across the state.”

Rain Washes Out Fears of New Dust Bowl

From the San Francisco Chronicle:

“The rain that’s fallen in fulsome fits and spattering starts this spring has punched enough of a dent in the drought that state officials now say just three towns and rural areas are in danger of running out of water — a sharp dip from the 17 that were facing Dust Bowl disaster in January.”

Aquafornia news April 28, 2014 San Francisco Chronicle

Jobs, Money Dry Up In Farm Towns

From the San Francisco Chronicle:

“Like many fieldworkers in Mendota, a rural community 35 miles west of Fresno dubbed the Cantaloupe Center of the World, [Jose Pineda] Rivas finds his seasonal job of more than two decades at risk of disappearing because of the statewide drought.”

Aquafornia news April 28, 2014 Fresno Bee

Fresno’s Groundwater Supply Gives City Some Protection from Drought

From The Fresno Bee:

“In arid Fresno where city folk sometimes use 200 million gallons of water on a summer day, this might look like the year for a drought panic.”

A Few California Cities Start Water-waste Patrols

From the Associated Press:

“On a recent sunny day, the water waste inspector rolled through a quiet Sacramento neighborhood in his white pickup truck after a tipster tattled on people watering their lawns on prohibited days.”

California Drought Putting Fish, Birds and Tree Species at Risk, Scientists Say

From The Sacramento Bee:

“California’s drought is imperiling tricolored blackbirds, large trees and native fish, with some of the affected species already on the state’s endangered list and others likely headed there because of rapidly declining numbers, scientists say.”

Water Use In Stockton: Routine Conservation Measures Kick In Thursday

From the Stockton Record:

“Routine water conservation rules take effect Thursday. But in a drought, nothing is routine.”

Some Marin Residents’ Answer to Drought: Drill, Baby, Drill

From the Marin Independent Journal:

“Despite recent spring rain storms, Marin remains in drought and some residents are hoping to find relief underground.”

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