The Sierra Nevada hasn’t provided nearly as much water as predicted. Now the state is struggling to overhaul its snow runoff forecasts. Packed onto the slopes of the Sierra Nevada is a precious source of water for California — a frozen reservoir that climate change is already transforming. As the planet warms, the spring snowpack […]
Drought
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No End in Sight: California Drought on Course to Break Another Record
The first two months of 2022 are shaping up to be the driest January and February in California history, prompting state officials to warn of dire water conditions ahead. “There’s no precipitation forecast through the remainder of February. And there’s very little precipitation in the long-range forecast for March,” Erik Ekdahl, a deputy director with […]
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No, California’s Drought Isn’t Over. Here’s Why.
In a clear sign that the drought persists, California this week adopted new emergency regulations aimed at stopping residents from wasting the state’s precious water. The rules ban practices such as hosing down sidewalks and driveways with drinking water, washing cars without a shutoff nozzle on the hose and irrigating lawns and gardens too soon […]
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Winged Warning: Migrating Birds Hit Hard by California’s Drought
It says something about the complexity of California’s water crisis that there are so many actors in the state’s water wars, all clamoring for more. Nature, alone, is silent in this fight, relying on others to speak on behalf of the welfare of wildlife and waterways. Across the state, biologists, farmers and hunters are lending […]
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Newsom Declares Drought Emergency Across California
Gov. Gavin Newsom on Tuesday declared a drought emergency for the entire state of California, as conservation efforts continue to fall far short of state targets. Newsom also authorized California’s water regulators to ban wasteful water use, such as spraying down public sidewalks, and directed his Office of Emergency Services to fund drinking water as […]
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California Can Keep Thirstiest Crops, State Ag Chief Tells ‘State of Mind’ Podcast
The head of California’s agriculture agency said on the California State of Mind podcast that even devastating drought doesn’t mean the state must uproot its thirstiest crops. Instead says Karen Ross, head of state Department of Food and Agriculture, improvements in water usage among some of the state’s biggest water consumers will help solve the problem. […]
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The Megadrought is Just One Factor Driving Up the Price of Your Bread
A perfect storm of trouble—extreme dry conditions, a volatile commodity market, and climbing expenses—have millers and bakers passing on rising costs to customers. Last spring, pandemic-related supply chain issues led to too little flour on supermarket shelves, just as cooped-up consumers turned to home baking for comfort. The problem was never a shortage of flour […]
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Thieves Are Stealing California’s Scarce Water for Illegal Cannabis Farms
One day last spring, water pressure in pipelines suddenly crashed In the Antelope Valley, setting off alarms. Demand had inexplicably spiked, swelling to three and half times normal. Water mains broke open, and storage tanks were drawn down to dangerous levels. The emergency was so dire in the water-stressed desert area of Hi Vista, between […]
Posted inLife + Outdoors
Drought Gardening
It’s no secret by now that Humboldt County (along with all of California and many other western states) is in trouble when it comes to general lack of rainfall. While the entire county is in a moderate drought, portions are in severe drought and some are even experiencing extreme drought. To find out drought conditions […]
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Trinidad Asks Residents to Curtail Water Use As Creek Runs Low
The city of Trinidad is asking residents to curtail water usage amid drought conditions, as Luffenholtz Creek — the city’s sole water source — has seen flows decrease steadily since June. “This year’s drought is steadily approaching the peak severity of the last one,” said Richard Clompus, who serves on the Trinidad City Council and […]
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Rio Dell Declares Drought Emergency
The Rio Dell City Council has declared a drought emergency, calling for a series of voluntary reductions in water use and activating its groundwater well site to diversify the water supply, reduce water intake and ease pressure on the Eel River, where the majority of the city’s water comes from. “We didn’t have this option […]
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Historic Klamath Dam Removal Project Takes Another Step Forward
The Federal Energy Regulatory Committee today paved the way for the four dams clogging the Klamath River to be taken down, approving a transfer of the hydroelectric license from PacifiCorp to the nonprofit Klamath River Renewal Corporation and the states of Oregon and California. “Since 2016, PacifiCorp, along with a coalition of state and federal […]