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Welcome to the archives of Oceans Deeply. While we paused regular publication of the site on September 1, 2018, we are happy to serve as an ongoing public resource on ocean health and economy. We hope you’ll enjoy the reporting and analysis that was produced by our dedicated community of editors and contributors.
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A new long-range forecast shows that all of California can expect wetter-than-normal conditions in the January through March period, the heart of winter. This is likely, because the much-anticipated El Niño has strengthened.
You probably don’t need to wash your clothes as often as you do. Here are some tricks to tweak your wardrobe and habits to cut back one of the biggest water users in the home.
After a couple of snowy and rainy weekends, the trend for the next two weeks appears to be dry, according to the National Weather Service Climate Prediction Center’s long-range forecast. This begs the questions: Where’s El Niño? And should we be worried?
SACRAMENTO BEE: Crews clearing up fire damage have to outpace the rain, with mudslides and floods a major concern in rural areas. In Lake and Calaveras counties, workers are cleaning debris from nearly 2,000 burned homes in addition to erosion-control work.
A hopeful southward drop in the jet stream did not materialize, meaning that a prediction of two weeks of wetter weather proved wrong, but a forecast for cold weather is promising for snowpack development on high ground – better news for water supplies in future months.
State law prevents water agencies from offering subsidies for low-income ratepayers. New legislation provides a path forward, but it is years away and offers no promise of relief for those struggling to pay their water bills.
The numbers that explain the California drought can often be overwhelming and confusing. Here’s a simple summary of some important measurements of the drought, and how they’ve changed as the crisis continues.
The drought has left California landscapes so dry that initial heavy rains could smother fish habitats under mudslides and trash, potentially harming spawning habitats for decades. Biologists hope for a gentle start to winter so the land can absorb water slowly before any torrential rains arrive.
FRESNO BEE: Westlands Water District has been told to get rid of a camp that has mushroomed on its land. Officials say a “direct correlation” is likely between drought and the explosion in size of the camp, which is composed mostly of homeless farmworkers who struggle to find work in drought times.
This year’s devastating wildfires provide a peek at the future. With climate change and, now, massive tree deaths caused by the drought, it makes an ugly forecast for future fire seasons.
MODESTO BEE: Researchers will use excess river water, if available, to flood almond fields this winter, then track any improvement in aquifer levels.
Often saddled with frequent staff turnover and deeply ingrained kitchen practices, restaurants and bars have a lot more to think about than plumbing.
Despite the influence of the El Niño weather phenomenon, California can expect below-normal rainfall over the next two weeks.
You don’t have to keep your car dirty just because there’s a drought on. It’s possible to keep a clean car without using any water at all.
FRESNO BEE: Commission sought to update rules for the water storage spending, but some people only wanted to discuss Temperance Flat Dam.
A look at status changes in a number of important criteria that track California’s ongoing drought.
The industrious rodents can offer a range of benefits for California water supplies and habitats. But they’re still officially considered a pest.
Showering every day can be bad for your skin and may even make you sick. Instead, skip a day and save a little water in the bargain.
Drought adds to the pressures of aging pipes and slow growth, yet many agencies still intend to put off rate increases to appease customers.
A forthcoming study of Crystal Geyser’s project to open a new water bottling operation is an important step. But critics fear it won’t go far enough.
VOICE OF SAN DIEGO: In the view of local water agencies, the state doesn’t have the power to indefinitely mandate water conservation.
Two massive tunnels proposed under the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta could help ease future droughts, but some say the risks are too great.
Californians reduced their water consumption 27 percent in August. That’s down from July but the third straight month above 25 percent.
FRESNO BEE: “I don’t go outside. I don’t want to see what I’ve lost,” says East Porterville resident Aida Beltrán.
Studies have shown that converting farms to drip irrigation doesn’t necessarily save water. But it does increase food production.
SACRAMENTO BEE: Environmentalists say a “water grab” could result from the sale of the islands, and could also expedite a controversial water diversion project.
FRESNO BEE: Blaze found unexpected ways of staying alive amid thick forest that hadn’t burned in a century.
Numerous species on these isolated islands have delayed breeding activity, in some cases for years. It remain to be seen if this will affect their long-term survival.
Water demand and land development could mean the end of an iconic species, even in wealthy and liberal Marin County.
FRESNO BEE: Second-time offenders lead to a surge in penalties; Clovis residents must cut water use by 36 percent to avoid fines.
MODESTO BEE: The $325 million plan would save water through more precise irrigation; cost to be covered by outside water buyers.
FRESNO BEE: Large industrial water users take steps to cut water use as cities seek exemption from state drought rules.
SACRAMENTO BEE: Gross income climbs as farm economy proves resilient, but net revenue falls due to higher costs for water, production.
Some experts believe California’s antiquated regulation of water rights is ripe for reform; farmers worry it would come at their expense.
The Golden State leads the world in technology, but is hardly a model in handling its own water resources.
Climate change is expected to make California more dependent on extreme “atmospheric river” storm events, scientists say.
Potentially toxic particles spread for miles across a critical California estuary in an algae bloom possibly triggered by drought.
The city of Riverside is suing the state to avoid a steep water conservation requirement. What message does this send to its residents?
MERCED SUN-STAR: Obama’s water policy team is short-handed at the top; Congress seems unable to escape partisan whirlpool.
SACRAMENTO BEE: Officials hope they won’t need it, but this $3.5 million project could be a last resort for 60,000 people.
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