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Welcome to the archives of Water Deeply. While we paused regular publication of the site on November 1, 2018, we are happy to serve as an ongoing public resource on water resilience. We hope you’ll enjoy the reporting and analysis that was produced by our dedicated community of editors and contributors.
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Exploring short-term weather events impacting drought conditions, as well as long-term impacts of climate change on snowpack and water resources.
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Sea level rise and changing streamflows are converging with uncertain results in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. Ronald Melcer, a senior environmental scientist at the Delta Stewardship Council, explains what the future may hold.
California already has one of the most variable climates and the swings between extremes will become more pronounced with unchecked climate change, say the authors of a new report.
How bad was the snowpack across the West this winter and what will that mean for farms, cities and wildlife? John Fleck of the University of New Mexico and Water Deeply Managing Editor Tara Lohan discuss in our latest Deeply Talks.
After 20 years of drought conditions, some scientists are calling for better terminology to describe the impact of rising temperatures in the region.
Stretches of the Middle Rio Grande in New Mexico sometimes run dry during hot summer months, but this year biologists are trying to rescue stranded fish in early April – something that’s unprecedented.
March precipitation gave California a much-needed boost, but the state is still well below average in snowpack and climate impacts are already apparent, say experts.
The Northern California city suffered one of the deadliest fires in state history. In the aftermath, it now confronts a costly pollution problem likely caused when melted plastic pipes released chemicals into the water supply.
Water expert and author Sandra Postel talks about on-the-ground solutions and unlikely collaborations that are taking place to help tackle some of our most challenging water issues.
Much of L.A.’s water comes from hundreds of miles away. A new report from UCLA is challenging the city to think bigger about its plans to source more water locally in coming decades.
Kirsten James Oversees the California Policy Program, Ceres
Even though all companies depend on water resources, just over half are actively managing their use, and many of those are in California, Kirsten James of Ceres writes.
Atmospheric river storms bring a fire hose of tropical moisture to Western states, often delivering a majority of winter’s total precipitation in just a few days. Scientist Bryan Mundhenk talks about a new way to predict these storms up to a month in advance.
Water managers in New Mexico will be relying on stored water to meet ecological, agricultural and water supply needs as the runoff from this winter is expected to be notably low.
Jay Lund Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Director, University of California
With about a month of California’s wet season left, some areas will likely experience drought this year, but all water and wildlife managers should be preparing for it anyway, writes Jay Lund of University of California, Davis.
A new forecasting tool may be able to predict mountain snowpack in the West up to eight months in advance, potentially revolutionizing many aspects of water management. It’s no longer the realm of fantasy, as scientist Sarah Kapnick explains.
Water rates are rising in many California communities faster than some residents can keep up. While the state works to come up with a plan to tackle affordability issues, one bill seeks to protect against water shutoffs.
Some coastal sewage treatment plants are beginning to experience challenges from climate change, such as backflow from seawater and potential discharge problems. Two experts explain how facilities in the San Francisco Bay Area are addressing these risks.
Cloud seeding has been going on for decades as a tool to boost water supplies. Only now has a scientific study proven the process actually works. But as atmospheric scientist Jeffrey French explains, another big question looms: How effective is it?
Concerning forecasts for runoff into the Rio Grande and the Colorado River are just the start of the bad news for the West as California and other southwestern states face warm weather, below average precipitation and paltry snowpack.
In an effort to improve water management, the University of California will install sensor networks across various protected habitats to predict how freshwater moves, biology professor Todd Dawson explains.
Numerous cities in the San Francisco Bay Area now have “Adopt a Drain” programs where volunteers help keep storm drains clear of debris, improving water quality and preventing flooding.
As Southern California communities look to rebuild after enduring devastating wildfires and mudslides, there is a growing call for more focus on forest resilience and smarter planning.
Tom Philp Executive Strategist, Metropolitan Water District of Southern California
If we are adequately to talk about the weather this century, we are going to need a new lexicon that better captures the current reality, writes Tom Philp of Metropolitan Water District.
A ski resort town near Yellowstone National Park is growing faster than its water supplies can last. So local leaders have identified an important role for the community’s treated wastewater: snowmaking.
Piñon trees have been dying in droves across the West. Laura Morillas, lead author of the new study, found that losing piñon trees doesn’t necessarily free up more water in these arid habitats. It could mean the opposite.
A recently released state budget proposal uses a science-based approach to allocating funds and includes money for water systems in disadvantaged communities, endangered species, wildfire fighting and conservation.
In the latest Deeply Talks, we talk to experts about wildfires, mudslides, infrastructure and what to keep an eye on in 2018 for water in the West.
A proposed pipeline would funnel Lake Powell water 140 miles to a growing region of Utah, but opponents question if imported water for the beleaguered Colorado is the best way to meet demand.
Understanding watersheds is vital to tracking environmental conditions and water availability. Now there’s a web-based tool that offers temperature and precipitation forecasts at the watershed level, says scientist Andy Wood.
A study of two different rivers – one dammed and one free flowing – may help provide insight into how riparian ecosystems across the west respond to climate change.
California and other Western states will be grappling with long-term water issues related to infrastructure, clean drinking water systems and watershed restoration, among other concerns.
Eileen Sobeck was recently hired as executive director of California’s powerful State Water Resources Control Board after decades in federal service. Politics in Washington, she says, make this an important time for states to lead on water and climate issues.
As California’s most destructive wildfire season rages on, wildlife experts and forest managers are talking about the struggles to manage heavily populated coastal ecosystems.
Across California, droughts, floods and fires are straining the state’s aging infrastructure. Jamesine Rogers Gibson of the Union of Concerned Scientists says the state needs to prepare infrastructure for the uncertain impacts of climate change.
The Southern California city is building a number of big projects with the goal of becoming completely self-sufficient in water by 2020, according to Dean Kubani, its chief sustainability officer.
Latest research shows a second consecutive La Niña is in play this year. And it comes with stronger effects, likely including an expansion of the dry spell, which could be bad news for California.
The San Francisco Bay Area will get a much-needed new radar system that will be able to more precisely determine when and where it will rain, helping experts understand potential flood risks.
Many studies have modeled future impacts from climate change, but scientists have shown that warming trends are already affecting water and ecosystems in the West.
Kirsten James Oversees the California Policy Program, Ceres
The recent international climate talks in Bonn included a day dedicated to water action, with many of the solutions presented reflecting those being pursued in California.
In June, California voters will decide whether to fund a $4 billion bond measure that covers a wide variety of issues, including urban parks, drought resilience and flood protection.
Max Moritz Cooperative Extension Specialist, Wildland Fire
Policy and planning shortfalls in how we assess fire risk need to be addressed because we’re likely to see more wildfires tearing through urban neighborhoods, says fire expert Max Moritz of the University of California, Berkeley.
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