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ucmerced.edu
People don't think about dust much until it's time to clean the house, but a new report by UC researchers could raise awareness of the growing threat of dust and dust storms. Dust affects everything from cardiovascular and brain health to traffic collisions and agricultural yield. “Beyond the Haze: A UC Dust Report on the Causes, Impacts, and Future of Dust Storms in California” details the wide-ranging impacts of dust on health, public safety, the environment and California's economy....
Read the full article at ucmerced.edu
People don't think about dust much until it's time to clean the house, but a new report by UC researchers could raise awareness of the growing threat of dust and dust storms. Dust affects everything from cardiovascular and brain health to traffic collisions and agricultural yield. “Beyond the Haze: A UC Dust Report on the Causes, Impacts, and Future of Dust Storms in California” details the wide-ranging impacts of dust on health, public safety, the environment and California's economy....
Read the full article at ucmerced.edu
newsweek.com
America's largest reservoirs face another tough year after new forecasts show lower-than-expected runoff into Lake Powell....
Read the full article at newsweek.com
America's largest reservoirs face another tough year after new forecasts show lower-than-expected runoff into Lake Powell....
Read the full article at newsweek.com
Public Policy Institute of California
An accident of history has left California with two massive, overlapping water projects: the federally operated Central Valley Project (CVP) and the State Water Project (SWP) operated by the California Department of Water Resources. Maintaining and operating two projects that serve the same purpose is inefficient. Moreover, the projects are often beset by controversy and conflict when state and federal administrations change. California set out to build the CVP in the late 1920s but could not finance it due to the Great Depression. The federal government stepped in and began construction of the CVP in 1935 with Shasta Dam—which created the state’s largest reservoir—as its anchor. In 1960, state voters passed the Water Resources Development Act, which funded construction of the SWP. This project included Oroville Dam, which created its capstone reservoir, and the California Aqueduct, which provides water to southern California....
Read the full article at Public Policy Institute of California
An accident of history has left California with two massive, overlapping water projects: the federally operated Central Valley Project (CVP) and the State Water Project (SWP) operated by the California Department of Water Resources. Maintaining and operating two projects that serve the same purpose is inefficient. Moreover, the projects are often beset by controversy and conflict when state and federal administrations change. California set out to build the CVP in the late 1920s but could not finance it due to the Great Depression. The federal government stepped in and began construction of the CVP in 1935 with Shasta Dam—which created the state’s largest reservoir—as its anchor. In 1960, state voters passed the Water Resources Development Act, which funded construction of the SWP. This project included Oroville Dam, which created its capstone reservoir, and the California Aqueduct, which provides water to southern California....
Read the full article at Public Policy Institute of California
Maven's Notebook
By Jennifer Pierre, General Manager of the State Water Contractors California’s climate is changing faster than our infrastructure can keep up. In the past five years, we’ve seen atmospheric rivers cause catastrophic flooding, prolonged drought has devastated agricultural communities and perpetuated a lack of access to safe drinking water, and inconsistent snowpack makes it difficult for water managers to plan for the future....
Read the full article at Maven's Notebook
By Jennifer Pierre, General Manager of the State Water Contractors California’s climate is changing faster than our infrastructure can keep up. In the past five years, we’ve seen atmospheric rivers cause catastrophic flooding, prolonged drought has devastated agricultural communities and perpetuated a lack of access to safe drinking water, and inconsistent snowpack makes it difficult for water managers to plan for the future....
Read the full article at Maven's Notebook
researchgate.net
Crop water productivity metrics can reveal how the dynamics of crop production and water use change across space and time. We use field-scale satellite inputs from 2016-2021 to estimate potential water savings for four crops (almonds, grapes, walnuts, and citrus—which collectively account for approximately one-third of California’s cropland area), within critically overdrafted groundwater sub-basins of California’s San Joaquin Valley. These annual estimates of field-level water savings potential are based on locally achievable crop water productivity (CWP) values for each crop type. Our findings show considerable spatial variation in CWP and potential water savings within each sub-basin. We find that increasing CWP to peak efficiency (defined as improving fields to the 95th percentile of observed CWP) for four crops could meet up to 36% of the estimated annual overdraft in San Joaquin Valley. For comparison, fallowing 5% of the four crop type fields in the same study area could potentially reduce annual overdraft by 11%. By delivering results at the field scale, our work can inform targeted interventions by irrigation district managers and more efficient allocation of state incentives for improved water management. For example, we estimate that state grant funding for water efficiency upgrades could have amplified potential water savings threefold by targeting investments to the least efficient fields....
Read the full article at researchgate.net
Crop water productivity metrics can reveal how the dynamics of crop production and water use change across space and time. We use field-scale satellite inputs from 2016-2021 to estimate potential water savings for four crops (almonds, grapes, walnuts, and citrus—which collectively account for approximately one-third of California’s cropland area), within critically overdrafted groundwater sub-basins of California’s San Joaquin Valley. These annual estimates of field-level water savings potential are based on locally achievable crop water productivity (CWP) values for each crop type. Our findings show considerable spatial variation in CWP and potential water savings within each sub-basin. We find that increasing CWP to peak efficiency (defined as improving fields to the 95th percentile of observed CWP) for four crops could meet up to 36% of the estimated annual overdraft in San Joaquin Valley. For comparison, fallowing 5% of the four crop type fields in the same study area could potentially reduce annual overdraft by 11%. By delivering results at the field scale, our work can inform targeted interventions by irrigation district managers and more efficient allocation of state incentives for improved water management. For example, we estimate that state grant funding for water efficiency upgrades could have amplified potential water savings threefold by targeting investments to the least efficient fields....
Read the full article at researchgate.net
timesofsandiego.com
The water treaty between Mexico and the United States has been in place since 1944. It has been a fundamental pillar in the shared management of transboundary water resources. However, the realities of the 21st century, marked by climate change, growing agricultural demand, and prolonged droughts, are putting its validity and adequacy to the test. The drought in northern Mexico has hampered compliance with the treaty during the current cycle, which ends on Oct. 24. It is worth mentioning that Mexico has not defaulted on deliveries but is delivering low percentages of the scheduled quota from the Rio Grande. This situation has generated diplomatic tensions, such as the United States’ refusal to supply Colorado River water to Tijuana, affecting border communities....
Read the full article at timesofsandiego.com
The water treaty between Mexico and the United States has been in place since 1944. It has been a fundamental pillar in the shared management of transboundary water resources. However, the realities of the 21st century, marked by climate change, growing agricultural demand, and prolonged droughts, are putting its validity and adequacy to the test. The drought in northern Mexico has hampered compliance with the treaty during the current cycle, which ends on Oct. 24. It is worth mentioning that Mexico has not defaulted on deliveries but is delivering low percentages of the scheduled quota from the Rio Grande. This situation has generated diplomatic tensions, such as the United States’ refusal to supply Colorado River water to Tijuana, affecting border communities....
Read the full article at timesofsandiego.com