What Is California Doing To Capture and Store All The Water From Winter Storms?
We all know the saying about saving something for a rainy day, but in California it’s about saving the water for a dry day.
Tag Archive for: department of water resources
The Innovative Ways California Is Improving Its Underground Water Storage
As of mid-February, the Sacramento area has now received more than a foot of rain in the current water season. The rain and snowfall from this winter’s storms have been swelling rivers, adding to the Sierra Nevada snowpack and hopefully replenishing reservoirs.
It’s Been Raining a Lot In California. Can The Influx of Water be Put to Good Use?
Atmospheric rivers recently soaked California. NPR’s Steve Inskeep talks to Karla Nemeth of the state’s Department of Water Resources, about protecting residents from floods and future water needs.
Recent snowstorms may bolster California hydroelectric output this summer
All the rain that has led to swollen rivers and flooding in parts of San Diego and large portions of Southern California has coincided with multiple snowstorms that blew across the Sierra Nevada Mountains in the northern half of the state.
Snowpack Levels Leave Experts Unsure of Wet Winter for Southern California
What will California’s water picture look like in the next 12 months? The predictions are literally all over the map. After a measurement of the snowpack in the Sierra Nevada on Tuesday, Jan. 2 found only 7.5 inches of snow — 30 percent of the average depth — the state Department of Water Resources (DWR) put out a statement saying residents should prepare for “flood or dry conditions in the months ahead.”
Lake Oroville Spillway in Active Use as Lake Shasta Nears Capacity as Well
The last time Lake Oroville neared capacity was four years ago, and very quickly it plunged into drought territory and has seen low water levels until this winter. And now that billion-dollar, renovated spillway is back in use as the reservoir is back at 99% of its capacity.
The Feather River is getting a fair amount of extra water flow these days as Lake Oroville has been releasing water over the last week. Oroville is California’s second-largest reservoir, with a capacity of over 3.5 million acre-feet of water, and also just about at capacity is the state’s largest reservoir, Lake Shasta, which has a capacity of 4.5 million acre-feet and is at 98%.
Latest Storm Piles More Snow on California Mountains
A cold low pressure system spinning off the coast of California sent bands of rain and snow across the state Wednesday, making travel difficult and adding to an epic mountain snowpack.
Forecasters said the storm was not as strong as the systems that pounded the state all winter, but that chains were required for vehicles on highways through the Sierra Nevada. A section of U.S. 395 on the eastern side of the range was closed due to snowfall.
Farmers Look Forward to Full Water Delivery
As the rain year continues to look promising, rice farmers are happy to expect most if not all of their water allocations will be delivered.
This week the Department of Water Resources announced a 75% water allocation to the irrigation districts served by the State Water Project.
After 14 Atmospheric Rivers, How Full Are California’s Reservoirs?
As wet weather has continued to impact California, some reservoirs across the state are being managed with scheduled releases of water to prevent flooding, according to the California Department of Water Resources.
After 14 atmospheric rivers hit back-to-back this winter, reservoirs began filling quickly. Though most of the major reservoirs aren’t full yet, several are significantly higher than they have been historically. This is especially true in Central California at the Don Pedro, Camanche and Oroville reservoirs, KTLA sister station KRON reports.
DWR Reduces Outflows From Lake Oroville
The California Department of Water Resources announced Monday that it slowed outflows from Lake Oroville from 35,000 cubic feet per second to 27,500 cfs.
According to a press release issued Monday by DWR, the reduction began at 6 p.m. Monday.
