Latest news with #CaliforniaDepartmentofWaterResources
The Hill
24-06-2025
- Climate
- The Hill
Newsom warns that California's water system may be ill-prepared to cope with hotter, drier future
California's existing groundwater infrastructure may fail to quench the state's thirst in an increasingly arid future, even as officials celebrate widespread conservation achievements, Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) warned on Tuesday. 'The data doesn't lie, and it is telling us that our water system is unprepared for California's hotter and drier climate,' Newsom said in a statement. The governor was referring to data published in a semi-annual report by the California Department of Water Resources that morning. The report, which indicated that California is now collecting more groundwater data than ever before, showed a 2.2 million acre-foot increase in storage last year. Nonetheless, the governor's office stressed that the Golden State still lacks adequate water infrastructure to provide Californians with the resources they will need in future projected climate conditions. The 2.2 million-acre-foot surge in storage reflects the implementation of proactive conservation measures, such as capturing and recharging flows during winter storms, expanding recharge basins, improving monitoring and reducing groundwater pumping across agencies. For reference, the average U.S. household consumes about half an acre-foot of water annually. The 2024 'water year' — October 1, 2023, through September 30, 2024 — featured average rainfall in comparison to that of the past 50 years, according to the report. These circumstances helped sustain recharging efforts that occurred after an 'exceptionally wet' 2023, the authors explained. However, the first five months of the 2025 water year have been 'notably dry across much of the state,' the report acknowledged. That extreme aridity has applied in particular to the Central Valley, where much of the state's agriculture occurs, as well as in southern areas — where some spots have endured their driest 10th percentile on record, the data showed. Although groundwater levels in most of California's wells have stabilized over the past year, 49 percent of them have undergone a decline over the past two decades, according to the report. Newsom on Tuesday cited the report's findings in a renewed pushed for the construction of the Delta Conveyance Project — a controversial, $20 billion plan to tunnel more water from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta region to southern portions of the state. The governor has long been seeking to fast-track the Delta Conveyance proposal and thereby achieve vast improvements to the State Water Project, a storage system that serves about 27 million residents and 750,000 acres of farmland. 'We literally cannot afford to wait to complete this vital project,' Newsom said on Tuesday. 'Californians are sick and tired of the self-imposed roadblocks standing in the way of our state's continued progress.'
CBS News
17-06-2025
- Automotive
- CBS News
Controlled burn near Woodland catches up to, burns water tender truck
A California agency's water tender was destroyed in a control burn that got away from firefighters in Woodland on Tuesday. The Woodland Fire Department says a crew with the California Department of Water Resources was out doing a controlled burn near E. Main Stret and County Road 102 when a water tender truck got stuck in the mud. Crews weren't able to get the truck out by the time flames caught up to it – leading to the vehicle catching fire. The water tender after it caught fire. Woodland Fire Department No injuries were reported in the incident, Woodland Fire says. Officials urged people to avoid the area of E. Main Street and CR-103 due to the emergency response.
Newsweek
16-06-2025
- Climate
- Newsweek
California Reservoir Update as Water Levels Start to Fall
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. After peaking at full capacity earlier this year, Lake Oroville's water levels have started their summer decline. Newsweek reached out to the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) via email for comment. Why It Matters Lake Oroville, California's second-largest reservoir, has experienced dramatic swings in water levels over recent years, reflecting broader challenges in the state's management of water resources. The summer of 2022 saw the reservoir drop to historically low levels due to prolonged drought, raising concerns about water supply for millions of Californians and extensive agricultural lands. However, winters of 2023 and 2024 brought above-average snowfall, leading to a strong rebound in reservoir storage and marking a period of unexpected recovery. Although less snow fell this year, the lake reached its full capacity when the winter snowpack began to melt, supplementing its levels. This was the first time in the lake's history that it reached full capacity three years in a row. Lake Oroville is seen during a period of drought in 2022. Lake Oroville is seen during a period of drought in 2022. casch/Getty What To Know As of Monday morning, Lake Oroville's water levels were at 896.46 feet in elevation. This is less than 4 feet below full capacity, which occurs at 900 feet. Lake Oroville is expected to continue declining throughout the summer. Lake levels fluctuate throughout the year, with water levels typically beginning to rise when California's wet season begins in the fall and continuing to do so throughout the spring, when snowmelt supplements the reservoir. Then, once snowmelt is complete and warmer temperatures move into the region, the lake levels begin to decline, typically starting around mid-June. Lake levels are around 1 foot below the levels in mid-June 2024 and roughly 3 feet below the levels in June 2023. Despite this, the lake remains at 98 percent capacity, according to California Department of Water Resources (DWR) data, which is 122 percent of the historical average for this time of year. The return to such high levels followed periods of significant deficiency. During the height of the drought, water supplies from Lake Oroville for municipal and agricultural uses were threatened, exemplifying the volatility in California's water system. Officials noted that while the resurgence was a welcome development, it was primarily driven by the melting snowpack from unusually wet winters, and that not all regions in the Sierra Nevada—which feeds Oroville—enjoyed the same snowfall. In particular, while northern areas saw robust accumulation, central and southern regions lagged behind, resulting in regional disparities in recharge. Despite the rebound, drought has persisted across much of California throughout the first half of the year. As of mid-June, about 60 percent of the state was classified as abnormally dry, with nearly 40 percent experiencing moderate drought conditions, most acutely in Southern California. This dichotomy highlighted the delicate balance managed by the state's interconnected system of reservoirs. Reliable water levels in Lake Oroville are crucial, as the reservoir supports the needs of urban, agricultural, and environmental sectors statewide, despite dramatic seasonal fluctuations in storage. What People Are Saying A DWR spokesperson told Newsweek earlier this month: "Lake Oroville is currently at full capacity. DWR is monitoring inflows and demands and will make adjustments to releases as needed. DWR continues to optimize water storage at Lake Oroville while meeting environmental requirements and allowing for carryover storage into next year." DWR Director Karla Nemeth, in a press release: "It's great news that our state's snowpack has recovered from several weeks of extremely dry conditions in the heart of our winter storm season. However, it's not a wet year across the entire Sierra Nevada. The north has great snowpack, but snowpack is less than average in the central and southern part of the mountain range. That snowpack ultimately flows to the Delta, and the regional disparity affects how much water the State Water Project will be able to deliver." What Happens Next Given the lake's past performance, it will likely continue declining throughout the summer.
San Francisco Chronicle
24-05-2025
- Climate
- San Francisco Chronicle
California's second-largest reservoir fills for third straight year
California's second-largest reservoir, Lake Oroville, reached capacity Friday, hitting the high water mark for the third straight year — a first for the 57-year-old reservoir. The milestone comes after a moderately wet winter in California, with enough snow in the mountains, particularly in the north, to melt and flush substantial water into state reservoirs. This week, water storage in California's major reservoirs stood at a comfortable 116% of average for the time of year, ensuring decent supplies for the rest of 2025. At Lake Oroville, about 70 miles north of Sacramento in Butte County, water levels rose Friday morning to within inches of the 900-foot elevation mark that state water managers deem full pool, prompting notice that the reservoir had hit capacity. At capacity, the lake holds 3.4 million acre-feet of water, enough to supply more than 7 million households for a year. The lake's supplies are at the heart of the State Water Project, a network of nearly two dozen dams and reservoirs run by the California Department of Water Resources. The state facilities provide drinking water for 27 million people, mostly in the Bay Area and Southern California. 'Full reservoirs allow DWR to help meet the needs of the State Water Project contractors and their customers this year as well as provide some water supply next year in the event that dry conditions return,' Raquel Borrayo, a spokesperson for the Department of Water Resources, said in an email. This past winter was the third straight with near- or above-average rain and snow in California. Accordingly, reservoirs have fared well, and statewide water supplies have remained robust. Still, water managers encourage people to conserve, pointing out the fickle nature of California weather and water. Just four years ago, severe drought pushed Lake Oroville to its lowest point since the reservoir began operating in 1968. Managers of the State Water Project have said they plan to deliver 50% of the water that contractors have requested this year, choosing to remain relatively cautious. California's largest reservoir, the federally run Shasta Lake, also hit capacity this spring. The Bureau of Reclamation-managed Central Valley Project, which supplies water to mostly agricultural users, is similarly planning to provide 50% of the water requested to the bulk of its contractors.
CBS News
15-05-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Newsom announces plans to fast-track California's delta tunnel project
The Delta tunnel project is a plan that's drawing bipartisan backlash. It would take water from the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta and move it to Southern California. Gov. Gavin Newsom is calling for "swift" action to start the Delta Conveyance Project, claiming it's essential to avoiding future water disasters. But lawmakers from within his own party are pushing back on this, saying it's not a long-term solution to the water crisis and hasn't gone through the proper channels to determine if Southern California can even store the water they want to take. Democrats like assemblymembers Lori Wilson and Rhodesia Ransom, whose constituents depend on the delta for agriculture and business, are taking a rare stand against the governor, saying this issue is not about political party but equity. Ransom said the project is a transfer of wealth and water from the delta region to be given to the wealthier Southern California region. Ransom said the governor's proposal put out on Wednesday is concerning because it undermines the proper channels to vet the impacts of the project. She is now calling for a complete audit of the California Department of Water Resources and the plan. "This could, like I said, disrupt and threaten farmland productivity. We need to know how that's going to look. We need to know who's going to be hurt by this project, and that is what this audit is about," she said. "The state has the ability to do this, and we want to make sure that when they are telling us that we need to move this water or there's going to be a dire situation there, we wanted them to prove this to us." Ransom says the project violates the Delta Reform Act, requiring water plants to rely less on water from the delta. She is part of the Joint Legislative Audit Committee. She has already been in contact with the Senate and says this audit will move forward. The Department of Water Resources says the Delta Conveyance Project would provide clean and affordable water to 27 million people and 750,000 acres of farmland in the southern part of the state. The water would be transferred via an earthquake-resistant tunnel system that the DWR says would sit up to 130 feet below ground. Newsom's plan to fast-track the project came as the governor outlined his nearly $332 billion state spending plan on Wednesday. The governor revealed that California is facing a $12 billion budget deficit.
