The Sacramento Bee, 4/6/23 - After months of continuous wet weather, California’s drought is leaps and bounds from where it was this time two years ago — a reflection of both extreme rain and one of the state’s largest snowpacks on record.
The Guardian, 4/7/23 - Water levels fell so low in key reservoirs during the depth of California’s drought that boat docks sat on dry, cracked land and cars drove into the center of what should have been Folsom lake.
Bureau pf Reclamation, 4/6/23 - As part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda to rebuild our nation’s infrastructure and make communities more resilient to the climate crisis, the Department of the Interior today announced $20 million for four small surface and groundwater storage projects in California and Utah. These projects, funded through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, are essential tools to help conserve water and increase the efficiency of water use in the Colorado River Basin.
NPR, 4/7/23 - Despite a wet winter, the drought crisis along the Colorado River remains dire and produce farmers along the California-Arizona border may be facing their first ever cuts to irrigation water.
ABC7 News, 4/6/23 - The newest drought map of California shows more of the state drought-free.Other remote areas of the state that were designated as in severe drought conditions have been upgraded to lesser levels.
The Washington Post, 4/7/23 - Atmospheric rivers and cold winter storms have pummeled California since December, deluging the state with rain and building up extreme snow totals. The state’s snowpack is one of its largest ever, with the southern Sierra sitting at more than 300 percent of normal levels
National Integrated Drought Information System, 4/6/23 - Early April is the typical period of peak snow water equivalent (SWE) in the West, and April 1 SWE is one of the initial indicators of potential spring and summer water supply.
San Francisco Chronicle, 4/7/23 - Last fall, I was having breakfast in downtown Salinas when I overheard a waitress complaining about the air quality. The odor and light smoke drifting through town was coming from a “prescribed fire” or “controlled burn” that Cal Fire was conducting nearby. And, though the smell might be mildly annoying for a short period, the benefits of fighting fire with fire are tremendous.
CapRadio, 4/6/23 - The impacts of a wet season in California can be far-reaching — they're dangerous and can be destructive. But the water dumped on the state is essential to supplying some 40 million Californians with everyday necessities and bolstering the state's billion-dollar agricultural industry.There's another essential but easily overlooked benefit to an exceptionally wet winter. The Yolo and Sutter bypasses were designed for flood control, diverting water and, in turn, creating a floodplain. It's great for us humans, but it's also a feast for wildlife.
ABC23 Bakersfield, 4/6/23, In March, the California Department of Water Resources deemed the Groundwater Sustainability Plan for six groundwater basins across the state to be inadequate. The Kern County Subbasin was on that list.
California Department of Fish and Wildlife, 4/6/23 - Today, the Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC) acted unanimously to recommend a full closure of California’s commercial and recreational ocean salmon season. Options put forward by the PFMC last month for public review, which were developed by industry representatives, all proposed closure of both commercial and sport ocean salmon fisheries off California. This action follows recent projections showing Chinook salmon abundance off California is at historic lows.
The Tribal Water Summit may be sold out, but you can still learn about California Tribal Water Rights, traditional ecological knowledge, cultural burns, habitat and species restoration, cultural ceremony, basketry, medicine gathering, forest protection, land back, and how Tribes are handling climate resilience - by attending the Tribal Water Summit Film Festival on Wed, April 12, 2023 9am- 4pm at the Secretary of State auditorium, 1500 11th Street, Sacramento, CA. Each film is produced in collaboration with California Tribes and highlights the theme of the Tribal Water Summit which is “The Water that Connects Us”. This event is free and open to all ages
University of California, Agriculture and Natural Resources - This online short course will review the fundamental principles of groundwater and watershed hydrology, water budgets, water quality, and water law and regulation in an intuitive, highly accessible fashion. Through real world examples, participants learn about the most common tools for measuring, monitoring, and assessing groundwater and surface water resources. We then review the key steps and elements of planning for groundwater sustainability and implementing projects and management actions.
Series: April 13, 20, May 4, 19, and June 1 | 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
In celebration of Earth Day, River Partners and the California Department of Water Resources are hosting a community clean-up event at Dutch Slough Tidal Marsh Restoration. This is a great opportunity to connect with nature, get your hands dirty, and learn about the beautiful freshwater tidal marsh.
When: April 22 | 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Where: 7199 Sellers Ave, Oakley, CA 94561
This tour ventures through California’s Central Valley, known as the nation’s breadbasket thanks to an imported supply of surface water and local groundwater. The southern part of the vast region, the San Joaquin Valley, is the focus of this tour as it faces challenges after years of drought, dwindling water supplies, decreasing water quality and farmland conversion for urban growth.
Join DWR’s California Water Plan Team for a workshop webinar that will share and discuss water balance data - data foundational to building the state’s water resilience.
This tour explores the heart of California water policy – the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and San Francisco Bay – to learn about the critical role the Delta plays in the state, Delta planning initiatives, water project operations, fish passage, ecosystem restoration, levees and flood management, Delta agriculture and water supply reliability.
Groundwater Resources Association of California - The popular Annual GSA Summit is getting revamped in collaboration with the ACWA Groundwater Committee and SGMA Implementation Subcommittee. This is a once-a-year get-together to foster progress on SGMA implementation, collaborating with ACWA members and implementers and GRA technical experts.
When: June 7 - 8, 2023 Where: Kimpton Sawyer Hotel in Sacramento
DWR is responsible for managing and protecting California’s water resources and works with others to benefit the State’s people and to protect, restore, and enhance the natural and human environments. DWR operates and maintains the State Water Project, oversees dam safety, provides flood protection, helps in emergency response, assists regional and local water agencies, promotes water conservation and safety, and plans integrated watershed management – in all to advance water resource sustainability.
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