water Archives - Page 4 of 26

Another San Joaquin Valley groundwater plan appears headed for rejection

March 29, 2023

• by Jesse Vad, SJV Water

The Madera subbasin’s groundwater plan appears headed for state rejection after one of the region’s seven groundwater agencies refused to approve the most recent version of the plan. Madera Irrigation District (MID) was the one dissenting agency that did not approve the plan and blamed other groundwater sustainability agencies (GSAs) for delays and inaction. “Madera…

Floods • Uncategorized

Power outage yet another challenge for besieged residents of tiny Allensworth

March 22, 2023

• by Jesse Vad, SJV Water

The small Tulare County town of Allensworth, which is being surrounded by floodwater, lost power on Tuesday amid powerful winds brought by the most recent storm. The power loss knocked out the community water system so residents had no running water in their homes for much of Tuesday. It was the latest challenge in a…

Floods

Residents in small Tulare County towns take brunt of historic flooding

March 17, 2023

• by Jesse Vad, SJV Water

Tulare County’s two main reservoirs both “filled and spilled” after the latest series of atmospheric rivers slammed into California starting March 10. The storms dumped rain on the San Joaquin Valley floor and melted at least some of the historic snowpack in upper elevations, swelling rivers and streams that flooded out residents of numerous communities. …

dams • Floods • Uncategorized

Lake Isabella may be the next to “fill and spill” as it is continues filling rapidly

March 16, 2023

• by Lois Henry

Lake Isabella could be the next Central Valley reservoir to “fill and spill” as it is rising rapidly, with an estimated two million acre feet of water hunkered down in a record high snowpack and more storms coming. The Kaweah and Success reservoirs in Tulare County have already reached that point, Success releasing water from…

Floods • Uncategorized

Tiny town of Earlimart has been dry so far, how long will its luck hold out?

March 16, 2023

• by Lois Henry

The flood-prone town of Earlimart has been mostly dry — so far — during this series of massive storms slamming California. Highway 99, which spears through the center of the tiny farmworker village in southern Tulare County, was flooded out by the White River and had to be closed twice after one, followed by another,…

Uncategorized

Water lingo 101

March 14, 2023

• by Lois Henry

There’s a lot cfs talk being thrown around as rivers and creeks swell with recent storms. It occurred to me that maybe not everyone knows that CFS means. I didn’t when I first started covering water. Even if you know it means “cubic feet per second,” how does that help you understand what’s happening in…

Floods • Uncategorized

Kern River outflow from Lake Isabella is ramping up but, no, it is not a “flood release”

March 14, 2023

• by Lois Henry

Outflow from Lake Isabella into the Kern River increased on Tuesday but only because downriver users requested the water, according to Kern River Watermaster Mark Mulkay. Outflow went from about 500 cubic feet per second (cfs) Monday to 1,013 cfs by 9 a.m. Tuesday, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers hourly reservoir reports…

Drinking Water • SGMA • Uncategorized

How did two valley groundwater plans win recommendations for approval from the state?

March 13, 2023

• by Jesse Vad, SJV Water

Most groundwater plans covering the San Joaquin Valley got a big, fat thumbs down from the state. There were two glaring exceptions. Plans by the Westlands Water District and Kings subbasin, which together cover most of the valley portion of Fresno County, got recommendations for approval from the Department of Water Resources. Those areas face…

Floods • Uncategorized

Storm could “push the limits” of San Joaquin Valley’s flood response systems

March 8, 2023

• by Lois Henry

If the coming storm hits as predicted starting late Thursday, San Joaquin Valley flooding hot spots – and some new ones thanks to subsidence – could be swamped. It’s not because reservoirs above the valley floor are full. The culprits are likely to be the much smaller and typically dry “uncontrolled streams” threaded throughout the…

Groundwater • Uncategorized

State will pay some valley farmers not to farm in attempt to save groundwater

February 28, 2023

• by Jesse Vad, SJV Water

More state money is flowing to the valley to take land out of production in an attempt to ease demand on groundwater. The state Department of Water Resources (DWR) is starting a new program called LandFlex which will pay up to $25 million in incentives to farmers to fallow crops. On February 23, DWR announced…

NEWS

Another San Joaquin Valley groundwater plan appears headed for rejection

Power outage yet another challenge for besieged residents of tiny Allensworth

Residents in small Tulare County towns take brunt of historic flooding

Lake Isabella may be the next to “fill and spill” as it is continues filling rapidly

Tiny town of Earlimart has been dry so far, how long will its luck hold out?

Water lingo 101

Kern River outflow from Lake Isabella is ramping up but, no, it is not a “flood release”

How did two valley groundwater plans win recommendations for approval from the state?

Storm could “push the limits” of San Joaquin Valley’s flood response systems

State will pay some valley farmers not to farm in attempt to save groundwater

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