April 16, 2015
The U.S. Agriculture Department has declared two northeast Nevada counties natural disaster areas due to the lingering drought with an emergency order that also makes emergency low-interest loans available to farmers, ranchers and businesses in parts of neighboring Idaho and …
April 14, 2015
A new report on water insecurity says floods and drought amid climate change and a lack of investment in reliable water supplies is weighing on the global economy by tens of billions of dollars a year. “Water is productive and …
April 14, 2015
An El Nino may develop by June, according to Australia’s state forecaster, which upgraded its outlook for the weather-altering pattern to Alert. Ocean temperatures in the tropical Pacific Ocean continue to be warmer-than-average, trade winds remain weaker-than- average and all …
April 2, 2015
California Gov. Jerry Brown ordered officials Wednesday to impose statewide mandatory water restrictions for the first time in history as surveyors found the lowest snow level in the Sierra Nevada snowpack in 65 years of record-keeping. Standing in dry, brown …
March 26, 2015
The state Senate has approved a $1 billion proposal to speed up spending on water projects in drought-stricken California. The Senate this week voted 35-1 on the package to accelerate infrastructure spending. An accompanying measure authorizing fines for illegal water …
March 25, 2015
At the start of a fourth-straight year of drought, California state Sen. Bob Hertzberg has introduced a bill requiring regional water-management officials to report the vulnerability of their water systems to an earthquake. Senate Bill 664 addresses Integrated Regional Water …
March 20, 2015
Yet another Northern California ski resort is closing early due to a lack of snow amid the state’s historic drought. Sugar Bowl resort near Truckee in the Sierra Nevada says Sunday will be the last day of the season. Officials …
March 19, 2015
Californians facing a fourth year of drought conditions – and some other parts of the West – shouldn’t count on any relief in the coming months. In California this doesn’t bode well for chances of a mild wildfire season, and …
March 18, 2015
Californians won’t be able to water their lawns more than twice a week under tougher drought regulations that were expected to be approved this week as the state heads into a fourth particularly dry year. The State Water Resources Control …
March 10, 2015
The state of Washington has not yet declared a drought this year, but they’re asking the Legislature for $9 million for drought relief in case it’s needed. The Department of Ecology says snowpack level statewide is about 28 percent of …