Citing the high flows of cold water released from Pine Flat Dam, Fresno County Sheriff Margaret Mims closed the lower Kings River early Tuesday afternoon. Fresno County joined Tulare County and Kings County which previously ended recreational use of the lower river until the high waters recede. Pine Flat Releasing...
Valley Waterways Are Beautiful, Cold, and Deadly.
Going to Yosemite or a San Joaquin Valley's waterway this weekend? Be careful. We want you to come back alive. The combination of a huge Sierra snowpack and warming temperatures are filling creeks, rivers, and reservoirs. Thes sights are spectacular — perfect for pictures and videos. But as beautiful as...
Snow Survey Finds California Water Nearly Doubled
PHILLIPS STATION — California water officials say cities and farms can expect ample water supplies this summer after winter storms blanketed the Sierra Nevada, nearly doubling the snowpack average for this time of year. The Department of Water Resources said Thursday the fifth and final survey at Phillips Station recorded...
Did Reclamation Do Right by Westlands With 55% Allocation?
There is good news from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation for Westlands Water District growers. The Bureau has increased this year's water allocation to district farmers from the 35% announced last month to 55%. But, according to the district, the news should have been better considering California's snowpack and rainfall...
More Rain, Snow, and Flooding Headed Our Way
First, the San Joaquin Valley floor will get wet Friday night, Saturday and possibly on Sunday. Then, it will get drenched Tuesday and Wednesday. And, up in the mountains, more snow is on the way. That's the latest from the National Weather Service Hanford station. "Expect some snow to melt...
How Much Water Has Fallen on California? 18 Trillion Gallons in Feb.
Here in the San Joaquin Valley, we've had ample rain and, at higher elevations, heavy snowfall this winter. It's the same story throughout much of California. The Bay Area station of the National Weather Service put it into perspective with a tweet Sunday noting that February's precipitation equaled 18 trillion...
Storms Boost Sierra Snowpack to 98% of Seasonal Average
PHILLIPS STATION — California officials say January storms have pushed the Sierra Nevada snowpack to 98 percent of average to date, which is good news for state water supplies. The California Department of Water Resources said Thursday that the snowpack is already at 71 percent of average for the state's...
Sierra Snowpack Checks in at 67% of Normal
PHILLIPS STATION — Winter storms have coated California's Sierra Nevada mountains in snow, but the drought-prone state is still off to another dryer-than-normal start to the crucial wet season. California water managers said Thursday the Sierra snowpack is only 67 percent of normal in this winter's first manual measurement. “The...
March Miracle? Whatever the Rain Total, It's Marvelous
The storm system flowing over the Central Valley this week is bringing a decent amount of needed rain, but probably not enough to warrant the "miracle" label, says a local meteorologist. Still, if projections become reality, this month's total rainfall could help March 2018 achieve Top 10 status. March Could...