GUERNEVILLE — A California town north of San Francisco is accessible only by boat after the rain-swollen Russian River overflowed its banks and inundated it overnight, authorities said Wednesday. "Guerneville is officially an island," the Sonoma Sheriff's Office said in a statement, adding that all roads leading to it are...
Can the Valley Balance People, Water, Ag, and Environment?
The San Joaquin Valley can overcome big challenges facing agriculture, the environment, and rural public health if major stakeholders embrace creative solutions to relieve stress on its water system. However, forging agreement on these solutions won't be easy as they will involve significant changes in land use and water management. And...
Southern California Wastes So Much Rain It Should Be a Crime
The Sierra snowpack is thick and brimming with water content. Rain is drenching California. An estimated 18 trillion gallons of water has fallen on the state in February alone. Too bad that most of the precipitation that falls in the state's urban areas is collected in storm drains and sent...
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...
My Turn: We Must Reduce Fire Risk. Here Are Steps California Must Take
Winter rain cannot wash away the tragedy of the 2018 fire season for Northern California, the deadliest in state history. If the fires of 2017 were a wakeup call, the 2018 megafires were an air raid siren. We must take immediate steps to reduce fire risk, protect our rural communities, and ensure...
My Turn: Peace in California’s Water Wars Is Within Grasp
Dare we say it? The outlines of a truce in California’s unending water battles began to come into focus last week, though not everyone is willing to sign the treaty. The State Water Board adopted the first phase of a far-reaching revision to the Water Quality Control Plan for the...
Is Denham Next in Line for Interior Secretary?
Congressman Jeff Denham (R-Turlock) is under consideration to be the next U.S. Secretary of the Interior, after the announcement that current jobholder Ryan Zinke is leaving at the end of the year. Denham, who lost his re-election bid last month to Democrat Josh Harder, could replace Zinke, according to inside...
Southwestern US States Close to Sealing Drought Deal
LAS VEGAS — Water managers from seven Southwestern states that depend on the Colorado River for drinking and irrigation water are getting closer to finalizing an unprecedented drought contingency plan they may have to enact in 2020, officials said Thursday. The federal government's top water official, Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner...
Is She the Face of the New Democrat? Rashida Tlaib Visits Fresno.
In November, Rashida Tlaib made history. In doing so, she has quickly become one of the darlings of the political left. The newly elected congresswoman from Detroit visited Fresno this past weekend. On Saturday (Dec. 1), she delivered the keynote speech at a Council on American-Islamic Relations fundraising dinner in...
My Turn: A Chance to Finally Solve the Delta Quandary
It is imperative to improve the health of the greater Delta watershed, a major source of water for cities and farms across the state. And various stakeholders have a chance to achieve that goal in the coming weeks while protecting important economic interests. Amid all the election news, Gov. Jerry...