Water
KQED Science
Drought-Stressed Crops May Be Better For You
Scientists in California's Central Valley are testing the nutrient content of fruits grown with less-than-normal amounts of water. And the findings so far are raising a question: will consumers buy fruits that are just as nutritional, or sometimes higher in antioxidants, if they aren't as pretty?
KQED Science
High Temps Intensified California Drought
Heat and drought often go hand-in-hand, creating a vicious cycle that looks a lot like California these days.
KQED Science
With Drought, New Scrutiny Over Fracking’s Water Use
The drought is putting a spotlight on water use around California, including for hydraulic fracturing. How much water does fracking use and will it increase as companies tap into the Monterey Shale, estimated to be the largest oil resource in country?
KQED Science
Anti-Fracking Activists in California Take Fight to County Ballots
Activists are hoping local residents will do what state legislators haven’t done -- shut down the controversial oil production technique known as hydraulic fracturing.
KQED News
California Officials Aren’t Following Own Call for Water Conservation
RIVERSIDE – Mike Soubirous is a prodigious water user, pumping more than 1 million gallons per year at his lushly landscaped home on a hot, windy Southern California hilltop. Soubirous also is a member of the Riverside City Council, and one of his jobs in that position is to make decisions ...Read More
KQED News
California Groundwater: Court Case Could Speed Up Regulation
By Daniel Potter The Scott River's flow depends on snow melting off the nearby mountains, but the last few winters haven't delivered. In places, the river disappears underground. (Daniel Potter/KQED) California's Supreme Court is being pressed to take up a case that could dramatically alter oversight for groundwater, building on a landmark ...Read More
KQED Science
California’s ‘Water Year’ Ends as Third Driest on Record
Only 1924 and 1977 were drier. And there's little in the long-range forecasts to suggest a rebound soon.
KQED Science
The Connection Between California’s Drought and Climate Change
Climate change is making the weather pattern that's responsible for California's drought more likely, according to a new study from Stanford.
KQED Science
Long-Range Forecast: Less Snow for Skiers, Less Water for California
A new federal report affirms what scientists have been saying for years: California's "bank account" of snow-melt water may be overdrawn within decades.
KQED Science
Drought Rallies Support for California Water Projects
Water worries persist -- and may be driving support for a multi-billion-dollar water bond.
Forum
California Proposition 1: Water Bond
Water is always a hot political topic in California, and this drought-plagued year is no exception. Proposition 1 on the November ballot would authorize $7.5 billion for what supporters say are critical water quality and infrastructure projects. We'll discuss what's in the bond and hear from opponents who claim that ...Read More
KQED News
California Groundwater: Court Case Could Speed Up Regulation
By Daniel Potter The Scott River's flow depends on snow melting off the nearby mountains, but the last few winters haven't delivered. In places, the river disappears underground. (Daniel Potter/KQED) California's Supreme Court is being pressed to take up a case that could dramatically alter oversight for groundwater, building on a landmark ...Read More
KQED Science
What to Know About California’s New Groundwater Law
Governor Jerry Brown signed legislation Tuesday that will require the first-ever rules for pumping groundwater in California. Here's why lawmakers and the governor acted, and what the new laws mean.
KQED Science
Why More Trees in the Sierra Mean Less Water for California
California water districts are eyeing a potential new source of water: trees. After a century of fire suppression, Sierra Nevada forests are more dense than ever before. And those pine trees are taking up a lot of water that might otherwise run off into California rivers.
KQED Science
Quake-Revived Streams Could Keep Flowing for a While
The Napa quake jump-started several streams in the Napa and adjoining valleys, but how long they'll run and where the water is coming from is hard to pin down.
KQED Science
How to Drive Home the Drought Message: Make It a Game
As the drought continues, efforts to spur action include an online game that puts users in charge of California's water supply.
KQED Science
Drought Myth-Busting: Why El Niño Is Never A Good Bet
The peculiar set of ocean conditions is known as a California rainmaker -- but El Niño's reputation has been greatly exaggerated.
KQED Science
Landmark Groundwater Reform Headed to Governor’s Desk
The era of unlimited groundwater pumping in California could be ending. A package of bills would require local agencies to restore over-pumped aquifers.
KQED Science
Leaky Pipes Lose Billions of Gallons of Water Every Year in the Bay Area
On top of the drought, the South Napa Quake damaged dozens of water pipes and last month a ruptured pipe ruptured on the UCLA campus leaked about 20 million gallons of water. So how strong is California's water infrastructure?
KQED Science
Epic Drought in West Is Literally Moving Mountains
Some parts of California’s mountains have been uplifted by as much as half an inch in the past 18 months because the massive amount of water lost in the drought is no longer weighing down the land, causing it to rise a bit like an uncoiled spring.
