(With expanded coverage of all the Western States)
by Patrick Ruckert
www.californiadroughtupdate.org/California- Water-and-Infrastructure-Report-May-2%2C-2024.pdf
A Note to Readers
Sometimes these reports can seem redundant do to the more narrow focus on California water and infrastructure that is, of course, the title of the reports. For me, both areas are elements of the broader field of Physical Economy.
The illustration above, I think, provides an ironical statement of a fundamental principle of physical economy. A few more words on the subject can be found in the last item of this report.
I include the map of the United States this week under the subject of the U.S. Drought Monitor, which does include a summary national weather report and forecast. In addition, the forecast released this week by Accuweather indicates higher than normal temperatures for the Summer.
A flurry of articles published this week can be characterized as “the water wars in the west are back.”
The first article in this section, “Why no one won in this year’s water wars,” opens the coverage.
The limited release plan thus far announced by the Bureau of Reclamation and the California State Water Project of just 40% of the water requested by water districts– both agricultural and urban districts– has drawn some push back, by both agricultural interests and those who want more water withheld to protect fish.
The most interesting subject in this section is found in this article and video– “California’s Dam Removal Damages: Local Farmers Fear Liability for Massive Salmon Deaths,” followed by an article on the removal of the fourth dam on the Klamath River in northern California.
Some new research has found that the floods in California for the past 170 years pale in comparison to those atmospheric rivers of more than 3,000 years ago.
But, I do wish to add that in 2014 I wrote a book review under the title, “Are We Controlled by the Whims of Nature, or Will We Create Our Future?” The book, “The West Without Water: What Past Floods, Droughts, and Other Climatic Clues Tell Us About Tomorrow,” by B. Lynn Ingram and Frances Malamud-Roam.
Finally, the report on the Colorado River this week discusses how as we enter a warmer period the snow in the Rocky Mountains will melt and how much of it will reach the Colorado River.
