Drought - Page 6

UN: El Niño’s Gonna Rock

The El Niño currently forming in the Pacific Ocean could potentially be the strongest weather pattern of its kind since 1950, the United Nations’ World Meteorological Organization (WMO) predicted Tuesday.

The Associated Press

Droughtshaming the Kardashians

Kylie Jenner and her rapper boyfriend Tyga were both cited by the Las Virgenes Municipal Water District for wasting water at their lavish homes this summer as California struggled through a fourth year of record drought, reports local affiliate NBC4.

kylie jenner

Los Angeles Slashes Water Use

In July, Los Angeles residents reduced their water use by 21%, meeting the standard that state regulators implemented and avoiding fines and penalties imposed by the state.

The Associated Press

Forget El Niño: ‘PDO’ Could Flood California

While climatologists keep an eye on what could be an historic El Niño on the West Coast this winter, another, less-well-known weather pattern currently developing in the Pacific Ocean could end California’s drought and then some–leaving the Golden State up to its ears in rainfall for up to a decade.

California ocean (Evan / Flickr / CC / Cropped)

California Drought Driving Tech Boom

Every rain cloud has a silver lining–and nowhere is that more true than in California, even though there haven’t been many rain clouds overhead in some time. California’s record four-year drought is driving a new technology boom, with several startups

The Associated Press

California Marijuana Boom Destroying 25% of Stream Flows

As Breitbart News reported in “Pot Tax: Sacramento Politicians ‘Jonesing’ for a Spending Fix,” the Democrat-controlled California Legislature is desperate for marijuana taxes, which could arise from a 2016 ballot initiative legalizing marijuana, in hopes of gaining a consistent new tax revenue source. But the California Department of Fish and Wildlife estimates that illegal pot growing is drying up watersheds and causing some at-risk fisheries to approach collapse.

Marijuana dude (Robyn Back / AFP / Getty)

Met Water District Just Lost up to 5% of SoCal Water to San Diego

The San Diego County Water Authority not only won $190 million last week from the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, but may have also won $2 billion in future costs savings and another 5 percent of all “Met” water that is currently being wholesaled to the other 25 other Southern California water districts.

<> on April 8, 2015 in Pleasanton, California.

Tom Selleck Sued for Water Theft

A California water district has filed suit against Tom Selleck for water theft, alleging the actor repeatedly filled a commercial tanker with water from a public hydrant and used it at his personal property.

tom-selleck-AP

Fresno Bee Blasts Marijuana Industry for Harming Environment

The Fresno Bee has published an editorial blasting marijuana growers, noting the environmental impact of marijuana farms around the state of California and the catastrophic ecological impact effect of 18 years of medical marijuana legalization, including “exacerbating the drought.”

Watering Marijuana (Pete Starman / Getty)