Page 11 - Watershed Sciences News Today

California's year of endless storms has seeded superblooms of wildflowers and provided a boost to some of the state's endangered ecosystems.

Over 90% of California’s giant snowpack hasn’t melted yet. But with high temperatures forecast across the Sierra Nevada, the ‘Big Melt’ is finally here.

Tulare Lake is re-emerging after storms battered the state, but it is wreaking havoc on local communities.

Beaver ponds contain nitrogen, an essential nutrient that can become a pollutant when too much is present. Land managers need to know if beaver ponds are storing or releasing nitrogen, but chemical testing can be expensive. A new study shows how simple mapping of a beaver pond’s depth and sediment can tell managers whether it’s a nitrogen source or sink.

The U.S. Forest Service has used fire retardant for six decades, including about 14 million more gallons in 2021 than the 10-year average. Some experts wonder if retardant is effective, and safe, enough for continued use.

Removing two aging Eel River dams known as the Potter Valley Project would benefit salmon, lamprey and people, but what happens next remains unclear.

The 1983 floods destroyed much of the plant life in the Great Salt Lake's wetlands, allowing invasive phragmites to take hold, which still plagues the lake today.

The state’s April snow measurements, which record the peak accumulation, will show more than 235% of average snowpack — the most in 70 years.

After a series of winter storms replenished California’s water sources, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced the state will no longer ask people to cut their water use by 15%. He was careful, however, not to say the drought is over.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom ended some of the state’s water restrictions on Friday because a winter of relentless rain and snow has replenished the state’s reservoirs.