Copy Link
Owner and founder Jeff Smith in front of what remains of the Hourglass winery and processing facility in Napa. He s rebuilding, but wildfires have him rethinking everything about his land and business.
(Eric Westervelt/NPR)
After one of the most destructive and extreme wildfire seasons in modern history last year, a widening drought across California and much of the West has many residents bracing for the possibility this season could be worse.
Anemic winter rain and snowfall has left reservoirs and river flows down significantly, even as the state experiences its driest water year in more than four decades. Today, wildfire fuels in some parts of California are at or near record levels of dryness.
The Rundown
water infrastructure package. FERC commissioners discuss incorporating
environmental justice into their evaluation of energy infrastructure. The EPA announces a new round of
WIFIA funds and approves grant funding for water systems in two
Alaska Native villages. President Biden nominates a government veteran to lead the
Army Corps of Engineers. And lastly, the GAO recommends that the EPA updated its database with more accurate information on
drinking water utility ownership.
“This legislation represents, I think, a fantastic first effort for our ongoing work together to address the major concerns of the American people when it comes to infrastructure and the environment, and in a thoughtful and fiscally responsible fashion.” Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) speaking on the Senate floor in support of a drinking water and wastewater infrastructure bill. The bill passed by an 89 to 2 margin.
2:00
Droughts are nothing new in California, so many wineries have adopted new methods and technologies to prepare for what has already been a very dry year.
Gary Eberle is the owner of Paso Robles’ Eberle Winery. He said the vineyard uses its own irrigation systems and new technologies, like overhead trough protection for the grapes.
Eberle said extra irrigation is common in California vineyards, since you can’t just count on the rain.
“Without additional water, it is almost impossible to get a crop; it’s almost impossible to keep the vines alive,” Eberle said.
The winery has also cut the amount of water they use to grow grapes by more than two acre-feet, or over 650,000 gallons.
Rain, Snow Help Efforts to Fight New Mexico Wildfire
The Weather Channel 47 mins ago Ron Brackett and Jan Wesner Childs
Crews battling a wildfire burning in southern New Mexico got an assist from a second day of wetter weather on Wednesday. Rain and snow are falling again today, which is lessening fire activity, according to an update posted at 11 a.m. MDT. Up to a half inch of rain is expected on portion of the fire. Precipitation and higher humidity levels around 30% will slow the fire.
But officials warned that erratic winds along mountain ridges in the area of the fire were expected to continue.
Vail Daily
Summit County’s mountain landscape is covered in a fresh coating of springtime snow. Despite a wet April, the region is still well behind median snowpack for this winter.
Photo by Joel Wexler
EAGLE For many climate experts, the current drought in Western Colorado is the worst they’ve seen in their lifetimes, and the outlook isn’t great for the coming summer.
Joel Lisonbee who works for the National Integrated Drought Information System, a division of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said drought conditions have been improving in Colorado but primarily on the eastern side of the Continental Divide. He noted that current 90-day outlooks aren’t good for temperature, precipitation and drought tendency.