Nov 03 Why dams are at the heart of California’s water wars By Spencer Michels I’ve been covering California water issues a long time. As the years have gone by, the water wars have ebbed and flowed. Mostly flowed. Continue reading
Oct 31 Watch 9:46 Is desalination the future of drought relief in California? By PBS News Hour San Diego is set to soon start supplying itself with millions of gallons a day of fresh, drinkable water, using saltwater from the Pacific Ocean, converted by a brand new desalination plant. As California's historic drought continues, the plant will… Continue watching
Oct 14 Watch 5:50 California’s water-starved sequoias show signs of stress By PBS News Hour California's giant sequoias are special. These massive trees stretch hundreds of feet and live for thousands of years. But they are also being stressed: requiring an enormous amount of water, they are showing signs of suffering through the state's historic… Continue watching
Oct 07 Watch 6:43 As drought-desperate California sinks, the risk of flood is rising By PBS News Hour California is sinking, and sinking fast. As desperate farmers have turned to drilling to keep their crops green, the removal of groundwater is making the land settle inches lower at a sharp pace. In the Central Valley, that geological drop… Continue watching
Sep 16 Watch 4:54 What made the West explode in flames By PBS News Hour The West’s potentially record-breaking wildfire season has burned more than 650,000 acres in California alone. Science correspondent Miles O’Brien joins Hari Sreenivasan to discuss the science behind the flames. Continue watching
Aug 19 Watch 4:18 Why the U.S. is asking Canada and Australia for firefighting help By PBS News Hour William Brangham speaks to Ron Dunton, assistant director for Fire and Aviation at the Bureau of Land Management, about efforts to contain the staggering number of fires burning in the West this summer. Continue watching
Aug 19 Watch 1:37 Widespread wildfires prompt Army, National Guard to join the fight By PBS News Hour More than a thousand firefighters and volunteers are struggling to gain control of a complex of fires in Washington state. The sheer number of fires burning across the Pacific Northwest and in California this year has stretched budgets and personnel… Continue watching
Aug 03 Watch 2:27 California battles unprecedented wildfire, fueled by drought By PBS News Hour A major wildfire continued to burn in Northern California for a sixth straight day, despite some relief from lower temperatures and higher humidity. The fire has already consumed more than 60,000 acres, including two dozen homes, and put at least… Continue watching
Jul 04 Watch 9:48 Will California’s new water restrictions ease its historic drought? By PBS News Hour Since the California drought began, the lack of water has cost thousands of jobs, caused noticeable changes in the landscape and induced desperation among citizens who are running out of options. In light of the state's newest restrictions implemented last… Continue watching
Jun 12 Federal agencies pledge another $110 million in drought aid By Juliet Williams, Associated Press SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Federal agencies pledged another $110 million in aid Friday to help states struggling with the crippling drought after President Barack Obama talked to leaders from seven western states. Continue reading