Santa Cruz’s famous sea otter, 841, has given birth to a wee pup — suggesting that erratic behavior including pilfering surfboards could have been hormonally driven.
Environment
Posted inEnvironment
U.N. report warns of catastrophic climate tipping points. California is nearing several
The tipping points include groundwater depletion, rising insurance costs, extreme heat, species extinction, melting glaciers and space debris.
Posted inEnvironment
Some Pajaro Valley farms are paid to solve California’s water crisis by returning stormwater to the ground
Can agriculture, long considered a drain on the state’s water resources, help solve California’s water crisis? In the Pajaro Valley, some farmers are being paid to return stormwater to the ground. The effort is part of a joint project among local agencies, landowners and UC Santa Cruz to install groundwater recharge basins on some local farms. Participating farms receive cash rebates based on how much water they capture. But while early results are promising, many challenges remain.
Posted inEnvironment
Officials urge California residents to brace for flooding as El Niño looms
More than 7 million California residents live in an area where they are at risk of flood, officials said — and many don’t even know it. That echoes a warning to the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors last week about battered local infrastructure ahead of an El Niño winter.
Posted inEnvironment
What do more quakes at one of California’s riskiest volcanoes mean? Scientists think they know
The Long Valley Caldera, which includes the Mammoth Lakes area, has been undergoing geological changes and seismic activity, which can precede a volcanic eruption. But scientists say not to worry.
Posted inEnvironment
Can California continue to fight the ocean? A new book argues for new approaches
As last winter made clear all over Santa Cruz County, nothing is permanent when confronted with the power of the Pacific. In “California Against the Sea,” Los Angeles Times journalist Rosanna Xia examines the postwar coastal development boom and the daunting challenges facing the 27 million Californians who live in the coastal zone as sea-level rise and coastal erosion become urgent facts of life. She’ll talk about it Tuesday at Bookshop Santa Cruz.
Posted inEnvironment
California just experienced a ‘miracle’ water year. But winter could bring new challenges
With great abundance comes risk. Forecasters are warning of another potentially wet winter fueled by El Niño, which could bring levee breaches and flooding.
Posted inEnvironment
As heat waves warm the Pacific Ocean, effects on marine life remain murky
While satellites and offshore buoys can inform scientists about marine heat waves, the effects on ocean species are less understood.
Posted inEnvironment
El Niño is getting stronger, and odds are tilting toward another wet winter for California
There is a 95% chance that El Niño will persist into next year, and a 71% chance that it will become a “strong” El Niño, officials say.
Posted inEnvironment
Thousands of California wells are at risk of drying up despite landmark water law
Researchers examined plans for managing groundwater in the Central Valley. They found local plans leave thousands of wells at risk of running dry.
