As California grapples with worsening climate extremes, officials warn that recent storms don’t add up to an end to the drought.
Climate
Posted inEnvironment
California’s snowpack is melting faster than ever before, leaving less available water
As the state gets drier and wildfires climb to higher elevations, snow is melting faster and earlier than before — even in the middle of winter.
Posted inCoast Life
‘Managed retreat is on the table’: City discusses West Cliff’s future, will explore expanding one-way
Santa Cruzans could soon see West Cliff Drive become a one-way street all the way from Bay Street to Woodrow Avenue as city officials begin to seriously consider implementing a managed retreat strategy for the iconic stretch of coastal road.
Posted inOpinion from Community Voices
I’m in charge of water for 98,000 people in Santa Cruz. Here is what I’d like you to know.
Santa Cruz Water Director Rosemary Menard is worried about our memory, specifically about what she calls our “weather memory whiplash.” That’s when we think our water crisis is over because of a few storms, like the ones we had in January. It’s not, she tells us here. In fact, ongoing climate change means our water crisis will likely get worse. “Future water rationing will allot only half as much water to families as water rationing of the past, and future rationing will include businesses,” she says. “That might be easier for an accountant, but not so much for a restaurant, brewery or hotel.”
Posted inLatest News
Preparing for ‘weather whiplash’ focus of county’s latest water resources status report
The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors recently approved the latest Water Resources Status Report, and while the report comes out every year, this one focused heavily on preparing for the effects of climate change and “weather whiplash,” which includes heavy rains like the storm systems that hit in January.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Three tense years lie ahead as Watsonville residents await the Pajaro levee project’s fixes
Mark Strudley of the new Pajaro Regional Flood Management Agency hasn’t been on the job for long and hasn’t even had time yet to build a staff or find an office in Watsonville. The longtime Boulder Creek resident lays out the race against time to build the levee project before the next devastating storms. There are many hurdles, including agency coordination.
Posted inLatest News
Saving West Cliff: ‘If we decide not to do anything, then you will have nothing’
Santa Cruz citizens and neighbors are summoning new energy and vision to “Save West Cliff.” The iconic 2.7-mile promenade that presents stunning, unimpeded views of the ocean has meant so much to so many for so long. With climate change now accelerating its challenges, citizens and the city now also step up their work and advocacy. Next up: a Feb. 13 “community conversation” about West Cliff Drive.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
‘They need to know they matter’: Why a humanistic approach is core to this new homelessness group’s work
Evan Morrison’s four-month-old Santa Cruz Free Guide, which has been running the Safe RV Parking program at the Armory, has caught the attention of others who keep a close eye on homelessness response efforts. It’s why the City of Santa Cruz called on the Free Guide to pop up an emergency shelter downtown during the worst nights of winter storms. Morrison believes successful homelessness response begins with a specific mindset, grounded in empathy.
Posted inOpinion from Community Voices
Mitigating climate change starts with you: It’s time to pay attention to our ocean and its kelp forests
With climate change in the spotlight thanks to the January 2023 storms, local environmental activist Dan Haifley reminds us of the important work happening at the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, part of a national network of protected areas that fights climate change and pollution and protects biodiversity. That includes climate change research and preserving iconic kelp forests that reduce coastal erosion and absorb excess carbon from climate change.
Posted inLatest News
New Bay Area maps show hidden flood risk from sea level rise and groundwater
Amid repeated storms and sea level rise, new research shines light on another flood risk that has remained hidden for years: groundwater rise.