Some degree of sanity appears to have been forced upon the Golden State, as California Governor Gavin Newsom announced on January 31 that he had ordered his state’s water resources agency to find ways to maximize water storage that catches rainwater as what he described as an “atmospheric river” approaches California. However, while the water capture is a good thing, California has gotten more bad news in that the storms could mean significant flooding and other chaos, such as mudslides.
For reference, atmospheric rivers occur when long, narrow regions of water vapor concentrate in the atmosphere, transporting a great degree of moisture from the tropics to wherever they’re going. Newsom has loosened up water storage and diversion regulations while ordering his state to do the utmost to capture it, something that makes sense in the context of the great degree of bad press California got over allegedly empty water reservoirs during the Pacific Palisades fire crisis.
The press statement released by the Office of Governor Gavin Newsom said, “As an atmospheric river continues to move into Northern California, Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES), California Department of Public Health (CDPH), and California Department of Social Services (CDSS) continue to take proactive steps to keep people safe.”
Continuing, the statement went on to note that many personnel have been redeployed throughout the state to ready for the storms. It provided, “This builds on the action Governor Newsom announced Thursday to pre-deploy resources and thousands of personnel throughout Northern California.”
The statement added, noting what the atmospheric river event will bring, “According to the National Weather Service, a prolonged atmospheric river event will continue to bring moderate to heavy rain to Northern and Central California through the Pacific Northwest with mountain snow in the Cascades and Northern Rockies into next week.”
It further noted, on the matter of potential infrastructure decay, “The atmospheric river could bring an increased risk of power outages, flooding in small streams and low-lying areas, and debris, rocks, and mudslides on roadways. Cal OES encourages residents to reduce injury risks by staying inside, not driving through flooded roadways, and preparing in advance for power outages.”
Then, describing where personnel had been sent, it noted, “Cal OES is deploying swift water and flood response equipment and personnel to the following 10 counties: El Dorado, Glenn, Lake, Marin, Monterey, Napa, Nevada, Sacramento, San Joaquin, and Tuolumne. This also includes six specialized Swift Water Rescue teams, 31 local government fire engines, and 13 local government staff.”
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The statement further added that the state is closely watching those areas harmed by fires, saying, “On Thursday, Governor Newsom announced that Cal OES is monitoring weather impacts and working closely with local areas that are forecasted to be affected. In particular, the state is closely monitoring recent burn scar areas that pose the threat of mudslides and debris flows.”
Governor Newsom, for his part, was quoted in the statement as saying, “We’re pre-deploying significant resources and thousands of personnel to protect the safety of our California communities during this significant weather event. Californians should take precautions now as we anticipate a few rounds of storms in the coming days.”
As to water storage, the statement noted, “Governor Newsom yesterday signed an executive order to ready the state and maximize the use of anticipated stormwater flows to help continue to boost California’s water supply. The order makes it easier for local and regional agencies to use existing state laws to maximize groundwater recharge during this storm event. This builds on the Governor’s 2023 executive orders to support groundwater-recharge efforts in the context of that year’s unusually strong winter storms, as well as subsequent legislation codifying those efforts in state law.”
It further provided, “Recent above-average water years in 2023 and 2024 helped replenish the state’s reservoirs, but multi-year drought conditions continue to have significant impacts on communities with vulnerable water supplies, agriculture, and the environment. The latest science indicates that hotter and drier weather conditions could reduce California’s water supply by up to 10% by the year 2040. The frequency of extreme weather, including wildfires, in California demonstrates the need to continually adapt to promote resiliency in a changing climate. Yesterday, the Department of Water Resources conducted the second snow survey of the season, which showed a snowpack well below average.”