- A $4 billion plan would flood miles of ranchlands and create California’s first major reservoir in a half-century. But there may not be enough water to fill it. By Kurtis Alexander
- In August 2022, there were 531,000 acres of unplanted farmland in California. By Yoohyun Jung
- With drought and climate change expected to potentially deplete up to 10% of California’s water supplies in the coming decades, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced plans on Thursday to tap more sources of water. By Michael Cabanatuan
- The Six Rivers Lightning Complex began as a dozen lightning-caused blazes on Friday and continued to burn out of control over the weekend. By Kellie Hwang
- New state water data shows that Californians have conserved a paltry 2.7% since Gov. Gavin Newsom asked for sacrifice. By Kurtis Alexander
- Benicia residents and businesses must immediately cut their water usage by 30% because of a pipeline break. By Carolyn Said
- For backcountry hikers, August used to be a magical month, coming after the mosquitoes and before early autumn storms. Now, the risk of fires and smoke has cast a pall. By Kate Galbraith
- California water officials are moving forward with a controversial $16 billion plan to build a 45-mile pipeline beneath the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta. The goal is to secure California’s water supplies. By Kurtis Alexander
- Drought’s impact is visible from space. By Yoohyun Jung
- One of North America’s oldest lakes and an emblem of California’s wild beauty faces a painful reckoning as the drought intensifies. By Kurtis Alexander
- Climate experts say there’s a high chance that La Niña conditions will prevail in California into the fall and early winter, bringing dry weather to parts of the state. By Michael Cabanatuan
- As the latest drought drags on, advocates point to reused household water, or greywater, as a relatively easy way to cut outdoor water use. But statewide incentives are still lacking for systems that can save a household thousands of gallons a year. By Danielle Echeverria
- Californians are finally using less water, rather than more, as the punishing drought continues. But they’re nowhere near Gov. Gavin Newsom’s call for 15% savings. By Kurtis Alexander
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California’s drought is dire. But there’s a surprising bright spot that may make this year better...Spring runoff is one of the most important barometers of state water supplies, and it’s up over a year ago despite the intensity of the drought. By Kurtis Alexander
- A father trying to help his son and a teenage baseball star are the latest victims claimed by the waters of Lake Berryessa. By Rachel Swan
- With the Fourth of July weekend approaching in the midst of a punishing drought and a pivotal moment in California’s wildfire season, fire officials across the Bay Area were once again pleading with the public to choose ways to celebrate that... By Annie Vainshtein
- In California, state and federal water managers who control massive projects that supply farms and cities are having to make hard choices. By Yoohyun Jung and Kurtis Alexander
- Newsom has refused to follow in former Gov. Jerry Brown’s footsteps and mandate that all residents cut back. But Newsom’s calls for voluntary conservation aren’t working as water consumption soars. By Dustin Gardiner
- Drought. Extreme heat. Wildfires. Potential blackouts. It’s “danger season” for California and much of the West. By Kurtis Alexander
- Harmful algal blooms are natural parts of the ecosystem, but they can also release toxins that sicken or even kill people and animals. They’re becoming more common as temperatures rise and water systems are starved and disrupted. By Yoohyun Jung
- Plus: Tighter drought restrictions hit S.F., other California cities By Gwendolyn Wu
- After three dry years, state regulators have begun restricting water draws from rivers and creeks in the sprawling Sacramento and San Joaquin river watersheds. By Kurtis Alexander
- Water use in cities and towns jumped 18% in the month of April, continuing a concerning trend of increasing water consumption amid a three-year drought. By Kurtis Alexander
- Land subsidence caused by groundwater pumping is a century-old issue in California. But with drought and climate change, it’s getting worse. By Yoohyun Jung
- California is one step closer to imposing mandatory water restrictions after residents have largely shrugged off Gov. Gavin Newsom’s pleas to voluntarily reduce their consumption as the state plunges into another year of drought. By Dustin Gardiner
- As California’s “unprecedented” drought worsens, the Santa Clara Valley Water District will start issuing significant fines to customers who violate local water rules. By Kurtis Alexander
- California’s governor warned Monday that the state could soon be subject to mandatory water restrictions unless residents get serious about using less water. By Kate Galbraith
- Biologists are planting milkweeds and other native plants to restore habitat for monarch butterflies in Central California. Will they come back? By Tara Duggan
- New data released by state regulators shows that California’s messaging on drought and conservation isn’t working By Kurtis Alexander
- A proposed bill would pay farmworkers who lost work due to dry or low-water conditions $1,000 a month for three years. By Melissa Montalvo
- Crews are attempting to rescue the threatened Clear Lake hitch, which are running aground in dried-up streams at the huge lake, 100 miles north of San Francisco. By Kurtis Alexander
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Desperate for water, Wine Country grape growers build expensive pipelines to cities’ recycled sewageIncreasingly, Bay Area vintners are turning to recycled water for vineyard irrigation. Building the pipelines to carry this water can cost tens of thousands of dollars, but for the owners of some drought-stricken vineyards, it may feel like the... By Esther Mobley
- Residents in Oakland, Berkeley and other parts of Alameda and Contra Costa counties must follow new rules on ordering water in restaurants, decorative fountains and much else. By Sarah Ravani
- The East Bay Municipal Water District Board of Directors voted Tuesday to cap water usage for households in Contra Costa and Alameda counties — a significant step to address the state’s dire drought situation. By Sarah Ravani
- The storm that brought wet weather to the Bay Area last week dumped an “impressive” amount of snow on the Sierra Nevada for the month of April, said the National Weather Service. By Jessica Flores