Here’s a story from me in the Ojai Quarterly about the leading agriculture export from the Ojai Valley, the Pixie tangerine, it’s past, present and (gulp) future. For ease of internet access, let me run an easy-to-read-online version of the story that ran in the print magazine, with appropriate linkage, below the fold. As anContinue reading “Will the Ojai Pixie Survive?”
Tag Archives: drought
Climate change hits ag in Ventura County
Proud to have published this story recently in a prominent Ventura County publication. With the help of Ben Hatchett of the Desert Research Institute, we showed I think that avocados, though now a substantial part of Ventura County agriculture, will in the not-too-distant future be a much more risky proposition…but that other crops, such asContinue reading “Climate change hits ag in Ventura County”
The Blob is back: Will the RRR return? What about drought in CA?
This decade, the worst drought in California’s recorded history happened in large part due to a formidable ridge of high pressure off the shores of the Pacific Northwest in 2012 that persisted for years in the winter months. This bumped the winter jetstream that brings us low pressure systems and precipitation to the north and awayContinue reading “The Blob is back: Will the RRR return? What about drought in CA?”
Climate change polarizes an election in Ojai
Ojai, California is a little town with a lot of big opinions. This fall an election between a long-standing incumbent and a self-educated water wonk has stirred up a good deal of controversy. Here’s my attempt to report on the issues for the Ventura County Reporter. My focus was to give the candidates a chanceContinue reading “Climate change polarizes an election in Ojai”
TEN EXCELLENT CLIMATE STORIES/LINKS
A New York Times primer on the 17 biggest questions people ask about climate change: A New York magazine story about climate change and the dangers of extreme heat. http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2017/07/climate-change-earth-too-hot-for-humans.html A Vanity Fair article about climate change and the danger of extreme heat. https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2017/06/extreme-heat-global-warming A Scientific American story about the great California megaflood. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/atmospheric-rivers-california-megaflood-lessons-from-forgotten-catastrophe/ AContinue reading “TEN EXCELLENT CLIMATE STORIES/LINKS”
Drought over for Ojai? Not yet, but…
Much of Ventura County has now (this water year, beginning in October) reached 100% of annual rainfall. Cheri Carlson writes in the VC Star This is the first winter since 2011 for the area to get above-average rainfall. Much of the Ventura County has had 120 to 180 percent of normal rainfall so far this year,Continue reading “Drought over for Ojai? Not yet, but…”
Is desalination the answer for drought in Ventura County?
Although climate change was hardly mentioned in the two-hour discussion of desalination led by Ventura County supervisor Steve Bennett last Thursday at the county government center, the question of drought has clearly been very much on the minds of water officials in the county. Even more alarming, possibly, might be an earthquake that could interrupt supplies toContinue reading “Is desalination the answer for drought in Ventura County?”
Ojai water district “excited” by report of water in mountains
Yesterday the Casitas Municipal Water District‘s management staff and Board of Directors held a meeting and heard a “Preliminary Water Security Project Analysis” report from two consultants, including hydrogeologist Jordan Kear, who has been surveying the Ojai Valley for years for a groundwater agency, and knows its geology well. (Note: the project analysis is attachedContinue reading “Ojai water district “excited” by report of water in mountains”
ON THE BRINK: SoCal faces dire, drier future
Here’s a story I spent a month or so reporting over the summer for the Ventura County Reporter: What the science is saying about the prospects for drought this century in Southern California ON THE BRINK: Southern California faces dire, drier future I’d like to dedicate this story to the late great climatologist Kelly Redmond,Continue reading “ON THE BRINK: SoCal faces dire, drier future”
Trump denies drought exists in California
The Donald, as he is known in tabloid reporting in New York, told Californians that their drought doesn’t exist. It’s not a problem, it’s just a government snafu. From USA Today: California suffered one of its driest years in 2015. And last year the state hit its driest four-year period on record. But Donald TrumpContinue reading “Trump denies drought exists in California”
Kit Stolz 