Owens Valley

Unpaved road through Owens Lake bed with Sierra Nevada mountains in the background

California Braces for Floods After Historic Winter Storms

Emerging from a years-long drought, the state now faces significant flood risks as temperatures rise and the abundant snowpack begins to melt.

May 1, 2023 - Los Angeles Times

A California Gull walks along the shore, searching for food while surrounded by a swarm of bugs.

L.A.’s Water Diversions Threaten Critical Habitat Far to the North

Water levels at Mono Lake, nestled in a stunningly beautiful location on the eastern slope of the Sierra Nevadas that provides the eastern gateway to Yosemite, have fallen to a critical level of a local population of nesting gulls.

January 16, 2023 - Los Angeles Times

A commemorative plaque documents the history of the Erie Canal: Opened in 1819, abandoned fall of 1917, an extra aqueduct built in 1841 to expand the canal, and a canal park built in 1932.

When Infrastructure Investments Go Wrong

The United States has a near perfect track record of building the infrastructure it thinks it needs. But the country and its various state and local governments, don't always get the vision right.

August 24, 2021 - Governing

California Aqueduct

Southern California's Water Conservation and Storage Efforts Paying Off

The region has poured over a billion dollars into storage infrastructure and demand management policies in anticipation of worsening drought conditions.

May 7, 2021 - Bloomberg Green+CityLab

Sierra Nevada

Owens Valley Calls on Eminent Domain to Buy its Water Back from Los Angeles

Call it a reverse Chinatown.

July 16, 2017 - Los Angeles Times

Designing Permeable Cities for Drought Resilience

Take a kayak trip on the Los Angeles River with KQED science reporter Amy Standen to understand why cities were built on the premise of endless potable water and how we can build cities sustainably in regions that receive low rainfall.

December 4, 2014 - KQED Science

Settling the Dust in the Owens Valley

After years of feud between Los Angeles and the Great Basin Unified Air Pollution Control District, a more sustainable deal has been reached to eradicate the toxic dust storms plaguing Owens Valley.

November 20, 2014 - Los Angeles Times

“There It Is — Take It”: The Story of the Los Angeles Aqueduct

The controversial construction of the Los Angeles Aqueduct provided grist for famous books and movies, and conflicts that continue to this day. In a multimedia feature, Louis Sahagun explores the history of the project that helped birth modern L.A.

October 29, 2013 - Los Angeles Times

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