Tag Archives: floods

The myth of normal river flow: Drought, floods, and management of California’s rivers

Posted on October 1, 2023 by Andrew Rypel

By Julie Zimmerman, Jennifer Carah, Kirk Klausmeyer, Bronwen Stanford, Monty Schmitt, Mia Van Docto, Mary Ann King, and Matt Clifford Is California still experiencing drought? Even after a winter of record rainfall and snowpack, followed by a tropical storm, this … Continue reading →

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Hidden links between aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems: part 2 – Sacramento River

Posted on August 13, 2023 by Andrew Rypel

By Nicholas Wright Running through the Central Valley’s patchwork of yellow, green, and brown farmlands is the deep blue of California’s largest river–the Sacramento. Once a much wider river, meandering across the flat valley floor, the Sacramento has been straight-jacketed … Continue reading →

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Can Sacramento Valley reservoirs adapt to flooding with a warmer climate?

Posted on June 25, 2023 by UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences

  by Jay Lund and Ann Willis Editor’s note: This is a blog that was originally posted on 6/25/17. Since publication of the blog, there has been interesting newer research about running the San Joaquin rim dams for “functional flows” … Continue reading →

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This Drought is Dead – Long Live the Drought

Posted on March 26, 2023 by Andrew Rypel

by Jay Lund and Andrew L. Rypel Floods and droughts are not opposites and can occur simultaneously. This occurs often in California and is especially well-illustrated this year. Floods, droughts, and water scarcity are different. Floods are too much water … Continue reading →

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Nature’s gift to nature in early winter storms

Posted on January 15, 2023 by Andrew Rypel

By Jeffrey Mount, Peter B. Moyle, Andrew L. Rypel, and Carson Jeffres The current wet spell, made up of a parade of atmospheric rivers, is a welcome change from the last three years of record dry and warm conditions. For … Continue reading →

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Can one atmospheric river end California’s drought?

Posted on October 31, 2021 by Andrew Rypel

By Andrew L. Rypel and Jay Lund Given the quantity and intensity of last week’s rain, an obvious question is: ‘Is the drought over?’ Alas, the answer is a resounding no. But, the data are interesting and worth thinking about … Continue reading →

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A sweet spot for farms and fish on a floodplain

Posted on May 9, 2013 by UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences

By Richard Howitt and Josué Medellín-Azuara For decades, Sacramento area freeway commuters have been treated to a carousel of contrasting landscapes as they cross a vast floodplain known as the Yolo Bypass. The carousel rotates by the season. In wet … Continue reading →

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Boldly approach the Delta’s future

Posted on October 19, 2011 by

By Jay R. Lund and Ellen Hanak Policy decisions on how to manage the lands and waters of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta are unavoidably controversial.  The Delta Stewardship Council’s first Delta Plan, now under development, presents a rare opportunity to … Continue reading →

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Adaptive management and experimental island flooding in the Delta

Posted on August 24, 2011 by

Robyn J. Suddeth, Hydrology Graduate Student, UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences   Like many of the world’s deltas, the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta is in transition. A deteriorating native ecosystem, conflicting water quality objectives, and a fragile levee system are … Continue reading →

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Woodman, spare that levee?

Posted on June 30, 2011 by cathrynlawrence

Jay Lund, the Ray B. Krone Professor of Environmental Engineering, University of California – Davis   Policy debates sometimes seem to tragically miss the big picture.  The current debate on levee vegetation in California is an example.  Both sides assert … Continue reading →

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