California

California’s second largest reservoir is shrinking

Published

1 year ago

July 2, 2024

California’s second largest reservoir is shrinking

A new study from California’s Department of Water Resources (DWR) has found that Lake Oroville is shrinking.

Water levels at the state’s second largest reservoir are in a much better place than they were two years ago, when severe drought gripped much of California. Two back-to-back wet winters, accompanied by atmospheric rivers, have supplemented the water levels at many California reservoirs and contributed greatly to their recovery, although the atmospheric rivers also caused flooding and mudslides.

Atmospheric rivers are a “long, narrow region in the atmosphere—like rivers in the sky—that transport most of the water vapor outside of the tropics,” according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Despite Lake Oroville’s recovery, water officials recently discovered that its capacity was shrinking and that the lake had lost 3 percent of capacity since it was created in the 1960s.

The Enterprise Bridge is pictured over a full Lake Oroville on June 15, 2023, in Oroville, California. Water officials recently learned that the lake’s capacity is shrinking.

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“DWR utilized the latest terrain-mapping technology to determine if there have been any changes in the lake’s volume to optimize how the reservoir is operated and ensure accuracy in estimating California’s water supply availability,” a DWR webpage said.

“What resulted were highly detailed 3D topographic terrain models of the bottom of the lake, which DWR engineers used to calculate a new storage capacity of 3,424,753 acre-feet, approximately 3 percent less than previously estimated,” the webpage added.

The DWR attributed the loss to “weather swings and almost six decades of service.” Newsweek reached out to the DWR by email for comment.

Despite the loss, DWR officials said Lake Oroville remains the state’s second largest reservoir, behind only Lake Shasta.

“Having updated storage capacity data allows us to operate Lake Oroville in a more efficient manner,” said John Yarbrough, the DWR’s deputy director of the State Water Project.

“It ensures we are providing adequate flood storage protection during winter months and accurately accounts for the state’s water supply, which is especially important as we experience climate change-driven weather extremes,” he said.

During the winter months, water officials occasionally release water from the reservoir to provide flood mitigation for downstream communities, such as in February when atmospheric rivers brought a deluge of rain to the area. Once California enters its dry season, officials transition to retaining as much water as possible in the reservoir.

Lake Oroville’s water levels began rising last December and reached full capacity in May. The levels have been steadily declining over the past few weeks as California enters its dry season.

However, the lake is in a much better state than it was in 2022. As of Tuesday, Lake Oroville’s water levels were at 887 feet, only 12 feet below full pool of 900 feet. During the summer of 2022, the water levels were at only 750 feet.

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California

CAL FIRE company officer training reaches record 2025 total in California

Published

11 hours ago

November 24, 2025

Press Room

CAL FIRE company officer training reaches record 2025 total in California

Record year for CAL FIRE training

The office of Governor Gavin Newsom said CAL FIRE has trained more than 650 Company Officers in 2025, marking a record year for leadership development across California.

According to the governor’s office, four Company Officer academies have operated at full capacity during 2025.

The newest site, the Atwater Training Center in Merced County, opened in July 2025 to meet rising training demand.

Existing facilities in Ione, Redding and Riverside have supported the expanded training programme.

The office said this training year reflects a sustained focus on developing professional leaders for CAL FIRE operations across the state.

Gavin Newsom, Governor of California, said: “Rapidly expanding our world-class firefighting force is just one piece of California’s unprecedented investment in fire protection and readiness.

“From new training facilities to the Southern California Emergency Operations Center, we’re building the infrastructure and workforce our communities need to face the climate challenges ahead.

“While Donald Trump undercuts federal readiness for mega-fires that threaten communities across the west, California continues to dominate with key investments in fire readiness and response.”

Company Officer Academy Class 25-14 graduation

The office confirmed that 38 CAL FIRE Company Officers have graduated from Company Officer Academy Class 25-14 at the Ione Training Center.

This cohort is described as the final class in the 2025 training cycle.

The graduates have completed an intensive syllabus and will move into leadership roles across the department.

CAL FIRE Director and Fire Chief Joe Tyler administered the oath to the new Company Officers.

Tyler’s keynote address highlighted the workload involved in delivering this year’s instruction.

CAL FIRE Director and Fire Chief Joe Tyler said: “This milestone year of training represents our commitment to the future of CAL FIRE and the safety of California.

“We recognize the achievement of these 38 students, as well as the dedication of our training staff who maintained exceptionally high standards while sustaining this record-setting pace.”

State investment in wildfire readiness and prevention

The governor’s office linked the graduation to wider state investment in wildfire response and prevention capabilities.

According to the office, California has doubled its spending on wildfire prevention and resilience efforts since 2020.

State figures report more than $2.5 billion allocated to wildfire resilience programmes.

An additional $1.5 billion is due to come from the 2024 Climate Bond.

California has also invested $173 million in community-based wildfire projects aimed at helping local areas protect themselves from wildfires.

The office described the firefighters graduating at the new training facility as an example of this funding in practice.

The governor’s office added that California has joined the Northwest Wildland Fire Fighting Compact.

This agreement expands mutual aid partnerships for major wildfire incidents to additional agencies across the US and Canada.

How expanded CAL FIRE capacity relates to sector priorities

The expansion of CAL FIRE Company Officer training and the opening of the Atwater Training Center in Merced County provide practical information for fire and rescue chiefs and senior officers tracking workforce development in US wildland agencies.

A record total of more than 650 Company Officers trained in 2025 indicates the scale of leadership capacity being built within CAL FIRE.

Training officers and instructors may note that four academies operated at full capacity, with a new site added to handle increased demand.

Emergency and disaster response managers can draw on the detailed figures on state investment, including more than $2.5 billion for wildfire resilience, $1.5 billion from the 2024 Climate Bond and $173 million for community-based projects.

Government departments and mutual aid coordinators will be directly affected by California’s decision to join the Northwest Wildland Fire Fighting Compact, which broadens access to partner resources during major wildfire incidents.

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California

All lanes reopen on 5 Freeway in Oceanside after officer-involved shooting forces closure

Published

2 days ago

November 22, 2025

Press Room

All lanes reopen on 5 Freeway in Oceanside after officer-involved shooting forces closure

OCEANSIDE, Calif. (KABC) — Hours after an officer-involved shooting prompted the full closure of the 5 Freeway in Oceanside, all lanes were reopened Saturday afternoon as the investigation continues.

“The 5 is closed in both directions between Oceanside and the Orange County border while police investigate a shooting,” Caltrans said in a social media post at 9:39 a.m., adding that drivers should use the 15 Freeway as an alternative route.

The Buena Park Police Department said its officers attempted to pull over a car for vehicle code violations just before 1 p.m. in the area of La Palma Avenue and San Marino Drive, but the car failed to stop and a pursuit ensued.

“At 1:05 a.m. we asked CHP to take over the pursuit. They did but requested our K-9 unit stay in the pursuit,” Buena Park police said in a statement.

Police said that at 2:10 a.m., the suspect vehicle was brought to a stop and then an officer-involved shooting occurred. It was not immediately known what led to the shooting.

A SigAlert was issued shortly after 2:30 a.m. between Harbor Drive in Oceanside and Christianitos Road in San Clemente, according to the California Highway Patrol.

As several lanes were reopened hours later, the Highway Patrol urged motorists to continue to use caution and watch for personnel in the area.

The investigation is ongoing.

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California

Chris Bell scores 21, sparks California to 91-67 victory over Sacramento State

Published

3 days ago

November 22, 2025

Press Room

Chris Bell scores 21, sparks California to 91-67 victory over Sacramento State

BERKELEY, Calif. — – Chris Bell scored 17 of his 21 points in the first half and California cruised to a 91-67 victory over Sacramento State on Friday night in a campus game of the Empire Classic.

Bell and Justin Pippen combined for 29 points to help California take a 47-33 lead into the break. Bell sank 6 of 8 shots with three 3-pointers in the first 20 minutes.

John Camden’s 3-pointer capped an 11-2 run to begin the second half and the Golden Bears (5-1) were never threatened. Cal took its biggest lead at 81-47 on a 3-pointer by Camden with nine minutes left to play.

Pippen finished with 16 points and five assists. Dai Dai Ames also scored 16 and Camden totaled 14 points, five rebounds and five assists.

Brandon Gardner hit 4 of 5 from 3-point range and scored 19 to lead the Hornets (3-4). Mark Lavrenov had 14 points and Prophet Johnson notched his fifth double-double of the young season with 12 points and 11 rebounds.

The Golden Bears shot 50.8% overall and made 15 of 38 from beyond the arc (39.5%).

Sac State made only 18 of 67 shots (26.9%) overall, including 7 of 24 from distance. The Hornets made 24 of 30 free throws, while Cal sank 10 of 19.

—— Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here and here (AP News mobile app). AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketballbr/]

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