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"title": "Could Carbon Removal Be California's Next Big Boom Industry?",
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"content": "\u003cp>Shaun Kinetic rests his hand on what looks like an out-of-place pile of hay bales. The bales, which are actually the leftovers from a corn harvest, sit under a shade structure in a parking lot in an industrial area of San Francisco sandwiched between highways.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Those corn stalks, leaves and cobs would normally get plowed back into the field they came from in Half Moon Bay, or be left to decompose, releasing the carbon inside them back into the atmosphere. Only some of these leftovers are needed \u003ca href=\"https://www.energy.gov/eere/bioenergy/2016-billion-ton-report\">to maintain soil health\u003c/a> and prevent erosion.[pullquote align=\"right\" size=\"medium\" citation=\"Assemblymember Matt Haney\"]‘Decades ago, San Francisco and the Bay Area were home to the explosion of the information technology sector. … We want to have the Bay Area be the similar home for carbon capture and carbon removal.’[/pullquote]The rest will get ground down to dust, injected into the 1,000-degree belly of a large metal cylinder — called a pyrolyzer — and be transformed within seconds into three products: a gas, an ash — or “char” — and a viscous black goo that looks like molasses and smells like barbecue sauce, called bio-oil.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The gas is then burned to heat the process,” said Kinetic, co-founder of the company \u003ca href=\"https://charmindustrial.com/\">Charm Industrial\u003c/a>. “The char is returned to the field as a soil additive, and the bio-oil is pumped underground as a permanent carbon-removal technology.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://charmindustrial.com/registry\">Charm has sequestered some 6,000 tons of carbon since 2020\u003c/a>, when Kinetic, who has a background in aerospace engineering, first invented the bio-oil sequestration technology.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Customers now include major tech companies like Stripe, Shopify and Microsoft.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And yes, Shaun’s last name really is Kinetic, which he and his wife, Kelly, one of the company’s four founders, adopted when they married a few years ago. The couple left Charm in February 2023 for reasons the company did not disclose.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The company uses physical equipment and even old, abandoned oil wells to send the bio-oil underground — one of the many approaches in the burgeoning field of carbon removal.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1982064\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/RS63882_003_KQED_CharmIndustrial_03282023-qut.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1982064 size-full\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/RS63882_003_KQED_CharmIndustrial_03282023-qut.jpg\" alt='A short, squat glass bottle with a large, twist-on, bright blue plastic top, half-filled with a dark brown liquid. A rectangular white card sits upright in a gold-colored holder, with \"Bio-oil Pathfinder/July 2021\" hand-printed in black ink. A second, similar bottle sits to the left, with its own hand-printed sign, and two jars that appear to be partly filled with dirt sit behind it. Beyond all this, on what looks to be the back of a shelf, is a photograph of what appears to be rolling, brown hills.' width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/RS63882_003_KQED_CharmIndustrial_03282023-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/RS63882_003_KQED_CharmIndustrial_03282023-qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/RS63882_003_KQED_CharmIndustrial_03282023-qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/RS63882_003_KQED_CharmIndustrial_03282023-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/RS63882_003_KQED_CharmIndustrial_03282023-qut-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/RS63882_003_KQED_CharmIndustrial_03282023-qut-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A sample of the bio-oil Charm Industrial produces (center), on display at the company’s facility in San Francisco on March 28, 2023. ‘It’s carbon, embodied,’ says co-founder Shaun Kinetic. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Charm frequently hires former fossil-fuel industry workers to orchestrate the process, as they are often the ones most familiar with the equipment involved.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>A local job creator?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/sites/default/files/2022-11/2022-sp.pdf\">For California to meet its ambitious climate goals, which include becoming carbon-neutral by 2045 (PDF)\u003c/a>, the state will need to capture or remove about \u003ca href=\"https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/sites/default/files/2022-11/2022-sp.pdf\">100 million tons of carbon dioxide (PDF)\u003c/a> each year, roughly equivalent to \u003ca href=\"https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/sites/default/files/2022-11/2022-sp.pdf\">the pollution created by 250 gas-power plants (PDF)\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Unlike \u003ca href=\"https://www.c2es.org/content/carbon-capture/\">carbon capture\u003c/a>, which involves trapping polluting greenhouse gasses at their source of emissions, carbon removal entails pulling the gas out of the atmosphere through either nature-based approaches, like conserving existing wetlands, or technological methods, like the one used by Charm.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And local and state lawmakers are increasingly showing interest in supporting those efforts.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Decades ago, San Francisco and the Bay Area were home to the explosion of the information technology sector,” said Assemblymember Matt Haney, a San Francisco Democrat. “It started small and then it grew to transform the world. We want to have the Bay Area be the similar home for carbon capture and carbon removal.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Doing so, he added, could also create a lot of jobs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1982066\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/RS63889_008_KQED_CharmIndustrial_03282023-qut.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1982066 size-full\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/RS63889_008_KQED_CharmIndustrial_03282023-qut.jpg\" alt=\"A young white man with short blond hair, wearing jeans and a puffy jacket in stripes of blue, gray and gold, stands in front of a stack of hay bales. He holds an amber-colored cob in his right hand and looks down at it, smiling, while his left hand rests in his pocket.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/RS63889_008_KQED_CharmIndustrial_03282023-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/RS63889_008_KQED_CharmIndustrial_03282023-qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/RS63889_008_KQED_CharmIndustrial_03282023-qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/RS63889_008_KQED_CharmIndustrial_03282023-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/RS63889_008_KQED_CharmIndustrial_03282023-qut-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/RS63889_008_KQED_CharmIndustrial_03282023-qut-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Peter Reinhardt, another Charm Industrial co-founder, explains the process of removing carbon from the large bales of corn stalks, leaves and cobs that get delivered to the company’s San Francisco facility. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“It’s not just folks who can do the engineering and the technology, the financing, but we actually need skilled industrial labor,” Haney said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Assemblymember Cottie Petrie-Norris, a Democrat from Irvine, said California could become a hub for this kind of work.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I want those innovators to come to California. I want them to grow their businesses here,” Petrie-Norris said. “I think that there’s a lot of work that we need to do as policymakers to create a foundation and to create the right incentives to bring them here.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Pulling carbon out of the atmosphere\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>To avoid exacerbating an already catastrophic climate crisis, humans need to first and foremost stop putting planet-warming gasses into the air. But there is also an urgent need to draw down an enormous amount of the carbon pollution that has already been created.[aside label=\"Related Stories\" tag=\"climate\"]A \u003ca href=\"https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/wg3/\">recent international climate report\u003c/a> went as far as to call carbon removal an “unavoidable” strategy if countries are to meet their emissions-reduction goals.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Carbon removal refers to things you can do, whether it involves nature-based systems or technologies and engineered systems to literally pull CO2 out of the atmosphere,” said \u003ca href=\"https://www.ghgpolicy.org/\">Danny Cullenward\u003c/a>, a research fellow with the Institute for Carbon Removal Law and Policy at American University.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Cullenward notes that the world’s forests and oceans are actively pulling carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere through a natural carbon cycle, independent of human involvement.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The problem is, if we don’t intervene in these systems, they won’t suck up enough because we’ve put such an unfathomably large quantity of pollution in the atmosphere in the first place,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But not all interventions are created equal. Lots of \u003ca href=\"https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/airline-news/2022/11/17/carbon-credits-flights-claim-offset-emissions-do-they-work/10707844002/\">carbon offsets, often including those offered as add-ons during plane ticket bookings\u003c/a>, go toward established projects that are already underway. Directing more money toward them doesn’t always translate directly into more carbon removal.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Alternatively, with projects like Charm’s, the more money invested, the more carbon removed, a business model that Cullenward argues is ultimately more effective.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He also notes it’s important to consider the amount of time the carbon will stay sequestered, and out of the atmosphere.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“When we burn fossil fuels, about three-quarters, 80%, of the CO2 we burn stays in the atmosphere for something on the order of 200 to thousands of years,” Cullenward said. “The remainder stays put through geologic time. It’s essentially permanent.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1982065\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/RS63888_010_KQED_CharmIndustrial_03282023-qut.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1982065 size-full\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/RS63888_010_KQED_CharmIndustrial_03282023-qut.jpg\" alt=\"A large white machine with various pipes and container sits on a flatbed truck. Behind it, a sign reads, 'Charm Industrial.'\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/RS63888_010_KQED_CharmIndustrial_03282023-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/RS63888_010_KQED_CharmIndustrial_03282023-qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/RS63888_010_KQED_CharmIndustrial_03282023-qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/RS63888_010_KQED_CharmIndustrial_03282023-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/RS63888_010_KQED_CharmIndustrial_03282023-qut-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/RS63888_010_KQED_CharmIndustrial_03282023-qut-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Charm Industrial’s pyrolyzer, which turns agricultural waste into the carbon-concentrated bio-oil product. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Cullenward says some carbon-removal strategies will sequester carbon in a forest for a period of decades, which can be good, and is better than nothing. But other carbon-removal strategies, like those storing carbon deep underground in wells and geological formations, have the potential to contain it there for thousands of years.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That’s one of the reasons he thinks Charm’s approach is a good one.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The injection wells are pretty close to a forever solution from the standpoint of the time duration of carbon storage,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Fear of ‘unintended consequences’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Katie Valenzuela, senior policy advocate with the Central Valley Air Quality Coalition, and a Sacramento City Council member, describes herself as a “front-line kid who grew up in Kern County,” where most of California’s oil is drilled.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Because of its unique geology, \u003ca href=\"https://gs.llnl.gov/sites/gs/files/2021-08/getting_to_neutral.pdf\">the Central Valley has also been identified as a “highly suitable” place to store carbon (PDF)\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Every time we have this great new idea that we want to test out, it lands in the Central Valley somehow, and ends up having unintended consequences that weren’t foreseen, that then we have to deal with,” Valenzuela said. “The safety and health impacts of how you transport this stuff, where it is stored, how it is used, carry real consequences for our communities and are going to be targeting the types of communities that have already borne the brunt of things like oil extraction for decades.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1982070\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/RS63891_012_KQED_CharmIndustrial_03282023-qut.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1982070 size-full\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/RS63891_012_KQED_CharmIndustrial_03282023-qut.jpg\" alt=\"A young white-presenting man with dark brown hair, a dark moustache, and slight beard, wearing wire-rimmed glasses and a black zip-up jacket, holds two parts of the same sort of hose, as if he might be coupling or uncoupling them. He stands in what seems to be a very large, brightly lit warehouse, with things like a rolling whiteboard, a fire extinguisher, and tables in the background.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/RS63891_012_KQED_CharmIndustrial_03282023-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/RS63891_012_KQED_CharmIndustrial_03282023-qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/RS63891_012_KQED_CharmIndustrial_03282023-qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/RS63891_012_KQED_CharmIndustrial_03282023-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/RS63891_012_KQED_CharmIndustrial_03282023-qut-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/RS63891_012_KQED_CharmIndustrial_03282023-qut-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Andrew Radbel, a mechanical engineer at Charm Industrial, repairs a cyclone test skid, a machine that tests particulate filtration before material is put in the carbon-removing pyrolyzer. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Valenzuela is fine with carbon removal in theory, but worries it will allow oil and gas companies to hide behind new technologies and continue drilling and polluting her home. She notes the process is important, but it doesn’t ameliorate the existing pollution from heavy industry that directly impacts the health of her community.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I wish that we could take care of the communities who need it the most first, and then explore the other thing that we know we need to do,” Valenzuela said.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>‘We need to get to work’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Sarah Baker, a chemist at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, was a lead author of \u003ca href=\"https://livermorelabfoundation.org/2019/12/19/getting-to-neutral/\">a 2020 report laying out California’s potential path for getting to zero emissions by 2045\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She still thinks that goal is within reach.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s building a lot of equipment and infrastructure and moving biomass and moving CO2, but we can do it with technologies that exist today,” Baker told state lawmakers during a presentation earlier this year. “This is not magic, we don’t need multiple miracles. We need to get to work.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Charm co-founder Shaun Kinetic feels similarly.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It effectively needs to be a wartime effort,” he said. “The oil and gas infrastructure that currently exists out to the horizon needs to be replaced with carbon removal.”\u003cbr>\n[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "A growing number of local and state leaders are taking notice of the fledgling carbon-removal industry — which works to sequester the greenhouse gas — as a potential means to create jobs and help California meet its ambitious climate goals.",
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"description": "A growing number of local and state leaders are taking notice of the fledgling carbon-removal industry — which works to sequester the greenhouse gas — as a potential means to create jobs and help California meet its ambitious climate goals.",
"title": "Could Carbon Removal Be California's Next Big Boom Industry? | KQED",
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"headline": "Could Carbon Removal Be California's Next Big Boom Industry?",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Shaun Kinetic rests his hand on what looks like an out-of-place pile of hay bales. The bales, which are actually the leftovers from a corn harvest, sit under a shade structure in a parking lot in an industrial area of San Francisco sandwiched between highways.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Those corn stalks, leaves and cobs would normally get plowed back into the field they came from in Half Moon Bay, or be left to decompose, releasing the carbon inside them back into the atmosphere. Only some of these leftovers are needed \u003ca href=\"https://www.energy.gov/eere/bioenergy/2016-billion-ton-report\">to maintain soil health\u003c/a> and prevent erosion.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "‘Decades ago, San Francisco and the Bay Area were home to the explosion of the information technology sector. … We want to have the Bay Area be the similar home for carbon capture and carbon removal.’",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>The rest will get ground down to dust, injected into the 1,000-degree belly of a large metal cylinder — called a pyrolyzer — and be transformed within seconds into three products: a gas, an ash — or “char” — and a viscous black goo that looks like molasses and smells like barbecue sauce, called bio-oil.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The gas is then burned to heat the process,” said Kinetic, co-founder of the company \u003ca href=\"https://charmindustrial.com/\">Charm Industrial\u003c/a>. “The char is returned to the field as a soil additive, and the bio-oil is pumped underground as a permanent carbon-removal technology.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://charmindustrial.com/registry\">Charm has sequestered some 6,000 tons of carbon since 2020\u003c/a>, when Kinetic, who has a background in aerospace engineering, first invented the bio-oil sequestration technology.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Customers now include major tech companies like Stripe, Shopify and Microsoft.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And yes, Shaun’s last name really is Kinetic, which he and his wife, Kelly, one of the company’s four founders, adopted when they married a few years ago. The couple left Charm in February 2023 for reasons the company did not disclose.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The company uses physical equipment and even old, abandoned oil wells to send the bio-oil underground — one of the many approaches in the burgeoning field of carbon removal.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1982064\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/RS63882_003_KQED_CharmIndustrial_03282023-qut.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1982064 size-full\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/RS63882_003_KQED_CharmIndustrial_03282023-qut.jpg\" alt='A short, squat glass bottle with a large, twist-on, bright blue plastic top, half-filled with a dark brown liquid. A rectangular white card sits upright in a gold-colored holder, with \"Bio-oil Pathfinder/July 2021\" hand-printed in black ink. A second, similar bottle sits to the left, with its own hand-printed sign, and two jars that appear to be partly filled with dirt sit behind it. Beyond all this, on what looks to be the back of a shelf, is a photograph of what appears to be rolling, brown hills.' width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/RS63882_003_KQED_CharmIndustrial_03282023-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/RS63882_003_KQED_CharmIndustrial_03282023-qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/RS63882_003_KQED_CharmIndustrial_03282023-qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/RS63882_003_KQED_CharmIndustrial_03282023-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/RS63882_003_KQED_CharmIndustrial_03282023-qut-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/RS63882_003_KQED_CharmIndustrial_03282023-qut-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A sample of the bio-oil Charm Industrial produces (center), on display at the company’s facility in San Francisco on March 28, 2023. ‘It’s carbon, embodied,’ says co-founder Shaun Kinetic. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Charm frequently hires former fossil-fuel industry workers to orchestrate the process, as they are often the ones most familiar with the equipment involved.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>A local job creator?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/sites/default/files/2022-11/2022-sp.pdf\">For California to meet its ambitious climate goals, which include becoming carbon-neutral by 2045 (PDF)\u003c/a>, the state will need to capture or remove about \u003ca href=\"https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/sites/default/files/2022-11/2022-sp.pdf\">100 million tons of carbon dioxide (PDF)\u003c/a> each year, roughly equivalent to \u003ca href=\"https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/sites/default/files/2022-11/2022-sp.pdf\">the pollution created by 250 gas-power plants (PDF)\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Unlike \u003ca href=\"https://www.c2es.org/content/carbon-capture/\">carbon capture\u003c/a>, which involves trapping polluting greenhouse gasses at their source of emissions, carbon removal entails pulling the gas out of the atmosphere through either nature-based approaches, like conserving existing wetlands, or technological methods, like the one used by Charm.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And local and state lawmakers are increasingly showing interest in supporting those efforts.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Decades ago, San Francisco and the Bay Area were home to the explosion of the information technology sector,” said Assemblymember Matt Haney, a San Francisco Democrat. “It started small and then it grew to transform the world. We want to have the Bay Area be the similar home for carbon capture and carbon removal.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Doing so, he added, could also create a lot of jobs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1982066\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/RS63889_008_KQED_CharmIndustrial_03282023-qut.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1982066 size-full\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/RS63889_008_KQED_CharmIndustrial_03282023-qut.jpg\" alt=\"A young white man with short blond hair, wearing jeans and a puffy jacket in stripes of blue, gray and gold, stands in front of a stack of hay bales. He holds an amber-colored cob in his right hand and looks down at it, smiling, while his left hand rests in his pocket.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/RS63889_008_KQED_CharmIndustrial_03282023-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/RS63889_008_KQED_CharmIndustrial_03282023-qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/RS63889_008_KQED_CharmIndustrial_03282023-qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/RS63889_008_KQED_CharmIndustrial_03282023-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/RS63889_008_KQED_CharmIndustrial_03282023-qut-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/RS63889_008_KQED_CharmIndustrial_03282023-qut-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Peter Reinhardt, another Charm Industrial co-founder, explains the process of removing carbon from the large bales of corn stalks, leaves and cobs that get delivered to the company’s San Francisco facility. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“It’s not just folks who can do the engineering and the technology, the financing, but we actually need skilled industrial labor,” Haney said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Assemblymember Cottie Petrie-Norris, a Democrat from Irvine, said California could become a hub for this kind of work.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I want those innovators to come to California. I want them to grow their businesses here,” Petrie-Norris said. “I think that there’s a lot of work that we need to do as policymakers to create a foundation and to create the right incentives to bring them here.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Pulling carbon out of the atmosphere\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>To avoid exacerbating an already catastrophic climate crisis, humans need to first and foremost stop putting planet-warming gasses into the air. But there is also an urgent need to draw down an enormous amount of the carbon pollution that has already been created.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>A \u003ca href=\"https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/wg3/\">recent international climate report\u003c/a> went as far as to call carbon removal an “unavoidable” strategy if countries are to meet their emissions-reduction goals.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Carbon removal refers to things you can do, whether it involves nature-based systems or technologies and engineered systems to literally pull CO2 out of the atmosphere,” said \u003ca href=\"https://www.ghgpolicy.org/\">Danny Cullenward\u003c/a>, a research fellow with the Institute for Carbon Removal Law and Policy at American University.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Cullenward notes that the world’s forests and oceans are actively pulling carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere through a natural carbon cycle, independent of human involvement.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The problem is, if we don’t intervene in these systems, they won’t suck up enough because we’ve put such an unfathomably large quantity of pollution in the atmosphere in the first place,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But not all interventions are created equal. Lots of \u003ca href=\"https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/airline-news/2022/11/17/carbon-credits-flights-claim-offset-emissions-do-they-work/10707844002/\">carbon offsets, often including those offered as add-ons during plane ticket bookings\u003c/a>, go toward established projects that are already underway. Directing more money toward them doesn’t always translate directly into more carbon removal.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Alternatively, with projects like Charm’s, the more money invested, the more carbon removed, a business model that Cullenward argues is ultimately more effective.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He also notes it’s important to consider the amount of time the carbon will stay sequestered, and out of the atmosphere.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“When we burn fossil fuels, about three-quarters, 80%, of the CO2 we burn stays in the atmosphere for something on the order of 200 to thousands of years,” Cullenward said. “The remainder stays put through geologic time. It’s essentially permanent.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1982065\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/RS63888_010_KQED_CharmIndustrial_03282023-qut.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1982065 size-full\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/RS63888_010_KQED_CharmIndustrial_03282023-qut.jpg\" alt=\"A large white machine with various pipes and container sits on a flatbed truck. Behind it, a sign reads, 'Charm Industrial.'\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/RS63888_010_KQED_CharmIndustrial_03282023-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/RS63888_010_KQED_CharmIndustrial_03282023-qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/RS63888_010_KQED_CharmIndustrial_03282023-qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/RS63888_010_KQED_CharmIndustrial_03282023-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/RS63888_010_KQED_CharmIndustrial_03282023-qut-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/RS63888_010_KQED_CharmIndustrial_03282023-qut-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Charm Industrial’s pyrolyzer, which turns agricultural waste into the carbon-concentrated bio-oil product. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Cullenward says some carbon-removal strategies will sequester carbon in a forest for a period of decades, which can be good, and is better than nothing. But other carbon-removal strategies, like those storing carbon deep underground in wells and geological formations, have the potential to contain it there for thousands of years.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That’s one of the reasons he thinks Charm’s approach is a good one.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The injection wells are pretty close to a forever solution from the standpoint of the time duration of carbon storage,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Fear of ‘unintended consequences’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Katie Valenzuela, senior policy advocate with the Central Valley Air Quality Coalition, and a Sacramento City Council member, describes herself as a “front-line kid who grew up in Kern County,” where most of California’s oil is drilled.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Because of its unique geology, \u003ca href=\"https://gs.llnl.gov/sites/gs/files/2021-08/getting_to_neutral.pdf\">the Central Valley has also been identified as a “highly suitable” place to store carbon (PDF)\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Every time we have this great new idea that we want to test out, it lands in the Central Valley somehow, and ends up having unintended consequences that weren’t foreseen, that then we have to deal with,” Valenzuela said. “The safety and health impacts of how you transport this stuff, where it is stored, how it is used, carry real consequences for our communities and are going to be targeting the types of communities that have already borne the brunt of things like oil extraction for decades.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1982070\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/RS63891_012_KQED_CharmIndustrial_03282023-qut.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1982070 size-full\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/RS63891_012_KQED_CharmIndustrial_03282023-qut.jpg\" alt=\"A young white-presenting man with dark brown hair, a dark moustache, and slight beard, wearing wire-rimmed glasses and a black zip-up jacket, holds two parts of the same sort of hose, as if he might be coupling or uncoupling them. He stands in what seems to be a very large, brightly lit warehouse, with things like a rolling whiteboard, a fire extinguisher, and tables in the background.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/RS63891_012_KQED_CharmIndustrial_03282023-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/RS63891_012_KQED_CharmIndustrial_03282023-qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/RS63891_012_KQED_CharmIndustrial_03282023-qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/RS63891_012_KQED_CharmIndustrial_03282023-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/RS63891_012_KQED_CharmIndustrial_03282023-qut-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/RS63891_012_KQED_CharmIndustrial_03282023-qut-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Andrew Radbel, a mechanical engineer at Charm Industrial, repairs a cyclone test skid, a machine that tests particulate filtration before material is put in the carbon-removing pyrolyzer. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Valenzuela is fine with carbon removal in theory, but worries it will allow oil and gas companies to hide behind new technologies and continue drilling and polluting her home. She notes the process is important, but it doesn’t ameliorate the existing pollution from heavy industry that directly impacts the health of her community.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I wish that we could take care of the communities who need it the most first, and then explore the other thing that we know we need to do,” Valenzuela said.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>‘We need to get to work’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Sarah Baker, a chemist at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, was a lead author of \u003ca href=\"https://livermorelabfoundation.org/2019/12/19/getting-to-neutral/\">a 2020 report laying out California’s potential path for getting to zero emissions by 2045\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She still thinks that goal is within reach.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s building a lot of equipment and infrastructure and moving biomass and moving CO2, but we can do it with technologies that exist today,” Baker told state lawmakers during a presentation earlier this year. “This is not magic, we don’t need multiple miracles. We need to get to work.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Charm co-founder Shaun Kinetic feels similarly.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It effectively needs to be a wartime effort,” he said. “The oil and gas infrastructure that currently exists out to the horizon needs to be replaced with carbon removal.”\u003cbr>\n\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"title": "'You Have to Make This Work': A Day in the Life of a Rural EMT During California's Winter of Atmospheric River Storms",
"headTitle": "‘You Have to Make This Work’: A Day in the Life of a Rural EMT During California’s Winter of Atmospheric River Storms | KQED",
"content": "\u003cp>Hours into the rescue mission, paramedic Jessica Farmer realized her toes were completely numb.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It was a late afternoon in early March, and Farmer and her partner found themselves standing in thigh-deep snow above a steep canyon in the Sierra foothills outside of Grass Valley. The pair were still dressed in their standard uniforms, without snow pants or heavy socks, heading slowly toward a cabin deep in the woods, where a man had called hours earlier complaining of severe chest pain.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Any other situation in life, and I think I would have given up at that point,” said Farmer, 36, a seasoned emergency responder and homeschool teacher to her two children. “This is too hard. But this is a 911 call. This is a patient having a heart attack.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Earlier that afternoon, Farmer and her partner, Clarence Ortega, sped out of Sierra Nevada Memorial Hospital in their Mercedes van ambulance, snow pelting the windshield. They eventually reached an unplowed road and were forced to stop several times to help local fire department crews shovel out stranded cars blocking their route and chain saw fallen trees into heavy rounds and toss them off the hill.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1982007\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\" style=\"max-width: 480px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/RS63832_002_Winter2_SierraFoothills_03052023.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1982007 size-full\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/RS63832_002_Winter2_SierraFoothills_03052023.jpg\" alt=\"Five emergency workers pull a man wrapped in a blue tarp on a makeshift sled.\" width=\"480\" height=\"640\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/RS63832_002_Winter2_SierraFoothills_03052023.jpg 480w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/RS63832_002_Winter2_SierraFoothills_03052023-160x213.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Jessica Farmer (left) and other emergency workers pull a man having a heart attack down a snow-covered road. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of Jessica Farmer)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>At that point, her radio crackled, and dispatch notified her that the patient’s pain was getting worse.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“You have to make this work,” Farmer told herself, she said. “This is going to be the hardest day of your life. But you have to make this work.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Farmer and Ortega abandoned the ambulance on the slushy road and started trudging on foot through fresh powder, sinking like a posthole with each step.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Eventually, about a mile down the blanketed road, a large cabin with a wraparound deck came into view.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Seeing it was “just pure happiness,” Farmer said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They rushed into the house and found a man in his 70s lying in bed grabbing his chest, his skin strikingly pale, sweat glistening on his forehead. Farmer quickly checked his pulse and then explained that the road was “disastrous” and they would have to walk him out.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“He then tells us that he has a broken hip,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Farmer took a deep breath, pulled off her wet socks, replacing them with a few dry pairs borrowed from the patient, and wrapped her feet in plastic bags and duct tape in an effort to keep them dry.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the man’s garage, Farmer found a small kid’s sled pinned high in the rafters, along with a large blue tarp, which she and Ortega used to wrap the patient up like a burrito.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We pulled him out like a dogsled team,” she said, describing the hour-long ordeal of dragging him on the sled through the snow back to the ambulance — with the help of the fire department emergency crew. They quickly loaded him inside and headed over slick roads back to the hospital, about five hours since they had left earlier that day.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Farmer helped admit the man to the emergency room. She later learned he had been transferred to the ICU and recovered, and was discharged several days later.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Such an extraordinary rescue has become par for the course this winter for a growing number of emergency responders in rural communities in California, which has been pummeled by \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11943031/atmospheric-river-storm-san-francisco-bay-area-impacts-march-9-2023\">12 massive atmospheric river storms\u003c/a> since the beginning of the year, and is bracing for a 13th on Tuesday. The storms have delivered hurricane-force winds and a seemingly endless amount of precipitation, washing out roads, toppling trees, and isolating many residents — leaving those in need of immediate medical care in a particularly tenuous position.[aside label=\"related coverage\" tag=\"atmospheric-rivers\"]Retaining and hiring new paramedics — particularly those, like Farmer, willing to do whatever it takes to rescue people in need — has become a daunting challenge for the health care industry. Most hospitals and other medical emergency facilities in the state are struggling with \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11940555/hospitals-struggling-to-stay-afloat-across-california\">severe staffing shortages\u003c/a>, amid rampant burnout and pandemic-related delays in many training programs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>During that particular storm, Farmer said, a number of her colleagues slept at the hospital because they were concerned they would get stuck at home and not be able to make it back in time for their next shift. One doctor, she added, even snowshoed on shut-down roads to care for a sick child trapped at home.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Weeks later, Farmer said she still hasn’t had time to fully process what happened in the woods that day in early March. Less than an hour after returning to the hospital from the rescue, another call came in: A 24-year-old man had accidentally shot himself in the pelvis. Farmer and Ortega hopped back in their ambulance and headed out once again into the storm, attempting yet another rescue.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I am proud that I can wake up every single day and do this job,” she said. “Like, it’s a lot, right? But I’m just not letting it beat me down. Every day I just stay positive for my children.”\u003cbr>\n[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Hours into the rescue mission, paramedic Jessica Farmer realized her toes were completely numb.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It was a late afternoon in early March, and Farmer and her partner found themselves standing in thigh-deep snow above a steep canyon in the Sierra foothills outside of Grass Valley. The pair were still dressed in their standard uniforms, without snow pants or heavy socks, heading slowly toward a cabin deep in the woods, where a man had called hours earlier complaining of severe chest pain.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Any other situation in life, and I think I would have given up at that point,” said Farmer, 36, a seasoned emergency responder and homeschool teacher to her two children. “This is too hard. But this is a 911 call. This is a patient having a heart attack.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Earlier that afternoon, Farmer and her partner, Clarence Ortega, sped out of Sierra Nevada Memorial Hospital in their Mercedes van ambulance, snow pelting the windshield. They eventually reached an unplowed road and were forced to stop several times to help local fire department crews shovel out stranded cars blocking their route and chain saw fallen trees into heavy rounds and toss them off the hill.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1982007\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\" style=\"max-width: 480px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/RS63832_002_Winter2_SierraFoothills_03052023.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1982007 size-full\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/RS63832_002_Winter2_SierraFoothills_03052023.jpg\" alt=\"Five emergency workers pull a man wrapped in a blue tarp on a makeshift sled.\" width=\"480\" height=\"640\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/RS63832_002_Winter2_SierraFoothills_03052023.jpg 480w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/RS63832_002_Winter2_SierraFoothills_03052023-160x213.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Jessica Farmer (left) and other emergency workers pull a man having a heart attack down a snow-covered road. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of Jessica Farmer)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>At that point, her radio crackled, and dispatch notified her that the patient’s pain was getting worse.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“You have to make this work,” Farmer told herself, she said. “This is going to be the hardest day of your life. But you have to make this work.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Farmer and Ortega abandoned the ambulance on the slushy road and started trudging on foot through fresh powder, sinking like a posthole with each step.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Eventually, about a mile down the blanketed road, a large cabin with a wraparound deck came into view.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Seeing it was “just pure happiness,” Farmer said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They rushed into the house and found a man in his 70s lying in bed grabbing his chest, his skin strikingly pale, sweat glistening on his forehead. Farmer quickly checked his pulse and then explained that the road was “disastrous” and they would have to walk him out.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“He then tells us that he has a broken hip,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Farmer took a deep breath, pulled off her wet socks, replacing them with a few dry pairs borrowed from the patient, and wrapped her feet in plastic bags and duct tape in an effort to keep them dry.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the man’s garage, Farmer found a small kid’s sled pinned high in the rafters, along with a large blue tarp, which she and Ortega used to wrap the patient up like a burrito.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We pulled him out like a dogsled team,” she said, describing the hour-long ordeal of dragging him on the sled through the snow back to the ambulance — with the help of the fire department emergency crew. They quickly loaded him inside and headed over slick roads back to the hospital, about five hours since they had left earlier that day.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Farmer helped admit the man to the emergency room. She later learned he had been transferred to the ICU and recovered, and was discharged several days later.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Such an extraordinary rescue has become par for the course this winter for a growing number of emergency responders in rural communities in California, which has been pummeled by \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11943031/atmospheric-river-storm-san-francisco-bay-area-impacts-march-9-2023\">12 massive atmospheric river storms\u003c/a> since the beginning of the year, and is bracing for a 13th on Tuesday. The storms have delivered hurricane-force winds and a seemingly endless amount of precipitation, washing out roads, toppling trees, and isolating many residents — leaving those in need of immediate medical care in a particularly tenuous position.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Retaining and hiring new paramedics — particularly those, like Farmer, willing to do whatever it takes to rescue people in need — has become a daunting challenge for the health care industry. Most hospitals and other medical emergency facilities in the state are struggling with \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11940555/hospitals-struggling-to-stay-afloat-across-california\">severe staffing shortages\u003c/a>, amid rampant burnout and pandemic-related delays in many training programs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>During that particular storm, Farmer said, a number of her colleagues slept at the hospital because they were concerned they would get stuck at home and not be able to make it back in time for their next shift. One doctor, she added, even snowshoed on shut-down roads to care for a sick child trapped at home.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Weeks later, Farmer said she still hasn’t had time to fully process what happened in the woods that day in early March. Less than an hour after returning to the hospital from the rescue, another call came in: A 24-year-old man had accidentally shot himself in the pelvis. Farmer and Ortega hopped back in their ambulance and headed out once again into the storm, attempting yet another rescue.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I am proud that I can wake up every single day and do this job,” she said. “Like, it’s a lot, right? But I’m just not letting it beat me down. Every day I just stay positive for my children.”\u003cbr>\n\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"headTitle": "3 Reasons Why California’s Drought Isn’t Really Over, Despite All the Rain | KQED",
"content": "\u003cp>Ask a water expert if California’s drought is finally done, and the answers sound something like this:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Yes and no.” “Kind of.” “Depends what you mean by drought.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The state has been deluged by storms this winter, hit by 12 atmospheric rivers that have led to evacuation orders, rising rivers and broken levees. In some parts of the Sierra Nevada, more than \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/UCB_CSSL/status/1637893296411508736?s=20\">55 feet of snow\u003c/a> have fallen.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>With reservoirs filling up, many Californians are eager to put the severe, 3-year drought behind them. A major water supplier in Southern California recently \u003ca href=\"https://www.mwdh2o.com/press-releases/metropolitan-board-rescinds-emergency-conservation-mandate-imposed-on-dozens-of-communities\">lifted mandatory conservation rules\u003c/a> that limited outdoor watering. Large parts of the state are now free of drought, according to the federal government’s \u003ca href=\"https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/CurrentMap/StateDroughtMonitor.aspx?CA\">Drought Monitor\u003c/a>, which looks at rainfall and soil moisture.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But in California, water shortages aren’t just due to a lack of rain, and the state’s chronic water problems are far from over.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“While we’ve seen some pretty fantastic wet weather and we’ve seen conditions improve, in a whole lot of places we still have some lingering impacts that still challenge California,” says Mike Anderson, the state’s climatologist.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Decades of drought have taken their toll, and experts say that deeper issues need to be addressed before California can be fully-drought free. Here are three reasons why:\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>#1 – California’s groundwater drought is still bad\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>When California’s reservoirs declined, many cities and farmers turned to another water source: vast aquifers underground.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In drought years, groundwater has supplied up to 60% of California’s water. But the pumping has been largely unregulated. So over the decades, water levels have fallen dramatically in California’s aquifers. Before this winter, some groundwater wells were at the lowest points ever recorded. That’s because in the Central Valley, groundwater \u003ca href=\"https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2021WR030352\">hasn’t been replenished after previous droughts\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Groundwater is the dark matter of the hydrologic cycle,” says Graham Fogg, professor emeritus of hydrogeology at the University of California Davis. “The fact that these are such huge volumes of water allows them to take a lot of abuse and to be depleted year after year.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1981945\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-1981945\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/2023_03_13_ai_0432_groundwater_recharge_custom-5349d6e5a724fbfe9e15e34b9b5b1e618be5cedb-800x579.jpg\" alt=\"Flooded water on agricultural land.\" width=\"800\" height=\"579\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/2023_03_13_ai_0432_groundwater_recharge_custom-5349d6e5a724fbfe9e15e34b9b5b1e618be5cedb-800x579.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/2023_03_13_ai_0432_groundwater_recharge_custom-5349d6e5a724fbfe9e15e34b9b5b1e618be5cedb-1020x738.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/2023_03_13_ai_0432_groundwater_recharge_custom-5349d6e5a724fbfe9e15e34b9b5b1e618be5cedb-160x116.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/2023_03_13_ai_0432_groundwater_recharge_custom-5349d6e5a724fbfe9e15e34b9b5b1e618be5cedb-768x555.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/2023_03_13_ai_0432_groundwater_recharge_custom-5349d6e5a724fbfe9e15e34b9b5b1e618be5cedb-1536x1111.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/2023_03_13_ai_0432_groundwater_recharge_custom-5349d6e5a724fbfe9e15e34b9b5b1e618be5cedb-2048x1481.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/2023_03_13_ai_0432_groundwater_recharge_custom-5349d6e5a724fbfe9e15e34b9b5b1e618be5cedb-1920x1389.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Floodwater in Fresno County, Calif., is diverted onto agricultural land, so it can seep into underground aquifers. Groundwater levels have fallen dramatically during the state’s droughts. \u003ccite>(Andrew Innerarity/California Department of Water Resources)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>As a result, more than 2,000 household wells went dry over the last three years in California, many in low-income communities of color. Temporary water supplies, including bottled water, had to be brought in.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’re not out of a drought,” says Susana De Anda, executive director of the Community Water Center, an environmental justice organization in the Central Valley. “In California, the human right to water was passed in 2012. Unfortunately to this day, many Californians don’t have that reality, and it’s important to recognize that.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This winter, a new effort is underway to use some of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2021/10/05/1037370430/water-is-scarce-in-california-but-farmers-have-found-ways-to-store-it-undergroun\">floodwaters to fill aquifers\u003c/a>. California is also in the process of implementing a new groundwater law, intended to get over-pumping under control. Water users are currently writing plans for keeping groundwater use in balance with supply, but they won’t be fully implemented until 2040.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Over the years, pretty consistently, California has been using a lot more water than its surface water and groundwater system can supply,” Fogg says. “So that has to change.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>#2 – California’s other water source is still in drought\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Most of California’s major cities exist today because their water is delivered from hundreds of miles away. In Southern California, that distance is thousands of miles, because the region uses water from the Colorado River.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A two-decades long drought has hit the Colorado River hard, causing its massive \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2022/01/07/1067716380/western-megadrought-climate-lake-powell-glen-canyon-reservoir\">reservoirs, Lake Powell and Lake Mead, to plummet\u003c/a>. Climate change is \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2021/06/09/1003424717/the-drought-in-the-western-u-s-is-getting-bad-climate-change-is-making-it-worse\">shrinking the snowpack\u003c/a> that feeds the river, and the seven states that use it have long made claim to more water than is available on average.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1981946\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-1981946\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/2023_03_12_kj_0127_pajaro_levee_break_drone_custom-e21092fb295c9262bda0d149683b5b49a90cb4e0-800x534.jpg\" alt=\"A drone provides a view of an excavator placing large rocks to close a levee break caused by flood waters from the Pajaro River near the township of Pajaro in Monterey County, California. \" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/2023_03_12_kj_0127_pajaro_levee_break_drone_custom-e21092fb295c9262bda0d149683b5b49a90cb4e0-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/2023_03_12_kj_0127_pajaro_levee_break_drone_custom-e21092fb295c9262bda0d149683b5b49a90cb4e0-1020x681.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/2023_03_12_kj_0127_pajaro_levee_break_drone_custom-e21092fb295c9262bda0d149683b5b49a90cb4e0-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/2023_03_12_kj_0127_pajaro_levee_break_drone_custom-e21092fb295c9262bda0d149683b5b49a90cb4e0-768x513.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/2023_03_12_kj_0127_pajaro_levee_break_drone_custom-e21092fb295c9262bda0d149683b5b49a90cb4e0-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/2023_03_12_kj_0127_pajaro_levee_break_drone_custom-e21092fb295c9262bda0d149683b5b49a90cb4e0-2048x1367.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/2023_03_12_kj_0127_pajaro_levee_break_drone_custom-e21092fb295c9262bda0d149683b5b49a90cb4e0-1920x1282.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Heavy storms caused a levee to break in Pajaro, Calif., flooding nearby homes. The parade of winter storms has tested the state’s infrastructure. \u003ccite>(Ken James/California Department of Water Resources)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Those states are now in emergency negotiations over cutbacks to their water supply, but are \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2022/08/27/1119550028/7-states-and-federal-government-lack-direction-on-cutbacks-from-the-colorado-riv\">struggling to agree\u003c/a>. With some of the oldest water rights on the river, California has seniority and is technically last in line for cuts. But its water supply will still be impacted. Many Southern California cities have been \u003ca href=\"https://laist.com/news/climate-environment/recycled-sewage-water-southern-california\">working on conserving and recycling\u003c/a> water locally, so they’re less dependent on faraway supplies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We just have to get better at managing the more limited resources that we have there, and that means figuring out how to share a smaller pool of water than what we’ve been using up till now,” says Ellen Hanak, director of the Water Policy Center at the Public Policy Institute of California.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>#3 – The next drought is coming…\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Cue \u003ca href=\"https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/837403-during-the-dry-years-the-people-forgot-about-the-rich\">the John Steinbeck quote\u003c/a> – it’s easy to forget about the dry times once the rains come. But drought will return.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We always have to be ready,” Hanak says. “Drier times could come again as soon as next year.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As the climate gets hotter, California’s extremes \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2021/06/09/1003424717/the-drought-in-the-western-u-s-is-getting-bad-climate-change-is-making-it-worse\">are expected to get more extreme\u003c/a>. That means droughts will be drier, putting even greater strain on the state’s water supply.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After the last major drought ended in California in 2017, some \u003ca href=\"https://www.ppic.org/blog/are-californias-cities-conserving-enough-water/\">water conservation behavior seemed to stick\u003c/a>. Water use didn’t rebound to pre-drought levels, because some residents made lasting changes, like replacing water-hungry lawns and swapping for more efficient fixtures and appliances.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Still, experts warn that keeping a drought-mindset can only help California weather future challenges. So there’s a risk in acting like drought is a thing of the past. Saving water now could help keep reservoirs fuller, a safe bet in a state where next year’s winter storms are never guaranteed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cdiv class=\"fullattribution\">Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://www.google-analytics.com/__utm.gif?utmac=UA-5828686-4&utmdt=3+reasons+why+California%27s+drought+isn%27t+really+over%2C+despite+all+the+rain&utme=8(APIKey)9(MDAxOTAwOTE4MDEyMTkxMDAzNjczZDljZA004)\">\u003c/div>\n\u003cdiv>\u003c/div>\n\u003cdiv>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/div>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "California has been deluged by storms this winter, but fixing the state's severe drought will take more than rain; the state has deeper problems in how it uses water.",
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"description": "California has been deluged by storms this winter, but fixing the state's severe drought will take more than rain; the state has deeper problems in how it uses water.",
"title": "3 Reasons Why California's Drought Isn't Really Over, Despite All the Rain | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Ask a water expert if California’s drought is finally done, and the answers sound something like this:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Yes and no.” “Kind of.” “Depends what you mean by drought.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The state has been deluged by storms this winter, hit by 12 atmospheric rivers that have led to evacuation orders, rising rivers and broken levees. In some parts of the Sierra Nevada, more than \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/UCB_CSSL/status/1637893296411508736?s=20\">55 feet of snow\u003c/a> have fallen.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>With reservoirs filling up, many Californians are eager to put the severe, 3-year drought behind them. A major water supplier in Southern California recently \u003ca href=\"https://www.mwdh2o.com/press-releases/metropolitan-board-rescinds-emergency-conservation-mandate-imposed-on-dozens-of-communities\">lifted mandatory conservation rules\u003c/a> that limited outdoor watering. Large parts of the state are now free of drought, according to the federal government’s \u003ca href=\"https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/CurrentMap/StateDroughtMonitor.aspx?CA\">Drought Monitor\u003c/a>, which looks at rainfall and soil moisture.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But in California, water shortages aren’t just due to a lack of rain, and the state’s chronic water problems are far from over.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“While we’ve seen some pretty fantastic wet weather and we’ve seen conditions improve, in a whole lot of places we still have some lingering impacts that still challenge California,” says Mike Anderson, the state’s climatologist.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Decades of drought have taken their toll, and experts say that deeper issues need to be addressed before California can be fully-drought free. Here are three reasons why:\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>#1 – California’s groundwater drought is still bad\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>When California’s reservoirs declined, many cities and farmers turned to another water source: vast aquifers underground.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In drought years, groundwater has supplied up to 60% of California’s water. But the pumping has been largely unregulated. So over the decades, water levels have fallen dramatically in California’s aquifers. Before this winter, some groundwater wells were at the lowest points ever recorded. That’s because in the Central Valley, groundwater \u003ca href=\"https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2021WR030352\">hasn’t been replenished after previous droughts\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Groundwater is the dark matter of the hydrologic cycle,” says Graham Fogg, professor emeritus of hydrogeology at the University of California Davis. “The fact that these are such huge volumes of water allows them to take a lot of abuse and to be depleted year after year.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1981945\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-1981945\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/2023_03_13_ai_0432_groundwater_recharge_custom-5349d6e5a724fbfe9e15e34b9b5b1e618be5cedb-800x579.jpg\" alt=\"Flooded water on agricultural land.\" width=\"800\" height=\"579\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/2023_03_13_ai_0432_groundwater_recharge_custom-5349d6e5a724fbfe9e15e34b9b5b1e618be5cedb-800x579.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/2023_03_13_ai_0432_groundwater_recharge_custom-5349d6e5a724fbfe9e15e34b9b5b1e618be5cedb-1020x738.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/2023_03_13_ai_0432_groundwater_recharge_custom-5349d6e5a724fbfe9e15e34b9b5b1e618be5cedb-160x116.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/2023_03_13_ai_0432_groundwater_recharge_custom-5349d6e5a724fbfe9e15e34b9b5b1e618be5cedb-768x555.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/2023_03_13_ai_0432_groundwater_recharge_custom-5349d6e5a724fbfe9e15e34b9b5b1e618be5cedb-1536x1111.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/2023_03_13_ai_0432_groundwater_recharge_custom-5349d6e5a724fbfe9e15e34b9b5b1e618be5cedb-2048x1481.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/2023_03_13_ai_0432_groundwater_recharge_custom-5349d6e5a724fbfe9e15e34b9b5b1e618be5cedb-1920x1389.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Floodwater in Fresno County, Calif., is diverted onto agricultural land, so it can seep into underground aquifers. Groundwater levels have fallen dramatically during the state’s droughts. \u003ccite>(Andrew Innerarity/California Department of Water Resources)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>As a result, more than 2,000 household wells went dry over the last three years in California, many in low-income communities of color. Temporary water supplies, including bottled water, had to be brought in.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’re not out of a drought,” says Susana De Anda, executive director of the Community Water Center, an environmental justice organization in the Central Valley. “In California, the human right to water was passed in 2012. Unfortunately to this day, many Californians don’t have that reality, and it’s important to recognize that.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This winter, a new effort is underway to use some of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2021/10/05/1037370430/water-is-scarce-in-california-but-farmers-have-found-ways-to-store-it-undergroun\">floodwaters to fill aquifers\u003c/a>. California is also in the process of implementing a new groundwater law, intended to get over-pumping under control. Water users are currently writing plans for keeping groundwater use in balance with supply, but they won’t be fully implemented until 2040.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Over the years, pretty consistently, California has been using a lot more water than its surface water and groundwater system can supply,” Fogg says. “So that has to change.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>#2 – California’s other water source is still in drought\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Most of California’s major cities exist today because their water is delivered from hundreds of miles away. In Southern California, that distance is thousands of miles, because the region uses water from the Colorado River.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A two-decades long drought has hit the Colorado River hard, causing its massive \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2022/01/07/1067716380/western-megadrought-climate-lake-powell-glen-canyon-reservoir\">reservoirs, Lake Powell and Lake Mead, to plummet\u003c/a>. Climate change is \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2021/06/09/1003424717/the-drought-in-the-western-u-s-is-getting-bad-climate-change-is-making-it-worse\">shrinking the snowpack\u003c/a> that feeds the river, and the seven states that use it have long made claim to more water than is available on average.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1981946\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-1981946\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/2023_03_12_kj_0127_pajaro_levee_break_drone_custom-e21092fb295c9262bda0d149683b5b49a90cb4e0-800x534.jpg\" alt=\"A drone provides a view of an excavator placing large rocks to close a levee break caused by flood waters from the Pajaro River near the township of Pajaro in Monterey County, California. \" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/2023_03_12_kj_0127_pajaro_levee_break_drone_custom-e21092fb295c9262bda0d149683b5b49a90cb4e0-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/2023_03_12_kj_0127_pajaro_levee_break_drone_custom-e21092fb295c9262bda0d149683b5b49a90cb4e0-1020x681.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/2023_03_12_kj_0127_pajaro_levee_break_drone_custom-e21092fb295c9262bda0d149683b5b49a90cb4e0-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/2023_03_12_kj_0127_pajaro_levee_break_drone_custom-e21092fb295c9262bda0d149683b5b49a90cb4e0-768x513.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/2023_03_12_kj_0127_pajaro_levee_break_drone_custom-e21092fb295c9262bda0d149683b5b49a90cb4e0-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/2023_03_12_kj_0127_pajaro_levee_break_drone_custom-e21092fb295c9262bda0d149683b5b49a90cb4e0-2048x1367.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/2023_03_12_kj_0127_pajaro_levee_break_drone_custom-e21092fb295c9262bda0d149683b5b49a90cb4e0-1920x1282.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Heavy storms caused a levee to break in Pajaro, Calif., flooding nearby homes. The parade of winter storms has tested the state’s infrastructure. \u003ccite>(Ken James/California Department of Water Resources)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Those states are now in emergency negotiations over cutbacks to their water supply, but are \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2022/08/27/1119550028/7-states-and-federal-government-lack-direction-on-cutbacks-from-the-colorado-riv\">struggling to agree\u003c/a>. With some of the oldest water rights on the river, California has seniority and is technically last in line for cuts. But its water supply will still be impacted. Many Southern California cities have been \u003ca href=\"https://laist.com/news/climate-environment/recycled-sewage-water-southern-california\">working on conserving and recycling\u003c/a> water locally, so they’re less dependent on faraway supplies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We just have to get better at managing the more limited resources that we have there, and that means figuring out how to share a smaller pool of water than what we’ve been using up till now,” says Ellen Hanak, director of the Water Policy Center at the Public Policy Institute of California.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>#3 – The next drought is coming…\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Cue \u003ca href=\"https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/837403-during-the-dry-years-the-people-forgot-about-the-rich\">the John Steinbeck quote\u003c/a> – it’s easy to forget about the dry times once the rains come. But drought will return.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We always have to be ready,” Hanak says. “Drier times could come again as soon as next year.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As the climate gets hotter, California’s extremes \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2021/06/09/1003424717/the-drought-in-the-western-u-s-is-getting-bad-climate-change-is-making-it-worse\">are expected to get more extreme\u003c/a>. That means droughts will be drier, putting even greater strain on the state’s water supply.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After the last major drought ended in California in 2017, some \u003ca href=\"https://www.ppic.org/blog/are-californias-cities-conserving-enough-water/\">water conservation behavior seemed to stick\u003c/a>. Water use didn’t rebound to pre-drought levels, because some residents made lasting changes, like replacing water-hungry lawns and swapping for more efficient fixtures and appliances.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Still, experts warn that keeping a drought-mindset can only help California weather future challenges. So there’s a risk in acting like drought is a thing of the past. Saving water now could help keep reservoirs fuller, a safe bet in a state where next year’s winter storms are never guaranteed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cdiv class=\"fullattribution\">Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://www.google-analytics.com/__utm.gif?utmac=UA-5828686-4&utmdt=3+reasons+why+California%27s+drought+isn%27t+really+over%2C+despite+all+the+rain&utme=8(APIKey)9(MDAxOTAwOTE4MDEyMTkxMDAzNjczZDljZA004)\">\u003c/div>\n\u003cdiv>\u003c/div>\n\u003cdiv>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"title": "Fewer Than 10% of Levees in the Greater Bay Area Have a Federal Flood Risk Rating",
"headTitle": "Fewer Than 10% of Levees in the Greater Bay Area Have a Federal Flood Risk Rating | KQED",
"content": "\u003cp>Atmospheric river-fueled storms have hammered the network of hundreds of levees in coastal counties near the San Francisco Bay — from the agricultural fields of Monterey County to urban places like San Leandro, Walnut Creek and Richmond to more rural parts of the North Bay. At least two major levees, in Salinas and Pajaro, have failed since New Year’s Eve.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The levee breach along the Pajaro River, which divides Santa Cruz and Monterey counties, left the entire town of Pajaro in a deluge of water. More than 3,000 residents could be displaced for several weeks. The disastrous flood \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11944008/we-have-nothing-pajaro-farmworkers-face-the-prospect-of-no-income-at-start-of-harvesting-season\">submerged a significant acreage of agricultural land there\u003c/a>, and the mostly lower-income Latino community now faces overwhelming economic and housing uncertainty.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The river valley has flooded twice before, in the 1990s. State and federal officials \u003ca href=\"https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2023-03-14/storms-reveal-growing-weaknesses-of-californias-levees\">knew the levee could fail but didn’t fix it\u003c/a>, although a plan was in the works to update the system beginning in 2025.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But the dozen atmospheric river storms this winter wouldn’t wait for that construction to begin.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s a horrible tragedy, and now it’s happened again,” said Nancy Faulstich, executive director of Regeneración, Pájaro Valley Climate Action. “It feels like it’s exactly a case of environmental injustice that it was known that the levee would fail.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Thirty minutes before water raced down his street, Andy Garcia and his 8-year-old daughter fled.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We just grabbed a few blankets, clothes and some documents and left,” he said. “We had so many years without rain. They had the money but didn’t ever do anything to prevent this from happening.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Garcia fears what he will find on his drowned street when the floodwaters recede.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We probably lost everything,” he said. “I’m just hoping my house didn’t get flooded.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Large gaps in the federal levee database\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Levees are designed with a certain level of flood risk, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers rates how safe each levee is as part of the \u003ca href=\"https://levees.sec.usace.army.mil/\">National Levee Database\u003c/a>. But federal risk records are available for less than 10% of the coastal region surrounding the Bay Area. The agency was not available for an interview but did comment via email.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1981906\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1981906 size-medium\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/GettyImages-1248253657-800x600.jpg\" alt=\"Rushing brown water over an dark brown earthen levee. Green trees are submerged under water and agricultural fields fill with water. \" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/GettyImages-1248253657-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/GettyImages-1248253657-1020x765.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/GettyImages-1248253657-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/GettyImages-1248253657-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/GettyImages-1248253657.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The broken levee in Pajaro on Monday, March 13, 2023. Houses were inundated and vehicles submerged when the Pajaro River burst over a crumbling levee overnight Friday into Saturday, with fire crews going door to door to rouse sleeping residents. By Monday morning, the hole had widened to 300 feet, said Monterey County officials. \u003ccite>(Jennifer Cain/AFP via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The database identifies 539 levee systems across 11 counties — Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Monterey, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Solano and Sonoma. Forty-one have a low-risk rating, 12 have a moderate-risk rating and 484 have no rating — either because that information doesn’t exist about the levee or the jurisdiction that maintains it hasn’t reported it to the federal government.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The state of federal levee records “is an extensive problem that we have been aware of and there won’t be overnight magic to solve this,” said Farshid Vahedifard, professor of civil engineering at Mississippi State University.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Levees outside the coastal range in California’s Central Valley — which play an integral part in the state and federal transport of water — also are at risk of breaching. This is where many miles of levees are on private land and are not subject to the same routine inspection and maintenance that state or federal levees undergo. During a recent storm on a farm in the Central Valley, workers filled a failed levee with two trucks piled with dirt.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://twitter.com/agleader/status/1635690151304388608?s=20\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The California Department of Water Resources proactively tracks levee incidents within the Central Valley as part of its state flood control plan but doesn’t for those outside it. Still, the state has sent assistance to both Salinas and Pajaro.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We need to have coordinated work to improve our fundamental understanding gaps, to develop practice-ready tools to be able to better capture this evolving risk,” said Vahedifard.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The ratings from the Army Corps consider how much damage and loss of life could happen if a levee fails, along with its integrity.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The region’s 53 low- and moderate-risk levees in places like Alameda, Pajaro, Petaluma, Richmond and Walnut Creek help protect $63 billion of property, more than 450,000 people and more than 119,000 buildings\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Vahedifard said all levees have the possibility of failing at some point, and climate change increases their fragility. “A low-risk levee does not mean it’s safe forever,” he said. “It’s no secret that California has a marginal levee system.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He studies how repetitive droughts and floods — like the current multiyear dry spell with back-to-back atmospheric river storms within it — weaken and threaten the life of the state’s levees.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Because of climate change, atmospheric river-fueled winter storms could become \u003ca href=\"https://www.pnnl.gov/news-media/wettest-winter-storms-western-us-growing-wetter\">around 30% wetter by mid-century\u003c/a>, according to a study published in the journal Nature Climate Change.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1981910\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1981910 size-medium\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/GettyImages-1248482776-800x534.jpg\" alt=\"A dark brown earthen levee with murky brown water flowing over the earthen levee. \" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/GettyImages-1248482776-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/GettyImages-1248482776-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/GettyImages-1248482776-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/GettyImages-1248482776-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/GettyImages-1248482776.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Strawberry fields and roads fill with floodwaters as the Salinas River breaks through levees during an atmospheric river storm, in Salinas, on Tuesday, March 14, 2023. \u003ccite>(Melina Mara/The Washington Post via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>On top of the severity of storms, Vahedifard said many of the levees are old. People constructed these aged levees with logs, dirt and anything else they could find during the 1900s for a climate that no longer exists.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Vahedifard said California has way more levees than the federal government has documented in its levee database.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There are potentially 50% more levees in California that have not been documented,” he said, mostly of levees on private land with little or no maintenance records.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>A lot to ask of a passive patch of dirt\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>While the levee breaks this year have been mostly on tributaries of rivers and creeks in rural areas, many of the levees at low or moderate risk in the region are in major urban areas like Alameda — during the atmospheric river storms in early January, \u003ca href=\"https://www.ktvu.com/news/san-leandro-neighbors-fear-atmospheric-river-after-repeat-canal-collapses-caused-by-storms\">a floodwall near a levee crumbled in a San Leandro neighborhood\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California’s population has ballooned over the past decades to nearly 40 million people, much more than when most levees were built. These piles of dirt of yesteryear are now tasked with several missions: to protect public safety, life, homes, businesses and highways while simultaneously being recreation paths, said Jay Lund, professor of civil and environmental engineering at UC Davis.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s a lot to ask of a little passive patch of dirt stuck up on a steep slope,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1981912\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1981912 size-medium\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/GettyImages-1248048140-800x470.jpg\" alt=\"An aerial photo looking down on a house and cars. All are flooded with a mass of brown murky water. \" width=\"800\" height=\"470\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/GettyImages-1248048140-800x470.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/GettyImages-1248048140-1020x599.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/GettyImages-1248048140-160x94.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/GettyImages-1248048140-768x451.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/GettyImages-1248048140.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Cars and homes are engulfed by floodwaters in Pajaro, on Saturday, March 11, 2023. Residents were forced to evacuate in the middle of the night after an atmospheric river storm surge broke the Pajaro levee and sent floodwaters flowing into the community. \u003ccite>(Josh Edelson/AFP via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Flood agencies must comply with state requirements that levees protect urban areas with a 200-year level of flood protection in any given year. That translates to a 0.5% probability of flooding annually. But as climate-fueled storms intensify, Lund said, cities should prepare for deeper floodwaters, even as much as a 500-year flood event with a 0.2% probability. But other levees in rural areas have different standards.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The thing is, most people don’t understand what these probabilities mean, Lund said. But he has an idea to help residents understand flood risk in neighborhoods near levees.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Maybe on all the street lamp posts, there should be a painted blue stripe at the level of the 100-year flood [and so on],” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While California has always experienced floods — it is a boom-and-bust state with cycles of droughts and floods — human-caused climate change has made these events more intense and severe.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Unfortunately, it often takes a tragedy to spur people into preparing for natural disasters like flooding from atmospheric rivers, Lund said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Pajaro River levee breach could be the moment the state needs to get serious about updating outdated levees.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We have floods and droughts frequently relative to other parts of the world and we pay more attention to water,” he said. “Does that mean we’re perfect? By no means. But it means we can’t be complacent for very long.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED’s Anna Marie Yanny contributed reporting to this story.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Atmospheric river-fueled storms have hammered the network of hundreds of levees in coastal counties near the San Francisco Bay — from the agricultural fields of Monterey County to urban places like San Leandro, Walnut Creek and Richmond to more rural parts of the North Bay. At least two major levees, in Salinas and Pajaro, have failed since New Year’s Eve.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The levee breach along the Pajaro River, which divides Santa Cruz and Monterey counties, left the entire town of Pajaro in a deluge of water. More than 3,000 residents could be displaced for several weeks. The disastrous flood \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11944008/we-have-nothing-pajaro-farmworkers-face-the-prospect-of-no-income-at-start-of-harvesting-season\">submerged a significant acreage of agricultural land there\u003c/a>, and the mostly lower-income Latino community now faces overwhelming economic and housing uncertainty.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The river valley has flooded twice before, in the 1990s. State and federal officials \u003ca href=\"https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2023-03-14/storms-reveal-growing-weaknesses-of-californias-levees\">knew the levee could fail but didn’t fix it\u003c/a>, although a plan was in the works to update the system beginning in 2025.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But the dozen atmospheric river storms this winter wouldn’t wait for that construction to begin.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s a horrible tragedy, and now it’s happened again,” said Nancy Faulstich, executive director of Regeneración, Pájaro Valley Climate Action. “It feels like it’s exactly a case of environmental injustice that it was known that the levee would fail.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Thirty minutes before water raced down his street, Andy Garcia and his 8-year-old daughter fled.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We just grabbed a few blankets, clothes and some documents and left,” he said. “We had so many years without rain. They had the money but didn’t ever do anything to prevent this from happening.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Garcia fears what he will find on his drowned street when the floodwaters recede.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We probably lost everything,” he said. “I’m just hoping my house didn’t get flooded.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Large gaps in the federal levee database\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Levees are designed with a certain level of flood risk, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers rates how safe each levee is as part of the \u003ca href=\"https://levees.sec.usace.army.mil/\">National Levee Database\u003c/a>. But federal risk records are available for less than 10% of the coastal region surrounding the Bay Area. The agency was not available for an interview but did comment via email.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1981906\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1981906 size-medium\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/GettyImages-1248253657-800x600.jpg\" alt=\"Rushing brown water over an dark brown earthen levee. Green trees are submerged under water and agricultural fields fill with water. \" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/GettyImages-1248253657-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/GettyImages-1248253657-1020x765.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/GettyImages-1248253657-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/GettyImages-1248253657-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/GettyImages-1248253657.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The broken levee in Pajaro on Monday, March 13, 2023. Houses were inundated and vehicles submerged when the Pajaro River burst over a crumbling levee overnight Friday into Saturday, with fire crews going door to door to rouse sleeping residents. By Monday morning, the hole had widened to 300 feet, said Monterey County officials. \u003ccite>(Jennifer Cain/AFP via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The database identifies 539 levee systems across 11 counties — Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Monterey, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Solano and Sonoma. Forty-one have a low-risk rating, 12 have a moderate-risk rating and 484 have no rating — either because that information doesn’t exist about the levee or the jurisdiction that maintains it hasn’t reported it to the federal government.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The state of federal levee records “is an extensive problem that we have been aware of and there won’t be overnight magic to solve this,” said Farshid Vahedifard, professor of civil engineering at Mississippi State University.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Levees outside the coastal range in California’s Central Valley — which play an integral part in the state and federal transport of water — also are at risk of breaching. This is where many miles of levees are on private land and are not subject to the same routine inspection and maintenance that state or federal levees undergo. During a recent storm on a farm in the Central Valley, workers filled a failed levee with two trucks piled with dirt.\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>The California Department of Water Resources proactively tracks levee incidents within the Central Valley as part of its state flood control plan but doesn’t for those outside it. Still, the state has sent assistance to both Salinas and Pajaro.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We need to have coordinated work to improve our fundamental understanding gaps, to develop practice-ready tools to be able to better capture this evolving risk,” said Vahedifard.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The ratings from the Army Corps consider how much damage and loss of life could happen if a levee fails, along with its integrity.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The region’s 53 low- and moderate-risk levees in places like Alameda, Pajaro, Petaluma, Richmond and Walnut Creek help protect $63 billion of property, more than 450,000 people and more than 119,000 buildings\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Vahedifard said all levees have the possibility of failing at some point, and climate change increases their fragility. “A low-risk levee does not mean it’s safe forever,” he said. “It’s no secret that California has a marginal levee system.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He studies how repetitive droughts and floods — like the current multiyear dry spell with back-to-back atmospheric river storms within it — weaken and threaten the life of the state’s levees.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Because of climate change, atmospheric river-fueled winter storms could become \u003ca href=\"https://www.pnnl.gov/news-media/wettest-winter-storms-western-us-growing-wetter\">around 30% wetter by mid-century\u003c/a>, according to a study published in the journal Nature Climate Change.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1981910\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1981910 size-medium\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/GettyImages-1248482776-800x534.jpg\" alt=\"A dark brown earthen levee with murky brown water flowing over the earthen levee. \" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/GettyImages-1248482776-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/GettyImages-1248482776-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/GettyImages-1248482776-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/GettyImages-1248482776-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/GettyImages-1248482776.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Strawberry fields and roads fill with floodwaters as the Salinas River breaks through levees during an atmospheric river storm, in Salinas, on Tuesday, March 14, 2023. \u003ccite>(Melina Mara/The Washington Post via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>On top of the severity of storms, Vahedifard said many of the levees are old. People constructed these aged levees with logs, dirt and anything else they could find during the 1900s for a climate that no longer exists.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Vahedifard said California has way more levees than the federal government has documented in its levee database.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There are potentially 50% more levees in California that have not been documented,” he said, mostly of levees on private land with little or no maintenance records.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>A lot to ask of a passive patch of dirt\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>While the levee breaks this year have been mostly on tributaries of rivers and creeks in rural areas, many of the levees at low or moderate risk in the region are in major urban areas like Alameda — during the atmospheric river storms in early January, \u003ca href=\"https://www.ktvu.com/news/san-leandro-neighbors-fear-atmospheric-river-after-repeat-canal-collapses-caused-by-storms\">a floodwall near a levee crumbled in a San Leandro neighborhood\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California’s population has ballooned over the past decades to nearly 40 million people, much more than when most levees were built. These piles of dirt of yesteryear are now tasked with several missions: to protect public safety, life, homes, businesses and highways while simultaneously being recreation paths, said Jay Lund, professor of civil and environmental engineering at UC Davis.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s a lot to ask of a little passive patch of dirt stuck up on a steep slope,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1981912\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1981912 size-medium\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/GettyImages-1248048140-800x470.jpg\" alt=\"An aerial photo looking down on a house and cars. All are flooded with a mass of brown murky water. \" width=\"800\" height=\"470\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/GettyImages-1248048140-800x470.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/GettyImages-1248048140-1020x599.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/GettyImages-1248048140-160x94.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/GettyImages-1248048140-768x451.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/GettyImages-1248048140.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Cars and homes are engulfed by floodwaters in Pajaro, on Saturday, March 11, 2023. Residents were forced to evacuate in the middle of the night after an atmospheric river storm surge broke the Pajaro levee and sent floodwaters flowing into the community. \u003ccite>(Josh Edelson/AFP via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Flood agencies must comply with state requirements that levees protect urban areas with a 200-year level of flood protection in any given year. That translates to a 0.5% probability of flooding annually. But as climate-fueled storms intensify, Lund said, cities should prepare for deeper floodwaters, even as much as a 500-year flood event with a 0.2% probability. But other levees in rural areas have different standards.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The thing is, most people don’t understand what these probabilities mean, Lund said. But he has an idea to help residents understand flood risk in neighborhoods near levees.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Maybe on all the street lamp posts, there should be a painted blue stripe at the level of the 100-year flood [and so on],” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While California has always experienced floods — it is a boom-and-bust state with cycles of droughts and floods — human-caused climate change has made these events more intense and severe.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Unfortunately, it often takes a tragedy to spur people into preparing for natural disasters like flooding from atmospheric rivers, Lund said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Pajaro River levee breach could be the moment the state needs to get serious about updating outdated levees.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We have floods and droughts frequently relative to other parts of the world and we pay more attention to water,” he said. “Does that mean we’re perfect? By no means. But it means we can’t be complacent for very long.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED’s Anna Marie Yanny contributed reporting to this story.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"title": "California Keeps Sending Toxic Soil to Out-of-State Landfills — Newsom and Legislators Are Slow to Change Course",
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"headTitle": "California Keeps Sending Toxic Soil to Out-of-State Landfills — Newsom and Legislators Are Slow to Change Course | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>State lawmakers are planning an oversight hearing that will look into how California handles toxic soil from old industrial, military and other cleanup sites — waste contaminated with things such as lead, petroleum hydrocarbons and the infamous insecticide DDT.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/environment/2023/01/california-toxic-waste-dumped-arizona-utah/\">CalMatters investigation\u003c/a> last month revealed businesses and government agencies routinely dispose of contaminated soil at landfills in Arizona and Utah — states with weaker environmental regulation and oversight — as opposed to in California, where the waste would need to go to specialized hazardous waste disposal facilities.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Two of the most heavily used landfills are near Native American reservations in Arizona, including \u003ca href=\"https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/23571798-20211001-consent_order_syclf_final-signed\">one landfill with a spotty environmental record\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California state and local government agencies largely oversee or directly manage the cleanup projects disposing the waste out of state. California’s own hazardous waste watchdog — the Department of Toxic Substances Control — is one of the biggest out-of-state dumpers and has continued to take its toxic waste to Arizona despite the public revelations, according to information the department recently provided.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Gov. Gavin Newsom has positioned himself as a national leader on environmental issues. His office failed to respond to requests for comment both before and after CalMatters’ initial report.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The as-yet unscheduled hearing had been planned to explore various hazardous waste issues, but the chair of the state Senate’s Environmental Quality Committee said it will now also probe the out-of-state dumping.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s a real concern,” said Sen. Ben Allen, a Democrat from Redondo Beach. “I think at a gut level, everybody feels as though every state should be handling its own toxic waste and not sending it across borders to other states and countries with less stringent environmental standards.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>CalMatters’ reporting revealed that California businesses and government agencies have disposed of more than 660,000 tons of toxic soil in Arizona landfills since 2018 and nearly a million tons at a Utah landfill, according to data from the state’s hazardous waste tracking system. That includes more than 105,000 tons from the state’s cleanup of lead-contaminated soil in the neighborhoods around the old Exide battery recycling facility in Los Angeles County.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The out-of-state landfills are a cheaper option than California’s two hazardous waste disposal facilities, which are in Kings and Kern counties.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Department of Toxic Substances Control took most of the Exide residential cleanup waste to the South Yuma County Landfill, which Arizona environmental regulators in 2021 labeled as posing an “\u003ca href=\"https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/23571796-20210430-south-yuma-county-landfill-inspection-report#document/p25/a2194981\">imminent and substantial threat\u003c/a>” after an inspection noted windblown litter, large amounts of “disease vectors” (flies and birds), and groundwater with elevated levels of chromium — a metal that can harm people and the environment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The landfill made fixes to resolve those and other violations, according to Arizona regulators.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Exide waste has continued to go to that state. The Department of Toxic Substances Control shipped 52 loads of hazardous waste from the Exide residential cleanup to the Yuma landfill from Jan. 25 to Feb. 10, according to figures the department provided.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In Arizona, one lawmaker told CalMatters that she wasn’t aware California was dumping so much hazardous waste in her state’s landfills and called it “very concerning.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Arizona is not a dumping ground and hauling California’s hazardous waste so close to Arizona’s agricultural hub and the Colorado River is asking for trouble no matter how many precautions they take,” said Arizona state Rep. Mariana Sandoval, a Democrat whose district includes areas around the South Yuma County Landfill. “I would hope that our new governor will take a close look at this … and encourage California to find landfills in their own state for their own waste.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>New plan coming for California toxic waste\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>As to whether Californians can expect any major policy change, officials largely pointed to a 2021 law requiring the state to craft a new \u003ca href=\"https://dtsc.ca.gov/hazardous-waste-management-plan/\">hazardous waste management plan\u003c/a>. As part of the process, the Department of Toxic Substances Control is scheduled to release a report in March looking at how much hazardous waste the state is generating and how it’s being handled.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The (Hazardous Waste Management) Plan will propose strategies for reducing hazardous waste generation, managing more waste in state, and addressing issues of concern, such as hazardous waste impacts to disadvantaged communities,” according to a statement from the department.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A proposed plan isn’t due until spring 2025.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Asked how the state can justify continuing to dump hazardous waste in out-of-state landfills next to Native American reservations, California’s secretary for environmental protection, Yana Garcia, declined an interview request but provided a written statement.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The hazardous waste challenges we face across the country are decades in the making. While we know these issues won’t be resolved overnight, California is fully committed to addressing this urgently, and we are prioritizing investing in the search for solutions to do so,” according to her statement.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She said the bill that led to the hazardous waste planning process as well as more stable funding for the department “improved our ability to address this and other toxic waste challenges. Enhancing DTSC’s regulatory oversight and requiring the research and public engagement necessary to come to consensus on solutions moves us in the right direction, but our path to achieve on-the-ground improvements will require true partnership with a multitude of stakeholders and a fundamental shift in how we produce, treat, and handle hazardous waste, across the board.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Hazardous waste landfills in San Joaquin Valley\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Regulators, environmental advocates and lawmakers said the issue is complicated and any solution is likely to be controversial.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California is limited in its ability to regulate interstate commerce. State regulators said there’s not much they can do to stop private entities from taking waste across the border.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And California has only two hazardous waste landfills, both of them in the San Joaquin Valley: the \u003ca href=\"https://dtsc.ca.gov/kettleman-hills-facility/\">Kettleman Hills Facility\u003c/a> in Kings County and the \u003ca href=\"https://www.envirostor.dtsc.ca.gov/public/hwmp_profile_report?global_id=CAD980675276\">Buttonwillow landfill facility\u003c/a> in Kern County.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On paper, the sites appear to have enough space to take contaminated soil. Last year, Jennifer Andrews, a spokesperson for WM (formerly known as Waste Management Inc.), which operates the \u003ca href=\"https://dtsc.ca.gov/kettleman-hills-facility/\">Kettleman Hills Facility\u003c/a>, told CalMatters the site “has enough capacity to meet the State of California’s hazardous waste disposal needs.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We also have plenty of space to meet the needs of (Department of Toxic Substances Control) waste for years to come, providing the agency permits new disposal units at our site.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But the two landfills have been controversial. Both were the subject of numerous regulatory violations over the years and advocates have long protested about the sites, which are near communities of color. In 2014 the Department of Toxic Substances Control approved \u003ca href=\"https://dtsc.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/31/2017/03/KettlemanCommunityflyerEnglish512.pdf\">an expansion at Kettleman Hills (PDF)\u003c/a>, prompting environmental justice and community groups to file a civil rights complaint, records show.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[pullquote size='medium' align='right' citation='Bradley Angel, executive director, Greenaction for Health and Environmental Justice']‘They need some other alternatives, and the reality is I don’t see them building another hazardous waste landfill.’[/pullquote]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Bradley Angel is executive director of Greenaction for Health and Environmental Justice, one of the groups that filed the complaint, which ultimately led to a \u003ca href=\"https://dtsc.ca.gov/2016/08/10/landmark-agreement-reached-to-benefit-environmental-justice-communities-and-resolve-a-civil-rights-complaint-on-hazardous-waste-permitting-decision/\">settlement agreement\u003c/a> including provisions for more health assessment and environmental monitoring, state records show.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“They need some other alternatives, and the reality is I don’t see them building another hazardous waste landfill,” Angel said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He said there’s “not the political appetite.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Indeed, the Department of Toxic Substances Control appeared to acknowledge as much in a \u003ca href=\"https://dtsc.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/31/2021/05/FINAL-CPHWRI-REPORT_ADA_FINAL.pdf?emrc=0e9fe7\">2017 report that looked at ways to reduce hazardous waste\u003c/a>, including treating more contaminated soil on-site as opposed to excavating it. The report cited a “difficulty in gaining consensus in the siting of new facilities” as leading to a focus on strategies to reduce the amount of hazardous waste generated.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In other words, if you can’t build more sites to take hazardous waste because nobody wants it in their backyard, then you better figure out a way to make less of it.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Cleaning up hazardous soil\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>California’s efforts to address a long history of environmental harm at old industrial and military installations produces hundreds of thousands of tons of toxic soil each year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Department of Toxic Substances Control “is trying to remediate contamination that was created over decades by unscrupulous private sector actors. Now, does that mean they ought to be dumping in Arizona?” Allen, the Democrat from Redondo Beach, asked.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The senator said his committee will hold an oversight hearing on the Department of Toxic Substances Control sometime this year. Other topics will likely include recent reporting from \u003cem>The Los Angeles Times\u003c/em> suggesting the state isn’t ensuring properties around the Exide facility are properly \u003ca href=\"https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2023-02-10/exide-lead-cleanup-leaves-fear-and-frustration-in-its-wake\">cleaned of lead-contaminated soil\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There’s not an easy answer here. But that doesn’t mean that we accept the status quo,” Allen said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1981792\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1981792 size-medium\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/112922-La-Paz-County-AZ-MG-CM-06-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"A landscape of beige, sandy soil and green scrub across it, with a rise the same color as the sand in the distance.\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/112922-La-Paz-County-AZ-MG-CM-06-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/112922-La-Paz-County-AZ-MG-CM-06-1020x679.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/112922-La-Paz-County-AZ-MG-CM-06-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/112922-La-Paz-County-AZ-MG-CM-06-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/112922-La-Paz-County-AZ-MG-CM-06.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The La Paz County Regional Landfill near the Colorado River Indian Tribes reservation in Arizona on Nov. 29, 2022. \u003ccite>(Miguel Gutierrez Jr./CalMatters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Other states could, of course, also take action. Oregon in the late 1980s adopted a rule that effectively bars California from dumping hazardous waste in that state’s regular landfills. Nevada has a similar rule. (California disposed of a large amount of contaminated soil at a Nevada facility in recent years, shipping records show. But that site is designed and permitted to handle hazardous waste.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Sandoval, the lawmaker whose district includes an area around the South Yuma landfill, said Arizona legislation to restrict California’s dumping is possible.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Nobody wants that in their backyard,” Sandoval said. “Obviously California doesn’t want it in their backyard. That’s why they’re bringing it over to us.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Utah legislators CalMatters reached out to didn’t respond to requests for comment. Regulators in that state recently signified their intent to deny a permit for a landfill on the banks of the Great Salt Lake that CalMatters reported was planning to take California’s contaminated soil. CalMatters reported in January that the company behind the project filed an economic analysis with its state regulators calling the toxic soil a “unique market opportunity created by California law.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://documents.deq.utah.gov/waste-management-and-radiation-control/facilities/promontory-point-landfill/DSHW-2023-001251.pdf\">proposed permit denial\u003c/a> indicates there is already enough landfill capacity to handle Utah’s waste needs.\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"headline": "California Keeps Sending Toxic Soil to Out-of-State Landfills — Newsom and Legislators Are Slow to Change Course",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>State lawmakers are planning an oversight hearing that will look into how California handles toxic soil from old industrial, military and other cleanup sites — waste contaminated with things such as lead, petroleum hydrocarbons and the infamous insecticide DDT.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/environment/2023/01/california-toxic-waste-dumped-arizona-utah/\">CalMatters investigation\u003c/a> last month revealed businesses and government agencies routinely dispose of contaminated soil at landfills in Arizona and Utah — states with weaker environmental regulation and oversight — as opposed to in California, where the waste would need to go to specialized hazardous waste disposal facilities.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Two of the most heavily used landfills are near Native American reservations in Arizona, including \u003ca href=\"https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/23571798-20211001-consent_order_syclf_final-signed\">one landfill with a spotty environmental record\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California state and local government agencies largely oversee or directly manage the cleanup projects disposing the waste out of state. California’s own hazardous waste watchdog — the Department of Toxic Substances Control — is one of the biggest out-of-state dumpers and has continued to take its toxic waste to Arizona despite the public revelations, according to information the department recently provided.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Gov. Gavin Newsom has positioned himself as a national leader on environmental issues. His office failed to respond to requests for comment both before and after CalMatters’ initial report.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The as-yet unscheduled hearing had been planned to explore various hazardous waste issues, but the chair of the state Senate’s Environmental Quality Committee said it will now also probe the out-of-state dumping.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s a real concern,” said Sen. Ben Allen, a Democrat from Redondo Beach. “I think at a gut level, everybody feels as though every state should be handling its own toxic waste and not sending it across borders to other states and countries with less stringent environmental standards.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>CalMatters’ reporting revealed that California businesses and government agencies have disposed of more than 660,000 tons of toxic soil in Arizona landfills since 2018 and nearly a million tons at a Utah landfill, according to data from the state’s hazardous waste tracking system. That includes more than 105,000 tons from the state’s cleanup of lead-contaminated soil in the neighborhoods around the old Exide battery recycling facility in Los Angeles County.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The out-of-state landfills are a cheaper option than California’s two hazardous waste disposal facilities, which are in Kings and Kern counties.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Department of Toxic Substances Control took most of the Exide residential cleanup waste to the South Yuma County Landfill, which Arizona environmental regulators in 2021 labeled as posing an “\u003ca href=\"https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/23571796-20210430-south-yuma-county-landfill-inspection-report#document/p25/a2194981\">imminent and substantial threat\u003c/a>” after an inspection noted windblown litter, large amounts of “disease vectors” (flies and birds), and groundwater with elevated levels of chromium — a metal that can harm people and the environment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The landfill made fixes to resolve those and other violations, according to Arizona regulators.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Exide waste has continued to go to that state. The Department of Toxic Substances Control shipped 52 loads of hazardous waste from the Exide residential cleanup to the Yuma landfill from Jan. 25 to Feb. 10, according to figures the department provided.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In Arizona, one lawmaker told CalMatters that she wasn’t aware California was dumping so much hazardous waste in her state’s landfills and called it “very concerning.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Arizona is not a dumping ground and hauling California’s hazardous waste so close to Arizona’s agricultural hub and the Colorado River is asking for trouble no matter how many precautions they take,” said Arizona state Rep. Mariana Sandoval, a Democrat whose district includes areas around the South Yuma County Landfill. “I would hope that our new governor will take a close look at this … and encourage California to find landfills in their own state for their own waste.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>New plan coming for California toxic waste\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>As to whether Californians can expect any major policy change, officials largely pointed to a 2021 law requiring the state to craft a new \u003ca href=\"https://dtsc.ca.gov/hazardous-waste-management-plan/\">hazardous waste management plan\u003c/a>. As part of the process, the Department of Toxic Substances Control is scheduled to release a report in March looking at how much hazardous waste the state is generating and how it’s being handled.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The (Hazardous Waste Management) Plan will propose strategies for reducing hazardous waste generation, managing more waste in state, and addressing issues of concern, such as hazardous waste impacts to disadvantaged communities,” according to a statement from the department.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A proposed plan isn’t due until spring 2025.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Asked how the state can justify continuing to dump hazardous waste in out-of-state landfills next to Native American reservations, California’s secretary for environmental protection, Yana Garcia, declined an interview request but provided a written statement.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The hazardous waste challenges we face across the country are decades in the making. While we know these issues won’t be resolved overnight, California is fully committed to addressing this urgently, and we are prioritizing investing in the search for solutions to do so,” according to her statement.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She said the bill that led to the hazardous waste planning process as well as more stable funding for the department “improved our ability to address this and other toxic waste challenges. Enhancing DTSC’s regulatory oversight and requiring the research and public engagement necessary to come to consensus on solutions moves us in the right direction, but our path to achieve on-the-ground improvements will require true partnership with a multitude of stakeholders and a fundamental shift in how we produce, treat, and handle hazardous waste, across the board.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Hazardous waste landfills in San Joaquin Valley\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Regulators, environmental advocates and lawmakers said the issue is complicated and any solution is likely to be controversial.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California is limited in its ability to regulate interstate commerce. State regulators said there’s not much they can do to stop private entities from taking waste across the border.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And California has only two hazardous waste landfills, both of them in the San Joaquin Valley: the \u003ca href=\"https://dtsc.ca.gov/kettleman-hills-facility/\">Kettleman Hills Facility\u003c/a> in Kings County and the \u003ca href=\"https://www.envirostor.dtsc.ca.gov/public/hwmp_profile_report?global_id=CAD980675276\">Buttonwillow landfill facility\u003c/a> in Kern County.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On paper, the sites appear to have enough space to take contaminated soil. Last year, Jennifer Andrews, a spokesperson for WM (formerly known as Waste Management Inc.), which operates the \u003ca href=\"https://dtsc.ca.gov/kettleman-hills-facility/\">Kettleman Hills Facility\u003c/a>, told CalMatters the site “has enough capacity to meet the State of California’s hazardous waste disposal needs.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We also have plenty of space to meet the needs of (Department of Toxic Substances Control) waste for years to come, providing the agency permits new disposal units at our site.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But the two landfills have been controversial. Both were the subject of numerous regulatory violations over the years and advocates have long protested about the sites, which are near communities of color. In 2014 the Department of Toxic Substances Control approved \u003ca href=\"https://dtsc.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/31/2017/03/KettlemanCommunityflyerEnglish512.pdf\">an expansion at Kettleman Hills (PDF)\u003c/a>, prompting environmental justice and community groups to file a civil rights complaint, records show.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "‘They need some other alternatives, and the reality is I don’t see them building another hazardous waste landfill.’",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Bradley Angel is executive director of Greenaction for Health and Environmental Justice, one of the groups that filed the complaint, which ultimately led to a \u003ca href=\"https://dtsc.ca.gov/2016/08/10/landmark-agreement-reached-to-benefit-environmental-justice-communities-and-resolve-a-civil-rights-complaint-on-hazardous-waste-permitting-decision/\">settlement agreement\u003c/a> including provisions for more health assessment and environmental monitoring, state records show.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“They need some other alternatives, and the reality is I don’t see them building another hazardous waste landfill,” Angel said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He said there’s “not the political appetite.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Indeed, the Department of Toxic Substances Control appeared to acknowledge as much in a \u003ca href=\"https://dtsc.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/31/2021/05/FINAL-CPHWRI-REPORT_ADA_FINAL.pdf?emrc=0e9fe7\">2017 report that looked at ways to reduce hazardous waste\u003c/a>, including treating more contaminated soil on-site as opposed to excavating it. The report cited a “difficulty in gaining consensus in the siting of new facilities” as leading to a focus on strategies to reduce the amount of hazardous waste generated.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In other words, if you can’t build more sites to take hazardous waste because nobody wants it in their backyard, then you better figure out a way to make less of it.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Cleaning up hazardous soil\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>California’s efforts to address a long history of environmental harm at old industrial and military installations produces hundreds of thousands of tons of toxic soil each year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Department of Toxic Substances Control “is trying to remediate contamination that was created over decades by unscrupulous private sector actors. Now, does that mean they ought to be dumping in Arizona?” Allen, the Democrat from Redondo Beach, asked.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The senator said his committee will hold an oversight hearing on the Department of Toxic Substances Control sometime this year. Other topics will likely include recent reporting from \u003cem>The Los Angeles Times\u003c/em> suggesting the state isn’t ensuring properties around the Exide facility are properly \u003ca href=\"https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2023-02-10/exide-lead-cleanup-leaves-fear-and-frustration-in-its-wake\">cleaned of lead-contaminated soil\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There’s not an easy answer here. But that doesn’t mean that we accept the status quo,” Allen said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1981792\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1981792 size-medium\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/112922-La-Paz-County-AZ-MG-CM-06-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"A landscape of beige, sandy soil and green scrub across it, with a rise the same color as the sand in the distance.\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/112922-La-Paz-County-AZ-MG-CM-06-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/112922-La-Paz-County-AZ-MG-CM-06-1020x679.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/112922-La-Paz-County-AZ-MG-CM-06-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/112922-La-Paz-County-AZ-MG-CM-06-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/112922-La-Paz-County-AZ-MG-CM-06.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The La Paz County Regional Landfill near the Colorado River Indian Tribes reservation in Arizona on Nov. 29, 2022. \u003ccite>(Miguel Gutierrez Jr./CalMatters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Other states could, of course, also take action. Oregon in the late 1980s adopted a rule that effectively bars California from dumping hazardous waste in that state’s regular landfills. Nevada has a similar rule. (California disposed of a large amount of contaminated soil at a Nevada facility in recent years, shipping records show. But that site is designed and permitted to handle hazardous waste.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Sandoval, the lawmaker whose district includes an area around the South Yuma landfill, said Arizona legislation to restrict California’s dumping is possible.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Nobody wants that in their backyard,” Sandoval said. “Obviously California doesn’t want it in their backyard. That’s why they’re bringing it over to us.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Utah legislators CalMatters reached out to didn’t respond to requests for comment. Regulators in that state recently signified their intent to deny a permit for a landfill on the banks of the Great Salt Lake that CalMatters reported was planning to take California’s contaminated soil. CalMatters reported in January that the company behind the project filed an economic analysis with its state regulators calling the toxic soil a “unique market opportunity created by California law.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://documents.deq.utah.gov/waste-management-and-radiation-control/facilities/promontory-point-landfill/DSHW-2023-001251.pdf\">proposed permit denial\u003c/a> indicates there is already enough landfill capacity to handle Utah’s waste needs.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"content": "\u003cp>Federal wildlife officials on Wednesday announced a proposal to classify one of two dwindling California spotted owl populations as endangered after a lawsuit by conservation groups required the government to reassess a Trump administration decision not to protect the brown-and-white birds.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposed that California spotted owls that have their habitats in coastal and Southern California be protected under the Endangered Species Act.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That population “does not have a strong ability to withstand normal variations in environmental conditions, persist through catastrophic events, or adapt to new environmental conditions throughout its range,” which led the agency to propose listing it as endangered, wildlife officials said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The other California spotted owl population, which lives in Sierra Nevada forests in California and western Nevada, \u003ca href=\"https://www.fws.gov/press-release/2023-02/public-comment-sought-proposal-list-california-spotted-owl\">would be classified as threatened\u003c/a>, the agency said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The habitat of the medium-sized brown owl with white spots on its head and chest and a barred tail is under serious threat from current logging practices and climate change, including increased drought, disease and more extreme wildfires.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Most California spotted owls live on land overseen by the Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>How much the population has declined since conservation groups started their effort to protect it more than 20 years ago is unclear.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The only available demographic data on spotted owls living in coastal and Southern California was collected in the San Bernardino National Forest and shows a decline of 9%, the federal wildlife service said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Sierra Nevada population shows declines ranging from 50% to 31% percent in some areas, the agency said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The federal agency’s decision follows an agreement reached in November between the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and several conservation groups that sued the federal agency in 2020 over its decision not to protect the California spotted owl population.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Justin Augustine, senior attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity, one of the groups that sued, applauded the agency’s decision and said he was happy to see the California spotted owls could finally get the safeguards they need.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Augustine said he planned to use the 60-day public comment period to push for more protections for the California spotted owl population in the Sierra Nevada.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“One of the things I’ll be addressing is the issue of how to make sure that (Sierra Nevada) spotted owls are actually protected under their threatened status rather than potentially allowing some logging to occur that would be harmful,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The California spotted owl is one of three spotted owl subspecies and the last to be protected under the Endangered Species Act, Augustine said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The other two subspecies are the northern spotted owl and the Mexican spotted owl.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The northern spotted owl habitat is in Oregon, Washington and Northern California. The tiny owl was listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act in 1990, sparking an intense battle over logging in the region. In 2020, the Trump administration refused to upgrade it to endangered status despite its losing nearly 4% of its population annually.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Mexican spotted owl was first listed as threatened in the U.S. in 1993. It is found in Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, parts of West Texas and Mexico.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The species is in danger of extinction due to loss of habitat to logging, development, mining and wildfires.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Federal wildlife officials on Wednesday announced a proposal to classify one of two dwindling California spotted owl populations as endangered after a lawsuit by conservation groups required the government to reassess a Trump administration decision not to protect the brown-and-white birds.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposed that California spotted owls that have their habitats in coastal and Southern California be protected under the Endangered Species Act.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That population “does not have a strong ability to withstand normal variations in environmental conditions, persist through catastrophic events, or adapt to new environmental conditions throughout its range,” which led the agency to propose listing it as endangered, wildlife officials said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The other California spotted owl population, which lives in Sierra Nevada forests in California and western Nevada, \u003ca href=\"https://www.fws.gov/press-release/2023-02/public-comment-sought-proposal-list-california-spotted-owl\">would be classified as threatened\u003c/a>, the agency said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The habitat of the medium-sized brown owl with white spots on its head and chest and a barred tail is under serious threat from current logging practices and climate change, including increased drought, disease and more extreme wildfires.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Most California spotted owls live on land overseen by the Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>How much the population has declined since conservation groups started their effort to protect it more than 20 years ago is unclear.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The only available demographic data on spotted owls living in coastal and Southern California was collected in the San Bernardino National Forest and shows a decline of 9%, the federal wildlife service said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Sierra Nevada population shows declines ranging from 50% to 31% percent in some areas, the agency said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The federal agency’s decision follows an agreement reached in November between the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and several conservation groups that sued the federal agency in 2020 over its decision not to protect the California spotted owl population.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Justin Augustine, senior attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity, one of the groups that sued, applauded the agency’s decision and said he was happy to see the California spotted owls could finally get the safeguards they need.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Augustine said he planned to use the 60-day public comment period to push for more protections for the California spotted owl population in the Sierra Nevada.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“One of the things I’ll be addressing is the issue of how to make sure that (Sierra Nevada) spotted owls are actually protected under their threatened status rather than potentially allowing some logging to occur that would be harmful,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The California spotted owl is one of three spotted owl subspecies and the last to be protected under the Endangered Species Act, Augustine said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The other two subspecies are the northern spotted owl and the Mexican spotted owl.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The northern spotted owl habitat is in Oregon, Washington and Northern California. The tiny owl was listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act in 1990, sparking an intense battle over logging in the region. In 2020, the Trump administration refused to upgrade it to endangered status despite its losing nearly 4% of its population annually.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Mexican spotted owl was first listed as threatened in the U.S. in 1993. It is found in Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, parts of West Texas and Mexico.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The species is in danger of extinction due to loss of habitat to logging, development, mining and wildfires.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cp>The magnitude 7.8 earthquake that rocked parts of Turkey and Syria on Monday, killing more than 23,000 people, resembles a threat that Californians could potentially face. The same type of fault runs across most of the state. Here’s the science behind these huge earthquakes and how to be prepared.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>What makes a big earthquake?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Earthquakes result from a slip along a fault line, a geological term for a crack in Earth’s crust. Basically, two slabs of rock suddenly and violently slip past one another, radiating energy in all directions in the form of seismic waves that cause the shaking that people experience. The Turkey earthquake occurred along the East Anatolian fault, a \u003ca href=\"https://www.usgs.gov/media/videos/strike-slip-fault\">strike-slip fault \u003c/a>— where two tectonic plates slide past each other horizontally — that measures hundreds of miles long. The portion that ruptured is at least 100 miles long. Essentially, the longer the length of the fault that ruptures, the larger the magnitude of the earthquake it produces. And the larger the population surrounding the fault lines, the more devastation is caused by the earthquake.[aside postID=news_11940413,science_1933064]“You’re not necessarily seeing stronger ground motions, but you’re seeing a longer duration of ground motion and a greater area that is exposed to the most extreme shaking just because more of the fault is involved in producing the shaking,” said Austin Elliott, a research geologist at the U.S. Geological Survey’s Earthquake Science Center based in Mountain View’s Moffett Field in the South Bay.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We have several long faults in the Bay Area that are capable of producing strong earthquakes similar to what happened in Turkey. A strike-slip quake can occur along the San Andreas Fault, for example. The fault line runs 800 miles long from the Salton Sea in Southern California to Cape Mendocino through the Peninsula and San Francisco and along the North Coast.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Tectonically and seismologically, the earthquakes we expect in California are very similar to the earthquakes that have just happened in Turkey,” said Elliott, but, “geographically and demographically, the situation is different.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The San Andreas Fault is largely offshore as it goes north, and is distant from some of the major population centers, Elliott said. Other faults that run through cities, like the Hayward Fault, the Rodgers Creek Fault and the Calaveras Fault, are also capable of large earthquakes, potentially involving more communities in the temblor.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ciframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Explaining Earthquakes - KQED QUEST\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https://www.youtube.com/embed/wDfIgoXaXis?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen>\u003c/iframe>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Scientists have calculated about a \u003ca href=\"https://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/2016/3020/fs20163020.pdf\">30% chance that the Hayward Fault will “break big” (PDF)\u003c/a> — with a magnitude 6.7 event or bigger — within 30 years. The \u003ca href=\"https://www.usgs.gov/programs/science-application-for-risk-reduction/science/haywired-scenario?qt-science_center_objects=0#qt-science_center_objects\">“HayWired” scenario\u003c/a> from the USGS projects that in the aftermath of a magnitude 7.0 quake in Hayward, 2,500 people would need immediate rescue.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We still consider the Hayward Fault to be the one with the highest probability of producing a large event in the Bay Area in years and decades to come,” said Roland Bürgmann, a UC Berkeley seismologist. ”The damages will be tremendous given the continuing exposure, despite all the great efforts made to mitigate the impact.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Scientists use triangulation to find the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/quest/136760/how-to-find-the-epicenter-of-an-earthquake\">epicenter of an earthquake\u003c/a>, collecting seismic data from at least three locations. Every earthquake is recorded on numerous seismographs located in different directions.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Improved building codes and infrastructure\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The Bay Area has experienced multiple large-scale earthquakes in history. The 1857 earthquake in Central California was an estimated magnitude 7.8, the 1868 Hayward Fault quake was a magnitude 6.8, and the famous 1906 San Francisco earthquake was at a 7.9 magnitude along the San Andreas Fault. In comparison, the Loma Prieta earthquake of 1989 was a magnitude 6.9.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Each new earthquake teaches us more about what works and what doesn’t work in constructing buildings and infrastructure,” said Elliott.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Bay Area has strong building standards and codes, some of the strictest in the world as far as seismic preparedness, he said. Its built environment is generally well-prepared to withstand the earthquakes seismologists expect in the region. That said, there are still a lot of vulnerable facilities and structures that require seismic retrofitting.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It really takes building codes, planning by all the different agencies and communities involved to be more and more ready,” said Bürgmann.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Earthquake prep from a geologist’s perspective\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>To prepare for a big earthquake, Elliott recommends using sites like \u003ca href=\"https://www.earthquakecountry.org/bayarea/\">Earthquake Country Alliance\u003c/a>, which has a wealth of preparedness information. Homeowners should make sure their homes are properly braced and bolted to their foundations. California has \u003ca href=\"https://www.earthquakebracebolt.com/\">grant programs\u003c/a> to help to improve the structural stability of your home.[aside postID=science_1949019] At home, look around your space and brace things like bookshelves, televisions and furniture that could be toppled by heavy shaking. Have shoes next to your bed so that if it’s dark and there’s glass on the floors, you don’t step on it and hurt yourself. And don’t forget to prepare your \u003ca href=\"https://www.earthquakecountry.org/step3/\">emergency kit\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After an earthquake, emergency services will be swamped. So it’s important to try to be self-sufficient by having your emergency supplies in hand and knowing basic first aid. Fire departments, paramedics and hospitals are going to be spread thin. So making sure you have your first aid kit within reach is important.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Stay connected with your neighbors and friends during this time. “Your neighbors or your friends may live in more vulnerable buildings than you do or vice versa,” said Elliott. “And you may want to be conscious of that as well in your planning.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>The magnitude 7.8 earthquake that rocked parts of Turkey and Syria on Monday, killing more than 23,000 people, resembles a threat that Californians could potentially face. The same type of fault runs across most of the state. Here’s the science behind these huge earthquakes and how to be prepared.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>What makes a big earthquake?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Earthquakes result from a slip along a fault line, a geological term for a crack in Earth’s crust. Basically, two slabs of rock suddenly and violently slip past one another, radiating energy in all directions in the form of seismic waves that cause the shaking that people experience. The Turkey earthquake occurred along the East Anatolian fault, a \u003ca href=\"https://www.usgs.gov/media/videos/strike-slip-fault\">strike-slip fault \u003c/a>— where two tectonic plates slide past each other horizontally — that measures hundreds of miles long. The portion that ruptured is at least 100 miles long. Essentially, the longer the length of the fault that ruptures, the larger the magnitude of the earthquake it produces. And the larger the population surrounding the fault lines, the more devastation is caused by the earthquake.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>“You’re not necessarily seeing stronger ground motions, but you’re seeing a longer duration of ground motion and a greater area that is exposed to the most extreme shaking just because more of the fault is involved in producing the shaking,” said Austin Elliott, a research geologist at the U.S. Geological Survey’s Earthquake Science Center based in Mountain View’s Moffett Field in the South Bay.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We have several long faults in the Bay Area that are capable of producing strong earthquakes similar to what happened in Turkey. A strike-slip quake can occur along the San Andreas Fault, for example. The fault line runs 800 miles long from the Salton Sea in Southern California to Cape Mendocino through the Peninsula and San Francisco and along the North Coast.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Tectonically and seismologically, the earthquakes we expect in California are very similar to the earthquakes that have just happened in Turkey,” said Elliott, but, “geographically and demographically, the situation is different.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The San Andreas Fault is largely offshore as it goes north, and is distant from some of the major population centers, Elliott said. Other faults that run through cities, like the Hayward Fault, the Rodgers Creek Fault and the Calaveras Fault, are also capable of large earthquakes, potentially involving more communities in the temblor.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ciframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Explaining Earthquakes - KQED QUEST\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https://www.youtube.com/embed/wDfIgoXaXis?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen>\u003c/iframe>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Scientists have calculated about a \u003ca href=\"https://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/2016/3020/fs20163020.pdf\">30% chance that the Hayward Fault will “break big” (PDF)\u003c/a> — with a magnitude 6.7 event or bigger — within 30 years. The \u003ca href=\"https://www.usgs.gov/programs/science-application-for-risk-reduction/science/haywired-scenario?qt-science_center_objects=0#qt-science_center_objects\">“HayWired” scenario\u003c/a> from the USGS projects that in the aftermath of a magnitude 7.0 quake in Hayward, 2,500 people would need immediate rescue.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We still consider the Hayward Fault to be the one with the highest probability of producing a large event in the Bay Area in years and decades to come,” said Roland Bürgmann, a UC Berkeley seismologist. ”The damages will be tremendous given the continuing exposure, despite all the great efforts made to mitigate the impact.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Scientists use triangulation to find the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/quest/136760/how-to-find-the-epicenter-of-an-earthquake\">epicenter of an earthquake\u003c/a>, collecting seismic data from at least three locations. Every earthquake is recorded on numerous seismographs located in different directions.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Improved building codes and infrastructure\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The Bay Area has experienced multiple large-scale earthquakes in history. The 1857 earthquake in Central California was an estimated magnitude 7.8, the 1868 Hayward Fault quake was a magnitude 6.8, and the famous 1906 San Francisco earthquake was at a 7.9 magnitude along the San Andreas Fault. In comparison, the Loma Prieta earthquake of 1989 was a magnitude 6.9.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Each new earthquake teaches us more about what works and what doesn’t work in constructing buildings and infrastructure,” said Elliott.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Bay Area has strong building standards and codes, some of the strictest in the world as far as seismic preparedness, he said. Its built environment is generally well-prepared to withstand the earthquakes seismologists expect in the region. That said, there are still a lot of vulnerable facilities and structures that require seismic retrofitting.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It really takes building codes, planning by all the different agencies and communities involved to be more and more ready,” said Bürgmann.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Earthquake prep from a geologist’s perspective\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>To prepare for a big earthquake, Elliott recommends using sites like \u003ca href=\"https://www.earthquakecountry.org/bayarea/\">Earthquake Country Alliance\u003c/a>, which has a wealth of preparedness information. Homeowners should make sure their homes are properly braced and bolted to their foundations. California has \u003ca href=\"https://www.earthquakebracebolt.com/\">grant programs\u003c/a> to help to improve the structural stability of your home.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp> At home, look around your space and brace things like bookshelves, televisions and furniture that could be toppled by heavy shaking. Have shoes next to your bed so that if it’s dark and there’s glass on the floors, you don’t step on it and hurt yourself. And don’t forget to prepare your \u003ca href=\"https://www.earthquakecountry.org/step3/\">emergency kit\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After an earthquake, emergency services will be swamped. So it’s important to try to be self-sufficient by having your emergency supplies in hand and knowing basic first aid. Fire departments, paramedics and hospitals are going to be spread thin. So making sure you have your first aid kit within reach is important.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Stay connected with your neighbors and friends during this time. “Your neighbors or your friends may live in more vulnerable buildings than you do or vice versa,” said Elliott. “And you may want to be conscious of that as well in your planning.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"title": "How the Unassuming Heat Pump Can Stave Off Warming",
"headTitle": "How the Unassuming Heat Pump Can Stave Off Warming | KQED",
"content": "\u003cp>California’s latest climate plan includes a \u003ca href=\"https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/our-work/programs/ab-32-climate-change-scoping-plan/2022-scoping-plan-documents#:~:text=The%202022%20Scoping%20Plan%20Update%20focuses%20on%20outcomes%20needed%20to,economic%2C%20environmental%2C%20energy%20security%2C\">goal to deploy 6 million heat pumps\u003c/a> by the end of the decade — and with good reason. These unassuming boxes are at least twice as efficient as gas furnaces by conservative estimates, and can significantly cut down the carbon a home or commercial emits.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California’s Public Utilities Commission estimates that \u003ca href=\"https://www.cpuc.ca.gov/news-and-updates/all-news/cpuc-issues-research-study-on-heat-pump-market\">12% of the state’s greenhouse gas pollution comes directly from commercial and residential buildings\u003c/a> — that means gasses wafting from rooftop vents, or indoor stoves. That percentage is \u003ca href=\"https://www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/sources-greenhouse-gas-emissions\">roughly the same for the U.S.\u003c/a>, and the majority of those emissions come from the heating and cooling of buildings. Considering shrinking the climate footprint of your home by swapping large gas guzzlers like your furnace for the humble and efficient heat pump? Read on.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>What is a heat pump?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>A heat pump can warm or cool a home, working by capturing heat and moving it from one place to another. If you’re heating your home, the heat pump will absorb heat from outside (either from the air or the ground, depending on the model) and transfer it indoors. If you’re cooling your home, a heat pump does the opposite, absorbing heat from inside and moving it outdoors.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Heat pump technology has actually been around for many decades,” said Alejandra Mejia Cunningham, a building decarbonization advocate with the Natural Resources Defense Council.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=px24dAKSFKA\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s likely you already have a heat pump in your home, in the form of a refrigerator. That system absorbs heat swirling around your food and moves it outside — where you can feel it escaping from either behind or under your fridge.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A furnace, on the other hand, generates heat by burning natural gas or other fossil fuels, warming the air around it, like a bonfire.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Heat pumps are used both for space heating, to warm and cool the air in homes, and water heating. In this article, we’re largely discussing heat pumps that warm and cool the air.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1981513\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1981513 size-medium\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS60069_037_KQED_HomeElectrificationOakland_11072022-qut-800x533.jpg\" alt='Black man in black shirt with white letters that say \"revalue.io\" looks towards the camera while standing in front of a home and citrus tree.' width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS60069_037_KQED_HomeElectrificationOakland_11072022-qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS60069_037_KQED_HomeElectrificationOakland_11072022-qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS60069_037_KQED_HomeElectrificationOakland_11072022-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS60069_037_KQED_HomeElectrificationOakland_11072022-qut-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS60069_037_KQED_HomeElectrificationOakland_11072022-qut-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS60069_037_KQED_HomeElectrificationOakland_11072022-qut.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Mark Hall founded energy-efficiency company Revalue.io in Oakland in 2015. His company does energy audits of homes and commercial spaces, plans energy upgrades, coordinates contractors and helps arrange grants, rebates and incentives to lower project costs. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>What are the benefits of a heat pump?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Efficiency. \u003c/em>Heat pumps are \u003ca href=\"https://rmi.org/its-time-to-incentivize-residential-heat-pumps/\">at least twice as efficient as gas furnaces\u003c/a>, and frequently cited as far \u003ca href=\"https://www.blocpower.io/posts/gas-vs-electric-furnace-vs-heat-pumps\">more efficient\u003c/a> than that estimate. Engineer Sam Calisch of Rewiring America says \u003ca href=\"https://www.rewiringamerica.org/circuit-breakers-heat-pumps\">the technology is improving rapidly.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Emissions. \u003c/em>Residential heat pumps can \u003ca href=\"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0301421522000386\">cut a home’s carbon pollution by 40%–50%\u003c/a> compared to gas furnaces, according to a study from researchers at UC Davis. And as California’s grid relies more on solar and wind, “the carbon footprint of your home will continue to fall over time,” said Mejia Cunningham.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Daniel Hamilton, sustainability and resilience director for the City of Oakland, estimates that “if all of the homes in Oakland were to switch to heat pump space heaters, it would eliminate half of the greenhouse gas emissions from the residential sector.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>What are the drawbacks of a heat pump?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>In cold climates, heat pumps “are simply less efficient than they would be in a warmer climate,” said Duncan Callaway, associate professor of energy and resources at UC Berkeley. And heat pumps may not be able to adequately heat a home in places that get into double-negative digits.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I’m thinking about places like the upper Midwest or Alaska, places that are quite cold in the wintertime,” Callaway said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1748-9326/ac10dc/meta#erlac10dcs3\">Researchers at the University of Texas, Austin\u003c/a> analyzed residential heat pump adoption looking at a variety of factors, including energy prices, carbon emissions, health effects from emissions and demands on the electricity grid. The results showed that 32% of U.S. houses would benefit financially from installing a heat pump, and 70% could reduce emissions by installing a heat pump.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Researchers found that heat pumps are a powerful decarbonization tool in California and other places with mild climates, but aren’t the best financial option in colder climates. In a small minority of places, heat pumps can actually produce more emissions.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>How much do they cost?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Heat pumps can be expensive upfront, but there are several state and federal programs to help defray the cost.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Heat pumps come in all shapes and sizes, from window units that can be several hundred dollars to full central air-conditioning systems that cost $20,000 and more,” said Joel Rosenberg of Rewiring America.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The cost of a project ranges based on home size, the type of heat pump and whether other aspects of the electrical system need upgrading, such as the electrical panel.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In Oakland, heat pumps can set you back $15,000 to $20,000 dollars, but Hamilton, the city’s sustainability director, emphasizes the available discounts.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Moderate-income residents can expect to get about a third of that cost covered by rebates and incentives, while lower-income residents can get about two-thirds of that covered,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1981515\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1981515 size-medium\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS60036_BL1_1064_KQED_HomeElectrificationOakland_11072022-qut-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"Through beams of a house under construction we see a white man in jean jacket review building plans.\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS60036_BL1_1064_KQED_HomeElectrificationOakland_11072022-qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS60036_BL1_1064_KQED_HomeElectrificationOakland_11072022-qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS60036_BL1_1064_KQED_HomeElectrificationOakland_11072022-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS60036_BL1_1064_KQED_HomeElectrificationOakland_11072022-qut-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS60036_BL1_1064_KQED_HomeElectrificationOakland_11072022-qut-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS60036_BL1_1064_KQED_HomeElectrificationOakland_11072022-qut.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Rick Lewis, executive director of the Bay Area Community Land Trust, looks through construction plans for a home the organization purchased and is in the process of electrifying in Oakland. Each of the seven units in the former single-family home will have a separate heat pump. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>How can I get incentives and rebates?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Californians can check the average costs of recently completed projects in their county by reviewing data gathered by the statewide incentive program \u003ca href=\"https://techcleanca.com/public-data/maps-and-graphs/\">TECH Clean California\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The heat-pump-curious can search for statewide incentives they may qualify for through \u003ca href=\"https://incentives.switchison.org/\">The Switch Is On\u003c/a>, a campaign led by the nonprofit Building Decarbonization Coalition. Rewiring America has a helpful \u003ca href=\"https://www.rewiringamerica.org/app/ira-calculator\">cost-savings calculator\u003c/a> to assist in navigating the money available through the Inflation Reduction Act, major federal legislation passed last year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you’re in the market for an air-conditioning unit and a new space heater, a heat pump does both, and will be less expensive than buying both.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Will monthly bills decrease?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>This depends on many factors, such as the price of gas and electricity in your area, and how much you use your heat pump.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Rosenberg of Rewiring America said that for many, monthly bills go down. “Electrifying space and water heating would reduce energy bills for 12.9 million households in California across every county and fuel type, saving $414 per year on average,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Mark Hall, founder of energy-efficiency company \u003ca href=\"https://www.revalue.io/\">Revalue.io\u003c/a> in Oakland, said his customers see their bills decrease by roughly 40% after installing a heat pump, which he typically pairs with adding insulation to homes and sealing leaks in homes where outside air may come through.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1981514\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-1981514\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS60062_030_KQED_HomeElectrificationOakland_11072022-qut-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"A hand holds an iPhone showing an image of an attic with silver ductwork running along the floor.\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS60062_030_KQED_HomeElectrificationOakland_11072022-qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS60062_030_KQED_HomeElectrificationOakland_11072022-qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS60062_030_KQED_HomeElectrificationOakland_11072022-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS60062_030_KQED_HomeElectrificationOakland_11072022-qut-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS60062_030_KQED_HomeElectrificationOakland_11072022-qut-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS60062_030_KQED_HomeElectrificationOakland_11072022-qut.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Mark Hall holds a phone with a photo of Cheryl Ajirotutu’s attic in Oakland. Her newly installed heat pump connects to ducts in her attic and then to the various rooms in her home. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>When should I make the switch?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>One of the challenges people encounter when making the swap to a heat pump is getting caught off guard. If a gas furnace goes kaput on a cold night, many will choose the contractor who can get a new appliance installed as soon as possible. And that person may not be able to install a heat pump in the time frame they want.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There is a \u003ca href=\"https://grist.org/energy/electrician-shortage-electrify-everything-climate-infrastructure-labor/\">shortage of electricians, technicians and other contractors\u003c/a>, making it challenging to find companies that can squeeze you into their schedule. So, to electrify, Rewiring America’s Joel Rosenberg said, you need a plan.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If you think you’re going to want to replace your furnace with a heat pump, it makes sense to start calling contractors, getting quotes and putting your ducks in a row,” Rosenberg said. He even wrote a \u003ca href=\"https://content.rewiringamerica.org/reports/Rewiring%20America%20Go%20Electric%20Digital%20Guide.pdf\">how-to guide (PDF)\u003c/a> for people making this kind of plan.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>You’ll also be able to get a sense of cost and savings, too. Many of the federal incentives will likely go into effect in late 2023, so some people may want to wait for that.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Cheryl Ajirotutu recently installed a heat pump in her Oakland home, which she said increases her quality of life and saves her money. But beyond that, she is excited to take action on climate change in her hometown.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We have a diverse community. We have an incredible housing stock. So there’s a great opportunity here to do these kinds of things and to show that it works,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[hearken src=\"https://modules.wearehearken.com/kqed/embed/8818.js\"]\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>California’s latest climate plan includes a \u003ca href=\"https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/our-work/programs/ab-32-climate-change-scoping-plan/2022-scoping-plan-documents#:~:text=The%202022%20Scoping%20Plan%20Update%20focuses%20on%20outcomes%20needed%20to,economic%2C%20environmental%2C%20energy%20security%2C\">goal to deploy 6 million heat pumps\u003c/a> by the end of the decade — and with good reason. These unassuming boxes are at least twice as efficient as gas furnaces by conservative estimates, and can significantly cut down the carbon a home or commercial emits.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California’s Public Utilities Commission estimates that \u003ca href=\"https://www.cpuc.ca.gov/news-and-updates/all-news/cpuc-issues-research-study-on-heat-pump-market\">12% of the state’s greenhouse gas pollution comes directly from commercial and residential buildings\u003c/a> — that means gasses wafting from rooftop vents, or indoor stoves. That percentage is \u003ca href=\"https://www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/sources-greenhouse-gas-emissions\">roughly the same for the U.S.\u003c/a>, and the majority of those emissions come from the heating and cooling of buildings. Considering shrinking the climate footprint of your home by swapping large gas guzzlers like your furnace for the humble and efficient heat pump? Read on.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>What is a heat pump?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>A heat pump can warm or cool a home, working by capturing heat and moving it from one place to another. If you’re heating your home, the heat pump will absorb heat from outside (either from the air or the ground, depending on the model) and transfer it indoors. If you’re cooling your home, a heat pump does the opposite, absorbing heat from inside and moving it outdoors.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Heat pump technology has actually been around for many decades,” said Alejandra Mejia Cunningham, a building decarbonization advocate with the Natural Resources Defense Council.\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/px24dAKSFKA'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/px24dAKSFKA'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s likely you already have a heat pump in your home, in the form of a refrigerator. That system absorbs heat swirling around your food and moves it outside — where you can feel it escaping from either behind or under your fridge.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A furnace, on the other hand, generates heat by burning natural gas or other fossil fuels, warming the air around it, like a bonfire.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Heat pumps are used both for space heating, to warm and cool the air in homes, and water heating. In this article, we’re largely discussing heat pumps that warm and cool the air.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1981513\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1981513 size-medium\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS60069_037_KQED_HomeElectrificationOakland_11072022-qut-800x533.jpg\" alt='Black man in black shirt with white letters that say \"revalue.io\" looks towards the camera while standing in front of a home and citrus tree.' width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS60069_037_KQED_HomeElectrificationOakland_11072022-qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS60069_037_KQED_HomeElectrificationOakland_11072022-qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS60069_037_KQED_HomeElectrificationOakland_11072022-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS60069_037_KQED_HomeElectrificationOakland_11072022-qut-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS60069_037_KQED_HomeElectrificationOakland_11072022-qut-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS60069_037_KQED_HomeElectrificationOakland_11072022-qut.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Mark Hall founded energy-efficiency company Revalue.io in Oakland in 2015. His company does energy audits of homes and commercial spaces, plans energy upgrades, coordinates contractors and helps arrange grants, rebates and incentives to lower project costs. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>What are the benefits of a heat pump?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Efficiency. \u003c/em>Heat pumps are \u003ca href=\"https://rmi.org/its-time-to-incentivize-residential-heat-pumps/\">at least twice as efficient as gas furnaces\u003c/a>, and frequently cited as far \u003ca href=\"https://www.blocpower.io/posts/gas-vs-electric-furnace-vs-heat-pumps\">more efficient\u003c/a> than that estimate. Engineer Sam Calisch of Rewiring America says \u003ca href=\"https://www.rewiringamerica.org/circuit-breakers-heat-pumps\">the technology is improving rapidly.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Emissions. \u003c/em>Residential heat pumps can \u003ca href=\"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0301421522000386\">cut a home’s carbon pollution by 40%–50%\u003c/a> compared to gas furnaces, according to a study from researchers at UC Davis. And as California’s grid relies more on solar and wind, “the carbon footprint of your home will continue to fall over time,” said Mejia Cunningham.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Daniel Hamilton, sustainability and resilience director for the City of Oakland, estimates that “if all of the homes in Oakland were to switch to heat pump space heaters, it would eliminate half of the greenhouse gas emissions from the residential sector.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>What are the drawbacks of a heat pump?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>In cold climates, heat pumps “are simply less efficient than they would be in a warmer climate,” said Duncan Callaway, associate professor of energy and resources at UC Berkeley. And heat pumps may not be able to adequately heat a home in places that get into double-negative digits.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I’m thinking about places like the upper Midwest or Alaska, places that are quite cold in the wintertime,” Callaway said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1748-9326/ac10dc/meta#erlac10dcs3\">Researchers at the University of Texas, Austin\u003c/a> analyzed residential heat pump adoption looking at a variety of factors, including energy prices, carbon emissions, health effects from emissions and demands on the electricity grid. The results showed that 32% of U.S. houses would benefit financially from installing a heat pump, and 70% could reduce emissions by installing a heat pump.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Researchers found that heat pumps are a powerful decarbonization tool in California and other places with mild climates, but aren’t the best financial option in colder climates. In a small minority of places, heat pumps can actually produce more emissions.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>How much do they cost?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Heat pumps can be expensive upfront, but there are several state and federal programs to help defray the cost.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Heat pumps come in all shapes and sizes, from window units that can be several hundred dollars to full central air-conditioning systems that cost $20,000 and more,” said Joel Rosenberg of Rewiring America.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The cost of a project ranges based on home size, the type of heat pump and whether other aspects of the electrical system need upgrading, such as the electrical panel.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In Oakland, heat pumps can set you back $15,000 to $20,000 dollars, but Hamilton, the city’s sustainability director, emphasizes the available discounts.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Moderate-income residents can expect to get about a third of that cost covered by rebates and incentives, while lower-income residents can get about two-thirds of that covered,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1981515\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1981515 size-medium\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS60036_BL1_1064_KQED_HomeElectrificationOakland_11072022-qut-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"Through beams of a house under construction we see a white man in jean jacket review building plans.\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS60036_BL1_1064_KQED_HomeElectrificationOakland_11072022-qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS60036_BL1_1064_KQED_HomeElectrificationOakland_11072022-qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS60036_BL1_1064_KQED_HomeElectrificationOakland_11072022-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS60036_BL1_1064_KQED_HomeElectrificationOakland_11072022-qut-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS60036_BL1_1064_KQED_HomeElectrificationOakland_11072022-qut-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS60036_BL1_1064_KQED_HomeElectrificationOakland_11072022-qut.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Rick Lewis, executive director of the Bay Area Community Land Trust, looks through construction plans for a home the organization purchased and is in the process of electrifying in Oakland. Each of the seven units in the former single-family home will have a separate heat pump. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>How can I get incentives and rebates?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Californians can check the average costs of recently completed projects in their county by reviewing data gathered by the statewide incentive program \u003ca href=\"https://techcleanca.com/public-data/maps-and-graphs/\">TECH Clean California\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The heat-pump-curious can search for statewide incentives they may qualify for through \u003ca href=\"https://incentives.switchison.org/\">The Switch Is On\u003c/a>, a campaign led by the nonprofit Building Decarbonization Coalition. Rewiring America has a helpful \u003ca href=\"https://www.rewiringamerica.org/app/ira-calculator\">cost-savings calculator\u003c/a> to assist in navigating the money available through the Inflation Reduction Act, major federal legislation passed last year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you’re in the market for an air-conditioning unit and a new space heater, a heat pump does both, and will be less expensive than buying both.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Will monthly bills decrease?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>This depends on many factors, such as the price of gas and electricity in your area, and how much you use your heat pump.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Rosenberg of Rewiring America said that for many, monthly bills go down. “Electrifying space and water heating would reduce energy bills for 12.9 million households in California across every county and fuel type, saving $414 per year on average,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Mark Hall, founder of energy-efficiency company \u003ca href=\"https://www.revalue.io/\">Revalue.io\u003c/a> in Oakland, said his customers see their bills decrease by roughly 40% after installing a heat pump, which he typically pairs with adding insulation to homes and sealing leaks in homes where outside air may come through.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1981514\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-1981514\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS60062_030_KQED_HomeElectrificationOakland_11072022-qut-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"A hand holds an iPhone showing an image of an attic with silver ductwork running along the floor.\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS60062_030_KQED_HomeElectrificationOakland_11072022-qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS60062_030_KQED_HomeElectrificationOakland_11072022-qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS60062_030_KQED_HomeElectrificationOakland_11072022-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS60062_030_KQED_HomeElectrificationOakland_11072022-qut-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS60062_030_KQED_HomeElectrificationOakland_11072022-qut-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS60062_030_KQED_HomeElectrificationOakland_11072022-qut.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Mark Hall holds a phone with a photo of Cheryl Ajirotutu’s attic in Oakland. Her newly installed heat pump connects to ducts in her attic and then to the various rooms in her home. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>When should I make the switch?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>One of the challenges people encounter when making the swap to a heat pump is getting caught off guard. If a gas furnace goes kaput on a cold night, many will choose the contractor who can get a new appliance installed as soon as possible. And that person may not be able to install a heat pump in the time frame they want.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There is a \u003ca href=\"https://grist.org/energy/electrician-shortage-electrify-everything-climate-infrastructure-labor/\">shortage of electricians, technicians and other contractors\u003c/a>, making it challenging to find companies that can squeeze you into their schedule. So, to electrify, Rewiring America’s Joel Rosenberg said, you need a plan.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If you think you’re going to want to replace your furnace with a heat pump, it makes sense to start calling contractors, getting quotes and putting your ducks in a row,” Rosenberg said. He even wrote a \u003ca href=\"https://content.rewiringamerica.org/reports/Rewiring%20America%20Go%20Electric%20Digital%20Guide.pdf\">how-to guide (PDF)\u003c/a> for people making this kind of plan.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>You’ll also be able to get a sense of cost and savings, too. Many of the federal incentives will likely go into effect in late 2023, so some people may want to wait for that.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Cheryl Ajirotutu recently installed a heat pump in her Oakland home, which she said increases her quality of life and saves her money. But beyond that, she is excited to take action on climate change in her hometown.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We have a diverse community. We have an incredible housing stock. So there’s a great opportunity here to do these kinds of things and to show that it works,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"title": "Prepping for the Next Big Quake: One Hour a Day, Four Days",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003ci>Are you feeling less than secure about how ready you are for a major earthquake emergency? That’s how many of us at KQED were feeling in the wake of \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2023/02/06/1154818692/turkey-earthquake-syria-rescue-disaster\">the magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck southeastern Turkey and northern Syria early Monday\u003c/a>. The quake — which has so far killed more than 3,400 people — was followed by at least 55 aftershocks of magnitude 4.3 or greater, \u003ca href=\"https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/map/?extent=-30.14513,-76.28906&extent=73.92247,151.34766&sort=smallest&listOnlyShown=true&baseLayer=terrain\">according to the U.S. Geological Survey\u003c/a>.\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Back in 2019, we asked science reporter Peter Arcuni to lead us through a four-day prep, spending one hour a day. Here’s how to get ready for the next big Bay Area temblor — the one scientists say is inevitable.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>Day One was all about making an emergency plan; Days Two and Three he devoted to assembling earthquake kits. For the final day, Peter took steps to make his home more earthquake safe.\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This story was originally published on Oct. 16, 2019. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Let’s get started\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Earlier this month, I awoke to a sound like thunder. Was it a low-flying jet? A truck zooming past? In one, raucous jolt, the mattress, with me atop it, bobbled on its frame.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>By the time I realized what was going on, the shake, rattle and roll were over.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Did you feel that?” I shouted to my wife and daughter in the other room.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>No answer. Of course, they were fine, just too caught up in playing fairies, or trolls, or maybe fairy trolls, to notice a mere 3.6 magnitude quake. But the shock was enough for me to read the writing clear across the bedroom wall: \u003cem>It was time to make an earthquake plan\u003c/em>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Yeah, right.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I’ve lived in the Bay Area for 16 years, and just about annually I get a brief moment of religion when it comes to quake preparedness. But even though seismic experts offer ample evidence to remind us a big earthquake is not a matter of if, but when, I \u003cem>still\u003c/em> haven’t followed through.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[pullquote]Resources\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.earthquakecountry.org/library/Margin_Step_3_Infographics_Flyer.pdf\">Earthquake Country Alliance pamphlet (PDF)\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.ready.gov/plan\">FEMA Ready.gov site\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.redcross.org/get-help/how-to-prepare-for-emergencies/survival-kit-supplies.html\">American Red Cross survival kit supply list\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.redcross.org/content/dam/redcross/atg/PDF_s/Preparedness___Disaster_Recovery/Disaster_Preparedness/Earthquake/Earthquake.pdf\">earthquake safety checklist\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>[/pullquote]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>True, I’ve got plenty of excuses. In the early days, common sense collided with a misguided feeling of invincibility. Later, it was work, marriage, grad school, fatherhood. Frankly, now in my spare time, I’d simply rather be playing Candyland with my four-year-old daughter than shopping for emergency supplies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In short, it’s the same old story: Life is full and busy, and preparing for disaster feels overwhelming.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But guess what? Now I’ve actually been \u003cem>assigned\u003c/em> earthquake preparation by my editors, in the hope we can show that it’s possible to get ready for a disaster in a reasonable amount of time, even amidst the usual perpetual commitments of work, family and daily living.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So here are the ground rules for this challenge. For each of four days, I’m allowed to commit just one hour to earthquake preparation, using only the free time I would normally have outside work and family life.[pullquote size=\"medium\" align=\"right\"]Yesterday, we had only a vague notion of what to do if a big earthquake hit. Today we have a solid plan we feel pretty good about.[/pullquote] Join me in finding out how ready we can be in just one hour a day, over four days. I’ll chronicle my success — or not — right here. We may not get to everything, but as I learned from the experts, doing any amount of preparation matters.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One thing I realized while embarking on this project: The difference between preparedness and perpetual optimism could be the difference between life and death. In 2018, KQED’s Craig Miller \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1933064/map-are-you-in-the-severe-damage-zone-for-the-bay-areas-next-big-earthquake\">wrote a story about the Hayward Fault\u003c/a>, which runs 40 miles through the East Bay’s most densely populated areas and could produce the proverbial Big One at any time:\u003c/p>\n\u003cblockquote>\u003cp>The U.S. Geological Survey projects that in the aftermath of a magnitude 7.0 quake on the Hayward, 2,500 people would need immediate rescue. Serious questions remain about whether emergency responders could get to everyone’s aid, given that roads are likely to be blocked and water for fighting fires cut off in many areas — possibly for weeks or months.\u003c/p>\u003c/blockquote>\n\u003cp>“In terms of exposure of hospitals, schools, lifelines, it’s really unequaled,” said UC Berkeley seismologist Roland Burgmann.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So … this is a not just an assignment for a journalist, it’s an assignment for \u003cem>everybody\u003c/em>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[audio src=\"https://www.kqed.org/.stream/anon/radio/science/2019/10/ArcuniEarthquakePrep.mp3\" title=\"Day One: Make a Plan\" program=\"KQED Science\" image=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2019/10/Earthquakekit_007.jpg\"]\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Day One: Make a plan\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Generally speaking, earthquake preparedness is broken into three categories:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>Having survival supplies ready to go\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Safety-proofing your home\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Making an emergency plan for the earthquake and its aftermath\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>I decided to begin my four days of preparation by making an emergency plan.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Brian Ferguson, with the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES), says it’s one of the most important steps you can take.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I think it’s a great dinner table conversation that all families should have, if there’s an emergency, here’s what we would do,” he said. “‘We would meet you at this place, we would go this way.’”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He told me there’s no one-size-fits-all blueprint, so you’ll need to tailor your plan to your own circumstances. But some guidelines apply to everybody, such as …\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Doorways are out\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1949266\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-1949266\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/science/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/10/Earthquakekit_004-800x593.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"593\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/10/Earthquakekit_004-800x593.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/10/Earthquakekit_004-160x119.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/10/Earthquakekit_004-768x569.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/10/Earthquakekit_004-1020x755.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/10/Earthquakekit_004-1200x889.jpg 1200w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/10/Earthquakekit_004.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Peter Arcuni, his wife, Maureen, and their daughter, Izzy, read a book after collecting all the materials for their earthquake preparedness kit. \u003ccite>(Lindsey Moore/ KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>My first conversation today was with my preschooler, Izzy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Izzy, do you know what an earthquake is?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s when the ground shakes and you have to go hide under a table.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Hide under the table. That’s a great idea — you know more than I do!”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There’s a widespread \u003ca href=\"https://science.howstuffworks.com/nature/climate-weather/storms/10-pieces-of-disaster-safety-advice-you-should-ignore4.htm\">myth\u003c/a> that standing in the doorway is the most protective place to be during a major quake. But most experts say, forget it. Here’s what the U.S. Geological Survey recommends:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>“DROP, COVER, AND HOLD ON. If you are indoors, when you feel strong earthquake shaking, drop to the floor, take cover under a sturdy desk or table, and hold on to it firmly until the shaking stops. If you are not near a desk or table, drop to the floor against an interior wall and protect your head and neck with your arms.”\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Got it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After we tucked the little one in, my wife Maureen and I went to the couch to write out our emergency plan. For this we decided to focus on a handful of essential items from the USGS handbook:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>Locate a safe place outside of your home for your family to meet after the shaking stops.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Establish an out-of-area contact person everyone in the household can call to relay information.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Provide all family members with a list of important contact phone numbers.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Determine where you can live if you can’t stay in your home after an earthquake or other disaster. In other words: Ask friends or relatives in advance if they might be willing to put you up when the Big One hits.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>Sounds like a lot. But it took us just under an hour — 56 minutes — to hash most of this out. We even called my cousin in Menlo Park, who agreed to shelter us in case we need to evacuate San Francisco. Because we appeared to have woken her from a deep slumber, I’ll need to confirm she actually \u003cem>remembers\u003c/em> what she’s gotten herself into next time I see her. \u003cem>Sorry to wake you up Carin. And, thanks!\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Final thoughts: Day One\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I admit I was feeling a bit daunted by the thought of starting this challenge. But I agreed with my wife when she said, “It was not \u003cem>so\u003c/em> bad.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Yesterday, we had only a vague notion of what to do if a big earthquake hit. Today we have a solid plan we feel pretty good about. We have more to do, for sure, but this is a good start.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As Brian Ferguson from Cal OES put it: “People feel intimidated by it, but any amount of preparation will make you safer than no preparation.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Tomorrow for our earthquake prep challenge, I’ll go shopping — fun! — for survival supplies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[audio src=\"https://www.kqed.org/.stream/anon/radio/science/2019/10/ArcuniPreparingBigOne.mp3\" title=\"Day Two: Earthquake Kits, or Shopping for Survival\" program=\"KQED Science\" image=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2019/10/EarthquakePrep_001-1.jpg\"]\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Day Two: Earthquake kits, or shopping for survival\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Yesterday, while my wife, Maureen, and I were mapping out our emergency plan, we took a quick inventory of our emergency supplies. That is, we rifled through the briar patch that is our hallway closet.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Our key takeaways: The first aid kit was pretty depleted. Why? Because we’ve been dipping into it for everyday scrapes and burns, rendering the “emergency” in “emergency supplies” meaningless. But there were a few good items, including a hand crank AM/FM radio that triples as both a flashlight and phone charger. We also located the student survival kit purchased from my daughter’s day care.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>All in all, while we had the \u003cem>beginnings\u003c/em> of an earthquake kit, we did not have an \u003cem>actual\u003c/em> earthquake kit. There were some glaring omissions, like food and water, for instance, and our organization was lacking. Considering that the USGS \u003ca href=\"https://www.usgs.gov/natural-hazards/science-application-risk-reduction/science/haywired-scenario?qt-science_center_objects=0#qt-science_center_objects\">forecasts\u003c/a> the displacement of 77,000 to 152,000 households from a 7.0 earthquake on the Hayward Fault, this was not good.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I decided to break my kit preparation into two sessions. First day, shopping; second day, assembling. I used the American Red Cross \u003ca href=\"https://www.redcross.org/get-help/how-to-prepare-for-emergencies/survival-kit-supplies.html\">list of 15 essential items\u003c/a> as a blueprint for the minimum inventory of what we needed.\u003c/p>\n\u003col>\n\u003cli>Water: one gallon per person, per day; three-day supply for evacuation, two-week supply for home\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Food: nonperishable, easy-to-prepare items; three-day supply for evacuation, two-week supply for home\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Flashlight\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Battery-powered or hand-crank radio, a NOAA Weather Radio, if possible\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Extra batteries\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Deluxe family first aid kit\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Medications, seven-day supply, and other necessary medical items\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Multipurpose tool\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Sanitation and personal hygiene items\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Copies of personal documents: medication list and pertinent medical information, proof of address, deed/lease to home, passports, birth certificates, insurance policies\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Cellphone with chargers\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Family and emergency contact information\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Extra cash\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Emergency blanket\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Map(s) of the area\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ol>\n\u003cp>Keep in mind the American Red Cross \u003ca href=\"https://www.redcross.org/get-help/how-to-prepare-for-emergencies/survival-kit-supplies.html\">recommends additional items\u003c/a> you should consider, like sleeping bags, work gloves and N95 masks.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1949519\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-1949519\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/science/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/10/EarthquakePrep_001-1-800x598.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"598\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/10/EarthquakePrep_001-1-800x598.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/10/EarthquakePrep_001-1-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/10/EarthquakePrep_001-1-768x574.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/10/EarthquakePrep_001-1-1020x763.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/10/EarthquakePrep_001-1-1200x898.jpg 1200w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/10/EarthquakePrep_001-1.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Reporter Peter Arcuni shops for survival supplies to put into his earthquake kit. \u003ccite>(Lindsey Moore/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>We already had some of the essentials, so we just needed to track down the remaining items, plus a few more we thought were important. Our shopping list included water, food, cash, first aid kit, flashlights, batteries, cell phone charging pack, local maps, hygienic items and the ever-popular all-purpose emergency standby, duct tape.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For this challenge, I headed to nearby 24th Street in Noe Valley to hit the Whole Foods, Walgreens and bank, all within a two-block radius. As on the first day, I limited myself to one hour.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Timer set.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Go.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Canned goods and venison sea salt pepper bars\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The American Red Cross recommends you keep on hand at least one gallon of water per person per day, for three days. For me, my wife and daughter, that’s nine gallons. At $0.89 a gallon, I was able to cross that off the list for under 10 bucks. Felt like a pretty good deal.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For nonperishable food, I started with the canned goods aisle. I homed in on soups, refried beans and tuna fish, choosing in particular the brands that had pull-off tops so I wouldn’t need a can opener. True, I had a multi-use tool, which included a can opener (of sorts), but do I want to be attempting to poke holes through cans of refried beans during an earthquake emergency? No.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Next up: granola bars. Lots of options, of course, so I went for variety, making sure to accommodate my wife’s request for those that are peanut-butter flavored. The venison sea salt pepper bars looked classy, if somewhat pricey, so I decided to indulge.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Small bills, please\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Next up was the bank for some cold, hard cash. With power and network outages likely in the event of a big earthquake or other emergency, the places where they still keep the actual money may prove to be inaccessible, and ATMs could very well go down, too. Not to mention credit card machines. So if you end up needing to pay for something, from a bottle of water to a hotel room, you are going to have to use existing cash on hand.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>How much? That depends on the number of people in your family and where you live, according to Brian Ferguson, from the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services. Emergency experts recommend small denominations, so you won’t have to worry about getting change from stores that may not be able to give it. So I went for a mix of 20s, 10s, fives and ones. And one two-dollar bill for good luck.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Drugstore\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>I found most of my other items at the pharmacy. Medications aren’t a major issue for my family, but I picked up some extra pain reliever, antihistamine and children’s Tylenol, just in case.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you do take medications, the American Red Cross recommends having a seven-day supply, as well as a list of what they are.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Final thoughts: Day Two\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The shopping trip, when factoring in the ride to and from my house, took just about an hour and change. I was able to get most of the items on my list. Here’s where I came up short:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Local maps\u003c/strong>: These are good to keep on hand if you need to evacuate while cell networks are down. Neither Whole Foods nor Walgreens carried them, but you can find maps at \u003ca href=\"https://www.aaa.com/mapgallery/\">AAA\u003c/a> or order online.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Cellphone battery charging pack\u003c/strong>: Walgreens had one, but I wasn’t sure it was right for me. So I’m planning to do some research before buying. There are \u003ca href=\"https://www.amazon.com/s?k=emergency+phone+charger&crid=2CXQDD1XT85YG&sprefix=emergency+phone+c%2Caps%2C205&ref=nb_sb_ss_i_1_17\">several options\u003c/a> available online.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Forgetting to check expiration on food\u003c/strong>: One could assume — and by one, I mean me — that if food is wrapped in plastic, it is nonperishable. This is not true.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While evaluating my haul my wife asked if I checked the “best by” dates on the food. I had not. We found that while the canned goods would remain edible for a number of years, about half the granola bars I picked out listed dates about six months from now.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Me: But what does date that mean?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Maureen: Could we get sick?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Me: Maybe. I don’t think so. But …\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the end we removed these from the kit. Further research showed we probably would’ve been fine, even if our bars lost their flavor over time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Here’s a breakdown from \u003ca href=\"https://www.consumerreports.org/food-safety/how-to-tell-whether-expired-food-is-safe-to-eat/\">Consumer Reports\u003c/a> on good rules of thumb for nonperishables.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But you should always check the expiration dates on your food items, and you’ll also want check your kit periodically to refresh any expired items.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In sum, it appears you can grab many of the basic necessities for a survival kit over the course of an hour or a little longer.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>However, if convenience is a priority, both the \u003ca href=\"https://www.redcross.org/store/preparedness\">American Red Cross\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.amazon.com/s?k=earthquake+survival+kit&crid=3GMZ4T10S4KQ3&sprefix=earthquak%2Caps%2C247&ref=nb_sb_ss_i_2_9\">Amazon\u003c/a> have a variety of survival kits available for a range of prices. Consider your time and needs — this may be a good way to go.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Up next, I’ll organize my supplies into a proper earthquake kit!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[audio src=\"https://www.kqed.org/.stream/anon/radio/RDnews/2019/10/ArcuniPreparingfortheBigOne.mp3\" title=\"Day Three: Putting Together My Earthquake Kits\" program=\"KQED Science\" image=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2019/10/Earthquakekit_001.jpg\"]\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Day Three: Putting together my earthquake kit\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>A quick note about fatigue: After the first few days of this challenge, I was riding high. Emergency plan, check. Trunkload of survival supplies, yup. Then … the inevitable crash. After a full day of work, making dinner, cleaning the kitchen, bathing my kid, and putting her to bed, I was spent. So I psyched myself up, mustered all the energy I could, and … watched “The Great British Bake Off” on Netflix.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It was delightful.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We’re only human. Carving out an hour on a given day may not be possible, emotionally or otherwise. So I decided to give myself credit for what I’d already accomplished and go back at it the next morning.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Which I did. I started by laying out my earthquake supplies on the living room floor. Satisfying as it was to look at, I still needed to put them somewhere I could find them in a true emergency.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>“Organize disaster supplies in convenient locations…Keep them where you spend most of your time, so they can be reached even if your building is badly damaged.” — Earthquake Country Alliance\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/2005/15/gip-15.pdf\">U.S. Geological Survey (PDF)\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.earthquakecountry.org/step3/\">EarthquakeCountry.org\u003c/a> provide an assortment of tips on preparing and storing your kits. Here are a few:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>Use backpacks for personal survival kits because they’re easy to grab if you need to evacuate. You want one for each person in your household.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>You can keep a larger disaster kit in a plastic bin or other waterproof container. This should contain additional food and water, first aid items and other supplies, like an emergency radio, for instance, that you would need if you have to stay put for a while. This kit should also be easy to move around the house or load into a car if necessary.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>Sifting through the bedroom closet, I found what I needed: a green plastic tub with a lid and handles for my household kit, and a black backpack with compartments for my to-go bag.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After packing my supplies into them, I scouted for storage locations. The bin slid nicely under the bench beside our bed, and I cleared out the bottom shelf of the hallway closet for the backpack, since it’s centrally located in the house. I then stashed some extra gallon jugs of water alongside the bag.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1949522\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-1949522\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/science/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/10/Earthquakekit_001-800x545.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"545\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/10/Earthquakekit_001-800x545.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/10/Earthquakekit_001-160x109.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/10/Earthquakekit_001-768x523.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/10/Earthquakekit_001-1020x694.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/10/Earthquakekit_001-1200x817.jpg 1200w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/10/Earthquakekit_001.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Organizing survival supplies is an important step in readiness planning, according to emergency experts. \u003ccite>(Lindsey Moore/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Emergency experts recommend that you also have survival kits for your car and workplace. For today, I focused mainly on the home, though I did throw water, towels and a blanket in the car. I’m considering ordering online additional prepacked kits for the car and work.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Bags for shoes and stuffed animals\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Here’s something I hadn’t thought about: Say a big earthquake hits at two in the morning. Suddenly, I’d be in the dark with broken glass and debris all over the floor.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The aftermath of an earthquake is no time to wander around the house barefoot. That’s why experts recommend putting a pair of shoes or boots, plus a flashlight, in a plastic bag tied to the foot of your bed or nightstand.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“That ensures that you have quick access to getting something on your feet and allows you to safely get up, survey what’s happened to your home and check on your loved ones,” said Cynthia Shaw from \u003ca href=\"https://www.redcross.org/local/california/northern-california-coastal.html\">Red Cross Northern California\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For this, I used kitchen twine.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For my 4-year-old daughter, I made up a special bag to add to my to-go backpack. Emergencies can be scary, and they can also involve waiting around for long stretches of time without much to do. So USGS recommends including “comfort items, such as games, crayons, writing materials, and teddy bears” for the little ones.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>With my daughter’s help, we picked out a soft blanket with purple butterflies on it, coloring pad, storybook and one of her favorite stuffed foxes.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Not just supplies — documents, too\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>After I took inventory and shopped for supplies, I had tracked down most of the 15 essential survival items recommended by the \u003ca href=\"https://www.redcross.org/get-help/how-to-prepare-for-emergencies/survival-kit-supplies.html\">American Red Cross\u003c/a>, along with some additions, to populate my kit. I even found the Bay Area and California maps I was looking for in the glove box of my car.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So I’m done, right?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Nope.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When putting together survival supplies, it’s easy to obsess over gear and rations. But in emergencies, information matters too.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Remember these checklist items from Day Two?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp style=\"padding-left: 30px\">\u003ci>Item 10: Copies of personal documents: medication list and pertinent medical information, proof of address, deed/lease to home, passports, birth certificates, insurance policies\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp style=\"padding-left: 30px\">\u003ci>Item 12: Family and emergency contact information \u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Well, my wife and I had written out a list of our contacts and made sure we had them in our phones. But we didn’t make a paper copy with the actual numbers, which is important in case cell service isn’t available or you can’t charge your phone.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>FEMA has a pre-made \u003ca href=\"https://www.ready.gov/kids/make-a-plan\">emergency contact form\u003c/a> you can fill out on your computer and print for your wallet, survival kits and car.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As for the documents, we got as far as sorting through the file cabinet where we keep these types of things.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Today I decided to fire up the old all-in-one printer-scanner-copier and take care of business. But if you’re like me, nine times out of 10 your ink cartridge is empty. Today was no exception.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So I’ve got to get that ink, find a local copy shop or ask the kind people at KQED if it’s okay to print out a few documents for a good cause.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That’s was my hour for today. Tomorrow, I’ll be getting out the tool box to make a few home improvements.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[audio src=\"https://www.kqed.org/.stream/anon/radio/RDnews/2019/10/ArcuniPreparingBigOne4c.mp3\" title=\"Day Four: Securing the Home\" program=\"KQED Science\" image=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2019/10/Earthquakekit_008.jpg\"]\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Day Four: Securing the home\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>One thing I learned while researching this challenge was that most people who got hurt during earthquakes like Loma Prieta in the Bay Area and Northridge in the Los Angeles area didn’t have buildings or structures collapse on them. Many of the injuries were caused by falling objects or furniture.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So for my final hour of this week’s earthquake prep, I surveyed my apartment to see what home improvements I could tackle to make it safer in the event of a big quake.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Earthquake Country Alliance has a \u003ca href=\"https://www.earthquakecountry.org/step1/\">thorough guide\u003c/a> to securing your space. Here’s what to look out for:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>Heavy objects hung on the wall, like mirrors or art in glass picture frames\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Loose objects stored on open shelves or bookcases which can fly through the air during a quake\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Top-heavy furniture, like dressers, bookcases or TVs that could tip over\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>In particular, experts say to look out for these potential hazards near places where you spend a lot of time: beds, couches, desks, the kids’ favorite play spaces.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After a quick perusal for hazards, I detected a big problem: the large print hanging over our couch in a glass-paned metal frame. My brother got it for us in Nashville, and it really ties the room together. But, it was either gonna have to go or be moved to a safer spot away from the sofa.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Another danger zone: the dresser next to my bed, with a digital camera, ceramic mason jar and mementos, including a hefty amethyst stone, lying on top.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So I took a quick trip to San Francisco’s Glen Park Hardware, where a few helpful employees showed me some stuff I could use to lock things down.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One big find was a product called Museum Wax, which is putty you stick underneath an object so it’ll stay attached to a surface. This was just the ticket for objects like my amethyst.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The store also sold furniture safety straps, which let you attach freestanding shelves and armoires to the wall. These use hook-and-eye fixtures and industrial-strength Velcro.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I left with the museum wax and a heavy-duty frame hanger that had three nail anchor points for remounting the print.\u003cbr>\n[pullquote size=\"medium\" align=\"right\" citation='Brian Ferguson, Cal OES']‘Any amount of preparation will make you safer than no preparation.’[/pullquote]At home, I lifted the frame off the wall. Its weight confirmed that I’d rather not have it crash on my head under any circumstances.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I picked a spot on the opposite wall, across from the sofa, and hammered away. Once the frame was up, I took a breather on the sofa … with a renewed sense of calm.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Final thoughts\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>That’s it for my hour-a-day earthquake readiness prep. These four days have taught me that spending just an hour here and there can make a world of difference when it comes to getting ready for the next emergency.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Sometimes it wore me out. But the 4.5 magnitude quake that rumbled my sofa as I wrote Monday night, and another on Tuesday, offered the jolts of motivation I needed to persevere.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There’s more to do, for sure.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In four hours, though, I mapped out an emergency plan, prepped survival kits and made my home a safer, or at least less hazardous, place. I’ll repeat here what Brian Ferguson with Cal OES told me on the first day of this challenge:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Any amount of preparation will make you safer than no preparation.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While I have your ear, let’s cram in a few final bits of advice I picked up from experts along the way:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Your emergency readiness will depend on your own circumstances. So prepare accordingly. For example, living on landfill in the Bay Area means you may want to take extra steps to secure your home; whereas living in wildfire prone areas may require different preparations. Perhaps you have a large family or pets to consider. We have just one pet, a betta fish named Emily. What would we do with her if the Big One hits? I’ll have to think on that one.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>No matter your priorities, readiness experts recommend signing up for emergency alerts. California has an early warning \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1949333/download-californias-new-earthquake-early-warning-app\">ShakeAlert app\u003c/a>. Any amount of extra time you have could save your life.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And finally, make a conscious effort to put gas in your car \u003ci>before\u003c/i> the low fuel light comes on. It’ll help if you ever have to evacuate. From now on, I’m gonna try. If nothing else, it’ll make my mom happy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "Science reporter Peter Arcuni prepares for an earthquake over four days, spending just an hour each day. Here's how to get ready for the next big Bay Area temblor — the one scientists say is inevitable.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003ci>Are you feeling less than secure about how ready you are for a major earthquake emergency? That’s how many of us at KQED were feeling in the wake of \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2023/02/06/1154818692/turkey-earthquake-syria-rescue-disaster\">the magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck southeastern Turkey and northern Syria early Monday\u003c/a>. The quake — which has so far killed more than 3,400 people — was followed by at least 55 aftershocks of magnitude 4.3 or greater, \u003ca href=\"https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/map/?extent=-30.14513,-76.28906&extent=73.92247,151.34766&sort=smallest&listOnlyShown=true&baseLayer=terrain\">according to the U.S. Geological Survey\u003c/a>.\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Back in 2019, we asked science reporter Peter Arcuni to lead us through a four-day prep, spending one hour a day. Here’s how to get ready for the next big Bay Area temblor — the one scientists say is inevitable.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>Day One was all about making an emergency plan; Days Two and Three he devoted to assembling earthquake kits. For the final day, Peter took steps to make his home more earthquake safe.\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This story was originally published on Oct. 16, 2019. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Let’s get started\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Earlier this month, I awoke to a sound like thunder. Was it a low-flying jet? A truck zooming past? In one, raucous jolt, the mattress, with me atop it, bobbled on its frame.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>By the time I realized what was going on, the shake, rattle and roll were over.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Did you feel that?” I shouted to my wife and daughter in the other room.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>No answer. Of course, they were fine, just too caught up in playing fairies, or trolls, or maybe fairy trolls, to notice a mere 3.6 magnitude quake. But the shock was enough for me to read the writing clear across the bedroom wall: \u003cem>It was time to make an earthquake plan\u003c/em>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Yeah, right.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I’ve lived in the Bay Area for 16 years, and just about annually I get a brief moment of religion when it comes to quake preparedness. But even though seismic experts offer ample evidence to remind us a big earthquake is not a matter of if, but when, I \u003cem>still\u003c/em> haven’t followed through.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "Resources\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.earthquakecountry.org/library/Margin_Step_3_Infographics_Flyer.pdf\">Earthquake Country Alliance pamphlet (PDF)\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.ready.gov/plan\">FEMA Ready.gov site\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.redcross.org/get-help/how-to-prepare-for-emergencies/survival-kit-supplies.html\">American Red Cross survival kit supply list\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.redcross.org/content/dam/redcross/atg/PDF_s/Preparedness___Disaster_Recovery/Disaster_Preparedness/Earthquake/Earthquake.pdf\">earthquake safety checklist\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>True, I’ve got plenty of excuses. In the early days, common sense collided with a misguided feeling of invincibility. Later, it was work, marriage, grad school, fatherhood. Frankly, now in my spare time, I’d simply rather be playing Candyland with my four-year-old daughter than shopping for emergency supplies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In short, it’s the same old story: Life is full and busy, and preparing for disaster feels overwhelming.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But guess what? Now I’ve actually been \u003cem>assigned\u003c/em> earthquake preparation by my editors, in the hope we can show that it’s possible to get ready for a disaster in a reasonable amount of time, even amidst the usual perpetual commitments of work, family and daily living.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So here are the ground rules for this challenge. For each of four days, I’m allowed to commit just one hour to earthquake preparation, using only the free time I would normally have outside work and family life.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "Yesterday, we had only a vague notion of what to do if a big earthquake hit. Today we have a solid plan we feel pretty good about.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp> Join me in finding out how ready we can be in just one hour a day, over four days. I’ll chronicle my success — or not — right here. We may not get to everything, but as I learned from the experts, doing any amount of preparation matters.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One thing I realized while embarking on this project: The difference between preparedness and perpetual optimism could be the difference between life and death. In 2018, KQED’s Craig Miller \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1933064/map-are-you-in-the-severe-damage-zone-for-the-bay-areas-next-big-earthquake\">wrote a story about the Hayward Fault\u003c/a>, which runs 40 miles through the East Bay’s most densely populated areas and could produce the proverbial Big One at any time:\u003c/p>\n\u003cblockquote>\u003cp>The U.S. Geological Survey projects that in the aftermath of a magnitude 7.0 quake on the Hayward, 2,500 people would need immediate rescue. Serious questions remain about whether emergency responders could get to everyone’s aid, given that roads are likely to be blocked and water for fighting fires cut off in many areas — possibly for weeks or months.\u003c/p>\u003c/blockquote>\n\u003cp>“In terms of exposure of hospitals, schools, lifelines, it’s really unequaled,” said UC Berkeley seismologist Roland Burgmann.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So … this is a not just an assignment for a journalist, it’s an assignment for \u003cem>everybody\u003c/em>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Day One: Make a plan\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Generally speaking, earthquake preparedness is broken into three categories:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>Having survival supplies ready to go\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Safety-proofing your home\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Making an emergency plan for the earthquake and its aftermath\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>I decided to begin my four days of preparation by making an emergency plan.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Brian Ferguson, with the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES), says it’s one of the most important steps you can take.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I think it’s a great dinner table conversation that all families should have, if there’s an emergency, here’s what we would do,” he said. “‘We would meet you at this place, we would go this way.’”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He told me there’s no one-size-fits-all blueprint, so you’ll need to tailor your plan to your own circumstances. But some guidelines apply to everybody, such as …\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Doorways are out\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1949266\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-1949266\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/science/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/10/Earthquakekit_004-800x593.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"593\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/10/Earthquakekit_004-800x593.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/10/Earthquakekit_004-160x119.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/10/Earthquakekit_004-768x569.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/10/Earthquakekit_004-1020x755.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/10/Earthquakekit_004-1200x889.jpg 1200w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/10/Earthquakekit_004.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Peter Arcuni, his wife, Maureen, and their daughter, Izzy, read a book after collecting all the materials for their earthquake preparedness kit. \u003ccite>(Lindsey Moore/ KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>My first conversation today was with my preschooler, Izzy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Izzy, do you know what an earthquake is?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s when the ground shakes and you have to go hide under a table.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Hide under the table. That’s a great idea — you know more than I do!”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There’s a widespread \u003ca href=\"https://science.howstuffworks.com/nature/climate-weather/storms/10-pieces-of-disaster-safety-advice-you-should-ignore4.htm\">myth\u003c/a> that standing in the doorway is the most protective place to be during a major quake. But most experts say, forget it. Here’s what the U.S. Geological Survey recommends:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>“DROP, COVER, AND HOLD ON. If you are indoors, when you feel strong earthquake shaking, drop to the floor, take cover under a sturdy desk or table, and hold on to it firmly until the shaking stops. If you are not near a desk or table, drop to the floor against an interior wall and protect your head and neck with your arms.”\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Got it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After we tucked the little one in, my wife Maureen and I went to the couch to write out our emergency plan. For this we decided to focus on a handful of essential items from the USGS handbook:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>Locate a safe place outside of your home for your family to meet after the shaking stops.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Establish an out-of-area contact person everyone in the household can call to relay information.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Provide all family members with a list of important contact phone numbers.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Determine where you can live if you can’t stay in your home after an earthquake or other disaster. In other words: Ask friends or relatives in advance if they might be willing to put you up when the Big One hits.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>Sounds like a lot. But it took us just under an hour — 56 minutes — to hash most of this out. We even called my cousin in Menlo Park, who agreed to shelter us in case we need to evacuate San Francisco. Because we appeared to have woken her from a deep slumber, I’ll need to confirm she actually \u003cem>remembers\u003c/em> what she’s gotten herself into next time I see her. \u003cem>Sorry to wake you up Carin. And, thanks!\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Final thoughts: Day One\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I admit I was feeling a bit daunted by the thought of starting this challenge. But I agreed with my wife when she said, “It was not \u003cem>so\u003c/em> bad.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Yesterday, we had only a vague notion of what to do if a big earthquake hit. Today we have a solid plan we feel pretty good about. We have more to do, for sure, but this is a good start.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As Brian Ferguson from Cal OES put it: “People feel intimidated by it, but any amount of preparation will make you safer than no preparation.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Tomorrow for our earthquake prep challenge, I’ll go shopping — fun! — for survival supplies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Day Two: Earthquake kits, or shopping for survival\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Yesterday, while my wife, Maureen, and I were mapping out our emergency plan, we took a quick inventory of our emergency supplies. That is, we rifled through the briar patch that is our hallway closet.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Our key takeaways: The first aid kit was pretty depleted. Why? Because we’ve been dipping into it for everyday scrapes and burns, rendering the “emergency” in “emergency supplies” meaningless. But there were a few good items, including a hand crank AM/FM radio that triples as both a flashlight and phone charger. We also located the student survival kit purchased from my daughter’s day care.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>All in all, while we had the \u003cem>beginnings\u003c/em> of an earthquake kit, we did not have an \u003cem>actual\u003c/em> earthquake kit. There were some glaring omissions, like food and water, for instance, and our organization was lacking. Considering that the USGS \u003ca href=\"https://www.usgs.gov/natural-hazards/science-application-risk-reduction/science/haywired-scenario?qt-science_center_objects=0#qt-science_center_objects\">forecasts\u003c/a> the displacement of 77,000 to 152,000 households from a 7.0 earthquake on the Hayward Fault, this was not good.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I decided to break my kit preparation into two sessions. First day, shopping; second day, assembling. I used the American Red Cross \u003ca href=\"https://www.redcross.org/get-help/how-to-prepare-for-emergencies/survival-kit-supplies.html\">list of 15 essential items\u003c/a> as a blueprint for the minimum inventory of what we needed.\u003c/p>\n\u003col>\n\u003cli>Water: one gallon per person, per day; three-day supply for evacuation, two-week supply for home\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Food: nonperishable, easy-to-prepare items; three-day supply for evacuation, two-week supply for home\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Flashlight\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Battery-powered or hand-crank radio, a NOAA Weather Radio, if possible\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Extra batteries\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Deluxe family first aid kit\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Medications, seven-day supply, and other necessary medical items\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Multipurpose tool\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Sanitation and personal hygiene items\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Copies of personal documents: medication list and pertinent medical information, proof of address, deed/lease to home, passports, birth certificates, insurance policies\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Cellphone with chargers\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Family and emergency contact information\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Extra cash\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Emergency blanket\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Map(s) of the area\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ol>\n\u003cp>Keep in mind the American Red Cross \u003ca href=\"https://www.redcross.org/get-help/how-to-prepare-for-emergencies/survival-kit-supplies.html\">recommends additional items\u003c/a> you should consider, like sleeping bags, work gloves and N95 masks.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1949519\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-1949519\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/science/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/10/EarthquakePrep_001-1-800x598.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"598\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/10/EarthquakePrep_001-1-800x598.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/10/EarthquakePrep_001-1-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/10/EarthquakePrep_001-1-768x574.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/10/EarthquakePrep_001-1-1020x763.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/10/EarthquakePrep_001-1-1200x898.jpg 1200w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/10/EarthquakePrep_001-1.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Reporter Peter Arcuni shops for survival supplies to put into his earthquake kit. \u003ccite>(Lindsey Moore/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>We already had some of the essentials, so we just needed to track down the remaining items, plus a few more we thought were important. Our shopping list included water, food, cash, first aid kit, flashlights, batteries, cell phone charging pack, local maps, hygienic items and the ever-popular all-purpose emergency standby, duct tape.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For this challenge, I headed to nearby 24th Street in Noe Valley to hit the Whole Foods, Walgreens and bank, all within a two-block radius. As on the first day, I limited myself to one hour.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Timer set.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Go.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Canned goods and venison sea salt pepper bars\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The American Red Cross recommends you keep on hand at least one gallon of water per person per day, for three days. For me, my wife and daughter, that’s nine gallons. At $0.89 a gallon, I was able to cross that off the list for under 10 bucks. Felt like a pretty good deal.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For nonperishable food, I started with the canned goods aisle. I homed in on soups, refried beans and tuna fish, choosing in particular the brands that had pull-off tops so I wouldn’t need a can opener. True, I had a multi-use tool, which included a can opener (of sorts), but do I want to be attempting to poke holes through cans of refried beans during an earthquake emergency? No.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Next up: granola bars. Lots of options, of course, so I went for variety, making sure to accommodate my wife’s request for those that are peanut-butter flavored. The venison sea salt pepper bars looked classy, if somewhat pricey, so I decided to indulge.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Small bills, please\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Next up was the bank for some cold, hard cash. With power and network outages likely in the event of a big earthquake or other emergency, the places where they still keep the actual money may prove to be inaccessible, and ATMs could very well go down, too. Not to mention credit card machines. So if you end up needing to pay for something, from a bottle of water to a hotel room, you are going to have to use existing cash on hand.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>How much? That depends on the number of people in your family and where you live, according to Brian Ferguson, from the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services. Emergency experts recommend small denominations, so you won’t have to worry about getting change from stores that may not be able to give it. So I went for a mix of 20s, 10s, fives and ones. And one two-dollar bill for good luck.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Drugstore\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>I found most of my other items at the pharmacy. Medications aren’t a major issue for my family, but I picked up some extra pain reliever, antihistamine and children’s Tylenol, just in case.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you do take medications, the American Red Cross recommends having a seven-day supply, as well as a list of what they are.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Final thoughts: Day Two\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The shopping trip, when factoring in the ride to and from my house, took just about an hour and change. I was able to get most of the items on my list. Here’s where I came up short:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Local maps\u003c/strong>: These are good to keep on hand if you need to evacuate while cell networks are down. Neither Whole Foods nor Walgreens carried them, but you can find maps at \u003ca href=\"https://www.aaa.com/mapgallery/\">AAA\u003c/a> or order online.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Cellphone battery charging pack\u003c/strong>: Walgreens had one, but I wasn’t sure it was right for me. So I’m planning to do some research before buying. There are \u003ca href=\"https://www.amazon.com/s?k=emergency+phone+charger&crid=2CXQDD1XT85YG&sprefix=emergency+phone+c%2Caps%2C205&ref=nb_sb_ss_i_1_17\">several options\u003c/a> available online.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Forgetting to check expiration on food\u003c/strong>: One could assume — and by one, I mean me — that if food is wrapped in plastic, it is nonperishable. This is not true.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While evaluating my haul my wife asked if I checked the “best by” dates on the food. I had not. We found that while the canned goods would remain edible for a number of years, about half the granola bars I picked out listed dates about six months from now.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Me: But what does date that mean?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Maureen: Could we get sick?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Me: Maybe. I don’t think so. But …\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the end we removed these from the kit. Further research showed we probably would’ve been fine, even if our bars lost their flavor over time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Here’s a breakdown from \u003ca href=\"https://www.consumerreports.org/food-safety/how-to-tell-whether-expired-food-is-safe-to-eat/\">Consumer Reports\u003c/a> on good rules of thumb for nonperishables.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But you should always check the expiration dates on your food items, and you’ll also want check your kit periodically to refresh any expired items.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In sum, it appears you can grab many of the basic necessities for a survival kit over the course of an hour or a little longer.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>However, if convenience is a priority, both the \u003ca href=\"https://www.redcross.org/store/preparedness\">American Red Cross\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.amazon.com/s?k=earthquake+survival+kit&crid=3GMZ4T10S4KQ3&sprefix=earthquak%2Caps%2C247&ref=nb_sb_ss_i_2_9\">Amazon\u003c/a> have a variety of survival kits available for a range of prices. Consider your time and needs — this may be a good way to go.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Up next, I’ll organize my supplies into a proper earthquake kit!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Day Three: Putting together my earthquake kit\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>A quick note about fatigue: After the first few days of this challenge, I was riding high. Emergency plan, check. Trunkload of survival supplies, yup. Then … the inevitable crash. After a full day of work, making dinner, cleaning the kitchen, bathing my kid, and putting her to bed, I was spent. So I psyched myself up, mustered all the energy I could, and … watched “The Great British Bake Off” on Netflix.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It was delightful.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We’re only human. Carving out an hour on a given day may not be possible, emotionally or otherwise. So I decided to give myself credit for what I’d already accomplished and go back at it the next morning.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Which I did. I started by laying out my earthquake supplies on the living room floor. Satisfying as it was to look at, I still needed to put them somewhere I could find them in a true emergency.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>“Organize disaster supplies in convenient locations…Keep them where you spend most of your time, so they can be reached even if your building is badly damaged.” — Earthquake Country Alliance\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/2005/15/gip-15.pdf\">U.S. Geological Survey (PDF)\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.earthquakecountry.org/step3/\">EarthquakeCountry.org\u003c/a> provide an assortment of tips on preparing and storing your kits. Here are a few:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>Use backpacks for personal survival kits because they’re easy to grab if you need to evacuate. You want one for each person in your household.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>You can keep a larger disaster kit in a plastic bin or other waterproof container. This should contain additional food and water, first aid items and other supplies, like an emergency radio, for instance, that you would need if you have to stay put for a while. This kit should also be easy to move around the house or load into a car if necessary.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>Sifting through the bedroom closet, I found what I needed: a green plastic tub with a lid and handles for my household kit, and a black backpack with compartments for my to-go bag.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After packing my supplies into them, I scouted for storage locations. The bin slid nicely under the bench beside our bed, and I cleared out the bottom shelf of the hallway closet for the backpack, since it’s centrally located in the house. I then stashed some extra gallon jugs of water alongside the bag.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1949522\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-1949522\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/science/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/10/Earthquakekit_001-800x545.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"545\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/10/Earthquakekit_001-800x545.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/10/Earthquakekit_001-160x109.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/10/Earthquakekit_001-768x523.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/10/Earthquakekit_001-1020x694.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/10/Earthquakekit_001-1200x817.jpg 1200w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/10/Earthquakekit_001.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Organizing survival supplies is an important step in readiness planning, according to emergency experts. \u003ccite>(Lindsey Moore/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Emergency experts recommend that you also have survival kits for your car and workplace. For today, I focused mainly on the home, though I did throw water, towels and a blanket in the car. I’m considering ordering online additional prepacked kits for the car and work.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Bags for shoes and stuffed animals\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Here’s something I hadn’t thought about: Say a big earthquake hits at two in the morning. Suddenly, I’d be in the dark with broken glass and debris all over the floor.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The aftermath of an earthquake is no time to wander around the house barefoot. That’s why experts recommend putting a pair of shoes or boots, plus a flashlight, in a plastic bag tied to the foot of your bed or nightstand.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“That ensures that you have quick access to getting something on your feet and allows you to safely get up, survey what’s happened to your home and check on your loved ones,” said Cynthia Shaw from \u003ca href=\"https://www.redcross.org/local/california/northern-california-coastal.html\">Red Cross Northern California\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For this, I used kitchen twine.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For my 4-year-old daughter, I made up a special bag to add to my to-go backpack. Emergencies can be scary, and they can also involve waiting around for long stretches of time without much to do. So USGS recommends including “comfort items, such as games, crayons, writing materials, and teddy bears” for the little ones.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>With my daughter’s help, we picked out a soft blanket with purple butterflies on it, coloring pad, storybook and one of her favorite stuffed foxes.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Not just supplies — documents, too\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>After I took inventory and shopped for supplies, I had tracked down most of the 15 essential survival items recommended by the \u003ca href=\"https://www.redcross.org/get-help/how-to-prepare-for-emergencies/survival-kit-supplies.html\">American Red Cross\u003c/a>, along with some additions, to populate my kit. I even found the Bay Area and California maps I was looking for in the glove box of my car.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So I’m done, right?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Nope.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When putting together survival supplies, it’s easy to obsess over gear and rations. But in emergencies, information matters too.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Remember these checklist items from Day Two?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp style=\"padding-left: 30px\">\u003ci>Item 10: Copies of personal documents: medication list and pertinent medical information, proof of address, deed/lease to home, passports, birth certificates, insurance policies\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp style=\"padding-left: 30px\">\u003ci>Item 12: Family and emergency contact information \u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Well, my wife and I had written out a list of our contacts and made sure we had them in our phones. But we didn’t make a paper copy with the actual numbers, which is important in case cell service isn’t available or you can’t charge your phone.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>FEMA has a pre-made \u003ca href=\"https://www.ready.gov/kids/make-a-plan\">emergency contact form\u003c/a> you can fill out on your computer and print for your wallet, survival kits and car.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As for the documents, we got as far as sorting through the file cabinet where we keep these types of things.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Today I decided to fire up the old all-in-one printer-scanner-copier and take care of business. But if you’re like me, nine times out of 10 your ink cartridge is empty. Today was no exception.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So I’ve got to get that ink, find a local copy shop or ask the kind people at KQED if it’s okay to print out a few documents for a good cause.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That’s was my hour for today. Tomorrow, I’ll be getting out the tool box to make a few home improvements.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Day Four: Securing the home\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>One thing I learned while researching this challenge was that most people who got hurt during earthquakes like Loma Prieta in the Bay Area and Northridge in the Los Angeles area didn’t have buildings or structures collapse on them. Many of the injuries were caused by falling objects or furniture.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So for my final hour of this week’s earthquake prep, I surveyed my apartment to see what home improvements I could tackle to make it safer in the event of a big quake.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Earthquake Country Alliance has a \u003ca href=\"https://www.earthquakecountry.org/step1/\">thorough guide\u003c/a> to securing your space. Here’s what to look out for:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>Heavy objects hung on the wall, like mirrors or art in glass picture frames\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Loose objects stored on open shelves or bookcases which can fly through the air during a quake\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Top-heavy furniture, like dressers, bookcases or TVs that could tip over\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>In particular, experts say to look out for these potential hazards near places where you spend a lot of time: beds, couches, desks, the kids’ favorite play spaces.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After a quick perusal for hazards, I detected a big problem: the large print hanging over our couch in a glass-paned metal frame. My brother got it for us in Nashville, and it really ties the room together. But, it was either gonna have to go or be moved to a safer spot away from the sofa.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Another danger zone: the dresser next to my bed, with a digital camera, ceramic mason jar and mementos, including a hefty amethyst stone, lying on top.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So I took a quick trip to San Francisco’s Glen Park Hardware, where a few helpful employees showed me some stuff I could use to lock things down.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One big find was a product called Museum Wax, which is putty you stick underneath an object so it’ll stay attached to a surface. This was just the ticket for objects like my amethyst.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The store also sold furniture safety straps, which let you attach freestanding shelves and armoires to the wall. These use hook-and-eye fixtures and industrial-strength Velcro.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I left with the museum wax and a heavy-duty frame hanger that had three nail anchor points for remounting the print.\u003cbr>\n\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "‘Any amount of preparation will make you safer than no preparation.’",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>At home, I lifted the frame off the wall. Its weight confirmed that I’d rather not have it crash on my head under any circumstances.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I picked a spot on the opposite wall, across from the sofa, and hammered away. Once the frame was up, I took a breather on the sofa … with a renewed sense of calm.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Final thoughts\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>That’s it for my hour-a-day earthquake readiness prep. These four days have taught me that spending just an hour here and there can make a world of difference when it comes to getting ready for the next emergency.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Sometimes it wore me out. But the 4.5 magnitude quake that rumbled my sofa as I wrote Monday night, and another on Tuesday, offered the jolts of motivation I needed to persevere.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There’s more to do, for sure.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In four hours, though, I mapped out an emergency plan, prepped survival kits and made my home a safer, or at least less hazardous, place. I’ll repeat here what Brian Ferguson with Cal OES told me on the first day of this challenge:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Any amount of preparation will make you safer than no preparation.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While I have your ear, let’s cram in a few final bits of advice I picked up from experts along the way:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Your emergency readiness will depend on your own circumstances. So prepare accordingly. For example, living on landfill in the Bay Area means you may want to take extra steps to secure your home; whereas living in wildfire prone areas may require different preparations. Perhaps you have a large family or pets to consider. We have just one pet, a betta fish named Emily. What would we do with her if the Big One hits? I’ll have to think on that one.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>No matter your priorities, readiness experts recommend signing up for emergency alerts. California has an early warning \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1949333/download-californias-new-earthquake-early-warning-app\">ShakeAlert app\u003c/a>. Any amount of extra time you have could save your life.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And finally, make a conscious effort to put gas in your car \u003ci>before\u003c/i> the low fuel light comes on. It’ll help if you ever have to evacuate. From now on, I’m gonna try. If nothing else, it’ll make my mom happy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"title": "The Newt Normal: How Will These Remarkable Animals Survive in Extreme Climates?",
"headTitle": "The Newt Normal: How Will These Remarkable Animals Survive in Extreme Climates? | KQED",
"content": "\u003cp>Anton Sorokin was hiking in the hills near his home in Berkeley when he came across a pond that was packed full of newts. For a couple of delightful hours, he watched the amphibians swim to the surface for a breath and then plunge underwater again. With a background in herpetology and wildlife photography, Sorokin took some pictures without any particular project in mind. He thought to himself, “Oh, what a great find!”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It was April 2020 and in the ensuing months, Sorokin occasionally drove the 30 minutes from his house to Briones Regional Park, then walked 45 minutes to the pond to see what was happening with the newts. As the season grew warmer, the pond shrank — a typical pattern during the hot, dry summers in this region of California. From his knowledge of the amphibians, Sorokin expected that the water would evaporate eventually and that the newts would strike out for wetter pastures, or else hunker down underground, where some moisture might linger.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1981405\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1981405 size-medium\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62247_G_1stRainExodus-qut-800x534.jpg\" alt=\"A California newt is seen emerging from the ground. \" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62247_G_1stRainExodus-qut-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62247_G_1stRainExodus-qut-1020x681.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62247_G_1stRainExodus-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62247_G_1stRainExodus-qut-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62247_G_1stRainExodus-qut-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62247_G_1stRainExodus-qut.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">When the first sprinkle of rain arrives in the fall, newts emerge from the ground to soak in the raindrops. \u003ccite>(Anton Sorokin/bioGraphic)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>By late July, however, the water in the pond turned from muddy brown to vibrant green. Sorokin noticed hundreds of newts sitting at the edge of the water, their heads poking out, seemingly deprived of oxygen by mats of algae. Normally, they absorb oxygen through their skin while swimming underwater, surfacing only occasionally for air, so this was weird.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Concerned, Sorokin returned frequently, sometimes several times a week. In a summer of wildfires and record-setting heat waves around the area, he watched the pond turn into a field of muddy cracks. Many newts shriveled up and died. When some rain finally came and moistened the mud in November, he watched some survivors hoist themselves out of the cracks and trundle past desiccated carcasses. The next day, all the living newts were nowhere to be seen.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Like many animals, California’s newts are facing new challenges because of climate change, according to growing evidence. Although the animals evolved to deal with drought by delaying reproduction when conditions were extreme, the region has become drier for longer than in the past. These extended droughts and related wildfires are putting an unprecedented level of strain on the amphibians, says Lee Kats, an animal ecologist and conservation biologist who studies newts at Pepperdine University in Los Angeles.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1981404\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1981404 size-medium\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62248_E_Heatwave11-qut-800x534.jpg\" alt=\"A California newt is seen walking on cracks on an evaporated pond. \" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62248_E_Heatwave11-qut-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62248_E_Heatwave11-qut-1020x681.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62248_E_Heatwave11-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62248_E_Heatwave11-qut-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62248_E_Heatwave11-qut-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62248_E_Heatwave11-qut.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Surviving newts take refuge in the cracks left by the evaporated water in the pond. Occasionally, the newts will abandon their home in search of better conditions elsewhere, but many succumb to the heat as they traverse the dried mud. \u003ccite>(Anton Sorokin/bioGraphic)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1981403\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1981403 size-medium\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62249_K_NewtPond-qut-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"A pond with a reflection of the clouds and blue sky. \" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62249_K_NewtPond-qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62249_K_NewtPond-qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62249_K_NewtPond-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62249_K_NewtPond-qut-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62249_K_NewtPond-qut-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62249_K_NewtPond-qut.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The pond is a magnet for wildlife in the area, attracting newts, birds, mammals, insects and other invertebrates. \u003ccite>(Anton Sorokin/bioGraphic)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1981402\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1981402 size-medium\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62250_I_Aftermath-qut-800x534.jpg\" alt=\"Dead newts on the ground.\" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62250_I_Aftermath-qut-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62250_I_Aftermath-qut-1020x681.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62250_I_Aftermath-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62250_I_Aftermath-qut-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62250_I_Aftermath-qut-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62250_I_Aftermath-qut.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The bodies of the newts that didn’t survive litter the ground. \u003ccite>(Anton Sorokin/bioGraphic)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In recent years, researchers have begun to document deteriorating health in the animals, echoing a decline seen in amphibian populations worldwide. Projections suggest that things will get worse, emphasizing the need to rally around these often-overlooked animals and to help preserve their habitat. “For newts, a strategy that has worked for thousands and thousands of years is not going to work in this climate alteration that we’re experiencing,” Kats says. “And that’s just an incredible tragedy.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After briefly considering whether he could bring buckets of water to the sickly newts, Sorokin decided the best way for him to help was to document what was happening. He kept taking pictures, hoping to draw attention to the challenges facing newts and other creatures in similar circumstances as a result of climate change. “I don’t like seeing animals in a situation where there’s no escape for them and where they’re clearly in trouble,” he says. “It’s not just in far-off exotic locations that this sort of thing is happening. It’s happening all around us. And the newts are one example.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1981401\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1981401 size-medium\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62251_G_1stRainExodus4-qut-800x534.jpg\" alt=\"Three California newts crawl out of cracked mud.\" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62251_G_1stRainExodus4-qut-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62251_G_1stRainExodus4-qut-1020x681.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62251_G_1stRainExodus4-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62251_G_1stRainExodus4-qut-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62251_G_1stRainExodus4-qut-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62251_G_1stRainExodus4-qut.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">As the first raindrops of the season hit the ground and permeate the cracked mud, survivors wriggle out into the open to bask in the rejuvenating moisture. \u003ccite>(Anton Sorokin/bioGraphic)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1981400\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1981400 size-medium\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62252_G_1stRainExodus5-qut-800x534.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62252_G_1stRainExodus5-qut-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62252_G_1stRainExodus5-qut-1020x681.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62252_G_1stRainExodus5-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62252_G_1stRainExodus5-qut-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62252_G_1stRainExodus5-qut-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62252_G_1stRainExodus5-qut.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The newts rely on rain to fill nearby ponds so they may reproduce. \u003ccite>(Anton Sorokin/bioGraphic)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>To those who know and admire it, the newt is many things: a marvel of longevity; a paragon of resiliency; a deadly vessel of poison; a model organism for regenerative medicine; a golden-eyed charmer of quiet charisma. Though newts share a flat, slithery body shape with lizards, they are amphibians (a type of salamander), not reptiles. They live an entirely different kind of life. Instead of the lizard’s flighty speed, newts move slowly and deliberately.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Unlike lizards, newts can lose a limb, heart muscle or even the lens of an eye, and grow it back — a miraculous power that has drawn the attention of scientists working to find better ways of repairing damaged organs in humans. With lives that can last for decades, newts are in no rush, Kats says. They’re chill and approachable, but armed with deadly toxins; they’re also brave, often moving almost casually around much larger creatures. They’re carnivores who live without fear. Their appeal is more subtle than the burly attraction of a polar bear or mountain lion. And that’s what makes them so endearing to those who study them. “It’s the charisma that comes with knowledge,” says Kats, who knows them as well as anyone. “I may be too passionate about this animal, but I love it.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1981399\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1981399 size-medium\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62253_A_IntroNewt1-qut-800x534.jpg\" alt=\"A close-up portrait of a newt.\" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62253_A_IntroNewt1-qut-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62253_A_IntroNewt1-qut-1020x681.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62253_A_IntroNewt1-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62253_A_IntroNewt1-qut-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62253_A_IntroNewt1-qut-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62253_A_IntroNewt1-qut.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A close-up portrait of a newt. \u003ccite>(Anton Sorokin/bioGraphic)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1981398\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1981398 size-medium\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62254_K_WaterAgain-qut-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"A newt swims in a pond. \" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62254_K_WaterAgain-qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62254_K_WaterAgain-qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62254_K_WaterAgain-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62254_K_WaterAgain-qut-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62254_K_WaterAgain-qut-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62254_K_WaterAgain-qut.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Once the pond contains water again, many of the returning newts are in visibly poor condition. Thankfully, a full pond hosts plenty of aquatic invertebrates for the newts to feed on. \u003ccite>(Anton Sorokin/bioGraphic)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Out of 100 or so newt species around the world, four live in California. Three of them live in the Bay Area. The California newt (Taricha torosa), the kind that Sorokin observed on his hikes, has a range that extends to Southern California, where in the early 1990s, Kats started tagging them in a first-of-its-kind project. He wanted to gather basic information about the animals, so he captured a few dozen, anesthetized them and implanted rice-sized transponders — like the ones veterinarians use to identify pets—into their abdomens. Over time, the number of tagged newts has grown, allowing Kats and colleagues to recapture, identify and take measurements of individuals over time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The results have provided key insights into the lives of newts, their extraordinary abilities, and also their vulnerabilities. Kats found that California newts reappeared around 15 meters of their last sighting, year after year, suggesting that they might not leave their habitats, even if the quality of that environment declines. The tags also revealed extremely long lives. Some of the newts with Kats’s original tags from the 1990s still appear in surveys, and they were already adults when he marked them. It’s not unusual, he says, for newts to live into their 30s and possibly even 40s — a remarkably long life expectancy compared to other amphibians. Many tree frogs live for only three to five years in the wild.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1981397\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-1981397\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62255_HealthyNewtsDifferentPond-qut-800x534.jpg\" alt=\"A group of newts gather to breed in a healthy pond.\" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62255_HealthyNewtsDifferentPond-qut-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62255_HealthyNewtsDifferentPond-qut-1020x681.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62255_HealthyNewtsDifferentPond-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62255_HealthyNewtsDifferentPond-qut-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62255_HealthyNewtsDifferentPond-qut-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62255_HealthyNewtsDifferentPond-qut.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A group of newts gather to breed in a healthy pond. \u003ccite>(Anton Sorokin/bioGraphic)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Over millennia, newts developed strategies for surviving California’s notoriously variable weather, and a long life span was part of the deal, says Samuel Sweet, a herpetologist at the University of California, Santa Barbara. The animals, which spend most of their time on land, rely on streams or ponds for mating and laying eggs. Historically, when water dried up during periodic droughts, they could defer the energy-demanding task of reproduction for a few years. And even when the conditions were unusually dry, they could often still find water. Kats remembers how, 30 years ago, streams in Southern California continued to flow even during particularly dry periods. While longer droughts were already a concern then, he thought those perennial streams would help the newts persevere.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Starting around 2013, however, streams that seemed like they would flow forever started to dry up in the springtime for what Kats thinks may be the first time in recorded history. By then, he was collaborating in the tagging work with Gary Bucciarelli, a conservation biologist at the University of California, Los Angeles, whose interests include the neurotoxins that newts harbor in their skin and how these chemicals affect other animals in the ecosystem. (Those toxins are so powerful they killed a 29-year-old man in 1979 after he swallowed an Oregon newt on a dare while under the influence of whiskey, according to a report published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1981407\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1981407 size-medium\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62480_BiographicNewt7-2-qut-800x534.jpg\" alt=\"Newts huddle around strands of vegetation in the water. \" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62480_BiographicNewt7-2-qut-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62480_BiographicNewt7-2-qut-1020x681.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62480_BiographicNewt7-2-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62480_BiographicNewt7-2-qut-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62480_BiographicNewt7-2-qut-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62480_BiographicNewt7-2-qut.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Newts huddle around strands of vegetation where they attach their eggs. As a female lays her eggs, she will remain motionless as the coating surrounding the eggs absorbs water and solidifies to form a gelatinous sac. \u003ccite>(Anton Sorokin/bioGraphic)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1981408\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1981408 size-medium\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62481_BiographicNewt26-2-qut-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"The developing eggs shortly after being laid.\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62481_BiographicNewt26-2-qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62481_BiographicNewt26-2-qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62481_BiographicNewt26-2-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62481_BiographicNewt26-2-qut-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62481_BiographicNewt26-2-qut-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62481_BiographicNewt26-2-qut.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The developing eggs shortly after being laid. \u003ccite>(Anton Sorokin/bioGraphic)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1981409\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1981409 size-medium\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62482_BiographicNewt27-qut-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"Newt embryos inside gelatinous case.\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62482_BiographicNewt27-qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62482_BiographicNewt27-qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62482_BiographicNewt27-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62482_BiographicNewt27-qut-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62482_BiographicNewt27-qut-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62482_BiographicNewt27-qut.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The newt embryos begin to take shape within a gelatinous case that helps keeps them safe from parasites and predators. \u003ccite>(Anton Sorokin/bioGraphic)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1981410\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1981410 size-medium\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62483_BiographicNewt18-qut-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"Young newts inside gelatinous case that are almost ready to hatch.\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62483_BiographicNewt18-qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62483_BiographicNewt18-qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62483_BiographicNewt18-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62483_BiographicNewt18-qut-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62483_BiographicNewt18-qut-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62483_BiographicNewt18-qut.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">These young newts are nearly ready to hatch. They will start life with external gills, which will gradually be absorbed as they mature. \u003ccite>(Anton Sorokin/bioGraphic)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The scientists had expanded the newt research from LA’s Santa Monica Mountains south to Orange County and San Diego, east to the San Gabriel Mountains, and north to the Bay Area, Mendocino County and the Sierra Foothills. As the water dried up around LA, researchers started detecting fewer tagged newts, Bucciarelli says. By the end of 2016, many of the newts that did come back to their streams were looking scrawny and unwell. “You could see their ribs, vertebra, the pelvic girdle,” Bucciarelli says. “Things that you should not see in a healthy population.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To figure out what was going on, the researchers looked to their large and long-term data set, where they found that what they were seeing was more than a fluke. Between 2008 and 2016, they found a nearly 20% decline in a measure of body condition among California newts across 30 breeding sites in Southern California. That period of drastic deterioration in size was more rapid than other studies have documented in any other amphibian species, Bucciarelli says. It also coincided with record-setting high temperatures and what is thought to be the most severe drought in California in 1,200 years.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1981411\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1981411 size-medium\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62484_I_JuvenileMortality2-qut-800x560.jpg\" alt=\"Multiple juvenile newts that didn't survive harsh conditions seen laying. \" width=\"800\" height=\"560\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62484_I_JuvenileMortality2-qut-800x560.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62484_I_JuvenileMortality2-qut-1020x715.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62484_I_JuvenileMortality2-qut-160x112.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62484_I_JuvenileMortality2-qut-768x538.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62484_I_JuvenileMortality2-qut-1536x1076.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62484_I_JuvenileMortality2-qut.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Although many adult newts are able to survive the drought and harsh conditions, the juveniles are less fortunate. These younger newts were unable to crawl the distance to the sheltering mud cracks. \u003ccite>(Anton Sorokin/bioGraphic)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In Northern California, where climate records didn’t show the same extremes, newts appear to have retained their body condition during the same period. But with modeling, the team predicted that droughts and related declines would soon catch up to newts and other amphibians in the Bay Area and other parts of Northern California. Newts once inhabited 10 streams in the mountains above San Diego, Sweet says. Now they occupy only three of those streams. In Orange County, he estimates half the newt streams that existed in the 1960s are gone because of drought and development. “What we’re seeing in LA and San Diego counties, those are going to be the conditions sometime in the not-too-distant future in San Luis Obispo County and Monterey County,” he says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California newts in Southern California are already classified as a species of special concern by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, an acknowledgment of their vulnerability, although they are not yet listed as threatened or endangered. As environmental stress becomes relentless, experts worry it may be hard for them to hang on. “These newts down here have adapted to deal with drought. That’s part of our climate here in Southern California landscapes,” Bucciarelli says. “But what they haven’t evolved to deal with is drought simultaneously combined with record warming temperatures, and that’s a result of climate change. Now, a double threat is occurring.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1981412\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1981412 size-medium\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62485_BiographicNewt1-3-qut-800x534.jpg\" alt=\"Newts breeding season begins. \" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62485_BiographicNewt1-3-qut-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62485_BiographicNewt1-3-qut-1020x681.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62485_BiographicNewt1-3-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62485_BiographicNewt1-3-qut-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62485_BiographicNewt1-3-qut-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62485_BiographicNewt1-3-qut.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">After the pond refills, newts return and their breeding season begins. Mated females attach egg masses to submerged vegetation while males wander around looking for mates. \u003ccite>(Anton Sorokin/bioGraphic)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1981413\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1981413 size-medium\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62486_BiographicNewt3-2-qut-800x534.jpg\" alt=\"A pair of submerged newts conserve energy and remain motionless as the gelatinousmatrix surrounding their eggs solidifies and attaches to the vegetation.\" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62486_BiographicNewt3-2-qut-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62486_BiographicNewt3-2-qut-1020x681.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62486_BiographicNewt3-2-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62486_BiographicNewt3-2-qut-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62486_BiographicNewt3-2-qut-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62486_BiographicNewt3-2-qut.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A pair of submerged newts conserve energy and remain motionless as the gelatinous matrix surrounding their eggs solidifies and attaches to the vegetation. \u003ccite>(Anton Sorokin/bioGraphic)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>By the time Sorokin was visiting his newt pond in Berkeley in 2020, COVID-19 had upended life for humans, and California’s newts appeared to be experiencing a pandemic of their own. In addition to newts with protruding hip bones and lack of fat stored on their bodies that Kats and Bucciarelli noted, researchers started finding newts with tail lesions so severe that muscle and skin had worn away to expose the tips of their tail bones. Some animals had clouded eyeballs that looked like cataracts. The animals also acted strangely, whirling around in circles. It was the first major disease in Southern California newts in 30 years, Kats says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Researchers at the U.S. Geological Survey euthanized an emaciated newt to investigate what had sickened it. The researchers found numerous issues, they wrote in a September 2021 report, including lungworms, inflammation in the inner ears, and parasites in its intestinal tract. Yet no single cause could explain all the symptoms. Kats suspects that extended dry spells and high temperatures may have weakened the amphibians’ immune systems, making them more vulnerable to several ordinary infections. “I’m absolutely convinced,” he says, “that the conditions they were experiencing contributed to this major disease outbreak.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1981414\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1981414 size-medium\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62487_F_PredationDifferentPond1-qut-800x534.jpg\" alt=\"A garter snake eats a California newt.\" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62487_F_PredationDifferentPond1-qut-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62487_F_PredationDifferentPond1-qut-1020x681.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62487_F_PredationDifferentPond1-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62487_F_PredationDifferentPond1-qut-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62487_F_PredationDifferentPond1-qut-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62487_F_PredationDifferentPond1-qut.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">As the newts are stranded, they become more susceptible to various threats. Although the newts are poisonous, some predators like this garter snake are still able to eat them. \u003ccite>(Anton Sorokin/bioGraphic)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Strange illnesses and dry streambeds aren’t the only challenges facing newts. Invasive crayfish, somehow unfazed by the newts’ toxins, have been spreading in California lakes and decimating newt populations by feeding on egg masses and larvae. Blooms of cyanobacteria may be another problem: These photosynthetic microorganisms, which produce a variety of toxins of their own, have been proliferating in lakes around the world, a trend linked to warming temperatures, among other factors. In the first assessment of two Southern California lakes, published in 2021, a group of researchers from several universities and government agencies found the highest concentrations ever recorded in the region of three cyanotoxins, which have been linked to health issues in people and wildlife, including amphibians. Sorokin suspects that a cyanobacteria bloom explains the greening of that pond near his Berkeley home.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Traffic is another concern. Generally unconcerned with predators because of their poisonous skin, newts move slowly, as if they don’t have a care in the world, Kats says. After spending much of their lives in the woods and waiting on average five years, sometimes longer, to become sexually mature, they often must cross busy roads to get to streams for mating. Drivers don’t usually see them — or else they don’t stop. One of Sweet’s graduate students visited a study site in San Luis Obispo one day after it rained and counted more than 100 road-killed newts. “The average newt there might be 25 or 30 years old,” Sweet says. “They get all ready to breed: ‘I’m going to walk down to the creek and lay my eggs for the first time tonight.’ Squish. They get run over 10 minutes before they do that.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1981415\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1981415 size-medium\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62488_D_Cyanobacteria-qut-800x534.jpg\" alt=\"Blue-green algae. \" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62488_D_Cyanobacteria-qut-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62488_D_Cyanobacteria-qut-1020x681.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62488_D_Cyanobacteria-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62488_D_Cyanobacteria-qut-768x513.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62488_D_Cyanobacteria-qut-1536x1026.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62488_D_Cyanobacteria-qut.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">As the pond shrinks and temperatures remain high, the water turns to a slurry of toxic blue-green algae and cyanobacteria. \u003ccite>(Anton Sorokin/bioGraphic)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1981416\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1981416 size-medium\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62489_D_EutrophicationLate11-qut-800x534.jpg\" alt=\"Newts line the edges of the pond with their heads raised above the algae andcyanobacteria.\" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62489_D_EutrophicationLate11-qut-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62489_D_EutrophicationLate11-qut-1020x681.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62489_D_EutrophicationLate11-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62489_D_EutrophicationLate11-qut-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62489_D_EutrophicationLate11-qut-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62489_D_EutrophicationLate11-qut.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Newts line the edges of the pond with their heads raised above the algae and cyanobacteria to breathe. Although conditions in the pond are noxious, the newts choose to remain — likely because the heat away from the moisture is simply too dangerous. \u003ccite>(Anton Sorokin/bioGraphic)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Habitat fragmentation makes it harder now than in the past for newts to cope with harsh conditions, Sweet adds. When newts experienced changes to the climate in the past, they were able to rebound and expand their range again when conditions improved. But they can’t come back if there isn’t a connected population to replenish them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Altogether, the cards can seem stacked against a species that has endured its share of environmental stress for thousands of years. “The stuff that amphibians like newts are facing is kind of death of a thousand cuts,” Sweet says. “It’s not any one thing. It’s not drought, it’s drought and getting run over when you’re 25 years old and half an hour away from laying eggs for the first time. It’s having your eggs die because a septic tank has overflowed and the stream is full of salt. It’s getting eaten by a raccoon that’s wandering up and down the creek because somebody has garbage out and there are too many raccoons, and the road department wanted to widen the road and fill in the stream with boulders. It’s all this stuff.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1981417\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1981417 size-medium\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62490_D_EutrophicationLate5-qut-800x534.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62490_D_EutrophicationLate5-qut-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62490_D_EutrophicationLate5-qut-1020x681.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62490_D_EutrophicationLate5-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62490_D_EutrophicationLate5-qut-768x513.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62490_D_EutrophicationLate5-qut-1536x1026.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62490_D_EutrophicationLate5-qut.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A newt pokes its head above the algae and cyanobacteria. \u003ccite>(Anton Sorokin/bioGraphic)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Despite all they’re up against, it’s not too late for newts, Kats says. Some environmental groups have mobilized to help newts around the world, including in California. In the hills north of San Francisco, volunteers with the Chileno Valley Newt Brigade spend winter nights picking up the amphibians as they make their way to or from their breeding sites, carrying them across roads to protect them from cars. Along the East Coast and in parts of Berkeley, roads frequented by newts are closed annually for the same reason.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some of the most promising strategies for protecting newts focus on improving and protecting their habitats and ecosystems and, with them, biodiversity more generally, Bucciarelli says. One major effort in the works is California’s 30×30 initiative, an executive order signed by the governor that has a goal of conserving 30% of the state’s land and coastal waters by 2030. Because amphibian habitats span much of the state’s land and watersheds, they stand to benefit substantially from the plan.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Habitat protection includes human intervention to mitigate disaster and destruction. Multiple studies in Europe have shown that enlarging and deepening ponds can lead to rapid and major increases in populations of newts, frogs and toads — a technique that could be useful for removing silt after wildfires, as well. Researchers have also found value in “newt hotels,” human-made piles of stones covered with soil and fabric that mimic the kinds of environments the animals use to overwinter in harsh conditions. And in California, government agencies are actively working to create freshwater ponds that are free of invasive species, such as crayfish, to replace what amphibians have lost.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1981418\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1981418 size-medium\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62491_NewtinHandB-qut-800x534.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62491_NewtinHandB-qut-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62491_NewtinHandB-qut-1020x681.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62491_NewtinHandB-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62491_NewtinHandB-qut-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62491_NewtinHandB-qut-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62491_NewtinHandB-qut.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A dead newt in cupped hands. This one succumbed to the heat. \u003ccite>(Anton Sorokin/bioGraphic)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1981419\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1981419 size-medium\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62492_NewtinHandA-qut-800x534.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62492_NewtinHandA-qut-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62492_NewtinHandA-qut-1020x681.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62492_NewtinHandA-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62492_NewtinHandA-qut-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62492_NewtinHandA-qut-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62492_NewtinHandA-qut.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A live newt in cupped hands. \u003ccite>(Anton Sorokin/bioGraphic)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The California Conservation Genomics Project is another statewide effort to protect amphibians and other creatures, not by protecting habitat but by protecting genetic diversity. The government-funded project aims to sequence the genomes of more than 230 animal and plant species, including some amphibians and reptiles — as a way to identify areas of high and low genetic diversity that should be the focus of conservation work. The newt is not on the sequencing list in part because its genome is gigantic and intractable, Bucciarelli says. But the initiative, which has a goal of producing “the most comprehensive, multispecies, genomic data set ever assembled to help manage regional biodiversity,” focuses on creatures that share newt habitat. Those animals — and newts — would ultimately benefit from any resulting changes and protections.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Disease surveillance should help, too, by detecting emerging illnesses before they can spread. In the United States, the USGS has set up a nationwide program to check newts and other amphibians around the country for signs of a fungal infection that has devastated European salamander populations.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Efforts like these may give newts a fighting chance to do what they do best: persevere. Because newts are so long-lived, seemingly small measures could help them wait out poor conditions until favorable years return, and with those years the right conditions for mating, experts say.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1981420\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1981420 size-medium\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62493_A_IntroNewt3-qut-800x534.jpg\" alt=\"A portrait of a male newt.\" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62493_A_IntroNewt3-qut-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62493_A_IntroNewt3-qut-1020x681.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62493_A_IntroNewt3-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62493_A_IntroNewt3-qut-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62493_A_IntroNewt3-qut-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62493_A_IntroNewt3-qut.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A male newt migrates toward a pond during the breeding season. \u003ccite>(Anton Sorokin/bioGraphic)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Sorokin has seen this potential for redemption in his Berkeley-area pond over the past two years. When Northern California finally got a real rainy season in late 2021, the pond refilled again. Since then, he has observed plenty of healthy newts and lots of breeding activity. When they come up for air, they sometimes let out a little squeak. Seeing them return has filled him with relief — and also trepidation. He worries about the next dry season and the next generations of newts. He takes photos, he says, to spread his love for newts to a wider audience, and to convince people to care about this animal that doesn’t get its fair share of headlines about the impacts of a changing climate.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As we move deeper into the Anthropocene, more humans need to embrace our role in protecting such animals, and we need to start now, says Bucciarelli. We put them in this predicament. It’s up to us to get them out of it. Solving the puzzle of how to help newts could have benefits far beyond one amphibian, he says — creating a road map for how we deal with many other biodiversity issues on a hotter, drier planet.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There are so many dedicated, talented and passionate people working collaboratively to come up with viable solutions. We can’t fix the problems of drought. We can’t make it rain. But we can figure out ways to manage populations so that they have the highest probability of persisting through this really stressful time,” Bucciarelli says. “I have a lot of hope.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1981421\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1981421 size-medium\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62494_BiographicNewt12-qut-800x534.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62494_BiographicNewt12-qut-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62494_BiographicNewt12-qut-1020x681.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62494_BiographicNewt12-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62494_BiographicNewt12-qut-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62494_BiographicNewt12-qut-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62494_BiographicNewt12-qut.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A male newt holds on tight to a female during a mating event. \u003ccite>(Anton Sorokin/bioGraphic)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This story originally appeared in \u003ca href=\"https://www.biographic.com/the-newt-normal/\">bioGraphic\u003c/a>, an independent magazine about nature and regeneration powered by the California Academy of Sciences.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "Droughts, wildfires, floods, and other extreme weather events are putting an unprecedented strain on California newts. With help, scientists think these remarkable animals will be able to persevere.",
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"description": "Droughts, wildfires, floods, and other extreme weather events are putting an unprecedented strain on California newts. With help, scientists think these remarkable animals will be able to persevere.",
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"nprByline": "\u003ca href=\"https://www.biographic.com/contributor/Emily-Sohn/\">Emily Sohn\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.biographic.com/contributor/Anton-Sorokin/\">Anton Sorokin\u003c/a>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Anton Sorokin was hiking in the hills near his home in Berkeley when he came across a pond that was packed full of newts. For a couple of delightful hours, he watched the amphibians swim to the surface for a breath and then plunge underwater again. With a background in herpetology and wildlife photography, Sorokin took some pictures without any particular project in mind. He thought to himself, “Oh, what a great find!”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It was April 2020 and in the ensuing months, Sorokin occasionally drove the 30 minutes from his house to Briones Regional Park, then walked 45 minutes to the pond to see what was happening with the newts. As the season grew warmer, the pond shrank — a typical pattern during the hot, dry summers in this region of California. From his knowledge of the amphibians, Sorokin expected that the water would evaporate eventually and that the newts would strike out for wetter pastures, or else hunker down underground, where some moisture might linger.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1981405\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1981405 size-medium\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62247_G_1stRainExodus-qut-800x534.jpg\" alt=\"A California newt is seen emerging from the ground. \" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62247_G_1stRainExodus-qut-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62247_G_1stRainExodus-qut-1020x681.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62247_G_1stRainExodus-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62247_G_1stRainExodus-qut-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62247_G_1stRainExodus-qut-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62247_G_1stRainExodus-qut.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">When the first sprinkle of rain arrives in the fall, newts emerge from the ground to soak in the raindrops. \u003ccite>(Anton Sorokin/bioGraphic)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>By late July, however, the water in the pond turned from muddy brown to vibrant green. Sorokin noticed hundreds of newts sitting at the edge of the water, their heads poking out, seemingly deprived of oxygen by mats of algae. Normally, they absorb oxygen through their skin while swimming underwater, surfacing only occasionally for air, so this was weird.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Concerned, Sorokin returned frequently, sometimes several times a week. In a summer of wildfires and record-setting heat waves around the area, he watched the pond turn into a field of muddy cracks. Many newts shriveled up and died. When some rain finally came and moistened the mud in November, he watched some survivors hoist themselves out of the cracks and trundle past desiccated carcasses. The next day, all the living newts were nowhere to be seen.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Like many animals, California’s newts are facing new challenges because of climate change, according to growing evidence. Although the animals evolved to deal with drought by delaying reproduction when conditions were extreme, the region has become drier for longer than in the past. These extended droughts and related wildfires are putting an unprecedented level of strain on the amphibians, says Lee Kats, an animal ecologist and conservation biologist who studies newts at Pepperdine University in Los Angeles.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1981404\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1981404 size-medium\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62248_E_Heatwave11-qut-800x534.jpg\" alt=\"A California newt is seen walking on cracks on an evaporated pond. \" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62248_E_Heatwave11-qut-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62248_E_Heatwave11-qut-1020x681.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62248_E_Heatwave11-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62248_E_Heatwave11-qut-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62248_E_Heatwave11-qut-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62248_E_Heatwave11-qut.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Surviving newts take refuge in the cracks left by the evaporated water in the pond. Occasionally, the newts will abandon their home in search of better conditions elsewhere, but many succumb to the heat as they traverse the dried mud. \u003ccite>(Anton Sorokin/bioGraphic)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1981403\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1981403 size-medium\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62249_K_NewtPond-qut-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"A pond with a reflection of the clouds and blue sky. \" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62249_K_NewtPond-qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62249_K_NewtPond-qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62249_K_NewtPond-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62249_K_NewtPond-qut-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62249_K_NewtPond-qut-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62249_K_NewtPond-qut.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The pond is a magnet for wildlife in the area, attracting newts, birds, mammals, insects and other invertebrates. \u003ccite>(Anton Sorokin/bioGraphic)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1981402\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1981402 size-medium\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62250_I_Aftermath-qut-800x534.jpg\" alt=\"Dead newts on the ground.\" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62250_I_Aftermath-qut-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62250_I_Aftermath-qut-1020x681.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62250_I_Aftermath-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62250_I_Aftermath-qut-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62250_I_Aftermath-qut-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62250_I_Aftermath-qut.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The bodies of the newts that didn’t survive litter the ground. \u003ccite>(Anton Sorokin/bioGraphic)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In recent years, researchers have begun to document deteriorating health in the animals, echoing a decline seen in amphibian populations worldwide. Projections suggest that things will get worse, emphasizing the need to rally around these often-overlooked animals and to help preserve their habitat. “For newts, a strategy that has worked for thousands and thousands of years is not going to work in this climate alteration that we’re experiencing,” Kats says. “And that’s just an incredible tragedy.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After briefly considering whether he could bring buckets of water to the sickly newts, Sorokin decided the best way for him to help was to document what was happening. He kept taking pictures, hoping to draw attention to the challenges facing newts and other creatures in similar circumstances as a result of climate change. “I don’t like seeing animals in a situation where there’s no escape for them and where they’re clearly in trouble,” he says. “It’s not just in far-off exotic locations that this sort of thing is happening. It’s happening all around us. And the newts are one example.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1981401\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1981401 size-medium\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62251_G_1stRainExodus4-qut-800x534.jpg\" alt=\"Three California newts crawl out of cracked mud.\" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62251_G_1stRainExodus4-qut-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62251_G_1stRainExodus4-qut-1020x681.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62251_G_1stRainExodus4-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62251_G_1stRainExodus4-qut-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62251_G_1stRainExodus4-qut-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62251_G_1stRainExodus4-qut.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">As the first raindrops of the season hit the ground and permeate the cracked mud, survivors wriggle out into the open to bask in the rejuvenating moisture. \u003ccite>(Anton Sorokin/bioGraphic)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1981400\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1981400 size-medium\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62252_G_1stRainExodus5-qut-800x534.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62252_G_1stRainExodus5-qut-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62252_G_1stRainExodus5-qut-1020x681.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62252_G_1stRainExodus5-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62252_G_1stRainExodus5-qut-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62252_G_1stRainExodus5-qut-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62252_G_1stRainExodus5-qut.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The newts rely on rain to fill nearby ponds so they may reproduce. \u003ccite>(Anton Sorokin/bioGraphic)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>To those who know and admire it, the newt is many things: a marvel of longevity; a paragon of resiliency; a deadly vessel of poison; a model organism for regenerative medicine; a golden-eyed charmer of quiet charisma. Though newts share a flat, slithery body shape with lizards, they are amphibians (a type of salamander), not reptiles. They live an entirely different kind of life. Instead of the lizard’s flighty speed, newts move slowly and deliberately.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Unlike lizards, newts can lose a limb, heart muscle or even the lens of an eye, and grow it back — a miraculous power that has drawn the attention of scientists working to find better ways of repairing damaged organs in humans. With lives that can last for decades, newts are in no rush, Kats says. They’re chill and approachable, but armed with deadly toxins; they’re also brave, often moving almost casually around much larger creatures. They’re carnivores who live without fear. Their appeal is more subtle than the burly attraction of a polar bear or mountain lion. And that’s what makes them so endearing to those who study them. “It’s the charisma that comes with knowledge,” says Kats, who knows them as well as anyone. “I may be too passionate about this animal, but I love it.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1981399\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1981399 size-medium\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62253_A_IntroNewt1-qut-800x534.jpg\" alt=\"A close-up portrait of a newt.\" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62253_A_IntroNewt1-qut-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62253_A_IntroNewt1-qut-1020x681.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62253_A_IntroNewt1-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62253_A_IntroNewt1-qut-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62253_A_IntroNewt1-qut-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62253_A_IntroNewt1-qut.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A close-up portrait of a newt. \u003ccite>(Anton Sorokin/bioGraphic)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1981398\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1981398 size-medium\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62254_K_WaterAgain-qut-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"A newt swims in a pond. \" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62254_K_WaterAgain-qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62254_K_WaterAgain-qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62254_K_WaterAgain-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62254_K_WaterAgain-qut-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62254_K_WaterAgain-qut-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62254_K_WaterAgain-qut.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Once the pond contains water again, many of the returning newts are in visibly poor condition. Thankfully, a full pond hosts plenty of aquatic invertebrates for the newts to feed on. \u003ccite>(Anton Sorokin/bioGraphic)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Out of 100 or so newt species around the world, four live in California. Three of them live in the Bay Area. The California newt (Taricha torosa), the kind that Sorokin observed on his hikes, has a range that extends to Southern California, where in the early 1990s, Kats started tagging them in a first-of-its-kind project. He wanted to gather basic information about the animals, so he captured a few dozen, anesthetized them and implanted rice-sized transponders — like the ones veterinarians use to identify pets—into their abdomens. Over time, the number of tagged newts has grown, allowing Kats and colleagues to recapture, identify and take measurements of individuals over time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The results have provided key insights into the lives of newts, their extraordinary abilities, and also their vulnerabilities. Kats found that California newts reappeared around 15 meters of their last sighting, year after year, suggesting that they might not leave their habitats, even if the quality of that environment declines. The tags also revealed extremely long lives. Some of the newts with Kats’s original tags from the 1990s still appear in surveys, and they were already adults when he marked them. It’s not unusual, he says, for newts to live into their 30s and possibly even 40s — a remarkably long life expectancy compared to other amphibians. Many tree frogs live for only three to five years in the wild.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1981397\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-1981397\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62255_HealthyNewtsDifferentPond-qut-800x534.jpg\" alt=\"A group of newts gather to breed in a healthy pond.\" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62255_HealthyNewtsDifferentPond-qut-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62255_HealthyNewtsDifferentPond-qut-1020x681.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62255_HealthyNewtsDifferentPond-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62255_HealthyNewtsDifferentPond-qut-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62255_HealthyNewtsDifferentPond-qut-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62255_HealthyNewtsDifferentPond-qut.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A group of newts gather to breed in a healthy pond. \u003ccite>(Anton Sorokin/bioGraphic)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Over millennia, newts developed strategies for surviving California’s notoriously variable weather, and a long life span was part of the deal, says Samuel Sweet, a herpetologist at the University of California, Santa Barbara. The animals, which spend most of their time on land, rely on streams or ponds for mating and laying eggs. Historically, when water dried up during periodic droughts, they could defer the energy-demanding task of reproduction for a few years. And even when the conditions were unusually dry, they could often still find water. Kats remembers how, 30 years ago, streams in Southern California continued to flow even during particularly dry periods. While longer droughts were already a concern then, he thought those perennial streams would help the newts persevere.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Starting around 2013, however, streams that seemed like they would flow forever started to dry up in the springtime for what Kats thinks may be the first time in recorded history. By then, he was collaborating in the tagging work with Gary Bucciarelli, a conservation biologist at the University of California, Los Angeles, whose interests include the neurotoxins that newts harbor in their skin and how these chemicals affect other animals in the ecosystem. (Those toxins are so powerful they killed a 29-year-old man in 1979 after he swallowed an Oregon newt on a dare while under the influence of whiskey, according to a report published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1981407\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1981407 size-medium\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62480_BiographicNewt7-2-qut-800x534.jpg\" alt=\"Newts huddle around strands of vegetation in the water. \" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62480_BiographicNewt7-2-qut-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62480_BiographicNewt7-2-qut-1020x681.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62480_BiographicNewt7-2-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62480_BiographicNewt7-2-qut-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62480_BiographicNewt7-2-qut-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62480_BiographicNewt7-2-qut.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Newts huddle around strands of vegetation where they attach their eggs. As a female lays her eggs, she will remain motionless as the coating surrounding the eggs absorbs water and solidifies to form a gelatinous sac. \u003ccite>(Anton Sorokin/bioGraphic)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1981408\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1981408 size-medium\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62481_BiographicNewt26-2-qut-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"The developing eggs shortly after being laid.\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62481_BiographicNewt26-2-qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62481_BiographicNewt26-2-qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62481_BiographicNewt26-2-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62481_BiographicNewt26-2-qut-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62481_BiographicNewt26-2-qut-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62481_BiographicNewt26-2-qut.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The developing eggs shortly after being laid. \u003ccite>(Anton Sorokin/bioGraphic)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1981409\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1981409 size-medium\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62482_BiographicNewt27-qut-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"Newt embryos inside gelatinous case.\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62482_BiographicNewt27-qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62482_BiographicNewt27-qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62482_BiographicNewt27-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62482_BiographicNewt27-qut-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62482_BiographicNewt27-qut-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62482_BiographicNewt27-qut.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The newt embryos begin to take shape within a gelatinous case that helps keeps them safe from parasites and predators. \u003ccite>(Anton Sorokin/bioGraphic)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1981410\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1981410 size-medium\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62483_BiographicNewt18-qut-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"Young newts inside gelatinous case that are almost ready to hatch.\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62483_BiographicNewt18-qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62483_BiographicNewt18-qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62483_BiographicNewt18-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62483_BiographicNewt18-qut-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62483_BiographicNewt18-qut-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62483_BiographicNewt18-qut.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">These young newts are nearly ready to hatch. They will start life with external gills, which will gradually be absorbed as they mature. \u003ccite>(Anton Sorokin/bioGraphic)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The scientists had expanded the newt research from LA’s Santa Monica Mountains south to Orange County and San Diego, east to the San Gabriel Mountains, and north to the Bay Area, Mendocino County and the Sierra Foothills. As the water dried up around LA, researchers started detecting fewer tagged newts, Bucciarelli says. By the end of 2016, many of the newts that did come back to their streams were looking scrawny and unwell. “You could see their ribs, vertebra, the pelvic girdle,” Bucciarelli says. “Things that you should not see in a healthy population.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To figure out what was going on, the researchers looked to their large and long-term data set, where they found that what they were seeing was more than a fluke. Between 2008 and 2016, they found a nearly 20% decline in a measure of body condition among California newts across 30 breeding sites in Southern California. That period of drastic deterioration in size was more rapid than other studies have documented in any other amphibian species, Bucciarelli says. It also coincided with record-setting high temperatures and what is thought to be the most severe drought in California in 1,200 years.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1981411\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1981411 size-medium\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62484_I_JuvenileMortality2-qut-800x560.jpg\" alt=\"Multiple juvenile newts that didn't survive harsh conditions seen laying. \" width=\"800\" height=\"560\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62484_I_JuvenileMortality2-qut-800x560.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62484_I_JuvenileMortality2-qut-1020x715.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62484_I_JuvenileMortality2-qut-160x112.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62484_I_JuvenileMortality2-qut-768x538.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62484_I_JuvenileMortality2-qut-1536x1076.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62484_I_JuvenileMortality2-qut.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Although many adult newts are able to survive the drought and harsh conditions, the juveniles are less fortunate. These younger newts were unable to crawl the distance to the sheltering mud cracks. \u003ccite>(Anton Sorokin/bioGraphic)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In Northern California, where climate records didn’t show the same extremes, newts appear to have retained their body condition during the same period. But with modeling, the team predicted that droughts and related declines would soon catch up to newts and other amphibians in the Bay Area and other parts of Northern California. Newts once inhabited 10 streams in the mountains above San Diego, Sweet says. Now they occupy only three of those streams. In Orange County, he estimates half the newt streams that existed in the 1960s are gone because of drought and development. “What we’re seeing in LA and San Diego counties, those are going to be the conditions sometime in the not-too-distant future in San Luis Obispo County and Monterey County,” he says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California newts in Southern California are already classified as a species of special concern by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, an acknowledgment of their vulnerability, although they are not yet listed as threatened or endangered. As environmental stress becomes relentless, experts worry it may be hard for them to hang on. “These newts down here have adapted to deal with drought. That’s part of our climate here in Southern California landscapes,” Bucciarelli says. “But what they haven’t evolved to deal with is drought simultaneously combined with record warming temperatures, and that’s a result of climate change. Now, a double threat is occurring.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1981412\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1981412 size-medium\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62485_BiographicNewt1-3-qut-800x534.jpg\" alt=\"Newts breeding season begins. \" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62485_BiographicNewt1-3-qut-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62485_BiographicNewt1-3-qut-1020x681.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62485_BiographicNewt1-3-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62485_BiographicNewt1-3-qut-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62485_BiographicNewt1-3-qut-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62485_BiographicNewt1-3-qut.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">After the pond refills, newts return and their breeding season begins. Mated females attach egg masses to submerged vegetation while males wander around looking for mates. \u003ccite>(Anton Sorokin/bioGraphic)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1981413\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1981413 size-medium\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62486_BiographicNewt3-2-qut-800x534.jpg\" alt=\"A pair of submerged newts conserve energy and remain motionless as the gelatinousmatrix surrounding their eggs solidifies and attaches to the vegetation.\" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62486_BiographicNewt3-2-qut-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62486_BiographicNewt3-2-qut-1020x681.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62486_BiographicNewt3-2-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62486_BiographicNewt3-2-qut-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62486_BiographicNewt3-2-qut-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62486_BiographicNewt3-2-qut.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A pair of submerged newts conserve energy and remain motionless as the gelatinous matrix surrounding their eggs solidifies and attaches to the vegetation. \u003ccite>(Anton Sorokin/bioGraphic)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>By the time Sorokin was visiting his newt pond in Berkeley in 2020, COVID-19 had upended life for humans, and California’s newts appeared to be experiencing a pandemic of their own. In addition to newts with protruding hip bones and lack of fat stored on their bodies that Kats and Bucciarelli noted, researchers started finding newts with tail lesions so severe that muscle and skin had worn away to expose the tips of their tail bones. Some animals had clouded eyeballs that looked like cataracts. The animals also acted strangely, whirling around in circles. It was the first major disease in Southern California newts in 30 years, Kats says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Researchers at the U.S. Geological Survey euthanized an emaciated newt to investigate what had sickened it. The researchers found numerous issues, they wrote in a September 2021 report, including lungworms, inflammation in the inner ears, and parasites in its intestinal tract. Yet no single cause could explain all the symptoms. Kats suspects that extended dry spells and high temperatures may have weakened the amphibians’ immune systems, making them more vulnerable to several ordinary infections. “I’m absolutely convinced,” he says, “that the conditions they were experiencing contributed to this major disease outbreak.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1981414\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1981414 size-medium\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62487_F_PredationDifferentPond1-qut-800x534.jpg\" alt=\"A garter snake eats a California newt.\" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62487_F_PredationDifferentPond1-qut-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62487_F_PredationDifferentPond1-qut-1020x681.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62487_F_PredationDifferentPond1-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62487_F_PredationDifferentPond1-qut-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62487_F_PredationDifferentPond1-qut-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62487_F_PredationDifferentPond1-qut.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">As the newts are stranded, they become more susceptible to various threats. Although the newts are poisonous, some predators like this garter snake are still able to eat them. \u003ccite>(Anton Sorokin/bioGraphic)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Strange illnesses and dry streambeds aren’t the only challenges facing newts. Invasive crayfish, somehow unfazed by the newts’ toxins, have been spreading in California lakes and decimating newt populations by feeding on egg masses and larvae. Blooms of cyanobacteria may be another problem: These photosynthetic microorganisms, which produce a variety of toxins of their own, have been proliferating in lakes around the world, a trend linked to warming temperatures, among other factors. In the first assessment of two Southern California lakes, published in 2021, a group of researchers from several universities and government agencies found the highest concentrations ever recorded in the region of three cyanotoxins, which have been linked to health issues in people and wildlife, including amphibians. Sorokin suspects that a cyanobacteria bloom explains the greening of that pond near his Berkeley home.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Traffic is another concern. Generally unconcerned with predators because of their poisonous skin, newts move slowly, as if they don’t have a care in the world, Kats says. After spending much of their lives in the woods and waiting on average five years, sometimes longer, to become sexually mature, they often must cross busy roads to get to streams for mating. Drivers don’t usually see them — or else they don’t stop. One of Sweet’s graduate students visited a study site in San Luis Obispo one day after it rained and counted more than 100 road-killed newts. “The average newt there might be 25 or 30 years old,” Sweet says. “They get all ready to breed: ‘I’m going to walk down to the creek and lay my eggs for the first time tonight.’ Squish. They get run over 10 minutes before they do that.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1981415\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1981415 size-medium\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62488_D_Cyanobacteria-qut-800x534.jpg\" alt=\"Blue-green algae. \" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62488_D_Cyanobacteria-qut-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62488_D_Cyanobacteria-qut-1020x681.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62488_D_Cyanobacteria-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62488_D_Cyanobacteria-qut-768x513.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62488_D_Cyanobacteria-qut-1536x1026.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62488_D_Cyanobacteria-qut.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">As the pond shrinks and temperatures remain high, the water turns to a slurry of toxic blue-green algae and cyanobacteria. \u003ccite>(Anton Sorokin/bioGraphic)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1981416\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1981416 size-medium\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62489_D_EutrophicationLate11-qut-800x534.jpg\" alt=\"Newts line the edges of the pond with their heads raised above the algae andcyanobacteria.\" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62489_D_EutrophicationLate11-qut-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62489_D_EutrophicationLate11-qut-1020x681.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62489_D_EutrophicationLate11-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62489_D_EutrophicationLate11-qut-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62489_D_EutrophicationLate11-qut-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62489_D_EutrophicationLate11-qut.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Newts line the edges of the pond with their heads raised above the algae and cyanobacteria to breathe. Although conditions in the pond are noxious, the newts choose to remain — likely because the heat away from the moisture is simply too dangerous. \u003ccite>(Anton Sorokin/bioGraphic)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Habitat fragmentation makes it harder now than in the past for newts to cope with harsh conditions, Sweet adds. When newts experienced changes to the climate in the past, they were able to rebound and expand their range again when conditions improved. But they can’t come back if there isn’t a connected population to replenish them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Altogether, the cards can seem stacked against a species that has endured its share of environmental stress for thousands of years. “The stuff that amphibians like newts are facing is kind of death of a thousand cuts,” Sweet says. “It’s not any one thing. It’s not drought, it’s drought and getting run over when you’re 25 years old and half an hour away from laying eggs for the first time. It’s having your eggs die because a septic tank has overflowed and the stream is full of salt. It’s getting eaten by a raccoon that’s wandering up and down the creek because somebody has garbage out and there are too many raccoons, and the road department wanted to widen the road and fill in the stream with boulders. It’s all this stuff.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1981417\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1981417 size-medium\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62490_D_EutrophicationLate5-qut-800x534.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62490_D_EutrophicationLate5-qut-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62490_D_EutrophicationLate5-qut-1020x681.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62490_D_EutrophicationLate5-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62490_D_EutrophicationLate5-qut-768x513.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62490_D_EutrophicationLate5-qut-1536x1026.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62490_D_EutrophicationLate5-qut.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A newt pokes its head above the algae and cyanobacteria. \u003ccite>(Anton Sorokin/bioGraphic)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Despite all they’re up against, it’s not too late for newts, Kats says. Some environmental groups have mobilized to help newts around the world, including in California. In the hills north of San Francisco, volunteers with the Chileno Valley Newt Brigade spend winter nights picking up the amphibians as they make their way to or from their breeding sites, carrying them across roads to protect them from cars. Along the East Coast and in parts of Berkeley, roads frequented by newts are closed annually for the same reason.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some of the most promising strategies for protecting newts focus on improving and protecting their habitats and ecosystems and, with them, biodiversity more generally, Bucciarelli says. One major effort in the works is California’s 30×30 initiative, an executive order signed by the governor that has a goal of conserving 30% of the state’s land and coastal waters by 2030. Because amphibian habitats span much of the state’s land and watersheds, they stand to benefit substantially from the plan.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Habitat protection includes human intervention to mitigate disaster and destruction. Multiple studies in Europe have shown that enlarging and deepening ponds can lead to rapid and major increases in populations of newts, frogs and toads — a technique that could be useful for removing silt after wildfires, as well. Researchers have also found value in “newt hotels,” human-made piles of stones covered with soil and fabric that mimic the kinds of environments the animals use to overwinter in harsh conditions. And in California, government agencies are actively working to create freshwater ponds that are free of invasive species, such as crayfish, to replace what amphibians have lost.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1981418\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1981418 size-medium\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62491_NewtinHandB-qut-800x534.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62491_NewtinHandB-qut-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62491_NewtinHandB-qut-1020x681.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62491_NewtinHandB-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62491_NewtinHandB-qut-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62491_NewtinHandB-qut-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62491_NewtinHandB-qut.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A dead newt in cupped hands. This one succumbed to the heat. \u003ccite>(Anton Sorokin/bioGraphic)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1981419\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1981419 size-medium\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62492_NewtinHandA-qut-800x534.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62492_NewtinHandA-qut-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62492_NewtinHandA-qut-1020x681.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62492_NewtinHandA-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62492_NewtinHandA-qut-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62492_NewtinHandA-qut-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62492_NewtinHandA-qut.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A live newt in cupped hands. \u003ccite>(Anton Sorokin/bioGraphic)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The California Conservation Genomics Project is another statewide effort to protect amphibians and other creatures, not by protecting habitat but by protecting genetic diversity. The government-funded project aims to sequence the genomes of more than 230 animal and plant species, including some amphibians and reptiles — as a way to identify areas of high and low genetic diversity that should be the focus of conservation work. The newt is not on the sequencing list in part because its genome is gigantic and intractable, Bucciarelli says. But the initiative, which has a goal of producing “the most comprehensive, multispecies, genomic data set ever assembled to help manage regional biodiversity,” focuses on creatures that share newt habitat. Those animals — and newts — would ultimately benefit from any resulting changes and protections.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Disease surveillance should help, too, by detecting emerging illnesses before they can spread. In the United States, the USGS has set up a nationwide program to check newts and other amphibians around the country for signs of a fungal infection that has devastated European salamander populations.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Efforts like these may give newts a fighting chance to do what they do best: persevere. Because newts are so long-lived, seemingly small measures could help them wait out poor conditions until favorable years return, and with those years the right conditions for mating, experts say.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1981420\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1981420 size-medium\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62493_A_IntroNewt3-qut-800x534.jpg\" alt=\"A portrait of a male newt.\" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62493_A_IntroNewt3-qut-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62493_A_IntroNewt3-qut-1020x681.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62493_A_IntroNewt3-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62493_A_IntroNewt3-qut-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62493_A_IntroNewt3-qut-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62493_A_IntroNewt3-qut.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A male newt migrates toward a pond during the breeding season. \u003ccite>(Anton Sorokin/bioGraphic)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Sorokin has seen this potential for redemption in his Berkeley-area pond over the past two years. When Northern California finally got a real rainy season in late 2021, the pond refilled again. Since then, he has observed plenty of healthy newts and lots of breeding activity. When they come up for air, they sometimes let out a little squeak. Seeing them return has filled him with relief — and also trepidation. He worries about the next dry season and the next generations of newts. He takes photos, he says, to spread his love for newts to a wider audience, and to convince people to care about this animal that doesn’t get its fair share of headlines about the impacts of a changing climate.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As we move deeper into the Anthropocene, more humans need to embrace our role in protecting such animals, and we need to start now, says Bucciarelli. We put them in this predicament. It’s up to us to get them out of it. Solving the puzzle of how to help newts could have benefits far beyond one amphibian, he says — creating a road map for how we deal with many other biodiversity issues on a hotter, drier planet.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There are so many dedicated, talented and passionate people working collaboratively to come up with viable solutions. We can’t fix the problems of drought. We can’t make it rain. But we can figure out ways to manage populations so that they have the highest probability of persisting through this really stressful time,” Bucciarelli says. “I have a lot of hope.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1981421\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1981421 size-medium\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62494_BiographicNewt12-qut-800x534.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62494_BiographicNewt12-qut-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62494_BiographicNewt12-qut-1020x681.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62494_BiographicNewt12-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62494_BiographicNewt12-qut-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62494_BiographicNewt12-qut-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62494_BiographicNewt12-qut.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A male newt holds on tight to a female during a mating event. \u003ccite>(Anton Sorokin/bioGraphic)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This story originally appeared in \u003ca href=\"https://www.biographic.com/the-newt-normal/\">bioGraphic\u003c/a>, an independent magazine about nature and regeneration powered by the California Academy of Sciences.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"title": "East Palo Alto Searches for Storm Recovery Money, and a Long-Term Flooding Fix",
"headTitle": "East Palo Alto Searches for Storm Recovery Money, and a Long-Term Flooding Fix | KQED",
"content": "\u003cp>East Palo Alto is dealing with the aftermath of January’s big storms, and residents living with the consequences of flooding want a long-term fix so it never happens again.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On New Year’s Eve, a storm parked over the peninsula, drenching it with nearly 4 inches of rain, flooding Highway 101, downing trees and leaving thousands without power. In East Palo Alto, water spilled over San Francisquito Creek banks into a neighborhood on the western edge of the city.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The murky brown water enveloped Woodland Avenue and other streets beyond, swamping more than 20 cars and transforming a parking garage into a muddy lake. The front doorsteps of apartment complexes in this part of town, sandwiched between Highway 101 and the creek, became a gunky tributary originating in the hills at \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11871565/the-real-history-behind-the-myths-and-mystery-of-stanfords-searsville-lake\">Searsville Lake\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When Antonio López, East Palo Alto’s vice mayor, got the call that the creek had overtopped its borders on New Year’s Eve, he rushed over and found a woman frantically trying to get into her car.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It was heartbreaking trying to salvage all of her possessions because the water came up all the way to the window,” López said as he walked the still-muddy streets following the storm.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Crews from East Palo Alto and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers built a 3-foot-tall and several-hundred-yard-wide sandbag wall to keep the rising water out of the neighborhood as more atmospheric river storms threatened the city.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The temporary fix successfully kept the mushrooming creek from again inundating the community of mostly lower-income renters.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The silver lining is it has certainly been a wake-up call,” López said. “A few pounds of sand separates us from flooded parking garages in Silicon Valley. I don’t feel so proud about that. It’s insufficient.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Early estimates from the city and community groups are that flooding caused more than $100,000 worth of damage. This includes totaled cars, tools and other personal belongings stored in trunks and in low-lying garages. Marisela Ramos, president of the East Palo Alto West Side Neighborhood Committee, is organizing residents seeking outside aid to help pay for damages.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1981439\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1981439\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62503_IMG_0807-qut.jpg\" alt=\"A man wearing a brown jacket and yellow boots poses next to mud brown water. \" width=\"1920\" height=\"1440\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62503_IMG_0807-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62503_IMG_0807-qut-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62503_IMG_0807-qut-1020x765.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62503_IMG_0807-qut-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62503_IMG_0807-qut-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62503_IMG_0807-qut-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Antonio López, East Palo Alto’s vice mayor, stands next to floodwaters in the city. \u003ccite>(Ezra David Romero/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“The cars were their means of transportation to go to work and to generate money to pay their rent for their children’s food,” she said. “They lost basically everything because, without transportation, it is very hard to make a living.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She said most of the residents did not have flood insurance and are struggling to get aid. Ramos questions whether the flooding amounts to negligence by the city, landlords or the authorities who manage the creek.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Why didn’t they act before to prevent this?” she asked. “This happened before. So, why didn’t they put protection on the banks of the creek before the storm?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>East Palo Alto has flooded many times over the years. In 1998 a flood of record swamped 1,700 properties, causing more than $28 million in damages.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The city is applying for a grant from the Silicon Valley Community Foundation to compensate for the damages, but it’s a slow process.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>San Mateo County homeowners and renters with damage or losses from the storms can apply for \u003ca href=\"https://www.fema.gov/disaster/4683\">federal disaster assistance\u003c/a>, including grants to pay for temporary housing, transportation, child care and moving expenses. The deadline to apply for aid is March 15, 2023.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This will be of great help to individuals and business owners who suffered losses during the severe storms that dumped 13 inches of rain on the county in December and January,” said U.S. Rep. Kevin Mullin, who represents East Palo Alto, in a \u003ca href=\"https://eshoo.house.gov/media/press-releases/reps-eshoo-and-mullin-announce-federal-disaster-relief-san-mateo-county-0\">release\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1981450\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1981450\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS61867_015_KQED_BombCyloneStorm_01042023-qut.jpg\" alt='Men in yellow jackets and green helmets create piles of white sandbags behind red tape that says \"danger.\" ' width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS61867_015_KQED_BombCyloneStorm_01042023-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS61867_015_KQED_BombCyloneStorm_01042023-qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS61867_015_KQED_BombCyloneStorm_01042023-qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS61867_015_KQED_BombCyloneStorm_01042023-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS61867_015_KQED_BombCyloneStorm_01042023-qut-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS61867_015_KQED_BombCyloneStorm_01042023-qut-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Members of the San José Conservation Corps pile sandbags along the San Francisquito Creek in East Palo Alto on Jan. 4, 2023. The creek spilled over its banks and into a nearby community during the storm on Dec. 31. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>Climate change means a wetter future\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>According to a new study published in the journal Nature Climate Change, atmospheric river storms — monster storms that form over the ocean and flow inland — will only get more intense. The wettest winter storms could become around \u003ca href=\"https://www.pnnl.gov/news-media/wettest-winter-storms-western-us-growing-wetter\">30% wetter by mid-century\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The precipitation will be more intense, which is important because it can cause flash floods,” said Ruby Leung, study co-author and climate scientist at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She added that the atmospheric river storms would do more than engorge small creeks, also challenging the capacity of larger streams and rivers, especially when infrastructure like levees, freeways or bridges surround them. Waterways that used to sprawl into large marshy areas are now contained into managed stretches with limited capacity; larger storms are expected to bring more water than they can contain.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The information we used before to design infrastructure may not be relevant anymore, and we need to incorporate the knowledge that we now have about how the future may be changing,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>A renewed call to action for East Palo Alto\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>East Palo Alto council member Ruben Abrica lived through the 1998 storm.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He said bolstering the flood protection system for this community of more than 90% people of color is worth the investment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Climate change is going to affect everyone, but the most vulnerable communities are the ones that will suffer the most unless we join together,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Reducing the flood risk along this meandering waterway is what Margaret Bruce also mulls over daily as the executive director of the San Francisquito Creek Joint Powers Authority.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We know we can’t completely do away with the risk of flooding,” she said. “We can no longer plan our future looking in the rearview mirror. But looking forward is very difficult to foresee.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1981454\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1981454\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62506_IMG_0815-1-qut.jpg\" alt='A white sign with black paint says \"Please take no more than 10 bags.\"' width=\"1920\" height=\"1440\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62506_IMG_0815-1-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62506_IMG_0815-1-qut-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62506_IMG_0815-1-qut-1020x765.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62506_IMG_0815-1-qut-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62506_IMG_0815-1-qut-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62506_IMG_0815-1-qut-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A sign posted in East Palo Alto during a three-week stretch between December 2022 and January 2023, when nine atmospheric river storms pummeled California. \u003ccite>(Ezra David Romero/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Her group is leading a creek restoration project from the San Francisco Bay to the mouth of Searsville Dam.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The project has multiple parts. The agency \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfcjpa.org/reach-1-downstream-project\">finished the first reach in 2019\u003c/a>, which should protect more than 1,700 properties from the bay to Highway 101 from a 100-year creek flood during a king tide event, plus 3 feet of sea level rise. Compared to today’s high tide, all the work would give the first section \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1973805/climate-solutions-in-east-palo-alto\">10 feet of protection from rising tides\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The second reach, \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfcjpa.org/reach-1-downstream-project\">Highway 101 to the Pope-Chaucer Bridge\u003c/a>, is the portion that recently flooded along the borders of East Palo Alto, Palo Alto and Menlo Park. The plan is to widen the channel and replace the bridge with a new one allowing more water to pass under it, protecting the community from a 100-year flood event.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s tentatively scheduled to be completed sometime between 2024 and 2026.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The one big issue in completing the project is how to fund it. Bruce said it would cost at least $50 million to restore about a mile of the creek. State or federal infrastructure dollars could help with this effort; otherwise, the partners that make up the authority — East Palo Alto, Menlo Park, Palo Alto, San Mateo County and the Santa Clara Valley Water District — are on the hook to get it finished.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The third reach, the rest of the watershed from the recently flooded area to Searsville Dam, is very much in its formative stage. Officials would like to create holding reservoirs along the creek’s upper stretch to store water during a storm.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We don’t know yet if it’s going to be completely feasible,” Bruce said. “It may be so disruptive, costly or technically difficult that we’ll want to think twice about it. But we are considering it.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Even further upstream, at Searsville Lake, Stanford University is designing \u003ca href=\"https://searsville.stanford.edu/overview\">a project to reestablish creeks flowing from the lake\u003c/a>. The reservoir holds only about 10% of its original capacity because it has slowly filled with earth.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The university, which owns the dam, wants to create a tunnel gate at its base, establishing water channels to other creeks off the lake, increasing storage capacity by flushing sediment into San Francisquito Creek and then out to the bay. But this would only go into operation after the downstream reaches are finished.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The project could free up the reservoir to hold more water during storms to be released after the creek recedes; the state is reviewing its design and environmental impact analysis.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Instead of having the creek as a boundary, the creek has ended up being the thing that joins the counties and these three cities,” Bruce said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1981451\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1981451\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS61858_006_KQED_BombCyloneStorm_01042023-qut.jpg\" alt=\"Strips of muddy tire prints behind four orange cones.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS61858_006_KQED_BombCyloneStorm_01042023-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS61858_006_KQED_BombCyloneStorm_01042023-qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS61858_006_KQED_BombCyloneStorm_01042023-qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS61858_006_KQED_BombCyloneStorm_01042023-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS61858_006_KQED_BombCyloneStorm_01042023-qut-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS61858_006_KQED_BombCyloneStorm_01042023-qut-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Mud on the edge of Woodland Avenue along the San Francisquito Creek in East Palo Alto on Jan. 4, 2023. The creek spilled over its banks and into a nearby community during the storm on Dec. 31. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘Everybody’s paying attention’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The levee reconstruction and creek restoration along the lower stretch of the waterway significantly reduced the damage that could have happened in this set of atmospheric river storms.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Still, the flooding “puts the spotlight on all of us to somehow find the money one way or another, even if we have to beg the president or talk to the governor,” said East Palo Alto council member Abrica. “You can’t just say it’s your problem down there. Because then you condemn the poor communities to be flooded.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Palo Alto and Menlo Park are taking an active role in the creek restoration. The recent storms flooded parts of Menlo Park, said Nikki Nagaya, the city’s deputy manager.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We saw the creek levels spike throughout the lower section in Menlo Park, and we saw some overtopping in that area as well,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While the recent storms are a precursor of what’s to come in a warming world, Nagaya said she isn’t sure the project can be sped up.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I think it will hopefully be a renewed call to action,” she said. “Everybody’s paying attention and wanting to see the work proceed as quickly as possible.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED’s Carlos Cabrera-Lomelí and Anna Marie Yanny contributed reporting to this story.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"excerpt": "The city of East Palo Alto and its residents are searching for money to pay for flood damages they estimate are more than $100,000.",
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"description": "The city of East Palo Alto and its residents are searching for money to pay for flood damages they estimate are more than $100,000.",
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"headline": "East Palo Alto Searches for Storm Recovery Money, and a Long-Term Flooding Fix",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>East Palo Alto is dealing with the aftermath of January’s big storms, and residents living with the consequences of flooding want a long-term fix so it never happens again.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On New Year’s Eve, a storm parked over the peninsula, drenching it with nearly 4 inches of rain, flooding Highway 101, downing trees and leaving thousands without power. In East Palo Alto, water spilled over San Francisquito Creek banks into a neighborhood on the western edge of the city.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The murky brown water enveloped Woodland Avenue and other streets beyond, swamping more than 20 cars and transforming a parking garage into a muddy lake. The front doorsteps of apartment complexes in this part of town, sandwiched between Highway 101 and the creek, became a gunky tributary originating in the hills at \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11871565/the-real-history-behind-the-myths-and-mystery-of-stanfords-searsville-lake\">Searsville Lake\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When Antonio López, East Palo Alto’s vice mayor, got the call that the creek had overtopped its borders on New Year’s Eve, he rushed over and found a woman frantically trying to get into her car.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It was heartbreaking trying to salvage all of her possessions because the water came up all the way to the window,” López said as he walked the still-muddy streets following the storm.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Crews from East Palo Alto and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers built a 3-foot-tall and several-hundred-yard-wide sandbag wall to keep the rising water out of the neighborhood as more atmospheric river storms threatened the city.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The temporary fix successfully kept the mushrooming creek from again inundating the community of mostly lower-income renters.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The silver lining is it has certainly been a wake-up call,” López said. “A few pounds of sand separates us from flooded parking garages in Silicon Valley. I don’t feel so proud about that. It’s insufficient.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Early estimates from the city and community groups are that flooding caused more than $100,000 worth of damage. This includes totaled cars, tools and other personal belongings stored in trunks and in low-lying garages. Marisela Ramos, president of the East Palo Alto West Side Neighborhood Committee, is organizing residents seeking outside aid to help pay for damages.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1981439\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1981439\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62503_IMG_0807-qut.jpg\" alt=\"A man wearing a brown jacket and yellow boots poses next to mud brown water. \" width=\"1920\" height=\"1440\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62503_IMG_0807-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62503_IMG_0807-qut-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62503_IMG_0807-qut-1020x765.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62503_IMG_0807-qut-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62503_IMG_0807-qut-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62503_IMG_0807-qut-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Antonio López, East Palo Alto’s vice mayor, stands next to floodwaters in the city. \u003ccite>(Ezra David Romero/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“The cars were their means of transportation to go to work and to generate money to pay their rent for their children’s food,” she said. “They lost basically everything because, without transportation, it is very hard to make a living.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She said most of the residents did not have flood insurance and are struggling to get aid. Ramos questions whether the flooding amounts to negligence by the city, landlords or the authorities who manage the creek.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Why didn’t they act before to prevent this?” she asked. “This happened before. So, why didn’t they put protection on the banks of the creek before the storm?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>East Palo Alto has flooded many times over the years. In 1998 a flood of record swamped 1,700 properties, causing more than $28 million in damages.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The city is applying for a grant from the Silicon Valley Community Foundation to compensate for the damages, but it’s a slow process.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>San Mateo County homeowners and renters with damage or losses from the storms can apply for \u003ca href=\"https://www.fema.gov/disaster/4683\">federal disaster assistance\u003c/a>, including grants to pay for temporary housing, transportation, child care and moving expenses. The deadline to apply for aid is March 15, 2023.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This will be of great help to individuals and business owners who suffered losses during the severe storms that dumped 13 inches of rain on the county in December and January,” said U.S. Rep. Kevin Mullin, who represents East Palo Alto, in a \u003ca href=\"https://eshoo.house.gov/media/press-releases/reps-eshoo-and-mullin-announce-federal-disaster-relief-san-mateo-county-0\">release\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1981450\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1981450\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS61867_015_KQED_BombCyloneStorm_01042023-qut.jpg\" alt='Men in yellow jackets and green helmets create piles of white sandbags behind red tape that says \"danger.\" ' width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS61867_015_KQED_BombCyloneStorm_01042023-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS61867_015_KQED_BombCyloneStorm_01042023-qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS61867_015_KQED_BombCyloneStorm_01042023-qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS61867_015_KQED_BombCyloneStorm_01042023-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS61867_015_KQED_BombCyloneStorm_01042023-qut-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS61867_015_KQED_BombCyloneStorm_01042023-qut-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Members of the San José Conservation Corps pile sandbags along the San Francisquito Creek in East Palo Alto on Jan. 4, 2023. The creek spilled over its banks and into a nearby community during the storm on Dec. 31. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>Climate change means a wetter future\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>According to a new study published in the journal Nature Climate Change, atmospheric river storms — monster storms that form over the ocean and flow inland — will only get more intense. The wettest winter storms could become around \u003ca href=\"https://www.pnnl.gov/news-media/wettest-winter-storms-western-us-growing-wetter\">30% wetter by mid-century\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The precipitation will be more intense, which is important because it can cause flash floods,” said Ruby Leung, study co-author and climate scientist at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She added that the atmospheric river storms would do more than engorge small creeks, also challenging the capacity of larger streams and rivers, especially when infrastructure like levees, freeways or bridges surround them. Waterways that used to sprawl into large marshy areas are now contained into managed stretches with limited capacity; larger storms are expected to bring more water than they can contain.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The information we used before to design infrastructure may not be relevant anymore, and we need to incorporate the knowledge that we now have about how the future may be changing,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>A renewed call to action for East Palo Alto\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>East Palo Alto council member Ruben Abrica lived through the 1998 storm.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He said bolstering the flood protection system for this community of more than 90% people of color is worth the investment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Climate change is going to affect everyone, but the most vulnerable communities are the ones that will suffer the most unless we join together,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Reducing the flood risk along this meandering waterway is what Margaret Bruce also mulls over daily as the executive director of the San Francisquito Creek Joint Powers Authority.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We know we can’t completely do away with the risk of flooding,” she said. “We can no longer plan our future looking in the rearview mirror. But looking forward is very difficult to foresee.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1981454\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1981454\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62506_IMG_0815-1-qut.jpg\" alt='A white sign with black paint says \"Please take no more than 10 bags.\"' width=\"1920\" height=\"1440\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62506_IMG_0815-1-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62506_IMG_0815-1-qut-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62506_IMG_0815-1-qut-1020x765.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62506_IMG_0815-1-qut-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62506_IMG_0815-1-qut-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS62506_IMG_0815-1-qut-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A sign posted in East Palo Alto during a three-week stretch between December 2022 and January 2023, when nine atmospheric river storms pummeled California. \u003ccite>(Ezra David Romero/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Her group is leading a creek restoration project from the San Francisco Bay to the mouth of Searsville Dam.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The project has multiple parts. The agency \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfcjpa.org/reach-1-downstream-project\">finished the first reach in 2019\u003c/a>, which should protect more than 1,700 properties from the bay to Highway 101 from a 100-year creek flood during a king tide event, plus 3 feet of sea level rise. Compared to today’s high tide, all the work would give the first section \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1973805/climate-solutions-in-east-palo-alto\">10 feet of protection from rising tides\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The second reach, \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfcjpa.org/reach-1-downstream-project\">Highway 101 to the Pope-Chaucer Bridge\u003c/a>, is the portion that recently flooded along the borders of East Palo Alto, Palo Alto and Menlo Park. The plan is to widen the channel and replace the bridge with a new one allowing more water to pass under it, protecting the community from a 100-year flood event.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s tentatively scheduled to be completed sometime between 2024 and 2026.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The one big issue in completing the project is how to fund it. Bruce said it would cost at least $50 million to restore about a mile of the creek. State or federal infrastructure dollars could help with this effort; otherwise, the partners that make up the authority — East Palo Alto, Menlo Park, Palo Alto, San Mateo County and the Santa Clara Valley Water District — are on the hook to get it finished.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The third reach, the rest of the watershed from the recently flooded area to Searsville Dam, is very much in its formative stage. Officials would like to create holding reservoirs along the creek’s upper stretch to store water during a storm.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We don’t know yet if it’s going to be completely feasible,” Bruce said. “It may be so disruptive, costly or technically difficult that we’ll want to think twice about it. But we are considering it.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Even further upstream, at Searsville Lake, Stanford University is designing \u003ca href=\"https://searsville.stanford.edu/overview\">a project to reestablish creeks flowing from the lake\u003c/a>. The reservoir holds only about 10% of its original capacity because it has slowly filled with earth.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The university, which owns the dam, wants to create a tunnel gate at its base, establishing water channels to other creeks off the lake, increasing storage capacity by flushing sediment into San Francisquito Creek and then out to the bay. But this would only go into operation after the downstream reaches are finished.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The project could free up the reservoir to hold more water during storms to be released after the creek recedes; the state is reviewing its design and environmental impact analysis.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Instead of having the creek as a boundary, the creek has ended up being the thing that joins the counties and these three cities,” Bruce said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1981451\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1981451\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS61858_006_KQED_BombCyloneStorm_01042023-qut.jpg\" alt=\"Strips of muddy tire prints behind four orange cones.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS61858_006_KQED_BombCyloneStorm_01042023-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS61858_006_KQED_BombCyloneStorm_01042023-qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS61858_006_KQED_BombCyloneStorm_01042023-qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS61858_006_KQED_BombCyloneStorm_01042023-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS61858_006_KQED_BombCyloneStorm_01042023-qut-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/RS61858_006_KQED_BombCyloneStorm_01042023-qut-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Mud on the edge of Woodland Avenue along the San Francisquito Creek in East Palo Alto on Jan. 4, 2023. The creek spilled over its banks and into a nearby community during the storm on Dec. 31. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘Everybody’s paying attention’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The levee reconstruction and creek restoration along the lower stretch of the waterway significantly reduced the damage that could have happened in this set of atmospheric river storms.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Still, the flooding “puts the spotlight on all of us to somehow find the money one way or another, even if we have to beg the president or talk to the governor,” said East Palo Alto council member Abrica. “You can’t just say it’s your problem down there. Because then you condemn the poor communities to be flooded.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Palo Alto and Menlo Park are taking an active role in the creek restoration. The recent storms flooded parts of Menlo Park, said Nikki Nagaya, the city’s deputy manager.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We saw the creek levels spike throughout the lower section in Menlo Park, and we saw some overtopping in that area as well,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While the recent storms are a precursor of what’s to come in a warming world, Nagaya said she isn’t sure the project can be sped up.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I think it will hopefully be a renewed call to action,” she said. “Everybody’s paying attention and wanting to see the work proceed as quickly as possible.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED’s Carlos Cabrera-Lomelí and Anna Marie Yanny contributed reporting to this story.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"title": "AI Is Predicting the World Is Likely to Hit a Key Warming Threshold in 10–12 Years",
"headTitle": "AI Is Predicting the World Is Likely to Hit a Key Warming Threshold in 10–12 Years | KQED",
"content": "\u003cp>The world will likely breach the internationally agreed-upon climate change threshold in about a decade, and keep heating to break through a next warming limit around mid-century, even with big pollution cuts, artificial intelligence predicts in a new study that’s more pessimistic than previous modeling.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The study in Monday’s journal \u003ca href=\"https://www.pnas.org/\">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences\u003c/a> reignites a debate on whether it’s still possible to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, as called for in the 2015 Paris climate agreement, to minimize the most damaging effects of climate change. The world has already warmed 1.1 or 1.2 degrees since pre-industrial times, or the mid-19th century, scientists say.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Two climate scientists using machine learning calculated that Earth will surpass the 1.5 degree (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) mark between 2033 and 2035. Their results fit with other, more conventional methods of predicting when Earth will break the mark, though with a bit more precision.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There will come a time when we call the 1.5C target for maximum warming dead, beyond the shadow of a doubt,” Brown University environment institute director Kim Cobb, who wasn’t part of the study, said in an email interview. “And this paper may be the beginning of the end of the 1.5C target.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Stanford University’s Noah Diffenbaugh, a study co-author, said the world is on the brink of the 1.5-degree mark in “any realistic emissions reduction scenario.” Avoiding a 2-degree rise, he said, may depend on nations meeting zero-emissions goals by the middle of this century.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The artificial intelligence-based study found it unlikely that temperature increase could be held below 2 degrees Celsius, even with tough emissions cuts. And that’s where the AI really differs with scientists who had been forecasting using computer models that are based on past observations, Diffenbaugh said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a high-pollution scenario, the AI calculated, the world would hit the 2-degree mark around 2050. Lower pollution could stave that off until 2054, the machine learning calculated.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In contrast, the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change figured in its 2021 report that the same lower-pollution scenario would see the world pushing past 2 degrees sometime in the 2090s.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Cornell University climate scientist Natalie Mahowald, who wasn’t part of the Diffenbaugh study but was part of the IPCC, said the study makes sense and fits with what scientists know, but seems a bit more pessimistic.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There’s a lot of power in using AI, and in the future that may be shown to produce better projections, but more evidence is needed before concluding that, Mahowald said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Normally, climate scientists use a bunch of computer model simulations, some running hot and some cold, and then try to figure out which ones are doing the best job. That’s often based on how they performed in the past or in simulations of the past, Diffenbaugh said. What the AI does is more keyed to the climate system now, he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’re using this very powerful tool that is able to take information and integrate it in a way that no human mind is able to do, for better or for worse,” Diffenbaugh said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Each year, government climate negotiators at a United Nations summit proclaim that they have managed to “keep 1.5 alive.” But with the latest study, there’s a divide among scientists on how true that really is. Diffenbaugh said there’s been so much warming already that it really doesn’t matter how pollution is cut in the next several years, the world will hit 1.5, the AI figures.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Zeke Hausfather of the tech company Stripe and of Berkeley Earth, who was not part of the study, agreed, saying it’s time to “stop pretending” that limiting warming to 1.5 degrees is possible. Some scenarios do see temperatures warming past the mark but then coming back down, something called “overshoot.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Other scientists not involved with the study, such as University of Pennsylvania’s Michael Mann and Climate Analytics’ Bill Hare and Carl-Friedrich Schleussner maintain 1.5 is still alive. They say one rapid decarbonization scenario that Diffenbaugh didn’t examine shows the world can mostly keep under the threshold.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If the world can cut its carbon emissions in half by 2030, “then warming can be limited to 1.5 degrees” with a tiny overshoot and then reductions to get under the mark, Hare said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Believing that the world can no longer keep warming below 1.5 “is a self-fulfilling prophecy,” Mann said by email. “In the end it’s easy to overinterpret the significance of a precise threshold like 1.5C warming. The challenge is to limit warming as much as possible.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cdiv>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/div>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>The world will likely breach the internationally agreed-upon climate change threshold in about a decade, and keep heating to break through a next warming limit around mid-century, even with big pollution cuts, artificial intelligence predicts in a new study that’s more pessimistic than previous modeling.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The study in Monday’s journal \u003ca href=\"https://www.pnas.org/\">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences\u003c/a> reignites a debate on whether it’s still possible to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, as called for in the 2015 Paris climate agreement, to minimize the most damaging effects of climate change. The world has already warmed 1.1 or 1.2 degrees since pre-industrial times, or the mid-19th century, scientists say.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Two climate scientists using machine learning calculated that Earth will surpass the 1.5 degree (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) mark between 2033 and 2035. Their results fit with other, more conventional methods of predicting when Earth will break the mark, though with a bit more precision.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There will come a time when we call the 1.5C target for maximum warming dead, beyond the shadow of a doubt,” Brown University environment institute director Kim Cobb, who wasn’t part of the study, said in an email interview. “And this paper may be the beginning of the end of the 1.5C target.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Stanford University’s Noah Diffenbaugh, a study co-author, said the world is on the brink of the 1.5-degree mark in “any realistic emissions reduction scenario.” Avoiding a 2-degree rise, he said, may depend on nations meeting zero-emissions goals by the middle of this century.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The artificial intelligence-based study found it unlikely that temperature increase could be held below 2 degrees Celsius, even with tough emissions cuts. And that’s where the AI really differs with scientists who had been forecasting using computer models that are based on past observations, Diffenbaugh said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a high-pollution scenario, the AI calculated, the world would hit the 2-degree mark around 2050. Lower pollution could stave that off until 2054, the machine learning calculated.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In contrast, the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change figured in its 2021 report that the same lower-pollution scenario would see the world pushing past 2 degrees sometime in the 2090s.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Cornell University climate scientist Natalie Mahowald, who wasn’t part of the Diffenbaugh study but was part of the IPCC, said the study makes sense and fits with what scientists know, but seems a bit more pessimistic.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There’s a lot of power in using AI, and in the future that may be shown to produce better projections, but more evidence is needed before concluding that, Mahowald said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Normally, climate scientists use a bunch of computer model simulations, some running hot and some cold, and then try to figure out which ones are doing the best job. That’s often based on how they performed in the past or in simulations of the past, Diffenbaugh said. What the AI does is more keyed to the climate system now, he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’re using this very powerful tool that is able to take information and integrate it in a way that no human mind is able to do, for better or for worse,” Diffenbaugh said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Each year, government climate negotiators at a United Nations summit proclaim that they have managed to “keep 1.5 alive.” But with the latest study, there’s a divide among scientists on how true that really is. Diffenbaugh said there’s been so much warming already that it really doesn’t matter how pollution is cut in the next several years, the world will hit 1.5, the AI figures.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Zeke Hausfather of the tech company Stripe and of Berkeley Earth, who was not part of the study, agreed, saying it’s time to “stop pretending” that limiting warming to 1.5 degrees is possible. Some scenarios do see temperatures warming past the mark but then coming back down, something called “overshoot.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Other scientists not involved with the study, such as University of Pennsylvania’s Michael Mann and Climate Analytics’ Bill Hare and Carl-Friedrich Schleussner maintain 1.5 is still alive. They say one rapid decarbonization scenario that Diffenbaugh didn’t examine shows the world can mostly keep under the threshold.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If the world can cut its carbon emissions in half by 2030, “then warming can be limited to 1.5 degrees” with a tiny overshoot and then reductions to get under the mark, Hare said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Believing that the world can no longer keep warming below 1.5 “is a self-fulfilling prophecy,” Mann said by email. “In the end it’s easy to overinterpret the significance of a precise threshold like 1.5C warming. The challenge is to limit warming as much as possible.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cdiv>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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