top of page
Search
kjem1981

California Feet: How to Enjoy the Sand and the Saltwater at the Golden State Beaches



In the water world, water is commonly measured in acre-feet. But what is an acre-foot? One acre-foot equals about 326,000 gallons, or enough water to cover an acre of land, about the size of a football field, one foot deep. An average California household uses between one-half and one acre-foot of water per year for indoor and outdoor use.




California Feet




California receives about 193 million acre-feet of water each year as precipitation (rain and snow), but there is great variability between regions. Yearly precipitation on the North Coast is about 90 inches but only 2 inches in Death Valley.


Much of this precipitation evaporates, leaving California with 78 million acre-feet in surface water supply (including Colorado River and Klamath River supplies) in an average year. Of that water: 28 million acre-feet to 35 million acre-feet are used by agriculture; 7.9 million acre-feet are used by cities and industries; and 26 million acre-feet are used for the environment.


Seas Will Rise in Coming Decades. Climate scientists have developed a consensus that one of the effects of a warming planet is that global sea levels will rise. The degree and timing of SLR, however, still is uncertain, and depends in part upon how much global greenhouse gas emissions and temperatures continue to increase. Figure 1 displays recent scientific estimates compiled by the state for how sea levels might rise along the coast of California in the coming decades. (The figure displays data for the San Diego region, but estimates are similar for other areas of the California coast.) As shown, the magnitude of SLR is projected to be about half of one foot in 2030 and as much as seven feet by 2100. These estimates represent the range between how sea levels might rise under two different climate change scenarios. As shown, the range between potential scenarios is greater in 2100, reflecting the increased level of uncertainty about the degree of climate change impacts the planet will experience further in the future.


The Cross Creek Levee in Corcoran, California was rebuilt in 2017 after having sunk seven feet since 1983. The levee is now at least twice the size of the previous one and protects the town from flood water coming from the south and west.Ryan Christopher Jones


Boswell operates more wells in the area than most other ag companies, and far deeper ones. It owns 82 active wells around Corcoran, a majority of which plunge either 1,000 to 1,200 feet deep or 2,000 to 2,500 feet deep. The next largest nearby well owner, Vander Eyk Dairies, has 47 wells, only 10 of which are 1,000 feet deep or deeper.


Some residents and local leaders said they believe that Boswell was leaning more heavily on groundwater for its crops because it had been selling surface water out of the area for substantial profits. In just two sales in 2015 and 2016, one Fresno County water district bought 43,000 acre-feet of Boswell water for $43.6 million.


(Left and center) Canals are filled with groundwater that flows alongside the Corcoran Cross Creek Levee. (Right) Pelicans float on water in the mid Hacienda Flood Cell as seen on March 2, 2021. It was originally built to hold flood water. While this cell has a capacity of 40,000 acre feet, the three cells combined have a total capacity of 140,000 acre feet. (Photo by Lois Henry)Ryan Christopher Jones


California has invested billions of dollars in urban and agricultural water conservation across Southern California through programs that reach virtually every Colorado River water user in the state. Since 2003, these conservation efforts have resulted in over 13 million acre-feet of Colorado River water being conserved and transferred to other water users in Southern California.


The bugs quickly find barefoot waders, and will bite into their flesh, drawing blood. Since the animals are so small the bites are tiny but painful like a pin prick. Experts recommend rapidly shuffling the feet reduces but does not eliminate the number of bites.


People attacked by the isopods describe the bite as being "painful" and "surprising," noting how the bugs looked like a group of tiny piranhas had attacked their feet and ankles. Those attacked noted that the pain faded after 15 to 20 minutes.


Maximize space between seating and desks. Distance teacher and other staff desks at least 6 feet away from student and other staff desks. Maintaining a minimum of 3 feet between student chairs is strongly recommended. A range of physical distancing recommendations have been made nationally and internationally, from 3 feet to 6 feet.


The most persuasive evidence was from a Massachusetts study of 250 school districts serving half-million students with nearly 100,000 staff. The study was conducted over 16 weeks in the fall and winter. Researchers found no significant distinction in the spread of the virus in districts with 3 feet compared to those with 6 feet social distancing. Masks are universally required in Massachusetts.


Under the most recent state department of health guidance, issued in January, the state was requiring the 6-foot distancing where feasible, with a 4-foot minimum when creating hybrids and cohorts was not possible. County health officials have interpreted that differently, with some permitting 4 feet and some sticking with 6 feet.


At 7:33 p.m. on Nov. 26, the No. 94 Cape Mendocino buoy operated by Scripps Institution of Oceanography Coastal Data Information Program recorded a maximum significant wave height of 43.1 feet, and that night also measured a wave of 75 feet. These waves were in water 1,132 feet deep and were at 13.3-second intervals.


Mount Whitney's summit is on the Sierra Crest and the Great Basin Divide. It lies near many of the Sierra Nevada's highest peaks.[11] The peak rises dramatically above the Owens Valley, sitting 10,778 feet (3,285 m) or just over 2 mi (3.2 km) above the town of Lone Pine 15 mi (24 km) to the east, in the Owens Valley.[11] It rises more gradually on the west side, lying only about 3,000 feet (914 m) above the John Muir Trail at Guitar Lake.[12]


The estimated elevation of Mount Whitney's summit has changed over the years. The technology of elevation measurement has become more refined and, more importantly, the vertical coordinate system has changed. The peak was commonly said to be at 14,494 ft (4,418 m) and this is the elevation stamped on the USGS brass benchmark disk on the summit. An older plaque on the summit (sheet metal with black lettering on white enamel) reads "elevation 14,496.811 feet", but this was estimated using the older vertical datum (NGVD29) from 1929. Since then the shape of the Earth (the geoid) has been estimated more accurately. Using a new vertical datum established in 1988 (NAVD88) the benchmark is now estimated to be 14,505 ft (4,421 m).[1][16]


The rise is caused by a fault system that runs along the Sierra's eastern base, below Mount Whitney. Thus, the granite that forms Whitney is the same as that which forms the Alabama Hills, thousands of feet lower down.[15] The raising of Whitney (and the downdrop of the Owens Valley) is due to the same geological forces that cause the Basin and Range Province: the crust of much of the intermontane west is slowly being stretched.[18]


"There are localized spots that get over 100 liquid-equivalent inches of water (8.3 feet) in the month," Swain said in a UCLA press release. "On 10,000-foot peaks, which are still somewhat below freezing even with warming, you get 20-foot-plus snow accumulations. But once you get down to South Lake Tahoe level and lower in elevation, it's all rain. There would be much more runoff."


The current order appears to seek a middle ground between the two concepts (within six feet vs. sharing the same airspace) by making the two definitions applicable depending on the size of the workplace measured in cubic feet (calculated as square footage multiplied by ceiling height):


(c) A driver of a motor vehicle shall not overtake or pass a bicycle proceeding in the same direction on a highway at a distance of less than three feet between any part of the motor vehicle and any part of the bicycle or its operator.


To the south, Mammoth Mountain reported that more than 20 inches (51 cm) of snow fell Saturday, with another 2 feet (.6 meters) possible as the tail end of the system moved through the eastern Sierra.


The U.S. Forest Service issued an avalanche warning for the backcountry in the mountains west of Lake Tahoe where it said "several feet of new snow and strong winds will result in dangerous avalanche conditions."


Forecasters in Arizona issued a winter storm watch for northern and central Arizona beginning Sunday evening for areas above 5000 feet (1,525 meters) including Flagstaff, Prescott and the Grand Canyon, where icy temperatures and up to a foot of snow was predicted.


The Los Angles weather service office warned of hazardous beach conditions Wednesday through Friday, with waves up to 15 to 22 feet tall possible in Ventura County. Waves up to 8 to 12 feet tall are forecast for Santa Barbara and Los Angeles counties.


Bloomberg News and The Wall Street Journal reported recently that Amazon now wants to shed 10 million to 30 million square feet from its warehouse network, either by subleasing some of its space or by terminating leases, possibly including those with Prologis.


More than 2 feet of snow fell over the resort in just 24 hours, leading to excellent conditions on the mountain. "We have a beautiful powder day upon us with a storm total of 23-30 [inches], conditions are going to be incredibly fun," Mammoth Mountain said on its website Friday.


A significant system will impact California this week, bringing feet of snow to the Sierra Nevada. The storm will rage from Wednesday through Friday morning and dump 1-3 FEET at local resorts. Mammoth, Kirkwood, and West Shore Tahoe resorts are the best resorts for catching good powder.


The next few weeks will be very wet and stormy, bringing multiple more systems and dozens of feet of snow to the Sierra! A series of storms will arrive on Saturday morning and rage through at least Wednesday. Check out the precipitation anomaly forecast from the European ensemble over the next two weeks. In the mountains, each inch here is 10-12 inches of snow above average: 2ff7e9595c


0 views0 comments

Recent Posts

See All

댓글


bottom of page