Weather gets weird as record rainfall follows record drought.
Texas struggled through its driest year in history in 2011.
The Mississippi River rose to all-time-high flood levels in 2011.
The seesaw from one record to its opposite also has problematic implications for water management, storm preparedness and even national security.
“That gets a little scary because history’s here to provide context.” All of this is playing out as the Trump administration announced the country’s withdrawal from the Paris treaty, aimed at trying to slow climate change.
“Hydrological extremes — floods and droughts — are the most dangerous aspects of global warming because they lead to food and water shortages and that can lead to armed conflict,” said Kerry Emanuel, an atmospheric science professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge.
The U.S. Department of Defense counts floods, droughts and high temperatures as climate-related security risks, according to a July 2015 report.
From 2014 to 2016, world records were set for the hottest year, with each 12-month period breaking the mark set by its predecessor.
In April, it was 21 times larger, with individual sites that set records, the National Weather Service said.
“In a warm world you swing out a little further,” Anderson said.

“The response has been overwhelming,” he said. “We had 60 walk-ins that Saturday night.” The 159-room Hotel Via, at 138 King St. in Mission Bay, is the first new full-service hotel to open in San Francisco since February 2008, when the 550-room Intercontinental opened next door to Moscone West. It’s the first boutique hotel to premiere since Hotel Vitale across from the Ferry Building was completed in 2005. But it’s not going to be the last new hotel to open in 2017, or even this summer. After a long drought, San Francisco is in the midst of a mini-wave of five hotel openings. On Aug. 14, Proper Hotels will open the 131-room San Francisco Proper at 45 McAllister St., the first in a chain that will include hotels in Los Angeles, Santa Monica and Austin, Texas. Toward the end of the year, two more hotels will open: the 196-room Virgin Hotel at 250 Fourth St. and the 203-room Yotel at 1095 Market St. In early 2018, Mission Bay will get a second new hotel, a Marriott across Mission Creek from China Basin that will have 250 rooms. In contrast to the convention-oriented behemoths that opened in the 1980s and 1990s — the San Francisco Marriott Marquis, opened in 1989, has 1,362 rooms — the new hotels are smaller and focused on tapping into the neighborhood vibrancy that makes the city so popular with tech workers, rather than Moscone Convention Center business. “If you look at the brands coming in, they weren’t around five years ago and they are locating in places where a lot of tech firms are located,” said John Reyes, chief sales officer for the San Francisco Travel Association. “These properties are all about the next generation of traveler and really support what defines San Francisco as a center of innovation and tech.” The San Francisco Proper, built in the historic flatiron shell of the old Shaw Hotel, will probably have the biggest neighborhood impact. With four eating and drinking venues, including a rooftop bar, the hotel could transform a…

NOTICE OF OPPORTUNITY for Public Comment and Workshops on Cannabis Cultivation Policy and Cannabis General Order.
From the North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board: The State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board or Board) has updated its website with a Notice of Opportunity for Public Comment, Staff Informational Workshops, Board Workshops, and Public Hearing (Notice).
The State Water Board will hold two staff informational workshops (July 20, 2017 – Eureka and July 27, 2017 – Sacramento) to present information and answer questions.
In addition, a Board workshop is scheduled for August 2, 2017, in Sacramento to provide information on the draft documents and receive public comments.
The State Water Board is scheduled to hold two public hearings on October 17, 2017 in Sacramento to receive oral comments regarding (1) the Cannabis Policy, and (2) the General Order.
The Sacramento staff informational workshop, Board workshop, and public hearing will be webcast.
The Notice, draft documents, and other information are available on the State Water Board’s Cannabis Cultivation webpage at: www.waterboards.ca.gov/cannabis Please direct all questions to the staff listed below regarding the proposed: Cannabis Policy – Peter Barnes at (916) 445-9989 or Peter.Barnes@waterboards.ca.gov.
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LOW INCOME RATE ASSISTANCE: New Dates for Fresno & San Diego Public Meetings, GlobalMeet/ Dial In Options and New ListServe – Low Income Rate Assistance (AB 401).
Upcoming public workshops are scheduled for July 10 in Sacramento, July 12 in Los Angeles, August 10 in Fresno, and August 14 in San Diego.
Please note the changes below and see the updated Public Notice attachment for more details.
The Fresno meeting will be held on Thursday, August 10, 2017 from 6-8 pm at the Ted Wills Community Center located on 770 N San Pablo Ave, Fresno, California 93728.
The San Diego meeting will be held on Monday, August 14, 2017 from 6-8 pm at the San Diego Water Quality Control Board located on 2375 Northside Drive Suite 100, San Diego, California 92108.
GlobalMeet and dial in options are available during the Sacramento (7/10/17) and San Diego (8/14/17) meetings.
Pre-registration is not required for the public meetings, GlobalMeet, or dial in options.
See the Public Notice for times and location and the link to Program Scenarios that will be presented.
Please direct all questions and comments about this notice to Mary Yang at (916) 322-6507 or Mary.Yang@waterboards.ca.gov.
In the subject line please include “Comment Letter – LIRA Program Scenarios.” Comments will be accepted until August 25, 2017.

CALIFORNIA WATER FIX: Ruling letter, July 7, 2017.
From the California Water Fix team at the State Water Resources Control Board: On June 15, 2017, the Department of Water Resources (DWR) submitted a request for official notice of the following sur-rebuttal exhibits: DWR-936, -937, -946, -947, -949, and -950.
These exhibits were authenticated and discussed in the written, sur-rebuttal testimony of Allan Davis (DWR-935).
DWR withdrew DWR-935 because Mr. Davis was not available, due to a court appearance in another matter, when he was scheduled to present his testimony and be subject to cross-examination.
DWR also withdrew Mr. Davis’ statement of qualifications (DWR-934) and three other exhibits that were authenticated and discussed in Mr. Davis’ written, sur-rebuttal testimony (DWR-938, -939, and -948).
They were offered as sur-rebuttal to the rebuttal testimony of Suzanne Womack on behalf of Clifton Court, L.P. concerning alleged property damage to Clifton Court’s land adjacent to Clifton Court Forebay.
Clifton Court opposed DWR’s request for official notice in a letter dated June 19, 2017.
Read the full letter here: 20170707_cwf_ruling Sign up for daily email service and you’ll never miss a post!
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Drought forces prices up, yields down.
Spring wheat prices are climbing, but the benefit is for those who have a harvest to sell.
In the last three months, spring wheat prices have rallied from less than $4 per bushel to more than $8 per bushel before dropping slightly this week to $7.63 per bushel.
To put that in perspective that projected yield is about 94 percent less than their proven yield of 64 bushels an acre.
Drought conditions in South Dakota are more intense west of Aberdeen.
As of last week, portions of six counties were experiencing extreme drought conditions, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.
The new drought map released Thursday showed a second area of extreme drought in South Dakota, this area near the North Dakota border.
Chris Smith, grain marketing manager for North Central Farmers Elevator, said last week’s report that showed a reduction in spring wheat acres has had an effect on wheat prices and drought conditions have only compounded that.
When it comes to corn, Schaunaman said, it’s likely the top yield potential is no longer there, but even though weather will affect the yield, he wouldn’t write it off yet.
He said predictions of 100 degree temperatures, like the Aberdeen area saw Wednesday, are not good for pollination.

Summary The Paris Agreement (PA) to address climate change internationally entered into force on November 4, 2016.
On June 1, 2017, President Donald J. Trump announced his intent to withdraw the United States from the agreement and that his Administration would seek to reopen negotiations on the PA or on a new “transaction.” Following the provisions of the PA, U.S. withdrawal could take effect as early as November 2020.
The United States is the second largest emitter of GHG globally after China.
The PA is subsidiary to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), which the United States ratified in 1992 with the advice and consent of the Senate and which entered into force in 1994.
The PA requires that nations submit pledges to abate their GHG emissions, set goals to adapt to climate change, and cooperate toward these ends, including mobilization of financial and other support.
 Accountability framework.
The PA also requires “as appropriate” that Parties prepare and communicate their plans to adapt to climate change.
The PA reiterates the collective obligation in the UNFCCC for developed country Parties to provide financial resources—public and private—to assist developing country Parties with mitigation and adaptation efforts.
Additionally, numerous issues may attract congressional oversight, such as:  foreign policy, technological, and economic implications of withdrawal;  possible objectives and provisions of renegotiation of the PA or of a new “transaction” for cooperation internationally; Questions Abut Next Steps for the United States President Trump’s announcement on June 1, 2017, of his intent to withdraw the United States from the PA raises several issues regarding next steps under the PA,106 including:  What procedure might the United States follow to withdraw from the PA?107  Might the United States request that the PA Parties allow it an early exit from the agreement, following customary international law, rather than the four-year withdrawal process under PA Article 28?
 Will the United States continue to participate in meetings and decisions of the PA until withdrawal occurs, pursuant to the President’s statement that “as of today, the United States will cease all implementation of the non-binding Paris Accord….

In Johanna Konta, Britain Finds Hope for End of Women’s Title Drought.
But a new hope is circulating among eager British sports fans, who suddenly see Johanna Konta, a nationalized British citizen born in Australia, as the one who could break the hex this year.
Konta defeated Maria Sakkari, 6-4, 6-1, in routine fashion on Court 1 on Friday to advance to the fourth round of Wimbledon for the first time.
But Konta is playing inspiring tennis lately, reaching milestones not touched by British women in decades, and all around her people are starting to believe that she has what it takes to follow Murray’s steely lead.
Murray, who also advanced the fourth round with a 6-2, 4-6, 6-1, 7-5 victory on Friday over Fabio Fognini of Italy, believes in Konta, too.
“I’m pretty sure favorites also come and go.
The final point of his victory was an ace out wide, and after he shook Fognini’s hand, Murray let out a sustained yell to the relieved fans on Centre Court who had helped will him to victory.
1 ranking from Murray by reaching the final.
That one ended with Konta winning, 10-8, in the third set, and proved that Konta does possess some of Murray’s mettle.
The way he competes, and the way he never says die, is what makes him the best player in the world.” Konta may not be the best player on the women’s tour, but her arrow has been pointing straight up since she reached the semifinals of the Australian Open in 2016, where she lost to Angelique Kerber, the eventual champion.

Corpus Christi enters drought stage one restrictions.
Rachel Denny Clow/Caller-Times With the combined capacity of Lake Corpus Christi and Choke Canyon water reservoirs below 50 percent, Corpus Christi has entered drought stage one voluntary drought measures.
Measures include using your sprinkler system once per week and not between the hours of 10 a.m. and 6 p.m., using a bucket to prevent runoff while watering vehicles, and restaurants should serve water only upon request.
There are no restrictions on water necessary for public health and safety and hand watering and drop irrigation are allowed during any time.
In addition, water may be used to maintain building foundations, the city recommends using drip-irrigation or hand-held hoses.
These measures are part of the drought contingency plan approved by the City Council in May.
The plan was revised so the city could respond proactively to droughts as they occur.
Stage one was modified from always being in effect, to being activated when combined lake levels drop below 50 percent, according to a release by the city.
For more information on drought stages or what you can do, go to www.corpuschristiwater.com.

These recent moments of urgent concern from ten and six years ago mirror the near-disaster of the world food crisis of 1973-74, when multiple elements put at least 22 million people at risk.
But that very success pointed to an underlying feature of all such crises, which needs to be better understood: namely, there has never been too little food to go round, for (at least since 1945) world grain resources have not been anywhere near complete depletion.
Now there is a real problem, with the FAO calculating that some 60% people across the world who face hunger live in countries experiencing conflict or climate change, or both at once.
The effect of conflict on food availability, as in the many irregular wars of recent years, is clear enough.
Time to act Since the early 1990s It has been recognised that climate change is an asymmetric process, which is likely to lead to a progressive drying out of the tropical and sub-tropical regions.
Since the tropics and sub-tropics provide much of the food for the whole world, the implications of a fall in the carrying-capacity of the croplands would be progressive and, ultimately, catastrophic (see "Climate change and global security", 2 January 2003).
The degree of vulnerability is shown by the relative availability of renewable water resources in different parts of the world.
These are necessary and buy time, but only up to a point.
Yet there is currently little evidence that western governments recognise their long-term significance and growing connection to climate change (see "Mediterranean dreams, climate realities", 23 April 2015).
What is happening now is a marker for much greater pressures as climate change translates into climate disruption.