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Thursday

California's flooding reveals we're still building cities for the climate of the past

Sibley Street, along with other residential roads were closed due to flooding from recent rain storms resulting in high water levels in Willow Creek, in Folsom, California. Kenneth James/California Department of Water Resources hide caption

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Kenneth James/California Department of Water Resources

Short Wave

California's flooding reveals we're still building cities for the climate of the past

Winter storms have flooded parts of California, broken levees and forced thousands to evacuate. Climate change is altering the historic weather patterns that infrastructure like reservoirs and waterways were built to accommodate. Urban planners and engineers are rethinking underlying assumptions baked into buildings and water systems in order to adapt to the changing climate. Today, NPR climate correspondent Lauren Sommer walks us through three innovations happening around the country to help cities adapt to shifting and intensifying weather patterns.

California's flooding reveals we're still building cities for the climate of the past

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Wednesday

Heavy rain is still hitting California. A few reservoirs figured out how to capture more for drought

Most reservoirs aren't allowed to fill up in the winter, but Folsom Reservoir outside of Sacramento, California is using a new strategy to save more water by using weather forecasts. Ken James/California Department of Water Resources hide caption

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Ken James/California Department of Water Resources

Climate

Heavy rain is still hitting California. A few reservoirs figured out how to capture more for drought

Decades-old rules mean most reservoirs aren't allowed to fill up in the winter. A new approach using weather forecasts is helping some save more water to help with California's drought.

Heavy rain is still hitting California. A few reservoirs figured out how to capture more for drought

Listen · 4:36
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Monday

Bidwell Marina at Lake Oroville in April in Oroville, Calif. After record rainfall and snow in the mountains, much of California's landscape has turned from brown to green and reservoirs across the state are near capacity.

Bidwell Marina at Lake Oroville in April in Oroville, Calif. After record rainfall and snow in the mountains, much of California's landscape has turned from brown to green and reservoirs across the state are near capacity. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images hide caption

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Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

National

From Moonscape To Lush: Photographs Capture California Drought's Story

Getty Images photographer Justin Sullivan's "before-and-after" images show how recent rains in California swelled formerly dry reservoirs and turned brown landscapes green.

From Moonscape To Lush: Photographs Capture California Drought's Story

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Sunday

Tuesday

As Technology Marches On, Reservoir Caretakers Stay At Their Posts

Reservoir caretaker Doug Billingsley tests water levels at windswept Chambers Lake near Cameron Pass, Colo. Grace Hood/Colorado Public Radio hide caption

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Grace Hood/Colorado Public Radio

Environment

As Technology Marches On, Reservoir Caretakers Stay At Their Posts

CPR News

When it comes to dam safety, human eyes are still one of the best tools to recognize problems — so in some areas, workers live in remote locations to watch over the water supply.

As Technology Marches On, Reservoir Caretakers Stay At Their Posts

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