Watch CBS News
Storms soaked the land in December, but January was the driest on record. And so, she says, people turned on their sprinklers. She cautions against reading too much into one month—in Folsom, residents conserved more than 21 percent in 2014, and had one of the highest rates in the state.
A new report shows water conservation slipped during an unusually dry January in California. The State Water Resources Control Board reported Tuesday that urban water use declined 9 percent in January compared to the same month in 2013.
The California Department of Water Resources says it carried out the winter's third survey of the Sierra Nevada's snowpack and things looked "pretty grim".
It's the second-lowest amount since 1991, according to the California Department of Water Resources, which provides water to districts in the San Francisco Bay Area, San Joaquin Valley and Southern California.
Public works says a leak at your home isn't just wasteful, it also has a negative impact on local bodies of water such as Lodi Lake. It's giving homeowners plenty of opportunities to fix the issues before getting fined.
The recent snow that coated the slopes and sent some cars off of the road barely made a dent in the Sierra snowpack, which has hit historic lows in recent snow surveys. The next one is slated for Tuesday.
Anthony Harney and Jeremy McCaffrey drove up from Monterey to get some moonlit runs in at Boreal. The longtime friends were some of the hundreds to hit the slopes and take advantage of the weekend winter system.
The Bureau of Reclamation announced on Friday that agricultural customers should expect zero percent of their contracted water, based on current reservoir storage and snowpack. The zero-percent allocation will be reevaluated on a monthly basis.
Many parts of the U.S. have already broken records for snowfall and below zero temperatures while other parts have seen unseasonably warm temperatures.
Luis Rodriguez with Sacramento-Yolo Mosquito Control says since the drought took hold in 2012, the state has seen West Nile cases in people triple with nearly 800 in 2014. The last time numbers were this high was back in 2005.
Sacramento officials want to shave four years off a project to install water meters in every home and business in the city.
Northern California water districts are looking to hike fines for meter cheaters and other people who steal water as the state enters its fourth year of drought.
Possible new rules under consideration include a ban on running outdoor water fountains and prohibiting lawn watering during cold and rainy periods. "The key is to get away from very light mandatory restrictions," said Felicia Marcus, chairwoman of the board.
As the California drought drags on, water officials are considering expanding mandatory outdoor water restrictions on homeowners and adding new limits on restaurants, hotels and decorative fountains.
The Donner Ski Ranch is melting away ahead of what is supposed to be one of the busiest weekends of the season, making way for some disappointed skiers.
"Unprecedented drought conditions" - the worst in more than 1,000 years - are likely to come to the Southwest and Central Plains after 2050 and stick around because of global warming, according to a new study in the journal Science Advances on Thursday.
Folsom Lake has nearly double the water it had at the same time last year, and people are already out enjoying it. But things could quickly change. What could this mean for recreation on the lake this summer?
Joel Buettner with the Placer Mosquito and Vector Control District says they've been getting double the calls they normally would this time of the year about the blood-suckers.
Storms will roll through starting later Thursday night. The peak of the first wave of the storm is expected to roll through during rush hour in Sacramento, between 4 and 6 p.m. Winds in the valley are expected to come from the south at 20 to 30 mph with gusts up to 50 mph.
The moisture is channeled on a narrow path aimed right at California. When it hits the coastal mountains and the Sierra, it's rung out of the clouds and brings big rains.
Co-owner Tanya Czarkowski says it's the only indoor growing lamp that can do that. The trick is the light spectrum with intense reds.
The state Water Resources Control Board says California has met Gov. Jerry Brown's 20 percent water use reduction target.
Trees are already starting to bloom, even though it's still a month and a half until the start of spring. The sight of pollen gets anyone who's lived through a Sacramento spring imagining the worst.
"They're coming out of the hills where there's no water and they're coming around houses and homes where little house cats and dogs are easy to grab," he said.
Women now make up 49% of the overall legislature and, for the first time, will hold a majority in the state Senate.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 37 points and the Oklahoma City Thunder's bench players combined for 40 points in a 130-109 win over Sacramento on Monday night that extended the Kings' losing streak to four.
Several swans were found dead in and near Mather Lake in the Mather Regional Park this week.
No one wants to think about death. However, it's important to plan on what happens to your digital assets after you die.
Trading and comic stores are becoming a target among criminals looking to make off with thousands of dollars in hard-to-track merchandise in a matter of minutes.
Expect slick roads in the Valley and more chain controls across the Sierra leading up to Thanksgiving.
Drivers have been bumping into and getting stuck on raised medians installed within the past month.
Several swans were found dead in and near Mather Lake in the Mather Regional Park this week.
A Rancho Cordova property manager shot and killed a burglar who broke into his shop in the middle of the night.
Women now make up 49% of the overall legislature and, for the first time, will hold a majority in the state Senate.
The Sacramento Police Department is trying out a new air asset that's designed to improve response times.
Last year, Sacramento had 55 traffic fatalities, which was an all-time high for the city. Now, the city is launching new traffic safety efforts to try and get that number down to zero.
Two people were shot and killed in the Northgate area of Sacramento, police said Tuesday.
The Sacramento City Council has given the green light for a cannabis lounge pilot program.
Sacramento city leaders on Tuesday will consider passing new rules cracking down on sideshows. It comes as the number of street takeovers continues to grow.
Women now make up 49% of the overall legislature and, for the first time, will hold a majority in the state Senate.
No one wants to think about death. However, it's important to plan on what happens to your digital assets after you die.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Monday that the state would renew a rebate program for electric vehicles if the incoming Trump administration eliminates the current federal tax credit.
Health officials in California are alerting consumers of a voluntary recall of a batch of cream top, whole milk that was produced by Raw Farms, LLC, in Fresno County after bird flu was detected in a sample.
Thousands of University of California health and service workers have hit the picket line as of Wednesday morning.
Cam Thomas scored 34 points and the Brooklyn Nets beat the Kings 108-103 in Nets coach Jordi Fernandez's return to Sacramento.
Josh Jacobs rushed for 106 yards and matched a career high with three touchdowns and the Green Bay Packers trounced the short-handed San Francisco 49ers 38-10.
Miles Hastings threw three touchdown passes for UC Davis, but it was Lan Larinson's 59-yard touchdown run late in the fourth quarter that helped the Aggies hold off Sacramento State 42-39 in the 70th Causeway Classic on Saturday.
The 70th annual Causeway Classic, a football tradition between UC Davis and Sacramento State, introduced some new action this year to their long-standing rivalry.
Sacramento State will host UC Davis for the 70th Causeway Classic on Saturday. You can watch the game on KMAX31.
Special counsel Jack Smith asked a federal judge to toss out the charges against President-elect Donald Trump in the case stemming from the 2020 election.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Monday that the state would renew a rebate program for electric vehicles if the incoming Trump administration eliminates the current federal tax credit.
President Biden pardoned two turkeys, Peach and Blossom that hail from Minnesota, where they will return.
Scott Bessent, the founder of the Connecticut-based hedge fund Key Square Group, had been making a full-court press for the post.
Trump's sentencing in the "hush money" case has been delayed by a New York judge.
A California child was confirmed to be the first U.S. child to become infected with bird flu, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced Friday.
Whole Foods Market stores in five states sold recalled carrots and celery sticks that could contain E. coli.
Cold temperatures mean more people indoors, and more people indoors means more of a chance of spreading sickness.
The FDA sent a warning letter flagging "significant violations" of manufacturing regulations for Tom's of Maine toothpaste.
Officials with the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) said they have identified a possible bird flu case in a child in Alameda County.
A Fairfield couple had their home insurance policy canceled because of a photo taken from high above their residence. They called Kurtis when they thought the insurance carrier got it wrong.
Inflation and California's higher wages are driving up the cost of dining out, but the Call Kurtis team has found some relief for your wallet in the form of discount gift cards for restaurants.
A Sacramento mother is seeking answers—and justice—after discovering that her daughter's grave was moved without her knowledge.
A Lodi animal rescue and adoption agency said someone hijacked their Facebook page and is using it to rip people off. They reached out to the Call Kurtis team to look into it.
A Folsom viewer said a credit reporting agency is refusing to remove a debt that isn't hers. She reached out to the Call Kurtis team for help.
A Natomas mother demanded that her daughter be exhumed and cremated after a Sacramento cemetery moved her grave without telling the family.
No one — not the Governor's Office, the CHP task force, nor the attorney general — can tell us how many of the people arrested by California's Organized Retail Crime Task Force were sentenced, let alone how many went to jail, received treatment, or re-offended.
CBS News California examined retail theft rates in California and whether the high-profile Proposition 36 would help combat those crimes.
The CHP captain accused of workers' compensation fraud was the commander in charge of the fatal Mahaney Park shootout in Roseville, three officers who worked under him at the time of the shootout confirmed.
CBS News California takes a closer look at the drug component of the high-profile Proposition 36 to fact-check claims about the ballot measure from supporters and opponents.
No one wants to think about death. However, it's important to plan on what happens to your digital assets after you die.
After spending $18,000 on waterproof laminate floors, a Natomas couple spotted damage after the first cleaning.
More than a year after Hai Pham canceled the trial membership, he kept getting charged every month for it.
A Natomas mother demanded that her daughter be exhumed and cremated after a Sacramento cemetery moved her grave without telling the family.
The family contacted CBS13 and the Call Kurtis consumer investigative team to look into the matter.
The fire prompted a massive response from crews across the state, including five strike teams out of Auburn in Placer County.
The goal is to attract more women to the profession.
A new wildfire burning near the Nevada and Placer county line has forced officials to issue mandatory evacuations in both counties on Saturday.
As wildfires rage across California, new research reveals an alarming impact on one of the region's most vital industries: agriculture.
California voters will be asked to authorize the state to borrow $10 billion to pay for climate and environmental projects, including wildfire prevention.
It was a day of conquering fears and overcoming odds at the Sacramento Deep Water Channel this weekend. People living with physical disabilities got an opportunity to feel the exhilaration of setting sail.
A nutrition program to get kids excited about healthy eating in Yuba City is seeing success and now the farm-to-school program will be growing not just food but in size and opportunity.
Kids and teens in Stockton are flocking to a program that's offering them the opportunity of a lifetime.
More than one hundred customers came out to celebrate the grand reopening of a restaurant that's been around for seven decades.
Pursuing higher education can be challenging for any college-bound student and for former foster youth, doing it alone can seem impossible.
Women now make up 49% of the overall legislature and, for the first time, will hold a majority in the state Senate.
Several swans were found dead in and near Mather Lake in the Mather Regional Park this week.
No one wants to think about death. However, it's important to plan on what happens to your digital assets after you die.
Trading and comic stores are becoming a target among criminals looking to make off with thousands of dollars in hard-to-track merchandise in a matter of minutes.
Esteban Reynoso reports.