Agriculture

The Santa Clara Valley Water District’s board of directors voted unanimously April 11 to rescind a “water shortage emergency” that was declared in 2021 during a historic statewide drought.  But Valley Water officials still want local residents, businesses and other customers to conserve water. The...

A regional land preservation organization recently purchased a 1,986-acre ranch in west Morgan Hill, pledging to permanently protect the property that includes sweeping views and critical wildlife crossings, as well as homes for native and endangered species.  The Peninsula Open Space Trust announced on April...

Like many growers in Santa Clara Valley, Dilip Sharma and Hektor Luis Calderon-Victoria are eager to plant rows of fruits, vegetables and other organic, commercial crops on their unincorporated Morgan Hill farmland as soon as the long, cold, wet winter finally comes to a...

Every year, beginning in March, property owners throughout the county must comply with regulations designed to prevent the spread of wildfires that threaten people, property and the environment. The rules took effect March 1 for three cities—San José, Santa Clara and Campbell—and later in...

Hundreds of California native pigeons have died this winter due to a parasitic disease, announced state wildlife officials on Feb. 23.   California Department of Fish and Wildlife officials said they’ve noticed an increase of reported sick and dead band-tailed pigeons since early February, mostly around...

With a cold winter storm bearing down on Morgan Hill, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency administrators joined local and regional representatives Feb. 23 at the top of Anderson Dam to announce the availability of $727 million in low-cost loans that will fund the rebuilding of...

In the wake of a series of powerful winter storms that lashed California for three weeks in January, the state announced Jan. 26 that it will deliver more water than expected from its major storage and delivery system.  All 29 public water agencies—serving 27 million...

While many Morgan Hill residents and businesses are still drying out from nearly constant rainfall in recent weeks, the latest weather forecast is finally calling for a noteworthy dry spell for the area.  According to a Jan. 17 forecast by the National Weather Service, the...

Another atmospheric river is expected to wash over the Bay Area this weekend, bringing significant risks of flooding in coastal areas and in some riversheds. Forecasters with the National Weather Service's Bay Area office expect showers throughout Friday before steadier rain arrives on Saturday. Most...

With seemingly constant rain storms pummeling the South Bay so far this winter, a federal drought monitoring program recently downgraded most of Santa Clara County from “Severe” to “Moderate” drought. But local water supply authorities warn that residents and property owners should continue to...