California Drought and Oroville UPDATE!

[@jeffhetschel3035]

One of Juan’s video’s without words is more information that all the Network talking heads combined. Thanks Juan

[@sunnyofabish7835]

What the heck does that mean? You pulled that opinion out your butt...

[@twistedpixel2558]

@@sunnyofabish7835 Opinions are like assholes, everyone has one and everyone's stinks.

[@PizzaChet]

@@sunnyofabish7835 an opinion given by someone ignorant of the facts is still considered an opinion, unfortunately. o·pin·ion /əˈpinyən/ noun a view or judgment formed about something, not necessarily based on fact or knowledge.

[@sharonbowers9929]

Outstanding!

[@etaandtaz5867]

Wwg1wga 😃

[@thechloromancer3310]

One dude in an airplane = better journalism that the entirety of the corporate media combined.

[@smplyizzy]

Very true. However he could be blind and deaf and still crush corporate media. It does not take much anymore.

[@XenoWiz]

Fox-NBC-ABC sad we gotta watch AU news to get proper updates around, our side of the world without being lied to by the corporate news

[@lesworthington3333]

How very true!

[@greenyonline]

Yes! And he’s only interested in the truth. Soooo different from Corp. media in America.

[@Arthur-bb2zf]

Yes and I am sorry you are right.

[@samjohnson9894]

I still maintain your coverage of the spillway failure at Lake Oroville deserves an award.

[@retiredpd]

💯 Correct 👍 👍

[@SWHOLD0N]

Absolutely!

[@NordeggSonya]

I agree

[@robinbutler3333]

I totally agree, and yah, what about that green spot?

[@robinbutler3333]

Beautiful footage! The water is so Blue!

[@gabem6362]

This fly over says it all without a single word spoken .Thank Juan you are a Beacon of Truth

[@lostpony4885]

Its impressive how you managed to bring your cello in that little plane!

[@terry94131]

LOL!

[@philipmaxwell669]

Haha .Very good. Plus the piano

[@calvinthedestroyer]

Hahahaha! Flying is magic!

[@bobb.6393]

@@calvinthedestroyer puff the magic dragon

[@MichaelHartleyBambooStudio]

Really lucky, or we wouldn't get how tragic this all is!

[@Graygeezer]

Anyone else notice that KZbin is so heavy-handed with what they ignorantly call “inappropriate content” while blatantly running truly inappropriate advertising. They really discredit themselves with it.

[@wyomingadventures]

I like you tube only for watching my favorite tubers. Yet they are the ones getting targeted for their content. Which is the truth. So I'm guessing YT does not want true great creators anymore. What a damn shame! Hate seeing one after another getting demonized for good content. The world has gone crazy!

[@kevinbyrne4538]

@@wyomingadventures -- KZbin wants to become on-line commercial TV -- but I came to KZbin in order to escape commercial TV.

[@huntera123]

YT demonstrates that just because one can suppress and censor at will that does not make one better but quite the opposite.

[@dadadruma]

@@kevinbyrne4538 Word for word Ditto

[@shanelewis617]

EWETUBE

[@Estherbethe1...]

Most people don't know about snow pack. They think rain is what's needed, but it's really about how much water is stored naturally by snow on the mountains that slowly melts into our watersheds. I really wish natural resources would be taught in schools so kids grow up w healthy understanding of what's needed for their real futures.

[@brianswindall]

Well said

[@rickybobby8224]

Thanks for declaring what most people dont know. Another great youtube comment haha

[@violent_bebop9687]

Well, we built pipelines for oil , how about fresh water? Nah, we don't need it!

[@TheMaharion]

@@violent_bebop9687 Where do you get that fresh water ? It's not like other watershed don't need it.

[@davidparent3823]

They did teach us that in school but must kids r too dumb to listen

[@shoop4040]

Oh Boy, it's going to be a rough summer. Thank you for the Flyover sir.

[@virginiatyree6705]

5 7 21 Hey Shoop, Agreed, & it's only May; may be an understatement "rough summer." v

[@roderickcampbell2105]

@@virginiatyree6705 Looks like a mighty rough and hot summer I'd say.

[@virginiatyree6705]

5 7 21 Hey @@roderickcampbell2105, Agreed. Another issue for the covid years. v

[@brazillo19]

It's called punishment for all her evils and sins. Droughts happened to other wicked nations or kingdoms around the world before they were ultimately destroyed, what makes you think that it won't happen to this one?

[@roderickcampbell2105]

@@brazillo19 Brazillo I would say it's because she is nether evil nor has sinned, and is simply smarter. By the way it's neither a nation nor a Kingdom but a state. Are you comfortable where you live?

[@jolawil]

Wow, you get a different perspective when you see the snow pack or lack of it from the air.

[@leonhue722]

Our dams dry up completely in South Africa. We use drilling to find underground water to keep communities going. The rains eventually fall.... sometimes causing flooding.

[@stevet8121]

This is where I learned that Juan was the voice of facts, reason, and honesty.

[@timjones7547]

Mee too.

[@noahwilliams8918]

Wow. Nothing communicates the severity of this problem like a flyover. Wishing you and your family good luck and safety this fire season, Juan 😰

[@andrewtucker1828]

Cursed 🔥

[@ag1382]

You will see people leaving soon to get a drink of water or wash their clothes. Wonder how much additional tax revenue Newsom will squeeze out of Californians to use water?

[@andrewtucker1828]

@@ag1382 how dare u talk bout our King like that? 😆 newsom nero 🔥

[@nathangreer8219]

Growing up in Shasta County, CA, I vividly remember being in 1st grade for the great drought of 1976. We were given stickers that said "save water" and asked to give them out in the neighborhood. We also took trips to Shasta Lake to see the construction towers sticking out of the water. These had been cut off, but not removed, with the idea that they would never be seen again.

[@thomasbabcock5174]

Thats cool, I lived in Shasta Lake City for many years, made almost daily trips to the Shasta Dam on my motorcycle.. good times were had,moved outta there in 08 when the whole state was on fire. But loved ridin to Mt Lassen and Mt Shasta. I do miss Cali.

[@tomtom6319]

The great drought Haha haha haha haha

[@nicholasimhoff9230]

I'm up in Dunsmuir, where are the towers located? I might have to go see if theyre visible today

[@nathangreer8219]

@@nicholasimhoff9230 lake has to be extremely low. Main tower is right next to tue dam. Very eerie!!

[@TheNotMeTube]

@@thomasbabcock5174 Where’d you end up moving to?

[@jonfoster5828]

just to have the ability to fly over such amazing scenery whenever you wanted too, hats off to you sir for bringing it to us

[@halspencer6613]

Yes, scenery like rocks - really beautiful if you like rocks - part of northern Kalifornia is nothing but rocks - grey rocks with little or no vegetation - just rocks. Especially the high Sierra.

[@getchasome6230]

You can get a pilot's license for a few hundred bucks, then for a few thousand more you can have your own plane. It's not that hard or expensive..

[@brokenwrench404]

Let’s just hope we get a el Niño this winter. Holding my breath through the summer fire season and the post summer windy fire season.

[@Nunofurdambiznez]

Great overhead shots!!!! Thanks for posting this for everyone to see and get a much-needed update on Oroville!

[@KathrynsWorldWildfireTracking]

5:38 - Look at all that fire-scoured wasteland on the North side of Orroville Lake. For the souls lost in the Bear Fire, RIP. For the survivors, my condolences.

[@sid2112]

I lived in Sacramento at the time of that fire. Unbelievable, totally preventable loss of life and property. How a lot of officials didn't end up in front of a judge is amazing to me. Truly paradise lost out there, not just the town, but the promise of what once was the great State of California and I pray can be again. Good luck to you all. Sid, from the peak of a lost mountain, somewhere in Appalachia.

[@angry-white-men]

That's crazy. There's people who probably lived and died right on the edge of that fire and could've just jumped in the lake to live but didn't, sad.

[@carlmontney7916]

Great flyover Juan and the perfect choice of music. Hauntingly ethereal.

[@boldrbangr9834]

The reality is sad, but the images & photography are awesome! Thanks!

[@mrmark8603]

The elephant in the room, IS THERE ARE TOO MANY PEOPLE BREEDING!

[@here4usa17]

I miss lake Oroville. Grow up there in the 80’s and 90’s. Worked at the Marina during summer breaks. Life moves fast. :(

[@percivalgooglyeyes6178]

I might have seen you there! My dad had a home on Kelly Ridge and had his boat down at the marina during that same time period. Good times.

[@dl33tc0dr6]

Another masterpiece, Juan! Thank you!

[@therealanyaku]

To put the snow fields in perspective, in a "normal" year, instead of being patchy, they should be solid white.

[@fernarias]

It's May.

[@machintrucGaming]

@No Liberal For Europe maybe, if the oceanic currents where to be greatly reduced, or straight up stopped by the ice melting at the north pole. But for America it will be the opposite.

[@brynyard]

@No Liberal kzbin.info/www/bejne/m5aZXqZ_bteXqqM

[@brynyard]

@No Liberal So you don't know that there's a difference between weather and climate? Ever wondered why it's 2 different distinct words? Or why one of them is local, both on area and time, while the other is not?

[@brynyard]

@No Liberal you say that you do, yet you demonstrate that you dont. Good job!

[@HappyQuailsLC]

That is a remarkably neat and tidy job they did on the restoration of the Oroville Dam. It looks like they did a very nice job.

[@timjones7547]

Yeah, a billion here and a billion there can get stuff done!

[@nebtheweb8885]

@@timjones7547 It ain't free, slick.

[@KathrynsWorldWildfireTracking]

Wish it would have been done before the disaster, and saved us half a billion. If only someone hadn't taken the witness stand and lied under oath that the spillway was built on bedrock, when questioned about it...

[@diamondkharness]

Operating Engineers Local 3 made that repair. Please support the right to Unionize and appreciate what the labor movement has done for our country. Your wages and safety are better because of labor unions efforts. Our future depends on all of us.

[@Honorablebenaiaha]

@@diamondkharness Police and teachers unions need busted and abolished. I also think right to work is better, and employees shouldn’t be forced to join unions.

[@jonhare392]

Where’s the GREEN SPOT? 😂 I followed this series since the first day. Juan Browne you should be winning a Pulitzer price for this awesome series!

[@jakahl1470]

That dam, that entire project is an AWESOME, AMAZING feat of engineering, construction, logistics, maintenance, everything! People can do incredible things when they decide to do them. Great video!

[@JeffCowan]

Thanks for the update Juan...

[@randallharmsen5802]

Thanks for sharing Juan. Western States are in serious shape with drought! This could be the worst wildfire season ever. I live in Michigan and also in low drought mode. We had half of snowfall and spring rainfall is down as well. Farmers and ranchers are in a tough spot.

[@unclefester6501]

People who aren't in California don't know what a big deal the snowpack report is to us. I think 14 feet of snow is normal to store enough water to make it through the year. The reservoirs can't hold all the water we need so early rain or a hot spring that melts the snow is as bad as a drought.

[@ferrelli1001]

Whoa! I didn’t realize the gravity of the situation. Thanks for letting people know.

[@dudeonbike800]

@@ferrelli1001 and gravity is part of the problem! All that water flowing into the ocean. Damn gravity!

[@barneygoogle4003]

There's no getting around it. We don't have a water shortage. Like everything else, no matter how much we have, we'll figure out a way to use more than we have. We're resource rapists that burn through the inventory until it's gone and then cry about it.

[@mikeryan2388]

@@dudeonbike800 Gravity is definitely a core issue that everything eventually points to.

[@rrssmooth6643]

Global warming anyone?

[@JackDennisWatt]

Back with you. Great trip thanks for having me along.

[@Rockit442]

It's really hard to judge scale when you're flying over a lake especially if you never get the privilege like Juan does, but the images of Orville are stunning and devastating without a doubt!

[@getchasome6230]

For size reference, that dam is almost 1000' tall.

[@arthenry498]

WOW!! That looks like a desperate situation in that area. This summer is going to be tense to say the least. I fear fire danger will be horribly high!! And the lack of water in Oroville will affect people all the way down to Schlager's rice fields!! This was a fantastic report. My thanks and compliments to the editor in chief here. Made for an informative AND enjoyable presentation!! Love the mighty Luscombe but I'd prefer the Husky ANY day. I love dirt biking too. Thanks for the trip and the all important data on water conditions there. As always, superb reporting. Thanks again.

[@walterm5787]

I After 36 years of federal service (most with the Forest Service) I retired on my 62 birthday at the end of October. Most of last year I was out on medical. It drove me crazy not being able to do my job (dispatch center manager) with all that was going on. No idea how I will deal with that this year. Yes I know I need to move on. It just drives me crazy to see so much going on and cant help. I worry about what this year will have in store for us. I know I will be watching a lot of the PGE fire cameras again. Thank you for the update.

[@maxium4x4]

Same with me on retiring, enjoy and you will be wondering how you ever got anything done. 😁 Work still calls when things go haywire for answers but other than that, enjoy life.

[@willgaukler8979]

...old ATC guy myself...get you some radios to monitor your different stations ... and or ... control tower freq ... that will help assure you they really can ...

[@BiffBifford]

I have been retired for 20 years. At first, I was going out of my mind until I decided I had a skillset that was useful to my community. I slowly began to continue working by volunteering, and it gave me a great sense of self. The most important thing you can do is keep your mind and body in top condition. It is in this way you will actually become sharper than you were when you were working. JMHO.

[@walterm5787]

@@BiffBifford Thank you. That was my plan but this medical stuff so far has limited me. As I recover and build body and soul back I will get going. I know there is a lot I can do. Take care sir.

[@walterm5787]

@@willgaukler8979 Yep was doing that before retiring and it has helped a lot while I was stuck sitting. Sad thing is we get almost no emergency service reception here. Good thing is I can hear Nor Cal and Seattle. Hope to put an attena up and maybe that will help. Thanks,.

[@AgentHeX_0007]

Hard to believe it was 2017 that we were all watching your amazing coverage of the Oroville emergency. Still here all these years later. Love the channel. Next time your in the UK come to Wales to see our Victorian built dams :)

[@cessealbeach]

Born and Raised here 30 years, Seen this cycle many many many times! We will get by, like we have

[@alani2071]

Not when Newsome continues to release millions of fresh water out the the ocean to supposedly save bait fish.

[@barnfind1243]

SPREADING FEAR

[@shawndorsett13]

been here my whole life 80s was a bad time one el nino and everything changed mid 90s also same thing never saw so much water in utah and nevada and california 30 ft of snow its a never ending cycle but desalination is starting to look better and better as a back up plan and i live in sfba so i know from personel experiecne

[@Ford_Raptor_R_720hp_V8]

thanks for the information. this is the first time I've seen actual Reservoir water level information with video from a plane flying over them.

[@RTA266]

Thanks for the update " Blancolirio " . A sad start for summer , we're all praying fires don't come back to our area .

[@catherinenelson4162]

Oh, Juan, being a native of the Northern Sierra's, this was tough to watch. I well know the impacts of the reservoirs being so low this early in the year. If you are all thinking "another fire year like last year", yes, but, that's only part of the picture. The other part impacts the entire nation! How? Lake Oroville and Lake Shasta directly feed into the Central Valley. California is called the "bread basket" of the nation for a reason. The majority of the fruits, vegetables and rice come from the Central Valley. (I'm going from memory, but the Valley is 600 miles long by approximately 50 miles wide - someone will correct me on this, I'm sure). That area is larger than many of our states. So, indeed, that a big part of the food supply. We can all surmise what the rest of 2021 will be like. The State, out of necessity, will have to use a lot of it financial resources on fighting the fires brought on by drought. Hopefully the federal government will help the farmers. Sorry for spelling out what Juan's video means, but this situation needs to be understood. I live on the East Coast now, so it's time to go buy some garden plants and some containers!

[@blancolirio]

Yep!

[@rayfletcher3683]

Way to true, our dependence entirely for food based on water storage on such a scale is very poorly understood. We need more diversity and less international companies in control of our destiny. Thanks for the great honest reporting. Would be nice to see more than one excellent journalist in North America! 👍🇨🇦

[@OnTourWithPattiSmith]

Man oh man ... Born and raised in CA and I gotta say an aerial shot clarifies the meaning of the word drought. The minimalism of this video speaks loudly. For a guy who gives detailed researched videos you have done exactly the same in an entirely different way. Great job JB.

[@glenturney4750]

When they keep dumping water out of the lakes, naturally the levels are going to drop. They keep flowing it down to L.A. and leave us with little. 'Robbing Peter to pay Paul' is what they're doing. Then they charge US if we use more than they allow. MISMANAGED GOVERNMENT.

[@knighttuttruptuttrup8518]

Thanks for taking us up! That was so cool with the locations and stats. Nice steady camera work. Subscribing now.

[@danceswithcarsdc]

Music makes it sound the the end of mankind...

[@yggdrasil9039]

Yeah, well, just on that, atmospheric CO2 hasn't been at current level it's at since 23 million years BC. That was considerably before humans existed.

[@danrkelly]

@@yggdrasil9039 Thanks buddy but I think I'll go with the scientists on this climate.nasa.gov/vital-signs/carbon-dioxide/

[@yggdrasil9039]

@@danrkelly Me too so not sure what you're responding to. But maybe the other comment got deleted.

[@yggdrasil9039]

@@danrkelly Actually I was posting CO2 at 415ppm in comments just the other day, looks like it's gone up another couple to 417ppm. Things change fast. Thanks for the link.

[@dudeonbike800]

Thanks to the big California drought in the 70's, skateboarding became a big thing, as the "Lords of Dogtown" started shredding in empty LA swimming pools and the sport took a springboarding leap forward. Up until then, it was pretty damn tame. I was one of those kids on a fiberglass board learning to do 180's and "tick-tock" back and forth. We scoffed at the "losers" on Banana Boards - so uncool! Oh, we did build ramps, but that was later...

[@cccycling5835]

Skateboarding is coming back strong, long boarding is still 😎

[@ronpurcell9984]

Thanks for the ride Juan, that was great. Water levels look uncomfortably familiar.

[@archstanton_live]

I guess we won't have to worry about testing the Oroville overflow spillway for awhile.

[@virginiatyree6705]

5 7 21 Hey arch, If ever...v

[@alandpost]

The fire probably left the land likely to run off faster, if it ever does rain

[@donmoore7785]

@@alandpost That is true, but much of the water comes from miles upstream.

[@stevenf1678]

@@alandpost There is very little soil there. Much of it is grant right at the surface. When it rains it always runs off fast.

[@oshi8994]

Exactly what I was thinking!

[@josephlwallssr6166]

Thank you for the update!Much appreciated! We'll see how all of the devastated vegetation & ground soil from the fires react to the rain.Erosion and mud slides! Never ending for the residents of California! Very sad and frustrating!

[@mtyhntr49]

Love your video. Sad to see the drought damage. We to here in Utah are in a 4th yr drought. Be safe and thank you

[@davidcavanaugh322]

Really enjoyed this video Juan.

[@jme36053]

The selection of discordant music is telling. Hopefully not another banner fire season this year.

[@elflordsjourneys]

I was thinking the same, pretty depressing 😕

[@fredricunderhill204]

John Ervine, It’s summer in California. There will be another banner fire siege.

[@dudeonbike800]

Oh it will be. We have two options in California: 1) "Well, folks it's been a really wet year, so vegetation growth is through the roof. Expect an extreme fire season!" 2) "Well, folks it's been a bad drought year, so vegetation is extremely dry. Expect an extreme fire season!" It's either 1 or 2 according to the media!

[@michaelwhalen7991]

Yeah when you hear that music you know your in trouble.

[@brazillo19]

Fantastic discordant music, written in the key of B, which also is appropriate for the blues of somber mood and the blues of the desicating lakes.

[@Knee-ko]

Enjoyed that flight very much Juan. 👍👍 Hard to believe the suspense and near-disaster of Oroville was 4 years ago. I'm half a world away, but seems like only yesterday I was waiting nervously for updates from you and the broadcast media as events transpired.

[@gomphrena-beautifulflower-8043]

Gosh, I thought it all happened last year. I’m AM getting old!

[@willgaukler8979]

... time sure has passed ...

[@dd_ranchtexas4501]

@@gomphrena-beautifulflower-8043 When you get old like me, you will think that it happened next year.......

[@lizj5740]

@@dd_ranchtexas4501 Thanks for today's first belly laugh, DD_Ranch Texas.

[@gomphrena-beautifulflower-8043]

@@dd_ranchtexas4501 • Too funny!😂

[@jackiejanetm]

Thanks for taking me back to where I discovered your channel! Oroville.

[@HilaRah]

Excellent update on regional water resources and Oroville dam rebuild.

[@troydesbiens8605]

Thank you Juan for the update. Our area is in a world of hurt with this lack of water situation!

[@FluidMotionEnergy]

Stop wasting it then

[@LVCMS]

@@FluidMotionEnergy what like moderate the millionaires? Or limit development? I am not sure what the answer is?

[@davidmoore3550]

Great video Juan. They have great quality flyover vids and amazing stills. I wish i could send you some rain from Scotland but i hope the best for you guys.

[@freds1630]

Great music choice and beautiful video thank you. living and farming in Kern county your area is the life blood of ag for us this update why I support you on patroon.

[@HEAVYMETALJSTYLES]

Interesting, I've seen your plane fly right over me here. Gonna be a dry year most certainly. Good luck and blessings to all our neighbors 🙏

[@LMays-cu2hp]

Thanks a lot for cool flying.

[@brushitoff503]

Great Flyover work! Thank you

[@p331083]

Facing a huge water problem in the southwest yet were letting a massive amount of human migration take place into the southwest. Flawless logic.

[@36736fps]

Amazing to see the Oroville reservoir has gone from 100+ % to 42% in only 4 years.

[@kenbrewsaugh2473]

After a 1.1 billion remodel 🤔

[@infinitegodaikinbrent8174]

Yes but to be clear, they purposely never refilled Oroville Lake since the remodel. And then we’ve had this lack of rain. So the lake is down because of both things. Water is still running out at the same rate as both the Feather River and main canal are running at usual levels. And a side secret; Oroville will never get passed 75% ever. If it does, then the water dept. must send water down south. To keep control, they keep the lake below a certain level, always claiming not enough water or snow, just for control over the water. It’s to give that ongoing single finger to the Libs down south that won’t build their own new lakes or dams for some stupid “rare plant” in a valley somewhere! 🤣🤣

[@protorhinocerator142]

@@infinitegodaikinbrent8174 I figured there had to be some political gamesmanship behind these pictures. You can't even trust pictures anymore.

[@1lowtrade]

humans destroying Earth at awesome rates, we will all die before 2030

[@tonyburzio4107]

People first said this in 2342 BC.

[@aaajimmyb7472]

Wow another amazing super great video info and analysis from absolutely the best channel on KZbin. Thank you and keep up the good work

[@KennyInVegas]

Just got back to your channel...glad to see you're ok... was wondering about you with all those fires last year. Thanks again for videos... Kenny in Vegas

[@johngriswold2956]

What a great day to go flying! Thanks for sharing it.

[@jaygood87]

Been waiting for an up update on this dam for ages

[@Sirmellowman]

I saw you in trents video!!! you were kill'n it! so happy to see you flying with them. my two favorite aviation youtubers!!!

[@paulmicks7097]

HELL OF A GREAT TOUR ! ! ! Thank you Juan !! ... the check is in the mail !

[@Chris-fo8wp]

Too bad they were laundering money on high speed rail...instead of building more water storage....

[@stevenmacdonald9619]

Red Dead Redemption: The Flyover - brought to you by Blancolirio. I'm sure Juan could chat right through this kind of video, but it shows his commitment to professionalism and safety, that he concentrates on always flying the plane, even when he's giving us 'his' view. There's maybe a lesson for all flying KZbinrs here. Your safety is far more important than content for us mere mortals who cannot fly when the urge takes us. Even though aerial photography has been around a long time now, I never tire of just how beautiful this planet looks from the air. ❤

[@2011mendo]

We used to race on Lake Orville, don't recall that much beachline... Side note: we did a 213 on the first pass, a 233 coming back. Blow the prop thus taking a 4x6 section of the boat out on that second shot. Expensive trip, but got us a 223 average. Damn I miss Bernie Little.....

[@rogerlafrance6355]

Meanwhile, the Colorado River Basin that feeds SoCal is projected at 70% of normal. Not good.

[@SuperAWaC]

God forbid they won't be able to refill their pools in LA

[@dudeonbike800]

Problem is "70% of normal" means 70% below what they THOUGHT was normal when the compact was written. It was based on inflated precipitation and flow rates, so we're pretty much perennially well below 100% of "normal." Historically, the west was, is and probably always will be a semi-desert, so don't expect banner wet years very often.

[@FluidMotionEnergy]

@@SuperAWaC or water the grass. Lol

[@FluidMotionEnergy]

@@dudeonbike800 .yes. finally i see this comment... the made things during a wet period thinking itnwas normal .and over drew

[@fredtouche9367]

I wonder what the water situation in Phoenix is like this year.

[@siamsurf]

Hey Juan, I haven't seen your videos in a while. Actually, since the near collapse of Oroville, so when I saw this video's title, it was a huge surprise! :-)

[@brianclark17]

Now imagine way back when that was just a river running through when there was no dam built

[@leonjohansson6542]

That green patch on the dam needs more rain to keep it vibrant and in the news.

[@richardschindler8822]

Truly eye opening, makes you think. Beautiful areal footage.

[@Andre.D550]

Yip I’m one of your followers that subbed at the time of the Oroville ‘disaster’. At the time it seemed it would take ages to repair the damage and now it’s years ago. Nice video Juan. Thanks for the update from Durban South Africa. 😎

[@KathrynsWorldWildfireTracking]

It was a disaster. Inappropriate quotation marks there. My father and a great deal of my extended family were all stuck in a traffic jam. The spillway was expected to fail by midnight, and it was patched in the literal 11th Hour. More than 30,000 people would have likely drowned in their cars or been swept away if helicopter efforts to patch the 2nd spillway had failed. Your quotation marks make it sound like this was nothing.

[@escapewithjay]

Ive seen many videos on the low water levels but this really shows the scale of the issue. Thanks for sharing

[@princeofdeath7696]

I cant believe I started watching you over 4yrs ago when the whole Oroville failure first happened!!

[@cbshomebizplane]

Looks like central Oregon but most of our reservoirs are so low you can walk across them Prinneville reservoir is dangerously low, another dangerous fire season for west coast. Thank you Juan another great video as always.

[@Bryan-Hensley]

Meanwhile we haven't had a week without a rain storm in months here in East Tennessee. I don't even know what dust looks like anymore. I can tell you all about mud though.

[@LindysEpiphany]

Its quite annoying that the weather does the opposite of what is needed!🤨 Need to devise a way to move the excess water during floods to the drought areas and fill the low reservoirs.💧

[@brickswisher7672]

@@LindysEpiphany Where's Superman when you need him?

[@maxescamilla4597]

@@LindysEpiphany I know some companies that build huge pipelines to move liquid but it's not water. I wish they would do a big project like that for water, especially with the emphasis on infrastructure right now.

[@erinmcdonald7781]

@@maxescamilla4597 And, if water leaks, it doesn't have the toxicity of the other liquids....

[@ILikeDoritos456]

Where did the four years go since the whole Oroville ordeal? Wow. Time flies.

[@BKetch]

Wow it's crazy how fast things can turn from one extreme to another there.

[@edc1569]

almost as if something is affecting the climate....

[@SuperAWaC]

@@edc1569 California has been doing this longer than humans have lived here.

[@thetowndrunk988]

@@SuperAWaC exactly

[@flybyairplane3528]

@@SuperAWaC helloI have even placed a column in a foreign English news paper saying that ANYBODYwhom believes thatANYBODY thinks they can change the weather needs to be CONFINED TO A MENTAL INSTUTION ! Cheers 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

[@MrBen527]

Ironic also that brand new spillway may not get used again.

[@johnnyjames7139]

Having lived in California for 72 years, drought is the normal condition, rainy years are abnormal.

[@dbspecials1200]

Take away states borders and you have a very large area of desert out there. it used to be a shallow sea. California truly straddles the desert. maintaining large communities in some parts is constant work against the brutality of the region. the pioneers who forged the way out there for American settlers knew it all too well. today we have some technologies to help, but how much does it really? and how famous is Death Valley? a guy who made it out of there named it.

[@bobbyp21]

That's why snowpack is so important. Most of the water comes from the winter snows. With higher temperatures and drought like conditions you get rain in the mountains, and not as much as normal times when it was snow. Plus rain goes quicker into the soil as it is falling. Snow can pile up 20 to 30 feet and then all of a sudden the thaw comes and it's going down the mountains into the rivers and creeks faster than it can be absorbed into the soil.

[@lumberjackdreamer6267]

Wrong. We take an average of many many years to determine the “baseline”. Some years are above baseline, some years are below. Does it make sense? Drought doesn’t mean “dry”. Drought is when the year is way way below normal.

[@penguinuprighter6231]

Right..all is well.

[@fixerupper3042]

This lingering drought has been getting worse every year, the severe drought is affecting most western states......Even Oregon is starting to experience this drought. I've lived in California for 42 years and I have noticed hotter summers and longer droughts. 🤷‍♂️

[@pedrovision6987]

00:47 Man...as always...top notch production values...WELL DONE!! ...and now, back to your regularly scheduled programming...

[@jandejong2430]

Much longer droughts than 6 years have happened in California before the 20st century (and bigger fires too). Let's hope the current regime of occasional wet winters continues.

[@TCougar1]

Exactly ! I suggest follow Tony Hellers YT channel he take up these matters every now and then with old news reports and articles from way back

[@mattshaffer5935]

Beautiful country. Reservoirs sure are low. Thanks for the ride along!

[@Tunergeek]

Man I want a ride in that Husky lol. Great work Juan! Thanks for the views!

[@timkirkpatrick9155]

Great footage and update. Thank you!

[@phillipmartino5939]

Thanks for the fly over, it says alot. We are in trouble. The music resonates with the mood.

[@bw162]

Pretty soon Orville Lake will be the world’s biggest skateboard park.

[@SuperAWaC]

You're not gonna wanna try. It will be a half inch thick crust and below that is mud the consistency of peanut butter a couple feet deep which is a nightmare to get stuck in.

[@bw162]

@@SuperAWaC OK. Scratch that idea. Is there anyway we can make it attractive for politicians to wade in?

[@K7DFA]

@G.W.: Yeah, just have Juan drop a bunch of currency from one of his aircraft, they'll come a runnnin'!!!! First we'll have to set up a "GoFundMe" page though. 😁😁😁😁

[@samjohnson9894]

Behind Lake Mead of course

[@SuperAWaC]

@@bw162 Just pay their PR lackeys to tell them it's what will get them the most votes next cycle.

[@andy5478-MTB]

Beautiful videography!

[@Mrsournotes]

Depressing, but hopeful. Beautiful video & music Juan. Now let’s gets some rain!

[@ronaldderooij1774]

I did not get the hopeful part in that (beautiful) music.

[@etanklean7256]

The somber music you mixed in says it all. Great video. Thanks!

[@MichaelAussie05]

This is incredible footage thanks for your time and efforts, I found this really informative and entertaining. Cheers.

[@RockinRobbins13]

Oroville! The crisis there was my first encounter with Juan Brown. I didn't even know you covered aviation.

[@exrobowidow1617]

But did the green spot reappear on Oroville Dam?

[@edc1569]

lol

[@DFDuck55]

My favorite Northern California dam is Whiskeytown. For no other reason other than my grandfather engineered it. Before the reservoir was filled in 1963 my grandpa took me back to see the Gold Rush mining camp of Whiskeytown before it was submerged. Apparently when the reservoir is low you can still see tops of buildings and stuff.

[@virginiatyree6705]

5 7 21 Hey Duck, Yeah, Whiskeytown dam has fun memories for me too. v

[@DFDuck55]

@@virginiatyree6705: The last time I was at Whiskeytown Dam they had just finished the "Glory Hole" overflow spillway. I have never seen the reservoir with water in it. In the late 1950s and 60s my grandfather would take me exploring abandoned mines, mining camp ghost towns, and Indian caves. I continued to explore abandoned mines till the late 1990s but no longer do it. I had enough near death experiences over the years that I figured I had pushed my Guardian Angel to her limits and should quit while I still could.

[@virginiatyree6705]

5 7 21 Hey again @@DFDuck55, Fun story about your grandfather. My. Mum's best friend is a lapidary. He did a lot of exploring in the central Sierras & found Indian artifacts & cool rock specimens. He has a great collection of beautiful stones. One story he told me was he started a redwood from a seed (supposedly found in a pyramid in Egypt) & of course it was cut down as the highway was enlaged. v

[@virginiatyree6705]

@@DFDuck55 , P.S.: Lucky your Guardian Angels knocked some sense into your "young & dumb" mind; he he. I only have one & they have been very patient with my inexperience (& dumbness) about the universe. They allowed me to think first, then I had to decide. Good too know of other humans being guided through life. 😙... v

[@DFDuck55]

@@virginiatyree6705: My grandpa got me into collecting rocks from most everywhere we visited. I continued that practice into the 1990s and had lots of rocks on my porch. For some reason people thought is was okay to take things like quartz crystals and garnets off my porch. About the only thing I have left is a large obsidian stone by my front door. And it was stolen at one point too. I tracked it down and reclaimed it. When we explored Indian caves we found skulls, bones, and artifacts, and always left them where we found them. I don't think any of those still remain in the caves because people somehow think they have the right to take them.

[@marksims5730]

Fanastic scenery and great photography... plus massively interesting. thanks

[@rifleman42051]

Glad you posted this keep them coming make people think twice about wasting water!!!!

[@richardbowles7690]

Sad to see Lake Oroville (Loafer Creek campground, and Bidwell Canyon marina), and Bullard's Bar reservoir in particular. Lived on Kelly Ridge when Oroville Dam was finished.

[@BogWraith1]

I've never been to California. It's such a beautiful state. It breaks my heart to see what's happening to it. Thanks for bringing us these images Juan. It tells the story better then any words could!

[@johnleinen9409]

This is normal climate cycle here, I'm 59 and have seen it many times, the politicians try and make you think its the end of the world.

[@willgaukler8979]

@@johnleinen9409 what ever will sell the paper today ...

[@eventtrading]

It's a thousand mile long stretch of paradise. Juan does it justice. The entire northern half of the state is wilderness, with a few towns thrown in, and still 40 mill live here. We've been in this pickle before. If we don't burn down, we'll make it through the summer, but will need at least a normal rain year starting in Oct.

[@MeanGeneSanDiego]

@@johnleinen9409 This is not the normal climate cycle, Pal. There has only been one really wet year in the last 21 years. Entire oak forests in San Diego County are DEAD because of drought. I have lived here 68 years, we used to have regular El Nino/La Nina cycles about every 4 years... not anymore! The base climate changed with the turn of the millenia. A climate scientist said the same thing that I saw with my own eyes!

[@jhill4071]

My take away. 1. Juan just completed a very important "heads up" public service about California's actual water shortage. 2. Imo Calif obviously lacks essential leadership resulting in the lack of water resource planning and related forest fire prevention and suppression. We the voters keep electing inept Governors who don't seem to realize that providing an assured water supply as being "the only thing" they we need them to do.

[@bubba842]

They are providing an assured water service. Unfortunately, it is not going to the people who need it. It's being channeled away by businesses and farms. Almonds and bottled water are more important than the public.

[@bjodaddyo]

Can you say "Voter Fraud?"

[@bubba842]

@@dlwatib no buddy. You don't grow Almonds in areas with little water resources, since almond farming uses alot of water compared to other crops. And the bottled water plants don't have their own resources. Look at the Nestle plant that is in Yosemite National park. That is public water that they are using and getting for free. There is a huge water wastage problem in California. And I agree that people should not have green grass on their lawns in a area that is pretty much a desert.

[@volvojohn9036]

@@bubba842 You have the same problem as AZ. We are supposed to conserve, plant low-water landscaping, blah, blah. works out well enough, developers and government keep on building, and one day we will be at maximum, then have a major drought. Already conserved to the max, built to the max, now we're out of water. I don't think we're there yet but we're losing major amounts of colorado river water. SOMEDAY.

[@bubba842]

@@volvojohn9036 when shot hits the fan you can guarantee industry will not have to make concessions, no, it will be the average joe who will be told to conserve. All the while industry draws tens of millions of litres of water every minute. But you will be blamed, the people who are paying for it, not the industries who are getting it for nearly free. Remember, we can't let industry falter when their is no water, that's the capitalist way.

[@refillingthecup6750]

Thanks for the eyes in the sky!

[@paul2466]

Great video Juan, those water levels are shockingly low.