Natural resources and environment reporter

Paul Rogers

Paul Rogers is the Bay Area News Group natural resources and environment reporter. He has covered a wide range of issues for The Mercury News and East Bay Times since 1989, including water, oceans, energy, logging, parks, endangered species, toxics and climate change. He also has worked as managing editor of the Science team at KQED, the PBS and NPR station in San Francisco, and has taught science writing at UC Berkeley and UC Santa Cruz.

Yosemite Falls, shown here on April 13, 2023, along with the Merced River in Yosemite National Park, is roaring as record snowpack in the Sierra high country begins to melt.

Environment |
What the huge Sierra snowpack means for Yosemite’s waterfalls

April 18, 2023 at 4:08 p.m.

Records amounts of snow in Yosemite National Park high country bring wonder and danger

A young California condor lands at the Ventana Wildlife Society's condor sanctuary in Big Sur, Calif., Friday, Nov. 18, 2022.

Environment |
California condors killed by avian flu for first time, increasing risk to famed species

April 14, 2023 at 5:00 a.m.

Deaths of 18 birds in Grand Canyon area have biologists in California worried about a wider spread.

Steve Oda from Oakland goes to the water’s edge to take photos of the clouds reflecting off the water at the San Luis Reservoir on Thursday, March 30, 2023.

Environment |
Water windfall: Key California reservoir fills for just third time in 12 years

April 3, 2023 at 7:49 a.m.

San Luis Reservoir, between Gilroy and Los Banos, is the largest off-stream reservoir in the United States.

Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks Friday March 24, 2023 in Dunnigan, in Yolo County.

Environment |
Newsom relaxes California drought rules

March 24, 2023 at 11:01 a.m.

State Water Project also will increase water deliveries due to brimming reservoirs.

President Biden on Tuesday March 21, 2023, established a new national monument banning mining and new development on 506,000 acres of federal land around Spirit Mountain, shown here, in Southern Nevada along the California Desert.

Environment |
Biden establishes vast new national monument near Nevada-California border, honoring tribes

March 21, 2023 at 1:15 p.m.

Spirit Mountain area, known as Avi Kwa Ame, receives protections, while process starts to create new national marine sanctuary in Pacific islands

Caltrans workers clear a storm drain on Interstate 580 eastbound in Oakland, Calif., on Friday, March 10, 2023.

Weather |
Atmospheric river storm brings headaches, traffic jams and wet weather, but Bay Area escapes severe damage

March 10, 2023 at 4:09 p.m.

Light rain forecast over the weekend, with more storms possible next week

The rebuilt Oroville Dam spillways sit fully reconstructed Tuesday, Feb. 8, 2022 at Lake Oroville in Oroville, Calif.

Weather |
Oroville Dam floodgates opening as storms fill massive reservoir

March 10, 2023 at 11:46 a.m.

Oroville Dam operators seek to reduce flood risk as California's second-largest reservoir steadily rises

A National Weather Service flood watch is in effect through Sunday for the Greater Bay Area

Weather |
Bay Area storm: Atmospheric river arrives; flood risk high in Santa Cruz Mountains

March 10, 2023 at 11:44 a.m.

A National Weather Service flood watch is in effect through Sunday for the Greater Bay Area

Crews dig out snow at Yosemite National Park on Thursday, March 2, 2023.

Environment |
Atmospheric river storm this week will bring heavy rain, raise flood concerns with huge Sierra Nevada snowpack

March 6, 2023 at 3:58 p.m.

Experts are watching computer models closely, nervous about growing flood risk

For the first time since 2020, most of California is no longer in a drought.

Environment |
Drought is now over in more than half of California, including the Bay Area, feds say

March 2, 2023 at 10:37 a.m.

For the first time since 2020, most of California is no longer in a drought.