In California water news today, Damage, design flaws in Oroville Dam spillway point to lengthy repairs, consultants say; Temporary fix for Oroville Dam spillway could involve making water jump gap; DWR responds to report of “future significant risk” at spillway; Oroville Dam: Expert panel talks asbestos, spillway failure, managing water; Water allotment falls short; USBR: Large carryover storage the reason why CVP allocation was not higher; San Joaquin Valley’s CVP allocation likely to increase, officials say; California’s wild climate to become more volatile as temperatures rise; Podcast: California’s floods and droughts are just beginning; California vineyards are coming back from the brink of disaster, thanks to winter rains; More spending on water infrastructure important to most Californians, PPIC survey says; and more …
On the calendar today …
- The Central Valley Flood Protection Board meets at 9am. Click here for agenda, meeting materials, and webcast link.
- Scoping Meeting for Delta Plan amendments from 10am to noon: The Delta Stewardship Council, pursuant to CEQA guidelines,will host a public scoping meeting to receive oral and written comments for the Council’s preparation of a Program Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for proposed amendments to the Delta Plan in the areas of Delta Levee Investment and Risk Reduction Strategy; Delta Conveyance, Storage, and Operations; and Performance Measures. To read the Notice of Preparation (NOP) for Draft Program Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for Proposed Amendments to the Delta Plan, please click here. Click here for the webcast.
In the news today …
Also on Maven’s Notebook today …
Damage, design flaws in Oroville Dam spillway point to lengthy repairs, consultants say: “The main spillway at Oroville Dam is riddled with design flaws and so badly damaged that an independent panel of experts hired by the state has concluded it’s probably impossible to repair the structure completely before the next rainy season begins in November. The panel of four engineering consultants, in a recent memo to the state Department of Water Resources, said it believes the concrete spillway can be made functional enough to release water from Lake Oroville during the next rainy season. But the panel noted it’s “questionable” whether the state has enough time to replace the badly damaged lower half of the 48-year-old spillway. The bottom of the structure is now split from the top by a gaping chasm that extends into the neighboring hillside. … ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee here: Damage, design flaws in Oroville Dam spillway point to lengthy repairs, consultants say
Temporary fix for Oroville Dam spillway could involve making water jump gap: “Officials with the Department of Water Resources are mulling over temporary and permanent solutions to the Oroville Dam Spillway crisis. They were presented with the findings from a group of engineering experts who analyzed the problems and potential fixes to the beaten and battered spillway. “I think it’s one of the most urgent infrastructure things you could imagine,” said Jay Lund, a civil engineering professor at UC Davis. Lund read over the panel’s report, which outlines issue with the spillway and suggested solutions. … ” Read more from CBS Sacramento here: Temporary fix for Oroville Dam spillway could involve making water jump gap
DWR responds to report of “future significant risk” at spillway: “The Department of Water Resources (DWR) is responding to a report quoted in an article by the Associated Press which states all of California could face a very significant risk if the Oroville Dam spillway isn’t fixed by November. The report does not pinpoint the exact “significant risk”. However, DWR officials have worried all along that if the damage to the main spillway expanded upwards to cripple the flood gates, there wouldn’t be a way to control the outflow of water from the lake outside of the power plant. The report quoted in the AP article was prepared by independent consultants selected by the state. ... ” Read more from KRCR here: DWR responds to report of “future significant risk” at spillway
Oroville Dam: Expert panel talks asbestos, spillway failure, managing water: “With experience in geology, water management and negotiating hydropower licensing, four men brought their expertise to a panel discussion on the Oroville Dam spillway Wednesday at Chico State University. The panel talked about issues with controlling the water and managing dams, in a program presented by Chico State’s Center for Water and the Environment and the school’s Department of Civil Engineering. … ” Read more from the Chico Enterprise-Record here: Oroville Dam: Expert panel talks asbestos, spillway failure, managing water
Water allotment falls short: “A request from 11 local representatives for full water allotment to Central Valley Project contracts fell on deaf federal ears this week. On Thursday, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation announced a 65 percent allotment. California State Senate Andy Vidak (R-Hanford) said he wanted the full allotment because of the wet winter. “We have had all this rain this year, we’re coming off of one the worst droughts in recent history, now is the time the federal government should provide a 100 percent allocation,” he said. ... ” Read more from the Visalia Times-Delta here: Water allotment falls short
USBR: Large carryover storage the reason why CVP allocation was not higher: “California farmers who suffered through three years of no Central Valley Project surface water from the federal government were told Wednesday they could expect at least 65 percent of requested deliveries in 2017. The announcement by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation comes with the optimism that by June farmers could see their projected supply rise to 80 percent if conditions continue to be wet. It also comes with loud criticism that the lack of available water was due to epic drought conditions. Still, water users across the state wonder why the allocation was not 100 percent given that this year will go down as the wettest season in recorded history. … ” Read more from the Western Farm Press here: USBR: Large carryover storage the reason why CVP allocation was not higher
San Joaquin Valley’s CVP allocation likely to increase, officials say: “Federal officials say their allocation of 65 percent of requested Central Valley Project water for the western San Joaquin Valley is likely to be increased this spring. An ample anticipated snowmelt from the central Sierra Nevada into the San Joaquin River and its tributaries and a sufficient federal share of water in the full-to-the-brim San Luis Reservoir could push the allocation to 80 percent or higher, said Ron Milligan, operations manager for the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. The initial promise of 65 percent of contracted supplies was based on March 1 projections for a dry spring, he said. “This is an initial allocation,” said Pablo Arroyave, the bureau’s acting mid-Pacific regional director. “For those particular water users, we will update the allocation as often as needed this spring. Generally speaking, final allocations aren’t done until June.” ... ” Read more from the Capital Press here: San Joaquin Valley’s CVP allocation likely to increase, officials say
California’s wild climate to become more volatile as temperatures rise: “To understand how climate change is creating a world of extremes, look to California, where the reality of severe drought coupled with intense precipitation threatens millions of residents, a rich ecosystem and the dated infrastructure designed to protect them. The record rains soaking the most populous U.S. state this winter seemed an impossible reprieve: Following the state’s driest years on record – which forced extreme water rationing and left some of its poorest residents relying on bottled water – a possible record amount of precipitation began inundating the state in late 2016, lifting it out of the red in a matter of months. But that rain and snowfall is no end to California’s water woes. In fact, it may just be the beginning. … ” Read more from Water Deeply here: California’s wild climate to become more volatile as temperatures rise
Podcast: California’s floods and droughts are just beginning: “UC-Berkeley environmental scientist Lynn Ingram joined us for the one-year anniversary episode of Ars Technica Live, and she gave us a broad historical perspective on climate change. Ingram’s special focus is paleoclimatology, or the study of Earth’s ancient ecosystems. She explained that she spends a lot of time in the lab dissolving rocks, bones, and shells in acid to get good carbon dates on them. Working with other researchers, she has found that California’s climate has always been subject to dramatic fluctuations, but now those are being exacerbated by human activity. … ” Read more at Ars Technica here: Podcast: California’s floods and droughts are just beginning
California vineyards are coming back from the brink of disaster, thanks to winter rains: “This spring, it’s all about the “super bloom,” the blanket of wildflowers covering California’s hillsides that has transformed parched desert landscapes into spectacular riots of color. But perhaps more important, it’s also about the state’s vineyards, which are experiencing a comparable replenishment, with a tableau just as colorful and dramatic. Cover crops — mustard, peas, vetch, clover, buckwheat — are weaving a tangled geometry between the vine rows, one of the many signs that in 2017, California’s vineyards — Central Coast vineyards in particular — are coming back from the brink of disaster. It’s hard to imagine what might have happened to the region without this season’s rains. Record low rainfall levels, coupled with record average temperatures in an age of global warming, had left viticulture from Monterey to Ventura in a low-grade peril. ... ” Read more from the LA Times here: California vineyards are coming back from the brink of disaster, thanks to winter rains
More spending on water infrastructure important to most Californians, PPIC survey says: “A new statewide survey, conducted by the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC), shows that 88% of Californians think it is important for the state to spend more money on water and flood management infrastructure. “After the recent rains, many Californians have added water and flood management to their wish list for meeting the state’s infrastructure needs,” PPIC President and CEO Mark Baldassare said in a statement. … ” Read more from ACWA’s Water News here: More spending on water infrastructure important to most Californians, PPIC survey says
In commentary today …
Opposing sides in California water wars forced together in groundwater agencies, says Susan Sward: She writes, “With all the downpours and flooding across California this winter, it might seem that the pressure to begin managing the state’s precious groundwater supply would ease up a bit.Instead, the state is pushing to quicken the pace of implementing groundwater regulations. “To protect critical water infrastructure, we need to think about what we can do at a faster pace” than the long-term deadlines now in groundwater law, said Jeanine Jones, a Department of Water Resources manager, citing new aerial images pinpointing severe over-pumping. At the same time, the process of forming local agencies to manage groundwater basins is fueling anxiety among farmers and environmentalists alike. … ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee here: Opposing sides in California water wars forced together in groundwater agencies
Officials must listen to the people and stop the Delta tunnels, says Allen Payton: He writes, “After watching and listening to the variety of East County and Bay Area residents speak out against the Delta Tunnels at the meeting of the Delta Stewardship Council in Brentwood on Thursday, March 23, 2017, one thing is clear, we don’t want them. All they will do is damage the Delta and the region in which we live. So how is that good stewardship of the Delta? The proposed tunnels are referred to as conveyances. Well we already have two water conveyances, they’re called the San Joaquin River which flows north into and through the Delta and the Sacramento River which flows south. The two natural, God created conveyances we call rivers, meet at Antioch whose current slogan is the “Gateway to the Delta.” ... ” Read more from the Antioch Herald here: Officials must listen to the people and stop the Delta tunnels
Five reasons water efficiency and recycling are a perfect match: Tracy Quinn writes, “In a recent op-ed by Contra Costa Water District board president Lisa M. Borba and Central Contra Costa Sanitary District director Paul H. Causey, the duo state that California’s efforts to advance water efficiency will diminish recycled water investments and disincentivize future recycled water projects. As a civil engineer/water policy analyst who has worked on California water issues for 15 years, I draw the exact opposite conclusion: Water efficiency and conservation measures complement investments in recycled water. Here are the five facts underlying my conclusion … ” Read more from Water Deeply here: Five reasons water efficiency and recycling are a perfect match
In regional news and commentary today …
Crews rescue stranded fish in Tehama County: “California Department of Fish and Wildlife employees were out rescuing fish by Jelly’s Ferry Bridge that had been stranded after high river flows receded. This is the third week crews have been combing through sloughs to rescue stranded fish. “We’ve been doing this for about five years now, and this is by far the most fish we’ve seen,” said Senior Environmental Specialist Doug Killam. Killam said they had to work fast to save them. “This area will be dry in another few weeks, maybe a month. Even before that, the birds, the herons, and the mergansers or raccoons will get in here before that happens,” Killam said. … ” Read more from KRCR here: Crews rescue stranded fish in Tehama County
Klamath River salmon season faces closure due to ‘unprecedented’ forecast: “Both sport and commercial salmon fishing near the Klamath River could be completely closed this year as a result of what the Pacific Fishery Management Council is projecting to be the lowest return of spawning Chinook salmon on record. “The salmon runs this year will present a challenge for ocean fishermen and managers throughout the West Coast,” Council Executive Director Chuck Tracy said in a statement. “In the north, several coho runs will keep ocean quotas lower than normal. In the south, the low forecast for Klamath River fall Chinook is unprecedented, and the most restrictive alternative the council will consider allows no ocean fishing between Cape Falcon, Oregon and the U.S./Mexico border after April 30 this year.” ... ” Read more from the Eureka Times-Standard here: Klamath River salmon season faces closure due to ‘unprecedented’ forecast
Another reservoir overflows as Northern California receives more rain: “The milestones marking California’s wettest year in decades continued to pile up Thursday, as state water officials said a reservoir high up in the Sierra Nevada has exceeded capacity for the first time in 21 years. Lake Davis began overflowing onto its earth-and-rock spillway Wednesday after a couple of light rainstorms this week, Department of Water Resources officials said. … ” Read more from the LA Times here: Another reservoir overflows as Northern California receives more rain
Oakdale Irrigation District recall election may be limbo: “Water leaders are looking deeper into whether signature gatherers committed fraud to prompt a recall of Oakdale Irrigation District board member Linda Santos, throwing into question the status of the April 25 ballot. In other action Tuesday evening, staff unveiled potential boundaries for voting divisions within OID and announced that the district expects to sell no surplus Stanislaus River water this year to outsiders – a major source of income in years past. The board did agree to offer water to local farmers just outside OID boundaries at $60 an acre-foot. The board voted 4-1 behind closed doors, with Herman Doornenbal dissenting, to explore evidence that some people were tricked into signing petitions asking for Santos’ recall. An investigation by OID’s attorney will help determine if the board should ask a judge to cancel the ballot. ... ” Read more from the Modesto Bee here: Oakdale Irrigation District recall election may be limbo
East Porterville residents can connect to city water at no charge: “East Porterville residents whose wells have ran dry from years of drought now have the option to connect to the City of Porterville’s water system for free. State Department of Water Resources, local officials and volunteers gathered at Granite Hills High School the evening of Feb. 22 to explain the connection, whose fees can reach up to $10,000. State and local grants total about $20 million to make those connections for the area. Nearly 200 residents showed up to the informational meeting, which was held in English and Spanish. ... ” Read more from Valley de Vida here: East Porterville residents can connect to city water at no charge
Environmentalists win temporary halt to Devil’s Gate Dam digout: “Environmentalists on Thursday won a temporary halt to a project to remove millions of cubic yards of sediment from behind Devil’s Gate Dam, a project they said was so big it would harm air quality and wildlife habitat in the Hahamongna Watershed Park in the north end of Pasadena. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge James Chalfant ruled LA County’s environmental impact report on the project was insufficient. Opponent of the plan were pleased with the decision. “A lot of these flood control areas that they manage are, in fact, bird habitat,” said Laura Garrett of Pasadena Audubon Society, which sued LA County to reduce the scope and pace of the sediment removal project. “In fact, sometimes it’s the only bird habitat because everything else has been developed.” ... ” Read more from KPCC here: Environmentalists win temporary halt to Devil’s Gate Dam digout
Southern California is drowning in drought-proofing projects: “As California pulls out of the drought, expect to see a weird thing: water agencies opposing plans to help the state get through future droughts. Water agencies are working on dozens of projects to boost Southern California’s water supply. Combined, these projects could provide enough drinking water for several million people. But many of the agencies are simultaneously boosting their own projects and arguing that others shouldn’t be built – partly out of a fear that ratepayers will only tolerate so many projects, and partly because of politics and territorialism. Water districts in Southern California overlap and layer on top of one another. There are billions of dollars’ worth of projects under consideration, so if each one was built, customers caught in the middle could see their water rates skyrocket. … ” Read more from the Voice of San Diego here: Southern California is drowning in drought-proofing projects
And lastly …
Burning Man festival in question with Black Rock desert currently underwater: “The site of Nevada’s famed Burning Man festival is now a giant mud puddle that in some spots is a foot-deep lake. So some Burners, who hope to buy tickets this month to the 68,000-person campout that begins Aug. 27, are concerned that the wet conditions could endanger its federal Bureau of Land Management permit. The wild, annual celebration of self-expression and art lasts for a week through Labor Day. Beforehand, participants build a temporary city in the desert about 90 miles northeast of Reno. Afterward, they tear it down and haul it away, leaving no trace of its previous existence. ... ” Read more from USA Today here: Burning Man festival in question with Black Rock desert currently underwater
Precipitation watch …
Also on Maven’s Notebook today …
- NEWS WORTH NOTING: The Freshwater Trust helps develop program to offset phosphorus and improve habitat in NorCal; DWR announces Water-Energy Grants; Lake Davis Fills as anticipated, spillway outflows begin
- MORE REACTIONS to Central Valley Project allocation announcement
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About the Daily Digest: The Daily Digest is a collection of selected news articles, commentaries and editorials appearing in the mainstream press. Items are generally selected to follow the focus of the Notebook blog. The Daily Digest is published every weekday with a weekend edition posting on Sundays.
