DAILY DIGEST: Drought emergency ends in California; here’s what’s next; Ag experts say lack of water storage keeping Valley in drought; Water utility cyberattack racks up hefty data charges; and more …

Maven
DAILY DIGEST
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In California water news today, Drought emergency ends in California; here’s what’s next; Ag experts say lack of water storage keeping Valley in drought; No signs of major fuel spill from capsized barge in SF Bay; Water officials hoping to increase water storage capacity of Lake Success; San Luis Obispo County takes on fringe areas in Los Osos basin; Environmental groups file lawsuit over water diversions from Santa Ana River; Greens fight San Bernardino’s plan for river water; San Diego: Project to transform wastewater into drinking water moves forward; Water utility cyberattack racks up hefty data charges; and more …

In the news today …

Also on Maven’s Notebook today …

Drought emergency ends in California; here’s what’s next:  “As Northern California inched closer on Friday to breaking the record for the wettest water year in California’s recorded history, Gov. Jerry Brown issued an executive order formally declaring the drought emergency over in most of the state.  After a very wet winter, California’s critical April 1 snowpack reading came in at 164 percent of the historical average and the U.S. Drought Monitor showed that less than 8 percent of the state was experiencing some form of drought, a stark change from the same time last year when 90 percent of the state was in drought, much of it extreme. … ”  Read more from Water Deeply here:  Drought emergency ends in California; here’s what’s next

Ag experts say lack of water storage keeping Valley in drought:  “As rain continues to replenish the Valley, four counties remain under drought emergency. On Friday, Governor Brown declared most of California drought free. All but Fresno, Kings, Tulare and Tuolumne counties. Nisei Farmers League President Manuel Cunha says local farmers have conserved enough water.  “The governor does not want to lift his control over our ground water and that’s what it’s about,” said Cunha.  Ag experts say lack of ground water is keeping the Valley dry. … ”  Read more from Your Central Valley here:  Ag experts say lack of water storage keeping Valley in drought

No signs of major fuel spill from capsized barge in SF Bay:  “Three days after the 112-foot barge Vengeance overturned in high winds near Yerba Buena Island, the U.S. Coast Guard worked Sunday to contain the diesel slick spilled from its depths and walked nearby beaches to check on wildlife.  The freight barge, owned by Vortex Marine Construction and contracted by BART for maintenance of its Transbay Tunnel, overturned Friday around 12:20 a.m. south of the Bay Bridge.  The barge carries 4,000 gallons of diesel fuel and 300 gallons of hydraulic fluid, said Adam Stanton, a spokesman for the Coast Guard. But it’s impossible to know exactly how much spilled without lifting the boat from the water, and that could take weeks, Stanton said. ... ”  Read more from SF Gate here:  No signs of major fuel spill from capsized barge in SF Bay

Water officials hoping to increase water storage capacity of Lake Success:  “On the heels of a historically wet winter and with the idea that much more water will flow down the mountains this spring, leaders of the Lower Tule River Irrigation District hope to capture as much water as possible for their 500 or so farmers.  “You know this area has been ground zero in the drought impact for the last three or four years,” Dank Vink with the South Valley Water Association said. “So, having the blessing of an abundant year has definitely got people in better moods.”  Vink is the manager of the district and is also the executive director of the SVWA. He says the district is asking the Army Corps of Engineers to approve a sandbagging project along the Lake Success spillway. ... ”  Read more from ABC 30 here:  Water officials hoping to increase water storage capacity of Lake Success

San Luis Obispo County takes on fringe areas in Los Osos basin:  “San Luis Obispo County reached a milestone in groundwater management Tuesday, when the Board of Supervisors unanimously voted to form its first groundwater sustainability agency, in the Los Osos basin.  In order to comply with the state’s Sustainable Groundwater Management Act, the county will manage the 2,400-acre “fringe area” outside the boundaries of the basin that are already adjudicated as a result of an earlier court ruling. Staff with county public works said they plan to form a stakeholder advisory committee and work closely with other organizations in the basin to sustainably manage groundwater. … ”  Read more from the San Luis Obispo Tribune here:  San Luis Obispo County takes on fringe areas in Los Osos basin

Environmental groups file lawsuit over water diversions from Santa Ana River:  “Two environmental groups are suing the city of San Bernardino Water Department and the city of San Bernardino for planning to divert up to 22 million gallons of water a day from the Santa Ana River – action they say would reduce water flows by up to 50 percent.  The diversion will “have significant impacts on imperiled species,” including the Santa Ana sucker, San Bernardino kangaroo rat, southwestern willow flycatcher and least Bell’s vireo, among other species, according to the lawsuit filed Thursday in San Bernardino Superior Court by the Center for Biological Diversity and the San Bernardino Valley Audubon Society.  The change is part of the city’s recently approved Environmental Impact Report for a “Clean Water Factory” — a planned new water recycling plant. … ”  Read more from the San Bernardino Sun here:  Environmental groups file lawsuit over water diversions from Santa Ana River

Greens fight San Bernardino’s plan for river water:  “Two environmental groups challenged San Bernardino’s plan to drastically cut water releases to the Santa Ana River, claiming it will hurt endangered wildlife species and their habitats.  The Center for Biological Diversity and the San Bernardino Valley Audubon Society sued San Bernardino and its Municipal Water Department in Superior Court Thursday, asking that construction of the proposed Clean Water Factory project be postponed until the city’s environmental studies comply with the California Environmental Quality Act. … ”  Read more from Courthouse News here:  Greens fight San Bernardino’s plan for river water

San Diego: Project to transform wastewater into drinking water moves forward:  “The project that will eventually transform wastewater into purified drinking water in San Diego is moving forward, with engineering and design concepts of the first phase about 60 percent complete.  Pure Water San Diego will provide one-third of San Diego’s water supply locally by 2035. Construction on the project is set to begin at the end of 2018.  The first phase will involve pipe line construction to move wastewater from a planned pump station in the Morena area to the North City Pure Water Facility in Miramar. The water will be then stored at the Lake Miramar Reservoir before it’s sent to the nearby Water Treatment plant. The water will then be blended with other imported water before making its way to taps. … ”  Read more from Channel 7 here: Project to transform wastewater into drinking water moves forward

Water utility cyberattack racks up hefty data charges:  “Hackers that stormed the digital defenses of an American water authority and took control of its cellular routers late last year were not interested in disrupting water supply and wastewater treatment. Instead they were intent on stealing valuable internet service, and lots of it, according to a Department of Homeland Security intelligence briefing published on March 29.  As the hackers took command and used the routers for other purposes, the authority’s cellular data bill soared — from an average of $US 300 a month to $US 45,000 in December and $US 53,000 in January. Details of the government’s report on the incident were described to Circle of Blue by Michael Preston, who works on security issues with the National Rural Water Association, and others who read the briefing. ... ”  Read more from Circle of Blue here:  Water utility cyberattack racks up hefty data charges

In commentary today …

Flood Valley fields: Farmer incentives would pump up aquifer recharge, say Ashley Boren and Don Cameron:  They write, “There’s strong evidence that the state’s crippling five-year drought may finally be coming to an end. Experts caution, however, that the state will see more frequent and intense droughts like the one we’re recovering from. When future rains do come, they’ll be more intense and result in more flooding.  While a vast majority of California’s reservoirs are full – some of the largest ran out of space to store this winter’s deluge – the drought’s long-term effects still persist. One of the biggest issues we face is depleted groundwater supplies. Groundwater keeps farms and communities going in times of drought and when surface-water supplies run thin. … ”  Read more from the Fresno Bee here:  Flood Valley fields: Farmer incentives would pump up aquifer recharge

More news and commentary in the weekend edition of the Daily Digest …

Precipitation watch …

Also on Maven’s Notebook today …

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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.

 

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