In California water news today, Groups file first legal challenges in Delta tunnels fight; Environmentalists, fishing groups file lawsuits to block Delta tunnels plan; Is Brown’s massive Delta tunnels project the right idea right now?; How climate change could threaten the water supply for millions of Californians; California reservoirs holding twice as much water as at the drought’s height; How reservoirs can adapt to flooding in a warmer climate; First Board of Consultants memo without retractions released; Oroville Strong rebuilding city image; Building a model to help rebuild Oroville Dam; He oversaw dam safety as problems lurked at Oroville Dam. Should he be advising the state?; California seen as facing potentially severe fire season; California in July: It’s time to hit the slopes; and more …
On the calendar today …
- The Watershed Health Indicator & Data Science Symposium presented by SWAMP begins at 9am. Click here for more information. Click here to watch on webcast.
In the news today …
Groups file first legal challenges in Delta tunnels fight: “A coalition of environmental and fishing groups on Thursday filed the first of what are expected to be many lawsuits challenging Gov. Jerry Brown’s $17.1 billion plan to build two massive water tunnels through the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. The suits, filed in U.S. District Court in San Francisco, come four days after two federal agencies said the controversial project can co-exist with endangered Delta fish. In a pair of long-awaited decisions, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service said the tunnels, known as California WaterFix, aren’t likely to jeopardize the continued existence of the Delta smelt, Chinook salmon, steelhead and other imperiled species. ... ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee here: Groups file first legal challenges in Delta tunnels fight
Environmentalists, fishing groups file lawsuits to block Delta tunnels plan: “Kicking off what are expected to be years of legal battles, a coalition of environmental and fishing groups on Thursday filed the first major lawsuits over California Gov. Jerry Brown’s $17 billion plan to build two massive, 35-mile-long tunnels under the Delta to make it easier to move water from Northern California to the south. The Natural Resources Defense Council, Defenders of Wildlife, Bay Institute and Golden Gate Salmon Association filed two lawsuits in U.S District Court in San Francisco. They challenged approvals given earlier this week by the Trump administration, which said the project won’t cause significant harm to salmon, smelt and other fish and wildlife. … ” Read more from the San Jose Mercury News here: Environmentalists, fishing groups file lawsuits to block Delta tunnels plan
Environmentalists sue over Delta tunnels project: “A powerful assemblage of environmentalists are targeting federal fisheries officials days after regulators gave California the green light on a $15.7-billion makeover of the largest estuary on the West Coast. Led by the National Resources Defense Council, the environmentalists claim that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife and the National Marine Fisheries Service ignored evidence that a contentious public works project could devastate native salmon and other endangered fish species. According to a pair of complaints filed Thursday in San Francisco federal court, the regulators based their approval on mitigation plans that haven’t been analyzed or even identified by the project’s planners. … ” Read more from the Courthouse News Service here: Environmentalists sue over Delta tunnels project
Is Brown’s massive Delta tunnels project the right idea right now? “This week’s declaration by the US Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service that the massive Delta tunnels proposed by the Jerry Brown administration would not cause the extinction of several imperiled fish species gave a significant boost to the behemoth project. Still, other impediments must be overcome before the digging starts and the concrete flows. For one, the primary beneficiaries of the project—San Joaquin Valley corporate farms and Southern California urban water districts—will have to pony up most of the money for the scheme, and it’s not yet clear whether they’re willing to shoulder such a burden. … ” Read more from California Magazine here: Is Brown’s massive Delta tunnels project the right idea right now?
How climate change could threaten the water supply for millions of Californians: “When it comes to California and climate change, the predictions are staggering: coastal airports besieged by floodwaters, entire beaches disappearing as sea levels rise. Another disturbing scenario is brewing inland, in the sleepy backwaters of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. It’s a threat to the Delta’s ecosystem that could swallow up a significant portion of California’s water supply. Scientists from government and academia say rising sea levels caused by climate change will bring more salt water into the Delta, the hub of California’s water-delivery network. ... ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee here: How climate change could threaten the water supply for millions of Californians
California reservoirs holding twice as much water as at the drought’s height: “California’s reservoirs are brimming after a winter of relentless storms and a late-spring heatwave that thawed the a big chunk of the snowpack. The Golden State’s system of 154 major reservoirs is holding 34,464,000 acre-feet according to the most recent June 12 state report with data pulled from an array of entities that own and manage these bodies of water, including the Department of Water Resources, the Bureau of Reclamation, the Army Corps of Engineers and several city water departments. … ” Read more from SF Gate here: California reservoirs holding twice as much water as at the drought’s height
How reservoirs can adapt to flooding in a warmer climate: “Much has been written on the potential effects and adaptations for California’s water supply from climate warming, particularly from changes in snowpack accumulation and melting, sea-level rise and possible overall drying or wetting trends. But what about floods? In a paper in the journal San Francisco Estuary and Watershed Science, we along with coauthors from the United States Army Corps of Engineers review much of the literature to date and examine how the Shasta, Oroville and New Bullards Bar reservoirs might adapt to floods in a warmer climate, including a climate that is either wetter or drier. … ” Read more from Water Deeply here: How reservoirs can adapt to flooding in a warmer climate
First Board of Consultants memo without retractions released: “The latest memorandum prepared by the independent board looking at the Oroville Dam redesign includes new suggestions and is notably devoid of blacked-out text previously requested by the state Department of Water Resources. Some information has been retracted in all previous memos by the Board of Consultants, resulting in criticism from the public, press and legislators. Erin Mellon with the California Natural Resources Agency said this document could be released in its entirety because it contained no Critical Engineering Infrastructure Information. ... ” Read more from the Chico Enterprise-Record here: First Board of Consultants memo without retractions released
Building a model to help rebuild Oroville Dam: “Anyone who contemplated the wreckage of the Oroville Dam’s main spillway back in February — either while water was pounding down the shattered concrete structure or when the flow was stopped later and the enormity of the damage was fully visible — probably had this thought cross their mind: “That is going to be tough to fix.” Officials with the California Department of Water Resources were apparently thinking something similar. They got in touch with researchers at Utah State University as part of the process to figure out just how to approach the job of rebuilding the 3,000-foot-long concrete chute. ... ” Read more from KQED here: Building a model to help rebuild Oroville Dam
He oversaw dam safety as problems lurked at Oroville Dam. Should he be advising the state? “Facing a crisis after a huge crater formed in the main flood-control spillway at Oroville Dam, officials at the California Department of Water Resources called in an old hand to help: David Gutierrez, a nationally known engineer who had just retired as chief of the agency’s dam-safety division. He seemed like an obvious choice for dealing with an emergency at America’s tallest dam – valued for his technical expertise, his coast-to-coast connections in the engineering field, and his years of experience. Before long he was advising DWR on repairing the spillway, conducting briefings with reporters and fielding testy questions from legislators and townspeople. … ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee here: He oversaw dam safety as problems lurked at Oroville Dam. Should he be advising the state?
Did a mistake by the Army Corps lead to the Kings River flooding? “Flooding along the lower Kings River might have been avoided if the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers had not miscalculated the rush of snowmelt into Pine Flat Lake during the triple-digit heat wave. Fresno County Supervisor Buddy Mendes, whose district includes parts of the river, said the corps was slow to boost releases when the heat wave started. The corps, which manages Pine Flat Dam, was watching the lake rise to almost full when it finally increased water releases into the lower Kings – and the excess was more than some places could handle, he said. ... ” Read more from the Fresno Bee here: Did a mistake by the Army Corps lead to the Kings River flooding?
California seen as facing potentially severe fire season: “With nearly 30,000 acres charred already, California could be in for a severe wildfire season, U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein said Thursday as firefighters worked to contain blazes around the state. Feinstein cited the increase in brush spawned by the winter’s heavy rains and the recent severe heat wave that dried out vegetation. “Making matters worse, six years of drought has left us with more than 100 million dead trees,” she said in a statement. “This overabundance of fuel, combined with fires that are burning hotter and faster, has created a potentially catastrophic scenario in California that poses an increased risk not only to property but also the brave men and women fighting these fires.” … ” Read more from SF Gate here: California seen as facing potentially severe fire season
California in July: It’s time to hit the slopes: “Swimsuit. Sunscreen. Skis. You’re ready: Celebrate your independence by schussing the slopes during the longest snow season in California history. While the rest of America has moved on to lawn parties and backyard barbecues, happy skiers are still carving turns through the sweet, sticky pockets of lingering snow in the Sierra Nevada — where weekend lifts are spinning for the ninth straight month, even as temperatures soar to the mid-70s. … ” Read more from the San Jose Mercury News here: California in July: It’s time to hit the slopes
In commentary today …
Stop the $17 billion Delta twin tunnel water grab, says the San Jose Mercury News: He writes, “Two federal agencies’ decision Monday to green-light construction of Gov. Jerry Brown’s Delta twin-tunnels plan is an unwelcome setback for opponents of the project. But it’s not the huge milestone that proponents are claiming. The National Marine Fisheries Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service opinion merely said that building the tunnels “doesn’t deepen any harm” to several endangered species. “Deepen” is the key here. In effect, they’re saying that the impact of taking too much water out of the Delta in recent years has been so detrimental that building the tunnels won’t make much difference. Pardon us for not celebrating the news. … ” Read more from the San Jose Mercury News here: Stop the $17 billion Delta twin tunnel water grab
In regional news and commentary today …
Butte County hits groundwater management deadline: “Friday is the first deadline in the process of managing groundwater in California, and Butte County has hit it. The Sustainable Groundwater Management Act passed in 2014 mandated that by June 30, 2017, “groundwater sustainability agencies” had to be designated to cover all the groundwater basins in the state. There are four sub-basins of the Sacramento Valley basin under the county, and each of them has GSAs in place, according to Paul Gosselin, director of the county Department of Water and Resource Conservation. … ” Read more from the Chico Enterprise-Record here: Butte County hits groundwater management deadline
Stormwater projects being accepted to clean up Chico’s creeks: “The city is developing a plan to reduce pollutants and trash in Chico’s creeks, and improve upon the use of storm water as a resource. It is accepting project proposals to benefit water quality and supply, flood management, the environment, education and jobs. They also have to meet state requirements under Senate Bill 985 and follow the State Water Board guidelines so the city is able to receive grants. ... ” Read more from the Chico Enterprise-Record here: Stormwater projects being accepted to clean up Chico’s creeks
Oroville Strong rebuilding city image: “Before the Oroville Dam spillway drama fades from memory, changes are underway. The Oroville Strong! movement continues to gain members, more people are visiting Lake Oroville, and local politicians are pushing through a bill to inspect dams more often. … ” Read more from the Oroville Mercury-Register here: Oroville Strong rebuilding city image
Salinas Valley groundwater maneuvering continues as state deadline arrives: “Capping late maneuvers aimed at attempting to manage groundwater in the Salinas Valley under state law, the Board of Supervisors agreed Thursday to declare the county intends to assume oversight of any disputed areas in the groundwater basin to avoid state intervention. The agreement comes as tiny San Lucas Water District backed off an attempt backed by agri-business interests to seek control of a large portion of the southern end of the valley. In a special meeting on Thursday, the supervisors unanimously backed sending a letter to the State Water Board indicating the county’s intent to serve as the default groundwater sustainability agency for any areas of the Salinas Valley basin that might be declared “unmanaged” by the state under the state’s Sustainable Groundwater Management Act. … ” Read more from the Monterey Herald here: Salinas Valley groundwater maneuvering continues as state deadline arrives
Blue-green algae warning for San Luis Reservoir: “Blue-green algae has been detected in the San Luis Reservoir. The Department of Water Resources urges boaters and water craft users to avoid contact with water containing blue-green algae. The scientific name for this phenomenon is cyanobacteria, it is a group of predominately photosynthetic organisms. Officials are warning swimmers to stay clear of parts of San Luis Reservoir. Contact or ingesting the organism can cause sickness in humans and pets. Exposure to the blue-green algae can result in eye irritation, skin rash, mouth ulcers, vomiting, diarrhea and flu-like symptoms. … ” Read more from Westside Connect here: Blue-green algae warning for San Luis Reservoir
Santa Nella water district approves water blending study: “The Santa Nella County Water District (SNCWD) approved Resolution Number 17-07, adopting the Initial Study/Mitigation Declaration (IS/MND) and Mitigation Monitoring Reporting program for the Santa Nella/Volta water supply and blending project. The approval of the initial study was put on hold May 11, at the board meeting. The district’s General Manager Amy Montgomery requested a second continuance for adoption of the initial study at the meeting. The initial study, required by the California Environment Quality Act (CEQA) identified potentially significant environmental effects. However, those effects could be reduced to a less than significant level with the recommended mitigation measures. Based on the initial study, a proposed negative declaration was prepared. ... ” Read more from Westside Connect here: Santa Nella water district approves water blending study
Tioga Pass reopens in time for fourth of July: “The back way into Yosemite National Park opened Thursday just in time for the holiday weekend. It’s the latest opening for Tioga Pass since 1998. The long winter weather that caused closure has had a big impact on businesses along the route. ... ” Read more from Capital Public Radio here: Tioga Pass reopens in time for fourth of July
Rising tides: Sea levels in Santa Barbara: “Santa Barbarans are a varied bunch, but there’s one thing we’d probably all agree on: We like our coastline where it is. Rising sea levels, though, mean that our beachfront — and quite possibly our downtown — will be fundamentally changed over time. And a new report issued in April found that sea level rise along the California coastline could be faster and more drastic than previously predicted. Especially alarming was one scenario that saw California experiencing a 10-foot sea level rise by 2100, higher than most scientists previously thought possible. Regional sea level studies, of course, can be tricky. It’s difficult to accurately assess how one community will be impacted. … ” Read more from the Santa Barbara Independent here: Rising tides: Sea levels in Santa Barbara
Millions of gallons of water spill from Mexico: “The International Boundary and Water Commission estimates about 5 million gallons of water spilled from Mexico into San Diego Tuesday. They said a border patrol agent spotted the spill around 7:30 a.m. and for nearly three hours, water gushed into the area. The Commission said a few hours later, another rupture that lasted three and a half hours caused more water to spill. … ” Read more from Channel 10 here: Millions of gallons of water spill from Mexico
Friday flight over Oroville …
From the Department of Water Resources: “Excavators continue to bring down the remaining walls on the lower portion of the spillway’s upper chute. Demolition of the 1,400-foot lower chute is nearly complete and stay-in-place concrete forms are being constructed as part of the new concrete foundation and drainage system for the spillway. Work on the cutoff wall below the emergency spillway continues.”
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