DAILY DIGEST: More details as twin tunnels decision nears; What’s next for Oroville Dam spillway?; Bill would protect California desert resources; ‘Worst is over’ for snowmelt, official says; and more …

In California water news today, More details as twin tunnels decision nears; Fish and Wildlife Service opinion looks favorably on twin tunnels; They’ve demolished most of Oroville Dam’s troubled spillway.  What’s next?; DWR officials look into unauthorized explosion at Oroville spillway; California bill takes aim at Mojave Desert groundwater project with ties to Trump nominee; Bill would protect California desert resources; State budget includes funds for water projects; Californians will soon pay more at the pump to fix more than 200 bridges at risk from erosion from water; ‘Worst is over’ for snowmelt, official says; Statewide water savings around 20%; and more …

In the news today …

More details as twin tunnels decision nears:  “A giant Southern California water district that could decide whether to invest in the Delta tunnels as soon as September has released the first of three “white papers” which are expected to address some unresolved issues.  Among other things, this latest document from the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California describes the new joint powers authority that might be formed to oversee construction of the 40-foot-wide tunnels.  The tunnels are a state project, but the Department of Water Resources is busy with the reconstruction of the Oroville Dam spillway after this year’s flooding, the white paper notes. … ”  Read more from the Stockton Record here:  More details as twin tunnels decision nears

Fish and Wildlife Service opinion looks favorably on twin tunnels:  “The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS) has issued a biological opinion stating that the Cal Water Fix, “is not likely to jeopardize the continued existence” of any of the 16 federally listed species and critical habitats that would be affected by the major construction project.  The opinion is not the final word concerning environmental considerations for the Cal Water Fix. Other studies still remain.  Opposition points of view question the decision. … ”  Read more from the Livermore Independent here:  Fish and Wildlife Service opinion looks favorably on twin tunnels

They’ve demolished most of Oroville Dam’s troubled spillway.  What’s next?  “The preliminaries are just about over. Permanent structural repairs are about to begin at Oroville Dam.  Five months after an unprecedented emergency forced a mass evacuation, state officials said Wednesday they’re ready to start replacing the now-demolished lower portions of Oroville’s main flood-control spillway.  Construction contractor Kiewit Corp. plans to install the first slabs of concrete Thursday in the lower 350 feet of the spillway chute. The so-called “leveling concrete” will create a smooth foundation for structural concrete that will be poured on top, said Jeff Petersen, Kiewit’s Oroville project director. … ”  Read more from the Sacramento Bee here:  They’ve demolished most of Oroville Dam’s troubled spillway.  What’s next?

DWR officials look into unauthorized explosion at Oroville spillway:  “Blasting at the Oroville Spillway work site is halted for the time being as managers figure out what was behind a recent unauthorized explosion.  California Department of Water Resources Chief Engineer Jeanne Kuttel says Kiewit Construction is meeting with state and federal regulators to modify blasting plans. … ”  Read more from Capital Public Radio here:  DWR officials look into unauthorized explosion at Oroville spillway

California bill takes aim at Mojave Desert groundwater project with ties to Trump nominee:  “A new bill in the state Legislature would require California to review the environmental impacts of a company’s proposal to pump groundwater from beneath the Mojave Desert and sell it to Southern California cities — a controversial plan that was slowed down by President Obama, but which appears to have the backing of the Trump administration.  Cadiz Inc. hopes to pump 16.3 billion gallons of groundwater annually in the heart of the desert, about 75 miles northeast of Palm Springs, on land surrounded by Mojave Trails National Monument and near Mojave National Preserve. … ”  Read more from the Desert Sun here:  California bill takes aim at Mojave Desert groundwater project with ties to Trump nominee

Bill would protect California desert water resources:  “A bill introduced Wednesday in the California Legislature aims to protect water resources in the state’s deserts.  Assembly member Laura Friedman, D-Glendale, introduced Assembly Bill 1000, known as the California Desert Protection Act, to strengthen safeguards for desert groundwater so that water transfers don’t negatively impact natural or cultural resources.David Lamfrom, the California deserts director for the National Parks Conservation Association, said the bill came at the right time because the Mojave Desert is facing urgent threats. … ”  Read more from the Public News Service here:  Bill would protect California desert water resources

Valley farmers meet with Sen. Kamala Harris: “Agricultural leaders and farmers pressed their case for a reliable water supply, immigration reform and their fair share of the Farm Bill during a roundtable discussion with Sen. Kamala Harris on Wednesday.  Harris is the former attorney general who won election last November in the race to replace outgoing Democrat Barbara Boxer. Harris is touring California this week, made good on her promise to visit the Valley to get a better understanding of the region’s needs, including its most powerful economic engine, agriculture.  “I am here to see and to listen and be part of an ongoing conversation and relationship,” Harris said. … ”  Read more from the Modesto Bee here:  Valley farmers meet with Sen. Kamala Harris

State budget includes funds for water projects:  “California’s 2017-2018 fiscal year budget includes $17 million in allocations to tackle the Golden State’s drinking water crisis’ immediate needs, the Community Water Center reported.  The drinking water advocacy group also called for state officials to seek long-term, sustainable funding sources for the state’s water systems. In a separate announcement, the U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Reclamation announced seven grants for projects around California, including one in the Central Valley. … ”  Read more from the Visalia Times-Delta here:  State budget includes funds for water projects

Californians will soon pay more at the pump to fix more than 200 bridges at risk from erosion from water: “Scouting for evidence of erosion, the primary danger facing California’s highway bridges, is a life’s work for Kevin Flora.  On a recent weekday morning, the state Department of Transportation engineer gunned the outboard motor of an inflatable skiff and scooted over murky water on a mission to inspect a 53-year-old 405 Freeway bridge that spans a stretch of the San Gabriel River — a spot loaded with trash and teeming with green sea turtles wide as manhole covers. … ”  Read more from the LA Times here:  Californians will soon pay more at the pump to fix more than 200 bridges at risk from erosion from water

‘Worst is over’ for snowmelt, official says:  “Even though there’s still plenty of snow in the Sierra and plenty of warm weather ahead, the California Department of Water Resources says it believes the annual snowmelt has peaked and should now decline. The observation came after a week in which landowners in some low-lying areas coped with flooding that resulted from a record-setting mid-June heat wave.  The eight-day heat wave rapidly melted the snowpack and filled Pine Flat Lake on the Kings River, which prompted the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to send a surge of water into the river to make room for more runoff behind the dam. ... ”  Read more the Ag Alert here:  ‘Worst is over’ for snowmelt, official says

Statewide water savings around 20%:  “Water conservation appears to have stabilized at about 20 percent statewide, when figures released Wednesday by the state are compared with the preceding 12 months.  The state Water Resources Control Board said water savings in May were 20.0 percent, compared to May 2013, the benchmark pre-drought year.  That’s down a bit for the 21.7 percent savings rate in April, 22.5 percent in March and 25.1 percent in February.  But for the 12 months ending in May the fluctuations have been less that 8 percent. February saw the highest conservation rate; August the lowest at 17.7 percent. … ”  Read more from the Chico Enterprise-Record here:  Statewide water savings around 20%

For indigenous communities, fish is more than food:  “Along the arid coastline of northwestern Mexico, Indigenous Seri communities, who resisted first Spanish rule and then Mexican extermination efforts, eventually gained formal titles over a small part of their ancestral coastal and marine territories. The ocean has always sustained their livelihood, but now they must contend with outside competition over declining fish resources.  This is a familiar story for almost 30 million coastal Indigenous peoples around the world, from the Arctic to the South Pacific. But until recently no one had ever quantified how intensively they relied on seafood, or its importance for their existence as distinct peoples. … ”  Read more from Oceans Deeply here:  For indigenous communities, fish is more than food

Is Western US heat so far a sign of what’s to come for the rest of summer:  “Brutal heat waves during June and July have led to record temperatures and raging wildfires across the western United States.  Does the searing heat signal what’s in store for the region for the balance of the summer of 2017, or is relief on the way?  “The short answer is yes and no, and it depends on location,” according to AccuWeather Lead Long-Range Meteorologist Paul Pastelok. ... ”  Read more from Accu-Weather here:  Is Western US heat so far a sign of what’s to come for the rest of summer

In commentary today …

Saline lakes are drying up across the West – and putting birds at serious risk, says David Yarnold:  He writes, “Utah’s Great Salt Lake is a critical rest stop for millions of birds that make the long, biannual migration across the arid West. In the fall, you might see millions of water birds on the lake gorging on shrimp.  This may not be the case for much longer. Over the past 150 years, the Great Salt Lake has shrunk by nearly 50%. It’s not an isolated case. In a new study on the effects of water loss and climate change on birds, the National Audubon Society has found that, of the nine western saline lakes most important to birds, more than half have shriveled by 50% to 95%. … ”  Read more from the LA Times here:  Saline lakes are drying up across the West – and putting birds at serious risk

In regional news and commentary today …

US Fish and Wildlife working in Potter Valley to save Pacific lamprey:  “U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service biologists, along with local tribes and state partners, have started the Van Arsdale project in Potter Valley to reverse the decline of Pacific lamprey and avoid placing the species on the federal Endangered Species List, according to a report by the service’s Pacific Southwest Region.  Pacific lamprey, native to California, provide a vital service to waterways, cleaning rivers by eating microorganisms and delivering nutrients to fresh water when they come back from the ocean to spawn and die. ... ”  Read more from the Ukiah Daily Journal here:  US Fish and Wildlife working in Potter Valley to save Pacific lamprey

Livermore: Water taste, odor bring pile of complaints:  “An outpouring of complaints to Zone 7 Water Agency and the Valley’s four water retailers has revealed the extent of musty odor and taste in drinking water.  Zone 7 and the California State Department of Water Resources (DWR) are aware of it. They have begun safe chemical treatment of the water in the Delta and at Zone 7 treatment plants to correct the problem. Although unpleasant, the musty water is no threat to health, say Valley water experts.  Some 80% of Zone 7 water comes from the State Water Project (SWP) at Lake Oroville Dam. It flows into the Delta and into the South Bay Aqueduct, where Zone 7 pumps it into its treatment plants. From those facilities, the water is distributed to all of the Valley retailers in a network of pipes that circulate water throughout the Valley. … ”  Read more from the Livermore Independent here:  Water taste, odor bring pile of complaints

A survey shows Monterey Peninsula’s might be [among] the most expensive water in the country:  “For California American Water customers on the Monterey Peninsula, the March 2017 water bill may have caused sticker shock – according to Cal Am, a household using 3,700 gallons per month saw their bills jump by almost 65 percent.  And according to a June survey by the nonprofit Food & Water Watch, a Cal Am customer using 5,000 gallons per month, based on rates in April 2017, may have the most expensive water in the country.  Food & Water Watch’s recent findings come after the nonprofit surveyed the country’s 500 largest water systems in 2015, and calculated the monthly water bill for a household using 5,000 gallons per month. In that survey, Cal Am’s Monterey service area had the ninth-most expensive water in the country. … ”  Read more from Monterey Weekly here:  A survey shows Monterey Peninsula’s might be [among] the most expensive water in the country

Senator Kamala Harris meets with Central Valley farmers:  “Senator Kamala (D-Calif.) tasted the fruits of Central Valley farmers labors on Wednesday.  Harris toured Fowler Packing Company in Fresno. The U.S. senator also met with stakeholders to discuss Farm Bill programs, which would create jobs and provide additional resources to rural farming communities.  “The work that is happening in this valley and in our state has a global impact,” Harris said. “In addition to feeding this country…this is a very important industry in terms of the economy. I’m here for all of those reasons.”  … ”  Read more from the Visalia Times-Delta here:  Senator Kamala Harris meets with Central Valley farmers

Summer revival for the Eastern Sierra:  “After years of purgatory and worse for the dozens of lakes in the gemlike Eastern Sierra, those who camp, hike, boat and fish now are gaining entry into something akin to outdoor heaven. The gates are opening.  Bridgeport (Mono County) is the portal to the Eastern Sierra, 80 miles south of Carson City, Nev. From Bridgeport south to Bishop (Inyo County), a span of 90 miles, you will find 14 lakes accessible by car that are full and open — several with small resorts, cabin rentals and marinas — and 65 campgrounds. The opening of eight more lakes should happen in the next few weeks. ... ”  Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle here:  Summer revival for the Eastern Sierra

Also on Maven’s Notebook today …

• METROPOLITAN’S SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON THE BAY-DELTA: Longfin smelt science efforts, California Water Fix update
• SCIENCE NEWS: The big ecological roles of small, natural features; Saving wild salmon all in a days work; Work on Yuba River’s Hammon Bar earns high honors; Calculating ‘old’ and ‘new’ runoff; and more …

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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.