In California water news today, Bill would require more disclosure before drilling new wells; A new fight over water in the desert with echoes of Chinatown; Records raise safety questions surrounding Oroville Dam; Record low number of salmon expected to return to Coleman Fish Hatchery; Video: These California residents rely on untreated canal water; U.S., Mexico share benefits and burdens in new Colorado River pact; Sea critters hitchhiked across the Pacific on tsunami debris; and more …
In the news today …
Bill would require more disclosure before drilling new wells: “If you want a new well in California, you might have to let your neighbors know how much water you plan to pump. That’s if it’s tapping a critically overused aquifer, and if a bill on Gov. Jerry Brown’s desk survives calls for a veto. The bill would step up what’s required to get a permit to drill a well in certain parts of California. As more people turned to water underground during the drought, California passed rules to require more public information about proposed wells. But those won’t phase in for a few years. ... ” Read more from Capital Public Radio here: Bill would require more disclosure before drilling new wells
A new fight over water in the desert with echoes of Chinatown: “Beside the winding curves of the Colorado River, the Palo Verde Valley spreads out in a lush plain in the middle of the desert, a farming oasis filled with canals and fields of hay. For 12 years, the valley’s farmers have been participating in a program that pays them to leave some of their lands unplanted and fallow, helping to slake the thirst of Los Angeles and cities across Southern California. The arrangement has been widely praised as a model of how cities and farming areas can work together to stretch water supplies further while keeping agriculture alive. But farmers who lead the Palo Verde Irrigation District have grown suspicious and concerned after the country’s biggest urban water agency, the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, spent more than $250 million buying up pieces of farmland across the valley – and then started renting the land to growers under leases that impose strict water-saving limits and charge much higher rents if farmers fail to cut back. … ” Read more from the Desert Sun here: A new fight over water in the desert with echoes of Chinatown
Records raise safety questions surrounding Oroville Dam: “An NBC Bay Area examination of 20 years’ worth of Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and California Division of Safety of Dams (DSOD) inspection reports, engineering studies, Federal Part 12D independent consultant inspection reports, consultant letters and memos—nearly 10,000 pages of documents in all—repeatedly identified problems with the stability, safety and monitoring of Oroville Dam. These issues raise concern among seven engineers who reviewed the materials at NBC Bay Area’s request. Several of those engineers, who asked to remain anonymous, currently work in structural engineering, including the design, monitoring and review of dams. One engineer served on the National Dam Safety Review Board. … ” Read more from NBC Bay Area here: Records raise safety questions surrounding Oroville Dam
Record low number of salmon expected to return to Coleman Fish Hatchery: “The number of salmon returning to spawn at Coleman National Fish Hatchery in Anderson could reach historic lows this year — a legacy of the five-year drought that ended last year. At this time of year dozens of salmon would normally be teeming in the waters of Battle Creek near the hatchery. But the number of fall-run chinook salmon expected to return to the hatchery is down significantly this year, said Bret Galyean, project leader at the hatchery. “This potentially could be the lowest return on record,” Galyean said. ... ” Read more from the Record Searchlight here: Record low number of salmon expected to return to Coleman Fish Hatchery
Video: These California residents rely on untreated canal water: “In the Imperial Valley in Southern California, which shares a border with Mexico to the south and Arizona to the east, untreated water that travels hundreds of miles in canals is used to irrigate farms – as well as being pumped into rural residents’ homes. The water is meant for household uses such as cooking, cleaning and bathing. While it’s not supposed to be used for drinking, some residents believe it still poses a health risk. Residents have designed their own systems to store, pump and sometimes treat the water before it enters their homes. Some rely on pool-cleaning chemicals, ammonia or bleach.” Click here to watch video.
U.S., Mexico share benefits and burdens in new Colorado River pact: “A new, U.S.-Mexico agreement provides more Colorado River water to both countries, will require both countries to share inevitable river shortages and offers more certainty as to how much river water will be available for both countries. That’s how negotiators, federal officials and Arizona water officials see the upshot of the pact that was signed this week at a Santa Fe, New Mexico, ceremony following years of negotiations. The agreement, known as Minute 323, is aimed at establishing ground rules for managing the river for the two countries through 2026. It succeeds an earlier, somewhat less far-reaching agreement, known as Minute 319, that expires this year. … ” Read more from the Arizona Star here: U.S., Mexico share benefits and burdens in new Colorado River pact
Sea critters hitchhiked across the Pacific on tsunami debris: “Nearly 300 species of fish, mussels and other sea critters hitchhiked across the Pacific Ocean on debris from the 2011 Japanese tsunami, washing ashore alive in the United States, researchers reported Thursday. It is the largest and longest marine migration ever documented, outside experts and the researchers said. The scientists and colleagues combed the beaches of Washington, Oregon, California, British Columbia, Alaska and Hawaii and tracked the species to their Japanese origins. Their arrival could be a problem if the critters take root, pushing out native species, the study authors said in Thursday’s journal Science. … ” Read more from the AP here: Sea critters hitchhiked across the Pacific on tsunami debris
In commentary today …
Watershed conservation is key to solving California’s water problems, says Laurie Wayburn: She writes, “The California Water Fix/delta tunnels project is facing new challenges every day, most recently in regard to financing. Whether or not the state’s water suppliers support the plan, an essential piece is missing from the conversation: the potential of the state’s watersheds — the forests, meadows and streams that deliver water to our dams — to help solve California’s water problems. Watershed conservation is also one of the least expensive solutions to ensure greater water quantity, quality and security. This “natural infrastructure” acts as the primary water collector and filter, purifying and storing water, then releasing it at timely intervals — all while maintaining healthy conditions in our fire-prone forests. Restoring and protecting our watersheds is something that nearly every water interest in California agrees on. ... ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle here: Watershed conservation is key to solving California’s water problems
In regional news and commentary today …
Too soon to say what winter will be like in the Mother Lode: “A new water year begins Sunday, and snows and rains that closed mountain passes last week bumped current water year totals slightly to 72.7 inches or 179 percent of average for major Mother Lode watersheds. That’s still more than 4 inches shy of the wettest water year on record for the Stanislaus and Tuolumne watersheds, 1982-83. With forecasts calling for clear, sunny weather through this weekend, it’s unlikely the Mother Lode and the rest of the Central Sierra will receive any additional precipitation. … ” Read more from the Union Democrat here: Too soon to say what winter will be like in the Mother Lode
Higher than expected bid throws wrench into Suisun dredging plans: “A bid to dredge Suisun City’s waterways that was much higher than expected has the city’s Public Works Department trying to find ways to cut costs. The single bid, which came in at $5 million earlier this month, was well in excess of the $2.9 million that the city estimated it would cost. The city has budgeted $2.1 million at present. That amount was expected to cover rehabilitating levees on Pierce Island and preparing it later this fall to give it the capacity to take dredging spoils from dredging of the waters by the Suisun City marina and Whispering Bay next year. ... ” Read more from the Daily Republic here: Higher than expected bid throws wrench into Suisun dredging plans
State-mandated San Antonio, Nacimiento spillway repairs approved: “Months after the Oroville Dam spillways failed spectacularly and forced a massive evacuation, the fallout has reached Monterey County’s reservoirs. On Tuesday, the Board of Supervisors of the Water Resources Agency approved up to $500,000 for state-mandated emergency repair work to the county-owned Lake San Antonio and Lake Nacimiento dam spillways dubbed “minimum requirements” to allow the dam spillways to continue operating, with additional, classified assessments still being finalized that could result in further repairs. … ” Read more from the Monterey Herald here: State-mandated San Antonio, Nacimiento spillway repairs approved
Santa Barbara residents using less water than in the 1990s drought: “Even with the addition of roughly 5,000 more people, Santa Barbara residents are using less water today than they did during the last major drought in the 1990s, according to the city. Santa Barbara’s Water Resources Manager Joshua Haggmark described conservation levels for the month of August as “remarkable” during this week’s council meeting. Santa Barbara is still experiencing a moderate drought, Haggmark said, but that could change soon. ... ” Read more from Noozhawk here: Santa Barbara residents using less water than in the 1990s drought
Booming demand for hay in Asia, Middle East driving agribusiness in the California desert: “If you drive along the two-lane roads that run through farmland around the town of Blythe, you’ll see vast fields of alfalfa swaying in the breeze and trucks rolling away loaded with bales of hay. Much of the hay is bound for the Port of Long Beach, where it’s loaded onto ships and dispatched across the Pacific — to Japan, China and Korea, and farther away to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and other countries. … ” Read more from the Desert Sun here: Booming demand for hay in Asia, Middle East driving agribusiness in the California desert
With rats and frogs in Camp Pendleton water supply, base agrees to federal decree: “Camp Pendleton officials swear that the water consumed by 55,000 Marines and their families is safe, despite a pair of scathing state and federal investigations indicating chronic problems in the treatment systems at the sprawling military base. Water safety inspectors visiting Camp Pendleton over several days in late June uncovered rats rotting on a reservoir gate, a desiccated frog clinging to a reservoir ladder and another rodent carcass floating in treated water. … ” Read more from the San Diego Union-Tribune here: With rats and frogs in Camp Pendleton water supply, base agrees to federal decree
San Diego loses billions in potential water savings under court ruling: “The California Supreme Court effectively brought to end this week a longstanding, bitter fight between water managers in Los Angeles and San Diego — a ruling that means the loss of billions in potential savings for local ratepayers. The high court declined Wednesday to take up an appeal by the San Diego County Water Authority, leaving in place an appellate ruling that sided largely with the rival Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. San Diego was challenging the costs Metropolitan charged to deliver supplies from the Colorado River. … ” Read more from the San Diego Union Tribune here: San Diego loses billions in potential water savings under court ruling
San Diego: Cities, ports take step to sue feds over border sewage spills: “Imperial Beach, Chula Vista and the Port of San Diego took the first step toward suing the federal government to stop wastewater and raw sewage from continually pouring over the border from Tijuana into San Diego County. Flows have continued to pollute the Tijuana River Valley every month this year and a massive sewage spill in February fouled beaches as far north as Coronado. ... ” Read more from the San Diego Union Tribune here: San Diego: Cities, ports take step to sue feds over border sewage spills
Friday flight over Oroville …
From the Department of Water Resources: “Roller-compacted concrete (RCC) is hauled from the on-site RCC batch plant and placed in the Lake Oroville spillway’s middle chute, steel plates are installed at contraction joints, and RCC density testing is conducted to ensure quality. RCC work continues through the night, along with structural concrete work on the upper chute.”
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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.
