In California water news today, Atmospheric river brings rain to the Bay Area, snow to the Sierra; Mokelumne River fall run salmon approach record high: Feather River, Nimbus hatcheries report strong fall-run returns; Salmon population booms on the Mokelumne River as restoration efforts pay off; Brenda Burman confirmed as first woman to lead the Bureau of Reclamation; Aubrey Bettencourt to head California Farm Service Agency; Climate change: Jerry Brown says he’s talked enough, wants to ‘get something done’; Delta Caucus to host twin tunnels forum in Walnut Grove; Study: Media coverage of drought spurred California water conservation; and more …
On the calendar today …
- The Delta Independent Science Board meets today at 9am. On the agenda, the latest public discussion draft of the water quality thematic review, whether to release this version for a 30-day comment period via the listserv, the status of developing one-page summary sheets for its reviews, and the status of current reviews on the Delta Monitoring Enterprise, the Interagency Ecological Program (IEP), ecosystems, and water supply reliability. Click here for the agenda. Click here to watch on webcast.
- The Central Valley Flood Protection Board meets at 9am. Agenda items include a monthly update from DWR and an update on numerous levee projects. Click here for the agenda and webcast link.
- Brown Bag Seminar: Monitoring the effectiveness of tidal wetland restoration for the benefit of native fishes from 1pm to 2pm: Dr. Stacy Sherman will provide a brief overview of the Fish Restoration Program and description of current efforts to develop standard methods for monitoring the effectiveness of tidal wetland restoration. Click here to watch on webcast. For more information and webcast link, click here.
In the news today …
Atmospheric river brings rain to the Bay Area, snow to the Sierra: “As expected, an “atmospheric river” delivered moderate to heavy rain to the Bay Area on Thursday.The North Bay and Santa Cruz mountains received a majority of the rainfall, with a handful of locations recording more than 4½ inches, including Ben Lomond, according to the National Weather Service in Monterey. Some locations in the Santa Cruz Mountains recorded 2 inches of rain in six hours. … ” Read more from the San Jose Mercury News here: Atmospheric river brings rain to the Bay Area, snow to the Sierra
Mokelumne River fall run salmon approach record high: Feather River, Nimbus hatcheries report strong fall-run returns: “Mokelumne River Hatchery is anticipating a record year in fall run Chinook salmon, despite hatching during historic drought. The hatcheries records date back to 1940. “The record run we had was back in 2011 when we had over 18,000 salmon come back,” John Setka said with East Bay MUD. “This year we have over 14,000. Hopefully, we’ll hit that mark, but we’ll see. We still have about a month left.” Fall run salmon is the dominate run across Northern California region. Populations are present along the region’s rivers — each with different conditions and run times. ... ” Read more from KCRA Channel 3 here: Mokelumne River fall run salmon approach record high: Feather River, Nimbus hatcheries report strong fall-run returns
Salmon population booms on the Mokelumne River as restoration efforts pay off: “Salmon crowded in and around the Mokelumne River Fish Hatchery on Thursday, offering leaping and squiggling proof of what so far is a near-record return of the big pinkish delicacies after several years of low breeding numbers. Schoolchildren watched as the fall-run chinook squirmed on conveyor belts into the “egg take” building, where, with help from about a dozen hatchery workers, they engaged in the decidedly unromantic process of spawning the next generation. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle here: Salmon population booms on the Mokelumne River as restoration efforts pay off
Brenda Burman confirmed as first woman to lead the Bureau of Reclamation: “Brenda Burman, the director of water policy for Salt River Project who previously worked for the U.S. Department of the Interior, has been confirmed as the nation’s first female commissioner of the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. Burman, who was nominated for the post in June by President Donald Trump, was confirmed on a unanimous voice vote by the U.S. Senate on Thursday, according to the Senate record. ... ” Read more from the Arizona Daily Star here: Brenda Burman confirmed as first woman to lead the Bureau of Reclamation
Aubrey Bettencourt to head California Farm Service Agency: “Aubrey Bettencourt of Hanford has been appointed by the Trump Administration to be the state executive director for the United States Department of Agriculture’s California Farm Service Agency. Bettencourt, who joined the state FSA team on Monday, is well known in agricultural circles, locally and statewide. She most recently held the position of executive director of the Hanford-based California Water Alliance, a position she’d held since 2010. … ” Read more from the Fresno Bee here: Aubrey Bettencourt to head California Farm Service Agency
Climate change: Jerry Brown says he’s talked enough, wants to ‘get something done’: “The camera and lights switched on and Ole Torp, the Charlie Rose of Norway, leaned in, silver hair flashing, and posed his first question to Gov. Jerry Brown. “Is the world going to hell?” “Yes,” Brown answered swiftly. The interview, taped last week in Oslo, was declared a fabulous success, one the television audience would quite enjoy. How to explain the climate-change world’s curious embrace of a man with so apocalyptic a message? On a nearly two-week swing through Europe, starting at the Vatican and ending this week at the United Nations climate change conference in Bonn, Brown offered a bleak appraisal of the global future: We are on a trajectory toward hell. It’s a headlong rush to a very unpleasant outcome. Mankind is on the chopping block. Yet Brown dazzled. … ” Read more from the San Jose Mercury News here: Climate change: Jerry Brown says he’s talked enough, wants to ‘get something done’
Delta Caucus to host twin tunnels forum in Walnut Grove: “The Delta Caucus will conduct a public hearing on Gov. Jerry Brown’s proposed twin-tunnels project Nov. 30 in Walnut Grove. “Ensuring a vibrant and sustainable Delta is absolutely essential for our region and our entire state,” Sen. Bill Dodd, D-Napa, said in a statement announcing the hearing. “I encourage Delta residents to join us and hear from the state Auditor’s Office regarding their recent findings. The Delta Caucus is working to educate the public and fighting to protect the Delta for our residents, visitors and wildlife.” ... ” Read more from the Daily Republic here: Delta Caucus to host twin tunnels forum in Walnut Grove
Study: Media coverage of drought spurred California water conservation: “When the California drought began to take hold in 2011, a mysterious thing happened: People began cutting back drastically on their water consumption – even before mandatory conservation was ordered by their local water agencies and state government. Newsha Ajami, director of Urban Water Policy with Stanford University’s Water in the West program, started hearing about this from water utilities during the drought. After the drought ended, she and a team of graduate students started to investigate why it happened. … ” Read more from Water Deeply here: Study: Media coverage of drought spurred California water conservation
In commentary today …
Mike Wade: As water becomes costly, farmers must adapt or dry up: “Re “Underground water must be preserved” (Page 7A, Nov. 15): When people talk about the effects of water shortage on the farms and communities of California, they can be tempted to say that rising statewide sales receipts for ag products prove no harm has been done. If only that were true. Unfortunately, much harm has been done, but overall farm crop sales aren’t a good indicator of the damage caused to local economies, or the devastating impact that water shortages and rising costs have on communities. … ” Read more from the Modesto Bee here: Mike Wade: As water becomes costly, farmers must adapt or dry up
In regional news and commentary today …
Guest opinion: Preservation of the Klamath River basin: Jerry L. Bacigalupi writes, “Stop the largest proposed dam removal project in the world and preserve the Klamath River Basin economy and ecosystem. The Klamath River hydroelectric facilities (FERC Project No. 2082) have been requested for decommissioning by PacifiCorp (Surrender of License #20160923-5370) for Iron Gate dam, Copco No. 1 Dam, Copco No. 2 Dam, J.C Boyle Dam, and appurtenant hydroelectric works and be transferred to a dam removal (“shell”) corporation (KRRC). It is within FERC’s responsibility to consider the public interest to retain and pursue the relicensing of the hydroelectric facilities to a (responsible) entity. ... ” Read more from the Siskiyou Daily News here: Guest opinion: Preservation of the Klamath River basin
Storm churns up massive waves on Lake Tahoe: “A fierce storm churned up massive waves on Lake Tahoe on Wednesday afternoon, with some breakers reaching as high as six feet. “It was like being at the ocean,” says Tahoe resident Peter Spain, a professional photographer who captured the dramatic wave action in a video. “It was raging out there. It was pretty surreal.” The waves were powered by high winds that came near the front of an atmospheric river moving into the northern Sierra on Wednesday afternoon. … ” Read more from SF Gate here: Storm churns up massive waves on Lake Tahoe
Tahoe Fund seeks solutions to environmental challenges in Lake Tahoe Basin: “From combatting invasive species in Lake Tahoe to building out local bike trails, the Tahoe Fund has worked over the past few years to help support numerous projects across the Tahoe Basin since its founding in 2010. In its next step toward improving Lake Tahoe’s environment, the Tahoe Fund has opened its annual online project submission portal for endeavors that will help solve environmental challenges facing the area. “The Tahoe Fund is looking for ideas and projects that will have a real impact on the Basin’s environment,” said Kevin Marshall, Tahoe Fund Projects Committee Member and Clear Capital President, in a statement. “With the support of the private community, the Tahoe Fund has the passion and ability to get high return projects done.” … ” Read more from the Sierra Sun here: Tahoe Fund seeks solutions to environmental challenges in Lake Tahoe Basin
First intense rain of the season hits the Mother Lode: “Today’s supposed to be sunny up and down the Mother Lode so it might be easy to forget, but that storm that came through Wednesday and Thursday brought more rain in 24 hours than all those other little storms since the current water year started Oct. 1. Before the storm moved in late Wednesday precipitation since Oct. 1 totaled .8 of one inch for major Mother Lode watersheds from Calaveras Big Trees to Yosemite National Park. That was just 17 percent of average for the date Nov. 16. ... ” Read more from the Union Democrat here: First intense rain of the season hits the Mother Lode
Racing rising seas in the Bay Area: Design teams ‘float’ some big ideas: “After months of study, ten carefully-picked design teams are unveiling their first ideas for giving the Bay Area a makeover to cope with rising sea levels. It’s the latest phase of the Resilient by Design challenge, which aims for nothing less than the remaking of waterfront communities with forward-looking design. “There’s been lots of study but [now] there’s urgency and it’s time to act,” says Marcel Wilson, who represents the San Francisco-based “Bionic” design team (named for the San Francisco design firm). “It’s time for invention.” … ” Read more from KQED here: Racing rising seas in the Bay Area: Design teams ‘float’ some big ideas
Indian Wells Valley Groundwater Authority hears report on SkyTEM low flying helicopter survey, talks committees: “The IWV Groundwater Authority board of directors met for their monthly public board meeting on Thursday morning. The meeting was largely defined by the number of presentations and reports given to them, and the discussions that followed. … The early part of the meeting had a report on the recently conducted SkyTEM survey, which gathered data on the IWV groundwater basin via a low flying helicopter towing a sensor. The board also heard a report on the progress of a United States Geological Survey study being conducted on the natural recharge rate of the IWV groundwater basin. The latter part of the meeting revolved around reports from the committees and figuring out how to develop a system that runs efficiently. … ” Read more from the Ridgecrest Independent here: Indian Wells Valley Groundwater Authority hears report on SkyTEM low flying helicopter survey, talks committees
The tide is turning: Rising sea level projections compel San Clemente to study possible effects: “Causes for sea levels rising are still widely debated, but the levels are rising, according to multiple reports from the U.S. Geological Survey and the California Ocean Protection Council. The coastline is San Clemente’s greatest asset. Tourists spend money in town to be near it, nonprofit organizations spend millions of dollars trying to keep it clean and protect it, and the heritage of surfing is vital to the city’s and surrounding areas’ economies. Earlier this year, the city of San Clemente was approved for a $135,000 grant to conduct a sea level rise assessment and vulnerability study through the California Coastal Commission. … ” Read more from the San Clemente Times here: The tide is turning: Rising sea level projections compel San Clemente to study possible effects
One of the first projects in LA County to capture stormwater is being built in Long Beach: “The thousands of miles of concrete channels diverting street water from the San Gabriel and Los Angeles rivers represent the last major water project in Los Angeles County, built almost 100 years ago. On Thursday, Dave Sorem, owner and vice president of Mike Bubalo Construction Co., showed off the first of a second wave of street-water projects that elevate what is essentially water pollution into a drinkable water source. One of the first in Los Angeles County, the Los Cerritos Channel Storm Water Capture Facility in Long Beach will take the “first flush” of rain water from the streets of Signal Hill and Long Beach and the runways and taxiways of Long Beach Airport and re-purpose it. … ” Read more from the Daily News here: One of the first projects in LA to capture stormwater is being built in Long Beach
If there’s a Doheny desalination plant, South Coast Water District wants to build and run it: “If a desalination facility is built in Dana Point, the South Coast Water District board wants the district to design, build and operate it. Board members on Wednesday unanimously agreed with General Manager Andy Brunhart’s recommendation that the district take ownership of a possible plant instead of partnering with a private company. … ” Read more from the LA Times here: If there’s a Doheny desalination plant, South Coast Water District wants to build and run it
California officials probe source of Legionnaire’s cases: “Three new cases of Legionnaires’ disease have been identified in Southern California and officials are looking at the possibility there may be a source outside Disneyland, where at least 11 of the patients visited in September, according to reports. Legionnaires’ has sickened a total of 15 people, two of whom have died. The four not connected to Disneyland lived in or had visited Anaheim ” suggesting there could be sources of infection not yet discovered, the Los Angeles Times reported Thursday. The disease can be spread through inhaling droplets from contaminated water sources. While many people have no symptoms, it can cause serious pneumonia and prove dangerous to those with lung or immune system problems. … ” Read more from the AP via the Siskiyou Daily News here: California officials probe source of Legionnaire’s cases
Double down on smart water use as we recharge underground bank, says the Desert Sun: They write, “It’s a safe bet most people would say they find sound of flowing water to be a soothing, positive experience. This is especially true right now when it comes to a particularly large flow in our Coachella Valley. The Desert Water Agency and Coachella Valley Water District recently reported that a record amount of Colorado River water has been coming into the desert and is being deposited into our aquifer – the primary source of our drinking water. … ” Read more from the Desert Sun here: Double down on smart water use as we recharge underground bank
Along the Colorado River …
National Park Service seeks ways to manage non-native fish: “The National Park Service is looking for ways to manage non-native aquatic species in the Colorado River system below Glen Canyon Dam. The agency is holding webinars and open houses over the next few weeks to solicit input from the public. Officials at Grand Canyon National Park and the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area say green sunfish and brown trout could harm native, threatened and endangered species. They’re also concerned about the impact of non-native species on the rainbow trout fishery at Lees Ferry. … ” Read more from US News and World Report: National Park Service seeks ways to manage non-native fish
Groundwater recharge in the American West under climate change: “Groundwater recharge in the Western U.S. will change as the climate warms–the dry southern regions will have less and the northern regions will have more, a University of Arizona-led research team reports. “Our study asked what will be the effect of climate change on groundwater recharge in the Western U.S. in the near future, 2021-2050, and the far future, 2070-2100,” said first author Rewati Niraula. The research was part of his doctoral work in the UA Department of Hydrology and Atmospheric Sciences. ... ” Read more from the University of Arizona here: Groundwater recharge in the American West under climate change
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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.
