In California water news today, Groundwater recharge brings opportunities, complications; Are wet winters or drought worse for California fires?; California wants permanent crackdown on water waste; New study catches on to fish in fields; How climate change will mess with water recharge in the Western US; The ‘Nest for Water’ wants you to pay $799 now to help cut down on future water bills; Cities explore the future of urban stormwater; LA River: Conflict ahead as water capture, restoration plans converge; and more …
In the news today …
Also on Maven’s Notebook today …
Groundwater recharge brings opportunities, complications: “Nearly everyone agrees groundwater recharge is a great idea, but how should it be done? Where should it be done? Who should do it? Those were the questions swirling around the Sacramento Convention Center as agricultural, environmental and regulatory professionals explored the subject at a public forum sponsored by the California Department of Food and Agriculture and the State Board of Food and Agriculture. “We know that we have an overdraft problem throughout California,” said Don Cameron, vice president and general manager of Terranova Ranch in Fresno County and a Food and Agriculture board member. “Now, with sustainable groundwater management, we’re going to have to address this. We have to have our plans in place by 2020.” ... ” Continue reading at Ag Alert here: Recharge brings opportunities, complications
Are wet winters or drought worse for California fires? “Disastrous wildfires are popularly associated with drought. But the North Bay fires followed one of the wettest winters in decades. The nightly news tends to make things even more confusing. During drought, newscasters sound the alarm about dead trees and the general flammability of parched forests. After wet winters, dire warnings are issued about the abundant growth of grass and brush that will become tinder during the hot, dry days of California’s summer and fall. So are wet winters worse for fires? Or are dry winters worse? The answer to both questions, says Sally Thompson, a Berkeley associate professor of civil engineering, is yes. … ” Read more from California Magazine here: Are wet winters or drought worse for California fires?
California wants permanent crackdown on water waste: “The state of California is looking to crack down on water wasters and make saving water a way of life — no matter how much it rains. California’s restrictions on water use in September were effective, As a result, the state saw a 15 percent drop in water use.But those emergency regulations expire on Sunday — and that means no state enforcement until new rules can be put in place. The State Water Resources Control Board announced Tuesday it wants to make those restrictions permanent. ... ” Read more from KCRA Channel 3 here: California wants permanent crackdown on water waste
American Indians strive to restore nearly lost tribal food traditions: “A cold evening drizzle fell on this Mendocino County town as Aryana Henthorne and her family gathered on a spit of land just off Highway 1. The group of five arranged camp chairs around a fire as a foghorn sounded and tires whooshed on the wet asphalt. Here, on the last remaining patch of American Indian tribal land in the town, bordered by a cliff and an Arco gas station, they bent over paper plates full of wild abalone, acorn mush and crispy seaweed. It was a traditional Pomo meal that is in danger of disappearing. Not, however, if Henthorne can help it. ... ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle here: American Indians strive to restore nearly lost tribal food traditions
New study catches on to fish in fields: “Amid a long-standing tug-o-war between environmental agencies and traditional agriculture, a perfect pairing might exist in spite of human involvement — as per Jurassic Park, “nature finds a way.” Such is the case in the Sacramento Valley, where the rice crops dominate much of the agricultural terrain, and a new study could reveal something fishy about the industry. The Resource Renewal Institute hopes to catch some real data regarding fish in fields — with eyes on the Central Valley, they will conduct research on the pairing’s effect on methane gas levels. A report from the president of the organization, Deborah Moskowitz, digs in. … ” Read more from the Daily Democrat here: New study catches on to fish in fields
How climate change will mess with water recharge in the Western US: “As the climate warms, the dry southern regions of the Western United States will have less groundwater recharge while the northern regions will have more, researchers report. “Our study asked what will be the effect of climate change on groundwater recharge in the Western US in the near future, 2021-2050, and the far future, 2070-2100,” says first author Rewati Niraula, who worked on the research as part of his doctoral work in the University of Arizona hydrology and atmospheric sciences department. ... ” Read more from Futurity here: How climate change will mess with water recharge in the Western US
The ‘Nest for Water’ wants you to pay $799 now to help cut down on future water bills: “If you’ve ever been curious about your home’s water usage or attempted to find practical ways to curb water costs, then you’re in luck: a new smart home device is here to help if you’re willing to pay, and it’s hitting the market today. Buoy is a $799 app-supported device that connects to your home’s plumbing and sends information about each appliance’s water use to your smartphone. From the app you can review detailed feedback about water usage, stay up-to-date on any leaks, make an emergency call to a plumber, and, in the event of an especially bad leak, shut off your home’s emergency valve remotely. … ” Read more from Business Insider here: The ‘Nest for Water’ wants you to pay $799 now to help cut down on future water bills
Cities explore the future of urban stormwater: “Hurricane Harvey brought more than fifty inches of rain that submerged thirty percent of Harris County, Texas. A storm of this caliber would have devastating impacts on any city, however, Houston’s aging infrastructure and expansive areas of impermeable pavement left it uniquely exposed. The city of Houston is situated only fifty feet above sea level on old swampland, forty miles from the coast. The city’s stormwater drainage system is composed primarily of a series of natural bayous (slow moving rivers) and man-made channels that divert runoff out of the city and into the Galveston Bay. Many of the city’s bayous are inadequate to handle normal rainfall, much less a major hurricane. “The main bayou through downtown, Buffalo Bayou, is pretty much still a dirt mud channel like you would have seen 100 years ago,” says U.S. Geological Survey hydrologist Jeff East. ... ” Read more from University of Denver Water Law Review here: Cities explore the future of urban stormwater
In regional news and commentary today …
The Eel River under stress: Experts dig for solutions: “The Eel River is one of the largest tributaries in Northern California, and according to natural resource experts, it is under serious stress. The director of the Eel River Recovery Project, Patrick Higgins, said parts of the river are doing better than others. “The Eel is a mix bag,” Higgins said. “The estuary is recovering and the eastern part of the basin. But the south fork, we need to get to work,” said Higgins. “We need to be more in harmony with nature, restore forest health, we need to conserve water, these are all things that are possible. But can we generate the public will?” … ” Read more from KRCR here: The Eel River under stress: Experts dig for solutions
OC Coastkeeper, others challenge State Lands Commission vote on Huntington Beach desal project: “California Coastkeeper Alliance, Orange County Coastkeeper and California Coastal Protection Network are challenging the State Lands Commission’s decision to green light Poseidon’s for-profit Huntington Beach desalination plant. The corporate project has faced widespread public opposition because of its high economic and environmental costs. Critics want the state to conduct a full study of impacts and alternatives, as required by law, to determine the best way to meet community water needs. More than 100 equity and conservation activists from groups like Oakview ComUNIDAD, Azul, Natural Resources Defense Council and Surfrider testified at the State Lands Commission’s October meeting, urging the commission to consider water sources like efficiency and recycling that would save ratepayers money while avoiding negative impacts like the pollution of ocean and groundwater, harm to sea life and fisheries, and carbon emissions. … ” Continue reading at the OC Breeze here: OC Coastkeeper, others challenge State Lands Commission vote on Huntington Beach desal project
LA River: Conflict ahead as water capture, restoration plans converge: “Everyone knows the Los Angeles river. Even if it’s not part of your neighborhood, the concrete-lined channel is familiar worldwide, because nothing else in the movies or television better depicts “urban wasteland” than this drain. But soon this stark, 51-mile (82-km) waterway may symbolize something else: tough choices amid water scarcity. California’s historic five-year drought has prompted the Los Angeles region to look at using the river as a water supply – a role it has not served in over a century. Wastewater treatment plants, whose discharges now provide most of the river’s flow, may divert some of their treated effluent to groundwater recharge projects. Other plans are percolating to capture storm runoff before it reaches the river, both to recharge groundwater and improve water quality. … ” Read more from Water Deeply here: LA River: Conflict ahead as water capture, restoration plans converge
Also on Maven’s Notebook today …
- ANNOUNCEMENT: Share Your Feedback on the Delta Conservation Framework Document
- ANNOUNCEMENT: Update on water measurement requirements
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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.
