In California water news today, As California groundwater regulation unfolds, some feel left out; Oroville spillway built on crumbling rock, warned contractor that built it; Nevada researchers warn of more ‘snow droughts’, even in wet years; California receives new funding to fight extreme weather; Stormy pattern to persist across Northwest and Northern California this week; Supreme Court says litigation belongs in district court; and more …
On the calendar today …
- The California-Nevada Drought Early Warning System (CA-NV DEWS) January 2018 Drought & Climate Outlook Webinar at 11am. Click here for more information.
In the news today …
Also on Maven’s Notebook today …
- RESERVOIR AND WATER CONDITIONS for January 22
- ANNOUNCEMENT: Notice of consideration of adoption of the Bacteria Provisions and the Water Quality Standards Variance Policy
- ANNOUNCEMENT: Notice of New Date for Consideration of Adoption: SWRCB/OCC Files 2239 (a)-(c): Eastern San Joaquin Agricultural General WDRs Petitions
- DAILY DIGEST, weekend edition: New state water chief is married to Metropolitan water strategist. Some critics say that’s too close; San Bernardino area water agency wants Nestle to pay them back for extra water diversions; 100 million dead trees prompt fears of giant wildfires; and more …
As California groundwater regulation unfolds, some feel left out: “California’s sweeping effort to regulate groundwater extraction is still in its infancy. But many community groups are already concerned that too little is being done to involve low-income and disadvantaged residents in managing aquifers dominated by agriculture. The Sustainable Groundwater Management Act, adopted in 2014, was a Herculean achievement for California. Until that time, it was the only Western state with virtually no regulations on groundwater use. The new law requires critically overdrafted groundwater basins to adopt plans by 2020 to sustainably manage their aquifers. Basins identified as medium and high priority have an additional two years. ... ” Read more from Water Deeply here: As California groundwater regulation unfolds, some feel left out
Oroville spillway built on crumbling rock, warned contractor that built it: “An investigation into last winter’s near catastrophe at Oroville Dam uncovered a litany of problems with how the dam was built and maintained, but one of them stands out: Even as workers built the dam, they were raising alarms about the eroded, crumbling rock on which they were directed to lay concrete for the 3,000-foot-long main flood control spillway. Construction reports from the fall of 1966 showed an abundance of loose clay, “shot rock” and “very little solid rock.” The surface was so crumbly, according to a state engineer overseeing the work, that a laborer at one point refused to do any more prep work until he got clearance from his boss. The contractor told the California Department of Water Resources it needed to dig deeper to find stronger rock. ... ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee here: Oroville spillway built on crumbling rock, warned contractor that built it
Nevada researchers warn of more ‘snow droughts’, even in wet years: “There’s a term for what’s going on right now in the Sierra Nevada and the mountains that feed the Colorado River. It’s called a “snow drought,” and Nevada climate scientists warn that Westerners had better get used to the phenomenon. Periods of below-average snowpack have become increasingly common in some Western mountain ranges, and more frequent snow droughts are likely as global temperatures continue to rise, according to Benjamin Hatchett, a postdoctoral fellow in meteorology and climatology at the Desert Research Institute in Reno. ... ” Read more from the Las Vegas Review-Journal here: Nevada researchers warn of more ‘snow droughts’, even in wet years
California receives new funding to fight extreme weather: “The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), a US government agency, has announced $23.7m of new funding to support five conservation projects in California. All of the projects awarded funding have a focus on water supplies, a major issue in a state severely impacted by five years of drought. $3.7m has been ring-fenced to assist the Palo Verde region in “critically important regional water conservation efforts”, according to the NRCS. … ” Read more from Climate Action here: California receives new funding to fight extreme weather
Stormy pattern to persist across Northwest and Northern California this week: “The next Pacific storm will spread rain and mountain snow from Washington to Northern California by the middle of the week. The winter months are typically the stormiest months of the year across the Northwest, and this season has proven no different. Since Jan. 4, Seattle has had only one day without measurable rainfall. A strong Pacific storm coming into the West will bring more soaking rain and heavy mountain snow from the Pacific Northwest through central California Tuesday through Wednesday night, according to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Jack Boston. ... ” Read more from Accu-Weather here: Stormy pattern to persist across Northwest and Northern California this week
Supreme Court says Clean Water Act litigation belongs in district court: “In a blow for the Trump administration, the Supreme Court today sent a key case over the scope of the Clean Water Act to federal district courts. Justices rebuffed arguments by the administration that a federal appeals court should instead hear the litigation. Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote the unanimous decision for the court. At issue is the Obama-era Clean Water Rule, which aimed to clarify which wetlands and streams receive automatic protection under the water law. ... ” Read more from E&E News here: Supreme Court says Clean Water Act litigation belongs in district court
In commentary today …
George Skelton: Governor Jerry Brown is in danger of becoming remembered for his ‘boondoggle bullet train to nowhere’: “Time is running out for Gov. Jerry Brown to fix two big legacy projects. If he doesn’t, his successor might just dump them in the trash. Brown has only until the end of the year to clean up and repair his bullet train and water tunnel ventures. He’s trying. Perhaps we’ll hear more about it in the governor’s final State of the State address to the Legislature on Thursday. Then again, he may decide not to bring up sore subjects. … ” Read more from the LA Times here: George Skelton: Governor Jerry Brown is in danger of becoming remembered for his ‘boondoggle bullet train to nowhere’
We worry that DWR dismisses our worries as a lot of melodramatics, says the Appeal Democrat: They write, “We understand how some area residents are feeling it’s a bit of a frivolous lawsuit … and maybe we’re concentrating too much on banging the bureaucrats on the head. We have felt a little like that ourselves. But actually, we don’t think it’s such a bad idea: the city of Oroville bringing a lawsuit against the state Department of Water Resources. Because regardless of the explaining the agency has done and the repair work and the repositioning and new management, we still have this other feeling … like they’re really not thoroughly considering our lives and safety. … ” Read more from the Appeal-Democrat here: We worry that DWR dismisses our worries as a lot of melodramatics
In regional news and commentary today …
Wildfire debris removal, FEMA relief programs to continue during shutdown: “Debris removal and other post-fire recovery programs in Sonoma County will continue in the wake of the federal government shutdown, which will have no major immediate impact on Sonoma County, officials said Friday. The shutdown will have no impact on U.S. Army Corps of Engineers employees or government contractors engaged in hauling away tons of ash and debris from the October wildfires, said Nancy Allen, a Corps of Engineers spokeswoman. ... ” Read more from the Santa Rosa Press Democrat here: Wildfire debris removal, FEMA relief programs to continue during shutdown
Guadalupe River salmon are at a perilous crossroads, says Steve Holmes: He writes, “The story begins on the Virginia Street Bridge at the art relief panels showcasing these amazing fish with the Guadalupe River flowing peacefully below. Schools taught us of the extinction of once prolific species like the Passenger pigeon once so abundant that their numbers blocked out the sun, now gone. In 1986, a study of the proposed Downtown Flood Control Project identified 262 chinook redds in the Virginia Street section. A redd is the nest created by the female salmon using her tail to build a pile of gravel. She then lays her eggs, which are fertilized by the male salmon. … ” Read more from the San Jose Mercury News here: Guadalupe River salmon are at a perilous crossroads, says Steve Holmes
Sewage spill closes eight Monterey beaches: “A massive sewage spill at the Monterey One Water wastewater treatment facility early Saturday morning has closed eight beaches, the Monterey County Environmental Health Department reported. Approximately 4.9 million gallons of sewage spilled from the wastewater treatment facility before it was stopped at 4:30 a.m. Saturday, the health department reported. The cause was due to failure of a headworks bar screen. It was not known exactly when the spill started. ... ” Read more from the San Jose Mercury News here: Sewage spill closes eight Monterey beaches
Update on Mammoth Community Water District request for environmental review: “Armed with what he sees as a flaw in the impermeable barrier between Mammoth’s town water supplies and Ormat Technologies’ expanded geothermal facility, district general manager Patrick Hayes asked the Mammoth Town Council last Wednesday to put the item on a future agenda. Mayor John Wentworth agreed, but he may be the only person willing to re-open that discussion. ... ” Read more from the Sierra Wave here: Update on Mammoth Community Water District request for environmental review
Southern California to feel effects of Thomas Fire for years, if not decades, say experts: “The Thomas Fire raged through Southern California for over a month, from Dec. 4 to Jan. 12. While the cause is still unknown, the fire and its consequences have wreaked havoc on the lives of residents in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties. As the largest fire in California history, the Thomas Fire burned 281,893 acres and destroyed 1,063 structures in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties, according to InciWeb. ... ” Read more Accu-Weather here: Southern California to feel effects of Thomas Fire for years, if not decades, say experts
More news and commentary in the weekend edition …
Also on Maven’s Notebook today …
- RESERVOIR AND WATER CONDITIONS for January 22
- ANNOUNCEMENT: Notice of consideration of adoption of the Bacteria Provisions and the Water Quality Standards Variance Policy
- ANNOUNCEMENT: Notice of New Date for Consideration of Adoption: SWRCB/OCC Files 2239 (a)-(c): Eastern San Joaquin Agricultural General WDRs Petitions
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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.
