DAILY DIGEST: ‘Critical’ California snowpack could disappear by spring; Arrests may hold up feds’ deal to settle with water district over runoff disaster; Bill beefing up dam inspections signed into law; and more …

In California water news today, ‘Critical’ California snowpack could disappear by spring; Arrests may hold up feds’ deal to settle with water district over runoff disaster; Bill beefing up dam inspections signed into law; Judge orders California agriculture officials to cease pesticide use; Californians are struggling to pay for rising water rates; First of week’s two storms hits California with snow and rain; U. S. Supreme Court rejects challenge to EPA regulation; and more …

In the news today …

‘Critical’ California snowpack could disappear by spring:  “Despite the cold weather across parts of Western U.S., including California, over the final stretch of February, The Weather Network’s Spring Forecast is calling for a drier and warmer than average three- month period.  But, this shouldn’t really come as a surprise. So far, the 2017-18 precipitation season has been one of a kind, making the top of the list for one of the driest on record in Southern California. The dry scenario in the south has actually extended to other areas of the north as the season has been moving along. Temperature-wise, until mid-February — before the colder weather arrived — California had experienced one of its warmest starts of winter on record, and this obviously impacted the state’s snowpack. … ”  Read more from the Weather Channel here:  ‘Critical’ California snowpack could disappear by spring

First of week’s two storms hits California with snow and rain:  “The first of two storms predicted this week brought some snow to the mountains and mostly modest amounts of rain as it moved through California on Monday, but some authorities were cautious about the potential for mudslides and debris flows.  The storm descended through the San Francisco Bay Area in the morning and dropped snow in the Sierra Nevada, where travel was hobbled on Interstate 80 and U.S. 50.  The relatively narrow storm band continued southward along the coast and also brought rain to the state’s Central Valley agricultural heartland. … ”  Read more from US News & World Report here:  First of week’s two storms hits California with snow and rain

Arrests may hold up feds’ deal to settle with water district over runoff disaster:  “The manager of a San Joaquin Valley water district seen as a model for how to manage toxic agricultural runoff was jailed last week in Fresno on charges of embezzlement and burying 86 drums of toxic waste on the water district’s property.  The arrests of former Panoche Water District General Manager Dennis Falaschi and four others on Thursday could further muddy congressional passage of a multimillion-dollar settlement between the federal government and the nearby Westlands Water District over selenium-tainted irrigation runoff that led to an environmental disaster at the Kesterson National Wildlife Refuge in 1983. … ”  Read more from SF Gate here:  Arrests may hold up feds’ deal to settle with water district over runoff disaster

Bill beefing up dam inspections signed into law:  “Gov. Jerry Brown signed a bill into law Monday that will increase the frequency of inspections at the state’s most at-risk dams and require the Department of Water Resources to update dam safety protocols.  Assemblyman James Gallagher, R-Yuba City, authored Assembly Bill 1270 following the Lake Oroville spillway crisis last February that saw more than 180,000 people evacuate. … ”  Read more from The Union here:  Bill beefing up dam inspections signed into law

In wake of Oroville crisis, Brown signs bill requiring tougher dam inspections:  “Gov. Jerry Brown has signed a bill passed in response to last February’s Oroville spillway disaster that aims to strengthen the state’s system of dam inspections.  The bill’s chief author, Assemblyman James Gallagher, R-Yuba City, was among the estimated 188,000 people forced to evacuate their homes when part of Oroville Dam’s emergency spillway system threatened to collapse and unleash catastrophic flooding down the Feather River. The episode began with a massive breach in the dam’s massive concrete main spillway and led to unanticipated severe erosion of the adjacent unpaved hillside that served as the dam’s emergency spillway. ... ”  Read more from KQED here:  In wake of Oroville crisis, Brown signs bill requiring tougher dam inspections

Judge orders California agriculture officials to cease pesticide use:  “A judge has ordered California agricultural officials to stop spraying pesticides on public and private property to control insects that threaten the state’s $45-billion agriculture industry.  The injunction by a Sacramento County Superior Court judge, issued late last week, could throw a substantial hurdle in front of efforts by the state Department of Food and Agriculture to control dozens of crop-damaging pests such as the Asian citrus psyllid, which carries bacteria that have decimated the citrus industry in Brazil and Florida. … ”  Read more from the LA Times here:  Judge orders California agriculture officials to cease pesticide use

Californians are struggling to pay for rising water rates:  “California has been blessed with the distinction of being home to some of the richest and the poorest income-earning Americans, according to a 2015 report by the Social Science Research Council. This stark division of wealth between the extravagantly rich and the destitute is displayed vividly in how the state’s residents consume water. On the one hand, some estate owners have been publicly shamed for watering their lawns during extreme drought with thousands of gallons per day – sometimes five or 10 times the average household rate. While other Californians live in communities where there isn’t enough water or the water isn’t safe to drink. ... ”  Read more from Water Deeply here:  Californians are struggling to pay for rising water rates

U. S. Supreme Court rejects challenge to EPA regulation:  “The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday turned away a challenge led by states and environmental groups to an Environmental Protection Agency regulation that lets government agencies transfer water between different bodies, such as rivers and lakes, without needing to protect against pollution.  The nine justices left in place a lower court ruling upholding the EPA’s “water transfers rule,” issued in 2008 by Republican former President George W. Bush’s administration, that exempted such transfers from a national water discharge program aimed at curbing pollution.  … ”  Read more from Reuters here:  U. S. Supreme Court rejects challenge to EPA regulation

In regional news and commentary today …

Napa’s hope for a Miracle March rains should get a good start:  “March arrives on Thursday with what looks to be a good shot of rainy weather—if only for a few days—amid an exceptionally dry Napa Valley winter.  Mike Pechner of Fairfield-based Golden West Meteorology said Monday that several inches of rain could fall in the Napa Valley from Wednesday afternoon into early Saturday. Snow could fall on Mount St. Helena.  But whether the county will see the Miracle March needed turn this drought-like rain season around is another matter. ... ”  Read more from the Napa Register here:  Napa’s hope for a Miracle March rains should get a good start

Rain, hail, and snow pound Northern California at end of bone-dry February:  “Finally, rain. And snow. Some hail, even.  Plus there’s more to come.  A storm doused Northern California on Monday, ending Sacramento’s month-plus dry spell and setting the table for a heavy pounding that could dump up to 4 feet of snow on the Sierra Nevada range later this week.  … ”  Read more at the Sacramento Bee here:  Rain, hail, and snow pound Northern California at end of bone-dry February

Was there snow in Sacramento yesterday?  Experts say no, but snowball fights went down:  “Northern California experienced some wild weather this afternoon.  Was It Snow In Sacramento Today? Experts Say No … Yet ‘Snowball’ Fights Went Down. … ”  Read more from Capital Public Radio here:  Was there snow in Sacramento yesterday?  Experts say no, but snowball fights went down

Formal calls for Pure Water Monterey Expansion, Cal Am desal project delay filed with CPUC:  “Several parties including the Monterey Peninsula mayors regional water authority have called for delaying California American Water’s proposed Marina desalination plant for a year or more to allow pursuit of a proposed Pure Water Monterey recycled water expansion and continued settlement talks in an attempt to avoid litigation.  But Cal Am insists enough time has been spent — six years — on the latest replacement water supply proposal and any further delay is unacceptable and would inevitably result in violating the state water board’s Carmel River cutback order as a result of missing this year’s milestone. … ”  Read more from the Monterey County Herald here:  Formal calls for Pure Water Monterey Expansion, Cal Am desal project delay filed with CPUC

Santa Barbara:  The mud trucks have stopped:  “The trucks full of mud that have been barreling down Highway 101 since the January 9 disaster are slowing their rolls. The Army Corps of Engineers emergency permit allowing mud to be dumped at Goleta Beach and Ash Avenue in Carpinteria expired last Tuesday. While a considerable amount of mud still exists on private property, the public roads and open spaces are mostly clear, said Scott McGolpin, county Public Works director. “We don’t plan on extending the permit at those locations for the January 9 event,” he said.  ... ”  Read more from the Independent here:  The mud trucks have stopped

Santa Barbara County tells utility companies to prepare for future debris flows:  “Santa Barbara County emergency officials developed new pre-storm evacuation procedures, and are telling utility companies to make contingency plans for future debris flows, including having repair crews in the Montecito area so they don’t get stuck on the wrong side of a Highway 101 closure.  Twenty-three people were killed, hundreds of homes were damaged or destroyed, and thousands of residents were displaced after the Jan. 9 debris flows. People are still digging out from the mud and debris, and the recovery will take years. … ”  Read more from Noozhawk here:  Santa Barbara County tells utility companies to prepare for future debris flows

The strange history of the Mojave River:  “The Mojave River is very strange. And there are good reasons why.  First, the stream is larger at its source than at its ending. In fact, the farther it is away from its source, the smaller it is.  Second, it flows seemingly backwards across San Bernardino County — away from the ocean instead of toward it. Its waters never reach the sea.  Third, throughout most of its course, the Mojave River flows underground. Once away from the mountains its waters rise to the surface only occasionally. … ”  Read more from the San Bernardino Sun here:  The strange history of the Mojave River

Precipitation watch …

Heavy snow is likely across the foothills and mountains of interior NorCal later this week.

Also on Maven’s Notebook today …

• BLOG ROUND-UP: Gubernatorial candidates stance on Cal Water Fix, the broken system, new traditions, bureaucratic drought, voluntary settlements, and more …
• NEWS WORTH NOTING: State and local water agencies celebrate the completion of the East Branch Extension of the State Water Project; Smarter Water LA coalition opposes South Bay ocean desal plant

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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.