In California water news today, Bird’s eye look of work underway at Oroville Dam spillways; Restore Hetch Hetchy back in court; Congress learning to padlock the courthouse door; Pruitt: Dealing with water contaminant a priority; Should you be worried about your water supply?; and more …
In the news today …
Also on Maven’s Notebook today …
Bird’s eye look of work underway at Oroville Dam spillways: “The second and final phase of reconstruction continues at the Oroville Dam spillways. This year, contractor Kiewit Infrastructure West Co. is rebuilding the top 730-foot portion of the main spillway and using structural concrete to rebuild the walls and resurface the chute in the middle. A flight over the location last week during a break in Butte County Sheriff’s Office helicopter training exercise, showed that much original concrete at the top of the chute has been removed, along with the walls. … ” Read more from the Chico Enterprise-Record here: Bird’s eye look of work underway at Oroville Dam spillways
Restore Hetch Hetchy To Appear In California Appellate Court; States’ Rights At Issue In Future Of Yosemite National Park: “Restore Hetch Hetchy will present oral arguments to California’s 5th District Court of Appeal in Fresno at a hearing on May 30th at 9:00 a.m. to determine whether San Francisco’s O’Shaughnessy Dam and Hetch Hetchy Reservoir must comply with California’s Constitutional law regulating water distribution (Case No. CV 59426 – http://bit.ly/29CQTkJ). Restore Hetch Hetchy’s case alleges that the reservoir that is flooding the Hetch Hetchy Valley in Yosemite National Park, burying it under 300 feet of water, violates the California Constitution’s mandate prohibiting any “unreasonable method of diversion.” … ” Read more from Water Online here: Restore Hetch Hetchy To Appear In California Appellate Court; States’ Rights At Issue In Future Of Yosemite National Park
Congress learning to padlock the courthouse door: “The high-ranking lawmaker who wants to block judicial review of a massive California water tunnels project calls his maneuver something close to standard operating procedure. And, like it or not, he’s right. In the latest example of a controversial tactic, the chairman of a key House panel included language blocking judicial review of California’s WaterFix project in a fiscal 2019 Interior Department funding package. The bill would also block court scrutiny of several gray wolf decisions (Greenwire, May 15). “We’ve done this before,” Rep. Ken Calvert (R-Calif.) said in an interview. Indeed they have. ... ” Read more from E&E News here: Congress learning to padlock the courthouse door
Pruitt: Dealing with water contaminant a priority: “Environmental Protection Agency chief Scott Pruitt says dealing with a widespread contaminant in drinking water is a “national priority.” Pruitt spoke Tuesday as he opened a hearing on the contaminants, known as perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl. The chemicals were used in items like nonstick coating and firefighting foam and have contaminated some water systems nationwide. The compounds are linked to developmental defects and other health problems. Pruitt has faced criticism in recent weeks over emails showing the EPA sought to intervene in a critical study on the contaminants. … ” Read more from the Fresno Bee here: Pruitt: Dealing with water contaminant a priority
Nothing Certain In Search For ‘Regulatory Certainty’ At EPA: “As Environmental Protection Agency chief Scott Pruitt has moved to roll back a sweeping array of Obama-era regulations he’s relentlessly cited his goal of providing “regulatory certainty.” In his first address to career employees last year he told the gathered room at the EPA, “Regulators exist to give certainty to those that they regulate. Those that we regulate ought to know what we expect of them, so that they can plan and allocate resources to comply.” He’s cited this in his efforts to delay, repeal or roll back the Clean Power Plan, the Waters of the U.S. Rule, and a string of other measures. … ” Read more from NPR here: Nothing Certain In Search For ‘Regulatory Certainty’ At EPA
Should you be worried about your water supply? “Cape Town was in danger this year of becoming the first big city to run out of water, which forced the South African metropolis to impose severe water-saving measures to avert “Day Zero.” Research from scientists at NASA and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, shows that worldwide freshwater reserves have changed drastically since 2002. The decline in water availability in regions such as northern India, northeast China, the Caspian Sea and across the Middle East has been blamed mainly on irrigation and groundwater pumping. “Any of these spots on the map are potential ‘Cape Towns’ in future,” says Jay Famiglietti, one of the authors of the study, referring to the 34 areas that showed the greatest changes. “Freshwater availability is changing, and water insecurity is much closer than we think.” … ” Read more from Ozy here: Should you be worried about your water supply?
In regional news and commentary today …
PacificCorp lends more water to Reclamation: “The boat ramps at Copco and Iron Gate reservoirs are temporarily closed through June, and possibly later, due to a draw-down of water requested for use by Bureau of Reclamation for Klamath Project irrigators. As part of meeting a total request of approximately 20,000 acre feet of water from the Bureau of Reclamation, PacifiCorp announced on Monday it has started lowering the water levels of the reservoirs on the Klamath River a second time, which will impact recreation in that area over the Memorial Day weekend. Water levels will be down by about 10 to 15 feet of normal. The first request for additional water made to PacifiCorp totaled 10,500 acre feet, an amount that has been exhausted, with the second request for water totaling approximately 9,500 acre feet. … ” Read more from the Herald & News here: PacificCorp lends more water to Reclamation
Yuba County Water Agency contributes $1.5 million to forest management pilot project: “Densely populated forests filled with dead or dying trees substantially increase the chance of a wildfire. That’s no different in the North Yuba Watershed, which is why the Yuba County Water Agency is contributing $1.5 million to a pilot project in the region intended to reduce that risk and improve water runoff. Entities like Blue Forest Conservation, the World Resources Institute and the Forest Resilience Bond are harnessing private financing to fund an approximately $4.6 million pilot project focused on forest health. The project will be carried out by the U.S. Forest Service and National Forest Foundation and will include different management techniques like forest thinning, meadow restoration, prescribed burns and invasive plant treatment. … ” Read more from the Appeal Democrat here: Yuba County Water Agency contributes $1.5 million to forest management pilot project
12,000 new homes in Folsom Ranch project raise water supply concerns: “Homes in the Folsom Ranch development south of Highway 50 are finally ready to go up starting with model homes next week. Roughly 12,000 new homes will be built in the next several years. But residents say they’re worried it’ll put a strain on the local water supply. “I think it’s unrealistic to think that Folsom Lake can keep supplying the same amount of water and just keep increasing homes,” said Beth Kelly, the president of the Heritage Preservation League. … ” Read more from CBS 13 here: 12,000 new homes in Folsom Ranch project raise water supply concerns
Mechanical harvester clearing invasive weed off of Clear Lake: “A bright blue machine that resembles a cross between a bulldozer and side-wheel paddleboat is busy cleaning up a big mess Mother Nature left this year at Spring Lake. The 32-foot-long aquatic harvester operated by a Windsor company is traversing the lake, collecting more than a ton of a floating weed called Azolla in its 8-foot-wide steel mouth on each foray over the 72-acre recreational lake. At the Spring Lake boat dock, the harvester’s stern transfers the soggy plant mass onto an up-tilted conveyor belt that drops it into a red trailer for delivery to county property at Los Guilicos, where the weed will be mixed with other organic material to make compost. … ” Read more from The Press Democrat here: Mechanical harvester clearing invasive weed off of Clear Lake
Palo Alto: Price tag for better tasting water in the South Bay just increased by $50 million: “The Santa Clara Valley Water District’s water treatment plant in Los Gatos is nearing the mid-point of a massive modernization project that should result in better tasting water — and more of it. The the project will boost the facility’s output from 80 million to 100 million gallons of drinking water a day. But it will still be several years before people notice anything since the project is behind schedule and may not be completed until 2021. … ” Read more from the San Jose Mercury News here: Price tag for better tasting water in the South Bay just increased by $50 million
Large number of balloons pulled from Monterey Bay: “Happy events like Mother’s Day and college graduations are often marked by colorful bunches of balloons. But what happens to those balloons when they’re released, by accident or on purpose? In the past few weeks, researchers, whale watchers and ocean lovers have found unusually large numbers of balloons washing up on beaches or floating out at sea. Those plastic ribbons, shiny mylar plastic and stretchy latex can have nasty and permanent effects on the wildlife that encounter them. ... ” Read more from the Monterey Herald here: Large number of balloons pulled from Monterey Bay
Big grant awarded to help Merced County communities maintain groundwater: “Several east Merced county communities received a $2.4 million grant from the California Department of Water Resources for local groundwater sustainability. “This funding will allow the county, working with our partners and other local water management agencies, to comply with the sustainable groundwater act in developing a plan that will direct how we manage groundwater over the next 20 years,” Merced County Water Resources Coordinator Lacey Kiriakou said. … ” Read more from ABC 30 here: Big grant awarded to help Merced County communities maintain groundwater
Fresno residents can now monitor water usage online: “If you live in Fresno, there’s no need to pry open the water meter box and deal with dirt and bugs to figure out how much water you are using. Now, it’s just a click away on a cell phone or computer on the EyeOnWater app. “It’s a great system,” says Bud Tickel, interim assistant director for the Department of Public Utilities. “We have been waiting a long time. This system is going to allow a lot of people to see and control what they are doing with their own water.” ... ” Read more from KFSN here: Fresno residents can now monitor water usage online
Mammoth Community Water District concerned as nearby geothermal plant expands: “The town of Mammoth Lakes, in California’s eastern Sierra Nevada, is generally known for two things: epic skiing in winter, thanks to the very high elevation of its ski mountain; and volcanic activity, because the mountain is a simmering volcano. It’s normal to hike or ski around Mammoth and smell the sulfurous gases venting from gurgling magma deep under the mountain. That magma is also a rich source of geothermal power. Ormat Technologies, based in Reno, Nevada, has been tapping that power source for three decades. Now it wants to double its energy output to 60 megawatts by drilling more geothermal wells. Not so fast, says the Mammoth Community Water District. ... ” Read more from Water Deeply here: Mammoth Community Water District concerned as nearby geothermal plant expands
Making an economic case for local water in L.A. County: “Los Angeles voters have a history of putting their money where their mouths are, taxing themselves to address social problems and improve communities. In 2016 alone, voters approved measures aimed at homelessness, public transportation — even building more public parks. In the 2018 midterm elections, another important issue hits the ballot: the region’s future water supply. According to UCLA-led research published today, building infrastructure to bolster local water resources isn’t just good for people and the environment — it also makes economic sense. … ” Read more from UCLA Newsroom here: Making an economic case for local water in L.A. County
Nestle bottled water controversy becomes campaign issue in congressional race: “The controversy over Nestlé’s bottled water operation in the San Bernardino National Forest has prompted a review of the company’s federal permit, a lawsuit and an investigation by California regulators. Now, Nestlé’s continued piping of water out of the San Bernardino Mountains has become an issue in a congressional campaign. Ahead of the June 5 primary in the 8th Congressional District, Democratic candidate Marge Doyle is criticizing Rep. Paul Cook, the Republican incumbent, for supporting water legislation that she says would undermine the ability of state and federal authorities to limit how much water the company uses from the national forest. ... ” Read more from the Desert Sun here: Nestle bottled water controversy becomes campaign issue in congressional race
Del Mar stands firm against ‘planned retreat’: “Del Mar’s City Council agreed Monday night that “planned retreat” will not be part of its long-term strategy for dealing with sea-level rise, despite the state Coastal Commission’s request to include the idea. Planned retreat, also called “managed retreat,” is a strategy of removing seawalls, roads, homes and other structures gradually over the years in advance of rising sea levels. “It’s the door that lets the vampire in,” said resident Laura DeMarco, urging the council to reject the idea. “It really endangers this entire community.” ... ” Read more from the San Diego Union Tribune here: Del Mar stands firm against ‘planned retreat’
Interesting water news from elsewhere …
Eat. Pray. Truck. How A Northwest Tribe Brings Salmon Home: “The Puyallup Tribe welcomed the first salmon of the year back to the Puyallup River in Tacoma on Tuesday. Strangely, perhaps, that chinook’s epic journey from mid-Pacific Ocean to a Puyallup fishing net begins with a sloshing tanker truck. Tribes from Alaska to California have held annual “first salmon” ceremonies for centuries to thank the wide-ranging fishes for coming home after years at sea. But some years, the Puyallup River barely has enough chinook salmon to support a ceremony, let alone a tribe whose diet used to be mostly salmon. … ” Read more from OPB here: Eat. Pray. Truck. How A Northwest Tribe Brings Salmon Home
Rural counties in Northern Nevada fear speculation as company files to control as much water as Nevada gets from the Colorado River every year: “U.S. Water and Land, LLC is in the opportunity business. It knows that where there is scarcity and volatility, there is opportunity. And it knows that where there is water, there is often both. It also knows that few places deal with scarcity and volatility as directly as the Humboldt River, a small river that Mark Twain once described as a “sickly rivulet” but the economic lifeblood for several Northern Nevada communities. Knowing this, the entity — an investment vehicle for a New York hedge fund — filed an application late last year with Nevada’s top water official to stake a large claim for the last available rights to one of the state’s most contested waterways. … ” Read more from the Nevada Independent here: Rural counties fear speculation as company files to control as much water as Nevada gets from the Colorado River every year
Are billions needed for a cross-state canal to save Western Kansas? “Flying east to west over Kansas, the land transforms from lush green to desert brown. … For generations, farmers like Roth have looked not to the heavens for the rain to nurture their crops, but to wells, pumps and sprinklers that heaved water up from the Ogallala Aquifer — America’s largest underground reservoir. They transformed the semi-arid region into some of the nation’s most productive farmland. Duane Roth relies on high-tech gear to water his crops only as much as he absolutely needs to. But the water’s running out. … ” Read more from KCUR here: Are billions needed for a cross-state canal to save Western Kansas?
Also on Maven’s Notebook today …
- BLOG ROUND-UP: Legislature moves toward more efficient water use; The high hurdles to water storage; Bridges over troubled waters; Financing the future of water infrastructure; and more …
- THIS JUST IN … Water Supply Allocation Increases Slightly for State Water Contractors
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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.
