- The Central Valley Flood Protection Board meets at 9am. Agenda items include a briefing from the Army Corps on the release of the Draft Levee Safety Guidance document; an update on the 2022 Central Valley Flood Protection Plan update; an update on the Delta Conveyance project, and consideration of approval of the Lower Elkhorn Basin Levee Setback Project and the 200-year Goldfields Levee Improvement Project. Click here for full agenda and webcast link.
- Saturday: Volunteer Planting Day at Dutch Slough Tidal Marsh Restoration from 9am to 12pm. We are looking for volunteers to plant native Tule plugs to this historic 1100-acre tidal marsh/wetlands restoration in Oakley, CA. This will be an amazing opportunity to leave your mark and help us plant tule plugs that you can watch grow and restore this amazing property. Click here for more information and to register.
Clear skies mean California’s snowpack is now below half of normal: “After two dry months in a row, state water officials say California’s snowpack is at 46% of normal for this time of year. As usual, the California Department of Water Resources on Thursday conducted the third monthly snow survey of 2020 at the Phillips Station snow course in the Sierra Nevada, south of Lake Tahoe. The snow course is one of 260 stations that measure snowpack statewide. The data help scientists determine how much water will run off during the spring and summer months to replenish California’s reservoirs. Sierra snowpack accounts for about one-third of California’s annual water supply. … ” Read more from KQED here: Clear skies mean California’s snowpack is now below half of normal
SEE ALSO:
- California sinks deeper into drought amid rain-free February, from Courthouse News
- California’s winter: wet times, dry times and water supplies, from the Water News Network
- California snowpack depleted amid what could be a record-dry February, from the LA Times
It’s a Dry Heat: What happens in an always warm world when it doesn’t rain for an unusual amount of time? “California’s 2013-2016 drought has been blamed for the death of 147 million trees in the Sierra Nevada. Three years of far-below-average rainfall changed ecosystems, drained groundwater, and left the state desiccated and primed for major wildfires. It was an extreme drought, and it might not have ended yet. A dry February 2020, in which San Francisco will not record any rain for the first time since 1864, raises the possibility that perhaps the last two rainy winters were just brief interruptions in a dry spell that might have to more properly be measured in decades, not years. “From the paleoclimate perspective, megadrought was common,” said Shelley Crausbay, a senior scientist at the ecological consulting firm Conservation Science Partners. “We may be in a megadrought now in California. But it’s too much of a new paradigm to say that out loud.” … ” Read more from Bay Nature here: It’s a Dry Heat: What happens in an always warm world when it doesn’t rain for an unusual amount of time?
Can carbon credits save Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta islands and protect California’s vital water hub? “The islands of the western Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta release tons of carbon dioxide — a greenhouse gas — into the atmosphere as the rich peat soil that attracted generations of farmers dries out and decays. An ambitious plan now in the works could halt the decay, sequester the carbon and — just as important — help protect California’s vital water conveyance system by offering farmers and landowners an incentive to change how they use their land.” Continue reading from Western Water here: Can carbon credits save Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta islands and protect California’s vital water hub?
East County residents weigh in on Delta Conveyance Project: “A rally before the start of the Department of Water Resources’(DWR) public scoping meeting for the Delta Conveyance Project (DCP) set the tone for the event — residents of East County were in no mood to consider another tunnel project in the Delta. Held Thursday, Feb. 20, the Brentwood Community Center’s upstairs conference room was filled beyond capacity, and many attendees stood along the walls and spilled out into the hallway. … ” Read more from The Press here: East County residents weigh in on Delta Conveyance Project
‘Lost communities’: thousands of wells in rural California may run dry: “When Carolina Garcia’s well began pumping sand and air instead of water in 2016, she didn’t know where to turn. The Garcias had been living in Tombstone Territory, a quiet four-street community in California’s San Joaquin Valley, for 10 years. In the middle of the state’s historic drought, many of the farms surrounding Tombstone Territory had installed new wells and deepened existing ones. Despite being just two miles from the Kings river, Tombstone was drying up. Garcia, her husband and four children spent four days without water that first time. ... ” Read more from The Guardian here: ‘Lost communities’: thousands of wells in rural California may run dry
HABITAT
Wildlife Conservation Board funds environmental improvement and acquisition projects: “At its Feb. 26, 2020 quarterly meeting, the Wildlife Conservation Board (WCB) approved approximately $33.2 million in grants to help restore and protect fish and wildlife habitat throughout California. Some of the 41 approved projects will benefit fish and wildlife — including some endangered species — while others will provide public access to important natural resources. Several projects will also demonstrate the importance of protecting working landscapes that integrate economic, social and environmental stewardship practices beneficial to the environment, landowners and the local community. ... ” Read more from the Department of Fish and Wildlife here: Wildlife Conservation Board funds environmental improvement and acquisition projects
Cal Trout awarded $4.9m to pursue reconnect habitat and protect the best projects: “We are excited to announce that six CalTrout projects to Reconnect Habitat and Protect the Best are moving forward thanks to grant funding opportunities from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) voter-approved Prop 68, CDFW Fisheries Restoration Grant Program, and SoCal Edison. Government grants make up 35% of our operating budget, allowing us to execute large-scale and significant programs that benefit wild fish and people in California. In 2018, voters passed Prop 68 which helps provide critical funding to allow us to keep moving forward on projects that support habitat resiliency, resource enhancement, and climate preparedness. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) selected 14 projects out of 124 proposals to receive funding. Proposition 68 provides funding to CDFW to award grants to projects that improve a community’s ability to adapt to the unavoidable impacts of climate change, develop future recreational opportunities, enhance drought tolerance, landscape resilience, and water retention. Below are the six projects by CalTrout that were awarded totaling $4,972,486. … ” Read more from Cal Trout here: Cal Trout awarded $4.9m to pursue reconnect habitat and protect the best projects
Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area to receive flood escape corridors, renewed habitats: “The Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area might be unfamiliar to those who are not avid bird watchers or agriculturalists, but it plays a crucial role in the Delta region. Viewable for those traveling on the Interstate 80 causeway, the Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area (YBWA) constitutes a stretch of wetlands, wildlife areas and agriculture. The California Department of Fish and Wildlif owns and operates the YBWA. “Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area’s approximately 16,600 acres is a haven for fish, waterfowl, shorebirds and wading birds, neotropical migratory birds, raptors, invertebrates, snakes, turtles, toads, and bats,” the California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s website reads. “The wildlife area is also a key cog in the Sacramento region’s flood control system.” ... ” Read more from the California Aggie here: Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area to receive flood escape corridors, renewed habitats
House passes bill to help eradicate swamp rats invading California and other states: “A measure to help eradicate the invasive rodents called nutria has passed the U.S. House with the help of a large, stuffed specimen. California Rep. Josh Harder (D-Turlock) brought a taxidermied nutria he calls Nellie to the House floor Wednesday ahead of a vote that approved the bill, the Modesto Bee reported. Nutria are native to South America and spread across the United States in the 20th century after being introduced as a source of fur for coats and hats. California declared them eradicated in the 1970s, but the semi-aquatic rodents have since made a rebound. ... ” Read more from the Modesto Bee here: House passes bill to help eradicate swamp rats invading California and other states
- SEE ALSO: NorCal congressman brings stuffed nutria to House floor, chamber votes to fund eradication efforts, from SF Gate
FISH
The California Fish and Game Commission voted to change striped bass fishing regulations: “The state Fish and Game Commission unanimously voted to change striped bass fishing regulations potentially setting up a decline in the fish’s population. This vote ends a 1996 policy placed to keep the striped bass population at around one million throughout the state of California and this vote can drastically change that number. … ” Read more from KRCR here: The California Fish and Game Commission voted to change striped bass fishing regulations
Fisheries biologists present California’s ocean salmon forecast for 2020: “At the annual Ocean Salmon Informational Meeting held in Santa Rosa today, state and federal fishery scientists presented updates on the numbers of California’s spawning salmon, as well as the expected abundance for the upcoming fishing season. The 2020 ocean abundance projection for Sacramento River fall Chinook (SRFC), a main salmon stock harvested in California waters, is estimated at 473,200 adult salmon, higher than the 2019 forecasts. The Klamath River fall Chinook (KRFC) abundance forecast of 186,600 adult salmon is lower than the 2019 forecast and will likely result in reduced fishing opportunity in the areas north of Pt. Arena. … ” Read more from the Department of Fish and Wildlife here: Fisheries biologists present California’s ocean salmon forecast for 2020
COASTAL ISSUES
Officials approve California coastal conservation plan: “California officials laid out an ambitious and sweeping plan Wednesday to combat the climate crisis threatening the state’s coast. The California Ocean Protection Council officially green-lit on Wednesday the Strategic Plan to Protect California’s Coast and Ocean for 2020-25, a new state agenda that aims to provide several crucial solutions to the climate issues threatening the coastal Golden State. The plan tackles a host of key climate issues, such as rising sea levels, increasingly acidic oceans and how to encourage meaningful and universal coastal access. Each issue has been treated to a detailed analysis that outlines exactly what kind of solutions exist and what can be done to implement them. … ” Read more from the Courthouse News Service here: Officials approve California coastal conservation plan
A mysterious ocean phenomenon known as ‘the Blob’ wreaked havoc on Pacific wildlife: What caused it and could it happen again?: “In early 2016, Sarah Schoen, a wildlife biologist at the Alaska Science Center, a branch of the United States Geological Survey, in Anchorage, set off on an investigation of a large die-off of murres, a black and white penguin-like bird, reported near the coastal city of Whittier. Even by Alaska standards, it was a lousy day for cruising in an open boat along the shore of the Gulf of Alaska. The temperature hovered around freezing. Rain alternated with snow. Schoen, who normally counts healthy birds breeding and caring for their young, steeled herself for the sight of corpses. Still, she was staggered by the spectacle she found. “There were dead birds on every beach we looked at,” she recalls. On one rocky stretch 100 yards long, she found 750 birds in piles. … ” Read more from Yale Climate Connections here: A mysterious ocean phenomenon known as ‘the Blob’ wreaked havoc on Pacific wildlife
National Water and Climate Update: Dry February leaves Sierra Nevada snowpack much below average: “The Natural Resources Conservation Service produces this weekly report using data and products from the National Water and Climate Center and other agencies. The report focuses on seasonal snowpack, precipitation, temperature, and drought conditions in the U.S. February-to-date in the Sierra Nevada of California and Nevada has been extremely dry with little to no additional snow since mid-January. The snowpack across the area is much below normal, with the period of record percentile in the lowest 25% for almost all SNOTEL and California Department of Water Resources automated stations. The lack of moisture in this normally wet time of year has caused drought designation expansion in the Drought Monitor map. Although the snowpack is low in the Sierra Nevada, much of the northern Cascades and Rockies are currently near or above normal.” Click here to read the report.
How smart water makes cities more transparent: “Smart technology is used in local governments across the country to help with something that’s both a major resource and potential headache: water. How much water is in the ground, in rivers or overflowing a shore during a storm? How can water be used more efficiently? What about the pipes it flows through? What about residents? How much water are they using — that they know of? What’s in that water? Do they have a leak? Could they use less if they knew their consumption, especially when compared to their neighbors? Those are some questions smart water technology can answer and some potential uses for the data drawn from it, says Will Sarni, former head of Deloitte’s water strategy practice and current CEO of Water Foundry, a water consultancy. “You’re seeing digital technologies emerge that are better able to understand what’s going on in the watershed, which benefits industrial and utility sectors too.” … ” Read more from State Tech here: How smart water makes cities more transparent
EPA official’s private response to Trump’s water pressure claims: ‘Sigh’: “An Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) official in charge of the agency’s WaterSense program expressed exasperation to her coworkers after President Trump criticized water standards for appliances. Emails obtained by NBC News showed Veronica Blette, head of the WaterSense program, forwarding tweets highlighting remarks that Trump made to reporters at the White House complaining about the number of times toilets at the White House needed to be flushed, adding commentary to her coworkers such as “sigh” and “I can’t even.” ... ” Read more from The Hill here: EPA official’s private response to Trump’s water pressure claims: ‘Sigh’
‘I can’t even’: Emails reveal EPA officials’ reaction to Trump rant on toilets, showers: “When the top official overseeing the Environmental Protection Agency’s WaterSense program first heard President Donald Trump’s rant about toilets that must be flushed a dozen times and modern faucets that provide only drips of water, she was at a loss for words. “I can’t even,” Veronica Blette, the chief of WaterSense in the EPA’s Office of Wastewater Management, emailed a handful of colleagues on Dec. 6, attaching a video of the president’s remarks. Sending another tweet highlighting Trump’s comments to co-workers, Blette wrote: “Sigh.” … ” Read more from NBC News here: ‘I can’t even’: Emails reveal EPA officials’ reaction to Trump rant on toilets, showers
Lawmakers grill EPA chief over push to slash agency’s budget: “Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Andrew Wheeler appeared before lawmakers Thursday to defend a budget that would bring the agency to its lowest funding level in years. As with previous Trump administration budgets, lawmakers are expected to ignore the proposed 26 percent cut to the agency, one of the steepest in the budget. “We are focused on the core mission of our agency so we can continue to protect the land, the air, the water, and we believe we can do that with the budget we requested,” Wheeler told lawmakers on the House Energy and Commerce Committee. ... ” Read more from The Hill here: Lawmakers grill EPA chief over push to slash agency’s budget
Group takes on Trump over hundreds of species at risk: “Fed up with the backlog of more than 500 species on deck for federal protection, a biodiversity watchdog group filed suit Thursday to compel listing determinations by the Trump administration. “As moose and golden-winged warblers and hundreds of other species fight the rising tide of the extinction crisis, Trump officials won’t lift a finger to help,” Noah Greenwald, the director of endangered species at the Center for Biological Diversity, said in a statement this morning. “This administration’s ugly contempt for wildlife and the Endangered Species Act threatens our country’s entire web of life. Every day of delay brings these incredible, irreplaceable plants and animals one step closer to extinction.” ... ” Read more from the Courthouse News here: Group takes on Trump over hundreds of species at risk
The Secretary of the Interior on climate change, wild horses, CWD, and new backcountry conservation areas: “Over the past month, Outdoor Life’s hunting editor Andrew McKean has had two opportunities to interview Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt. The first interview was a wide-ranging conversation about topics as varied as CWD funding, actions that federal agencies are taking to prepare public lands for climate change, and the status of acting BLM director William Perry Pendley. The second interview detailed a new BLM designation called Backcountry Conservation Areas that aim to perpetuate sportsmen’s access to public lands but to give managers tools to improve wildlife habitat and improve public recreational opportunities. … ” Read more from Outdoor Life here: The Secretary of the Interior on climate change, wild horses, CWD, and new backcountry conservation areas
Trump wants prime-time climate science challenge — Happer: “President Trump wants a climate science review where he might take center stage as host in front of a prime-time television audience, a former adviser said yesterday. Trump is also interested in bringing back a hostile review of climate science if he wins reelection, but he’s concerned that it would affect him in the general election, according to William Happer, a former senior director in the National Security Council. The emeritus Princeton University professor worked for months to promote a hostile review of climate science. Happer told E&E News he’s interested in a purely academic challenge to the National Climate Assessment, while Trump wants a televised event. … ” Read more from E&E News here: Trump wants prime-time climate science challenge — Happer
It’s time for state leaders to take over contentious groundwater debate in California, says Thomas C. Esqueda, associate vice president for water and sustainability at Fresno State: He writes, ” … For years, California has not adequately or consistently measured groundwater levels or groundwater extractions. Part of the inconsistency relates to the philosophy surrounding SGMA. At the announcement in 2014, Brown emphasized that “groundwater management in California is best accomplished locally.” While a noble thought, our state government leaders should lean into this substantial challenge and provide much-needed leadership to gather all interested and concerned parties. The five-year buffer period has been marred by shouting matches between the groups, rather than cooperative dialogue to work together. And a path forward to sustainable water management for California remains as disjointed as it’s ever been. Local control has degraded to parochial control. … ” Read more from the Fresno Bee here: It’s time for state leaders to take over contentious groundwater debate in California
A warning for Bay Area dams, says the San Francisco Chronicle: They write, “Life in California depends on the dams and reservoirs that provide water for homes, farms, recreation, energy and, not least, safety. That last function should be getting serious consideration toward providing overdue answers about emergency preparedness. The more than 1,200 earth and cement structures that stand astride rivers and canyons across the state look solid enough, but many were built before engineers fully understood the threat of nearby seismic faults. Compounding the danger, a large number of decades-old dams are operating without updated policies on emergency notification of communities and businesses that have developed downriver since they were built. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle here: A warning for Bay Area dams
Willits: LACO, City seek input from residents regarding Groundwater Management Plan: “Representatives from LACO Associates and the City of Willits held the first of two Little Lake Valley (LLV) Groundwater Plan public workshops on Feb. 20 at City Hall. Willits City Council recently approved the development of a Groundwater Management Plan (GWMP) for the LLV Groundwater Basin in order to fulfill the commitment required to receive Proposition 1 funds. Once the required GWMP is completed, the California Department of Water Resources will supply $500,000 to help the City bolster its water supply, which could be threatened in times of drought, fire and other natural disasters. The purpose of the public workshops is to garner stakeholder participation in order to help develop and establish groundwater management opportunities, concerns and objectives. … ” Read more from Willits News here: Willits: LACO, City seek input from residents regarding Groundwater Management Plan
Dirtying the waters: Butte County faces potential $240 million fine for alleged discharge of contaminated stormwater: “State water officials are investigating the Butte County landfill on Neal Road for allegedly discharging an estimated 24 million gallons of waste-contaminated stormwater onto a neighboring property and watershed last winter, according to documents recently obtained by the CN&R. The documents, which were prepared by the State Water Resources Control Board’s Office of Enforcement and sent to the county’s Public Works Department last month, alerted the county that it may be liable for up to $10 per gallon—for spillage in excess of 1,000 gallons—of water discharged, which suggests a maximum possible penalty of about $240 million. … ” Read more from the Chico News & Review here: Dirtying the waters: County faces potential $240 million fine for alleged discharge of contaminated stormwater
Sonoma: Emergency repair to west county aqueduct: “On Feb. 25, the board of directors of the Sonoma County Water Agency (Sonoma Water) approved a resolution to allow emergency repairs for a portion of the Russian River-Cotati Aqueduct. The emergency declaration allows repairs to take place in an expedited fashion. A corroded section of 48-inch pipe will be replaced inside a meter vault near River Road in Forestville. The corrosion was discovered during a recent routine inspection. The pipe is located in an underground vault that is subject to groundwater seepage, which contributed to the corrosion. … ” Read more from Sonoma West here: Sonoma: Emergency repair to west county aqueduct
Solano County Water Agency has flood committee openings: “The Solano County Water Agency has two spots open on its Flood Control Advisory Committee. The committee provides advice and recommendations to the agency’s board of directors on flood control issues and activities throughout the county. ... ” Read more from the Daily Republic here: Solano County Water Agency has flood committee openings
Benicia takes steps to prepare for sea level rise: “The Benicia City Council unanimously approved a contract with Cullen-Sherry & Associates, Inc. for engineering services to design the West H and I Street Shoreline Stabilization at the Feb. 18 meeting. The improvements are designed to prevent erosion and protect the city from sea level rise. While the exact scope of the project is currently unknown, the engineering firm will do a study and see if a sewer line actually needs to be moved or just protected in its current state in compliance with the state’s projections. … ” Read more from the Benicia Herald here: Benicia takes steps to prepare for sea level rise
Crows Landing water system improvements in the works: “The aging water distribution system in Crows Landing, which is subject to low pressure and frequent leaks, could be replaced by new infrastructure in coming years. The Crows Landing Community Services District has landed grant funds to engineer and design a new system, said district board President Lance Perry and General Manager Ignacio Lopez. They expressed confidence that, once the engineering plans are completed, the unincorporated community will receive a construction grant as well. … ” Read more from Westside Connect here: Crows Landing water system improvements in the works
LA Sanitation & Environment Services leads U.S. in protecting biodiversity & measuring urban ecosystem health: “With over 1,200 native plant and animal species across 502.7 square miles (468.7 square miles of land and 34.0 square miles of water), the City of Los Angeles is one of three Global Biodiversity Hotspots in the US. The Planning Report spoke with LA Sanitation and Environment Director and General Manager Enrique Zaldivar and Assistant General Manager Dr. Mas Dojiri about the challenges facing biodiversity globally and, as the city agency charged with protection of the environment and public health, LA SAN’s work to create a Biodiversity Index to quantify the vitality of the diverse urban ecosystems in Los Angeles and measure the impact of clean water and environmental protection efforts. … ” Read more from The Planning Report here: LA Sanitation & Environment Services leads U.S. in protecting biodiversity & measuring urban ecosystem health
Long Beach to receive $8.9 million for flood control improvements: “Long Beach will receive $8.9 million from the federal government to improve flood control infrastructure, the U.S. Department of Commerce announced Thursday morning, Feb. 27. The grant was announced by U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross. The department’s Economic Development Administration awarded the funds to “protect businesses and make the region resilient to future natural disasters.” … ” Read more from the Long Beach Press Telegram here: Long Beach to receive $8.9 million for flood control improvements
San Diego County Water Authority Board votes to dismiss certain legal claims against MWD: “After securing more than $350 million in “Water Stewardship Rate” benefits for the San Diego region, the San Diego County Water Authority’s Board of Directors today voted to dismiss certain related claims against the Los Angeles-based Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. The Water Authority Board’s decision represents a major step toward resolving the litigation, which has been pending for more than 10 years. The suits challenged water rates and charges imposed by MWD on San Diego County agencies and their ratepayers from 2010-2018. The Water Authority’s Board action will allow the parties to avoid a trial scheduled for June 2020 and clear the way for judgment to be entered in the older cases. ... ” Read more from Water News Network here: Water Authority Board Votes to Dismiss Certain Legal Claims Against MWD
How will the West’s water be affected by climate change? “Flavio Lehner was a graduate student working with computer models simulating Earth’s climate at the University of Berne in Switzerland when he had a chance to join a research vessel collecting sea temperatures and measuring ocean currents between Greenland and Svalbard, Norway. … “They had been measuring ocean currents for 10 years,” Lehner said. “In real-world data collection, you look at one fraction of the Earth for a long time. With models, you can look at the big-picture questions.” Two of those big-picture questions are how much snow will fall on the mountains of the West and how much water will be available for the region’s forests, farms and cities in a world growing warmer as greenhouse gases build up in the atmosphere. … ” Read more from The Journal here: How will the West’s water be affected by climate change?
- WATER PLAN eNEWS: ~~ Water Workshop~ UWMP Laws~ Dam Safety~ Texas Conference~ Delta Committee~ Splash ~~
- DELTA eNEWS: ~~ Delta Framework~ New Year~ Delta Blues~ DPIIC Meeting~ Fishing Tournament ~~
Image credit: CA streamflow assessment map, courtesy of Belize Lane. From this paper: Lane, B. A., Dahlke, H. E., Pasternack, G. B., & Sandoval‐Solis, S. (2017). Revealing the diversity of natural hydrologic regimes in California with relevance for environmental flows applications. JAWRA Journal of the American Water Resources Association, 53(2), 411-430.
