On the calendar today …
- MEETING: The California Water Commission meets at 9:30am. The Commission will discuss options for use of newly available Water Storage Investment Program funds, hear a panel on public benefits of water conveyance, and a presentation on the state’s Incidental Take Permit for the State Water Project. For agenda and webcast link, click here.
- FREE WEBINAR: Caltrans’ Fish Passage Program and the FishPAC: An Overview from 10:15 to 11:15am. Caltrans and the California Fish Passage Advisory Committee is hosting a webinar to provide background information and share the current status of Caltrans’ Fish Passage Program efforts and external efforts and partnering as well as the innovative tools the FishPAC uses to advance science and data toward the progress of recovering access to habitat for threatened and endangered salmon and Steelhead in California. Click here to register.
- FREE WEBINAR: Detection of SARS CoV-2 in Wastewater to Inform Public Health from 12pm to 1pm. This webinar focuses on research to reduce uncertainty, including method development within our lab, application in sewersheds with distinctive levels of industrial and stormwater impacts within the Cincinnati Metropolitan Sewer District, and development of a wastewater surveillance system in Ohio in support of the State Department of Health. Click here to register.
- WATER BOARD WORKSHOP: Overview of Proposed Water Loss Standards and Regulatory Framework from 1pm to 3pm. The State Water Resources Control Board will hold a public stakeholder workshop to receive input prior to initiation of the formal rulemaking process for the development of water loss performance standards. Interested persons can provide input at the meeting. Click here for more information and remote access instructions.
In California water news today …
Error correction means California’s future wetter winters may never come
“California and other areas of the U.S. Southwest may see less future winter precipitation than previously projected by climate models. After probing a persistent error in widely used models, researchers at the Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory estimate that California will likely experience drier winters in the future than projected by some climate models, meaning residents may see less spring runoff, higher spring temperatures, and an increased risk of wildfire in coming years. … ” Read more from Pacific Northwest National Labs here: Error correction means California’s future wetter winters may never come
Q&A with Mike Dettinger: Droughts aren’t just about water anymore
“In recent years, researchers have been learning more about how an increasingly “thirsty atmosphere” in California and the West is influencing drought. We talked to Mike Dettinger—a climate scientist and a member of the PPIC Water Policy Center’s research network—about this phenomenon. PPIC: What is a “thirsty atmosphere” and why is it happening? MIKE DETTINGER: The atmosphere has the capacity to draw water up from the land through evaporation. Five factors affect how much water the atmosphere can take up: how warm it is, how humid, the amount of sunshine, the amount of wind, and the available water in soils, plants, lakes, etc. Scientists often refer to the first four as the atmosphere’s “thirstiness,” or evaporative demand. It varies hour to hour, season to season, and year to year based on these factors. … ” Read more from the PPIC here: Q&A with Mike Dettinger: Droughts aren’t just about water anymore
Proposed agreement could boost funds to fix Friant-Kern Canal
“In what was hailed as a “landmark agreement,” farmers in an area of southern Tulare County blamed for sinking the Friant-Kern Canal from excessive groundwater pumping will chip in a hefty amount to help pay for a fix. How hefty could be decided by their payment choice. A longer term payment option would be $200 million. But a lump sum option could cost only $125 million, a 37.5 percent discount, according to a proposed settlement agreement between the Eastern Tule Groundwater Sustainability Agency and the Friant Water Authority. … ” Read more from SJV Water here: Proposed agreement could boost funds to fix Friant-Kern Canal
The persistent legacy of irrigation districts
“In “Hydraulic Society in California: An Ecological Interpretation,” published in Agricultural History, environmental historian Donald Worster writes that an irrigation district was essentially “a public corporation brought into being by a majority of landowners and often coercing a recalcitrant minority to share the expense.” While these districts enabled the transformation of California into an agricultural powerhouse, they also precipitated the concentration of water wealth into the hands of few. With the state now grappling with drought and critically-overdrafted groundwater basins, the very agencies tasked with addressing these crises may be perpetuating the historical legacy they were designed to address. … ” Read more from Estuary News here: The persistent legacy of irrigation districts
Investors can now trade on and profit from California water — how might that work out?
“It’s not just Californians paying attention to the state’s water supply anymore. It’s Wall Street. In a sign of the growing value of water in a warming world, investors began trading futures of the coveted commodity, tied to California water prices, for the first time last week. The novel marketplace allows speculators to make money betting on future prices of California water while allowing farmers, businesses and municipal suppliers to hedge against price swings and stabilize their costs. ... ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle here: Investors can now trade on and profit from California water — how might that work out?
How to divide the groundwater pie and avoid legal challenges
“Five years into California implementing the most sweeping change to state water law in a century, the first lawsuits are hitting the courts. Gov. Jerry Brown signed the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act, also known as SGMA, into law in 2014, during the state’s last deep drought, to address decades of groundwater overpumping. … One of the biggest challenges to implementing SGMA hovers around this two-part question: Who gets to pump groundwater and how much do they get to pump” Or, put another way, who must cut their groundwater use and by how much? … ” Read more from the Daily Journal here: How to divide the groundwater pie and avoid legal challenges
Video: DWR crowdsources cutting edge science to protect spring-run salmon
“Spring-run Chinook used to be the dominant run of salmon in California’s Central Valley, with more than a million spawners spread across nearly every river and foothill creek. Now they are rare outside of hatcheries, and may disappear from the few streams where they are still seen. In the first steps of a new effort to protect and restore this native fish, the Department of Water Resources recently held a three-day virtual workshop to crowdsource the brainpower of top scientists across a broad spectrum of public agencies and academia. … ” Read more and watch video from DWR News here: Video: DWR crowdsources cutting edge science to protect spring-run salmon
Whatever Happened To…?
Estuary News journalists follow up on past stories, such as mercury in trout, derelict ships in the Delta, sticking it to spartina, and more. Check it out here: Whatever Happened To…?
In commentary today …
It is not a question of a Delta tunnel or local supply projects: both are necessary for a secure water future, says Jennifer Pierre, General Manager of the State Water Contractors
She writes, “The Delta Conveyance Project is a necessary upgrade to ensure that our aging 1960-era State Water Project (SWP) infrastructure will continue to function into the future and will help California water agencies develop their local water supply projects and reduce future reliance on imported supplies.An emerging narrative that we have seen from project opponents is the false choice between either supporting the Delta Conveyance Project or supporting more local and regional projects to develop alternative or expanded water supply sources. These are not alternatives to each other. We can and must do both. … ” Read more from the State Water Contractors here: It is not a question of a delta tunnel or local supply projects: both are necessary for a secure water future
In regional water news and commentary today …
Oregon water litigation again exceeds agency’s budget
“Klamath Basin water battles have again caused Oregon water regulators to exceed their litigation budget, prompting lawmakers to authorize an additional $650,000 for such legal expenses. The Oregon Legislature’s Joint Emergency Board voted on Dec. 11 to increase the litigation budget of the state’s Water Resources Department, which would otherwise be forced to cut services and lay off employees. … ” Continue reading at the Capital Press here: Oregon water litigation again exceeds agency’s budget
Bay Area: How the Great Flood of 1862 inspired Measure AA
“When Hurricane Sandy hit New York City in 2012, it was a wake-up call for Bay Area Council members, who were glued to coverage of the devastation from their tenth floor offices near San Francisco’s Ferry Building. “We were watching the subways fill up with water,” recalls Adrian Covert, vice president of public policy for the business-backed nonprofit, which helped lead the 2016 Measure AA campaign that will fund flood protection projects associated with habitat restoration. “We all looked out the window and saw all that water in the Bay.” They asked themselves if the disaster unfolding 3,000 miles away could strike here too. Covert and his colleagues realized the answer was yes … ” Read more from Estuary News here: Bay Area: How the Great Flood of 1862 inspired Measure AA
Bay Area: Groundwater beneath your feet is rising with the sea. It could bring long-buried toxins with it
“Rising seas can evoke images of waves crashing into beachfront property or a torrent of water rolling through downtown streets. But there’s a lesser-known hazard of climate change for those who live along shorelines the world over: freshwater in the ground beneath them creeping slowly upward. For many Bay Area residents who live near the water’s edge, little-publicized research indicates the problem could start to manifest in 10-15 years, particularly in low-lying communities like those in Oakland, Alameda and Marin City. … ” Read more from KQED here: Bay Area: Groundwater beneath your feet is rising with the sea. It could bring long-buried toxins with it
San Jose: Anderson Reservoir is drained as part of earthquake project to rebuild 240-foot Anderson Dam
“Anderson Reservoir, the largest in Santa Clara County, is nearly empty. The Santa Clara Valley Water District, which owns the reservoir located east of Highway 101 between Morgan Hill and San Jose, said Tuesday that its crews have finished draining nearly all of the water out of it — leaving it just 3% full — as part of a historic earthquake repair job. ... ” Read more from the San Jose Mercury News here: San Jose: Anderson Reservoir is drained as part of earthquake project to rebuild 240-foot Anderson Dam
Environmentalists sue feds to block oil project in Carrizo Plain National Monument
“Southern California’s Carrizo Plain National Monument is home to spectacular pastel super blooms, ancient pictograph rock art, and, if the Trump administration has its way, a soon-to-be oil well and pipeline. Environmental advocates sued the federal government on Tuesday to block the project that has had an on-again, off-again status over the last several years and, if approved, would cut through the near-pristine Carrizo Plain. … ” Read more from Courthouse News Service here: Environmentalists sue feds to block oil project in Carrizo Plain National Monument
Quest for water in the Kern River continues
“The steady drumbeat of support to get more water flowing in the Kern River through Bakersfield continued Tuesday at the State Water Resources Control Board. During the public comment portion of the meeting three speakers from Bakersfield and Kern County’s political realm urged board members to finally hear — and grant — a decade-old petition by the City of Bakersfield to appropriate water on the river to run through the heart of town. … ” Read more from SJV Water here: Quest for water in the Kern River continues
New Cal City Council approves inventory of water system
“The newly sworn-in California City City Council approved a Request for Proposal during its Dec. 8 meeting, to locate and inventory the city’s entire water system. It is looking for proposals that will include a commercial computer-aided design and drafting software application (AutoCAD) and a web-based geographic information system (GIS) mapping system. ... ” Read more from the Antelope Valley Press here: New Cal City Council approves inventory of water system
Santa Barbara: Soon-to-be-released map pinpoints properties at risk of debris flows, flooding during storms
“The latest map that shows habitable properties in Montecito, Summerland and Carpinteria at risk of debris flows or flooding from a storm will be released this week by Santa Barbara County officials. Community members can learn about winter preparedness and preview the updated Interactive Storm Impact Consideration Map that identifies parcels that may be at risk from debris flows or flooding this storm season. The map will be utilized by local emergency managers to determine the portions of the community that would be evacuated this winter if necessary, according to county officials. … ” Read more from Noozhawk here: Soon-to-be-released map pinpoints properties at risk of debris flows, flooding during storms
Lockheed Martin set to perform state-ordered cleanup of toxic substances in San Diego Bay
“Following extensive litigation and investigation, Lockheed Martin is expected to soon begin work on a state-ordered — and court-mandated — environmental remediation project meant to clean up a portion of San Diego Bay’s Harbor Island East Basin that was subject to decades of pollution. Last week, Port of San Diego Commissioners voted unanimously to certify the project’s environmental impact report and to issue a coastal development permit for demolition work and sediment remediation. … ” Read more from the San Diego Union-Tribune here: Lockheed Martin set to perform state-ordered cleanup of toxic substances in San Diego Bay
Along the Colorado River …
Arizona unveils draft legislation to create surface water protections
“The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality is seeking public feedback on its draft legislation to establish a set of regulations to protect surface water statewide. The changes implemented by the Trump administration earlier this year dramatically curtailed the list of waters that fall under the Clean Water Act, excluding a vast number of streams, washes and creeks from federal pollution protection. Importantly for arid Arizona, ephemeral waters – those that only flow after rain or snow – are no longer protected. … ” Read more from Arizona Public Media here: Arizona unveils draft legislation to create surface water protections
A Well-Rooted Study: Remote sensing an effective way to monitor groundwater along river corridors in the Southwest
“Spend time in any of the world’s great forests and you’ll start seeing the trees as immense pillars holding the heavens aloft while firmly anchored in the earth. It’s as much fact as sentiment. Trees really do link the ground to the sky by exchanging energy and matter between the soil and the atmosphere. Researchers believe that understanding this connection could provide both a wealth of scientific insight into ecosystems and practical applications that address challenges such as water resource conservation and management. … ” Read more from UC Santa Barbara here: A Well-Rooted Study: Remote sensing an effective way to monitor groundwater along river corridors in the Southwest
In national water news today …
USEPA issues draft guidance to clarify the U.S. Supreme Court’s Maui decision regarding permit requirements for discharges to groundwater that reach waters of the United States
“On December 8, 2020, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued draft guidance intended to clarify when a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit is required under the Clean Water Act (Act) based upon the recent United States Supreme Court ruling in County of Maui v. Hawaii Wildlife Fund (Maui). This guidance is important for public agencies and other entities that make point source discharges to groundwater that reach waters of the United States. If the draft guidance is finalized, it will serve as administrative guidance for both permit writers and regulated entities in ensuring compliance with the requirements of the Act. … ” Read more from Somach Simmons & Dunn here: USEPA issues draft guidance to clarify the U.S. Supreme Court’s Maui decision regarding permit requirements for discharges to groundwater that reach waters of the United States
Trump administration rolls back efficiency standards for showerheads, washers and dryers
“The Trump administration on Tuesday finalized its rollback of standards for showerheads following a string of public complaints from the president about low-flow fixtures designed to save water. The Department of Energy (DOE) rule was joined by another that creates a new class of quick-cycle washers and dryers that meet lower energy efficiency standards. “Today the Trump Administration affirmed its commitment to reducing regulatory burdens and safeguarding consumer choice,” Secretary of Energy Dan Brouillette said in a release. “With these rule changes, Americans can choose products that are best suited to meet their individual needs and the needs of their families.” … ” Read more from The Hill here: Trump administration rolls back efficiency standards for showerheads, washers and dryers
White House waters down definition of critical habitat for endangered species
“With Inauguration Day looming, the lame-duck Trump administration continues to spend political capital on weakening the Endangered Species Act, the latest move a redefining of “critical habitat” as only referring to a given species’ presently occupied ecosystem rather than its historical range. While the move outraged conservationist groups and wildlife advocates, they also acknowledge that the incoming Biden administration is likely to render this latest move an exercise in futility. … ” Read more from the Courthouse News Service here: White House waters down definition of critical habitat for endangered species
With climate team taking shape, Biden weighs picks for EPA, Interior
“President-elect Joe Biden is zeroing in on nominees for two final posts as his climate team takes shape. Biden is expected to pick Gina McCarthy to serve as the first-ever White House Climate Policy Coordinator and former Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm (D) to lead the Department of Energy. But deliberations over who will lead the Department of the Interior and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have stalled amid concerns over top contenders for the roles. … ” Read more from The Hill here: With climate team taking shape, Biden weighs picks for EPA, Interior
How is modern climate change affecting landscape processes?
“Over the past 50 years human alteration of Earth’s climate has accelerated rapidly, which will inevitably affect physical landscape processes in societally challenging ways. But landscape responses to modern climate change have not been synthesized previously over any large regional scale. A recent article in Reviews of Geophysics explores anticipated landscape consequences of modern climate change and investigates what changes are evident already in the western United States. Here, the authors give an overview of what the currently available data show and discuss the challenges of identifying climatic signals in today’s landscapes over multidecadal time scales. … ” Read more from EOS here: How is modern climate change affecting landscape processes?
It’s close but 2020 likely to end up hottest year on record
“Just how warm Earth stays this December will determine if 2020 goes down as the hottest year on record. And it’s looking a lot like it will. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration calculated Monday that last month globally was the second hottest November on record, behind only 2015. Yet NASA and a European climate monitoring group said it was the hottest November on record. NASA has coverage over the poles that NOAA does not — and both the Arctic and Antarctic were very warm in November, NOAA climate scientist Ahira Sanchez-Lugo said to explain the difference. … ” Read more from the AP here: It’s close but 2020 likely to end up hottest year on record
Today’s featured articles …
YOSEMITE ENVIRO LAW CONFERENCE: Tribal Water Rights and Resources in a Changing Climate
From the Klamath waters to the Western desert valleys, recent court rulings highlight the important and evolving role of tribal reserved water rights and resource management. Since time immemorial, Native American tribes throughout California and the West have perfected sustainable resource management strategies in an ever-changing climate. Their knowledge is increasingly gaining respect and being incorporated into local sustainable management plans through partnerships with tribes. In California, recent legislation and executive orders come with new requirements for tribal consultation and new hope for partnerships with tribes.
This panel from the Environmental Law Conference at Yosemite featured three experts on tribal water rights, all tribal members themselves, who discussed ongoing tribal water rights litigation in the West with a focus on recent litigation in California, and how important tribal partnerships are to the sustainable management of water resources.
Click here to read this article.
Also on Maven’s Notebook today …
ESTUARY NEWS: How the Great Flood of 1862 inspired Measure AA; Water wealth in old irrigation districts; and more …
SF ESTUARY & WATERSHED SCIENCE: Signs of optimism; Integrating bird conservation in the Delta; Salmon life-cycle models; and sturgeon habitat use
WATER PLAN eNEWS: ~~ Moving to Action~ Green Tape ~ Groundwater Sustainability~ Grant Amendments ~ Forest Workshop~ Consortium Co-Chairs ~~
