In California water news today …
Dismal California snowpack is bad sign for water supplies
“A month into California’s peak storm season, the lack of wet weather is beginning to weigh on the state’s water supply. The snowpack in the Sierra and southern Cascades, which provides as much as a third of the water used by California cities and farms, is about 55% of average for this time of year. It hasn’t been this low at this time since 2017, when the state was emerging from a five-year drought. State water officials are scheduled to lug their snow gauges into the mountains Wednesday and confirm the measurement in the first snow survey of the season — the unofficial time for Californians to start worrying about water for the coming year. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle here: Dismal California snowpack is bad sign for water supplies
Water authority and GSA to settle on sagging Friant-Kern Canal resolution
“The Friant Water Authority cleaned up some of the most important work in the last month of the year hashing out a legal settlement with farmers in southern Tulare County. Represented by the Eastern Tule Groundwater Sustainability Agency (GSA) farmers agreed to contribute at least $125 million to repair the significant subsidence-caused sag in the gravity-fed canal that has cut water deliveries by 60%. … ” Read more from the Foothills Sun-Gazette here: Water authority and GSA to settle on sagging Friant-Kern Canal resolution
SEE ALSO: Appropriations Bill Includes Support for Friant-Kern Canal Improvements
Key natural resource and environmental elements to know about H.R. 133: Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021
“President Trump signed the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (“Appropriations Act” or “Act”) on December 27, 2020. The Appropriations Act is a true omnibus. It covers an array of topics, including provisions important to California specifically, as well as other noteworthy environmental issues. Below, we list some key natural resource and environmental elements of the Act … ” Read more from Somach Simmons & Dunn here: Key natural resource and environmental elements to know about H.R. 133: Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021
A remarkable high-desert bird may go extinct in California. What must die to save it
“It’s everywhere, this yellow plague. Grass between the lava rocks. Grass between the knee-high sagebrush clumps. Little shards of crispy grass stick in your socks after just a few steps. This grass doesn’t belong here. It’s invasive, brought to North America decades ago and scattered across the landscape by livestock and machinery. Now, a remarkable high desert bird, the sage grouse, is at risk of disappearing forever from this rocky wildlife sanctuary — and elsewhere across the West — because of the unrelenting spread of this horrible grass. … ” Continue reading at the Sacramento Bee here: A remarkable high-desert bird may go extinct in California. What must die to save it
The Delta: California’s Holland
“The end of the last California ice age 10,000 years ago did the final carving of Yosemite Valley that’s part of the 400-mile long stretch of granite we now call the Sierra that tectonic forces pushed upward over 2.4 million years ago. The global warming that followed the end of the last ice age gets credit for creating the Rodney Dangerfield of California’s great natural wonders — the Sacramento San Joaquin Delta. … ” Read more from the Escalon Times here: The Delta: California’s Holland
California’s wildfire hell: how 2020 became the state’s worst ever fire season
“On a deadly 24-hour march through the Sierra Nevada in September, the flames of what would become the North Complex fire raced through more than 200,000 acres of dense timber, destroyed a historic schoolhouse and overtook a beloved camp for children with cancer. Also in its path was the remote settlement of Berry Creek, where Daniel Salazar, 27, found himself once again facing an unprecedented, out of control blaze. Less than two years earlier, Salazar had escaped the Camp fire, which killed his grandparents and 83 others in and around the town of Paradise. … ” Read more from the Guardian here: California’s wildfire hell: how 2020 became the state’s worst ever fire season
Climate change measures top environmentalists’ 2021 state priorities
“California is helping lead the charge in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, but more needs to be done as climate change remains the state’s top environmental issue in 2021 issue, according to top environmental lobbyists in Sacramento. Other issues on their agenda include plastic pollution, recycling, wildlife protections, and greater repair and reuse of appliances and electronic products before they are discarded. … ” Read more from the Riverside Press Enterprise here: Climate change measures top environmentalists’ 2021 state priorities
In regional water news and commentary today …
Alameda: Sewage spill plagues Bay Farm lagoon
“Residents living on local waterways have experienced two wastewater spills in the last four months.
An unexpected power outage last Aug. 15, led to an equipment failure at the East Bay Municipal Utilities District’s (EBMUD) wastewater plant in Oakland. This resulted in a sewer back-up and the release of 50,000 gallons of raw and partially treated wastewater into the Oakland Estuary. The second, more recent electrical failure at the plant involved almost twice as much wastewater, some 97,000 gallons, spilling into a much smaller body of water — a lagoon on Bay Farm Island. … ” Read more from the Alameda Sun here: Sewage spill plagues Bay Farm lagoon
Westlands land donation will benefit Mendota park expansion
“Land fallowed for several years will be transformed into two soccer fields, a splash park, two play areas, sports field lighting and additional parking in Mendota. The Westlands Water District board of directors approved donating 4.61 acres to the city of Mendota to support the planned Rojas Pierce Park expansion project. The land donated by Westlands is adjacent to the park’s newest soccer field. … ” Read more from GV Wire here: Westlands land donation will benefit Mendota park expansion
Heavy rains could usher in the New Year for parched Fresno
“The National Weather Service in Hanford predicts that rain will quench the parched Valley floor and drop snow in the Sierra starting Sunday. But the NWS forecast isn’t certain about how much precipitation there will be after New Year’s Day. “The forecast becomes very difficult after Friday,” the NWS said in its Tuesday discussion. … ” Read more from GV Wire here: Heavy rains could usher in the New Year for parched Fresno
Visalia to tighten water restrictions in March
“The Visalia City Council’s last meeting was a fitting end to 2020 bringing news of an impending drought and the possibility the city’s groundwater reaching a new low. At the Dec. 21 meeting, Visalia’s water resource manager Andrew Munn told the council he was recommending the city move into Stage 2 of its water conservation ordinance on March 1, 2021 and to move into Stage 3 if the aquifer drops to a historic low. Munn said the current water season has seen about an inch of rainfall (1.1 inches) through Dec. 15, when average rainfall is normally almost 4 inches (3.85 inches). … ” Read more from the Foothills Sun-Gazette here: Visalia to tighten water restrictions in March
500 pounds of catchable trout planted in Atascadero Lake
“Local anglers can rejoice as The California Department of Fish and Wildlife planted 500 pounds of full-size catchable fish into the Atascadero Lake on Dec. 22, just-in-time for the Holiday weekend and end of the year festivities. The fish drop off came from the San Joaquin Hatchery in Fresno and contained up to 1000, half-pound or bigger, rainbow trout. This is the third plant of fish into the lake this year, a welcome sight after the Jewel of Atascadero went over a decade without being stocked before 2020. … ” Read more from the Paso Robles Daily Press here: 500 pounds of catchable trout planted in Atascadero Lake
Why it’s way too early to worry about rain deficits in SoCal
Jacqueline Bennett writes, “Yes, it’s been pretty dry so far this winter, but there is no need to worry. The major winter storm that roared through Southern California Monday proved we can erase a month’s worth of rain deficit in one day. I recently explained how the climate where we live — the Mediterranean Climate — sees the majority of its annual rainfall in the winter months. In fact, a whopping 80 percent of Southern California’s annual rain and snow falls from December through March. … ” Read more from Spectrum 1 News here: Why it’s way too early to worry about rain deficits in SoCal
Trump signs spending bill that could send millions of dollars to the Salton Sea
“President Donald Trump on Sunday signed a roughly $900 billion stimulus package meant to tackle both COVID-19 relief as well as federal spending. Tucked in the 5,593-page-long law, courtesy of Southern California Democrats, are provisions that hold the potential to unlock millions of dollars of new federal spending to address the Salton Sea. The bill notably modifies the Water Resources Development Act by authorizing the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to expedite a study on the feasibility of constructing a perimeter lake around the Salton Sea. … ” Read more from the Desert Sun here: Trump signs spending bill that could send millions of dollars to the Salton Sea
Along the Colorado River …
‘There is hope now’: Well project in western Navajo Nation gives families a new water supply
” … Water typically only flows through the Little Colorado River during the spring snowmelt and summer monsoon, but for much of the year, it is dry. It’s been over 10 years since the Tohonnie family has tried to grow anything on their farm plot along the river bank, but that’s about to change. A non-profit organization is drilling wells along the Little Colorado River that will provide water for communities along the river from Leupp to Cameron. … ” Read more from the Arizona Republic here: ‘There is hope now’: Well project in western Navajo Nation gives families a new water supply
Farmers swap out irrigation methods to keep the Colorado River from growing saltier
“AJ Carrillo farms 18 acres outside of Hotchkiss, Colo., in the high desert of the Western Slope about an hour southeast of Grand Junction. When he irrigates his peach orchard, water gushes from big white plastic pipes at the top of the plot and takes half a day to trickle down to the other end of his five-acre orchard. Carrillo is planning to convert his Deer Tree Farm from flood irrigation, which is commonly used in Western Colorado, to a new and much more efficient style of irrigation – microsprinklers. Changing irrigation methods is something more and more Western Slope producers are doing, from small to large. … ” Read more from Aspen Public Radio here: Farmers swap out irrigation methods to keep the Colorado River from growing saltier
In national water news today …
President Trump signs omnibus spending and COVID relief bill, uplifting American families, investing in American infrastructure and enhancing American conservation
“Earlier this week, President Trump signed into law the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021, providing $1.4 trillion for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2021. In addition to funding the Federal government, this Act delivers coronavirus emergency response and relief. “Every day President Trump fights for the American people, holding leaders accountable and making the government more responsive to the real needs of the American people. His leadership in securing this significant budget uplifts American families, strengthens our economy, invests in our infrastructure and enhances key conservation initiatives,” said Secretary of the Interior David L. Bernhardt. … ” Read more from the Department of the Interior here: President Trump signs omnibus spending and COVID relief bill, uplifting American families, investing in American infrastructure and enhancing American conservation
Water conservation thrives on technology and innovation
“Trees that water themselves, soil that pulls moisture from the air and various probes, sensors and automated irrigation systems are some of the innovations on the drawing board or already in use to help the agriculture industry in its quest to conserve water. Estimates of how much water is used for agriculture vary, but the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, which has about three dozen member countries, including the U.S., estimates that agriculture irrigation accounts for 70% of water use worldwide. … ” Read more from Ag Web here: Water conservation thrives on technology and innovation
Green groups sue over Trump rule exempting quick dishwashers from efficiency standards
“A coalition of environmental and consumer groups is suing the Department of Energy after it exempted quick-wash dishwashers from energy efficiency requirements. The October rule creates a new category of dishwashers, one that lets companies meet less efficient water and energy standards if the machines wash and dry within an hour. … ” Read more from The Hill here: Green groups sue over Trump rule exempting quick dishwashers from efficiency standards
SEE ALSO: Attorney General Becerra Leads Lawsuit Challenging Trump Administration Rule Undermining Energy Efficiency Standards for Dishwashers, press release
