In California water news this weekend …
Rain, snow to storm the West Coast early week
“Another round of stormy weather is set to push across the West Coast through early week, before more tranquil weather returns. … Wet weather is likely to move in and dampen outdoor plans in the afternoon on Sunday from the Olympic Peninsula in northwestern Washington to the northwest coast of California. Through Sunday night, rain and mountain snow will continue to push inland. … ” Read more from AccuWeather here: Rain, snow to storm the West Coast early week
The megadrought parching 77 percent of the Western US, explained
“The Western US is in the midst of yet another dangerous dry spell. The drought has been building over the past year, and since November, a greater stretch of the West has been in the most severe category of drought than at any time in the 20 years that the National Drought Mitigation Center has been keeping records. Western states are already facing water shortages, and with the National Weather Service projecting that the dry stretch will continue, the problems that accompany droughts are likely to pile up heading into this summer. … ” Read m0re from Vox here: The megadrought parching 77 percent of the Western US, explained
‘We’re getting hit left and right’: Dwindling salmon runs to restrict 2021 commercial season
“Dwindling Chinook salmon runs have forced the Pacific Fishery Management Council to shorten the commercial salmon fishing season. The Sacramento Valley fall-run Chinook salmon runs are projected to be half as abundant as the 2020 season while the Klamath River fall Chinook abundance forecast is slightly higher than the 2020 but is still significantly lower than the long-term average. During a press briefing on Friday morning, John McManus President of the Golden State Salmon Association said the added restrictions will deal a blow to commercial fishermen. … ” Read more from the Eureka Times-Standard here: ‘We’re getting hit left and right’: Dwindling salmon runs to restrict 2021 commercial season
Ocean salmon season reduced on much of California Coast due to low Sacramento, Klamath fish numbers
“The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) yesterday announced that the recreational ocean salmon fishery has been curtailed on most of the California coast, due to poor stock assessments of Sacramento River and Klamath River fall-run Chinook salmon. The Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC), the federal management body that oversees salmon and other ocean fisheries, has adopted three alternatives for 2020 ocean salmon fisheries off Washington, Oregon and California for public review. The Council will make a final decision on salmon seasons at its meeting in Vancouver, Washington, on April 5-10. … ” Read more from the Daily Kos here: Ocean salmon season reduced on much of California Coast due to low Sacramento, Klamath fish numbers
Meadows & fens in the Sierra
“One of the highlights of an early-summer hike is when one rounds the corner of a trail to see a meadow in full bloom. In the Sierra Nevada, a diversity of meadow and wetland types offer the opportunity to admire beautiful and fascinating plants from spring through fall. The secret to that diversity lies primarily in the varied geomorphology, or ways the earth’s surface was formed, and hydrology of our area. Due to our dry summer climate in the Sierra Nevada, many plants experience their greatest growth and flowering period during the wet spring and into early summer, when soils are still damp due to snow melt. However, in some shallow depressions and seemingly random pockets on hillsides, the lush green of spring seems to persist well into summer. If you have spotted this phenomenon, you may very well have seen a fen. … ” Read more from the South Yuba River Citizens League here: Meadows & fens in the Sierra
Tiny scoops of water are unlocking worlds of information about Oregon watersheds
“Next to the babbling banks of the Santiam River’s south fork, Brooke Penaluna sought a flat spot to set up shop. She plopped down a black, pipe-like reservoir with four clear cups on top and clicked the power button on a small pump that sounded like the world’s tiniest lawnmower. “And then we put on our gloves and our waders, and we go out into the stream,” said Penaluna, who works as a research fish biologist for the U.S. Forest Service’s Pacific Northwest Research Station. Near the middle of the river, Penaluna carefully dipped four plastic bottles into the oncoming water, tightly capping them for the journey back to shore. Inside those bottles, scientists are finding worlds of information that could be key to the long-term health of Oregon watersheds and all who share them. With each scoop of water comes a trove of what’s called “environmental DNA,” or eDNA for short. … ” Read more from OPB here: Tiny scoops of water are unlocking worlds of information about Oregon watersheds
Legal alert: State Water Board issues notification and response levels for PFBS in drinking water; DTSC to finalize carpets and rugs with PFAS as “priority products” in 2021
“There has been no shortage of recent regulatory developments concerning per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in California, which are especially relevant to drinking water systems and the consumer product community. On March 5, 2021, the State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board), Division of Drinking Water (DDW), issued a notification level of 0.5 parts per billion (ppb), and a response level of 5 ppb, for perfluorobutane sulfonic acid (PFBS) in drinking water. PFBS is a type of PFAS compound that is commonly used as a replacement compound for perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS). PFOS and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) are the two most common PFAS compounds and thus far have largely been the subject of most of California’s efforts to regulate and address public concerns with PFAS. Accordingly, DDW’s issuance of notification and response levels for PFBS adds a new PFAS compound to the mix of DDW’s existing notification levels for PFOS (6.5 parts per trillion (ppt)) and PFOA (5.1 ppt). DDW’s actions also appear to be the first regulatory standard established for “short-chain” PFAS compounds in California. … ” Read more from Downey Brand here: Legal alert: State Water Board issues notification and response levels for PFBS in drinking water; DTSC to finalize carpets and rugs with PFAS as “priority products” in 2021
In regional water news this weekend …
Water resources department to begin water regulation in portions of the Klamath Basin
“On February 24, 2021, the Klamath County Circuit Court issued an opinion letter that addresses legal issues pending in the Klamath adjudication regarding the quantification of the Klamath Tribes’ determined claims for hunting, fishing, and gathering as provided in the Amended and Corrected Findings of Fact and Order of Determination (ACFFOD). The Court’s opinion letter must be reduced to an order before it may take effect. The Department anticipates that an order may provide clarification regarding the status of the Tribes’ determined claims and the status of water regulation pending final actions on the remaining matters before the Court. Unless or until the Court orders otherwise, the Department is required to regulate water in accordance with the determinations made in the ACFFOD. … ” Read more from Klamath Alerts here: Water resources department to begin water regulation in portions of the Klamath Basin
Oregon Water Resources Department will continue to enforce Klamath Tribes’ water calls
“Despite a February court opinion that vacated the quantified water rights of the Klamath Tribes, the Oregon Water Resources Department announced Friday that they will continue to enforce the Tribes’ water calls until a judge orders otherwise. The Klamath Tribes maintain senior water rights in the Klamath Basin, which were affirmed by the Klamath County Circuit Court last month, but Judge Cameron Wogan wrote in his proposed order that those rights need to be re-quantified. … ” Read more from the Herald & News here: Oregon Water Resources Department will continue to enforce Klamath Tribes’ water calls
‘A historic day’: Weed strikes deal for water source after years long battle
“After years of uncertainty over its source of water, residents of Weed now have a guaranteed supply from the spring the city has been using for more than 100 years. “It’s a historic day for the City of Weed,” said city manager Tim Rundel. “We’ve now secured water rights needed to provide water to the citizens of Weed indefinitely.” … ” Read more from the Mount Shasta Herald here: ‘A historic day’: Weed strikes deal for water source after years long battle
Nevada County Commentary: Do you live on top of the Idaho-Maryland Mine?
Ralph Silberstein writes, “Many people in Grass Valley live and work over the Idaho-Maryland Mine without realizing it. A lot of information about the location of the two surface sites and the project features has been circulated, but not much has been shared about the sheer size of the project underground and how that may affect us. … Due to dewatering of the mine, there will be lowering of the ground water levels in the area. The predicted amounts of ground water drop are detailed in a hydrological study based on a computer simulation. … ” Read more from The Union here: Do you live on top of the Idaho-Maryland Mine?
Anglers welcome plans to restart repairs at Kernville fish hatchery
“Who else but an angler like Kernville fly-fishing guide Guy Jeans has the patience to wait two decades for a government project — especially one that not long ago appeared close to finally coming together — only to watch it fall victim to delays once again? The work in question is the California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s attempts to renovate the 93-year-old Kern River Hatchery and equip it to raise pure-bred Kern River rainbow trout. After three years of extensive improvements to the Kernville facility, the hatchery finally reopened in early 2019. But then, 20 months later, it shut down and additional repairs were ordered. … ” Read more from the Tehachapi News here: Anglers welcome plans to restart repairs at Kernville fish hatchery
Ventura County commentary: Regulatory failures could spell disaster for county’s farms, groundwater
Liz Beall, Executive Director of Climate First: Replacing Oil & Gas writes, “It was a chilly morning in 2010 when Oxnard farmworkers, tending to their broccoli crops, discovered an oily sheen floating on their irrigation water. In a nearby oilfield, a tank of diluent — a carcinogenic mix of benzene, toluene, and diesel — had sprung a leak. Diluent is used in high-risk cyclic steam extraction. Super-heated, pressurized steam is pumped deep underground to loosen otherwise inaccessible gooey Tar Sands. That leak went unreported by the oil company, silently seeping into farmers’ crops for who knows how long. The entire field of broccoli had to be destroyed. But the chemicals, they lingered. ... ” Read more from the Ventura Star here: Ventura County commentary: Regulatory failures could spell disaster for county’s farms, groundwater
Santa Clarita: 30-day comment period opens for SCV Water’s water shortage contingency plan draft
“SCV Water has released the draft Water Shortage Contingency Plan and Ordinance for public review and comment as part of its efforts to ensure adequate long-term water quality and supplies. The 30-day public comment period will be from March 12 to April 12. The draft plan and ordinance are available online at: yourscvwater.com/wscp. … ” Read more from SCV News here: Santa Clarita: 30-day comment period opens for SCV Water’s water shortage contingency plan draft
Los Cerritos: Judge denies attempt to block California oil production project
“For years, the Los Cerritos Wetlands have weathered poor environmental management and oil drilling projects. A Los Angeles Superior Court Judge on Thursday denied a challenge to an oil construction development in the city of Long Beach that is expected to coincide with a 150-acre wetlands restoration project that was approved by the California Coastal Commission. An environmental nonprofit group sued the commission, arguing they abused their power when they approved the project, which involves a land swap between the oil operators and property owners. … ” Read more from the Courthouse News Service here: Los Cerritos: Judge denies attempt to block California oil production project
“Underwater Roombas” are sucking up decades of human waste in the Pacific
“Beneath Santa Catalina Island, a resort town 22 miles off the coast of Southern California, sit thousands of barrels filled with a toxic substance known as DDT. The barrels have been chillin’ on the ocean floor for decades, slowly leaking the waste into the water. Now scientists are trying to clean up the mess — and they’ve recruited robots to do the dirty work. … ” Read more from Mic here: “Underwater Roombas” are sucking up decades of human waste in the Pacific
Work halted on $49M-per-mile border wall through California’s Jacumba Wilderness. Now what?
“The Jacumba Wilderness sat largely protected along the U.S.-Mexico border in southwestern Imperial County as recently as last spring. Ocotillos provided pops of bright green that spiraled up from the desert floor, while a field of rare crucifixion thorns sprouted orange berries. Threatened peninsular desert bighorn sheep roamed the nearby ridgelines, mating with a herd south of the fence-less international border. That all changed when construction began on a new stretch of border wall, made possible by funds pulled from the Department of Defense and by a 2005 act that allowed the government to waive laws to facilitate the wall’s construction. … ” Read more from the Desert Sun here: Work halted on $49M-per-mile border wall through California’s Jacumba Wilderness. Now what?
Along the Colorado River …
How experts say climate change is impacting Arizona snowpack, water supply
“With spring around the corner, mountain snow that Arizona picked up this winter is starting to melt, running off and replenishing our reservoirs, rivers, and streams. As our climate changes, however, the snowpack in Arizona is becoming less dependable. Rising temperatures are causing less mountain snowfall. … ” Read more from ABC 15 here: How experts say climate change is impacting Arizona snowpack, water supply
In people news this weekend …
Women in Leadership: Mary Paasch
“In the Capital Region, water determines destinies. The 10-county area is both plagued by drought and one of the country’s most at-risk regions for catastrophic flooding. The physical existence of Sacramento and surrounding cities and the viability of the region’s heavily irrigated agriculture depend on water resources engineers like Mary Paasch. “Water really fuels California’s overall economy,” says Paasch, a principal engineer and vice president at Stantec, an engineering services company. ... ” Read more at Comstock’s Magazine here: Women in Leadership: Mary Paasch
After nearly 40 years, Peter MacLaggan leaves a liquid legacy
“Every time someone turns on the tap in San Diego County, out flows the work of Peter MacLaggan. MacLaggan was the point man in the construction of the Carlsbad desalination plant, a nearly $1 billion public-private partnership that since 2015 has supplied nearly 10 percent of the potable water consumed in the county. Desalination relies on the virtually unlimited supply of water in the Pacific Ocean. It provides a safe, reliable source of local water in a region that for many years relied on supplies from hundreds of miles away and was subject to mechanical breakdowns, seasonal shortages and the whims of nature. MacLaggan, 65, plans to retire March 31 after 20 years at the private company Poseidon Water and nearly 40 years in the water industry. … ” Read more from the San Diego Union-Tribune here: After nearly 40 years, Peter MacLaggan leaves a liquid legacy
Mercury control and mitigation research earns professor and student honors
“Professor Marc Beutel and his graduate student Mark Seelos have been recognized for papers and a presentation on toxic mercury mitigation by the North American Lake Management Society. Beutel, an environmental engineer, co-wrote two of a group of three papers named Best Paper of the Year at the 2020 North American Lake Management Society annual conference. In the winning paper, entitled “Hypolimnetic Oxygenation 2: Oxygen Dynamics in a Large Reservoir with Submerged Down-flow Contact Oxygenation (Speece cone),” Beutel and his former Ph.D. advisor, UC Berkeley Professor Alex Horne, detailed what happened when an engineered oxygenation cone using pure oxygen gas was installed in the bottoms of very large reservoirs to protect fish health. The papers are based on their research at Camanche Reservoir and a fish hatchery downstream of the reservoir on the Mokolumne River. … ” Read more from UC Merced here: Mercury control and mitigation research earns professor and student honors
Podcasts …
RIVERSPEAK PODCAST: Julie Rentner: Bringing Life Back to Rivers
In this episode, we hear the story of Julie Rentner, president of River Partners and discover her work of bringing life back to rivers in California. Through projects like Three Amigos on the San Joaquin River, we’ll hear how her work with rivers’ natural systems is restoring floodplains and regenerating riparian forests.Julie’s story starts in the forest along Marsh Creek on Mount Diablo and evolves into leading fundamental redesign of California’s approach to water management.
MY AG LIFE PODCAST: Mike Wade on Water Needs; Vilsack on New Priorities
What is needed for the state’s water infrastructure? Sabrina Halvorson talks with Executive Director of the California Farm Water Coalition Mike Wade to get his thoughts. Hear what he wants the state’s representatives to know. We also have comments from Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack from Commodity Classic. He talks about the priorities for the next farm bill, climate change, trade, and more.
WATER IS A MANY SPLENDOR’ED THING PODCAST: The Salton Sea
Steve Baker writes, “When I think of big lakes in California, I think of Lake Tahoe. But there is a much larger lake than even that! Adding water to an otherwise dry and barren desert has made life come alive at the Salton Sea. Water is a Many Splendor’ed Thing brings you another water relationship that has a personally significant impact to your life.” Produced by Steven Baker, Operation Unite® Bringing People Together to Solve Water Problems, Online at www.operationunite.co
H20 RADIO: The World War II Bomber at the Bottom of Lake Mead
In 1948, a World War II-era bomber crashed into Lake Mead, the massive reservoir formed by Hoover Dam that straddles the Arizona-Nevada border. After several failed attempts to locate the plane, it was finally discovered in the early 2000s—still remarkably intact. As lake levels fall, will the draw to see the aircraft finish it off? (More resources here)
Catch up on last week’s news in the Weekly Digest …
WEEKLY WATER NEWS DIGEST for March 7-12: Why the Sacramento region’s watershed is ‘super,’ and a buffer against climate change; Preparing for a dry year in the Delta; Water Use in CA, 1960 – 2015; plus all the top water news of the week
Also on Maven’s Notebook this weekend …
NOTICE: Extension of Public Meetings for State Water Project Contract Amendment for Delta Conveyance Negotiations
FUNDING OPPORTUNITY: Cannabis Restoration Grant Program 2021 Draft Watershed Remediation and Enhancement Solicitation
PUBLICATION: EPA’s Harmful Algal Bloom Newsletter for March 2021
