On the calendar today …
FREE WEBINAR: California-Nevada Drought & Climate Outlook at 11am. The California-Nevada Drought Early Warning System (CA-NV DEWS) March 2021 Drought & Climate Outlook Webinar is part of a series of regular drought and climate outlook webinars designed to provide stakeholders and other interested parties in the region with timely information on current drought status and impacts, as well as a preview of current and developing climatic events (i.e. El Niño and La Niña). Click here to register.
In California water news today …
PFAS water lawsuits expose financial impacts on state’s poor communities
“… Last year the Santa Clarita Valley Water Agency (SCV Water) joined a multidistrict lawsuit filed in South Carolina that goes after chemical manufacturers and makers of PFAS-laden aqueous firefighting foam. Legal observers predict that this filing, along with a few recent separate suits within California, will release a flood of similar actions across the state. But as the sheer enormity and complexity of the PFAS problem become clearer, water quality experts, environmentalists and community advocates are growing increasingly concerned about the impacts on smaller, cash-strapped drinking water systems, especially those in low-income communities already struggling with poor quality drinking water. ... ” Read more from Capitol & Main here: PFAS water lawsuits expose financial impacts on state’s poor communities
Are California oil companies complying with the law? Even regulators often don’t know.
“On a breezy February afternoon at the ragged edge of rapidly gentrifying downtown Los Angeles, hipsters walk toy dogs along Pico Boulevard. Around the corner on 14th Street, an actor strikes poses for a photo shoot against murals of sunflowers, diamonds and inspirational sayings. The aging, yellow brick residential Portsmouth Hotel sits among knockoff watch dealers here, while a block away, a giant construction crane hoists materials skyward for new luxury apartments. Below ground is another story. Tucked out of sight, oil wells run thousands of feet deep, tapping thick crude from one of California’s many urban oil fields. And in the fall of 2019, investigators with the state’s oil agency flagged trouble. … ” Read more from Pro Publica here: Are California oil companies complying with the law? Even regulators often don’t know.
Snow drought, current conditions, and impacts in the West
“Snow drought conditions remain over much of the Southwest U.S., Sierra Nevada, and Rocky Mountains with nearly one-third of SNOTEL stations below the 30th percentile snow water equivalent (SWE). Over the last month, a lack of strong storms degraded snow drought conditions across the Sierra Nevada while a series of cooler, wet storms relieved warm snow drought concerns over some parts of Oregon. Recent major storms helped snow drought recovery in the Colorado Front Range and eastern Wyoming, but provided less benefit to the Colorado headwaters. Cold and wet storms throughout February helped improve snow drought conditions in Oregon, the Upper Colorado River basin, Utah, and western Wyoming. … ” Read the full update here: Snow drought, current conditions, and impacts in the West
6 things to look out for in your DWR landscape data
“If you’re working at an urban water supply agency in California, then you’ve probably recently received your landscape area measurement data from DWR, and you may be wondering what to do now! To help the water community better understand what to look for in the LAM data, the CaDC has identified six key areas to assess when evaluating the quality of the data provided to your agency. These recommendations come from our own experience helping agencies to assess their data and estimate their residential objectives, as well as from the excellent advice of ACWA and the San Diego County Water Authority. … ” Continue reading at the California Data Collaborative here: 6 things to look out for in your LAM data
This winery and tomato processor used artificial intelligence to make their crops better
“The global precision farming market includes technology like robotics, imagery, sensors, artificial intelligence (AI), big data and bio-engineering is expected to reach more than $16 billion by 2028, according to a March 2021 report from Grand View Research. What if you could combine AI and traditional aerial imagery to build data sets that help farmers and food processors gain insight into crop heartiness while it was still growing in the field? … ” Read more from Forbes Magazine here: This winery and tomato processor used artificial intelligence to make their crops better
That time Warren Buffett got involved in California water
Andrew Rypel writes, “As if 2020, wasn’t completely strange enough, it wound up also being a time when Warren Buffett was plunged headlong into California water. Buffett of course is an American business tycoon – primarily an investor, and currently the 4th richest person on the planet. Although 90 years old, Buffett continues as chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway – a multinational holding company headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska – Buffett’s hometown. Buffett is also a mega-philanthropist that has pledged to give away 90% of his wealth, mostly through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Thus it was with some surprise that last year Warren Buffett found himself recently embroiled in a hugely important California water issue – removal of the Klamath River dams. … ” Read more from the California Water Blog here: That time Warren Buffett got involved in California water
US Forest Service closes 77 pollution-causing cesspools
“Under an agreement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the USDA Forest Service closed 77 large-capacity cesspools (LCCs) it operated in Arizona and California. The Forest Service met the deadlines set forth in the agreement and closed the cesspools, which can be sources of harmful water pollution, in 11 national forests across the two states. ... ” Read more from Rocklin and Roseville Today here: US Forest Service closes 77 pollution-causing cesspools
Poll: CA Latinos overwhelmingly support conservation measures
“A new poll shows Latino voters in California are even more supportive than the general population of policies that protect public lands and combat climate change. The new survey finds an overwhelming majority of Latino voters, 85%, support President Joe Biden’s new goal of protecting 30% of the country’s lands and waters by the year 2030. Shanna Edberg, director of conservation programs for the Hispanic Access Foundation, which commissioned the survey, said even COVID-19 hasn’t shaken that support. “For both Latino voters and California voters at large, we have nine out of 10 supportive of making conservation investments, even in the midst of a pandemic,” Edberg observed. … ” Read more from the Public News Service here: Poll: CA Latinos overwhelmingly support conservation measures
In regional water news and commentary today …
Ukiah commentary: Drought and weed
Columnist Jim Shields, district manager of the Laytonville County Water District, writes, ” … By the time you read this, if everything goes according to plan, the Mendocino County Planning Commission (PC) will have held a public hearing (Friday, March 19) on the Board of Supervisors proposed new Cannabis Ordinance. The PC is supposed to within a few weeks make a recommendation to the BOS on the regulatory proposal. By now just about everybody knows that the Board, with the exception of 3rd Supe John Haschak, have tentatively agreed to expand cultivation, effectively removing all caps on pot (a grower with a minimum parcel size of 10 acres or larger could cultivate up to 10 percent of the parcel area) and open up rangeland to growing weed, despite opposition from a majority of County residents, the Sheriff, small cannabis farmers, environmentalists, and ranchers. … ” Read the full column at the Ukiah Daily Journal here: Ukiah commentary: Drought and weed
Sonoma County: Farming on the front lines of climate protection
“U.S. agriculture has been struggling for years. And then along came 2020. Between the COVID-19 pandemic and the increasingly unpredictable impacts of the climate crisis — record-setting floods, devastating heat waves, droughts, unprecedented wildfires — last year was especially challenging. For Fetzer Vineyards, witnessing the effects of these crises on our business and our planet has underscored the importance of building climate resilience into our economy. As California lawmakers consider new policies to stimulate economic activity, they can help the state’s agriculture industry become more resilient and competitive by prioritizing climate-smart agricultural programs. ... ” Read more from the Santa Rosa Press Democrat here: Sonoma County: Farming on the front lines of climate protection
Lower Walnut Creek Restoration Project to focus on flood control, wildlife, recreation
“The Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday is likely to hire a contractor for the sweeping Lower Walnut Creek Restoration Project that aims to improve both flood control and conditions for wildlife and recreation. County staff recommends the board approve a deal with Four M Contracting, which came in with the lowest bid on the project, at $11.285 million. The Winters-based civil engineering firm specializes in wetland enhancement projects and the creation of wildlife habitat. … ” Read more from Danville-San Ramon here: Lower Walnut Creek Restoration Project to focus on flood control, wildlife, recreation
Along the Colorado River …
Colorado: Front Range water demands have far-reaching impacts
“While most people in Colorado live on the Front Range, most of the state’s water is on the West Slope. That’s where the snowpack melts and makes its way into the Colorado River. Much of that water flows to places like Denver through a series of dams, reservoirs, pumps and pipes. Aurora and Colorado Springs want to bring more of that water to their growing cities, which are the state’s largest after Denver. To do that, they want to dam up Homestake Creek in Eagle County south of Minturn and create a reservoir that could supply water for thousands of new homes. ... ” Read more from US News & World Report here: Colorado: Front Range water demands have far-reaching impacts
In national water news today …
Spring temperatures have risen across major U.S. cities in the past 50 years: What are the impacts?
“As Americans eagerly await for spring temperatures to loosen winter’s icy grip, new data suggests that many major U.S. cities could see warmer-than-normal temperatures — a trend that has been consistently documented for the past 50 years. An analysis of 243 cities across the U.S. conducted by Climate Central, a nonprofit news organization that focuses on climate science, revealed that nearly half of the cities have recorded higher spring temperatures of 2 degrees Fahrenheit or more over the past fifty years. Of the 243 cities, 120 of them, or 49%, have seen this trend — which can ultimately lead to an earlier wildfire season, decimated crops and impact food supply. … ” Read more from AccuWeather here: Spring temperatures have risen across major U.S. cities in the past 50 years: What are the impacts?
Commentary: Pushing Congress to move on aging water infrastructure
Dan Keppen, executive director of the Family Farm Alliance writes, “The American food consumer has access to fruits, vegetables, nuts, grains and meat throughout the year. That’s largely because of Western producers and the projects that provide water to these farmers and ranchers. Western irrigators have been dealing with changes in climate and hydrology for more than a century. But the outlook for water supplies in the future is not positive. There is also growing demand for existing water supplies from growing cities and the environment. Unfortunately, there are some interests who simply view irrigated agriculture as a target for one thing — water. … ” Read more from the Western Farm Press here: Commentary: Pushing Congress to move on aging water infrastructure
Tribal regulatory authority to combat climate change
This article begins by citing examples of how Native Americans have been impacted by climate change: “ … These are just a few of the myriad examples demonstrating that, just as other people of color are unjustly endangered by a changing climate, the laws and policies in the United States have caused climate change to burden American Indians disproportionally. Applying racist legal institutions and policies to Indian tribes is particularly egregious because the federal government has undertaken a trust responsibility—paid for with billions of acres of Indigenous lands—to protect tribal people, rights, and resources. The United States’ failure to fulfill this trust responsibility leaves tribal people particularly vulnerable to a menace that is largely not of their making. The question here is whether tribes have the power—at least on their reservations—to step into the leadership vacuum the United States has created and begin to do their part to control runaway climate change. … ” Read more from The Regulatory Review here: Tribal regulatory authority to combat climate change
World Water Day …
Join the Millions: As the United States faces an uncertain water future, millions of Americans are coming together to conserve water every single day.
“With its abundant lakes and rivers, it can be hard to imagine that the United States could face water scarcity—but it’s a growing threat. Each year, more and more Americans are realizing the danger and taking action to protect this essential yet finite resource. Climate change is drying up rivers and resulting in shrinking snowpack and decreased snowmelt, while human population growth is increasing demand on water supplies and straining reservoirs and aquifers. Forty out of 50 states expect water shortages within the decade, and some states are already facing water crises. Citizens from across the country are working to combat the crisis and have sparked a movement that’s inspired millions of Americans to join the effort. These changemakers range from small businesses reducing their water consumption, to educators sharing water conservation lessons with schoolchildren, to impassioned young people taking a stand for their future. ... ” Read more from National Geographic here: Join the Millions
World Water Day highlights value of water
“Billions of people don’t have clean drinking water, or anywhere sanitary to wash their hands. Half of the world’s malnutrition cases are caused by a lack of water, sanitation and hygiene. Flooding caused nearly $77 billion in economic losses worldwide between 2009 and 2019. Those are among the many facts about water that the United Nations and other organizations are emphasizing Monday on World Water Day. … ” Read more from The Weather Channel here: World Water Day highlights value of water
Pope decries lack of access to drinking water for many
“Pope Francis on Sunday urged more efforts to ensure all people have access to drinking water. Francis lamented that far “too many people have access to (only) a little water and that (which) is possibly polluted.” He encouraged all to “reflect on the value of this marvelous and non-substitutive gift of God,” adding that water “isn’t some good of commerce but “fount of life and of health.” ... ” Read more from the AP here: Pope decries lack of access to drinking water for many
Bending towards water justice – ‘valuing’ water and World Water Day 2021
“World Water Day is celebrated each year on the 22 March. The theme in 2021 is ‘valuing water’ with the aim of getting people, institutions and governments to reflect on how water is central to our world. Access to water is essential to our very survival and sits at the heart of how we frame sustainability (set out explicitly in Sustainable Development Goal 6). It’s basic to life; it unites us, but it also divides us. Global Water Forum’s Quentin Grafton together with colleagues Safa Fanaian, Gabriela Sacco and Luis Liberman make a plea here to place water justice at the core of any reflection on the many values to water.” Read the article at the Global Water Forum here: Bending towards water justice – ‘valuing’ water and World Water Day 2021
World Water Day: Why now is the right time to invest in water innovation
Will Sarni, founder and CEO of Water Foundry and a founder of the Colorado River Basin Fund writes, “Water is one of the world’s most precious and valuable resources. None of us can live without it. The American West is now among the world’s most water-stressed regions and is facing impacts to business growth, economic development, social wellbeing and ecosystem health. Running through much of the region is the Colorado River, which supports an estimated $1.4 trillion in annual economic activity and 16 million jobs spanning seven states. … We need 21st-century technologies, innovative funding and financial market tools to solve the water challenges of the Colorado River Basin and beyond. Enter the Colorado River Basin Fund, launching today, World Water Day 2021, to further advance innovative approaches to water challenges and engage a range of stakeholders, all who have an important role to play in solving them. … Read the article at NASDAQ here: World Water Day: Why now is the right time to invest in water innovation
More news and commentary in the weekend Daily Digest …
In California water news this weekend …
- Spring arrives with meteorologists’ grim forecast for California water supply
- Drought is the West’s next big climate disaster
- Bill to create a Southern LA County water watchdog puts agencies on edge
- California has a new idea for homes at risk from rising seas: Buy, rent, retreat
- ACWA weighs in on state water affordability legislation
- Harder requests new funding for flood protection project impacting 165,000 people, 262 critical sites
- Fish in hot water: Developing a scientific method for fish conservation
- The recreational red abalone fishery to remain closed until 2026
- California green group trying to make big plastic pay for scourge of pollution
- Obituary: Larry Richard Brown
- Ann Hayden: The collaborative habitat creator
- E. Joaquin Esquivel reappointed to the State Water Resources Control Board
- Nevada town sues for rights to water leaking from US canal
- Trump rule imperils more than 40,000 waterways
- Can more farmers be convinced to conserve and restore wetlands?
- And more …
Click here for the weekend Daily Digest.
Also on Maven’s Notebook today …
NOW AVAILABLE: Strategies for Preventing and Managing Harmful Cyanobacterial Blooms (HCBs)
