On the calendar today …
- The State Water Board meets at 9am. The main agenda item is the consideration of a proposed Resolution confirming that the “State Wetland Definition and Procedures for Discharges of Dredged or Fill Material to Waters of the State” (1) are in effect as state policy for water quality control for all waters of the state, and(2) shall be applied only to waters of the United States via the Inland Surface Waters And Enclosed Bays And Estuaries Plan. (See staff agenda item report and responses to comments.) Other agenda items include updates on current activities in the Oil and Gas Monitoring Program and the Fresno River Adjudication. Click here for the full agenda and remote access instructions.
- State Board of Food and Agriculuture meets at 10am. The Board will hear water and climate updates from federal and state officials as well as discuss sustainable pest management at its upcoming meeting. A presentation by the U.S. Farmers and Ranchers Alliance will also be featured focusing on the Decade of Ag. Click here to register.
- FREE WEBINAR: Advancing Strategic Land Repurposing and Groundwater Sustainability in California from 10:30am to 12:00pm. Join EDF for a brief presentation on our new report, “Advancing Strategic Land Repurposing and Groundwater Sustainability in California: How to develop regional strategies to create multiple benefits,” followed by a panel discussion. Click here to register.
In drought and hydrology news today …
Megadrought: ‘Climate change starting to hammer home’
“California is heading for a “critically dry year” as drought spreads across the American West, creating a slow-moving crisis for the Biden administration and state officials. The Golden State’s annual survey of Sierra Nevada snowpack, upon which it relies for as much as a third of its water, was only 59% of normal, officials warned last week, underscoring that the state didn’t get the “March miracle” of rain and snow it had hoped for. Climate change is affecting water patterns across the West, water managers said, including a prolonged “mega” drought and more precipitation falling as rain instead of snow. And much of that snow melts more quickly. … ” Read more from E&E News here: Megadrought: ‘Climate change starting to hammer home’
DWR Brochure: Drought in California 2021
“California’s annual water supply conditions are highly variable, and droughts are a recurring feature in the state’s water budget. There are many ways that drought can be defined. Some ways can be quantified, such as meteorological drought (a period of below-normal precipitation) or hydrologic drought (a period of below-average runoff), others are more qualitative in nature (shortage of water for a particular purpose). There is no universal definition of when a drought begins or ends, nor is there a State statutory process for defining or declaring drought. A proclamation of emergency conditions pursuant to the California Emergency Services Act may be used to respond to drought impacts, but such a proclamation is not itself a definition of drought. ... ”
“More snow is melting during winter across the West, a concerning trend that could impact everything from ski conditions to fire danger and agriculture, according to a new CU Boulder analysis of 40 years of data. Researchers found that since the late 1970s, winter’s boundary with spring has been slowly disappearing, with one-third of 1,065 snow measurement stations from the Mexican border to the Alaskan Arctic recording increasing winter snowmelt. While stations with significant melt increases have recorded them mostly in November and March, the researchers found that melt is increasing in all cold season months—from October to March. Their new findings, published today in Nature Climate Change, have important implications for water resource planning and may indicate fewer pristine powder days and crustier snow for skiers. ... ” Read more from the University of Colorado here: Increased winter snowmelt threatens western water resources “As several states in the American West face an intense drought, it’s shaping up to be a particularly difficult year for New Mexico farmers because of limited irrigation supplies and some saying conditions haven’t been this dire since the 1950s. Snowpack and precipitation are below average. Spring runoff is trailing. And New Mexico comes in last among nearly a dozen Western states for dismal reservoir storage levels. Along the Rio Grande, New Mexico’s largest reservoir stands at less than 11% capacity, meaning the irrigation season for farmers in the southern part of the state will likely start late and include only small allotments. … ” Continue reading from the AP via the Chicago Sun here: Out West, another dry year takes shape, as drought takes hold “As drought worsens in the West, a coalition of more than 200 farm and water organizations from 15 states that has been pushing to fix the region’s crumbling canals and reservoirs is complaining that President Joe Biden’s new infrastructure proposal doesn’t provide enough funding for above- or below-ground storage. Unveiled March 31, Biden’s American Jobs Plan outlines $111 billion for drinking water infrastructure; $50 billion for various drought, wildfire and agricultural resources management infrastructure investments; $45 billion for lead pipe cleanup; and $10 billion to monitor drinking water, notes the Association of California Water Agencies. … ” Read more from the Western Farm Press here: More water spending sought for West in infrastructure bill William Bourdeau, executive vice president of Harris Farms, chairman of the Business Federation of the Central Valley and a director for Westlands Water District, writes, “When Californians in other parts of the state think about infrastructure, they think about the roads and bridges that take them to school and work. When they think about their water supply, they think about the water that flows out of the faucet or the shower. When they think about drought, they think about the local ordinances that force them to turn off the sprinklers that keep their lawns green. But here in the Central Valley, infrastructure, water supply and drought mean so much more — after all, they don’t just impact our quality of life, but our very livelihoods. … ” Continue reading from the Fresno Bee here: San Joaquin Valley water systems need major repairs, and U.S. funding should help Interagency Ecological Program Lead Scientist Dr. Steven Culberson writes, “In anticipation of this week’s Bay-Delta Science Conference, I thought it would be useful to consider some of what it takes to understand a complex ecosystem like an estuary and to encourage everyone working in the San Francisco Estuary – scientists, policymakers, and local stakeholders – to continue shifting our ecosystem management focus from the simple to the complex. I’ll explain why in a moment. Here are four suggestions for improving ecosystem management in the San Francisco Bay-Delta ... ” Read more at the Delta Stewardship Council here: Complexities: Thinking about the San Francisco Estuary during the 2021 Bay-Delta Science Conference “Assembly Bill 434 seeks to make grazing on state lands more accessible as a means of combatting wildfires in California. Introduced by Assemblymember Robert Rivas, the bill will authorize state agencies to issue long-term grazing leases for ranchers. The Department of Fish and Wildlife, the Department of Parks and Recreation, and State Lands Commission would be allowed to lease certain lands to reduce fuels and mitigate wildfire risk. The bill is being sponsored by the California Cattlemen’s Association (CCA). … ” Read more from Ag Net West here: AB 434 looks to mitigate California wildfires through better grazing access “A group of lawmakers on calling on federal agencies to step in to address California wildfire problems. Nearly two-dozen Democratic senators and representatives are asking the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of the Interior to assist in wildfire mitigation efforts. In a letter addressed to Agriculture Secretary Vilsack and Interior Secretary Haaland, the group highlights the need for more wildfire assistance. … ” Read more from Ag Net West here: Federal agencies asked to address California wildfire problems “Nearly five years ago we brought you the story of a little town an hour south of the Oregon border that was doing battle with a big timber company over who owned the rights to a pristine spring that gurgles in the shadows of Mount Shasta, the majestic snow-capped dormant volcano. After $1.5 million in legal fees and countless hours of argument and activism, the City Council of that town, Weed, Calif., recently approved a deal securing use of the water in perpetuity. ... ” Read more from the New York Times here: A battle over water comes to a sweet end “The Elk River is the largest tributary to Humboldt Bay and provides habitat for three runs of salmon and steelhead. But after this timber-rich watershed was heavily logged more than 20 years ago, major storms washed soils from clear-cuts into the river, causing ecological devastation, local flooding, and contamination of local drinking water supplies. We talked to Darren Mierau of CalTrout about the Elk River Recovery Program and the big challenges facing this effort. PPIC: What happened to this watershed, and what is the project seeking to restore? A: The Elk River became a focus of conflict after a local logging company was acquired in a hostile takeover by an out-of-state company. … ” Read more from the PPIC here: Why is it taking so long to restore the sediment-choked Elk River? “Almost all of Mendocino County is experiencing moderate or severe drought, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Lakes Mendocino, Pillsbury, and Sonoma are all far below normal levels for this time of year. Combined, the three reservoirs are at about half of target capacity for early April. And although local water managers say there will be enough water for health and safety needs — bathing, flushing toilets, drinking — curtailments for other uses, such as agriculture, ranching, and landscaping, are on the horizon. … ” Read more from the Mendocino Beacon here: Mendocino: Inland reservoirs historically low as serious drought looms for Mendocino Co. “March produced only half of average high country precipitation, and Nevada Irrigation District (NID) is asking customers to conserve water going into the warmer, drier spring. During the District’s snow survey taken March 30 and 31, surveyors found the snow water equivalent (SWE) in the Sierra snowpack was 24.2 inches, which is 72 percent of the normal average of 33.5 inches for this time of year. The survey was taken at the District’s five high-elevation snow courses. … ” Read more from YubaNet here: Nevada Irrigation District snow survey: Snowpack and water content below average “Santa Cruz residents may be asked to conserve water this summer after the city experienced its driest wet season in seven years. “I wish I was coming to you with a lot of great news, but as you know it has been dry,” said Ben Pink, the environmental program analyst for the Santa Cruz Water Department. The Santa Cruz Water Commission voted unanimously Monday evening to recommend the City Council enact Stage 1 of the city’s Water Shortage Contingency Plan. Therefore residents should be prepared for a possible 10% water usage reduction citywide, which totals around 136 million gallons. … ” Read more from the Santa Cruz Sentinel here: Santa Cruz Water Commission unanimously recommends water restrictions “The City of Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) today announced the completion of the Long Valley Adaptive Management Plan (Plan) for Bi-state sage-grouse. Developed in partnership with the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), the Plan’s completion reaffirms LADWP’s commitment to protecting nearly 40,000 acres of sage-grouse habitat in Mono County. The Bi-state sage-grouse is a distinct population segment (DPS) of the Greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) found in Owens Valley, California and western Nevada. The Bi-state sage-grouse is not listed as threatened or endangered under the California State or Federal Endangered Species Acts, but the DPS has been evaluated for listing multiple times and sage-grouse continues to be a species of concern for private, local, state and federal partners across the Eastern Sierra. ... ” Read more from the LADWP here: Protecting the bi-state sage grouse: LADWP announces completion of the long valley adaptive management plan for bi-state sage-grouse “Flowing a few inches deep following a recent rain, the Los Angeles River looks more like a vast flooded interstate highway rather than any river found in nature. And yet it is the largest paved waterway in the world, best known as the filming site for car scenes in movies such as Grease and Terminator 2. … But now, following decades of public frustration about the river’s poor condition, the city—in coordination with the state and federal agencies—has mobilized to restore the waterway and its habitats. … ” Read more from National Geographic here: Endangered trout may soon return to the concrete Los Angeles River “Some big moves are coming from the Southern Nevada Water Authority. The water company wants all “unused turf” (grass) in the Las Vegas valley removed. The agency sent the following tweet expressing the legislation it would like to see proposed on Monday night. The tweet said, “We’re asking the legislature to consider legislation to require the removal of unused turf throughout the LV Valley by Dec. 2026. What’s unused turf? It’s grass that never gets stepped on except when it’s mowed,” said Andy Belanger, SNWA’s director of public service. … ” Continue reading at Channel 8 here: Southern Nevada Water Authority wants Nevada legislature to consider legislation to remove all unused turf throughout the Las Vegas valley “Unrelenting drought and years of rising temperatures due to climate change are pushing the long-overallocated Colorado River into new territory, setting the stage for the largest mandatory water cutbacks to date. Lake Mead, the biggest reservoir on the river, has declined dramatically over the past two decades and now stands at just 40% of its full capacity. This summer, it’s projected to fall to the lowest levels since it was filled in the 1930s following the construction of Hoover Dam. ... ” Read more from the Arizona Republic here: Southwest braces for water cutbacks as drought deepens along the Colorado River “Vice President Kamala Harris on Monday gave a boost to the Biden administration’s $2-trillion infrastructure plan as well as to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s efforts to stave off a recall, joining him in Oakland on her first official visit to California since taking office. The trip, which included a tour with Newsom of the kind of water-treatment facility that could benefit from the administration plan, coincided with an Easter weekend visit to her home in Brentwood. Harris has been home twice before as vice president, on private visits; in Washington she is in the process of moving into the vice president’s official residence, which has been undergoing renovations, after spending her first months in the government’s Blair House across from the White House. ... ” Read more from KTLA here: Harris touts $2-trillion infrastructure plan on first official visit to California as VP “On March 31, the White House released The American Jobs Plan, a $2 trillion infrastructure plan aimed at creating jobs and rebuilding the country’s infrastructure. The Biden Administration is proposing a total of $111 billion dollars in clean water and drinking water investments. While the proposal does not include detailed programmatic funding allotments, it does provide a broad outline of infrastructure priorities that Congress will need to mold into legislative text. ... ” Read more from Water Finance & Management here: Biden unveils $2 trillion infrastructure plan; water sector reacts SEE ALSO: “The Biden administration is continuing to field lawsuits filed over Endangered Species Act decisions made by the Trump administration. The Center for Biological Diversity sued the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Thursday over its failure to provide protections under the Endangered Species Act for 10 species “it admitted needed them,” according to the organization. Among the species are the monarch butterfly, which in December the Trump administration decided that adding it to the list of threatened species was “warranted but precluded.” This meant that while the monarch butterfly became a candidate for listing as an endangered species, it was not yet listed as the agency prioritizes other candidates. … ” Read more from ABC News here: Lawsuits pile up over endangered species decisions made by Trump administration At the California Water Commission’s March meeting, Commissioners heard a series of presentations on the State Water Project which will be covered in two parts. In part one, Karla Nemeth, the Director of the Department of Water Resources, discussed the Department’s overall plans for the State Water Project for the upcoming year. Next, Ted Craddock, Deputy Director for the State Water Project, then discussed the strategic priorities and initiatives that the Department is doing to ensure the reliability of the State Water Project. 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Increased winter snowmelt threatens western water resources
Out West, another dry year takes shape, as drought takes hold
In other California water news today …
More water spending sought for West in infrastructure bill
Commentary: San Joaquin Valley water systems need major repairs, and U.S. funding should help
Complexities: Thinking about the San Francisco Estuary during the 2021 Bay-Delta Science Conference
AB 434 looks to mitigate California wildfires through better grazing access
Federal agencies asked to address California wildfire problems
In regional water news and commentary today …
Weed: A battle over water comes to a sweet end
Why is it taking so long to restore the sediment-choked Elk River?
Inland reservoirs historically low as serious drought looms for Mendocino Co.
Nevada Irrigation District snow survey: Snowpack and water content below average
Santa Cruz Water Commission unanimously recommends water restrictions
Protecting the bi-state sage grouse: LADWP announces completion of the long valley adaptive management plan for bi-state sage-grouse
Endangered trout may soon return to the concrete Los Angeles River
Along the Colorado River …
Southern Nevada Water Authority wants Nevada legislature to consider legislation to remove all unused turf throughout the Las Vegas valley
Southwest braces for water cutbacks as drought deepens along the Colorado River
In national water news today …
Harris touts $2-trillion infrastructure plan on first official visit to California as VP
Biden unveils $2 trillion infrastructure plan; water sector reacts
Lawsuits pile up over endangered species decisions made by Trump administration
Today’s featured articles …
CA WATER COMMISSION: Ensuring the reliability of the State Water Project, part 1: Strategic priorities and programs
One of the California Water Commission’s statutory responsibilities is to conduct an annual review of the construction and operation of the State Water Project and make a report on its findings to the Department of Water Resources and the Legislature, with any recommendations it may have. Having just finished the 2020 State Water Project review, the Commission has launched its 2021 State Water Project review with a theme focused on creating a resilient State Water Project by addressing climate change and aging infrastructure to provide multiple benefits for California. The goal of this year’s briefings is to deepen the Commission and the public’s awareness of how the State Water Project serves California and the challenges the State Water Project faces.
BLOG ROUND-UP: Drastic measure to meet Delta outflow; Questions surround creation of employee positions for DISB members; San Joaquin Valley at a crossroads; The dam problem for the Bay-Delta Estuary; and more …Also on Maven’s Notebook today …
NOTICE: Public Workshop on Drought Planning Tools and Methodologies
NOTICE of withdrawn petitions for various Sacramento Valley temporary transfers
