DAILY DIGEST, weekend edition: Klamath Drainage District begins water deliveries, Reclamation orders it to cease; Reclamation adjusts Sacramento River operations; New prospectors seek to reopen Nevada County mine; Central Coast Water Board approves Ag Order 4.0; and more …

In California water news this weekend …

Klamath Drainage District begins water deliveries, Reclamation orders it to cease

“The Klamath Drainage District began deliveries of water Thursday night after its board voted to operate under a state permit, the legality of which is in question.  According to a news release from KDD, the district acquired the permit from the Oregon Water Resources Department in 1977 for the use of live flow from the Klamath River for irrigation.  The supplemental water right has historically been treated as independent from “Project” water, according to the district. … ”  Read more from the Herald & News here: Klamath Drainage District begins water deliveries, Reclamation orders it to cease

Reclamation adjusts Sacramento River operations to benefit salmon amid drought conditions

“Reclamation announced today that spring-time operations at Shasta Dam will adjust to benefit endangered winter-run Chinook salmon in the Sacramento River during this critically dry water year. The operation change is coordinated with the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration Fisheries, Western Area Power Administration, State Water Resources Control Board, and Sacramento River Settlement Contractors to preserve the limited supply of cold-water pool in Shasta Reservoir. No additional water from Shasta Reservoir will be released during this temporary adjustment—only the withdrawal elevation and timing of water releases will change. ... ”  Continue reading this press release from the Bureau of Reclamation here: Reclamation adjusts Sacramento River operations to benefit salmon amid drought conditions

California gold fever still reigns. New prospectors seek to reopen giant mine

“It’s been a long time since California’s Gold Country has churned out any big mining fortunes.  … But that doesn’t mean there’s no gold. For the past four years, a Canadian mining company has been in Nevada County, about 60 miles northeast of Sacramento, collecting samples of what it suspects is one of the world’s highest-grade underground gold deposits, potentially worth billions.  Now that company, Rise Gold Corp., is drafting plans to get at the bounty by reopening the more than 150-year-old Idaho-Maryland Mine. … ”  Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle here: California gold fever still reigns. New prospectors seek to reopen giant mine

The Southwest offers blueprints for the future of wastewater reuse

“Our existing water supplies must go further, and the technology exists to make this happen — by turning wastewater into drinking water. This is not a new science, but the practice has evolved significantly in the past 50 years. … Almost half of all the potable reuse projects built in California, since the first in 1962, have been installed in the past 10 years, with several more on the horizon for the early 2020s. California — with more potable reuse projects than any other state — used around 1.5 million acre-feet per year (AFY) of reused water in 2020, with one acre-foot equivalent to about 326,000 gallons and enough to cover a football field. The state plans to increase this to 2.5 million AFY by 2030, almost doubling the number, especially once planned potable reuse projects are installed. … ”  Read more from Truth Out here: The Southwest offers blueprints for the future of wastewater reuse

Another bill introduced to fund repairs for Friant-Kern Canal

“After years of neglect, numerous measures to make sure much needed and overdue repairs of the Friant-Kern Canal are fully funded continue to be introduced.  Congressman Jim Costa and Senator Dianne Feinstein were the latest to introduce legislation on Thursday that would help fund repairs for the Friant-Kern Canal. Along with Congressman Josh Harder they introduced a bill that has bipartisan support, the Canal Conveyance Restoration Act that would provide more than $800 million for repairs to three San Joaquin Valley canals, including the Friant-Kern Canal, along with restoring salmon runs in the San Joaquin River. Included is $653 million for the repairs of the Valley canals. … ”  Read more from the Porterville Recorder here:  Another bill introduced to fund repairs for Friant-Kern Canal

Drought adds pressure on Central Valley farmers as other factors cause food prices to rise

“California shoppers may notice food prices rising at grocery stores across the state, reflecting national trends. Experts say it’s part of the continued economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, but growers in the Central Valley now face added pressure thanks to the California drought. “That’s a major cost,” said Dan Best, coordinator for Certified Farmer’s Market in Sacramento. “And if you can’t afford [water] you don’t farm.” ... ”  Read more from Channel 10 here: Drought adds pressure on Central Valley farmers as other factors cause food prices to rise

Proposed bond legislation clears Assembly Ag Committee

“A proposed $3.3 billion bond that proponents argue will “accelerate California’s economic recovery and build a healthier, more equitable and resilient food and farm system,” cleared the Assembly Agriculture Committee Thursday.  Assembly Bill 125 – the Equitable Economic Recovery, Healthy Food Access, Climate Resilient Farms and Worker Protection Bond Act – cleared the committee on a 10-0 vote.  “Covid-19 has exposed many vulnerabilities and inequalities in our state’s food supply chain and infrastructure, and AB 125 will get at the heart of these issues,” bill author Assemblyman Robert Rivas, D-Hollister, said in a statement released by the California Climate and Agriculture Network, one of 15 sponsors. … ”  Read more from the Daily Republic here:  Proposed bond legislation clears Assembly Ag Committee

California wants a hefty slice of that $2 trillion infrastructure pie

“What might President Biden’s colossal proposal to address the nation’s crumbling highways, bridges, transit systems and other critical infrastructure mean to California?  Admittedly, the $2 trillion fix is a long way from becoming reality. It’s still in the House, and Senate passage as the bill is written is a big “if.”  Republicans are expressing doubt, saying the plan is just too expensive. Biden, who has called his proposal “a once in a generation investment in America,” says he’s willing to talk about it, but hopes to get his plan approved by the summer. ... ”  Read more from Capitol Weekly here: California wants a hefty slice of that $2 trillion pie

LAO Analysis: Adoption of April 2021 Wildfire and Forest Resilience Early Action Package

“On April 13, 2021, the Governor signed SB 85 (Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review), which amends the 2020‑21 Budget Act to provide additional funding for various wildfire and forest resilience activities. This post provides a brief summary of this funding package.  … ”  Click here for more from the Legislative Analyst’s Office here:  LAO Analysis: Adoption of April 2021 Wildfire and Forest Resilience Early Action Package

Fact Sheet: Resilient Watersheds and Fire Management

“Drought and fire intensification are intrinsically linked: Drought increases fire risk while wildfires limit and impair our water supplies. Drying of vegetation from drought creates more fuel for fires. Fire reduces forest carbon sequestration, therefore releasing more greenhouse gases, causing air temperatures to increase. With increased temperatures, more moisture evaporates from land and lakes, rivers and other bodies of water. These waterbodies are additionally impaired because fire erodes the landscape, allowing more runoff and debris into our water supplies. In a post-fire landscape, vegetation crucial for groundwater recharge can take years to regrow. With the pandemic complicating and stressing resource management and emergency response, capacity and priorities, a pause in forest-management approaches, particularly controlled burns, increases our current vulnerability and leaves Californians in a heightened state of risk. Agencies at all levels of governance must develop strategies to contend with the multi-threat challenges that Californians are experiencing now and will continue to experience in the years to come. ... ” Read more from the Local Government Commission here: Fact Sheet: Resilient Watersheds and Fire Management

LaMalfa introduces RESTORE Act to improve forest health, mitigate wildfire risk

“Congressman Doug LaMalfa (R-Richvale), Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Conservation and Forestry, issued the following statement after introducing the Restoring Environments, Soils, Trees, and Operations to develop the Rural Economy (RESTORE Act), HR 2612, to provide new tools for the U.S. Forest Service to work with states on landscape-scale management projects to prioritize reduction of wildfire risk.  Congressmen Kevin McCarthy (CA-23), Bruce Westerman (AR-4), Dan Newhouse (WA-4), Dusty Johnson (SD-AL), and Rick Crawford (AR-1) joined as cosponsors of the RESTORE Act.  Rep. LaMalfa said, “Our forests are overgrown and in desperate need of more active management to prevent wildfires and promote forest health. Coming off one of the worst wildfire years on record, with over 58,000 fires and some 10.3 million acres burned, it is clear we need to take more aggressive actions to prevent fires. The RESTORE Act will cause states and the Forest Service to collaborate on landscape-scale projects which will streamline forest management activities, enabling more active management of our public lands. It is a significant step forward that I hope can gain bipartisan support as an important piece of necessary fire mitigation efforts.” … ”  Read more from Congressman Doug LaMalfa’s website here: LaMalfa introduces RESTORE Act to improve forest health, mitigate wildfire risk

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In regional water news this weekend …

Yurok Tribe: Klamath River salmon stock conditions dire, fishery canceled for 5th time

“The Yurok Tribe said it’s sounding the alarm as culturally invaluable salmon edge closer to extinction. The Yurok also said Thursday it is canceling its commercial fishery for the fifth time this year.  Tribal officials said Thursday, past water management decisions and climate change have put Klamath river salmon stocks at risk.  The tribe said it’s gravely concerned about the rapidly declining salmon stocks in the Klamath River Basin, where communities from the headwaters to the coast are suffering due to past water management decisions and drought. … ”  Read more from KRCR here: Yurok Tribe: Klamath River salmon stock conditions dire, fishery canceled for 5th time

Eel River to some, Wiya’t to the tribe that fishes it

“The Eel River runs through Lake, Mendocino, and Trinity counties before reaching the Pacific Ocean in southern Humboldt County. Its name was given by Josiah Gregg in 1850 as he was exploring and looking for land to settle. Coming upon a group of Indigenous Wiyot fishermen, he traded a frying pan for some Pacific lampreys, which he mistook for eels.  Those Wiyot fishermen had probably been up most of the night — a good time for catching lamprey. … ”  Continue reading at the Santa Rosa Press Democrat here: Eel River to some, Wiya’t to the tribe that fishes it

Low water levels in Folsom Lake put summer boating season at risk

“Swimming, boating, and, fishing are popular activities on Folsom Lake, but low water levels may make those activities difficult this summer.  Denise Wieland has lived in the area for almost a decade and said she has never seen the lake so drained. “When I first moved here in 2012, the lake level was practically up to a bike path so it’s receded almost half a mile,” she said.  CBS13 asked state park rangers why water levels are so low, and they attribute it to low rain and snow levels. … ”  Read more from CBS 13 here: Low water levels in Folsom Lake put summer boating season at risk

Richardson Bay agency considers eelgrass protection anchorage

“The Richardson’s Bay Regional Agency is exploring a plan that would create a designated anchoring zone to protect eelgrass beds.  Rebecca Schwartz Lesbert, a biologist with Coastal Policy Solutions consulting firm, presented a draft eelgrass protection and management plan to the agency board on April 8.  Schwartz Lesbert said the plan would not change the 72-hour anchor limit. It would create a designated anchoring zone in deeper water, closer to Belvedere and the mouth of Richardson Bay, where eelgrass does not grow. … ”  Read more from the Marin Independent Journal here:  Richardson Bay agency considers eelgrass protection anchorage

Central Coast Water Board approves Ag Order 4.0

“General Waste Discharge Requirements for Discharges from Irrigated Lands, simply known as Ag Order 4.0, will officially begin to be implemented. Just prior to the deadline, the Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board approved the measure Thursday evening. There has been unease among farmers throughout the lengthy development process as to how the rule will affect production. Monterey County Farm Bureau Executive Director, Norm Groot has pointed out several issues with the order over the past year. Limitations on nitrogen applications have been a central concern, along with the provision allowing a third party to maintain compliance for an ag operation. ... ”  Read more from Ag Net West here: Central Coast Water Board approves Ag Order 4.0

Central Coast Water Authority fears Santa Barbara County at disadvantage by failing to approve amendments

“Leaders of the Central Coast Water Authority fear that Santa Barbara County is at a disadvantage in obtaining state water because of the county’s failure to adopt an amendment to the State Water Project that allows local water districts to buy and sell water supplies outside the county.  The CCWA is an umbrella organization for all of the State Water Project members in Santa Barbara County. The CCWA has requested that the Board of Supervisors approve Amendment 21, which allows State Water Project purveyors to buy and sell water outside of the county, three times with no luck, Jim Youngson, principal at Terrain Consulting, told Noozhawk. … ”  Read more from Noozhawk here: Central Coast Water Authority fears Santa Barbara County at disadvantage by failing to approve amendments

Dredging underway to clear the Santa Barbara Harbor entrance

“The annual dredging of the Santa Barbara harbor has begun with a stream of silty water shooting out from a location halfway down the beach front.  The process involves the dredge boat doing its work in the harbor entrance where currents dump tons of sand each year. At times it has blocked many boats from getting in and out until the dredging work takes place. ... ”  Read more from KEYT here: Dredging underway to clear the Santa Barbara Harbor entrance

Solvang declares stage one drought emergency as rainfall remains light

“Solvang has declared a stage one drought emergency to encourage people to conserve water after lower-than-normal rainfall in the state where officials are again closely monitoring dry conditions.  The City Council also agreed to authorize the purchase of supplemental water after hearing that State Water Project deliveries to customers will be a small percentage of allocations. … ”  Read more from Noozhawk here: Solvang declares stage one drought emergency as rainfall remains light

Air District dings Imperial Irrigation District over Red Hill Bay

“In what one board member called a hearing that isn’t going to be topped, the Imperial County Air Pollution Control District Hearing Board voted 4-0 to issue an order of abatement against the Imperial Irrigation District over the Red Hill Bay project site at the Salton Sea.  The ruling came on Friday afternoon, April 16, following several Fridays of testimony.  An order for abatement is an enforcement action that requires an owner or operator who is out of compliance to take specific action to get back into compliance with air district rules. … ”  Read more from the Holtville Tribune here:  Air District dings Imperial Irrigation District over Red Hill Bay

Imperial Irrigation District’s general counsel reacts to the Imperial County Air Pollution Control District’s order on Red Hill Bay

“The hearing panel for Imperial County Air Pollution Control District rendered its decision on the Red Hill Bay notices of violation soon after the parties made their closing arguments yesterday.  IID General Counsel, Frank Oswalt, summed up the IID’s attorneys’ reactions.  The hearing panel’s decision was not a surprise. They basically rubber stamped the recommendations of the APCD staff. There was no discussion of the serious deficiencies perpetrated by the APCD in this case, which were repeatedly raised by IID’s counsel during the course of the hearing.   Of course, the IID will extensively review and consider its response to this unsupportable abatement order. Yet, the order raises serious and significant red flags that cannot be ignored.  Most concerning, the decision appears to confer on the Air Pollution Control Officer a kind of veto authority over water conservation contracts. This overreaching grant to the Air Pollution Control Officer has no basis in law or regulations. It is impossible to imagine under what conditions the duly elected board of directors of the IID would find this usurpation acceptable. …

Imperial Beach shoreline closed again after being blasted for weeks by Tijuana sewage

“San Diegans will undoubtedly head to the ocean this weekend as temperatures warm — but not in Imperial Beach.  Sewage spilling over from Tijuana forced officials on Friday to completely close the city’s shoreline yet again.  The move comes less than a week after Baja officials said repairs were completed to a broken water pump in the Tijuana River, which had allowed tens of millions of gallons of sewage-tainted water to escape capture starting in late March. ... ”  Read more from the San Diego Union Tribune here: Imperial Beach shoreline closed again after being blasted for weeks by Tijuana sewage

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In commentary this weekend …

Climate change has enabled California to change itself

Joe Mathews, columnist for Zócalo Public Square, writes, “California’s fight against climate change isn’t doing all that much to slow climate change. But it should be considered a success anyway.  While California reached its 2020 goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels, it is lagging in meeting its next target — emissions 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2030. That’s made California’s climate change regime a target. Environmentalists demand more progress, while conservatives say our one-state fight against climate change is folly. … ”  Read more from the San Jose Mercury News here:  Climate change has enabled California to change itself

Along the Colorado River …

Lees Ferry program offers cash to anglers for brown trout removal

“Here’s a fish story for you: what if you could get paid to go fishing all day? The National Park Service wants anglers to help get rid of exotic brown trout at Lees Ferry on the Colorado River. The agency is giving cash prizes for every fish to try to knock down their numbers. KNAU’s Melissa Sevigny reports, the program is an unusual experiment, designed to meet the goals of the Park Service but also respect the spiritual beliefs of the Zuni Tribe. … ”  Read more from KNAU here: Lees Ferry program offers cash to anglers for brown trout removal

With first-ever Colorado River shortage almost certain, states stare down mandatory cutbacks

“The Colorado River’s biggest reservoirs are likely to drop to historically low levels later this year, prompting mandatory conservation by some of the river’s heaviest users.  The latest Bureau of Reclamation reservoir projections, which take into account river flows in a given year, show a likelihood that Lake Mead on the Arizona-Nevada stateline will dip below the critical threshold of 1,075 feet in elevation in May and remain below that level for the foreseeable future. ... ”  Read more from KUNC here:  With first-ever Colorado River shortage almost certain, states stare down mandatory cutbacks

US West prepares for possible 1st water shortage declaration

“The man-made lakes that store water supplying millions of people in the U.S. West and Mexico are projected to shrink to historic lows in the coming months, dropping to levels that could trigger the federal government’s first-ever official shortage declaration and prompt cuts in Arizona and Nevada.  The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation released 24-month projections this week forecasting that less Colorado River water will cascade down from the Rocky Mountains through Lake Powell and Lake Mead and into the arid deserts of the U.S. Southwest and the Gulf of California. Water levels in the two lakes are expected to plummet low enough for the agency to declare an official shortage for the first time, threatening the supply of Colorado River water that growing cities and farms rely on. ... ”  Read more from US News & World Report here: US West prepares for possible 1st water shortage declaration

Here’s what is being done to protect Arizona’s water supplies for future growth

“Arizona’s top water officials spoke to the manufacturing community Wednesday about what’s being done to protect the state’s water supplies for future growth in this new era of climate change.  In fact, there is the potential for the state to experience its first-ever water shortage next year, they said. A 20-year drought with no end in sight is shrinking the Southwest’s most important water resource, the mighty Colorado River.  For now, there’s enough water to support the state’s blooming industry base, said Tom Buschatzke, the director of the Arizona Department of Water Resources (ADWR), and Ted Cooke, general manager of the Central Arizona Project (CAP), during a virtual “breakfast” meeting of the Arizona Manufacturers Council (AMC), the voice of the manufacturing sector. … ”  Read more from Arizona Public Media here:  Here’s what is being done to protect Arizona’s water supplies for future growth

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In national news this weekend …

Can innovative WIFIA features help expand SRF loan capacity?

“In its 2020 annual report, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) loan program describes itself as a “government bank with unique flexibilities.” Can those flexibilities be useful for Clean and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds (SRFs) considering leverage to expand their capacity for loans?  WIFIA is a popular and successful water infrastructure loan program. Since operations began in 2017, the program has closed a total of more than 40 loans aggregating more than $9 billion to date with an additional $10 billion currently in process. The program’s borrowers are primarily public water systems with high credit ratings that are financing large-scale water infrastructure projects. ... ”  Read more from Water Finance & Management here: Can innovative WIFIA features help expand SRF loan capacity?

An abacus for 30×30 acreage? USGS is counting on it

“President Biden’s goal of conserving 30% of the nation’s lands and waters within the next decade faces obvious hurdles, but perhaps the most fundamental is this: Exactly which lands should count?  Nearly three months after announcing the pledge, included in a late January executive order addressing climate change, the Biden administration has yet to spell out how it plans to conserve hundreds of millions of acres of land before 2030.  “To summon the ghost of Donald Rumsfeld, there’s a lot of unknown unknowns at this point, and still a lot to sort out,” said Brian Yablonski, who serves as CEO of the Montana-based Property and Environment Research Center, a free-market environmental think tank. ... ”  Read more from E&E News here: An abacus for 30×30 acreage? USGS is counting on it

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Catch up on last week’s news in the Weekly Digest …

WEEKLY WATER NEWS DIGEST for April 11-16: Toxic algae, 2022 Flood Plan update; Recreation and tourism in the Delta; plus all the top news of the week

Also on Maven’s Notebook this weekend …

NEW BOOK: Rewilding Agricultural Landscapes

NOTICE: State Water Board will introduce water assessment tools at virtual workshop

NOTICE: California Water Commission – Q&A session for applicants submitting screening information for water storage projects

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