On the calendar today …
- FREE WEBINAR: May Colorado River Basin Water Supply Webinar from 9am to 10am. The National Weather Service Colorado Basin River Forecast Center (CBRFC) produces water supply forecasts for the Colorado River Basin and the eastern Great Basin. CBRFC conducts these webinars through the run-off season, explaining the forecasts and current conditions. Click here to register.
- FREE WEBINAR: A Collaborative Project: Plausible Scenarios for Future Colorado River Drought from 10am to 11am. In this webinar, Connie Woodhouse (University of Arizona) will present on recent Southwest Climate Adaptation Science Center (CASC) funded research that addresses the concerns of a set of Colorado River Basin water managers regarding future drought and water supply reliability in the Upper Colorado River. Researchers collaborated with this water resource management community of practice to develop plausible scenarios of future droughts in the Upper Colorado River Basin, then used these scenarios to examine future reductions in streamflow. Click here to register.
- FREE WEBINAR: Tapping into the Future: Potable Reuse in Tomorrow’s World from 10:30 to 12:00pm. Experts in the field of potable wastewater reuse will discuss the current landscape of potable reuse and future prospects for the expansion of potable reuse in the U.S. The panel discussion will take place over 60 minutes and include 15 minutes of audience Q&A. Click here for more information and to register.
- FREE WEBINAR: TEK Science & Management Webinar Series: Oceans from 11am to 11:40am. Featuring Marva Jones, Tolowa Dee-ni/California Kitchen and Hillary Renick, Sherwood Valley Band of Pomo Indians/First Nations Development Institute. Register at: http://tinyurl.com/scsTEKseries.
- FREE WEBINAR: Upper Eel River Salmon Park from 5pm to 6pm. PG&E wants to abandon the Potter Valley Project and the thousands of acres they own are dedicated to conservation, restoration and recreation as their only allowable uses as a result of a Settlement Agreement. Our concept is to transfer PG&E land to the Mendocino National Forest and get them a budget to manage for recreation, restoration and conservation of the area between the dams. Click here to register.
On the calendar tomorrow …
- VIRTUAL TOUR: Grasslands Regional Park Vernal Pool from 9am to 10am. Yolo Basin Foundation is now offering virtual Vernal Pool Tours of the restored vernal pool habitats onsite of Grasslands Regional Park. These areas are protected and off limits to the public due to the various plants and animals present retaining an endangered or threatened status. Explore these crucial, incredible habitats with Yolo Basin Foundation staff and volunteers through a virtual experience. Discover how vernal pools are naturally created, restored, and special. Zoom in more closely to view amazing wildflowers and small creatures that call the vernal pools home. Click here to register.
- WEBINAR: Evolving Restoration Practices in an Era of Climate Change — The Intertwined History of Two Connected Watersheds from 10am to 1pm. Join Salmonid Restoration Federation and Sanctuary Forest for a Virtual Flow Enhancement and Restoration workshop to explore the evolving restoration in Redwood Creek and the Mattole. These two connected watersheds are intertwined historically, geologically, and from a fisheries recovery perspective. Restoration techniques and flow enhancement strategies have evolved to address climate change resilience and longer dry seasons. Click here to register.
In California drought news today …
Drought hits second year, but experts say the state is better prepared
“As California heads through its second year of drought after the fourth driest winter on record, it’s in better shape to deal with the lack of water than during the 2012-2016 drought — particularly in Southern California, where reservoirs have yet to fall below historically average levels, according to experts attending a webinar hosted by the Public Policy Institute of California. Unlike the last drought, Sacramento and the North Coast regions have been hardest hit this time. That led Gov. Gavin Newsom last month to declare a drought emergency for Mendocino and Sonoma counties. Last time, Southern California bore a greater portion of the dry weather. While the scientific consensus is that as climate change makes the state susceptible to increasingly severe droughts, steps are being taken to adapt. … ” Read more from the OC Register here: Drought hits second year, but experts say the state is better prepared
“We have third-world conditions.” Arambula one of few holdouts in requesting drought emergency
“Over a dozen local elected officials recently sent a letter requesting Newsom declare an emergency. Newsom has failed to introduce water restrictions in the San Joaquin Valley despite mounting pressure to do so. Instead, he made emergency declarations in Mendocino and Sonoma counties, which are popular for winemaking. … Asm. Joaquin Arambula (D-Fresno) is one of those who did not join a letter written to Newsom requesting an emergency declaration. Arambula is a notable Newsom supporter who seems disinclined to break ranks with the governor’s lack of action on the San Joaquin valley drought problems. … ” Read more from the San Joaquin Valley Sun here: “We have third-world conditions.” Arambula one of few holdouts in requesting drought emergency
‘Are we going to have water?’ | Amid worsening drought, California rice growers to cut back an estimated 20%
“Look to the skies north of Sacramento this time of year and chances are you’ll see low-flying planes seeding the rice fields. But the California drought has had a ripple effect across industries, particularly agriculture. “We were faced with the tough decisions. Are we going to have water? And if so, how much? And where?” said Fritz Durst, a rice farmer of 40 years. California Rice says the industry contributes more than $5 billion annually and 25,000 jobs to the state economy, but this year farmers are expected to cut back production by an estimated 20% to conserve water. “The drought is impacting our farms in a very real way,” said Cal Rice President & CEO Tim Johnson at a media event Thursday. … ” Read more from ABC 10 here: ‘Are we going to have water?’ | Amid worsening drought, California rice growers to cut back an estimated 20%
As surface water supplies dry up, California rice growers worry about ripple effect
“California’s drought is impacting more than how you water your lawn, but also the way your food is grown on hundreds of thousands of acres in the Sacramento Valley. Growing rice is a multi-billion dollar industry that supports 25,00 jobs. “Farmers are eternal optimists to risk so much with so many things out of your control,” said Fritz Durst. … This year, a third of normal rainfall combined with hot weather and drying winds have him pumping more groundwater than usual and fallowing half his rice fields – meaning Durst won’t plant, and he’s not alone. … ” Continue reading at Channel 13 here: As surface water supplies dry up, California rice growers worry about ripple effect
Utilities in Sonoma, Marin counties ask customers to reduce water use by 20 percent
“Eight public water utilities in Sonoma and Marin counties have called on customers to voluntarily reduce their water usage by 20 percent as the region faces worsening drought conditions. The Water Advisory Committee to the Sonoma County Water Agency passed a resolution Monday asking residents to do so as water supply in the Russian River watershed and both Lake Mendocino and Lake Sonoma are at historic lows. ... ” Read more from KTVU here: Utilities in Sonoma, Marin counties ask customers to reduce water use by 20 percent
Entire Bay Area has gone from ‘severe’ to ‘extreme’ drought levels in just 2 weeks
“The drought situation in the Bay Area has officially gone from bad to worse. According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, the entire Bay Area is now in the “extreme” drought category, along with nearly three-quarters of California. According to the latest summary, precipitation in the state for the water year that began Oct. 1 is well below normal, in the bottom 10th percentile, and the greater Bay Area is “experiencing record or near-record dryness.” … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle here: Entire Bay Area has gone from ‘severe’ to ‘extreme’ drought levels in just 2 weeks
Farms, ranches in southern Santa Clara county grapple with worsening drought
“As Santa Clara County falls deeper into drought, local wine and crop growers said they would be okay for this year, but cattle ranchers are already hurting. The beauty of pasturelands in southern Santa Clara County hides hard facts. Grasses used for cattle grazing are short and stubby because of little rainfall this year and what’s there is drying out fast in the sun. “It’s already bad and it’s probably not going to get any better because we won’t get any rain now until next fall,” said rancher Jim Warren. Santa Clara County’s $4 million cattle industry is facing hard times in the face of what are now extreme drought conditions. … ” Read more from the Marin Independent Journal here: Farms, ranches in southern Santa Clara county grapple with worsening drought
In other California water news …
Garamendi bill unlocks federal financing for Western water storage
“Today, Congressman John Garamendi (D-CA-03) introduced legislation (H.R. 2979) making low-interest federal financing available for reservoir and drought resiliency projects, with Congressman Dan Newhouse (R-WA-04) as the original cosponsor. This bipartisan legislation (H.R. 2979) would amend the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) of 2014 to make public water projects like the off-stream Sites Reservoir Project eligible for low-interest, longer-term federal loans from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Specifically, the bill would allow water projects with longer useful life spans, like Sites Reservoir, to receive federal WIFIA financing for 55-year loan terms instead of the current 35-year loan terms, thereby lowering the capital costs for such projects. ... ” Read more from Congressman Garamendi’s office here: Garamendi bill unlocks federal financing for Western water storage
No bear, but John Cox tells Fresno that he has the ‘beast’ in him to tackle Calif. issues
“California gubernatorial candidate John Cox swung through Fresno on Thursday as part of his “Meet the Beast” campaign tour, holding a press conference at Machado Farms. … With the state once again in the midst of another drought, Cox said he would do something that Newsom has so far refused to: declare a state-wide emergency. Instead of a state-wide declaration, Newsom enacted an emergency in Mendocino and Sonoma Counties. Cox also suggested that California should divert money from the over-budget and routinely-delayed High-Speed Rail – referring to it as the “train to nowhere” – to fund water projects, such as the Friant-Kern Canal. … ” Read more from the San Joaquin Valley Sun here: No bear, but John Cox tells Fresno that he has the ‘beast’ in him to tackle Calif. issues
Q/A: What are the risks of a major earthquake in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta?
“In the first of two Delta Conveyance Deep Dive episodes on seismic risks in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, Laurence Sanati, head of the DWR Flood Systems Analysis Section, speaks about the potential consequences of a major earthquake in or near the Delta and the measures currently in place to deal with such an event. Q: What would the State do if a major earthquake struck the Delta and caused damage to the levees? A: So, this issue is obviously something that we’re well aware of and we’ve been planning for and strategizing on how to address for a long time now. We’ve developed many detailed plans to guide our response and recovery efforts. We’ve built some enormous stockpiles of rock, material and steel that can be distributed throughout the Delta to repair these potential levee breaches should they occur. We have equipment in place that can load these materials onto barges and transport them to where they’re needed. … ” Continue reading at DWR News here: Q/A: What are the risks of a major earthquake in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta?
Public slow to respond to new drinking water program for rural San Joaquin Valley residents
“The state is finally beginning to address a decades-long problem of dangerous drinking water in parts of the San Joaquin Valley under a new “management zone” program but hardly anyone is paying attention. Even the prospect of free water testing and free water hasn’t garnered much enthusiasm. Regardless of the lackluster response, program managers will offer free nitrate testing for domestic well owners starting May 7. If the water has nitrate above the safe level, those residents can also get free bottled water. … ” Read more from SJV Water here: Public slow to respond to new drinking water program for rural San Joaquin Valley residents
Reclamation provides $2.5 million to improve snow water supply forecasting
“The Bureau of Reclamation is providing $2.5 million for 12 projects to advance snow measurement technology development, demonstration and application to improve water supply forecasting. Four projects will include partner contributions of $720,000. “With the changing climate and droughts occurring in the West, it is becoming increasingly apparent that the processes and methods used to forecast snow water runoff needs improvement,” said Chief Engineer David Raff. “The research and demonstrations being undertaken is another way that Reclamation is working to improve our forecasting.” This program supports President Biden’s Executive Order on Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad as it increases resilience to the impacts of climate change. … ”
Project examples:
- Partner with USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service to collaboratively pursue existing snow monitoring network design, enhancement and sensor evaluation in the West.
- Enhance the snow monitoring program in the San Joaquin River watershed. The funding would augment planned Airborne Snow Observatory flights. This information is critical to the operations at Millerton Reservoir and the San Joaquin River Settlement when water is needed early in the runoff season to support salmon restoration.
- Assess utility of new satellites to advance the state-of-the-art capabilities in quantifying snow water content in high-elevation mountain watersheds. The project will attempt to demonstrate and test integrated satellite-based data techniques to enhance snow and water supply forecasting in river basins.
- Develop an integrated remote sensing and physical modeling approach to producing high resolution modeled snow water equivalent in near real-time for small to medium basins where snowmelt is the primary driver of spring and summer reservoir inputs.
H.R. 133 – the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (Public Law 116-260) authorized these activities.
To learn more about these selected projects, please visit www.usbr.gov/research.
UC Davis offering e-learning sessions on production ag water
“UC Davis is offering a series of online learning sessions focused on water in agricultural production. The E-learning series will provide information on a variety of topics including risks associated with production ag water, best practices for water management, treatment options, and updates on the Produce Safety Rule water testing requirements. … ” Read more from Ag Net West here: UC Davis offering e-learning sessions on production ag water
CVP adds water supply hold for Northern California
“The California Bureau of Reclamation has put water supply allocations on hold for Central Valley Project (CVP) water contractors located north of the Delta. The bureau said the announcement is in response to worsening water availability conditions in the state. … ” Read more from Ag Net West here: CVP adds water supply hold for Northern California
Wildfires are contaminating drinking water systems, and it’s more widespread than people realize
“More than 58,000 fires scorched the United States last year, and 2021 is on track to be even drier. What many people don’t realize is that these wildfires can do lasting damage beyond the reach of the flames – they can contaminate entire drinking water systems with carcinogens that last for months after the blaze. That water flows to homes, contaminating the plumbing, too. Over the past four years, wildfires have contaminated drinking water distribution networks and building plumbing for more than 240,000 people. Small water systems serving housing developments, mobile home parks, businesses and small towns have been particularly hard-hit. Most didn’t realize their water was unsafe until weeks to months after the fire. ... ” Read more from The Conversation here: Wildfires are contaminating drinking water systems, and it’s more widespread than people realize
On-the-ground forest resilience projects forging ahead in California
“As California braces for another perilous wildfire season, forest resilience projects are advancing on a number of fronts, along with new state investments in wildfire prevention. During California Forward’s Building Equitable Economies webinar series, promising efforts in four forested regions were highlighted and explored. The series, which ran between February and April and will continue with occasional additional webinars, was designed to address racial and economic inequities across a broad range of issues. The series has brought attendees into timely conversations about climate resiliency, criminal justice, housing, broadband access, youth engagement, and more. On March 4 and March 11, the series focused on one of the state’s most pressing problems: relentless wildfires claiming lives, destroying property, and damaging the environment, communities, and the overall well-being of the state. Featured in these webinars were on-the-ground forest resiliency projects with potential for scaling and replication. A brief recap of each forest-related presentation follows, along with recent developments. … ” Continue reading at California Forward here: On-the-ground forest resilience projects forging ahead in California
Working from the home outward: Lessons from California for federal wildfire policy
“The dominant current approaches to wildfire policy promoted by the Forest Service— wildlands fire suppression and forest alteration through extensive tree-cutting—are failing to keep the public safe, with record losses of lives and homes during wildfires. In contrast, an approach of “working from the home outward,” focusing on fire-safety home retrofits and the zone immediately around houses and communities, offers the most effective and cost-efficient tools for increasing public safety during wildfires. Most wildfire-related government funding subsidizes forest alteration and fire suppression rather than home-outward actions, even in “all of the above” approaches to fire policy. Less than 4% of California’s 2021 fire-related budget is for “community hardening.” A new task force is needed to answer this central question—Which actions will produce the greatest public safety benefits during wildfires in the most cost-efficient manner? … ” Read the report from Environment Now here: Working from the home outward: Lessons from California for federal wildfire policy
After last year’s catastrophic wildfire season, California braces for one possibly worse
“After one of the most destructive and extreme wildfire seasons in modern history last year, a widening drought across California and much of the West has many residents bracing for the possibility this season could be worse. Anemic winter rain and snowfall has left reservoirs and river flows down significantly, even as the state experiences its driest water year in more than four decades. Today, wildfire fuels in some parts of California are at or near record levels of dryness. Fuel moisture — the amount of water inside a living plant — “is the lowest that we’ve recorded at these sites since 2013,” says Craig Clements, director of the Wildfire Interdisciplinary Research Center at San Jose State University. “It’s indicative of very dangerous conditions coming into this summer.” … ” Read more from KQED here: After last year’s catastrophic wildfire season, California braces for one possibly worse
In commentary today …
No, California isn’t ‘flushing water to the ocean,’ despite what Fresno politicians say
Columnist Marek Warszawski writes, “It’s that time of drought again. During one of the driest years on record, once again curtailing water deliveries to local farms, Fresno-area lawmakers wasted little time trotting out one of their favorite falsehoods. That every year, including the parched ones like 2021, California “wastes” millions of gallons of water by “flushing it to the ocean.” Central San Joaquin Valley residents have heard this declaration so often and for so long, from the mouths of politicians and parroted on talk radio, that many of us believe it’s true. Because we’re all human beings and susceptible to influence, this tendency can’t be helped. Psychologists call it an “illusory truth effect.” Clear the wool from your eyes. The truth is far more complex and nuanced, one that requires us to adopt a larger mindset about our state’s ecosystem. … ” Read more from the Fresno Bee here: No, California isn’t ‘flushing water to the ocean,’ despite what Fresno politicians say
We can’t hold back rising oceans. We can only move out of the way
Gary Griggs, distinguished professor of earth and planetary sciences at UC Santa Cruz, writes, “Shoreline erosion and coastal retreat have become global issues and an increasing challenge for California’s coastal cities and counties. In part that’s because of the state’s concentrated coastal population, but it’s also because of our coastal-dependent economy and intensive shoreline development. Failure of coastal cliffs and bluffs, narrowing and loss of beaches, and damage to both private development and public infrastructure are common news stories during major El Niño winters and when large waves coincide with very high tides. In the short to intermediate term (perhaps until 2050), these events will be quite damaging, but over the longer term, sea level rise will become the dominant threat. ... ” Read more from the LA Times here: We can’t hold back rising oceans. We can only move out of the way
California water utilities fear the unknown when it comes to lead service lines
Tom Neltner, Chemicals Policy Director for the Environmental Defense Fund, writes: “Last month, two California trade associations submitted disconcerting comments to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as the agency considers what to do with the revised Lead and Copper Rule (LCR) published in the waning days of the Trump Administration. The associations – the Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA) and the California Municipal Utilities Association (CMUA) – represent 90% of the state’s drinking water utilities. The trade associations are asking EPA to allow water utilities to tell the agency, the state, their customers, and the public that they have no lead service lines (LSLs) even when they know it may well be false. This would seriously undermine one of the most important positive aspects of the revised LCR – the service line inventory. ... ” Read more from the Environmental Defense Fund here: California water utilities fear the unknown when it comes to lead service lines
In regional water news and commentary today …
Court denies Tribes’ request to keep more water in Upper Klamath Lake
“A federal judge denied the Klamath Tribes’ efforts on Thursday to have the Bureau of Reclamation reduce flows on the Klamath River and keep Upper Klamath Lake’s elevation more suitable for spring sucker spawning. “Here, the Defendant Bureau, in coordination with expert agencies and all competing interests, is better equipped to serve the public interest than a judge with a law degree,” wrote United States District Judge Michael McShane. The Tribes sued the Bureau earlier this year on Endangered Species Act grounds, arguing that the agency violated Sections 7 and 9 of the law by allowing Upper Klamath Lake to dip below 4,142 feet in elevation during April and May in two consecutive years: 2020 and 2021. ... ” Read more from the Herald & News here: Court denies Tribes’ request to keep more water in Upper Klamath Lake
Water disputes draw crowds of demonstrators to Yreka courthouse
“The Siskiyou County Superior Court on Thursday became the focal point of ongoing struggles in the community over water rights, particularly when it comes to marijuana grows that are outlawed by county ordinance. Commercial cultivation of marijuana has been illegal in Siskiyou County since the ordinance passed in 2017, and it has been extended in the years since. Regardless, marijuana grows have only proliferated in rural areas of Siskiyou County, with local law enforcement agencies struggling to make a dent in the lucrative trade. Most of the land parcels commonly used for marijuana cultivation are located in previously undeveloped rural areas, and are lacking in infrastructure — no sewer systems, no garbage service, and (most importantly) no water. … ” Read more from Channel 12 here: Water disputes draw crowds of demonstrators to Yreka courthouse
READ MORE: Siskiyou County residents protest over new water tank restriction ordinance, from Channel 5
Environmental crimes discovered at illegal cannabis grows in Tehama and Shasta Counties
“In April, wildlife officers at the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) conducted two investigations related to environmental crimes associated with illegal cannabis cultivation in southern Tehama County and western Shasta County. Support was provided by CDFW Environmental Scientists, and the Sheriffs’ Departments of Trinity and Tehama counties. “Both sites were illegally diverting water from stream channels with unseasonably low water levels,” said David Bess, CDFW Deputy Director and Chief of the Law Enforcement Division. “If left in place, these operations would have severely impacted water availability in the streams, which sensitive fish and wildlife species depend on for survival.” ... ” Read more from the Department of Fish and Wildlife here: Environmental crimes discovered at illegal cannabis grows in Tehama and Shasta Counties
Spring planting to benefit doves, hunting, wildlife at Oroville Wildlife Area
“It only took Brian Young about two laps around the freshly plowed, three-acre field before the red-winged blackbirds started showing up. A fish and wildlife technician at the Oroville Wildlife Area in Butte County, Young was piloting a John Deere 5075M utility tractor along the shores of the Thermalito Afterbay in mid-April, scattering a mix of sunflower and safflower seeds behind him. The red-winged blackbirds were taking full advantage of the easy meal. Once seeded, Young would retrace his route, distribute fertilizer and hope for the best. A quarter-mile away along a gently sloping hillside another John Deere tractor was at work covering up with soil another plowed, seeded and fertilized field. Spring is planting season at the 12,000-acre Oroville Wildlife Area and at dozens of other California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) properties up and down the state as crop fields are prepared for mourning doves – and the dove hunting season that begins in September. ... ” Read more from the Department of Fish and Wildlife here: Spring planting to benefit doves, hunting, wildlife at Oroville Wildlife Area
Why this year’s Folsom Lake super bloom is so amazingly rare – and troubling
“A spectacular super bloom of lupine flowers has exploded in and around Folsom Lake. Lupine flowers, which are native to California and commonly found around the state, tend to crop up every year. But this spring, experts say the super bloom that’s sprouted in the Sierra foothills reservoir 25 miles east of Sacramento is like nothing they’ve ever seen — and says a lot about the dire state of California’s deepening drought. Just last weekend the state park saw thousands of people, some from as far as Nevada, drive in to catch a glimpse of the bright purple lupines that now blanket the reservoir in areas that normally would be underwater but are now fertile blooming ground because of historically low water levels. ... ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle here: Why this year’s Folsom Lake super bloom is so amazingly rare – and troubling
Folsom Lake low levels offer hiking adventures
“Folsom Lake level looks low. But it has been a lot lower. “The water level is 386 feet above sea level — 466 feet is the maximum,” Gold Fields District Superintendent Barry Smith said in mid February. When the water drops, it reveals the history of pre-Folsom Dam times. “Now you can see where the water ditches and irrigation ditches were. And occasionally, you can see a foundation,” Smith said. ... ” Read more from Gold Country Media here: Folsom Lake low levels offer hiking adventures
When salmon swam in Sonoma
“When spring was a much wetter season than it is today, and when there were far fewer houses and vineyards in the flat area now bound by Patten Street at the north and Fifth Street East, it was possible to wade in knee-deep water for more than a mile, including through the area where Prestwood School is today. The nearly flat plain slopes slightly south toward the bay. Before it was developed it was laced with dozens of tiny winter streams and shallow pools supporting all manner of wildlife, including ducks, geese, pheasant and quail. The abundant water also induced the growth of vast, dense blackberry hedges providing great picking as the water receded and the berries ripened. ... ” Read more from the Sonoma Index-Tribune here: When salmon swam in Sonoma
Three more whales wash up dead near San Francisco — eight total in five weeks
“Three more gray whales have washed up dead in the San Francisco Bay, adding to the fatal beachings of five others in the region over the last month, including a 46-foot fin whale, scientists from the Marine Mammal Center and the California Academy of Sciences said Thursday. In 2019, the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced it was going to investigate an unusually high number of gray whales found dead along the North American west coast. The investigation is continuing. … ” Read more from the LA Times here: Three more whales wash up dead near San Francisco — eight total in five weeks
Which California lakes are best to visit this summer? Here are 50 close to the Bay Area
“With catastrophic drought forecast this summer, more than 50 recreational lakes across the state will look like silver dollars in a field of pennies for people hoping to escape the heat. Water levels were already low at several recreational lakes, but a second straight dry winter has left reservoirs across the state at 45% of average levels for the date, according to the state Department of Water Resources. While melting snow usually fills hundreds of mountain lakes in early summer, the state’s annual survey in April rated snow water content at only 17% statewide. … But there is hope for a successful summer lake trip if you know where to look. Across Northern California, here is a look at what you can expect at 50 popular lakes. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle here: Which California lakes are best to visit this summer? Here are 50 close to the Bay Area
Livermore: Restoration work underway in the arroyos
“The City of Livermore is nearing completion on a multi-agency project to restore 10 acres of riparian habitat along Arroyo Mocho in Robertson Park and Arroyo Las Positas in Springtown. “We’ve done maintenance work on the creeks, and we’ve done some bank repair from storm damage that we had in 2017,” said Pam Lung, senior civil engineer with the City of Livermore. “So these sites are meant to compensate for the impacts that we have (had) during maintenance or stream bank repair projects. The Living Arroyos program is helping us. They have helped us plant along the creek since 2017.” ... ” Read more from the Livermore Independent here: Livermore: Restoration work underway in the arroyos
San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo opposes $2.5 billion Pacheco Dam project in Santa Clara County
“San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo announced Thursday that he will oppose plans to construct a 319-foot tall dam and new reservoir in southern Santa Clara County near Pacheco Pass, saying the price tag is too high for ratepayers and that water officials have better, cheaper options to boost Silicon Valley’s water supplies in the years ahead. The opposition from Liccardo, the most powerful city official in the South Bay, adds to the mounting problems for a multi-billion dollar project whose cost and efficiency are increasingly being called into question. “At a time when thousands of families are struggling with lost jobs and lost businesses, we all need to tighten our belts, including public agencies and utilities,” Liccardo said in an interview. … ” Read more from the San Jose Mercury News here: San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo opposes $2.5 billion dam project in Santa Clara County
Ridgecrest: No water shut-off for Searles yet, attorney compares threat to holding a gun to SVM’s head
“Searles Valley Minerals will not have water service shut off for non-payment of fees … at least not yet. An Indian Wells Valley Groundwater Authority special hearing Thursday on SVM’s failure to pay the $2,130 per acre-foot replenishment fee was continued to the authority’s June regular meeting so the GA could investigate SVM’s claim that cutting the company’s water supply would take down service to every house, business and school in Trona as collateral damage. “If you cut off the water supply to Searles, two things will happen. One is Searles will go out of business,” said Jeff Dunn, special counsel to SVM. “And if it goes out of business it will never be able to pay your replenishment assessment.” … ” Continue reading from the Ridgecrest Independent here: Ridgecrest: No water shut-off for Searles yet, attorney compares threat to holding a gun to SVM’s head
Castaic Dam modernization efforts move forward
“Two key projects are set to begin as part of ongoing modernization work at Castaic Dam in Los Angeles County to reduce risks from a major earthquake. The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) will oversee the installation of new equipment to monitor the dam’s stability and work to strengthen the dam’s intake tower access bridge. “These projects are important to helping us ensure Castaic Dam continues to operate safely and provides reliable and affordable water supply,” said DWR Deputy Director Ted Craddock, who oversees the State Water Project. “In addition to providing water supply for Southern California, Castaic Lake offers many recreational opportunities for surrounding communities.” ... ” Read more from DWR News here: Castaic Dam modernization efforts move forward
Along the Colorado River …
Gov. Doug Ducey signs historic water protection legislation
“Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey signed a landmark water protection bill Wednesday to ensure clean water in nearly 800 Arizona streams, lakes and rivers that are critical for everyday use. The legislation will preserve water quality, list protected Arizona waters and develop management practices that will protect the waterways. “This legislation protects and regulates discharges into Arizona surface waters that are used for drinking water sources, fishing, swimming and other recreational activities,” Rep. Gail Griffin, who sponsored the legislation, said in a press release. … ” Read more from KTAR here: Gov. Doug Ducey signs historic water protection legislation
In national water news today …
International cutting-edge SWOT satellite to survey the world’s water
“How much water sloshes around in Earth’s lakes, rivers, and oceans? And how does that figure change over time? The upcoming Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) mission plans to find out. Targeting a late-2022 launch date, this SUV-size satellite will measure the height of Earth’s water. SWOT will help researchers understand and track the volume and location of water – a finite resource – around the world, making NASA’s first truly global survey of the planet’s surface water. The data will help to monitor changes in floodplains and wetlands, measure how much fresh water flows into and out of Earth’s lakes and rivers and back to the ocean, and track regional shifts in sea level at scales never seen before. It will provide information on small-scale ocean currents that will support real-time marine operations affected by tides, currents, storm surge, sediment transport, and water quality issues. And the information that SWOT collects will also provide, for the first time, global observational evidence of how circular currents, called eddies, contribute to changes in the ocean, such as to its energy and heat storage, as well as to how carbon moves through the marine environment. ... ” Read more from NASA here: International cutting-edge SWOT satellite to survey the world’s water
Internal EPA memo urges agents to up inspections
“EPA’s top enforcement official has directed agents to ramp up inspections in communities that have long been afflicted by pollution and called on agents “to step in and take necessary action” in cases where state regulators are falling short on the job. The internal memo from EPA’s acting enforcement chief, Larry Starfield, shared with E&E News is the latest indication the agency intends to consider environmental justice when pursuing environmental crimes. And EPA agents are taking notice. “This is extremely heavy messaging to staff,” said Nicole Cantello, a chapter president of the American Federation of Government Employees. ... ” Read more from E&E News here: Internal EPA memo urges agents to up inspections
April 2021 was fairly dry and a bit warm for much of the U.S.
“April 2021 was much drier and slightly warmer than normal, on average, across the contiguous U.S., according to the National Centers for Environmental Information. The month saw the lowest number of tornadoes in nearly three decades. The average April temperature across the contiguous U.S. was 51.9 degrees F (0.9 of a degree above the 20th-century average), which ranked in the middle third of the record. ... ” Continue reading at NOAA here: April 2021 was fairly dry and a bit warm for much of the U.S.
Biden administration offers insight into 30×30 plan
“In pursuit of the Biden administration’s national conservation goal of conserving at least 30% of the nation’s lands and waters by 2030, key members of the Biden cabinet unveiled its Conserving and Restoring America the Beautiful Plan offering insight on the role of working lands and strengthening conservation efforts over the next 10 years to reach the goal. On January 27, 2021, President Joe Biden signed Executive Order 14008, Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad, which launched an all-of-government effort to confront climate change, repower America’s economy with clean energy and create millions of jobs. In that order, he directed the Department of Interior, USDA and Commerce Department to work together to develop recommendations on how the nation could pursue a goal of conserving at least 30% of the nation’s water and lands by 2030. In a call Thursday, the cabinet officials in charge of those agencies detailed the first body of work on how to accomplish those goals. ... ” Read more from Farm Progress here: Biden administration offers insight into 30×30 plan
NASA Snow Water Equivalent (SWE) Report …
20210501_RT_SWE_ReportAlso on Maven’s Notebook today …
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