On the calendar today …
- MEETING: The Delta Conservancy Board meets from 9am to 1pm. Agenda items include an update on the nutria eradication program, updates on Prop 1 and Prop 68 grant programs, and an update from the Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee. Click here for the agenda, meeting materials, and remote access instructions.
- FREE WEBINAR: Community-enabled Lifecycle Analysis of Stormwater Infrastructure Costs (CLASIC): Tool Functionality and Case Studies from 11am to 12pm. This webinar will feature the new web-based Community-enabled Lifecycle Analysis of Stormwater Infrastructure Costs (CLASIC) tool. The GIS-interfaced CLASIC tool utilizes a life cycle cost framework to support feasibility and planning of stormwater infrastructure at a municipality or watershed scale. Through a summary of case studies spanning all climate regions in the U.S., the presenters will demonstrate how the CLASIC tool can help stormwater professionals, community planners, and local decision makers understand and weigh the estimated costs, reductions in runoff and pollutant loads, and co-benefits of various planning scenarios as they consider stormwater management projects, including under future climate scenarios. The CLASIC tool will become available in the Green Infrastructure Modeling Toolkit on Monday, April 26 . Click here to register.
- FREE EVENT: SO CAL WATER DIALOG: The Great Colorado River Drought Worsens: What Does That Mean for California? from 12pm to 1:30pm. Severe drought conditions have returned to the Colorado River. System reservoir storage has fallen to its lowest level since Lake Powell was built in the 1960s. The forecast is grim. Lake Mead is expected to drop 35 more feet by the end of next year. In August, Reclamation is anticipating declaring a first-ever shortage, which would cut the deliveries to the Central Arizona Project by a third next year. With these cuts looming, this summer, Reclamation will kick off multi-state and international negotiations that will shape the management of the Colorado River for decades to come. Find out how Arizona will cope with these significant reductions and how the upcoming negotiations will impact Southern California water reliability and environmental resources. Click here to register.
- WORKSHOP: CA State Adaptation Strategy Kickoff Webinar from 4pm to 5pm. The Newsom Administration is updating California’s State Adaptation Strategy (Strategy) this year. Our goal is to deliver a 2021 Strategy that outlines the state’s key climate resilience priorities, includes specific and measurable steps, and serves as a framework for action across sectors and regions in California. This introductory webinar will provide key background information on the Administration’s proposed approach, timeline, and priorities for the 2021 Strategy, and information on the forthcoming regional public workshops. Click here to register.
- GRA SoCAL BRANCH MEETING (FREE): So, You Need a New Municipal Potable Supply Well? from 5pm to 6:30pm. In this webinar, the group will present a scenario of the general steps that are completed by the well owner (municipality), consulting hydrogeologist, drilling contractor, and well casing manufacturer/supplier during the construction of a new well which produces potable water supply for the public. Each member of the group will describe the overall role they provide and share recent experiences with new well construction projects. Click here to register.
In California water news today …
As drought worsens, tensions erupt over control of SoCal’s largest water supplier
“Southern California’s biggest water supplier has chosen a new general manager — but the selection isn’t yet final, and the fiercely contested vote is exposing deep disagreements within the powerful agency as a severe drought grips the region. The Metropolitan Water District’s board of directors voted this month to select Adel Hagekhalil to lead the agency, The Times has learned, replacing longtime head honcho Jeff Kightlinger, who is retiring. Hagekhalil runs L.A.’s Bureau of Street Services and was previously second-in-command at the city’s sanitation department. Metropolitan finds itself at a crossroads after 15 years under Kightlinger’s leadership. … ” Continue reading at the LA Times here: As drought worsens, tensions erupt over control of SoCal’s largest water supplier
Valley communities lost water in last drought. Are small water systems ready this time?
“Arturo Rodriguez and his colleagues on the Poplar Community Services District board are responsible for keeping clean water flowing to 2,500 residents in the middle of a global pandemic and drought. Of the community’s three wells, two are in production right now, although Rodriguez doesn’t know how long they’ll last through another drought. The other well is inactive because it is contaminated with nitrates. As the aquifer lowers this summer, even if the wells don’t run dry, they run a greater risk of becoming contaminated. Water suppliers are often forced to choose between a contaminated well or no running water. ... ” Read more from the Fresno Bee here: Valley communities lost water in last drought. Are small water systems ready this time?
‘Disaster fatigue’ could impede drought efforts
“The last time California was in a severe drought Bay Area residents rose to the challenge, showering with buckets at our feet, utilizing runoff and replacing lawns with drought-tolerant plants. But just a few years after a major drought passed, are people ready to go through all over again? “It’s one thing after another,” said Eduardo from San Mateo, referring to the barrage of disasters, from wildfires to a pandemic and now a drought. Could this mean that the escalating calls of alarm about the drought are falling on deaf ears? … ” Read more from KCBS here: ‘Disaster fatigue’ could impede drought efforts
Column: Water created California and the West. Will drought finish them off?
Micheal Hiltzik writes, “In what may become an iconic image for drought-stricken California, Gov. Gavin Newsom stood on the parched bed of Lake Mendocino on April 21 to announce an emergency declaration for Sonoma and Mendocino counties. “I’m standing currently 40 feet underwater,” he said, “or should be standing 40 feet underwater, save for this rather historic moment.” Newsom’s point was that the reservoir was at a historically low 43% of capacity, the harbinger of what could be a devastating drought cycle not only for the Northern California counties that fell within his drought declaration, but for most of the state — indeed, the American West. … ” Read more from the LA Times here: Column: Water created California and the West. Will drought finish them off?
Letter: Conservation groups object to Proposed CEQA Exemption for Westlands Water District’s Groundwater Pump-ins into the California Aqueduct
The letter states, “Governor Newsom: On Friday, May 21, 2021, Westlands Water District (Westlands) held a special meeting to exempt from CEQA a groundwater pump–in project into the California Aqueduct (pump–in project) that in previous drought years had significant impacts to downstream beneficial uses including fish and wildlife, refuge water supplies and human health, as well as significant subsidence impacts to critical State water infrastructure (the California Aqueduct). Of particular concern are the constituents selenium and arsenic. Westlands justified the CEQA exemption for these groundwater pump-ins citing your May 10thProclamation of a State Drought Emergency5and approval from DWR. The CEQA exemption for the Westlands pump-in project for 2021 is not appropriate without additional assurances, monitoring and enforcement actions to protect the public and fish and wildlife resources that use water from the Aqueduct downstream of Westlands. Governor Newsom, did you know that this CEQA Exemption would arbitrarily benefit one use (Westlands) while harming other beneficial uses? …
More rain, less snow could mean more droughts
“California has faced many droughts in the past, and we have always been able to manage them to some extent. However, with climate change creating a new hydrologic regime with more precipitation falling as rain than snow and higher evaporative demand, the state may be more at risk for drought now than in years past, according to Safeeq Khan, Cooperative Extension Specialist in Water and Watershed Sciences at the University of California Division of Agriculture and Natural Resource. With snowpack and precipitation beginning to decline, many Californians may be wondering whether there is anything the state can do to prevent impacts from another drought before it occurs. … ” Read more from the Western Farm Press here: More rain, less snow could mean more droughts
Congress seeks long-term solutions for drought crippling Western US
“A crippling drought — largely connected to climate change — is gripping the Western United States, affecting over 70 million people and around 40% of the U.S. Large wildfires have already begun in Arizona, California and New Mexico. Lake Mead, a reservoir formed by the Hoover Dam, has sunk to its lowest level since it was filled, and fish disease and death rates are skyrocketing for the Yurok Tribe in the Klamath River Basin. Farmers, scientists, tribal officials, foresters and other groups affected by the worsening drought testified at a House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water, Oceans and Wildlife hearing on Tuesday, asking lawmakers for both short-term relief and long-term solutions from the worsening conditions. ... ” Continue reading at the Courthouse News Service here: Congress seeks long-term solutions for drought crippling Western US
How anthropogenic drought plays out
“Drought can be defined from different perspectives. Most people think of meteorological drought, which is broadly defined as a deficit in precipitation over a long period of time (from months to years). However, there is also anthropogenic drought where human activities rather than natural factors cause or intensify droughts and their impacts. A recent article published in Reviews of Geophysics focuses on anthropogenic drought, exploring how it can be defined and incorporated into models. Here, the lead author explains the concept of anthropogenic drought and suggest how scientists can contribute to drought analysis, planning and mitigation in the future. … ” Read more from EOS here: How anthropogenic drought plays out
Drought has killed junipers in Arizona and blue oaks in the San Francisco Bay Area
“In some areas of the Western states the 20-year long drought has reduced moisture content in plants to the lowest levels scientists have seen. Soil moisture is very low — at or near record lows across much of California. Particularly hard hit are locations in Colorado, Utah, Nevada, New Mexico, Arizona, and California. … Vegetation with a low moisture content is easier to ignite in a wildfire and contributes to a rapid rate rate of spread that is more difficult for firefighters to suppress. Dead or dying trees that still have leaves attached during the first year or so after their decline can also enhance the spread and intensity of a fire and adds to the number of burning embers lofted into the air that can ignite spot fires ahead of the blaze, putting structures at risk that are distant from the fire. ... ” Read more from Wildfire Today here: Drought has killed junipers in Arizona and blue oaks in the San Francisco Bay Area
Does cold wildfire smoke contribute to water repellent soils in burned areas?
“After a wildfire, soils in burned areas often become water repellent, leading to increased erosion and flooding after rainfall events – a phenomenon that many scientists have attributed to smoke and heat-induced changes in soil chemistry. But this post-fire water repellency may also be caused by wildfire smoke in the absence of heat, according to a new paper from the Desert Research Institute (DRI) in Nevada. In this pilot study (exploratory research that takes place before a larger-scale study), an interdisciplinary team of scientists led by DRI Associate Research Professor of Atmospheric Science Vera Samburova, Ph.D., exposed samples of clean sand to smoke from burning Jeffrey pine needles and branches in DRI’s combustion chamber, then analyzed the time it took for water droplets placed on the sand surface to be absorbed – a measure of water repellency. ... ” Read more from the Desert Research Institute here: Does cold wildfire smoke contribute to water repellent soils in burned areas?
Western wildfires burning higher up mountains at unprecedented rates
“The Western U.S. appears headed for another dangerous fire season, and a new study shows that even high mountain areas once considered too wet to burn are at increasing risk as the climate warms. Nearly two-thirds of the U.S. West is in severe to exceptional drought right now, including large parts of the Rocky Mountains, Cascades, and Sierra Nevada. The situation is so severe that the Colorado River basin is on the verge of its first official water shortage declaration, and forecasts suggest another hot, dry summer is on the way. Warm and dry conditions like these are a recipe for wildfire disaster. … ” Read more from Fast Company here: Western wildfires burning higher up mountains at unprecedented rates
Climate drought is like covering land in gasoline ahead of fire season — California at risk
“At the opening of the 2020 wildfire season, 3% of California was in extreme or exceptional drought and more than 4% burned. This year, more than 73% of the state faces similar drought conditions. In other parts of the Southwest, juniper trees are dying off at increased rates because of the intensification of a climate change-fueled megadrought and turning forests, with trees covered in dead needles, into 30-foot-tall tinder boxes. “It’s like having gasoline out there,” Brian Steinhardt, a national forest fire zone manager in Arizona, told the AP. Soil in the western U.S. is drier than at any time since 1895 (the year Frederick Douglass died and Babe Ruth was born), which means “the dice are loaded toward a lot of forest fire this year,” UCLA climate and fire scientist Park Williams told the AP. … ” Read more from the Clean Technica here: Climate drought is like covering land in gasoline ahead of fire season — California at risk
Debunking the biggest myth about wildfires
“Ecologist Chad Hanson calls his new book Smokescreen: Debunking Wildfire Myths to Save Our Forests and Our Climate, but it could just as well be titled Why We Should Love Dead Trees. Hanson, director of the John Muir Project, uses the book to explain why wildfires are beneficial to forest ecosystems and why keeping fire-burned trees on the landscape creates a biodiversity-rich landscape that rivals old-growth forests. Smokescreen, steeped in scientific details and personal stories, is written for the average reader — one who’s likely been primed by media and policymakers to regard wildfires as “devastating” and “catastrophic.” The book examines why, from an ecological perspective, they’re neither. It also tackles the tough issue of why state and federal resources aimed at keeping communities safe from wildfires often do just the opposite. The Revelator spoke with Hanson about how logging drives fires, what can be done to keep homes safe, and why protecting forests is crucial to fighting climate change. ... ” Read more from the Revelator here: Debunking the biggest myth about wildfires
In commentary today …
Water: We can go on fighting or we can get to work
Justin Fredrickson, environmental policy analyst for the California Farm Bureau, writes, “We’re in a drought again—and a bad one—and that means a lot of attention to the way farmers and ranchers use water. Some of that attention is sympathetic, via news stories that show how farmers have had to plow down crops or sell animals they can no longer feed. On the other hand, we’re also seeing a return of the familiar themes from pundits, editorial boards and advocates who see a need to lash out at agriculture—or “Big Ag,” as it’s often called. That sort of rhetoric surfaced the other day before the State Water Resources Control Board, which oversees California water rights. It can be frustrating to listen to the all-too-familiar arguments that arise in a terribly dry year such as this: “Farmers shouldn’t grow certain crops; a commission should step in and tell farmers what to grow, where and how; if fish populations are down, it’s obviously farmers’ fault; we shouldn’t be growing crops in a desert, etc., etc.” … ” Read more from Ag Alert here: Water: We can go on fighting or we can get to work
Today bulldozing almond orchards — tomorrow urban water rationing
Dennis Wyatt, editor of the Manteca Bulletin, writes, “Tom Butler is living the new California reality. The Yolo County almond grower has stopped watering perfectly healthy trees. Instead of being shaken for eight or so more harvest seasons before their productivity nosedives, he’s getting ready to bulldoze them. Welcome to the latest in California’s never ending droughts. Hopefully you enjoyed the two year pause. The Central Valley Water Project operated by the Bureau of Reclamation is slashing water allocations to many districts serving farmers to zero. What little water Butler can secure is going to keep younger trees alive. … ” Read more from the Manteca Bulletin here: Today bulldozing almond orchards — tomorrow urban water rationing
How infrastructure plan can accelerate resilience
Amanda Brown-Stevens with the San Francisco-based Greenbelt Alliance writes, “Passing President Biden’s infrastructure bill would be the most significant step we’ve taken as a nation to start to address climate change head on. Greenbelt Alliance believes this infrastructure bill is a great start. Yet, so far there is no path to guide how we can equitably shift away from rebuilding in the most climate-vulnerable areas and instead build for a more resilient future. That’s why we’re recommending this infrastructure bill and related actions adopt these three principles as a simple yet transformational way forward … ” Continue reading at the San Jose Mercury News here: How infrastructure plan can accelerate resilience
Return to topIn regional water news and commentary today …
Klamath: As another sucker spawning season comes and goes, lake levels stay low
“Many years ago, the Klamath people were having a difficult time surviving. They couldn’t find many plants or berries to gather; birds, deer and elk would escape their arrows; and they weren’t catching enough salmon and trout. And to top it all off, a giant horned snake was wreaking havoc in the area, killing and devouring people. The Klamaths prayed to Gmukamps, the Creator, for help. He appeared at the top of niiLaks (Modoc Rim) and saw their plight. Brandishing a knife, he charged down the ridge and wrestled the snake. Gmukamps eventually defeated the monster, cut it up into thousands of pieces and flung those pieces into Upper Klamath Lake. As soon as they hit the water, they transformed into fish: C’waam and Koptu. … If there’s one lesson to be learned from the legend, Klamath Tribal Chairman Don Gentry believes it’s this: “If the fish die, the people die.” ... ” Continue reading at the Herald & News here: Klamath: As another sucker spawning season comes and goes, lake levels stay low
Irrigators set up camp next to Klamath Project headgates
“Twenty years after a shut-off of most irrigation water in the parched Klamath Project brought the competing needs of farmers, fishermen and tribes to a head, a new drought — and a fresh federally-ordered water shut-off — is triggering a sense of déjà vu. Now, two Klamath Project irrigators with ties to activist Ammon Bundy have purchased property located next to the headgates of the “A” Canal in Klamath Falls, which would normally deliver water to area farms. And along with local members of the Oregon chapter of People’s Rights, a group founded by Bundy in 2020, they’ve set up an information center and gathering place to talk to the public about the brewing water crisis in the Klamath Basin. … ” Read more from the Capital Press here: Irrigators set up camp next to Klamath Project headgates
Siskiyou County water ordinances send ripple effect through community; legal action in process
“Siskiyou County has seen a growing number of cannabis farmers move into the area, especially within the last five years. According to the Siskiyou County Sheriff, a large number of these grows are illegal for various reasons. To try to stop the cultivation of illegal marijuana, the county has taken steps and passed a series of new emergency ordinances that are now causing ripple effects through the county — impacting land owners and growers that are legal in certain areas. At the beginning of May, there was a large protest outside the Siskiyou County Superior Court in Yreka. The Siskiyou County Board of Supervisors voted to approve and immediately enact two emergency ordinances, with a goal of stopping water usage at illegal marijuana farms. “One was the water trucks being on county roads and certain county roads. And then the other one was you cannot, uh, move water from a parcel to parcel that you don’t own without a permit,” said Stephen Griset, a farmer in Siskiyou County. … ” Read more from Channel 12 here: Siskiyou County water ordinances send ripple effect through community; legal action in process
Siskiyou County: Asian pot growers face sheriff raids, bulldozers in Northern California. They blame racism
“Day after day, sheriff’s deputies drive up and down the road outside Steve Griset’s 600-acre farm, pulling over anyone who appears to be hauling water for the thousands of marijuana greenhouses that have taken over the countryside here. Griset has become a target, even though he grows alfalfa. Last year, investigators with the Siskiyou County District Attorney’s Office raided Griset’s house with a search warrant looking for his business records, and the DA followed up with a lawsuit in civil court. Griset’s alleged transgressions? He was selling water from his well to his pot-farming neighbors, immigrants of Hmong descent who have helped turn this sparsely populated, volcanic-soiled section of California into a major source of cannabis production. ... ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee here: Asian pot growers face sheriff raids, bulldozers in Northern California. They blame racism
Lake Shasta’s historic gems emerge as lake levels worsen
“With lake levels out at Lake Shasta getting lower, more underwater gems will be visible for the community to explore. As of Tuesday, May 25, Lake Shasta is 106 ft. below regular lake levels. KRCR spoke with both the Bureau of Reclamation and the Shasta Historical Society who each shared some must-see sightings. … ” Read more from KRCR here: Lake Shasta’s historic gems emerge as lake levels worsen
Humboldt County supes call for drought task force
“After nearly three hours of discussion surrounding the statewide drought and looming fire danger, the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors Tuesday unanimously directed staff to form a drought task force and to investigate the creation of a position to address climate resiliency. Third District Supervisor Mike Wilson began the discussion by describing the drought as a symptom of climate change and “deeper of an issue than we have seen before.” “It’s just the beginning and we need to have this discussion; I believe we’re going to have it more as we move forward,” he said. “We seem to be coming out of one crisis and into the next.” … ” Read more from the Eureka Times-Standard here: Humboldt County supes call for drought task force
Humboldt County: August Complex cleanup around Ruth Lake progressing, water district reports
“The August Complex fire in 2020 “burned to the ground” about 70 lots leased by the Humboldt Bay Municipal Water District, according to the district’s general manager. During last week’s board meeting, the directors of the district looked at photos of gutted vehicles and other damage to the district’s property around Ruth Lake. “They’re maybe a third of the way through the leased lot properties and they’ve got a ways to go,” HBMWD general manager John Friedenbach told the Times-Standard on Monday morning. He said the California Office of Emergency Services and the Federal Emergency Management Agency are coordinating efforts to clean up individual lots. Although there were some bureaucratic hurdles because the lots are owned by the district, the agencies are cleaning up the lots at no cost to the residents. … ” Read more from the Eureka Times-Standard here: August Complex cleanup around Ruth Lake progressing, water district reports
In a surprise move, Nordic Aquafarms agrees to conduct full environmental impact report for its land-based fish farm on the Samoa Peninsula
“In terms of sheer size, Nordic Aquafarms’ land-based aquaculture facility, slated for construction on the Samoa Peninsula, would be the largest development project Humboldt County has seen for decades, maybe since the heyday of the timber industry. The facility’s five buildings — including two massive production modules where Atlantic salmon would be raised inside fully-contained recirculating tanks — would total 766,530 square feet, nearly an acre larger than the footprint of the Bayshore Mall. It’s been more than two years since the Norwegian company announced its ambitious plans, and the environmental review period was scheduled to wrap up this week. … ” Read more from the Lost Coast Outpost here: In a surprise move, Nordic Aquafarms agrees to conduct full environmental impact report for its land-based fish farm on the Samoa Peninsula
Clear Lake: Zeroing in on zero Rumsey
“The California drought continues and a lot of people are concerned, especially those who use Clear Lake. The lake level is dropping at a rate of about one-half inch per day and should reach zero on the Rumsey Gauge by midsummer. What this means is that many of the 11 public boats ramps located around the lake are going to be high and dry. Clear Lake has dropped to zero or lower on the Rumsey Gauge 12 times, most recently in 1977 when the lake reached an all-time low of minus-3.39 feet. It dropped to minus-1.53 feet in 1924, to minus- .1 in 1932, to minus-.36 in 1939; to zero in 1947, to minus-.13 in 1950, and to minus-.12 in 1955. … ” Read more from the Lake County News here: Clear Lake: Zeroing in on zero Rumsey
Nevada County: Rise Gold Corp. CEO speaks to water quality concerns over Idah0-Maryland mine
“Ben Mossman, CEO of Rise Gold Corporation, is hopeful. At the helm of the Canadian company that wants to reopen the Idaho-Maryland Mine, Mossman awaits the results of an environmental impact report, expected in a month or two. Others wait for the report as well, like Ralph Silberstein of the Community Environmental Advocates Foundation. Silberstein said he was part of the last team that interrupted the reopening of the mine — a four year-long community concern beginning in 2008. Now, Silberstein said private and public stakeholders must hold Rise Gold Corp. accountable when it promises to deliver drinkable water — a promise it’s made — and in particular, investigate what primary and secondary drinking water standards mean. … ” Read more from The Union here: Nevada County: Rise Gold Corp. CEO speaks to water quality concerns over Idah0-Maryland mine
Tuolumne County: Major grant touted to ‘transform Twain Harte’
“A new grant will help Twain Harte turn stormwater into a resource, say community leaders. The $3.75 million in funding was awarded to the Twain Harte Community Services District through the State Water Resources Control Board’s Stormwater Grant Program. It will be used to construct the Twain Harte Community Stormwater Enhancement Project. The district called it an “amazing win” for the community in a press release. Also, noting that it “will enhance water quality in our creek and lake, rehabilitate our failing storm drain system, improve water supply reliability, reduce erosion, create fire-safe landscapes and provide fun, interactive education that will empower residents to do the same on their properties.” … ” Read more from My Mother Lode here: Tuolumne County: Major grant touted to ‘transform Twain Harte’
Cold, fast-moving water of Sacramento rivers can be dangerous this Memorial Day weekend
“The calm water of Tiscornia Beach, where the Sacramento and American rivers meet, could be deceiving for many swimmers and boaters and lead to drownings. Even during a drought, the water in these rivers and others throughout the Sacramento area is still cold and fast. The water can easily catch anyone off guard. Sacramento city officials on Tuesday reminded everyone heading to the water for Memorial Day weekend that wearing a life jacket is crucial to keeping them safe. … ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee here: Cold, fast-moving water of Sacramento rivers can be dangerous this Memorial Day weekend
Water shortages hit North Coast farms
“Describing the situation as “bleak,” farmers in Mendocino and Sonoma counties, who rely on water from the Russian River watershed and Lake Mendocino, are bracing for curtailments of their water rights by the state water board. Two years of significantly below-average rainfall and historically low lake levels at Lake Mendocino—now at 42% of capacity—have contributed to critically dry conditions, affecting water users in Mendocino, Sonoma and northern Marin counties. Mendocino and Sonoma counties were the first in the state to receive a drought declaration from Gov. Gavin Newsom. The declaration, which now includes 41 counties, allows state officials to relax some restrictions on reservoirs and to aid endangered fish. Frost Pauli, vineyard manager for Pauli Ranch in Potter Valley, said the declaration for the area means the State Water Resources Control Board can make “broad, sweeping curtailments that apply to any water right, even pre-1914 water rights.” ... ” Read more from Ag Alert here: Water shortages hit North Coast farms
West Marin cattle ranchers facing dire water shortages
“When it comes to the drought, the situation for agriculture has gone from worrisome to downright scary. And anyone who plans on eating beef this year will likely feel the affects as well. In West Marin County’s cattle country, the outlook is especially bleak. It’s a little hard for Mike Giamonna to believe as he rumbles across his West Marin cattle ranch. The grass should be green and waist-high at this time of year. Instead, his cattle are foraging through inch-high stubble. “We’re seeing conditions now that we would see in July and August,” said Giamonna. “So, what’s August, September going to bring us? We don’t know. It’s scary.” … ” Read more from CBS San Francisco here: West Marin cattle ranchers facing dire water shortages
Letter: Conservation groups object to selection of Dennis Herrera as the next General Manager of the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission
The letter states, “We are writing to express our opposition to the selection of Dennis Herrera to serve as the next General Manager of the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC). We are reluctantly taking this position as a result of claims made in the litigation Mr. Herrera filed on May 13 against the State Water Resources Control Board and his related statements to the media. Our organizations have urged you to select an outside leader to move the SFPUC in the direction of modern, sustainable water management. The City must adopt science-based positions to facilitate environmental protection. It must diversify its water supply to prepare for climate change. Upon Mayor Breed’s announcement of Mr. Herrera as a candidate for General Manager, we sought to meet with him to discuss his views regarding these issues. Unfortunately, before we had that chance, Mr. Herrera made several inflammatory and false statements in the media and in the lawsuit filed last week that demonstrate his approach is to double down on irresponsible SFPUC positions of the past. … ”
Column: San Francisco’s water supply could use leadership, not litigation
“California is dry. Bay Area counties have declared drought emergencies and imposed restrictions. State and federal officials are trucking baby salmon to the ocean. But San Franciscans are still using their primary water source, the Tuolumne River, which feeds the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir in Yosemite National Park. Last week, City Attorney Dennis Herrera — who Mayor London Breed recently tapped to head San Francisco’s water agency — filed a lawsuit challenging the state’s efforts to protect salmon and the overall health of the river. “The state’s approach is excessive and unfairly targets San Francisco,” Herrera said. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Examiner here: Column: San Francisco’s water supply could use leadership, not litigation
As sea level rise threat grows, SF officials don’t have public plan to save sewers
“Because Bay Area low-lying sewage treatment plants remain vulnerable to rising sea levels, government regulators told sewage facility managers to “provide a written plan for coping with SLR by the fall of 2021 – or they will be given a plan.” The NBC Bay Area Investigative Unit reached out to 10 “at risk” sewage treatment plants to see those plans. All except one provided extensive documents of their proposals, the cost to address them, and even provided tours of completed work. San Francisco’s Public Utilities Commission replied to the Investigative Unit’s public records request that after a “diligent search for records…no records were found.” … ” Continue reading from NBC Bay Area here: As sea level rise threat grows, SF officials don’t have public plan to save sewers
New San Mateo county agency takes on flooding, sea level rise
“A new local district aimed at combating the effects of sea level rise and flooding is making waves this year starting with a series of public meetings as it works to define its budget and priorities. The San Mateo County Flood and Sea Level Rise Resiliency District, known as OneShoreline, was founded in early 2020 by the California Legislature to work to prevent and to address the effects of flooding and sea level rise throughout the county and on its shores, both on the Bayside and the Coastside. … ” Read more from the Pacifica Tribune here: New San Mateo county agency takes on flooding, sea level rise
Possibility of merger between San Lorenzo Valley Water District and Scotts Valley Water grinds to a halt
“San Lorenzo Valley Water District board members declined to take the next step in a consolidation process with the Scotts Valley Water District, bringing the possibility of a merger between the two water suppliers to a halt. After a Scotts Valley Water District board meeting in February, during which members voted to move forward with a first-step exploring a consolidation, the ball was in the San Lorenzo Valley Water District board’s court. “Right now with COVID, the CZU fire, people are really not looking to take on another huge endeavor,” said Rick Rogers, water district manager for San Lorenzo Valley. … ” Read more from the Santa Cruz Sentinel here: Possibility of merger between San Lorenzo Valley Water District and Scotts Valley Water grinds to a halt
Santa Cruz: Researchers use virtual reality to show dangers of sea level rise
“Communicating the effects of climate change such as sea level rise can be a daunting task, especially when the change is gradual and the most severe impacts are still years away. It may seem like the most effective way to convince community leaders and the public to take action is to time travel into the future and show the damages to come. Now, researchers have worked together to provide the next best thing: using virtual reality to show the residents of coastal cities, including Santa Cruz, the fate of their home as a result of sea level rise. … ” Read more from the Santa Cruz Sentinel here: Santa Cruz: Researchers use virtual reality to show dangers of sea level rise
Central Coast: Farm groups seek review of order on fertilizer use
“Saying new regional regulations will have a profound impact on food production, farm organizations have petitioned the State Water Resources Control Board to review a regional board’s order limiting applications of fertilizer and other inputs on Central Coast crops. The California Farm Bureau and seven county Farm Bureaus joined five other agricultural organizations in filing the petition, which focuses on an order adopted April 15 by the Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board. The Irrigated Lands Regulatory Program for Central Coast Agriculture—also known as Ag Order 4.0—regulates runoff from irrigated farmlands by limiting nitrogen-fertilizer inputs, with allowable amounts decreasing over time. The order creates new monitoring and reporting requirements for nitrogen applications and removals, and lays out several paths to compliance, including one using third-party programs to help farmers achieve the order’s objectives. … ” Read more from Ag Alert here: Farm groups seek review of order on fertilizer use
Bakersfield: As water flowed through the Kern River, court finds Bakersfield violated agreement
“Who has the right to water in the Kern River? It has been the subject of fierce legal battles throughout Bakersfield’s history, and on Friday, the Ventura County Superior Court tried to answer a part of that question. In a court ruling, Judge Kevin DeNoce found the city of Bakersfield must supply the North Kern Water Storage District with 20,000 acre feet of water it owed the district in 2020 and pay the district $2.8 million to reimburse groundwater pumping costs the district incurred last year. It’s the latest court decision in a long-running dispute, and it threatens to limit the city’s ability to use water from the Kern River. … ” Read more from the Bakersfield Californian here: As water flowed through the Kern River, court finds Bakersfield violated agreement
Press release: Court affirms North Kern Water Storage District’s “first priority” rights to Kern River water, finds Bakersfield took water illegally
“The Superior Court of Ventura County has ruled in the matter of North Kern Water Storage District v. City of Bakersfield (Case No. 56-2011-00408712). The Court found that Bakersfield violated longstanding legal agreements and the Court’s 2014 Judgment secured by North Kern Water Storage District (North Kern) when Bakersfield withheld Kern River water to which the District was entitled. The ruling requires Bakersfield to deliver 20,000 acre-feet of water to North Kern and reimburse the District for the $2.8 million additional pumping costs it incurred to make up for the lost water that Bakersfield illegally took from the Kern River. The Court’s judgment is unambiguous: North Kern has a first priority right established long before Bakersfield’s water right, and Bakersfield broke their agreement to North Kern and the families, farmers, businesses and local communities they serve with this latest illegal taking of Kern River water. ... ”
Next door in Nevada …
Drought prompts a 30 percent reduction in water deliveries to Truckee Carson Irrigation District farmers
“In response to drought, the Truckee Carson Irrigation District (TCID) will get 70 percent of it’s annual allotment of water in 2021. Not too far from Pyramid Lake, the Derby Dam diverts water from the Truckee River into an open, earthen canal that flows some 40 miles to Lahontan Reservoir where it mingles with water from the Carson River. From Lahontan, the canal flows on to Fallon and ultimately the Stillwater Marsh. The TCID operates the Derby Dam as an agent of the US Bureau of Reclamation. They also represent 2,500 water rights holders along the vast system of water distribution. To administer and maintain the system, the TCID employs about 55 people directly and has an annual operating budget of $3.5 million. … ” Read more from the Sierra Nevada Ally here: Drought prompts a 30 percent reduction in water deliveries to Truckee Carson Irrigation District farmers
Along the Colorado River …
Arizona’s current historic drought may be ‘baseline for the future’
“Arizona and other Western states just lived through the driest year in more than a century, with no drought relief in sight in the near future, experts told a House panel Tuesday. The period from last April to this March was the driest in the last 126 years for Arizona and other Western states, witnesses said. It caps a two-decade stretch that was the driest in more than 100 years that records have been kept – and one of the driest in the past 1,200 years based on paleohydrology evidence, one official said. “We have never seen drought at the scale and intensity that we see right now, and it is possible that this may be the baseline for the future,” Elizabeth Klein, a senior counselor to the secretary of Interior, said in her testimony. … ” Continue reading at Cronkite News here: Arizona’s current historic drought may be ‘baseline for the future’
Editorial: With plan to quench its thirst for vanity, Utah thumbs its nose at dry neighbors
The Las Vegas Sun editorial board writes, “On the federal government’s drought map, the hardest-hit areas — the driest of the dry — are shaded in crimson red. Looking at the current map, the coloring makes it appear that someone plunged a knife into Southern Nevada, and blood flowed to portions of California, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico and even Texas. One glance at this map and any reasonable person would understand that the region needs to take its water conservation efforts up several notches. But then there’s Utah, which clearly has lost its senses over its bid to open a new pipeline from Lake Powell to St. George. ... ” Read more from the Las Vegas Sun here: Editorial: With plan to quench its thirst for vanity, Utah thumbs its nose at dry neighbors
How a lake in Iran may hold a key to unlocking the Great Salt Lake’s future
“It has lost nearly 95% of its volume in the past two decades, upending what was once a thriving resort economy, a healthy brine shrimp population, crucial wildlife and bird habitat, and critical mineral extraction industries. The miles of stark, exposed lakebed threaten the millions of people who live nearby due to wind-whipped dust settling in their lungs. It’s Lake Urmia, nearly 6,900 miles away from the Great Salt Lake. But the two are now connected as efforts to save this lake deliver unique lessons as Utah grapples with a way to preserve and save its salty landmark from a similar fate. … ” Read more from Deseret News here: How a lake in Iran may hold a key to unlocking the Great Salt Lake’s future
In national water news today …
Biden doubles FEMA spending to $1 million for extreme weather disaster preparedness
“President Joe Biden announced that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) would double the funding to help the U.S. prepare for extreme weather disasters, to $1 billion this year from $500 million. According to a White House fact sheet, the funds will be distributed through FEMA’s Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program. “Now is the time to get ready for the busiest time of the year for disasters in America,” Biden said during a briefing, reported CNBC. “Hurricane season in the South and East, and the fire season out West.” … “ Read more from Storm Water Solutions here: Biden doubles FEMA spending to $1 million for extreme weather disaster preparedness
Today’s featured articles …
BAY DELTA SCIENCE CONFERENCE: Bay Delta Hydrology 101
X2, OMR, Gates, Barriers, and more: Dr. Ted Sommer sorts out the hydrodynamics of the Delta
At the 2021 Bay-Delta Science Conference, Dr. Ted Sommer, the Lead Scientist for the CA Department of Water Resources, gave a short course on Delta hydrology, noting that hydrology is at the core of a lot of the work on science and management in the Delta and understanding the hydrodynamics in the system is necessary to be effective in the Delta. This presentation aims to illustrate key points about the Delta, provide an understanding behind some regulatory criteria, and provide a simple conceptual model to help understand the general effects of future management changes.
Dr. Sommer gave the caveat that he is not a hydrologist; this will be a biologist’s interpretation of the key issues, but nonetheless, an effective way to look at things. There isn’t a single source for this information, so links are provided for those who wish to dive deeper into the topics.
Click here to read this article.
Also on Maven’s Notebook today …
YOUR INPUT WANTED on LiDAR data
