On the calendar today …
- The State Water Resources Control Board meets beginning at 9am. Agenda items include CV-SALTS implementation update and consideration of resolution incorporating CV-SALTS revisions in the basin plans; drought update and current hydrologic conditions, and an update on Water Unavailability Methodology for the Delta Watershed. Click here for the full agenda and remote access instructions.
- State Board of Food and Agriculture meets from 10am to 1pm. The Board will be discussing recent drought actions and hear about proposed programs to assist farmers and ranchers. The Board will hear from state officials and agricultural stakeholders on drought response as well as proposed funding to further sustainable agriculture as part of the Governor’s proposed $100 billion California Comeback Plan. Meeting Link: https://
attendee.gotowebinar.com/ register/8500223654400008717 Webinar ID: 355-148-283 - WORKSHOP: California State Adaptation Strategy 2021 Update Regional Workshops- Sacramento Valley from 4pm to 6pm. 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. Help map the next statewide roadmap to a climate-resilient California for all. The Newsom Administration wants your help to ensure the state’s Strategy reflects and reinforces regional priorities; draws connections among our collective efforts; and serves as a useful resource for all Californians. Please join us virtually for a regional workshop. Click here to register.
In California water news today …
Calif. Senate advances bill to spend $785mil to repair Valley canals
“A bill aimed at improving the Valley’s two largest canal systems from continued subsidence-driven damage advanced through one house of the California State Legislature on Friday. Senate Bill 559, a top priority for legislators on both side of the aisle in the San Joaquin Valley and led by Sen. Melissa Hurtado (D–Sanger), seeks to dedicate $785 million in spending for improvements to four sets of waterways, spearheaded by two canals servicing the Central Valley Project: the Delta-Mendota Canal and the Friant-Kern Canal. On a Friday afternoon, California State Senators voted 34-1 to pass the bill. Sen. Bob Wieckowski (D–Fremont) was the long dissenting vote. … ” Read more from the San Joaquin Valley Sun here: Calif. Senate advances bill to spend $785mil to repair Valley canals
Rural communities have waited nearly a decade for clean drinking water systems
“When Ramona Hernandez turns on her kitchen faucet in El Adobe, an unincorporated town just a few miles southeast of Bakersfield, the water that splashes out looks clean and inviting. But she doesn’t dare drink it. “You worry about your health,” she said in Spanish as she sat in her tranquil front yard one morning early this spring, her elderly mother-in-law working in the garden behind her. “I’m scared,” Hernandez said, “of getting sick from the water.” Drinking the tap water in this tiny community of dusty ranches and unpaved roads could expose Hernandez to arsenic. So, for years, she and her husband, Gerardo, have shuttled twice a week to the nearby town of Lamont to load up on bottled water. … ” Read more from TruthOut here: Rural communities have waited nearly a decade for clean drinking water systems
‘Big risk’: California farmers hit by drought change planting plans
“Joe Del Bosque is leaving a third of his 2,000-acre farm near Firebaugh, California, unseeded this year due to extreme drought. Yet, he hopes to access enough water to produce a marketable melon crop. Farmers across California say they expect to receive little water from state and federal agencies that regulate the state’s reservoirs and canals, leading many to leave fields barren, plant more drought-tolerant crops or seek new income sources all-together. “We’re taking a big risk in planting crops and hoping the water gets here in time,” said Del Bosque, 72. … ” Read more from Reuters here: ‘Big risk’: California farmers hit by drought change planting plans
Southwest’s new climate peril
“One of the fastest-warming regions of the U.S. is the Southwest — and that region, plus the broader West, is stuck in its most expansive and intense drought of the 21st century. Why it matters: Studies show that a warming climate is exacerbating the drought, and in some ways may be triggering it in the first place. That means the Southwest is drying out — and California’s large wildfires could start as soon as next month. And one climate researcher says California’s Sierra Nevada Mountains saw one of the fastest snow melt-outs in history this year. … ” Read more from Axios here: Southwest’s new climate peril
California faces another drought as lake beds turn to dust – a photo essay
“Verdant hillsides losing their hue, receding reservoirs with bathtub rings of newly exposed earth, crops withering in the fields. These are the visions of California’s parched landscape as the state braces for another potentially devastating drought. Water shortages and exceptionally dry conditions are already beginning to hit home. The state is facing yet another hot, dry summer ahead, and the governor has declared a drought emergency in 41 of the state’s 58 counties. More than 37 million Californians reside in these drought areas, according to the US drought monitor. … ” Read more from the Guardian here: California faces another drought as lake beds turn to dust – a photo essay
SEE ALSO: Slideshow: California’s Drought Is So Bad, Farmers Are Ripping Up Almond Trees, from Gizmodo
A look back on the Oroville Dam with Practical Engineering
“Back when it first happened, we covered the Oroville Dam near-disaster. Heavier-than-expected rainfall in California back in early 2017 led to running the dam’s primary spillway at much higher-than-normal levels. February 17, 2017, the operators noticed something odd about the water flow down the spillway, and when they turned off water flowing down the spillway, it was made obvious that they had a major problem on their hands. Several chunks of concrete were missing, and the water had begun gouging into the earth beneath the spillway. It would need repairs before it was properly up to the task of discharging water, but it was still raining. ... ” Read more from Hackaday here: A look back on the Oroville Dam with Practical Engineering
Fire season’s impact on our water
“It’s spring in the fire-scorched headwaters of the Colorado River, high up in the Rocky Mountains, and a team of researchers are wading through ankle-deep ash and a pick-up-sticks-esque maze of downed trees to collect data from water monitors and weather stations. That’s because fire damage isn’t just destructive for trees that go up in flames. More than half of America’s drinking water comes from forested areas, and when it comes to water, fire has direct and cascading impacts on a range of things, from food production to public health, because it clogs up reservoirs and contaminates water sources. That’s why these scientists are trying to understand how fire impacts water—how it changes the snowpack, as well as the runoff and the land itself. And here in the headwaters of the Colorado River, which provides water for 40 million people in the western US—and which was devastated by the East Troublesome, Grizzly Creek, Mullen and Pine Gulch Fires, which raged from August to December of 2020—they’re quantifying the impact. ... ” Read more from Sierra Magazine here: Fire season’s impact on our water
Climate change: Wildfires in the Western U.S. are burning higher up the mountains
“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. In a new study published May 24, 2021, in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, our team of fire and climate scientists and engineers found that forest fires are now reaching higher, normally wetter elevations. And they are burning there at rates unprecedented in recent fire history. … ” Read more from the World Economic Forum here: Climate change: Wildfires in the Western U.S. are burning higher up the mountains
In regional water news and commentary today …
Amid historic drought, a new water war in the West
“Through the marshlands along the Oregon-California border, the federal government a century ago carved a whole new landscape, draining lakes and channeling rivers to build a farming economy that now supplies alfalfa for dairy cows and potatoes for Frito-Lay chips. The drawdowns needed to cover the croplands and the impacts on local fish nearing extinction have long been a point of conflict at the Klamath Project, but this year’s historic drought has heightened the stakes, with salmon dying en masse and Oregon’s largest lake draining below critical thresholds for managing fish survival. Hoping to limit the carnage, federal officials have shut the gates that feed the project’s sprawling irrigation system, telling farmers the water that has flowed every year since 1907 will not be available. … ” Read more from the New York Times here: Amid historic drought, a new water war in the West
Klamath: Increased fish kill is a troubling sign
“The Yurok Nation is warning of an unprecedented fish kill happening in the Klamath River, the likes of which will likely result in thousands of dead salmon. Every Spring, the tribe sets fish traps in the Lower Klamath, just upriver from the confluence of the Trinity River, near Weitchpec. The live traps provide a small snapshot of the river, as they collect various species of fish, including juvenile salmon, Steelhead Trout, Speckled Dace, as well as other river creatures like the worm-like Pacific Lamprey. Fisheries technicians Jamie Holt and Gilbert Myers monitor these traps daily, performing general health inspections, as well as measuring and weighing each fish. On a normal day, they would find four or five dead salmon in their three traps, but mortality rates skyrocketed earlier this month. ... ” Read more from the Triplicate here: Klamath: Increased fish kill is a troubling sign
In Klamath River drought, a massive juvenile salmon die-off
“The video shows clear river water washing over rocks as sunlight dances in the shallows. Small slivers of white that look like leaves float on the surface. But they aren’t leaves; they’re the bodies of juvenile salmon, most of them no longer than a finger, dead from a warm-water disease exacerbated by drought on the Klamath River. The caption to the video, filmed by Yurok Vice Chairman Frankie Joe Myers, is stark: “This is what climate change looks like when we don’t act.” Fish have been dying on the Klamath since around May 4, according to the Yurok Tribal Fisheries Department. At that time, 97 percent of the juvenile salmon caught by the department’s in-river trapping device were infected with the disease C. shasta, and were either dead, or would die within days. Over a two-week period, 70 percent of the juvenile salmon caught in the trap were dead. … ” Read more from Undark here: In Klamath River drought, a massive juvenile salmon die-off
Klamath farmers without surface water this summer as drought worsens
“The effects of a dry winter across southern and eastern Oregon are now carrying over into the spring and with no significant rain in the forecast, farmers will need to rely on groundwater this season. “We’re coming off of record low inflows in a lake that is a lot lower than it should be for this time of year and a second-year drought. With the current hydrology, there just isn’t enough water to meet anybody’s needs for that matter,” Deputy Director for the Klamath Water Users Association Mark Johnson said. “We’re in a very difficult situation.” … ” Read more from Channel 10 here: Klamath farmers without surface water this summer as drought worsens
U.S.D.A. announces drought relief for Klamath Basin
“The drought in the Klamath Basin has been deepening for several years now, putting farmers and ranchers in a bind. The feds have set aside almost 2 million dollars to help. The Klamath Basin is facing what could be the driest year on record. Earlier this week, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced the availability of $1.8 million for drought relief. Laura Hall is with the Farm Service Agency, a part of the U.S.D.A. She says she’s confident the funding will help. … ” Read more from Jefferson Public Radio here: U.S.D.A. announces drought relief for Klamath Basin
Willits: Haulers need permits if diverting water
“According to a flyer put out by the California Water Boards, anyone who diverts water from a surface stream, lake or pond into a water hauling truck must have a valid water right and any unauthorized drafting or hauling of water is subject to prosecution and fines—up to $500 a day, as high as $1,000 a day during a drought year, and $2,500 per acre-foot of water diverted—by the State Water Boards and the Department of Fish & Wildlife. Diversion or obstruction of a natural flow is subject to one year in jail and a $2,000 fine; violations in connection with the production or cultivation of a controlled substance are subject to a civil penalty of up to $10,000 for each violation. … ” Read more from the Willits News here: Willits: Haulers need permits if diverting water
Potter Valley Project: A two-basin solution: fishery restoration and water supply reliability-part 1
“Raised on an orange grove in Southern California, Dr. Janet Pauli left home to do research in the Hawaiian and Marshal Islands, earned her Ph.D. in Zoology/Coral Reef Ecology at the University of Hawaii and moved to Potter Valley in 1982 where she and her husband Bill raised their family, growing pears and wine grapes. In 1988 a group of farmers asked her if she would represent them on the Potter Valley Irrigation District Board—someone had resigned. “I remember going to my husband Bill. Will that work for us? I know we’re busy but it’s a small irrigation district; I don’t think it could be too hard,” she says. Little did she know… ” Continue reading at the Ukiah Daily Journal here: Potter Valley Project: A two-basin solution: fishery restoration and water supply reliability-part 1
Sacramento Valley: Nurturing Nature
“The driest year California has experienced since the 1970s will have wide-ranging impacts in the West. In the Sacramento Valley, a reduced water supply will lead to about a 20 percent reduction in rice plantings. The loss of about 100,000 acres of rice fields has implications well beyond the farm level. The reduced plantings will impact rural communities that depend on agriculture as their foundation. It’s also a concern for wildlife, which greatly depend on rice fields for their habitat. Fortunately, rice growers are collaborating with conservation groups to get the most out of what’s available. … ” Read more and listen to the podcast at Ingrained here: Sacramento Valley: Nurturing Nature
$3.6 Million in PCWA grants for water purveyors
“At the May 20 meeting of the Placer County Water Agency (“PCWA”) Board of Directors, the Board awarded 12 grants, totaling over $3.6 million, to seven public water purveyors in Placer County. The $3.6 million figure is the most ever granted by PCWA in a single year. This is also the first instance in which the grants were wholly funded with net revenues from PCWA’s Middle Fork American River Project (“Middle Fork Project”). Last July, the Middle Fork Project Finance Authority announced a net revenue distribution of $12 million, split evenly between PCWA and the County of Placer. … ” Read more from Rocklin & Roseville today here: $3.6 Million in PCWA grants for water purveyors
Beale AFB: Air Force, USFWS partner to restore fish habitat
“Threatened fish at Beale Air Force Base, California, are reaping the benefits of a partnership between the Air Force and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Specialists from Beale AFB, the Air Force Civil Engineer Center and the USFWS recently completed a dam removal and creek restoration project there, making it easier for fish, including the Chinook salmon and federally threatened Central Valley steelhead, to travel upstream and spawn. The Army originally built Beale Lake Dam in 1943 as a recreational spot for Soldiers. In the 1980s, the Air Force realized the dam was impacting fish travel and constructed a concrete fish ladder to try to address the issue. In 2015, the Air Force recognized the fish ladder was undersized and outdated. “The need to address the obsolete dam and fish ladder and improve habitat conditions for sensitive fish species had long been identified as a significant goal in the installation Integrated Natural Resources Management Plan,” said Kevin Porteck, AFCEC natural resources subject matter expert. “Fortunately, in 2018, we were able to get the funding and the partnerships in place to address the issue.” … ” Read more from the US Air Force here: Beale AFB: Air Force, USFWS partner to restore fish habitat
Bats once again emerging from Yolo Bypass by the thousands at sunset
“It’s that time of year when hundreds of thousands of bats flock to our region. These creatures of the night are a huge help to local farmers. A drive on I80 from Sacramento to Davis will take you over what about 250,000 of these bats call home. The Mexican free-tailed bats come here for the heat as well as one of the best bug buffets Sacramento has to offer. “The weather has warmed up, the rice has been planted and there are many crops throughout the county and the Sacramento area that have been planted,” said Corky Quirk with the Yolo Basin Foundation. … ” Read more from CBS Sacramento here: Bats once again emerging from Yolo Bypass by the thousands at sunset
Marin Commentary: Historic drought has water district tapping all methods, resources
Ben Horenstein, general manager of the Marin Municipal Water District, writes, “We are in a drought of historic proportions. Rainfall in the last 16 months is the lowest we have recorded in more than 140 years. Reservoir storage capacity is now below 50%, a level not seen in decades. The district declared a drought in February. Warmer temperatures and declining supply levels in April resulted in the district’s board of directors declaring a water shortage emergency and adopting mandatory restrictions. On Tuesday, the board will also consider a policy on a moratorium on new water hookups during the drought. Our collective goal is to reduce water use by at least 40% districtwide. This drought is unprecedented and conservation is essential. If weather conditions continue to worsen, we will need to conserve even more. The takeaway here is we should all be saving as much water as possible, not knowing what lies ahead. ... ” Read more from the Marin Independent Journal here: Commentary: Historic drought has water district tapping all methods, resources
Dan Walters: Marin County’s guerrilla war against housing
“Marin County, the suburban enclave north of the Golden Gate bridge, isn’t interested in having riff-raff — meaning ordinary Californians — despoil its bucolic ambience. For the past half-century, Marin’s very affluent residents and their politicians have waged a largely successful campaign, under the guise of environmental consciousness, to slow population growth to a trickle by allowing very little new housing to be built. Between 1970, when anti-growth sentiment first appeared, and 2010, the county’s population grew by just 22.5% while California’s overall population expanded four times as fast, 89.3%. In the last decade, Marin’s population grew by just 8,000. The county’s exclusionary attitude has made it a target for the state’s efforts to deal with a chronic lack of housing by ramping up construction. ... ” Continue reading at Cal Matters here: Dan Walters: Marin County’s guerrilla war against housing
Podcast: San Francisco’s water use efficient, but state restrictions would be challenging, official says
“California is back in a drought, and in many parts of the state the drought is extreme. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, urban water use today is about 16% less than it was at the beginning of the state’s last drought because of continuing conservation. San Francisco’s residential water use is among the lowest among large cities in California, said Steven Ritchie, assistant general manager for water for the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission. Ritchie joined “Civic” to explain how the city sources and uses its water, and why it is fighting state restrictions on the use of Tuolumne River water.” Listen at the San Francisco Public Press here: Podcast: San Francisco’s water use efficient, but state restrictions would be challenging, official says
East Bay: Recycled water available during drought
“California Gov. Gavin Newsom recently announced that Contra Costa County has been added to the state’s list of counties on his drought emergency proclamation. It didn’t take the governor’s announcement that California was experiencing a water shortage for some Oakley residents to conserve water, though. As a matter of fact, they haven’t stopped saving since the last drought ended. A couple days each week about a dozen or so congregate to fill up large tanks of recycled water at Ironhouse Sanitary District’s (ISD) Recycled Water Fill Station and swap stories about their gardens and everything else under the sun. ... ” Read more from the East Bay Times here: East Bay: Recycled water available during drought
Stanislaus homes with tainted wells start getting free bottled water. How to qualify
“Free bottled water has begun to arrive at homes with nitrate-tainted wells in parts of Stanislaus and Merced counties. The ambitious effort, funded by farmers and other parties, launched the week of May 10 with free testing of residential wells. Those that exceeded the nitrate threshold can start getting the 5-gallon jugs about 17 to 21 days later. That’s why Alhambra driver Tim Halloran was out at a home on West Harding Road near Turlock on Friday afternoon. He delivered two jugs for one of the first clients of the program and expects to do the same there twice a month. … ” Read more from the Modesto Bee here: Stanislaus homes with tainted wells start getting free bottled water. How to qualify
Fresno irrigation water deliveries begin but future deliveries remain unclear
“The Fresno Irrigation District (FID) will begin water deliveries Tuesday, but it’s unclear if deliveries will be extended past the end of the month. The FID’s Board of Directors made the decision at its April meeting, determining there was enough data available to commit irrigation supplies for June. July water deliveries remain uncertain and will depend on future hydrology, precipitation, and weather. ... ” Read more from KFSN here: Fresno irrigation water deliveries begin but future deliveries remain unclear
Kern River Conservancy receives grant to study fire’s impact on river water quality; ‘more people are getting involved’
“The Kern River Conservancy received a $23,000 grant to study whether last year’s Sequoia Complex Fire harmed the water quality in the wild and scenic section of the Kern River. The Virginia and Alfred Harrell Foundation awarded the grant to the non-profit conservancy, Gary Ananian, the conservancy’s founder and executive director, told the Kern Valley Sun. “The grant will be used for water quality testing and monitoring on the section of the river that was impacted by the fire,” he said. “We’re going to see if the fire had any impact on the native trout habitat, Kern River rainbows and to the Golden trout in that area.” … ” Read more from the Kern Valley Sun here: Kern River Conservancy receives grant to study fire’s impact on river water quality; ‘more people are getting involved’
Santa Barbara County water supplies adequate for short term despite drought, officials say
“Having received just 48% of normal rainfall for the water year, which began Sept. 1 and will end Aug. 31, Santa Barbara County may be experiencing a bit of déjà vu, having been placed in the “severe drought” category again by the U.S. Drought Monitor. But despite a winter that brought less than half the normal rainfall, the county’s water supply is generally in good shape, and able to provide enough for drinking, firefighting and irrigation in the short term, city and county officials said. … ” Read more from the Lompoc Record here: Santa Barbara County water supplies adequate for short term despite drought, officials say
Santa Clarita commentary: Balancing the costs of water
Matt Stone, General Manager of SCV Water, writes, “At SCV Water, we are committed to responsible water stewardship and providing service at a reasonable cost. As part of that responsibility, we regularly consider our rates, the cost of operations and the future health of the agency. As such, SCV Water is considering new rates over the next five years to ensure revenue keeps pace with rising expenses. That isn’t the only reason the agency is considering changes, however. … ” Continue reading at the Signal here: Santa Clarita commentary: Balancing the costs of water
Commentary: Taking action against sand erosion at Orange County beaches
Congresswoman Michelle Steel; Jim Merid, environmental services manager for the city of Huntington Beach; and Victor Kriss, president of the Surfside Storm Water Protection District, writes, “This Memorial Day weekend, thousands of families and visitors will enjoy our beautiful Orange County beaches. They’ll walk the pier and surf at Huntington Beach, build a bonfire in Newport Beach and enjoy sand volleyball in Seal Beach. More than 50 million people visited Orange County in 2018, bringing in $13 billion in revenue. We live in the most beautiful place in the entire country, and it’s up to us to protect it for generations to come. That’s why we are working together with local stakeholders to bring awareness to an issue that is affecting our coastline every single day. Sand erosion threatens the safety of people, wildlife and vital infrastructure. For years, we have warned the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and federal officials that a lack of action would have a direct and potentially devastating impact on our community. … ” Read more from the OC Register here: Commentary: Taking action against sand erosion at Orange County beaches
Blips on the Radar: Invasive Algae Species in Newport
“In an April 22 press release the California Department of Fish and Wildlife reported an invasive species of algae in Newport Bay. The species of Caulerpa was found by a diver at the Entrance Channel area and was later identified by the California Department of Food and Agriculture as Caulerpa prolifera. The diver was a videographer for OC Parks and caught the algae on camera in October, but it was not until the diver returned for a second shoot in March that the algae caused alarm. Leaf Caulerpa, as it is known, is native to Florida and other subtropical areas, and is commonly used in macro tanks as a sand bed cover and its seagrass-like appearance. The algae can grow up to 6 feet in length and is identified by its dark green, slender, oval-shaped blades. … ” Read more from The Log here: Blips on the Radar: Invasive Algae Species in Newport
Coachella Valley: Should IID stay or should IID go?
J.D. Hamby, vice president of the Imperial Irrigation District Board of Directors, writes: “On Tuesday, the Imperial Irrigation District Board of Directors will consider the future of IID in the Coachella Valley with a direct question — should IID stay or should IID go? In my short tenure on the IID Board, I personally have enjoyed working to improve our service, responsiveness and outreach to our Coachella Valley communities and customers. But Assembly Bill 1021 by Assemblyman Chad Mayes, I-La Quinta, threatens the continued presence of IID in the Coachella Valley, where IID energy ratepayers enjoy monthly power bills at half the cost compared to their less fortunate west valley neighbors in Southern California Edison’s service area. The bill seeks to install Coachella Valley membership on the IID Board, threatening IID’s Colorado River water rights by giving Coachella Valley energy ratepayers a say over water policy in Imperial Valley. … ” Continue reading at the Imperial Valley Press here: Coachella Valley: Should IID stay or should IID go?
Along the Colorado River …
U.S. Southwest, already parched, sees ‘virtual water’ drain abroad
“Driving into southern California’s Palo Verde Valley from the Arizona border, fields of vibrant green appear out of the desert like a mirage. Near the town of Blythe, water from the Colorado River turns the dry earth into verdant farmland, much of it to grow a single crop — alfalfa, a type of plant used mainly to feed dairy cows. For decades, a significant portion of alfalfa grown here and elsewhere in the western United States — as much as 17 percent in 2017 — has been loaded onto trucks, driven hundreds of miles to ports on the west coast, and shipped around the world, mainly to China, Japan, and Saudi Arabia. A little over five years ago, one company decided it made more sense to own the land, and the water that came with it, outright. … Foreign corporations are increasingly purchasing land in the U.S.; in the Southwest, thanks to longstanding laws on water rights, these purchases often come with unlimited access to the valuable water underneath the soil. … ” Continue reading at Undark here: U.S. Southwest, already parched, sees ‘virtual water’ drain abroad
Best case? Worst case? The Colorado River & the culture of exceptionalism
“The human body can exist for up to 30 days without food, but only 3 days without water. Without it, civilization ceases to exist. John Fleck, the director of the Water Resource Program at the University of New Mexico, and Brad Udall, a professor at Colorado State University, have penned an article in the May 28 issue of Science Magazine that warns the decreasing flow of water in the Colorado River poses a danger to the 40 million Americans who depend on its water to grow their crops, fill their water bottles, and flush their toilets. Not to put too fine a point on it, but just imagine for a moment what would happen to the US food supply if all the fruits and produce grown in the Southwest were to shrivel and die due to lack of water. … ” Continue reading at Clean Technica here: Best case? Worst case? The Colorado River & the culture of exceptionalism
Drought and overuse of water push the Western U.S. across a scary threshold
“Lake Mead, the largest reservoir in the United States, passed a scary threshold last week. With the worst drought in recorded history continuing in the Colorado River Basin, Mead’s level fell below an elevation of 1,075 feet above sea level. That number may sound arbitrary, but here’s why it’s a big deal: If as expected, projections in August do not show the reservoir rising back above the threshold, the first-ever shortage in the basin would be declared by the federal government. And as a result, Arizona, Nevada and Mexico would likely see substantial reductions in their deliveries of Colorado River water. … ” Read more from Discover here: Drought and overuse of water push the Western U.S. across a scary threshold
In national water news today …
Below aging U.S. dams, a potential toxic calamity
” … While the dramatic breach of the Edenville Dam [in Michigan] captured national headlines, an Undark investigation has identified 81 other dams, in 24 states, that, if they were to fail, could flood a major toxic waste site and potentially spread contaminated material into surrounding communities. In interviews with dam safety, environmental, and emergency officials, Undark also found that, as in Michigan, the risks these dams pose to toxic waste sites are largely unrecognized by any agency, leaving communities across the country vulnerable to the same kind of low-probability, but high-consequence disaster that played out in Midland. … ” Read more from Undark Magazine here: Below aging U.S. dams, a potential toxic calamity
Journey of ‘forever chemicals’ through wastewater facilities highlights regulation challenges
“Researchers at the University of New Hampshire have conducted two of the first studies in New England to collectively show that toxic man-made chemicals called PFAS (per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances), found in everything from rugs to product packaging, end up in the environment differently after being processed through wastewater treatment facilities—making it more challenging to set acceptable screening levels. “PFAS are persistent substances that are not easily broken down and have been linked to adverse health effects,” said Paula Mouser, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering. “They are found in a wide variety of industrial, commercial and medicinal products and can end up in the body, human waste and the environment. If not managed correctly, they can be further distributed around the environment in landfills, waterways and even stabilized biosolids could be applied to agricultural fields as fertilizers.” … ” Read more from the University of New Hampshire here: Journey of ‘forever chemicals’ through wastewater facilities highlights regulation challenges
Invasive snail populations tracked using a new technique called eDNA
“Tiny rice-sized snails from New Zealand have been taking over North American waterways for decades, blanketing riverbeds and crowding out native species. A new method of identifying these miniscule creatures may provide hope for other as-of-yet untainted ecosystems. Spread far and wide by fisherman and unwary beach-goers, invasive species like the mud snail are often hard to detect early on and can cause untold harm to vulnerable habitats. A single female mudsnail can spawn a colony of 40 million in a single year. Using a novel technique developed less than a decade ago called eDNA analysis, biologists can now identify these and other invasive species before they get a stranglehold on a new environment. … ” Read more from the Courthouse News Service here: Invasive snail populations tracked using a new technique called eDNA
Biden era brings legal disappointments for environmental groups
“Environmental advocates hoping for a complete reversal of Trump-era legal positions have faced a series of disappointments in the first months of the Biden administration—generating some early tension between the president and green groups. Government lawyers have opposed efforts to shut down the Dakota Access pipeline, supported a massive oil project in the Arctic, and preserved an environmental review rule despised by activists. It’s common for a new administration to defend many of its predecessor’s actions in court—either for institutional reasons inside the executive branch or simply because a previous policy isn’t controversial enough to merit a change in position. But several recent defenses of Trump-era decisions stand out as President Joe Biden launches ambitious environmental plans and erases other parts of the last administration’s legacy. The contrast has left many environmentalists confused and angry. … ” Read more from Blo0omberg Law here: Biden era brings legal disappointments for environmental groups
President Biden’s Fiscal Year 2022 budget makes significant investments in USGS initiatives
“The Biden-Harris administration today submitted to Congress the President’s budget for fiscal year 2022, including $1.6 billion in proposed funding for the U.S. Geological Survey, an increase of $326.9 million or 25 percent above the 2021 enacted level. This proposal would fund investments to unleash science and combat climate change while laying the foundation for economic growth, creating good-paying jobs and ensuring that those benefits accrue to marginalized and overburdened communities. “The Interior Department plays an important role in the President’s plan to reinvest in the American people. From bolstering climate resiliency and increasing renewable energy, to supporting Tribal nations and advancing environmental justice, President Biden’s budget will make much-needed investments in communities and projects that will advance our vision for a robust and equitable clean energy future,” said Secretary Deb Haaland. … “Read more from the USGS here: President Biden’s Fiscal Year 2022 budget makes significant investments in USGS initiatives
More news and commentary in the weekend edition …
In California water news this weekend …
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Lakes Basin Recreation Area. Photo by Jeff Moser. Conservationists say time running out to save endangered salmon in Sacramento River
- Drought driving water prices up
- Dry conditions could cut Friant water to zero in a replay of 2014-2015 drought
- Urban water districts consider mandatory conservation as drought deepens
- Major early-season heatwave across interior NorCal early next week; extreme drought continues to worsen
- These eight facts show the seriousness of California’s drought
- Hurtado releases statement after the State Water Resiliency Act passes Senate 34-1
- The Karuk used fire to manage the forest for centuries. Now they want to do that again
- Ammon Bundy and Co. Are eyeing another standoff with feds in southern Oregon
- With water levels so low at Lake Shasta, closures and restrictions in place
- San Francisco: Dennis Herrera Commentary: Why I sued the California water board
- Commentary: San Francisco doesn’t have a sustainable drought plan
- Once again, Arizona hopes to import out-of-state water in face of crisis
- As water sources become scarce, understanding emerging subsurface contaminants is key
- Stormwater could be a large source of microplastics and rubber fragments to waterways
- And more …
Click here to read the weekend edition of the Daily Digest.
Also on Maven’s Notebook today …
BLOG ROUND-UP: A Republican in California thinks outside of the box; We’re prepared for this drought. What about the next one?; Delta Stewardship Council members call for resolution of Delta Independent Science Board funding crisis; and more …
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