On the calendar today …
- FREE WEBINAR: The perils of PFAS from 11am to 12pm. Brought to you in partnership with Huxley’s Institute of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry and the Western Washington University Alumni Association. Click here for more information and to register.
- WORKSHOP: California State Adaptation Strategy 2021 Update Regional Workshops- Southern Sierra Nevada from 4pm to 6pm. The Newsom Administration is updating California’s State Adaptation Strategy (Strategy) this year. The 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. 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.
- MEETING: SAFER Summer Series Kick-off and Community Presentations from 5:30pm to 7:30pm. The SAFER Summer Series is part of the California State Water Resources Control Board’s Safe and Affordable Funding for Equity and Resilience (SAFER) program. The SAFER program is designed to ensure that Californians who lack safe and affordable drinking water receive it as quickly as possible. The SAFER program is helping water systems achieve this goal through a set of tools, funding sources, regulatory authorities, and community outreach and education activities. Registration is not required. Join us at bit.ly/SSSKickOff
In California water news today …
Agencies escalate drought measures as hot summer looms
“Rapidly worsening hydrologic conditions throughout the West are forcing water regulators to ramp up conservation measures as farms brace for shortages that could prevent them from harvesting their crops. California’s Department of Water Resources on June 3 will begin installing a temporary rock wall in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta to prevent saltwater intrusion – a measure taken during the last major drought in 2015. The $30 million project should be finished by the end of June, he said. ... ” Continue reading at the Western Farm Press here: Agencies escalate drought measures as hot summer looms
California’s mountains are dry. Now we know how dry
“In a pitifully dry year like 2021, understanding the state’s skimpy snowpack is critical. Multi-million dollar decisions can hinge on even the smallest amounts of snow melt squeezed out of the Sierra Nevada mountains. Which makes information provided by Airborne Snow Observatories, Inc. flights vital, according to water managers. “Right now, there’s still 10,000 to 20,000 acre feet of variability in the (runoff) forecasts,” in the Kings River watershed, said Steve Haugen, Kings River Watermaster. “That may not sound like a lot, but it can mean the difference between some districts being able to run water or not.” … ” Read more from SJV Water here: California’s mountains are dry. Now we know how dry
California’s epic drought is parching reservoirs and worrying farmers
“There is dry, and then there is desiccated. As any movie fan knows from the classic film Chinatown, California is an infamously thirsty place. But this year, even by its own standards, the state is shockingly, scarily parched. So far in 2021, the state has received half of its expected precipitation; that makes it the third driest year on record according to California’s Department of Water Resources. This past week, as temperatures from Sacramento up to the Oregon border topped 100º Fahrenheit, the intense heat evaporated the remaining water at an astonishing pace, creating scenes more reminiscent of Hollywood-manufactured dystopias like Mad Max than the lush paradise Americans are used to envisioning on their West Coast. … ” Read more from Bloomberg here: California’s epic drought is parching reservoirs and worrying farmers
Water concerns conveyed to Lieutenant Governor
“Several industry leaders recently expressed agricultural water concerns to California Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis. After touring Fowler Packing’s facility in Fresno County, Kounalakis participated in a roundtable discussion with industry members. Representatives from the California Fresh Fruit Association (CFFA), Western Agricultural Processors Association, California Citrus Mutual, and others were all in attendance. Congressman Jim Costa also participated in the discussion. CFFA President Ian LeMay said it was a beneficial meeting, where issues related to drought and the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) were highlighted. “She understood the severity of it and the difficult decisions that are going to be made. She understood that we as growers feel that the state has a significant role to play,” LeMay explained. … ” Read more from Ag Net West here: Water concerns conveyed to Lieutenant Governor
Drought: California’s more than 1,500 reservoirs are 50% lower than normal ahead of hot summer
“Each year, Lake Oroville helps water a quarter of the nation’s crops, sustain endangered salmon beneath its massive earthen dam and anchor the tourism economy of a Northern California county that must rebuild seemingly every year after unrelenting wildfires. But now the mighty lake — a linchpin in a system of aqueducts and reservoirs in the arid U.S. West that makes California possible — is shrinking with surprising speed amid a severe drought, with state officials predicting it will reach a record low later this summer. While droughts are common in California, this year’s is much hotter and drier than others, evaporating water more quickly from the reservoirs and the sparse Sierra Nevada snowpack that feeds them. … ” Read more from ABC 7 here: California’s reservoirs ravaged by drought ahead of hot summer
Houseboats removed from Lake Oroville as water levels drop due to drought
“At least 130 houseboats have been hauled from Lake Oroville as drought dries up the California lake, Lake Oroville public safety chief says. As of Wednesday, Lake Oroville was at 38% of capacity and 45% of the average early June water level. As water levels fall, the houseboats were at risk of getting stuck or sustaining damage. Many of the houseboats now sit in parking lots next to the lake. Houseboat owners said they received letters stating that their boats would be removed from the lake. They were given the the choice of hauling their boats home or paying rent to the state to keep them in the parking lot. … ” Read more from The Weather Channel here: Houseboats removed from Lake Oroville as water levels drop due to drought
Drought-hit ‘tinderbox’ California braces for fires in months ahead
” … Across California, deadly infernos have only expanded in size since that traumatic year—in 2020, some 4.3 million acres went up in smoke. Now, the western US state is bracing for the worst as yet another dry summer approaches. Already five times more vegetation has burned this year compared to the same time last year. “In the last 25 months, we’ve had 101 civilians perish in wildfires with over 21,000 structure destroyed within Butte County,” said John Messina, fire chief of the county where Paradise is located. “That supersedes anything that California has seen in modern times” and serves as a warning, or “ground zero,” for what could lie ahead of the rest of the state, according to Messina. ... ” Read the full article at PhysOrg here: Drought-hit ‘tinderbox’ California braces for fires in months ahead
Commentary: California’s drought response will worsen harmful algae
Kate Poole with the NRDC writes, “Climate change has created new “seasons” that challenge communities across the nation. California now has a “fire season,” and sadly, we are embarking on harmful algal bloom (HAB) season again. … California has experienced some of the worst HAB outbreaks in the country. Within the past five years, the number of HAB events observed in California has increased more than 464 percent, from 56 in 2016 to 316 in 2020. In 2020 alone, California experienced a 60 percent increase in reported HABs from 2019. From the Klamath River and Clear Lake in northern California, to Lake Isabella and Lake Elsinore in southern California, HAB outbreaks have occurred in recent years throughout the State. California’s Bay-Delta estuary – and the San Joaquin River around Stockton – have been particularly hard hit by HABs due primarily to low flows caused by excessive water diversions upstream of the Delta. And this year is threatening to bring one of the worst HAB outbreaks ever around Stockton, thanks in part to California’s own Department of Water Resources (DWR). … ” Read the full post at the NRDC here: Commentary: California’s drought response will worsen harmful algae
Limiting chinook fishing in low-return years to help killer whales: What do you think?
“NOAA Fisheries is asking for public input on a Pacific Fishery Management Council recommendation to reduce impacts from fishing off the West Coast. The recommendation would be implemented if salmon numbers fall too low to provide enough prey for the 75 endangered Southern Resident killer whales. NOAA Fisheries is proposing to adopt the Council’s recommendation, and conducted a consultation under the Endangered Species Act. This consultation ensured that the amended fisheries management plan does not jeopardize the continued existence of threatened or endangered species, or negatively impact designated critical habitat. It incorporated recent research that revealed new details of when and where the whales forage, and their preferred prey. ... ” Read more from NOAA Fisheries here: Limiting chinook fishing in low-return years to help killer whales: what do you think?
State Water Board now receiving public comments on its proposed reissuance of the statewide NPDES Construction Stormwater General Permit
“The State Water Resources Control Board (“Water Board”) is now receiving public comments on its proposed reissuance of the statewide National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (“NPDES”) Construction Stormwater General Permit (“Construction Stormwater General Permit”). The Construction Stormwater General Permit regulates discharges to waters of the United States from stormwater and authorized non-stormwater associated with construction activities that disturb one or more acres of land, or are part of a common plan of development or sale that disturbs one or more acre of land surface. California’s previous Construction Stormwater General Permit expired in September 2014 but has been administratively extended until a reissued permit is adopted. … ” Read more from Stoel Rives here: State Water Board now receiving public comments on its proposed reissuance of the statewide NPDES Construction Stormwater General Permit
Summer is coming. It’s getting hotter. Can California keep the lights on?
“It feels like just yesterday that California was roiled by rolling blackouts during an epic summer heat wave. But that was nearly a year ago, and now summer is dawning once again. Across the West, power grid managers and utilities are preparing for heat waves, and for the dry, windy conditions that have toppled electrical infrastructure and ignited wildfires. Temperatures are already spiking, which is happening more frequently as the planet warms. It’s not too bad in Los Angeles, but the mercury was forecast to hit 107 degrees in California’s Central Valley on Wednesday, two days after a 109-degree record was set in the Northern California city of Redding, per the New York Times’ Derrick Bryson Taylor. … ” Read more from the LA Times here: Summer is coming. It’s getting hotter. Can California keep the lights on?
In regional water news and commentary today …
Farmers in the Klamath Basin threaten another water ‘standoff’: What to know
“Farmers in the Klamath Basin of Southern Oregon and Northern California say the water shortage and lack of water available to farmers has reached a “crisis” point and they are threatening to take matters into their own hands to ensure they get the water they say is due to them. Like much of the West, the Klamath Basin is enduring a second year of drought that has left little water to go around for farmers and wildlife. Farmers were only allocated 33,000 acre-feet of water this year by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, which operates the federal Klamath Project, according to Mark Johnson, deputy director of the Klamath Water Users Association, which represents 11 irrigation districts. In a typical year, a full allocation would be about 350,000 acre-feet, he said. ... ” Read more from the Redding Record-Searchlight here: Farmers in the Klamath Basin threaten another water ‘standoff’: What to know
Klamath Basin farmland used as waterfowl habitat
“In a region fraught with conflict between farmers and environmentalists, some growers in the Klamath Basin are working with a wildlife group to provide habitat for migrating birds – and receiving a small amount of irrigation water in return. The Tulelake Irrigation District is moving existing water from one drainage pond, or sump, in the Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuge to another to provide a deeper wetland for northern pintail and other waterfowl. … ” Read more from the Western Farm Press here: Klamath Basin farmland used as waterfowl habitat
As massive fish kill continues on Klamath River, Karuk Tribe declares state of climate emergency
Dan Bacher writes, “The Karuk Tribe in Northern California has declared a state of climate emergency in response to record low precipitation in the Klamath Basin as a massive juvenile salmon kill unfolds on the Klamath River. “This emergency declaration acknowledges the reality that climate change is upon us, and the dangers that it poses to rivers, forests, wildlife and communities,” according to the Tribe in their “Resolution Declaring a State of Emergency Due to Climate Change.” The resolution points out “there has been a consensus among 97% of Climate scientists that Climate Change is a reality.” … ” Continue reading at the Daily Kos here: As massive fish kill continues on Klamath River, Karuk Tribe declares state of climate emergency
Sacramento Valley: Ensuring high quality water for communities, ecosystems and farms
Bruce Houdesheldt writes, “I am now working through my third drought as the Director of Water Quality for Northern California Water Association (NCWA), where I have learned the importance of broadening my perspective beyond my own tap in Roseville that brings delicious American River water into my home. A pillar in NCWA’s Strategic Plan and 2021 Priorities is to advance multi-benefit water management that supports nature-based solutions, which provide essential benefits for our economy, health and quality of life – including clean water, nutritious food, outdoor recreation – and contribute to the state’s climate goals and protecting our communities from wildfire, floods, droughts, and extreme heat. Protecting and enhancing water quality is essential to ensure safe drinking water, healthy ecosystems, and water for farms. Or put simply the multi-benefits of water management. This has never been more important as California experiences a drought of historic magnitude. … ” Continue reading at the Northern California Water Association here: Ensuring high quality water for communities, ecosystems and farms
Grass Valley column: The murky waters of mining
Columnist Billy Packard writes, “I read the article on Rise Gold about their promises on water treatment. “It may make water have a musty odor.” Andy Kopania, a hydrologist hired by Rise Gold Corp, said, “Though unpleasant, water containing these naturally occurring minerals is not bad for one’s health.” Right! Drink up! What was particularly disappointing about The Union article was what wasn’t said pertaining to the water aspect of the Rise Gold project. Hidden from view when driving by is the old mine that is filled with water contaminated with byproducts of hard rock mining. The water now forms a murky lake several hundred yards wide. Rise Gold plans to pump out 3.6 million gallons of water every single day for six months and after that another 1.2 million gallons a day for up to 80 years from this site. … ” Read more from The Union here:The murky waters of mining
Grass Valley column: Skeptical about reopening mine
Columnist Terry McLaughlin writes, “Rise Gold Corp., a Canadian mining company based in Vancouver, submitted an application to restart mining operations at the old Idaho-Maryland Mine in Grass Valley. The permit application describes a drill and blast regime to remove 1,500 tons of rock per day, operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week for approximately 80 years. The two main processing facilities would be on 119 acres at the junction of Brunswick and East Bennett, and 56 acres along Idaho Maryland Road, east of Centennial Drive. Approximately 2.4 million cubic yards of mining tailings and rock waste would be deposited at the two locations. In an April interview with CBS 13, Rise Gold CEO Benjamin Mossman said of the proposed project, “We’ve designed it to have no impact on the environment.” It is difficult to see how such a massive project could have no impact on the environment or residents’ quality of life. … ” Continue reading at The Union here: Skeptical about reopening mine
El Dorado County: Powerhouse penstock due for reinforcement
“Out of two geotechnical engineering firms, MGE Engineering came in at a low bid of $260,611 for design and construction support of the El Dorado Powerhouse penstock project. The project includes improving drainage, erosion control and stabilizing the 3-mile-long penstock. Also approved on a 5-0 vote May 24 was the addition of $40,000 for the staff to conduct environmental surveys. … ” Read more from the Mountain Democrat here: El Dorado County: Powerhouse penstock due for reinforcement
Folsom residents asked to voluntarily reduce water use amid California’s drought
“Folsom officials asked its residents to voluntarily reduce their water usage by 10 percent Wednesday as California settles into another severe drought. The request comes less than a month after Gov. Gavin Newsom issued a state of emergency executive order to mitigate the effects of the drought in 41 of California’s 58 counties. “While Folsom has the water supply needs of our community, we are calling on our water customers to do their part and conserve amid drought conditions across much of California,” Folsom Mayor Mike Kozlowski said in a statement. “I’m confident our community will be responsive to the call to conserve.” ... ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee here: Folsom residents asked to voluntarily reduce water use amid California’s drought
Woodland City Council reviews water management plans
“The Woodland City Council discussed urban water management and water shortage contingency plans during its meeting Tuesday. The meeting marked the fifth anniversary of the Woodland-Davis Surface Water Project, which started in 2016 and transitioned Woodland’s water supply from relying on groundwater to water from the Sacramento River. The topic of water management was an important one to discuss due to the fact that California is currently in its second-worst drought in 50 years, according to Woodland Mayor Tom Stallard. … ” Read more from the Woodland Daily Democrat here: Woodland City Council reviews water management plans
Drought losses mounting in Sonoma County agricultural sector
“After farming squash, corn, melons, peppers and tomatoes by his father’s side since childhood, Gabriel Castañeda is stepping out largely on his own this year. With water in such short supply, his dad, Humberto, thought he might forgo raising summer fruits and vegetables this season and focus only on the 15 acres of wine grapes he grows near Fulton instead. But Gabe Castañeda, who had helped his father build Humberto Castañeda Produce into Sonoma County’s largest produce grower, wanted to see what he could do to keep the family’s 40-year farming tradition alive — even if on a very reduced scale. … ” Read more from the Santa Rosa Press Democrat here: Drought losses mounting in Sonoma County agricultural sector
Marin Municipal Water District delays decision on hookup pause
“The Marin Municipal Water District has delayed a decision on a controversial service connection ban amid an ongoing debate over drought, housing and the environment. The move — the first such action in three decades — would suspend most water meter connections and water main extensions after June 30. The district board will reconsider the controversial proposal on June 15. A key point of the board’s discussion on Tuesday was the tradeoff between saving water and meeting state demands for affordable housing development. The district estimates the suspension would save 20 to 60 acre-feet of water per year, or less than one-thousandth of the district’s annual water demand, according to staff. ... ” Continue reading at the Marin Independent Journal here: Marin Municipal Water District delays decision on hookup pause
Here’s where the Bay Area’s water actually comes from, and what to expect during California’s drought
“With three quarters of the state now in extreme drought zones, dwindling water supplies are forcing many California water agencies to take restrictive measures to conserve water. In the Bay Area, Marin County was the latest to declare a state of emergency as parched conditions had ranchers trucking in water from elsewhere. Yet compared to rural parts of California, the water supplies for San Francisco and the East Bay, are in healthier shape. But it’s not because San Francisco or the East Bay are getting much more rain than the rest of the state. Both the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) and the East Bay Municipal Utility District, which serves Oakland, Berkeley and other surrounding areas, rely on networks of water sources that sprawl far beyond their service areas to other parts of the region. ... ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle here: Here’s where the Bay Area’s water actually comes from, and what to expect during California’s drought
Fresno County officials warn of dangerous river conditions ahead of dam release
“Water will soon be raging down the San Joaquin River with a force that hasn’t been seen in months. During what’s been an unusually dry year, Southern California Edison will be releasing water from Redinger Lake on Saturday followed by a release by PG&E from the Kerckhoff reservoir on Sunday. They will be gradually increasing flows in the morning from about 50 cubic feet per second to 1500 cubic feet per second, PG&E spokesperson Denny Boyles said. … ” Read more from ABC 30 here: Fresno County officials warn of dangerous river conditions ahead of dam release
Surfrider’s annual Clean Water Report highlights infrastructure needs and toxin-removing landscapes
“Too often, ocean water is laced with sewage and pollutants, affecting how safe beaches are for swimming and surfing – that’s the message of this year’s Clean Water Report released Tuesday, May 25, by the Surfrider Foundation. “We believe the water should be clean, always. We should be able to do that in all but the most unusual circumstances,” San Clemente-based Surfrider Foundation CEO Chad Nelsen said. But instead, the report highlights inefficiencies in sewer infrastructure and a need to stop urban runoff before it reaches the coast, both main contributors to dirty water that plagues the country’s coastlines. … ” Read more from the Daily Breeze here: Surfrider’s annual Clean Water Report highlights infrastructure needs and toxin-removing landscapes
Imperial Irrigation District Board takes action to protect water rights and address Coachella Valley concerns
“The Imperial Irrigation District Board of Directors adopted a resolution Tuesday, June 1, to better serve IID’s Coachella Valley energy customers and better protect Imperial Valley’s water rights, according to a press release. The Board’s resolution seeks to provide a local alternative to AB 1021 by Assemblyman Chad Mayes (I-Yucca Valley) that would create a number of adverse consequences for the region, if passed into law, including giving Coachella Valley energy ratepayers a say over IID’s water rights and policy in Imperial Valley. The Board’s resolution calls for the formation of a Coachella Valley Energy Commission composed of IID Directors and Coachella Valley representatives to address local energy issues and plan for continued energy service to the Coachella Valley after 2033 as a locally driven alternative to AB 1021. … ” Read more from the Desert Review here: Imperial Irrigation District Board takes action to protect water rights and address Coachella Valley concerns
Imperial Irrigation District threaten possible Coachella Valley exit over proposed legislation
“The Imperial Irrigation District could discuss a possible Coachella Valley exit plan if proposed legislation that the board says would “give Coachella Valley energy ratepayers a say over IID’s water rights and policy in Imperial Valley.” IID’s board of directors adopted a resolution on Tuesday that seeks to provide an alternative to AB 1021. The legislation was introduced by Assemblyman Chad Mayes (I-Yucca Valley and would require that the IID board increase from 5 to 6 members, with the additional position appointed by the 4th District Riverside County Supervisor, which is currently Manuel Perez. On June 1, 2021, AB 1021 passed its third reading on the assembly floor with 73 aye votes, 1 nay, and 5 no votes recorded. Assemblyman Eduardo Garcia (D-Coachella) was among the aye votes. ... ” Read more from Channel 3 here: Imperial Irrigation District threaten possible Coachella Valley exit over proposed legislation
Along the Colorado River …
Amid dire Colorado River outlook, states plan to tap their Lake Mead savings accounts
“A complex and arcane water banking program in the lower Colorado River basin, adopted in 2007 and later amended, was designed to incentivize water conservation, prevent waste, and boost storage in a waning Lake Mead. The program has already proved its worth, lifting Lake Mead dozens of feet higher than it otherwise would have been and nurturing collaboration among states that will need to work together to surmount daunting challenges of water availability. In the next two years, the program will be tested in another way, becoming a small but important source of water for Arizona and California even as the lake continues to fall to levels that haven’t been witnessed in several generations. … ” Read more from the Circle of Blue here: Amid dire Colorado River outlook, states plan to tap their Lake Mead savings accounts
In national water news today …
How returning lands to native tribes is helping protect nature
“In 1908 the U.S. government seized some 18,000 acres of land from the Confederated and Salish and Kootenai Tribes to create the National Bison Range in the heart of their reservation in the mountain-ringed Mission Valley of western Montana. While the goal of protecting the remnants of America’s once-plentiful bison was worthy, for the last century the federal facility has been a symbol to the tribes here of the injustices forced upon them by the government, and they have long fought to get the bison range returned. Last December their patience paid off: President Donald Trump signed legislation that began the process of returning the range to the Salish and Kootenai. Now the tribes are managing the range’s bison and are also helping, through co-management, to manage bison that leave Yellowstone National Park to graze on U.S. Forest Service land. ... ” Read more from Yale e360 here: How returning lands to native tribes is helping protect nature
World’s lakes losing oxygen rapidly as planet warms
“Oxygen levels in the world’s temperate freshwater lakes are declining rapidly — faster than in the oceans — a trend driven largely by climate change that threatens freshwater biodiversity and drinking water quality. Research published today in Nature found that oxygen levels in surveyed lakes across the temperate zone have declined 5.5% at the surface and 18.6% in deep waters since 1980. Meanwhile, in a large subset of mostly nutrient-polluted lakes, surface oxygen levels increased as water temperatures crossed a threshold favoring cyanobacteria, which can create toxins when they flourish in the form of harmful algal blooms. ... ” Read more from the Renssalaer Polytechnic Institute here: World’s lakes losing oxygen rapidly as planet warms
And lastly …
Snake seen slithering across Northern California lake: How drought conditions could increase snake encounters
“A snake in the lake will get most people looking to get as far away as possible. Tyler Young, owner of Placer Snake Removal in Rocklin says Spring is the peak time for snakes coming out looking for food and mates. He says snakes in the water happen a lot more than we are able to capture. With the weather warming up though, a lot more people are in area lakes and we’ll likely see more of this. … ” Read more from Channel 10 here: Snake seen slithering across Northern California lake: How drought conditions could increase snake encounters
Today’s featured articles …
DELTA STEWARDSHIP COUNCIL: Non-native species in the Delta, Contemplating the future of the DISB, and Regional San treatment plant upgrade
At the May meeting of the Delta Stewardship Council, Dr. Steve Brandt, Chair of the Delta Independent Science Board, provided a brief background on the Delta Independent Science Board, reported on the Board’s recently completed review on non-native species in the Delta, and discussed the Board’s approach going forward in light of the recent compensation issues. Also, Dr. Laurel Larsen spotlighted a recent study looking at the effects of the Sacramento Regional Sanitation District plant upgrade on phytoplankton.
Click here to read this article.
ESTUARY PEARLS: Delta smelt monitoring, new research on salmon survival and flow volume
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Also on Maven’s Notebook today …
VELES WEEKLY WATER REPORT: The First Water Price Curve is Developing. NQH2O down $10.29 to $856.71. Water Allocations cut from 5% to zero.
NEWSLETTER: DWR Sustainable Groundwater Management Office Newsletter
CA NATURE INITIATIVE: Climate Advisory Panel Releases Summary Document, Virtual Workshop June 8
FREE WEBINAR SERIES: 2022 GSP Educational Webinars: Managing California’s Groundwater Series
