On the calendar today …
- WORKSHOP: SAFER Program: Tribal Drinking Water (Central California) from 9am to 11am. The State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board) invites you to attend a workshop to learn about the Safe and Affordable Funding for Equity and Resilience (SAFER) drinking water program and the opportunities available to California Native American Tribes. Participation is open to everyone and is not dependent upon living or working in a particular geographic region. Prior event registration is not required. Zoom: bit.ly/SAFERCenCal
- FREE DWR WEBINAR: Airborne Electromagnetic (AEM) Surveys from 12pm to 1pm. The Department of Water Resources (DWR) will hold a public webinar meeting to share information about the upcoming statewide airborne electromagnetic (AEM) surveys. AEM data will be collected in all high and medium priority groundwater basins, where data collection is feasible, and will start this summer and continue over the next several years. This information supports the development and implementation of local Groundwater Sustainability Plans and the state’s overall goal of sustainable groundwater management. Click here to register.
- FREE WEBINAR: Weeds After Wildfire and What YOU Can Do to Help from 12pm to 1pm. The Santa Monica Mountains suffered a wildfire in 2018 that burned close to half of the mountain range and 88% of its National Park Service (NPS) land. Joseph Algiers will describe how the NPS has been controlling weeds that threaten native recovery in burn areas in the most demanding and ambitious local invasive plant control project to date. Early Detection / Rapid Response (EDRR) is a critical part of this work. Click to register
- WORKSHOP: Expanding Climate Action Through Nature-Based Solutions from 3pm to 6pm. Join the California Natural Resources Agency (CNRA) for a topical workshop on opportunities to address climate change featuring a presentation of recommendations from an advisory panel and an opportunity for the public to share their perspectives and insights on the topic. The June 8 climate workshop will explore how the Pathways to 30×30 and Natural and Working Lands Climate Smart Strategy can best deliver on the state’s goal to achieve carbon neutrality and build climate resilience. Click here to register.
In California drought news today …
From Shasta to Folsom, shriveled reservoirs show depths of California’s drought disaster
“Instead of being flush with newly melted snow, Folsom Lake is the driest it’s been in springtime since the epic drought of 1977. Water levels are so low that temporary pumps probably will be installed to help move water out of the stricken reservoir. Water levels at Lake Oroville have plunged to the point that its giant hydropower plant could be idled for the first time ever this summer, putting additional strain on California’s troubled electric grid. At massive Shasta Lake, which feeds the Sacramento River watershed and much of the Central Valley, conditions are so bad that major cities are drawing up conservation plans, farmers have scaled back plantings and environmentalists are angrily warning of massive fish kills. California’s reservoirs, normally the bulwark of the state’s elaborate water system, have been left defenseless by a drought that seems to worsen by the day. ... ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee here: From Shasta to Folsom, shriveled reservoirs show depths of California’s drought disaster
‘This is definitely going to be a painful drought, but I don’t think it’s a complete calamity for most parts of the state’: UC-Davis Center for Watershed Sciences
“Co-Director of the Center for Watershed Sciences at UC-Davis, Jay Lund, joined Yahoo Finance Live to break down the gravity of the drought the Western U.S. is facing and why the water shortage could send food prices higher. ADAM SHAPIRO: I want to bring into the stream somebody very important. Because one way or another, whether you live in California or not, we’re tied to California. And the California drought is a big threat to agriculture in California. So Jay Lund is the co-director of the Center for Watershed Sciences at UC Davis. We appreciate you joining us right now. And for those of us who don’t understand the geographic issues for California, but also the water issues, the big question is, do we face food shortages? I mean, the pictures of these empty depleted reservoirs are kind of frightening. JAY LUND: I don’t think we’ll be seeing food shortages. The major losses for water supply in California are going to be from the big surface water systems. But California has quite a bit of groundwater that farmers use during drought years to make up for those depleted reservoirs. … ” Continue reading Yahoo News here: ‘This is definitely going to be a painful drought, but I don’t think it’s a complete calamity for most parts of the state’: UC-Davis Center for Watershed Sciences
California, ‘America’s Garden,’ is drying out
“California, along with much of the rest of the western United States, is once again mired in drought. In fact, California has experienced significant drought conditions in 13 of the 22 years (60%) since the turn of the century. A 2020 study in the journal Science concluded that 2000 through 2018 was the second-driest 19-year period in the U.S. Southwest in at least the past 1,200 years, and a 2014 paper in Geophysical Research Letters found that 2012 through 2014 was the driest three-year period in California over that same timeframe. Nearly the entire state is currently in the ‘severe’ drought category or worse, and three-quarters is experiencing ‘extreme’ to ‘exceptional’ drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. … ” Read more from Yale Climate Connections here: California, ‘America’s Garden,’ is drying out
How ingenuity and desperate measures kept urban water flowing during the ‘77 drought
“As a major drought expands across the West, there is concern that it will rival the harsh drought of 2014. For Californians with longer memories, the fear is not of repeating 2014, when the state muddled through. The fear is repeating 1977, when water districts stared into the abyss; some almost ran out. “1977 caught us unprepared,” said Jeff Kightlinger, the general manager of Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, “In the generation since then we have tried to prepare” for what’s coming now. “Are the lessons learned going to be enough?” What follows is an account by two former members of the 1977 staff of the East Bay Municipal Utility District about what it took to avoid disaster. … ” Read more from Stanford’s … & the West here: How ingenuity and desperate measures kept urban water flowing during the ‘77 drought
Why upcoming storms may do more harm than good in West
“Storms from the Pacific set to swing into the rain-starved West Coast this week may end up turning detrimental, AccuWeather forecasters say, by whipping up gusty winds and heightening the risk of lightning-induced wildfires. With over 87% of the Western states in moderate to exceptional drought, the news of Pacific storms poised to sweep onshore may sound good on the surface. However, the pattern will be a double-edged sword. Each storm is expected to arrive with “very limited moisture,” according to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski. ... ” Read more from AccuWeather here: Why upcoming storms may do more harm than good in West
120 houseboats pulled off Lake Oroville as reservoir is expected to reach lowest level ever
“Northern California’s Lake Oroville is becoming the poster child of drought in the Golden State. The state’s second-largest reservoir in Butte County was at 37% of capacity as of Monday. Photos taken over the Memorial Day weekend show dozens of houseboats sitting on cinder blocks because there wasn’t enough water to hold them. Blackened trees lined the reservoir’s steep, parched banks. Each year Lake Oroville helps water a quarter of the nation’s crops, sustains endangered salmon beneath its massive earthen dam and anchors the tourism economy of a Northern California county that must rebuild seemingly every year after unrelenting wildfires. … ” Read more from SF Gate here: 120 houseboats pulled off Lake Oroville as reservoir is expected to reach lowest level ever
Shortages expected amidst California ‘megadrought’
“Farmers have been leaving areas of their fields unseeded as water levels continue to decline, a troublesome sign for the state’s $50 billion agriculture industry which supplies more than 25% of the country’s food. “It’s one of those existential years in California, when we’ve got an extreme drought and farmers are going to be hurting all over the place,” Chris Scheuring, California Farm Bureau’s senior counsel, told Business Insider. “Some folks may be able to default to groundwater, but it’s going to be a very, very tough year for farmers.” … ” Read more from Boss Magazine here: Shortages expected amidst California ‘megadrought’
In other California water news today …
How water bonds plug spending holes
“As California responds to yet another drought and prepares for a future of greater climate extremes, securing funding to boost the water system’s resilience is a top priority. One go-to funding source over the last two decades has been state general obligation bonds. In dollar terms, GO bonds play a relatively small role in water system spending, yet they punch above their weight when it comes to filling critical gaps. In fact, bonds have helped fund water’s fiscal orphans—critical activities that lack stable, long-term funding sources—including providing safe drinking water for small communities and managing floods, stormwater, and ecosystems. ... ” Read more from the PPIC here: How water bonds plug spending holes
Court rules water district rate increases violated Proposition 218
“A court of appeal invalidated a water district’s adopted rate increases, concluding that the district failed to meet its burden under Proposition 218 of establishing that the increases did not exceed the cost of providing the water service. KCSFV I, LLC v. Florin County Water District [a Sacramento water district], No. C088824 (3rd Dist., May 28, 2021). Following a hearing, the Board of Directors of the Florin County Water District voted to increase its water rates by 50 percent. Data presented by staff at the hearing showed that revenues would exceed expenditures in each of the four years following the rate increase, culminating in a net profit of almost $1.4 million in the fourth year. The Court of Appeal upheld plaintiffs’ challenge to the rate increase, finding that the District failed to prove that the amount of the increase did not exceed the cost of providing the water service. … ” Read more from the California Land Use & Development blog here: Court rules water district rate increases violated Proposition 218
A new water treatment technology could also help Mars explorers
“A team led by UC Riverside engineers has developed a catalyst to remove a dangerous chemical from water on Earth that could also make Martian soil safer for agriculture and help produce oxygen for human Mars explorers. Perchlorate, a negative ion consisting of one chlorine atom bonded to four oxygen atoms, occurs naturally in some soils on Earth, and is especially abundant in Martian soil. As a powerful oxidizer, perchlorate is also manufactured and used in solid rocket fuel, fireworks, munitions, airbag initiators for vehicles, matches and signal flares. It is a byproduct in some disinfectants and herbicides. Because of its ubiquity in both soil and industrial goods, perchlorate is a common water contaminant that causes certain thyroid disorders. Perchlorate bioaccumulates in plant tissues and a large amount of perchlorate found in Martian soil could make food grown there unsafe to eat, limiting the potential for human settlements on Mars. Perchlorate in Martian dust could also be hazardous to explorers. … ” Read more from UC Riverside here: A new water treatment technology could also help Mars explorers
How capturing floodwaters can reduce flooding and combat drought
“Farmers toil at the mercy of nature’s whims, which can prove particularly vexing in California. Even before climate change, bouncing between drought and deluge was routine in the Central Valley, the state’s richest farming region. Humans have amplified these natural cycles by pumping greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, studies show, creating a future filled with what scientists recently dubbed “whiplash events.” … Such dramatic swings will create even more headaches for California farmers and water managers, who have more than their share in a good year. Now, as California farmers grapple with reduced federal water allocations amid an intensifying drought, a recent study challenges policymakers to think about floods. … ” Read more from Inside Climate News here: How capturing floodwaters can reduce flooding and combat drought
Quenching thirst and generating power along California’s irrigation canals
“According to a team of scientists from UC Merced, California’s 4,000 miles of irrigation canals lose 63 billion gallons of water each year to evaporation—a problem that could be solved by shading them with solar panels. In their feasibility study, published in the journal Nature Sustainability in March, the researchers proposed that an over-canal solar network would not only reduce evaporation but also power the pumps needed to move water across the state. California’s massive water conveyance system, the largest in the world, could go from being the single largest consumer of electricity in the state to being largely self-powering. … ” Continue reading at California Magazine here: Quenching thirst and generating power along California’s irrigation canals
CDFA set to update SWEEP, public comment being accepted on draft report
“The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) is taking public comment on proposed updates to the State Water Efficiency and Enhancement Program (SWEEP). Last October, CDFA’s Environmental Farming Act Science Advisory Panel convened an ad hoc advisory group charged with developing potential changes to the program. SWEEP is aimed at improving water conservation and reducing greenhouse gas emissions through upgrading on-farm irrigation systems. The 41-member ad hoc advisory group developed an outline proposal emphasizing three primary areas of focus that includes successes and shortcomings of the current SWEEP program and potential improves to help address new resource management challenges. … ” Read more from Ag Net West here: CDFA set to update SWEEP, public comment being accepted on draft report
Effects of the Creek Fire on the Sierra Vista Scenic Byway gets a closer look on this new episode of “outside beyond the lens”
“Another episode of “Outside Beyond the Lens” hits close to home for the mountain communities in California living with the effects of wildfire. The Creek Fire ignited in September 2020 and burned nearly, 400,000 acres in Central California. To date, this is the largest wildfire event in the state’s recorded history. Portions of the Sierra National Forest were badly damaged, and familiar landscapes have been transformed forever. Emmy Award-winning documentary filmmaker, Jeff Aiello, and the “Outside Beyond the Lens” team explore the Sierra Scenic Byway to see how this beloved road trip route through the heart of the Sierra Nevada Mountains has changed. In this episode, they learn how to live with the effects of wildfire after the flames are out. … ” Read more from Sierra News Online here: Effects of the Creek Fire on the Sierra Vista Scenic Byway gets a closer look on this new episode of “outside beyond the lens”
California not doing as well as it thinks in reducing carbon, investigation finds
“In her latest investigation, Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative journalist Lisa Song reports that millions of carbon credits generated by California’s cap-and-trade program do not represent real reductions in planet-warming gas emissions. Song writes that these “ghost credits” allowed the industry to emit unaccounted for emissions that are the equivalent of adding millions of cars to the road. “Those ghost credits represent nearly one-in-three credits issued through California’s primary forest offset program, highlighting systemic flaws in the rules and suggesting widespread gaming of the market,” Song writes. The story, which was co-reported with James Temple of MIT Technology Review, relies on data from the Bay Area nonprofit research group Carbon Plan. … ” Read more from KQED here: California not doing as well as it thinks in reducing carbon, investigation finds
Legal briefs …
Rotary screw trap lawsuit
“While floating in inner tubes down the American River near Sacramento, a woman claims she was sucked into a rotary screw trap operated by federal and state marine biologists and would have drowned had her son not wedged the blades and pulled her free.” Via Courthouse News Service.
Napa County groundwater public trust
Water Audit California alleges the failure of Napa County to manage groundwater resources interconnected with the Napa River in a manner consistent with the public trust doctrine. Legal brief here.
In columns and commentary today …
Column: Calif.’s drought isn’t as bad as the last one. It’s worse.
Columnist Wayne Western, Jr. writes, “California has experienced two of the wettest years on record in the past four years. Many believe that our precipitation is such that we used every last drop. In fact, our current population is such, that we lost a congressional seat due to people leaving California. The only thing leaving California faster than people is our water, straight to the ocean. We are now smack-dab in the middle of a re-run of 2014 and 2015. We have a declaration of emergency by a weak Governor who immediately surrenders authority to unelected bureaucrats, groups who pose as environmental safeguards saying no water is too much water for farmers, and a media anxious to print and report how agriculture is destroying the planet with no interest in factual information. All while their mouths are full, of course. … ” Read more from the San Joaquin Valley Sun here: Column: Calif.’s drought isn’t as bad as the last one. It’s worse.
Column: Mega drought: As goes Anasazi civilization, so goes California?
Dennis Wyatt, Courier Columnist, writes, “The Anasazi civilization, or the Ancient Ones, by all accounts was incredibly advanced. It prospered for 11 centuries in what are now large swaths of Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, and Colorado as well as a portion of Northern Mexico. They had food year round thanks to irrigation advancements unmatched at the time by any civilization in the Americas. They also were credited with a number of technological and/or science advances. They were the first to make baskets woven with straw and employing pinyon pitch that could hold water. They built structures with technology extremely advanced for their times. Many were built into the sides of cliffs. They also had failure advanced astronomy. So what happened to the Anasazi? … ” Continue reading at the Ceres Courier here: Column: Mega drought: As goes Anasazi civilization, so goes California?
In regional water news and commentary today …
To Free a River: Klamath River tribes are preparing for the biggest dam removal project in the history of the US
“Frankie Joe Myers vividly remembers the fall of 2002. Chinook salmon entered the Klamath River estuary in northwest California, as they have done for millennia, but before they could reach their spawning grounds, they began washing up on the banks, dead. Most of the dead fish turned up within the Yurok Indian Reservation, which flanks 44 miles of the Klamath River in Del Norte and Humboldt counties. Amid the stench of rotting carcasses, members of the Hoopa, Karuk, and Yurok tribes worked with state and federal agencies to tally the dead fish. Agencies acknowledged that the official count of nearly 35,000 was conservative; the true number was likely twice that. It was the largest fish die-off in US history, tied in part to water diversions for irrigation. … This May, as the region faced a crippling drought season, Yurok Tribe biologists once again confronted a Klamath River full of dead and dying fish. … ” Read more from Earth Island Journal here: To Free a River: Klamath River tribes are preparing for the biggest dam removal project in the history of the US
Amid mega-drought, rightwing militia stokes water rebellion in US west
“Fears of a confrontation between law enforcement and rightwing militia supporters over the control of water in the drought-stricken American west have been sparked by protests at Klamath Falls in Oregon. Protesters affiliated with rightwing anti-government activist Ammon Bundy’s People’s Rights Network are threatening to break a deadlock over water management in the area by unilaterally opening the headgates of a reservoir. The protest has reawakened memories not only of recent standoffs with federal agencies – including the one led by Bundy in eastern Oregon in 2016 – but a longer history of anti-government agitation in southern Oregon and northern California, stretching back to 2000 and beyond. ... ” Read more from The Guardian here: Amid mega-drought, rightwing militia stokes water rebellion in US west
Podcast: Klamath Basin water conflict could offer opportunity to revisit solutions
“The Klamath Basin is suffering the worst drought in the state. Competing need for the water by local tribes seeking to sustain endangered fish populations, farmers and ranchers, and commercial and tribal fisheries has been a persistent issue, and has led to conflicts in the past. The Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement, which took 10 years to plan, was a turning point and a compromise for the parties needing access to the water. The KBRA was ultimately not successful in Congress, but some say the relationships forged when crafting those agreements persist and can be built on to revisit new solutions. We’re joined by two geography professors at Oregon State University, Hannah Gosnell and Aaron Wolf, who tell us about the possibilities for mediating this issue. ... ” Read more from OPB here: Podcast: Klamath Basin water conflict could offer opportunity to revisit solutions
Environmental advocates call for Klamath Basin water allocations
“Tribes and environmental advocates fear flows along the Klamath River could be reduced to a trickle if the State Water Resources Control Board doesn’t take action on water use upstream on the Scott and Shasta rivers. Andy Marx, board president of Friends of the Shasta River, said the river “virtually dried up” over Memorial Day weekend as a result of excessive irrigation diversions. “The problem with the Shasta is it was adjudicated well beyond capacity in 1932 before fish were a concern and nothing’s really changed in terms of the drought,” Marx said. “Sprinklers are still on and alfalfa fields are green and pastures are green. I’m sure there have been some impacts on (ranchers and farmers) out there, but it doesn’t look a lot different from our perspective. The only big difference is the river has gotten so low so early in the year.” … ” Read more from the Eureka Times-Standard here: Environmental advocates call for Klamath Basin water allocations
Water diversion for Napa County vineyards harm Napa city residents
Kellie Anderson, Angwin, writes, “Among the nearly one hundred development projects pending on the county of Napa Current Projects website comes a sleeper of a project likely to go unnoticed by Napa city residents and businesses who will be most negatively impacted. The remote vineyard development project, (Hyperion Vineyard Holdings LLC. AKA KJS Investment Properties and Sorrento Inc. ECOA #17-00432-ECPA) proposed deep in the headwaters above Lake Hennessey, seeks to clear 156.8 acres of existing vegetation including oak woodlands, foothill pine communities, and grasslands in order to construct a vineyard in the Conn Creek/Lake Hennessey watershed. The project proposes increased diversion of surface water and development of a 48-acre-foot off-stream reservoir. … ” Read more from the Napa Register here: Water diversion for Napa County vineyards harm Napa city residents
Drought calls for desperate measures from Northern California farmers
“California has seen its share of droughts, but the one happening now is so severe that a longtime dairy farmer has called it quits. “It was the final straw. I tell people, I’m in the fourth quarter of business anyway so if not now, when?” said Bob McClure, a 60-year-old fourth-generation rancher of McClure Dairy, which was founded in 1889 and remains on the Point Reyes Peninsula in Marin County. “I couldn’t take a risk of running out of water for hundreds of cows, and I’m not going to haul water to the Point Reyes Peninsula at this point in my life.” McClure was already thinking about when he would wrap up operations at the dairy, but his decision to close at the end of May was “truly, truly driven by the threat of running out of water,” he said. … ” Read more from the North Bay Business Journal here: Drought calls for desperate measures from Northern California farmers
Cool temps and rain for Northern California? What does that means for the drought
“Two weather systems dropping down from the Pacific Northwest are expected to sweep Northern California this week, cranking up high winds, pushing down temperatures and even delivering light rain. In a state that’s water-starved after two consecutive dry winters, this forecast is good news, but experts said the conditions are unlikely to have any impact on reversing the catastrophic drought conditions or significantly stall the arrival of peak wildfire season. “Unfortunately, no. The upcoming period of cooler weather and some light showers across far Northern California (north of the Bay Area) will not substantively affect the extreme long-term drought in Northern California, which is expected to further worsen over the upcoming dry season,” said UCLA climatologist Daniel Swain who writes about weather, climate, and regional change in California and beyond on his Weather West site. … ” Read more from SF Gate here: Cool temps and rain for Northern California? What does that means for the drought
Marin County cattle ranchers selling off parts of herd because of drought
“The seriousness of the drought can best be seen in the pastures of West Marin County where cattle ranchers are being forced to take drastic action. It is a dire warning about the severity of the water emergency. Monday was not a good day for Mike Giammona but one he knew was coming. “We realized it a while ago. This just happens to be the day,” he said. His young beef cattle should have been up on the hillside of Millerton Creek Ranch, fattening up on lush knee-high grass. Instead the pasture looked like a moonscape and with little water for them to drink, the cattle were being shipped off Monday to a buyer in Colorado. The steers represented a year’s work and with each being about 100 pounds lighter, Mike didn’t expect to make a dime on them. … ” Read more from Channel 5 here: Marin County cattle ranchers selling off parts of herd because of drought
San Rafael dredging project gets $6.75M earmark
“San Rafael Creek could be dredged — at least in part — next summer. The Biden administration’s proposed budget sets aside $6.75 million for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to begin working on the $13 million project. The budget must be approved by congressional committees and is expected to be finalized in October, according to the city. Due to years of neglect and minimal funding, the creek has not been fully dredged since about 2003. It was partially dredged in 2011, but storms have carried sediment into the channel and shoaled it to depths as shallow as 2 feet in some parts, said Bill Guerin, the public works director. “This project very important for a bunch of reasons,” Guerin said. “The canal is a flood control channel, a recreational and shipping channel that is also used for police and fire rescue.” … ” Read more from the Marin Independent Journal here: San Rafael dredging project gets $6.75M earmark
Editorial: State funding is crucial for restoring San Francisco Bay
The Mercury News and East Bay Times editorial board writes, “Five years ago Bay Area voters wisely approved Measure AA, a nine-county, 20-year, $12 per parcel annual tax to restore San Francisco Bay and guard against the threat of rising sea levels due to global warming. The $500 million that it raised was a fraction of the estimated $1.5 billion needed to complete the job, but it was hoped that Measure AA would serve as a good start and attract state and federal funding to complete the job. California’s $75 billion surplus this year provides that opportunity. Bay Area legislators should lead the effort this week to include $300 million for San Francisco Bay restoration in the state’s budget. … ” Read more from the Mercury News here: Editorial: State funding is crucial for restoring San Francisco Bay
Forecasting wildfires: Scientists mapping fuel sources around Bay Area
“Wildfire experts with Cal Fire and Stanford University are using “old school” and “new school” technology to map how much fuel is out there for future fires. Vegetation moisture levels in some parts of the Bay Area are at historic lows because of a lack of rain last winter, and high summer temperatures are evaporating away what little moisture remains in plants. “The drought in California is looking absolutely worse, unfortunately, than last year. It’s really an exceptional drought, even by the standards of all the droughts that we’ve been having in recent years,” said Alexandra Konings, an ecohydrologist with Stanford University. … ” Read more from KRON here: Forecasting wildfires: Scientists mapping fuel sources around Bay Area
Palo Alto: New water management plan ponders steep cutbacks
“When the Palo Alto City Council publicly backed the Bay-Delta Plan in 2018, it was swimming against the political tide. The plan, formally known as the San Francisco Bay/Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Estuary plan, sets limits on how much water agencies can siphon from the three tributaries of the San Joaquin River. While it aims to protect salmon, steelhead and other river species, it has also attracted intense opposition and litigation from water districts that claim that the new restrictions will undermine the reliability of their water supply. The council’s decision to endorse the plan was lauded by local environmentalists, even as it runs counter to recommendation from Utilities Department staff and against the warnings of its own water supplier, the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission. … ” Read more from Palo Alto Online here: Palo Alto: New water management plan ponders steep cutbacks
Drought: Mandatory water restrictions coming to Santa Clara County
“In a major sign of California’s worsening drought, Santa Clara County’s largest water provider announced Monday that it is moving forward with plans to declare a water shortage emergency and to urge cities and water companies that serve 2 million residents in and around San Jose to impose mandatory water restrictions. The move will be the first time since the historic drought of 2012 to 2016 that Santa Clara County residents will face mandatory restrictions as the county becomes the most populous area in California to impose such severe measures. … ” Read more from the San Jose Mercury News here: Drought: Mandatory water restrictions coming to Santa Clara County
SEE ALSO: Drought emergency: Here’s a list of water restrictions that may be coming to Santa Clara County, from the Mercury News
Water shortage emergency declaration, mandatory restrictions coming in Santa Clara County
“The Bay Area’s most populous county likely will soon face mandatory water use restrictions, as officials from its main provider announced Monday they would declare a water shortage emergency this week. With drought conditions worsening in California, the Santa Clara Valley Water District said it planned to make the declaration and urge water companies and city and county officials to impose mandatory water use rules at a meeting Wednesday. The district — a public agency and water provider that sells to private companies and other agencies — cannot impose restrictions, only recommend them. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle here: Water shortage emergency declaration, mandatory restrictions coming in Santa Clara County
Sustainable farming helps Salinas Valley ag industry fight drought
“Have you ever been driving through the Salinas Valley and noticed how green the crops are against the golden hills? How do those crops get their water? The water comes straight from rainfall. It’s all local water. Monterey County is not part of the state water project. Rain that falls either directly waters the crops, accumulates in reservoirs or flows into the Salinas River. The water eventually seeps into the Salinas River basin for storage. … ” Read more from Channel 8 here: Sustainable farming helps Salinas Valley ag industry fight drought
Controversial sewer hike heads to Monterey One Water board amid objections
“A proposal that would more than double the cost of sewer service in the region over the next five years and has drawn the rage of the area’s hospitality and business interests heads to a board for final approval on June 7. The board of directors for Monterey One Water, the regional wastewater management service, will vote on the proposed schedule of rate increases. If approved, ratepayers will see a 47-percent jump in their sewage bills after July 1. By 2025, rates would be 122-percent higher than they are today. Monterey One Water officials have been advertising the rate increases to local governments and organizations since the board of directors tentatively approved the fee schedule back in March. M1W’s staff said the increase is needed to maintain and update the utility’s $750 million infrastructure assets, some of which are more than 30 years old. … ” Read more from Monterey Weekly here: Controversial sewer hike heads to Monterey One Water board amid objections
San Joaquin Valley: Putting farmland out to pasture not an easy task
“Not all farmland in the San Joaquin Valley will survive in a post-SGMA world. Estimates are that the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act will force between 500,000 to one million acres of land that’s currently farmed to be taken out of production to save groundwater. Which lands and what will become of those lands are major question marks at this point. If Gov. Newsom’s revised budget is approved as is, those questions could have an extra $500 million to help find answers. ... ” Read more from SJV Water here: San Joaquin Valley: Putting farmland out to pasture not an easy task
Start of Santa Ana Bridge replacement project brings Ventura County one step closer to removing Matilija Dam
“The Ventura County Public Works Agency commemorated the start of the Santa Ana Boulevard Bridge replacement project with a groundbreaking ceremony Monday afternoon. The ceremony took place at 2 p.m. and was attended by the county supervisor, Matt LaVere, as well as representatives from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and California State Coastal Conservancy. “The construction of the Santa Ana Bridge replacement is really the gateway to the removal of Matilija Dam,” said Glenn Shephard, Director of VCPWA-Watershed Protection. “This new, wider, longer and taller replacement bridge will enhance sediment transport, reduce the need for maintenance after major storm events, and improve migration up and down the Ventura River for the federally-endangered southern California steelhead.” ... ” Read more from KEYT here: Start of Santa Ana Bridge replacement project brings Ventura County one step closer to removing Matilija Dam
Battle over Southern California water czar is clash between old vision and new, observers say
“The most important thing to understand: If you’re reading this, you live in a desert. And you can live in this desert because politicians, scientists and engineers have moved mountains, almost literally, to bring you life-giving water. The latest brawl in Water World plays out on this backdrop, and what comes out of your tap may well depend on the result. Will it come from recycled waste water? Desalination plants? A giant tunnel or two under the Delta? The answers will, in large part, depend on who’s chosen to lead the gargantuan Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, which provides water to 19 million people from Ventura County to the Mexican border. … ” Read more from the LA Daily News here: Battle over Southern California water czar is clash between old vision and new, observers say
Metropolitan wins top honors for best tasting tap water in the U.S.
“The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California has the best-tasting tap water in the nation, a panel of judges concluded this weekend as part of the 31st annual Berkeley Springs International Water Tasting competition, featuring water sourced from 14 countries and 19 states. Metropolitan garnered top honors in the municipal water category, with its member agency, the City of Santa Ana, coming in at second place. “While water quality and safety are always our utmost priorities, it’s also important to us that consumers like the taste of our water. Good taste is an important confirmation for consumers of the quality of the water coming from their taps,” Metropolitan General Manager Jeffrey Kightlinger said. “ I want to congratulate all of our employees – the laboratory and operations staff, planners, and engineers– who contribute to delivering the highest quality water for our Southern California region. I also want to commend the City of Santa Ana for their silver medal.” … ”
Fullerton: Raytheon to install extraction pipes and pumps to remove water contaminants
“City Council approved an agreement with the Raytheon Company that requires them to install pipes and pumps to treat groundwater contaminated by volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The Hughes Aircraft Company previously owned the site northeast of the intersection of Malvern Ave. and Gilbert St, and then sold it to Raytheon. Environmental investigation of the site discovered the presence of VOCs that pose risk to human health. If left untreated and uncontained, they could migrate into the deeper groundwater zone where the City extracts its drinking water. The nearest City water production well to the site is located approximately 4,000 feet downgradient to the site boundary. Testing at this site detected VOCs in the deepest screened parts of the well. … ” Read more from the Fullerton Observer here: Raytheon to install extraction pipes and pumps to remove water contaminants
SoCal: Can California avoid another toxic waste disaster?
“For decades, large red-hot furnaces cooked the lead from smashed batteries at the Exide plant, just seven miles from Downtown Los Angeles, spouting plumes of toxic air that settled on and contaminated thousands of homes. Exide’s residue remains with us in other ways. It isn’t just that the hazardous waste facility in the city of Vernon has been blamed for causing unexplained illnesses among nearby residents, or that the bankruptcy agreement inked last year allowed the owners to leave the enormous bill for cleaning up one of the largest industrial messes in state history with California taxpayers. The ghosts of Exide also haunt the Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) — the agency responsible for managing the state’s nastiest toxic wastes — when it fails in its mission to protect human health and the environment, along with the taxpayer’s wallet. ... ” Read more from Capitol & Main here: SoCal: Can California avoid another toxic waste disaster?
Coachella Valley: Hefty water rate hikes could be coming for CVWD customers
“The Coachella Valley Water District is expected to vote Tuesday on a series of hikes that could sharply raise some residential and commercial customers’ monthly water bills over the next five years. The proposed hikes would mean an average family that uses about 20 ccf per month could see their bill rise from $32 currently to $48 by 2026, according to agenda materials. A ccf, or one hundred cubic feet, equals is 748 gallons of water. But some large user rates could actually fall slightly starting this July 1, and some small, single-family users could see much higher initial rate increases, according to a staff presentation. … ” Read more from the Desert Sun here: Hefty water rate hikes could be coming for CVWD customers
Rising water costs prompt two North County communities to look for alternatives
“A water war is heating up in the North County. Rainbow Municipal Water District and Fallbrook Public Utility District want to leave the San Diego County Water Authority (SDCWA) because of rising costs. They want to join the Eastern Municipal Water District in Riverside County, a move that could save their customers up to $5 million a year. Tom Kennedy, Rainbow Municipal’s general manager, said rates have been going up for years without any real benefits to customers. … Helping farmers stay in business is why Rainbow and Fallbrook filed the application in March 2020 to separate from the SDCWA in a process called detachment. ... ” Continue reading at KPBS here: Rising water costs prompt two North County communities to look for alternatives
Along the Colorado River …
Lake Mead just 37% full as drought holds Western U.S. in its grip
“A drought has much of the Western U.S. in its grip. Scientists are calling it a “mega-drought,” brought on by climate change. It’s taking a dramatic toll on the Colorado River System, which provides water to 40 million people in seven states, including Nevada. Lake Mead is now just 37% full, and this week, it could hit its lowest point ever. The last time the lake reached its lowest level since being filled in the 1930s was in 2016. If we have a federal shortage in 2022, that would mean a decline of about 8,000-acre-feet, or 2,608,000,000 gallons, of water to the Silver State. Right now, it wouldn’t cause any cuts here because we don’t take all the amount we are allotted out of the lake. ... ” Read more from Channel 8 here: Lake Mead just 37% full as drought holds Western U.S. in its grip
With new law, Las Vegas water agency bets on ‘aggressive municipal water conservation measure’ to remove decorative turf, conserve Colorado River supply
Drought-stricken Nevada enacts ban on ‘non-functional’ grass
“Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak has signed legislation to make the state the first in the U.S. to ban certain kinds of grass. The measure signed last Friday will ban water users in southern Nevada from planting decorative grass so they conserve water. The grass ban starting in 2027 applies to office parks, entrances to housing developments and street medians. But it does not apply to homes or parks. Water officials say the ban will eliminate about 40% of the grass in the region. … ” Read more from Fox 21 News here: Drought-stricken Nevada enacts ban on ‘non-functional’ grass
Increasing contamination causes shutdown of Tucson water treatment plant
“The groundwater on Tucson’s south side has gotten so contaminated that Tucson Water will soon shut down the plant that’s been treating it for 27 years. The Tucson Airport Remediation Project plant will be temporarily but indefinitely shut down because it’s getting too costly to remove “forever chemicals” known as PFAS from it, officials say. The plant has served about 60,000 customers in downtown Tucson and other parts of the city’s urban core with water that’s been treated to remove PFAS and two others contaminants, trichloroethylene and 1,4-dioxane. … ” Read more from the Arizona Sun here: Increasing contamination causes shutdown of Tucson water treatment plant
Colorado: Last summer’s massive wildfires bring heavy metals to this year’s spring runoff
“Liz Roberts is digging into snow-soaked dirt just above the banks of Grizzly Creek in western Colorado. With bare fingers she sifts through the dark soil, looking for life amid the ruins of last summer’s devastating Grizzly Creek fire. When she finds tiny dormant roots, she smiles and exposes more soil to show visitors that this ground, just two or three inches down, is filled with plant matter that will grow and bloom in the summer when the snow melts. But farther along this same trail, in the White River National Forest just east of Glenwood Springs, there is thick ash beneath the snow, and few dormant roots. This means the soil was so injured by the fire that burned for more than four months that it has become disconnected from the mountainside, and the ash lying unrooted above it will be carried into the creek with the snowmelt. ... ” Read more from the Colorado Sun here: Last summer’s massive wildfires bring heavy metals to this year’s spring runoff
In national water news today …
Infrastructure: Climate worries spill over as talks drag on
“Rhode Island Democratic Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse said yesterday he is “officially very anxious about climate legislation,” as infrastructure talks between President Biden and Senate Republicans drag on. “I’ll admit I’m sensitive from the Obama climate abandonment, but I sense trouble,” Whitehouse, the Senate’s top climate hawk, said in a series of tweets. “Climate has fallen out of the infrastructure discussion, as it took its bipartisanship detour,” Whitehouse wrote. “It may not return. So then what?” It’s a concern that has increasingly bubbled up among progressives and environmental groups, who largely view Republicans as disingenuous and the bipartisan talks as a road to nowhere. … ” Read more from E&E News here: Infrastructure: Climate worries spill over as talks drag on
GAO to examine border wall environmental impacts
“A nonpartisan congressional watchdog has agreed to analyze the environmental and cultural impacts of the southern border wall. In a letter dated last week, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) told Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.) that it would take up his request to look into the impacts of the wall. Last month, Grijalva, who chairs the House Natural Resources Committee, asked the GAO to look into the extent to which Customs and Border Protection looked into potential impacts to natural and cultural resources before carrying out construction, and the extent to which such assessments aligned with those done by tribes, communities, federal scientists and environmental groups. … ” Read more from The Hill here: GAO to examine border wall environmental impacts
The haunting nature of plastics
“Early in 2004, a buoy was released into the waters off Argentina. Half of the buoy was dark and the other light, like a planet in relief. The buoy sailed east, accompanied by the vastness of the ocean and all the life it contains, the long-lived great humpback whales with their complex songs that carry for kilometers, and the short-lived Argentine shortfin squid. Along the way, many thousands of minuscule creatures were colonizing this new surface, which had appeared like a life raft in the open waters of the South Atlantic. The researchers who’d dropped the buoy followed its movement in hopes of learning more about ocean currents than generations of science and sailing history had revealed. They watched the buoy float into the wide-open ocean between South America and Africa, those twin coastlines that struck me, as I gazed at them on the pull-down map in first grade, as two puzzle pieces that once linked. They surveilled its movements by GPS. Eighteen months later, the signal ceased. Silence from the satellites. … ” Continue reading at Hakai Magazine here: The haunting nature of plastics
Warm clouds are cooling Earth, confounding climate models
“While the amount of carbon dioxide emissions steadily increases in the atmosphere, the formation of warmer clouds appears to have a cooling effect that has been underestimated by widely used climate models. An academic paper from a group of climate scientists published last week points out that the warming of clouds makes them larger, brighter and linger longer. That allows them to reflect more solar heat into space, negating some of the accelerating warming predictions made by newer climate models. “Our work shows the increase in climate sensitivity from the last generation of climate models should be taken with a huge grain of salt,” said Jennifer Kay, an associate professor of atmospheric and oceanic science at Colorado University, Boulder, and an author of the study. … ” Read more from E&E News here: Warm clouds are cooling Earth, confounding climate models
Today’s featured articles …
BLOG ROUND-UP: Protest filed over TUCPs; Dams and desal – CA needs both; Diversions by settlement contractors; Jobs, irrigation, and drought; and more …
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Also on Maven’s Notebook today …
NOTICE: San Joaquin River Restoration Program Ceases Restoration Flows, Water Rescheduled For Later This Year During Spawning
CA WATER COMMISSION: California Water Commission releases White Paper on State Role in Financing Conveyance to Meet Climate Change Needs
PUBLIC WORKSHOP on Proposed Russian River Emergency Regulation and recently issued Notices Of Water Unavailability for the Upper Russian River Watershed
NOTICE OF OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT: Once Through Cooling (OTC) policy draft determinations
