On the calendar today …
- The Central Valley Flood Protection Board meets at 9am. Agenda items include a presentation on using Department of Water Resources’ levee inspection reports to improve maintenance; the Delta Levee Maintenance Subventions Program; 2022 Central Valley Flood Protection Plan Update; Delta Conveyance Project Update; and the Sacramento and San Joaquin Drainage District Assessment District Feasibility Study. Click here for full agenda and remote access instructions.
In California water news today …
Drought, the everything disaster
“It develops in stages, a story that builds upon itself. A few cloudless days. Then a rain-free week. Soon a hot, dry month. Now the hills are brown and the crops need watering — the first signs of drought. The intensely dry conditions that have settled over the American West and Upper Midwest this year are well past the brown hills stage. Nearly 89 percent of nine western states are in some form of drought, and more than a quarter of the region is considered in exceptional drought, the worst category in the U.S. Drought Monitor. The indicators of widespread dryness are everywhere. Lakes Mead and Powell, the major reservoirs on the Colorado River, are 35 percent full with a two-year outlook that worsened each month this spring. California officials told vineyards along the Russian River in May that the system is too depleted for most of them to withdraw water. … When water stops flowing, painful days are at hand. … ” Continue reading at Circle of Blue here: Drought, the everything disaster
Why so dry? Experts explain factors behind stubborn drought
” … From low reservoirs to browning plant life and a disappearing snowpack in the Sierra Nevada, the signs of drought are inescapable. But what are the causes of it? To paraphrase the folk singer Pete Seeger: Where has all the water gone? And is it coming back? Four meteorologists who were asked, basically, “Why so dry?” offered their explanations, identifying the forces and factors, in the atmosphere and oceans, that have resulted in soaring summer temperatures, and stubbornly minuscule amounts of rain these past two winters. … ” Continue reading from the Santa Rosa Press Democrat here: Why so dry? Experts explain factors behind stubborn drought
These are the California crops that use the most water
“When discussing the drought, the question of which crops use the most water comes up a lot. A Pacific Institute analysis of California Department of Water Resources data sheds light on the state’s top 10 water-intensive crops in 2015, the most recent year for which the department has published water-use estimates. The department grouped crops into 20 categories when reporting water-use data. On average, California crops used 2.97 acre feet of water per acre that year, the data show. An acre foot is equal to about 326,000 gallons, or enough water to cover an acre of land 1 foot deep. … ” Read more from the Santa Rosa Press Democrat here: These are the California crops that use the most water
Giant rock wall built across Delta river to protect California’s water supply
“For the past three weeks, construction crews working 24 hours a day have been stacking boulders across a river in eastern Contra Costa County, building what may be California’s biggest defense yet against the drought: a nearly 800-foot-long rock wall. The state’s emergency project, which was wrapping up Thursday, is designed to prevent San Francisco Bay’s salty flows from pushing into the coveted freshwater supplies of the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta. Water levels in the delta’s rivers and sloughs have dropped after two dry years, putting water for almost 30 million Californians at risk of saltwater intrusion. The plan is to keep the wall up until November, when rain and runoff should start to refill the delta. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle here: Giant rock wall built across delta river to protect California’s water supply
Lake Oroville level likely to fall so low hydro-power plant will shut for first time
“Water at Lake Oroville, a key Northern California reservoir, is expected to fall so low this summer that its hydroelectric power plant will likely be forced to shut down for the first time since it opened in 1967. An unrelenting drought and record heat, both worsened by the changing climate, have pushed the water supply at the reservoir behind the Oroville Dam to deplete rapidly. As a result of the “alarming levels,” officials will likely be forced to close the Edward Hyatt Power Plant for the first time, California Energy Commission spokesperson Lindsay Buckley told CNN. … ” Read more from KPIX here: Lake Oroville level likely to fall so low hydro-power plant will shut for first time
California water use threatens biodiversity in the long term
“The state of California contains more biodiversity than the rest of the U.S. and Canada put together, but that biodiversity has long been put at risk by human water use. The diversion of water from the San Francisco Bay Delta, for example, is one of the forces famously driving the delta smelt to extinction. Now, a new study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences this month shows another counterintuitive way in which human water use in California is putting its unique riverside woodlands at risk. By diverting water in ways it would not otherwise flow, human management is providing some stream-side, or riparian, ecosystems with excess water that gives them a short-term boost, but undermines their long-term sustainability. … ” Read more from TreeHugger here: California water use threatens biodiversity in the long term
State, federal agencies award over $10 million for new Delta science
“The Delta Stewardship Council (Council) and the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) are pleased to award over $10 million to fund 16 critical scientific studies in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta and Suisun Marsh over the next three years. “The unprecedented competitiveness of this solicitation illustrates a growing awareness of the scientific challenges we face in the Delta and their importance for natural resource management, with implications that can extend nationally or even internationally,” said the Council’s Delta Lead Scientist Dr. Laurel Larsen, who helped lead the collaborative Delta science proposal solicitation and the review of proposals submitted to the Council and Reclamation. … ” Read the full press release here: State, federal agencies award over $10 million for new Delta science
UNR scientists: Wildfire smoke could negatively impact mountain lakes across the country
“The effects of the West’s increasingly frequent and sizeable wildfires and accompanying smoke plumes could have negative impacts on mountain lakes throughout the country, according to scientists studying the topic. “Wildfire can modify ecosystems hundreds of miles away from locations that are burning, and the impacts from smoke remain well after the smoke disappears,” said University of Nevada, Reno post-doctoral researcher Facundo Scordo, one of several researchers across the nation studying the issue. … ” Read more from the Reno Gazette Journal here: UNR scientists: Wildfire smoke could negatively impact mountain lakes across the country
California approves clean energy proposal to help respond to extreme weather
“California regulators approved on Thursday a proposal that will require utilities to buy more clean power, a measure backed by environmental groups. Under the proposal, utilities will have to buy at least 11,500 megawatts (MW) of capacity from zero-emitting or renewable resources between 2023 and 2026, which is enough to power about 2.5 million homes. The order will allow the state to respond better to extreme weather events and replace capacity expected to be lost from the retirement of the Diablo Canyon nuclear plant in 2024-2025 and several natural gas plants in the middle of the decade. … ” Read more from Reuters News here: California approves clean energy proposal to help respond to extreme weather
Not just wildfire: the growing ripple effects of more extreme heat and drought
“For the second weekend in a row, parts of the American West will be broiling. Get ready for some serious heat – in fact, dangerous heat on the way this upcoming weekend. This time, it’s in the Pacific Northwest with parts of Oregon and Washington state bracing for triple digits. … ” Read or listen at NPR’s Consider This here: Not Just Wildfire: The Growing Ripple Effects Of More Extreme Heat And Drought
Commentary: It’s time we change how we talk about wildfires
George Wuerthner, ecologist and author, writes, “Long ago, Mollie, the woman who would eventually become my wife, taught me a lesson in pejorative language. I won’t go into details, but I quickly understood how language can influence perception. Pejorative language is found in many other situations. With regards to wildfire, there is an almost universal tendency to suggest blazes have “destroyed,” “incinerated,” “damaged,” and that they are “apocalyptic” and a “tragedy,” which is language that exaggerates the effects of fires. If a wildfire burns down homes, it is certainly a disaster. If it leads to deaths, it is definitely a tragedy. But if a fire only burns through a forest, and even if it kills many trees, it is considered by many conservationists, ecologists, among others, an ecological rejuvenation or ecological enhancement. … ” Read more from The Hill here: Commentary: It’s time we change how we talk about wildfires
In regional water news and commentary today …
Wells drying up in Tehama County; concerns of the state drought and water usage
“Amid all the drought crises California is currently seeing, communities in Tehama County are recognizing that their water wells are significantly drying up. Tim Potanovic, Director of the Department of Environmental Health in Tehama County, confirmed that the county has to receive reports of wells going dry. “This is probably one of the worst droughts we’ve experienced in many, many years,” said Potanovic. … ” Read more from the Tehama Daily News here: Wells drying up in Tehama County; concerns of the state drought and water usage
Glenn County supervisors put temporary halt on agriculture well drilling
“The Glenn County Board of Supervisors approved an interim ordinance Tuesday that puts a temporary stoppage on the drilling of new agriculture water well permits in Glenn County. The moratorium, which took place immediately Tuesday, lasts for 45 days. City staff stated in the public hearing Tuesday that California is going through a drought and Glenn County and other areas of California are seeing the effect on water wells. After comments from supervisors and members of the public, which included domestic well users, agriculture well users as well as a representative from the Glenn County Farm Bureau, a motion was made by Supervisor Grant Carmen to pass the ordinance as presented. A second was made by Supervisor Tom Arnold and was then passed by a unanimous vote of 4-0. … ” Read more from the Chico Enterprise-Record here: Glenn County supervisors put temporary halt on agriculture well drilling
Northern portion of Humboldt County now in ‘extreme drought’ conditions
“The northern portion of Humboldt County has moved into “extreme drought” conditions, according to the U.S Drought Monitor, which updates its website every Thursday. The portion in “extreme drought” includes Trinidad, Orick and Big Lagoon areas of the county. There is “moderate drought” along the Humboldt County coast south of Trinidad, the U.S. Drought Monitor reports. The majority of the inland areas of Humboldt County are considered to be in “severe drought.” … ” Read more from the Eureka Times-Standard here: Northern portion of Humboldt County now in ‘extreme drought’ conditions
Judge unlikely to block logging in Northern California redwood forest
“A federal judge said Thursday he is unlikely to stop a logging project that opponents say will harm endangered species in a Northern California old-growth redwood forest because the dispute was already resolved in state court. “You went and lost in state court. You can’t restart the clock,” U.S. District Judge James Donato said, referring to a legal challenge against a plan to chop down redwood trees up to 100 years old in the Gualala River watershed on the border of Sonoma and Mendocino counties north of San Francisco. … ” Read more from the Courthouse News Service here: Judge unlikely to block logging in Northern California redwood forest
How is California’s landmark groundwater law impacting Sonoma County?
“The drought is intensifying efforts to conserve all of Sonoma County’s water resources, including a supply that has eluded oversight until recently: groundwater. But even as plans for groundwater monitoring and sustainable use proceed, tensions are building over its management. The authority to evaluate and regulate groundwater comes from a 2014 law crafted in the middle of the state’s last drought. It authorized government regulation for certain groundwater basins through the establishment of local agencies, with the goal of “sustainable” management – that is, no significant drop in groundwater tables year-to-year – by 2042. … ” Read more from the Press Democrat here: How is California’s landmark groundwater law impacting Sonoma County?
Sonoma County well owners under strain as drought hits underground supplies
“There are an estimated 35,000 to 40,000 well owners in Sonoma County, most of them residing beyond the reach of city and special district water systems fed largely by Sonoma Water, the county agency that serves more than 600,000 Sonoma and Marin county residents. There are about 12,000 wells in the Santa Rosa Plain operated by five cities — Santa Rosa, Windsor, Rohnert Park, Cotati and Sebastopol — the water agency, homes, ranches and businesses. Public wells account for 15% of use; private wells 85%. Private well owners are mostly untouched by the drought-prompted water conservation mandates facing city and suburban residents and the denial of surface water to some Russian River water rights holders. But as the region’s two major reservoirs — Lake Sonoma northwest of Healdsburg and Lake Mendocino near Ukiah — recede in the wake of two rain-poor winters, the tables are somewhat turned. … ” Read more from the Santa Rosa Press Democrat here: Sonoma County well owners under strain as drought hits underground supplies
EBMUD officials talk water wasters and how residents can save
“Will wasting water in 2021 become what going maskless in public was in 2020? Probably not. Which doesn’t mean public displays won’t bother some, especially those whose business is saving water. “My big pet peeve is seeing runoff when people are watering their lawns/gardens,” said Alice Towey, the manager of water conservation for the East Bay Municipal Utility District. “The sidewalk does not need to be irrigated, folks!” … ” Read more from Channel 5 here: EBMUD officials talk water wasters and how residents can save
Bone dry Bay Area forests portend fierce fire season
“Blackberry Hill has a panoramic vista of the South Bay, the stuff of bucolic, real estate fantasies. Serene, nothing but birds and chaparral and oaks. Alan Huston appreciates the view, but he’s much more interested in the chamise bushes that dot the sun-drenched hillside above Los Gatos. Twice a month, Huston, a meteorology grad student at San Jose State University, comes here, snipping new growth off of the native chamise plant. On a sunny afternoon, he took part in a data collection project to measure how much water plants have lost to heat and drought. “Up here at Blackberry Hill, you can tell the plants are struggling,” Huston said, pruning twigs off the bushes and placing them in tin cans. “A ton of chaparral, chamise plants that are just dead.” … ” Read more from KQED here: Bone dry Bay Area forests portend fierce fire season
Drought: Here’s the list of new water conservation rules for San Jose and surrounding communities
“On Wednesday, the San Jose Water Company announced new water restrictions aimed at conserving water during the drought. The company, based in San Jose, serves 1 million people who live in San Jose, Campbell, Los Gatos, Saratoga, Monte Sereno, parts of Cupertino and Redwood Estates. It said the new rules, the first of their kind since California’s last drought ended in 2017, take effect immediately, and apply to all residential and business customers in its service area. … ” Read more from the Mercury News here: Drought: Here’s the list of new water conservation rules for San Jose and surrounding communities
As state drought persists, local redwoods face a precarious future
“Looking more like candidates for tinder than the stately evergreens emblematic of California, the line of coast redwoods along Alma Street near the Palo Alto Caltrain station appear to be dying. Their branches are bare and desiccated, with broken limbs and sparse, drying leaves. They aren’t the only dying redwoods in town. A scraggly skyline of flagging and dead redwoods stand in stark contrast to the verdant canopy at the Palo Alto Square center on El Camino Real and Page Mill Road. This year is the second in what fire officials and climatologists have said is a severe drought. Historically, this May was Santa Clara County’s ninth driest in 127 years, according to National Integrated Drought System data. … ” Read more from Palo Alto Online here: As state drought persists, local redwoods face a precarious future
Why there’s no “creek” in the Soquel Creek Water District
“Here in the mid-coast area, many people know that the Soquel Creek Water District provides clean, high-quality drinking water to residents in Aptos, La Selva Beach, Opal Cliffs, Rio Del Mar, Seascape, Soquel, and parts of Capitola. But many may not realize that – despite the District’s name – the Soquel Creek Water District – does not get this water from their namesake. Not one drop! In fact, the District’s sole source of drinking water is the Santa Cruz Mid-County Groundwater Basin, not the Soquel Creek. This underground basin is also shared with the City of Santa Cruz, Central Water District, small mutual water companies, and several thousand private-well owners. … ” Read more from Lookout Santa Cruz here: Why there’s no “creek” in the Soquel Creek Water District
Answers to the Monterey Peninsula’s largest water questions are in sight.
“Looming questions over the future of water around the Monterey Peninsula – who will provide it? Where will it come from? – are nearing answers as the bureaucratic process around the voter-supported condemnation of California American Water’s local system picks up. Implementation of the public takeover of Cal Am that voters supported in 2018 requires passage through several gatekeepers along the way. The Monterey Peninsula Water Management District needs to make an offer for acquisition. Cal Am then accepts the offer or, as is expected, rejects it, triggering an eminent domain case in which the court decides who owns the water system. … ” Read more from the Monterey County Weekly here: Answers to the Monterey Peninsula’s largest water questions are in sight.
Pure Water Monterey set to take next steps forward
“The expansion of a Monterey One Water project that would deliver a significant amount of water to a thirsty Monterey Peninsula is moving forward with an eye toward agreements and financing of the $36 million effort. The agency’s board of directors will receive an update on the project during its meeting beginning at 6 p.m. Monday and can be viewed at https://bit.ly/3qs3Sfc. The original Pure Water Monterey project was jointly developed by Monterey One Water and the Monterey Peninsula Water Management Agency. … ” Read more from the Monterey Herald here: Pure Water Monterey set to take next steps forward
Monterey County experts warn of drought, fire dangers
“While water officials on Tuesday tried to put the best face they could on this second year of below-average rainfall, above-average heat and increasingly dry vegetation, there is little doubt that Monterey County is facing an ominous fire season, and if there is another dry winter, the entire county could be in trouble. The U.S. Geological Survey’s California Water Science Center defines drought simply as a persistent lack of precipitation, lack of soil moisture and reduced streamflows or groundwater levels. That would be check, check and check, according to fire and water experts briefing the Monterey County Board of Supervisors Tuesday. … ” Read more from the Monterey Herald here: Monterey County experts warn of drought, fire dangers
Removing Morro Bay power plant stacks could cost $30 million. Will company foot that bill?
“With the legal framework in place to remove the defunct Morro Bay Power Plant’s prominent stacks, it remains unclear whether the towering structures will come down. Some Morro Bay residents worry that the high cost of demolishing the 450-foot-tall stacks, estimated in 2014 to cost $30 million, could deter the property owner, Vistra Corporation, from tearing them down to make way for a massive battery storage facility — should community members support that option. Residents are also concerned about the need to remove soil contaminants that seeped into the ground at the 107-acre property over decades of power plant use. … ” Read more from the San Luis Obispo Tribune here: Removing Morro Bay power plant stacks could cost $30 million. Will company foot that bill?
Dry year on the Kings, reservoirs half full
“Kings River Water Association director Steve Haugen says runoff this season is likely to be the third driest in 125 years of record keeping. “We won’t know how it ranks for sure until the end of July with the chance it might be the driest ever,” he notes. “Our last wet year was 2019″ and Pine Flat reservoir, on the Kings, built up a cushion of water supply that carried the farms in the old lakebed below last year. The cushion is gone after two dry years, he notes. Haugen says Pine Flat Dam storage today is 379,000af compared to 758,00af this time last year. The reservoir holds up to million acre-feet. ... ” Read more from the Hanford Sentinel here: Dry year on the Kings, reservoirs half full
Santa Barbara County responds to water authority’s suit
““Whiskey is for drinking; water is for fighting over.” This ages-old adage — which many attribute to Mark Twain, even though it’s never been proven to be said by the author — is typically used to describe how the Western world views water. Santa Barbara County’s 2nd District Supervisor Gregg Hart told the News-Press that “unfortunately,” the phrase “still rings true today.” The county leader referenced the so-called Twain quote in light of the lawsuit the county now faces from eight county water districts. They are alleging that Supervisor Hart and his board are unlawfully inserting themselves into the decision-making process of how to manage state water supplies. The lawsuit was announced Monday. … ” Read more from the Santa Barbara News-Press here: Santa Barbara County responds to water authority’s suit
Ventura County: What we know about local water supplies
“Though Ventura, like most of California, is deep into a severe drought, imported water will buffer many residents against water shortages this summer and fall, local water managers said. The Calleguas Municipal Water District, which supplies roughly 75% of the county’s population — from Simi Valley to the Oxnard plain — expects no mandatory cuts this year in the amount of imported water it buys from the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, said Dan Drugan, resources manager for the Thousand Oaks-based wholesaler. Metropolitan, which imports water from Northern California and the Colorado River, plans to rely on water it has stored in reserves. “There are no allocations, no mandatory cutbacks for the Metropolitan service area this year,” Drugan said. … ” Read more from the Ventura County Star here: Ventura County: What we know about local water supplies
Mission Springs Water District may face up to $9.4 million in fines for large waste spill
“Mission Springs Water District is facing as much as $9.4 million in fines from state and regional water regulators after district officials failed to report a nearly million-gallon spill from a breached wastewater percolation pond as required, and failed to notify state authorities that a temporary holding pond had been constructed. District officials waited two weeks to notify state authorities that last Oct. 3, large amounts of treated wastewater gushed through Desert Hot Springs residential streets, after the side of a berm ringing the holding pond at the southeast corner of the Alan Horton Wastewater Treatment facility failed, according to the notices of violations issued by the Colorado River Basin Regional Water Quality Control Board in January and again on June 10, and district incident reports. … ” Read more from the Desert Sun here: Mission Springs Water District may face up to $9.4 million in fines for large waste spill
Along the Colorado River …
Low-flow research on Colorado River sheds light on eventual new normal for Grand Canyon
“Researchers from Oregon State University say ecological data gathered during a recent low-flow experiment in the Grand Canyon is a key step toward understanding Colorado River ecosystems as the amount of water in the river continues to decline. Dave Lytle, professor of integrative biology, and Ph.D. students Angelika Kurthen and Jared Freedman teamed with scientists from the United States Geological Survey during the March 2021 project to examine the quantity and diversity of invertebrates in the river. Monitoring aquatic invertebrates is an important tool for keeping track of stream health. … ” Read more from Oregon State University here: Low-flow research on Colorado River sheds light on eventual new normal for Grand Canyon
In national water news today …
The dam plan that works for everyone
“Like many who love rivers, I’m wary of dams. Sure, hydroelectricity produces clean energy, especially in the western United States, but the 20th-century water projects spree was reckless, often unnecessary and ecologically devastating. Dams wreak havoc on fish populations, displace local communities and smother spectacular canyons. This week, I was inspired to rethink the potential of dams and hydropower, thanks to a conversation with Dan Reicher, a senior scholar at the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment, adviser for VERGE Energy and fellow river rafter. Over 2.5 years of talks, known as Uncommon Dialogue, Reicher worked with stakeholders to develop a plan to increase the clean energy generated from existing U.S. dams while reducing environmental harms. The coalition reached an agreement supported by groups that historically have been at odds: the hydropower industry; environmentalists; and conservationists. … ” Read more from Green Biz here: The dam plan that works for everyone
‘We have a deal’: Biden, lawmakers reach tentative bipartisan infrastructure agreement
“President Biden and a bipartisan group of senators agreed on a nearly $1-trillion infrastructure plan Thursday, the culmination of months of negotiation over a proposal to fortify the nation’s roads, bridges and broadband internet access. “We have a deal,” Biden said, standing with the 10 senators in the West Wing driveway after their 30-minute Oval Office meeting. “They’ve given me their word,” he said of the group, five senators from each party’s caucus. “Where I come from that’s good enough for me.” It’s a big step forward, and validation for the Senate negotiators and a president determined to show that working across the political aisle is still possible in such a partisan era. But, given the deep divide in Washington and Democrats’ thin congressional majorities, securing the votes to pass a bipartisan package won’t be easy. … ” Read more from the LA Times here: ‘We have a deal’: Biden, lawmakers reach tentative bipartisan infrastructure agreement
5 things Congress learned from Haaland’s latest appearance
“Interior Secretary Deb Haaland offered a bit of news on her return to Capitol Hill yesterday, telling members of a panel she once served on she didn’t expect her agency to place a permanent ban on new drilling in public lands. But that wasn’t all. In her appearance before the House Natural Resources Committee, where she was once the second-most-senior Democrat, she was grilled on drought resources, monument designation in Western states, document request backlogs and the administration’s ambitious conservation efforts. Often she frustrated her critics by refusing to make promises or offer specifics, prompting Republicans to demand a “simple ‘yes’ or ‘no.'” But there were a few instances where Haaland made some revealing admissions. Below are five of them. … ” Read more at E&E News here: 5 things Congress learned from Haaland’s latest appearance
By the Numbers report …
From yesterday’s Delta Stewardship Council meeting:
2021-06-24-item-7-attachment-1-by-the-numbersAlso on Maven’s Notebook today …
PUBLIC MEETING: Potential for Drought Actions for Scott River and Shasta River Watersheds
OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT/PUBLIC WORKSHOP for Water Board’s racial equity resolution
NOTICE: Central Valley Salt Control Program Update
DELTA eNEWS: ~~ Best of Delta~ DSC Hire~ DSC Meeting~ DPAC Meeting~ Delta Production ~~
