On the calendar today …
- FREE WEBINAR: Managing California’s Groundwater: Incorporating Climate Change and Multi-Benefit Projects from 12pm to 1pm. The final webinar will focus on incorporating climate change into GSPs and developing multi-benefit projects. Brief presentations will be followed by participant Q&A. Presenters: Pablo Ortiz, Climate Scientist, Union of Concerned Scientists; Samantha Arthur, Conservation Project Manager, Audubon Society; and Ryan Luster, Water Project Director, The Nature Conservancy. Click here to register.
- MEETING: Delta Plan Interagency Implementation Committee (DPIIC) will meet from 1pm to 3pm. California Department of Fish and Wildlife Director Chuck Bonham will moderate a panel on ecosystem-based management during drought. The panel will include representatives from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, California Department of Water Resources, and State Water Resources Control Board. Committee members will also hear updates on Delta science activities including the Science Action Agenda, social science integration, and the 2019-2020 Delta Crosscut Budget Report. Click here for the full agenda and remote access instructions.
In California drought news today …
Wildfires rage as US West grapples with heat wave, drought
“Firefighters were working in extreme temperatures across the U.S. West and struggling to contain wildfires, the largest burning in California and Oregon, as another heat wave baked the region, straining power grids. The largest wildfire of the year in California — the Beckwourth Complex — was raging along the Nevada state line and has burned about 134 square miles (348 square kilometers) as state regulators asked consumers to “conserve as much electricity as possible” to avoid any outages starting Monday afternoon. … ” Read more from ABC News here: Wildfires rage as US West grapples with heat wave, drought
How will the West solve a water crisis if climate change continues to get worse?
“Imagine a world where water is scarce in the West — or at least stretches of the increasingly hot and dry landscape. A decades-long megadrought spurred by climate change, which has led to alarmingly low reservoir levels in the region, nearing or at records in some cases, add urgency to considering this consideration. The West has more hydrologic variability — more flood years and drought years per average year — than any other part of the country, Jay Lund, professor of civil and environmental engineering at the University of California, Davis, and the head of the school’s Center for Watershed Sciences told ABC News. … ” Read more from ABC News here: How will the West solve a water crisis if climate change continues to get worse?
It’s not just water supply: Drought harms water quality, too
“A June heat wave sparked an earlier-than-expected algae bloom in the drought-ravaged drinking water reservoir in Price, Utah—a sign of climate change-related water quality challenges to come in the tinder-dry West. Extreme heat and wildfires are engulfing the region amid a historic drought that scientists think may be the region’s worst in at least 1,200 years. In response, some drinking water systems are beginning to grapple with maintaining both water supplies and water quality as they deal with potential legal and regulatory concerns. Climate change-driven heat and drought are exacerbating long-standing water shortages in the West, said Anne Castle, a senior fellow at the University of Colorado Law School and a former water lawyer at Holland & Hart LLP. … ” Read more from Bloomberg here: It’s not just water supply: Drought harms water quality, too
How the drought is affecting California’s crops
“The drought is pummeling many of California’s varied agricultural industries particularly hard, as farmers and ranchers contemplate a future without — or with much less — water. And it’s forcing difficult choices about the most efficient uses of a precious resource. Like all the rest of California’s thorny problems, which crops to grow and how much of them should be planted is a shifting puzzle unfurled across millions of acres. Consider the almond. … ” Read more from the New York Times here: How the drought is affecting California’s crops
In-Depth: California drought could make housing crisis worse
“As California enters another period of drought, experts say the dry spell could make an already difficult housing market even worse. … Stricter restrictions could cause problems in the housing market. Dr. Tom Corringham, a Research Economist from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, says coastal areas may not see the drought impact housing. But, he says rural and inland communities that depend on groundwater will be a different story. … ” Read more from Channel 10 here: California drought could make housing crisis worse
What to know: Types of droughts and how they impact you
“Just five months into 2021 and much of California is experiencing some form of drought conditions. It’s an issue that has plagued the Golden State year after year, impacting a variety of sectors of industry, the environment, and daily life. Drought is considered a deficit of precipitation over a long period of time, resulting in a shortage of water, according to the NOAA’s National Integrated Drought Information System. But this definition can vary by region and reflecting the needs and approaches of said region. Depending on whether a region defines a drought as a concept or idea, or an operational function, that can impact how areas respond to droughts and address them. … ” Read more from Channel 10 here: What to know: Types of droughts and how they impact you
Drought has taken the water from this farmer’s wells, but for her, life still gives
“It was the middle of a heat wave, but the little roadside farm stand with its crate of round, heavy watermelons and colorful rows of nectarines — the crimson ones that are juicy, and the pale, speckled type that stay crisp — lured drivers to pull over. Liset Garcia, 29, the owner of Sweet Girl Farms, greeted each customer with glee, and the returning ones by name, as they lingered to chat in the shade of three gnarled olive trees that mark this spot on a long country road at the foot of the Sierra Nevada. … ” Read more from the LA Times here: Drought has taken the water from this farmer’s wells, but for her, life still gives
Key players in California water confront drought, fish and more at Modesto summit
“A key message emerged when California water leaders gathered in Modesto: Stop grumbling about drought, and get cracking on real fixes. Rep. Josh Harder, R-Turlock, convened the Thursday afternoon summit at the Stanislaus County Farm Bureau. Several speakers called for new reservoirs and groundwater recharge to hold wet-year surpluses for use in dry times like 2021. The manager of a West Side irrigation district invited others to follow her lead in using water recycled from city sewage plants. … ” Read more from the Modesto Bee here: Key players in California water confront drought, fish and more at Modesto summit
In California water news today …
How a group of beavers prevented a wildfire and saved California a million dollars
“A dried-out floodplain in Place County – just north of Sacramento, California – was in perfect condition to fuel wildfires. It was 2014, and California was in the midst of its worst drought in decades. The floodplain was full of dry brush and devoid of moisture. Fire prevention and ecological workers in the state were desperately working to mitigate potential wildfire fuel sources anywhere they could. Ecologists – facing a dangerously dry floodplain and a price tag of $1m to $2m for a major construction project to fix the site – did something surprising. They called in the beavers. Thanks to the introduction of the industrious, flat-tailed mammals, the site was restored to a vibrant, marshy floodplain four years earlier than anyone anticipated, and with a significantly cheaper price tag. … ” Read more from the Independent here: How a group of beavers prevented a wildfire and saved California a million dollars (Note: Free registration required.)
East Bay ‘warlock’ uses ancient method to find water for building wells amid drought
“Upper Bollinger Canyon is as arid as any place in our region. You’ll find no sign of water, but that doesn’t stop a determined dreamer like Michael Carilli. “I want to put a house up here,” he said. Carilli must dig a well to make that happen — but where? Enter Rob Thompson of Thompson Well Location. “I’m a dowser. A diviner. A Witcher. Some people call me a warlock,” said Thompson. … ” Read more from Channel 7 here: East Bay ‘warlock’ uses ancient method to find water for building wells amid drought
California isn’t running out of water; it’s running out of cheap water
Wyatt Arnold writes, “A California water myth which becomes especially pernicious in droughts is that California is “running out of water” (Hanak et al. 2009). Viewing California’s supply and demand pressures in terms of fixed water requirements perpetuates this myth and invariably places undue attention on building additional supply infrastructure. Instead, managing water as a scarce resource suggests a balanced portfolio of water trading, investments in conveyance, smart groundwater replenishment, and demand management. With such a balanced portfolio, 1) California’s water supply situation is not broadly dire, and 2) California’s vast and interconnected water infrastructure and groundwater resources can minimize most problems from the state’s highly variable climate. An economics-driven model of California’s water system, the California Value Integrated Network (CALVIN), has provided such insight from several perspectives, including climate change, groundwater, water markets, and reservoir operations. … ” Read more from the California Water Blog here: California isn’t running out of water; it’s running out of cheap water
Technical paper: Approaches to planning water resources
“Water resource problems and management are complex, confusing, and controversial for participants in technical, policy, and public water deliberations. A thoughtful planning approach can reduce confusion and structure controversies. This paper attempts to summarize and organize various technical approaches to water resources planning. This paper summarizes the basic approach of rational planning, followed by brief reviews of requirements-based, benefit-cost-based, multiobjective, conflict resolution, market-based, and muddling through approaches to planning. Each approach has particular advantages and disadvantages for specific situations. Each approach also has somewhat different policy expectations and analytical requirements. These approaches are discussed in terms of practical contributions to addressing water problems in contemporary contexts, particularly for messy long-term regional water issues.” Read the paper authored by Jay Lund at the ASCE here: Technical paper: Approaches to planning water resources
California oil regulators deny new fracking permits
“California denied 21 oil drilling permits this week in the latest move toward ending fracking in a state that makes millions from the petroleum industry but is seeing widespread drought and more dangerous fire seasons linked to climate change. State Oil and Gas Supervisor Uduak-Joe Ntuk sent letters Thursday to Aera Energy denying permits to drill using hydraulic fracturing in two Kern County oil fields to “protect “public health and safety and environmental quality, including (the) reduction and mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions.” Aera Energy, a joint venture Shell and ExxonMobil, called the permit denials “disappointing though not surprising.” ... ” Read more from the Mercury News here: California oil regulators deny new fracking permits
Paper: An overview of the listing process under the California Endangered Species Act
“The California Endangered Species Act (CESA) is one of the most important legal tools available to the Fish and Game Commission and Department of Fish and Wildlife to protect the State’s wildlife resources. The listing process, together with the prohibitions in section 2080 of the Fish and Game Code, are the law’s regulatory teeth. At the same time, because any interested person can petition to list a species, the listing process invites citizen participation in the regulatory scheme. Listing decisions can be the difference between persistence and extinction of a species. They can also cause severe economic disruption and, for this reason, should in our view be made with due deliberation and based on the best available scientific information. Here we describe the complex roadmap that petitions must navigate and that is intended to assure that only native species that need protection get it.” Read the paper at the Center for Water Resources Policy and Management here: Paper: An overview of the listing process under the California Endangered Species Act
Illegal pot invades California’s deserts, bringing violence, fear, ecological destruction
“Before his corpse was dumped in a shallow grave 50 miles north of Los Angeles, Mauricio Ismael Gonzalez-Ramirez was held prisoner at one of the hundreds of black-market pot farms that have exploded across California’s high desert in the last several years, authorities say. He worked in what has become California’s newest illegal marijuana haven: the Mojave Desert. A world away from the lush forest groves of the “Emerald Triangle” of Northern California, this hot, dry, unforgiving climate has attracted more than a thousand marijuana plantations that fill the arid expanse between the Antelope Valley and the Colorado River. It’s an unprecedented siege that has upended life in the remote desert communities and vast tract developments that overlook Joshua trees and scrub. Authorities say the boom has led to forced labor, violence, water theft and the destruction of fragile desert habitat and wildlife. … ” Read more from the LA Times here: Illegal pot invades California’s deserts, bringing violence, fear, ecological destruction
In commentary today …
Independent science to solve Delta water problems is slipping away
Phil Isenberg, founding chair of the Delta Stewardship Council, and David Guy, president of the Northern California Water Association, write, “When the legal battle over employees vs. contractors wrapped up in California, no one thought it could throw a wrench into the long-established independence of the scientific body charged with protecting a precious California resource in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta: water. That is, however, precisely what happened. State counsel advised members of the Delta Independent Science Board that they were employees, contrary to the independent status required by the board. This threatens the independent science on which our state’s water decisions depend. … ” Read more from Cal Matters here: Independent science to solve Delta water problems is slipping away
California says water is a human right. Our politicians need to act like it.
Alexandra Nagy, California director for Food & Water Watch, writes, “California has a long history of treating public water as a commodity instead of a human right and entrusting it to industries that fail to manage it responsibly. Water is a public trust resource that needs protection. The federal Water Affordability, Transparency, Equity and Reliability (WATER) Act would put water systems back in the hands of the people who depend on it for life and livelihood. This bill would set aside $35 billion annually to shore up drinking and wastewater systems. It would ensure no one lacks access to water because they can’t afford it. With a federal budget reconciliation package in the works, S. 611 needs the support of Californians and our lawmakers. U.S. Sens. Alex Padilla and Dianne Feinstein and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, all Democrats, must co-sponsor this critical legislation and shepherd it into law. … ” Read more from the Desert Sun here: California says water is a human right. Our politicians need to act like it.
How much are you willing to pay for drought?
Romeo Agbalog and John C. Moore III with the Kern County Farm Bureau write, “Millions of Americans joined friends, families and neighbors to celebrate our nation’s Independence Day. This year’s Independence Day took on additional meaning marking the first time in more than a year and a half that we could gather free of restrictions, social distancing and the looming specter of quarantine and lockdowns. Backyard barbecues, cookouts and potlucks featuring hamburgers, steaks, baked potatoes, mixed green salads, and sweet and savory fruit are as much of a tradition as the fireworks that illuminate the skyline and every neighborhood corner. In fact, many of the delectable items featured on picnic tables across the country came from California, and from Kern County in particular. For example, Kern produces 80 percent of the country’s carrots, 44 percent of our nation’s grapes, 17 percent of citrus, and 10 percent of the world’s pistachios, to name a few. And much like the streamers that lit up the sky just a few days ago, we are seeing a new trend in a different item skyrocketing. This time it’s food prices. But why? ... ” Continue reading at the Bakersfield Californian here: How much are you willing to pay for drought?
In regional water news and commentary today …
Roseville joins area officials in urging water conservation
“Sacramento-area leaders across the region’s major municipalities-including the Cities of Sacramento, Roseville and Folsom and the County of Sacramento are urging the public to increase their conservation efforts as severe drought conditions continue to unfold, impacting the environment of the Lower American River this summer and potentially next year’s water supplies. The Sacramento region is experiencing the most severe drought of this century. What started as a near-normal snowpack, soaked into the soil or evaporated rather than flowing into lakes, reservoirs and rivers. By May, the snowpack was functionally gone, two months earlier than average, and Folsom Reservoir water levels were 68 feet lower than 2020. … ” Read more from Roseville Today here: Roseville joins area officials in urging water conservation
As California wineries lose insurance, some fear this fire season will be their last
“Winemaker Matt Naumann expected his fire insurance costs to skyrocket. The annual premium to insure his small vineyard and winery in Placerville (El Dorado County) had risen steadily over the last three years, from $7,000 per year to $8,500 to $10,000. After last year’s catastrophic fire season, “I figured, maybe they’ll even rise by 50% or 100%,” said Naumann, the owner of Newfound Wines. Instead, his fire insurance was revoked entirely. When Naumann’s broker tried to find other carriers, he met more denials. For now, he’ll be entering wildfire season uninsured. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle here: As California wineries lose insurance, some fear this fire season will be their last
Oceanside searches for ways to keep sand on its eroding beaches
“Oceanside’s annual harbor dredging and the occasional regional sand replenishment projects are not enough to save the city’s eroding beaches, a new study shows. A proposal to build rock groins on the beach appears to be the best way to stop or at least slow the steady erosion that has been chewing away the city’s coastline since the 1940s, according to the study prepared for Oceanside by the Long Beach-based consulting firm GHD. “Sand from this (harbor dredging) program does little to really benefit the city beaches,” said Brian Leslie, a senior coastal scientist and project manager with GHD, in a June 30 community Zoom meeting. … ” Read more from the San Diego Union-Tribune here: Oceanside searches for ways to keep sand on its eroding beaches
Drought brings stress, economic loss, and societal inequities to San Diego
“California’s climate is prone to prolonged periods of drought, which could take a heavy toll on people mentally, emotionally, and financially. It doesn’t suck away only moisture from fields and pastures; it can suck away hope, too. The most severe drought on the instrumental record stretched from 2012-2016 and had far-reaching effects on California’s economy, ecosystem, and citizens. According to a report released in 2017 by the Pacific Institute, the drought increased California’s electricity costs by $2.45 billion and contributed to an increase in carbon dioxide emissions. … ” Read more from Channel 10 here: Drought brings stress, economic loss, and societal inequities to San Diego
Along the Colorado River …
Bird count examines what happens when high-country Colorado irrigators use less water
“In the gray light of dawn, hundreds of swallows darted over a pool of standing water in an irrigated field along the Colorado River. The birds were attracted to the early-morning mosquitos swarming the saturated landscape. Bill Vetter, a wildlife biologist with Wyoming-based Precision Wildlife Resources, methodically counted the birds. For six minutes, he marked down every bird he saw or heard at eight different locations across the ranch, 250 meters apart. Vetter is part of an avian-monitoring program, headed up by Audubon Rockies, which aims to learn more about how birds use irrigated agricultural lands. In 2020, the fields near Kremmling where Vetter counted purposely did not irrigate as part of a state-grant-funded study on water use in high-elevation pastures. This year, irrigators are back to watering their usual amount and Vetter is tracking the trends in bird species and numbers. … ” Read more from the Colorado Sun here: Bird count examines what happens when high-country Colorado irrigators use less water
In national water news today …
U.S. data centers rely on water from stressed basins
“Thanks to our ever increasing reliance on the Internet, the amount of data online is skyrocketing. The global data volume is expected to grow sixfold from 2018 to 2025. It might seem like that information is swirling in the cloudy sky, but it’s stored in physical data centers. Landon Marston, an assistant professor at Virginia Tech, recently noticed news articles addressing the growing energy requirements of the data center industry. As an expert in water resources engineering, he wondered how those energy requirements translated into water consumption. “We know data centers use a lot of energy, and energy uses a lot of water. So how much water is being used?” said Marston. “We suspected that there could be large impacts at a very local scale, but there hadn’t really been a spatially detailed analysis looking at the environmental impact of data centers.” ... ” Read more from EOS here: U.S. data centers rely on water from stressed basins
More news and commentary in the weekend edition …
Scientists: triple-digit temperatures accelerating evaporation of critical water resources- ‘Unrecognizable.’ Lake Mead, a lifeline for water in Los Angeles and the West, tips toward crisis
- Is California ready for brown lawns and shorter showers? Drought spurs water savings plea
- One way to save California salmon threatened by drought: Truck them to the mountains and back
- Record drought to shrink California’s hydroelectric generation by 19%
- Newsom’s oil regulators deny new fracking permits, but industry is pushing back
- How bad is this fire season in California really going to be?
- The West is caught in a vicious climate change feedback loop
- Amy Merrill: The Collaborative Steward
- Honoring a water warrior:: How Harry Williams fought for Paiute water rights in Owens Valley
- Experts try to measure economic damage to Klamath Basin
- Two projects for the Eel River gain momentum
- La Niña: Could Arizona be in for another dry winter, leading to even worse drought conditions
- Bill aims to spend billions to fix nation’s aging dams
- And more …
Click here to read the weekend Daily Digest.
Also on Maven’s Notebook today …
NEPA DOCS: California Aqueduct San Luis Canal Geotechnical Investigations Project CGB-EA-2021-038
NOTICE: Updates to the Household Water Supply Shortages Reporting Website
