On the calendar today …
- MEETING: Central Valley Regional Water Quality Board meets beginning at 9am. Agenda items include consideration of an Order Amending the Waste Discharge Requirements General Order for Growers within the Sacramento River Watershed that are Members of a Third-party Group; Status Update of the Drinking Water Well Monitoring Requirement in the IrrigatedLands Regulatory Program General Orders; and Executive Officer’s Annual Report to the Board: Summary of the Performance of the Board’s 18 Water Quality Programs in Fiscal Year 20/21. Click here for the full agenda and remote access instructions.
In California water news today …
California’s dry season is turning into a permanent state of being
“Drought across the Western U.S. has forced California to ration water to farms. Hydroelectric dams barely work. The smallest spark — from a lawnmower or even a flat tire — can explode into a wildfire. While this region has always had dry summers, they’re supposed to follow a pattern that leads to relief with the arrival of the annual rainy season in November. But a break is no longer guaranteed. In fact, there are now both short- and long-term factors drying out the Western U.S. Under the influence of fast-warming temperatures, as documented in detail by this week’s report from the UN-backed Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the region may be entering a drier state. Drought season might be giving way to a drought era. … ” Read more from Bloomberg Green here: California’s dry season is turning into a permanent state of being
Hot summer is melting glaciers on Mt. Shasta, sending debris and mud flows down the mountain
“A series of mud and debris flows have been closing roads and trails around Mt. Shasta in recent weeks. The cause of these debris flows is high up on the mountain, its seven melting glaciers. These debris flows are known also as lahars. “I think every major drainage at this point on the north and east sides of Mt. Shasta has experienced some kind of flooding, hyper-concentrated flow or a debris flow or a mud flow this year,” says Tyanna Blaschak. She is a hydrologist with the Shasta-Trinity Forest Service and says these flows are due to the melting of Mt. Shasta’s glaciers from a lack of insulating snowpack and the heat this summer. “What will often happen is we’ll get a debris dam or something like that kind of backed up behind an area where the glacier is melting, and you get some ponding and pooling and what happens at a certain point is that debris dam is going to release that water,” says Blaschak. … ” Read more from KDRV here: Hot summer is melting glaciers on Mt. Shasta, sending debris and mud flows down the mountain
Climate change hits sushi supply chain amid California water war
“If you’ve eaten sushi anywhere in the U.S., chances are the rice came from California’s Sacramento Valley. Fritz Durst, a sixth-generation farmer, has grown the grain and other crops there for more than four decades. But this year, amid a historic drought, Durst is planting only half as many acres of rice as usual. Farmers like Durst would be having an even worse year if it weren’t for water siphoned from the Sacramento River to irrigate fields. Those diversions, though, have dire consequences for another part of the sushi supply chain: The salmon industry. Low water levels and scorching weather have raised river temperatures so much that almost all the juveniles of an endangered salmon species could be cooked to death this fall, state wildlife officials have said. … ” Read more from Yahoo News here: Climate change hits sushi supply chain amid California water war
Inconvenient truth: Droughts shrink hydropower, pose risk to global push to clean energy
“Severe droughts are drying up rivers and reservoirs vital for the production of zero-emissions hydropower in several countries around the globe, in some cases leading governments to rely more heavily on fossil fuels. The emerging problems with hydropower production in places like the United States, China and Brazil represent what scientists and energy experts say is going to be a long-term issue for the industry as climate change triggers more erratic weather and makes water access less reliable. … ” Read more from Reuters News here: Inconvenient truth: Droughts shrink hydropower, pose risk to global push to clean energy
Megadrought or mega-hype?
“The drought that has gripped the western United States is far from typical, says the chief meteorologist of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. “This really is a drought of historical significance,” Mark Brusberg told his USDA colleagues in a recent webinar. In fact, it qualifies as a “megadrought,” since at least some portion of the western U.S. has been experiencing drought since 2000. “It never really went away and that’s the characteristic of a megadrought,” said Brusberg. … ” Read more from Western Producer here: Megadrought or mega-hype?
Cannabis growers seek solutions to water issues, including studying usage, monitoring theft
“Cannabis growers in the American West haven’t escaped the massive water shortages this year that have forced farmers growing crops such as almonds and blueberries to rip out plants or let them die in the field. The drought is depressing hemp acreage and worsening reports of water theft by illicit marijuana growers. “It’s just a hot mess out there, to put it mildly,” said John Nores, special operations lieutenant with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, who told MJBizDaily that water theft in his state this year has never been so severe. “These outdoor trespass grows on the West Coast are anywhere from 2,000 to 20,000 plants; they leave a huge environmental footprint on public lands and right at the edge of headwaters, the pristine waterways,” he said. … ” Read more from MJ Daily here: Cannabis growers seek solutions to water issues, including studying usage, monitoring theft
California’s forests are at a turning point. Why aren’t we committing to ‘good fire’?
Danielle Venton writes, “Year after year, California wildfires shock us with their relentlessness. The 2017 North Bay fires stunned us with their speed and death toll. Then the 2018 Camp Fire became the most destructive on record in the state, nearly wiping out the entire town of Paradise and claiming 85 lives. Last year’s unusual lightning storms led to what officials called a “fire siege.” This summer, as I see towns ravaged, lives lost and the second largest fire on record in California continue to expand, I keep asking myself: When will preventing catastrophic fires feel as urgent as fighting them? ... ” Read more from KQED here: California’s forests are at a turning point. Why aren’t we committing to ‘good fire’?
Wildfires on a warming planet: Debunking the myths
Doug Bevington writes, “If you read only one book about wildfire issues, I recommend that it be Smokescreen: Debunking Wildfire Myths to Save Our Forests and Our Climate (University Press of Kentucky, 2021) by Dr. Chad Hanson. This book exposes how misinformation about fire is leading to bad policies that harm forests and increase global warming. Smokescreen then points the way to genuine solutions. Dr. Hanson is a scientist at the forefront of fire ecology research. He is also the director of a grassroots forest protection organization, so he understands the on-the-ground implications of fire science. In Smokescreen, he interweaves his own personal experiences with exploration of many exciting scientific discoveries, making for an informative, accessible, and engaging read. … ” Read more from Counter Punch here: Wildfires on a Warming Planet: Debunking the Myths
In commentary today …
It is time to fight for tunnel design changes
David Gloski writes, “For more than a year, I have been a member of the Delta Conveyance Design and Construction Authority (DCA) Stakeholder Engagement Committee (SEC). The DCA is a joint powers agency charged with design and construction of the proposed Delta Conveyance Project (DCP), which will be controlled and operated by the Department of Water Resources (DWR). Basically DWR is not equipped to manage design and construction, so the DCA is responsible to DWR for the design and construction. … ” Read more from The Press here: It is time to fight for tunnel design changes
In regional water news and commentary today …
Yurok youth ask Secretary of Interior Deb Haaland about state of North Coast salmon, climate crisis
“On August 11 in the Redwood National and State Park where some of the world’s tallest and most majestic trees reach to the sky, Yurok youth Repoy and K’nek’nek Lowry from the Trinidad Elementary Water Protectors met with and asked questions of Secretary of Interior Deb Halaand about the local climate crisis and the state of the salmon on the Klamath River. 10-year-old Repoy Lowry explained why he decided to ask the Secretary of Interior about the North Coast rivers. “I felt like I was doing something important for my community, the fish, and the earth,” Repoy explained. K’nek’nek’ Lowry said it was “very exciting” to meet the first Native American Secretary of Interior. “It was so intense. My mind was racing, but I said the right things. It turned out beautiful!” said K’nek’nek’. … ” Read more from the Daily Kos here: Yurok Youth Ask Secretary of Interior Deb Haaland About State of North Coast Salmon, Climate Crisis
Struggling with drought, Yurok Tribe receives $20K grant to mitigate potable water shortage
“Northern California’s Yurok Tribe will have more resources to fight an ongoing shortage of potable water after receiving a $20,000 rapid response grant from the Humboldt Area Foundation and Wild Rivers Community Foundation. Like much of the region, the Yurok Tribe’s land is in a particularly acute drought this year. The tribe recently had to tell 100 residents to boil their water for the foreseeable future due to issues with the Klamath Community Services District’s water storage tank, which serves the small, rural community. “This is a humanitarian crisis — children and families are without water,” said Lindsie Bear, vice president of strategy, program and community solutions for HAF and WRCF. … ” Read more from Channel 12 here: Struggling with drought, Yurok Tribe receives $20K grant to mitigate potable water shortage
Karuk Tribe: Spring chinook creeping toward extinction
“A survey of spring Chinook salmon on the Klamath River has returned one of the lowest numbers in decades, spotting only 95 of the fish where hundreds of thousands once swam, according to the Karuk Tribe. “It’s devastating for our community,” said Karen Greenberg, restoration director for the Salmon River Restoration Council in a press release. “We have worked tirelessly for decades to protect and restore this fishery but it may be slipping away from us unless we act decisively to save them.” ... ” Read more from the North Coast Journal here: Karuk Tribe: Spring chinook creeping toward extinction
Chinook count tallies second-lowest count on record
“While hundreds of thousands of spring Chinook salmon once swam upstream on the Klamath River, only 95 spring Chinook salmon were counted this year during a recent survey of the species, the Karuk Tribe announced. The count was conducted by divers at the Salmon River Cooperative Spring Chinook and Summer Steelhead Population Snorkel Survey. The 95 tallied Chinook is the second lowest return count since the surveys began to be conducted in 1994. This year also marks the third year running with the second-lowest recorded numbers. … ” Read more from the Eureka Times-Herald here: Chinook count tallies second-lowest count on record
Can Fort Bragg avoid major water cuts?
“The Fort Bragg City Council had a full plate set for its meeting Monday night: an appeal (likely to be continued to a later session) on the Planning Commission’s denial of what would be the town’s third cannabis dispensary; the final decision on an ordinance regulating chain stores; and a couple of hefty budget “amendments” – $1 million-plus to reroute a water main leading to the town’s so far lightly developed northern hinterlands beyond the Pudding Creek bridge, and an additional $200,000 or so for trucking “solids” from the sewer plant to a distant landfill. … And, of course, water. … ” Read more from the Fort Bragg Advocate here: Can Fort Bragg avoid major water cuts?
Mendocino: Drought cripples a California coastal paradise: ‘We need water. We don’t have it’
“The Santa Claus of water rolls through this foggy coastal hamlet in a silver and white truck, bringing joy and relief. Wayne Jones refills water tanks for residents and businesses whose wells have gone dry. A bespectacled bald man with a majestic white goatee, he moves quickly and speaks sparingly. Amid Mendocino’s worst drought on record, people are increasingly desperate for the private water hauler’s help. Mendocino has no municipal water system. All businesses and homes rely upon wells — some hand-dug in the 1800s. But rain has been scant. Underwater aquifers are depleting. Wells are running dry. … ” Read more from the LA Times here: Drought cripples a California coastal paradise: ‘We need water. We don’t have it’
Could pulling water from the air be the solution for California’s drought-stricken towns?
“Mendocino, a tiny town on the California coast, is running out of water. The town, which has around 1,000 residents—but double that number of tourists each day in the summer—relies on a network of wells rather than a centralized water system. And as the extreme drought in the area continues, those wells are running dry. As many as 100 wells out of 420 in the community “have either gone dry or are going dry with the second drought year in a row,” says Gary Starr, a local resident. “So the town’s a little bit freaking out.” Starr is now pushing for a new solution: technology that pulls water from the air. … ” Read more from Fast Company here: Could pulling water from the air be the solution for California’s drought-stricken towns?
Trapping millions of ‘zombie’ urchins could restore California’s once mighty kelp forests
“Grant Downie is cruising through Caspar Bay, a small cove 150 miles north of San Francisco on the rugged Mendocino County coast. From the helm of his 18-foot fishing boat, The Rose, Downie steers along the jagged cliffs that surround a pristine beach at the shore. The sea in this protected inlet appears peaceful and calm. But below the surface, all is not well. Down in the dark green water, hundreds of thousands of spiny purple sea urchins are scavenging the few remaining scraps of bull kelp, a leafy seaweed that once canopied California’s coastal waters from San Francisco to Oregon. Kelp provides habitat for countless marine species and captures carbon from the water and the atmosphere. But scientists say climate change is threatening kelp forests around the globe. … ” Read more from KQED here: Trapping millions of ‘zombie’ urchins could restore California’s once mighty kelp forests
Lake Tahoe-area towns at risk of future flooding, UC Davis scientists warn in annual report
“Water in Lake Tahoe could rise to unprecedented levels, potentially placing communities downstream in jeopardy, according to a study from environmental scientists at UC Davis’ Tahoe Environmental Research Center. In the past two years, California saw brutal heatwaves and droughts shrink Lake Tahoe’s water level to a point so low that some boats couldn’t be launched. However, that’s expected to change. While temperatures aren’t projected to cool off, Lake Tahoe could see a rapid depletion of its snowpack and an influx of water during the coming years. … ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee here: Lake Tahoe-area towns at risk of future flooding, UC Davis scientists warn in annual report
New Habitat Conservation Plan and Natural Community Conservation Plan seek to protect ecodiversity in Western Placer County
“On July 22, 2021, federal, state and local partners held a signing ceremony in Lincoln to mark the Western Placer County Habitat Conservation Plan and Natural Community Conservation Plan’s (HCP/NCCP) transition into implementation. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) approved the HCP/NCCP in April 2021. The Western Placer County HCP/NCCP is the 17th NCCP permit issued by CDFW since the NCCP Act was created in 1991 and is now the fourth NCCP approved in northern California. CDFW’s NCCP program takes a broad-based ecosystem approach to planning for the protection and perpetuation of biological diversity. It is the state-level complement to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s HCP program. The issuance of an NCCP permit ensures regional protection of the plan’s covered species and their habitats, while allowing compatible urban and rural growth, and the construction and maintenance of needed infrastructure. … ” Read more from the Department of Fish and Wildlife here: New Habitat Conservation Plan and Natural Community Conservation Plan seek to protect ecodiversity in Western Placer County
Can Santa Clara Valley’s salubrious paradise hold up in California’s changing climate?
” … Nestled in between the lush green slopes of the Santa Cruz Mountains and the dry canyons and ridges stretching along the Diablo Range, the location of Santa Clara Valley’s 830,000 acres is key to its famed balmy temperatures and nearly perpetual sunshine, only 30 miles inland from the Pacific Ocean. As the coast’s chilly stratus layer consistently washes up against the valley’s silhouette past Highway 280, evaporating before spilling over the hillside, and the peaks near Mt. Hamilton provide shelter from hot winds of San Joaquin to the east, blue skies have usually been a safe bet to forecast for the nearly two million residents spread from Milpitas to Morgan Hill, Saratoga to East San Jose. Then August 2020 arrived. ... ” (In case you were wondering, salubrious means ‘health-giving; healthy’, according to Google) Read more from Inside San Jose here: Can Santa Clara Valley’s salubrious paradise hold up in California’s changing climate?
Stanislaus River basin suffering from its 5th driest year since 1901
“On any given day a small group of farmers gather behind Jimmy’s One Stop on Airport Way, kick back in resin patio chairs and shoot the breeze under a canopy of ragged trees. If they glance to the east they can see the future of Manteca — as well as farmers in the South San Joaquin and Oakdale irrigation districts plus struggling Chinook salmon in the Stanislaus — flow by in the San Joaquin River. The usually anemic mid-summer flow of the San Joaquin is being substantially augmented at the potential expense of sufficient water next year for 200,000 residents and 56,000 acres of ag land the SSJID serves. … ” Read more from the Manteca Bulletin here: Stanislaus River basin suffering from its 5th driest year since 1901
Fresno: Valley growers concerned about almond growth amid lack of water supply
“Tree shaking is underway at Hunter Farms in Atwater and in almond orchards around the Valley. Many growers are relieved to get the crop off the trees because many of them have dealt with water cutbacks due to the drought. “There are concerns because we’ve had a dry spring and a very hot summer, so trees are starting to be stressed,” says Darren Rigg. “You can see it throughout the fields when you’re driving on the 99 and the 5.” The Minturn Nut Company in Le Grand processes, packages and ships nuts to places like Costco, Kraft Foods and Planter’s. … ” Read more from KFSN here: Fresno: Valley growers concerned about almond growth amid lack of water supply
How dry are our lakes as drought continues on central and south coasts?
“Jordan Markley is loading his boat behind his truck at Lake Piru in Ventura County. He’s been bass fishing and says he’s never seen the water level at the lake looking so low. “Lake’s a lot smaller. In a day when we have 20 boats, so there’s a lot less of an area to fish for the same number of boats,” he says. His brother Trevor has a jet ski, and he says he would normally like to wake-board but feels like it’s too shallow right now. “It’s low and there’s a bunch of sticks sticking out, so it’s not the safest to wake-board on right now,” says Trevor. … ” Read more from KCLU here: How dry are our lakes as drought continues on central and south coasts?
As drought worsens, Southland residents face new calls for water conservation
“As drought conditions worsen, public officials in Southern California are beginning to take steps to conserve dwindling resources. The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California — one of the largest water distributors in the nation — is weighing whether to declare a supply alert for the first time in seven years, officials said. And one of its customers, the city of Glendale, this week implemented new mandatory conservation requirements for its residents. … ” Read more from the LA Times here: As drought worsens, Southland residents face new calls for water conservation
Long Beach will likely extend ban on utility shutoffs, late fees
“Long Beach’s ban on shutting off utilities and issuing late fees, which is currently set to expire Sept. 30, will likely be extended, giving more relief to people who are struggling financially because of the coronavirus pandemic. A group of city officials, including Energy Resources Director Robert Dowell and Water Department General Manager Christopher Garner, told the mayor and members of the City Council in a memo this week that they recommend extending the moratorium until Feb. 1. Garner said in a Thursday, Aug. 12, email that he expects the extension to go before the City Council for a vote within the next few weeks. … ” Read more from the Long Beach Press Telegram here: Long Beach will likely extend ban on utility shutoffs, late fees
Family-owned citrus farm makes tough choices as water costs skyrocket
“The pandemic hit during a bumper crop season for some farmers, meaning there was a lot to sell, but not many buyers. Now the sales are coming back, but it’s getting harder to grow the goods. Some citrus groves persist in Riverside. It’s what you don’t see at Bernard Ranches that’s worrying: about seven acres of land not planted. There could have been hundreds of trees there, but the water is just too expensive. This represents a pretty large chunk of Vince Bernard’s 50-acre family business. … ” Read more from Spectrum 1 here: Family-owned citrus farm makes tough choices as water costs skyrocket
Along the Colorado River …
Southern Nevada Water Authority looking to LA for more water
“Talk about a tough job: John Entsminger is the head of the Southern Nevada Water Authority, the agency in charge of keeping your tap flowing. His biggest job is to find new ways to keep our water supply secure, so he’s looking to LA for help. “We are working with Southern California on a major regional recycling project that could add a significant amount to our portfolio,” he told me as we chatted at his office. Unlike us, LA does not recycle its water, sending billions of treated gallons back into the Pacific. This project will see the SNWA partner with the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California to build a recycling system, allowing Southern California to recapture its water. What we would get in return is a chunk of California’s share of Lake Mead. … ” Read more from the Las Vegas Channel 3 here: Southern Nevada Water Authority looking to LA for more water
Arizona expects to lose one-fifth of state’s Colorado River water supply due to drought
“Arizona is expected to lose about one-fifth of its Colorado River water supply, equal to 512,000 acre-feet of water, because of a statewide drought, the Association Press reported. Nevada and Mexico will also lose some of their water supply from the river—21,000 acre-feet and 80,000 acre-feet, respectively—but Arizona will be hit the hardest by mandatory water cuts as it anticipates dropping 512,000 acre-feet. The water loss from the Colorado River accounts for less than 8 percent of Arizona’s total water supply, but each acre-foot can provide a year’s supply of water for one to two houses, the AP said. Cities and tribes will be spared by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation’s projection, expected to be released next week, but farmers in Arizona will feel the effects of the water cuts. … ” Read more from Newsweek here: Arizona expects to lose one-fifth of state’s Colorado River water supply due to drought
National water and climate report …
The Natural Resources Conservation Service produces this weekly report using data and products from the National Water and Climate Center and other agencies. The report focuses on seasonal snowpack, precipitation, temperature, and drought conditions in the U.S.
dmrpt-20210812Also on Maven’s Notebook today …
NOTICE: Notice of Proposed Emergency Rulemaking and Informative Digest – Klamath River Basin; Scott and Shasta River Watersheds
NOTICE: Reclamation re-announces 60-day comment period for Central Valley Project Delta and Friant draft contracts
DELTA eNEWS: ~~ Grants Workshops~ CWC Meeting~ ISB Meeting~ HAB Report ~~
