On the calendar today …
- EVENT: Delta Lead Scientist Ask Me Anything: Scientific peer review at 12pm. Join Dr. Laurel Larsen and guest hosts Dylan Stern and Lauren Smitherman for a discussion on independent scientific peer review, a core function of the Delta Science Program. This topic coincides with the release of the Science Program’s review report on studies from the Delta Mercury Control Program. Instagram Live; @deltastewardshipcouncil; #asktheleadscientist
In California water news today …
Madera County residents and farmers face groundwater challenge of a lifetime
“Madera County is running out of time as groundwater levels plummet to new depths. Wells are going dry everywhere. Drillers have months-long waitlists. Residents are scrambling for water tanks. And farmers will soon face a reckoning after agriculture’s footprint, particularly nut trees, has more than doubled in the past 50 years — far outpacing irrigation supplies. There’s growing consensus among farmers, county officials and residents that Madera’s groundwater problem will be solved mainly by cutting water demand, not by waiting for more dams to be built or even recharging excess water into the aquifer. … ” Read more from the Fresno Bee here: Madera County residents and farmers face groundwater challenge of a lifetime
Drought, wildfires create new challenges for California cannabis growers
” … As drought and climate change batter the West, many outdoor growers face a new obstacle. Wildfires not only destroy crops, but they also contaminate plants if they are soaked in fire retardant or tainted by excessive smoke. Sometimes the latter is jokingly called “campfire kush.” “The impact wildfires can have expands beyond just the plant,” said Luis Merchan, CEO of the cannabis company Flora Growth. “The growers are at risk, and we’ve seen it over a number of years.” … ” Read more from NBC News here: Drought, wildfires create new challenges for California cannabis growers
Dammed hot: California’s regulated streams fail cold-water ecosystems
Ann Willis, Ryan Peek, and Andrew L. Rypel write, “Given the current drought, it’s no surprise that California’s dams are struggling to provide cool water habitats to support native freshwater ecosystems. But what if they were never able to support them under any conditions? New research shows how current stream management fails to provide the patterns of cool water that California’s native ecosystems need. The challenges stem from two issues: an oversimplification of stream temperature targets and the assumption that dam regulation can replicate desirable cold water patterns. … ” Read more from UC Davis’ California Water Blog here: Dammed hot: California’s regulated streams fail cold-water ecosystems
Why some fish are ‘junk,’ others are protected. California study points to past racism
“Andrew Rypel grew up fishing on Wisconsin’s pristine lakes and rivers. With just a worm on his hook, he caught suckers, gar, sunfish and other native fish he never saw in his game fishing magazines. From a young age, Rypel loved all the fish species and it surprised him that others paid little attention to the native fish in his area. He noticed there were stricter fishing restrictions on game fish, like walleye and trout, than the native species. With no bag limits on many of his favorite native species, people could harvest as many as they pleased. “I learned that there were all these different types of species,” Rypel said. “Most of the fishing community focused on these select game fish species.” … ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee here: Why some fish are ‘junk,’ others are protected. California study points to past racism
Column: Building a pipeline to the Mississippi? An idea as harebrained as the recall itself
Columnist George Skelton writes, “The award for dumbest idea of the recall election goes to the rookie Democrat who proposed building a water pipeline from California to the Mississippi River. It’s nutty economically and politically. “No one in their right mind would want to pay for it,” said Jay Lund, a civil engineering professor and co-director of the UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences. “But this is a recall election. You have to expect some silly ideas that don’t make a lot of sense.” … ” Read more from the LA Times here: Column: Building a pipeline to the Mississippi? An idea as harebrained as the recall itself
Faulconer gets briefed on Calif. drought – “a human crisis by design”
“The San Joaquin Valley is quickly become home to another ignominious superlative: greatest number of water outages per community. The state’s ever-worsening drought conditions are pushing Valley communities to the brink on the precipice of a statewide recall election. As the Sept. 14 election nears, former San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer returned to the San Joaquin Valley on Friday for a briefing with members of the Latino Water Coalition, Fresno County Supervisors, and an assemblage of some of the top water experts in the region. As the Sept. 14 election nears, former San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer returned to the San Joaquin Valley on Friday for a briefing with members of the Latino Water Coalition, Fresno County Supervisors, and an assemblage of some of the top water experts in the region. … ” Read more from the San Joaquin Valley Sun here: Faulconer gets briefed on Calif. drought – “a human crisis by design”
The lifecycle of an almond
Nav Athwal writes, “The global increase in demand for protein has been a boon for tree nuts generally and almonds specifically. As a result, the almond industry is growing rapidly not only in the United States, but also in countries such as China and India. As more people in these countries enter the middle class, the demand for almonds as a source of protein and nutrition will only get stronger. … At Terra Ag, we’re bullish on the almond market and long on this commodity. As such, I thought it would be useful to give an overview of the lifecycle of an almond to help inform readers on what is involved to grow and sell this tree nut to the masses. I also want to bust some of the more outrageous myths around water usage as it pertains to almonds. ... ” Read more at Forbes here: The lifecycle of an almond
Droughts are making water, earth’s most vital liquid, an increasingly solid investment
“It’s been almost nine months since Wall Street turned on the taps — with the launch of the Nasdaq Veles California Water Index on December 7th, 2020, investors have been able to bet on the price movement of water. The real-world droughts that followed have made for an oasis of opportunity. As droughts and wildfires hammered the U.S. West Coast, California declared a state of emergency in April, and last month asked residents to cut their water use by 15%. As of July 31, California’s major reservoirs held just 53% of their historical averages. While the circumstances bode poorly for the verdant lawns and gardens of Hollywood’s rich and famous, the new H2O futures market is thriving … ” Read more from Nasdaq here: Droughts are making water, earth’s most vital liquid, an increasingly solid investment
Los Alamos National Lab Team brings expertise in atmospheric aerosols to new snowpack study predicting future of Western U.S. water
“A team from Los Alamos National Laboratory is about to launch research high in the Colorado Rockies that will help demystify water availability and support predictions across the arid West. Los Alamos is supporting the Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Atmospheric Radiation Measurement’s (ARM’s) Surface Atmosphere Integrated Field Laboratory (SAIL) campaign that kicks off September 1 near Crested Butte. SAIL will collect data from the East River Watershed in the Upper Colorado River Basin. The Los Alamos team will oversee the SAIL observatory for this period, which ends in June 2023. … ” Read more from the Los Alamitos Reporter here: Los Alamos National Lab Team brings expertise in atmospheric aerosols to new snowpack study predicting future of Western U.S. water
$2.3 billion to improve or remove U.S. dams included in new federal infrastructure bill in wake of a Stanford Uncommon Dialogue agreement
“In the fall of 2020, amidst a global pandemic and one of the most divisive periods in American history, the hydropower and river conservation communities, traditionally at odds, reached an agreement to work together to address the nation’s more than 90,000 dams. The momentous agreement was the result of a two-and-a-half-year Uncommon Dialogue, an ongoing process organized by the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment that brings public and private sector leaders and researchers together to develop practical solutions to pressing sustainability challenges. Now, key ideas from that pact, and a subsequent detailed proposal, are incorporated into the bipartisan Senate infrastructure bill, including $2.3 billion for the “3Rs” of U.S. dams: rehabilitation for safety, retrofit for power and removal for conservation. If enacted, the pending infrastructure bill would be the largest new federal funding for infrastructure in decades. … ” Read more from Stanford University here: $2.3 billion to improve or remove U.S. dams included in new federal infrastructure bill in wake of a Stanford Uncommon Dialogue agreement
Wildfire, drought and chainsaws: California’s iconic trees are casualties in the war on fire
“A yellow machine rumbles along a ridge in the Stanislaus National Forest on an early July morning, kicking up clouds of dust and mowing down trees with remarkable speed. The diesel-powered “feller buncher” grabs tree after tree with its powerful claw, a mounted disc-saw slicing through the trunks with ease. The vehicle’s driver drops each log with a thud before searching for new targets, wood that will likely end up being turned into lumber or burned for energy. Chad Hanson hikes up a nearby hill through pine, cedar and thick brush to get a better view of the action. The 54-year-old anti-logging activist is not a fan. He’s arguably the most dogged opponent of efforts like these to “thin” the forest with chainsaws and heavy machinery. … ” Read more from the San Diego Union-Tribune here: Wildfire, drought and chainsaws: California’s iconic trees are casualties in the war on fire
Attacking fires by air often does no good, expert says
“More than three-quarters of air attacks on wildfires are ineffective, according to internal data from the fire command in the autonomous Spanish region of Catalonia, whose head researcher is calling for major changes in how the warming world battles its blazes. The frenetic summer season, which has included a record-breaking 80 firestorms around the globe, has seen governments from Turkey to California bombing massive fire fronts with payloads of water dropped from planes. This makes for great media footage and provides cover for local politicians — at the cost of sacrificing resources to no clear end, said Marc Castellnou, senior fire analyst with the Corps of Firefighters of Catalonia. ... ” Read more from The Hill here: Attacking fires by air often does no good, expert says
In regional water news and commentary today …
Siskiyou County: In clashes over cannabis, race, and water, hard data is scarce
“Tucked between two mountain ranges in Northern California’s Siskiyou County, the Shasta Valley is as complex as it is impressive. Brad Gooch, a hydrogeologist, is still amazed by the landscape nearly four years after first visiting the area. But it’s not because of Mount Shasta, a volcano looming 14,000 feet over forest and farmland. Rather, Gooch is confounded at how little is known about the natural resources that lie beneath the valley. “It baffles me, to be honest,” he says. The dearth of knowledge is perhaps most pronounced when it comes to what scientists call the hydrogeology of the groundwater basin –– how exactly water moves through the volcanic rock below the ground. The movement of that water is the economic linchpin of the valley, with cattle ranchers, alfalfa farmers, cannabis growers, and others all depending on it. And thousands of residents also depend on the groundwater for their homes. … ” Read more from Undark Magazine here: In clashes over cannabis, race, and water, hard data is scarce
Another dry winter may be ahead in Sonoma and Mendocino counties
“It’s too early to say if Sonoma County and surrounding areas will get enough rain this winter to revive the parched landscape and replenish dwindling water supplies, but it doesn’t look good. “The tilt is toward a drier than normal winter,” said Brian Garcia of the National Weather Service. But, he added, “It doesn’t mean it’s going to be a bone-dry winter.” Garcia joined forecasters with the Weather Service’s Climate Prediction Center in briefing local water managers and stakeholders Friday. The message: Don’t expect the kind of above-normal rainfall that would be typical of an El Niño weather pattern. … ” Continue reading at the Santa Rosa Press Democrat here: Another dry winter may be ahead in Sonoma and Mendocino counties
Volunteers carry water for miles to help tule elk dying in Point Reyes drought conditions
“Volunteers carried out an emergency water drop this weekend, trying to help the rare tule elk that have been dying in drought conditions on the Point Reyes National Seashore. Saturday afternoon, nearly a hundred people carried water three miles to a pond that is on the verge of drying up. The National Park Service is embroiled in a lawsuit over the elk, one third of the herd has died in the past year from lack of water or sufficient foliage to eat. The activists say they brought some 350 gallons of water, enough for perhaps a week’s supply for the elk at this one location. … ” Read more from KGO here: Volunteers carry water for miles to help tule elk dying in Point Reyes drought conditions
Marin Municipal Water District scraps monthly billing idea
“The Marin Municipal Water District has decided against switching from bimonthly to monthly billing cycles as a way to promote water conservation. At a meeting on Thursday, the district’s board decided the nearly $1.2 million in added costs yearly that would result from the change would be better spent on a larger effort to install wireless meters for all of its customers. “We have got to pick our priorities,” board member Jack Gibson said during the board’s finance committee hearing on Thursday. … ” Read more from the Marin Independent Journal here: Marin Municipal Water District scraps monthly billing idea
Marin commentary: Charting a drought-resilient path forward in Marin
Cynthia Koehler and Monty Schmitt, both Marin Municipal Water District directors, write, “Lake Mead, which serves 20 million people, is at a shocking 40% of capacity, triggering the first ever shortage declaration. As the Colorado River crisis demonstrates, drought is pervasive. Even the mightiest reservoirs do not offer a panacea in the face of climate change. As we grapple with persistent droughts, the path to a climate resilient water future in Marin County, as elsewhere, requires a diverse supply portfolio and culture change. While we are members of the Marin Water Board of Directors, these views are not necessarily those of the entire board. … ” Read more from the Marin Independent Journal here: Marin commentary: Charting a drought-resilient path forward in Marin
Officials say Santa Clarita Valley water won’t be impacted by historic low water levels
“Historic low water levels at Lake Oroville will not impact the Santa Clarita Valley’s water supply this year, according to the Santa Clarita Valley Water Agency. Dirk Marks, director of water resources for the agency, said that the water from Oroville, located in Northern California, represented 5% of the water the agency is contracted to receive from the State Water Project. SWP sites include Oroville, Castaic Lake and many other locations and facilities in between that help transport water from Northern California to Southern California. … ” Read more from the SCV News here: Officials say Santa Clarita Valley water won’t be impacted by historic low water levels
How to make your voice heard on the future of the threatened Salton Sea
Chuck Parker, member of the Salton Sea Coalition, writes, “The 22-year-long drought in the Colorado River Basin is growing more severe. The levels of Lake Mead and Lake Powell are lower than they have ever been. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation has ordered mandatory cutbacks of water deliveries in 2022 with more cuts predicted in the following two years. Experts are acknowledging that the river has changed fundamentally: “No doubt climate change is real. We’re seeing it on the Colorado River every day,” as an official quoted in an Aug. 17 Desert Sun article said. … ” Read more from the Desert Sun here: How to make your voice heard on the future of the threatened Salton Sea
Along the Colorado River …
Some fast facts to know about the Arizona water supply
“Arizona leads the nation with rigorous water conservation efforts, and because of the 1980 Groundwater Management Act, Arizona has the legal and physical infrastructure that maintains a 100-year assured water supply to meet the current and future needs of residents and industry. … ” Read more from Arizona Public Media here: Some fast facts to know about the Arizona water supply
Commentary: Australia’s water woes offer a preview for Arizona. Will we avoid their mistakes?
Dustin Garrick, Ph.D., associate professor of Global Water Policy at the University of Waterloo, and Erin O’Donnell, Ph.D., a water law and policy specialist at the University of Melbourne Law School, write, “Hunched around a small boardroom table, a group of policy wonks known as “water buffaloes” were in a familiar place: debating the fate of a drying Colorado River. There are no solutions, just strategies to buy time, they concluded. That was in 2010. More than 10 years later, time – and water – is now running short. … Today there is a growing chorus of calls to break “the chains that unnecessarily tie us to the past” and move faster to cope with a drier future arriving too suddenly. We’re worried because we have seen this before. … ” Read more from Arizona Central here: Commentary: Australia’s water woes offer a preview for Arizona. Will we avoid their mistakes?
“It’s critical that the rivers continue to flow.” Environmental activist Nicole Horseherder on reclaiming water rights for Native Americans
“Nicole Horseherder lives in Hard Rock, Ariz., population 53. Hard Rock sits on the Black Mesa, which takes its name from the numerous coal seams running through the plateau in western Arizona. Horseherder’s home has no running water, as it is prohibitively expensive to drill down to the nearest aquifer that has potable water. Twice a week, she drives her 20-year-old, three-quarter-ton GMC pickup—towing a 500-gal. tank mounted on a flatbed trailer—to a community well 25 miles away. Coal and water have dominated Horseherder’s life and work for the past decade. … ” Read more from Time Magazine here: “It’s critical that the rivers continue to flow.” Environmental activist Nicole Horseherder on reclaiming water rights for Native Americans
The water supply of the San Luis Valley faces pressure as never before
“They all remember when the San Luis Valley brimmed with water. South of San Luis, Ronda Lobato raced the rising floodwaters in San Francisco Creek every spring to fill sandbags that protected her grandparents’ farm. North of Center, potato farmer Sheldon Rockey faced so much spring mud that he had to learn to extract his stuck tractor. Outside Monte Vista, Tyler Mitchell needed only a hand shovel on the family farm near Monte Vista to reach shallow underground flows in the Valley’s once-abundant water table. Today those tales of plentiful water seem like a distant mirage. … ” Read more from the Colorado Sun here: The water supply of the San Luis Valley faces pressure as never before
Commentary: Feds encroach on state water rights
Laura Williamson, a political writer and a contributor for Young Voices, writes, “The little-known federal Bureau of Reclamation just made history by ordering some state governments to cut back their usage of water on the Colorado River due to a historic drought affecting the river basin. As a proud Coloradan, I was alarmed to see this unprecedented announcement since it signals the start of a new era of increased heavy-handedness in the federal government’s management of state matters. Now that this line has been crossed, the federal government is unlikely to go back to its previous hands-off approach. … ” Read more from Colorado Politics here: Commentary: Feds encroach on state water rights
Water anti-speculation report from working group comes up short, critics say
“Expect legislation next winter in the Colorado General Assembly that would seek to curb potential speculation in Colorado water. But whether water speculation actually poses a problem remains hotly debated. A report released Aug. 13 by a state work group charged with studying how to strengthen Colorado anti-water-speculation law identifies eight concepts to thwart possible water hoarding that should be studied further. … The report delivers no recommendations to legislators. ... ” Read more from the Fort Morgan Times here: Water anti-speculation report from working group comes up short, critics say
More news and commentary in the weekend edition …
In California water news this weekend …
Many California farmers have water cut off, but a lucky few are immune to drought rules- State report raises fresh alarms over sea-level rise
- New UC Davis study finds dams are ineffective for cold-water conservation for salmon and trout
- Help California’s drought by preparing to collect rainwater this winter
- The climate future we envisioned is already here
- Forest and research resilience demonstrated through Sierra Nevada AMEX study
- Video: Wildfire, drought and chainsaws: California’s ailing forests are overgrown and starved for flames
- El Dorado Irrigation District begins to assess flume damage
- Drought: Key votes near for Marin emergency water pipeline
- Southern California desert farmers will earn millions to fallow fields, save Colorado River water
- 40 million people rely on the Colorado River. It’s drying up fast.
- Water-starved Colorado River Delta gets another shot of life from the river’s flows
- And more …
Click here for the weekend digest.
Also on Maven’s Notebook today …
- FUNDING OPPORTUNITY: CDFW Now Accepting Proposals for California Winter Rice Habitat Incentive Program
- UPDATE on Curtailment Status of Water Rights and Claims in the Delta Watershed and Reminder of Upcoming Deadlines
