On the calendar today …
- MEETING: The State Water Resources Control Board will meet beginning at 9am. Agenda items include a drought update and current hydrologic conditions; water system arrearages update, quarterly Delta Lead Scientist Report, and presentation of Fiscal Year 2020/21 Annual Performance Report. Click here for the full agenda.
- MEETING: The State Board of Agriculture will meet beginning at 10am. Agenda items include a panel discussion on climate impacts on California agriculture, and a panel discussion on future opportunities for Climate Smart Agriculture. Click here for the full agenda and remote access instructions.
- PUBLIC WORKSHOP: Delta Emergency Grant Program Guidelines from 11am to 12pm. The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) is pleased to announce a 45-day public comment period for the draft guidelines for the Delta Flood Emergency Response Grant Program, Round 3 (PDF). This grant is designed to provide funding for local emergency responders within the legal Delta to improve their capacity to respond to flood emergencies. Link to attend workshop: Click here to join the meeting
- WEBINAR: PFAS Strategic Roadmap – EPA’s Commitments to Action: 2021-2024 from 11am to 12pm. EPA released its PFAS Strategic Roadmap on October 18, 2021. The roadmap lays out EPA’s whole-of-agency approach to tackling PFAS and set timelines by which the Agency plans to take concrete actions during the first term of the Biden-Harris Administration. The Roadmap fills a critical gap in federal leadership, provides a basic floor of federal protection, and supports states’ ongoing efforts to address PFAS. Join members of EPA’s PFAS Council – senior policy and technical leaders from across the Agency – to learn more about the actions EPA plans to take in the coming months and years to protect public health and the environment from the impacts of PFAS. Click here to register.
In California water news today …
Series of wintry storms take aim at Northwest, Northern California
“Another series of storms is set to sweep through the Pacific Northwest and Northern California into next week and not only bring much-needed rain and mountain snow but also flooding concerns. A dip in the jet stream across the Bering Sea through the northern Pacific Ocean will push waves of energy toward the Canadian Rocky Mountains and Northwest this week, according to AccuWeather Lead Long-Range Senior Meteorologist Paul Pastelok, who added that temperatures will be near to below normal. … ” Read more from AccuWeather here: Series of wintry storms take aim at Northwest, Northern California
Last week’s storm: The good, the bad, and the inconclusive
“By all measures, the storm of October 24th was remarkable. It broke one-day precipitation records throughout Northern California. And it did this in October, a month not known for biblical deluges in California. But did this unusually intense atmospheric river lead to significant changes in our drought picture? Yes and, mostly, no. First the bad. The numerous landslides and debris flows, especially in areas that had recently burned, were quite damaging, especially to roads and utilities. And the urban flooding that occurred throughout northern California had real costs. Fortunately, no lives were lost. But the bad is vastly outweighed by the good from this unusual storm. ... ” Read more from the PPIC here: Last week’s storm: The good, the bad, and the inconclusive
October storms gave the S.F. Bay Area ‘a good start for the water year,’ and more rain is on the way
“The National Weather Service on Monday said the Bay Area was off to a decent start for its water year, thanks to last month’s record storm. The agency tweeted a chart showing 12 locations across the Bay Area that tracked the weather for the month of October. The data shows that two of the areas that received the most rain last month were in the North Bay, which received the brunt of the atmospheric river storm on Oct. 24. “Definitely a good start for the water year!” the agency said on Twitter. ... ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle here: October storms gave the S.F. Bay Area ‘a good start for the water year,’ and more rain is on the way
California’s atmospheric river storms dropped 7,600,000,000,000 gallons of rain, but it was no drought buster
“Federal forecasters estimate that the atmospheric river storms that hit parts of northern and central California from October 23-26 dropped 7.6 trillion gallons of rain — which can also be expressed as 7,600,000,000,000. “That’s enough water for over 244 million people for an entire year,” the National Weather Service’s Western Region Headquarters in Salt Lake City said in a statement. “However, existing drought conditions have resulted in extremely dry soils, which absorbed much of this precipitation, leaving only a fraction for use.” ... ” Read more from the San Diego Union-Tribune here: California’s atmospheric river storms dropped 7,600,000,000,000 gallons of rain, but it was no drought buster
California drought persists, even with recent rain. Conserve water now with these tips
“Even with the recent storm drenching Northern California, it’s important that residents conserve water, experts said. The storm — which included a ‘bomb cyclone’ — dropped more than five inches of rain on the capital city in 24 hours. But it won’t end the state’s drought. And next year could be dry, too. “We had a tremendous amount of rain. It’s about 1/5th of the average year precipitation for Northern California in one day,” said Jay Lund, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at the University of California, Davis. “But it’s still only 1/5th of one year’s precipitation.” This storm made a dent, Lund said, but you’ll need a lot more to end this drought. ... ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee here: California drought persists, even with recent rain. Conserve water now with these tips
Ag groups and lawmakers concerned by new operating plan for water projects
“Several lawmakers and agricultural organizations have expressed concern regarding a new joint operating plan for California water projects. The environmental review process is being reinitiated for operating procedures for the Central Valley Project (CVP) and the State Water Project (SWP). A coalition of ag groups recently sent a letter to the leaders of the U.S. Department of Interior and the California Natural Resources Agency detailing concern for the action. The group notes that the recent court filings “include an unprecedented and unvetted interim operations plan for the upcoming water year in California.” … ” Read more from Ag Net West here: Ag groups and lawmakers concerned by new operating plan for water projects
California farm town lurches from no water to polluted water
“The San Joaquin Valley farm town of Teviston has two wells. One went dry and the other is contaminated. The one functioning well failed just at the start of summer, depriving the hot and dusty hamlet of running water for weeks. With temperatures routinely soaring above 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 degrees Celsius), farm workers bathed with buckets after laboring in the nearby vineyards and almond orchards. Even as officials restored a modicum of pressure with trucked-in water, and after the well was repaired, the hardships have endured. ... ” Read more from US News and World Report here: California farm town lurches from no water to polluted water
Rep. Harder responds to state decision to end water negotiations with Stanislaus, Tuolumne, Merced Users
“Josh Harder (CA-10) issued a statement in response to the State of California’s decision to end negotiations with water users on the Stanislaus, Tuolumne, and Merced Rivers. “It’s disappointing to see the Newsom Administration walking away from our Voluntary Settlement Negotiations and picking a courtroom over a real conversation. In a historic drought year like this one, now is not the time to drag out or halt these important negotiations,” said Rep. Harder. “I urge the Newsom Administration to come back to the table and work with our local partners on a water management plan that will help our state as well as our farmers, families, and water agencies. If the Newsom Administration refuses to negotiate with the Central Valley, once again green lawns in Beverly Hills will be prioritized ahead of growing the food that feeds our nation.”
McCarthy fights for local water for farmers
“State and local leaders continue to push for more water accessibility to farmers. This past week we informed you that Representatives Kevin McCarthy and David Valadao are fighting for more funding to support water resources. McCarthy says we have to maximize our resources. … ” Read more from Bakersfield Now here: McCarthy fights for local water for farmers
What California’s fading cotton crop in favor of almonds reveals about premium farmland and a warming planet
“Cotton was big in California by the 1950s. Now the crop’s diminished foothold in the state, on land reeling from the worst drought since the late 1800s, reflects how climate risks are shaping the future of farmland across the globe. “The Central Valley, historically, has been a place where cotton was quite widely grown,” said Martin Davies, president and chief executive officer at global farmland owner Westchester Group Investment Management, a part of Nuveen. “But the era of cotton has dimmed,” Davis said, in a phone interview, of California’s agricultural core, a highly irrigated stretch of interior farmland that has been moving away from cotton to growing almonds, table grapes, raisins and other, higher value crops, especially as water shortages grow stark. … ” Read more from Market Watch here: What California’s fading cotton crop in favor of almonds reveals about premium farmland and a warming planet
Margining water futures
“This article has been revised and updated to provide a higher level overview of the complex process of Futures Margining. Veles aims to present a clear understanding of this complex subject in relation the recently listed Nasdaq Veles California Water Futures (H2O) on the CME. H2O Futures can be used to gain direct exposure to the price of water in California and whether to hedge or enhance a present water position or for investment purposes. A futures contract is a leveraged financial product that can allow a trader to manage a much larger position in the underlying asset with a reduced amount of cash, allowing the trader to more efficiently deploy capital. To explain by example, with the NQH2O price of water recently being circa $859 per AF, and assume 10 AF was required, instead of buying 10 AF of water and spending $8590, you can place $1650 as margin at the Exchange’s clearing house, buy one contract and have the same exposure. … ”
California legalized weed five years ago. Why is the illicit market still thriving?
“Five years after cannabis legalization, California is awash with signs of an apparently booming industry. … But behind the flashy facade, the legal weed industry remains far from the law-abiding, prosperous sector many had hoped for. In fact, it’s a mess. … The illicit market encompasses both well-intentioned entrepreneurs who tried to legalize but couldn’t afford it and cartels with guns, growing pot using harsh chemicals that leach into local groundwater. It comprises both legal-looking storefronts selling unregulated vape pens to Californians and traffickers bringing marijuana to states where sales remain illegal. … ” Read more from the Guardian here: California legalized weed five years ago. Why is the illicit market still thriving?
Wildfire and water quality
“The impacts of California’s ongoing dry and warm years were seen this year with a historic wildfire season. Correspondingly, the risk of wildfire damage to water infrastructure is increasing, including risks of secondary impacts from burned area sediment entering waterbodies and affecting water treatment plant operations. Many of California’s larger reservoirs and associated infrastructure are in forested mountain areas affected by wildfire. The 2013 Rim Fire, for example, damaged various facilities at the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission’s Hetch Hetchy Reservoir, Cherry Reservoir, and Lake Eleanor, including to the Lower Cherry Aqueduct and the Holm Powerhouse and power distribution lines. ... ” Read more from DWR News here: Wildfire and water quality
Climate change is now the main driver of increasing wildfire weather, study finds
“In a finding that scientists believed was still decades away from becoming reality, California researchers say that climate change is now the overwhelming cause of conditions driving extreme wildfire behavior in the western United States. As world leaders gathered in Scotland this week to discuss plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, a study released on Monday said that global warming was essentially two-thirds to 88% responsible for the atmospheric conditions fueling increasingly destructive wildfires. And that’s a conservative estimate, said study author Rong Fu, a climate researcher at UCLA. “It’s happened so much faster than we previously anticipated,” she added. ... ” Read more from the LA Times here: Climate change is now the main driver of increasing wildfire weather, study finds
In commentary today …
The latest logging industry smokescreen
Chad Hanson, research ecologist with the John Muir Project, writes, “The United States Forest Service isn’t what you may think. The primary land management activity in which the Forest Service engages is selling public timber to private logging corporations, while keeping the revenue for its budget. It is quite literally in the commercial logging business, like a giant logging corporation that is subsidized by taxpayers. … In a sense, however, this is not the fault of the Forest Service; it’s fundamentally the fault of the U.S. Congress, which created the federal laws upon which this troubling system has been built, and it is the ultimate responsibility of Congress to pass new laws to get the Forest Service out of the commercial logging business. … ” Read more from Counter Punch here: The latest logging industry smokescreen
Today’s featured articles …
MONTHLY RESERVOIR REPORT for November 1st
Prepared by Robert Shibatani
The 2021-22 Water Year has started off with a bang! Record precipitation totals during last week’s Atmospheric River (AR) storms were impressive and have significantly changed the early season hydrologic picture for much of California. One-day precipitation total at Blue Canyon in the American River watershed for example was 9.85 inches (current cumulative precipitation at 472% of average). Year-to-date totals elsewhere at CVP reservoirs are also well above average (e.g., 162% at Trinity, 350% at Shasta, 362% at New Melones, 221% at Huntington Lake).
Click here to read this article.
BLOG ROUND-UP: The next threat to winter-run salmon – rising Delta exports; Fresno county superior court judge rejects federal water deal for second time; How a CA climate program rewards mega-polluting factory farms nationwide
Click here to read this article.
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
Tribes, fishermen, conservationists demand action to restore flows in Klamath tributaries
Dan Bacher writes, “Today Save California Salmon, the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations (PCFFA), and 12 California environmental organizations joined Klamath River Tribes in asking the California State Water Resources Control Board to establish permanent instream flow requirements for the Scott and Shasta Rivers, two of the Klamath River’s largest tributaries, according to a press release from the groups and Tribes. The letters were sent after the multiple Klamath River Tribes sent similar requests to make instream emergency flow requirements permanent, according to Regina Chichizola from Save California Salmon. … ” Read more from the Daily Kos here: Tribes, fishermen, conservationists demand action to restore flows in Klamath tributaries
Migrating birds skip dry Klamath refuges, disrupting annual migration
“The national wildlife refuges in the Klamath Basin, along the Oregon-California border underwent a historic drought this year. Those refuges are a critical stopping point for up to a million birds during peak migration. What does it mean for birds to have broken links along this avian highway? Just off Stateline Highway, about 100 feet into California from the Oregon border, Klamath National Wildlife Refuge Manager Greg Austin stands on the edge of a marsh. There are flocks of mallards and some geese, but as one of America’s main stopovers for migratory birds, this wetland is almost completely dry this year. … ” Read more from Jefferson Public Radio here: Migrating birds skip dry Klamath refuges, disrupting annual migration
Wetter, cooler season expected in the Klamath Basin
“The National Weather Service is predicting a wetter-than-normal season for the Klamath Basin, expecting above average precipitation to continue to soak the area through at least January. According to NWS meteorologist Brett Lutz, the second half of October was wet enough to finally put an end to the longest fire season on record for Klamath Falls. On average, the Klamath Falls area gets doused by about 0.74 inches of rain in the month of October. This year, it received 2.31 inches — or 312% of the normal, Lutz said. … ” Read more from the Herald & News here: Wetter, cooler season expected in the Klamath Basin
Fort Bragg City Council lifts all water conservation restrictions
“Last week, the City Council passed a resolution rescinding the Stage 2 Water Warning and lifting all mandatory water conservation restrictions within the Fort Bragg water service area. The recent rainfall plus the success of the City’s Desalination-Reverse Osmosis Treatment System eliminated the current need for water conservation measures. Due to the conservation efforts of the community last summer and early fall. Water usage this summer was lower than any year on record. Despite the increased visitation, water usage in August was down 33% from August 2019, and usage in September was down 32% from 2019 (the most recent year without any water restrictions in place). … ” Read more from the Mendocino Beacon here: Fort Bragg City Council lifts all water conservation restrictions
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
Reclamation begins East Sand Slough Side Channel project to improve fish habitat along Sacramento River
“The Bureau of Reclamation started building rearing habitat for salmon and steelhead and enhancing recreation at its East Sand Slough Side Channel project along the Sacramento River near Red Bluff at the beginning of October. Approximately 90,000 cubic yards of material will be excavated from about 20 acres upstream of the Antelope Boulevard/Highway 36 Bridge. “This project provides multiple environmental benefits for the ecosystem as part of continued efforts under the Central Valley Project Improvement Act to restore and replenish salmonid spawning gravel,” said Bay-Delta Office Manager David Mooney. ”This project is a testament to the continued dedication of our partner agencies.” … ” Read more from the Bureau of Reclamation here: Reclamation begins East Sand Slough Side Channel project to improve fish habitat along Sacramento River
Butte County seeks public input on Rock Creek flood study
“Butte County Public Works is looking to conduct a new flood study in the area of Rock Creek and Keefer Slough just north of Chico. The area has historically been prone to flooding during hard rainfall which has created hazardous conditions on both Highways 99 and 32 as well as causing damage to buildings such as homes and businesses. A virtual presentation was held Thursday evening to break down what the study would focus on and the possible solutions it could bring to the table. … ” Read more from the Chico Enterprise-Record here: Butte County seeks public input on Rock Creek flood study
Why some tap water in Roseville is coming out with a green tint
“Since Thursday, people living in Roseville have reported seeing a green or yellow tint to their tap water. This comes after that bomb cyclone storm northern California experienced only a week before. The storm sent a lot of water into the Folsom Reservoir, a full 15 feet in a 24 hour period. The same body of water that the city of Roseville pulls their water from. “Essentially what we saw was over 200 days of no measurable precipitation in the area and then we had a sudden, very significant, very historic storm that took all of that organic manner that was up in the upper watershed and basically moved that organic matter into the Folsom Reservoir,” Sean Bigley, the assistant environmental utilities director for the City of Roseville said. … ” Continue reading from Channel 10 here: Why some tap water in Roseville is coming out with a green tint
Folsom crews perform prescribed burns in wet weather for future fire prevention
“In the last week, Northern California has seen much-needed rain in the Sacramento Valley and snow in the Sierra. The wet weather is welcomed after a dry summer, but how much will it help? CBS13 visited Folsom to speak with fire crews and residents about current conditions. … ” Read more from Channel 13 here: Folsom crews perform prescribed burns in wet weather for future fire prevention
NAPA/SONOMA
Santa Rosa declares end of wildfire season
“A Bay Area city with a long history of destructive blazes declared an end to wildfire season on Nov. 1 due to an atmospheric river that dumped copious amounts of rain across two days in October and fed moisture into the parched region. The city of Santa Rosa Fire Department said the city received about 11 inches of rain in October and ” the threat of significant fires in the community has been minimized,” the department said in a statement. … ” Read more from SF Gate here: Santa Rosa declares end of wildfire season
BAY AREA
North Bay water flowing, grass greener thanks to recent rainfall
“The grass is greener and the water is flowing in the drought-stricken North Bay after a windfall of rain and according to the forecast, it is expected to get even better. Not only are reservoir levels rising in Marin County, with many up 20 feet, the ground is springing back back to life. “You can see the green grass starting to grow,” says Phillip Dolcini. “This thistle has a good jump on it, too. If you listen, you’ll hear frogs at night. There’s a lot of good things going on.” … ” Read more from CBS Sacramento here: North Bay water flowing, grass greener thanks to recent rainfall
East Bay mayor’s rebuke of Marin pipeline plan draws response
“The president of a Marin water agency that serves most of the North Bay county on Friday responded to harsh criticism from an East Bay mayor who publicly rebuked the agency for a proposed pipeline that he asserts would present quality-of-life issues for his city’s residents. Marin Municipal Water District Board President Cynthia Koehler in a statement to Patch said she disputes most of Richmond Mayor Tom Butt’s assertions but acknowledged that not all his concerns are without merit. … ” Read more from The Patch here: East Bay mayor’s rebuke of Marin pipeline plan draws response
Sudden, dangerous waves could hit Bay Area beaches
“Officials warn that potentially dangerous waves are expected along the coast in the San Francisco Bay Area. The San Francisco Chronicle reports Monday that “sneaker waves” that can suddenly surge to 3 or 4 feet (0.9 to 1.2 meters) are expected Monday afternoon. The National Weather Service issued the warning and urged people to stay back from the waves and not turn their backs to the sea. … ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee here: Sudden, dangerous waves could hit Bay Area beaches
New water treatment facility to save Anchor Brewing millions of gallons each year
“Anchor Brewing, San Francisco’s oldest brewery, just added an on-site water treatment plant to their operations that has the capacity to recycle up to 20 million gallons annually — equivalent to water usage for more than 1,300 residents. It takes an average of seven gallons of water to produce one gallon of beer. While beer is 95% water, the majority of the water entailed in the production of beer involves equipment cleaning and bottle rinsing. The new facility, created by water treatment and reuse solution company Cambrian Innovation, will treat the water Anchor uses for cleaning and rinsing so it can be used again. … ” Read more from the Environmental Leader here: New water treatment facility to save Anchor Brewing millions of gallons each year
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
Tehachapi: City, CSDs continue to cope with drought
“Although October storms brought more than an inch of rain to the Tehachapi Valley, the drought isn’t over. But local water providers — the city of Tehachapi and the community services districts for Bear Valley Springs, Golden Hills and Stallion Springs — say they’re prepared for mandatory water use restrictions if ordered by the state and that they can survive the potential of another reduction in imported water. The Tehachapi-Cummings County Water District imports water from the State Water Project to serve agricultural and M&I (municipal and industrial) customers including the city and the CSDs with water systems. But General Manager Tom Neisler has warned customers not to count on imported water in 2022. ... ” Read more from the Tehachapi News here: Tehachapi: City, CSDs continue to cope with drought
Along the Colorado River …
‘Dangerous precedent’: Feds say no to controlled flood on Colorado River
“A controlled flood that replenishes beaches within the Grand Canyon won’t happen this year as officials grapple with the effects of a two-decade drought on the Colorado River. It’s a decision that shows how a lack of water has forced the federal government to change operations on the river. “This is a microcosm of a much larger issue and it exemplifies that less water means changing management practices, which will likely in the long run have detrimental effects on the environment and the overall public interest,” said Kyle Roerink, executive director of the Great Basin Water Network. … ” Read more from the Las Vegas Review Journal here: ‘Dangerous precedent’: Feds say no to controlled flood on Colorado River
SEE ALSO: The sand is there, but low water levels halt a controlled flood to restore Grand Canyon’s beaches, from the Arizona Republic
In national water news today …
Oregon city sues to keep Google’s water use secret
“The city of The Dalles, Oregon, has filed suit in an effort to keep Google’s water use a secret. The move comes ahead of a key City Council vote on a $28.5 million water pact between the city and the tech giant. The Oregonian/OregonLive reports the city is seeking to overturn a ruling earlier from Wasco County’s district attorney, who found Google’s water use is a public record and ordered The Dalles to provide that information to the news organization. … ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee here: Oregon city sues to keep Google’s water use secret
Climate change grips trout streams across the nation: How anglers are responding
“The air is rich with the scent of wild river as David McCool sets his boat in the Au Sable River in northern Michigan. The early morning silence is broken only by an occasional bird call and the soft susurrations of the crystal clear water. It’s a river that Henry Ford and John Rockefeller fished, and a place Ernest Hemingway deemed “good stuff for essays.” … The clear waters of the Au Sable, which courses across 138 miles of northern Michigan forest, is one of the country’s renowned places to cast a fly. It’s a river so revered as a trout fishery that in 1959 a group of Au Sable fishermen formed Trout Unlimited, now the country’s premier advocacy organization to protect cold-water streams in Michigan and nationwide. More than 60 years later, the river is ill. … ” Read more from Circle of Blue here: Climate change grips trout streams across the nation: How anglers are responding
Nationwide water shortages demand new innovative solutions in clean water
“In the spring of 2019, U.S. government-funded research on watersheds revealed a dire outlook for the future of water availability in the United States. Between population growth and climate change, the study reports that “serious water shortages” are likely to occur within the next 55 years. It is needless to say that the increasing population is translating into escalating demand for water. One example being that Los Angeles alone has grown by a million people since the 1970s, while the water resources for usage remain the same. And with the accelerating dryness occurring in the climate, exacerbated by months of summer wildfires, evaporation has steadily increased — with up to 96 of the 204 water basins that provide fresh water to Americans projected to have monthly shortages by 2071. … ” Read more from Water Online here: Nationwide water shortages demand new innovative solutions in clean water
The science everyone needs to know about climate change, in 6 charts
“With the United Nations’ climate conference in Scotland turning a spotlight on climate change policies and the impact of global warming, it’s useful to understand what the science shows. I’m an atmospheric scientist who has worked on global climate science and assessments for most of my career. Here are six things you should know, in charts. … ” Read more from The Conversation here: The science everyone needs to know about climate change, in 6 charts
And lastly …
Photos: California fall color in the Eastern Sierra
“Yosemite locals are often asked, “Do you ever get tired of the beauty?” I would answer when living in the Valley for nearly a decade, “When you stop looking up, you’ve been here too long.” I never tired of looking up. Yosemite Valley is the most beautiful 2.12 square miles on Earth. Everything about it is perfection. Elliot McGucken and Steve Arita visited this weekend and each said three words, “Peak, GO NOW!” … ” Check out the pictures from the California Fall Color website here: America the Beautiful
