In California water news this weekend …
Audio: What to expect as state water officials weigh in on local groundwater sustainability plans
“In 2014, California’s state legislature passed the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA), a sweeping law with the goal of balancing the amount of water pumped out of underground aquifers with the amount returned through recharge. How that balancing act would actually work was left up to hundreds of locally governed water agencies, which are now beginning to receive feedback from the state Department of Water Resources on the sustainability plans they submitted in late 2019 and early 2020. In this interview, KVPR’s Kerry Klein speaks with Lois Henry, CEO and editor of the non-profit news source SJV Water, about what’s next in the SGMA rollout, what water agencies should expect from the state’s comments, and how the latest drought is already foiling some long-term groundwater plans.” Listen at KVPR here: What to expect as state water officials weigh in on local groundwater sustainability plans
Vexed by dust pollution, officials around Mono Lake call on Los Angeles to cease water diversions
“For those who live near the briny shores of California’s Mono Lake, October can be a dreaded month. That’s when turbulent winds scour Mono’s exposed lake bed, or “bathtub ring,” and launch clouds of fine dust that blanket homes, ranch lands and scenic trails. For 50 years, the vast lake has been a source of so-called PM10 particulate — a dust so fine that it can clog human airways, penetrate the lungs and aggravate serious heart and lung diseases, such as asthma. … Now, after two years of punishing drought, Mono County conservationists, tribal leaders and air regulators have launched a campaign to raise the level of the lake. They hope to accomplish this by stopping the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power from diverting water from the lake’s feeder streams. … ” Read more from the LA Times here: Vexed by dust pollution, officials around Mono Lake call on Los Angeles to cease water diversions
SEE ALSO: Mono’s low level makes LA Times front page, from the Mono Lake Committee
Audio: The new state law that could end Tooleville’s fight for clean water
“For more than two decades the small Tulare County community of Tooleville has been without a secure supply of safe drinking water. The simplest solution would be to connect the town’s water system to that of its neighbor, the City of Exeter. It would take less than a mile of pipe to get it done. But years of red tape and failed negotiations have kept the consolidation from taking place. Now the state has stepped in with a new law, SB 403, which could bring safe drinking water to Tooleville and hundreds of communities like it throughout the Central Valley. To learn more, Valley Edition Host Kathleen Schock spoke to Michael Claiborne, directing attorney for the Leadership Counsel for Justice and Accountability.” Listen at KVPR here: Audio: The new state law that could end Tooleville’s fight for clean water
California cattle farmers endure ‘one of the worst years ever’
“Cattle farmers in California have been handed a devastating blow to their industry following multiple dry years in a row that have left the state in a drought and forced farmers to downsize their livestock. “A lot of guys had to sell off cows this year. Now they’re gonna, in addition to losing their moneymaker, they’re gonna pay capital gains on that too,” Tony Toso, president of the California Cattlemen’s Association (CCA), told AccuWeather’s Jillian Angeline. Toso explained that the lack of precipitation has led to two major consequences for cattle farmers: not enough water to provide their livestock and not enough grass production to feed them. … ” Read more from AccuWeather here: California cattle farmers endure ‘one of the worst years ever’
NRCS invests $21 million in effort to help producers build drought resilience
“The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is investing $21 million as part of the Natural Resources Conservation Service’s (NRCS) collaboration with the Department of Interior’s (DOI) WaterSMART Initiative (WSI) to help farmers and ranchers conserve water and build drought resilience in their communities. California will receive more than $1.1 million of this funding. NRCS is providing the funding through Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). For Fiscal Year 2022, NRCS selected 15 new priority areas, including Riverside and Fresno counties, and is continuing to offer funding in 25 prior approved areas, making $21 million in EQIP funding available through the WSI across 13 western states. NRCS and the Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) have been coordinating EQIP and WaterSMART investments since a pilot by California NRCS in 2011. … ” Read more from the NRCS here: NRCS invests $21 million in effort to help producers build drought resilience
CSU Spur water symposium shares scaleable solutions
“One key takeaway: The situation around water is dire – more dire than it has ever been before. Yet, as the Fourth Annual CSU Spur Water in the West Symposium convened experts from across the country on Wednesday, the focus was on learning from one another’s successes and finding solutions at-scale to water issues. … Climate challenges and equity often go hand-in-hand, and Symposium panelists reiterated that water is no different. Adel Hagekhalil, general manager of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, outlined the efforts of Metropolitan and noted the focus on sustainability and climate resiliency and efforts to build the plans into a holistic One Water infrastructure. … ” Read more from Colorado State University here: CSU Spur water symposium shares scaleable solutions
Mapping annual wildfire probabilities across California
“Researchers have uncovered new insights into the dynamics that underlie the probabilities of wildfire across the state of California. Isaac Park of the University of California, Santa Barbara, and colleagues present their method and findings in the open-access journal PLOS ONE on November 3, 2021. Recent wildfires in California and nearby states have demonstrated the need to better understand the dynamics that determine where and when wildfires occur. However, the factors and conditions that interact to contribute to the probability of wildfire—such as the interplay between local vegetation, precipitation, human land use, and more—are diverse and complex, and they vary between locations and over time. ... ” Read more from Phys Org here: Mapping annual wildfire probabilities across California
Incoming storms …
Needed rain, mountain snow to return to California
“A couple of weeks after an atmospheric river dumped record rainfall and prolific amounts of snow on parts of California, the Pacific storm train is set to deliver another dose of rain and snow to a large part of the drought-stricken state. However, this time it will come in more manageable amounts. Another train of storms has been focused on the Northwest so far to start November. However, most of the rain and snow has been directed toward Washington and Oregon, only briefly clipping far northwestern portions of California at times. AccuWeather forecasters say that will change early next week as a storm dives southward. … ” Read more from AccuWeather here: Needed rain, mountain snow to return to California
Another atmospheric river is headed to the Bay Area. Here’s what to expect
“After a couple of mostly dry, mild weeks, it’s time to get the umbrellas back out: Another atmospheric river its on its way to the Bay Area. While the weekend is expected to stay cool and mostly dry, rain will make its way into the North Bay starting Monday afternoon before moving southward Monday night into Tuesday, according to the National Weather Service. Meteorologists don’t expect the incoming system to be as strong as the atmospheric river that swept through the Bay in late October, though it will still deliver much-needed precipitation across Northern California. ... ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle here: Another atmospheric river is headed to the Bay Area. Here’s what to expect
John Lindsey: Will the rest of the year see above-normal rainfall?
“This October, Santa Maria was much wetter than average. According to Climate Central, www.climatecentral.org, the 1.29 inches of precipitation was 239% of the typical amount of rain. It was also cooler, with a mean temperature of 60.1 F that was 2.1 degrees below normal. San Luis Obispo County Airport recorded 1.70 inches of rain this October; typically, the airport only sees 0.70 of an inch of precipitation. The average temperature this October was 63 degrees or about one-half of a degree below normal. The Paso Robles Airport recorded 1.57 inches of rain or 280% of the average rainfall in October. Much like San Luis Obispo, Paso Robles was also about one-half of a degree cooler than typical. This leads to the question: Will the rest of the year see above-normal rainfall? … ” Read more from the San Luis Obispo Tribune here: John Lindsey: Will the rest of the year see above-normal rainfall?
In commentary this weekend …
Let’s take control of our water future
The Chico Enterprise-Record editorial board writes, “We knew it was coming, but California officials now are talking openly about imposing statewide water restrictions if the state faces another unusually dry winter. Some local water districts, especially in the San Francisco Bay Area, have started limiting water given that they are receiving a pittance of their usual allotments from the State Water Project. Some welcome late-October and early November rains aside, the situation is severe and water districts have no choice but to limit water usage when they fall short. One need only look at the still-perilously low reservoirs. The state’s water shortages, however, don’t stem from inadequate conservation, but from inadequate preparation. … ” Read more from the Chico Enterprise-Record here: Let’s take control of our water future
Column: Whiskey’s for what?
Columnist Jim Shields writes, “Received quite a few comments on last week’s column about using the winter high flows of streams and rivers for water storage and recharging depleted aquifers. George Hollister, President of the Mendocino County Farm Bureau, said, “Jim Shields makes a good point regarding California’s inability to build new reservoirs, even though it is obvious we need them. The problem isn’t a lack of money, but ideology. Jared Huffman’s desire to remove Scott Dam is a good example of this California mindset, even though Huffman’s home county is now having to get water from Alameda County over the Richmond Bridge. Ideology, faith, and religion are more powerful than money. What doesn’t seem to make sense, in reality, doesn’t make sense.” … ” Read more from the Ukiah Daily Journal here: Column: Whiskey’s for what?
In people news this weekend …
Deb Haaland: The path to becoming the nation’s first Native interior secretary
“Shaya Lucero watched Deb Haaland’s confirmation hearing from her flower shop on the Laguna Pueblo. She knows Haaland and her extended family. The floral business Lucero runs out of her converted garage used to belong to Haaland’s sister. … Haaland arrived at the Dirksen Senate Office Building with her arms fully loaded. On one side, she held a big white binder at her hip. On the other, she cradled an ornately painted Pueblo pottery bowl like a baby. The New Mexico representative wore a charcoal-gray pantsuit, a basic black top, and strands of chunky turquoise stones around her neck. Tacked to her lapel was a congressional pin. It was February 23, 2021—mere weeks into her second term. Haaland gifted the pottery to Don Young, a House Republican from Alaska. He had agreed to give a rare endorsement at the start of Haaland’s Senate hearing despite their disagreements over drilling for fossil fuels. Affectionately calling his colleague “Debbie,” the senior statesman explained to the gathering of mostly white and male lawmakers how he and Haaland had become fast friends. “It’s my job to try to convince her that she is not all right, and her job is to convince me I’m not right,” he said. “She will listen to you.” … ” Read more at Sierra Magazine here: Deb Haaland: The path to becoming the nation’s first Native interior secretary
Camille Touton confirmed as commissioner of the Bureau of Reclamation
“Camille Touton of Nevada was confirmed by the Senate on Thursday to be commissioner of the Bureau of Reclamation, which oversees water management of the Colorado River in Western states. Democratic and Republican senators approved President Joe Biden’s nominee on a voice vote. Touton, of Filipino ancestry, moved as a child to Nevada. Las Vegas became her adopted home and she became interested in water, she told the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee during a September hearing. … ” Read more from the Las Vegas Review Journal here: Camille Touton confirmed as commissioner of the Bureau of Reclamation
A native attorney fights for salmon — and her tribe’s way of life
“When Amy Cordalis tries to explain the relationship her tribe has with the Klamath River, a winding, majestic body of water that snakes down from Oregon into Northern California and empties out into the ocean, she struggles for words. “That question is always difficult to answer,” she tells The Story Exchange, “because there’s really no words to describe it in the English language.” The 41-year-old lawyer grew up on the Yurok Indian Reservation, an 88-square-mile patch of land that stretches across Del Norte and Humboldt counties, and follows the shape of the river. The Yuroks are known as the Salmon People, and the river is not only their lifeline for food and income, but it is part of their creation story. “Fishing rights are a matter of cultural survival,” says Cordalis, “and the exercise of our sovereignty.” She comes from a line of fishers, and is a competent fisher herself. While many outsiders might think of fishing as a sport, to her family, and many Yuroks, it is an “an act of overcoming genocide, assimilation and oppression.” ... ” Read more from The Story Exchange here: A native attorney fights for salmon — and her tribe’s way of life
Casandra Arthur named Reclamation’s Project Manager of the Year
“Today, the Bureau of Reclamation recognized Casandra Arthur as Reclamation’s Project Manager of the Year at a virtual ceremony. Arthur is a project manager working in Reclamation’s California-Great Basin Region in Willows, California. The award reinforces the importance of project management for Reclamation’s mission of delivering water and electricity to the Western United States. “We congratulate Casandra Arthur on this significant recognition of her professional excellence,” said Deputy Commissioner for Operations David Palumbo. “Casandra’s critical work enhances the effectiveness of Reclamation’s operations and exemplifies the sound project management approach that Reclamation is committed to providing our stakeholders in the California-Great Basin Region and throughout the West.” … ” Continue reading at the Bureau of Reclamation here: Casandra Arthur named Reclamation’s Project Manager of the Year
Annette Hilton Research Feature: groundwater sustainability and creativity in research
“My name is Annette Hilton and I am a third year PhD student at the Bren School of Environmental Science and Management, University of California Santa Barbara. With a background in geology, I love to be out in the field conducting hydrological research. I also equally love writing code and processing large datasets. I get to have the best of both worlds in my dissertation; most days you will find me in a stream or at a screen, but regardless of the situation, always with a cup of tea. … ” Read more at AGU H3S here: Annette Hilton Research Feature: groundwater sustainability and creativity in research
Podcasts …
INGRAINED PODCAST: The Birds
“It took longer than normal, but fortunately it is happening. A shallow amount of water is showing up in rice fields throughout the Sacramento Valley – essentially a welcome mat for the 10 million ducks, geese and other wildlife migrating through our area for their annual Pacific Flyway journey. This year was the driest in a century in California. The water shortage led to about 100,000 fewer acres of rice planted in the Sacramento Valley. It also threatened to leave many rice fields without a shallow amount of water after harvest, which helps decompose leftover straw and provides vital wildlife habitat. Fortunately, through an innovative new program and a large recent rainstorm, the outlook for migrating wildlife has improved.” More resources here.
In regional water news this weekend …
NORTH COAST
Reforesting after the Bootleg Fire
“Jessie Shields owns property along the Sycan River and rents much of it to local ranchers looking for land to graze their cattle. She manages the 700 sprawling acres, which now include sections burnt to a crisp by the Bootleg Fire. … From the patio of Shields’ log cabin, she can clearly see black, scorched trees — a reminder of how close the Bootleg came to her home. In an attempt to protect both her house and the forest, she said she is working hard to prevent erosion and regenerate more resilient surroundings. It’s a a daunting task, but she is not alone. … ” Continue reading at the Herald & News here: Reforesting after the Bootleg Fire
Why isn’t Shasta Lake’s water level rising? Officials explain
“We had a near record-breaking amount of rain in October, with more in the forecast in early November. So why are Sacramento River releases still high, and the level of Shasta Lake not rising? Well, it’s not just our water. … Bureau of Reclamation Area Manager Don Bader said, right now, supplying fresh water to the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta is the priority. However, that is ending. … ” Read more from KRCR here: Why isn’t Shasta Lake’s water level rising? Officials explain
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
The trash divers protecting America’s best-loved lakes
“My girlfriend tells me I smell like trash,” says Colin West. And he takes that as a compliment. West spends 40 to 60 hours a week scuba diving Lake Tahoe to locate and remove submerged trash. On the day I spoke with him, he and a group of divers had collected 576 pounds of underwater garbage, including a massive monster truck–style tire. And since launching the nonprofit Clean Up the Lake in 2018, West and his team of ten full-time employees and contractors, plus an army of trained volunteers, have picked up more than 18,000 pounds of refuse. Their latest mission? To complete the first circumnavigation of Lake Tahoe via scuba diving, with each dive focused on removing waste. As the nonprofit’s founder and executive director, West dives for trash three days per week, ten to 12 hours each dive, alongside a crew of Clean Up the Lake employees and volunteers. … ” Read more from Outside Online here: The trash divers protecting America’s best-loved lakes
Historic storm helps kokanee salmon spawn in Taylor Creek
“The record-breaking storm in late October has helped salmon spawn in Taylor Creek, an event that was threatened due to severe drought conditions. People flock to Taylor Creek each October to watch kokanee salmon fight their way upstream. Several people on Tuesday were taking in the sites of the red-colored fish from a bridge on California State Route 89. According to Forest Service Aquatic Biologist Sarah Muskopf, kokanee typically spawn anytime between September and February when there are increased stream flows and cooler temperatures. ... ” Read more from the Tahoe Daily Tribune here: Historic storm helps kokanee salmon spawn in Taylor Creek
BAY AREA
Marin, Sonoma to create groundwater storage banks for future droughts
“North Bay water suppliers are partnering to create what would essentially be a water banking system to draw from during times of drought – and replenish when supplies are ample. The Sonoma Water agency has already begun the work to bring three existing wells in the Santa Rosa Plain online to supply another source of water to Marin and its other customers in response to the drought. The agency has reactivated these wells for every drought since 1977, but now plans to upgrade them for the first time to allow water to be injected back into them. “You can store it for years even, however long until you need it,” said Jay Jasperse, Sonoma Water’s chief engineer and groundwater management director. “You can look at aquafers as below-ground reservoirs, but much bigger.” … ” Read more from the Marin Independent Journal here: Marin, Sonoma to create groundwater storage banks for future droughts
Solano preps $5.1M request to state to fund levee work
“Solano County supervisors on Tuesday will consider plans to seek more than $5.1 million from the state to fund levee projects in the Cache Slough area. The board’s consideration of sending a letter to the state Department of Water Resources requesting $5.125 million for four levee projects is part of a 29-item consent calendar. The letter states that the projects meet the objectives of the January 2020 memorandum of understanding the county reached with DWR. … ” Read more from the Daily Republic here: Solano preps $5.1M request to state to fund levee work
S.F.’s Embarcadero needs to be raised as much as 7 feet to prepare for sea level rise, city says
“San Francisco will need to elevate portions of the Embarcadero as much as seven feet in coming decades to prepare itself for rising bay waters, according to a shoreline defense strategy taking shape at the Port of San Francisco. There’s no timetable for precisely when this is needed, or how the changes would alter a busy stretch of the waterfront popular with locals and visitors alike. But it’s among the steps that could be taken to protect the Embarcadero and the blocks behind it, which include some of the city’s most valuable real estate. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle here: S.F.’s Embarcadero needs to be raised as much as 7 feet to prepare for sea level rise, city says
Solving problems with eelgrass and oysters
Kristine Wong writes, “On a cloudy and brisk summer morning, I’m at the Point Pinole Regional Shoreline in Richmond, taking in its towering stands of eucalyptus, wide-open trails, and sweeping vistas of San Francisco Bay. Though it’s only 8 a.m. (and a Monday no less), entire families and individuals accompanied by their canine companions are already out for their morning constitutional. But I’m not here for the scenery or the fresh air. I’ve come to learn about a unique method of habitat restoration that’s underway at Giant Marsh, a tidal wetland running down a stretch of the Pinole shoreline immediately south of its main walking trails. Spearheaded by the California Coastal Conservancy and 17 partners — including the East Bay Regional Park District (EBRPD), which manages Point Pinole — Giant Marsh’s $3 million restoration and enhancement began in 2019. … ” Read more from Bay Nature here: Solving problems with eelgrass and oysters
Photo gallery: Documenting the change in California salt ponds over the years
“Salt Ponds have existed in the San Francisco Bay since the 1800’s and are characterized by environmentalists as having taken away the lungs of the Bay. Currently they are a part of the South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project, the largest wetland restoration program in the United States. As a Silicon Valley native, photographer Barbara Boissevain feels drawn to capture these dramatic changes taking place in the San Francisco Bay and use her photography to highlight environmental issues in the region. Boissevain started going up in a helicopter to take aerial photographs of the Salt Ponds in 2010 and have continued for over a decade. … ” Read more and view pictures from Iowa Public Radio here: Photo gallery: Documenting the change in California salt ponds over the years
CENTRAL COAST
Pajaro Valley land is sinking at slow rate
“When an excessive amount of groundwater is pumped from wells, it can cause the land above the wells to sink, causing buildings to crumble and pipes to burst. A new report prepared for Pajaro Valley water managers, however, shows that from 2015 to 2018 the land above the valley’s aquifer subsided only two inches — hopeful news as coastal communities battle a severe drought. Just over the coastal mountain range in the Central Valley, the “land subsidence” in over-pumped water basins is a lot more dire. Some areas of the fertile valley have reached a subsidence rate of nearly a foot a year, causing substantial damage to roads, canals, pipelines and other infrastructure both above and below the ground. … ” Read more from the Santa Cruz Sentinel here: Pajaro Valley land is sinking at slow rate
Conservation ethic allows Monterey Bay farmers to thrive during drought
“Even as desperately needed rain continues to drench California, Central Valley farmers are still reeling from having their water supplies drastically reduced when the drought intensified last spring. Many farmers have been forced to rip out crops that can no longer be irrigated. Some have doubled or tripled their groundwater pumping as wells dry up before their eyes. In the Monterey Bay area, however, crops reach toward the sun with thirst-quenched leaves. Well levels aren’t raising any alarms, and the threat of losing water supplies has mostly subsided. “I don’t know anybody having water issues right now,” said Joe Schirmer, owner of Dirty Girl Produce, a 40-acre organic farm in Watsonville. … ” Read more from the Santa Cruz Sentinel here: Conservation ethic allows Monterey Bay farmers to thrive during drought
San Luis Obispo County’s biggest concrete dam was built in months. Why was it constructed so quickly?
“The arched concrete Salinas Dam was built for an estimated cost of $2.5 million. It was the first large-scale water project in San Luis Obispo County, and it was constructed on the Salinas River in an astonishingly short time. The United States had not yet entered World War II in May 28, 1941, when the news of the dam’s contract was announced in the Telegram-Tribune, although the war had been raging for years in Asia and Europe. … The Los Angeles District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced in October it is beginning to study disposing of the Salinas Dam as well as related structures — including the Cuesta Tunnel, which carries water from Santa Margarita Lake, Nacimento Lake and California State Water through the Santa Lucia mountain range to San Luis Obispo. … ” Continue reading from the San Luis Obispo Tribune here: San Luis Obispo County’s biggest concrete dam was built in months. Why was it constructed so quickly?
Shandon Water District attempted to appropriate water rights during closed session, DA alleges
“San Luis Obispo County District Attorney Dan Dow has issued the Shandon/San Juan Water District a cease and desist order for what Dow says is a violation of the Brown Act. The DA sent a 27-page letter to the water district this week that alleges, “the Board of Directors of the Shandon-San Juan Water District (SSJWD) violated the Brown Act by going into a closed meeting to discuss matters that should have occurred in open session.” The March 16, 2021, agenda identifies “Potential Litigation” as the sole justification for going into closed session, “however, based on a review of the agenda and the minutes from the meeting it is clear the board of directors went into closed session and discussed matters that did not involve pending litigation,” the DA says. … ” Read more from the Paso Robles Daily Press here: Shandon Water District attempted to appropriate water rights during closed session, DA alleges
Workshop participants list wildfires, debris flows among top Santa Barbara County hazards
“Wildfires, floods and debris flows were among the top hazards facing Santa Barbara County listed by participants in a virtual workshop presented Thursday night as part of an update of the Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan. Ways they suggested of preventing, minimizing and recovering from such disasters ranged from changing zoning and development standards to getting more individuals certified in Community Emergency Response Team training and educating residents about being prepared and how to evacuate if necessary. Thursday’s workshop was the second to be held as part of the process to update the countywide plan, which is required every five years by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the California Office of Emergency Services. ... ” Read more from the Lompoc Record here: Workshop participants list wildfires, debris flows among top Santa Barbara County hazards
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
New Melones almost two thirds empty
“The State of California is taking its campaign to remind people to conserve water to the streets, or more accurately, the freeways. Caltrans’ 700 plus electronic message signs are now reminding California motorists the Golden State is in the throes of a severe drought and to conserve water. … New Melones Reservoir was at 63 percent of historic average capacity for Nov. 5. There are 830,028 acre feet of water behind New Melones that has a capacity of 2.4 million acre feet. In terms of stored water without the context of precious years. New Melones is at 35 percent capacity. … ” Read more from the Manteca Bulletin here: New Melones almost two thirds empty
Tulare to spend $400K to repaint, repair iconic downtown water tower
“Downtown Tulare’s iconic water tower is getting a fresh coat of paint and some much-needed repairs that will leave the eye-catching milk glass mural gleaming once again. The project will cost nearly $400,000 and will clear the 140,000-gallon tank of sediment, as well as paint the tower’s legs, body and roof. Lead was found in the existing paint. The tower was built in 1913 and remains a “vital piece to the operation of our water system,” Tulare Public Works Director Trisha Whitfield said. … ” Read more from the Visalia Times-Delta here: Tulare to spend $400K to repaint, repair iconic downtown water tower
New Kern River Watermaster in the wings
“It appears a new Kern River Watermaster will be chosen to replace Dana Munn, whose contract winds up at the end of this year. If he’s officially approved by all the voting members of the “river interests,” Mark Mulkay will likely become the fourth ever Kern River Watermaster. He said he’s discussed it with all the parties and let them know he wants the job. Other sources confirmed that the river interests, entities that hold rights to the Kern River, have unofficially agreed on Mulkay as incoming Watermaster. … ” Read more from SJV Water here: New Kern River Watermaster in the wings
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
After some wet weather last month, rain is back to bypassing Southern California
“After a brief interruption for some rain late last month, the Los Angeles region is back to its regularly scheduled programing. In November, that means little or no rain. For those hoping for more rain, the prospects aren’t good, as the National Weather Service puts it. The long-range models look dry into early December. Not that L.A. gets much rain in November. The monthly normal for downtown Los Angeles is 0.78 of an inch. Downtown normally receives 0.58 of an inch of rain in October, but got 0.71 of an inch, putting L.A. less than a quarter-inch above normal so far for the rainfall season. … ” Read more from the LA Times here: After some wet weather last month, rain is back to bypassing Southern California
Santa Clarita Valley Groundwater Sustainability Agency to discuss essential East Subbasin maintenance
“The Santa Clarita Valley Groundwater Sustainability Agency (SCV-GSA) Board of Directors is scheduled to discuss a draft plan for long-term management of the local groundwater basin in November. The public is encouraged to bring their questions and concerns forward to the SCV-GSA Board of Directors at their meeting in November as they piece together their Draft Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP) for the Santa Clara River Valley East Subbasin. The Draft Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP) was presented to the SCV-GSA Board in October, where a follow-up discussion was scheduled on Nov. 23 in which additional details would be provided, according to SCV Water. … ” Read more from SCV News here: Santa Clarita Valley Groundwater Sustainability Agency to discuss essential East Subbasin maintenance
Pasadena sues Caltech over groundwater contamination
“The city of Pasadena, California, filed a lawsuit against the California Institute of Technology on Thursday over groundwater contamination caused by rocket research done by the Jet Propulsion Lab, which is owned by NASA but operated by Caltech. Starting in the 1940s, and continuing well into the 1960s, JPL researchers used a wide variety of chemicals to test and make rocket fuel. Some of those toxic chemicals ended up in the groundwater, through the seasonal Arroyo Seco nearby or by being buried in the ground. “The JPL facility reportedly continued to discharge wastewater contaminated with chemical waste into the Arroyo Seco at least as late as 1990,” the city says in its complaint. “Specifically, it was reported that on at least three separate occasions in 1990, approximately 600,000 gallons of wastewater contaminated with PCE was released by Caltech into the Arroyo Seco.” … ” Continue reading from the Courthouse News Service here: Pasadena sues Caltech over groundwater contamination
Laguna Beach seawall still stands despite 3-year-old removal order
“More than three years after the state Coastal Commission ordered its removal, the illegal seawall protecting a beachfront house in Laguna Beach is still standing. Fruitless legal challenges by the owner ensued until hitting a dead end March 25, when the state Supreme Court declined to hear the case. That started the clock ticking on a particularly dramatic case of the commission prioritizing public beach over private property. Owner Jerry Stanley then had 60 days to remove the seawall and any portion of the house that would not be saved. The removal deadline, May 24, has come and gone. … ” Read more from the Daily News here: Laguna Beach seawall still stands despite 3-year-old removal order
IMPERIAL/COACHELLA VALLEYS
Salton Sea habitat site at Red Hill Bay bulldozed by IID; recriminations fly
“Federal scientist Chris Schoneman had an idea in 2010. He wanted to re-create the once brimming, biologically rich Red Hill Bay at the south end of California’s largest water body, the shrinking Salton Sea. Schoneman, project manager at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s nearby Sonny Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge, believed the bay could gain new life as shallow marine wetlands. Schoneman and many others believed the project also would serve as a beacon for other restoration efforts around the sea. He found a strong partner in the Imperial Irrigation District, which owns the bay land, and nearly $5 million in state and federal funds were obtained. Volunteer military veterans and federal crews built berms, nesting sites and other infrastructure to hold water and fish. But the water never arrived, and the project’s fate is now uncertain. It may now be dead. … ” Read more from the Desert Sun here: Salton Sea habitat site at Red Hill Bay bulldozed by IID; recriminations fly
Ghost towns and toxic fumes: How an idyllic California lake became a disaster
“The vision for Salton City was clear: A bustling, resort community along the crystal blue waters of the Salton Sea. Residents could enjoy their own boat docks and stroll down palm tree-lined streets to the beach. The city’s reality is more grim. Instead of a vacation spot, it feels like a post-apocalyptic ghost town. Most of the homes were demolished or never built. The palm trees are stumps. And the sea, while beautiful, is toxic. “People here used to fish, swim, bring their boats,” said Frank Ruiz, Audubon’s Salton Sea Program Director, as he stood by a crumbling dock on land that once held water. “They went from living in paradise to living in hell.” Here in the southeastern corner of California, flanked by sprawling mountains and desert, lies the state’s largest and most troubled body of water, along with the mostly abandoned communities near its shore. … ” Read more from CNBC here: Ghost towns and toxic fumes: How an idyllic California lake became a disaster
California deserts could hold the key to a future with less fossil fuel (hint: it’s lithium)
“There could be enough lithium stored across California and the West to supply all the batteries the U.S. demands, researchers estimate, plus more to export. And that demand for lithium — a crucial part of the batteries that power electric cars and store extra energy from solar and wind — is heading in one direction: up. The problem is that California’s lithium is trapped in desert sediments, ocean water and deep underground, in natural deposits of saltwater called brine. The state has a trove of the stuff beneath the Salton Sea in Southern California, but efforts to extract it are fledgling. Oakland-based Lilac Solutions is one of the companies trying to use domestic lithium to make batteries that could power the U.S. toward a future without fossil fuels. Dave Snydacker, the company’s CEO, says a tricky part is to capture the lithium without damaging the environment. … ” Read more from KQED here: California deserts could hold the key to a future with less fossil fuel (hint: it’s lithium)
Along the Colorado River …
It’s time to drain Lake Powell
” … Now may seem like an odd time to make the case for draining the second-largest reservoir in the country, with the West in the depths of a megadrought unmatched since the Medieval Period. Tree ring cores and remote sensing data indicate a paucity of soil moisture unseen in at least 1,200 years. Lake Powell itself, along with reservoirs across the West, are at record lows, and climate change is set to exact an even more severe toll with rising temperatures killing the snowpack that feeds them, evaporating what are essentially ponds in the middle of the desert. Yet it is the drought itself that has revealed precisely why now is the moment to execute Dominy’s plan to bypass his dam, lower Lake Powell to river level, and restore Glen Canyon. ... ” Read more from Gizmodo here: It’s time to drain Lake Powell
In national water news this weekend …
House passes $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill that includes transport, broadband and utility funding, sends it to Biden
“The House passed a more than $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill late Friday, sending it to President Joe Biden’s desk in a critical step toward enacting sprawling Democratic economic plans. The Senate approved the revamp of transportation, utilities and broadband in August. The legislation’s passage is perhaps the unified Democratic government’s most concrete achievement since it approved a $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package in the spring. The measure passed in a 228-206 vote. Thirteen Republicans supported it, while six Democrats voted against it. Biden could sign the bill within days. … ” Read more from CNBC here: House passes $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill that includes transport, broadband and utility funding, sends it to Biden
Feinstein applauds house passage of bipartisan infrastructure bill
“Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) today applauded House passage of the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. This bill, which already passed the Senate, will help modernize the country’s infrastructure and create thousands of jobs. The bill will next go to President Biden for his signature. “This bill is critical for the future of California. Not only will it help modernize California’s complex infrastructure to help modernize our economy and attract more jobs, it also invests heavily in the twin challenges of wildfire mitigation and drought resiliency,” Feinstein said. “We know climate change is one of the more dire challenges we face, particularly in California where dry conditions encourage wildfires and limit our water resources. … ” Read more from Senator Feinstein here:Feinstein Applauds House Passage of Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill
National parks face tough calls battling climate change
“Acadia National Park Superintendent Kevin Schneider laments the day when visitors may no longer be able to walk down to Thunder Hole, a tiny inlet carved naturally out of coastal rocks, where the sounds of crashing waves and thunderous booms have lured sightseers for centuries. For Schneider, it’s Acadia’s version of Yellowstone’s Old Faithful, a must-see stop for most tourists. But he fears the day will come when it will be pointless to keep replacing the paved stairs, walkways and handrails as Thunder Hole faces the long-term prospect of permanently crumbling. “At what point do we say, ‘We’re not going to rebuild Thunder Hole; we’re not going to rebuild the walkway. It’s a fool’s errand; it’s too expensive’?” Schneider asked in a recent interview. “We’re not at that point now, but we may be in 10 years; we may be in 20 years. So how will we think about that?” It’s just one example of the tough calls awaiting managers in coming years as they seek to protect park resources from the rapidly accelerating effects of climate change. ... ” Read more from E&E News here: National parks face tough calls battling climate change
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Also on Maven’s Notebook this weekend …
ANNOUNCEMENT: IRWM Roundtable of Regions to Hold Virtual Climate Resilience Summit
NOTICE: Notice of Preparation of Environmental Impact Report and CEQA Scoping Meeting: MCL for hexavalent chromium
THE CURRENT: California Trout at fifty; Ecological restoration of Cochran Creek; What the science says: Fish eyes; and more …
AG AND RESOURCE ECONOMICS SPECIAL ISSUE: Implications of the Drought for California Agriculture
ESTUARY NEWS: Cows Run Amuck, East Bay Groundwater, Breaching Season, Lab in a Garage, Birds Use Solar Ponds, and more…
