DAILY DIGEST, 11/9: The current drought: Time to hope for the best, prepare for the worst; Recent storms not enough to keep Tahoe area ski resorts open; State says it needs more time to meet injection deadline; Diablo Canyon could provide benefits for CA, including desal; and more …

—

On the calendar today …

• MEETING: The California Environmental Flows Workgroup meets this morning at 10am.  Agenda will be here when published.  Click here to join the Microsoft Teams meeting
• EVENT: Water Education Foundation’s Headwaters Tour – A Virtual Journey from 2:30pm to 5:30pm.  Join the Water Education Foundation as we guide you on a virtual journey into the foothills and the mountains to examine water issues that happen upstream but have dramatic impacts downstream and throughout the state.  Click here to register.
• PUBLIC MEETING: Knightsen Wetland Restoration Project from 7pm to 9pm. East Contra Costa County Habitat Conservancy and partners are developing a habitat restoration project on a 645-acre property east of the Knightsen community. The project team is currently refining concept plans, considering multiple objectives that will create and restore wetlands and other habitat, manage storm water flows, improve Delta water quality, and explore potential future recreation opportunities.  No registration required.  Just click on the this link to enter the meeting.  For more information, click here.

In California water news today …

The current drought: Time to hope for the best, prepare for the worst

“Last month’s atmospheric river brought much-needed precipitation to California, which has been in the grip of the second-driest and third-warmest two-year period on record. It was a balm to the drought-stricken state, and more than 600,000 acre-feet have arrived in the state’s major reservoirs, but are our worries over? In a word, no.  California remains in a historic drought. We ended the 2021 water year in conditions similar to the end of 2014, year three of the last major drought. Future scenarios for the 2022 water year—shown in the figure—demonstrate that we’ll need a generous year of rainfall to move the drought needle out of the danger zone. ... ”  Read more from the PPIC here: The current drought: Time to hope for the best, prepare for the worst

Recent storms not enough to keep Tahoe area ski resorts open

“Recent storms have so far not been enough to keep Tahoe area ski resorts open.   “Usually, we’ll start with high snow levels in the beginning and then they’ll fall when the cold front comes through. We’re just not seeing that with this storm,” said Bryan Allegretto.  Allegretto is a meteorologist and the writer of Tahoe Daily Snow, a ski-industry forecast on opensnow.com. “Unfortunately, we’re not getting cold air behind these storms, and we’re not getting cold storms yet. So, we’re getting snow on top of warm ground that’s melting from underneath and from above with the warm air behind the storms. So, the precipitation is awesome but not great for skiing yet,” Allegretto said. … ”  Read more from Fox 40 here: Recent storms not enough to keep Tahoe area ski resorts open

State says it needs more time to meet injection deadline, plans to pressure oil producers

“State regulators responding to a federal ultimatum have indicated they might not be able to come into full compliance with oilfield injection rules before a deadline imposed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency because of the need for detailed reviews that the oil industry says are unnecessary.  Senior officials with California’s Department of Conservation and the State Water Resources Control Board told the EPA in a letter Oct. 15 that they expect to have the reviews finished before their deadline of Sept. 30 of next year. But because that’s not the end of the process, the state’s response could run the risk that the federal government will take away California’s authority over injection work. … ”  Read more from the Bakersfield Californian here: State says it needs more time to meet injection deadline, plans to pressure oil producers

Diablo Canyon nuclear plant could provide benefits for California, including desalinated water and clean hydrogen

“The Diablo Canyon nuclear plant in California, the only one still operating in the state, is set to close in 2025. A team of researchers at MIT’s Center for Advanced Nuclear Energy Systems, Abdul Latif Jameel Water and Food Systems Lab, and Center for Energy and Environmental Policy Research; Stanford’s Precourt Energy Institute; and energy analysis firm LucidCatalyst LLC have analyzed the potential benefits the plant could provide if its operation were extended to 2030 or 2045.  They found that this nuclear plant could simultaneously help to stabilize the state’s electric grid, provide desalinated water to supplement the state’s chronic water shortages, and provide carbon-free hydrogen fuel for transportation. MIT News asked report co-authors Jacopo Buongiorno, the TEPCO Professor of Nuclear Science and Engineering, and John Lienhard, the Jameel Professor of Water and Food, to discuss the group’s findings. … ”  Read more from TechXplore here: Diablo Canyon nuclear plant could provide benefits for California, including desalinated water and clean hydrogen

A conversation with Mario Santoyo

“Mario Santoyo is the executive director of the Latino Water Coalition. He is also a civil engineer and serves as VP of Clean Water and Jobs for California, a Non-Profit representing primary water, business, environmental and Ag stakeholders. And since 1986, he has served as the Assistant General Manager of Friant Water Authority.  Patrick Cavanaugh: Looking back on Prop 1, which the voters passed in 2014? Thinking about the fact that we passed that, how much money was allocated? How many billions of dollars for storage?  Mario Santoyo: It was about $3 billion for storage.  Cavanaugh: And, of course, that money was used to get some storage going, right? Santoyo:  Yes. Right. … ”  Read more from Cal Ag Today here: A conversation with Mario Santoyo

Video: Metropolitan’s Adel Hagekhalil on climate change

Research: Genesis locations of the costliest atmospheric rivers impacting the western United States

“On the Western U.S. ARs are responsible for the vast majority of flooding, with mean annual flood costs of USD$1.1 billion, 88% of the total annual flood damage. The economic impact of ARs in the Western U.S. was first examined by Corringham et al. (2019) in a benchmark study, presenting a clear exponential increase in flooding damage with increases in AR rank (intensity and duration). Building on this important work, Prince et al. (2021) identifies the genesis location and associated atmospheric dynamics of damaging ARs in the Western U.S.  … ”  Read more from the Center for Western Weather and Water Extremes here: Research: Genesis locations of the costliest atmospheric rivers impacting the western United States

CDFW’s cannabis grant program awards nearly $1 million for watershed remediation projects

“The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) today announced the selection of four projects to receive funding for watershed remediation and enhancement projects.  The awards, totaling $966,649, were made under CDFW’s Cannabis Restoration Grant Program (CRGP) through the Environmental Restoration and Protection Account pursuant to Revenue and Taxation Code section 34019(f)(2).  The Watershed Remediation and Enhancement Proposal Solicitation Notice was released from the CRGP in April 2021, with $2 million total funding available. CDFW received seven proposals seeking approximately $1.6 million in grant funding.  “These awards ensure California’s vital biodiversity in priority watersheds is being enhanced and protected,” said Jeremy Valverde, CDFW’s Cannabis Program Director. “We are committed to working with organizations of all sizes to support a variety of remediation projects that improve and sustain California’s delicate ecosystems throughout the state.” … ”  Read more from CDFW here: CDFW’s cannabis grant program awards nearly $1 million for watershed remediation projects

UC Davis researchers awarded $10 million to optimize groundwater, agricultural irrigation sustainability in long-term project

“Amid the unpredictable impacts of climate change, UC Davis has been recently awarded $10 million in grant funding by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture. Researchers from a wide range of fields — from socioeconomics to agricultural groundwater and soil health — will collaborate to optimize groundwater and agricultural irrigation sustainability in the Southwest for farmers to improve crop yield and cost efficiency.  Isaya Kisekka, an associate professor of agrohydrology and irrigation at UC Davis, will be leading a massive collaborative study with a team of researchers from California, Arizona and New Mexico to develop climate adaptation strategies that effectively sustain groundwater quantity and quality as well as irrigated agriculture.  Kisekka introduced the climate issue that the study tackles and the limitations that farmers currently face. … ”  Read more from the California Aggie here: UC Davis researchers awarded $10 million to optimize groundwater, agricultural irrigation sustainability in long-term project

The U.S. infrastructure plan: water components

“On November 5, 2021, the U.S. Congress passed President Biden’s major infrastructure bill, HR 3684, the $1.2 trillion ‘‘Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.” The President is expected to sign the bill into law. The bill is the largest single federal investment in infrastructure in a generation, with the funds to be expended over five years. It aims to rebuild and replace failing, aging, and outdated water, energy, transportation, and communications systems. As the first significant federal investment in climate resilience, it also begins to address the growing consequences of climate change, including intensifying extreme weather events, increasing temperatures, and rising sea levels, on communities throughout the United States.  One key component of the Act is the set of proposals to address the wide range of water-related challenges facing the United States. This Pacific Institute analysis provides an overview of how the Infrastructure Act addresses these challenges. … ”  Read more from the Pacific Institute here: The U.S. infrastructure plan: water components 

SEE ALSO:

• • Dan Walters: California gets small share of infrastructure bill, from Cal Matters
  • California Farm Bureau: Infrastructure deal will “help California farmers and ranchers”, from KRCR
  • California Farm Bureau Hails Critical Investments in Infrastructure, Congress Member Valadao Votes Against Bill, from the Valley Voice
  • $1T infrastructure bill benefits Valley ag and rural communities, from Your Central Valley
  • Bipartisan infrastructure bill heads to President Biden’s desk. What’s in it for California, from the Visalia Times-Delta

California wildfires …

What’s going on with California’s fire season?

“California’s recent torrential storms were not enough to end the drought. The state has been so parched for so long that the rains, while welcome, did not provide much more than a few drops in the metaphorical bucket.  But the downpour did help quash two of the year’s worst fires and nourish lands that had been tinder-dry for months. So, did the showers at least save us from a severe fall fire season?  Before we dive in, here’s what the state has already endured this year ... ”  Read more from the San Francisco Examiner here: What’s going on with California’s fire season?

Northern California sees more and more ‘fire weather’ days, data shows

“Across the Sierra Nevada foothills, fire weather is increasingly becoming a distressing reality of life. Over the last half-century, global heating has dramatically increased the number of annual fire-weather days in the region, a Climate Central analysis of federal weather station data shows.  The Climate Central research reveals that the number of annual fire-weather days in what the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (Noaa) defines as the Sacramento Drainage climate division climbed from an average of seven days in the early 1970s to 22 in 2020. This year there were 25. … ”  Read more from Fox 40 here: Northern California sees more and more ‘fire weather’ days, data shows

Return to top

In regional water news and commentary today …

NORTH COAST

Nation uses technology to help salmon

“Recent storms along the Northern California coastline may have brought concerns about mudslides and scattered power outages, but for the adult Chinook Salmon and steelheads migrating from the ocean to the Smith River to reproduce – it’s been like turning on the river’s vacancy sign. Thanks to some recently-installed sonar monitoring equipment courtesy of the Tolowa Dee-ni’ Nation Fisheries Division, cameras are able to capture the moment. Or, at least, the migratory part of the more precarious task of the female burrowing her eggs into the riverbed – followed by the male who fertilizes them. According to the Nation’s Fisheries Program Manager, Jennifer Jacobs, funding from the Bureau of Indian Affairs to purchase the sonar monitoring equipment has already produced video quality images for use in its Lhuk Adult Enumeration Project. … ”  Read more from the Del Norte Triplicate here: Nation uses technology to help salmon

SACRAMENTO VALLEY

Sacramento boat launch to be repaired after damages caused by October storm

“Salmon fishermen are concerned about what they consider to be a dangerous boat launch in Sacramento.  There is thick mud, branches blocking the boat path and a damaged ramp at the Discovery Park boat launch.  “I was kind of surprised by it. This is my first time out here this year,” Stockton resident and salmon fisherman Charles Achen said.  He said he’s never seen the launch look like it does now. ... ”  Read more from KCRA Channel 3 here: Sacramento boat launch to be repaired after damages caused by October storm

Grand jury: Unsafe drinking water, lack of transparency in an Arden-Arcade water district

“An almost one-square-mile water district in Arden-Arcade is at the center of a scathing grand jury report, alleging a “literal flood of concerns.”  The Del Paso Manor Water District stretches down Watt Avenue from Marconi Avenue to near Cottage Way, with El Camino cutting through to the district’s end at Eastern Avenue. It serves residents and businesses such as AT&T, Emigh Hardware and WinCo.  The water district’s “relatively small size” is what a Sacramento grand jury believes may have enabled the board to put off acting on critical issues involving health, safety and financial matters. … ”  Read more from Fox Channel 40 here: Grand jury: Unsafe drinking water, lack of transparency in an Arden-Arcade water district

Sacramento: Sustainability: Removing ammonia

“Ammonia is both manufactured and created naturally. It serves a variety of purposes that are widely considered to be positive, including within fertilizers and cleaning products, and plays a role in the creation of amino acids.  One part nitrogen and three parts hydrogen (NH3), ammonia’s dark side is that exposure to it can cause problems for humans’ health. … So it’s a good idea to keep uncontrolled ammonia out of our environment, which brings us to the latest news from the Sacramento Regional County Sanitation District (Regional San).  This summer, Regional San announced that it had upgraded its wastewater treatment facility to the extent that it now removes more than 99 percent of ammonia from the water it releases into the Sacramento River and that is used for landscape and agricultural irrigation. … ”  Read more from Sacramento Magazine here: Sustainability: Removing ammonia

BAY AREA

Weak atmospheric river gives some relief to drought stricken North Bay

“A weak atmospheric river rolled through the San Francisco Bay Area early Tuesday, dumping more than 2 inches of rain in the Marin County community Kentfield, nestled in the shadow of Mt. Tamalpais, but giving little relief to the drought stricken South Bay.  Rainfall totals over the last 24 hours depended entirely on what zip code you lived in. … ”  Read more from CBS San Francisco here: Weak atmospheric river gives some relief to drought stricken North Bay

SEE ALSO: Bay Area weather: ‘Hit-or-miss’ showers from atmospheric river to continue Tuesday morning, from the Mercury News

This chart shows how much rain S.F. needs to get back to ‘normal’

“More rainfall is expected to shower the Bay Area this week — but nowhere near enough to get San Francisco back to normal levels.  Data compiled by Jan Null, meteorologist for Golden Gate Weather Service, summarized just how much rainfall the region would need to get close to what’s considered normal — and it’s still a copious amount, despite a wetter-than-expected start to the rainy season.  In a normal season, San Francisco should be receiving about 22.89 inches of rain. The city only saw 11.7 inches of rain during its 2019-20 season, followed by 8.97 inches of rain in its 2020-21 season. … ”  Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle here: This chart shows how much rain S.F. needs to get back to ‘normal’

They live rent-free on San Francisco Bay. But now their ‘floating homeless encampment’ faces extinction

“Greg Baker likes to say that the only way he’s leaving his home, a broken-down 40-foot sailboat anchored in this sparkling estuary north of the Golden Gate Bridge, is in handcuffs or a black plastic bag.  “I like the peace, the quiet — if I stub my toe I can holler,” said Baker, who at 82 has been living here, in one vessel or another, for half a century.  Lately though, life has been anything but peaceful on the bay. Baker and his fellow anchor-outs, as they’re known, have long lived illegally and rent-free in the sightline of some of America’s priciest real estate, and now authorities in Sausalito and other neighboring communities want them gone. The battle has pitted the forces of gentrification against Sausalito’s fading identity as a freewheeling maritime town that has always been a refuge for rebels and dropouts. … ”  Read more from the LA Times here: They live rent-free on San Francisco Bay. But now their ‘floating homeless encampment’ faces extinction

CENTRAL COAST

NOAA announces process to designate national marine sanctuary off central California

“NOAA today announced it is seeking public comment on the first steps toward designating a new national marine sanctuary in a 7,000 square mile area off the central California coast, adjacent to San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties.  The designation of a Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary would protect the region’s important marine ecosystem, maritime heritage resources and cultural values of Indigenous communities, while allowing NOAA to manage compatible uses within its boundaries. The National Marine Sanctuaries Act allows NOAA to designate and protect areas of marine and Great Lakes environments with special national significance. … ”  Read more from NOAA here: NOAA announces process to designate national marine sanctuary off central California

San Luis Obispo County water district violated public meeting law in ‘deliberate’ move, DA says

“A local water district violated the Brown Act by making key decisions about water resources in closed session, according to a letter filed by the San Luis Obispo County District Attorney’s Office. The cease-and-desist letter, dated Nov. 4, alleges the board of directors of the Shandon-San Juan Water District, which manages a portion of the water in the Paso Robles Groundwater Basin, made decisions about water sources in closed session at a March 16 meeting. “The board’s decision to go into closed session appears to have been deliberate and for the sole purpose of preventing others from learning that it was attempting to appropriate water rights,” the District Attorney’s Office wrote. … ”  Read more from the San Luis Obispo Tribune here: San Luis Obispo County water district violated public meeting law in ‘deliberate’ move, DA says

Column: A last stand — Los Padres approves thinning of ancient trees on Reyes Peak

Columnist Dan McCaslin writes, “A naturally human need to roam and wander the hills lured us out to verify water levels in some of our stricken water sources during this gnarly drought, and I hadn’t hiked to check on Boulder Canyon’s McGuire Spring since 2013 (Trail 23W03). … On the extremely steep northeastern slopes of Reyes Peak towers a last stand of “ancient” pines — about 450 acres centered on Boulder Canyon and eastward (see Harrison map, 4.1.1.).  Below and around the lower limits of this remnant “sky island” of fragrant sugar pines, Jeffrey and ponderosa pines crowd the vast and dense chaparral shrublands, thorny and impenetrable. … Now, Los Padres National Forest has approved “thinning” more than 15,000 trees in the 750-acre parcel (the 450 old-growth acres are within this) — which it misleadingly terms “fuel reduction.” ... ”  Continue reading at Noozhawk here: Column: A last stand — Los Padres approves thinning of ancient trees on Reyes Peak

SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY

Fresno Irrigation District adding new recharge basins

“Area canals in the Fresno Irrigation District have run dry but at some point during a wet year, a new recharge basin south of Fresno will be full of water.  “Most of the signs are pointing to another dry year, unfortunately, this year,” says Fresno Irrigation District General Manager Bill Stretch. “It could turn wet and if it does, we’ve got the infrastructure in place to capture those flood flows.”  Because of ongoing drought challenges, FID is drawing a line in the sand and developing four new basins. ... ”  Read more from KFSN here: Fresno Irrigation District adding new recharge basins

EASTERN SIERRA

Dusting off the gull protection fence

“California Gulls at Mono Lake can’t catch a break. Another drought year and a legacy of excessive water diversions are increasing the threat of coyotes crossing the emerging landbridge to Twain Islet and reaching vulnerable eggs and chicks during the nesting season. Lake level projections for next year indicate Mono Lake will be at a dangerously low level, and that the landbridge will be exposed. Anticipating this, Mono Lake Committee staff are once again planning to install the temporary electric fence that successfully protected the gulls just four years ago. … ”  Read more from the Mono Lake Committee here: Dusting off the gull protection fence

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

How safe is LA’s water? Environmental group says legal standards still pose health risks

“You turn on the tap and expect clean water. But what exactly is in that water?  … EWG has a new tap-water database. Analysis of Los Angeles Department of Water and Power water found the level of arsenic 430 times its own EWG recommendation. It also found chromium at 29 times recommended levels, and acids from disinfectants at 184 times.  The levels however are all below the legal limit set by the federal government. But EWG says levels that are technically legal are not necessarily safe. … ”  Read more from ABC Los Angeles here: How safe is LA’s water? Environmental group says legal standards still pose health risks

Los Angeles region works to decrease runoff pollution

“Waterways within the densely populated, heavily developed Los Angeles metropolitan area often suffer from multiple water quality impairments, particularly as a result of dry weather runoff. At the same time, the Los Angeles region relies heavily on imported water sources, in some cases from hundreds of miles away. In a bid to address these problems, on at least a small scale, the city of Los Angeles and several local partners have teamed up on a novel approach. The city will treat some dry weather flows within its major watershed and divert much of the rest to the Hyperion Water Reclamation Plant.  Ultimately, the effort is expected to improve local water quality, protect public health, and increase the output of recycled water, helping offset some of the region’s potable water demands. … ”  Read more from Civil Engineering Source here: Los Angeles region works to decrease runoff pollution

Pasadena city committee will hear details of worsening drought, strategies for coping with region’s “drier future”

“The Metropolitan Water District (MWD) board will be asked to declare a regional drought emergency on November 9 to address potential water problems amid the drought crisis.  MWD Board Member Cynthia Kurtz will deliver that news to the city council’s Municipal Services Committee Tuesday afternoon. Kurtz also happens to be Pasadena’s incoming interim city manager.  Pasadena obtains about 60% of its water supply from the MWD. The balance of the city’s water comes is local groundwater from the Raymond Basin, according to the Pasadena Water and Power Dept. … ”  Read more from Pasadena Now here: Pasadena city committee will hear details of worsening drought, strategies for coping with region’s “drier future”

IMPERIAL/COACHELLA VALLEYS

Researchers study cultural perspectives of Salton Sea

“An interdisciplinary group of faculty and student scholars at the Cal State San Bernardino, Palm Desert Campus is conducting a community-based research project focusing on local perspectives of the Salton Sea.  Spanning regions in both Riverside and Imperial Counties, the Salton Sea impacts a large geographical region and many local communities. Numerous environmental issues have been raised by the increasing evaporation of the Sea, including air quality, human health impacts and impacts on biodiversity and wildlife. … ”  Read more from the Uken Report here: Researchers study cultural perspectives of Salton Sea

SAN DIEGO

This city’s recycled wastewater is too pure to actually drink

“On a dusty hilltop in San Diego, the drinking water of the future courses through a wildly complicated and very loud jumble of tanks, pipes, and cylinders. Here at the North City Water Reclamation Plant, very not-drinkable wastewater is turned into a liquid so pure it would actually wreak havoc on your body if you imbibed it without further treatment.  First the system hits the wastewater with ozone, which destroys bacteria and viruses. Then it pumps the water through filters packed with coal granules that trap organic solids. Next, the water passes through fine membranes that snag any remaining solids and microbes. “The pores are so small, you can’t see them except with a really powerful microscope,” says Amy Dorman, deputy director of Pure Water San Diego, the city’s initiative to reduce its reliance on water imported from afar. “Basically, they only allow the water molecules to get through.” … ”  Read more from Mother Jones here: This city’s recycled wastewater is too pure to actually drink

EPA outlines $630M vision for curbing Tijuana sewage pollution in San Diego

“Top federal environmental regulators in California laid out a $630-million plan on Monday to capture and treat sewage-tainted water that routinely flows over the border from Tijuana into Imperial Beach and up the coast.  The blueprint focuses largely on installing a pumping system in the Tijuana River north of the U.S.-Mexico border to suck polluted flows out of the channel before they can foul shorelines in San Diego. Trash booms would be installed directly upstream of the intake.  The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency hopes to break ground on the project by 2023. The upgrades would also include building a facility to treat the diverted river water from not only the new pumping station but an existing facility in the river operated by Mexico just south of the border. … ”  Read more from the San Diego Union-Tribune here: EPA outlines $630M vision for curbing Tijuana sewage pollution in San Diego

Environment Report: The Final Tijuana River Solution is: All of Them.

“We finally have a winner just months after the Environmental Protection Agency revealed a narrowed-down list of projects to solve the Tijuana River sewage problem: All of them.  The agency announced Monday it’s chasing what I called “the whole hog” solution to stopping raw Tijuana sewage from flowing into the United States and closing southern California beaches. It doesn’t have enough money to do all of it now, but the EPA is sort of fast-tracking the planning for its project wish list, so when more money becomes available — nudge, nudge Congressional delegates — EPA will have all the nitty-gritty environmental studies complete to begin construction. ... ”  Read more from the Voice of San Diego here: Environment Report: The Final Tijuana River Solution is: All of Them. 

SEE ALSO: EPA selects Tijuana sewage pollution projects for environmental review, from the Courthouse News Service

Return to top

Along the Colorado River …

As Lake Powell shrinks, the Colorado River is coming back to life

“When Mike DeHoff began leading river trips in the early 1990s, there was little ambiguity about where the Colorado River ended and Lake Powell began.  DeHoff, who guided students on Outward Bound courses in southeastern Utah for over a decade, taught backcountry travel skills on the remote, winding flat water of the Green and Colorado rivers in Canyonlands National Park. Below the confluence of the two rivers, his students learned to navigate the challenging whitewater of Cataract, a series of 26 rapids culminating in the run’s three-part crux: the Big Drops. … ”  Read more from the Salt Lake Tribune here: As Lake Powell shrinks, the Colorado River is coming back to life

Column: How much groundwater is rural Arizona using? NASA satellites could give us a better answer

Columnist Joanna Allhands writes, “How much groundwater is rural Arizona using?  Good question.  There are basically no regulations on pumping outside of the state’s five Active Management Areas. So, whoever has the deepest well wins – an approach that is steadily draining aquifers all over the state.  Because there also are no reporting requirements in rural areas, reliable data on use is notoriously hard to come by. In the rare instances where it exists, it is often criticized for its accuracy.  But what if I told you we could gather objective, actionable data on use? And we could do it without metering everyone’s wells – an unpopular idea in rural Arizona that usually kills any effort to better manage limited and dwindling supplies?  I’m not throwing you a line. The technology exists. … ”  Read more from the Arizona Republic here: Column: How much groundwater is rural Arizona using? NASA satellites could give us a better answer

Commentary: The Grand Canyon Protection Act would advance water security and environmental justice at critical time

Christopher Kuzdas with the Environmental Defense Fund writes, “Climate change and drought are bringing home the urgent need to protect the Grand Canyon and secure clean water supplies for all communities in the Colorado River Basin. With the compounding threat of uranium mining, the stakes are high in the Grand Canyon — a global treasure, economic driver for Arizona, and place of great cultural and spiritual importance to at least 12 sovereign indigenous nations.  If passed, the Grand Canyon Protection Act would make permanent the 20-year temporary ban (enacted in 2012) on new uranium and other hard rock mining on about 1 million acres of public land around Grand Canyon National Park. … ”  Read more from EDF’s Growing Returns here: The Grand Canyon Protection Act would advance water security and environmental justice at critical time

Return to top

In national water news today …

NASA, USGS Landsat-9 satellite: How will this probe help experts examine crop health, irrigation?

“Landsat 9, a cooperative mission of NASA and the United States Geological Survey (USGS), will now assist specialists in evaluating crop health and irrigation throughout the planet. The investigation will also aid in managing critical natural resources and understanding climate change’s effects.  It comes as the USGS and the US space agency (via Science Times) revealed the newest photographs of Earth from orbit, which give unique views of how the planet’s surface is changing.  USGS said Landsat satellites offer high-quality, multi-spectral photography of the Earth’s surface. These remotely sensed, moderate-resolution photographs are more than simply photos; they contain many layers of data acquired at various places along the visible and invisible light spectrum. ... ”  Read more from Science Times here: NASA, USGS Landsat-9 satellite: How will this probe help experts examine crop health, irrigation?

Commentary: The climate crisis is a water crisis

Tom Kiernan, president and CEO of American Rivers, writes, “”No matter where you live, you’re feeling the impacts of climate change. And chances are, you are feeling the impacts of climate change through your rivers, creeks, and water supplies.  The stakes couldn’t be higher, as dangerous floods threaten communities, drought puts livelihoods at risk and fish and wildlife are pushed closer to extinction as streams dry up.  That is why it is time to put rivers and freshwater at the center of the climate conversation. … ”  Read more from American Rivers here: The climate crisis is a water crisis

Return to top