On the calendar today …
- MEETING: The Delta Stewardship Council will meet beginning at 9am. Agenda items include a workshop on the draft EIR for the Delta Plan’s ecosystem amendment, and a presentation on carbon capture in the Delta. Click here for the full agenda and remote access instructions.
- PUBLIC MEETING: SAFER Program: Advisory Group Meeting from 9am to 4pm. Agenda items include Community Engagement Strategy, Operations & Maintenance, Drinking Water Infrastructure Funding, and SAFER Updates. Click here for the meeting notice and remote access instructions.
- PUBLIC MEETING: Cutting the Green Tape and CEQA Exemption from 10am to 11:30am. An update on CDFW’s new Cutting the Green Tape Program will be provided, including an overview of CDFW’s role in the new California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Statutory Exemption for Fish and Wildlife Restoration Projects. Natural Resources Deputy Secretary for Biodiversity and Habitat Dr. Jennifer Norris and CDFW Director Chuck Bonham will kick off the meeting, and CDFW staff will then provide updates on these important initiatives. Please register for the event here and view the agenda.
- WEBINAR: California Water in an Era of Increasing Climate Complexity from 10am to 12pm. Hear from water’s most innovative leaders as they describe the current threats to our water resources and discuss the utilization of forest management practices, land-use planning, and sound science to lessen the impacts of wildfire in our communities and our watersheds. Click here to register.
- MEETING: The Wildlife Conservation Board will meet beginning at 1pm. The Wildlife Conservation Board will discuss several habitat restoration and other projects. Click here for the full agenda and remote access instructions.
- WEBINAR: Protecting Drinking Water While Replenishing Aquifers from 1pm to 2:30pm. Over 600,000 Californians rely on nitrate-contaminated public supply wells for their household water needs. Many others struggle with contaminated groundwater from private, domestic wells – so the numbers are even greater. Balancing long-term groundwater sustainability and water quality will help California weather future droughts, ensure safe drinking water, and support our thriving agricultural community that feeds the nation. Join Sustainable Conservation for the second webinar in our Water in a Warming World series as our panel of experts shed light on how California can work to replenish our aquifers while protecting water quality for the health of our communities. Click here to register.
- MEETING: Delta Protection Commission from 4pm to 6pm. Agenda items include a Delta Protection Advisory Committee report, consideration of actions necessary for recruitment and hiring of the Executive Director, the Great California Delta Trail Master Plan, and Delta flood preparedness activities. Click here for the full agenda and remote access instructions.
In California water news today …
UC Riverside experts weigh drought’s long-term impacts
“Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a drought emergency for the entire state of California this past month. The period from Oct. 1, 2020 to Sept. 30, 2021 was the second-driest year on record in California. Almost 90% of the state is in throes of extreme drought. Reservoir storage is 60% of average. Said one state water official: “It’s almost beyond comprehension.” We asked UCR experts what the future holds if drought conditions persist. … ” Read more from UC Riverside here: UC Riverside experts weigh drought’s long-term impacts
‘Backsliding.’ California mostly ignores Newsom’s plea to conserve water during drought
“Californians are still lagging behind Gov. Gavin Newsom’s drought-emergency plea to use less water. Urban residents reduced water consumption by just 3.9% in September, compared with a year earlier, according to data released Tuesday by the State Water Resources Control Board. The August figure was a slightly better 5.1%. The water board’s chairman, E. Joaquin Esquivel, said he was disappointed with the “backsliding” and added: “It’s not the news that I think we were all wanting to see.” ... ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee here: ‘Backsliding.’ California mostly ignores Newsom’s plea to conserve water during drought
Calif. releases updated groundwater report
“With a severe drought and an increased reliance on groundwater basins, Calif.’s Department of Water Resources (DWR) released the final version of its California’s Groundwater – Update 2020 report. The report, also known as Bulletin 118, contains critical information about the condition and use of the state’s groundwater, which is especially important as California faces the real-time impacts of climate change and drought. “Groundwater plays a central role in sustaining our state’s ecosystems, businesses, agriculture and people, with some Californians relying solely on groundwater for drinking water,” said DWR Director Karla Nemeth. “The updated California’s Groundwater provides key information for the state and locals to better understand and manage groundwater as we adapt to variations in climate and navigate a historic drought.” … ” Read more from Water World here: Calif. releases updated groundwater report
Valley Water releases Draft Environmental Impact Report on the proposed Pacheco Reservoir Expansion Project
“As we approach winter in a drought emergency, Valley Water continues to explore ways to secure enough water to help our communities weather future droughts. Our agency remains focused on preparing for future wet and dry years through a variety of projects and programs, including the proposed expansion of Pacheco Reservoir in Southern Santa Clara County. A partnership with the San Benito County Water District and Pacheco Pass Water District, the project would increase the reservoir’s capacity from 5,500 acre-feet to up to 140,000 acre-feet, enough water to supply up to 1.4 million residents for one year during an emergency. ... ” Read more from Valley Water News here: Valley Water releases Draft Environmental Impact Report on the proposed Pacheco Reservoir Expansion Project
Parched California drives almond supplies lower
“Almond production in California, the world’s biggest producer of the nuts, is expected to drop 10% to 1.3 million tonnes (2.9 billion pounds) this year because of high temperatures and drought. The return of La Niña conditions could bring another weak crop next year as well. The crop shortfall threatens to drive almond prices sharply higher, with some growers expecting a price jump of 50% or more from last year’s $1.83 per pound. That would hit many packaged food companies that rely on almonds for a wide variety of chocolate and other snack products. In addition, almond milk is the preferred dairy alternative in the US, with those manufacturers likely to see margin pressure and consumers possibly seeing higher prices. … ” Read more from Gro Intelligence here: Parched California drives almond supplies lower
California to receive more than $5.5 million for conservation projects
“The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently announced it is awarding $25 million to conservation partners across the country for 18 new projects under the Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) program’s On-Farm Conservation Innovation Trials, including four projects and more than $5.5 million in California. On-Farm Trials projects support widespread adoption and evaluation of innovative conservation approaches in partnership with agricultural producers. This year’s awarded projects increase the adoption of new approaches and technologies to help agricultural producers mitigate the effects of climate change, increase the resilience of their operations and boost soil health. ... ” Read more from Ag Net West here: California to receive more than $5.5 million for conservation projects
State addresses urgency to prepare roads, water systems for rising sea
“Guidelines for how cities and local agencies should adapt roads, railways and water systems to accommodate rising seas were unanimously approved Wednesday by the state Coastal Commission. The 230-page document sets a controversial benchmark by urging communities to prepare for the Pacific Ocean to rise 10 feet by 2100, a projection so far beyond current calculations that climate scientists haven’t yet determined the probability of it occurring. The prospect of 6 feet of rise by 2100 has been given a 1-in-200 chance of happening. … ” Read more from the Inland Daily Bulletin here: State addresses urgency to prepare roads, water systems for rising sea
Sixty-foot waves exploded off the Pacific Coast during October’s bomb cyclone
“The bomb cyclone and atmospheric river that pummeled Northern California in late October produced exceptionally heavy rain and high winds. But it also battered the California coast with some epic ocean waves. During the storm, peak individual wave heights of as much as 60 feet were measured from Washington to California, according to researchers from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in San Diego. … ” Read more from the LA Times here: Sixty-foot waves exploded off the Pacific Coast during October’s bomb cyclone
State gathers data on marine protected areas
“A decadal management review of marine protected areas currently underway in California will compile a set of long-term monitoring data that is the first of its kind. This month, the Department of Fish and Wildlife will receive reports from marine and academic institutions, government agencies and community science groups, including the Environmental Action Committee of West Marin. By the end of next year, the department will present data on the health of the areas and make recommendations to the Fish and Wildlife Commission, which can decide whether to implement them. The review is “pulling together all these pieces to give us a good snapshot of the health of the M.P.A.s,” said Morgan Patton, executive director of the E.A.C. “Is this grand experiment of these M.P.A.s working?” … ” Read more from the Point Reyes Light here: State gathers data on marine protected areas
Number of Sierra Nevada fires could increase by at least 19% over the next two decades
“The amount of fire activity in the Sierra Nevada region may be on track to considerably increase, according to new research on the effects of the hottest summer days on fire risk. In an article published Wednesday in the journal Science Advances, researchers predicted the ramifications associated with hotter summer days increasing in frequency. They estimate the number of fires in the Sierra Nevada could increase by at least 19% and as much as 83% by the 2040s. “With ongoing climate change, we’re going to see an increase in the risk of fires because of the fact that you’re having a warmer climate leading to warmer days,” said Aurora Gutierrez, the lead author of the study and a project specialist in the Department of Earth System Science at University of California, Irvine. … ” Read more from the Courthouse News Service here: Number of Sierra Nevada fires could increase by at least 19% over the next two decades
In commentary today …
Will California step up on water?
Jason Giannelli, a fourth generation Kern County farmer, writes, “California is experiencing a devastating water crisis, by some accounts the worst in the last 1,200 years. Drought is hammering the two primary water delivery systems on which millions of Californians rely — the Colorado River and the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Most of the state — and especially the south San Joaquin Valley and Kern County — is suffering badly. Extensive planning, and solid investments funded by large coffers, have enabled large portions of Southern California to get through 2021 without rationing. But the experience here in the Central Valley is far different. Thousands of acres fallowed. Jobs lost and hours cut. Multiple cities with water restrictions. Wells running dry. These disparate outcomes are highlighting the current inequalities in drought preparedness and a broken system. There is also the sobering reality that Southern Californians may too be thirsty again soon. … ” Read more from the Bakersfield Californian here: Will California step up on water?
Today’s featured article …
CA WATER COMMISSION: Update on the California Aqueduct Subsidence Program
At the September meeting of the California Water Commission, Daniel Whisman, principal engineer and program manager for DWR’s California Aqueduct Subsidence Program, updated the Commissioners on the Department’s ongoing efforts to address subsidence impacts to the aqueduct, including the status of the early implementation and long term projects and the program’s efforts to support the human right to water as codified in section 106.3 of the California Water Code.
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
‘No Fish Means No Food’: How Yurok women are fighting for their tribe’s health
“Keeping salmon in her children’s diet is “an entire job,” says Georgiana Gensaw, a Yurok Tribe member and mother of four in Klamath Glen, a community whose only easily accessible food store is a fried chicken shop attached to a gas station a few miles away. The nearest grocery store, Safeway in Crescent City, lies 24 miles away along a stretch of road frequently plagued by landslides and toppled redwoods — last summer it was closed for 20 hours a day due to a washout — making queues to get through the roadwork up to five hours long. … ” Read more from the North Coast Journal here: ‘No Fish Means No Food’: How Yurok women are fighting for their tribe’s health
Drought conditions persist in Humboldt County despite recent rains
“While recent rains have improved drought conditions across the state, much of California remains in an extreme to exceptional drought. The Humboldt County Drought Task Force provided an update on local drought conditions during the supervisors’ meeting Tuesday and explored solutions for long-term drought impacts and climate change. Shortly after the county Drought Task Force’s last update on Oct. 2, Gov. Gavin Newsom expanded the drought emergency on Oct. 18 to include all 58 California counties, triggering the authorization of the California Disaster Assistance Act, which enabled the use of temporary emergency supplies, drinking water, and water for sanitation purposes, according to Humboldt County Office of Emergency Services director Ryan Derby. … ” Read more from the Eureka Times-Standard here: Drought conditions persist in Humboldt County despite recent rains
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
Column: We need to take control of the Upper Mokelumne River Watershed Authority
Dakota Morlan writes, “We have a responsibility to the future to do more than identify what is broken and protest about it. We must act. If the founders of our nation had not dreamed of a free state, we would still be shackled to the British Empire. If they had not acted on that dream, driven by the ideal that “all men are created equal,” and charted a path from subservience to democracy, we would never have arrived anywhere close to the dream. We must also ask for what we need. If the American leaders of the 1700s had not asked their neighbors and foreign sympathizers to stand with them, risking their lives and livelihoods in the pursuit of life, liberty and happiness, the goal of becoming the United States of America would never have been realized. … ” Read more from the Calaveras Enterprise here: We need to take control of the Upper Mokelumne River Watershed Authority
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
Water line connection meeting planned in Orland
“Glenn County residents on wells will get a chance to learn about how to connect to the Orland water system in a meeting slotted for 6 p.m. Thursday. This meeting is a follow-up to a workshop in October that discussed various solutions to dry wells in the county area surrounding Orland as a response to the drought. “Residents south of Orland between Interstate 5 and the Tehama Colusa Canal, the area with the highest concentration of reported dry wells and at-risk wells, will be the first area served,” said a press release issued Monday by the North Valley Community Foundation. … ” Read more from the Chico Enterprise-Record here: Water line connection meeting planned in Orland
Sacramento-area water use down 17 percent in October
“Sacramento-area residents reduced their water use by 17 percent in October compared to the same month in 2020, according to an analysis by the Regional Water Authority (RWA), which represents 20 water providers serving 2 million people in the greater Sacramento region. The findings come from reviewing preliminary October water use data submitted to RWA and the State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board). October reductions are in addition to a 13 percent decrease in regional water use since the last drought. Some water providers, such as the City of Roseville, surpassed the regional average, conserving over 20 percent, demonstrating the City’s increased focus on conservation messaging, water waste patrols and other actions to help their customers reduce water use. … ” Read more from the Regional Water Authority here: Sacramento-area water use down 17 percent in October
NAPA/SONOMA
Editorial: Marin, Sonoma right to work together on water supply
The Marin Independent Journal editorial board writes, “When it comes to water supply, Marin and Sonoma counties are joined at the hip. That political realization has led, in recent years, to North Bay water agencies working more closely together when it comes to supplying and conserving water. That collaboration cannot be more important than it is today when the two counties are grappling with a drought and, until recent rains, a perilously reduced supply. Even with recent rains, water agency leaders aren’t taking the brakes off strict conservation measures and goals. Meanwhile, they are working on ways to expand sources and their storage capacity. … ” Read more from the Marin Independent Journal here: Editorial: Marin, Sonoma right to work together on water supply
BAY AREA
Point Reyes: Valley groups debate stream regulations
“Homeowners and conservation groups had their first opportunity this month to point out what many saw as the inadequacies, injustices and contradictions in Marin County’s proposed plan for streamside development in the San Geronimo Valley. At a community workshop last Monday, planning commissioners heard complaints from homeowners that the new streamside conservation ordinance would prevent vital maintenance projects with no definite benefits to spawning coho salmon and steelhead trout. But the commission also faced a dissatisfied response from the Salmon Protection and Watershed Network, the group whose lawsuit first spurred the county to tackle the thorny issue. ... ” Read more from the Point Reyes Light here: Point Reyes: Valley groups debate stream regulations
Around the Island: How Alameda is preparing for climate disasters
Sarah Henry writes, “The city of Alameda’s award-winning Climate Action & Resiliency Plan sets the ambitious goal of reducing dangerous carbon emissions by 50% below their 2005 level by 2030 through equitable improvements in transportation, buildings, energy use and waste management. The city is updating its Climate Adaptation & Hazard Mitigation Plan, which addresses the hazards of earthquakes, dam failures and floods, rising sea levels and groundwaters, tsunamis, heat, smoke and power outages. To help share this work with you, I talked with Danielle Mieler, the city’s sustainability and resilience manager. Here’s a summary of the draft plan, with more information online at alamedaca.gov/hazardmitigationplan. … ” Read more from the East Bay Times here: Around the Island: How Alameda is preparing for climate disasters
San Jose: New drought rules and water fees go into effect — what they mean for your bill
“October storms helped this winter’s rainy season get off to a good start across Northern California. But they weren’t enough to erase the two very dry previous years: 80% of California remains in an extreme drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor, a weekly federal report. Reservoir levels are very low and groundwater tables are depleted because the past two years had the least rainfall in Northern California of any two-year period since 1976-77. Late Wednesday afternoon, the California Public Utilities Commission gave final approval for San Jose Water Company to put in place the first drought restrictions in its service area since 2016, during California’s last major drought, and the most stringent rules in any major city in California. … ” Read more from the San Jose Mercury News here: San Jose: New drought rules and water fees go into effect — what they mean for your bill
CENTRAL COAST
Why there’s optimism about this year’s monarch butterfly count in California
“There is a ray of hope for the vanishing orange-and-black Western monarch butterflies. The number wintering along California’s central coast is bouncing back after the population, whose presence is often a good indicator of ecosystem health, reached an all-time low last year. Experts pin their decline on climate change, habitat destruction and lack of food due to drought. An annual winter count last year by the Xerces Society recorded fewer than 2,000 butterflies, a massive decline from the tens of thousands tallied in recent years and the millions that clustered in trees from Northern California’s Mendocino County to Baja California, Mexico in the south in the 1980s. Now, their roosting sites are concentrated mostly on California’s central coast. … ” Read more from NBC Los Angeles here: Why there’s optimism about this year’s monarch butterfly count in California
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
Major upgrades coming to water systems in Pixley
“Water systems in many small communities across Central California are due for improvements to meet new standards and deal with the drought, including Pixley in Tulare County. “A lot of folks don’t really think about all the pieces that are a part of the water systems and a lot of them are very old,” said Kristopher Tjernell with the Department of Water Resources. The agency announced its 4th round of funding support through the Small Community Drought Relief Program. It’s an opportunity leaders in Pixley took advantage of immediately. ... ” Read more from KFSN here: Major upgrades coming to water systems in Pixley
EASTERN SIERRA
Will winter precipitation be a bomb cyclone or just a bomb? – Mono County supervisors hear winter projection possibilities
“It’s official. According to the National Weather Service’s Chris Smallcomb, “anything’s possible” this winter when it comes to snowfall. But, since Smallcomb comes from the Reno NWS office, he went on to tell the Mono County Board of Supervisors, if he had money to put down, it’d be on a season “more active than the last few years.” That’s a pretty low bar, but we can all hope. … ” Read more from the Sierra Wave here: Will winter precipitation be a bomb cyclone or just a bomb? – Mono County supervisors hear winter projection possibilities
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
‘In the Dark of the Valley’: Why is there still no clean-up of 1959 nuclear meltdown at Santa Susana?
“A battle has raged for decades on the western edge of Los Angeles County at the Santa Susana Field Lab. Located on the top of a hill overlooking Chatsworth, Simi Valley, and Canoga Park. From 1948 until 2006, it was a nuclear testing site for America’s space exploration programs — home to 10 nuclear reactors, four launch stands, and thousands of tests of rocket engines. It also suffered a partial nuclear meltdown — which was covered up — that released clouds of radiation into the surrounding area. In the decades since, arguments have dragged on about how to clean up the contaminated site and who will pay for it. The saga at Santa Susana is the focus of a new documentary called “In the Dark of the Valley.” … ” Read more from KCRW here: ‘In the Dark of the Valley’: Why is there still no clean-up of 1959 nuclear meltdown at Santa Susana?
Los Angeles Waterkeeper sues Senior Aerospace SSP over Clean Water Act
“On Tuesday, the Los Angeles Waterkeeper filed a complaint in the Central District of California against Senior Operations LLC for violating the Clean Water Act and California’s Storm Water Permit. In the complaint, the plaintiff states it is a California non-profit public benefit corporation dedicated to the preservation, protection and defense of the environment, wildlife and natural resources of Los Angeles’ surface waters. The plaintiff states its members work, own homes and live in Los Angeles County and use and enjoy the waters near the defendant’s facility. … ” Read more from the Law Street Media News here: Los Angeles Waterkeeper sues Sen ior Aerospace SSP over Clean Water Act
Crews to conduct maintenance tests at Hyperion Water Reclamation Plant
“A routine maintenance test will be conducted Wednesday for the 1-mile outfall from the Hyperion Water Reclamation Plant, which was the site of a massive sewage spill this summer. The plant annually tests its three bypass gates to ensure they are properly functioning. During the tests, which will occur Wednesday and Thursday from 5 a.m. to 1 p.m., 250,000 gallons of fully treated and disinfected wastewater will be released through the 1-mile outfall and then pumped back into the plant before reaching the ocean. … ” Read more from Channel 11 here: Crews to conduct maintenance tests at Hyperion Water Reclamation Plant
Pasadena sues CalTech over polluted groundwater: report
“City officials are suing Caltech over allegations that the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, which the university runs, contaminated the local groundwater supply through its rocket research, Pasadena Now reported. A test of the city’s groundwater found it contained toxic chemicals, including perchlorate and carbon tetrachloride, according to the magazine. High levels of perchlorate could lead to both thyroid and lung issues, while carbon tetrachloride is considered a possible carcinogenic to humans. … ” Read more from The Patch here: Pasadena sues CalTech over polluted groundwater: report
Along the Colorado River …
What the infrastructure bill means for water in Nevada and the West
“On Monday, President Joe Biden signed the $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill, legislation that is expected to send more than $4 billion to Nevada. The funds are earmarked to address a variety of different infrastructure needs, including roads, public transportation and cybersecurity. But for Nevada and the West, a major component is the bill’s funding directed to water. … Under the bill, over the next five years, Nevada could receive about $405 million to fund water projects that focus on everything from fixing aging infrastructure to ensuring access to clean drinking water. That number is based on current estimates from allocation formulas that distribute federal dollars, part of a program known as the State Revolving Fund, or the SRF. … ” Read more from the Nevada Independent here: What the infrastructure bill means for water in Nevada and the West
Listen: Colorado River Basin to receive much of Western water infrastructure money
“KUNC Colorado River Basin reporter Alex Hager joins Here & Now’s Scott Tong to discuss how an estimated $8.3 billion dollars in federal infrastructure money earmarked for Western water infrastructure might be spent.” Read more from WBUR’s Here and Now here: Colorado River Basin to receive much of Western water infrastructure money
In national water news today …
Survey: Most water systems unprepared for LCR revisions
“A new survey shows the majority of U.S. water systems may not be ready for sweeping regulatory changes governing safe drinking water that are expected to begin Dec. 16, 2021. The survey was conducted by 120Water, a solutions provider for managing lead programs. The $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act signed by President Joe Biden in November provides $15 billion for the replacement of lead service lines in the country’s drinking water systems. According to a recent statement from the American Water Works Association, the total cost of replacing all lead service lines across the United States could be “a $60 billion challenge.” … ” Continue reading at Water Finance & Management here: Survey: Most water systems unprepared for LCR revisions
Protecting water utilities from cyber threats
“Water utilities are just the latest industry to experience high-profile cyber incidents. Earlier this year, a hacker breached a California water treatment plant and removed programs used to clean water. In another incident that made national headlines, a hacker gained remote access to a Florida treatment plant and increased the amount of lye in the treatment process – a change that a plant employee fortunately noticed and quickly corrected. Going back to a time when water utilities were less connected is not an option. COVID-19 demanded connected operations so employees could work remotely. Additionally smart water technology capabilities such as real-time monitoring and remote connectivity are increasingly essential to helping water utilities quickly respond to challenges like population changes and more severe weather events. The best thing water utilities can do is address the challenge head on, with a comprehensive approach to cybersecurity. ... ” Read more from Water & Wastes Digest here: Protecting water utilities from cyber threats
Tribes hope infrastructure law means they’ll finally get clean drinking water
” … With President Biden on Monday signing a historic $1 trillion infrastructure bill into law to fortify roads, bridges and waterways, among other things, some places stand to gain more than others. This community of 4,000 people is hoping the money will be a gamechanger. As a stopgap measure, emergency services here have repurposed an unused school as a distribution point for clean water. Water is donated, often from nonprofits around the state. The classrooms here are filled with thousands of bottles and jugs of water, neatly standing in rows like soldiers. ... ” Read more from KPBS here: Tribes hope infrastructure law means they’ll finally get clean drinking water
Interior and Agriculture Departments take action to strengthen Tribal co-stewardship of public lands and waters
“During today’s White House Tribal Nations Summit, President Biden announced that the U.S. Departments of the Interior and Agriculture have created the “Tribal Homelands Initiative.” This collaborative effort will improve federal stewardship of public lands, waters, and wildlife by strengthening the role of Tribal communities in federal land management. Through a joint Secretarial Order (Order), the two Departments codified a policy to facilitate agreements with Tribes to collaborate in the co-stewardship of federal lands and waters. The Departments also committed to ensuring that all decisions relating to federal stewardship of lands, waters, and wildlife include consideration of how to safeguard the treaty, spiritual, subsistence, and cultural interests of any Indian Tribes. The Order additionally directs the Departments to ensure that Tribal governments play an integral role in decision-making related to the management of federal lands and waters through consultation, capacity-building, and other means consistent with applicable authority. ... ” Read more from the Department of the Interior here: Interior and Agriculture Departments take action to strengthen Tribal co-stewardship of public lands and waters
Native Americans play critical roles in many NOAA projects
“In President Biden’s proclamation on Indigenous Peoples’ Day last October, he noted, “History demonstrates that Native American people—and our Nation as a whole—are best served when Tribal governments are empowered to lead their communities and when Federal officials listen to and work together with Tribal leaders when formulating Federal policy that affects Tribal Nations.” That same month, the nation’s oldest and largest American Indian and Alaska Native organization serving the broad interests of tribal governments and communities struck a similar chord, with two resolutions that urged better federal coordination with Native American communities. ... ” Read more from NOAA here: Native Americans play critical roles in many NOAA projects
The planet has a human poop problem
“The next time you go grocery shopping, take a look at where your food came from. If you live in colder climates, most of it isn’t local most of the time. … Most of the food that gets put on our tables these days is shipped, trucked, flown and in some cases even helicoptered to us from far away. As it grew, our food had to extract the nutrients from the soil, in which it was planted. Then it was shipped to us—using fossil fuels. Next, we eat the food—and we excrete the unused nutrients, which ultimately end up in a local body of water, probably closer to your house than you think. The marvels of modern engineering, our industrial sewage plants separate the so-called biosolids from the wastewater and clean that wastewater from germs—but not from the nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, all of which are potent fertilizers. The sewage plants release that nutrient-rich effluent into the lakes and the rivers, which carry it down to the ocean, where it fuels algal blooms and destroys coastal marshes. … ” Read more from Slate Magazine here: The planet has a human poop problem
Also on Maven’s Notebook today …
VELES WEEKLY REPORT: Water Price is down again in California. Futures at a $70 discount to the index.
