On the calendar today …
- MEETING: The Delta Stewardship Council will meet beginning at 9am. Agenda items include the election of Vice Chair, Science Action Agenda update, the Great Delta Trail Master Plan, and a retrospective of Performance Measures for 2021. Click here for the full agenda and remote access instructions.
- PUBLIC MEETING: Sites Reservoir RDEIR/SDEIS #2 from 9am to 11am. This meeting will provide information about the project and the draft environmental analysis, and to accept public comments on the RDEIR/SDEIS. The meeting will begin with a presentation followed by an opportunity to ask questions and provide comments. Click here for more information.
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In California water news today …
Four water storage projects pass important Proposition 1 milestone, continue to advance toward construction
“Four groundwater storage and reservoir projects passed a key hurdle set forth in Proposition 1, the 2014 water bond, and were deemed feasible Wednesday by the California Water Commission. This determination by Commissioners allows the four projects to remain eligible for funding under the $2.7 billion Water Storage Investment Program (WSIP) created by Proposition 1. The local water districts backing the projects move next to permitting and other tasks that must be completed before they are eligible to receive their final funding awards from the Commission. In other Water Storage Investment Program action on Wednesday, the Commission found that two proposed Central Valley water storage projects met certain requirements of Proposition 1 and would be eligible to apply to the WSIP to compete for available funding if the Commission decides to move forward with a second solicitation. ... ”
Amid drought, California advances big new reservoir project
“Amid a severe drought, California regulators on Wednesday advanced what could be the state’s first major new water storage project in years despite warnings it would hasten the extinction of an endangered salmon species while disrupting the cultural traditions of some native tribes. The plan is to build a new lake in Northern California that, when full, could hold enough water to supply 3 million households for one year. Supporters need about $4 billion to build it. Wednesday’s vote by the California Water Commission means the lake — named Sites Reservoir — is eligible for about $800 million in taxpayer money, or about 20% of the project’s price tag. … ” Read more from ABC News here: Amid drought, California advances big new reservoir project
New $2.3 billion dam planned near Pacheco Pass gets big boost from state
“A plan to build a new $2.3 billion reservoir in southern Santa Clara County passed a significant milestone on Wednesday when a key state agency ruled that it continues to qualify for nearly half a billion dollars in state funding. The California Water Commission, a panel appointed by Gov. Gavin Newsom, voted 8-0 that the project — which would be located near Pacheco Pass and would be the largest new reservoir constructed in the Bay Area in more than 20 years — is feasible and remains eligible to receive $496 million from Proposition 1, a water bond approved by voters in 2014. Had the commission voted no, the plan by the Santa Clara Valley Water District would have suffered a major, if not possibly fatal, setback. … ” Read more from the San Jose Mercury News here: New $2.3 billion dam planned near Pacheco Pass gets big boost from state
Despite California groundwater law, aquifers keep dropping in a ‘race to the bottom’
“It emerged during one of the worst droughts in California history, when rampant agricultural pumping was causing groundwater levels to plummet and hundreds of Central Valley wells were going dry. Signed by then-Gov. Jerry Brown, the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act was intended to address overpumping, halt chronic water-level declines and bring long-depleted aquifers into balance. More than seven years later, however, those goals are still a long way off. ... ” Read more from the LA Times here: Despite California groundwater law, aquifers keep dropping in a ‘race to the bottom’
A frenzy of well drilling by California farmers leaves taps running dry
“Vicki McDowell woke up on a Saturday morning in May, thinking about what she would make her son for breakfast. He was visiting from Hayward, and she wanted to whip up something special. Biscuits and gravy. Fried potatoes. Eggs. She walked to the kitchen sink to wash her hands. Turned on the faucet. Nothing happened. Worried, she tried the bathroom sink. Still nothing. She flushed the toilet. It gurgled. The 70-year-old called her landlord. He called a well driller. The news was grim. The well that pumped water to the small, cream-colored house she rents on an olive ranch had gone dry. Seven months have passed. It’s still dry. … In the verdant San Joaquin Valley, one of the nation’s most productive farming regions, domestic wells like McDowell’s are drying up at an alarming pace as a frenzy of new well construction and heavy agricultural pumping sends the underground water supply to new lows during one of the most severe droughts on record. ... ” Read more from the LA Times here: A frenzy of well drilling by California farmers leaves taps running dry
New research reveals optimism and obstacles as California strives for sustainable groundwater use
“Five years after the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) became law in California, USC Sol Price School of Public Policy researchers examined the progress made and the obstacles stakeholders face as the state aims for sustainable groundwater use by 2042. … To prevent overdraft, which occurs when groundwater is repeatedly pumped at a faster rate than it can be replaced, lawmakers passed SGMA in 2014. It requires local stakeholders like irrigation districts and county governments to form Groundwater Sustainability Agencies (GSAs). Together, they are tasked with creating plans that show how they will eliminate overdraft within 20 years. The research team surveyed 68 GSAs in the summer and fall of 2019, and quickly learned that forming GSAs did not always come easily. … ” Read more from USC News here: New research reveals optimism and obstacles as California strives for sustainable groundwater use
Mark Arax: How we drained California dry
“The wind finally blew the other way last night and kicked out the smoke from the burning Sierra. Down here in the flatland of California, we used to regard the granite mountain as a place apart, our getaway. But the distance is no more. With all those dead pine trees in thrall to wildfire, the Sierra, transmuted into ash, is right outside our door. We have learned to watch the sky with an uncanny eye. We measure its peril. Some days, we breathe the worst air in the world. On those few days when we can walk outside without risking harm to our lungs and brains, we greet each other with new benedictions. May the shift in winds prevail, I tell my neighbor. May there be only the dust clouds from the almond harvest to contend with. In the meantime, I don’t dare quiet the turbo on my HEPA filters, hum of this new life. ... ” Read more from MIT Technology Review here: Mark Arax: How we drained California dry
More winter weather is on the way as drought persists
“The slow-moving storm that dropped a deluge across California this week broke several rainfall records and marked a welcome reprieve for the drought-stricken state, but more precipitation is needed to get conditions on track, officials said. Nine locations in the Los Angeles area set daily records Tuesday during what forecasters called the most significant storm of the season. Downtown L.A. received 2.16 inches of rain — more than twice the previous record for the date set back in 1888, according to the National Weather Service. By Wednesday, another storm was brewing in Northern California. Officials said more rain was possible in Los Angeles on Thursday and again next week. … ” Read more from the LA Times here: More winter weather is on the way as drought persists
California storm brings much-needed snow and rain during drought
“This week’s atmospheric river in California delivered up to five feet of snow to the Sierra and drenching rains to the drought-plagued state, along with travel headaches and fierce winds exceeding 80 mph in some places. But the slow-moving storm proved to be mostly beneficial, providing more water and a major boost to the state’s snowpack. With more rain and snow on the way in the next two weeks, the drought needle should move in a positive direction this month. ... ” Read more from the Washington Post here: California storm brings much-needed snow and rain during drought
Charts show where California reservoir totals stand after the latest rainstorms
“A recent new round of heavy rain and snow following a dry November soaked a thirsty California landscape — but it wasn’t enough to significantly improve the state’s water storage levels, according to data from the California Department of Water Resources. Even after the atmospheric river storm Sunday and Monday, on top of a similar downpour in October, most reservoirs in Northern California saw little change, and remain below water levels both one year ago and historic averages, according to the data. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle here: Charts show where California reservoir totals stand after the latest rainstorms
Cattle grazing a boon to vernal pools
“Giving 1,200-pound cows access to one of the West’s most fragile and biologically rich ecosystems seems a strange way to protect its threatened and endangered species. But a recently published study suggests that reintroducing low to moderate levels of cattle grazing around vernal pools – under certain conditions – leads to a greater number and greater variety of native plants. “We found that after 40 years of rest from grazing, reintroducing conservation grazing had – across the board – positive impacts on vernal pool plant diversity,” said Julia Michaels, a visiting professor at Reed College who led a three-year study in a Sacramento-area reserve during her time as a University of California, Davis Ph.D. student. ... ” Read more from the Western Farm Press here: Cattle grazing a boon to vernal pools
Groundwater could get recharge from alfalfa farms
“When California experiences drought due to a lack of rain and snow and the reservoirs don’t fill up, people pump water out of the ground to meet their needs. But that practice has its limits, as groundwater aquifers — underground layers of porous rock — get depleted, similar to how water squeezes from a sponge. Many of California’s groundwater aquifers, especially in the San Joaquin Valley, are critically overdrafted. They are being depleted faster than they are being recharged by water from the surface percolating through the soil to groundwater. Overdrafting is a concern because California relies on groundwater aquifers as a water storage and supply resource. They must be protected to ensure water security in the future. ... ” Read more from the Western Farm Press here: Groundwater could get recharge from alfalfa farms
Corporations are consolidating water and land rights in the West
“Ghost cattle — 200,000 made-up heifers. A massive fraud rocking eastern Washington’s arid ranching communities, leading to criminal charges and bankruptcy. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and a Bill Gates-owned company duking it out at the auction block, each willing to spend more than $200 million to buy 22,500 acres of ranchland and its associated water rights. … That’s raised troubling questions about land consolidation, a decades-long trend fueled by the demise of the family farm. But there’s a more complicated, and potentially troubling consequence to that purchase. The water. … ” Read more from High Country News here: Corporations are consolidating water and land rights in the West
Optimizing coastal wetland restoration for carbon capture and storage
“Healthy coastal wetlands can help combat climate change by absorbing large amounts of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and storing it for the long term. Coastal wetlands also provide habitat for fish and other wildlife, reduce erosion and coastal flooding, improve water quality, and support recreational uses. Recognition of these “ecosystem services,” coupled with widespread loss and degradation of coastal wetlands, has spurred restoration efforts throughout California and around the world. Little is known, however, about how specific restoration and management practices influence the capture and storage of carbon (“carbon sequestration”) and other benefits of coastal wetlands. … ” Read more from UC Santa Cruz here: Optimizing coastal wetland restoration for carbon capture and storage
LAO Report: Assessing California’s climate policies—agriculture
“Chapter 135 of 2017 (AB 398, E. Garcia) requires our office to annually report on the economic impacts and benefits of California’s statutory greenhouse gas emission targets. This report provides our assessment of the effects of major programs in the agricultural sector that are aimed at reducing emissions and sequestering carbon, as well as identifies key issues for the Legislature to consider as it makes future policy and budget decisions.”
California releases draft strategy to achieve 30×30 conservation target
“To protect biodiversity, advance equitable access to nature and combat climate change, the California Natural Resources Agency (CNRA) today released California’s draft strategy to conserve 30 percent of the state’s land and coastal waters by 2030 (30×30). The draft of Pathways to 30×30: Accelerating Conservation of California’s Nature is now available for public review and feedback. Input is welcomed through January 28, 2022. Pathways to 30×30 responds directly to Governor Newsom’s nature-based solutions Executive Order N-82-20, which aims to accelerate conservation of California’s lands and coastal waters through voluntary, collaborative action with federal and local governments, Native American Tribes, and private landowners. California’s 30×30 initiative is part of an international movement to protect nature across the planet, which includes a group of countries that have adopted 30×30 targets. “We need to do everything in our power to tackle the climate crisis, enable more people to get outdoors in nature, and protect California’s world-renowned biodiversity” said California Secretary for Natural Resources Wade Crowfoot. “Pathways to 30×30 empowers collaboration across the state to meet these goals, and we need input on this strategy to enable our collective success.” … ” Read more from the California Natural Resources Agency here: California releases draft strategy to achieve 30×30 conservation target
Today’s featured article …
FEATURE: How the West Can Survive Smaller Snowpacks and Bigger Atmospheric Rivers
by 
Robin Meadows, Estuary News
Mountains are the foundation of water in the western United States, natural infrastructure that captures snowfall during the winter and releases snowmelt over the spring and summer. In California, the snowpack holds nearly as much water on average as all the reservoirs put together, effectively doubling the state’s surface storage. But, as the world warms, we may not be able to rely on this ecosystem service much longer. A new study projects that snowpack shrinkage will likely disrupt the West’s water system well before the end of the century. This finding adds urgency to water managers’ efforts to adapt to climate change.
“This is not a problem for later,” says Michael Anderson, state climatologist at the California Department of Water Resources. “This is a problem for now.”
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
Yurok Tribe receives grants to restore salmon habitat
“The Yurok Tribe recently received a little over a half million dollars to increase salmonid habitats in two local creeks that feed into the Klamath River. Hunter and McGarvey Creeks are important rearing and staging habitats for salmonids, but historic logging, road building and loss of naturally forming wood jams have impacted both streams. As a result, Chinook, Coho, Steelhead, Coastal Cutthroat Trout and other species have suffered. Recent grants from the California Coastal Commission for about $300,000 and a little under $243,000 from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will allow the tribe to restore seven acres on McGarvey Creek and nine acres on Hunter. … ” Read more from The Triplicate here: Yurok Tribe receives grants to restore salmon habitat
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
Agencies team to begin largest invasive plant removal project at Lake Tahoe
“A pair of agencies are teaming up to begin the largest invasive plant removal project at Lake Tahoe, officials announced Wednesday. The USDA Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit, in partnership with the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, are planning to remove 17 acres of invasive plants in the Taylor and Tallac creeks and marshes as part of a comprehensive restoration of one of the last natural wetlands in the Lake Tahoe Basin. Left unchecked, aquatic invasive plants can have devastating effects on Tahoe’s ecosystem and recreational resources. “Invasive plant eradication projects have typically been measured in single acres,” said Sarah Muskopf, aquatic biologist with the Forest Service in a press release. “Using new technologies, including larger mats, reduces the cost of implementation and allows us to meet restoration objectives more efficiently.” … ” Read more from the Tahoe Daily Tribune here: Agencies team to begin largest invasive plant removal project at Lake Tahoe
SEE ALSO: Largest Lake Tahoe invasive plant removal project begins, from YubaNet
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
Conaway Ranch proposing new project to benefit fish and birds in the Yolo Bypass
“Reclamation District 2035 and the Conaway Preservation Group are proposing a project to improve and optimize flood plain rearing habitat, salmonid food production and permanent wetland restoration for Sacramento Valley salmonids. The project would involve nearly 5,775-acres of the Conaway Ranch in the Yolo Bypass, as seen below looking south down the Sacramento Valley, with the Tule Canal at left of photo. As background, Conaway Ranch has been farmed since the early 1900s. The land was fully reclaimed around 1920, shortly after Reclamation District 2035 was formed. Initially, Conaway Ranch was dedicated to cattle ranching; however, by the late 1940s prospects for continued ranching were limited, and the property was leased for farming. Over the last twenty years and more, the Conaway Ranch has become engaged in a wide variety of wildlife-friendly farming activities including creation and enhancement of habitat for Swainson’s Hawk, Tri-Color Blackbird, and Giant Garter Snake, for which permanent wildlife easements have been granted to assure species protection and sustainability. … ” Read more from the Northern California Water Association here: Conaway Ranch proposing new project to benefit fish and birds in the Yolo Bypass
SMUD Museum of Science and Curiosity featuring DWR water exhibit now open
“The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) is a proud sponsor of the SMUD Museum of Science and Curiosity (MOSAC), formerly known as the Powerhouse Science Center, that opened in October in downtown Sacramento. DWR worked with the museum and its consultants for several years to assist in the planning and design of a 3,700-square-foot exhibit space focused on California’s water, including information about the State Water Project, which serves 27 million people and 750,000 acres of farmland. The 50,000-square-foot building includes a planetarium and exhibit halls focused on health, nature, space, engineering, and energy. The goal of the museum is to serve as a regional epicenter for Science Technology Engineer and Mathematics (STEM) education and encourage students to enter STEM-related careers. … ” Read more from DWR News here: SMUD Museum of Science and Curiosity featuring DWR water exhibit now open
BAY AREA
Bay Area residents brace for wet morning commute as more rain showers take aim this weekend
“Bay Area residents prepared for a soggy commute Thursday morning as lingering showers continued to soak the region, capping off more than a week of wet weather. Another storm is in the forecast for this weekend, with chances of rain all of next week and more snow in the forecast for the Sierra Nevada mountains. A quick-moving, weak storm swept through the North Bay on Wednesday night, dropping up to three quarters of an inch of rain in San Jose and the Santa Clara Valley. By Thursday morning, the “moderate to briefly heavy” rainfall continued through the Santa Cruz Mountains and into the South Bay, according to the National Weather Service. ... ” Read more from the San Jose Mercury News here: Bay Area residents brace for wet morning commute as more rain showers take aim this weekend
More rain and snow in the S.F. Bay Area forecast. Here’s what to expect
“After a brief respite from the rains delivered by an atmospheric river that lashed the Bay Area this week, more rain was in the forecast for Wednesday. A system bringing light to moderate rain was expected drift over the North Bay midday Wednesday before moving south on its way to the Central Coast early Thursday, according to the National Weather Service. The precipitation won’t be as intense as the atmospheric river that flooded Bay Area streets, closed highways and even dusted some of the region’s higher elevations with snow on Monday, the NWS said. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle here: More rain and snow in the S.F. Bay Area forecast. Here’s what to expect
Can a rock climber help ‘restore’ Yosemite’s Hetch Hetchy Valley?
“On a sunny November morning, Lucho Rivera tiptoed along the edge of a granite cliff rising 1,800 feet above the flat, indigo surface of Hetch Hetchy Reservoir. He checked to make sure that a pair of steel bolts he’d driven into the rock years before to anchor climbing ropes were still intact. Then he and fiancee Mecia Serafino went about setting up camp a few steps from the precipice for a weekend of climbing. “We used to sleep right on the edge but eventually moved our camp back a little ways,” Rivera said. “I’m not really a sleepwalker but I wouldn’t want to start here.” Rivera, a 41-year-old climber who grew up in San Francisco’s Mission District, has set up dozens of expert-level climbing routes in this overlooked sliver of Yosemite National Park for almost 20 years. That makes him somewhat of an anomaly in the climbing community, which for generations has focused its energy on the more storied walls in Yosemite Valley to the south. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle here: Can a rock climber help ‘restore’ Yosemite’s Hetch Hetchy Valley?
San Francisco Water Board honors advocacy group for legislation that will help limit sewage overflows
“The California Association of Sanitation Agencies (CASA) has been named the winner of the 2021 Pollution Prevention Award for leading efforts to pass state legislation in October that will require “Do Not Flush” warnings on packaging for baby wipes, cleaning wipes and cosmetic wipes, and will compel manufacturers to educate the public on the harmful impacts of flushing wipes. The San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board presents the award annually in memory of Teng–Chung Wu, a former Water Board employee and early advocate for pollution prevention. He believed many pollutants can be more effectively eliminated by controlling their sources rather than relying on end–of–pipe treatment. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Water Board here: San Francisco Water Board honors advocacy group for legislation that will help limit sewage overflows
CENTRAL COAST
Drones help monitor restoration of Elkhorn Slough wetlands
“Research along the brackish waters of Elkhorn Slough, with its extensive tidal salt marsh and meandering seven-mile waterway, has historically required scientists to put on waders and wetsuits or hop aboard a boat. But these days, algorithms and aerodynamics are helping researchers capture a birds-eye view of the estuary from the comfort of shore. “It’s a really important habitat,” said Dr. Corey Garza, a professor with the Marine Science Department at CSU Monterey Bay. “It supports a lot of different fisheries and overwintering birds.” ... ” Read more from KAZU here: Drones help monitor restoration of Elkhorn Slough wetlands
Board of supervisors votes to give Santa Barbara Ranch project developer notice of failure to comply
“In a split-vote decision, the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday upheld an appeal challenging the Planning and Development director’s determination that the Santa Barbara Ranch developer is in good faith compliance with the Santa Barbara Ranch Inland Development Agreement. … Under the terms of the agreement, the developer has a vested right until 2034 to develop the inland portion of the ranch project in exchange for providing funding for creek restoration along the Gaviota Coast for the community benefit. … ” Read more from Noozhawk here: Board of supervisors votes to give Santa Barbara Ranch project developer notice of failure to comply
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
Riverbank: High nitrate levels found in city well
“The City of Riverbank’s Well No. 10 had nitrate levels above the allowable limit of 10 milligrams per liter in recent testing. This is the first ever nitrate MCL (maximum contaminant level) exceedance from any of the City’s drinking water wells. Upon notification of the nitrate result from the City’s contract laboratory, the City immediately took Well No. 10 offline and collected confirmation samples from the well. Officials said that the city will keep Well No. 10 offline until the nitrate issue in this well has been remedied. “The drinking water that you are receiving now from the City is in compliance with all the drinking water standards including nitrate. As such, the water is safe to drink not only for adults but also the infants,” said the city in a press release regarding the incident. … ” Read more from Riverbank News here: Riverbank: High nitrate levels found in city well
Kern County Water Agency declares water supply emergency
“On Wednesday, the Kern County Water Agency has declared a water supply emergency due to the shortage of water supplies for Kern County. This is after an announcement by the California Department of Water Resources declaring that water supply allocation is zero percent. The announcement is unprecedented since the previous lowest allocation was five percent in 2010 and 2014. This means that the Agency will receive no SWP water in 2022, which is the third consecutive year of dry weather, leaving the county at an all-time low. ... ” Read more from KERO here: Kern County Water Agency declares water supply emergency
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Southern California storm will ‘chip away’ at drought, but drier-than-normal winter is forecast
“Tuesday’s storm that brought record rainfall to Southern California increased the seasonal totals to about normal, but the outlook for the winter is continued drought and a continued need to conserve water, weather scientists said Wednesday, Dec. 15. “There is no reason to get excited now because we are early in the season. We won’t know the condition of the water year until the wet season is over” at the end of March, said Jeanine Jones, the drought manager and interstate resources director for the state Department of Water Resources. Forecasters believe that the rainfall in Southern California this winter will be 60% of average. … ” Read more from the Daily Breeze here: Southern California storm will ‘chip away’ at drought, but drier-than-normal winter is forecast
Along the Colorado River …
California, Arizona, Nevada Volunteer To Take Less Water From Colorado River
“Water leaders in Arizona, Nevada and California signed an agreement Wednesday to voluntarily reduce their take from the Colorado River to help stave off mandatory cuts in the upcoming years. The signing took place at the Colorado River Water Users Association annual meeting in Las Vegas, amid urgency to negotiate new rules for managing the dwindling river — which serves 40 million people — beyond 2026, when current guidelines and an overlapping drought plan expire. … ” Read more from CBS 4 Denver here: California, Arizona, Nevada Volunteer To Take Less Water From Colorado River
California, Arizona and Nevada agree to take less water from ailing Colorado River
“Trying to stave off dangerously low levels of water in Lake Mead, officials in California, Arizona and Nevada have reached an agreement to significantly reduce the amount they take from the Colorado River. The problem took on new urgency this summer when the federal government declared a first-ever water shortage in the 86-year-old reservoir near Las Vegas. The agreement, which was signed Wednesday after four months of negotiations, aims to keep an extra 1 million acre-feet of water in the lake over the next two years. Water agencies in Southern California, Arizona and Nevada agreed to find water savings from various sources and split the $200-million cost with the federal government. … ” Read more from the LA Times here: California, Arizona and Nevada agree to take less water from ailing Colorado River
SEE ALSO:
-
- New agreement will leave more water in Lake Mead, from the Las Vegas Sun
- Water agencies announce partnership to invest $200 million in conservation efforts to bolster Colorado River’s Lake Mead, under 500+ plan, joint press release from Bureau of Reclamation, Metropolitan, Arizona Department of Water Resources, Central Arizona Project, and the Southern Nevada Water Authority
- Arizona joins Nevada, California and tribes in a pledge to slash Colorado River water use, from Arizona Central
Colorado River conference hears calls for tribal inclusion as crisis deepens
” … The Colorado River Basin is in dire straits. Opening remarks at the Colorado River Water Users Association meeting focused on the severe and prolonged drought that’s brought two of the nation’s largest reservoirs to their lowest levels on record. The first day of the three-day conference also heard calls for more collaboration and less infighting among Western states and tribes who rely on the river. But Christopher Tabbee, a councilman for the Ute Indian Tribe, said that currently isn’t the case in his home state of Utah. “Anything that has to do with water, we’ve been totally blocked out,” he said. “We’ve never been consulted on any decisions.” … ” Read more from KUER here: Colorado River conference hears calls for tribal inclusion as crisis deepens
Utah: Why the second-driest state rejects water conservation
“With rising temperatures and two decades of drought depleting the Colorado River, some Southwestern states are spending hundreds of millions of dollars to pay homeowners to tear out their lawns and farmers to fallow their fields. But Utah, the fastest-growing and second-driest state in the nation, is pursuing a different strategy. Steered by the state’s largest water districts, with the help of their legislative allies, Utah has prioritized the pursuit of new pipelines over large-scale conservation programs. These districts — the public entities that supply water wholesale to cities and towns — have used their influence to secure funding for the costly infrastructure projects, and they have done this while opposing or slowing efforts to mandate conservation, according to a ProPublica review of the districts’ internal communications and every water-related bill filed in the Utah Legislature over the past decade. … ” Read more from Pro Publica here: Utah: Why the second-driest state rejects water conservation
Reclamation to focus on partnerships during annual Colorado River water conference
“Facing continued dry hydrology, the Department of the Interior and the Bureau of Reclamation will focus on partnerships and cooperation during the Colorado River Water Users Association’s annual conference Dec. 14 – 16, in Las Vegas. The recent enactment of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (PL 117-58), with historic investments in drought contingency planning on the Colorado River, will be an important backdrop during the event. “Drought doesn’t just impact one community—it affects all of us. The Biden-Harris administration is taking action to provide relief to impacted communities now, while also making important investments that will help us wisely manage our shared resources across the West. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will help ensure that irrigators, Tribes and adjoining communities receive adequate drought assistance in order to build resilient communities and protect our water supplies for people and the natural environment,” said Assistant Secretary of Water and Science Tanya Trujillo, who is the keynote speaker at the conference. ... ” Continue reading at the Bureau of Reclamation here: Reclamation to focus on partnerships during annual Colorado River water conference
Camille Touton Sworn In as Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner
“Maria Camille Calimlim Touton has been sworn in as Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner by Secretary Deb Haaland. Camille has served as the Bureau of Reclamation’s Deputy Commissioner since January. “As the Interior Department continues to lead the Biden-Harris administration’s all-of-government approach to addressing the worsening drought crisis, Camille’s steady leadership, collaborative spirit, and deep knowledge of America’s natural resources will help ensure that we can meet the challenges of the moment,” said Secretary Haaland. “Camille’s water management experience will be crucial to helping the Department implement the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which contains historic investments to help mitigate drought conditions and protect water resources.” … ” Read more from the Bureau of Reclamation here: Camille Touton Sworn In as Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner
In national water news today …
Details on Biden’s plan to protect water systems from hackers emerge
“As hacking attempts have become a larger threat to some of the country’s most critical infrastructure, President Biden’s administration is getting ready to follow through on promises to tighten cybersecurity efforts and better protect that infrastructure. “The Biden administration is readying a proposal to shore up the cybersecurity of the U.S. water supply, a system maintained by thousands of organizations with sometimes glaring vulnerabilities to hackers,” The Wall Street Journal reported. “The plan broadens a White House initiative to persuade key industrial companies to upgrade technology for detecting cyberattacks. U.S. officials hope water utilities will analyze and voluntarily report such data to help authorities monitor threats to different types of critical infrastructure.” … ” Read more from Water Online here: Details on Biden’s plan to protect water systems from hackers emerge
DOE rule fires debate over government’s role in the shower
“The Biden administration issued a final efficiency rule for showerheads this week one year after the Trump administration relaxed requirements for the appliances. The Department of Energy rule restores standards for showerheads originally enacted in 2013 that dictate how much water they can release per minute. At former President Trump’s urging last year, the department had changed the definition of what constituted a showerhead to effectively allow models that used twice as much water or more to stay on the market. At the time, Trump complained publicly that restrictive shower rules would not allow him to wash his “beautiful hair properly.” The rule is the latest in a series of actions by DOE to overturn Trump-era regulations that loosened efficiency standards for household appliances, including hot water heaters, dishwashers and lightbulbs. It comes as advocates have been pressing the Biden administration to speed up its efforts to bolster efficiency measures. … ” Read more from E&E News here: DOE rule fires debate over government’s role in the shower
SEE ALSO: Trump Shower Head Rule Officially Tossed by Energy Department. from Bloomberg Law
Biden administration releases plan for tackling lead pipes
“The Biden administration released a new plan for removing the country’s lead pipes on Thursday, and also said that it would allow a long-delayed Trump administration rule to take effect. The plan, announced Thursday in a fact sheet, notes that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will “begin to develop” new regulations for lead and copper pipes. But, in the meantime, a senior administration official told reporters on Wednesday, a twice-delayed Trump rule concerning lead pipes will be allowed to take effect. The official said that overall, the Biden administration feels the rule is “more protective” than what was previously in place, touting a provision in the Trump rule requiring utilities to create inventories. … ” Read more from The Hill here: Biden administration releases plan for tackling lead pipes
SEE ALSO: FACT SHEET: The Biden-Harris Lead Pipe and Paint Action Plan, from the White House
Global weather disasters cost $101B in 2021 — report
“For only the third time since 1970, insured losses from extreme weather events worldwide exceeded $100 billion, according to a report yesterday by Swiss Re, the global reinsurance company. Insured losses this year from storms, floods and other dangerous events are projected to reach $101 billion, with the damage occurring overwhelmingly in the U.S., Swiss Re said. The report is preliminary and does not include last weekend’s tornadoes in Kentucky and surrounding states, which caused an estimated $3 billion in damage. The world’s costliest weather-related disaster this year was Hurricane Ida, a Category 4 storm that cut a path of devastation from Louisiana to New York in late August and early September and caused an estimated $30 billion to $32 billion in insured damages, according to Swiss Re. … ” Read more from E&E News here: Global weather disasters cost $101B in 2021 — report
By the numbers report …
By the numbers december
