DAILY DIGEST, weekend edition: Parts of California get a White Christmas after snowfall; Evacuation advisories lifted after inspection of Twain Harte Lake Dam; California loses bid to throw out lawsuit over drilling permits issued without environmental review; Kightlinger named Acting GM of Pasadena Water and Power; and more …

In California water news this weekend …

Parts of California get a White Christmas after snowfall

“Parts of California are getting a White Christmas after all, with snowfall pounding mountains across the state.  Other areas of California, however, saw a wet and rainy Christmas as storms continue to drench the state, causing flash flooding and evacuations in some areas over the holiday period.  At Donner Pass in the Sierra Nevada, officials with the University of California, Berkeley’s Central Sierra Snow Laboratory wondered on Twitterif the recent snowfall could break the snowiest December record of 179 inches (4.6 meters) set in 1970. … ”  Read more from NBC Bay Area here: Parts of California get a White Christmas after snowfall

This Northern California spot is on track to see one of its snowiest winter of all time

“The Donner Summit area in the Sierra could see another 7 to 10 feet of snow between Thursday and Monday, scientists at the UC Berkeley Central Sierra Snow lab predicted, enough to make it one of the snowiest winters of all time in that area.  Andrew Schwartz, the lab’s station manager, said about 3 to 4 inches of snow was falling every hour. The area has seen almost ten inches of snow in the last 48 hours.  The upcoming snowfall will make it one of the snowiest winters of all time, he said. … ”  Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle here: This Northern California spot is on track to see one of its snowiest winter of all time

Tahoe ski resorts relish in wintry blast slamming the Sierra with several feet of snow

“Six weeks ago, Cheryl Varner’s mornings were too warm, too sunny and too boring.  She preferred the cold, snow-bitten pleasure of nabbing the first chair up Palisades Tahoe’s slopes — much as she’s done at the same lift here for nearly three decades.  Luckily, Christmas came early this month.  A series of recent storms pounding the Sierra Nevada mountains have offered a welcome respite from fears of a repeat, bone-dry winter that threatened to leave the area parched and prone to fire. And for a region internationally known for its alluring slopes and epic snowfall, the prospect of a white Christmas brought a sense of palpable relief this week. … ”  Read more from the San Jose Mercury News here: Tahoe ski resorts relish in wintry blast slamming the Sierra with several feet of snow

SEE ALSO: Photos: Postcards of Christmas Eve snowfall in the Sierra, from the San Jose Mercury News

Evacuation advisories lifted after inspection of Twain Harte Lake Dam

“Officials lifted evacuation advisories that were issued for portions of Tuolumne County after after an inspection deemed Twain Harte Lake Dam “structurally sound and clear for continued use.” The Tuolumne County Sheriff’s Office said the Twain Harte Lake Association will continue draining water from the lake and monitoring the dam. ... ”  Read more from Channel 10 here: Evacuation advisories lifted after inspection of Twain Harte Lake Dam

EARLIER STORY: Tuolumne County dam cracks as rain, snow pummel California, from the San Francisco Chronicle

DWR awards more than $53 million in urban and multibenefit drought relief funding

“The Department of Water Resources (DWR) today released its first phase of awards to 20 projects through the Urban and Multibenefit Drought Relief Grant Program. The funding awards will provide critical support to communities across the state dealing with the impacts of drought conditions.  Authorized by the Budget Act of 2021, the Urban and Multibenefit Drought Relief Grant Program was allotted $200 million to assist communities facing the loss or contamination of their water supplies due to drought, help address immediate drought impacts on human health and safety, and protect fish and wildlife resources. Response to this grant program was overwhelming with over 147 projects submitted for funding in the first phase. Fourteen of the twenty projects awarded will benefit disadvantaged communities and Tribes. ... ”  Read more from DWR here: DWR awards more than $53 million in urban and multibenefit drought relief funding

California’s water supplies “in trouble as climate change worsens natural dry spells”

“California is preparing for a third straight year of drought, and officials are tightening limits on water use to levels never seen so early in the water year.  Most of the state’s water reservoirs are well below average, with several at less than a third of their capacity.  The outlook for rain and snow this winter, when most of the state’s yearly precipitation arrives, isn’t promising.  Especially worrying is the outlook for the Sierra Nevada, the long mountain chain that runs through the eastern part of the state. … ”  Read more from the Western Farm Press here: California’s water supplies “in trouble as climate change worsens natural dry spells”

California loses bid to throw out lawsuit over drilling permits issued without environmental review

“The California Geological Energy Management Division must face a lawsuit by the Center for Biological Diversity accusing the agency of routinely issuing oil and gas drilling permits in Kern County without environmental review.  Alameda County Superior Court Judge Evilio Grillo denied judgment on the pleadings requests by CalGEM and three oil industry groups. Without ruling on the merits of the claims, Grillo found the conservationists can challenge what they call the pattern and practice of the agency and that their claims weren’t mooted by a related lawsuit against Kern County. ... ” Read more from Courthouse News Service here: California loses bid to throw out lawsuit over drilling permits issued without environmental review

California Water Index Futures Contracts/Chicago Mercantile Exchange: Food and Water Watch petition to the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission for suspension

“Food and Water Watch (“F&W”) and 138 other organizations submitted a December 20th Petition to the United States Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”) asking that the Chicago Mercantile Exchange’s (“CME”) California Water Index Futures (“Water Index Futures”) be suspended.  The request for a hearing is made pursuant to Section 5c(c)(5)(C)(ii) of the Commodity Exchange Act (“CEA”).  The CME is typically described as a global derivatives market place. It is an organized exchange for trading futures and options. Sectors include agriculture, energy, stock indices, foreign exchange, interest rates, metals, real estate and weather. ... ”  Continue reading at JD Supra here: California Water Index Futures Contracts/Chicago Mercantile Exchange: Food and Water Watch petition to the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission for suspension

What the numbers tells us about a catastrophic year of wildfires

“2021 proved another disastrous fire year for the American west.  Amid a historic drought and record-breaking heatwaves, wildfires that erupted across the US burned close to 7.7m acres. Some broke records that had only recently been set. And while the amount of land burned this year didn’t reach 2020 levels, a troubling new trend emerged: fires are getting harder to fight.  “With the conditions we saw this year and everything leading up to it – historic drought, these prolonged dry, heatwaves – everything together made it a very challenging year,” said Aitor Bidaburu, a wildfire program manager for the US Fire Administration. His biggest takeaway on the blazes “was just the intensity with which they burned”, he says. … ”  Read more from the Guardian here: What the numbers tells us about a catastrophic year of wildfires

A year of extreme weather in the American west – in pictures

” … In the American west it was a year of extremes. Scientists say it is likely just a taste of what’s to come if the climate crisis continues on its current course. “We have known this for a while,” said Steve Ostoja, director of the USDA California Climate Hub. “The question is how extreme is this going to go? What is the ceiling and what is the floor?” … ”  Read more from the Guardian here: A year of extreme weather in the American west – in pictures

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In commentary this weekend …

California shouldn’t have a one-size-fits-all drought response. It’s unfair to San Diego County.

The San Diego Union-Tribune editorial board writes, “With California mired in a 2-year-old drought and with available water supplies dwindling in much of the Golden State, Gov. Gavin Newsom in July asked all Californians to voluntarily reduce their water use by 15 percent. Five months later, disappointed at the indifferent response from millions of residents, Newsom’s administration is ready to try to force compliance.  Within weeks, the State Water Resources Control Board is expected to impose temporary bans on some outdoor uses of water — including watering lawns within 48 hours of local rainfall, hosing off driveways and filling decorative fountains. Violators would face fines of up to $500 a day.  This may well be necessary in most of California, but not in San Diego County, where the Water Authority’s shrewd 1991 decision to broadly diversify its sources of water — ending an over-reliance on the untrustworthy Metropolitan Water District of Southern California — has paid off spectacularly. … ”  Read more from the San Diego Union-Tribune here: California shouldn’t have a one-size-fits-all drought response. It’s unfair to San Diego County.

Poseidon shouldn’t get a cent of $1.1 billion state fund request

“The solution to California’s water woes is multifaceted. As part of that, this editorial board has long supported desalination projects, including the proposed desalination plant for Huntington Beach by Poseidon Water.  … Our support for the project is clear and consistent.  However, last week the Voice of OC reported that Poseidon “has asked for $1.1 billion from a pool of state money” to help finance the project.  It’s not often that we agree with environmental groups that have long opposed the project, but in this case we concur with their Dec. 3 letter to state Treasurer Fiona Ma, state Controller Betty Yee and state director of finance Keely Martin Bosler in opposition to such a notion. … ”  Continue reading at the OC Register here: Poseidon shouldn’t get a cent of $1.1 billion state fund request

In regional water news this weekend …

NORTH COAST

Winter Storm Warning continues through Monday morning

“A Winter Storm Advisory and Warning continues for the quad county area through Monday. Additional advisories and warnings extend beyond the basin and have been issued for much of the Cascades of Oregon, and the Siskiyou & Sierras of California.  Detailed alerts from the National Weather Service for basin are communities are listed below. Including expected snow totals and the extended forecast for Klamath Falls.  The National Weather Service is strongly discouraged travel during this weekend. … ”  Read more from the Klamath Falls News here:  Winter Storm Warning continues through Monday morning

Multiple Humboldt and Mendocino County projects to protect salmonid habitat get grants from CDFW

“The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) today announced the selection of 15 projects that will receive funding for the restoration, enhancement and protection of anadromous salmonid habitat in California watersheds.  The grants, which total $9.7 million, were awarded through CDFW’s Fisheries Restoration Grant Program (FRGP). FRGP was first established in 1981 and since 2000, has included funding from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund, established by Congress to reverse the declines of Pacific salmon and steelhead throughout California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Alaska. … ”  Read more from the Redheaded Blackbelt here: Multiple Humboldt and Mendocino County projects to protect salmonid habitat get grants from CDFW

A closer look at the $25 million Eel River Canyon preserve set to become California’s newest wildland park

“The Grand Canyon of the Eel River, a vast, seldom-seen wildland, unfolds before a visitor’s eyes from a knoll at 3,200 feet, the silvery waterway snaking north through the Coast Ranges of Mendocino and Trinity County as a red-tailed hawk glides effortlessly below.  Teeming with wildlife — including elusive Roosevelt elk, bears, bobcats, feral pigs, bald eagles and mountain lions — it is a realm few Californians have seen or even know about.  It is also a treasure to conservationists, who are applauding The Wildlands Conservancy’s recent $25 million purchase of a 26,600-acre ranch — completing the first link of its Emerald Necklace, a chain of 10 preserves open to the public and spanning 110 miles of the Eel River from Mendocino County to the Pacific Ocean estuary. … ”  Read more from the Santa Rosa Press Democrat here: A closer look at the $25 million Eel River Canyon preserve set to become California’s newest wildland park

Conservationists awed by flight over sprawling Eel River preserve in Northern California

“In a remote, largely roadless region like the Eel River Canyon in Mendocino and Trinity counties, the most expeditious way to see the land is from the air.  So it was in 2005, officials with The Wildlands Conservancy rented a helicopter to check out a nearly 6,000-acre parcel, highlighted by a towering rock about 11 miles downstream from the confluence of the river’s main stem and middle fork at Dos Rios.  David Myers, the conservancy president, asked the pilot to fly farther north in search of other “river-blessed properties” suitable for preservation and protection from the spread of ranchette subdivisions and marijuana grows along the river, which drains California’s third-largest watershed. … ”  Read more from the Santa Rosa Press Democrat here: Conservationists awed by flight over sprawling Eel River preserve in Northern California

MOUNTAIN COUNTIES

Department of Water Resources sending $10M to El Dorado County to fix Caldor Fire damage

“The Department of Water Resources (DWR) today released its first phase of awards to 20 projects through the Urban and Multibenefit Drought Relief Grant Program. El Dorado County is being awarded $10 million for the Irrigation District to construct an intertie between drinking water sources to increase system reliability in response to major impacts to its infrastructure by this year’s Caldor Fire.  The funding awards will provide critical support to communities across the state dealing with the impacts of drought conditions. … ”  Read more from South Tahoe Now here: Department of Water Resources sending $10M to El Dorado County to fix Caldor Fire damage

Herbicides in Lake Tahoe? Invasive plants provoke debate

“As invasive plants encroach on the pristine waters of Lake Tahoe, officials are weighing whether to use aquatic herbicides for the first time to contain their growth and prevent them from clouding the waters.  Plants like curlyleaf pondweed and eurasian watermilfoil have long thrived in the Tahoe Keys, a boating community located on a lagoon off the southern end of the lake. The local property owners’ association says the methods it has historically used to contain weeds — including taking them out manually — are no longer sufficient.  Along with some scientists and lake protection groups, they’re lobbying the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency Governing Board and the Lahontan Regional Water Quality Control Board to permit herbicide use in the Keys. … ”  Read more from KCRA Channel 3 here: Herbicides in Lake Tahoe? Invasive plants provoke debate

Water conserved; flume repairs advance for EID

“El Dorado Irrigation District water customers saved 6% since June 28 when the Stage 1 water supply alert was made, while recycled water customers saved 10% over the same period compared to 2020.  Year-over-year conservation increased in October when customer water conservation hit 24% and in November it rose to 31%, although those are typically lower water-use months.  With the 22-mile El Dorado canal and flume system shut down because of three flumes burned by the Caldor Fire, EID has 8,000 acre-feet more storage in its alpine reservoirs than it normally would. … ”  Read more from the Mountain Democrat here: Water conserved; flume repairs advance for EID

SACRAMENTO VALLEY

Jellys Ferry Bridge replacement slated for August completion

“During the Tuesday Board of Supervisors meeting, Senior Civil Engineer Jessica Pecha and Deputy County Surveyor Rob Brownfield of Public Works gave an update on the construction progress of the Jellys Ferry Bridge Replacement Project.  The overall project has received $53 million in funding. As of Oct. 20, construction was about 68 percent complete and expected to conclude on Aug. 2, 2022.  “One of the reasons the project took so long to get to ground was they [MCM] designed their branch to replace the existing bridge over the Sacramento River,” Pecha said. “When that got to Caltrans and they started doing their review, they realized that we were coming off the bridge down into the floodplain, landing back down in the floodplain. So their overflow is where the Sacramento River overflows, meandering overland and so we have a second bridge that goes back up over that flood zone to get everybody out of the water and recover the traveling public safely.” … ”  Read more from Red Bluff Daily News here: Jellys Ferry Bridge replacement slated for August completion

When it rains in Sacramento, these neighborhoods face greater flood risk

“When heavy rain falls in Sacramento, it’s historically redlined neighborhoods — many of which today are home to low-income households and residents of color — that are at a higher risk of experiencing flooding. Gardenland was identified in the 1930s as a ”declining” and undesirable neighborhood by the federally sponsored Home Owners’ Loan Corporation in redlining maps, a reflection of patterns of discrimination racist lending practices that continue to have rippling social, health and economic impacts.  At the time, surveyors said the neighborhood was subject to standing water during periods of heavy rainfall. Today it’s a majority Latino neighborhood with a large number of Asian, Black and Native American residents. Homes there are still jeopardized by potential flood damage. ... ”  Read more from the Sacramento Bee here: When it rains in Sacramento, these neighborhoods face greater flood risk

The Tower Bridge’s motor is broken, and large boats along the Sacramento River can’t pass underneath

“Sacramento’s iconic Tower Bridge is out of commission for large boat traffic.  Officials at the California Department of Transportation report the motor that allows the middle section of the bridge to lift vertically for boats to pass underneath is broken. Caltrans has said the motor broke due to old age, not as a result of any of the storms or power outages the region has seen recently.  “There’s some electrical repairs that are needed. Part of the reason why it’s taking a little longer than usual is it’s a specialty skill that needs to get done, so due to the holidays we’re trying to find a person who specializes in that repair,” Angela DaPrato, spokesperson for Caltrans said. … ”  Read more from Capital Public Radio here: The Tower Bridge’s motor is broken, and large boats along the Sacramento River can’t pass underneath

BAY AREA

Snow in the Bay Area? Another cold front to bring rain, low temps, flurries to region’s peaks

“Bay Area residents can expect more rain this weekend into next week as another cold front is expected to move through the region, bringing more rainfall, cooler temperatures and even some snow to Bay Area high-elevation ridges and peaks, meteorologists said Saturday.  “Off-and-on rain showers” will persist throughout the Bay Area region on Saturday night into Sunday morning, and will likely continue through a “good portion” of Sunday before another cold front is expected to move into the region, said Roger Gass, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service Bay Area office. … ”  Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle here: Snow in the Bay Area? Another cold front to bring rain, low temps, flurries to region’s peaks

Column: Big questions shape MMWD board election in November

“It’s raining and Marin‘s reservoirs are nearly at levels historically normal for the end of December.  That good fortune doesn’t change the political reality that 2022’s marquee local election is in November when three seats are up for grabs on Marin Municipal Water District’s five-member Board of Directors.  MMWD has long been divided into five “divisions” commonly known as districts. Board President Cynthia Koehler’s Division 4 covers Southern Marin. Director Larry Bragman, a former Fairfax mayor, represents Division 3 centered in the Ross Valley and extending east to Larkspur. Director Jack Gibson, a Sleepy Hollow resident, has Division 1 located in northern portions of San Rafael. … ”  Read more from the Marin Independent Journal here: Column: Big questions shape MMWD board election in November

Editorial: Marin can do more to get off the water-supply roller coaster

The Marin Independent Journal editorial board writes, “The drenching Marin’s been getting has lifted our water supply above its yearly average level, providing us with a little breathing room from the crisis we were facing just a couple of months ago.  If we had gotten another dry year, even with strict conservation measures, we could have faced running out of water.  That’s why we need to adopt a proactive strategy aimed at expanding our supply to be a lot more drought-proof. That means increasing our supply, expanding our capacity and investing more in the use of treated reclaimed water.  Conservation has to be included in that strategy, but it cannot be solely relied upon, as we’ve found out from this close call. … ”  Read more from the Marin Independent Journal here: Editorial: Marin can do more to get off the water-supply roller coaster

CENTRAL COAST

Santa Cruz: Environmental DNA reveals secrets of creek, beyond

“A plop of rain met parched California ground and trickled into a creek. There it scraped against fish and slipped through their gills, stealing traces of each encounter. The droplet then carried the genetic souvenirs downstream until it reached an innovative device that helped unlock the secrets of the creek’s creatures.  “We call this a microbiology lab in a can,” said Jim Birch, director of the SURF center at the Moss Landing-based Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute.  That “can” is actually MBARI’s environmental sample processor, a $200,000 robotic laboratory the size of a 50-gallon drum. It gathers genetic clues — cells, mucus, feces — from ecosystems that are collectively dubbed environmental DNA, or eDNA.  … ”  Read more from the Santa Cruz Sentinel here: Santa Cruz: Environmental DNA reveals secrets of creek, beyond

As the climate crisis worsens, the Big Sur Land Trust is experimenting to create carbon sinks in local rangelands

“The Big Sur Land Trust is in the news a lot locally, and for good reason: Whether it’s acquiring land that will soon become our newest state park (Ixshenta State Park), creating a new floodplain for the Carmel River to prevent flooding (the Carmel River FREE project), or acquiring 73 acres of open space in the heart of Salinas to create a community park and nature habitat (Carr Lake), its projects benefit residents throughout Monterey County. … ”  Read more from Monterey Weekly here: As the climate crisis worsens, the Big Sur Land Trust is experimenting to create carbon sinks in local rangelands

Fund for Santa Barbara supports Environmental Defense Center efforts to protect drinking water for the communities surrounding Cat Canyon

“In recent years, oil and gas fields throughout California have experienced an expansion in “aquifer exemptions” from federal drinking water protections, threatening public health and risking degradation of fresh groundwater. Santa Barbara County is no exception. Several years ago, oil operators in northern Santa Barbara County’s Cat Canyon Oil Field asked the state agency responsible for overseeing oil and gas operations (CalGEM) for such an exemption from the federal Safe Drinking Water Act to inject hot steam and toxic wastewater into aquifers beneath a critical groundwater basin. The Environmental Defense Center (EDC) has just received $10,000 in grant funding from the Fund for Santa Barbara (Fund) to ensure EDC can continue its research and distribute information about the Cat Canyon Aquifer Exemption to clients and partners to help prevent irreparable, unmitigated damage to drinking water, groundwater for agriculture, and public health for surrounding communities. … ”  Read more from the Independent here: Fund for Santa Barbara supports Environmental Defense Center efforts to protect drinking water for the communities surrounding Cat Canyon

SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY

After record-breaking rain, Fresno dries out. But it’s just for a day.

“The atmospheric river storm bringing much-needed precipitation to California drenched Fresno with 1.03 inches of rain on Tuesday, setting a record for Dec. 14.  The downpour followed the city getting .26 of an inch on Monday.  What’s the weather for the rest of the week?  “Clouds returning later (on Wednesday) as another storm system will bring additional precipitation to the area tonight into Thursday,” the National Weather Service Hanford said in its morning forecast discussion. “Therefore, will expect another round of moderate to heavy snow at times in the Sierra Nevada from Yosemite to Kings Canyon. Otherwise, expect cooler than average temperatures to continue until early next week.” ... ”  Read more from GV Wire here: After record-breaking rain, Fresno dries out. But it’s just for a day.

Kings County Supervisors will buy water to meet Kettleman City’s needs

“Kings County leaders are taking the unprecedented action of buying water for the community of Kettleman City, after the state announced it won’t deliver as much as the city needs.  “Why do we need to continue to take the brunt of the drought here in the state of California? It’s not fair. I am mad,” said Kings County District 2 Supervisor Richard Valle.  The California Department of Water Resources told Kettleman City it will receive just 96 acre feet of water to provide water for the health and safety of its residents. ... ”  Read more from KMPH here: Kings County Supervisors will buy water to meet Kettleman City’s needs

Commentary: From improving water supplies to fixing roads, new infrastructure act helps the Valley

“When it comes to our infrastructure, I often say we’re living off the investments our parents and grandparents made a generation ago. But right now, with the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, we’re entering a new era. The new law will create 2 million jobs per year over the course of a decade, and addresses critical infrastructure needs. With funding already rolling out, and continuing over the course of five years, the San Joaquin Valley can take on challenges like drought, wildfires, air quality, and improving transportation. This infrastructure investment will make a difference, and shows the power of lawmakers on both sides of the aisle working together to deliver results for Americans. … ”  Read more from the Fresno Bee here: Commentary: From improving water supplies to fixing roads, new infrastructure act helps the Valley

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

Conservationists create a vast home on the eco-range for wildlife north of L.A.

“When Zachary Principe wants to introduce people to one of his favorite vistas, he takes them to the top of Bear Mountain, a sky island in the Tehachapi Mountains north of Los Angeles where California condors roost in the boughs of sugar pines.  The mountaintop 6,805 feet above sea level is a refuge for mountain lions, mule deer and bobcats and is only about a two-hour drive from 18 million people in Southern California. “But it’s off-limits to development,” said Principe, project manager for the nonprofit Nature Conservancy, “because we bought the place.”  Bear Mountain is among the latest additions to the conservancy’s new Frank and Joan Randall Tehachapi Preserve, which consists of nine working livestock ranches acquired, in bits and pieces, over the past decade as a last line of defense against sprawl, the mounting pressures of climate change and wind farms spreading across the region’s ridgelines. … ”  Read more from the LA Times here: Conservationists create a vast home on the eco-range for wildlife north of L.A.

Water use by Palmdale Water District customers drops near end of year

“With California in the midst of a historic drought, water use by customers in the Palmdale Water District increased over 2020 in the earlier part of this year, but the message of water conservation seems to be getting through in the latter months.  With the reservoirs that feed the State Water Project at critically low levels and little relief in sight, the District, in April, called for voluntary water use reductions of 15%. Gov. Gavin Newsom made the voluntary reductions a statewide issue in July. At the beginning of 2021, before the voluntary measures were in place, Palmdale Water District showed an almost 10% increase in use over the previous year, itself a high point for overall use. … ”  Read more from the Antelope Valley Press here: Water use by Palmdale Water District customers drops near end of year

Desalination projected nixed by West Basin Water District

“A proposed project to build an ocean water desalination facility in the South Bay appears to be dead.  The Board of Directors for the West Basin Municipal Water District, which provides imported drinking water to 17 cities and unincorporated areas in Los Angeles County, voted this week to terminate its proposed multimillion-dollar Ocean Water Desalination Project.  The project, which the district has considered since 2002, has undergone rounds of research and development to determine whether the Los Angeles region would benefit from a desalination facility to offset water loss caused by severe droughts across California. ... ”  Read more from the LA Daily News here: Desalination projected nixed by West Basin Water District

Environmentalists praise West Basin Municipal Water District’s decision to terminate ocean water desalination plant

“West Basin Municipal Water District (West Basin) voted 3 to 2 in a special board meeting to terminate a proposed Ocean Water Desalination Project in favor of other local alternatives like wastewater recycling and groundwater. LA Waterkeeper was joined by its Smarter Water LA coalition partners and dozens of other environmental and community representatives in praising the agency’s decision to prioritize energy-efficient, cost-effective, and environmentally beneficial water supplies for our region. … ”  Continue reading at Newswires here: Environmentalists praise West Basin Municipal Water District’s decision to terminate ocean water desalination plant

IMPERIAL/COACHELLA VALLEYS

Photo feature: Salton Sea: What lies beneath

“The landscape around and beneath the Salton Sea is in constant flux. Subterranean geothermal heat bubbling up from deep in the earth in combination with a rapidly receding sea has created some intense and interesting visuals. A key thing to remember is the earth around and under the sea is unstable: The San Andreas Fault runs along the eastern seashore and terminates near five volcanoes that make up the Salton Buttes. Deep underground, a huge geothermal bed is already tapped for scalding steam to power half a dozen renewable energy plants. The same formation holds lithium — a prized element needed for batteries — that many people here hope can be mined and fuel an economic boom.  These tectonic and geologic oddities have created an alien-looking landscape. ... ”  Read more from the Desert Sun here: Photo feature: Salton Sea: What lies beneath

SEE ALSO: Salton Sea: Then and now, from the Desert Sun

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Along the Colorado River …

Editorial: Why Utah must take back control from the water buffaloes

The Salt Lake Tribune editorial board writes, “They are called, officially, Utah’s “water conservancy districts,” even though conserving anything often seems to be furtherest from the minds of the four public agencies charged with gathering and delivering water to most of the state’s population.  A more accurate descriptor is the informal one hung on the four agencies by their many critics. The “water buffaloes.”  As has been long argued by many environmental and conservation activists in Utah, and as outlined in a recent article from the investigative journalism nonprofit ProPublica, the agencies empowered by the Legislature to transport and sell water to the state’s population centers never met a pipeline they didn’t love. And to them, conservation is for sissies. ... ”  Read more from the Salt Lake Tribune here: Editorial: Why Utah must take back control from the water buffaloes

As western states pledge to take less water from Colorado River, tribes seek a bigger role

“When officials from California, Arizona and Nevada signed a deal this month to take less water from the shrinking Colorado River, a large portion of the water savings came through agreements with two Native tribes.  Indigenous leaders have also been invited by the Biden administration to play a key role in future negotiations on coping with shortages.  The rising involvement of tribes in discussions about managing the West’s scarce water supplies marks a dramatic turn in a century-long history of being left on the sidelines.  “We see ourselves as really a leader in this,” said Stephen Roe Lewis, governor of the Gila River Indian Community, whose reservation lies south of Phoenix. “This is part of our value system to conserve water when we can. And we see this even as a moral obligation.” … ”  Read more from the LA Times here: As western states pledge to take less water from Colorado River, tribes seek a bigger role

‘We’re failing terribly’: Colorado’s revered slopes face a major threat

“During the annual Christmas tree-lighting ceremony at Breckenridge Ski Resort in early December, thousands of people crowded onto Main Street under a bluebird sky.  The event was preceded by a dog parade featuring hundreds of Bernese mountain dogs and a foot race with runners dressed as Santas and elves. When the sun finally set, the countdown began as a massive evergreen in the square was bathed in golden light.  The festive scene stood in stark contrast to what could be coming for Colorado and the Rocky Mountains: a severely shortened ski season by 2050, with some areas closing permanently by the end of the century. … ”  Read more from Yahoo News here: ‘We’re failing terribly’: Colorado’s revered slopes face a major threat

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In national water news this weekend …

$2.5B headed to tribes for long-standing water settlements

“For over a decade, residents of the rural Fort Apache Reservation in eastern Arizona have been promised miles of pipeline that would bring clean drinking water to their communities.  Now, a one-time windfall to help carry out the agreement could be on its way.  The federal infrastructure bill signed last month includes $2.5 billion for Native American water rights settlements, a tool tribes have used to define their rights to water from rivers and other sources and get federal funding to deliver it to residents.  The federal government has not disclosed how the money will be divvied up. But tribes involved in more than 30 settlements — many in the U.S. West, including the White Mountain Apache of the Fort Apache Reservation — are eligible and eagerly awaiting specifics. … ”  Read more from the AP here: $2.5B headed to tribes for long-standing water settlements

US tribes see hope for clean water in infrastructure bill

“Erland Suppah Jr. doesn’t trust what comes out of his faucet.  Each week, Suppah and his girlfriend haul a half-dozen large jugs of water from a distribution center run by the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs to their apartment for everything from drinking to cooking to brushing their teeth for their family of five. It’s the only way they feel safe after countless boil-water notices and weekslong shutoffs on a reservation struggling with bursting pipes, failing pressure valves and a geriatric water treatment plant. … In other, more remote tribal communities across the country, running water and indoor plumbing have never been a reality.  Now, there’s a glimmer of hope in the form of a massive infrastructure bill signed last month that White House officials say represents the largest single infusion of money into Indian Country. … ”  Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle here: US tribes see hope for clean water in infrastructure bill

The next disaster coming to the Great Plains

“A century after the Dust Bowl, another environmental catastrophe is coming to the High Plains of western Kansas. The signs are subtle but unequivocal: dry riverbeds, fields of sand, the sound of irrigation motors straining to pump from dwindling aquifers.  “We face a fundamental choice,” Connie Owen, the director of the Kansas Water Office, said to a group of state legislators, lobbyists, groundwater managers, and experts who assembled here last summer to debate the future of the region’s groundwater, now in steep decline due to overuse by industrial agriculture. “What hangs in the balance is even more than the loss of livelihoods, communities, or an entire region’s economy—it is the character of who we want to be as a people.” … ”  Read more from The Atlantic here: The next disaster coming to the Great Plains

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And lastly …

The best 20 California hikes SFGATE staffers discovered in 2021

“In 2021, SFGATE’s staff hiked California up, down and sideways.  We hit the trails through redwood forests, along coastlines and into desert oases, and for our efforts, we were rewarded with glorious displays of sunlight, bubbling hydrothermal features and a rare waterfall crashing into the sea. Whether you’re highly experienced or new to nature, looking for the best of the Bay Area or drawn to landscapes lesser-known and farther-flung, we’ve got just the hike for you. … ”  Read more from SF Gates here: The best 20 California hikes SFGATE staffers discovered in 2021