In California water news today …
Paper records and steel vaults: Can California water rights enter the digital age?
“From an unremarkable office in Sacramento, Matthew Jay can pinpoint any moment in California history when somebody was granted the right to transfer water from any particular lake, river, stream or creek. An analyst with the California State Water Resources Control Board, he is a custodian of millions of pieces of paper. Some are over a hundred years old and are crammed into towering filing cabinets and vaults. The room is so heavy that its floor needed to be reinforced. “When I started opening some of these files my first thought was: ‘I need to be very careful with these old, old documents.’” Jay said. “They’re printed on an equivalent to tissue paper.’” … ” Read more from the LA Times here: Paper records and steel vaults: Can California water rights enter the digital age?
Record-challenging low temperatures and snow will continue to pile up across the West this week
“The onslaught of storms that have marched into the western United States has undoubtedly created headaches for travelers and residents at times, but it has also proven to be very beneficial in building up an expansive snowpack across most mountain ranges in the region. Looking ahead to the final week of 2021, the cold and unsettled weather regime is expected to continue. The stormy pattern across California has been a blessing for easing drought concerns so far this fall and winter, with the entire Sierra Nevada Mountain Range now running above historical snowpack averages. With consistently cold conditions slated to remain anchored over the mountains, those numbers will continue to rise as the calendar turns to 2022. … ” Read more from AccuWeather here: Record-challenging low temperatures and snow will continue to pile up across the West this week
Treacherous Sierra blizzard ‘blowing around like a shook-up snow globe’ stymies travelers, halts ski lifts at Tahoe
“Whiteout conditions darkened the Sierra skies over the holiday weekend as a relentless blizzard blasted the mountains, closing the major routes into Lake Tahoe, knocking out Truckee-area power lines, burying cars and stranding motorists who packed into hotels and roadside establishments to wait for driveable conditions. Snowfall was on track to top a half-century record for December. Cars spun out, resulting in two pileups involving 25 to 35 vehicles on 10 miles of Highway 395 between Reno and Carson City, Nev., on Sunday, said spokesperson Adam Mayberry of Truckee Meadows Fire and Rescue. At least six people were taken to a hospital with injuries. … ” Read more from the SF Chronicle here: Treacherous Sierra blizzard ‘blowing around like a shook-up snow globe’ stymies travelers, halts ski lifts at Tahoe
Winter is off to an amazing start, but will the beneficial rain last?
“We can say goodbye to the threat of wildfires for the remainder of 2021 and early 2022, thanks to all the rain we’ve been getting lately. All of Southern California’s dry vegetation has gotten a good soaking. And that’s also good news considering the grim outlook for winter. Thanks to four storms this month, many cities have now surpassed their seasonal average rainfall by an additional one to three inches of rain. The Climate Prediction Center’s (CPC) outlook through the first week of January shows we could be in for more wet weather. … ” Read more from Spectrum 1 here: Winter is off to an amazing start, but will the beneficial rain last?
SEE ALSO: California Rain, Feet of Additional Sierra Snow to Last Through New Year’s Eve, from the Weather Channel
In regional water news and commentary today …
Tuolumne Stanislaus Integrated Regional Water Management Authority receives $1.1 Million as California Department of Water Resources awards more than $53 million in urban and multibenefit drought relief funding
“The Department of Water Resources (DWR) has 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 the Sierra Sun Times here: Tuolumne Stanislaus Integrated Regional Water Management Authority Receives $1.1 Million as California Department of Water Resources Awards More Than $53 Million in Urban and Multibenefit Drought Relief Funding
After four harrowing years of smoke and fires, Bay Area wineries rejoice in a ‘normal’ harvest
“Bay Area winemakers will remember 2021 as the year without wildfires. In sharp contrast to the last several years, no Wine Country estates were destroyed, no Cabernet grapes tainted by smoke, no fermentations abandoned in the wake of an emergency evacuation order. Many vintners held their breath through the last few months, knowing that the state’s deadliest fire, the 2018 Camp Fire, wasn’t extinguished until Nov. 25. Instead, the region’s fall was smooth and easy — a brief and welcome reprieve from the serial disasters that had led this industry to fear it would never see “normal” again. “It really was a redemption harvest,” said Montse Reece, winemaker at Pedroncelli Winery in Geyserville. “We expected the worst, we were ready, and it was fine.” … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle here: After four harrowing years of smoke and fires, Bay Area wineries rejoice in a ‘normal’ harvest
Snow hits Bay Area’s higher elevations over wet weekend, and more could come
“After a wet Christmas weekend that even dumped some snow on the higher parts of the Bay Area, more rain and possibly even more snowfall is on its way in the coming days. Mount Hamilton in Santa Clara County was among the places that got a dose of snow over the weekend. A layer of white powder covered hillsides around the mountain and its Lick Observatory, with social media images and the Bay Area’s network of wildfire-detection cameras showing the rare snowy blanket on Sunday. The observatory said on Facebook that it “got a white Christmas,” noting that nearby roads were “dangerously slick due to snow and ice.” The observatory was closed through Monday. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle here: Snow hits Bay Area’s higher elevations over wet weekend, and more could come
SEE ALSO: Chart: Bay Area rainfall totals for 5-day series of storms, from the San Jose Mercury News
Weather service posts map showing where snow could fall in San Francisco Bay Area on Tuesday
“Snow fell on the highest peaks around the San Francisco Bay Area early Sunday, and there’s more fresh powder on the way with the potential for snow flurries in inland valleys next week, the National Weather Service said. Mount Diablo in the East Bay could see over 6 inches of snow Sunday through Tuesday. … ” Read more from SF Gate here: Weather service posts map showing where snow could fall in San Francisco Bay Area on Tuesday
Storm strikes Southern California, washing out roads, downing street lights, causing mudslides
“Mudslides, flooded freeways, window-rattling wind and lashing rain. Those were just some of the effects of a strong winter storm that pummeled much of the Southland Thursday evening and throughout the early hours of Christmas Eve. The maelstrom of rain and gusts — with flashes of lightning — washed out roads, knocked over street lights, bent palm trees, created mini-rivers, caused unsafe conditions that contributed to crashes and led to mandatory evacuations in some areas. And rushing waters apparently carried someone away in the Santa Ana River. … ” Read more from the OC Register here: Storm strikes Southern California, washing out roads, downing street lights, causing mudslides
2 storms to drench Southern California before New Year’s Day
“The sun was shining across Southern California Sunday, Dec. 26 after days of heavy rainfall, but forecasters warned against getting used to it as two more storms are expected to close out the year, weather forecasters said. The first storm should bring light rainfall to the region, with the best chance for precipitation Monday afternoon and evening into Tuesday, said Elizabeth Schenk, National Weather Service meteorologist in San Diego. There also was a chance for some rainfall Sunday night. Most of Orange County should see one-third to a half-inch of rain, with totals higher in the Santa Ana Mountains, from a half-inch to one-and-a-half inches of rainfall, Schenk said. Totals were anticipated to be slightly higher in the Inland Empire, which could see up to three-quarters of an inch. ... ” Read more from the OC Register here: 2 storms to drench Southern California before New Year’s Day
Drought and water supply: a year in review
“Drought and water supply in the Southwest U.S. dominated the water news in 2021, from the Colorado River Basin to California. COVID-19 continued its grasp on all aspects of life in 2021. Even in the face of the pandemic, the work of providing water as an essential service continued for every agency with the responsibility of making sure their constituents have the water they need to sustain their communities, farms and businesses. This past year highlighted the challenges statewide and throughout the Colorado River Basin associated with providing that water service in the face of a twenty-year drought on the river, yet agencies continued to meet the demands for water. … ” Read more from the Water News Network here: Drought and water supply: a year in review
Along the Colorado River …
Leading water experts explore the future of managing a shrinking water supply from the Colorado River
“A new paper from leading water experts explores the future of managing a shrinking water supply from the Colorado River. The report says the best water policies are borne out of a few driving factors: particularly dry conditions that make things more urgent, and the availability of previous water policies that can be used again. “You have to have this combination of circumstances with really terrible hydrology that is causing or could cause dire consequences to generate the political will to adopt those kinds of proposals,” said Anne Castle, a co-author of the paper. Castle also said the threat of federal intervention helps push states to expedite new water management policies, before the feds do something they don’t like. ... ” Read more from Arizona Public Media here: Leading water experts explore the future of managing a shrinking water supply from the Colorado River
How these desert shrubs became more efficient amid the megadrought
“Gov. Spencer Cox said last week Utahns cut back on “billions and billions” of gallons of water this year, which helped the state end the year with its collective reservoirs closer to half-full rather than a grim projection of less than 40% capacity. It turns out that humans haven’t been the only ones conserving water amid severe drought conditions not just in Utah but across the West. So did desert shrubs in the American Southwest, according to a new study co-led by Utah researchers. The report found that various desert shrub species adjusted their method of collecting water and carbon dioxide for photosynthesis at a rate similar to the level deserts have dried up, suggesting that the shrubs are more sensitive to changing Southwest climates than other plant species. ... ” Read more from KSL here: How these desert shrubs became more efficient amid the megadrought
Colorado’s age-old water doctrine pushed to the brink by drought
“In Evans, four miles south of Greeley, houses are shooting up. Once a quiet farm town, Evans is scrambling to come up with enough water to slake the thirst of hundreds of new homeowners, drawn here by comparatively affordable housing. Evans City Manager Jim Becklenberg says the town can supply the faucets of its 22,000 residents. “We have enough water in our water portfolio to meet the needs of our existing population,” he said. … ” Read more from the Colorado Springs Gazette here: Colorado’s age-old water doctrine pushed to the brink by drought
In national water news today …
Nestle’s water controversy, explained
“There was a time when giving bottled water a hard pass meant you were doing your bit to help the environment. As Earth-policy.org put it, “More than 17 million barrels of oil are required to produce enough plastic water bottles to meet America’s annual demand for bottled water” (via Harvard). But as it turns out, bottled water may be costing us much more than that. The problem doesn’t involve bottled waters like Pepsico’s Aquafina, which made waves of their own when it was discovered that their drinks were drawn from tap water, hence the label P.W.S. or “public water source” (via ABC News). Instead, the problem involves waters “bottled at the source,” which a third of bottled waters in the U.S. happen to be. ... ” Read more from Mashed here: Nestle’s water controversy, explained
Four environmental fights to watch in 2022
“With Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) dashing Democratic hopes for major climate change and environmental legislation, pressure is increasing on the Biden administration to take significant regulatory action. The administration was already poised to impose stricter environmental rules, and has made progress reversing a number of Trump-era environmental rollbacks. But, with the apparent end of the climate and social spending bill, these regulations will carry even greater weight as the administration seeks to live up to its climate commitments. … ” Read more from The Hill here: Four environmental fights to watch in 2022
Current reservoir and snow conditions …
More news and commentary in the weekend edition …
In California water news this weekend …
- Parts of California get a White Christmas after snowfall
- Tahoe ski resorts relish in wintry blast slamming the Sierra with several feet of snow
- Evacuation advisories lifted after inspection of Twain Harte Lake Dam
- 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 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
- What the numbers tells us about a catastrophic year of wildfires
- A year of extreme weather in the American west – in pictures
- Former Metropolitan Water District CEO named Acting General Manager of Water and Power
- A closer look at the $25 million Eel River Canyon preserve set to become California’s newest wildland park
- Herbicides in Lake Tahoe? Invasive plants provoke debate
- Environmentalists praise West Basin Municipal Water District’s decision to terminate ocean water desalination plant
- ‘We’re failing terribly’: Colorado’s revered slopes face a major threat
- And lastly … The best 20 California hikes SFGATE staffers discovered in 2021
- And more …
Also on Maven’s Notebook today …
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