On the calendar today …
- MEETING: The Delta Conservancy Board will meet from 9am to 1pm. Agenda items include updates on Prop 1 and Prop 68 grant programs, Delta Drought Response Pilot Program Update, Delta Invasive Species Coordination Update, Eco Restore update, and updates on activities of Delta agencies. Click here for the full agenda and remote access instructions.
- PUBLIC MEETING: Direct Potable Reuse (DPR) Criteria Expert Panel (AB 574) from 9am to 10am. The agenda includes a status update on the panel’s review of the draft DPR criteria, presentations from DDW staff on the DPR criteria, and time for public comments. Members of the public are invited to attend this virtual/online meeting and provide public comment. Click here for the agenda and remote access instructions.
- FREE WEBINAR: EPA Grants Award Process Webinar from 11am to 12:30pm. Hosted by EPA’s Office of Grants and Debarment, this high-level webinar will cover topics related to finding and applying for grants as well as the basics of managing a grant award. Advance registration is required. Click here to register.
- WEBINAR: How the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and California State Water Recycling Funding Can Help Your Community Advance Water Reuse from 11am to 12pm. As 2022 begins, agencies like the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Bureau of Reclamation, and California State Water Board are making important decisions about program implementation and the distribution of available funding. Join this webcast on January 26 to learn about state and federal financial resources and how your community can access those resources. Click here to register.
- SoCAL WATER DIALOG: The Roll Out of Federal and State Water Funding from 12pm to 1:30pm. Unprecedented amounts of funding are now available from the $1 trillion federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and from the state of California. The Water Dialogue will delve into how much the state can expect to receive, how Southern California can attract its share of funding, the timetable for distribution, which agencies will take the lead, whether the money is already committed (and if not, how projects will be selected), how to get benefits to rural and disadvantaged communities, and if there be regional coordination (e.g., IRWMP). Click here to register.
In California water news today …
Federal, local officials kick off millions in repairs to Friant-Kern Canal
“Local and Federal water officials and lawmakers celebrated the groundbreaking of a massive project on the Friant-Kern Canal on Tuesday, marking the start of the canal’s restoration. Coming in at $187 million, the first portion of the massive effort will restore capacity within the canal in a 10-mile portion that has been affected by subsidence: the sinking of the canal’s bottom from groundwater removal. With 33 miles of the Friant-Kern Canal in total that have sunk due to subsidence, Tuesday’s groundbreaking kicks off the first phase of the Friant-Kern Canal Middle Reach Capacity Correction restoration project. … ” Read more from the San Joaquin Valley Sun here: Federal, local officials kick off millions in repairs to Friant-Kern Canal
Groundbreaking ceremony kicks off construction project to repair Friant-Kern Canal
“The Bureau of Reclamation, Friant Water Authority, and California Department of Water Resources today celebrated the groundbreaking of a $187 million construction project to restore capacity in a 10-mile portion of the Friant-Kern Canal. The event marks the beginning of Phase 1 of a multi-phased construction project, known as the Friant-Kern Canal Middle Reach Capacity Correction, to restore capacity in a total of 33 miles of the existing Friant-Kern Canal damaged from subsidence—a sinking of the earth from groundwater removal. The Department of the Interior’s Assistant Secretary for Water and Science Tanya Trujillo joined today’s groundbreaking event and highlighted the Department’s ongoing investments in water management and drought resilience projects. … ” Read more from the Bureau of Reclamation here: Groundbreaking ceremony kicks off construction project to repair Friant-Kern Canal
SEE ALSO:
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- Groundbreaking of Friant-Kern Canal held, from the Porterville Recorder
- $180 million Friant-Kern Restoration Project breaks ground, from KGPE
How Western water markets are changing under pressure
“Water has been traded in the Western U.S. for decades, but as the region faces intensifying regulations, shifts in crops and drought concerns, water markets are evolving to reflect the changes. “The idea of water moving between uses and large distances has changed over the last 30 years. In the last five years especially, there have been big changes,” said Matt Payne, principal with WestWater Research, a Boise-based economic consulting firm specializing in water market research, pricing and trading. Payne was speaking at the Land Investment Expo in Des Moines. … ” Continue reading at the Capital Press here: How Western water markets are changing under pressure
Statement: A quarter century of CEQA litigation over the Monterey Agreement comes to an end
“ On January 5, 2022, twenty-seven years of ongoing litigation challenging the validity of the Environmental Impact Reports (EIRs) for the Monterey Agreement came to an end when the California Supreme Court denied a petition to review the decision in Central Delta Water Agency v. Department of Water Resources, 69 Cal. App. 5th 170 (2021). The 1994 Monterey Agreement between the Department of Water Resources (DWR) and the State Water Project (SWP) contractors – the twenty-nine public water agencies that deliver water to 27 million Californians and 750,000 acres of farmland – helps to facilitate the transfers and exchanges of water between SWP public water agencies and allowed for the conversion of about 20,000 acres of farmland into the Kern Water Bank. The original EIR was invalidated in Planning & Conservation League v. Department of Water Resources, 83 Cal. App. 4th 892 (2000), and under a subsequent settlement, DWR certified a new EIR in 2010 that covered the original amendments plus certain additions known as Monterey Plus. After a second round of litigation, DWR prepared a revised EIR to analyze impacts of operating the Kern Water Bank, which drew more litigation, resulting in appeals in three cases decided in DWR’s and other defendants’ favor in the most recent decision. … ” Continue reading this statement from the State Water Contractors here: Statement: A quarter century of CEQA litigation over the Monterey Agreement comes to an end
February could be the make-or-break month for California’s drought
“California is nearing that make-or-break point to pick up some rain and snow totals. January has turned out to be a total bust for big storms, continuing that winter whiplash of wet to dry weather. Almost all the gains we’ve made reducing the severity of our two-year drought came from storms in October and December. In October, those gains were from one big atmospheric river sitting over the state for days. December saw multiple storms ending in a record setting snowiest month for the Sierra. … ” Read more from Channel 10 here: February could be the make-or-break month for California’s drought
SEE ALSO: CalMatters water and drought tracker
California’s climate whiplash has gotten worse over 50 years
“While dry events in California are not getting drier, extreme wet weather events have steadily increased in magnitude since the middle of the last century, new research shows. These increased extreme wet events can result in more dangerous flooding and also fuel wildfires. “Most research after 2015 has been very focused on this climate variability and how it’s going to get worse in the future,” says Diana Zamora-Reyes, a graduate student in the department of hydrology and atmospheric sciences at the University of Arizona and lead author of the paper in the International Journal of Climatology. “But, in this paper, the main takeaway is that this is happening right now, and that variability has been increasing for the past 50 years or so.” … ” Read more from Futurity here: California’s climate whiplash has gotten worse over 50 years
California’s big snowpack is bad for drinking water
““California’s excessive snowpack, on top of the massive fires of last summer, suggest that drinking water in the areas where both overlap will be high in carcinogens come summer,” stated ecologist James P McMahon, owner of Sweetwater, LLC. California has enjoyed an overwhelming amount of early snow. Water managers may be excited at the early promise of adequate water supplies for the coming summer. It is the Sierra snowpack that replenishes a portion of California’s water supply. “Fire destroys much of the natural vegetation on the landscape. This leaves the ground barren and subject to massive erosion and flash floods,” said McMahon. “When snow melts it will drag debris and organic materials from the burn scars into California’s rivers and reservoirs.” … ” Continue reading from Cision PR here: California’s big snowpack is bad for drinking water
Delta Conveyance webinar recaps
The Department of Water Resources (DWR) hosted a series of webinars to provide background information related to preparation of the Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the proposed Delta Conveyance Project.
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- Operations of the State Water Project and Delta Conveyance Informational Webinar Highlights: The first in a series of four webinars was on Operations of the State Water Project (SWP) and Delta conveyance. To better understand how the proposed Delta Conveyance Project would operate, it’s important to also understand the function and importance of the SWP, including how the SWP develops and delivers water to communities across California – a key component of DWR’s presentation in this webinar. Read the article from DWR here: Operations of the State Water Project and Delta Conveyance Informational Webinar Highlights
- Environmental Justice Informational Webinar Highlights: The fourth and final webinar covered Environmental Justice-related topics, including state, federal and DWR-specific policies, DWR’s Environmental Justice Community Survey (Your Delta, Your Voice) and how Environmental Justice issues will be presented in the Draft EIR. Read this article from DWR here: Environmental Justice Informational Webinar Highlights
- Climate Change Informational Webinar Highlights: The webinar specifically covered 1) the effects of climate change on water supply in general and in the project study area, and 2) how the environmental review for the proposed project will analyze climate change, including assumptions and methodology. The presentation focused on several elements, including an overview of climate change planning in California such as DWR’s response, the purpose of the climate change analysis in the Draft EIR, and the evaluation methods and assumptions that will be used in the Draft EIR. Read this article from DWR here: Climate Change Informational Webinar Highlights
Getting water to places birds need most: Audubon’s California water policy priorities in 2022
“While December’s rains provided a bit of respite, Californians and the birds of the Pacific Flyway continue to struggle through the ongoing drought. Migratory and wetland-dependent bird species have already lost over 90 percent of California’s natural wetlands, and even in wet years they lack adequate, high-quality habitat for foraging, resting, and breeding. As this drought persists, Audubon and our partners must work with urgency to find, deliver, and protect water supplies for birds. In 2022, Audubon California is prioritizing four water policy strategies to bolster birds’ resilience through this drought. … ” Read more from Audubon here: Getting water to places birds need most: Audubon’s California water policy priorities in 2022
Humble suckers: Pacific lamprey have survived 5 mass extinctions but are now under threat
“Pacific lamprey are not endearing at first glance. The most striking feature of their almost featureless bodies is their soul-boring cobalt-blue eyes. But what you can never unsee is the “oral disc,” a jawless, hook-toothed sucker mouth that seems perfect for gobbling space mercenaries into sand dunes. “They look like scary-ass monsters,” said Michael Belchik, senior water policy analyst for the Yurok Tribe and a former fish biologist. Ralph Lampman, a lamprey research biologist at Yakama Fisheries, compared lamprey to Yoda and said they have the wisdom of Jedi masters. … ” Read more from High Country News here: Humble suckers: Pacific lamprey have survived 5 mass extinctions but are now under threat
UC scientists get ‘climate-smart’
“To help California farmers and ranchers adjust to uncertain weather and climate events, the USDA National Institute for Food and Agriculture has awarded $1.5 million to a team of scientists led by UC Agriculture and Natural Resources. The project is one of six projects funded by USDA NIFA’s $9 million investment to expand adoption of climate-smart practices. “The Cooperative Extension system and the USDA Climate Hubs have unmatched capacity to reach agricultural, Tribal and underserved communities, as well as educators and students, and our nation’s farmers directly,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack in a statement announcing the grant recipients. “This partnership will strengthen climate research efforts and accelerate the development, adoption and application of science-based, climate-smart practices that benefit everyone.” … ” Read more from the Foothills Sun-Gazette here: UC scientists get ‘climate-smart’
Saltier groundwater does long lasting damage to almonds, but less than previously feared
“When salty groundwater is used to irrigate almond orchards, production can be significantly reduced and the damage to trees can last for years, according to Agriculture Research Service studies. Years of droughts in central California, the primary growing region for the state’s $6-billion-almond-a-year industry, have forced producers to draw ever deeper from aquifers to replace limited higher-quality surface water to quench thirsty almond trees. As groundwater levels have declined with pumping and drought, the quality of extracted groundwater in some areas also has declined as wells have had to reach deeper into levels with sediments of higher salinity. The higher salt content of this groundwater poses a significant threat to productivity with almond farmers reporting yield losses of more than 30 percent. … ” Read more from the USDA Agricultural Research Service here: Saltier groundwater does long lasting damage to almonds, but less than previously feared
Water, fuel, fertilizer issues impacting tomato farmers
“The supply chain’s weak links and California’s fickle winter weather are clouding the forecast for the state’s processing-tomato farmers. Aaron Barcellos, a diversified grower in Los Banos, already cut his tomato acreage by more than half last year—from 2,000 acres to 900—due to water supply shortages. This year, he’s cutting back further, to 530 acres, and water’s not the only reason. “We’ve seen our cost just skyrocket over the past six or seven years,” Barcellos said. “It used to cost us around $3,000 an acre to grow tomatoes. We’re projecting costs of over $4,000 this year coming up. We just haven’t had the revenues to match it.” Yields have been flat or trending down over the past decade, he added, and “we haven’t been able to get those yield increases to offset the cost increases.” ... ” Read more from Ag Alert here: Water, fuel, fertilizer issues impacting tomato farmers
Citrus harvest falls in challenging year
“California’s citrus groves look remarkably different than they did last year, when a record crop weighed down mandarin trees and navel oranges stayed on trees late into the summer months due to shipping issues at congested ports. This season, both mandarin and navel harvests are predicted to be much lighter and shorter in length due to drought, water and cost issues affecting this year’s crops. On the bright side, a steady, manageable supply of fresh citrus is ready for consumers wanting healthy, vitamin C-packed fruit. Yet several weeks into the season, the marketing committee for the California Citrus Mutual trade association predicted the navel crop will be down 20%, and the mandarin crop will drop as much as 45% from the 2020-21 season. … ” Read more from Ag Alert here: Citrus harvest falls in challenging year
Dust is a growing problem. What role does farmland play?
“As hurricane force, record-breaking winds blew through eastern Colorado in mid-December, the skies took on an eerie sepia glow. Visibility dropped to almost zero as a massive dust storm roiled through the Great Plains states, impacting 100 million people. Two weeks later, high winds and severe drought led to the devastating Marshall wildfire in urban northern Colorado. Dust storms aren’t unusual in these areas, but they typically occur in the spring and at a smaller scale. And yet, as a two-decade drought persists in the West, scientists are concerned that they could become even more prevalent. This is, after all, Dust Bowl terrain. “It was never easy land to begin with; climate change is just going to make it more difficult,” says Becky Bolinger, a Colorado state climatologist who shared a warning on Twitter about the possibility of a dust event the day before the storm. ... ” Read more from Civil Eats here: Dust is a growing problem. What role does farmland play?
Ski resorts aim for more efficient snowmaking amid drought
“The sight can be jarring during extreme drought: snowmaking guns lined up on a mountainside, blasting precious crystal flakes on a ski run while the rest of the land goes thirsty. Snowpack in the U.S. West has decreased by about 20% in the last century, making man-made snow more vital each year to opening ski resorts and fueling ski town economies as they head into an uncertain future. As the effects of drought and climate change increasingly hit home, the ski industry has invested millions of dollars in more efficient snowmaking systems amid questions about whether the practice is a wise use of energy and water. … ” Read more from CNBC here: Ski resorts aim for more efficient snowmaking amid drought
‘You can’t recycle your way out’: California’s plastic problem and what we can do about it
“California dumps more than 12,000 tons of plastic into landfills every day — enough to fill 219 Olympic-size swimming pools, according to CalRecycle, the state’s recycling and waste management agency. The state boasts one of the highest recycling rates in the country, especially of cans and bottles, but despite decades of investment in infrastructure and machinery, the system remains overwhelmed by plastic. A trip to a recycling processing center helps explain why. … ” Read more from KQED here: ‘You can’t recycle your way out’: California’s plastic problem and what we can do about it
The climate solution in California’s compost and crops
“Scaling up composting, tree-planting, and other sustainable agricultural practices in California could trap about a quarter of the state’s annual carbon dioxide emissions by 2030, according to a new report. These strategies for drawing down greenhouse gases are cheaper and easier to ramp up than technological alternatives, like devices that suck planet-heating CO2 out of the air, and should play a key role in the state’s efforts to address climate change, the report authors argue. Although it often leads the nation in setting aggressive climate goals, California is also a state with one of the biggest carbon footprints, making it imperative that the state consider a wide range of strategies for reducing emissions. That could include carbon sequestration. … ” Read more from The Verge here: The climate solution in California’s compost and crops
LAO Report: The 2022-23 Budget: Cap-and-Trade Expenditure Plan
“In this post, we describe the Governor’s cap-and-trade expenditure plan, evaluate the revenue assumptions used to determine the amount of funding available, and identify issues for legislative consideration.” Read the report from the LAO here: The 2022-23 Budget: Cap-and-Trade Expenditure Plan
The Forest Service was supposed to protect the water sources of the American West. Instead, water users drain untold amounts
“While the U.S. Forest Service pours resources into a runaway battle on wildfire, it is losing the war over water. About half of Western water supply originates on national forest land. But before that water reaches the West’s major cities or great rivers, much of it has already been claimed. Thousands of farmers, ranchers, cities, housing developments and industrial users pump water from the ground, channel it away from streams into ditches or pipelines, and hold it back in ponds and reservoirs — all to use public water, often for private purposes. The Forest Service issues permits for these uses, and it can deny those permits or put restrictions on water use. … ” Continue reading at Yahoo News here: The Forest Service was supposed to protect the water sources of the American West. Instead, water users drain untold amounts
Wildfires in January? Scientists say climate change could fuel ‘a continuous fire season’
“Even with all the wildfires California has endured, it was a shock to see flames searing the Big Sur coast this week – in the middle of winter. The January blaze, which on Tuesday had burned 700 acres and was threatening homes in the rugged Palo Colorado Canyon, is believed to be the result of a stray ember from a burn pile. Scientists, though, say the fire was made possible by an unusually long dry spell in winter coupled with a landscape increasingly primed for fire by the warming climate. The winter months are typically when the state gets its heaviest rains, and a break from wildfire. But Big Sur has seen less than a tenth of an inch of rainfall this month. Despite the onslaught of storms in December, many coastal areas are dry again and brimming with dead, combustible brush after two years of drought that’s been intensified by climate change. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle here: Wildfires in January? Scientists say climate change could fuel ‘a continuous fire season’
New federal wildfire plan is ambitious – but the Forest Service needs more money and people to fight the growing risks
“People living in the western U.S. have been concerned about wildfires for a long time, but the past two years have left many of them fearful and questioning whether any solutions to the fire crisis truly exist. The Dixie Fire in the Sierra Nevada burned nearly 1 million acres in 2021, including almost the entire community of Greenville, California. Then strong winds near Lake Tahoe sent the Caldor Fire racing toward homes, forcing the evacuation of tens of thousands of people – including one of us. They followed destructive wildfires in 2020 in California, and Colorado and Oregon also saw devastating fires in the past two years. As foresters who have been working on wildfire and forest restoration issues in the Sierra Nevada for over a quarter of a century, the main lesson we gather from how these fires have burned is that fuels reduction and forest restoration projects are our best tools for mitigating wildfire impacts amid a changing climate, and not nearly enough of them are being done. … ” Read more from The Conversation here: New federal wildfire plan is ambitious – but the Forest Service needs more money and people to fight the growing risks
In commentary today …
When it comes to water decisions, we are all farmers
Chris Scheuring, senior counsel for the California Farm Bureau, writes, “Wendell Berry famously said that eating is an agricultural act. That makes all of us into farmers, and nowhere is that more true than in water terms. For farming is irreducibly the process of mixing dirt, water and sunshine to bring forth from the ground what we need to eat. And no matter who you are, it’s true: Somebody somewhere must devote a lot of water to the process of feeding you. Some have been sidestepping this fact in the ongoing policy evolutions over the way we must capture, store and move water in California. Yet even the most ardent urban environmentalists find themselves at the local grocery store or the farmers market filling their baskets with California-grown nuts, fruits and vegetables. Some of these crops can only be grown here or in one of the few similar agricultural climates around the world, in an irrigation-based agricultural economy. … ” Read more from Ag Alert here: When it comes to water decisions, we are all farmers
Here is the first step to a sustainable water policy
Carolee Krieger, executive director for California Water Impact Network, writes, “Water that is promised in a contract but can’t be delivered is called “paper water” – shorthand for water that does not exist except in legal documents. During its mid-20th century frenzy of dam and canal construction, California allocated much more water than it actually had. These paper water commitments far exceed the amount of water than is available in our reservoirs and rivers. According to a study from the University of California, Davis, “appropriative water rights filed for consumptive uses are approximately five times greater than estimated surface water withdrawals.” What this restrained academic language reveals is a management crisis: no matter how much it rains and snows in California, we will always have a chronic water shortage because of overallocation. … ” Read more from Cal Matters here: Here is the first step to a sustainable water policy
Today’s featured article …
CCST BRIEFING: Remote Sensing Technologies and Water Resilience
Can we look to the sky to address California’s water challenges? As California continues to grapple with frequent drought and overdrafted aquifers, satellite-based measurements offer a cost-effective way to generate high-resolution data on groundwater resources across a wide geographic area. In conjunction with other ground-based monitoring, data from satellites can help inform sustainable groundwater management.
In December, the California Council on Science and Technology brought three experts together to discuss the role of remote sensing technologies to provide information to support water management decisions.
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
Conservationists to turn over pristine California coastal land to tribal council
“A conservation organization will turn over a 500-acre parcel in some of California’s most picturesque coastal redwood territory to an Indigenous tribal group. The Save the Redwoods League bought a 500-acre parcel in the Lost Coast Wilderness, the only truly remote slice of the Northern California coast, in July and announced plans Tuesday to transfer the land to the Intertribal Sinkyone Wilderness Council. The move was hailed by the Indigenous representatives who will now take over management of the parcel that teems with redwoods, salmon, steelhead and the northern spotted owl. … ” Read more from the Courthouse News Service here: Conservationists to turn over pristine California coastal land to tribal council
SEE ALSO: Native tribal group reclaims California redwood forest: ‘It’s like a healing for our ancestors’, from the Siskiyou Daily News
Humboldt County supervisors OK Eel River Basin groundwater sustainability plan
“The Humboldt County Board of Supervisors approved a state-mandated sustainability plan for groundwater in the Eel River Basin on Tuesday. Required as a part of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act of 2014, the groundwater sustainability plan provides guidance on how to manage the Eel River Valley’s complex system of groundwater and surface water resources, especially during critical drought years. The plan must be submitted to the California Department of Water Resources for evaluation and assessment by the end of the month. The plan must be updated every five years. ... ” Read more from the Eureka Times-Standard here: Humboldt County supervisors OK Eel River Basin groundwater sustainability plan
Arcata: Wetlands and Creeks Committee sets goals for council to ponder
“The City of Arcata Wetlands and Creeks Committee (WACC) held its regular meeting by Zoom on Tuesday, Jan. 18. Committeemembers spent time discussing and developing their committee goals for the Fiscal Year 22/23. Committee goals provide guidance to the City Council’s discussions as it develops its upcoming city-wide goals and fiscal budget. The committee goals also clarify objectives for future WACC agenda items. These committee goals will be incorporated into the WACC’s 2021 Annual Report, which will be presented to the City Council during a future meeting. Once that presentation is scheduled, the final annual report will be included in the Council’s agenda packet and posted online at cityofarcata.org. After robust discussion, the Wetlands and Creeks Committee unanimously approved eight goals. ... ” Read more from the Mad River Union here: Arcata: Wetlands and Creeks Committee sets goals for council to ponder
McGuire bill to halt North Coast coal train project sails through California Senate
“A secretive plan to transport millions of tons of coal through the Sierra Nevada, across Sonoma County then north to Humboldt Bay was dealt a major blow Monday, when the California Senate overwhelmingly passed a bill preventing the use of state funds for the project. Written by Sen. Mike McGuire, D-Healdsburg, the bill bars the state from spending money to initiate improvements on the now-defunct North Coast rail line north of Willits. It also prevents the spending of state funds on any potential new bulk coal terminal facilities at the Port of Humboldt. The bill passed 33-2, and now goes over to the state Assembly. “The proposed toxic coal train is an environmental disaster in the making,” said McGuire in a release. … ” Continue reading at the Santa Rosa Press Democrat here: McGuire bill to halt North Coast coal train project sails through California Senate
Rep. Jared Huffman cites salmon’s economic, ecological importance in move to protect habitat
“Citing the economic, ecological and cultural importance of salmon, North Coast Rep. Jared Huffman is once again trying to identify, restore and protect the nation’s most outstanding salmon rivers and watersheds. The Salmon FISH Act, which the San Rafael Democrat reintroduced Tuesday, would require federal agencies to identify critical areas of abundance and productivity of six species of salmon and steelhead trout and authorize funding for their conservation. Huffman, who chairs the House Subcommittee on Water, Oceans and Wildlife, said the “ecological, cultural and economic importance of salmon is hard to overstate.” … ” Read more from the Santa Rosa Press Democrat here: Rep. Jared Huffman cites salmon’s economic, ecological importance in move to protect habitat
BAY AREA
Zone 7 receives increased water allocation for 2022; mandatory conservation still in effect
“Zone 7 Water Agency announced last week that an increased water allocation of 15% will be given for this year from the State Water Project, up from the initial 0% given by state officials last month. The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) informed SWP contractors about the change on Jan. 20. Officials from Zone 7, the Tri-Valley’s water wholesaler, said in a statement that the increase “provides much-needed relief after the two driest years combined on record.” ... ” Read more from the Livermore Independent here: Zone 7 receives increased water allocation for 2022; mandatory conservation still in effect
CENTRAL COAST
Water quality, rates could rise with Big Basin, San Lorenzo Valley Water merger
“Big Basin Water Co. customers likely will see improved water quality with San Lorenzo Valley Water District’s expected acquisition of the Big Basin system, but they’ll have to wait. It will take at least 18 months for the two systems to merge, and improvements are likely to take two to three years after that, water officials said this week. The expected merger is important to customers of Big Basin Water Co. near Boulder Creek because of major water system damage during the CZU Lightning Complex Fire in 2020. It has led to boil-water advisories for drinking and washing as recently as October. Many Big Basin customers have installed home water filters. … ” Read more from Santa Cruz Local here: Water quality, rates could rise with Big Basin, San Lorenzo Valley Water merger
Drone keeping an eye on Elkhorn Slough
“A drone buzzes above Elkhorn Slough, zipping back and forth in an elongated zig-zag pattern. As it glides through the air, it takes snapshots of the surface to monitor plant life and ground elevation. Surveying the land by drone is a technique being used to track Hester Marsh’s delicate restoration, an ongoing project since 2017. Historically, the marshland was diked and drained to create pastures, causing the sponge-like land to shrink. Now, scientists are piling on dirt and restoring native plants to revive the salt marsh to its former glory. They’re also elevating it to counteract future sea-level rise caused by climate change. … ” Read more from the Monterey Herald here: Drone keeping an eye on Elkhorn Slough
EASTERN SIERRA
Ridgecrest: Water District focuses on recycled water for sustainability
“The Indian Wells Valley Water District outlined groundwater sustainability priorities at the Water District annual workshop on Wednesday, January 19. At the top of the list were two projects: recycled water and improving data on the scientific model of the IWV groundwater basin. The list of priorities were put together at the request of the Indian Wells Valley Groundwater Authority (IWVGA), a government agency tasked with drafting and enacting the local basin’s groundwater sustainability plan (GSP). IWVGA is applying for a grant from the Department of Water Resources Sustainable Groundwater Management Act Implementation Program – Round 1. The grant could award IWVGA with up to $7.6 million to put towards local groundwater sustainability projects. … ” Read more from the Ridgecrest Independent here: Ridgecrest: Water District focuses on recycled water for sustainability
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Poseidon Water announces application for coastal development permit completed
“Officials at Poseidon Water reported Monday the company has received notification from the California Coastal Commission that the application for a coastal development permit for its controversial $1.4-billion water desalination plant will be up for consideration in March. If it receives approval, Poseidon Water will be able to then negotiate a contract to sell desalinated water to the Orange County Water District and begin construction of the facility. It is expected to be located adjacent to the AES Huntington Beach Generating Station on Newland Avenue and is proposed to provide 50 million gallons of desalted drinking water a day. … ” Read more from the LA Times here: Poseidon Water announces application for coastal development permit completed
Along the Colorado River …
Listen: Q&A: David Arend talks Colorado River basin challenges
“As the Colorado River shrinks at the hands of a two-decades-long drought, there’s a lot on the line. The water supply for 40 million people, agriculture, wildlife and hydropower generation are all hanging in the balance as the region grapples with a dwindling river. The federal agency most involved with the Colorado River and water in the West is the Bureau of Reclamation. The agency’s measurements and actions can lead headlines throughout the region — including the shortage declaration that raised national alarm last August. David Arend, a 20-year veteran of the bureau, was recently appointed as its new deputy regional director for the lower basin. After specializing in hydropower for the past two decades, he’ll oversee a region that includes portions of Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, Utah and California. As he steps into the role, Arend spoke with KUNC’s Alex Hager about the challenges ahead. … ” Read more from KUNC here: Q&A: David Arend talks Colorado River basin challenges
In 500+ plan, Lower Basin undertakes new, voluntary conservation effort to protect hydropower production and diminishing storage supplies in Lake Mead
“In the Colorado River basin, water users can continue to expect more conservation projects in 2022, particularly in the Lower Basin states. In December, the Bureau of Reclamation and the Lower Basin states (California, Nevada and Arizona) entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that aims to conserve an additional 1,000,000 acre-feet of water in Lake Mead, 500,000 acre-feet in each of 2022 and 2023. The MOU responds to troubling forecasts from Reclamation detailing the risk that water elevations in Lake Mead could fall below critical levels in the absence of new, additional actions. As a voluntary effort primarily focused on reducing demand for water, the MOU’s water-savings plan – dubbed, the “500+ Plan” – stands out among other recent activities taken to address diminishing water supplies in the Colorado River Basin and protect hydropower generation at Hoover and Glen Canyon Dams. … ” Read more from Somach Simmons & Dunn here: In 500+ plan, Lower Basin undertakes new, voluntary conservation effort to protect hydropower production and diminishing storage supplies in Lake Mead
Listen: A drought is cutting Colorado River usage. But this tribe has water to spare — and lease
“The Colorado River is in dire straits. It provides water to millions of us here in the arid Southwest, and ongoing drought driven by climate change is threatening its future. But one Arizona tribe is in a unique position: It has water to spare. The Colorado River Indian Tribes have senior rights to a sizable portion of the Colorado’s water. And now, they want to lease some of it to others — water they’ve saved through conservation in the way they farm their land and have for millennia. But they can’t lease the water without federal approval, and a bill introduced by Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly is making its way through Congress now to do just that. Amelia Flores is the chairwoman of the Colorado River Indian Tribes. The Show spoke with her to learn more about the situation, and she said members of the tribe gave their approval to the deal back in 2019 at the ballot box, and that the tribe has already done a lot to try to keep the Colorado flowing.” Listen at KJZZ here: A drought is cutting Colorado River usage. But this tribe has water to spare — and lease
Listen: Megadrought fuels debate over whether a flooded canyon should reemerge
“In the 1960s, the Bureau of Reclamation built a dam that flooded a celebrated canyon on the Utah-Arizona border. Today, it’s known as Lake Powell — the second-largest reservoir in the U.S. A half billion dollar tourism industry has grown in the desert around the reservoir but a decades-long megadrought is putting its future in question. With what some call America’s ‘lost national park’ reemerging, an old debate is also resurfacing: should we restore a beloved canyon or refill a popular and critical reservoir? Environmental and American West correspondent Nathan Rott brings this story to guest host Dan Charles. … ” Listen at NPR here: Megadrought fuels debate over whether a flooded canyon should reemerge
Experts: Priority system, education crucial to protecting Colorado’s water
““Colorado is defined by water scarcity.” That’s how Travis Smith, western water conservation coordinator for the National Wild Turkey Federation, opened his remark at the Voices of Rural Colorado conference in Denver last week. Smith appeared on a panel discussion on water along with Joe Bernal of Bernal Farms, headquartered in Loma, Colo., and Joe Frank, general manager of the Lower South Platte Water Conservancy District in Sterling. Smith said he thinks many Coloradans, especially new ones, forget that the state’s climate is officially classified as arid and is just a few inches of rainfall per year away from being a desert. … ” Read more from the Boulder Daily Camera here: Experts: Priority system, education crucial to protecting Colorado’s water
In national water news today …
Tomorrow Water signs up Arcadis to develop plans for data centers at waste water plants
“Tomorrow Water has signed an agreement with design consultant Arcadis to develop Tomorrow’s plan to build data centers at wastewater treatment plants. Arcadis will evaluate Co-Flow, Tomorrow Water’s proposal to put data centers on the same plot of land as wastewater plants, so the two can share water and energy streams, with the data center making use of treated water, and the water treatment plant using the data center’s waste heat. After examining the patents, Arcadis plans to collaborate on potential projects in the US. … ” Read more from Data Center Dynamics here: Tomorrow Water signs up Arcadis to develop plans for data centers at waste water plants
Collaboration yields funds for dam safety and upgrades
“Hydropower sector participants that traditionally have been at odds–industry firms, dam safety groups, and environmental advocates—are working together on a shared new mission—to push legislation and projects to upgrade the growing fleet of deteriorating dams across the country and remove those structures that serve no economic purpose. A diverse coalition of dam-focused entities that includes the American Society of Civil Engineers, The World Wildlife Fund and the Association of State Dam Safety Officials was able to secure more than $800 million for hydropower and pumped-storage investments, as well as funds to improve dam safety, in the recently enacted Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. … ” Read more from Engineering News-Record here: Collaboration yields funds for dam safety and upgrades
EPA rule in the crosshairs as Clean Water Act heads to court
“The Supreme Court decision yesterday to weigh in on the Clean Water Act’s scope triggered political wrangling over whether EPA should halt its ongoing rulemaking to define what constitutes “waters of the U.S.,” or WOTUS. On one side, House Republicans are calling on EPA to immediately stop its ongoing work to craft new regulations to address which waters fall under federal jurisdiction. Pushing back are Democrats, who say the Biden administration must move forward to protect vulnerable waters and front-line communities and provide a new, stricter definition of what constitutes WOTUS. In the middle of the tug of war is EPA. When asked about the court case and calls to halt its rule, EPA declined to comment, but an agency spokesperson emphasized the administration is dedicated to finding a “durable” definition of WOTUS with input from all sides. … ” Read more from E&E News here: EPA rule in the crosshairs as Clean Water Act heads to court
Listen: EPA announces stricter pollution enforcement
“The Environmental Protection Agency is taking what it calls “bold actions” to reduce pollution. Among the agency-wide actions, EPA Administrator Michael Regan said he is “committing EPA to aggressively use its authority to conduct unannounced inspections of suspected non-compliant facilities, as needed to protect public health. When facilities are found to be non-compliant, EPA will use all available tools to hold them accountable.” Listen to the announcement Regan made on a call with reporters.” Listen at Ag Net West here: EPA announces stricter pollution enforcement
State resistance foils law changes, hampering PFAS suits
“State-level efforts to help victims of “forever chemical” exposure get compensation have met resistance from both governments and industry — and this pushback has been particularly effective in Republican-led states. In Vermont, an official in the governor’s office coordinated with a lobbyist in “watering down” a bill that aimed to make polluters pay for health screenings, emails obtained by The Hill show. And in Michigan, a bill aiming to add more time to the clock to allow people to sue over contamination has languished in the Republican-controlled legislature. While these pieces of legislation would have applied to multiple varieties of contamination, they’re often discussed in reference to a class of toxic forever chemicals known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) — a class of thousands of compounds that have been linked to health issues including kidney cancer and thyroid disease. … ” Continue reading at The Hill here: State resistance foils law changes, hampering PFAS suits
SEE ALSO:
Also on Maven’s Notebook today …
NOTICE of Water Quality Certification Application for the Jeff L. Taylor – Pine Flat Hydropower Project
WATER PLAN eNEWS: ~~ Lunch-MAR~ IRWM Grants~ SGMA Implementation~ Management Planning~ Colorado River~ Delta Projects~
