In California water news today …
Experts urge overhaul of California’s ‘antiquated’ water laws
“As California enters its third year of drought, pressure is mounting for lawmakers to update the state’s antiquated water laws. On Thursday, a coalition of legal experts and retired state officials released a report with a list of suggested reforms, which they say would make California’s water politics more equitable and sustainable as climate change gets worse. If implemented — a major if — many of the reforms would provide a check on the state’s massive agricultural industry, which sucks up some 80% of all the water used in California. The reports’ authors explained their recommendations during a webinar hosted by the Planning and Conservation League (PCL), a conservation organization. “We are in a time of crisis,” Jennifer Harder, a professor of law and legal practice at McGeorge University, who coauthored the report, said to stakeholders and others in the audience. “I hope you can think creatively and be brave.” ... ” Read more from Successful Farming here: Experts urge overhaul of California’s ‘antiquated’ water laws
Planning and Conservation League releases report: Updating California water laws to address drought and climate change
“Summers are getting hotter. Rain and snowpack are disappearing, and water reserves are shrinking. This reduction of readily available, adequate water resources is creating a crisis that directly harms Californians and our environment. We have developed a set of recommendations on how our water laws can be updated to address the impacts of drought and climate change. As you will see when you read the recommendations, this is not a “blow up the water rights boxes” approach. Rather it is a focused approach to updating existing laws, regulations, and funding. It is also important to note that we recognize these recommendations can and should be carefully scrutinized and refined in the various public processes. Some are more detailed all the way to the proposed legislative language. Others are more generally described. Although we gave them the best consideration we could in the time available, there will undoubtedly be additional drafting and implementation issues that will need to be considered. Also, we recognize that this is not a complete list of all needed upgrades. We hope that others will add their contributions to the process.” Click here to read/download the report.
PG&E to bring Potter Valley Project back online as license takeover unravels
“In a shocking turn of events, Pacific Gas and Electric Co. announced Wednesday that it will move forward with bringing the Potter Valley Project — a water diversion system in the Eel River basin — back to fully operational status. The Potter Valley powerhouse has been offline since July 2021 when PG&E discovered a blown transformer during a routine inspection. “PG&E has completed its evaluation of whether to replace the transformer and concluded it is beneficial to PG&E’s electric generation customers to proceed with the work necessary to return the powerhouse to full operational status,” PG&E wrote in a Feb. 1 letter to stakeholders. “… PG&E does not have a schedule for returning the powerhouse to service. ... ” Continue reading at the Eureka Times-Standard here: PG&E to bring Potter Valley Project back online as license takeover unravels
SEE ALSO:
- PG&E says Potter Valley hydroelectric plant may be offline for years, from the Ukiah Daily Journal
- Catching Even Insiders ‘Off Guard’, PG&E Decides to Return the Potter Valley Project, Which Diverts Water From the Eel River, to Full Operational Status, from the Redheaded Blackbelt
Gov.’s proposed $40 million for farmland retirement is welcome but more needed
“More money could be coming to California’s new farmland repurposing program. But it’s still just a drop in the bucket, according experts. In his budget summary for 2022-2023, Governor Newsom proposed an additional $40 million for the Multibenefit Land Repurposing Program, a program approved last year to pay farmers incentives for taking irrigated land out of production and converting it to less water intensive uses. The program currently has $50 million in funding which will be doled out to local agencies by the Department of Conservation. … ” Continue reading from SJV Water here: Gov.’s proposed $40 million for farmland retirement is welcome but more needed
Community Water Center launches new nitrate tracking site
“Pesticides have long plagued the Central Valley’s water supply with nitrates. The contaminant disproportionately impacts low-income, rural communities of color, exposing them to potential serious health conditions such as Blue Baby Syndrome, stillbirths and cancer. Community Water Center (CWC) has said the ag businesses using pesticides are not doing a good enough job mitigating the problem. In response, Community Water has created a new bilingual website to educate the public on resources available to those whose drinking water is contaminated with nitrates. ... ” Read more from the Foothills Sun-Gazette here: Community Water Center launches new nitrate tracking site
Watch: Top ten reasons why wild salmon runs collapsed
“What are the top ten reasons wild salmon runs collapsed in Western North America? In a talk sponsored by Trout Unlimited (Corvallis Chapter), Dr. Robert T. Lackey, Oregon State University, summarized the 200-year history of salmon (and steelhead) decline and identified the ten overarching causes. The public policy goal of restoring runs (1) appears to enjoy widespread public support, and (2) billions of dollars already have been spent on achieving this goal, but, so far, it has failed. In fact, non-native American shad, not salmon, is regularly the dominant anadromous species in the Columbia Basin. American shad, along with other non-native species — walleye, crappie, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, bluegill, striped bass, pike, and others — are thriving. Most native fish species are not doing nearly as well. In his talk, Dr. Lackey summarizes in chronological order the top ten reasons the salmon decline started, the historical context, and why the decline will almost assuredly continue.” Watch video here: Top ten reasons why wild salmon runs collapsed
Republicans pitch water infrastructure fund
“GOP Senators Andreas Borgeas of the San Joaquin Valley and Jim Nielsen of the Sacramento Valley have introduced a bill to establish a water storage and conveyance fund. While the measure would not add any new money for such projects, the fund would earmark $2.6 billion for constructing Sites Reservoir and $685 million for fixing conveyance canals damaged by subsidence, if the budget allows. “Without substantial new investments and commitments to capture, store and move water throughout the state, whole communities will be subject to water scarcity and farmers will be unable to produce adequate food supplies, threatening food and national security,” the lawmakers argue in an op-ed for CalMatters accompanying the measure. … ” Read more from Agri-Pulse here: Republicans pitch water infrastructure fund
Nature Conservancy names preserve after South Pasadena philanthropists
“The Nature Conservancy created the Frank and Joan Randall Preserve, the nonprofit’s largest California preserve, thanks to a $50 million donation from the Randall family. “I wanted to do something while I’m still alive to see it take place, so that’s what I’ve done,” South Pasadena philanthropist Frank Randall said. “This project really caught my imagination because it would enable wildlife to travel north from the ranching areas where they’d become inbred without having a dedicated corridor, all the way up to the southern edge of the Sequoia National Forest.” … ” Read more from Pasadena Now here: Nature Conservancy names preserve after South Pasadena philanthropists
CDFW releases cannabis enforcement numbers for 2021
“The California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s (CDFW) cannabis enforcement program has released year-end numbers for the 2021 calendar year. CDFW investigates illegal cannabis cultivation operations to uncover and curtail operations that result in significant environmental damage. Some of the most serious environmental issues involve unauthorized streambed alterations with water diversions, habitat destruction, illegal use of pesticides and poaching. CDFW does not typically investigate water theft but will assist county law enforcement partners in such investigations as needed. … ” Read more from the Department of Fish & Wildlife here: CDFW releases cannabis enforcement numbers for 2021
LaMalfa looks at wildfire and drought in review of farm bill programs
“Ranking Member of the House Agriculture Conservation and Forestry Subcommittee Rep. Doug LaMalfa (R–Richvale) participated Thursday in a hearing on a review of Farm Bill Conservation Programs. The hearing is the first of the House Agriculture Conservation and Forestry Subcommittee for 2022. Congressman LaMalfa gave the following statement after the hearing … ” Continue reading at KRCR here: LaMalfa looks at wildfire and drought in review of farm bill programs
In commentary today …
Kelp is the fastest growing aquaculture sector in California
Jack Ainsworth, executive director of the California Coastal Commission, writes, “Some say California is falling behind in “a revolution” to usher in a new era of seaweed aquafarms because of government overregulation and an alleged ban on new aquaculture leases. The truth is there is no regulatory prohibition on seaweed or shellfish aquaculture in California. In fact, the Coastal Act was amended in 1982 to make aquaculture a “priority use,” and in the past several years, the Coastal Commission has approved permits for seven seaweed farms – making kelp the fastest growing aquaculture sector in California. The California Coastal Commission staff recently approved a permit for a seaweed aquaculture project for the San Pedro company that was co-founded by the author of the guest commentary. The commission will be recommending approval at a February hearing for an entirely new shellfish farm on 110 acres in Humboldt Bay. … ” Continue reading at Cal Matters here: Kelp is the fastest growing aquaculture sector in California
Today’s featured article …
BAY DELTA SCIENCE CONFERENCE: I’m not that Shallow – Surprising Similarity in Zooplankton Communities Collected at Different Depths Near Wetland Restoration Sites
Wetland restoration has been identified as a key management tool for increasing food availability for at-risk fishes in the San Francisco Bay-Delta Estuary. To characterize the benefits of restoration sites, it is critical to quantify the abundance and composition of food resources for fish in and near the wetlands.
Characterization of zooplankton communities in and near wetlands is considered particularly important, but accurate analysis of zooplankton samples is time-consuming and expensive. So the recently established Fish Restoration Program Monitoring Team conducted a study that leveraged data from existing IEP surveys along with additional monitoring to characterize shallow-water zooplankton communities before restoration.
At the 2021 Bay-Delta Science Conference, Rosemary Hartman, Environmental Program Manager with the Department of Water Resources, discussed the study.
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
Fog, fruit and an unclear future
“When Kurt Ashurst planted new pear trees, his Mendocino County, California, neighbors looked at him quizzically. The market for canned Bartletts was in decline, costs were rising and government regulations were getting stricter. “People said I was crazy, and maybe I am,” he recalled. That was 15 years ago. Today, amid many of the same challenges, his pear farm is up for sale. Labor shortages, increasing costs, drought and extreme heat have pushed him to look for other areas to continue farming, but probably not producing pears. … Ashurst doesn’t see much future for the pear industry in Mendocino and Lake counties. ... ” Read more from Good Fruit Grower here: Fog, fruit and an unclear future
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
French Meadows Partnership completes third season
“For the third consecutive year, partners of the French Meadows Forest Restoration Project (“Project”) have wrapped up another season of forest treatments in the Tahoe National Forest. Despite the challenges of an extremely dangerous fire season in 2021, the French Meadows Partnership (“Partnership”) safely treated roughly 1,000 acres using a combination of mastication, mechanical thinning, hand thinning, and prescribed fires. A portion of this acreage is on private land owned by the American River Conservancy, who has independently raised funds and treated 1,345 acres over several years. Combined, this all-lands collaborative watershed management project has treated in excess of 5,200 acres over the past three seasons. … ” Read more from Roseville Today here: French Meadows Partnership completes third season
Appeals court backs pipeline EIR
“The 3rd District Court of Appeals last week backed the Upper Main Ditch pipeline environmental impact report. The Jan. 28 decision rejected and debunked all arguments posed by the Save the El Dorado Canal group. The appellant court did not review the El Dorado County Superior Court decision in favor of the El Dorado Irrigation District’s EIR. Instead, the appeals court conducted a de novo hearing, considering only the arguments advanced in the appeal filed by Save the Canal. … ” Continue reading at the Mountain Democrat here: Appeals court backs pipeline EIR
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
Sacramento flood control project along American River raises community concerns
“Flooding fears are leading to a fight to preserve the beauty along the American River, but new work to prevent catastrophic flooding in Sacramento is raising some environmental concerns. One spot along the American River near Sacramento State is a popular place for hiking, biking and walking dogs, but now this nature area is about to be transformed. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is launching a new flood control project to strengthen this levee that protects Sacramento from flooding. … ” Read more from Good Day Sacramento here: Sacramento flood control project along American River raises community concerns
NAPA/SONOMA
Calistogans continue to conserve water, but can’t shake drought
“Calistogans continue to conserve water at admirable rates, but the City is still in a drought situation and Stage II restrictions remain in place until further notice. The good news is Calistoga continues to hit ongoing conservation goals, with city-wide water consumption down 29% in January, compared to January 2021, said Mitchell Egert, the City’s water conservation expert. Calistogans conserved about 42 acre feet of water in 2021, which is enough to fill about 20 Olympic swimming pools, he noted. Rains from October to December also helped move Napa County out of the “exceptional drought category” — the worst category — to “severe drought,” where the county remains today. ... ” Read more from the Napa Register here: Calistogans continue to conserve water, but can’t shake drought
BAY AREA
Richmond: Judge throws out environmental lawsuit against Point Molate development
“A controversial development planned for Richmond’s northern shoreline cleared a big legal hurdle this week after a judge ruled the city lawfully addressed the project’s potential environmental impacts. After hearing oral arguments in November, Contra Costa County Superior Court Judge Edward G. Weil on Monday tossed a lawsuit that tried to block Winehaven Legacy LLC’s proposal to build 1,425 housing units and more than 400,000 square feet of commercial space on 193 acres of the city’s Point Molate peninsula. The site has been the focus of a decade-old debate about whether development there would revitalize the city’s economy and provide much-needed housing or create an environmental disaster on the northern edge of San Francisco Bay. … ” Read more from East Bay Times here: Richmond: Judge throws out environmental lawsuit against Point Molate development
Tiburon orders contamination tests at former wastewater ponds
“Four decommissioned water recycling ponds in Tiburon will be tested for contaminants over the next six months. The Town Council voted unanimously on Wednesday to approve a $79,000 contract for a firm to develop a closure plan for the site. The firm is EKI Environment & Water Inc. in Daly City. The ponds are in a 38,600-square-foot property between Blackie’s Pasture and McKegney Green. The council previously approved plans to buy the property from the Richardson Bay Sanitation District for $600,000 for a potential conversion to open recreational space. … ” Read more from the Marin Independent Journal here: Tiburon orders contamination tests at former wastewater ponds
Marin county renews call for conservation as dry winter drags on
“Most of the Bay Area remains in a severe drought and the outlook for rain in the near future isn’t looking good. In Marin County, there was so much rainfall last year that some of the water-use limits and penalties were lifted last month. But, following a bone-dry January, it’s clear that conservation is still key. Storms last October and December brought a total of 43 inches of rainfall to parts of Marin County. That rain moved local reservoirs out of historic low levels to near full capacity. … ” Read more from CBS San Francisco here: Marin county renews call for conservation as dry winter drags on
State details Highway 37 overhaul options
“State officials have unveiled new details of a plan to upgrade and eventually rebuild one of the Bay Area’s most vulnerable and traffic-plagued commuter arteries: the Highway 37 corridor. By 2040, sea-level rise threatens to regularly inundate the 21-mile highway used by tens of thousands of commuters daily, according to Caltrans. After years of discussion, the state is beginning to study several options to rebuild or reroute the highway, including raising the existing road, rerouting it farther north and even building a new bridge across San Pablo Bay. … ” Read more from the Marin Independent Journal here: State details Highway 37 overhaul options
CENTRAL COAST
PV Water’s plans, storage boosted during wet winter
“The first rainstorms of winter brought more than just moisture. With them came a chance to raise local water levels in alarmingly low aquifers and reservoirs. They also allowed water agencies across the county to put new sustainability projects—like injecting stormwater into underground aquifers—to the test. “At least we know that it does rain in California,” joked Brian Lockwood, the general manager of the Pajaro Valley Water Management Agency (PV Water). But the drought isn’t over yet … I think that it’s easy to get a couple of big rainstorms and think we’re out of the woods, but the truth is we’re not.” PV Water, however, did indeed make recent progress on various sustainable water management programs thanks in part to the wet weather. … ” Continue reading at the Pajaroian here: PV Water’s plans, storage boosted during wet winter
Keep Diablo Canyon open, 79 scientists, academics and entrepreneurs tell Newsom
“The pleas asking California Gov. Gavin Newsom to delay the closure of PG&E’s Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant in San Luis Obispo County keep coming. On Thursday, Dr. Steven Chu, former U.S. Secretary of Energy under the Obama administration and a Nobel laureate, and more than 75 scientists, academics and entrepreneurs sent a letter to Newsom urging him to find a way to keep the plant open because of the necessary carbon-free, clean electricity it provides to the state’s electricity grid. … ” Read more from MSN here: Keep Diablo Canyon open, 79 scientists, academics and entrepreneurs tell Newsom
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Collaborative report led by The Malibu Foundation gives Southern California communities a roadmap to adapt and mitigate the impacts of climate crisis in the years ahead
“A new report released this week from the Malibu Foundation titled Our Climate Crisis: A Guide for Communities in the Wildland Urban Interface gives local communities a roadmap for how to adapt to and mitigate the impacts of the climate crisis. The report is the result of a collaborative effort amongst key stakeholders within this region that includes the SMM wildland-urban interface (WUI) cities of Malibu, Agoura Hills, Calabasas, Hidden Hills and Westlake Village (which form the Las Virgenes Council of Governments), as well as Topanga, the Pacific Palisades, Sunset Mesa and adjacent unincorporated SMM communities.” To access the complete “SMM WUI Region Climate Vulnerability Assessment and Resilience Report”, click here. To access the Executive Summary, please click here. A webinar will be held on February 8th from 5:30-7pm. Register here.
Along the Colorado River …
Parched: Some Maricopa County communities are running dry sooner than you think
“About an hour’s drive northeast from the bustle of downtown Phoenix, where single-lane roads allow animals to roam free across the sprawling wild desert, sits a quiet cluster of paradise with a view of the McDowells and the Superstitions. The once-rural ranching community of Rio Verde Foothills is a 20-square-mile mecca where horses and wildlife are abundant. A slice of paradise. But a dry slice. There is hardly enough water in the ground to go around. The story of the unfolding water crisis in Rio Verde Foothills is a cautionary one for the rest of the region. … ” Read more from Phoenix New Times here: Parched: Some Maricopa County communities are running dry sooner than you think
In national water news today …
Biden admin, Western governors launch conservation task force
“A new partnership between the Biden administration and Western state governors aims to ease tensions between federal and state officials on a range of conservation policies, including wildfires and drought. The Interior and Agriculture departments today unveiled the “Task Force on Collaborative Conservation” in conjunction with the Western Governors’ Association. The task force aims to address “natural resource management challenges and improve environmental outcomes for communities across the West.” … ” Read more from E&E News here: Biden admin, Western governors launch conservation task force
National water and climate report …
The Natural Resources Conservation Service produces this weekly report using data and products from the National Water and Climate Center and other agencies. The report focuses on seasonal snowpack, precipitation, temperature, and drought conditions in the U.S.
dmrpt-20220203Also on Maven’s Notebook today …
CEQA SCOPING MEETING/NOP: Site-specific water quality objectives for copper and zinc
DELTA eNEWS: ~~ Trail Plan~ Spam Festival~ Cosumnes Hike~ ISB meeting ~~
