On the calendar today …
- MEETING: Delta Independent Science Board from 9am to 4:30pm. The Delta ISB will discuss current and future reviews, including the water supply reliability estimation review and a future review of the Delta Conveyance Project Environmental Impact Report and Environmental Impact Statement. Additionally, the Delta ISB will continue its presentation series to better orient Delta ISB members on Delta science and management and the science topics it plans to review. Dr. Andre Buchheister of Humboldt State University will present a case study on how food-web models of the Northwest Atlantic Continental Shelf were used to support the management of the Atlantic menhaden fishery. Afterward, Dr. Peter Moyle of UC Davis will provide an overview of the Delta fish fauna, explaining why some fishes have become super-abundant and others are headed for extinction while participating in a novel ecosystem. Click here for the full meeting notice.
- WORKSHOP: The Central Valley Flood Protection Board will hold a workshop on the Board’s Designated Floodway Modernization efforts beginning at 10am. Overview will be given on the Central Valley Flood Protection Board’s Designated Floodway Modernization efforts with a goal to update the Designated Floodway boundaries with the best available information, advanced analytical tools and models, and using consistent criteria and approach. Issues associated with the accuracy and appropriateness of existing boundaries will be demonstrated. Possible solutions to address these issues under both current and future conditions will be discussed. Click here for the full workshop notice and remote access information.
In California water news today …
Pilot project to return salmon to their historical habitat above Shasta Dam receives initial funding
“The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) today announced that the Department of Water Resources (DWR) will receive $1.5 million in funding for the Juvenile Salmonid Collection System Pilot Project in the McCloud Arm of Shasta reservoir. This project is the first test of a collection system that would be an integral part of reintroducing endangered winter-run Chinook salmon and other runs of salmon to their historical habitat. “The time for action is now; winter-run Chinook salmon need access to their historical spawning habitat,” said CDFW Director Charlton H. Bonham. … ” Read more from the Department of Fish and Wildlife here: Pilot project to return salmon to their historical habitat above Shasta Dam receives initial funding
‘It could end up that this winter is actually contributing to the drought’: Record-long snowless streak measured in the Sierra
“First, it was a few days, then a few weeks and now over a month without measurable rain or snow in Northern California. On Wednesday, Feb. 9, UC Berkeley’s Central Sierra Snow Lab shared on its social media platforms that the site had broken a concerning record. There have now been 33 days straight without snow or rain at the CSSL site in Donner Pass. This is now the longest dry stretch for the site during meteorological winter, which runs from Dec. 1 through Feb. 28. The previous record was 31 days during the winter of 1990 and 1991. Typically, most of Northern California’s annual precipitation comes during meteorological winter. … ” Read more from KCRA Channel 3 here: ‘It could end up that this winter is actually contributing to the drought’: Record-long snowless streak measured in the Sierra
How much rain does California need to get out of the drought? A lot still
“If you flashback to October, it might seem hard to believe that California’s Sierra Nevada would be experiencing a below-normal snowpack at this point of the winter. During October, the region was regularly pummeled with atmospheric rivers and major winter storms, with those storms dropping feet of snow in the mountains. But as of early February, despite that strong start, the region has had its driest period of winter in recorded history. It has been more than 32 days and counting since the last snowfall at the U.C. Berkeley Central Sierra Snow Lab, breaking the previous record of 31 set in 1990. … ” Read more from AccuWeather here: How much rain does California need to get out of the drought? A lot still
Snow drought current conditions and impacts in the West
“The faucet has been shut off across much of the West after a promising wet and snowy start to the season. Well above-normal snow water equivalent (SWE) at the start of 2022 provided a buffer to mitigate the extreme dry spell over the past month—caused by a persistent ridge of high pressure off the West Coast—and avoid a rapid plunge into a snow drought across most of the region. The West as a whole is trending towards snow drought conditions with below-normal SWE at 62% of the SNOTEL sites on February 8 compared to 21% on January 10. The forecast includes a continued dry spell and above-normal temperatures. Along with increasing late winter sun angles, these conditions will work against snowpack accumulation. … ” Read more from NIDIS here: Snow drought current conditions and impacts in the West
Drought impacts on upcoming wildfire season
“It is hard to believe we are in the middle of our rainy season when February has been completely dry and this week highs are in the 80s, more than 20 degrees above normal. New drought maps out Thursday, February 10th show no improvement for California’s drought status this month, leaving our local area in the moderate category. … In December of 2017, the Thomas Fire started in Ventura County, eventually stretching into Santa Barbara County, destroying more than 1,000 structures, primarily homes and becoming the largest wildfire in California history at more than 280,000 acres. Since then, the Thomas Fire has been knocked down to the 8th largest in state history as recent fires have exploded to unprecedented levels. … ” Read more from KEYT here: Drought impacts on upcoming wildfire season
Major aquifers in trouble’ as Western U.S. Adapts to water scarcity
“Embroiled in a drought that has afflicted the region since May, communities in the American West and High Plains are finding new solutions for water conservation, but exploitative corporate practices can thwart their progress. “It is no secret that one of the worst droughts in 1,000 years is intensifying heat waves and megafires; that historic drops in surface water levels coincide with historic spikes in demand as the region grows hotter, drier, and more populated; or that conflicts are escalating over who gets to use how much of what remains,” writes anthropology professor Lucas Bessire for The Atlantic. “Acute scarcity drives the search for water underground. But the West’s major aquifers are in trouble, too.” ... ” Read more from Energy Mix here: Major aquifers in trouble’ as Western U.S. Adapts to water scarcity
Dahle: State grants incentivize farmers to leave
“A budget subcommittee for the state Senate on Wednesday held a hearing to review several drought items within the governor’s initial budget proposal. Republican Sen. Brian Dahle of Bieber pushed back once again on measures he viewed as driving businesses out of California. He took aim at a program for repurposing fallowed farmland for ecosystem restoration and other conservation goals in the wake of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act. “We cannot just continue to pay farmers to leave,” said Dahle. “It’s basically giving them money so they can go to some other state where there’s water, and that land will be idle.” … ” Read more from Agri-Pulse here: Dahle: State grants incentivize farmers to leave
‘Morale killer’: California scientists battle over pay disparities
“One scientist working for the state of California drives for Lyft and Uber on nights, weekends and holidays to support his family in Sonoma County. Another manages the Berkeley building where he lives for extra cash. A third has been pushing for years to be reclassified as an engineer rather than a scientist — a change that could mean higher pay for the exact same work. Scientists working for California are key to food safety, cleaning up hazardous waste and protecting wildlife, wetlands and water. Their work informs the state’s efforts to combat climate change, drought and wildfires. Two years ago, two members of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s cabinet said scientists in their agencies were dramatically underpaid — earning less than their local and federal counterparts and state colleagues in similar roles who are classified as engineers. Now the union representing staff scientists is back at the negotiating table after trying for nearly two years to update a contract that expired in July 2020. ... ” Read more from Cal Matters here: ‘Morale killer’: California scientists battle over pay disparities
California hangs hopes on Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act
“New surface and groundwater storage can help provide greater water supply reliability, allowing farmers to make long-term investments in their farming operations. Water supply reliability will help return stability to groundwater levels under California’s Sustainable Groundwater Management Act, or SGMA, job stability for San Joaquin Valley residents, and food security for the nation, said Mike Wade, executive director at the California Farm Water Coalition. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, passed in January 2021, will provide funding to bring relief to California’s water woes. In January, California Rep. Jim Costa advanced California water infrastructure priorities as funding from the IIJA begins to roll out in 2022, according to a news release. … ” Read more from The Packer here: California hangs hopes on Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act
Threatened green sturgeon survives poaching, fisherman cited taking fish from water
“A green sturgeon, considered to be a threatened species under the federal Endangered Species Act is alive, despite having been poached from the delta water near Tracy and kept out of the water for an hour-and-a-half. California Department of Fish and Wildlife said the green sturgeon, which measured over five feet long and was roughly 25-years-old, was caught illegally by a fisherman near Clifton Forebay. A call from an alert angler tipped off wardens that a man poached the green sturgeon from the delta water – something that’s strictly forbidden given their threatened species status. … ” Read more from KCRA Channel 3 here: Threatened green sturgeon survives poaching, fisherman cited taking fish from water
California biologists and farmers join forces to help struggling salmon populations
“Biologists are releasing salmon born in hatcheries into flooded Northern California rice fields in an attempt to boost the endangered species’ numbers while also potentially helping farmers. Multiple species in California are endangered, such as the Central California Coast coho salmon, which became threatened in the mid-1990s after overfishing and re-engineering of state waterways decimated populations. By 2005, the fish was placed on the federal endangered species list. … ” Read more from The Hill here: California biologists and farmers join forces to help struggling salmon populations
State will try to put lid on water loss with aqueduct solar project
“California is about to launch a new water conservation project, something it has never tried before. It’s a plan to remake the state’s water system, saving water and producing power as well. “Being a Bay Area resident, traveling up and down the state, looking at these open canals, like many I wondered how much are we losing to evaporation,” said Jordan Harris, founder of Solar AquaGrid. For Harris, it started with that simple frustration, our canals bleeding water into the air. Eventually, he put together a team and a solution. … ” Read more from CBS San Francisco here: State will try to put lid on water loss with aqueduct solar project
In commentary today …
Column: Theft of Calif. water is occurring behind mountains of paperwork. Why we need to stop it.
Columnist Wayne Western, Jr. writes, “As Californians, we get our water via three places: underground aquifers (wells), the State Water Project, or the Central Valley Project. Water for more than two-thirds of California’s entire population of almost 40 million people and millions of acres of farmland flows through the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta in the Bay Area. Almost 90 percent of the rain and snow falls in northern California while 80 percent of water consumption is south of the Delta. This 80% of consumption includes millions of people, not just farmers. It underscores an old saying about California’s water wars: Northern California has most of the water, Southern California needs most of the Water, and Northern California knows it. But, farmers have had their water redirected for other purposes for decades, more than any other water user. … ” Continue reading at the San Joaquin Valley Sun here: Theft of Calif. water is occurring behind mountains of paperwork. Why we need to stop it.
Seems like nothing changes in documenting water availability
Jan McCleery, former president of Save the California Delta Alliance, writes, “Re “Here is the first step to a sustainable water policy”; Commentary, Jan. 26, 2022: Good commentary and on the mark. But it’s discouraging to say that documenting the actual amount of water available is the first step to a sustainable water policy. This is the same step people have been saying for the 10 or more years that I’ve been tracking these issues. … ” Read more from Cal Matters here: Seems like nothing changes in documenting water availability
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
Shasta-Trinity snow surveys show 80% snowpack amid prolonged drought
“What does the current snowpack tell us about drought next summer? Weather forecasters around California are collecting information to answer that question during this season’s annual snow surveys. Just west of Mount Shasta, in a snow-covered valley in the Shasta-Trinity National Forest, avalanche forecaster Aaron Beverly drives a blue, 10-foot aluminum tube into the snow. “We’re gonna do our stab,” he says. “Hopefully when we pull this out the snow will stay in it.” … ” Read more from Jefferson Public Radio here: Shasta-Trinity snow surveys show 80% snowpack amid prolonged drought
Interior Department concludes robust Klamath Basin stakeholder engagement sessions
“The Department of the Interior concluded a series of engagement sessions this week focused on addressing the drought crisis in the Klamath Basin. The President’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law invests $162 million to restoring the Klamath Basin ecosystem and identifies significant additional opportunities to support water resilience and infrastructure, all of which will make great strides in delivering on the Department’s commitment for sustained, inclusive engagement that helps minimize the impacts of the drought and develops a long-term plan to facilitate conservation and economic growth. … ” Continue reading at the Department of Interior here: Interior Department concludes robust Klamath Basin stakeholder engagement sessions
Yurok Tribe, KCSD reach agreement to build new water tank in Klamath
“The Yurok Tribe reached an agreement with the Klamath Community Services District to install a 125,000-gallon water tank on tribal property in Klamath. The Yurok Tribe has also agreed to pay for the design and implementation of the tank installation through general fund and Indian Health Service grant dollars, according to a tribal news release Monday. The permit will allow KCSD to construct the tank on tribal land, according to the news release. It will continue to own and operate the system, according to the tribe’s news release. … ” Read more from the Lost Coast Outpost here: Yurok Tribe, KCSD reach agreement to build new water tank in Klamath
‘Not a great outlook’: Drought conditions continue as McGuire’s climate declaration advances
“North Coast state Sen. Mike McGuire’s climate emergency declaration, Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 53, recently passed the state Senate with bipartisan support, 30-4, and will advance to the state Assembly. The policy proposal, which would declare a climate crisis emergency in California, was brought forth by a group of student leaders last spring and introduced into the state legislature by McGuire in June 2021. “If we don’t act now to mitigate climate change — our kids’ lives, our grandkids’ lives — will be impacted forever,” McGuire said in a prepared statement. “It’s going to take all of us working together to advance bold solutions to this pressing challenge which is why, through the leadership of President Toni Atkins, the Senate will be advancing one of the boldest climate action packages in recent memory later this year.” ... ” Read more from the Eureka Times-Standard here: ‘Not a great outlook’: Drought conditions continue as McGuire’s climate declaration advances
Lake County Sheriff’s office seizes record amount of marijuana during water theft investigation
“The investigation of a water theft in the Clearlake Oaks area led this week to an arrest and the Lake County Sheriff’s Office’s largest seizure of illegal marijuana, estimated to be worth several million dollars. On Tuesday, the Lake County Sheriff’s Office Roadmap Task force and the Sheriff’s Office Marijuana Enforcement Unit, conducted an investigation regarding water theft in the area of Henderson Drive. During their investigation, detectives located three residences used to dry and process marijuana, the sheriff’s office reported. Authorities said the investigation revealed all three residences were being used to illegally process marijuana for sales and were connected with the reported theft of water. … ” Read more from the Lake County News here: Lake County Sheriff’s office seizes record amount of marijuana during water theft investigation
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
MineWatch: Interview with Ralph Silberstein
“The Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) assessing the impacts of the Idaho-Maryland Mine was recently released. SYRCL is currently in the process of preparing comments to submit. We are one of a number of organizations doing so. MineWatch is the organization leading on-the-ground efforts, so we connected with Ralph Silbersten to learn more about the report and MineWatch’s response. … ” Continue reading from the South Yuba Citizen’s League here: MineWatch: Interview with Ralph Silberstein
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
Turtle Bay releases hundreds of Chinook Salmon into the Sacramento River
“The Turtle Bay Exploration Park, in partnership with the Coleman Fish Hatchery, released over 200 Chinook Salmon into the Sacramento River on Wednesday afternoon. Officials said the 224 salmon arrived in Turtle Bay on February 24, 2021, as part of a Conservation Head Start program. The repopulation program allows the endangered salmon to grow in a protected environment for a year to increase the chances of survival when released into the river. ... ” Read more from Channel 7 here: Turtle Bay releases hundreds of Chinook Salmon into the Sacramento River
BAY AREA
Cupertino quarry and cement plant may be bought and shut down by Santa Clara County government
“A major quarry and cement plant in the hills west of Cupertino that have built freeways, dams and buildings across Northern California for generations — but also sparked controversy over pollution and noise — could be purchased and shut down by Santa Clara County, under a plan made public Thursday. Santa Clara County Supervisor Joe Simitian announced a proposal to require Santa Clara County officials to issue a report in 90 days spelling out options for purchasing the Lehigh Hanson property, including negotiating with its owners or seizing the land by eminent domain. … ” Read more from the San Jose Mercury News here: Cupertino quarry and cement plant may be bought and shut down by Santa Clara County government
Burlingame sued over Bayshore flooding
“Business and property owners along Burlingame’s Bayshore are suing the city following flooding in the area during October’s heavy rainfall, citing property damage and business interruption caused by a faulty drainage system. Leading the litigation is law firm Cotchett, Pitre & McCarthy, whose Malcolm Road office was damaged during the flood. “The city did not take steps it should have taken to prevent these floods or minimize the damage,” Andrew Britton, an attorney with the firm, said. … ” Continue reading from the Daily Journal here: Burlingame sued over Bayshore flooding
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
Riverbank explores cost to ratepayers for wastewater upgrade. It might go to crops
“Riverbank has taken two more steps toward recycling its wastewater for use on crops. The City Council voted 5-0 Tuesday night to have a consultant estimate how much the project could cost city sewer customers and nearby farmers. By the same margin, the council hired another consultant to study the project’s environmental effects. An earlier report estimated a $65 million cost for upgrading the treatment plant and delivering the cleansed water to a few farms. Stanislaus County is a pioneer in this field, with a system that supplies West Side farmers with wastewater from Modesto, Ceres and Turlock. … ” Read more from the Modesto Bee here: Riverbank explores cost to ratepayers for wastewater upgrade. It might go to crops
Water agencies attempt to put more water into parched Teviston
“The parched town of Teviston has been devastated by drought. The throes of the 2012-2016 drought forced the town’s community services district to pump more water out of the ground for its 1,200 residents to survive sweltering summers. Two years later, the mostly farmworking community members couldn’t drink what little water they had because it was contaminated with a cancer-causing chemical. And last summer, water stopped flowing to the 350 homes for more than a month, as residents were forced to bathe out of buckets and subsist on deliveries of bottled water. … The only solution to preventing future well failures in the rural town south of Pixley is to put water back into the ground, something the Tulare County Board of Supervisors attempted to do at its Feb. 8 meeting. … ” Read more from the Foothills Sun-Gazette here: Water agencies attempt to put more water into parched Teviston
South San Joaquin Irrigation District targets start of irrigation for March 2
“The 2022 South San Joaquin Irrigation District irrigation season is set to start two weeks earlier than normal on March 2. The SSJID board decision Tuesday reflects dry conditions impacting some orchards as well as the need for Turlock Irrigation District to complete work this month on the hydroelectric plant at Woodward Reservoir. Several almond growers in the Ripon and Manteca area have started using sprinklers supplied with well water to moisten soil after January turned into a dry month for precipitation. ... ” Read more from the Manteca Bulletin here: South San Joaquin Irrigation District targets start of irrigation for March 2
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Report: Human error, equipment failure probably caused sewage spill in Santa Monica Bay
“Multiple equipment failures, unheeded alarms and insufficient staffing at the city’s largest wastewater treatment facility are the likely causes of a “nearly catastrophic” flood that dumped millions of gallons of untreated sewage into Santa Monica Bay last summer, according to an official report obtained by The Times. Although a full understanding of what triggered the Hyperion Water Reclamation Plant crisis may never be completely determined, study authors said there was “little or no evidence” that the failure was caused by a deluge of concrete and wood that were illegally dumped into the city’s vast sewage system — a claim initially made by sanitation officials. … ” Read more from the LA Times here: Report: Human error, equipment failure probably caused sewage spill in Santa Monica Bay
‘We no longer have a fire season. We have a fire year.’ Heat, winds fuel two winter blazes in Southern California
“Driven by unseasonable heat and gusty Santa Ana winds, two Southern California fires Thursday brought acrid smoke, evacuation orders and flaming fronts — harbingers of a difficult fire year for the parched region. In Orange County, residents of an affluent community awoke to evacuations spurred by the Emerald fire. No homes were damaged, but authorities warned that ideal fire conditions were expected to persist through the weekend. And they also worried about what the coming months could bring. … ” Read more from the LA Times here: ‘We no longer have a fire season. We have a fire year.’ Heat, winds fuel two winter blazes in Southern California
SEE ALSO: How bad could 2022 fire season get? Emerald fire could be harbinger for another tough year, from the LA Daily News
SAN DIEGO
City proposes new vision for De Anza Cove in Mission Bay Park
“The City of San Diego has released an updated proposal for the redevelopment of De Anza Cove in the northeastern corner of Mission Bay Park and is asking San Diegans to weigh in on the plan. The revised proposal, titled De Anza Natural, would be an amendment to the Mission Bay Park Master Plan and envisions a balance of land uses that serves local and regional recreational needs, while also restoring natural habitats and preparing for the impacts of climate change. … ” Read more from San Diego News here: City proposes new vision for De Anza Cove in Mission Bay Park
Along the Colorado River …
Hydrologists ‘alarmed’ at current Utah water levels and drought outlook
“Hydrologists say it’s time to be alarmed at Utah water levels, with snowpack levels back below normal. They say we still need three or four strong storms to hit Utah before the snowpack peaks. Utah only has 54 days left in the snow season. The outlook is grim, according to water officials. The Utah Division of Water Resources published their latest findings, showing over 93 percent of the state is still in “severe drought,” while over 33 percent could be considered as in “extreme drought.” Out of the 63 streams the division measures, 39 of them are flowing below normal. ... ” Read more from KSL here: Hydrologists ‘alarmed’ at current Utah water levels and drought outlook
Interior official: Federal funds ‘coming at just the right time’ to help Utah drought
“Standing at the foot of the southern Wasatch Mountains in Spanish Fork, Tommy Beaudreau, deputy secretary of the interior, said the recently passed bipartisan infrastructure package will make Utah more drought resilient, while easing tensions between Western states and Washington, D.C. Less than a mile down the road, construction crews worked to install two massive pipelines — one that will replace the Salem Canal and one that is the final piece of a lengthy project to divert a portion of the state’s Colorado River allotment to southern Utah County. … ” Read more from Deseret News here: Interior official: Federal funds ‘coming at just the right time’ to help Utah drought
Column: Are markets a wet dream for Western water?
rector of ByWater Institute at Tulane University, writes, “At the close of a national water summit at the Aspen Institute—now almost 10 years ago—a program director for a philanthropic foundation that has water at the core of its mission stood up and told a room full of decorated water wonks that our thinking was thoroughly unimpressive. Incremental change, the program director told us, was not going to right the ship on water scarcity in the West and especially not in the Colorado River Basin. I was reminded of this because my 2022 personal motivational challenge is “step change,” setting time aside to sidestep the daily grind and develop the tools I need to take the step to that next level. We need step change in the Colorado River Basin. But discovering and refining the very innovations needed to achieve that step change will take a slow uphill grind and lots of tinkering. … ” Read more from Forbes here: Column: Are markets a wet dream for Western water?
In national water news today …
A new tool shows how much dams will alter river temperatures, threatening native fish
“A new online tool reveals how more than 200 planned dams worldwide will alter river temperatures, potentially rendering waters too hot or too cold for native fish. “Somebody can just plug in the size of a dam, and then they can know, ‘If my dam is this big and this wide and has this massive capacity, it will cause thermal change of this much range,’” Shahryar Ahmad, a NASA hydrologist and lead author of the study, told The Washington Post. … Scientists analyzed the impact of 100 existing dams to create a machine learning tool that would predict how much 216 planned dams will alter temperatures downstream. … ” Read more from Yale e360 here: A new tool shows how much dams will alter river temperatures, threatening native fish
Republicans try to protect famed swamp amid wetlands fight
“Republicans are backing Georgia state legislation that aims to block a proposed titanium mine and protect the Okefenokee Swamp, possibly intervening in one of the country’s highest-profile battles over federal wetlands protections. If the bill becomes law, it would be an unusual environmental victory led by Republicans, who generally favor mining over conservation. The level of Republican support for an environmental measure in Georgia is “unprecedented,” said Joshua Marks, an environmental attorney at Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein LLP in Atlanta. … ” Read more from Bloomberg Law here: Republicans try to protect famed swamp amid wetlands fight
National water and climate update …
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-20220210Also on Maven’s Notebook today …
NOTICE of Temporary Water Right Permit Application to Appropriate Water from the Chowchilla Bypass in Madera County
NOTICE: Notice of Temporary Permit Application T033280 – Fresno County
CA WATER DATA CONSORTIUM: Vision, Mission, Goals and Guiding Principles
CDFW GRANTS: 2022 Proposition 1 FAQ, Application Workshop Recording, and Presentation Available
DELTA eNEWS: ~~ Traffic Alert~ DSC Report~ CWC Meeting~ Grant Proposals ~~
