A wrap-up of posts published on Maven’s Notebook this week …
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This week’s featured articles …
PLANNING & CONSERVATION LEAGUE: Updating California Water Laws in the Face of Droughts and Climate Change
California’s current system of water laws seems ill-equipped to respond to long-term droughts and climate change. One million Californians do not have safe drinking water, the state’s aquatic ecosystems are in crisis, and water users are confronting increasingly scarce and unpredictable water supplies.
So over 18 months ago, the Planning and Conservation League assembled a group of California water law and policy experts to review and make recommendations on how California water law can be updated to take into account the unprecedented conditions facing 21st century California.
On Thursday, February 3rd, those experts released their recommendations for updating California water law to address drought and climate change. The release coincided with a panel discussion during the Planning and Conservation League’s Annual Assembly.
Here’s what they had to say.
Click here to read this article.
DELTA INDEPENDENT SCIENCE BOARD: Central Valley Project operations overview
At the January meeting of the Delta Independent Science Board, the board members heard a series of presentations on water management in the Delta to orient new members to the complexities of science and management issues in the Delta. The presentations were also in response to the recent review of the DISB that suggested the Board become more familiarized with the realities of Delta science and management. The first presentation was from Kristin White, operations manager for the Bureau of Reclamation’s Central Valley Project (or CVP).
Click here to read this article.
In California water news this week …
Newsom’s water leaders tout new drought actions
“The Department of Water Resources held a media briefing yesterday to herald the launch of a new data mapping tool called California Water Watch, dubbed California’s drought monitor. The website provides real-time information not only on precipitation, but also heat waves impacting evaporation, groundwater levels, stream flows into reservoirs, soil moisture content and the dryness of vegetation—factors that played an outsized role in water loss last year. Along with the website, a new data portal for land subsidence shows how sinking continued in 2021, though at a slower pace than during the 2012-16 drought. Satellite monitoring recorded about a foot of subsidence in some areas of the San Joaquin Valley, with a few inches less in the Sacramento Valley. … ” Continue reading at Agri-Pulse here: Newsom’s water leaders tout new drought actions
As drought conditions worsen, California braces for ‘worst-case scenario’
“Some of California’s agricultural areas are bracing for water cuts later this year after the chair of the state’s Water Resources Control Board said escalating drought conditions will require the state to prepare for the “worst-case scenario.” “We have to assume that we don’t get another drop, that we don’t receive any more real precipitation” this year, said Joaquin Esquivel at a board meeting on Tuesday. The agency should start working with affected communities now, he said, to model and prepare for how much worse conditions could become by midsummer. … ” Read more from Successful Farming here: As drought conditions worsen, California braces for ‘worst-case scenario’
Drought Status Update: California-Nevada and Pacific Northwest special edition drought early warning update
“A high pressure ridge near the western U.S. coast has largely diverted precipitation away from the states of California, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, and Idaho over the past 6 weeks and impeded drought recovery. In southern Oregon, reservoir levels are already extremely low, and in California, the volume of water stored in the snowpack and reservoirs combined has plateaued. These five western states are on the precipice of drought intensification and development if below-normal precipitation continues, as is being suggested by subseasonal forecasts and historical odds. ... ” Read more from NIDIS here: Drought Status Update: California-Nevada and Pacific Northwest special edition drought early warning update
Current drought is worst in 1,200 years in California and the American West, new study shows
“The drought that has parched California and the American West for much of the past two decades ranks as the driest 22-year period in at least 1,200 years, according to a new study published Monday. Measuring historical moisture patterns by looking at thousands of tree rings, scientists concluded that the West is in a “megadrought,” the likes of which have not been seen in the region since at least 800 A.D., when Vikings sailed the North Atlantic and Mayans built temples in Mexico and Central America. Climate change, which is leading to increasing temperatures, is making the current dry period more severe than it otherwise would have been, the researchers concluded. ... ” Continue reading from the San Jose Mercury News here: Current drought is worst in 1,200 years in California and the American West, new study shows
Senator Hurtado introduces legislation to reimagine water management in the 21st century, dissolve State Water Board
“Today, Senator Melissa Hurtado (D-Sanger) introduced SB 1219— State Water Resiliency and Modernization Act — to reimagine water management in the 21st century— that works to create a sustainable water system prioritizing preservation and sustainability for all of California by building a Blue Ribbon Commission, and dissolving the current Water Board. “Water impacts every facet of our life,” said Senator Hurtado. “Californians are feeling the rise in prices for essentials like water, food and energy. As prices drastically increase due to inflation, we must look to ways to reduce costs. We in the Central Valley have been at the forefront of these concerns for a while. We feel the impacts and suffer the consequences long before many across California do. We need to focus on better water management, and true accountability. And modernizing our water system will do just that. … ” Read more from Senator Hurtado’s office here: Senator Hurtado introduces legislation to reimagine water management in the 21st century
Climate crisis and systemic inequities drive push to reform California water laws
“California’s mountain snowpack is shrinking, and climate change is intensifying the severe drought. Streams have dwindled and reservoirs have declined as vast quantities of water are diverted for farms and cities. Endangered fish are struggling to survive. And in farming areas in the Central Valley, hundreds of families are struggling with dry wells as groundwater levels continue to drop. A group of prominent legal experts has presented a blueprint for updating California’s system of water laws to fix long-standing weaknesses and adapt to the worsening effects of climate change. They say their proposals, if adopted by the Legislature, would help the state better manage surface water and groundwater, protect vulnerable communities and ecosystems, and improve state oversight of the water rights system. … ” Read more from the LA Times here: Climate crisis and systemic inequities drive push to reform California water laws
Fighting fire with fire: Forecast-Informed Reservoir Operations, flood, and drought in California
“In December 2012, California was already in one of its periodic droughts when a major atmospheric river arrived from over the North Pacific and dropped almost six inches of rain on the Russian River Basin north of San Francisco. Atmospheric rivers are long, narrow, and highly mobile corridors of extreme water vapor transport that, when they arrive at the West Coast, can drop extreme amounts of rain and snow. Though not all atmospheric rivers cause floods, they dominate California’s flood regime—causing about 80% of floods in many of the state’s rivers—while also providing 30–50% of its precipitation. The December 2012 atmospheric river—like many others historically—filled the Lake Mendocino reservoir of the upper Russian River Basin well above the maximum level allowed in wintertime. … ” Read more from Impact here: Fighting fire with fire: Forecast-Informed Reservoir Operations, flood, and drought in California
Critics rip feds’ “half-baked” plan to save California salmon
“Fishing groups and water suppliers fought the Biden administration’s proposed drought rules for California’s water system, telling a federal judge Friday the emergency plans won’t stop the demise of endangered salmon. With California trudging through another disappointingly dry winter, the federal government and state officials have agreed upon a set of temporary rules they claim are necessary to preserve enough cold water on the Sacramento River for Chinook salmon this spring and summer. The rules call for new water temperature targets and improved collaboration between federal and state officials on the management of California’s two main water conveyance systems. … ” Read more from the Courthouse News Service here: Critics rip feds’ “half-baked” plan to save California salmon
Will salmon simmer again?
“After two critically dry years that coincided with Trump-era rollbacks to environmental protections, some iconic Delta fish are closer than ever to the point of no return. Last fall, for the second year in a row, the fall midwater trawl found zero wild Delta smelt, while a coalition of environmentalists and fishermen is asking a federal court to help prevent a repeat of 2021’s near-obliteration of endangered winter-run Chinook salmon. Their lawsuit is just one of the balls to watch this spring as several projects and processes that could radically affect how much water flows through the Delta, and when, percolate. “There’s a lot going on right now, kind of bubbling just below the surface,” says the Natural Resource Defense Council attorney Doug Obegi. … ” Read more from Estuary News here: Will salmon simmer again?
Proposed dam project sparks opposition from fellow water users
“A new California dam project you probably haven’t heard of has already passed the initial environmental stages and recently won approval to apply for possible public funding. Predictably, the project has stoked opposition but not all the naysayers are who you might expect. The Del Puerto Canyon Reservoir project, which would sit in the hilly, canyon-filled west side of the San Joaquin Valley just above the town of Patterson, has sparked a lawsuit from other valley water users. “We don’t know the full spectrum of potential impacts,” said Eric R. Quinley, general manager of Delano-Earlimart Irrigation District, one of the water districts opposing the project. “That’s one of the reasons we were forced to intervene as we did.” Project proponents say otherwise. ... ” Read more from SJV Water here: Proposed dam project sparks opposition from fellow water users
Boswell bulldozers allowed to stay put, blocking Kings County pipeline project
“The water fight between Kings County’s two largest growers will continue with heavy equipment intended to block a pipeline project allowed to remain in place on the Tulare Lake Canal banks. The Tulare Lake Canal Company, controlled by JG Boswell Company, moved the equipment onto the canal banks in late January to block trenching for a pipeline by Sandridge Partners, controlled by John Vidovich. Sandridge filed a restraining order to have the excavators, bulldozers and trucks removed but Kings County Superior Court Judge Valerie Chrissakes denied that request on Thursday. ... ” Read more from SJV Water here: Boswell bulldozers allowed to stay put, blocking Kings County pipeline project
California has begun managing groundwater under a new law. Experts aren’t sure it’s working
“In the rural county of Madera in California’s San Joaquin Valley, some farmworkers have learned to ration their water on a two-week schedule. Water gets hauled in by trucks and delivered to homes that have installed temporary tanks to store it in their backyards. Those cisterns usually hold up to 2,500 gallons, enough water to last a family two weeks, if they’re careful. The average California household uses double that in the same amount of time. “We’ve been using too much groundwater in the Central Valley that we really do not have, and it’s taking water from our communities now and from future generations,” said Erick Orellana, a policy advocate for the nonprofit Community Water Center. ... ” Read more from Inside Climate News here: California has begun managing groundwater under a new law. Experts aren’t sure it’s working
New data shows subsidence continued in water year 2021, but pace slower than seen in previous droughts
“The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) released new satellite-based data that show subsidence – or the sinking of the land surface due to excessive groundwater pumping – continues in the state. DWR has intensified statewide subsidence monitoring to help identify impacts and address them collaboratively with local groundwater agencies, counties and landowners. The areas experiencing the most subsidence during Water Year 2021 (WY 2021) are in the San Joaquin Valley, with a maximum of 1.1 feet of subsidence observed in the region and the Sacramento Valley with a maximum of 0.7 feet in the region. Data show that in WY 2021 subsidence of greater than 0.5 feet per year expanded to more areas than observed in WY 2020. However, fewer areas experienced higher rates of subsidence than at the end of the last drought in 2016. … ” Read more from the Department of Water Resources here: New data shows subsidence continued in water year 2021, but pace slower than seen in previous droughts
A vision for more sustainable farmlands
“From above, California’s San Joaquin Valley spills out of the Sierra Nevada in a checkerboard of earth-toned farmland. It’s some of the most valuable land in the world; every year, the agribusiness industry here produces billions of dollars’ worth of milk, vegetables and nuts. But the scale, and the industrial intensity, of agriculture require an enormous amount of groundwater to be pulled out of aquifers deep belowground — more than the industry can afford to pump, according to hydrologic modeling. According to projections from the Public Policy Institute of California, between 535,000 and 750,000 acres — around 15% of the valley’s irrigated farmland — will need to be taken out of irrigated production in order to meet the requirements of the state’s Sustainable Groundwater Management Act. … ” Continue reading at High Country News here: A vision for more sustainable farmlands
Program to replace nitrate-laden drinking water moving too slowly, advocates say
“Free water deliveries have started for some San Joaquin Valley residents with nitrate contaminated wells. But advocates worry that nine months into the state’s nitrate control program, outreach has been lacking and not enough wells have been tested. The nitrate control program launched in May of 2021. It offers free water deliveries for residents whose wells test over the limit for nitrates. The program is mandated by the State Water Resources Control Board and funded by nitrate polluters throughout the valley. … ” Read more from SJV Water here: Program to replace nitrate-laden drinking water moving too slowly, advocates say
West coast salmonids all tired out?
“West Coast salmon and steelhead populations have declined steeply in the past century – a plight that biologists have primarily blamed on habitat loss. Dams, for instance, block adult fish’s access to historic spawning grounds, and juvenile survival is impacted by streamside development and water diversions. Now, it turns out, microplastic pollution may be a much bigger factor than anyone knew just several years ago. In 2019, scientists with the San Francisco Estuary Institute and the Los Angeles-based nonprofit 5 Gyres published findings indicating that car tire particles are one of the most prevalent forms of microplastic pollution flowing into San Francisco Bay. … ” Read more from Estuary News here: West coast salmonids all tired out?
Hatchery Delta smelt released to wild
“On a mild day between rainstorms in mid-December, wildlife biologists outfitted in rubber boots and orange lifejackets load drum after drum of precious cargo onto a small boat docked in Rio Vista, a town on the Sacramento River in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. There is little fanfare but the occasion is nonetheless momentous. The shiny silver drums contain thousands of Delta smelt — finger-size imperiled fish unique to the Delta — that were raised in a conservation hatchery. Today marks the inaugural release of captive smelt into the cold, murky waters of their native home. … ” Read more from Estuary News here: Hatchery Delta smelt released to wild
In commentary this week …
The Delta needs a dike to weather climate change & protect LA water instead of tunnel
Dennis Wyatt, editor of the Manteca Bulletin, writes, “If climate change is happening and sea levels are rising then why is the State of California pursuing a Delta solution that protects Los Angeles Basin water interests and those of corporate farms at the expense of large swaths of San Joaquin and Sacramento counties? Just like the State of California’s horse-blinder approach to high-speed rail that ignores changing realities, the same is true of the myopic tunnel project to bypass the Delta to keep water flowing into SoCal swimming pools in the event of a “disaster”. The disaster of choice the proponents of the Delta Bypass keep going back to are earthquakes. They justify robbing the Delta of beneficial water to keep its ecological system healthy before it is pumped south to head to faucets accessed to hose down Disneyland pavement by saying a quake could disrupt the LA Basin’s sucking of water from north state watersheds. … ” Read more from the Manteca Bulletin here: The Delta needs a dike to weather climate change & protect LA water instead of tunnel
California Water Commission advances two environmentally destructive water projects
The San Francisco Bay chapter of the Sierra Club writes, “On December 15th, the California Water Commission voted to advance two water storage projects that will have devastating consequences for California’s environment. After hours of public comment, many of which opposed advancing the two projects, the Commission decided both projects — Sites Reservoir and Pacheco Reservoir — maintained their eligibility to receive public funding under Proposition 1. Proposition 1, passed by voters in 2014, created an innovative approach of investing bond funds based on the public benefits achieved by individual projects. In 2018, the Commission determined that eight projects were eligible for funds, including four surface storage projects and four groundwater projects. … ” Read more from the Sierra Club here: California Water Commission advances two environmentally destructive water projects
Sites Reservoir: A part of the solution for dry years
David Guy, president of the Northern California Water Association, writes, “As we are staring at one of the most erratic water years in memory, with alternating wet and dry months, we would be well served this year in California if we had water in Sites Reservoir—an off-stream reservoir on the west-side of the Sacramento Valley. To hear an update on the project, we encourage you to listen to a recent podcast on how Sites Reservoir would benefit California in a dry year like 2022. The Ingrained podcast is available here. If Sites had already been built, nearly 1 million acre feet of additional water would have been available to support the environment, farms and cities in 2021. ... ” Continue reading at the Northern California Water Association here: Sites Reservoir: A part of the solution for dry years
State’s water policies are shameful
Jeff Benzinger writes, ” … It’s ludicrous and sad that the California State Water Resources Control Board has dictated that operators of the dams flush more water out of the reservoirs out to the Delta, thus guaranteeing less water for Valley farmers of less water to grow crops and supply city dwellers. The reason we build dams – or shall I say used to build dams because the last one was New Melones in 1978 – is to store water for use in dry months. Over 120 years ago farmers in the Valley realized water meant prosperity and prompted the building of those dams. The La Grange Dam was the first local dam, built of stone, in 1883 to supply water to Ceres area farms. Ceres’ own Fred Moffet was on the board of the Turlock Irrigation District which built the first Don Pedro dam on the Tuolumne River from 1921 to 1923. As a kid my parents would take me up to watch the “new” dam being constructed in late 1960s. I remember watching giant skip loaders hauling in dirt for the massive earthen dam. … ” Read more from Westside Connect here: State’s water policies are shameful
New water policy should include more storage, infrastructure
Ronald J. Silva, a real estate agent from Fresno, writes, “I agree with the suggestion that new approaches to water supply are necessary. However, we need to avoid “solutions” that cut allocations to an industry that feeds the nation and supports the livelihood of communities and the economy of the Central Valley. As a side note, California farmers have decreased their water usage by double digits since 1980 and continue to get more efficient. … ” Read more from Cal Matters here: New water policy should include more storage, infrastructure
A feel-good fix that won’t restore salmon
Michael Koepf, former commercial fisherman, writes,” … Rep. Jared Huffman, co-chair of the wild salmon caucus, says he has a remedy to restore king salmon to their historical spawning grounds. According to a news release from his office, he’s introduced a bill that would provide $40 million to “provide identification of salmon areas and strongholds” to “sustain thriving salmon populations.” What a noble inclination — restore salmon in California to “thriving” numbers. Who could resist? How about the fish? I’ve read the bill. Huffman’s legislation purports to spend a great deal of money to identify “strongholds.” In other words, historic, salmon spawning grounds. Ask some old-timers, or the Sierra Club, they’ll tell you exactly where they are, and it won’t cost a dime. … ” Read more from the Santa Rosa Press Democrat here: Commentary: A feel-good fix that won’t restore salmon
California’s variable water supply needs more than rainfall
Hanson Bridgett LLP attorneys Allison Schutte and Nathan Metcalf write, “Downpours in October and December, along with record snowfall in the Sierra Nevada, alleviated dry conditions statewide and moved California out of the U.S. Drought Monitor’s “exceptional” drought category. The state is still mandating conservation and curtailing water diversions, however, and water agencies have declared water shortage emergencies and called for mandated water use restrictions. Why is most of California still in an “extreme” or “severe” drought? The answer, we believe, lies in a combination of the climatic uncertainty resulting from seasonal precipitation and climate change, the physical and practical limitations of California’s surface water storage dependency, and California State Water Resources Control Board’s (State Water Board’s) regulation of diversion, considered an overreach by many. … ” Continue reading at Bloomberg Law here: California’s variable water supply needs more than rainfall
Confronting drought with the tools of nature
Felicia Marcus, a former chair of the California State Water Resources Control Board; and Jill Ozarski, an environment program officer at the Walton Family Foundation, write, “The ongoing drought in the West has dramatically impacted the health, well-being and livelihoods of millions of the region’s residents, from farmers in Colorado struggling to sustain their crops to Californians who have lost their homes to wildfire. The new federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act provides substantial funding, including $8.3 billion for water-related programs in the West, to begin to mitigate and adapt to our drying climate. But achieving the scale of impact needed requires a willingness to prioritize investments in nature-based solutions that protect, restore and sustainably manage existing water systems. … The good news is that we already have successful project models that demonstrate how to leverage natural systems to mitigate the impacts of climate change. … ” Continue reading at Governing here: Confronting drought with the tools of nature
Forget December’s snowstorms. California isn’t doing enough to address its hot, dry reality
Jacques Leslie, a contributing writer to Opinion and the author of “Deep Water: The Epic Struggle Over Dams, Displaced People, and the Environment,” writes, “As a forbiddingly deep drought reclaims its hold on California, the state’s record precipitation in October and December is already a distant memory, and the list of urgent water issues we face keeps getting longer. Forecasters predict little or no rain and snow for the rest of the “wet season,” but the state’s leaders have taken only baby steps to deal with the sprawling crisis. “There are so many vested interests who benefit from the status quo that it’s hard to make change,” Doug Obegi, director of the Natural Resources Defense Council’s California river restoration program, said in an interview. “State and federal administrations aren’t rising to the magnitude of the problems we face.” Here are some suggestions for ways our tremulous leaders could do better … ” Read more from the LA Times here: Forget December’s snowstorms. California isn’t doing enough to address its hot, dry reality
The Environmental Protection Agency must implement the law regarding ship ballast water discharges
Andrew Cohen writes, “The San Francisco Bay-Delta ecosystem is the most invaded estuary in the world — with ship ballast water the dominant vector for introducing new invasions. Regulating ballast water discharges is the most effective action available to address the problem of invasive species in our estuary. So it is striking that the draft Estuary Blueprint, the San Francisco Estuary Partnership’s five-year plan to protect the estuary, says nothing about ballast water and contains no actions to manage ballast discharges. To correct this, the Sierra Club SF Bay Chapter and other organizations have co-written a letter to the Partnership — a collaboration of local, state, and federal agencies, NGOs, and academia and business leaders working to protect and restore the San Francisco Bay-Delta Estuary — recommending the inclusion of seven specific actions to address this threat. … ” Continue reading at the San Francisco Bay chapter of the Sierra Club here: The Environmental Protection Agency must implement the law regarding ship ballast water discharges
Column: Who wins from California’s main environmental law? Too often, the rich and litigious
Columnist Anita Chabria writes, “Early in my marriage, I purchased an ornate mirror, more gilt than glass, that I thought might be so ugly it could actually seem beautiful. It was not. My husband promptly dubbed it the Shield of Zoltran, a made-up name (riffing on a cartoon) meant to highlight its absurdity. He demanded I return the mirror or face divorce. The California Environmental Quality Act, or CEQA, has become California’s Shield of Zoltran, reflecting back our ugliest tendencies under the guise of environmentalism and offering protection for those who want to stop development for reasons that often distill down to self-interest — no matter how much gilt gets slapped around their arguments. … ” Continue reading at the LA Times here: Who wins from California’s main environmental law? Too often, the rich and litigious
CEQA advances environmental justice, so why all the hate?
Jennifer Ganata, a senior staff attorney at Communities for a Better Environment and a member of California Environmental Justice Alliance, and Aruna Prabhala is the director of the Urban Wildlands program for the Center for Biological Diversity, write, “Imagine if a new development proposed in your city would cause the sewage system to overflow after it rains. Imagine a new warehouse coming in to occupy 3,800 acres in your community, bringing truck exhaust and around-the-clock lighting to your neighborhood. Now imagine there’s nothing you can do about it. That’s what might happen if public agencies across California weren’t required by law to consider and mitigate the significant environmental harms of a project. Concerned neighbors, including those from low-income and disadvantaged communities, would not be able to speak out and participate in local land-use decisions. … ” Read more from Cal Matters here: CEQA advances environmental justice, so why all the hate?
Too extreme? Why UC researchers propose idea of cutting down 80% of Sierra trees
Tad Weber, opinion editor fro the Fresno Bee, writes, “The Sierra Nevada is beloved for its endless miles of dense pine forests. Now imagine that for every swath of 10 trees, only the two biggest trees are left standing. The rest are cut down, the result of some extreme logging. That is the point of a new study by a group of University of California researchers. Rather than manage the state’s forests to limit wildfires, they say the real issue is to make trees more capable of withstanding the host of challenges they face: drought, pests, climate change, and yes, wildfire. To accomplish that, the researchers contend a whole lot of chopping needs to be done. Cutting down 80 percent of the forest seems like a radical idea. But the scientists turn the proposition around and say that, in reality, the way things are now is what is out of whack. … ” Read more from the Fresno Bee here: Too extreme? Why UC researchers propose idea of cutting down 80% of Sierra trees
UC researchers omit key evidence in study on massive tree cutting in Sierra forests
Dr. Chad Hanson, research ecologist with the John Muir Project, writes, “As The Bee recently reported, a new study, by Malcolm North and others (2022), promotes the idea of killing and removing 80% of the trees in the forests of the Sierra Nevada through commercial logging, ostensibly as a wildfire management strategy. The North study was authored by scientists funded by the U.S. Forest Service, an agency that financially benefits from commercial logging on our public lands, and the study neglected to mention some essential information and evidence. The North study reported that “current” tree densities are 83 to 171 trees per acre, and claimed that only 30 trees per acre existed a century ago. But the study used 2011 to represent the “current” condition of Sierra Nevada forests in the two areas that were analyzed, and failed to mention that nearly all of the forests in the two study areas have burned in wildfires since 2011, including the Rim fire of 2013 on the Stanislaus National Forest, and the Cedar fire of 2016 and French fire of 2021 on Sequoia National Forest. … ” Read more from the Fresno Bee via Yahoo News here: UC researchers omit key evidence in study on massive tree cutting in Sierra forests
Will rising seas drown the California dream?
Francis Wilkinson writes, “To reach the compact, almost unseemly natural bounty that is Stinson Beach, California, you take a serpentine route across Marin County, on Highway 1, past the redwoods of Muir Woods National Monument, over the glistening rock and chaparral and coastal scrub of Mount Tamalpais. The Mill Valley and Mount Tamalpais Scenic Railroad, long defunct, is said to have incorporated 281 “hairpin curves” on its eight-mile trek to the summit. Highway 1 seems to have at least as many. The road features periodic turnoffs for slow-moving vehicles, including county buses, along with frequent signs encouraging their use once a backup reaches precisely five vehicles. The regulation, like the unrelenting beauty, is quintessentially Californian. No one drives fast here. First, because you can’t. Second, because who would want to? … ” Read more from Bloomberg here: Will rising seas drown the California dream?
California can provide a climate roadmap for the world
Louise Bedsworth, Land Use Program director at the Center for Law, Energy and the Environment and a senior adviser to the California-China Climate Institute, writes, “On a number of occasions, Gov. Gavin Newsom has aptly noted that “a budget is a statement of values.” With the introduction of the state’s 2022-23 spending plan last month, California put its money where its mouth is. In fact, the governor proposed a whopping $22.5 billion to advance clean energy and transportation, forest health and sustainable communities in California. This comes on top of an historic $15 billion investment in complementary climate initiatives last year. Much has been written about this mountain of money for climate action – and rightly so. But deeper in the bowels of state government, is an even more consequential component of the state’s effort to decarbonize that will be released in 2022 and guide action for years to come: California’s Climate Change Scoping Plan. … ” Read more from Cal Matters here: California can provide a climate roadmap for the world
In regional water news this week …
Tahoe conservationists score major court victory over Martis Valley Development
“In a landmark victory for Sierra conservationists, California’s Third District Court of Appeal ruled in the groups’ favor in a long-running fight to rein in oversized development in North Lake Tahoe. The unanimous decision is the latest in a string of conservation victories in the Tahoe Sierra and a major setback to the would-be developers of the Martis Valley West proposal. “This ruling is a significant victory for the preservation of Lake Tahoe’s beauty and environmental health,” said Darcie Goodman Collins, CEO of the League to Save Lake Tahoe, or Keep Tahoe Blue. “Any development – whether inside or outside the Basin – is accountable for impacts to the Lake’s unique water quality and clarity. This precedent makes that certain.” ... ” Read more from the Tahoe Daily Tribune here: Tahoe conservationists score major court victory over Martis Valley Development
Solano County Water Agency taking steps to move North Bay Aqueduct intake to Sacramento River
“The Solano County Water Agency directors recently adopted a resolution to support a plan to move the intake to the North Bay Aqueduct from Cache Slough to the Sacramento River. The action, the agency reported in a statement, would protect the water supply for about 500,000 residents in Solano and Napa counties. However, the Water+ project comes with an estimated $600 million price tag, so achieving multiple benefits that could attract state, federal and other funding sources to offset the cost is essential. … ” Read more from the Daily Republic here: SCWA taking steps to move North Bay Aqueduct intake to Sacramento River
Morgan Hill neighbors blame wild pig problems on local construction project
“Some residents in a Morgan Jill neighborhood are blaming an area dam construction project on the influx wild pigs running amok, tearing up lawns and eating gardens where they live. Wild pigs have long been a problem in the Morgan Hill foothills, but neighbors in the Jackson Oaks subdivision say lately the problems have only gotten worse. … Some neighbors claim when the Valley Water District drained Anderson Reservoir to rebuild the dam, it removed a seven-mile-long water barrier between the neighborhoods and a vast open space, giving wildlife an easy avenue to their property. … ” Read more from CBS San Francisco here: Morgan Hill neighbors blame wild pig problems on local construction project
Some San Jose residents could run out of water by summer if drought continues, expert says
“In California, you pay big bucks for blue skies and sunshine filled days like we had today in San Jose. But this morning, ABC7 News Meteorologist Drew Tuma explained why it’s not necessarily always a good thing. “This is our 49th day in a row without a drop of rain in San Jose,” Tuma said. “So, that is the record longest stretch in our winter season that we have not seen a drop of rain in parts of the South Bay. So you can see how dry it has been this winter season.” … ” Read more from ABC Bay Area here: Some San Jose residents could run out of water by summer if drought continues, expert says
Merced County farms looking at drastic water shortages with coming dry season
“Local irrigation district officials and Merced County farmers are worried the current wet season isn’t wet enough to yield more than one acre-foot of surface water for many local farmers in the coming dry season. During a Merced Irrigation District board meeting this week, officials discussed how to grapple with the expected water supply shortages this year due to the drought and water allocations from Lake McClure, which the MID board decides every year. “As of now and unless the weather changes, the board will have some difficult decisions to make in the coming weeks,” said John Sweigard, the general manager of the Merced Irrigation District. … ” Read more from the Merced Sun-Star here: Merced County farms looking at drastic water shortages with coming dry season
Owens Valley Groundwater Agency shrinking fast as members pull out, hoping water levels remain stable
“Five years ago, public entities within the Owens Valley aquifer joined in on the development of a groundwater sustainability plan dictated by the state’s Sustainable Groundwater Act. It’s been a bumpy ride that seems to have ended with the majority of what became the Owens Valley Groundwater Agency pulling out once the coveted Groundwater Sustainability Plan was developed. As complex as that process was, the uncoupling of the OVGA is even more complex. The exodus started when the groundwater basin was downgraded from medium to low priority mid-stream in the process. Low priority basins pretty much don’t have to do anything, but the multi-county, multi-agency OVGA already had a $700,000 grant to develop the plan; so it did. … ” Read more from the Sierra Wave here: Owens Valley Groundwater Agency shrinking fast as members pull out, hoping water levels remain stable
For some Kern County farmers, overpumping groundwater could get pricey
“Farmers in the sprawling Semitropic Water Storage District in the northwest corner of Kern County got a look recently at possible water charges for going over their allotted water budgets and the top amounts were eye popping. The details are still being worked out and won’t be put in place for a while, said Semitropic General Manager Jason Gianquinto. But the goal is to create a sharp financial disincentive to keep growers from significantly overshooting their water budgets. Very sharp. ... ” Read more from SJV Water here: For some Kern County farmers, overpumping groundwater could get pricey
UCLA: Southern California high-risk fire days could double by 2100 — and there’s not a lot we can do about it
“The number of annual high-risk fire days in Southern California could double by 2100 thanks to steady temperature increases brought on by climate change, according to a UCLA study released Thursday. The study, published in the Nature journal Communications Earth & Environment, found that in terms of actual acreage burned in the state each year, there has been a sharp upturn, primarily due to large fires in Northern California. Southern California, however, has not seen a significant jump in burn area over the past 45 years. But the data analyzed in the study paint a picture of increasing fire danger in the coming decades in conjunction with gradually increasing temperatures. … ” Read more from the San Bernardino Sun here: UCLA: Southern California high-risk fire days could double by 2100 — and there’s not a lot we can do about it
Why are San Diego water rates so high?
“Conservation efforts combined with projects across San Diego are playing a role in putting the county in a better position to weather a drought, but is also leaving the county with some of the highest water rates in the state — higher than Los Angeles County. A new report by Arizona State University environmental economist Michael Hanemann offers an analysis of water rates in San Diego County. He found that the San Diego County Water Authority’s wholesale rate for untreated water is $400 more per acre-foot than the Metropolitan Water District in Los Angeles. ... ” Read more from KPBS here: Why are San Diego water rates so high?
Weekly features …
BLOG ROUND-UP: Voluntary agreements undermining climate/water planning in the Delta; A hydrologist meets with an artist. No, not in a bar; Oaks as threatened catchment keystones; and more …
Click here to read the blog round-up.
Announcements, notices, and funding opportunities …
NOTICE of Petition for Temporary Transfer per Yuba County Water Agency Permit 15026
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING: Lookout Slough Tidal Habitat Restoration and Flood Improvement Project Appeal
FUNDING OPPORTUNITY: Request for Applications: Delta Science Fellows Program
DELTA STEWARDSHIP COUNCIL: 2021 Annual Report: Building Resilience Amid Rapid Change
DELTA eNEWS: ~~ Estuary News~ DPC Report~ Arts & Crafts~ DSC Meeting~ Delta Governance ~~
WATER PLAN eNEWS: ~~Advisory Committee~ Land Management~ Urban Greening~ Groundwater Presentation~ Riverine Stewardship~ Streamflow Project ~~
VELES WEEKLY REPORT: Water price jumps nearly 10%, the squeeze is on, all eyes on groundwater.
