WEEKLY WATER NEWS DIGEST for Feb 20-25: Delta Conveyance Project update; State Water Project operations; and all the top California water news of the week

A wrap-up of posts published on Maven’s Notebook this week …

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This week’s featured articles …

DELTA INDEPENDENT SCIENCE BOARD: Delta Conveyance Project update

Update includes a project overview, the alternatives selected and analyzed, project operations, and more …

This year, California faces a big decision as the long-awaited environmental documents for the Delta Conveyance Project are expected to be released mid-year.

The Delta Conveyance Project is the latest iteration of a controversial project to construct intakes in the North Delta and a tunnel to convey the water to the existing export facilities in the South Delta. Proponents of the project say it is necessary to modernize the State Water Project and protect the reliability of project deliveries and that by having more operational flexibility, conditions for aquatic species could be improved. However, Delta advocates say that the northern intakes would divert water away from the Delta, worsening water quality in the Delta and threatening the already fragile and ailing ecosystem.

The Delta Independent Science Board is preparing to review the environmental documents for the project when they become available later this year. At the January meeting of the Delta Independent Science Board, Carrie Buckman from the Department of Water Resources provided an overview and an overview update on the project.

Click here to read this article.

DELTA INDEPENDENT SCIENCE BOARD: State Water Project Operations

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.

John Leahigh is the Deputy Division Manager for Water Operations for the State Water Project. In his presentation, he provided an overview of the State Water Project and its facilities, the operational challenges focusing on the variable hydrology and Delta constraints, and the allocation process for the State Water Project contractors.

Click here to read this article.

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In California water news this week …

As climate warms, overhauling California water projections gains urgency

“Packed onto the slopes of the Sierra Nevada is a precious source of water for California — a frozen reservoir that climate change is already transforming. As the planet warms, the spring snowpack is dwindling. The snow is creeping up mountainsides to higher elevations, melting earlier in the year and seeping into dry soils rather than washing into rivers and streams that feed reservoirs. The risks are no longer futuristic or theoretical: The state’s projections for how much water to expect from the Sierra Nevada were so far from reality last spring that reforming the process has become increasingly urgent. The calculation for the Sacramento River region was off by 68%, leaving the state’s reservoirs with far less water supply than expected. … ” Read more from Cal Matters here: Snow falling: As climate warms, overhauling California water projections gains urgency

California farmers to see paltry federal water deliveries as drought’s stranglehold tightens

“Following two months of barren weather reports, California farmers received the most disappointing forecast yet Wednesday as the federal government warned many districts in the state’s agricultural heartland won’t get surface water deliveries in 2022. The initial water allocation update by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, which manages the massive Central Valley Project, reflects the increasing severity of California’s drought, and means some Central Valley farmers could go without federally subsidized water for the second consecutive year. Reclamation officials said low spring runoff forecasts are forcing them to cautiously guard the meager amount of water currently stored behind Shasta Dam, the cornerstone of the federal water project. … ” Read more from the Courthouse News Service here: California farmers to see paltry federal water deliveries as drought’s stranglehold tightens

How can information about atmospheric rivers optimize reservoir operations?

“In January, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers began testing a process to determine which reservoirs within its South Pacific Division are possible candidates for the use of forecast-informed reservoir operations. Relying on advancements in weather and hydrologic forecasting to improve reservoir management, FIRO offers a method for optimizing operations. Typically, reservoirs designed for purposes of flood control and water supply are operated in accordance with guide curves that are designed to ensure adequate storage capacity in advance of flood events and maximize storage for later uses. In areas with defined wet and dry seasons, these guide curves can call for lower levels of storage before the wet season. By contrast, storage is increased in advance of the dry season. Unfortunately, this process does not always result in optimal outcomes, as shown by the case of Lake Mendocino nearly a decade ago. … ” Read more at Civil Engineering Source here: How can information about atmospheric rivers optimize reservoir operations?

Hurtado proposes to dissolve State Water Board

“Democratic State Senator Melissa Hurtado of Sanger introduced legislation on Thursday calling for the dissolution of the State Water Resources Control Board. A Blue Ribbon Commission of various state leaders would effectively take its place as a result of her legislation. Hurtado introduced Senate Bill 1219 — the State Water Resiliency and Modernization Act — to deal with the issue of the continued trouble the state has had in managing its water. “Water impacts every facet of our life,” Hurtado said. “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. … ” Read more from the Porterville Recorder here: Hurtado proposes to dissolve State Water Board

“Massive dollars” needed to clean tainted groundwater from Kern County’s banking projects

“Southern California’s reliance on Kern County’s prolific groundwater banks for drought insurance could be jeopardized by a chemical known as 1,2,3-trichloropropane (TCP). The cancer-causing agent has been found in several large groundwater banking operations in Kern and a first look at how much it may cost to clean up is a doozy. Up to $465 million, according to a recent feasibility study of the Arvin-Edison Water Storage District banking operation. And that’s just one of Kern’s water banks used by urban partners to store, or “bank,” water in flush years and retrieve it during drought. … ” Read more from SJV Water here: “Massive dollars” needed to clean tainted groundwater from Kern County’s banking projects

Contamination a looming possibility for groundwater bank to be built using public funds

“A proposed Kern County groundwater bank that would be partially funded with $87 million in Proposition 1 money for new water storage, may have to deal with contamination before it spreads its first drop. The Kern Fan Groundwater Storage Project has not found contamination yet, but is sandwiched between areas that have confirmed 1,2,3-trichloropropane (TCP), a carcinogen allegedly leftover from a fumigant made by Dow Chemical and Shell Oil. The possibility of TCP contamination is “being considered as we’re going through the design process,” said Trent Taylor, water resources manager for Rosedale-Rio Bravo Water Storage District which is partnering with Irvine Ranch Water District on the project. … ” Read more from SJV Water here: Contamination a looming possibility for groundwater bank to be built using public funds

Controversial Kings Co. water pipeline faces familiar foe in legal drama: CEQA

“The latest round of legal war between a local water district and one of Kings County’s largest farming and water players over a controversial water pipeline being installed in the southern portion of the county has fallen victim to a familiar foe. The foe? The California Environmental Quality Act, otherwise known as CEQA, the state’s marquee environmental law. Last month, the Tulare Lake Canal Company sued Sandridge Partners, the farming and water giant owned by Santa Clara County native John Vidovich, over the construction of a water pipeline in southern Kings County. … In its latest legal action, Tulare Lake Canal is arguing that Sandridge violated CEQA by failing to perform an environmental impact report (EIR) for the project. … ” Read more from the San Joaquin Valley Sun here: Controversial Kings Co. water pipeline faces familiar foe in legal drama: CEQA

Drought conditions worsen in California

“The two large storms that broadsided California in October and December brought optimism that the dry weather that has plagued the state would be relegated to the past. But after a dry January and February, that optimism has been replaced with a sense of gloom. On Thursday, the U.S. Drought Monitor released its weekly report showing that 68% of California is in severe drought and 100% of the state is suffering from abnormally dry conditions. ... ” Read more from the Courthouse News Service here: Drought conditions worsen in California

Last year’s drought cost ag industry more than $1 billion, thousands of jobs, new analysis shows

“The 2021 drought directly cost the California agriculture sector about $1.1 billion and nearly 8,750 full- and part-time jobs, according to estimates in a new analysis led by UC Merced researchers. Once the effects on other economic sectors are considered, total impacts are estimated at $1.7 billion and 14,634 full- and part-time jobs lost. The Economic Impacts of the 2021 Drought on California Agriculture Preliminary Report, released today, analyzes the impacts of last year’s drought in the Central Valley, the Russian River Basin and northern intermountain valley areas. The researchers developed these preliminary estimates of economic impacts using surveys, reviews of hydrological information and remote sensing data gathered from those areas and comparing them to average conditions, as well as to the 2012-2016 drought. … ” Read more from UC Merced here: Last year’s drought cost ag industry more than $1 billion, thousands of jobs, new analysis shows

Agencies working to sustain groundwater

“A new era of groundwater management in California continues to take shape as local agencies develop and implement plans that identify how they intend to achieve groundwater sustainability goals over the next 20 years. “The Sustainable Groundwater Management Act, if you haven’t heard about it, it’s knocking on your door and will soon be pretty much a part of your life if you’re trying to farm,” said Cordie Qualle, professional engineer and faculty fellow at California State University, Fresno. At a recent groundwater seminar at the World Ag Expo in Tulare, Qualle said, “that (regulation) basically says that groundwater basins, which are large geographic areas that have been defined by the state, need to balance their water use. They need to balance their intake and their outtake to maintain a stable groundwater level.” … ” Read more from Ag Alert here: Agencies working to sustain groundwater

SGMA could bolster habitat restoration in the San Joaquin Valley

“Land fallowing is coming to the San Joaquin Valley. PPIC estimates that compliance with the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) will require at least 500,000 acres of irrigated farmland (10%) to come out of production by 2040. What are the best uses for newly fallowed land? A few weeks ago, this blog explored solar development in the San Joaquin Valley. We recently met with a group of conservationists to discuss another potential land use: transforming formerly irrigated land into habitat. … ” Read more from the PPIC blog here: SGMA could bolster habitat restoration in the San Joaquin Valley

Leading water conservation group IDs top five obsolete dams to remove in California

“Fish and watershed conservation non-profit organization California Trout (CalTrout) released a new report today detailing the top five dams ripe for removal in the Golden State. The lower four Klamath Dams are on the list. Removal of the dams named in the Top 5 California DAMS OUT Report would support the recovery of California’s native migratory salmon and steelhead populations, many of which are at critical risk of extinction; improve the health of watersheds, which benefits both people and wildlife; and provide economic, recreational and safety benefits to local communities. The dams identified in the report were carefully selected: dams that provide the least benefit for people and cause the greatest harms to imperiled native fish rose to the top. … ” Read more from the Del Norte Triplicate here: Leading water conservation group IDs top five obsolete dams to remove in California

California officials approve plan to crack down on microplastics polluting the ocean

“California aims to sharply limit the spiraling scourge of microplastics in the ocean, while urging more study of this threat to fish, marine mammals and potentially to humans, under a plan a state panel approved Wednesday. The Ocean Protection Council voted to make California the first state to adopt a comprehensive plan to rein in the pollution, recommending everything from banning plastic-laden cigarette filters and polystyrene drinking cups to the construction of more green zones to filter plastics from stormwater before it spills into the sea. The proposals in the report are only advisory, with approval from other agencies and the Legislature required to put many of the reforms into place. … ” Read more from the LA Times here: California officials approve plan to crack down on microplastics polluting the ocean

Ocean plastic is bad, but soil plastic pollution may be worse

“While much of the public’s attention—and funding for scientific research—has been funneled into efforts that focus on the impact of plastics in marine environments, the ones in our soils may be just as serious a problem. In response, policymakers and scientists alike are starting to shift their attention to the negative impacts of plastics on land. … Agricultural production is a growing source of global plastic use, accounting for 3.5 percent of global plastic production, according to the FAO report. The report estimates that in 2019, the agriculture sector used 12.5 million tons of plastic, with crop and livestock sectors accounting for 10 million tons. While that may seem like an insignificant slice of the overall problem, the threat lies in these products’ proximity to earth’s soils and the food we consume. … ” Read the full story at Civil Eats here: Ocean plastic is bad, but soil plastic pollution may be worse

Forest fires could boost Western US water supplies

“Relentless drought in the western United States has raised concerns about water scarcity in the coming decades. Parched landscapes are difficult to cultivate and are more susceptible to devastating wildfires. Paradoxically, such blazes could increase the flow of water to rivers and reservoirs long after containment, according to a new study. In an analysis of watersheds throughout the western United States, researchers found that on average, streams see higher flows than expected for 6 years after a forest fire ravages the surrounding basin. Accompanying climate models show that this extra water partially offsets a decades-long deficit in streamflow. … ” Read more from EOS here: Forest fires could boost Western US water supplies

As drought lingers, larger and more destructive wildfires pose new threats to water supply

“Already diminished by drought and extreme heat, California’s water supply will face yet another peril as wildfires continue to incinerate ever larger areas of forested land, according to new research. In a UCLA-led study published Monday in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers determined that increasing forest fire activity is “unhinging” western U.S. stream flow from its historical predictability. In areas where more than a fifth of the forest had burned, stream flow increased by an average of 30% for six years after the fire. … ” Continue reading at the LA Times here: As drought lingers, larger and more destructive wildfires pose new threats to water supply

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In commentary this week …

Dan Walters: Water crisis demands action, not a new commission

“As severe recession wracked California 13 years ago, it revealed a serious flaw in the state government’s revenue system. .. The syndrome was called “volatility” and then-Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and state legislators agreed that it needed a fix. But rather than act decisively, they did what politicians often do when faced with seemingly intractable issues — appoint a “blue ribbon commission” to come up with solutions. … This bit of recent history is offered to place Senate Bill 1219 in context. Introduced this month by Sen. Melissa Hurtado, a Sanger Democrat, it would create a blue ribbon commission, composed of bureaucrats and political appointees, to recommend ways to restructure the state’s agencies that purport to manage water and dissolve the state’s chief water agency, the Water Resources Control Board. … ” Read the full commentary at Cal Matters here: Water crisis demands action, not a new commission

Byzantine water laws will leave Californians high and dry

Richard Frank, professor of environmental practice at the UC Davis School of Law and Holly Doremus, professor of environmental regulation at UC Berkeley School of Law, write, “It’s been said that California is confronting a 21^st century water crisis armed with 20^th century infrastructure and 19^th century laws. That’s indisputably true. California’s water rights system was created in the latter half of the 1800s. It has changed surprisingly little since then. In a state that prides itself on environmental innovation, it’s alarming that California’s calcified water rights system is out of sync with current needs. That’s especially problematic in light of the linked phenomena of climate change and drought. ... ” Continue reading at Cal Matters here: Byzantine water laws will leave Californians high and dry

West’s historic drought demands action from state, national leaders

The Las Vegas Sun editorial board writes, “New scientific research puts the severity of the Western drought into stark perspective and serves as a red-alert warning about the needs to address climate change and water insecurity. Recently, a research team led by UCLA environmental scientist Park Williams concluded that the West’s current 22-year drought is the worst the region has experienced in at least 1,200 years, and quite possibly longer. More troubling yet, this current drought is being driven significantly by a factor that wasn’t involved in the other dry periods — human-caused climate change. That means the current conditions stand to only get worse, perpetually, unless we change. … ” Read more from the Las Vegas Sun here: West’s historic drought demands action from state, national leaders

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In regional water news this week …

What happens when wildfire devastates a ski resort? The industry is watching Sierra-at-Tahoe to find out

“Preacher’s Passion, Sugar N’ Spice, Hemlock – each of Sierra-at-Tahoe’s ski runs sat covered in snow and glistening on the windless, bluebird-sky morning. Someone even groomed Lower Main. Yet the runs were ghostly silent, devoid of skiers — and lined by thousands of ashen trees. … Nearly six months after the Caldor Fire tore through Sierra-at-Tahoe, damaging about 80% of the vegetation on its ski slopes, the resort is battling supply chain issues, fickle weather and the nearing advent of spring as its operators try to salvage what’s left of the ski season. Chief among those hurdles is a problem new to California ski resorts: how to bounce back when flames ravage its most beloved feature, the forest. … ” Read more from the San Jose Mercury News here: What happens when wildfire devastates a ski resort? The industry is watching Sierra-at-Tahoe to find out

Sacramento Valley: Aqualliance files groundwater lawsuits against three area subbasins

“Aqualliance has filed lawsuits against three groundwater sustainability plans, filed by local agencies. The group is dedicated to challenging threats to the Sacramento River watershed. The lawsuits target the Butte, Colusa and Vina subbasins’ Groundwater Sustainability Plans. The California Sportfishing Protection Alliance and the California Water Impact Network are co-plaintiffs. … ” Read more from Action News Now here: Aqualliance files groundwater lawsuits against three area subbasins

Modesto Irrigation District sets water allotment and lets farmers share supply amid yet another drought

“The Modesto Irrigation District will deliver about 60% of its usual water this year because of the persistent drought. The district board voted 5-0 Tuesday morning for this allotment from the Tuolumne River. It affects about 58,000 acres of farmland, as well as a treatment plant that eases reliance on groundwater in Modesto and a few other towns. MID is in relatively good shape as California’s drought enters its third year. The Turlock Irrigation District, which also diverts from the Tuolumne, has not yet set a 2022 allotment for its nearly 150,000 acres. ... ” Continue reading at the Modesto Bee here: Modesto Irrigation District sets water allotment and lets farmers share supply amid yet another drought

Grayson residents get their hands dirty for next phase of riverside forest restoration

“A new phase of river restoration launched Saturday with help from people in nearby Grayson. They planted native trees and brush in an area that will augment work already done at Dos Rios Ranch, just to the northeast. The nonprofit River Partners hopes that mimicking natural floodplain can aid wildlife while buffering high flows where the Tuolumne and San Joaquin meet. The new 285-acre project is notable also because it is much closer to a town than any other part of the total 2,400 acres. Grayson is just a few hundred feet away as the crow flies, and someday a trail might provide easy access. ... ” Read more from the Modesto Bee here: Grayson residents get their hands dirty for next phase of riverside forest restoration

Ridgecrest: Water District wants better overdraft data from Groundwater Authority

“Of the roughly 110 minutes of the open session at the Indian Wells Valley Water District board meeting on Monday, February 14, almost 30 minutes was spent discussing water level data from the Indian Wells Valley Groundwater Authority. The Water District is responsible for supplying IWV customers with water, while the IWVGA is responsible for developing a groundwater sustainability plan for the valley. According to members of the Water District’s board of directors, the IWVGA is not doing enough to provide accurate data for knowing how much water is coming in and going out of the IWV groundwater basin. … ” Read more from the Ridgecrest Independent here: Ridgecrest: Water District wants better overdraft data from Groundwater Authority

Poseidon vows 100% clean energy for desalination plant in Huntington Beach

“As Poseidon Water gears up for next month’s final permit hearings on its controversial Huntington Beach desalination proposal, the company signed a non-binding agreement Tuesday, Feb. 22, recognizing a “goal” of 100% clean energy for the massive power needs of the plant. The surge of new greenhouse gases resulting from those needs is among numerous objections to the operation, and opponents remain skeptical Poseidon will follow through with its 100% clean energy promise. The language of the memorandum of understanding signed by Poseidon and Orange County Power Authority officials speaks in tentative terms, saying that Poseidon will pursue an “investigation of a 100% renewable energy product.” Opponents want an irrevocable legal document instead. … ” Read more from the OC Register here: Poseidon vows 100% clean energy for desalination plant in Huntington Beach

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