A wrap-up of posts published on Maven’s Notebook this week …
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This week’s featured articles …
CA WATER COMMISSION: DWR’s Climate Action Plan and forecast improvements to adapt to climate change
At the February meeting of the California Water Commission, the commissioners began their 2022 State Water Project review by hearing a series of presentations on how the Department of Water Resources (DWR) is adapting its planning and operations to prepare for climate extremes.
The first presentation was by John Andrew, DWR’s Deputy Director for Climate Resilience, who provided context for the following presentations by briefly reviewing the Department’s Climate Action Plan. Next, state climatologist Michael Anderson detailed the work underway to improve the forecasting to account for the climate change impacts the state has been experiencing.
Click here to read this article.
CA WATER COMMISSION: State Water Project Delivery Reliability Report; Planning for a dry 2022
At the February meeting of the California Water Commission, the commissioners began their 2022 State Water Project review by hearing a series of presentations on how the Department of Water Resources (DWR) is adapting its planning and operations to prepare for climate extremes.
In this post, Andrew Schwarz, State Water Project Climate Action Advisor with the Department of Water Resources, discussed how the State Water Project Delivery Capability Report is being updated to incorporate climate change. He was followed by John Yarbrough, Assistant Deputy Director of the State Water Project, who discussed the Department’s drought planning for 2022.
RISING VOICES: Where does it go? Water allocations & algae blooms in the San Francisco Bay-Delta Estuary
Each month, the Water Hub is checking in with advocates and organizers in California to talk about the water issues impacting local communities and to also expand the visibility of leaders in California’s water and environmental justice movement. In this March issue, we spoke with Restore the Delta’s Science Coordinator, Spencer Fern, and Policy Analyst, Tim Stroshane, about the Sacramento–San Joaquin River Delta, and how water gets moved around (or not) in California.Click here to read this article.
Forecasts, runoff, precipitation, and snowpack conditions for March 10, 2022
The Department of Water Resources finished the March 8, 2022 Bulletin 120 (B120) forecast update. The forecast includes observed conditions through the morning of March 8, 2022.
Click here to read this article.
In California water news this week …
State, local leaders urge residents to conserve water amid a worsening drought in California
“The last time Sacramento saw measurable rainfall was Jan. 7 – that is more than two months ago – and a sign of California’s ongoing drought. Officials say this January, February and March, so far, have been the driest months in California history. That is why local and state leaders want all of us to conserve water right now. “Our work has just begun when it comes to conservation,” Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg said during a press conference Thursday afternoon. … ” Read more from KCRA here: State, local leaders urge residents to conserve water amid a worsening drought in California
Drought, water cutbacks take financial toll on Central Valley farmers: ‘It’s getting worse’
“California’s prolonged drought became dire last year as the state experienced the second-driest two-year period on record, costing the agricultural industry $1.1 billion in revenue loss and leading to the elimination of an estimated 8,745 jobs, according to a new report. Researchers from the UC Merced Water Systems Management Lab attributed the revenue losses to drastically reduced water rations, which led farmers to increase the acreage of fallowed land, cut down on labor costs and increase their reliance on groundwater pumping, according to a February report prepared for the California Department of Food and Agriculture. They expect those conditions — and the subsequent costs it’s imparting on farmworkers — will only grow worse in the year to come. … ” Read more from the the Fresno Bee here: Drought, water cutbacks take financial toll on Central Valley farmers: ‘It’s getting worse’
Causes and consequences of epic Western US drought
“Some of you may have been following the news about the drought in the Western United States and probably saw headlines about a study finding that the last 22 years have been the driest in the Western U.S. in at least the previous 1,200 years. It says “at least” because that is how far back the reconstructed data goes. It could be longer. Let’s unpack what is in that research to catch up with the state of the current drought, to analyze how it relates to California’s Central Valley, and to see what we can expect from another year of drought. … ” Continue reading from the Union of Concerned Scientists here: Causes and consequences of epic Western US drought
Lawmakers push for more flexible water operations
“U.S. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy and other California Republicans are urging the Bureau of Reclamation and state Department of Water Resources to seek more flexibility in their operations to store more water upstream during the severe drought. The lawmakers want the agencies to submit a Temporary Urgency Change Petition to the State Water Resources Control Board so they can lower operational requirements over the next several months. The agencies submitted such a petition this fall but withdrew it after December’s rains. … ” Read more from the Western Farm Press here: Lawmakers push for more flexible water operations
Feds not giving “fair share” of water to all contractors, some say
“In California’s byzantine water world, some water districts are, apparently, more equal than others, to paraphrase George Orwell. That appears to be the case in the federally operated Central Valley Project, particularly when it comes to two main sets of water districts: the San Joaquin River Exchange Contractors and the Friant Contractors. On Feb. 27, the Bureau of Reclamation, which determines annual water allocations for those contractors, announced it would deliver only 15% of Friant members’ contracted amounts even though the snowpack in that watershed appears to be able to support at least 40% of Friant contracts, according to Friant managers. That’s not fair, Friant contractors complained. … ” Read more from SJV Water here: Feds not giving “fair share” of water to all contractors, some say
Kings County judge orders both sides to neutral corners in Boswell-Vidovich ditch bank battle
“Heavy equipment blockading a pipeline project from cutting through a canal was ordered removed on Friday and the pipeline project was halted temporarily by a Kings County Superior Court judge. The fight between the Tulare Lake Canal Company, controlled by the J.G. Boswell Company, and Sandridge Partners, controlled by John Vidovich, will be back in court March 23 where Judge Valerie Chrissakis will decide whether the Sandridge pipeline is subject to review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). If so, it would mean the pipeline would have to undergo a full blown environmental impact report, including multiple public hearings. … ” Read more from SJV Water here: Kings County judge orders both sides to neutral corners in Boswell-Vidovich ditch bank battle
Groundwater management and drought: An interview with the San Joaquin Valley Partnership
“As California continues to experience historic drought conditions with less available snowpack and precipitation, groundwater basins are being more heavily relied on for water supply needs throughout the state. Groundwater serves as a critical resource for many different industries and uses, including farms, urban and rural communities, and ecosystems in California. This increased reliance on groundwater over the past several decades has resulted in the lowering of groundwater levels in some areas, more wells being installed, and the deepening of wells to reach available groundwater during extended dry periods. Managing and protecting groundwater is especially important as over 80% of Californians depend on groundwater for some portion of their water supply and some communities rely entirely on groundwater for drinking water. … ” Continue reading from DWR News here: Groundwater management and drought: An interview with the San Joaquin Valley Partnership
WhyGuy: Why are so many homes being built during a drought?
“Today’s Why Guy question comes in from Annette, who asks, “Just out of curiosity, why are there so many apartment, condos and homes being built when we are always in such a drought. I get it that California is growing and we need more homes. Rent or buying is just not affordable.” Annette, great question on a huge topic. Roughly 120,000 homes need to be built each year for the next eight years to meet the growing state housing demand, especially affordable homes. … ” Read more from Channel 10 here: WhyGuy: Why are so many homes being built during a drought?
Water board looks to raise fees again
“The State Water Resources Control Board has given an early forecast of fee increases for the next fiscal year based on current state budget projections. While spending is expected to change little, staff are hoping to reach a 5% fund reserve for water quality programs, which could translate to a 5% increase in Irrigated Lands fees and more in other programs. Water board fees have already risen about 130% over the past decade for some programs. Farm groups pushed back, arguing a third year of drought is not the time to build a reserve. … ” Read more from Agri-Pulse here: Water board looks to raise fees again
State provides $301 million in pandemic-related water utility debt relief for Californians
“Only six months after federal funding was authorized by the governor and state legislature to relieve pandemic–related water utility arrearages, the State Water Resources Control Board has provided over $301 million to drinking water systems for past–due bills, aiding over a half million Californians who experienced COVID–19 economic hardships. With 100% of the eligible drinking water debt requested by participating water systems now covered, the arrearages program has transitioned to covering pandemic–related debt for wastewater bills. … ” Read more from the State Water Board here: State provides $301 million in pandemic-related water utility debt relief for Californians
In commentary this week …
Learning about CA’s water rights is the first step to reform
Doug Obegi, Director for NRDC’s California River Restoration, writes, “Thankfully, there is a growing recognition of the need to reform California’s water rights system, which is deeply inequitable, unsustainable, and all but broken. The State has given out far more water rights than there is water in an average year (let alone during droughts), and unsustainable water diversions from our rivers, streams, and the Bay-Delta estuary are causing our native fish and wildlife species to collapse – threatening thousands of fishing jobs, Tribes, and communities that depend on their health, and in many cases leading to extinction. Over the past decade, in every critical dry year the State Water Resources Control Board has allowed the state and federal water projects to routinely violate the terms and conditions of their water rights that require compliance with water temperature standards protecting salmon and minimum water quality standards protecting not just fish and wildlife, but also farms and cities in the Delta. … ” Continue reading at the NRDC here: Learning about CA’s water rights is the first step to reform
It’s time to restore habitat for salmon runs, before it’s too late
John McManus, president of the Golden State Salmon Association, writes, “Last summer and fall the vast majority of juvenile endangered Sacramento River winter run Chinook salmon were killed by lethally hot river temperatures while a handful of agriculture operators got the lion’s share of available water. This was made possible by water rules established in the 19th century before salmon regularly faced threats from drought and overheated rivers. Many Sacramento River fall run salmon – the backbone of California’s billion-dollar salmon fishing industry – were also lost to hot water. So too were a significant number of threatened spring run salmon. A recent announcement from the federal Bureau of Reclamation suggests a repeat of the fish kills is likely again this year unless we do something different. … ” Read more from Cal Matters here: It’s time to restore habitat for salmon runs, before it’s too late
California must move forward with water projects
Bill Diedrich, president of the California Farm Water Coalition, writes, “Prior to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s State of the State speech, there is one item to examine that serves as a building block for all the issues the governor will address – water. Despite unexpected storms in late 2021, California is braced for another year of drought. The water we do have must move throughout the state by way of a complicated system of reservoirs, dams, canals, pipes and treatment plants. That movement is managed by an equally complicated network of federal, state and local officials. We can’t improve our water supply or get it to its destination without storage, conveyance and the management system functioning. And the success of all requires collaboration among water users and the state of California. … ” Read more from Cal Matters here: California must move forward with water projects
California has work to do to provide clean water for all
“On the 50th anniversary of the Clean Water Act, we should celebrate its successes. San Francisco has stopped the dumping of raw sewage into the Bay. Rivers no longer catch on fire due to flammable contaminants. Wildlife has returned to once abandoned estuaries and wetlands. California has made great strides in protecting our waters for swimming, fishing, and other human activities — in affluent areas. California’s disadvantaged and black and brown communities continue to deal with unacceptable and dramatic levels of water pollution. The sad truth is, 50 years after the enactment of the Clean Water Act, we simply have not taken pollution in disadvantaged communities as seriously as in affluent areas. … ” Read more from the San Jose Mercury News here: California has work to do to provide clean water for all
Commentary: SF Estuary/Delta needs long overdue protections from ballast water discharges
“CSPA, along with over a dozen other environmental organizations, recently signed on to a comment letter supporting limits on the discharge of ships’ ballast water into the Bay-Delta Estuary. The letter was sent to the San Francisco Estuary Partnership (SFEP) for consideration in the 2022-2027 San Francisco Estuary Blueprint. The comment letter calls out the failure of the Estuary Blueprint to address ballast water and to require actions to reduce the introduction of non-native species in ballast discharges. The San Francisco Bay/Delta ecosystem is generally recognized as one of the most invaded estuaries in the world. … ” Read more from the California Sportfishing Protection Alliance here: Commentary: SF Estuary/Delta needs long overdue protections from ballast water discharges
Dan Walters: Newsom paints rosy picture, ignores big issues
“California is a shining example of economic and social progress, a beacon to the rest of the nation and the rest of the world. Doubt it? It must be true because Gov. Gavin Newsom said it Tuesday in his fourth State of the State address, declaring, “now, in the midst of so much turmoil with stacking stresses and dramatic social and economic change, California is doing what we have done for generations, lighting out the territory ahead of the rest, expanding the horizon of what’s possible.” He called it “The California Way” and said it “means rejecting old binaries and finding new solutions to big problems … ” However, Newsom ignored many “big problems” as he portrayed a state on the cutting edge of virtually everything positive … a drought that threatens to devastate California’s agricultural industry and, in the longer run, clobber the entire economy. ... ” Continue reading at Cal Matters here: Dan Walters: Newsom paints rosy picture, ignores big issues
Evidence in: Marine protected areas can bring back California’s underwater stars
Meghan Hurley, a conservation associate with Environment California, writes, “Just like the night’s sky, California’s oceans hold galaxies. A colorful collection of purple, orange and red sea stars rest in the shallow water of tide pools. These ethereal creatures move using hundreds of tiny tube feet, which gives them the illusion of floating, or drifting. While these pools can provide us with the same awe as staring up into the constellations, the Pacific is losing its stars. In 2013, many sea stars – also known as starfish – along the Pacific Coast mysteriously began to waste away. Their usual plump shape deflated. They lost their arms. Within a matter of days, sea stars afflicted with this disease, which is called sea star wasting, died. They literally dissolved into the ocean, melting away without a trace. … ” Read more from the San Jose Mercury News here: Evidence in: Marine protected areas can bring back California’s underwater stars
Opinion: Wildfires, climate change put California forests at tipping point
Matt Dias, president and CEO of the California Forestry Association, and Julee Malinowski-Ball, executive director of the California Biomass Energy Alliance, write “The last two years have been California’s most destructive fire seasons. Thirty-six people lost their lives, and more than 14,000 structures were destroyed or damaged. In addition, more than 7.3 million acres burned in California, which is larger than all of Los Angeles, Orange, and San Diego counties combined. To put it simply, California’s forest lands are in crisis. Climate change is part of the problem. In six of the last 10 years, the state has been considered to be in a drought, with the 2020-21 rain season being the second driest in California history. The brush and trees are drier and more brittle with less rain, making them more susceptible to disease, insect infestations and fire. The lack of snowpack has allowed wildfires to burn longer and impact larger landscapes and communities. … ” Read more from the San Jose Mercury News here: Opinion: Wildfires, climate change put California forests at tipping point
In regional water news this week …
Allegations fly during federal Klamath Basin hearing
“A lot of changes are coming to the Klamath Basin and not everyone’s happy about them.At a virtual hearing of the House Natural Resources Committee hosted by Rep. Jared Huffman (D-San Rafael) on Tuesday, Rep. Tom McClintock (R-Elk Grove) accused the congressman, an official with the Department of the Interior, and members of the Yurok, Hoopa and Karuk tribes of being lying leftists for advocating for dam removal and the ecosystem-wide restoration of the basin. “These leftists are simply liars,” McClintock said. … ” Read more from the Eureka Times-Herald here: Allegations fly during federal Klamath Basin hearing
Company considering reopening gold rush-era mine in Grass Valley
“Modern life mingles with reminders of the California gold rush across Grass Valley. Rusty relics of once-thriving gold mines give silent testimony to the rich history upon which the city was built. … In its nearly 100 years of operation, the Idaho-Maryland Mine produced 2.4 million ounces of gold, which is 75 tons of high-grade gold. Some people believe there is more gold still down there. Ben Mossman, the CEO of Rise Gold, is one of those believers. His company bought the mine 2017. “This mine is a big deal,” Mossman told FOX40. “There’s very few deposits like this in the world.” … ” Read more from KTXL here: Company considering reopening gold rush-era mine in Grass Valley
Sonoma County regional water officials plan for ‘managing what we have now’
“Anyone seeking assurance, some small sign of hope, that talk of a third-year of drought was premature, didn’t find it at Sonoma Water’s drought town hall on Thursday night. Nor did they hear ominous warnings of reservoirs and wells running dry, or of water supplies running so low that hardship would result. Perhaps because we’ve been more often in drought than out of it over the past decade, speakers at the virtual meeting were instead matter-of-fact as they doled out data on the state of the region after 2 1/2 exceedingly dry months at a time heavy rain was needed to offset storage deficits lingering from last year and the year before. … ” Read more from the Santa Rosa Press Democrat here: Sonoma County regional water officials plan for ‘managing what we have now’
Flood control partnerships aim for a safer Sacramento
“In December 1861, as the Civil War raged in the Eastern U.S., the young city of Sacramento, California, was fighting its own battle — with raging floodwaters. The American River levee failed east of 30th Street, flooding what is now River Park and sweeping into the city. To relieve the flooding, city officials cut the levee at R and 5th Streets. Some of the flooding subsided, but houses were swept away in the current. As newly elected Governor Leland Stanford was rowed to the state capitol on January 10, 1862, through the waterlogged streets of downtown, he may have had choice words for the gold prospectors who founded Sacramento in the 1840s at the confluence of the Sacramento and American Rivers. Seemed like a good idea at the time, but with the economic opportunities came enormous challenges in navigation and flood control. … ” Read more from Stormwater Solutions here: Flood control partnerships aim for a safer Sacramento
Stockton coalition receives mosaic grant to develop “The People’s Water Plan”
“Restore the Delta and local coalition partners Little Manila Rising, Greenlining the Hood, Third City Coalition, and With Our Words have been awarded a 2022 Mosaic grant. The funds will help this coalition of Stockton-based organizations develop The People’s Water Plan. Combining communications, leadership development, advocacy, training, data gathering, the plan will empower environmental justice communities in Sacramento-San Joaquin Bay Delta, the largest estuary on the West Coast. The People’s Water Plan will develop curriculum materials including manuals, videos, and training programming with the aim to train 50+ BIPOC leaders in the region. … ” Read more from Restore the Delta here: Stockton coalition receives mosaic grant to develop “The People’s Water Plan”
San Joaquin company ruled liable for pesticide drift over Stockton sports complex, Lodi school
“A San Joaquin County pesticide spraying company was negligent on at least five occasions its helicopter pilots allowed the toxic chemicals to drift onto a Lodi school, children playing soccer in Stockton, a woman standing in her backyard in the Delta, and neighboring orchards, a judge ruled this week. Alpine Helicopter Service, Inc. violated the law when it carelessly released the harmful chemicals on at least five occasions between 2014 and 2020, according to the San Joaquin County District Attorney’s Office ... ” Read more from the Stockton Record here: San Joaquin company ruled liable for pesticide drift over Stockton sports complex, Lodi school
Tulare County to use mining pit to recharge aquifer with flood water
“… Working to reduce the long-term risks of natural disasters, the California Governor’s Office of Emergency of Services (Cal OES) announced last month it is applying for $250 million in federal funding for proactive projects preparing communities for emergencies instead of reacting to them. One project in Tulare County plans to reuse an excavated mining pit to recharge groundwater levels with floodwater, which would provide more water for irrigating crops and drinking water while also serving as a habitat for migratory birds. According to Cal OES, the project is requesting $16.27 million in federal funding for the nearly $23 million project. … ” Read more from the Foothills Sun-Gazette here: Tulare County to use mining pit to recharge aquifer with flood water
Dams out: Matilija Dam
“Matilija Dam, located in the Ventura River watershed on Matilija Creek north of Ojai, is a concrete arch dam built in 1947. Infamous for the scissors painted on the dam by graffiti artists in 2011 that have become an iconic symbol for dam removal, it was originally designed for water storage and flood control. The reservoir behind Matilija Dam is nearly completely clogged with sediment, significantly reducing storage capacity to the point that the dams is rendered non-functional. With no fish ladder or bypass structure present, it is a complete barrier to the migration of endangered Southern California steelhead. … ” Continue reading from Cal Trout here: Dams out: Matilija Dam
Los Angeles sues Monsanto over PCB water pollution
“The city of Los Angeles has entered the legal fray over banned polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs, joining other California cities in suing Monsanto on claims the chemicals have tainted city water sources. Although the toxic substance was banned in the U.S. 1979, the presence of PCBs has lingered in a variety of older products including electrical equipment, caulks, paints and sealants and — according to the city — continues making its way into rivers, lakes and streams. “The health and safety and environmental ramifications of PCBs, those are just jaw dropping,” said LA City Attorney Mike Feuer at a press conference Monday. “It is time for Monsanto to clean up and pay up.” … ” Read more from Courthouse News Service here: Los Angeles sues Monsanto over PCB water pollution
Doheny desalination plant easily wins first state approval
“A desalination plant proposed near Doheny State Beach was unanimously approved Wednesday, March 9, for the first of three necessary state permits, sailing through the San Diego Regional Water Control Board hearing in three hours with no major concerns raised by either the board or the public. That’s a sharp contrast to the regulatory scrutiny — and extensive public opposition — for Poseidon Water’s much larger desalination proposal up the coast in Huntington Beach, reflecting numerous differences between the two plans. Wednesday’s approval could signal a smooth regulatory path ahead for the Doheny project, proposed South Coast Water District. But the small district continues to seek financial partners among neighboring water agencies — and beyond — in order to bring down customer costs. … ” Read more from the OC Register here: Doheny desalination plant easily wins first state approval
Commentary: San Diego County rates will trend lower than MWD’s over time
“A recent commentary by the board presidents of the Fallbrook and Rainbow water districts included incomplete and misleading information about increases in future water rates in San Diego County. Contrary to their assertion of a 50% increase over five years, the San Diego County Water Authority’s board has not set rates for future years. At the wholesale level, rate setting is done one year at a time and the process is just starting for 2023. As part of our financial due diligence that helps maintain strong credit ratings, we forecast a range of possible future rates while we work with our partners to maintain our infrastructure and minimize financial impacts on ratepayers. … ” Read more from the Times of San Diego here: Commentary: San Diego County rates will trend lower than MWD’s over time
Weekly features …
BLOG ROUND-UP: California needs water law reform; No Delta (tunnel) conveyance without building Sites Reservoir; The constant threat against California’s human right to water; and more ….
Click here to read the blog round-up.
Announcements, notices, and funding opportunities …
NOTICE: Better Water Use Data in the Delta Support Better Water Management Decisions
NOTICE: McMullin Area GSA’s Kings River petition assigned to Administrative Hearings Office
NOTICE: Temporary Water Right Application T033282 – Madera County
CAMT: Assessment of Reviews of Long-term Monitoring Programs and Objectives
SAVE THE DATE: Delta Salinity Management Workshop April 26-27
OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT: Notice of Proposed Basin Plan Amendment on Climate Change and Aquatic Habitat Protection, Management, and Restoration
WATER PLAN eNEWS: ~~ Climate Studies~ Land Repurposing~ Action Plan~ Climate-Smart Commodities~ DSC Report~ Drought Workplan~ Basin Benefits ~~
DELTA eNEWS: ~~ Heritage Area~ DPIIC Meeting~ Island Workshop~ Science Workshop~ Dashboard Updates ~~
