On the calendar today …
- PUBLIC WORKSHOP: Proposed Drought Emergency Regulation for the Russian River Watershed beginning at 1:30pm. The State Water Resources Control Board Division of Water Rights is considering the readoption of an emergency regulation to curtail water rights in the Russian River watershed. The revised emergency regulation features four primary changes: (1) a refined water availability methodology for the Russian River Watershed; (2) protect water for fish habitat in Lower Russian River tributaries; (3) support for a voluntary conservation program that would work in parallel with curtailments; and (4) improved administration of curtailments and exceptions across watersheds. Additionally, the final draft regulation will include incidental updates to regulation sections pertaining to other watersheds resulting from proposed renumbering. Attend in person or by Zoom. Click here for the full workshop notice.
In California water news today …
A taste of April amelioration? Recurving West Pacific typhoon may help direct some substantial late-season precip to parts of NorCal, though SoCal remains dry
Dr. Daniel Swain writes, “It has been an extraordinary start to the calendar year in California from a weather and climate perspective, and not in a good way. Precipitation has been so low that it has shattered all previous records for low Jan – mid-April precipitation virtually everywhere in northern and central California, and therefore also on a statewide basis. Additionally, periods of record heat have pushed up average temperatures during the period to very high levels relative to the historical record–many parts of CA have also experienced a top-5 warmest start to the calendar year on record in addition to the low precipitation records. As a result, Sierra Nevada snowpack has plummeted at a record rate–briefly falling as low as 22% of average for the date on a statewide basis. … Multi-model ensembles have now converged on a North Pacific weather set-up that will favor wet conditions over the northern third of California for the next 7-10 days. … ” Read more at Weather West here: A taste of April amelioration? Recurving West Pacific typhoon may help direct some substantial late-season precip to parts of NorCal, though SoCal remains dry
Experts stress water conservation in light of California drought
“As California’s severe water drought continues to intensify, water conservation efforts are vital in repairing the damages. For those who have been living in California, it may seem like the state has been in a forever drought. With constant reminders to conserve water, why are we still struggling? According to the State Water Resources Control Board Member, James Nachbaur, most of the water we use goes to landscaping. … ” Continue reading from USC Annenberg Media here: Experts stress water conservation in light of California drought
‘More significant land fallowing’ expected this year with ongoing drought
“With drought conditions rivaling those experienced in 2015, there are expectations for further agricultural land fallowing this year. As of April 13, the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) shows the statewide snowpack at just 23 percent of average. DWR Director Karla Nemeth noted that California’s current water situation has created some difficult circumstances for both rural and urban areas. Water allocations have been drastically curtailed with more action expected in the coming months to affect urban water users as well. … ” Read more from Ag Net West here: ‘More significant land fallowing’ expected this year with ongoing drought
PPIC policy brief: Drought and California’s agriculture
“California’s agricultural sector—the nation’s largest—generates more than $50 billion dollars in annual revenue and employs more than 420,000 people. The ongoing drought is reducing water availability and increasing crop water demands, taking a toll on agriculture and related sectors. Economic impacts of the drought in 2021 were modest statewide, but more costly in the Sacramento and North Coast regions. Dry conditions will persist in 2022, increasing impacts. Addressing the negative impacts of pumping, accelerating water demand management, and improving storage would increase agriculture’s resilience.” Read the full policy brief from the PPIC here: PPIC policy brief: Drought and California’s agriculture
Metropolitan Water District votes to fund Sites Reservoir Project
“The board of the Metropolitan Water District (MWD), the main water wholesaler in Southern California, voted today to fund the next phase of planning for the controversial Sites Reservoir with $20 million of ratepayer money. If built, Sites Reservoir would be located on the west side of the Sacramento Valley, approximately 10 miles west of Maxwell, Calif., in Glenn and Colusa Counties. The vote by the MWD was 54.66% in favor of the project. The board members voting “no” or abstaining were Cordero, Luna, Ortega, Phan, Quinn, Ramos, Sutley Abstain- Fong Sakai, Miller and Smith. ... ” Read more from the Daily Kos here: Metropolitan Water District of Southern California Votes to Fund Sites Reservoir Project
Can hunting survive in California? And if it can’t, who’s going to pay to conserve the state’s wildlife and habitat?
“The list of obstacles looming before Golden State hunters reads like a doomsday letter: Megafires close millions of acres of forest during deer season and consume precious quail habitat; urban sprawl eats up increasingly large sections of wild land; drought turns reservoirs to puddles and puddles to cracked earth; duck populations struggle and deer numbers plummet; predator populations expand; ammunition becomes harder to find and much more complicated to purchase; and the possibility of a ballot initiative banning hunting lingers in a state with 63 percent fewer hunters than it had 50 years ago. Ask any hunter in California if hunting in the state could ever cease to exist, and you’ll hear answers ranging from “Yes, absolutely” to “Not a chance.” … ” Read the full article at Outdoor Life here: Can hunting survive in California? And if it can’t, who’s going to pay to conserve the state’s wildlife and habitat?
Photo tour: The wildlife refuges of California
“No wonder California is called the Golden State. Look at that burst of natural light through the clouds over Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge above. The refuge, just minutes from the world headquarters of Google, Facebook and other high-tech giants, offers a variety of wildlife-related recreation opportunities, including 30 miles of walking trails. It’s a great place to visit year-round. Don Edwards San Francisco Bay is one of three dozen national wildlife refuges managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in California. The refuges are land and water set aside for fish, wildlife, plants and, ultimately, people. Please join us on a brief photographic tour of a few of them. … ” Continue reading at the US FWS here: The wildlife refuges of California
Drought threatens the future of hydropower
” … If Lake Mead’s end-of-2022-year elevation is at or below 1,075 feet, Lake Mead will operate in a shortage condition in the upcoming year. As of February, Lake Mead, which provides the dam water, was sitting at an elevation of 325 meters. The dam is expected to stop producing power at around 289.56 meters. The dam, home to one of the largest hydropower plants in the country, supplying power to around 1.3 million people in Nevada, Arizona, and California, is not alone in its struggle to produce electricity. According to the United States Bureau of Reclamation (USBR), many other dams affected by drought are seeing similar effects. With the likelihood of a hydropower crisis in the coming decade, climate change adaptation strategies are now necessary to keep the water flowing. … ” Read the full story at Clean Technica here: Drought threatens the future of hydropower
Fighting future fires
“Climate change threatens communities around the world with the promise of more floods, drought, extreme heat, hurricanes – and wildfire. As these events increase in frequency, they will add new pressures to the federal budget. The Forest Service has already taken proactive steps to mitigate some of these impacts. The agency recently established a Wildfire Crisis Strategy to increase hazardous fuels and forest health treatments up to four times in the West. The agency estimates that a total of 50 million acres nationwide – in addition to what it currently treats each year – need similar treatments. Of those 50 million acres, 20 million are on national forests and grasslands. … ” Continue reading from the US Forest Service here: Fighting future fires
Foresters, scientists discuss need for prescribed fires this spring
“People at Calaveras Big Trees State Park, working with state and federal partners like Cal Fire and the Forest Service, have ambitious plans to do prescribed burns on more than 1,300 acres of overgrown understory and old growth forest lands this spring, in an effort to save endangered, fire-threatened monarch giant sequoias and to prompt reproduction of the rare giant trees. They talked about it Thursday night in a public town hall meeting near the Big Trees park entrance east of Arnold, and the weather-related, drought-related variables they anticipate are the same or closely similar to the challenges burn bosses will face if they do any controlled burning this spring up and down the Stanislaus National Forest and anywhere else in Calaveras and Tuolumne counties. … ” Read more from the Union Democrat here: Foresters, scientists discuss need for prescribed fires this spring
Battle over carbon capture as tool to fight climate change
” … There are several carbon capture and storage projects proposed or in the works throughout the U.S., including in Louisiana, Texas, Minnesota, Michigan, Iowa and California. Companies behind them maintain they can successfully remove carbon from the air to reduce pollution, then safely transport and store the carbon underground — or do both. In some cases, oil and gas companies are banking on this new technology to either help build new profit centers, such as plants that make hydrogen, or extend the lifespan of their fossil fuel facilities. … ” Read the full story at US News & World Report here: Battle over carbon capture as tool to fight climate change
Today’s featured article …
ESTUARY NEWS: Atmospheric Rivers Intensifying as World Warms: How the West Will Know What’s Coming?
Article written by Robin Meadows, Estuary News
In just a few years, tracking the West Coast’s atmospheric rivers by airplane has gone from what one hydrologist called “really-wild-eyed stuff” to a Congressionally-funded operation. This Atmospheric River Reconnaissance program, which wrapped up its latest season in March, monitors these increasingly powerful storms as they shoot across the Pacific Ocean and delivers real-time data to National Weather Service forecasters. Knowing when, where and how hard atmospheric rivers will hit is vital to ensuring water supplies and avoiding floods.
“California can swing from 20 inches to 60 inches of rainfall per year,” says Atmospheric River Reconnaissance lead Marty Ralph, a research meteorologist at Scripps Institution of Oceanography. “We’re very different from the rest of the country — that’s why we need a special program.”
Click here to continue reading this story.
SCIENCE IN SHORT PODCAST: Daylighting Delta Data
Scientist Sam Bashevkin spends his time making the millions of data points collected by Delta researchers — where the fish are, how fast the water is flowing, what’s the salinity on a certain day and time on a particular river bend — more accessible and useful to the other scientists and managers. In this 14-minute Science in Short interview with the Estuary News Group’s Ashleigh Papp, Bashevkin talks about the challenges and rewards of his work in data science for the Delta Stewardship Council, and how he’s applied his skills to complex data sets on everything from endangered fish to drought. “It’s really a form of storytelling,” he says.
Click here to listen to podcast.
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In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
Story map: Wetlands, Waterbirds, and Water: A visual journey through a century of change
“Centuries ago the Klamath, Modoc, and Yahooskin tribes lived along the lakes, rivers, and rich wetlands of the Upper Klamath Basin. They lived off what the land provided. The Williamson, Sprague, and Lost Rivers brought tens of thousands of C’waam and Koptu (Lost River and shortnose sucker fish) to Upper Klamath Lake. Millions of waterbirds filled the sky, lakes, and wetlands. Deer, antelope, and jackrabbits roamed the land. Thick patches of tules and wokas filled the marshes. It was a land of plenty for hunting, fishing, and gathering. Water was abundant. Life was good. … ” View story map here: Wetlands, Waterbirds, and Water: A visual journey through a century of change
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
PG&E Canyon Dam maintenance project requires closure of Highway 89 day-use area
“Pacific Gas and Electric Company will perform maintenance on a water channel at the bottom of Canyon Dam this summer. While the work is underway, PG&E’s Canyon Dam Day-Use Area will be closed and PG&E’s contractor will use a pipe bypass system to pump water from Lake Almanor over the dam spillway and into the North Fork Feather River below. … ” Read more from Plumas County News here: PG&E Canyon Dam maintenance project requires closure of Highway 89 day-use area
Commentary: Nevada Irrigation District committed to community and Plan for Water process
Jennifer Hanson writes, “As general manager of the Nevada Irrigation District, I would like to address recent concerns expressed regarding the integrity of the district’s Plan for Water process. The Plan for Water process, underway now, is intended to be a comprehensive analysis of the district’s water needs for the next 50 years. I am personally and professionally committed to ensuring the process is based on facts, data and science. Political opinions will always exist in government-based policy making and as such, my role as the general manager is to ensure the Plan for Water process is based on a balanced framework that is a multidimensional and integrates the consideration of water reliability, fiscal sustainability, and environmental stewardship equally. … ” Continue reading at The Union here: Commentary: Nevada Irrigation District committed to community and Plan for Water process
Public gets involved in Upper Truckee Restoration Project
“California State Parks is thanking the public after several well-attended scoping meetings for the proposed Upper Truckee River Restoration and Golf Course Reconfiguration project. In January, February and March, the public was invited to attend multiple scoping meetings that were hosted by both parks and the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency. The purpose of these meetings was to gather information about the extent and depth of the analysis to be conducted for the California Environmental Quality Act environmental impact review/TRPA environmental impact study for the project. “We had a great turnout from the community and the input received is important to informing the environmental impact analysis,” said Matt Trask, of ECORP Consulting, in a news release. … ” Read more from the Tahoe Daily Tribune here: Public gets involved in Upper Truckee Restoration Project
Sisolak praises Clean Up The Lake for trash collection efforts at Tahoe
“As Clean Up The Lake nears completion of their 72-mile project, Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak joined the crew on Monday to thank them for their progress thus far. On Monday, April 11, Sisolak joined officials from the Nevada Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, along with staff and volunteers from CUTL and project sponsors Tahoe Fund and Tahoe Blue Vodka, at Nevada’s Sand Harbor State Park to celebrate the historic initiative to remove underwater trash and debris from nearshore areas across the entire Nevada side of Lake Tahoe. … ” Read more from the Tahoe Daily Tribune here: Sisolak praises Clean Up The Lake for trash collection efforts at Tahoe
Fresh snow in Tahoe helps ski season end on high note
“Weather that brought light rain to the Bay Area delivered below-freezing temperatures and several inches of fresh snow to Lake Tahoe — a welcome dusting at the tail-end of another dry winter in Northern California. On Monday and Tuesday, 5-9 inches of fresh snow fell on the upper mountains at Tahoe’s major ski areas, according to figures compiled by mountain weather forecaster OpenSnow. More snow is expected to blow in beginning Wednesday night and extending, on and off, through early Saturday. ... ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle here: Fresh snow in Tahoe helps ski season end on high note
South Lake Tahoe’s bone-chilling temperatures just broke a 21-year-old record
“California’s mid-April wintry weather brought chilly temperatures across the region — even breaking some records — and more showers were expected Wednesday night. The weather marks a dramatic shift from last week for the Bay Area. While last Thursday brought record highs, this week brought record lows — South Lake Tahoe’s Wednesday morning low of 7 degrees broke the previous record of 13 degrees set in 2001, according to the National Weather Service. … ” Continue reading at the San Francisco Chronicle here: South Lake Tahoe’s bone-chilling temperatures just broke a 21-year-old record
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
Sacramento property owners will soon pay higher stormwater fees after approving ballot measure
“Sacramento property owners will soon spend more on their city stormwater fee bills. About 52% of property owners in a mail-in election approved a measure allowing the fee increase, Utilities Director Bill Busath told the City Council at its meeting Tuesday. “You did this well,” Mayor Darrell Steinberg told Busath Tuesday. “You took it to the people in the right way and you’re delivering infrastructure, a lot of jobs, and it will be good for a lot of generations to come.” ... ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee here: Sacramento property owners will soon pay higher stormwater fees after approving ballot measure
Sacramento sues contractor over water meter installation. Here’s what city claims
“The city of Sacramento filed a lawsuit Wednesday against Teichert Construction Company alleging fraudulent billing for its work to install water meters across the city. “The city’s lawsuit contends that Teichert used improper construction materials and methods, that its work did not meet contract specifications and that Teichert billed the city for materials and labor not used in its work,” according to a city news release Wednesday. “It is unfortunate that Teichert decided to cut corners and misrepresent its work to the city,” City Attorney Susana Alcala Wood said in the release. “By filing this lawsuit, the city is holding Teichert accountable for violating its contract and for depriving ratepayers of materials and services they paid for.” … ” Read more at the Sacramento Bee here: Sacramento sues contractor over water meter installation. Here’s what city claims
NAPA/SONOMA
State of the salt marshes: Since completion in 2016, Napa River Salt Marsh Restoration Project tracks steady progress
“Nearly six years after restoration construction was completed at the former Cargill salt ponds in Napa, the previously industrialized marshes are alive with wildlife activity. The wind whipping across San Pablo Bay doesn’t stop the rabbits, ducks and other resilient species from foraging through the exposed mud and relying on the tides for their livelihood. While the project is far from being deemed a complete success, these critters and their continued presence are a clear indicator for California Department of Fish and Wildlife staff that their efforts are, to some degree, working. … ” Read more from the Napa Register here: State of the salt marshes: Since completion in 2016, Napa River Salt Marsh Restoration Project tracks steady progress
BAY AREA
Heat wave rocks Bay Area, leads to significant CA snowpack losses
“Along with other Bay Area cities, Berkeley experienced a significant heat wave last week as temperatures rose into the upper 80s and low 90s degrees Fahrenheit across the Bay Area on Thursday. According to campus biometeorology professor Dennis Baldocchi, a high-pressure system over the western United States causes air to heat up and diverge toward the coast. Last week, the high-pressure system was far enough inland that coastal cities did not experience the typical cooling effects of ocean proximity, a mechanism that typically explains why Bay Area heat spells in September and October, according to Baldocchi. ... ” Read more from the Daily Californian here: Heat wave rocks Bay Area, leads to significant CA snowpack losses
Cluster of S.F. Bay Area showers could slow the start of fire season
“This week’s on-and-off rain showers are not only bringing much-needed moisture to the parched Bay Area, they could even delay the start of fire season, according to the National Weather Service. While the storms expected to pass through Northern California this week are all expected to be relatively small — dropping only around a quarter of an inch of rain through most parts of the Bay Area — taken together, the storms will likely bring enough moisture slow the start of fire season, said Matt Mehle, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle here: Cluster of S.F. Bay Area showers could slow the start of fire season
Proposed stormwater fee not approved by Vallejo property owners
“The Vallejo Flood & Wastewater District announced Tuesday that the proposed stormwater fee for Vallejo property owners did not pass the vote. The fee increase was put forward to help cover the cost of providing flood protection, improve water quality in local creeks and lakes with trash removal, and other projects that are required under California and federal laws. Most Vallejo residents have not seen an increase to their $1.97 per month stormwater fee in 25 years. ... ” Read more from the Vallejo Times-Herald here: Proposed stormwater fee not approved by Vallejo property owners
San Jose City Council votes to oppose water district measure to extend term limits, calling it deceptive
“In an unusual move, the San Jose City Council has voted to formally oppose a measure on the June ballot in Santa Clara County that would extend term limits for board members of the region’s largest water provider, the Santa Clara Valley Water District. By a 7-3 vote late Tuesday, the council passed a resolution urging a no vote and calling on other cities in the area to also oppose it. Multiple San Jose city council members said the proposal, Measure A, uses misleading wording in a deliberate attempt to trick voters into believing they are limiting the water district board members’ terms, when it in fact would allow them to serve longer than they can now. Several members blasted the water district for spending $3.2 million to place it on the ballot at at time when the agency has been raising water rates and buying water at high prices to reduce shortages in the drought. … ” Read more from the San Jose Mercury News here: San Jose City Council votes to oppose water district measure to extend term limits, calling it deceptive
Stantec helps California wastewater authority expand treatment capacity
“Engineering, architecture and design firm Stantec is assisting the South County Regional Wastewater Authority (SCRWA) to expand its existing wastewater treatment plant near Gilroy, California, with the design of a new membrane bioreactor facility. The new facility will add additional capacity of 2.5 million gallons per day (MGD) to the existing plant’s 8.5 MGD wastewater treatment, allowing for long-term growth in the cities of Gilroy and Morgan Hill. … ” Read more from Water Finance & Management here: Stantec helps California wastewater authority expand treatment capacity
CENTRAL COAST
Private well data needed for Adelaida groundwater study
“For years, residents of the Adelaida region near Paso Robles have asked for help protecting their fragile water supply. Now, officials with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) are asking the community for its help to accomplish that. As part of a five-year study of the relatively unknown groundwater area west of Highway 101 between Paso and Atascadero—where irrigated vineyards have proliferated in recent years—the USGS is setting out to build a new groundwater monitoring network of about 30 wells. But it needs private landowners’ help to do it. … ” Continue reading at New Times SLO here: Private well data needed for Adelaida groundwater study
Community meeting for the Adelaida area groundwater study
“The San Luis Obispo County Flood Control and Water Conservation District is coordinating with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the Upper Salinas-Las Tablas Resource Conservation District (RCD) on the next phase of the Adelaida Hydrogeological Study, west of the City of Paso Robles. The goal of this study is to provide a better understanding of the groundwater conditions in the Adelaida area so that informed decisions can be made about managing local water resources. … ” Read more from the County of San Luis Obispo here: Community meeting for the Adelaida area groundwater study
Montecito Water Part 2: Recycling revisited
“Beginning in 2016, when Montecito was under rationing and a group of wealthy residents started funding a shakeup of the water board, the challengers running for office promised to bring water recycling to the community in the drought. … Today, recycled water is still not on the drawing board in the affluent community of one-acre lots, large estates, and luxury golf courses. Now, the Montecito water and sanitary districts are splitting the $440,000 cost of a water recycling study — the second such study in four years — to find out whether their neighbors could help them treat the community’s wastewater supply so that it can be reused for irrigation or for drinking. They are exploring whether Montecito could inject its treated wastewater into the large groundwater basin that underlies the Carpinteria Valley groundwater basin or deliver it directly into Santa Barbara’s drinking water reservoirs. Both options would be years away. … ” Read more from the Santa Barbara Independent here: Montecito Water Part 2: Recycling revisited
From drought to downpours, climate change is pushing Ventura County toward greater, and more dangerous, extremes
“Ventura County is warming faster than any other county in the continental United States, according to data compiled by the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (1). The county has warmed 4.75 degrees Fahrenheit since 1895, which is about a half a degree warmer than either Los Angeles or Santa Barbara counties, and one degree hotter than the global average of warming that will be catastrophic around the world, according to climate scientists. To meet the challenge of the increasingly hot climate, and to keep residents up to date about the risks from Santa Ana winds, heat waves, wildfires, storms and debris flows, meteorologists at the National Weather Service station in Oxnard have taken advantage of advances in forecasting technology as well as increased use of social media to better alert and inform the public. ... ” Read more from the Ventura County Reporter here: From drought to downpours, climate change is pushing Ventura County toward greater, and more dangerous, extremes
Ventura county farmers urge passage of Measures A and B to protect water resources
“Amid the sweeping backdrop of the Topatopa Mountains and a field of colorful organic vegetables, members of the Ventura County farming community joined advocates and water experts to urge the passage of Measures A and B. The twin ballot measures would close a loophole in Ventura County allowing oil and gas companies to drill without environmental review using antiquated permits. In most cases, these permits were granted between 1930 and 1970. Cynthia King’s farm, where the press conference took place, is surrounded by a CUP that was approved in 1928. “It’s terrifying,” King said. “As a member of the family that has owned and farmed this land for over a hundred years — and a family that is committed to maintaining the health and safety of the land, the water and the crops — it’s terrifying what could happen if our Fillmore aquifer gets contaminated by oil products.” … ” Read more from Food & Water Watch here: Ventura county farmers urge passage of Measures A and B to protect water resources
EASTERN SIERRA
Devils Hole pupfish spring season population counts highest in 22 years
“Fish biologists are excited to report increased numbers of one of the world’s rarest fishes. Scientists counted 175 Devils Hole pupfish, which is the most they’ve observed in a spring count in 22 years. This momentous count also marked the 50th anniversary of counting pupfish using SCUBA, dating back to April 6th, 1972. Devils Hole pupfish (Cyprinodon diabolis) live in the upper 80 feet of a deep water-filled cavern and sun-lit shallow pool at the cavern’s entrance, making this the smallest range of any vertebrate species on the planet. … ” Read more from the Sierra Wave here: Devils Hole pupfish spring season population counts highest in 22 years
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Rapidly melting snowpack raises specter of DWP water restrictions
“While urging Angelenos to conserve water during the warm spring and summer months, Los Angeles Department of Water and Power officials warned water restrictions may be on the horizon Wednesday. Three years into the Golden State’s extreme drought, water officials are, once again, alarmed by the rapidly melting snowpack across the state. In April, the state saw unusually early and rapid snowmelt. On April 1, the snowpack was 41% of normal, however on Tuesday, less than two weeks later, readings from the DWP’s Eastern Sierra snow measuring stations showed it had melted to 22% of normal, the equivalent of 4.9 inches of water content. … ” Read more from the Patch here: Rapidly melting snowpack raises specter of DWP water restrictions
LADWP urges customers to step up conservation efforts
“With warmer spring and summer months approaching, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power Wednesday urged customers to increase conservation efforts in light of unusually early and rapid snowmelt. On April 1, the snowpack was 41% of normal, however on Tuesday, less than two weeks later, readings from the DWP’s Eastern Sierra snow measuring stations showed it had melted to 22% of normal, the equivalent of 4.9 inches of water content. “We’ve had three consecutive record-dry months during the third year of dry conditions,” DWP General Manager and Chief Engineer Martin Adams said. “That, combined with the early-season snowmelt and the anticipated limited availability of State Water Project supplies, has put the city’s water supply in a critical situation. This is a time for all of us to be vigilant in saving water wherever possible.” … ” Read more from Spectrum 1 here: LADWP urges customers to step up conservation efforts
Envirogen to treat nitrate in groundwater for City of San Fernando
“The City of San Fernando, California has awarded Envirogen Technologies, Inc. with a contract for a new, next generation SimPACK™ regenerable ion exchange (IX) treatment system to be used to remove nitrate contaminants from water from its Well 3 groundwater extraction well. As part of the award, Envirogen Technical Support staff will be onsite for assistance during installation and commissioning. In addition to this new system, Envirogen was also selected to install an upgraded control package on Well 7A. ... ” Continue reading at Environmental Expert here: Envirogen to treat nitrate in groundwater for City of San Fernando
Regional monitoring network being built to evaluate BMP performance
“The Southern California Stormwater Monitoring Coalition has begun building a regional monitoring network to help address significant, persistent knowledge gaps in managers’ understanding of how to optimize the performance of a wide variety of structural stormwater BMPs (best management practices) across southern California. The three-year initiative, which kicked off this winter with a pilot monitoring phase, will enable BMP designers, engineers and managers to collect high-quality, comparable data sets for BMP performance at multiple locations across southern California under a variety of different rainfall and site conditions. The BMP performance data generated through the regional monitoring network will be used to inform long-term watershed planning efforts, as well as improve engineering design for multiple BMP types. … ” Continue reading from the Southern California Stormwater Monitoring Coalition here: Regional monitoring network being built to evaluate BMP performance
Metropolitan adopts two-year budget to address drought, climate change while mitigating impacts of rising costs, lower sales
“A two-year budget that strikes a balance between investing in reliable water supplies for Southern California while managing rates to address rising operational costs and reduced revenues due to lower water sales and severe drought was adopted by Metropolitan Water District’s Board of Directors. The board on Tuesday (April 12) unanimously adopted a $1.9 billion budget for fiscal year 2022-23 and a $2.0 billion budget for 2023-24, with associated 5 percent overall rate increases in Metropolitan’s wholesale water rates in calendar years 2023 and 2024. … ” Read more from the Metropolitan Water District here: Metropolitan adopts two-year budget to address drought, climate change while mitigating impacts of rising costs, lower sales
Along the Colorado River …
Arizona: As local movements for groundwater protection rise, will state leaders finally respond?
“Across Arizona, the consequences of unlimited groundwater pumping are becoming untenable for many communities. In response, Arizona state Rep. Regina Cobb, R-Kingman, has introduced legislation, for the third year in a row, to enable rural communities to manage their groundwater through a new opt-in program called Rural Management Areas (RMAs). Although the bill again did not receive a committee hearing, this year is very different from the past. Over the last several months, more residents and local stakeholders are becoming engaged and organized around water security and water self-determination, getting mobilized in local settings like town halls, community meetings, and even residents’ living rooms and porches. It has become clear that the people of rural Arizona no longer accept being ignored on water issues at the state level. … ” Read more from Growing Returns here: Arizona: As local movements for groundwater protection rise, will state leaders finally respond?
Does all snow in the Rockies turn into water for Lake Mead?
“Lake Mead mostly relies on snowfall in the Rocky Mountains to refill its water levels. However, after years of drought and increasing temperatures, is the cycle of snow, runoff, and refill still working? Would a normal snowpack in the Rockies mean we get a normal refill level of Lake Mead? ... ” Read more from Channel 12 here: Does all snow in the Rockies turn into water for Lake Mead?
‘Less water doesn’t mean no water’ in Washington County even if Lake Powell Pipeline doesn’t happen
“What could Washington County look like if the Lake Powell Pipeline project fails to be built? It’s a question St. George News started asking local officials nearly four years ago. Since then the drought has increasingly worsened and Lake Powell’s water level has dipped to record lows. … “The first thing is the community will have to make some tough choices,” said Brock Belnap, an associate general manager at the Washington County Water Conservancy District in relation to the county having less water. “If we only have the Virgin River Basin as our source of water, then our growing community will have to learn to do more within its existing supply because as more people come in, you’ll have to slice the pie (of available water) smaller,” Belnap added. “That will require us to make some decisions as to what we want to look like as a community.” … ” Continue reading at the St. George Spectrum here: ‘Less water doesn’t mean no water’ in Washington County even if Lake Powell Pipeline doesn’t happen
Expanding drought leaves western US scrambling for water
“Tumbleweeds drift along the Rio Grande as sand bars within its banks grow wider. Smoke from distant wildfires and dust kicked up by intense spring winds fill the valley, exacerbating the feeling of distress that is beginning to weigh on residents. One of North America’s longest rivers, the Rio Grande is another example of a waterway in the western U.S. that’s tapped out. From the Pacific Northwest to the Colorado River Basin, irrigation districts already are warning farmers to expect less this year despite growing demands fueled by ever-drying conditions. Climate experts say March marked the third straight month of below-average precipitation across the U.S. and areas of record dryness are expanding in the West. … ” Read more from ABC News here: Expanding drought leaves western US scrambling for water
In national water news today …
March 2022, year to date rank as Earth’s 5th warmest
“March continued the planet’s exceedingly warm start to 2022, ranking as the fifth-warmest March in 143 years. The year so far ranks as the fifth-warmest globally since 1880, according to scientists from NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information. Below are more highlights from NOAA’s latest monthly global climate report ... ” Read more from NOAA here: March 2022, year to date rank as Earth’s 5th warmest
Also on Maven’s Notebook today …
ANNOUNCEMENT: New Drought-Related Features Added to Domestic and Irrigation Well Dashboards on California’sGroundwater Live
