On the calendar today …
- MEETING: California Water Commission will meet beginning at 9:30am. The Commission will consider taking action on Resolutions of Necessity for the Yolo Bypass Salmonid Habitat Restoration and Fish Passage Project (Big Notch Project). Click here for full agenda and remote access instructions.
- PUBLIC WORKSHOP: Proposed plan to utilize the Allocation from the Budget Act of 2021 for Groundwater Cleanup and Water Recycling projects at 9:30am. The State Water Board will have a Board Workshop on the proposed plan to utilize the Allocation from the Budget Act of 2021 for Groundwater Cleanup and Water Recycling projects. Click here for the notice and remote access instructions.
- WEBINAR: Strategies For Recharge On Your Farm from 10am to 12pm. Introduction to Recharge, Crop and Agronomic Pieces to Recharge, Water Quality Aspects of Recharge, grower experiences, and more. Presented by the Madera Chowchilla Resource Conservation District. Click here to register.
- OCWA WEBINAR: Modern-Day Alchemy from 12:30pm to 1:00pm. It’s been called “a magic trick for poop.” But it has promise to be so much more. Into one end of the machine, sludge and other organic waste is funneled, while from the other end comes distilled water, a small amount of ash, and — electricity. And best of all, there’s no methane by-product, the bane of traditional sewage and sludge treatment. Known as the Gate 5 System, the pilot plant is scheduled to begin operating in March 2023. Click here to register.
- MEETING: Water Shortage Contingency Plan Template Development for Small Water Suppliers from 2pm to 4pm. The California Department of Water Resources (DWR), in collaboration with the State Water Board, is hosting a series of stakeholder meetings to inform the development of an abridge Water Shortage Contingency Plan (WSCP) template as part of a comprehensive effort to assist small water systems in meeting new requirements outlined in Senate Bill 552. At this first meeting, DWR and State Water Board staff will provide an overview of the legislation requirements, review a proposed abridge WSCP template outline, and solicit participants input on the template content and function. Click here to register.
- PUBLIC WORKSHOP: status of Phase 1 of the Salton Sea Management Program beginning at 2pm. The State Water Resources Control Board will hold a public workshop at their regularly scheduled Board Meeting to receive information and solicit public input regarding the status of Phase 1 of the Salton Sea Management Program. Click here for the workshop notice.
- WEBINAR: Don Edwards NWR: Refuge to the Rescue from 6pm to 8pm. Did you know that the Refuge helps protect the Bay from possible futures too horrible for us to contemplate? That the Refuge provides food and shelter for millions of birds and several endangered species? That the Refuge continues to rescue us from some of our own negligence? Join docent Larry Rosenblum for this presentation about how fortunate we are to have the Refuge today, how it will continue to benefit us in the future, and why you should visit it. Click here to register.
In California water news today …
State Water Board staff proposes readoption of emergency drought regulation in Bay-Delta
“With three consecutive years of drought reducing water levels in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta watershed to alarming lows, the State Water Resources Control Board today released the draft of an emergency regulation to continue curtailments adopted last year to preserve water storage in reservoirs, protect drinking water supplies, prevent salinity intrusion and minimize impacts to fisheries and the environment. A staff workshop to discuss the proposed draft and solicit public feedback will be held May 12. … ”
Gavin Newsom tours Oroville Dam, speaks of statewide drought
“Five hundred feet below the water level at Lake Oroville, Gov. Gavin Newsom held a press conference Tuesday to highlight California’s response to climate change and entering its third year of severe drought. … At the conference, Newsom said extreme dries and extreme wet climates now require the state to have a different approach to its water delivery systems that were “designed for a world that no longer exists.” “We want to take a more adaptive model; a more flexible model; we want to build off the architecture we inherited,” Newsom said. “But we recognize that we have to localize solutions in ways we haven’t in the past.” ... ” Read more from the Chico Enterprise-Record here: Gavin Newsom tours Oroville Dam, speaks of statewide drought
Gov. Newsom to ask legislature for $750M as state looks to conserve water
“During Gov. Gavin Newsom’s visit to Butte County on Tuesday, Newsom said he will ask the legislature for $750 million to help with drought conditions. At the Hyatt Powerplant at Lake Oroville, which shut down last year due to record low lake levels, Newsom spoke about how the state needs a different approach to water conservation. Newsom already invested $5.2 billion in the past three years for water security for all Californians. “This year we’re asking the legislature for another three-quarters of a billion dollars, likely more,” Newsom said. … ” Read more from Action News Now here: Gov. Newsom to ask legislature for $750M as state looks to conserve water
Governor Newsom highlights state action to address water and energy challenges amid changing climate
“As Western states continue to experience intensifying drought conditions, Governor Gavin Newsom today visited Lake Oroville to highlight efforts to advance long-term water resilience and bolster the state’s drought response. Though storms returned to Northern California this week, the small amounts of rain and snowfall expected will not make a significant dent in the water deficit the state faces. “With the climate crisis threatening communities across the West, we must double down on our work to build water resilience in our communities for the long haul,” said Governor Newsom. “All of us must do our part to tackle the intensifying drought conditions felt across the state. We’re investing critical resources to battle the drought’s impacts on our communities and ecosystems and finding innovative solutions to deal with these new realities.” … ” Continue reading this press release from the Office of the Governor here: Governor Newsom highlights state action to address water and energy challenges amid changing climate
Spring storms deliver more snow, rain to Northern California
“Snow fell in parts of the Sierra Nevada and rain fell elsewhere in Northern California on Tuesday as spring continued to deliver a taste of the kind of weather that was mostly absent during winter. Various chain requirements had to be put into effect for vehicles on mountain routes, including Interstate 80, and strong winds created additional concerns for Sierra travelers. The UC Berkeley Central Sierra Snow Lab in Donner Pass reported more than 5 inches of new snow by midmorning. … ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee here: Spring storms deliver more snow, rain to Northern California
Lake Oroville sees a rise in water levels
“The recent bit of rain, and upcoming rain, is doing Lake Oroville a world of good. The rain in the Feather River watershed has made a contribution to Lake Oroville’s water levels, which have risen 15 feet in elevation over the past month. On March 17, the reservoir was at 46 percent of total capacity with a storage of 1.61 million acre-feet of storage, according to Department of Water Resources State Water Project Assistant Deputy Director John Yarbrough. As of a month later on April 17, the reservoir is at 50 percent capacity with a 1.75 million acre-feet of storage. While the recent precipitation does not completely end current drought conditions, the rain and snow over these past couple of weeks will increase runoff later this spring to raise storage levels in area reservoirs. … ” Read more from the Chico Enterprise-Record here: Lake Oroville sees a rise in water levels
Newsom reappoints Turlock woman to board that will make key decisions on river flows
“Dorene D’Adamo of Turlock will serve four more years on the State Water Resources Control Board, which deals with river flows and other key issues. Gov. Gavin Newsom announced the reappointment, subject to confirmation by the state Senate. D’Adamo, an attorney, first was named to the five-member board in 2013. The board oversees California’s complex system of water rights and is part of the response to the now three-year drought. It also deals with drinking water quality, notably a recent grant to provide free bottled water to users of tainted wells in Stanislaus County. … ” Read more from the Modesto Bee here: Newsom reappoints Turlock woman to board that will make key decisions on river flows
Top 10 issues facing fresh fruit growers in California
“The California Fresh Fruit Association (CFFA) has announced the results of its Top Issues Survey for 2022, and water and labor were the two topics that practically took over the list. CFFA members were surveyed to rank the top issues for the association’s staff to focus its efforts — such as lobbying in Washington, DC, and the state capital of Sacramento. “As we saw in 2021, the California fresh fruit industry continues to be impacted by water supply availability, increasing costs of production, and the pressure of operating in a state with a heavy regulatory environment,” CFFA President Ian LeMay says. … ” Read more and view slideshow at Growing Produce here: Top 10 issues facing fresh fruit growers in California
The color of water
“Scattered across California’s San Joaquin Valley are colonias, the unincorporated communities home to some of the Valley’s poorest residents in one of the richest agricultural areas in the world. These communities are overwhelmingly the product of racism and housing discrimination. The history of racial exclusion that led to their existence, however, is not buried safely in the past. Every time a resident turns on a tap to get a drink of water, the contamination of that water, and sometimes the fact that no water comes at all, is a living legacy of exclusion. Yet these communities are not passive victims of past discrimination. Their organized efforts to win redress in the form of water, sewer service, and even street lighting have forced the state’s politicians to listen up. The resulting legislation may have arrived three quarters of a century after the original exclusion and its consequences, but the colonias are nonetheless celebrating a victory in their long effort to address inequality. … ” Read more from Random Length News here: The color of water
Evaporative demand increase across lower 48 means less water supplies, drier vegetation, and higher fire risk
“In the western U.S., the impacts of drought conditions in the 21st century are increasingly evident as extended fire seasons, dwindling water supplies, and widespread tree mortality are becoming more common occurrences. Fundamentally, drought is a shortage of water that is driven by an imbalance between supply and demand. From a meteorological perspective, periods of low precipitation (i.e., the supply side) have historically been the dominant driver of drought, but because a warmer atmosphere can hold more water, the demand side of drought has the potential to have a greater influence than it has in the recent past as temperatures increase with a changing climate. … ” Read more from NIDIS here: Evaporative demand increase across lower 48 means less water supplies, drier vegetation, and higher fire risk
Marine heat wave currently forming off California coast, federal forecasters say
“Federal scientists have created a new tool for forecasting marine heat waves, and they say one is currently forming in the North Pacific Ocean not far from the California coast. The marine heat wave currently predicted to linger into fall is not expected to have the impact of “the blob” — the name for a period of high seawater temperatures that persisted along the West Coast from 2014 to 2016. But scientists say their new prediction models will help forecast similar extreme ocean warming events that are expected to increase in duration and intensity with climate change. ... ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle here: Marine heat wave currently forming off California coast, federal forecasters say
In commentary today …
Food shortages, rising prices … we’ve been warning about this for years
Paul Orme and Dan Keppen with the Family Farm Alliance write, “As the Ukraine war kindles fears of rising food prices, the recognition of a secure domestic food supply – driven in large part by irrigated agriculture in the Western U.S. – is something we need to talk about. The Family Farm Alliance last month released a report that describes current and projected food shortages resulting from the Russia-Ukraine war. This is nothing new, from our standpoint. The domestic food security issue is a concern that we’ve warned our policy leaders about for more than 15 years. The U.S. needs a stable domestic food supply, just as it needs a stable energy supply. As we teeter on the brink of escalating warfare, that stability becomes even more pressing. … ” Read more from Arizona Central here: Food shortages, rising prices … we’ve been warning about this for years
Why Gavin Newsom is creating a water and energy disaster
Michael Shellenberger, a Time Magazine “Hero of the Environment,” and president of Environmental Progress, writes, “California Gov. Gavin Newsom yesterday claimed he was taking major action to address the drought affecting California and the West. More than 90% of California is in severe drought, up from 65% just one year ago. He said he had created an agreement that was a win-win-win for residents, farmers, and conservationists. In truth, Newsom is starving California of both water and energy. We are in the worst energy crisis in 50 years and yet Newsom is planning to shut down the largest single source of energy in California, Diablo Canyon nuclear plant. Meanwhile, he has failed to build a single new large water project, despite the fact that California voters in 2014 passed a $2.7 billion water bond to pay for them. … ” Read more at the Eurasia Review here: Why Gavin Newsom is creating a water and energy disaster
Today’s featured article …
PACIFIC FOREST TRUST: Seeing the Forest for the Water
When an ecologist, a geographer, and an engineer walk into a watershed bar, what do they talk about?
Most of us recognize that when you ask resource managers, ‘What do you need out of forests? What do you value out of forests?’ the top priority is almost always water. And so that leads to the question, if water is an absolute top priority, do we manage our forest watersheds for that function? If we do, what do we do? If we don’t, Why not? And what are the practices that we’re doing that don’t support watershed function?
Those were the questions posed at a recent webinar from the Pacific Forest Trust that brought together three pre-eminent scientists with deep experience in the management and science of forest hydrology and watershed function to discuss their work understanding how forests function as watersheds and the effects of land management.
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
Drought battle along Oregon-California line heats up as tribe decries water release for farmers
“A Native American tribe in Oregon said Tuesday it is assessing its legal options after learning the U.S. government plans to release water from a federally operated reservoir to downstream farmers along the Oregon-California border amid a historic drought. Even limited irrigation for the farmers who use Klamath River water on about 300 square miles of crops puts two critically endangered fish species in peril of extinction because the water withdrawals come at the height of spawning season, The Klamath Tribes said. This summer’s water allocation plan, released by the Bureau of Reclamation last week, will send about 50,000 acre-feet of water to farmers in the Klamath Reclamation Project — less than 15% of what they would get in a normal year. … ” Read more from Oregon Public Broadcasting here: Drought battle along Oregon-California line heats up as tribe decries water release for farmers
Press release: Scott Valley Agriculture Water Alliance gives voice to local farmers & ranchers
“Family farmers and ranchers in rural Scott Valley, far-northern California are banding together as they face the potential loss of 100 percent of their irrigation water this summer due to unprecedented new drought emergency regulations for the Scott River by the State Water Resource Control Board (Board)—regulations unlike any others in the state. This small mountain valley is home to a tight-knit agriculture community that saw a need to tell their story—before they lose everything. Their new communication group, Scott Valley Agriculture Water Alliance (AgWA), is reaching out to government officials, local tribes, and the public with information about Scott Valley’s agriculture, water and fish. ... ” Read more from the Scott Valley Agriculture Water Alliance here: Press release: Scott Valley Agriculture Water Alliance gives voice to local farmers & ranchers
Environmental groups intend to sue PG&E over Potter Valley Project
“The 100-year-old Potter Valley Project consists of two dams along Northern California’s Eel River. The upstream Scott Dam blocks salmon and steelhead from reaching prime spawning grounds, according to Alicia Hamann, the director of Friends of Eel River. Both fish are threatened under the Endangered Species Act. Friends of the Eel River are one of a handful of environmental groups planning to sue PG&E to seek protections for these dwindling fish populations. “While there are incredible opportunities that we should all be working to seize in the Eel River right now, those opportunities aren’t gonna last forever,” Hamann says. “The longer we wait, the longer we’re putting this intense pressure on our salmon and steelhead to fight for survival.” … ” Read more from Jefferson Public Radio here: Environmental groups intend to sue PG&E over Potter Valley Project
National Weather Service Eureka addresses drought conditions after recent rainfall
“While the North Coast Coast needed this recent bout of rain, the National Weather Service is saying 2022 has some of the driest months on record. According to Hydrologist Kathleen Zontos, the first three months of the year are the driest on record for much of Northern California. “We’re going to need a lot more to get out of the drought… we could see some drought impacts earlier than normal, again, moving into the summertime, that could affect our the fire weather conditions,” said National Weather Service Hydrologist Kathleen Zontos. ... ” Read more from KRCR here: National Weather Service Eureka addresses drought conditions after recent rainfall
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
Next storm heading for Lake Tahoe could bring snow measured in feet above 7000 feet
“The next storm that is heading to Lake Tahoe brings with it a powerful punch for a spring storm. The National Weather Service (NWS) in Reno has issued a Winter Storm Warning for the Lake Tahoe Basin to be in effect from 5:00 p.m. Wednesday to 11:00 a.m. Friday. Just as gardeners want to start getting plants into the ground, instead it will be snow accumulating that could measure almost a foot by the time this strong system exits. Total snow accumulations of 6 to 12 inches below 7000 feet, with 1 to 2 feet west of Highway 89 and in the Carson Range. For the Sierra crest above 7000 feet, snowfall totals of 2 to 3 feet are likely. Winds gusting to 50 mph with Sierra ridge gusts above 80 mph. … ” Read more from South Tahoe Now here: Next storm heading for Lake Tahoe could bring snow measured in feet above 7000 feet
NAPA/SONOMA
Russian River water curtailment likely to continue
“Due to ongoing drought and a limited water supply, farmers and ranchers in Mendocino and Sonoma counties are awaiting adoption of an amended emergency order that would extend last year’s curtailment of water rights in the Russian River watershed. With the 2021 curtailment order set to expire in July, the State Water Resources Control Board Division of Water Rights is proposing to continue restrictions for an additional year. It plans to revise the regulation in early May. Farmers say they are readying for what is coming, while they seek to negotiate the details and mitigate potential impacts. … ” Read more from Ag Alert here: Russian River water curtailment likely to continue
North Bay contractors, California trade groups lament swimming pools as latest drought casualty
“Facing a giant hole in her year-old yard, Tania Weingart’s dream of summer fun in Novato runs deep. But one thing to fill it is in short supply these days — water. Her water company, North Marin Water, along with Marin Water, has imposed drought-related water restrictions that prohibit the filling of new pools and refilling existing ones. The mandate comes as the state is asking water agencies to impose restrictions for residents and businesses to cut water use by 10% among California residents and businesses as of March 28. But at a time when pool installers are swimming in contracts as more people are nesting at home due to the pandemic, those restrictions that span across the North Bay have hit the pause button for some pool jobs, contractors and state pool associations contend. … ” Read more from the Santa Rosa Press Democrat here: North Bay contractors, California trade groups lament swimming pools as latest drought casualty
BAY AREA
Column: With water supply normal, Marin Municipal Water District should wait on setting benchmarks
Columnist Dick Spotswood writes, “Watching the April 5 Marin Municipal Water District Board of Directors meeting on Zoom was a reminder that decisions with long-term implications are often made at officially public sessions with few constituencies in attendance. Those important decisions are made at committee meetings or sparsely attended sessions like MMWD board meetings. The big item on the MMWD board’s agenda was a “water supply update.” When elected officials set “benchmarks,” “baseline criteria” or “assumptions,” important decisions are being made. That determines what will be studied, the potential applicable options and expenditures that would be very different if those “givens” were changed. … ” Read more from the Marin Independent Journal here: Column: With water supply normal, Marin Municipal Water District should wait on setting benchmarks
Zone 7 board to consider $4.75M for Delta Conveyance Project
“The Zone 7 Water Agency’s Board of Directors is set to consider continuing to fund and participate in the planning phase for the Delta Conveyance Project at its regular board meeting on Wednesday, following an initial approval to participate for two years in late 2020. “The DCP would support the Agency’s mission to deliver safe, reliable, efficient, and sustainable water to the residents of the Tri-Valley,” Zone 7 officials said in an announcement. “In addition to the primary benefit of increased reliability through alternative Delta conveyance, the DCP could also provide benefits in water supply and water quality.” … ” Read more from Pleasanton Weekly here: Zone 7 board to consider $4.75M for Delta Conveyance Project
Chinook salmon found in Los Gatos Creek could be trapped by drought
“Concerns are being raised over what the drought might be doing to an ancient salmon run that goes through the heart of Silicon Valley. Roger Castillo doesn’t look after the rivers and streams and their wildlife in Silicon Valley because it’s his job. He does it because he loves it. “What are we going to leave our children you know?” Castillo said. The mostly self-taught citizen-naturalist is a former truck mechanic who just discovered thriving schools of Chinook salmon fry in Los Gatos Creek. … ” Read more from CBS San Francisco here: Chinook salmon found in Los Gatos Creek could be trapped by drought
Valley Water restricts watering in Santa Clara County to no more than two days a week
“Santa Clara County and much of California are enduring a third year of drought. The region and state just experienced the driest January through March on record, further threatening our water supplies. State and local reservoir levels are well below normal. The snowpack measured on April 1 in the Sierra Nevada was the fifth smallest on record, which significantly impacts the amount of imported water Santa Clara County will receive this year. Because of these conditions, the Valley Water Board of Directors unanimously voted on April 13, 2022, to restrict the watering of lawns and ornamental landscapes in Santa Clara to no more than two days a week. … ” Read more from Valley Water News here: Valley Water restricts watering in Santa Clara County to no more than two days a week
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
Manteca: Plan to divert future property tax to pay for flood protection
“The 5,157 homes plus 11 million square feet of business parks and retail space Manteca hopes to build in the 200-year floodplain will have the municipal general fund awash in money. At least that’s what the conclusion of the consultant analyzing diverting future property tax revenue from the city’s general fund to help defray the cost of bonds to build $230 million in flood protection upgrades to protect against a flooding event that has a 1-in-200 chance of happening in any given year. … ” Read more from the Manteca Bulletin here: Manteca: Plan to divert future property tax to pay for flood protection
Greater Kaweah GSA puts a price on pumping groundwater
“Farms and agriculture operations east of Visalia will be charged fees for the water they use beginning this fall. Those unaware of the new fees and groundwater rules will have a little more time to get acquainted. On April 15, the Greater Kaweah Groundwater Sustainability Agency (GSA) extended the public review and comment deadline on its draft rules and regulations establishing groundwater pumping limits and overpumping fees for its landowners. Initially scheduled to end on April 26, the Greater Kaweah GSA made the determination to extend the deadline to May 12 “to give landowners ample time to provide comments.” … ” Read more from the Foothills Sun-Gazette here: Greater Kaweah GSA puts a price on pumping groundwater
Lower Kern River ranks No. 7 on endangered rivers list
“American Rivers released its annual report of America’s Most Endangered Rivers. The report sounds the alarm that our nation’s rivers and clean water are in crisis and it shines a light on urgent solutions. Tom Kiernan, President and CEO of American Rivers said, “The water supplies and well-being of tens of millions of people are at risk. We’re amplifying the leadership of Tribal Nations and frontline advocates and calling for action.” … ” Read more from Bakersfield Now here: Lower Kern River ranks No. 7 on endangered rivers list
EASTERN SIERRA
Ridgecrest: Water District to begin planning water pumping optimization
“The Indian Wells Valley Water District will begin planning a project to explore new well locations. This direction came from the Water District’s board of directors at their monthly meeting on April 11. Their goal is to use the plan to apply for grants which can help offset the cost of this water pumping optimization project. Tim Parker, a consulting hydrogeologist for the Water District, said that recent airborne electromagnetic surveys of the IWV groundwater basin show that there are potential areas of the basin that could be useful for standard water measuring and extraction, but these well locations could also potentially be used as sites for replenishing water back into the basin. … ” Read more from the Ridgecrest Independent here: Ridgecrest: Water District to begin planning water pumping optimization
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
L.A. County restricts single-use plastics for unincorporated areas, effective 2023
“Los Angeles County on Tuesday became the largest government entity to restrict single-use plastic food ware items from restaurants, stores hospital cafeterias and food trucks. County supervisors finalized an ordinance, which applies only to the unincorporated areas of the county, that will require single-use food ware to be compostable or recyclable, unless it’s a full-service, dine-in eatery, in which case it needs to be reusable. The ordinance also bans expanded polystyrene products. “Today’s action is a major step forward in reducing our reliance on plastics and reducing its harm to human and marine health,” L.A. County Supervisor Sheila Kuehl said in a statement. “It’s time we put a fork in our use of plastics and took a bite out of the overwhelming amount of plastic county residents needlessly use.” … ” Read more from the LA Times here: L.A. County restricts single-use plastics for unincorporated areas, effective 2023
SAN DIEGO
Why National City’s drinking water turned yellow
“National City resident Ramel Wallace thought maybe he just forgot to flush the toilet on Thursday night. Come Friday, faucets in the sink, kitchen and shower all spilled apple juice-colored water, he said. … Wallace said he didn’t get any notification about what caused the discoloration. The public water agency Sweetwater Authority, which supplies drinking water to National City, confirmed it didn’t issue a press release about the problem because there was nothing to fear. ... ” Read more from the Voice of San Diego here: Why National City’s drinking water turned yellow
How San Diego stands out amid California drought
“After the driest first three months of a year in state history, California’s governor sounded the alarm last month, urging residents to use less water. Gov. Gavin Newsom’s executive order asked Californians to tighten their belts and called on local water agencies to aggressively conserve water. But the order came with a caveat: “locally-appropriate actions” — as in, each part of the state can make decisions based on the unique conditions in their region. … San Diego is not immune to the dry conditions, and the Drought Monitor’s ratings provide only a broad snapshot — a combination of everything from rainfall totals to vegetation health and water supplies. But officials on the ground confirm that the county is uniquely well-positioned for dry times. ... ” Read more from Channel 5 here: How San Diego stands out amid California drought
Along the Colorado River …
The country’s most endangered river is hitting new lows
“Taking the unflattering title of America’s Most Endangered River 2022 is the once-mighty Colorado, according to a conservation group that issues a yearly assessment of riparian health across the country. Plagued by drought, pollution, and over drawing water, the massive waterway supports some of the largest cities in the American West, among them Los Angeles, Denver, and Salt Lake City. It also provides drinking water to more than 40 million people and is also the source of about “$26 billion in recreational spending and hundreds of thousands of jobs across the West,” the authors of American Rivers’ yearly river health assessment wrote. … ” Read more from Gizmodo here: The country’s most endangered river is hitting new lows
The Colorado River is in trouble. Here’s what the Southern Nevada Water Authority is doing to help
“If you haven’t watched local government TV lately, and you’re excused if that’s the case, you might have missed an understated but massive message about water and the ongoing drought. Southern Nevada is using less water from the Colorado River than allowed, in large part because the area returns recycled water to the river. But looking ahead, that trend will slow and likely reverse unless changes are made. That led Clark County commissioners to ask if developers must include water use in their plans when they ask for approval to build. … ” Read more from KNPR here: The Colorado River is in trouble. Here’s what the Southern Nevada Water Authority is doing to help
Feds could limit water flow to Arizona, other western states
“The federal agency that regulates water in Lake Powell warns that it may have to limit downstream water flow, affecting drinking water in Arizona and other western states. Tanya Trujillo, Assistant Secretary for Water and Science for the U.S. Department of the Interior, wrote governors’ offices of seven states about the continually falling water level in Lake Powell. The reservoir is one along the Colorado River Basin and supplies millions with not only a source of freshwater but also electricity from the hydroelectric plant at the Glen Canyon dam. Currently, water levels sit at 3,522’ mean sea level (msl) but continue to fall, according to U.S. Bureau of Reclamation data. … ” Read more from the Center Square here: Feds could limit water flow to Arizona, other western states
In national water news today …
Endangered rivers plagued by pollution, climate change, and outdated management
“A leading U.S. environmental conservation group has released its annual list of the country’s most endangered rivers. The Colorado River tops the list, but states across the nation must address polluted, dry, and unhealthy rivers, according to the list and accompanying report published today by American Rivers. The list of America’s Most Endangered Rivers, published annually since 1984, highlights rivers in peril that are facing critical policy or management decisions in the next year. The roster is culled from nominations submitted by individuals and groups from around the country and focuses on waterways that have a significant influence on surrounding communities. … ” Read more from EOS here: Endangered rivers plagued by pollution, climate change, and outdated management
Biden restores climate to landmark environmental law, reversing Trump
“The Biden administration announced Tuesday that it is restoring parts of a bedrock environmental law, once again requiring that climate impacts be considered and local communities have input before federal agencies approve highways, pipelines and other major projects. The administration has resurrected requirements of the 50-year-old National Environmental Policy Act that had been removed by President Donald J. Trump, who complained that they slowed down the development of mines, road expansions and similar projects. … ” Read more from the New York Times here: Biden restores climate to landmark environmental law, reversing Trump
New Biden NEPA regs won’t stop legal war over Trump overhaul
“Environmental groups vowed to proceed with legal challenges to Trump-era rules for implementing the National Environmental Policy Act — even as the Biden administration unveiled new regulations. The White House Council on Environmental Quality announced yesterday that it had finalized the first of two phases of rulemaking on how federal agencies should comply with the landmark environmental law, which requires a “hard look” at the impact of major projects like highways, pipelines and oil and gas leases. The Biden administration’s first rule undoes some of the key changes put in place in 2020 under former President Donald Trump, allowing federal agencies to more broadly consider the climate risks of embarking on major federal projects. … ” Read more from E&E News here: New Biden NEPA regs won’t stop legal war over Trump overhaul
More frequent El Niño events predicted by 2040
“The El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is one of the most significant, but variable, climate patterns in the world. This tropical Pacific Ocean phenomenon affects weather in South America, Australia, Asia, and beyond. During an El Niño event, the sea surface temperature of the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean warms, and trade winds weaken. El Niño’s associated weather extremes often have dramatic implications for public health and global supply chains, setting off natural disasters like flooding in Central and South America and droughts in southeast Asia. ENSO is so influential that climate scientists have dedicated decades to tracking and predicting its irregular cycles. Researchers are also studying how ENSO will be affected by climate change. Now, new research published in Nature Climate Change has used cutting-edge climate models to predict that by 2040, El Niño events will become more frequent because of changes to the climate. These events are already in motion and will happen regardless of short-term emissions mitigation efforts, according to the authors. … ” Read more from EOS here: More frequent El Niño events predicted by 2040
NASA SWE Report …
20220417_RT_SWE_ReportAlso on Maven’s Notebook today …
NOTICE OF AVAILABILITY of Refinements to the Water Unavailability Methodology and Draft Emergency Curtailment and Reporting Regulation for the Delta Watershed and Notice of Staff Workshop and Opportunity for Public Comment
NOTICE of public solicitation of water quality data and information for the 2026 California Integrated Report
NOTICE: Upcoming EPA Grant Training Webinars
