On the calendar today …
- PUBLIC WORKSHOP: Standardizing Cost Reporting In Municipal Stormwater Permit from 1pm to 4pm. The objective of the Project is to develop a standardized statewide approach and model permit language for estimating, tracking, and reporting MS4 permit implementation costs. State Water Board staff will hold an informal public workshop to provide interested parties information regarding the Project and allow stakeholders to provide feedback on the proposed cost categories. Click here to register.
In California water news today …
California regulators banned fracking wastewater for irrigation, but allow wastewater from oil drilling. Scientists say there’s little difference
“California prohibits farmers from growing crops with chemical-laced wastewater from fracking. Yet the state still allows them to use water produced by conventional oil drilling—a chemical soup that contains many of the same toxic compounds. When rumors spread several years ago that California was growing some of the nation’s nuts, citrus and vegetables with wastewater produced from hydraulic fracturing, known as fracking, regulators said that would be illegal. Advances in fracking, a process that injects high-pressure chemical mixtures and sand into underground rock formations to stimulate the release of fossil fuels, revolutionized oil and gas extraction in the United States. But it alarmed environmental, public health and consumer groups, who were concerned that the massive quantities of highly toxic wastewater produced during fracking posed unacceptable threats to groundwater, ecosystems and communities. ... ” Read more from Inside Climate News here: California regulators banned fracking wastewater for irrigation, but allow wastewater from oil drilling. Scientists say there’s little difference
California drought plan could exclude cannabis as growers prepare for dry summer
“Heading into another brutally dry summer, struggling cannabis growers in California could be excluded from the state’s latest assistance plan to save water. A proposal by Gov. Gavin Newsom would pay farmers to not plant crops, known as fallowing, this year as drought conditions worsen. The plan with some of the state’s largest water providers earmarks $268 million in upfront payments for voluntarily leaving fields uncultivated, or fallowing. The area targeted is near two critical watersheds that emanate from the Sierra Nevada mountain range in Northern California. The fallowing proposal aims to cut production of water-intensive crops such as rice, alfalfa and nuts. Some advocates are upset cannabis hasn’t been placed on the list. ... ” Read more from MJ Biz here: California drought plan could exclude cannabis as growers prepare for dry summer
Bill to aid farmworkers jilted by drought effects advances in Calif. legislature
“A new bill aimed at bringing relief to farmworkers affected by the drought is now one step closer to becoming law. The bill, introduced by Sen. Melissa Hurtado (D–Sanger), aims to provide financial assistance to farmworkers struggling to afford basic necessities. Wednesday it passed in a state senate committee, four to one. Senate Bill 1066 aims to create a program called the California Farmworkers Drought Resilience Pilot Project. The project is a state-funded supplemental pay program that would give eligible farmworkers $1,000 for three years. ... ” Read more from the San Joaquin Valley Sun here: Bill to aid farmworkers jilted by drought effects advances in Calif. legislature
The truth about salmon-safe alcohol
“You may already be familiar with the idea of Dolphin-Safe tuna and seafood, but have you heard of Salmon-Safe? An initiative geared towards sustainably-minded alcohol makers in the Pacific Northwest, Salmon-Safe is an organization and eco-label that seeks to source the products used in brewing such as malt and barley in manners that keep rivers clean, thereby allowing the local salmon population to “thrive” (via the official website). The organization provides a certification and accreditation process that is currently being used for more than 95,000 acres of farmland across the west coast, from British Columbia to California. ... ” Continue reading at Mashed here: The truth about salmon-safe alcohol
What 76 inches of Sierra snowfall looks like from space
“The recent storm that brought wet weather to the Bay Area last week dumped an “impressive” amount of snow on the Sierra Nevada for the month of April, said the National Weather Service. The storm dumped 31.1 inches of snow, increasing April’s snowfall total to 76 inches — “almost double what we received January through March,” the UC Berkeley Central Sierra Snow Lab tweeted Friday. Snowfall totals also slightly increased California’s snowpack in the last week to 35% of average as of Friday — up from 28% of average on April 15, according to the California Department of Water Resources. ... ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle here: What 76 inches of Sierra snowfall looks like from space
Author Obi Kaufmann’s journey of discovery leads down California coasts
“In Obi Kaufmann’s new field atlas, “The Coasts of California,” a watercolor of the globe reorients our perspective away from the traditional view of the Western Hemisphere and shifts the focus to the Pacific Ocean. The blue expanse stretches from Antarctica to the Arctic and from Australia all the way to the west coast of North America, where, at a point roughly in Northern California, a red arrow points to an X. Next to that X, Kaufmann has scrawled, “I am here,” and added “ocean planet mostly salt water like you” just below the globe. In Kaufmann’s 672-page examination of the state’s 840-mile-long coast, filled with his field observations, essays and 400 pieces of artwork, it’s easy to miss these details, even as they put the author, California, and readers into a much bigger context. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle’s Datebook here: Author Obi Kaufmann’s journey of discovery leads down California coasts
How to assess a community’s water resilience
“For ranching communities on the east side of the Baja California Peninsula, groundwater springs are their primary source of freshwater. The economic livelihoods of roughly 4,000 people, who call themselves Choyeros, are closely tied to the springs and to wells, which provide water for their families and their livestock. Communities like this, large and small, exist throughout the West, where water is life. Social systems are entwined with water systems, so water supply challenges are social challenges. To understand how the connection between those systems impacts communities’ water supply resilience, University of Utah researchers and their colleagues have developed a new framework to think about social water resilience. … ” Read the article at the University of Utah here: How to assess a community’s water resilience
Why rural communities struggle to bring in much-needed federal grants
” … Theoretically, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, a $1.2 trillion bill that funds improvements in transportation, water, energy, broadband and climate resilience projects, should be able to help. The legislation, signed into law by President Joe Biden in November 2021, includes money to make forests more resilient to fire and defend at-risk communities. But according to a recent analysis by the Montana-based research group Headwaters Economics, over half of the communities in the West might not be able to access those funds. Researchers examined 10 factors that influenced how well-equipped communities were to apply for grant funding, and then used those factors to calculate each county and community’s “rural capacity” score. ... ” Read the full article at High Country News here: Why rural communities struggle to bring in much-needed federal grants
MAFFS ground tanks give California a cutting edge in aerial firefighting capabilities
“Finalizing construction for a massive air-tanker base upgrade, the California Air National Guard’s 146th Airlift Wing (146 AW) completed the installation of four new fire retardant ground storage tanks in March. Vastly improving the wing’s partnered aerial firefighting mission’s capabilities with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service (Forest Service) and the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) for the aerial fire fighting program, known as MAFFS (Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System). With the installation of the permanent ground tanks known as “MAFFS pits,” aerial firefighting agencies can now capitalize on the added benefits they provide, increasing the surge capabilities for all wildfire suppression agencies inside Southern California. … ” Continue reading from the Air National Guard here: MAFFS ground tanks give California a cutting edge in aerial firefighting capabilities
Building warmth and gusty winds to worsen wildfire danger in Southwest
“After numerous fires broke out across Arizona and New Mexico and hundreds of residents were evacuated last week, dry, warm and breezy weather is expected to build across the Southwest and Four Corners region this week, keeping the wildfire threat high across the region. “An area of high pressure is expected to develop as the week progresses, and temperatures are likely to build across the Southwest,” said AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Courtney Travis. This will result in widespread warmth and little to no precipitation across the region. … ” Read more from AccuWeather here: Building warmth and gusty winds to worsen wildfire danger in Southwest
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In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
What’s driving and why police worry about clandestine pot farms, illegal grow houses
“Thousands of bootleg marijuana farms and other illegal cannabis grows in the rural expanses of southern Oregon and northern California frequently have ties to drug cartels and other organized crime syndicates, utilize migrant labor trafficked into the U.S. and are using up significant amounts of water as the Klamath Basin and the rural region deal with severe drought conditions. Those are some of the major impacts illegal cannabis farms and grows have on the rural counties and small towns of the region, according to Klamath County Sheriff Chris Kaber. He worries about drug cartels’ footprint in the region and their use of migrant workers trafficked in from Mexico. “There’s a lot of different cartels involved in these,” Kaber told the Herald & News. ... ” Read more from Herald & News here: What’s driving and why police worry about clandestine pot farms, illegal grow houses
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
Mountain Counties Water Resources Association adopts updated water policy principles
“Earlier this month, the Mountain Counties Water Resources Association (MCWRA) Board of Directors adopted updated Water Policy Principles (Principles). The Principles outline the priorities and policy positions of the association, and provide parameters that allow for the Legislative Committee and Executive Director to engage in advocacy efforts on behalf of the association and its members. The health of Sierra Nevada’s watershed and water resources are of value and of critical importance to all Californians. MCWRA is committed to working to advance the following on priorities on behalf of MCWRA Members … ” Continue reading at the Mountain Counties Water Resources Association here: Mountain Counties Water Resources Association adopts updated water policy principles
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
Folsom Lake levels improve, drought conditions still an issue
“The latest Spring snowstorms helped increase California’s water supply and lake levels, but the Golden State continues to face drought conditions. April’s wet weather in northern California have increased water levels at lakes like Folsom Lake. “The particular storm of this week increased the rain and snow over northern California by about 5-10 percent,” said Meteorologist and forecaster Jim Mathews with the National Weather Service. ... ” Read more from Fox 40 here: Folsom Lake levels improve, drought conditions still an issue
Sierra Club asks Sacramento County to move homeless, citing tripling of American River fires
“The Sierra Club’s Sacramento chapter is asking city and county officials to move hundreds of homeless residents along the American River Parkway into shelters and safe ground spaces, citing an increase in wildfires it says are often tied to homeless camps. In a report and letter sent to city and county leaders Thursday, the environmental group points to an analysis it put together using public records from fire departments covering the parkway. With 156 fires last year, the parkway saw three times as many fires as in 2019, the report states. Among the chief reasons for the increase, according to the group: A surge in homeless camps along the river. ... ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee here: Sierra Club asks Sacramento County to move homeless, citing tripling of American River fires
The Putah Creek fish kill: Learning from a local disaster
“Putah Creek is a small stream located in the Central Valley that has been extensively modified to suit urban and agricultural water needs. Following ratification of the Putah Creek Accord in 2000, however, the creek has also been proactively managed for restoration of native fishes, including fall-run Chinook salmon. The Accord stipulates that pulse flows be supplied to the lower creek during fall and spring to mimic a natural flow regime. A result from these environmental flows has been salmon spawning in the creek since 2003 (Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area Land Management Plan, 2008). Unfortunately, the future of Putah Creek salmon is not yet secure. ... ” Read more from the California Water Blog here: The Putah Creek Fish Kill: Learning from a Local Disaster
NAPA/SONOMA
Major funding secured for water resiliency projects in northern Sonoma County
“In response to the ongoing drought, three key water resiliency projects have secured $17 million in funding from the State of California’s Department of Water Resources to supplement local funding. The Alexander Valley Flood-Managed Aquifer Recharge (Flood-MAR) project received $7 million toward a $9.6 million recharge project; the City of Healdsburg received $7 million toward a $13.9 million pipeline; and the City of Cloverdale received $3 million for systemwide improvements. According to a press release from the County of Sonoma, several agencies partnered up to apply for the state funds through its 2021 Urban and Multibenefit Drought Relief Program. … ” Read more from Sonoma County News here: Major funding secured for water resiliency projects in northern Sonoma County
BAY AREA
April showers won’t bring an end to local water restrictions
“While April’s rain showers certainly helped bring up Bay Area rainfall totals, they won’t be enough to stave off the state’s third year of drought, and that means round of strict city-level restrictions. As of Friday, the state had received 15.63 inches of rain, 75 percent of the historical average, according to California Water Watch, which offers an online map searchable down to the zip code level. The San Francisco watershed fared slightly better, with 16.2 inches for the year to date, 79 percent of the average for the full water year through Sept. 30. ... ” Read more from CBS San Francisco here: April showers won’t bring an end to local water restrictions
CENTRAL COAST
‘We’re the aliens’: Monterey Bay Aquarium unearths secrets of life from the ocean bottom
“On the surface level, the bloody-belly comb jelly is impossible to ignore. Its exterior is outlined in an attractive ruby red as light flickers off its ctenes, miniature comblike projections lined up in rows that are used for locomotion. However, 650 feet beneath the surface of Monterey Bay, the bloody-belly comb jelly is intentionally invisible. “Why are they colored so brightly?” asks Manny Ezcurra, the curator of fish and invertebrates for the Monterey Bay Aquarium. “It’s because it helps them camouflage. They don’t want to be seen by other creatures, and the red hides the bioluminescent light.” ... ” Read more from SF Gate here: ‘We’re the aliens’: Monterey Bay Aquarium unearths secrets of life from the ocean bottom
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
Watch: Kern County in depth: Managing Kern’s water; making water ‘out of thin air’
“This weekend on Kern County In Depth, an update on the California Water Project, a public-private effort to bring clean drinking water to homes in the southern Valley by installing devices that make clean drinking water from the sun. Plus Mark Mulkay, the new Kern River Water Master discusses the status of anticipated water deliveries from Isabella Lake and the Kern River this summer. And Pastor Manny Carrizales prepares for a huge rally for at-risk kids in Kern County, encouraging them to reach for greatness.” Watch video from KGET here: Watch: Kern County in depth: Managing Kern’s water; making water ‘out of thin air’
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Record temperature recorded at LAX as heat returns to Southern California
“California’s roller coaster spring continued its swing from wet and snowy to warm and dry on Sunday under a ridge of high pressure. Developing Santa Ana winds were expected to generate a brief heat wave in Southern California while pleasant conditions were predicted in Northern California, the National Weather Service said. Temperatures in the coastal basin west of the mountains were expected to jump Sunday and rise to well above average on Monday, the San Diego weather office said. … ” Read more from the OC Register here: Record temperature recorded at LAX as heat returns to Southern California
IMPERIAL/COACHELLA VALLEYS
State Water Board praises CVWD’s leadership to achieve California’s “human right to water” policy
“Coachella Valley Water District (CVWD) held a press conference today highlighting the approval of a $23.4 million State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) grant for a critical pipeline project that will serve Eastern Coachella Valley communities who lack access to safe drinking water. The SWRCB took action to grant the funding after a CVWD presentation outlining a strategic master plan identifying more than 100 small water systems that could be connected to CVWD’s infrastructure at the April 19 public water board meeting in Sacramento. … ” Read more from the Coachella Valley Water District here: State Water Board praises CVWD’s leadership to achieve California’s “human right to water” policy
SAN DIEGO
Oceanside residents raise privacy concerns about water metering system
“Oceanside is considering a $20 monthly fee for water customers who choose to opt out of a new automatic metering system, which some people say is an invasion of privacy. The City Council approved the system Aug. 19, 2020, and the utilities department began installations in the summer of 2021. Workers are replacing nearly 45,000 meters with automatic devices that monitor water use and transmit the data to the water department. However, some residents say the meters collect far more information than necessary, and that the fee is too high to opt out. “The AMI smart meter is really a surveillance device masquerading as a metering device,” Oceanside homeowner Richard Newton told the City Council at its meeting Wednesday. … ” Read more from the San Diego Union-Tribune here: Oceanside residents raise privacy concerns about water metering system
Commentary: Working together on water affordability
Gary Croucher, Board chair of the San Diego County Water Authority, writes, “After weeks of work, I’m pleased to report that thanks to the improved relationship between the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD) and the San Diego County Water Authority, along with increased collaboration with other water agencies across Southern California, we helped reduce proposed rate increases to our wholesale water supplies by 7 percentage points over the next two years. This is good news for water ratepayers! The bottom line is this: Instead of raising wholesale water costs by 17% over the next two years, MWD unanimously adopted consecutive 5% increases. This will allow MWD to cover increasing costs facing every sector of our economy, including our water industry, while limiting the impact on residents and businesses. ... ” Continue reading from the Water News Network here: Working Together on Water Affordability
Along the Colorado River …
States, feds weigh next steps amid ‘profound concerns’ over dam levels
“Officials from the seven Colorado River basin states agreed Friday with a federal plan to sharply cut releases from Lake Powell, as both groups scramble to protect water supplies and power generation by propping up the lake’s level. The states were responding to a proposal two weeks ago from Tanya Trujillo, an assistant secretary for water and science for the Interior Department, to withhold almost a half-million acre-feet to address “critically-low elevations over the next 24 months” at Lake Powell and Lake Mead. “We definitely, collectively, agreed that some very significant and precise, also timely actions be taken,” said Tom Buschatzke, director of the Arizona Department of Water Resources, of the states’ letter. ... ” Read more from the Prescott News here: States, feds weigh next steps amid ‘profound concerns’ over dam levels
Explosive population growth will bring challenges to metro Phoenix’s water future
“The images are shocking. Areas submerged for decades are now islands. Lake Mead and Lake Powell, two reservoirs Arizona relies on for its water, are historically low, with each about a third full. Arizona State University climatologist Randy Cerveny says in addition to climate change, it’s explosive population growth in Arizona and other states that rely on water from the Colorado River via Lake Mead and Lake Powell that will present challenges in the future in the Valley. … ” Read more from KTAR here: Explosive population growth will bring challenges to metro Phoenix’s water future
How nature itself could help quash the quagga mussel invasion on the Colorado River
“For the past 15 years, federal agencies have tried to subdue growing populations of quagga mussels, an invasive species that interferes with water infrastructure and threatens ecosystems. Crews tried scrubbing the mollusks off equipment, power washing them off boats and deploying chlorine and UV lights to prevent them from settling in pipes. But the tiny mussels have not only resisted all deterrents, they’ve clogged cooling equipment, reduced water flow to hydropower and even changed the water quality, making it less suitable for native species. … To control them in a significant way, federal managers hope nature will lend a hand and plan to try natural control methods that, like predators on a landscape, are always at work and spread naturally. … ” Read more from the Arizona Republic here: How nature itself could help quash the quagga mussel invasion on the Colorado River
Colorado officials warn 2022 could be the worst wildfire year in state history
“Colorado will pour an additional $20 million in federal funding into firefighting and prevention initiatives ahead of what officials say could be the worst wildfire season in the state’s history. Above-average temperatures and below-average precipitation are predicted across the state through June, thrusting many parts of Colorado into more severe drought conditions and placing more of the state at risk, officials said during a presentation Friday on this year’s wildfire outlook. Monsoonal moisture could bring reprieve to the Western Slope in June, but current forecasts predict extreme drought conditions for the Front Range through July, Mike Morgan, director of Colorado’s Division of Fire Prevention and Control said. … ” Read more from the Colorado Sun here: Colorado officials warn 2022 could be the worst wildfire year in state history
What 3 million little kokanee salmon can tell us about Colorado’s drought
“On a cold April evening, a few dozen people gathered inside the humid Roaring Judy Fish Hatchery north of Gunnison. Adults and kids hovered over the sides of 22 concrete tanks filled to the brim with millions of kokanee salmon fry — 3.1 million to be exact. … The annual kokanee release from the Roaring Judy Fish Hatchery marks the start of an important journey for Colorado’s salmon population. The tiny fish swim downriver to Blue Mesa Reservoir, where they spend about four years growing up before swimming 30 miles back up river to the hatchery where they spawn and, well, die. ... ” Read more from the Colorado Sun here: What 3 million little kokanee salmon can tell us about Colorado’s drought
In national water news today …
Study finds PFAS at higher levels after wastewater treatment
“A new study has underscored the complexity of treating per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), one of the country’s most prolific and widespread water contaminants, while highlighting the futility in attempting to address the problem at wastewater treatment facilities. “PFAS compounds … are found in greater quantities in the treated water leaving Michigan wastewater treatment plants — the water returning to streams, rivers and lakes — than in the not-yet-treated water entering the plant, a new Western Michigan University study found,” according to the Detroit Free Press. “Detailed study of 10 wastewater treatment plants in Michigan with industrial pretreatment programs — efforts to remove PFAS compounds from their industrial sources before the water reaches the plant — found PFAS concentrations as much as 19 times higher in the plant’s effluent, or outflow, than its influent.” … ” Read more from Water Online here: Study finds PFAS at higher levels after wastewater treatment
More news and commentary in the weekend edition …
This weekend in California water news …
- Central Valley farmer’s bold water experiment setting example for California
- Newsom proposes additional $2 billion for water conservation
- Sea level rise is a threat to all Californians, whether they live near the coast or not
- How rising groundwater caused by climate change could devastate coastal communities
- Late-season snowfall helps California in dry winter, drought
- How recent rains affected California’s drought and wildfire season
- Available Now: 2022-2026 Science Action Agenda
- State launches nature-based strategies to fight climate change and protect biodiversity
- Water rights groups win lawsuit in Siskiyou County over environmental review
- ‘Everyone knew it was coming’: Eel River waters continue to be diverted as PG&E granted annual license for the Potter Valley Project
- East Bay MUD considers surcharges, penalties to curb excessive water usage
- Southern steelhead fish get broader protection as state studies endangered species status
- Planning for change: New tools to support bird habitat in the Central Valley
- Colorado River states agree to federal request to hold back water in Lake Powell
Also on Maven’s Notebook today …
Agenda now available for the April 26-27 Delta Salinity Management Workshop
INFO SHEET: A Primer on Delta Salinity: Natural and Human Influences
INFO SHEET: Delta Water Management and Regulations
INFO SHEET: Emergency Drought Barriers
INFO SHEET: Franks Tract Futures
