On the calendar today …
- PUBLIC MEETING: California Water Plan Policy Advisory Committee Meeting from 9am to 12pm. The second meeting of the California Water Plan Update 2023 (Update 2023) Policy Advisory Committee will be held over Zoom. You can join the meeting here: https://kearnswest.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZEvc-2grTwjE9EeXeAKfpSqszfMqcAA4yaI
- LUNCH-MAR at 12pm. Click here to register.
- 2022 Russian River Biological Opinion Public Policy Facilitating Committee from 2pm to 4:30pm. The Public Policy Facilitating Committee (PPFC) will host its annual meeting to receive reports and presentations on various projects designed to help restore endangered and threatened fish to the Russian River watershed, while maintaining the region’s primary water supply. To register for the meeting and receive log-in directions, visit www.sonomawater.org/RRIFR
. - PUBLIC MEETING: Drought Emergency Regulation for Scott River and Shasta River Watersheds from 2pm to 4pm. State Water Board staff is hosting a meeting to accept public comments on what worked and what could be improved in consideration of re-adoption of the drought emergency regulation for the Klamath River, including specifically the Scott River and Shasta River watersheds. Click here for the full meeting notice.
- WEBINAR: Mark Arax on “The Dreamt Land”from 2pm to 3pm. Mark Arax has been likened to a modern day John Steinbeck, for his lyrical and personal books about California’s Central Valley, and his masterful use of prose. The Dreamt Land weaves reportage, history, and memoir to confront the “Golden State” myth in riveting fashion. No other chronicler of the West has so deeply delved into the history, culture, people, and story of the Central Valley in real time. The Dreamt Land is a heartfelt, beautifully written book about the land and the people who have worked it–from gold miners to wheat ranchers to small fruit farmers and today’s Big Ag. Since the beginning, Californians have redirected rivers, drilled ever-deeper wells and built higher dams, pushing the water supply past its limit. The discussion will be moderated by Felicia Marcus, the William C. Landreth Visiting Fellow at Stanford University’s Program on Water in the West, an attorney, consultant and member of the Water Policy Group. Click here to register.
In California water news today …
California’s new drought rules: will they be enough to halt the ‘alarming challenges’ ahead?
Kelly M. Grow / DWR
“Describing the drought as “one of the most alarming challenges our region has ever faced” metropolitan issued unprecedented restrictions limiting outdoor watering to one day per week and also called on all southern Californians to cut their use by up to 30%. If conservation efforts fail to fall in line with declining supplies by September, the rules could be tightened with an all-out ban on outdoor watering. “The reality is, this drought has left us without the water supply we need to meet normal demands in these areas,” said Adel Hagekhalil, metropolitan general manager in a statement. “To make sure we have enough water for their basic human health and safety needs, everyone in these communities must immediately and dramatically reduce their water use.” … ” Read more from The Guardian here: California’s new drought rules: will they be enough to halt the ‘alarming challenges’ ahead?
With water running out, California sees no relief from drought thanks to La Niña
“Heat waves. Severe drought. Extreme wildfires. As Southern California braces for unprecedented drought restrictions, long-range forecasts are predicting a summer that will be fraught with record-breaking temperatures, sere landscapes and above-average potential for significant wildfires, particularly in the northern part of the state. “The dice are loaded for a lot of big fires across the West,” said Park Williams, a climate scientist at UCLA. “And the reason for that is simple: The vast majority of the western U.S. is in pretty serious drought.” Recently, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said the temperature outlook for the transition from spring into summer this year calls for above-normal readings for most of the West. … ” Read more from the LA Times here: With water running out, California sees no relief from drought thanks to La Niña | Read via Yahoo News
SEE ALSO:
- California’s in for summer water shortages after officials find just 2.5 inches of snowpack, from Gizmodo
- Western municipal water restraints rise as reservoirs fall, from the Cornell Chronicle
- Watch: State Water Agencies Executive Discusses Latest on California Drought, from NBC Bay Area
How the California grape industry is coping with water woes
“When Dana Merrill first got a look at Paso Robles, a town about 25 miles inland from the Central California coast, he didn’t think much of it. “Paso Robles was a cute, small town with historical charm; but there really wasn’t much going on to drive the economy, create jobs, and keep future generations here,” he says. “That’s the charitable way to put it.” But he had arrived at the right time, as the area was at that time rapidly becoming known, with its not-too-fertile soils and wide diurnal temperature swings — both critical for producing premium wine grapes — as a great place to grow. … ” Read more from Growing Produce here: How the California grape industry is coping with water woes
SEE ALSO: Deep freeze hammers winegrape farmers, from Ag Alert
Assessing water infrastructure investments in California
“With water scarcity increasing around the globe, arid regions are striving to develop more flexible and diversified water supplies. … The success of such initiatives depends in large part upon the ability of water providers to collaboratively finance and build new infrastructure. To date, most water supply and storage planning has relied on models that analyze average, project-level outcomes. But new research by Hamilton et al. in California’s southern Central Valley suggests these tools no longer suffice, especially when planning under future climate uncertainty. … ” Read more from EOS here: Assessing water infrastructure investments in California
Caltrans spotlights top six pollutants degrading California’s water quality
“As part of its “Let’s Change This to That” public education campaign, Caltrans today is sharing the top sources of stormwater pollution and ways to prevent them from contaminating California’s waterways. As stormwater travels into storm drains, it captures pollutants from highways, streets, sidewalks and yards that flow into waterways. The top six pollutants have an outsized impact on the water quality of lakes, rivers, streams and the ocean, and many are preventable through small actions Californians can take. … ” Read more from Caltrans here: Caltrans spotlights top six pollutants degrading California’s water quality
One way around California’s water restrictions: Recycle water from your laundry
“Despite years of drought and conservation mandates, Californians continue to sprinkle a lot of clean, drinkable water onto yards to keep the greenery alive. That’s true even on properties that have scaled back thirsty lawns and added drought-tolerant native plants. Now, however, Southern California officials have imposed unusually strict limits on outdoor water use in response to a water shortage emergency, effective June 1. So you may need to find an alternative way to keep your plants from desiccating in the summer sun. How about irrigating them with grey water instead of sprinkling them with clean water? … ” Read more from the LA Times here: One way around California’s water restrictions: Recycle water from your laundry
Course offered in water measurement, reporting
“California water-rights holders are required by state law to measure and report the water they divert from surface streams. For people who wish to take the water measurements themselves, the University of California Cooperative Extension is offering a virtual training to receive certification on May 26. … ” Read more from the Western Farm Press here: Course offered in water measurement, reporting
San Diego County Water Authority awarded patent for pipeline inspection tool
“The San Diego County Water Authority has been granted its first ever utility patent for a device that inspects interior sections of water pipelines that are inaccessible or not safe to inspect without expensive specialized gear and training. Water Authority Operations and Maintenance Manager Martin Coghill invented the tool to save time, reduce costs and improve safety during ongoing aqueduct inspections. The Water Authority’s industry-leading Asset Management Program includes a proactive search for pipeline weaknesses that can be addressed before they become large and costly problems. ... ” Read more from the Water News Network here: San Diego County Water Authority awarded patent for pipeline inspection tool
Study develops framework for forecasting contribution of snowpack to flood risk during winter storms
“In the Sierra Nevada, midwinter “rain-on-snow” events occur when rain falls onto existing snowpack and have resulted in some of the region’s biggest and most damaging floods. Rain-on-snow events are projected to increase in size and frequency in the coming years, but little guidance exists for water resource managers on how to mitigate flood risk during times of rapidly changing snowpack. Their minute-by-minute decisions during winter storms can have long-lasting impacts to people, property, and water supplies. A new study by a team from DRI, University of California, Berkeley, the National Weather Service, and University of Nevada, Reno, provides the first framework for a snowpack decision support tool that could help water managers prepare for potential flooding during rain-on-snow events, using hourly data from existing snow monitoring stations. … ” Read more from Desert Research Institute here: Study develops framework for forecasting contribution of snowpack to flood risk during winter storms
SEE ALSO: Novel Framework for a Snowpack Decision Support Tool Likely to Help Water Managers, from AZO Cleantech
The Devil’s Hole pupfish has paddled back from the brink in a hellish desert domain
“How the Devil’s Hole pupfish has survived for centuries in a spa-like cistern cloistered by a barren rock mountain in Death Valley National Park remains a biological mystery. The world’s rarest, most inbred fish clings to existence in the smallest geographic range of any vertebrate: the shallow end of an oxygen-deprived pool 10 feet wide, 70 feet long and more than 500 feet deep. In early 2013, its numbers plunged to 35, and biologists feared the species long regarded as a symbol of the desert conservation movement would be gone within a year. But since then, the fish has paddled back from the brink, reaching a total population — in the wild and in captivity — of about 475 this spring, which is the height of the breeding season. ... ” Read more from the LA Times here: The Devil’s Hole pupfish has paddled back from the brink in a hellish desert domain
Special section: Reclamation takes further action to help Lake Powell
Reclamation’s drought response actions will boost Lake Powell
“The Bureau of Reclamation today announced two separate urgent drought response actions that will help prop up Lake Powell by nearly 1 million acre-feet (maf) of water over the next 12 months (May 2022 through April 2023). Today, Lake Powell’s water surface elevation is at 3,522 feet, its lowest level since originally being filled in the 1960s. A critical elevation at Lake Powell is 3,490 feet, the lowest point at which Glen Canyon Dam can generate hydropower. This elevation introduces new uncertainties for reservoir operations and water deliveries because the facility has never operated under such conditions for an extended period. These two actions equate to approximately 16 feet of elevation increase. Given the extraordinary circumstances in the Basin, Reclamation is invoking its authority to change annual operations at Glen Canyon Dam for the first time. The measure protects hydropower generation, the facility’s key infrastructure, and the water supply for the city of Page, Arizona, and the LeChee Chapter of the Navajo Nation. … ” Read more from the Bureau of Reclamation here: Reclamation’s drought response actions will boost Lake Powell
Interior seeks to bolster Lake Powell to preserve hydropower
“In its bid to prevent a hydropower shutdown at the Glen Canyon Dam during persistent drought, the Interior Department will hold back nearly 480,000 acre-feet of water from being released, agency leaders announced today. The Bureau of Reclamation will also seek to bolster historically low levels in Lake Powell by releasing 500,000 acre-feet of water from the Flaming Gorge Reservoir in Wyoming. “We have never taken this step before in the Colorado River Basin, but the conditions we see today and the risks we see on the horizon demand that we take prompt action,” said Tanya Trujillo, Interior’s assistant secretary for water and science. … ” Read more from E&E News here: Interior seeks to bolster Lake Powell to preserve hydropower
Historic drought forces feds to withhold water from states
“The Interior Department is turning down the Colorado River’s flow to California, Arizona, and Nevada to protect Lake Powell from the West’s historic, climate change-driven drought. The Bureau of Reclamation will withhold 480,000 acre-feet of water from Lake Powell in 2022 to prevent the reservoir from dropping so low it can no longer generate electricity, Tanya Trujillo, the Interior Department’s assistant secretary for water and science, told reporters Tuesday. “We have never taken this step before in the Colorado River Basin,” Trujillo said. … ” Read more from Bloomberg Law here: Historic drought forces feds to withhold water from states
As drought crisis deepens, government will release less water from Colorado River reservoir
“After years of severe drought compounded by climate change, the water level in Lake Powell, the second-largest reservoir on the Colorado River, has dropped to just 24% of full capacity and is continuing to decline to levels not seen since the reservoir was filled in the 1960s. In an effort to boost the shrinking reservoir, the federal government announced Tuesday that it will hold back a large quantity of water this year to reduce risks of the lake falling below a point at which Glen Canyon Dam would no longer generate electricity. “Today’s decision reflects the truly unprecedented challenges facing the Colorado River Basin and will provide operational certainty for the next year,” Tanya Trujillo, the federal Interior Department’s assistant secretary for water and science, said in a statement announcing the measures. … ” Read more from the LA Times here: As drought crisis deepens, government will release less water from Colorado River reservoir
SEE ALSO:
- ‘It feels like a dying reservoir’: Deltas of sediment are pushing into Glen Canyon as Lake Powell disappears, from the Salt Lake Tribune
- West’s megadrought delivers another blow: Saving Glen Canyon Dam, from KSL
- Colorado River Reservoirs Are So Low, Government Will Delay Releases, from the New York Times
Editorial: As Lake Mead water levels fall, government must rise to the occasion
The Las Vegas Sun editorial board writes, “Since the 1979 release of “Mad Max,” the film and television industry has enjoyed a near-constant chorus of apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic blockbusters. Yet even in this genre, drought has remained almost entirely relegated to storylines of the past — retellings of stories from the Dust Bowl or Africa or other drought-driven famines. But last week, an image emerged on Twitter and in the news cycle worthy of the opening act of a post-apocalyptic Hollywood blockbuster: The primary Lake Mead water intake for the Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA), clearly visible above the water line. … A drought can begin and end. But there is no reason to see an end to this. In other words, we’re not in a drought. We’re in a new climate — one that is hostile to the entire Southwest. ... ” Read the full commentary at the Las Vegas Sun here: Editorial: As Lake Mead water levels fall, government must rise to the occasion
Statement from Taylor Hawes, Colorado River Program Director, The Nature Conservancy
““Today’s announcement to reduce the amount of water released from Lake Powell is a stark reminder of the dire conditions in the Colorado River Basin and the urgency to develop a plan to mitigate this ongoing crisis. “We face unprecedented challenges in the Basin following decades of higher temperatures, low runoff conditions, and depleted reservoirs. We can’t control Mother Nature, but we can control our demands and how quickly we develop and implement solutions. “While the decision to lower the release amount is an important step, it is only a temporary fix. We must address the underlying problem, which is that we are using more water than the River provides. The longer we wait to tackle this, the fewer options we will have, and the impact of less water in our rivers will continue to affect everyone and everything that depends on this River system. … ” Read the full statement from The Nature Conservancy here: Statement from Taylor Hawes, Colorado River Program Director, The Nature Conservancy
Western river compacts were innovative in the 1920s but couldn’t foresee today’s water challenges
Head Archivist, Water Resources Archive, Colorado State University, writes, “The seven Colorado River Basin states – Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming – signed a water sharing agreement, the Colorado River Compact, in 1922. Some observers are now calling for renegotiating the compact to correct errors and oversights. Nebraska and Colorado are also arguing over water from the South Platte River, which they share under a separate agreement signed in 1923. My work as head archivist for Colorado State University’s Water Resources Archive gives me a unique perspective on these conflicts. Our collection includes the papers of Delph Carpenter, a lawyer who developed the concept of interstate river compacts and negotiated both the Colorado and South Platte agreements. … ” Read more from The Conversation here: Western river compacts were innovative in the 1920s but couldn’t foresee today’s water challenges
In commentary today …
Balanced approach to water needed for farms, fish
Justin Fredrickson, a water and environmental policy analyst for the California Farm Bureau, writes, “Project operators recently explained unprecedented emergency plans for cold-water temperature management to support endangered salmon below Shasta Dam, the federal Central Valley Project’s largest reservoir. Based on what they told the California State Water Resources Control Board, the effort is pulling out all stops imaginable. The goal is to get at least a few nests of Central Valley winter-run chinook salmon eggs to hatch, while still leaving something in the reservoir at the end of this summer, should dry conditions continue next year. But conditions this year are so abnormally dry, and feasible flows below the dam will be so low, it’s not clear what will happen. Amid blast-furnace temperatures during the peak of summer, this process seeks to maintain water temperatures as cold as a beer in the ice chest of an angler casting his lure from the shore. … ” Read more from Ag Alert here: Balanced approach to water needed for farms, fish
California feeds us, but it’s in severe drought again. Time for a new idea.
Author Tom Philpott writes, “Chances are, you’ll eat something grown in California today. Its farms churn out a third of US-grown vegetables and two-thirds of its fruits and nuts, and more milk than any other state. … Hot on the heels of the epochal 2011-2016 drought, the state has again descended into an even more extreme dry spell. This year marked the single “driest and among the warmest January to mid-April periods on record,” according to the eminent University of California, Los Angeles climatologist Daniel Swain. Alarming news, because that’s the very time frame when the state typically receives the bulk of its precipitation. Where will we get our fruits and vegetables as California’s farms inevitably adapt to a hotter, drier new normal? ... ” Read more from Mother Jones here: California feeds us, but it’s in severe drought again. Time for a new idea.
As Kern County goes, so goes the nation
Clint Olivier, CEO of the Central Valley Business Federation, writes, “Some in California hold our state as an example as the proving ground for climate policy, and the model for the rest of the U.S. – and beyond. So, it’s fair to ask – are California’s climate policies actually helping communities and, if so, should they serve as a template for other states? Unfortunately, the answer from working people in Kern County is a resounding ‘no.’ Folks who live in the Central Valley are seeing their jobs and quality of life negatively impacted by state energy and water policies, with the glaring byproduct of reduced tax revenues that support critical local government programs and essential services. … ” Read more from Capitol Weekly here: As Kern County goes, so goes the nation
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
State executive order triggers review of Lake County’s well permitting process
“County officials say they have begun issuing well drilling permits once again after a gubernatorial executive order issued in March in response to worsening drought conditions led to a local pause in permitting. On March 28, Gov. Gavin Newsom issued Executive Order N-7-22, a response to what his office reported were the driest first three months of a year in California’s recorded history. Specifically, Newsom’s order called on local water suppliers to move to level two of their water shortage contingency plans, which require “locally-appropriate actions that will conserve water across all sectors.” … ” Read more from the Lake County News here: State executive order triggers review of Lake County’s well permitting process
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
Tahoe fire agencies gear up for 2022 wildfire season with prevention, awareness campaign
“As California and Nevada enter a third year of drought, the Tahoe Fire and Fuels Team is leveling up the region’s preparedness efforts by implementing the Lake Tahoe Wildfire Awareness Campaign. The campaign will run from May through October, highlighting the message: “Tahoe Wildfire Ready.” All counties in the Lake Tahoe Basin, along with the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, will emphasize their support for the campaign through the adoption of proclamations during the month of May. The months that follow will focus on fire preparedness and prevention topics, such as defensible space, evacuation preparedness, wildfire prevention and more. … ” Read more from South Tahoe Now here: Tahoe fire agencies gear up for 2022 wildfire season with prevention, awareness campaign
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
Council considers updating Redding’s thirty year old riverfront plan
“Redding’s riverfront development was last planned decades ago before the Sundial Bridge, Turtle Bay Museum or the Redding Arboretum existed. Funding an update to the 30 year-old plan would be the city’s first step in deciding how to utilize riverfront land after the council voted against declaring the land surplus last month. The city could take advantage of $1 million or more in federal COVID relief money to fund the planning process. ... ” Read more from the Shasta Scout here: Council considers updating Redding’s thirty year old riverfront plan
NAPA/SONOMA
Russian River Watershed: Living with and preparing for wildfires
“Living with and preparing for wildfires is essential for communities in Northern California. The Russian River Watershed has learned this lesson intimately during the Tubbs Fire (2017), Pocket Fire (2017), Kincade Fire (2019), and Walbridge Fire (2020). As the tradition of spring cleaning and planting begins, our community should consider fire preparedness. Fire preparedness is most successful as a layered approach between individual residents and the larger community. This article will focus on individual preparedness for fire, focusing on yard and landscape preparation. Through scientific and practical study, yard preparation has come to be called Defensible Space. … ” Read more from the Ukiah Daily Journal here: Russian River Watershed: Living with and preparing for wildfires
Are there microplastics in the Napa River? According to experts, probably
“Plastic seems to be everywhere nowadays, and based on existing research on the greater San Francisco Bay, it is highly likely that the Napa River and its watershed are filled with it, too. “I don’t think most people realize how insidious plastics are,” said Chris Malan, executive director of ICARE, a Napa nonprofit that stands for the Institute for Conservation Advocacy Research and Education. “It is such a huge part of everybody’s daily lives, and we don’t give it a second thought.” The most recent of Malan and ICARE’s missions is the Napa Watershed Microplastic Project, although the group has historically conducted steelhead studies, helped restore Suscol Creek and the like. An educational endeavor with the hopes of teaching the public about microplastics, this new project came about when ICARE members started to notice an uptick in the amount of plastic in and around the Napa River. … ” Read more from the Napa Register here: Are there microplastics in the Napa River? According to experts, probably
BAY AREA
When it’s impossible to fight rising sea levels, should we move somewhere else?
“Relocating homes, communities and essential infrastructure away from shorelines may become a reality for low-lying coastal areas where rising tides already are lapping at doorsteps. But the concept, called managed retreat, has become a hotly contested topic for policymakers and communities for whom a migration away from homes and communities can feel like a latent threat. Still, experts argue that in some cases, staying put is also untenable. That’s why this week, SPUR, a local public policy nonprofit, is hosting an event that poses the uncomfortable, yet inevitable, question: When, if ever, is the right time to talk about managed retreat? … ” Read more from the San Francisco Examiner here: When it’s impossible to fight rising sea levels, should we move somewhere else?
CENTRAL COAST
Editorial: Easy choice on assessments that will lead to vastly improved Pajaro River levee system
The Santa Cruz Sentinel editorial board writes, “Santa Cruz and Monterey County property owners in areas along and adjacent to the Pajaro River are voting by mail on an assessment that will not be on the June primary ballot. The assessment is one that will require these property owners to make up for a shortfall in operations and maintenance budgets that maintain the current, unacceptable, flood protection offered by the river levees. And, perhaps most importantly, the assessment will unlock $400 million in federal funding that will finally, after decades of talk and little action, lead to a much improved levee system that could offer protections from a 100-year flood. We urge the 3,000-plus affected parcel owners to agree to assess themselves. Ballots were mailed out last month and must be returned no later than June 8. ... ” Read more from the Santa Cruz Sentinel here: Editorial: Easy choice on assessments that will lead to vastly improved Pajaro River levee system
California regulators recommend strict development limits in Cambria, Los Osos
“Dwindling water supplies could lead to further restrictions on development in Cambria and Los Osos. The California Coastal Commission wants to halt all development that leads to increased water use. This would apply to both vacant lots and existing properties. “We were aware of the conversation about water issues and water resources in Los Osos, but we were not prepared for what was in the letter,” said Ron Munds, general manager for the Los Osos Community Services District. The California Coastal Commission is issuing strict new recommendations to both the Los Osos and the Cambria community services districts. ... ” Continue reading at KSBY here: California regulators recommend strict development limits in Cambria, Los Osos
Commentary: A floating sewer line in the ocean? Dubious proposals at Montecito Sanitary and Water Districts
Hillary Hauser, president and executive director of the nonprofit Heal the Ocean, writes, “The reaction to Heal the Ocean’s April 19, 2022, letter to the editor of the Montecito Journal regarding Bob Hazard’s piece “Should the Montecito Water and Sanitary Districts Consolidate?” was swift: At a joint meeting of the Montecito Water and Sanitary districts on Wednesday, April 27, 2022, Mr. Hazard said my piece was an “old” argument, but also that the districts needed to step up their public relations work, that Heal the Ocean’s community outreach could impact their reputations and/or whatever it is they are trying to accomplish. … Into this discussion — and I’m not making this up — is the idea for getting Montecito San’s wastewater to Carpinteria via a floating wastewater line in the ocean from Montecito to Carpinteria. Yes, this was brought up in the meeting. … ” Read more from the Santa Barbara Independent here: A floating sewer line in the ocean? Dubious proposals at Montecito Sanitary and Water Districts
Santa Barbara council takes another step toward fighting sea level rise
“The City of Santa Barbara is moving ahead on its plan to prepare for sea level rise. Sea level rise is expected to accelerate rapidly during the next eight decades. According to projection maps, Santa Barbara is expecting 0.8 feet of sea level rise by 2030, 2.5 feet by 2060 and 6.6 feet by 2100. With 2.5 feet of sea level rise, bluff erosion rates could increase 40% and affect private properties along Shoreline Drive, according to city officials. About 80% of the beaches backed by bluffs would be lost with 2.5 feet of sea level rise. By the year 2100, all of the bluff-backed beaches would be lost, according to Melissa Hetrick, a project planner for the City of Santa Barbara. … ” Read more from Noozhawk here: Santa Barbara council takes another step toward fighting sea level rise
SEE ALSO: Robert Sulnick: With Oceans Rising, ‘Adaptations’ Are Not a Solution, from Noozhawk
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
Westlands Water District awarded $7.6 Million Grant by the California Department of Water Resources
“May 2nd the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) awarded Westlands Water District, which serves as the Groundwater Sustainability Agency (GSA) for the Westside Subbasin, a $7.6 million grant as part of the Department’s Sustainable Groundwater Management (SGM) Proposition 68 Implementation Grant Program. This grant provides critical investment in the District’s efforts to ensure a sustainable groundwater basin. “As we enter the third year of historic drought, Westlands remains committed to utilizing the most proactive, innovative, and scientifically-sound strategies in groundwater management,” said Tom Birmingham, general manager of Westlands. … ” Read more from Westlands Water District here: Westlands Water District awarded $7.6 Million Grant by the California Department of Water Resources
Lindsay continues preparing for summer water shortage
“Lindsay is taking steps to mitigate a potential water shortage in the event that the emergency allocation the city applied for in order to meet this summer’s water needs is not approved. At a city council meeting on April 26, city services and planning assistant director Neyba Amezcua gave council what she described as a much more positive update from the previous week’s. Amezcua said that the city has requested proposals to update a study done on Well 11, the highly-contaminated well that will have to be utilized if the emergency allocation isn’t granted by the Bureau of Reclamation. However, after a conversation with the Bureau, Amezcua is optimistic that the allocation will be approved. … ” Read more from the Foothills Sun-Gazette here: Lindsay continues preparing for summer water shortage
Thousands of bees killed by water company employee in Selma, says homeowner
“A water company says it’s now trying to get to the bottom of why a worker killed a swarm of bees in Selma on Tuesday. The bees settled into a water meter near Robert Garcia’s home just over a week ago. He didn’t consider it a big deal. “We live in the Valley. We’re short on bees,” Garcia said. But that shortage isn’t just local. … ” Read more from KFSN here: Thousands of bees killed by water company employee in Selma, says homeowner
Kern River run off predicted to be downright miserly
“Kern River watershed watcher Scott Williams put out what will be his final Kern River Snow and Water Report May 3 and the news was grim. The predicted run off for the Kern River has dwindled from an already meager 33% of normal last month to a downright miserly 28% of normal this month. … ” Read more from SJV Water here: Kern River run off predicted to be downright miserly
Tehachapi: Water district suit against city transferred to Sacramento County
“For reasons not made public, the city of Tehachapi requested a change in venue for a lawsuit filed last September by the Tehachapi-Cummings County Water District. The lawsuit challenged city approval of Sage Ranch and other residential developments, claiming that the city violated multiple state laws in its approval of the planned development. “The district’s accusations are both unfortunate and unfounded,” a spokesperson for the city said at the time. … ” Read more from the Tehachapi News here: Water district suit against city transferred to Sacramento County
EASTERN SIERRA
Indian Wells Valley Basin Department of Water Resources facilitation support service launch project
“The Department of Water Resources (DWR) offers Facilitation Support Services (FSS) to help GSAs and local water management groups foster discussions among diverse water management interests and jurisdictions in support of Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) implementation. Through the FSS Program, the Indian Wells Valley Water District (IWVWD) requested professional facilitation to support the basin in discussing challenges related to SGMA, the Indian Wells Valley Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP), and the multiple related lawsuits that have been filed, and to assist the community to understand and clarify the issues being faced in order to help discussions focus on constructive solutions moving forward. … ” More information from the Ridgecrest Independent here: Indian Wells Valley Basin Department of Water Resources facilitation support service launch project
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Editorial: Desal report from state Coastal Commission is nonsensical
The OC Register editorial board writes, “The California Coastal Commission’s staff is notorious for its hard-edged anti-growth policies, so we weren’t surprised that it issued a report this week opposing a long-planned desalination facility at a shuttered industrial site at Huntington Beach. Fortunately, the commission’s 12-member board can still approve the Poseidon facility next month. Even Gov. Gavin Newsom understands what’s at stake … Get out of your bubble. … ” Read more at the OC Register here: Editorial: Desal report from state Coastal Commission is nonsensical
The wolf of the West
“Far from Washington, the unfolding water crisis in the west can be hard to follow. It’s one similarly dire projection after another for Southern California’s two major water sources: the Colorado River, which serves 40 million people in the U.S. and Mexico, and the rivers flowing from the Sierra Nevada mountains that have been diverted toward Los Angeles. Climate change has sapped them both. But for the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, the nation’s largest water supplier, the time for crying wolf is over. … ” Continue reading at Politico here: The wolf of the West
South Coast Water District customers see irrigating restrictions, more coming amid drought
“South Coast Water District customers will be restricted to irrigating landscapes to one day per week as early as November if drought conditions persist, water officials said Monday. The District’s Board of Directors voted April 14 to move to level two of its water shortage contingency plan. As of May 1, customers must limit landscaping irrigation to three days per week through October. District officials will also step up notification and enforcement to fix leaks, double down on engaging the district’s most water-hungry commercial users, and a public awareness campaign. … ” Read more from the Laguna Beach Independent here: South Coast Water District customers see irrigating restrictions, more coming amid drought
IMPERIAL/COACHELLA VALLEYS
The Salton Sea could produce the world’s greenest lithium, if new extraction technologies work
“… Traditionally, lithium extraction involves either open-pit mining or evaporation ponds, which work by pumping lithium-containing brine to the surface and waiting for the water to dry up. Both of these methods have huge land footprints, are often very water-intensive, and can create lots of contamination and waste. But at the Salton Sea, three companies are developing chemical processes to extract lithium in a much cleaner way, taking advantage of the Salton Sea’s rich geothermal resources. … ” Read more from CNBC here: The Salton Sea could produce the world’s greenest lithium, if new extraction technologies work
SAN DIEGO
Column: San Diego remains afloat amid grim water scenarios
Columnist Michael Smolens writes, “Some of San Diego’s neighbors to the north are facing tough water restrictions. Others are in dispute over whether to move forward with a big, expensive water project. Meanwhile, levels at some huge reservoirs have never been so low. The impacts of the yearslong drought on water supplies are growing across the state, as is the dilemma about how to address them. But not in the San Diego region. That’s been the case for years, but it’s becoming more apparent as the state appears to be taking a more nuanced approach toward water restrictions. Rather than statewide mandatory cuts, California leaders are considering taking into account the status of local supplies. … ” Continue reading at the San Diego Union-Tribune here: Column: San Diego remains afloat amid grim water scenarios
San Diego County unveiling new water testing technology to provide same-day public warnings
“San Diego County officials Wednesday will introduce a new water-testing technology they will begin using the very next day to provide same-day public warnings of poor coastal water quality that causes illness. San Diego leaders say the results will be more accurate and posted within hours instead of the next day, reducing the time the public could be at risk if water is contaminated. … ” Read more from Channel 8 here: San Diego County unveiling new water testing technology to provide same-day public warnings
In national water news today …
Water associations send letter to Congress regarding CERCLA exemption for PFAS
“A letter from 10 water associations to Congress regarding The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) notes that a hazardous substance designation under CERCLA could pose severe unintended consequences on water systems. The letter encourages Congress to pose a water system exemption if PFAS are designated as CERCLA hazardous substances. CERCLA, also known as Superfund, provides a federal Superfund to: clean up uncontrolled or abandoned hazardous-waste sites; and clean up accidents, spills, and other releases of pollutants and contaminants into the environment. According to the U.S. EPA, CERCLA seeks out the parties responsible for any release and the subsequent cooperation in the cleanup. PFAS chemicals come through the raw influent that arrives at the treatment plant, which comes from domestic, commercial, and industrial sources. ... ” Read more from Water & Wastes Digest here: Water associations send letter to Congress regarding CERCLA exemption for PFAS
Water sustainability: What companies are promising and how they can deliver
“No matter what industry you find yourself in, water sustainability, conservation and resiliency are essential areas that companies emphasize. While the United States used to be a water-rich country and, in many ways, still is, with recent droughts across the Midwest and changing climate patterns, many areas are seeing what used to be an abundant resource become scarce. … Water uncertainty is quickly becoming a more prevalent problem. Many companies, for that reason, are looking for ways to address their usage and become more thoughtful consumers of this precious resource. Ultimately, internal water policies that, even a few years ago, might have once been considered just “good PR” are quickly becoming an operational necessity. … ” Read more from Water Technology here: Water sustainability: What companies are promising and how they can deliver
And lastly … A Star Wars Day special
YouTuber recreates Star Wars battle on the Sacramento River with Jetovators and it’s awesome
“Devin Graham is a videographer who produces extreme sports videos for his nearly more than 6 million subscribers on Youtube under the name devinsupertramp. He has become a well known star and teamed up with NorCal Jetovator to produce one of the coolest videos I’ve ever seen. The idea is simple – create a Star Wars battle scene on the Sacramento River using NorCal Jetovators. Okay, maybe it’s not that simple. … ” Read more and watch videos from Active NorCal here: YouTuber recreates Star Wars battle on the Sacramento River with Jetovators and it’s awesome
Also on Maven’s Notebook today …
NOTICE: May 3 Weekly Update on Curtailment Status of Water Rights and Claims in the Delta Watershed
White papers providing a synthesis of knowledge relating to Delta Smelt biology in the San Francisco Estuary, emphasizing effects of flow
