On the calendar today …
- WEBINAR: Wildfire Treatments & Waste Biomass: Policy Options to Boost New End Uses from 4pm to 5pm. In response to California’s devastating wildfires over the past several years, government and private landowners are removing more debris and residual material from forested areas, such as removing dead trees and creating fire breaks. One strategy to improve vegetation management outcomes is to support markets for this residual material through wood products, chips and mulch, or other end uses. CLEE’s new policy report “Branching Out: Waste Biomass Policies to Promote Wildfire Resilience and Emission Reduction” explores market options—and key policy steps and limitations—for existing and expected debris materials generated as a result of increased vegetation management activity in California. Click here to register.
In California water news today …
‘A race to the bottom’: New bill aims to limit frenzy of well drilling on California farms
“In farming areas across the Central Valley, a well-drilling frenzy has accelerated over the last year as growers turn to pumping more groundwater during the drought, even as falling water levels leave hundreds of nearby homes with dry wells. Counties have continued freely issuing well-drilling permits in the years since California passed a landmark law, the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act of 2014, which is intended to address the problem of excessive pumping over the next two decades to preserve groundwater. Some state legislators are now supporting a bill that they say would strengthen oversight and limit the well-drilling frenzy by requiring a review of permits for new wells by the same local agencies that are charged with managing groundwater. … ” Read more from the LA Times here: ‘A race to the bottom’: New bill aims to limit frenzy of well drilling on California farms
Spring storm delivers snow to Northern California mountains
“Spring has sprung in much of California, but winter is hanging on in parts of the Sierra Nevada, where snow fell Sunday and forecasters warned of hazardous travel conditions. The National Weather Service issued a winter weather advisory through 11 p.m., predicting up to 10 inches (25 centimeters) of snow in mountains above 5,000 feet (1,524 meters) near Lake Tahoe. “Snow has started over the Sierra!” the weather service’s Sacramento office tweeted around midday. “If you have mountain travel plans be prepared for winter driving conditions, gusty winds, and low visibility at times.” … ” Read more from KTLA here: Spring storm delivers snow to Northern California mountains
SEE ALSO:
- Late season snow arrives in Sierra, from the SF Chronicle
- Snow due for Tahoe could dust some Bay Area peaks, from the San Jose Mercury News
- Rain, snow and wind targets western US this week, from AccuWeather
Wild fluctuations in Sierra snow
“When it comes to mountain snow, the Sierra Nevada is notorious for booms and busts: One year is bad, while another can be exceedingly good. In 2021-22, there were booms and busts all within the same snow season. The result has been another year of inadequate snowfall and concerns about the impact on water supplies. “The Sierras tend to get big storms, with a lot of snow in bursts, or we get years of very little snow,” said Noah Molotch, a mountain hydrologist at the Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research (INSTAAR) and NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. “It is rare that we have a snow year that is actually average.” Snow that falls on the Sierra Nevada each winter becomes a natural reservoir that slowly melts and flows down into the river valleys in spring and summer. In a typical year, this snowpack accounts for about 30 percent of California’s water supply. Resource managers count on this snowmelt to fill reservoirs with sufficient water for the typically dry months of summer and autumn. ... ” Read more from NASA’s Earth Observatory here: Wild fluctuations in Sierra snow
It’s not even summer, and California’s two largest reservoirs are at ‘critically low’ levels
“At a point in the year when California’s water storage should be at its highest, the state’s two largest reservoirs have already dropped to critically low levels — a sobering outlook for the hotter and drier months ahead. Shasta Lake, which rises more than 1,000 feet above sea level when filled to the brim, is at less than half of where it usually should be in early May — the driest it has been at this time of year since record-keeping first began in 1976. Lake Oroville, the largest reservoir in the State Water Project, a roughly 700-mile lifeline that pumps and ferries water all the way to Southern California, is currently at 55% of total capacity. … ” Read more from the LA Times here: It’s not even summer, and California’s two largest reservoirs are at ‘critically low’ levels
California summer: Why drought makes us scared, edgy, angry
” … The American Psychological Association describes climate anxiety, or eco-anxiety, as fear of environmental doom. In the Bay Area, it has become easy to believe in doomsday scenarios on days when wildfire smoke chokes the air with particulate matter and turns the sky an apocalyptic orange. Even before the onset of COVID-19, Bay Area residents began learning about sheltering in place from wildfire-necessitated Spare the Air alerts and days when air quality index maps turn scarlet and purple. “It’s become drier and drier over the years, and it’s become pretty stressful,” says Monica Sain, a community college instructor who lives in Santa Clara. “I have asthma, so I feel this sense of dread when summer comes. There will be fires, and the air is going to be bad.” … ” Read more from the San Jose Mercury News here: California summer: Why drought makes us scared, edgy, angry
Five “f”unctions of the Central Valley floodplain
“The Yolo Bypass is one of two large flood bypasses in California’s Central Valley that are examples of multi-benefit floodplain projects. Originally constructed in the early 20th century for flood control, up to 75% of the Sacramento River’s flood flow can be diverted through a system of weirs into the Yolo Bypass and away from nearby communities. During the dry season, floodplain soils in the bypass support farming of seasonal crops (mostly rice). Today, the bypass is also widely recognized for its ecological benefits. … ” Read more from the California Water Blog here: Five “F”unctions of the Central Valley Floodplain
California drought conservation has been a bust so far. What gives?
“Almost a year after Gov. Gavin Newsom pleaded with Californians to voluntarily cut their water use by 15% amid a worsening drought, water conservation figures are still nowhere near that mark. Now, as millions across Southern California face unprecedented water restrictions beginning next month, some water experts say that much broader cuts, such as those ordered by former Gov. Jerry Brown during the last drought, are needed to rouse the state from its false sense of water security. “Even during the last drought, when Gov. Brown asked for voluntary cuts, we didn’t meet those,” said Heather Cooley, director of research at the Pacific Institute, a water think tank in Oakland. … ” Read more from the LA Times here: California drought conservation has been a bust so far. What gives? | Read via AOL
What Israel, Las Vegas and other places can teach SoCal about using a lot less water
“Millions of Southern Californians will wake up to the region’s most severe water restrictions ever on June 1, with local water agencies under orders to slash the use of supplies from the State Water Project by 35%. Many water experts say the cuts are achievable and that reducing outdoor watering to one day a week can help yield immediate savings. At the same time, researchers and water policy experts say the region needs to adapt to the severe drought because climate change, extreme heat and dwindling snowpack will only serve to exacerbate the issues in years to come. Adaptation may be difficult, but there are other cities, states and nations that can offer guidance. … ” Continue reading at the LA Times here: What Israel, Las Vegas and other places can teach SoCal about using a lot less water | Read via AOL
Valley leaders, residents call for more action on water
“The Save Our Communities meeting was held in Visalia this morning, with more than 250 people in attendance. Roger Isom, President & CEO of the California Cotton Ginners and Growers Association, the primary organizer of the event, kicked off the meeting with some historical context. He reminded all of us that when the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) passed during the last major drought that there were three very important efforts underway that looked like they would help to cushion the impacts of SGMA’s required regulation of groundwater pumping. … ” Read more from the Milk Producers Council here: Valley leaders, residents call for more action on water
Hundreds of drinking water systems in California failing to meet standards
“Several hundred drinking water systems around California fail to deliver safe and affordable water, affecting nearly 750,000 residents, according to a new report from the State Water Resources Control Board. The annual Drinking Water Needs Assessment analyzed 3,066 water systems that together serve roughly 15 million people and found that 346 failed to meet one or more criteria for delivering clean, accessible and affordable water in 2021. “Most people in the state are served clean, safe drinking water,” said Andrew Altevogt, assistant deputy director for the state Division of Drinking Water. “What this report is looking at are the folks and communities that aren’t being served safe water.” … ” Read more from CBS News here: Hundreds of drinking water systems in California failing to meet standards
State agencies partner to support salmon populations while supplying water to millions of Californians
“California’s severe climate-driven drought is having a significant impact on the state’s water supply, but it’s also putting the state’s salmon population at serious risk. Managing California’s water needs during this water supply crisis means minimizing the impacts of drought and water management on the environment while meeting the health and safety needs of communities and supporting the economy and agriculture. The Department of Water Resources (DWR) and Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) are actively working to respond to drought and climate change impacts on native species and ecosystems. … ” Read more from DWR here: State agencies partner to support salmon populations while supplying water to millions of Californians
Eagle Lake Trout: The tasty fish unique to California
“Every year before the opening day of fishing season, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife goes on a fishing trip of their own in Lassen County’s Eagle Lake. Except on this trip, they don’t use fishing poles or bait. Instead, they use an electric generator and probes that pump around 48 volts of electricity into the water. It may seem a little unfair to fish with electricity, but Biologist Paul Divine and his team are actually helping to keep one specific kind of fish from going extinct. “Because of drought, it’s been difficult for the fish to spawn naturally,” says Divine. … ” Read more from Channel 10 here: Eagle Lake Trout: The tasty fish unique to California
See how many historic sites in California are at risk of flooding
“Rising sea levels. Runoff from rapidly melting snow and ice. Rivers and streams overflowing their banks. As climate change continues to wreak havoc on the environmental norms humans widely take for granted, the frequency and severity of extreme weather has increased on a global scale. Floods, the most common and fatal natural disasters in the U.S., continue to get more destructive. Catastrophic flooding events once thought to occur every 100 years could become annual happenings. And the nation’s floodplains are projected to grow by roughly 45% by the end of the century. Because of the deterioration and fragility of historical buildings, as well as long-term degradation of the natural environment around these structures, historic sites are often at serious risk of flooding. … ” Read more from The Press here: See how many historic sites in California are at risk of flooding
Cash for farmworkers? California lawmaker says new $20 million idea will help amid drought
“A Democrat lawmaker from the central San Joaquin Valley wants to put cash in the hands of eligible farmworkers to help them deal with the devastation of California’s drought. Proposed by State Sen. Melissa Hurtado, a Democrat from Sanger, Senate Bill 1066 would allocate $20 million to create the California Farmworkers Drought Resilience Pilot Project, a state-funded project that would provide unconditional monthly cash payments of $1,000 for three years to eligible farmworkers, with the goal of lifting them out of poverty. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle here: Cash for farmworkers? California lawmaker says new $20 million idea will help amid drought
Podcast: Bioenergy and geoengineering in California: Threats and community resistance
“To open this week’s episode an attorney from Communities for a Better Environment joins Terra Verde to describe the rubber stamp permitting of the conversion of refineries in the SF Bay Area to high deforestation risk liquid biofuels. The second featured interview is with an organizer from the Indigenous Environmental Network talks about how a delegation of indigenous stakeholders traveled from Alaska to California to Stop the Arctic Ice Project, a multi-million dollar geoengineering experiment that threatens ecosystems and violates Indigenous communities rights to consent.” Listen at the Earth Island Journal here: Podcast: Bioenergy and geoengineering in California: Threats and community resistance
California prepares for energy shortfalls in hot, dry summer
“California likely will have an energy shortfall equivalent to what it takes to power about 1.3 million homes when use is at its peak during the hot and dry summer months, state officials said Friday. Threats from drought, extreme heat and wildfires, plus supply chain and regulatory issues hampering the solar industry will create challenges for energy reliability this summer, the officials said. They represented the California Public Utilities Commission, the California Energy Commission, and the California Independent System Operator, which manages the state’s energy grid. … ” Read more from SF Gate here: California prepares for energy shortfalls in hot, dry summer
SEE ALSO: Climate Change Is Straining California’s Energy System, Officials Say, from the New York Times
Will massive Western wildfires leave more or less water in rivers?
“On a cloudy morning in April, not far from the summit of Cameron Pass, Megan Sears drops a pair of snowshoes onto the shoulder of Highway 14, 60 miles west of Fort Collins. … In a state where every drop of water matters, Sears and another grad student, Mikaela Richardson, are out collecting data that will help answer an important question that’s gaining more attention from the scientific community: If massive wildfires continue to spread across the West, particularly at higher altitudes where snowpack is more plentiful and critical, what effect will that have on the region’s water supply? “How is this fire and the impact from it changing the hydrologic regime of this area?” Sears says as she treks through the snow. “And what does that mean for, you know, the Poudre River?” … ” Read more from the Colorado Sun here: Will massive Western wildfires leave more or less water in rivers?
The American West is primed for a summer of fire
“More than 1.2 million acres of the US have burned from wildfires so far this year. That’s roughly 500,000 acres more than the 10-year average—and across much of the West, peak fire conditions haven’t even set in yet. Currently, 11 large fires are burning uncontained in Arizona, Colorado, Florida, and New Mexico. And with much of the country in a deep drought, the rest of the spring and early summer are likely to look just as fiery, especially in the Great Plains and Southwest. This year reflects a broader transition in fire behavior across the US, as hotter days and more variable rainfall have let a relatively concentrated “fire season” in the West turn into year-round disasters and risk. But the months of June, July, and August are still particularly fire-prone. On May 1, the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) released its predictions of fire weather through August. ... ” Read more from Popular Science here: The American West is primed for a summer of fire
In commentary today …
Letter to Governor Newsom: Drought-driven voluntary agreements and legal loopholes threaten our salmon heritage, the environment, and community health
Coalition of conservation and fishing groups writes to Governor Newsom saying, “We are gravely concerned about the environmental and socio-economic impacts of the Voluntary Agreements and the growing lack of compliance with CEQA and other water protections. These actions implemented under the guise of the drought emergency will increase risks of irreversible damage to our natural heritage and our communities. We object to any taxpayer funding for the proposed Voluntary Agreements (VAs). These back-room VAs do not meet legal protections for the environment, fail to protect the health of the Bay-Delta estuary, its native fish and wildlife, and the jobs and communities that depend on its health and exacerbate economic inequality. … ”
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
Commentary: Same old sad and selfish: Scott Valley Ag Folks don’t want to do their part to help Coho survive
Felice Pace writes, “Drought Emergency Water Regulations, enacted in the midst of an historic drought and intended to give those Coho Salmon which spawn and rear in the Scott River Basin a chance to survive, are not needed by the Coho and will needlessly devastate Scott Valley farmers and ranchers if implemented. That is the message of the Scott Valley Agriculture Water Alliance, a new organization which, according to its website, formed to “be a unified voice communicating on behalf of local farmers and ranchers, spreading accurate information about Scott Valley’s agricultural producers, the Scott River, and its fish.” Their vision is to “debunk the myths that are driving the state’s severe water regulations.” So far the organization has published what it calls a “white paper” titled “WHY THE STATE WATER BOARD’S 2021-2022 FLOW REGULATION IS NOT NEEDED FOR COHO SALMON IN THE SCOTT RIVER.” The organization’s “mission’ and “vision” are driven by the white paper’s assertion that providing emergency flows to help Scott River Coho is an “existential threat” to farmers and ranchers in Scott Valley. … ” Continue reading at the Klam Blog here: Commentary: Same old sad and selfish: Scott Valley Ag Folks don’t want to do their part to help Coho survive
BAY AREA
John Muir’s legacy is on the ballot in this East Bay city where voters will choose between housing and open space
“Residents of Martinez can send their kids to John Muir Elementary, see a doctor at John Muir Health or get their teeth cleaned at John Muir Smiles. They can live at John Muir Town Homes, bring their pets to Muir Oaks Veterinary Hospital and get a frozen yogurt at the Muir Station shopping. But while it’s clear that Martinez has not been shy about embracing the late environmentalist and fruit rancher John Muir — perhaps the city’s most famous ex-resident besides Joe DiMaggio — in June voters will decide whether they are willing to pay higher taxes to protect a wild, 300-acre oak-tree studded ridge line that Muir once owned. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle here: John Muir’s legacy is on the ballot in this East Bay city where voters will choose between housing and open space
Benicia orders residents, businesses to immediately cut water use by 30% after pipeline break
“Benicia ordered residents and businesses Sunday night to immediately cut their water usage by 30% because of a pipeline break at a water treatment plant. The Benicia Water Treatment Plant suffered a break in a pipeline overnight, according to a city news release. “Staff is working to locate the break and make repairs as soon as possible,” it said. Water remains safe to drink and use, it said. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle here: Benicia orders residents, businesses to immediately cut water use by 30% after pipeline break
Body found in Calero Reservoir
“The body of a man in his 30s was recovered from Calero Reservoir early Saturday morning, authorities said. The man’s body was recovered at about 8:18 a.m. at Calero County Park a few hours before a festival introducing the county parks department’s new canine watercraft inspection teams. The park is a popular spot for sailing, fishing and water-skiing. … ” Read more from the San Jose Mercury News here: Body found in Calero Reservoir
CENTRAL COAST
San Lorenzo Valley Water Districts move closer to consolidation with fire-damaged systems
“The CZU August Lightning Complex fire continues to impact Santa Cruz County water reliability more than one and a half years after the fire erupted, but some customers are getting closer to relief. On Thursday, the San Lorenzo Valley Water District Board of Directors accepted a legal document during a meeting that further solidifies a consolidation between the purveyor and two small community water systems that suffered serious fire damage. Big Basin Water Co. was particularly hard hit in the blaze, losing nearly all its crucial water infrastructure. The company has served some 500 customers off of a single well as result, meaning erratic water service and weeks-long outages. … ” Read more from the San Jose Mercury News here: San Lorenzo Valley Water Districts move closer to consolidation with fire-damaged systems
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
Stanislaus students create displays promoting free water for homes with tainted wells
“Displays created by high school students will publicize a program that supplies free bottled water to homes with polluted wells. The Valley Water Collaborative, which runs the program in parts of Stanislaus and Merced counties, held a contest among the students. It was won by a seven-member team from Central Valley High School in Ceres, which split the $2,000 prize. The team incorporated three empty jugs in its display, as stated in the rules, and added an old-fashioned well with a bucket suspended by a string. … ” Read more from the Modesto Bee here: Stanislaus students create displays promoting free water for homes with tainted wells
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Facing a new climate reality, Southern California lawns could wither
“From behind the wheel of his work van, Fernando Gonzalez took in the immaculate front yard amid the arid and affluent hills north of Los Angeles. The red and white rose bushes. The loquat and pear trees. The expanse of lush green grass and the two peacocks lounging beneath the portico. The stately residence had been consuming about 40,000 gallons of water a month, and had already received a warning and a fine for overuse. Amid the historic drought now entering its third painful summer, Gonzalez’s employer, the Las Virgenes Municipal Water District, has demanded this home and millions of others cut irrigation by 35 percent as of June 1. If things don’t improve by September, authorities say, outdoor water use could be banned entirely. “Hundreds of thousands of dollars in their landscaping,” Gonzalez said. “And now we’re telling them: you almost have to let it die.” … ” Read more from the Washington Post here: Facing a new climate reality, Southern California lawns could wither
Devore residents battling water company over multimillion-dollar tank on board member’s land
“The rural hillside community of Devore has erupted in a dispute pitting a tiny local water company against a group of residents opposed to construction of a potential $7 million reservoir on a board member’s property. At issue with some residents is a 99-year land lease agreement, ratified in July 2021, between the Devore Water Co. and Doug Claflin, a member of the company’s board of directors. … ” Read more from the San Bernardino Sun here: Devore residents battling water company over multimillion-dollar tank on board member’s land | Read via World Nation News
Banning Ranch purchase plan gets boost from $11.5 million state grant approval
“Banning Ranch got a boost this week from the Coastal Conservancy, a state agency that approved giving up to $11.5 million in grant funds to the effort to preserve the Newport Beach land as public open space. The funds catapult conservationists closer to their $97 million goal to buy 384 acres of land from its owners in what is considered one of the last and biggest privately owned, largely undeveloped properties along the coast. “It’s one of those where you’re cautiously optimistic, at the same time really excited,” said Melanie Schlotterbeck, executive director for the Banning Ranch Conservancy. “This is enormous, if I can use a word that big.” … ” Read more from the OC Register here: Banning Ranch purchase plan gets boost from $11.5 million state grant approval
IMPERIAL/COACHELLA VALLEYS
Commentary: If Salton Sea isn’t restored with ocean water, cleanup could worsen climate change
Chuck Parker and Feliz Nunez, members of the Salton Sea Coalition, write, “If we’re not careful, the well-intentioned effort to restore the Salton Sea could have serious adverse consequences: large emissions of greenhouse gasses that contribute to climate change. A recent report by Jenny Ross, an attorney and writer working on a long-term research project about the Salton Sea, warns that many of the proposed long-range restoration plans will cause large emissions of carbon dioxide and methane. The potential greenhouse gas emissions from the large areas of the Salton Sea’s dry exposed lakebed are immense: over 26 million metric tons of CO2 every year. … ” Read more from the Desert Sun here: Commentary: If Salton Sea isn’t restored with ocean water, cleanup could worsen climate change
SAN DIEGO
County launches new DNA-based ocean water testing system, including at two La Jolla sites
“Two La Jolla beaches are among the sites where San Diego County has started using new ocean water-quality testing technology intended to produce faster results and earlier warnings when bacteria reach unhealthy levels. During a rollout of the DNA-based technology last week, county Board of Supervisors Vice Chairwoman Nora Vargas said the county plans to expand its use of the testing technology, known as droplet digital polymerase chain reaction, or ddPCR, to more than 70 miles of shoreline that the county samples and tests to help protect the public. … ” Read more from the La Jolla Light here: County launches new DNA-based ocean water testing system, including at two La Jolla sites
Along the Colorado River …
No solid plan to stabilize reservoirs as water levels plummet
” … To stem Powell’s decline, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and its parent agency the Interior Department have tried a number of measures and are about to try a couple more. Each will help stabilize the lake for at least a year or two. For Lake Mead, officials of the Lower Colorado River Basin states of Arizona, California and Nevada have approved major agreements in 2019 and 2021 aimed at slowing the decline of water levels at the U.S.’ biggest reservoir. But nothing has been done to stabilize either lake for the long term. Powell is only 24 percent full now, and Mead is 31 percent full. Both reservoirs were nearly full at the turn of the 21st century. Virtually everyone — state and federal officials, researchers and other academics, environmentalists and business interest groups — agrees that to stabilize both reservoirs, more must be done soon to cut water use far more than what’s been done to date. … ” Read more from Tucson.com here: No solid plan to stabilize reservoirs as water levels plummet
Commentary: No exaggeration: Record lows at Lake Powell and Lake Mead call for drastic action
Tom Buschatzke, director of Arizona Department of Water Resources, and Ted Cooke, general manager of Central Arizona Project, write, “For weeks, we’ve been seeing media reports regarding conditions in the Colorado River Basin – specifically with regard to our country’s largest reservoirs, Lake Powell and Lake Mead, which have dropped to record low elevations. The media have been reporting it accurately. The Colorado River Basin has been in a prolonged drought, exacerbated by climate change. We are experiencing the driest conditions in the Colorado River Basin in more than 1,200 years – and these conditions are expected to continue well into the future. Both Lake Powell and Lake Mead are approaching critical elevations and will require unprecedented management actions to protect infrastructure in both the Upper (Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming) and Lower (Arizona, California, Nevada and parts of Mexico) Colorado River Basins. ... ” Read more from the Arizona Sun here: Commentary: No exaggeration: Record lows at Lake Powell and Lake Mead call for drastic action
Arizona braces for additional water cuts amid megadrought
“Arizona water authorities are bracing for additional cuts to the quantity of water supplied by the Colorado River, prompting calls for more aggressive conservation measures to prevent further reductions. Officials in Arizona state predict that these cuts could come as soon as August, the Phoenix NBC Affiliate 12 News reported Friday. These expected cuts stem from the effects of a decades-long megadrought, which has been greatly exacerbated by the climate crisis. Moreover, the Colorado River, which provides water to almost 40 million people, has been imperiled due to decades of overuse. The river’s reservoirs, Lake Mead and Lake Powell, have seen worsening declines in their water levels. … ” Read more from the Guardian here: Arizona braces for additional water cuts amid megadrought
Here’s how Arizona developers balance growth with protecting water assets
“Describing Arizona’s recent economic development hot streak as anything but banner years for the state would be — to put it mildly — a vast understatement. The Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) is building a $12 billion chip plant in Phoenix and its supply chain is following suit; companies in the electric vehicle (EV) business such as ElectraMeccanica and KORE Power are adding to the sector’s growing footprint in the Valley; and the Grand Canyon State continues to be a data center destination, attracting industry giants such as Apple, Microsoft and Meta. … While growth is a boon for the state, there is an understandable concern about the most precious resource in any desert: water. Luckily, elected officials in Arizona have been working with the federal government, other states, tribal leadership and the business community to ensure that the lifeblood of the region is properly managed. … ” Continue reading at Arizona Big Media here: Here’s how Arizona developers balance growth with protecting water assets
Colorado River’s water deficit keeps growing, with no end in sight
“While the seven Colorado River Basin states including Arizona hunt for 500,000 acre-feet a year in water savings in both the Upper and Lower basins, the biggest problem facing the river lurks in the shadows: a supply-demand gap that keeps growing. Over the past five years, the river’s annual water flow, greatly diminished since 2000 compared to 20th century averages, has tumbled even faster. Water demands have also fallen, but not nearly as fast. The result is an annual deficit far greater than the 500,000 acre-feet of additional water that savings that Upper and Lower basins state water officials hope to achieve annually in their respective basins over the next few years through short-term conservation plans, to prop up Lakes Mead and Powell. … ” Read more from Tucson.com here: Colorado River’s water deficit keeps growing, with no end in sight
Colorado River drought may be the ‘new normal’ and living with it will be costly, leaders say
“Arizona needs to rapidly invest in both water conservation and new supplies to offset losses from a shrinking Colorado River, the state’s top water officials warned Friday. From the millions of dollars the state is paying users to leave water in the river’s largest reservoir to the $1 billion lawmakers could spend to fund a new Arizona Water Authority, the future of water security for the fast-growing state will be costly. Water managers at a shortage briefing urged Arizonans to consider the river that supplies a third of their state’s water as permanently challenged. “We need significant action,” state Water Resources Director Tom Buschatzke said, “really significant action.” … ” Read more from Arizona Central here: Colorado River drought may be the ‘new normal’ and living with it will be costly, leaders say
How Colorado River water shortage will require Phoenix residents to adapt
“At their briefing on Friday, May 6, officials with the U.S. Department of the Interior, Arizona Department of Water Resources, and Central Arizona Project delivered a stark assessment of the Colorado River water shortage. As impacts of climate change persist, more significant Colorado River cuts are likely to occur. Those reductions will impact the amount of Colorado River water available to Phoenix and other central Arizona municipalities, farmers, and tribes. Central Arizona is currently experiencing the first-ever declared shortage on the Colorado River. “Three things are true about this situation: first, it is serious. Second, it will require the city to think differently, and plan differently, for how we use water. Third, we need to enlist the people of Phoenix as our partners in the hard work ahead,” said Mayor Kate Gallego. … ” Read more from Arizona Public Radio here: How Colorado River water shortage will require Phoenix residents to adapt
In national water news today …
The window of opportunity to address increasing drought and expanding drylands is vanishing
“Chile, Argentina and the American West are in the midst of a decade-long, megadrought — the driest conditions those regions have seen in a century. And many areas in Western Canada and the United States are experiencing extreme drought — a once in 20-year event. Drought makes agriculture less productive, reduces crop yields and increases heat-related deaths. It adds to conflict and migration, as marginalized people are dispossessed of their land. In short, it leaves people more vulnerable. Drought is part of natural climate variability, but it is also one of the many outcomes of climate change that is increasing in frequency and intensity. … ” Read more from The Conversation here: The window of opportunity to address increasing drought and expanding drylands is vanishing
Innovative fish farms aim to feed the planet, save jobs and clean up an industry’s dirty reputation
“Carter Newell owns and operates one of the most productive mussel farms in the state of Maine. One frigid spring morning I joined him and his two-person crew on a short boat ride to the barge he calls Mumbles, a 60-by-24-foot vessel anchored that day in a quiet cove in the brackish Damariscotta River. Named for the Welsh seaside town where Newell once did research, Mumbles was tethered to a steel-framed raft hung with hundreds of 45-foot ropes, each thick with thousands of mussels in various stages of development. I shivered in the piercing wind as a crew member stepped from Mumbles onto the shifting raft to identify mussel ropes ready for harvest. Newell remained on the barge to helm a 16-foot crane that hauled up the designated ropes, each heavy with a Christmas tree–shaped aggregation of roughly 3,000 mussels. An outsized brush then swept the bivalves off the ropes and into an enormous stainless steel bucket. … ” Read more from Scientific American here: Innovative fish farms aim to feed the planet, save jobs and clean up an industry’s dirty reputation
More news and commentary in the weekend edition …
In California water news this weekend …
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Tower Bridge over Sacramento River. Photo by DWR. The two largest reservoirs in California are already at ‘critically low levels’ and the dry season is just starting
- Federal and state agencies submit the 2022 Sacramento River Temperature Management Plan
- WHAT IS CALIFORNIA PODCAST: Felicia Marcus
- VOICES OF THE VALLEY: Don Cameron on how innovation and automation can boost California agriculture
- Severe water restrictions could hit affluent areas of Southern California amid drought
- Arizona officials warn of risks on Colorado River that could eventually hit California
- And more …
Also on Maven’s Notebook today …
FUNDING OPPORTUNITY: Call for Proposals to Build Coastal Resilience – $9.5 Million Available
