On the calendar today …
- SoCAL: Schools & Stormwater Symposium from 9am to 12pm. This event highlights how collaboration between school districts and water agencies can reimagine schoolyards as a site for broader community wellness and change. It underscores the importance of utilizing schoolyards as viable sites for stormwater project development with multiple community benefits and how to capitalize on the Safe Clean Water Program (Measure W). Click here to register.
- Office Hours: California Water Futures: What are they? And what are they not? from 12pm to 1pm. Since their introduction last year, the California Water Index and California water futures has stirred controversy – and even legislation against it. But what exactly are water futures – the commodification of water or a price tool for farmers? Join us for this Office Hours session where we’ll be talking with the folks behind the effort. This is your chance to learn more about water futures and have your questions answered. Click here to register.
- WORKSHOP: SB19 Stream Gaging Prioritization Plan from 1pm to 3pm. The California Stream Gaging Prioritization Plan 2022 Draft Technical Report and Appendices are now available for review and public comment. The State Water Board will hold a workshop to gather public input. Join remotely: https://waterboards.zoom.us/j/94502358560?pwd=QndxNkZ0dkdjUzUvb2ZwK2RlQ1BSZz09
- MEETING: Delta Protection Commission from 4pm to 7pm in Stockton. Agenda items include a report from the Delta Protection Advisory Committee, a presentation on the 2022 Delta Leadership Program and class project, and a closed session to interview candidates for the Executive Director. Click here for the full agenda.
- PUBLIC HEARING: 2022 Central Valley Flood Protection Plan – Public Draft from 6pm to 8pm. The hearing will provide an opportunity for the public to provide verbal or written comments, which will inform any changes to the public draft prior to adoption by the Board. This hearing will be held virtually. Click here to enter Zoom meeting. More information by clicking here.
In California water news today …
Accusations continue to fly between two valley ag titans in water feud
“The ongoing water feud between two of Kings County’s biggest farming entities recently spilled into Kern County and up to Sacramento with allegations on both sides of misuse of water and other public resources. In a May 12 letter, the Southwest Kings Groundwater Sustainability Agency complains that the J.G. Boswell Company has been pumping and storing massive amounts of groundwater for irrigation in a shallow basin, subjecting it to extreme evaporation and contributing to the area’s already significant subsidence problems. The Southwest Kings GSA is chaired by John Vidovich, who runs Sandridge Partners, which owns hundreds of thousands throughout the San Joaquin Valley. Vidovich has long been at odds with Boswell over water. … ” Read more from SJV Water here: Accusations continue to fly between two valley ag titans in water feud
Hurtado calls for a crackdown on water profiteering
“On Wednesday, State Senator Melissa Hurtado, D-Sanger joined her colleague, Democratic State Senator Dave Cortese in sending a letter to United States Attorney General Merrick Garland requesting an investigation into possible drought profiteering and water rights abuses in the Western states. The Senators said they’re concerned about the increasing amount of water rights being purchased by hedge funds, their potential anti-competitive practices and the devastating impact that could have on water security. “Not only do hedge funds and other monopolistic entities trade water as an interstate commodity, they do so at the expense of state and federal policy,” the letter states. “But beyond drought alone, these monopolies no longer even pretend to honor beneficial use doctrines which have historically tied water use to riparian and overlying property owners here in the West. … ” Read more from the Porterville Recorder here: Hurtado calls for a crackdown on water profiteering
SEE ALSO:
- Sen. Hurtado sounds alarm on possible drought profiteering by investors, from The Business Journal
- California Senators Hurtado and Cortese call on the U.S. Department of Justice to Investigate Potential Drought Profiteering by Corporate Investors, press release from Senator Melissa Hurtado
Metropolitan Water District votes to participate in voluntary agreements in California
Dan Bacher writes, “On May 9, the board of the Metropolitan Water District (MWD), the largest water wholesaler in Southern California, voted to participate in what environmental justice and fish advocates describe as the “environmentally destructive” Voluntary Agreements (VA’s) currently being promoted by agribusiness and the Newsom Administration. “These agreements are a work around to regulations that would prevent water agencies from diverting more water from the already strained San Francisco Bay-Delta,” according to a statement from the Sierra Club. “The vote was nearly unanimous and followed multiple heated discussions between board members and a biased panel conversation which included 3 pro-VA viewpoints and only one dissenting viewpoint.” … ” Read more from the Daily Kos here: Metropolitan Water District votes to participate in Big Ag-backed voluntary agreements in California
The Big Gulp 🌾💧🚜 You’ve got to flood it to save it
“Nature is the biggest carbon storage game around. It’s just barely funded: only 1% of climate finance goes toward natural climate sinks like forests and wetlands, reports the UN Environment Programme. Funders prefer cutting emissions from factories, tailpipes, and power plants, or machines that pull CO2 out of the air, a sector known as carbon capture and storage. All are essential. But the world will not reach net-zero emissions, or stabilize the climate, without more plants. … So, this week, we’ll explore peat. These rich organic soils—essentially the compressed watery remains of millennia of marsh plants—have been burned, drained, and ignored. What if we regrew them instead? Our reporter Katherine Ellison, who shared a 1985 Pulitzer Prize for her work at the San Jose Mercury News, ventured to the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta for Hothouse to interview scientists trying to answer that question. … ” Read more from Hot House here: The Big Gulp 🌾💧🚜 You’ve got to flood it to save it
Fact sheet: The Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta
“The Delta is California’s largest estuary and a vital hub in the water supply system. The Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta lies at the confluence of two of the state’s largest rivers. Forty percent of California’s runoff flows into the Delta, which—together with the San Francisco Bay—forms one of the West Coast’s largest estuaries. The Delta watershed supplies water to roughly 30 million residents and more than 6 million acres of farmland. Water exported from the Delta goes to the Bay Area, the southern San Joaquin Valley, the Central Coast, and Southern California. Today’s Delta is dramatically different from the one that existed before statehood—some 1,100 miles of levees have converted 700,000 acres of tidal marsh into “islands” of farmland. Farming has caused peat-rich soils to oxidize and land to sink: today, many islands are 10 to 25 feet below sea level. … ” Read the full fact sheet from the PPIC here: Fact sheet: The Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta
Wildlife officials truck Chinook salmon to cooler waters in emergency move to help them spawn
“In a stopgap measure to help struggling spring- and winter-run Chinook salmon spawn in the face of rising water temperatures and lower water levels due to climate change, state and federal wildlife officials in Northern California have begun trucking adult fish to cooler waters. The spring- and winter-run salmon are genetically different, with the seasonal labels marking when adult fish travel from the Pacific Ocean back to the Sacramento River to spawn. The spring-run Chinook, listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act, are being moved from traps at the base of Keswick Dam to Clear Creek in the Sacramento River. … ” Read more from the LA Times here: Wildlife officials truck Chinook salmon to cooler waters in emergency move to help them spawn
Watering the valley of the future
“While some crop varieties will be hurt worse than others, it will be a tough year for those who plant and grow, where decisions not faced before will have to be made. The results are not pleasant to contemplate. Witness just two of the latest releases by the California Farm Bureau: “Food production along the California-Oregon border is due to suffer this year (as a result of) federal water cuts,” CFBF reported. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation expects to deliver less than 15% of allocations from the Klamath Water Project and Ben DuVal, president of the Klamath Water Users Association, predicts vast acreage will be fallowed in 2022. … ” Read more from the Western Farm Press here: Watering the valley of the future
Grim 2022 drought outlook for Western US offers warnings for the future as climate change brings a hotter, thirstier atmosphere
“Much of the western U.S. has been in the grip of an unrelenting drought since early 2020. The dryness has coincided with record-breaking wildfires, intense and long-lasting heat waves, low stream flows and dwindling water supplies in reservoirs that millions of people across the region rely on. Heading into summer, the outlook is pretty grim. The National Weather Service’s latest seasonal outlook, issued May 19, 2022, described drought persisting across most of the West and parts of the Great Plains. One driver of the Western drought has been persistent La Niña conditions in the tropical Pacific since the summer of 2020. ... ” Read more from The Conversation here: Grim 2022 drought outlook for Western US offers warnings for the future as climate change brings a hotter, thirstier atmosphere
STREAM Act introduced
“Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Mark Kelly (D-AZ) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) on May 17 introduced S.4231, the Support to Rehydrate the Environment, Agriculture and Municipalities Act or STREAM Act, a bill that would increase water supply and modernize water infrastructure in California and throughout the West. “With drought conditions worsening, ACWA is pleased to support Senator Feinstein’s STREAM Act and appreciates her continued leadership on Western water issues. The STREAM Act would help address the current drought and assist communities in preparing for the effects of climate change by utilizing an every-tool-in-the-toolbox approach,” said ACWA Executive Director Dave Eggerton in a press release from Feinstein’s office. ... ” Read more from ACWA’s Water News here: STREAM Act introduced
Congressman Levin introduces bill to fund coastal protection
“San Diego County lagoons and wetlands may get more funding for protection and restoration under the Resilient Coasts and Estuaries Act, introduced Tuesday by Reps. Mike Levin, D-San Juan Capistrano, and Brian Mast, R-Fla. The bill would authorize $60 million per year through 2026 for the Coastal and Estuarine Land Conservation Program, which distributes money to preserve the “conservation, recreation, ecological, historical, and aesthetic values of estuaries,” Levin stated. That funding could support conservation of local wetlands, including the San Mateo Creek, San Luis Rey River, San Elijo Lagoon and others, he said in a statement. … ” Continue reading at the San Diego Union-Tribune here: Congressman Levin introduces bill to fund coastal protection
Bay planners highlight another missing element in California environmental law: It doesn’t account well for the future
“The Bay Area is often associated with two things – the beauty of its natural landscape, and the skyrocketing costs of living in it. Of late those have been seen as being in tension. Should the ridge separating Pittsburg from Concord be developed for 1,650 new houses, or preserve the open space and “watch people move to Texas,” as the San Francisco Chronicle headline put it. Should UC Berkeley be allowed to enroll more students, or does the potential environmental impact of those students on current residents of the city of Berkeley outweigh the benefits? Should the A’s build a stadium and housing at Howard Terminal, or should development on the Oakland waterfront be blocked for bringing environmental harm to a community that’s long been consigned to high air and water pollution? ... ” Read more from Bay Nature here: Bay planners highlight another missing element in California environmental law: It doesn’t account well for the future
Resilience toolkit offers steps & metrics
“Though averting the worst impacts of climate change and building local capacity for disaster response require immediate action, the best path forward is not always clear. As a scientist who has crossed over to policy analysis and development, I know that the process can be a slog. But when I reviewed the new Resilience Metrics toolkit, a vision of coherent, stakeholder-driven, place-based planning snapped into focus. Dr. Susanne Moser and a team of colleagues created this toolkit by distilling lessons from ten years of previous projects, many in California. Moser is a veteran climate change and social science consultant with worldwide experience. The team asked themselves the deceptively difficult question, “What constitutes adaptation success?” Once this keystone is identified, everything else starts to fall into place. … ” Read more from Knee Deep Times here: Resilience toolkit offers steps & metrics
Summer blackouts could hit these U.S. states, regulators warn
“Blackouts could plague a number of states in the U.S. this summer, regulators warn, as a combination of drought, heat, potential cyber attacks, geopolitical conflicts and supply chain problems could disrupt the power supply, according to a grim new report from the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC). The regulatory body found that large swathes of the U.S. and parts of Canada are at an elevated or high risk of energy shortfalls during the summer’s hottest months. … ” Read more from KTLA here: Summer blackouts could hit these U.S. states, regulators warn
SEE ALSO: Grid monitor warns of U.S. blackouts in ‘sobering report’, from E&E News
Heat, winds stoke fears of wildfire in Northern California
“Already in the midst of one of the driest water years in California history, several counties are on high alert for wildfires — and it’s only May. Now the National Weather Service has issued a red flag warning for the Sacramento and Central valleys as forecasts of near-triple digit heat and gusty winds have residents on edge. A red flag warning occurs when weather conditions can spur extreme fire behavior and even a tiny spark can ignite a raging inferno. Wildfire season used to occur between July and October, with the highest risk in September and October. But this year wildfires started sparked during the third week of January. … ” Read more from the Courthouse News Service here: Heat, winds stoke fears of wildfire in Northern California
SEE ALSO: Critical fire conditions coming to Northern California, forecasters say, from the LA Times
In commentary today …
Editorial: Anti-growth commission spikes desal
The Riverside Press-Enterprise editorial board writes, “By rejecting the plan for a desalination plant in Orange County last week, the California Coastal Commission surrendered to environmental interests fundamentally committed to a world of restrictions rather than abundance. Rather than embrace innovation and technology, the commission has chosen to place the interests of a few activists over the interests of Californians. “This administration is committed to ensuring the sustainability of California’s water supply with an all-of-the-above strategy, and that includes desalination,” Gov, Gavin Newsom’s office said in a statement ahead of the commission’s vote. This editorial board doesn’t often agree with the governor, but he was right to emphasize an “all-of-the-above” approach to water policy. … ” Read more from the Riverside Press-Enterprise here: Editorial: Anti-growth commission spikes desal
In blog commentary today …
On the Public Record: The same people all liked almond expansion, back in the day.
On the Public Record writes, “It is actually a problem that the Newsom water administration cannot articulate a clear vision for what California water should do. If we do not develop a clear new vision, we will keep operating from the old vision. That vision was clear as day. It was to eliminate the original peoples of the state, to destroy everything wild, to mine any valuable stock and to “feed the world”. They knew what they wanted and they put our water system in place to achieve it. This is the water system we are currently operating and it is currently achieving the same goals. We cannot tinker around the edges and get to a different end result. ... ” Read more from On the Public Record here: The same people all liked almond expansion, back in the day.
California Globe Interview With President Donald Trump, Part 3: ‘It’s the most fertile ground in the country, and the farmers can’t farm because they have no water’
Katy Grimes writes, “The California Globe had the opportunity to meet with Former United States President Donald Trump Friday in Los Angeles in a one-on-one interview, while he was in the state on business. We discussed the state of the State of California. … “Water – we had water all done,” the President said. He said Wilbur Ross, Trump Administration Secretary of Commerce, moved mountains and earth to get water to parched California’s Central Valley. Ross, together with Secretary of Interior Ryan Zinke, signed a Memorandum of Agreement in 2019 to ensure that President Trump’s October 2018, memorandum on “Promoting the Reliable Supply and Delivery of Water in the West” was implemented as quickly and smoothly as possible, the Globe reported on in 2019. … ” Continue reading at the California Globe here: California Globe Interview With President Donald Trump, Part 3: ‘It’s the most fertile ground in the country, and the farmers can’t farm because they have no water’
State and federal hatcheries release salmon smolts to rivers, Delta, bay, and coast
Tom Cannon writes, “Hatcheries in California are releasing tens of millions of salmon smolts in 2022, per normal operations. State hatcheries are trucking over ten million fall-run salmon to the Bay again this spring because of the drought. State and federal hatcheries are releasing another ten million-plus fall-run smolts to the rivers near the hatcheries. Future salmon fisheries will depend mostly on the Bay releases, because few of the hatchery smolts released to the river or wild salmon smolts will survive the journey to the ocean this drought year. Yet even the prognosis for smolts released to the Bay is poor. Delta outflows near 4000 cfs under the State’s TUCP will keep survival below one percent. … ” Read more from the California Fisheries here: State and federal hatcheries release salmon smolts to rivers, Delta, bay, and coast
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
Private forestland deal wins acclaim, though doubts remain
“Regulations that reduce Oregon’s harvestable timber acreage by roughly 10% aren’t a development that would normally be embraced by timber industry representatives. Yet new rules that increase no-logging buffers around streams and impose other restrictions were celebrated Tuesday by executives of forest product companies alongside Gov. Kate Brown and environmental advocates at an event in Portland. The signing ceremony memorialized the Private Forest Accord, a compromise deal over forestry regulations struck by timber and environmental representatives. The agreement was enshrined in legislation passed earlier this year and signed by Brown. … ” Read more from the Herald & News here: Private forestland deal wins acclaim, though doubts remain
SEE ALSO: Gov. Brown signs Private Forest Accord legislation to ‘strike the right balance’ on protection, jobs, from Channel 21
Tribe maps where to burn to restore Northern California forest to balance
“Much of the land that makes up the Klamath and Six Rivers national forests has been home to the Karuk Tribe since time immemorial. For decades, they have advocated for the return of their ancient burning practices to manage their land. And now, there is a pilot project under way to use fire to reshape damaged ecosystems. For the tribe, there’s hope that the change in policy will restore the traditional Karuk lifestyle in the way fire restores their forests. “The Karuk people evolved with the landscape, with the native plants and animals that share our homelands continuing to be a part of our daily lives for our well-being and survival,” said Analisa Tripp, collaborative stewardship program manager with the Karuk Tribe Department of Natural Resources. “The practice of burning the brush every year meant we could rely on acorn groves for food and cultural materials.” … ” Read more from ESRI here: Tribe maps where to burn to restore Northern California forest to balance
Mendocino County mulling sales tax to fund water projects, fire services
“Despite two board members expressing doubts that a new spending measure would be approved by voters, the Mendocino County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously Tuesday to move forward with a possible sales tax ordinance to fund projects protecting local water supply and boosting local fire services. “I feel very strongly that this is something that will define this board,” 1st District Supervisor Glenn McGourty said. “If we don’t take this opportunity to be leaders on water infrastructure and fire, given what’s going on with our climate the last 10 years, we’ll be missing a huge opportunity, and people will be wondering, ‘why didn’t you do more when you had the chance?’ ... ” Read more from Ukiah Daily Journal here: Mendocino County mulling sales tax to fund water projects, fire services
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
Conditions right to start aquatic weeds control in Tahoe Keys
“Environmental factors are favorable for the scheduled start of a control methods test in the Tahoe Keys lagoons, project leaders confirmed last week. Boating, fishing and other water activity restrictions in the test areas began May 9 with herbicide application beginning May 23. The test will allow scientists to gather new data points and information this spring and summer in the long-waged battle against aquatic invasive weeds in Lake Tahoe. The results will help determine long-term solutions for the lagoons and Lake Tahoe. … ” Read more from the Mountain Democrat here: Conditions right to start aquatic weeds control in Tahoe Keys
Tahoe wildfire burn scars spur latest California gold rush for morel mushroom foragers
“Botanist Alison Stanton and her 12-year-old son Milo forged a small river, climbed across a huge, fallen tree and scrambled up a dirt embankment in Eldorado National Forest, where last year the Caldor Fire scorched 221,835 acres. As they reached a patch of burned forestland, Milo skipped ahead like a mountain goat then shouted, “I found some!” He was speaking of morels, delicious mushrooms with caps of velvety dark ribs and marbling beige-pitted surfaces. Prized for their rich, savory flavor, morels grow in mixed conifer forests. But after a forest fire, huge flushes of them are known to sprout. This spring, explosions of morels in this forest and other burned areas of California are creating a new kind of gold rush, luring commercial and recreational mushroom hunters from around the state. … ” Read more from SF Gate here: Tahoe wildfire burn scars spur latest California gold rush for morel mushroom foragers
Forecasters issue red flag warning for western Tuolumne County
“A red flag warning issued Wednesday for critical fire weather conditions on Thursday and Friday includes the west edges of Calaveras and Tuolumne counties. The warning for gusting winds and drying fuels is from 11 a.m. Thursday to 8 p.m. Friday, and an edge of the warning area as of Wednesday afternoon included the Stanislaus River west of Tulloch Reservoir and the Tuolumne River west of Don Pedro Reservoir. Critical fire weather potential could reach up to 2,000-foot elevations, which includes Chinese Camp, Jamestown, Sonora, Springfield, Angels Camp, San Andreas, Valley Springs, and other Highway 49 communities in both Mother Lode counties. ... ” Read more from the Union Democrat here: Forecasters issue red flag warning for western Tuolumne County
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
Listening to farmers and business leaders talk about the unprecedented dry year impacts in the Sacramento River watershed
“California farmers are no strangers to drought, although one of the driest years in California has widespread and significant impacts in the Sacramento Valley. A lack of adequate rain and snow above Shasta Dam has brought historic water cutbacks to rural communities and growers on the west side of the Sacramento Valley, with a major reduction in rice plantings and other annual crops. The sharp reduction in plantings will have a ripple effect along the west-side of the valley as shown in the document below, including not only mills, dryers, pilots, supply companies and truckers, but virtually all people and businesses in the region. To provide some context for the dry year and the economic impacts, see the recent paper prepared by Dr. Dan Sumner at UC Davis entitled, Continued Drought in 2022 Ravages California’s Sacramento Valley Economy. … “ Read more from the Northern California Water Association here: Listening to farmers and business leaders talk about the unprecedented dry year impacts in the sacramento river watershed
Video: ‘It’s an honor to participate.’ See new river-themed mural for Wide Open Walls
“Artists Carly Early and Amanda Lynn paint a river-themed mural at 9th and S streets on May 16, 2022, for the Wide Open Walls festival in Sacramento. The project, on the back of the Nature Conservancy building, encourages residents to save water.” Watch video from the Sacramento Bee here (1:10): Video: ‘It’s an honor to participate.’ See new river-themed mural for Wide Open Walls
NAPA/SONOMA
Solar power finds floating home in Healdsburg along Russian River
“Perched along the Russian River, the town of Healdsburg is mostly known for great wine and weekend getaways. But these days the sun is doing more than ripening grapes. It’s producing power in an unusual setting. “And I think it’s really a good demonstration project, proof of concept project,” says Healdsburg Utility Director Terry Crowley. Crowley and wastewater manager Rob Scates are showing off what’s believed to be the largest floating solar farm in the country. … ” Continue reading at KGO here: Solar power finds floating home in Healdsburg along Russian River
BAY AREA
Parts of the Bay Area will be under a red flag warning starting Thursday, signaling a critical wildfire threat
“Large swaths of Northern California were bracing for “critical” weather conditions to develop beginning on Thursday that could make it easy for wildfires to spark, according to meteorologists. A combination of gusty winds, high temperatures and low humidity prompted the National Weather Service in Sacramento to issue a red flag warning for a swath of inland Northern California stretching from Mendocino County to San Joaquin County and including part of Solano County in the Bay Area. The warning goes into effect at 11 a.m. Thursday and runs through 8 p.m. Friday. Temperatures are expected to reach the low 100s in the valleys, weather officials said. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle here: Parts of the Bay Area will be under a red flag warning starting Thursday, signaling a critical wildfire threat
Marin water suppliers bolster wildfire defenses
“Marin County’s two main water suppliers are working to fortify their treatment plants, pumps, water tanks and other facilities in anticipation of a potentially dangerous fire season following two years of severe drought. In addition to clearing fuel breaks, trimming tree canopies and removing brush and vegetation, the Marin Municipal Water District and North Marin Water District have secured new generators and other tools to ensure that water keeps flowing in disasters. … ” Read more from the Marin Independent Journal here: Marin water suppliers bolster wildfire defenses
Cruising the San Pablo Spine — a green streets test lab
“From tattoo parlors to senior housing, and ethnic-food vendors to world-famous record shops, it’s been said that if you can’t find what you’re looking for on San Pablo Avenue, then it doesn’t exist. And now, the busy thoroughfare, which runs north-south through the heart of the East Bay, is also a testbed for a distributed network of rain gardens. The project, known as the San Pablo Avenue Green Stormwater “SPINE”, began nearly ten years ago (the caps are used for emphasis, not as an acronym). In the fall of 2012, the U.S. EPA issued a $307,000 portion of a larger green-infrastructure grant for the design of seven garden sites in seven different cities. Over the past decade the project has grown in cost and shrunk in footprint, and it was eventually implemented because of the persistent efforts of stakeholders including city building-permit offices, local businesses, utility districts, state regulators, and private real estate developers. … ” Read more from Knee Deep Times here: Cruising the San Pablo Spine — a green streets test lab
Testing to reduce blue green algae in Willow Lake at Discovery Bay to begin
“Discovery Bay’s Willow Lake will be sealed off from water flow next week for an experiment to reduce the number of blue green algal blooms. The experiment is being conducted and monitored by two separate companies and will last approximately three months. The lake will still be available for residents to use, officials said. Dave Caron, owner of Aquatic EcoTechnologies, conducted tests in Discovery Bay waters in 2020 and found peroxide to be effective in reducing blooms, but not harming other plant or animal life in the water. He and his team will test results of the experiment that the town is asking residents to help pay for at least $15,000 of the total cost of $200,000. … ” Read more from the Brentwood Press here: Testing to reduce blue green algae in Willow Lake at Discovery Bay to begin
Coastside County Water District eyes more shortages: SFPUC to consider another emergency stage
“Water officials are preparing for the prospect of another wave of restrictions and conservation efforts as statewide drought conditions continue, even as water use goes up. At last week’s Coastside County Water District meeting, the board of directors reviewed recent news from Sacramento that could trickle down to local residents. … ” Read more from the Half Moon Bay Review here: Coastside County Water District eyes more shortages
CENTRAL COAST
Carpinteria: Update on groundwater basin management
“To protect and regulate groundwater supplies across the state and avoid long-term economic impacts, California passed the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) in 2014. This enacted a framework to help avoid overdraft and manage these shared resources at the local level. SGMA requires any groundwater basin classified as high- and medium-priority by the state Department of Water Resources (DWR) to create a Groundwater Sustainability Agency (GSA) and develop a Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP) to avoid undesirable results. GSAs must reach sustainability within 20 years of adopting their GSPs. … ” Read more from the Coastal View here: Carpinteria: Update on groundwater basin management
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
State, county may take water from City of Porterville
“City of Porterville Manager John Lollis sounded like a boxer when describing the ongoing situation when it comes to various agencies at the local and state level trying to work together to spread out a limited water supply. “It is certainly a bob and weave,” Lollis said. Lollis announced at Tuesday’s Porterville City Council meeting the County and State may exercise its right to take 3 million gallons of water a month at no charge from a city well as part of the arrangement the city, county and state reached to supply East Porterville with water after the 2015 drought. “We want to be a good partner,” Lollis said. “We always have been.” … ” Read more from the Porterville Recorder here: State, county may take water from City of Porterville
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
LA County unveils final LA River Master Plan
“Los Angeles County on Tuesday, May 17 unveiled its final Los Angeles River Master Plan, which the county’s Board of Supervisors will consider for adoption on June 14. The plan is aimed at improving water quality, increasing wildlife habitat and biodiversity and creating equitable access to parks. Among its specific goals are creating 51 miles of connected open space along the entire river; building support facilities along the river; completing the L.A. River Trail to create a continuous path along the entire river; creating welcoming access points to the river and the L.A. River Trail; … ” Continue reading at the Pasadena Star News here: LA County unveils final LA River Master Plan
It’s about water, not just illegal drugs, officials say of rampant pot grows
“Illegal pot grows were already a problem in the High Desert, but during the pandemic, the number increased, and now officials say with scarce water resources in Southern California, it’s a drought problem too. The NBC4 I-Team has been following the efforts to eradicate illegal marijuana operations in the high desert region of Southern California. On May 17, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department announced a new operation targeting those operations. The problem exploded during the pandemic with illegal marijuana grow operations quickly multiplying in High Desert communities. Within the past year alone, more than 2,000 have been documented in Los Angeles and San Bernardino Counties. Also documented is the devastating impact on the environment, from the dangerous chemicals used — and left behind — to the staggering amount of water needed for these operations. … ” Read more from NBC LA here: It’s about water, not just illegal drugs, officials say of rampant pot grows
Las Virgenes Municipal Water District Board approves 1-day-per-week irrigation restrictions
“The Las Virgenes Municipal Water District Board unanimously approved a drought resolution Wednesday that will limit residents outdoor irrigation to one day a week, with the restrictions taking effect June 1. Last week, LVMWD held a virtual town hall with more than 1,300 people who shared their concerns and feedback with the district’s board of directors. According to a Wednesday press release, district staff concluded that the one-day-per-week restrictions were necessary in order “to meet stringent conservation reduction targets implemented because of current water supply challenges and limitations of MWD infrastructure in delivering supplies from Diamond Valley Lake and the Colorado River Aqueduct.” ... ” Read more from CBS LA here: Las Virgenes Municipal Water District Board approves 1-day-per-week irrigation restrictions
San Gabriel Valley Water supplier issuing water conservation kits to residents
“The Upper San Gabriel Valley Municipal Water District worries state’s historic drought will get worse. “I’ve seen some droughts, some challenges, never as severe as this one,” said General Manager Thomas Love. The district gets some of its water from the State Water project. Unfortunately, its allocation of water was cut to 5%. ... ” Read more from ABC LA here: San Gabriel Valley Water supplier issuing water conservation kits to residents
New lawn-watering schedule starts June 1 in La Verne
“La Verne residents may struggle to keep their lawns green when once-a-week outdoor watering restrictions start June 1, a measure enacted in response to an emergency order from the region’s largest water wholesaler last month. In a unanimous vote Monday, May 16, the La Verne City Council adopted their own emergency ordinance to cut outdoor watering to one day a week and ask residents to slash water usage by 20%. Beginning June 1, watering will be permitted 6 p.m. Tuesday to 10 a.m. Wednesday for addresses that end in even numbers and 6 p.m. Thursday to 10 a.m. Friday for those ending in odd numbers. ... ” Read more from the Daily Bulletin here: New lawn-watering schedule starts June 1 in La Verne
IMPERIAL/COACHELLA VALLEYS
Imperial Irrigation District Board initiates process to develop, implement revised plan to manage water supply
“In light of the current conditions affecting the Colorado River basin, the Imperial Irrigation District Board of Directors has initiated an accelerated process to develop a plan to manage its annual water supply by apportioning it among all categories of water users. Referred to as the revised Equitable Distribution Plan, the intent is for the plan to be effective by July 1, 2022 and retroactive to January 1 of this year. The revised plan is being developed by the district in consultation with the board’s Colorado River committee. Stakeholder engagement workshops are being planned for the last week of May, prior to board decision-making. … ” Read more from the Desert Review here: Imperial Irrigation District Board initiates process to develop, implement revised plan to manage water supply
SAN DIEGO
San Diego files lawsuit over toxic PFAS chemicals in water
“The City of San Diego is suing more than 20 companies over decades-long water contamination from toxic chemical called PFAS. The lawsuit claims manufacturers like 3M, DuPont, and Raytheon made firefighting foam that contained PFAS and alleges the companies concealed “knowledge about the grave environmental and human health dangers of these compounds.” … ” Read more from CBS 8 here: San Diego files lawsuit over toxic PFAS chemicals in water
Along the Colorado River …
Amid severe drought, former Interior secretary calls for revamping Colorado River pact
“One hundred years after a landmark agreement divided the waters of the Colorado River among Western states, the pact is now showing its age as a hotter and drier climate has shrunk the river. The flow of the Colorado has declined nearly 20% since 2000. Reservoirs have dropped to record low levels. And despite a series of deals among the states to temporarily take less water from the river, the shortage continues to worsen. Former Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt, who oversaw management of the river under President Clinton, said it’s become clear that the 1922 Colorado River Compact should be revamped to adapt to the reduced amount of water that is available as global warming compounds the 22-year megadrought in the watershed. … ” Read more from the LA Times here: Amid severe drought, former Interior secretary calls for revamping Colorado River pact
Warmer winters, drier summers disrupting snowmelt supplying the Colorado River
“During a parched summer in the arid Southwest, any rain can feel like a gift. But in reality, those precious summer showers barely move the needle when it comes to water. “Regardless of what you get in the summer,” said Becky Bolinger, Colorado’s assistant state climatologist, “what really impacts the water availability in the Colorado River is what happens in the winter.” As a drought-stricken region looks ahead to the summer, climate scientists are keeping an eye on high-mountain snowpack and its path to streams and rivers. Snow at high altitudes makes up the majority of the water in the Colorado River – where this past winter has left low totals. On top of that, warm weather and dry soil mean that snow is melting early and soaking into the ground before it can get to the river, which serves 40 million people from Colorado to California. … ” Read more from Cronkite News here: Warmer winters, drier summers disrupting snowmelt supplying the Colorado River
SEE ALSO: Climate change will force big shift in timing, amount of snowmelt across Colorado River Basin, from Los Alamos National Labs
Water for the Colorado River Delta in a dry year
“The Colorado River is once again flowing in its delta. The flows, which began on May 1, are the result of binational collaboration and deliberate management. The water is dedicated to supporting the ecosystem and local communities in a landscape where the river has not flowed for most years in the past half century. It is a heartening bit of good news for the Colorado River, which earlier this year was designated as America’s most endangered river. This year’s flow will be very similar to the managed flow in the delta in 2021. … ” Continue reading at Audubon here: Water for the Colorado River Delta in a dry year
Photos: Water levels in Lake Mead reach record lows
“Lake Mead, North America’s largest artificial reservoir, formed on the Colorado River between Nevada and Arizona, has shrunk to historic lows—dropping to about 30 percent of its capacity. The reservoir is a major source of water for Arizona, Nevada, and California, as well as part of Mexico, serving nearly 25 million people and huge agricultural areas. A combination of drought, climate change, and growing regional demand for water have driven the reservoir to its lowest levels since the 1930s; its water level is now 1,050 feet (and falling), down from an all-time high of 1,225 feet in 1983. … ” Read more and view photos from The Atlantic here: Photos: Water levels in Lake Mead reach record lows
UTAH
Utah: The pros and cons of using water pipelines to mitigate droughts
Sammy Roth writes, “Many of us climate activists are all too familiar with the concept of pipelines — and the association is generally environmentally negative. However, pipelines can also be used to help reverse certain effects of climate change, such as drought. For example, in Utah, a pipeline funneling water from the Pacific Ocean into Utah’s almost-dried up Great Salt Lake is currently in the works.Some hope it will reverse the effects of the climate crisis, though others are skeptical. “There’s a lot of water in the ocean and we have very little in the Great Salt Lake,” conservative senator and co-chair of the Legislative Water Development Commission, David Hinkins, told Fox13 News. “It’s just an idea… Other countries are doing it to fill their lakes because of the drought situations. We ought to know if there’s a feasibility or even if we’ll get right of ways for that sort of stuff, but get an idea of how much it’ll cost.” But left-leaning organizations feel otherwise. The Alliance for a Better Utah, for example, is against the idea. … ” Read more from the Green Matters here: The pros and cons of using water pipelines to mitigate droughts
SEE ALSO: Utah lawmakers consider a pipeline from the Pacific Ocean to the Great Salt Lake, from Fox 13
This tiny Utah town could shape the West’s energy future
Sammy Roth writes, “The road to Delta is paved with pumpjacks and wind power. Five days into our Western energy road trip, photographer Rob Gauthier and I drove late into the night across Utah, following the setting sun as it bathed the red-rock cliffs and snow-starved Wasatch Mountains in golden light. We crossed the Strawberry River — a sparkling tributary of the Colorado — before traversing Indian Canyon via Highway 191, a scenic byway lined with oil wells. … By the time we reached Delta, population 3,600, it was well past dark, and I couldn’t see the massive smokestack north of town. It rises 710 feet from Intermountain Power Plant — a coal-fired plant that for decades has been L.A.’s largest electricity source. … ” Continue reading at the LA Times here: This tiny Utah town could shape the West’s energy future
ARIZONA
Arizona: Petitions submitted for new groundwater management district
“A proposal apparently headed to the November ballot would have voters in rural southeastern Arizona decide whether to create a new regulatory district to manage large-scale groundwater use for agriculture in an area where aquifer levels have dropped in recent years. A grassroots group collected sufficient voter signatures on petitions required under state law for a ballot measure on creation of an active management area in the Willcox basin in Cochise and Graham counties, myheraldreview.com reported. The management area would be Arizona’s first created through a petition drive. Five others were created under the state’s 1980 groundwater law or added later by the Legislature. … ” Read more from the Associated Press here: Arizona: Petitions submitted for new groundwater management district
Forests often regenerate after wildfires. Why the climate crisis could change that
“In the absence of crystal balls and time machines, scientists use natural records like ice cores to understand what happened on the planet before we arrived, and math and computers to predict whether humans can survive the changes ahead. It’s not a perfect approach, but it’s the best available outside of sci-fi films and fairy tales. In Arizona, the science of ecosystem change has a lot to do with trees. Donald Falk is an associate professor with the University of Arizona’s Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research. He uses trees and forests as a lens to study how southwestern ecosystems respond — in the past, present and future — to challenges such as the rising average temperatures, worsening drought and more intense wildfires linked to climate change. … ” Read more from Arizona Central here: Forests often regenerate after wildfires. Why the climate crisis could change that
COLORADO
The marinas at Colorado’s Blue Mesa Reservoir won’t open this season as the threat of a water release to Lake Powell looms
“The marinas at Colorado’s largest reservoir will stay closed this boating season because of the looming possibility that Lake Powell on the Utah-Arizona border might need more water. Last year, the U.S. Department of the Interior ordered the release of 8 feet of water from Blue Mesa Reservoir near Gunnison to be sent downstream to Lake Powell. The emergency action was needed to prop up water levels in the nation’s second-largest reservoir, which has hit its lowest level on record amid a 20-year, climate change-fueled megadrought in the Colorado River basin. The drop in water levels led to an early closure of the marinas, cutting six weeks out of the lake’s five-month tourism season. The National Park Service told everyone who stored their boats at the marinas that they had 10 days to remove their boats from the reservoir. … ” Read more from Colorado Public Radio here: The marinas at Colorado’s Blue Mesa Reservoir won’t open this season as the threat of a water release to Lake Powell looms
Flaming Gorge: Planned drought response actions produce added benefits for fish
“Reclamation, through coordination with the Flaming Gorge Technical Working Group, has found win-win scenarios to benefit listed fishes, maximize power generation at hydropower facilities, and meet obligations to the Upper Division States and users with the recently announced 500,000 acre-feet of supplemental releases to Lake Powell from Flaming Gorge Reservoir. … A key element of the plan is the release of approximately 500,000 acre-feet of water from Flaming Gorge Dam to temporarily increase the elevations of Lake Powell, thereby permitting continued generation of hydropower. This is also a benefit to native listed fishes in the Green River, including the bonytail, Colorado pikeminnow, humpback chub, and razorback sucker, which are all protected under the Endangered Species Act. … ” Read more from the Bureau of Reclamation here: Planned drought response actions produce added benefits for fish
Aurora may ban sprawling lawns, new golf courses to save water. Other Denver-area cities could follow.
“The climate-conscious, first-in-Colorado edicts proposed by the City of Aurora are clear: No new golf courses flooding grass with precious water. No grass in medians or decorative spots near offices. No home lawns sprawling out front and back — turf in backyards would max out at 750 square feet. But get ready, metropolitan water users everywhere else in the state — water experts say similar restrictions on thirsty, traditional turf lawns are on their way. Denver is working with Denver Water on green building codes that could include Las Vegas-style caps on decorative turf and seasonal gallon limits on watering per square foot. … ” Read more from the Colorado Sun here: Aurora may ban sprawling lawns, new golf courses to save water. Other Denver-area cities could follow.
In national water news today …
It’s All About Water: Taking rainwater treatment as seriously as storm water can be a critical part of the water solution
“Rainwater. Storm water. Wastewater. Unmanaged, they can endanger waterways, groundwater and add to water shortages. There is no simple solution, but what is clear is that the trajectory of diminishing clean water supplies can only be reversed if we address it in every way possible. At a time when water shortages are becoming acute – even in historically water-rich regions – the collection, treatment and management of all kinds of water has never been more interconnected. That includes looking more seriously at rainwater and its connection to groundwater. ... ” Read more from Stormwater Solutions here: It’s All About Water: Taking rainwater treatment as seriously as storm water can be a critical part of the water solution
PFAS remediation spending forecasted to triple by 2030
“According to a new report from Bluefield Research, national spending on treatment systems for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) is expected to increase over 328 percent by 2030. Total annual expenditure for PFAS treatment systems is estimated to scale from US$334.6 million in 2022 to US$1.1 billion in 2030. The state-by-state forecast in Bluefield’s report PFAS: Drinking Water Treatment, Regulations, and Remediation Forecasts, 2022–2030 is highly influenced by the extent of PFAS contamination within each state’s borders and the increasing adoption of state and federal policies. ... ” Read more from Water World here: PFAS remediation spending forecasted to triple by 2030
Also on Maven’s Notebook today …
NOTICE of Public Meeting and Release of Preliminary Changes to Drought Emergency Regulation for Scott River and Shasta River Watersheds
