On the calendar today …
- The Delta Independent Science Board meets from 2pm to 5pm. Agenda items include an update on the Delta Conveyance Project and a discussion of the work plan for the future review of the Delta Conveyance Project environmental documents. Click here for the full agenda.
In California water news today …
CURTAILMENT ORDERS
State imposes sweeping ban on pumping river water in San Joaquin Valley, Bay Area
“In sweeping water curtailments stretching from Fresno to the Oregon state line, cities and growers in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta watershed have been ordered to stop pumping from rivers and streams. The cutbacks, announced today by the State Water Resources Control Board, will affect 4,252 water rights in the Delta watershed, including 400 or more held by 212 public water systems, beginning Wednesday. But they’re concentrated around the San Joaquin River and its tributaries, where state officials expect “significant, very deep cuts.” Water board staff called the cutbacks “unprecedented,” although similar curtailments were imposed in the watershed last year, just much later in the year, in August. ... ” Read more from Cal Matters here: State imposes sweeping ban on pumping river water in San Joaquin Valley, Bay Area
California orders thousands of farms and cities, including San Francisco, to stop pumping water during drought
“In one of the most far-reaching efforts to protect California’s water supplies this year, state regulators on Tuesday ordered thousands of farmers, irrigation districts and municipal water agencies, including the city of San Francisco, to stop making draws from rivers and creeks. The move, which comes amid a third year of the California drought, forces water users, from individual landowners to utilities serving tens of thousands of people, to turn to alternative sources of water, if they have it. Some growers and small water suppliers may forced to go without water entirely. The action marks an unusually extensive application of the state’s water rights system, a longstanding policy that reserves California’s limited flows for those with the most senior claims to water. … ” Continue reading at the San Francisco Chronicle here: California orders thousands of farms and cities, including San Francisco, to stop pumping water during drought
Notice: Curtailments expanded through out the Delta watershed
“This update contains important information about the curtailment status of water rights and claims of right within the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta (Delta) watershed pursuant to Initial Orders Imposing Water Right Curtailment and Reporting Requirements in the Delta Watershed (Order for water rights/claims under 5,000 acre-feet and Order for water rights/claims over 5,000 acre-feet). The following water rights are curtailed, effective June 8, 2022, unless and until the State Water Board advises that this determination has been updated … ” Continue reading this notice from the State Water Resources Control Board here: Notice: Curtailments expanded through out the Delta watershed
WATER CONSERVATION NUMBERS
Water usage increases in California as drought continues
“Years of drought, low snowpack, repeated requests and orders to cut back water usage have all seem for naught, according to a new report released Tuesday by the State of California Water Resources Control Board which shows that water usage in urban areas actually increased by 17.6% compared to last year. The report covers water usage from April 2021 to April 2022 and shows that urban areas have failed to meet the goal set by California Governor Gavin Newsom to cut water usage by 15%. “In California, the hots are getting hotter and the dries are getting drier. California will enter the dry summer months with below-average reservoir storage and with the state’s largest reservoir, Shasta Lake, at critically low levels. The Sierra snowpack is essentially gone, and runoff into the state’s streams and reservoirs has largely peaked for the year. The latest water use numbers reported to the Water Board are disappointing, and the Governor has made it clear that if we do not start seeing increased conservation across the state there may be a need to move to mandatory state water conservation measures,” the California Governor’s Office said in a statement. … ” Continue reading at the Courthouse News Service here: Water usage increases in California as drought continues
California water use soars — again — despite Gov. Newsom’s call for conservation
“The reality of drought isn’t sinking in for most Californians — or maybe people just don’t care. Cities and towns across the state have not only recently failed to meet Gov. Gavin Newsom’s request to cut water use by 15%, compared with a year ago, but urban water use has increased over the last year, up 17.6% in April, according to new state data released Tuesday. The lack of conservation comes as many parts of California reel from water shortages after three dry years. While some communities have enacted local restrictions to protect supplies, many have relied on voluntary cutbacks that just haven’t panned out. ... ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle here: California water use soars — again — despite Gov. Newsom’s call for conservation
Parts of Southern California used 26% more water in April, despite conservation pleas
“Coastal Southern California increased water usage by more than 25% for the month of April, lagging behind most other parts of the state in conservation and appearing to dismiss dire warnings of supply shortages. According to data released Tuesday by the State Water Resources Control Board, cities and towns in the South Coast hydrologic region — an area that includes Los Angeles and more than half the state’s population — used 25.6% more water in April than in April 2020, the first year of the current drought. Statewide, urban residents used 17.6% more water, marking a small decline from March, but still far less than what officials say is needed to weather a historic drought. … ” Read more from the LA Times here: Parts of Southern California used 26% more water in April, despite conservation pleas | Read via Yahoo News
Statement from Adel Hagekhalil, Metropolitan Water District
“These are not the numbers we wanted to see, and they are not the numbers we need to see. We are in an unprecedented situation, where our water supplies from the State Water Project are so limited by drought and climate change that they do not meet demands. Southern Californians must decrease their water use. I know we can do it. Our board’s action in late April to mandate dramatic cuts in water use in one-third of Southern California, and to urge 20 percent conservation in the rest of the region, generated widespread public attention to the drought’s severity. That new public understanding of our alarming water supply crisis, combined with the mandatory emergency conservation restrictions that went into effect June 1, must prompt strong action, or we won’t have enough water to get us through the year. Our communities have for decades responded to our calls to increase their water efficiency and we are grateful for that. We would be in a far worse situation were it not for those efforts. But now we need to work together to immediately cut our water use to get through this crisis together.”
RUSSIAN RIVER WATER SHARING AGREEMENT
Press release: State Water Board approves unprecedented voluntary water sharing agreement for Russian River
“With ongoing drought conditions straining water supplies and creating uncertainty throughout California, the State Water Resources Control Board today approved a unique agreement that allows right holders in the Upper Russian River watershed to voluntarily reduce water use and share their available water. The 2022 Upper Russian River Voluntary Sharing Agreement program protects supplies and enables individuals enrolled in the program who still have water under their water rights to share with other participants who do not, effectively serving as an alternative to curtailments, which are a blanket restriction on water diversions for those with younger rights when there is insufficient water supply. “This is a truly significant development – and the first of its kind – as state and local leaders continue to innovate their response to drought and climate change while addressing the needs of residents in Sonoma and Mendocino counties,” said Sam Boland-Brien, a supervising engineer with the State Water Board. … ” Continue reading this press release from the State Water Board here: State Water Board approves unprecedented voluntary water sharing agreement for Russian River
State Water Board approves historic Russian River water sharing agreement
“The State Water Resources Control Board on Tuesday approved a groundbreaking agreement that allows “senior” water rights holders in the upper Russian River watershed to share their supply with junior rights holders whose claims might otherwise be suspended due to drought. The collaborative, community-first approach, negotiated over many months by agricultural, municipal, tribal and other stakeholders in the region, is the first of its kind to try to bring balance to the allocation of scarce water supplies in a state governed by what one board member called an “inherently inequitable” water rights system. Instead of relying on the century-plus-old “first in time, first in right” system, through which younger water rights can be fully curtailed while senior rights are left completely whole, the voluntary framework approved Tuesday allows neighbors to support each other through hard times, supporters say. … ” Read more from the Santa Rosa Press Democrat here: State Water Board approves historic Russian River water sharing agreement
OTHER CALIFORNIA WATER NEWS
California seeks to rein in water usage by closing a nearly two-month gap in getting data from suppliers
“In response to prolonged drought across the West and ahead of the scorching summer months, California is asking its urban water suppliers to voluntarily report water consumption data sooner — so the state can better assess whether its water conservation goals are being met. Years of low rainfall and snowpack coupled with more intense heat waves have fueled the state’s historic, multiyear drought conditions, rapidly draining its reservoirs. Now California Gov. Gavin Newsom has responded by calling on local water agencies to submit water usage data by the third business day of every month — or sooner — in a bid to measure water conservation goals accurately and to foster greater transparency. … ” Read more from CNN here: California seeks to rein in water usage by closing a nearly two-month gap in getting data from suppliers
Video: Shasta Lake vs Oroville Lake vs Folsom Lake: The difference in water levels
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Governor wants a long-term drinking water assistance program in California
“For 35 days between March and April of this year, Dante Woolfolk went without any running water in his house in Brooktrails, a small town nestled amid the leafy canopies of Mendocino County in Northern California. A spiraling unpaid water bill had led the local water system to turn off the spigot. For those 35 days, says Woolfolk, his life was upended. He purchased water to cook, make coffee and clean the house. He believes he “easily” spent $600 on bottled water alone. The 36-year-old’s three children stayed with a nearby friend. Woolfolk showered there, too. “I’m so grateful for that,” Woolfolk says of his friend’s largesse. But those 35 days without running water were hard, he says. … Woolfolk’s experience underscores a gaping hole in California’s low income safety net: the lack of a long-term drinking water rate-payer assistance program. The state has been working towards such a program for years, but these efforts have been shaped by disagreement over issues like long-term funding sources and which agency should manage it. … ” Read more from City Watch here: Governor wants a long-term drinking water assistance program in California
Press release: State enlists commercial, industrial sector in water conservation efforts
“As Californians continue efforts to reduce water use at homes and on farms, the Newsom Administration is enlisting the state’s commercial and industrial sector as a partner in immediate and long-term efforts to lessen demand for limited water supplies amid historic drought and a changing climate. A regulation set to take effect this month will drive a reduction in water use by halting irrigation of decorative or non-functional grass with potable water in commercial, industrial and institutional settings. The regulation applies to turf (mowed grass) that is ornamental and not otherwise used for recreation. It does not apply to residential lawns, school fields, sports fields, or areas regularly used for civic or community events. Ending irrigation of non-functional grass will save the equivalent of water used by as many as 780,000 households every year. The regulation does not restrict the watering of non-turf plantings or trees, which are important for shade and cooling as the state experiences more extreme heat events. ... ” Read more from the Natural Resources Agency here: State enlists commercial, industrial sector in water conservation efforts
Save drought-stressed landscape trees
“Dirty cars, fallow fields, hurried showers, brown lawns, and now our landscape trees are suffering, too. Without trees, our ecosystem changes, creating a hotter valley with less oxygen, wildlife, privacy, and beauty. Because trees are also a valuable investment of money and time, priority should be given to trees when water supplies are limited. “Mature landscape trees are worth saving! Recognizing early signs of drought stress is important because irreversible damage can occur that no amount of watering will correct,” says Janet Hartin, a horticulture advisor with UC Cooperative Extension. Most residential landscape trees are surrounded by lawns. When residents eliminate or reduce water for lawns, trees don’t easily adapt because they never developed extensive, deep roots due to constant shallow irrigation. … ” Read more from the Foothills Sun-Gazette here: Save drought-stressed landscape trees
Lack of water means smaller tomato crop
“David Richter has a good tomato crop going so far—but like many other farmers, not as much as in preceding years. Richter, who farms near Knights Landing in Sutter County, cut his tomato acreage by 75 acres, mainly because his water allocation from the Sacramento River is 18%. Trying to make the allocation and other challenges work for this year’s crop is “like putting a puzzle together,” he said. “I’ve done 42 of these now since I’ve been out of college, and we always say, well, this is different than what we’ve had,” Richter said. “I don’t know what to expect.” … ” Read more from Ag Alert here: Lack of water means smaller tomato crop
Farm groups ‘troubled’ by court’s bumblebee ruling
“Saying that bumblebees may be classified as fish, a state appeals court has ruled that the pollinator insect may therefore be eligible for protection as an endangered or threatened species under state law. The ruling, issued last week, reverses a 2020 Sacramento County Superior Court decision blocking the state from listing the bumblebee under the state Endangered Species Act and granting the insect protection as fish. Unlike federal law, the state ESA does not include insects as eligible for listing. Specifically, state law extends protections only to birds, mammals, fish, amphibians, reptiles and plants. Nevertheless, the California Fish and Game Commission voted in 2019 to designate the Crotch bumblebee, Franklin’s bumblebee, Suckley cuckoo bumblebee and western bumblebee as candidates for ESA listing. The move triggered full protection for the bumblebees under state law, which prohibits actions that would kill, or “take,” candidate species without a permit or other authorization. … ” Read more from Ag Alert here: Farm groups ‘troubled’ by court’s bumblebee ruling
SEE ALSO: California court says bumble bees are fish, from the Western Farm Press
The overlooked root of plastic culture in the food system
“If you drive along California’s Central Coast, you will see the ocean on one side—and oceans of plastic on the other. This is according to Dr. Seeta Sistla, an assistant professor at California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly). “It looks like the sea because it’s so many acres of plastic that have been put down,” says Sistla, the primary investigator on two multi-institution research grants studying biodegradable alternatives to plastic mulch in agriculture. “It’s absolutely astounding how much plastic use goes into producing food—plastic that’s then not functionally reusable. And it’s building up in our soils.” … ” Read more from Sierra Magazine here: The overlooked root of plastic culture in the food system
As drought lingers, CA considers $1.5 billion to buy farm water rights
“A proposal to use up to $1.5 billion to purchase farmer’s senior water rights has made its way into the budget negotiations between lawmakers and Governor Gavin Newsom, the Associated Press reports. It comes at a time when 98 percent of the state is experiencing a severe drought and is part of the larger $7.5 billion Water and Drought Package “to build a climate resilient water system.” In addition to the buy-back program, the package also includes $500 million for the Department of Conservation “for acquisition and repurposing of lands to implement the Sustainable Ground Water Management Act,” $1.5 billion to ensure Californians have safe drinking water, and $1.5 billion for Drought Resilient Water Supple grants. … ” Continue reading at LA Magazine here: As drought lingers, CA considers $1.5 billion to buy farm water rights
Stanford study measures solution for sinking California, finds it may take more to reverse damage
“Surveying the Central Valley from the air, the landscape looks level about as far as the eye can see. But in a newly released study, researchers from Stanford have confirmed that not only are sections of the Valley sinking, but it may take more to reverse the damage than previously believed. Lead author Matt Lees followed a long trail winding back decades. “So we went out there, and we looked for every water level measurement we could find. And in the end, what we ended up with is a continuous record from 1950s, right through til present day. And we found over 20 feet of subsidence happens due to the water level declines over that period,” says Lees. ... ” Read more from ABC 7 here: Stanford study measures solution for sinking California, finds it may take more to reverse damage
Calif. dilemma: Fight climate change and keep on the lights
“California sees itself as a global leader in the fight against climate change. But keeping on the lights over the next five summers is likely to increase the state’s greenhouse gas emissions, energy experts said. The nation’s most populous state faces an electricity supply crunch, with projections showing that peak demand could exceed available supplies by as much as 3,500 megawatts. That would leave as many as 3.5 million homes without power. To address the problem, Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom wants to spend $5.2 billion to boost reliability. Initial plans include keeping open natural gas plants that were due to retire. … ” Read more from E&E News here: Calif. dilemma: Fight climate change and keep on the lights
Carbon credits versus the “big gulp”
“Steve Deverel gazes out over a levee on the San Joaquin River to a buoy where half a dozen sea lions are barking. It’s a loud reminder that even here, 50 miles inland, some of California’s most productive farmland lies perilously close to the Pacific Ocean. At any moment, a weak spot in the more than 1,000 miles of earthen levees protecting islands in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta could unleash a salty deluge, threatening not just crops, but the drinking water for as many as 27 million Californians. Deverel, a Davis-based hydrologist, refers to this threat as “The Big Gulp,” a breach that would suck in tens of billions of gallons of river water, drawing ocean water in its wake. All it would take is some heavy rain, a moderate earthquake, or even hard-working gophers tunneling through earthen barriers first built in the late 1800s. It wouldn’t be the first time such a disaster happened. … ” Read more from Scientific American here: Carbon credits versus the “big gulp”
In commentary today …
Editorial: Too many new straws in California’s groundwater milkshake
The LA Times editorial board writes, “It wasn’t that long ago that increasingly arid California seemed as watery as a wet sponge. At the time the state became part of the U.S., Tulare Lake was the largest body of freshwater west of the Great Lakes, and winter flooding made it even larger. In particularly wet years, when it overflowed its banks and joined with Kern Lake and Buena Vista Lake, it would have been possible to sail a boat from what is now Interstate 5 eastward to the Sierra foothills, and from Bakersfield to Fresno. The change isn’t only because of warmer weather. Agricultural growth drained the lakes and dammed the rivers that fed them. Tulare Lake was gone by the 20th century, except for some occasional wet winter reappearances. ... ” Read more from the LA Times here: Editorial: Too many new straws in California’s groundwater milkshake | Read via Yahoo News
Today’s featured article …
CCST WEBINAR RECAP: Managing Salinity in the California Delta in a Changing Climate
The Delta is an intricate network of waterways, canals, and sloughs connecting the Sierra Nevada watershed with the San Francisco Bay. It is considered the hub of California’s water supply, supplying fresh water to two-thirds of the state’s population and millions of acres of farmland. It is also the largest freshwater tidal estuary on the west coast, providing important habitat for birds along the Pacific Flyway and the fish that live in or migrate through the Delta. However, increasing drought and sea level rise make it more challenging for water managers to meet the freshwater needs of all who rely on the Delta.
In May of 2022, the California Council on Science and Technology (CCST) brought together experts to discuss the issues related to managing salinity in the Delta, given the impacts of climate change. The briefing was in partnership with the Delta Stewardship Council’s Delta Science Program and the Office of Assemblymember Aguilar-Curry.
In regional water news and commentary today …
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
Van Norden Meadow to be restored over the next 2 years
“The Sierra Nevada’s meadows — some 10,000 of them — have significantly deteriorated in the last century because of road building, overuse of habitat, development and catastrophic wildfire, according to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. The South Yuba River Citizens League was awarded $3.746 million from the Wildlife Conservation Board’s Forest Conservation grant program to implement Phase One of the restoration of Van Norden Meadow — “Yayalu Itdeh” in Washoe — in partnership with the Tahoe National Forest. SYRCL this July will begin restoration on a 485-acre swath of meadow that collects water from spring runoff from Castle Peak, Sugar Bowl and Razorback Ridge. Work will finish in October due to the wet season, and resume the following summer. After two years, SYRCL’s River Science Project Manager Alecia Weisman said, “follow up recreation actions to be followed up by (Tahoe National Forest).” … ” Read more from the Sierra Sun here: Van Norden Meadow to be restored over the next 2 years
As prescribed burn season ends at Lake Tahoe, an understanding of what the prescription is
“Each prescribed fire in the Lake Tahoe Basin is just that, a fire that satisfies a long list of requirements required in a prescription. Typically the prescribed burning of forests start in the fall when conditions are favorable with moisture on the ground and lower temperatures. As long as the prescription requirements can be met, fire will be added to the forest until spring. “They don’t burn when conditions are dry and hot, they burn when safe to do so,” said Lisa Herron who is not only the PIO for the US Forest Service, but also the Fire PIT (Public Information team), a sub-group of the Tahoe Fire and Fuels Team (TFFT). … ” Read more from South Tahoe Now here: As prescribed burn season ends at Lake Tahoe, an understanding of what the prescription is
BAY AREA
Marin column: Don’t underestimate importance of water board elections in November
Columnist Dick Spotswood writes, “The marquee race in November’s local election is for three seats on the five-member Marin Municipal Water District Board of Directors. MMWD is the sole provider of water to 191,000 customers in the central and southern parts of Marin County. As hikers and mountain bikers are well aware, the agency is responsible for its 23,000-acre watershed on Mount Tamalpais’ slopes. The reality is that those on the MMWD board majority have more impact on the everyday lives of Marinites than which North Bay Democrat will join the state Assembly of 58 Democrats, 19 Republicans and one bold independent. … ” Read more from the Marin Independent Journal here: Marin column: Don’t underestimate importance of water board elections in November
Residents can save water and money with Valley Water’s rebate programs
“With the warmer months here, outdoor watering will increase, straining already stressed water supplies in the face of severe drought, which is in its third consecutive year. But it’s not too late to reduce water usage—Saving water by reducing our outdoor irrigation can make a big impact, especially since up to half of the water usage in a typical Santa Clara County home is done outdoors. The Valley Water Board of Directors voted in April to restrict watering of local lawns and ornamental landscapes to no more than two days a week and prohibit watering during midday hours. For example, watering after 7 p.m. or before 7 a.m. minimizes evaporation, especially during hot afternoons in the summer and fall. … ” Read more from Valley News here: We are in a severe drought and Valley Water can help offer ways to save water and money with its rebate programs
Photo slideshow: Valley Water making progress on a project to help protect downtown Morgan Hill from flooding
“Although Santa Clara County is currently in a drought emergency, we can’t predict when the next flood will occur. That’s why Valley Water remains committed to keeping residents, schools, and businesses safe through our flood protection projects and programs. One of these projects is designed to protect Morgan Hill from a major flood event. For the past several months, Valley Water has been digging a tunnel underneath a stretch of downtown Morgan Hill. Once complete, this horseshoe-shaped tunnel (10-feet tall, 14-feet wide, and about 2,300-feet long) will eventually protect downtown from a 100-year flood, which has a 1% chance of happening in any given year. … ” Read more from Valley Water News here: Photo slideshow: Valley Water making progress on a project to help protect downtown Morgan Hill from flooding
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
Commentary: Effective communication? Sorry, but City of Manteca utility bills don’t hold water
Dennis Wyatt, editor of the Manteca Bulletin, writes, “The drought — without a doubt — is the most pervasive, all-encompassing and serious emergency/disaster Californians are facing. It impacts everyone. It also impacts virtually everything from whether we can feed ourselves, fighting fires, the survival of habitats, and impacts on temperatures right down to the very livability of where we have built housing and cities. Yet our government has done an atrocious job when it comes to educating as well as providing people with transparent information. It starts with your monthly City of Manteca water bill. ... ” Read more from the Manteca Bulletin here: Effective communication? Sorry, but City of Manteca utility bills don’t hold water
Kern commentary: Let’s see if I have this right
“Regarding Jesse Vad’s (SJV Water) “above the fold” article on May 31, the state proposes paying SJV growers a pittance to “repurpose” their land away from agricultural use? And now nearly 15,000 additional new high-density housing units are in planning (“Mass rezoning proposed to open more land in Kern to high-density housing,” May 5)? Really? Let’s review. Among other things: Kern County is a desert (less than 10 inches of rain per year). It has only one river flowing into its basin (the Kern). Its aquifers are drying up and its land on average is subsiding 4.2 inches annually (think of a wet kitchen sponge drying and shrinking). The state is delivering no water to the county. Aqueduct water flow is slowing to a trickle. The Kern County Sustainable Groundwater Management Plan is behind schedule. Yet… ” Continue reading at the Bakersfield Californian here: Kern commentary: Let’s see if I have this right
IMPERIAL/COACHELLA VALLEYS
Joshua Tree park closes oasis trail so bighorn sheep can get water
“A popular hiking trail to an oasis in Joshua Tree National Park has been temporarily closed so bighorn sheep can get undisturbed access to water. “The park is under extreme drought conditions and herds in the area are increasingly reliant on the oasis spring to survive the hot summer months,” a park statement said. The Fortynine Palms Oasis spring is surrounded by palms in mountains on the northern side of the park. The closure started June 1 and will remain in effect until summer monsoon rains provide enough increase the availability of water for the bighorns. … ” Read more from ABC 10 here: Joshua Tree park closes oasis trail so bighorn sheep can get water
Desert Water Agency in Palm Springs prohibits spray irrigation during daytime amid drought
“Amid a multi-year statewide drought, the Desert Water Agency’s Board of Directors adopted water restrictions Tuesday, including a ban on sprinkler and spray irrigation during daylight hours. The move came a couple of weeks after the State Water Resources Control Board approved an emergency resolution requiring urban water suppliers to implement their “Level 2 demand reduction actions” by June 10. The five-member board for the Desert Water Agency, which serves Palm Springs and parts of Cathedral City, unanimously voted for the restrictions “despite the fact that local water supplies are in good condition,” according to a news release from the agency. … ” Read more from the Desert Sun here: Desert Water Agency in Palm Springs prohibits spray irrigation during daytime amid drought | Read via Yahoo News
SAN DIEGO
Del Mar to ask Coastal Commission to delay bluff stabilization projects
“Del Mar wants the California Coastal Commission to slow down plans to install more than 2,500 feet of new seawalls, concrete-and-steel soldier piles, drainage ditches, a trail, pedestrian crossings and more along the 1.6 miles of train tracks on the fragile seaside bluffs. The Del Mar City Council agreed Monday, June 6, to send a representative to speak at Wednesday’s Coastal Commission meeting, where the San Diego Association of Governments will present the latest version of its plan to armor the crumbling cliffs. “The one ask we can make is that they give us more time,” said Councilmember Terry Gaasterland. … ” Read more from the Del Mar Times here: Del Mar to ask Coastal Commission to delay bluff stabilization projects
SEE ALSO: Train threatened by rising seas could be saved with a wall, from E&E News
Along the Colorado River …
Lawmakers call for action amid severe western drought
“In a Senate hearing on Tuesday, lawmakers sounded the alarm about the severe drought in the west, which they say has not been this dry in 1,200 years. The Colorado River provides drinking water for 40 million people in seven states and serves about five million acres of farmland. During the hearing, Senator Michael Bennet (D-CO) warned that the river “is running out of water.” Most of the western United States is experiencing severe drought. … ” Continue reading from Fox 5 here: Lawmakers call for action amid severe western drought
SEE ALSO: Scientists, agriculturalists sound alarm for federal action on Western drought at Senate hearing, from the Denver Channel
Las Vegas: Low lake level pumping station helps assure community’s water supply
“As climate-change fueled megadrought impacts water availability in the Colorado River Basin, the Southern Nevada Water Authority continues to invest in critical infrastructure projects that assure a safe, reliable supply of water for the community. Among these investments is the new Low Lake Level Pumping Station (L3PS) at Lake Mead, the source of 90 percent of our community’s water. Working in conjunction with a third intake, L3PS allow Southern Nevada to access water supplies below Lake Mead’s “dead pool” elevation of 895 feet — the point at which no water can pass through Hoover Dam to generate power or meet downstream water demands in California, Arizona or Mexico. ... ” Read more from the Las Vegas Review-Journal here: Las Vegas: Low lake level pumping station helps assure community’s water supply
Arizona prepares to break open its Water Bank
“In late April 1996, Lake Powell sat at an elevation of 3,673 feet — just 27 feet below its maximum capacity. At that time of plenty, Arizona lawmakers worried that the state wasn’t using its full share of Colorado River water. Instead of potentially ceding those flows to California, the state opened a kind of liquid piggy bank, storing away a share of its water for an uncertain future. In the first year of operations, the Arizona Water Banking Authority set aside 300,000 acre-feet of water. After 25 years, its savings balance — stored underground in facilities across the state — has grown to 3.75 million acre-feet. ... ” Read more from E&E News here: Arizona prepares to break open its Water Bank
Here’s why Metro Phoenix has become THE data center destination
“One of the lasting effects of the pandemic has been the acceleration of technological adoption. What once was a benefit only available to a few positions, platforms such as Zoom and Teams have shown that online video conferencing can bridge the physical distance between colleagues to facilitate work from home arrangements anywhere in the world. The internet skeptics who still wanted to check their account balance at a bank branch or hadn’t indulged in the convenience of ordering packages from Amazon found themselves in a unique historical moment that required them to adopt new behaviors that may endure as habits. To be sure, this trend of larger chunks of everyday life being mediated through a screen was in motion before the COVID-19 public health crisis, but the disruption it caused supercharged that trajectory. … ” Read more from Arizona Public Media here: Here’s why Metro Phoenix has become THE data center destination
Colorado will look like a different state by 2080
“Colorado is going to become hotter, dryer, and a lot less skiable in just a few decades, according to new research. The study, published in Earth and Space Science, used climate models to forecast the future of snow in Colorado, finding that the state is set to lose 50% to 60% of its snow by 2080, thanks to climate change-related drought conditions. Nearby states Wyoming and Utah are also likely to become less snowy and more arid, too. The researchers used climate simulations from Earth System Models to project different drought conditions within the Colorado River Basin. By looking at how those conditions affected local watersheds, they found that the Green River, which flows through Wyoming, Utah, and Colorado, is going to become especially dry. … ” Read more from Gizmodo here: Colorado will look like a different state by 2080
In national water news today …
EPA’s Clean Water Act Certification proposal to significantly impact hydropower licensing
“On June 1, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a pre-publication version of its proposal to re-write the Clean Water Act Section 401 rule (Certification Proposal), which, if finalized, is expected to have far-reaching impacts on hydroelectric licensing and relicensing. The Certification Proposal is intended by EPA to replace the version of the rule finalized under the Trump administration in 2020 (2020 Rule). While the Certification Proposal maintains some aspects of the 2020 Rule, it differs in some significant areas and in many ways reverts back to the 1971 regulations. Under CWA Section 401, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) cannot issue a hydroelectric license or relicense unless the project applicant has received a water quality certification from the appropriate state or authorized Tribal authority (Authority), or the Authority has waived the requirement. The water quality certification will include conditions (which will ultimately be incorporated into the FERC project license) to confirm that the discharge will conform with applicable provisions of CWA Sections 301, 302, 306, and 307 and with “any other appropriate requirement of State law.” … ” Continue reading at JD Supra here: EPA’s Clean Water Act Certification proposal to significantly impact hydropower licensing
Coastal cities are already sinking
“In the next few years, Indonesia will start moving its capital city from one island, Java, to another, Kalimantan, the Indonesian part of Borneo. There are a few reasons for the move, but one of the biggest is that the country’s current capital, Jakarta, is sinking at an alarming rate. By the middle of this century, one-third of the city will be underwater. It would be easy to mistake Jakarta’s pending demise as the work of sea level rise. Yet the city’s decline is actually being driven by another force — land subsidence spurred by groundwater extraction. … ” Read more from the Grist here: Coastal cities are already sinking
