A wrap-up of posts published on Maven’s Notebook this week …
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This week’s featured articles …
ACWA CONFERENCE: The tale of curtailments: Legal and operational responses to the ongoing drought
Panel discusses temporary urgency change petitions, transfers, and drought litigation
As California enters the second year of dry conditions, many water purveyors face minimal water supplies and have activated their drought contingency plans. So what more can an agency or district do besides water restrictions, conservation incentives, and other actions to reduce water demand? At the spring conference of the Association of California Water Agencies, a panel discussed how temporary urgency change petitions, transfers, and litigation are sometimes used to respond to drought conditions.
Click here to read this article.
GUEST COMMENTARY: California Can (and Must) Drought-Proof Itself
Commentary by Jim Wundermanm president and CEO of the Bay Area Council, and Charles Wilson, executive director and CEO of the Southern California Water Coalition
Spring in California is a time for enjoying fresh wildflower blossoms and old baseball rivalries. However, in recent years spring has become a time for lamenting California’s vanishing snowpack and depleted reservoirs as the state drifts farther into drought. The Sierra snowpack—source of half the state’s water supply—was just 25% its average size as of April 14, marking three consecutive dry winters and plunging the entire state into a severe drought.
That’s why the Bay Area Council, the Southern California Water Coalition, the San Joaquin Valley Blueprint, and a statewide coalition of businesses and water managers are putting aside old rivalries to urge Gov. Newsom and the Legislature to commit $6.5 billion from this year’s $23 billion budget surplus to strengthening California’s drought resilience.
Click here to read this commentary.
In California water news this week …
Gavin Newsom’s drought strategy is a major departure from Jerry Brown’s mandatory water cuts. It’s not working
“If Gov. Jerry Brown’s drought strategy was defined by the “we’re-all-in-this-together” mantra of collective sacrifice, Gov. Gavin Newsom’s approach has been guided by the more individualistic notion of “it’s not one size fits all.” Newsom, despite the state facing a third year of exceptional drought conditions, has refused to follow in Brown’s footsteps by mandating that all residents cut their water use. The governor has instead repeatedly called on Californians to voluntarily conserve, and has allowed the state’s 436 local water agencies to create their own plans to prepare for impending water shortages. But that approach has raised alarm bells among some water policy experts, environmentalists and legislators, who said the emphasis on local control and voluntary conservation simply isn’t working. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle here: Gavin Newsom’s drought strategy is a major departure from Jerry Brown’s mandatory water cuts. It’s not working
The new ways California is working to change where and how we store water
“California is a state of extremes with two distinct periods of wet and dry seasons. During the wet season, water must be stored to prepare for months without any precipitation. With a changing climate, water storage is becoming one of the biggest challenges facing California. The system set up throughout the state is a complex myriad of above and below-ground storage, but what worked decades ago is no longer serving our water needs. This has many water managers rethinking how, when, and where we can store water. In some cases, it’s developing new oversight and in others, it’s adjusting long-standing rules to try and keep up with water needs. Two programs come to the forefront of this challenge: Forecast Informed Reservoir Operations (FIRO) and Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA). These address the growing water issue through better forecasting and innovative technology, moving us forward to try to help secure our water future. … ” Read more from Channel 10 here: The new ways California is working to change where and how we store water
Bulk of money in state’s plan to buy water rights directed at northern California watersheds
“A California Senate proposal to spend $2 billion to buy senior water rights would focus mostly on rights in northern California watersheds with another large chunk aimed at farmland retirement throughout the state. The proposal is included in an $18.5 billion climate plan within the state budget, which likely won’t be finalized until the end of summer. State water watchers are intrigued by the proposal as water supplies are stretched to thin in this third year of drought. “It’s oversubscribed, it’s not sustainable as it is right now,” state senator Bob Wieckowski (D-Fremont) said about water in California. “This doesn’t completely fix the problem but it improves the problem.” … ” Read more from SJV Water here: Bulk of money in state’s plan to buy water rights directed at northern California watersheds
Land fallowing could reach more than 690,000 acres due to drought
“The lack of available water supplies could increase the amount of agricultural land fallowing than previously estimated. Mike Wade, Executive Director of the California Farm Water Coalition, said that more is needed to ensure ample water availability moving forward. The state is looking at a significant economic impact due to dismal water supplies, which could have even further repercussions. “We are looking at another dry year for California, and we’re coming off of a previous somewhat dry year. So, the water storage in our reservoirs was very low at the beginning of this year,” said Wade. “We’re potentially looking at record fallowing numbers, anywhere, in our estimate, from 594,000 to perhaps 691,000 acres of farmland that’s not going to be growing any food in 2022.” … ” Read more from Ag Net West here: Land fallowing could reach more than 690,000 acres due to drought
Drought’s spillover effect in the American West
“On a map that might grace the walls of a high school classroom, the watersheds of the American West are distinct geographical features, hemmed in by foreboding plateaus and towering mountain ridges. Look closer and those natural boundaries are less rigid. A sprawling network of pipelines and canals pierce mountains and cross deserts, linking many of the mighty rivers and smaller streams of the West. These “mega-watersheds” have redrawn the map, helping cities and farms to grow large and productive, but also becoming political flashpoints with steep environmental costs. … Not every river in the West is linked and few regions are as networked as Southern California. But there are enough connections that the water supply consequences of the drying American West are not felt in isolation. They are exported to neighboring watersheds. ... Read the full article at Circle of Blue here: Drought’s Spillover Effect in the American West
These maps illustrate the seriousness of the western drought
“The historic drought in the western United States is about to get worse. Much of the West is already experiencing severe to exceptional drought, but scorching summer temperatures will dry out the parched landscape even more. “In the last 1,200 years, we haven’t seen a period as dry as right now,” said Ann Willis, a researcher at the Center for Watershed Sciences at the University of California at Davis. “We’re really hitting new lows in terms of how extreme the conditions are.” … How did the West get to this point? Drought is not new to desert environments, but recent dry spells have lasted longer and been more intense than in previous decades. Although water management and increased water demand by a growing population affect supplies, a warming atmosphere is drying out the ground, shrinking the reservoirs and reducing mountain snowpack. … ” Read the full article at the Washington Post here (gift article): These maps illustrate the seriousness of the western drought
Stubborn La Niña looks like it may stick around for a rare third year
“A stubborn La Niña climate pattern in the tropical Pacific is likely to persist through the summer and may hang on into 2023, forecasters say. La Niña has been implicated not only in the unrelenting drought in the U.S. Southwest, but also in drought and flooding in various parts of the world, including ongoing drought and famine in the Horn of Africa. If La Niña persists into the fall and winter, it would be only the third time since 1950 that the climate pattern has continued for three consecutive winters in the Northern Hemisphere, the U.N. World Meteorological Organization said last week. … ” Read more from the LA Times here: Stubborn La Niña looks like it may stick around for a rare third year | Read via Yahoo News
Why toxic algae blooms are on the rise across California — and expected to get worse
“Rising temperatures and stagnant water generally signal trouble for human life, but they make for a great environment for the bright, blue-green scum often found in lakes, rivers and reservoirs that flourishes and blooms in hot weather. These scum blooms, known as harmful algal blooms, are natural parts of the ecosystem, but can also release toxins that sicken or even kill people and animals. They’re becoming more common as temperatures rise and water systems are starved and disrupted, threatening not only public and wildlife health, but the state’s water supply, as well as beloved recreation areas like Lake Merritt in Oakland. “With climate change, it’s clear that this issue will get more severe,” said Marisa Van Dyke, a senior environmental scientist with the State Water Resources Control Board working on harmful algal bloom issues. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle here: Why toxic algae blooms are on the rise across California — and expected to get worse
How does more rain in northern California equal less flows in the San Joaquin River?
“Water has been flowing down the San Joaquin River since the beginning of April. But, ironically, late spring rains could halt the flow. The water coming out of Millerton Lake just above Fresno is flowing because of a contract within California’s complicated water rights system. The water is going to the San Joaquin River Exchange Contractors, four agricultural water districts that extend from Firebaugh to Newman on the west side of the Valley. Millerton water usually goes to Friant Water Authority contractors from Madera to Arvin. Both the Exchange and Friant contractors are part of the federal Central Valley Project and are tied together through the San Joaquin River. … ” Read more from SJV Water here: How does more rain in northern California equal less flows in the San Joaquin River?
Ruling: Feds didn’t stiff Fresno and other water users when they got zero water in the last drought
“The federal government did not breach its contract when it gave water users, including the City of Fresno, a zero water allocation in the extreme drought year of 2014, according to a ruling issued June 6 in Federal Claims Court. It may not seem fair, Judge Armando Bonilla wrote in his ruling, and “To be clear, a zero allocation for the Friant contractors was harsh,” but the fact is the Friant division of the Central Valley Project is outranked by superior water rights held by the San Joaquin River Exchange Contractors. “At all times the Exchange Contractors have a superior claim to CVP water than do the Friant Contractors,” Bonilla wrote. … ” Read more from SJV Water here: Ruling: Feds didn’t stiff Fresno and other water users when they got zero water in the last drought
Considerations for developing an environmental water right in California
“This week, news emerged of a State Senate plan that would spend upwards of $1.5B to purchase senior water rights from California growers. Under California’s first-in-time, first-in-right water allocation system, senior water rights are filled first, before more junior right holders get their water. The proposal is ostensibly promising. Because of widespread diversions, the aquatic biodiversity of California has been effectively exposed to chronic drought every year, and additional flows may help native species. If purchases can quickly add additional water to rivers in the right places and at the right times, they could benefit ecosystems and endangered species, like Chinook salmon and delta smelt (Moyle et al. 2019, Obester et al. 2020). But it could also easily become a payoff for wealthy water holders with marginal benefit for ecosystems, species, and people. The potential for abuse is particularly troubling when the State is using public funds to buy water, which technically belongs to the people of the state and which the State can already regulate to achieve the same aims. As the old saying goes, the devil is in the details. This blog highlights some important considerations for decision makers on making effective environmental water right purchases. Below are several questions and themes for a successful water purchasing program. … ” Read more from the California Water Blog here: Considerations for developing an environmental water right in California
Did California learn anything from the last drought? ‘Gambling’ with water continues
“The governor of California stood in a patch of dry brown grass as he made his proclamation: “We’re in a new era. The idea of your nice little green grass getting lots of water every day — that’s going to be a thing of the past,” he said. “We’re in a historic drought, and that demands unprecedented action.” But it wasn’t Gavin Newsom speaking — it was the state’s previous governor, Jerry Brown, and the year was 2015. Seven years later, California is once again facing urgent calls for cutbacks as heat waves, record dryness and climate change converge to create critically short supplies. But what has California learned since then? Is the Golden State really ready to do this again? ... ” Read more from the LA Times here: Did California learn anything from the last drought? ‘Gambling’ with water continues | Read via Yahoo News
Environmental groups sue feds, alleging Shasta River permits threaten endangered coho salmon
“A group of environmental organizations filed a federal lawsuit Wednesday accusing the National Marine Fisheries Service of permitting safe harbor for activities threatening endangered California salmon in the Shasta River. The Environmental Protection Information Center, Friends of the Shasta River and the Western Environmental Law Center alleged in a complaint filed in San Francisco that the National Marine Fisheries Service issued 14 unlawful permits allowing activity at Shasta River which threatens Southern Oregon and Northern Coast California coho salmon. The salmon are listed under the Endangered Species Act as threatened with extinction in the river, which flows for 58 miles to its confluence with the Klamath River with a watershed covering 793 square miles. The lawsuit also challenges the Service’s safe harbor program, which gives legal immunity to a dam owner and water diverters for harming protected species on private lands. … ” Read more from the Courthouse News Service here: Environmental groups sue feds, alleging Shasta River permits threaten endangered coho salmon
Interior Dept. invests $100 million in first Dam Safety Project at San Luis Reservoir as part of federal infrastructure law
“The Department of the Interior announced in March that the Bureau of Reclamation is providing project-specific funding of $100 million for the modification of B.F. Sisk Dam at the San Luis Reservoir, west of Los Banos. The funding, authorized by the federal infrastructure package, was highlighted in an addendum to the Bureau’s initial spend plan for fiscal year 2022 funding allocations. The infrastructure law provides $500 million to Reclamation over the next five years to support critical dam safety projects, streamline construction management, maintain the operational capacity of Reclamation’s dams and minimize risk to the downstream public. These investments underscore the administration’s commitment to developing longer-term measures to mitigate drought. … ” Read more from the Los Banos Enterprise here: Interior Dept. invests $100 million in first Dam Safety Project at San Luis Reservoir as part of federal infrastructure law
The State Water Project Delivery Reliability Report may have created systemic drought vulnerability
“On June 7, 2022, Adel Hagekhalil, general manager of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, issued the following statement: ‘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. … MWD’s water supply crisis can be traced to the Department of Water Resources’ State Water Project Delivery Capability Reports (DCRs.) In the Draft 2021 Delivery Capability Report, the Department of Water Resources characterized Water Year 2021 (WY 2021) runoff as “atypical” and stated that DWR would consider climate change driven shifts in hydrologic conditions in future DCRs, if their analysis determined that hydrologic conditions had shifted outside the long-term historical distribution. … ” Read more from the California Water Research blog here: The State Water Project Delivery Reliability Report may have created systemic drought vulnerability
California considers ‘carbon farming’ as a potential climate solution. Ardent proponents, and skeptics, abound
“On a windy July day in 2017, temperatures started climbing early in Pauma Valley, California, an unincorporated community about 50 miles northeast of San Diego. Staff at Solidarity Farms, a 10-acre cooperative, were busy that morning, preparing for a 30-degree spike in temperature. Nearly all the chickens died. Huddled under the coop, some hens seemed to have been overwhelmed by body heat from the birds that surrounded them. A few days later, Igoe could see the impact on the crops. Vine plants, like pumpkins and cucumbers, particularly suffered, she said, because they struggled to pump water through their spindly stems and out to their leaves. After that day, the farm changed course. Today, Solidarity Farms, which sits on a plot of land leased from the Pauma Band of Luiseño Indians, farms not only fruit and vegetables, but also carbon. … ” Read more from Inside Climate News here: California considers ‘carbon farming’ as a potential climate solution. Ardent proponents, and skeptics, abound
In commentary this week …
Editorial: California should buy some water rights
The Santa Rosa Press Democrat editorial board writes, “If Californians want to ensure that there is water available for endangered salmon and other wildlife, then Californians ought to pay for that water. That’s exactly what some lawmakers want to do. The yearslong drought is upending how Californians live and think about the environment around them. Water restrictions on residents can only go so far. Mandatory limits on watering lawns or suggested — and mostly ignored — cutbacks by the governor won’t save enough. There are more than 9 million irrigated acres of farmland accounting for more than three-quarters of all water used by businesses and homes. To achieve real water savings, agriculture must be part of the plan. … ” Continue reading at the Santa Rosa Press Democrat here: Editorial: California should buy some water rights
Time to reform the unreasonable San Joaquin River exchange contract
Doug Obegi, Director of California River Restoration of NRDC’s Water Division, writes, “The Biden Administration has an opportunity later this year to begin the process of reforming one of the most unreasonable water contracts in California: the San Joaquin River Exchange Contract. People who have never heard of the San Joaquin River Exchange Contractors may be shocked to learn that thanks to their permanent contract with the Bureau of Reclamation, these four water districts appear to be getting more water from the Bay-Delta than anyone else in California (75 percent of their maximum contract amount this year, which is more than 656,000 acre feet of water), and have been getting more water under this contract than they would be entitled to under their claimed senior water right. Last month, NRDC sent this letter requesting that the Bureau of Reclamation formally request renegotiation of the contract, as provided for in the contract. Reforming this contract is a matter of fundamental fairness and is necessary to protect California’s rivers, salmon, and the Bay-Delta. … ” Read more from the NRDC here: Time to reform the unreasonable San Joaquin River exchange contract
Three keys to finding drought solutions in the West
Maurice Hall, vice president of Climate Resilient Water Systems at the Environmental Defense Fund, writes, “There is no end in sight to the relentless drought drying up the Western United States. And virtually everyone and everything is being affected, from farmers facing massive water cuts, to young salmon swimming in dangerously warm water before they can reach the sea, to rural residents’ seeing their drinking water wells go dry. I’m pleased to see that Congress is paying attention. Against this grim backdrop, I testified this week at a Senate committee hearing on drought solutions. … As many of us testified, we need an unprecedented level of collaboration to address this dire situation. Collaboration is one of at least three essential keys to finding the durable solutions required to sustain Western rural and urban communities, farmers and ranchers and aquatic ecosystems in a drier, more erratic future. … ” Read more at The Hill here: Three keys to finding drought solutions in the West
The Abundance Choice, Part 14: Infinite abundance
Edward Ring, contributing editor and senior fellow with the California Policy Center, writes, “From the inaugural Stanford Digital Economy Lab gathering in April 2022, noted venture capitalist Steve Jurvetson posted the following quote to Facebook: “Our goal is to usher in an era of infinite abundance.” “Infinite abundance.” This phrase epitomizes the ongoing promise of California’s tech culture. Despite every political shortcoming California may suffer, its technology sector continues to set the pace for the rest of the world. “Infinite abundance,” evocative of an earlier tech mantra “better, faster, cheaper,” is not only a defining aspiration of tech entrepreneurs, it is closer to being realized every day. So why is it that Californians can’t generate abundant electric power? Why is it that Californians can’t figure out how to deliver abundant water? And how does a future of rationed, scarce energy and water square with the dreams of infinite abundance that inspire every one of California’s high tech entrepreneurs and investors? And insofar as the political clout of California’s high tech sector gives it almost infinite influence, when will its high-tech innovators confront this paradox? … ” Read more from the California Globe here: The Abundance Choice, Part 14: Infinite abundance
The abundance choice, part 15: Our fight for more water
Edward Ring, contributing editor and senior fellow with the California Policy Center, writes, “There are plenty of ways to ration water, and California’s state legislature is pursuing all of them: Restrict agricultural water allocations until millions of acres of California’s irrigated farmland is taken out of production. Ban outdoor watering entirely in urban areas. Monitor residential indoor water use and lower it to 40 gallons per day per resident, with heavy fines to urban water agencies that cannot enforce those restrictions. But this is a lose-lose proposition, wreaking economic havoc and diminishing the quality of life for all Californians. The initiative we came up with and attempted to qualify for the November 2022 ballot acknowledged the importance of conservation, but focused on supply. Passage of this initiative would have eliminated water scarcity in California. … ” Continue reading at the California Globe here: The abundance choice, part 15: Our fight for more water
Column: Drought and heat stress California’s infrastructure
Erin Zimmerman, a climate reality leader with the Climate Reality Project’s Silicon Valley chapter, writes, “The heat this past weekend was a reminder that California’s weather is changing—and we are in a hot-zone. Parts of California, including San Jose, are actually warming faster than the global average and some parts have already reached the 2 degrees Celsius cutoff cited by scientists as the point of no return. If the summer of 2020 taught us anything, it’s that California’s power grid is unprepared to deal with the consequences of climate change. High winds and temperatures now necessitate public safety power shutoffs, precautionary blackouts to prevent forest fires due to downed power lines. These shutoffs can leave thousands without power for days at a time. The energy infrastructure also struggles with high demand. Just this past weekend area residents were warned of potential power outages in case demand outstripped supply due to high temperatures. Californians are used to hot weather, but there is regular summer heat and then there is climate change hot. … ” Read more from the San Jose Spotlight here: Column: Drought and heat stress California’s infrastructure
Dams, a key part of state infrastructure, must be kept safe
Dave Eggerton, executive director of the Association of California Water Agencies, and Michael Quigley, executive director of the California Alliance for Jobs, writes, “We applaud Gov. Gavin Newsom and the Legislature for taking bold action last year to fund climate resilience and related water infrastructure in the fiscal year 2021-’22 state budget. In light of the current budget surplus, funding for climate resilience and water infrastructure should remain a key priority for investment in California. Dedicating a small fraction of the state’s budget surplus dollars for safety and climate resilience projects at existing dams in the state budget would be a prudent step for the governor and Legislature. … ” Read more from the NRDC here: Dams, a key part of state infrastructure, must be kept safe
Destroying Lake Pillsbury is an expensive gamble with our water supply
Eddie “E.J.” Crandell, chair of the Lake County Board of Supervisors, writes, “The current narrative that dam removal in Lake County is the only viable solution is being pushed forward without proper scrutiny. No real weight is being given to the true potential financial costs and the very real threat to our regional water security. This narrative effectively ignores that the Eel River water diverted from Lake Pillsbury ultimately flows into the Russian River, where it is then routed into pipelines supplying it throughout Sonoma County and Marin County, into the taps of cities like Sonoma, Petaluma, and Novato. The North Marin Water District has stated the “Russian River, which provides approximately 70% of Novato’s water, originates in Mendocino County and derives supply from both the Eel River and the Russian River watershed.” Without understanding the history behind this, it is likely that many do not know what a gamble special interests are attempting to make with the water needs of 600,000 people as they urge the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to order the destruction of Lake Pillsbury. … ” Continue reading at the Lake County News here: Destroying Lake Pillsbury is an expensive gamble with our water supply
Despite worsening drought emergency, California leaders are doing too little, too late
Hannah Holzer, a Placer County native, UC Davis graduate, and The Sacramento Bee’s opinion assistant, writes, “Last week, a New York Times report on Utah’s shrinking Great Salt Lake revealed a new, disturbing climate reality: If drought conditions continue, Salt Lake City could be afflicted by poisonous arsenic-laced dust clouds. A threat of seemingly Biblical proportions, Utah’s “environmental nuclear bomb” could very well go off unless there is “drastic action,” Utah state lawmaker Joel Ferry told The Times. Closer to home, California’s State Water Resources Control Board recently ordered the city of San Francisco and San Joaquin Valley farmers to stop pulling water from Valley rivers — the latest sign of worsening drought conditions. Yet Californians, now facing our third year of severe drought, have not taken heed of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s call for a 15% voluntary water cutback. Instead, according to new figures from the state board, we have reduced our water consumption by just 2% since last summer. … ” Continue reading at the Sacramento Bee here: Despite worsening drought emergency, California leaders are doing too little, too late
Fixing what isn’t broken
Greg Walcher, president of the Natural Resources Group and author of “Smoking Them Out: The Theft of the Environment and How to Take it Back,” writes, “President Jimmy Carter’s Office of Management and Budget Director Bert Lance is best remembered for a corruption scandal involving Calhoun National Bank. But he is also the one who popularized the corny phrase, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” “That’s the trouble with government,” he wrote, “Fixing things that aren’t broken, and not fixing things that are.” Another name from the past, former Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt, is still trying to tinker with the Colorado River system, which “ain’t broke.” Some people are confused about that, because of the growing alarm about historically low water levels in Lake Powell and Lake Mead. … ” Continue reading at the Grand Junction Sentinel here: Fixing what isn’t broken
Move to limit pesticide use would be a mistake
Renee Pinel, president and CEO of the Western Plant Health Association, writes, “Earlier this year, the California Department of Pesticide Regulation initiated the first step in making new rules to further restrict the agricultural use of neonicotinoids, the most widely used pesticides to control agricultural and household pests. Readers should consider the consequences when asked to support efforts to ban neonicotinoid pesticides such as Imidacloprid. Pest control tools are highly regulated to protect human health and environmental safety. California has the most restrictive pesticide laws in the country. … ” Read more from the Hanford Sentinel here: Move to limit pesticide use would be a mistake
Opinion: Tribal Nations must be at the table to find the West’s water solutions
Celene Hawkins, Colorado River Tribal Engagement Program director for The Nature Conservancy, and Lorelei Cloud, of the Southern Ute Indian Reservation and Council Member for the Southern Ute Indian Tribal Council, write, “In southwestern Colorado, multiple years of hot and dry conditions have drained many of our reservoirs. This year we expect that a section of the Pine River, which runs through the heart of the Southern Ute Reservation, will run completely dry due to dry conditions and irrigation diversions by Tribal and non-Tribal irrigators. Unfortunately, what’s happening with the Pine River is becoming all too common across the Colorado River Basin and the West. Scientists have concluded that the ongoing severe drought conditions we’re facing are primarily due to climate change. … The future of hotter, drier conditions has arrived. We must immediately accelerate the pace and scale of collaborative solutions to secure sustainable water supplies for communities and wildlife across the Upper Basin. … ” Continue reading at the Colorado Sun here: Opinion: Tribal Nations must be at the table to find the West’s water solutions
From extractive to sustainable: A way forward for the water sector
Will Sarni, founder and CEO of Water Foundry and founder and general partner of the Colorado River Basin Fund, and Austin Alexander, vice president of sustainability and corporate social responsibility at Xylem, write, “Humanity has a long history of extracting natural resources while ignoring damage done to the environment, to communities and to the long-term health and prosperity of whole societies. Traditional approaches to forestry and mining have famously taken their toll, leading these sectors to rethink how resources are managed. But water – arguably our most precious resource – has rarely featured in conversations about extractive industries. It’s time to take off the rose-tinted glasses and change that. Stewardship requires that we be open about how we have managed water in the past, and what we must strive for in the future. … ” Read more from Water Finance & Management here:Commentary: From Extractive to Sustainable: A Way Forward for the Water Sector
In regional water news this week …
Wildlife needs groundwater too: In the Klamath Basin, groundwater pumping imperils the “Everglades of the West”
“On Klamath Marsh, a lone sand-hill crane stretches its neck skyward and lets out a rattling cry. The only response it receives is its own echo, bouncing off the evergreen foothills on the horizon. The bird bobs its red-capped head as it picks its way deliberately across the otherwise empty—and totally dry—golden fields. It’s late March, and millions of birds are making their journeys north for the summer. Normally, an estimated 80% of species would stop here, and at neighboring wildlife refuges in the Klamath Basin, to rest and refuel, beginning about now. But on this cloudless day, Klamath Marsh National Wildlife Refuge doesn’t look like a lush avian sanctuary. It is indistinguishable from the cattle ranches that surround it. “This was an absolute gemstone of biological diversity in the west,” said Alex Gonyaw, the biologist for the Klamath Tribes native to these lands. Now, “It’s the bare threads of a tapestry.” … ” Read more from the Sierra Club here: Wildlife needs groundwater too: In the Klamath Basin, groundwater pumping imperils the “Everglades of the West”
Beach-cleaning robot unveiled in South Lake Tahoe
“Beach clean-ups have become common place around Lake Tahoe in order to pick up trash left behind before it makes its way into the crystal blue water. There is an innovative cleaning tool being added to efforts this summer – BEBOT, the all-electric, remote control beach-cleaning robot that is solar and battery-powered. Two South Lake Tahoe men, JT Chevallier and JB Harris founded ECO-CLEAN Solutions after being frustrated with trash and searching for a way to clean beaches without doing more harm. They found BEBOT in France in 2021 at a company called Seariel Cleaners. The French company specializes in innovative products including bubble barriers and fixed and mobile waster collectors. … ” Read more from South Tahoe Now here: Beach-cleaning robot unveiled in South Lake Tahoe
As Sacramento residents let lawns die in drought, some of their water is being sold elsewhere
“As the California drought heads into its third punishing summer, the Sacramento region finds itself in the unusual position of having decent water supplies. Now it’s angling to sell millions of dollars worth of its supplies to other parts of the state — even as officials ramp up the pressure on the region’s residents to take shorter showers, let their lawns turn yellow and do whatever else is needed to conserve. Led by the city of Sacramento, several water agencies in the area are putting the finishing touches on a deal to deliver water for about 70,000 households to Silicon Valley’s water agency, the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California and other jurisdictions where the drought has hit particularly hard. Sale price: about $11.5 million. Water-for-cash transactions have been a fact of life in California for years — but remain a sensitive topic, especially among Northern Californians. ... ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee here: As Sacramento residents let lawns die in drought, some of their water is being sold elsewhere
Sanger residents concerned over low to no water pressure as Valley temperatures soar
“As the San Joaquin Valley continues to experience extreme drought conditions, the Sanger community is living with low to no water pressure impacting neighborhoods, businesses, and families. “I had to wash out my hair with bottled water. I use the same water for my baby’s bottles,” said Sanger resident Erika Ruiz. … Sanger City Councilmember Michael Montelongo, who represents District 4, posted an update to his Facebook account just after 10:30 Saturday morning explaining the City of Sanger’s water system and its ongoing issues with low water pressure. According to Councilmember Montelongo, Well 14 located at Muscat and Academy Avenue is currently in the process of flushing. … ” Continue reading at the KMPH here: Sanger residents concerned over low to no water pressure as Valley temperatures soar
Choreographing restoration on Mono Lake’s tributary streams
“Last fall the California State Water Resources Control Board ordered new requirements to further the restoration of 20 miles of Mono Basin stream habitat on Lee Vining, Rush, Walker, and Parker creeks. Order 21-86 implements new Stream Ecosystem Flows (SEFs) and an ongoing process for management of annual flows, requires the construction of an outlet at the Grant Lake Reservoir Dam, and establishes a team approach to administer independent scientific monitoring on Mono Lake and its tributary streams. If stream restoration is a dance, then all the parties are learning and performing some new steps. ... ” Read more from the Mono Lake Committee here: Choreographing restoration on Mono Lake’s tributary streams
County approves L.A. River Master Plan over 11th-hour objections from environmental groups
“After a coalition of environmental groups withdrew support for the L.A. River Master Plan over differences with its recommendations for uplifting the profile of the concrete flood control channel over the next 25 years, L.A. County officials decided Tuesday to move forward with the plan. The groups had been threatening to walk away since Los Angeles County Public Works included far-reaching proposals submitted by famed architect Frank Gehry to transform the forlorn industrial confluence of the Los Angeles River and the Rio Hondo in South Gate into a cultural park. Still, the L.A. County Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to adopt the final L.A. River Master Plan. “The L.A. River Master Plan is one of the most robust, progressive and community-driven planning efforts ever undertaken by L.A. County,” said Mark Pestrella, director and chief engineer of the Los Angeles County Flood Control District. … ” Read more from the LA Times here: County approves L.A. River Master Plan over 11th-hour objections from environmental groups
Commentary: Eastern will deliver a reliable supply of water to Fallbrook and Rainbow
Jack Bebee, general manager of the Fallbrook Public Utility District, and Tom Kennedy, general manager of the Rainbow Municipal Water District, write, “There’s been a lot of media coverage lately about water, especially here in California where Governor Newsom recently called on local water districts across the state to reduce their water use as we navigate through this latest drought. As we work together to address this, the Fallbrook Public Utility District and the Rainbow Municipal Water District are also focused on reducing the rapidly rising water costs from the San Diego County Water Authority. Today, the cost of water in the San Diego area is among the highest in America, which you’ve surely noticed on your water bill. To provide you with some relief, we’re currently seeking to switch water suppliers – from the SDCWA to the Eastern Municipal Water District – which is estimated to save our ratepayers about $7.6 million a year. … ” Read more from Village News here: Commentary: Eastern will deliver a reliable supply of water to Fallbrook and Rainbow
Poseidon desal plant in Carlsbad needs $159M upgrade. Ratepayers will foot the bill
“The Poseidon desalination plant in Carlsbad — by far the San Diego region’s most expensive supply of water — is about to get even more costly. Under pressure from state environmental regulators, the company is now scrambling to complete an estimated $159-million overhaul of its system for pulling ocean water from the Agua Hedionda Lagoon up to its $1-billion reverse-osmosis facility perched atop a nearby hill. Poseidon thought it had settled on a blueprint to meet California’s strict standards for protecting fish and other marine life, envisioning four new 900-foot pipelines from the shore to the middle of the lagoon. Then came the mussels and gooseneck barnacles. … ” Read more from the San Diego Union-Tribune here: Poseidon desal plant in Carlsbad needs $159M upgrade. Ratepayers will foot the bill
Major water cutbacks loom as shrinking Colorado River nears ‘moment of reckoning’
“As the West endures another year of unrelenting drought worsened by climate change, the Colorado River’s reservoirs have declined so low that major water cuts will be necessary next year to reduce risks of supplies reaching perilously low levels, a top federal water official said Tuesday. Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Camille Calimlim Touton said during a Senate hearing in Washington that federal officials now believe protecting “critical levels” at the country’s largest reservoirs — Lake Mead and Lake Powell — will require much larger reductions in water deliveries. “A warmer, drier West is what we are seeing today,” Touton told the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. “And the challenges we are seeing today are unlike anything we have seen in our history.” … ” Read more from the LA Times here: Major water cutbacks loom as shrinking Colorado River nears ‘moment of reckoning’ | Read via AOL News
These five people could make or break the Colorado River
“Alex Cardenas. J.B. Hamby. Jim Hanks. Javier Gonzalez. Norma Sierra Galindo. There’s a good chance you’ve never heard of them. But with the Colorado River in crisis, they’re arguably five of the most powerful people in the American West. They’re the elected directors of the Imperial Irrigation District, or IID, which provides water to the desert farm fields of California’s Imperial Valley, in the state’s southeastern corner. They control 3.1 million acre-feet of Colorado River water — roughly one-fifth of all the Colorado River water rights in the United States. And if you live in Southern California — or in Phoenix, Las Vegas, Denver or Salt Lake City — the future reliability of your water supply will depend at least in part on what IID does next. … ” Continue reading at the LA Times here: These five people could make or break the Colorado River
Announcements, notices, and funding opportunities …
NOTICE: June 14 Weekly Update on Curtailment Status of Water Rights and Claims in the Delta Watershed
NOTICE: Opportunity to participate in the initial Stanislaus, Tuolumne, and Merced Working Group
NOW IN EFFECT: Second Water Conservation Emergency Regulation of 2022
FUNDING OPPORTUNITY: $193 Million in Grant Funding Now Available for Water Infrastructure and Resilience Projects
FUNDING OPPORTUNITY: Sierra Nevada Conservancy announces $23 million forest and fire restoration grant program
