A wrap-up of posts published on Maven’s Notebook this week …
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This week’s featured articles …
BUREAU OF RECLAMATION: Quarterly Meeting on the 2021 Reconsultation of the Long-Term Operation of the CVP and SWP
On June 14, the Bureau of Reclamation held its first quarterly meeting to provide an update on the reconsultation of the long-term operations for the Central Valley Project and State Water Project as required by the WIIN Act.
Click here to read this article.
DELTA INDEPENDENT SCIENCE BOARD: Update on Delta Conveyance Project environmental documents
The environmental documents, due mid-summer, are about 3200 pages plus appendices
In April of 2020, the Delta Independent Science Board (DISB) submitted a public comment to the Department of Water Resources on the Notice of Preparation on the Delta Conveyance Project, indicating their intention to review the environmental impact report (or EIR) and highlighting areas from previous reviews on the Delta conveyance that DWR should consider in preparing the document. The DISB has received updates previously from DWR in August 2020 and January 2022 on the progress of the documents.
At the June meeting of the DISB, DWR staff provided another update on the progress of the environmental documents, which are anticipated to be released mid-summer for public review and comment.
Click here to read this article.
FIVE QUESTIONS: John McManus, Golden State Salmon Association
Welcome to Five Questions, a new (hopefully) weekly series that will pose five questions to folks working on California water issues. The series kicks off with John McManus, president of the Golden State Salmon Association, which bills itself as California’s leading voice for salmon protection and restoration, particularly in the Bay-Delta ecosystem. GSSA’s board represents the entire California salmon community, including commercial and recreational fishermen, charter boat skippers, inland river guides, restaurants, fishing manufacturers and retailers, tribal members and more.Return to top
In California water news this week …
Tunnel vision: What’s next for the governor’s plan to replumb the Delta?
“California water officials are poised to release the first environmental review of a controversial project to replumb the Delta — a plan in the works for decades that has alternately been called a water grab or a critical update to shore up state supplies. Known as the Delta Conveyance Project, a tunnel supported by Gov. Gavin Newsom would take water from the Sacramento River and bypass the vast Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, funneling the flows directly to pumps in the south Delta or straight to Bethany Reservoir at the northern end of the California Aqueduct. The tunnel proposal, still in the early stages of environmental review, is the latest, scaled-down iteration of the contentious twin tunnels project, which Newsom scrapped in 2019 in favor of a single tunnel. … ” Read more from Cal Matters here: Tunnel vision: What’s next for the governor’s plan to replumb the Delta?
Flow Deal: Peace treaty or Trojan Horse?
“Promising up to 825,000 acre-feet a year of new water to protect endangered fish and thousands of acres of habitat improvements, the Newsom administration and others hailed the March announcement of a proposed voluntary agreement on Bay-Delta flows as the beginning of the end of California’s water wars, and a boon to the Bay-Delta ecosystem. “We think this has the promise to give us more benefit for ecosystems because we would be combining both flow and habitat assets,” says California Natural Resources Agency spokesperson Lisa Lien-Mager. And by providing an alternative to government mandates already in the works, proponents say the deal will head off litigation that could delay guaranteed environmental flows for years. … ” Read more from Estuary News here: Flow Deal: Peace Treaty or Trojan Horse?
Lawsuit filed against $2.5 billion dam project planned for Santa Clara County
“Critics of plans to build a huge new reservoir in Santa Clara County near Pacheco Pass have filed a lawsuit against the proposed $2.5 billion project, presenting a new hurdle for what would be the largest reservoir constructed in the Bay Area in more than 20 years. The group, called the Stop the Pacheco Dam Coalition and made up of environmentalists and landowners whose rural ranchland property would be flooded, sued the Santa Clara Valley Water District in Santa Clara County Superior Court earlier this month. In the suit, opponents allege that the water district, a government agency based in San Jose, violated state law when it decided not conduct environmental studies to measure how upcoming drilling, boring and other geological tests will affect sensitive plants, wildlife and archaeological sites on the rugged landscape where the dam is planned just south of Henry W. Coe State Park. … ” Read more from the San Jose Mercury News here: Lawsuit filed against $2.5 billion dam project planned for Santa Clara County
Californians finally climbed on water conservation wagon in May
“California Governor Gavin Newsom has been urging Californians to conserve water after another dry winter. And according to preliminary data from California State Water Resources Board, Californians cut their water use in May by 5% from the previous May. Erik Ekdahl, deputy director of the water board’s Division of Water Rights, said a board meeting Tuesday that the snowpack in the Sierra Nevada Mountains is gone for the season and the area will not see significant precipitation any time soon. “The state still remains in a severe drought with some intensification of the drought in the southern Sierra,” said Ekdahl. “The monthly temperature forecast for the coming month shows that most of California has an equal chance of remaining at average temperatures for this time of the year.” ... ” Read more from the Courthouse News Service here: Californians finally climbed on water conservation wagon in May
A major California reservoir has hit its peak for the year at just over half full
Andrew Innerarity / DWR
“Lake Oroville, the largest reservoir in a state system that provides water to 27 million Californians, has already reached its peak level for the year, barely surpassing half of its capacity, according to the Department of Water Resources. Officials had warned the lake — key to the roughly 700-mile State Water Project, which pumps and ferries water across the state for agricultural, business and residential use — was at “critically low” levels on May 8. Those levels, data from the Department of Water Resources now show, were the reservoir’s highest for the year. … ” Read more from the LA Times here: A major California reservoir has hit its peak for the year at just over half full
SEE ALSO: Interactive photo: This is what Lake Oroville looks like during the drought, from Fox 40
Set it back: Moving levees to benefit rivers, wildlife and communities
“In the largest restoration project on the lower Columbia River, crews spent nearly two years removing 2.2 miles of levee, reconfiguring Gibbons Creek, and realigning two new levees at Steigerwald Lake National Wildlife Refuge. The new levees — which total 1.6 miles and serve as public trails — reconnect the river to 965 acres of floodplain. They sit perpendicular to the Columbia, rather than lining its banks, giving the river and Gibbons Creek room to flow messily across the refuge, which is located just east of Vancouver and northeast of Portland. … “It’s a big chunk of new floodplain,” says Chris Collins of the Lower Columbia Estuary Partnership, a nonprofit that worked on the $31 million project. “But it’s also in a part of the river that’s important to try to reestablish what we can.” … ” Read the full post at The Revelator here: Set it back: Moving levees to benefit rivers, wildlife and communities
Skies are sucking more water from the land
“Drought is typically thought of as a simple lack of rain and snow. But evaporative demand—a term describing the atmosphere’s capacity to pull moisture from the ground—is also a major factor. And the atmosphere over much of the U.S. has grown a lot thirstier over the past 40 years, a new study in the Journal of Hydrometeorology found. Evaporative demand can be thought of as a “laundry-drying quotient,” says Nevada state climatologist Stephanie McAfee, who was not involved in the study. When hanging laundry outside, she explains, “we know that it’s going to dry best and fastest if it’s warm, sunny, windy and dry.” This quotient does not simply creep upward alongside climate warming; it increases exponentially, says study lead author Christine Albano, an ecohydrologist at the Desert Research Institute in Reno. “With a one- to two-degree rise in temperature, we’re getting much larger increases in evaporative demand.” … ” Read more from Scientific American here: Skies are sucking more water from the land
What the future of almonds looks like in a dry California
“It takes about four years for an almond tree to bear fruit and closer to seven years to get a full yield from the tree. That’s seven years of planning, planting, irrigating, pruning and tending before the big payoff. It’s a lot to ask of farmers in California’s Central Valley, where nearly 80 percent of the world’s almonds are grown. In 2021 alone, the 7,600 almond farmers in the state grew nearly three billion pounds of almonds, making it the state’s most valuable crop. But now, facing extreme weather events, shrinking water resources and rising costs, some farmers are leaving almonds behind, opting to put their efforts behind in-demand crops such as canning tomatoes, garlic or onions. In fact, this year’s almond harvest is expected to drop from last year’s, with drought and frost damage two of the main reasons for the dip. ... ” Read more from Modern Farmer here: What the future of almonds looks like in a dry California
B.F. Sisk dam safety project breaks ground
“The US Bureau of Reclamation has kicked off its 120th anniversary year this week at San Luis Reservoir with the groundbreaking of the B.F. Sisk Dam Safety Modification Project. The billion-dollar effort received a $100 million investment earlier this year from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. This is USBR’s largest project under the 1978 Safety of Dams Act and when complete will modernize the dam to reduce risks due to seismic events. … “ Read more from International Water, Power, and Dam Construction here: B.F. Sisk dam safety project breaks ground
California has a drought and 4 million acres of lawns. Should state ban grass to save water?
“Californians have thousands of square miles of lawns, enough grass to cover almost every inch of Connecticut and Delaware combined — and they use a lot of water to keep them green. A lawn in the Sacramento area can soak up an average of 45,000 gallons a year, according to state calculations. But when the State Water Resources Control Board imposed a new round of drought restrictions last month, it targeted a much narrower slice of water usage. The agency ordered businesses and local governments to stop watering the “non-functional” turf that grows around hotels, shopping malls, roadway medians and the like. … ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee here: California has a drought and 4 million acres of lawns. Should state ban grass to save water?
What La Niña means for California’s summer
“While the lingering La Niña climate pattern is expected to bring soaking storms and strong hurricanes to parts of the U.S., it’s a different story here in California. La Niña is favored to stick around through the end of the year, according to the latest outlook from the National Weather Service’s Climate Prediction Center. While La Niña – and its opposite, El Niño – are characterized by the temperature of the Pacific Ocean, they have major impacts on the weather we experience on land. Before we can understand how it’s set to impact our summer, it’s important to note it has already had an impact on our winter. La Niña typically brings drier conditions to the southern half of the country and wetter conditions to the northern half, but where that dividing line falls varies from year to year. … ” Read more from KTLA here: What La Niña means for California’s summer
Groundbreaking marks largest floodplain salmon rearing habitat project in California history
“Federal and state agencies broke ground today on a project that will become the single largest floodplain salmon rearing habitat restoration in California history. The Department of Water Resources (DWR) and U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) are partnering on the “Big Notch Project,” a 30,000-acre floodplain habitat restoration and fish passage project in the Yolo Bypass in Yolo County. The project will expand floodplain rearing habitat for juvenile salmon and improve access through the bypass for salmon and sturgeon, which is pivotal to the recovery of these threatened and endangered fish species. “As California experiences a third year of dry conditions, the State and its federal partners are committed to supporting wildlife during this extended drought,” said DWR Director Karla Nemeth. “This project is part of a decades-long plan that has been recognized as critical for the recovery of threatened and endangered salmon.” … ” Read more from DWR here: Groundbreaking marks largest floodplain salmon rearing habitat project in California history
CDFW trucks salmon smolts around adverse river conditions
“The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) is nearing the completion of its efforts to transport 19.7 million hatchery-raised fall-run and 960,000 spring-run juvenile Chinook salmon (known as smolts) to the San Pablo Bay, San Francisco Bay and seaside net pens this spring and summer. CDFW raises the fish at Feather River, Nimbus, Mokelumne and Merced salmon hatcheries and monitors river conditions carefully to estimate the smolts’ chances of successful migration. During times of drought, low flows and elevated water temperatures can be a lethal mixture for the young salmon. This year, conditions are expected to be particularly poor, prompting CDFW to move more than 95 percent of the smolts down river, thus bypassing 50 to 100 miles of hazardous river conditions. ... ” Read more from the Department of Fish & Wildlife here: CDFW trucks salmon smolts around adverse river conditions
Reorienting to salmon recovery
“The days when salmon and steelhead teemed in California’s coastal watersheds faded away last century. Today, many populations of the fish are gone or dwindling, the river systems where they spawn drained by diversions or too warm for native fish to survive. Warming trends and drought are squeezing water resources tighter. Nearly all efforts to revive the state’s ailing salmonids have failed, often stalemated by political tensions, and it takes hatcheries and truck transport of juveniles to saltwater to maintain the feeble populations that remain. California’s disappointing history of salmonid recovery programs has motivated a group of scientists from public water agencies and environmental conservation groups to step back, dream big, and take a new path forward. This group wants to abandon familiar heated dialogues and litigious relationships between those with differing values and try a new approach toward fish recovery based on collaboration, common interests and science. ... ” Read more from Estuary News here: Reorienting to salmon recovery
‘These vessels contain pollutants’: new efforts underway to remove abandoned boats along Sacramento waterways
“Just days after a boat fire on the Sacramento River, the concern is growing that it could happen again. There are dozens of other abandoned boats that are in danger of sinking on Sacramento waterways, and new efforts are underway to haul them away before they create a catastrophe. Abandoned boats can be an environmental ticking time bomb. “These vessels contain pollutants like oil and other hazmats like PCBs,” said Natasha Drane, a Sacramento County legislative officer. ... ” Read more from Channel 13 here: ‘These vessels contain pollutants’: new efforts underway to remove abandoned boats along Sacramento waterways
California’s new Multibenefit Land Repurposing Program is already oversubscribed. Here are 3 features of successful applications.
“Last month, the state of California reached an important milestone in its effort to proactively address water scarcity and the changing agricultural landscape: The Department of Conservation awarded over $40 million to regional organizations to strategically repurpose previously irrigated farmland in ways that create new public benefits while reducing groundwater use. The highly competitive Multibenefit Land Repurposing Program (MLRP) received 12 applications requesting over $110 million — more than twice the funding available during the program’s inaugural year. The four successful proposals, which received $10 million each, came from critically overdrafted groundwater subbasins in the San Joaquin and Salinas valleys. Here are three common features that gave the successful applications a competitive edge. ... ” Read more from EDF’s Growing Returns here: California’s new Multibenefit Land Repurposing Program is already oversubscribed. Here are 3 features of successful applications.
Legal analysis: Ripple impacts may follow decision on water district rates
“The Court of Appeal, Second District, recently issued a decision in the long battle over the constitutionality of a water district charging lower fees for agricultural groundwater use than for municipal use. The court held that the higher municipal fees complied with the water district’s enabling act but violated voter-approved constitutional amendments that prevent local governments from levying taxes under the guise of regulatory “fees.” City of San Buenaventura v. United Water Conservation District, ___ Cal.Rptr.3d ___ (2022). ... ” Continue reading at Kronick here: Legal analysis: Ripple impacts may follow decision on water district rates
NOW AVAILABLE: DISB Review of Water Supply Reliability Estimation Related to the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta
The Delta Independent Science Board has published its Review of Water Supply Reliability Estimation Related to the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. The report highlights the scientific challenges of estimating water supply reliability in the Delta and presents recommendations to make these estimates more useful for policy and management. It draws on scientific literature and perspectives provided by subject matter experts, managers, and stakeholders.
New law enhances penalties for water theft
“Assemblymember Adam Gray (D-Merced) announced today that his bill to strengthen penalties for water theft has been signed into law by Governor Newsom. Gray introduced Assembly Bill 2505 to address concerns that recent changes to state law had unintentionally capped fines for water theft within irrigation districts below market value. “Irrigation districts are some of the best water managers in the state,” said Gray. “They have had the authority to set penalties for water theft within their boundaries since their inception. As drought conditions worsen and water prices rise, thieves are growing increasingly brazen and the water they steal from canals and reservoirs is increasingly valuable. If the maximum fine for stealing $5,000 worth of water is capped at $1,000 then thieves can make a profit even when they get caught.” … ” Read more from YubaNet here: New law enhances penalties for water theft
Two FERC cases and why they matter
“The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has been called the most important environmental agency that no one has heard of. At the end of last week, the D.C. Circuit decided two undramatic FERC cases that illustrate FERC’s environmental significance. One involved a bailout to coal and nuclear plants, the other involved water quality. The first case, Turlock Irrigation District v. FERC, involved FERC’s role in approving licensing and relicensing of hydroelectric dams. It also raised an important issue about the role of state government in approving federal projects and licenses. … ” Read more from the Legal Planet here: Two FERC cases and why they matter
In commentary this week …
California’s water supply goes beyond the current drought
Craig Miller, General Manager at Western Municipal Water District, and Paul Helliker , General Manager at San Juan Water District, write, “After being repeatedly told to conserve, most Californians realize we have been in a drought for several years and that water supplies are running dangerously low as summer approaches. What most Californians do not realize is that we are now in a full-fledged water supply crisis, and almost every aspect of daily lives, community health, and our state’s economy will continue to be impacted by the inadequacy of California’s water system, policies, and insufficient supply. With worsening and changing hydrologic conditions, California’s existing water system is failing to meet the needs of our state. The current water supply crisis is exacerbated by the changing climate, a doubling of the state’s population, increased environmental and regulatory constraints, and reliance on the same basic water infrastructure that has been in place since 1968. The responsibility to address the water crisis and invest in securing an adequate and reliable water supply for California starts with the governor and Legislature. … ” Read more from the Riverside Press-Enterprise here: California’s water supply goes beyond the current drought
Just in time for summer: Drought heating up California’s water war
Dennis Wyatt, editor of the Manteca Bulletin, writes, “Get ready for the main event. And instead of having a ringside seat you’re going to be in the ring duking it out and fighting for survival. It’s the ultimate California war. It’ll make locals dynamiting canals and Los Angeles using trickery to steal water from farmers in the Owens Valley seem like a lovefest. And if all goes south — general conditions as well as actual water to the SoCal region — it will be a fight to stay alive. The day of reckoning that 39.5 million people were blissfully ignorant of not simply being a possibility but of being inevitable has arrived. … ” Read more from the Manteca Bulletin here: Just in time for summer: Drought heating up California’s water war
Letters to the Editor: Why is California stopping the only guarantee of more water?
“To the editor: Reading about the reduced water flow in the Colorado River yet again, potentially leading to new restrictions if reservoir levels drop much further, I can’t help but think of recent articles on the creation of the Sites Reservoir in the Sacramento Valley and the refusal of the California Coastal Commission to grant a permit to for a desalinization plant in Huntington Beach. As the existing reservoirs filled by the Colorado, Sacramento and Owens rivers show, you can’t store water that you don’t have. The only net fresh water gain would have been from the desalination plant. … ” Read more from the LA Times here: Letters to the Editor: Why is California stopping the only guarantee of more water?
Guest Editorial: Supervisors Micari, Townsend support Sen. Hurtado’s $300 million water funding request
Tulare County Supervisors Larry Micari and Dennis Townsend write, “As the representatives of Tulare County’s first and fifth supervisorial districts, we write today to encourage you to strongly support Senator Melissa Hurtado’s $300 million Water Resiliency Funding request to the State of California. The extreme drought of 2012-2016 never ended here in Tulare County. Severe lack of water has ravaged our small, rural, agricultural communities for the last decade. The state’s failure to invest in its large surface water storage infrastructure over the last forty years has left us unable to store excess runoff during wetter months for use during the dry and hot summer months. Severe drought and lack of infrastructure have necessitated an over-reliance on groundwater pumping, and the resulting ground subsidence has damaged our main water conveyance system, the Friant-Kern Canal. … ” Read more from the Foothills Sun-Gazette here: Guest Editorial: Supervisors Micari, Townsend support Sen. Hurtado’s $300 million water funding request
Can we curtail a Colorado River catastrophe?
Todd Fitchette, Western Farm Press, writes, “At the risk of repeating myself and raising the ire of friends on the California side of the Colorado River, a story out of the LA Times illustrates what I’ve been saying for some time now: it’s time to remove California’s access to the famed river. We’ve exhausted our options through political inaction and misguided assumptions. The Times reports that the Bureau of Reclamation says upwards of four million acre-feet of water deliveries must be cut from the Colorado River to prevent the draining of lakes Mead and Powell. Decisions will be made soon as to who gets cut, and by how much. California seems like an obvious place to make the first cut. California is entitled to 4.4 million acre-feet of the river – the most of the lower basin states with straws in the system. Arizona is entitled to 2.8 million acre-feet annually. Nevada is entitled to 300,000 acre-feet. Is that fair? ... ” Read more from the Western Farm Press here: Can we curtail a Colorado River catastrophe?
California farmers depend on Colorado River water
Mike Wade, Executive Director of the California Farm Water Coalition, writes, “A recent commentary by Farm Press Associate Editor, Todd Fitchette, argues it’s not fair for California to use the Colorado River water to which it is legally entitled. However, his premise, that too much water goes to big cities like Los Angeles and San Diego and that they should rely on water sources other than the Colorado, is not true. Of California’s 4.4 million acre-feet of Colorado River water, almost 90% goes to agriculture, providing water for high-value winter fruit and vegetable crops, and forage crops like alfalfa to feed beef and dairy herds, vital parts of California agriculture. Mr. Fitchette’s solution to a problem not based on fact would be harmful to California agriculture, cause more insecurity in our food system, raise prices for consumers, and make Americans more dependent on imported food supplies. … ” Read more from the Western Farm Press here: California farmers depend on Colorado River water
State must act now to head off future floods
Mike Machado, Delta farmer, former state senator and the author of flood policy reform legislation, writes, “As a result of our warming climate, Stockton and San Joaquin Valley communities face a growing risk of disastrous flooding in coming years. California’s budget surplus gives us an important opportunity for a major investment in climate-smart flood solutions. Why make flood investments a priority during a drought? Preparing for future floods is like saving for retirement: Building flood management projects takes years. If we don’t start now, we may not be ready when the next big flood arrives. The best flood solutions, such as restoring riverside flood plains, will make our communities stronger in many ways — starting with preparing us for the effects of a warming climate. … ” Read more from Cal Matters here: State must act now to head off future floods
A perfect storm: War, drought and the economy
Dan Keppen, executive director of the Family Farm Alliance, writes, “Putin’s war in Ukraine has decreased and destabilized worldwide agricultural commodity production and availability. The World Bank believes Russia’s invasion of Ukraine may drive 40 million additional people worldwide into extreme poverty and food insecurity this year. Rising input costs, combined with the ongoing energy and supply chain crises, continue to impact food supply and demand. Those Western producers who do have water have seen production costs increase by as much as 25%, because of rising fuel prices and transportation costs. The fertilizer input costs are going through the roof right now, too – in most places, at least two times more expensive than it was last year. … ” Read more from the Western Farm Press here: A perfect storm: War, drought and the economy
Farm bill safeguards food supply, national security
Vincent “Zippy” Duvall, president of the American Farm Bureau Federation, writes, “One piece of federal legislation has had as profound an impact on America as thousands of other bills combined, yet very few people are familiar with it. I’m referring to the farm bill, which ensures a safe and abundant food supply, helps feed the hungry, invigorates rural communities and helps farmers take care of the environment. As I travel the country, it’s clear the farm bill has had a broad, visible impact. Family farms are able to be passed to the next generation because of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s numerous risk management tools and programs. Families are able to put dinner on the table thanks to nutrition assistance programs. Soil and water improvements are possible because of land enrolled in conservation programs. Rural communities are back in the game thanks to broadband grants and new business loans authorized by the farm bill. Soon it will be time to refresh and renew this nearly 100-year-old law, so let’s examine its history and relevance today. … ” Read more from Ag Alert here: Commentary: Farm bill safeguards food supply, national security
It’s high time to put a lid on plastics
Betty Yee, controller of California and a member of the California Ocean Protection Council, writes, “Plastic waste is the legacy we are leaving our children. It is everywhere: In remote alpine lakes, in deep sea trenches, and even inside us. Studies show we consume up to a credit-card worth of plastic every week. The latest stunning research has found microplastics in every single sample of freshly fallen Antarctic snow. Meanwhile, the production of plastics is warming the planet. In 2019, the Center for International Environmental Law estimated the production and end-of-life management of plastics globally contributes the equivalent of 850 million metric tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere annually. That figure is projected to grow as production increases unabated. … ” Read more at Cal Matters here: It’s high time to put a lid on plastics
Editorial: California environmental group’s Yosemite tree-clearing lawsuit increases wildfire dangers
The Fresno Bee editorial board writes, “Yosemite National Park officials want to clear standing and dead trees from alongside 40 miles of roads and trails and across 2,000 acres to reduce the chance of wildfires. But an environmental group has sued to stop the Park Service from conducting such work. Among the claims are that the federal government did not follow its own rules for sizing up impacts to plants and animals in the targeted areas. The litigation represents the latest skirmish between federal scientists who believe forests in the Sierra Nevada can be properly thinned out, and environmentalists who contend tree removal does more harm than good. … ” Read more from the Fresno Bee here: Editorial: California environmental group’s Yosemite tree-clearing lawsuit increases wildfire dangers | Read via the Modesto Bee
Rebuttal: Yosemite’s logging project will make the forest more at risk of wildfires, not less
Chad Hanson, Ph.D., an ecologist with the John Muir Project and the author of the book, “Smokescreen: Debunking Wildfire Myths to Save Our Forests and Our Climate,” writes, “The Fresno Bee’s Editorial Board has gone on record opposing the lawsuit, by the John Muir Project of Earth Island Institute, against a huge commercial logging project in Yosemite National Park. But the Editorial Board relies upon a scientifically discredited study by logging interests that blatantly manipulated data to promote a false and economically self-serving “overgrown forests” narrative. While it may seem counter-intuitive to some people, the truth is that the strong weight of scientific evidence and opinion indicates that removing live and dead trees from forests does not stop or curb wildfires, and often increases overall fire severity. … “ Read more from the Fresno Bee here: Yosemite’s logging project will make the forest more at risk of wildfires, not less | Read via Yahoo News
How California can prevent wildfires and generate sustainable energy at the same time
Matt Dias, president and CEO of Calforests, writes, “California has some of the most expensive energy in the world. It also has mountains full of black vegetation that was charred in catastrophic wildfires, as well as countless dead or overly dense trees that pose a real and substantial fire hazard to many communities. Fortunately, there is something we can do to combat these problems: unlock real investment in biomass energy. Sustainable forest management in fire prone areas generates tons of organic material that needs to be disposed of. California burns or chips the majority of this material to mitigate fire risk or is forced to leave the residue in forests due to limited disposal facilities. But we can use these resources to produce heat or energy instead. … ” Continue reading at the San Francisco Chronicle here: How California can prevent wildfires and generate sustainable energy at the same time
Yes, a California court ruled that a bee is a fish. No, that’s not the crazy part
Josh Gohlke, Deputy California Opinion Editor for McClatchy and The Sacramento Bee, writes, “It turns out that a publication need not be named after an insect to be fascinated by its taxonomy. News outlets across the country and beyond have puzzled over and bristled at a California court’s recent ruling that a bee, contrary to all folk and scientific wisdom, is a fish. That’s probably because beyond its obvious Dadaist appeal, the finding fits well-worn California story lines. Lefty California, where out-of-control bureaucrats will call a bug a barracuda just so they can regulate it! Wacky California, where you can be whatever you say you are, even if it’s in a whole other phylum! The ruling does employ superficially surreal reasoning to reach the conclusion that bees, which are among the most crucial threatened life forms on earth given their role in pollination, can be protected by a law designed for just such a purpose. But it’s not the ruling that’s absurd so much as the case itself. … ” Read more at the Sacramento Bee here: Yes, a California court ruled that a bee is a fish. No, that’s not the crazy part
In regional water news this week …
As Tule Lake vanishes, so do lives and livelihoods
“The cracks in the dry lakebed are wide enough to slip your hand inside. A reminder that this vast, flat, moonlike landscape was once wet, and covered in life. In too many ways, the story of Tule Lake, in the far northeast corner of Siskiyou County, is the story of loss. Farmers in the area are idling croplands. Workers are moving on to other jobs in other parts of California and southern Oregon. And this once wet area serving as a stop-over for millions of birds on the Pacific Flyway is a far lonelier land. “As wetlands have declined, you lose that nesting component. You lose that breeding area for all of these water birds. And then, you start to lose that tradition of birds coming,” said John Vradenburg, a biologist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, having deep familiarity with the Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuge. … ” Read more from the Redding Record Searchlight here: As Tule Lake vanishes, so do lives and livelihoods
RELATED: PHOTOS: Tule Lake in California is vanishing, from the Siskiyou Daily News
Water is going to stay in the Scott, Shasta rivers this year
“The state water board is continuing to prioritize keeping water in the Shasta and Scott rivers this year to ensure there is enough water to meet environmental needs in the face of continuing drought. On Tuesday, the State Water Resources Control Board voted unanimously to continue the emergency curtailments of water diversions from the rivers put in place last year and recommended new minimum instream flows for the Scott River and Shasta River watersheds. Craig Tucker, a local environmental consultant, was among the many residents from the region speaking in favor of the curtailments and said he was pleased with the decision to continue the emergency measures. “We remain locked in one of the worst droughts in over a thousand years and we have to take steps to keep fish wet,” Tucker told The Times-Standard. “These curtailments will ensure there’s some water for the fish as we hopefully work with folks from Siskiyou County to develop a longer-term solution.” … ” Read more from the Eureka Times-Standard here: Water is going to stay in the Scott, Shasta rivers this year
Ukiah enrolls in first-of-its-kind California water sharing program following landmark drought, curtailments
“A historic new program in California will allow water right holders in the Russian River watershed to share water allocations among one another this year as they face near-inevitable curtailments on water use. Ukiah played a leading role in developing the new initiative, and its city council voted unanimously to participate in the program on Wednesday night. In presenting the program before councilmembers, Ukiah Water Resources Director Sean White suggested that it arose as an alternative to possible litigation against the State Water Resources Control Board. “The item before you is really a product of the duress we experienced last year,” he explained. … “ Read more from the Mendocino Voice here: Ukiah enrolls in first-of-its-kind California water sharing program following landmark drought, curtailments
Local farmers are ready to fight water restrictions: “They have lost their livelihoods.”
“Residents and farmers in the Anderson-Cottonwood Irrigation District (ACID) are ready to fight for their water. After being allocated zero irrigation water in 2022 for the first time ever, locals have begun pushing back at the water district board and bureau of reclamation. Residents believed their water contract was “iron-clad” and that, regardless of conditions, they would be given enough water to survive the summer months. Furthermore, residents were outraged to learn the water they did have was sold off, without the public’s approval or knowledge. … ” Read more from KRCR here: Local farmers are ready to fight water restrictions: “They have lost their livelihoods.”
A California gold mine’s toxic legacy: Inside the fight over reopening a treasure trove
“Five years ago, Canadian mining executive Ben Mossman came to this little Gold Rush town in the Sierra Nevada foothills, planning to strike it rich. His company bought the abandoned Idaho-Maryland mine — an 1860s-era treasure trove that once was one of the most productive gold mines in the country. He has tried to sell the idea of reopening the mine to locals by promising to create more than 300 good-paying jobs in rural Nevada County, where references to the Gold Rush — the Mine Shaft Saloon, the Gold Miners Inn, the rusty ore carts and stamp mills decorating street corners and parks — are everywhere. … ” Read more from the LA Times here: A California gold mine’s toxic legacy: Inside the fight over reopening a treasure trove | Read via Yahoo News
Like a Roomba for the sand, beach-cleaning robot makes debut at Lake Tahoe
“Summer’s almost here, which means big crowds at Lake Tahoe. Unfortunately, that also means a lot of trash. That’s where a robotic trash picker-upper comes in. It’s solar-powered, remote-controlled and works similarly to Roomba vacuum cleaners. It can cover five miles of sand in an hour, collecting trash buried up to four-inches deep. … “ Read more from ABC 30 here: Like a Roomba for the sand, beach-cleaning robot makes debut at Lake Tahoe
As drought drags on, South Bay farmers struggle — and worry
“If you were to visit Anderson Reservoir in Morgan Hill, there would be nothing but a dried-up gorge, with bleached stones to show old water levels. While the empty lake is attributed to its dam’s 10-year restoration program, future water levels post-construction may remain dangerously low due to the drought. This could be the future of many nearby water sources. With this year’s drought looming over the western and southwestern United States, lower water output from local, state and federal reservoirs has put the agricultural industry and farmers at risk. California’s major reservoirs, Lakes Shasta and Oroville, are currently under 50% maximum capacity, which has reduced harvests. … ” Read more from the San Jose Mercury News here: As drought drags on, South Bay farmers struggle — and worry
Desalination can now be owned and operated by private entities in Monterey County
“With an extreme drought tightening its grip, drawing concerns about the future of water in Monterey County and throughout California, the county’s Board of Supervisors overturned a 33-year-old law to allow the private ownership and operation of desalination facilities within the county. Previously, desalination facilities were limited to public ownership, a rule that was criticized as more of a political decision than anything else. The decision to overturn the law and allow private ownership and operation passed 4-1 on June 21, with Supervisor Wendy Root Askew dissenting. She said she felt this vote was aimed at a specific project and she could not approve county staff’s determination that the rule change would not have a significant environmental impact. … ” Read more from Monterey Weekly here: Desalination can now be owned and operated by private entities in Monterey County
Exeter requests six week extension on Tooleville connection plan
“Negotiations for Tooleville’s consolidation with Exeter’s water system may be set back another six weeks as Exeter pushes for more state funding. The Exeter City Council continued the discussion of the joint Tooleville Mutual Non-Profit Water Association/City of Exeter Voluntary Consolidation Negotiation at their June 8 meeting during which they voted to make a request for a six week extension to the State Water Resources Control Board. … ” Read more from the Foothills Sun-Gazette here: Exeter requests six week extension on Tooleville connection plan
Paso groundwater basin gets revised sustainability plan
“With $3.5 million in hand, the city of Paso Robles is moving forward with a water recycling project included in the as-yet unapproved plan to bring the Paso Robles Groundwater Basin into sustainability. “We’re still moving forward with implementation of the plan,” city Public Works Director Christopher Alakel told the Paso City Council on June 21. “We recently got some grant funding to do some projects, including a portion of our recycled water project.” … During its June 21 meeting, the Paso Robles City Council—acting as the Paso Robles Groundwater Sustainability Agency—was the first to approve that revised GSP, which needs to be resubmitted to the state by July 20. ... ” Read more from New Times SLO here: Paso groundwater basin gets revised sustainability plan
Early signs indicate Southern California finally using less water. But big test lies ahead
“Less than a month after sweeping water restrictions took effect across Southern California, early indications suggest residents are finally heeding calls to conserve as officials report a noticeable drop in demand throughout the region. Officials at the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California reported that demand was 5% lower than what they hoped to see under the first three weeks of restrictions. At the same time, water waste complaints have soared throughout Los Angeles, signaling perhaps that many residents have taken conservation to heart. … ” Read more from the LA Times here: Early signs indicate Southern California finally using less water. But big test lies ahead | Read via Yahoo News
Ag well permitting process still causing confusion in Kern County
“Kern County hasn’t issued a single agricultural well permit since early April and frustration in the ag community is at a boiling point. Ag well permitting slowed to a crawl up and down the San Joaquin Valley after Gov. Newsom issued an emergency drought order on March 28 that added an extra layer of scrutiny to new and refurbished ag wells. The order requires groundwater sustainability agencies (GSAs) to provide written verification that the proposed well won’t interfere with their plans to bring overtapped aquifers back into balance. And it requires the well permitting agency – the Environmental Health Department in Kern County – to find new wells won’t interfere with existing wells or cause subsidence, the land to sink. While other counties seem to have found a way past those hurdles, permits in Kern have languished. … ” Read more from SJV Water here: Ag well permitting process still causing confusion in Kern County
Kern County officials, growers concerned about Lake Isabella water levels
“Bakersfield and Kern County have been in drought mode since the end of last year with restrictions and cutbacks in place to try and save as much water as possible as we head into the hot summer months. But water officials and growers are concerned as the flow from the Upper Kern into Lake Isabella now reduces to a trickle in the coming weeks and months. The driest year on record happened in 2015, a 12% water year, as the lake fell to minimum capacity: 30,000 acre feet. Right now it sits at about 75,000. … ” Continue reading at KERO here: Kern County officials, growers concerned about Lake Isabella water levels
Orange County needs a single, powerful water overlord, grand jury says
“We didn’t plant like-minded folks on the grand jury, we swear! But on Wednesday, entirely without prompting, the Orange County grand jury called on the two water giants in our compact little county to get over themselves, relinquish their pricey fiefdoms and form a single, unified, regional, county-level water authority to finally speak with — and this is the grand jury’s flourish — “One Voice.” “Ronald Reagan once said: ‘No government ever voluntarily reduced itself in size,’ ” the report said. “However, it is important that Orange County water providers consolidate their resources and establish a unified voice to lead the county more efficiently in its water policies and planning…. “(I)t is time to coordinate strategies in water conservation, development of new supply and infrastructure, and preparation for the possibility of continued drought, disaster, and state-mandated water cutbacks.” ... ” Read more from the OC Register here: Orange County needs a single, powerful water overlord, grand jury says
IID implements court-sanctioned water distribution plan for ag and cities
“With the Western drought beginning its third decade, the Imperial Irrigation District (IID) fast-forwarded the Equitable Distribution Plan (EDP). To aid in the management of its available water supply for 2022, the Imperial Irrigation District Board of Directors approved a plan that equitably apportions the resource among its categories of water users: potable, agricultural and industrial/commercial at the Tuesday, June 20 meeting. The revised Equitable Distribution Plan, adopted by the board on Tuesday, June 21, following five public workshops and stakeholder input, will use a hybrid apportionment methodology to calculate each agricultural field apportionment for the year, with the mid-year implementation beginning June 1 but retroactive to January 1, 2022. ... ” Read more from the Desert Review here: IID implements court-sanctioned water distribution plan for ag and cities
Imperial Valley: Major water reductions cause major concern for locals
“Farmers in Imperial County feel like they’ve borne the “lion’s share” of cutbacks in use of water from the Colorado River as the megadrought gripping the West the last couple of decades continues to diminish that vital resource for the Southwest. With elevations of the river’s reservoirs having now fallen to the point that significant additional cuts to the water supplied to the states that rely on the river are a grim likelihood next year, the Imperial Valley farmers are resigned to seeing further cuts in their water delivery. But they fear those cuts will adversely impact their farms, their lifestyle, their businesses and their communities. ... ” Read more from the Imperial Valley Press here: Major water reductions cause major concern for locals
‘A subtraction problem:’ A shrinking Colorado River faces sharp, sudden cuts
“Within the next two months, Colorado River negotiators face a daunting task: Develop ways to reduce use by an enormous amount, or the federal government will make the cuts on its own. Earlier this month, the federal government told the seven states in the Colorado River Basin that reservoir levels are so low they face a pressing crisis that warrants large-scale conservation, even as water users negotiate long-term operating guidelines for a shrinking river in an arid future. The ongoing drought and climatic conditions facing much of the West are “unprecedented,” said Camille Calimlim Touton, who leads the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, the agency responsible for managing water infrastructure across the region. Touton told federal lawmakers on June 14 that Colorado River users must reduce diversions by a substantial amount: 2 to 4 million acre-feet. ... ” Read more from the Nevada Independent here: ‘A subtraction problem:’ A shrinking Colorado River faces sharp, sudden cuts
Announcements, notices, and funding opportunities …
REVISED NOTICE on Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Funding
NOTICE: Update on CWSRF and DWSRF 2022/23 Intended Use Plans
OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT: Lower San Joaquin River – Draft USBR 2023 Annual Work Plan
NOTICE: June 21 Weekly Update on Curtailment Status of Water Rights and Claims in the Delta Watershed
PUBLIC NOTICE of Permit Application, North Delta Drought Salinity Barriers
NOTICE: Army Corps of Engineers releases Draft Environmental Assessment for Salton Sea Management Program 10-Year Plan
BULLETIN 74 UPDATE: California Well Standards: DWR Concludes TAC Focus Groups, Updates Project Timeline
NOTICE of Proposed Emergency Rulemaking and Informative Digest Released for the Klamath River Basin – Scott River and Shasta River Watersheds
