On the calendar today …
- WEBINAR: Expanding Frontline Communities’ Access to Federal Funding from 10am to 11am. Overview & Objectives: WaterNow Alliance, in partnership with River Network, will host a 1-hour virtual seminar for utility and community leaders nationwide facing the first, and worst, water challenges—from flooding, to drought to basement backups to water contamination and more—on how they can access State Revolving Fund grants and loans to help overcome these challenges with 21st Century infrastructure solutions. There are a significant number of federal and state grant and loan programs available to cities, towns, utilities and water resource agencies to invest in sustainable, resilient water infrastructure. Click here to register.
- WEBINAR: Water Infrastructure Funding in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law from 10am – 11:30am. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) invites communities to join a webinar to learn how the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) funding can help communities improve their water and wastewater infrastructure. Click here to register.
In California water news today …
Desalination: Should California use the ocean to quench its thirst?
“As the state’s water supplies continue to dwindle during this drought, it’s always worth weighing the pros and cons of desalinization to meet the state’s water needs. Groundwater keeps shrinking, reservoirs keep drying. Is it time for California to use desalinization to increase its depleted water supplies? Here we are again: California is enduring another punishing drought, this one only a few years after the last one ended, which was the most severe drought in the state’s nearly 500 years of recorded history. Low winter snowpack combined with scorching summer temperatures and the driest winter months in 100 years have severely impacted the state’s water supply. … ” Read more from Capitol Weekly here: Desalination: Should California use the ocean to quench its thirst?
PG&E plans to decommission Potter Valley Project
“Pacific Gas & Electric does not believe it’s necessary to reexamine its license terms for endangered species at the Potter Valley Project as it prepares to decommission the dams, according to a letter the utility submitted to federal regulators. PG&E submitted letters to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on Friday stating that it would take about 30 months to submit an application to surrender its license once its plan and schedule for doing so receives approval from the federal agency. On Tuesday, PG&E sent another letter stating that the letter sent by the National Marine Fisheries Service stating the terms for endangered fish species should be reevaluated in the interim contained “legal and factual inaccuracies” though it was willing to revisit some terms “so long as any revisions reflect the same level of effort and funding as is currently required.” … ” Read more from the Eureka Times-Standard here: PG&E plans to decommission Potter Valley Project
Fish conservation groups criticize PG&E’s refusal to protect listed salmon and steelhead in the Eel River
“On Monday, July 11th Pacific Gas & Electric Company (PG&E) proposed a schedule for filing a license surrender application and decommissioning plan for the Potter Valley Project. This filing with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) sets the stage for eventual removal of the Project. … PG&E, in a separate filing on July 12th, responded to a March 17, 2022 letter from the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) citing new evidence that the Project is harming endangered salmon more than previously believed, asking PG&E to re-initiate consultation under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), and to immediately adopt interim measures to limit the damage to fish in the meantime. In this filing, PG&E refuses to re-initiate consultation, claiming it is not necessary and that additional protective measures for fish are not required. … Read more from Cal Trout here: Fish conservation groups criticize PG&E’s refusal to protect listed salmon and steelhead in the Eel River
SEE ALSO: Fish Fight: Two New Developments in the Ongoing Damming of the Eel Via the Potter Valley Hydropower Project, from the Redheaded Blackbelt
Partners return winter-run chinook salmon eggs to McCloud river: Drought action moves endangered salmon back into their historical habitat for first time since construction of Shasta Dam
“The Winnemem Wintu Tribe, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) on Monday celebrated the return of endangered winter-run Chinook salmon eggs to the McCloud River upstream of Shasta Reservoir for the first time since the construction of the Shasta Dam in the 1940s. The partners collected approximately 20,000 fertilized winter-run Chinook salmon eggs from USFWS’ Livingston Stone National Fish Hatchery near Redding and drove them more than three hours over 80 miles to the Ah-Di-Na Campground within the Shasta-Trinity National Forest on the banks of the McCloud River. The eggs were placed into specialized incubators alongside the McCloud River’s cold waters where the species once spawned. Another 20,000 eggs will be transferred to the incubators in the McCloud River in early August. Both cohorts will be released into the river as fry. ... ” Read more from the Department of Fish & Wildlife here: Partners return winter-run chinook salmon eggs to McCloud river: Drought action moves endangered salmon back into their historical habitat for first time since construction of Shasta Dam
Mapping a state’s secret water: How groundwater mapping could be a game-changer for California
“In California, hidden under the ground are aquifers that have the capacity to store an estimated 1.3 billion acre-feet of water—26 times all of the state’s reservoirs combined. All California needs to do is guide the floods caused by torrential rainfall into the ground, instead of out to sea. “If we just capture the upper 5 to 10 percent of flood flows, that is enough water to compensate for the loss of water due to climate change,” says Fogg. Here’s the problem: We don’t know where to build this infrastructure. Because we can’t see groundwater, our understanding of it—where it is, which direction it flows, and how it connects to the surface—is limited. “It’s been out of sight, out of mind,” says Fogg. That’s beginning to change. In 2021, California’s Department of Water Resources began an ambitious collaboration with a team of scientists to map the state’s complex groundwater network. The project will provide the data that local municipalities can use to begin harnessing the floods when they come. … ” Read more from the Sierra Club here: Mapping a state’s secret water: How groundwater mapping could be a game-changer for California
Engineer talks Oroville Dam Spillway repairs
“The Oroville Dam is getting some much-needed construction. On Monday, the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) announced it was going to begin work on radial gates at the Oroville Dam spillway. Today, KRCR’s Anwar Stetson had a chance to talk to the project’s lead engineer. The Oroville Dam Crisis is still heavy on the minds of Butte County locals, so maintaining the dam is of the utmost importance. … ” Read more from KRCR here: Engineer talks Oroville Dam Spillway repairs
California’s 2021-22 snowpack – prelude to a drought
“The Sierra Nevada Conservancy’s service area provides water to more than 75 percent of Californians and vast swathes of Central Valley farmland. Much of this water supply falls as snow across the high-elevation landscapes of California’s Sierra Nevada and Cascade mountains where it is stored as snowpack through the winter and spring. As the heat of summer arrives, snowmelt makes its way into reservoirs where it can be allocated throughout the state during the dry season. The majority of California’s engineered water system relies on the upper watersheds’ natural infrastructure that captures and stores precipitation. Managing these landscapes to maximize spring snowpack accumulation complements water conservation efforts and will be increasingly important as our climate continues to warm. … ” Read more from the Sierra Nevada Conservancy here: California’s 2021-22 snowpack – prelude to a drought
Californians struggle to cut water use
“Californians are saving more water, but it’s still not enough to meet Governor Newsom’s goal of reducing water use by 15 percent, reports Hayley Smith in the Los Angeles Times. “After months of middling efforts — including a 17.6% increase in urban water use in April — residents in May saved 3.1% more water than in the same month in 2020, the baseline year against which current data are measured, according to new figures from the State Water Resources Control Board.” … ” Read more from Planetizen here: Californians struggle to cut water use
Column: My broken sprinkler sent me on a quest. Can dowsers help us through the drought?
Columnist Steve Lopez writes, “So how did I end up with a city employee traipsing across my front yard with divining rods on a recent evening, searching for underground water? The answer begins with a boneheaded blunder on my part. I accidentally clipped a sprinkler head on the edge of the driveway while pulling into my yard, and water began bubbling up from underground. I’d never used those sprinklers and thought the line was dead when I bought the house five years ago. Clearly it was not, and water was now running down the street in the middle of a drought. So I called the emergency number for the Pasadena Water Department, and the operator promised to send a troubleshooter. … ” Continue reading from the LA Times here: Column: My broken sprinkler sent me on a quest. Can dowsers help us through the drought?
Atmospheric rivers help coastal wetlands build up sediment
“Extreme precipitation from hurricanes and atmospheric rivers can lead to increased flooding in the world’s coastal zones, where more than 630 million people reside. Tidal marshes act as important buffers in these areas, absorbing the initial impact of storm surges and strong winds. In addition, tidal marsh ecosystems rely on storm events to deposit sediments that help with marsh accretion. In a new study, Thorne et al. focused on tidal marsh accretion and elevation change in the San Francisco Bay after an atmospheric river event in 2016-2017. The authors installed deep rod surface elevation table instruments and feldspar marker horizon plots at five marsh sites differing in salinity and tidal range to determine vertical accretion and elevation changes. … ” Read more from EOS here: Atmospheric rivers help coastal wetlands build up sediment
State releases draft environmental report on drought salinity barriers
“In an effort to better prepare for future drought conditions as the climate changes, the California Department of Water Resources has released a draft environmental impact report analyzing potential construction effects of future drought salinity barriers in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. The 2021 Emergency Drought Salinity Barrier Project consists of constructing a temporary rock barrier across West False River in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. The state says a salinity barrier is needed in response to the current drought. This is important, according to one state water department official. … ” Read more from The Press here: State releases draft environmental report on drought salinity barriers
Lisa Beutler Opines: ‘St. Francis Dam and the end of Mulholland’s reign
Michael Campana writes, “The latest issue of AWRA’s excellent (Note: I am Editor-in-Chief) bimonthly magazine Water Resources IMPACT just hit the streets. Its theme is: ‘Dams: Past, Present and Future’. Guest Editor Lisa Beutler and I had fun with titling the issue (‘Damnation’, ‘Give a Dam’, etc.) but Managing Editor Heidi Fritschel wisely curbed my puerile instincts. I contributed a brief article on Ethiopia’s massive Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) and the changes it’s effecting in the Nile Basin. You can view the article here: My Ten Cents: ‘GERD – Putting Ethiopia on the Dam Map’. Undergraduate student Lucy Martin follows with ‘Decommissioning the Four Lower Snake River Dams’. Elaine J. Hanford provided The Newlands Project IMPACT_May_June 2022. So what’s left? Guest Editor Lisa Beutler and her tale of William Mulholland’s fall from grace, St. Francis Dam and the End of Mulholland’s Reign_IMPACT_May_June_2022. ... ” Read more from Water Wired here: Lisa Beutler Opines: ‘St. Francis Dam and the end of Mulholland’s reign
For western wildfires, the immediate past is prologue
“Since 1984, satellites have observed a growing trend in summer wildfire activity in the western United States, with the total burned area increasing by 104,000 acres (42,100 hectares) per year on average [Abolafia-Rosenzweig et al., 2022]. From 1984 to 2000, wildfires across an area including all or parts of 11 states burned about 27.4 million acres in total, whereas from 2001 to 2018, this figure grew to about 55.9 million acres. … In spring 2020, Jimy Dudhia, a scientist at the National Center for Atmospheric Research, asked us whether established relationships between climate and fire can be used to forecast fire activity accurately. This question ignited our curiosity, fueling research to find out whether weather in the winter and spring can reliably predict the severity of the fire season the following summer. … ” Read more from EOS here: For western wildfires, the immediate past is prologue
A case for retreat in the age of fire
“Wildfires in the American West are getting larger, more frequent and more severe. Although efforts are underway to create fire-adapted communities, it’s important to realize that we cannot simply design our way out of wildfire – some communities will need to begin planning a retreat. Paradise, California, is an example. For decades, this community has worked to reduce dry grasses, brush and forest overgrowth in the surrounding wildlands that could burn. It built firebreaks to prevent fires from spreading, and promoted defensible space around homes. But in 2018, these efforts were not enough. The Camp Fire started from wind-damaged power lines, swept up the ravine and destroyed over 18,800 structures. Eighty-five people died. Across the America West, thousands of communities like Paradise are at risk. … ” Read more from The Conversation here: A case for retreat in the age of fire
In commentary today …
Gov. Gavin Newsom asked California to conserve water voluntarily. Guess how that’s going
“California’s largest reservoirs may be half-empty or worse, but state officials strove to portray the latest lackluster water conservation data in glass-half-full terms. The results nevertheless continue to show that a year after Gov. Gavin Newsom set a voluntary water conservation target, Californians are broadly volunteering to ignore it. Urban consumers used about 3% less water in May than they did two years ago, well short of Newsom’s goal of conserving 15% more than in 2020. The Sacramento region did slightly worse than the statewide average in the latest available data, consuming 2.4% less. The month did constitute a dramatic improvement over the relative binge of the previous two months, when Californians used about 18% more water than they did during the same period in 2020. … ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee here: Gov. Gavin Newsom asked California to conserve water voluntarily. Guess how that’s going
Working together is key to protecting groundwater
Paul Gosselin, deputy director of the Sustainable Groundwater Management office at the California Department of Water Resources, writes, “Nearly eight years ago, during our last severe drought in 2014, the Legislature took bold action to enact landmark groundwater legislation known as the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act, or SGMA. Less than a decade later, the West is experiencing continued historic drought impacts that have researchers claiming this to be the most gripping drought in over 1,200 years. While they may be out of sight and underground, California’s groundwater basins are a critical part of our state’s water supply, providing about 40% of the state’s supply in average years and up to 60% in dry years, like the severe drought conditions we’re currently experiencing. Millions of people across the state depend on groundwater for their drinking water, business and irrigation needs. Much of California’s vibrant agricultural production relies on groundwater. The sustainability of California’s groundwater is critical to California agriculture, communities and environment. … ” Read more from Ag Alert here: Commentary: Working together is key to protecting groundwater
The case for banning front lawns in California is stronger than ever
Dennis Wyatt, editor of the Manteca Bulletin, writes, “Man-made climate change is not the source of California’s water woes. I guarantee that some people will read those 11 words and dismiss anyone who utters them as a climate change denier or at least a member of the Flat Earth Society. But the science and history are absolutely clear that when it comes to our water supply we are basing our solutions on the wrong facts. The biggest lake in California just 173 years ago — Tulare Lake — no longer exists. It covered an area that was larger than Clear Lake — the largest body of water self-contained in California — and even drawled Lake Tahoe that straddles the California-Nevada border. Early in the 20th century before Los Angeles sucked it almost dry, Owens Lake was 12 miles long, 8 miles wide with water depth ranging from 23 to 50 feet cover 108 square miles. Tulare Lake did not disappear because of man-made climate change nor did Owens Lake dry up because of it. … ” Read more from the Manteca Bulletin here: The case for banning front lawns in California is stronger than ever
Today’s featured article …
STATE WATER BOARD: Update on the Strategy to Optimize Resource Management of Stormwater (STORMS) program
Traditionally, stormwater was viewed as a flood management problem in which the runoff needed to be conveyed as quickly as possible away from urban areas and ultimately into waterways to protect public safety and property. Consequently, stormwater was considered a problem and not a resource.
However, in recent years, stormwater management has been receiving more attention as drought has put more pressure on water supplies, and municipal governments have been held increasingly responsible for pollutants washed from urban areas within their jurisdictions that are discharged into waterways.
In 2016, the State Water Board adopted a stormwater strategy to develop innovative regulatory and management approaches to maximize opportunities to use stormwater as a resource. At the June 21st meeting of the State Water Resources Control Board, staff updated the Board members on the Strategy to Optimize Resource Management of Stormwater (STORMS) program.
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
Klamath Drainage District sued for breach of contract
“The Bureau of Reclamation filed suit against Klamath Drainage District last week for diverting water during a year characterized in the lawsuit by “extreme drought conditions,” citing a breach of contract. The lawsuit states that as a junior contractor, no water has been made available through the project supply to KDD in 2022, “barring dramatic shifts in hydrological conditions.” The lawsuit came as a surprise to KDD general manager Scott White who said the district maintains state rights to divert water, even in cases when Reclamation designates none of their project supply to KDD. He said that KDD owns all of their own infrastructure, which is unique compared to other districts. … ” Read more from the Herald & News here: Klamath Drainage District sued for breach of contract
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
California Capitol lawn no longer being watered
“The lawns at the California Capitol are no longer being watered as water conservation was taken up a notch. Emergency water conservation regulations were enacted by the California State Water Resources Control Board, and they went into effect on June 10. The regulations prohibit ornamental or non-functional grass at commercial, industrial and institutional properties from being watered. As part of the focus on conserving more water, the Department of General Services stopped watering the lawns at the State Capitol in Sacramento. A sign on the dried-out grass says, “Extreme Drought. Doing our part to save water.” … ” Read more from Fox 40 here: California Capitol lawn no longer being watered
BAY AREA
Bay Area water agencies set to discuss severe drought conditions
“The Bay Area’s largest water agencies on Tuesday were expected to assess their current drought situations and possibly discuss further restrictions on water use. Valley Water in the South Bay, which supplies water for thousands in the Santa Clara Valley, will report that between June 2021 and May 2022, customers used 3% less water compared to 2019. That’s far short of the 15% reduction goal set by the district’s board. Valley Water’s board was scheduled to meet at 1 p.m. Tuesday. Board members for the East Bay Municipal Utility District were scheduled to meet at 1:15 p.m., and the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission was expected to convene at 1:30 p.m. All three meetings are in-person and virtual. … ” Read more from NBC Bay Area here: Bay Area water agencies set to discuss severe drought conditions
CENTRAL COAST
Marina Coast Water District switching to 100% renewable energy
“The Marina Coast Water District has taken steps as part of its climate action plan including switching to 100% renewable energy which will cut its greenhouse gas emissions by more than 50% and remove roughly 250 metric tons of greenhouse gasses from the environment each year. The Marina Coast Water District Board of Directors authorized the purchase of 100% renewable energy to meet its power needs at its regular board meeting in late June. The action will allow the district to provide water and wastewater services more sustainably. It is the first step in a comprehensive climate action plan to reduce environmental impacts by the agency. … ” Read more from the Monterey Herald here: Marina Coast Water District switching to 100% renewable energy
What the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary’s 30th anniversary really means
“Giant kelp forests are sometimes called the underwater counterpart to the redwoods. But almost 5,000 feet deeper, another forest gently sways in the cold, dark currents. Sunlight never reaches these depths, but if it did, it would illuminate towering pink corals, neon yellow sponges, orange anemones and animals yet to be discovered. This deep-sea habitat lies within the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary (MBNMS), which stretches from Marin to Cambria along the California coast. It runs nearly 13,000 feet deep and includes beaches, rocky shorelines, estuaries, kelp forests and landscapes never before seen. This September, the sanctuary will mark its 30th anniversary, while the National Marine Sanctuary Act commemorates its 50th. … ” Read more from Good Times Santa Cruz here: What the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary’s 30th anniversary really means
Hearst Castle closes restrooms, brings in porta potties due to drought
“Visitors to Hearst Castle may notice some changes to the experience starting Wednesday, State Parks officials announced. The restrooms at the Visitor Center will be closed and replaced with portable chemical toilets. Additionally, bus and vehicle washing will be put on hold and Visitor Center irrigation will stop. The changes come as Hearst Castle faces limited water supply and the need to conserve water for fighting possible fires, Dan Falat, State Parks District Superintendent, explained in a release. … ” Read more from KSBY here: Hearst Castle closes restrooms, brings in porta potties due to drought
EASTERN SIERRA
Great Basin Unified Air Pollution Control District requests state hearing on conditions on Mono Lake
“With declining water levels on Mono Lake and an increase in airborne dust, the Great Basin Unified Air Pollution Control District has formally requested a hearing before the State Water Resources Control Board. The request, approved at the GBUAPCD board meeting on June 7, cites the Water Board’s 1994 Decision 1631 setting the average surface elevation on the lake at 6,392 feet above sea level. According to Great Basin’s letter, if Mono Lake doesn’t rise to that level, “the SWRCB could adjust the water diversion criteria in an appropriate manner under the exercise of its continuing authority over water rights.” The formality of holding a hearing is also spelled out in that decision to “determine if further revisions to the (LADWP) licenses are appropriate”. … ” Read more from the Sierra Wave here: Great Basin Unified Air Pollution Control District requests state hearing on conditions on Mono Lake
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Castaic Lake water level lowers to 34 percent total capacity
“Castaic Lake’s water levels have lowered to 34 percent of its total capacity and are expected to get even lower as the summer goes on, according to state officials. As of Monday, Castaic Lake held only 34 percent of its total water capacity, and state officials expect to see that number dwindle even further as the long hot summer continues, according to information from the California Department of Water Resources (DWR). “SCV Water and the rest of California is facing a serious multi-year drought, and there is no end in sight,” said Santa Clarita Valley Water (SCV Water) Sustainability Manager Matt Dickens in an April statement. “Our current water-saving efforts are falling short of our conservation goals.” Comparatively, in 2019 the capacity of Castaic Lake was at 1,507 feet above sea level (MSL) which amounts to a 91 percent capacity level, according to historical lake level records. … ” Read more from KHTS here: Castaic Lake water level lowers to 34 percent total capacity
6,000+ acres of LA County ranch land purchased for preservation
“More than 6,000 acres of undeveloped ranch land in north Los Angeles County was purchased and protected for perpetuity by an environmental group with funding from state taxpayers. The final phase of the purchase of what is known as The Hathaway/Temescal Ranch property, located 40 miles west of downtown Los Angeles and on the border of Los Angeles and Ventura counties, has been preserved along with two previous connected land purchases, the California Natural Resources Agency announced on Thursday. The third and last phase of the total purchase was completed sometime last month by the Trust For Public Land and then moved to the Mountains and Conservation Authority (MRCA), which manages the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area and will manage this new preserve. … ” Read more from the LA Daily News here: 6,000+ acres of LA County ranch land purchased for preservation
L.A. water use plunges a record 9% as unprecedented water restrictions bring savings
“Damon Ayala peered at a wet patch of sidewalk on South Tremaine Avenue on a recent Wednesday and clicked his pen. “No one should be watering today,” he said. “That’s evidence of a watering today. They’re going to get an information letter from me.” Ayala is a member of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power’s water conservation response unit, and he spends his days patrolling the streets of L.A. looking for homes and businesses in violation of the new drought rules. The restrictions went into effect June 1 and include the city’s strictest-ever outdoor watering limitations. … The efforts appear to be working. During a board meeting Tuesday, DWP officials announced that demand for water from city residents plummeted 9% in June compared with the same month last year. It was the lowest water use for any June on record. ... ” Read more from the LA Times here: L.A. tries to live with brown lawns as water restrictions yield results: ‘It’s so sad’ | Read via Yahoo News
Water usage down 36% in Claremont, La Verne and Three Valleys Municipal Water District
“A month after water restrictions were placed on communities in the San Gabriel and Inland valleys, many are meeting required conservation goals. Customers in the Three Valleys Municipal Water District are using 36% below the maximum amount of water currently allotted, according to the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. The latest figure, which reflects data for the month of June, surpasses the 20% reduction residents were asked to meet beginning June 1. “We are trending well right now and customers in those areas are certainly responding to the call,” said Three Valleys General Manger Matthew Litchfield by phone Monday, July 11. … ” Read more from the Daily Bulletin here: Water usage down 36% in Claremont, La Verne and Three Valleys Municipal Water District
Pasadena Water and Power plans to ratchet up water restrictions: Once a week watering beginning September
“Pasadena Water and Power is planning to step up water conservation efforts beginning this September as California slips deeper into drought. Speaking to members of the Municipal Services Committee on Tuesday, July 13, PWP Interim General Manager Jeffrey Kightlinger said the agency will soon propose the implementation of a level 3 Water Supply Shortage Plan, which would limit watering days to one day per week. “I’m thinking of recommending to [City Manager] Cynthia [Kurtz] and the City Council that we just go to September 1st for one day a week,” Kightlinger said. “It can be awfully hot during that period but we’re seeing the drought condition worsened.” … ” Read more from Pasadena Now here: Pasadena Water and Power plans to ratchet up water restrictions: Once a week watering beginning September
How dangerous is extreme heat in your neighborhood? This map tells you
“Extreme heat is fueling more than 1,500 excess emergency room visits per “heat day” in Los Angeles County, with some neighborhoods facing far more danger than others, according to a new UCLA mapping tool. The heat map tracks the number and rate of excess emergency room visits on heat days down to the community level and highlights a stark disparity between wealthier, leafier neighborhoods and those that are home to fewer trees, more concrete and higher occurrences of underlying health issues. … ” Read more from the LA Times here: How dangerous is extreme heat in your neighborhood? This map tells you
OC Grand Jury says county needs consolidated approach to water
“Orange County needs a unified approach to water conservation and drought as California faces the driest 22-year period in over a thousand years, the Orange County Grand Jury recommended in a new report published late last month. The June 22 Grand Jury report stated that Orange County water providers need to “consolidate their resources and establish a unified voice to lead the County more efficiently in its water policies and planning.” … ” Read more from the Dana Point Times here: OC Grand Jury says county needs consolidated approach to water
IMPERIAL/COACHELLA VALLEYS
El Centro implements new drought mandates
“The City Council voted unanimously to move into Stage 2 of the city’s water shortage contingency plan as required by the state Water Resources Control Board in response to increasing drought conditions. The July 5 vote came in direct response to an emergency regulation passed on May 24 by the Water Resources Control Board, which required water suppliers, such as cities or the Imperial Irrigation District, to implement Stage 2 of their respective plans, according to El Centro Public Works Director Abraham Compos. “We really want to stress that this is a statewide mandate, not a local issue … we don’t really have a choice,” Campos said. … ” Read more from the Holtville Tribune here: El Centro implements new drought mandates
SAN DIEGO
Rising water levels close off main entrance to Lake Murray
“The main entrance to the water access area of Lake Murray in La Mesa is shut down for an unspecified amount of time as officials deal with rising water levels. “We’ll start here right, ride over to the other side- go get a little snack from the snack shop – and then ride back over,” said local Aubry Foulk on how the water levels on one side of the lake impacted her plans. Some estimates indicate that the lake has risen six to eight feet. Picnic tables typically crowded around this time of year are now submerged. … ” Continue reading at Fox 5 here: Rising water levels close off main entrance to Lake Murray
San Diego City Council unanimously approves water rate hike to start 2023
“The San Diego City Council unanimously approved the city’s second water rate hike in two years on Tuesday. In May, the San Diego County Water Authority proposed increasing its rates by about 5% for treated water and nearly 4% for untreated water, citing inflation, increased energy costs and rate hikes set by the Southern California Metropolitan Water District. … ” Read more from NBC 7 here: San Diego City Council unanimously approves water rate hike to start 2023
Along the Colorado River …
The crisis of the Colorado River system
“It should be obvious to anyone – trying to fill a bathtub with the drain wide open is foolish. This is precisely what the operators of the Colorado River system (Lakes Powell and Mead) have been attempting to do for the past 20 years. They have disregarded the increased withdrawals by the Lower Basin states (California, Arizona and Nevada) and the ubiquitous arid nature of the Southwest. The Colorado River system and the Colorado Compact administration was set up with a series of reservoirs, recognizing the aridity of the region and the unpredictable amount of annual precipitation. Most of the water supply for the Colorado River system is supplied by the Upper Basin states – Colorado, Wyoming, Utah and New Mexico. As planned, these states have continuously supplied the required 75-million-acre feet in 10 years, or an average of 7.5 million acre-feet per year. … ” Continue reading from The Heart of the Rockies Radio here: The crisis of the Colorado River system
How Scottsdale’s drought plan has reduced the city’s water footprint
“In front of the Granite Reef Senior Center in Scottsdale, there’s a parking lot on one side, and off to the other side, there’s a space for the Scottsdale Trolley to stop. Between those areas is a patch of gravel and drought-tolerant desert plants. Six months ago, the senior center’s little xeriscape garden was about 3,000 square feet of turf. But it wasn’t intended as a sports field or a picnic area, it was really just a decorative space to divide two sides of the parking lot. “This area was not an active, usable area of turf,” said Nick Molinari, Scottsdale Parks and Recreation director. So Molinari’s department realized they could take the grass out and no one would really miss it. Molinari estimates the change will save the city 330,000 gallons of water per year. … ” Read more from KJZZ here: How Scottsdale’s drought plan has reduced the city’s water footprint
As drought shrivels Lake Powell, millions face power crisis
“Alongside Nevada’s Lake Mead, Powell is one of the two largest reservoirs in the nation, holding 24m acre feet of water and spanning the Arizona-Utah border, and together they provide a vital water supply to a combined 40 million people in the south-west. Lake Powell is also a major source of hydropower: the vast pressure of the Colorado River traveling through the Glen Canyon dam’s 15-foot pipes, which spins turbines and then powers eight generators, produces cheap and clean energy for as many as 5.8 million homes and businesses across seven states. But dwindling water levels at Lake Powell, which is now at 28% of its 24m acre-feet capacity, have put the Glen Canyon dam at risk. In March, water levels fell below 3,525 feet – considered a critical buffer to protect hydropower – for the first time. If the lake drops just another 32ft, the dam will no longer be able to generate power for the millions who rely on it. … ” Read more from The Guardian here: As drought shrivels Lake Powell, millions face power crisis
In national water news today …
EPA faces legal dead ends after SCOTUS climate decision
“Regulators at EPA will have to draft fresh carbon rules for power plants without knowing if they’ll survive the legal uncertainty created by the Supreme Court’s climate decision last month. That thrusts the agency into a yearslong process of writing rules to reduce power sector emissions with the risk that whatever they do could run afoul of the high court. If EPA runs repeatedly into legal dead ends as it refines its understanding of what the court will accept, it would leave the power grid unregulated for carbon for much of the decade, while potentially leading regulators to offer insufficient climate rules that might be accepted by the conservative court. ... ” Read more from E&E News here: EPA faces legal dead ends after SCOTUS climate decision
Also on Maven’s Notebook today …
NOTICE: July 12 Weekly Update on Curtailment Status of Water Rights and Claims in the Delta Watershed
