On the calendar today …
- WEBINAR: 2022 U.S. Drought and Heat Webinars: The West from 9am to 10am. NOAA’s National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS) and National Integrated Heat Health Information System (NIHHIS) are hosting two webinars on July 21 in collaboration with their Federal, Tribal, State, and local partners. The webinars will provide the latest information on current drought, heat, and fire conditions and forecasts, as well as the serious impacts to diverse sectors of the economy and communities throughout the West and Southern Plains. Perspectives from those on the ground who are responding to these worsening drought and heat conditions will be shared. Click here to register.
- SSV WET Talk 9: California Weather, Climate & Its Extremes from 9:30am to 11:00am. Speaker is Dr. Daniel Swain, a climate scientist focused on the dynamics and impacts of extreme events—including droughts, floods, storms, and wildfires—on a warming planet. Click here to register.
- WEBINAR: California’s Water Market: Outlook & Innovations from 10am-11am. The expansion of permanent cropland and continuing growth of urban communities are increasing demands on California’s limited water resources. These conditions are driving innovation to improve water risk management due to volatile hydrology. Urban agencies and Central Valley farmers regularly transact in a water market that is under new competitive pressure as participants manage this new normal. To provide greater market transparency, WestWater Research and Nasdaq have developed the NQH2O index which provides a weekly snapshot of California water prices. In this presentation, WestWater staff will introduce California’s water market, the NQH2O index, and the new risk management tool of water futures contracts. Click here to register.
- WORKSHOP: Water Plan Update 2023 – Equity in Water Management from 10am to 1pm. The California Water Plan team is looking for your input on efforts to better understand and address equity in the management of California’s water resources. Please join us at a virtual public workshop on Thursday, July 21 from 10 am to 1 pm. The workshop will include presentations on the California Water Plan Update 2023, highlight State efforts related to equity in water management, and provide opportunities for questions and discussion. Equity is one of the three themes of Update 2023. A draft agenda is available below. You can register/join the meeting here: Meeting Registration – Zoom
- PUBLIC WORKSHOP: State Water Board’s Racial Equity Action Plan: Northern California Redding/Zoom from 4pm to 6:30pm. The State Water Board invites you to attend a workshop to learn about our ongoing racial equity efforts and to join us in developing a Racial Equity Action Plan. Please help us create a future where we preserve, protect, and restore drinking water and water resources for all Californians, and where race is not a predictor of professional outcomes for Water Boards employees. Attend in person in Redding or via Zoom. Click here to register.
- MEETING: Delta Protection Commission from 5pm to 6:30pm. Agenda items include: Receive Delta Protection Advisory Committee report, consider approval of job offer to Executive Director designee, receive report on Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) flood zone reclassification and consider Commission letter to FEMA requesting Delta region Flood Insurance Rate Map reclassification and establishment of Delta region local levee task force, and receive update on Delta Heritage Area Management Plan. Meeting agenda.
In California water news today …
Despite more stored water than in 2021, California will keep closing spigots
“As drought conditions persist and with the potential for another dry winter due to La Niña, some good news: the California State Water Resources Board learned Wednesday reservoirs in the northern and central parts of the state have more water than at this time last year. State Water Project reservoirs across Northern and Central California remain below historical averages after three consecutive years of drought. But with a combination of people cutting water use, curtailments, farmers fallowing fields and a focus on storage, the reservoirs in the State Water Project are either above or near where they were last year. By the end of September the reservoirs are forecast to be below historical averages but higher than 2021. ... ” Read more from the Courthouse News Service here: Despite more stored water than in 2021, California will keep closing spigots
Calif. policies choking off water from Valley hasn’t been savior for fish, report finds.
“A new policy brief from the Public Policy Institute of California is recommending cost-effective water storage investments as the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta is seeing less inflow. It also offers a damning picture of the thirty-year shift in how the Golden State divvied up water, largely pitting fish species against millions of its residents. The institute – a nonpartisan think tank – initially published the brief in early spring, focuses on the Delta that supplies water to about 30 million residents and over six million acres of farmland. “The ecological health of the Delta and the reliability of its water supplies are in decline,” the brief reads. “Given the challenges facing the watershed and the competing uses for scarce supplies, Delta water management issues are a source of conflict and many misunderstandings about water use. Weak water accounting systems make this worse.” … ” Read more from the San Joaquin Valley Sun here: Calif. policies choking off water from Valley hasn’t been savior for fish, report finds.
Delta Conveyance Project hits another roadblock
“Congressman Josh Harder (D) says he will introduce a federal amendment to block Army Corp of Engineers from issuing a clean water act permit for a tunnel.” (0:57)
Letter: Coalition requests DWR and CDFW rescind any funding from proposition 1 of 2014 that is proposed for habitat restoration projects to meet existing mitigation and compliance obligations
The Coalition writes, “Dear Director Nemeth and Director Bonham: On behalf of the Natural Resources Defense Council, Sierra Club California, the Planning and Conservation League, Restore the Delta, San Francisco Baykeeper, California Sportfishing Protection Alliance, Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations, Institute for Fisheries Resources, and Defenders of Wildlife, we are writing to request that your agencies confirm that taxpayer funding from Proposition 1 of 2014 is not being used for habitat restoration projects that are intended to meet existing compliance and mitigation obligations of the State Water Project (“SWP”) and federal Central Valley Project (“CVP”), including as part of the Lower Yolo Ranch Restoration Project. We are writing because public documents that have been recently obtained pursuant to the California Public Records Act and Freedom of Information Act indicate that DWR has awarded millions of dollars of public taxpayer funding from Proposition 1 of 2014 for habitat restoration projects that are intended to meet existing mitigation and compliance obligations, as well as using Proposition 1 funding that was intended for statewide flood protection improvements for these mitigation projects. This appears to violate the letter and intent of Proposition 1, and we request that DWR rescind any Proposition 1 funding for the Lower Yolo Ranch Restoration Project and substitute funding provided by the contractors to the SWP and CVP. … ”
Big water pipelines, an old pursuit, still alluring in drying west
“Across the country’s western drylands, a motley group of actors is responding to the region’s intensifying water crisis by reviving a well-worn but risky tactic: building water pipelines to tap remote groundwater basins and reservoirs to feed fast-growing metropolitan areas, or to supply rural towns that lack a reliable source. Government agencies, wildcat entrepreneurs, and city utilities are among those vying to pump and pipe water across vast distances — potentially at great economic and environmental cost. Even as critics question the suitability of the water transfers in a new climate era, supporters in California, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, the federal government, Indian tribes, and other states are prepared to spend billions on water-supply pipelines. … ” Read more from the Circle of Blue here: Big water pipelines, an old pursuit, still alluring in drying west
State Water Board delivers $3.3 billion to California communities to boost drought resilience and increase water supplies
“Seizing a generational opportunity to leverage unprecedented state funding to combat drought and climate change, the State Water Resources Control Board provided an historic $3.3 billion in financial assistance during the past fiscal year (July 1, 2021 – June 30, 2022) to water systems and communities for projects that bolster water resilience, respond to drought emergencies and expand access to safe drinking water. The State Water Board’s funding to communities this past fiscal year doubled compared to 2020–21, and it is four times the amount of assistance provided just two years ago. The marked increase also comes as a result of last year’s $5.2 billion three–year investment in drought response and water resilience by Governor Newsom and the legislature under the California Comeback Plan, voter–approved Proposition 1 and Proposition 68 funds, and significant federal dollars invested through the state revolving funds. … ” Read more from the State Water Board here: State Water Board delivers $3.3 billion to California communities to boost drought resilience and increase water supplies
Who’s breaking drought rules? SoCal science teacher can show you
“Satellite imagery can show which households in Southern California are likely following watering rules during the drought — and which ones are failing to comply. Data from the Sentinel-2 satellite isn’t coming from a local water agency, but from a hobbyist. Ben Kuo likes using high-tech tools to understand natural disasters. “I don’t think anyone’s thought of using that same data for tracking water users,” he says. “[It] is amazing to me that from out in space, you can actually see what someone’s doing in their backyard.” … ” Read more from KCRW here: Who’s breaking drought rules? SoCal science teacher can show you
During California drought, waterless-wash methods becoming more popular for cars
“The current drought has been front and center in our lives this year. Water restrictions everywhere. But what about keeping your car clean? Commercial car washes tend to use recycled water, but if you’re a DIYer… Washing your car with a hose and bucket may be restricted, depending on where you live. Or you can get a clean car without ever turning on a tap: Mothers Waterless Wash and Wax. … ” Read more from ABC 7 here: During California drought, waterless-wash methods becoming more popular for cars
Oregon researchers propose innovative path forward for farming’s water woes
” ... Garrett studies dry farming — growing crops without irrigation — which explains the dusty soil. “I feel like the water issue is definitely real and on the forefront of everybody’s mind,” she says. “A lot of farmers are already on land without water rights and limited water availability.” But there’s something else out of the ordinary about this particular research plot: The rows of potatoes are planted between rows of solar panels. “Water is an issue. Our climate is getting hotter and drier and if we want to continue to grow food and eat, we need to look at alternatives,” she said. Garrett is a member of a growing cadre of researchers testing the viability and showing the untapped potential of what’s been dubbed agrivoltaics. … ” Read more from Oregon Public Broadcasting here: Oregon researchers propose innovative path forward for farming’s water woes
Team collaboration leads to success for three water agencies
“Three success stories of water agency collaboration are covered in a new report from the California Water Efficiency Partnership and the Alliance for Water Efficiency. Advancing Water Resource Management Through Team Collaboration looks at how the East Bay Municipal Utility District, the Moulton Niguel Water District in Orange County, and Austin Water in Texas, improved cooperation between their conservation and operations departments to generate better management of the utilities’ resources.” Read the report here: Advancing Water Resource Management Through Team Collaboration
A new scientific method transcends the need for eyes in detecting the presence of species.
“If a tree falls in the forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound? This philosophical musing on perception and reality is often vaguely attributed to Irish philosopher George Berkeley, the Bay Area city’s namesake, whose own philosophy boiled down to, “To be is to be perceived.” For much of the discipline’s history, ecological researchers studying the presence of endangered species in underwater habitats were forced to operate under a similar axiom. If, for instance, after a day of trudging through ponds and combing the water with dip nets, Brian Woodward, an ecological researcher at the Santa Lucia Conservancy in Carmel Valley, was unable to perceive with his own eyes the presence of a California tiger salamander or its larvae, he would have no physical evidence of its existence. The rules of detective work 101. … ” Read more from Monterey Weekly here: A new scientific method transcends the need for eyes in detecting the presence of species.
California’s 2022 wildfire season is off to a relatively tame start. Will it last?
“Blazes have burned thousands of acres, cued mandatory evacuations and threatened some of the state’s oldest and most impressive trees, but far fewer acres have burned in California wildfires through the first few weeks of summer than at the same point last year. The tides may turn in the coming weeks as conditions stay hot and grow drier, but the numbers to date suggest the state may have averted a particularly nasty start to this wildfire season. The total for acres scorched reached 25,135 across just over 4,400 fire incidents through Monday, according to the latest data available from Cal Fire. ... ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee here: California’s 2022 wildfire season is off to a relatively tame start. Will it last?
Decolonizing California’s wildfire zone
“On a rainy December day in 2021, volunteers in Paradise, California, moved along a creek, planting c’ipa/willow and l’yli/redbud. Charred snags of tó:ni/gray pine and other dead trees stood above them on the slope. They were working in the Sierra Nevada foothills, an area devastated by the 2018 Camp Fire, which killed 86 people and destroyed over 18,000 homes and other structures. Mechoopda Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) master teacher Ali Meders-Knight and native-plant expert Raphael DiGenova guided these volunteer efforts to replant the burned-over foothills of Paradise. Much of the Camp Fire burn scar is in the Mechoopda Tribe’s ancestral homelands. … ” Read more from the Shasta Scout here: Decolonizing California’s wildfire zone
In blogs and commentary today …
Cal EPA asserts shockingly broad domain over private property
Ken Kurson, founder of Sea of Reeds Media, writes, “Legend has it that Jed Clampett “was shootin’ at some food / When up through the ground come a bubblin’ crude.” The Beverly Hillbillies’ transformation into instant millionaires illustrates one of the oldest conceptions in the western world: What’s on your land belongs to you. This idea predates the founding of America. If you find gold in your backyard, that resource belongs to you. California wants to change that. A source near San Diego has shared with California Globe a shocking letter that’s quietly being delivered to owners of private wells. “California is marching toward a world where those with wells on their own property will be required to put a meter on them and pay the government,” writes the source. “Because in their world, the government owns everything and we’re just renters.” … ” Read more from the California Globe here: Cal EPA asserts shockingly broad domain over private property
The Delta in April-June 2022 under TUCP
Tom Cannon writes, “A lot has been said about the drought’s effect on water supplies for cities and farms, but little is said about how Delta fish are faring. Freshwater inflow to the Delta was about half of normal in April through June 2022 because of the State Water Board Order approving the Department of Water Resources (DWR) and the Bureau of Reclamation’s Temporary Urgency Change Petition (TUCP) for Delta operations. With some of this limited Delta inflow going to water users during April, May and June, little was going to the fish. The State Water Board granted the TUCP because Central Valley reservoir storage was so low at the end of winter in this third year of drought. During drought, most of the Delta’s late spring and summer inflow comes from releases from storage in Shasta, Oroville, and Folsom reservoirs. The TUCP has ended, and the normal operating rules for the Delta under Water Rights Decision 1641 have gone back into effect as of July 1. It is now a good moment to review the effects of this most recent TUCP. ... ” Read more from the California Fisheries blog here: The Delta in April-June 2022 under TUCP
A devastating water year in the Sacramento Valley! Yet, the California water rights is working and continually improving
David Guy, President of the Northern California Water Association, writes, “The State Water Board today adopted another emergency curtailment and reporting regulation for the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta watershed. With a series of dry years and a current water year having both the wettest and driest months we have seen; we appreciate the State Water Board’s efforts–despite the devastating water year in the Sacramento Valley–to implement the water rights priority system and to begin preparing for next year. The Sacramento Valley depends upon an orderly water rights priority system in California to serve multiple benefits in the region and the water resources managers in the Sacramento Valley are working hard in the face of this uncertainty to advance ridgetop to river mouth water management and to better prepare for next year. Importantly, these regulations are working so far in 2022 as the State Water Board updates the curtailment notices every week based on current hydrology and the unavailability of natural flows throughout the Bay-Delta watershed, including the Sacramento Valley. … ” Read more from the Northern California Water Association here: A devastating water year in the Sacramento valley! Yet, the California water rights is working and continually improving
Climate change collides with Western water law
George Ochenski, a columnist for the Missoulian, writes, “Climate scientists have long warned of the impending crises as human pollutants create an ever-warming planet. We are now living with those grim predictions come true as the “sixth great extinction event” wipes away thousands of species, the oceans acidify and warm, wildfires rage even on the Alaskan tundra, and the planet’s ice caps inexorably melt and raise sea levels. While the desperate calls for new laws to combat on-going atmospheric pollutants ring out across the globe, they are unfortunately ignored by societies resistant to necessary change. As the mega-drought ravages the American West, a long-standing law determining water allocation has come into sharp focus. And from all evidence, Western water law with its Doctrine of Prior Appropriation will fall to the needs of millions of people. … ” Read more from Counter Punch here: Climate change collides with Western water law
Why can’t the U.S. figure out a way to move water from the Great Lakes to the West?
John Phipps writes, “Regular viewer Eric Smassanow asks a question that pops up from often during droughts: “Why has the government never taken action besides Lake Mead to move water around the country like we do energy? Seems like there are many times pumping water west from the east would help both regions.” As the western US continues to suffer a 22-year megadrought, it is hard not to look at a map and zero in on the Great Lakes as the obvious solution. All we need to do is pump some of that excess fresh water west – like this idea from William Shatner to pump Lake Superior water to the Green River and on to Lake Mead. After all the Great Lakes are one of the largest sources of fresh water in the world. ... ” Read more from Dairy Herd here: Why can’t the U.S. figure out a way to move water from the Great Lakes to the West?
Today’s featured article …
ACWA CONFERENCE: Water Law “Update” Or Revolution?
Panel discusses recommendations to update California water laws to address drought and climate change
California’s prolonged drought and the increasing impacts of climate change have some questioning whether California’s current system of water laws is equipped to respond to the state’s ever-evolving hydrology. As it is, one million Californians do not have safe drinking water, our native species are struggling, and farms and cities are faced with increasingly scarce and unpredictable water supplies. The increasing impacts of climate change will only exacerbate these conditions. Recognizing this, the Planning and Conservation League assembled a group of California water law and policy experts to review and make recommendations on how California water law could be updated to account for these unprecedented conditions. In February of 2022, the group released its recommendations.
At the spring 2022 conference of the Association of California Water Agencies, a panel discussed the recommendations.
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
Big Springs must follow state drought rules, judge orders
“Farmers and ranchers in a Siskiyou County community may not continue pumping ground water for irrigation, following the latest court ruling. The Siskiyou County Superior Court issued an order denying the Big Springs Irrigation District relief from water curtailment regulations set by the California Water Resources Board. “The (California Water Resources) Board has the legal authority to curtail uses of water that are deemed unreasonable,” wrote Siskiyou County Superior Court judge James D. Garbolino in his July 11 decision to deny the irrigation district’s request for exemption from the state’s water curtailment rules while the case Big Springs Irrigation District vs. California State Water Resources Board makes its way through the judicial system. ... ” Read more from the Siskiyou Daily News here: Big Springs must follow state drought rules, judge orders
Column: Urgent help for Scott Valley farmers
Columnist Liz Bowen writes, “With the unprecedented curtailment of all well water rights under the State Water Resources Control Board’s (SWB) Aug. 30, 2021, Drought Emergency Order, farmers in Scott Valley are facing a possible 100% loss of water for irrigation this summer. But help may be available: It is the possibility of farmers and ranchers being able to show how they can and will reduce their normal water usage by 30%. This is a voluntary option. The SWB curtailment regulations are tied-in to the water-flow of the Scott River. As the flow goes down in late spring, the curtailments will go up — likely sooner than later. A few days ago, I talked with Sari Sommarstrom, who is a retired local watershed consultant. She said this option offered by the SWB could be what helps irrigators survive this year and maintain their livelihoods. The paperwork process of creating a plan is certainly worth looking into. … ” Read more from the Siskiyou Daily News here: Column: Urgent help for Scott Valley farmers
Mendocino County Column: Supes OK proposed well/water hauling ordinance
Jim Shields, Mendocino County Observer’s editor and publisher and long-time district manager of the Laytonville County Water District, writes, “Since the Fall of 2021, I have served on a committee working under the auspices of the Board of Supervisors Ad Hoc Drought Committee comprised of Supervisors John Haschak and Glenn McGourty. The charge given our committee was to prepare a draft ordinance that would regulate private sector groundwater wells whose owners sell, or plan to sell water commercially, as well as individuals or entities that transport water from these commercial groundwater wells to customers. It should be noted that the impetus for developing this ordinance occurred last year during extreme drought conditions when the local cannabis industry was in a record state of over-production, coupled also with record usage of both legal and illegal sources of water, some of which is transported by water trucks. At Tuesday’s BOS meeting (July 12), the Supes voted 4-1 to approve, with conditions, the draft ordinance. … ” Read more from the Ukiah Daily Journal here: Column: Supes OK proposed well/water hauling ordinance
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
Biden-Harris Administration announces $3.4 million in bipartisan infrastructure law funds for Lake Tahoe basin to address aquatic invasive species
“The Biden-Harris administration today announced that the Department of the Interior’s U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has awarded $3.4 million in funding from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for cooperative agreements with the Washoe Tribe of California and Nevada and the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency to combat the spread of aquatic invasive species in Lake Tahoe. The funding represents a historic effort dedicated to restoring the Lake Tahoe Basin ecosystem and emphasizes the Administration’s commitment to inclusive engagement with Tribes, partners and stakeholders. The agreements will support efforts to remove the Eurasian watermilfoil— a pernicious aquatic invasive plant— as well as funding for public outreach and education about aquatic invasive species, and investments in permanent inspection stations. A total of $17 million in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funds will be available for such work over the next five years. … ” Read more from the US Fish & Wildlife Service here: Biden-Harris Administration announces $3.4 million in bipartisan infrastructure law funds for Lake Tahoe basin to address aquatic invasive species
Tahoe National Forest implements fire restrictions amid drought and warming conditions
“As temperatures climb and drought-stricken vegetation gets baked in the summer heat, the Tahoe National Forest has implemented a slate of fire restrictions limiting smoking and campfire burning, authorities announced Tuesday. Under Stage 1 fire restrictions, which took effect on Wednesday morning, visitors to the forest may still build campfires in established fire rings in designated campgrounds and day-use sites, but not outside of those areas. A list of the campgrounds where campfires are permitted is available on the Forest Service’s website. … ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee here: Tahoe National Forest implements fire restrictions amid drought and warming conditions
Ask Joe Investigates: underwater trees evidence of “mega drought?”
“The impacts of our western drought are hard to ignore. From devastating wildfires which threatened Lake Tahoe last summer to a shrinking shoreline at Lake Mead in Southern Nevada. And the dry months are turning into years. “Since October of 2019 we’re seven inches of rain short over three years,” said UNR Climatologist Stephanie McAfee. “It’s still a lot to be down.” But our current drought pales in comparison to what researchers discovered years ago in the dark depths of Fallen Leaf Lake, just a few miles from South Lake Tahoe. … ” Read more from Channel 4 here: Ask Joe Investigates: underwater trees evidence of “mega drought?”
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
Struggling to survive without water? Shasta county announces grant update to help with water deliveries.
“Today, Shasta County announced an update to local drought relief grant funding that will extend important benefits to those making more than $62,000 per year. The county originally announced the grant funding on July 8. It comes from California’s State Water Resources Control Board, and helps Shasta County to distribute $2.4 million in drought relief locally. Under the original grant guidelines, eligibility was restricted to those that made less than 80 percent of the state’s median income, or $62,938. … ” Read more from the Shasta Scout here: Struggling to survive without water? Shasta county announces grant update to help with water deliveries.
Sacramento Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant offering free recycled water
“A local facility is giving away free water. And there’s no catch. “It works for me because every other day I leave here with 55 gallons,” says Mark Massello, a Sacramento Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant (RegionalSan) employee who uses the free refill stations onsite. “I go around the whole backyard and we have a garden and I water the garden. I water the plants.” You can’t drink this water though. It’s recycled from RegionalSan’s wastewater treatment plant and used mostly for landscape irrigation. And there’s no limit to how much water a customer can get. All one needs to do is get some training online, come by the treatment plant and then take as much as a vehicle can carry. … ” Read more from Good Day Sacramento here: Sacramento Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant offering free recycled water
NAPA/SONOMA
New rules for well permits in Sonoma County proposed
“The Board of Supervisors will consider new standards for well permits at their meeting Aug. 9 in response to California case law to protect rivers and other “public trust resources,” according to a July 11 press release. The county will hold a public hearing on the proposed amendment to the county’s well ordinance, which would create new guidelines for Permit Sonoma’s evaluation of environmental impact to drill new or replacement groundwater wells. The ordinance may effect approximately one-third of well permit applications sent to Permit Sonoma and new wells may be subject to hundreds of dollars in fees and new equipment based on the proposal. … ” Read more from the North Bay Business Journal here: New rules for well permits in Sonoma County proposed
Windsor begins recycled water program
“Water savings – it’s a necessity during this time of drought. Starting Wednesday, July 20th, Windsor residents will have a new opportunity to use recycled water. Permit purgatory had long put the kibosh on recycled water use for many Windsor residents. Thanks to a recent change in the Windsor’s state-level water permitting though, residents can now access recycled water, up to 300 gallons at a time, for irrigation use. Shannon Cotulla, Windsor’s Public Works Director, said the water is recycled from the city’s regular use. … ” Read more from Northern California Public Media here: Windsor begins recycled water program
Russian River beach warning signs posted after more blue-green algae found
“Sonoma County officials are posting warning signs at 10 Russian River beaches after recent sightings of potentially harmful blue-green algae at Patterson Point in the lower river corridor, and, later, near Healdsburg and Fitch Mountain. As of Tuesday night, no toxic substances have been confirmed in the river this season, according to Rich Fadness, whose job with the North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board includes monitoring and testing water for contaminants. But lab results from samples collected upstream of Healdsburg, around Del Rio Woods, were still pending, and the substance found there is known to produce hazardous toxins, he said. ... ” Read more from the Santa Rosa Press Democrat here: Russian River beach warning signs posted after more blue-green algae found
BAY AREA
EPA announces unprecedented $29 million for San Francisco Bay watershed restoration grants
“The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is accepting applications for approximately $29 million in grants, the largest annual allocation ever, to protect and restore San Francisco Bay watersheds and wetlands. The agency is announcing two separate funding opportunities with a due date for applications of September 20, 2022. “Among our nation’s iconic bodies of water, the San Francisco Bay stands out not only for its unique beauty and striking vistas, but for the tremendous environmental and economic benefits it brings to California and the United States,” said EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Administrator Martha Guzman. “These federal grants provide critical funding to support climate resiliency and safeguard wetlands throughout the Bay Area, especially in communities that have been bearing greater pollution burdens.” … ” Read more from the US EPA here: EPA announces unprecedented $29 million for San Francisco Bay watershed restoration grants
Marin County adopts long-overdue salmon protection ordinance in California’s most important watershed for endangered coho salmon
“A 15-year battle over salmon in California’s most important watershed for the critically endangered coho salmon was finally ended this week with the passage of a Stream Conservation Area (SCA) Ordinance that scientists and environmentalists believe provides adequate protection of habitat for imperiled Central Coast Coho salmon and Steelhead trout in the San Geronimo Valley/Lagunitas watershed. This was the result of litigation initially brought in 2007 by The Salmon Protection and Watershed Network (SPAWN) and strengthened by the participation of the Center for Biological Diversity (CBD). For over a decade, the County of Marin struggled to end a series of unfavorable legal decisions that found their environmental analysis and proposed mitigation measures to protect salmon legally indefensible. … ” Read more from the Turtle Island Restoration Network here: Marin County adopts long-overdue salmon protection ordinance in California’s most important watershed for endangered coho salmon
East Bay MUD to pay $816,000 penalty for releasing 16 million gallons of partially treated sewage into San Francisco Bay
“The heavy storms that soaked the Bay Area last October ended fire season and brought hope — dashed during dry winter months later — that the state’s drought might be ending. But while millions of people were celebrating the downpour the week before Halloween, the rains also caused an environmental headache in the East Bay, overwhelming a wastewater treatment plant and sending 16.5 million gallons of partially treated sewage into San Francisco Bay. On Monday, state regulators and the East Bay Municipal Utility District, a government agency that operates the plant at Point Isabel in Richmond, agreed to settle the case in a deal that requires the district to pay $816,000 for violations of clean water rules. … ” Read more from the San Jose Mercury News here: East Bay MUD to pay $816,000 penalty for releasing 16 million gallons of partially treated sewage into San Francisco Bay
East Bay city increases water rates
“Pittsburg water customers will soon see a 5% increase in their water rates for each of the next five years as a result of council action this week. Paul Rodrigues, city finance director, cited increases in the cost of energy and raw water, and the need to make capital improvements – at a $76.5 million price tag – in the water treatment plant as reasons for the increases. Both commercial and residential customers will be affected, but seniors will pay less, seeing only a 2% increase each year. “It’s very important to have safe water,” Rodrigues said. “As we all know, providing safe water comes with a cost, and in the simplest of terms, as we all know, the cost of providing everything lately has gone up, including the cost of operating and maintenance costs, the cost of capital improvement projects.” … ” Read more from the San Jose Mercury News here: East Bay city increases water rates
Sunol Sand-Mining Company Mission Valley Rock agrees to pay Water Resources Control Board fine
“A company operating a sand-mining facility in Alameda County will pay hundreds of thousands of dollars to settle charges that it discharged untreated wastewater into Alameda Creek last year, officials with the state Water Resources Control Board (WRCB) said Thursday. Mission Valley Rock must pay nearly the statutory limit after it allegedly discharged 41,000 gallons of untreated wastewater from its Sunol facility in March. The total settlement is $368,940. According to the WRCB, Mission Valley Rock failed to properly decommission a pipeline, which then ruptured, depositing several inches of sediment in the creek bed and along the bank. The discharged violated Mission Valley Rock’s discharge permit, according to the board. … ” Read more from the Livermore Independent here: Sunol Sand-Mining Company Mission Valley Rock agrees to pay Water Resources Control Board fine
CENTRAL COAST
Monterey secures $1 million for urban diversion and water supply project at Lake El Estero
“The City of Monterey said they received $1 million from the state for an urban diversion and water supply project within the Lake El Estero watershed. This three-year project was proposed to help capture excess fresh water from the lake that would have ended up in Monterey Bay. This extra water would be diverted to the sanitary sewer system to be treated and recycled via Monterey One Water’s Regional Treatment Plant. Tricia Wotan, Environmental Regulations Manager for the City of Monterey, explains, “This model project will benefit our community and the environment by protecting Monterey Bay, enhancing the local water supply, and supporting the City’s value driver to protect our natural environment.” … ” Read more from KION here: Monterey secures $1 million for urban diversion and water supply project at Lake El Estero
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
Land Transitions and dust in the San Joaquin Valley
“The Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) requires groundwater users to bring their basins into balance over the next two decades. In the San Joaquin Valley, this will mean taking more than 500,000 acres of agricultural land out of intensive irrigated production. Among other issues, this could potentially lead to air quality impacts if the lands become new sources of dust, especially windblown dust, which can have numerous negative short- and long-term health and environmental impacts. In addition, the changing climate may exacerbate risks as warmer temperatures can dry out soils and increase dust emissions. The overall air quality impact of transitioning agricultural land to new uses is nuanced, but proactive management can help to identify high-risk areas and at-risk communities, and direct effort and funding to the most cost-effective interventions. … ” Read more from the PPIC here: Land Transitions and Dust in the San Joaquin Valley
Exploring the potential for water-limited agriculture in the San Joaquin Valley
“The rollout of California’s Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) is altering the state’s agricultural landscape. As groundwater sustainability measures are implemented and water scarcity increases, at least half a million acres are projected to come out of irrigated production in the San Joaquin Valley, the state’s agricultural heartland. Rather than widespread land idling—which comes with unintended consequences such as dust, weeds, pests, and soil degradation—a switch from summer irrigated crops to winter crops produced with limited water (including winter cereals and forage crops, among others) might keep some of this land in production. Although water-limited agriculture faces large hurdles, some promising aspects warrant further exploration. … ” Read more from the PPIC here: Exploring the potential for water-limited agriculture in the San Joaquin Valley
Verify: Can homeowners in Stockton be fined for not having green grass during the drought?
“As California’s drought worsens, cities like Stockton have introduced restrictions backed by possible fines in an effort to conserve water. New ordinances, passed unanimously by Stockton’s city council last Tuesday, call for residents to cut water use by 20% and only water lawns on scheduled days. With the new water restrictions now in place and being enforced, concerns over an old municipal code on the books in Stockton have caused confusion for some on whether the city can fine homeowners for not having green grass. Can homeowners in Stockton be fined for not having green grass during the drought? … ” Read more from Channel 10 here: Verify: Can homeowners in Stockton be fined for not having green grass during the drought?
Manteca may not get serious about cutting water use until September
“Manteca — under a request by the South San Joaquin Irrigation District to reduce water use by 20 percent due to deepening drought conditions — may not make a serious attempt to do so until mid-September at the earliest. Staff had recommended reducing all outside landscape watering citywide from three to two days a week in a bid to help reach the 20 percent cutback. Such a move, once prohibitions about gutter flooding are taken into account, would effectively reduce the amount of potable water used to irrigate ornamental residential grass which is the biggest single use of water in Manteca. … ” Read more from the Manteca Bulletin here: Manteca may not get serious about cutting water use until September
Commentary: When it comes to the drought, Manteca City Council channels Alfred E. Newman
Dennis Wyatt, editor of the Manteca Bulletin, writes, “News flash. Rain drops aren’t falling on our heads. The snowpack was beyond anemic. New Melones Reservoir has the mother of all bathtub rings. The San Joaquin River seems hellbent to win the ultimate limbo contest. Portions of the Los Angeles Basin, of all places, are weeks away from prohibiting the watering of all lawns. California is slipping deeper into the throes of a third year of drought. Rome isn’t burning. But the California empire is drying out. Hundreds of thousands of acres of farmland are going fallow. Orchards are in peril. Fish face a bleak future. So, what is Manteca doing? That is besides letting new homes be built with non-native grasses that suck up water like a Hoover vacuum cleaner. … ” Read more from the Manteca Bulletin here: Commentary: When it comes to the drought, Manteca City Council channels Alfred E. Newman
Exeter ends nitrate drinking water warning
“Exeter officially put an end to their drinking water warning after swapping well 6’s production that included high nitrate levels with well 9 that was recently rehabilitated. The drinking water warning due to high levels of nitrates from well 6 in Exeter has been lifted. Women who are pregnant and infants could safely drink the city’s water as of July 14, ending the two month warning period. The warning was lifted after the city’s alternative well – well 9 – became fully operational. It had been undergoing rehabilitation work to prepare for high demand in the summer months. While well 9 was offline, all other wells had to remain online in order to meet peak hour water pressure demands. Unfortunately, that meant the city was forced to keep well 6 in production. … ” Read more from the Foothills Sun-Gazette here: Exeter ends nitrate drinking water warning
Kern River advocates accuse utility of “lawless” water diversions on behalf of a long closed fish hatchery
“As water in the North Fork of the Kern River dwindles, controversy over its diminished flows is ramping up. At least some river watchers are accusing Southern California Edison of misusing a portion of the flows by continuing to divert water, ostensibly, for a state-owned fish hatchery that has been closed since 2020. The state Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) even sent a letter to Edison in January 2022 directing the utility to stop taking water out of the river for the hatchery, saying the facility and its pipeline are inoperable. … ” Read more from SJV Water here: Kern River advocates accuse utility of “lawless” water diversions on behalf of a long closed fish hatchery
EASTERN SIERRA
Ridgecrest: Groundwater Authority strikes tentative deal to buy water
“The Indian Wells Valley Groundwater Authority has struck a tentative deal to purchase imported water, but it remains unclear how much it will all cost if the deal is approved. The GA’s attorney announced the tentative deal in his closed session report at the authority’s meeting last week. The authority has “agreed in principle” to buy 753 acre-feet a year of water annually from the permanent State Water Project Table A entitlement, according to a news release. Official GA approval plus state approvals — including transfer approval from the DWR — are needed before the agreement is a done deal. ... ” Read more from the Ridgecrest Independent here: Groundwater Authority strikes tentative deal to buy water
Groundwater Authority clarifies well permit process
“It seemed like an agenda item which the Indian Wells Valley Groundwater Authority thought would be a quick vote, but discussion on the item consumed the majority of the time at the IWVGA’s board meeting on Wednesday, July 13. Many questions came from many people, both among the public and among the IWVGA’s own board members. People wondered if the IWVGA’s new permit process means that this groundwater sustainability agency will now control where the IWV Water District can pump water. Or how can a private well owner repair their well under the new permit process? … ” Read more from the Ridgecrest Independent here: Groundwater Authority clarifies well permit process
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Antelope Valley: Plans for water treatment plant in development
“Plans are proceeding to develop an advanced water treatment plant that would treat recycled water to a very high level, then inject it into the underground aquifer to bolster local water supplies. Directors of the Palmdale Recycled Water Authority — the Joint Powers Authority with Palmdale Water District and the City of Palmdale that would supply the recycled water — heard a progress report on the plant, on Monday. The Authority originally planned to use the recycled water for irrigation. It already serves McAdam Park, with the treated water running through separate “purple pipes.” A plan to extend these purple pipes to other parks and, potentially, schools was placed on hold when costs became prohibitive. … ” Read more from the Antelope Valley Press here: Plans for water treatment plant in development
LA residents double reports of water waste amid drought and irrigation restrictions
“Los Angeles residents apparently have no patience for water-wasters during the current drought. During the first six months of the year, the city’s MyLA311 system received 1,643 reports about water waste or people violating irrigation rules, more than double the number from the first half of last year, according to data released today by a nonprofit news organization. Data compiled by Crosstown at USC, a nonprofit news organization based at the USC Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism, showed that 589 reports of water waste or other violations were made to the MyLA311 system in June alone, up from 314 in May. … ” Read more from ABC 7 here: LA residents double reports of water waste amid drought and irrigation restrictions
Desalination in Doheny is no new project. Here’s where it’s at
“The South Coast Water District (SCWD) is now working to obtain all major permits for its own desalination plant near Doheny Beach, located roughly 1,500 feet from the shoreline, by the end of this year. The Doheny project is moving forward shortly after the Poseidon desalination plant project in Huntington Beach was rejected by the California Coastal Commission (CCC) on May 12. In 2018, Doheny’s Final Environmental Impact Report was certified as part of the California Environmental Quality Act. State and federal permitting for the project is still underway; the district intends to obtain all permits in 2022. … ” Read more from The Log here: Desalination in Doheny is no new project. Here’s where it’s at
IMPERIAL/COACHELLA VALLEYS
Coachella Valley: Congress could fund new bridges along Indian Canyon Drive, east valley water upgrades and more
“Two new bridges to prevent road closures from flooding and blowing sand on Indian Canyon Drive, improved water infrastructure in the eastern Coachella Valley and more could be coming to the desert if Congress signs off. Rep. Raul Ruiz is asking for almost $21 million for the 36th Congressional District, which includes the Coachella Valley. Congress will consider the fiscal 2023 appropriations bills in the next few months, according to an announcement Ruiz’s office sent out last week. Ruiz said he aims to strengthen infrastructure and boost the local economy with more than a dozen funding requests. … ” Read more from the Desert Sun here: Congress could fund new bridges along Indian Canyon Drive, east valley water upgrades and more
3 plans to import water from Sea of Cortez to Salton Sea advance in state review
“Three concepts to restore the Salton Sea by importing water from the Sea of Cortez are moving forward for review by a state-appointed independent panel. The Salton Sea Independent Review Panel has been analyzing 18 water importation concepts submitted to the state between 2017 and 2021; some envisioned sourcing water from the Pacific Ocean, while others would tap Mexico’s Sea of Cortez, which lies between Baja California and mainland Mexico. Thirteen concepts passed an initial screening, but only three (all of which involved importing water from the Sea of Cortez) passed the next round of scrutiny — a “fatal flaw” review — according to a report released this week. … ” Read more from the Desert Sun here: 3 plans to import water from Sea of Cortez to Salton Sea advance in state review
Letter: Group alleges conflict of interest in Salton Sea long-range planning process
EcoMedia Compass writes Senator Feinstein, “The EcoMedia Compass, a California 501(c)(3) non-profit based in Imperial County is writing to you to point out a flagrant conflict of interest in the Long-Range Planning process now underway as part of the Salton Sea Management Program under the California Natural Resources Agency. The Salton Sea Management Program (SSMP) has hired the Pasadena based engineering, consulting, and construction management firm Tetra Tech to draft new Long-Range Plan proposals for the State. As a company with experience in designing and constructing large scale infrastructure projects including dams, levees, hydro-electric plants, water treatment and desalination plants, including at San Antonio, Texas and at Carlsbad and Huntington Beach California, Tetra Tech has relevant and extensive qualifications for that role. However that reputation is marred by the conviction of persons under Tetra Tech employment and management for falsification of data in an environmental rehabilitation project at Hunter’s Point Naval Shipyard a few years ago. … ”
IID asks State to be part of lithium tax study
“The Imperial Irrigation District board asked Henry Martinez, IID general manager, to send a letter to the Department of Tax and Fee Administration to request that mineral rights holders, of which IID is one, be consulted as part of an 18-month study on the effects of the recently passed State tax on lithium. When Governor Newsom signed the June 30 state budget, included was a bill creating a tax on lithium extraction on a per metric ton basis. The bill established a revenue sharing model of 80% distributed to local Valley governments and 20% to fund Salton Sea related work by the Natural Resources Agency. Included in the bill was a call for a study to be completed by December 2023 that will analyze replacing a volume-based tax with an equivalent tax based on gross receipts, and other statutory changes related to Lithium Valley. … ” Read more from the Desert Review here: IID asks State to be part of lithium tax study
SAN DIEGO
California Coastal Commission approves De Anza Cove Cleanup in Mission Bay
“After years of negotiations, the California Coastal Commission has approved a permit for Northeast MB LLC, operator of local campgrounds, to clean up almost 170 abandoned mobile homes and replace them with 147 campsites for RVs and tents around the De Anza Cove on the northeast part of Mission Bay. “This will just provide even more options as RV and tent camping have never been more in demand and more popular,” said Jacob Gelfand, COO of the campgrounds. The commission approved the permit with a number of conditions to protect the environment, specifically the unique marshlands that surround the cove. … ” Read more from NBC 7 here: California Coastal Commission approves De Anza Cove Cleanup in Mission Bay
Ramona water district adopts regional water management plan, pursues $4.8M in grants
“The Ramona Municipal Water District board on July 12 adopted the San Diego Integrated Regional Water Management (IRWM) Plan as an avenue to $4.8 million in grants. The water district has already applied for the funds available through IRWM grants. The source of the funds is Proposition 1 — the Water Quality, Supply and Infrastructure Improvement Act — which was approved by California voters in 2014 and authorizes $510 million in IRWM funding. … ” Read more from the San Diego Union-Tribune here: Ramona water district adopts regional water management plan, pursues $4.8M in grants
Along the Colorado River …
On the Colorado River the feds carry a big stick. Will the states get hit?
“The seven Colorado River basin states have until mid-August to come up with a plan to drastically cut their water use. Federal officials say the cuts are necessary to keep the river’s giant reservoirs from declining to levels where water cannot be released through their dams and hydropower production ceases. If state leaders fail to devise a plan, they could face a federal crackdown. But while federal intervention is a key feature of Colorado River governance and management, to cajole stubborn water users into negotiating — it’s rarely tested. That leaves users along the river from Colorado to California to wonder just how serious the federal government is when it threatens unilateral actions. … ” Read more from KUNC here: On the Colorado River the feds carry a big stick. Will the states get hit?
Colorado River crisis requires confronting sacred cow
“Colorado River states and tribal users have until late August to come up with a plan to cut 2 to 4 million acre feet of water use in 2023 or face federally-imposed restrictions. Users divvy up 15 million acre-feet of water a year. Nevada receives 300,000 acre-feet – less than 2% of the total allocation. It is losing 7% this year because of emergency mediation steps. Lake Mead is at a record low depth of 1,043 feet, according to the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. Intake has been less than half of “normal” for three of the last four years, John Entsminger, general manager of the Las Vegas Valley Water District said Tuesday as the district’s board contemplated capping the surface area of pools at 600 square feet. “If we continue to get years like we have in the last three, Hoover Dam will stop generating power by the end of 2025,” Entsminger said. … ” Read more from the Nevada Current here: Colorado River crisis requires confronting sacred cow
Shut out from talks on Colorado River crisis, tribes want inclusion and ‘transformation’
Ian James writes, “It’s crunch time for the Colorado River. The river’s badly depleted reservoirs keep dropping, and the federal government has announced that major water cutbacks need to happen soon to prevent supplies from reaching perilously low levels. The future of the Southwest’s main water lifeline hinges on whether the seven states of the Colorado River Basin will effectively address the river’s chronic overuse and shrinking flows after more than two decades of drought intensified by global warming. The major players include public officials representing agencies that supply water to farmlands and cities from Denver to Los Angeles. There are also 30 federally recognized tribes in the Colorado River Basin, and I’ve been interested in learning more about the roles they will play in shaping how dwindling supplies water are apportioned and conserved. … ” Read more from the LA Times here: Shut out from talks on Colorado River crisis, tribes want inclusion and ‘transformation’
Lake Mead water levels dropping, could soon be at dead pool level
“The water levels in Lake Mead are dropping, and could soon be at dead pool level. Lake Mead, a reservoir formed by the Hoover Dam on the Colorado River, is drying up because of the ongoing drought in the western United States, France 24 reported. The water moving through the Hoover Dam provides electricity for hundreds of thousands of people living across the area. However, as the drought continues, the water continues to dry up, hurtling towards dead pool level—which will mean the dam’s turbines will no longer be able to generate power. … ” Read more from Newsweek here: Lake Mead water levels dropping, could soon be at dead pool level
Nonprofit says salt water is solution to ongoing water crisis at Lake Mead
“Our largest water source, Lake Mead, continues to dry up. A group of experts is in Las Vegas this week discussing solutions and looking for partners to prevent a water shortage. One of those ideas is to use salt water to refill the lake and its source, the Colorado River. Todd Peterson, the founder of the nonprofit International Water Holdings Corporation, laid out some solutions. He said this would need to be a long-term plan, and the infrastructure needs to be a priority. … ” Read more from Channel 3 here: Nonprofit says salt water is solution to ongoing water crisis at Lake Mead
Hualapai leader urges Senate to OK water plan, as wells fail in drought
“Hualapai Chairman Damon Clarke told a Senate committee Wednesday that getting access to Colorado River water is “the only feasible solution” for his tribe, whose wells are failing under the stress of the continuing drought. The Hualapai Tribe Water Rights Settlement Act of 2022 would give the tribe water rights to the Colorado, Verde and Bill Williams rivers and fund construction of water infrastructure that would deliver about 4,000 acre-feet of water a year to the tribe. Besides delivering water to the roughly 1,600 Hualapai on the reservation, the project would serve Grand Canyon West and its Skywalk, tribe-owned tourist attractions that Clarke said are major employers of tribal members. … ” Read more from Cronkite News here: Hualapai leader urges Senate to OK water plan, as wells fail in drought
A conservation win and groundwater loss: Arizona ends 2022 session with mixed water record
Christopher Kuzdas, Senior Manager, Climate Resilient Water Systems for EDF, writes, “After months of negotiations, the Arizona Legislature passed a major water spending plan last month with funding for new conservation efforts to address deteriorating water supplies. However, for the fourth year in a row, state leaders failed to pass legislation to address unlimited groundwater pumping, missing an opportunity to enable a water secure future for 1.5 million rural residents and the state as a whole.The final $1.4 billion water spending plan, SB 1740, incorporated many of Water for Arizona Coalition’s comments, and we are grateful to the lawmakers and staff who worked on the bill. Rep. Andrés Cano, Rep. Morgan Abraham, and Minority Leader Reginald Bolding were instrumental in negotiating the $200 million conservation program. … ” Read more from EDF here: A conservation win and groundwater loss: Arizona ends 2022 session with mixed water record
Arizona: Where will a growing economy get its water?
Todd Fitchette writes, “Did Maricopa, Ariz., not get the memo about the drought? That, and a few unprintable thoughts crossed my mind recently as I meandered through a new housing development on my way to a field day at the University of Arizona’s large research and Extension farm on the edge of town. It’s technically not so much on the “edge” of town as Maricopa recently hop-scotched over the 2,100-acre facility. Houses now border three sides of the farm. Google maps hasn’t caught up to speed at which farmland there is being paved over. My usual path to the farm was closed – the victim of road construction. Because of that, my maps app redirected me through an upscale neighborhood. Nice lakefront homes with manicured lawns, parks and water flowing down the curbs served as a slap in the face to nearby farmers forced to fallow farmland this year for lack of water. ... ” Read more from the Western Farm Press here: Arizona: Where will a growing economy get its water?
Utah: Advocacy and science work together to improve local watersheds
“The streams, creeks and rivers that run from jagged mountains into Crested Butte’s watersheds are iconic. At a glance, the water in creeks and streams around the area are clear and pristine. But the legacy of mining tells a different story. About two decades ago, High Country Conservation Advocates, an environmental nonprofit in Crested Butte, noticed that although the streams and creeks flowing into town looked relatively healthy, they were carrying an excess of heavy metals downstream. Since then, the local nonprofit has made protecting water central to their work. Julie Nania has spent nearly a decade with the organization advocating for clean water as the water program director. She explained the water in the valley used to look different. “For a long time, Coal Creek ran Fanta orange,” Nania said. … ” Read more from KSUT here: Advocacy and science work together to improve local watersheds
Responding to federal pressure, Upper Colorado River states seek to revive conservation program
“States in the Upper Colorado River Basin are not ready to commit to federal water conservation targets, but are seeking to revive a conservation program first launched in 2014. In a letter to the Bureau of Reclamation, officials from Colorado, Utah, Wyoming and New Mexico say they are already dealing with water shortages due to ongoing dry conditions along the Colorado River, which serves as a drinking water source for 40 million people in the southwest. A reauthorization of the 2014 System Conservation Pilot Program (SCPP) is one prong of the states’ newly rolled out Five-Point Plan. … ” Read more from KUNC here: Responding to federal pressure, Upper Colorado River states seek to revive conservation program
Commentary: It is time to restore the Colorado River through Glen Canyon
Jack Strauss, outreach director for the Glen Canyon Institute, writes, “It is time to restore Glen Canyon. The reservoir known as Lake Powell has lived out its purpose, to “harness excess water” for the Upper Basin. The time of excess, if it ever existed, is gone. In the coming two years, Powell is forecasted to drop within feet of power pool elevation. It is clear the West never needed it to thrive. It is time for a new path forward. A path that does not put humans above nature, instead it puts us within its laws and boundaries. This begins with restoring the Colorado River through Glen. Why now? Because right now we have a brief moment before we launch over the edge of a seven-state, two-nation water crisis. Now because we have yet to see the worst impacts of climate change, which will continue to reduce flows on the river. Now because as the reservoir drops to unprecedented levels, it moves the insidious mud delta into the canyon. Now because Glen Canyon is already showing us it can be restored. … ” Read more from the Salt Lake Tribune here: Commentary: It is time to restore the Colorado River through Glen Canyon
In national water news today …
Drought center tapped to help predict civil unrest
“Weather and climate can contribute to civil unrest, especially in countries with little to no social safety nets, where people depend on subsistence farming to feed themselves and their families. The question is, can civil unrest be predicted along with the weather? To begin answering that question, researchers at the National Drought Mitigation Center, based in the University of Nebraska–Lincoln’s School of Natural Resources, received $1 million in funding from U.S. Air Force Weather this spring for the first phase of a bigger project. The project, “Building a Global Composite Drought Indicator Hot Spot Early Warning and Information System,” is led by Mark Svoboda, director of the drought center. It began in March. … ” Read more from the Western Farm Press here: Drought center tapped to help predict civil unrest
Huge wildfire, drought package readied for House votes
“A package of 48 bills related to wildfire, forest management and drought will reach House floor in one giant measure next week as Democrats try to push through their version of how best to tackle the climate crisis on public lands. The bill, called the “Wildfire Response and Drought Resiliency Act,” H.R. 5118, would boost pay and benefits for wildland firefighters, help the Forest Service fill gaps in fire management staff and promote bigger forest management projects to reduce hazardous fuels — but without the exceptions from long environmental reviews that congressional Republicans say are necessary to make a difference. The Rules Committee takes up the bill tomorrow, setting the parameters for floor debate and determining which amendments may be considered. … ” Read more from E&E News here: Huge wildfire, drought package readied for House votes
Last of endangered species rollbacks sent to Democratic dustbin
“President Joe Biden repealed a federal regulation Wednesday that had shaken up protections for endangered or threatened species, giving landowners deference over habitat designations by claiming they would face economic harm. Discretion over habitat decisions previously was vested in the Interior Department, but the rule instituted by former President Donald Trump gave greater significance to the financial interests of private landowners. It was the last of Trump-era alterations to the Endangered Species Act that Biden not yet overturned. Wednesday’s announcement restores the authority of the Interior Department to make decisions about when and if a protected habitat should be established. … ” Read more from the Courthouse News Service here: Last of endangered species rollbacks sent to Democratic dustbin
SEE ALSO: Service Rescinds Endangered Species Act Critical Habitat Exclusion Regulations, press release from the USFWS
Why so many climate adaptation schemes fail
“On the central Pacific island of Kiribati, the national government built a seawall to protect people from storm surges and sea-level rise—but ended up merely redirecting erosion to an area farther down the coastline. In California, farmers received emergency aid and loans to cover lost income from the intense 2007–2009 drought—but those payments perversely reduced their incentive to adapt to the reality of a drier future climate. These events illustrate the importance of a new kind of climate crisis, one that receives too little attention. It is clear that, in addition to cutting carbon emissions, countries around the world will have to adapt to the harsh realities of living on a warming planet. What is not so clear is what those adaptations should look like. Done right, adaptation efforts can soften the blow to billions of lives. Done wrong, they can lead to maladaptation, wasting time and money while leaving people just as vulnerable as before, or even more so. ... ” Read more from Popular Science here: Why so many climate adaptation schemes fail
Also on Maven’s Notebook today …
NOTICE of a decision to accept funds from the California Department of Water Resources, Division of Operations and Maintenance
NOW AVAILABLE: FY 2020-2021 Delta Crosscut Budget Report
