On the calendar today …
WEBINAR: Drinking Water Capacity Development Strategy Update Workshop 2 from 10:30am to 12:00pm. The State Water Resources Control Board will hold a second public webinar to provide an opportunity for stakeholders to review and discuss the proposed revisions to the state’s Capacity Development Strategy for public drinking water systems. Click here for more information and remote access instructions.
In California water news today …
Dan Walters: California faces existential threat of a megaflood
“California had been a state for scarcely a decade and was home to fewer than 500,000 people when it was hammered in the winter of 1861-62 by the most powerful series of rainstorms in recorded history. “This event, which was characterized by weeks-long sequences of winter storms, produced widespread catastrophic flooding across virtually all of California’s lowlands — transforming the interior Sacramento and San Joaquin valleys into a temporary but vast inland sea nearly 300 miles in length and inundating much of the now densely populated coastal plain in present-day Los Angeles and Orange counties.” That description comes from a new study suggesting that due to climate change California is at ever-increasing risk of another disastrous chain of storms, one that would be devastating, both in human and economic terms, in a state with nearly 40 million residents. … ” Read more from Cal Matters here: Dan Walters: California faces existential threat of a megaflood
Fish groups say water strategy not enough
“Last week, California Governor Newsom released his Water Supply Strategy, which is intended to guide and improve the state’s ability to adapt to a hotter, drier future. Leading cold-water conservation groups California Trout (CalTrout) and Trout Unlimited (TU) applauded the governor’s action but said the strategy must also articulate how it will address the worsening state of freshwater ecosystems, native fish populations, and recreational and commercial fisheries. The strategy lays out a number of proposed actions to increase water supply, including developing new supplies, expanding storage capacity, reducing demand and improving forecasting, data, and management, including water rights modernization. Missing are actions to restore and protect streams and water vital for salmon, steelhead and trout. “While we applaud and agree with the governor’s focus on solving California’s aging water storage infrastructure problems, he left out a critical piece of nuance,” said Redgie Collins, CalTrout’s legal and policy director. … ” Read more from the Del Norte Triplicate here: Fish groups say water strategy not enough
These stark before-and-after satellite photos show the Western megadrought from space
“If you walk to the edge of Lake Mead, on the border between Nevada and Arizona, you can stand on a rocky shore that used to be more than 100 feet below water. After 23 years of drought and increasing demand for water, the lake keeps shrinking. Satellite photos show the stark difference between the way the reservoir looked in 2000—dark blue and sprawling—and what’s left now. … ” Read more and view pictures at Fast Company here: These stark before-and-after satellite photos show the Western megadrought from space
“Fantasy and fairy dust”: Newsom goes nuclear on Dem plan to shut Diablo Canyon
“The late-inning push to keep California’s last-operating nuclear power plant, San Luis Obispo County-based Diablo Canyon, is serving as a wedge between Gov. Gavin Newsom and legislative Democrats. Newsom, who has set aggressive clean energy targets and has sought to wipe out domestic oil production in the Golden State on a short timeline, has recently embraced the wave of support to keep Diablo Canyon operational beyond its 2025 closure. Last week, the Newsom administration began circulating legislative language to extend the plant’s lifespan while issuing the plant’s operator, PG&E, $1.4 billion in forgivable loans to keep the plant open. … ” Read more from the San Joaquin Valley Sun here: “Fantasy and fairy dust”: Newsom goes nuclear on Dem plan to shut Diablo Canyon
How wildfires are transforming California’s most iconic landscapes
“On a warm July day in Yosemite National Park, a group of researchers gathered at the foot of a giant sequoia tree. The sky was, thankfully, clear. The same was not true for the southern tip of the park, where smoke from the nearby Oak Fire still hung heavily over the forest and residences. But this far north, near the Merced Grove trailhead, these researchers got lucky. “We’ve been really fortunate,” said Breezy Jackson, a fire ecologist and director of UC Merced’s Yosemite and Sequoia field stations. “We don’t know until we get here if the air quality is going to be good enough to work.” Jackson has lived in Yosemite for the last 12 years, currently residing in a small community inside the park called Wawona. As part of her job, she assists visiting researchers with their work — like she did that day. … ” Read more from Capital Public Radio here: How wildfires are transforming California’s most iconic landscapes
To fight wildfire, California gets a surprising solution: A new sawmill
“As California braces for another potentially devastating wildfire season, state officials and some environmental advocates are finding hope for forests in an unexpected place: a new sawmill under construction near Lake Tahoe. Tahoe Forest Products, LLC broke ground last month on a $10 million sawmill in Carson City, Nevada, which sits just across the California border on the eastern side of Lake Tahoe. It will be the first sawmill of its size to be built in the area in nearly a century, according to project leaders. Many scientists say forest-thinning projects are urgently needed in the face of climate change, and the new mill’s supporters believe it will make a major impact in managing wildfires in a heavily wooded region that was threatened just last year by a massive blaze. … ” Read more from Bloomberg here: To fight wildfire, California gets a surprising solution: A new sawmill
Forest Service testing special balloons in Northwest to monitor big wildfires
“The U.S. Forest Service is looking at something different — very different — to improve situational awareness at big wildfires: high altitude balloons. The Forest Service and NASA have teamed up to evaluate the use of remote controlled balloons that can loiter high above fire scenes. The federal agencies are working to finalize a contract with South Dakota-based Aerostar, which has decades of experience flying uncrewed balloons for scientific and military missions. Earlier this month, Aerostar piloted its huge Thunderhead Balloon system over a large wildfire in central Idaho – the Moose Fire – in a demonstration. … ” Read more from OPB here: Forest Service testing special balloons in Northwest to monitor big wildfires
In commentary today …
Newsom promotes ‘water abundance’—but the devil’s in the details
Edward Ring, contributing editor and senior fellow with the California Policy Center, writes, “Standing on the site of a new desalination facility in Antioch, Calif., Governor Newsom recently announced a new water supply strategy. In his remarks, he introduced a disruptive and encouraging theme, one that injects long overdue and much needed balance into the discussion over how to address California’s water crisis. “So much of the water conversation in this state has been about conservation, a scarcity mindset,” Newsom said. “That’s a relatively small component of the overall strategy we are introducing here today … [Now], we are focusing on creating more water.” It would be premature to be cynical about the governor’s remarks. Sooner or later, California’s ruling elite will have to face an inescapable truth: During multi-year droughts, conservation alone cannot possibly balance supply and demand for water. The shortfall, or the required sacrifices, is simply too big. ... ” Read more from the Epoch Times here (Free registration may be required): Newsom promotes ‘water abundance’—but the devil’s in the details
Income producers should get priority for water in California amid drought
Pat Orr writes, “We have a large group of well-meaning bureaucrats and politicians who talk a good fight against the effects of “climate change” but enact few meaningful policies to alleviate one of the top problems we now blame on our changing weather patterns: lack of water. The news is chock full of ugly headlines regarding the future of farming in half the country and water supply cutbacks in all the western states. The federal government demanded the seven states that depend on the Colorado River (as well as Mexico) to reach an agreement on reductions by last week. Then the feds weakened in the face of a 2022 midterm election. Do we really want to enact harsh new cutbacks a few months before an election? It isn’t just the West that is suffering. … ” Continue reading this commentary at the Victorville Daily Press here: Income producers should get priority for water in California amid drought
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
Reclaiming Mouralherwaqh: Wiyot Tribe acquires coastal property for cultural and water quality protection
“In July of this year, though a historic acquisition, the Wiyot Tribe gained back tribal stewardship of a 46-acre coastal property in the ecologically and culturally significant Wiyot place of Mouralherwaqh or “wolf’s house”. Under Wiyot Tribe leadership and stewardship, the site will be prioritized for ecocultural restoration. The property is located near the present day location known as King Salmon at the base of Humboldt Hill and represents the first forestland to be returned to the Tribe. The acquisition project was conceived of and led by the Wiyot Tribe with supporting partnerships from Cal Poly Humboldt, Humboldt Baykeeper, and Friends of the Dunes. It was made possible through a $1.2 million grant from the state Ocean Protection Council (OPC) through its Proposition 1 Grant Program. … ” Read more from Cal Poly Humboldt here: Reclaiming Mouralherwaqh: Wiyot Tribe acquires coastal property for cultural and water quality protection
Northstate communities continue to cut back water usage
“It’s no secret that California is in a drought, and state and local leaders are asking the public to conserve. Many local communities in the Northstate have done a good job at cutting back on water usage during the summer. … According to the California State Water Resources Control Board, Bella Vista water district cut back by almost 40 percent. The city of Redding and Red Bluff have both cut back by about 20 percent. … ” Read more from KRCR here: Northstate communities continue to cut back water usage
BAY AREA
Does the Bay Area have enough water to build housing during the California drought?
“When Contra Costa County supervisors last summer signed off on 125 new homes slated for 30 acres of grazing land in the oak-dotted Tassajara Valley, they were warned water was going to be an issue. Officials with the East Bay Municipal Utility District made clear they opposed extending the agency’s service boundary to send water to the proposed single-family subdivision just east of Danville, especially given the ongoing drought. Supervisors pushed ahead anyway, and the utility district promptly sued to halt development plans. “If there’s a request for us to provide water outside our service area, we typically oppose, and the reasoning would be that we recognize water is not limitless,” said EBMUD spokesperson Andrea Pook. ... ” Read more from the San Jose Mercury News here: Does the Bay Area have enough water to build housing during the California drought?
North Bay water agencies promote conservation during the heat spell
“The recent hot spell that has hit the Bay Area has magnified the need for one of our most precious resources: water. Whether it’s used for keeping a lawn healthy and green, or for staying hydrated while out in the sun, water in the Bay Area is a resource that is no longer as abundant as it used to be. Drought may become a persistent problem, according to Greg Schwartz, a professor of geography and environmental studies. “We will be in a drought for decades and there’s an ebb and flow to that, but we need to develop some habits that make us realize we’re in a drought and to manage our water better,” said Schwartz. He added that we are going to have to change the way we use water. … ” Read more from KTVU here: North Bay water agencies promote conservation during the heat spell
Editorial: Expediting Dipsea Trail bridge plan could be collaborative effort
The Marin Independent Journal editorial board writes, “Having volunteers ready to help with fundraising and their talent to design and build a short bridge along Marin’s famed Dipsea Trail, where it crosses Redwood Creek, should boost the proposed project up the priority list. Installing a bridge would replace a plank that’s been used to cross the creek since an old bridge was destroyed in a 1982 storm. After 40 years, it’s time to build a bridge, one that won’t interfere with the flow of the creek through Muir Woods National Monument and the habitat it provides for salmon. … ” Read more from the Marin Independent Journal here: Editorial: Expediting Dipsea Trail bridge plan could be collaborative effort
Tri-Valley water agencies launch new website, outreach program
“Tri-Valley water agencies have unveiled a new website that is focused on educating residents and businesses about the region’s water supply reliability. The region’s water wholesaler, Zone 7 Water Agency, collaborated with local water providers California Water Service Company in Livermore, the cities of Livermore and Pleasanton, and Dublin San Ramon Services District to put the website together. The reason for creating the website (trivalleywater.org) stemmed from a 2019 water supply evaluation update, which reaffirmed and clarified the need to pursue new water supply options for long-term water reliability in the Tri-Valley, according to a news release. … ” Read more from Pleasanton Weekly here: Tri-Valley water agencies launch new website, outreach program
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
Just the dry facts & nothing but dry facts
“Drought is nothing new for South San Joaquin Irrigation District. There’s been seven droughts since the district that today serves 210,000 people in Manteca, Tracy and Lathrop along with 50,000 acres of irrigated farmland was founded 113 years ago. In the seven years Peter Reitkerk has served as SSJID’s general manager, statistics kept by the Department of Water Resources based on measurements as far back as 1850 in California indicate there’s been two droughts — the one that spanned 2012-2016 and the current one that started three years ago. That, however, is not the whole picture. In reality California — and most of the West — has been in a prolonged dry period since 2005. … ” Read more from the Manteca Bulletin here: Just the dry facts & nothing but dry facts
Firebaugh city manager warns a megastorm could devastate his Calif. community
“Climate scientists are adding a new catastrophe to the list of natural disasters for Californians to worry about – more frequent megastorms. They happen when huge plumes of water vapor form over the Pacific and reach land, where they dump rain and snow for weeks at a time. Megastorms used to occur only every 100 to 200 years. But with climate change, UCLA researchers say to expect one as often as every 50 years. The city of Firebaugh in California’s Central Valley is especially vulnerable. Ben Gallegos is the city manager and a longtime resident of Firebaugh. He says a megastorm could devastate the community he loves. ... ” Read more from National Public Radio here: Firebaugh city manager warns a megastorm could devastate his Calif. community
Bakersfield: Truxtun Lake shows effects of state’s damaging drought
“A local lake is rendered so dry by the ongoing drought you can see dead wildlife. Concerned locals are upset about the wildlife being harmed. Truxtun Lake was once filled to its brim, we last noted in 2016. But three years later, in 2019, the lake already began drying up. Now in 2022, the lake is almost completely gone. “I drive by this lake, which is normally beautiful every day, and I’ve just been observing the wildlife suffering, and I thought to myself, this just isn’t right. It’s a crime against nature,” Susan McCoy, a concerned local, said. ... ” Read more from Channel 12 here: Truxtun Lake shows effects of state’s damaging drought
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
These celebrities are accused of drought restriction violations
“They’re among the biggest names in entertainment and sports: Sylvester Stallone, Dwyane Wade, Kevin Hart, Kim and Kourtney Kardashian. And as Southern California struggles with a third year of punishing drought and unprecedented water restrictions, they may be among the biggest names in water waste in the tony San Fernando Valley enclaves of Calabasas and Hidden Hills, documents obtained by The Times show. The celebrities were among more than 2,000 customers who recently were issued “notices of exceedance” by the Las Virgenes Municipal Water District, indicating that they had surpassed 150% of their monthly water budgets at least four times since the agency declared a drought emergency at the end of last year. … ” Read more from the LA Times here: These celebrities are accused of drought restriction violations
SAN DIEGO
San Diego’s ‘drought proof’ water is proving ever more expensive
“San Diegans arguably have more water than they know what to do with. So much, in fact, officials have been exploring a deal with the federal government to store excess supplies in imperiled Lake Mead. The region, like the rest of California, avoided drought cuts on the Colorado River on Tuesday, when the Federal Bureau of Reclamation issued its dire forecast for the nation’s largest reservoir. Arizona, Nevada and Mexico were not so lucky. While Northern California and much of the Southwest grapple with dry, rapidly warming temperatures, San Diegans have heard relatively little from local leaders this summer about turning off sprinklers, taking shorter showers or ripping out lawns. However, ratepayers are starting to realize that such so-called reliability comes with a hefty price tag. … ” Read more from the San Diego Union-Tribune here: San Diego’s ‘drought proof’ water is proving ever more expensive
U.S., Mexico pledge half a billion dollars to fight cross-border pollution from Tijuana sewage
“A nearly half-billion-dollar investment in new sewage treatment facilities in Tijuana could clean up perpetually polluted beaches in San Diego, U.S. and Mexican officials say. Officials from both countries signed a treaty through the International Boundary and Water Commission that commits to funding new sanitation projects during a ceremony at the Tijuana River National Estuarine Research Reserve in Imperial Beach on Thursday. The agreement pledges about $350 million in U.S. spending and $144 million from the Mexican government to replace failing sewage treatment facilities in Tijuana. … ” Read more from the LA Times here: U.S., Mexico pledge half a billion dollars to fight cross-border pollution from Tijuana sewage
Along the Colorado River …
‘There’s simply not enough water’: Colorado River cutbacks ripple across Arizona
“Up and down the Colorado River last week, the state, local and tribal leaders in charge of water supplies for more than 40 million people waited to see if the federal government would impose deeper cuts to river allocations. And on Tuesday, the government presented its 2023 water forecasts and said based on projected water levels at the two reservoirs, it would institute the next level of water reductions already agreed upon by the seven states and 30 federally recognized tribes within the Colorado River basin. The Drought Contingency Plan outlines specific steps Reclamation would take if the river flows continue to decline. … Few people were entirely satisfied with the government’s announcement, but one stakeholder went further than the others in expressing disappointment, introducing a new wrinkle in talks among the river’s water users. … ” Read more from Arizona Central here: ‘There’s simply not enough water’: Colorado River cutbacks ripple across Arizona
”We’ve got a problem’: Kelly calls on states dependent on Colorado River Basin to ‘step up’
“After four space missions as an astronaut for NASA within the span of a decade, Sen. Mark Kelly says he has seen the effects of climate change firsthand. Now he’s calling on states neighboring Arizona to help address increasing water shortages. “If one guy can see changes in our planet from lower Earth orbit, we’ve got a problem,” the Arizona Democrat said in a guest appearance Sunday morning on CNN’s State of the Union. After the Biden administration’s announcement on water restrictions for states in the Colorado River Basin, Kelly is calling on California, Utah, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico and Nevada to “step up to the plate.” “Specifically, California gets a large portion of water from the Colorado River,” Kelly said while speaking near the Grand Canal in Phoenix. “So it just can’t be on us.” … ” Read more from Arizona Central here: ”We’ve got a problem’: Kelly calls on states dependent on Colorado River Basin to ‘step up’
Colorado River drought holds long-term problems for 40 million people
“It’s August, a hot summer is winding down, and out in the Western U.S. water has become a big concern. The flow and levels in the Colorado River have become so low that last week the federal government announced a Tier 2a water shortage, which requires Arizona, Nevada and Mexico to reduce their use of water from the river by 7% to 21% in 2023. But the bigger story is the long-term impact out West, where agricultural needs and growing populations are bumping into a decadeslong drought — and where it feels like large-scale changes are coming. It’s hard to overstate the importance of the Colorado River Basin in the Southwest. ... ” Read more from NBC News here: Colorado River drought holds long-term problems for 40 million people
A depleted Colorado River is going to force us to rethink water in the West, Robert Gehrke writes.
“It’s a talking point repeated again and again by Utah politicians in response to calls for water conservation: Utah doesn’t actually use all of the Colorado River water its entitled to. Utah Gov. Spencer Cox trotted out the well-worn talking point last week, as the Bureau of Reclamation for the first time reduced the allocations of water to Arizona, Nevada and Mexico. “Many of the Upper Basin states, including Utah, we’re under our allocation,” Cox said in an interview with The Washington Post. “But that doesn’t matter that much when there isn’t enough water to go around.” He’s kinda right and kinda wrong. Utah IS using its full allocation of Colorado River water. The issue is that the river, gripped by the worst drought in 1,200 years, has dwindled dramatically, and with it, so has the amount of water that states like Utah and Colorado are entitled to use. … ” Read more from the Salt Lake Tribune here: A depleted Colorado River is going to force us to rethink water in the West, Robert Gehrke writes.
As Lake Mead water levels drop, so do boating opportunities
“Last month, several cars and boats waited at the Hemenway boat ramp for almost four hours at Lake Mead, the popular reservoir located on the border of Nevada and Arizona. Out of the lake’s six boat ramp areas, the National Park Service closed all but Hemenway Harbor this past May because of low water levels, forcing tourists renting jet skis and boats to spend significantly more time on the boat ramps than actually on the water. To avoid wait times, visitors are now moving downstream toward Laughlin or Bullhead City in Arizona, leaving Lake Mead with notably fewer numbers of tourists and raising concerns among business owners and their representatives. … ” Read more from the Nevada Independent here: As Lake Mead water levels drop, so do boating opportunities
MORE COLORADO RIVER COVERAGE:
- Arizona agriculture groups pitch payment plan for water conservation, from Axios
- Inherit the Dust: The Colorado River is running out of water. No place will be more affected than the arid metropolis of Phoenix, from the Sierra Club
- The Amazon, the Colorado River and a price on nature, from NPR
More news and commentary in the weekend edition …
This weekend in California water news …
What’s in your drinking water? If you live in one of these states, it might soon be recycled sewage- California Drought: Exploring water, drought and La Nina for 2022
- Drought and grid unreliability force three major changes in California energy policy
- Would you rip up your lawn for $6 a square foot? Welcome to drought-stricken California
- Alex Padilla says drought help is on the way at almond plant
- California-Nevada Drought Status Update
- San Joaquin Valley’s most vulnerable communities are hit hardest by climate change
- Carbon farming tackles California’s belching bovines
- Democrats launch major effort to sell Inflation Reduction Act to voters
- Feds cut water off to Klamath farmers for remainder of season
- ‘Megaflood’ warnings resonate in Sonoma County, where historic floods have hit home
- Central Valley residents rally for clean drinking water in Sacramento. ‘This is your fight’
- Progress made on state Salton Sea project as water conservation mandate poses new troubles
- The Colorado River drought is coming for your winter veggies
- ‘Forever chemicals’ destroyed by simple new method
- And more …
Also on Maven’s Notebook today …
ARMY CORPS NOTICE: Application by DWR to conduct annual installation of three temporary flow-control rock barriers in the Delta
NOTICE: Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems Policy Amendments and Conditional Waiver Renewal
Innovative Technology Offers Non-Invasive, Efficient Way to Monitor Fish Populations and Their Habitat
Adventures in Bay-Delta Data: Floating Down the Lazy River
Call for Articles – IEP Summer/Fall Newsletter – Due October 15
