On the calendar today …
- WEBINAR: Turning Water Data into Public Information from 10:30am – 12:30pm. This webcast presents examples of communities, states, and regions turning discrete water quality data into live public information. Examples will include the Chesapeake Monitoring Cooperative, Save the Sound’s Sound Health Explorer, and examples from the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality. Join this webinar to learn more about solutions to the challenges of turning data into information, from adopting standards and technologies, building applications that harness data from the Water Quality Portal, to scoring data for public communication products. Click here to register.
- WEBINAR: 30×30 California and Community Science from 1pm to 2:30pm. Presented by Dr. Jennifer Norris, Deputy Secretary for Biodiversity and Habitat at the California Natural Resources Agency. Jennifer will be joined by Jose Esparza, the Community Science Coordinator with the California Native Plant Society, Rebecca Johnson, Co-Director of the Center for Biodiversity and Community Science with the California Academy of Sciences, Miguel Ordeñana, Senior Manager of Community Science with the Los Angeles County Natural History Museum, and Merav Vonshak, founder of the BioBlitz Club. Please register here. Once you register, you will be sent a link to join the webinar.
California heat wave …
A do or die day for California’s power grid
“Today, California’s power grid is poised to face its biggest test of the summer so far as a record-setting heat wave continues to boil the drought-parched, fire-stricken state. As residents crank up their air conditioners to deal with yet another day of triple-digit temperatures, peak demand could shoot past 51,000 megawatts — surpassing the record of 50,270 megawatts set in 2006, the state’s electric grid operator said Monday. And, unless Californians double or triple their current conservation efforts, the state’s energy supply could fall between 400 and 3,400 megawatts short of demand between 5 p.m. and 9 p.m., resulting in a repeat of 2020’s rolling blackouts, warned Elliot Mainzer, president and CEO of the California Independent System Operator. (The state also risked possible power shutoffs Monday evening, but ultimately avoided them.) … ” Read more from Cal Matters here: A do or die day for California’s power grid
California facing chance of blackouts amid brutal heat wave
“California will face its highest chance of blackouts this year as a brutal heat wave continues to blanket the state with triple-digit heat, officials warned Monday. As people crank up their air conditioners, the state forecast record levels of energy use that could exceed supply Monday evening, said Elliot Mainzer, president of California Independent System Operators, which runs the state’s electrical grid. The state could fall 2,000 to 4,000 megawatts of electricity short of its power supply, which represents as much as 10% of normal demand, he said. State energy officials said the electrical load on Tuesday potentially could hit 51,000 watts, the highest demand ever seen in California. … ” Read more from KRCR here: California facing chance of blackouts amid brutal heat wave
Temporary emergency power generators used for first time to support statewide energy grid during heat wave
“This evening, the California Independent System Operator (ISO) requested the activation of temporary emergency power generators deployed by the Department of Water Resources (DWR) in Roseville and Yuba City. In total, the four generators can provide up to 120 megawatts (MW) of electricity to the statewide power grid during extreme heat events like we are experiencing today. That’s enough electricity to power up to 120,000 homes. This was the first time that the generators were activated since they were installed last year. DWR along with its energy partners at ISO and the California Energy Commission put this plan into motion following Governor Newsom’s executive order in July 2021. We were able to deploy these units quickly and have them ready for any extreme heat events, wildfires, or other climate-driven energy emergencies. … ” Read more from DWR News here: Temporary emergency power generators used for first time to support statewide energy grid during heat wave
Carlsbad desal plant water output cut 20% to conserve power amid heat wave
“Water production at the Carlsbad desalination plan has been temporarily reduced to conserve power while the heat wave stresses California’s electric grid. The Claude “Bud” Lewis Carlsbad Desalination Plant, which can produce up to 50 million gallons per day, typically accounts for about 1% of peak electricity demand in San Diego Gas & Electric’s service area. The San Diego County Water Authority and the plant owners announced a reduction of water production by about 20% for three days beginning Sunday. Regular water deliveries will be made from other sources. … ” Read more from the Times of San Diego here: Carlsbad desal plant water output cut 20% to conserve power amid heat wave
Heat wave day six: Parts of the Bay likely to see temperatures exceeding 110 degrees Tuesday
“The oppressive heat will last through midweek, with an excessive- heat warning for interior bay and valley locations in effect through Thursday. This will include inland East Bay, mainly along Interstate 680 and areas east of I-680, with a maximum high of 110 degrees. In the South Bay, San Jose and Santa Clara Valley highs could peak in the 100s on Tuesday. Across the North Bay, the stretch from Healdsburg to Mill Valley and the Napa Valley, highs Tuesday will vary in the upper 90s and 100s. The East Bay will harbor the hottest temperatures, with widespread 110s east of I-680. We will once again likely see record-breaking temperatures that could result in temperatures exceeding 115 degrees in Solano County, including Fairfield. Skies will be sunny and winds will be light, meaning residents can expect hot, stagnant-feeling heat. Fire danger will also be high, because of the low humidity, and dry conditions. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle here: Heat wave day six: Parts of the Bay likely to see temperatures exceeding 110 degrees Tuesday
Sweltering California could become the first state to rank heat waves
“When natural disasters such as hurricanes, wildfires or tornadoes strike in the United States, the calamities are given rankings and names to emphasize the havoc they wreak. But no similar ranking system exists to highlight the deadly toll of extreme heat, such as the scorching heat wave that baked the state over the weekend and was expected to worsen heading into the Labor Day holiday. Gov. Gavin Newsom has a bill on his desk that could change that by requiring the state to start ranking the severity of extreme heat events. AB2238 would require California’s Environmental Protection Agency to create a new ranking system no later than Jan. 1, 2025. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle here: Sweltering California could become the first state to rank heat waves
In this part of California, it’s downright chilly. But beware of “fogburn.”
“There’s a saying about the denizens of this foggy timber town: They don’t tan. They rust. That’s because it’s usually so misty, so salty, and so gray here along California’s far northern coast, said Don Hofacker. But sometimes, he emphasized, it does “get pretty doggone hot.” “It does get extremely warm here,” Hofacker said. “It gets up to 82 at times.” Hofacker, 69, is a docent at the maritime museum on the Samoa Peninsula, the narrow spit of sand on the Humboldt Bay where he lives. As he mused about his hometown, the afternoon temperature was 56 degrees. This was 24 hours after both Burbank and Woodland Hills broke daily heat records last week, topping out at 112 degrees. Told about the temperatures down in sunny Southern California, Hofacker joked that he could think of one other place with that kind of heat: hell. … ” Read more at the LA Times here: In this part of California, it’s downright chilly. But beware of “fogburn.”
In California water news today …
Poop and pee fueled the huge algae bloom in San Francisco Bay. Fixing the problem could cost $14 billion
“After an unprecedented harmful algae bloom first turned San Francisco Bay a murky brown color and then littered its shores with dead fish, many people assumed it was yet another climate disaster to add to the list, along with extreme drought, wildfires and heat waves. While scientists suspect climate change played a role in triggering the bloom, what fueled it is not a mystery. Algae blooms need food to grow, and this one had plenty: nutrients originating in wastewater that the region’s 37 sewage plants pump into the bay. In other words —we wouldn’t have this problem without the poop and pee of the Bay Area’s 8 million residents. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle here: Poop and pee fueled the huge algae bloom in San Francisco Bay. Fixing the problem could cost $14 billion
Europe was once green and water-rich. Now, it’s more and more like California
“Each spring and summer, Frederic Esniol plants millions of seeds for lettuce sold at big grocery chains, making his family farm a jewel of this historically bountiful region of France. But this year, a menacing combination of dry skies and record-setting heat has ruined about half of his water-hungry crop, threatening the 270-acre business about 70 miles northeast of the Mediterranean port city of Marseille. “We’ve never seen a drought like this before,” said Esniol, 55, a fourth-generation farmer. It’s not only France. A withered Europe faces what scientists say could be its worst water shortage in the hundreds of years on record. … ” Read more from the LA Times here: Europe was once green and water-rich. Now, it’s more and more like California
How to cut your water use in half
“As of mid-August, more than 40 percent of the U.S. and almost 50 percent of the lower 48 states were in drought, according to drought.gov, an offshoot of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Photographs of the Colorado River at low flow are stunning—and not in a good way. In fact, the federal government recently announced a second round of water restrictions in the seven states that rely on water from the Colorado River Basin. Even in the East, states and communities have responded with limits on nonessential water use. Unfortunately, such restrictions may be the new normal. That makes right now a prime time to assess your water consumption habits and challenge your water conservation IQ, even if you’re not among the 40 million Americans affected by the water shortage in the West. There are lots of ways to conserve water floating around, but two of the best are to replace water-wasting appliances and fixtures, and to modify your lifestyle. … ” Read more from Consumer Reports here: How to cut your water use in half
California’s water works: Engineering wonder that made the Golden State what it is today
“California — without a doubt — has the most intricate and massive water storage and transfer system man has ever created. It is the largest, most productive, and most controversial water system in the world that harnesses nature using man’s ingenuity. At its northern most reaches it captures the snow run-off of the Modoc Plateau — volcanic highlands in northeast California and southeast Oregon — that is drained by the Pit River. Snow blanketing the hills of the Modoc Plateau melts and starts a long journey in the form of water. The journey’s end for water — that makes it that far — are faucets and water taps in San Diego less than a mile from the border of Mexico. ... ” Read more from the Manteca Bulletin here: California’s water works: Engineering wonder that made the Golden State what it is today
Financing natural infrastructure: South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project
“This technical note is part of a series collaboratively produced by the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE)–Institute for Water Resources (IWR) and the US Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC). It describes the funding and financing process for the South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project in San Francisco Bay, California and documents successful examples of funding natural infrastructure projects. The research effort is a collaboration between the Engineering With Nature® (EWN®) and Systems Approach to Geomorphic Engineering (SAGE) programs of USACE.” Read the full technical note from Army Corps Engineering with Nature here: Financing natural infrastructure: South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project
Agave proving to be an ideal crop in California
Climate change raises new challenges for marijuana farmers
“Wildfires and droughts ravaging agricultural land around the world have raised the stakes for cannabis farmers, who must decide whether to cultivate their plants in greenhouses or out in fields. Indoor growing can produce more crops and greater profits, but it has more carbon emissions and high startup costs. Farmers of sun-grown cannabis may save on these costs, but they face the risk of wildfires burning the land or smoking out crops, not to mention water shortages and extreme weather conditions. And when drought strikes, California cannabis farmers may not be offered the same benefits and protections as farmers of crops like rice or nuts. ... ” Continue reading from Bloomberg here: Climate change raises new challenges for marijuana farmers
Why this underappreciated rodent is one of California’s best chances to fight climate change
“They’re stocky, furry and usually a bit damp, and they’ve been underappreciated for decades. But not anymore. Meet one of California’s best climate-change fighting tools: the beaver. Lauded as some of nature’s most effective engineers, a motivated group of beavers can divert rivers and streams with their dams of sticks and mud and, in doing so, keep the land they occupy moist, helping fight the ongoing drought. That moisture can also play a key role in slowing the state’s virulent wildfire season — flames can’t burn wet sticks. Smokey Bear? Think Smokey Beaver instead. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle here: Why this underappreciated rodent is one of California’s best chances to fight climate change
SEE ALSO: It was war. Then, a rancher’s truce with some pesky beavers paid off, from the New York Times
California’s network of 124 Marine Protected Areas is ready for its 10 year review
“10 years and counting for California’s network of Marine Protected Areas. California’s Marine Life Protection Act became law in 1999 and was implemented regionally from 2004 to 2012 through an inclusive public-private partnership that involved stakeholders, science advisors, natural resource managers and policymakers. The MLPA called for a scientifically designed network of Marine Protected Areas which by 2012, included approximately 16% of state waters in 124 marine protected areas, 59 of which are fully protected no-take Marine Protected Areas along California’s more than 1,100-mile coastline. … ” Read more from the OC Register here: California’s network of 124 Marine Protected Areas is ready for its 10 year review | Read via Mercury News
California takes action to cut more plastics waste, including grocery produce bags
“Two months after state lawmakers passed sweeping legislation designed to reduce plastic waste, they’ve ponied up and passed more than a half-dozen new bills that will further reduce and clean up California’s waste stream. If Gov. Gavin Newsom signs the bills — and most observers think he will — a visit to the grocery, electronics or general retail store will fundamentally change for most residents. “If any one of these bills had passed, it’d have been huge,” said Nick Lapis, director of advocacy for Californians Against Waste. “But all of these together? It’s incredible.” … ” Read more from the LA Times here: California takes action to cut more plastics waste, including grocery produce bags
In commentary today …
Delta Flows: California surface waters are in peril, and all we got is this lousy tunnel.
Barbara Barrigan-Parilla with Restore the Delta writes, “Despite knowing for some time that the Delta Conveyance Project (DCP) was advancing, when the Department of Water Resources (DWR) dropped the environmental impact report (EIR) for the project at the end of July, we, at Restore the Delta, felt like we were suffering from post-traumatic stress syndrome. The remnants of CalFed, the Chunnel, BDCP, CA WaterFix, and now the DCP – it is too much. There are so many other issues that need attention to restore the health of the Bay-Delta estuary and California’s rivers, including but not limited to harmful algal bloom research and mitigation, fishery health, habitat restoration, flood control, drought management, preparing for climate change impacts, managing invasive species, heat islands, fire threats, improving water quality for all its uses, and the Bay-Delta Plan. … ” Continue reading from Restore the Delta here: Delta Flows: California surface waters are in peril, and all we got is this lousy tunnel.
On desalination and drought with activist Conner Everts
“This May, a coalition of water advocates won a victory against the Poseidon desalination plant planned for Huntington Beach, California. As part of the 22-year effort, Food & Water Watch helped to shut down plans for the plant. If it had been approved, Poseidon would have wreaked havoc on marine life and driven up community water rates. At the same time, the plant would have bypassed more cost-effective, more sustainable and more just conservation solutions. Our Manger of Individual Philanthropy Leah Garland sat down with Conner Everts, long-time water activist and consultant. They discuss the Poseidon fight, the dangers of desalination and the future of water in California. This interview was edited for clarity and length. … ” Read more from Food and Water Watch here: On desalination and drought with activist Conner Everts
In regional water news and commentary today …
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
Commentary: Tahoe clarity: Known knowns and movement to understand the lake’s future
Dr. Sudeep Chandra, Tahoe Science Advisory Council Cochair and Professor at the University of Nevada Reno; Dr. Alan Heyvaert, Lead of the Tahoe Clarity Data Synthesis and Analysis Subcommittee and Research Professor at the Desert Research Institute; and Dr. Ramon Naranjo, Tahoe Science Advisory Council Cochair and Research Hydrologist at the USGS, write, “The stunning, blue color of Lake Tahoe has long captured our attention. These brilliant hues are a result of the lake’s renowned water clarity. Scientists use clarity as a key measurement to evaluate the lake’s health. Clarity data is collected by lowering a 10-inch diameter white Secchi disk into offshore waters and measuring the depth at which it disappears from sight. This data has been collected since the 1960s, making Tahoe one of the longest studied lakes in the world when it comes to water quality and clarity monitoring. This long-term dataset has provided scientists with an opportunity to evaluate changes or patterns in Lake Tahoe’s clarity. Although data indicate the lake has lost about a third of its historic clarity depth since monitoring began, that long-term pattern of decline has started to change. … ” Read more from the Tahoe Daily Tribune here: Commentary: Tahoe clarity: Known knowns and movement to understand the lake’s future
NAPA/SONOMA
Town Hall looks at water shortages in Sonoma County and says drought could continue at least through November
“Sonoma County held a drought town hall on Thursday which touched on all aspects of water– and the lack of it– in the county and state and how it will affect residents, fire risk, and the future. Sonoma County Supervisor Chris Coursey led the discussion, which involved representatives from the county, nonprofits, Sonoma Water and the National Weather Service. First up was an overview of where the county stands water-wise. On the state’s categories of drought severity, Sonoma County stands in the “middle,” according to Coursey, who said it is experiencing “severe” drought. … ” Continue reading at SF Gate here: Town Hall looks at water shortages in Sonoma County and says drought could continue at least through November
BAY AREA
Bay Area will see brutal temperatures for a few more days, but cold front coming
“Those looking for relief from the hot weather won’t find it Monday, or Tuesday, as a high pressure system centering over Lake Tahoe will bring triple-digit temperatures during the holiday’s afternoon and not much relief overnight. The forecast comes as an excessive heat warning is in place for the inland Bay Area through Wednesday, with temperatures expected to peak at 110 degrees through Tuesday. There’s also a heat advisory through Tuesday for coastal areas and bay shorelines with the potential for highs reaching 98 degrees in those areas. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle here: Bay Area will see brutal temperatures for a few more days, but cold front coming
Point Reyes water quality tests find high bacteria levels
“New water quality tests conducted at several waterways in the Point Reyes National Seashore found unsafe levels of fecal bacteria, including up to 170 times the state health standard for E. coli at one site. The tests were performed by Douglas Lovell of the Streamborn environmental engineering firm in Berkeley. Environmental organizations that raised funds to hire Lovell said the test results are the latest proof that the National Park Service is not efficiently addressing water pollution caused by private cattle and dairy ranches that lease land from the park. “If Yosemite had private ranching, this amount of unchecked pollution, people would be losing their minds across the country,” said Scott Webb of the Olema-based Turtle Island Restoration Network, the lead sponsor of the tests and an opponent of ranching in the seashore. … ” Read more from the Marin Independent Journal here: Point Reyes water quality tests find high bacteria levels
Sturgeon fishing safe for now; Bay population likely most at risk
“The state Department of Fish and Wildlife said no changes to the sturgeon fishery regulations are being considered at this time. Officials said the information pool is, as of yet, too shallow. “There have been no discussions about regulation changes to the sturgeon fishery as a result of the harmful algal bloom. We are still evaluating the loss of this event and we don’t know, or even have a good estimation of, what portion of the population has been lost. We will look at fisheries options once we have a better picture of the scale of this event,” Jordan Traverso, deputy director of communications for the state agency, said in an email that corrected a mistakened comment from Thursday. … ” Read more from the Daily Republic here: Sturgeon fishing safe for now; Bay population likely most at risk
Suisun council to discuss climate change study
“The City Council will be provided a presentation Tuesday on flooding resiliency. Elena Karoulina from Sustainable Solano will give the presentation. … The flooding topic goes hand-in-hand with the city’s look into the possible effects of climate change, and of particular concern, is flooding – more specifically, flooding in the harbor area due to sea level rise. ... ” Read more from the Daily Republic here: Suisun council to discuss climate change study
CENTRAL COAST
Monterey’s Lower Presidio: Keeping a park from slipping away
“In 2015, the Old Monterey Foundation struck a deal with the city of Monterey to restore the Lower Presidio Historic Park. The agreement took some pressure off the city in preserving and improving the 26-acre space, an ambition Monterey promised to see through – but never quite realized – when it leased the property from the Army in 1996. The Old Monterey Foundation volunteered to offset the financial shortfall. New walkways and interpretive signage soon followed and enlisting the extra help seemed a soaring success for the city. Even after the partnership formally ended last year, the nonprofit retained lofty development plans on its own. … ” Read more from the Monterey Herald here: Monterey’s Lower Presidio: Keeping a park from slipping away
Caltrans gets $7.6 million for stormwater clean-up devices along Ventura County highways
“Funded with $7.6 million from the state, the California Department of Transportation plans to construct and install devices to purify stormwater runoff along highways 34, 101 and 150 in Ventura County. The devices will reduce the amount of trash deposited into the Ventura River Estuary in Ventura, the Revolon Slough in Oxnard and the Beardsley Wash near Oxnard, Caltrans says. The agency will install biofiltration swales, which are effective at trapping litter, soil particles and particulate metals from runoff, according to Caltrans. Also to be installed are devices that remove gross solids 3/16-inch or greater and sand filters. … ” Read more from the Ventura County Star here: Caltrans gets $7.6 million for stormwater clean-up devices along Ventura County highways
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
South San Joaquin Irrigation District canals could be used to generate hydro & solar power
“Water and power. It is what drives economic prosperity. That is why South San Joaquin Irrigation District that has spent the last 113 years securing, developing and protecting water supplies for Manteca Ripon, and Escalon is pursuing a three-prong strategy in a bid to harness the same water to generate lower cost “green” electricity. The highest profile — and the one only that the district is committed to pursuing — is the eventual acquisition of the retail delivery system within its boundaries that is currently operated by PG&E. … ” Read more from the Manteca Bulletin here: South San Joaquin Irrigation District canals could be used to generate hydro & solar power
‘What am I going to do?’ Small growers especially apprehensive of a future without burning
“When Dennis Hutson learned that a tool he relies on to maintain his row crops would be banned, he could hardly believe it. Soon, he will not be allowed to burn weeds and prunings to manage his 60 acres of okra, alfalfa and mustard greens in the unincorporated, historically Black community of Allensworth in Tulare County. “Oh my, what am I going to do? That was my first thought because we have began to rely upon the burning,” he said. In 2021, nearly 20 years after a state law initially sought to ban ag burning, air regulators at the local and state level agreed on a plan to phase the practice out almost entirely by 2025. They promote whole orchard recycling as an alternative and make grants available to offset the costs. But farmers who run smaller operations remain skeptical they can afford it. The San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District doesn’t distribute incentive funds based on need. … ” Continue reading from Valley Public Radio here: ‘What am I going to do?’ Small growers especially apprehensive of a future without burning
As water levels drop in California’s Lake Isabella, a Wild West ghost town re-emerges
“At Lake Isabella, nestled within the southern Sierra Nevada foothills in Central California, the telltale signs of drought are all too visible. The shoreline resembles a giant toilet bowl ring around the lake’s edge, while the detritus of long-forgotten secrets in various stages of decay poke up from the lake’s bottom. Now at 8% capacity, the man-made lake is revealing the foundations of one of the Wild West’s most infamous towns — and it’s all visible from the shore, or accessible by boat. Welcome to the re-emergence of Whiskey Flat: one of the wildest, most storied, tragedy-laden places to ever come out of the Old West and the Gold Rush era. … ” Read more from SF Gate here: As water levels drop in California’s Lake Isabella, a Wild West ghost town re-emerges
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Perris Dam project threatens Perris Auto Speedway, fairgrounds businesses, lawsuit alleges
“Revving engines and bucking bulls offer year-round thrills at the Perris fairgrounds when it’s not Southern California Fair season. But the owners of Perris Auto Speedway, Toro Wapo Arena Event Center and the Family A Fair Inc. concessions company fear what will happen to the car races, rodeos and live music — and the people whose jobs depend on them — when construction starts on a multi-year project at the Perris Dam. They’ve sued the California Department of Water Resources, which is overseeing the Perris Dam Modernization Project. Since filing suit last October, they allege they’re being harassed by state agencies through overzealous inspections. … ” Read more from the Riverside Press-Enterprise here: Perris Dam project threatens Perris Auto Speedway, fairgrounds businesses, lawsuit alleges
IMPERIAL/COACHELLA VALLEYS
‘A land of permanent drought’: Desert golf courses work to cut water usage
“In charge of 500 acres of irrigated turf at Sun City Palm Desert, including two 18-hole golf courses, parks and softball fields for the 50-and-over community of 5,000 homes, Tyler Truman is no stranger to concerns about how much water the courses and the surrounding areas are using. “I can see where (the critics) are coming from,” said Truman, director of agronomy at Sun City, which includes the two golf courses at the Mountain Vista Golf Club. “And you listen to them. And then you try to educate them. This is how we are trying to use the water. This is how we are using the water.” As the drought in the southwest deepens, with a first-ever Level 2a Shortage Condition declared for the Colorado River – a major source of water for the desert and all of Southern California — golf courses in the Coachella Valley are aware that golf is always a target for those looking at water usage. … ” Read more from the Desert Sun here: ‘A land of permanent drought’: Desert golf courses work to cut water usage
SAN DIEGO
8 common stormwater pollutants in San Diego — and how you can help
“In this time of intense heat and drought, it’s also important to think about … stormwater? Talk of storms — rain of any kind, really — might seem out of place right now, during a weekend when temperatures are forecast to hover near 100 degrees and, in many areas, dry landscapes appear to crunch underfoot. But it’s also an ideal time to help prevent pollution. Summer activities such as watering your yard or washing your car can still carry these pollutants to the storm drains. During the dry months, these pollutants can build up, but if we all do our part now, we can reduce the amount of pollutants that make their way to our waterways when the first rain of the season hits. … ” Read the full article at the San Diego Union-Tribune here: 8 common stormwater pollutants in San Diego — and how you can help
Along the Colorado River …
Parched California prepares for first-ever Colorado River cuts
“Officials in California are closing in on an agreement to give up a significant portion of the water the state gets from the Colorado River, bowing to an emergency demand made by the federal government earlier this summer. Executives from two large water districts in the Golden State, which service the Los Angeles metropolitan area and the agriculture-heavy Imperial Valley, told Grist that they’re making progress on negotiations to leave roughly 10 percent of the state’s Colorado River water allocation in reservoirs next year, or at least 100 trillion gallons. The officials indicated that they may reach a deal as soon as this month, and said they believe other states will follow suit with cuts of their own, helping the federal government achieve its goal of stabilizing the Colorado’s two drought-wracked reservoirs, Lake Powell and Lake Mead. ... ” Read more from Grist here: Parched California prepares for first-ever Colorado River cuts
Las Vegas isn’t betting on Mother Nature to solve its water problems. Here’s how it intends to win
“For a city in the desert, water conservation must be a way of life. But amid a prolonged megadrought that has depleted water resources across the Southwest, the need to save every drop has intensified in Southern Nevada. Las Vegas knows the stakes are high, and it isn’t gambling on Mother Nature to solve its water problems. Instead, the city is betting on extreme water-saving measures to keep the taps flowing. Here’s how it intends to win. … ” Read more from CNN here: Las Vegas isn’t betting on Mother Nature to solve its water problems. Here’s how it intends to win
Reclamation: Upper Basin reservoirs insufficient to save Lake Powell
“Flaming Gorge Reservoir, which Bureau of Reclamation officials have used twice during the past two years to add water to the rapidly deteriorating Colorado River system, likely has only enough water left for two more emergency releases, according reclamation officials. Last summer, the Bureau of Reclamation ordered the release of 125,000 acre-feet of water from Flaming Gorge, located in the northeast corner of Utah and the southwest corner of Wyoming, to help keep Lake Powell from falling too low to produce power. Then, earlier this summer, Reclamation announced that it would release another 500,000 acre-feet of water from Flaming Gorge and hold back 480,000 acre-feet in Powell instead of releasing it downstream to Lake Mead, as it would normally do. … ” Read more from the Colorado Springs Gazette here: Reclamation: Upper Basin reservoirs insufficient to save Lake Powell
SEE ALSO: Feds: Colorado River’s Flaming Gorge Reservoir able only to deliver two more emergency water releases, from Water Education Colorado
Climate change is ravaging the Colorado River. There’s a model to avert the worst.
“The water managers of the Yakima River basin in arid Central Washington know what it’s like to fight over water, just like their counterparts along the Colorado River are fighting now. They know what it’s like to be desperate, while drought, climate change, population growth and agriculture shrink water supplies to crisis levels. They understand the acrimony among the seven Colorado Basin states, unable to agree on a plan for deep cuts in water use that the federal government has demanded to stave off disaster. But a decade ago, the water managers of the Yakima Basin tried something different. Tired of spending more time in courtrooms than at conference tables, and faced with studies showing the situation would only get worse, they hashed out a plan to manage the Yakima River and its tributaries for the next 30 years to ensure a stable supply of water. The circumstances aren’t completely parallel, but some experts on Western water point to the Yakima plan as a model for the kind of cooperative effort that needs to happen on the Colorado right now. … ” Read more from the New York Times here: Climate change is ravaging the Colorado River. There’s a model to avert the worst.
In national water news today …
EPA finalizes cyber technical support plan
“Recently, the U.S. EPA’s Office of Water finalized a report describing how it plans to provide voluntary cybersecurity technical support to drinking water systems, the second of two cyber-related actions that were mandated by Congress last year as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The infrastructure law first required EPA to develop a “prioritization framework” to identify public water systems that “if degraded or rendered inoperable due to an incident, would lead to significant impacts on the health and safety of the public.” The Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies described that framework, which was released in May, and outlined how EPA would prioritize delivering technical cybersecurity aid to water systems during a scenario where the demand for such aid outstripped the agency’s near-term capacity to provide it. ... ” Read more from Water Finance & Management here: EPA finalizes cyber technical support plan
The summer drought’s hefty toll on American crops
“It was a bad year for corn. And for tomatoes. And for many other American crops. Farmers, agricultural economists and others taking stock of this summer’s growing season say drought conditions and extreme weather have wreaked havoc on many row crops, fruits and vegetables, with the American Farm Bureau Federation suggesting yields could be down by as much as a third compared with last year. American corn is on track to produce its lowest yield since the drought of 2012, according to analysts at Rabobank, which collects data about commodity markets. … ” Read more from the Washington Post here: The summer drought’s hefty toll on American crops
No pooh-poohing poo: Researchers envision an extreme circular economy
“Imagine you’re eating dinner on a ceramic plate and drinking water from a plastic cup while sitting in a brick house — a seemingly ordinary scenario except that your plate, cup, and your home are all fashioned in part from recycled feces. Now imagine using your poop to propel a spaceship to and from Mars and shield you from cosmic radiation along the way. In my upcoming book, “Flush: The Remarkable Science of an Unlikely Treasure,” I describe how the misunderstood byproduct of our daily living is a vastly undervalued natural resource. Poop has power: as medicine, fertilizer, biomethane gas and reclaimed water, among other proven applications. But that’s just scratching the surface of our excremental potential; its biological, chemical and physical attributes have inspired even more wide-ranging and forward-looking brainstorming about what else we can create from our waste. … ” Read more from CNN here: No pooh-poohing poo: Researchers envision an extreme circular economy
Could the drying up of Europe’s great rivers be the new normal?
“Along the fabled Danube River, which snakes its way for 1,800 miles from the Black Forest in Germany to the Black Sea in Romania, scores of towns — such as the small Romanian port of Zimnicea on the Bulgarian border — depend on the waterway for their livelihood. But this summer’s epic drought and historic high temperatures, now in a fifth grueling month, have depleted the once-mighty Danube, upending everything that Zimnicea’s residents — port workers, farmers, the shipping industry, anglers, restaurant owners, and families — had for generations counted on to sustain themselves. Never in living memory has the river run so low, with large areas of mud-cracked river bottom exposed along Zimnicea’s shorelines, the dead mollusks evidence of the devastating toll on riverine life. … ” Read more from Yale e360 here: Could the drying up of Europe’s great rivers be the new normal?
And lastly …
How about we let Minnesota and California duke it out over water?
John Connerton from Minnesota writes, “Hi there, Palm Springs. Minnesota here again. Well, so far there have not been any takers on my proposal to trade water for sports teams. It’s also clear we can’t leave this to politicians, especially in a midterm election year. Who wants to wait that long? So, I have another suggestion: How about some kind of competition? Before you die laughing, hear me out. I know head-to-head we can’t compete with you guys with our tiny landmass, miniscule population and backwards culture. But keep in mind, we do have water. So, here’s my proposal: You guys pick a champion and we pick a champion, and we just have it out, winner take all. Either you guys end up with all the water, or we end up with all the sports teams. It’s all on the line! A number of options come to mind for this, here are a few ideas … ” Read more from the Desert Sun here: How about we let Minnesota and California duke it out over water?
More news and commentary in the weekend edition …
- Facing ‘dead pool’ risk, California braces for painful water cuts from Colorado River
- Northern California winter predictions have arrived. Here’s what the experts are saying
- Could auctions help California make better use of its water? This leading economist believes so
- Blue-green algae not sighted this year in Lake Oroville
- Study: Groundwater pumped from subsided islands back into Delta channels can be laden with excess nitrogen
- State to boost beaver efforts
- No Water Out There: After a water expert resigned in protest, will California get serious about aridification?
- DWR takes steps to support statewide energy grid during climate emergency
- Extreme weather is weakening U.S. hydropower and stressing energy grids
- PFAS-disclosure legislation moves to Governor’s desk
- California lawmakers pass bill creating statewide heatwave ranking system
- Newsom’s call now: Tracking California bills passed in the 2022 legislative session
- And more …
Also on Maven’s Notebook today …
NOTICE: Delta Conveyance Project Draft EIR Virtual Public Hearings Information
NOTICE: Public Notice for a Department of the Army In-Lieu Fee Project
