On the calendar today …
- MEETING: State Water Resources Control Board beginning at 9:30am. Agenda items include Consideration of Adoption of the proposed Statewide Construction Stormwater General Permit Reissuance. Click here for the full agenda and remote access instructions.
- PUBLIC MEETING: California Advisory Committee on Salmon and Steelhead Trout from 10am to 4pm. Agenda items include an Update on CDFW Drought actions for anadromous salmonids, Programmatic permitting for CDFW salmonid restoration programs; and the process for geographic and species prioritization for the Proposition 1 and Fisheries Restoration Grants programs. Click here for the full agenda and remote access instructions.
- WEBINAR: Drought Prediction: Water Availability Prediction for Ecosystems – End User Listening Session from 10am – 11am. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and NOAA’s National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS) are pleased to announce a series of listening sessions to seek input on priorities and needs related to predicting water availability changes under drought conditions at national and regional scales. This input will be used to guide USGS Drought Program planning and orientation, as well as to inform other national drought programs. This listening session, held on September 8, 2022, will include a short introduction to water availability prediction products for ecosystems, followed by guided discussions with participants on research priorities for product development or improvement at the national and/or regional scale. Click here to register.
In California water news today …
July 2022 urban water use 10.4% lower than in July 2020
“Statewide water use dropped in July by 10.4% relative to July 2020, as state conservation actions continued to take hold and build momentum toward greater water savings. Most residential water use occurs outdoors during warm weather, making summer the season with the greatest opportunity for conservation. The State Water Resources Control Board’s recent emergency conservation regulation, enacted in June, has contributed to steadily increasing water savings during the summer months. Many local utilities and suppliers have set restrictions on residential outdoor watering as well, reinforcing the impact of state-level actions. Statewide water use prohibitions adopted by the State Water Board in January 2022 are also still in effect. ...
Water use drops 10% in July as California deals with drought
“Californians stepped up their water conservation in July, using 10.4% less than two years ago as the state struggles with a years-long drought, state water officials said Wednesday. July marks the first full month that new conservation rules like a ban on watering decorative grass were in effect, which state water officials said helped make a difference. Water use started to trend down in June after a bump in April and May. Still, conservation over the past year is still far below the 15% drop Gov. Gavin Newsom requested in summer 2021 as the state fought to maintain critical water supplies in anticipation of a drier year ahead. Statewide, water use is down since then by just 3.4% compared with 2020, the year Newsom is measuring against. ... ” Read more from KPBS here: Water use drops 10% in July as California deals with drought
Conserve groundwater. Fallow farmland. Increase dust?
“For a century, California’s San Joaquin Valley has been known as “the food basket of the world.” The 27,500-square mile region currently produces over $34 billion worth of food each year, a productivity made possible only by its large-scale irrigation projects and unrestrained groundwater pumping. In 2015, however, California passed the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA), making it last Western state to regulate its groundwater — and bringing the San Joaquin Valley into compliance with the law will require retiring over 500,000 acres of its farmland in the next 20 years. While SGMA’s regulations are for the greater good — achieving sustainable water use in an increasingly unpredictable climate — they are likely to have negative effects on the ground. According to Land Transitions and Dust in the San Joaquin Valley, a July 25 report by the nonprofit, nonpartisan think tank Public Policy Institute of California, fallowing those 500,000 acres is likely to create significant amounts of dust in a region already has the country’s worst air quality. If the land is simply taken out of production and left unused, SGMA’s climate adaptation goals could worsen existing environmental injustices in the area’s frontline communities. … ” Read more from High Country News here: Conserve groundwater. Fallow farmland. Increase dust?
New report: Left Out in Drought: California Fish
“The report, “Left Out in Drought: California Fish,” finds warmer water temperatures, increasing algal blooms, and lower stream flows associated with the 2020-present drought have exacerbated the long-term decline of California’s fish populations and threatened the continued survival of some native fish species, many of which face extinction. Fish population health is recognized as a major indicator of freshwater ecosystem health more broadly. The report synthesizes and summarizes US Geological Survey (USGS) flow data, state and federal fish counts, reports from state and federal agencies, and peer-reviewed literature. While the report focuses on data from the Sacramento River, San Joaquin River, and San Francisco Bay-Delta, the findings illuminate broader trends for drought-related impacts to fish and freshwater ecosystems across California and beyond.” Read the report from the Pacific Institute here: New report: Left Out in Drought: California Fish
A fight for the right to clean water and sanitation in California’s unincorporated communities
“An astounding 12 to 37 percent of the US population live in what are known as ‘unincorporated communities,’ which are not governed by a local municipality, and therefore may lack basic services that most towns and cities provide. Throughout California, there are hundreds of disadvantaged unincorporated communities. Approximately 310,000 people in unincorporated communities in the Central Valley of California, a major agricultural region of the state – lack access to adequate plumbing and wastewater services. Several of them rely on onsite systems for wastewater treatment, and the proper maintenance, repairs, and replacements of these systems are too expensive for residents. As a result, many residents face problems associated with failing onsite systems such as polluted groundwater, foul odors, and public health risks. ... ” Read more from the Kresge Foundation here: A fight for the right to clean water and sanitation in California’s unincorporated communities
SEE ALSO: Initiative launched to aid US areas without wastewater treatment, from Civil Engineering Source
Hurricane Kay’s remnants could bring rare deluge, flooding to California
“With much of California baking under a record-breaking September heat wave, it seems hard to believe that the weather could get any more unusual. However, as soon as Thursday, Southern California and other parts of the Southwest may contend with another extreme event.Remnants of Hurricane Kay — the storm is currently about 200 miles southwest of Mexico’s Baja California — are forecast to bring substantial rainfall and possible flooding to the region Friday and Saturday. Some areas, particularly in interior Southern California, could see multiple inches of rain.“Confidence is rapidly increasing for a significant rainfall event across Southern California, Arizona, and eventually central California and Nevada into Saturday,” the National Weather Service wrote in an online discussion Wednesday. ... ” Read more from the Washington Post here: Hurricane Kay’s remnants could bring rare deluge, flooding to California | Read via MSN News
Extreme heat continues in NorCal as Hurricane Kay approaches from south, with significant SoCal impacts possible
“Let me just start by saying that this is perhaps the singularly most unusual and extreme weather week in quite some time in California–and that is saying something. Whew. The (ongoing) extreme heatwave across California, the focus of my last blog post, has produced any number of benchmark-setting temperature records in recent days. Places in NorCal, including Sacramento, Livermore, Santa Rosa, and Ukiah, set new all-time high temperature records in the 115-117F range. And the heat isn’t over yet–the interior of NorCal continues to experience temperatures that would be all-time Sep record-breaking but for the even higher temperatures earlier this week (so they are “merely” daily records now). … ” Read more from Weather West here: Extreme heat continues in NorCal as Hurricane Kay approaches from south, with significant SoCal impacts possible
SEE ALSO: Why Hurricane Kay won’t make landfall, from Forbes
Map shows California’s current drought status as record heat bakes the region
“Record-breaking temperatures are scorching California, baking an already dry region. On Tuesday, downtown Sacramento broke an almost century old record with an all-time high temperature of 116 degrees. Throughout California, power grids are straining as energy usage soars, teetering towards potential blackouts. Heat waves are known for worsening drought conditions. According to the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions, an environmental non-profit, heat waves intensified prolonged drought in 2020 in the western and central United States. … ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee here: Map shows California’s current drought status as record heat bakes the region
Exceptional drought hit Central Valley California, threaten national food security and global food chain at large
The California Farm Water Coalition writes, “CFWC Executive Director, Mike Wade, appeared on China Central Television (CCTV) recently to talk about California’s drought and the need for further investments in California’s water supply infrastructure. Also appearing in the story were San Joaquin Valley farmer, Joe Del Bosque, Almond Board of California President and CEO, Richard Waycott, and Caitlin Boyer of the Department of Water Resources. Recently, the western region of the United States has experienced continuous high temperature and dry weather. California, located in the western United States, is an important agricultural state, where the production of various crops accounts for an important proportion in the United States and even the world. The continued high temperature and drought this summer have brought severe challenges to local agriculture. Recently, a CCTV reporter visited farms in central California. … ” Read transcript or watch video at the California Farm Water Coalition here: Exceptional drought hit Central Valley California, threaten national food security and global food chain at large
September 2022 La Niña update: it’s Q & A time
“Ocean and atmospheric conditions tell us that La Niña—the cool phase of the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) climate pattern—currently reigns in the tropical Pacific. It’s looking very likely that the long-predicted third consecutive La Niña winter will happen, with a 91% chance of La Niña through September–November and an 80% chance through the early winter (November–January). 91%! That’s very high. Why so confident? The first reason is that La Niña is already clearly in force in the tropical Pacific. The August sea surface temperature in the Niño-3.4 region, our primary location for ENSO monitoring, was about 1.0 °C (1.8 °F) cooler than the long-term average, according to ERSSTv5, our favorite dataset for sea surface temperature. (“Long-term” is currently 1991–2020.) This is substantially cooler than the La Niña threshold of 0.5 °C (0.9 °F) below average. … ” Read more from Climate.gov here: September 2022 La Niña update: it’s Q & A time
The reality of legal weed in California: Huge illegal grows, violence, worker exploitation and deaths
“At sunset from atop Haystack Butte, the desert floor below shimmers with a thousand lights. Illegal cannabis farms. At this hour and distance, serene hues cloak the rugged enclave of Mount Shasta Vista, a tense collective of seasonal camps guarded by guns and dogs where the daily runs of water trucks are interrupted by police raids, armed robberies and, sometimes, death. So many hoop houses pack this valley near the Oregon border that last year it had the capacity to supply half of California’s entire legal cannabis market. Proposition 64, California’s 2016 landmark cannabis initiative, sold voters on the promise a legal market would cripple the drug’s outlaw trade, with its associated violence and environmental wreckage. Instead, a Los Angeles Times investigation finds, the law triggered a surge in illegal cannabis on a scale California has never before witnessed. … ” Read more from the LA Times here: The reality of legal weed in California: Huge illegal grows, violence, worker exploitation and deaths
SEE ALSO: Nobody knows how widespread illegal cannabis grows are in California. So we mapped them, from the LA Times
California approves microplastics testing of drinking water sources
“California water regulators today approved the world’s first requirements for testing microplastics in drinking water sources — a key step towards regulating tiny fragments that are ubiquitous in the environment. After years of research involving more than two-dozen laboratories, the State Water Resources Control Board unanimously approved a policy handbook for testing water supplies for microplastics over four years. Under the plan approved today, up to 30 of the state’s largest water providers will be ordered to start quarterly testing for two years, beginning in the fall of 2023. “There’s no other place in the world — literally in the world — that has standardized methods for how you do this or has a monitoring program to look at drinking water,” said Steve Weisberg, executive director of the Southern California Coastal Water Research Project, which has analyzed various testing methods for the state. “California is really getting out there and being first.” … ” Read more from Cal Matters here: California approves microplastics testing of drinking water sources
State delivers $15 million to support tribal water infrastructure projects
“The Department of Water Resources (DWR) and the San Luis Rey Indian Water Authority celebrate the signing of a funding agreement that provides $15 million in direct financial assistance to Tribal communities. As California experiences a third consecutive year of drought – and plans for the possibility of a fourth dry year to come – many communities face challenges in accessing clean, safe drinking water. This funding will help advance water infrastructure projects that will improve water for families, enhance water supply reliability, and upgrade existing water infrastructure on Tribal lands. … ” Read more from DWR here: State delivers $15 million to support tribal water infrastructure projects
2022 California legislative end of session highlights
“In August 2022, the 2022 California legislative session closed with various relevant legislative measures either moving to the Governor’s desk for signature or failing in committee. Below is a small highlight of relevant legislation concerning water rights, agriculture, and local agency procedure. While certain bills passed the California Legislature, they must now be presented to Governor Newsom, who has until September 30th to sign any of the bills passed below. … ” Continue reading at Somach Simmons & Dunn here: 2022 California legislative end of session highlights
And lastly … Fact check: There’s an unlimited supply of water being generated “deep within the Earth.”
Just in case you were wondering … “Climate change has resulted in drier and hotter weather around the world. It has exacerbated a growing water crisis that experts say puts drought-prone areas at risk for longer and more severe water shortages. But a recent Instagram video implies there’s nothing to worry about. Earth is generating an unlimited supply of water, a man floating in a lake says in the video. “There’s water deep within the Earth, which is always coming up all the time, and is the combination of hydrogen and oxygen to create water, so that we have unlimited water,” the man says as he bobs while wearing a personal floatation device. … ” Read more from PolitiFact here: Fact check: There’s an unlimited supply of water being generated “deep within the Earth.”
California heat wave …
California power grid strained again Wednesday by extreme demand, braces for Thursday
“California’s strapped power grid could declare another emergency on Thursday — even as it struggled to keep up with demand again Wednesday. Demand appeared to peak just above 50,000 megawatts on Wednesday — a figure achieved only a few times in the grid’s history, but eclipsed by Tuesday’s record-shattering demand, which was tallied at 52,061 MW.
The website of the California Independent System Operator, which runs the state grid, said that Thursday’s demand was forecast to peak at 51,318 MW. The grid operator declared an “emergency watch” from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. Thursday — the longest time frame of this heat wave so far, and reflective of extremely high air conditioning loads by mid-afternoon. That watch notice sets the stage for a possible emergency declaration, which triggers power-saving and supply-enhancing measures aimed at avoiding rolling blackouts. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle here: California power grid strained again Wednesday by extreme demand, braces for Thursday | Read via MSN News
Sweating through the heat wave in California’s hottest county
Sammy Roth writes, “It was just before 9 a.m. and already nearing 100 degrees as I stared out at the menacing steel pillars of the U.S.-Mexico border wall, in California’s far southeastern corner. My long-sleeve shirt stuck to my skin. Sweat dripped down my back. The record-smashing heat that would threaten rolling blackouts across much of California was still days away. But triple-digit temperatures are par for the course in the Sonoran Desert enclave of Imperial County, population 180,000. So far this year, Imperial’s average high temperature is more than 6 degrees warmer than any other California county, federal data show. Over the last five years, it’s gotten less than half as much rain than the next-driest county, on average. … ” Read more from the LA Times here: Sweating through the heat wave in California’s hottest county
California heat threatens agriculture with eighth day of triple digits
“The West’s extreme heat, now stretching into a second week, is straining American agriculture. It’s now threatening supplies of crops and livestock. As triple-digit temperatures sear the southwestern desert, locals are trying to stay comfortable — but farmers are trying to stay afloat. Colorado farmer Sasha Smith was already feeling the pressure before the most recent heatwave. “When you’re reliant on the weather, you don’t have a choice,” Smith said. “You have to adapt. You have to change to be successful and to be able to get things out and ready to sell.” … ” Read more from Newsy here: California heat threatens agriculture with eighth day of triple digits
Here’s the day experts say California’s historic heat wave will finally be over
“California has endured sweltering temperatures for seven brutal days. On Monday, temperatures in the Bay Area reached levels not seen in modern history, with an all-time high of 117 degrees in Fairfield. San Jose hit an all-time high of 109 on Tuesday. Even San Francisco — normally cooled by the coastal marine layer — surpassed 90 degrees downtown. Fortunately, the end is near, meteorologists say. Temperatures will steadily drop beginning Friday and through the weekend with more cooling expected early next week. The high-pressure system currently parked over much of the western U.S. is weakening and moving away. “I think the last hot day will be (today), then we’re going to be in a nice downward trend,” said Jan Null, a meteorologist with Golden Gate Weather Services and San Jose State University. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle here: Here’s the day experts say California’s historic heat wave will finally be over
In commentary today …
Droughts don’t have to be this painful
Bloomberg opinion editors write, “The world is parched. In California, a record heat wave has exacerbated the western US’s worst drought in centuries. Water levels in Europe’s Rhine River have been so low that at times over recent weeks this vital European waterway has been all but impassable to shipping. Asia’s longest river, the Yangtze, has struggled to feed farms and hydroelectric stations. Crops have wilted in the heat from India to the American Midwest. Scientists have long warned of the threats climate change poses to the stability of the global economic system. The severity of drought conditions this summer shows that the crisis is already here — and governments haven’t done nearly enough to prepare for it. Going forward, more urgent and coordinated investments in climate adaptation measures are necessary to prevent a dire situation from getting worse. … ” Read more at Bloomberg Opinion here: Droughts don’t have to be this painful | Read via Washington Post
California needs housing, but must protect its farms
Kara Heckert, the Resilient Agriculture West advisor and former California regional director for the American Farmland Trust, writes, “Severe drought is leading California’s farmers and ranchers to fallow lands, switch to less water-intensive crops, or farm on fewer acres. Cattle producers, whose pastures are nearly barren, are selling off cattle because they have little or nothing to feed them. In 2021, 395,100 acres of cropland were fallowed, which resulted in more than 14,000 lost jobs and $1.7 billion in lost revenue, according to the California Farm Water Coalition. It predicts this year will be worse, with 594,000 to 691,000 fallowed acres, up to 25,800 lost jobs and $3.5 billion in lost economic output. Current development trends are sounding off additional alarms for the loss of productive farmlands. … ” Read more from Ag Alert here: California needs housing, but must protect its farms
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
Klamath River releases scheduled for Boat Dance Ceremony
“The Bureau of Reclamation, in coordination with PacifiCorp, will increase water releases from Link River Dam to the lower Klamath River in support of the Yurok Tribe’s boat dance as part of its World Renewal Ceremony on Sept. 11 near Weitchpec, California. Water released at Link River Dam will increase from 700 cubic feet per second to approximately 1,500 cfs beginning Sept. 8 with flows at Iron Gate Dam increasing from approximately 1,000 up to 2,100 cfs on Sept. 9. These increased flows will take about 48 hours from Iron Gate Dam to reach the ceremony site downriver. Releases at Iron Gate Dam will begin gradually decreasing on Sept. 10 with flows throughout the Klamath River returning to previous levels by Sept. 16. Ceremony participants and the public who plan to visit the Klamath River during this time are advised to take appropriate safety measures.” (Source)
Neighbors say deadly California fire ignited at lumber mill, a source of tension in Weed
“The giant green warehouse known as Shed 17 loomed across the railroad tracks from Debbie Cummins’ Alamo Avenue home since she moved there in 1988. On Friday, she and dozens of her neighbors watched in terror as the building turned into a giant plume of black smoke and flames. Within minutes, powerful winds blew the fire into Weed’s historically Black neighborhood, Lincoln Heights, just to the north of Cummins’ home. Dozens of homes burned to the foundations. The fire eventually burned more than 6 square miles. Two women died.The mill referenced in the radio traffic was Roseburg Forest Products’ sprawling lumber mill on the north side of Weed — a fixture in the community since the late 1800s, and now one of the focal points in a Cal Fire investigation into what the agency calls the Mill Fire. … ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee here: Neighbors say deadly California fire ignited at lumber mill, a source of tension in Weed
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
After the Caldor Fire, water bills are still on tap. Grizzly Flats fire victims argue base rate fees are illegal
“It’s been more than a year since the Caldor Fire ripped through the El Dorado County community of Grizzly Flats. Some families have moved. Others are financially unable to rebuild. Hall said he’s still working through his options. With his home wiped out, you can imagine his surprise when he received this bill in the mail for $68.97. That’s the existing monthly base rate charge for water services through the Grizzly Flats Community Services District or GFSCDD. To be specific, this charge is not for water volume, but for a water service connection. That’s where this dispute lies. According to the special district’s ordinances, “the base rate is charged to all customers who have a service connection and is determined by the district’s fixed costs.” The board voted to resume regular billing in late April for customers who still have operating service connections to potable water. ... ” Read more from Channel 10 here: After the Caldor Fire, water bills are still on tap. Grizzly Flats fire victims argue base rate fees are illegal
This NorCal river gets nearly a million visitors a year. Volunteers are its only hope to stay clean.
“When it comes to the National Parks in Northern California, federal resources help officials keep it clean and safe for visitors. But when an outdoor destination has similar visitation numbers without the resources, upkeep can be very difficult. That’s why volunteers are crucial on the South Yuba River. According to the South Yuba River Citizens League (SYRCL), the South Yuba River State Park sees 800,000 visitors per year. That’s more than Lassen Volcanic National Park or Redwood National Park. In fact, the South Yuba River sees about as many visitors as those two national parks combined, creating a difficult task to maintain the region without federal support. … ” Read more from Active NorCal here: This NorCal river gets nearly a million visitors a year. Volunteers are its only hope to stay clean.
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
Driest, wettest, hottest: Sacramento’s troubling trifecta of extremes
“California’s capital experienced its hottest day ever observed Tuesday — hitting an unprecedented 116 degrees and exceeding previous September records by a landslide of seven degrees. This latest peak, amid a historic heat wave torching the state, follows a year of significant extremes in Sacramento: In the past 12 months, before this record hot day, the state capital experienced its wettest day on record last October, an event bookended by a record-long dry stretch that wreaked havoc on agriculture throughout California’s Central Valley. The most recent heat has fueled dangerous wildfire weather, and there’s continued risk of power shortages. Rolling blackouts have been a constant threat in the Golden State in the past several days, as the state’s grid operator experiences record demand. It’s all part of a past year that’s been meteorological hell for the Central Valley — and Sacramento has been the scene of a bingo card of climate-fueled weather hazards. The extreme droughts and deluges are two sides of the same coin — all of these records made more probable by a warming planet. ... ” Read more from the Washington Post here: Driest, wettest, hottest: Sacramento’s troubling trifecta of extremes | Read via MSN News
Effects of drought, freeze on the minds of Colusa Co. farmers
“Continuing drought conditions and the aftermath of a severe freeze continue to be prominent issues on the minds of Colusa County farmers. Water levels can greatly affect a farmer’s ability to water their crops and local agronomy research officials report that, on average, about five acre feet/acre of irritation water is applied to rice fields during the growing season. According to University of California Cooperative Extension officials, Colusa County has a landmass of 1,150 square miles, with only six miles of water. The current drought and newly implemented restrictions on water use have made it increasingly difficult for local farmers to continue to produce their crops at the levels that have been maintained in the past. … ” Read more from Yahoo News here: Effects of drought, freeze on the minds of Colusa Co. farmers
BAY AREA
Toilets? Cannabis grows? Rising temps? We looked into theories and history behind the Bay Area algae bloom
““Mystery epidemic kills fish in Lake Merritt,” announced an Oakland Tribune headline. “The lake water became a rusty color,” another journalist reported, causing “the drowning of countless bass.” Sound familiar? Those reports come from newspapers in 1939, when a mass fish die-off, not unlike this week’s tragedy, struck the lake. Over the course of history, the waters of Lake Merritt and the bay it’s attached to have lost marine life to both natural and human forces. In 1939, scientists attributed that year’s mass death to an invasion of microscopic aquatic creatures. This time, the cause of death is a massive bloom of the algae species Heterosigma akashiwo, which appears to be depleting all the oxygen in the water and possibly emitting toxins. But what is causing the algae bloom? That’s the “billion dollar question,” said Eileen White, executive officer of the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board, which monitors water conditions. … ” Read more from Oaklandside here: Toilets? Cannabis grows? Rising temps? We looked into theories and history behind the Bay Area algae bloom
Bay Area squirrels are splooting amid recent heat wave
“If you looked out your front window and saw a squirrel stretched out spread-eagle and motionless on your lawn, you’d likely think it met some untimely end. Really, though, it’s probably just splooting.With temperatures soaring above 105 degrees in many parts of the Bay Area during this record-breaking heat wave, lots of people have noticed squirrels exhibiting this strange behavior. Alison Hermance of WildCare in San Rafael said that amid sweltering temperatures, the wildlife hospital’s hotline has “been receiving lots of calls about hot animals, including concerns about squirrels ‘spread out flat.’” … ” Read more from SF Gate here: Bay Area squirrels are splooting amid recent heat wave
Suisun residents urge city to take steps to reduce climate change vulnerability
“The sea level is expected to rise by as many as 10 inches by 2030 and by as many as 23 inches by 2050. At 3 feet, downtown Suisun City would flood, the City Council was told Tuesday night as part of a presentation on the summary of findings from a Community Resilience Building Workshop held in June. The report outlines 13 priority actions to take and 30 additional steps to take. Alex Lunine and Elena Karoulina, with Sustainable Solano, gave the presentation, with the central emphasis on flooding resiliency, and more specifically, flooding in the harbor area and other high-risk areas of the city. The conclusion was clear: The city needs to act now to avoid the worst possible outcomes. ... ” Read more from the Daily Republic here: Suisun residents urge city to take steps to reduce climate change vulnerability
Heat wave: Bay Area farm animal owners have to get creative to keep cool
“The staggering, oppressive heat wave that has brought the Bay Area to its knees has caretakers of farm animals getting creative in their efforts to keep their charges relatively cool. Most farm animals don’t have the luxury of escaping the heat inside air conditioned barns, coops or houses. Instead, they rely on shade, plenty of water and whatever methods humans can think of to ease the pain. Sheila Murphy, who owns Alma Bonita Animal Rescue in Morgan Hill, has started putting ice in her pigs’ mud puddles, which the pigs find delightful. Her horses are a bigger concern. “Our horses don’t enjoy getting hosed down, so we’ve had to get creative,” Murphy says. … ” Read more from the San Jose Mercury News here: Heat wave: Bay Area farm animal owners have to get creative to keep cool
Valley Water: Balancing water supply and environmental stewardship
“More than 20 years ago, Valley Water’s mission was expanded by the state legislature to include environmental stewardship. We fulfill this mission while also balancing the continuous need to deliver a reliable supply of safe, clean water to Santa Clara County’s 2 million residents and businesses, and careful management of our groundwater aquifers, even amid a severe drought emergency. Valley Water’s environmental stewardship efforts are extensive with many efforts underway, including work on the One Water Plan. The plan is Valley Water’s effort to integrate its mission of water supply, flood protection and stream stewardship into one vision for planning and prioritization. By approaching water resources planning holistically, Valley Water ensures that the three arms of its mission are balanced in the years to come. ... ” Read more from Valley Water News here: Valley Water: Balancing water supply and environmental stewardship
With costs going up, Palo Alto ponders next steps for new water treatment plants
“The sprawling and largely undeveloped site at the eastern end of San Antonio Road in Palo Alto has seen little action in the 50 years since the Los Altos Wastewater Treatment Plant ceased its operations there. While the city’s trash hauler, GreenWaste, currently uses a southern portion of the Palo Alto site to sort its construction waste, the area is best known these days for its potential. Last month, the city received a $26.6 million grant from the state’s Project Homekey program to build a transitional housing program for homeless individuals. On Monday, the City Council will consider a municipal project with an even higher price tag and complexity: an industrial plant that would remove salt from local treated wastewater, making it more palatable for trees and vegetation and expanding its usage to more customers. … ” Read more from Palo Alto Online here: With costs going up, Palo Alto ponders next steps for new water treatment plants
Half Moon Bay: Action on recycled water would ensure our future
Jim Larimer, a former member of the Coastside County Water District board, writes, “The Coastside community is facing several problems today: traffic congestion, a housing shortage and the impact of droughts on our water supply. Of these three, only the future prospect of annual water shortages due to the increasing frequency of droughts is an existential threat to life here. Housing without a reliable safe potable water supply is uninhabitable. If we do not solve the water reserve problem created by droughts, some homes here will have to be abandoned. … ” Continue reading at the Half Moon Bay Review here: Half Moon Bay: Action on recycled water would ensure our future
CENTRAL COAST
Cal Am receives thumbs up from regulator for desal project application
“California American Water Co.’s effort to build its estimated $322 million desalination plant on the Monterey Peninsula has reached an important milestone with a state regulator and now sets the stage for what promises to be a contentious hearing in front of the full California Coastal Commission. In a news release from Cal Am issued late last week, the company said the Coastal Commission has determined that Cal Am’s application to build the plant inside the Coastal Zone is complete. The determination was confirmed Wednesday by Tom Luster, the Coastal Commission’s lead staff member on the desal project. … ” Read more from the Monterey Herald here: Cal Am receives thumbs up from regulator for desal project application
Urgent county water projects receive minimal acknowledgment from Sacramento’s wallet.
“County officials saw the $12 billion state budget surplus as a “once-in-a-lifetime” opportunity to secure financing for long-deferred and increasingly urgent water infrastructure projects. Sacramento has largely ignored the county’s water problems, since it’s outside of the State Water Project. The county’s original ask, developed in February, was $312 million: $150 million for deferred critical maintenance at the Lake Nacimiento and Lake San Antonio dams in South County; $150 million for a controversial interlake tunnel project that would connect the two reservoirs; and $12 million for the San Lucas Clean Drinking Water Project, which would have financed a roughly eight-mile pipeline from the South County community of San Lucas to King City’s water infrastructure. San Lucas, a community of about 400, has been on bottled water since 2016 after a “do not drink” order was issued because of nitrate contamination. The county, thinking its request for less than 1/33 of the state surplus might be too much, canceled the $150 million ask for the interlake tunnel. As the legislative session came to an end Aug. 31, the county was notified how much money it received: $6 million out of the $150 million requested for dam maintenance, and $0 for San Lucas. ... ” Read more from Monterey Weekly here: Urgent county water projects receive minimal acknowledgment from Sacramento’s wallet.
Carpenteria planners approve groundwater wells easement
“The Carpinteria Planning Commission was originally scheduled Tuesday to discuss the upcoming plans to turn the vacant The Palms restaurant and connected residential units into a brand-new hotel, but a last-minute adjustment forced a postponement, leaving the commission to focus instead on the first steps of planning a groundwater monitoring wells project at El Carro Park. The groundwater wells were also originally intended for a two-part hearing, which would have given the chance for the commission to approve both the easement allowing the city to use the land for water wells and the permits necessary for the actual construction. The second half of the groundwater wells project – for Planning Commission approval the Conditional Use and Coastal Development Permits – was also postponed, leaving the commission to only discuss whether the city would allow a temporary easement at the park, essentially acknowledging that the project could be built on public land. … ” Read more from Coastal View here: Carpenteria planners approve groundwater wells easement
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
VIDEO: What is 2nd Point on the Kern River?
“This is the third in a series of videos attempting to break down and explain who owns the Kern River. Structures along the river measure its flows and then divvy it up between its historic owners. So, it’s important to understand these structures, where they are and how they work. We looked at First Point of measurement in our last video. That’s where the flows are first measured. Those measurements have a direct impact on the structure we visit in this video, which is called Second Point of measurement. Per an 1888 foundational agreement on the river, 1/3 of its flows must be delivered to Second Point west of Bakersfield from March through August each year. Kern River Watermaster Mark Mulkay explains more.” Watch the video at SJV Water here: VIDEO: What is 2nd Point on the Kern River?
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
5,000-gallon sewage spill closes RAT Beach near Torrance
“A secluded stretch of beach near Torrance and Rancho Palos Verdes was closed Wednesday morning after 5,000 gallons of sewage spilled into nearby Malaga Creek, officials said. Lifeguards with the Los Angeles County Fire Department walked along RAT Beach, just south of Torrance Beach, warning people to stay out of the water, said Kealiinohopono Barnes, a spokesperson for the department. Lifeguards also mounted boats, warning people already in the water — swimmers or people looking to fish — about the spill, according to Barnes. The county’s Department of Public Health was expected to test the water before reopening the beach, Barnes said. … ” Read more from the LA Times here: 5,000-gallon sewage spill closes RAT Beach near Torrance
IMPERIAL/COACHELLA VALLEYS
Statewide, local leaders discuss future water supplies in the Coachella Valley
“Amid a record-setting heatwave, state and Coachella Valley leaders gathered today at the College of the Desert to discuss access to clean, reliable water supplies for local residents. With California undergoing a climate transformation bringing hotter and drier conditions, speakers stressed the need for conservation and continued partnership between state leaders, local leaders and water agencies. Leaders also acknowledged the statewide Flex Alert that remains in effect today as extreme heat continues to impact all Californians. Residents are encouraged to stay safe and cool, while doing their part to conserve – from reducing energy use to saving water. Californians should reduce electricity consumption especially between 4 p.m. and 9 p.m. and limit their outdoor water use during the hottest parts of the day. … ” Read more from ACWA’s Water News here: Statewide, local leaders discuss future water supplies in the Coachella Valley
Tired of roasting? As Coachella Valley cools down, rain and high winds predicted for weekend
“Coachella Valley residents may be able to finally take Drew Barrymore’s sage advice from TikTok and “go out into the rain” this weekend. Casey Oswant, a National Weather Service meteorologist, said it’s an exciting forecast for the valley in the next seven days. Even as it gets a little cooler, dipping below 100, we’ll be seeing rainfall, thunderstorms and high winds from Friday to Sunday. “What we have going on is a … hurricane on the western edge of Baja California,” Oswant said. “It’s moving north and as that hurricane moves north and begins to dissipate, it’s pushing in a lot of tropical moisture and strong easterly winds.” … ” Read more from The Desert Sun here: Tired of roasting? As Coachella Valley cools down, rain and high winds predicted for weekend
Along the Colorado River …
A lost world returns with a warning
“It’s just gone 7am at Bullfrog Marina and the morning air is fresh and full of anticipation. Later, temperatures on Lake Powell, America’s second-largest reservoir, will soar into the mid-40s. The recreational boaters who have long used this vast waterway as a holiday playground will soon arrive with their dogs and their kids and their noisy motors. Eric Balken is keen to get going while the waters are still quiet, the marina still sleepy. We have a long journey ahead and Eric is a man on a mission. He’s taking his old friend Professor Jack Schmidt deep within Lake Powell to show him that amid the doom and gloom of America’s worst drought in more than a thousand years, there’s beauty and magic, too. … ” Read more from the Australian Broadcasting Company here: A lost world returns with a warning
Arizona Democrat says California ‘failing to do its part’ on Colorado River crisis
“Rep. Greg Stanton (D-Ariz.) called plans by California officials to use more than the state’s full allocation of water from Lake Mead in 2022 “reckless and unacceptable” in a letter to Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) on Tuesday. In the letter, Stanton expressed concerns that California is “failing to do its part” relative to other states in the Colorado River Basin. He noted that while the federal Bureau of Reclamation has said basin states must increase their water conservation by 2 million to 4 million acre-feet, the Golden State has declined proposals from Arizona and Nevada officials that would have saved a further 2 million acre-feet. … ” Read more from KTLA here: Arizona Democrat says California ‘failing to do its part’ on Colorado River crisis
Arizona Republicans and Democrats sign letters on Colorado River water
“Divvying up Colorado River water has been the subject of at least two letters this week from Republican and Democratic members of Arizona’s congressional delegation. One note was sent to the head of the U.S. Department of Interior and the other to the governor of California. A letter signed by Republicans Debbie Lesko, Andy Biggs and Paul Gosar calls on the Interior secretary to quickly help with negotiations between states that rely on the Colorado River. ... ” Read more from KJZZ here: Arizona Republicans and Democrats sign letters on Colorado River water
Arizona tribes respond to struggling Colorado River negotiations
“The Gila River Indian Community in central Arizona has withdrawn from an agreement that keeps more water in Lake Mead. KNAU’s Melissa Sevigny reports, the Community cites the “complete lack of progress” among the states trying to negotiate water cuts to deal with the drought. The Gila River Indian Community has rights to nearly a fourth of the Colorado River water delivered via the Central Arizona Project. … ” Read more from KNAU here: Arizona tribes respond to struggling Colorado River negotiations
Nevada commentary: Water conservation efforts to thwart drought delusional
Rod Woodbury, president and managing shareholder of his law firm, Woodbury Law, writes of Southern Nevada, “Despite adding 750,000 to our population since 2000, we’ve somehow managed to cut consumptive use by 26 percent due to aggressive conservation and recycling programs. Still, it’s not nearly enough. Global warming and the megadrought are projected to continue, which means river flows and lake levels will keep plummeting without drastic policy changes. We’re now only 90 feet above the “dead pool” level at which Hoover Dam will cease generating electricity. So, here’s where I get brutally honest, which always seems to get me in big trouble. But I’ll say it anyway. Nevada isn’t the problem. If we were feeling generous, Nevadans could permanently donate back our entire annual allocation and it wouldn’t even make a dent. River flows would still be woefully insufficient to supply current uses and Lake Mead would still be rapidly draining. … ” Continue reading at the Boulder City Review here: Nevada commentary: Water conservation efforts to thwart drought delusional
Commentary: Don’t blame climate for Colorado River’s woes
Roy Johnston, a retired university professor who holds a Ph.D. in plant science and genetics, writes, “The most important long-term issue for Colorado today is the same as it was 120 years ago: water. In 2010, Smithsonian Magazine published an article titled, “The Colorado River Runs Dry.” The article included a quotation from Brad Udall of Colorado State University: “Climate change will likely decrease the river’s flow by 5 to 20 percent in the next 40 years.” On Aug. 25, Mr. Udall told the Steamboat Pilot & Today, “This isn’t a drought, it’s something else. Myself and other scientists are trying to use a different term: Aridification.” In defining “aridification,” he said, “declining snowpacks, it’s earlier runoff, it’s a shorter winter, it’s more rain, less snow, it’s higher temps. It’s drying soils, it’s severe fires, it’s forest mortality, it’s a warm, thirsty atmosphere.” The only issue with this quote is it is mostly erroneous. ... ” Read more from Colorado Politics here: Commentary: Don’t blame climate for Colorado River’s woes
And lastly … Colorado River megadrought got you down? Lighten up, and feel some hope, with TikTok’s ‘WesternWaterGirl’
“Teal Lehto honed her short, snappy explanations of the West’s complex water problems guiding rafting trips down the Animas River in her hometown of Durango. She often had lulls of a minute or less in between shouting paddle commands to the tourists in her boat — squeezing in a tidy explanation of how water rights work before yelling “all forward” to her boatmates to keep them from ramming into rocks. After running the same stretch of river a few times a day for months, the timing became second nature. “You get to the point where you’re like, ‘Okay, I know I’m going to need to call a command in exactly 45 seconds. Like, what story can I tell in the meantime?’” Lehto said while sitting along the Animas on a rainy August morning. “I’ll tell you, the better stories you tell, the better tips you get,” she said. That same formula works on TikTok, just trade the tips for likes and followers. On the app, Lehto goes by “WesternWaterGirl,” and her clips regularly garner hundreds of thousands of views. … ” Read more from KUNC here: Colorado River megadrought got you down? Lighten up, and feel some hope, with TikTok’s ‘WesternWaterGirl’
In national water news today …
Intense heat waves and flooding are battering electricity and water systems, as America’s aging infrastructure sags under the pressure of climate change
“The 1960s and 1970s were a golden age of infrastructure development in the U.S., with the expansion of the interstate system and widespread construction of new water treatment, wastewater and flood control systems reflecting national priorities in public health and national defense. But infrastructure requires maintenance, and, eventually, it has to be replaced. That hasn’t been happening in many parts of the country. Increasingly, extreme heat and storms are putting roads, bridges, water systems and other infrastructure under stress. Two recent examples – an intense heat wave that pushed California’s power grid to its limits in September 2022, and the failure of the water system in Jackson, Mississippi, amid flooding in August – show how a growing maintenance backlog and increasing climate change are turning the 2020s and 2030s into a golden age of infrastructure failure. ... ” Read more from The Conversation here: Intense heat waves and flooding are battering electricity and water systems, as America’s aging infrastructure sags under the pressure of climate change
Microsoft leads Big Tech on a crucial issue: water scarcity
“As big data center operators navigate the growing risks from water scarcity, one company stands out: Microsoft (MSFT) The Redmond, Wash.-based company outperformed its tech peers when it comes to managing water use — and the risks associated with water scarcity — according to a new analysis by Morningstar Sustainalytics, a research and data company focusing on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues. The tech giant was only one of 122 companies evaluated in the tech and telecom sectors to receive top scores. Although Microsoft distinguished itself in the tech sector, the bar has been set fairly low. Among the few companies with water management programs, 61% were rated as having a weak program, 33% had an adequate program, and just 5% had a strong program. … ” Read more from Yahoo News here: Microsoft leads Big Tech on a crucial issue: water scarcity
Danger looms where toxic algae blooms
“Just as Great Lakes scientists anticipated, the first blue-green swirls of a mammoth toxic algae bloom surfaced in mid-July in the nearshore waters of Lake Erie, between Monroe, Michigan, and this Ohio port city of 275,000. Viewed from above, the sweeping curls painted an absurd, even mesmerizing portrait of harm on the surface of the shallowest and warmest of the five big lakes. There is nothing attractive, though, about Lake Erie’s annual algal bloom, or the harmful blooms that now contaminate so many of America’s iconic waters, among them the Chesapeake Bay, Lake Okeechobee, Lake Champlain, and California’s Clear Lake. Harmful algal blooms are the biological consequence of a riptide of bloom-generating nutrients allowed by law and timid regulation to run off the land, particularly farm fields. These nutrients are the source of some of the nation’s worst water pollution. … ” Read more from the Circle of Blue here: Danger looms where toxic algae blooms
