On the calendar today …
- PUBLIC HEARING: Delta Conveyance Project Draft EIR from 9am to 11am. The first of three virtual public hearings to receive comments on the Delta Conveyance Project Draft EIR. Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84565411493?pwd=71GcFtWM8B03yiklXsME32nQ9Ux8vl.1
- SWC Science Symposium on Spring-season San Joaquin River Flows and South Delta Exports from 9am to 4:30pm. Seeking to provide protections and benefits to San Joaquin origin juvenile salmonids, the 2009 NMFS Biological Opinion imposed a new regulatory export limit: the San Joaquin River inflow to export ratio (I to E ratio). Under the I to E ratio, exports are limited to a fraction of the San Joaquin River inflow, with proportionally less exports in wetter year types. Since 2009, numerous scientific investigations– particularly acoustic tagging of juvenile salmonids– have been conducted to assess the effectiveness of the I to E ratio and San Joaquin River inflows. The symposium will discuss the numerous scientific investigations since 2009 — particularly acoustic tagging of juvenile salmonids — that have been conducted to assess the effectiveness of the I to E ratio and San Joaquin River inflows. Attend in person at the Capitol Events Center, 1020 11th Street, Sacramento. Send email to science@swc.org to RSVP to attend in person or receive link to webinar.
- WEBINAR: Southwest Drought Briefing from 12pm to 12:35pm. The Southwest is in continuing drought. Recent summer rains have improved but not removed drought from the Southwest. This webinar will look at current and forecast drought conditions for Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada, and Utah. Despite a wet summer, the Great Salt Lake has hit a historic, all-time low water level; this webinar will also look at the recently released Great Salt Lake hydromapper tool developed by USGS and State of Utah. Click here to register.
- WEBINAR: WIIN Act Quarterly Update Meeting on Biological Assessment for the 2021 Reinitiation of Consultation on the Long-Term Operation of the Central Valley Project and State Water Project from 1pm to 3pm. Join Teams Meeting
In California water news today …
Court of Appeal determines that the State Water Resources Control Board exceeded its authority in 2015 when it ordered curtailment among valid pre-1914 water right holders based on insufficient water to serve their priorities
“Today, the Court of Appeal for the Sixth Appellate District agreed with Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge Walsh (Ret.) that the State Water Resources Control Board’s (State Board) curtailment of certain water right holders’ diversions during the 2015 drought was done outside of its enforcement authority under Water Code section 1052. In 2015, the State Board issued curtailment orders to valid pre-1914 appropriative water right holders. The curtailment orders demanded these water right holders to immediately cease diversions and certify that their diversions, in fact, had ceased. The State Board based the curtailment orders on a purported insufficient available supply of water to serve these water rights. Numerous water service providers located in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta challenged the curtailment orders. ... ” Read more from Somach Simmons & Dunn here: Court of Appeal determines that the State Water Resources Control Board exceeded its authority in 2015 when it ordered curtailment among valid pre-1914 water right holders based on insufficient water to serve their priorities
Farmers blame lack of water on state policies
“”Water is always an important factor for us as farmers, it’s how we grow our crops, it’s how we keep our livelihoods, it’s how we keep our employees employed, it’s everything to us,” Jason Giannelli, a Bakersfield farmer, said. Gianelli is a fourth generation farmer in Bakersfield. He says the drought has caused farmers to change their cropping patterns and they’ve had to fallow or rest more ground this year, because there simply wasn’t enough water for the crops. “We’re not in a drought made by climate change, we’re in a drought made by man, because they’ve released so much water out to the delta, for environmental purposes that they’ve squandered all of our water that we technically pay for and that’s why we’re in this drought,” Giannelli, said. … ” Read more from Bakersfield Now here: Farmers blame lack of water on state policies
A new tool could help protect 30% of the state’s waters by 2030
“California has set an ambitious goal of protecting 30% of the state’s lands and waters by 2030. We spoke with CalTrout’s legal and policy director Redgie Collins about a promising but underutilized tool that could help protect water bodies throughout the state: The Outstanding Natural Resource Waters (ONRW) designation. As Collins says, “You can designate all the land you like, but in order to preserve any ecosystem, freshwater is critical.” There’s a lot of interest in identifying and protecting Outstanding National Resource Waters in the West. What is this designation and what does it accomplish? Is it the same as Wild and Scenic? Outstanding National Resource Waters are water bodies that are determined to be important to a state or region. It doesn’t necessarily mean these are undammed, pristine waters; it could be any body of water with important cultural or recreational significance. ... ” Read more from the PPIC here: A new tool could help protect 30% of the state’s waters by 2030
91% chance La Niña impacts fall in California, National Weather Service says
“Meteorologists are pretty confident the La Niña conditions we’ve seen all year are going to be with us at least a few months longer. There’s a 91% chance the La Niña conditions last from September to November, the National Weather Service’s Climate Prediction Center said in an update Thursday. Those odds have strengthened since the meteorologists’ last update in August. According to the latest outlook, it looks like this La Niña fall is set to be a hot one. Every state in the country, except for the most northern reaches that border Canada, is forecast to see above-average temperatures from September through November. … ” Read more from Fox 40 here: 91% chance La Niña impacts fall in California, National Weather Service says
SEE ALSO: What is ‘triple-dip’ La Niña?, from The Hill
California water crisis challenges dairy, Vanden Heuvel says
“Water is front-of-mind for California dairy farmers, as scarcity is threatening to change the industry structure of the top U.S. dairy-producing state. While successful adjustments to a lower-water future are possible, the state badly needs moisture in the next few months to stave off greater immediate hardship for milk producers and improved government policy to help dairy prosper in the longer term, said Geoff Vanden Heuvel, director of regulatory and economic affairs for the California-based Milk Producers Council. “I put 2,500 to 3,000 miles a month of my truck just driving up and down the Valley going to water meetings, and to see what’s been built here is just incredible and marvelous,” said Vanden Heuvel in a Dairy Defined podcast released today. “We’re running the risk of losing that if we don’t do some things intelligently.”” Listen to the podcast here: California water crisis challenges dairy, Vanden Heuvel says
Collaboration, Not Control: Understanding what water wants can help protect built environments from floods and droughts, store carbon, and restore homes for other-than-human life.
“On a sunny winter day in San Francisco, Joel Pomerantz brakes his bike in Alamo Square Park near that famous spot where Victorian houses, the Painted Ladies, front the city’s modern skyline. “Do you notice anything?” he asks me. I brake too and look around, flummoxed. I lived in this city for seventeen years and have been to this park countless times. Everything seems ordinary. On the paved path at our feet, Pomerantz points to an oblong puddle, which I would assume was left over from the last sprinkler watering. “That?!” I ask, incredulous. “Look closer,” he says, pointing to its ring of mossy scum. “That’s a sign that this water is nearly always here.” This diminutive puddle, which I have likely passed without noticing many times, is actually evidence of natural springs beneath the park that seep continually, he tells me. It’s a small sign of water’s hidden life, the actions this life-sustaining compound continues to pursue, despite our illusion that we control it. As climate change amplifies floods and droughts, people like Pomerantz are recognizing the importance of such minutiae that highlight water’s agency. … ” Read more from Earth Island Journal here: Collaboration, Not Control: Understanding what water wants can help protect built environments from floods and droughts, store carbon, and restore homes for other-than-human life.
Twitter’s data center knocked out by extreme heat in California
“Extreme heat that exhausted California’s overworked electric grid on Labor Day had knocked out one of Twitter’s main data centers in Sacramento, according to a report. While Twitter avoided a shutdown on Sept. 5 by leaning on its other data centers in Portland, Ore., and Atlanta during the outage to keep its systems running, a company executive warned that if another center were lost, some users would have been unable to access the social media platform, according to an internal memo obtained by CNN. Temperatures in Sacramento on Labor Day broke a daily record of 114 degrees, punching thermometers up to 116 by the afternoon. … ” Read more from the LA Times here: Twitter’s data center knocked out by extreme heat in California | Same story from CBS News
What the Western drought reveals about hydropower
“The relentless Western drought that is threatening water supplies in the country’s largest reservoirs is exposing a reality that could portend a significant shift in electricity: Hydropower is not the reliable backbone it once was. Utilities and states are preparing for a world with less available water and turning more to wind and solar, demand response, energy storage and improved grid connections. That planning has helped Western states keep the lights on this summer even in severe drought conditions. Take California, which experienced record demand during a heat wave last week but did not have to impose any rolling blackouts. That’s despite the fact that hydropower — which on average makes up about 15 percent of the state’s power generation mix under normal conditions — has dipped by as much as half this summer. … ” Read more from E&E News here: What the Western drought reveals about hydropower
Western rainfall to bring drought relief, increase flood risk
“After days of scorching, record-shattering heat in the western United States, cooler air has filtered in along with daily showers and thunderstorms across the region. AccuWeather forecasters say that more of the same is expected through the rest of this week, even as the exact location of these storms may shift around from day to day. This stretch of wet weather began late last week, with rain from Tropical Storm Kay dousing much of Southern California, and leading to issues with flooding and mudslides. Meanwhile, a surge of tropical moisture associated with the North American monsoon overspread much of the Intermountain West, bringing daily showers and thunderstorms across the region. … ” Read more from AccuWeather here: Western rainfall to bring drought relief, increase flood risk
Protecting Point Conception, California—maps and sensors aid science
“Despite being close to the growing city of Santa Barbara, the land around Point Conception, California, is wild enough that mountain lions and bears hunt on the beach. Biologists say it feels like turning back the clock. Archaeological work has revealed 9,000 years of continuous human occupancy, including sacred sites of the Chumash people. Indigenous peoples such as the Chumash gathered natural resources from both the ocean and coastal mountains and stewarded the area for thousands of years. In more recent times, this land somehow escaped the imprint of infrastructure, although it’s had some near misses. A convergence of factors have stood in the way of development, including the land’s rugged topography, a history of livestock ranching, the inland routing of the iconic coastal Highway 1, and high security for neighboring Vandenberg Space Force Base. … ” Read more from ESRI here: Protecting Point Conception, California—maps and sensors aid science
Forest Service resumes prescribed fire program, but some fear new rules will delay projects
“The U.S. Forest Service is resuming its prescribed burning program with new rules that it says will minimize the risk of fires escaping control and damaging communities. The announcement comes after a 90-day pause prompted by a pair of escaped burns that merged into the largest wildfire in New Mexico history and destroyed hundreds of homes. But some experts say the restrictions, which include requirements that agency administrators authorize ignitions for 24-hour periods only and be on-site for certain burns, create more barriers to doing the work precisely when the need for it is most acute. “At face value, it seems like these are not that big a deal,” said Bill Tripp, director of natural resources and environmental policy at the Karuk Tribe Department of Natural Resources in Northern California. “But in actual practice, it’s pretty much going to shut burning down at any level significant to what needs to take place, at least in the Forest Service jurisdictions.” ... ” Read more from the LA Times here: Forest Service resumes prescribed fire program, but some fear new rules will delay projects
In commentary today …
California’s water threatened by overuse of unregulated pesticides and herbicides
Stan Gottfredson, CEO of Atraxia Law, writes, “The water scarcity California has been experiencing over the last two decades is the result of the worst drought to hit the American Southwest in the past 1,200 years. While climate change plays a significant role in reducing precipitations, the unsustainable use of groundwater aquifers further diminishes the state’s limited water supplies. This ongoing issue has been a significant concern garnering Federal-level attention, with the Senate passing the Infrastructure Investments and Jobs Act in August 2021 to improve California’s critical water infrastructure. Concurrently, issues regarding water quality arise due to the state’s high use of pesticides in agriculture, with several Environmental Protection Agency-reapproved toxic herbicides not being regulated by state legislation. … ” Read more from The Times of San Diego here: California’s water threatened by overuse of unregulated pesticides and herbicides
California farmer reveals once-great agricultural powerhouse ‘now just a wasteland’
Samantha Change with The Western Journal writes, “Democrat-run California, once an agrarian juggernaut, has deteriorated into a parched “wasteland” amid crippling droughts and gross government mismanagement, according to farmers there. Kurt Richter, a third-generation rice farmer in Colusa — the Golden State’s rice capital — said he and many other farmers have been forced to abandon their fields for the year because they’re unable to water them. “It is now just a wasteland,” Richter told the San Francisco Chronicle on Saturday. The latest drought and California’s inability to navigate a recurring problem are mind-boggling. You’d think state officials would have figured out some way to manage California’s frequent water shortages since this has been happening for decades. … ” Read more from the Independent Journal Review here: California farmer reveals once-great agricultural powerhouse ‘now just a wasteland’
A ‘One Water’ approach is key to combat urban challenges, manage resources
“Water is the most crucial natural resource for every form of life, yet it remains undervalued and inadequately managed worldwide. An integrated approach towards all sources of water is the need of the hour. The United Nations has estimated that by the year 2050, four billion people will be seriously affected by water shortages, which might lead to multiple conflicts between countries over water sharing. At the global level, 31 countries are already facing a shortage of water and by 2025, there will be 48 countries facing serious water shortages. Recognising, measuring and expressing water’s worth and incorporating that into decision-making is still a challenge, apart from the water scarcity. Failure to value water in all its forms is considered a prime cause of the mismanagement of water, according to the UN World Water Development Report 2021, published by UNESCO on behalf of the UN-Water. … ” Read more from Down to Earth here: A ‘One Water’ approach is key to combat urban challenges, manage resources
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
Water shutoff leaves Klamath farmers scrambling to save crops
“For Mike McKoen, a year of uncertainty farming in the Klamath Project has become a fight to the finish. With onion harvest fast approaching, McKoen had been counting on a steady supply of water from Upper Klamath Lake to irrigate his fields at a critical point in the growing season. Otherwise, he risks the crop dying in the ground and his investment turning to dust. Then came the Aug. 19 announcement from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. The project had run out of water for the summer, despite farmers’ arguments to the contrary. All remaining water in the system was needed to protect endangered fish, according to the agency. … ” Read more from the Capital Press here: Water shutoff leaves Klamath farmers scrambling to save crops
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
New Melones Reservoir could take years to refill, water managers say
“New Melones Reservoir was 74% empty as of Friday, and water managers say it could take years to refill. The man-made water storage facility was holding 634,625 acre-feet of water. Last time it was that low was Jan. 1, 2017. The elevation of the water in the reservoir was less than 885 feet above sea level. When full, the water level at New Melones reaches up to 1,083 feet. The last time the reservoir was that full was during the 1998-99 wet season. Staff at the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, which manages New Melones for irrigation water supply, hydropower generation, flood control, and recreation, said this week that statistical analyses of annual inflow volume and median inflow volume show it would take between 2.3 years and 2.7 years of “average” winters for the reservoir to reach 90% capacity — if all releases were stopped until the reservoir filled. ... ” Read more from the Union Democrat here: New Melones Reservoir could take years to refill, water managers say
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
Fishgate project aims to help salmon
“The brainchild for fishgate came to River Partners Senior Restoration Ecologist Michael Rogner, and Co-Founder of River Partners and Director of Special Projects John Carlon, over a couple of beers at a bar. Fishgate is an automated/engineered fish door which helps struggling Chinook salmon at River Partners’ Willow Bend Preserve near Colusa return back to their native riverside ranges along the Sacramento River. The first-of-its-kind fish gate designed by the Cal Poly Irrigation & Training Research Center will prevent juvenile salmon from being trapped on the restored floodplain. The non-electrical gate features concrete buoys that automatically adjust according to water levels, opening and closing a bi-fold gate as floodwaters rise and recede, and allowing fish to swim in and out without getting stranded, according to a press release. … ” Read more from the Chico Enterprise-Record here: Fishgate project aims to help salmon
Northstate rice farmers struggle to grow crops as drought persists
“Dry, cracked rice fields can be seen driving along Interstate 5 in Glenn and Colusa counties. This year has been more than challenging for farmers as California continues its third consecutive year of extreme drought conditions. KRCR spoke to fourth generation farmer Chris Johnson on Monday about not being able to plant crop due to lower water allocation from the Glenn-Colusa Irrigation District (GCID). Chris Johnson’s farms would only receive an allotment of 7% from the GCID with an agreement that the water might not even be enough to finish the year. … ” Read more from KRCR here: Northstate rice farmers struggle to grow crops as drought persists
Regional San recognized again as Utility of the Future Today
“For a third time, the Sacramento Regional County Sanitation District (Regional San) has been recognized as a Utility of the Future Today by a partnership of water sector organizations. The Utility of the Future Today Recognition Program was launched in 2016 by a partnership of water sector organizations, including the National Association of Clean Water Agencies, the Water Environment Federation, the Water Research Foundation, and the WateReuse Association. Input was also provided from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The goal of the program is to guide utilities of all sizes toward smarter, more efficient operations and resource recovery. … ” Read more from Water World here: Regional San recognized again as Utility of the Future Today
NAPA/SONOMA
Sonoma County announces new revisions to draft well permit ordinance
“Permit Sonoma today announced revisions to a proposal the Board of Supervisors will consider on Tuesday, Oct. 4, that seeks to enact new standards for drilling wells in Sonoma County. Under the most recent changes, the proposed ordinance further defines which wells would be required to undergo a public trust review, adds new avenues for wells to be permitted ministerially and also includes specific requirements for well monitoring and water conservation. The area where public trust review would be required is referred to as the Public Trust Review Area and includes areas where the underlying aquifer is likely to be interconnected to streams and navigable waters. … ” Read more from the Sonoma Gazette here: Sonoma County announces new revisions to draft well permit ordinance
BAY AREA
Remember all the fish that died in California last week? Blame flushing toilets, official says
“Every time one of the over 7 million people living in the San Francisco Bay Area flushes a toilet, they feed potentially harmful red algae in the bay and its estuaries. The issue came to a head last month when images and videos of thousands of fish floating belly up in Oakland, California’s Lake Merritt, made national news. A harmful algae bloom called “red tide” killed the creatures. A heat wave then compounded the issue by hastening the fish rot. Neighbors told KTVU FOX 2 that the stench was unbearable, and the city rushed to clear out 10,000 dead fish before the long, Labor Day weekend. “So if you flush the toilet, you’re sending nutrients to local wastewater treatment plants that discharges to San Francisco Bay,” said Eileen White, chief officer of the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Control Board, which regulates and permits all wastewater utilities in the Bay Area. … ” Continue reading from Fox News here: Remember all the fish that died in California last week? Blame flushing toilets, official says
‘A lesson in discrimination’: A toxic sea level rise crisis threatens West Oakland
“Toxic waste lurking in the soil under West Oakland neighborhoods is the next environmental threat in this community already burdened by pollution. The stability of buried contamination from Oakland’s industrial past relies on it staying in place in the soil. But once the rising waters of San Francisco Bay press inland and get underneath these pockets of chemicals and gases, a certain amount of that waste will not stay in place. Instead, it will begin to move. More than 100 sites — colorless gases in dirt under schools, flammable chemicals buried in shallow soil near parks, petroleum in pockets of groundwater from iron manufacturing — lie in wait. … ” Read more from KQED here: ‘A lesson in discrimination’: A toxic sea level rise crisis threatens West Oakland
Marin Municipal Water District touts progress on Mt. Tam fire prevention projects
“Nearly 80 years have passed since Mount Tamalpais had a major wildfire, leaving decades of built-up trees and brush that make the water supply — and tens of thousands of homes — vulnerable to a destructive blaze. Now the Marin Municipal Water District, which manages about 20,000 acres of the watershed and supplies water to 191,000 residents, is using a recent funding infusion from the state to fortify wildfire defenses around its reservoirs and facilities as well as to reduce the intensity of fires when they do occur. On Monday, the district hosted state and local officials to view the progress made so far in recent and ongoing projects around Lake Lagunitas and Bon Tempe reservoirs. … ” Read more from the Marin Independent Journal here: Marin Municipal Water District touts progress on Mt. Tam fire prevention projects
Rethinking reusable water in San Mateo County
“Aging infrastructure, urban population growth and climate change are three factors why officials, experts and entrepreneurs are rethinking how a 250-year-old system is dating itself. In an average year, we use 82 million acre feet of water in California. Agriculture uses 40% and urban areas use 10%, according to state Sen. Josh Becker, D-San Mateo, during a virtual town hall Thursday, Sept. 8. “Unless we cut our greenhouse gas emissions. … We will still see a significant increase in temperatures that are suspected to be the norm. And all these changes will affect water supply and quality,” Becker said in response to the heat wave we experienced last week. … ” Read more from the San Mateo Daily Journal here: Rethinking reusable water in San Mateo County
Pleasanton presses pause on PFAS treatment and well rehabilitation project
“The Pleasanton City Council voted unanimously last week to pause the PFAS treatment and wells rehabilitation project, which was intended to address water quality and purification, because of rising costs and other factors. City staff recommended halting the final design of the project in order to evaluate other alternatives to address the contaminated water wells in Pleasanton such as locating a new well that isn’t contaminated or sourcing out to a regional water supplier. They said that while the treatment and rehabilitation project could still be the best possible choice, its original price-tag of $46 million including design, construction and supporting services merits further evaluation into other options. … ” Read more from Pleasanton Weekly here: Pleasanton presses pause on PFAS treatment and well rehabilitation project
New fish habitats constructed along Gilroy’s Uvas Creek
“Valley Water is committed to environmental stewardship and is constantly working to restore habitat along creeks and the bay. In mid-August 2022, Valley Water completed work on the Uvas Creek Fish Habitat Improvement Project in Gilroy. Construction finished more than two weeks ahead of schedule. “This project will help restore and maintain healthy fish populations by improving habitat for steelhead and other native fish while ensuring the fish can move easily up and down the creek,” said Valley Water Chair Pro Tem John L. Varela. Each year, native fish migrate their way through Uvas Creek seeking loose sediment for spawning and sheltered pools to hide from predators. … ” Read more from Valley Water News here: New fish habitats constructed along Gilroy’s Uvas Creek
CENTRAL COAST
Deal will provide recycled water to Seaside golf courses
“Recycled water will soon be flowing into a pair of golf courses in Seaside that will allow clean water to be pumped to additional affordable housing in the largest city along the Monterey coast. In the coming weeks, water will be pumped to irrigate the Bayonet and Black Horse golf courses, both owned by the city of Seaside, from advanced treated wastewater from Monterey One Water’s Pure Water Monterey project. Treated water for the golf courses will result in less water being pumped out of the over-taxed Seaside Groundwater Basin. Billed as a drought-proof water source, Mike McCullough, the director of external affairs, on Monday explained that a pipeline coming from the Pure Water Monterey facility will pump advanced treated water to where it will hit a type of T-line on the way to injection wells in Seaside. From the T-line, 132 million gallons a year will head out to the golf courses off General Jim Moore Boulevard. ... ” Read more from the Monterey Herald here: Deal will provide recycled water to Seaside golf courses
SEE ALSO: Recycled water to start flowing from Marina Coast Water District to the City of Seaside, from ACWA’s Water News
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
What La Ñina means to Central Valley farmers
“The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) says that there is a 91% chance La Ñina will happen this year from September to November. But what is La Ñina – and what does that mean for the San Joaquin Valley? NOAA describes La Ñina as when the trade winds that blow across the Pacific push warm water across the ocean towards Asia. When this happens, colder water takes its place off the coast of North and Central America. This weather event can cause a winter full of flooding in the northern part of California and a drier than normal winter in the southern according to the NOAA. CBS47’s Meteorologist Justin Sacher says although La Nina has a reputation for bringing lots of wet weather to the San Joaquin Valley, historical data shows that’s not always the case. … ” Read more from Your Central Valley here: What La Ñina means to Central Valley farmers
Challenger for seat on powerful Kern water board “withdraws,” at least in spirit
“Would-be challenger Eric Averett said he is “withdrawing” from the race for a seat on the powerful Kern County Water Agency board of directors. His name will still appear on the ballot, however. Averett said he couldn’t get his name off the ballot as the deadline to do so had already passed when he decided not want to run against Incumbent Phil Cerro. “I had been advised that Phil was stepping down,” Averett said in an interview Sept. 9. “I tried to confirm that before I filed. By the time I was able to connect with Phil, the deadline to get my name off the ballot had passed.” … ” Read more from SJV Water here: Challenger for seat on powerful Kern water board “withdraws,” at least in spirit
Drought reveals Wild West ghost town in California
“Where usually there’s water, there are now exposed foundations from a bygone era. At California’s Lake Isabella, a dry spell has caused the manmade lake to divulge what lies beneath: the long-sunken town of Whiskey Flat. After World War II, in the early 1950s, the US government damned the area and built a reservoir, blowing up most of the abandoned town and leaving only the exploded foundations of its general store, jail and Methodist church there — structures that now visibly poke up from the near-empty lake’s bottom, SFGate reported. … ” Read more from the New York Post here: Drought reveals Wild West ghost town in California
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Poisonous algae blooms could signal tough season ahead for marine mammal rescue centers
“Marine mammal veterinarians at facilities in Laguna Beach and San Pedro are paying close attention to a toxic algae bloom that is sickening hundreds of sea lions off the Ventura County coast with domoic acid exposure, leading to skyrocketing strandings and a state of emergency declaration. Officials at the Channel Island Marine and Wildlife Institute in Santa Barbara are scrambling to help the mostly adult sea lions reported on area beaches, and are fielding as many as 100 calls a day. For 24 consecutive days, the institute has been inundated with reports of sick sea lions throughout Ventura and Santa Barbara counties. The marine mammal rescue center – with only one dedicated hotline volunteer – typically averages about 20 calls at this time of year. … ” Read more from OC Register here: Poisonous algae blooms could signal tough season ahead for marine mammal rescue centers
Eye-popping satellite photo shows Tropical Storm Kay over Southern California
“It was an unusual sight at the tail end of one of California’s weirdest weather weeks ever: a massive tropical storm system swirling over the Southland. The satellite image, captured Saturday by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite, showed Tropical Storm Kay hovering off the coast of Southern California and Mexico’s Baja Peninsula — an image more typically associated with parts of the Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico and other warmer waters. Though Kay never made landfall in the state, “it was certainly closer than anything we’ve ever had before that I can remember,” said Mike Wofford, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Oxnard. … ” Read more from the LA Times here: Eye-popping satellite photo shows Tropical Storm Kay over Southern California
Persistence pays off on Palos Verdes Peninsula
“The weather was perfect on August 26 when representatives from the Carlsbad Fish and Wildlife Office joined with its partners from the Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy (PVPLC), California Department of Fish and Wildlife, California Wildlife Conservation Board, City of Rancho Palos Verdes (City), and County of Los Angeles (County) to celebrate the acquisition of 96 acres of land on the Palos Verdes Peninsula in Los Angeles County. Rising above the blue waters of the Pacific Ocean, the Palos Verdes Peninsula offers the best ocean views in the county and is known for its pricey real estate. Less well known, but more importantly, the Peninsula is home to the endangered Palos Verdes blue butterfly and threatened coastal California gnatcatcher. Conservation of the acreage provides an opportunity to support additional recovery efforts for these species, among others, as well as serves as a wildlife corridor connecting other conserved habitat that makes up the Preserve system managed by the PVPLC. The acquisition consisted of two properties owned by one landowner. … ” Read more from the US Fish & Wildlife Service here: Persistence pays off on Palos Verdes Peninsula
SAN DIEGO
South Bay beaches closed as a result of Tijuana River flow
“Signs warning beachgoers to stay out of the water are lining the Imperial Beach shoreline. It’s nothing new after a storm when the Tijuana River flows. “I don’t know how much of it has gone into the ocean, but we do know that 380 million gallons have crossed the border,” said Morgan Rogers, International Boundary and Water Commission. He said every storm they expect the berm separating the water between the countries will break-and it did Friday when we saw storms across the county. … ” Read more from Channel 10 here: South Bay beaches closed as a result of Tijuana River flow
Along the Colorado River …
A drought conversation with California’s Natural Resources Secretary
“Days before the federal government shied-away from telling Western states how to curtail consumption of the drought-stressed Colorado River, Gov. Gavin Newsom unveiled a plan to speed-up projects that would help California use less of it. To be clear: California hasn’t yet taken any big cuts from its Colorado River allocation, despite being its largest user. But, as pressure mounts, it might, writes Ian James of the Los Angeles Times. Newsom’s plan doesn’t mention the Colorado River directly, but it’s conceivable this is an effort to prepare California for that reality – or at least prove the state is doing something. … I talked with Newsom’s appointed Secretary for Natural Resources, Wade Crowfoot, about the upcoming battle ground that is the Colorado River and San Diego’s stake in it. His agency oversees 26 environmental departments including the Department of Water Resources and California’s Colorado River Board, whose members represent the state in negotiations. … ” Read more from the Voice of San Diego here: A drought conversation with California’s Natural Resources Secretary
California is negotiating up to 400,000 acre-feet in Colorado River water cuts amid drought
“California water agencies that depend on Colorado River supply are quietly negotiating combined reductions of between 320,000 and 400,000 acre-feet from the fast-dwindling Lake Mead reservoir next year. “California has an agreement to do a range of no less than 320 and a maximum of 400 (thousand acre-feet),” said Bart Fisher, a lifelong farmer who is vice president of the Palo Verde Irrigation District board. Fisher, who has long served on and for several years led the state’s Colorado River Board, said: “I personally believe it will end up being 400, but … we’ve still got this range of 320 to 400.” … ” Read more from the Desert Sun here: California is negotiating up to 400,000 acre-feet in Colorado River water cuts amid drought
Stressed Colorado River keeps California desert farms alive
“When Don Cox was looking for a reliable place to build a family farm in the 1950s, he settled on California’s Imperial Valley. “He had it on his mind that water rights were very, very important,” said his grandson, Thomas Cox, who now farms in the Valley. He was right. Today the Imperial Valley, which provides many of the nation’s winter vegetables and cattle feed, has one of the strongest grips on water from the Colorado River, a critical but over-tapped supply for farms and cities across the West. In times of shortage, Arizona and Nevada must cut first. But even California, the nation’s most populous state with 39 million people, may be forced to give something up in the coming years as hotter and drier weather causes the river’s main reservoirs to fall to dangerously low levels. If the river were to become unusable, Southern California would lose a third of its water supply and vast swaths of farmland in the state’s southeastern desert would go unplanted. … ” Read more from the Colorado Sun here: Stressed Colorado River keeps California desert farms alive
Arizona water officials worry about future access to Colorado River
“Robbie Woodhouse’s grandfather began nearly a century of family farming along the Gila River near Yuma in the middle 1920s when he dug up a bunch of mesquite stumps on his land to make way for his barley, wheat, Bermuda seed, cotton and melon fields.Farming never really took off at the Woodhouse homestead until 1954, when the federal government finished a 75-mile-long concrete canal to bring Colorado River water to what’s now known as the Wellton-Mohawk Irrigation and Drainage District, which covers about 58,500 acres along the Gila River east of the Colorado. But now, the future of this district, of farming in the Yuma area in general and of Arizona’s second largest drinking water supply for urban residents are all mired in a sea of uncertainty. Due to a logjam in interstate negotiations for massive cuts in Colorado River water deliveries, farmers and urban users have no idea how much water use they’ll be ordered to cut, possibly starting next year. … ” Read more from the Colorado Sun here: Arizona water officials worry about future access to Colorado River
Plan calls for piscicide use to kill off invasive fish species in Colorado River
“Wildlife officials with the National Park Service are planning to use a specialized poison next week to kill off an invasive fish species and make room for endangered natives in the Colorado River. The move should help to remove invasive smallmouth bass and green sunfish from the river below Glen Canyon Dam, inside the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, according to NPS officials. The two fish have been threatening smaller native species like the humpback chub, which is listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. “Because smallmouth bass are aggressive predators, failure to quickly control their population in the Colorado River above the Grand Canyon could likely lead to the demise of the humpback chub,” according to an NPS announcement. … ” Read more from the Spectrum here: Plan calls for piscicide use to kill off invasive fish species in Colorado River
SEE ALSO: Park Service to poison bass upstream of Grand Canyon to save native fish, from Arizona Central
In national water news today …
Stanford researchers model outsized benefits of riverfront forest restoration
“A new Stanford University-led study(link is external) in Costa Rica reveals that restoring relatively narrow strips of riverfront forests could substantially improve regional water quality and carbon storage. The analysis, available online and set to be published in the October issue of Ecosystem Services, shows that such buffers tend to be most beneficial in steep, erosion-prone, and intensively fertilized landscapes – a finding that could inform similar efforts in other countries. “Forests around rivers are key places to target for restoration because they provide huge benefits with very little impediment to productive land,” said study lead author Kelley Langhans, a PhD student in biology at Stanford University affiliated with the Natural Capital Project. “A small investment could have a really big impact on the health of people and ecosystems.” … ” Read more from Stanford News here: Stanford researchers model outsized benefits of riverfront forest restoration
Stantec Institute to develop framework to analyze impacts of PFAS on wastewater
“The National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA) has selected the Stantec Institute for Water Technology & Policy to develop a cost analysis for estimating the effects of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) on wastewater and biosolids management across the United States. The project will demonstrate compliance costs and illustrate the potential impacts on the clean water community and its ratepayers. Conclusions will serve as a resource for NACWA subscribers and utilities as well as federal, state, and local legislators and regulators that are currently addressing PFAS issues within their watersheds. … ” Read more from Water Finance & Management here: Stantec Institute to develop framework to analyze impacts of PFAS on wastewater
