On the calendar today …
- WEBINAR: Learning, Designing, and Teaching Others: A Narrative About Green Infrastructure and Education from 10am to 11am. Efforts to increase public awareness and knowledge of the benefits of green infrastructure might lead to a greater appreciation of these features and perceptions of urban neighborhoods with green infrastructure as attractive. However, educational topics such as stormwater management can be difficult to introduce to general audiences in an engaging manner. This webinar introduces the concept of using serious games as a tool to help users learn about these environmental concepts in an entertaining setting. A serious game called ‘Build Your Neighborhood’, was developed as part of a university research project in collaboration with the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI) and Oregon State University’s Computer Science Capstone Project. The design of the game is built to convey the ecological benefits and trade-offs of implementing green infrastructure in neighborhoods and communities. Click here for more information and to register.
- WEBINAR: California Water Data Consortium Data for Lunch w/Internet of Water from 12pm to 1:30pm. Peter Colohan will talk about the Internet of Water Initiative and the newly formed Internet of Water Coalition. The Internet of Water Coalition is a group of organizations working together with federal, state, and local government partners to build foundational water data infrastructure across the US and create a community of people and organizations using water data to make better decisions. The IoW Coalition is chaired by the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, which launched a new Internet of Water Initiative at Lincoln’s Center for Geospatial Solutions in 2022 to promote new tools and best practices for modernizing the nation’s water data infrastructure. The initiative continues a project that began in 2018 at Duke University’s Nicholas Institute of Environmental Policy Solutions, which continues to play a key role as a partner in the new Internet of Water Coalition. Click here to register.
- MEETING: Cache Slough Region Public Access and Recreation Kickoff from 1pm to 2:30pm. Through a 2021 Memorandum of Agreement, Solano County is partnering with the California Department of Water Resources and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to enhance public recreation opportunities in the Cache Slough region. The partners are looking for input from residents and visitors on recreational opportunities like boating, hunting, fishing, hiking, wildlife viewing, and others that you share. Visit the Cache Slough Region Public Access Recreation page for more information and join the Zoom meeting.
In California water news today …
California’s drought regulators lose big case. What it means for state’s power to police water
“California’s drought regulators have lost a major lawsuit that could undermine their legal authority to stop farms and cities from pulling water from rivers and streams. With California in its third punishing year of a historic drought, an appeals court ruled Monday that the State Water Resources Control Board lacks the power to interfere with so-called “senior” water rights holders and curtail their diversions of water from rivers. The case stems from orders imposed by the state board in 2015, during the previous drought, when it halted farms and cities throughout the Central Valley from taking water from the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers. A group of farm-irrigation districts centered in and around the Delta itself — the freshwater estuary that feeds vast farmlands and serves as the hub of California’s complex water-delivery network — brought the lawsuit challenging the state board’s actions. … ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee here: California’s drought regulators lose big case. What it means for state’s power to police water
Heat domes and heat waves take more water from reservoirs
“The historic drought in California could be made worse as water levels fall in the state’s reservoirs. Officials say accelerated evaporation is to blame, the good news they say is one records heatwave is not enough to do serious damage. “That increment increase, for a few days; it’s not gonna make a big impact in our scheme of things,” said East Bay MUD Water Supply engineer, Chris Potter. According to officials, two things will make a difference. As the drought parches the land, it gets so dry, so deep that a lot of rain and snow runoff will likely not make it to reservoirs. … ” Read more from KTVU here: Heat domes and heat waves take more water from reservoirs
A rare third year of La Niña is on deck for California, forecasters say
“Californians should brace for another year of La Niña as the stubborn climate pattern in the tropical Pacific is expected to persist for a third consecutive year, forecasters say. The latest outlook, published Thursday by the National Weather Service’s Climate Prediction Center, has increased the chances of La Niña sticking around through November to 91%, a near certainty. The pattern may also linger into winter, with an 80% chance of La Niña from November to January and a 54% chance from January to March. La Niña is the cooler phase of the El Niño-Southern Oscillation climate pattern and is a significant driver of weather conditions across the globe, including temperature, rain and snowfall, jet streams and tropical cyclones. … ” Read more from the LA Times here: A rare third year of La Niña is on deck for California, forecasters say
Tight water supplies challenge California dairies
“Drought, groundwater depletion and regulation are all playing into water shortages for California’s farmers and dairy producers. California’s Central Valley, where 85% to 95% of the state’s milk is produced, has always depended on a combination of groundwater and surface water, said Geoff Vanden Heuvel, director of regulatory affairs for Milk Producers Council. The water crisis is a combination of natural droughts and man-made droughts, he said during the latest “Dairy Defined” podcast. “As overregulated as California is on everything, it never regulated its groundwater on a statewide basis, he said. … ” Read more from the Capital Press here: Tight water supplies challenge California dairies
Drought monitoring keeps tabs on California’s most sensitive trout species
“As holiday visitors vacated the Stanislaus National Forest at the conclusion of the long Fourth of July weekend, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s (CDFW) Heritage and Wild Trout Program moved in. Four team members from the statewide program – Environmental Scientist Allison Scott, scientific aids Aaron Sturtevant and Stew Sloan, along with new program leader Farhat Bajjaliya – set up camp within the border region of Alpine and Stanislaus counties in the northern reaches of the Eastern Sierra. The team spent the better part of three days rock-hopping, climbing and carefully picking their way upstream along three small creeks within the high elevations of the Carson-Iceberg Wilderness searching for and counting wild Lahontan cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii henshawi). The goal was to see how the fish and their habitat were faring in a third summer of California drought. … ” Read more from the Department of Fish and Wildlife here: Drought monitoring keeps tabs on California’s most sensitive trout species
If La Nina persists, expect more drought and flooding
“The climate phenomenon known as La Nina sets off a chain reaction among weather patterns the world over. That can lead to more drought in some places even as it produces flooding and hurricanes in others. La Nina occurs when the surface of the Pacific Ocean along the equator cools and the atmosphere above it reacts. Typically, it happens once every few years. However, the persistence of the most recent case poses the likelihood that the Northern Hemisphere will see its third La Nina winter in a row, a rarity. How unusual is this? … ” Read more from Bloomberg here: If La Nina persists, expect more drought and flooding
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. Not every location across the West has had storms on a given day, but storms that have formed have often been intense, bringing heavy rainfall and strong wind gusts to some locations. ... ” Read more from AccuWeather here: Western rainfall to bring drought relief, increase flood risk
What history can teach us about the conservation of endangered species
“One of the most fascinating challenges of endangered species management is the concept of shifting baselines — the idea that how much worse a problem has gotten, and what your recovery goal should be, depends on when you start measuring the problem. In many cases we need scientific data on the population and distribution of endangered species from before anyone started collecting scientific data. So what do we do? Solving this challenge has required the creation of an entirely new field called historical ecology, which looks at human interactions with the environment over long periods of time using historical research methods. “Historical ecology sits at the intersection of a number of disciplines, including archaeology, history, anthropology and paleoecology,” says Ruth Thurstan of the University of Exeter, a leader in the field. “It is particularly useful for understanding the scale of changes that occurred before we started to scientifically monitor ecosystems.” … ” Read more from The Revelator here: What history can teach us about the conservation of endangered species
How a mainstream weed killer became one of California wine’s biggest controversies
“One of the most hotly debated issues in California wine these days involves a chemical that can be found in every Home Depot in America: Roundup. Monsanto’s high-profile herbicide is the go-to method of weed control for many California vineyards. As with all crops, weeds are a nuisance among grapevines, competing for resources like water and potentially causing young vines to die. But Roundup’s active ingredient, glyphosate, is probably a carcinogen, according to the World Health Organization. Repeated exposure to glyphosate has been linked to cancers like non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Recently, new research has revealed just how pervasive glyphosate may be in our environment: In July, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published a study of 2,310 subjects that found glyphosate in the urine of 80% of adults and 87% of children. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle here: How a mainstream weed killer became one of California wine’s biggest controversies
CA Legislature turning off tap on PFAS “forever” chemicals
“The end of the legislative session in California brought welcome news on PFAS, a class of toxic “forever” chemicals consisting of 12,000+ chemicals. Several pieces of legislation addressing this toxic and persistent class of chemicals moved forward. PFAS contaminate drinking water across the state and country, particularly in disadvantaged communities; are showing up in rainwater and sea spray; and are found in the bodies of virtually all people living in the US. They are associated with myriad health effects, including cancer, liver and kidney damage, and suppressed immunity, including interference with the effectiveness of vaccines. Not surprisingly, Californians across the spectrum overwhelmingly support getting PFAS out of everyday products like clothes and textiles. … ” Read more from the NRDC here: CA Legislature turning off tap on PFAS “forever” chemicals
SEE ALSO: ‘Forever chemicals’ are everywhere. The battle over who pays to clean them up is just getting started, from Politico
In commentary today …
Delta Tunnel’s science-denying premise: diverting more water out of Sacramento will ‘restore’ fish
Dan Bacher writes, “I’m an independent journalist that’s covered the fish, environmental justice and water issues for 40 years. Different versions of this same gigantic and wasteful public works project — the Peripheral Canal, the Bay Delta Conservation Plan, the California Water Fix and now the single Delta Conveyance — have cast a dark, toxic shadow over California water policy since it was first decisively rejected by California voters in November 1982 as the Peripheral Canal. Tunnel proponents claim the tunnel will protect the reliability of water transport infrastructure, address the impacts of sea level rise, and “improve” the Delta’s aquatic conditions. However, the project will do none of these things, instead hastening the extinction of Sacramento River winter and spring-run Chinook salmon, Central Valley steelhead, Delta and longfin smelt and green sturgeon. It’s feared these fish species will die off as the multi-billion tunnel keeps indebting Californians for generations to come. … ” Continue reading at the Daily Kos here: Delta Tunnel’s science-denying premise: diverting more water out of Sacramento will ‘restore’ fish
It’s time to stop crop-shaming Western farmers amid drought
Dan Keppen, executive director of the Family Farm Alliance, and Mike Wade, executive director of the California Farm Water Coalition, write, “Finding solutions to complex problems, like the Colorado River’s dwindling supplies, requires working together, not divisive attacks. Fallowing productive farmland should be a last resort when it comes to America’s food supply. The problem is, there isn’t enough water in the Colorado River to meet its demands, thanks to the ongoing drought in the Western United States. The situation is bad enough that the Bureau of Reclamation, which oversees water operations on the river, is seeking 2 million to 4 million acre-feet of water reductions and additional conservation by users in the river’s seven basin states. That is a significant amount and will put a strain on everyone, but we can make it less painful by working together. … ” Read more from The Desert Sun here: It’s time to stop crop-shaming Western farmers amid drought
Editorial: Water woes will only get worse for California
The Antelope Valley Press editorial board writes, “We are so technologically advanced, that we can send messages to people thousands of miles away in mere seconds; we have access to a world of knowledge with a few computer keystrokes, cars can drive themselves and phones are mini computers that we carry in our pockets. Despite all the strides the human race has made to make life more convenient, we still struggle with things like drought, climate change and water shortages. This summer has been a particularly brutal in terms of water restrictions, but this is just the beginning — and while we complain about lawns that are beginning to resemble straw, there are much bigger problems on the horizon as the Colorado River dips to dangerously low levels. … ” Read more from the Antelope Valley Press here: Editorial: Water woes will only get worse for California
California Gov. Newsom tackles water, electricity
Opinion writer John Seiler writes, ““In California, whisky is for drinking and water is for fighting,” said Mark Twain. You can learn a lot even from people whose policies you generally don’t like. A good example is Gov. Gavin Newsom, whose political skills continue to evolve. Newsom knows the two biggest issues in California are not the ones in the news most days, such as the economy, abortion, and climate change. The two biggest issues are water and electricity. Get those wrong and you’ll drown politically. Get them right and, although people might not notice, you will not be hammered because the lights went out for hours. Or they couldn’t water their lawns for years. ... ” Read more from the Epoch Times here (free registration may be required): California Gov. Newsom tackles water, electricity
Today’s featured article …
FIVE QUESTIONS: Deirdre Des Jardins with California Water Research
Deirdre Des Jardins, Director of California Water Research, has become a bit of a fixture at state agency meetings, such as the Delta Stewardship Council, Delta Independent Science Board, California Water Commission, and others. If you have attended these meetings, you’ve likely heard her speak during public comments. But who is she? I wanted to know more, so I sent her five questions.
Deirdre has done integrative synthesis of actionable science on climate change and California water issues since 2009. She previously did research on nonlinear dynamics and complex systems theory at NASA Ames Research Center, the Center for Nonlinear Studies at Los Alamos National Laboratory, and The Santa Fe Institute for Complex Systems. She describes herself as a teller of inconvenient truths about climate change impacts on California water, and has advocated for use of best available science in climate adaptation plans and related projects.
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
Federal Court closes doors to irrigators
“Last Thursday, the United States Court of Appeals issued a decision that denies Klamath Project irrigators the right to challenge federal agency decisions in court. The ruling, in a case titled Klamath Irrigation District, et al. v. United States, et al., found that irrigation parties could not file legal challenges to federal agency actions or decisions that the irrigators believe are unlawful, unless tribes in the Klamath Basin voluntarily agree to join the case as parties. “This is hard to process,” said Klamath Water Users Association (KWUA) President Ben DuVal. “Any number of tribal and non-tribal parties can sue the government to take water away from irrigators, but irrigators can’t sue to protect their own interests in water.” … ” Continue reading this press release from the Klamath Water Users Association here: Federal Court closes doors to irrigators
Humboldt Bay harbor district responds to report on sea-level rise
“The harbor district largely agrees with the findings of a grand jury report on the risks posed by sea-level rise, but officials say work is already being done to mitigate or adapt to the situation. “We are actively working on this constantly,” said Larry Oetker, executive director of the Humboldt Bay Harbor, Recreation and Conservation District. The harbor district’s Board of Commissioners unanimously approved a response to the Humboldt County Civil Grand Jury report “The Sea Also Rises,” which the district worked on with Humboldt County and the cities of Eureka and Arcata. The Grand Jury report pointed to research indicating the Humboldt Bay area will experience 2 feet of sea level rise by 2050 and 3 feet of sea level rise as early as 2070, and that it’s important for local agencies to begin collaborating and preparing for these changes now. … ” Read more from the Eureka Times-Standard here: Humboldt Bay harbor district responds to report on sea-level rise
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
Salmon Festival back, bigger and better than ever
“The 28th Annual Salmon Festival will feature more activities, events, vendors, music and food than ever before. “The Salmon Festival is a great Oroville tradition. We are celebrating the return of the salmon, a celebration that has been going on for millennial. It’s an on-going tradition that celebrates the circle of life,” said Eric Smith, Chamber of Commerce CEO. The festival kicks off with the Friends of the Feather River Nature Center Salmon Soirée starting at 6 p.m. Sept. 23. The soirée, which will take place at Centennial Plaza on Arlin Rhine Memorial Drive, on the levee behind the Oroville Convention Center, will feature small plates of hors d’oeuvres paired with beer or wine and live music. Tickets for this event must be purchased in advanced through the Visit Oroville Salmon Festival website. … ” Read more from the Chico Enterprise-Record here: Salmon Festival back, bigger and better than ever
Effects of drought, freeze on the minds of Colusa County 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. Water management techniques such as irrigation can be used to help alleviate water shortages but all farmers still need access to a fresh water supply to maintain their crops. … ” Read more from the Appeal Democrat here: Effects of drought, freeze on the minds of Colusa County farmers
BAY AREA
A slight chance for September drizzles in parts of the Bay Area today
“It’s hard to believe that just a week ago Bay Area cities were breaking all-time temperatures records while fires broke out across Northern and Southern California. And while those fires are still raising air quality concerns across places like Tahoe and the Inland Empire, Wednesday’s weather will help greatly help in stomping out some of the pesky smoke that’s been anchored over the Bay Area for the past few days. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle here: A slight chance for September drizzles in these parts of the Bay Area today
Marin water supplier defends drought response in report
“Marin Municipal Water District is pushing back on a Marin County Civil Grand Jury report asserting the agency nearly faced depleting its reservoirs this year because it had not taken past steps to build a more resilient water supply. The grand jury assessment lacked credibility, included factual errors and is now being used to incite more critique of the district’s handling of the drought last year, the district Board of Directors said. “It certainly was very angry at the district for failing to do something,” board member Cynthia Koehler said during a discussion on the report on Sept. 6. “But if you go through it, they actually never had the courage or conviction to say what that thing should have been.” … ” Read more from the Marin Independent Journal here: Marin water supplier defends drought response in report
Bay Area Regional Needs Assessment Report
“This Regional Needs Assessment report presents the findings from 13 individual needs assessment processes that were conducted between 2017 and 2021 by the Disadvantaged Community Outreach Partners, from a Tribal needs assessment process administered by five Tribal Outreach Partners, and from the peer-to-peer needs assessment to understand how people experiencing homelessness are accessing water for drinking, sanitation, and hygiene. The needs assessment with people experiencing homelessness is presented first to elevate these voices because often people experiencing homelessness are not included in problem-identification or solutions development processes. After the needs assessment with people experiencing homelessness, findings from the Disadvantaged Community and Tribal partners’ needs assessments are presented, followed by a Regional Connections section summarizing the consistently similar priorities for water management across participating Communities and Tribes. Best Practices for making grant programs more equitable and accessible to Disadvantaged Community groups and Tribes and other overall recommendations from the San Francisco Bay Area IRWM Region DACTI Program are presented at the end of this report.” Read and download the report here from the San Francisco Estuary Partnership here: Regional Needs Assessment Report
Three big studies on East Bay’s creatures, plants and wildfire risk
“With drought, heat waves, high fire danger, drains on the electrical grid and the general ramping-up of climate change, the urban East Bay’s open space brings worry along with relief. Worry for all the above. Relief for the easy access to so many natural areas for hiking, biking, running, birdwatching, picnicking or simply escaping the din of city living. More than 200,000 acres of undeveloped land borders Berkeley, Oakland and neighboring East Bay cities, mostly to the east, from the Carquinez Strait to the South Bay. This includes around 125,000 acres of East Bay Regional Park District land (EBRPD) and 60,000 acres of EBMUD protected watershed. Still more if you include lands of UC Berkeley, PG&E, counties and cities. Soon, we’ll know a lot more about our open space neighbors — both wildlife and vegetation. About their ecological health and their vulnerability to wildfire. ... ” Read more from Berkleyside here: Three big studies on East Bay’s creatures, plants and wildfire risk
Bay Area’s algae bloom is like a ‘wildfire in the water’
“Lake Merritt, in the center of Oakland, California, is a tidal estuary connected to the Pacific Ocean. It usually teems with life, both human and marine. In early September, its 3-mile shoreline was bustling with joggers. But in the sunset-blackened waters, the gleaming white corpses of thousands of decaying fish bobbed along in the gentle tide and piled up in mounds along the lagoon’s edges. In late July, an algae bloom began spreading in San Francisco Bay, which stretches 60 miles north to south. The bloom has since exploded, expanding north into San Pablo Bay, including the shores of Napa County, and conditions in mid-September were still dire, with the fish kill reaching into the tens of thousands. It is the largest and longest-lasting algae bloom in the bay’s recorded history. … ” Read more from High Country News here: Bay Area’s algae bloom is like a ‘wildfire in the water’
Orinda City Council continues San Pablo Creek restoration project discussion
“Further discussion regarding downtown development and creek restoration continued at the Sept. 6 Orinda City Council meeting. The proposed creek restoration project is part of the Downtown Precise Plan (DPP), which encourages revitalization in downtown Orinda. The DPP process began in January 2020 and has a target completion date of December 2022. In December 2020, the City Council awarded a contract to PlaceWorks for San Pablo creek restoration analysis as a component of the DPP; the contract was amended to include a topographic survey and hydrology study in March 2021. The report included a review of a creek restoration concept developed in October 2019 by FlowWest for the Friends of Orinda Creeks (FOC). “The city has been considering how to improve San Pablo Creek since at least 2000,” Planning Director Drummond Buckley said. “The city didn’t put any investment into this issue until the PlaceWorks study.” ... ” Read more from the Lamorinda Weekly here: Orinda City Council continues San Pablo Creek restoration project discussion
Water use drops significantly in Santa Clara County; drought targets met by increased conservation
“After months of missing water conservation targets while California’s drought worsened, the 2 million residents of Santa Clara County appear to have turned the corner and are making significant progress now — much of it by dialing back sprinklers that irrigate their lawns and other landscaping. Santa Clara County residents reduced water use by 16% in July compared to July 2019 levels, according to new numbers out Tuesday, surpassing the goal of 15% set by the area’s main water provider, the Santa Clara Valley Water District. “The residents and businesses of Santa Clara County have done an excellent job,” said Aaron Baker, a chief operating officer of the water district. “That has come from a lot of hard work. We greatly appreciate it.” … ” Read more from the San Jose Mercury News here: Water use drops significantly in Santa Clara County; drought targets met by increased conservation
Valley Water to enforce ban on decorative watering in some places
“The Santa Clara Valley Water District will begin enforcing a ban on watering lawns and plants that are only there for decoration in many places. Valley Water expert Neeta Bijoor said the ban “applies to all commercial, industrial and institutional properties, including homeowners associations.” After two warnings, repeat offenders could face fines of up to $10,000. “We do not want to go there,” Valley Water board chair John Varela said. “We want to not have to enforce any of those policies.” … ” Read more from Valley Water here: Valley Water to enforce ban on decorative watering in some places
CENTRAL COAST
‘Poop water’ floated as solution to Santa Barbara County’s water woes
“A fascinating if dismal report of the state of Santa Barbara County aquifers went to the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, prompting an odd “poop-fest” of a discussion of toilet-to-tap options, which are technically called “indirect potable reuse.” The yearly report showed charts spanning decades of groundwater-level information, with the last nine years of drought taking a serious toll across the county — several aquifers were said to be at historic lows — except in part of Cuyama Valley, and in Santa Barbara and Montecito. … ” Read more from the Santa Barbara Independent here: ‘Poop water’ floated as solution to Santa Barbara County’s water woes
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
Can solar investment help farmers survive the Central Valley water crises?
David Field, co-managing partner and co-founder of solar finance and development platform Luminia, writes, “Agricultural businesses are under growing economic pressures as drought conditions worsen and inflation continues to climb. Rising energy costs have been a particularly damaging repercussion of the drought, with farmers spending more on electricity in order to keep wells and irrigation systems pumping water to their crops. California agriculture lost $1.1 billion in 2021 as a direct result of water shortages, and the Central Valley alone sat on roughly 385,000 acres of idle land. Unfortunately, intensifying climate change makes this year’s outlook just as grim. Not only did a ban on river and stream pumping by the State Water Resources Control Board severely cut water resources around the San Joaquin River and its tributaries this summer, farmers have been bracing for another year of near-zero water allocations by cutting back on crop production. ... ” Read more from The Business Journal here: Can solar investment help farmers survive the Central Valley water crises?
Water levels low at Pine Flat Lake amid drought conditions
“A parched Summer has dried out lakes. The water levels dropped so low at Pine Flat Lake, that you can now see the ridge lines. Lake conditions change every single day, according to officials. What you’re seeing is a lake that fluctuates 300 vertical feet a year on a normal basis. Officials say the Pine Flat Lake area typically has about 20 miles of open water for boating, but now there’s only four because of areas where the water is just too low. … ” Read more from KFSN here: Water levels low at Pine Flat Lake amid drought conditions
Some parks get water, others dead fish – it’s all tied up in drought and Kern River history
“The drying lakes at the Park at River Walk and along Truxtun Avenue have stirred a lot of controversy over the impact to wildlife but also over what people see as a lopsided division of pain during this very painful drought. Why are City of Bakersfield water features going dry while lakes, a golf course and parks owned by Kern County are still lush? In California, “fair” doesn’t always trump long-held water rights, agreements and contracts. And those are what’s governing which lakes get water and which go belly up, so to speak. … ” Read more from SJV Water here: Some parks get water, others dead fish – it’s all tied up in drought and Kern River history
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
California’s drought touches everyone, but water restrictions play out unevenly across communities
“Raúl Monterroso of San Fernando knows that he can do little to help the struggling garden patio in front of his house. After all, he takes the new water restrictions seriously. “Here, everything is dry, we have the entire irrigation system closed, my poor wife is crying over her plants,” said the Guatemala native, who stopped watering the grass on June 1 when instructions to cut outdoor watering to once a week were issued. Further restrictions went into effect Sept. 6, when a 15-day ban through Sept. 20 was mandated by an emergency repair that shut down the 36-mile Upper Feeder pipeline that brings water from the Colorado River to Southern California. … ” Read more from the LA Times here: California’s drought touches everyone, but water restrictions play out unevenly across communities
SAN DIEGO
Judge rules City of San Diego overcharged water customers $79 million since 2014
“Months after a judge ruled the City of San Diego is overcharging some water customers, the city has yet to pay up, or make changes to its rates. Attorneys say the delay is costing taxpayers millions in penalty fees. They filed the case back in 2017, saying San Diego was violating a portion of the California constitution, which states governments that provide services are not allowed to charge more for those services than it costs them to deliver. “So, whatever it costs to deliver water to a house, that’s what they’re allowed to charge and they’re not allowed to charge more than that,” said Attorney Steven Tindall with the Gibbs Law Firm. … ” Read more from Channel 8 here: Judge rules City of San Diego overcharged water customers $79 million since 2014
San Diego makes huge investment in stormwater infrastructure with loan from EPA
“San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria on Tuesday signed off on a loan with the Environmental Protection Agency to fix up the city’s aging storm drain system. The loan will allow for up to $733 million to be invested in stormwater infrastructure projects over the next five years. It’s one of the biggest infrastructure investments in recent years. The mayor’s signature kicked off the first installment of $225 million. The loan will fund more than 80 projects. … ” Read more from KPBS here: San Diego makes huge investment in stormwater infrastructure with loan from EPA
Along the Colorado River …
A warmer, drier West: A detailed history and possible future of water use in the West
“On October 13, 1893, Major John Wesley Powell, celebrated explorer, geologist and Civil War veteran, addressed delegates of the Second Irrigation Congress in Los Angeles, declaring to the capitalists, politicians and boosters attending (and whose main agenda was to develop the arid West), “What matters it whether I am popular or unpopular? I tell you, gentlemen, you are piling up a heritage of conflict and litigation over water rights, for there is not sufficient water to supply these lands.” Powell’s blunt prophetic statement did not win support. The delegates booed him off the stage. Twenty-four years earlier, Powell led the first attempted and successful geological expedition of the Colorado River, through the Grand Canyon by boat. The ten men, including Powell’s brother Walter, began their river exploration at Green River, Wyoming, on May 24, 1869, just two weeks after the first transcontinental railroad pushed westward with its first paying passengers. In wooden dories, with ten months of rations and supplies, the group traveled southwest on the Green River to the confluence with the Grand (later renamed Colorado), near present-day Moab, Utah, and then through the uncharted Grand Canyon. … ” Read more from KCET here: A warmer, drier West: A detailed history and possible future of water use in the West
Desert farmers float plan to boost Colorado River
“A coalition of farmers and local water agency leaders who rely upon the Colorado River offered to reduce their river allocations in exchange for federal financial assistance. While that offer still stands, the amount of water saved through the plan is a fraction of what the U.S. Department of the Interior wants Lower Colorado River Basin users to conserve, and as such, that offer was not accepted. … Wade Noble, a Yuma-based water attorney who represents several local water agencies in the region, said the proposal would save 185,000 acre-feet of water. While far from the 4 million acre-feet sought by DOI and Reclamation, it was a step in the right direction and a show of willingness to help. The offer is on hold as nobody else has stepped forward to offer significant cuts to a system that continues to be over-allocated and overused. … ” Read more from the Western Farm Press here: Desert farmers float plan to boost Colorado River
California negotiating voluntarily conserving water amid severe drought
“Water cuts could be coming to the Golden State. “Right now there are currently no cuts in California, however, it’s being discussed,” said Robert Schettler, Public Information Officer for the Imperial Irrigation District. California is negotiating whether or not to voluntarily conserve hundreds of thousands of acre-feet of water due to the drought that’s stressing the Colorado River and its reservoir – Lake Mead. The Imperial Irrigation District receives one of the largest shares of water in the state of California, and is expected to contribute the most water of the four agencies in the state. “We have the lion’s share and that lion share is about 3.1 million acre-foot,” said Schettler. … ” Read more from NBC Palm Springs here: California negotiating voluntarily conserving water amid severe drought
Novva Data Centers announces new data center in North Las Vegas featuring water-free cooling and renewable energy
“Novva Data Centers, a state-of-the-art data center company providing purpose-built data center facilities, announced plans to open a new data center in North Las Vegas, Nevada. Construction on the 275,000 square foot, 100MW, $400 Million data center in North Las Vegas began in October 2021, and the facility is expected to open in late 2023. … “Since our founding, Novva has sought to bring purpose-built, futuristic, eco-friendly facilities to the Western United States and we’ve been very selective and intentional with our site locations,” said Wes Swenson, founder and CEO of Novva Data Centers. “North Las Vegas is an ideal location for a data center because it allows us to take advantage of the abundant renewable energy alternatives, and its proximity to the California and regional markets. It is a great addition to our other western data center locations.” “This also gives us another opportunity to implement our water-free cooling technology, which will save approximately 150 to 200 million gallons of water a year, and in 2024 we plan to deploy atmospheric water generation for landscape needs,” Swenson continued. … ” Read more from Yahoo News here: Novva Data Centers announces new data center in North Las Vegas featuring water-free cooling and renewable energy
Las Vegas-area water company files bankruptcy as Lake Mead ‘straw’ runs dry
“The company that was the sole supplier of water for the City of Henderson for decades has filed for bankruptcy protection, a victim of a 23-year drought that created a problem too expensive to fix, KLAS reported. Although Henderson no longer relies exclusively on the Basic Water Company (BWC), industries that built the city out of the desert to meet World War II demands still do. And their water bills threaten to break the bank. When Lake Mead dropped to “Failure Elevation” — 1,043 feet in July — Basic Water Company’s 40-inch-diameter pipe stopped sucking in water at Saddle Island. The pipelines are commonly referred to as “straws.” The lake dropped as low as 1,040 feet, but it has since risen to 1,043 feet. Forecast models show it dropping under 1,040 feet again by April of 2023. ... ” Read more from KTLA Channel 5 here: Las Vegas-area water company files bankruptcy as Lake Mead ‘straw’ runs dry
Column: Queen Creek may have won a key battle for Colorado River water. But why is it so quiet?
Opinion columnist Joanna Allhands writes, “Weird. I didn’t feel the ground shake last week. The U.S. Department of the Interior, which has the final say on these things, found no significant impact in transferring water from GSC Farm LLC in rural La Paz County to Queen Creek, where it will replenish groundwater pumping for development. That means, unless rural communities decide to fight this further, the agreements will be drawn up, the farmland will be fallowed and the water it once used will travel some 200 miles away, perhaps as early as January, according to reporting from Axios Phoenix. And yet, it’s all quiet on the Western front, as opponents decide their next moves. What happened? … ” Read more from Arizona Central here: Column: Queen Creek may have won a key battle for Colorado River water. But why is it so quiet?
As the Colorado River shrinks, water managers see promise in recycling sewage
“In the parched Colorado River basin, water managers are turning over every stone looking for ways to keep the taps flowing. Now, they’re finding more water in some unusual places – shower drains and toilet flushes. At a sprawling sewage treatment plant in Carson, California, the occasional breeze delivers a pungent whiff of a reminder of how used water becomes “reused.” Here, the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California is planting the seeds for a massive new facility, where a multi-billion-dollar installation could help recycle wastewater and keep drinking supply flowing for the agency’s 19 million customers. As climate change makes it increasingly clear that natural forces won’t deliver enough water to turn around a 23-year drought, water managers are looking for ways to stretch out the supply that’s already in the system. … ” Read more from KUNC here: As the Colorado River shrinks, water managers see promise in recycling sewage
Farming, water and Wall Street on Colorado’s Western Slope
” … Surrounding [Joe] Bernal’s land are the vistas of the Grand Valley, a strip of high desert situated on Colorado’s Western Slope marked by dusty mesas and cliffs and the winding, ever-present Colorado River, which plunges down from the mountains to the east. Grand Valley farmers and ranchers use the water to irrigate tens of thousands of acres, growing everything from peaches and corn to wheat and alfalfa. But since 2000 flows on the river have declined 20% and water levels at Lake Powell and Lake Mead have dropped to less than 30% of their combined storage. With the river overtaxed, Grand Valley farmers now face difficult questions regarding the future of water in Colorado and the West. Questions about how irrigation, which accounts for about 70% of the state’s Colorado River water use, can be more efficient, whether water can be conserved and banked in Lake Powell and what, if anything, to do about someone looking to make a buck on the state’s most precious resource, so-called water speculators. In the Grand Valley, much of the concern around private, profit-driven investment in the river has focused on a New York investment firm called Water Asset Management, or WAM. … ” Read more from the Colorado Sun here: Farming, water and Wall Street on Colorado’s Western Slope
In national water news today …
Water data in hydropower relicensing
“All across the country, privately-owned hydropower plants are nearing the end of their current licenses, giving communities the opportunity to reevaluate the value of these plants through the relicensing process. All non-federally-owned hydropower plants are regulated by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), an independent agency within the Department of Energy. Among other things, FERC issues licenses to hydropower plants that lay out conditions for their operation and typically last 30-50 years. There are a little over one thousand FERC-licensed dams across the United States, and more than 400 of them are scheduled to come up for relicensing by 2033. Most of these are located in New England, the Upper Midwest, California, and the Pacific Northwest. FERC relicensing is going through an innovative period, with industry representatives and stakeholders pushing for reforms to the Federal Power Act. Recent court cases have also sought to clarify the roles of various agencies and timelines for their actions and responsibilities throughout the process. ... ” Continue reading at the Internet of Water here: Water data in hydropower relicensing
Microfiber, major problem
“You may have heard recent news stories warning you that most of us are unknowingly ingesting a credit card’s worth of microplastics every week. While the specifics of that estimate aren’t quite true, the fact remains that small particles accumulate to problematic levels as a result of our daily routines. … A significant portion of microfiber pollution comes from municipal treatment systems, which receive all the wastewater from the homes in their community. Doing the laundry causes microfibers to shed from clothing and enter this waste stream, and although municipalities do have filtering capacity, it is rarely enough to stop microfiber pollution at scale. These treatment facilities often convert waste into biosolids, which are applied as fertilizers. Unfortunately, this application is how much of the microfiber waste enters the environment. Catching microfibers at the source– the individual laundry machine– may be the best bet in eliminating this waste pathway, one that researchers explored in a pilot study recently published in Frontiers in Marine Science. … ” Read more from EnviroBites here: Microfiber, major problem
Maps show where extreme heat shattered 7,000 records this summer
“It was the summer that wouldn’t quit. From early June to straight past Labor Day, waves upon waves of heat scorched and baked the country, smashing thousands of temperature records along the way. And summer may have saved its worst for last: Oppressive heat in the West that finally broke Saturday set hundreds of records on its own. Meteorologists described it as the most extreme September heat wave ever observed in the Western United States. More than 7,000 daily temperature records across the United States were broken this summer, a Washington Post analysis of data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration revealed. In the third-hottest summer on record, more than 400 monthly records and 27 all-time records also fell. … ” Read more from the Washington Post here: Maps show where extreme heat shattered 7,000 records this summer
Earth had its 6th-warmest August on record
“August 2022 was the world’s sixth-warmest August in 143 years, according to scientists at NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information. The warm August wrapped up the Northern Hemisphere’s second-hottest meteorological summer on record. Here are highlights from NOAA’s latest monthly global climate report … ” Read more from NOAA here: Earth had its 6th-warmest August on record
Also on Maven’s Notebook today …
NOTICE: September 13 Weekly Update on Curtailment Status of Water Rights and Claims in the Delta Watershed
