DAILY DIGEST, 9/21: Garamendi leads letter to Army Corps objecting to Delta tunnel project; Eyes on the snow as water supplies dwindle; Removing one dam after another: Water in the west; Dead fish in Klamath River raises concerns; and more …

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On the calendar today …

In California water news today …

Garamendi leads letter to Army Corps objecting to Delta tunnel project

“Today, Congressman John Garamendi (D-CA), former Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of Interior who represents the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta in Congress, led a letter to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers underscoring the deeply flawed Delta Conveyance Project’s impact of historic Delta communities.  If completed, the Delta Conveyance Project—also known as the “Delta Tunnel”—could devastate the Delta’s ecosystem. Garamendi’s letter highlights the proposed tunnel’s impact on historical landmarks in the Delta and exposes serious shortcomings in the Army Corps’ permitting for the proposed tunnel. In early August 2022, Representatives Garamendi, Josh Harder (D-CA-10), Jerry McNerney (D-CA-09), and Mike Thompson (D-CA-05) urged Governor Newsom to cancel the planned construction of the tunnel in response to the draft state permitting by the California Department of Water Resources. … ”  Read more from Congressman John Garamendi here: Garamendi leads letter to Army Corps objecting to flawed Delta tunnel project

Eyes on the snow as water supplies dwindle

“As the American West suffers a 22-year-long “megadrought” that researchers say is the worst in at least 1,200 years, water managers now have a new level of insight into just how much water will be available for their communities. Water departments in the West are using maps and models originally created by a NASA team to help track water and improve how we manage this precious resource. That team is now a private public-benefit company, Airborne Snow Observatories, Inc. (ASO), which is using the NASA-developed methods to work with the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) – the largest wholesaler of water in the country – as well as the states of California and Colorado, and water managers internationally. … ”  Read more from NASA here: Eyes on the snow as water supplies dwindle

Drought in California catching up to almond growers

“Getting top yields is tough enough when you’ve got plenty of water, but California growers — who produce nearly all the nation’s almonds — have wrestled with declining amounts in recent years. Combine that with spring frost, supply chain problems, and rising input prices, and it adds up to what’s expected to be the lowest per-acre yields in more than a decade.  The 2022 California Almond Objective Measurement Report by USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) estimates the crop harvested in 2022 will come in at 2.6 billion meat pounds, 11% below last year’s 2.9 billion pounds. The yield is expected to be 1,900 pounds per acre, the first time it has dipped below 1 ton per acre since 2009’s 1,880 pounds per acre. The forecast for the average nut set per tree is 4,082, down 12% from 2021. … ”  Read more from Growing Produce here:  Drought in California catching up to almond growers

Rain at wrong time impacts California tomato harvests

“Many farmers across California are in the middle of tomato harvesting right now. However, instead of the usual drought concerns, recent rains are causing a different issue: too much water.  Paul Sanguenetti’s family has been farming outside Stockton for more than 150 years. He’s in the middle of his tomato harvest but he says due to threatening storms, it’s a race against time before his crops start to turn. … ”  Read more from WKYT here: Rain at wrong time impacts California tomato harvests

Cotton acreage in California increases 17 percent for 2022

“Final mapped California cotton acreage numbers have been announced by the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA). Despite the lack of water, growers have planted more cotton this year. Final mapped numbers have been announced through CDFAs Pink Bollworm Program. Figures indicate that growers have planted a total of 131,037 acres statewide, representing a 17 percent increase. … ”  Read more from Ag Net West here: Cotton acreage in California increases 17 percent for 2022

Low-flow showers are back in spotlight amid water shortages, drought

“People in California are not noticeably dirtier than other Americans, and yet residents of the country’s most populous state use less water than many of their fellow citizens to bathe, wash their hands, and flush their toilets.  Showerheads in California use a maximum of 1.8 gallons of water every minute; Texas residents, on the other hand, are inundated with 2.5 gallons, the most the Environmental Protection Agency allows. California’s toilets use no more than 1.28 gallons per flush even though the federal cap is 1.6.  Now, in the face of extreme drought across much of the US, states and municipalities are reappraising their standards. In 2019, Hawaii and Washington passed laws restricting showerhead flow to match California’s. Last year, Massachusetts passed a law cutting showerhead volume to 2 gallons per minute. Other states, including Utah, have undertaken similar legislation. … ”  Read more from Bloomberg here: Low-flow showers are back in spotlight amid water shortages, drought

Removing one dam after another: Water in the west

“The great cities of the American southwest would not exist if it weren’t for dams. Without the massive federal and state projects to build dams, pumping stations, and aqueducts (most of them completed 50 to 100 years ago), more than 60 million Americans would be living somewhere else. Without dams to capture and store millions of acre-feet of rainfall every year, and aqueducts to transport that water to thirsty metropolitan customers, the land these cities sit upon would be uninhabitable desert.Such is the conundrum facing environmentalists who want to set these rivers free. Without dams, crops would wither, people would die of thirst, and devastating floods would tear through towns and cities every time there’s a big storm. Without hydroelectric power from dams, 18 percent of the in-state generated electricity Californians consume would be gone.But because of dams, fish habitat is lost, and aquatic species can become endangered or go extinct. Because of dams, precious sediment is prevented from running downstream to nurture estuaries and restore beaches. Because of dams, the natural cycle of rivers is disrupted: the cleansing pulse of spring that calls the migratory salmon to come back from the ocean, the dry trickles of summer when these anadromous species fight their way upstream to the cool and perennial headwaters to spawn, the next season’s rains that return newborn fingerlings to the ocean. … ”  Continue reading at the National Review here:  Removing one dam after another: Water in the west

California senators introduce legislation to recognize Tule River Tribe’s water rights

“U.S. Senators Alex Padilla and Dianne Feinstein, both Democrats, introduced legislation last Thursday to formally recognize the Tule River Tribe’s reserved water rights.  Senate Bill 4870, which also quantifies the amount of water from the south fork of the Tule River that Tribe has rights to and provides up to $568 million in funding, was referred to the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs.  The legislation would finalize a multi-decade effort by the Tule River Tribe to provide clean drinking water.  As California and the West continue to experience a historic megadrought, the bill would help provide water security to Tule River citizens “now and for generations to come,” Padilla said in a statement today.  “Water is a sacred and necessary resource for Tribal Nations and for all people. It is long past time for the federal government to live up to its trust and treaty responsibilities to the Tule River Tribe. We must codify this water settlement and ensure the continued strength of Tribal Nations now and into the future.” … ”  Read more from Native News Today here: California senators introduce legislation to recognize Tule River Tribe’s water rights

SEE ALSO:  Feinstein, Padilla Introduce Legislation to Enact Water Settlement between Tule River Tribe and United States, from Senator Feinstein’s office

Water for wildlife refuges: 30 years of the CVPIA

“The Central Valley Project Improvement Act (CVPIA) turns 30 this year. We asked three experts—Jeanne Brantigan of The Nature Conservancy, Samantha Arthur of the National Audubon Society, and Catherine Hickey of Point Blue Conservation Science—to explain what the CVPIA is and why it’s so important for birds.  Can you explain a little bit about dedicating water for wildlife refuges under CVPIA? When did it start, and why has it been so significant for California?   Samantha Arthur: Congress passed the act in 1992. It recognized the importance of the Central Valley’s rivers for migratory birds, fish, and other wildlife—and the need to make protection and restoration of fish and wildlife a coequal purpose of the Central Valley Project (CVP), along with other uses, including agricultural, municipal, industrial, and more. … ”  Read more from the PPIC here:  Water for wildlife refuges: 30 years of the CVPIA

Dangerous arsenic levels may be lurking in California prison water: study

“Incarcerated Californians — and those who live in neighboring rural communities — may be exposed to dangerous levels of arsenic in their drinking water, a new study has found.  Arsenic concentrations in the water supply of the Kern Valley State Prison and three nearby Central Valley communities exceeded regulatory limits for months or even years at a time, according to the study, published on Wednesday in Environmental Health Perspectives. To draw their conclusions, the authors combed through 20 years of water quality data from the prison and the adjacent communities of Allensworth, McFarland and Delano, where groundwater aquifers contain unhealthy levels of naturally occurring arsenic. ... ”  Read more from The Hill here:  Dangerous arsenic levels may be lurking in California prison water: study

As California begins monitoring microplastics in water, experts brace for health impacts

“Microplastics, or the small fragments of plastics and polymers from clothing, packaging and cosmetics, are now found virtually everywhere on Earth — from the highest peaks to the depths of the ocean. At five millimeters long or less, these tiny specks are also cropping up in the air we breathe, the food we eat and the water we drink. Microplastics have been detected in commercially farmed shellfish and, recently, in beef and pork, with little known about how much plastic we’re ingesting — or the impacts of this material on our health or the health of the planet.  That’s why this month, California took the first step in regulating microplastics in its municipal water supplies, making it the first government agency in the world to do so. The State Water Board last week approved requirements for testing microplastics in drinking water, mandating that 30 of California’s largest water providers begin testing their source water next year. … ”  Read more from the San Francisco Examiner here: As California begins monitoring microplastics in water, experts brace for health impacts

Third district invalidates water bottling facility EIR for overly narrow project objectives and failure to recirculate

“On April 20, 2022, the Third District Court of Appeal filed its opinion in We Advocate Through Environmental Review v. County of Siskiyou (2022) 78 Cal.App.5th 683, reversing the trial court’s judgment upholding the County’s Environmental Impact Report (“EIR”) for a water bottling facility. The court held that (1) the County’s EIR for the botting facility defined the project objectives in an overly narrow manner; and (2) the County’s process for evaluating the project’s climate change impacts was flawed. This is one of two CEQA cases brought by the same Petitioners challenging the facility; see our blog post on the related CEQA case here.  In 2013, Crystal Geyser Water Company (“Crystal Geyser”) purchased a water bottling facility in Siskiyou County from Dannon Waters of North America. The bottling facility had been inactive since 2010 and Crystal Geyser proposed returning the plant to production (“Project”). The County’s board of supervisors approved the Project and certified the final EIR in December 2017. … ”  Read more from the CEQA Chronicles here: Third district invalidates water bottling facility EIR for overly narrow project objectives and failure to recirculate

SEE ALSO: Third Circuit Makes Clear That Lead Agencies and Responsible Agencies Alike Must Make Findings Under CEQA, from the CEQA Chronicles

DWR funded project provides support to firefighters during Oak Fire

“With temperatures rising and climate change increasing drought conditions in California, a project funded by DWR provided critical fire-fighting support to the Mariposa community by strengthening local water supply infrastructure as they battled one of the largest wildfires of 2022.  The Mariposa County Resource Conservation District was awarded $700,000 in 2020 from DWR’s Integrated Regional Water Management (IRWM) program. This funding supported a project called the “Bootjack Fire Station Water Storage Project”, which included the installation of a new water tank at a local fire station in the disadvantaged community of Bootjack. The project’s purpose was to increase local water storage to fight the growing number of wildfires in the region. ... ”  Read more from DWR News here: DWR funded project provides support to firefighters during Oak Fire

Storms slow California’s Mosquito Fire, but bring flash flood risk

“We’ll start with the good news: Rainfall has brought relief to firefighters battling the Mosquito fire, California’s biggest blaze of the year. Showers that began on Sunday have allowed firefighters to roughly double the containment of the 76,000-acre fire, which erupted west of Lake Tahoe during a record-breaking heat wave. Now for the bad news: The storms have raised the risk of flash floods in the sheer, muddy hills damaged by fire. Weather officials have warned that people who live near the Mosquito burn scar should watch for flooding through the end of the day. “You have some areas where the vegetation is completely burned away off the side of a hill,” Scott McLean, a Cal Fire spokesman, said. “You get this moisture coming down, it’s going to loosen up that soil, because there’s nothing to hold the soil in place.” … ”  Read more from the New York Times here: Storms slow California’s Mosquito Fire, but bring flash flood risk

Despite its impact on Mosquito Fire, recent rain won’t help state’s long-term fire situation, say experts

“Twenty-four hours of rain helped suppress the fast-growing Mosquito fire, giving crews a leg up on containment and allowing evacuees to return to a smoke-free community. But what did the rain do for wildfires long-term?  “That had a tremendous impact on suppressing the fire,” said Mosquito Fire Public Information Officer Andrew Dowd.  “Unfortunately, it does not do a lot to address the fact that our fuels are critically historically low levels of fuel moisture. Long-term we’re going to need a lot more rain,” said Dowd. … ”  Read more from CBS News here: Despite its impact on Mosquito Fire, recent rain won’t help state’s long-term fire situation, say experts

Post-wildfire pollutants are contaminating drinking water, watersheds

“Thanks in part to climate change, wildfires have picked up throughout the U.S. in both intensity and frequency. In a new study, researchers say much more research is needed on the release of toxic materials post-wildfire into watersheds.  The paper, published in Water Resources Research, looks at the trends in water after wildfires as documented across 184 scientific papers since 1980. The researchers found that stream flow often increases for a few years following a wildfire, as do sediments and water temperature. Nutrients also often increased, along with toxic metals and some organic chemicals, which sometimes reach 10 to 100 times higher concentrations than pre-fire levels. … ”  Read more from Laboratory Equipment here: Post-wildfire pollutants are contaminating drinking water, watersheds

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In commentary today …

Column: California’s water usage was built on a historic lie. The cost is now apparent

Michael Hiltzik writes, “It’s human nature to mark big-number anniversaries, but there’s a centennial looming just ahead that Californians — and other Westerners — might not want to celebrate.  It’s the 100th anniversary of the Colorado River Compact, a seven-state agreement that was signed Nov. 24, 1922.  The compact — essentially an interstate treaty — set the rules for apportioning the waters of the river. It was a crucial step in construction of Hoover Dam, which could not have been built without the states’ assent. The compact stands as a landmark in the development of Los Angeles, San Diego, Denver, Phoenix and other Western metropolises. But it is also a symbol of the folly of unwarranted expectations. That’s because the compact was built on a lie about the capacity of the Colorado River to serve the interests of the Western states — a lie that Westerners will be grappling with for decades to come. … ”  Read more from the LA Times here: Column: California’s water usage was built on a historic lie. The cost is now apparent

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In regional water news and commentary today …

NORTH COAST

Dead fish in Klamath River raises concerns

“Some fish in the Klamath River have been found dead over the past six weeks, raising concerns for experts.  The Six Rivers National Forest says bacterial gill rot and ich infection are not uncommon for fish in the Klamath River, but to see chinook salmon sick or dead is uncommon.  “High stream temperatures coupled with low flow conditions from late July through early September certainly worsened the situation within the Klamath River,” said LeRoy Cyr, District Fish Biologist on the Orleans, Ukonom, and Lower Trinity Ranger District.  Officials say rain events in early August released sediments downstream from the deadly McKinney Fire. They say soil, ash and other organic matter created cloudy water, which can still be seen in the river. … ”  Read more from Action News Now here: Dead fish in Klamath River raises concerns

Klamath River fish kill caused by storm and wildfire activity, says Forest Service

“Isolated rain events in early August released tons of suspended sediment downstream from the McKinney Fire. Soil, ash, and other organic matter was discharged creating highly turbid water which is still visible within the Klamath River today.  In response, the Six Rivers National Forest Fisheries Program in partnership with the Klamath Basin Fish Health Assessment Team (KFHAT), have been monitoring water quality and fish health conditions within the Klamath River.  Crews are surveying mainstem refuges and incoming cold tributaries where adult fish typically hold during their migration. … ”  Read more from the Lost Coast Outpost here: Klamath River fish kill caused by storm and wildfire activity, says Forest Service

Winter-Run Chinook Salmon’s journey to the Pacific from McCloud River

“Cool waters flow south as a group of geese (skeins) fly over the clear, blue-tinted river waters following the warm weather.  The life cycle of the salmon occurs in six stages: egg, alevin, fry, parr, smolt and adult. For the Sacramento River winter-run Chinook salmon the waters are a way of life for them. The cool river waters are critical to the salmon because cold water can hold more oxygen than warmer water and the cold waters help the salmon’s metabolism by slowing down the way they digest their food.  The endangered winter-run salmon spawning grounds were once in the McCloud River, but after the construction of Shasta and Keswick dams the salmon lost the only way to swim downstream the Sacramento River. … ”  Read more from KRCR here: Winter-Run Chinook Salmon’s journey to the Pacific from McCloud River

MOUNTAIN COUNTIES

South Lake Tahoe leads the way as city council approves water bottle ban

“In 2016, the City of San Francisco was the first American municipality to ban the sales of water that comes in plastic bottles. At the time it was called a bold move that was building on a global movement to reduce the huge amount of waste from the billion-dollar plastic bottle industry.  South Lake Tahoe was an early adopter of the single-use plastic bag ban, as well as bans of single-use plastic, styrene, and straws.  Now South Lake Tahoe will be added to the list of cities starting to ban water sold in plastic bottles by April 2024 through a phased approach. During their Tuesday meeting, council members voted unanimously to approve an ordinance that updates Chapter 4.175 (Polystyrene and Plastic Food Packaging Regulations). It establishes a municipal use and commercial ban on single-use plastic water bottles smaller than one gallon, to be phased in over time. … ”  Read more from South Tahoe Now here: South Lake Tahoe leads the way as city council approves water bottle ban

C0mmentary: Bottle ban would be a blunder for South Lake Tahoe

Madison Dibble, communications director for the Center for Accountability in Science, writes, “South Lake Tahoe prides itself on being an environmental leader. It should rethink its proposed ban on bottled water.   Proponents claim a ban would benefit the planet. But the data says otherwise and the unintended consequences will be evident.  Plastic bottles carry the lowest carbon footprint of any typical alternative container. Studies from the Danish Environmental Protection Agency and, more recently, McKinsey and Company, have both found aluminum can production is worse for the planet than plastic because it generates twice as much carbon dioxide as plastic bottle production. Aluminum product production also generates PFC emissions. PFC emissions have a global warming potential up to 9,200 times stronger than carbon dioxide, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. ... ”  Read more from the Reno Gazette Journal here: Commentary: Bottle ban would be a blunder for South Lake Tahoe

BAY AREA

Purple pipe dreams: How SF’s revolutionary recycled water plan dried up

“Thirty-one years ago, supervisors in San Francisco passed a landmark piece of legislation as a signal of the city’s commitment to the environment and conserving water.  Any new buildings that were bigger than 40,000 square feet and located in designated zones on the city’s west and east sides would be required to have “purple pipes.” These pipes, which are literally required to be the color purple, would be installed to transport waste to a recycled water plant. That wastewater—known as blackwater—would then be tested, treated and cleaned, vetted again, and then shipped back to the source to be reused for non-potable purposes, such as flushing toilets and irrigating landscapes.  Over the last three decades, San Francisco has seen more than 70 structures go up with dual-plumbing systems that separate potable from recycled water.  But there’s just one problem.  San Francisco never built a recycled water treatment plant for these buildings. … ”  Read the full story at the SF Standard here: Purple pipe dreams: How SF’s revolutionary recycled water plan dried up

CENTRAL COAST

Marina Coast Water District plans to restart desalination plant dormant since 2003

“The Marina Coast Water District (MCWD) announced at a meeting of the Monterey County Board of Supervisors that it is going to restart its long-dormant desalination plant.  Remley Scherzinger, general manager for MCWD, told the supervisors that to augment their current water supply they’ll need to return to their already-built desal plant. … ”  Read more from KSBY here: Marina Coast Water District plans to restart desalination plant dormant since 2003

SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY

VIDEO: The “intertie” marks the end of the line for the Kern River but it still has an important role in the law of the river

“This is the fourth video in our series explaining how the Kern River operates, who owns it and where its waters go.  In this video, we look at the “intertie,” which marks the end of the river as it meets the California Aqueduct west of Bakersfield.  This highly unassuming looking piece of infrastructure was built to regulate the occasionally massive floods that barrel out of the Sierra Nevada mountains.  And while it hasn’t been used since 2006, the intertie features prominently in ongoing state hearings over whether there’s available water on the Kern River.  Kern River Watermaster Mark Mulkay explains more.”  Read more from SJV Water here: VIDEO: The “intertie” marks the end of the line for the Kern River but it still has an important role in the law of the river

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

L.A. County remains dry, most of Southern California avoids Northern California storm system

“Northern California received a deluge of rain over the weekend, the Central Coast saw record-breaking rainfall Monday and other parts of the state saw a trickle.  Los Angeles County didn’t get anything from the Northern California storm system.  L.A. County, like most of Southern California, remained dry Tuesday and it won’t get any rain next week, when temperatures will start to climb, according to the National Weather Service.  Starting Wednesday, clear skies will make way for a warming trend that will see temperatures reach the low 80s in L.A. County, and heading into the weekend, they could hit the 90s. … ”  Read more from the LA Times here: L.A. County remains dry, most of Southern California avoids Northern California storm system

Water woes blamed on Sacramento: Southwest Riverside County officials

“Riverside County water suppliers told the Board of Supervisors Tuesday that conservation efforts are aiding the region in weathering the current severe drought, but their future ability to meet demand will depend on new infrastructure and changes in consumption habits. “As the watersheds dry up in the Southwest, we need to be concerned about some things,” Beaumont-Cherry Valley Water District Manager Dan Jaggers told the board during a presentation on the drought emergency. “As the drought continues, we will begin to have further restrictions. People need to know how serious this is.” … ”  Read more from the Patch here: Water woes blamed on Sacramento: Southwest Riverside County officials

Water use cut in half, Rancho California water district official says

“Riverside County water suppliers told the Board of Supervisors Tuesday that conservation efforts are aiding the region in weathering the current severe drought, but their future ability to meet demand will depend on new infrastructure and changes in consumption habits.  “As the watersheds dry up in the Southwest, we need to be concerned about some things,” Beaumont-Cherry Valley Water District Manager Dan Jaggers told the board during a presentation on the drought emergency. “As the drought continues, we will begin to have further restrictions. People need to know how serious this is.” … ”  Read more from The Patch here: Water use cut in half, Rancho California water district official says

Press release: Cadiz Inc. announces wellfield expansion and completion of pipeline conversion study

“Cadiz Inc. (NASDAQ: CDZI/CDZIP) (“Cadiz”, the “Company”) announced today that it will begin construction of three new groundwater wells at Cadiz Ranch in October and initial engineering study for the conversion of the Company’s 220-mile oil and gas pipeline to transport water (“Northern Pipeline Project”) has been completed.  Once the three new wells are constructed and come online in early 2023, Cadiz will have 12 wells in operation with a total capacity of 36,000 acre-feet of water per year (AFY), a 33% increase over the current wellfield production capacity of 27,000 AFY.  Cadiz retained global engineering firm Stantec ( NYSE: STN) to conduct the engineering study for the Northern Pipeline Project. The study identifies practical off-take locations, pumping stations, cleaning, retrofitting and other improvements that will enable the pipeline to be pressurized and convey approximately 25,000 AFY of water uphill from Cadiz to Barstow on its way to the State Water Project, and approximately 30,000 AFY downhill into Cadiz for storage. … ”  Read more from EIN here: Press release: Cadiz Inc. announces wellfield expansion and completion of pipeline conversion study 

SAN DIEGO

ALDI warned that fairy shrimp habitat may need to be restored near Ramona store

“A state agency is reviewing a draft cleanup order that alleges the habitat for the endangered San Diego fairy shrimp was disturbed during construction of the ALDI grocery store in Ramona in 2021.  The California Regional Water Quality Control Board, San Diego Region on Aug. 3 issued the draft cleanup and abatement order to ALDI, Inc., Bogart Construction, Inc. and The Jamal Habib Trust, owner of a 2-1/4-acre property at 1703 Main St., adjacent to the ALDI store. The order alleges that sensitive vernal pools, where the federally listed endangered San Diego fairy shrimp live, were disrupted at the property during development of the ALDI grocery store. … ”  Read more from the San Diego Union-Tribune here: ALDI warned that fairy shrimp habitat may need to be restored near Ramona store

Lake Hodges Dam faces additional repairs due to discovery of new defect

“The ongoing emergency repairs to the Lake Hodges Dam will need to be expanded as recently a hole was uncovered at 285 feet. The extent of the damages was made apparent in mid-August due to the lowered water level and the discovery will delay the completion of the project by several months.  “Our top priority must be preserving the integrity and safety of the 104-year-old Hodges Dam and the surrounding communities,” said San Diego City Councilmember Marni von Wilpert, who represents District 5 in a news release. “While I understand that this news is frustrating, public safety and dam integrity must not be compromised and I thank the Public Utilities Department for their diligent work.” ... ”  Read more from the Rancho Santa Fe Review here: Lake Hodges Dam faces additional repairs due to discovery of new defect

San Diego organization requests funds to restore Mission Bay wetlands

“A San Diego organization is calling on city leaders to help restore the wetlands in Mission Bay and the group says they have a tentative plan but to get started they will need funding.  The Rewild Coalition says with climate change, poor air quality, and more, it is critical that San Diego comes up with a plan to restore the wetlands in Mission Bay. They are asking the City Council for $250,000 to help preserve the area.  “Federal and state funds would be used to prioritize water quality, improve access to nature, especially for the Kumeyaay communities, and create addition sea level rise resilience,” says Andrew Meyer, Director of Conservation with the San Diego Audubon Society. … ”  Read more from Channel 10 here: San Diego organization requests funds to restore Mission Bay wetlands

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Along the Colorado River …

Running out of river, running out of time

“Let’s be clear about this: It’s not just about water.  Every time you lift a glass of water to your lips, enjoy a hot shower or fill up your swimming pool, there’s a certain amount of fraught history coming out of the faucet.  From personal health and food production to recreation, business, politics and even culture, water touches almost every aspect of life in Arizona. It is essential. Despite this fact, over the past century, not much has changed in terms of how we get it, how we use it and our attitudes toward its encroaching scarcity. But those in the know understand we’re getting to a tipping point that will force us all to adjust our attitudes and change our consumption habits.  And change we must. … What follows is the first in a three-part series by ASU News on the 100th anniversary of the Colorado River Compact, its history, how we got here and where we are headed. … ”  Read more from Arizona State University here: 3-part series to examine the 100th anniversary of the Colorado Water Compact

Tucson agrees to conserve some of its share of Colorado River water

“The city of Tucson announced Tuesday, Sept. 20, that it will conserve a portion of its share of water from the Colorado River.  City officials signed an agreement with the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and the Central Arizona Water Conservation District (Central Arizona Project) to leave up to 30,000 acre-feet of its 2022 allocation in Lake Mead. … ”  Read more from KOLD here:  Tucson agrees to conserve some of its share of Colorado River water

The Hualapai: Another Colorado basin tribe without water rights

“Despite the Colorado River bordering more than 100 miles of Hualapai land in the canyon, the tribe can’t draw from it. Native American tribes in the Colorado River basin have inherent rights to the water, but the amount and access for a dozen tribes hasn’t been fully resolved, not for decades.  The 1922 Colorado River Compact that divided the water among states didn’t include a share for tribes. Now that the river is shrinking because of overuse, drought and human-caused climate change, tribes want the federal government to ensure their interests are protected.  A water settlement pending in Congress would give the Hualapai Tribe the right to draw river water, plus $180 million to pipe it to tribal communities and the main tourist center at Grand Canyon West.  “It was the best of a bad deal,” said Phil Wisely, the tribe’s public services director. “And the thing is, I don’t think we could get a better deal, especially now.”... ”  Read more from Williams News here: The Hualapai: Another Colorado basin tribe without water rights

Audubon: How to negotiate for peace, resilience, and environment on the Colorado River

“Audubon is deeply concerned about current Colorado River conditions, a crisis in the making for birds and people. Current government modeling shows the potential within the next 24 months, there could be a “day zero” scenario where reservoir water supplies fall so much that major dams are unable to reliably release water. This puts communities and wildlife at risk. We recently responded to the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation’s (USBR) request for comments on their upcoming process to establish new rules for Colorado River management (“pre-scoping for post-2026 Colorado River Reservoir Operational Strategies for Lake Powell and Lake Mead Under Historically Low Reservoir Conditions”), making the case for good governance that will increase Colorado River Basin resilience to climate change with improved outcomes for people and nature. … ”  Continue reading from Audubon here: Audubon: How to negotiate for peace, resilience, and environment on the Colorado River

Podcast: The Colorado River: A political climate crisis

“The Colorado River is drying. And that’s a problem for the people and businesses that reside in the seven states that make up the Colorado River Basin. Among the varied issues are the environmental costs of having to use less water—a problem that affects not just day-to-day at-home life, but also could mean significant changes for farmers and ranchers, who depend on water to grow crops and feed livestock. The question of who gets to use the river’s dwindling water supply is also up in the air: States disagree on which areas should get the bulk of the water. This creates a bit of a legal brouhaha for the states and the federal government, whose job it has become to sort out the whole mess. We speak with reporter Alex Hager and DU Law Professor Kevin Lynch about the legal and environmental problems that have become integral parts of the Colorado River crisis.”  Listen to podcast or read transcript here: Podcast: The Colorado River: A political climate crisis

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In national water news today …

How we’re reshaping global water storage

“Globally, humans use about 4 trillion cubic meters of fresh water each year for everything from crop irrigation to cooling manufacturing equipment to generating electricity. In a recent study, Kåresdotter et al. modeled how our unquenchable demand for water affects four hydrological variables: runoff, evapotranspiration, soil moisture, and total water storage.  The researchers considered human water use with respect to eight objects and processes: interbasin transfers (systems that move water between river basins), dams, reservoirs, impervious surfaces such as roads, domestic and industrial water demand, livestock water demand, irrigated agriculture, and water “mining” (extracting groundwater for irrigation). They found that these eight factors alter all four hydrological variables, but different areas of the world experience different directions and magnitudes of change. … ”  Read more from EOS here: How we’re reshaping global water storage

Engineering coastal structures to centrally embrace biodiversity

“Global environmental factors (e.g., extreme weather, climate action failure, natural disasters, human environmental damage) increasingly threaten coastal communities. Shorelines are often hardened (seawalls, bulkheads) to prevent flooding and erosion and protect coastal communities. However, hardened shorelines lead to environmental degradation and biodiversity loss. Developmental pressures that are growing in scale, scope, and complexity necessitate the development of sustainable solutions to work with, rather than against, nature. Such nature-based solutions (NBS) provide protection and improve environmental quality and enhance biodiversity. To further this pressing need into action, the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) began the Engineering With Nature (EWN) initiative to balance economic, environmental, and social benefits through collaboration with partners and stakeholders. This work shows how engineering practice can be advanced through structured decision-making and landscape architecture renderings that include ecological sciences and NBS into an integrated approach for enhancing biodiversity in coastal marine environments. … ”  Read more from Engineering WIth Nature here: Engineering coastal structures to centrally embrace biodiversity

How climate change is affecting invasive species

“Flowers blooming earlier, beetles attacking trees and clams creeping northward — these are just a few examples of how climate change affects invasive species. These organisms wreak havoc on the environment in which they’re introduced. As the world heats up, plants and animals previously restricted to smaller ranges are encroaching on new territories, threatening the survival of native ecosystems.  Warmer temperatures bring longer growing seasons. Purple loosestrife, a flowering plant that inhabits temperate zones, is invasive on several continents. In parts of North America, it has started blooming and releasing its seeds up to 24 days earlier than it did 100 years ago. This has allowed the flowers to invade wetland habitats and disrupt water flow, choke out natives such as cattails, and affect the life cycles of waterfowl, amphibians and algae. … ”  Read more from The Environmental Magazine here: How climate change is affecting invasive species

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