A wrap-up of posts published on Maven’s Notebook this week …
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This week’s featured articles …
METROPOLITAN IMPORTED WATER COMMITTEE: Challenges ahead for Metropolitan’s water supplies in 2023
Storage supplies not evenly distributed throughout the service area; Changes in accounting on the Colorado River could further impact supplies
At the September meeting of Metropolitan’s Imported Water Committee, staff updated committee members on Metropolitan’s water supplies and demand, the emergency water conservation program, and the outlook for Metropolitan’s Colorado River supplies.
Click here to read this article.
FIVE QUESTIONS: Melinda Booth, South Yuba River Citizens League
The mission of the South Yuba River Citizens League (SYRCL – pronounced circle) is to unites the community to protect and restore the Yuba River watershed. Originally founded in 1983 in an effort to protect the river from dams, SYRCL ultimately won permanent protections for 39 miles of the South Yuba River under California’s Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. Today, SYRCL keeps its 3,500 members and 1,300 active volunteers engaged with a variety of innovative programs, including river ambassadors, educational programs for students, citizen science opportunities, and a film festival, as well as watershed and salmon restoration projects. SYRCL also retains their advocacy role with actions such as opposing the Idaho-Maryland mine and working for fish passage at Daguerre Point Dam.
SYRCL’s Executive Director Melinda Booth has been at the helm since 2017. She has over 18 years experience in environmental conservation and advocacy, focusing on saving iconic species like bears, wolves, and salmon, keeping bears alive and wild in the Tahoe basin, and helping to reintroduce the California Condor back to the wild. I asked Melinda about SYRCL’s work in the Yuba watershed, and how SYRCL keeps its membership engaged.
Click here to read this article.
RISING VOICES: Building Water Trust: Nuestra Casa Tackles Water Justice in the Bay Area
In our regular Maven’s Notebook Q&A, the Water Hub checks in with advocates in California to talk about water issues impacting local communities. This month, we spoke to Rosa Nelson at Nuestra Casa about advocating for water equity and running safe drinking water programs for communities of color in the Bay Area.
Click here to read this article.
In California water news this week …
Madera groundwater plans kicked back by state for not protecting domestic wells, ignoring subsidence
“The state kicked Madera County groundwater plans back for a redo on Thursday, noting, in particular, that they had set water levels so low it could endanger hundreds of domestic wells. The plans also all but ignored ongoing damage to roads, bridges and canals caused by sinking land, subsidence, opting mostly to “monitor” the situation. That isn’t good enough, according to Department of Water Resources staff, who reviewed the Groundwater Sustainability Plans as part of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act. SGMA requires over pumped aquifers be brought into balance by 2040. The seven Madera subbasin groundwater sustainability agencies, which submitted four plans, now have 180 days to correct the problems and resubmit their plans. ... ” Read more from SJV Water here: Madera groundwater plans kicked back by state for not protecting domestic wells, ignoring subsidence
Irrigators with senior water rights prevail in court fight
“A state appeals court has issued a ruling protecting longstanding water rights of many California farmers, ranchers and water agencies. California’s Sixth Appellate District Court of Appeal ruled that the California State Water Resources Control Board cannot target senior water-rights holders for across-the-board curtailments in water deliveries. The Sept. 12 ruling was a win for irrigators holding water rights granted before 1914. The court said the water board does not have the power to curtail “an entire class” of senior water rights “solely on the basis that the board believes that there will be insufficient water to serve all pre-1914 appropriative water rights.” California Farm Bureau President Jamie Johansson called the ruling an important decision that should serve as a notice for state policymakers. ... ” Read more from Ag Alert here: Irrigators with senior water rights prevail in court fight
California’s water emergency: Satisfying the thirst of almonds while the wells of the people that harvest them run dry
“Nature has a way of telling people when their wells are running dry. In California’s Central Valley, where 40% of the fresh fruits, nuts and other produce consumed across America are grown, an increasing number of residents are getting the warning sign. “The sand came through our washing machine and through the regular faucets,” said a man who lives in the tiny Fresno County town of Riverdale who asked that Forbes not use his name. … In just the past month, as California temperatures soared during a drought so severe some experts say it hasn’t been this parched in 1,200 years, about 250 wells, mostly in the state’s bread basket, have gone dry. They’re part of the more than 1,100 California wells that have dried up so far this year, a 60% increase from 2021. While that may not seem like a lot, given that California has 274,000 wells, it’s an ominous sign and a personal tragedy for the one million Californians who struggle for clean water. In many cases, it also pits hugely important agricultural producers, who rely on underground water for their crops, against their own workers, who need it to drink. ... ” Read more from Forbes here: California’s water emergency: Satisfying the thirst of almonds while the wells of the people that harvest them run dry
Ranchers’ rebellion: the Californians breaking water rules in a punishing drought
“Before Rick Lemos and the other directors of the Shasta River Water Association broke the law, they made a decision that under most circumstances might be considered unusual: they sent a letter to authorities spelling out exactly what they intended to do. The California regulation they would defy was an emergency order in response to the state’s punishing drought, in effect forbidding ranchers and farmers in this stretch of land near the Oregon border from diverting water from the Shasta River as they had done for more than a century. The association, the letter said, would turn on their pumps. The ranchers collected water for a week, risking fines of up to $500 a day. But regulators, environmental groups and Indigenous nations in the region say the diversions came at a much greater cost: a risk to fish, including protected salmon species, for whom the river is a crucial habitat. … ” Read the full story at The Guardian here: Ranchers’ rebellion: the Californians breaking water rules in a punishing 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
Southern California wastes a lot of water despite historic drought. But it can teach the Bay Area one big lesson
“When it comes to wasting water amid historic drought, Californians are good at pointing fingers. Last month, criticism was showered on Hollywood’s elite, including Sylvester Stallone, Kim Kardashian and Kevin Hart, who were accused of using water excessively. Some celebrity households consumed thousands of gallons of water per day during particularly dry times, bolstering Southern California’s reputation for recklessly indulging in big lawns, pools and shiny, clean cars. But given the bad rap that Southern California gets, is the Bay Area really that much better at stewarding its water? Well, it depends on how you look at the issue. … where the Bay Area tends to lag other parts of the state, experts say, is in developing and diversifying where it gets its water. …” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle here: Southern California wastes a lot of water despite historic drought. But it can teach the Bay Area one big lesson
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
Public asks to extend Delta Conveyance EIR review period
“Calls for more time reverberated throughout the first public hearing for the draft environmental impact report (EIR) of the Delta Conveyance Project (DCP), along with continued pleas to cancel the project in consideration of Bay Delta communities and ecosystems. While the public review period will end on Oct. 27, many speakers at the Sept. 13 hearing characterized the provided three months as insufficient to digest the EIR, which spans thousands of pages over 39 chapters and touches on topics such as water quality, seismicity, recreation, socioeconomics and tribal cultural resources. “Given the length of the document and the depth that interested parties want to put into the examination of the EIR documents, allotting 90 days for interested parties to review such an extensive and detailed document is not nearly enough time,” said Kasil Willie, staff attorney for Save California Salmon. … ” Read more from the Livermore Independent here: Public asks to extend Delta Conveyance EIR review period
Harder pushes bill that would stop tunnel
“Congress could kill the Delta tunnel. Under legislation introduced by Congressman Josh Harder and co-sponsored by Congressman John Garamendi, the Army Corps of Engineering would be banned from issuing a required permit the state needs to build the $16 billion Delta Conveyance project known simply as the Delta Tunnel. The Corps has a pivotal role in the project given the water that would be diverted is stored behind Shasta Dam. Shasta Dam is part of the federally built and operated Central Valley Project whose water is sold to the Metropolitan Water District in the Los Angeles Basin as well as large corporate farms in the western part of Kern County and several Bay Area cities. … ” Read more from the Manteca Bulletin here: Harder pushes bill that would stop tunnel
SEE ALSO: Harder introduces bill in Congress to stop the Delta Tunnel project, from Dan Bacher at the Daily Kos
Last week of September declared Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Week
“State Sen. Bill Dodd, D-Napa, on Wednesday declared the last week of September as Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Week in recognition of the rivers playing a critical role in the state’s economy and environment. The proclaimed week will kick off Sunday and was established from Senate Concurrent Resolution 119. Dodd said the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Conservancy and Delta Protection Commission have both been vital in protecting the expanse formed by the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers. … ” Read more from The Patch here: Last week of September declared Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Week
New Pacific Institute Report: Advancing Affordability through Water Efficiency
“A new Pacific Institute White Paper, “Advancing Affordability through Water Efficiency,” finds water conservation and efficiency improvements support water affordability for both conserving households and the larger community. Water efficiency measures inside and outside the home can dramatically reduce household water use, reducing water bills and potentially wastewater and energy bills. They can also avoid or delay the need for costly new water supply and treatment infrastructure, lowering costs for the community. The report, by Pacific Institute Director of Research Heather Cooley, Senior Researcher Morgan Shimabuku, and Research Associate Dr. Christine DeMyers, finds that while all households benefit from water efficiency improvements, conserving households receive the greatest benefit. The authors conclude that greater effort is needed to ensure that water conservation and efficiency programs are accessible to low-income households, renters, and those living in multi-family housing.” Read the report from the Pacific Institute here: New Pacific Institute Report: Advancing Affordability through Water Efficiency
California school organizations urge veto of latest bill to remove lead in school water
“A 2017 state law led schools across California to have their faucets tested for lead in a program to reduce lead in school drinking water. A new bill that proposes to remove lead from schools and state buildings, awaiting Gov. Gavin Newsom’s signature, now faces opposition from school groups. Public employee unions and organizations representing school districts, school boards and school business officers are pitted against each other on legislation spelling out how to protect students and school adults from lead in water. Newsom must pick a side: Senate Bill 1144 easily passed through the Legislature. … ” Read more from the Stockton Record here: California school organizations urge veto of latest bill to remove lead in school water
Is weed greener indoors or out?
“Although cannabis has a reputation as an environmentally-friendly plant, indoor cannabis cultivation demands significant energy to maintain precise light and temperature requirements. Last year, Colorado State University researchers led by Hailey Summers published the first study offering insight into greenhouse gas emissions of growing cannabis indoors. The researchers analyzed the energy requirements of indoor cannabis production across 1,000 hypothetical U.S. growing locations, using a life-cycle assessment (accounting for the emissions of all material inputs like fertilizer). They found that greenhouse gas emissions range from 2,283 to 5,184 kilograms of CO2-equivalent per kilogram of dried flower, and are not uniform across the United States. … ” Read more from Knee Deep Times here: Is weed greener indoors or out?
Wildfires are burning away the West’s snow
“The ground beneath researcher Stephanie Kampf’s boots was black and burned to a sooty crisp in June 2021 as she walked across the burn scar left by the Cameron Peak Fire of 2020. A summer after the fire engulfed over 200,000 acres in flames, there was no snow to be found in its footprint — despite being almost 10,000 feet above sea level, where snow often persists in Colorado. In a nearby stand of unburned trees, however, Kampf noted, some “nice snow” did appear. “It was really striking,” she said. “It was so mind-blowing to me.” According to research out Monday in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, wildfire is increasingly altering the snowpack in the Western U.S. Kampf, the lead author and a professor of watershed science at Colorado State University, said the Cameron Peak Fire — Colorado’s largest fire to date — inspired her research, because it started so close to the Continental Divide. That surprised Kampf. “We started wondering, is this something that’s happening elsewhere in the West?” she said. … ” Read more from High Country News here: Wildfires are burning away the West’s snow
In commentary this week …
Gavin Newsom can stop water projects from drowning in red tape
senior research fellow at the Mercatus Center, writes, “Earlier this month, the California Department of Water Resources announced a new round of funding for desalination projects in the state. Six million dollar grants will be made available for new projects that help expand the Golden State’s fresh water supply. The move comes on the heels of a new water initiative Governor Gavin Newsom has launched to address California’s historic drought. …More facilities may come online now that the state is offering the $6 million incentive packages. The Newsom Administration is supportive—desalination is a pillar of its new water supply initiative—which isn’t surprising given the state’s once-in-a-millennium drought. The question now is whether the administration will stand up to some of the interest groups that have historically thwarted progress. … ” Read more from Forbes here: Gavin Newsom can stop water projects from drowning in red tape
The Delta Reform Act explained
The California Water Impact Network (C-WIN) writes, “The Delta Reform Act of 2009 established two coequal goals: securing a reliable water supply for California and protecting, restoring, and enhancing the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta ecosystem and the fish, wildlife, and recreation it supports. The act recognized the Delta as an “evolving” environment and outlined a state policy of reduced reliance on Delta water exports, opting for a strategy of improved conservation, the development and enhancement of regional supplies, and water use efficiency. The act established an independent state agency – the Delta Stewardship Council – to develop and implement a plan that facilitates the declared coequal goals. The act also established the Delta Independent Science Board and authorized it to research, monitor, and assess programs pursued under the Delta Plan, advising the Council of its findings. … ” Read more from C-WIN here: The Delta Reform Act explained
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
Toxic chemicals are in our clothing. California can stop that
Rebecca Fuoco, science communications officer at the Green Science Policy Institute, and Arlene Blum is the founder and executive director of the Green Science Policy Institute and a research associate in the Cell and Molecular Biology Department at UC Berkeley, write, “Most parents take extra precautions to protect their children from toxic chemicals — from locking cabinets of cleaning supplies to scrutinizing ingredient labels. But some toxic chemicals are near impossible to limit their exposure to. California can change that. Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, known as PFAS, are a class of over 9,000 industrial compounds that are added to everyday products to repel stains, water or oil. They might be in your favorite rain jacket, the nonstick pan you flip pancakes in or your waterproof mascara. Commonly referred to as “forever chemicals,” they do not break down in the environment — ever. And eventually, they end up in our food and drinking water. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle here: Toxic chemicals are in our clothing. California can stop that
The country that is showing the world how to save water
Seth M. Siegel, author of “Let There Be Water: Israel’s Solution for a Water-Starved World” and “Troubled Water: What’s Wrong with What We Drink,” writes, “Scorching temperatures and reports of water scarcity are grabbing headlines, as drought caused by climate change creates long-term problems for farmers and communities in the United States and around the world. Without adequate supply of water, farmers are being forced to plant less in order to conserve the water they will need to get through yet another year of prolonged drought. The consequences will be higher food prices here, but also social instability in countries important to the US. As frightening and as insurmountable a challenge as chronic and growing water shortages may seem, there are solutions at hand that can save us from crisis. A small country in one of the driest regions in the world is among those that have developed policies and techniques to provide water in cities and farms alike. That country is Israel. And with drought becoming the new normal, policymakers would be wise to take a look at what Israel has done, and to begin the process of creating their own water-resilient societies that are less dependent on rainfall that may never return. … ” Read more from CNN here: The country that is showing the world how to save water
In regional water news this week …
Eel River: Altered male fish could be key to controlling invasive pikeminnow
“Rafael Cuevas Uribe wants to rid the Eel River of all female Sacramento pikeminnows in order to help the river’s salmon population. Cuevas Uribe and Andre Buchheister, professors of Fisheries Biology at Cal Poly Humboldt, were recently awarded a $150,000 grant from CalTrout, a non-profit conservation group, to help eliminate the invasive species from the Eel River. They were awarded an additional $67,000 from the California State University Agricultural Research Institute and $40,000 from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to support their project. Buchheister says two graduate students, and possibly some undergraduate volunteers, will be involved in the work. Cuevas Uribe and Buchheister hope to use an aquaculture method of breeding fish that could result in a population of all male fish, keeping the pikeminnow from being able to continue to reproduce. The Trojan Y strategy modifies the genetics of the fish to produce YY males. The researchers will first test the technique in the lab and create models for how it might play out in an actual river population. … ” Read more from Humboldt State University here: Altered male fish could be key to controlling invasive pikeminnow
On the enigmatic ‘flying potato’, neither plant nor animal, that caused the Bay’s biggest harmful algal bloom in history
“At times this summer, the shores of San Francisco Bay looked like a piscine battlefront — strewn with dead white and green sturgeon, leopard sharks, striped bass, bat rays, smelt, anchovies, and other fish. It started in late July in Alameda and expanded throughout the entire Bay. By late August, some 10,000 fish had reportedly died at Oakland’s Lake Merritt alone. Where the killer algae bloomed, the water was dull and rust-colored. One resident was quoted saying “the end was near”. A local scientist called the event a “wildfire in the water”. The murk came from the sheer density of the culprit, which was multiplying in the millions: a miniscule organism called Heterosigma akashiwo — akashiwo means “red tide” in Japanese. This wasn’t H. akashiwo’s first star turn. … But now that H. akashiwo has managed to cause the biggest harmful algal bloom in the Bay’s history, scientists are scrambling to learn more. … ” Read more from Bay Nature here: On the enigmatic ‘flying potato’, neither plant nor animal, that caused the Bay’s biggest harmful algal bloom in history
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
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
Bakersfield has been derelict toward the public on the Kern River, group alleges
“Several public interest groups have issued a direct challenge to Bakersfield over the Kern River alleging the city has not lived up to its responsibilities to address the public trust. Water Audit California, an advocacy group based in Napa, sent a letter to the Bakersfield Water Resources Department July 27 demanding the city conduct a study of how its diversions from the river are impacting the public trust and determine ways to avoid those impacts. The letter stated if the city didn’t authorize the study before September 15, Water Audit would sue. That Sept. 15 deadline has come and gone without a lawsuit but the city did respond in a Sept. 20 letter that it had already begun a “Master Plan” to study how the city can best manage and protect its water, including the city’s slice of the Kern River. … ” Read more from SJV Water here: Bakersfield has been derelict toward the public on the Kern River, group alleges
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers nearing completion on Lake Isabella Dam project
“After years of studies, the US Army Corps of Engineers started work on the Isabella Dam project in Lake Isabella in 2017. As many as 300 construction workers a day are on site. “Phase one was to rebuild an admin facility for the forest service in Kernville and to rebuild their fire station in Lake Isabella,” Bolton, said. They hope to finish phase two in the Spring of 2023 and the next step should take around a year. “Phase 3 will consist of three main contracts,” Bolton, said. “We’ll be building a permanent office for our operations staff that inspect and monitor the function of the dam.” … ” Read more from Bakersfield Now here: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers nearing completion on Lake Isabella Dam project
Imperial Irrigation District to pay off QSA JPA agreement 13 years early
“The Imperial Irrigation District board voted 3-0 Tuesday, Sept. 20 to save $24 million dollars by paying off the balance of the 2003 QSA JPA balance. When the Quantification Settlement Agreement (QSA) was signed in 2003, creating the largest rural to urban water transfer, another agreement came from that, the Joint Powers Authority Creation and Funding Agreement. The funds contributed to this second agreement would come from the three water districts involved in the QSA – the IID, the Coachella Valley Water District and the San Diego County Water Authority – along with the State of California. The funding was to limit what the water districts were liable for coming from environmental issues derived from the Salton Sea shrinking due to less water flowing into the inland sea. Any mitigation costs above the agreed upon funding would be the State’s responsibility. ... ” Read more from the Desert Review here: Imperial Irrigation District to pay off QSA JPA agreement 13 years early
Interior Department announces next steps to address drought crisis gripping the Colorado River Basin
“As the worsening drought crisis continues to impact communities across the West, senior leaders from the Department of the Interior are outlining new and urgent actions to improve and protect the long-term sustainability of the Colorado River System. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland, Deputy Secretary Tommy Beaudreau, Assistant Secretary for Water and Science Tanya Trujillo and Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Camille Calimlim Touton are attending the Colorado River Symposium in Santa Fe, New Mexico, this week to highlight steps the Department is taking and propose new actions to prevent the System’s reservoirs from falling to critically low elevations that would threaten water deliveries and power production. … The actions being discussed this week build on those announced in August 2022 as part of the Bureau of Reclamation’s release of the Colorado River Basin August 2022 24-Month Study, which sets the annual operations for Lake Powell and Lake Mead in 2023. Those previously announced actions specified that Lake Powell will operate in the Lower Elevation Balancing Tier in water year 2023 and Lake Mead will operate in its first-ever Level 2a Shortage Condition in calendar year 2023 requiring reduced allocations and water savings contributions for the Lower Basin States and Mexico. … ” Read more from the Department of the Interior here: Interior Department announces next steps to address drought crisis gripping the Colorado River Basin
