On the calendar today …
- MEETING: Wildlife Conservation Board meets beginning at 9am. Agenda items include Ackerson Meadow Restoration and Climate Smart Restoration at River Garden Farms. Click here for full agenda and remote access instructions.
- WEBINAR: California’s 5th Climate Change Assessment Roundtables: Human Health, Culture, & Wellbeing from 9am to 10:30am. The Governor’s Office of Planning and Research in partnership with the California Council on Science & Technology (CCST) is hosting a series of 6 public roundtables to discuss California-specific information and knowledge gaps that will help inform the scope of climate change research conducted as part of California’s Fifth Climate Change Assessment. This roundtable on Human Health, Culture, and Wellbeing will discuss climate impacts to human health (physical and mental) and emergencies, general safety and wellbeing (including in the workplace), impacts to cultural resources, and resilience to these impacts. This includes cultural, social, and economic impacts of climate change, such as human migration and displacement, and responding to these impacts. Click here to register
- WEBINAR: Water Shortage Contingency Plan Template Input Workshop for Small Water Systems and schools with a water system from 1pm to 4pm. The California Department of Water Resources (DWR), in collaboration with the State Water Board, is hosting two workshops to solicit participants input on two Water Shortage Contingency Plan (WSCP) draft templates, one for small water suppliers and one for schools with a water system, as part of a comprehensive effort to assist small water suppliers in meeting these new SB 552 requirements:
- 1:00 – 2:30: Water Shortage Contingency Plan Template Input Workshop for Small Water Systems (1,000 to 2,999 connections)Register in advance for this meeting: https://csus.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0udOivrDotEtHLOHitTE7uiHqhh_62VNlI
- 2:45 – 4:00: Water Shortage Contingency Plan Template Input Workshop for Schools with a Water System Register in advance for this meeting: https://csus.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZAuce-grT0tH9LxiZXW0Rqs7ol7B3ECWk6W
- WEBINAR: California’s 5th Climate Change Assessment Roundtables: Water Management from 2pm to 3:30pm. The Integrated Climate Adaptation and Resiliency Program at the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research in partnership with the California Council on Science & Technology (CCST) is hosting a series of 6 public roundtables to discuss California-specific information and knowledge gaps that will help inform the scope of climate change research conducted as part of California’s Fifth Climate Change Assessment. This roundtable on Water Management will discuss climate impacts on residential, agricultural, and industrial water use and the physical and social systems that manage ground and surface water supply, as well as water quality (including contamination, salinity, and desalination). This includes building resilience and adapting to these impacts. Click here to register
- MEETING: Salton Sea Independent Review Panel Public Meeting begins at 5:30pm. The Independent Review Panel assessing the feasibility of water importation into the Salton Sea will present its feasibility analysis and summary report at a meeting on September 30. The feasibility report provides a detailed analysis of the technical and economic feasibility of importation concepts. The summary report describes the overall review process, including the Panel’s major findings, and recommendations. The meeting will be facilitated by the Panel’s Support team and attended by Panel members. Spanish interpretation will be available. Habrá interpretación al español. Join Zoom here: https://ucsc.zoom.us/j/93486540205?pwd=Zk1HWVFra0wzaWdUaUxVL25wcVpvZz09#success
On the calendar for Sunday …
- EVENT: Planting for Pollinators in the Marsh from 9am to 12pm. Help restore our Bay and get some much needed fresh air at the Refuge. Come out to the Don Edwards National Wildlife Refuge for a few hours to restore part of the Bay at this Keep Coyote Creek Beautiful/San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory volunteer work party. While you are removing invasive vegetation, planting new plants, or laying down mulch, you’ll get to enjoy the fresh air of the Bay, see lots of birds, and learn from restoration experts about why this work is so important. Community service hours available. Register here.
In California water news today …
State not ponying up enough $$ for farmland retirement, critics say
“Though $40 million was added to the state’s farmland retirement pot, some worry it won’t be nearly enough. Gov. Gavin Newsom authorized the funding Tuesday night to be added to the state’s new Multibenefit Land Repurposing Program. The program, initially funded with $50 million in 2021, pays for farmland to be taken out of production and repurposed to less water intensive uses such as groundwater recharge facilities, habitat for wildlife and open spaces for recreation. The added $40 million brings total funding to $90 million, but is just a “drop in the bucket,” according to Ann Hayden, associate vice president of nonprofit Environmental Defense Fund’s (EDF) water program. EDF has worked closely with the state and other organizations involved in the repurposing program. … ” Read more from SJV Water here: State not ponying up enough $$ for farmland retirement, critics say
Congressman Valadao introduces sweeping California water legislation
“Today, Congressman David G. Valadao (CA-21) introduced the Working to Advance Tangible and Effective Reforms (WATER) for California Act. This bill focuses on operational stability, infrastructure, and accountability to bring more water to the Central Valley. Congressman Valadao was joined in introduction by the entire California Republican delegation. “For too long, the Central Valley has suffered from devastating drought conditions, unfair water allocations, and a gross mismanagement of the water we do have by Sacramento bureaucrats and environmentalists,” said Congressman Valadao. “This bill will bring more water to the farmers, businesses, and rural communities in the Valley and throughout California, doing everything possible to survive this devastating drought. I promised my constituents that I would fight to secure a reliable and clean supply of water for our communities. This legislation would do just that by streamlining operations, expanding water storage infrastructure, and increasing accountability.” … ” Continue reading from Congressman Valadao’s office here: Congressman Valadao introduces sweeping California water legislation
SEE ALSO: McCarthy, Valadao Introduce WATER for California Act, from Congressman McCarthy’s office
Farmers brief congressional staff on western drought
“A group of 30 Western farmers, ranchers, water managers and association leaders wrapped up the third day of meetings this week with a Western drought briefing attended by over 20 Congressional staff members and an appearance by Family Farm Alliance President Patrick O’Toole before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources (ENR) Committee. Today’s events were part of this year’s “Farmer Lobbyist” trip, one of the Family Farm Alliance’s cornerstone programs. This annual event was created over 25 years ago to allow farmers, ranchers and water managers to interact directly with elected officials and other policy makers in Washington, D.C. This year’s farmer lobbyist contingent included representatives from Arizona, California, Idaho, Oregon, Washington and Wyoming. … ” Read more from Klamath Falls News here: Farmers brief congressional staff on western drought
Congressmen LaMalfa and Bentz: Klamath Dams are engines of energy and economic reliability
“Congressmen Doug LaMalfa (R – Calif.) and Cliff Bentz (R – Ore.) released a statement highlighting the importance of hydropower energy in the West and opposing the removal of the four Klamath hydroelectric dams. “Hydropower is the oldest source of renewable energy in the United States and accounts for nearly a third of total U.S. renewable electricity generation. Hydroelectric dams play a critical role in the resiliency of the West’s electrical grid, the preservation of our landscape, flood control, the creation of space for outdoor recreational activities, and many of these dams assist in the delivery of water to farms for agriculture production. Hydropower is a win for the environment, domestic energy production, and economic development in rural areas. … ” Read more from Congressman LaMalfa’s website here: Congressmen LaMalfa and Bentz: Klamath Dams are engines of energy and economic reliability
Drought impacts hurt farm communities
“With rice harvest underway in the Sacramento Valley, Colusa County farmer Don Bransford should be running his combine, delivering truckloads of the grain to a nearby dryer. Instead, he stares out into a field of bare soil he recently tilled to tidy ground that had been inundated with weeds after it laid fallow all season. Because of the drought and water cutbacks to farms, empty fields are a common sight this year. But such visuals don’t show the economic toll beyond the farm, Bransford pointed out. “There’s a greater invisible impact going on in the communities,” he said. … ” Continue reading at Ag Alert here: Drought impacts hurt farm communities
DWR takes actions to support state’s future water supply strategy
“Today, the Department of Water Resources (DWR) announced new steps that, if approved, could save enough water to supply 4.7 million Californians annually while making conservation more affordable through financial assistance and tax exemptions. The actions improve long-term water conservation and reduce wasteful outdoor water use as California adapts to a hotter, drier future driven by climate change. “We have the tools to make it easier than ever for Californians to conserve water and we’re taking action to get it done. It will take forward-thinking practices to ensure that we’re managing our water resources resiliently now and for the future,” said DWR Director Karla Nemeth. “From regulatory recommendations to funding for lawn replacement and water conservation, DWR is putting California on the path to achieve historic water savings.” … ” Read more from DWR News here: DWR takes actions to support state’s future water supply strategy
Oakley City Council opposes resurrected Delta tunnel proposal
“Forty years before Donald Trump coined his “Stop the Steal” campaign, California’s voters used the phrase to oppose and defeat the proposed Peripheral Canal. Back then the prize wasn’t electoral success, but something far more precious here—water. It’s the Big Pipe That Won’t Die. The proposal (under a variety of names) to build a pipe to ship Northern Californian water to Southern California has been the subject of fighting words for decades. Governors from Jerry Brown to Arnold Schwarzenegger to Gavin Newsom have backed the concept that aims to divert fresh water from the upper reaches of the Sacramento River, bypass the Delta river network and pump it to southern state faucets and farmers. … In a public joint meeting held this week at the Diablo Water District headquarters, members of the Oakley City Council, the Ironhouse Sanitary District and the water district met to hear an update on the Delta Tunnel from Ryan Hernandez, a planner with the Contra Costa County Water Agency and two lawyers with the environmental law office Soluri Meserve based in Sacramento. … ” Read more from The Press here: Oakley City Council opposes resurrected Delta tunnel proposal
Salton Sea Independent Review Panel recommends against importing water to shrinking lake
“An independent review panel convened to evaluate water importation concepts for the shrinking Salton Sea is advising against water importation plans, instead recommending a combination of desalination and water from the Imperial Irrigation District. The state-appointed Salton Sea Independent Review Panel was established in October 2021 to evaluate 18 water importation concepts submitted in response to two Requests for Information issued in 2018 and 2021. The panel was specifically tasked with taking a “long-term” perspective for resolving longstanding public health issues caused by receding shorelines at California’s largest lake. Thirteen water importation concepts passed an initial screening, and three passed a “fatal flaw” review in July — all of which involved importing water from the Sea of Cortez, which lies between Baja California and mainland Mexico. But in its fourth and final report issued Thursday, the panel ultimately did not recommend importing water from the Sea of Cortez — or anywhere else — to address long-term problems at the Salton Sea. … ” Read more from The Desert Sun here: Salton Sea Independent Review Panel recommends against importing water to shrinking lake
Sites Reservoir moves one step closer to water right permit
“The Sites Reservoir project has recently taken another crucial step forward, with the Sites Project Authority receiving a response from the State Water Resources Control Board regarding their water right application. Sites Project Authority officials submitted a water right application in May, which is a requirement for the project to advance. According to Authority officials, the water right permit process is complex, sometimes iterative and requires careful analysis and deliberate consideration. Authority officials recently reported that they had received a response letter from the state board indicating they had accepted the application and determined that the Authority needed to supply additional information as part of the permitting process. … ” Read more from the Appeal Democrat here: Sites Reservoir moves one step closer to water right permit
Newsom vetoes Hurtado’s bill to protect food supply from foreign control
“State Senator Melissa Hurtado expressed her disappointment after Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed her bill that would have purportedly protected ag land in the valley from falling into foreign control. On Sept. 27, Newsom vetoed Senate Bill 1084, the Food and Farm Security Act, presented by Senator Hurtado (D-Bakersfield). Hurtado sought to prevent foreign buyers from purchasing agricultural land in the U.S. through the bill. It would also require the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) to report any foreign ownership of California land or resources. “Protecting California’s agriculture land and food supply chain is fundamental to our survival, yet Governor Newsom’s veto jeopardizes California farm land and leaves it vulnerable to foreign control,” Hurtado said in a statement. … ” Read more from the Foothills Sun-Gazette here: Newsom vetoes Hurtado’s bill to protect food supply from foreign control
Video: California Rain | Looking back at the state’s water year
ABC10 Meteorologist Rob Carlmark looks back on California’s rainy season. The state’s new water year starts on October 1.
Board to hear update on water supply strategy
“The California State Board of Food and Agriculture will hear updates and discuss issues related to the State’s Water Supply Strategy at its upcoming meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 4. In addition, the board will hear from recent federal grant recipients on Climate-Smart Commodity programs that will be implemented in state. The meeting will also include a presentation by the University of Michigan on Climate Change, Aridification and California. … ” Read more from the Western Farm Press here: Board to hear update on water supply strategy
Sierra Nevada Conservancy to pilot wildfire resilience landscape investment strategy
“For more than a decade, the Sierra Nevada Conservancy (SNC) has been investing in projects and partners that support the environmental, economic, and social well-being of its service area. With forest health as the foundation, the Watershed Improvement Program (WIP) weaves together four priorities: restoring healthy ecosystems, improving community resilience, promoting sustainable recreation and tourism, and conserving natural and working lands. As SNC Executive Officer Angela Avery explained at the Sierra Nevada meeting of the Governor’s Wildfire and Forest Resilience Task Force, “We started the WIP as a holistic approach to forest health and forest resilience. But what we started doing with this program is investing in individual projects across the landscape—really good projects, really important projects. But individual projects across the landscape.” … ” Read more from the Sierra Nevada Conservancy here: Sierra Nevada Conservancy to pilot wildfire resilience landscape investment strategy
How old are the Sierra Nevada mountains, really?
“The Sierra Nevada mountain range boasts some of the best rock climbing, clearest alpine lakes, and most epic ski terrain in the world. But the story of the Sierra Nevada goes far beyond humanity’s short time on Earth, and for over a century, scientists have been researching the history of the mountain range. By publishing a research article on the topic, a former doctoral student and her advisor have just waded into one of the great controversies in geology. Scott McCoy, the Peter Vardy Endowed Professor in Geologic Engineering, commonly studies surface process hazards like floods, landslides and postfire debris flows. But he also researches how these processes shape landscapes over millions of years. His former doctoral student, Helen Beeson (Ph.D. Geology ’19), studied how rivers, and the basins that contain them, change over time. Their recently published paper puts them at the center of the debate regarding the evolution of the Sierra. … ” Read more from Nevada Today here: How old are the Sierra Nevada mountains, really?
In commentary today …
It is time to implement the Bay-Delta Water Quality Control Plan
Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla, Restore the Delta and Malissa Tayaba, Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians, write, “In a recent CalMatters commentary, Jennifer Pierre general manager of the State Water Contractors and David Guy, president of the Northern California Water Association claim “a broad coalition of interests stand in support of the Newsom administration’s call for bold actions that replace contentious, drawn-out regulatory alternatives in favor of a science-based approach that provides more flexible, adaptive operations based on real-time conditions.” We disagree. … ” Continue reading at the Stockton Record here: Your views: It is time to implement the Bay-Delta Water Quality Control Plan
Create a ‘skunk works’ mentality to help ease the western drought
John Boal writes, “In the 1940s, my father worked at Lockheed Aircraft in Burbank, California when our nation was in dire need of a jet fighter to counter the growing fleet of German war planes. Years later, he told me about the secretive Skunk Works group at Lockheed. Spearheaded by Clarence “Kelly” L. Johnson and his select team of engineers and mechanics, the Skunk Works deftly designed and built the XP-80, the nation’s first jet fighter, in less than five months! To meet this stressful challenge, Johnson’s created crystal clear efficiency by eschewing the stifling chain-of-command protocol hell-bent on conventional thinking that simultaneously stripped away pure innovation. With the Western United States in the grips of another dire crisis — our crippling megadrought — is it possible to create a Water Works, a la the streamlined focus of the Skunk Works? … ” Read more from the Good Men Project here: Create a ‘skunk works’ mentality to help ease the western drought
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
Yurok Tribe members now may gather materials, conduct additional activities on state park land
“On Wednesday, the Yurok Tribe and California State Parks signed an agreement allowing tribal members to gather plants and minerals without a permit in state parks within their ancestral territory. The agreement also allows tribal members to engage in several different activities, including ceremonies, recreation and research on state lands and aims to integrate tribal knowledge of their ancestral lands into park management strategies. “This agreement represents healing to tribal members, including myself. We were forcibly removed from these lands and prevented from practicing our place-based traditions in the parks. The next generation of Yurok people will not have to endure this injustice,” Rosie Clayburn, a Yurok Tribal Heritage Preservation Officer, said via email. … ” Read more from the Eureka Times-Standard here: Yurok Tribe members now may gather materials, conduct additional activities on state park land
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
Lake County officials discuss levee situation with Upper Lake residents
“Upper Lake’s levees, the community’s concerns about their condition and the county’s ongoing work to find the best solution to fix them was the focus of a Wednesday evening workshop. The Western Region Town Hall, or WRTH, held the workshop at the Habematolel community center on Main Street in Upper Lake. The workshop, in the planning for months, drew more than 40 community members, primarily Upper Lake area residents, for an hour-and-a-half-long discussion and question and answer session with county officials and Lake County Water Resources’ consulting company, Peterson Brustad Inc. ... ” Read more from the Lake County News here: Lake County officials discuss levee situation with Upper Lake residents
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
Shasta County spared large blazes, but California ‘fire year’ is not over
“With nine months of the year in the rearview mirror, 2022 has been unusual for wildland fires in Shasta County, which stands in stark contrast to Siskiyou County to the north, which endured a deadly summer of fires. As of Tuesday, 555 acres had burned in Shasta County since Jan. 1, according to California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection statistics. The wildland that has burned this year is less than any other full year in at least the past 10 years, according to Cal Fire. So far, there have been only five fires that reached at least 10 acres in Shasta County, according to Cal Fire. The state does not keep records on its website of fires less than 10 acres. … ” Read more from the Redding Record Searchlight here: Shasta County spared large blazes, but California ‘fire year’ is not over
Happy New (Water) Year! Reflecting on the wild ride that was 2021-22… and what’s to come
“September 30th will mark the end of the current water year, and it was a wild ride! It all started with a roar on October 24, 2021, when Sacramento saw its wettest single day ever, recording 5.44 inches of rainfall. The subsequent runoff over the following week added close to 100,000 acre-feet to Folsom Reservoir storage. November 2021 was relatively dry. Then December 2021 ended up being another wet month. In fact, the Central Sierra Snow Laboratory on Donner Summit set a new snowfall record in December 2021. In the first few weeks of January 2022, Reclamation was making releases from Folsom Reservoir to preserve flood control capacity. Unfortunately, this precipitation missed the northern Sacramento Valley, and Shasta Reservoir missed out on most of the runoff. But then it all came to a halt. … ” Read more from the Water Forum here: Happy New (Water) Year! Reflecting on the wild ride that was 2021-22… and what’s to come
BAY AREA
Conservation leaders stress collective action to save water in Silicon Valley
“At Google’s Bay View campus, state and local leaders gathered to discuss the urgent need for all Californians to conserve water amid extreme drought. With California experiencing a climate transformation bringing hotter and drier conditions, the continued need for public-private collaboration is key in addressing our new climate reality. California Natural Resources Agency Secretary Wade Crowfoot acknowledged Silicon Valley as one of the nation’s innovation hubs and stressed the importance of cross-sector collaboration in the face of extreme drought. “It is no surprise to see such a creative and proactive approach to water conservation coming out of Silicon Valley, one of many regions in California that fosters innovation,” said Secretary Crowfoot. “This is a prime example of how making water conservation a way of life is possible and sustainable. By working together and treating drought as a collective problem requiring a collective solution, we can ensure a resilience water future for our state.” … ”
READ MORE: At Google’s campus, state and local leaders urge greater efforts to conserve water, from the Almanac
Commentary: Marin Municipal Water District needs to move beyond continuing era of water denial
Richard Rubin writes, “The path to a permanent water supply solution for the 191,000 water users in central and southern Marin has been a long and arduous one. Yet we remain at the starting line. When North Marin is included, our total water-starved population is a little over 252,409. This year, the stretch from January to July was the driest in Marin County in the last 128 years according to the National Integrated Drought Information System website run by the U.S. government. This works out to 17.39 inches below the normal rainfall for the same period. No doubt, these statistics are well known to the five overseers of our water future on the Marin Municipal Water District Board of Directors, but some of the cranial spigots appear to be turned off. … ” Read more from the Marin Independent Journal here: Commentary: Marin Municipal Water District needs to move beyond continuing era of water denial
State allots $20M for massive Novato marsh restoration project
“One of the largest wetland restoration projects around San Francisco Bay is closer to launching its final phase of construction after receiving a $20 million infusion of state funding. The funding, approved by the California State Coastal Conservancy in a unanimous vote last week, will be used to restore 1,600 acres of former tidal marshland near Bel Marin Keys that had been converted to agricultural fields. “This will be one of the biggest restoration projects in the bay,” said Jessica Davenport, the agency’s Bay Area program manager. “It’s vital for restoring the habitats that were lost over the past 100 years, especially with sea level rise. It’s so important to restore these wetlands now so that they can keep up with sea level rise.” ... ” Read more from the Marin Independent Journal here: State allots $20M for massive Novato marsh restoration project
Deadly algal in Lake Merritt continues to wreak havoc on California wildlife
“A harmful algal bloom – first identified in 2004 – last month killed about 10,000 fish in Lake Merritt/ leaving researchers concerned about the migratory patterns of local seabirds. The algae bloom, Heterosigma akashiwo is “a selective killer” that creates a toxin in fin fish, but isn’t known to climb the food chain. If the “red tide” further decimates fish populations, conservationists say local migratory birds in desperate need of food might be in trouble. ... ” Read more from KALW here: Deadly algal in Lake Merritt continues to wreak havoc on California wildlife
Environmental watchdog group sues Valley Water over alleged fish-killing practices
“Bay Area environmental watchdog San Francisco Baykeeper filed suit on Tuesday against the Santa Clara Valley Water District for allegedly violating the California Constitution and the Fish and Game Code through its water management practices. “Valley Water has failed for years to manage its waters in a manner that protects fish and wildlife,” said Baykeeper in a statement. According to Baykeeper, Valley Water is responsible for area creeks and rivers that support salmon, steelhead, longfin, smelt, riffle sculpin, rainbow trout and “many other public trust resources.” ... ” Read more from Palo Alto Online here: Environmental watchdog group sues Valley Water over alleged fish-killing practices
Defense Logistics Agency agrees to pay $1.6 million penalty for underground storage tank violations
“The Defense Logistics Agency, the entity that manages the global supply chain for five military services and multiple government partners, has agreed to pay the State Water Resources Control Board a $1.6 million penalty for improperly abandoning five underground storage tanks at the former Defense Support Point Moffett Field in Santa Clara. The agency emptied the tanks but did not apply for temporary or permanent closure as required by the Santa Clara County Department of Environmental Health. Between 2005 and 2015, the county also issued five violation notices to the agency for failing to inspect and monitor the tanks. Leaking storage tanks discharge petroleum into groundwater and contaminate drinking water aquifers and wells, threatening human health and safety. … ” Continue reading at the State Water Board here: Defense Logistics Agency agrees to pay $1.6 million penalty for underground storage tank violations
CENTRAL COAST
Pajaro River Flood Risk Management Project fully funded after Newsom signature
“After decades of inaction, a long overdue levee project to prevent flooding in the Pajaro and Watsonville area has secured the funding it needs to start construction. Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 489 authored by Senator John Laird, which will advance state funds to the Pajaro River Flood Risk Management Project. “So instead of paying for parts of the project and then seeking reimbursement, we get those payments in advance, which is a big, big deal for us because we don’t have a lot of cash sitting in the bank to advance the project,” Dr. Mark Strudely, the flood control manager for Santa Cruz County, said. … ” Read more from Channel 8 here: Pajaro River Flood Risk Management Project fully funded after Newsom signature
New desalination plant proposed for SLO County
“The words “drought-proof water supply” almost sound too good to be true, but there is a proposal in the works on the Central Coast for a water supply that does not rely on rain. The San Luis Obispo county public works department is kicking off a project that aims to bring large-scale desalinization to the Central Coast to supplement our water supply long term. While the plan is just in its starting phases the next steps are already laid out. … ” Read more from KSBY here: New desalination plant proposed for SLO County
Lompoc pays $260,000 to address toxic wastewater problem
“The Environmental Defense Center (EDC) sued the city of Lompoc after it reported discharging toxic pollutants into San Miguelito Creek and the Santa Ynez River more than 3,000 times over a 20 year period, EDC Senior Attorney Alicia Roessler told the Sun. Lompoc recently agreed to pay a little more than a quarter million dollars to environmental organizations and improve wastewater toxicity monitoring in a legal agreement to settle the 2021 lawsuit, she said. “The primary issue they had with discharges was toxicity,” Roessler said. “These violations are self-reported by the city. This is their own data, and they knew their violations.” … ” Read more from The Sun here: Lompoc pays $260,000 to address toxic wastewater problem
Ventura’s water lawsuit extended another six months
“A judge has granted a further six-month stay in the Ventura River Watershed Adjudication lawsuit. During a status conference in the case on Sept. 28, Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge William F. Highberger approved the stay requested by the city of Ventura and other major parties, so that structured settlement talks with a mediator can continue. … ” Read more from the Ojai Valley News here: Ventura’s water lawsuit extended another six months
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
Dangerous flooding in California’s future
“The Central Valley of California is known for summer heat and a very distinct wet and dry season. Residents are more accustomed to long droughts rather than big floods. But extreme and protracted rainfall events are not unknown to our region. The most dramatic was the Great Flood of 1862, which covered Sacramento and much of the San Joaquin valley like an inland sea. It swept away towns, killed over 4,000 people and resulted in over $3 billion damage in today’s money. Nothing like it has happened since. … ” Read more from Bakersfield Now here: Dangerous flooding in California’s future
Tulare Planning Commission paves way for Solar Farm expansion
“The development of what’s billed as the nation’s largest solar farm in the Ducor area is coming along slowly, but continues to proceed. The Tulare County Planning Commission at its meeting on Wednesday approved the final Supplemental Environmental Impact Report and special use permit for the expansion of the solar project. Aventus, formerly known as 8minute Solar Energy, still hasn’t broken ground yet on the first part of the Solar Project, Rexford 1. That portion of the solar farm was scheduled to be well on its way to being operational by now but has been described as going through many, many delays and challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic and supply chain issues. … The site also includes fallowed agricultural fields no longer in use, so it’s serving a purpose another use for agricultural land that’s no longer being used. All of the property for the Rexford site is being leased from the families in the area so the land will stay with those families. … ” Read more from the Porterville Recorder here: Tulare Planning Commission paves way for Solar Farm expansion
An old California mining town is reappearing in a shriveling lake
“With the ongoing drought, local lakes and rivers are facing the impacts of wildlife dying… and communities reemerging? Residents of the Kern County community of Kernville may have noticed a reemerging city as the drought soaks up Lake Isabella. According to Dianna Anderson, a Kern River Museum curator, pig styes and cedars of Murphy Ranch of Old Kernville are starting to reemerge from the lake in the Southern Sierra Nevada. ... ” Read more from KGET here: An old California mining town is reappearing in a shriveling lake
VIDEO: The Kern River’s work starts long before it hits Bakersfield
“In our continuing series, we head upstream with Kern River Watermaster Mark Mulkay for a quick look at how some of the structures and obligations on the river above the San Joaquin Valley influence “the law of the river.”” Watch video at SJV Water here: VIDEO: The Kern River’s work starts long before it hits Bakersfield
Capping the 1,100 orphaned oil and gas wells polluting Kern County
“According to the State Department of Conservation, orphaned oil and gas wells are polluting backyards, recreation areas, and community spaces across the country. Through President Joe Biden’s bipartisan infrastructure bill, California is one of 24 states charged with changing the process of plugging over 10,000 orphaned gas and oil wells nationwide. State Supervisor of Oil and Gas Uduak-Joe Ntuk says plugging oil and gas wells benefits the environment by reducing methane emissions, as well as reducing groundwater and soil pollution. He adds that as of this month, nearly 1,100 of the wells identified for plugging in California are in Kern County, representing 20 percent of wells in the state. … ” Read more from Channel 23 here: Capping the 1,100 orphaned oil and gas wells polluting Kern County
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
New program lets LADWP customers monitor home water use. Goal: less waste, more conserving
“Los Angeles Department of Water and Power officials on Thursday offered to pick up much of the cost for outfitting single-family homes in the city with monitoring devices that could help customers find ways to save more water in their daily lives. LADWP officials and Mayor Eric Garcetti announced the program amid an ongoing drought that has prompted the utility to limit lawn-watering to two days per week. Already, the city has posted record reductions on water use in recent months. But officials hope this new program could help individual users save even more water. Officials said customers can sign up to receive a device called a “flume,” which straps onto a house’s water meter and feeds data on a customer’s water use to a smartphone app. … ” Read more from the LAist here: New program lets LADWP customers monitor home water use. Goal: less waste, more conserving
SEE ALSO: LADWP introduces new incentive for real-time water usage monitoring device, from Spectrum 1
IMPERIAL/COACHELLA VALLEYS
This summer was the Coachella Valley’s second-hottest on record
“Only two daily maximum temperature records were broken, but this summer was still the second-hottest on record in the Coachella Valley, with an average temperature of 93.9 degrees from June through September so far. The culprit wasn’t record-breaking high temperatures like last summer, but higher-than-normal low temperatures at night time, which drove up the average temperature over the summer, according to the National Weather Service. Last summer was the hottest recorded since the historical temperature record began a century ago in 1922. A total of eight daily maximum temperature records were broken, and on June 17, 2021, Palm Springs hit 123 degrees, tying the record for the hottest day ever. … ” Read more from the Desert Sun here: This summer was the Coachella Valley’s second-hottest on record
SAN DIEGO
Water affordability focus of Water Authority Roundtable
“Water affordability for ratepayers was the topic of discussion during a legislative roundtable Thursday at the San Diego County Water Authority. The Water Authority convened state, regional and local officials in search of winning strategies for enhancing water affordability for ratepayers across the county and the state. Water agency managers, board members, elected officials and their representatives from throughout the county joined E. Joaquin Esquivel, chair of the State Water Resources Control Board, to assess and address water affordability issues. ... ” Read more from the Water News Network here: Water Affordability Focus of Water Authority Roundtable
Along the Colorado River …
The Colorado River water shortage is forcing tough choices in 7 states
“This summer, officials of the U.S. Interior Department gave seven states in the American West an ultimatum – either come up with a voluntary agreement to curtail their use of water from the Colorado River, or the federal government will impose mandatory restrictions. Lake Mead, the reservoir created by the Hoover Dam on the Colorado, is now at just 25% of its capacity. Our guest, ProPublica investigative reporter Abrahm Lustgarten, says the water shortage facing the 40 million people who rely on the Colorado is an emergency but not a surprise. For decades, it’s been clear the states were draining more from the Colorado than it could bear. And population growth and climate change have accelerated the problem. Lustgarten joined us on FRESH AIR seven years ago to explain the causes of the water shortage and the threat it poses. We’ve asked him to come back for an update on the crisis and a look at what lies ahead. … ” Read more or listen from WUNC here: The Colorado River water shortage is forcing tough choices in 7 states
Why an Arizona desalination plant has been idle for 30 years
“By volume, the Yuma Desalting Plant is one of the largest in the United States. Completed in 1992, the plant is owned and operated by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation with the capacity to filter 73 million gallons of water per day. It’s only been used twice. To understand why you have to go back to 1944. … ” Read more from Channel 15 here: Why an Arizona desalination plant has been idle for 30 years
In national water news today …
What is a wetland? An ecologist explains
“Wetlands are areas of land that are covered by water, or have flooded or waterlogged soils. They can have water on them either permanently or for just part of the year. Whether it’s year-round or seasonal, this period of water saturation produces hydric soils, which contain little or no oxygen. But this doesn’t mean that they are lifeless: Wetlands are full of unique water-loving plants and wildlife that have adapted to wet environments. Wetlands can take many different forms, depending on the local climate, water conditions and land forms and features. Wetlands are important environments for many reasons. … ” Read the full article at The Conversation here: What is a wetland? An ecologist explains
Wetlands protections at stake in Supreme Court arguments Monday
“The future of federal jurisdiction over waters and wetlands under the Clean Water Act hinges on a watershed US Supreme Court case scheduled for oral arguments Monday—the first case on the high court’s fall docket. Protections for countless wetlands and ephemeral streams nationwide are being debated in Sackett v. EPA, which grapples with whether a long-standing test for federal jurisdiction over tributaries to large streams and rivers is constitutional. The court is widely expected to narrow the definition of waters under federal jurisdiction—known as waters of the US, or WOTUS—under the Clean Water Act. The case will dictate the ability of developers to build in wetlands that are not permanent standing or flowing bodies of water and have no direct surface connection with large rivers or lakes, said Melissa Reynolds, an associate at Holland & Hart LLP in Salt Lake City. … ” Read more from Bloomberg Law here: Wetlands protections at stake in Supreme Court arguments Monday
EXPLORE MORE COVERAGE:
- Supreme Court to hear high-stakes challenge to Clean Water Act, from the Washington Post
- EPA’s authority over wetlands is at stake as justices wade back into regulatory morass, from the SCOTUS blog
Water and climate update …
The Natural Resources Conservation Service produces this weekly report using data and products from the National Water and Climate Center and other agencies. The report focuses on seasonal snowpack, precipitation, temperature, and drought conditions in the U.S.
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