In California water news today …
NOAA sees no winter drought relief across parched West
“Western states gripped by persistent drought are unlikely to see any relief in the coming months, as a third year of La Niña weather patterns reduces precipitation in that region, NOAA scientists predicted Thursday. According to the agency’s 2022-23 Winter Outlook, below-average rainfall and snowpack are expected in a wide stretch of the United States including Southern California, the Southwest, the southern Rockies, the southern Plains, the Gulf Coast and much of the South. “We’re going on our third year of this extreme drought for much of the western U.S., with the extreme drought currently focused over much of California, the Great Basin and also extending northward into parts of Oregon,” said Brad Pugh with NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center. ... ” Read more from E&E News here: NOAA sees no winter drought relief across parched West
EXPLORE MORE COVERAGE:
- Drought, fire risk to stay high during third La Niña winter, from US News & World Report
- NOAA releases California winter weather predictions, from KTLA
- Third year of La Niña on tap this winter, according to official forecast, from the Petaluma Argus Courier
- Why Another La Niña Is Troubling News For The Widespread Drought, from The Weather Channel
DWR begins scheduled removal of West False River emergency drought salinity barrier
“This week, the Department of Water Resources (DWR) began construction to remove the emergency drought salinity barrier from the West False River in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, fulfilling the emergency project’s permit requirements. Since its construction in June 2021, the barrier fulfilled its mission of slowing the movement of saltwater into the central and south Delta and preventing contamination of water supplies for Delta agriculture, the environment, and fresh water supplies for millions of Californians. Installation of the emergency drought salinity barrier is just one of many DWR actions taken to mitigate drought impacts consistent with Governor Newsom’s April 21, 2021 emergency order directing state agencies to take immediate steps to bolster drought resistance across the state. … ” Read more from DWR News here: DWR begins scheduled removal of West False River emergency drought salinity barrier
Rice fields in California look more like dust fields thanks to drought
“This time of year, rice farmers like Elise Nelson get to see the results of many long hours spent tending to their crops. “We’re very excited to get it to where it is today. Where you can see the harvesters and all of the equipment working behind us,” Elise said. But this year, as the California enters its third year of drought, many fields that are usually full of rice resemble dust bowls. “It is difficult to see that because, you know, behind every fallowed field there’s a family, and there’s employees. And, I think I mentioned, the chain before of other families, and other industries and other businesses that rely on that grain being there and being planted every year.” … ” Read more from Spectrum 1 here: Rice fields in California look more like dust fields thanks to drought
Joint effort to build desal facility could help fight drought
“Facing a dry future, Westlands and westside towns like Avenal need each other. Small western Fresno and Kings County towns like Coalinga, Huron and Avenal are in the same boat as Westlands Water District. They have no potable local water supply but depend on imports from Northern California. All are short on supplies this drought year and likely in the future, but have a joint strategy that may yet come to the rescue. It is a strategy that this year – the state appears ready to help make happen. While the region does not have a good water supply, it does have plenty of brackish salt-laden groundwater that with desalination technology can become usable water. To paint a picture – the farm giant and its neighboring farmworker communities plan to turn a lemon into thirst-quenching lemonade. … ” Read more from the Hanford Sentinel here: Joint effort to build desal facility could help fight drought
US EPA invites Los Vaqueros Reservoir Expansion JPA to apply for WIFIA loan
“This week, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) invited the Los Vaqueros Reservoir Joint Powers Authority (JPA) to apply for a low–interest, federal loan of up to $675 million. With a successful application, the JPA expects to secure the necessary funding to complete design and construction for the Los Vaqueros Reservoir Expansion Project. Earlier this week, the federal Bureau of Reclamation allocated $82 illion to the project from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law as part
of a requested $203 million in federal funding. In April, the California Water Commission increased the available funds to $477 million for the project from Proposition 1, the Water Quality, Supply, and Infrastructure Improvement Act of 2014. “We are proud that the federal government sees the critical water supply reliability and environmental benefits of the Los Vaqueros Project,” said Board Chair Angela Ramirez Holmes. “This low–interest loan will be an important piece of the financing puzzle to make this project affordable for our members and their ratepayers.” … “
Water debt doubles for residents of tiny, impoverished west Fresno County towns
“Water debt has ballooned to nearly double what it was last year in Cantua Creek and El Porvenir, two small towns in western Fresno County where nearly half the residents live in poverty. The towns were supposed to be getting water from two new wells by now but the project hasn’t been completed so they’ve continued to rely on expensive surface water. Fresno County buys about 100 acre feet of water each year for the towns from Westlands Water District at $432 per acre foot. During the 2012-2016 drought, water costs soared to more than $1,400 an acre foot. … ” Read more from SJV Water here: Water debt doubles for residents of tiny, impoverished west Fresno County towns
Press release: Stop the Pacheco Dam Project Coalition: Valley Water seeks to silence tribal band and environmental group
“The Sierra Club and the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band formally joined the lawsuit filed by the Stop the Pacheco Dam Project Coalition against the Santa Clara Valley Water District. The lawsuit challenges the District’s reliance on exemptions from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) for the extensive geotechnical and other investigations to plan the proposed Pacheco Dam project. With doubts around the controversial dam project mounting, the water district filed a motion last week to squelch the participation of the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band and Sierra Club. In what is referred to as a “demurrer,” the District claims that the new groups’ participation in the lawsuit seeks to enforce an independent right and/or impose greater liability on the district. In fact, the amended complaint continues to seek enforcement of the minimum requirements of CEQA, consistent with the petition initially filed by the Stop the Pacheco Dam Project Coalition in August 2022. The initial Petition was filed in collaboration with environmental groups, including Sierra Club Loma Prieta Chapter and Friends of the River, as well as the Pacheco Land and Cattle Co. … ” Read more of this press release from the Stop the Pacheco Dam Project Coalition here: Stop the Pacheco Dam Project Coalition: Valley Water seeks to silence tribal band and environmental group
How an ‘inside-slider’ storm headed for Northern California will impact weekend weather
“The cooldown continues across the Bay Area as the marine layer streams mist, fog and onshore winds up against the coastal ranges of the San Francisco Peninsula. These western winds are set to expand into the rest of Northern California and the Sacramento Valley starting Friday afternoon, becoming more northwesterly and howling at 35 mph along stretches of San Francisco Bay by Saturday. Even stronger winds will churn up along the Sierra Nevada and Southern Cascades between Friday night and Saturday morning, amplified by the passes and peaks that surround Lake Tahoe and Truckee. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle here: How an ‘inside-slider’ storm headed for Northern California will impact weekend weather
“The robot is doing the job”: Robots help pick strawberries in California amid drought, labor shortage
“California produces about 90% of the nation’s strawberries, but severe drought and worker shortages are threatening the fruit. One company is hoping to change that with the power of robots. Eric Adamson’s company is behind a strawberry robotic revolution. He said they’re programmed to think on their own, with cameras that sense texture and color. “People think robots have been around forever, but they’re actually very, very new, especially robots that make decisions and are autonomous,” Adamson said. … ” Read more from CBS News here: “The robot is doing the job”: Robots help pick strawberries in California amid drought, labor shortage
Wildfire and drought resilience dollars often aren’t reaching rural communities, report finds
“When major legislation like last year’s bipartisan infrastructure law provides funding for federal programs, money isn’t automatically appropriated to communities. State and local governments have to apply for grants, write project proposals, and manage construction projects. And that can be challenging for rural areas with limited staff capacity. The Center for American Progress published a pair of reports this month highlighting these challenges in the context of climate resilience, offering recommendations for how decision-makers can better design federal programs to be more inclusive of rural communities as disasters like wildfires and floods become more frequent. … ” Read more from KUNC here: Wildfire and drought resilience dollars often aren’t reaching rural communities, report finds
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
Major weed bust in Klamath; 1,450 pounds destroyed
“The Del Norte County Community Development Department’s Code Enforcement Division received a complaint of an unpermitted and illegal cannabis grow at 99 Redwood Road in Klamath, California. After gathering the needed evidence, Code Enforcement Division staff reached out to the Eureka Office of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife for assistance with addressing this unpermitted and illegal cannabis cultivation operation. This will be the 3rd year in a row that wildlife officers from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Cannabis Enforcement Program have come to Del Norte County to aid the Code Enforcement Division with addressing illegal grow operations. These operations can often reach several thousand plants in size. … ” Read more from the Lost Coast Outpost here: Major weed bust in Klamath; 1,450 pounds destroyed
CDFW’s Ocean Ranch unit in Humboldt County remains closed to waterfowl hunting, public access through remainder of 2022
“The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) wants to remind waterfowl hunters that its Ocean Ranch Unit in Humboldt County, part of the larger Eel River Wildlife Area, will be closed to all hunting and public access through the end of the year due to heavy construction and habitat work taking place. Located near the community of Loleta, the Ocean Ranch Unit is in the final stages of an 850-acre restoration project to benefit native plant, fish and wildlife species, and greatly improve public access and enjoyment of the property by establishing a formal trail system, improving parking, building a launch for kayaks and canoes, and installing interpretive signage, among other features. … ” Read more from the Department of Fish & Wildlife Service here: CDFW’s Ocean Ranch unit in Humboldt County remains closed to waterfowl hunting, public access through remainder of 2022
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
Officials warn of high wildfire risk in Tahoe this weekend
“A cold front moving into California is expected to produce strong winds in the greater Tahoe and Truckee area. The potential for this weather to spread a wildfire has led the National Weather Service Reno to issue a fire weather watch for the region from Friday evening through Saturday morning. “We had a long stretch of very warm and dry weather for this time of year,” said Mark Deutschendorf, a meteorologist with NWS Reno. This has dried out vegetation and primed it as fuel for a potential wildfire. Winds of 25 to 45 mph are expected, with potential gusts to 60 mph across mid slopes and foothills. Ridge wind gusts could reach 100 mph. “When these winds kick up, it can increase the risk of fire spread if something were to spark,” Deutschendorf said. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle here: Officials warn of high wildfire risk in Tahoe this weekend
RELATED: Ready for a quick change in seasons at Lake Tahoe?
‘Weather rollercoaster’: La Nina patterns hard to predict, Tahoe could see another dry winter
“Flashback to the day after Christmas 2021 — traffic is backed up as all but one road out of the Lake Tahoe Basin is closed as snow dumps nonstop. Over the next few days, the basin would receive record snowfall, and nothing in the following weeks. Prepare, because as La Nina conditions form off the Pacific Coast, forecasters are saying we could be in for another similar winter. “This time of year is, unfortunately, a lot like the last two years,” said Bryan Allegretto, Partner and California Snow Forecaster for OpenSnow. “That is because this year, like the last two years, a La Nina pattern is forming.”
El Nino and La Nina patterns are often used as a predictor for what winter conditions could look like. They both refer to ocean temperature anomalies off the Pacific coast of South America. … ” Read more from the Tahoe Daily Tribune here: ‘Weather rollercoaster’: La Nina patterns hard to predict, Tahoe could see another dry winter
Despite pollutant reductions, Lake Tahoe’s clarity not improving
“Lake Tahoe, the vast alpine body of water that straddles the California-Nevada border, is famous for its crystal clear, blue water, earning the lake the nickname the Jewel of the Sierra. Some 50 years ago, the lake’s water was so clean that annual clarity levels achieved average depths of approximately 97 ft. In recognition of its significance and unparalleled beauty, California and Nevada each have designated Lake Tahoe as a “waterbody of extraordinary ecological or aesthetic value.” The lake also has been designated an “outstanding national resource water” under the Clean Water Act. In the mid-20th century, the lake and its surrounding environs became a year-round tourist destination known for its water recreation, ski resorts, and casinos. The resulting development boom led to increased stormwater runoff into Lake Tahoe, introducing pollutants that ultimately diminished its transparency over time. By 2000, the clarity had decreased to about 60 ft, raising concerns that Lake Tahoe might one day cease to be the translucent marvel it is so well known as. … ” Continue reading from Civil Engineering Source here: Despite pollutant reductions, Lake Tahoe’s clarity not improving
BAY AREA
The nearly unkillable eucalyptus meets its match
“In 2020, Albany Hill went bald. Most of its blue gum eucalyptus trees lost all their leaves. From Interstate 80, roaring below, the hill looked dead and brown. This bump of urban forest, popular with joggers and dog-walkers, rises sharply some 338 feet from the East Bay floodplain, though it looks taller from afar thanks to its shaggy eucalyptus hairdo. Tasmanian blue gums (Eucalyptus globulus) reach for the sky at its summit and down its steep flanks, filling the air with their minty-sharp scent, while a tangle of live oaks grasp the northern slope down to Cerrito Creek. The hill is home to native wildflowers, coast live oaks, riparian habitat along the creek, toyon and monarch butterflies. … ” Read more from Bay Nature here: The nearly unkillable eucalyptus meets its match
Half Moon Bay: Legislator’s town hall highlights fire, flood issues
“The Bay Area has been spared so far this wildfire season, but state officials are eyeing long-term goals to help residents deal with natural disasters exacerbated by climate change.That was just one of the themes presented last week during state Sen. Josh Becker’s virtual town hall, which gave an overview of fire and flood insurance issues created by recent calamities. His “Fire and Flood Insurance in the Time of Climate Change” discussion included California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara, Edie Lohmann, a National Flood Insurance Program specialist with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and Becca Joyner, the program and outreach manager for California FireSafe Council. … ” Read more from the Half Moon Bay Review here: Half Moon Bay: Legislator’s town hall highlights fire, flood issues
CENTRAL COAST
Leaders commemorate fully funded Pajaro River levee project
“After decades of planning, the Pajaro River Flood Risk Management Project announced this week that federal and state governments had agreed to fully fund its $400 million effort to rebuild the dangerously outdated Pajaro River levee system, originally constructed more than 70 years ago. Representatives from local, state and federal institutions were on-hand Thursday to celebrate in Watsonville after an additional $82 million in federal funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act was awarded to the project. That brings the total federal investment to $149 million, according to a project release. … ” Read more from the Santa Cruz Sentinel here: Leaders commemorate fully funded Pajaro River levee project
Greenfield expansion means the city will need a bigger, newer wastewater treatment plant.
“The city of Greenfield has grown exponentially in recent years, and several projects are still on the way, including a hotel on Walnut Avenue, an apartment complex on 12th Street, a new community center and a proposed annexation to the southeast of the city, along Highway 101. More people means more waste, and the city’s wastewater plant needs to accommodate it. Currently, the plant processes 1.5 million gallons per day, but officials say that won’t be enough for upcoming growth. On Oct. 11, Greenfield City Council approved $4.4 million toward the design of a new wastewater plant. The new plant will be a five-year project and can process 2 million gallons of wastewater per day; its estimated cost is $59 million. … ” Read more from Monterey Weekly here: Greenfield expansion means the city will need a bigger, newer wastewater treatment plant.
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
A decade worth of cleanups continue at New Melones Lake
“The Bureau of Reclamation’s New Melones Lake Park Rangers and volunteers have participated in Sierra Nevada Alliance’s Great Sierra River Cleanup for about 10 years. They have cleaned up in and around the lake, both by foot and by boat, gathering trash, recyclables, and just about every kind of debris one can think of over the years. The Great Sierra River Cleanup is an event organized in conjunction with California Coastal Cleanup Day – the largest volunteer event in the state. Preliminary results for this year’s event reported more than 27,000 volunteers removing around 221,000 pounds of trash and 30,000 pounds of recyclable materials from California’s rivers, streams, lakes, and ocean. … ” Read more from the Bureau of Reclamation here: A decade worth of cleanups continue at New Melones Lake
Imagine a Day With Water: Cal Water hosts tour of treatment plant
“Many Americans have found themselves in recent years without adequate water for drinking and sanitation — including residents of Flint, Mich., Jackson, Miss., and even closer to home in East Porterville in Tulare County. Thursday was Imagine a Day Without Water, a national day of action designed to focus attention on how precious our water supply is. In honor of the day, California Water Service invited local news organizations to tour its Northwest Bakersfield Treatment Plant and learn more about the local water supply and the city’s immense and complex water system. “We want Bakersfield folks to know they don’t have to worry about having a reliable supply of safe, clean water when they turn on the tap,” said Cal Water District Manager Tammy Johnson. … ” Read more from the Bakersfield Californian here: Imagine a Day With Water: Cal Water hosts tour of treatment plant
EASTERN SIERRA
‘Like nothing we’d seen before’: Here’s what scuba divers found when cleaning up this Sierra Lake
“In their latest battle to remove decades’ worth of litter and junk from the alpine lakes dotting the High Sierra landscape, trash-collecting scuba divers set their sights on June Lake, the centerpiece attraction of a ski town in the Eastern Sierra. Nestled between Mammoth Lakes and Lee Vining, the modest lake is just 2.7 miles around and 168 feet deep, with a small public marina. But it draws scores of trout anglers in the warmer months who drop lines from their boats or post up on June’s wide sandy beach to hook meaty rainbows, browns and Lahontan cutthroats. Evidently, it’s commonplace for at least some fishers to chuck their empty bait jars and beer cans into June’s crystalline waters, because the cleanup crew removed thousands of both — in fact, divers couldn’t retrieve all that they found in the lake due to time constraints. Over two weeks in September, divers with the Tahoe nonprofit Clean Up the Lake removed 6,522 pieces of litter from the lakebed — more than 3,404 pounds — which included 3,071 bait jars and upwards of 1,100 aluminum beer and soda cans, according to the group. ... ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle here: ‘Like nothing we’d seen before’: Here’s what scuba divers found when cleaning up this Sierra Lake
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Coastal erosion continues to threaten some of South Orange County’s most prized surfing grounds
“For local surfers and beachgoers, the lack of sand from Beach Road to the bluffs of San Onofre is tragically and abundantly apparent. Once dependable beach breaks at Riviera and Calafia have all but gone dormant except on fluky low-tide, wind-swell days. And the beach erosion has gotten so bad at Cotton’s Point that at the end of September, train services from Metrolink and the Amtrak Pacific Surfliner between South Orange County and Oceanside were suspended until further notice after movement was detected on the tracks. Helplessly watching the sand disappear over the past handful of years, a few important questions come to mind. ... ” Read more from the San Clemente Times here: Coastal erosion continues to threaten some of South Orange County’s most prized surfing grounds
Commentary: What is Cadiz, and why does it matter?
“The story of Cadiz begins in the 1980s, when British investor Keith Brackpool arrived in California after pleading guilty to criminal charges relating to securities trading in Britain. In 1983, Brackpool teamed up with others to locate water sources for development and sale to municipalities. Studying satellite images, he located an aquifer in the Mojave, and proceeded to buy up a patchwork of creosote scrub for the private corporation he founded: Cadiz, Inc. He remains connected to Cadiz today. He was appointed to the board in 1986, served as CEO from 1991 to 2013, and as board chair from 2001 to 2022. In the 1990s, Brackpool hatched a plan to store trillions of gallons of Colorado River water beneath the Cadiz tract and to extract water from its underlying aquifer. … ” Read more from the Claremont Courier here: Commentary: What is Cadiz, and why does it matter?
SAN DIEGO
City of Escondido recognized as water saving model
“As California endures its worst drought in 1,200 years, San Diego County’s water industry has developed diversified sources and accelerated conservation practices to secure its water supply for the future. The City of Escondido’s innovative water treatment and saving methods offers a model for other drought-stricken cities. Escondido has led the San Diego region on climate change mitigation and was recently ranked first in San Diego County for its performance and progress on its Climate Action Plan. … ” Read more from the Water News Network here: City of Escondido recognized as water saving model
San Diego avocado growers look to Cooperative Extension experts to manage water costs
“San Diego County used to be home to nearly 25,000 acres of avocado trees but today there are about 14,000. The drastic decrease is largely due to rising costs associated with avocado production, namely the cost of water. On September 28, avocado growers gathered at the San Diego County Farm Bureau offices for an Avocado Irrigation Workshop facilitated by Ali Montazar, University of California Cooperative Extension irrigation and water management advisor for Imperial, Riverside and San Diego counties. “All of our information being developed right now is focused on [irrigation] efficiency. Growers want to know how much water they need and what tools they should use to be more efficient,” explained Montazar. … ” Read more from California Ag Today here: San Diego avocado growers look to Cooperative Extension experts to manage water costs
Along the Colorado River …
How a Utah utility is helping an Estonian oil company hoard Colorado River water
“Millions of years before dinosaurs went extinct, what is now Utah was submerged by a broad, shallow sea. Over millennia, as the water receded and tectonic plates shifted, rich organic marine material accumulated, forming thick layers of sediment that eventually became the fossil fuel deposits of the Uinta Basin in the northeastern part of the state. The formation is estimated to hold as many as 300 billion barrels of oil — more than the proven oil reserves of Saudi Arabia. The basin’s immense oil-producing potential remains largely untapped. A state-owned company from the tiny Baltic nation of Estonia wants to change that. The company, Enefit American Oil, has proposed strip-mining 28 million tons of rock, heating them up to temperatures around 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit, and extracting a type of synthetic crude oil. … ” Read more from Grist here: How a Utah utility is helping an Estonian oil company hoard Colorado River water
Bill would force Utahns to pay for the water they use by ending property taxes for water projects
“For months Utah Sen. Daniel McCay has been assembling legislation to end the common practice of subsidizing water projects through property taxes, but the Riverton Republican has gotten little feedback or support from Utah’s water-development community. His aim is to reduce water use in Utah, which is facing water shortages after years of unrelenting drought, by requiring customers, both residential and agricultural, to bear the costs of the water they use through rates. Basic economics suggests that if it costs more to draw a unit of water from a tap or pivot, people will use less and be more conscientious when they are washing dishes and watering the yard, McCay told an interim legislative committee Wednesday, where he unveiled the fruits of his work. McCay’s bill would prohibit water districts and cities from using property taxes to pay for water projects starting Jan. 1, 2023. … ” Read moref rom the Salt Lake Tribune here: Bill would force Utahns to pay for the water they use by ending property taxes for water projects
Boy dies of rare brain-eating amoeba after visit to Lake Mead, officials say
“A boy has died after exposure to a rare brain-eating parasite at Lake Mead, the popular recreation area near Las Vegas, health officials say. The brain-eating amoeba, known technically as Naegleria fowleri, enters the body through the nose and can cause inflammation, seizures, coma and usually death. Health officials say it flourishes in warm, fresh-water environments. It’s believed to be the only case of the parasite associated with Lake Mead and only the second in Nevada’s history, according to state and local health officials. … ” Read more from ABC 7 here: Boy dies of rare brain-eating amoeba after visit to Lake Mead, officials say
Nevada puts $100M toward water conservation
“More money is coming down the pipeline for Nevada’s efforts to conserve water amid a historic megadrought that has put the pinch on supplies in the Southwest. The Legislature’s Interim Finance Committee on Thursday approved $100 million in funding for water conservation projects across the state and another $6.4 million to modernize the state’s data on groundwater basins. Nelson Araujo, Gov. Steve Sisolak’s infrastructure adviser, told lawmakers the money will go toward investments aimed at reducing water demands across the board, including in residential and commercial developments. The money is coming from funding the state received through the American Rescue Plan. … ” Read more from the Las Vegas Review-Journal here: State puts $100M toward water conservation
Arizona tribe announces water conservation plans, seeks federal payments
“The Gila River Indian Community announced plans to conserve a large portion of its water supplies over the next three years. The tribe is seeking payment from a new federal program designed to incentivize reductions in water use. This marks a reversal from an August announcement that it would pull out of conservation efforts. The tribal community in Arizona will conserve up to 750,000 acre-feet over the next three years. That water will be used to help prop up Lake Mead. Water levels in the nation’s largest reservoir are at record lows, and a supply-demand imbalance along the Colorado River is driving them even lower. A two-decade-long megadrought, fueled by climate change, has prompted urgent calls for water conservation around the arid Southwest. … ” Read more from KUNC here: Arizona tribe announces water conservation plans, seeks federal payments
Rep. Gallego looks to crack down on foreign governments using Arizona water
“Arizona Rep. Ruben Gallego wants Congress to make it more costly for foreign countries to use groundwater in states dealing with droughts like Arizona. The Democrat introduced the Domestic Water Protection Act on Wednesday. The measure would impose a 300% tax on the sale and export of any “water-intensive” crops that are grown in drought-stricken states by companies and governments outside the U.S. Gallego said the high tax rate reflects the “unjustifiable disparity in land lease rates between domestic and foreign producers in Arizona.” … ” Read more from Arizona Family here: Rep. Gallego looks to crack down on foreign governments using Arizona water
Colorado to reuse water for drinking, creating new supply
“When Eric Seufert brewed a test batch of beer in 2017 with water from recycled sewage, he wasn’t too concerned about the outcome. The engineering firm that approached him about the test explained the process, and together they sipped samples of recycled water. Seufert quickly understood it wasn’t too different from how water is normally handled. “Every stream and river in this country has someone putting in their wastewater after they’ve treated it,” he said. After tapping the keg and having a taste, the owner of 105 West Brewing Co. in Castle Rock, Colorado proudly served it at his bar. Brewing beer, cooking food, and refilling water bottles with recycled wastewater could soon become standard practice in a state that’s synonymous with its pristine-tasting snowmelt and mountain springs. … ” Read more from US News & World Report here: Colorado to reuse water for drinking, creating new supply
RELATED: America’s western water crisis is so bad that Colorado is going to start drinking recycled sewage, from Forbes
Commentary: Discovering the place on the Colorado where water becomes river
EJ Montini writes, “If I had not lost the vision in my right eye, I might have missed seeing the Colorado River. Such a thing would not have seemed possible a week earlier at Lee’s Ferry, where we began a 16-day, 226-mile rafting trip. Everything that day was sun and water and possibilities. There were more than 20 of us on five rafts and a paddle boat. Plus four kayaks. Some in the group had come looking for adventure. Some came looking for peace. More than a few came to find themselves. Others hoped to lose themselves. There was in me a bit of all those things. In the end, however, I went looking (with one eye) for a river. And I found it. ... ” Read more from Arizona Central here: Discovering the place on the Colorado where water becomes river
In national water news today …
Why 6 flooded EVs burst into flames after Hurricane Ian
“In the days after Hurricane Ian made landfall in Florida, firefighters near Naples put out six blazes in electric vehicles that had been submerged in seawater. It was a first. The North Collier Fire Control & Rescue District had never before dealt with an EV fire. The hurricane’s storm surge flooded thousands of vehicles with salt water, and the surprising fires added a challenge to a fire department that was already overwhelmed by search and rescue operations in the wake of the deadly storm. The fires also put a political target on electric vehicles. … ” Read more from E&E News here: Why 6 flooded EVs burst into flames after Hurricane Ian
Understanding area-based management in U.S. waters: Context for the 30×30 marine conservation goal
“The Biden-Harris Administration’s policy, as written in Executive Order 14008, calls for the U.S. to conserve at least 30 percent of U.S. lands and waters by 2030. Ocean and coastal resources in the United States are conserved through a variety of legal authorities and conservation strategies. This story map is designed to inform the dialogue around the goal to conserve 30% of the nation’s lands and waters by 2030, and to promote understanding of the complexity of area-based conservation across the ocean and Great Lakes in the U.S. The 30×30 goal focuses on conservation and may include several types of area-based management that contribute to a healthy and sustainable ocean. NOAA has several existing authorities to conserve or restore ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes areas, including the National Marine Sanctuaries Act, Magnuson-Stevens Act, Endangered Species Act, Marine Mammal Protection Act, and Coastal Zone Management Act. ... ” Read more from NOAA here: Understanding area-based management in U.S. waters: Context for the 30×30 marine conservation goal
National water and climate report …
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.
dmrpt-20221020Also on Maven’s Notebook today …
NOTICE: October 20 Correction to Delta Watershed Curtailments
