A wrap-up of posts published on Maven’s Notebook this week …
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This week’s featured articles …
METROPOLITAN’S IMPORTED WATER COMMITTEE: Southern California water supplies to be stretched thin if 2023 is dry
At the October meeting of Metropolitan’s Imported Water Committee, staff briefed committee members on available supplies and water demands, the Emergency Water Conservation Program for State Water Project-dependent areas, and the efforts to address the extreme drought conditions in the Colorado River Basin.
Main takeaways from the presentations:
- After three dry years, Metropolitan’s supplies are stretched thin;
- Stored water supplies are not evenly distributed throughout the region, and there are constraints on accessing some of those supplies;
- If the State Water Project allocation is 20% or lower, State Water Project-dependent areas won’t see any relief next year;
- As California agencies and other basin states work to leave water in the Colorado River, more restrictions are likely for the areas dependent on the Colorado River.
Click here to read this article.
METROPOLITAN’S IMPORTED WATER COMMITTEE: Delta Conveyance Project Draft EIR
The Department of Water Resources released the Environmental Impact Report on July 27, 2022; the extended public comment period will end on December 16, 2022. The document is over 20,000 pages, not including the appendices.
At the October meeting of Metropolitan’s Imported Water Committee, committee members were given the first of two briefings on the Delta Conveyance Project draft EIR. This briefing included a project overview, objectives and key elements; how climate change impacts the State Water Project and how the Delta conveyance performs under modeled scenarios; how the project relates to MWD’s One Water; and the role of the State Water Project in Metropolitan’s water resource portfolio.
Click here to read the article.
CA WATER COMMISSION: The Department of Water Resources looks to improve runoff forecasting as it plans for another dry year
At the September meeting of the California Water Commission, commissioners were given a briefing by the Department of Water Resources on their preparations for yet another dry year and the steps they are taking to prepare the State Water Project for climate extremes and the challenges of drought, flood, and wildfire.
Key takeaways from these presentations:
- The Department of Water Resources is planning for another dry year; given recent years, the Department is learning to expect the unexpected.
- Although conditions at Oroville are greatly improved over last this time last year, the Department is looking to have 1.6 MAF in Oroville before they will consider making some water available for export.
- The Department is working to improve its forecasting by expanding its use of aerial snow surveys which are more accurate, and developing models that are less reliant on historic data and more reliant on modeling based on characteristics.
- The 2023 State Water Project Delivery Capability Report will include climate change data and new risk-informed future projections.
Click here to read this article.
In California water news this week …
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
Shasta Lake helped water California; now its dryness is a threat to the state
“Few places are more critical to the water supply in California than this immense northern reservoir in the foothills of the Cascade Range.Shasta Lake can hold enough water to meet the needs of six million people and one-third of California’s farmland. It also provides water for salmon and other threatened species and helps keep salt water at bay in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, which serves as a hub for statewide water transfers. Until this century, Shasta successfully did all of that, helping California grow to more than 39 million people and the world’s fifth-largest economy. But a succession of ever-worsening droughts over the past two decades has made inflows into Shasta far less reliable. The current drought is the most severe on record, and Shasta’s water level is now 33% of its capacity. … ” Read more from the Wall Street Journal here: Shasta Lake helped water California; now its dryness is a threat to the state
Imperial Valley farmers brace for water cuts to help Colorado River
“As the Colorado River water crisis deepens amid withering drought in the West, Imperial Valley growers with historic rights to water from the river are making calculations on whether to farm or fallow. This month, the Imperial Irrigation District, which supplies Colorado River water to farmers in America’s largest growing region for winter vegetables, joined other California water agencies in offering to take a dramatic cut in the amount of water they pull from the river. Imperial Valley farmer Ronnie Leimgruber, who grows carrots, wheat, hay, lettuce and onions in Holtville, said he is willing to do his part to conserve water or cut back on farm acreage. But he said the uncertainty is wearing on him. … ” Read more from Ag Alert here: Imperial Valley farmers brace for water cuts to help Colorado River
New mega reservoir in final planning phase for California
“California is getting closer to creating a massive new reservoir within a huge natural Colusa County valley that’s shaped like an elongated oval bowl. When completed, the long-proposed, $4 billion Sites Reservoir will hold enough water to feed the needs of five million homes a year or a half million acres of farmland. That’s enough water to cover every square inch of San Francisco 50 feet deep. Currently, there’s a big gap between the supply of water in California and the demand for it. But, if you close off a 300-foot wide gap and another one just like it, you could easily create one of the largest reservoirs in all of California. In fact, it would be the seventh-largest mega reservoir. … ” Read more from KTVU here: New mega reservoir is final planning phase for California
The West’s biggest source of renewable energy depends on water. Will it survive the drought?
Photo courtesy of the Department of Water Resources
“Reports of low water levels at a few big hydropower plants in the West over the last few years have made it seem like hydropower is becoming less reliable. Last summer, officials in California were forced to shut down the Edward Hyatt Powerplant when water levels in Lake Oroville, the reservoir that feeds the plant, dropped below the intake pipes that send water into its turbines. In March, water levels dropped to historic lows in Lake Powell, the reservoir that supplies the Glen Canyon Dam in Arizona, bringing warnings of a potential plant shutdown in the near future. These reports are alarming, because hydropower is a major source of carbon-free energy for the West — during a wet year, it can meet 30 percent of the region’s annual electricity demand in the West. But a recent study by scientists at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory challenges the idea that hydropower’s role as a backbone for the electric grid is fading. … ” Read more from Grist here: The West’s biggest source of renewable energy depends on water. Will it survive the drought?
Cities want more trees. Drought is complicating their efforts.
“On an overcast Thursday morning in September, a team of five people slowly makes its way down Broadway Avenue, a residential street in the city of Huntington Park, California. Every couple hundred feet they park their pickup trucks, loaded with 275 gallon water tanks, hop out, and fan out along the street, dousing the roots of young trees lining the strip between the sidewalk and the road. The watering team, from the nonprofit TreePeople, is responsible for thousands of newly planted trees in seven low-income neighborhoods in Los Angeles County, including Watts, South Gate, and Lynwood; each tree comes with a guarantee that the nonprofit will provide water and other maintenance for at least 3 years. “Last week we were out in the heat wave and it was brutal,” says Eileen Garcia, senior manager of community forestry with TreePeople. ... ” Read more from Grist here: Cities want more trees. Drought is complicating their efforts.
Photos show retardant was dropped in Sespe Creek during Howard Fire
“A lawsuit filed Tuesday alleged that the US Forest Service has polluted waterways by firefighting air tankers inadvertently dropping fire retardant in or near waterways in violation of the Clean Water Act and a policy adopted by the Forest Service and other federal agencies in 2011. The policy requires that retardant not be dropped within 300 feet of a waterway on federal land.Fire Aviation has acquired photos and a video that reportedly show signs of retardant being dropped into Sespe Creek on the Los Padres National Forest 8 miles northeast of Ojai, California October 8, 2022. The photos were shot by Pete Deneen on October 12, 2022 at the 85-acre Howard Fire. The creek is designated a “wild and scenic river” and is in a wilderness area. ... ” Read more from Fire Aviation here: Photos show retardant was dropped in Sespe Creek during Howard Fire
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
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
Biden-Harris administration announces $210 million for drought resilience projects in the West
“The Department of the Interior today announced $210 million from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that will bring clean, reliable drinking water to communities across the West through water storage and conveyance projects. The projects are expected to develop over 1.7 million acre-feet of additional water storage capacity, enough water to support 6.8 million people for a year. The funding will also invest in two feasibility studies that could advance water storage capacity further once completed. “In the wake of severe drought across the West, the Department is putting funding from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to work to expand access to clean, reliable water and mitigate the impacts of this crisis,” said Secretary Deb Haaland. … ” Read more from the Department of the Interior here: Biden-Harris administration announces $210 million for drought resilience projects in the West
RELATED:
- Biden administration dedicates $30M for Sites Reservoir project, from KRCR
- Los Vaqueros Reservoir Receives $82 Million Allocation from Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, from the Los Vaqueros Expansion Project JPA
- B.F. Sisk Dam project gets funding from Biden administration, from Your Central Valley
In commentary this week …
Dan Walters: California may reallocate shrinking water supply
Columnist Dan Walters writes, “While it’s not yet formal policy, those who manage California’s vast water system are edging toward a historic reallocation of the state’s shrinking supply that could have a life-altering impact on its largest-in-the-nation agricultural industry. For many years, farmers have used about 80% of the water diverted from rivers for human use, with the rest going to urban areas for drinking, watering lawns, maintaining swimming pools, taking showers, cooking and commercial or industrial use. Prolonged drought has compelled all users to make do with less. However, the biggest loser has been the environment — free flows to maintain habitat for fish and other aquatic species — which generally gets about 50% of the total flow. … ” Read more from Cal Matters here: California may reallocate shrinking water supply
Editorial: The feds can curb a foolish California water giveaway
The LA Times editorial board writes, “About 15 miles north of Fresno sits Millerton Lake, a reservoir created in the 1930s when the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation built Friant Dam on the San Joaquin River. The dam provides irrigation water for fields and groves in much of the San Joaquin Valley, but it wiped out the Chinook salmon migration that had existed on the river for tens of thousands of years. It also threatened the rights of landowners to divert naturally flowing San Joaquin River water for their fields. Instead of losing their rights, though, farmers who had land near the river agreed to trade their water to the federal dam project in exchange for “substitute water,” delivered to them from the Sacramento River. This is one of several big water agreements, known as settlement or exchange contracts, that swapped water rights in order to permit construction of large projects in the 20th century, including the federal government’s massive Central Valley Project of dams, canals and aqueducts. In addition to the San Joaquin agreement, there are similar contracts for projects on the Sacramento and Feather rivers. … ‘ Read more from the LA Times here: Editorial: The feds can curb a foolish California water giveaway
If allowing water to be used for crops is bad, try eating apples produced in Cupertino
Dennis Wyatt, editor of the Manteca Bulletin, writes, “Salinity levels at Vernalis south of Manteca would not be so high if those who are Hypocrites-by-the Bay among those in the Green Environmental Perfection movement did their fair share to protect fish. Since the 1920s the City of San Francisco and cities they supply with water around the Bay Area have been depriving fish of water. Meanwhile they brag about their pristine drinking water while lecturing everyone else from Los Angeles residents to San Joaquin Valley farmers about how they are hurting fish for their own needs. Not one ounce of some 220 million gallons of Tuolumne River water that the Bay Area consumes on a daily basis ever flows into the San Joaquin River and the Delta. … ” Read more from the Manteca Bulletin here: If allowing water to be used for crops is bad, try eating apples produced in Cupertino
The Colorado River water shortage can’t be addressed by subsidies
Bruce Yandle, distinguished adjunct fellow with the Mercatus Center at George Mason University and a dean emeritus of the Clemson College of Business and Behavioral Sciences, writes, “The Biden administration ’s newly announced plans to pay water users in the drought-stricken Colorado River basin to cut back their consumption will undoubtedly help deal with intense water scarcity. But will the payments bring about the institutional changes necessary for the river’s water flow to recover in the years ahead? Or will this type of payoff need to be repeated again and again in the future? The White House has indicated that money from the $4 billion designated for drought relief in the Inflation Reduction Act will be allocated to water users in Arizona, California, and Nevada. In a program managed by the Department of the Interior, the funds will help compensate for a targeted 30% reduction in water use, which amounts to some 2 million to 4 million acre-feet of water annually. ... ” Read more from the Washington Examiner here: The Colorado River water shortage can’t be addressed by subsidies
Critical race theory new priority for drought-stricken California’s water board
Tori Richards writes, “California is in a decadelong drought , but the government water boards have taken on a new priority as farms turn to dust: critical race theory. The state water board and its nine local entities have been holding public hearings and staff retreats since May 3 to address inequality in doling out the state’s water supply among disadvantaged populations. The need to address California’s racist allocation of water and too-white board staff was highlighted by the Black Lives Matter movement, a state report says. ... ” Read more from the Washington Examiner here: Critical race theory new priority for drought-stricken California’s water board
SEE ALSO: Comment on the Racial Equity Action Plan, from Don Wright at Water Wrights
In regional water news this week …
Yurok leader asks state to support tribe’s assertion of its water rights
“When the Yurok Reservation was established in 1855, the federal government recognized the Yurok Tribe’s fishing, hunting and water rights, but Yurok Chairman Joseph James says the development of dams, diversions, mining, logging and overfishing have impinged on those rights. “And now the impacts of climate change, including drought, is greatly impacting us,” James said. At the 49th annual Zeke Grader Fisheries Forum on Wednesday afternoon, convened by state Sen. Mike McGuire, chair of the Joint Committee on Fisheries and Aquaculture, James asked the state to (1) enforce in-stream flow requirements in the Shasta, Scott, Trinity and Klamath rivers as necessary to keep fish alive during drought conditions, (2) appropriate funding for habitat restoration and water quality improvement on the Klamath River, (3) support the tribe’s efforts to resolve its water rights claim, and (4) support tribal inclusion in research, monitoring and restoration efforts for drought. … ” Read more from the Eureka Times-Standard here: Yurok leader asks state to support tribe’s assertion of its water rights
Suppression of invasive pikeminnow populations could help native Eel River salmonids
“Pikeminnow suppression has become a key priority for Eel River salmonid recovery. Fisheries researchers at Cal Poly Humboldt are exploring a novel approach to pikeminnow suppression, experimenting with modifying the sex chromosomes of hatchery-reared pikeminnow, initially in a controlled laboratory setting. CalTrout is thrilled to help fund the university’s graduate-student research that may eventually contribute to eliminating this invasive species from the Eel River. Since their introduction in 1979, pikeminnow have spread throughout the Eel River basin. Now pikeminnow compete with, prey on, and alter behavior of juvenile salmonids – all of which impacts salmon recovery. … To give these fish a fighting chance, researchers Dr. Andre Buchheister and Dr. Rafael Cuevas Uribe, from Cal Poly Humboldt Fisheries Department, have proposed the “Trojan Y Chromosome” (TYC) strategy. … ” Read more from Cal Trout here: Suppression of invasive pikeminnow populations could help native Eel River salmonids
Humboldt County plans to use living shoreline to mitigate sea level rise between Brainard, Bracut
“The county is planning on mitigating the risks of sea level rise along a particularly vulnerable stretch of Highway 101 between Eureka and Arcata by restoring salt marsh. Restoring about 17 acres of salt marsh along a 1.25-mile stretch of Highway 101 between Brainard and Bracut would reduce the risk of flooding and the erosion of the shoreline for at least a century, Humboldt County Public Works Deputy Director Hank Seemann told the commissioners of the Humboldt Bay Harbor, Recreation and Conservation District on Thursday. “If sea level rise continues to accelerate, there would be some point in the future where the salt marsh could get flooded out, but our study concluded it would likely have benefits for several decades,” Seemann said. … ” Read more from the Eureka Times-Standard here: Humboldt County plans to use living shoreline to mitigate sea level rise between Brainard, Bracut
Spawning salmon face gauntlet of drought, aquatic invasive species
“Taylor Creek has recently been referred to as a parking lot by local fishing guide JD Richey in a recent Facebook post. On Oct. 2, Richey posted a video on Oct. 2 showing social media followers the aquatic invasive species project, the low levels of the creek and the “brutal gauntlet” the kokanee salmon face this spawning season. “This area has one of the highest concentrations of invasive species anywhere around the lake. Eurasian watermilfoil is the major plant species being released into the lake from these creeks,” according to the Tahoe Fund’s website. This project is part of a larger effort by the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency and the USDA Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit to restore one of the last natural wetlands in the basin. Tahoe Fund provided $100,000 to the project and hosts a video on their website explaining the extensive and collaborative effort that has been enacted to remove 17 acres of invasive plants in Taylor and Tallac creeks. … ” Read more from the Tahoe Daily Tribune here: Spawning salmon face gauntlet of drought, aquatic invasive species
‘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
Chico hosts water-related emergency drills for nine agencies
“An afternoon near the Sycamore Pool on Wednesday began with a bomb suit and ended with a bang as various agencies came together to conduct training drills. Mass training exercises were held throughout the day that featured personnel from nine different agencies including the Chico Police Department, Cal Water, the Butte County Inter-Agency Bomb Squad and the FBI. Heading the training at 1 p.m. Wednesday near the Chico Area Recreation and Park District Community Center was Chico police Sgt. Peter Durfee. The scenario was a suspicious box found behind the center at the end of Vallombrosa Avenue. Durfee said the training was organized by Cal Water. … ” Read more from the Oroville Mercury Register here: Chico hosts water-related emergency drills for nine agencies
Removing nutrients from wastewater that goes into the bay could cost San Francisco up to $1.5 billion
“Removing nutrients from the wastewater that flows from San Francisco sewage plants into the bay — which likely encouraged the growth of a massive algae bloom this summer — could cost up to $1.5 billion, according to the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission. The SFPUC reported its findings to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors Monday at a hearing to discuss how the city and county can address the impacts of wastewater in red tides that are expected to be more frequent with climate change, such as the algae bloom that killed tens of thousands of fish in the San Francisco Bay in August. “An event like this has already changed things remarkably,” said Supervisor Aaron Peskin, who called the hearing. “So let’s talk about what we can do, and how San Francisco can be a leader and an early actor-adopter, and help lead the region sooner rather than later.” … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle here: Removing nutrients from wastewater that goes into the bay could cost San Francisco up to $1.5 billion
A bird’s eye view on Bay Area marshes (via Unoccupied Aerial Systems) yields new insights
“SFEI continues to leverage our Unoccupied Aerial Systems (UAS) capabilities to support conservation and monitoring efforts around the Bay. Two recent projects include monitoring for the Sears Point Restoration Project in San Pablo Bay, as well as conducting a number of flights to support the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) filming of existing marshes and marsh restoration projects that help protect both communities and critical infrastructure. The Sonoma Land Trust restored the 940-acre Sears Point Tidal Marsh Restoration Project to tidal action on October 25, 2015 and the project is now part of the San Pablo Bay National Wildlife Refuge managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The constructed design for this subsided diked bayland allows natural sedimentation to raise site elevations relatively rapidly from around low tide heights at breach up to intertidal emergent marsh elevations, drawing upon the known high sediment loads of northern San Pablo Bay. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Estuary Institute here: A bird’s eye view on Bay Area marshes (via Unoccupied Aerial Systems) yields new insights
Carmel River FREE aims to reconnect river with floodplains
“At first glance, it’s just a field. But to the Big Sur Land Trust, the 128-acre site at Palo Corona Regional Park represents more than 20 years of efforts to restore history. Located east of Highway 1 and south of the Carmel River, the site was formerly known as the Odello (East) Fields, where the Odello family transformed the floodplain into an agricultural field to grow artichokes. It was donated to the Big Sur Land Trust by Clint Eastwood and Margaret Eastwood and will serve as the construction site for the Carmel River Floodplain Restoration and Environmental Enhancement (Carmel River FREE) Project. The Big Sur Land Trust is leading the project, in partnership with Monterey County. … ” Read more from the Monterey Herald here: Carmel River FREE aims to reconnect river with floodplains
New state park in Stanislaus could open next year, plus other updates from Dos Rios
“A state park could open by summer 2023 at the Dos Rios Ranch riverside preserve, 10 miles southwest of Modesto. That update came Friday from Armando Quintero, director of the California Department of Parks and Recreation. He was among numerous leaders celebrating 10 years of floodplain restoration where the Tuolumne River meets the San Joaquin. The 2022-23 state budget earmarked $5 million for park planning and some construction, such as trails, picnic tables, parking and restrooms. Future funding could bring a campground, boat ramp and other attractions, with a cost and timeline yet to be determined. … ” Read more from the Modesto Bee here: New state park in Stanislaus could open next year, plus other updates from Dos Rios
Coastal Commission approves plan to bury contaminated sediment in Newport Harbor
“The California Coastal Commission on Friday approved plans to bury contaminated sediment in an underwater pit at the bottom of Newport Harbor — a plan that’s drawn vocal opposition from some environmentalists and residents. The vote moves the city of Newport Beach and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers closer to starting work on the $12 million project by the end of the year. Commissioners, who voted 8-1 in favor of a permit for the project, praised Newport Beach staff for developing a “local solution to a locally sourced problem.” And they said they trusted commission staff, who called the project the “least damaging feasible alternative” for getting rid of contaminated sediment in the area. … ” Read more from the OC Register here: Coastal Commission approves plan to bury contaminated sediment in Newport Harbor
Announcements, notices, and funding opportunities …
NOTICE: Public Comment Period Opens for a GSP Periodic Evaluation: Monterey County 180/400 Foot Aquifer
UPDATE: October 18 Weekly Update on Curtailment Status of Water Rights and Claims in the Delta Watershed
NOTICE: October 20 Correction to Delta Watershed Curtailments
NOW AVAILABLE: Release of updated versions of EPA’s Watershed Index Online (WSIO) indicator library, WSIO Tool and Recovery Potential Screening (RPS) Tool Series
