In California water news today …
First snow of season drops inch and a half in Sierra
“The season’s first dusting of snow hit the Sierra Nevada Saturday afternoon and a cold front kept it on the ground well into Sunday morning. The UC Berkeley Central Sierra Snow Lab recorded 1.4 inches of snowfall and a picture posted to its Twitter account showed tree branches weighed down in white. The snow came exactly one week after temperatures hit the low 70s at Lake Tahoe and the water was perfect for swimming. “It was a stronger and colder system that moved through the area on Saturday,” said Amanda Young, forecaster with the National Weather Service Reno. “We had some pretty good winds and ended up with freeze warnings in areas east of the Sierra crest.” … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle here: First snow of season drops inch and a half in Sierra
We received 1.4″ (3.5cm) of #snow in the last 24 hours. All of it fell yesterday afternoon and cold temperatures kept it around overnight. Not bad for the first snow of the season!
Not much snow in the forecast but we may see some flurries midweek.#CAwx #CAwater pic.twitter.com/wTlX3bCNbH
— UC Berkeley Central Sierra Snow Lab (@UCB_CSSL) October 23, 2022
As drought drives prices higher, millions of Californians struggle to pay for water
“Several months ago, Rosario Rodriguez faced a financial dilemma that has become all too common for millions of drought-weary Californians — either pay the electric bill, which had skyrocketed to about $300 during a scorching summer in western Fresno County, or pay the $220 combined water, sewer and trash bill. “Our water is expensive, even though we can’t drink it because it’s contaminated,” Rodriguez said in Spanish. In the end, Rodriguez opted not to pay the electric bill from May to July, knowing she could get help from the Fresno Economic Opportunities Commission, a local nonprofit. No such assistance that she knew of was available for water, however. For a family of four living off $25,000 a year, a water bill of more than $200 a month is an economic burden. Now, with 1 in 10 California households falling into arrears on water payments, calls are mounting for the state to step in and help. … ” Read more from the LA Times here: As drought drives prices higher, millions of Californians struggle to pay for water
Higher prices for ketchup and spaghetti sauce? California’s drought is hurting tomato farmers
“No matter if you’re whipping up a cacciatore, amatriciana or a homemade pizza, you’re going to need one thing: tomatoes. But while most of the tomatoes consumed in the U.S. — fresh, canned, and otherwise — come from California, factors like the ongoing drought, rising fuel prices, and a changing climate are making the fruit harder and more expensive to grow. And that’s prompting some California farmers to consider raising other, hardier crops that require less irrigation. “On our end the biggest issue we have is the water situation,” said Bruce Rominger, who along with his brother Rick runs Rominger Brothers Farms in Winters, Calif. about a half hour drive west of Davis. Rominger produces bulk tomatoes to be mechanically picked, canned, and turned into products like paste and ketchup, a separate market from whole, fresh tomatoes, which are usually hand-picked. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle here: Higher prices for ketchup and spaghetti sauce? California’s drought is hurting tomato farmers
Deep, dark and dangerous: Potential harms of groundwater use
“Scientists at UC Santa Barbara (UCSB) have recently determined that heavy reliance on groundwater is increasing the risk of contamination in our drinking water. In an average year, groundwater makes up about 40 percent of California’s total water supply. During severe droughts, which have increased in intensity and frequency due to climate change, some regions of California get up to 60 percent of their water supply from groundwater wells. Because we rely so heavily on groundwater, it is important to understand the potential risks of relying on this source to such an extent. … ” Read more from UCSB’s Bottom Line here: Deep, dark and dangerous: Potential harms of groundwater use
Deep learning for hydrologic projections under climate change
“In the realm of hydrologic prediction and forecasting, deep learning (DL) has been demonstrated to be useful and competitive with process-based modeling. The question remains whether DL is applicable in the context of hydrologic projections under climate change conditions due to the extrapolation challenge beyond the value range of past climate, which is intrinsic to any DL method. In a formalized approach, Wi and Steinschneider [2022] study the applicability of long short-term memory networks (LSTMs) in projecting streamflow in a changing climate. In the approach, they train LSTM networks on historic data over watersheds in California … ” Read more at EOS here: Deep learning for hydrologic projections under climate change
Innovative approaches for flood insurance affordability
“People have been asking if Hurricane Ian will push the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) into an affordability crisis? Some argue the NFIP is already there. Two weeks ago, the Greater New Orleans, Inc.’s Coalition for Sustainable Flood Insurance (CSFI) reported that NFIP’s new pricing strategy makes NFIP insurance premiums unaffordable. The report’s authors assert that increasing NFIP premiums and fees will lead to fewer households with flood insurance, and recommend slowing premium increases until an affordability program can be developed and funded. An examination of historical NFIP purchases by California households supports this assertion. We suggest a different affordability approach—a community-scale public/private partnership that makes insurance affordable by focusing on community resiliency and recovery. ... ” Read more from the California Water Blog here: Innovative approaches for flood insurance affordability
100% containment line around 76,788 acre Mosquito Fire
“Firefighters have succeeded against the last two stubborn areas of the Mosquito Fire perimeter and there is now a 100 percent containment line around the fire. Isolated smokes may be visible well within the fire perimeter, but pose no threat to containment, according to the fire command team. Fire suppression repair is nearing completion. To date, fire crews have completed 221 miles of dozer line repair, 34 miles of handline repair, and 100 miles of road repair. 761 personnel remain on the fire. ... ” Read more from South Tahoe Now here: 100% containment line around 76,788 acre Mosquito Fire
‘Wow that’s right off our coast’: What divers saw on rare trip to photograph wildlife at California marine sanctuary
“With deepwater spires plastered in pink and orange coral, Cordell Bank sits on the edge of a canyon that drops down a mile or two. The colorful, breathtaking seamount has only been seen by a few divers even though it’s 22 miles from Point Reyes National Seashore. “There’s probably been more people in space than have ever been in Cordell Bank,” said Robert Lee, a diver with the group Bay Area Underwater Explorers. Over the past month, Lee and a handful of other highly skilled divers spent a total of five days diving as far as 250 feet to view and photograph the sponges, anemones and bocaccio rockfish that make their home among the pinnacles and valleys of Cordell Bank. It was their fourth time diving in the area but the first in six years, an experience Lee calls “sensory overload.” … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle here: ‘Wow that’s right off our coast’: What divers saw on rare trip to photograph wildlife at California marine sanctuary
In commentary today …
To save the Earth, think like a ‘blue water’ sailor
Author Charles J. Doane writes, “At the height of the September heat wave, Californians provided the rest of the country with a glimmer of hope and sanity that should encourage those who feel pessimistic about our future. Within minutes of an Office of Emergency Services’ warning text, sent to millions on Sept. 6, an abrupt decrease in electricity demand saved the state from rolling blackouts. It is not hard to parse the psychology that fueled this response. Confronted with a choice between voluntary and involuntary conservation, Californians found all sorts of electrical devices they were happy to switch off. As someone who has lived on boats and crossed oceans on them, I was not surprised by this. For a sailor at sea on a small boat — necessarily “off the grid” — certain facts are unassailable. Resources critical to your survival and comfort — water, food and electricity — are quite limited. These same sorts of facts, on a grander scale, now confront humanity as we butt up against the boundaries of what is sustainable on this seemingly large, but still finite vessel we call Earth. ... ” Read more from the LA Times here: To save the Earth, think like a ‘blue water’ sailor
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
‘A healthy ocean means a healthy fleet’: salmon, crab, kelp, and climate the focus of annual fisheries forum
“Dispatches on the state of California’s fisheries this year have brought “a mix of some glimmers of better news, while still struggling with difficult issues,” California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) Director Chuck Bonham summarized at the 49th Annual Zeke Grader Fisheries Forum on Wednesday afternoon. The forum was moderated by State Senator Mike McGuire as part of the Joint Committee on Fisheries and Aquaculture. In addition to a detailed report from Bonham, the afternoon featured panels on drought and salmon, the dungeness crab season, the state of California’s kelp forests, and aquaculture — as well as a brief public comment period. … ” Read more from the Mendocino Beacon here: ‘A healthy ocean means a healthy fleet’: salmon, crab, kelp, and climate the focus of annual fisheries forum
NAPA/SONOMA
Retired Santa Rosa resident struggles with bureaucracy trying to remove debris blocking Santa Rosa Creek
“Wearing rubber wading boots and holding a sturdy walking stick, Jacob Boudewijn, 74, carefully makes his way down the bank of the Santa Rosa Creek behind his home on Fair Oaks Avenue. He heads toward a dam of debris trapped behind several large trees that toppled across the creek during last October’s atmospheric river. It’s not his mess, but in recent days, Boudewijn has been dragging his red kayak down to the creek, over ivy-covered rocks and branches, trying to clear the buildup of trash, which includes everything from brush to soccer balls to wine, liquor and water bottles, both plastic and glass. Boudewijn, like many people who live along some portion of Santa Rosa’s 100 miles of creeks, knows it’s his responsibility to remove anything that’s impeding the flow of water — from his property line to the midstream. Though still active and strong, the retired contractor and carpenter said he could use a little help. … ” Read more from the Santa Rosa Press Democrat here: Retired Santa Rosa resident struggles with bureaucracy trying to remove debris blocking Santa Rosa Creek
BAY AREA
Novato garbage pile grows under bridge along creek
“A large buildup of trash clogging a section of Novato Creek for the second time in a few months has prompted concern for residents, especially as the county prepares for the rainy season. City officials say plans are in place to remove the collection of trash bags, cardboard boxes and other rubbish from underneath the bridge leading from South Novato Boulevard to the Novato Fair Shopping Center. But nearby residents such as Jim Brind’Amour of Nave Court said they have grown frustrated with the illegal dumping and camping by homeless people in the creekbed bordering their homes. Brind’Amour said that in addition to the garbage, his neighbors have been harassed by homeless people. There also was a break-in recently, he said. … ” Read more from the Marin Independent Journal here: Novato garbage pile grows under bridge along creek
Richardson Bay authority gets more funds for vessel disposal
“The Richardson’s Bay Regional Agency has received another $233,300 from the state for its voluntary boat surrender program. The funding comes from the California Department of Boating and Waterways. The funding is a recurring source the agency taps to entice mariners to turn in old boats, said Steve McGrath, the agency’s director. “It’s a very valuable program,” McGrath said. “We’re very grateful for the support of the state in the funding of this program, which helps people and helps the environment.” McGrath said the program enables vessel owners to voluntarily turn them in at no cost and keeps the boats from becoming an environmental blight. The Richardson’s Bay Regional Agency disposes of the boats and receives a reimbursement from the state. ... ” Read more from the Marin Independent Journal here: Richardson Bay authority gets more funds for vessel disposal
Pleasanton approves new project in bid to solve drinking water issues
“Potentially dangerous chemicals have been detected in Pleasanton’s drinking water, and the City Council is looking at ways to solve the problem. In 2019, long-lasting chemicals known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, were found in the city’s groundwater supply facilities, leading the city to shut down one of its three wells. … To tackle the PFAS problem, the City Council originally set up a treatment and well rehabilitation project. However, council members paused the project in September to evaluate other options because of the project’s $46 million price tag. In a meeting on Tuesday night, council members agreed that the city would enter into a $263,755 contract with environmental firm Brown and Caldwell to develop a list of options for what to do next. … ” Read more from the San Jose Mercury News here: Pleasanton approves new project in bid to solve drinking water issues
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
VIDEO: How the lower Kern River is split up
“Flows on the lower Kern River are split up among a hydra of canals starting just west of Hart Park. We talk with local experts who explain who owns those canals and where the water goes under the Law of the River. There’s a lot to learn so we’re splitting the lower Kern into two parts. Here is Part 1 of the lower Kern.” Watch video at SJV Water here: VIDEO: How the lower Kern River is split up
Kern County: Feds step in to plug deep, dry oil well in Midway-Sunset
“A deep, disappointment of an oil well that has sat idle for eight years near the Kern County border is finally getting some attention following its owner’s bankruptcy in 2017. The federal government is preparing to monitor and then plug the 12,000-foot Sevier Well, located a half-mile from the Carrizo Plain National Monument in the prolific Midway-Sunset Oil Field. At an estimated taxpayer cost of $300,000, the work adds to growing momentum in California to properly plug and abandon orphan oil and gas wells for the sake of the climate, groundwater and endangered species. … ” Read more from the Bakersfield Californian here: Kern County: Feds step in to plug deep, dry oil well in Midway-Sunset
Commentary: We seek solutions that lessen the blow to Kern County
Ryan Alsop, chief administrative officer of Kern County, writes, “As California Forward prepares for its annual California Economic Summit, taking place this year in Kern County, we collectively welcome John Chiang and Ashley Swearengin, co-chairs of the California Forward leadership council, to our great region. It’s important that we also share some significant concerns about the economic well-being of our community. We understand that the purpose of the California Economic Summit is “built upon the principle that regional approaches to economic problem solving are critical to ensuring all Californians, regardless of ZIP code, have the opportunity to claim their California Dream.” With that goal and Gov. Gavin Newsom’s focus on helping “regions rise,” we are eager to hear the administration’s framework for helping our region surmount very challenging times. … ” Read more from the Bakersfield Californian here: Community Voices: We seek solutions that lessen the blow to our county
Tehachapi water district board approves agreement, hears concerns and complaints
“A small water company serving customers in a subdivision just outside Tehachapi city limits has entered into an agreement to buy water from the Tehachapi-Cummings County Water District. At its meeting on Oct. 19, the district’s board approved a Term M&I (municipal and industrial) Agreement with West Tehachapi Mutual Water Company that General Manager Tom Neisler said will provide an assured water supply for existing records. As related by Nesiler in a staff report, the small water company was formed in 1964 to serve a small subdivision. The 40-lot subdivision in the unincorporated area has 36 service connections and the company owns and maintains a well to serve the area. Most of the lots are just under an acre in size. … ” Read more from the Tehachapi News here: Tehachapi water district board approves agreement, hears concerns and complaints
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Long Beach is saving more water than its neighbors. How? And is it enough?
“In a summer marked by extreme heat, dwindling resources and mandatory drought restrictions, Long Beach residents conserved water at an increasing rate from May through September, continuously outpacing Los Angeles county and the state. Water use for the city’s roughly 466,000 residents decreased by 15% in September compared with the same month in 2020, the baseline year at which current savings are measured because it’s the year the current drought began. The savings happened even as temperatures soared during the late summer heatwave. September was the fifth consecutive month of record savings, following a 4% reduction in May, 11% in June, 14% in July and 15% in August. … ” Read more from the Long Beach Post here: Long Beach is saving more water than its neighbors. How? And is it enough?
Four PFAS treatment facilities in Orange County begin operation
“The Orange County Water District and the City of Orange began operating four treatment plants constructed in Orange to remove per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from local well water. PFAS are a group of thousands of manmade, heat-resistant chemicals that are prevalent in the environment and are commonly used in consumer products to repel water, grease and oil. Due to their prolonged use, PFAS are being detected in water sources throughout the United States, including the Orange County Groundwater Basin, which supplies 77 percent of the water supply to 2.5 million people in north and central Orange County. Despite playing no role in releasing PFAS into the environment, water providers must find ways to remove it from their local water supplies. … ” Read more from Water Finance & Management here: Four PFAS treatment facilities in Orange County begin operation
SAN DIEGO
Construction starts on the Otay River Estuary Restoration Project
“A groundbreaking ceremony took place on Friday to commemorate the start of construction on the Otay River Estuary Restoration Project, according to a press release by seawater desalination developer Poseidon Resources. The project, in collaboration with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, will create, restore and enhance approximately 125 acres of coastal wetland and salt marsh habitat in the San Diego Bay National Wildlife Refuge to protect native fish, wildlife and plant species. “It is more important now than ever to protect and preserve our coastal environment,” said George Dowden, President of the Friends of San Diego Wildlife Refuges. “We applaud Poseidon and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for their continued dedication to preserving our beautiful coastline and promoting environmental sustainability.” … ” Read more from Fox 5 here: Construction starts on the Otay River Estuary Restoration Project
Along the Colorado River …
Powerful aerial photos show the consequences of drought on the Colorado River
“Conservation photographer Paul Nicklen is a leader in using his art to promote change. His new series Delta is no different. At first glance, these spectacular aerial photos simply highlight the beauty of our planet. But upon closer examination, they also demonstrate climatic issues caused by humans. The reality is that these photographs actually show the straggling remains of the Colorado River as it peters out before reaching the Sea of Cortez, which was once its final destination. The freshwater river flowed freely for millions of years, all the way to Baja, Mexico. Now, due to droughts and 14 dams that block the river, it dries up well before reaching the sea. What Nicklen has photographed is the dying remains of the delta, a place that used to nourish millions of birds that would migrate and feed on its lush green forest. All that is left behind is a salt marsh. … ” Read more and view photos from My Modern Met here: Powerful aerial photos show the consequences of drought on the Colorado River
When it comes to saving lakes like the Great Salt Lake, understanding every drop matters
“Geoff McQuilkin trekked toward a dam on Lee Vining Creek, fish leaping to catch bugs at a nearby pond, the peaks of Yosemite National Park and the Ansel Adams Wilderness looming in the background. “Welcome to Los Angeles,” McQuilkin said. He was only partly joking. Although the megacity lies more than 300 miles south from where McQuilkin stood, its Department of Water and Power owns hundreds of thousands of acres in the eastern Sierra, land it drained of water rights and sent down the Los Angeles Aqueduct many years ago. “The story of Mono Lake is one where every drop of water has always mattered,” said Rose Nelson, education director for the Mono Lake Committee, “and every single drop of water will always matter.” As Utahns confront how to save their own shrinking Great Salt Lake, which is much larger, tapped and drained by far more interests than a single city, McQuilkin said it’s important to think beyond just the body of water. … ” Read more from KSL here: When it comes to saving lakes like the Great Salt Lake, understanding every drop matters
Commentary: A reckoning for the Colorado River
William Schmidt, former deputy managing editor and correspondent at The New York Times and a professor emeritus in the School of Journalism at the University of Arizona, writes, “The Colorado River was raging, fed by record snowmelt from the Rockies. As rising waters pushed near the top of Hoover Dam, engineers opened the spillways to divert the flood, steering it into steep tunnels bored through hundreds of feet of rock. Far below, at the base of the dam, the torrent emerged with a thundering roar, as if shot out of cannons. It was the early summer of 1983, and the Colorado was putting on quite a show. As the New York Times correspondent assigned to the West, I was there — nearly 40 years ago — as floodwaters were sent crashing around dams to relieve swollen reservoirs, drowning some downriver towns. It was a season of high water difficult to reconcile with the bleak picture of the Colorado today. … ” Read more from the Arizona Star here: Commentary: A reckoning for the Colorado River
In national water news today …
New Greenpeace report: plastic recycling is a dead-end street—year after year, plastic recycling declines even as plastic waste increases
“Most plastic simply cannot be recycled, a new Greenpeace USA report concludes. Circular Claims Fall Flat Again, released today, finds that U.S. households generated an estimated 51 million tons of plastic waste in 2021, only 2.4 million tons of which was recycled. The report also finds that no type of plastic packaging in the U.S. meets the definition of recyclable used by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s New Plastic Economy (EMF NPE) Initiative. Plastic recycling was estimated to have declined to about 5–6% in 2021, down from a high of 9.5% in 2014 and 8.7% in 2018. At that time, the U.S. exported millions of tons of plastic waste to China and counted it as recycled even though much of it was burned or dumped. … ” Read more from Greenpeace here: New Greenpeace report: plastic recycling is a dead-end street—year after year, plastic recycling declines even as plastic waste increases
A warming sea is forming crystals and belching CO₂
“If you stand on the coast of Israel and gaze out across the Mediterranean Sea, you’ll spy deep-blue, calm waters that have sustained humans for millennia. Beneath the surface, though, something odd is unfolding: a process called stratification is messing with the way the sea processes carbon dioxide. Think of this part of the Mediterranean as a cake made of liquid, essentially. Fierce sunlight heats the top layer of water that sits on cooler, deeper layers below. Out in the open ocean, where water temperatures are lower, CO₂ dissolves in salt water—which is what allows Earth’s seas to collectively absorb one-quarter of the carbon emissions that humans pump into the atmosphere. But as the eastern Mediterranean Sea heats up in the summer, it can no longer absorb that gas and instead starts releasing it. … ” Read more from Hakai Magazine here: A warming sea is forming crystals and belching CO₂
More news and commentary in the weekend edition …
This weekend in California water news …
-
Canebrake Ecological Reserve, Kern County. CDFW photo by Robert Waldron California water agencies, farmers work together to conserve water in the Delta
- Here’s why the desalination plant in Doheny was approved and Huntington Beach’s wasn’t
- For drought-plagued California diverting Columbia River water is a pipe dream for now
- California Drought persists: What River Partners is doing to prepare for the next flood
- Deep, dark and dangerous: Potential harms of groundwater use
- Significant pattern change, though not necessarily significant precipitation, across California this weekend
- The latest U.S. winter outlook spells trouble for dry California
- Toward improvements in analysis and management of the ecology of the Delta estuary
- Big data modeling, forest fuels mapping aids in mitigating catastrophic wildfire risk
- Putah Creek’s experience suggests getting water back in the Kern River could be a “slam dunk”
- Colorado River district head: California water cut far from what is needed from that state
- And more …
Also on Maven’s Notebook today …
Stanislaus, Tuolumne, and Merced Working Group meetings regarding the Revised Draft Biological Goals
