On the calendar today …
- WEBINAR: Community Solutions to Water Injustice beginning at 2pm. Water injustice comprises acute health and environmental risks from poor water quality, lack of potable supplies or unaffordable water rates in under-represented communities. These problems affect a wide variety of diverse populations in and outside of California. This panel explores the impacts of water injustice on indigenous groups, the unhoused, and low-income people of color in California and the grassroots efforts being undertaken to overcome that injustice. Click here to register.
- GRA SoCAL BRANCH MEETING (Virtual): Characterizing Uncertainties in Cross Boundary Flows under SGMA from 6:30pm to 8:00pm. This presentation will outline several considerations for designing boundary conditions in regional groundwater flow models with at least one open boundary and their implications on cross-boundary flows and sustainable yield estimates in the basin water budget. The presentation will also explore various methods to address and quantify boundary condition uncertainties using case studies from multiple models developed as part of the recent (2020/22) GSP submittal efforts throughout the state. Finally, the presentation will offer suggestions for applying regional models to identify and prioritize key data-gap filling activities and coordination efforts as part of ongoing GSP implementation. Click here to register.
In California water news today …
Environmental groups push for increased river flow in wake of Delta algal bloom
“The destructive algal bloom that struck San Francisco Bay this summer has researchers looking at both causes and solutions. But now, several environmental groups are demanding action on a similar challenge miles upstream from the Bay. They’re focused on a toxic bloom that’s become almost a yearly occurrence in and around the Delta. “And it produces a toxin that’s acutely poisonous to people and their pets. So this, this will kill your dog if it gets exposed to enough of it and can make people very sick if they come in contact with a water, but also the toxins and the cyanobacterial cells get aerosolized in a heavy wind. So it makes it sort of a hazard even if you’re walking near the waterway, explains Jon Rosenfield, senior scientist with San Francisco Baykeeper. … ” Read more from ABC 7 here: Environmental groups push for increased river flow in wake of Delta algal bloom
California’s drought is upending migration for millions of birds along the Pacific Flyway. Here’s how bad it is
“Millions of migratory birds fly south each year to winter in California, or continue beyond. The white-faced ibis is one of the first. The large wading bird with its distinctive curved bill, like its avian counterparts that fill the sky in late summer and fall, relies on the state’s wetlands to rest and recharge. But this year, the ibis that arrived at the California-Oregon border from points north didn’t find the marshes and ponds they’re accustomed to, just a lot of dust and dried-up mud. So, the birds touched down only briefly and kept flying — some all the way to Mexico, says John Vradenburg, supervisory biologist for the Klamath Basin National Wildlife Refuge Complex. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle here: California’s drought is upending migration for millions of birds along the Pacific Flyway. Here’s how bad it is
Rural California town is facing the end of its water supply by Dec. 1
“Coalinga city officials estimate their small town will run out of water by Dec. 1. The city, which is typically allocated 10,000 acre-feet of water, has only been allocated about 2,000 acre-feet this year, according to Pro-Tem Mayor Ray Singleton. And that supply is almost gone. “It was beautifully green just eight years ago. If you look at Google Maps, my yard was green, but like maybe five or six years ago now you look at it now, it’s like the Sahara Desert,” said Singleton. He’s been a resident since 2000 and is raising his family there. … ” Read more from CNBC here: Rural California town is facing the end of its water supply by Dec. 1
Amid climate-driven extremes in weather, California highlights the importance of preparing for flooding, even during historic drought
“The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) today commemorated the start of Flood Preparedness Week, which runs October 22 through October 30, by encouraging residents to prepare for flood season. “While we are preparing for a fourth year of extreme drought, we still need to plan for swings between severely dry conditions and large storms and flooding,” said DWR Director Karla Nemeth. “Just last year, December brought record-breaking precipitation to some parts of the state and was followed by the driest January, February, and March on record. That was a wake-up call for all Californians that we must prepare for both drought and flood conditions at the same time.” … ” Read more from DWR News here: Amid climate-driven extremes in weather, California highlights the importance of preparing for flooding, even during historic drought
Send Mississippi River water to southwestern reservoirs? New analysis casts doubts.
“As an environmental scientist, Roger Viadero had to scratch his head over news reports last summer of the thirsty demand in Palm Springs and Las Vegas, among other western cities, for water from the Mississippi River and the Great Lakes. The letters pages of the Palm Springs Desert Sun newspaper broke their own records for online traffic last June with readers’ proposals to siphon some 22 billion gallons of water per day from the Midwest. To solve the Southwest’s water crisis, the desert denizens wrote, a series of canals and reservoirs could pipe water from the flood-prone Mississippi River to the Colorado River, a supposed win-win for everyone. The proposals provoked Viadero, a skeptic and board-certified environmental engineer, to take up their feasibility with his students at Western Illinois University, where he chairs the environmental science doctorate program from the school’s Moline campus, located along the Mississippi River near the state’s Iowa border. … ” Read more from the San Jose Mercury News here: Send Mississippi River water to southwestern reservoirs? New analysis casts doubts.
The history hidden beneath 3 California lakes
“A recent discovery of a World War II boat at the bottom of Shasta Lake has sparked interest in what lies in the deep of California’s lakes. The continued drought has caused water levels to drop, revealing more than just boats. A landing boat for the USS Monrovia, which served as General George S. Patton’s headquarters during the Sicily campaign, surfaced in Shasta Lake recently due to low water levels. But it’s not the only thing hiding in the depths of California’s largest man-made lake. … ” Read more and check out the pictures at KRON here: The history hidden beneath 3 California lakes
Ask the experts: Drought and climate change in California
“California’s water year begins every Oct. 1, and as this month started, the state put a distressing cap on the driest three-year period in its history. Alarming signs of drought are everywhere, from the early loss of snowpack in the Sierra Nevada mountains to fields of crops lying fallow to mandates imposed by water agencies throughout California. And there’s no end in sight: Initial forecasts are that the state could see a third straight year of La Niña conditions, in which desperately needed precipitation is scarce. What sometimes feels like permanent drought is perhaps the most visible manifestation of the ravages of climate change on California, but there are plenty of others – heat waves, more frequent and intense wildfires, even (paradoxically, given the overall lack of rain) flooding. To delve into this new normal, we turned to Tihomir Kostadinov and Elizabeth Ridder, two Cal State San Marcos geography professors. They specialize in different areas – Kostadinov in marine science and Ridder in human-environment relationships – but they both spend much of their time thinking about the effects of drought and climate change on the place they now call home. … ” Read more from CSU San Marcos here: Ask the experts: Drought and climate change in California
California ranch works to replenish groundwater supplies
“California farms grow about a quarter of U.S. food, and that takes a lot of water. Many farmers rely on water pumped from the ground. But over time, pumping is depleting the aquifers. And severe droughts are making the problem worse. “Eventually, you’re going to run out of water,” says Don Cameron, vice president and general manager of Terranova Ranch in California’s Central Valley. … ” Read more from Yale Climate Connections here: California ranch works to replenish groundwater supplies
In the age of megadrought, farmers in the West see promise in agave
“Paul “Reppo” Chavez surveys his agave crop on a sunny morning in Yolo County, north of Sacramento, California. His largest plants sit at the top of a hillside, while the youngest and smallest are down by the road. “They look real good,” he says, nodding. The plants’ giant leaves are arranged like the petals of an open rose, but they’re as sharp as eagle talons reaching out of the earth. Chavez and many others who drive by find the agave field striking. … As many farmers in drought-prone regions are re-thinking what they grow, there are some other familiar workhorse crops that require little irrigation and could step in to keep bare land from turning to dust—such as winter wheat, legumes, and safflower. It’s agave, however, that has captured recent interest and momentum with its promise of drought resilience and a path into the potentially lucrative world of spirits. … ” Read more from Civil Eats here: In the age of megadrought, farmers in the West see promise in agave
Can these farmers decolonize the wine industry?
“Today, California produces more than 80 percent of all wine made in the United States. Its $43.6 billion industry makes the state the fourth-largest wine producer in the world. … Agriculture accounts for more than 70 percent of all water usage in the state, the vast majority of which is held by billionaire mega-farmers with a choke hold on California’s “bewilderingly complex” water rights laws. In Napa and Sonoma—the heart of California’s wine industry—investors from South Korea, Australia, and Arkansas have recently paid $250 million, $315 million, and $180 million for vineyards, respectively. … However, the seizure of land by the ultra-powerful to make wine in the state is nothing new. … Given this history of colonization, wealth inequality, and the ongoing climate crisis, activists say that change in the industry is both imminent and necessary. … ” Read more from Nation here: Can these farmers decolonize the wine industry?
Beavers: The unlikely climate hero
“Beavers were once ubiquitous in North America, with a population numbering in the hundreds of millions. Trapping and habitat loss decimated their population: There are just 10-15 million beavers in North America today. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) recently allocated money to support beaver restoration throughout the state, calling the beaver an “untapped, creative climate solving hero.” California native Joe Wheaton is a professor of riverscapes at Utah State University who leads teams working on beaver restoration. We asked him to tell us more about this unlikely climate hero and its role in restoring streams and meadows. … ” Read more from the PPIC here: Beavers: The unlikely climate hero
What goes up might not come down — fishways as an ecological trap
“From plants blooming in the spring, to birds migrating in the fall, to migratory fish moving upstream to spawn, the “decisions” that living things make about what to do and when to do it are often informed by environmental cues. In truth, these patterns are not decisions in the human sense of the word, but are instinctual patterns that have been shaped by natural selection. This ability to use cues in the environment is highly adaptive and provides an edge in the evolutionary game of survival and reproduction. However, in environments that humans have altered, cues that once conferred an advantage can lead to deadly traps. Animals expressing instinctual behaviors that put them at a disadvantage in an altered environment is referred to as an ecological trap, and some fisheries scientists are concerned that the widespread use of fishways to allow passage above dams may be causing such traps for migratory species like steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss). ... ” Read more from FishBio here: What goes up might not come down — fishways as an ecological trap
CDFW celebrates 50 years of Wild Trout Waters
“The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the first designated “Wild Trout Waters” in the state, a pioneering wild trout conservation and management practice at the forefront of the nation’s modern environmental movement of the 1960s and 1970s and a designation still benefitting California anglers today. The California Fish and Game Commission created CDFW’s Wild Trout Program in 1971 at the urging of California Trout, the nonprofit, San Francisco-based wild trout conservation organization formed the same year. CDFW’s Wild Trout Program – today called the Heritage and Wild Trout Program – was created in recognition of the need to protect and enhance the state’s wild trout fisheries while also maintaining wild trout fishing opportunities for the public. The program was born at a time when the national consciousness was becoming attuned to negative impacts on natural resources, including population declines among fish, wildlife and plant species. ... ” Read more from CDFW here: CDFW celebrates 50 years of Wild Trout Waters
Mosquito Fire, California’s largest blaze of 2022, contained after more than 6 weeks
“The Mosquito Fire, which burned dozens of homes in the foothills east of Sacramento en route to becoming California’s largest wildfire this year, is officially fully contained, more than six weeks after it started. Crews boosted containment to 100% as of Saturday evening, the U.S. Forest Service said. The Mosquito Fire torched 76,788 acres, or 120 square miles, after sparking near the Oxbow Reservoir at Tahoe National Forest on Sept. 6. It jumped the Middle Fork of the American River twice – north to south, then south to north – in its first two weeks, and destroyed 78 buildings, most of them homes, while damaging 13 others. … ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee here: Mosquito Fire, California’s largest blaze of 2022, contained after more than 6 weeks
Fitch report: Drought could eventually pressure some California water agencies
“According to a new report from Fitch Ratings, drought conditions across California have not triggered rating changes thus far for water agencies, although some agencies could be susceptible to rating pressure over time. Despite its second, severe, multi-year drought in a decade worsened by the Colorado River drought, Fitch says California utilities are well-positioned to take on more debt to finance water reliability or other resiliency projects. The main reasons are low leverage, robust liquidity and, according to Shannon Groff, director at Fitch, history on their side. “California utilities successfully weathered a similar set of circumstances during the 2012-2016 drought by increasing rates, changing rate structures to capture higher fixed costs and prioritizing water reliability projects,” says Groff. ... ” Read more from Fitch Ratings here: Fitch report: Drought could eventually pressure some California water agencies
Today’s featured article …
GUEST COMMENTARY: SGMA is Failing. Time to Fix It
Guest commentary by Michael DeLapa, executive director of LandWatch Monterey County, and Chelsea Tu, executive director of Monterey Waterkeeper
In 2014 California finally joined other western states by enacting groundwater management legislation. The Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) requires local governments to produce plans to bring overdrafted groundwater basins into balance within 20 years. But in Monterey County, SMGA is failing. Over-pumping continues to degrade aquifers essential to agriculture and thousands of urban users.
In regional water news and commentary today …
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
‘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.” … ” Read more from the Sierra Sun here: ‘Weather rollercoaster’: La Nina patterns hard to predict, Tahoe could see another dry winter
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
Low water levels at Shasta Lake reveal local history
“We’ve been enduring another summer of drought in the Northstate. But, if you’re a local history buff, it’s not all bad.If there were any rain clouds, there would be a silver lining. Once again, mother nature is revealing the secrets of Shasta Lake: man-made objects that have been, and should be, deep underwater during wetter seasons. … ” Read more from KRCR here: Low water levels at Shasta Lake reveal local history
Dutra crews busy along Sacramento River
“A flood protection and habitat enhancement along the Sacramento River is in full swing now. The Dutra Group’s current project along the river features an above-water Riparian Bench with an engineered soil-bag design that supports healthy growth of an assortment of plants across 4400 feet of the developing levee. … ” Read more from Dredging Today here: Dutra crews busy along Sacramento River
NAPA/SONOMA
The Marin Water District has a new drought plan
“The Marin Water District has a new plan to deal with California’s worsening drought. As of Oct. 24, Marin reservoirs have more water than normal, but the county said they’re not waiting for things to get worse. Marin’s seven reservoirs hold 80,000 acre feet of water, the new plan would kick in when levels fall below 70,000 acre feet. The prior conservation plan didn’t go into effect until levels fell to 50,000. ... ” Read more from KTVU here: The Marin Water District has a new drought plan
What to do about Pleasanton’s city wells?
“Clean drinking water has been the city of Pleasanton’s top priority these past few months after long-lasting PFAS chemicals were found in the city’s groundwater wells, which are also reaching the end of their useful lives and require rehabilitation or replacement. PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are chemicals with components that break down very slowly over time, which the city has been working on addressing since it had to shut down one well due to PFAS back in 2019. The three city-owned wells account for about one-fifth of Pleasanton’s potable water supply. But as the City Council and staff were gearing up to move forward with a high-cost project to treat and rehabilitate the wells and the water in them, council members decided in September to pause the project in order to assess other options. … ” Read more from Pleasanton Weekly here: What to do about Pleasanton’s city wells?
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
‘Probably a new record’: Harbor porpoise sighting reported in San Joaquin River
“The pair of harbor porpoises spotted near the Pittsburg Marina on Sept. 29 may have traveled even farther upstream than previously thought, according to a new sighting reported to the Marine Mammal Center on Monday. Two cetaceans matching the description of the mother and calf were observed in the San Joaquin River on Sept. 25 by an individual on a boat near Bethel Island, Bill Keener, a field researcher with the center, told SFGATE. The individual was only able to catch a fleeting glimpse of the pair as they breached. “We’ve never had any sightings there before,” Bill Keener, a field researcher with the center, told SFGATE. “And that’s a long way upriver — 60 miles from the Golden Gate Bridge, and probably a new record.” … ” Read more from SF Gate here: ‘Probably a new record’: Harbor porpoise sighting reported in San Joaquin River
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Long Beach starts El Dorado Duck Pond rebuild in midst of avian flu scare
“A tall wooden fence surrounds the El Dorado Park Duck Pond and construction crews are on site to start the $5.5 million rebuild of the long-problematic park fixture, part of a larger $9 million water circulation plan. But more than a hundred birds of multiple species — ducks, geese, swans, night herons, egrets and more — are still living at the pond, and the city now has to deal with an outbreak of bird flu in the area. When the outbreak was announced Oct. 13, officials warned that sick birds may have to be euthanized to protect the rest of the avian population. ... ” Read more from the Long Beach Press Telegram here: Long Beach starts El Dorado Duck Pond rebuild in midst of avian flu scare
San Clemente is losing beach sand so the city is hiring a consultant to find a solution
“San Clemente officials want to know how can they keep what’s left of the sand on their beaches. The City Council has agreed to use $300,000 in grant money to hire engineering firm Moffatt & Nichol to study what more natural options are feasible as the city grapples with a vanishing coastline – it’s a problem plaguing coastal cities across the state. The timing of the study comes on the heels of railroad damage caused by strong surf and high tide surges in mid-September, which prompted the halting of commuter service run along the coast in southern San Clemente until at least mid-December while emergency repairs are made. Councilman Chris Duncan called the damage “disastrous.” ... ” Read more from the OC Register here: San Clemente is losing beach sand so the city is hiring a consultant to find a solution
Along the Colorado River …
Colorado snowpack levels at 229% of average, a good start for Lake Mead
“Snowpack in the Upper Colorado River Basin is more than double the average normally seen at this time of the year, according to the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation’s website. A snapshot of the water situation shows above-average precipitation levels at five of the nine regions that make up the basin, and overall snowpack at 229% of average as of Oct. 24. Overall, precipitation is at 83% of average. Snowpack is a critical factor in the water that flows from the Rocky Mountains down the Colorado River to Lake Powell and then on to Lake Mead. While nearly all the focus for the past several years has been on the plummeting Lake Mead levels, the focus at this time of year shifts to snowpack. … ” Read more from Las Vegas Channel 8 here: Colorado snowpack levels at 229% of average, a good start for Lake Mead
Commentary: Enough messing around. Will the feds mandate cuts to save Lake Mead or not?
Opinion columnist Joanna Allhands writes, “The Gila River Indian Community announced in August that it would no longer leave part of its sizable Colorado River water allocation in Lake Mead, citing lack of progress on a deal to stop it from tanking. Two months later, the tribe became the first major Arizona player to take the feds up on a new offer to voluntarily leave water in the lake. What changed? Gila River now says it will conserve 125,000 acre-feet of its own water each year for three years and make available for purchase another 125,000 acre-feet of water it has stored underground for others – mostly, central Arizona cities – to leave more water in Lake Mead during that time. Credit the tribe for leading by example. But don’t expect much to change. … ” Read more from the Arizona Republic here: Commentary: Enough messing around. Will the feds mandate cuts to save Lake Mead or not?
The Cochise County groundwater wars
“For Anje Duckels, Florida was home. Duckels, 41, was born in the Sunshine State; her family had lived there for generations. But housing prices in Fort Myers just kept rising, so she and her wife decided to find somewhere cheaper to raise their three children. Duckels volunteered to help restore a rural estate with a small farmhouse in the Willcox Basin of southeast Arizona, near the U.S.-Mexico border. After a few years in the area, they bought the property, which was located in a Cochise County neighborhood called Kansas Settlement. The day the family moved to Kansas Settlement, they lost their water. In times of crisis, people tend to look for a villain. It didn’t take long for Duckels to find one: Surrounding her property on all sides are farms owned by a massive dairy operation called Riverview. ... ” Read more from Grist here: The Cochise County groundwater wars
‘Till the last drop: As the water grows scarce in Utah, urban and rural needs come to a head
“From one side of the city limits sign, a groundwater pipeline proposal in a sparsely populated Utah county looks like a crucial investment in economic expansion for a growing metropolis. From the other, less crowded side of the road, the project appears to be a water grab that will turn rural areas into sacrifice zones for the sake of urban growth. The proposal, called the Pine Valley Water Supply Project, would pump billions of gallons of water from rural Beaver County in western Utah and send it 70 miles southeast to Cedar City. The city’s need for water comes after years of overuse of the aquifers in Cedar Valley. Water from the aquifers is being overdrawn by an estimated 7,000 acre-feet of water per year, according to a hydrologic survey conducted by the local water district. To remedy this problem, Cedar City is looking to rural Utah for solutions. … ” Read more from the Sierra Nevada Ally here: ‘Till the last drop: As the water grows scarce in Utah, urban and rural needs come to a head
Cultural sites are being revealed by a dwindling Lake Powell
“As Lake Powell began to fill in 1963, the Sierra Club published a best-selling coffee table book that featured photographer Eliot Porter’s images of Glen Canyon. The book’s title, “The Place No One Knew,” framed a narrative that would find its way into future conservationist elegies for the Colorado River canyon in southern Utah. Glen Canyon, the story went, was in such a wild, remote part of the United States that nobody — from lawmakers in Washington, D.C., to Bureau of Reclamation engineers to activists like then-Sierra Club director David Brower — fully understood what would be lost when the Glen Canyon Dam was authorized by Congress in 1956. … ” Read more from the Salt Lake Tribune here: Cultural sites are being revealed by a dwindling Lake Powell
In national water news today …
United States of megadrought
“Drought has engulfed large swaths of the country, threatening parts of the nation’s food and power supply. And it’s getting worse. More than 80 percent of the continental U.S. is experiencing unusually dry conditions or full-on drought, which is the largest proportion since the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration began tracking 20 years ago. Winter is expected to intensify and spread the dry conditions, killing crops and increasing fire risks in regions that don’t usually face such dangers, NOAA says. That could spell trouble for electricity in states such as California, Arizona and Nevada, depleting water supplies needed to cool power plants and reducing the flow to hydroelectric dams on waterways like the Colorado River. … ” Read more from Politico here: United States of megadrought
Here’s exactly how your diet affects the planet, a landmark study finds
“Eco-friendly eaters may know that almonds are a water-intensive crop, that fish farms pollute the water or that beef consumption drives deforestation. But a study released Monday goes far broader and deeper, offering a new guide to weighing total ecological consequences of crops, livestock and seafood.Researchers amassed data on food production and its impacts on the Earth including disturbances to wild-animal habitats, water use and pollution, and contribution to planetary warming. Their findings reveal what types of food production have the greatest consequences, and where.The study published in the journal Nature Sustainability — which examined nearly 99 percent of all food production on land and sea as reported to the United Nations in 2017 — offers a new way to evaluate what to eat and how to feed the world, according to its lead author, Ben Halpern, a professor at the University of California at Santa Barbara. … ” Read more from the Washington Post here: Here’s exactly how your diet affects the planet, a landmark study finds
Cow-harming ‘forever chemicals’ strain USDA’s relief resources
“Dairy farmer Art Schaap had to watch his cows slowly die for over three years before the federal government paid him for the animals — contaminated with toxic “forever chemicals” from a nearby military base. It was hell for the Clovis, N.M., farmer, who’s been in the business for more than three decades. He now has an empty operation, Highland Dairy, and is still behind with his vendors. In the end, he received about three-fifths of what his cows would be worth now, due to outdated valuations. And he’s one of the lucky ones. Elsewhere, farmers are struggling to get reimbursed at all for contamination from per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS. ... ” Read more from Bloomberg Law here: Cow-harming ‘forever chemicals’ strain USDA’s relief resources
Current reservoir conditions …
DWR Reservoirs 10-25
