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On the calendar today …
- MEETING: State Water Resources Control Board beginning at 9am. Agenda items include an informational item on the 2024 Report of the Statewide Advisory Committee on Cooling Water Intake Structures; Annual climate update with consideration to initiate a process to develop a new climate resolution; and a board hearing on a revised proposed draft policy to standardize cost reporting in municipal stormwater permits. Click here for the full agenda and remote access instructions.
- MEETING: State Board of Food and Ag from 10am to 2:30pm. Agenda items include a SGMA implementation update; 2024 Farm Bill perspective; California Jobs First; Farms-Food-Future; and Healthy Food Financing Collaborative. Click here for the full agenda and remote access instructions.
In California water news today …
First heat wave of season for western US to increase wildfire danger
“The first widespread heat wave for the western United States is building and will last through the end of the week. AccuWeather meteorologists warn that heat and dryness will boost the risk of wildfires in some situations. The combination of a bulge in the jet stream, high pressure building at most levels of the atmosphere and a storm offshore of California will allow the heat to build without any shower or thunderstorm activity in much of the West. The National Weather Service defines a heat wave as a period of abnormally hot weather, with or without high humidity, lasting more than two days. Heat waves can be dangerous, especially for those who cannot take a break in a cool environment. Experts urge people to take it easy and keep hydrated as the heat wave builds. AccuWeather RealFeel® Temperatures will surge along with the heat in the West and will reach dangerously high levels as far north as Northern California. … ” Read more from AccuWeather.
‘Heat dome’ brings California’s first heat wave of the season, with triple-digit temperatures
“A significant, early-season heat wave is expected to broil much of inland California this week, with highs set to top 100 from the Sacramento Valley to the Antelope Valley — dangerously high temperatures that experts warn could bring health risks given that nighttime cooling will be limited in many areas. Much of the western U.S. is bracing for the effects from a high-pressure ridge, or heat dome, which will begin warming up the region Tuesday, likely driving temperatures to near-record or record-breaking levels, with several excessive heat watches and warnings already issued. In Southern California, the most extreme temperatures are expected Tuesday through Thursday in the inland mountains and deserts, with Wednesday supposed to be the hottest. … ” Read more from the LA Times. | Read via Yahoo News.
Water in California’s streams is poorly monitored, impeding effective management
“California relies on its rivers and streams for a plethora of services—water supply, flood control, biodiversity conservation, and hydropower generation, to name a few. As a result, understanding the flow of water through the state’s stream network is critical for supporting California’s economy and ecosystems. A new study published by UC Berkeley researchers in Nature Sustainability finds, however, that California’s rivers and streams are critically under-monitored, making it difficult to properly manage water supply and control floods, monitor changes in freshwater biodiversity, and understand how climate change is affecting water supplies. According to the authors’ analysis, only 8% of all rivers and streams in California are monitored by stream gauges, the technology used to measure the flow of water upstream or downstream from their installation site. “As climate change progresses and the demands on California’s water resources and water infrastructure grow, it is critical to have reliable, timely, and comprehensive information about water in rivers and streams,” said lead author Lucy Andrews, a PhD candidate in the Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management. “Our work highlights concerning gaps in California’s water monitoring capabilities and proposes tools for addressing those gaps.” … ” Read more from UC Berkeley.
Two Tulare County water agencies vote to take control of their own groundwater destiny
“Two water districts voted to break away from the Eastern Tule Groundwater Sustainability Agency Monday, June 3, clearing a path for them to form their own agencies and groundwater plans in the next six months. The move allows the Tea Pot Dome and Vandalia water districts to distance themselves from Eastern Tule GSA, whose groundwater management practices and those of the other four GSAs in the Tule subbasin are coming under scrutiny and possible probation by the state Water Resources Control Board where a probationary hearing is set for Sept. 17. Eastern Tule, in particular, has also been criticized for its groundwater accounting policies, which some have said allow overpumping to continue unabated. … ” Read more from SJV Water.
California-Nevada Drought & Climate Outlook
“The May Drought & Climate Outlook Webinar provided updates on post-April 1 conditions in California and Nevada, including snowmelt, and a recent study exploring how drought impacts National Park visitation in California.” Read the summary from NIDIS.
A new strategy to help unleash USGS eDNA capabilities
“Imagine you could use just a few drops of water to know what sorts of animals and plants were present in an area. What an incredible tool this would be. It could be used to look for rare species, to catalogue how many were present or to monitor for introductions of new, potentially harmful species. Turns out, we already have this tool. Using a small sample of water, scientists can look for genetic material left behind by anything with a genome—a species’ genetic fingerprint made from DNA—which scientists call environmental DNA, or eDNA. Aquatic biodiversity, or the number of species in freshwater and marine systems, is important culturally and economically as well as to the health of society and ecosystems. Using such a powerful, nondestructive tool as eDNA sampling gives scientists and people managing water, land and municipalities the ability to evaluate and predict trends in biodiversity at the scale they need, from a single pond to a river system and even the oceans. … ” Read more from the USGS.
‘Big eye-opener’: What the Corral Fire means for California’s wildfire season
“The 14,000-acre Corral Fire that ripped through open rangelands near Tracy is the largest wildfire so far this year in California, and its explosive growth snapped attention to the start of another wildfire season. So far this year 34,394 acres have burned statewide, well above the five-year average of 8,453 acres for this time of year, according to Cal Fire. But the high number does not necessarily signal an unusually difficult wildfire season. Experts say this winter’s storms and heavy snowpack lower the chance of a catastrophic wildfire because heavy brush and timber — landscapes especially vulnerable to wildfire — hold onto moisture longer. Grass dries out more quickly, and grass blazes like the Corral Fire are typical for this time of year. “It was a big eye-opener for us — burning conditions are right, and we need to be ready,” said Josh Silveira, a Cal Fire battalion chief. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
Photos: How California’s dramatically transformed landscape increases wildfire risk
“Though spring rains kept Northern California hillsides lush, landscapes are now transforming from green to brown. Fine grasses are drying out, bringing heightened potential for wildfires like the Corral Fire that started this weekend in San Joaquin County. The blaze burned over 14,000 acres as of Monday. A heat wave on tap this week will further accelerate drying of vegetation. “Fire season is upon us,” said Craig Clements, director of the Wildfire Interdisciplinary Research Center at San Jose State University, particularly because grasses have largely dried, or cured. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
Mexico’s new president is a climate scientist. That could be a boon for California.
“California officials are cheering Mexican President-elect Claudia Sheinbaum’s victory as one for the California climate, too. “Having an engineer whose background is working on climate, it’s a big deal,” said Assemblymember Eduardo Garcia, a Democrat representing California’s inland border region who was in Mexico City with Sheinbaum’s team on Sunday to witness her landslide victory. California politicians already enjoy close relationships with their Mexican counterparts and have agreements in place to work on a host of climate issues, including drought, land conservation, recycling and cross-border truck emissions. But Californians are hoping Sheinbaum — an engineer by training who worked on the U.N.’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change reports — will bring more of a sense of urgency to the issue, especially around clean energy and transportation. … ” Read more from Politico.
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
Klamath River Dam removal is a victory for tribes
“This year, engineers in California and Oregon are carrying out the largest dam removal project in history. For decades, salmon and trout in the Klamath River have struggled to survive in the unhealthy water conditions created by four dams and diversions of water for irrigation. And for more than 20 years, Indigenous Tribes that depend on the fish have been fighting for dam removal. In late 2022, after many rounds of litigation to keep water flowing and the fish alive, federal regulators finally approved a dam removal plan. As the dams on the Klamath come down, members of the Yurok, a Tribe whose reservation sits at the mouth of the river, say they are feeling hopeful about the Klamath’s future. … ” Read more from EarthJustice.
Water shortages impact Klamath basin economy, new study says
“An Oregon State University study is showing the economic impact that water shortages have had on farms and ranches in the upper Klamath basin. The study was partially funded by Klamath County. It found that crops and livestock grown and raise din the area are worth about $368 million annually. It also generates more than $176 million in income for more than 3,000 employees. The study found that about $12 million in labor income and 210 jobs have been lost with the decline in livestock production because of water restrictions. It also found that more than $12 million in labor income and 120 jobs are presently at risk because of the maximum amount of water the Bureau of Reclamation allows farmers to use. … ” Read more from KDRV.
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
Proposition 68 delivers a nature-based solution to Amador County wildfire risk
“This past year the Sierra Nevada Conservancy (SNC) marked the completion of the View 88 Fuel Reduction and Prescribed Fire Readiness Project (View 88), a Proposition 68-funded grant from the SNC to the Calaveras Healthy Impact Product Solutions, to protect communities and natural resources along Highway 88. Scenic Highway 88 runs east to west through the Eldorado National Forest (ENF) on top and alongside the ridges that separate the Mokelumne and Consumnes River watersheds in Amador County. It connects Stockton to the scenic high country of Carson Pass, and the rural mountain communities along its route to each other, and the outside world. Like many parts of California’s Sierra-Cascade, this ecologically rich and beautiful landscape is at high risk from damaging wildfires. … ” Read more from the Sierra Nevada Conservancy.
Calaveras County Water District secures $11.2 million
“The Calaveras County Water District (CCWD) has secured $11.2 million from the Army Corps of Engineers as part of the 2024 federal budget to enhance the Copper Cove Wastewater Treatment Plant and Reclamation Facility. This allocation is the largest Section 219 Environmental Infrastructure funding in California and the third-largest nationwide for 2024. With this latest funding, CCWD has secured a total of $13.2 million from the Army Corps over the past three years and seeks an additional $3.1 million next year to cover rising construction costs. The Copper Cove facility serves around 2,000 sewer connections in Copperopolis along Lake Tulloch on the Stanislaus River, treating wastewater and recycling water for irrigation. CCWD will cover 25% of the approximately $20 million project cost, with federal funds easing financial pressure on other community projects. … ” Read more from My Mother Lode.
BAY AREA
Valley Water to host public meeting Thursday on Anderson Dam Project
“Valley Water, the Santa Clara Valley Water District, is hosting a public meeting in Morgan Hill this Thursday to provide updates on the reconstruction of the Anderson Dam. Water district officials will be reporting on the impacts of the $1 billion dam project on the environment, specifically the impact on Rosendin Park, responses to wildfire threats and the feral pig population surrounding the Anderson reservoir. The meeting will also review other aspects of the Anderson Dam Seismic Retrofit Project’s Draft Environmental Impact Report. … ” Read more from the San Jose Spotlight.
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
Central Valley board expands safe drinking water program
“Three years after the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board launched a novel program that has brought replacement drinking water to more than 1,200 households with nitrate-impacted wells in designated areas of the Central Valley, the regional board is expanding the program to new areas in eight groundwater basins. The Central Valley Water Board recently mailed 938 Notices to Comply to permit holders in these areas, known as Priority 2 management zones within its Salinity Alternatives for Long-Term Sustainability (CV-SALTS) program. … ” Read more from the Escalon Times.
A month after hearing, no decision on Sage Ranch and plans still pending
“Sage Ranch’s groundbreaking was scheduled for April and May. However, the calendar turned to June with no apparent forward motion for the proposed 998-unit residential subdivision near Tehachapi High School. The project has been in the works since late 2018, and a lawsuit over its water supply and environmental review has not been resolved. In an email on March 28, the developer Greenbriar’s CEO, Jeff Ciachurski, said the company was working to close a $40 million construction loan for the project. Earlier in the month, the company issued a news release stating that the project was scheduled to break ground in April. … ” Read more from the Tehachapi News.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Water company installs locked shields over fire hydrants in South LA to prevent theft
“A California state water company has responded to an ever-growing rash of fire hydrant thefts in Los Angeles by installing locked shields to cover the bolts on hydrants to stop thieves. Golden State Water Company owns and operates the fire hydrants and says thefts happen daily. South Los Angeles is one of the communities where thefts are high, with two of the most recent believed to have happened last Thursday, without neighbors even realizing it. “It’s mind-boggling that someone would just come into a neighborhood and just steal a fire hydrant,” neighbor Krystail Cousins said. “You’re now putting a whole neighborhood in danger.” … ” Read more from CBS News LA.
SAN DIEGO
Water authority begins three-year project on oldest aqueduct
“A three-year construction project on San Diego’s oldest aqueduct is underway, with the San Diego County Water Authority leading the $66 million effort to upgrade the infrastructure. Work on the project, known as the Southern First Aqueduct Facilities Improvement Project, is slated to run through summer 2026 and is intended to retrofit 99 structures connected to two water pipelines. Pipeline 1 of the First Aqueduct was constructed in the 1940s and Pipeline 2 was built in the 1950s. On Nov. 28, 1947, the first Colorado River water flowed south from Riverside County for 71 miles into San Diego’s San Vicente Reservoir, according to a statement from the water authority. … ” Read more from The Coast News.
Along the Colorado River …
Art illuminates the Grand Canyon: Exploring the environmental puzzle
“In an innovative approach to addressing uranium mining’s impact in the Grand Canyon region, the U.S. Geological Survey has released a visually stunning fact sheet that combines the power of art and science. This artistic brochure represents the culmination of more than 25 reports conducted between 2012 and 2022, offering a creative and engaging way to explore a subject that has long been a source of concern for many in the local community. The USGS recognizes the importance of presenting findings in a manner that is not only informative but also accessible and compelling to a wide audience. By incorporating eye-catching graphics and clear, concise language, the new product invites readers to delve into the intricacies of the Grand Canyon’s ecosystem and the role that uranium mining plays within it. … ” Read more from the USGS.
USBR announces plan for smallmouth bass
“The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation announced Thursday its plan for dealing with nonnative smallmouth bass in the Colorado River. The agency wants to release cool water from Glen Canyon Dam to disrupt the fish’s life cycle. Smallmouth bass began to rapidly establish below the dam in the Grand Canyon two years ago. They’re a predatory fish that endanger the federally threatened humpback chub. The Bureau of Reclamation examined several options for dam releases and has now indicated its support for a plan that cools the river to inhibit the bass’s ability to lay eggs. … ” Read more from KNAU.
Governor, legislators celebrate bill addressing drought but Colorado’s biggest water fights loom
“As Gov. Jared Polis and lawmakers this week celebrated a bill adopting new ways to fight drought as recommended by a state task force, an underlying truth lingered overhead: One of Colorado’s most controversial water questions remains unresolved. The drought task force — created during the 2023 legislative session and made up of water leaders representing various interests — was charged with recommending to the legislature ways to address drought in the Colorado River Basin. The group was specifically asked to look at how to implement “demand reduction projects,” according to the bill. That concept, which comes in many forms, including demand management and consumptive use programs, is generally the idea of paying water users to reduce their consumption. Some say beginning discussions of such a program is a necessary step as the state’s water woes persist, but others believe pursuing the idea could hurt the state’s negotiations and result in more water being sent out of Colorado. … ” Read more from the Aspen Times.
In national water news today …
International SWOT Mission can improve flood prediction
“A partnership between NASA and the French space agency, the satellite is poised to help improve forecasts of where and when flooding will occur in Earth’s rivers, lakes, and reservoirs. Rivers, lakes, and reservoirs are like our planet’s arteries, carrying life-sustaining water in interconnected networks. When Earth’s water cycle runs too fast, flooding can result, threatening lives and property. That risk is increasing as climate change alters precipitation patterns and more people are living in flood-prone areas worldwide. Scientists and water managers use many types of data to predict flooding. … ” Read more from NASA.
States’ emerging climate dilemma: Data centers
“When Michigan state Rep. Joey Andrews describes the pros and cons of attracting data centers to his state — they’re a boon to property taxes but a drain on the electrical grid — he ultimately returns to one point: There’s no stopping them. “We can’t put this genie back in the bottle,” said Andrews, who is sponsoring legislation to offer data centers a sales tax exemption. That has pitted the Democratic lawmaker, who also owns a solar installation company, against environmental advocates who warn that power-thirsty data centers could overwhelm the state’s renewable energy targets. But with climate tech going increasingly digital, Andrews argues that activists need to get used to these kinds of trade-offs. … ” Read more from E&E News.
