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On the calendar today …
- WEBINAR: EPA EnviroAtlas training from 12pm to 1pm. How do environmental managers and public health officials identify the benefits that local forests, parks, wetlands and other natural areas provide to their local communities? One way is through EnviroAtlas. EPA’s EnviroAtlas provides a one-stop-shop for exploring ecosystem services and the benefits they provide in the context of planning and management. The goal is to help EPA partners in states, territories and local communities enhance public health, environmental resiliency, and economic prosperity. This webinar will provide in-depth training on using the Interactive Map and Eco-Health Browser, accessing and downloading data, and using built-in-analysis tools. The webinar will also provide a brief overview of EnviroAtlas resources in general, including educational modules and real-world examples of data use. Click here to register.
In California water news today …
Replenishing groundwater in the San Joaquin Valley: 2024 update
“Strategies to replenish groundwater basins—long used in some areas of the San Joaquin Valley—have increasingly come into focus as the region seeks to bring its overdrafted groundwater basins into balance under the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA). In late 2023, following a very wet winter and spring, we conducted a repeat survey of local water agencies about their recharge activities and perspectives, building on a similar survey at the end of 2017, a year with similar levels of precipitation. We found signs of progress on recharge since 2017, as well as areas where more work is needed to take full advantage of this important water management tool. … ” Read more from the PPIC.
SEE ALSO: Groundwater in California, Fact sheet from the PPIC
PRESS RELEASE: Conservation groups undaunted by court ruling: Sites Reservoir is a bad deal for rivers, for fish, and for California
“This week, a coalition of conservation groups, including Friends of the River (FOR), California Sportfishing Protection Alliance (CSPA), Center for Biological Diversity, California Water Impact Network, and Save California Salmon (plaintiffs) received a ruling on their challenge to the proposed Sites Reservoir’s faulty environmental impact report (EIR). The court found the EIR to be legally adequate, however, conservation groups stand firm that the EIR has major legal deficiencies because it failed as an informational document, and doesn’t account for major environmental harms and liabilities. This is unsurprising, because the Sites Water Authority itself prepared and approved the EIR. … ” Continue reading this press release.
SEE ALSO: California’s largest new reservoir project in 50 years moves forward after judge rules against environmental groups, from the San Jose Mercury News
Blistering heat wave to have interior West searing into second week of June
“The first widespread major heat wave of the year will bake many areas of the interior West with triple-digit temperatures this weekend and into next week. AccuWeather meteorologists continue to remind people of the danger of wildfires and the risk of lightning as thunderstorms erupt over some of the region’s mountain ranges. A bulge in the jet stream in the western United States, combined with a storm just offshore over the Pacific Ocean, will pump temperatures to their highest levels since last summer from interior locations of California and Oregon to the Rockies, encompassing nearly a dozen states. … ” Read more from AccuWeather.
Does California wine use too much water?
“Making wine requires water. But how much? Water is a precious resource in drought-prone California, and its use in agriculture is rightfully a contentious topic. Recently, I’ve heard from readers — and from listeners who tuned in to a recent episode of KQED Forum where I was a guest — who are concerned about the sustainability of viticulture in this state. While a wine glut is compelling some grape growers to remove their vineyards, some readers are suggesting that this might be a good thing from a water use perspective. So I wanted to understand: Just how big of a water suck are California grapevines, really? … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle (gift article).
Here are California reservoir levels following steady winter storms
“Nearly all of California’s biggest water supply reservoirs are starting off June above average, following steady storms this winter on the heels of historically wet weather in 2023. The state’s reservoirs contained 34.1 million-acre feet of water as of June 3, 119% of average for this time of year, according to the California Department of Water Resources. One acre-foot is about half the volume of an Olympic-size swimming pool. These charts show storage levels of each of the state’s biggest reservoirs at the end of May over the past four decades, as a share of its total capacity. Amounts have varied dramatically, swinging up and down as California has bounced between wet and dry years. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
California water officials warn of ‘two-faced creature’
“The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) issued a comical warning on Wednesday about a “two-faced creature” known as the nutria, a rodent said to look like a cross between a rat and a beaver. The nutria—recognizable by its vibrant orange teeth—is native to South America and was introduced to the United States in the 1800s as part of the fur trade. However, once the trade plummeted, nutrias began to wreak havoc on U.S. coastal environments they populated and have posed a problem ever since. Maryland spent millions working to eradicate the species, and other states are considering following suit. However, the species isn’t just an East Coast problem. … ” Read more from Newsweek.
Senator Padilla introduces resolution urging CDC to investigate sewage crisis
“Yesterday, Senator Steve Padilla (D-San Diego) introduced Senate Joint Resolution 18, which urges the Center for Disease Control to conduct an investigation into the health impacts surrounding the ongoing pollution crisis in the Tijuana River. For decades, the Tijuana River has been contaminated with billions of gallons of trash, sediment, and wastewater as a result of sewage infrastructure inadequacies has created recurring and worsening pollution problems for the County of San Diego and the southern California coastline. … ” Read more from Senator Padilla.
California lawmaker, water agencies reach deal on water-theft fines
“California Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan this week removed the most controversial parts of her bill to expand the state’s ability to fine illegal water diverters, resolving a yearslong fight with public water agencies and farmers. What happened: After Monday’s amendments, Bauer-Kahan’s AB 460 (23R) would still increase the penalties for those who steal water or exceed their allotted share during times of drought. But it no longer expands the Water Resources Control Board’s overall power to investigate and punish what it sees as violations of water rights, which business and water groups said last year would have robbed them of due process. Water users have already begun dropping their opposition. The East Bay Municipal Water District; the Valley Ag Water Coalition, which represents irrigation districts in the Central Valley; and a half-dozen smaller water utilities and irrigation districts from across the state said the amendments addressed their concerns in letters to Bauer-Kahan on Tuesday that her office provided to POLITICO. … ” Read more from E&E News (paywalled article).
In commentary today …
Dan Walters: California seeks a more resilient water supply as familiar sides battle for access
“California is a semi-arid state in which the availability of water determines land use, and in turn shapes the economy. That, in a nutshell, explains why Californians have been jousting over water for the state’s entire 174-year history. The decades of what some have dubbed “water wars” may be approaching a climactic point as climate change, economic evolution, stagnant population growth and environmental consciousness compel decisions on California’s water future. A new study, conducted by researchers at three University of California campuses, projects that a combination of factors will reduce California’s water supply by up to 9 million acre-feet a year – roughly the equivalent of all non-agricultural human use. They include effects of climate change, new regulations to stem the overdraft of underground water, reducing Colorado River diversions and increasing environmental flows, especially those through the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. … ” Read more from Cal Matters.
Nature designed California salmon to never go extinct. Why are they too close?
Opinion columnist Tom Philp writes, “Nature designed California’s Chinook salmon to be our forever fish. Why else would each spawning pair of adults produce about 5,000 fertilized eggs? If 99.96% of these eggs fail to produce adults that return from the ocean to spawn, that’s good news. That means all those eggs did their job, resulting in two adult salmon that returned to repeat the cycle. California and the life cycle of salmon have been linked for centuries, beginning when only indigenous people lived in the state. California’s rivers and streams benefit from the nutrients salmon bring with them from the ocean. Salmon create jobs. Salmon are our shared living heritage. Despite biological math so overwhelmingly favoring survival, our salmon are in trouble. A red flag of a species under stress: There are not enough salmon alive to allow fishing off the California coast or in its northern rivers this year for the second consecutive year. … ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee.
The San Joaquin Valley pumps too much water. But there are signs of progress
Caitlin Peterson and Ellen Hanak with the PPIC write, “When it comes to reducing the overuse of groundwater in the San Joaquin Valley, the recent news has not been great. In March of last year, state officials deemed that groundwater sustainability plans for six of the valley’s 15 groundwater basins were inadequate. At an April hearing, one basin was put on probation by regulators to reduce overpumping. The mood in other basins is understandably anxious as their futures remain unclear. Meanwhile, local agencies are suing groundwater pumpers in one basin for causing a major canal to sink. But is the situation beginning to turn around? Despite some discouraging headlines, we think so. … ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee.
Forest thinning adds millions of acre feet to California’s water supply
Edward Ring, director of water and energy policy for the California Policy Center, writes, “Practical solutions to California’s energy and water shortages will always have a better chance of being implemented if they adhere to the limitations placed upon them by the climate lobby. Thankfully there are numerous solutions, strategic in their impact, that would fulfill this criteria. Sadly, however, most of them remain controversial. Examples of climate compliant yet controversial solutions include nuclear power, natural gas power generation with underground sequestration of the emissions, offstream reservoirs, and desalination. Another example, the subject for this week, is forest thinning. On September 23, 2020, after another round of devastating super-fires immolated another 4.1 million acres of California’s forests, Governor Newsom announced via executive order a ban on sales of cars with internal combustion engines to take effect by 2035. Whether or not you believe automotive emissions constitute a mortal threat to the planet or not, Newsom’s edict did nothing to alleviate superfires. … ” Read more from the California Globe.
In regional water news and commentary today …
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
Spannaus to represent Corning on groundwater commission
“The City of Corning will now be represented by Martin Spannaus on the Tehama County Flood Control and Water Conservation District Groundwater Commission upon the resignation of Cody Lamb, who had served on the commission since June 2023. Spannaus’s appointment received unanimous approval from the City Council during its May 28 meeting. Spannaus is the city’s former fire chief. “I want to represent Corning and Tehama County to find and provide a win-win program for all parties involved in groundwater use in the county,” said Spannaus, who is a Corning native. “I expressed an interest in the position as I am heavily involved in water use and conservation, and have been for more than 10 years.” … ” Read more from the Appeal Democrat.
What is the Delta breeze and why do Sacramentans love it so much?
““The Delta breeze is your local hero,” a climatologist said. As a villainous summer heat bakes the capital city, an invisible, cooling savior trails close behind. Better known as the Delta breeze, this “local hero” glides in, a brisk blanket caressing sweat-studded skin in a dry heat. But what exactly is this breeze Sacramentans love to rave about? “Nature’s air conditioner,” one Sacramento resident called it. “A slice of heaven,” another said. It’s more than that, even, embedded in the culture of scorching Sacramento summers. A reader asked Bee Curious, a community-driven series in which our journalists answer questions about the Sacramento region, to detail this hero’s cause, range and seasonality. … ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee.
NAPA/SONOMA
Prepare for summer season on the Russian River: Summer dam installation schedule
“Every place has its heralds of the seasons, from the fabled swallows of San Juan Capistrano to the legendary buzzards of Hinckley. This year, the Midwest buzzes with the rare cacophony of a “double brood” cicada event. Meanwhile, here in Guerneville, our signal of summer is far less noisy but equally significant—the installation of our beloved summer dams. As the winter’s wild waters calm, the transformation into a summer paradise begins. Tourists flock to Johnson’s Beach like goats to a yoga class, eager to bask in our river’s sun-drenched tranquility. … ” Read more from the Sonoma Gazette.
BAY AREA
Alameda City Council unanimously blocks climate change project from resuming on USS Hornet
“Alameda’s City Council unanimously voted Tuesday night to bar a climate-change-related experiment on the deck of the USS Hornet from resuming despite an earlier report that found that the project posed no health or safety risks to local residents or wildlife. The council voted on the measure after presentations by city employees and researchers from the experiment that had garnered national attention for its plan to shoot microscopic droplets of salt water into the sky to determine whether they can become more reflective to block excess heat from the sun to the Earth’s surface. Some at the meeting expressed consternation that the city had not been made aware of the experiment before it began and voiced concerns about its possible health impacts. … ” Read more from the East Bay Times.
Salt ponds create colorful vista near Alviso
“The Santa Cruz Mountains in San Mateo County rise at top as the San Francisco Salt Ponds near Alviso in Santa Clara County shine colorfully in the afternoon sunshine on Monday. The ponds, noted for their vivid colors ranging from magenta to blue green, are especially visible from the air. The colors come from the brine shrimp and microorganisms that thrive in the different salinity levels in the ponds. Salt production at the site began when the Ohlone were the only people in the area. After the large influx of non-native people to the area during the gold rush industrial salt production began. At first production was predominantly small family operations but over time these were replaced by companies such as the Oliver Salt Co. in Mount Eden and Leslie Salt in Newark. Eventually, Cargill bought out the companies to become the dominant producer in the area. … ” Read more from the San Jose Mercury News.
Cost of drinking water, wastewater services to increase for some San Jose residents and businesses
“The San Jose City Council yesterday approved increased costs for drinking water and wastewater services for some local residents and businesses. The cost of drinking water will increase $10-$11 per month for customers of the San Jose Municipal Water System living in North San Jose, Alviso, Evergreen and Edenvale. Services for wastewater management will also increase by 9% per month. The changes are expected to go into effect on July 1. … ” Read more from the San Jose Mercury News.
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
New 1,600-acre state park to open near Modesto next week
“California is set to open its newest state park next Wednesday, June 12. Dos Rios is located on the confluence of the Tuolumne River and the San Joaquin River in the Central Valley, roughly 8 miles west of Modesto. The California Department of Parks and Recreation said the park will have no entrance fees to start but a fee structure will be considered later. The agency suggests hiking, bird watching, or having a picnic at the park. It also said that it is working on creating better river access in the park to allow for swimming, angling, boating, and other water activities. … ” Read more from KTXL.
Kings County Water District exits Mid-Kings River GSA, stirring concerns
“The Kings County Water District (KCWD) board has voted to withdraw from the Mid-Kings River Groundwater Sustainability Agency (GSA), sparking concern and uncertainty among local farmers. The Mid-Kings River GSA is comprised of three agencies that established a Joint Powers Authority (JPA). This move, made during a special board meeting, removes KCWD’s three seats from the GSA board, leaving it without enough members to make decisions. “The GSA now only has one seated board member, which doesn’t make quorum and they cannot legally take any action,” said Dusty Ference, Executive Director of the Kings County Farm Bureau. … ” Read more from Ag Net West.
Advisory issued after crude oil enters city water system in west Bakersfield
“An accidental release of crude oil into the city of Bakersfield’s water system Tuesday has prompted an advisory for about 40 commercial customers to avoid tap water in the area south of Lake Truxtun. No residential customers were affected by the contamination, said spokeswoman Yvonne Kingman at California Water Service Co., which operates the city’s water system. … Kingman reported the contamination occurred after a customer operating an oil storage facility used a hose bib to connect an oil source to the municipal water system during an on-site test, causing water to backflow into Bakersfield’s water distribution system. The customer’s waterline has since been disconnected. … ” Read more from the Bakersfield Californian.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
JEFFREY KIGHTLINGER: Southern California water challenges, explained
“Jeffrey Kightlinger spent 15 years as Chief Executive Officer of the Metropolitan Water District, the largest municipal water provider in the nation. In this presentation for Sustainable Silicon Valley, he gives the background and history of the Metropolitan Water District and the current water policy issues facing Metropolitan, California, and the West. Here’s what Mr. Kightlinger had to say, in his own words, lightly edited for clarity. … ” Continue reading this post from Maven’s Notebook.
PRESS RELEASE: New Report: SoCal water experts identify wastewater recycling as essential to resilient water future for LA region
“A new report was released jointly today by the UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation and the UC Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources on the existing and potential opportunities related to wastewater recycling in Los Angeles. The report, Making the Most of Landmark Recycled Water Investments in Los Angeles: Technical Advisory Recommendations for the Region, was commissioned by Los Angeles Waterkeeper. The goal of the report is to support ongoing efforts to improve local water security and rely less on expensive, energy-intensive and increasingly unreliable water imports from faraway places, like the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and the Colorado River. Experts involved in developing the report agree that expanding the use of recycled wastewater has emerged as a key, scalable water supply strategy that can offer certainty and reliability in the region in light of our new climate reality. … ” Read more from the LA Waterkeeper.
IMPERIAL/COACHELLA VALLEYS
Will California’s Salton Sea become the ‘Saudi Arabia of Lithium’?
“The now-highly polluted Salton Sea, in California, could become the “Saudi Arabia of lithium,” experts say due to its high concentration of the metal. Global demand for lithium batteries is set to jump five-fold by 2030, and the world could face a shortage of “white gold” as soon as 2025. The California Energy Commission calls it “Lithium Valley,” and projected in 2020 that it could supply an estimated 600,000 tons per year with a value of $7.2 billion. … ” Read more from the Greek Reporter.
SAN DIEGO
Coronado keeps making best beaches lists despite water quality issues
“Coronado Beach continues to be regarded as one of the best beaches in the U.S. despite its waters frequently being closed to beachgoers due to high bacteria levels. The beach — known for its glittering sands and the historic red-roofed beachfront hotel The Del — was ranked No. 5 on USA Today’s 2024 list of the Golden State’s top 10 beaches. It was also named as one of the 10 best U.S. beaches in Dr. Beach’s annual list for 2024, in which he described Coronado Beach as “the toast of Southern California.” Both lists were released in May. … ” Read more from NBC 7.
Along the Colorado River …
Negotiators from all 7 Colorado River states gather for conference
“The people who decide the fate of the Colorado River are gathering in Boulder this week for an annual conference. Their meeting comes at a pivotal time for negotiations on the river’s future. Negotiators from all seven states that use the river will be speaking publicly at the two-day conference. They’re in the middle of tense talks about how to cut back on demand as climate change is shrinking water supplies. … ” Read more from KJZZ.
Biden-Harris Administration announces $700 Million from President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda for long-term water conservation in the Lower Colorado River Basin
“The Department of the Interior today announced an initial $700 million investment from President Biden’s Investing in America agenda for long-term water conservation projects across the Lower Colorado River Basin. This investment – which has the potential to save more than 700,000 acre-feet of water in Lake Mead – will fund innovative projects like water distribution structures, advanced metering infrastructure, farm efficiency improvements, canal lining, turf removal, groundwater banking, desalination, recycling water and water purification. These projects are critical for enhancing the long-term drought and climate resilience of the Colorado River’s Lower Basin. … ” Read more from the Bureau of Reclamation.
New report: More water reduction from climate change could be hidden underground
“Scientists looking at the impacts of climate change on Western water have mostly focused on the surface, like streams and reservoirs. But a new study looked at what’s going on underground with possible implications for the Colorado River. Scientists are trying to explain the gap between water forecasts and the amount that actually ends up in rivers each year. Hydrology researcher Rosemary Carroll says water supplies may be dropping even more than previously believed, when you account for the water stored in aquifers and soil. “We predict maybe 13% reduction in stream flow with warming. But with groundwater that nearly doubles to 35% reduction in annual streamflow,” Carooll says. … ” Read more from KJZZ.
Pure Water Southern California facility could help keep more water in Lake Mead
“Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto D-Nev., and Rep. Susie Lee, D-Nev., have announced new funding for a large-scale water recycling facility designed to reduce Southern California’s reliance on Colorado River water and keep more water in Lake Mead. The Department of the Interior has awarded $99 million to the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California to fund the first phase of the Pure Water Southern California facility, which will produce an estimated 129,000 acre-feet of water per year, according to the Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA). That’s enough to serve approximately 386,000 households in Southern California and Southern Nevada. … ” Read more from Las Vegas Weekly.
Arizona: Are there water-related benefits to thinning the forest?
“Arizona’s fire season is already off to a hot start. With Arizona’s long-term drought and climate change making fires more intense, Arizona State University and Salt River Project are teaming up for a new research project when it comes to forest thinning and the water supply. The pilot program will research whether forest thinning will increase water supplies on top of reducing wildfire risk and protecting important infrastructure. … ” Read more from Channel 15.
NRCS Utah accepting applications for Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Program
“U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service in Utah is accepting applications for its Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Program (SCP). Agricultural producers in Carbon, Daggett, Duchesne, Emery and Uintah Counties are eligible to apply for funding through the Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP). The Colorado River and its tributaries provide municipal and industrial water to about 27 million people and irrigation water to nearly four million acres of land in the United States. Elevated salinity in the river results in significant damage to agricultural, municipal, and industrial water users. Salinity projects promote irrigation system improvements on the land to reduce deep percolation and subsequent salt loading in the Colorado River. … ” Read more from the NRCS.
In national water news today …
Meth-addict fish, aggro starlings, caffeinated minnows: animals radically changed by human drugs – study
“From brown trout becoming “addicted” to methamphetamine to European perch losing their fear of predators due to depression medication, scientists warn that modern pharmaceutical and illegal drug pollution is becoming a growing threat to wildlife. Drug exposure is causing significant, unexpected changes to some animals’ behaviour and anatomy. Female starlings dosed with antidepressants such as Prozac at concentrations found in sewage waterways become less attractive to potential mates, with male birds behaving more aggressively and singing less to entice them than undosed counterparts. The contraceptive pill has caused sex reversal in some fish populations – leading to a collapse in numbers and local extinction events as male fish reverted to female organs. Scientists have said that modern pharmaceutical waste is having significant consequences for wildlife exposed to discharges in their ecosystems, and warned it could have unintended consequences for humans. … ” Read more from The Guardian.
A year of record global heat has pushed Earth closer to dangerous threshold
“A streak of record-setting heat that began last summer has now persisted for an entire year across the globe, researchers announced Wednesday, pushing Earth closer to a dangerous threshold that the world’s nations have pledged not to cross.The data released by European climate scientists showed May was the 12th consecutive month during which average global temperatures surpassed all observations since 1850, and probably any extended period for more than 100,000 years. Over the past year, according to the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service, global temperatures averaged 1.6 degrees Celsius (2.9 degrees Fahrenheit) above preindustrial levels. … ” Read more from the Washington Post.
SEE ALSO:
- The mysterious X factor behind a year of unbelievable heat, from Grist
- Extreme heat and weather threaten health at nearly every stage of life, WHO says, from the LA Times
During a year of extremes, carbon dioxide levels surge faster than ever
“Carbon dioxide is accumulating in the atmosphere faster than ever — accelerating on a steep rise to levels far above any experienced during human existence, scientists from NOAA and the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California San Diego announced today. Scientists at Scripps, the organization that initiated CO2 monitoring at Mauna Loa in 1958 and maintains an independent record, calculated a May monthly average of 426.7 ppm for 2024, an increase of 2.92 ppm over May 2023’s measurement of 423.78 ppm. For Scripps, the two-year jump tied a previous record set in 2020. From January through April, NOAA and Scripps scientists said CO2 concentrations increased more rapidly than they have in the first four months of any other year. The surge has come even as one highly regarded international report has found that fossil fuel emissions, the main driver of climate change, have plateaued in recent years. … ” Read more from NOAA.
Also on Maven’s Notebook today …
NOW AVAILABLE: Final 2024 Sacramento River Temperature Management Plan
