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In California water news this weekend …
Resurgence of heat to impact outdoor plans across the West
“Late last week, numerous daily temperature records were shattered across the West as an early summer heat dome set up over the region. Over several days, an amplified ridge in the jet stream helped pump very warm air in from the Four Corners to portions of Washington, Oregon and Idaho, and it will not cease just yet. AccuWeather meteorologists say that the first widespread heat wave of the year will continue to scorch locations across the Southwest and interior Northeast into next week, featuring temperatures soaring upwards of the 100-degree mark for days on end. … ” Read more from AccuWeather.
Northern California rivers are moving cooler and faster than normal, officials warn
“It’s official, the heat is upon us. Officials with the National Weather Service in Sacramento are predicting valley high temperatures could reach 103 degrees on Friday, 98 on Saturday and 100 on Sunday. And that’s after multiple triple-digit days this week. For a lot of people, that means heading to cool and refreshing waterways in order to seek refuge from the heat. There are plenty of lakes, rivers and other watering holes in Northern California, but they can also be dangerous, and drownings are reported every year. … ” Read more from Capital Public Radio.
Drinking water has highest contamination levels in these five states
“A map has revealed the five states with the most water systems where drinking water has been registered as above the proposed limit for PFAS—human-made “forever” chemicals. New Jersey, Massachusetts, California, New Hampshire, and Pennsylvania have the most highly contaminated drinking water systems, according to the Environmental Working Group’s (EWG) interactive map. Newsweek analysis showed there are around 556 in New Jersey, 439 in Massachusetts, 263 in California, 202 in New Hampshire, and 125 in Pennsylvania. … ” Read more from Newsweek.
On farms, ‘plasticulture’ persists
“In 1948, E.M. Emmert, a horticulturist at the University of Kentucky, was tinkering around with how to build a cheap greenhouse. He decided to use polyethylene sheets in lieu of the glass sides, bending the plastic film around a wooden frame. The plants thrived in the new environment; the plastic let in enough light while trapping in warmth. This is commonly regarded as the first introduction of plastic into agriculture, a move that would transform modern farming—and inadvertently deposit an untold amount of plastic in the soil. In the decades that followed, this cheap, pliant material spread through farms across the U.S. and world, becoming so widely used that plastics in agriculture gained its own name: plasticulture. … ” Read more from Civil Eats.
RELATED: NOTEBOOK FEATURE: Are farm fields a hidden source of microplastics?
Emerging environmental policies: Key California legislative proposals to watch in 2024
“The California Legislature is considering the adoption of several significant environmental policies, each aimed at addressing various aspects of public health and environmental protection. These proposed bills, which are still subject to change, target issues ranging from lead contamination in school drinking water to fossil fuel accountability for climate damage. If these legislative efforts are adopted there could be substantial changes in environmental regulations and public health safeguards across the state. … ” Read more from Atkinson, Andelson, Loya, Ruud, & Romo.
Where the jobs are: California’s changing climate is leading to thousands of job openings at water, wastewater utilities
“This year’s storms have replenished California’s snowpack and reservoirs. The next big water challenge for California is a shrinking water workforce as highly specialized workers have reached retirement age and are leaving the profession, according to the California Water Environment Association, an association of water professionals.California water and wastewater agencies have seen significant turnover in recent years as they continue to expand their facilities and programs to adapt to a changing climate. According to California’s water associations, more than half of our water workforce is retiring in large waves, a trend some call the ‘silver tsunami.’ … ” Read more from Yahoo News.
Billionaires behind new California city drop details about their project as opposition mounts
“A state-of-the-art sports complex that will cost “tens of millions.” A roster of employers that includes a manufacturer making components for rockets, satellites and drones; a maker of self-driving sidewalk robots that deliver food; a grower of plants that capture more carbon than ordinary plants. A solar farm that will create 1,383 full-time jobs. The group of billionaires behind the proposed new city in eastern Solano County may or may not be gaining much traction among the voters who, in November, will determine whether the new city becomes reality. But you can’t say they aren’t trying, releasing more information about projects and plans around their development. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
In commentary this weekend …
Comment letter on Delta Conveyance Project benefit-cost analysis
Dr. Jeff Michael, Professor of Public Policy at University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law, writes, “On Monday, the Department of Water Resources Director and consultants will be presenting their latest cost-estimate of the delta tunnel and a recently released benefit-cost report to the Metropolitan Water District (MWD). Their presentation is posted now, and it is an all positive promotional pitch that does not seriously engage with the financial and environmental issues with the estimated $20 billion project. The presentation also conceals some of the extreme assumptions that are used to inflate the benefits of the project, and makes a misleading and inaccurate cost comparison of DCP water to alternative supplies. … ” Read more from the Valley Economy blog.
In people news this weekend …
Promotions, passings, profiles – submit people news items to maven@mavensnotebook.com.
Betty Andrews, of Santa Rosa, has been appointed to the Central Valley Flood Protection Board.
Andrews has been a Consulting Engineer and Strategic Advisor since 2021. She held multiple roles at Environmental Science Associates from 2010 to 2021, including Vice President/Principal Engineer and Project Director. Andrews held multiple roles at Philip Williams and Associates Ltd. from 1990 to 2010, including Principal, Project Manager, Staff Engineer and Chair of the Board of Directors. She was a Graduate Student Intern at the California Department of Water Resources from 1988 to 1989. Andrews was Conservation Director of Friends of the River from 1981 to 1987. She is a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers, the Salmonid Restoration Federation and the Floodplain Management Association. Andrews earned a Master of Science degree in Civil Engineering from the University of California, Davis and a Bachelor of Science degree in Technology and Human Affairs from Washington University in St. Louis. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $55,738. Andrews is a Democrat.
Podcasts …
WE GROW CALIFORNIA: The wonders of recharge
Steve Chedester, Director of Policy and Programs at the San Joaquin River Exchange Contractors Water Authority (Exchange Contractors) is back for part two of local project investments, the Orestimba Creek Recharge and Recovery Project – say that three times fast! Steve shares information about a groundwater recharge project in the Del Puerto Water District’s service area. This project covers approximately 80 acres and has the capacity to store over 20,000-acre-feet of water, or for our urban listeners, that’s enough water for 60,000 people for one year! Located south of the Delta, and northeast of the San Luis Reservoir, this recharge project can be fed from the Delta Mendota Canal or from flood waters, when conditions exist.
CALIFORNIA SUN: Jan Sramek’s vision of California Forever
Jan Sramek grew up enamored with the California dream. Today he tells us how he wants to transform that dream into the development of a new 21st-century city on 60,000 acres of rural Solano County. Dubbed California Forever, the project is designed, Sramek says, to reshape the Bay Area housing landscape by adding more than 25,000 homes, creating thousands of jobs, mitigating traffic congestion, and recapturing the spirit of a California that once dreamed big.
WATER IS A MANY SPLENDOR’ED THING PODCAST: Life in the Navy
On this day, we honor the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military. Private Second Class, John Baker, served in the Navy during World War II and was sent to Japanese waters of the South Pacific. Water for a Navy man is both good and shocking. Pacific Ocean storms, 150 battles, kamikaze suicide bombers, and the most spectacular views on the water. Water played an important part in lives saved and lives lost. I salute our military soldiers that lost their lives and the veterans that live today across our country. We thank you and know that your efforts have made a difference that you can be proud of today. Listen up. Water is a Many Splendor’ed Thing brings you another water relationship that has a personally significant impact to your life. Produced by Steven Baker, Bringing People Together to Solve Water Problems, water@operationunite.co 530-205-6388
In regional water news this weekend …
NORTH COAST
Governor Newsom visits the nation’s largest river restoration project
“With parts of the Klamath River beginning to flow freely for the first time in 100 years thanks to the largest river restoration effort in American history, Governor Gavin Newsom this week visited the dam removal project that will revitalize nearly 400 miles of historical habitat for salmon and steelhead, when completed. Last September, the first of the four dams was brought down, and the rest are slated for removal later this year as a result of ongoing collaboration between California and Oregon, the Yurok and Karuk Tribes, PacifiCorp, and fishing and environmental groups. “The importance of this work underway to restore the Klamath River after more than a century of being dammed cannot be overstated,” said Governor Newsom. “We’re closer than ever to revitalizing this waterway at the center of crucial ecosystems, tribal community and sustenance, and the local economy. Together with our many partners, California will continue working to ensure the Klamath River flows freely once again.” … Continue reading this press release from the Office of the Governor.
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
Tackling Tahoe’s tiny invaders: aquatic threats at Lake Tahoe
“Environmental experts and community members are gearing up to tackle aquatic invasive species threatening Lake Tahoe’s pristine water. As part of California Invasive Species Action Week, the training was hosted by the League to Save Lake Tahoe in collaboration with ECO-CLEAN Solutions, Tahoe Keepers, Clean Up The Lake, the Lahontan Water Quality Control Board and Tahoe Regional Planning Agency at the Tahoe Keys Marina. … ” Read more from My News 4.
NAPA/SONOMA
Federal officials give update on Two-Basin Solution during visit to Ukiah
“In the form of a grant described as coming from a “brand-new” source of infrastructure funding, the group hoping to continue diversions from the Eel River to the Russian River in Mendocino County has received $2 million from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, federal officials announced during a visit to Ukiah Friday. “Your success is reclamation’s success, and we are committed to that,” Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner M. Camille Calimlim Touton told the group gathered at Coyote Valley Dam along Lake Mendocino June 7 to hear Rep. Jared Huffman (D – San Rafael) announce the award of $2 million to the Eel-Russian River Authority to help the group of regional stakeholders study how best to approach the possible continued diversion of Eel River water to the Russian River once the dams created for the Potter Valley Project have been removed, a plan being called the Two-Basin Solution. … ” Read more from the Willits News.
Sonoma Water installs inflatable dam to prepare for summer water demand
“Sonoma Water has begun the annual multiday task of inflating the rubber dam located in the Russian River to prepare for summer water demands. The agency began work after the 95-degree temperatures in the June 4 and 5 heat wave led to a spike in water use, said Andrea Rodriguez, communications manager with Sonoma Water. The rubber dam, downstream of the Wohler Bridge near Forestville, is vital to the county’s water supply system, which supplies naturally filtered drinking water to more than 600,000 residents in Sonoma and Marin counties. The dam creates a pool of water that allows the agency to refill nearby infiltration ponds, which are then used to recharge groundwater. … ” Read more from the Santa Rosa Press Democrat.
CENTRAL COAST
City of Ventura secures $30 million grant for water recycling project
“The city of Ventura has been awarded an additional $30 million under its WaterSMART large-scale water recycling program to support the VenturaWaterPure project. Ventura won the grant following a national competitive solicitation process from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (USBR). “Securing our water future goes beyond infrastructure; it’s about investing in our community’s resilience and prosperity in the face of environmental unpredictability,” said Ventura Mayor Joe Schroeder. … ” Read more from Noozhawk.
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
Desperate neighborhood getting water
“Work is nearly half complete down Crows Landing Road to install a five-mile water line that will bring city water from Ceres to the small Monterey Park Tract community southwest of Ceres. The work was kicked off by a groundbreaking event on Jan. 19 that included a performance by the Central Valley High School band. “This small community of about 40 houses has struggled with water quality for years,” said County Supervisor Jim DeMartini. “They’ve had nitrate problems, uranium, and there’s no money to fix the infrastructure there.” … ” Read more from the Ceres Courier.
Report finds Kern leads valley in aquifer recharge, but that more could be done
“Kern County continued last year to lead the San Joaquin Valley in groundwater recharge, according to a new report that points to increased support for the activity as a way of helping rebalance the region’s overdrafted aquifers. Surveys by the Public Policy Institute of California found that water agencies within the Kern River Basin stored a combined 2.9 million acre-feet of water, accounting for a little more than half of the valley’s total recharge volume in the historically wet year that was 2023. In a few respects, the county’s leadership is not surprising: Not only did Kern lead in 2017 — another big water year that followed a series of exceptionally dry ones — but it is home to a series of longstanding groundwater banks, and its physical setting is well-suited to aquifer recharge, the PPIC reported. … ” Read more from the Bakersfield Californian.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Bakersfield oil producer under investigation for allegedly contaminating city water supply
“It’s now the fourth day since an oil spill has contaminated part of Bakersfield’s drinkable water supply. The investigation into the contamination is focusing on a local oil producer, as 42 businesses remain unable to use the city’s tap water as of Tuesday afternoon. 17 News has reached out to the company allegedly responsible for the oil leak but have not heard back as of Friday evening. “We ceased using any of the affected water, we put up signage for the patients for the next day, we informed all of the employees, and we put bags around the sinks so nobody would just accidentally try to use the water and everything,” said Melissa Gilkes-Smith, Chief Operations Officer for the Heart Vascular and Leg Center. … ” Read more from KGET.
Along the Colorado River …
The future of the Colorado River won’t be decided soon, states say
“The future of the Colorado River is in the hands of seven people. They rarely appear together in public. This week, they did just that – speaking on stage at a water law conference at the University of Colorado, Boulder. The solution to the Colorado River’s supply-demand imbalance will be complicated. Their message in Boulder was simple: These things take time. “We’re 30 months out,” said John Entsminger, Nevada’s top water negotiator. “We’re very much in the second or third inning of this baseball game that we’re playing here.” … ” Read more from Aspen Public Radio.
Colorado River states clash over management, future of reservoirs
“An unprecedented public appearance by six of the seven commissioners who are negotiating the future of the Colorado River revealed how divided they are on solutions, and just as importantly, where they agree. The commissioners and state representatives spoke at Thursday’s 2024 Getches-Wilkinson conference on the Colorado River at University of Colorado Boulder’s law school. The commissioners showed up together at a critical juncture — they are in the thick of the talks to come up with an agreement that would manage allocations and ensure that America’s two largest reservoirs, both located in the Southwest, don’t fall below critical water levels. In addition, the negotiations are geared toward protecting the health of the river, which 40 million residents across several states rely on for drinking water. … ” Read more from Colorado Politics.
In national water news this weekend …
Study illuminates previously unknown ocean mercury pathway
“In early May, the neurotoxic effects of the heavy metal mercury made news when outlets reported that 2024 U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said in 2012 that he experienced cognitive issues such as memory loss due to mercury poisoning, likely from a diet heavy in tuna. Now, a new study from researchers at UC San Diego’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography finds that a poorly understood, highly toxic form of mercury, called dimethylmercury, may be a significant source of monomethylmercury off the California coast. Monomethylmercury is the form known to accumulate in seafood and sicken people. The findings, published June 7 in Environmental Science and Technology, are an essential step toward mapping the sources of monomethylmercury in the oceans. …” Read more from UC San Diego.
Also on Maven’s Notebook this weekend …
NOTICE: State Board AHO releases procedural ruling and amended notice of public hearing for Sites Reservoir water right application
OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT: Draft Reclamation 2025 Annual Work Plan for the Lower San Joaquin River
