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On the calendar today …
- MEETING: State Water Resources Control Board beginning at 9am. Agenda items include a periodic report from the Delta Watermaster, the Delta Lead Scientist’s report; and Consideration of a proposed Order denying the United States Bureau of Reclamation’s Petition for Reconsideration of permits for operation of the Cachuma Project. Click here for the full agenda and remote access instructions.
In California water news today …
California environmental groups appeal court ruling in favor of plan to build new reservoir
“A coalition of environmental groups appealed a court rejection of their challenge to California’s plan to build Sites Reservoir in a valley north of Sacramento, its first new major reservoir in decades. They argue the project would harm Sacramento River ecosystems and threaten imperiled fish species. The groups include the Center for Biological Diversity, Sierra Club, Friends of the River, California Sportfishing Protection Alliance, California Water Impact Network and Save California Salmon. “For the sake of the Delta community and the fish and wildlife already struggling in this sensitive ecosystem, I hope the true environmental harms of this reservoir will be taken seriously,” said John Buse, senior counsel at the Center for Biological Diversity. “There are still numerous hurdles before the Sites Reservoir and that’s because the state’s strong environmental laws demand a thorough review for potentially damaging projects.” … ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee. | Read via Yahoo News.
DAN WALTERS: In rain, snow and drought, California’s fights over water rights, supplies persist
“Legal rights to use water — particularly those obtained prior to 1914 — lie at the heart of California’s perpetual wrangling over the allocation of increasingly limited water supplies. For years state officials have been trying, with limited success, to reduce farmers’ diversions, increase river flows and restore declining numbers of fish, particularly salmon, and other wildlife. The conflict occurs even during periods when the state receives abundant rain and snow and its reservoirs are full. But it becomes more intense during the state’s periodic droughts, as illustrated by what happened in 2014 when then-Gov. Jerry Brown, citing “one of the driest years in recorded state history,” proclaimed a state of emergency. The state Water Resources Control Board began notifying agricultural water agencies that they must curtail diversions from the Sacramento and San Joaquin river watersheds — essentially the entire Central Valley — having “determined that the existing water supply … is insufficient to meet the needs of all water rights holders.” … ” Read more from Dan Walters.
Panel: A Delta County supervisor, a water district board chair, and a farmer – A conversation about how climate change is affecting Bay-Delta water issues
Consider: The Bay Delta watershed spans 75,000 square miles, stretching over 500 miles from the Cascade Range to the Tehachapi Mountains. Nearly half of California’s surface water originates as rain or snow in this watershed. .. Serving as the hub of California’s water supply system, the Delta provides drinking water to 30 million Californians and irrigates 7,000 square miles of farmland. As the largest estuary on the west coast of North and South America, the Delta is vital for two-thirds of California’s salmon population and numerous migratory waterfowl. However, the Delta faces ongoing conflicts due to the need to protect endangered or threatened species that inhabit the area. Add to that the uncertainties of climate change, and the situation is indeed very complicated. At the Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA) spring conference, three leaders from different parts of the state talked about how climate change impacts the Delta’s water supplies, flood control, and farming. … ” Click here to read this post.
Only 8% of California rivers and streams have gauges measuring flow, study finds
“In the face of climate change and worsening cycles of drought, California water managers have been increasingly focused on the precise tracking of water resources. Snowpack in the Sierra Nevada is measured with sensors and aerial images, reservoir levels are electronically logged, and the movement of water through aqueducts is apportioned based on rights and contracts. Yet there is another key water metric that California has never adequately measured: the flow of rivers and streams. New research by UC Berkeley scientists has found that only 8% of the state’s rivers and streams are equipped with gauges — devices that measure the level and rate of movement of water. The study, published in the journal Nature Sustainability, details the large portions of the state’s waterways that aren’t monitored and examines the consequences for humans and wildlife as climate change intensifies the water cycle, alters watersheds and threatens vulnerable fish and other species. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
Kings County Farm Bureau: SGMA in the Tulare Lake Subbasin
Dusty Ference, General Manager Kings County Farm Bureau, writes, “Following the significant April 16, 2024, public hearing, where the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) placed the Tulare Lake Sub-basin (TLSB) on probation, the Mid-Kings River GSA (MKRGSA) conducted its own public hearing. This hearing, mandated by CA Proposition 218, was a crucial platform for the public to voice their opinions on the MKRGA’s proposed tax and fees. It was also the forum where votes and protests were tallied. Notably, KCFB launched a campaign against this proposition, and we are pleased to announce that the landowners in the GSA rejected the proposal. The MKRGSA has yet to convene since this public hearing. … ” Read more from Water Wrights.
Kings County Farm Bureau suing State Water Board over Tulare Lake subbasin probation
“The Kings County Farm Bureau is firing back at the State Water Resources Control Board after it ordered restrictions on growers in the Tulare Lake Subbasin back in April, including charging them for pumping groundwater. The Farm Bureau filed a lawsuit challenging the probation in May. “It’s a lot of new expense to growers at a time when they don’t have a whole lot of extra in their coffers,” said Dusty Ference, Executive Director of the Kings County Farm Bureau. Under probation, farmers have to register each well they have for $300 each. They’ll also be charged $20 per acre foot of ground water pumped. For farmer Chip Mello, it could cost tens of thousands of dollars. … ” Read more from KFSN.
Groundwater recharge efforts gain momentum in San Joaquin Valley
“Efforts to replenish groundwater in California’s San Joaquin Valley have surged under the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act. Significant progress was reported in 2023, following a comprehensive survey of local water agencies. The survey was conducted by the Public Policy Institute of California. It highlighted a 17 percent increase in recharge volumes since 2017, totaling an estimated 7.6 million acre-feet valley-wide. This increase was fueled by expanded engagement from new Groundwater Sustainability Agencies, despite challenges like limited surface water access. Key methods driving this surge include dedicated recharge basins, which accounted for more than half of all groundwater recharge activities, followed by in-lieu recharge of replacing groundwater with surface water. … ” Continue reading at Ag Net West.
San Diego provoked a budget battle at MWD that helped take down its GM
“The letter that brought down Adel Hagekhalil, the general manager of the Metropolitan Water District, is getting buried by the news it generated. The big headline about the letter, Politico first revealed, is that its claims of dysfunctional management and harassment led the Metropolitan Board of Directors to place Hagekhalil on administrative leave and appoint an interim general manager. Hagekhalil is probably done. Environmentalists are worried Metropolitan’s establishment is forcing him out for siding with them. But the letter itself hinted at a major disagreement between its author, Metropolitan’s chief financial officer, and San Diego representatives on the Metropolitan board. And that disagreement could have been part of what provoked the CFO to write the letter and thus led to Hagekhalil’s downfall. … ” Read more from the Voice of San Diego.
SEE ALSO: In Southern California, the water drama never dies, from the LA Times
A “Californian” yard to help pollinators
“Do you love California pollinators? Have you dreamed about redesigning your yard to incorporate California native plants to help pollinators, but worry that it will turn out looking out of control or brown? Stephen Curry, a botanist and biologist in the Sacramento Fish and Wildlife Office, says that doesn’t have to be the case. “I have heard concerns that landscaping with California native plants can make a garden look unruly, but most native plants look formal or can be maintained like traditional landscaping, all while using little water and helping pollinators.” As we step into the hot summer months, we asked Stephen about landscaping with California native plants and how to get a great looking yard. … ” Read more from the US Fish and Wildlife Service.
How a microscopic coastal creature may become deadlier in our changing climate
“Between 2014 and 2015, a “blob” of record-breaking warm water traversed the west coast of the U.S., gaining media attention as the warm temperatures wreaked havoc on the bottom of the food chain, causing fisheries like sockeye, pink, and coho salmon to collapse and thousands of sea lions and sea birds to starve. However, amid this devastation, one microscopic creature thrived or “bloomed”—a neurotoxin-producing diatom called Pseudo-nitzschia—causing devastating multi-million dollar losses for many West Coast commercial and tribal crab and shellfish fisheries that had to shut down due to the risk of toxin-contaminated seafood. … ” Read more from PhysOrg.
California braces for heavy wildfire activity this fall: ‘They’re only going to get worse’
“Experts are warning Californians to brace for a ‘very active’ wildfire season this fall as two back-to-back wet winters and forecasts for a warmer-than-normal summer are likely to prime the state’s landscape for fire. Even as recent blazes triggered evacuations in Los Angeles and Sonoma counties, those incidents may prove to be relatively tame compared with what the rest of the year could have in store, said Daniel Swain, a UCLA climate scientist and extreme weather expert. “We could in fact see a very active finish to fire season 2024, but we aren’t there yet,” Swain said during a briefing Monday. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
How climate is impacting California’s fire season, and a solution involving plants
“As wildfires continue to burn, scientists throughout the state are looking into the connections between these events and climate change. Extreme heat continues to be a reason of concern for scientists. “In Northern California, we are seeing really high temperatures in places like the Central Valley and in parts of the eastern Bay Area, certainly temperatures are rising year after year. This is in parts of the coastal Bay Area might be less perceptible, but in the eastern parts of the Bay Area and in the valleys, the heat is going to have multiple effects,” said Tony Marks-Block, Cal State East Bay assistant professor of Environmental Studies. … ” Read more from ABC 7.
In commentary today …
Calif. is locked out of plentiful water supplies. Why? Mismanagement.
William Bourdeau, executive vice president of Harris Farms, owner of Bourdeau Farms, and director of the Westlands Water District, writes, “California’s water crisis is a multifaceted problem that has reached a critical point, particularly for the state’s agricultural sector. Despite reservoirs being full and a favorable hydrologic year marked by substantial rain and snowpack, the mismanagement of surface water and water infrastructure has led to alarmingly low water allocations for farmers. The Central Valley Project (CVP), a federal water management project in California, plays a crucial role in delivering water to the state’s agricultural heartland. However, despite the abundance of water this year, the CVP’s water allocation for agriculture remains critically low. According to General Manager Allison Febbo of the Westlands Water District, the allocation stands at a mere 40% of the total water contract, which is unjustifiably low considering the full reservoirs and decent precipitation levels. … ” Read more from the San Joaquin Valley Sun.
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
Community restoration efforts ramp up as dam removal construction continues
“Multiple local organizations are teaming up with community members to help restore the Klamath River and its surrounding areas as a historic dam removal project continues. The Klamath River Fund launched with $10 million last week and plans to fund restoration efforts throughout the Klamath Basin for the years to come. “Whether it be through scientific programming, through restoration efforts, through youth programming, through community events, anything that’s going to help bring awareness around the Klamath River Dam Removal Project, anything that’s going to promote healing related to the river, the land and the communities is what we’re hoping to fund,” said Pimm Tripp-Allen, vice president of programs, community partnerships and travel relations for Humboldt Area Wild Rivers Community Foundation. … ” Read more from Channel 12.
Recent Klamath River water quality testing shows improvement
“Water tests in the mainstream Klamath River indicate temporary increases in heavy metal that accumulated behind the four dams that were removed “have now been resolved,” and that the water is safe for recreation, agricultural uses and some public drinking. Mark Bransom, CEO of the Klamath River Renewal Corporation, said KRRC commissioned Camas Environmental Professionals, an environmental consulting firm, to test the water quality in the mainstem Klamath River last month. “This recent round of testing indicates that temporary increases in certain heavy metals that had accumulated in the sediment in the reservoirs behind Iron Gate, Copco 1, and J.C. Boyle dams have now been resolved. Metals in the river water do not pose any risk to human health or to wildlife,” Bransom said in a news release. … ” Read more from the Herald & News.
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
Beach cleaning robots back to work at Lake Tahoe
“With more people visiting Lake Tahoe each summer, comes more trash left behind. Which is where BEBOT comes in. In total there are three solar and battery powered beach cleaning robots, and a number of entities have come together to fund them. Jesse Patterson is the Chief Strategy Officer of the League to Save Lake Tahoe which is the company behind Keep Tahoe Blue, and he says the Tahoe Community Association, the U.S. Forest Service, and his organization have come together to finance the operation. “A lot of people are eager to help out,” Patterson made clear. … ” Read more from Channel 8.
BAY AREA
CA Public Utilities Commission will decide if San Jose Water can increase its rates 11% in 2025
“After a planned hearing on the proposal was cancelled this week, San Jose Water is now waiting for the California Public Utilities Commission to decide if the company can increase its rates 11% for customers in the South Bay. While company officials say the extra money is needed to cope with a myriad of rising costs, critics of the increase say San Jose Water is wildly exaggerating the costs it will incur. The 11.11% rate increase will be effective on Jan. 1, 2025, if the application is approved by the commission. The company says the rate increase could generate $55 million in revenue, which will be used to better protect San Jose Water’s facilities from cyberattacks, wildfires and earthquakes; help the company decrease its carbon footprint; and fund 30 new jobs. Liann Walborsky, the director of corporate communications for San Jose Water, said San Jose Water also needs the money to treat the water for PFAs, which can be a very expensive process in order to meet Environmental Protection Agency regulations. … ” Read more from the San Jose Mercury News.
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
New lifeline for dry wells in Tulare County
“When the next drought hits and domestic wells start going dry, many rural Tulare County residents will have a sturdy, new lifeline to grab onto. Groundwater managers in the Kaweah subbasin, in the northern portion of Tulare’s flatlands, signed a $5.8 million annual deal with Self-Help Enterprises to provide rapid response and long-term fixes focused on residential wells. The deal is codified in the region’s newly minted groundwater sustainability plan as well. Managers hope this, and other changes, will keep the region from being put on probation by the state Water Resources Control Board. A probation hearing for Kaweah is set for Nov. 5. Probation is the first step in a possible state takeover of local pumping. … ” Read more from the Foothills Sun-Gazette.
New program to help Kern residents with nitrate-tainted water
“A new water quality initiative in Kern County is gearing up to go live in the next few months to help residents whose water is contaminated with nitrates. The state’s nitrate control program launched in 2021. It offers free well testing and water deliveries for residents whose wells test over the limit for nitrates. The program is mandated by the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board and funded by nitrate polluters throughout the valley. Nitrates, which have infiltrated drinking supplies from fertilizers, septic tanks, dairies and other sources, can be harmful to pregnant women and infants. Kern is the latest valley region to establish large-scale nitrate remediation under the state program. It is still forming and will be fully operational next year. … ” Read more from SJV Water.
Resident seeks justification for steep water rate increase
“When local Sharon Riggan received an announcement letter, June 12 that was actually dated June 4, from Erskine Creek Water Company, about the proposed upcoming rate increase, she was surprised. The biggest reason for her surprise was the fact it gave the public very little time to respond to the public hearing or find out information. Riggan’s frustration was with the fact she just needed information to understand Erskine’s validation for their requested increase, so she could file an appropriate and timely response to the Erskine officials and the California Public Utilities Commission. However she could not obtain the information she needed. She said until we can review the file, per the letter, I cannot speak as to Erskine’s justification for the increase.” … ” Read more from the Kern Valley Sun.
SAN DIEGO
Carlsbad desal plant gets $19.4 million for new seawater intakes
“Carlsbad’s desalination plant, which provides 10 percent of San Diego County’s drinking water, will get $19.4 million for the construction of its new seawater intakes as part of $142 million in federal grants for water projects throughout the West. Construction of the new facilities began in January 2023 at the Claude “Bud” Lewis Carlsbad Desalination Plant, a spokesperson for the San Diego County Water Authority said Friday. The new intake screens will be placed in operation this fall, and the full project should be finished in early 2025. The improvements are intended to better protect wildlife, the environment and the plant by rerouting trash from the water stream to a sorting area where it can be removed. The new intakes also have bars to prevent marine mammals from getting close to the screens and a floating boom to stop floating debris. … ” Read more from the San Diego Union-Tribune.
Along the Colorado River …
NASA satellites find snow didn’t offset Southwest groundwater loss
“Record snowfall in recent years has not been enough to offset long-term drying conditions and increasing groundwater demands in the U.S. Southwest, according to a new analysis of NASA satellite data. Declining water levels in the Great Salt Lake and Lake Mead have been testaments to a megadrought afflicting western North America since 2000. But surface water only accounts for a fraction of the Great Basin watershed that covers most of Nevada and large portions of California, Utah, and Oregon. Far more of the region’s water is underground. That has historically made it difficult to track the impact of droughts on the overall water content of the Great Basin. A new look at 20 years of data from the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) series of satellites shows that the decline in groundwater in the Great Basin far exceeds stark surface water losses. Over about the past two decades, the underground water supply in the basin has fallen by 16.5 cubic miles (68.7 cubic kilometers). That’s roughly two-thirds as much water as the entire state of California uses in a year and about six times the total volume of water that was left in Lake Mead, the nation’s largest reservoir, at the end of 2023. … ” Read more from NASA.
Forest-thinning simulations reveal benefits to water supplies
“Forest thinning increases water supplies downstream while reducing wildfire risk, according to a study conducted by Salt River Project and Arizona State University. Land managers and scientists knew forest thinning — a technique that clears smaller trees and vegetation to reduce fuel loads in forests — decreases wildfire hazard, but wanted to quantify how restoration projects also benefit watersheds. SRP and ASU created a virtual model of a 3,400-acre area of the Kaibab National Forest in northern Arizona and simulated forest thinning. They concluded that such work in the forest would generate 230 acre-feet, or 75 million gallons of water during the first year. … ” Read more from Arizona Central.
Arizona leaders talked a good game on water, then ended with chaos
Opinion columnist Joanna Allhands writes, “It was the legislative session that could’ve been on water. Everyone talked a good game. Gov. Katie Hobbs kicked off the session warning lawmakers that if they didn’t act on water, she would. Lawmakers introduced hundreds of bills on the subject — more than anyone can remember in recent history. Some would have upended statewide water policy. A handful could have upended it for the better. Yet efforts to build broad support for those few bills ran out of runway, and a long, draining session ended in rushed chaos. … ” Read more from Arizona Central.
In national water news today …
How cities can prepare now to meet new PFAS drinking water regulations
“With the Biden Administration finalizing new PFAS drinking water regulations for municipalities, it is time for local leaders to begin working with their water utilities. Both local leaders and water utilities should start to think about how they are going to upgrade their water systems to detect and remove these toxins if they are present at levels above the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) limit. The new regulations carry an effective date of June 25, 2024 – giving local governments until June 25, 2027, to meet the initial monitoring requirements and until June 25, 2029, to meet the treatment requirements. As local governments work toward compliance with these drinking water regulations, here are some important initial steps for getting started. For many communities, addressing PFAS drinking water contamination has been an active concern for the past several years. Lessons learned from those communities can provide helpful insights for others. … ” Read more from the National League of Cities.
Flubbed climate test won’t deter rich donors from altering the sky
“Wealthy philanthropists with ties to Wall Street and Silicon Valley are unbowed by a botched climate experiment to limit the amount of sunlight hitting the earth, vowing to continue bankrolling future solar geoengineering tests as temperatures catapult upward. POLITICO contacted a dozen people or groups who funded a controversial program by the University of Washington to reflect sun rays by altering clouds. Those who responded indicated that it’s worth pushing through the public skepticism surrounding efforts to determine how to best deploy the last-ditch global warming fix — if at all. “The Pritzker Innovation Fund believes in the importance of research that helps improve climate models and enables policymakers and the public to better understand whether climate interventions like marine cloud brightening are feasible and advisable,” Rachel Pritzker, the fund’s founder and president, said in a statement. “We will only get answers to these questions through open research that can inform science-based, democratic decision-making.” … ” Read more from E&E News.
