DAILY DIGEST: How CA could make the most of its rainfall; Month’s rains swamp away most years’ January figures; Sacto confronts an old foe: Flood risk; Ventura to explore state water connection; Desal no longer a pipe dream in SoCal; and more …

In California water news today, How California could make the most of its rainfall; Month’s rains swamp away most years’ January figures; California today: A seemingly endless barrage of rain and snow; Guerneville braces for more flooding from the Russian River; Rice growers hear optimistic view of the future; After years of drought, Sacramento confronts an old foe:  Flood risk; Department of Water Resources to begin closing Sacramento Weir gates; Stanislaus County leaders could approve groundwater agencies; Ventura to explore state water connection; Desalination no longer a pipe dream in Southern California; and SoCal: Widespread flooding, mudslides, evacuations as biggest storm in years batters California

On the calendar today …

  • California Water Fix Aquatic Science Peer Review (Phase 2B) at 9am:  An independent science panel will be evaluating draft sections of the NMFS’ and FWS’ Biological Opinions (BiOps) on WaterFix for all federal Endangered Species Act-listed aquatic species and their critical habitat. Today, the NMFS and FWS will give presentations on the science behind the biological opinions. Click here for more informationClick here to watch on webcast.

In the news today …

How California could make the most of its rainfall:  “The deluge that hit California this month may have eased some people’s concerns about the drought. But it also raised a new question: Is the state doing enough to capture all that excess stormwater for later use?  According to Annalisa Kihara, chief planner at the State Water Board’s Strategy to Optimize Resource Management of Storm Water unit (STORMS), the strategies for capturing and conserving rainwater are abundant, and numerous projects are underway. But changing the public’s and urban planners’ negative perception of stormwater – and budgeting for the sizable infrastructure improvements needed to meet ambitious water capture goals – remains a challenge. … ”  Read more from Water Deeply here:  How California could make the most of its rainfall

Month’s rains swamp away most years’ January figures:  “What has felt like an especially wet January in California isn’t an effect of people becoming accustomed to the past half decade of drought.  It really has been an exceptionally soaking month.  San Francisco is experiencing the seventh-wettest January on record to date, according to the National Weather Service, and it’s nipping at the heels of January 1982, when a historic El Niño caused major flooding in California.  “The storms have been one after the other,” said Anna Schneider, a meteorologist with the weather service’s Monterey office. “We’ve gotten lot of rainfall. Most of our sites are at over 100 percent of normal.” … ” Read more from SF Gate here:  Month’s rains swamp away most years’ January figures

California today: A seemingly endless barrage of rain and snow:  “Stormy weather again unleashed much-needed rain over the weekend.  But across Southern California and other parts of the state, it did so with treacherous effect.  Among the hardest hit areas were along the coast, including Long Beach, where rainfall at the airport set a daily record on Sunday, 3.87 inches. Los Angeles Airport got 2.78 inches, also a record. … ”  Read more from the New York Times here:  California today: A seemingly endless barrage of rain and snow

Guerneville braces for more flooding from the Russian River: While the latest storm has prompted flood watches across the Bay Area for Monday, many eyes were on the Russian River in the North Bay, where residents in Guerneville still had canoes and supplies at the ready from the last floods.  Lane Friedman was unloading groceries and supplies from her Toyota Prius, which is too low to the ground to make it home. The final 300 yards of her commute are covered with water, 2 feet deep in some places. … ”  Read more from NBC Bay Area here:  Guerneville braces for more flooding from the Russian River

Rice growers hear optimistic view of the future:  “Northern California rice growers were told that the future of the industry looks promising under the new presidential administration at the California Rice Commission’s annual grower meeting in Yuba City and Colusa.  The event Thursday saw six speakers touch on various topics including how the election of Donald Trump might impact California’s agricultural sector and what is being done at the federal level in Washington, D.C., that might influence the industry.  Nicole Montna Van Vleck, president and CEO of Montna Farms, said she has been attending the annual event for about a decade. … ”  Read more from the Chico Enterprise-Record here:  Rice growers hear optimistic view of the future

After years of drought, Sacramento confronts an old foe:  Flood risk:  “In the years before California’s drought, it wasn’t unusual for Sacramentans to spend winters worrying about floods. After more than five years with little rain, the past two weeks delivered a bracing reminder that the region remains vulnerable to rising waters and overtopped levees.  The recent rainstorms flooded scattered sections of greater Sacramento, from the Garden Highway north of downtown to the rural communities south of Elk Grove. Three small levee breaches added to the havoc caused by the wayward Cosumnes River. The Sacramento Weir, a flood-release valve used to flush excess water from the Sacramento River system into the Yolo Bypass floodplain, had to be opened for the first time in a decade. ... ”  Read more from the Sacramento Bee here:  After years of drought, Sacramento confronts an old foe: Flood risk

Department of Water Resources to begin closing Sacramento Weir gates:  “The Sacramento Weir opened its gates Jan. 10 to reduce water levels in the Sacramento River, but now those gates may begin closing as early as Monday.  Thirty-five of the 48 gates are open.  The weir acts as a bridge between West Sacramento and Interstate 5 on Old River Road.  Most bridges are over water, but this one is blocked with 1,824 wooden planks — each six feet long, one foot wide and four inches thick. … ”  Read more from Capital Public Radio here:  Department of Water Resources to begin closing Sacramento Weir gates

Stanislaus County leaders could approve groundwater agencies:  “Last year’s El Niño and the recent pounding rainstorms have not stopped an effort to comply with the state’s groundwater sustainability law, which was hatched in the desperate times of drought.  Tuesday, the Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors could approve agreements to form two agencies for managing a groundwater basin underlying the southern portion of the county and part of Merced County. The board could create the West Turlock Subbasin Groundwater Sustainability Agency and take a second vote to form an agency for the east Turlock subbasin.  The entire groundwater basin lies between the Tuolumne and Merced rivers, east of the San Joaquin River. … ”  Read more from the Modesto Bee here:  Stanislaus County leaders could approve groundwater agencies

Water peddler-in-chief Steve Knell is anything but wet behind the ears:  “In this patch of God’s green earth, the most controversial commodity is that which makes it green: water.  And in local water bureaucracy, the most polarizing figure might be Steve Knell, general manager of the Oakdale Irrigation District.  His counterparts in Stanislaus County’s two other large water agencies make more money but don’t seem to get near the attention. (Greg Salyer and Casey Hashimoto, of the Modesto and Turlock irrigation districts, respectively, earned $312,706 and $316,647 in salary and benefits in 2015, compared with Knell’s $293,101.) … ”  Read more from the Modesto Bee here:  Water peddler-in-chief Steve Knell is anything but wet behind the ears

Ventura to explore state water connection:  “Ventura could begin actively exploring connecting to state water if the City Council approves setting aside money for a comprehensive study evaluating what it would take.  The council on Monday will consider spending up to $653,000 to have an outside consultant prepare a report that looks at the cost, design, capacity, environmental impacts and other issues that go with connecting to state water. The city in 1971 entered into an agreement with the Casitas Municipal Water District and the state Department of Water Resources to get state water, according to the city’s staff report. ... ”  Read more from the Ventura County Star here:  Ventura to explore state water connection

Desalination no longer a pipe dream in Southern California:  “Here’s an idea: Let’s use the ocean to create an endless supply of pure water, no matter how much rain and snow falls (or doesn’t) on California.  If it sounds like something out of the future, consider: As of today, seven ocean desalination plants are under consideration along the coasts from Dana Point through Monterey Bay. By the mid-2020s, those plants could be using the Pacific to produce about 10 percent of the fresh water needed in parts of Los Angeles and Orange counties. Another project, in Carlsbad, opened about a year ago and is on track to produce about 8 percent of San Diego’s water. ... ”  Read more from the Daily Breeze here:  Desalination no longer a pipe dream in Southern California

In commentary today …

San Francisco needs to plan for a drier future, says the San Francisco Chronicle:  They write, “California’s five-year drought has brought new urgency to balancing our water use — and, even in wet years, water issues always hover close to the political boiling point. Thus the state’s proposal that San Francisco significantly reduce water imports from the Sierra has the water world bubbling.  Cutbacks will require political will, creative thinking and sacrifice. Yet the Bay Area must commit to do more to prepare for a drier future. … ”  Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle here:  San Francisco needs to plan for a drier future

More news and commentary in the weekend edition …

Precipitation watch …

Also on Maven’s Notebook today …

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About the Daily Digest: The Daily Digest is a collection of selected news articles, commentaries and editorials appearing in the mainstream press. Items are generally selected to follow the focus of the Notebook blog. The Daily Digest is published every weekday with a weekend edition posting on Sundays.

 

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