DAILY DIGEST: Evacuations remain in effect along Feather River; lake level dropping as CA waits for answer from Trump on disaster aid; Paula Kehoe on pioneering on-site water reuse in cities; California farmers hope Congress and Trump can deliver irrigation drain deal; and more …

In California water news today, Evacuations remain in effect along Feather River; lake level dropping; Race to save badly damaged California dam spillway before MORE rainfall: Second storm is set to hit the tallest dam in America in 48 hours; California waits to hear from Trump on disaster aid request; Has this year’s record rain finally ended California’s drought?  Not really; Senators disagree with decision to extend drought regulations; Meet the minds: Paula Kehoe on pioneering on-site water reuse in cities; U.S. dams are aging and many don’t have emergency plans; California farmers hope Congress and Trump can deliver irrigation drain deal; and more …

On the calendar today …

• Informational hearing on the California Water Fix: Status of the project at 1:30pm: The Senate Natural Resources Committee will hold an informational hearing on the status of the California Water Project at 1:30pm in Room 113.  Click here for more information.  Click here to watch on Cal Channel.  Hearing canceled due to Oroville Dam incident.
  

In dam news today …

Evacuations remain in effect along Feather River; lake level dropping: “Evacuations remained in effect Monday in Oroville and points downstream on the Feather River after officials feared that the emergency spillway at the Oroville Dam could fail.  There’s an encouraging sign: The level of Lake Oroville is dropping.  And there’s a discouraging one: Another storm is on the way, due to hit Wednesday night. … ” Read more from the Chico Enterprise-Record here:  Evacuations remain in effect along Feather River; lake level dropping

Race to save badly damaged California dam spillway before MORE rainfall: Second storm is set to hit the tallest dam in America in 48 hours:  “Authorities in California were so sure the Oroville Dam was going to catastrophically collapse that they abandoned their command post on Sunday evening.  At a press conference on Monday, the Acting Chief of the Department of Water Resources Billy Croyle revealed the situation had become so perilous he ordered his staff to flee.  Officials also admitted they are in a race against time to drain up to 50-feet of water from the stricken Oroville Dam before a storm hits on Wednesday.  Almost 200,000 people were frantically ordered on Sunday to evacuate along a 40-mile stretch of the Feather River below the dam after authorities said its emergency spillway could give way. … ”  Read more from the Daily Mail here:  Race to save badly damaged California dam before MORE rainfall: Second storm is set to hit the tallest dam in America in 48 hours

Oroville Dam: State said emergency spillway was safe and stable:  “As authorities raced to reduce the level of Lake Oroville before the next storm, new evidence emerged on Monday that more than a decade ago state water officials insisted that the emergency spillway that forced the evacuation of nearly 200,000 residents this week was “a safe and stable structure founded on solid bedrock that will not erode.”  The revelations in a May 26, 2006, filing from the state Department of Water Resources to federal officials underscored how state officials rejected calls 11 years ago from three environmental groups to require that concrete be used to armor the emergency spillway at the nation’s tallest dam. … ”  Read more from the San Jose Mercury News here:  Oroville Dam: State said emergency spillway was safe and stable

State water officials were warned of Oroville dam weakness a dozen years ago:  “As California officials rushed Monday to stabilize conditions at Oroville Dam, the state’s top water official brushed aside questions about recommendations made a dozen years ago to upgrade the emergency spillway that nearly failed Sunday.  In a Monday afternoon news conference near Oroville Dam, Acting Department of Water Resources Director Bill Croyle was asked whether the spillway should have been reinforced years ago as advocacy groups advised in 2005 filings with the federal government.  Croyle said he wasn’t familiar with the reports, but that once the crisis subsided, engineers would do a thorough analysis of what went wrong. ... ”  Read more from the Sacramento Bee here:  State water officials were warned of Oroville dam weakness a dozen years ago

A race against Mother Nature as officials send water cascading out of Oroville:  “With more storms expected to slam Northern California later this week, officials worked frantically Monday to drain water from brimming Lake Oroville in hopes of heading off a potentially catastrophic flood.  The operators at America’s tallest dam found themselves in a precarious position Monday, with both of the spillways used to release water compromised and the reservoir still filled almost to capacity after a winter of record rain and snow. Meanwhile, tens of thousands of evacuated residents downstream of the dam still have no clear word when they can return home. … ”  Read more from the LA Times here:  A race against Mother Nature as officials send water cascading out of Oroville

How did the Oroville Dam crisis get so dire?  “Maybe the Oroville Dam was cursed from the start.  In December 1964, three years into the massive barrier’s construction, a huge flood struck the northwest, killing dozens. The dam was nearly overtopped, which could have led to its failure even before it was completed. Instead, the partially completed dam helped prevent a larger disaster by reducing the flow of the Feather River. Less than a year later, two trains working on the site collided head-on in a tunnel near the dam, killing four men in a fiery crash and damaging the tunnel, slowing down work on the project. … ”  Read more from The Atlantic here:  How did the Oroville Dam crisis get so dire? 

See how empty Lake Oroville was during the drought compared to its current dam crisis:  “With the Oroville Dam spilling over with an avalanche of water, it’s amazing to see how quickly this winter’s rains filled an area that was, not so long ago, a major symbol of California’s drought.  In November 2014, the Chronicle went to Lake Oroville to report a story on its near-record lows. At the time, it held 914,239 acre-feet of water, 26 percent of its 3.5 million-acre-foot capacity. For reference, one acre-foot is the amount of water it takes to cover one acre in one foot of water, about how much an average family of four uses in a year. ... ”  Read more from SF Gate here:  See how empty Lake Oroville was during the drought compared to its current dam crisis

Lake Oroville is important to California:  “Lake Oroville and its dam in Northern California are critical components in California’s complex water-delivery system. Damage to spillways that are used to drop water levels in the lake and relieve pressure on the dam prompted evacuation orders covering nearly 200,000 people. Here’s a look at Lake Oroville and its place in California’s water system.  Lake Oroville is the starting point for California’s State Water Project, which provides drinking water to 23 million of the state’s 39 million people and irrigates 750,000 acres of farms. ... ”  Read more from US News and World Report here:  Lake Oroville is important to California

California waits to hear from Trump on disaster aid request:  “Gov. Jerry Brown asked the Trump administration for a federal disaster declaration for the emergency at Oroville Dam on Monday evening, citing the impending arrival of more storms and the potential need to resort again to the dam’s emergency spillway, which has been severely eroded.  The “incident is of such severity and magnitude that continued effective response is beyond the capabilities of the state and affected local governments,” Brown said in asking for direct federal assistance for 10,000 evacuated residents of Butte, Sutter and Yuba counties who he said require assistance. ... ” Read more from SF Gate here:  California waits to hear from Trump on disaster aid request

In other water news today …

Has this year’s record rain finally ended California’s drought?  Not really:  “After praying for rain over five dry years, Californians are now praying for a break.  The state is being soaked. Its biggest reservoirs, once at record lows, are at capacity or overflowing from record-setting rain and snow. That includes the Oroville Lake reservoir behind the Oroville Dam, where nearly 200,000 Northern California residents were evacuated for fear that an eroding wall that holds water back would crumble and wash them away.  The drama caused by massive amounts of precipitation raises a question: Is California’s epic, record-setting drought, five years long, finally over? The answer is yes and no. … ”  Read more from the Washington Post here:  Has this year’s record rain finally ended California’s drought?  Not really

Senators disagree with decision to extend drought regulations:  “North state senators Ted Gaines and Jim Nielsen expressed their disagreement last week with the California State Water Resources Control Board’s decision to extend the state’s emergency drought regulations.  Gaines, who represents the 1st Senate District that includes Siskiyou County, stated in a press release that by voting to extend the regulations, urban water districts will be subject to an additional 270 days of consumption reports, “stress tests,” and water-use cuts.  “This decision is blind to the plain fact seen on every mountain, river and reservoir in the north state,” Gaines said. “We are flush with water, and they know that, but this lays bare their ‘permanent drought’ plan that will let them limit and control water use forever to meet their environmentalist agenda.” … ”  Read more from the Gridley Herald here:  Senators disagree with decision to extend drought regulations

Meet the minds: Paula Kehoe on pioneering on-site water reuse in cities:  “In a state with periodic droughts that are expected to increase in severity, California water suppliers know they must make the most of drinking-water supplies. For some that means increasing conservation; for others, it means developing alternative water sources. San Francisco has done both. Residents have some of the lowest per capita water use in the state, and the city’s water supplier, the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC), has been a leader in pioneering the use of onsite non-potable water reuse systems that can take advantage of water sources such as stormwater, rainwater and graywater.  SFPUC incorporated an onsite water treatment system into its own building that along with rainwater catchment, saves 65 percent of the building’s potable water. … ”  Read more from Water Deeply here:  Meet the minds: Paula Kehoe on pioneering on-site water reuse in cities

U.S. dams are aging and many don’t have emergency plans:  “As the nation’s 84,000 dams continue to age, a growing number of people downstream of these structures are at risk, according to experts and data of the nation’s dams.  It’s a problem highlighted this week as nearly 200,000 people evacuated the area near California’s Oroville Dam, which suffered a potential failure of its emergency spillway.  The USA TODAY NETWORK reviewed the latest data in the National Inventory of Dams, which is compiled by the Army Corps of Engineers and shows 15,498 dams across the United States are characterized as high hazard, meaning the loss of at least one human life is likely if the dam were to fail. ... ”  Read more from the Desert Sun here:  U.S. dams are aging and many don’t have emergency plans

California farmers hope Congress and Trump can deliver irrigation drain deal:  “The political terrain appears favorable for a mega-million-dollar irrigation drainage deal, with Congress still fully in Republican hands and California’s sprawling Westlands Water District with influential allies.  But there are complications. One is a legal cloud over a neighboring water district. The other comes with the state’s two Democratic senators, who remain uncommitted.  Legislation putting the drainage deal into effect could be introduced at any time.   “I think I have the support of leadership,” Rep. David Valadao, R-Hanford, said in an interview.  But with that legislation will come a Capitol Hill fight. … ”  Read more from McClatchy DC here:  California farmers hope Congress and Trump can deliver irrigation drain deal

In commentary today …

State, feds must answer for Oroville dam fiasco, says the San Jose Mercury News:  They write, “Federal and state officials have a lot to answer for in the wake of the Oroville Dam fiasco. They decided in 2005 to ignore warnings that the massive earthen spillway adjacent to the dam itself could erode during heavy winter rains — which it has done — and cause a calamity, which it very nearly did this week and could yet do by the end of this winter.  No less to blame are the water agencies, including the powerful Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, which argued that paying for the upgrades a decade ago was unnecessary. … ”  Read more from the San Jose Mercury News here:  State, feds must answer for Oroville dam fiasco

A disaster at Oroville Dam could easily become a crisis for LA, too says the LA Times:  They write, “Southern Californians have been drinking from the Feather River — and washing in it, flushing with it and sprinkling it over their lawns — for nearly a half century without giving it much thought, so the emergency at distant Oroville Dam provides a jolting reminder of our dependence on the wetter, northern part of the state. A disaster there could easily become a crisis here.  Oroville is the linchpin of the State Water Project, the massive engineering feat that brings Northern Sierra water from the Feather River to the Sacramento, through the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, into the California Aqueduct, over the Tehachapis and to our faucets. … ”  Read more from the LA Times here:  A disaster at Oroville Dam could easily become a crisis for LA, too

In peril at Oroville: a parable on infrastructure:  The New York Times editorial board writes, “California officials have ordered the evacuation of nearly 200,000 people downstream from the Oroville Dam because overflowing waters could erode the dam’s two spillways and cause devastating flooding.  Yet when public interest groups warned of such a threat in 2005, state and federal officials rejected their call to line one spillway with concrete, saying it was unnecessary, The San Jose Mercury News reported on Sunday.  The danger to Oroville, north of Sacramento, is the latest wake-up call that American public works are crumbling after decades of neglect, and the federal and state governments need to spend hundreds of billions on repairs. … ”  Read more from the New York Times here:  In peril at Oroville: a parable on infrastructure

Court affirms need to protect water quality, even in a drought, says Kate Poole: She writes, “During the last three years of California’s drought, the state and federal agencies charged with protecting fishable, swimmable and drinkable water quality for all Californians have utterly failed to do their job. The results have been disastrous: More toxic algae blooms are infecting California’s waterways than ever before, at least 35 plants and animals native to the San Francisco Bay-Delta ecosystem are perched on the edge of extinction, and thousands of salmon fishermen up and down the coast are uncertain whether they’ll be able to pursue their livelihood for years to come. … ”  Read more from Water Deeply here:  Court affirms need to protect water quality, even in a drought

In regional news and commentary today …

Shasta, Keswick water releases going up as more storms approaching:  “After years of drought and low lake levels, this year’s winter storms have dumped more rain and runoff than Lake Shasta can handle.  It seems the North State has gone from famine to feast.  Water releases from Shasta Dam and Keswick Dam went up significantly Monday as Shasta County officials and others brace themselves for even more rain and water runoff this week. ... ”  Read more from the Redding Record Searchlight here:  Shasta, Keswick water releases going up as more storms approaching

Crews work through the winter as Feather River levee project nears completion:  “Typically, levee improvements are not performed during the winter months, unless there’s an emergency. But, this winter has been different.  Before the problems arose at Lake Oroville, crews and heavy equipment were working on a section of Feather River levee downstream.  As the water rose in the Feather River during the last series of storms, heavy equipment was making improvements to the levee on the Yuba City side. … ”  Read more from Capital Public Radio here:  Crews work through the winter as Feather River levee project nears completion

Dam concerns reverberate in the Mother Lode:  “The state Department of Water Resources lists 35 dams in Calaveras County and 30 dams in Tuolumne County, and several of the largest are at capacity or nearing capacity in the midst of one of the Central Sierra’s wettest winters to date.  No damage or failures have been reported at any Mother Lode dams, spillways and reservoirs so far this season.  But ongoing concerns at Oroville Dam on the Feather River, about 165 miles northwest of Sonora, and a North Fork Mokelumne River levee above Tyler Island in Sacramento County, have Mother Lode residents thinking about dams and dam safety with more rains and snow forecast to arrive later this week. … ”  Read more from the Union Democrat here:  Dam concerns reverberate in the Mother Lode

Bodega Bay to be release site for quarter-million hatchery salmon:  “A quarter-million tiny, young salmon, each just a few inches long, are scheduled to be released into Bodega Bay this spring, providing a potential bright spot amid ongoing hardship for the North Coast fishing fleet.  The hatchery-reared fish will be trucked directly to Sonoma County from the state-run Mokelumne River hatchery near Lodi as part of a continuing effort to augment California’s declining Chinook salmon stocks, which took an especially hard hit during the prolonged drought. ... ”  Read more from the Santa Rosa Press Democrat here:  Bodega Bay to be release site for quarter-million hatchery salmon

Marin: Refrigerators, boats, hot tub: ‘Crazy stuff’ washed into Bay by storms:  “Anyone lose a refrigerator in the last storm?  If it was fully stocked, it may be yours. You can pick it up at the Army Corps of Engineers debris yard in Sausalito.  Refrigerators are among the more unusual items fished out of bays and lagoons this month when days of rain, wind and high tides blasted Marin and the North Bay like a fire hose, washing all manner of hazardous junk into our waters. … ”  Read more from the Marin Independent Journal here:  Marin: Refrigerators, boats, hot tub: ‘Crazy stuff’ washed into Bay by storms

Illegal draining of water creates havoc for Ironhouse Sanitation District:  “The recent string of storms has led to saturated ground and standing water here, but residents illegally draining the excess water into the sewer system are wreaking havoc within the Ironhouse Sanitary District sewer collection and treatment systems.  Bethel Island residents have been hit especially hard by drains that have backed up and to fix the problem, some  have removed their sewer clean-out covers, redirecting hundreds of thousands of gallons of water to enter into an already inundated sewer system, Ironhouse officials say. ... ”  Read more from the East Bay Times here:  Illegal draining of water creates havoc for Ironhouse Sanitation District

Levee breach forces evacuation of Tyler Island in Delta; unrelated to Oroville: “Sacramento County are advising residents in the Tyler Island area south of Walnut Grove to evacuate due to a compromised levee, officials said Monday.  There are about 20 homes in the area, said Sacramento County Water Resources spokesman Matt Robinson. Tyler Island is protected by a ring levee.  The county expects imminent failure of the North Fork Mokelumne River levee, according to the National Weather Service. … ”  Read more from the Sacramento Bee here:  Levee breach forces evacuation of Tyler Island in Delta; unrelated to Oroville  See also from the East Bay Times: Residents evacuated from Tyler Island over compromised levee

San Joaquin River: Debris clutters waterway from Oakley to Pittsburgh:  “A leisurely boat, paddle or jet ski ride in the San Joaquin Delta could turn into a date with an obstacle course.  Debris left over from a series of storms and high tides left parts of the San Joaquin Delta looking like a “beaver dam” over the weekend, and it doesn’t figure to recede anytime soon, authorities said Monday.  Tule, a marsh plant common to the area, clogged the area, along with tree branches, weeds and other debris from the Big Break shoreline near Oakley nearly to Suisun Bay in Bay Point. … ”  Read more from the East Bay Times here:  San Joaquin River: Debris clutters waterway from Oakley to Pittsburgh

Oroville dam crisis highlights the need for repairs to Anderson dam and others:  “One day after the deterioration of an Oroville Dam spillway forced the evacuation of more than 180,000 people in the Sacramento Valley, a reservoir at the southern end of Santa Clara Valley flirted with an ominous milestone.  Anderson Reservoir, the largest reservoir in Santa Clara County, was on the cusp of spilling over for the first time since 2006. Normally, that wouldn’t be a big deal, but state and federal regulators instructed the Santa Clara Valley Water District six years ago to limit storage to 68 percent to prevent a catastrophic flood in the event a major earthquake caused the dam to fail. ... ”  Read more from the San Jose Mercury News here:  Oroville dam crisis highlights the need for repairs to Anderson dam and others

More flooding expected as Modesto-area waterways rise:  “Campgrounds and mobile home parks along the San Joaquin River remained underwater Monday as excessive runoff from rainfall continued to swell rivers in Stanislaus County and the surrounding region.  Authorities say water levels will continue to rise in rivers, streams and creeks over the next few days, and more flooding is expected. The Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Department is strongly urging residents who live along the San Joaquin River to move their property and animals to higher ground. ... ”  Read more from the Modesto Bee here:  More flooding expected as Modesto-area waterways rise

San Joaquin Valley: Could Oroville Dam crisis happen here?  Unlikely, dam operators say:  “The damaged spillway at Oroville Dam that led to evacuations of downriver communities raises an unsettling question: Could a potentially catastrophic failure happen at other dams in California as lakes fill in a wet year?  The scenario that played out at the Northern California dam is unlikely to occur at Friant Dam near Fresno, said Duane Stroup, deputy area manager for the federal Bureau of Reclamation.  “Oroville is an earth-filled dam. Earth-filled dams can be eroded away,” he said. By contrast, Friant Dam, built in 1942, is a concrete structure that goes down to bedrock, he said. ... ”  Read more from the Fresno Bee here:  Could Oroville Dam crisis happen here?  Unlikely, dam operators say

Along the Colorado River …

NASA: Measuring dust can improve snowmelt predictions:  “NASA is keeping track of dust that settles on snow in the Rocky Mountains to help hydrologists improve their predictions for how fast the Colorado River will rise this spring.  Michelle Stokes, a hydrologist for the Colorado River Basin Forecast Center in Utah, said the data will help her project how much snowmelt will flow into the Colorado River and when it will arrive.  “It’s been known for a long time that if there’s a lot of dust on the snow it’s going to melt faster,” Stokes said. “We always thought it would be really nice if we could quantify that, because it would improve our forecast, especially the timing of when the runoff comes.” … ”  Read more from Arizona Public Media here:  NASA: Measuring dust can improve snowmelt predictions

Precipitation watch …

Also on Maven’s Notebook today …

• REACTIONS: Legislators, Union of Concerned Scientists, and Restore the Delta comment on the Oroville Dam situation
• BAY DELTA SCIENCE CONFERENCE: Before and After: Evaluating the effect of the 1995 Delta spring standards on actual outflows into San Francisco Bay
• BLOG ROUND-UP: Reconciling conservation and human use in the Delta; Extended man-made drought; The hidden truth about Valley water; and more …
• OROVILLE DAM, Monday 6PM: DWR working to fill erosion on emergency spillway

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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.