DAILY DIGEST: Second La Nina winter could extend drought across the West; ‘King tides’ are rising, so groups span the globe to monitor it; California’s hellish fires: A visit from the Ghost of Christmas Future; and more …

In California water news today, Second La Nina winter could extend drought across the West; ‘King tides’ are rising, so groups span the globe to monitor it; California’s hellish fires: A visit from the Ghost of Christmas Future; Report: California dam owners allow problems to linger; and more …

On the calendar today …

In the news today …

Second La Nina winter could extend drought across the West:  “Winter is off to a dry start across the West, raising the specter of ongoing drought in many locations. The culprit could be La Niña – a periodic cooling of Pacific Ocean waters near the equator that often brings drought. And not just any La Niña, but a “double whammy” effect, which latest research concludes may cause even worse water shortages.  La Niña is popularly known as the opposite of El Niño, a warming of equatorial Pacific waters that can result in wet winters. But that is a misconception, according to Yuko Okumura, a research associate at the University of Texas Institute for Geophysics.  In reality, La Niña is unpredictable. … ”  Read more from Water Deeply here:  Second La Nina winter could extend drought across the West

‘King tides’ are rising, so groups span the globe to monitor it:  “The tide watchers start patrolling whenever the celestial forces align. From coast to coast, hundreds of tide watchers come out with their cameras to record the latest ‘king tides,’ brief episodes of tidal flooding that could become the norm, with expected sea-level rise.  King tides are a colloquial term for the highest tides of the year. They occur when the moon is closest to the earth at moments when the sun, moon and Earth are in alignment, increasing the gravitational forces at play.  A decade ago, few had heard of “king tides,” much less waded through them in galoshes. Now, Miami regularly floods. So does Myrtle Beach, Charleston and other U.S. cities. And more than ever, groups of citizens are out there photographing the results, uploading the pics and debating what the future will bring. ... ”  Read more from the Sacramento Bee here:  ‘King tides’ are rising, so groups span the globe to monitor it

California’s hellish fires: A visit from the Ghost of Christmas Future:  “In Charles Dicken’s ‘A Christmas Carol,’ the Ghost of Christmas Future appears to Ebenezer Scrooge to show what will happen if he doesn’t change his greedy, selfish life. California’s record wildfires are similarly giving us a glimpse of our future hellish climate if we continue with our current behavior.  This year, California experienced its worst and most expensive wildfire season on record. This surprised many, because while the state recently had its worst drought in over 1,200 years, the 5-year drought ended in 2016. However, California was hit by the opposite extreme in 2017, with its wettest rainy season on record. ... ” Read more from the Guardian here:  California’s hellish fires: A visit from the Ghost of Christmas Future

Report: California dam owners allow problems to linger:  “The owners of some of California’s most critical dams have allowed problems identified in annual inspection reports to linger for years, a newspaper reported Friday.  Unrepaired deficiencies include cracked concrete, rusted equipment, broken sensors, and frozen valves and gates, according to a Sacramento Bee investigation.  State officials said the problems are not imminent safety threats. And dam owners said it’s best to methodically research problems and design repairs if there’s no emergency. ... ”  Read more from the AP here:  Report: California dam owners allow problems to linger

In regional news and commentary today …

Skepticism abounds at DWR meeting in Yuba City:  “Yuba-Sutter residents voiced concerns to the Department of Water Resources over a variety of issues Thursday night, including the hairline cracks that have appeared on the reconstructed spillway, a need for more transparency moving forward, and the significant amount of sediment buildup in the Feather River brought about by the Lake Oroville incident last February and plans – or lack thereof – to clear it out.  A number of local residents stated they were skeptical of what DWR was telling the public, with one resident even saying, “It’s not that I don’t trust you guys, but you know…” which resulted in a chuckle from both locals and state representatives. … ”  Read more from the Appeal-Democrat here:  Skepticism abounds at DWR meeting in Yuba City

New Folsom Dam spillway is just the start on Sacramento flood protection, says Doris Matsui:  She writes, “With the winter season officially begun – and with climate change manifesting itself in ever more frequent and destructive events – it is more important than ever that the Sacramento region continue making smart investments in our flood protection.  In October, I joined local, state and federal officials to celebrate the completion of the most significant single investment in our region’s flood protection infrastructure in the last quarter-century: the Folsom Dam auxiliary spillway, which is the culmination of more than a decade of hard work, collaboration and battles for federal funding. ... ”  Read more from the Sacramento Bee here:  New Folsom Dam spillway is just the start on Sacramento flood protection, says Doris Matsui

Bay Area forecast: No rain in sight as dry December continues:  “The Bay Area is in the midst of one of its driest Decembers in years, and there’s no end to the dry spell in sight.  A ridge of high pressure remains firmly entrenched over the West Coast, blocking the main storm track north to the U.S./Canada border, according to the National Weather Service. In the Bay Area, warm and sunny days with highs in the mid-60s to low 70s are expected, along with cold overnight lows.  The stubborn ridge of high-pressure is “keeping everything dry across the state of California,” said Roger Gass, a meteorologist with the weather service. … ”  Read more from the San Jose Mercury News here:  Bay Area forecast: No rain in sight as dry December continues

Abalone diving banned next year to protect population on brink of collapse:  “Sport abalone diving in Northern California, a tradition going back generations, will not be allowed next year in the region because biologists say the state’s population is on the brink of collapse.  Thursday’s decision came at a meeting of the California Fish and Game Commission in San Diego after a warning from scientists at the California Department of Fish and Wildlife that the population is in severe decline. The commission voted unanimously to close the fishery for one year, which has not happened since it closed the abalone fishery in the southern part of the state in 1997. The Northern California season would normally be open from April to November. … ”  Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle here:  Abalone diving banned next year to protect population on brink of collapse

At 230,000 acres, Thomas Fire is now the fifth-largest wildfire in California history:  “Santa Barbara County was under siege from the Thomas fire Sunday as fire crews fought to keep the destructive blaze from the region’s picturesque beach communities.  Authorities said the out-of-control blaze had scorched 230,000 acres by Sunday evening, making it the fifth largest wildfire in modern California history.  The fire grew by more than 50,000 acres during the day, triggering new evacuation orders for about 5,000 county residents, including those east of Mission Canyon and north of Highway 192. An additional 30,000 residents west of Mission Canyon to Highway 154 and south of Highway 192 to the county line were told to prepare to leave. … ”  Read more from the LA Times here:  At 230,000 acres, Thomas Fire is now the fifth-largest wildfire in California history

There’s no rain in sight: So why is Southern California bracing for floods, mudslides? Even as charred hillsides smoldered from a series of wildfires that tore through Los Angeles County, state and local officials were planning last week to head into burn areas to assess slopes and culverts, in an effort to prevent flash floods and mudslides that can occur after a massive blaze.  The plans may seem early given that the recent Creek fire in the San Fernando Valley, the Rye fire in the Santa Clarita valley, and the Skirball fire near Bel-Air weren’t fully contained as the planning got into motion. Not only that, but Los Angeles has had a dry rainfall season so far this year, with no heavy rain in sight. The season begins on Oct. 1, but almost every area in Southern California has so far seen 10 percent less rainfall than normal, said Bill Patzert, climate scientist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena. ... ”  Read more from the Daily News here:  There’s no rain in sight: So why is Southern California bracing for floods, mudslides? 

Landmark settlement reached on Santa Margarita River use rights:  “A landmark agreement on the Santa Margarita River Conjunctive Use project between the Fallbrook Public Utility District and Camp Pendleton Marine Base promises to be signed Dec. 11, after 66 years of litigation in the U.S. courts and could be good news for the 10-year-old water rights settlement case that is hindering development along state Route 371 in the Valley.  The FPUD board of directors will meet with Camp Pendleton commanders and representatives from Rep. Duncan Hunter’s and Rep. Darrell Issa’s office at their regular Monday, Dec. 11, meeting to witness the expected signing of the agreement. The agreement will finally settle a critical portion of the U.S. v. FPUD lawsuit that has been in the federal courts since 1951, according to a news release from FPUD. … ”  Read more from the Anza Valley Outlook here:  Landmark settlement reached on Santa Margarita River use rights

Decades-long dispute over Arizona tribe’s water rights may soon be resolved:  “Arizona’s two U.S. Senators have introduced legislation that would allocate Colorado River water to the Hualapai Tribe in northern Arizona and pay for construction of a water pipeline.  The tribe owns and operates Grand Canyon West – home to the skywalk, a glass bridge 4,000 feet over the Grand Canyon floor that’s become a major tourist attraction, with more than a million visitors a year.  But with limited water supplies, the area’s future has been unclear. … ”  Read more from Arizona Public Radio here:  Decades-long dispute over Arizona tribe’s water rights may soon be resolved

More news and commentary in the weekend edition …

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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