In California water news today, First big winter storm reaches California. Here’s what it means for the water year; Storm to continue into Tuesday evening; heightening flooding, mudslide risk in fire-scarred Southern California; Agricultural demand for water has California’s Central Valley sinking fast; Subsidence shrinks Friant-Kern capacity by 60%; Central Valley refuge provides water infrastructure and waterfowl habitat; Radio show: Oroville Dam report finds water officials ‘overconfident’ and ‘complacent’; and more …
On the calendar today …
- California Water Plan: All chapters web-a-thon from 9am to 4:45pm: Webinar will preview all five chapters of California Water Plan Update 2018. Click here for more information.
- Assembly Committee on Water, Parks, and Wildlife at 9am: Regular bill hearing. Click here for more information.
- State Water Resources Control Board meets at 9:30am. Agenda items include consideration of a proposed Resolution approving an Amendment to the Water Quality Control Plan for the Sacramento and San Joaquin River Basins to Establish Salinity Objectives in the Lower San Joaquin River upstream of Vernalis, and a public hearing on for the Proposed Amendment to the Statewide General Permit for the Discharge of Storm Water Associated with Industrial Activities. Click here for more information.
In the news today …
Also on Maven’s Notebook today …
First big winter storm reaches California. Here’s what it means for the water year: “California finally got its first real taste of winter weather Monday as a substantial rainstorm swept through the state, causing numerous traffic accidents and bringing warnings of flooding and mudslides in areas burned by wildfires. The National Weather Service said much of the Sacramento Valley could receive up to 2 inches of rain by the time the storm winds down late Tuesday or early Wednesday. Although the storm started out fairly warm, bringing mostly rain, parts of the Sierra Nevada could expect as much as 30 inches of snow. … ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee here: First big winter storm reaches California. Here’s what it means for the water year
California storm sets rainfall records, triggers trouble in fire zones: “After a bone dry December, the stubborn atmospheric ridge of the Pacific Coast has broken down, the storm door has opened up, and on Monday, Californians from Redding to San Diego welcomed something we haven’t seen all winter: the Golden State’s first significant storm of the season. San Francisco racked up its most rainfall in a calendar day — more than 3.15 inches — since 2014. Southern Big Sur got pounded by more than nearly 4.5 inches. Residents in fire-damaged regions in both the north and south faced flash flood watches and warnings, prompting evacuations in Southern California where the Thomas fire burned until nearly Christmas. What a difference a month makes. … ” Read more from the San Jose Mercury News here: California storm sets rainfall records, triggers trouble in fire zones
Rains finally arrive, bringing new danger to California’s vast fire zones: “In the mountains above coastal Santa Barbara County, the vegetation is typically so deep and lush that it can soak up a half-inch of rainwater before it flows downhill. But that was before the Thomas fire swept through in December, burning those trees and brush to the ground. Now, the rain has no buffer, and that is cause for alarm. “It hits the dirt directly and it is instant runoff and carries that sediment,” Thomas D. Fayram, the deputy public works director for the county, told concerned residents at a community meeting several weeks ago. ... ” Read more from the LA Times here: Rains finally arrive, bringing new danger to California’s vast fire zones
Storm to continue into Tuesday evening; heightening flooding, mudslide risk in fire-scarred Southern California: “A powerful storm will plow into California with heavy rain, mountain snow, gusty winds and a significant mudslide threat into Tuesday night. “This storm will be significant for Southern California due to the dry start to the rainy season,” AccuWeather Meteorologist Jordan Root said. The risk of fast-moving mudslides and debris flows will be high given the amount and intensity of rainfall expected over recent burn-scar locations. ... ” Read more from AccuWeather here: Storm to continue into Tuesday evening; heighten flooding, mudslide risk in fire-scarred Southern California
Agricultural demand for water has California’s Central Valley sinking fast: “In a quiet agricultural community in Fresno County things have been sinking for a long time. California’s Central Valley subsidence problem was discovered decades ago, right around El Nido. Now, this town is more famous for its elevation than its population because agriculture’s demand for water here has sent pumps ever deeper into the ground, causing the valley floor to sink by dozens of feet. … ” Read more from CBS Bay Area here: Agricultural demand for water has California’s Central Valley sinking fast
Subsidence shrinks Friant-Kern capacity by 60%: “Subsidence along the Friant-Kern Canal is nothing new. However, a five-inch drop within the past year in southern Tulare County is troublesome as it caused a 60 percent reduction in deliveries to districts along the lower half of the canal system. Canal capacity in the area is now about 1,750 cubic feet per second, down from a designed capacity of 4,000 cfs. ... ” Read more from the Western Farm Press here: Subsidence shrinks Friant-Kern capacity by 60%
Central Valley refuge provides water infrastructure and waterfowl habitat: “About 20 minutes south of Sacramento, Stone Lakes National Wildlife Refuge is divided by a freeway and surrounded by farmland. Its location was not one of happenstance, nor was it solely based on the need for habitat for a specific species. It was a strategic decision made over the course of three decades to help manage flood waters in California’s Central Valley. Just over 6,500 acres in size, Stone Lakes contains three natural, shallow lakes and a series of sloughs that are within the 100-year floodplain of the Sacramento Delta. The refuge is flanked by dairy farms and vineyards to the west and a growing urban community to the east. ... ” Read more from the US FWS here: Central Valley refuge provides water infrastructure and waterfowl habitat
Trump to farmers: Aren’t you happy you voted for me? “Connecting with rural Americans, President Donald Trump on Monday hailed his tax overhaul as a victory for family farmers and pitched his vision to expand access to broadband internet, a cornerstone of economic development in the nation’s heartland. “Those towers are going to go up and you’re going to have great, great broadband,” Trump told the annual convention of the American Farm Bureau Federation. ... ” Read more from the San Jose Mercury News here: Trump to farmers: Aren’t you happy you voted for me?
Exxon launches counterattack against California-based ‘climate conspiracy’ lawsuits: “Exxon Mobil launched a legal counterattack Monday against seven cities in California that want state courts to force the oil company to pay for infrastructure improvements to help them adapt to climate change. The oil giant argued that it and other Texas-based energy firms have become the target of a “conspiracy” among liberal state attorneys general and other officials seeking to blame it for driving up emissions that are causing the earth’s temperature to rise. … ” Read more from the Washington Post here: Exxon launches counterattack against California-based ‘climate conspiracy’ lawsuits
Special feature …
Take a virtual tour of California’s floodplains.
In commentary today …
Water bond pitches get creative, says the Chico Enterprise-Record: They write, “We now know which water storage projects are vying for money from the Proposition 1 water bonds, and we now know the applicants are very creative at describing what they have in mind. Eleven different advocate groups made multimedia presentations to the California Water Commission in December, making pitches for the $2.7 billion for water storage that was included in the measure passed by voters in November 2014. There are strict limitations on how the money can be allocated, and that inspired some interesting representations of what was proposed. … ” Read more from the Chico Enterprise-Record here: Water bond pitches get creative
In regional news and commentary today …
Santa Rosa: Heightened potential for post-fire flash flooding and debris flows: “Public officials have put thousands of Sonoma County homeowners on notice that October firestorms have left them at risk of powerful rain-related hazards such as flash floods and mud flows — threats heightened by a scarred landscape expected to absorb less rainfall than usual for the next few years. Notifications mailed late last month and nearly three dozen road signs around the fire zones are intended to alert both residents and those passing through that even short bursts of heavy rain could cause sudden flooding or swollen rivers of soil, rock and other materials to materialize into mud or debris flows. ... ” Read more from the Santa Rosa Press Democrat here: Santa Rosa: Heightened potential for post-fire flash flooding and debris flows
Heavy rain prompts water agency to deflate Russian River dam: “An inflatable dam on the Russian River near Forestville will be taken down starting today to protect residents downstream and to protect the dam, Sonoma County Water Agency officials said. Crews already began deflating the dam, something that’s done regularly when flows on the river reach 2,000 cubic feet per second. ... ” Read more from Fox 2 News here: Heavy rain prompts water agency to deflate Russian River dam
Stockton: ‘Held hostage’: Lawsuits threaten project: “The federal government tentatively has endorsed it. The state has offered to help pay for it. Technical experts have reviewed it. A judge has upheld it. And the people voted for it. Despite all of this, officials are warning of the potential for “substantial delays” in the construction of a flood control gate near the mouth of Smith Canal, in central Stockton, a project that is supposed to rescue thousands of property owners — some of them economically distressed — from a flood insurance mandate. … ” Read more from the Stockton Record here: Stockton: ‘Held hostage’: Lawsuits threaten project
Manteca working on keeping storm system effective: “Manteca’s storm system — that for the most part has been working flawlessly for years — is being looked at to make sure new growth doesn’t create problems. The city is working with the South San Joaquin Irrigation District to make sure that storm run-off being sent into the drainage canal along the Union Pacific tracks separating Manteca from Lathrop and flows north into the French camp Slough and ultimately the San Joaquin River will be able to accommodate growth. … ” Read more from the Manteca Bulletin here: Manteca working on keeping storm system effective
Lower Owens River project drowning in tules: “Eleven years ago, then Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa turned the knob at a diversion dam below Lake Tinnemaha sending water down the 62-mile stretch of the Owens River to the dry lake. In an interview with the LA Times Louis Sahagun, Villaraigosa said “This is a new chapter in our relationship with the Owens Valley. We can’t take back what happened here 90 years ago, but we can make it better.” ... ” Read more from the Sierra Wave here: Lower Owens River Project drowning in tules
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.
