In California water news today, What, if anything, is lost in building one tunnel, not two?; Welcome snow slows California’s plunge back to drought; Weak Sacramento chinook salmon run could hurt, eliminate ocean fishing; Most California schools OK for lead levels in drinking water; thousands yet to be tested; To feed the nation, California farmers must adapt to a warming climate, study says; and more …
In the news today …
What, if anything, is lost in building one tunnel, not two? “Two tunnels, one or none? The question continues to swirl around plans to perform major surgery on the sickly heart of California’s water system. Confronted with a shortage of funding, state officials announced last month that they would move ahead with the construction of one giant water tunnel under the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta rather than two. But the announcement did little to settle the fate of the project, which Gov. Jerry Brown’s administration considers vital to sustaining water deliveries to one of the country’s richest agricultural regions and the urban sprawl of Southern California. ... ” Read more from the LA Times here: What, if anything, is lost in building one tunnel, not two?
Welcome snow slows California’s plunge back to drought: “Welcome drifts of fresh snow await California’s water managers on their late-winter survey of the vital Sierra Nevada snowpack Monday after a massive winter storm slowed the state’s plunge back into drought. The storm piled snow by the foot in the mountains, forcing Department of Water Resources officials to postpone the measurement for a few days. “We didn’t feel like it would be safe” for water officials and news crews who turn out for the monthly winter assessments of Sierra snowpack to make the trek during last week’s storm, said Chris Orrock, a spokesman for state water officials. ... ” Read more from WTOP here: Welcome snow slows California’s plunge back to drought
Weak Sacramento River chinook salmon run could hurt, eliminate ocean fishing: “Despite a huge increase expected in the number of fall chinook salmon bound for the Rogue River this fall, continued problems with Sacramento River salmon survival means there likely will be very little sport and commercial salmon fishing this summer off the Southern Oregon coast — and maybe none. Preliminary stock assessments estimate that 462,800 Rogue fall chinook are now in the ocean, 216,000 more than last year, according to federal Pacific Fishery Management Council reports. Of those, an estimated 130,000 fall chinook are expected to head past tidewater and into the Rogue this summer and fall — 260 percent more than last year. … ” Read more from the Mail Tribune here: Weak Sacramento River chinook salmon run could hurt, eliminate ocean fishing
Most California schools OK for lead levels in drinking water; thousands yet to be tested: “Less than 1 percent of recent drinking water samples at California’s public schools showed elevated lead levels. But thousands more campuses still need to be tested, state officials said last week. A new law, AB 746, took effect in January requiring those tests at public schools over the next 16 months. … ” Read more from the Ventura County Star here: Most California schools OK for lead levels in drinking water; thousands yet to be tested
To feed the nation, California farmers must adapt to a warming climate, study says: “Heat waves, droughts and floods are climate trends that will force California farmers to change some practices — including what they grow — to continue producing yields that historically have fed people nationwide, a new study by the University of California says. Researchers reviewed 89 studies on California climate trends and impacts on the state’s diverse agriculture industry to predict how the industry must adjust through the end of the 21st century. “Understanding climate change and how it is impacting agriculture can help us develop relevant adaptation strategies and enhance agricultural resilience to climate risks,” said Tapan Pathak, the lead author on the paper, which was published on Agronomy. ... ” Read more from the Fresno Bee here: To feed the nation, California farmers must adapt to a warming climate, study says
Stanford plans to remove Laguinita Dam: “Stanford University officials are looking at tearing down Lagunita Dam and restoring habitat for endangered steelhead in the San Francisquito Creek. The university is seeking approval from Santa Clara County officials for its architecture-and-site plan and grading. The Lagunita Dam Diversion Project would remove the 119-year-old dam and restore 480 feet of the creek, improving fish passage with pools, shallows and native plants. ... ” Read more from the Almanac here: Stanford plans to remove Laguinita Dam
Sand replenishment begins at Cardiff State Beach: “Sand replenishment began last week at Cardiff State Beach, one of the first milestones in a $120 million, four-year effort to restore the San Elijo Lagoon. Improved water quality, greater wildlife diversity, more public recreational trails and a greater resilience to environmental change are among the long-term goals of the restoration, which has been planned for decades. “There have been a lot of sleepless nights leading up to this,” lagoon conservancy president and chief scientist Doug Gibson said Tuesday during a visit to the work site. Despite his nervous nights, the restoration began in December and is off to a good start. ... ” Read more from the San Diego Union Tribune here: Sand replenishment begins at Cardiff State Beach
Along the Colorado River …
Utah, America’s thirstiest state, wrestles with unmetered water use: “If you live in Utah, chances are good that you’re getting a sweet deal on water for your lawn and landscaping. In fact, you might be paying next to nothing for it, at least compared to nearly everywhere else in the West. Utah has a unique system of delivering irrigation water to residential yards that dates back to the 1800s, when the state was settled by Mormon pioneers. It allows homeowners to access untreated agricultural water from canals, sold at an unmetered flat rate, to irrigate their lawns, gardens and landscaping. … ” Read more from Water Deeply here: Utah, America’s thirstiest state, wrestles with unmetered water use
Colorado land buys raise water speculation fears: “When Colorado River District officials caught wind of investment companies recently buying western Colorado ranches with ample senior water rights, including one north of Fruita, it got their attention. The district, which includes Mesa County and 14 other counties and focuses on the protection, conservation, use and development of Colorado River water in western Colorado, long has been concerned about protecting the region’s agricultural sector. Now district staff are worried about a potential new threat to it, from investment companies buying water rights possibly as a speculative investment, and looking to profit later in deals that could lead to some local agricultural land no longer being irrigated and reverting to desert. … ” Read more from the SF Chronicle here: Colorado land buys raise water speculation fears
More news and commentary in the weekend edition …
Precipitation watch …
From the National Weather Service: “Dry weather with frosty mornings are in store for interior NorCal through Tuesday. Another weather system moves in midweek, this one much warmer and weaker than our previous storms. Low precipitation accumulations are expected with this system.”
Also on Maven’s Notebook today …
- RESERVOIR AND WATER CONDITIONS for March 5
- NEWS WORTH NOTING: Friant Water Authority welcomes back Fresno Irrigation District and Chowchilla Water District as general members
- CALENDAR NOTES: Salmon Disease Ecology Workshop; Symposium on Making Safe, Clean, Affordable and Accessible Water a Reality; California Water Policy Conference: Water we going to do?; Is your community prepared for extreme weather events?; Innovative Water Technologies
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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.
