DAILY DIGEST: EPA administrator holds roundtable with California farmers; Report: Half of the West’s rivers altered by development, diversions; Storm flooded Foothills hatchery with 1.4 million trout; fast work saved thousands; Raising an entire island? That’s ‘insane’; and more …

In California water news today, EPA administrator holds roundtable with California farmers; Late Sierra storms rival ‘Miracle March’ of ’91: Snowpack up; Report: Half of the West’s rivers altered by development, diversions; USFWS releases water from Klamath refuge; Storm flooded Foothills hatchery with 1.4 million trout; fast work saved thousands; Despite recent rains, Santa Barbara still in drought emergency; Newport Beach: Raising an entire island? That’s ‘insane’; When a drought lasts 18 years, does it need a new name?; and more …

On the calendar today …

• A webinar: Fairly (or Unfairly Traceable?) Traceable: Are Discharges Through Groundwater Subject to the Clean Water Act? at 12pm from BB&K.  Click here to register.
• AB 1755 Implementation Webinar from 3:00 to 4:30pm.  Click here for more information.

In the news today …

EPA administrator holds roundtable with California farmers:  “In order to hear firsthand from California farmers and ranchers, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt held two roundtable discussions in the state this week on issues of interest to agriculture—including the “waters of the United States” or WOTUS rule.  “We’re listening to stakeholders to make sure that we are making informed decisions,” Pruitt told a group of Southern California farmers and agricultural representatives during the discussion at the Riverside County Farm Bureau in Moreno Valley.  A WOTUS rule finalized by the EPA and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers under the Obama administration in 2015 would significantly expand the definition of waters regulated under the Clean Water Act. The rule came under criticism from farmers, ranchers and other landowners. … ”  Read more from Ag Alert here:  EPA administrator holds roundtable with California farmers

Late Sierra storms rival ‘Miracle March’ of ’91: Snowpack up:  “A series of late winter storms rivaling the “Miracle March” of 1991 has bolstered an otherwise dismal season of snowpack in the northern Sierra.  The Reno Gazette Journal reports that snowpack in the Lake Tahoe area grew from 25 percent to 73 percent between March 1 and March 25 — an increase of 48 percentage points.  In 1991, the Tahoe basin snowpack was at 15 percent of median on March 1 but by March 25 had reached 74 percent, a difference of 59 percentage points. ... ”  Read more from the Sacramento Bee here:  Late Sierra storms rival ‘Miracle March’ of ’91: Snowpack up

Report: Half of the West’s rivers altered by development, diversions:  “Many Americans may not realize it, but rivers throughout the West are increasingly under siege. The threats are not as apparent as they once were in the era of big dam building, which makes them that much more troubling. Climate change, land development and catastrophic forest fires are the big concerns today. These are relatively slow-moving threats, but no less transformative.  Water development is still a player. Colorado, Utah and California are all entertaining big new dam proposals. All three states are also pondering major pipelines to divert river flows, even as those flows diminish due to persistent drought and a warming climate. ... ”  Read more from Water Deeply here:  Report: Half of the West’s rivers altered by development, diversions

In regional news and commentary today …

USFWS releases water from Klamath refuge: “Bureau of Reclamation personnel burned away weeds Wednesday morning at the Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge along the banks of a gated water way, through which water from the refuge is being discharged to the Klamath River.  The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, in conjunction with Reclamation’s Klamath Basin Area Office, started releasing water this week from the refuge in what will total roughly 7,000 acre feet over the next three to four weeks. … ”  Read more from the Herald & News here:  USFWS releases water from Klamath refuge

Hoopa Valley Tribe questions Reclamation’s proposed Klamath operations plan:  “The Hoopa Valley Tribe, in response to the Bureau of Reclamation’s proposed 2018 Klamath Project Operations plan, says the BOR prioritizes farmers over fish and goes against a federal court order that they, the Yurok Tribe and environmental groups secured last year to protect threatened salmon.  The court order requires the bureau to release a 72-hour flushing flow from Iron Gate Dam into the river to flush out worms that host the parasite. The order also requires the bureau to hold 50,000 acre-feet of water in reserve for an emergency diluting flow in case juvenile salmon still show signs of infection. ... ”  Read more from the Herald & News here:  Hoopa Valley Tribe questions Reclamation’s proposed Klamath operations plan

Klamath River salmon fishing season set to reopen:  “The Klamath River salmon season is set to reopen this year, according to the Pacific Fishery Management Council, giving fishermen and local tribes an opportunity make up the losses sustained by last year’s full closure of the fishery.  The council — which makes recommendations to federal agencies on fishing rules — is set to finalize its decisions during its April 5-11 meetings in Portland, Oregon. … ”  Read more from the Eureka Times-Standard here:  Klamath River salmon fishing season set to reopen

Humboldt Bay water district gets $693K grant:  “The Humboldt Bay Municipal Water District has been awarded a $693,408 Wildlife Conservation Board Grant, which will be used to investigate dedicating a portion of HBMWD’s water rights to instream flow for beneficial use. This stream flow dedication is intended to benefit fish and wildlife by increasing habitat for salmonids and special status species in the Mad River. ... ”  Read more from the Eureka Times-Standard here:  Humboldt Bay water district gets $693K grant

Tahoe aquatic invasive species program takes hold:  “No one foresees the threat of aquatic invasive species going away, so permanent inspection stations for boats are probably going to become the norm in the Lake Tahoe Basin.  The first one is likely to be built in the Spooner Summit area. Nevada and U.S. Forest Service officials are studying it as part of the Highway 28 upgrades.  This is the 10th year the AIS program has been in existence under the purview of the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency. It’s a multi-faceted program that involves several agencies.  The goals include keeping out new invasive species and trying to reduce or eradicate the ones that exist. ... ”  Read more from Lake Tahoe News here:  Tahoe aquatic invasive species program takes hold

What would the loss of Sierra snowpack mean for Northern Nevada?  “During the region’s last drought from 2015 to 2017, area lakes and reservoirs nearly ran dry; ski seasons started late and ended early; hotel rooms in the Lake Tahoe and Reno-Sparks areas remained vacant; and farmers and ranchers saw their crop yields and herd levels plummet.  While the region’s economy continued to recover from the impacts of the Great Recession, some Northern Nevada industry sectors experienced economic hardship on par with the impacts experienced during the Dust Bowl and Great Depression of the 1930s. … ”  Read more from the Reno Gazette Journal here:  What would the loss of Sierra snowpack mean for Northern Nevada?

Folsom Lake on the rise:  “It was just one month ago little hope remained that Folsom Lake would rise anywhere near capacity this season and that the future boating season may be one of short duration. What a difference one month, or one major storm, can make.  Following last week’s series of supercharged storms, the season ahead is not looking nearly as gloomy. The storm that wreaked havoc with flooded roadways, traffic collisions and even local water rescues was accompanied by significant increases in Folsom Lake’s level and inflow. … ”  Read more from the Folsom Telegraph here:  Folsom Lake on the rise

Storm flooded Foothills hatchery with 1.4 million trout; fast work saved thousands:  “The California Department of Fish and Wildlife is praising its Moccasin Creek Hatchery workers after they saved nearly a quarter of the hatchery’s trout when water from a nearby dam flooded the facility.  The Moccasin Reservoir dam was in imminent danger of failing March 22 when the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission — which manages the reservoir — ordered the evacuation of the trout hatchery and Moccasin Point Marina after an unusually heavy downpour raised the reservoir’s water level and the 60-foot-tall earthen dam developed a leak. … ”  Read more from the Modesto Bee here:  Storm flooded Foothills hatchery with 1.4 million trout; fast work saved thousands

How much did March storms help San Luis Obispo County reservoirs?  “The storms that swept through San Luis Obispo County last week gave area reservoirs a desperately needed boost.  The “Minor Miracle March” brought wind, rain and flooding to the Central Coast, leaving at least 2 inches of precipitation in its wake throughout the county, according to John Lindsey, a PG&E meteorologist.  Lopez Dam in the South County got 3.9 inches, Santa Margarita in the North County got 5.4 inches, Cal Poly got 4.35 inches and Morro Bay got 5.05 inches. … ”  Read more from the San Luis Obispo Tribune here:  How much did March storms help San Luis Obispo County reservoirs? 

Paso Robles: Turning wine into water: Vintner David Parrish works to restore Adelaida Creek: “In 2013, Parrish Family Vineyard owner/winemaker David Parrish noticed something funny at his Adelaida Vineyard, just beyond the vines. It was a faint, curving pattern at the bottom of a dusty slope.  Any winemaker worth his salt should know his land like the back of his sun-beaten hand. So, Parrish called in an expert to weigh in.  Enter local consulting biologist Brian Dugas, who pored over topography maps and confirmed that the subtle, linear dip Parrish had noticed below his boots was none other than a dried up creek bed. … ”  Read more from New Times SLO here:  Turning wine into water: Vintner David Parrish works to restore Adelaida Creek

Despite recent rains, Santa Barbara still in drought emergency:  “Despite the recent heavy rains, the city of Santa Barbara still remains in a “drought emergency” and the federal drought monitor has worsened from moderate to severe.  The current 3-month outlook from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicts below average rainfall for the Central Coast through mid-June.  Although there was above-average rainfall in January and February 2017 — and two big rain storms in January and March of 2018 — the average rainfall for the last six years still remains one of the lowest on record. … ”  Read more from Noozhawk here:  Despite recent rains, Santa Barbara still in drought emergency

Santa Barbara awarded $10 million desalination grant:  “The city of Santa Barbara has been awarded a $10 million grant by the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) to offset the $72 million cost of reactivating the Charles E. Meyer Desalination Plant.  The desalination plant has been a permanent part of the city’s water supply portfolio since 1994, and in its reactivated state has been supplying water to city water customers since May 2017. … ”  Read more from Noozhawk here:  Santa Barbara awarded $10 million desalination grant

Newport Beach: Raising an entire island? That’s ‘insane’:  “An aqua-blue bay filled with white boats surrounds Balboa Island, an exclusive enclave with water views from multimillion-dollar homes.  The bay is a major reason that 3,300 people live on the island. It’s also increasingly treacherous. In recent years, the bay has gushed over an aging sea wall when major storms strike at high tide.  The island, built on dredged sand and silt, sits below high tide. Projections for sea-level rise estimate the water here will climb 6 inches by 2035 and 1.4 feet by 2050, according to researchers at the University of California, Irvine. … ”  Read more from E&E News here:  Newport Beach: Raising an entire island? That’s ‘insane’

Along the Colorado River …

When a drought lasts 18 years, does it need a new name?  “From the roof of Chuck McAfee’s adobe farmhouse in rural southwestern Colorado, you can see into three other states: Arizona, New Mexico and Utah. Mountain peaks are just barely visible above the horizon.  Even though this part of Montezuma County is considered the high desert, it’s common for these grass and sagebrush hills to be snow-covered into spring. This year they’re bare, and have been since last winter.  “Right out through there for a couple miles is a great cross country ski trail,” McAfee says as he points toward a gently sloping hill. “But that hasn’t been used this winter either. No snow.” ... ”  Read more from KUNC here: When a drought lasts 18 years, does it need a new name? 

Also on Maven’s Notebook today …

• CA WATER POLICY CONFERENCE: Department of Water Resources Director Karla Nemeth shares her vision for moving the Department forward
• NEWS WORTH NOTING: Cal Water Fix: Design refinements proposed to minimize impacts, improve performance and reduce costs; Delta Conservancy awards $18.9 million to nine Delta projects
• SCIENCE NEWS: Going with the flow: CDFW’s water branch keeps a careful eye on California’s riverine resources; Tidal marsh restoration helps build resiliency in the Silicon Valley; Hope for rainbow trout on the Stanislaus River; and more …

Sign up for daily email service and you’ll never miss a post …

Sign up for free daily email service and you’ll get all the Notebook’s aggregated and original water news content delivered to your email box by 9AM. And with breaking news alerts, you’ll always be one of the first to know …

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.