In California water news today, Long road still ahead for California’s Delta tunnels plan; Billions of gallons of water saved by thinning forests; California’s deadly 1862 flood likely to repeat within 50 years, study says; USGS quake monitors pick up vibrations at Oroville Dam construction site; Temperance Flat project persisting; Radio show: Water Commission Deals A Blow To Temperance Flat Dam Dreams; After brief relief, forecasts are that drought will continue; EPA: Pruitt to unveil ‘secret science’ effort today — sources; World’s first ocean plastic-cleaning machine to gobble up Great Pacific Garbage Patch; and more …
On the calendar today …
- Water Commission staff will meet with water storage project proponents today and tomorrow to discuss the recently released Public Benefit Ratios. Click here for more information. Click here to watch on webcast.
- The Assembly Committee on Water Parks and Wildlife will hold a hearing beginning at 9:00am. Bills to be heard include Frazier’s bill to sunset the Delta Stewardship Council, urban water management planning, California waterfowl habitat program, lake or streambed alterations, dam safety. Click here for more information.
- The Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Water will hold a hearing beginning at 9:30am. Agenda items include Regional Climate Collaborative Program, Napa River flood control, Ocean Protection Council. Click here for more information.
- The Department of Water Resources will hold a SGMA Assistance Workshop in Clovis at 1pm. Click here for more information and to register.
In the news today …
Also on Maven’s Notebook today …
- BLOG ROUND-UP: Tunnels, earthquakes, weather whiplash, Crop water use in the Delta, salmon straying, and more …
- NEWS WORTH NOTING: New study advances the science of measuring crop water use in California’s Delta; Central Valley Water Board issues penalty to Kern County Grower for failing to acquire water quality permit
- CALIFORNIA WATER FIX HEARING: Ruling letter for April 23
Long road still ahead for California’s Delta tunnels plan: “A decision by California’s largest water supplier on April 10 ended months of uncertainty over its role in the funding of California Water Fix, the state’s plan to build new water conveyance infrastructure in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. The board of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California voted to chip in $10.8 billion to help Water Fix’s nearly $17 billion price tag for two tunnels that would transport water under the Delta. Metropolitan’s decision puts the project on a much firmer financial footing, but Lisa Lien-Mager, deputy secretary for communications at the California Natural Resources Agency, said there are a few water agencies that still need to take specific funding commitments to their boards and more details on the project funding will be available in May. … ” Read more from Water Deeply here: Long road still ahead for California’s Delta tunnels plan
Billions of gallons of water saved by thinning forests: “There are too many trees in Sierra Nevada forests, say scientists affiliated with the National Science Foundation (NSF) Southern Sierra Critical Zone Observatory (CZO). That may come as a surprise to those who see dense, verdant forests as signs of a healthy environment. After all, green is good, right? Not necessarily. When it comes to the number of trees in California forests, bigger isn’t always better. That’s in part because trees use lots of water to carry out basic biological tasks. In addition, they act as forest steam stacks, raking up water stored in the ground and expelling it as vapor into the atmosphere, where it’s accessible to humans and forest ecosystems only when it falls back to Earth as rain and snow. ... ” Read more from PhysOrg here: Billions of gallons of water saved by thinning forests
California’s deadly 1862 flood likely to repeat within 50 years, study says: “The 1862 flood that went down as the worst washout in modern California history, transforming the Central Valley into a raging sea and stealing countless lives and property, is often described as an improbable 200-year event. A study published Monday, however, turns those odds in a bad way, saying extreme weather swings from brutal dry spells to intense storms will become increasingly frequent, a phenomenon the authors dub “precipitation whiplash.” … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle here: California’s deadly 1862 flood likely to repeat within 50 years, study says
Wilder weather swings in California’s future could spell disaster: “If you think California has seen some wild weather recently, fasten your seat belt. An eye-popping new study from climate scientists at UCLA projects big increases in the frequency of extreme events at both ends of the wet-dry spectrum: big flood-inducing storms as well as droughts. “I can definitely attest to being unnerved by some of our findings,” says the normally restrained Daniel Swain, lead author on the study. …. ” Read more from KQED here: Wilder weather swings in California’s future could spell disaster
Climate change will make California’s drought-flood cycle more volatile, study finds: “Californians should expect more dramatic swings between dry and wet years as the climate warms, according to a new study that found it likely that the state will be hit by devastating, widespread flooding in coming decades. UC researchers in essence found that California’s highly volatile climate will become even more volatile as human-caused climate change tinkers with atmospheric patterns over the eastern Pacific Ocean. … ” Read more from the LA Times here: Climate change will make California’s drought-flood cycle more volatile, study finds
USGS quake monitors pick up vibrations at Oroville Dam construction site: “The U.S. Geological Survey over the last year has recorded dozens of weak and shallow earthquakes near Oroville Dam and its spillways. And nearly all the tremors — including a magnitude-0.8 quake recorded Wednesday — share the same designation: “Chemical explosion.” The state Department of Water Resources said periodic shaking at the dam picked up by USGS monitors has been caused by controlled blasts supporting construction efforts at the site, where workers have been repairing the dam’s main spillway after it crumbled last year, among other projects. … ” Read more from the Chico Enterprise-Record here: USGS quake monitors pick up vibrations at Oroville Dam construction site
Temperance Flat project persisting: “Though the Temperance Flat Reservoir Project has been dealt another blow, proponents of the project are vowing not to give up on bringing more water storage to the Valley. The San Joaquin Valley Water Infrastructure Authority, a joint power authority, filed an application with the California Water Commission in August 2017 asking for $1 billion of Proposition 1 water bond money to build the dam north of Fresno above Millerton Lake. Altogether, the Water Commission is expected to allot around $2.7 billion for new water storage projects. Applicants from across the state submitted projects for the commission’s evaluation on their eligibility and the level of public benefits provided. ... ” Read more from the Hanford Sentinel here: Temperance Flat project persisting
Radio show: Water Commission Deals A Blow To Temperance Flat Dam Dreams: “The California Water Commission delivered bad news last Friday to the backers of a proposed new dam on the San Joaquin River near Fresno. Supporters had hoped to receive around $1 billion in funding for the $2.7 billion project from the money voters approved in the 2014 Proposition 1 water bond. Instead, the commission awarded Temperance Flat only $171 million. Other proposed storage facilities fared better, such as the Sites Reservoir, which scored nearly $1 billion in funding. So what are the winners and losers saying? We spoke with Sacramento Bee reporter Dale Kasler about who won, who lost and what’s next.” Listen at Valley Public Radio here: Radio show: Water Commssion Deals A Blow To Temperance Flat Dam Dreams
After brief relief, forecasts are that drought will continue: “Dry weather will prolong the wildfire threat through summer in the southwestern United States, even though weekend showers temporarily relieved drought conditions in parts of the area, forecasters said Monday. The drought is rooted in a dry spell that began in October and is considered “extreme” from southern California to central Kansas. Conditions are even worse in the Four Corners region and the Oklahoma and Texas panhandles, warranting their description as “exceptional.” ... ” Read more from the Capital Press here: After brief relief, forecasts are that drought will continue
EPA: Pruitt to unveil ‘secret science’ effort today — sources: “Scott Pruitt is expected today to unveil his plans to restrict science used by EPA, multiple sources told E&E News. The EPA administrator is slated to release an order requiring that all underlying data used in scientific studies affecting regulations be made public. The move fulfills a long-standing wish of some conservatives who argue that EPA has been relying on “secret science” when crafting rules. Pruitt’s announcement is scheduled for 2 p.m. at agency headquarters, according to someone familiar with the event. Conservative supporters of the initiative are expected to be among those attending. … ” Read more from E&E News here: EPA: Pruitt to unveil ‘secret science’ effort today — sources
World’s first ocean plastic-cleaning machine to gobble up Great Pacific Garbage Patch: “The first-ever machine to clean up the planet’s largest chunk of ocean plastic is due to set sail. It’s heading to the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, halfway between California and Hawaii, where it will commence collecting the 1.8 trillion pieces of plastic rubbish amassed there by ocean currents. The system uses a combination of huge floating nets (dubbed “screens”) held in place by giant tubes, ironically made out of plastic, to suck stubborn waste out of water. It will then then transfer this debris to large ships that will take it to shore for recycling. … ” Read more from The Sun here: World’s first ocean plastic-cleaning machine to gobble up Great Pacific Garbage Patch
In regional news and commentary today …
Tensions rise at Klamath Irrigation District; Irrigators allege water mismanagement: “Klamath Irrigation District could start charging canals with water at a very low level by Friday, according to Ty Kliewer, chairman of KID. However, an overall water allocation for the Klamath Basin Project by the Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) is still uncertain but anticipated to be between 205,000 and 255,000 acre feet on or before June 15; about one-fifth of the full 325,000 acre feet delivered in 2017. The decision to charge canals could also change, pending a ruling from Judge William H. Orrick regarding water delivery for the Project. That is expected sometime Thursday or later. … ” Read more from the Herald & News here: Tensions rise at Klamath Irrigation District; Irrigators allege water mismanagement
Siskiyou County Board of Supervisors maintains opposition to state’s Big Springs Ranch purchase: “Wolves may have taken center stage in the Siskiyou County Board of Supervisors’ discussion with California Department of Fish and Wildlife officials last week, but the agency’s proposed purchase of the Shasta Big Springs Ranch drew some criticism from the board and public as well. The ranch is currently owned by The Nature Conservancy, which purchased the property in 2009 with the stated purpose of showing that fish conservation and ranching could be compatible. CDFW purchased the water right associated with the property in 2015, and has been in negotiations with TNC regarding purchase of the ranch itself, according to CDFW Northern Region Manager Neil Manji, who spoke with the board at its April 17 meeting. … ” Read more from the Siskiyou Daily News here: Siskiyou County Board of Supervisors maintains opposition to state’s Big Springs Ranch purchase
Mathews resigns from Yuba County Water Agency committee over groundwater initiative: “Yuba County Water Agency board member Charlie Mathews resigned last week from one of the committees he serves on over what he said was an attempt by the water agency to quash an initiative he is proposing. An official with the agency said it’s Mathews’ way to have discussions out of the public’s eye. “I’ll still be participating on the agency’s board of directors, I just decided to resign from the Water Supply and Member Units Committee because the agency was essentially boxing me in to the point where I couldn’t talk to anyone else on the board about the initiative,” Mathews said. … ” Read more from the Appeal-Democrat here: Mathews resigns from Yuba County Water Agency committee over groundwater initiative
More than a month after megastorm, state says fish hatchery damage estimate is $3.2M: “Total damage estimates attributed to the March 22 megastorm, including Hetch Hetchy infrastructure, Tuolumne County infrastructure, and Caltrans roads in Tuolumne and Mariposa counties, now exceed $74 million, nearly double preliminary estimates. That includes $3.2 million in damage to the state fish hatchery at Moccasin Creek, which lies downstream from the compromised Hetch Hetchy Water & Power’s Mocassin Dam. ... ” Read more from the Union Democrat here: More than a month after megastorm, state says fish hatchery damage estimate is $3.2M
Marin bayland restoration work must continue with public awareness, says the Marin Independent Journal: They write, “It has been two years since Bay Area voters supported a $12-per-year parcel tax for preservation and protection of the bay’s wetlands. In Marin, the measure won a 73.5 percent majority, not only an impressive margin of victory for Measure AA but a public statement of interest in preserving and protecting baylands. Among Measure AA’s first projects in Marin will be restoration work around the Deer Island tidal basin and enhancement of the Pickleweed Park wetlands habitat, regarded as habitat for endangered species such as the Ridgway’s rail and the salt marsh harvest mouse. … ” Read more from the Marin Independent Journal here: Marin bayland restoration work must continue with public awareness
Santa Barbara: Injustice with each load, says Leila Kazarouni: She writes, “Below the campus of UC Santa Barbara overlook, a large wheel loader is depositing ash-filled debris onto Goleta Beach, indenting a deep tread pattern into the sodden sand. The muddied terrain, like quicksand, smells of smoke as it touches the water, awaiting the tide to clear it away. Following the Thomas Fire and storms in the area, mudslides brought down loads of debris that filled the creeks and streets of Montecito. This debris flow is arguably Santa Barbara’s worst disaster, holding a high death toll of 23 people and millions in property damage. The removal of the debris-flow mud began its journey to Goleta Beach, but why the dirt was arriving there was a mystery to many. ... ” Read more from the Santa Barbara Independent here: Injustice with each load
Compton: Inspectors checking discolored tap water: “Inspectors from the California Water Boards are in the neighborhood in the Compton and Willowbrook area going to different homes following reports about discolored water. Residents in the area say they’ve been seeing water that is dark and rust-colored. The inspectors are checking the water and collecting samples to see what’s in it. ... ” Read more from ABC 7 here: Compton: Inspectors checking discolored tap water
Coachella Valley: Still lacking safe drinking water, east valley residents claim space in water politics: “On the inside, Arcelia Duarte’s home looks like the kind of family residence you’d expect in any of California’s many middle-class neighborhoods. The small kitchen is spotless, the large wooden dinner table in an adjacent dining area is soaked in afternoon sunlight falling through white curtains. Duarte is the owner of the Duarte Mobile Home Park near Thermal as well as one of its residents. As normal as her family’s home may appear to visitors, the park’s residents are faced with an issue most of California’s urban dwellers would struggle to fathom: Their water, which comes from a local well, is contaminated by naturally occurring arsenic and bacteria. ... ” Read more from The Desert Sun here: Still lacking safe drinking water, east valley residents claim space in water politics
Funding secured for Salton Sea Management Plan: “A decade-long plan for dust suppression and habitat building projects at the Salton Sea will be fully funded, a Coachella Valley lawmaker’s office announced Friday. Assemblyman Eduardo Garcia, D-Coachella said that a “productive meeting” Thursday “between Governor Brown and representatives from our local Salton Sea Authority,” led to $280 million in funding for two park bond proposals aimed at funding air quality and habitat creation projects at the Salton Sea. … ” Read more from KMIR here: Funding secured for Salton Sea Management Plan
Along the Colorado River …
Water leases at root of recall effort on Colorado River Indian Reservation: “The Mojave Indians call themselves Pipa Aha Macav — “The People by the River.” The Colorado River is the economic and spiritual heartland for the Mojave and three other tribes that inhabit the Colorado River Indian Reservation, about four hours west of Tucson. For centuries, the Mojave fed themselves with maize, tepary beans, melons and other crops grown in the river’s floodplain. Today, they divert river water to a network of canals that support alfalfa, wheat and cotton farms on 77,000 acres. … ” Read more from the Arizona Daily Star here: Water leases at root of recall effort on Colorado River Indian Reservation
Rethinking groundwater use in Willcox: “Agriculture has long been the main economic driver in and around the southeastern Arizona town of Willcox. Unregulated pumping of groundwater and the expansion of a large dairy farm has been raising some questions about the region’s future. Coronado Farms is about 18 minutes south of Willcox. The Minnesota-based agribusiness Riverview bought the site in 2015. “Our primary focus is heifer development. So we get every 90-day-old heifer that’s born in the Riverview system … they stay here and grow up,” said Moiria White, who works on community relations at Coronado. … ” Read more from Arizona Public Media here: Rethinking groundwater use in Willcox
Also on Maven’s Notebook today …
- BLOG ROUND-UP: Tunnels, earthquakes, weather whiplash, Crop water use in the Delta, salmon straying, and more …
- NEWS WORTH NOTING: New study advances the science of measuring crop water use in California’s Delta; Central Valley Water Board issues penalty to Kern County Grower for failing to acquire water quality permit
- CALIFORNIA WATER FIX HEARING: Ruling letter for April 23
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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.
