In California water news today, California limits daily personal water use to 55 gallons – kind of; California wildfires caused unexpected benzene contamination of drinking water; Sea level rise will threaten thousands of California homes; Trump’s new ocean policy washes away Obama’s emphasis on conservation and climate; and more …
On the calendar today …
- 2018 California Water Boards Science Symposium: Adapting in the Face of Disruptive Landscape Change begins at 8am. Click here to register to watch on webcast.
In the news today …
Also on Maven’s Notebook today …
California limits daily personal water use to 55 gallons – kind of: “California has always been America’s leader on environmental policy, and water is no exception. So it was hardly surprising when the state made headlines across the nation in early June with a new policy on residential water use: Californians will be limited to 55 gallons per person per day for their indoor water needs. The rule is apparently the first of its kind in the nation. But lost in the excitement is the fact that water agencies have no way to measure how much water their customers use indoors. Homes have only one water meter, and it provides no information about where water is used or for what purpose. .… ” Read more from Water Deeply here: California limits daily personal water use to 55 gallons – kind of
California wildfires caused unexpected benzene contamination of drinking water: “As the 2018 wildfire season begins in the western U.S., part of Northern California is still grappling with previously unrecognized and wholly unanticipated damage from fires that burned 15,000 hectares and devastated the state’s wine country last year. In addition to destroying more than 8,000 structures and killing 44 people, those fires unexpectedly also caused persistent contamination by the carcinogen benzene in the water infrastructure in a Santa Rosa neighborhood. First detected in November, the benzene levels persisted for months, and Santa Rosa city officials feared a large portion of their water system would have to be replaced—a project they estimated would take two years and cost $43 million. … ” Read more from Chemical and Engineering News here: California wildfires caused unexpected benzene contamination of drinking water
Sea level rise will threaten thousands of California homes: “Sea-level rise threatens thousands of homes in California by 2035, especially in cities near San Francisco and Los Angeles, according to an analysis released today. Chronic flooding by that year imperils nearly 5,000 homes in the Silicon Valley south of San Francisco, a region that’s home to affluent homeowners and an international airport. In the suburbs north of San Francisco, roughly 4,000 homes are at risk, according to the study from the Union of Concerned Scientists. ... ” Read more from Scientific American here: Sea level rise will threaten thousands of California homes
Turlock woman to serve second term on State Water Board: “Turlock resident Dorene D’Adamo was confirmed by the California Senate as a member of the State Water Resources Control Board following her reappointment in February by Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. She was first appointed by Gov. Brown in March 2013 and confirmed by the Senate in January 2014. D’Adamo’s term expires in January 2022. The five-member State Water Board is responsible for protecting all water quality and water supplies in California. The Board is also responsible for the allocation of surface water supplies for agricultural, public trust, and urban purposes throughout the state. ... ” Read more from the Turlock Journal here: Turlock woman to serve second term on State Water Board
Trump’s new ocean policy washes away Obama’s emphasis on conservation and climate: “Marine conservation and addressing climate change are out. Jobs and national security are in. That’s just one message sent by a new executive order detailing a revised U.S. oceans policy released today by President Donald Trump. The order formally revokes the 2010 oceans policy issued by then–President Barack Obama, and replaces it with a markedly different template for what the government should focus on in managing the nation’s oceans, coastal waters, and Great Lakes. Some changes in emphasis are sweeping. ... ” Read more from Science Magazine here: Trump’s new ocean policy washes away Obama’s emphasis on conservation and climate
In regional news and commentary today …
Earth being moved to Hamilton City levee: “A steady stream of trucks has started carrying dirt to what will be a new levee to protect Hamilton City. The trucks started rolling Monday, carrying dirt from a pile at the north end of Canal Road that is left from the excavation of the Glenn-Colusa Canal. The traffic doesn’t roll through Hamilton City, but rather diverts off Canal Road and follows the route of the new levee as it sweeps northeast of town. … ” Read more from the Chico Enterprise-Record here: Earth being moved to Hamilton City levee
Nevada County, NID, Lake Wildwood Association sued over E. coli: “Several people who say they were contaminated by E. coli while swimming in Lake Wildwood have sued, claiming the community association and government should have known the dangers. Children and adults swimming last July in the western Nevada County lake have sued the Lake Wildwood Association, Nevada County Sanitation District No. 1, Nevada County and the Nevada Irrigation District. The lawsuit, filed Friday in Nevada County Superior Court, asks for damages for pain, suffering and inconvenience; medical and incidental expenses; loss of earnings; and costs of the suit. … ” Read more from The Union here: Nevada County, NID, Lake Wildwood Association sued over E. coli
Inspectors keep tabs on 20 to 30 ‘high hazard’ dams in the Truckee Meadows: “Inspectors say 20 to 30 dams in the Truckee Meadows are categorized as “high hazard.” The “high hazard” rating means if they were to breach, there would be catastrophic damage that could result in severe flooding. Inspectors say they examine the dams at least once a year for cracks, holes and seeping water. … ” Read more from Channel 4 here: Inspectors keep tabs on 20 to 30 ‘high hazard’ dams in the Truckee Meadows
Fake-out in Compton? Brown, smelly water sparks concerns and allegations of political ruse: “Residents of Compton have complained about brown, smelly water coming out of their taps for more than a year. And when officials began talking about dissolving the troubled local water district, the area’s congresswoman scheduled a town hall meeting so community members could weigh in. Before the day arrived, however, an ad appeared on Craigslist offering “political advocacy” work to African Americans and Latinos — promising to pay $40, with the possibility of an additional bonus. ... ” Read more from the LA Times here: Fake-out in Compton? Brown, smelly water sparks concerns and allegations of political ruse
Long Beach: $7.5 million approved for project that turns stormwater runoff into drinking water: “A project underneath Long Beach Airport that will transform stormwater runoff into drinking water received $7.5 million Tuesday, June 19, from Los Angeles County supervisors. “Every time it rains, we lose millions of gallons of drinkable water by allowing it to run into the ocean,” said Supervisor Janice Hahn. “Innovative projects like this mean we can capture rainwater and use it to replenish our local water supply.” The project will gather stormwater from the streets of Long Beach and Signal Hill in underground galleries, clean it using machines called hydrodynamic separators and return it to the groundwater. The endeavor had been long talked about, but had not come to fruition until a grant became available in 2015. .... ” Read more from the Long Beach Press Telegram here: Long Beach: $7.5 million approved for project that turns stormwater runoff into drinking water
Artificial turf fields are failing all across Southern California, costing millions. Here’s why: “In 2010, the Chaffey Joint Union High School District joined a wave of cities and school districts around the country when it spent $1.8 million to install synthetic turf fields at four of its high schools. The benefits over natural turf were a big selling point: more durable, less maintenance and, perhaps most appealing in drought-prone California, no watering required. The school district contracted with a multinational company, Montreal-based FieldTurf USA, that promised the fields would last a decade or more. An eight-year warranty was offered in case anything went wrong. … ” Read more from the San Bernardino Sun here: Artificial turf fields are failing all across Southern California, costing millions. Here’s why
Massive algae bloom covers Diamond Valley Lake: “The gates to Diamond Valley Lake are closed Monday, which is no surprise, but when the marina reopens Tuesday, boaters and fisherman will be greeted with something that many haven’t seen in a while: a massive algae bloom. “It covers about two-thirds of the lake and goes down a few meters,” said Mic Stewart, water quality manager for Metropolitan Water District, which operates the reservoir. “But it’s basically on the surface you’re out there looking at it, it’s a very green matte, but it’s very noticeable.” … ” Read more from KABC 7 here: Massive algae bloom covers Diamond Valley Lake
Also on Maven’s Notebook today …
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.
