In California water news today, A Delta farmer says the state poisoned his crops. Is California’s water supply safe?; Oroville Dam spillway collapse did not affect the number of salmon at the Oroville Salmon Festival; Exploratory drilling at New Bullards Bar dam set to begin; Marin cedes supervision of water basin to Sonoma County; Marin eelgrass beds aid coastal disease study; Homeless seen dumping raw sewage into the Delta; Aging levee along Ventura River needs upgrades to protect lives, property; Los Angeles reduces Eastern Sierra water deliveries because of climate change. At risk, ranchers say, is a way of life; Study: National Parks are heating up, drying out due to climate change; As West grows, water use declines thanks to better toilets; and more …
On the calendar today …
- Free webinar: California-Nevada Drought & Climate Outlook from 11am to 12:30pm. Click here to register.
In the news today …
Also on Maven’s Notebook today …
- DAILY DIGEST, weekend edition: Data collection begins toward raising Shasta Dam; Kern County downsizes groundwater management role, raising concerns of state intervention; Wine woes and water stress: How non-essential industries cope with a changing climate; and more …
- RESERVOIR AND WATER CONDITIONS for September 24
- NEWS WORTH NOTING: Exploratory work begins at Shasta Dam; Delta Islands and Levees study releases final EIS for review; Reclamation releases final environmental documents for the Sacramento Deep Water Ship Channel Nutrient Enrichment Project
A Delta farmer says the state poisoned his crops. Is California’s water supply safe? “For years, state boats have sprayed thousands of pounds of herbicides into the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta to kill invasive aquatic weeds. And, for years, California officials have insisted they closely monitor their chemical use to protect the ecologically fragile estuary and the drinking and irrigation water the Delta supplies to millions of Californians. A pending court case casts fresh doubt on those claims. For two consecutive summers, Joe Aiello’s bell pepper crops near Brentwood in Contra Costa County wasted away and died. … ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee here: A Delta farmer says the state poisoned his crops. Is California’s water supply safe?
Oroville Dam spillway collapse did not affect the number of salmon at the Oroville Salmon Festival: “The annual Salmon Festival at the Fish Hatchery in Oroville took place on Saturday. Officials say it drew large crowds close to 24,000 people. A concern among attendees this year was less salmon, due in part to the Oroville Dam Spillway Collapse in 2017. However, officials say the spillway disaster does not and will not have an affect on the number of salmon they’re seeing. ... ” Read more from KRCR here: Oroville Dam spillway collapse did not affect the number of salmon at the Oroville Salmon Festival
Exploratory drilling at New Bullards Bar dam set to begin: “Beginning today, people traveling across New Bullards Bar Dam and recreating on the reservoir will see heavy machinery mobilizing in the parking lot on the east side of the dam, in preparation for exploratory work related to Yuba Water Agency’s plans to design and build a $160 million secondary spillway at the dam, according to a release. Large drills will be positioned on both the water and downstream sides of the reservoir to obtain samples to determine the strength of the underlying rock, ultimately influencing how the planned spillway tunnel and foundation will be designed. ... ” Read more from The Union here: Exploratory drilling at New Bullards Bar dam set to begin
Marin cedes supervision of water basin to Sonoma County: “Marin County is modifying the boundaries of two of its five groundwater basins to avoid having to create a new agency to monitor one basin and make a plan for recharging it, as mandated by state law. The Board of Supervisors on Tuesday authorized modifying the boundaries of the Sand Point Area Basin, which is adjacent to the Wilson Grove Basin, underlying the Dillon Beach and Lawson’s Landing area. The Sand Point Area Basin has been designated as low priority. Sand Point Area Basin’s boundaries will be adjusted to encompass the portion of the Wilson Grove Basin that extends into Marin, thereby relieving the county of its responsibility to form an agency and develop a plan. … ” Read more from the Marin Independent Journal here: Marin cedes supervision of water basin to Sonoma County
Marin eelgrass beds aid coastal disease study: “Researchers from across the country are combining their skills in drone technology, microbial research, artificial intelligence and more to figure out why one of the Pacific Coast’s most ecologically important aquatic plants is wasting away. The expansive, three-year study seeks to determine why some eelgrass beds have better defenses than others against a slime mold that researchers say was also responsible for nearly wiping out eelgrass beds on the Atlantic Coast in the early 20th century. Depending on the results, researchers say the study could help stem the worldwide decline of eelgrass beds by encouraging the spread of more resistant strains of the sea grass. … ” Read more from the Marin Independent Journal here: Marin eelgrass beds aid coastal disease study
Homeless seen dumping raw sewage into the Delta: “Adam Farrow, who spends much of his time on the water, was extolling the virtues last week of the area west of Stockton where Eight Mile Road ends and the San Joaquin River and Little Potato Slough converge. “It’s a wonderful place for people to fish,” said the 62-year-old Farrow, who lives in Stockton and works at his boat repair business in Lodi. “It’s probably one of the best fishing spots that you can go on the levee.” … ” Read more from the Stockton Record here: Homeless seen dumping raw sewage into the Delta
Aging levee along Ventura River needs upgrades to protect lives, property: “Thousands of residents live in homes protected by a levee that stretches 2.65 miles along the Ventura River, between the Pacific Ocean and Shell Road. In the more than 3,500 residential, commercial and industrial structures lie an estimated $2.157 billion worth of infrastructure and property, according to studies prepared for the Ventura County government. Experts with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers say that without rehabilitation, it’s likely the levee could in time breach or collapse entirely. … ” Read more from the Ventura County Star here: Aging levee along Ventura River needs upgrades to protect lives, property
Los Angeles reduces Eastern Sierra water deliveries because of climate change. At risk, ranchers say, is a way of life: “The lush plains east of Yosemite National Park offer a window into a bygone California — a place where sage grouse welcome the arrival of spring with theatrical mating rituals and cattle graze on verdant pastures. For nearly a century, these lands have been made green thanks to annual flooding by the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, helping maintain cattle forage and keeping alive a culture of ranching in southern Mono County. But those days may have come to an end in August. ... ” Read more from the LA Times here: Los Angeles reduces Eastern Sierra water deliveries because of climate change. At risk, ranchers say, is a way of life
Study: National Parks are heating up, drying out due to climate change: “National parks in the U.S. are warming and drying out faster than other parts of the country, according to a new climate change study published in the scientific journal Environmental Research Letters. The Miami Herald, which first reported the findings, notes that the study based its findings on evaluating rainfall and temperatures in all 417 national parks. The study was the first time researchers have examined how the national park system is impacted specifically by climate change, The Herald reported. … ” Read more from The Hill here: Study: National Parks are heating up, drying out due to climate change
As West grows, water use declines thanks to better toilets: “Throughout the western U.S., water conservation is in the toilet. And that’s a good thing. Since the 1990s, a strange phenomenon has played out in arid western urban areas. Populations are booming while overall water use is staying the same or going down. The trend is clear in Denver, Albuquerque, N.M., Las Vegas, San Diego and Phoenix: Cities are growing and using less water in the process. … ” Read more from NPR here: As West grows, water use declines thanks to better toilets
In commentary today …
Long road still ahead to fund new water storage projects, notes Jay Lund: He writes, “The California Water Commission recently allocated $2.7 billion from Proposition 1 bonds for eight water storage projects. Proposition 1 was passed in 2014 to fund a range of projects, including the “public purposes” of water storage projects, such as for ecosystem support, flood risk reduction, water quality, recreation and emergency response. Among its many funding provisions, both surface and underground water storage projects were eligible, nonstorage projects were not eligible and Proposition 1 could fund no more than 50 percent of storage project costs. ... ” Read more from Water Deeply here: Long road still ahead to fund new water storage projects
State likes its old science even when new studies prove it wrong, says Mike Dunbar: He writes, “When Ben Franklin wanted to learn about lightning, he attached a kite to a wire string and flew it through an electrical storm – discarding decades-old “science” that said lightning was a fluid. When Louis Pasteur developed theories about invisible germs causing disease, he ignored the ancient belief that said disease arose spontaneously within unlucky humans. When the state of California decided it wanted more water from the Stanislaus, Tuolumne and Merced rivers to use elsewhere, it turned to 10-, 20-, 30-year-old studies – the “best available science” – to prove more water equals more fish. ... ” Read more from the Modesto Bee here: State likes its old science even when new studies prove it wrong
Prop 3 promises more California water projects. Too bad so many are the wrong projects, says the Sacramento Bee: They write, “We must do more to protect the future of California’s water, but that doesn’t mean just pumping in more money without making sure the investments will have widespread benefits for the public. Proposition 3 – the $8.9 billion bond on the Nov. 6 ballot – fails that test. Voters should say “no.” The measure promises money for quite a few local agencies, nonprofits, private water companies and others, which is great for them. It’s not clear, however, that these are the projects that California needs most right now, or that they couldn’t get the money elsewhere. ... ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee here: Prop 3 promises more California water projects. Too bad so many are the wrong projects
More news and commentary in the weekend edition …
Also on Maven’s Notebook today …
- RESERVOIR AND WATER CONDITIONS for September 24
- NEWS WORTH NOTING: Exploratory work begins at Shasta Dam; Delta Islands and Levees study releases final EIS for review; Reclamation releases final environmental documents for the Sacramento Deep Water Ship Channel Nutrient Enrichment Project
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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.
