DAILY DIGEST: Work begins on raising the height of Shasta Dam; $3 billion Hoover Dam project hopes to bring power plant into the 21st century; The science is clear: Dirty farm water is making us sick; EPA employees on edge as Trump team reorganizes; and more …

In California water news today, Work begins on raising the height of Shasta Dam; $3 billion Hoover Dam project hopes to bring power plant into the 21st century; The science is clear: Dirty farm water is making us sick; Restore the Delta compiles report in debate against WaterFix; Scientists Uncover Genetic Basis for Toxic Algal Blooms; House Committee votes to relax the Endangered Species Act; EPA employees on edge as Trump team reorganizes; and more …

On the calendar today …

  • The Central Valley Flood Protection Board meets beginning at 9am.  Agenda items include an update on the new Engineer Circular for processing Section 408 requests and Informational Briefing regarding the Yolo Bypass and Cache Slough Partnership.  Click here for the agenda and meeting materials.

In the news today …

Work begins on raising the height of Shasta Dam:  “Nathan Morgan has been hanging over the side of side of Shasta Dam recently — sometimes upside down — making marks on the side of the dam.  Morgan is part of a U.S. Bureau of Reclamation crew drilling holes in the side and on the top of the dam to test the strength of the concrete.  The drilling is part of the prep work to raise the height of the dam 18½ feet.  The bureau plans to drill about 70 holes in the dam over the next few weeks, said Don Bader, the bureau’s area manager. The crew will also be drilling into the bedrock beneath the dam, he said. ... ”  Read more from the Redding Record Searchlight here:  Work begins on raising the height of Shasta Dam

Raising the height of Shasta Dam: Interview with Richard Welsh, USBR (Radio Show):  “Drilling work is underway at Shasta Dam where federal officials trying to determine how realistic and how expensive it would be to increase the capacity of the largest reservoir in California. The $1.4 billion plan would add another eighteen and a half feet to the dam. Any higher would create pricey issues at the Pit River Bridge.  NSPR’s Marc Albert spoke with Richard Welsh, construction engineer for the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation Mid-Pacific Region, who’s in charge of the project. It turns out, a higher dam is far from a new idea. Welsh said officials scaled back plans during construction due to labor and material shortages at the outbreak of World War II. Welsh was asked to describe the work currently underway. … ”  Read more from North State Public Radio here:  Raising the height of Shasta Dam: Interview with Richard Welsh, USBR (Radio Show)

$3 billion Hoover Dam project hopes to bring power plant into the 21st century:  “Hoover Dam is one of the greatest engineering feats of the 20th century. Built during the Great Depression, it was the biggest public works project in the country. Now, as California and the West expand into renewable energy, there’s a $3 billion plan to bring the power plant into the 21st century.  Close to a million people come each year to the Arizona-Nevada border to be awed by the mighty dam, a 726-feet high wall of concrete housing 17 power generators, reports CBS News’ Jamie Yuccas. … ”  Read more from CBS News here: $3 billion Hoover Dam project hopes to bring power plant into the 21st century

The science is clear: Dirty farm water is making us sick:  “William Whitt suffered violent diarrhea for days. But once he began vomiting blood, he knew it was time to rush to the hospital. His body swelled up so much that his wife thought he looked like the Michelin Man, and on the inside, his intestines were inflamed and bleeding.  For four days last spring, doctors struggled to control the infection that was ravaging Whitt, a father of three in western Idaho. The pain was excruciating, even though he was given opioid painkillers intravenously every 10 minutes for days. ... ”  Read more from Wired here:  The science is clear: Dirty farm water is making us sick

Restore the Delta compiles report in debate against WaterFix: “Restore the Delta (RTD), a Stockton-based environmental advocacy group, released a report last week entitled “Fate of the Delta” that attempts to bring to the forefront voices that have been overlooked in the debate regarding the California WaterFix project.  “The report represents true facts about how the California WaterFix will destroy many lives and the Delta itself, all for the gain of water profiteers,” said Gary Mulcahy, government liaison for the Winnemem Wintu Tribe, in an email to The Press. “I hope that the newly elected come November will read the report and stop this awful and unnecessary project.” ... ”  Read more from the Brentwood Press here:  Restore the Delta compiles report in debate against WaterFix

Scientists Uncover Genetic Basis for Toxic Algal Blooms:Despite decades of research, the trigger that causes algal blooms to begin poisoning their environment has long confounded scientists.  Now, researchers from Scripps and UC San Diego have found the genetic underpinning of domoic acid, a harmful neurotoxin. In a new study published in Science, researchers describe three genes responsible for producing domoic acid in the phytoplankton Pseudo-nitzschia.  … “  Read more from KQED here:  Scientists Uncover Genetic Basis for Toxic Algal Blooms

House Committee votes to relax the Endangered Species Act:  “A House panel passed four GOP-backed bills Thursday to amend the Endangered Species Act (ESA), making compliance easier for industries, states and landowners.  The Natural Resources Committee’s bills would give priority to science submitted by state and local governments when federal officials decide whether to protect species, require the Interior Department to consider conservation actions that could happen in the future when making ESA decisions and let Interior prioritize or discharge petitions for species protections under some circumstances. … ”  Read more from The Hill here:  House Committee votes to relax the Endangered Species Act

EPA employees on edge as Trump team reorganizes:  “EPA is reshuffling its science, human resources and regional offices, leaving staffers worried about the quality of the agency’s work and about their careers.  Top EPA officials yesterday informed staff that they plan to eliminate the agency’s science adviser’s office and merge those positions into a division within EPA’s larger science shop, the Office of Research and Development, according to an employee who attended the meeting. EPA is also planning to combine its human resources office with its information technology division, sources told E&E News. … ”  Read more from E&E News here:  EPA employees on edge as Trump team reorganizes

Trump administration sees a 7-degree temperature rise by 2100:  “Last month, deep in a 500-page environmental impact statement, the Trump administration made a startling assumption: On its current course, the planet will warm a disastrous 7 degrees by the end of this century.  A rise of 7 degrees Fahrenheit, or about 4 degrees Celsius, compared with preindustrial levels would be catastrophic, according to scientists. Many coral reefs would dissolve in increasingly acidic oceans. Parts of Manhattan and Miami would be underwater without costly coastal defenses. Extreme heat waves would routinely smother large parts of the globe. ... ”  Read more from the Washington Post here:  Trump administration sees a 7-degree temperature rise by 2100

In commentary today …

On Wetland Regulation, We May Define Away Nature at Our Own Peril, says Jessica Kao:  She writes, “The Trump administration has moved decisively to weaken the Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) rule, a federal regulatory process that seeks to protect wetlands and seasonal streams from excessive development.  This effort has suffered setbacks in the courts, which has only helped create more uncertainty about how these waters should be protected. To fill the regulatory void, California is moving to adopt its own rules, an effort that is hugely controversial but which may be necessary in the absence of sufficient federal oversight.  Wetlands and ephemeral streams are essential habitat for wildlife, and vital filters for the drinking water we all depend on every day. In many cases, they also serve as flood protection, storing or slowing down storm runoff that would otherwise threaten downstream development. … ”  Read more from Water Deeply here:  On Wetland Regulation, We May Define Away Nature at Our Own Peril

In regional news and commentary today …

Nevada Irrigation District reviews annual audit, OKs replacement of Alta Sierra Reservoir:  “The Nevada Irrigation District will replace the Alta Sierra Reservoir, the board decided on Wednesday.  All treated water for the Alta Sierra system passes through the Alta Sierra Reservoir, according to a staff report. The existing reservoir was originally constructed as a raw water storage facility, then was reconstructed into a treated water facility with a lining and cover that has required repair and patching.  The cover is vulnerable to damage by the sun and vandalism, unlike concrete or steel tank structures, the staff report noted. And, the report said, liner failures require the isolation of the reservoir from the system for repair, testing and possible rechlorination to protect the public health. … ”  Read more from The Union here:  Nevada Irrigation District reviews annual audit, OKs replacement of Alta Sierra Reservoir

Tahoe’s water inspection program celebrates a decade with no new invasive species:  “Having been hauled thousands of miles from across the country, a pontoon boat bound for a weekend on Lake Tahoe pulls into the Alpine Meadows Watercraft Inspection Station.  It’s one of roughly 8,000 motorized vessels that were inspected during this past boating season, and one of more than 5,000 that did not meet Lake Tahoe’s Water Inspection Program’s standards of being clean, drained and dry. … ”  Read more from the Sierra Sun here:  Tahoe’s water inspection program celebrates a decade with no new invasive species

Davis City Council OKs opt-out for new water meters:  “Davis City Council members said Tuesday they believe the city’s new water meters which use radio frequency to transmit hourly water usage over a secure network are not a health risk, but nevertheless voted 3-1 to allow residents to opt out.  Customers who choose to opt out will have the new meters swapped out with meters that must be read manually and will pay an additional $37 a month to cover the city’s costs, including the expense of sending out meter readers monthly. … ”  Read more from the Davis Enterprise here:  Davis City Council OKs opt-out for new water meters

New water tanks help douse Los Gatos community’s wildfire fears:  “As wildfires continue to ignite throughout California, firefighters now have more resources to extinguish any blazes that may start in the 1,432-acre Bear Creek Open Space Preserve that’s located five miles south of Los Gatos.  The Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District partnered with the Friends of Bear Creek Stables to install two 10,000-gallon water tanks near the stables, which sit on approximately 15 acres at 19100 Bear Creek Road. … ”  Read more from the San Jose Mercury News here:  New water tanks help douse Los Gatos community’s wildfire fears

Ojai hopes to use grant money to hire water resources coordinator:  “The city of Ojai is looking to hire a water resources coordinator to keep the city informed about the valley’s water situation and to work with local agencies, businesses and nonprofit organizations on water conservation efforts.  At its regular meeting Sept. 25, the council directed the city staff to issue a request for qualifications to find possible candidates to fill the position. In the meantime, the city has applied for grant funding through the state’s Wildlife Conservation Board that could be used to pay for the coordinator, City Manager Steve McClary said. ... ”  Read more from the Ventura County Star here:  Ojai hopes to use grant money to hire water resources coordinator

Along the Colorado River …

The Drought Contingency Plan makes Colorado River delivery shortfalls less painful, but it doesn’t make them go away:  “The State’s water stakeholders have been engaged for more than two months to craft Arizona’s approach to the Lower Basin Drought Contingency Plan. This effort, led by our two agencies, is directed toward “bending the curve” to protect Lake Mead from falling to critical levels.  Recent reports from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation have stated that the Colorado River Basin has avoided shortage for 2019, but has at least a 50/50 chance of moving into a shortage declaration in 2020.  So, will this drought contingency planning effort change that course? Will it keep the basin out of the Tier 1 shortage to be declared at Lake Mead elevation 1075’?  The answer to both questions is, simply, “no.” ... ”  Read more from the Arizona Department of Water Resources here:  The Drought Contingency Plan makes Colorado River delivery shortfalls less painful, but it doesn’t make them go away

Also on Maven’s Notebook today …

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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.

 

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