In California water news today, Feds announce initial Central Valley Project water allocation. Westlands isn’t pleased; KQED Forum: Delta Project Scaled Back to One Tunnel. Now What?; See all that water flowing to the sea? Bill by Senator Hertzberg aims to save it; Water crises north and south; Potter Valley Project: Could the dam go and the diversions remain?; Cautious Placer Water studies PG&E asset acquisition; Army Corps asked to prioritize Whittier Narrows Dam repairs; Arizona, other Western states unlikely to meet Colorado River drought plan deadline; Nevada farmers, ranchers appeal Diamond Valley ruling to create a water market; and more …
On the calendar today …
- The Delta Stewardship Council meets at 11am at the Holiday Inn. Agenda items include informational items on the Performance Measure Dashboard and Guidebook and the Delta Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment and Adaptation Strategy. Click here for more information. Click here to watch on webcast.
- The Delta Conveyance Finance Authority meets at 2pm. The Delta Conveyance Design and Construction Authority meeting has been canceled. More information by clicking here. (Note: I think they webcast the meetings on their website.)
In the news today …
Also on Maven’s Notebook today …
- NEWS WORTH NOTING: PPIC Report: Water and the Future of the San Joaquin Valley; SDCWA General Manager Maureen A. Stapleton retires; AWE research shows landscape transformation programs can stretch community water supplies; LAO Report: Assessing California’s Climate Policies
- SCIENCE NEWS: Crunching data on climate change and freshwater fish; International voyage aims to unravel mysteries of Pacific salmon survival; Climate change reduces forest regrowth after wildfires; and more …
- BAY DELTA SCIENCE CONFERENCE: Science-Based Regulatory Permitting for Resilient Tidal Habitat Restorations
- THIS JUST IN … State Water Project Allocations Increased to 35 Percent
- THIS JUST IN … Reclamation announces initial water supply allocation for the Central Valley Project
- WATER PLAN eNEWS: ~~Stormwater Targets~ Southwestern Symposium~ Wildfire Technologies~ Flood Management~ Watershed Summit ~~
Feds announce initial Central Valley Project water allocation. Westlands isn’t pleased: “San Joaquin Valley farmers on the east side will be getting their full allocation of San Joaquin River water, while farmers on the west side will be getting only 35 percent to start, according to the 2019 initial water supply allocation released Wednesday by the federal Bureau of Reclamation. The bureau runs the Central Valley Project that delivers irrigation water from the San Joaquin and Sacramento rivers to Valley water districts. … ” Read more from the Fresno Bee here: Feds announce initial Central Valley Project water allocation. Westlands isn’t pleased
West Side Gets 35%, Friant 100%, Salmon 100% of Water Allocation: “West-side farmers in Fresno County will receive a 35% water allocation from the Central Valley Project, the Bureau of Reclamation announced Wednesday. Other districts served by the federal water project, however, will receive allocations ranging from 70% to 100%. Friant Division farmers are among those receiving 100% allocations. In addition, 150,000 acre-feet of flood release water from Millerton Lake will be made available to eligible Friant contractors. … ” Read more from GV Wire here: West Side Gets 35%, Friant 100%, Salmon 100% of Water Allocation
KQED Forum: Delta Project Scaled Back to One Tunnel. Now What?: “Governor Newsom announced in his State of the State speech that he will scrap a controversial $19 billion plan to build two tunnels under the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta to carry water southward. Instead, state officials will pursue a downsized one-tunnel conveyance system. We’ll talk about the future of the project, known as California WaterFix, and what the new plan means for farms, cities, and the environment.” Guests: Lauren Sommer, Jeff Mount, Roger Patterson. Click here to listen to radio show from KQED.
See all that water flowing to the sea? Bill by Senator Hertzberg aims to save it: “In stormy winters like this, residents of drought-prone Southern California fret about how much rainfall flows into the ocean, a reminder of the amounts of water the region is wasting instead of saving for good use. A new bill by a San Fernando Valley state senator aims to fix that. The bill introduced Monday by Sens. Bob Hertzberg, D-Van Nuys, and Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, would require huge reductions in the volume of treated wastewater discharged into the Pacific Ocean and California estuaries. … ” Read more from the LA Daily News here: See all that water flowing to the sea? Bill by Senator Hertzberg aims to save it
Water crises north and south: “With snowpack thick and rivers running fast, you might not guess California is in the midst of a water crisis. But as many as 750,000 acres of farmland may need to be fallowed in the coming years, or about 14 percent of the San Joaquin Valley cropland, the Public Policy Institute of California reports. … ” Read more from CalMatters here: Water crises north and south
In commentary today …
Delta interests should seize the opportunity to cease water fights, say Ellen Hanak and Jeff Mount: They write, “The Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta is a major source of water for cities and farms across the state, and a major source of water conflict. In a Sacramento Bee commentary two years ago, we and our colleague Brian Gray promoted a grand compromise for the Delta. We suggested that the three broad interests fighting about its future—water users, environmental groups, and Delta residents—give up something in order to reduce conflict and make progress. During his first state of the state address, Gov. Gavin Newsom opened the door to just such a compromise. Three interrelated issues in the Delta are in tension and need resolution: ... ” Read more from Cal Matters here: Delta interests should seize the opportunity to cease water fights
Why California should turn down Trump’s offer to raise Shasta Dam: Jacques Leslie writes, “If the Trump administration wanted to increase California’s water supply by the most cost-effective means possible, it would immediately drop its attempt to raise Shasta Dam by 18.5 feet. It would instead put $1.5 billion — the cost of the proposed Shasta enlargement, in 2019 dollars — toward a completely different approach to water supply: watershed and forest restoration. Not only would such restoration add to the state’s water supply, it would help California deal with mega-fires, flooding and climate change. ... ” Read more from the LA Times here: Why California should turn down Trump’s offer to raise Shasta Dam
In regional news and commentary today …
Potter Valley Project: Could the dam go and the diversions remain? “At a Town Hall Tuesday night, Rep. Jared Huffman (D-San Rafael) told the large crowd filling nearly every available seat in the Ukiah Valley Conference Center about a possible future for the Potter Valley Project that would remove the controversial dam, but preserve the water supply the Ukiah Valley has depended on for more than a century. “As your congressman, I don’t have any authority to tell anyone what to do on this project,” said Huffman when one member of the audience said that the only way to preserve Ukiah as “the last remaining hub of jobs” in Mendocino County was to strengthen Scott Dam, which was created by the Potter Valley Project. ... ” Read more from the Ukiah Daily Journal here: Potter Valley Project: Could the dam go and the diversions remain?
Russian River carves away more stream bank near key Geyserville road: “Swollen by heavy rain, the Russian River took another bite out of a muddy bank close to River Road near Geyserville over the weekend, prompting county road workers to haul in boulders in hopes of protecting the bank from further erosion. The threat to River Road — the only route out of Alexander Valley for about 400 residents — was deemed an emergency two weeks ago by the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors, which authorized a repair estimated at $250,000. ... ” Read more from the Santa Rosa Press Democrat here: Russian River carves away more stream bank near key Geyserville road
Bay Area forecast: ‘Atmospheric river’ storm may impact region next week: “With the possibility of another “atmospheric river” storm hitting Northern California early next week, this February is shaping up to be one of the wettest ever in the Bay Area. Thursday, meteorologists with the National Weather Service in Monterey said there is “medium” confidence that an “atmospheric river” storm will deliver another soaking to Northern California as early as Monday. ... ” Read more from the Mercury News here: Bay Area forecast: ‘Atmospheric river’ storm may impact region next week
Cautious Placer Water studies PG&E asset acquisition: “Pacific Gas & Electric’s bankruptcy filing has spurred the Placer County Water Agency to voice concerns about the future of a key water supply. “In the wake of PG&E’s recent bankruptcy filing, the PCWA is warning of potential threats to the water supply and reliability of nearly 200,000 Placer County residents should PG&E liquidate its Drum Spaulding Project,” a statement from the Auburn-based agency reads. … ” Read more from the Auburn Journal here: Cautious Placer Water studies PG&E asset acquisition
Folsom: Don’t fret those water releases: “This time of year when the Bureau of Reclamation begins to release water from Folsom Dam, it seems the local internet chat pages come to life with our residents speaking out about water waste and accusing the officials of incompetence, wasting water and being the reason there are low water levels or dismal boating conditions during the summer months. What many of us forget is the simple fact that Folsom Lake’s primary purpose is flood control. Look back through some historical images and you will find some that will clearly illustrate just why Folsom Dam was originally put in place. ... ” Read more from the Auburn Journal here: Folsom: Don’t fret those water releases
Roseville testing groundwater storage plan: “The city of Roseville is taking full advantage of the recent storms and water surplus going into Folsom Reservoir to fully test its groundwater storage plan. The city currently has six groundwater pumping stations that were used during the drought. But the stations have the ability to pump water back into the aquifer as well. The Folsom Dam currently has three gates open to release enough water so it has room to capture flood water. ... ” Read more from Fox 40 here: Roseville testing groundwater storage plan
State agencies say Valley is ready for a megastorm: “Any prolonged wet weather in California brings concerns about the big one. An Ark storm, an atmospheric river dumping too much water, revives fears of the 1861 Ark Storm that flooded the entire central valley. It’s something Ken Austin of the Fresno County Department of Emergency Services tries to anticipate. … ” Read more from ABC 30 here: State agencies say Valley is ready for a megastorm
Visalia makes first ever deliveries of recycled waste water to irrigate crops, golf course, and landscaping: “More than a decade after initiating a plan to turn waste into water, the city of Visalia has made its first delivery of nearly drinkable recycled water. In December, the city began delivering recycled water through its purple pipeline to the Tulare Irrigation District (TID) following approval by the Department of Drinking Water (DDW). Under an agreement signed in 2013, the city is obligated to deliver 11,000 acre feet of recycled water to TID per year in exchange for 5,500 acre feet of surface water used to recharge the city’s groundwater. Since 2016, the city has received enough surface water from TID to off set one year of groundwater pumping for the entire city. … ” Read more from the Sun Gazette here: Visalia makes first ever deliveries of recycled waste water to irrigate crops, golf course, and landscaping
Central Coast: Local groundwater levels stand to rise from recent rainstorms: “Water is now flowing in the Santa Maria River. It’s a reminder that recent wet weather is having positive impacts for the local landscape. “It’s definitely beneficial,” said Taylor Drilling & Pump owner Sam Taylor. “Rain is always a good thing for us.” Water flowing in the river is great news for the replenishment of groundwater supplies. … ” Read more from KEYT here: Central Coast: Local groundwater levels stand to rise from recent rainstorms
Bacteria levels high at South Coast beaches: “Unhealthy levels of bacteria were found at several beaches in Santa Barbara County, notably Carpinteria’s city beach and Santa Barbara’s East and Arroyo Burro beaches. Warnings have been posted, mostly due to higher-than-state-standards for intestinal flora of unknown animal origin, which is a usual occurrence after winter rains scour the landscape. Simultaneously, the county has been moving mud and rock from front-country debris basins to Carpinteria and Goleta, though officials are quick to point out that the organic matter in the basins had no opportunity to emanate from urban areas and are tested before being trucked to the beach. ... ” Read more from the Independent here: Bacteria levels high at South Coast beaches
Army Corps asked to prioritize Whittier Narrows Dam repairs: “Rep. Grace Napolitano, D-El Monte, sent a letter Wednesday urging the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to make safety repairs at Whittier Narrows Dam its highest budgetary priority in light of an assessment that the barrier could fail in the event of a very large, very rare storm. In a series of recent public hearings, Corps officials told residents that the 60-year-old Whittier Narrows Dam no longer met the federal agency’s tolerable-risk guidelines and could fail if water were to flow over its crest or if seepage eroded the sandy soil underneath. … ” Read more from NBC 4 here: Army Corps asked to prioritize Whittier Narrows Dam repairs
Whittier Narrows Dam repairs should be highest priority for Army Corps, says Rep. Grace Napolitano: “Rep. Grace Napolitano, a Democrat with a district office in El Monte, sent a letter Wednesday, Feb. 20, urging the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to make safety repairs at Whittier Narrows Dam its highest budgetary priority in light of an assessment that the barrier could fail in the event of a very large, very rare storm. In a series of recent public hearings, Corps officials told residents that the 60-year-old Whittier Narrows Dam no longer met the federal agency’s tolerable-risk guidelines and could fail if water were to flow over its crest or if seepage eroded the sandy soil underneath. … ” Read more from the San Gabriel Valley Tribune here: Whittier Narrows Dam repairs should be highest priority for Army Corps, says Rep. Grace Napolitano
Mojave River flows through Barstow for first time since 2011: “Recent rains allowed surface water in the Mojave River to flow through the city for the first time in eight years, signaling good news for recharge in regional aquifers, according to Mojave Water Agency officials. MWA Senior Hydrogeologist/Engineer Tony Winkel told the Daily Press inflow to the Mojave River at its headwaters on Thursday peaked at approximately 15,000 cubic feet per second, according to provisional estimates. That inflow surged through the inlet within the Mojave River Dam, sometimes called the Forks Dam, where the Deep Creek and West Fork tributaries converge. … ” Read more from the Victorville Press here: Mojave River flows through Barstow for first time since 2011
Along the Colorado River …
Salton Sea money demand clogs up Colorado River drought plans: “California’s Salton Sea is a complicated place that’s not well known outside the Golden State, but its imperiled status has helped clog progress negotiating drought protection measures with water users along the Colorado River. The Colorado River basin supplies water to seven states and Mexico, but a 19-year-long drought has taken its toll, which forced the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation to order the players to agree on drought management plans by Jan. 31, 2019. ... ” Read more from Bloomberg Environment here: Salton Sea money demand clogs up Colorado River drought plans
Arizona, other Western states unlikely to meet Colorado River drought plan deadline: “The odds are looking increasingly poor that Arizona and other Western states will meet a March 4 federal deadline for wrapping up Colorado River drought plans. That’s not just because of the ongoing conflict over a now-shelved water rights bill for Eastern Arizona that prompted a threat from the Gila River Indian Community to bolt this state’s drought plan. It’s also not just because of a Southern California irrigation district’s efforts to secure $200 million in U.S. funds to shore up the dying Salton Sea. … ” Read more from the Arizona Daily Star here: Arizona, other Western states unlikely to meet Colorado River drought plan deadline
Arizona Congratulates Itself on Colorado River Drought Plan, Which Still Isn’t Done: “A muted celebration settled over Arizona’s final meeting on its Colorado River drought plan on Tuesday, even though more than a dozen agreements remain unfinished and a federal deadline is less than two weeks away. “I want to sincerely congratulate all the Steering Committee members,” said Leslie Meyers, the Phoenix area manager for the Bureau of Reclamation, referring to the 40 or so people who negotiated the Drought Contingency Plan over more than six months of intense talks. “I’m really proud to have been a part of this.” … ” Read more from Phoenix New Times here: Arizona Congratulates Itself on Colorado River Drought Plan, Which Still Isn’t Done
Colorado River cuts cloud central Arizona farmers’ future: “The furrows in a 60-acre patch of dirt on Rodney and Tiffany Shedd’s Arizona farm still hold cotton scraps from last year’s crop. This year, that patch will stay barren for the first time in recent memory, thanks to the decline in Colorado River water for farms across Pinal County, one of America’s cotton-growing centers. The farmers’ supply was cut because Arizona’s growing cities are taking more water than ever. “We will fallow from here to the white tank,” said Rodney Shedd, driving past the barren field and pointing toward a water tower nearby. … ” Read more from the High Country News here: Colorado River cuts cloud central Arizona farmers’ future
Nevada farmers, ranchers appeal Diamond Valley ruling to create a water market: “An effort to fix water scarcity in a Nevada basin that stands as a case study for groundwater issues in the arid West is going to court, kickstarting a lengthy legal process that will test the flexibility of state water law. Farmers and ranchers in Diamond Valley, which sits on an overstressed aquifer outside the town of Eureka, are appealing a decision by state regulators to create a groundwater market whereby rights to water could be bought, sold and traded. Although expected, this recent action adds to a number of water management issues to account for excess rights in the valley. ... ” Read more from the Nevada Independent here: Nevada farmers, ranchers appeal Diamond Valley ruling to create a water market
Also on Maven’s Notebook today …
THIS JUST IN … State Water Project Allocations Increased to 35 Percent
THIS JUST IN … Reclamation announces initial water supply allocation for the Central Valley Project
Today’s announcements …
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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.
