In California water news today, How rising sea levels could impact Delta and the Sacramento Valley; Litigation Over California WaterFix Slows; Governor Newsom pushes for fee to clean up tainted water; Why President Trump’s Fast-Tracked Water Allocations Are Raising Alarm; California’s drought may be over, but its trees are still dying; EPA Boss Calls Unsafe Water Bigger Issue Than Climate Change; and more …
On the calendar today …
- The Delta Stewardship Council meets at 10am in Stockton. Agenda items include a public hearing on the Smith Canal Gate project, a five-year review of the Delta Plan; and the update to the Delta Science Plan. Click here for more information. Click here to watch on webcast.
- The Delta Protection Commission meets in Courtland at 5:30pm. Agenda items include a presentation on the Delta Leadership Program, a presentation on the ag chapter update of the Economic Sustainability Plan, and a report on the Delta Land Use & Resource Management Plan. Click here for the full agenda.
In the news today …
Also on Maven’s Notebook today …
- SCIENCE NEWS: Remotely Operated Vehicle Gives Scientists an Underwater View into California’s MPAs; Woolly star plants need catastrophes to live; Western droughts caused permanent loss to major California groundwater source; Pave paradise and put up a … desert?; and more …
- THIS JUST IN … State Water Project Allocations Increase to 70 Percent Following Strong Winter Storms
- WATER PLAN eNEWS: ~~ Block Grants~ Data Portal~ Tucson Conference~ May Event~ Water Sustainability~ Floodplain Conference ~~
How rising sea levels could impact Delta and the Sacramento Valley: “As the sea level rises, it could impact more than the California coastline. The rising water could impact the Sacramento region. Some researchers said the rise could threaten levees in the area and increase the risk of flooding throughout the Delta and the Sacramento Valley. UC Davis watershed science researcher Jay Lund explained that the sea level rise is gradual — about an inch every eight years – and has been occurring since the last ice age ended thousands of years ago. ... ” Read more from KCRA Channel 3 here: How rising sea levels could impact Delta and the Sacramento Valley
The true vulnerability of coastal California, revealed: “The destructive impacts of climate change have become increasingly apparent in California, with brutal droughts, historic wildfires and extreme precipitation hammering the state. But new research suggests that the worst might be yet to come. By the end of the century, sea-level rise could damage the California coast in ways comparable to some of the worst natural disasters in recent memory — Hurricane Katrina, say, or the 2011 Tōhoku tsunami. … ” Read more from High County News here: The true vulnerability of coastal California, revealed
Litigation Over California WaterFix Slows Following Governor’s State of the State Address: “In the month since Governor Newsom announced that he does not support a dual-tunnel Delta water supply conveyance, activity in the more than 20 state and federal lawsuits challenging California WaterFix and other administrative approval processes related to the “twin tunnels” has slowed or been briefly stayed. The stays reflect the uncertainty surrounding the project in light of the Governor’s comments and the changes, if any, the Department of Water Resources (DWR), the state agency leading the WaterFix effort, will adopt in response. … ” Read more from Somach Simmons & Dunn here: Litigation Over California WaterFix Slows Following Governor’s State of the State Address
Governor Newsom pushes for fee to clean up tainted water: “Gov. Gavin Newsom wants to charge California water customers up to $10 per month to help clean up contaminated water in low-income and rural areas, but he will face resistance from some legislative Democrats hesitant to impose new taxes. The Democratic governor says up to 1 million California residents have some type of contaminated or unclean water coming through their taps that can cause health issues. He has called it “a moral disgrace and a medical emergency.” “The fact that in California, in the fifth-largest economy, we have people who cannot drink their water, people who can’t even bathe in their water, there’s something absolutely wrong,” Democratic Assemblywoman Eloise Reyes said Wednesday during a hearing on Newsom’s plan. … ” Read more from the Merced Sun-Star here: Governor Newsom pushes for fee to clean up tainted water
Radio show: Why President Trump’s Fast-Tracked Water Allocations Are Raising Alarm: ““Fish vs farms”: It’s the perennial tug-of-war for water between environmentalists, who want to see stable ecosystems in the Sacramento-San-Joaquin River Delta, and farmers, who feel slighted that they need to fight with endangered fish in order to irrigate their fields. Now, that fight is playing out in Washington, DC, where the Trump administration has fast-tracked a process to deliver more water to farms. But an investigation by KQED reveals those changes are raising alarm among federal employees. In this interview, we speak with KQED science reporter Lauren Sommer about why, and what’s at stake.” Listen to radio show at Valley Public Radio here: Radio show: Why President Trump’s Fast-Tracked Water Allocations Are Raising Alarm
Climate change and drought threaten small mountain streams in the Sierra Nevada: “Small mountain streams and the vibrant ecosystems they support were hit hard by the historic California drought of 2012 to 2015. Researchers monitoring aquatic life in Sierra Nevada streams observed significant declines in the numbers of aquatic insects and other bottom-dwelling invertebrates during the drought. The most vulnerable species included many of the larger insects preferred as food by fish, birds, and other wildlife, said David Herbst, a research biologist at UC Santa Cruz and first author of a paper on the new findings, published March 7 in Freshwater Biology. … ” Read more from UC Santa Cruz here: Climate change and drought threaten small mountain streams in the Sierra Nevada
California’s drought may be over, but its trees are still dying: “Every year, the United States Department of Agriculture surveys California’s forests. Government and private forestry staff take to the skies in various aircraft to sketch out maps of the state’s dying, defoliating and damaged trees. And every year, the data they compile from these observations show that more of California’s forests are dying. This year no different. The numbers from the 2018 USDA Forest Health Aerial Survey released in February show that 2018’s below average rainfall slowed the forests’ recovery from drought and diseases. … ” Read more from ABC 10 here: California’s drought may be over, but its trees are still dying
Reservoirs release water in anticipation of snowpack: “Local reservoirs are proactively releasing water at higher rates than usual in anticipation of increased inflows from heavy winter rains and snowstorms. The Central Sierra five station index has recorded 40.1 inches of rain since Oct. 1, the beginning of the water year. That’s 129 percent of the normal rate for Mar. 20, according to Cory Mueller, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service. … ” Read more from the Calaveras Enterprise here: Reservoirs release water in anticipation of snowpack
A fix is proposed to address sinking land beneath the Friant-Kern Canal: “When it opened in 1951, the Friant-Kern Canal carried at least 4,000 cubic feet of water per second along its route from Millerton Lake, north of Fresno, to Bakersfield. Then something unfortunate happened. A 25-mile stretch of land between Terra Bella and Pixley began to sink, and kept sinking, to the point that part of the canal’s gravity-powered water flow has slowed to about 1,700 cubic feet per second. The subsidence, caused by over-pumping of groundwater during drought years, means 60 percent less drinking and irrigation water can be delivered to communities along the 152-mile conveyance. … ” Read more from The Record here: A fix is proposed to address sinking land beneath the Friant-Kern Canal
EPA Boss Calls Unsafe Water Bigger Issue Than Climate Change: “Downplaying the threat of climate change, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Andrew Wheeler said in an interview Wednesday that the nation’s focus should be on a priority he believes is more pressing: potable water. “We have 1,000 children die every day worldwide because they don’t have safe drinking water,” Wheeler said in a televised interview with CBS correspondent Major Garrett on Wednesday. … ” Read more from Courthouse News Service here: EPA Boss Calls Unsafe Water Bigger Issue Than Climate Change
See Superblooms from space: “Now that the sun is finally shining on California, the state’s flora is in full bloom — super bloom, that is. Platoons of poppy enthusiasts and smartphone-wielding Instagrammers have flocked to deserts, mountains and meadows to experience the kaleidoscope of colors (and pollen) for themselves. But here’s what they look like from space via satellite. … ” Check out the pictures here: See Superblooms from space
In regional news and commentary today …
Tribe, KRRC clarifies supervisor statements on dam removal: “The Yurok Tribe and the nonprofit organization spearheading a project to remove dams on the Klamath River are seeking to clarify statements made by Del Norte County supervisors regarding mitigation dollars. The tribe’s response addresses a comment from District 3 Supervisor Chris Howard, who stated the Klamath River Renewal Corporation has set aside $450 million in mitigation funds and the Yurok Tribe “has requested substantial mitigation” from the corporation for negative impacts it may experience as a result of the dam removal project. … ” Read more from the Del Norte Triplicate: Tribe, KRRC clarifies supervisor statements on dam removal
Marysville awarded grant for ring levee accreditation: “The Marysville Ring Levee is expected to provide the city with a greater than 200-year level of flood protection once completed. The project’s completion date is a few years out, and a recently-approved grant from the Yuba Water Agency will help pay for the accreditation process. The water agency’s Board of Directors at Tuesday’s meeting unanimously approved a grant to the city for up to $200,000 to complete the certification process. … ” Read more from the Appeal-Democrat here: Marysville awarded grant for ring levee accreditation
Report says Napa County’s 2018 groundwater levels stable: “Napa Valley’s annual groundwater checkup concluded that water levels in a majority of monitoring wells were stable in spring 2018, despite a drop in overall groundwater storage following a subpar rainy season. The valley’s vast underground reservoir that farmers tap to irrigate the region’s world-famous vineyards held an estimated 210,000 acre-feet of water. That’s about seven times as much water contained in a full Lake Hennessey. ... ” Read more from the Napa Register here: Report says Napa County’s 2018 groundwater levels stable
Ross Valley flood control district suspends partnership with Army Corps: “A Ross Valley flood control district will suspend rather than terminate its agreement with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on a project to reduce flood risk in Ross and Kentfield. The Flood Control Zone 9 advisory board decided to leave the door open for further collaboration with the Army Corps at its meeting Tuesday night. The decision came at the recommendation of Army Corps administrators. … ” Read more from the Marin Independent Journal here: Ross Valley flood control district suspends partnership with Army Corps
Livermore: Wet winter helps replenish groundwater supplies: “With our streams and rivers running fast and high and all the snow piling up in the High Sierra, it certainly looks like California is well out of the drought, but what about beneath the surface? “Right now our basin, fortunately, is at 98 percent full,” said Carol Mahoney, Manager of Integrated Water Services for Zone 7, the water supply and flood control agency that serves Livermore and the Amador Valley. … ” Read more from KGO here: Wet winter helps replenish groundwater supplies
Cal Am declines to pursue Pure Water Monterey expansion, for now: “California American Water has notified the state Public Utilities Commission it does not plan to pursue a Pure Water Monterey expansion proposal, at least for now, arguing that its proposed Monterey Peninsula desalination project is still on schedule and noting an absence of detailed information on the proposal, as well as an apparent increase in the cost of the recycled water project. At the same time, Cal Am committed to helping with additional environmental review needed for the Pure Water Monterey expansion, a $1 million endeavor approved on Monday by the Monterey Peninsula Water Management District board. … ” Read more from the Monterey Herald here: Cal Am declines to pursue Pure Water Monterey expansion, for now
Sand City seeks increase of its desal plant’s intake wells: “The only Monterey Peninsula city with its own desalination plant is looking to install new intake wells to help balance the salinity levels and increase output to the 300-acre-foot-per-year design capacity of the almost 10-year-old Sand City desalination facility. The plant, which is owned by Sand City and is operated by California American Water, is currently running at 200 acre-feet per year. … ” Read more from the Monterey Herald here: Sand City seeks increase of its desal plant’s intake wells
Owens Valley Groundwater Authority mulls budget: “After skipping its February meeting to figure out staffing, the Owens Valley Groundwater Authority had a chance to mull over its draft budget for this fiscal year. This budget takes into consideration some unknowns when the initial budget was developed prior to the official formation of the Authority. The biggest unknown was the grant application to cover the consultant’s cost to come up with a Groundwater Sustainability Plan. The OVGA got the grant and will now use member contributions to cover staff and other miscellaneous costs. … ” Read more from Sierra Wave here: Owens Valley Groundwater Authority mulls budget
Santa Barbara County Agencies Face ‘Water Debt’ for Purchases Made During Drought Years: “South Coast agencies purchased more than 27,000 acre-feet of supplemental water during four drought years to make up for lowered allocations from Lake Cachuma and the State Water Project, and for most of those deals, payback includes water in addition to money. Agencies’ so-called “water debt” means that when the city of Santa Barbara purchased from the Mojave Water Agency last year, for example, it was committing to paying back 1 acre-foot of water for every 4 acre-feet it purchased. … ” Read more from Noozhawk here: Santa Barbara County Agencies Face ‘Water Debt’ for Purchases Made During Drought Years
Cachuma Lake spillway not opened up, but water is flowing into Santa Ynez River: “The spillway at Bradbury Dam is wet, and a small amount of water is being released from the dam into a small pool on the downstream side which flows into the Santa Ynez River. But reports that the spillway has been opened are unfounded, said officials, blaming the wet concrete on water seeping past the big steel gates. Recent rains pushed the level of Lake Cachuma past the bottom of the spillway gates several weeks ago and, as of Wednesday morning, the reservoir was holding 76 percent of its capacity, according to statistics from the Santa Barbara County Flood Control District. … ” Read more from the Santa Maria Times here: Cachuma Lake spillway not opened up, but water is flowing into Santa Ynez River
Los Angeles: Winter Storms Replenished Local Groundwater Aquifers: “January and February brought enough precipitation to boost the Eastern Sierra snowpack and rainfall in Los Angeles to well-above-average numbers, replenishing local groundwater aquifers through the capture of at least 18.4 billion gallons of stormwater, the Department of Water and Power announced Wednesday. In downtown Los Angeles alone, 18.5 inches of rain has fallen since Oct. 1. ... ” Read more from NBC 4 here: Los Angeles: Winter Storms Replenished Local Groundwater Aquifers
1st day of spring in Los Angeles brings hail plus flooding that shuts major freeway: “Strange weather greeted spring in Southern California Wednesday as hail, rain and sunshine mixed it up, and a major freeway was closed as a result of flooding. The 710 freeway in Compton was shut down for more than an hour in the afternoon as drivers in both directions were faced with water deep enough to strand their vehicles, said Officer Siara Lund of the California Highway Patrol. Traffic was diverted onto another freeway. … ” Read more from NBC LA here: 1st day of spring in Los Angeles brings hail plus flooding that shuts major freeway
Residents see zero progress at Salton Sea, but new officials say it’s time to turn the page: “Another group of top state officials visited the Salton Sea this week to promise that this time, things will be different and progress will be made to restore the fast-drying water body. The California Water Resources Control Board on Tuesday convened a required annual check-in meeting with a variety of state and local agencies on how and whether efforts to protect public health and restore wildlife habitat are progressing. They met at the lake’s North Shore Yacht Club community center to hear updates and to try to rally residents and experts. Some responded with guarded optimism, seeing Gov. Gavin Newsom’s appointment of top officials who are familiar with the area as a possible sign of long-awaited change. … ” Read more from the Desert Sun here: Residents see zero progress at Salton Sea, but new officials say it’s time to turn the page
IID Director Alleges Bill To Control Agency ‘Retaliatory’: “An Imperial Irrigation District director argued a bill by a Yucca Valley assembly member to move control of the IID board to Riverside County is retaliation for a lawsuit IID filed against the Riverside County Board of Supervisors in 2018. Meanwhile, both of Imperial County’s representatives on the state Legislature have come out strongly against the same bill, which they stated threatens IID’s water rights to the Colorado River. Assembly Bill 854 was introduced by Assembly Member Chad Mayes (R-42nd) on Feb. 20. It would increase the number of IID board members from five to 11, with six additional directors — the majority of the board — being registered voters and residents of Riverside County. … ” Read more from the Holtville Tribune here: IID Director Alleges Bill To Control Agency ‘Retaliatory’
Along the Colorado River …
Trump administration Colorado River drought moves threaten life, health at the Salton Sea, says Barbara Boxer: She writes, “As a former member of the U.S. Senate and chairman of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, I was proud to help lead the charge to save the Salton Sea. In December, I was excited to learn that Sens. Dianne Feinstein and Kamala Harris and Congressman Raul Ruiz secured Farm Bill legislation that provides a pathway to federal Salton Sea funding. The federal government owns almost half of the Salton Sea, but has not lived up to its responsibility to stop the public health and environmental disaster unfolding there. This Farm Bill victory allows for a large, stable source of federal funding for the sea. There can be no more excuses for federal inaction. … ” Read more from The Desert Sun here: Trump administration Colorado River drought moves threaten life, health at the Salton Sea
Floating evaporation stations deployed at Lake Powell: “In the western United States, reservoirs are critical for storing water that can later be used by cities and for agricultural applications — but evaporation can remove a significant amount of this stored water each year. A new collaboration between the Desert Research Institute in Reno, Nev. and the Technical Service Center of the Department of Interior’s Bureau of Reclamation aims to improve our understanding of evaporation from Lake Powell and other major reservoirs of the western United States through the deployment of floating evaporation stations. … ” Read more from the Desert Research Institute here: Floating evaporation stations deployed at Lake Powell
Precipitation watch …
Also on Maven’s Notebook today …
THIS JUST IN … State Water Project Allocations Increase to 70 Percent Following Strong Winter Storms
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.
