DAILY DIGEST: Farmers and IID fight for water rights; Uncorked potential (or Delta wine and WaterFix); After 65 years, salmon return to the San Joaquin River; EPA proposes weaker standards on chemicals contaminating drinking water; and more …

In California water news today, Farmers and IID fight for water rights; Uncorked potential (or Delta wine and WaterFix); After 65 years, salmon return to the San Joaquin River; How the Blockchain Could Protect California’s Aquifer; How Silicon Valley provides the blueprint for cleaning up our drinking water; EPA Proposes Weaker Standards on Chemicals Contaminating Drinking Water; and more …

On the calendar today …

• The Central Valley Flood Protection Board will meet at 9am.  Agenda items include monthly report from DWR, consideration of approval of DWR’s maintenance area budget, Marysville Ring Levee project, American River watershed common features environmental update.  For more information and webcast link, click here.

In the news today …

Farmers and IID fight for water rights:  “A growing number of Imperial Valley residents said the area is in serious danger, threatened by a possible change in how water rights are implemented locally, giving just a few people the power to do with water as they please.  Alex Cardenas, IID Director Division 1, said, “If they were able to sell water or transfer water out of here it would be absolutely devastating to our economy.”  Eric Reyes, I.V. Coalition and Brawley resident, said, “they will quickly dry up their farming operations, quickly put people out of work in the tens to fifty thousand to a hundred thousand employees.” … ”  Read more from KYMA here:  Farmers and IID fight for water rights

Uncorked potential (or Delta wine and WaterFix):  “There’s a painting on the wall of Scribner Bend Vineyard, an image of the gentle river bow shimmering in the sun just beyond the tasting room’s door. It’s a reproduction of a harvest advertisement from 1906 and it captures how the north Delta looked then, with its long graceful waterways curving under cottonwoods, black walnut trees and levees brushed in wild grape.  Today, when visitors to Scribner Bend move their eyes to the window, they can see that little’s changed in a century around this rural hideaway. … But while these small wineries are thriving, their owners fear the trail could shrink or collapse if any version of the massive California WaterFix is built. ... ”  Read more from the Sacramento News and Review:  Uncorked potential

It hasn’t happened in 65 years:  Salmon return to the San Joaquin River:  “Before the construction of Friant Dam and creation of Millerton Lake in 1942, the San Joaquin River was a historic spawning habitat for spring-run Chinook salmon.  But it’s been more than 65 years since adult salmon returned from the Pacific Ocean to the river – until this month, that is.  So far in April, five adult Chinook salmon have been discovered in the same area of the San Joaquin River for the first time in decades. Josh Newcom, a spokesman for the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation’s San Joaquin River Restoration Program, said the salmon were all caught in net traps in an area of the river’s lower Eastside Bypass. … ”  Read more from the Fresno Bee here:  It hasn’t happened in 65 years. This threatened species has returned to the San Joaquin River

After 65 years, salmon return to the San Joaquin River:  “Surviving an exhaustive maze of manmade barriers and hungry predators, a hardy group of salmon have beat the odds and returned to spawn in one of California’s most-heavily dammed rivers.  The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation says for the first time in over 65 years, threatened spring-run Chinook adult salmon have returned to the San Joaquin River near Fresno to complete their life cycle. The return of the hatchery-reared fish marks a huge milestone for a billion-dollar undertaking to revive an ancient population of salmon that disappeared in the 1940s with the opening of Friant Dam.  … ”  Read more from the Courthouse News Service here:  After 65 years, salmon return to the San Joaquin River

How Blockchain Could Protect California’s Aquifer:  “California is sinking. In the Central Valley, the most productive agricultural region in the US, some areas drop an inch or two per year. Telephone poles slump, roads crack, canals fail. In time, all that sinking adds up. A recent state survey found one patch of farmland off I-5 near the town of Arbuckle had fallen 2 feet in nine years.  The culprit: overdrafted aquifers. The process speeds up during periods of drought, when rivers run dry and farmers scramble to find other ways to water their fields. “It’s a tragedy of the commons situation,” says Alex Johnson, fund director for the Freshwater Trust, a conservation nonprofit. … ”  Read more from WIRED Magazine here:  How Blockchain Could Protect California’s Aquifer

How Silicon Valley provides the blueprint for cleaning up our drinking water:  “In 2016 the Colorado health department announced the presence of cancer-causing chemicals in drinking water in Fountain, Colo., just outside Colorado Springs. Tests by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) discovered that nearby military bases had been leaching toxic chemicals, including substances known as PFASs, into drinking water for decades, potentially contributing to higher-than-normal rates of cancer. The Department of Defense has since admitted their responsibility for at least 55 drinking-water site contaminations worldwide, and the EPA has announced new plans to set drinking-water limits for PFASs by the end of the year.  When Americans think of polluting industries, they usually think of steel mills, coal plants and massive factories belching smoke and dumping toxins. ... ”  Read more from the Washington Post here:  How Silicon Valley provides the blueprint for cleaning up our drinking water

EPA Proposes Weaker Standards on Chemicals Contaminating Drinking Water:  “After pressure from the Defense Department, the Environmental Protection Agency significantly weakened a proposed standard for cleaning up groundwater pollution caused by toxic chemicals that contaminate drinking water consumed by millions of Americans and that have been commonly used at military bases.  Standards released by the agency on Thursday eliminated entirely a section that would have addressed how it would respond to what it has described as “immediate threats posed by hazardous waste sites.” Those short-term responses, known as removal actions, can include excavating contaminated soil or building a security fence around a toxic area. ... ”  Read more from the New York Times here:  EPA Proposes Weaker Standards on Chemicals Contaminating Drinking Water

In regional news and commentary today …

Kiewit wins dam removal contract from KRRC:  “The Klamath River Renewal Corporation (KRRC) took a major step toward removal of four hydroelectric dams on the Klamath River by entering into a design-build contract with construction firm Kiewit Infrastructure West Co. of Fairfield, Calif.  The initial award authorizes $18.1 million in preliminary services, with a further amount for project implementation work to follow once design is finalized, according to a press release issued Thursday morning. … ”  Read more from Herald & News here:  Kiewit wins dam removal contract from KRRC

Contractor signs on for Klamath Dam removal project:  “A company is officially on board to be the primary contractor for the Klamath Dam removal project, the latest tangible step in a years-long campaign to remove the dams scientists say have threatened the river’s fish populations and harmed its water quality.  Kiewit Infrastructure West, a large North America-based construction company, will be tasked with seeing four of the Klamath Dams removed. It’s taken years to even get to this point, but tribal members say removing the dams is only a start to the process of “healing” the river. … ”  Read more from the Eureka Times-Standard here:  Contractor signs on for Klamath Dam removal project

City of Ukiah still making repairs after winter flooding:  “The city of Ukiah is still making repairs to infrastructure damaged in last winter’s storms, the most urgent of which are needed at the facility it uses to deliver drinking water to its residents.  “During the recent floods, both the water plant and the wastewater plant suffered damage to a number of pieces of infrastructure,” said Sean White, the city’s director of water and sewer. “Our most time-sensitive (repair needed) is to the back wash basins at the water plant, which both cracked like an egg” in the heavy downpours earlier this year. ... ”  Read more from the Ukiah Daily Journal here:  City of Ukiah still making repairs after winter flooding

Yuba Water Agency’s unique sediment removal project earns reputable award:  “A project to maintain dam safety and increase reservoir capacity by removing and hauling away sediment from upstream of one of Yuba Water Agency’s diversion dams is the winner of the 2018 American Society of Civil Engineers, Sacramento Section Outstanding Construction Project of the Year award.  In less than two months, the agency removed approximately 12,000 cubic yards of sediment from behind Log Cabin Dam, which is located in the Yuba County foothills in the remote community of Camptonville. The sediment buildup was a result of previous winters’ storms and heavy flows in the creek.   … ”  Read more from ACWA’s Water News here:     Yuba Water Agency’s unique sediment removal project earns reputable award

Crystal Geyser partners with conservancy group to protect watersheds:  “Crystal Geyser Water Company has partnered with a nonprofit watershed conservation group, for the protection and restoration of forested watersheds and natural sources of drinking water.  Pacific Forest Trust (PFT), based in San Francisco, is a 25-year-old group of scientists, forest managers, and conservationists, focused on private forests in northern California, Oregon and Washington. … ”  Read more from the Napa Valley Register here:  Crystal Geyser partners with conservancy group to protect watersheds

Corps should make Canal dredging a priority, says the Marin Independent Journal:  They write, “The San Rafael Canal needs dredging — again.  That’s no surprise. The waterway into Central San Rafael regularly becomes clogged with silt and has to be dredged to assure free-flowing boat traffic.  But it’s also no surprise that maintenance dredging of the canal is going to require a mustering of political lobbying to get the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to include the job in its budget. ... ”  Read more from the Marin Independent Journal here: Corps should make Canal dredging a priority

Cal Am desal plant gets narrow Planning Commission OK:  “Citing long-running efforts to secure a new Monterey Peninsula water supply and the state-imposed deadline for reducing unauthorized water usage, the county Planning Commission approved California American Water’s desalination plant north of Marina on Wednesday.  By a 6-4 vote, the commission backed a use permit for the proposed 6.4 million gallon per day desal plant. The plant is designed to provide about 40 percent of the Peninsula’s planned new water supply to offset the state’s Carmel River pumping cutback order set to take full effect at the end of 2021, as well as reduce pumping from the Seaside basin. The commission’s approval can be appealed to the Board of Supervisors. … ”  Read more from the Monterey Herald here:  Cal Am desal plant gets narrow Planning Commission OK

County wants to speed up Morro Bay sewer project, sends review straight to Coastal Commission:  “The review of the planned — and controversial — $124.5 million Morro Bay wastewater treatment plant is skipping a key step that could have added a year and significant cost to the project’s bottom line.  But many residents, who have fought against it at every step along the way, aren’t happy about it.  San Luis Obispo County supervisors voted 4-1 on Tuesday to consolidate the approval process and help expedite the planning, sending its anticipated coastal development permit review straight to the Coastal Commission this summer. ... ”  Read more from the San Luis Obispo Tribune here:  County wants to speed up Morro Bay sewer project, sends review straight to Coastal Commission

Del Puerto allocation inches upward; still short of 100 percent:  “Abundant winter rain and snowfall was not enough to deliver a full allocation of irrigation water to farmers in a federal district running along the Interstate 5 corridor from Vernalis to Santa Nella.  The latest water allocation update puts the allocation for the Del Puerto Water District and similar south-of-the-delta agencies at 65 percent – a 10 percent bump from the previous allocation but well short of a full contract quota. ... ”  Read more from Westside Connect here:  Del Puerto allocation inches upward; still short of 100 percent

Snowmelt causes seismic swarm near California’s Long Valley Caldera:  “A spring surge of meltwater, seeping through vertically tilted layers of rock, caused a seismic swarm near California’s Long Valley Caldera in 2017, according to research presented at the 2019 SSA Annual Meeting.  The unusual event prompted U.S. Geological Survey researcher Emily Montgomery-Brown and her colleagues to look back through 33 years of seismic and water records for the region. They found that rates of shallow seismicity were about 37 times higher during very wet periods versus dry periods. ... ”  Read more from PhysOrg here:  Snowmelt causes seismic swarm near California’s Long Valley Caldera

Pasadena: Graves reservoir project on track for 2020 completion:  “The South Pasadena multi-million-dollar Graves Reservoir reconstruction project that will bring the last of the city’s five non-operational reservoirs online is on track and expected to be ready to accept the 1 million gallons of water it’s capable of holding next year, according to city officials.  The more than $12-million project, which broke ground back in August of last year, calls for seismic improvements, the installation of granulated activated carbon (GAC) and ion-exchange treatment technologies, and the replacement of aging pipes, some of which So Pas Public Works staff believe are over 100 years old. … ”  Read more from the South Pasadena Review here:  Pasadena: Graves reservoir project on track for 2020 completion

Padre Dam board members vote to give themselves pay raises:  “On the heels of elected officials from another local water agency giving themselves a pay raise, board members from the Padre Dam Municipal Water District Board last week voted to increase their per-meeting rate.  The five-member board voted 4-1 to raise its compensation 3.5 percent. The per diem rate will move from $140 to $145 for each day’s service on behalf of the Santee-based Padre Dam, starting July 1. … ”  Read more from the San Diego Union Tribune here:  Padre Dam board members vote to give themselves pay raises

Report: Bird Populations Drop Dramatically Around Dying Salton Sea:  “Bird species once abundant around the Salton Sea are rapidly deserting the location as waters recede and salinity rises, according to a report released Thursday by Audubon California.  “For a community that once held annual Pelican Days birding festivals, the decline of these great birds is certainly disheartening,” said Andrea Jones, Audubon California’s director of bird conservation. “At its peak, the Salton Sea hosted a broad diversity of birds, and any habitat restoration that takes place here should serve that diversity.” … ”  Read more from My News LA here:  Report: Bird Populations Drop Dramatically Around Dying Salton Sea

Salton Sea pelican population declining at startling rate:  “A new report paints a grim future for birds that rely on the Salton Sea habitat. Audubon California-released report uses bird-monitoring data from several different sources to show just how the destruction of the Salton Sea ecological habitat has decimated the populations of both pelicans and cormorants endemic to the area. … ”  Read more from Channel 3 here:  Salton Sea pelican population declining at startling rate

Along the Colorado River …

Utilities tighten valves under Colorado River drought plan:  “One water rights attorney views the recently approved Colorado River Drought Contingency Plan as an opportunity for the municipal bond market.  “Now that the agreement’s been signed, everybody’s looking at augmentation,” said Paul Orme, a water rights specialist at the Arizona law firm Salmon Lewis & Weldon who served on a steering committee for the state. “I can certainly see a role for municipal finance in that.” … ”  Continue reading at Bond Buyer here:  Utilities tighten valves under Colorado River drought plan

Also on Maven’s Notebook today …

NEWS WORTH NOTING: State, federal agencies fund nearly $10 million in new Delta science studies; Kiewit awarded construction contract for Klamath dam removal

Today’s announcements …

• OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT: Draft interim recommendations for addressing groundwater contaminated with PFOA and PFOS
• DELTA eNEWS: ~~ DSC Blog~ Broadband Workshop~ Lodi Fest~ Opening Day~ DSC Feedback ~~
• ANNOUNCEMENT: Nominations Now Being Accepted for Fisheries Restoration Grant Program Peer Review Committee

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.