In California water news this weekend, Chevron says attempt to seal off well may have triggered big Kern County oil spill; Justice Department urges reversal of ruling on Agua Caliente water-rights case; New Yolo Bypass fish passage project approved; San Francisco State team tests surprising new tools for slowing climate change; Is PFAS the next asbestos? Probably not, lawyers say, but it may come close; Is Trump moving the government out of Washington? 5 things to know; Tribes walk out of Potter Valley Project meeting; Lake Tahoe Is at Its Fullest in Nearly 20 Years; McMullin Area GSA first to release Groundwater Sustainability Plan in the Kings Subbasin; Army Corps of Engineers grants extension for Lake Powell Pipeline plans; and more …
In the news this weekend …
Also on Maven’s Notebook this weekend …
Chevron Says Attempt to Seal Off Well May Have Triggered Big Kern County Oil Spill: “Chevron says that its crews’ efforts to seal off a damaged and abandoned well in a Kern County oil field are believed to have started a chain of events that led to the unintentional release of an estimated 855,000 gallons of oil and water over the last two months. The company also said in a background briefing Friday that it believes its attempts to confirm the source of the original leak and shut it down unleashed even higher flows in the weeks after the initial problem was discovered. … ” Read more from KQED here: Chevron Says Attempt to Seal Off Well May Have Triggered Big Kern County Oil Spill
Justice Department urges reversal of ruling on Agua Caliente water-rights case: “The federal government is urging a U.S. District Court judge to reconsider a ruling that was a blow to the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians in the tribe’s yearslong lawsuit against two Coachella Valley water districts. The tribe claims in its 2013 lawsuit that the Desert Water Agency and the Coachella Valley Water District have infringed upon its rights by over-pumping groundwater from the Coachella Valley’s aquifer. The tribe has support from the U.S. Justice Department in its suit. … ” Read more from The Desert Sun here: Justice Department urges reversal of ruling on Agua Caliente water-rights case
New Yolo Bypass fish passage project approved; migration corridor to protect endangered fish: “The Department of Water Resources has secured final state and federal approval for a project that will expand a migration corridor for fish to the Yolo Bypass, the Sacramento Valley’s main floodplain. The project is part of the largest floodplain restoration action on the West Coast and demonstrates a commitment by DWR, the State Water Contractors, and the Bureau of Reclamation to protect native fish in California, while safeguarding agriculture. The project aligns with Gov. Gavin Newsom’s recent executive order calling for a water resilience portfolio that creates a suite of actions to secure healthy waterways and ecological function through the 21st century. … ” Read more from the Lake County News here: New Yolo Bypass fish passage project approved; migration corridor to protect endangered fish
San Francisco State team tests surprising new tools for slowing climate change: “You may have heard that planting forests is an important part of fighting climate change. But have you considered the humble meadow? This month, a group of researchers working out of San Francisco State University’s Sierra Nevada Field Campus received funding for a five-year study to determine if restoring degraded meadows to their former, more lush state could make these ecosystems more effective tools for slowing the pace of climate change. Oliphant adjusts an instrument that measures how fast gases flow between the meadow and the atmosphere over an area about three football fields in size. “Meadows have the greatest amount of native plant species diversity in the Sierra,” explained San Francisco State Professor Jerry Davis, chair of the University’s Department of Geography & Environment. … ” Read more from SF State here: San Francisco State team tests surprising new tools for slowing climate change
Rising heat and a hint of monsoonal moisture to close out July: “The first half of July has been relatively uneventful across California, with no big heatwaves nor any significant North American Monsoon-related thunderstorm activity–even over the mountains and deserts. In fact, temperatures have been running near to below average for the month to date in most spots, and it has been especially cool in the Sierra Nevada. Much of this quiescent weather can be linked to the slightly late development of the traditional summertime Four Corners high pressure system–the genesis of which usually precedes the arrival of the monsoon across the Desert Southwest. That seasonal high pressure system has now finally developed across the region, and will continue to build over the coming week. … ” Continue reading at the California Weather Blog here: Rising heat and a hint of monsoonal moisture to close out July
If We All Ate Enough Fruits And Vegetables, There’d Be Big Shortages: “If everyone around the globe began to eat the recommended amounts of fruits and vegetables, there wouldn’t be enough to go around. That’s the conclusion of a new study published in The Lancet Planetary Health. Currently, only about 55% of people around the globe live in countries with adequate availability of fruits and vegetables – enough to meet the World Health Organization’s minimum target of 400 grams per person, per day. With economic growth, presumably, production will expand. But the researchers project that by 2050, an estimated 1.5 billion more people will live in places with insufficient supply – unless challenges such as food waste and improved productivity are solved. … ” Continue reading from NPR here: If We All Ate Enough Fruits And Vegetables, There’d Be Big Shortages
Adapting cities to a hotter world: 3 essential reads: “Heat waves can be deadly, especially when they combine high temperatures with elevated humidity levels that make the air feel even hotter. The impacts can be especially strong in cities, which often are several degrees warmer than nearby rural areas due to the urban heat island effect. These three articles from The Conversation’s archives describe steps that communities can take to adapt as climate change makes heat waves more frequent and intense. ... ” Continue reading at Smart Water Magazine here: Adapting cities to a hotter world: 3 essential reads
Is PFAS the next asbestos? Probably not, lawyers say, but it may come close: “The good news about polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, is scientists have yet to uncover a “signature disease” associated with the ubiquitous chemicals once used to manufacture products as varied as waterproof outdoor gear and the packaging for chocolate cake mix. Without a specific disease closely associated with the chemicals, plaintiff lawyers will have a harder time than they did with asbestos to create the assembly-line litigation process that has bankrupted so many companies that made or handled the once-common fireproofing material. That litigation persists long after asbestos has been largely removed from the market because mesothelioma, a rare cancer of the chest lining, can be caused by asbestos exposure. Each new diagnosis can yield judgments in the millions. … ” Read more from Legal Newsline here: Is PFAS the next asbestos? Probably not, lawyers say, but it may come close
Trump’s objection to PFAS cleanup at bases baffles lawmakers: “U.S. Sen. Tom Udall isn’t the only member of the New Mexico delegation baffled by the Trump administration’s objection to a measure in the defense spending bill that authorizes toxic waste cleanup at military bases. Other members of the Democratic delegation have weighed in as well on provisions in the National Defense Appropriation Act of 2020 that would provide help to farmers and others whose livelihoods have been affected by the perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) contamination of the groundwater from fire suppression foam used at military bases such as Cannon Air Force Base near Clovis and Holloman Air Force base near Alamogordo. … ” Continue reading at the Albuquerque Journal here: Trump’s objection to cleanup at bases baffles lawmakers
Is Trump moving the government out of Washington? 5 things to know: “President Donald Trump campaigned on a rallying cry to “Drain the Swamp,” arguing the federal government is dysfunctional because Washington is corrupt and out of touch with the rest of the country. Now critics say he’s taken the first steps to take it apart. The Trump administration wants to move hundreds of employees across the country: The question now is whether this plan would really shake things up and save money for government operations, or if it would just be a symbolic gesture. Here’s what to know: … ” Continue reading at ABC News here: Is Trump moving the government out of Washington? 5 things to know
Water system of medieval German city gets world heritage status: “The German city of Augsburg was Saturday granted World Heritage status by UNESCO for its over 800-year-old water management system boasting an aqueduct, water towers, ornate fountains, canals and hundreds of bridges. The 2,000-year-old city in Bavaria state calls the system which has since the Middle Ages provided clean drinking water and sanitation an “intricate interplay between the innovative spirit and a technical tour de force”. The old town center of Augsburg, located on Germany’s Romantic Road, is criss-crossed with canals and boasts over 500 bridges, “more than in Venice”, according to the city. ... ” Read more from The Jakarta Post here: Water system of medieval German city gets world heritage status
Sunday podcasts …
38 Days in a Media Firestorm: Is it the Water? “In the summer of 2017, a group of residents and environmental activist Erin Brockovich challenged Mount Pleasant’s water system claiming that the town’s water contained pesticides that might be causing brain cancer in children. Listen to Clay Duffie, General Manager of Mount Pleasant Waterworks, explain how the events unfolded, how they responded and his lessons learned.”
Antarctica: Steve Baker writes, “Air temperature is changing in the Antarctica and this is causing disruption of the food chain of land and ocean based ecosystems. Melting from the top of the glaciers and melting from the bottom add significant fresh water to the surrounding ocean. Everything readjusts because water’s presence in the Antarctica has changed in form and distribution. How is this going to play out for those of us living at lower latitudes? Water is a Many Splendor’ed Thing brings you another water relationship that has a personally significant impact to your life.”
Stephen J. Baker, Bringing People Together to Solve Water Problems, Operation Unite®; stevebaker@operationunite.co
In commentary this weekend …
As the climate gets hotter and drier, state’s water plan must consider all options, says Senator Feinstein: She writes, “Climate change presents a clear and present danger to California: Rising temperatures will continue to reduce the Sierra snowpack — essentially California’s largest bank of water — and will cause more frequent and dangerous droughts. As we continue to recover from the historic drought that stretched from 2011 to 2017, we must accept this new reality and start preparing now. … ” Read more from the Fresno Bee here: As the climate gets hotter and drier, state’s water plan must consider all options
Desalination makes more sense for California than a multi-billion dollar water tunnel, say : They write, “There is an obvious connection between the proposed multibillion-dollar Sacramento Delta Water Tunnels, the proposed mining/pumping of water from the Mojave Desert, Central Valley farmers lacking the water resources to maximize food production, and the Sacramento River and fishing stocks suffering from inadequate water flows. That connection is the State Water Project, which pumps water to Southern California and reduces the river water needed for fisheries, farmers, and the river itself. The reality is Southern California needs water and if we don’t produce it here, then we’re going to take it anywhere we can find it, regardless of environmental damage and economic considerations. But we believe the State Water Project should not be considered the primary source of outside water for Southern California as it is today, and a better alternative is seawater desalination. ... ” Read more from the Ventura County Star here: Desalination makes more sense for California than a multi-billion dollar water tunnel
Freshwater, saltwater fish biologists should be under same roof, says Dan Keppen: He writes, “In his 2011 State of the Union speech, President Obama caught the attention of many of us when he said, “The Interior Department is in charge of salmon while they’re in fresh water, but the Commerce Department handles them when they’re in saltwater. And I hear it gets even more complicated once they’re smoked.” This moment may have provided the first, widespread public awareness of the absurdity of having multiple federal agencies responsible for enforcing the federal Endangered Species Act. The Trump administration last year proposed to combine the responsibilities of both the National Marine Fisheries Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service under one federal roof. … ” Read more from the Capital Press here: Freshwater, saltwater fish biologists should be under same roof
Dam removal will benefit fishing guides and anglers, says John Rickard: He writes, “By all accounts, the four lower Klamath River dams will be coming out sometime in the next few years. As a small business owner who leads fishing tours for anglers from within and beyond the region, I understand that taking these dams out may lead to a short-term dip in business. But the long-term benefits of dam removal outweigh the near-term costs to my family and my livelihood. I’ve been guiding anglers throughout Northern California and Southern Oregon in search of trout and steelhead for almost 20 years. Years of experience have shown me first-hand what the scientists say: fish need clean, cold water to thrive. Migratory fish like salmon and steelhead need access to spawning habitat and healthy gravel beds to sustain wild populations. … ” Read more from the Siskiyou Daily News here: Dam removal will benefit fishing guides and anglers
In regional news and commentary this weekend …
Mendocino County Farm Bureau hosts public meeting about local water: “The Mendocino County Farm Bureau invites the public to attend an informational meeting about how our local water may be in jeopardy, on July 24 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Ukiah Valley Conference Center. The dependable nature of the county’s year-round water supply is the Potter Valley Project, a diversion of water from the Eel River to the Russian River with an accompanying power station that provides water and hydropower downstream. It is a system of dams, rivers, reservoirs, lakes, and power stations that has been in place for decades. … ” Read more from the Ukiah Daily Journal here: Mendocino County Farm Bureau hosts public meeting about local water
Tribes walk out of Potter Valley Project meeting: “Last month, Humboldt County, Sonoma County Water and Power Agency, Mendocino County Inland Water and Power Commission, and California Trout took steps to take over PG&E’s orphaned Eel River dams and diversion to the Russian River (Potter Valley Project or PVP). Absent from this effort are the people who have served as stewards of the Eel River for time-immemorial – the Round Valley Indian Tribes, the Wiyot Tribe, and Bear River Band of Rohnerville Rancheria. In response, the tribes have formed a Coalition to support dam removal and demand a seat at the table with counties and conservation groups on this issue. On June 17, 2019 the Wiyot Tribe and Round Valley Indian Tribes walked out of an ad hoc committee meeting in solidarity with the Bear River after Bear River, a federally recognized tribe, was asked to leave by Congressman Huffman’s staff. ... ” Read more from the Redheaded Blackbelt here: Tribes walk out of Potter Valley Project meeting
Lake Tahoe Is at Its Fullest in Nearly 20 Years as Snowmelt Pushes Water Level Close to Limit: “Lake Tahoe is the fullest it’s been in nearly two decades. Officials say the alpine lake on the California-Nevada line is approaching the legal limit after snowmelt from a stormy winter left enough water to potentially last through three summers of drought. For three weeks, Tahoe has been within an inch (25 millimeters) of its maximum allowed surface elevation of 6,229.1 feet (1,898 meters) above sea level. … ” Read more from KTLA Channel 5 here: Lake Tahoe Is at Its Fullest in Nearly 20 Years as Snowmelt Pushes Water Level Close to Limit
Sacramento Metro battles American River island fire with drones: “Sacramento Metro firefighters battled an island fire along the American River on Thursday night with the help of drone technology. Investigators said a grass fire was reported at around 8:30 p.m. about 1-2 miles east of Watt Avenue. When officers arrived on scene, it was dark, the fire was inaccessible by foot and the flames were burning a 60-foot tree. They were ferried in and used unmanned aerial vehicle technology. … ” Read more from KCRA Channel 3 here: Sacramento Metro battles American River island fire with drones
Pajaro Valley Water’s Alternative Groundwater Sustainability Plan approved: “The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) recently notified Pajaro Valley Water Management Agency that its Basin Management Plan (BMP) was approved and considered functionally equivalent to a Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP). “This approval is a huge win for all Pajaro Valley residents as it saves PV Water the time, money and energy that would have gone toward developing the state-mandated plan,” General Manager Brian Lockwood said. … ” Read more from the Register-Pajaronian here: Pajaro Valley Water’s Alternative Groundwater Sustainability Plan approved
McMullin GSA first to release Groundwater Sustainability Plan in the Kings Subbasin: “At the July 10, 2019 Board Meeting, the McMullin Area Groundwater Sustainability Agency (MAGSA) Board approved opening the draft Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP) 90-day public review and comment period. First in the Kings Subbasin to release a full draft GSP, MAGSA staff and consultants are intent to allow ample time to consider comments and make any necessary revisions to the draft prior to submittal to the State by the January 31, 2020 deadline. … ” Read more from ACWA’s Water News here: McMullin GSA first to release Groundwater Sustainability Plan in the Kings Subbasin
The Central Valley’s Trashed-Out Rivers: “The Kings River is littered with trash, both in the water, and in the wooded areas surrounding the river. We all know people litter, and that can get caught in the River — but the Kings is also tarnished by shopping carts piled up high, countless tires stacked to form rubber walls, and even a truck, submerged in the same water people swim in. ... ” Read more from Channel 26 here: The Central Valley’s Trashed-Out Rivers
Water Board To Test Soil In Ripon For Potentially Hazardous Chemical Vapor: “Mothers of children with cancer may soon have more answers following concerns over contaminated water. The state water board says it will begin testing the soil in Ripon over the next few weeks for a potentially hazardous chemical vapor. This, after CBS13 reported there has been no vapor testing there in over a decade. … ” Read more from CBS 13 here: Water Board To Test Soil In Ripon For Potentially Hazardous Chemical Vapor
China Lake: When a quake hits a secret area: “Damaged buildings, torn up roads and water lines and multiple aftershocks are among the challenges residents of the Ridgecrest area are dealing with following two big earthquakes beginning July 4. The epicenter of the quakes was the Naval Weapons Air Station at China Lake, which does research into military weapons in the Mojave Desert. Because of the secret nature of its work, the state Seismic Safety Commission has been unable to go in and check out what is happening, said Commission Chairman Mike Gardner. ... ” Read more from Capitol Weekly here: China Lake: When a quake hits a secret area
Algae bloom at Castaic Lake prompts caution advisory: “State water officials issued a “caution advisory” Thursday warning visitors to Castaic Lake about a toxic algae bloom spotted in the upper lake. Local park officials, however, pointed out Thursday that the algae in question remains relatively isolated near the Elderberry section of the upper lake, near the electrical plant. “This is only at the caution advisory level,” said Tracy Hild, spokeswoman for the Castaic Lake Recreation Area. ... ” Read more from The Signal here: Algae bloom at Castaic Lake prompts caution advisory
Water Management in San Gabriel Valley: “Water management in the Western United States is highly complex as a result of a variable climate from year to year, explained a top water expert on Tuesday, and Southern Californians must continue to do everything they can to be mindful of conservation and efficient use of H2O. That was a key message presented by Thomas Love, general manager of the Upper San Gabriel Valley Management District. … ” Read more from the South Pasadean here: Water Management in San Gabriel Valley
Compton, Willowbrook residents getting new source after dealing with ‘contaminated’ water: “Residents of Compton and Willowbrook will hopefully be able to drink clear water again. That’s because the water supply will be piped in from a different source. Nearly 7,000 customers who live in the old Sativa Water District complained for months about murky brown water with a foul odor coming from their pipes. The work to get the area clean water has been going on for months as crews clean up the existing infrastructure. Los Angeles County, which now has control of the water district, is taking old wells offline and connecting them to a neighboring water company. … ” Read more from KABC here: Compton, Willowbrook residents getting new source after dealing with ‘contaminated’ water
Redondo demands nearly half a million dollars after Hermosa Beach welches on water deal: “Hermosa Beach is facing demands from neighboring Redondo Beach to turn over more than $400,000 related to a multi-city ocean water quality project, potentially imperiling cooperation on a critical environmental issue. In a letter sent last Wednesday to Hermosa Mayor Stacey Armato, Redondo Mayor Bill Brand demanded that Hermosa return $431,615.05 Redondo contributed to a beach cities effort to address water quality impacts associated with the flow of stormwater runoff into the Pacific Ocean in front of the Redondo Beach Chart House. … ” Read more from the Easy Reader here: Redondo demands nearly half a million dollars after Hermosa Beach welches on water deal
Long Beach: New history exhibit shows city’s deep relationship with water is everywhere: “Long Beach’s origin story is awash in water. It was a resort and farming town of transplanted Iowans who got water from aquifers under Signal Hill; the drill bits even found a more lucrative resource underneath: oil. Then when the city outgrew the wells, the Metropolitan Water District was forming and voters jumped in. Freshwater for drinking and saltwater for playing. The Pike, the L.A. River, the aquarium and Alamitos Bay, then there are the coastal wetlands that have largely disappeared, though, thanks to climate change, those wetlands seem to be coming back. … ” Read more from the Long Beach Post here: Long Beach: New history exhibit shows city’s deep relationship with water is everywhere
Sea Level Rise Dangers In Seal Beach Detailed: “Seal Beach residents got a look July 17 at what sea level rise could mean to them, thanks to a city presentation showing that large swaths of the small municipality could flood by 2050 and that the odds of even greater inundation will increase throughout the century. While there was significant concern among the 40 or so residents on hand at the Marina Community Center, there also was criticism that projections of sea level rise showed flooding far sooner than was probable. … ” Read more from the Long Beach Grunion here: Sea Level Rise Dangers In Seal Beach Detailed
San Diego Scientists Make Waves In Climate Research: “San Diego researchers are collaborating to understand the ocean’s role in the planet’s climate. The work is happening in a wood-framed building on the Scripps Institution of Oceanography campus. The structure’s roof mimics the shape of a wave. Inside is a long glass chute which allows researchers to bring the ocean into the lab. … ” Read more from KPBS here: San Diego Scientists Make Waves In Climate Research
Along the Colorado River …
Army Corps of Engineers grants extension for Lake Powell Pipeline plans: “The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has granted Utah a 30-day extension to provide desired documentation and plans related to the Lake Powell Pipeline, according to state water officials. Last month, the Corps sent a letter to the Utah Division of Water Resources outlining multiple points it would like addressed before allowing the permitting process for the Lake Powell Pipeline to continue. The deadline for those documents had been set for Saturday. … ” Read more from the St. George Spectrum here: Army Corps of Engineers grants extension for Lake Powell Pipeline plans
Here’s how much the snowmelt boosted Colorado reservoirs: “We knew the June snowmelt would boost Colorado’s thirsty reservoirs, and now we can see just how much: Statewide, the reservoirs went from 59% capacity at the end of May to 76% at the end of June. That still leaves plenty of room for more water, but the reservoirs are now sitting above average, at 105% of the normal capacity. At the end of May, statewide reservoir capacity was at 90% of the average. ... ” Read more from the Denver Channel here: Here’s how much the snowmelt boosted Colorado reservoirs
Also on Maven’s Notebook this weekend …
June 2019 Issue of ESTUARY News – Water, Environment, Climate, Equity
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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.
Maven’s Notebook
where California water news never goes home for the weekend
