In California water news today, Newsom signs clean drinking water bill in Sanger; California governor encouraged by oil spill cleanup effort; What Did John Harris and Newsom Talk About? Water, of Course; A Climate-resilient Los Angeles Must First Address Its Polluted Past; Some Pacific salmon populations are especially at risk from climate change; Scientists say they debunked claims of natural warming; Complying with America’s Water Infrastructure Act Requirements; Megadroughts could return to southwestern U.S.; Water Consumption Work at EROS Important Asset to Colorado River Concerns; and more …
On the calendar today …
- The Delta Stewardship Council meets via teleconference at 10am. Agenda items include an update on the Delta Plan Interagency Implementation Committee,an update on the Council 2019 priorities, a legislative update, and a report from the Lead Scientist. Click here for more information. Audio only – no webcast.
In the news today …
Also on Maven’s Notebook today …
- SCIENCE NEWS: Some Pacific salmon populations are especially at risk from climate change; Discovering Delta data online; CA’s disappearing kelp forests; Climate change is very real but uncertain; Fighting climate change by reducing cow burps; and more …
- BROWN BAG SEMINAR: Adventures in Decision-oriented Ecosystem Services Modeling
DRINKING WATER BILL
Newsom signs clean drinking water bill in Sanger: “During a swing through the San Joaquin Valley, Gov. Gavin Newsom visited the Tombstone neighborhood outside of Sanger to sign a bill that will fund clean drinking water infrastructure for rural California communities. Senate Bill 200, authored by Sen. Bill Monning (D-Carmel), provides an estimated $1.4 billion in funding for clean water initiatives in underserved areas of California. State lawmakers struck an agreement during budget negotiations to fund the bill by utilizing some of the state’s General Fund. The vast majority of funding, however, came via tapping the state’s greenhouse gas reduction fund, a pool of money from cap-and-trade carbon credit sales. … ” Read more from the San Joaquin Sun here: Newsom signs clean drinking water bill in Sanger
Governor Newsom Signs Bill For Clean Drinking Water Fund: “Governor Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 200 into law, creating a fund to provide clean and safe drinking water to the one million California residents who haven’t had access to it. He did it in the San Joaquin Valley, where the crisis of contaminated drinking water is so acute. Starting next year, and for the next ten years $130 million will be allocated from the state’s cap and trade fund, a move that raised some questions, but saved lawmakers from having to impose a new tax, which previous legislation would have required. Vic Bedoian reports from Fresno.”
SEE ALSO:
OIL SPILL
California governor encouraged by oil spill cleanup effort: “Gov. Gavin Newsom said Wednesday that he is encouraged by Chevron’s efforts to clean up what has turned into the state’s largest oil spill in decades. About 970,000 gallons (3,670,000 liters) have leaked from the ground at an oilfield west of Bakersfield over the last couple of months; about one third of it is oil and the other two-thirds water. “I’m seeing progress,” Newsom said on a visit to the site, where the oil and water are contained in a dry desert creek bed. The leaks are known as surface expressions, which can be caused by injecting steam into the ground. … ” Read more from the Associated Press here: California governor encouraged by oil spill cleanup effort
Governor promises balanced approach after touring McKittrick-area oil leak: “Gov. Gavin Newsom, speaking with reporters in western Kern after a tour of California’s largest oil spill in years, withheld judgment on the incident Wednesday and said he must balance the state’s low-carbon future with the needs of communities economically dependent on petroleum production. Newsom’s comments suggest he may try to steer a middle course, as his predecessor Jerry Brown did, even as he pushes California toward a low-carbon energy future. … ” Read more from Bakersfield.com here: Governor promises balanced approach after touring McKittrick-area oil leak
Lawmakers Push to Give Newsom Power to Call Fracking Moratorium, Setting Stage for Oil Industry Battle: “Nearly two weeks ago, the day after Gov. Gavin Newsom fired California’s top oil and gas regulator, the governor said he does not have the legal authority to impose a moratorium on permits for hydraulic fracturing, known as fracking. “The governor of California cannot do that,” Newsom told reporters on July 12. Now, two key lawmakers — the chairs of the state Senate and Assembly committees overseeing large parts of the oil industry — say they’re open to giving Newsom the power to bring new fracking operations to a halt in California, setting up what could be a significant battle with the powerful oil industry. … ” Read more from KQED here: Lawmakers Push to Give Newsom Power to Call Fracking Moratorium, Setting Stage for Oil Industry Battle
OTHER STATEWIDE NEWS
What Did John Harris and Newsom Talk About? Water, of Course. “Gov. Gavin Newsom started his Valley tour Tuesday night (July 23), appearing at a fundraiser in Coalinga at the business of a noted Republican donor. John Harris, chairman of Harris Farms and a philanthropist, is known to support conservative causes. Earlier this month, he hosted Vice President Mike Pence for a fundraiser for the Trump 2020 campaign. However, his GOP support is not exclusive. He’s donated to Democrats in the past (Sen. Dianne Feinstein, for example). … ” Continue reading at GV Wire here: What Did John Harris and Newsom Talk About? Water, of Course.
A Climate-resilient Los Angeles Must First Address Its Polluted Past: “Can a big city be truly sustainable in the age of climate change? Los Angeles is trying to find out. The United States’ second-largest city has big green plans. In April Mayor Eric Garcetti announced a goal to get 80 percent of the city’s electricity from renewable sources by 2036 and make sure 80 percent of the vehicles on the road then are carbon-emissions free. This is part of L.A.’s version of a Green New Deal, the grand plan for decarbonization being kicked around Washington, D.C. and other localities. But the city’s aspirations don’t stop at clean energy. For L.A. to truly boost its climate resilience it also needs to address its water — 86 percent of which comes from three sources located hundreds of miles away. … ” Read more from the Revelator here: A Climate-resilient Los Angeles Must First Address Its Polluted Past
State Releases an Update of Water Plan: “The impacts of climate change on water use and how the state can address them represent a significant change in the new 5-year update of the California Water Plan. Update 2018, released last week by the Department of Water Resources (DWR) in Sacramento, recommends actions to meet various important aspects of climate change. One of the priorities, improving integrated management of local watersheds, has been a focus of Zone 7 Water Agency in its role as manager of the Valley’s groundwater basin. As long ago as 20 years, the agency had been using the latest computerized research tools to gain a better picture of how the basin behaved, and best practices for its management. … ” Read more from the Livermore Independent here: State Releases an Update of Water Plan
CLIMATE CHANGE
Some Pacific salmon populations are especially at risk from climate change: “Four population groups of Pacific salmon in California, Oregon, and Idaho are especially vulnerable to climate change, according to a new study in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Lisa Crozier of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and colleagues. The results will be useful for prioritizing protection efforts for salmon populations along the entire west coast of the United States. … To better understand the vulnerability of Pacific salmon, the authors studied 33 threatened or endangered population groups of Pacific salmon, encompassing local populations from the Mexican border to the Canadian border. For each population group, the authors looked at 20 different attributes in order to assess the group’s vulnerability to change. … ” Read more from PhysOrg here: Some Pacific salmon populations are especially at risk from climate change
Perfect Storm Of Long Drought Plus Warming Climate Created Tipping Point For Sierra Forests: “A new study by UC Merced Professor Roger Bales and colleague Michael Goulden of UC Irvine found the “perfect storm” of long-term drought, global warming brought the Sierra Nevada forests to a tipping point of literally dying of thirst. In this conversation Professor Bales explains the research and its meaning for California.”
Scientists say they debunked claims of natural warming: “Skeptics of human-caused climate change have often relied on a favorite argument involving the planet’s natural climate cycles. Earth experienced plenty of natural warming and cooling phases long before humans ever began pumping greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, they’ve suggested — so the present-day warming isn’t necessarily dangerous or even that unusual. Scientists have debunked this argument over and over again. Studies demonstrate that carbon dioxide concentrations are currently higher than they’ve been at any point in human history, global temperatures are rising at unprecedented rates, and warming is poised to surpass anything the planet has experienced in millions of years. … ” Read more from E&E News here: Scientists say they debunked claims of natural warming
NATIONAL NEWS
Bipartisan Water Amendments Act Aired In Hearing Thursday: “A bipartisan bill introduced by Representative Josh Harder (CA-10) will receive a hearing in the Water Oceans and Wildlife Subcommittee on Thursday, July 25 at 10 a.m. eastern time. The bill, the Water Resources Research Amendments Act, would reauthorize an expired program which supports local water research institutes that solve problems and develop long-terms solutions on water quantity and quality in collaboration with universities, local governments, the water industry, and the public. “The last drought made it clear that we need new ideas to grow and maintain our water supply,” said Harder. “My bipartisan bill will invest in cutting-edge state programs that we need to get that done.” ... ” Read more from the Oakdale Leader here: Bipartisan Water Amendments Act Aired In Hearing Thursday
Complying with America’s Water Infrastructure Act Requirements: “In response to the America’s Water Infrastructure Act’s passage last year, community water systems serving more than 3,300 people must now prepare or update risk and resilience assessments and emergency response plans. The AWIA specifies the risks to be addressed and establishes deadlines for the risk assessments and emergency response plans. In October 2018, the President signed AWIA. The AWIA expands existing disaster preparedness requirements to account for additional sources of vulnerability to water systems, such as natural disasters and natural hazards. ... ” Read more from Best Best & Krieger here: Complying with America’s Water Infrastructure Act Requirements
Green groups sue EPA over ‘sweeping overhaul’ of public records policy: “Two separate environmental lawsuits were filed Wednesday challenging the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) changes to its public records policy. The two suits, filed separately by four environmental groups in the Federal District Court of Northern California and the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, each argue that the EPA’s newly implemented Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) rule, submitted at the end of June without a public comment period, was intended to prevent the public from receiving requested public information and to hide information from requesters. ... ” Read more from The Hill here: Green groups sue EPA over ‘sweeping overhaul’ of public records policy
New Pentagon chief attacks water contamination linked to cancers on his first day: “The Pentagon is launching a task force to look at the potential impact and dangers that chemical compounds used in military firefighting foam have had on military bases and the families who live there, Defense Secretary Mark Esper announced on his first day in office. Per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances, known as PFAS, are compounds found in everyday plastics and household products, but are concentrated in firefighting foam which the military has used for decades. That foam has seeped into the groundwater and well water surrounding military bases and has been found in drinking water sources. … ” Read more from the San Luis Obispo Tribune here: New Pentagon chief attacks water contamination linked to cancers on his first day
And lastly …
Summer Road Trips Along the SWP: “Are you planning a road trip this summer? Consider taking a detour to one of the many beaches along the California State Water Project (SWP) – you’ll find them teeming with fish, natural beauty, and fun ways to spend your vacation. … ” Read more from DWR and view story map here: Summer Road Trips Along the SWP
In commentary today …
Editorial: SB 1 Is the Same Bad Legislation in a New Dress, says GV Wire: They write, “Bad legislation is bad legislation. It doesn’t matter how many times you try to dress it up. Or bring it back with a new number. SB 1 is not only redundant, anti-science, and a barrier to environmental progress, it would put a brake on California’s economy, too.We’re talking about Senate Bill 1, which is officially titled the California Environmental, Public Health, and Workers Defense Act of 2019. … ” Read more from GV Wire here: Editorial: SB 1 Is the Same Bad Legislation in a New Dress
Earthquakes can dry water supply. Californians must prepare, says Charles Wilson: He writes, “Recent earthquakes have us all thinking about emergency preparedness. Whether that’s updating the earthquake kit, putting supplies in the car trunk, or finally affixing the bookshelves to the wall, there are steps we can take personally to prepare for the worst. Critical to any earthquake kit is bottled water. This is because an earthquake may damage local pipelines or water treatment facilities, leaving us with contaminated water or no service at all. ... ” Continue reading at Cal Matters here: Earthquakes can dry water supply. Californians must prepare
We’re leaving so much food on farms to just rot in the fields, says Ellie Anzilotti: She writes, “You might be familiar with the fact that in the U.S., an estimated 40% of food goes uneaten. That’s an alarming statistic on its own. … When a team of researchers at the University of Santa Clara set out to figure out how much produce is wasted before it even leaves the fields, they found a much more dire picture. ... ” Read more from Fast Company here: We’re leaving so much food on farms to just rot in the fields
In regional news and commentary today …
Water in the Willamette Basin: Researchers explores how to meet water demands during drought years: “Water. It’s perhaps the biggest issue in the American West. It has inflamed passions and driven ambitious projects for the past century. Now an economist at UC Santa Barbara has investigated how we might be able to mitigate the stress of droughts by changing the incentives for water storage and use. The results appear in the journal Nature Sustainability. Humans use water for a variety of different ends, but rivers also need water flowing through them to ensure the survival of fish and other wildlife. … ” Read more from The Current here: Water in the Willamette Basin
Klamath River Renewal Corporation adds RES to dam removal contractor list: “Wednesday, the Klamath River Renewal Corporation (KRRC), along with lead contractor Kiewit, selected Resource Environmental Solutions, LLC (RES) as project restoration sub-contractor, according to a press release. KRCC is charged with fulfilling the terms of the Amended Klamath Hydroelectric Settlement Agreement (KHSA) for dam removal on the Klamath River. ... ” Read more from the Herald & News here: Klamath River Renewal Corporation adds RES to dam removal contractor list
Groups announce permanent conservation of 879 acres in Eel River watershed: “The Mendocino Land Trust and the Potter Valley Tribe, in partnership with Pacific Gas & Electric Co. and the Pacific Forest and Watershed Lands Stewardship Council, announced that they have permanently conserved 879 acres of land in the Eel River watershed, just northeast of the town of Potter Valley. In accordance with the terms and conditions stipulated by the California Public Utilities Commission in PG&E’s 2003 bankruptcy settlement agreement, these lands have been donated to the Potter Valley Tribe and a conservation easement over those lands has been conveyed to Mendocino Land Trust, in order to protect and enhance the beneficial public values of the site, in perpetuity. … ” Read more from Lake County News here: Groups announce permanent conservation of 879 acres in Eel River watershed
Eureka annexes coastal property that faces sea-level rise dilemma: “The city has annexed its first piece of property since the 1980s, but there may be issues with flooding on the property down the line. After years of talking about it, the city of Eureka has extended city limits to include about 100 acres just north of the city along U.S. Highway 101 known as the Brainard site. The area is currently the home to property owned by the California Redwood Company, which is zoned for industrial uses; a portion of a Highway 101 right-of-way; and a railroad right-of-way owned by Northwestern Pacific Railroad Company. … ” Read more from the Eureka Times-Standard here: Eureka annexes coastal property that faces sea-level rise dilemma
What are the flood risks for Vina, Gerber areas? Project finds out to strengthen protection: “The communities of Gerber and Vina have been assessed and community outreach has started for a flood risk reduction project with two meetings held already including a July 17 meeting in Vina and a July 18 meeting in Gerber. The program is a part of a six-county area being looked at as part of a $100,000 project that includes Tehama County, said Barry O’Regan, a principal engineer with Kjeldsen Sinnock Neudeck, Inc. (KSN) who is the consultant for the project. … ” Read more from the Red Bluff Daily News here: What are the flood risks for Vina, Gerber areas? Project finds out to strengthen protection
Army Corps Sacramento District’s Hamilton City project combines flood management with ecosystem restoration: “The Hamilton City Flood Damage Reduction and Ecosystem Restoration project is the first of its kind in the nation and earned the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Sacramento District an American Society of Civil Engineers award for Small Flood Management Project of the Year. Approximately 90 miles north of Sacramento, Hamilton City sits in a low lying area behind a bend in the Sacramento River. For years, the town’s only defense has been the J levee – an un-engineered earthen levee built in 1904 – which provides such minimal benefit that there’s about a 10 percent chance of flooding every year. The town has long been at risk. … ” Read more from the Army Corps here: Sacramento District’s Hamilton City project combines flood management with ecosystem restoration
Lake Tahoe inspectors intercept 2 boats infested with invasive mussels: “Inspectors recently prevented two boats carrying invasive mussels from transporting the creatures to Lake Tahoe and Donner Lake. The mussels were discovered at mandatory inspection stations located in Meyers and Truckee, according to the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency. … ” Read more from the Tahoe Daily Tribune here: Lake Tahoe inspectors intercept 2 boats infested with invasive mussels
Truckee River is running low; Here’s what you need to know: “Even after a stormy winter dropped record amounts of snow in the Sierra, boosting Lake Tahoe to its highest level in nearly two decades, the Truckee River is struggling to stay afloat. Low water levels have halted commercial rafting, leaving businesses that rely on tourism dollars struggling. Here are three things you need to know about the Truckee River: ... ” Read more from KCRA Channel 3 here: Truckee River is running low; Here’s what you need to know
Yolo Bypass gateway project to offer future benefit along Putah Creek: “Recent approval of what’s described as the largest “floodplain restoration action” on the West Coast will ultimately help salmon runs along Putah Creek in and near Solano County – just not immediately. Rich Marovich, the streamkeeper for the Lower Putah Creek Coordinating Committee and the Solano County Water Agency, said the project will not yet benefit the Putah Creek salmon efforts, but said anything that helps the overall salmon population will help Putah Creek. ... ” Read more from The Daily Republic here: Yolo Bypass gateway project to offer future benefit along Putah Creek
Calaveras County: Comment period on sustainable groundwater plan closes Aug. 25: “The deadline for Calaveras County residents in the northwest part of the county to comment on the Eastern San Joaquin Groundwater Authority’s (ESJGA) Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP) is Aug. 25. For Calaveras County, the plan pertains to about 500 combined residents between Wallace Lake Estates and Valley Springs that rely on groundwater, according to Calaveras County Water District (CCWD) Water Resources Program Manager Peter Martin. Impacts from future activities would mostly be for large water users, like farmers or municipalities, he added. … ” Read more from the Calaveras Enterprise here: Calaveras County: Comment period on sustainable groundwater plan closes Aug. 25
Turning sewer into $$$: Consultant working on deal to pipe Manteca’s recycled wastewater to farm buyers along Delta Mendota Canal: “What you flush and send down the drain once it is treated by the city is a valuable commodity for farmers on the west side of the San Joaquin Valley. Just how much Manteca’s treated wastewater is worth to agricultural users served by the Delta Mendota Canal that are often at the mercy of fish flows diversions and drought that reduces their Central Valley Project allocations may be determined in the coming year. The Manteca City Council last week authorized a year extension for the Private Public Infrastructure Group (PPIG) to finish work on a proposal that would secure buyers for the city’s treated wastewater and secure private investment funds to build a pipeline from the city treatment plant to the Delta Mendota Canal south of Tracy where it would be emptied into and transported to an end user. … ” Read more from the Manteca Bulletin here: Turning sewer into $$$: Consultant working on deal to pipe Manteca’s recycled wastewater to farm buyers along Delta Mendota Canal
Merced: Lecture reveals fascinating details on local ecosystems: “At the Rossotti Ed-Zoo-Cation Center in Merced — located between Applegate Park Zoo and Kiddieland — community members enjoyed “Wildlife Communities and Ecosystems within 50 miles” presented on July 10 by Candace Sigmond of the Grassland Environmental Education Center. It was part of a free lecture for adults taking place on the second Wednesday of each month this summer from 7 to 8 p.m. at the Rossotti Center, sponsored by the Merced Zoological Society in conjunction with the Merced Environmental Literacy Collective and the City of Merced. How the region changed through the passage of time made an interesting subject. … ” Read more from the Merced County Times here: Lecture reveals fascinating details on local ecosystems
Coachella Valley Water District Groundwater Management Plans Receive State Approval: “Coachella Valley’s groundwater management plans meet the requirements of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) for the Indio and Mission Creek subbasins. The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) on July 17 informed Coachella Valley Water District (CVWD) that the agency’s two groundwater management plans submitted to the state meet the requirements of SGMA. Adopted by the state in 2014, SGMA requires governments and water agencies of high- and medium-priority basins to halt overdraft and bring groundwater basins into balanced levels of pumping and recharge. … ” Read more from ACWA News here: Coachella Valley Water District Groundwater Management Plans Receive State Approval
Along the Colorado River …
Megadroughts could return to southwestern U.S.: “Almost a thousand years ago, in the arid climate of the southwestern United States, the Chacoan culture flourished. Ancestors of southwest Native American tribes today, Chacoans built impressive multi-storied stone buildings with a far-reaching trade system selling colorful macaws for turquoise. But a desperate lack of water—a megadrought—caused the advanced civilization to seemingly vanish within a generation. Described in a comprehensive new study published Wednesday in the journal Science Advances, scientists now understand the causes of the megadroughts common during the medieval period. With climate change, they predict more megadroughts in the future. … ” Read more from National Geographic here: Megadroughts could return to southwestern U.S.
Decades Without Rain: America Set for ‘Megadroughts’ Not Seen Since Medieval Times: “America’s Southwest may soon be hit “megadroughts” that last for decades—the likes of which have not been seen since the Medieval period, scientists have said. By looking at what caused the 14 megadroughts the region has experienced between 800-1600 A.D., researchers discovered the climatic conditions present then are fast approaching now, indicating megadroughts will happen again. “Megadroughts are the most severe kinds of droughts, and they can last multiple decades. But in North America, they haven’t occurred since the 1500s,” Nathan Steiger, from the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory at Columbia University, told Newsweek. … ” Read more from Newsweek here: Decades Without Rain: America Set for ‘Megadroughts’ Not Seen Since Medieval Times
Water Consumption Work at EROS Important Asset to Colorado River Concerns: “Western states looking at critical water shortages along the Colorado River got a reprieve this past April when President Trump approved legislation allowing the Interior Secretary—through the Bureau of Reclamation (BOR)—to oversee an updated water conservation plan along the river’s Lower Basin. In addition, those states are getting a hand from scientists at the USGS Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center. The bill signed April 16, 2019, enables the Interior Secretary to implement a basin-wide agreement that had been negotiated for more than five years among Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming. The plan is to cut back water usage between 2020 and 2026 to protect levels of the Colorado River’s two largest reservoirs—Lake Mead and Lake Powell. The agreement, called the Colorado River Drought Contingency Plan, was implemented on May 20, 2019. ... ” Read more from USGS here: Water Consumption Work at EROS Important Asset to Colorado River Concerns
Commentary: Securing Arizona’s water future: The next 4 important steps: write, “Arizona, the other six Colorado River Basin states, and the federal Bureau of Reclamation secured a major victory for the health of the Colorado River this spring by completing the Drought Contingency Plan (“DCP”) agreements, and getting Congress to approve the legislation. DCP represents a landmark step forward to prepare for a drier future in the region. But passing the DCP, by itself, is not enough to solve Arizona’s water problems. Those structural challenges will require years of patient compromise and collaboration. As we begin the work of implementing the plan, there are a handful of critical next steps Arizona can take. … ” Read more from Arizona Central here: Commentary: Securing Arizona’s water future: The next 4 important steps
Also on Maven’s Notebook today …
BROWN BAG SEMINAR: Adventures in Decision-oriented Ecosystem Services Modeling
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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.
