In California water news this weekend, Fall storms driving away fears of new California drought; California-Nevada drought outlook for December 2019; Sky rivers: A new scale categorizes power of crucial atmospheric flows; New NASA mission will allow scientists to track rising seas from space; Low-interest rural development loan aids Sites Reservoir Project in California; Hydropower without new dams—how utilities are tapping into energy they once not only wasted but paid to lose; Trump’s potty talk highlights flushing fight; Can a grand vision solve the Colorado River’s challenges? Or will incremental change offer best hope for success?; US officials to review deal on sharing Colorado River water; and more …
In the news this weekend …
Fall storms driving away fears of new California drought: “Recent heavy storms in California have wiped out much of the state’s abnormally dry conditions. Two months ago, the U.S. Drought Monitor categorized more 81% of the state as abnormally dry because of above-normal temperatures and a lack of precipitation six weeks into the water year that started Oct. 1. The percentage climbed to 85% as recently as last week. ... ” Read more from KPIX here: Fall storms driving away fears of new California drought
California-Nevada drought outlook for December 2019: “The 2020 water year (Oct. 2019 – Sept. 2020) started dry in California-Nevada and led to the presence of dry or drought conditions across the region, first in southern Nevada followed by expansion of abnormally dry conditions across both states, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. Recent precipitation has removed abnormally dry conditions (D0) in parts of southern California and moderate drought (D1) in southern Nevada. As of Dec. 5, 2019, ~82% of the region is in D0 or D1 conditions. Conditions will likely continue to improve with December precipitation. ... ” Read full report from NIDIS here: California-Nevada drought outlook for December 2019
Sky rivers: A new scale categorizes power of crucial atmospheric flows: “You may have heard of the Pineapple Express – not the 2008 buddy comedy about marijuana, hit men and corrupt cops – but the long, narrow “river in the sky” that brings tropical moisture from Hawaii to the West Coast. Atmospheric rivers, which have been studied for nearly two decades, are flowing areas of water vapor in the upper atmosphere driven by areas of low pressure over an ocean. They are the source of most of the West Coast’s heaviest rains and floods. Researchers recently created a scale, similar to the one used for hurricanes, to categorize the strength and potential impacts of atmospheric rivers. … ” Read more from Cronkite News here: Sky rivers: A new scale categorizes power of crucial atmospheric flows
New NASA mission will allow scientists to track rising seas from space: “Scientists at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory are teaming up with European researchers to launch a mission that will probe the oceans’ depths over the next decade — and chart their inexorable rise. The Sentinel-6/Jason-CS mission builds on four previous satellites that have circled the globe along the same path since 1992, carefully documenting the millimeter-by-millimeter changes in sea level fueled by greenhouse gas emissions. Over that time, they have found that the world’s oceans are rising at an increasingly rapid rate. … ” Read more from the LA Times here: New NASA mission will allow scientists to track rising seas from space
Low-interest rural development loan aids Sites Reservoir Project in California: “A low-interest rural development loan from the United States Department of Agriculture could greatly help water delivery efforts as part of the larger Sites Reservoir Project in northern California. The money will be used to connect the two key conveyance systems already in place, making water deliveries south of the Delta easier to achieve. ... ” Read more from the Western Farm Press here: Low-interest rural development loan aids Sites Reservoir Project in California
Hydropower without new dams—how utilities are tapping into energy they once not only wasted but paid to lose: “The Soldier Canyon filtration plant in Fort Collins, Colorado, takes water from Horsetooth Reservoir. Like many treatment facilities in the Rocky Mountain region, the utility uses water that falls from a higher elevation—and as the water drops, it packs a lot of energy. In the past, according to Chris Matkins, the general manager of the Fort Collins-Loveland Water District, they’ve used pressure reduction valves to dissipate that energy because it would be too much for the pipes to handle. But, ironically, it takes energy to get rid of energy—and for Matkins that was a lose-lose. So this past summer the Soldier Canyon plant installed something called a hydro turbine in the pipe that takes water from the reservoir. … ” Read more from H2O Radio here: Hydropower without new dams—how utilities are tapping into energy they once not only wasted but paid to lose
Trump’s potty talk highlights flushing fight: “When it comes to testing toilets, it turns out the appropriate substitute for human feces is miso paste. That’s what EPA uses to ensure that commodes earning its WaterSense efficiency label flush effectively. To earn the label, tank-type toilets currently must use 1.28 gallons or less of water per flush while eliminating 350 grams of miso paste, along with toilet paper. That may be news to President Trump, who last week complained that low-flow toilets were not getting the job done, so “people are flushing toilets 10 times, 15 times, as opposed to once.” “They end up using more water,” he said, before suggesting that EPA is looking “very strongly” at “opening up the standard.” ... ” Read more from E&E News here: Trump’s potty talk highlights flushing fight
Decision to relocate BLM’s headquarters under investigation: “The Democratic chair of the House Natural Resources Committee announced Wednesday that congressional watchdogs will look into the decision to divide the BLM’s D.C. staff among several cities in the west. Around two dozen of the top positions are coming to Grand Junction. Democratic Rep. Raul Grijalva of Arizona said the U.S. Government Accountability Office will “determine if [the move] was properly planned, analyzed, and whether it will deliver the benefits” that the Department of the Interior and the Trump administration have claimed it will. … ” Read more from High Country News here: Decision to relocate BLM’s headquarters under investigation
That ocean garbage collector is finally hauling in bags of plastic waste: “It has been six years since Boyan Slat began developing a system to clean up the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, a trash-filled vortex in the Pacific Ocean that’s more than twice the size of Texas. In 2013, Slat’s organisation, The Ocean Cleanup, debuted a U-shaped device that passively collects plastic in its fold like a giant arm. At first, the system hit several snags, including a flaw that caused the plastic to spill back into the ocean. … ” Read more from Science Direct here: That ocean garbage collector is finally hauling in bags of plastic waste
In commentary this weekend …
Why SoCal water agencies must end litigation era: Gloria Gray writes, “Next year would mark a decade of lawsuits by the San Diego County Water Authority challenging the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California’s uniform rates set by our Board of Directors after many public meetings and hearings. For nearly my entire tenure on the board, SDCWA has been pursuing litigation against Metropolitan. One of my goals as chairwoman is to put this era behind us. … ” Read more from the San Diego Union Tribune here: Why SoCal water agencies must end litigation era
How San Diego water agency is seeking to protect ratepayers: “The San Diego County Water Authority’s Board of Directors is committed to resolving litigation over rates and charges with the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. After months of detailed, confidential settlement discussions with best efforts by both parties, no settlement has yet been reached. However, the Water Authority remains optimistic about finding a resolution — all the more so after the Metropolitan board voted on Tuesday to spend $285.6 million in support of the City of San Diego’s Pure Water project. … ” Read more from the San Diego Union Tribune here: How San Diego water agency is seeking to protect ratepayers
In regional news and commentary this weekend …
Oroville Dam hillsides will turn green due to hydroseeding: “Hillside areas near Oroville Dam’s reconstructed main spillway will begin appearing bright green. The change in color will be due to the use of a hydroseed mix that will help reestablish a root structure into the soil and increase site stabilization, according to a newsletter from the Department of Water Resources. Hydroseeding, an alternative planting process, is an erosion control technique typically utilized on construction sites. … ” Read more from the Chico Enterprise-Record here: Oroville Dam hillsides will turn green due to hydroseeding
What to know about flooding before it hits Butte County: “Commuters traveling from Chico on north Highway 99 have likely driven between Wilson Road and Garden Brook Drive during a storm and thought, “my car isn’t going to make it this time.” Though Butte County may not see as much flooding as other parts of the state, residents know many of the trouble spots that frequently get closed during particularly wet storms. Butte County Assistant Assistant Director of Public Works Radley Ott said roadway flooding is an often underestimated by drivers as there are yearly cases of vehicles being pushed off the road or getting stuck in place. … ” Read more from the Chico Enterprise-Record here: What to know about flooding before it hits Butte County
Success in the Sierra: French Meadows partnership completes its first season of work: ” After six months of strategic forest treatments near French Meadows Reservoir, partners of the French Meadows Forest Restoration Project (Project) are wrapping up their first season of implementation work. Located in the headwaters of the Middle Fork American River, in the Tahoe National Forest, the Project is one of the first instances of private and public interests coming together to fund and implement active forest management on public land. While completion of the Project is slated to take several more years, the conclusion of work this season is the culmination of years of planning, preparation, and partnership. … ” Read more from Mountain Counties Water Resources Association here: Success in the Sierra: French Meadows Partnership Completes its First Season of Work
Santa Rosa landscaping firm provides first line of defense against Kincade toxins harming ecosystem: “It’s a race against time for Paolo Tantarelli and Jeff Shields, owners of an eco-friendly landscaping company trying to keep toxins and ash left by the recent Kincade fire from entering key local waterways. Not long after the smoke cleared in early November from the largest wildfire by acreage in Sonoma County history, temperatures quickly dropped and the skies darkened with rain clouds that have repeatedly drenched blackened hillsides still scarred by bulldozer firebreaks. ... ” Read more from the Santa Rosa Press Democrat here: Santa Rosa landscaping firm provides first line of defense against Kincade toxins harming ecosystem
Federal cost analysis bolsters Pajaro River flood control efforts: “More than 50 years in the making, the Parajo River Flood Risk Reduction Project has reached a critical juncture, officials announced at an annual conference Friday. During the 2019 Flood Prevention Authority Legislative Conference, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers presented a cost-benefit analysis in support of what is estimated to be about a $394 million project, an effort which would reduce significant flood risk to the city of Watsonville, Pajaro in Monterey County and adjacent agricultural areas, particularly areas that have not benefitted from risk reduction measures since the mid-1940s. ... ” Read more from the Santa Cruz Sentinel here: Federal cost analysis bolsters Pajaro River flood control efforts
Monterey: More public water buyout spending to be considered: “It’s expected to cost more than $1 million for the next round of preparations for a potential public buyout of California American Water’s local water system. On Monday, the Monterey Peninsula Water Management District board is set to consider approving $1.24 million on consultants to prepare for a potential vote by the summer on a resolution of necessity to acquire Cal Am’s local system. ... ” Read more from the Monterey Herald here: Monterey: More public water buyout spending to be considered
LADWP, Inyo agree to test run on well 385: “With a legal settlement on the horizon, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power is set to turn on Well 385, in the Five Bridges area, for a two-month test. On the surface, this seems like no big deal. But, the dispute of pumping a well that was permanently shut down more than 30 years ago because of negative impacts to vegetation started nearly four years ago. A lawsuit between Owens Valley Committee and the Sierra Club versus LADWP and the County has been on-going since. … ” Read more from the Sierra Wave here: LADWP, Inyo agree to test run on well 385
Beach cities lag on stormwater goals, report finds: “A new report from Heal the Bay has found that the Beach Cities are dramatically behind in their efforts to address stormwater, which flows untreated from storm drains to foul beaches and oceans. The report, released Tuesday, studied efforts to address stormwater throughout Los Angeles County, and found that the region as a whole was well off pace to meet upcoming pollution reduction goals mandated in state and federal environmental regulations. The report places much of the blame on the failure of local governments to build projects to address the flow of stormwater. ... ” Read more from Easy Reader here: Beach cities lag on stormwater goals, report finds
Along the Colorado River …
Can a grand vision solve the Colorado River’s challenges? Or will incremental change offer best hope for success? “The Colorado River is arguably one of the hardest working rivers on the planet, supplying water to 40 million people and a large agricultural economy in the West. But it’s under duress from two decades of drought and decisions made about its management will have exceptional ramifications for the future, especially as impacts from climate change are felt. Now, a debate is emerging over how best to successfully approach the river’s challenges.” Continue reading at Western Water here: Can a grand vision solve the Colorado River’s challenges? Or will incremental change offer best hope for success?
Commentary: Exploring different approaches for solving the Colorado River’s myriad challenges: Jennifer Bowles writes, “Every other year we hold an invitation-only Colorado River Symposium attended by various stakeholders from across the seven Western states and Mexico that rely on the iconic river. At each symposium, we take a pulse of what’s said and come up with an important article that reflects a major theme that emerged from the discussions. Over and over at our event this past September, the idea of whether we should attack the myriad challenges of the river incrementally or with a grand vision was discussed and debated.” Continue reading at Western Water here: Exploring different approaches for solving the Colorado River’s myriad challenges
US officials to review deal on sharing Colorado River water: “Federal water managers are starting to review a crucial 2007 agreement for seven Western states to share drought-diminished water supplies from the Colorado River ahead of talks about revising and renewing it beginning in 2026, U.S. Interior Secretary David Bernhardt said Friday. Bernhardt called for a report next December, ahead of a deadline set in the older deal, which established a schedule of strict water cutbacks to states if levels keep falling at the key Lake Mead and Lake Powell reservoirs. ... ” Read more from CBS Denver here: US officials to review deal on sharing Colorado River water
Feds will review Colorado River rules, Interior boss says, with an eye on long-term risks: “Federal water managers are about to start reexamining a 12-year-old agreement among Western states that laid down rules for dealing with potential water shortages along the Colorado River. Interior Secretary David Bernhardt said he asked the Bureau of Reclamation to start the review at the beginning of 2020, rather than by the end of 2020, which is the deadline under the existing agreement. The bureau’s officials will examine how the 2007 guidelines have worked as the agency prepares for negotiations among the seven states on a new set of rules that will take effect after 2026. ... ” Read more from AZ Central here: Feds will review Colorado River rules, Interior boss says, with an eye on long-term risks
Nevada river commission intervenes in lawsuit over Glen Canyon Dam: “The Colorado River Commission of Nevada unanimously voted this week to intervene into a lawsuit between the U.S. Department of the Interior and a group of environmental activists led by the nonprofit Save the Colorado River. The lawsuit alleges the department, in drafting a long-term plan for the Glen Canyon Dam in northern Arizona, did not fully consider the impacts of climate change, including science that shows the flow of the Colorado River will not be enough to keep Glen Canyon Dam operational. The department denies this charge. … ” Read more from the Las Vegas Sun here: Nevada river commission intervenes in lawsuit over Glen Canyon Dam
Arizona: New water bank website designed with the user in mind: “By and large, website owners spend the resources necessary to improve their digital landing spot for one primary reason: To make the experience easier and more enjoyable for visitors. If a redesign improves navigation for visitors – if it gets them where they want to go and helps them see what they want to see easier and faster — the likelihood of those visitors paying a return visit increases. That is the thinking behind the recent redesign of the Arizona Water Banking Authority, the state agency that facilitates underground water storage in locations around Arizona. … ” Read more from Arizona Water here: Arizona: New water bank website designed with the user in mind
Sunday video …
California – Mitigating the socioeconomic impacts of drought: “This video was produced as part of the digital interactive exhibition Droughts in the Anthropocene, prepared for the fortieth session of the UNESCO General Conference. The exhibition uses a number of case studies from around the world to showcase the social, environmental and cultural impacts of droughts and water scarcity. It highlights solutions offered by collaboration between scientists and local communities, and the important work of IHP and partners in bridging science with society and policymakers to better address the impact of droughts. This video showcase drought issues in California.”
Precipitation watch …
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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
