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- We manage what we measure: A Napa water forum beginning at 12pm in Napa. Click here to register.
EPA: Region 9 chief abruptly gone: “EPA Region 9 Administrator Mike Stoker is no longer with the agency. “I would like to thank Mike Stoker for his service to EPA,” Administrator Andrew Wheeler told employees yesterday in an email obtained by E&E News. “I wish him and his family the best in their future endeavors.” In his email, Wheeler named Deborah Jordan, the deputy regional administrator for Region 9, acting head of the office. BuzzFeed News first reported that Stoker was gone from EPA. EPA employees were surprised by the announcement and said they didn’t know why Stoker was out from the agency. ... ” Read more from E&E News here: EPA: Region 9 chief abruptly gone
Top EPA official in California says firing was ‘100% personal’: “The call demanding Mike Stoker’s resignation came as a complete shock to the Environmental Protection Agency’s top official in California. When he refused, he was fired and, he says, nobody will tell him why. The reason for the sudden dismissal Wednesday of the EPA’s Pacific Southwest region administrator is unknown, but Stoker speculated that his friendly relationships with some Democrats and a personality clash with a top Washington administrator may have been reasons. Politics within the Trump administration also may have played a role. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle here: Top EPA official in California says firing was ‘100% personal’
SEE ALSO:
- Mike Stoker ousted as EPA Region 9 administrator after less than 2 years, from Noozhawk
- Regional EPA chief who faced criticism for excessive travel suddenly leaves job, from KQED
- Ousted EPA official in California says he was pushed out for being too bipartisan, from the LA Times
Meet the veteran insider who’s shepherding Gov. Newsom’s plan to bring climate resilience to California water: “Shortly after Gov. Gavin Newsom called on state agencies to deliver a Water Resilience Portfolio to meet California’s urgent challenges — from unsafe drinking water, flood and drought risks from a changing climate to severely depleted groundwater aquifers and declining native fish populations — he appointed Nancy Vogel, a former journalist and veteran water communicator, to get it done. In an interview with Western Water, Vogel explains how the draft portfolio released Jan. 3 came together and why it should matter to average Californians.” Read the article from Western Water here: Meet the veteran insider who’s shepherding Gov. Newsom’s plan to bring climate resilience to California water
Response levels lowered for water systems statewide as PFAS investigation continues (press release): “The State Water Resources Control Board announced today it will reduce the levels of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) in drinking water that trigger responses by local water systems. The Board will set new response levels (RLs) of 10 parts per trillion (ppt) for PFOAand 40 ppt for PFOS. Previously, the RL was 70 ppt for the total concentration of the two contaminants combined. Under a new California law (Assembly Bill 756), if a water system receives a State Water Board order for testing and finds that the PFOA or PFOS concentration exceeds their RL, the system is required to take the water source out of service, provide treatment, or notify their customers in writing. Water systems are also required to take several other measures to communicate the test results to the public. … ” Read more from the State Water Board here: Response levels lowered for water systems statewide as PFAS investigation continues
What happened to the rain? California in a dry rut, snowpack shrinks: “California is stuck in a dry spell amid what is historically the wettest time of the year. But while the Sierra snowpack is dwindling and rainfall totals are below normal, weather watchers are not concerned about a drought. “One dry year doesn’t make a drought,” said Chris Orrock, a spokesperson for the California Department of Water Resources. “It takes multiple years of below average precipitation. And the second half of the month could be wet.” … ” Read more from SF Gate here: What happened to the rain? California in a dry rut, snowpack shrinks
- SEE ALSO: PHOTOS: See How This Year’s Snowpack Compares to Last Year, from KQED
Bay funding gets House approval: “A bill that would provide $25 million in federal funding annually for the restoration of the San Francisco Bay reached a milestone Wednesday. Authored by U.S. Rep Jackie Speier, D-San Mateo, the San Francisco Bay Restoration Act, also known as H.R. 1132, passed the House of Representatives by voice vote and now heads to the Senate for consideration. If it becomes law, the bill would be in effect for five years from 2021 to 2025, bringing in a total of $125 million to revive Bay Area wetlands, improve water quality and protect coastal communities from sea level rise. … ” Read more from the San Mateo Daily Journal here: Bay funding gets House approval
U.S. Bureau of Reclamation plans to raise Shasta Dam: “The Shasta Dam is a federally owned facility and it is the largest reservoir in California. But soon, the dam could be raised by several feet. The Shasta Dam feeds water into the Sacramento River. “The Sacramento river has a lot of flow that could potentially be stored for winter use,” said Shasta County Public Works Director Pat Minturn. … ” Read more from Action News Now here: U.S. Bureau of Reclamation plans to raise Shasta Dam
What Is SGMA? Here are the basics. “The Sustainable Groundwater Management Act was passed in 2014 and enacted in 2015. It aims to stop groundwater overpumping in critically overdrafted basins by 2040 and bring them into “sustainability.” Sustainability is defined as avoiding undesirable results: 1. Chronic lowering of groundwater. 2. Reduction of groundwater storage. 3. Seawater intrusion. 4. Land subsidence. 5. Degraded water quality. 6. Depletion of interconnected surface water. … ” Read more from GV Wire here: What Is SGMA? Here are the basics.
McCarthy commends additional federal funds for Calif. water infrastructure projects: “Additional federal funds from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) are vital for several water infrastructure projects in California, U.S. Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) said earlier this week. Specifically, Rep. McCarthy applauded the BOR’s Fiscal Year 2020 Distribution of Additional Funding plan, which details how the BOR will spend funds appropriated by Congress in the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act for FY 2020. … ” Read more from the Ripon Advance here: McCarthy commends additional federal funds for Calif. water infrastructure projects
Professor studies groundwater, land use economics: “The work of a Montana State University researcher was featured in the journal Land Economics in November, examining some of the most contentious water distribution regulations in the West: export restrictions in California’s Sacramento Valley. Assistant professor Daniel Bigelow joined MSU’s Department of Agricultural Economics and Economics in the colleges of Agriculture and Letters and Sciences last summer. Bigelow partnered with a team from California State University – Chico, Cornell University and the U.S. Department of Agriculture on the recent project, delving into groundwater management, which he said is a particularly thorny challenge. ... ” Read more from the Belgrade News here: Professor studies groundwater, land use economics
UC Davis research tests feasibility of sea urchin ranching as method of combating kelp forest decline: “The odds seem to be against California’s kelp forests and their ecosystems. Not only are rising ocean temperatures making it difficult for the kelp to thrive, but also due to the declining number of starfish and sea otters, the sea urchin population boom is eating away at the ecosystem. This overpopulation is harming even the urchins themselves, who are eating away their habitat, yet still starving because of their vast numbers. “The kelp forest in California has seen a massive reduction, possibly a 90% reduction in kelp production,” said Karl Menard, aquatic resources manager at the UC Davis Bodega Marine Laboratory. “There’s already been an economical impact because the urchins don’t have significant gonad growth because there’s not enough food for them, so their value and price has dropped significantly.” … ” Read more from UC Davis here: UC Davis research tests feasibility of sea urchin ranching as method of combating kelp forest decline
The pros and cons of enhanced geothermal energy systems: “The Geysers, located in the Mayacamas Mountains about 30 miles north of Santa Rosa, is the biggest geothermal energy plant in the world. It’s capable of producing 725 megawatts, enough electricity to power 725,000 homes, and emits no greenhouse gases. Owned by Calpine, a Houston-based energy company, the Geysers produces 20% of California’s renewable energy. Some consider geothermal energy ideal in the climate change era: cheap, renewable, and predictable. Unfortunately, there are few places so well-suited for geothermal energy as the site of the Geysers, which was built over an area with naturally occurring steam and a reservoir of hot water. … ” Read more from Yale Climate Connections here: The pros and cons of enhanced geothermal energy systems
National water and climate update: Severe storms across much of the eastern U.S.: “The Natural Resources Conservation Service produces this weekly report using data and products from the National Water and Climate Center and other agencies. The report focuses on seasonal snowpack, precipitation, temperature, and drought conditions in the U.S. Severe storms over the past few days have continued to move eastward, affecting much of the south, southeast, and mid-Atlantic states. Heavy rain, severe thunderstorms, tornadoes, and wind impacted much of the South and Southeast. The National Weather Service is forecasting from one inch to over four inches of rain in next few days for the region. Flooding may impact these areas as well. Northern New York and New England are forecast to have from 6 to over 24 inches of snow.” Click here to read the report.
A remedy for harmful algal blooms? Scientist thinks he’s found one: “Covering the entire 40 acres of Lake Newport was a thick, green mat of algae. Looking across the lake in Youngstown, Ohio, last September, Peter Moeller, a government researcher, wondered if his experimental treatment could heal the lake by removing the toxin-producing cyanobacteria. In the sweltering heat, beads of sweat dripped down the faces of Moeller and his team as they positioned four units of nanobubble ozone generators around the lake shore. … ” Read more from the Daily Climate here: A remedy for harmful algal blooms? Scientist thinks he’s found one
Trillion tree plan could be centerpiece of GOP climate package: “Republicans in Congress said Wednesday that President Donald Trump’s embrace of a global tree-planting initiative could make the proposal a centerpiece of a forthcoming GOP climate change package. Rep. Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) plans to unveil legislation over the next week or so for a U.S. Trillion Tree Initiative, which Trump endorsed in Tuesday’s State of the Union address. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) ultimately seeks to combine that bill and other ideas into a House GOP climate package. ... ” Read more from Bloomberg here: Trillion tree plan could be centerpiece of GOP climate package.
Four trends shaping water metering in 2020: “The previous decade saw the introduction and growth of smart water advancements in the water metering industry. Technologies such as LTE, IoT and advanced communications systems, have allowed water utilities around the world, and especially in the United States, to improve control of their water systems and better understand them. As the industry moves into a new year and decade, the growth of these technologies is expected to not only increase but also help revolutionize water system management for decades to come. Here are four of the top trends shaping water metering in 2020 … ” Read more from Water Finance and Management here: Four trends shaping water metering in 2020
Stop farmers’ poisoning of Bay Area drinking water supply, says Regina Chichizola, co-director of Save California Salmon: She writes, “The Central Valley Regional Water Board has issued a 25-year permit for toxic discharges of agricultural wastewater into the San Joaquin River and Bay-Delta, which provides millions of Californians drinking water in parts of Contra Costa, Santa Clara, Alameda and Solano Counties. The decision in December came after Stockton residents, commercial fishermen, recreational anglers, drinking water advocates and environmental groups testified against the permit. Only the polluters testified in support. Fishermen and environmental groups have appealed the water board’s decision to the state of California, leaving the future of this permit uncertain. … ” Read more from the San Jose Mercury News here: Stop farmers’ poisoning of Bay Area drinking water supply
Water management in California is crossing a major milestone, and we still have more work to do, say Eric Averett, general manager of the Rosedale-Rio Bravo Water Storage District, and Christina Babbitt, senior manager of the California Groundwater Program at the Environmental Defense Fund: “Jan. 31 marked a major milestone for building groundwater sustainability and climate resilience into California’s complex and increasingly stressed water systems. It was the first major planning deadline for implementing the state’s historic Sustainable Groundwater Management Act. State leaders passed the law in 2014 to ensure California manages its groundwater sustainably for people, agriculture and wildlife for generations to come. On Jan. 31, the 21 regions with the most depleted groundwater supplies were required to submit plans to balance their groundwater supply and demand within 20 years. When successfully implemented, these plans will prevent a repeat of many of the impacts we experienced during the last drought: wells drying up and land sinking, resulting in rural residents running out of water and millions of dollars of infrastructure damage. … ” Read more from Bakersfield.com here: Water management in California is crossing a major milestone, and we still have more work to do
Water scarcity incites Oregon legal conflicts: “Water demands are growing while supplies are not, creating a dynamic that’s ripe for legal conflicts involving Oregon’s water regulators, according to a recent government report. Irrigators, tribes, environmentalists and municipalities often have competing needs for water, which the Oregon Water Resources Department must often resolve through administrative and court challenges. … The Klamath basin is particularly prone to water conflicts for several inter-related reasons, said Byler. … ” Read more from the Capital Press here: Water scarcity incites Oregon legal conflicts
Red Bluff: New flood, monitor stages set for Department of Water Resources gages: “For those who watch the levels of the Sacramento River to prepare for potential flooding in Tehama County, the numbers available on the National Weather Service website might look a little different. As of Oct. 1, 2019, the Department of Water Resources has changed where it measures the Gage Datum, or stage, readings based on where the starting point for reading water levels is, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration website. … ” Read more from the Red Bluff Daily News here: New flood, monitor stages set for Department of Water Resources gages
Buffing up San Francisco’s historic piers to survive sea level rise: “When the now-historic finger piers along San Francisco’s Embarcadero were built, you can bet the builders never expected that a century later, there would be engineering studies on how to prepare the gaunt sheds for seas that could rise nearly 7 feet. But that’s what the port has done — spending more than $100,000 on conceptual scenarios, such as raising the floors inside the sheds above flood level. Or adding solid railings around the edge of the piers. Or at the very least, waterproofing the lower few feet of a pier’s outer walls. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle here: Buffing up San Francisco’s historic piers to survive sea level rise
Santa Cruz: Students explore Elkhorn Slough Reserve: “For students at Watsonville’s Mount Madonna School, learning beyond the confines of the classroom is taken to a new level. On Thursday, students from fifth and ninth grade classes, 18 total, spent the day exploring Elkhorn Slough Reserve. This hidden gem is the second-largest estuary in California, situated along the Pacific Coast of Monterey Bay. Founded in 1979, Elkhorn Slough offers oak forests, coastal prairie and tidal marsh for students young and old to explore. … ” Read more from the Santa Cruz Sentinel here: Santa Cruz: Students explore Elkhorn Slough Reserve
Pure Water Monterey expansion project caps draft EIR public comment: “An extended public comment period expired last week for the Pure Water Monterey expansion project’s draft environmental review document even as the discussion continues over Monterey Peninsula water supply and demand projections that gave the proposal a boost. Public comment on the project’s EIR was extended for more than a month through Friday last week by the Monterey One Water board in December after the Monterey County Water Resources Agency, California American Water, the Coalition of Peninsula Businesses, and others requested more time to weigh in on the study. ... ” Read more from the Monterey Herald here: Pure Water Monterey expansion project caps draft EIR public comment
Santa Barbara: Three offshore oil platforms to shut down: “The three oil platforms off Point Arguello up by Vandenberg Air Force Base may soon have their 62 wells plugged and the casings pulled up and out of the water. The project, proposed by Freeport-McMoRan, which owns the three platforms — Hidalgo, Harvest, and Hermosa — is to be scheduled as the platforms have reached the end of their economic life, the environmental assessment released in January states. Bureau of Ocean Energy (BOEM) spokesperson John Romero stated Freeport had not yet applied for a permit to decommission, or remove, the platforms themselves. … ” Read more from the Independent here: Three offshore oil platforms to shut down
Ventura vs Ojai water war: “There is a legal battle between Ventura and the Ojai Valley. Thousands of people have been served with legal papers in a fight over water from the Ventura River. While the Ventura River may be beautiful, a legal case over its water is turning ugly. Thousands of people like Jessica Colborn, born and raised in Upper Ojai, are being served legal papers. This is because of their wells that use water from the river. “My parents got served on their property as well as their adjacent property that I am putting my home on,” said Colborn. “So they got served with two different actions because they have two wells on those properties.” ... ” Read more from KEYT here: Ventura vs Ojai water war
Ninth Circuit orders new trial in Pomona groundwater contamination case: “The Ninth Circuit on Thursday reversed a federal jury’s 2018 decision and ordered it to rehear liability and damages claims in a case where it stopped short of awarding damages to a California city whose groundwater was polluted by a chemical company’s fertilizer. In a 2018 trial in Los Angeles, a federal jury found that fertilizer imported to California in the 1930s and 1940s by SQM North America was responsible for contaminated groundwater in Pomona, a city 30 miles east of Los Angeles. … ” Read more from the Courthouse News Service here: Ninth Circuit orders new trial in groundwater contamination case
Pico Rivera water exceeds thresholds for ‘forever chemicals,’ but wells not shut down: “The levels of a “forever chemical” in Pico Rivera’s water supply exceeded new thresholds set by California on Thursday, which recommend taking any contaminated water wells out of service until filtration systems can be installed. Both of the city’s primary water suppliers have wells that exceed the threshold, but neither is planning to shut off any wells at this time despite dozens of closures in other municipalities across the region. Officials say they are looking at filtration options and are seeking to partner with other agencies to address the costs in purchasing the systems. … ” Read more from the Whittier Daily News here: Pico Rivera water exceeds thresholds for ‘forever chemicals,’ but wells not shut down
Orange County shuts down fifth of water wells over PFAS: “California wants to slash the allowable levels in drinking water for two “forever chemical” compounds, immediately prompting agencies supplying water to 2.5 million residents in Orange County to remove a fifth of their wells from service. The State Water Resources Control board Thursday said it planned to dramatically lower its response levels for perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), though actual drinking water standards are still years away. The response levels require water suppliers to install treatment, and remove wells from service if they exceed the thresholds. Notifying customers is required if districts plan to keep wells in service without treatment for an extended period. Orange County Water District said agencies it served were taking 40 of its 200 wells offline Thursday and in the coming days as a result of the state’s announcement, and plans to increase rates to absorb the cost of cleaning up the water. … ” Read more from Bloomberg here: Orange County shuts down fifth of water wells over PFAS
- SEE ALSO: ‘Forever chemicals’ trigger widespread closures of water wells, from the OC Register
Sweetwater Authority eyes recycled water that Otay Water District doesn’t use: “Sweetwater Authority’s governing board has its eyes on recycled water — specifically, an excess of recycled water that a neighboring water agency, the Otay Water District, buys from the city of San Diego. The governing boards of the two water agencies, which combined serve southern and eastern San Diego County, recently created a joint committee to explore a potential arrangement that would allow Sweetwater to purchase recycled water from Otay. ... ” Read more from the San Diego Union-Tribune here: Sweetwater Authority eyes recycled water that Otay Water District doesn’t use
Mysterious machine dropped to the bottom of Lake Hodges: “It’s the only one of its kind in Southern California and no one will see it again for years. “It’s a giant upside-down cone with some pipes,” said Jeff Pasek. “It’s a strange looking device.” It’s a strange looking device called a Speece Cone that’s expected to improve the water quality at Hodges Reservoir near Escondido. … ” Read more from NBC here: Mysterious machine dropped to the bottom of Lake Hodges
Federal money may soon help with San Diego’s cross border pollution woes: “New federal funding could have a major impact on the cross border pollution that’s been fouling San Diego’s ocean waters for decades and the region appears to be edging closer to some solutions. President Donald Trump signed the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, or USMCA, trade deal into law earlier this week, helping secure relationships with the nation’s two largest trading partners. … ” Read more from KPBS here: Federal money may soon help with San Diego’s cross border pollution woes
Image credit: CA streamflow assessment map, courtesy of Belize Lane. From this paper: Lane, B. A., Dahlke, H. E., Pasternack, G. B., & Sandoval‐Solis, S. (2017). Revealing the diversity of natural hydrologic regimes in California with relevance for environmental flows applications. JAWRA Journal of the American Water Resources Association, 53(2), 411-430.
