DAILY DIGEST, 3/5: Collaboration is the new game in California water; A new twist on hydropower; Potentially wetter CA weather pattern takes shape; Hidden flood risk for San Francisco Bay Area communities lurks underground; and more …

On the calendar today …

  • The Sierra Nevada Conservancy Board meets beginning at 9am in Sacramento.  The Board will consider more than $13.5 million in potential new grant funding to 27 different projects around the 25-million-acre Sierra Nevada region. Seventeen of the projects focus on forest health, seven on strategic land conservation, and three on resilient Sierra Nevada communities. Funding for all projects comes from Proposition 1 and Proposition 68.  Click here for more information.
  • The Delta Stewardship Council is on the road today, collecting input on their public participation plan.  They will start in Sacramento at 10am, Walnut Grove at 1pm, and Oakley at 4pm.  Click here for more information.

In California water news today …

Collaboration is the new game in California water:  “If agriculture in the valley is going to survive, water leaders need to get cozy with new ideas and new allies.  And, yes, that means environmentalists.  “Historically, water supplies have been developed in a vacuum,” said Eric Averett, General Manager of Rosedale-Rio Bravo Water Storage District, at the Water Association of Kern County’s annual day long Water Summit Wednesday.  That doesn’t work any more.  “All interested parties need to be stakeholders, including environmentalists,” he said to the hundreds of farmers, water mangers and others gathered in the Mechanic’s Bank Arena. ... ”  Read more from SJV Water here: Collaboration is the new game in California water

KCWA’s 2020 Water Summit focuses on President’s memo on water allocation and fish:  “The Water Association of Kern County held its fourth Water Summit in Bakersfield at the mechanics Bank Arena on Wednesday. This theme this year was H20 2020 Vision.  After a year that brought out new biological opinions and President Trump’s memo on California’s water, the WAKC Water Summit focused heavily on science and the environment. ... ”  Read more from Bakersfield Now here: KCWA’s 2020 Water Summit focuses on President’s memo on water allocation and fish

Environmental disaster or key to a clean energy future? A new twist on hydropower:  “Steve Lowe gazed into a gaping pit in the heart of the California desert, careful not to let the blistering wind send him toppling over the edge.  The pit was a bustling iron mine once, churning out ore that was shipped by rail to a nearby Kaiser Steel plant. When steel manufacturing declined, Los Angeles County tried to turn the abandoned mine into a massive landfill. Conservationists hope the area will someday become part of Joshua Tree National Park, which surrounds it on three sides.  Lowe has a radically different vision. ... ”  Read more from the LA Times here:  Environmental disaster or key to a clean energy future? A new twist on hydropower

San Francisco could see its first rainfall since January as a potentially wetter California weather pattern takes shape:  “Much-needed rain will finally return to California and will likely end a month-plus dry streak in San Francisco and Sacramento.  Dry conditions have prevailed across most of California since late January due to the upper-level pattern. A strong area of high pressure aloft near California has pushed the jet stream and storm track northward into the Pacific Northwest.  The persistence of this pattern has resulted in drought conditions during the wet season. ... ”  Read more from The Weather Channel here:  San Francisco could see its first rainfall since January as a potentially wetter California weather pattern takes shape

California may need a ‘Miracle March’ to prevent an early and dangerous wildfire season:  “A brush fire that grew to 175 acres in Norco, California, on Tuesday was perhaps a preview of what could be an early and dangerous wildfire season in a state that just had its driest February on record.  It was the eighth fire incident in 2020, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE). That already equals the number of fire incidents before April 1 in the last four years combined.  ... ”  Read more from Accu-Weather here: California may need a ‘Miracle March’ to prevent an early and dangerous wildfire season

California Fish and Game Commission adopts Delta fisheries management policy and revises striped bass policy:  “On February 21, 2020, the California Fish and Game Commission (Commission) voted 4-0 to adopt a new Delta fisheries management policy and a revised Striped bass policy supported by Commission staff and the Department of Fish and Wildlife (Department). The Delta fisheries management policy is notable because … ” Read more from JD Supra here:  California Fish and Game Commission adopts Delta fisheries management policy and revises striped bass policy

California scientists study climate change at bottom of the ocean:  “California researchers have found that oxygen levels and water temperatures play a key role in the health of deep-sea fish populations.  San Diego and Monterey Bay scientists studied fish on the floor of the Gulf of California.  “This is an example of some of the video that we are analyzing for this research,” said Natalya Gallo, a post-doctoral researcher at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. … ”  Read more from KPBS here: California scientists study climate change at bottom of the ocean

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In national/world news today …

U.S. House Democrats launch probe into Nestle water bottling:  “U.S. House Democrats are seeking documents about Nestle Waters North America operations in Michigan and other states as part of a new Congressional oversight investigation launched this week into bottled water industry practices.  On Tuesday, March 3, U.S. Reps. Harley Rouda of California and Rashida Tlaib of Michigan sent Nestle a request for information about the company’s U.S. groundwater extraction, revenues from bottled water sales, advertising expenses, quality testing and plastic use. ... ”  Read more from USA Today here:  U.S. House Democrats launch probe into Nestle water bottling

LWCF, parks bills head to Senate floor after Trump tweet:  “One day after President Trump tweeted his support, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) is expected to take steps today to bring to the floor legislation that would permanently fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund and address the national parks maintenance backlog, senators said.  McConnell will move to bypass the Energy and Natural Resources Committee and place a package containing both bills directly on the Senate calendar, which would allow him to call it up at a later date, Energy and Natural Resources Chairwoman Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) said today. ... ” Read more from E&E News here: LWCF, parks bills head to Senate floor after Trump tweet

Deadly Australia wildfires affected by climate change:  “Climate change had a hand in Australia’s recent wildfires by influencing weather conditions that led to the catastrophic blazes and boosting their chances of occurring by at least 30%, and probably much more, according to scientists.  The findings released yesterday came from a field of research known as attribution science, which over the past two decades has improved to quickly pinpoint the role that climate change plays in specific disasters. … ”  Read more from E&E News here: Deadly Australia wildfires affected by climate change

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In commentary today …

The fate of agriculture in the San Joaquin Valley:  Dr. Edward T. Henry, DVM writes,California’s Sustainable Groundwater Management Act of 2014 (SGMA) is now “the law of the land (state)” and as such there will be restricted agricultural groundwater (GW) pumping throughout the San Joaquin Valley (SJV) which is comprised of 8 counties from San Joaquin County in the northern end to Kern County in the southern end. Those 8 counties have a combined irrigated acreage of 5 million acres of farmland. Those acres are irrigated with a combination of GW and surface water (SW) from Sierra Nevada lakes, reservoirs, rivers, canals, and the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta (Delta).  It’s generally accepted that it takes about 3¼ to 3½ acre-feet (AF) of water per acre of farmland (from a combination of GW and SW) in a growing season to produce food and fiber in the SJV. … ”  Read more from the Hanford Sentinel here: The fate of agriculture in the San Joaquin Valley

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In regional news and commentary today …

Drought declared in Klamath County:  “A mild winter and below-average snowpack is again raising the specter of drought in Southern Oregon.  Gov. Kate Brown issued a drought declaration on March 2 in Klamath County, stating that the extremely low water supply is causing natural and economic disaster conditions heading into spring and summer.  “Drought conditions arrived early and have persisted, including reduced snowpack, precipitation and minimal streamflow,” Brown said. … ”  Read more from the Capital Press here: Drought declared in Klamath County

Price tag for Klamath Dams removal within restoration nonprofit’s $450M budget:  “The longstanding effort to remove dams at the Klamath River will come at a hefty price, but one that fits neatly into the budget of a nonprofit overseeing the effort.  Contractors said earlier this week that removing the dams will cost a total of $446 million. That’s enough for the Klamath River Renewal Corporation — the nonprofit overseeing the effort — which has long had a budget of $450 million. … ”  Read more from the Eureka Times-Standard here: Price tag for Klamath Dams removal within restoration nonprofit’s $450M budget

The Battle for Elk River:  Aggrieved land owners, logging’s legacy, timber companies and a state agency collide in a beleaguered watershed:  “Kristi Wrigley remembers a time when the Elk River ran clear and deep, providing a reliable source of good water for her home and adjacent apple orchard.  Those years are now long past and the Elk River watershed has been named as one of the most degraded in Northern California. The river channel has widened, flooding is frequent and, each year, a layer of sediment is added to the land underlying her trees. The sediment, she says, consists of fine silt particles that choke the roots and eventually kill the trees. Over a 30-year period, she has lost the use of three-quarters of her property. … ”  Read more from the North Bay Journal here: The Battle for Elk River:  Aggrieved land owners, logging’s legacy, timber companies and a state agency collide in a beleaguered watershed

‘They’re failing us’: California Open Lands director says Butte County landfill managers treat wetlands like ‘toilet’:  “Holly Nielsen put her GMC pickup into gear and drove down a dirt road at the Butte County landfill south of Chico, heading toward a 3-acre wetland preserve that has been established inside the facility.  The on-site preserve was created in 2007, allowing the Neal Road Recycling and Waste Facility to finish its expansion. The preserve—which is overseen by California Open Lands, a local nonprofit land trust—also has been a focus of the State Water Resources Control Board’s Office of Enforcement, which is investigating the landfill for allegedly discharging last winter about 24 million gallons of waste-contaminated stormwater into the preserve and a neighboring watershed. ... ”  Read more from the Chico News & Review here: ‘They’re failing us’: California Open Lands director says Butte County landfill managers treat wetlands like ‘toilet’

Placer County Water Agency signs contract for perpetuity:  “Against the backdrop of Folsom Dam, Placer County Water Agency (PCWA) executed a landmark water contract with the United States Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) at a signing ceremony on February 28. The new contract, which annually allocates up to 35,000 acre-feet of Central Valley Project (CVP) water to PCWA, runs in perpetuity.  The new contract replaces an original signed by both parties in 1970. That contract expired in 2011, and since then, PCWA has been operating on two-year renewal contracts. … ”  Read more from Roseville Today here: Placer County Water Agency signs contract for perpetuity

Hidden flood risk for San Francisco Bay Area communities lurks underground:  “It’s a calm, sunny day at the start of a rainless February in the San Francisco Bay Area, and streets are flooded.  In Manzanita, the northbound on-ramp for Highway 101, the main artery through this county just north of San Francisco, is partially covered with a half foot of water. At an adjacent park-and-ride lot, public buses plow through standing water to pick up passengers.  Nearby, the Mill Valley-Sausalito multi-use trail is partially submerged, a ribbon of asphalt peaking above mirrored waters. ... ”  Read more from the Circle of Blue here: Hidden flood risk for San Francisco Bay Area communities lurks underground

Fixing Anderson Dam remains the top priority for Valley Water: “Valley Water is dedicated to working as quickly as possible to complete the Anderson Dam Seismic Retrofit Project so it can safely withstand a large earthquake. It is vital for the health and safety of our community, water supply in Santa Clara County, and our natural environment. Studies have shown a large earthquake on the Calaveras or Coyote Creek faults could damage Anderson Dam, causing damage or failure and an uncontrolled release of water that could inundate cities and rural areas from San Francisco Bay south to Monterey Bay, including much of Silicon Valley. … ”  Read more from Valley Water News here: Fixing Anderson Dam remains the top priority for Valley Water

Lawsuits against Mountain View and Sunnyvale allege sewage water leaking into creeks and Bay:  “An environmental watchdog group has filed lawsuits against the cities of Mountain View and Sunnyvale alleging that the cities’ aging sewer systems are leaking bacteria from human feces into stormwater drainage systems, contaminating local creeks and ultimately the Bay.  Over the past few rainy seasons, San Francisco Baykeeper, a nonprofit that works to protect the Bay and its water quality, has sent scientists to measure the amounts of various bacteria that indicate the presence of human fecal waste. In some instances along Stevens Creek, the nonprofit found levels of those bacteria about 50 times higher the legal limits, Baykeeper reported on its blog. … ”  Read more from the Mountain View Voice here: Lawsuits against Mountain View and Sunnyvale allege sewage water leaking into creeks and Bay

Effort to limit dust pollution in Owens Valley is advancing, but still room to improve:  “The century-long battle over water between California’s Owens Valley and Los Angeles is nothing short of epic.  In 1974, the conflict was immortalized in the film “Chinatown.” The latest chapter comes in a more stoic but important form: a 157-page report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine. The publication was created by a panel of experts that includes UCLA atmospheric dust specialist Gregory Okin.  Beginning in the late 1800s, William Mulholland quietly bought up land and water rights in Owens Valley, and in 1913, he started delivering the water from Owens Lake 233 miles south via aqueduct to a fast-growing Los Angeles. ... ”  Read more from UCLA Institute of Environment and Sustainability here:  Effort to limit dust pollution in Owens Valley is advancing, but still room to improve

Cuyama Valley carrot growers get the stick:  “The Cuyama Valley is the driest agricultural region in the county; the valley floor gets just a little more rain than the Sahara. Yet for the past 75 years, this high desert region has been a mecca for water-intensive farming on an industrial scale — first alfalfa, and now carrots, a $69 million annual crop. … Now, to the rescue — belatedly — comes the state Groundwater Sustainability Act of 2014, which aims to halt “significant and unreasonable reduction of groundwater storage.” To comply, growers in the central Cuyama Valley may be required to cut their pumping by as much as two-thirds over the next 20 years. The world’s two largest carrot producers — Grimmway Farms and Bolthouse Farms of Bakersfield, California — would be hardest hit. … ”  Read more from the Santa Barbara Independent here: Cuyama Valley carrot growers get the stick

Santa Monica: Scientists seed local seas with imperiled fish. Can giant sea bass make a comeback?  “A team of scuba-diving biologists on Wednesday released nearly 200 baby giant sea bass into the murky depths of Santa Monica Bay where the critically endangered fish will grow to be the size of Volkswagen Beetles.  The captive-bred infants quickly adapted to their new home, a submarine canyon about 30 feet beneath the waves, where the currents are rich in nutrients and tiny shrimp, a favorite food for the bass.  The four-inch infants — adorned with orange, blue and gray colors — can reach 560 pounds, seven feet in length and live to be 75 years old. … ”  Read more from the LA Times here: Santa Monica: Scientists seed local seas with imperiled fish. Can giant sea bass make a comeback?

Deserted oil wells haunt Los Angeles with toxic fumes and enormous cleanup costs:  “Thick oil was once so abundant beneath Southern California that it bubbled to the surface, most famously at the La Brea Tar Pits. But after more than a century of aggressive drilling by fossil fuel companies, most of Los Angeles’ profitable oil is gone. What remains is a costly legacy: nearly 1,000 wells across the city, in rich and poor neighborhoods, deserted by their owners and left to the state to clean, according to a first-of-its-kind analysis of state records by the Los Angeles Times and the Center for Public Integrity. … ”  Read more from the LA Times here:  Deserted oil wells haunt Los Angeles with toxic fumes and enormous cleanup costs

Poseidon desalination would worsen environmental injustice in Orange County, says Adriana Maestas, communications manager for Azul, an organization working with Latinxs to conserve coasts and oceans:  She writes, “What would California be without the beach? I grew up in Irvine with an awareness of how fortunate we are to live near the ocean. As a child, my parents and babysitters took me and my brother to Corona Del Mar and Newport Beach frequently during the summer. I have many happy memories of enjoying the waves at “our beaches” while bodysurfing, building sandcastles, and seeing fish, anemones, sandcrabs, dolphins and jellyfish! We also took school field trips to Crystal Cove to learn about the ecosystem. These experiences taught me to respect the ocean and to understand that it is alive, a home for sea life and people.  That’s why it’s upsetting that our regional water board is moving closer to issuing permits for a project near my hometown that will harm our ocean, make us more vulnerable to climate change, and make our drinking water more expensive. … ”  Read more from the Voice of the OC here: Poseidon desalination would worsen environmental injustice in Orange County

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Along the Colorado River …

Gary Wockner: The dam truth about the Colorado River:  “The latest research about the Colorado River is alarming and also predictable: In a warming world, snowmelt has been decreasing while evaporation of reservoirs is increasing. Yet no politician has a plan to save the diminishing Colorado River.  If you followed the news about the Colorado River for the last year, however, you’d think that a political avalanche had swept down from Colorado’s snow-capped peaks and covered the Southwest with a blanket of “collaboration” and “river protection.” ... ”  Read more from the Salt Lake Tribune here: Gary Wockner: The dam truth about the Colorado River

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And lastly ...

Freaky, gooey brown waves again on Washington, Oregon coast, video:  “Those kooky brown, gooey waves have returned, this time on the southern Washington coast and some on the very northern Oregon coast. Tiffany Boothe of Seaside Aquarium caught video of the clumpy stuff on the Long Beach Peninsula, where it’s quite prominent. (Photos and video courtesy Seaside Aquarium Above: Seaside gets the brown stuff on Wednesday)  “There have been small diatom blooms in Seaside but nothing like Long Beach,” she said Tuesday. However, by Wednesday the brown waves hit Seaside discernibly more.  What is it? … ”  Read more from Beach Connection here:  Freaky, gooey brown waves again on Washington, Oregon coast, video

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Also on Maven’s Notebook today …

GUEST COMMENTARY: Newsom must do more than sue Trump to protect San Francisco Bay

STATE OF THE ESTUARY: South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project: Science and adaptive management in action; Integrating past and future monitoring

SCIENCE NEWS: Operating the Suisun Marsh tidal gates to benefit Delta smelt; Can carbon credits save the Delta?; Re-thinking ‘tipping points’ in ecosystems and beyond; The ocean’s swirling currents are migrating poleward; and more …

DATA: Watershed Index Online (WSIO) and Statewide Recovery Potential Screening (RPS) Tool Series Updated for 2020

WATER PLAN eNEWS: ~~GSP Deadline~ Coastal Plan~ Landscape Webinar~ Meeting Change~ Delta Subsidence~ Water Equity ~~

 

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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 Association53(2), 411-430.

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.
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