- BROWN BAG SEMINAR: Predicting, Detecting, Understanding: Science to Inform Decision Making from 10:45 to 12:45; Presentation by Dr. Denise Reed, candidate for the Delta Lead Scientist position. Click here for the full meeting notice.
Return of wet weather to be double-edged sword for California, Southwest: “In the wake of a storm that brought the first measurable rainfall to parts of California in over a month, a second storm tracking into the West Coast will bring another round to the region. The first storm generally targeted the northern half of California with periods of light rain observed on Saturday. However, it was not enough to put a noticeable dent in the expanding drought conditions, with only 0.08 of an inch of rainfall recorded at San Francisco International Airport. ... ” Read more from AccuWeather here: Return of wet weather to be double-edged sword for California, Southwest
California’s ‘salad bowl’ recharges depleted aquifer: “A newly opened water treatment plant in Monterey, Calif., will replenish a vital regional groundwater resource with recycled water at a rate of millions of gallons per day. On an annual basis, the Pure Water Monterey treatment plant will inject at least 3,500 acre feet of water, equivalent to more than a billion gallons, into the Seaside Basin. For two decades, Monterey One Water, formerly the Monterey Regional Water Pollution Control Agency, has been recycling wastewater for irrigation in what’s called the “salad bowl of the world” where almost two-thirds of American leaf lettuce is grown. In addition to purifying wastewater, Pure Water is expanding to recycle agricultural drainage water, agricultural wash water and storm water runoff. ... ” Read more from Governing here: California’s ‘salad bowl’ recharges depleted aquifer
Salmon fishing looks promising as season opener nears: “With salmon season a month off, state and federal scientists predicted last week that a big year for salmon is ahead for the Bay Area coast — and a rumor was confirmed that Hall of Fame skipper Jacqueline Douglas of San Francisco would retire. “The old lady of the sea is retiring,” Douglas said. “I went down to Fisherman’s Wharf and the Wacky Jacky (her boat) is gone, out of sight. It is tough to say goodbye to a happy life on the sea. God gave me so much happiness out on our mighty Pacific Ocean. I sure loved taking people out for those salmon, praying all the way that those fish would bite.” ... ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle here: Salmon fishing looks promising as season opener nears
Sierra Nevada Conservancy awards grants to forest health, land conservation projects: “A day after a diverse panel of experts discussed a path to address significant challenges facing the Sierra Nevada amidst a changing climate, the Sierra Nevada Conservancy Governing Board approved $13,555,224 in grants to 27 different projects focused on forest health, land conservation, and community resilience throughout the vital 25-million-acre region. “Achieving resilience in the Sierra Nevada requires a full suite of approaches, from conservation to active forest management to community development,” said Angela Avery, executive officer with the SNC. “The projects funded by our board today represent that full suite of approaches and the holistic nature of the work in our region being carried out under the Sierra Nevada Watershed Improvement Program.” ... ” Read more from The Union here: Sierra Nevada Conservancy awards grants to forest health, land conservation projects
Congressman Ruiz calls for more funding to restore the Salton Sea: “Congressman Dr. Raul Ruiz and Ohio representative Marcy Kaptur met for a meeting on Saturday at North Shore Beach and Yacht Club in Mecca to talk about the troubled Salton Sea. “Everyday in the morning, you smell dead fish,” said Alejandra Osorna. The odor, Alejandra Osorna inhales daily while working the fields is just one of the many concerns Congressman Dr. Raul Ruiz said he hopes to address. “There’s alot of kids getting sick,” said Osorna. … ” Read more from KESQ here: Congressman Ruiz calls for more funding to restore the Salton Sea
Leaders come together to tour public health crisis at Salton Sea: “State and federal leaders came together to tour the Salton Sea and understand the impending health issues the public continues to face. NBC Palm Springs joined officials to get a glimpse of what is being done to help restore an area that was once a relaxing summer destination. The Salton Sea was once a hip and happening spot for locals to enjoy the sun and have fun in the water. Today the Salton Sea is a place where fish go to rot and is considered a public health crisis. federal and state leaders are partnering up to hopefully change that. … ” Read more from NBC Palm Springs here: Leaders come together to tour public health crisis at Salton Sea
Law: Exhibit A: Science advisers’ critiques of EPA rules: “An EPA advisory panel’s sharp rebukes of the Trump administration’s Clean Water Act protections and vehicle emissions standards have provided a partial blueprint for how critics could challenge the rules in court. EPA’s Science Advisory Board (SAB), which includes many members selected by the Trump administration, last week finalized striking criticisms of the agency’s proposed Safer Affordable Fuel-Efficient Vehicles Rule and its recently narrowed definition of the “waters of the United States,” or WOTUS. … ” Read more from E&E News here: Law: Exhibit A: Science advisers’ critiques of EPA rules
WHO Guide: Water, sanitation, hygiene and waste management for COVID-19: “From the World Health Organization”: “This Technical Brief supplements existing IPC documents by referring to and summarizing WHO guidance on water, sanitation and health care waste which is relevant for viruses (including coronaviruses). This Technical Brief is written in particular for water and sanitation practitioners and providers.” Click here to download the technical brief.
Own up to bringing water to farmers and help put food on American families’ tables, say State Senator Shannon Grove and Kristi Deiner, founder of the California Water for Food and People Movement: “California’s agriculture industry helps feed the world. California grows more than 400 food and fiber products including a third of the country’s vegetables and two-thirds of the nation’s fruits and nuts. In fact, 99.9 percent of our nation’s commodities, including peaches, artichokes, olives, pistachios, almonds, walnuts, and so many others, are grown right here in the Golden State. Further, we lead the nation in the supply of 75 total foods, such as broccoli, mandarins, carrots, corn, strawberries and more. Food security for families depends on the ability of California farmers to continue producing. Growing food successfully depends on countless risk factors, such as weather changes, water allocations, labor availability and trade stability. … ” Read more from the Bakersfield Californian here: Own up to bringing water to farmers and help put food on American families’ tables
Costly new wildfire suppression won’t prevent catastrophic fires, says Dan Silver, Executive Director of the Endangered Habitat League: He writes, “A wildfire suppression plan adopted at the end of 2019 by the California Board of Forestry could cost taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars but will do very little to actually reduce fire risk for communities in Sonoma County and throughout the state. Fire safety experts and environmental protection advocates filed suit on January 28 to block the new Vegetation Treatment Program (VTP) from going into effect. Proposed by CalFire, the state’s fire management agency, the VTP will not provide protection against wind-driven fires. Yet it is wind-driven wildfires that caused the devastating loss of life and property seen in the state in recent years. ... ” Read more from the Sonoma Gazette here: Costly new wildfire suppression won’t prevent catastrophic fires
Water levels are low again in McCloud: “McCloud residents and visiting outdoor enthusiasts have noticed that the water levels at the McCloud Reservoir have been exceptionally low this season despite high inflows into the lake and comments by Pacific Gas & Electric that the lake would be back to normal operation by October 2019. In addition, the road from the McCloud Reservoir to the Iron Canyon Reservoir has been closed off to the public. According to the company, PG&E is keeping the lake’s water levels low to continue completing repairs and inspections on the aging infrastructure. … ” Read more from the Mount Shasta Herald here: Water levels are low again in McCloud
Butte County: Did a water commissioner violate the Brown Act? County’s lawyer says no: “During the Feb. 25 Butte County Board of Supervisors meeting, supervisors Debra Lucero and Tami Ritter called to remove Matthew Tennis from the Water Commission. Now, in the board’s upcoming meeting, a discussion will be had on the matter. The reason for proposing the removal, Lucero said, was that she believed Tennis violated the Brown Act when he allegedly voiced support for the pipeline from Paradise to Chico while talking in front of a community group in Chico. ... ” Read more from the Chico Enterprise-Record here: Butte County: Did a water commissioner violate the Brown Act? County’s lawyer says no
Here’s why SPAWN uses lawsuits to protect dwindling coho habitats, say Todd Steiner, the executive director of Turtle Island Restoration Network and its program SPAWN, and Preston Brown, SPAWN’s Director of Conservation: “In an editorial published earlier this year, the Marin IJ editorial board wrote that the salmon’s return marked a proud day in push for Marin creek restorations. But does it really? It’s amazing to watch coho salmon, who migrate more than 20 miles from the Pacific Ocean into our backyards, spawn and complete their life cycle in the creeks where they were born three years prior. There is nothing more enjoyable than bringing school children and the public to watch salmon jump the Inkwells, build their nests (known as redds) and marvel at their role in Marin’s ecology. ... ” Read more from the Marin Independent Journal here: Here’s why SPAWN uses lawsuits to protect dwindling coho habitats
Lake Palmdale home to birds, too: “Lake Palmdale is an important water storage site for the Palmdale Water District, holding water from the State Water Project and Littlerock Dam before it is treated and distributed to customers. The lake also provides important habitat for myriad species of birds, some commonly found in the area but others that visit the lake at the furthest reaches of their natural range. … ” Read more from the Antelope Valley Press here: Lake Palmdale home to birds, too
Effort to persuade feds to pay for Whittier Narrows Dam repairs begins: “U.S. Rep. Grace Napolitano has convinced the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to spend $393.2 million to fix the Whittier Narrows Dam, but she still has to persuade Congress to appropriate the money. With other congressional members at her side on Friday, Napolitano, D-El Monte, began her effort with a tour of the dam near Lincoln Avenue in Montebello. “I want to get the members to understand the necessity of dealing with California’s issue with water,” she said, referring to members of the House of Representatives House Committee on Natural Resources’ Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment, she chairs. … ” Read more from the OC Register here: Effort to persuade feds to pay for Whittier Narrows Dam repairs begins
Study: Widespread droughts affect Southern California water six times a century: “Severe droughts happened simultaneously in the regions that supply water to Southern California almost six times per century on average since the year 1500, according to recent University of Arizona-led research. The study is the first to document the duration and frequency of simultaneous droughts in Southern California’s main water sources – the Sacramento River basin, the Upper Colorado River Basin and local Southern California basins. The report highlights what a previous researcher dubbed “perfect droughts” – when the precipitation or streamflow in all three water sources falls below the median for two or more years. The most recent perfect drought lasted from 2012 to 2015. ... ” Read more from Water Finance & Management here: Study: Widespread droughts affect Southern California water six times a century
Nevada town has disappeared and re-emerged over 150 years: “When John Wesley Powell and the five remaining members of his crew, who had struggled through the canyons of the Green and Colorado rivers, finally exited the Grand Canyon at the end of August, 1869, hungry and bedraggled, the first people they encountered were Mormon settlers from the tiny community of St. Thomas. Had they arrived two years later, they might not have met anyone. By then, the community was largely abandoned, a victim of cartographic errors and political disputes. … ” Read more from The Daily Sentinel here: Nevada town has disappeared and re-emerged over 150 years
From NWS Hanford: A storm system will impact Central California Tuesday into Wednesday. Heavy snow should fall in the Tulare County portion of the Southern Sierra Nevada above 7,000 feet, especially Tuesday afternoon and Tuesday evening. Intense rainfall rates are possible in the Kern County mountains Tuesday and Tuesday night, resulting in the threat of mudslides and rockslides.
From NWS Los Angeles: A strong low pressure system over the Eastern Pacific will continue moving south through today and then start propagating east towards Southern California on Monday. The system will tap into moisture from the sub-tropics and produce periods of moderate to locally heavy rain Monday through Tuesday with showers on Wednesday possibly into Thursday. The low will move over the coastal waters on Tuesday and produce a slight chance of thunderstorms everywhere. Brief heavy downpours, small hail, and even waterspouts are possible under any thunderstorm that forms. Over the three day period, rainfall totals are expected to be widespread 1 to 3 inches, with locally higher amounts up to 4.5 inches over the eastern San Gabriel mountains. Snow levels will likely remain above 7000 ft and significant snowfall is possible above this level.
DAILY DIGEST, weekend edition: Atmospheric river headed towards SoCal; DWR probes atmospheric rivers’ impact on reservoirs; Congress calls on Nestle to answer for its water-bottling practices; and more …
Announcements and other things posted this weekend …
- NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULEMAKING: Perchlorate detection limit for purposes of reporting
- OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT/WORKSHOPS: White Paper Discussion on Economic Feasibility Analysis in Consideration of a Hexavalent Chromium Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL)
- FUNDING OPPORTUNITY: Lower American River Conservancy Program 2020 PSN Consultation Opportunity
- FUNDING OPPORTUNITY: Climate Change Funding for Farmland Conservation Now Available
- PUBLIC WORKSHOP: Clean Water State Revolving Fund and Drinking Water State Revolving Fund Intended Use Plans
- WATER SUPPLY INDEX for March 1
- NOTICE: Availability of WaterFix Change Petition Hearing Documents
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.
