Billions in coronavirus aid will go to farms. But farmers say it’s not enough to keep them afloat: “Ryan Indart says he may have to kill off some of the sheep at his east Clovis ranch this fall. With restaurants shuttered amid the coronavirus pandemic, he has no market for his animals. When a new flock arrives in October, he won’t have enough space in his pasture if his current flock is still there. Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Wednesday a $3.6 million program to help farms and food banks stay afloat, coupled with a philanthropy pledge of $15 million. That promise came on the heels of a much larger federal aid package of $19 billion for farmers and ranchers across the country. But, Indart says, even if he gets the maximum amount of aid, it will only keep his ranch afloat for about two months at best. And the money wouldn’t cover his current losses. ... ” Read more from CalMatters here: Billions in coronavirus aid will go to farms. But farmers say it’s not enough to keep them afloat
Dan Walters: State budget will take a very big hit: “A bit of fiscal history is in order. The Great Recession that hit California 13 years ago had a devastating effect on the state budget. General fund revenues — principally personal income taxes paid by affluent Californians — dropped by about 20% and to maintain basic services, the Legislature and then-Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger ran up deficits and covered them with borrowed money. They shifted money from special funds, such as highway construction and maintenance, to prop up the general fund portion of the budget, and they triggered temporary cuts in state aid to schools, among other tactics. … ” Read more from CalMatters here: Dan Walters: State budget will take a very big hit
Building heat, gusty winds may fuel wildfire concerns in California later this week: “AccuWeather meteorologists are closely monitoring the hot, gusty pattern poised to set up over California later this week, which could elevate the risk of wildfires in parts of the state. Intense heat gripped California during the latter part of April, but ample rainfall in southern areas earlier in the month and a lack of wind minimized the risk of early season blazes breaking out. … ” Read more from Accu-Weather here: Building heat, gusty winds may fuel wildfire concerns in California later this week
Lawsuits fly amid state, federal changes in California water delivery and use: “Environmental groups in California on April 29 challenged in court the state Dept. of Water Resources decision not to include a proposed 40-mile tunnel in its most recent environmental assessment needed to reauthorize long-term operation of the State Water Project—a 700-mile system of dams and aqueducts that moves water from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta to areas in the south. The lawsuit comes as state water users now have legally challenged changes in amounts of water that can be delivered by the state system and as the state battles Trump Administration changes in its management of water delivery from the federal Central Valley Project system to expand amounts for agriculture. … ” Read more from Engineering News-Record here: Lawsuits fly amid state, federal changes in California water delivery and use
Property owners convinced of Mule Creek State Prison cover-up: ““I was never given a copy of the tests on my well from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR), from the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board (RWQCB), or from Amador County Public Health,” said Virginia Silva. “I know our wells are contaminated, I know it comes from Mule Creek State Prison (MCSP) and CDCR will do everything in their power to cover it up.” Jim Scully, a neighbor of Virginia Silva, who also owns property along Mule Creek agrees. ... ” Read more from the Amador Ledger Dispatch here: Property owners convinced of Mule Creek State Prison cover-up
Cuyama Valley carrot growers get a ‘past due’ notice: “The Cuyama Valley is the driest agricultural region in Santa Barbara 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. Most years, farmers pump 60,000 acre-feet of water out of the valley’s giant groundwater basin — enough water, in theory, to supply six cities the size of Santa Barbara. That’s three times the sustainable yield of the basin, or the amount of water that reliably flows in from rain and runoff. … ” Read more from the Lompoc Record here: Cuyama Valley carrot growers get a ‘past due’ notice
Irrigation restrictions to be lifted Monday for some while pipeline repairs continue in Moreno Valley: “Work to repair a damaged 9-foot diameter water pipeline in Moreno Valley continued Sunday, May 3, with customers of one of the affected water districts given the go-ahead to resume outdoor watering on Monday, while that restriction will continue one more day for others. The reduced-use directive was put in place after a contractor punctured the Santa Ana Valley Pipeline on Thursday. The water flow in the line has been stopped while repairs take place, and the moves by the districts were to help ensure reserves are not depleted. … ” Read more from AZ Central here: Irrigation restrictions to be lifted Monday for some while pipeline repairs continue in Moreno Valley
Southern California: Heat wave expected to keep deserts and inland valleys hot all week: “Temperatures could reach triple digits Monday in the San Diego County deserts, and the mercury will be on the rise all week throughout the region, according to the National Weather Service. Conditions will be relatively mild west of the deserts Monday, but building high pressure will cause temperatures to rise throughout the county until Friday, forecasters said. By midweek, high temperatures could be 15-20 degrees above average in most areas, forecasters said. … ” Read more from KPBS here: Heat wave expected to keep deserts and inland valleys hot all week
Nevada: District Court judge strikes down state-backed groundwater market for violating “first in time, first in right” rule: “A District Court judge ruled this week that state officials approved a program to address a longstanding water rights imbalance in Eureka County “contrary to Nevada water laws.” Pending an appeal or a stay, the ruling puts the brakes on a closely watched groundwater market in Diamond Valley, where the state has, for decades, allowed irrigators to pump more than twice the amount of water than is sustainable, causing groundwater levels to decline. ... ” Read more from the Nevada Independent here: District Court judge strikes down state-backed groundwater market for violating “first in time, first in right” rule
Smarter irrigation could feed millions more: “US researchers have calculated that accessing untapped freshwater around the world would allow farmers to feed 620 to 840 million more people without depleting water resources or expanding agriculture into natural ecosystems. Agriculture uses 90% of the world’s water and is thus by far the biggest driver of water scarcity, a serious problem as the planet faces increasing droughts as a result of climate change. This water scarcity doesn’t just have physical constraints but also economic limitations to harnessing available water for agriculture, with most severe impacts on vulnerable and disadvantaged populations. ... ” Read more from Cosmos here: Smarter irrigation could feed millions more
The Endangered Species Act doesn’t protect all habitat equally: ” … Enforcing the Endangered Species Act is more complicated than it sounds on paper. Although suitable habitat may look good to an endangered species no matter who owns it, the politics of land ownership and rights of use are more complicated. The Endangered Species Act is enforced differently depending on who controls the land in question. … ” Read more from EnviroBites here: The Endangered Species Act doesn’t protect all habitat equally
This week in water: “Critics say the Trump administration’s new plan to mine for uranium near the Grand Canyon could threaten water supplies. How the coronavirus pandemic could complicate fighting wildfires. Ninety-nine percent of plastic in the oceans ends up in these hotspots. How do koalas, which live high up in treetops, get their water? A surprising discovery. This aquarium would like you to talk to its lonely eels.” Listen/read stories from H20Radio here: This week in water
Now, more than ever, we need tribes at the water negotiating table, say : They write, “A study recently published in the journal Science found that global warming and climate change have led to an emerging “megadrought” in the western U.S. – and that the drought we’ve been experiencing over the last 20 years is as bad or worse than any in 1,200 years. It’s a sobering prospect for those of us who call the West home – especially at a moment when the coronavirus is underscoring just how essential a healthy and available water supply is to public health. ... ” Continue reading from Arizona Central here: Now, more than ever, we need tribes at the water negotiating table
America’s Conservation Enhancement Act gives species a chance, says Cam Tredennick: He writes, “Among the recent marvels of the world’s coronavirus pandemic was the spectacle of wildlife almost immediately reclaiming spaces vacated by people. Within days of Yosemite National Park’s shutdown, bears, coyotes, bobcats and other species were spotted on empty roads, along deserted trails and in the now-quiet main village. Coyotes were seen on an eerily quiet Golden Gate Bridge. … ” Read more at the Hanford Sentinel here: America’s Conservation Enhancement Act gives species a chance
DAILY DIGEST, weekend edition: Ag groups ask Newsom to relax rules restricting water supplies; States sue EPA over rollback of Clean Water Rules; April Delta Conveyance Project update; Are almonds really as sustainable as we think, or just a waste of water?; and more …
- NOTICE: Cloth Facemasks to California Water and Wastewater Utilities/Agencies from FEMA/EPA available through CalWARN
- FAMILY FARM ALLIANCE APRIL NEWSLETTER: Western irrigators respond to COVID-19 pendemic; CA vs Trump: the epic battle continues; WOTUS rewrite; and more …
- NOW AVAILABLE: Geologic Analysis, Ventura River Watershed
Image credit: Star Wars Battlefront; photo by Random Drps vis Flickr
