- FREE Webinar: COVID-19’s Financial Impact on Water Utilities from 10am to 11:30am. Click here for more information and to register.
- WEBINAR: 2020 Darcy Lecture: University of California, Davis Hydrology in the Supercomputing Age: How Computational Advances Have Revolutionized Our Field, And What Big Data and Massively Parallel Simulations Mean for the Future of Hydrologic Discovery from 12pm to 1pm. Click here for more information and to register.
Sinking lands, damaged infrastructure: will better groundwater management end subsidence? “Excess groundwater pumping can compact soils, causing land to sink. Because this subsidence can damage costly infrastructure, avoiding it is an important reason to manage groundwater. Subsidence due to groundwater pumping has been occurring in the San Joaquin Valley for almost a century, but it accelerated during the 2012–16 drought. Subsidence has damaged some critical water conveyance arteries, including the Friant-Kern Canal (40% of capacity lost in some stretches), and the California Aqueduct (more than 20% of capacity lost). Bridges over these and other canals are sinking, a local dam can’t hold water anymore, and stretches of the high-speed rail track have been designed to prevent damage from future subsidence. … ” Read more from the PPIC here: Sinking lands, damaged infrastructure: will better groundwater management end subsidence?
Will groundwater sustainability plans end the problem of dry drinking water wells? “In the San Joaquin Valley, groundwater is the primary source of drinking water. While groundwater levels in the valley have generally been declining for decades, the problem of overdraft—which can cause shallow wells to run dry—is particularly acute during droughts as surface water supplies for irrigating crops are limited. This especially affects domestic wells and small community wells, which tend to be shallower than those used for irrigation or large urban water systems. During the 2012–16 drought, 2,600 well-dependent households reported water shortages across the state; almost 80% of these were in the San Joaquin Valley. We estimate that the valley’s total number of dry domestic wells was likely higher (see map below, on left). Many small community wells also faced shortages. ... ” Read more from the PPIC here: Will groundwater sustainability plans end the problem of dry drinking water wells?
Monitoring Wells: DWR Helps Locals by Installing ‘Eyes Underground’: “Groundwater is a life-giving resource located beneath our feet. It provides drinking water for millions of Californians, irrigation water for farmers who grow our food, and supplies numerous communities with their entire water supply. But its hidden nature makes it challenging to manage and understand. The Sustainable Groundwater Management Act, passed in 2014, requires locally formed groundwater sustainability agencies (GSAs) to create 20-year plans, called groundwater sustainability plans (GSPs). These plans map out how GSAs will manage their groundwater for long-term sustainability, which can be challenging when there isn’t a clear understanding of the movement, depth, quantity, quality, and interaction of groundwater with surface water in a basin. … ” Read more from DWR News here: Monitoring Wells: DWR Helps Locals by Installing ‘Eyes Underground’
COLUMN: Politics, short memories are choking Calif.’s water wars: Wayne Western writes, “Welcome to the latest battle over our water and a level of hypocrisy that borders a stand-up comedy act. The latest, now days-old, scuffle was a preliminary injunction awarded to your state’s leaders to take more of your water between now and May 31 and send it to the ocean. California Attorney General Xavier Becerra, the California Natural Resources Agency, and the California Environmental Protection Agency managed to score the victory by filing a motion for a preliminary injunction on the basis that “imminent and irreparable harm” to protected species would happen in the next couple of weeks due to pumping water south of the Delta to Southern California and the Central Valley. ... ” Read more from the San Joaquin Sun here: COLUMN: Politics, short memories are choking Calif.’s water wars
ICYMI: Lawsuit filed against long term water transfer program (Press release from AquAlliance): “AquAlliance filed a lawsuit in federal District Court against the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) and San Luis Delta Mendota Water Authority (SLDMWA) (Agencies) over their second attempt to disclose and analyze impacts from their long term water export plans. USBR and SLDMWA seek significant water from the Sacramento River Watershed and groundwater basins to ship through the Delta to the San Joaquin Valley. … ” Read more at Maven’s Notebook here: Lawsuit filed against long term water transfer program
Smaller Sites makes it more likely, says the Chico Enterprise Record: They write, “The decision to reduce the size of the planned Sites Reservoir might appear to be a setback, but it’s really a step forward. It makes it that much more likely the project will happen. Yes, we’ve been saying that for years. Many people have been saying that, ever since the project was first conceived back in the 1950s. That was when environmental concerns stopped being afterthoughts, as they had been when the federal Central Valley Project was built. California was well into the planning stages for the State Water Project as well. … ” Read more from the Chico Enterprise-Record here: Smaller Sites makes it more likely
Reclamation seeks comments on B.F. Sisk Dam raise and reservoir expansion project: “The Bureau of Reclamation seeks public input on the B.F. Sisk Dam Raise and Reservoir Expansion Project, a proposed project that would raise the height of B.F. Sisk Dam by 10 feet to create an additional 120,000 acre-feet of storage in San Luis Reservoir. Reclamation and San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Authority are partnering to investigate whether adding an additional 10 feet to the crest of B.F. Sisk Dam while implementing Safety of Dam modifications would provide added water supply benefits to the Central Valley Project. The additional space would be used to store water that could be delivered to south-of-Delta water contractors. This water would be used to meet existing contractual demands and not serve any new demands. San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Authority is preparing a feasibility report and an environmental impact report pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act in conjunction with Reclamation’s preparation of environmental documents pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act. A Notice of Intent to prepare a supplemental environmental impact statement for the B.F. Sisk Dam Raise and Reservoir Expansion Project was published in the Federal Register on May 14, 2020. Reclamation, the lead federal agency, is seeking comments by June 15, 2020.” A copy of the NOI may be found online at https://www.usbr.gov/mp/nepa/nepa_project_details.php?Project_ID=44425.
After hot start to May, spring storm to bring rain & some thunderstorms to NorCal: “Late April and early May were very warm and occasionally hot across most of California. This was especially the case across the south and the interior, where quite a few new daily high temperature records were set. But that early season heat is now (at least temporarily) in the rear view window. Unsettled conditions have returned to the northern third of the state (at long last!). Soaking rains fell well north of the I-80 corridor, with lighter precipitation as far south as the SF Bay Area. Along with the rain up north, much cooler temperatures have returned to the entire state in recent days. Altogether, this has resulted in a temporary reprieve from what had until recently been an extraordinary early start to the fire season in that part of the state due to exceptional ongoing long-term dryness across NorCal. … ” Read more from the California Weather Blog here: After hot start to May, spring storm to bring rain & some thunderstorms to NorCal
SEE ALSO: A landfalling AR is expected to bring precipitation to portions of California, Oregon, and the interior Northwestern US, from the Center for Western Weather and Water Extremes
BUDGET:
Newsom proposes huge cuts to California environmental programs in latest budget: “Gov. Gavin Newsom used his daily coronavirus briefing Thursday to outline an austerity budget with deep cuts to cover a massive $54.3 billion deficit. Newsom’s proposal includes major cuts to environmental programs, including a $681 million slash in spending for environmental protection compared to last year, and a $224 million cut to the state’s natural resources department. … ” Read more from KQED here: Newsom proposes huge cuts to California environmental programs in latest budget
State parks, climate resilience programs could see budget cuts under new proposal: “On Thursday Gov. Gavin Newsom presented a revised budget proposal following the impacts of the coronavirus, and it comes with possible major cuts and reductions across environmental sectors, including climate resilience programs to state parks. The largest proposed environmental investment is allotted to Cal Fire and California State Parks could lose millions. Around $6.7 billion goes to the Natural Resources Agency, which deals with the frontlines of climate change — wildfires, droughts, floods, and sea-level rise. … ” Read more from Capital Public Radio here: State parks, climate resilience programs could see budget cuts under new proposal
California’s Newsom seeks to slash budget to close $54 billion gap: “California Governor Gavin Newsom on Thursday proposed a budget that slashes spending about 9%, cuts state workers’ pay by a tenth and said that most of the government can’t be spared from deeper pain unless the federal government does more to help all states. The $133.9 billion budget for the year beginning in July will draw down the state’s reserves by $8.3 billion, putting it on track toward exhausting the $16 billion in the main savings account over three years. … ” Read more from Bloomberg here: California’s Newsom seeks to slash budget to close $54 billion gap
Engineers and wetland scientists face challenges with regulatory changes to the Clean Water Act: “This year’s changes to the Clean Water Act have made the already-challenging work of scientists and engineers in water planning and management exponentially more difficult. Questions abound, from jurisdictional issues to definitions and classifications, as a result of the “Navigable Waters Protection Rule,” which, among other things, removes federal protections from ephemeral waterways (temporary bodies of water created by rain or snow). Further complicating the picture is the fact that wetlands assessment work has traditionally been done manually and can be painstakingly tedious. In the past, scientists have had few new technologies at their disposal, and thus work was typically completed using low-tech methods (think clipboards and pens). This led to obvious challenges; work was time-consuming and adjusting for, for example, new regulations, was very difficult. … ” Read more from CS Engineer here: Engineers and wetland scientists face challenges with regulatory changes to the Clean Water Act
Feds urged to plan for climate change threats at contaminated sites: “A federal watchdog says the U.S. government needs to do a better job of planning for climate change threats to contaminated sites across the country where the government once developed nuclear weapons and researched nuclear energy. That was just one of the issues raised in a report released Wednesday by the Government Accountability Office, which highlighted a number of challenges to the long-term management of 100 sites that were once contaminated by radiation or other hazards. Some of the sites could become increasingly threatened by extreme weather in the years ahead. … ” Read more from the Courthouse News Service here: Feds urged to plan for climate change threats at contaminated sites
E.P.A. opts against limits on perchlorate in drinking water: “The Trump administration will not impose any limits on perchlorate, a toxic chemical compound that contaminates water and has been linked to fetal and infant brain damage, according to two Environmental Protection Agency staff members familiar with the decision. The decision by Andrew Wheeler, the administrator of the E.P.A., appears to defy a court order that required the agency to establish a safe drinking-water standard for the chemical by the end of June. The policy, which acknowledges that exposure to high levels of perchlorate can cause I.Q. damage but opts nevertheless not to limit it, could also set a precedent for the regulation of other chemicals, people familiar with the matter said. … ” Read more from the NY Times here: E.P.A. opts against limits on water
EPA notes successes in reducing perchlorate in drinking water (EPA press release): “Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is releasing information on reductions of perchlorate in drinking water due to actions that its partners and the agency have taken to mitigate this contaminant and protect public health. The agency is also providing information for drinking water utilities on perchlorate. “Because of steps that EPA, states and public water systems have taken to identify, monitor and mitigate perchlorate, the levels have decreased in drinking water” said EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler. “This success demonstrates that EPA and states are working together to lead the world in providing safe drinking water to all Americans.” … ” Read more from the EPA here: EPA notes successes in reducing perchlorate in drinking water
Democrats look to rescue climate agenda amid pandemic: “In early March, the House Oversight Subcommittee on Environment was set to hold an additional climate change hearing, part of a series that had drawn several high-profile witnesses, including former Secretary of State John Kerry. The meeting was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and still sits as the most recent item on the hearing page of the committee’s website. It has not been rescheduled. It’s a symbol of what House Democrats face after they spent more than a year laying messaging groundwork and building support for climate policy on Capitol Hill. Any long-term plans they had for climate, and most other issues, have been put on the back burner. … ” Read more from E&E News here: Democrats look to rescue climate agenda amid pandemic
Klamath irrigators face water shutoff by July: “The Klamath Project had already been anticipating an extreme shortfall in available water in 2020, but is now facing a possible water shutoff by July. The water allocation of 140,000 acre-feet for the project announced in April will likely drop to a total 80,000 acre-feet for the year, with an unofficial estimate of 55,000 acre-feet left for the remainder of the irrigation season and potentially reaching the end of the water supply by or before July, according to Gene Souza, manager for the Klamath Irrigation District and Brad Kirby, manager and president of the Tulelake Irrigation District. For comparison, 350,000 acre-feet is a full allocation for the Project. … ” Read more from the Capital Press here: Klamath irrigators face water shutoff by July
Water crisis looming on Klamath Project: “Water could soon be shut off to farmers in the Klamath Basin, triggering major financial losses. Klamath Project farmers began hiring, and ordering supplies based on Bureau of Reclamation forecasts of 140,000 acre feet of water. Gene Souza of the Klamath Irrigation District says that water allocation has changed. “We’ve been told by Reclamation that that supply has been reduced by about 60,000 acre feet, and so we’re looking at 80,000 acre feet for the entire year.” … ” Read more from KOB here: Water crisis looming on Klamath Project
Weekend storm could delay Bay Area fire season ‘a little bit’: “Remnants of a weather system from the Gulf of Alaska may deliver scattered showers to the North Bay on Wednesday, ahead of a stronger storm that will likely bring widespread rain to the region to potentially delay fire season, officials said. Lingering showers are expected to fall in the North Bay throughout Wednesday morning and afternoon and deposit up to a tenth of an inch of rain, according to the National Weather Service. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle here: Weekend storm could delay Bay Area fire season ‘a little bit’
Cat Canyon: Oil and endangered species don’t mix, says Tara Messing: She writes, “Efforts to conserve species and promote biodiversity are critical right now as the world faces the threat of extinction of approximately one million animal and plant species — more than ever before in human history. Amphibians in particular play a crucial role in preserving healthy ecosystems and yet 40 percent of amphibian species face extinction due to habitat loss, disease, and drought. For more than 40 years, the Environmental Defense Center has been working to protect threatened and endangered species, and today, that work remains critical in our fight against dangerous oil and gas proposals that threaten Santa Barbara County. Inspired in part by two proposed projects located in the Cat Canyon Oil Field, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is considering whether to finalize a General Conservation Plan for Oil and Gas Activities in Santa Barbara County. The plan covers 674,220 acres throughout the County, including coastal areas, and would open the door for more dirty fossil fuel energy generation in areas that support a mosaic of natural habitats for protected species. … ” Read more from the Santa Barbara Independent here: Oil and endangered species don’t mix
Settlements reached in lawsuits alleging manufacturer contaminated groundwater in El Cajon: “Settlements have been reached in a pair of class-action lawsuits regarding alleged exposure to waste materials stored below ground near three mobile home parks and an elementary school in El Cajon. The lawsuits concern the alleged contamination via manufacturing process materials stored by Ametek, which manufactured aircraft engine parts for more than 20 years at 790 Greenfield Drive in El Cajon. Plaintiffs allege the materials contaminated groundwater, soil vapor and indoor air at nearby properties. ... ” Read more from Fox 5 here: Settlements reached in lawsuits alleging manufacturer contaminated groundwater in El Cajon
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.
dmrpt-20200514Image 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.
