On the calendar today …
- MEETING: Delta Independent Science Board meets from 9am to 2pm. Agenda items include an update on the Delta Conveyance Project and reflections from outgoing board members. Click here for the full agenda and remote access options.
- MEETING: Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board meets beginning at 9am. Agenda items include board member communications, State Water Board liaison report, and the executive officer’s report. Click here for the agenda and remote access instructions.
- Orange County Sanitation District (OCSD) Virtual Tour from 10am to 11am. Attendees will learn how we treat the water that comes from your home and businesses from 2.6 million people in central and northern Orange County. The tour will host flyovers of our facilities, highlight the treatment processes and showcase OCSD as more than a wastewater treatment plant, but a resource recovery agency using and creating clean water, electricity, and composted biosolids. To sign up: visit OCSD.com/Tours.
In California water news today …
West faces reckoning over water but avoids cuts for now
“The white rings that wrap around two massive lakes in the U.S. West are a stark reminder of how water levels are dropping and a warning that the 40 million people who rely on the Colorado River face a much drier future. Amid prolonged drought and climate change in a region that’s only getting thirstier, when that reckoning will arrive — and how much time remains to prepare for it — is still a guess. … ” Read more from the Associated Press here: West faces reckoning over water but avoids cuts for now
Friant Canal funding flows through House bill
“Funding to fix the Friant-Kern Canal cleared a major hurdle two weeks ago when it passed in a House funding bill. According to congressman TJ Cox’s office (Calif. 21), the house voted on a passed HR 7617, the fiscal year 2021 six-bill appropriations minibus. The package includes appropriations for Defense; Commerce-Justice-Science; Energy and Water Development; Financial Services and General Government; Labor-HHS-Education, and Transportation-HUD. … ” Read more from the Foothills Sun-Gazette here: Friant Canal funding flows through House bill
Reclamation, SLDMWA seek comments on B.F. Sisk Dam Raise and Reservoir Expansion Project
“The Bureau of Reclamation and San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Authority seek public input on the B.F. Sisk Dam Raise and Reservoir Expansion Project’s draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report. This joint proposed project would create an additional 130,000 acre-feet of storage space in San Luis Reservoir. “California is in critical need of additional water storage,” said Reclamation’s Commissioner Brenda Burman. “Growing demands for California’s shared water resources over the last century, combined with insufficient water storage capacity, limits our ability to meet customer needs. Reclamation is working hard to fulfill our goal of increasing water supply reliability and projects like raising B.F. Sisk Dam are a wise investment in achieving that goal.”
Bureau of Reclamation releases Los Vaqueros Reservoir Expansion Project Final Feasibility Study
“The Bureau of Reclamation has released the Final Feasibility Report, which documents potential costs and benefits of the Los Vaqueros Reservoir Expansion Project. As part of a continuing effort to increase storage capability throughout California, Reclamation and the Contra Costa Water District worked together on Phase 2 of the project to increase the capacity from 160,000 acre-feet up to 275,000 acre-feet and adding new conveyance facilities. In October 2018, President Trump issued the Memorandum on Promoting the Reliable Supply and Delivery of Water in the West. Reclamation, together with its partners, is acting on that call and taking action to improve water supply reliability throughout the state. “We are pleased to partner with CCWD on this smart expansion project that would create additional storage capacity in an existing footprint,” said Commissioner Brenda Burman. “This is a win-win for the Bay Area and the Central Valley Project.”
Furry engineers: sea otters in California’s estuaries surprise scientists
“When Brent Hughes started studying the seagrass beds of Elkhorn Slough, an estuary in Monterey Bay on California’s central coast, he was surprised by what he found. In this highly polluted estuary, excessive nutrients from agricultural runoff spur the growth of algae on seagrass leaves, which kills the plants. Yet in 2010, Hughes noticed that the seagrass beds were thriving. It did not make sense. “This is the highest nutrient concentration that I had ever seen on the planet,” says Hughes, a biologist at Sonoma State University. “Any model would suggest there should be no seagrass there and yet it was expanding.” ... ” Read more from The Guardian here: Furry engineers: sea otters in California’s estuaries surprise scientists
Meteorologists forecast drought-producing La Niña weather pattern this winter
“Federal weather forecasters on Thursday predicted the development of drought-producing La Niña pattern that could to last through the winter. There is a 60% chance that La Niña will develop during the Northern Hemisphere fall, with a 55% chance the pattern will continue through the winter of 2020-21, the National Weather Service’s Climate Prediction Center said in its monthly forecast. … ” Read more from the Times of San Diego here: Meteorologists forecast drought-producing La Niña weather pattern this winter
Dangerously intense, prolonged, and humid heatwave for most of California
“Earlier this week, I wrote about a “sustained warming trend and long-duration inland heatwave” that would develop this week in California. Well, that’s still true…but that language turns out to have been more than a little understated. A very intense and prolonged heatwave now appears likely for a large portion of California over the next 7-10 days, and this event will likely have wide-ranging impacts from human health, wildfire, and electricity demand perspectives. I suspect this event will probably end up being one of the most significant widespread California extreme heat events in the past decade, if not longer. … ” Continue reading at Weather West here: Dangerously intense, prolonged, and humid heatwave for most of California
New research clarifies timber harvest impacts on watersheds
“After timber harvest or fuel reduction thinning operations, sediment delivery to nearby streams and waterways can increase, potentially affecting water quality, drinking water supplies, habitat and recreational opportunities. To effectively reduce these adverse effects of harvest, foresters first need to know the precise causes of sediment increases. Historically, researchers investigating the effects of timber harvest on the land have considered two primary drivers: hydrologic changes following timber harvest or fuel reduction that drive sediment transport, and increased sediment supply from ground disturbances and/or mass movements that result from those harvest or fuel reduction activities. While these causes are tightly linked, little is understood about the relative role each plays in transporting sediment from the watersheds. … ” Read more from the Western Farm Press here: New research clarifies timber harvest impacts on watersheds
California, U.S. Forest Service Establish Shared Long-Term Strategy to Manage Forests and Rangelands
“In a key step to improve stewardship of California’s forests, the Newsom Administration and the U.S. Forest Service today announced a new joint state-federal initiative to reduce wildfire risks, restore watersheds, protect habitat and biological diversity, and help the state meet its climate objectives. The Agreement for Shared Stewardship of California’s Forest and Rangelands includes a commitment by the federal government to match California’s goal of reducing wildfire risks on 500,000 acres of forest land per year. To protect public safety and ecology, experts agree that at least one million acres of California forest and wildlands must be treated annually across jurisdictions.
LAO: The 2020-21 Budget: Overview of the California spending plan (preliminary version)
“Each year, our office publishes the California Spending Plan to summarize the annual state budget. This publication provides an overview of the 2020‑21 Budget Act, provides a short history of the notable events in the budget process, and then highlights major features of the budget approved by the Legislature and signed by the Governor. All figures in this publication reflect the administration’s estimates of actions taken through June 30, 2020. Later this fall, we will update this publication to reflect budgetary actions taken later in the legislative session. We will also release a series of issue‑specific posts providing more detail on various programmatic aspects of the budget.”
In regional water news and commentary today …
Hoopa Valley Tribe Files Lawsuit to Block Federal Water Contracts with Central Valley Agribusiness
“The Hoopa Valley Tribe (Tribe) has respectfully requested a federal court to block the United States Department of Interior from signing permanent water delivery contracts with agribusiness interests in California’s Central Valley. Interior’s Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) dams and diverts water out of the Trinity River basin to contractors’ land 400 miles from the Hupa people’s homeland. The lawsuit claims the Reclamation’s contracts violate provisions of the Central Valley Project Improvement Act (CVPIA”) and other laws and that they will irreparably harm efforts to protect Trinity River Salmon. Tribal Chairman Byron Nelson, Jr., explained why the Tribe filed the lawsuit ... ”
Oroville: Floating grebe nests receive help from DWR
“During the summer months, a unique bird makes its home in the waters around the Oroville-Thermalito Complex, with a little help from the Department of Water Resources (DWR). The Western and Clark’s grebes are aquatic birds with distinctive red eyes and pointed yellow beaks. During the summer, they arrive from the Pacific Ocean to nesting areas around the Thermalito Afterbay in Oroville. The grebes nest in shallow waters, attaching their floating nests to aquatic vegetation under the surface. … ” Read more from DWR here: Oroville: Floating grebe nests receive help from DWR
Researchers blast algae, invasive plants with UV rays to keep Lake Tahoe blue
“Encouraged by three years of experimentation, scientists at Lake Tahoe plan to expand the use of ultraviolet light to kill algae and other invasive plants that eat away at the clarity of the mountain water. Researchers at the University of Nevada, Reno are monitoring the project and collecting data to study the effects of the ultraviolet-C light treatments. It’s the newest tool in a two-decade effort to restore the once-pristine waters in the lake straddling the California-Nevada line. ... ” Read more from CBS Bay Area here: Researchers blast algae, invasive plants with UV rays to keep Lake Tahoe blue
Sonoma: Dairy restores riparian areas
“Sonoma County Dairyman Jarrid Bordessa has been working with his cooperative, Organic Valley, to develop a carbon farm plan. As part of that plan, he decided to restore a riparian area on his farm. “The carbon farm plan identified the creek restoration as being the number one impact we can do to fix carbon to our soil per acre,” said Jarrid Bordessa. … ” Read more from Cal Ag Today here: Dairy restores riparian areas
Ruptured pipes leave hundreds without water in East Bay
“As many as 300 customers were still without water Thursday morning after more than a dozen water mains burst in west Berkeley, Emeryville, Oakland and Albany, flooding streets and sending scores of utility crews scrambling to make repairs overnight. The East Bay Municipal Utility District reported 14 water main breaks beginning at about 8 p.m. Wednesday. They were centered in west Berkeley but reached north to Albany and south to Emeryville and North Oakland, said Christopher Tritto, an East Bay MUD spokesman. Berkeley police shut down several streets until water mains could be shut off. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle here: Ruptured pipes leave hundreds without water in East Bay
Bradbury Dam scheduled to make downstream releases
“The Santa Ynez River Water Conservation District reports that water will soon be released into the Santa Ynez River from Lake Cachuma’s Bradbury Dam. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation will release water from Bradbury Dam starting at about 8 a.m. Aug. 31. The release is being called for by the Santa Ynez River Water Conservation District to provide water to recharge the groundwater basins along the Santa Ynez River downstream of the dam. These groundwater basins provide an essential source of water for the cities, towns and farming interests along the Santa Ynez River and on the Lompoc Plain. … ” Read more from Noozhawk here: Bradbury Dam scheduled to make downstream releases
Climate change report forecasts hard times for Kern ag
“A new report warns Kern County agriculture will face tough challenges in the decades ahead as climate change makes irrigation water scarcer and weather conditions more variable and intense. The study concludes these hurdles “ultimately challenge the ability to maximize production while ensuring profitability.” But it also predicts impacts will vary by crop, with almond production benefiting somewhat while growers of pistachios, grapes, oranges and carrots face overall difficult conditions. … ” Read more from the Bakersfield Californian here: Climate change report forecasts hard times for Kern ag
Colorado River Aqueduct project brought much-needed boon to 1930s Banning
“In 1930, while the Great Depression was worsening and the impacts of it were starting to be felt nationwide, the city of Banning received some good news. A major construction project was about to unfold in its backyard, and the city would benefit greatly. The project was the Colorado River Aqueduct of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. Starting in the mid-1920s, there had been a series of studies done for bringing water from the Colorado River west to be used in the greater Los Angeles region. In December 1930, the district made the final decision to go with a route that included the San Gorgonio Pass and construction of a major tunnel under Mount San Jacinto. ... ” Read more from the Riverside Press-Enterprise here: Colorado River Aqueduct project brought much-needed boon to 1930s Banning
1,800-gallon sewage spill forces closure of stretch of Torrey Pines State Beach
“The San Diego County Department of Environmental Health (DEH) warned beachgoers to avoid swimming in the waters off a small stretch of Torrey Pines State Beach due to a spill that sent 1,800 gallons of sewage into a storm drain nearby. The DEH on Wednesday closed a stretch of Torrey Pines State Beach from Carmel Valley Road to the beach’s northern boundary due to the reported sewage spill, which the agency said was contained but could impact the water’s quality. … ” Read more from NBC San Diego here: 1,800-gallon sewage spill forces closure of stretch of Torrey Pines State Beach
Abatti will appeal to State Supreme Court this month over IID ruling
“Farmer Mike Abatti says he plans to ask the California Supreme Court to overturn a decision by the Court of Appeals in favor of the Imperial Irrigation District in his years-long lawsuit against the district over its water-management plan, according to a statement released Aug. 10 through his attorney, Cheryl Orr. Abatti, after having his petition denied Aug. 5 to have the Fourth District Court of Appeals re-hear the successful appeal from the IID, hopes to have the entire issue filed with the state Supreme Court by the end of the month. … ” Read more from the Holtville Tribune here: Abatti will appeal to State Supreme Court this month over IID ruling
Final judgment entered in favor of San Diego County Water Authority in 2010-2012 rate litigation
“A Superior Court judge has awarded the San Diego County Water Authority $44,373,872.29 in a final judgment for two cases covering rates paid by San Diego County ratepayers during calendar years 2011-2014. The award included $28,678.190.90 in damages for the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California’s breach of contract for the four years at issue, plus pre-and post-judgment interest. … ”
In national water news today …
A third of the US faces drought
“As the United States moves into the last weeks of climatological summer, one-third of the country is experiencing at least a moderate level of drought. Much of the West is approaching severe drought, and New England has been unusually dry and hot. An estimated 53 million people are living in drought-affected areas. The map above shows conditions in the continental U.S. as of August 11, 2020, as reported by the U.S. Drought Monitor program, a partnership of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. … ” Read more at Earth Observatory here: A third of the US faces drought
Conservatives get DOE win after ‘underwear’ campaign
“A 2007 campaign that urged homeowners unhappy with their washing machines to “send your underwear to the UnderSecretary” may yet notch a win under the Trump administration. The Department of Energy published a proposed rule this week that would create a product class to allow for speedier washing machines and dryers. Environmental and consumer groups charged that the move would lead to washers and dryers that waste water and energy and increase utility bills and carbon emissions. But the anti-regulation Competitive Enterprise Institute, which launched the underwear campaign 13 years ago against what it called DOE’s “disastrous washing machine efficiency rules,” hailed the decision. ... ” Read more from E&E News here: Conservatives get DOE win after ‘underwear’ campaign
Scientists blast trump on rollback of protections for streams and wetlands
“The Trump administration’s decision to remove Clean Water Act protections for millions of miles of streams and acres of wetlands was based on distorted interpretations of scientific evidence and an uneven analysis of case law, conservation scientists and environmental law experts said in a policy article published Thursday. The new Navigable Waters Protection Rule — initiated by President Donald Trump via executive order in 2017 — removed federal protections put in place by the Obama administration for ephemeral streams, ponds, artificial lakes and half the country’s wetlands. … ” Read more from the Courthouse News Service here: Scientists blast trump on rollback of protections for streams and wetlands
Comment on plan to combat invasive species
“The Trump Administration has released a draft strategic plan for combating invasive species. The plan provides a coordinated approach to align programs and policies across the U.S. Department of the Interior and leverage more resources in addressing this important issue. Invasive species are estimated to be a $120 billion problem. The species impact water supplies, impair hunting and fishing opportunities, interfere with energy production, exacerbate wildfires, damage America’s agriculture and drive native species to extinction. In Fiscal Year 2020, Interior alone is investing an estimated $143 million to manage invasive species. … ” Read more from the Western Farm Press here: Comment on plan to combat invasive species
Trump administration now wants a floating border wall to seal off waterways along Mexico boundary
“The Trump administration wants to install floating border barriers that could be used to wall off river crossings and reservoirs along the international boundary with Mexico or extend U.S. fencing deeper into the sea, according to a new market solicitation posted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The “Buoy Barrier System” described in a new federal contracting bulletin seeks information from private companies capable of installing a system that could meet U.S. Customs and Border Protection requirements. Such a barrier would need to prevent swimmers from climbing onto it, “and must include a component (such as an anti-dive mesh) that would impede incursions and/or breaching via underwater diving while minimizing debris buildup,” the solicitation states. … ” Read more from the Washington Post here: Trump administration now wants a floating border wall to seal off waterways along Mexico boundary
National water and climate update …
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-20200813Also on Maven’s Notebook today …
TOXIC ALGAE REPORT: Updates – 8/14/2020
WATER PLAN eNEWS: ~~COVID-19 Clues~ Steering Committee~ Demand Forecasts~ Commission Meeting~ Green Infrastructure~ WestFAST Newsletter~ Webcast Demonstration ~~
DELTA eNEWS: ~~ Workshop Registration~ Science Conference~ BotD Results~ HAB Alert~ Delta Heritage ~~