On the calendar today …
- The State Water Resources Control Board meets beginning at 9:30am. Agenda items include sewershed surveillance for COVID-19, Redesign of the Electric Annual Report submitted by drinking water systems, a racial equity framework. Click here for the full agenda and remote access instructions.
- FEDERAL COMMITTEE HEARING: Examining the Impact of the Klamath Dams on Tribes, Fisheries, the Environment, and Downstream Stakeholders at 2pm. Rep. Jared Huffman (D-San Rafael), Chair of the Water, Oceans, and Wildlife Subcommittee, will lead a livestreamed forum will focus on four aging dams on the Klamath River owned by PacifiCorp and Warren Buffet’s Berkshire Hathaway, which have made millions for PacifiCorp’s shareholders, but to the detriment of native communities and cultures, and those who depend on the river’s fish. The event will be live on Youtube here.
In California water news today …
Meet the water baron you (likely) haven’t heard of
“Has the San Joaquin Valley reached its Chinatown moment? For farmers who rely on water from the Kings River, the answer winds up as some shade of “yes.” But the players are different. This isn’t the Owens Valley and William Mulholland doesn’t work for the City of Los Angeles. Uneasy about a slowly-marching plan to siphon Valley water for Southern California, farmers and some water managers are worrying about the growing shadow of one of the region’s largest land owners. Here’s an introduction. … ” Continue reading at the San Joaquin Valley Sun here: Meet the water baron you (likely) haven’t heard of
This Madera County community is running out of water — and the only well might fail
“Residents of Fairmead, California worry they are on the brink of losing water service, as the town’s only community well shows signs it may fail before a new one can be built. After years of planning, the Madera County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved an engineering contract to design and manage upgrades to the system, including a new well to serve more than 500 people connected to the community water system. Construction won’t likely begin until 2021. Norma Bustillos, a longtime Fairmead resident, worries that will be too late. … ” Read more from the Fresno Bee here: This Madera County community is running out of water — and the only well might fail
Forecast Informed Reservoir Operations using ensemble streamflow predictions for a multi‐purpose reservoir in Northern California
“Sonoma Water Engineer Chris Delaney led the development of a forecast informed reservoir operations (FIRO) decision support system, Ensemble Forecast Operations (EFO), for Lake Mendocino with contributions from researchers at CW3E, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), NOAA, and independent researchers. This project directly supports the FIRO priority area of CW3E’s 2019-2024 Strategic Plan by describing a crucial tool used in reservoir operations for Lake Mendocino, the first FIRO reservoir. A proof-of-concept EFO model was originally developed by Chris in 2015 as a personal research project, and has been refined over the past 5-years with research and real-time testing and evaluation using major deviation requests made to the USACE. Additionally, the significant evaluation required by the FIRO Preliminary Viability and the Full Viability Assessments, demonstrated that the EFO is a viable alternative for flood control operations at Lake Mendocino. An article documenting the computational processes of EFO has been published in the Water Resources Research scientific journal (Delaney et al., 2020). … ” Read more from the Center for Western Weather & Water Extremes here: Forecast Informed Reservoir Operations using ensemble streamflow predictions for a multi‐purpose reservoir in Northern California
USDA NRCS awards $640,000 to six in California for conservation innovation
“The USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in California is pleased to announce $640,000 in funding through Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG). “Congratulations to the University of California Santa Barbara, Resource Conservation District of Santa Cruz County, Wild Farm Alliance, The Nature Conservancy, The Freshwater Trust, and Fibershed,” said Carlos Suarez, NRCS State Conservationist in California. “We are excited to see your project implementation, which benefits soil health, water management, bird habitat, groundwater sustainability, prescriptive grazing, and nitrogen management.”
Wild weather fans forest fires across California
“Raging wildfires fueled by scorching heat and dry winds continued ripping through California forests Monday as firefighters carved containment lines to suppress flames that have destroyed dozens of structures and now threaten thousands of homes. Multiple regions in the Golden State experienced triple-digit heat over the weekend, which when mixed with plumes of wildfire smoke led to unhealthy air quality — including high levels of ozone — for millions of residents. … ” Read more from Courthouse News Service here: Wild weather fans forest fires across California
Blackouts threaten heat-ravaged grid
“California could see repeated rolling blackouts in the coming months in the face of extreme heat waves that have pushed power supplies to the edge. Residents throughout the Golden State endured power shut-offs last weekend when demand surged and electricity supplies ran short. The California Independent System Operator, which manages the state’s grid, predicted it could happen again through tomorrow as a dangerous heat wave continues. The ISO had originally forecasted yesterday it would need to cut power an amount that would affect up to 3.3 million households in the nation’s most populous state. The ISO later tweeted that the shortage had been eliminated and it wouldn’t order power cuts yesterday. … ” Read more from E&E News here: Blackouts threaten heat-ravaged grid
Virus-hit California girds for ‘long and difficult’ fire season
“Utilities across California came under criticism last year as millions were plunged into darkness during planned outages to prevent wildfires. Now comes the 2020 wildfire season, which brings higher fire risk and the added complication of a worldwide pandemic. A heat wave that began over the weekend also led to rolling blackouts and prompted an investigation by the state. PG&E Corp., the state’s largest utility, has been able to order only a fraction of the portable generators it may need for medical customers reliant on power because of supply chain backlogs related to the coronavirus. … ” Read more from Bloomberg Law here: Virus-hit California girds for ‘long and difficult’ fire season
Extreme heat waves almost always have ‘human fingerprint’ on them now
“It may not be the biblical end of times, but the searing heat and humidity, rain, thunder and lightning thrashing California could be the beginning of the end of the region’s dry Mediterranean climate and a prelude of more surprises to come, scientists said Monday. The strange and, in many ways, unprecedented weather fits in with the pattern climate scientists have been predicting for 30 years if nothing were done to stop carbon emissions. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle here: Extreme heat waves almost always have ‘human fingerprint’ on them now
World temperature record set in California’s Death Valley
“One of the hottest air temperatures recorded anywhere on the planet in at least a century, and possibly ever, was reached on Sunday afternoon at Death Valley in California’s Mojave Desert where it soared to 130 Fahrenheit (54.4 Celsius). An automated observation system run by the U.S. National Weather Service in the valley’s sparsely populated Furnace Creek reported the record at 3:41 p.m. at the crest of an extreme heat wave, a more frequent occurrence due to climate change. … ” Read more from Reuters News here: World temperature record set in California’s Death Valley
In regional water news and commentary today …
‘Monuments of colonialism’: With Klamath Dam removal at an impasse, Huffman calls congressional forum
The Community Voices Coalition writes, “Since time immemorial, as summer turns to fall, the Karuk Tribe’s fatawana, or world renewal priests, have gathered for a renewal ceremony that spreads across many days. They fast and hike to ancient prayer sites. They dance and ritualistically bath in the waters of the Klamath River, all in an effort to bring balance back to the world. But in the long hot days of August of a drought year with dense toxic algal blooms already forming behind a series of upriver dams, many fear that when it comes time for the fatawana to cleanse themselves in the river later this fall, its banks will already be lined with water quality alerts, warning that contact with the water could cause skin irritation and rashes. … ” Read more from the Lost Coast Outpost here: ‘Monuments of colonialism’: With Klamath Dam removal at an impasse, Huffman calls congressional forum
Yolo Bypass bridges improve wetland management
“Construction crews installed two bridges in the Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area (Wildlife Area) Aug. 5, part of a larger construction project taking place this summer to create new habitat, improve wetlands management and support wildlife-friendly agriculture. A 350-ton hydraulic truck crane placed the precast concrete bridges, that replace narrow pipes regularly blocked by beavers and debris, improving drainage and water supply in the Wildlife Area. The bridges are part of a $4 million project scheduled for completion in October. More improvements are planned for the summer 2021, if additional funding is secured. … ” Read more from Ducks.org here: Yolo Bypass bridges improve wetland management
Tulare County caught in the middle of pistachio law suit
“The nation’s biggest farmer and largest pistachio processor, Wonderful Pistachios, has sued Tulare County in hopes of shutting down construction of a nut plant owned by a rival company, ARO Pistachios. Wonderful argues in a July 14 lawsuit in Tulare County Superior Court that permits approved by Tulare County were “illegally issued” and with a potential record harvest approaching in weeks, Wonderful owner Stewart Resnick wants construction halted at one southern Tulare County farm. … ” Read more from the Foothills Sun-Gazette here: Tulare County caught in the middle of pistachio law suit
Rusty Jordan comments on Imperial Valley water
He writes, “The recent decision regarding Michael Abatti’s appeal of the IID 2013 EDP confirms some most disturbing trends. My experience has been to closely follow four water battles over the years and watch the courts. In the courts were three, Jordan vs Santa Barbra et al., Morgan QSA (Quantification Settlement Agreement), and Abatti vs IID. What shines out is the bias of the courts for the government entities. If you think about the crazy positions of Democratic leadership in California, their long control of the legislative process, and the people they put into the courts — it’s no surprise. I was co-chairman of a water transfer battle in the 1980s in Arizona, that’s a story in itself. … ” Read more from the Desert Review here: Rusty Jordan comments on Imperial Valley water
Along the Colorado River …
Glen Canyon Dam tapped for emergency water releases to meet California power demands
“For the first time in nearly two decades, the federal government tapped Glen Canyon Dam for extra power generating capacity this weekend, triggering emergency water releases as heat waves persisted across the West. As temperatures hit records in California, power providers turned to sources in Nevada, Utah and Arizona to cope with the surge in demand across its electrical grid. The last time an emergency situation was invoked was in 2001, when California residents experienced major blackouts, cutting off electricity to more than 1 million people. … ” Read more from the Desert Sun here: Glen Canyon Dam tapped for emergency water releases to meet California power demands
Return to topIn national water news today …
Once left for dead, the Aral Sea is now brimming with life thanks to global collaboration
“Kissing the borders of Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, the North Aral Sea is experiencing an ecological resurgence following a long period of decline. In 2005, a $86 million project from the World Bank made repairs to dykes and paid for the construction of an eight-mile dam. This project raised water levels of the sea by 11-feet in just seven months—going far beyond scientists’ hopes of a rise over three years. … ” Read more from the Good News Network here: Once left for dead, the Aral Sea is now brimming with life thanks to global collaboration
And lastly …
The 15 best campsites in the West, hands down
“An entirely unscientific, emotional, and somewhat biased accounting of the greatest places to pitch a tent, chosen by the pros who live their lives outdoors … ” Four of them are in California – and one even comes with a private hot springs-fed tub. Check out at Sunset Magazine here: The 15 best campsites in the West, hands down
Today’s featured articles …
BLOG ROUND-UP: Is the Delta Conveyance Project a good bet?, Fish surveys in the estuary: the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, Saving native Central Valley salmonids; Beware the Green Goblin; and more …
Click here to read this article.
Also on Maven’s Notebook today …
