Good morning!
On the calendar today …
FREE WEBINAR: COVID Relief & Water Infrastructure Legislation with U.S. Rep Jared Huffman beginning at 10:00am
Join the Water Now Alliance on August 24th as they host Representative Jared Huffman of California’s 2nd Congressional District, one of Congress’ foremost leaders on water issues, to address some of these vital issues and discuss pending federal water infrastructure legislation. Click here to register.
In California water news today …
Hurricane Genevieve may be gone, but its ‘ghost’ may bring more thunderstorms to fire-ravaged California
“Hurricane Genevieve fizzled after hammering Mexico’s Baja Peninsula, but its remnant moisture and spin may boost thunderstorms in the Desert Southwest and fire-ravaged California through Monday. Genevieve rapidly intensified to a Category 4 hurricane Tuesday, then grazed Mexico’s southern Baja California Peninsula as a weaker hurricane with flooding rain, high winds and high surf. After that, as most hurricanes in this part of the eastern Pacific do when they move farther northwest over cooler water and more stable air, Genevieve fizzled rapidly into a remnant low west of the Baja Peninsula. But that’s not the end of the story. … ” Read more from The Weather Channel here: Hurricane Genevieve may be gone, but its ‘ghost’ may bring more thunderstorms to fire-ravaged California
Calif. Assembly kills Friant-Kern Canal funding bill
“A bill that would have provided the necessary funds to fix the sagging Friant-Kern Canal was killed by the state legislature on Thursday. State Sen. Melissa Hurtado (D-Sanger) introduced SB 559 to the legislature in February 2019, but the Assembly Appropriations Committee stuck it in the suspense file since August of last year, delaying its consideration to the 2020 legislative session. … ” Read more from the San Joaquin Valley Sun here: Calif. Assembly kills Friant-Kern Canal funding bill
Westlands Water District has robust water transfer programs for growers
“Westlands Water District is the largest agricultural water district in the United States. Westlands has Federal contracts to provide water to 700 family-owned farms that average 875 acres in size. Many of those families produce almonds and pistachios. Tom Birmingham is the general manager of the Westlands Water District. He speaks about those water transfers to help the growers on these low water allocation year, such as this season’s 20 percent. … ” Read more from Ag Net West here: Westlands Water District has robust water transfer programs for growers
Are abandoned mines affecting our drinking water or could they soon?
“There are hundreds of thousands of abandoned hard rock mining sites or features scattered throughout the West, and federal and state officials are nowhere close to identifying those that potentially pose a hazard to drinking water. The Gold King Mine spill in Colorado, which released a torrent of ugly mustard-colored pollutants that contaminated waterways in three states and the Navajo Nation, was a visually graphic reminder from five years ago of how much of a threat and expense these abandoned mines pose. … ” Read more from the Deseret News here: Are abandoned mines affecting our drinking water or could they soon?
Report: Benefit accounting of nature-based solutions for watersheds landscape assessment
“Nature-based solution (NBS) can improve degraded ecosystems, help sequester carbon, and manage the effects of climate change, including extreme weather events. Businesses are beginning to recognize the value of NBS for climate change mitigation, adaptation, and resilience. But NBS is underutilized in the business sector, partly because of a lack of frameworks and tools for identifying the benefits and for monetizing the full scope of co-benefits provided by NBS projects. This “landscape assessment” of nature-based solutions for the business sector examines contemporary thinking around NBS and provides business case studies and interviews, towards a thorough understanding of the key opportunities and challenges of NBS for businesses. … ” Read more and download report from the Pacific Institute here: Report: Benefit accounting of nature-based solutions for watersheds landscape assessment
California wildfires …
California fires: State, feds agree to thin millions of acres of forests
“The two dozen major fires burning across Northern California were sparked by more than 12,000 lightning strikes, a freak weather occurrence that turned what had been a relatively mild fire season into a devastating catastrophe. Yet what’s driving these enormous fires is not sparks, but millions of acres of fuel: bone-dry trees and brush that haven’t burned in many years. … Last week, in a little-noticed milestone, state officials signed a major agreement with the federal government that aims to reshape how forests are managed for years to come. … ” Read more from the San Jose Mercury News here: California fires: State, feds agree to thin millions of acres of forests
Wildfires hit California’s redwoods and condors, but there’s still hope
“At 3 a.m. on Friday morning, biologist Kelly Sorenson was awake, nervously watching the live webcam feed of a California condor nest on the Big Sur coast. He could see a 5-month-old chick, still unable to fly, as the flames of the Dolan Fire came into view. “It was just terrifying,” Sorenson said. “Having the live-streaming webcams was both a blessing and a nightmare because we had to watch the fire as it burned through the canyon.” California’s massive wildfires have burned more than 1,000 homes and buildings over the last week, destroying irreplaceable possessions and memories for some residents. At the same time, the fires are also threatening some of the state’s rare ecosystems and wildlife. … ” Read more from NPR here: Wildfires hit California’s redwoods and condors, but there’s still hope
To Manage Wildfire, California Looks To What Tribes Have Known All Along
“On a cool February morning, around 60 people gathered in the Sierra Nevada foothills to take part in a ceremony that, for many decades, was banned. Men and women from Native American tribes around Northern California stood in a circle, alongside university students and locals from around the town of Mariposa. Several wore bright yellow shirts made of flame-resistant fabric. For the next two days, the group would be carefully lighting fires in the surrounding hills. … ” Read more from Valley Public Radio here: To manage wildfire, California looks to what tribes have known all along
Worst yet to come for California fires
“Two of the three largest fires in California history are raging across the state alongside about 600 others, burning more than 1.3 million acres — an area about the size of Delaware — and forcing more than 100,000 people to evacuate. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. … ” Read this wrap up of California wildfire coverage from Cal Matters here: Worst yet to come for California fires
In regional water news and commentary today …
Klamath Tribes: No more delays on dam removal
This open letter from the Klamath Tribes was sent to Warren Buffett and Gregory Abel of Berkshire Hathaway and Stefan Bird, CEO of Pacific Power. “From time immemorial, the inherent rights to hunt, fish, and gather have defined our tribal way of life. Despite relentless striving to protect and preserve our way of life, our cultural vitality, the Klamath Tribes have endured over a century of upheaval and dishonorable treatment by the larger, colonizing society. One potent example of this abuse is the construction of four hydroelectric dams on the Lower Klamath River beginning in 1912. The dams stopped the salmon runs, robbed us of a dietary staple, detracted from our culture, and even contributed to the loss of our language. … ” Continue reading at the Herald & News here: Klamath Tribes: No more delays on dam removal
Wildfire destroys water pipeline in San Lorenzo Valley
“A main water pipeline in the San Lorenzo Valley was destroyed by a wildfire burning in San Mateo and Santa Cruz counties. The San Lorenzo Valley Water District lost 4.5 million gallons of water after this 5-mile long pipe melted from intense heat. The district shut off its water supply throughout the Valley except to Boulder Creek. … ” Read more from KSBY here: Wildfire destroys water pipeline in San Lorenzo Valley
Huge “illlegal pot” grow found in Inyo Forest
“On three separate days (July 24, August 18, and August 19) the Inyo County Sheriff’s Department with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), U.S. Air Force National Guard Unit, U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management (BLM), California Department of Fish and Wildlife and the California Department of Justice (DOJ) CAMP Team # 3 and 4 eradicated 42,306 illegal marijuana plants from three locations off public lands within Inyo County. Street value is estimated to be between $84,612,000 and $169,224,000. … ” Read more from the Sierra Wave here: Huge “illlegal pot” grow found in Inyo Forest
Flooding from water line break topples trees, shuts Sunset Blvd. in Westwood
“UCLA staff stacked sandbags to protect Pauley Pavilion early Sunday after an underground 30-inch water line broke in Westwood, causing water to gush so powerfully it took down two trees and shuttered Sunset Boulevard between Veteran and Hilgard avenues, authorities said. The floodwaters in the 10600 block of West Sunset Boulevard were reported at 1:35 a.m. A residential property to the north of Sunset did take on water, Los Angeles Fire Department spokesman Brian Humphrey said. Flooding did not impact UCLA student housing, but had the potential to affect other campus facilities. … ” Read more from the Long Beach Press Telegram here: Flooding from water line break topples trees, shuts Sunset Blvd. in Westwood
San Diego: Nobody’s talking about the Sports Arena flood zone
“The city of San Diego is choosing between flashy proposals to redevelop Pechanga Arena area, but has said little about its very real vulnerability to flooding from rising sea levels. Though the city’s planning department recently studied how sea level rise will affect its most precious assets, the threat hasn’t featured prominently in public discussion of the redevelopment plan. … ” Read more from the Voice of San Diego here: San Diego: Nobody’s talking about the Sports Arena flood zone
Along the Colorado River …
Dips in Lake Powell, Colorado River a reminder water supply isn’t unlimited
“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, including many in Utah, 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. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation released projections Friday that suggest Lake Powell and Lake Mead will dip 16 feet (5 meters) and 5 feet (1.5 meters), respectively, in January from levels recorded a year earlier. … ” Read more from the St. George Spectrum here: Dips in Lake Powell, Colorado River a reminder water supply isn’t unlimited
In national water news today …
Financial report: Addressing water equity in a time of rising costs
“Even before COVID-19 hit our country, water affordability has been a growing concern. From 2010 to 2019, the price of water service increased by 57 percent in 30 major U.S. cities. Meanwhile, millions of Americans have their water shutoff every year due to an inability to pay their water bills. Although many communities have placed a moratorium on shutoffs during the pandemic, some have not, leaving people stuck at home without clean running water to drink or wash their hands. Policy makers and practitioners alike are considering how to rebuild our water systems and policies to be more resilient in the face of the next shockwave. Tackling the intertwined issues of rising water rates and deferred water infrastructure maintenance is a top issue they’re facing. … ” Read more from Water & Finance Management here: Financial Report: Addressing Water Equity in a Time of Rising Costs
Water availability has changed, and humans are to blame
“Changes in the water cycle have important impacts on ecosystems and human activities. In the context of the current and expected temperature rise due to global warming, it is extremely important to understand the origin and extent of these changes. A recent study published in the journal Nature Geosciences analyses the changes in global average water availability on land – defined by the difference between precipitation and evapotranspiration – eliminating any remaining uncertainties about human responsibility for variations in the hydrological cycle observed during the dry-season throughout the last century. … ” Continue reading at the CMCC Foundation here: Water availability has changed, and humans are to blame
This week in water podcast
In this week’s edition: “Sea level rise could push water tables along the California coast closer to the surface, putting inland infrastructure at risk. The Glen Canyon Dam on the Colorado River increased power generation to help California cope with a massive heat wave. The Southeast is in hot water. Scientists are letting nothing go to waste in patching potholes. Would you blush when you flush in a see-through loo?” Listen to podcast or read articles at H2O Radio here: This week in water
In commentary today …
The US is in a water crisis far worse than most people imagine, says Erin Brockovich
She writes, “When I was a little girl, my father would sing songs to me all the time about water. Sometimes, we would be playing down at the creeks and he would make up little tunes: “See that lovely water, trickling down the stream, don’t take it for granted, someday it might not be seen.” My dad worked for many years as an engineer for Texaco and later for the Department of Transportation. Before he died, he told me that in my lifetime water would become a commodity more valuable than oil or gold, because there would be so little of it. Sadly, I believe he was right. … ” Read more from The Guardian here: The US is in a water crisis far worse than most people imagine
Not all environmental activism is the same, says Scott Beyer
He writes, “The definition of environmentalism seems straightforward: encourage the long-term health and availability of our natural resources. In America, the concept is more complex. Much like the word “science,” environmentalism links to politicized agendas that don’t necessarily seek the stated goal. Progressive Era environmentalism was partly inspired by eugenics and population control; today’s version has words like “green” and “sustainable” that could just as soon be code for modern left-wing economic and social agendas. This has weakened the movement, making it a point of suspicion for conservative America. But it should not weaken environmentalism as a concept. The key is to separate the good, bad, and ugly aspects of the movement, as I aim to below … ” Read more from the Catalyst here: Not all environmental activism is the same, says Scott Beyer
Daily Digest, weekend edition …
This weekend in California water news …
- California’s Delta tunnel project inches forward – and just got a $15.9 billion price tag;
- Report estimates Delta tunnel’s cost at $15.9 billion, but critics point to higher cost;
- Delta Conveyance Project August update;
- Reclamation dams demonstrate value of hydropower during recent western U.S. heatwave;
- Record heat, unprecedented lightning fire siege in Northern California; more dry lightning to come;
- Wildfire in Tuolumne County no longer threatening SF’s water, power infrastructure;
- Wildfires, record heat and COVID-19 ravage Golden State;
- Amador Water Agency Directors hire Larry McKenney as new general manager;
- The climatologically altered future of Lake Tahoe;
- Ridgecrest: Groundwater basin replenishment fee passed;
- State nod moves forward proposed Native American sacred site at Santa Susana Field Lab;
- ‘Driest I’ve seen’: Without summer rains, Arizona cattle ranchers confront tough choices;
- And more …
Click here to read the weekend edition of the Daily Digest.
Also on Maven’s Notebook today …
Take the San Francisco Bay Data Exploration Challenge!
NOTICE: Public comment period for the proposed Suction Dredge Mining General Permit extended indefinitely
HARMFUL ALGAE BLOOM: Update 8/21/2020
NOTICE: Proposed Basin Plan Amendment for the SF Bay Regarding Chlorine Water Quality Objectives
FUNDING OPPORTUNITY: FEMA Hazard Mitigation Assistance (HMA)
OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT: CDFW’s Franks Tract Plan Now Available for Public Review
