DAILY DIGEST, 9/1: Exasperated by drought, farmers could be critical in Newsom recall fight; Legislation seeks $308 million for key valley canal; What curtailments mean for MID, TID; Litigation, confusion to follow overturning of Trump water rule; and more …


On the calendar today …

  • NOAA WEBINAR: Using a Freshwater Recirculation System to Rear Endangered Coho Salmon: Lessons Learned at the FED Lab in 2021 from 12pm to 1pm. When the CZU fire went through the Big Creek watershed it severely damaged the Kingfisher Flat Genetic Conservation Hatchery (KFH), which is owned and operated by a local non-profit group the Monterey Bay Salmon, and Trout Project. This hatchery is where Scott Creek Coho Salmon are spawned and reared. Due to the damage at KFH it was decided to evacuate all the remaining Coho Salmon at KFH to other hatcheries. This talk will discuss the successes, issues, and failures these fish encountered after being transferred to the Fisheries Ecology Division Laboratory at Santa Cruz. Click here to register.

In California water news today …

Exasperated by drought, farmers could be critical in Newsom recall fight

Like many farmers across California, Zack Andrade’s business is being choked by an extraordinary two-year drought. Water cuts could soon erase about a quarter of the irrigation he depends on to grow leafy greens, carrots and beets on his family’s farm in the rolling hills south of Silicon Valley, near Morgan Hill.  Andrade said the crisis has been made worse by successive governors, including Gavin Newsom, who he says have punted on damming rivers and building new reservoirs to help California store more water during wet years. ... ”  Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle here: Exasperated by drought, farmers could be critical in Newsom recall fight

Legislation seeks $308 million for key valley canal

Farmers and ranchers are working with key lawmakers in a push to fund repairs and upgrades to California’s existing water conveyance system.  State legislation, Senate Bill 559, would pay for more than $300 million in repairs on the critical Friant-Kern Canal, California Aqueduct and the Delta-Mendota Canal in the San Joaquin Valley.  The projects are included in water system upgrades being proposed after two consecutive years of severe drought—with a third dry year likely. … ”  Read more from Ag Alert here: Legislation seeks $308 million for key valley canal

Sen. Dodd’s water project bill clears legislature

Amid a worsening drought that has underscored the precious nature of California’s dwindling water supplies, the Legislature has approved a bill from Sen. Bill Dodd, D-Napa, to streamline improvements to the state’s outdated central water delivery system.  “Water is the lifeblood of our state and we must keep it flowing to our communities and farmers,” Sen. Dodd said. “My bill will help get that done while saving time and money. I thank my fellow lawmakers for their overwhelming support.”  … The Department of Water Resources is pursuing a number of projects to improve the system through the use of contractors. … ”  Read more from Senator Dodd’s website here: Sen. Dodd’s water project bill clears legislature

State halts diversions from the Tuolumne River. What that means for Modesto Irrigation District, Turlock Irrigation District water users

The Turlock and Modesto irrigation districts are among water right holders ordered by the state to stop diversions on the Tuolumne River and other streams that flow to the Sacramento-San Joaquin River delta.  “All of the water that flows off the mountains has to remain in the river and can’t be diverted for storage or irrigation purposes,” said Michael Cooke, director of regulatory affairs for TID, who explained the state drought orders Tuesday to Stanislaus County supervisors. The State Water Resources Control Board issued the emergency “curtailments” Aug. 20 to 4,500 water right holders as the drought has drastically reduced California’s water supplies. … ”  Read more from the Modesto Bee here:  State halts diversions from the Tuolumne River. What that means for MID, TID water users

The ballad of Captain Dan: A California fisherman sailing the choppy waters of climate change

Other fishermen chuckled when he started giving boat tours of Noyo Harbor. Who would pay for a ride in a busy port, with its foul-mouthed sailors, its harbor seals clamoring for discarded fish guts, its vessels with names like Kraken and Dirty White Boat?  But in this Northern California harbor town of 7,300 people, Dan Platt — a skipper with a salt-and-pepper mustache, quiet demeanor and affinity for being alone on the ocean — became the epitome of rural reinvention. About five years after he began, rides on his 18-foot Duffy boat, the Noyo Star, are booked almost every day.  Platt certainly didn’t guess life would turn out this way. ... ”  Read more from the LA Times here: The ballad of Captain Dan: A California fisherman sailing the choppy waters of climate change

How drought pressured California to mandate consolidation, drinking water for Tooleville

Life in Tooleville wasn’t easy before the latest drought.  Residents of this tiny, two-road farmworker community, tucked into the edge of the Sierra Nevada foothills in eastern Tulare County, have been living on bottled water since 2014 because its two wells are contaminated with hexavalent chromium.  Then in July, one of those wells started to dry up, thanks to plummeting groundwater levels. State Water Resources Control Board officials agree Tooleville’s other well will likely hit sand in a matter of months. After 20 years of stutter-stepping toward a lasting solution, this latest twist in Tooleville’s long water saga was almost too much. ... ”  Read more from SJV Water here:  How drought pressured California to mandate consolidation, drinking water for Tooleville

‘Wonderful’: Tooleville relieved in state’s force for water consolidation

Last week, the State Water Board finally intervened in the unincorporated area of Tooleville’s 20-year struggle to obtain the basic human right to clean drinking water with a letter to the city of Exeter and the Tooleville Mutual Nonprofit Water Association, giving the two parties six months to hash out terms for a voluntary consolidation of Tooleville to Exeter’s water system or face a mandatory order with much less cooperation.  Maria Olivera, a Tooleville resident since 1974 and board member of the Tooleville Mutual Nonprofit Water Association, said the residents of the two-road town plagued with undrinkable water due to contaminants like the cancerous heavy metal hexavalent chromium and nitrates from farming fertilizers and septic tanks are happy and relieved to see the state step in after so many years of struggle.  “Relieved, really happy, like, relaxed now,” Olivera said. “We’re finally getting help. It’s wonderful.” ... ”  Read more from the Foothills Sun-Gazette here: ‘Wonderful’: Tooleville relieved in state’s force for water consolidation

Is California in a Megadrought? (Transcript)

A few weeks ago, we asked you, our audience, what you wanted to know about drought in California. And there was one question that came in that really caught my eye. It came from Nicholas Hardy.  Are we in the start of a drought or are we actually in the middle of a megadrought with some wet years thrown in?  Megadrought. The word alone sounds almost like a science fiction movie … something you’d spot at a video store alongside the movies Sharknado and San Andreas … if video stores still existed, that is. But megadrought is not fiction. It is a very real climate phenomenon. Today, we find the answer to Nicholas’s question and learn some fascinating things about our long term climate along the way. … ”  Read more from KQED here: Is California in a Megadrought? (Transcript)

Wading through water woes: California growers face uncertain future

California fruit growers must feel a little like their heads are spinning while trying to follow the developments by state regulators who are issuing increasingly ominous announcements about the state’s water supply. The first six months of the “water” year, which begins at the start of the rainy season in October, ranked as the fourth driest on record, which has led to drought declarations in much of the state.  In early August, just after American Fruit Grower’s September issue published, the State Water Resources Control Board is holding a hearing on an emergency regulation that, if adopted and approved, would affect the ability of water right holders in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta watershed to divert water. … ”  Read more from Growing Produce here: Wading through water woes: California growers face uncertain future

Lake Tahoe ski resort uses snow-making machines to fight wildfire

As the flames of California’s Caldor fire approached a popular Lake Tahoe-area ski resort, staff used every tool they could to protect the property, including snowmaking equipment.  Staff at Sierra-at-Tahoe spent days preparing to defend the 2,000-acre resort west of South Lake Tahoe from the huge wildfire, which has rapidly advanced through the region. Before the blaze burned on to the property Sunday evening, they had created defensible space around buildings, sealed air ducts to keep out embers and repurposed water hydrants, normally used to make snow, to douse buildings in water, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. ... ”  Read more from The Guardian here: Lake Tahoe ski resort uses snow-making machines to fight wildfire

To save Lake Tahoe, they spared no expense. The fire came over the ridge anyway.

They sent thousands of firefighters, 25 helicopters and an arsenal of more than 400 fire engines and 70 water trucks. Yet the fire still advanced.  They dropped retardant chemicals through an ash-filled sky and bulldozed trees and brush to slow the march of the flames through the steep and rugged terrain of the Sierra Nevada. Yet the fire still advanced.  Bursting across a granite ridge into the Lake Tahoe basin, the Caldor fire now threatens tens of thousands of homes and hotels that ring the lake. ... ”  Read more from New York Times here: To save Lake Tahoe, they spared no expense. The fire came over the ridge anyway.

LAO Handout: Wildfire prevention and forest resiliency

This handout provides background information on recent wildfire resilience-related budget actions. It also provides an update on the administration’s progress thus far towards committing the funding provided in the April 2021 Wildfire and Forest Resilience Early Action Package to specific projects and activities.

Click here to view/download the handout.

Wildfires bring renewed calls for thinning forests

The 2021 fire season threatens to overtake 2020—the worst fire year in recorded state history. Mike Albrecht can only look on in wonder.  “We’re all slow learners,” said Albrecht, a registered professional forester and licensed timber operator in Tuolumne County. “We have been talking about this for decades—decades—and warning about this, and saying, hey, we need to be much more proactive in getting our forest thinned out.”  Now calls for better forest management are echoing widely as devastating fires rage again in California timberlands. State legislation to mitigate wildfire danger is being introduced as federal efforts languish. New approaches are being discussed for thinning forests and salvaging timber. … ”  Read more from Ag Alert here: Wildfires bring renewed calls for thinning forests

Why the south is decades ahead of the West in wildfire prevention

In early May, flames began to spread through a pine forest, consuming a dense carpet of leaves and underbrush. The burn was the definition of a “good fire,” intentionally ignited to clear vegetation that could fuel future infernos.  It happened in the state leading the nation in controlled burns: Florida.  As Western states contend with increasingly catastrophic wildfires, some are looking to the Southeastern U.S., where prescribed fire is widespread thanks to policies put in place decades ago. From 1998 to 2018, 70% of all controlled burning in the country was in the Southeast. … ”  Read more from NPR here: Why the south is decades ahead of the West in wildfire prevention

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In commentary today …

The anti-farming agenda and the Central Valley

Johnny Amaral, deputy general manager of external affairs for Westlands Water District, writes, “It’s increasingly clear that some people will not be satisfied until irrigated agriculture is eliminated from the west side of the San Joaquin Valley. As evidence, the commentary by Lloyd Carter and Donald Tayloe, M.D., which criticizes the drainage settlement between the Westlands Water District and the United States.  That piece follows a familiar pattern; its authors cherry-pick facts to mislead; they neglect to mention that the agreement contains provisions that benefit all parties; and, they ignore that the legislation to authorize the settlement has bipartisan support.  Organized criticism of Westlands is not new. … ”  Continue reading from the Fresno Bee here: The anti-farming agenda and the Central Valley

Water cuts topple trees and break hearts in valley

Daniel Hartwig, third-generation farmer in Fresno County, resource manager for Woolf Farming, and president of Fresno County Farm Bureau, writes, “Zero percent. Not a drop of agriculture’s most precious resource would be received this year.  That was the word given to our farm by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation for how much surface water allocation we would receive this year. It’s not surprising given the dismal water year and tightening environmental constraints we continue to see. But once again, the reality of trying to farm with no surface water is maddening.  Due to water shortages and high-water costs, Woolf Farming, the company I work for in Fresno County, had to pull 383 acres of 15-year-old, prime, production almond trees. There simply was not enough water in the system to irrigate them. It was emotionally gutting to watch these trees bulldozed out of the ground, with this year’s crop already set. ... ”  Read more from Ag Alert here: Water cuts topple trees and break hearts in valley

California water problems

H. Steven Cronquist writes, “Someone needs to reply to the editorial (“Wake-up call: California is running out of water”) about water in the Sunday paper. The problem isn’t a lack of water. The problem is that we don’t think about the problem, until it is a problem. Remember the man who fell out of a 10-story building. People heard, at each floor, his remark, “So far, so good!” The man needs to plan his future earlier than his arrival below. The state needs to think about water during wet years.  California has a series of lakes and dams to fill for storage during dry years. But do we fill them? Isabella Lake can’t be filled to capacity. We must protect the “flycatcher” that lives up stream. Isn’t that a bird? Other reservoirs are only partly used for similar reasons. A new reservoir has not been built in California since the 1970s. Population has grown. … ”  Continue reading at the Bakersfield Californian here: California water problems

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In regional water news and commentary today …

City of Ukiah preparing to send water to the Mendocino coast

After the Ukiah City Council held a special meeting Monday, City of Ukiah officials announced Tuesday that they are preparing to deliver water to coastal communities such as the village of Mendocino.  In a press release, Deputy City Manger said that the city staff are “working out planning, contracts and logistics to begin delivering water supplies by truck to coastal areas of Mendocino County.”  “Ukiah is in a position unlike any other water agency in Northern California to help these communities survive this crisis,” said Sage Sangiacomo, Ukiah City Manager. … ”  Read more from the Ukiah Daily Journal here: City of Ukiah preparing to send water to the Mendocino coast

Reclamation Act transforms water rights for Lake Tahoe, Truckee River

In January 1900, Nevada Congressman Francis Newlands sponsored a measure for the federal government to provide water for irrigation in arid regions throughout the western United States. The bill ran into resistance from politicians concerned about giving up state control of water to the federal government, but ultimately the most contentious issues were resolved and the law passed. President William McKinley did not support the far-reaching proposal that challenged states’ rights, but after his assassination in September 1901, Vice President Theodore Roosevelt took charge and signed off on the 1902 Reclamation Act. … ”  Read more from Tahoe Weekly here: Reclamation Act transforms water rights for Lake Tahoe, Truckee River

El Dorado Irrigation District suffers fire damage to canal infrastructure

With fire officials’ authorization, El Dorado Irrigation District (EID) personnel have began initial damage assessments to limited portions of its flume and canal system where safe access is possible. That assessment confirmed at least three flumes have suffered significant damage, and multiple others still remain at risk.  A full damage assessment and restoration plan will be ongoing depending on fire officials’ determining that the fire threat in the area has been fully mitigated. … ”  Read more from ACWA’s Water News here: El Dorado Irrigation District suffers fire damage to canal infrastructure

NorCal water agencies in discussions with Marin over water transfers

The Glenn-Colusa Irrigation District (GCID) has had discussions with the Marin Municipal Water District about a potential water transfer in 2022, according to GCID Finance Director Louis Jarvis.  According to the Marin Independent Journal, Marin Municipal Water District approved contracts on Monday as part of a project to build a pipeline that would bring water from the Sacramento Valley to Marin County.  Jarvis said Tuesday that no timeline has been established for an agreement between the two agencies. He said it has been discussed that up to 15,000 acre-feet of water could potentially be transferred to Marin.  “If an agreement is worked out, it would be for a one-time transfer occurring in 2022,” Jarvis said in an email. … ”  Read more from Yahoo News here: NorCal water agencies in discussions with Marin over water transfers

Marin Municipal Water District revisiting possible water pipeline over Richmond-San Rafael Bridge

The worsening drought is forcing one Bay Area water district to revisit a possible solution and in a sense, go back in time.  A pipeline stretching all the way across the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge could partly address the water shortage. It hasn’t been fully approved, but millions of dollars are being spent to see if it could be a viable solution.  Nearly 200,000 Marin County residents rely on the Mount Tamalpais watershed for drinking water and other needs. But lack of rainfall for years, and maybe many more, is drying up its reservoirs. … ”  Read more from Channel 5 here: Marin Municipal Water District revisiting possible water pipeline over Richmond-San Rafael Bridge

Los Altos: Water board won’t intervene in debate over housing mandates

The belief that higher residential density will compound drought conditions, a common mantra of Bay Area residents opposed to housing mandates, is a fallacy, Valley Water reps said last week.  “There’s this idea that a certain increase in percentage of housing is going to yield a corresponding increase in water demand, and our history has not shown that,” said Barbara Keegan, a Valley Water director. … ”  Read more from the Los Altos Crier here: Los Altos: Water board won’t intervene in debate over housing mandates

Enhanced wetland on UCSC’s Coastal Science Campus will benefit threatened frogs

The California red-legged frog is a threatened species that has been found on the UC Santa Cruz Coastal Science Campus, but has not been known to breed there successfully. That may soon change with the construction of a small pond designed to enhance an existing seasonal wetland and provide potential breeding habitat for the native frog.  The wetland enhancement project will be located near the railroad corridor in the upper terrace area of the Coastal Science Campus, north of McAllister Way, and it is within the Younger Lagoon Natural Reserve. Construction is expected to begin in mid-September and will be followed by replanting of the area to restore native vegetation around the pond. … ”  Read more from UC Santa Cruz here: Enhanced wetland on UCSC’s Coastal Science Campus will benefit threatened frogs

Repeal of Monterey County law prohibiting private operation of desal plants set for Sept. 21 discussion.

Monterey County is the only county is California with a law that prohibits private companies from operating new desalination plants. That law, passed in 1989, will be up for a potential repeal when the county’s supervisors meet on Sept. 21.  The law has been thrust into the spotlight as Algonquin Power and Utilities Corp., a publicly traded, $11 billion Canada-based company, has proposed construction of what could be a massive regional desalination plant in Moss Landing. Kim Adamson, director of business development and water for Algonquin’s North American arm, told the Marina Coast Water District that the project could produce 32,000 acre-feet of drinking water when built out. For comparison, private utility California American Water’s now-stalled desalination plant estimated its production at 6,200 acre-feet of water. … ”  Read more from Monterey Weekly here: Repeal of county law prohibiting private operation of desal plants set for Sept. 21 discussion.

The ebb and flow of Monterey Bay’s Elkhorn Slough

Chuck Graham writes, “As my kayak gently sliced through the silky smooth waters beneath Highway 1 and into Elkhorn Slough, its many inhabitants enjoyed the tranquil setting surrounded by pickleweed and separated by a maze of serpentine-like channels. The second-largest tidal slough in California (after the San Francisco Bay) provides sanctuary for more than 700 species of marine mammals, invertebrates, plants, and algae.  Located in Moss Landing inside Monterey Bay, Elkhorn Slough is one of the prime places in North America for viewing wildlife. Best explored from a kayak or stand-up paddleboard, the seven-mile-long tidal marsh is one of the easiest places to go paddling with southern sea otters, frolicking harbor seals, and a throng of birdlife ― more than 340 avian species foraging the mudflats and wading through aquatic vegetation. … ”  Read more from the Santa Barbara Independent here: The ebb and flow of Monterey Bay’s Elkhorn Slough

Solvang declares Stage 2 drought emergency; financial penalties in play for those who don’t conserve

Solvang City Council members reluctantly declared a Stage 2 drought emergency last week, with mandatory water use restrictions going into effect after the September meter reading. Consumers who do not cut back their water usage will face financial penalties beginning in October.  Councilman Robert Clarke cast the dissenting vote in the 4-1 decision on Aug. 23.  The declaration and related restrictions were adopted four months after the council declared a Stage 1 drought emergency and asked consumers to voluntarily cut back their water usage. The community responded, instead,  by increasing its consumption 15% in May, 7% in June and 10% in July. … ”  Read more from the Lompoc Record here: Solvang declares Stage 2 drought emergency; financial penalties in play for those who don’t conserve

Santa Barbara Channelkeeper celebrates major milestone with Ventura River recovery

The Santa Barbara Channelkeeper reached a critical milestone this month.  The Ventura River, for the first time ever, ended all pumping at its well field at Foster Park. SB Channelkeeper says it’s major step to help restore the ecosystem. … ”  Read more from KEYT here: Santa Barbara Channelkeeper celebrates major milestone with Ventura River recovery

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Along the Colorado River …

Why water cuts are coming to Arizona, Nevada, and New Mexico

The Bureau of Reclamation, the agency charged with water resources management for the West at the federal government level, announced unprecedented Tier 1 cuts in water deliveries from Lake Mead on the Colorado River to Arizona, Nevada, and Mexico in 2022. The Tier 1 cuts will reduce water deliveries due to historic low water levels in Lake Mead.  California deliveries are not impacted by this announcement due to senior water rights, but they could be coming if water levels continue to drop. The Colorado River watershed and most western river watersheds that feed reservoirs with snowmelt are not producing as much runoff as they have historically due to the warming atmosphere affecting snow elevations and dryer and warmer soil and air temperatures. … ”  Read more from Bloomberg Law here: Why water cuts are coming to Arizona, Nevada, and New Mexico

Colorado River water users enter new phase of stewardship in face of long-anticipated cuts

For the first time in history, the federal government has declared a water shortage on the Colorado River, which serves as a lifeline to more than 40 million people in western states like Arizona and California.  States that are used to receiving substantial amounts of water from the river are going to be receiving considerable cuts in water availability. The river has served as a source of affordable hydraulic power and provides water for irrigation systems to countless farms in the region. … ”  Read more from Chamber Business News here: Colorado River water users enter new phase of stewardship in face of long-anticipated cuts

To understand how mountains and the atmosphere bring water to the west, scientists aim their instruments at Colorado’s sky

The Colorado River starts in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, and the water that collects there rushes into a system that supplies 40 million people in the West.  Yet, scientists still don’t entirely understand how water forms and moves through the world’s mountain watersheds.  A new U.S. Department of Energy research project will collect data in Colorado’s mountains to help better predict western water supplies in an era of climate change. ... ”  Read more from Colorado Public Radio here: To understand how mountains and the atmosphere bring water to the west, scientists aim their instruments at Colorado’s sky

New report on interstate water compact lessons for Colorado

As a headwaters state, Colorado has many interstate compacts that set rules for how the state must share the rivers that originate within its borders with downstream states. On several of these rivers, water users have had to modify their water use to meet compact requirements. That day may be coming for the Colorado River. A new report explores what Colorado River water users can learn from experiences with compact administration on other rivers.  The new report, “Lessons Learned from Colorado Experiences with Interstate Compact Administration,” utilizes interviews with water users and experts who experienced compact compliance measures in the Arkansas, Rio Grande and Republican River Basins to distill lessons that may be useful for Colorado Basin water users. … ”  Read more from Colorado Mesa University here: New report on interstate water compact lessons for Colorado

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In national water news today …

What’s next for WOTUS after judge jettisons Trump rule

The Biden administration may get some breathing room after a federal court ruling in Arizona yesterday effectively wiped out a controversial Trump-era Clean Water Act rule that pulled back federal protection for streams and wetlands across the country.  Judge Rosemary Márquez of the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona ruled the Trump administration’s Navigable Waters Protection Rule (NWPR) was too flawed to keep in place.  That decision effectively scraps the Trump-era rule across the nation, rolling back one of the prior administration’s biggest and most controversial regulatory wins for developers and farmers. And it gives EPA a bit of a reprieve as the agency moves forward with crafting a replacement for the NWPR.  EPA earlier this year announced it would pursue a double-pronged approach of conducting rulemakings to both remove the Trump rule and craft a replacement. ... ”  Read more from E&E News here: What’s next for WOTUS after judge jettisons Trump rule

Litigation, confusion to follow overturning of Trump water rule

A federal court ruling tossing out a Trump-era rule defining waters of the United States is fueling even more uncertainty about federal wetlands jurisdiction and puts possibly hundreds of projects in legal limbo, lawyers say.  The decision in Pasqua Yaqui Tribe v. EPA is the latest twist in a decades-long tug-of-war over how to define WOTUS under the Clean Water Act, which determines how wetlands can be developed. It instantly touched off debates over how widespread it will be applied.  It could set off a cascade of lawsuits to the ruling itself, and possibly to future WOTUS definitions, said Dave Owen, an environmental law professor at the University of California-Hastings College of the Law.  “This isn’t going to be the last word,” Owen said. “The bottom line is there’s going to be more litigation.” … ”  Read more from Bloomberg Law here: Litigation, confusion to follow overturning of Trump water rule

When the faucets run dry

On the gritty streets of Detroit, community organizer Sylvia Orduño has been working to help the city’s most vulnerable residents for over twenty years. “There’s one family that sticks in my mind,” she says. “He was a disabled former police officer. He had so many health problems that they couldn’t keep up with the bills, so their water was shut off. His wife and daughter were hauling water in bottles to bathe him.”  The story Orduño shared should be an isolated, tragic occurrence — but it’s not. The struggle of life without water is a daily reality for many households throughout the United States, a problem highlighted by the pandemic: A study by Cornell University estimated that water shut-offs may have contributed to 9,000 additional deaths in the United States during the COVID-19 crisis. Shut-offs by local utilities, water laced with lead or other contaminants, and crushing water debt have left people across the country without access to a substance essential for survival. ... ”  Read more from Grist here: When the faucets run dry

Report: U.S. water systems are consolidating slower than needed

A recent report from the Environmental Policy Innovation Center (EPIC), a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit, says the consolidation of water systems in the United States is happening at an extremely slow pace. While stronger state policies on consolidation are already coming on line, the EPA should prioritize a new policy to incentivize more progress, the report says.   Consolidation and sharing services is regarded as a beneficial strategy to improve public health, seeing as how thousands of small utilities across America can struggle to maintain infrastructure, finances and drinking water treatment standards. … ”  Read more from Water Finance & Management here:  Report: U.S. water systems are consolidating slower than needed

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Also on Maven’s Notebook today …

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY: 2021 North Coast Coho Recovery Proposal Solicitation Notice Open

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY for cannabis cultivators

WATER PLAN eNEWS: ~~Without Water~ Biodiversity Day~ Investment Plan~ SAIL Project~ Flooding Fields~ Water Reporter~~

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About the Daily Digest: The Daily Digest is a collection of selected news articles, commentaries and editorials appearing in the mainstream press. Items are generally selected to follow the focus of the Notebook blog. The Daily Digest is published every weekday with a weekend edition posting on Sundays.

 

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