In California water news today …
Study: Droughts may affect groundwater more than expected
“On the Earth’s surface, the end of a drought is usually obvious. Rainfall arrives, streams and rivers increase in volume or begin to flow again, vegetation perks up, and parched soils regain their moisture. But what about below the earth’s surface? In particular, how does groundwater respond to the end of drought? Given the critical role that groundwater plays in many regions as a source of water for drinking and irrigation, understanding the effects of droughts on aquifers could help shape management decisions regarding these key resources. Seeking to better comprehend the relationship between droughts and groundwater, researchers at the University of California, Riverside examined decades worth of groundwater data from more than 250 wells across the United States. In contrast, previous research on the effects of drought on groundwater has mostly relied on modeling studies. … ” Read more from Civil Engineering Source here: Study: Droughts may affect groundwater more than expected
How drought could make sea-level rise worse
“In the first decade of the Cold War, California was in a drought. The coastline north of Los Angeles retreated inland by several hundred feet. Less water flowing to the ocean meant less sediment swept down rivers to replenish the beaches that the waves, left to their own devices, would eat away over time. The ocean’s rapid encroachment wasn’t too unusual in the longer view of history, according to research published last year by earth scientists Julie Zurbuchen, Alexander Simms, and Sebastien Huot. … Their analysis revealed that on timescales of decades, the southern California coastline often grew and shrank with natural cycles of drier and wetter periods in the Pacific that always seemed to balance one another out over the course of a century or so. That balance is now likely at an end. ... ” Read more from JSTOR Daily here: How drought could make sea-level rise worse
California reservoirs inch higher after bomb cyclone, additional help on the way
“It’s going to take a lot more than one storm to erase the long-term drought across California, but the former bomb cyclone that marched into the West Coast sure did help. While another storm of that magnitude is not expected to slam into the West Coast this upcoming week, there will be multiple rounds of wet weather that will continue to trend things in the right direction. … Monday will bring along the first round of rain and mountain snow to the West Coast as a storm will be set to trek inland. Appreciable rainfall will generally be limited to the San Francisco Bay Area and points north from this storm, leaving the remainder of Central and Southern California dry. … ” Read more from AccuWeather here: California reservoirs inch higher after bomb cyclone, additional help on the way
Soggy parade of weak storms to bring more rain to San Francisco Bay Area
“Light rain was falling over the North Bay Sunday morning, with more rain in the forecast for the San Francisco Bay Area as two weak storms are expected to move over the region, the National Weather Service reported. These storms will not be anywhere near the strength of the recent atmospheric river that soaked Northern California on Oct. 24, but they will keep conditions soggy across a water-starved region plagued by drought and wildfires. … ” Read more from SF Gate here: Soggy parade of weak storms to bring more rain to San Francisco Bay Area
Can one atmospheric river end California’s drought?
Andrew Rypel and Jay Lund write, “Given the quantity and intensity of last week’s rain, an obvious question is: ‘Is the drought over?’ Alas, the answer is a resounding no. But, the data are interesting and worth thinking about in more detail. As of now, the 8 station index in the northern Sierra registers 12.6 inches of cumulative precipitation. Because the water year just started (October 1), all of this came from the recent atmospheric river. It was an impressive storm, and set quite a few local one-day precipitation records. This atmospheric river storm produced half as much precipitation as graced the region in all of last year (the 3rd driest year on record, 24 inches). ... ” Continue reading at the California Water Blog here: Can one atmospheric river end California’s drought?
Judge scuttles approval for Westlands’ permanent water contract
“A California judge has declined to validate a contract granting permanent access to federally controlled water for the nation’s largest agricultural water supplier, a move that means the U.S. government is not bound by terms of the deal, the Associated Press reported. The contract between Westlands Water District and the U.S. Department of Interior was the first of a slate of California water users to switch from temporary, renewable water service agreements to permanent repayment contracts. The contract conversion was a key provision of the 2016 Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation (WIIN) Act that enabled the crafting of new, more robust environmental rules governing water deliveries from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta to the southern portion of California. ... ” Read more from the San Joaquin Valley Sun here: Judge scuttles approval for Westlands’ permanent water contract
New tree plantings to reforest trees lost in California wildfires
“As torrential rains replace the wildfires experienced in the western United States this year, conversations on reforestation of the summer’s burned areas in the Sierras have begun by organizations like the Sugar Pine Foundation. The Sugar Pine Foundation is a nonprofit organization located in South Lake Tahoe that, since its formation in 2005, has been dedicated to restoring the sugar pine, a coniferous tree found in the central Sierras that can reach heights over 300 feet. Now, with fires and invasive fungus-like blister rust impacting more than just the sugar pine, the organization has expanded to forest restoration that includes planting other types of mixed conifer trees in areas fires have impacted. Each year, the Sugar Pine Foundation welcomes donations of Jeffrey pine, incense cedar, and sugar pine seeds from the public to take to a nursery to clean, separate by species, and eventually grow. … ” Read more from Sierra Nevada Ally here: New tree plantings to reforest trees lost in California wildfires
In commentary today …
California must act urgently on climate
Mike Young, political and organizing director for California Environmental Voters, writes, “A delegation of 15 state lawmakers is joining a conference of world leaders in Scotland to discuss climate change solutions. As leaders of the world’s 5th largest economy, their participation is important, but it’s more urgent for them to act once they return. The latest research reveals California’s climate crisis overwhelms policies to stop it, and our low-income communities, communities of color and seniors face the most harm. If unchecked, this mismatch will undo decades of work Californians have dedicated to preserve a healthy environment and build an equal society. Leaders rarely face circumstances where bold action is a moral duty. … ” Read more from Cal Matters here: California must act urgently on climate
Lake Tahoe’s grim outlook is all the more reason to fight climate change
The Las Vegas Sun editorial board writes, “While Las Vegas residents watch nervously as the water level falls at Lake Mead, our fellow Nevadans are also seeing the alarming effects of climate change on Lake Tahoe. In both cases, it’s a call for action on reducing global warming. Southern Nevadans are well aware of the situation at Lake Mead, which has reached historically low levels, but they may not be as familiar with the problems at Lake Tahoe. In a nutshell, climate change has disrupted weather patterns there to the point of causing the lake to drop below its natural rim on a disturbingly regular basis and in turn reduce the flow of water into the Truckee River to a trickle. If that. … ” Read more from the Las Vegas Sun here: Lake Tahoe’s grim outlook is all the more reason to fight climate change
In regional water news and commentary today …
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
Placerville: For 70 years, Christmas trees were the family business. Then came drought. And fire
“Omer and Elinor McGee opened El Dorado County’s first Christmas tree farm in 1952 in Grizzly Flats, a Gold Rush-era mountain town some 25 miles from the county seat. The business prospered, and their son Mike eventually took over. The following years delivered joy but also heartbreak: dry winters and financial strain, the death of Mike and Phyllis McGee’s youngest son, Cory. But when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, something unexpected happened: Cars wrapped around Mike and Phyllis’ Placerville ranch and spilled from the parking lot. … Then came the drought. Low rainfall and a declining snowpack, combined with high temperatures, battered the McGee Christmas trees. … ” Read more from the LA Times here: For 70 years, Christmas trees were the family business. Then came drought. And fire
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
Butte County releases draft Climate Action Plan
“Butte County has released a new 2021 draft Tuesday of its Climate Action Plan, or CAP, featuring current and anticipated data of greenhouse gas emissions and a plan to limit them. The document focuses primarily on unincorporated Butte County meaning the numbers provided account for population and data outside of incorporated towns and cities. “The 2021 CAP is an update of the 2014 CAP, providing updated information, an expanded set of (greenhouse gas) reduction strategies, and a planning horizon out to 2050. The 2021 CAP contains an inventory of the community’s (greenhouse gas) emissions from the agriculture, transportation, energy, solid waste, off-road equipment, water and wastewater, and stationary source sectors,” reads the executive summary of the draft. … ” Read more from the Chico Enterprise-Record here: Butte County releases draft Climate Action Plan
NAPA/SONOMA
North Coast breathing easier after recent rains, but reservoirs still historically low
“Last week’s surprisingly generous storm and several smaller rain systems expected this week are allowing water managers, ranchers and farmers around the region to breathe a sigh of relief. Abundant rainfall has raised creeks and rivers, filled some storage ponds and provided flexibility to shift to greater reliance on surface water for a spell, reducing the pressure to lean so heavily on groundwater wells in some places. … But while recent wet weather has allowed most folks to take a bit of a breather, it’s likely just that, however: a breather, a respite. Long-term reserves, especially in Lake Mendocino, are still at abysmally low levels. … ” Read more from the Santa Rosa Press Democrat here: North Coast breathing easier after recent rains, but reservoirs still historically low
Sonoma: Plan to conserve, improve groundwater resources moves forward
“A long-anticipated, state mandated plan to turn around continuing losses of Sonoma Valley groundwater will soon be put into action, with a five-year initial program. The extent and seriousness of the overall water situation in California, and in Sonoma County in particular, is evident in the extensive and exhaustive studies and planning that have been moving forward for the past two decades, particularly with groundwater. … Sonoma Valley, Santa Rosa, and Petaluma are three specific groundwater sub-basins targeted by the State of California to assess and analyze groundwater conditions and come up with plans to improve problem areas. … ” Read more from the Kenwood Press here: Sonoma: Plan to conserve, improve groundwater resources moves forward
Recent storm a big test for Napa River restoration
“As rain poured out of the skies last week for the first time in nearly two years, causing the Napa River to swell and climb its banks in what past years would’ve surely spelled flood conditions, farmer Tom Gamble looked on and felt good about what he was seeing. The deluge was a first test of restoration work on the river where it winds through Gamble’s vineyards in Oakville. The project was aimed at calming the river’s waters during storms by adding channels to take the overflowing waters — in a sense doubling the river’s capacity. … ” Read more from NBC Bay Area here: Recent storm a big test for Napa River restoration
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Proposed ballot measure could save controversial Huntington Beach desal plant proposal if state regulators deny it
“A proposed statewide ballot measure could save a highly controversial desalination plant proposed in Huntington Beach, if it gets shot down next year by the California Coastal Commission — what’s viewed as the project’s tallest regulatory hurdle. The measure is being pushed by at least two prominent, Orange County water officials with either past ties to Poseidon or a history of advocating for desalination in general. The decades-long fight over building the contested seawater plant could finally end early next year when state coastal regulators vote on approving or denying the project its needed permit. … ” Read more from the Voice of the OC here: Proposed ballot measure could save controversial Huntington Beach desal plant proposal if state regulators deny it
Along the Colorado River …
The sand is there, but low water levels halt a controlled flood to restore Grand Canyon’s beaches
“The Southwest’s active monsoon season this year washed tons of sand into the Colorado River, where it could have helped shore up the Grand Canyon’s withering beaches, if not for one big problem: The water stored behind Glen Canyon Dam is at an all-time low after more than two decades of drought. As a result, the federal government’s dam managers have hit pause on an environmental program that calls for controlled floods out of Lake Powell when there’s enough sand for the water to push up and rebuild sandbars and beaches, preserving the national park’s ecology, river trip campsites and archaeological sites. … ” Read more from Arizona Central here: The sand is there, but low water levels halt a controlled flood to restore Grand Canyon’s beaches
In national water news today …
Why water is the next net-zero environmental target
“To date, the discussion around companies and governments moving to net-zero has mostly centered on greenhouse gas emissions goals. Also known as carbon neutrality, it requires entities to remove as much carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases from the atmosphere as they release into it through efforts like restoring forests, using carbon capture technologies, or buying carbon offsets. At the UN Climate Change Conference, also known as COP26 and which begins today, the topic of how world leaders plan to reduce emissions and meet the goals set by the 2015 Paris Agreement to reach net-zero emissions by 2050 will be front and center. But there is another environmental pledge that several companies are now taking, focused on water. ... ” Read more from CNBC here: Why water is the next net-zero environmental target
CRS Reports: Dam removal and the federal role
“Dam owners sometimes consider dam removal as a policy option to address dam safety, ecosystem restoration, or other concerns. The National Inventory of Dams (NID) lists more than 90,000 dams in the United States, many of which function as part of the nation’s water infrastructure and provide benefits (e.g., flood control, hydroelectric power, recreation, navigation, and water supply). Stakeholders may consider the removal of a dam for various reasons—for example, if a certain dam requires major dam safety modifications or no longer provides its intended benefits. In addition, dams often affect ecosystem processes and aquatic species mobility; these effects may be costly to mitigate and may prompt consideration of dam removal. According to a stakeholder database that tracks dam removals, nearly 1,800 dams were removed in the United States from 1912 to 2020, with approximately 800 removed from 2011 to 2020. Small, nonfederal dams accounted for most of these removals; removal of federally owned or regulated dams was less frequent during the 1912–2020 period (e.g., approximately 70 of the dams removed since 1912 were federally owned). … ” Read more from CRS Reports here: CRS Reports: Dam removal and the federal role
The infrastructure bill is desperately needed, engineers say
“After months of negotiation and debate, the U.S. House of Representatives could be poised to pass a two-part legislative package aimed at overhauling the country’s notoriously aging infrastructure. But House Democrats (who hold a majority in the chamber) have yet to reach an agreement on one part: a bill that focuses on social programs and fighting climate change. This means the other part—the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, or IIJA—remains in limbo. The IIJA’s $1 trillion investment, which includes $550 billion in new federal spending, sounds hefty—but many experts say it is only enough to merely get started on addressing the problem. … ” Read more from Scientific American here: The infrastructure bill is desperately needed, engineers say
Commentary: COP26: The stakes for the water community
John Matthews, Alliance for Global Water Adaptation. writes, “In the next days, Scotland and the United Kingdom will host the 26th meeting of the national parties for the global UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC COP26). Deferred by a year because of Covid-19, COP26 will be one of the largest — and most important — international meetings to occur in the past 18 months. I will be attending COP26 in person. My first COP was in 2009 — COP15 in Copenhagen — and I’ve been to all but a handful of the annual meetings since then as well as a number of the so-called intersessional meetings that occur between COPs. My engagement and, for the past 11 years, that of the Alliance for Global Water Adaptation (AGWA), has always been focused on climate policy and finance, and how they may be interacting with the emerging insights from the water community, especially how we manage water resources with and for resilience. … What do we, in the water community, stand to lose or gain? ... ” Read more from the Global Water Forum here: Commentary: COP26: The stakes for the water community
What the Supreme Court’s move means for Biden in Glasgow
“The Supreme Court’s stunning decision to review the scope of EPA’s authority to limit emissions from power plants puts a damper on the Biden administration’s effort this week to trumpet the United States’ return to the international stage as a climate leader. The justices sent shock waves through the legal world when they agreed Friday to consider a consolidated challenge from Republican-led states and coal companies stemming from a federal court ruling that struck down a Trump-era regulation gutting EPA’s climate rule for power plants. The Supreme Court’s order comes as President Biden arrives today for the opening days of the 26th Conference of Parties, or COP 26, in Glasgow, Scotland, where countries will hammer out agreements to address climate change across the globe. … ” Read more from E&E News here: What the Supreme Court’s move means for Biden in Glasgow
Current reservoir conditions
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More news and commentary in the weekend edition …
In California water news this weekend …
Key talks over water use break down, S.F. may face tighter regulation- State ends voluntary agreements with local water districts
- Dan Walters column: Farmers lose two skirmishes in California water war
- Judge rejects water deal citing $400M is missing funds that would help Trinity River
- Video: Inside California Politics: Sec. Wade Crowfoot on continued state drought
- A California town refused to help its neighbors with water. So the state stepped in.
- California-Nevada and Pacific Northwest Special Edition Drought Status Update
- Fact Sheet: Better forecasting of atmospheric rivers mitigates impact of 2021 drought
- Climate change is here, it’s bad. Here’s what you can do
- Vilsack says Biden plan is a way to reduce catastrophic wildfires, address climate change
- The Native American way of fighting wildfires
- And more …
Click here to read the weekend Daily Digest.
Also on Maven’s Notebook today …
YOUR INPUT WANTED: Draft Assessment of the Delta ISB
NOTICE: Delta Stewardship Council Seeks Candidates to Fill Delta ISB Vacancies
FUNDING OPPORTUNITY: NRCS Announces Conservation Funding Opportunities for FY2022
NOTICE OF WORKSHOP/PUBLIC COMMENT: Testing for microplastics in drinking water
