In California water news today …
To fight off a California dust bowl, the state will pay farmers to reimagine idle land
“Herman’s family has farmed in this area for four generations, but California’s exceptional drought and new restrictions on groundwater pumping are forcing them to do what was unthinkable until just a few years ago: uproot tens of thousands of fruit and nut trees and leave the land barren. Kevin Herman, Erik’s father who runs their specialty crop business, said he has no idea what to do next with the 300 acres, the equivalent of about 32,500 tress, they plan to raze this fall. He worries what will happen to farming towns across the valley as thousands of fields and orchards are suddenly left idle. “It’s just going to sit there. It will probably never be farmed again,” he said. “We will be a good neighbor and keep the weeds down. To the extent that we can, we’ll keep the dust down, but that’s a tough one.” … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle here: To fight off a California dust bowl, the state will pay farmers to reimagine idle land
Another storm will help chip away at California drought
“A couple of weeks after an atmospheric river dumped record rainfall and prolific amounts of snow on parts of California, the Pacific storm train is set to deliver another helping of rain and snow to a large part of the drought-stricken state. However, this time it will also come in more manageable amounts. Through the first week in November, most of the rain and snow along the West Coast has been directed toward Washington and Oregon. A brief break in precipitation is expected across much of the region Monday before the next storm crashes onshore Monday night. This next storm will be quite extensive, with rain and mountain snow stretching all the way from the southern Sierra through much of British Columbia from Monday night through Tuesday. … ” Continue reading from AccuWeather here: Another storm will help chip away at California drought
‘Another drop in the bucket:’ Atmospheric river storm on Monday won’t put a big dent in the drought
“The Bay Area is expected to get another drenching on Monday afternoon in the second “atmospheric river” storm to hit the region in two weeks, but don’t expect it to significantly move the needle when it comes to California’s drought. “This is just gonna be another drop in the bucket as far as total rainfalls of the season and for the drought,” said National Weather Service meteorologist Roger Gass. “The onset of the drought is typically one to two, maybe three years of below average rainfall. It’ll be beneficial rain and there will be runoff to the reservoirs, but it will have minimal impact on a larger scale.” “We would really need to see a pretty active and wet winter season to dig ourselves out of the drought,” he added. ... ” Read more from the San Jose Mercury News here: ‘Another drop in the bucket:’ Atmospheric river storm on Monday won’t put a big dent in the drought
October’s torrential rains brought some drought relief, but California’s big picture still bleak
“When a fierce early-season storm drenched parts of Northern California last month, some experts said it was in the nick of time. Reservoir levels were critically low. Soils were parched. Fires rampaged through dry forests. There was general consensus among climate experts that not even the record-breaking downpour would end the two-year drought plaguing the state. There was too much of a deficit, and a single storm — even of biblical proportions — would not be able to solve it in one fell swoop. … While the powerful rains did bring some relief to the northern and central parts of the state — and more moisture is on the way — climate experts and weather officials said it’s not clear how long those positive influences will last. They stressed that the moisture did little to move the dial on the bigger drought barometer; the majority of the state remains in extreme or exceptional drought. … ” Read more from the LA Times here: October’s torrential rains brought some drought relief, but California’s big picture still bleak
Managing water stored for the environment during drought
“Storing water in reservoirs is important for maintaining freshwater ecosystem health and protecting native species. Stored water also is essential for adapting to the changing climate, especially warming and drought intensification. Yet, reservoir operators often treat environmental objectives as a constraint, rather than as a priority akin to water deliveries for cities and farms. Reservoir management becomes especially challenging during severe droughts when surface water supplies are scarce, and urban and agricultural demands conflict with water supplies needed to maintain healthy waterways and wetlands. In times of drought, most freshwater ecosystems suffer. This blog post examines 2021 water year actions by the federal Central Valley Project (CVP) and the State Water Project (SWP), which sought to maximize water deliveries while meeting environmental regulatory standards in a severe drought. Based on this experience, we offer recommendations to better protect the environment if California is faced with dry conditions in 2022 or beyond. … ” Read more from the California Water Blog here: Managing water stored for the environment during drought
ARE Update finds drought will not drastically affect CA farmers’ revenue
“UC Berkeley agricultural specialists and others collaborated on an Agricultural and Resource Economics, or ARE, Update special issue, highlighting California farms and ranches will likely generate normal revenue in 2021 despite the ongoing drought. The ARE Update special issue was created to help stakeholders explain how California can adapt to the drought, according to Ellen Bruno, campus assistant cooperative extension specialist. She added that understanding how to adapt could help reduce the costs of future periods of scarcity to farmers and consumers. John Abatzoglou, UC Merced professor of climatology, compared this drought to ones of the past, linking climate change with the ongoing drought. … ” Read more from the Daily Californian here: ARE Update finds drought will not drastically affect CA farmers’ revenue
RELATED: AG AND RESOURCE ECONOMICS SPECIAL ISSUE: Implications of the Drought for California Agriculture
Managing water resources in a low-to-no-snow future
“Mountain snowpacks around the world are in decline. And as the planet continues to warm, climate models forecast that snowpacks will shrink dramatically and possibly even disappear altogether on certain mountains, including in the western United States. A new study by researchers at several institutions, including UC Santa Barbara and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab), analyzes the likely timing of a low-to-no-snow future, what it will mean for water management, and opportunities for investments now that could stave off catastrophic consequences. Their review paper, published in the journal Nature Reviews Earth and Environment(link is external), analyzes previous climate projections and finds that if greenhouse gas emissions continue along the high-emissions scenario, low-to-no-snow winters will become a regular occurrence in the western U.S. in 35 to 60 years. ... ” Read more from UCSB Current here: Managing water resources in a low-to-no-snow future
Chronicling California’s water wars and woes
“The Dakota Access, Line 3, and other pipeline struggles shine a spotlight on the importance of water, and on the threat that oil drilling and fracking pose to life-giving rivers and lakes. Jacob Morrison’s documentary River’s End: California’s Latest Water War provides an earnest, in depth look at the ongoing battle over water — where it comes from, where it flows, and who controls it in the Golden State. But instead of a pipeline multinational like Enbridge or a petroleum company like BP, Chevron, or Exxon, according to River’s End, a top culprit diverting and “stealing” California’s water is none other than Big Agriculture. … ” Read more from the Earth Island Journal here: Chronicling California’s water wars and woes
Reimagining coastal cities as sponges to help protect them from the ravages of climate change
“As an environmental officer in Samoa, Violet Wulf-Saena worked with the Lano and Saoluafata Indigenous peoples to restore coastline mangrove ecosystems that could slow incoming waves and protect communities from storm and flood damage. Two decades later, in California’s San Francisco Bay Area, she’s the director of a nonprofit called Climate Resilient Communities that works on the same issue: restoring marshlands and wetlands to better protect vulnerable neighborhoods in low-lying areas from sea level rise. Some areas of the Pacific Islands, where Wulf-Saena grew up, are projected by conservative estimates to see the sea level rise 10 inches by mid-century. By then, East Palo Alto, about 30 miles south of San Francisco, where Wulf-Saena works now, may also be frequently underwater during high tide events. “Nature is the best protection to sea level rise, and if we restore these ecosystems we can mimic a lot of that protection,” she said. “It can be like a sponge.” … ” Read more from Inside Climate News here: Reimagining coastal cities as sponges to help protect them from the ravages of climate change
Improved earth system model could help better predict impact of extreme events
“This year alone Texas froze over and the Sierra Nevada forests that help sequester carbon dioxide from the atmosphere burned on and on from the Caldor Fire – two sure signs of the need to better predict extreme events caused by climate change, and the effect these events have on ecosystem services, such as carbon sequestration by plants and soils. Doing so requires realistic, high-resolution simulations of environmental changes taking place across oceans, land, and ice generated by Earth system models running on the most powerful, advanced computers. The Department of Energy relies on a new, faster version of the Energy Exascale Earth System Model (E3SM) to help anticipate changes 10, 20, or 50 years from now in factors like regional air and water temperatures that can strain energy grids, and extreme events like wildfires and flooding that could shut down infrastructure. Berkeley Lab scientists have contributed to improving the land component of the latest release of this model – dubbed E3SM2 – which can now generate more precise simulations twice as fast as before. … ” Read more from Berkeley Lab here: Improved earth system model could help better predict impact of extreme events
Prescribed burns are key to reducing wildfire risk, but federal agencies are lagging
“When wildfire burned through a federal research area in Klamath National Forest this summer, scientists were dismayed to see more than 20 years of work go up in smoke. But when they returned to the charred study area near California’s northern border, they realized they’d been given a unique opportunity. Although the scientists had set out to understand how the thinning and controlled burning of vegetation could help regrow large trees more quickly, they now had a chance to study another urgent question: Could these same treatments make forests more resilient to wildfire? Or more specifically, could they moderate fire behavior so that flames were less intense and firefighters would have a better chance of snuffing a blaze before it barreled into a populated area? The answer appeared to be a resounding yes. … ” Read more from the LA Times here: Prescribed burns are key to reducing wildfire risk, but federal agencies are lagging
Today’s featured article …
RISING VOICES: California adapts to water change
Each month, the Water Hub is checking in with advocates and organizers in California to talk about the water issues impacting local communities. As the global community meets in Glasgow for the latest UN climate talks, we spoke with the Union of Concerned Scientists’s Dr. José Pablo Ortiz Partida about climate change in California, how communities are adapting and why water is just one of the issues threatening quality living conditions.
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In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
‘Batten down the hatches’: Storm, showers headed for Humboldt County this week
“On Monday and Tuesday, a storm blowing 40 to 50 mile-per-hour gusts of wind around the Humboldt Bay will roll through Northern California. The storm could potentially cause power outages, according to a tweet from NWS Eureka, and elevations above 3,000 feet, especially in Trinity County, are expected to receive even more intense winds alongside a snowfall. Humboldt County is forecast to receive up to an inch of rain, according to Doug Boushey, a meteorologist with the NWS Eureka office. … ” Read more from the Eureka Times-Standard here: ‘Batten down the hatches’: Storm, showers headed for Humboldt County this week
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
Aftermath of Caldor Fire leaves future of Sierra-at-Tahoe resort in question
“Near the top of a ski run high on the slopes of Sierra-at-Tahoe Resort, John Rice walked along a charred fir log about 4 feet in diameter and chucked a hunk of burnt bark to the ground. A hundred yards away, a timber crew chainsawed through a grove, felling one blackened tree after another, each landing on the muddy slope with an explosive thud. “It hurts me to see these trees come down,” said Rice, 66, who has managed the resort for 29 years. But it has to be done. Thousands of conifers burned when the Caldor Fire swept through the resort property in August. ... ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle here: Aftermath of Caldor Fire leaves future of Sierra-at-Tahoe resort in question
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
On the rise — three years after the Camp Fire, the rebuild continues
“In 2018, the Camp Fire came through Northern California and destroyed entire communities. Three years later, the residents in Paradise, Concow, Butte Creek Canyon and other communities burned by the fire, show that people are coming together and rebuilding in the area, yet some are struggling to get by. Adel Mubaraka is a long time resident of Concow and owner of the local general store Canyon Lakes Market. Mubaraka appears to be a staple of the community. As customers entered the shop Thursday he greeted them by first name. … ” Read more from the Chico Enterprise-Record here: On the rise — three years after the Camp Fire, the rebuild continues
BAY AREA
Rain and wind will lash the Bay Area on Monday. Here’s when the atmospheric river will make landfall
“The Bay Area is expected to receive a brief bout of rain and wind starting Monday afternoon, but it will be much less powerful than the historic storm that hit the region in late October. Light rainfall is likely to begin developing over the North Bay on Monday afternoon, and increase in intensity over other parts of the Bay Area throughout the evening and overnight, said National Weather Service meteorologist Roger Gass. The bulk of the rainfall is expected to occur after sunset Monday and before sunrise Tuesday. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle here: Rain and wind will lash the Bay Area on Monday. Here’s when the atmospheric river will make landfall
West Marin water project upheld by coast regulators
“State regulators have rejected a challenge against a West Marin project meant to alleviate worsening saltwater contamination in water wells. The North Marin Water District is proposing a new well about a mile east of Point Reyes Station. It says the project would provide a new source of water unaffected by saltwater intrusion. Two of the district’s three wells that serve about 1,800 coastal residents have long been subject to regular saltwater contamination because of their lower elevation near Tomales Bay as well as factors such as drought, sea-level rise and dam removal. The residents are in Point Reyes Station, Olema, Paradise Ranch Estates and Inverness Park. … ” Read more from the Marin Independent Journal here: West Marin water project upheld by coast regulators
A wellness check for Tilden’s Western pond turtles
“Former UC Berkeley postdoctoral scholar Max Lambert is part of a team of wildlife experts who spent much of the pandemic checking in on the health of the Bay Area’s Western pond turtles, including a population living right next door in Tilden Regional Park. Despite being California’s only native freshwater turtle, the Western pond turtle is struggling to survive the combined effects of climate change, habitat destruction and urban development — not to mention competition with the larger, more aggressive red-eared slider turtle, an invasive species. The slider turtle, whose characteristic red stripes are said to have inspired the colorful face masks worn by the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, often is purchased as a pet, only to later be released into the wild. … ” Read more from Berkeleyside here: A wellness check for Tilden’s Western pond turtles
California, Bay Area expected to be big beneficiaries of infrastructure bill
“California and the Bay Area are expected to be big beneficiaries of the infrastructure bill. All manner of transportation projects, like road improvement and bridge repair, are expected to get a sizable chunk of infrastructure money. So, passage of the $1.2 trillion plan is welcome news to people like Alfredo Pedroza, who chairs the Bay Area’s Metropolitan Transportation Commission. “It’s going to be an incredible opportunity for this region, and I think it’s going to transform communities and counties. So we’re very excited about our future, said Pedroza. ... ” Read more from KTVU here: California, Bay Area expected to be big beneficiaries of infrastructure bill
Even the Bay Area needs to reduce greenhouse gas emissions faster, experts say
“California is running behind in the race to cut its greenhouse gas emissions and will need to drastically speed up its efforts to meet crucial goals for fighting climate change, state officials and policy experts say. In 2019, the most recent year statewide data are available, California’s emissions fell about 1.6%. But cuts of about 4% will be needed to fulfill the state’s ambitious aim to cut planet-warming pollutants to 40% below 1990 levels by 2030 and reach carbon neutrality by 2045. “We need to (more than) double the rate at which we reduce emissions,” said Stanley Young, spokesperson for the California Air Resources Board. “It’s got to go to about 4% per year, year over year.” ... ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle here: Even the Bay Area needs to reduce greenhouse gas emissions faster, experts say
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Amid drought, Saitex USA uses 98% recycled water in denim production
“Traditionally, washing just one pair of denim pants would require about 22 gallons of water, but the green tech washing machines at the Saitex USA factory in Vernon use less than one-fifth of a gallon. General Manager David Chang says that’s huge savings. “Within one year, we’ll be saving 38 million liters of water by using newer machines [rather] than the traditional machines,” Chang said. … ” Read more from Spectrum 1 here: Amid drought, Saitex USA uses 98% recycled water in denim production
Commentary: Let’s talk about Well no. 28
Owen Lucas Agbayani, resident of Orange and a first-year undergraduate student at Chapman University, writes, “As I finished up my night shift on Sept. 30, there was one thing that remained in the back of my mind throughout that day: “WELL No. 28 DRILLING PROJECT” (June – October 2021). Earlier that day, I explored the Circle with some of my friends. On our way to Thai Towne Eatery, I came across the infamous (or rather, unknown to residents) drilling project, located near my university’s film school. It didn’t really stand out — I only ever heard about it from my professors, and with some searching, a Facebook post announcing its construction from Aug. 12, 2021. Up close, there was a sign showing its City of Orange Public Works approval, but beyond the yellow tape, rustic pipes, and construction vehicles, there was a water well waiting to be researched. … ” Read more from the Voice of the OC here: Commentary: Let’s talk about Well no. 28
Along the Colorado River …
Column: It could take at least 500,000 acre-feet of water a year to keep Lake Mead from tanking
Columnist Joanna Allhands writes, “Arizona, California and Nevada are moving forward with a plan to save another 500,000 acre-feet of water in Lake Mead annually until 2026. We’re talking 500,000 acre-feet over and above the mandatory cuts that are spelled out in the 2019 Drought Contingency Plan (DCP). Each year. For five years. Just to keep the lake from tanking. That’s a significant amount of water. That required a significant bit of negotiation. The so-called “500-plus plan” is the result of a provision within DCP that required the Lower Basin states to “consult and determine what additional measures will be taken” to keep the lake from falling to a dangerously low elevation of 1,020 feet. … ” Read more from the Arizona Republic here: Column: It could take at least 500,000 acre-feet of water a year to keep Lake Mead from tanking
Wildfire, drought provisions in infrastructure bill bring new funding to old ideas on Western Slope
“The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which is expected to be signed into law by President Joe Biden this week, has been much discussed nationally over the last few months as it aims to reach all parts of the country with the nearly $1.2 trillion in spending called for over the next eight years. In the Colorado River Basin, the infrastructure bill addresses the most crucial infrastructure of the West in water infrastructure, allocating $300 million to implement the Colorado River Basin Drought Contingency Plan. The drought contingency plan evolved from the 2007 Colorado River Interim Guidelines addressing the Colorado River’s deteriorating storage levels. ... ” Read more from Vail Daily here: Wildfire, drought provisions in infrastructure bill bring new funding to old ideas on Western Slope
In national water news today …
How the infrastructure bill happened and what it will do
“The House approved bipartisan infrastructure legislation Friday following months of negotiations and Democratic infighting over how to handle the president’s agenda. The $1.2 trillion “Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act,” H.R. 3684, often dubbed the Bipartisan Infrastructure Framework, or BIF, would boost spending on highways, transit and rail, as well as electric vehicles, climate resilience, energy and more. The bill was the product of bipartisan conversations in the Senate with the goal of approving at least part of President Biden’s priorities on a bipartisan basis. Players included Sens. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) and Rob Portman (R-Ohio.). After weeks of bargaining, the senators and Biden spoke outside the West Wing of the White House in June to announced a compromise framework. The president on Friday cheered the bill’s passage. … ” Read more from E&E News here: How the infrastructure bill happened and what it will do
House passes infrastructure bill including funding boosts for the water sector
“On Friday, after months of negotiation and several delayed votes, the U.S. House of Representatives approved the bipartisan, $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which was first approved by the Senate in August. According to the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies (AMWA), which has been closely following progress on the legislation along with other water sector groups, the House made no changes to the bill before passing it. President Joe Biden is expected to sign the bill this week. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act includes $550 billion in new spending. For water infrastructure, it carries $48.4 billion over five years for drinking water and wastewater spending at the U.S. EPA ... ” Read more from Water Finance & Management here: House passes infrastructure bill including funding boosts for the water sector
SEE ALSO: Gov. Newsom Lauds Passage of $1.2 Trillion Infrastructure and Jobs Act, from NBC Bay Area
Photo gallery of Shasta, Oroville, and Folsom lakes …
Click on any graphic to enter the slideshow.
Current reservoir conditions …
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More news and commentary in the weekend edition …
In California water news this weekend …
- What to expect as state water officials weigh in on local groundwater sustainability plans
- Vexed by dust pollution, officials around Mono Lake call on Los Angeles to cease water diversions
- The new state law that could end Tooleville’s fight for clean water
- California cattle farmers endure ‘one of the worst years ever’
- Mapping annual wildfire probabilities across California
- Needed rain, mountain snow to return to California
- Why isn’t Shasta Lake’s water level rising? Officials explain
- The trash divers protecting America’s best-loved lakes
- Marin, Sonoma to create groundwater storage banks for future droughts
- S.F.’s Embarcadero needs to be raised as much as 7 feet to prepare for sea level rise, city says
- Pajaro Valley land is sinking at slow rate
- Conservation ethic allows Monterey Bay farmers to thrive during drought
- Salton Sea habitat site at Red Hill Bay bulldozed by IID; recriminations fly
- House passes $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill that includes transport, broadband and utility funding, sends it to Biden
- And more …
Click here to read the Daily Digest, weekend edition.
Also on Maven’s Notebook today …
ANNOUNCEMENT: IRWM Roundtable of Regions to Hold Virtual Climate Resilience Summit
NOTICE: Notice of Preparation of Environmental Impact Report and CEQA Scoping Meeting: MCL for hexavalent chromium
THE CURRENT: California Trout at fifty; Ecological restoration of Cochran Creek; What the science says: Fish eyes; and more …
AG AND RESOURCE ECONOMICS SPECIAL ISSUE: Implications of the Drought for California Agriculture
ESTUARY NEWS: Cows Run Amuck, East Bay Groundwater, Breaching Season, Lab in a Garage, Birds Use Solar Ponds, and more…
