DAILY DIGEST, 11/10: Senior rights holders battle state over water pacts; Migrating birds hit hard by drought; How ag’s footprint has changed since the last drought; What kind of problems can abandoned oil wells leave behind?; and more …


On the calendar today …

  • FREE WEBINAR: Recycle the Runoff: A roadmap for stormwater diversions with the LA County Sanitation Districts beginning at 9am.  The workshop will offer a roadmap for stormwater permittees interested in planning and implementing stormwater diversions in LA County. Expert panelists will cover the requirements, permitting needs, costs, benefits, and limitations of diversion projects.  Click here to register.
  • FREE WEBINAR: Seeing the Forest: For the Climate from 9am to 10am.  Join Pacific Forest Trust President Laurie Wayburn and Board members Andrea Tuttle, Ann Bartuska and Jerry Franklin for the first of our “Seeing the Forest” webinar series, where they’ll share their thoughts on forests as Natural Climate Solutions and give inside impressions from the COP Summit in Glasgow, Scotland. Click here to register.
  • WEBINAR: Agricultural Reuse in California: Moving to the Next Level from 11am to 12pm. Join WateReuse California’s Agricultural Reuse Committee to learn about agricultural water reuse in production, planned projects, and new opportunities.  An expert panel of agricultural reuse practitioners will share their experiences, lessons learned, and outlook for agriculture reuse in California. Following the panel, the audience will be encouraged to submit questions for a moderated Q&A.  Click here to register.
  • FREE WEBINAR: Constructing the Nation’s Largest Ion Exchange PFAS Water Treatment Plant from 11am to 12pm.  OCWD, the Yorba Linda Water District (YWLD), Tetra Tech and Pacific Hydrotech have worked closely together to complete construction on the nation’s largest ion exchange PFAS water treatment plant at YLWD’s headquarters. The treatment plant will treat up to 25 million gallons of water a day.  This webinar will provide an overview of the project from early collaboration through construction completion, start-up, and operation, including lessons learned and key factors that led to its success.  Click here to register.
  • WEBINAR: An Operations Perspective: Aquifer Storage and Recover (ASR) Program Expansion Within the City of Roseville Towards a Form of Conjunctive Use from 12pm to 1pm.  The City of Roseville is currently in the process of expanding its Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR) program including increased operation of their ASR wells and construction of new facilities. This expansion has required changes to the operational requirements of the City’s existing water supply system and consideration of how ASR will affect program operations in the future. This presentation discussing how the City’s operations team has tackled these challenges and some of their considerations for the future of the program.  Click here to register.
  • FREE WEBINAR: Expanding Forecast Informed Reservoir Operations (FIRO) from 12pm to 1:30pm.  This webinar will discuss opening remarks on national USACE policy, National FIRO screening level process, forecast needs associated with FIRO expansion into other parts of the U.S., and integrating FIRO and Water Control Manual Updates.  Click here to register.

In California water news today …

Senior rights holders battle state over water pacts

There are no shortages of critical issues facing Oakdale Irrigation District in central California. As the state looks to take 40% of the district’s springtime river flows, district directors are searching for their next water champion.  Next year’s retirement of General Manager Steve Knell means more than a board action to hire his replacement. For a district with water rights to the Stanislaus River dating back to the mid-19th Century, the new skipper to take the helm will surely be part of a charge to protect the district’s sustainable access to its rights to 300,000 acre-feet of river water. … ”  Read more from the Western Farm Press here: Senior rights holders battle state over water pacts

Winged warning: Migrating birds hit hard by California’s drought

It says something about the complexity of California’s water crisis that there are so many actors in the state’s water wars, all clamoring for more. Nature, alone, is silent in this fight, relying on others to speak on behalf of the welfare of wildlife and waterways.  Across the state, biologists, farmers and hunters are lending nature a helping hand. It’s sometimes an extreme intervention: trucking young salmon when drought shrinks rivers.  But this year these lifelines aren’t enough. Migratory birds — protected by state and national laws and an international treaty — are suffering mightily during this drought, even more quickly than they did during the last major dry spell, which lasted five years and ended in early 2017. … ”  Read more from Cal Matters here: Winged warning: Migrating birds hit hard by California’s drought

Video: The uncertain future of valley farmland

Valley farmers have relied on groundwater for generations.  That is changing under the state’s new Sustainable Groundwater Management Act, SGMA, that mandates aquifers be brought into balance by 2040. That means more water can’t be pumped out than is recharged into the aquifer.  Pumping restrictions could mean significant portions of the valley’s farmland will have to be fallowed, or taken out of production.  Farmers are now trying to find new uses for land that may no longer be used for food production. … ”  Read more from SJV Water here: Video: The uncertain future of valley farmland

How ag’s footprint has changed since the last drought

In the world of farming, not all crops are equal.  That is starkly apparent when looking at how crops changed in the central and southern San Joaquin Valley since the beginning of the last drought, according to county crop reports.  While most counties saw reductions in overall harvested acres between 2012 and 2020, they also saw sharp increases in permanent crop acreage — particularly almond and pistachio trees.  Almond and pistachio acreage increased by 584,387 acres across Kern, Kings, Tulare, Madera and Fresno counties between 2012 and 2020 (2019 for Fresno County, which has not yet released it’s 2020 crop report).  It’s not difficult to understand the lure. … ”  Read more from SJV Water here: How ag’s footprint has changed since the last drought

Infrastructure bill includes funding for Western water systems

The U.S. House Nov. 5 voted 228-206 to pass a $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill that includes $8.3 billion dollars in water-related investments. The package, HR 3684, includes investments in dams, waterways, flood prevention efforts, drought resilience, groundwater storage and conveyance, aquifer recharge projects and other water works.  Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack in a statement called the deal a “transformative, historic investment for America.”  … Though many site-level specifics are still unknown, broadly, the bill outlines some big-picture plans for water projects in the West. … ”  Continue reading at the Capital Press here: Infrastructure bill includes funding for Western water systems

How much did the latest atmospheric river add to California’s water supply?

Another atmospheric river swept through the Bay Area this week, adding to what has been a wet start to the rainy season.  So how much did the second round of rain add to the state’s water supply?  As of midnight Monday, after much of the rain had fallen, several of California’s major reservoirs across the state had slightly more water than they did in late October after the last atmospheric river, according to state data — a good sign for the parched state.  However, even with the back-to-back storms, nearly all of the reservoirs have significantly less water than the historic average for November 9. … ”  Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle here: How much did the latest atmospheric river add to California’s water supply?

SEE ALSOHere’s how much snow fell near Tahoe, as brief Northern California storm dwindles, from the Sacramento Bee

“Sharing Butte Creek” set to make PBS debut

A documentary program about a major Sacramento Valley environmental success story will make its television debut next week.  “Sharing Butte Creek” is from Emmy award winning producer, photographer and editor Kit Tyler, through sponsorship from the Rice Commission and Northern California Water Association.  The program traces more than 150 years of environmental change and focuses on the modern feats to reactivate the floodplain to save fish and waterfowl, “fins and feathers”, in the region.  The extraordinary successes have been accomplished through novel partnerships between rice growers, conservationists and water officials and may be the model for conservation efforts all across the Central Valley. ... ”  Find out when and where to watch from the California Rice Commission here: “Sharing Butte Creek” set to make PBS debut

Continuous drought results to one of the worst year for cattle farmers in California

Livestock producers in California recently suffered a catastrophic setback to business sector as a result of numerous dry seasons in a row, which has also positioned the country in a crisis of distress and prompted farm owners to decrease their animals.  California has seen a substantial dearth of rainfall in the manner of rain and alpine snowpack during the previous just a few years this is per the AccuWeather Weather forecaster Isaac Longley.  “This has all been particularly obvious during rainy period, when California generally receives the majority of its rainfall,” Longley added. … ”  Read more from Nature World News here: Continuous drought results to one of the worst year for cattle farmers in California

Cultivate California educates residents about farms’ need for water

” … No one knows how long these dry conditions will last, but the most recent drought lasted for 376 weeks, from December 2011 to March 2019. And the National Weather Service currently forecasts that drought conditions are likely to continue in California as a weak La Niña effect will likely see storms diverted to the Pacific Northwest this winter. And all of that is bad news for California agriculture.  Which is why Cultivate California’s program aimed at educating Californians about the connection between consumers, the food they love and the water needed to grow it is so important as its messaging reaches 16 million people a year. … ”  Read more from California Ag Today here: Cultivate California educates residents about farms’ need for water

DWR awards another $25 million in drought relief for small communities

As part of a continuing effort to address drought impacts across the state, the Department of Water Resources (DWR) announced its fourth round of funding commitments through the Small Community Drought Relief program.  DWR and the State Water Resources Control Board worked together to identify 14 projects for funding in 10 counties: Tulare, Lake, Santa Cruz, Shasta, Sonoma, Humboldt, Santa Barbara, San Mateo, Yolo and Colusa. Of the 14 projects, about half will benefit disadvantaged communities and range from covering the cost of hauled water to constructing new wells and replacing leaky pipelines. ... ”  Read more from DWR News here: DWR awards another $25 million in drought relief for small communities

As cities grow, wastewater recycling gets another look

Around the U.S., cities are increasingly warming to an idea that once induced gags: Sterilize wastewater from toilets, sinks and factories, and eventually pipe it back into homes and businesses as tap water. In the Los Angeles area, plans to recycle wastewater for drinking are moving along with little fanfare just two decades after similar efforts in the city sparked such a backlash they had to be abandoned. The practice, which must meet federal drinking water standards, has been adopted in several places around the country, including nearby Orange County.  “We’ve had a sea change in terms of public attitudes toward wastewater recycling,” said David Nahai, the former general manager of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power. … ”  Read more from the US News and World Report here: As cities grow, wastewater recycling gets another look

Can the western US avoid a future of low or no snow?

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.  The review paper, published in the journal Nature Reviews Earth and Environment, 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 US in 35 to 60 years.  The study also re-evaluates longstanding assumptions in US water management, stressing the importance of collaboration between scientists and water managers in developing and implementing climate adaptation strategies. … ”  Read more from Futurity here: Can the western US avoid a future of low or no snow?

Calif.’s last nuclear plant needed for 100% clean grid — experts

The only remaining nuclear power plant in California could help the state fight climate change, prevent electricity shortages and provide badly needed water if it remains open for another decade, according to a new report.  Factors have changed since Pacific Gas and Electric Co. decided in 2016 to close the Diablo Canyon plant in 2025, including the onset of a historic drought and the plant’s ability to power a desalination plant, said the report by Stanford University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The plant could also help to provide hydrogen for clean cars.  “We are not in position in the near-term future … to go to 100% renewable energy, and there’ll be times when the wind doesn’t blow, the sun doesn’t shine,” said Steven Chu, who served as Energy secretary under President Obama. “And we will need some power that we can actually turn on, dispatch at will.”  … ”  Read more from E&E News here: Calif.’s last nuclear plant needed for 100% clean grid — experts

What kind of problems can abandoned oil wells leave behind?

Across the country in oil-rich states like Texas, California and Pennsylvania, there are millions of abandoned oil and gas wells that once fueled the nation. Now, many are dormant after being plugged with cement.  At one ranch in West Texas, a decommissioned oil well started gushing toxic water. That’s left the rancher who owns the land fighting with an oil company and has raised questions about the safety of her drinking water. …  This summer, Watt had to move the approximately 600 cattle off her land when a nearly 70-year-old oil well called the Estes 24 was discovered leaking toxic water believed to be from past oil production.  “With the Estes 24 blowing out at the surface, that’s pretty much been my life,” she said. … ”  Read more from Marketplace here: What kind of problems can abandoned oil wells leave behind?

SEE ALSO: The new infrastructure bill will fund pollution cleanup. But will it hold polluters accountable?, from Popular Science

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In commentary today …

We can help farmers by retiring some parched lands

Jay Ziegler, director of policy for The Nature Conservancy, and Dan Vink, principal partner for Six-33 solutions, write, “We are all celebrating a rare atmospheric river storm event that recently hit a temporary pause button on California’s record drought. At the same time, climate scientists are telling us that these kinds of storm events are part of California’s “new hydrology.” That means a future where we will experience longer, multi-year periods of droughts interrupted by big storms.  Against the backdrop of droughts and our new climate reality, water users in the San Joaquin Valley continued to overdraft the regional basins to the tune of 2 million acre-feet annually, according to a 2019 report by the Public Policy Institute of California.  To bring the basins into balance and meet the requirements of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act will require fallowing land in the range of 500,000 acres in the years ahead, possibly much more depending on the solutions we can create.  A hopeful vision for the future will require a well-planned and coordinated land use strategy that makes sense for both agriculture and their local communities, while also restoring and improving environmental function. … ”  Read more from Ag Alert here: We can help farmers by retiring some parched lands

It’s time to value stormwater as a resource

Karen Cowan, executive director of the California Stormwater Quality Association (CASQA), writes, “California is yet again facing statewide drought conditions. According to the most recent data from the National Integrated Drought Information System, 100% of the state is currently experiencing moderate drought and over 83% of the state is experiencing extreme drought. … Our urban communities are comprised of concrete and other hardened surfaces, like roads, parking lots and sidewalks. Collectively, those hardened surfaces keep water from seeping into the ground. To control that volume of water, our flood control systems are designed to capture and move water from the urban landscape as fast as possible. Meaning, even though we are experiencing extreme drought, the majority of our rain water simply washes out of our communities. We need roads to drive on and flood control systems to keep life and property safe. Still, we have an opportunity to do better. There are three main ways that we can collectively make a difference. … ”  Read more from the San Francisco Examiner here: It’s time to value stormwater as a resource

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Today’s featured article …

BAY-DELTA SCIENCE CONFERENCE: Managed Floodplain Fish Food: Bringing Dry Side Food Webs to Wet Side Fish

At the 2021 Bay-Delta Science Conference, Jacob Montgomery, Project Manager for Cal Trout’s Central Valley program, presented a potential new management strategy for managing Central Valley chinook salmon.

Click here to read this article.

 

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In regional water news and commentary today …

NORTH COAST

‘If the fish die, the people die’: Water wars in America’s West

Rehearsing her speech, Joey Gentry looked nervous. An environmental activist and member of the Klamath Tribes, Gentry planned to address the city council of the small farming town in Southern Oregon where she lived the next day.  The region’s best hope to end its decades-long conflict over water, she planned to argue, was to finally address its legacy of land dispossession, ecological destruction and genocide against Native American tribes like hers. “I can say that to you guys,” she said quietly to a group of supporters gathered at a park in downtown Klamath Falls, “I don’t know if I can say it to them.”  Speaking publicly about racial justice was not without risk in Klamath Falls. A year earlier, at the park where Gentry now sat, a small Black Lives Matter demonstration was met with hundreds of counter-protesters armed with rifles, shotguns and pistols. Now, Gentry planned to argue that the Klamath Basin’s festering racial injustices were also at the root of the region’s explosive issue: water. … ”  Read more from Al Jazeera here: ‘If the fish die, the people die’: Water wars in America’s West

Mud Creek carries heavy debris down Mt. Shasta, threatening town’s water supply

Mt. Shasta’s Mud Creek is living up to its name this year, washing a “staggering” amount of debris down the mountain, knocking over trees, flooding roads, overtopping bridges and endangering a water source for the community of McCloud.  Fed by warmer-than-normal rains in the Mount Shasta and McCloud area, Mud Creek has been sending tons of rocks, trees, boulders, cars and mud down the southeast side of the mountain, officials said Tuesday.  The debris flow also forced the closure of Pilgrim Creek Road, which heads north off Highway 89 a couple miles east of McCloud. … ”  Read more from the Mt. Shasta News here:  Mud Creek carries heavy debris down Mt. Shasta, threatening town’s water supply

SEE ALSO: PHOTOS: Mud buildup threatens McCloud’s water supply, from Mt. Shasta News

MOUNTAIN COUNTIES

Lake Tahoe’s underwater trash collectors are pushing into winter. Here’s what they’ve found so far

The underwater garbage collectors that have been scouring Lake Tahoe the past six months had initially hoped to comb the entire 72-mile shoreline by now. But a series of setbacks — hazardous wildfire smoke, fire evacuations and early-season snowfall — put them behind schedule, and they have decided to continue into winter, when Tahoe’s water temperature drops to a chilly average of about 44 degrees Fahrenheit. “It’s been a heck of a summer,” said Colin West, founder and executive director of Clean Up the Lake, the group behind the trash extraction. “I would have loved to have late August-early September water temperatures instead of being pushed into the colder months, but the team is prepping everything we need to keep going into the winter.” … ”  Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle here: Lake Tahoe’s underwater trash collectors are pushing into winter. Here’s what they’ve found so far

SACRAMENTO VALLEY

Reclamation announces 15-day comment period for Safety of Dams contract for the Orland Project’s Stony Gorge Dam

The Bureau of Reclamation today announced the completed contract negotiation between the United States and the Orland Unit Water Users Association for the repayment of costs expended for Safety of Dams modifications on Stony Gorge in Glenn County in Northern California.  The contract will allow the U.S. to recover the costs that were expended to repair the dam as a result of state-of-the-art changes to improve seismic loads on the dam. The U.S. determined that the dam and related facilities needed modifications pursuant to the Reclamation Safety of Dams Act, as amended, to preserve its structural integrity, maintain project benefits, and reduce the risk to the downstream public. … ”  Read more from the Bureau of Reclamation here: Reclamation announces 15-day comment period for Safety of Dams contract for the Orland Project’s Stony Gorge Dam

Salmon surge into new Nimbus Fish Hatchery ladder on American River

As hundreds of Chinook salmon congregated in the rock-lined channel at the entrance to the new Nimbus Fish Hatchery ladder, the Bureau of Reclamation and California Department of Fish and Wildlife on Nov. 2 held a short ribbon cutting ceremony marking the completion of the hatchery’s new Fish Passage Project. Before the ceremony, hatchery staff took more than 700 salmon into the facility in just 20 minutes, according to Gary Novak, hatchery manager. The hatchery has trapped a total of 1,800 salmon and has taken 650,000 green eggs in two spawning sessions to date.  … ”  Read more from the Stockton Record here: Salmon surge into new Nimbus Fish Hatchery ladder on American River

Del Paso Manor Water District accused by Sacramento County of not repairing aging infrastructure

The Del Paso Manor Water District is under fire by the Sacramento County Grand Jury due to a wave of concerns ranging from water contamination to aging infrastructure and even not complying with California’s monitoring requirements.  According to a Sacramento County’s news release, the formal complaint comes after a seven-month investigation into the water district. County officials say that the water district failed to complete $35 million in repairs and upgrades that could lead to potential failure for the entire water complex. … ”  Read more from Channel 10 here: Del Paso Manor Water District accused by Sacramento County of not repairing aging infrastructure

Four Cache Slough levee projects get Board of Supervisors endorsement

Solano County supervisors agreed Tuesday to send a letter to the state Department of Water Resources seeking $5.125 million in grant funds for four Cache Slough area levee projects.  The action was taken as part of the board’s consent calendar so there was no discussion on the matter.  The letter states that the projects meet the objectives of the January 2020 memorandum of understanding the county reached with DWR. … ”  Read more from the Fairfield Daily Republic here: Four Cache Slough levee projects get Board of Supervisors endorsement

NAPA/SONOMA

Sonoma County ranchers, water managers welcome rain but caution that California drought persists

” … While city dwellers relish the emerald landscape, for ranchers it represents another type of green: The money saved as nature offsets the need to buy hay to nurture their herds.  City and county water managers also are pleased to see rising levels in the area’s two major reservoirs — Lake Sonoma west of Healdsburg and Lake Mendocino near Ukiah.  “This is an important start,” said Don Seymour, principal engineer with Sonoma Water, the county agency that delivers Russian River water to more than 600,000 Sonoma and Marin county residents.  But electronic highway signs are still urging water savings and all of Sonoma County remained in extreme drought, the third highest of four levels, in last week’s federal Drought Monitor. … ”  Read more from the Santa Rosa Press Democrat here: Sonoma County ranchers, water managers welcome rain but caution that California drought persists

BAY AREA

S.F. Bay Area to warm up now that another atmospheric river has cleared out. Here’s what to expect

Clear skies and slightly warmer temperatures were on tap for Wednesday morning after a weak atmospheric river that raked the Bay Area this week cleared out, the National Weather Service said.  “We’re looking at some gradual warming going into late this week with (Wednesday’s) temperatures still a little bit more wild” than Monday, said NWS meteorologist Eleanor Dhuyvetter.  Temperatures were predicted to continue rising Wednesday into the mid- to upper 60s in coastal areas and low 70s in interior southern areas, the agency said. “In other words, close to daily normals,” meteorologists wrote in a forecast discussion Tuesday afternoon. … ”  Read more from the SF Chronicle here: S.F. Bay Area to warm up now that another atmospheric river has cleared out. Here’s what to expect

Richmond to Chevron: Listen to our residents’ safety concerns

Richmond city leaders sent a recording of a recent city council meeting to Chevron executives documenting the concerns local residents have about a significant malfunction the oil giant’s refinery recently experienced that has led the facility to send gases to its flares on and off for days.  The proposal to send the video to the company, which passed unanimously last Tuesday night, came after two Chevron officials gave a presentation to the city council about the accident that took place during last month’s massive storm, which triggered the facility to belch out flames and smoke.  Members of the city council and local residents said at the meeting they were dissatisfied by the explanation and are looking for answers. … ”  Read more from KQED here: Richmond to Chevron: Listen to our residents’ safety concerns

Coalition forms in opposition to costly water project, the Pacheco Dam expansion

A coalition has formed, representing the many organizations and individuals who have expressed opposition and concern over the proposed Pacheco Dam Reservoir Expansion Project currently under consideration by the Santa Clara Valley Water District (Valley Water).  The Stop the Pacheco Dam Project coalition is staunchly opposed to this project that would create water storage at a cost of $18,800 per acre-foot with no real guarantees in terms of future water supplies. Members of the coalition will participate virtually in Valley Water’s board meeting Tuesday, November 9th to ask Valley Water not to adopt the resolution approving a Valley Water funding commitment for 75% of the non-public benefit costs share of the project. … ”

Click here for the full coalition press release.

CENTRAL COAST

Northern SLO County water district officials accused of subversion

The San Luis Obispo County District Attorney’s Office ordered Shandon-San Juan Water District officials to stop violating the Ralph M. Brown Act last week, after determining the agency was covertly working to secure additional water rights by disguising their discussions as potential litigation.  The Brown Act allows goverment agencies to discuss limited topics in closed session including potential, pending or ongoing litigation. In this case, water district officials listed a March 16 closed-session discussion as potential litigation in the meeting agenda. … ”  Read more from the Cal Coast News here: Northern SLO County water district officials accused of subversion

SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY

Restore the Delta defends Stockton’s water rights application

[Tuesday], Restore the Delta presented a letter to the State Water Resources board defending the City of Stockton’s water right application for the Delta Water Supply Project.   At issue is whether the City’s water diversion and treatment system will be put to full use, or sit as a partially stranded asset, harming Stockton’s water quality, especially in environmental justice (“disadvantaged”) communities.  The letter concludes…  “Finally, forcing the City of Stockton to accept its water diversion and treatment system as a partially stranded asset would be discriminatory. Stockton is home to a large environmental justice (or “disadvantaged”) community, and can ill afford to have its municipal water system be the object of harassment by the Water Board and protestants to this proceeding.” ... ”  Continue reading from Restore the Delta here: Restore the Delta defends Stockton’s water rights application

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

Metropolitan Water District declares drought emergency in Southern California

Southern California’s largest urban water district declared a drought emergency on Tuesday and called for local water suppliers to immediately cut the use of water from the State Water Project.  The resolution passed by the board of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California calls on people across the region to step up conservation efforts, but also focuses especially on six water agencies that rely heavily or entirely on the water-starved State Water Project.  Those water agencies, which supply cities in Los Angeles, Ventura and San Bernardino counties, have been instructed to activate additional conservation measures and reduce their usage of water from the State Water Project, which is in an acute shortage after one of the state’s driest years on record. ... ”  Read more from the LA Times here: Metropolitan Water District declares drought emergency in Southern California

SEE ALSO:

Pasadena adopts water plans

After previewing South Pasadena’s potential future water usage, the City Council recently adopted a pair of plans that show that homes and businesses will continue to be able to tap into water service for at least the next five years.  The council unanimously approved both the Urban Water Management Plan and Water Shortage Contingency Plan for the municipality in October after a discussion concerning the state’s continuing drought conditions and the city’s current appetite for water. The bottom line is that residents and business owners need not worry about the immediate future. … ”  Read more from South Pasadena Review here: Pasadena adopts water plans

Water Replenishment District of SoCal sues 3M, others over groundwater contamination

California’s largest groundwater agency has sued 3M Co, Corteva Inc, the Chemours Co and other manufacturers and sellers of industrial and consumer products over claims they contain a toxic chemical that polluted drinking water in Los Angeles.  The Water Replenishment District of Southern California (WRD), which oversees drinking water supplied to 43 cities in Los Angeles County, alleges in a complaint made public Tuesday that the companies knew products ranging from firefighting foam to textiles and non-stick cookware would pollute groundwater with perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, but failed to warn against the risk. … ”  Read more from Reuters here: Water Replenishment District of SoCal sues 3M, others over groundwater contamination

Mesa Water District building 2 wells that will generate 11M gallons of drinking water daily

As California’s drought wears on, Mesa Water District is taking steps to ensure customers can enjoy fresh, reliable drinking water on demand — and two new wells being built will increase that local supply significantly in the coming months.  Funded by a $1.6-million grant from the state’s Department of Water Resources, two potable water wells under construction in Santa Ana should be completed by next summer, officials say.  Two facilities, on Croddy Way and Chandler Avenue, are anticipated to bring in up to 11 million gallons of fresh drinking water daily, adding to the 5 billion gallons already generated by the district’s seven existing wells. … ” Read more from the LA Times here: Mesa Water District building 2 wells that will generate 11M gallons of drinking water daily

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Along the Colorado River …

Colorado River map: One big picture

As the western United States continues to wither in an extended drought, the Colorado River’s two largest reservoirs, Lake Mead and Lake Powell, have fallen to their lowest levels since they were first filled—Lake Mead in 1935 and Lake Powell in 1963—according to John Fleck, a professor of practice in water policy and governance in the Department of Economics and director of the Water Resources Program at the University of New Mexico, Albuquerque. Against this parched backdrop, the Babbitt Center for Land and Water Policy has published a timely new map of the Colorado River watershed that illuminates the complicated issues facing basin managers now and in the future as water becomes an ever more scarce and precious commodity in the West.  Produced in partnership with the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy’s newly launched Center for Geospatial Solutions, the peer-reviewed map, which includes photographs and extensive narrative, tells the story of the river’s complicated legal and political history and challenges. ... ”  Read more from Landscape Architect here: Colorado River map: One big picture

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In national water news today …

New research shows most Americans unaware of their daily water consumption

According to new research conducted by global research agency Opinium on behalf of American Water, Americans underestimate the amount of what they use daily by 90%. Most believe they use less than 100 gallons of water each day, when the actual number is more than 2,000 gallons on average (according to Water Footprint Network). This figure considers the water consumed by individuals directly (dishwashing or watering the lawn) and indirectly (water required to produce food).   With the majority of Americans underestimating their own personal water usage, the study also found a lack of awareness for water consumption in specific areas of their lives as well. … ”  Read more from Municipal Water and Sewer here: New research shows most Americans unaware of their daily water consumption

City OKs Google data centers amid secrecy, water worries

The council of a small Oregon city has approved a deal with Google that will enable the technology giant to build two more water-guzzling data centers there, though some residents worry about drought and secrecy.  A single data center can churn through millions of gallons of water per day to keep hot-running equipment cool, and the placement of these facilities in drought-prone areas is an increasing concern around the globe, even as reliance on them is growing. Data centers form the “cloud” that helps people stream movies, conduct research at the touch of a button, buy things and store photos and videos. … ”  Read more from SF Gate here: City OKs Google data centers amid secrecy, water worries

States eclipse feds in cleaning up ‘forever chemicals’ in soil

States are moving to set cleanup targets for so-called “forever chemicals” in soil—guidelines that attorneys say could create the potential for state and federal conflict over standards as the Biden administration advances its own plan to combat PFAS pollution.  Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, and Maine recently have established standards for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, in soil, and California and Washington are exploring them. They reflect the reality that PFAS seeping into the ground can migrate into groundwater.  So far, no state has established an enforceable liability standard for PFAS in soil, at least not explicitly. But that could be coming as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency moves forward with the roadmap for addressing the chemicals that the White House announced in mid-October, attorneys said. ... ”  Read more from Bloomberg Law here: States eclipse feds in cleaning up ‘forever chemicals’ in soil

As the world gets hotter, can cattle survive? A rancher’s quest for drought-proof cows

As representatives of the world’s most powerful countries meet in Scotland for the United Nations conference on climate change, questions around cattle — their intense use of land and water and their release of gases that contribute to global warming — have been on many minds. The U.S. and dozens of countries have pledged to reduce methane emissions. Others such as Australia have refused, citing the beef industry as a reason.  Some believe weaning America — the fifth-largest producer of beef in the world — off cattle would make a significant contribution.  Then there’s a growing group of ranchers, like Hill, who think beef simply needs to be reimagined to survive. … ”  Read more from the LA Times here:  As the world gets hotter, can cattle survive? A rancher’s quest for drought-proof cows

Farmers take on ‘post-apocalyptic’ food crisis

For Australian cattle farmer Jody Brown, the most chilling evidence of drought is the silence. Trees stand still, the warbling of birds gone. Lizards and emus have long departed, while kangaroo mothers, unable to sustain offspring, kick baby joeys from their pouches, leaving them to perish in the devastating heat.  “You just feel like you’re in some kind of post-apocalyptic scene,” 37-year old Brown said from her family’s ranch in Queensland’s central west. The constant dryness means her cattle herd has dwindled to around 400, down from 1,100 at its peak in 2002, and at times there have been no animals on the land at all. The native grasses, once green sustenance, have disintegrated into grey ash. … ”  Read more from Bloomberg News here: Farmers take on ‘post-apocalyptic’ food crisis

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Also on Maven’s Notebook today …

NOTICE: Petition for Temporary Transfer of Water under East Bay Municipal Utility District License 11109

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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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