On the calendar today …
- WEBINAR: A Conversation with DWR Director Karla Nemeth from 10am to 11am. RWA Executive Director Jim Peifer will join Director Nemeth in a virtual discussion about the statewide water supply outlook for 2022 and how DWR works to balance water supply and environmental needs. Click here to register.
- WORKSHOP: Annual Water Supply and Demand Assessment from 10am to 12pm. During the Workshop, DWR staff will review the Draft Annual Water Supply and Demand Assessment Guidance, the Annual Water Shortage Assessment Report requirements, and the associated reporting tables and worksheets. Attendees will have the opportunity to provide comments and input. Click here to register.
In California water news today …
Kings County judge orders both sides to neutral corners in Boswell-Vidovich ditch bank battle
“Heavy equipment blockading a pipeline project from cutting through a canal was ordered removed on Friday and the pipeline project was halted temporarily by a Kings County Superior Court judge. The fight between the Tulare Lake Canal Company, controlled by the J.G. Boswell Company, and Sandridge Partners, controlled by John Vidovich, will be back in court March 23 where Judge Valerie Chrissakis will decide whether the Sandridge pipeline is subject to review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). If so, it would mean the pipeline would have to undergo a full blown environmental impact report, including multiple public hearings. … ” Read more from SJV Water here: Kings County judge orders both sides to neutral corners in Boswell-Vidovich ditch bank battle
Stretching California’s rice belt
“As California entered a second year of drought last spring, the slash in water allocation didn’t catch Rachel Krach and Greg Massa, owners of Massa Organics, by surprise. The real shocker came when they went to plant their Sacramento Valley rice fields: an unprecedented, three-week delay in their expected supply. … For generations, Sacramento Valley farmers have had the assurance of some of California’s oldest and most secure water rights. They’ve protected historic irrigation districts such as Glenn-Colusa with prescribed limits to curtailments, even during dry spells. But as drought worsens, those priority rights, along with any certainty of timely distribution, may potentially hold little water. … ” Read the full story at Modern Farmer here: Stretching California’s rice belt
California’s megadrought to hit the wine industry hard: New 2021 end-of-season irrigation report shows extreme levels of soil water deficit
“Agrology, the leading Predictive Agricultural company and a Public Benefit Corporation, today released the “2021 Agrology Drought Irrigation End of Season Report” for Sonoma and Napa counties. In the report, Agrology’s data shows that 2021 presented an extraordinary level of drought. Across the board, Agrology measured extreme levels of soil water deficit and found that irrigation could sometimes be ineffective due to the severity of the drought. “2021 data shows that dry farmed and irrigated vineyards managed to narrowly avoid destructive levels of water stress and those levels challenged even hearty dry-farmed vineyards,” said Adam Koeppel, Co-Founder and CEO of Agrology. … ” Read more from Wine Industry Advisor here: California’s megadrought to hit the wine industry hard: New 2021 end-of-season irrigation report shows extreme levels of soil water deficit
Smoke on the water: How wildfires affect life underwater
“It’s easy to imagine how a forest might look immediately after a wildfire. It’s harder to imagine how a wildfire could affect life underwater. There are two possible ways that wildfire could affect life in the water. First, remnants of burned plants and soil on the land could flow into a nearby water body when it rains. Second, smoke in the air could block out sunlight and drop small pieces of ash into the water. These effects of burned material or smoke could change the water chemistry, water temperature, or underwater sunlight availability. How might these changes affect lake life? … To investigate how wildfires affect lake ecology, researchers decided to study the water and underwater life of Castle Lake in California, USA. …” Read more from EnviroBites here: Smoke on the water: How wildfires affect life underwater
Regenerative agriculture is steps ahead of California’s new compost law
“This past January, California put a new law into effect. Senate Bill 1383 — the compost law — requires all Californians to dispose of organic food waste in our green bins so the state can reduce methane emissions by creating compost. But many farms around California have already been putting some of the principles in the bill into practice for many years. Just an hour outside of Los Angeles, Mollie Englehart owns and operates Sow a Heart Farm with her husband. And on this farm, they practice regenerative agriculture. … ” Read more from Spectrum 1 here: Regenerative agriculture is steps ahead of California’s new compost law
In a first, California plans to clean up microplastics
“They are in your gut. They are in the ocean. They are even floating through the air in the most remote regions of the West. Microplastics — fragments of broken-down plastic no larger than a fraction of an inch — have become a colossal global problem. California wants to fix that. Last month, the state became the first in the nation to adopt a strategy addressing the scourge of tiny detritus. “We need to eliminate our addiction to single-use plastics,” said Mark Gold, the executive director of the Ocean Protection Council, the governmental body that approved the plan. … ” Read more from the New York Times here: In a first, California plans to clean up microplastics
Drones and AI technology could help fight plastic contamination
“Researchers at the USDA-ARS Cotton Ginning Research Unit in Stoneville, Miss. are developing technologies to detect plastic contaminants in cotton fields. Using cameras mounted to UAV’s, these scientists are creating an image database of litter commonly blown into cotton fields — mainly plastic bags, but also cans, bottles and other trash. The image database will be a learning tool with which researchers will then train an AI software model to detect multiple types of contaminants. The ultimate goal is to develop tools that will allow producers to map plastic contamination in a cotton field and remove it prior to harvest. … ” Read more from the Western Farm Press here: Drones and AI technology could help fight plastic contamination
‘Slow and silent’ part of San Andreas Fault responsible for most devastating earthquakes
“Scientists believe that the southern portion of the San Andreas Fault will inevitably give birth to a massive earthquake, bigger than any that has occurred in Southern California in modern history. On top of the fault lies a rift lake, the Salton Sea, which is the latest in a series of great lakes to form then dry up with the changing course of the Colorado River throughout geologic history. The changing weight of these lakes is thought to have had a regulating effect by triggering periodic approximately magnitude 7 earthquakes to relieve built up tectonic pressures. That process stalled when the Colorado River was tamed by technology in the early 1900’s and pressure is building. … ” Read more from Nature World News here: ‘Slow and silent’ part of San Andreas Fault responsible for most devastating earthquakes
In commentary today …
Column: California’s drought is an alarming problem
Columnist Liz Bowen writes, “No rain or snow in January and February certainly added to the drought in California. L.A. Times reporter Ian James reported on Feb. 24 that many farmers in the federal Central Valley Project will not receive water from the federal system this year. In mid-February, the federal Bureau of Reclamation announced a zero-water allocation for many irrigation districts that supply farmers throughout the Central Valley. Makes one wonder: Where our food will be grown? James also reported that cities that receive water from the federal project in the Central Valley and “parts of the Bay Area were allocated 25 percent of their historical water use.” Statewide, the drought is an alarming problem, and our local elected officials are speaking out within their areas of influence. … ” Read more from the Siskiyou Daily News here: Column: California’s drought is an alarming problem
In regional water news and commentary today …
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
National Groundwater Awareness Week: 95% of drinking water in South Lake Tahoe is groundwater
“It is the 23rd National Groundwater Awareness Week, March 6-12, a week of awareness, education, and advocacy focusing on one of the nation’s most precious resources. Groundwater is a critical resource for the drinking water supply in California, especially during periods of drought when it is relied upon to back-stop reduced surface water supplies. South Lake Tahoe sits at one end of a large body of water, has the Truckee River flowing through, but where does its drinking water come from? … ” Read more from South Tahoe Now here: National Groundwater Awareness Week: 95% of drinking water in South Lake Tahoe is groundwater
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
Valley expects cool, dry and windy this week
“Over the next several days, weather in the north valley is expecting cool, dry weather after just a glimpse of showers and slight thunderstorms this past weekend. National Weather Service Sacramento Meteorologist Scott Rowe said last week’s rainfall had little measurable precipitation. The foothills of Paradise received the most rainfall in the valley, measuring at three-tenths of an inch with Chico at five-hundredths of an inch. “Most places did not observe measurable precipitation,” Rowe said, which is at least one-hundredth of an inch of rain. “Any chance of precip that we had earlier in the weekend and Friday has come and gone.” … ” Read more from the Chico Enterprise-Record here: Valley expects cool, dry and windy this week
BAY AREA
Marin Voice: Focus on climate solutions Marin can implement in the next 5 years
Leslie Alden, executive director of Drawdown Bay Area, writes, “Our planet is heating up. That’s no longer news, but it’s happening far more quickly than predicted, with real impacts today and dire consequences for our children’s future. Global warming is already causing longer and hotter summers, increased fire danger, rising sea and bay levels, worsening air quality, prolonged droughts and threats to our infrastructure. That it’s global feels overwhelming. We all ask, “What can I possibly do that will make a difference?” We know there’s a climate crisis, but what are the solutions? The good news is that real solutions already exist. … ” Read more from the Marin Independent Journal here: Marin Voice: Focus on climate solutions Marin can implement in the next 5 years
Santa Venetia flood project stalls as costs spiral
“A $6 million flood control project in Santa Venetia expected to break ground this summer has been delayed indefinitely. The project involves rebuilding a nearly 40-year-old timber-reinforced berm behind 115 homes from Meadow Drive to Vendola Drive to protect against tidal flooding. The berm was built in 1984 atop an earthen levee/berm following devastating flooding in 1982 and 1983. Before beginning construction, the county must secure easements from the owners of 105 properties along Gallinas Creek. So far, the county has signed 22 easement contracts with property owners at a combined cost of $271,746. … ” Read more from the Marin Independent Journal here: Santa Venetia flood project stalls as costs spiral
CENTRAL COAST
Farmers concerned for their crops due to wild weather and drought
“Vineyards across the Central Coast, including Pacific Coast Farming, had high hopes that the latest weather system would bring more rain to the area, but that was not the case. “Some of these buds are starting to come out of dormancy now and they are starting to push,” explained Erin Amaral, Pacific Coast Farming’s vineyard manager. Pacific Coast Farming is a major supplier for wineries in Santa Barbara County, San Luis Obispo County, and even Napa County. … ” Read more from KSBY here: Farmers concerned for their crops due to wild weather and drought
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
Madera farmers may be facing a steep bill under county efforts to stem the groundwater overdraft
“Madera County farmers who’ve never had to pay for water, could be facing an expensive new future under a new fee plan being drafted by the county’s groundwater sustainability agency. The new fees could add up to more than $23,000 per 100 acres, tacked on to the cost of doing business for some growers. … ” Continue reading at SJV Water here: Madera farmers may be facing a steep bill under county efforts to stem the groundwater overdraft
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
The 94th anniversary of the St. Francis Dam Disaster
“On March 12 it will be 94 years since the night in 1928 when, at 30 seconds past 11:57 p.m., the mighty St. Francis Dam shuddered, fractured, then collapsed. A 120-foot-high deadly wall of water from a 4-mile-long reservoir behind the dam roared down the narrow confines of San Francisquito Canyon scouring the landscape of everything in its path. The water, which also caused destruction as it passed through Fillmore and Santa Paula, was still 15 feet deep when it reached the Pacific Ocean, 54 miles away near Ventura at approximately 5:30 a.m. … ” Read more from the Santa Clarita Valley Signal here: The 94th anniversary of the St. Francis Dam Disaster
Bolsa Chica wetlands in need of significant restoration to maintain sensitive ecology, study finds
“The Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve, a saltwater marsh home to sea creatures and breeding grounds for birds, is in need of significant restoration in order to maintain and preserve its sensitive ecology, according to a recent study. In the 462-page report published by Anchor QEA, an environmental science and engineering consulting firm, several solutions were provided to help address issues related to sedimentation, water management, sea level rise and the overall health of Bolsa Chica lowlands in Huntington Beach. … ” Read more from the LA Times here: Bolsa Chica wetlands in need of significant restoration to maintain sensitive ecology, study finds
Can a fragile rat survive the loopholes in endangered species protections?
“When California declared the San Bernardino kangaroo rat an endangered species recently, conservationists rejoiced. The state designation seemed to promise stronger protections for the tiny, seed-munching rodent. Although the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service had declared the high-jumping rat an endangered species more than 20 years ago, environmentalists argued that federal protections were doing little to preserve the animal’s dwindling habitat. More needed to be done, they successfully argued. But last month’s celebration was short-lived. Defenders of the fragile desert-dweller now fear the countdown to extinction has resumed. In addition to losing 95% of its historic habitat to development since 1998 — the year it was federally listed as endangered — attempts to transplant the animal to other desert areas have mysteriously failed. … ” Read more from the LA Times here: Can a fragile rat survive the loopholes in endangered species protections?
What is the L.A. port’s shipping backlog doing to Southern California’s environment?
“James Fawcett knows shipping. His decades-long career includes service in the U.S. Navy as a ship pilot and communications officer, plus a decade as a port manager and chief of planning for Los Angeles County’s Department of Beaches and Harbors. .. In light of the shipping topics reaching the news in recent months, including the stalled supply chain, overpopulated ports and record numbers of idling ships off Southern California’s coast, Fawcett answered questions about this current situation and how it may be impacting our local environment. Q: The Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach have been in the press recently because of the backup in goods movement at the ports. What should the public know about the backup? … ” Continue reading at USC Dornsife here: What is the L.A. port’s shipping backlog doing to Southern California’s environment?
OC Streams of Hope partners sign on the first wave of participating water providers
“Orange County water providers from north to south have pledged to support the Wyland Foundation’s first-ever “Streams of Hope” public art and community cleanup campaign. The campaign’s goals are to raise awareness of water and marine pollution and to inspire community action to reduce the flow of litter and harmful chemicals that enter our waterways. “As human beings, we interface with the urban water cycle every day,” says Municipal Water District of Orange County’s Board President Megan Yoo Schneider. “When we overwater our yards or forget to pick up after our dogs, we are unintentionally impacting our waterways through our negligence. The pollution from land-based activities can have harmful effects on our communities downstream and can have serious impacts on marine life. Each one of us can contribute to solving this problem.” … ” Read more from MWDOC here: OC Streams of Hope partners sign on the first wave of participating water providers
IMPERIAL/COACHELLA VALLEYS
Debt relief on water bills extended to nearly 500 Coachella Water Authority customers
“City of Coachella officials issued debt relief to nearly 500 customers in the Coachella Water Authority struggling to pay bills, it was announced Monday. The relief comes from a $203,000 grant provided by the state through the California Water and Wastewater Arrearage Payment Program, according to city spokesperson Risseth Lora. Relief was provided to those who fell 60 days or more behind in their bills between March 4, 2020, and June 15, 2021. … ” Read more from the Patch here: Debt relief on water bills extended to nearly 500 CWA customers
SAN DIEGO
San Diego research links Oroville Dam crisis to global warming
“The Oroville Dam in northern California is the nation’s tallest dam and it creates the state’s second-largest reservoir. In February of 2017, an atmospheric river dumped a huge amount of snow then a huge amount of rain into the reservoir’s watershed. A 30-foot wall at the top of the dam, called the weir, nearly gave way to the volumes of water and 188,000 people had to be evacuated. The intensity of the atmospheric river that threatened the dam was the result of a warming atmosphere, according to a Feb. 9 study. … ” Continue reading at KPBS here: San Diego research links Oroville Dam crisis to global warming
Water-energy program helps low-income families achieve savings
“The San Diego County Water Authority’s water-energy partnership with San Diego Gas & Electric is seeking $1.8 million in additional funding through 2026 to continue saving water and energy for thousands of income-qualified residents across the San Diego region. For more than 25 years, the Water Authority’s Water-Energy Nexus Program, or WEN, has maximized energy savings while supporting water efficiency in the San Diego region. SDG&E and the Water Authority have worked together to trim water and energy use and costs in one of the longest-running partnerships of its kind in California. As part of its role, the Water Authority funds the installation of water efficiency devices for eligible customers and communities. … ” Read more from the Water News Network here: Water-energy program helps low-income families achieve savings
Along the Colorado River …
Lake Mead’s source: How’s the snowpack in the Rockies?
“Most of Lake Mead’s water has been on quite the journey. Much of it was born on the western slope of the Rocky Mountains. How much snow hits the Rockies tells us how much water will come to Lake Mead. “After a pretty good start to the season, we were looking pretty close to normal, or even slightly above normal, in a lot of areas at the beginning of January,” says Paul Miller with the Colorado Basin River Forecast Center, which watches the snow and the river. But... ” Continue reading at Channel 3 here: Lake Mead’s source: How’s the snowpack in the Rockies?
Reversing the desert: How an Arizona engineer is trying to heal the land and protect water
“All around Picacho Peak, the Sonoran Desert is brown and dry and rough. The soles of your feet could not tell the desert hardpan from an asphalt road. About 2,500 feet above the ground, water vapor streaming northeast into Arizona from the Gulf of California condenses into larger and larger droplets until they’re too heavy to remain suspended. When thousands become one, that drop falls toward earth. For two to seven minutes, the drop freefalls, reaching speeds up to 20 mph before it strikes the surface. The impact is quiet. But for the compacted soil, the rain does not provide necessary moisture, it tears the land apart. The crust on top of the soil keeps the water from penetrating. As the water seeks its level, it rips across the surface in muddy flash floods, further eroding topsoil. On an 8-acre plot off South Aguirre Lane in unincorporated Red Rock, Ricardo Aguirre is using his family’s old ranch to prove there is a way to stop the flooding and erosion. … ” Read more from Cronkite News here: Reversing the desert: How an Arizona engineer is trying to heal the land and protect water
Pinal County farmers are the first to feel the pain of Colorado River cuts
“Farming is in 30-year-old Jace Miller’s blood. “I love my job, it’s the greatest way of life,” Miller said. “It’s the best profession in the world, in my opinion.” His great great grandfather came to Arizona in 1917 and started a farm in Gilbert. Four generations later, Jace is still doing it. But that 100-year run is at risk of ending — Triple M Farms, named for the three Miller generations that work there today — is losing access to its most important resource: water. “I go to bed every night, I wake up every day going, ‘What the hell are we doing?'” Miller said. “Are we going to be able to do this anymore?” ... ” Read more from KJZZ here: Pinal County farmers are the first to feel the pain of Colorado River cuts
Lake Powell set to drop below important water level in the ‘near future’
“Lake Powell is set to drop below an important level in the near future — nearly too low to generate hydropower. The Bureau of Reclamation calls it the “target elevation” — 3,525 feet. … ” Read more from Arizona Public Media here: Lake Powell set to drop below important water level in the ‘near future’
In national water news today …
Report: Senate approves new cyber incident reporting rules
“Amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and escalating concerns about potential cyberattacks, the Senate last week unanimously approved a package of cybersecurity legislation that includes provisions that would require certain critical infrastructure owners and operators to promptly report cyber intrusions to DHS. While water and wastewater systems are not specifically referenced in the bill, the new reporting rules would likely apply to at least some large water utilities, says the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies. The Strengthening American Cybersecurity Act (S. 3600) is composed of a package of several different cyber bills previously passed by the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, including an incident reporting bill that the committee approved last October. … ” Read more from Water Finance & Management here: Report: Senate approves new cyber incident reporting rules
America is finally cleaning up its abandoned, leaking oil wells
“… From rural areas in the east where modern oil production began to cities in southern California, where pumpjacks loom not far from homes, the United States is pockmarked with perhaps millions of oil wells that are unsealed, haven’t produced in decades, and sometimes do not have an identifiable owner. The detritus of lax regulation and the petroleum industry’s booms and busts, many states have struggled to deal with these wells, which can leak oil and brine into water supplies as well as emit methane, a particularly potent greenhouse gas. … ” Read more from PhysOrg here: America is finally cleaning up its abandoned, leaking oil wells
Spring is starting sooner and growing warmer, analysis shows
“Spring is beginning sooner in the United States, with 97 percent of 242 locations across the country experiencing temperature increases since 1970, according to a new analysis from Climate Central. The analysis showed that close to half of the 242 locations have warmed by at least 2 degrees F. Reno, Nevada saw the greatest increase of any city, warming by 6.8 degrees F, followed by Las Vegas, Nevada and El Paso, Texas, which warmed by 6.2 degrees and 5.9 degrees, respectively. … ” Read more from Yale e360 here: Spring is starting sooner and growing warmer, analysis shows
This map shows where biodiversity is most at risk in America
“It’s the most detailed map of its kind so far. Animals like the black-footed ferret and California condor are represented, but so are groups often left out of such analyses: species of bees, butterflies, fish, mussels, crayfish and flowering plants. Not included are gray wolves, grizzly bears and other wildlife not at risk of global extinction. Maps like these offer a valuable tool to officials and conservationists who are scrambling to protect biodiversity. That work is critical, because scientists say humans are speeding extinction at a disastrous pace. … ” Read more from the New York Times here: This map shows where biodiversity is most at risk in America
More news and commentary in the weekend edition …
In California water news this weekend …
Drought, water cutbacks take financial toll on Central Valley farmers: ‘It’s getting worse’- DWR awards $49 million to help small communities prepare for continued drought conditions
- When it comes to future wildfires, 2 California congressmen want them all suppressed — right away
- Stuart Somach receives the 2022 Will S. Green Award from the Northern California Water Association
- Prolonged drought muddies outlook for salmon season in North Bay
- Contract awarded for vital new snow survey tools; Kings River’s snowpack remains far below average
- Record growth, record heat, record drought: how will Las Vegas weather the climate crisis?
- Lake Powell to temporarily decline below 3,525 feet
- And lastly … Frozen assets: braving the elements in rural California – in pictures
- And more …
Click here to read the weekend digest.
