In California water news today …
California lawmakers mull buying out farmers to save water
“After decades of fighting farmers in court over how much water they can take out of California’s rivers and streams, some state lawmakers want to try something different: use taxpayer money to buy out farmers. A proposal in the state Senate would spend up to $1.5 billion to buy “senior water rights” that allow farmers to take as much water as needed from the state’s rivers and streams to grow their crops. If state officials owned those rights, they could leave the water in the rivers to benefit endangered species of salmon and other fish. California has been mired in drought for most of the last two decades, prompting intense scrutiny of the state’s complex water system and how it might be modified to ensure steady supplies during exceptionally dry periods — including a separate state proposal that would pay farmers to grow fewer crops to save water. … ” Read more from the AP here: California lawmakers mull buying out farmers to save water
As California’s big cities fail to rein in their water use, rural communities are already tapped out
“Gary Briggs’ family hasn’t had water coming out of their private well for over a decade, after a multi-year drought and overpumping by agriculture and industry. Now, the eight-acre farm in West Goshen, California, which Briggs passed down to his son, Ryan, in the 1970s, is parched and fallow. His son and granddaughter carry in water from sources to drink and shower. They go to town to wash their clothes, Briggs says. In recent years, the family has gone from relying on water from cisterns provided by government programs, which they say tastes terrible, to hauling water containers to and from neighbors’ homes — neighbors who are willing to share what they have left. … ” Read more from CNN here: As California’s big cities fail to rein in their water use, rural communities are already tapped out
California needs more water infrastructure to ease shortage: Expert
“A former water utility director said the California and federal government are to blame for the state’s water shortage issues, since the state’s infrastructure has not kept up with demand. “The State of California and the Feds are largely responsible, because we have not continued with the building of our water infrastructure,” said Brett Barbre, former director of the Municipal Water District of Orange County, during an interview with EpochTV’s “California Insider” program. Barbre said that the major dams and reservoirs that serve Californians were largely built in the last century. “If you look at our infrastructure, major facilities, the last major reservoir was built by metropolitan in Southern California 1999. … We really have not kept up with the population growth,” he said in the interview. … ” Read more from the Epoch Times here (free registration may be required): California needs more water infrastructure to ease shortage: Expert
Kids can help California save water in the drought. Try making a game out of it
“Kids love to play with water and in the water, especially on scorching summer days. But experts say you can teach your kids to love saving water too. California’s latest water emergency is forcing residents to dial back their lawn sprinklers, shorten their showers and make other water-miserly changes in their routines. Although many of the steps we can take as individuals have small payoffs — and nothing we do at home can lower temperatures or bring more rain — every gallon of clean water saved is a gallon that can fill other needs. And there are a lot of little things kids can do to reduce waste just as easily as their parents can. … ” Read more from the LA Times here: Kids can help California save water in the drought. Try making a game out of it
A growing movement to reclaim water rights for indigenous people
“In recent years, the hashtag #LandBack has surfaced across Indigenous platforms to signify a need to reclaim ancestral landscapes and protect the sacred and cultural resources they contain. Across the American Southwest, however, there has been an even deeper call to action: “We can’t have #LandBack without #WaterBack” reads the poster material for the Pueblo Action Alliance’s #WaterBack campaign. Between Arizona and New Mexico alone, 43 federally recognized tribes call the desert landscape home. However, their ways of life have been challenged by centuries of colonization and resource exploitation, resulting in large cities siphoning water from reservations; extractive industries contaminating Indigenous lands; and construction, poachers, and even rock climbers threatening cultural sites and ancient petroglyphs. Chaco Canyon, where Pueblo Action Alliance does much of its work, is unfortunately a nexus for many of these injustices. … ” Read more from Civil Eats here: A growing movement to reclaim water rights for indigenous people
State seeks to regulate salmon-killing tire chemical
“Amid research linking a highly toxic tire chemical to salmon deaths in the Pacific Northwest, California officials are proposing a rule to require tire manufacturers to consider safer alternatives. The proposed rule by the California Department of Toxic Substances Control comes after a 2020 study that identified the chemical 6PPD, which is used to give tires longer life, as the culprit behind decades of coho salmon deaths in Washington state. … ” Read more from the Marin Independent Journal here: State seeks to regulate salmon-killing tire chemical | Read via the Mercury News
Demystifying mist as a source of water supply
“In some of the world’s driest places, atmospheric moisture is a major source of water for native ecosystems. Some algae, plants and insects in the Israeli and Namibian deserts get much of their water from fog, dew and humidity. The spines of some cacti species have evolved to collect fog droplets. California’s redwood forests derive a significant amount of their moisture from fog. Some drought-minded California residents along the coast, perhaps yearning for a clear ocean view, have suggested harvesting fog as a water supply. ... ” Read more from the California Water Blog here: Demystifying mist as a source of water supply
‘Bees are fish’ criticism mostly misguided, law scholars say
“Law professors say much of the buzz around a California court’s finding that bees meet the definition of fish missed the mark, and that the decision isn’t as unusual as it seems. The California Court of Appeal, Third District said that the California Fish and Game Commission can list bees as threatened or endangered under the state Endangered Species Act. That’s because the bumble bee, which is a terrestrial invertebrate, falls under the definition of fish under the act, the court said May 31. “Fish, as a term of art, is not limited solely to aquatic species,” Justice Ronald B. Robie wrote for the three-judge panel. He was joined by Justices Cole Blease and Andrea Lynn Hoch. ... ” Read more from Bloomberg Law here: ‘Bees are fish’ criticism mostly misguided, law scholars say
SEE ALSO: A Beautiful Day for Bumblefish?, by Dan Farber at the Legal Planet
Can you own a piece of beach in California?
“Are there any truly “private” beaches in California? “No,” comes the confident — and seemingly definitive — reply from Linda Locklin, a beach access guru with the California Coastal Commission. But of course, that clashes with reality for many a would-be beachgoer confused by signs, blocked from parking or flat-out intimidated from taking a spot on the sand. While beaches that are part of the state or local parks system are easy to visit, spots that border private property often feel inaccessible. So what exactly are the rules governing coastal access in the Golden State, and who do you call when a beach is unfairly blocked? … ” Read more from KGET here: Can you own a piece of beach in California?
California offshore fracking paused for more environmental study
“Federal agencies can’t approve permits for offshore well stimulation treatments near California until they complete a more extensive environmental review, the Ninth Circuit ruled Friday in a setback for Exxon Mobile Corp. and DCOR LLC. Offshore well stimulation treatments may harm endangered or threatened species and affect “unique geographic areas” in the Pacific Outer Continental Shelf, according to the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. The effects of the treatments are also “highly uncertain and involve unknown risks,” the court said. … ” Read more from Bloomberg Law here: California offshore fracking paused for more environmental study
How wildfires can contaminate drinking water
“In November 2018, a wildfire blazed through Paradise, California, a town of 26,000 in the forested foothills of the Sierra Nevada. After the fire was extinguished, residents who wanted to return home and start rebuilding their lives were dealt another blow: testing revealed toxic levels of benzene, a carcinogen, in the drinking-water system. New research implicates plastic pipes as a key source of contamination.Most immediately, the district wanted to know how to get rid of the benzene. But it turned out that this was far from the only volatile organic compound (VOC) in the water system. … ” Read the full story at Chemical & Engineering News here: How wildfires can contaminate drinking water
Fire is here to stay. Can we live with it?
“In 2018, downed powerlines ignited northern California’s Camp Fire, which raced through Butte County into the town of Paradise, spreading at a rate of up to 80 football fields per minute. The fire took 85 lives and destroyed nearly 19,000 structures, becoming the deadliest and most destructive wildfire in California’s history. Just two years later, in 2020, the state experienced its largest wildfire, the August Complex, which burned more than 1 million acres of land across six different counties. That same summer, the Almeda Fire took hold in Oregon, where its catastrophic toll included the loss of more than 2,600 homes and three lives. These days, wildfire records don’t last very long—and there are no signs of record-breaking trends letting up. … ” Continue reading at Slate Magazine here: Fire is here to stay. Can we live with it?
In commentary today …
Water restrictions show folly of California’s rejection of large-scale desalination projects
Marc Joffe, senior policy analyst at Reason Foundation, writes, “As the state continues to grapple with drought conditions, water restrictions are being placed on six million residents in Southern California. The latest restrictions are another reminder that the California Coastal Commission’s recent rejection of the Orange County desalination plant, after 24 years of delay, reinforces the state’s position as a laggard in adopting technology that could provide water security. While arid coastal countries worldwide are implementing desalination, the most obvious solution to water scarcity, the Coastal Commission unanimously voted against the Huntington Beach project. Gov. Gavin Newsom, noting years of drought in the state, harshly criticized the rejection, saying, “We need more tools in the damn tool kit.” ... ” Read more from the OC Register here: Water restrictions show folly of California’s rejection of large-scale desalination projects
The Abundance Choice, Part 11: The desalination option
Edward Ring, contributing editor and senior fellow with the California Policy Center, writes, “On May 12, the California Coastal Commission Board of Directors voted 11-0 to deny the application from Poseidon Water to build a desalination plant in Huntington Beach. Since 1998, Poseidon has spent over $100 million on design and permit work for this plant. At least half of that money was spent on seemingly endless studies and redesigns as the Coastal Commission and other agencies continued to change the requirements. Poseidon’s denial makes it very unlikely another construction contractor will ever attempt to build a large scale desalination plant on the California coast. This is a historic mistake. If you’re trying to eliminate water scarcity, desalination is an option you can’t ignore. Desalination has the unique virtue of relying on a literally inexhaustible feedstock, the world’s vast and salty oceans. At an estimated total volume of 1.1 quadrillion acre feet (1.1 billion million acre feet), there will always be enough ocean. A balanced appraisal of desalination would acknowledge its potential while also recognizing the absurdity of suggesting it is a panacea. ... ” Read more from the California Globe here: The Abundance Choice, Part 11: The desalination option
California’s water problems go beyond drought
Jonathan Destler, founder of Opti-Harvest, writes, “California farmers are not only suffering the state’s third consecutive year of drought, but this year, 60 percent of the state is experiencing extreme drought conditions according to the California Water Board. As a result, total crop replants will be down again in 2022 with less overall acreage planted. Farmer frustration continues because the state is increasing curtailments as a solution instead of focusing on how they can better utilize storage. All while peak irrigation season runs through June, July and August. … ” Continue reading at Newsweek here: California’s water problems go beyond drought
In regional water news and commentary today …
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
Sacramento has too much water despite drought situation
But where is this excess in water coming from? With this excess, the city is considering selling water to other parts of the state. Watch video at Yahoo News here: Sacramento has too much water despite drought situation
NAPA/SONOMA
BAY AREA
Atmospheric river delivers rare June rain to the Bay Area
“A rare June atmospheric river of weak-to-moderate strength brought some respectable rain to the North Bay and other parts of the region overnight Sunday that will continue into the early afternoon. About an inch of rain has fallen along the Sonoma Coast, with Santa Rosa seeing nearly the equivalent of the entire month of June’s average rain in just the past 24 hours. Further south in San Francisco, sprinkles that had drivers using their windshield wipers started shortly before midnight. While light rain has fallen across much of the rest of the Bay, totals are fairly light from the Golden Gate south with less than .1 of an inch in general so far. The Berkeley Hills received about .3 inches. … ” Read more from CBS News here: Atmospheric river delivers rare June rain to the Bay Area
Community rallies to support bombshell report on Hunters Point Shipyard
“Hunters Point residents and community members rallied at San Francisco City Hall on Friday, June 3, 2022, to support a San Francisco Civil Grand Jury report that said that there had been no real oversight of the development of the Hunters Point Shipyard Superfund site. Over $1 billion of US government funds have been spent to remediate the Hunters Point site as well as Treasure Island, but as a result of fraud by Tetra Tech and Test America and retaliation against many OSHA and health and safety whistleblowers, the site continues to be contaminated. … ” Read more from SF Bay View here: Community rallies to support bombshell report on Hunters Point Shipyard
Cupertino quarry racked up thousands of violations over 10 years
“A 10-year review of operations at the Lehigh Southwest Cement property in unincorporated Cupertino identified more than 2,100 violations resulting in millions of dollars in fines and penalties. These violations at the local, state and federal regulatory level occurred between Jan. 1, 2012 and Dec. 31, 2021. Santa Clara County undertook the review at the behest of Supervisor Joe Simitian, who said he made the request to achieve some transparency at the county level regarding Lehigh, which is in his district. … ” Read more from the Silicon Valley here: Cupertino quarry racked up thousands of violations over 10 years
CENTRAL COAST
‘Game over’: The tiny Central Coast town of Cambria is about to run out of water
“Nestled along the Central Coast, Cambria is a picturesque town famous for its vintage clothing and antique shops, its one-of-a-kind olallieberry pies, its scarecrow festival in the fall and its Disneyesque Christmas market and light display in December. Located right off of Highway 1 and 73 miles south of Big Sur, it’s a popular stop for those driving on the Pacific Coast Highway. Cambria has also been running out of water for nearly four decades and — like many spots along the Central Coast in San Luis Obispo County — it does not have a permanent solution in the offing. The unincorporated town of more than 5,000 people is dependent wholly on two creeks, the Santa Rosa and San Simeon, for its water supply. As climate change ramps up, those creeks are drying out more rapidly and more frequently. … ” Continue reading at SF Gate here: ‘Game over’: The tiny Central Coast town of Cambria is about to run out of water
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
Think the Fresno region’s drought is the worst ever? Tree data will make you think again
“The San Joaquin River watershed is amid its third consecutive year of below-normal precipitation. But three dry years are merely a drop in the bucket (pardon the pun) compared to a historical record that, thanks to climate reconstructions using tree rings, stretches back more than 1,100 years in the region. Scientists estimate that since the year 900 – when California was inhabited only by Native American tribes and centuries before it became a land of agricultural bounty – the region now known as the central San Joaquin Valley has endured 35 periods of sustained drought lasting at least four years, according to research studies available on the California Natural Resources Agency’s website. … ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee here: Think the Fresno region’s drought is the worst ever? Tree data will make you think again | Read via Yahoo News
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Improved biodiversity, water systems, community recreation: LA releases finalized LA River master plan
“After nearly 30 years after the first master plan for the historic Los Angeles River, the county is closer than ever to harnessing the full potential of the river to benefit the ecosystem, local communities, and future generations of Angelenos. Los Angeles County Public Works, in partnership with Ethnic Media Services (EMS), released the final LA River Master Plan (LARMP) last month, which, in short, blueprints revitalization of the river in the context of three main categories: water quality, environmental sustainability, and community. The LA County Board of Supervisors is scheduled to consider the plan for adoption on June 14. … ” Read more from the Asian Journal here: Improved biodiversity, water systems, community recreation: LA releases finalized LA River master plan
Along the Colorado River …
Rural Arizona is facing a water crisis. Yet for 3 years, lawmakers have sat on their hands
Travis Lingenfelter, Patrice Horstman and Donna Michaels serve on the county board of supervisors in Mohave, Coconino and Yavapai counties, respectively. They write, “Three long years. That’s how long residents in our three counties – Mohave, Coconino and Yavapai – have been urging the state Legislature to pass bills finally giving rural Arizonans the authority to control our water futures. And yet, folks in Phoenix have sat on their hands, letting whoever can drill the deepest well win while watching homeowners’ wells go dry and our rivers decline. We are fed up waiting for the Legislature to act against unfettered groundwater pumping in rural Arizona. … ” Continue reading at Yahoo News here: Rural Arizona is facing a water crisis. Yet for 3 years, lawmakers have sat on their hands
Colorado will lose half its snow by 2080 and look more like Arizona, federal scientists conclude
“Parts of Colorado, Wyoming and Utah are drying out due to climate-driven changes in stream flows, and these states will shift to become more like the most arid states of the Southwest, federal researchers found in a scientific study published this week. The lead author of the study said Colorado will experience a 50% to 60% reduction in snow by 2080. “We’re not saying Colorado is going to become a desert. But we see increased aridity moving forward,” said hydrologist Katrina Bennett at the federal government’s Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico. … ” Read more from Channel 7 here: Colorado will lose half its snow by 2080 and look more like Arizona, federal scientists conclude
Drought-stricken US warned of looming ‘dead pool’
“A once-in-a-lifetime drought in the western part of the US is turning up dead bodies – but that’s the least of people’s worries. Sitting on the Arizona-Nevada border near Las Vegas, Lake Mead – formed by the creation of the Hoover Dam on the Colorado River – is the largest reservoir in the United States and provides water to 25 million people across three states and Mexico. Here, the stunning scale of a drought in the American west has been laid plain for all to see. The water level is now so low that bodies of murder victims from decades back, once hidden by its depths, have surfaced. … ” Read more from the BBC here: Drought-stricken US warned of looming ‘dead pool’
Experts hope cloud seeding will help with Colorado’s drought
“Experts are hoping that a weather modification program will increase water from snow storms, possibly ending Colorado’s drought. Andrew Rickert is spearheading cloud seeding in the state. He leads Colorado’s weather modification program. In Western states, some water providers, ski areas and power companies have all injected silver iodide droplets into winter clouds for decades. In those areas, the winter snows that collect on mountain ranges provide upward of 70 percent of annual precipitation. The idea is that the droplets provide a nucleus within a cloud around which water can coalesce, forming snowflakes. … ” Read more from Fox 5 here: Experts hope cloud seeding will help with Colorado’s drought
In national water news today …
At least 12 military bases contaminating water supply with toxic PFAS
“Dangerous levels of toxic PFAS are contaminating water supplies in areas around at least 12 military bases, new Department of Defense testing has revealed, drawing concern from public health advocates that the DoD is not doing enough to protect the public. The data released this week by the military shows levels for five kinds of PFAS compounds at what Scott Faber, vice-president of government affairs for Environmental Working Group, characterized as “extremely high” levels, and he said they present a health threat to residents living nearby. “You can only hope now that people know and are finding alternative sources of water because those are shockingly high levels of PFAS,” he added. … ” Read more from The Guardian here: At least 12 military bases contaminating water supply with toxic PFAS
More news and commentary in the weekend edition …
In California water news this weekend …
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Image by RDTubbs from Pixabay As new deadline looms, groundwater managers rework ‘incomplete’ plans to meet California’s sustainability goals
- A tale of two ocean water desalination plants and finding a solution to drought
- San Diego continues to argue for exemption to emergency drought rules; state officials disagree
- California’s water wasters: One district has gotten tough with residents who repeatedly flout the rules: Their taps have been slowed to trickle.
- Black rural community in California hurt by historic drought restriction
- California drought is pushing Latino farmers and workers to make difficult decisions
- Water expert: Make conservation a “family project” as Calif. drought gets worse
- What is the right length of time for the California drought shower?
- After a cool, cloudy weekend, a statewide heat wave is on tap for California next week
- Data from California’s drought conditions may help predict fire danger
- Stanford study: Shutting down pumps alone won’t halt San Joaquin Valley sinking
- Publication: Identifying environmental factors limiting recovery of an imperiled estuarine fish
- 9th Circuit Court blocks permits for fracking off California coast
- And more …
Also on Maven’s Notebook today …
- NOTICE OF IMMEDIATE CURTAILMENT: Term 91 water right
- NOTICE: Petition for Temporary Transfer of Water under Placer County Water Agency Permit 13856
