On the calendar today …
- 2022 Energy & Water Nexus from 9pm to 12pm. Join Bay Planning Coalition on September 9th for our annual Energy & Water Nexus Event for a timely review of California’s energy and water resources as drought conditions persist in the state. At the Nexus event, BPC will host speakers from State agencies and industry leaders to provide an update on the drought’s impact on resources, share insights on future plans, and discuss the potential for alternative sources. The event will also feature panel discussions on: (1) Desalination as an alternative source for drought resilience; and (2) General Managers from regional water agencies to discuss their agency’s response to current conditions and re-tooling to address source instability. Click here to register.
- MEETING: SAFER Program: Advisory Group Meeting from 10am to 5pm. This meeting will bring together the SAFER Advisory Group to discuss the Draft Fund Expenditure Plan; the Strategy for Domestic Wells and State Small Water Systems; the Point of Use and Point of Entry (POU/POE) White Paper; SAFER Program Updates; and Advisory Group Member Announcements. Click here for the agenda and remote access instructions.
- WEBINAR: Three Minute Thesis Webinar on Drought from 11am to 12pm. The NOAA Regional Collaboration Network invites you to join them for a special webinar designed to share experiences and information about NOAA’s role related to drought. From learning about the National Integrated Drought Information System, understanding flash drought, or how drought relates to salmon recovery – you will have the chance to hear straight from the experts on a wide array of drought-related topics! In addition, presenters will address questions from the audience. Click here to register.
In California water news today …
California: Drought, record heat, fires and now maybe floods
“Californians sweated it out amid a record-breaking heat wave entering its 10th day Friday that has helped fuel deadly wildfires and pushed energy supplies to the brink of daily power outages. Relief is in sight as the remnants of a hurricane approach that will lower temperatures during the weekend but could bring another set of challenges: heavy rains that will be welcomed in the drought-plagued state but might cause flash floods. Climate change is making the planet warmer, scientists say, and weather-related disasters more extreme. The heat that colored weather maps dark red for more than a week in California is only a preview of coming attractions. … ” Read more from US News and World Report here: California: Drought, record heat, fires and now maybe floods
SEE ALSO:
-
- Tropical Storm Kay could bring a year’s worth of rain to drought-stricken Southern California in the next hours, from CNN
- A hurricane that just made landfall in Mexico is triggering flood concerns in parts of southern California, from CNN
- Kay continues to threaten flooding rain for SoCal, from AccuWeather
- Hurricane Kay will bring very unusual weather to the Bay Area, from the SF Chronicle
- Floods, dangerous surf forecast for California from Hurricane Kay, from the Washington Post
- When fires, heat and a tropical storm collide, from Cal Matters
California drought raises red flags for agriculture
“More than 97 percent of California is under at least “severe” drought conditions, raising the specter of difficult agricultural decisions in a state that produces a quarter of U.S. food. Farming is the main driver of water usage in the state, and the drought, now in its third year, comes alongside increasing pressure on California to bear more of the burden of Colorado River water cutbacks. As of Thursday, 97.52 percent of the nation’s most populous state is in a state of “severe” drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor, while 99.76 percent is at least “moderate” drought. This time last year, 95.56 percent of the state was classified as under “severe” drought. … ” Read more from The Hill here: California drought raises red flags for agriculture
Drinking water is becoming more scarce. Is desalination the solution?
“Clean freshwater is critical for sustaining human life. However, 1.1 billion people lack access to it worldwide. Desalination represents an increasingly popular way of addressing this. Desalination is the process of extracting salt from saline water to make it drinkable. There are two main types of desalination. In the first–called thermal desalination–heat is used. This produces water vapor that condenses on pipes into fresh water. This process remains dominant across the Middle East, where nearly half of the world’s desalinated water is produced. … ” Read more from Fast Company here: Drinking water is becoming more scarce. Is desalination the solution?
DWR announces $6 million to support desalination projects
“As California faces a hotter, drier future and ongoing extreme drought conditions, the Department of Water Resources (DWR) is offering $6 million in financial assistance to support desalination projects that will help develop new sources of local water supplies in California. Funded by Proposition 1, the Water Desalination Grant Program is offering $6 million to support construction and design pilot projects that desalinate naturally occurring brackish and ocean water for potable water supply. Desalination is the process of removing salts and minerals from brackish water and seawater to produce water suitable for consumption, irrigation, and other supply needs. “Desalination remains a critical water supply source in communities where traditional water supplies are limited,” said Karla Nemeth, DWR Director. “California faces a range of water supply challenges and climate change continues to intensify impacts and weather extremes. Our priority is building water resilience through a set of actions that will prepare our water systems to support our growing state in a hotter, drier climate.” … ” Read more from DWR News here: DWR announces $6 million to support desalination projects
Can earthworms solve the water scarcity problem?
“Many farms, especially dairy farms, struggle with how to dispose of polluted wastewater. The hundreds of millions of gallons of water farms use gets contaminated with animal waste, artificial fertilizers, and harmful chemicals, which frequently percolate down to the groundwater that people could one day drink. Some regenerative ag operations are finding a nifty solution to this problem. They are discovering that earthworms, those ubiquitous dirt-eaters, are also able to clean water. They have long been known as nature’s way of enriching soil, but only recently has it been found that they can also cleanse wastewater. BioFiltro, an international company, has installed more than 200 of their three-stage wastewater treatment systems. The first chamber contains wood chips, earthworms, and microbes. The second level filters the water through crushed rock, and finally the cleaned water is collected in a drainage basin. … ” Read more from the Santa Barbara Independent here: Can earthworms solve the water scarcity problem?
Heatwaves sapping soil of moisture, increasing wildfire danger scientists say
“Inside a top-floor office in San Jose State’s Duncan Hall, Dr. Craig Clements combs over a table full of technology. The items range from coils to wires to sensors, and all are tools of his trade, in the pursuit of better understanding the origins of wildfires. “Yeah, we’re basically ready to deploy to a wildfire incident, because of this heatwave,” he said. Sensors propositioned around the state and nation paint an ominous, orange picture once the data is displayed on a computer screen. California’s ongoing searing heat is not only pushing the mercury up, but it’s also sapping the soil of moisture. Computer models can detail how great the danger is of wildfire. … ” Read more from Fox News here: Heatwaves sapping soil of moisture, increasing wildfire danger scientists say
Facing criticism, state amps up its climate change blueprint
“Responding to concerns of Gov. Gavin Newsom and environmentalists, the California Air Resources Board has bolstered its climate roadmap with several new strategies, including offshore wind development, climate-friendly housing construction, cleaner aviation fuels and reducing miles traveled. The changes to California’s proposed climate change scoping plan also include fast-tracking projects by 2030 to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and from the smokestacks of polluting industries. No such projects exist in California and the practices are controversial. Unveiled in May, California’s draft scoping plan outlines an expansive list of strategies to combat climate change and fulfill a state mandate to achieve carbon neutrality by 2045. The plan includes a bold commitment to eliminate 91% of fossil fuels. The strategies would cost an estimated $18 billion in 2035 and $27 billion in 2045. … ” Read more from Cal Matters here: Facing criticism, state amps up its climate change blueprint
Forests in the Amazon, Southern Boreal regions, and U.S. West most threatened by climate change
“As climate change increasingly threaten’s the world’s forests, scientists at the University of Utah have developed a new tool that identifies those woodlands that are most imperiled and whose loss would deal the greatest blow to the climate and biodiversity. To forecast the impact of rising temperatures, researchers analyzed existing studies on climate-related forest loss, focusing on three factors. First, scientists determined where warmer temperatures are most likely to hinder the growth of trees, impeding their ability to store carbon. Second, they gauged how likely forests are to succumb to acute disturbances, such as droughts, fires, or insect infestations. Finally, they identified where woodland plants and animals are most threatened by climate change, finding the most significant dangers lie at the boundaries between ecosystems — between pine forests and broadleaf forests, for instance. … ” Read more from Yale e360 here: Forests in the Amazon, Southern Boreal regions, and U.S. West most threatened by climate change
In commentary today …
Biggest illusion in California is what water use and development does and doesn’t do
Dennis Wyatt, editor of the Manteca Bulletin, writes, “Water is a mirage in California. We tend to see what we want to see. In my case, the biggest illusion was Auburn Dam. If you were a resident of Placer County in the 1960s to 1980s you viewed it as almost as a birthright that the American River be dammed in the canyon below Auburn. The fact that a previously unknown earthquake fault was detected running right beneath where work had started on the dam’s foundation wouldn’t shake your faith that the dam thing needed to be built. The proposed 2.3 million acre feet of water storage — just 100,000 acre feet less than New Melones on the Stanislaus River — was the last big dam envisioned for the Central Valley Water Project. … ” Read more from the Manteca Bulletin here: Biggest illusion in California is what water use and development does and doesn’t do
California has a right to water. So why are Sacramento’s homeless people dying of thirst?
“Sacramento’s temperatures soared to a record-breaking 116 degrees on Tuesday. The heat wave saw one of our unhoused neighbors living on the American River Parkway die of dehydration and heat stroke, one of the most easily preventable causes of death. This death was especially tragic because California recognizes a “Human Right to Water.” Assembly Bill 685, passed by the Legislature and signed by Gov. Jerry Brown in 2012, declares that every person in California “has the right to safe, clean, affordable and accessible water adequate for human consumption, cooking and sanitary purposes.” We must take targeted and effective action now to realize California’s Human Right to Water so that everyone — including our most vulnerable unhoused people — can survive future heat waves. … ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee here: California has a right to water. So why are Sacramento’s homeless people dying of thirst?
Opinion: The Coastal Commission is not the enemy, developers flouting the rules are the real problem
Jennifer Savage, who has spent nearly six years testifying at California Coastal Commission meetings as Surfrider Foundation’s California Policy Manager, writes, “Sure, an 8,000-square-foot house sounds crazy to those of us who somehow managed to raise three children in humbler accommodations, but saying you wouldn’t do something is always easier when that something isn’t an option. If I had the money to build a mansion, maybe I would! But what I wouldn’t do is choose to violate established laws designed to lessen its impact on the animals and plants or historical areas nearby. Society generally holds that the people have the right to a healthy environment, and that our government is responsible for protecting this right on both public and private property. … ” Read more from the North Coast Journal here: Opinion: The Coastal Commission is not the enemy, developers flouting the rules are the real problem
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
Ninth Circuit restricts irrigators’ rights to seek judicial review of Klamath Project operational decisions
“On September 8, 2022, the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit (Ninth Circuit) issued its decision in Klamath Irrigation District et al. v. United States et al., Case No. 20-36009, affirming the United States District Court for the District of Oregon’s dismissal of two actions filed by various Klamath Project (Project) irrigation parties challenging United States Bureau of Reclamation’s (Reclamation) operating procedures for the Project. In April 2019, Project irrigation parties, including the Klamath Irrigation District (KID) and a group that included the Klamath Water Users Association (KWUA) and several Project districts and individual farmers filed two complaints challenging Reclamation’s 2019-2024 operating plans or procedures for the Project in the District Court. KWUA’s Administrative Procedure Act (APA) complaint sought to address outstanding legal issues relating to the operation of the Project and relied on in the operating procedures, including the scope of Reclamation’s Section 7 Endangered Species Act discretion as it relates to Project operations, and other issues. KID’s complaint emphasized that Reclamation’s operations were unlawful in light of Oregon’s enforceable final order determining water rights in the administrative phase of the Klamath Basin Adjudication (KBA). … ” Read more from Somach Simmons & Dunn here: Ninth Circuit restricts irrigators’ rights to seek judicial review of Klamath Project operational decisions
Press release: California FPPC imposes $67,508 penalty on Crystal Geyser Water Company and its fake grassroots PAC
“After a five year investigation, the California Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) fined Crystal Geyser Water Company (CGWC) for intentionally hiding their identity as sponsors of the political action committee (PAC), “Committee for a Strong Siskiyou Economy, No on Measure H” (Committee), and that their actions caused “significant public harm” in Siskiyou County. At its meeting on August 10, 2022, the FPPC approved a stipulation that stated Crystal Geyser Water Company (CGWC), its PAC, and the Committee’s principal officer, Jill Harris, and treasurer, Kelly Lawler, had violated the California Fair Political Practices Act (CFPPA)–a total penalty of $67,508 was imposed. … “
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
What to do about Daguerre Point Dam?
“The Daguerre Point Dam was built in 1906 by the Army Corps of Engineers to prevent the flow of debris from upstream mining operations into the Feather and Sacramento Rivers. But an archaic design and a lack of maintenance have made the dam a key obstruction to the traditional spawning habitat of native anadromous fish such as the Chinook salmon and California Central Valley steelhead. With the intent to protect native fish species and build a long-term solution with community stakeholders, SYRCL has applied for a grant through the National Marine Fisheries Service in order to get a better understanding of the opportunities and challenges related to improving volitional fish passage at Daguerre Point Dam and Englebright Dam in the Yuba River watershed. ... ” Read more from the South Yuba River Citizens League here: What to do about Daguerre Point Dam?
Clean Up the Lake finds ‘dirtiest mile’ yet in Fallen Leaf Lake
“Nonprofit Clean Up The Lake has launched an expansive underwater clean up in Fallen Leaf Lake revealing the Tahoe Basin’s dirtiest mile yet. In the history of this small but mighty and often overlooked lake, there has never been an underwater cleanup of this scale, said a news release. Local canned cocktail company TIF’s Spiked Lemonade has kicked off the initial funding support followed by BlueZone Sports totaling the contributions towards the project to $15,000. In an effort to fully fund the project, CUTL is asking for community support to raise another $15,000 through a GoFundMe campaign. For each donation, TIF’s Spiked and BlueZone will match every dollar up to $15,000 with a total campaign goal of $30,000. So, how dirty is dirty? Well, the CUTL dive team composed of volunteers and team members removed 3,000 pounds of trash and 100 tires in just one mile of shoreline. … ” Read more from the Tahoe Daily Tribune here: Clean Up the Lake finds ‘dirtiest mile’ yet in Fallen Leaf Lake
Spike in algae blooms poses a threat to Tahoe’s beaches
“Researchers at UC University of California Davis Tahoe Environmental Research Center (TERC) began a nearshore algae-monitoring program in 2017. According to the TERC State of the Lake report released in July, the floating algae in the lake has increased by 300 percent in the last year making 2021 the highest growth year on record. The lack of funding for research to understand the changing spread and intensity of the algae is making it more and more difficult for experts to track. In addition to degrading water quality, blooms can cover large areas of the beach with mats of decomposing algae and with certain types of toxic algae. These mats pose a major threat to the thousands of residents and visitors that interact with the lake. … ” Read more from Channel 4 here: Spike in algae blooms poses a threat to Tahoe’s beaches
Yosemite in peril: How climate change’s grip is altering America’s national parks
“National Park Service forest ecologist Garrett Dickman bears witness to the struggle. A 22-year drought. Ferocious fires. Vanishing glaciers. Invasive species. Hotter summers and shorter winters. Walking through the sequoia grove, one of three located in the popular national park visited by 3.3 million people last year, Dickman points out tree after tree, killed by insects, thirst, or both. “Sugar pine, ponderosa pine, white fir, giant sequoia. All dead,” he said. “Millions of trees have died within the park’s boundaries.” The nation’s national parks are places so awe-inspiring they were meant to be forever preserved, “unimpaired” for future generations. That’s no longer possible. … ” Read more from Yahoo News here: Yosemite in peril: How climate change’s grip is altering America’s national parks
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
Extreme drought, rain and heat: Sacramento set several weather records in under a year
“If you’ve been living in Sacramento during the previous 12 months, you’ve probably experienced several historic weather events: record drought, record rain and now record heat. Tuesday’s high of 116 degrees in Downtown Sacramento broke a record that was set in 1925. The record fell after multiple days of triple-digit temperatures. Amid those temperatures, residents were asked to conserve power. So far, rolling blackouts have been avoided. Generators in Roseville and Yuba City and an emergency alert sent to Californians are credited with helping. ... ” Read more from Fox 40 here: Extreme drought, rain and heat: Sacramento set several weather records in under a year
Chico’s sewer rates to go up in January
“Starting next year, Chico’s sewer rates will be increasing with additional charges based on water usage. Chico Public Works Director of Operations and Maintenance Erik Gustafson provided the Chico City Council with a presentation Tuesday night with some background on the city’s sewer system as well as its aging infrastructure as the primary reason for requesting the fee increase. For residential use, the sewer fees have been a flat rate of $22.98 with no change based on water usage, however, Gustafson said adjustments to the fee rates are changing to volumetric rates depending on how much water is used by a household. … ” Read more from the Chico Enterprise-Record here: Chico’s sewer rates to go up in January
Water Forum launches Nimbus Basin phase of 2022 habitat projects
“The Water Forum this week launched the second phase of its 2022 Habitat Projects on the Lower American River. Crews began work enhancing spawning and rearing areas in the Nimbus Basin, near the Sacramento State Aquatic Center. Over the coming weeks, they will add clean gravel sourced from tailings piles at Mississippi Bar to the river for salmon and steelhead to build redds (nests) and excavate a side channel complex for juvenile fish to hide and grow. Gravel from the tailings (discarded rock from the gold mining era) has been carefully sorted to the sizes that salmonids prefer. The Water Forum last worked in the area about a decade ago and is now providing a “tune-up,” understanding that the Nimbus Basin is heavily utilized by spawning fish every year and that gravel naturally moves downstream over time. … ” Read more from the Water Forum here: Water Forum launches Nimbus Basin phase of 2022 habitat projects
NAPA/SONOMA
Sonoma County groundwater users can now review fee information online
“Groundwater users in the Petaluma Valley, Santa Rosa Plain and Sonoma Valley basins can now review annual fee information online through the Groundwater User Information Data Exchange (GUIDE) program. GUIDE is a service of Sonoma County’s groundwater sustainability agencies (GSAs). The program allows groundwater users to review estimated or actual water use for parcels in the three basins, which are managed by the Sonoma Valley, Santa Rosa Plain and Petaluma Valley GSAs. Fees approved in July by the GSAs’ boards of directors are based on annual water use and will help pay for programs, projects and policy actions to implement recently adopted Groundwater Sustainability Plans. “The GUIDE program provides transparency to groundwater users, who can review the information that was used to calculate their annual fee,” said Cotati Vice-Mayor Susan Harvey, who chairs the Santa Rosa Plain GSA. … ” Read more from Sonoma County here: Sonoma County groundwater users can now review fee information online
Landfill sued by environmental group over alleged stormwater violations
“The California Sportfishing Protection Alliance is suing the Clover Flat Landfill in Napa County over alleged violations of the federal Clean Water Act. The suit, filed Aug. 16, alleges “repeated and ongoing violations” at the landfill, located just south of Calistoga. The suit claims “storm water containing excessive pollutants is being discharged from the facility during rain events into channels that discharge into the unnamed creek, which discharges into the Napa River, which flows into the San Francisco Bay.” It also alleges violations of a general state stormwater permit, a State Water Resources Control Board order and a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit. … ” Read more from SF Gate here: Landfill sued by environmental group over alleged stormwater violations
BAY AREA
Point Reyes plan to regulate water pollution from grazing gets OK from California Coastal Commission
“With water contamination at Point Reyes National Seashore at dangerous levels, the California Coastal Commission gave the green light Thursday to a strategy to regulate private ranchers and require them to stop practices that increase fecal pollution from cattle. The commission spent hours Thursday debating a second version of a water-quality strategy from the National Park Service, to address chronic water pollution caused by private ranching in the only national seashore on the West Coast. Point Reyes, a one-hour drive from San Francisco with about 2.5 million annual visitors, is one of few national parks allowing cattle ranching. Ranchers lease more than one-third of the National Park Service land to graze 5,000 beef and dairy cattle. The ranchers seek 20-year lease extensions, and currently enjoy rents subsidized by taxpayer funds and below-market grazing fees. … ” Read more from Courthouse News Service here: Plan to regulate water pollution from grazing gets OK from California Coastal Commission
SEE ALSO: State endorses Point Reyes water contamination plan, from the Marin Independent Journal
San Francisco Baykeeper: Dying algal bloom leaves dead zones in its wake
“An algal bloom, or “red tide”, that emerged in July and grew to affect wide stretches of the Bay has receded, likely because the bloom temporarily exhausted its nutrient supply. As the bloom died off, other microorganisms feasting on the dead algae rapidly proliferated, drawing down dissolved oxygen in areas of the Bay to levels that are lethal to most fish and shellfish, as well as other invertebrates. We don’t know yet how extensive these “dead zones” are or how long they will last. Starting in late August, we received increasingly frequent reports of unprecedented numbers of dead fish – including large sturgeon, sharks, rays, and striped bass, as well as masses of smaller fish – in the water and on shorelines, including Point Molate, Keller Beach, Alameda, and Hayward in the East Bay, and the Marin and San Mateo coastlines on the west side of the Bay. Reports of dead fish, and particularly newly killed fish, tapered off significantly by September 2. … ” Read more from the Daily Kos here: San Francisco Baykeeper: Dying Algal Bloom Leaves Dead Zones in Its Wake
Commentary: The algae bloom makes it clear. The Bay Area needs to recycle its wastewater
Spreck Rosekrans, executive director of the nonprofit Restore Hetch Hetchy, writes, “San Francisco Bay is sick this summer. A toxic algae bloom, the biggest since 2004, is floating across the bay, visibly changing the color of the water and killing off tens of thousands of fish. The takeaway from this unprecedented bloom is clear: The Bay Area needs to revolutionize its water management. Algae blooms are fueled by two primary ingredients. One is higher temperatures which, as the past week’s record-breaking heat wave has shown, seems to be a guarantee going forward. The other is excess nutrients, principally nitrogen and phosphorus, which serve as a food source for algae. That food source primarily comes from our wastewater — which has been dumped into the bay through the region’s 37 sewage plants for the past 50 years. ... ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle here: Commentary: The algae bloom makes it clear. The Bay Area needs to recycle its wastewater
Bay Area counties among state leaders in water conservation
“As California faces the likelihood that the drought will drag on for yet another year, the state’s urban water conservation numbers continue to increase. On Wednesday, the State Water Resources Control Board released new monthly data that shows Californians cut back on water use by 10.4 percent in July compared to July 2020. In June, statewide water consumption dropped by 7.4 percent compared to June 2020 and in May it dropped by 3.5 percent. The new numbers show conservation gains in all 10 of the state’s hydrologic regions, with the North Coast leading the way with a 28.5 percent water use reduction for July while the Bay Area reported a 17.3 reduction. … ” Read more from CBS Bay Area here: Bay Area counties among state leaders in water conservation
Bay Area trees need water as temperatures soar, drought drags on
“As a crushing heat wave hammers the Bay Area, residents are advised to not only drink water themselves, but give their trees a drink as well. Temperatures soared across the Bay on Tuesday, hitting a record-breaking 116 degrees in Livermore, smashing records in King City, Santa Rosa, Napa, Redwood City and San Jose as well. As a result, drought-stressed trees in the Bay Area are suffering even more, said arborist Darya Barar of East Bay-based HortScience Bartlett Consulting. “Any time there is high heat, trees are water-stressed,” said Barar, whose firm provides tree management services to businesses and municipalities. Trees were already suffering from the drought crisis facing the state, and the recent heat wave added insult to injury, she said. … ” Read more from NBC Bay Area here: Bay Area trees need water as temperatures soar, drought drags on
This East Bay city will be first to allow an Indigenous group the exclusive right to use city land
“Oakland leaders plan to allow an Indigenous group the right to exclusively use about five acres of city land, the first city in California to use municipal property as reparations for European settlers stealing Native American territories.Mayor Libby Schaaf and the Sogorea Te’ Land Trust, an Indigenous and women-led nonprofit, will announce Thursday that the city will grant an easement for Sequoia Point to the land trust and the Confederated Villages of Lisjan Nation, which is the East Bay Ohlone tribe. The Point sits above the Sequoia Bayview Trail, one of the most popular trails in Joaquin Miller Park.Oakland is creating a cultural easement at Sequoia Point, a legal arrangement that allows the city to transfer the right to use the land for cultural purposes, including ceremonial traditions, native habitat restoration and education activities. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle here: This East Bay city will be first to allow an Indigenous group the exclusive right to use city land | Read via Yahoo News
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
City department orders study on impact of California’s multi-year drought on Pasadena’s urban forest
“With the intention of improving street tree care at a time when heat, drought and water scarcity are looming factors, Pasadena’s Public Works Department is commissioning a study on the impact of California’s multi-year historic drought on the City’s urban forest. Public Works Director Tony Olmos said last week his Department has circulated a Request for Proposal for qualified consultants to prepare a street tree watering and maintenance study and come up with recommendations on how the City could encourage residents and property owners to help mitigate the drought’s impact on the urban forest. Results are expected to be submitted in early 2023, according to City documents. … ” Read more from Pasadena News here: City department orders study on impact of California’s multi-year drought on Pasadena’s urban forest
Restoration of Prado Dam patriotic mural near Corona applauded at event
“Terri Smith Ferguson has fond memories of a senior project for Corona High School’s Class of 1976 — painting a mural on the Prado Dam spillway. She recalled how students slid down the spillway and how they painted the last “6” of “1976” on graduation day. They had no idea how iconic their patriotic “200 Years of Freedom” artwork visible from the 91 Freeway would become over the decades. “As a young 17-year-old, I never imagined the impact this mural would ever have on people,” she told guests assembled Thursday, Sept. 8, near the artwork. “We were all a part of something bigger than what we could ever imagine.” She and others gathered for a groundbreaking ceremony to celebrate the long-awaited restoration of the faded and graffiti-laden mural that will soon be restored to its original glory. … ” Read more from the OC Register here: Restoration of Prado Dam patriotic mural near Corona applauded at event
IMPERIAL/COACHELLA VALLEYS
Coachella Valley water use continued to tick downwards in July, more conservation needed
“Water use in the Coachella Valley continued to tick downwards in July, but conservation is still falling short of the state’s goal of a 15% reduction compared to 2020, according to data released by the State Water Resources Control Board this week. But the July water use numbers do continue a trend of reduced water use that began in June, a marked shift from May and other previous months in which local water districts actually increased — rather than decreased — water use compared to 2020 baseline numbers. That shift corresponds with several new restrictions on water that took effect in June, including a statewide ban on watering “non-functional” turf in the commercial, institutional and industrial sectors that took effect June 10. ... ” Read more from the Desert Sun here: Coachella Valley water use continued to tick downwards in July, more conservation needed
SAN DIEGO
Coastal Commission approves plans to repair slope next to UCSD
“A 4-year-old slope failure in La Jolla is a step closer to being fixed after the California Coastal Commission voted unanimously Sept. 7 to approve a coastal development permit to repair and revegetate the slope. According to a staff report associated with the project, the work will include fixing a slope failure caused by a water line break in 2018 southwest of La Jolla Shores Drive next to UC San Diego’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography campus. The affected slope area is about 100 feet long and 75 feet wide. The site is bounded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Southwest Fisheries Science Center to the northwest, the Keck Center building to the southwest, La Jolla Shores Drive to the north and east, and vegetated areas to the south and east. … ” Read more from La Jolla Light here: Coastal Commission approves plans to repair slope next to UCSD
Along the Colorado River …
The good and bad news about city water cuts in Arizona
“First, the bad news. The Southwest’s megadrought is not going anywhere. And that means Arizona’s water problems aren’t going anywhere either. The good news: it probably won’t affect municipal water supplies for a long time. “If I had to bet money on it,” said Sarah Porter, director of the Kyl Center for Water Policy at ASU, “I would bet that we will not see the bigger cities moving to mandatory restrictions.” ... ” Read more from Channel 12 here: The good and bad news about city water cuts in Arizona
The Colorado River is dying. Can its aquatic dinosaurs be saved?
““You’re looking at the most endangered fish in North America,” Zane Olsen, the manager of the Ouray National Fish Hatchery tells me as he points to a deep open-topped water tank. … Found nowhere else in the world, the native razorback has occupied the waterways of the Colorado River basin for at least 3 million years, one reason why Olsen says they’re known as the “dinosaurs” of the Colorado. Known as “detritivores,” the bottom-feeding fish were once an important part of the river’s food chain because they nosh on dead plant and animal matter that might otherwise build up and cause disease while returning essential nutrients to the ecosystem. The fish have adapted to the harsh monsoon-to-drought cycles of the desert rivers that flood with melted mountain snowpack in the spring and are parched in the late summer. Razorback suckers can grow up to three feet long, 80 pounds, and live for 50 or 60 years. But such geriatric monster fish are rare in the wild today. … ” Read more from Mother Jones here: The Colorado River is dying. Can its aquatic dinosaurs be saved?
In national water news today …
Summer is ending, but climate disasters keep coming
“September marks the start of a new season for meteorologists. It’s the beginning of “climatological fall” in the Northern Hemisphere — and, ostensibly, a transition to milder weather. But much of the U.S. is still baking, burning, withering or swimming. It’s the reality of life on a warming planet. Research suggests that the hottest part of the year is lengthening and the risk of extreme heat, and other heat-related disasters, is rising. “We’re seeing increasing risks throughout the year as a variety of extremes increase in frequency and intensity in response to global warming,” said Noah Diffenbaugh, a climate scientist at Stanford University. … ” Read more from E&E News here: Summer is ending, but climate disasters keep coming
Harmful algal blooms: No good, just the bad and the ugly
“With the annual emergence of summer heat, happy vacationers and weekenders are often eager to cool off at nearby lakes and beaches. More and more, however, they are having to cancel their plans, or at least stay out of the water, as reports come in from all over the United States and elsewhere warning of unwelcome summer visitors: algal blooms.Among numerous recent examples, the Missouri Department of Natural Resources (MoDNR) notified the city of Sedalia on 13 June of a potentially hazardous algal bloom in nearby Springfork Lake. City officials had previously discontinued using water from the lake for drinking, and in response to MoDNR’s notice, they temporarily closed the lake to public recreation. … ” Read more from EOS here: Harmful algal blooms: No good, just the bad and the ugly
White House calls for action on crypto climate pollution
“A White House agency today called on the Biden administration to consider cracking down on bitcoin miners and other producers of energy-intensive digital assets because of the threat they pose to the nation’s climate goals. Before taking potential punitive measures on the emerging $1 trillion industry, the Office of Science and Technology Policy urged federal agencies to work with states, communities and industry to develop voluntary environmental performance standards for bitcoin, ether and nonfungible tokens (NFTs), all of which are digital assets secured using cryptographic techniques. “Should these measures prove ineffective at reducing impacts, the Administration should explore executive actions, and Congress might consider legislation, to limit or eliminate the use of high energy intensity consensus mechanisms for crypto-asset mining,” the White House agency said in a new report on the climate and energy implication of the crypto industry. … ” Read more from E&E News here: White House calls for action on crypto climate pollution
National water and climate update …
The Natural Resources Conservation Service produces this weekly report using data and products from the National Water and Climate Center and other agencies. The report focuses on seasonal snowpack, precipitation, temperature, and drought conditions in the U.S.
dmrpt-20220908
