WEEKLY WATER NEWS DIGEST for Oct 2-7: Update on Irrigated Lands Regulatory Program; CA offers to reduce imports of Colorado River water; CA suffering through driest three years ever recorded, with no relief in sight; and more …

A wrap-up of posts published on Maven’s Notebook this week …

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This week’s featured article …

STATE WATER BOARD: Update on the Central Valley Irrigated Lands Regulatory Program

At the September 20 meeting of the State Water Board, Central Valley Regional Board staff provided the State Water Board members with the annual update on the implementation of the Irrigated Lands Regulatory Program.

Specifically, the update was on implementing State Water Board’s order WQ 2018-02, referred to in the presentation as the petition order.  The focus of the petition order is the East San Joaquin Coalition, which has about 700,000 acres and 3000 members.  It was the first irrigated lands general order adopted in the Central Valley region.  The general WDRs were petitioned to the State Water Board; the Board responded by issuing the petition order WQ 2018-02, which updated and revised the San Joaquin coalition’s waste discharge requirements.  In addition, the petition order included requirements for the Central Valley Water Board’s Irrigated Lands Program, as well as irrigated lands programs statewide.

The presentation was given by Sue McConnell, Program Manager; Bob Ditto, Compliance and Outreach Unit Supervisor in the Irrigated Lands Regulatory Program; Patrick Palupa, the Executive Director of the Central Valley Water Board; and Adam Laputz, Assistant General Manager.

Click here to read this article.

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In California water news this week …

California offers to reduce imports of Colorado River water

Imperial Dam, near Yuma, Arizona. Water passes through here on its way to the Imperial and Coachella Valleys.

Facing demands from the federal government, California water agencies offered today to cut back the amount of water they import from the Colorado River starting in 2023.  After months of negotiations, water agencies wrote to federal agencies today offering to reduce California’s water use by 400,000 acre-feet every year through 2026. That amounts to 9% of the river’s water that California is entitled to under its senior rights.  Most of California’s Colorado River water goes to the Imperial Irrigation District, serving nearly half a million acres of farmland in the southeast corner of the state. The district offered to cut 250,000 acre feet, although its offer is contingent on federal funding and the voluntary participation of their water users.  Other recipients are the Metropolitan Water District, which imports water for 19 million people in Southern California, the Coachella Valley Water District and the Palo Verde Irrigation District, which all signed on to today’s letter. … ”  Read more from Cal Matters here: California offers to reduce imports of Colorado River water

Upper Basin officials see California proposal to conserve Colorado River water as a positive sign — even if it’s not enough

California water agencies that use Colorado River water indicated Wednesday they’d be willing to cut 400,000 acre-feet of water use annually starting next year and running through 2025 — a move a top Upper Basin water official cast as a promising development in the negotiations over the future of the river.  “All in all, it appears to be an encouraging first step,” said Chuck Cullom, executive director of the Upper Colorado River Commission, an interstate agency that manages water in the Upper Basin states of Colorado, Wyoming, Utah and New Mexico. … “We applaud California’s intention to conserve water and look forward to better understanding how this conservation will be achieved and its impact on elevations at Lake Mead,” Colorado River Commissioner Becky Mitchell said in a written statement.  Denver Water CEO Jim Lochhead also said he was encouraged by the letter. … ”  Read more from the Colorado Sun here: Upper Basin officials see California proposal to conserve Colorado River water as a positive sign — even if it’s not enough

California suffering through driest three years ever recorded, with no relief in sight

California’s drought has become the state’s driest three-year period on record, surpassing that of 2013-15 — and a fourth dry year is looking increasingly likely, officials said Monday.  The news came just days after the state began its new water year, which runs from Oct. 1 to Sept. 30. The 2022 water year was marked by dramatic swings between wet and dry conditions and a record-shattering heat wave at the start of September.  With long-range forecasts suggesting that warmer and drier than average conditions will persist, uncertainty remains about what the new water year may bring, even as residents continue to conserve at a commendable pace.  “This is our new climate reality, and we must adapt,” Department of Water Resources Director Karla Nemeth said in a statement. “As California transitions to a hotter, drier future, our extreme swings from wet and dry conditions will continue. We are preparing now for continued extreme drought and working with our federal, state, local and academic partners to plan for a future where we see less overall precipitation and more rain than snow.” … ”  Read more from the LA Times here: California suffering through driest three years ever recorded, with no relief in sight

California drought pits farmers vs. cities. But neither is the biggest water victim

As California fast approaches what is likely to be a fourth year of punishing drought, residents are being asked to cut their water use to historic lows. But while city dwellers are rising to the occasion — including record reductions in Los Angeles in August — urban consumption still represents only a small fraction of total water use in the state.  Where the rest of it goes depends on whom you ask. The California Department of Water Resources says 50% of the state’s water goes toward environmental purposes, 40% toward agriculture and 10% toward urban areas.  But experts say that calculation tells only part of the story, especially because the environment’s share tends to shrink dramatically during dry years. Instead, a clearer picture begins to emerge when you consider water designated for domestic and business use. Of that, 80% goes toward agriculture and 20% toward urban areas. … ”  Read more from the LA Times here:  California drought pits farmers vs. cities. But neither is the biggest water victim | Read via Yahoo News

DWR’s groundwater program key to long-term water resilience

California’s new water year started on October 1 and with continued warm and dry weather in the long-range forecasts, the State is preparing for a fourth dry year. The Department of Water Resources (DWR) is continuing to address drought and planning for a hotter, drier future by spearheading the use of innovative technology, working in partnership with other agencies, and supporting communities at the local level.  Eighty-five percent of Californians depend on groundwater for some portion of their water needs every day, and during drought groundwater acts as a buffer, supplying up to 60% of the state’s water supply especially during extremely dry conditions. While the water beneath our feet is unseen and often overlooked, sustainable management of this resource is critical for long-term water supply reliability. That is why groundwater management is a key part of the Governor’s strategy to secure the future of California’s water supply.   DWR’s Statewide Groundwater Management Program is at the forefront of innovation, collaboration, and science-based excellence to ensure a reliable groundwater future for California. … ”  Read more from DWR News here: DWR’s groundwater program key to long-term water resilience

Amid punishing drought, California is set to adopt rules to reduce water leaks. The process has lagged

Underneath pavement, parks and lawns, a web of pipes carry the water that fuels urban life from the companies that distribute it to the people who consume it. Many Americans never think twice about how much water might be leaking from that system. And water providers haven’t always been required to contain the leaks.  In California, though, that’s changing. The state, notorious for its battles over scarce water, is developing regulations that would require large urban water providers to analyze, then reduce the water they lose to leaks or metering errors before a single drop reaches consumers. California would be the first in the nation to set state-mandated loss standards, although it’s already two years behind its deadline to do so. … ”  Read more from Inside Climate News here: Amid punishing drought, California is set to adopt rules to reduce water leaks. The process has lagged

A decade of the human right to water:  Advancing safe drinking water for all Californians

Bruce Houdesheldt writes, “The State Water Board this week commemorated the human right to water, with California Environmental Protection Agency Secretary Yana Garcia, State Water Board members, and community representatives taking a moment to reflect on the signature legislation and a decade of progress. We laud the State Water Board in its leadership and efforts and we also congratulate the leaders in Northern California who have been working hard every day for the past decade to ensure the human right to water in every part of the Sacramento River Basin.  The human right to water was signed into law on September 25, 2012 by Governor Jerry Brown, now in the Water Code as Section 106.3. The state statutorily recognizes that “every human being has the right to safe, clean, affordable and accessible water adequate for human consumption, cooking, and sanitary purposes.” … ”  Read more from the Northern California Water Association here: A decade of the human right to water:  Advancing safe drinking water for all Californians

Water efficiency efforts have potential to save hundreds for households and millions for communities, but equity and access issues must be addressed

For the past 30 years, water rates in the United States have risen faster than inflation and all other utility rates, adding to the struggle faced by millions of people across the nation to pay water and sewer bills.   More efficient devices and climate-appropriate plants can immediately cut household utility costs by hundreds of dollars annually, reducing the financial burden of water access.  Water efficiency is also frequently the least expensive source of new water for communities. Water efficiency investments reduce the need for expensive new water and wastewater infrastructure, saving communities hundreds of millions and in some instances billions of dollars in capital costs and millions more in annual operating costs.  A major equity issue remains, as lower-income households face barriers to access water efficiency programs. More work is needed to ensure full and equitable access. … ”  Read more from the Pacific Institute here: Water efficiency efforts have potential to save hundreds for households and millions for communities, but equity and access issues must be addressed 

Feds propose protections for California’s longfin smelt

The Fish and Wildlife Service proposed Endangered Species Act protections Thursday for a crucial population of the longfin smelt, an unassuming California fish that has pit farmers against environmentalists and could end up redirecting the future course of the state’s water.  Reversing earlier calls made during both the Obama and Trump administrations, FWS said the San Francisco Bay-Delta distinct population segment of longfin smelt should be added to the list of endangered species.  “All the best available field surveys for documenting long-term abundance trends indicate Bay-Delta longfin smelt numbers have substantially declined over time, with current relative abundance reflecting small fractions of the species’ historical relative abundance,” FWS stated. … ”  Read more from E&E News here: Feds propose protections for California’s longfin smelt

Testing underway for pilot project to return endangered salmon to their historic habitat

State and federal biologists and engineers, in partnership with the Winnemem Wintu Tribe, have begun testing an experimental system in Shasta Reservoir that could help collect young salmon from the McCloud River in future years.  The Juvenile Salmonid Collection System, a pilot project three years in the making, is part of a long-term effort to help fish better survive California’s hotter, drier future and more extreme droughts. The collection system will float in the McCloud River arm of the reservoir and guide cold water toward a collection point, with this cold water flowing down from the Shasta Trinity National Forest. The initial testing, which will run from September to mid-November, will not involve salmon but will use temperature and hydraulic measurements to assess the operation and performance of the collection system.  If successful, the system will be tested in future years with salmon to determine its efficacy and if it can be a critical part of winter-run salmon reintroduction. … ”  Read more from the Department of Fish and Wildlife here: Testing underway for pilot project to return endangered salmon to their historic habitat

Column: Fresno author delivers sobering message on water, farming: ‘A crazy place of denial’

Columnist Marek Warszawski writes, ““Do you believe capitalism is compatible with sustainability, or do you feel like those things can’t co-exist?” The question, posed by a college student, produced a thoughtful expression on Mark Arax’s face. The noted Fresno author and journalist touched upon that question earlier during his hour-long talk. Now he was being asked directly. “I don’t believe capitalism is compatible with fighting climate change,” replied Arax, an answer that drew loud applause from a packed auditorium. “I think that’s really tough to do.” Arax wasn’t billed to speak about capitalism or climate change. But when the topic is water in California’s Central Valley — where it comes from, where it goes, who benefits from its delivery and what the future holds — those subjects tend to intermingle. … ”  Read more from the Fresno Bee here:  Fresno author delivers sobering message on water, farming: ‘A crazy place of denial’

Manmade wetlands, a barrier to the spread of microplastics

Constructed wetlands, built to treat wastewater and stormwater runoff, act as a barrier preventing the spread of microplastics through the environment, a Griffith-led study has found.  Published in Environmental Pollution, the researchers investigated the amount and distribution of microplastics in water and sediment at five constructed wetlands with stormwater and wastewater sources feeding into the wetlands.  “Wastewater and stormwater are both critical pathways for microplastics to enter the aquatic environment,” said Mr Hsuan-Cheng Lu, a PhD candidate from the Australian Rivers Institute. … ”  Read more from Water Online here: Manmade wetlands, a barrier to the spread of microplastics

Wildfires pose growing threat to drinking water systems

“In many areas across the United States, wildfires pose a growing threat to drinking water infrastructure, a complex issue that is only just beginning to be understood. Risks associated with wildfire include the physical destruction of infrastructure components as well as the contamination of drinking water supplies with known pollutants and other potentially harmful compounds.  As more communities experience the trauma of wildfire, they often must cope with the follow-on threat of contamination in their drinking water, a threat that can be hard to pinpoint and eradicate. … ”  Read more from Civil Engineering Source here: Wildfires pose growing threat to drinking water systems

5 ways the Supreme Court could transform water policy

The Supreme Court will take up a landmark dispute Monday that could shape the scope of the Clean Water Act for decades to come, affecting the fate of wetlands that have an outsize effect on emissions and climate change.  The nation’s highest court will kick off its new term with oral arguments in Sackett v. EPA, in which Idaho landowners have asked the court to exempt their land from costly federal permitting requirements by instructing a lower court to apply a more restrictive definition of waters of the United States, or WOTUS.  Some expect the Supreme Court — now dominated by six conservative justices — will side with the landowners, Michael and Chantell Sackett. … ”  Read more from E&E News here: 5 ways the Supreme Court could transform water policy

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In commentary this week …

The way to reduce San Joaquin Valley’s pervasive poverty is to get more water to farmers

Gary Yep, mayor of Kerman, writes, “The San Joaquin Valley is home to some of the most entrenched poverty in California. Time and again, studies have found the Valley to be lagging in almost every economic indicator used to assess prosperity. Agriculture is the major economic backbone of the Valley, and water used for farming is a key mechanism for economic mobility and opportunity. As long as agriculture continues to lack a reliable water supply, efforts to reduce poverty in the region will continue to fall short. … ”  Read more from the Fresno Bee here: The way to reduce San Joaquin Valley’s pervasive poverty is to get more water to farmers

Amid worst-ever drought, Calif.’s top water agency is focused – on fighting racism

Don Wright, publisher of Water Wrights, writes, “California’s State Water Resources Control Board has released a draft of its Racial Equity Action Plan opening the door for public comments, to conclude in mid-October.  The State Board is one of the more powerful bureaucracies within California’s sprawling government. The board members are unelected – appointed by the Governor and according to its website, “. . .  the five-member State Water Board allocates water rights, adjudicates water right disputes, develops statewide water protection plans, establishes water quality standards, and guides the nine Regional Water Quality Control Boards located in the major watersheds of the state.”  A quote on the Board’s website by Eileen Sobeck, Water Board Executive Director, “There could not be a more critical challenge facing us at this time than the challenge of achieving racial equity,” demonstrates the Board’s priorities in this time of drought.  Keep in mind the word equity is not synonymous to equality. … ”  Continue reading at the San Joaquin Valley Sun here: Amid worst-ever drought, Calif.’s top water agency is focused – on fighting racism

Restore the Salton Sea not to its former size but to its role in the ecosystem

Authors Brent M. Haddad and Robert Glennon write, “California’s largest inland body of water is in trouble. Inflows to the Salton Sea have decreased, salinity is growing, the ecosystem is collapsing, and neighboring communities are suffering high rates of respiratory illnesses caused, many believe, by contaminants in dust blowing off the exposed former seabed. … The sea shouldn’t be refilled. Instead, it should be allowed to arrive at its new equilibrium volume and elevation. When talking about California’s largest lake, a smaller Salton Sea still means an enormous body of water. Saving the Salton Sea ecosystem is about reducing its salinity, not increasing its volume.  The panel rejected the idea of building a desalination plant on Mexico’s Sea of Cortez and pumping purified ocean water north to refill the Salton Sea. Instead, a large desalination plant could be built right on the shore of the Salton Sea as part of the solution. … ”  Read more from the LA Times here:  Restore the Salton Sea not to its former size but to its role in the ecosystem | Read via AOL News

Legislature must remake water laws for a drier California

Walter “Redgie” Collins, legal and policy director for CalTrout, and Amanda Cooper, staff attorney for CalTrout, write, “California’s water laws are stuck in the past. The Legislature can—indeed, it must—make the changes to state law necessary to address the 21st century’s complex water challenges.  A recent decision by California’s Sixth District Court of Appeal highlights everything that’s wrong with California water law. The ruling blocks the State Water Resources Control Board’s authority to reduce water deliveries to a group of water districts amid California’s ongoing drought.  The ruling pertains to the water board’s authority to regulate water deliveries to holders of water rights that set aside water specifically for them and were issued prior to 1914. A group of pre-1914 water rights holders (primarily agricultural water districts) challenged the curtailment orders, hindering the state board’s ability to protect California’s waterways.  This, during a time when city residents are asked to let lawns go brown, whole towns are trucking in water to meet basic residential needs, and winter-run Chinook salmon are dying in the Sacramento River because of inadequate water flows. … ” Continue reading at Cal Matters here: Legislature must remake water laws for a drier California

California’s unlimited water supply

Greg Walcher writes, “There is no technological barrier to California using the ocean to supply all its water, no “breakthrough” needed. They may have a problem with political will, but they do not have a problem with science.  None of my columns have ever generated as many emails and phone calls as the recent series about the Colorado River, draining Lake Powell, and California’s abuse of its entitled share. When the Bureau of Reclamation decided to give that state a complete pass, instead cutting supplies yet again for Arizona, Nevada, and Mexico, many concluded that neither the Bureau nor California are serious about solutions. We all understand the drought has affected the entire West, creating water shortages in every state, and drastically lowering water levels in reservoirs. But in the Colorado River water debates, California has always had an advantage over the other states – 840 miles of coastline on the Earth’s largest body of water. At least half of the people I heard from asked the simple question, why can’t they use the Pacific Ocean? … ”  Read more from the Heartland Institute here: California’s unlimited water supply

Sea-level rise response can’t be one-size-fits-all

Kathy Oliver, President of the Santa Cruz County Association of Realtors, writes, “Sea levels around the world are undeniably rising due to the huge amount of carbon that humans have pumped into the atmosphere since the dawn of the Industrial Revolution. Rising seas will have a significant impact on many coastal communities, including some of the most iconic sections of the California coast. So how can we respond to save our precious coastline?  Smart Coast California, https://www.smartcoastca.org a nonprofit advocacy group established in 2019, believes our response should depend on location and land use, with plans reviewable every 10 to 20 years to adjust based on actual measurements.  Unfortunately, the California Coastal Commission, which must sign off on every local coastal plan along the 1,271-mile coast, has a different viewpoint. Some commission members favor “managed retreat” as a blanket policy and wish to deny all requests for shoreline protection. … ”  Read more from the Santa Cruz Sentinel here: Sea-level rise response can’t be one-size-fits-all

The American West should look to Israel for climate solutions

The American West is learning climate lessons the hard way. This summer especially, droughts have required the federal government to settle disputes over water shortages between states, signaling rising tensions in U.S. water policy. While these challenges are uncharted territory for the U.S., time-tested solutions from other countries may be closer than they seem. Israel, in particular, having weathered extremely tight water margins for years, is several steps ahead in climate innovation. We should look to it for inspiration. … The tiny country surrounded by deserts only sees rain in the winter and has limited sources of freshwater. With a growing population and a strong agricultural industry, Israel’s need for water has long outgrown its conventional supply—as is the case in much of the American West. As recently as 2015, Israel had a one billion cubic meter potable water deficit. Now? It produces 20% more water than it needs. … ”  Read more from the Jewish News Syndicate here:   The American West should look to Israel for climate solutions

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In regional water news this week …

Sonoma County Board of Supervisors approves temporary halt in new wells

The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors has imposed a six-month halt in all new wells countywide, a far-reaching move likely to impact residential and commercial property owners seeking to tap groundwater amid a historic drought.  The immediate drilling moratorium, which offers only a narrow exemption for emergency water needs, is meant to give the county more time to draw up a new set of well regulations aimed to safeguard surface and subsurface flows in the county’s major watersheds.  A 2021 lawsuit by the environmental group California Coastkeeper Alliance spurred the work toward new regulations, and the Board of Supervisors was scheduled to vote on the new rules Tuesday.  Instead, after hours of deliberation over a proposed well ordinance that would have established new requirements reflecting updated state policy for well permit applicants, the board voted 4-1 to impose a moratorium, seeking to buy time for additional work. … ”  Read more from the Santa Rosa Press Democrat here: Sonoma County Board of Supervisors approves temporary halt in new wells

SEE ALSOSonoma County issues moratorium on drilling new wells, from the Sonoma Gazette

Like a real-life horror show, San Francisco Bay algal bloom is expected to return

The largest algal bloom to threaten San Francisco Bay in recent memory has finally receded, but the creature that triggered it still lurks in the bay’s blue waters, waiting for the right conditions to strike.  Heterosigma akashiwo, an organism known to spawn red tides, turned the bay tea-brown this summer, killing untold numbers of fish and other marine life, including bat rays, gobies and polychaetes.  But heterosigma is just one of many species that are always living in the bay at background levels — a fact that concerns many scientists as they look toward a warmer, drier future. … ”  Read more from the San Francisco Examiner here: Like a real-life horror show, San Francisco Bay algal bloom is expected to return

In the Vines: How drought and climate change threaten the Paso Robles wine industry’s future

The water crisis in the American West is made worse every year by climate change and drought, posing an existential threat to agricultural economies across the region. Smaller cities and towns like those on the Central Coast are often the most vulnerable and hardest-hit, forcing these areas to adapt to more heat and less rain.  That was apparent in July of last year, when Governor Gavin Newsom visited Lopez Lake in South San Luis Obispo County. He thanked Californians for stepping up their water conservation efforts, but said it wasn’t enough.  “Conditions are such that they continue to devolve and as a consequence today, we are doing what we had signaled was likely to happen,” Newsom said. … ”  Read more from KCBX here: In the Vines: How drought and climate change threaten the Paso Robles wine industry’s future

Ballona Creek is polluted. New technology aims to clean it

Ballona Creek has a trash problem. Just ask Deborah Gregory, president of Ballona Creek Renaissance, who picks the stuff up by hand.  “What happens to society, we see it in the creek,” she says. “When the bag ban went into effect for the City of LA, we immediately started seeing fewer bags. It was amazing. It felt like it was overnight. When marijuana was legalized, we started seeing a lot of marijuana containers. We see a lot of hypodermic needles.”  Now, LA County’s Department of Public Works is bringing in new technology to help clean the 12-mile waterway, which meanders from Mid-City, passing through Culver City until it empties in Santa Monica Bay at Marina Del Rey, near the Ballona Wetlands. … ”  Read more from KCRW here: Ballona Creek is polluted. New technology aims to clean it

LA restricts water flow to wasteful celebrity mansions: ‘No matter how rich, we’ll treat you the same’

Los Angeles is living through a historic drought, but that hasn’t stopped some of its most famous residents from keeping their mega mansion lawns and ornate gardens well watered. In response, local authorities have turned to a surprisingly simple trick for keeping the wealthiest in check.  That solution is a tiny metal disc known as a “flow restrictor”. The restrictor can be installed in minutes over the pipes of chronic wasters, dramatically slowing down a home’s water flow. ... ”  Read more from the Guardian here: LA restricts water flow to wasteful celebrity mansions: ‘No matter how rich, we’ll treat you the same’

As the Salton Sea shrinks, a radical plan to save it with ocean water is rejected

For as long as the Salton Sea has faced the threat of ecological collapse, some local residents and environmentalists have advocated a radical cure for the deteriorating lake: a large infusion of ocean water.  By moving desalinated seawater across the desert, they say, California could stop its largest lake from shrinking and growing saltier and could restore its once-thriving ecosystem. Without more water, they argue, the lake will continue to decline, and its retreating shorelines will expose growing stretches of dry lake bed that spew hazardous dust and greenhouse gases. … But advocates of tapping ocean water were dealt a significant blow when a state-appointed panel of experts rejected the idea after a yearlong review. ... ”  Read more from the LA Times here: As the Salton Sea shrinks, a radical plan to save it with ocean water is rejected

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Announcements, notices, and funding opportunities …

NOTICE: October 4 Weekly Update on Curtailment Status of Water Rights and Claims in the Delta Watershed

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY: 2023 Nonpoint Source (NPS) Grant Program is now open

YOUR INPUT WANTED: State Water Board Seeking Input on Tribal Beneficial Uses Overview Document

ARMY CORPS REGULATORY WORKSHOP: Permit Types and Process for New Nationwide Permits

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY: SGMA Implementation Round 2 – Solicitation Opened

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