On the calendar today …
- MEETING: Delta Independent Science Board from 9am to 12pm. The Delta ISB will meet virtually to discuss its review of the draft Environmental Impact Report of the Delta Conveyance Project, which was released by the California Department of Water Resources on July 27, 2022. This will be the last meeting of Delta ISB Members Dr. Jay Lund and Dr. Joe Fernando, who will reflect on their 10-year term on the Board. Click here for the meeting notice and remote access instructions.
- WEBINAR: Are They Ready? Preparing for Maximized Stormwater Capture While Safeguarding the Region from Flood Damage from 10am to 11am. Water flows from our taps, but behind the scenes lies an intricate system of more than two dozen recharge basins in north and central Orange County that percolate and store more than 8 billion gallons of water. As we close out the summer and hope for potential rainfall this season, regional agencies are prepared to maximize stormwater capture from the Santa Ana River and enhance storage opportunities, all while preventing flood damage to our homes and businesses. Hear about the efforts undertaken by the Orange County Water District and OC Public Works and how we work together to ensure that our basins operate efficiently. Registration Link: https://ocwd.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Wg-nz9eUSX-K-3prYEk49g
- WEBINAR: Stories of the Water Cycle, a Virtual Party from 3:30 to 4:30pm. USGS’s current Water Cycle Diagram was released in the year 2000 and is accessed by hundreds of thousands of educators, students, and global community members every year. Since its publication, there have been over two decades of in-depth scientific research about where water is on Earth, how it moves, and the role of humans in the water cycle. The USGS is pleased to release a user-friendly, visually appealing, and scientifically accurate diagram for this era. Join our party to see the diagram revealed, to hear compelling lightning talks and stories about the water cycle, and for the chance to win our raffle! Click here to register.
In California water news today …
Boswell-Vidovich water war blows up over groundwater
“A long simmering water war between Kings County’s two biggest farming entities blew up Wednesday over groundwater when the state rejected the region’s plan to shore up its declining aquifer. The fallout could be significant if the state pursues enforcement, which could include pumping limits, steep fines and fees for all groundwater users in the Tulare Lake subbasin, which covers most of Kings. “We’re all gonna pay the price for this,” said Kings County Supervisor and farmer Doug Verboon. “It’s like being in a classroom, you got two kids that are the class clowns, disrupting the whole class, and you all pay the price.” He referred to the farming entities, Sandridge Partners LLC, controlled by John Vidovich, and the J.G. Boswell Farming Company. The two have been battling over a number of water issues, including groundwater. … ” Read more from SJV Water here: Boswell-Vidovich water war blows up over groundwater
South Valley water wars spill over into Kings Co. Supervisorial battle
“The battle for the Kings County District 1 supervisorial seat is the site of a proxy battle for water control in the area. District 1 Supervisor Joe Neves nearly won reelection outright in the June primary, falling just over two points short of a majority vote. Instead Neves, who was first elected to the board in 1994, heads to the November election against farm manager Martin Chavez. The tension in the race centers on Chavez’s ties to controversial water giant John Vidovich. … ” Read more from the San Joaquin Valley Sun here: South Valley water wars spill over into Kings Co. Supervisorial battle
As drought persists, crucial groundwater supplies dwindle
“More than 60% of California’s groundwater wells are operating at below-normal levels, endangering much of the Golden State’s population that relies on the precious resource. Although relatively unknown to many Californians, who see water supply in terms of rivers, streams and reservoirs, groundwater is a hugely vital source that is largely invisible. [Groundwater] represents anywhere from 40 to 60 percent of our total water supply in the state. During dry years, it’s approaching 60-plus,” said Tim Godwin from California’s Department of Water Resources (DWR). “Upwards of, like, 85% of our populace relies on groundwater in some capacity or another.” But California’s groundwater supply is being gradually depleted and over-extracted. … ” Read more from Capitol Weekly here: As drought persists, crucial groundwater supplies dwindle
Central Valley water storage at low level
“After a third straight year of severe drought, the Bureau of Reclamation’s Central Valley Project begins the 2023 water year with 3.6 million acre-feet of water in storage — one of the lowest starting points in recent years. The CVP’s major reservoirs are (from north to south) Trinity, Shasta, Folsom, New Melones, Millerton, and the federal share of San Luis Reservoir. The water year begins Oct. 1 each year and ends Sept. 30. “The 2022 water year was wetter than 2020 and 2021 in some areas of the state, but it was still well below average and came on such a large water supply deficit that it earned the title as the worst three-year drought on record with some of the driest winter months on record,” said Ernest Conant, regional director of the California-Great Basin region. “In order to navigate through this record-breaking drought, we had to modify operations outside of those considered in previous droughts and take a fresh look at every component of the CVP including facilities, contractors and environmental requirements.” … ” Read more from the Oakdale Leader here: Central Valley water storage at low level
Remembering the good years of plenty of surface water for growers
“Remembering the good years in agriculture and water, before the delta smelt was on the endangered species list. Mario Santoyo served as Assistant Manager for 30 years on their Friant Water user’s authority and has been fighting for water for decades. “I remember the good years. I was around during those days, but I’ve now lived through what is now the hard years,” said Santoyo. “The unfortunate fact is that there will no longer be good years, it will only be worse years because, for those folks that think it’s bad right now, they’re wrong. It’s going to get worse,” noted Santoyo. … ” Read more from Cal Ag Today here: Remembering the good years of plenty of surface water for growers
Western water on the precipice
“Low water supplies in the Western United States have reached a desperate situation. As replenishing rain will not fall, civic and business leaders are stepping up to ease the situation as much as possible. Mark Twain observed: “Whisky is for drinking – water is for fighting.” This is a favorite quote used by Dennis Nuxoll. Few have a greater grasp of water’s value than Nuxoll, who works from Washington, DC, as vice president, federal government affairs, for the Western Growers Association. WGA, headquartered in Irvine, CA, is at the forefront in addressing the water crisis in California and the Colorado River Basin. Nuxoll is the point of that spear. “We’re on the precipice of really drastic stuff,” he tells Fresh Fruit Portal. ... ” Read more from Fresh Fruit Portal here: Western water on the precipice
California Coastal Commission considering new desalination plant in Orange County
“The California Coastal Commission is set to vote Thursday on a proposed desalination plant in South Orange County at Doheny State Beach, but some campers oppose the idea. There are 122 camping sites at Doheny State Beach, so popular campers tell NBC4 they have to make reservations six months in advance. This is also where the South Coast Water District wants to build four underground wells for a new desalination plant. The water district says Doheny State Beach is drought proof. The Pacific Ocean could provide as much five million gallons a day of drinking water. Currently the district imports about 85% of its water for some 35,000 customers. … ” Read more from NBC LA here: California Coastal Commission considering new desalination plant in Orange County
Amid historic drought, California expected to approve $140 mln desalination plant
“A $140 million desalination plant is expected to be approved by California regulators on Thursday as the U.S. state contends with how to convert ocean water into drinking water amid the worst drought in 1,200 years. Just five months ago, the Coastal Commission by an 11-0 vote rejected a privately owned plant that would have been 10 times the size of the proposed South Coast Water District’s Doheny Ocean Desalination Project in Orange County, just south of Los Angeles. With environmental protection a concern, experts say smaller can be better. “It’s more nimble. The future is going to be all about modular solutions,” said Newsha Ajami, a researcher at Berkeley Lab’s Earth & Environmental Sciences Area. … ” Read more from Reuters here: Amid historic drought, California expected to approve $140 mln desalination plant
An ‘almost unheard of’ fall monsoon is driving wet weather in California
“Two thousand feet. That was the latest depth of the marine layer from weather instruments near Bodega Bay, as weather models signal another round of deep fog and low clouds for the gaps and valleys surrounding San Francisco Bay on Thursday. This summer-like pattern is also affecting Southern California, where the monsoon is still sending storms into the Mojave and L.A. area. Both of these factors are trapped in place as a low-pressure system spins off the coast of California, with no signs of slowing down. This deep marine layer in the Bay Area and the active monsoonal thunderstorms in Southern California are both displaying weather that the state normally sees around July and August. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle here: An ‘almost unheard of’ fall monsoon is driving wet weather in California
Wildfire retardants illegally poisoning streams – lawsuit
“A group representing current and former U.S. Forest Service employees claims the federal agency is polluting American waterways by dumping chemical flame retardants from planes above national forests without permits, violating the nation’s clean water law. The nonprofit group Forest Service Employees for Environmental Ethics (FSEEE) filed a lawsuit Tuesday in Montana federal court saying the federal agency dumped hundreds of thousands of gallons of chemicals into forest streams in recent years, despite concerns those chemicals kill fish and aren’t effective at fighting fires. The most commonly used chemicals are inorganic fertilizers and salts, according to the suit. … ” Read more from Reuters here: Wildfire retardants illegally poisoning streams – lawsuit
US sued for pollution from retardant drops on wildfires
“An environmental group filed a lawsuit Tuesday against U.S. Forest Service officials that alleges they polluted waterways during their campaigns against wildfires by inadvertently dropping large volumes of chemical flame retardant into streams. Government data released earlier this year found aircraft operated or contracted by the Forest Service dropped more than 760,000 gallons (3.5 million liters) of fire retardant directly onto streams and other waterways between 2012 and 2019. The main ingredients in fire retardant are inorganic fertilizers and salts that can be harmful to some fish, frogs, crustaceans and other aquatic species. The lawsuit alleges the continued use of retardant from aircraft violates the Clean Water Act. … ” Read more from the Associated Press here: US sued for pollution from retardant drops on wildfires
U.S. wildfire response badly off-base, new doc convincingly shows
Robert McClure writes, “As a journalist who has covered wildfire for decades, I was delighted to discover “Elemental,” an extraordinary new documentary that I hope will serve as a crucial turning point. This gripping doc should help move us toward a new and more sensible paradigm for Americans besieged by wildfire and smoke. And help protect the climate. “Elemental,” a searing critique of current policies for dealing with wildfire, grabs the viewer by the lapels from the first moments with stunning cinematography, surveying fire horror scenes from the air, with voiceovers acknowledging the threat from two previous and one current president. (Biden: “This is a blinking code red for our nation.” Trump: “Hopefully this is going to be the last of these because this was a really, really bad one.” Obama: “The devastation is enormous.”) … ” Read more from the Society of Environmental Journalists here: U.S. wildfire response badly off-base, new doc convincingly shows
Newsom advisor warns of climate threats to farming
“California is preparing for a drier future. Climate impacts affecting the state, such as drought, a shrinking snowpack, higher temperatures and wildfires, were central to a discussion last week by California Department of Food and Agriculture Secretary Karen Ross and members of the state board of food and agriculture. “California’s water supply strategy focuses on developing new water supplies, expanding storage, reducing demand and improving overall data and management,” Ross said. “As we look at a hotter and drier future, I know that California’s farmers and ranchers will continue to adapt and lead the nation in water-use efficiency and conservation.” … ” Read more from Ag Alert here: Newsom advisor warns of climate threats to farming
How do we clean up all that ocean plastic?
“There are currently 75 to 199 million tons of plastic polluting our oceans, according to the World Economic Forum. This is a result of humans recycling only nine percent of plastic waste and dumping 10 million tons of it into the seas each year. If we continue on this path, the annual flow of plastic into the ocean could triple by 2040 as plastic production continues to increase. Marine plastic pollution may be costing the world economy trillions of dollars every year because it affects fisheries, coastlines, tourism, marine life, and the food we eat. Some ocean plastic ends up in one of five major gyres, systems of ocean currents that corral marine garbage into their vortexes. Despite the fact that the majority of large plastic pieces are spread out across the vastness of the oceans and the rest may be too small to collect, there are a number of organizations attempting to clean up the oceans. … ” Read more from State of the Planet here: How do we clean up all that ocean plastic?
In commentary today …
Upending water rights is easier said than done
Journalist Tim Heardon writes, “There are few issues in the West more contentious than its systems of water rights, as people in burgeoning urban centers start to gripe about water use by farms that date back generations. When there’s a drought, the voices who call for an overhaul of water rights grow louder and bolder. In a blog post in April, Natural Resources Defense Council senior water division director Katie Poole complained the current system in California is propped up by a “violent, racist and exclusionary history.” She says state regulators should more strictly interpret their “reasonable use” doctrine to reflect the “changing reality” of modern times. However, recent California court decisions demonstrate that upending the West’s more than century-old water rights mechanisms is probably easier said than done. … ” Read more from the Western Farm Press here: Upending water rights is easier said than done
Pricing groundwater will help solve California’s water problems
Ellen Bruno, assistant professor of cooperative extension in quantitative policy analysis at UC Berkeley, writes, “In the face of its worst drought in centuries, California is finally getting around to regulating its groundwater use. As an agricultural economist who studies water regulation in California, I think this is a unique chance to change the way we price groundwater and protect this scarce resource. But I’m worried that we might not make the most of this opportunity. The Western US is currently in the midst of a megadrought — since 2000, the region has seen its driest two decades in more than a thousand years, in part because climate change has brought more heat and less rain and snow. This has put a huge strain on California’s groundwater supplies. The problem is that in most of California, agricultural groundwater use has long been a free-for-all. … ” Read more from Knowable Magazine here: Pricing groundwater will help solve California’s water problems
Commentary: Intensive agriculture evolves in world’s Salad Bowl
Norm Groot, executive director of the Monterey County Farm Bureau, writes, “The Salinas Valley is known as the Salad Bowl of the World—mainly because we produce much of the fresh produce that Americans and many others around the globe put on their dinner tables each night. These days, healthy diets may inevitably include fresh veggies, leafy greens and berries produced nearly year-round in Monterey County. Farming in Monterey County has evolved considerably from the days of the rancho haciendas. What we produce here barely compares with where commercial farming started more than 150 years ago with grain crops and then sugar beets. That’s because our farmers and ranchers know how to adapt. … ” Read more from Ag Alert here: Commentary: Intensive agriculture evolves in world’s Salad Bowl
Today’s featured article …
DELTA WATERMASTER: Investigation of alleged illegal Delta diversions concludes; Delta Dry-year Response Pilot Program in place for another year; Voluntary agreements and the Delta
At the September meeting of the Delta Stewardship Council, Delta Watermaster Michael George’s update included the completion of an investigation into unauthorized diversions in the Delta, the Delta Dry Year Response Program, and how projects underway in the Delta might fit into the implementation of the Water Quality Control plan, either through voluntary agreements or through regulatory requirements to implement the plan.
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
Klamath Lake wetlands project, ‘experimental’ nursery to help save endangered fish wins state award
“The transformation of a degraded, contaminated 45-acre landscape on the shores of Klamath Lake into wetland habitat received an award this week. The Oregon State Land Board honored the Klamath Lake Wetland Mitigation Project at its 18th annual awards Tuesday, Oct. 11. Gov. Kate Brown, Treasurer Tobias Read and Secretary of State Shemia Fagan recognized the lake project. The project created and populated a half-acre sucker rearing pond as an “experimental nursery for the endangered juvenile sucker,” according to a news release on the award. … ” Read more from the Herald & News here: Klamath Lake wetlands project, ‘experimental’ nursery to help save endangered fish wins state award
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
Investments into wildfire prevention project: Yuba 1 forest restoration project spans more than 15,000 acres
“With the impacts of wildfires and climate change drastically affecting the North Yuba River watershed, environmental investment groups Calvert Impact Capital and Blue Forest Conservation have partnered with the Yuba Water Agency to implement the Yuba 1 project. Yuba 1 is a wildfire reduction program developed through Blue Forest’s Forest Resilience Bond which finances sustainable solutions to the ecological impacts of climate change. Calvert Impact Capital was one of the first investors for this project. Over four years in the making, Yuba 1 is a forest restoration project spanning over 15,000 acres in the Tahoe National Forest system within the Yuba River Watershed. … ” Read more from the Appeal Democrat here: Investments into wildfire prevention project: Yuba 1 forest restoration project spans more than 15,000 acres | Read via Yahoo News
BAY AREA
Drought prompts Point Reyes park officials to truck water to thirsty elk
“The scenic Point Reyes peninsula has gotten so dry that the National Park Service, for a second straight year, has begun trucking water to its famous elk population. The tule elk that roam Tomales Point, a major draw for visitors at the Point Reyes National Seashore, normally get their water from creeks and old stock ponds in the rural Marin County park. But amid the three-year drought, those sources have run low, as they did last year before being replenished by fall and winter rain. To satiate the elk, park officials are refilling tanks that supply seven water troughs placed last year in areas where the animals typically go to quench their thirst. Float valves affixed to the troughs ensure a steady supply of water. The water will be trucked to the tanks as long as the creeks and ponds remain dry. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle here: Drought prompts Point Reyes park officials to truck water to thirsty elk
Sea levels could rise 7 feet by 2100, officials say; Here’s what SF plans to do about it
“San Francisco is launching a year-long study to protect the city from rising sea levels. It’s a big plan, being done in partnership with a military agency, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. City officials are bracing for sea levels to rise up to seven feet by the year 2100. “This is a massive undertaking, what I really like is we are on the offense, we are out front on this, we are not waiting until something happens,” said Willie Adams, president of the Port of San Francisco. … ” Read more from KGO here: Sea levels could rise 7 feet by 2100, officials say; Here’s what SF plans to do about it
Map: California updates tsunami hazard areas with most changes in the Bay Area
“The California Geological Survey and the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services released an update to the state’s tsunami hazard area map, with the latest changes concentrated on seven counties — mostly in the Bay Area. The designated area is primarily used to help cities and counties assess tsunami risk and develop plans to deal with the threat. However, the CGS does recommend that if you are on land and in the hazard area, you should leave immediately after feeling a long earthquake or if you receive an official evacuation notification. The hazard areas were based from 2009 Tsunami Inundation Maps for Emergency Planning and improved high-resolution computer modeling of tsunami scenarios. The counties that saw updates Friday are Marin, Napa, San Diego, Santa Cruz, Solano, Sonoma and Ventura. … ” Read more from the San Jose Mercury News here: Map: California updates tsunami hazard areas with most changes in the Bay Area
Crockett: Residents urged to protect themselves against hydrogen sulfide from treatment plant
“County health officials continue to urge residents who live near a wastewater treatment plant to take precautions after tests early this week continued to show elevated levels of hydrogen sulfide nearby. After an ongoing operational issue at the Crockett Wastewater Treatment Plant, 1801 Dowrelio Drive, led to complaints from residents about vile odors, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District carried out tests that found levels of the gas strong enough to affect the health of those exposed to it for long periods. On Tuesday, a team with the department’s hazardous materials division found a one-hour reading of .045 parts per million near Port and Ceres streets, just east of Interstate 80 near the plant, surpassing the district’s own one-hour average reading Friday of .036 parts per million near the plant. The initial test led the county’s health department to issue an advisory, followed by an update Wednesday. … ” Read more from the San Jose Mercury News here: Crockett: Residents urged to protect themselves against hydrogen sulfide from treatment plant
CENTRAL COAST
Some rain reached the Central Coast this week and we have another shot next week
“Wednesday night into this morning we finally saw some rain along the South coast and interior valleys of Santa Barbara County. It isn’t amounting to too much but after near misses or trace amounts most afternoons this week this felt good! In terms of totals most locations saw just a few hundredths of an inch, broadly through the Santa Barbara metro area and into the rest of SB County. … ” Read more from KSBY here: Some rain reached the Central Coast this week and we have another shot next week
Controlled burns to begin near Lake Nacimiento this week
“Beginning Thursday, the burning of hazardous vegetation will occur in the Running Deer area along Gage Irving Road. In cooperation with the SLO County Fire Safe Council, Monterey County Water Resources Agency, SLO County Air Pollution Control District, PG&E, the National Weather Service, the California Air Resources Board, and local landowners, firefighters from Cal Fire will conduct a 400-acre burn. … ” Read more from the Paso Robles Daily News here: Controlled burns to begin near Lake Nacimiento this week
Ongoing dredging of Channel Islands Harbor to replenish Port Hueneme’s beach
“A dredging operation at Channel Islands Harbor started last week by the Army Corps of Engineers will help replenish Port Hueneme’s receding coastline. By the end of February, about 2.5 million cubic yards of sand will be dug from the harbor mouth and near the breakwater, said Michael Tripp, director of Channel Islands Harbor. The $15 million federally funded project will remove enough sand from the harbor mouth for the depth to reach 20 feet, which is currently at 18 to 20 feet, Tripp said. The area between the breakwater and two jetties will be dredged to 35 feet deep from its current 15 feet. ... ” Read more from the Ventura County Star here: Ongoing dredging of Channel Islands Harbor to replenish Port Hueneme’s beach
EASTERN SIERRA
Research from Mono Lake to Jupiter
“Mono Lake is a place where fascinating geology gives rise to vital ecosystems, and the support offered to researchers through our Mono Basin Field Station means that the Mono Lake Committee has the privilege of a front-row seat to the most exciting research in the Eastern Sierra. The Field Station has been humming at full capacity, housing researchers from across the country, and the Committee’s research boat has been in use nearly every week since the beginning of June ferrying gear, personnel, and instrumentation. … ” Read more from the Mono Lake Committee here: Research from Mono Lake to Jupiter
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Los Angeles is running out of time to solve water crisis. Are leaders willing to act?
“On a clear afternoon recently, Mayor Eric Garcetti looked down at the Hollywood Reservoir from 1,200 feet in the air. “It’s as low as I can ever remember it being,” Garcetti said of the reservoir from the back seat of a Los Angeles Department of Water and Power helicopter. “You can see the bathtub ring.” The aerial survey of L.A.’s water infrastructure came at a critical moment. Over the last decade, the city has made significant investments in its future, including major projects to expand its ability to capture, store and recycle water. But now, on the eve of an election, much of the work remains unfinished — with target dates for some major water projects set as far as 2050. With the city facing what is sure to be one of the hottest, driest and most challenging climate eras on record, it is essential that its next leader sees the work through to completion, Garcetti said. … ” Read more from the LA Times here: Los Angeles is running out of time to solve water crisis. Are leaders willing to act?
How an ARkstorm could wreak havoc on Los Angeles
“No one knows when it’ll happen—it could be five months or five decades. No one can say exactly how bad it will be, although most predictions put it somewhere between a Roland Emmerich disaster movie and a diluvial apocalypse. At this point, only one thing is for sure. It’s going to get wet. Very, very wet. It’s called the ARkStorm scenario, a catastrophic weather event that, according to a terrifying, just-released report compiled by scientists at UCLA, could dwarf California’s droughts, fires, and even earthquakes in overall destruction. ... ” Read more from LA Magazine here: How an ARkstorm could wreak havoc on Los Angeles
Palmdale Water District Board OKs $1.045M in water meter equipment
“Palmdale Water District’s plan to upgrade its water meters to allow for remote online reading proceeded, Monday, when the Board of Directors approved purchasing $1.045 million in equipment. The system upgrade will allow the District to read customers’ meters online, without sending personnel into the field. Customers will also be able to log in and check the readings themselves. Monday’s approval was the second purchase from Riverside-based Aqua-Metric Sales Company. In September, the Board approved an initial purchase of $335,500 for hardware and software to help start the shift. … ” Read more from the Antelope Valley Press here: Palmdale Water District Board OKs $1.045M in water meter equipment
IMPERIAL/COACHELLA VALLEYS
Can the Salton Sea be saved?
“In the spring of 1905, the Colorado River, bursting with seasonal rain, topped an irrigation canal and flooded the site of a dried lake bed in Southern California. The flooding, which continued for two years before engineers sealed up the busted channel, created an unexpected gem in the middle of the arid California landscape: the Salton Sea. In the decades that followed, vacationers, water skiers, and speed boat enthusiasts flocked to the body of water. The Beach Boys and the Marx Brothers docked their boats at the North Shore Beach and Yacht Club, which opened in 1959. At the time, it seemed like the Salton Sea, and the vibrant communities that had sprung up around it, would be there for centuries to come. But the sea’s heyday was short-lived. … ” Read more from High Country News here: Can the Salton Sea be saved?
California’s Salton Sea is shrinking because of Colorado River water shortage, research finds
“The water levels of California’s most polluted lake, the Salton Sea, have been dropping for more than two decades, exposing people in nearby communities like Riverside to toxic chemicals. Now, scientists might have finally figured out why the lake has been shrinking. In a study recently published in the journal Water Resources Research, a team of researchers from the University of California, Riverside argue that the lake’s shorelines are receding due to a decrease in water flow from the Colorado River. … ” Read more from The Hill here: California’s Salton Sea is shrinking because of Colorado River water shortage, research finds
SAN DIEGO
Energy giant Kinder Morgan completes decades-long cleanup of Mission Valley fuel plume
“A toxic fuel plume that for decades contaminated soil and groundwater under the former Qualcomm Stadium parking lot in Mission Valley has finally been cleaned up, officials announced Wednesday. Roughly 1.6 million gallons of fuel leaked from the nearby Mission Valley Terminal in the 1980s and ‘90s, according to the San Diego Regional Water Quality Control Board. Kinder Morgan Energy Partners became responsible for the cleanup after acquiring the facility in 1998, several years after the water board discovered the contamination. The spill is one of largest of its kind in California. “Cleaning up the contamination of the Mission Valley aquifer is a remarkable achievement,” said Rob Hutsel, president of the San Diego River Park Foundation. “We applaud all parties that worked for so many years to rid the San Diego River and the community of this pollution.” … ” Read more from the San Diego Union-Tribune here: Energy giant Kinder Morgan completes decades-long cleanup of Mission Valley fuel plume
SEE ALSO: Mission Valley terminal pollution finally clean 30 years after order, from KPBS
Along the Colorado River …
Biden-Harris Administration announces new steps for drought mitigation funding from Inflation Reduction Act
“The Department of the Interior today announced new drought mitigation funding opportunities to improve and protect the long-term sustainability of the Colorado River System. A newly created Lower Colorado River Basin System Conservation and Efficiency Program, funded with an initial allocation through the Inflation Reduction Act and managed through the Bureau of Reclamation, will help increase water conservation, improve water efficiency, and prevent the System’s reservoirs from falling to critically low elevations that would threaten water deliveries and power production. “The prolonged drought afflicting the West is one of the most significant challenges facing our country. I have seen firsthand how climate change is exacerbating the drought crisis and putting pressure on the communities who live across Western landscapes,” said Secretary Deb Haaland. “Thanks to historic funding from the Inflation Reduction Act, the Interior Department is committed to using every resource available to conserve water and ensure that irrigators, Tribes and adjoining communities receive adequate assistance and support to build resilient communities and protect our water supplies.” … ” Read more from the Bureau of Reclamation here: Biden-Harris Administration announces new steps for drought mitigation funding from Inflation Reduction Act
Feds will put a price tag on Colorado River basin water to spur farmers to conserve
“The federal government is designating $4 billion from the Inflation Reduction Act for drought mitigation work in the Colorado River basin. On Wednesday, the Department of the Interior announced that total, indicating that $500 million will go to efficiency upgrades in the river’s Upper Basin states of Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, and Wyoming. Another chunk of IRA money will be set aside for direct payments to farmers and ranchers to forgo water deliveries from Lake Mead in the river’s Lower Basin, primarily in Arizona and California. Federal officials are not specifying how much money will be available for that first round of payments. … ” Read more from KUER here: Feds will put a price tag on Colorado River basin water to spur farmers to conserve
EXPLORE MORE COVERAGE:
- Biden administration outlines plan to pay for Colorado River water cuts as crisis looms, from CNN
- New federal plan pays water owners in 3 states to reduce their Colorado River use, from KSL
In national water news today …
Water pipes hold flood of untapped electricity potential
“There is a wealth of untapped hydroelectric potential in the United States – around 1.41GW of energy flowing through pipes, irrigation channels, and aqueducts. Scientists at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) reached this conclusion after what they described as a first-of-its-kind study examining the potential power generation of small and micro-scale hydroelectric generators bolted on to existing water infrastructure. Using both existing data from water regulators and “novel remote sensing and feature detection techniques,” the ORNL team said it was taking the first step in not only understanding the US’s untapped conduit hydropower potential, but also to raise awareness that such a power source exists. “For all its benefits, the biggest barrier is a general lack of awareness of conduit hydropower’s potential,” said Shih-Chieh Kao, ORNL’s water power program manager. … ” Continue reading at The Register here: Water pipes hold flood of untapped electricity potential
The Clean Water Act at 50: Big successes, more to be done
“When Steve Meserve’s great-grandfather, Bill Lewis, started the Lewis Fishery in 1888, it was one of dozens of commercial outfits scattered up and down the Delaware River that seined for American shad during the spring spawn. At the time, the Delaware’s shad fishery hauled 3 to 4 million of the hard-fighting fish from the river and its tributaries every year. But, soon enough, Lewis discovered that he had gotten into the business just as the river — along with the species it supported — was entering a period of catastrophic decline. For two centuries, factories and cities on both sides of the Delaware had been indiscriminately dumping trash, raw sewage, and industrial chemicals into the waterway. “My grandfather, Fred, would joke that we would catch a car a year with all the parts that turned up in the nets,” said Meserve, who took over the family fishery in 1996. “And in my youth, in the 60s, there were more jokes about getting sick by swimming in the river and drinking the water.” … ” Continue reading at Yale e360 here: The Clean Water Act at 50: Big successes, more to be done
US firms exploiting Trump-era loophole over toxic ‘forever chemicals’
“Chemical companies are dodging a federal law designed to track how many PFAS “forever chemicals” their plants are discharging into the environment by exploiting a loophole created in the Trump administration’s final months, a new analysis of federal records has found. The Fiscal Year 2020 National Defense Authorization Act put in place requirements that companies discharging over 100 pounds annually of the dangerous chemicals report the releases to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). But during the implementation process, Trump’s EPA created an unusual loophole that at least five chemical companies have exploited. The amount of PFAS being discharged into the air, water or disposed of on land “could be much higher than we already know,” said Jared Hayes, a policy analyst with the Environmental Working Group (EWG) and a report co-author. … ” Read more from Earth Island Journal here: US firms exploiting Trump-era loophole over toxic ‘forever chemicals’
Climate change threatens supercomputers
“In 2018, during a savage drought, the California wildfire known as the Camp Fire burned 620 square kilometers of land, reducing several towns nearly to ashes and killing at least 85 people. The disaster also had a ripple effect far from the flames, at a supercomputer facility operated by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) 230 kilometers away. The National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center (NERSC) typically relies on outside air to help cool its hot electronics. But smoke and soot from the fire forced engineers to cool recirculated air, driving up humidity levels. “That’s when we discovered, ‘Wow, this is a real event,’” says Norm Bourassa, an energy performance engineer at NERSC, which serves about 3000 users a year in fields from cosmology to advanced materials. … ” Read more from Science Magazine here: Climate change threatens supercomputers
