DAILY DIGEST, 12/15: Metropolitan declares drought emergency for SoCal; Restore the Delta Files comments on Delta Conveyance DEIR; A simmering revolt against groundwater cutbacks in California; Lawsuit filed to halt removal of Klamath River hydroelectric dams; and more …

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On the calendar today …

• MEETING: Delta Stewardship Council beginning at 9am. Agenda items include an update on the environmental justice issue paper, the Delta Levees Investment Strategy, the Lead Scientist report, the Delta science tracker, and a farewell update from the outgoing Delta Watermaster. Click here for the full agenda and remote access instructions.

Metropolitan declares drought emergency for Southern California …

Nation’s largest water supplier declares drought emergency

“The nation’s largest water supplier has declared a drought emergency for all of Southern California, clearing the way for potential mandatory water restrictions early next year that could impact 19 million people.  The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California provides water to 26 different agencies that supply major population centers like Los Angeles and San Diego counties.  It’s been so dry the past three years that those water deliveries have hit record lows. Earlier this year, the district declared a drought emergency for the agencies that mostly depend on the State Water Project, which covers about 7 million people.  On Tuesday, the board voted to extended that declaration to cover all Southern California water agencies. … ”  Read the full story at SF Gate here: Nation’s largest water supplier declares drought emergency

Regional drought emergency declared for all of Southern California

“Preparing for a fourth consecutive dry year, Metropolitan Water District’s Board of Directors has declared a Regional Drought Emergency for all of Southern California and called upon water agencies to immediately reduce their use of all imported supplies.  In adopting the resolution on Tuesday (Dec. 13), Metropolitan’s board warned the water-saving call could become mandatory if drought conditions persist in the coming months. By April, Metropolitan will consider allocating supplies to all its 26 member agencies, requiring them to cut their use of imported water or face steep additional fees on water purchased from Metropolitan.  Both voluntary and mandatory conservation measures will be implemented by Metropolitan’s member agencies at the local level, based on their particular water-supply circumstances. Agencies with available local supplies may be able to rely on that water to replace necessary reductions in imported water use. … ”  Read more from the Metropolitan Water District here: Regional drought emergency declared for all of Southern California 

SEE ALSO:

• • Southern California’s drought has hit emergency level, MWD declares, from the OC Register
    
  • ‘Biblical’ drought likely to lead to more water restrictions, from KTLA
  • Drought emergency declared for all Southern California, from the LA Times
  • Metropolitan Water District Declares Drought Emergency for Southern California, from NBC LA

In other California water news …

How will the Delta Conveyance Project help adapt to climate change?

“The proposed Delta Conveyance Project would help ensure water supply reliability for the State Water Project in light of projected future changes in precipitation and seasonal flow patterns due to climate change.  Global climate models forecast a range of future scenarios, which show a variety of projected changes in annual runoff in the Central Valley (from -32% to +47%).  These climate models project more precipitation will fall as rain instead of snow in the winter months, more extreme climate events such as extreme drought and flood cycles, and flashier storms, meaning pockets of intense precipitation scattered within dry stretches.  These climate changes will directly affect water management in California. Existing water management facilities were designed to capture water in upstream reservoirs and in the Delta based on historic climate patterns. However, these climate patterns are changing. … ”  Read more from DWR News here: How will the Delta Conveyance Project help adapt to climate change?

Restore the Delta Files comments on Delta Conveyance DEIR;  Lack of climate planning “embarrassing” for DWR

“Today, Restore the Delta submitted detailed comments on the Draft Environmental Impact Report on the Delta Conveyance Project (Delta Tunnel) to the California Department of Water Resources. “The California Department of Water Resources should be embarrassed by the lack of climate change planning in the DEIR for the proposed Delta Tunnel. The DEIR was out of date for climate change science when it was released in July 2022. If completed in 2040 it will be obsolete then. Meanwhile, California will have spent big money on a project the state will be unable to use as Delta water levels rise. Instead, we should invest in the resilience of Delta environmental justice communities and the rest of the state for flood and water supplies, reducing the big projects’ reliance on the Delta for future water needs, using water use efficiency and water recycling, and increasing local and regional water supply self-sufficiency to ward off drought and megafloods.” … ”  Read more from Restore the Delta here: Restore the Delta Files comments on Delta Conveyance DEIR;  Lack of climate planning “embarrassing” for DWR

Hood, CA meeting attracts many protesters against the Delta Tunnel Draft Environmental Impact Report

“The Tuesday, Dec 6, 2022 4 p.m. meeting at the River Road Exchange building in Hood, California attracted about 100 people who are all against Governor Gavin Newsom’s plan to build a giant 40′ diameter tunnel going 150 feet underground from Hood to Tracy and connect with the California Aquaduct to send water southward to places like the Los Angeles Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. Katherine Miller, a member of the San Joaquin Board of Supervisors and moderator for the Hood event, said the Department of Water Resources was invited to give their side but they refused to attend. However, many prominent politicians in the state legislature and from county board of supervisors were there to show they are against the tunnel, too.  Governor Newsom cut the tunnel project from two tunnels the former Governor Jerry Brown proposed to one tunnel. However, Delta residents and other Delta lovers say they don’t want any tunnel and that the water contractors have already done far too much damage to the California Delta. One speaker pointed out how the Clifton Forebay connection to the California Aquaduct has long been a slaughterhouse for fish.”  Watch the video here: Hood, CA meeting attracts many protesters against the Delta Tunnel Draft Environmental Impact Report

A simmering revolt against groundwater cutbacks in California

“In 2014, California legislators, focused on groundwater’s accelerating decline during a prolonged drought, passed the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act. Its imperatives: keeping groundwater levels sustainable by 2040 and keeping control of groundwater in local hands. Both goals are now in limbo.  As the state endures yet another prolonged drought and state water managers have balked at approving plans covering the basins at greatest risk – the vast majority in the San Joaquin Valley – more growers in a few of the new local groundwater agencies are in revolt at the new rules that will curtail access to the water they once took for granted. … ”  Read more from … & the West here: A simmering revolt against groundwater cutbacks in California

Lawsuit filed to halt removal of Klamath River hydroelectric dams

“Last week California Governor Gavin Newsom announced final approval of a plan to remove four dams on the Klamath River in Northern California, along with Oregon Governor Kate Brown, U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland, Congressman Jared Huffman and leaders of the Yurok and Karuk tribes. Newsom refers to the dam removal project as “transformative” and says “it will revitalize nearly 400 miles of the Klamath River and tributaries.  This has been a long time coming and and has been fought over by many groups as well as by members of Congress. In 2020, the Globe reported, “The plan calls for the demolition of the dams and management of the watershed lands by the non-profit Klamath River Renewal Corporation (KRRC). Rep. Doug La Malfa (R-CA) calls the KRRC a ‘shell corporation’ for the Karuk and Yurok Indian tribes who have no experience or capacity to handle the immense legal liabilities of such a project.” … ”  Read more from the California Globe here: Lawsuit filed to halt removal of Klamath River hydroelectric dams

California groundwater mapping hones in on optimal sites to replenish a dwindling resource

“When it comes to water, the state of California in recent years has faced the dilemma of having too much or too little. Although the land is parched and river washes run dry, more intense storms brought on by climate change are expected to increase the frequency of significant floods. As a result, identifying places to store surplus water when its available has become a critical component of sustainable water management in California, according to state and local water officials.  “One of the outcomes of climate change is we’re going to get more extreme flash floods even during droughts … how do we capture those high flows to recharge the basins?” asks Paul Gosselin, deputy director, sustainable groundwater management, at California’s Dept. of Water Resources (DWR). “Having data and a greater understanding of basic conditions and how flows occur is going to be critically important, especially when a lot of agencies are looking to increase and develop recharge projects.” … ”  Read more from Engineering News-Record here: California groundwater mapping hones in on optimal sites to replenish a dwindling resource

California almond acreage shrinks for first time in 25 years

“California’s tight water restrictions and low precipitation continues to challenge even the most creative farmers and ranchers. A recent report by Land IQ, commissioned by the Almond Board of California, confirms that even the resourceful almond industry has felt the sting of drought conditions.  For the first time in a quarter of a century, California’s almond acreage has decreased instead of grown, according to Land IQ, an agricultural and environmental research and consulting firm. In an August crop report, total almond tree acreage was estimated at 1.64 million acres, down from 1.66 million acres in August 2021, according to a news release. … ”  Read more from The Packer here: California almond acreage shrinks for first time in 25 years

Senator Dodd introduces bill to expand Water Shutoff Protection Act

“Sen. Bill Dodd introduced a bill this week to expand provisions of his Water Shutoff Protection Act in an effort to ensure more low-income Californians have uninterrupted access to essential drinking water.  “Access to water is a fundamental right and we must ensure the tap does not get turned off just because someone falls behind on their bills,” Dodd, D-Napa, said in a press release. “This proposal enhances my previous legislation by covering people in smaller, rural communities who are struggling financially. It will allow them to continue using water for drinking, cooking and necessities such as washing clothes while they get caught up on missed payments.” … ”  Read more from the Daily Republic here: Senator Dodd introduces bill to expand Water Shutoff Protection Act

Troops at two dozen bases exposed to toxic chemicals in drinking water

“An internal Defense Department study completed this year found that the drinking water at 24 installations exposes about 175,000 service members a year to dangerous levels of chemicals linked to cancer and other illnesses.  The report, made public by the Environmental Working Group on Thursday, found that water tested from each of the bases contained more than 70 parts-per-trillion of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, known collectively as PFAS, the Environmental Protection Agency’s previous cut-off for safe drinking water. … The bases with dangerous PFAS levels include Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington; Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio; and Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California, as well as several Army and Air Force installations in South Korea. … ”  Read more from the Air Force Times here: Troops at two dozen bases exposed to toxic chemicals in drinking water

Six-year study shows downstream contamination from illegal cannabis grow sites in national forests

“A study recently published in the Water Quality Research Journal by Forest Service Law Enforcement and Investigations ecologists and partners discovered surface water contamination below illegal cannabis grow sites.  Previously, Forest Service ecologists documented the environmental threat illegal grow sites posed to terrestrial wildlife, including the federally protected northern spotted owl and Pacific fisher. However, little was known about the threats illegal cannabis grow sites pose to nearby surface waters and its wildlife. After six years of monitoring, illegal and banned pesticides have been unexpectedly detected in surface waters below these sites.  National forest lands support over 50% of California’s freshwater, 75% of California’s fish and wildlife and 62% of native plants. The surface water in national forests provides critical aquatic and riparian habitat for many species, plus clean water to rural communities, agriculture, municipalities and Indigenous tribes. … ”  Read more from the US Forest Service here: Six-year study shows downstream contamination from illegal cannabis grow sites in national forests

California’s giant sequoias have burned in record numbers. One group is trying to halt the destruction

“When wildfire whipped into Yosemite National Park over the summer, many feared the worst for the park’s famed Mariposa Grove of giant sequoias.  The prior two years had seen nearly 20% of California’s sequoia trees go up in smoke, and the threat of another deadly, climate-driven wildfire loomed.  Fortunately, the giants at Yosemite fared just fine. So did the rest of the state’s roughly 75 to 80 sequoia groves this year, mostly because of California’s quiet fire season, but with support from a broad coalition of scientists and land managers that has begun working to protect the world’s largest trees. The group’s mission is nothing short of ensuring a future for the increasingly vulnerable species. ... ”  Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle here: California’s giant sequoias have burned in record numbers. One group is trying to halt the destruction

An ecologically crucial Sierra pine becomes one of few tree species protected by the feds under the Endangered Species Act

“The whitebark pine, a gnarled and ancient-looking conifer critical to life in high elevations across the Sierra Nevada and other Western U.S. mountain ranges, on Wednesday joined two other trees declared officially threatened due to climate change under the Endangered Species Act.  An invasive fungus called blister rust has been attacking these trees for more than a century, and climate change is expected to worsen other threats like mountain pine beetles, wildfires and rising temperatures, according to the U.S. Department of Fish and Wildlife. A 2016 analysis by the U.S. Forest Service Rocky Mountain Research Station found that 51% of all standing whitebark pines across North America and Canada were dead. … ”  Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle here: An ecologically crucial Sierra pine becomes one of few tree species protected by the feds under the Endangered Species Act

SEE ALSO:  Climate change, wildfires and a deadly fungus threaten this iconic tree, from the Washington Post

Fire weather extremes make prescribed burns riskier, but more essential than ever

“The U.S. Forest Service halted their prescribed burns this summer following an out-of-control burn in New Mexico that became the worst wildfire in the state’s history. Moreover, for Nevada land managers — including many with ties to local tribes — climate change is making it more difficult to put “good” fire on the ground.  In the Pine Nut Mountains on Washoe tribal land in northwestern Nevada, a pinyon-juniper forest grows out of control.  Rhiana Jones and Billy Hawk Enos are land management experts from the Washoe Environmental Protection Department. They survey the patch of forest, pointing out the subtle signs of its decline.  The pines grow almost on top of each other, and many are dead from disease and drought. The forest carpet is ankle-deep, covered in fallen needles, twigs, and branches — fine fuels that would feed a fire. The dry timber could easily go up in flames. ... ”  Continue reading at KUNR here: Fire weather extremes make prescribed burns riskier, but more essential than ever

As California cools, federal government poised to pass last-minute laws to address wildfires

“Congressional measures that could help California with wildfire prevention and mitigation are poised to become law in the final days of this legislative session. One of those laws could get California more planes to fight fires, a change Gov. Gavin Newsom and California senators discussed with White House officials in July. Another would ensure the federal agency charged with responding to natural disasters treats wildfires with the same level of urgency as it does hurricanes. A bill pushed by California Sen. Alex Padilla eliminates the cap on extra military planes that the Department of Defense can transfer in a year to an agency or state for wildfire suppression through the National Defense Authorization Act. … ”  Read more from the Sacramento Bee here:  As California cools, federal government poised to pass last-minute laws to address wildfires

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In commentary today …

Editorial: California’s water future mirrors housing disaster

The Mercury News and East Bay Times editorial board writes, “Scholars began identifying California’s affordable-housing crisis in the 1970s. The state’s failure to address the issue eventually led to young, middle-class families locked out of the housing market and the current, devastating homelessness crisis.  It begs the question of how long California’s governor will fail to address the state’s water challenges before an even worse disaster strikes.  Yes, after three years of drought, recent storms have left the Sierra snowpack at more than 200% of average for this time of year. But heavy snowfall a year ago led to a series of dry months that only exacerbated the drought.  Climate-change forecasts project that the state’s water supply will be cut by an additional 10% by 2040. Despite that warning, California continues to overpromise its ability to deliver water to Central Valley farmers while doing far too little to identify new sources of water or conserve its available supply. ... ”  Read more from the Mercury News here: Editorial: California’s water future mirrors housing disaster

These projects can solve water crisis, protect farms

Edward Ring, senior fellow at the California Policy Center, writes, “Despite seasonal rainfall at normal levels so far this year, the California Department of Water Resources on Dec. 1 announced an initial State Water Project allocation of 5% of requested supplies for 2023. Unless heavy rains or new policies change this decision, it will mark the third consecutive year that the State Water Project delivered only 5% to its customers.  This is an avoidable problem. By the end of December 2021, for example, only three months into the water year, two massive storm systems had already dumped more than 104 million acre-feet onto California’s watersheds. Almost none of it was captured by reservoirs or diverted into aquifers. … ”  Read more from Ag Alert here: These projects can solve water crisis, protect farms

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In regional water news and commentary today …

NORTH COAST

New Tribal funding works to further Klamath River restoration

“The US Department of the Interior recently announced the Klamath Tribes are one of four Tribal organizations scheduled to receive funding for water restoration projects along the Klamath River.  The Bureau of Reclamation says the Tribe will receive $500 thousand for restoration along the Upper Williamson River, located at the headwater of the Klamath River.  The announcement was made following a tour of the Iron Gate Fish Hatchery with Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA), Gov. Kate Brown (D-OR), and tribal leaders earlier this month. … ”  Read more from Channel 10 here: New Tribal funding works to further Klamath River restoration

Mendocino tourism board, officials, businesses respond to travel guide’s ‘No List’ that cites water issues

“Does drought affect Teddy Winslow’s business, the breakfast and lunch spot GoodLife Cafe & Bakery open seven-days-a-week on Mendocino’s well-trodden Lansing Street?  “We’re currently monitoring our well, which basically provides water for the entire block that my restaurant resides on,” Winslow, who’s owned the cafe since 2012, told The Mendocino Voice in a phone conversation this winter. “The well runs dry about once a week, and we have to purchase water from [a delivery driver] who lives in Comptche — but he has to drive all the way to Fort Bragg and then drop it off at my place, which I believe costs my landlord around $500 or $600 a time. … At a certain point he’s going to stop paying the amount and charge the commercial tenants for that water — I think it’s a $10,000 cut-off that he put into the lease. So, I’m very conscious of how much water we’re using constantly.” … ”  Read more from the Mendocino Voice here: Mendocino tourism board, officials, businesses respond to travel guide’s ‘No List’ that cites water issues

MOUNTAIN COUNTIES

Early action project using Dixie Fire to build resilience in Plumas National Forest

“In response to a record-breaking fire season in 2020, the California legislature issued millions of dollars to state agencies in May 2021 to immediately start forest-health and fuels-reduction work to help prevent another devastating wildfire season. In July that same year, Sierra Nevada Conservancy (SNC) worked to efficiently and effectively allocate $19 million of those funds to 15 shovel-ready projects across the Sierra Nevada.  One of these critical efforts was the Thompson Peak Initiative Bootsole Forest and Watershed Restoration Project, led by the Lassen Fire Safe Council, which will remove excess fuels on nearly 3,800 acres of Plumas National Forest land. To date, the $3.7 million grant is the largest single Watershed Improvement Program grant awarded in SNC history. … ”  Read more from the Sierra Nevada Conservancy here: Early action project using Dixie Fire to build resilience in Plumas National Forest

‘Without water, my property is worthless’:  Well owners want protection from Rise Gold Grass Valley

“Well owners and community organizations urged the Nevada County Board of Supervisors (BOS) to implement better safegaurds to protect residents’ domestic wells at Tuesday’s regular board meeting.  Members of the Wells Coalition spoke about the need for baseline data required by the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) before Rise Gold Corporation’s proposed reopening of the Idaho-Maryland mine continues.  “It is imperative that we have a process in place to gather baseline data for our wells before there is any further movement on this proposal. We could, literally, be facing life altering consequences and complete financial ruin without it…Without water, my property is worthless,” Tony Lauria from Grass Valley said. … ”  Read more from The Union here: ‘Without water, my property is worthless’:  Well owners want protection from Rise Gold Grass Valley

SACRAMENTO VALLEY

Climate Watch: A drier future ahead

“Climate forecasts for our region clearly indicate that it’s going to be hotter here. How much hotter depends on how humans collectively manage our emissions over the next few years and beyond. Forecasts are not clear, however, if our region will get more or less annual rainfall. Even if we receive more, increased heat will evaporate moisture away and plants will use it faster. The net result is increased dryness in our region and Valley. Given this trend, the current drought could be mild compared to what lies ahead.  Therefore, every drop of water will be more and more precious here.  Sonoma Valley, like much of the state, already has a water deficit. We use more than we receive. … ”  Read more from the Sonoma Index-Tribune here: Climate Watch: A drier future ahead

NAPA/SONOMA

Feds appropriate funds to upgrade outmoded Lake Hennessey spillway

“Considered a looming threat for decades, Congress has approved millions to address hazards at the seventy-six-year-old dam holding back the North Bay’s Lake Hennessey.  Money to greatly improve the earthen dam’s antiquated spillway and funding to study dredging the Napa River was added to the recent, must-pass National Defense Authorization Act by Congressman Mike Thompson.  Although long awaited, convoys of earthmoving equipment won’t be streaming in to make repairs for a while. Joy Eldredge, deputy utilities director for the City of Napa laid out how the project will likely proceed.  “We have to complete the feasibility study, my understanding right now is that the Corps of Engineers will be part of the review process with it, so, we are likely looking at a year or two until we have full approval, that’s going to include the Division of Safety of Dams and the Corps of Engineers, if we’re doing such a big project like this, we sure want to get it right. And, I’m a little bit guessing right now not having worked with these agencies recently, that that’s probably a two-year process.” ... ”  Read more from Northern California Public Media here: Feds appropriate funds to upgrade outmoded Lake Hennessey spillway

BAY AREA

Marin Municipal Water District weighs rate hikes amid fiscal stress

“The Marin Municipal Water District board is considering raising rates for the first time since 2019 in response to sobering financial forecasts.  District staff told the board Monday that unless the agency can find more revenue, the effects of inflation, drought and maintaining the water supply system could deplete reserve funds by mid-2024 and increase budget deficits as high as $45 million in the coming years.  “We’re facing a really heavy lift here,” board president Larry Russell said during the meeting.  The discussion was the first order of business for the newly organized board, which had a significant change in leadership following the November election. … ”  Read more from the Marin Independent Journal here: Marin Municipal Water District weighs rate hikes amid fiscal stress

Tiburon approves modifications to bayside land purchase

“The Richardson Bay Sanitary District has lowered the price and size of a waterfront property it is selling to Tiburon.  The deal involves four decommissioned water recycling ponds at 500 Tiburon Blvd. between Blackie’s Pasture and McKegney Green. The sanitation district asked to modify the sale agreement to preserve its access to utility buildings that are not being sold.  The initial price was $600,000 for 38,000 square feet of the property. The new offer is 32,820 square feet at $573,704.05.  The Town Council voted unanimously to approve the change at its meeting on Dec. 7. … ”  Read more from the Marin Independent Journal here: Tiburon approves modifications to bayside land purchase

Alameda County Water District proposes rate increases

“It seems like everything is going up in price these days, especially bills, and for residents in Fremont, Newark and Union City, water is no exception. Households in these areas could start paying 4% more for the commodity beginning next March, and another 4% on top of that in March 2024.  The increases are being proposed by the Alameda County Water District, which will hold a public hearing on the rate hikes in February.  The district has a budget of $176 million for the next fiscal year, but rising costs and the ongoing drought are causing issues. … ”  Read more from the San Jose Mercury News here: Alameda County Water District proposes rate increases

Anderson Dam: Crews make progress digging major tunnel as part of $1.2 billion earthquake safety project

“A $1.2 billion project to rebuild the largest dam in Santa Clara County to reduce the risk of it failing in a major earthquake has finally begun to make significant visible progress, as construction crews have started to dig a huge new outlet tunnel at Anderson Dam near Morgan Hill.  The tunnel, which will be 24 feet high and 1,700 feet long, will allow the sprawling reservoir east of Highway 101 to be drained more quickly in the event of an earthquake, extreme storm or other incident.  After the tunnel is finished in late 2024, and a 13-foot high pipe installed inside, crews will tear down the existing 240-foot earthen dam, built in 1950. They will then build a new dam and concrete spillway, capable of surviving a 7.2 magnitude earthquake. That project won’t be finished until 2032. Dam experts and safety officials around the state are watching. … ”  Read more from the San Jose Mercury News here: Anderson Dam: Crews make progress digging major tunnel as part of $1.2 billion earthquake safety project | Read via MSN News

Bay Area’s Camp Jones Gulch and surrounding redwood grove to be permanently preserved

“An old-growth redwood grove in La Honda will keep getting older thanks to a legal agreement that will preserve the historic Camp Jones Gulch, an environmental nonprofit and the camp operator jointly announced Thursday.  A total of 928 acres of mostly pristine forest — located between the mountain town of La Honda and the coastal town of Pescadero — has been saved through the purchase of a conservation easement, at a cost of $9.65 million. The buyer is Sempervirens Fund, which works to preserve the redwood forests of the Santa Cruz Mountains.  The dense, mountainous terrain includes 39 acres of redwoods that have grown untouched for 500 years. Another 668 acres were logged a century ago, but have since regrown. … ”  Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle here: Bay Area’s Camp Jones Gulch and surrounding redwood grove to be permanently preserved

CENTRAL COAST

As Castroville faces a looming water crisis, Marina Coast offers up a helping hand

“Eric Tynan, general manager of Castroville Community Services District, often calls Castroville’s water supply challenges “the canary in the coal mine” for the northern Salinas Valley.  Castroville CSD has three wells in the 400-foot aquifer. One had to be shut down in March 2021 because it became too salty, and the other two remain in constant danger of the same fate due to ever-increasing seawater intrusion in the aquifer.  The district’s other well is in the deep aquifer, which is around 900 feet deep and contains water believed to be several thousand years old – a water supply that is not replenishing. Add to that problem, Tynan says, its water comes out hot (99 degrees). To deliver it to customers, it has to be blended with water from the two shallower wells.  That puts Castroville in a bind ... ”  Read more from Monterey Weekly here: As Castroville faces a looming water crisis, Marina Coast offers up a helping hand

Commentary: Cal Am uses rate structure to hold recycled water project hostage

Sara Rubin, editor of the Monterey County Weekly, writes, “There is a story of water supply on the Monterey Peninsula that Cal Am executives like to tell. Project after project, over decades, has been knocked down by the public, the villain in this story. The company has persisted in suggesting alternative sources.  The narrative looks a little different when Cal Am is the one stalling progress. At issue is an effort to recycle and super-clean wastewater, which is already happening to the tune of 3,500 acre-feet per year at Monterey One Water, with a project called Pure Water Monterey.  The expansion could provide an additional 2,250 acre-feet of water annually. While it’s M1W, the region’s sewer agency, that will build the project, M1W needs an agreement with someone who will buy the water – a water retailer, like Cal Am – before it can secure construction loans. That was expected to come in the form of a water purchase agreement, carefully negotiated over months. … ”  Read the full story at Monterey Weekly here: Cal Am uses rate structure to hold recycled water project hostage

Paso Robles hosting public hearing on water rate increases

“The City of Paso Robles is proposing to gradually phase in water rate increases over the next five years to support water system operating and maintenance expenses, fund the city’s share of debt service for the Nacimiento Water Project, and provide funding for capital improvements needed to support safe and reliable service. The city’s water utility is a self‐supporting enterprise that relies primarily on service charge revenues to meet annual funding needs. As such, water rates need to be set at levels adequate to fund the costs of providing service, according to the city. ... ”  Read more from the Paso Robles Daily News here: City hosting public hearing on water rate increases

Commentary: Tell SLO County supervisors that their Paso planting ordinance is bunk

Andrew Christie, director of the Santa Lucia Chapter of the Sierra Club, writes, “The Paso Basin Land Use Management Area Planting Ordinance—understandably often shorthanded as PBLUMA—is now slouching toward the SLO County Board of Supervisors after receiving a beat-down from the county Planning Commission of a kind seldom seen in these parts.  Here’s a taste from their recommendation of rejection:  “The benefits of the proposed planting ordinance do not outweigh the significant unavoidable impacts identified in the environmental impact report. … Increased groundwater extractions facilitated by the proposed planting ordinance risk the State Water Resources Control Board taking over the groundwater sustainability plan process if sustainability is not achieved.” … ”  Continue reading from New Times SLO here: Commentary: Tell SLO County supervisors that their Paso planting ordinance is bunk 

SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY

Friant-Kern Canal fix on schedule; water quality guidelines discussed

“The Friant-Kern Canal fix is underway and on schedule to be completed before Sept. 1, 2024, according to an update at a recent Friant Water Authority (FWA) Board of Directors meeting.  “They’re on track, they’re on schedule,” Stantec Engineering’s Janet Atkinson told the board at its Dec. 9 meeting. ‘We don’t see anything right now that’s going to prevent that from happening.”  It’s a big job.  The canal, which brings water from Millerton Lake north of Fresno to farms and cities all the way south to Arvin in Kern County, had sunk along a 33-mile section because of excessive groundwater pumping. … ”  Read more from SJV Water here: Friant-Kern Canal fix on schedule; water quality guidelines discussed

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

Palmdale Water District replacing windmill power with solar

“The Palmdale Water District is moving ahead with a solar power project that will mean it will no longer use power produced by the windmill that stands alongside Lake Palmdale. The new project will entail two separate projects, each on about two acres of land. One will be at the District’s offices on Avenue Q and the other at one of the District’s large water storage tanks, west of Sierra Highway, between avenues S and R-8. Each site will be capable of producing between two and five megawatts. … ”  Read more from the Palmdale Water District here: Palmdale Water District replacing windmill power with solar

Brown and Caldwell to help replace Southern Calif. water pipeline

“Brown and Caldwell, an engineering and construction services firm, announced that it has been hired by the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California to design a sectional replacement of a critical Southern California water supply pipeline, the Rialto Pipeline.  The Rialto Pipeline, constructed in 1972, is approximately 30 miles long with a diameter ranging from 96 inches to 144 inches. It conveys untreated water from the (California Department of Water Resources’ (DWR’s) Lake Silverwood to Metropolitan’s Live Oak Reservoir in La Verne. Under normal conditions, the Rialto Pipeline relies on raw water deliveries from the East Branch of the California State Water Project via DWR’s Devil Canyon Afterbay. Member agencies with service connections on the Rialto Pipeline include the Inland Empire Utilities Agency, Three Valleys Municipal Water District, and the Upper San Gabriel Valley Municipal Water District. … ”  Read more from Water World here: Brown and Caldwell to help replace Southern Calif. water pipeline

Water stations OK’d for Southern California bighorn sheep

“In response to years of drought, Southern California conservationists are planning to install water stations in inland desert regions that are home to bighorn sheep.  The Southern California News Group reported Wednesday that the nonprofit Society for the Conservation of Bighorn Sheep will install up to 90 stations throughout the Mojave Desert, Chuckwalla Valley area and elsewhere. The proposal was approved last week by California’s State Lands Commission.  The move comes as desert watering holes have dried up and less vegetation is growing due to drought, said James Cornett, an ecologist who has taught a course on bighorn sheep at University of California, Riverside. … ”  Read more from SF Gate here: Water stations OK’d for Southern California bighorn sheep

Santa Monica: If the rain and the cold don’t stop you from going in the ocean, maybe the bacteria will

“The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health is issuing a rain advisory regarding all Los Angeles County Beaches due to the recent rainfall. Rain allows bacteria, chemicals, debris, and trash to discharge from area storm drains directly into the ocean without any filter. The danger is greatest near storm drain discharges, such as those at the ends of Chautauqua and Pico Boulevard. LADPH’s press release warns that “individuals who enter the water in these areas could become ill.” ... ”  Read more from the Santa Monica Observer here: Santa Monica: If the rain and the cold don’t stop you from going in the ocean, maybe the bacteria will

Quemetco battery recycler in City of Industry to pay $2.3M fine, fix problems

“A lead smelter near Hacienda Heights has settled a lawsuit brought by state environmental agencies and California Attorney General Rob Bonta that involved 29 violations of hazardous waste handling and excessive toxic air emissions.  Quemetco, Inc., has agreed to make improvements to its facility and pay $2.3 million to settle enforcement actions brought by the state Department of Toxic and Substances Control (DTSC) in 2018, according to a settlement approved by the Los Angeles Superior Court late Tuesday, Dec. 13.  The massive battery recycling plant, which crushes and melts down 600 tons of lead acid batteries per day, according to a 2019 report from Los Angeles County, is located at 720 South 7th Avenue in City of Industry, roughly 15 miles east of downtown Los Angeles and within 600 feet of many homes in Hacienda Heights and Avocado Heights. The plant is within two miles of schools and homes in La Puente and Bassett in the heart of the San Gabriel Valley. … ”  Read more from the Long Beach Press Telegram here: Quemetco battery recycler in City of Industry to pay $2.3M fine, fix problems

IMPERIAL/COACHELLA VALLEYS

Imperial Irrigation District’s four-way deal bad for Imperial Valley

John Hernandez, a Brawley resident and executive director of Our Roots Multicultural Center, writes, “Seems like most people are falling all over themselves celebrating the “historic” deal between the Imperial Irrigation District, Coachella Valley Water District, the U.S. Department of Interior (Bureau of Reclamation), and the California Natural Resources Agency that will supposedly bring up to a quarter-billion dollars to the Salton Sea for restoration projects.  I certainly understand the need to conserve water and help bolster the elevation at Lake Mead to try to restore some kind of balance to the Colorado River, but at what cost to the people of the Imperial Valley?  The Imperial Valley is giving up 1 million acre-feet of water over four years for maybe $250 million and that just doesn’t seem like an even trade off; it feels like a bad deal — like my friends over at Comite Civico del Valle so aptly put it — “half-baked.” … ”  Read more from the Imperial Valley Press here: Imperial Irrigation District’s four-way deal bad for Imperial Valley

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Along the Colorado River …

Water agreement at stake as Colorado River users meet

“As Western water managers are gathering in Las Vegas this week, a long-sought deal to curtail water use along the cratering Colorado River still seems a ways off.  Nearly six months have passed since Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Camille Touton first asked the Western states to come up with a plan to cut back on water use from the river next year by as much as 30 percent, but a cohesive proposal from the seven states that pull from the Colorado that supplies water to some 40 million people has yet to emerge.  Things have only gotten worse along the river since Touton’s request, and that decline shows no signs of slowing down. … ”  Read more from the Boulder City Review here: Water agreement at stake as Colorado River users meet

Water managers utilizing technology, innovation to combat effects of drought

““Our river is in trouble,” said Brenda Burman, executive strategy advisor for the Central Arizona Project, while addressing those assembled at Colorado River Water Users Association’s annual conference at Caesars Palace on Wednesday.  The CRWUA is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that provides an opportunity for the exchanging of ideas on the imperiled Colorado River with the goal of advocating common objectives, innovations and solutions.  “We want to leave this river in a better place than when we found it,” said Burman. “It’s up to us to stabilize the river system.” Additional cuts will have to be made and water will cost more, she said. A key to handling the challenges is to be “smarter and more efficient.” … ”  Read more from the Courthouse News Service here: Water managers utilizing technology, innovation to combat effects of drought

4 states launch Colorado River payout program

“States in the Upper Colorado River Basin on Wednesday launched a $125 million program aimed at reducing reliance on the shirking waterway, although it remains to be seen how much water could actually be conserved.  The Upper Colorado River Commission, which represents Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming, released details on its Upper Basin System Conservation Pilot Program, which will pay users with rights to the river’s waters to temporarily forego their allocations.  The program is part of a plan the four states announced this summer in response to demands from the Bureau of Reclamation for the seven Basin states — the Lower Basin includes Arizona, California and Nevada — to cut their use by as much as 4 million acre feet in coming months. … ”  Read more from E&E News here: 4 states launch Colorado River payout program

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In national water news today …

El Niño varies more intensely now than in the past millennium

“In 1983, a heat wave struck the waters of the eastern Pacific Ocean, resulting in a die-off that killed 95% of the corals in the Galápagos Islands. Fifteen years later, intense rains drenched Kenya, washing away roads and railways and causing billions of dollars in crop damage.  Linking these disasters is El Niño, said paleoclimatologist Julia Cole of the University of Michigan. This warm phase in a multiyear cycle of heating and cooling takes place in the tropical waters of the eastern Pacific, but it triggers droughts, floods, heat waves, and other climate extremes across the globe. … ”  Read more from EOS here: El Niño varies more intensely now than in the past millennium 

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Also on Maven’s Notebook today …

NOTICE of Water Right Petition in Monterey County

NOTICE of 180-Day Temporary Permit Application T033338 – Fresno County

NOTICE: December 13 Weekly Update – All Curtailments in the Delta Watershed Remain Temporarily Suspended

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