DAILY DIGEST, 12/20: Dan Walters: CA’s water conundrum hinges on Delta; More comments on Delta Conveyance Project EIR; San Diego’s zombie water pipeline project is dead again. For now.; Scant progress on Colorado River cuts as crisis deepens; and more …

In California water news today …

Dan Walters:  California’s water conundrum hinges on Delta

“The most important piece of California’s water puzzle is the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, the 1,100-square-mile estuary where the state’s two most important rivers meet.  The Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers drain a watershed of mountains and hills that stretches about 400 miles from Mount Shasta, near the Oregon border, to the Sierra southeast of Fresno. After meandering through the dozens of channels and sloughs of the Delta, their combined waters flow into San Francisco Bay and thence to the Pacific Ocean – minus whatever has been diverted into cities and farms along the way.  And that’s the rub.  For decades, in political and legal forums, there’s been a great debate over how much water can be taken from the two rivers, their many tributaries and the Delta itself without destroying its natural function as habitat for fish and other wildlife. … ” Read more from Cal Matters here: Dan Walters:  California’s water conundrum hinges on Delta

Landflex Program to help farmers transition away from groundwater

“The new LandFlex program from the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) seeks to reduce groundwater demand through incentives. Administered in partnership with local Groundwater Sustainability Agencies (GSAs), the program is being supported by $25 million from DWR. Chief Executive Officer of Western United Dairies, Anja Raudabaugh said there are three main components of the program.  “You have the immediate drought relief piece which is paid per acre-foot of saved water through evapotranspiration technology,” said Raudabaugh. “The second piece is to incentivize the farmer – we’re calling it a transition payment – to transition from a fairly water-intensive crop to a lesser water-intensive crop.” … ”  Read more from Ag Net West here: Landflex Program to help farmers transition away from groundwater

EPA grant funding available for small water systems

“In December, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the availability of $25.7 million in grant funding for organizations to provide technical assistance and training to support small drinking water and wastewater systems that are often located in rural communities.  EPA’s funding will help ensure drinking water in these communities is safe and that wastewater is treated before it is responsibly returned to the environment.  “Small towns and rural communities are crucial to the progress and prosperity of our nation, but these areas still face significant challenges with drinking water and wastewater infrastructure. Technical assistance supports growth and innovation in these systems, ensuring communities have access to the clean and safe water they deserve,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. … ”  Read more from Water Finance & Management here:  EPA grant funding available for small water systems

State Farm Bureau president rejects ‘Scarcity for Agriculture’ policy

“California Farm Bureau President Jamie Johansson opened the organization’s 104th Annual Meeting in Monterey this month by calling on policymakers to build critical infrastructure to protect water resources and allow America’s most important agricultural sector to continue to thrive.  “The management of scarcity is failing,” Johansson told the gathering. “It’s time now to reimplement the management of bounty, which made California great.”  California’s nearly 70,000 farms and ranches produce more than 400 commodities as the nation’s leading food producer. But a recent University of California, Merced, study estimates that an additional 750,000 acres of farmland in the state were fallowed this year due a third year of drought and cuts in state and federal water deliveries to agriculture.  Johansson stressed that such an outcome may have been avoided had California delivered on the $7.1 billion water infrastructure bond approved by state voters in 2014. … ”  Read more from the Corning Observer here: State Farm Bureau president rejects ‘Scarcity for Agriculture’ policy

Groundwater replenishes much faster than scientists previously thought

“A large part of the world’s liquid freshwater supply comes from groundwater. These underground reservoirs of water—which are stored in soil and aquifers—feed streams, sustain agricultural lands, and provide drinking water to hundreds of millions of people.For that reason, researchers are keen to understand how quickly surface water replenishes, or “recharges,” groundwater stores. But measuring a vast, fluid, underground resource is easier said than done. In a new study, Berghuijs et al. found that recharge rates might double previous estimates. … ”  Continue reading at EOS here: Groundwater replenishes much faster than scientists previously thought

Why California’s 2022 wildfire season was unexpectedly quiet

“When a string of wildfires broke out in California this spring, experts saw it as an unsettling preview of another destructive fire season to come — the consequence of forests and grasslands parched by persistent drought and higher temperatures fueled by climate change.  Yet, by the year’s end, California had managed to avoid widespread catastrophe. Wildfires have burned about 362,000 acres this year, compared to 2.5 million acres last year and a historic 4.3 million acres in 2020.  “It’s really just that we got lucky,” said Lenya Quinn-Davidson, a fire advisor for the University of California Cooperative Extension. … ”  Read more from the New York Times here: Why California’s 2022 wildfire season was unexpectedly quiet

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More comments on the Delta Conveyance Project EIR …

NRDC, SF Baykeeper, and other environmental organizations

“On behalf of the Natural Resources Defense Council, the Bay Institute, California Sportfishing Protection Alliance, Defenders of Wildlife, Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations, Institute for Fisheries Resources, Save the Bay, Restore the Delta, San Francisco Baykeeper, Golden State Salmon Association, Save California Salmon, California Indian Environmental Alliance, Friends of the River, and the Planning and Conservation League, we are writing to provide public comments on the Delta Conveyance Draft Environmental Impact Report(“DEIR”). The DEIR fails to comply with CEQA and must be substantially revised and recirculated in order to provide the public and decisionmakers with accurate information regarding the potential environmental impacts of the proposed project and alternatives. … ”  Click here to read the full comment letter.

The Delta Protection Commission

“The Commission previously submitted comments on environmental review documents for predecessors to the current Tunnel Project DEIR in 2014, 2015, 2018 and most recently on the Notice of Preparation for this DEIR in 2020. As in these letters and elsewhere, we must once again point to the unacceptable significant, irreversible, and permanent environmental effects of the proposed Delta conveyance projects on Delta communities, the cultural qualities that define “Delta as Place,” and the pillars of the Delta economy, agriculture, and recreation. The current proposed tunnel is fundamentally no different in key structural elements such as the intakes, alteration of the Delta landscape with double launch shaft and tunnel muck storage complexes, and overall disruption of much of the northeastern and southern Delta during at least a projected decade and a half of construction. The DEIR fails to adequately document, analyze and mitigate for impacts that will damage the unique character of the Delta that makes it the “Delta as Place” that is protected by the Delta Reform Act. … ”  Click here to read the full comment letter.

Metropolitan Water District

General Manager Adel Hagekhalil writes, “As general manager of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, I thank you for the opportunity to comment on this proposal to modernize State Water Project infrastructure in the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta as contained in the Delta Conveyance Project Draft Environmental Impact Report (draft EIR). This process comes at a critical time for water management in Southern California and for the entire Southwest. We collectively must find the courage and the wisdom to take bold steps to address the impacts of climate change or we will suffer the consequences of inaction.  My Board of Directors has diverse perspectives, including on Delta conveyance. I see this diversity as one of our great strengths. It motivates us to work collaboratively to make progress. I firmly believe that all members of our Board share the values of securing water supply reliability in an environmentally responsible way. There is no better example than how the Board recently – and unanimously – voted to update our Bay–Delta policies … ”  Click here to read the full comment letter.

To read more Delta Conveyance Project comment letters …

Attorney Osha Meserve has compiled an archive of Delta Conveyance Project comments in this DropBox.

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In regional water news and commentary today …

NORTH COAST

Feds consider reducing Klamath River flows by up to 40%

“According to a draft proposal released by Reclamation on Dec. 9, the Klamath Basin remains in “severe to extreme drought status” and dry weather is expected to continue for a fourth consecutive year. In response, the federal water management agency proposed reducing flows by up to 40% until April. Water is released from Upper Klamath Lake past a series of dams on its way to the Pacific Ocean.  News of proposed reductions to the river’s flow was met with frustration by members of the Yurok Tribe, who just hours earlier had been joined by U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland and the governors of Oregon and California at a celebration about the dam removal project. … ”  Read more from Jefferson Public Radio here: Feds consider reducing Klamath River flows by up to 40%

Tribes, growers spar over Klamath River flows

“Tribal communities in far northern California that were excited over dam-removal plans on the Klamath River are now complaining about a proposal to cut river flows to fill the drought-depleted Upper Klamath Lake.  Officials from the Yurok and Karuk tribes say the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation is considering a proposal to cut river flows by 40% when flows are already below recommended minimums.  “The river is already suffering from inadequate flows. The salmon simply have no more to give,” Yurok biologist Barry McCovey noted in a release sent to reporters. … The Klamath Water Users Association, which represents farmers, ranchers and irrigation districts in the Klamath Basin straddling the Oregon-California state line, says flow reductions in the river are necessary to preserve lake levels. … ”  Read more from the Western Farm Press here: Tribes, growers spar over Klamath River flows

Press Release: Baduwa’t (Mad River) estuary restoration and public access project completed

“Nonprofit research and conservation organization California Trout, McKinleyville Community Services District (MCSD), the Wiyot Tribe, and other partners, have completed an important Baduwa’t estuary restoration and reconnection project. The project opens up more than 4 acres of important habitat for imperiled salmon and steelhead while increasing public access to an inspiring coastal viewpoint overlooking the Baduwa’t, also known as the Mad River, in Humboldt County.  “Fish habitat is really limited on the lower Baduwa’t, so this project is going to make an outsized difference for juvenile salmon and steelhead,” said Mary Burke, CalTrout’s North Coast Regional Manager. “We took an unused wastewater facility next to the river and turned it back into healthy habitat, while adding an inspiring new coastal overlook trail. The project is a terrific example of a local government agency, Tribal representatives, a nonprofit, and a suite of local firms that stewards a concept through to construction, working together to benefit the public and wildlife.” … ”  Read more from Cal Trout here: Press Release: Baduwa’t (Mad River) estuary restoration and public access project completed

MOUNTAIN COUNTIES

Proposed Idaho Maryland Mine Final Environmental Impact Report available for public review

“In 2021, SYRCL’s Board of Directors unanimously voted to oppose the reopening of the Idaho-Maryland Mine due to the significant potential environmental impacts that would occur as a result of the proposed mining operations. We are concerned that, should the Idaho-Maryland Mine reopen, mining operations would introduce pollution into our waterways, dewater groundwater, and dry up private wells that are already being adversely impacted by long periods of drought. Further, legacy mining impacts include serious health impacts for community members who may be exposed to heavy metals such as arsenic and mercury. … Last week, the Nevada County Planning Department released the Final Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the Idaho-Maryland Mine Project (click here to review the Notice of Availability). … ”  Read more from the South Yuba River Citizens League here: Proposed Idaho Maryland Mine Final Environmental Impact Report available for public review

Survey: Help shape the course of fish passage in the Lower Yuba River

“The South Yuba River Citizens League (SYRCL) and the University of California, Santa Cruz are looking for community input on issues surrounding river health, fisheries, and fish passage at Daguerre Point Dam on the lower Yuba River.  SYRCL is exploring ways to restore access to habitat for salmon and other native species, while continuing to provide infrastructure for local farmers and opportunities for fishing, boating, and other activities.  To do this effectively, it is imperative that local community-members have a voice in the conversation early. The results of this survey will provide essential context for future public meetings and will help shape the course of restoration over the coming years. … ”  Read more from the South Yuba River Citizens League here: Help shape the course of fish passage in the Lower Yuba River

Prime hiking area near Donner Pass bought and added to Tahoe National Forest

“A tract of alpine forest near Donner Pass will soon be added to Tahoe National Forest as part of a sale brokered by conservationists and finalized Monday.  The 760-acre parcel, located just south of Interstate 80 about 30 miles west of Truckee, fills a gap in the heart of the 1,360-square-mile national forest that was owned by a timber company logging the land for decades.  The land encompasses Huysink Lake, a local fishing and swimming spot, as well as trails that access the forest’s most popular backcountry campsites at the Salmon Lake and Loch Leven Lakes areas. It also contains much of the North Fork American River’s headwaters. ... ”  Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle here: Prime hiking area near Donner Pass bought and added to Tahoe National Forest

Tuolumne Utilities District seeks $890K state grant to provide treated wastewater for Sonora golf course

SACRAMENTO VALLEY

Survey: Suisun City working to adapt to climate change

“Suisun City is considered at risk of flooding from sea level rise, though the exact timing and extent of flood risk is unclear.  To ensure the long-term sustainability and resiliency of the community, Suisun City and the Fairfield-Suisun Sewer District have secured funds to start addressing these risks. The Kellogg Resiliency Project is likely the first phase of a program to protect Suisun City and other portions of Solano County in the coming decades.  Community input is wanted to shape the types of infrastructure needed to protect homes and the environment. … ”  Read more from the Daily Republic here: Survey: Suisun City working to adapt to climate change

CENTRAL COAST

San Benito commentary: Despite rain, water use cuts must continue

Shawn O. Novack, Water Conservation Programs Manager for the Water Resources Association of San Benito County, writes, “While December’s rain and snow show promise, water managers remember the same thing happened last year—epic early storms followed by the driest January through March in California’s recorded history.  After three dry years, all of us are hoping for some reprieve this winter. But the tough reality is, we must be prepared for this historic drought to continue.  Substantial and immediate conservation now and in the coming months will help lessen the potential severity of another year of little or no allocation from the Central Valley Project (CVP).  The CVP is a system of dams and canals that moves surface water from the Sacramento Valley to other parts of the state. … ”  Read more from San Benito.com here: Despite rain, water use cuts must continue

High-tech flights help fight threat of sea water intrusion along coast

“Thousands of visitors crowd the beaches around the Capitola – Santa Cruz area, without ever realizing they’re standing on the front lines of an ongoing battle triggered by California’s drought. The enemy? Sea water being sucked into the same wells that provide fresh drinking water to surrounding communities.  “And the physics of it are basically like, if we’re pulling in sea water, how do we pump less or create a barrier, a hydraulic barrier to push it back out,” says Ron Duncan, general manager of the Soquel Creek Water District. … ”  Read more from KGO here: High-tech flights help fight threat of sea water intrusion along coast

Monterey Peninsula’s recycled water expansion project stalled

“Less than a week after the California Public Utilities Commission authorized Monterey One Water’s recycled waste water project, a key stakeholder, California American Water Company, has refused to finalize the deal.  “Our hands are tied. We need them to sign the water purchase agreement before we can move forward. So let’s get them on board so we can move forward with the project. The longer that we stall in moving this project forward, the longer its going to take to get water that’s essential to create housing in our region,” Monterey Mayor and board member on the project, Tyller Williamson, said.  The Monterey Peninsula Water District’s estimates that the expansion project alone could meet the region’s water needs for the next 30 years—Cal-Am disagrees. … ”  Read more from KSBY here: Monterey Peninsula’s recycled water expansion project stalled

Commentary: Cal Am distributes BS, not water

Michael DeLapa, executive director of Landwatch, Monterey County, writes, “As an undergraduate, I had a lot of notions about how things worked, and I occasionally – OK, maybe a bit more often – shared those notions recklessly. Chuck Baxter, one of my favorite professors and a lifelong mentor, taught me to be more cautious, more careful, by calling me out when what I said didn’t align with what he knew to be true. Bull—- was Chuck’s favorite expletive and he used it with important effect in educating me and others about thinking first and speaking second.  And BS is exactly what I thought when I read Cal Am’s latest press release, “California American Water Supports Pure Water Monterey Expansion.” Cal Am does not support and has not supported Pure Water Monterey Expansion. A better headline would be: Cal Am continues to block needed housing and drought protection. … ”  Read more from the Monterey Herald here:  Commentary: Cal Am distributes BS, not water

SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY

Manteca working on 2nd storm water outfall

“Manteca’s storm system — that for the most part has been working flawlessly for years — could be expanded to make sure new growth doesn’t create problems.  The city has been working with the South San Joaquin Irrigation District to make sure that storm run-off being sent into the drainage canal along the Union Pacific tracks separating Manteca from Lathrop and flows north into the French Camp Slough and ultimately the San Joaquin River will be able to accommodate growth.  Manteca is also working with Oakwood Lake Shores — the gated 480-home community built where the Manteca  Waterslides once stood — to see if future storm run-off as southwest Manteca develops could be sent to the river around the gated community’s lakes and into the San Joaquin River. … ”  Read more from the Manteca Bulletin here: Manteca working on 2nd storm water outfall

Ernie Garza knows how to help Keyes residents save money on water. They aren’t listening

“Federal and state agencies have devoted $20 million to improve Keyes’ drinking water in the past decade and have lauded the town’s water treatment as a model for others. But many locals continue to buy bottled water unabated, exasperating Ernie Garza, general manager of the Keyes Community Services District. “Listen, our water is clean. It’s safe to drink. We filter it freshly every day,” he said. “So why are you wasting your money buying bottled water?” His question is often addressed to the town’s Hispanic community, which represents 77.8% of its 5,600 people. Garza said this community is especially mistrustful of the town’s drinking water. …  Keyes has since made a number of major investments in the town’s water. Now, Garza’s family is drinking water right from the faucet, and it’s his job to persuade others to do the same. … ”  Read more from the Modesto Bee here: Ernie Garza knows how to help Keyes residents save money on water. They aren’t listening

Almond farmers face unprecedented challenges due to drought, supply chain issues

“California produces 80 percent of the world’s almonds but this year production decreased across the state. One grower says not only did the drought and supply chain issues factor in but also inflation.  Bret Sill, a local almond farmer in Shafter is just one of the almond growers that says this year wasn’t the same.  “It’s been a tough year. On top of that we’ve had bad market conditions because of oversupply,” said Sill. “We’ve probably planted a lot of almonds over the last few years and went from a 2 billion pound crop to over a 3.2 billion pound crop.” ... ”  Read more from Channel 23 here: Almond farmers face unprecedented challenges due to drought, supply chain issues

Golden Hills CSD water management and compliance reviewed by grand jury

“The Kern County grand jury on Dec. 15 issued a report regarding its investigation to see what progress has been made in the Golden Hills Community Services District since complaints triggered investigations into the district’s operations in 2015-16. The latest report is far more complimentary of the district than the one issued in 2016. The 2015-16 report — and one the previous year — included findings and recommendations concerning board and district operations. Five general management areas of concern were conflicts of interest, Brown Act violations, non-compliance to CSD law and district policy, hostile work environment and lack of transparency during Board of Directors meetings and actions. … ”  Read more from the Tehachapi News here: Golden Hills CSD water management and compliance reviewed by grand jury

EASTERN SIERRA

Ridgecrest: Indian Wells Valley Water District’s final board meeting of the year: Rate study and board member assignments

“At its last regular board meeting for the year, the Indian Wells Valley Water District focused largely on its water rate adjustments as well as voting for board member assignments as they head into the new year. … Another important position the board assigned, although it did not require a vote, was who will represent the Water District on the board of directors for the Indian Wells Valley Groundwater Authority. This agency is often referred to as a Groundwater Sustainability Agency, or a GSA. … The board also continued discussion about possible changes to the tier system they use for water rates. … ”  Read the full story at the Ridgecrest Independent here: Ridgecrest: Indian Wells Valley Water District’s final board meeting of the year: Rate study and board member assignments

Ridgecrest commentary: Indian Wells Valley Groundwater Authority is a bully to ag

Kelly Garman writes, “For the last several years, my company, Mojave Pistachios, has thoughtfully partnered in efforts to better understand the state of the Basin and to develop a fair and equitable physical solution that includes all major pumpers in the Indian Wells Valley.  The Indian Wells Valley Groundwater Authority (IWVGA), however, continues to be part of a larger effort to intimidate people in the Indian Wells Valley Water District and in the local community. Case in point – In October 2022, IWVGA submitted a letter to the Water District that included thirteen references to me and my company. It was a letter designed to bully and is filled with inaccuracies.  Read my response that sets the record straight.”  Read more at Mojave Pistachios here:   Ridgecrest commentary: Indian Wells Valley Groundwater Authority is a bully to ag

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

Long Beach moves its own beach sand to protect Peninsula

“Breakwaters off the coast of Long Beach limit wave action on the city’s south-facing beaches — but erosion along the Peninsula beach, on the town’s eastern edge, has been a problem for decades.  Waves, driven by tides, come through the eastern gap between the Long Beach breakwater and the San Gabriel River jetty, eating away at the sand in front of waterfront homes. In the winter, Pacific storms can push water up to and over the wooden seawall and boardwalk, flooding streets and homes. … ”  Read more from the Long Beach Press-Telegram here: Long Beach moves its own beach sand to protect Peninsula

Conservationists near goal of turning Orange County oil field into nature preserve

“The nonprofit Trust for Public Land on Friday completed the purchase of an oil field that sits atop the coastal bluffs of Newport Beach, guaranteeing the property will be cleaned up and preserved as open space.  The 384-acre Banning Ranch property, whose future was at the center of an intense decades-long fight in Orange County, is considered the last piece of undeveloped coastal real estate left in Southern California.  For years, developers had eyed the multimillion-dollar swath of land — with its sweeping views of the Pacific Ocean — as a prime location for homes, shopping and, at one point, a boutique hotel. But conservationists and local Indigenous leaders saw an opportunity for rare open space in a county of nearly 3.2 million people. … ”  Read more from the LA Times here: Conservationists near goal of turning Orange County oil field into nature preserve

Chino Hills gets $33M in chemical settlement

“The City of Chino Hills will soon receive a $33 million settlement from Dow Chemical Company and Shell Oil for alleged contamination of the city’s drinking supplies and water wells with the chemical 1,2,3-TCP.  Assistant City Attorney Elizabeth Calciano announced the settlement on Tuesday night during the council meeting.  The city filed a lawsuit against the two corporations on Nov. 5, 2020.  The City of Chino received just about the same amount in a settlement agreement in December 2020.  According to City of Chino Attorney Fred Galante, the city settled the lawsuit for a total of $33,394,140, after deduction of attorney fees paid to special counsel Robins Borghei, LLP of San Francisco. … ”  Read more from the Chino Hills Champion here: Chino Hills gets $33M in chemical settlement

SAN DIEGO

San Diego’s zombie water pipeline project is dead again. For now.

“San Diego’s proposal to build its own $5 billion pipeline to the Colorado River and bypass paying Los Angeles for water is now in a state of the undead –technically lifeless unless local water officials choose to revive it again.  The San Diego County Water Authority last resurrected the idea to build its own pipeline from the major water source in September 2020. It was an effort to free its dependence on the Los Angeles Metropolitan Water District, which owns the only aqueduct – and San Diego’s only connection – to the Colorado River.  Dan Denham, the Water Authority’s deputy general manager, confirmed Thursday that it’s “pencils down” on the water wholesaler’s sixth attempt to study the pipeline project since the 1990s. The reason this time is that Water Authority is in court with Metropolitan over what LA charges to transport almost 60 percent of San Diego’s water, but there’s hope for common ground. … ”  Read more from the Voice of America here: San Diego’s zombie water pipeline project is dead again. For now.

Chula Vista students learn how water produces energy

“Students in the Chula Vista Elementary School District learned about the science of hydroelectric power during their most recent Innovation LIVE! event. The online lesson, “Water + Wheel = Power!” was led by CVESD’s Hydro Station on December 2.  The Hydro Station opened nearly four years ago at the Richard A. Reynolds Groundwater Desalination Facility. A unique joint educational partnership between the Sweetwater Authority, the Otay Water District, and CVESD, the Hydro Station was the first program of its kind to to open in California.  Nearly 4,000 students visit the Hydro Station annually and learn about careers and opportunities in the water and wastewater industry through hands-on interactive learning experiences. … ”  Read more from the Water News Network here: Chula Vista students learn how water produces energy

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Along the Colorado River …

Scant progress on Colorado River cuts as crisis deepens

“State officials from across the Colorado River Basin seized on a single message as they gathered here to discuss the future of the struggling waterway last week: The river is in a state of emergency that will very soon reach a crisis for the 40 million people who rely on it, affecting agriculture and municipalities alike.  But faced with doomsday projections from the Bureau of Reclamation about major reservoirs, officials agreed that harmony has not yet extended to how best to address the shortfalls triggered by more than two decades of drought, which have dramatically constricted both the river’s flows and water storage.  “The gap between supply and demand is big enough so that no one basin, no one state, no one sector of the economy can solve it alone. It has to be all-hands-on-deck solution,” said Anne Castle, the Biden administration’s appointee to be U.S. Commissioner of the Upper Colorado River Commission. … ”  Read more from E&E News here: Scant progress on Colorado River cuts as crisis deepens

Water managers across drought-stricken West agree on one thing: ‘This is going to be painful’

“Water authorities in the Western U.S. don’t have a crystal ball, but rapidly receding reservoirs uncovering sunken boats and other debris lost in their depths decades ago give a clear view of the hard choices ahead.  If western states do not agree on a plan to safeguard the Colorado River — the source of the region’s vitality — there won’t be enough water for anyone.  Water managers, researchers, agricultural producers and others from across the drought-stricken river basin met in Las Vegas last week for the Colorado River Water Users Association annual convention to face hard truths about the state of the river and historically-low levels of its biggest reservoirs.  Two decades of drought and poor planning have caused the river’s biggest reservoirs — Lakes Mead and Powell — to drop to their lowest collective volume since they were filled. … ”  Read more from the Nevada Current here: Water managers across drought-stricken West agree on one thing: ‘This is going to be painful’

The Colorado River is the lifeblood of the West. How much longer will it last?

“The place was Bishop’s Lodge, a secluded outpost outside of Santa Fe at the end of a winding rough road in the foothills of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. It was selected just over 100 years ago by the man who only nine years later would be president of the United States during one of the nation’s most challenging eras, the Great Depression.  But during that month, November 1922, Herbert Hoover brought together representatives from the seven states that make up the Colorado River Basin — Utah, Colorado, Wyoming, New Mexico, Arizona, California and Nevada.  The remote location was selected with purpose, to avoid distraction, nothing to deter the representatives from their negotiations. How else to best predict an unpredictable future of growth in the arid West and carve up water rights to satisfy each thirsty state? … ”  Read more from the Deseret News here: The Colorado River is the lifeblood of the West. How much longer will it last?

Watching the death and rebirth of the Colorado River in Mexico

“Pushed up against the U.S. border in the Mexican state of Baja California, the Mexicali Valley houses the final 100 miles of the Colorado River. Thousands of miles of winding tributaries take snowmelt from the lush Rocky Mountains through the high country of Wyoming, Colorado and Utah and into the red rock desert of the American southwest, emptying into the Mexicali Valley and eventually the Sea of Cortez.The reality is grim at the end of the river. The population growth, government policies and climate change that have brought the Colorado to its knees are palpable. … ”  Read more from the Deseret News here: Watching the death and rebirth of the Colorado River in Mexico

Larval trigger study plan pays off big for razorback sucker in 2022

“The endangered razorback sucker, named for its prominent dorsal keel, evolved in the Colorado River Basin over the last three to five million years and is found nowhere else in the world.  While hundreds of thousands of razorback sucker are found throughout the basin, the vast majority originate in hatcheries and are stocked by the truckload in various locations in several Upper- and Lower Basin states. While these fish readily spawn and produce larval fish every year, examples of their survival to adulthood are exceedingly rare. However, in autumn 2022, the Green River razorback sucker population got a significant boost in numbers of wild-spawned juvenile fish, thanks largely to the ongoing efforts of Reclamation and its partners in the Upper Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery Program. … ”  Read more from the Bureau of Reclamation here: Larval trigger study plan pays off big for razorback sucker in 2022

Study: Southwestern cities are using less water overall despite population growth

“New research says many cities in the Southwest have reduced their total water use in the last two decades, despite drastic population growth. But these strides in water conservation haven’t helped the drought-stressed Colorado River. KNAU’s Melissa Sevigny spoke with the study’s author Brian Richter of Sustainable Waters. … ”  Read more from KNAU here: Study: Southwestern cities are using less water overall despite population growth

The one thing that grows in the West without water: Violence

“There is a very large portion of the 48 contiguous United States in which non-nomadic human beings were not meant to live. The reason for this is that there’s not enough water for them, and human beings need water to live.  According to some estimates, 40 million human beings live there at the moment, and a lot of effort has been made over the centuries to bring water to them so that they can drink it, water 5 million acres of crops with it, and basically continue to live. Central to this has been the Colorado River. And now, due to extended drought, overuse, and the climate crisis, the Colorado River is dying, and if something isn’t done quickly, it’s going to have a lot of company. … ”  Read more from Esquire here: The one thing that grows in the West without water: Violence

Photo essay: Take a visual journey down the mighty Colorado River

“In a verdant valley at 10,000 feet elevation in Colorado’s Rocky Mountains, the Colorado River starts its 1,450 mile journey toward the sea. On a July morning, dewdrops sparkle on blades of grass as the sun rises over the surrounding mountains. The mighty river is just a trickle in this idyllic meadow, slowly percolating to its lowest point. If you take a narrow view, all is pristine and untouched. But if you zoom out, the West’s most crucial waterway has been already been altered even before its water has a chance to form a minor stream. … ”  Read more from the Deseret News here: Take a visual journey down the mighty Colorado River

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In national water news today …

WRDA 2022 now awaits presidential signature

“The Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2022 is now making its way to President Joe Biden to be signed into law. WRDA 2022 was included as part of the FY23 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) and was approved by the U.S. House of Representatives on December 8. The bill was passed in the U.S. Senate earlier this week by a vote of 83-11.  “Our nation’s transportation infrastructure is critical to agriculture and rural America’s competitive advantage in world markets, and WRDA provides vital support for that network,” The Fertilizer Institute (TFI) President and CEO Corey Rosenbusch said in a press release. “WRDA is the foundation for the modernization of our nation’s inland waterways and ports, which are an integral component of the fertilizer distribution system.” … ”  Read more from Ag Net West here: WRDA 2022 now awaits presidential signature

Local communities and tribes have seen historic funding for conservation thanks to the Biden administration

“On his first day in office, President Joe Biden signed an executive order committing to tackle the nature crisis and increase the country’s ambition on protected areas by conserving 30 percent of the nation’s lands, waters, and ocean by 2030, otherwise known as the 30×30 goal. A few months later, as part of his America the Beautiful Initiative, the president expanded that commitment to address nature deprivation and Tribal-led conservation. In October of 2021, President Biden called his decision to restore the boundaries of three national monuments “the easiest thing I’ve ever done.” And, just this past fall, he touted that his administration was “investing billions of dollars to protect our iconic outdoors, preserve our historic sites, and address the devastating impacts of climate change.” ... ”  Read more from the Center for American Progress here: Local communities and tribes have seen historic funding for conservation thanks to the Biden administration

3M to stop producing PFAS ‘forever chemicals’ by end of 2025

“3M Co., confronting regulatory pressure and lawsuits that threaten billions of dollars in damages, will stop making so-called forever chemicals and aim to discontinue their use in products by the end of 2025.  The announcement marks a historic break with an entire class of chemicals — consisting of thousands of variations on the carbon-fluorine bond — that were first created as part of World War II-era atomic bomb research. The company developed hundreds of products with them over more than 70 years, including Scotchgard, firefighting foams and waterproof and stainproof textiles.  They are now a liability that could potentially cost 3M some $30 billion, Bloomberg Intelligence estimates. … ”  Read more from the Center for American Progress here: 3M to stop producing PFAS ‘forever chemicals’ by end of 2025

Billion-dollar NASA satellite launches to track Earth’s water

“From swirling ocean eddies that help shape the global climate to millions of lakes and rivers, scientists are about to get an unprecedented view of Earth’s water.  The US$1.2-billion Surface Water and Ocean Topography satellite (SWOT), which launched at 6.46 a.m. Eastern time on 16 December from the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, promises to transform research into the global water cycle and provide climate scientists with a fresh lens on a warming world.  A joint mission led by NASA and the French National Centre for Space Studies, SWOT will bounce radar off the surface of Earth’s water bodies — including many that are too small to be tracked from space by current methods. The satellite will enable scientists to measure and track the elevation, extent and movement of water across the planet in ground-breaking detail. … ”  Read more from Nature here: Billion-dollar NASA satellite launches to track Earth’s water

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Also on Maven’s Notebook today …

NOTICE of Water Quality Certification Application for North Delta Drought Salinity Barriers Project

REGISTER NOW for Army Corps Regulatory Workshop on Section 106, 2022 Waters of the U.S. Rule, and Permit Compliance Reporting

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