In California water news today …
Some San Joaquin Valley farmers are rebelling against groundwater measures
“As water managers throughout the San Joaquin Valley scramble to reign in groundwater pumping, they’re running into a serious roadblock: angry farmers. Across the valley, farmers have decried fees and other measures meant to reduce pumping, threatening not to pay, taking agencies to court and protesting groundwater rules. In some cases, it’s working. In the Kaweah subbasin in Kings and western Tulare counties, farmers forced a groundwater agency to cut pumping fees by half. In the Chowchilla subbasin farmers voted down groundwater fees and are pursuing creation of their own groundwater agency. … The rebellion is a reaction to the state’s Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA), which aims to bring critically overdrafted water subbasins into balance by 2040. … ” Read more from SJV Water here: Some San Joaquin Valley farmers are rebelling against groundwater measures
Depletion of groundwater is accelerating in California’s Central Valley, study finds
“Scientists have discovered that the pace of groundwater depletion in California’s Central Valley has accelerated dramatically during the drought as heavy agricultural pumping has drawn down aquifer levels to new lows and now threatens to devastate the underground water reserves. The research shows that chronic declines in groundwater levels, which have plagued the Central Valley for decades, have worsened significantly in recent years, with particularly rapid declines occurring since 2019. “We have a full-on crisis,” said Jay Famiglietti, a hydrology professor and executive director of the University of Saskatchewan’s Global Institute for Water Security. “California’s groundwater, and groundwater across the southwestern U.S., is disappearing much faster than most people realize.” … ” Read more from the LA Times here: Depletion of groundwater is accelerating in California’s Central Valley, study finds
A series of storms setting up to hit Northern California bringing big holiday travel impacts
“A busy travel period will be met with several weather elements as millions hit the roads and skies through the holidays. Foggy conditions will continue to present dangerous driving conditions for California from the coast to the valley and even into the mountains. Visibility at times will go below a quarter of a mile through the Christmas holiday weekend. The fog will be especially thick in the San Joaquin Valley along major roads and wide open spaces. Best driving practices include using low beams and keeping a bigger distance between vehicles. … ” Read more from Channel 10 here: A series of storms setting up to hit Northern California bringing big holiday travel impacts
SEE ALSO: Map shows why California will be spared from ‘bomb cyclone’ set to freeze the rest of the U.S., from the SF Chronicle
Regional tribes, groups file civil rights complaint against State Water Board
“As salmon and Delta fish populations continue to plummet, a coalition of California Indian tribes and environmental justice groups filed a Title VI civil rights complaint against the State Water Board on Dec. 16, as well as a petition for rulemaking with the US Environmental Protection Agency. The complaint and petition seek relief for regional tribal nations and disadvantaged Delta communities. This coalition includes the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians, Winnemem Wintu Tribe, Little Manila Rising, Restore the Delta and Save California Salmon. The alliance is being represented in court by the Stanford Environmental Law Clinic. … ” Read more from the Sacramento News & Review here: Regional tribes, groups file civil rights complaint against State Water Board
Irrigation water management is climate-smart ag
“President Joe Biden last August signed into law the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which included $20 billion to drive climate-smart agriculture and renewable energy initiatives nationwide. The USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is requesting input on how the agency’s regulations, policies, forms, or program processes should be modified, streamlined, expanded, or removed, to increase benefits achievable by the IRA funding. The Family Farm Alliance and other agricultural and conservation groups are developing formal comments to urge NRCS to consider additional climate-smart agriculture and forestry mitigation activities that we believe must be considered eligible for funding under the IRA. … ” Read more from the Western Farm Press here: Irrigation water management is climate-smart ag
California farmers leave due to drought
“Today, nearly eighty percent of the United States experiences drought and dry conditions. Farmers in the western United States have faced years of drought, but despite the restrictions, the U.S. is experiencing growth in milk production this year. … The idea of moving dairy cows to the middle of the United States was also conceived a few years ago, Fumasi says. Most dairy production takes place in the central United States. Because of this, moving the dairy herd seems like a logical step. Nevertheless, the main reason for moving the dairy herd is the drought faced by farmers in the western United States. … ” Read more from the Taylor Daily Press here: California farmers leave due to drought
The race to harness the sun: As drought devastates area farms, do agrivoltaics offer a lifeline?
“For third-generation sheep rancher Ryan Indart, no year was tougher than 2018. After a successful commercial real estate career in the Bay Area, he bought his father’s operation in Clovis in 2009. But low wool prices, higher costs and a tidal wave of regulations, plus a drought that made raising wheat and barley uneconomical, meant he was in the red for seven of his first 10 years. By that year he’d exhausted his savings and maxed out the business’s line of credit to pay employees. … Then the idea came. He’d gotten a call from the owner of a solar farm who’d floated the possibility of paying him to graze his sheep there to keep down the vegetation — solar operators pay $100 to as much as $1,000 an acre for mowing, which also generates dust that covers panels. Indart realized that if he could position himself as a lower-cost, green alternative to tractors and weed whackers for seven to nine months of the year, he could get paid to graze his animals instead of the reverse. … ” Read more from Comstock’s Magazine here: The race to harness the sun: As drought devastates area farms, do agrivoltaics offer a lifeline?
California program pays farmers to fallow fields to preserve water amid drought
“With climate change and drought, the state of California is incentivizing not using farmland or fallowing it. The move comes as irrigation in some areas is damaging residential wells. Katie Staack farms 3,500 acres of almonds in Stanislaus County. She is one of the hundreds interested in the newly created LandFlex program. “The program is really unique because it’s focused on wet water, making sure we have wet water for our communities and aquifers, our ecosystems and farms,” Aubrey Bettencourt said. Bettencourt is with the Almond Alliance, a nonprofit trade association, and said it’s an idea growing among farmers. … ” Read more from CBS News here: California program pays farmers to fallow fields to preserve water amid drought
Almond update: Almond acreage drops amidst challenges
“For the first time in more than two decades, California almond acreage decreased year-over-year. Land IQ’s 2022 Standing Acreage and Removal Final Estimate shows that total standing acreage as of August 31 was estimated at 1.64 million acres. Data for the same period last year showed 1.66 million acres. “The drop was accounted for in the non-bearing acres, which then dropped the total acreage down a little bit,” said Almond Board of California President and CEO Richard Waycott. “Does this mean that we’re seeing fewer acres planted? I would say, that’s certainly the trend. Which we’ve seen historically when we have lower pricing back to the grower and obviously the drought conditions.” … ” Read more from Ag Net West here: Almond update: Almond acreage drops amidst challenges
Over $13m recommended for funding CalTrout-led fish passage projects
“On December 14, NOAA announced recommendations for funding through the Restoring Fish Passage through Barrier Removal grant program. In California, NOAA recommended over $21 million to fund transformational projects across the state that reopen migratory pathways and restore access to healthy habitat for fish. Of that total, NOAA recommended more than $13 million (approximately 60%) for projects led by California Trout, the largest freshwater conservation organization in California. The award recommendation would fund two of CalTrout’s fish passage projects in the Mt. Shasta/Klamath ($9.9 million) and the South Coast ($3.2 million) regions. … ” Read more from Cal Trout here: Over $13m recommended for funding CalTrout-led fish passage projects
Pollution cleanup method destroys toxic ‘forever chemicals’
“An insidious category of carcinogenic pollutants known as “forever chemicals” may not be so permanent after all. University of California, Riverside, chemical engineering and environmental scientists recently published new methods to chemically break up these harmful substances found in drinking water into smaller compounds that are essentially harmless. The patent-pending process infuses contaminated water with hydrogen, then blasts the water with high-energy, short-wavelength ultraviolet light. The hydrogen polarizes water molecules to make them more reactive, while the light catalyzes chemical reactions that destroy the pollutants, known as PFAS or poly- and per-fluoroalkyl substances. … ” Read more from the University of California here: Pollution cleanup method destroys toxic ‘forever chemicals’
CEQA update of key holdings from 2022
“The California Environmental Quality Act can be a challenge for those attempting to operate in accordance with its myriad procedural directives. Frequent legislative updates and shifts in judicial interpretation of its provisions, even seemingly minor ones, can have wide-reaching implications for agencies trying to abide by its mandates, as well as for decisionmakers, project proponents and the public engaging in review of a project’s potential environmental impacts. Staying informed of any CEQA developments is paramount to understanding how to navigate its intricate and varied demands successfully. The following summaries of some of the most notable CEQA cases from the past year highlight key holdings and decisions worth noting for those involved in any aspect of environmental assessment. ... ” Read more from Somach Simmons & Dunn here: CEQA update of key holdings from 2022
How climate change is reshaping the Christmas tree
“Nothing is more emblematic of the Christmas season than a twinkling, bejeweled evergreen tree surrounded with presents. But as climate change causes extended periods of drought and warm temperatures, even hardy Christmas trees are struggling to thrive. This has spurred some Santa Cruz-area Christmas tree farmers to become more innovative in their approach to growing the trees. Located midway between Santa Cruz and Monterey near Elkhorn Slough, Church Christmas Trees Farms is a family-run, cut-your-own-tree farm that has been in operation for more than half a century. But the landscape of trees has been increasingly affected by droughts and hot temperatures that have plagued central California. The trees just “haven’t looked as good,” notes Glenn Church, owner of Church Christmas Tree Farms, who says he’s had to cut back “dramatically” on the number of trees he’s able to grow. … ” Read more from Lookout Santa Cruz here: How climate change is reshaping the Christmas tree
As climate change makes wildfires worse, FEMA faced with calls to change
“Five years after wildfire ravaged the California wine country city of Santa Rosa, only mud and a concrete pad remain atop a hill where a fire station once sat. ire Chief Scott Westrope, who lost his own home in the fire, said a priority was rebuilding Fire Station 5, which burned to the ground in the inferno that wiped out more than 5,600 structures and killed 22 people. Building at the bottom of a hill would keep the station from experiencing the worst fires, which tend to run uphill. But Mayor Chris Rogers says the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) denied funding in part due to rules designed to protect infrastructure harmed in storms from flood damage, saying the proposed new location was in a flood zone. … ” Read more from US News & World Report here: As climate change makes wildfires worse, FEMA faced with calls to change
For western wildfires, the immediate past is prologue
“Since 1984, satellites have observed a growing trend in summer wildfire activity in the western United States, with the total burned area increasing by 104,000 acres (42,100 hectares) per year on average. From 1984 to 2000, wildfires across an area including all or parts of 11 states burned about 27.4 million acres in total, whereas from 2001 to 2018, this figure grew to about 55.9 million acres. In 2020 alone, the burned area jumped to roughly 8.7 million acres—equivalent to 32% of the cumulative area burned from 1984 to 2000—and the 2020 and 2021 fire seasons combined burned almost 15 million acres of the western United States, an area nearly as large as West Virginia. … In spring 2020, Jimy Dudhia, a scientist at the National Center for Atmospheric Research, asked us whether established relationships between climate and fire can be used to forecast fire activity accurately. This question ignited our curiosity, fueling research to find out whether weather in the winter and spring can reliably predict the severity of the fire season the following summer. … ” Read the full article at EOS here: For western wildfires, the immediate past is prologue
Today’s featured articles …
DELTA LEAD SCIENTIST: Advances in mapping invasive aquatic vegetation
At the December meeting of the Delta Stewardship Council, Delta Lead Scientist Dr. Laurel Larsen discussed Council-funded research that will lead to improved management of invasive aquatic weeds. She also gave an update on the activities of the Delta Science Program.
Click here to read this article.
RISING VOICES: New nonprofit Minnow combats the inextricable link between land, water, and justice
In this issue of the Water Hub’s Rising Voices column, we check in with Director of Strategic Storytelling at Minnow, Javier Román-Nieves, about discriminatory land and water laws in California and advocating for small farmers in California.
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In regional water news and commentary today …
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
Bear River headwaters permanently protected
“The conservation easement for this property was donated to Placer Land Trust by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) through partnership with Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) Land Conservation Commitment Program and the Pacific Forest and Watershed Lands Stewardship Council to guarantee the land is protected forever from subdivision and development. The Conservation Easement protects the property as open space scenery, wildlife habitat, recreation land, and as a landscape for learning about sustainable forest management. … ” Read more from Yuba Net here: Bear River headwaters permanently protected
Message from EID: Meeting challenges and planning for the future
Lori Anzini writes, “As I near the end of my term as president of El Dorado Irrigation District Board of Directors, I am proud of the ongoing work this agency does to provide its services, especially considering the challenges it has faced. EID has a clear mission: Deliver safe and reliable services to its customers across 220 square miles of the service area. Day in and day out, teams of dedicated workers operate and maintain an intricately integrated system of infrastructure worth more than $1 billion in historical costs. As we enter 2023, I am mindful of the challenges we continue to tackle — i.e. the emergency reconstruction of water conveyance infrastructure damaged in the Caldor Fire and the ongoing reinvestments in our infrastructure identified in the district’s capital improvement program. … ” Read more from the Mountain Democrat here: Message from EID: Meeting challenges and planning for the future
Yuba Water Agency adopts strategic plan for flood protection, community support
“The Yuba Water Agency Board of Directors approved Tuesday a new five-year strategic plan to guide the agency’s future decisions and investments. The 2023/27 plan is an update to the agency’s previous five-year plan and was developed during several dedicated special board meetings over the last year, officials said. “This plan is the result of many hours of work by both this board and agency staff and is a comprehensive and effective blueprint for the next several years,” Yuba Water Board Chairman Gary Bradford said in a statement. … ” Read more from the Appeal Democrat here: Yuba Water Agency adopts strategic plan for flood protection, community support
Tahoe projects get boost from Nevada’s $167 million funding package
“A few projects at Lake Tahoe received a boost on Wednesday from the 2023 omnibus appropriations package that will distribute $167.62 million in community project funding to 85 programs across Nevada. The money will fund a variety of projects, including the expansion of mental and physical health outreach programs across the state, and critical upgrades to rural water infrastructure. The funding will also expand nurse training programs at several colleges and universities, provide additional housing for service members, update transportation infrastructure and invest in education services. U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Jackie Rosen (D-Nev.) announced the funding on Wednesday. Both senators submitted these project funding requests in the summer of 2022 and ensured they were included in the bipartisan omnibus funding bill expected to pass the Senate and House of Representatives and be signed into law. … ” Read more from the Tahoe Daily Tribune here: Tahoe projects get boost from Nevada’s $167 million funding package
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
Now’s the best time to see salmon at Nimbus Fish Hatchery; trout’s arrival around corner
“Rain and storms, while they could wash out fish eggs if the water level changed significantly, are typically good for the chinook salmon and steelhead trout at the Nimbus Fish Hatchery in Gold River. Storms feeds cold freshwater to the American River, which encourages fish to swim upriver, and this occurs most often in October and November. The Folsom Dam prevents substantial water level shifts, according to Laura Drath, the interpretive services supervisor for the Sacramento region of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. … ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee here: Now’s the best time to see salmon at Nimbus Fish Hatchery; trout’s arrival around corner
NAPA/SONOMA
Salamanders and Chardonnay
“Sonoma County in northern California is a wine lover’s paradise. More than 60,000 acres of vineyards produce wines that are known around the world. Many of the wineries have been family-owned for several decades, and there’s a deep commitment among them to take care of the land for future generations while sustaining the local economy. Along these lines, Sonoma County’s winegrowers recently finalized a new Safe Harbor Agreement with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service that supports sustainable agricultural practices while protecting the Sonoma population of the California tiger salamander, an endangered species in Sonoma County. It’s not just the grapes that love the Mediterranean climate and fertile soil of Sonoma County. An incredible array of plants and animals evolved over the county’s history to create a biodiverse landscape full of rare and unique species, including the Sonoma distinct population segment of the California tiger salamander. ... ” Read more from the US Fish & Wildlife Service here: Salamanders and Chardonnay
BAY AREA
$36.5 million from Monsanto water pollution settlement headed to Bay Area cities, Alameda County
“One of the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies is set to pay Bay Area cities tens of millions of dollars after settling a class action lawsuit involving PCBs, a toxic chemical compound manufactured by Monsanto that seeped for decades into storm water, sediment and the area’s rivers, streams and lakes. German-based Bayer, which acquired the now defunct Monsanto in 2018, will dole out $36.5 million in total to 13 Bay Area cities and Alameda County. The recipients include large cities — San Jose, Oakland and San Francisco — and smaller ones, including Antioch, Alameda, San Leandro and Vallejo. … ” Read more from the San Jose Mercury News here: $36.5 million from Monsanto water pollution settlement headed to Bay Area cities, Alameda County
After 2022’s fatal algal bloom, scientists fear the Bay’s sturgeon could go extinct
“At Point Pinole, 21 sturgeon carcasses––some more than seven feet long––lay strewn along a mile-long stretch of beach in late August 2022, baking in the relentless heat. It was the peak of the largest harmful algal bloom on record in San Francisco Bay, and people noticed. Around the Bay, members of the public made hundreds of sturgeon carcass reports to government agencies and on the citizen-observation platform iNaturalist—so many that four months later, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife is still sorting through them. Sturgeon survived the calamity that struck down the dinosaurs, the movement of continents across the ages, and the advent of the Anthropocene, hardly changing over 200 million years. But this summer’s harmful algal bloom, also known as a red tide, triggered the largest sturgeon mortality event ever recorded in the San Francisco Bay estuary. … ” Read more from Bay Nature here: After 2022’s fatal algal bloom, scientists fear the Bay’s sturgeon could go extinct
Marin king tides, rains return
“King tides are expected to roll in Thursday morning through Christmas Day in Marin, as another winter storm brews, the National Weather Service said. The king tides, which are caused by the gravitational tug of the moon and sun and can mean trouble for low-lying areas, especially in southern Marin. “The main message is to be mindful,” said Brooke Bingaman, a federal forecaster with the weather service. “We won’t see extreme coastal flooding, but it will produce localized coastal flooding.” Bingaman said it’s especially crucial for kayakers and boaters to be aware of the tide schedule, because “low tides will be lower than typical,” which raises the risk of grounding in the shallow coastal waters. … ” Read more from the Marin Independent Journal here: Marin king tides, rains return
Low-pressure system will bring slight chance of rain to these Bay Area cities today and clear out hazy skies
“The big warm-up is underway across the Bay Area as temperatures from Santa Rosa to Santa Cruz climb another 2 to 3 degrees this afternoon. A high-pressure system off the coast is helping to ramp up the warmer conditions in both the Bay Area and much of the Golden State but they come with a cost. As temperatures rise today, so will pollution levels. But a small, robust low-pressure system is eyeing Northern California today. Its northwest winds won’t come anywhere close to the jam-packed gusts the region saw just a couple weeks ago, but this underdog of a weather system might just be able to bring the Bay Area the air quality relief that it’s been looking for. And if the system arrives early enough in the day, it may even gift parts of the Bay Area with a few drizzles and light rains. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle here: Low-pressure system will bring slight chance of rain to these Bay Area cities today and clear out hazy skies
EASTERN SIERRA
Court dismisses $250M claim against Indian Wells Valley Groundwater Authority
“Today, Judge William Claster of Orange County Superior Court granted twin motions filed by the Indian Wells Valley Groundwater Authority to dismiss claims by Searles Valley Minerals, Inc., and Mojave Pistachios LLC that the Authority’s adoption of a replenishment fee to fund implementation of a Groundwater Sustainability Plan (“GSP”), as required under the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act will result in damages to them in the amount of $250,000,000. Mojave and Searles have argued that the GSP deprives them of their water. The court disagreed, noting that “Nothing in the GSP determines or alters groundwater rights because the SGMA says the GSP, etc. do not determine or alter groundwater rights.” As James Markman, special counsel for the Authority explained: “This puts to rest a claim that has been made for years that the Authority has been taking away private property rights. … ” Read the full article at the Ridgecrest Independent here: Court dismisses $250M claim against Indian Wells Valley Groundwater Authority
Indian Wells Valley Water District General Manager’s column: ‘What a long, strange trip it’s been’
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Highest king tides of 2022 expected Friday and Saturday, photos sought for Coastal Commission project
“There might never be a white Christmas in coastal Orange County, but does white sea foam count? King tides will occur up and down California’s coastline this weekend and are expected to reach heights of 7 feet between 8 and 9 a.m. on Friday and Saturday, according to meteorologists at the National Weather Service’s San Diego station. The California Coastal Commission noted this weekend’s tides will be the highest of the year and asks members of the public to help safely document them by photographing the experience as part of its California King Tides Project. “King tides” is a nonscientific designation used to refer to exceptionally high tides. They occur when there is gravitational alignment between the sun, moon and Earth. Coastal Commission officials said the king tides allow researchers to see what higher sea levels — caused by human-induced sea level rise — will be like in the near future. … ” Read more form the LA Times here: Highest king tides of 2022 expected Friday and Saturday, photos sought for Coastal Commission project
IMPERIAL/COACHELLA VALLEYS
Multiagency deal aims to address Salton Sea
“The cavalry is coming, so to speak, in the form of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which entered into a feasibility study agreement with local and state government agencies to find shovel-ready solutions for saving the Salton Sea. The significance of the collaboration was highlighted at a signing ceremony held at the North Shores Beach and Yacht Club near Mecca on Friday, Dec. 16, where the Salton Sea Authority, California Natural Resources Agency, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers entered into the Imperial Streams Salton Sea Feasibility Cost-Share Agreement, which will develop and propose solutions to save the ever-receding Salton Sea. … ” Read more from the Calexico Chronicle here: Multiagency deal aims to address Salton Sea
SAN DIEGO
King tides will cause minor flooding Friday and Saturday at some San Diego County beaches
“A combination of king tides and elevated surf will produce minor flooding at many San Diego County beaches on Friday and Saturday and could impact navigation in local harbors, says the National Weather Service. The high-tide mark will reach 7 feet at 8:08 a.m. on Friday and the same level at 8:54 a.m. on Saturday. At the same time, waves will be in the 2-to-4 foot range at some beaches. The weather service says flooding is most likely to occur at Mission Beach, Pacific Beach, Seaside and Cardiff state beaches, as well as the Oceanside Strand. … ” Read more from the San Diego Union-Tribune here: King tides will cause minor flooding Friday and Saturday at some San Diego County beaches
Along the Colorado River …
A water war is brewing over the dwindling Colorado River
“On a crisp day this fall I drove southeast from Grand Junction, Colorado, into the Uncompahgre Valley, a rich basin of row crops and hayfields. A snow line hung like a bowl cut around the upper cliffs of the Grand Mesa, while in the valley some farmers were taking their last deliveries of water, sowing winter wheat and onions. … I came to this place because the Colorado River system is in a state of collapse. It is a collapse hastened by climate change but also a crisis of management. In 1922, the seven states in the river basin signed a compact splitting the Colorado equally between its upper and lower halves; later, they promised additional water to Mexico, too. Near the middle, they put Lake Powell, a reserve for the northern states, and Lake Mead, a storage node for the south. Over time, as an overheating environment has collided with overuse, the lower half — primarily Arizona and California — has taken its water as if everything were normal, straining both the logic and the legal interpretations of the compact. They have also drawn extra releases from Lake Powell, effectively borrowing straight out of whatever meager reserves the Upper Basin has managed to save there. … ” Read the full article at Pro Publica here: A water war is brewing over the dwindling Colorado River
EDITORIAL: Nevada water proposal deserves a good long look
The Las Vegas Review-Journal editorial board writes, “The Department of Interior has shied away from imposing a comprehensive conservation plan on Colorado River users, preferring instead that the seven states involved hash out their own agreement to address shortages tied to drought and over-allocation. But absent a stick, the carrot approach has failed. The states have missed repeated deadlines for a deal. The latest goal is for the states to forge a compromise by February. … With California showing virtually no appetite for leading the way, Nevada water officials this week unveiled a proposal to meet conservation targets while preserving the ability of Lake Mead and Lake Powell to generate hydropower. The plan involves sacrifice from all seven states and includes adjusting lower-basin allocations in recognition of evaporation losses; earlier triggers for cuts in Nevada, Arizona and California; and modest mandatory cuts in the upper-basin states. The goal is to share the pain across the entire system. … ” Read the full editorial at the Las Vegas Review-Journal here: EDITORIAL: Nevada water proposal deserves a good long look
Commentary: The Bureau of Reclamation needs to set specific targets for Colorado River cuts
Brian McNeece with the The annual Colorado River Water Users Association conference wound up on Friday, December 16, with pitches from politicians, water managers, and hydrologists to a packed Las Vegas ballroom. We the audience were being recruited as partners to solve the water supply crisis afflicting the entire Colorado River Basin–from the river’s headwaters in Wyoming and Colorado all along its 1450-mile course to the Gulf of California in Mexico and for trans-basin users in Salt Lake City, Denver, Pueblo, Albuquerque, Los Angeles, and San Diego. The alarms have been sounding for years: there is not enough water to go around. … With two giant reservoirs along the river, Lake Powell and Lake Mead, how could this happen? … ” Read the full commentary at the Desert Review here: Commentary: The Bureau of Reclamation needs to set specific targets for Colorado River cuts
Wyoming getting screwed in Colorado River pact; Too many people using Wyoming water, observers say
“The 100-year-old pact that allocates water use along the Colorado River among several states and two countries isn’t doing Wyoming any favors, a state lawmaker says. Although growth and drought have sapped the Colorado, the other parties to the pact “can’t come back to Wyoming and say, ‘Wyoming, you’re not populated.’ Because when they appropriated their water use, they weren’t populated either,” Sen. Anthony Bouchard, R-Cheyenne, told Cowboy State Daily. He was referring conditions contained in the 1922 Colorado River Compact, which lays out water rights for Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada and California. … ” Continue reading at Cowboy State Daily here: Wyoming getting screwed in Colorado River pact; Too many people using Wyoming water, observers say
Arizona restricts farming to protect groundwater supply
“The outskirts of Kingman, Arizona, used to be a place where pilots would train and recreationists tested their all-terrain vehicles. The dry and empty landscape has since morphed into something much more green that supports pistachio and almond orchards, and garlic and potato fields in a climate similar to California’s Central Valley. The crops are fed by groundwater that also serves the city of Kingman. The Arizona Department of Water Resources this week put a limit on the amount of land that can be watered, designating the Hualapai Valley as an irrigation non-expansion area. That means anyone who hasn’t farmed more than 2 acres there during the past five years can’t. … ” Read more from ABC News here: Arizona restricts farming to protect groundwater supply
Arizona gets serious about piping water from Mexico in nonbinding desalination resolution
“A state board tasked with vetting water supply augmentation proposals for Arizona on Tuesday passed a nonbinding resolution in support of a potentially massive seawater desalination plant in Mexico’s Sea of Cortez. A partnership led by Israeli desalination specialists IDE Technologies pitched the multibillion-dollar plan to the Water Infrastructure Finance Authority of Arizona’s board, saying it could replace or complement declining Colorado River water that flows through the Central Arizona Project’s canal. The plant would remove salt from seawater and pump it north into the canal, where it would flow through Maricopa, Pinal and Pima counties. This is the first move toward evaluating a water project that state lawmakers this year committed more than $1 billion toward, heeding Gov. Doug Ducey’s call to support desalination and other efforts. … ” Read more from the Arizona Republic here: Arizona gets serious about piping water from Mexico in nonbinding desalination resolution
In national water news today …
Resolving the water wars: The 4 key drivers of indoor vertical farming success
“Continued droughts and climate change have elevated consumer and government concerns about water consumption, particularly for food production. While nuts might be the thirstiest crop, fruits and vegetables also need a lot of watering. The epicenter of the “water wars” is California, pitting rural against urban, golf courses against grapes and lawns against lettuce. Innovators have sought solutions including micro-irrigation technology, gene-edited crops with lower water footprints and recycling, but none have attracted investor attention like vertical farming. Between 2019 and 2026, indoor farming is predicted to grow to $22 billion. Raises this year include greenhouse Gotham Greens ($310 million) and indoor vertical farm Plenty ($400 million). … ” Continue reading at Forbes here: Resolving the water wars: The 4 key drivers of indoor vertical farming success
Yo-Yo Ma is finding his way back to nature through music
“A hiker’s mouth dropped when she learned why a small group was forming at a rocky overlook here. “Yo-Yo Ma,” she was told, “is going to do a pop-up concert.” She waited patiently, leaning against a wooden guard rail, beyond which lay a serenely undulating vista of West Virginia’s tree-covered mountains, bisected by a horseshoe curve of the New River and dotted with the shadows of scattered clouds. From this spot, Grandview, the landscape appeared nearly untouched, interrupted only by a railroad track along the water. Members of the National Park Service set up a tripod to livestream the performance. The poet Crystal Good stood before the crowd of a few dozen passers-by, and before giving a reading, said, “Let me take a moment, because this is so beautiful.” Then Ma, far from any major concert hall and hundreds of miles from his home in Cambridge, Mass., stood with his cello propped up by its endpin and played a Bach Sarabande. … ” Read more from the New York Times here: Yo-Yo Ma is finding his way back to nature through music
Also on Maven’s Notebook today …
AVAILABLE FOR COMMENT: Irrigated Lands Regulatory Program Revised Groundwater Protection Targets Report
NOTICE: 5-Year Temporary Permit Application T033287 – Stanislaus County
