In California water news today …
Potential Category 4 atmospheric river to hit Northern California
“Southern California experienced a drastic drop in temperatures on Monday, with wet weather expected through the week, while a powerful winter storm hit Northern California starting late Monday and brought several inches of rain and heavy winds. An atmospheric river, or a weather system that moves high concentrations of water vapor outside of the tropics, could on Tuesday bring up 1 to 3 inches of rain to the coastal areas, with higher elevations receiving upward of 3 to 5 inches, the National Weather Service told CBS San Francisco. The atmospheric river could be as strong as a Category 4, with a scale that tops out a 5. ... ” Read more from CBS News here: Potential Category 3 atmospheric river to hit Northern California
SEE ALSO:
- Active weather pattern with prolonged East Pacific winter storm sequence into early January, from Dr. Daniel Swain at Weather West
- Heavy snow expected in Sierra as extended storm arrives in Northern California, from the SF Chronicle
Northern Californians remain prepared after 2017 river flooding
“On Monday afternoon, David Edwards stopped by Sheldon Ace Hardware in Elk Grove, using the day to prepare for coming rain. “I live near Laguna Creek, [which] usually floods,” said Edwards, who lives in the Vineyard area of Sacramento County. “Now I’m just going to blow leaves and get everything cleaned up and make sure my gutters are clean and just prepare for the worst, even though it may not be that bad,” he said. “But we’ve been there for 50 years, and I’ve seen the worst of the worst.” He recalls years like 2017, 1997 and 1985, where the broader area saw heavy flooding. “Just watch the weather. Be prepared. Don’t wait to the last minute,” said Sheldon Ace Hardware manager Sean McAlister. ... ” Read more from Channel 10 here: Northern Californians remain prepared after 2017 river flooding
How tracking atmospheric rivers could transform California’s reservoir levels during drought
“Atmospheric rivers can wreak havoc on the West Coast. These “rivers in the sky” stream enormous amounts of moisture from the tropics to western North America — double the flow of the Amazon River, on average. This moisture can produce downpours that cause widespread flood damage. From 1978 to 2017, this damage amounted to $1.1 billion per year according to a 2022 study. But atmospheric rivers are also crucial for life in California. “It’s where we get the water supply,” said Anna Wilson, field research manager for the Center for Western Weather and Water Extremes at UC San Diego’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle here: How tracking atmospheric rivers could transform California’s reservoir levels during drought
When the state cut their water, these California users created a collaborative solution
“California Gov. Gavin Newsom stood at a podium placed on the sandy bottom of Lake Mendocino, a basin built to hold more than 20 billion gallons of water. It was spring, which meant that the reservoir should have held water from the winter rains that in past decades provided water to millions of Californians. Instead, on this afternoon in 2021, the ground was dry and cracked. Newsom was there to declare a drought emergency. … The state is contending with its driest three-year period on record. The lake reservoir where Newsom set his declaration supplies water to the Russian River, which in turn provides water for 600,000 people and to some of California’s best-known wineries. Now, the watershed and the reservoir where this drought began have become the proving ground for an innovative water agreement that aims to make more of scarce supplies. Creators say the program could become a prototype for accords elsewhere in the state and in the West, a beacon of collaboration in a place where water can be contentious. … ” Read more from Inside Climate News here: When the state cut their water, these California users created a collaborative solution
Golden State Salmon Association petition calls on feds to protect Central Valley salmon populations
“In a petition written by the Golden State Salmon Association (GSSA), 1500 Californians have called on the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) heads to step in to protect Central Valley salmon populations. The petition went to Janet Coit, Assistant Administrator for the NMFS, and Martha Williams, Director of the USFWS, at a time when Sacramento River salmon populations are imperiled by Central Valley Project and State Water Project operations. “NMFS and the USFWS play a key role in making sure that species protections are included in new operation rules currently being written that govern the federal Central Valley Project,” according to a press statement from the GSSA. … ” Read more from the Daily Kos here: Golden State Salmon Association petition calls on feds to protect Central Valley salmon populations
Here’s your 2023 timeline for California environmental issues
“From escalating drought to a flood of funding; from epic wildlife encounters to unprecedented energy battles — 2022 was a momentous year for environmental issues in Southern California. In some ways, 2023 looks to be no less notable. Forecasts call for another dry winter, environmental bills are already on the table, and key deadlines are coming. But the coming year also could be a legislative challenge, as advocates will find it tougher to advance ambitious climate rules in a Republican-controlled House and California is expected to flip from historic budget surpluses to a significant deficit. Despite those headwinds, Melissa Romero, senior legislative manager for California Environmental Voters, argues the that the state has a “moral obligation” to double down on climate issues in 2023. … ” Read more from the OC Register here: Here’s your 2023 timeline for California environmental issues
More than half of rural California now ranks ‘very high’ for wildfire hazard
“For the first time, more than half of California’s rural and unincorporated communities could soon be classified as “very high” fire hazard severity zones, according to a proposed map from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. Officials unveiled the new map — which ranks the likelihood of certain areas to experience wildfire as “very high,” “high” or “moderate” — this month and are taking public comments through February. If approved, nearly 17 million acres will fall under the worst ranking from the Office of the State Fire Marshal, a 14.6% increase since the map was last updated in 2007. … ” Read more from the LA Times here: More than half of rural California now ranks ‘very high’ for wildfire hazard
This scientist fled a deadly wildfire, then returned to study how it happened
“Among the tens of thousands of Coloradans who fled the state’s most destructive blaze a year ago were some of the nation’s foremost experts on fire behavior and natural disaster recovery. Brad Wham, a disaster reconnaissance specialist, watched in horror on Dec. 30, 2021, as the Marshall Fire chewed through mulch on medians around him as he drove away from his Louisville home. An engineer who has traveled to Japan and New Zealand to study earthquake damage to help communities prepare for future temblors, Wham returned to his own devastated city to find his home intact despite embers the size of dinner plates in his townhome’s window wells. He soon assembled a national team to discern how the region could rebuild to withstand the next conflagration. They joined a race by fire scientists to understand how global warming is changing such disasters, including how buildings themselves act as fuel during a wildfire. The lessons have relevance beyond Colorado’s borders. … ” Read more from Pro Publica here: This scientist fled a deadly wildfire, then returned to study how it happened
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
Video: Klamath dam removal political impacts part 1
“For over 18 years, indigenous tribes in Northern California have been fighting to get four dams on the Klamath River removed. They say that the removal of the dams will bring more salmon and steelhead back to the river. We take a look at the concerns being raised by some local residents and politicians, as well as what’s being done to address some of those concerns.” Watch video at KDRV here: Video: Klamath dam removal political impacts part 1
Water study highlights need to address illegal pot grows, Forest Service reports
“A study recently published in the Water Quality Research Journal by Forest Service Law Enforcement and Investigations ecologists and partners discovered a “surprising” amount of water contamination below illegal cannabis grow sites, the U.S. Forest Service reported. “The results of this study were surprising and further highlight the need for the Forest Service to disrupt these clandestine sites and monitor their impacts to conserve the public’s natural resources,” said Dr. Mourad Gabriel, co-author and the Regional Wildlife Ecologist for Law Enforcement and Investigations, Pacific Southwest Region. “In California, national forests play a vital role for many wildlife, fish and plant species,” Gabriel added. “Studies like this allow us to continue our proactive role in removing pesticides off the lands we manage before fires, wildlife or weather create further surface water contamination.” … ” Read more from the Eureka Times-Standard here: Water study highlights need to address illegal pot grows, Forest Service reports
Flood watch in place for Mendocino and North Coast as “atmospheric river” brings 4-6 inches of rain in 24-hour forecast
“Mendocino County and the North Coast are bracing for an “atmospheric river,” currently expected to arrive on Monday evening with multiple inches of precipitation. High winds are forecast throughout the region, and a flood watch is in effect for Mendocino County until Tuesday morning. Additional rain is predicted later in the week, according to the National Weather Service (NWS). NWS Eureka has issued a high wind and flood watch in effect for the majority of Mendocino County and the North Coast between Monday evening and Tuesday morning, Dec. 26 – 27. Residents should prepare for multiple inches of rain in less than 24 hours, and for high winds which may result in power outages. … ” Read more from the Eureka Times-Standard here: Flood watch in place for Mendocino and North Coast as “atmospheric river” brings 4-6 inches of rain in 24-hour forecast
Local salmon fly free as another dam is removed
“Salmon can swim free once more down the currents of the Eel River. The long abandoned 8-foot-high Cedar Creek Dam was finally removed through the collaboration of Caltrout and the State Department of Fish and Wildlife. Darren Meirau, the Northcoast Director for Caltrout and the project’s manager, explained the history of the dam. The dam, which once existed to help local fish populations, now served only to hinder salmon and steelheads in their yearly migrations. Plans to remove the dam began as early as 2017 when studies officially confirmed the negative impacts of its continued existence. … ” Read more from Channel 3 here: Local salmon fly free as another dam is removed
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
Rain, high elevation snow falling at Lake Tahoe; Significant end of year storm on way
“The rain is coming down in buckets and winds howled through the night at Lake Tahoe. The precipitation is turning to snow Tuesday morning on some Sierra highways, including Interstate 80 west of Truckee near Donner Summit, prompting the National Weather Service in Reno to update its winter storm warning that went into effect at 7 a.m., a few hours earlier than anticipated. Heavy rain and snow is expected through the end of the advisory at 10 a.m. Wednesday. Snow accumulations of 3 to 10 inches at lake level are possible with 1 to 2 feet above 7,000 feet. ... ” Read more from the Tahoe Daily Tribune here: Rain, high elevation snow falling at Lake Tahoe; Significant end of year storm on way
UC Davis Environmental Research Center fundamental at Lake Tahoe
“The 72-mile circumference of Lake Tahoe is home to a variety of native plants and wildlife and endures a full, four seasons each calendar year. With Lake Tahoe hosting mild summers, frigid, snowy winters, and even natural disasters such as wildfire — the largest freshwater lake in the Sierra Nevada region has undergone substantial environmental change. UC Davis’ Tahoe Environmental Research Center, also known as TERC, is one of the local pillars in the Lake Tahoe Basin that supports, promotes, and avidly works towards gaining insight and knowledge on Tahoe’s ever-changing environment, external forces, and how the local community can better mitigate the negative environmental factors that have occurred in the Lake Tahoe Basin. … ” Read more from the Tahoe Daily Tribune here: UC Davis Environmental Research Center fundamental at Lake Tahoe
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
Winter-run Chinook in the Sacramento seeing lowest survival rate ever
“The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has counted 160,000 juvenile winter-run Chinook salmon in the Sacramento River this year, down from an average of 1.3 million. That’s the lowest number ever recorded, about a quarter of last year’s count and 12 percent of the average. There are usually about 1.3 million juvenile salmon counted. Michael Milstein, spokesperson for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Fisheries department, said one of the causes of this problem is increasing water temperatures due to climate change and drought. … ” Read more from Jefferson Public Radio here: Winter-run Chinook in the Sacramento seeing lowest survival rate ever
More than 500 salmon making way up Putah Creek
“It has been a comeback year for salmon in Putah Creek. Max Stevenson, the streamkeeper for the Lower Putah Creek Coordinating Committee and the Solano County Water Agency, estimates more than 500 fish are in the creek system. The boards at the Los Rios Check Dam were removed in late October, and the fish have been making their way into the creek ever since. “There are hundreds of salmon in the system and they are still coming up,” said Stevenson, who took over Jan. 10 for longtime streamkeeper Rich Marovich. “There are probably more than 500.” … ” Read more from the Daily Republic here: More than 500 salmon making way up Putah Creek
BAY AREA
If you build it, they will come!
“On an overcast and unassuming Thursday morning in July, a small barge sailed into India Basin along San Francisco’s southeastern waterfront. Resting on the barge were 60 concrete structures called Oyster Reef Balls (ORBs) ready to be deployed into the shallow waters off of Heron’s Head Park. The ORBs resemble wiffle balls cut in half, although much larger, each weighing about 1,100 pounds and requiring a crane to lower them into their designated position about a hundred feet from the shore. Unless you were to look right at the nadir of low tide, you would probably miss this new reef at Heron’s Head. Just like the native Olympia oyster once ubiquitous in the San Francisco Bay, it’s hard to spot. But our hope is that this structure will soon serve as a substrate for a living Olympia oyster reef — a reef that will filter the water, provide food and habitat for other species, and protect the shoreline. … ” Read more from the Earth Island Journal here: If you build it, they will come!
Marin water agency doubles Mt. Tamalpais fire fines
“After a close-call incident this summer that could have ignited the first major wildfire on Mount Tamalpais in several decades, the Marin Municipal Water District decided this month to more than double its fines for smoking, fireworks and campfires in the watershed. Visitors who decide to light up a cigarette, fire off a firecracker or light a campfire can now face $945 to nearly $1,200 in fines and penalties, according to the district. The changes were approved by the district Board of Directors in a unanimous vote last week, nearly half a year after a smoker ignited a blaze near Bon Tempe Lake that officials said could have grown out of control had it occurred later in the day. … ” Read more from the Marin Independent Journal here: Marin water agency doubles Mt. Tamalpais fire fines
Project helps restore steelhead habitat along Stevens Creek
“Steelhead and other fish species should find it easier to pass through the section of Stevens Creek that runs by the Deep Cliff Golf Course in Cupertino after contractors working for the Friends of Stevens Creek Trail completed a project to restore natural fish habitat and remove a concrete slab spanning the creek. The concrete had been a barrier to the upstream migration of juvenile steelhead trout, a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act. “The fish passage was designed with salmonids—particularly steelhead—in mind, but it will be important for the movements of all other fish species in the creek such as stickleback, minnows and suckers,” said Steve Powell, an environmental scientist who consulted on the project. “Allowing the fish access to more habitat allows them increased opportunity to locate suitable reproduction and feeding sites and maintain viable populations.” … ” Read more from the San Jose Mercury News here: Project helps restore steelhead habitat along Stevens Creek
CENTRAL COAST
As desalination gains traction in parts of California, Santa Cruz weighs future of its water supply
” … [T]he Santa Cruz City Council on Nov. 29 approved a water-supply strategy that listed desalination as one of four water-supply projects on the table to secure the city’s water system in an increasingly uncertain climate future.“As long as the Pacific Ocean is sitting in our front yard, desalination cannot go away as an option,” Santa Cruz’s water director, Rosemary Menard, said. “It can be done but it’s not the first thing we’re going to focus on. It’s a complicated strategy to pursue.” Whether desalination is a realistic option for Santa Cruz is up for debate, but the Nov. 29 vote added yet another leg to the strategy’s complicated political journey in the city over the years. Desalination, though codified as a possible avenue, has not been publicly supported as the priority project. However, 2023 will see the Santa Cruz City Council begin the process of vetting the water-supply options in front of the city. … ” Read the full story at Lookout Santa Cruz here: As desalination gains traction in parts of California, Santa Cruz weighs future of its water supply
Low tides reveal trove of fossils on California’s Central Coast
“A large, mysterious fossil appeared on California’s Central Coast this week, baffling researchers and setting science Twitter ablaze. “Definitely one of the best sea fossil specimens I’ve stumbled upon. What on Earth was it?” wrote San Jose State University professor Dustin Mulvaney on Twitter, sharing photos of the strange gray mass, along with other 3-foot-long specimens. Mulvaney stumbled on this ancient trove below the Capitola bluffs, a small coastal area about 6 miles away from Santa Cruz, he told SFGATE. … ” Read more from SF Gate here: Low tides reveal trove of fossils on California’s Central Coast
San Luis Obispo County using cloud seeding to raise Lopez Lake water level
“San Luis Obispo County will spend an estimated $1 million over the next three years on a cloud seeding project intended to raise the water level of Lopez Lake. [KSBY] Cloud seeding is a type of weather modification in which particles, such as silver iodide, are released from airplanes in order to increase rainfall. The SLO County Board of Supervisors has approved a three-year extension of its cloud seeding program in order to increase the water level of Lopez Lake. … ” Read more from Cal Coast News here: San Luis Obispo County using cloud seeding to raise Lopez Lake water level
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
Is the upcoming Central Valley rain a drought buster?
“That rain coming in could bring several inches of rain to the valley floor and could bring even more snow to the state’s snowpack. Both of these are vital for the water we will have in the coming year. Is this storm a drought buster? The short answer is no. But right now is the perfect time for storms to sweep through our area while the state still tries to pull itself from extreme drought. Don’t let the rain fool you. The rain and snow are more than welcome throughout the state right now, but it’s going to take a lot more of it to pull us out. … ” Read more from KFSN here: Is the upcoming Central Valley rain a drought buster?
Critical feature of Friant-Kern Canal repair completed
“While the area continues to be – and expects to continue to be in a drought — just in case if the region receives a lot of rain this winter, a critical portion of the Friant-Kern Canal ongoing repairs has been completed which would allow the canal to handle that water. In November, a major milestone was reached with the completion of the Deer Creek siphon that will ensure the canal can handle high flows of water running in Deer Creek during potential winter storms or flood events. The work completed is part of the ongoing Friant-Kern Canal Middle Reach Capacity Correction Project. … ” Read more from the Porterville Recorder here: Critical feature of Friant-Kern Canal repair completed
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Storm system to bring several days of rain to Southern California starting Tuesday
“Like the flip of a switch, Southern California’s warm and dry holiday weather is about to change as a potent storm system moves in. Rain is expected to arrive in San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties late Monday night into Tuesday, according to the National Weather Service. By Tuesday afternoon, rain will extend to Ventura and Los Angeles counties. … ” Read more from KTLA here: Storm system to bring several days of rain to Southern California starting Tuesday
Chino: Wells to be revived for future water treatment facility
“Two City of Chino wells, wells 4 and 6, will be reactivated to connect to a new water treatment facility and will produce approximately 1700 gallons per minute. The new centralized treatment facility will be constructed on the southeast corner of Carter and Fourth streets. The Chino City Council unanimously voted Dec. 6 to award a $1.8 million contract to Hazen and Sawyer of Irvine for the design of the water treatment facility. … ” Read more from the Chino Champion here: Wells to be revived for future water treatment facility
SAN DIEGO
Water News Network top stories of 2022
“The Water News Network top stories of 2022 were drought-related and features about technology and college scholarships also engaged readers. … ” Read more from the Water News Network here: Water News Network Top Stories of 2022
Along the Colorado River …
In Arizona, Colorado River crisis stokes worry over growth and groundwater depletion
” … Water supplies are shrinking throughout the Southwest, from the Rocky Mountains to California, with the flow of the Colorado River declining and groundwater levels dropping in many areas. The mounting strains on the region’s water supplies are bringing new questions about the unrestrained growth of sprawling suburbs. Ferris, a researcher at Arizona State University’s Kyl Center for Water Policy, is convinced that growth is surpassing the water limits in parts of Arizona, and she worries that the development boom is on a collision course with the aridification of the Southwest and the finite supply of groundwater that can be pumped from desert aquifers. For decades, Arizona’s cities and suburbs have been among the fastest growing in the country. In most areas, water scarcity has yet to substantially slow the march of development. … ” Read more frfom the LA Times here: In Arizona, Colorado River crisis stokes worry over growth and groundwater depletion
Nevada calls on Utah and Upper Colorado Basin states to slash water use by 500,000 acre-feet
“Nevada water managers have submitted a plan for cutting diversions by 500,000 acre-feet in a last-ditch effort to shore up flows on the Colorado River before low water levels cause critical problems at Glen Canyon and Hoover dams. But the Silver State’s plan targets cuts in Utah and the river’s other Upper Basin states, not in Nevada, whose leaders contend it already is doing what it can to reduce reliance on the depleted river system that provides water to 40 million in the West. “It is well past time to prohibit the inefficient delivery, application, or use of water within all sectors and by all users; there simply is no water in the Colorado River System left to waste and each industrial, municipal, and agricultural user should be held to the highest industry standards in handling, using, and disposing of water,” states a Dec. 20 letter the Colorado River Commission of Nevada sent to the Interior Department. “It is critical that Reclamation pursue all options that will help reduce consumptive uses in the Basin and provide water supply reliability.” … ” Read more from the Salt Lake Tribune here: Nevada calls on Utah and Upper Colorado Basin states to slash water use by 500,000 acre-feet
Commentary: No more Band-Aids: How to make the Colorado River sustainable for the long term
Margaret Garcia, Ph.D, an assistant professor in the School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment at Arizona State University, and Elizabeth A. Koebele, Ph.D., an associate professor of political science at the University of Nevada, Reno, write, “The Colorado River Basin is in the midst of a sustainability crisis. Climate change and severe drought, coupled with historic overallocation of the river, have caused water users to rapidly drain the system’s major reservoirs to their lowest levels since construction. Prior water management actions, such as urban water conservation, infrastructure efficiency investments, and water delivery reductions, have bought Colorado River water users time. But that time is now running out. How can basin policymakers create transformational change that advances the long-term sustainability of the Colorado River amid this crisis? Drawing on our experience studying water management transitions through the lenses of water resource engineering and collaborative policymaking, we offer three substantive and procedural suggestions that can help Colorado River Basin policymakers realize transformational change. … ” Read more from Arizona Central here: Commentary: No more Band-Aids: How to make the Colorado River sustainable for the long term
Sen. Mark Kelly says Arizona cannot continue to bear the brunt of Colorado River cuts
“Arizona will face another cut to its share of Colorado River water in 2023. But U.S. Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) says states that use the river need to come to an agreement in the near future. “This can’t just be on the back of Arizona. I mean we’ve had to take significant cuts, now that we’re into Tier 2A of the Drought Contingency Plan, soon to be 2B, about a 21% cut,” Kelly said. … ” Read more from KJZZ here: Sen. Mark Kelly says Arizona cannot continue to bear the brunt of Colorado River cuts
Increasing Arizona’s water supply
“A pipeline from the Midwest. Towing an iceberg from Greenland. Hauling water from the Pacific Northwest. Engineering-wise, experts say all are possible, though not probable. While desalination does seem closer to becoming a reality for Arizona, water experts say there are options that can be worked on today to get more water flowing in the near future. Don Titmus of Mesa is a horticulturist and permaculture designer who takes one of those options very seriously: rainwater harvesting. … ” Read more from Channel 15 here: Increasing Arizona’s water supply
Glen Canyon Dam power at risk due to shrinking Colorado River
“As Gus Levy traipses across the 710-foot-tall Glen Canyon Dam, there’s a bounce in his step, he’s smiling and his eyes are wide and bright as he details the complicated workings of this structure built in 1960. You’d never know there was a drought, that inflows are sagging from the Colorado River and power generation serving seven states — as far away as Nebraska — may be in jeopardy. “I never get sick of this. This place is still so striking to me,” he said. “It’s an impressive place.” Levy worked at a nuclear power plant in Ohio and joined the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation as a safety officer at the dam. He is now its acting facility manager. He admits he’s a tool guy: He likes to bang on things with wrenches and hammers. … ” Read more from KSL here: Glen Canyon Dam power at risk due to shrinking Colorado River
