On the calendar today …
- MEETING: Central Valley Flood Protection Board meets beginning at 9am. Agenda items include a Report on Board staff participation in the flood emergency activation, the 2022 Levee Inspection and Assessment Annual Report, Consideration of a resolution approving the Design Agreement and Local Design Agreement for Lower Cache Creek, and an information item on the Transfer of Operation and Maintenance Responsibility for Lower San Joaquin River and Tributaries Project. Click here for the complete agenda.
DWR increases State Water Project allocation to 30% …
State water deliveries to surge — highest in 6 years
On this date, the water storage was 1,790,095 acre-feet (AF), 51 percent of the total capacity. Photo taken January 12, 2022. Andrew Innerarity / DWR
“State officials announced today that water deliveries from the state’s aqueduct will be increased to 30%, the highest amount for January that growers and Southern California cities have received in six years. Less than two months ago, amid forecasts of a third consecutive drought year, the California Department of Water Resources announced an initial allocation of just 5% of the supplies requested from its State Water Project, which transports Northern California water south. But recent storms have boosted the reservoirs, snowpack and river flows that feed the state aqueduct. Never in the 27 years of records has such a poor initial estimate been followed by such a rapid, dramatic jump. ... ” Read more from Cal Matters here: State water deliveries to surge — highest in 6 years
Storms bump state allocation to 30%
“The state Department of Water Resources (DWR) announced Wednesday, Jan. 26, that it will increase water allocations from 5% to 30% thanks to the recent storms that doused California with rain and snow. The new allocation comes out to 1.27 million acre feet for the State Water Project and 29 of its public water agencies, which deliver water to 27 million Californians and 750,000 acres of farmland. In the San Joaquin Valley, that includes Dudley Ridge Water District in Kings County, Kern County Water Agency in Kern County, Tulare Lake Basin Water Storage District in Kings County and Oak Flat Water District in Stanislaus County. The nine storms that slammed the state in late December and early January contributed 1.62 million acre feet of water into Oroville and San Luis reservoirs, the State Water Project’s two largest storage facilities. … ” Read more from SJV Water here: Storms bump state allocation to 30%
State Water Project allocation increased to 30%
“The Department of Water Resources (DWR) today announced that recent storms will allow the State Water Project (SWP) to boost deliveries to 29 public water agencies serving 27 million Californians. Based on the amount of water captured and stored in recent weeks, DWR now expects to deliver 30 percent of requested water supplies – or 1.27 million acre-feet — in 2023, up from the initial 5 percent announced on December 1. The allocation increase is the direct result of extreme weather in late December and nine atmospheric rivers in early January that helped fill reservoirs and dramatically increase the Sierra Nevada snowpack. The SWP’s two largest reservoirs (Oroville and San Luis) have gained a combined 1.62 million acre-feet of water in storage — roughly enough to provide water to 5.6 million households for a year. While Water Year 2023 began with below average precipitation, conditions shifted to extreme above average conditions. … ” Read more from DWR via Maven’s Notebook here: State Water Project allocation increased to 30%
OTHER COVERAGE:
- Recent storms ease pressure on California water managers, from the Courthouse News Service
- Calif. water officials hike state water allocation following storms, from the San Joaquin Valley Sun
- California to get major boost in water supplies after January storms, from the LA Times
- California boosts water deliveries to highest level in years, thanks to storms, from the SF Chronicle
- California drought eases as state increases water deliveries to cities, farms, from the San Jose Mercury News
- California storms boost water allocation for cities, from the Sacramento Bee
Reactions …
Governor Newsom
“Thanks to the water captured and stored from recent storms, the state is increasing deliveries to local agencies that support two-thirds of Californians – good news for communities and farms in the Bay Area, San Joaquin Valley and Southern California,” said Governor Newsom. “We’ll keep pushing to modernize our water infrastructure to take advantage of these winter storms and prepare communities for the climate-driven extremes of wet and dry ahead.”
Metropolitan Water District
Adel Hagekhalil, general manager of the Metropolitan Water District: “After the three driest years the state has ever seen, we are finally getting some relief. Depleted state reservoirs are starting to recover from record lows, and this increased allocation will certainly help communities hit hardest by this drought recover as well. But make no mistake, while the recent storms will help alleviate the acute emergency in areas dependent on supplies from the State Water Project, Southern California’s water challenges are far from over. We continue to draw down our largest local reservoir, Diamond Valley Lake, to meet demands. Likewise, conditions on our other source of imported supplies, the Colorado River, remain uncertain. While the recent storms have brought snow to that system as well, its reservoirs remain at record low levels after more than two decades of drought. Southern California may see significant reductions in that supply beginning next year. …
State Water Contractors
“We welcome this much needed increase in State Water Project supplies but we will need additional storms to recover from multiple dry years,” said Jennifer Pierre, General Manager of the State Water Contractors. “As California looks to adapt to our changing climate and pattern of longer dry periods followed by flashier and more unpredictable storm events, we must seek to take advantage of every opportunity to capture more water when it’s wet to use throughout the year when it’s not. That is why it is so important to upgrade and maintain the SWP infrastructure through larger and longer-term solutions like the Delta Conveyance Project. Had the Delta Conveyance Project been in place during these most recent winter storms, we would have captured an additional 200,000 acre-feet, water that could have been used to bolster and help further develop local supplies.”
In other California water news today …
Vigorous storm may produce snow, trigger severe weather in California next week
“AccuWeather meteorologists say a storm will dip southward along the Pacific coast of the United States later this weekend to early next week. And while this storm may have limited moisture, it will likely cause travel disruptions as it spreads snow and triggers gusty thunderstorms, especially in Southern California. … “A shift in the jet stream pattern over the northeastern Pacific will allow the caboose in the slider storm train to push farther south than predecessors and across California as a result,” AccuWeather Lead Long-Range Meteorologist Paul Pastelok said. This is likely to be the last such storm for a few weeks, but it will have significant impacts. ... ” Read more from AccuWeather here: Vigorous storm may produce snow, trigger severe weather in California next week
Have California drought conditions improved this week? Here’s the latest update
“California’s string of heavy rainstorms in January continue to provide temporary relief to the state’s chronically dry land. Drought conditions across the golden state have either improved or remained the same compared to one week ago. The U.S. Drought Monitor, in a weekly update published Thursday, reports the state remains free of both “extreme” or “exceptional” drought for the second week in a row. California’s Central Coast, which was devastated by the severe storms, has exited moderate drought conditions and is now “abnormally dry.” In the northwest corner of the state, the majority of Del Norte County is drought free for at least the second the week in a row. … ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee here: Have California drought conditions improved this week? Here’s the latest update
Storms dumped snow on California. Will it bring a reprieve from the drought?
“Extreme weather hammered California through the first weeks of the year – but also offered a badly needed reprieve. The deep snow dumped on the Sierra Nevada during a series of strong storms left the state with a robust water savings account of sorts. As the weather warms over the spring and summer months, the melting snow fills rivers, streams and reservoirs long after California’s rainy season has ended. Considered one of its most important reservoirs, the snowpack provides roughly a third of California’s water supply. That’s why the white-topped mountains and piled-high powder are a signal that the state may be better set up to handle its water woes than it has been in years. ... ” Read more from The Guardian here: Storms dumped snow on California. Will it bring a reprieve from the drought?
Major California region now out of drought
“California’s Central Coast has emerged from drought, according to a map released Thursday by the federal government in partnership with a university group. The good news applies to a broad swathe of the coastline, from the southern half of Santa Cruz County to the northern part of Los Angeles County. The area is now classified as “abnormally dry” — one stage below a formal drought designation. … ” Read more from the SF Chronicle here: Major California region now out of drought
Droughts put water bills out of reach for some families
“Access to safe, affordable water is a necessity for human health and well-being. But when droughts strike areas that are already water-stressed, water providers are forced to enact measures to curtail water usage or invest in supplies from more expensive sources, which can increase costs for consumers. According to the new study, these measures can disproportionately affect water bills for low-income households, making water more costly for the most vulnerable people. “A low-income household often has a different response to curtailment measures and surcharges because of how much water they used before the drought,” says Benjamin Rachunok, who conducted the work as a postdoctoral researcher at Stanford University and is now an assistant professor at North Carolina State University. “This can lead to different affordability outcomes for low- and high-income people, even if the same processes and policies are being applied to everyone.” … ” Read more from Futurity here: Droughts put water bills out of reach for some families
How sensor-dangling helicopters can help beat the water crisis
” … Climate change is making both dry spells and rainstorms more intense, ping-ponging the state’s water systems between critical shortages and canal-topping deluges. A simultaneous solution to both extremes is right beneath Californians’ feet: aquifers, which are made up of underground layers of porous rock or sediments, like gravel and sand, that fill with rainwater soaking through the soil above. … California’s Central Valley is loaded with such aquifers, capable of storing some 46 trillion gallons of water, three times as much as all the state’s reservoirs. But this part of the state has long over-exploited them; the 20,000-square-mile, agriculture-heavy valley grows 40 percent of the nation’s fruits, nuts, and other table foods. That’s led to a dramatic imbalance, says hydrogeologist Graham Fogg of UC Davis, who studies California’s aquifers. “Civilizations all across the world have been really expert at sucking groundwater virtually uncontrollably, but we’ve been terrible at putting water back in the ground,” he says. … ” Read more from Wired Magazine here: How sensor-dangling helicopters can help beat the water crisis
‘Prioritize funding for water storage,’ says Vince Fong
“After state water officials announced Thursday an increase in water supplies from 5% to 30%, Assemblymember Vince Fong says more must be done to store the water that falls on the state. “Increasing water allocations is much needed for farmers and communities across the state…state officials should be prepared to further boost the water allocation,” said Vince Fong, the vice chair of the Assembly Budget Committee. … ” Read more from Your Central Valley here: ‘Prioritize funding for water storage,’ says Vince Fong
DWR approves Groundwater Sustainability Plans for four Northern California basins
“The Department of Water Resources (DWR) announced today the approval of groundwater sustainability plans for four groundwater basins – Napa Valley Subbasin in Napa County, as well as Santa Rosa Plain Subbasin, Petaluma Valley Basin, and Sonoma Valley Subbasin in Sonoma County. … Local groundwater sustainability agencies (GSAs) are implementing plans consistent with the requirements of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA), California’s landmark groundwater management law enacted in 2014. SGMA requires local GSAs to achieve their groundwater basin sustainability goals within a 20-year timeframe. The plans approved for the four Northern California basins are among 65 plans submitted to DWR in January 2022. DWR has until January 2024 to review the remaining plans. Results of the evaluations will be made available throughout 2023. GSAs implement the plans while DWR completes its review. ... ” Read more from DWR here: DWR approves Groundwater Sustainability Plans for four Northern California basins
Whiplash weather: What we can learn from California’s deadly storms
“A barrage of storms starting in late December 2022 highlighted the dangers of “whiplash weather,” a pattern of swings between heavy winter rainfall and severe summer drought in the western U.S. Stanford scholars and the public information manager for Sacramento County – an area that saw some of the heaviest damage from recent state-wide flooding – discussed the science behind the storms, implications for drought recovery, and tools to help communities mitigate future risk. The Jan. 18 event was the latest in a series of webinars hosted by the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment to explore the connections between climate science, extreme weather events, and inequitable impacts across communities. … ” Read more from Stanford News here: Whiplash weather: What we can learn from California’s deadly storms
Even after floods hit state, California plans cuts to climate investments
“In January, deadly storms submerged California communities and caused as much as $1 billion in estimated damage. The recent rainfall carried by nine atmospheric rivers — bands of moisture blowing in from the Pacific — killed almost two dozen and induced mudslides on land parched by drought and denuded by wildfire. New vegetation from the rain will eventually form fresh fire tinder. While scientists need more time to determine whether features of the storms were linked to global warming, past research found that heavy rain from atmospheric rivers in 2017 that damaged the Oroville Dam was more intense because of climate change. The dangers of “wet-to-dry whiplash” were described just a few months ago in a state report analyzing the impacts of the climate crisis on California. Yet the state is struggling to deal with the origins of the crisis: Due to a projected budget deficit of $22.5 billion amid inflation and high interest rates, Gov. Newsom is proposing to slash his much-heralded $54 billion climate package by $6 billion, cutting funding for a wide range of initiatives, with social equity programs hit particularly hard. … ” Read more from Capital and Main here: Even after floods hit state, California plans cuts to climate investments
Felicia Marcus explores what it will take for California to adapt to climate change
“The Regional Water Authority on January 19, 2023, hosted a Coffee and Conversation event with Felicia Marcus, currently serving as the William C. Landreth Visiting Fellow at Stanford University’s Water in the West Program and former chair of the California State Water Resources Control Board. RWA Executive Director Jim Peifer chatted with Marcus about a wide range of topics, including how the state can utilize excess runoff and precipitation from storms to help prepare for dry times. Below is an edited and condensed version of that conversation. Jim Peifer: What are you working on these days? Felicia Marcus: It’s an exciting time and it’s kind of a cool time to be in more of an observer status, because it gives me the luxury to actually think about things and talk to people and learn about areas I haven’t had time to. At Stanford, I’m kind of set up as a practitioner in residence. … ” Continue reading at the Regional Water Authority here: Felicia Marcus explores what it will take for California to adapt to climate change
Congressman LaMalfa leads Western Caucus in urging the EPA and Army Corps to rescind new WOTUS rule
“Today, Western Caucus Vice Chair Congressman Doug LaMalfa (R – Richvale) led his Western Caucus colleagues in sending a letter to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Army Corps urging them to rescind the Biden Administration’s new Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule and postpone any subsequent agency action on WOTUS to allow the Supreme Court to first issue an opinion on Sackett v EPA. “It is absurd that the EPA and Army Corps would sneak in such a consequential rule over the holidays on the last working day of the year. This rule carries significant weight and gives the federal government the power to regulate virtually any private property in the country as they would interpret a puddle into their jurisdiction. They know this rule won’t improve anything; it will make it much harder to do anything from growing food to build or manufacture what people need. We are fiercely fighting to stop this ridiculous rule yet again,”, said Congressman LaMalfa. ... ” Read more from Congressman Doug LaMalfa’s website here: Congressman LaMalfa leads Western Caucus in urging the EPA and Army Corps to rescind new WOTUS rule
Now Online: The Delta Stewardship Council 2022 Annual Report
“Learn about the Delta Stewardship Council’s recent efforts in pursuit of equitable, enduring, and science-based solutions in our 2022 Annual Report. The report showcases the Council’s progress toward a reliable California water supply and resilient Delta ecosystem using an interactive storymap format. Through audio clips featuring the voices of select Council and executive leaders, an in-depth narrative, and videos from the region, visitors will learn how the Delta Plan served as a common vision for taking on the Delta’s challenges, how our Delta Science Program reached significant milestones in support of the Delta Science Strategy, and more.” View the story map from the Delta Stewardship Council here: The Delta Stewardship Council 2022 Annual Report
6 million acres to go: How California is trying to stave off the Sixth Extinction
“In October 2020, California led the nation when Governor Gavin Newsom signed on to the global effort to conserve 30 percent of the planet’s lands and waters by 2030. Known as “30×30,” the plan was spearheaded by the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, with a worldwide aim to “live in harmony with nature.” As of June 2022, the U.S. is one of more than 100 countries committed to the goal. States including Nevada and Maine have followed California’s lead. California, the nation’s most populous state, is also the country’s most biodiverse, with a variety of unique plants and animals thanks to its dynamic landscape and climate. ... ” Read more from Bay Nature here: 6 million acres to go: How California is trying to stave off the Sixth Extinction
Report: The high costs and low benefits of attempting to increase water yield by forest removal in the Sierra Nevada
“Although there has been renewed interest in attempting to boost runoff from Sierra Nevada watersheds by removing copious amounts of forest cover, recent assessments promoting the approach have not given ample attention to well-known factors that sharply limit its utility for augmenting water supplies. These assessments have also largely ignored the considerable and enduring environmental costs of pursuing such an approach. This report provides a more thorough assessment of the environmental costs and limited utility for water supply from attempts to increase water yield via forest removal in the Sierra Nevada. Although data are limited from the Sierra Nevada, there is considerable body of information from applicable studies throughout the western U.S. that provides a context for assessing the limited benefits and significant costs of pursuing a forest removal or thinning management approach. … ” Read the full report from Environment Now here: The high costs and low benefits of attempting to increase water yield by forest removal in the Sierra Nevada
How California’s recent flooding could set the stage for a dangerous wildfire season
“With vast stretches of desert that give way to towering, snow-capped mountains or the waters of the Pacific Ocean, California’s landscape has always been alluring. But it is this very climate — where dry summers and wet winters provide the perfect conditions for tourism and agriculture — that’s also the state’s vulnerability. Everything could be dried out one year, then completely drenched the next. For years, historically dry conditions have pushed the West to uncharted territory, triggering never-before-seen water shortages. Then at the end of December and into the early weeks of January, an onslaught of rain and snow finally came, significantly reducing the severity of the drought. ... ” Read more from AccuWeather here: How California’s recent flooding could set the stage for a dangerous wildfire season
In commentary today …
Fighting a flood of misinformation about CA water
Doug Obegi, Director of California River Restoration for the NRDC, writes, “The past weeks following our recent large storms have been awash in misinformation and hypocrisy about operating and permitting water infrastructure in California. Even those who closely follow the news about California water are likely unaware that the data shows that more than half of the runoff from the storms in early January was captured and stored in the Central Valley. Or that the loudest voices criticizing environmental protections for our rivers and fisheries during the storms – which are requirements of the Trump Administration’s 2019 biological opinions – are the very same voices demanding that legislators and the courts keep those biological opinions in place. This misinformation undermines progress, constructive dialogue, and trust in solving California’s water challenges. ... ” Read more from the NRDC here: Fighting a flood of misinformation about CA water
California’s courageous climate action in 2022 must be the norm, not the exception
Mary Creasman, CEO of California Environmental Voters, writes, “California’s leaders acted with climate courage last year, taking historic action to protect our health and our future. After failing to pass meaningful climate policies for three years, it’s an incredible comeback. Earning a near-failing D grade in 2021, California has jumped to an A- in a new scorecard compiled by California Environmental Voters. The Golden State regained its role as a global climate leader by enacting groundbreaking investments and policies to address the climate crisis. As exciting as this historic year is, the work to save California is far from done. Pummeled by a deadly series of bomb cyclones, atmospheric rivers and flooding in the past few weeks, Californians are grappling with worsening impacts of climate change. Our state must continue to act with urgency in the quickest, most equitable ways possible to prepare for what’s coming and prevent the worst. … ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee here: California’s courageous climate action in 2022 must be the norm, not the exception
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
Federal plan to cut Klamath River flows threatens salmon fishery, local tribes and fishermen warn
Joint press release from the Karuk Tribe, Ridges to Riffles, the Yurok Tribe and the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations: Despite the wet winter, the Department of Interior has announced plans to cut Klamath River flows up to 30% below the minimum mandated by the Endangered Species Act to protect listed coho salmon. River flows will drop below 750 cubic feet per second (cfs) for the first time in decades. This could prove disastrous to juvenile coho salmon along with other species including Chinook salmon, steelhead trout, and Pacific lamprey. The Yurok Tribe and the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations have already filed a 60-day Notice of Intent to sue the federal government. “We know from experience that flows this low lead to massive fish kills. It happened in the fall of 2002 and the spring of 2004,” said Yurok Vice Chairman Frankie Joe Myers. “This plan is reckless and it disregards the best available science.” ... ” Read more from the Lost Coast Outpost here: Federal plan to cut Klamath River flows threatens salmon fishery, local tribes and fishermen warn
Multiple agencies exchange resources for research of the Clear Lake Hitch
“Members of the California State Water Board, Department of Water Resources, Fish and Wildlife and the Big Valley Rancheria met Wednesday at Adobe Creek in Kelseyville to exchange resources and train staff in order to gain more data in hopes of saving the endangered Clear Lake Hitch. Since 2014, when the state of California listed the Hitch as endangered, continuous efforts have been made to list the Hitch as endangered at the federal level. Big Valley Rancheria Environmental Director Sara Ryan explained some of the complications faced over the past several years. “It has been a long process with the feds, but their own studies say to put in on the endangered list,” she said. … ” Read more from the Lake County Record-Bee here: Multiple agencies exchange resources for research of the Clear Lake Hitch
E. coli found in water at Creekside Cabins, Mendocino County to sue property owner
“Mendocino County supervisors this week advanced a planned lawsuit against an RV park and campground after weeks of conflict stemming from a massive sinkhole that wiped out the driveway to the property just before New Year’s Day. Dozens of residents and guests of Creekside Cabins were left stranded for nearly a month, as property owner Teresa Thurman has refused to fix the sinkhole or install a temporary bridge, according to the county. She maintains the road is part of the public right of way and is owned by the state. “The sinkhole is not on my property,” she said in an interview Wednesday. “I can’t fix it.” … ” Read more from the Santa Rosa Press Democrat here: E. coli found in water at Creekside Cabins, Mendocino County to sue property owner
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
Flood control cuts slow progress in north state
“As California grappled with drought conditions over the past three years, flooding was the last thing on most people’s minds. That changed this month when bomb cyclone rainstorms saturated the state and left communities reeling from rushing water. Unbeknownst to many, work on flood control progressed during the dry times. Chico-based River Partners has supplemented repairs to levies by restoring watersheds in the Sacramento and San Joaquin valleys. The group, in cooperation with state and federal agencies along with other nonprofits, has rehabilitated over 13,500 acres of river corridors since 1998. Much of this work is on hold, however, after Gov. Gavin Newsom announced deep cuts to the state budget that hit flood plain projects particularly hard. … ” Read more from the Chico Enterprise-Record here: Flood control cuts slow progress in north state
FEMA outlines flood risk in Colusa, Williams and surrounding areas
“The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recently delivered preliminary flood maps for the cities of Colusa and Williams as well as the unincorporated areas of Colusa County. According to a release issued by FEMA, the maps identify revised flood hazards along the Sacramento River, Stone Corral Creek near Maxwell, Salt Creek at Williams and two reaches of Elk Creek. “The new maps will help building officials, contractors and homeowners make effective mitigation decisions, thereby contributing to safer and more disaster resilient communities,” FEMA said. … ” Read more from the Appeal Democrat here: FEMA outlines flood risk in Colusa, Williams and surrounding areas
NAPA/SONOMA
California approves Napa Valley groundwater plan
“Napa County’s controversial, 5,000-page plan designed to keep Napa Valley groundwater from ever being pumped dry has won approval from the state Department of Water Resources. The state on Thursday made the announcement. It is requiring groundwater sustainability plans for various groundwater basins up-and-down California. “California’s extreme swings between drought and flood make sustainable management of groundwater supplies more important than ever for the state’s overall climate resilience,” a state press release said. … ” Read more from the Napa Register here: California approves Napa Valley groundwater plan
BAY AREA
Rising groundwater table levels could put these inland areas under water
“The recent storms through the Bay Area have caused major flooding in parts of the Bay Area as well as severe damage from saturated soil. “These nine storms that we just had in the Bay Area, those brought more rain than all the storms we analyzed since 2020,” said Doctor Kris May, CEO and principal at Pathways Climate Institute. After the atmospheric river that began around Dec. 30, 2022, doused the Bay Area, May said all of the soil’s capacity to soak up water was gone, exacerbating flooding.But more areas could become vulnerable to this flooding if the groundwater table continues to rise, according to an inland flooding groundwater response study for Alameda, Marin, San Francisco and San Mateo counties conducted by the Pathways Climate Institute and the San Francisco Estuary Institute. ... ” Read more from KRON here: Rising groundwater table levels could put these inland areas under water
Big shift in California weather might bring chance of rain to these Bay Area cities this weekend
“Today marks the start of a big shift in the weather pattern after nearly a week of a consistent omega block pattern bringing dry and windy conditions to the West Coast. This high-pressure system off the coast is tracking away from California, allowing a low-pressure system to tilt toward the Bay Area. Weather models are still sifting through the range of possibilities, with some signaling a system that will ferry rain and snow showers into Northern California. But a couple of models, like the European weather model, are trending drier, keeping the Bay Area bone-dry. Despite the uncertainties, there are a fair amount of likely potential outcomes for rain, wind and temperatures over the next three days. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle here: Big shift in California weather might bring chance of rain to these Bay Area cities this weekend
CENTRAL COAST
Revisiting what happened – in flood management and in hydrological luck – that kept Pajaro from flooding
“Since New Year’s Eve, the Pajaro River was one of several rivers officials watched closely as the water level rose amid storms that pounded the Central Coast. The Pajaro River watershed drains 1,300 square miles across four counties. Rainfall far upriver can take days to flow to the Monterey County community of Pajaro, population 3,000. It wasn’t just the height of the river, but its levees that put officials on alert on both sides, in Monterey County (on the south bank) and Santa Cruz County (on the north). Rising water brought back memories of flooding in 1995 that devastated the Pajaro community and resulted in $95 million in damages, and a more recent flooding scare in 2017. “We are aware of the things that went wrong in ’95 and we are hoping not to repeat those,” Sheriff Tina Nieto said at a press conference in Pajaro on Jan. 8. She urged Pajaro residents to abide by evacuation orders that lasted over a week, from Jan. 9 to 17. … ” Read more from Monterey Weekly here: Revisiting what happened – in flood management and in hydrological luck – that kept Pajaro from flooding
Monterey County asks for state, federal help for key projects
“With federal and state elected officials listening in, representatives from 10 Monterey County departments lobbied for assistance – financially and legislatively – for what they consider the top priorities for 2023. Homeless funding, reservoir improvements, clean drinking water, refurbishing all or parts of the historic jail in Salinas, a new health clinic in Marina, immigration reform and a reauthorization of the Farm Bill, a veterans home, and ensuring ongoing flood relief assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Administration, or FEMA, were all selected as the most important projects that will need federal or state assistance, or both. Last week’s annual workshop was an opportunity for department heads to outline these needs for elected officials that included U.S. Congressman Jimmy Panetta, U.S. Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren, state Sen. John Laird, state Assemblyman Robert Rivas and state Assemblywoman Dawn Addis. … ” Read more from the Monterey Herlad here: Monterey County asks for state, federal help for key projects
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
Merced: Agencies fast-track project to capture flood waters
“The Department of Water Resources (DWR) is partnering with the State Water Resources Control Board to fast-track efforts to capture flood waters to recharge groundwater basins. Water captured during extreme wet periods such as the one California is now experiencing will be stored in groundwater basins for use during dry periods. … The State’s efforts reached a milestone January 6 when the State Water Board approved a six-month permit that will enable multiple landowners to divert excess flows from Mariposa creek near the City of Merced to recharge a key groundwater basin. The Merced Project permit, the first approved under a new pilot regulatory assistance program, is expected to pave the way for future projects to allow water from wet-weather storms to be captured and diverted. The permit will cover multiple diversions by multiple landowners in a coordinated fashion managed by a groundwater sustainability agency. … ” Read more from the Merced County Times here: Agencies fast-track project to capture flood waters
Exeter takes last step to start Tooleville water connection
“The saga over connecting Exeter and Tooleville’s water systems entered its most important phase to date on Jan. 24., in which an agreement will now be sent to the state for review. City manager Adam Ennis said that the approval of the consolidation agreement between Exeter and Tooleville will be one of the last steps before they can execute the project. The agreement outlines the responsibilities of Tooleville Mutual Non-Profit Water Association (TMNPWA) and Exeter for making the water connection a reality. Exeter is now awaiting approval of this agreement from the State Water Board, and if it is approved, they will finally be allowed to break ground on the project. This was a long time coming, as the city has spent years working on a solution to Tooleville’s water woes. … ” Read more from the Foothills Sun-Gazette here: Exeter takes last step to start Tooleville water connection
EASTERN SIERRA
This winter is really snowy—is Mono Lake out of danger?
“More than seven feet (88 inches, to be exact) of snow have fallen in Lee Vining since the new year began, bringing some relief from the drought and catapulting the Mono Basin outlook for the runoff year into the well-above-average category. Given these dramatic few weeks of precipitation, it’s reasonable to wonder whether and how all this snow changes the emergency lake level situation at Mono Lake. … Once the snow does start to melt we expect Mono Lake to rise several feet this year (how many depends on the rest of the winter), hopefully leaving behind these current, very low levels. But our request to the State Water Board to suspend the Los Angeles Department of Water & Power’s (DWP) stream diversions when the lake is below 6384 feet surface elevation still stands. … ” Read more from the Mono Lake Committee here: This winter is really snowy—is Mono Lake out of danger?
In North America’s snowiest place, residents dig out as tourists flow in
“Sun stretched across snow-capped mountains that gleamed against a clear, blue sky. And everywhere — in 15-foot-high berms along sidewalks, building-height piles in parking lots and mounds stacked against windows and walls — there was snow. So much of it, in fact, that the town was still digging out. Saturday was the first bluebird weekend day since a series of winter storms pummeled the state for more than three weeks. While the storms caused destruction and human loss in the Central Coast, this mountain town along the Eastern Sierra was left with more snow than any place in North America — more than 500 inches this season — making it a wonderland blanketed in beauty. Saturday, in other words, was the kind of day that passionate weekend-warrior skiers and snowboarders like me dream about. … ” Read more from the New York Times here: In North America’s snowiest place, residents dig out as tourists flow in
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Study of U.S. oil refineries ranks Chevron El Segundo as worst emitter of two water pollutants
“A study of oil refineries nationwide ranked the Chevron El Segundo facility on Santa Monica Bay as the largest water polluter for nitrogen and selenium in 2021, compared to 80 other oil operations. The pollutants, which are byproducts of the oil refining process, are legally discharged into the Pacific Ocean. Authors of the report, as well as conservationists, are calling on federal environmental officials to revise and tighten regulations that permit such discharges into water bodies, saying they have the power to do so but choose not to act. “Once again, the U.S. government has turned a blind eye while oil and gas companies pollute our environment, including our sensitive marine ecosystems, and disproportionately harm our front-line communities,” Los Angeles Waterkeeper Executive Director Bruce Reznik said in a news release. … ” Read more from the LA Times here: Study of U.S. oil refineries ranks Chevron El Segundo as worst emitter of two water pollutants
Beaumont: Water sale collaboration leads to increased local supplies
“In a move to further safeguard the region’s water supply, San Gorgonio Pass Water Agency (SGPWA) conducted a water sale agreement with Central Coast Water Authority (CCWA) that will bring additional water to the Pass Area. Under the agreement, SGPWA sold 400 acre–feet of available imported water to CCWA for $600,000. SGPWA will set aside the funds for future water purchases from the California water market, allowing the agency to strategically expand and diversify its local water portfolio. As part of the deal, CCWA will return 800 acre–feet of water to SGPWA over 10 years, an exchange that doubles the amount of water coming back into the region. “Any chance we have to grow our resources is a win,” said SGPWA Board President Larry Smith. “Deals like this allow SGPWA to bring more water to the Pass Area, keep rates down, and take advantage of wet year opportunities.” … ” Continue reading from the San Gorgonio Pass Water Agency here: Beaumont: Water sale collaboration leads to increased local supplies
IMPERIAL/COACHELLA VALLEYS
How the Salton Sea could solve battery mineral supply issues
“In late summer, it’s not uncommon for a big storm to send a gush of water down an arroyo, a dry streambed that gets cut by monsoon storms in the Southwest. To the farmers who lived in the Imperial Valley of California in 1905, the weird early summer water that came pouring down some of the arroyos must have been a bit of an enigma. With no storms in sight, where was the water coming from? After all, the valley they had moved into had been bone dry and they could only farm because of a big irrigation project. But, the water kept coming and coming and coming, and the farmers had to have eventually got word that something had gone horribly wrong with the irrigation system. A big canal was only supposed to divert a small portion of the Colorado River’s water into the dry valley, but spring floods broke one of the gates open, diverting the entire river’s water down the canal. … ” Read more from Clean Technica here: How the Salton Sea could solve battery mineral supply issues
Along the Colorado River …
As the Colorado River shrinks, Washington prepares to spread the pain
“The seven states that rely on water from the shrinking Colorado River are unlikely to agree to voluntarily make deep reductions in their water use, negotiators say, which would force the federal government to impose cuts for the first time in the water supply for 40 million Americans. The Interior Department had asked the states to voluntarily come up with a plan by Jan. 31 to collectively cut the amount of water they draw from the Colorado. The demand for those cuts, on a scale without parallel in American history, was prompted by precipitous declines in Lake Mead and Lake Powell, which provide water and electricity for Arizona, Nevada and Southern California. Drought, climate change and population growth have caused water levels in the lakes to plummet. “Think of the Colorado River Basin as a slow-motion disaster,” said Kevin Moran, who directs state and federal water policy advocacy at the Environmental Defense Fund. “We’re really at a moment of reckoning.” … ” Read more from the New York Times here (gift article): As the Colorado River shrinks, Washington prepares to spread the pain
Colorado River water managers optimistic about drought plan as deadline looms
“Western water managers are optimistic that a deal to buoy the drought-stricken Colorado River can be pieced together in the waning days before a deadline set by the federal government rolls around next week. The Bureau of Reclamation has given the seven states in the basin until the end of January to propose their own plan for voluntary reductions needed to prevent river’s two main reservoirs from crashing, or risk the federal government moving forward with its own measures that would most likely result in mandated cuts. That deadline is just days away, and officials from the states say they are inching closer to an agreement. Those discussions have centered around the only public proposal from any of the states that addresses cuts across the entire basin – one that came from the minds at the Southern Nevada Water Authority and was submitted by the agency as part of the federal government’s review process last month. … ” Read more from the Las Vegas Review-Journal here: Colorado River water managers optimistic about drought plan as deadline looms
Colorado River states attempt to reach water-use plan — again
“The seven states most affected by dwindling Colorado River levels are meeting over the next few days to draft proposals for managing the basin’s water levels, potentially preventing the Interior Department from imposing its own water cuts. The seven Colorado River Basin states — Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada and California — have been sparring over who receives the biggest reductions in allocations after Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Camille Touton announced a 2019 deal with the states that hinged on them saving 2 million to 4 million acre-feet of water, as much as a third of the river’s flows, or the federal government would intervene. Rather than imposing its own water cuts on the states, the Interior Department triggered an environmental assessment process that requires the states and federal government to propose three alternatives by the end of January: one that models what would happen if there was no change to current operations of water levels, another that outlines the federal government’s plan and the final one a basin-states-approved “consensus framework.” ... ” Read more from Roll Call here: Colorado River states attempt to reach water-use plan — again
In California’s Imperial Valley, farmers brace for a future with less Colorado River water
“Just north of the California-Mexico border, the All-American Canal cuts across 80 miles of barren, dune-swept desert. Up to 200 feet wide and 20 feet deep, the canal delivers the single largest share of Colorado River water to the fertile farmlands of the Imperial Valley. It’s more water than what Los Angeles, Phoenix and Las Vegas get combined, and it’s used to grow lettuce, broccoli, carrots and spinach, as well as hay to supply beef and dairy operations, wheat, melons, lemons and other crops. Since its founding in 1911, the Imperial Irrigation District has held some of the most senior water rights on the river, and it is among the last in line to take cuts. Its water rights, which date to 1901, support the local farm economy and sustain a substantial portion of the nation’s food supply. But as the Colorado’s largest reservoir declines closer to “dead pool” levels, politicians and water managers in other states are calling on the IID to make cuts beyond the 250,000 acre-feet, or about 9%, that the agency has pledged to make starting this year. … ” Read more from the LA Times here: In California’s Imperial Valley, farmers brace for a future with less Colorado River water
How a productive burst of winter moisture may (or may not) impact drought in the Southwest
“The news in recent weeks has included a deluge of headlines reflecting what millions of people across the country are wondering about (and hoping for): Have the astonishing storms that have swept across the West since mid-December vanquished the drought at last? The answer, of course, is complex. Yes and no. But, in fact, it is far more “no” than “yes.” Drought is a long-term condition that doesn’t… ahem… evaporate in a matter of a few very wet weeks. For some well-informed perspective on the recent spate of “atmospheric rivers” that have pounded the West Coast and contributed to record snowfall in places like Flagstaff, ADWR Water News turned to two of the Southwest’s most reputable experts on weather conditions and forecasting. Both Mark O’Malley, lead forecaster for the National Weather Service, and Arizona State Climatologist Erinanne Saffell provide expert analysis twice annually for the Arizona Drought Interagency Coordinating Group, which makes biannual recommendations to Arizona’s Governor about whether to declare a statewide drought emergency. ... ” Read more from the Arizona Department of Water Resources here: How a productive burst of winter moisture may (or may not) impact drought in the Southwest
How Native Americans will shape the future of water in the West
“As a child, Stephen Lewis heard stories about a river that, for the most part, no longer flowed. “How I grew up was that it was a theft, that it was stolen from us,” he told me late last year. “There was what we used to call the Mighty Gila River, and now it was just pretty much dry. There was no water.” Lewis is the governor of the Gila River Indian Community (GRIC), a group that has occupied land south of Phoenix for centuries. When I met him, in the dining room of the Whirlwind Golf Club, which the tribe owns, Lewis had recently returned from Santa Fe. There, he’d attended a celebration marking the centennial of the Colorado River Compact, an agreement that continues to shape water politics in the Southwest. In Santa Fe, Lewis took note of a black-and-white photograph of the compact’s signers—white men in dark jackets, gathered around a wooden desk. In the United States, water law is founded on the principle of “first in time, first in right”—whoever first put water to “beneficial use” can claim the right to use it now and in the future. In the 1922 compact, though, tribal nations are mentioned only in passing. … ” Read more from the New Yorker here: How Native Americans will shape the future of water in the West
Commentary: Arizona is not out of water, despite all those headlines you might read
Opinion columnist Joanna Allhands writes, “The national press has had a field day with two not-so-positive Arizona water stories. About 500 homes in the unincorporated community of Rio Verde Foothills can no longer haul water from Scottsdale, the neighboring city to the south. Meanwhile, a state-produced model has found that the area north and west of Buckeye does not have enough groundwater to support future massive developments. They’re alarming stories, but the coverage has piled on the hyperbole. Some headlines have made it sound as if an entire “Arizona town” was cut off. One even took a giant, misleading leap: “Phoenix runs out of water.” … ” Read more from the Arizona Republic here: Commentary: Arizona is not out of water, despite all those headlines you might read
In national water news today …
The Trump rules still vexing Biden
“The Biden administration took office with the promise of demolishing Trump-era environmental policies in favor of more stringent rules. But two years into President Joe Biden’s term, some of those policy reversals haven’t been completed. With Biden halfway into his term and Republicans now holding the majority in the House, environmental advocates are worried about the administration’s pace. Failing to get new policies solidified in time, they warn, could make them easier for a future administration to unravel. “The clock is really ticking against them,” said Brett Hartl, government affairs director at the Center for Biological Diversity. “And there’s, I think, a deep concern about getting it done on time.” ... ” Read more from E&E News here: The Trump rules still vexing Biden
Flood forecasts in real-time with block-by-block data could save lives — a new machine learning method makes it possible
“The extreme flooding and mudslides across California in recent weeks took many drivers by surprise. Sinkholes swallowed cars, highways became fast-moving rivers of water, entire neighborhoods were evacuated. At least 20 people died in the storms, several of them after becoming trapped in cars in rushing water. As I checked the forecasts on my cellphone weather apps during the weeks of storms in early January 2023, I wondered whether people in the midst of the downpours were using similar technology as they decided whether to leave their homes and determined which routes were safest. Did they feel that it was sufficient? … About two-thirds of flood-related fatalities in the U.S. are classified as “driving” and “in water.” If people had known the likelihood of flooding in those locations in real time — via a cellphone app or website — it’s possible some of these deaths could have been avoided. … ” Read more from Water Online here: Flood forecasts in real-time with block-by-block data could save lives — a new machine learning method makes it possible
Saving water from the digital cloud: the water-energy nexus in data centers
“Our modern lives depend on data. The management of that data is big business and has fueled exponential growth in the age of the data center. But despite data moving to cloud-based storage models with the help of data centers, their growth impacts the regional resources used to maintain data center operational conditions – namely, energy and water. How can the energy-water nexus be managed to ensure optimized conditions at a data center and ensure the sustainable stewardship of our natural resources? … ” Continue reading at Yahoo Finance here: Saving water from the digital cloud: the water-energy nexus in data centers
How the pattern of trends across the tropical Pacific Ocean is critical for understanding the future climate
““How will climate change influence ENSO?” is one of the most common questions that we get on the ENSO Blog. While it makes sense folks want to know about the future changes in El Niño and La Niña—are they becoming more/less frequent? stronger? weaker? (1)—there is an even more basic question for future climate change that scientists are pondering: How will trends in sea surface temperatures change across the equatorial Pacific Ocean? It is very likely that the equatorial Pacific Ocean is going to warm up somewhere, but where exactly the strongest warming occurs is an important question. … ” Read more from the ENSO blog here: How the pattern of trends across the tropical Pacific Ocean is critical for understanding the future climate
National water and climate update …
The Natural Resources Conservation Service produces this weekly report using data and products from the National Water and Climate Center and other agencies. The report focuses on seasonal snowpack, precipitation, temperature, and drought conditions in the U.S.
dmrpt-20230126Also on Maven’s Notebook today …
SAN JOAQUIN RIVER RESTORATION PROGRAM: 2023 Restoration Allocation & Default Flow Schedule released
