On the calendar today …
- LEG HEARING: 30×30: What is Next on the Pathway to Conserving 30 Percent of California’s Lands and Coastal Waters by 2030? beginning at 9am. The Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Water will hold an oversight hearing, 30×30: What is Next on the Pathway to Conserving 30 Percent of California’s Lands and Coastal Waters by 2030? Click here for the agenda and remote access instructions.
- LEG HEARING: Adapting Water Rights to our 21st Century Climate beginning at 9:30am. The Assembly Commitee on Water, Parks, and Wildlife will hold an informational hearing, Adapting Water Rights to our 21st Century Climate. Click here for more information and remote access links.
- GRA SoCAL BRANCH: Integrated Water Flow Model (IWFM): Hydrologic Modeling under Complex Climatic, Regulatory and Economic Stressors (hybrid) from 6pm to 8:30pm. California Department of Water Resources has been developing, maintaining, and providing technical support for the Integrated Water Flow Model (IWFM) for over two decades, with a goal to provide the water community a tool to study complex water resources problems effectively. IWFM is a freely available integrated hydrologic modeling software that simulates water flow within streams, on the land surface, in the vadose zone, and the aquifer as well as the flow exchange within these different hydrologic components. In this presentation, a brief history of IWFM will be provided followed by a summary of the simulation methods used for different hydrologic components. Results of several IWFM modeling projects will be presented showcasing its ability to study complex water resources management problems. Finally, ongoing and planned developments will be discussed. Click here for more information and to register.
In California water news today …
Judge extends plan to manage flows to California delta and protect endangered fish
“A judge has extended a temporary settlement of a long-running dispute over California water rights and how the Central Valley Project and State Water Project manage the Sacramento River flows. Conservationists and the state of California filed two challenges to two biological opinions issued by the National Marine Fisheries Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in 2019 pursuant to the Endangered Species Act. The opinions address how the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and California Department of Water Resources’ plan for operating the Central Valley and State Water Projects affects fish species. The opinions make it possible to send more water to 20 million farms, businesses and homes in Southern and Central California via the massive federal and state water diversion projects, and eliminate requirements such as mandating extra flows to keep water temperatures from rising high enough to damage salmon eggs. … ” Read more from the Courthouse News Service.
Latest winter storm boosts California’s astounding snowpack; drought conditions improving
“New data shows California’s already epic snowpack, not surprisingly, has improved even more thanks to last week’s winter storm that buried the Sierra Nevada mountain range under several additional feet of snow. As of Monday, California’s snow water equivalent was 181% of normal for Feb. 27 and 156% of a full season’s average, according to the California Department of Water Resources. The latest storm increased the state’s snow water equivalent by around four inches, to 40.6″. Snow water equivalent is a hydrology term for water depth if the snow was liquid. The Northern Sierra/Trinity region is 144% of the average. The Central Sierra is 185%, and the Southern Sierra mountains are an astounding 219% of normal and nearly double – 191% – of a full season’s average. … ” Read more from KTLA.
SEE ALSO:
- The epic California snowpack is inching toward record levels, from the San Francisco Chronicle
- California approaching a record snow year as yet another storm hits, from the LA Times
- How much rain and snow fell in Northern California storm? Here are the latest totals, from the Sacramento Bee
Is California’s drought finally over? Here’s the impact of the latest storms
“If there’s concern about California’s wet winter turning dry, consider it shushed. The heaps of snow over the past week on top of the parade of deluges in early January have been extraordinary and left much of the state with well-above-average precipitation for the season. The winter storms, which account for the bulk of the state’s rain and snow, are forecast to continue into next month, virtually ensuring a good water year for California. But just how far one year will go to relieving what has been one of the West’s most excruciating droughts is less clear. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle. | Read via MSN News.
SEE ALSO:
- Current rainy season could be a drought buster, forecaster says, from KPBS
- Despite historic amounts of rain and snow, California is still in a drought emergency, from NPR
- Boiling Point: Is the drought over?, from the LA Times
- Before-and-after photos from space show storms’ effect on California reservoirs, from the LA Times
Drought to deluge: managing water for climate extremes
“The year began with a soaking for California. Nine atmospheric rivers doused the state, leaving at least 20 lives lost, roads washed out, and communities underwater. Though it may have felt that way, the quick swing from drought to deluge isn’t uncommon: California naturally pivots between extremes. “I think people forget how ordinary rain can be in California,” says Ann Willis, an engineer and California regional director at the nonprofit American Rivers. “It wasn’t too long after that series of storms when scientists were saying that this wasn’t climate change, this was a regular year for California. We just haven’t seen it for so long that we forgot.” But that doesn’t mean climate-amplified storms aren’t coming. This year’s heavy rain events aren’t even close to what’s expected in the future as climate change makes weather whiplash more severe. That’s why it’s important for California — and other states — to start planning now. The Revelator spoke to Willis about green infrastructure, whether we need more dams, and how to make sure water management is climate-ready. … ” Read more from The Revelator. Apologies, the Revelator has pulled this article 🙁
Recent symposium tackles the mysteries behind thiamine deficiency
“Thiamine (also called vitamin B1) is essential for converting food into energy in most life forms, but many animals cannot produce this compound on their own. Therefore, thiamine must be acquired through diet. Thiamine deficiency, or a lack of thiamine, occurs when a creature cannot retain or take in enough of this vitamin through its typical diet to power vital body functions. Thiamine deficiency is an emerging global issue for many species, from birds like the common eider (Somateria mollissima) to invertebrates like the blue mussel (Mytilus edulis). It has also been noted in foxes, chickens, and even in humans that do not have thiamine-enriched foods in their diets. Furthermore, thiamine deficiency has now become a widespread condition in many fish species, including Pacific salmonids (Oncorhynchus species). Due to the concerning increase in thiamine deficiency, especially in Central Valley Chinook salmon (O. tshawytscha) and steelhead (O. mykiss) that already face a myriad of threats, the 2022 American Fisheries Society (AFS) meeting in Spokane, Washington, held a special symposium focused on thiamine deficiency. The symposium gave a closer look into the scale of impact, current research, and treatment efforts associated with the condition. … ” Read more at FishBio.
Garamendi reintroduces bill to support California wastewater treatment
“U.S. Representative John Garamendi (D-CA-08) announced on Monday that he reintroduced his bipartisan legislation (H.R.1181) to reform permitting for local wastewater treatment and water recycling projects, with U.S. Representative Ken Calvert (R-CA-41) as the original cosponsor. Garamendi’s legislation would extend the maximum term for National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits issued under the federal Clean Water Act from 5 to 10 years, to better reflect the project construction schedules for public agencies. In Oct. 2019, the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure passed Garamendi’s legislation. “Every Californian and American deserves clean water and world-class infrastructure, Garamendi said in a news release. “Our bill upholds Clean Water Act protections and ensures federal permitting requirements accurately reflect the timeframe to construct a public water project. There are water recycling projects in California in their third permit term that have never even broken ground, which is simply unacceptable. My reform would cut the permitting backlog in half, supporting upgrades to aging water treatment plants in the Bay Area and new water recycling facilities to meet California’s future water supply needs.” … ” Read more from the Vallejo Times-Herald.
The world’s dams are filling up — but not with water
“Images of a shrinking Lake Mead illustrate a stark water crisis — one that’s being exacerbated by climate change. As the arid Southwest is getting hotter and drier, there’s less water to store. But a lack of water isn’t the only kind of storage problem dams can present. They’re designed to hold back water — whether for water supply, hydropower or flood control — but they also block river sediment from flowing downstream. And over time it accumulates in reservoirs, leaving less and less space for water. How bad is the problem? Pretty bad, it turns out. Some dams could lose up to 50% of their water-storage capacity by mid-century, according to a new study published in the journal Sustainability. … ” Read more from The Revelator. Apologies, the Revelator has pulled this article 🙁
In commentary today …
Today’s water rights hearing
Don Wright of Water Rights writes, “The State Assembly Committee on Water, Parks & Wildlife is holding an informational hearing on Tuesday, February 28th, 2023 at 9:30am in the State Capitol Room 444 and by telephone and online.The hearing’s title is “Adapting Water Rights to our 21st Century Climate.” Along with the agenda the Committee posted an eight-page background document titled, “Adapting Water Rights to Our 21st Century Climate.” I shall cherry pick through it for you. The introductory paragraphs states, “The origins of the legal framework for California’s water rights system date to the 19th century when California first became a state and the predominant economic activity was gold mining. This legal framework protects private rights to water and encourages water right holders to put water to “beneficial use.” … ” Read more at Water Wrights.
Cleaning Bay source pollution will enable more Delta diversions
Edward Ring, senior fellow with the California Policy Center, writes “On February 21, the California State Water Resources Control Board waived environmental regulations in order to permit more storage in Central Valley reservoirs. This came a week after Governor Gavin Newsom temporarily suspended environmental laws that prevent reservoir storage if flow through the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta falls below 58,000 acre feet per day. A guest opinion piece in the San Francisco Chronicle, published immediately after Newsom’s action, warned of dire consequences. “Newsom just declared war on San Francisco Bay” was its thundering headline, claiming Newsom is waging “a generic war against the realities of California’s hydrology that cannot be won.” According to environmentalists, the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta’s “estuarine ecosystem is highly dependent on the amount of fresh water that flows into it from the watershed.” And while this is undoubtedly true, current environmentalist concerns ignore two important facts. … ” Read more from the California Globe.
Calif.’s water woes are an endless blame game. Here’s the hidden culprit.
Bill Hammonds, an attorney and chairman of Firebaugh-based Hammonds Ranch, writes, “In December, I attended a water conference in Sacramento hoping to hear some encouraging reports on the state of the State’s water supply, the rains had just started. Instead, I got a depressing report by a series of speakers resigned to disappointment and a “less than” ideology. Then it started raining, kept raining and is still raining. By the end of this wet season, enough water to supply the state for several years will have run out the Golden Gate because we have no place to put it. Even though we have known that that is a likelihood for somewhere between 50 and 150 years, we have done nothing about it. It isn’t global warming, or climate change that is at fault, it is us. It is time we took responsibility for it. … ” Read more at the San Joaquin Valley Sun.
Education is vital for California Latinos affected most by water crisis
Victor Griego, founder of Water Education for Latino Leaders, writes, “Generations of Californians have taken for granted how water is engineered to enable the grand agricultural nature of this state. Now our water system suffers from severe drought and reduced snowpacks. The Colorado River is in peril. Wells are going dry. Water is getting contaminated. Land is losing value. People are losing livelihoods. Such dilemmas are exacerbated in disadvantaged communities. Large Central Valley growers overpump water from wells in direct violation of the state’s Sustainable Groundwater Management Act. Meanwhile, families in farmworker towns go without clean and affordable water. They still pay high water bills while resorting to bottled water to cook, bathe and drink provided by government, nonprofits and labor unions. … ” Read more from Cal Matters.
Dan Walters: Will California’s misused environmental law finally be reformed?
““Everybody talks about the weather but nobody does anything about it” is an old quip attributed – probably erroneously – to Mark Twain. It could be legitimately applied to the California Environmental Quality Act, a 53-year-old law originally meant to prevent government agencies from ignoring the impacts of their public works projects but later expanded, mostly by judicial decisions, to private developments as well. CEQA’s use, or misuse, as a weapon in the state’s perpetual battles over housing has been well documented. Opponents of housing projects in their neighborhoods use it to stall construction and labor unions use it to leverage developers into agreements to use union workers. … ” Read more at Cal Matters.
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
New restoration and monitoring plan will help imperiled fish in Klamath Basin
“After seven years of robust discussion and collaboration, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service finalized the Klamath Basin Integrated Fisheries Restoration and Monitoring Plan, which will serve as a living roadmap describing the highest priority watershed restoration and monitoring actions to help reverse the declines of multiple native Klamath Basin fish populations and ecosystems and communities. The Klamath Integrated Fish Plan will help guide and complement existing restoration efforts in the basin. The plan was developed in partnership with the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission and ESSA Technologies, with extensive input from over 100 participants from academic, government, Tribal and nongovernmental organizations. “Impacts to native fish have been deeply felt by many who live, work and fish across the Klamath Basin,” said Service Regional Director Paul Souza. “This plan builds on existing conservation efforts in the basin and provides a unifying framework for coordinated restoration and recovery of native fish species from the headwaters to the Pacific Ocean, while improving flows, water quality, habitat and ecosystem processes to benefit local communities.” … ” Read more from the US Fish and Wildlife Service.
River rights gone wrong in California
“It had already been a heartbreaking summer for members of the Karuk Tribe when dead salmon began floating down the Klamath River, their silver bellies dimly illuminated under a rust-colored sky. The McKinney Fire had scorched 60,000 acres on and around tribal lands along the river in upper Northern California. As the fire burned, a drenching storm had plunged tons of ash and debris into the river, killing thousands of fish, according to tribal estimates. “We had a thunderstorm that put out three inches of rain in 45 minutes on top of that fire,” said tribal councilmember Arron “Troy” Hockaday Sr. “It put filth and muck into the Klamath River. There was no oxygen in the river for 24 hours; it killed every living fish in that 50-mile stretch. … Then, just days after the storm, the water in the Shasta River, a key feeder stream that flows into the Klamath, suddenly appeared to dry up. Hockaday and the tribe understood that this was no natural occurrence. They knew because in mid-August, the Shasta River Water Association, a group of farmers and ranchers, had announced that they would defy state drought restrictions and begin diverting the Shasta River to provide water to their crops and cattle. … ” Read more from the Sierra Club.
New study shows Eel River dam removal would benefit local economy
“A new report from the Bay Area Council Economic Institute details the beneficial local economic impacts that would be generated by the removal of Scott and Cape Horn Dams, two aging dams on the Eel River that are part of the hydroelectric Potter Valley Project. The report estimates dam removal would create between 1,037 and 1,332 local jobs and would boost the regional economy to the tune of $203 million to $278 million. In addition to boosting the local economy, dam removal is crucial for healthy fish populations, clean water, and Tribal cultural practices. … ” Read more from Cal Trout.
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
Winter storm closes schools, roads, ski resorts at Tahoe; Much more snow on way
“Heavy snowfall has closed roads and schools and impacted ski resort operations at Lake Tahoe and the multi-day storm still has much more in store for the region. About 3 feet of snow fell in the last 24 hours at Tahoe resorts, including 38 inches at Palisades Tahoe and 30 inches at Kirkwood Mountain Resort, and the National Weather Service’s blizzard warning remains in effect through 4 a.m, Wednesday with another 2 to 3 feet expected in Tahoe communities and double those amounts above 7,000 feet. Winds will also be strong with gusts up to 55 mph and up to 100 mph on Sierra ridges. The winds will create rough conditions on the lake including waves up to 5 feet which could sink small vessels. … ” Read more from the Tahoe Daily Tribune.
Tahoe trending towards one of the snowiest winters in over 50 years
“The snow began to fall over Lake Tahoe in October and it hasn’t stopped since. December and January saw large snowfall numbers, and now the first two weeks of March looks like it will be an endless parade of storms.So how does this winter compare to others in the Tahoe Basin? It’s trending towards one of the snowiest winter seasons in 53 years. Open Snow compiled a graph showing the largest winter snowfall numbers since 1970 and this year is showing promise to be one of the snowiest in recent memory. … ” Read more from Active NorCal.
National Invasive Species Week: Protecting the Lake Tahoe Basin
“Preventing the spread of aquatic invasive species can start with us. In the United States, invasive species cause an estimated $123 billion dollars in damage including impacts to agriculture, public health, sport fishing, hydropower facilities, municipal water supplies, and the aquaculture industry. In recognition of National Invasive Species week, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service would like to highlight in particular – aquatic invasive species. An aquatic invasive species is a freshwater or marine organism that has spread or been introduced beyond its native range and is either causing harm or has the potential to cause harm. This harm includes impacts to Native American Tribes. One specific example of ongoing threats is the spread of aquatic invasives in Lake Tahoe, which is on ancestral lands, and of significant cultural importance to the Washoe Tribe (historic range of Lahontan cutthroat trout). … ” Continue reading at the USFWS.
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
How close will snow get to Sacramento this time? What to expect in Northern California storm
“We thought the close-to-impossible would happen last week when snow made a brief cameo in Sacramento’s forecast. Flurries won’t fall across the capital city this week either during Northern California’s latest winter storm, but it’ll get close. Snowfall will gather in the foothills and up to the mountains, said Meteorologist Katrina Hand with the National Weather Service, missing Sacramento entirely. Somewhere from around 1 foot to 7 feet of snow could fall this week across the Sierra Nevada and the foothills. The northern part of the Sacramento Valley is forecast to receive 1 to 5 inches of snow. … ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee.
SEE ALSO: Sacramento temps to drop below freezing as more rain blasts capital city. Here’s the latest, from the Sacramento Bee
NAPA/SONOMA
Editorial: Lake Sonoma reaches a milestone
The Santa Rosa Press Democrat editorial board writes, “As we write this, the water supply pool at Lake Sonoma is full for the first time since 2019. Boat ramps aren’t dry, old trees and sunken boats are once again submerged. The water supply pool was less than 400 acre-feet below the top on Sunday, and early Monday morning with rain falling across the Russian River watershed, Sonoma Water says it reached 245,0000 acre-feet.At 244,833 acre-feet, the water supply pool is full. Sonoma Water tells us that it draws about 50,000 acre-feet from the lake in a typical year, and about 70,000 in a dry year. So, the lake should have enough water to meet domestic needs and maintain minimum stream flows for habitat and recreation for three to five years. … ” Read more from the Santa Rosa Press Democrat.
Yountville discovers recycled water line break under Napa River, responds with $1 million emergency repair
“A break in Yountville’s recycled-water main serving the Vintner’s Golf Club and various vineyard ponds east and west of the Napa River has led to an emergency $1 million repair project, approved by the Town Council last week. The main in question is a 6-inch PVC pipe, first installed in 1977, that runs across the floor of the Napa Valley from the Yountville wastewater treatment plant west of Highway 29. It reaches as far as the Clos du Val Winery pond past the Silverado Trail, to the east, Yountville’s public works director John Ferons said at the council meeting. As such, the water line also runs below the Napa River, which is where the leak was discovered about two weeks ago. … ” Continue reading at the Napa Valley Register.
BAY AREA
This California winter feels like the worst ever. Is it?
“This winter has been atrocious—like, really bad. In the first days of 2023, the Bay Area was hit by at least nine “atmospheric rivers,” battering San Francisco with heavy rain and severe flooding. Wind gusts at SF International Airport topped 60 mph in a recent squall, and February’s spate of winter storms brought rare snowfall to low-elevation mountains and hills. Just this week, a tornadic waterspout slithered through Humboldt County’s Shelter Cove. With all the sideways rain, freezing temperatures and spectacular lightning strikes, some feel this winter is worse than it’s ever been in the Bay Area. But is it? … ” Read more from the San Francisco Standard.
SEE ALSO: Another winter storm? Here’s why the Bay Area has seen so much active weather, from the SF Chronicle
Marin commentary: Conservation goes hand in hand with building a resilient water supply
Kristi Denton Cohen, co-founder Marin Coalition for Water Solutions, writes, “If a company’s leadership discovered that its current structure resulted in the loss of over $30,000 a day – that’s $1 million a month — what could it do? It would need to find new ways to cut costs and increase revenue. Heads might roll or layoffs could occur. It could declare bankruptcy. It could merge or be acquired by someone else. It could simply shut the doors and walk away. But what happens when that organization is the Marin Municipal Water District, the only supplier of water to over 190,000 people in Marin County? The choices are limited. There’s talk about a “potential” increase. Be real: The rate hike is inevitable. … ” Read more from the Marin Independent Journal.
CENTRAL COAST
Salinas Valley flooding and the testing trap
“California witnessed a series of intense storms, driven by atmospheric rivers, from late December 2022 to the middle of January 2023. Although not a Biblical “40 days and 40 nights” event, considerable flooding occurred. This flooding included many ranches in the Salinas Valley, which grow leafy greens and other crops. Flooding is a known risk factor. Floodwaters have the potential to contain various pathogens, particularly pathogenic Escherichia coli and Salmonella. Crops where the edible portion may have contacted floodwaters are considered adulterated, and should not be harvested. Happily, I am not aware of any pressure to test and release this product, but this is not where my concern lies. Bringing land back into production is an area of great concern. … ” Read more from Food Safety.
Wet weather replenishing groundwater in the Lompoc Valley
“Farmers in the Lompoc Valley dealt with some flooding over the weekend. Water levels have dropped but the Santa Ynez River is still flowing strong. Video shared by a viewer shows the Santa Ynez River overflowing its banks and flooding farm fields just outside of Lompoc over the weekend. One man drove through shallow floodwater between Central Avenue and the Santa Ynez River. Lompoc Valley farmers say there was minimal damage and say that the good far outweighs the bad. … ” Read more from KSBY.
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
Still more rain and snow await in Modesto-area watershed. Where do we stand on water?
“The Modesto area can expect more rain Monday and Tuesday, followed by another frost warning. The Modesto Irrigation District recorded a total of 1.3 inches of rain at its downtown offices from Friday through 1 p.m. Monday. The total has reached more than 14.25 inches for the water year that began July 1, with a month to go in the main storm season. The annual average is 12.12 inches. MID and nearby agencies rely mostly on the central Sierra Nevada snowpack. It stood at 185% of average Monday, the California Department of Water Resources reported. The weekend brought snow down to the foothills. … ” Continue reading from the Modesto Bee via Yahoo News.
Fresno Co. Supervisor battle touches off with scrape over river-based mine
“With still more than a year to go until the primary, the intra-party battle for the Second District on the Fresno County Board of Supervisors is heating up. Fresno City Councilman Garry Bredefeld called out fellow Republican and incumbent supervisor Steve Brandau in a heated Facebook post Sunday for ducking the public on a key land use issue. The backstory: The latest between the two Republicans centers on international building materials company Cemex and its gravel mining quarry along the San Joaquin River. … ” Continue reading at the San Joaquin Valley Sun.
The recent storm may have caused negative impacts to almond blooms
““This could impact our yield and how many almonds actually are able to grow,” Jenny Holtermann, local almond farmer. Central California has seen plenty of water from its recent storms, which the state desperately needed. This has helped our position on the drought monitor dramatically. However, for other things like crops, the cold temperatures and rain may have caused more damage than help. … ” Read more from Bakersfield Now.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
The parched metropolis: Can eco architecture save LA from megadrought?
“After weeks of record-breaking rainfall have seen freeways flood, hillsides collapse and the dry concrete gutter of the Los Angeles River transform into a raging torrent, you may have assumed that California’s water-shortage woes were beginning to ease. With many areas receiving their usual annual rainfall in just three weeks, surely the multiyear megadrought is finally abating. Sadly, no. Decades of building concrete gutters – driven by the mindset that stormwater is a threat to be banished, not an asset to be stored – have meant that the vast majority of that rain was simply flushed out into the ocean. Of the billions of gallons that have fallen on the LA area, only a tiny fraction were absorbed into the ground. … ” Read more from The Guardian.
LA is capturing more rain, but increasingly extreme storms present a challenge
“It seems like we’re always in a drought in Southern California, so when it rains, the question becomes: Where did all that precious water go? Well, not all of it ends up in the ocean. According to Art Castro, watershed manager at the L.A. Department of Water and Power, in the last four days alone, the city of L.A. captured enough water to fill about 8,900 Olympic-sized swimming pools. And the county’s system of dams and spreading grounds was boosted by 213,200 acre-feet (69.5 billion gallons); enough water for more than 1.7 million people for a year, according to Steve Frasher, a spokesperson with L.A. County Public Works. For comparison, the city of L.A. uses about 500,000 acre-feet of water per year. … ” Read more from the LAist.
Residents want a natural LA River. Officials say it’s risky
“The deluge of rain over the weekend flooded streets and damaged infrastructure across California. One place that didn’t flood? The Los Angeles River. That, of course, is by design. It’s exactly why local officials starting excavating the river and lining it with concrete 85 years ago, and ever since, most of the LA River’s 51 miles from the Santa Susana Mountains to the San Pedro Bay have served primarily as a flood management system. But a changing climate and changing ideas about how Angelenos want to live with nature are now sparking a debate about LA’s relationship with its straight-jacketed river. Is it too late for a better way? … ” Read more from KCRW.
SEE ALSO: How the deluge of 1938 changed Los Angeles — and its river, from the LA Times
Historic storm leaves Santa Monica wet but unharmed
“Santa Monica emerged from the recent winter storm a touch bedraggled but otherwise unscathed. The Santa Monica Police Department reported no significant storm-related incidents over the weekend and while countless small tree limbs could be seen on the ground over the weekend, few large branches or whole trees caused significant damage. The City of Santa Monica responded to about 25 uprooted trees and 30 downed limbs. They also pumped water from the Gandara Park parking lot, repaired potholes and a downed light pole. A lightning storm caused beach evacuations and closures for several hours on Saturday but there were no reports of injury. … ” Read more from the Santa Monica Daily Press.
Autumn precipitation: the competition with Santa Ana winds in determining fire outcomes in Southern California
“A new paper entitled “Autumn precipitation: the competition with Santa Ana winds in determining fire outcomes in southern California” was recently published in the International Journal of Wildland Fire by authors Daniel Cayan, Laurel DeHaan, Alexander Gershunov, and Joshua Mumford (SIO), as well as Janin Guzman-Morales (UC Santa Barbara), Jon Keeley (USGS/UCLA), and Alexandra Syphard (Conservation Biology Institute). These researchers investigate fire outcomes in California’s South Coast for the period 1948-2018, with respect to the opposing effects of two weather drivers: autumn precipitation and Santa Ana winds (SAWs). This study contributes to the goals of CW3E’s 2019-2024 Strategic Plan to advance monitoring and projections of climate variability and change by quantifying the odds that these weather drivers lead to fire outcomes. … ” Read more from the Center for Western Weather & Water Extremes.
Along the Colorado River …
Will Colorado River return to health this year? Snowpack remains a third above normal
“February snowfall might have fallen behind January’s brisk pace, but the Upper Colorado River Basin will go into March still well above average snowpack levels. With all the headlines about snow in California and Utah, the area that matters most to the Las Vegas valley and Lake Mead is the region around the Colorado River’s headwaters — where the river is born among the peaks in and around Rocky Mountain National Park. Overall, the Upper Basin is at 133% of normal snow water equivalent (SWE) in the snowpack that will provide water for 40 million people this year, according to an update today from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. And while 133% is still quite a bit above average, the number has been shrinking since mid-January, when “atmospheric river” moisture dropped off. … ” Read more from KLAS.
‘A nice sign’: Big Rockies snowpack may boost Lake Mead
“It’s not even March yet, but the mountains that feed the Colorado River already have seen more snow this winter than they normally would through an entire snow season. And with some snow in the forecast, there’s still more time for that snowpack to grow. “For the West in general, this year has been really great,” said Paul Miller, service coordination hydrologist with the National Weather Service’s Colorado Basin River Forecast Center in Salt Lake City. “This is probably the wettest year we’ve had since 2011.” The snowpack in the Upper Colorado River Basin was at 133 percent of the 30-year historical average as of Monday, and sits at 101 percent of what the basin has received on average through an entire season. … ” Read more from the Las Vegas Review Journal.
Managing the unmeasured – Colorado River
“It’s all hands on deck for the Colorado River Basin. Nearing a quarter-century of drought (better described as a continuing shift to an ever-hotter and ever-drier climate), the most famous and important river in the West faces an existential crisis. … One might think that because the Colorado River is one of the most tightly managed and scrutinized rivers on the planet, we would have a detailed account of how every acre-foot is used and accounted for, how many people and users rely on the river, and where those uses take place. Yet, despite the severity of the current crisis and decades of management and research and litigation, basic facts about the river and the basin remain unknown, challenging efforts to better manage the system and avert the imminent crisis. Read more from the Pacific Institute.
Here’s why Arizona says it can keep growing despite historic megadrought
“Drive traffic-clogged Interstate 10 through Phoenix’s West Valley suburbs and you’d hardly know the Southwest is as dry as it’s been in 1,200 years. Water gulping data centers, large warehouses and distribution centers have sprouted in the barren desert. Housing development after housing development is slated for construction. A two lane highway is being widened in the former farming town of Buckeye, at the edge of the Phoenix sprawl, to make way for an 800 home “master planned community.” A sign advertises new homes coming soon with the offer of joining “the VIP interest list.” … But where are they going to get the water? The answer is complicated. … ” Read more from NPR.
Water report suggests diversification for Arizona agriculture
“The first major report forecasting Arizona’s mandatory Colorado River water cutbacks and their impact on agriculture is out. The University of Arizona’s Southwest Center sought opinions from farmers, ranchers and water policy experts to develop solutions to water scarcity issues. UA conservation biologist Gary Nabhan says it’s a first step toward adjusting to the uncertainty caused by climate change. … ” Read more from Arizona Public Media.
Utah: The fastest growing metro in the US is looking to a shrinking reservoir to keep the boom going
“In a bright-red county in a state allergic to regulations, there is a ban on growing grass outside new businesses. Only 8% of a home’s landscaping can have a grass lawn in this booming corner of Utah, about a hundred miles northeast of Las Vegas. And if any developers want to add another country club to this golfing mecca, “I don’t know where they would get the water from,” said Zach Renstrom, general manager of the Washington County Water Conservancy District. “And I’m telling you, I know where every drop of water is.” Like lots of spots in the West, the combination of more people and less water makes for an uncertain future around St. George, Utah. While this winter’s generous snowpack could buy precious time, the entire Colorado River system remains in danger of crashing if water gets too low at Lakes Powell and Mead. But that reality hasn’t stopped St. George from booming into the fastest growing metro area in the US two years running, according to the US Census Bureau, and Renstrom says that unless Utah builds a long-promised pipeline to pump water 140 miles from Lake Powell, their growth will turn to pain. … ” Read more from CNN.
Paid not to farm? An expanded Colorado River conservation program divides agriculture community
“Water levels in Lake Powell and Lake Mead are at record lows. The nation’s largest reservoirs sit on the drought-stricken Colorado River. To keep them from declining further, federal officials are ready to spend tens of millions of dollars to incentivize farmers and other water users to conserve in 2023. A rebooted System Conservation Pilot Program (SCPP) in the river’s Upper Basin states – Colorado, Utah, Wyoming and New Mexico – has been taking funding applications from interested parties this winter in preparation for the upcoming growing season. But the program’s premise, of paying farmers not to farm on some of their fields this year and leave some of their irrigation water in streams, has left some growers conflicted about their role in balancing the region’s water supplies and demands. … ” Read more from KSJD.
Upper Basin states want to pause some releases from a major Colorado River reservoir
“Four states that use water from the Colorado River are asking the federal government to pause some water releases from Flaming Gorge Reservoir. Utah, Wyoming, Colorado and New Mexico, which make up the river’s Upper Basin, voted to suspend additional releases starting March 1. Delegates from those states say the federal government should let heavy winter precipitation boost water levels in Flaming Gorge. The reservoir, which straddles the border of Wyoming and Utah, is the third largest in the Colorado River system, behind only Lake Mead and Lake Powell. The Bureau of Reclamation, the federal agency which manages dams and reservoirs in the arid West, has turned to Flaming Gorge to help prop up Lake Powell, where record low levels are threatening hydropower production inside the Glen Canyon Dam. Under the 2019 Drought Response Operations Agreement, those states outlined plans for water releases that would be triggered by dipping levels in Lake Powell. This current schedule of releases was set to finish by the end of April, so this week’s vote is suggesting that releases end two months early. … ” Read more from KUNC.
In national water news today …
Ninth Circuit revives Clean Water Act Rule from the Trump Administration era
“On February 21, 2023, the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit (Ninth Circuit) issued its decision in American Rivers v. American Petroleum Institute, Case No. 21-16958, reversing the federal district court’s order that vacated a Clean Water Act (CWA) Section 401 Certification Rule after the district court had granted a voluntary remand of the rule requested by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The CWA allows states and tribes to exert significant oversight on the federal permitting process by blocking or delaying controversial energy and infrastructure projects for a multitude of reasons, including impacts on climate. States and tribes derive their authority to influence federal permitting from Section 401 of the Act. In June of 2020, the Trump Administration changed the regulatory scheme of the CWA when it announced its CWA Section 401 Certification Rule (the “2020 Rule”). Seeking to expedite infrastructure permitting, the 2020 Rule placed limitations on states’ and tribes’ review process, and expanded agency ability to overrule their determinations. … ” Read more from Somach Simmons & Dunn.
INTERVIEW: Turn the tide on water crisis with game-changing commitments, urge co-hosts of UN conference
“Bringing together Governments, institutions, banks, businesses, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), youth, women, indigenous peoples and many other stakeholders from around the world, the UN 2023 Water Conference (22 to 24 March) will seek to find game-changing solutions to the multifaceted global crisis of ‘too much water’, such as storms and floods; ‘too little water’, such as droughts and groundwater scarcity; and ‘too dirty water’, such as polluted drinking water. Ambassadors of the Conference co-hosts, Yoka Brandt, Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to the UN, and Jonibek Ismoil Hikmat, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Tajikistan to the UN, spoke about the issues at stake and discussed how the world can unite for water action. … ” Read more from the United Nations.
