DAILY DIGEST, weekend edition: The oceans just reached their hottest temperature on record as El Niño looms; Largest reservoirs close to total capacity but one remains low; Ninth Circuit urged to save salmon dying in Sacramento River; By smallest of margins Mono Lake avoids water diversions quadrupling; and more …

In California water news this weekend …

The oceans just reached their hottest temperature on record as El Niño looms. Here are 6 things to watch for

“Scientists have watched in astonishment as ocean temperatures have steadily risen over the past several years – even as the cooling La Niña phenomenon had a firm grip on the Pacific. The oceans have been record-warm for the past four years, scientists reported in January. Then in mid-March, climatologists noted that global sea surface temperature climbed to a new high.  The incredible trend worries experts about what could lie ahead, especially as forecasts predict El Niño is on its way starting this summer – and along with it, impacts like extreme heat, dangerous tropical cyclones and a significant threat to fragile coral reefs.  Daniel Swain, a climate scientist with the University of California, Los Angeles, said there is already a “dramatic transition” from La Niña to El Niño happening in the tropical Pacific.  “Right now, the atmosphere and the ocean are both in sync and screaming ‘El Niño rapid development’ over the next few months,” he said. … ”  Read more from CNN.

California’s largest reservoirs close to total capacity

“As March comes to a close and California gets another month packed with winter storms the state’s largest reservoirs are nearing their storage limit.  On Thursday, the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) released the most recent hydro data from eight of the state’s reservoirs.  California’s two largest reservoirs, Shasta and Oroville, are both sitting at 82% of their total capacity and are well over 100% of their average storage for the date. … ”  Read more from Fox 40.

SEE ALSO:

• California water sources are rising after dramatic wet winter: See Lake Shasta and Diamond Valley Lake grow, from USA Today
• DWR continues flow reduction into Feather River, from the Chico Enterprise-Record

Why water levels remain low at one major California reservoir, even after rain

“After an extraordinarily wet winter, most reservoirs in California are at, over or near their historical average capacity.  But there’s a major exception: Trinity Lake, in far northern California, the third-largest reservoir in California behind Shasta and Oroville reservoirs. Trinity is only at 51% of its historical average capacity — and 37% of capacity overall — as of April 1, according to data from the Department of Water Resources.  Trinity may be filling slower than other reservoirs because the northernmost part of the state has received less rainfall relative to other parts of the state, according to Jeffrey Mount, senior fellow with the Public Policy Institute of California Water Policy Center.  Additionally, Trinity “is heavily dependent on snowpack; versus Shasta, which is mostly dependent on rainfall to fill,” Mary Lee Knecht, Bureau of Reclamation Region 10 public affairs officer, wrote in an email to the Chronicle. … ”  Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle (gift article).

California snowpack climbs to all-time high, more winter weather on the way

“Following a remarkable winter in which back-to-back “atmospheric rivers” pummeled the West Coast, California’s snowpack levels have climbed to an all-time high, according to state meteorologists.  The state’s average snow-water equivalent — the amount of water contained in a snowpack — soared to 236 percent of seasonal norms on Thursday, surpassing a 1982-1983 record, the California Department of Water Resources reported.   While water content in the Northern California snowpack was only 191 percent of seasonal norms, Central and Southern measurements respectively reached 234 percent and 297 percent, the agency noted. … ”  Read more from The Hill.

SEE ALSO: California’s record snowpack isn’t all good news. Here’s why, from the San Francisco Chronicle

Drought or no drought? California left pondering after record winter deluge

“Just a few months ago, millions in California were living under mandatory water conservation rules. The driest three years on record had transformed the state, depleted reservoirs and desiccated landscapes.  Then came a deluge. A dozen atmospheric river storms and several “bomb cyclones” have broken levees and buried mountain communities in snow, but they have also delivered a boon. Reservoirs are refilling. Brown hills are blooming once again.  So, is the drought finally over?  The consensus among water experts and climate scientists is – sort of. … ”  Read more from The Guardian.

California’s beleaguered bullet train faces another hurdle: flooding from melting snow

“Recent rainstorms that have created flooding in some parts of Kings and Tulare counties have also ground work to a halt at several key construction sites for California’s high-speed rail project.  But while standing water at some locations has prevented work crews from reaching their job sites, the Central Valley director for the Cailfornia High-Speed Rail Authority said it’s the prospects for a lengthy summer run of water in local irrigation canals that present a greater potential disruption to construction later this year.  Kings and Tulare counties are part of a 65-mile construction contract for the future rail route stretching from south of Fresno to the Tulare-Kern county line. Dragados/Flatiron, a joint venture of two major construction firms, is the contractor for that segment of the route. … ”  Read more from the Fresno Bee via AOL News.

California’s vast farms are soaked. There’s nowhere to plant tomatoes, and that’s just one problem.

“California and its plentiful farm fields are soaking wet.   Asparagus farmers can’t get into fields to harvest the tender green stalks. Tomato growers have greenhouses bursting with seedlings but it’s too wet to transplant them. The planting timeline for lettuce keeps getting moved as fields stay drenched.  “It’s just too damn messy and muddy to create a quality pack. You don’t want a bunch of mud on the produce,” said Christopher Valdez, president of the Grower-Shipper Association of Central California.  City dwellers can reach for umbrellas but for farmers, too much rain can mean unplanted or washed out fields and unharvestable crops. Tractors could either get stuck in the mud or create ruts or compressed soil in fields that might take years to recover. There’s no choice but to simply wait until things dry out. … ”  Read more from USA Today.

California’s farmers struggle with deepening flood waters

“As flood waters continue to flow into the southern San Joaquin Valley and with several dozen feet of snow to still melt in the Sierra, it could be at least a year for water to recede from hundreds of acres of farmland.  “In the area where they are, a lot of crops are underwater and it’ll take 12 to 24 months for the water to dry, for the land to dry, which means they’ve lost their crops,” added CSU Bakersfield chair of economics Aaron Hegde.  The excess water and moisture have been something on the minds of almost everyone in the Central Valley. The impacts from it have been felt across the board, especially in the ag world.  On Thursday, farmers, environmental experts and scientists came together at Fresno State for the ‘Future of Ag’ summit where the issue of this year’s rain and snowfall was discussed. … ”  Read more from Fox 40.

What’s the future of agriculture?

“California agriculture is the envy of the world and despite myriad challenges — drought and the pandemic being at the forefront — farmers and ranchers are innovators who can be part of the climate solution.  That was the theme of the keynote message from Karen Ross, California’s Secretary of Food and Agriculture at the “What’s the Future of Agriculture?” symposium held Thursday at Fresno State.  Just as important, especially to local producers, is the need for increased flexibility and adaptability on the part of the state. Ross praised California’s farmers for thriving during a time of great hardship. … ”  Read more from the Turlock Journal

Ninth Circuit urged to save salmon dying in Sacramento River

“Environmental groups asked a Ninth Circuit panel to overturn a federal court’s judgment in an action concerning how the federal government manages California’s Central Valley Project and its effects on endangered Chinook salmon.  The Natural Resources Defense Council appealed a federal judge’s dismissal of the group’s claims that due to populations of protected Chinook salmon dying in the Sacramento River, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation should have revived consultations regarding the renewal of long-term Central Valley Project water delivery contracts, per the Endangered Species Act.  The judge rejected the environmental groups’ arguments that a 2015 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service letter stemmed from an inadequate consultation regarding the effects of long-term water contract renewals on delta smelt, and that Reclamation acted unlawfully by relying on the letter to implement the contracts. … ”  Read more from the Courthouse News Service.

Flood releases from Friant Dam ‘a blessing’ for San Joaquin River salmon restoration

“Prolonged flood releases into the San Joaquin River from the Friant Dam aren’t necessarily great news for farmers whose fields are underwater. Nor for residents of cities and communities along the river. But for spring run Chinook salmon being reintroduced into the river system following a 60-year absence, conditions are practically ideal. “It is a huge blessing, not only for San Joaquin salmon but all over the Central Valley,” said Don Portz, program manager for the San Joaquin River Restoration Program. “These are the years when salmon do really well.”  Over the last few weeks, biologists and technicians involved in the multiagency effort released about 200,000 juvenile salmon raised at the interim hatchery below Friant Dam.  … ”  Read more from the Fresno Bee.

An inclusive vision for Bouldin Island

“Over resistance from local governments and environmental organizations, in 2016 Southern California’s Metropolitan Water District purchased five islands in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta. While it wasn’t immediately clear what the powerful water agency intended for these islands, the move reminded some Californians of the “Wild West” years of water rights claimed by surreptitious land purchases. Now, years later, it appears the District is making good on that purchase by taking a leading role in Delta restoration efforts.  The Delta Islands Adaptations project, funded through a watershed-restoration grant from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, has zeroed in on Bouldin Island (the other four islands purchased at the same time were Webb Tract, Bacon Island, Holland Tract, and parts of Chipps Island) as the prime candidate for modeling successful restoration. … ”  Read more from Estuary News.

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In regional water news this weekend …

NORTH COAST

Klamath Dam removal: It’s happening

“On March 10, 2023, the Klamath River Renewal Corporation officially broke ground on removal activities for the Klamath River dams. Removal of the four Klamath River dams will be the largest dam removal project in the history of the United States and the largest salmon restoration project ever. It will also begin to restore justice to the Tribes and indigenous peoples who have lived along the Klamath River since time immemorial.  What Does It Mean to Break Ground?   Crews have begun constructing access roads to allow access for heavy equipment required for further construction activities. Existing bridges will need to be reinforced, and new bridges will need to be constructed to enable construction equipment access. … ”  Read more from Cal Trout.

Yurok Tribe takes legal action over water provisions

“The Bureau of Reclamation is facing legal repercussions for reducing water flow in the Klamath River below the federally-mandated levels, potentially threatening the survival of endangered coho salmon and orcas. Prompted by the reduction of Klamath River water levels by 16% — 7 inches below allowable levels — the Yurok Tribe of Northern California, in part with the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations and the Institute for Fisheries Resources, filed a motion for a preliminary injunction against Reclamation on March 22. A news release from the Yurok Tribe said the water reduction will “dry up critical habitats” for coho salmon stocks and will also impact Chinook salmon as well resident orca for which the fish serve as an important source of food. … ”  Read more from the Herald & News.

Mendocino County will help seek funds for several water projects including in Laytonville, town of Mendocino

“After a consultant’s presentation, board discussion, and an extended metaphor about pancakes, the Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to lend support to several water resiliency projects by helping communities around Mendocino County seek grant funding.  The county’s hired consultant, EKI Environment & Water, Inc. presented ten projects that the firm and the board’s appointed Mendocino County Water Agency Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) had ranked to prioritize support. Per a motion by Supervisor Maureen Mulheren, EKI will move forward with aiding the first five listed projects — as stipulated in the original contract with the firm — but will also aim to see all ten realized within the allotted hours.  That’s where pancakes come in. … ”  Read more from the Mendocino Voice.

Blog: A sense of urgency at Mendocino Russian River forum as leaders consider continued water release at Lake Pillsbury

“There was an urgent tone to the combined special meeting of the Mendocino County Inland Water and Power Commission (MCIWPC) and the Russian River Flood Control and Water Conservation Improvement District (RRFC), and agriculture representatives, held at the County Ag building in Ukiah on March 23, 2023, at 5:00 pm.   The MCIWPC is a joint powers authority comprised of The County of Mendocino, The City of Ukiah, The Redwood Valley County Water District, The Potter Valley Irrigation District, and RRFC. Janet Pauli, Board Member of the Potter Valley Irrigation District (PVID), and also Commissioner and Chair of the MCIWPC, led the meeting, with much input from Elizabeth Salomone, General Manager of RRFC.   PG&E announced on March 16 that it would not be closing the gates at Scott Dam in April for seismic reasons, which will result in less water stored in Lake Pillsbury this summer. … ”  Read more from MendoFever.

MOUNTAIN COUNTIES

Tahoe to see sunny weekend, but another storm is on the way

“Traveling to Tahoe this weekend looks more promising than in recent weeks, as the weather briefly clears up from fierce winter storms. However, a new storm system is expected to move in late Sunday evening.  Visitors and residents can expect a sunny but cold weekend in the Tahoe Basin, with highs in the low 40s and winds gusting at 25 mph, Justin Collins, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, told SFGATE. In terms of travel, people shouldn’t run into any issues or delays, Collins said. … ”  Read more from SF Gate.

Nevada Irrigation District’s hydro team at Jackson Meadows – photo gallery

“NID conducted its latest snow survey on March 2 and 3. Yet, due to the harsh winter weather and access restrictions, NID hydrographers were only able to take measurements at two- of five high-elevation courses: English Mountain and Findley Peak.  A few days ago, the NID Hydropower team was able to access the Jackson Meadows area. Here’s what they found … ”  Check out the pictures at Yuba Net.

SACRAMENTO VALLEY

Friends of Butte Creek now hold instream water rights for Butte Creek

“An unprecedented milestone for salmon protection in California, with one of the first acquisitions of water rights dedicated to instream flows and it happened in Butte County.  The nonprofit Friends of Butte Creek now holds the instream water rights for Butte Creek, one of the state’s last strongholds for wild, naturally spawned spring run chinook salmon and steelhead.  It’s a collaborative effort, years in the making and aimed at protecting the fish by monitoring the flow of water in the creek and preventing unlawful diversions. … ”  Read more from Action News Now.

Setbacks and swallows for the Sacramento River

“Adam Henderson spreads out an atlas with colorful pages on the closed trunk of his white sedan. It’s an early morning in February and the sun is just high enough to start burning off a blanket of fog that’s settled among the nearby willows and cottonwoods. Behind us, across a gravel parking lot, is a gate that’s an access point for the Sacramento River National Wildlife Refuge, controlled and maintained by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. On the other side of the gate, a couple hundred yards of flat field ends in a 20-foot drop that acts like a well-defined shoulder for the river—and it’s the reason why we are standing here. Thanks to January’s heavy rains, the river has reworked the bank, creating a fresh surface for threatened bank swallows (known scientifically as Riparia riparia) to build burrows when they arrive from Mexico later this spring. … Henderson is a senior environmental scientist for the California Department of Water Resources. … ”  Read more from Estuary News.

Turning wastewater into grocery produce

“Some farms grow or raise one type of crop or animal, not Ken Oneto’s.“We have wine grapes, walnuts and cherries,” Oneto said. “We also grow some winter forage mix for some local dairies and some silo corn.” …  Currently, Oneto draws all of his water from the ground. Experts report in California we over draw 2.7 million acre-feet of water each year. Oneto and several farmers in Sacramento County will soon have a new water source, recycled water from the newly upgraded wastewater treatment facility. News that Oneto said piqued his interest.  “It was intriguing because it gives me another secure source of water for my property,” he said. … ”  Read more from Spectrum 1.

Northern California farmers saw crops drown in rain. Will it hurt local market prices?

“Back-to-back storms at the start of the new year put one Sacramento-area farm 3 feet underwater, drowning crops and squelching income. “We lost everything,” said Rosie Kaperonis of Azolla Farm, who has been farming in Pleasant Grove for six years with her business partner Scrivner Hoppe-Glosser.  “You could literally kayak on the farm,” she said. It was forced to close for the rest of the winter season. Occasional floods are normal and will typically last up to 24 hours, Kaperonis said. But with the snow melt in the foothills and lack of sun, her farm was flooded for 20 days straight. “We lost all our crops,” Kaperonis said, “which means we lost all of our current income and also the cost and the time invested.” … ”  Continue reading at the Sacramento Bee.

NAPA/SONOMA

Commentary: Sonoma County groundwater plan needs more work

Sean Bothwell, Executive Director for California Coastkeeper Alliance, and Don Mcenhill, Executive Director Of Russian Riverkeeper, writes, “Over two years of severe drought in 2020 and 2021, Sonoma County saw the impact of unregulated groundwater pumping on water users and the environment.  Streams were pumped dry by neighboring wells during the drought’s summer months, killing juvenile salmon. Summers also brought warnings of algae blooms that can kill pets and harm children. Meanwhile, some water users saw their wells go dry — and the state water board ordered hundreds of others to stop pumping from the Russian River.  All of these problems were exacerbated by inadequately regulated well drilling and groundwater pumping around the county. But there is a glimmer of hope on the horizon. … ”  Read more from the Santa Rosa Press Democrat.

BAY AREA

From sticks to satellites: Restoration 1960-2023

“The 1960s and ‘70s were a time of rapid change for the San Francisco Bay shoreline. It had long been treated as a waste disposal site or area to fill for development, but public outcry for protection reached a crescendo in 1969 with the birth of the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC). The passage of the federal Clean Water Act in 1972 meant that destruction of wetland habitat—already 90% vanished from the Bay—had to be mitigated, or re-created elsewhere. For the first time there was public support and a legal obligation to restore wetlands, but scientists had to figure out how.  On June 3, 1976, an intrepid group of restorationists in the small Marin County town of Corte Madera kicked off one of the biggest and boldest restoration experiments undertaken in the Bay Area to date: returning 128 acres of sunken land to the tidal embrace of the San Francisco Bay. … ”  Read more from Estuary News.

Wetland restoration is for the birds

“It’s high tide at Eden Landing Ecological Reserve, on San Francisco Bay due west of Union City, and Nathan Van Schmidt is counting birds on Pond E9 with both hands. Van Schmidt, science director for the San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory, has a clicker in his right hand to track American Avocet, and another in his left for Northern Shoveler. “Wetlands can support an incredible biomass of birds,” he says. “And Eden Landing is one of the birdiest places in the Bay.”  The Observatory, a local nonprofit bird conservation organization, helps the South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project to monitor how birds are doing on 82 managed ponds and restored tidal wetlands. … ”  Read more from Estuary News.

CENTRAL COAST

Green water in the Monterey Bay likely due to storm runoff

“Following back-to-back storms, this week people in Monterey saw a unique sight in the bay: turquoise water.  The water appeared two-toned, with stripes and patches of dark blue and turquoise, which lasted a few days and cleared up by Friday.  The Monterey Bay Aquarium says it can’t say for certain what happened, but hypothesizes it’s due to storm runoff from the Salinas River.  “What you’re seeing is this great two-toned effect, where whatever is coming from the river in the freshwater there is mixing in with the ocean. When the currents and the wind get to it and it causes this difference between the light turquoise and this dark blue,” the director of applied water science at the aquarium Kasie Regnier said. … ”  Read more from KSBY.

State pursues receivership for Big Basin Water

“After years of unreliable service, code violations and failures to respond to regional authorities in a timely manner, the California Water Resources Control Board Division of Drinking Water says it has engaged the Office of Enforcement to begin the process of pursuing a receivership for Big Basin Water Co.  According to a letter sent by the control board to the company’s private owners Jim and Shirley Moore in late February, the company has been falling short of its duty to consistently provide safe, potable water to its customers in the Santa Cruz Mountains.  “BBWC (Big Basin Water Company) is not currently satisfying that obligation as it does not have the technical, managerial, and financial capacity to operate a public water system, and it is unresponsive to the rules and orders of the Division,” wrote Office of Enforcement attorney Laura Mooney in the letter. … ”  Read more from the Santa Cruz Sentinel.

Santa Barbara County Planning Commission votes to deny ‘frost ponds’ in Cuyama Valley

“An application to construct three ponds that would hold water to be used for protecting grape vines from frost in Cuyama Valley was rejected Wednesday by the Santa Barbara County Planning Commission. Commissioners said they could not make the required findings for approval of the project. But staff did not have findings for denial prepared, and the commission voted 4-0 to direct staff to return with the appropriate findings at the May 10 meeting, when the final vote rejecting the conditional use permit is expected. … ”  Read more from the Santa Maria Times.

SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY

Volunteer cleanup rids Delta island of illegally dumped garbage

“Nearly three dozen people gave up a part of their weekend this past Saturday to take part in a community cleanup event at Roberts Island in San Joaquin County, organized by the Port of Stockton along with partner organizations, tenants and members of the community.  The initiative was part of Clean California Community Days — Spring Into Action, a state-wide 11-day event that concluded Monday. It was sponsored by the Governor’s Office and Caltrans.  About 35 volunteers from the community, Port of Stockton, Caltrans and several organizations gathered outside the Port Administration building on Washington Street to collect their cleanup kits before joining a parade of cars on Highway 4 headed to the Roberts Island area. … ”  Read more from Stocktonia.

Flooding concerns close riverside parks in Lathrop at Mossdale & Dos Reis

“Rising water levels have prompted the closure of two county parks in Lathrop along the San Joaquin River.  The swift and rising San Joaquin River on Wednesday triggered full closure of Dos Reis, including its partially open campground. Until now, only half of the park’s campsites were available as maintenance crews continue to deal with previous storm damage.   Mossdale  Crossing Regional Park was closed by officials earlier this month due to flooding at the park’s boat launch.  Both facilities join Stillman Magee Regional Park and Woodbridge Wilderness Area, which have been closed since January due to storm damage and face possible flooding from the Mokelumne River.  Park officials will continue to assess all facilities as flood concerns subside and reopen these parks once conditions improve. There is no estimated reopening date at this time. … ”  Read more from the Manteca Bulletin.

Flood-swollen rivers remain closed as warmer weather approaches

“Sunshine and warmer weather have returned to the valley, but Fresno County is reminding people to stay away from flood-swollen rivers.  Both the Kings and the San Joaquin rivers are closed because of dangerous conditions.  “A lot of people who want to sit on the edge of the water don’t realize how swift it can actually be and they can get taken under every year by inexperienced swimmers who stand on the edge of the water, fall in and they drown,” said Anthony Gomez with The Fresno County Sheriff’s Office. … ”  Read more from Your Central Valley.

Groundwater recharge: Our time to shine

“The illustrated map below was part of a presentation given by state officials this week to bring attention to the tremendous opportunity that exists right now to recharge vast amounts of surface water into the San Joaquin Valley groundwater aquifer. The numbers that stand out to me are these: The Southern Sierra mountains show nearly 3.5 million acre-feet of projected runoff anticipated to flow through the Southern San Joaquin Valley over the next several months. Groundwater depletion in the last two years has been over 7 million acre-feet in the Valley. There is a lot of room for this surplus flood water to fill up the aquifer if we can slow the water down and disperse it over the landscape, hopefully in an organized and safe way. … ”  Read more from the Milk Producers Council.

Tulare Lake’s return expected to be a long-term issue. Here’s what Gavin Newsom is doing

“California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed an order Friday aimed at communities and residents hurt by the return of Tulare Lake. The executive order means there will be ongoing support and emergency response for those hit by the historic rains seen this year in the state, the office said in a news release. The communities are expected to experience a long-term hardship as the snow melts and runs down from the Sierra Nevada for months. State agencies like Cal Fire, the Department of Water Resources and the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services have been managing response efforts, as well as providing technical assistance, resources and support with a focus on protecting public health and safety, the release said. … ”  Read more from the Sacramento Bee. | Read more from the Fresno Bee.

SEE ALSO:  Inland Lake In Central California, Reappearing After Decades, Could Be Harbinger of Wet Seasons to Come, from SFist

Poso Creek water ends standoff with powerful the J.G. Boswell when it busts through berms, heads north

“The Poso Creek took control of a days-long stand off between the powerful J.G. Boswell Company and the tiny Deer Creek Storm Water District, when it busted through berms along Dairy Avenue, rushed over the road and dropped off of a bridge into Boswell’s Homeland Canal.  The water is now rushing into the canal and the bridge is swamped, blocking yet another road out of the Tulare Lake basin.  “It was totally uncalled for,” said Jack Mitchell, head of the Deer Creek Storm Water District of how the Poso Creek drama played out. Had he been allowed to put Poso water into the Homeland in a controlled manner from the start, it wouldn’t have bunched up and burst across the bridge. … ”  Read more from SJV Water.

Lakeview Estates finds place in Woodlake amid flood worries

“After many residents experienced extreme flooding in their homes this year, Woodlake residents voiced their concerns about the newest housing development at the March 27 city council meeting. Lakeview Estates is Woodlake’s newest project, and will include nine parcels for single family homes in the area. This project, however, includes filling the Olive Lane Ditch that runs through the property. This raised concern for some residents due to the most recent flooding that some neighborhoods in Woodlake experienced. However, city manager Ramon Lara assured that there would be underground storm drains that will eventually flow into their future storm water basin. The proposed subdivision is located along East Lakeview Avenue between Olive Lane and Pomegranate Street. … ”  Read more from the Foothills Sun-Gazette.

Massive snowpack looming above the Kern River higher than any in recorded history – and more coming

“A prolonged warm spell this spring is weighing on Kern River Watermaster Mark Mulkay’s mind these days.  “If that happens, we could lose infrastructure. Definitely,” he said.  A new Department of Water Resources estimate of accumulated snow hanging above the state’s river systems shows the Kern River’s watershed at 422% of normal. The amount could be slightly higher or lower, but still record breaking.  “And we have another storm coming,” Mulkay said, shaking his head in disbelief. … ”  Read more from SJV Water.

EASTERN SIERRA

By smallest of margins Mono Lake avoids water diversions quadrupling

“In remarkable deep snow conditions, Mono Lake Committee staff skied from Lee Vining to the lakeshore this morning, April 1, to read the level of Mono Lake cooperatively with the Los Angeles Department of Water & Power (DWP).  The level today establishes the maximum allowed DWP water exports for the next twelve months, and this year was an unprecedented photo finish at a critical threshold.  The official consensus reading was 6379.99 feet above sea level, a mere eighth of an inch—the thickness of two quarters and less than the length of a Mono Lake brine shrimp—below the 6380.00 threshold set forth in DWP’s licenses to divert water from Mono Lake’s tributary streams.  The level means that DWP can proceed to export 4,500 acre-feet of water in the runoff year ahead, although there is little need for it in this wet year and the Committee has asked that diversions be temporarily suspended until the lake rises to the higher, healthy level mandated by the State Water Board. … ”  Read more from the Mono Lake Committee.

A surge of floodwater for Owens Lake

“California’s Owens Lake has been mostly dry since the construction of the Los Angeles Aqueduct in 1913. The project siphoned water from the eastern slopes of the Sierra Nevada range and Owens River Valley to the city of Los Angeles, 220 miles (354 kilometers) to the south, drawing down the lake.  That changed in March 2023 after floodwaters pooled on the west side of the aqueduct, eroded soil that supported the concrete-lined channel, and contributed to the collapse of three of its sections near Olancha. To drain and repair the damaged section of the aqueduct, the LADWP opened spill gates letting water run downstream. According to news reports, some of that floodwater joined with water from other sources and poured over the lakebed of Owens Lake. … ”  Read more and view pictures at NASA Earth Observatory.

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

Here’s where California’s remarkably wet year is bringing welcome recovery

“Breathing in the rain-scrubbed air and absorbing the splendor of Topanga Creek, as it danced and pooled before her eyes, Rosi Dagit had to smile.  “This is like heaven for a steelhead,” said Dagit, a senior biologist with the Resource Conservation District of the Santa Monica Mountains. “If I was a steelhead, this is where I would lay my eggs.”  This winter’s strong and persistent rains have revived a creek that, in recent years amid a punishing drought, had been reduced to a series of ponds and puddles. The much-needed water greatly enhances the prospects of reproduction for the endangered southern steelhead. And it has revived habitat for myriad other species in the Topanga Creek watershed, from a tiny minnow to frogs and newts to the coyotes and mountain lions that roam the canyon. … ”  Read more from the LA Times.

Was it L.A.’s dreariest, gloomiest, wettest winter ever? Here’s what the numbers say

“Tourists at the top of Griffith Park on Wednesday morning got an accurate view of what it’s looked like to live in Los Angeles of late: gray as far as the eye could see.  It had been yet another stormy morning in a city synonymous with sunshine.  “I mean, listen, we need the rain, right,” said Addison Vincent, 30, who had just made the mud-slicked trek up to the top. “But it’s just a little excessive.”  On dreary days like this, Vincent said they usually stayed put in their Hollywood home — bingeing HBO’s “Succession” and watching their ferns and jade plants on the patio get irreparably drenched. It’s been mentally draining, they said, “bringing up a lot of melancholy and somberness.”  For many Angelenos, this winter felt like the gloomiest in recent memory. … ”  Read more from the LA Times.

Climate whiplash — wildfires, flash floods, landslides — leaves a corner of L.A. County reeling

“Oak forests, rugged canyons and mountain creeks make the tiny communities of Lake Hughes and Elizabeth Lake in northwestern Los Angeles County seem as far as one can get from urban commotion and pollution.  Known jointly as the Lakes, it is an unincorporated region where people get by on self-reliance and mutual aid. A large welcome sign planted directly on the San Andreas Fault proudly states: “The Lakes, Where Nature is Your Neighbor.”  On Friday, as county crews used heavy machinery to remove rocks, debris and toppled trees that blocked mountain roads after heavy rain triggered flooding, residents found compassionate neighbors to help mop up mud and salvage belongings in flood-ravaged yards. … ”  Read more from the LA Times.

Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District urges residents to opt in to septic to sewer conversion project as time runs out

“As you may have heard, Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District is securing money from the Clean Water State Revolving Fund to improve the sewer systems in designated areas of Sedco Hills and Avenues communities to align with the agency’s Sewer Master Plan and Groundwater Protection goals.  EVMWD has confirmed residents of the Avenues community have opted in and met the goals required by the state to consider funding. Additionally, the Sedco Hills Community is close but still requires more participation for state consideration. Now is the time to alert your neighbors to learn more about the project and participate.  Once the grant is approved, these areas will be transitioned to the EVMWD sewer system in a phased approach over a period of 48 months. … ”  Read more from Valley News.

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Along the Colorado River …

Senators to tour Colorado River as water negotiations reach critical juncture

“A bipartisan delegation of Western senators and federal officials will tour key points along the Colorado River next week to see the nation’s depleted reservoirs and the basin’s vast water infrastructure.  The trip, which is being organized by Colorado Sen. Michael Bennet, a Democrat, comes amid tense state negotiations and looming federal action to address the fast-moving water crisis on the Colorado River. Water levels in the nation’s largest reservoirs Lakes Mead and Powell have dropped precipitously in recent years due to decades of overuse and hotter, drier weather driven by climate change.  As the river basin declines, Western states are in a standoff over how to further cut water use – water that is used to not only grow the country’s produce and raise cattle, but for municipal household use and industry. … ”  Read more from CNN.

To conserve, Nevada may try to buy back groundwater rights

“Marty Plaskett upgraded his farming equipment and spent $60,000 on new sprinklers to conserve water, even before the rural Nevada valley where he farms alfalfa began more strictly managing groundwater.  Now, Plaskett is weighing another adjustment: selling off part of his legal right to use water that lies under his land to the state.  Even after a wet winter, Nevada and much of the West are still dealing with the effects of a prolonged drought that depleted groundwater supplies. Lawmakers in Nevada are considering a bill to allow the state to buy groundwater rights in diminished basins so nobody could use them again.  In the area where Plaskett farms, the state severely overestimated decades ago just how much water was available from wells sunk deep into fractured rock and gravel. … ”  Read more from Spectrum 1.

Commentary: Arizona Legislature fails to support a secure water future

Gary Beverly, member of the Citizens Water Advocacy Group (CWAG) Executive Committee, writes, “Our water supply in Arizona is like a leaky ship attempting to sail into the future. Its captain — our state Legislature — is ignoring the leaks and, through inaction, is jeopardizing the future of our region and the entire state. However, our area’s Senator Ken Bennett and Representative Selena Bliss have supported legislation to address some of the problems in this last session, only to run into roadblocks.  Both of Arizona’s main sources of water supporting the state’s dramatic growth have limits. We’ve heard how Colorado River supplies are diminishing, but what is most important to us is that the groundwater stored in our aquifers is steadily declining. Meanwhile, state laws and regulations continue to allow more growth and inefficient groundwater use. … ”  Read more from Sedona.biz.

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In national water news this weekend …

How U.S. water infrastructure works

“The U.S. water system is a sprawling, complex series of networks with the mission of providing safe, reliable, and cheap drinking water to hundreds of millions of people. The nation’s water system is also tasked with managing wastewater and contributing to hydropower, agricultural irrigation, flood control, and industries such as oil, gas, and mining.  This network is under stress from growing populations, aging infrastructure, extreme weather patterns, and regulatory failures. While authorities struggle with public-health hazards, water utilities face budget squeezes, rising consumer costs, and unmet investment needs. Western states wrangle over water rights as drought and overuse deplete their rivers, reservoirs, and aquifers. Meanwhile, debate continues over the proper role of the federal government in regulating, as well as funding, the nation’s water infrastructure—with access to water for drinking, as well as growing food and myriad other forms of commerce, at stake. … ”  Read more from Council on Foreign Relations.

Waste industry groups call for Congressional support against looming PFAS regulations

“The waste industry asked Congress on Monday to intervene on a proposed Superfund update they say could have damaging effects on their ability to safely manage PFAS-containing materials and cost them millions.  At issue is the EPA’s proposed rule to designate two PFAS compounds as hazardous substances under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act, known as Superfund. It’s separate from another recent EPA proposal to set drinking water standards for six types of PFAS.   During a congressional briefing on Monday, landfill operators — along with composters, recyclers, water treatment plant operators and others who consider themselves “passive receivers” of PFAS-containing material — said the inclusion of the PFAS as hazardous under CERCLA could have costly unintended consequences. … ”  Read more from Waste Dive.

UN Water Conference marked by enthusiasm, uncertainty

“What, in the end, did all the buzz accomplish?  To draw attention to ambitious global goals for water, sanitation, and ecosystems, the United Nations brought together people passionate about water for three days of panel discussions, speeches, commitments to action, and networking.  More than 10,500 people, virtually or in person, attended the first water conference convened by the UN in 46 years. The line to pick up security badges on the opening morning wrapped around Manhattan’s East 45th Street and down 2nd Avenue. Wait times, at peak, were upward of two and a half hours.  Inside the UN complex, crowds were just as prevalent. Sessions were so jammed that security guards had to turn people away from conference rooms. … ”  Read more from the Circle of Blue.

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