On the calendar today …
- WET Talk 11: Dr. Jay Lund: Save it for a Sunny Day: Water Storage Above & Below Ground from 10am to 11:30am. Click here to register.
- WEBINAR: Solutions in our Soil – In Conversation with Liz Carlisle from 11am to 12pm. As we build a more climate-resilient California, it’s important we look at the solutions living beneath our feet. Healthy soils form the foundation of thriving farmlands, communities, and ecosystems. By focusing on practices and incentives that promote soil health, we can improve our farming system and food security, protect water quality and quantity, and sustain and boost biodiversity. This webinar will feature a conversation between Author, Agroecologist, and Assistant Professor Liz Carlisle and Sustainable Conservation’s Director of Business Partnerships Ryan Flaherty. They’ll set the scene for the rest of the series and give a high-level overview of soil health and climate-smart agriculture and discuss why they’re so important in California. Click here to register.
- WORKSHOP: Fisheries Restoration Grant Program Proposal Solicitation Notice Workshop from 12pm to 1pm. Agenda items include 2023 PSN Guidelines and timeline, NOAA priorities and funding, and 2023 proposal evaluation and scoring protocol. Join the Teams Meeting
- WEBINAR: Restoration Speaker Series: Restoring Central Valley Watersheds from 12pm to 1pm. Restoring Central Valley Watersheds: with He-Lo Ramirez, Mechoopda Tribe and California Trout. The series is part of a new education initiative that aims to teach students and policymakers about Tribally led large-scale restoration projects, long-lasting environmental damage, and ecosystem functions throughout Northern California. Click here to register.
- WEBINAR: Lunch-MAR: Solar-MAR from 12:30pm to 1:30pm. Solar-MAR takes its name from Flood-MAR obviously. In the case of Solar-MAR, solar PV systems can be designed to be “floodable” which in turn enables a multitude of strategies and benefits around 1) aquifer recharge, 2) repurposing currently ( or soon to be) unproductive farmland or other land classes, 3) ecological benefits 4) enabling other uses cases around the state and throughout the country (California in a leadership role) e.g. saltwater intrusion (Mid-Atlantic) and nitrate pollution prevention in mid-west. Click here to register.
- EVENT: Climate Scientist Daniel Swain (in person at UC Davis) from 4:30pm to 5:30pm. As a climate scientist, Swain studies the dynamics and impacts of the Earth’s changing climate system. He looks at the ways in which climate change is affecting the character and causes of U.S. western climate extremes, including atmospheric processes responsible for droughts, floods, and wildfires. During this seminar he’ll discuss the rising risk of droughts and “megafloods” in a warming climate and the climate-related factors driving the recent surge in wildfire severity in California and across the broader American West. Click here for more information and to register.
In California water news today …
California’s thirsty future: The role of vapor pressure deficit in our changing climate and drought
“California is no stranger to the impacts of climate change. From droughts to wildfires to rising sea levels and torrential rains, the state has felt the effects of a changing climate in a variety of ways. One measure of climate that is of particular concern in California is vapor pressure deficit (VPD), as it has far-reaching implications for people’s health and safety, ecosystem conservation, and economy. In this blogpost, we will explore what vapor pressure deficit is, how it is affected by climate change, and its implications for California. … ” Continue reading from the Union of Concerned Scientists.
Record snowfall anticipated to bring high fast rivers and streams this spring
Fred Greaves / DWR
“With this season’s statewide snowpack at 237% of average as of April 3, California State Parks’ Division of Boating and Waterways (DBW), the Department of Water Resources (DWR) and the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) are urging the public to take extra precautions and to be aware of cold-water dangers this spring to avoid a tragedy. The series of winter storms is causing rising river and stream flow levels not seen in years. The eventual spring warm-up will bring fast flows and cold temperatures when all that snow starts to melt. All Californians are being encouraged to wait until summer to recreate in the water, when conditions are safer. “After successive low-water drought years, it is imperative that Californians understand water safety in and around rivers, streams, lakes and Sierra reservoirs,” said State Parks Director Armando Quintero. “As the temperature rises, snowmelt-fed waterways can quickly induce incapacitating cold-water shock to even the strongest swimmers. We encourage everyone to follow the advice of public safety officials and avoid entering waterways if asked to do so.” … ” Read more from DWR News.
California snowpack may hold record amount of water, with significant flooding possible
“California water officials reported on Monday that preliminary data showed the water contained in the state’s April snowpack is near historic levels. Officials previewed the results after a morning measurement south of Lake Tahoe, where the snowpack exceeded 10.5 feet deep at one of California’s 260 snow measurement locations. The state is still waiting for “snow-water equivalent” data to come in from all of those sites, but 2023 may set a historic precedent for the amount of water contained in the state’s April snowpack compared to average levels over the last 30 years. … All that rain and snow has pulled most of the state out of serious drought for the time being, and shifted attention to the existential threat of flooding. In March, Gov. Gavin Newsom eased some drought restrictions. But water constraints will continue to affect certain parts of the state, even those threatened by flooding. Most of the state’s wells for monitoring groundwater are still below normal levels. … ” Read more from KQED.
When California snowmelt happens, is flooding a concern? Here’s where it could happen
“With rain and snow piling on across California for much of 2023, some are concerned that flooding might be a risk once that snow melts. According to the state’s Department of Water Resouces, the April snow survey reported the Sierra snowpack being among the largest on record, dating back to the 1950s. However, as the weather will inevitably warm up, some people who live along bodies of water like the American or Sacramento rivers are wondering if they’re going to deal with flooding this year. KCRA 3 chief meteorologist Mark Finan said, in a nutshell, most areas are of no concern. These include the watersheds for the American and Feather rivers, which will be fine, as well as the Sacramento River. … ” Read more from KCRA.
Farmers brace for more destruction, losses from floods
“Months of heavy rainfall and subsequent flooding have dealt a new financial blow to California farmers as they come out of a multiyear drought that had them fallowing land and plowing under crops due to water shortages. They now face flooded fields, waterlogged plants, crop delays and property damage. From dairies and orchards in the San Joaquin Valley to strawberry and vegetable fields along the Central Coast, farmers are also bracing for longer-term fallout that could threaten one of the most productive agricultural regions in the world. With some fields still underwater and farmers continuing to tally losses and damage, full extent of the storm impacts remains unclear. Farmers say time will tell how fast fields dry out and whether crops on them will survive. “We’ve still got ways to go in all this,” said Tricia Stever Blattler, executive director of Tulare County Farm Bureau. With a record snowpack in the Sierra Nevada mountains, “there could be months of flooding in front of us,” she added, as warmer weather and rain melt the snow in the weeks ahead. … ” Read more from Ag Alert.
SEE ALSO:
- ‘Very, very dangerous’: These parts of California face flood risk from snowmelt, spring sun, from the LA Times
- Scientists warn California’s floods may be a sample of Megafloods to come, from NPR
- Will a ‘wall of water’ flow down from Sierra Nevada when snow melts? Experts weigh in, from the Fresno Bee
After record rains and snow, could Californians face record quakes?
“One of the biggest Sierra snowpacks ever — Mammoth Mountain has more than 72 feet of snow, setting a new record —is already producing some scary flooding in the foothills and Valley as some of that snowpack melts and flows downhill. But flooding isn’t the only hazard that Californians could face this year. The extra-heavy weight of the snowpack is pressing down on the Sierra’s granite slopes and affecting the state’s geology, including its earthquake faults. And once that snow melts and the pressure lifts, there could be a corresponding increase in earthquakes later this year on both sides of the Sierra. UC Berkeley professor Roland Bürgmann, who has studied the impact of water loads on seismicity, is quick to note that those earthquakes are likelier to be on the lower end of the spectrum. The chance of Big Snow causing The Big One is remote, he told GV Wire. … ” Read more from GV Wire.
San Luis Reservoir nearly full thanks to wet winter
“Less than six months ago, San Luis Reservoir near Gilroy was less than a quarter full. Now, it’s nearly topping its banks. Since November, the water level at the reservoir, which is a key water supply for millions of Californians from Silicon Valley to San Diego, has risen 144 feet. “Coming out of three incredibly challenging drought years, the fact that we were able to fill San Luis this year is great for water supply south of the delta,” U.S. Bureau of Reclamation Deputy Operations Manager Levi Johnson said. “We’re hoping to see those benefits throughout the summer.” … ” Read more from NBC Bay Area.
Despite historic rainfall, Trinity Lake remains dreadfully low. Here’s why.
“Why is Trinity Lake filling at a slower rate than other reservoirs? Jeffrey Mount, Senior Fellow with the Public Policy Institute of California Water Policy Center, believes that the state’s northernmost region has received less rainfall relative to other parts. Furthermore, Trinity Lake relies heavily on snowpack for water, unlike Shasta, which mostly depends on rainfall. Much of the snowfall may not melt and flow into the reservoir until late spring or summer. … ” Read more from Active NorCal.
Costa introduces legislation to repair major California canals
“California’s water delivery system could receive help from the federal government with a new bill introduced to Congress. Rep. Jim Costa (D–Fresno) introduced the Canal Conveyance Capacity Restoration Act to spend hundreds of millions of dollars to repair four major canals and aqueducts in the Golden State. The big picture: If Costa can receive the approval of his Congressional colleagues, over $650 million would be sent to California for repairs to the water delivery system. The San Joaquin River is also a focus of the bill, which would restore its salmon runs. Representatives John Garamendi (D–Walnut Grove) and Josh Harder (D–Turlock) co-sponsored the bill. … ” Read more from the San Joaquin Valley Sun.
SEE ALSO: Costa Bill Seeks $833M for Canal Repairs, San Joaquin River Salmon, from GV Wire
Unlocking California’s $4.4 billion water solution: When will Sites reservoir finally be completed?
“For decades, California has been relying on an extensive reservoir system to provide the majority of its drinking and irrigation water. The Sites Reservoir, a long-planned project in the western Sacramento Valley, has been gaining momentum since 2014 when Prop. 1, a water bond, authorized $2.7 billion for new storage projects. However, the reservoir is still nearly a decade away, with water rights acquisition, permitting, and environmental review ongoing. Construction, which includes two large dams, is set to begin in 2024, though it may be delayed by a year. The project is expected to be completed by 2030 or 2031.The Sites Reservoir aims to store up to 1.5 million acre-feet of Sacramento River water, potentially enhancing water supplies for over 24 million people and 500,000 acres of Central Valley farmland. … ” Read more from Active NorCal.
Water, flood impacts inspire dialogue at Capitol Ag event
“As California farmers and ranchers work through challenges including floods and droughts, water cutbacks, crop damage, inflation and supply-chain disruptions, they look to engage with government leaders on solutions. At the California Farm Bureau’s Capitol Ag Conference in Sacramento, members from across the state went to work on the organization’s legislative agenda—with Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis, state lawmakers and agency officials present for direct conversations. “There is a better way,” said Farm Bureau President Jamie Johansson, as he opened the event by championing grassroots advocacy by member farmers and ranchers. “We think it has a lot to do with our policy book, with the decisions that we make at our county levels and at our state levels. … ” Read more from Ag Alert.
The future of ag: CSUB offers forecast
“A contingent of Cal State Bakersfield professors, Central Valley growers, government leaders and scientists shared their forecast on agriculture amid the recent deluge of rain, supply chain disruptions and the urgency to adopt practices that will help California achieve its ambitious climate goals at a symposium Thursday in Fresno. Secretary of Food and Agriculture Karen Ross told the 700 in-person and virtual attendees of the “What’s the Future of Agriculture” summit that California crops are the envy of the world and despite challenges, the pandemic and other disruptors, farmers and ranchers are innovators and can be part of the climate solution. “There are 69,000 farms in California, 70 percent of which are under 100 acres,” she noted. “We want to partner with our farmers and ranchers to achieve results and not just rely on the regulatory process. There is a place for regulation, but when it comes to restoration, habitat and biodiversity, working directly with farmers and ranchers, environmental conservation and restoration groups is where we want to be.” … ” Read more from the Bakersfield Californian.
Court agrees with farmers on water quality rules cases
“A Sacramento appeals court has sided with California farmers on three cases related to water quality regulations, which environmental groups had challenged for years. On March 17, the Third District Court of Appeal decided the cases in favor of the California State Water Resources Control Board, the California Farm Bureau and others that sought to maintain a water quality regulatory program in the Eastern San Joaquin watershed. “The Court of Appeal’s landmark decision supports reasonableness and balancing in protecting water quality, while also maintaining our food supply and the economic viability of agriculture,” said California Farm Bureau President Jamie Johansson. … ” Read more from Ag Alert.
Division of Boating and Waterways offering grants for quagga and zebra mussel infestation prevention programs
“California State Parks’ Division of Boating and Waterways (DBW) today announced the availability of grant funding to prevent the further spread of quagga and zebra mussels into California’s waterways. Funded by the California Boater Mussel Fee Sticker (popularly known as the Quagga sticker), the Quagga and Zebra Mussel Infestation program expects to award up to $3 million to eligible applicants. Applications will be accepted from April 10-May 19, 2023. Quagga and zebra (Dreissenid) mussels pose a serious threat to California’s waters and fisheries. The spread of these freshwater mussels threatens recreational boating and fishing, aquatic ecosystems and fisheries, water delivery systems, hydroelectric facilities, agriculture, and the environment in general. A multi-agency partnership, including the California Departments of Fish and Wildlife, DBW, Water Resources, and Food and Agriculture as well as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, National Park Service, and many local governments and water agencies, is in place to alert the public – and particularly boat owners – about the quagga and zebra mussel threat. The Quagga and Zebra Mussel Infestation program is an additional resource in the fight against these invasive aquatic species. … ” Continue reading from the Division of Boating and Waterways.
In commentary today …
Dan Walters: California’s water battles continue despite record rain and snow
“On Monday, California water officials slogged through deep snow 7,000 feet above sea level, west of Lake Tahoe, to affirm what everyone already knew: A series of Pacific storms has generated record-level amounts of precipitation, filling reservoirs, inundating low-lying towns and fields and threatening more disastrous flooding as the Sierra snowpack melts. Its negative aspects aside, the immense amount of rain and snow is welcome relief from drought that has plagued the state for the past three years. But it also is a warning about California’s boom-and-bust precipitation cycle, which is becoming more pronounced with climate change. It’s a warning that we must do a better job of capturing and conserving water when precipitation is plentiful, because the next drought is just around the corner. That means building more storage, such as the long-delayed Sites Reservoir on the west side of the Sacramento Valley, creating more sinking basins to replenish overdrafted underground aquifers and, most importantly, doing something about the chaotic way in which we manage water. … ” Read more from Cal Matters.
Today’s featured article …
WEBINAR SUMMARY: What is the potential role of desalination in California’s water portfolio?
With drought becoming a normal feature of life in California, finding reliable ways to increase freshwater resources has become imperative. One promising solution may be desalination — the process of removing salt and other minerals from seawater or brackish groundwater to make potable water — which could potentially provide improved resiliency and create new sources of potable water within California’s diminishing supplies.
However, high costs and environmental impacts have so far limited the role desalination plays in the state’s water portfolio. But is there a larger role for desalination in California? At a webinar held in February 2023, the California Council on Science and Technology brought together four experts to explore the potential and the challenges of expanding desalination in California.
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
Klamath dams: the largest dam removal project in the history of the US
“The Klamath river is born in central-southern Oregon, makes its way through the Cascade Range mountains, and flows for 414 kms (257 miles) to the Pacific Ocean, through northern California, which considers it the state’s second river by water flow after the Sacramento. Along its central section, this spring work has begun to remove the dams and restore the river’s habitat, the largest project of this kind in the history of the United States. The $450 million project, approved by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) after decades of environmental litigation, comprises the dismantling of four dams, starting with Copco 2, which should be removed this fall, followed by three other dams, Copco 1, Iron Gate and JC Boyle, by the end of 2024. The four dams make up the Lower Klamath Hydropower Project, in California’s Siskiyou county and Klamath County in Oregon. They are owned by PacifiCorp, an electric company owned by Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway. … ” Read more from We Build Value.
Secretary of Interior Deb Haaland meets with Klamath Project farmers
“As part of an unannounced visit to central and southern Oregon, Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland met with farmers in the Klamath Project on March 18, touring the headworks of the Klamath Project “A” Canal and learning firsthand what Klamath Irrigation District is doing to ensure the canal’s safety. Water users met for over an hour with Secretary Haaland at their downtown office. “It is an big deal to host Secretary Haaland,” said Paul Simmons, executive director of Klamath Water Users Association. “We weren’t expecting the visit but we’re very grateful of the time she gave to listen to us.” “Getting to speak to the people in Washington D.C. that make the decisions that affect the Klamath Basin is important to farmers. Too often recently, farmers’ advice has been ignored only to later be proven right,” Simmons said. “The need to include water users in the consultation process is the only way it will ever be successful.” … ” Read more from the Herald & News.
Klamath Drainage District: It’s for the birds
“Not often is a birding festival a place to learn about the management of water within a local drainage district. Pumps, cubic feet per second, water recycling – these are not words that usually go hand-in-hand with terms like migration, molting, habitat, and flyway. At the recent 2023 Winter Wings Festival, attendees got to learn how these terms can work together, from Scott White, general manager of Klamath Drainage District. White has spearheaded the district’s efforts to maximize the benefits of its operations to shorebirds, waterfowl, and birds of prey that migrate through the Klamath Basin, in addition to other wildlife that inhabit the district and the adjacent Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge. … ” Read more from the Herald & News.
County supervisors from Klamath, Modoc, and Siskiyou address water challenges
“Klamath County is ranked 5th in total agricultural farm gate value out of 36 counties and is first in total organic agricultural revenue for the State of Oregon. The Klamath Basin Research and Extension Center (KBREC) exists to support this industry, staffed by professionals with expertise in agriculture, natural resources, and related fields. As one of 14 Agricultural Experiment Stations in Oregon, KBREC is part of the research arm of Oregon State University’s College of Agricultural Sciences. For Ian McGregor, assistant professor of livestock and irrigation in the College of Agricultural Sciences, this role means continuously being responsive to the needs of farmers. For example in the summer of 2021, a severe outbreak of grasshoppers and crickets carpeted parts of Klamath County, stripping remaining grass from already drought-stricken fields. The following year, with emergency funding from the State, McGregor organized outreach events to educate landowners about how to combat a similar plague in 2022. … ” Read more from the Herald & News.
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
Cold temps set records at Tahoe; Warming trend, weaker storms in forecast
“The cold weather over the past few days at Lake Tahoe has been record breaking. Weather stations in both South Lake Tahoe and Tahoe City on Monday and Tuesday recorded record low temperatures, with Tahoe City also recording the lowest daytime high on record. The thermometer at Lake Tahoe Airport on the South Shore hit a record low 9 degrees on Monday, dropped to 7 on Tuesday and was at 11 Wednesday morning, which also unofficially breaks the mark of 15 set 20 years ago in 2003. In Tahoe City, the low was 10 degrees on Monday and 5 on Tuesday. The frigid daytime high temperature of 28 on Tuesday also set a new record. The temperatures across the region have been 15 to 25 degrees below seasonal averages according to the National Weather Service in Reno but this week they will rebound closer to normal. … ” Read more from the Tahoe Daily Tribune.
Tahoe ski resorts are shattering snow records thanks to late storms
“A Miracle March of late-winter storms pushed snowfall totals at several Lake Tahoe ski areas into historic territory, setting them up to break records this week as small flurries continue falling. On Tuesday morning, following a day of snow showers, Heavenly Mountain Resort in South Lake Tahoe hit 566 inches on the season — just over 47 feet — surpassing its record 564 inches set in the memorable winter of 2016-2017. Heavenly’s deep year is telling of this winter’s intensity because of its location on the east side of the Sierra crest: It gets only carry-over precipitation from storms off the Pacific that pummel the western slopes first. “For a resort on the east side of the basin, this is pretty unheard of,” Tom Fortune, Heavenly’s general manager, told The Chronicle a few days before the record broke. Heavenly, like several other resorts, is taking advantage of the bounty by extending its ski season into the spring. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
Snowpack at Mt. Rose at 211 percent of the median, Lake Tahoe Basin 246 percent
“As the California water officials were conducting their monthly snow survey on Monday, Nevada officials were doing the same. Much of the western Sierra snowpack sends snowmelt into California, but the Lake Tahoe Basin except Echo Lakes, and the eastern slopes send the snowmelt into Nevada so the height and snow water equivalent (SWE) are important to both states. At the Mt. Rose manual snow survey location, Jeff Anderson, hydrologist for Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Nevada, found 188″ of snow with an SWE of 73.6″, or 211 percent of the median. That is two winters in one! This measurement of the SWE is the third highest at Mt. Rose with records going back to 1908. … ” Read more from South Tahoe Now.
NAPA/SONOMA
Russian River Watershed environment: You deserve a cleaner life, but so do our creeks
“Power washing (or pressure washing) can be an important tool for achieving quick and satisfying results when cleaning and maintaining hard surfaces, buildings, or large equipment which can otherwise be difficult to clean. But did you know that if you’re not careful, that dirty wash water can end up in our creeks? Before pulling out your power washer this spring, remember that fish and wildlife deserve a clean place to live too. There are a few simple precautions you can take that will help you be environmentally responsible and protect the water in our creeks while using your power washer. When using a power washer, just because you wash it out of sight, doesn’t mean it’s gone forever. … ” Read more from the Ukiah Daily Journal.
St. Helena fights for access to wastewater treatment plant
“Two sisters are skirmishing in court with the city of St. Helena over access to the wastewater treatment plant, which is undergoing major upgrades. Denise Chaix Wiig and Darcel C. Chaix own Chaix Lane, a private one-lane road the city uses to reach the plant from Highway 29. The city has used the road for decades under the terms of a century-old easement, but on March 2 the Chaix sisters filed a lawsuit in Napa Superior Court accusing the city’s contractors of trespassing on the road. The legal challenge sought to prevent the city’s contractors from using Chaix Lane for a major concrete pour necessary to upgrade the 1960s-era plant. After hearing oral arguments from both parties on March 28, a judge denied the sisters’ request for a temporary injunction blocking the contractors from using Chaix Lane. … ” Read more from the Napa Valley Register.
BAY AREA
How safe is Bay Area drinking water from ‘forever chemicals’?
“The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency last month proposed the first federal limits on PFAS — manmade “forever chemicals” linked to cancer, organ damage and other health issues — in the nation’s drinking water. The proposed regulation, which is not final, would require water systems to reduce levels of six of the most studied types of PFAS to the lowest levels that can be reliably measured with testing. There are about 12,000 kinds of PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) chemicals, which in consumer products are probably best known for their use in nonstick cookware, Gore-Tex outerwear and stain-resistant carpets and rugs. The two most-studied PFAS — PFOA and PFOS — are no longer allowed in products in the United States. But because the chemicals are resistant to breaking down, they linger in the environment. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
Vast, historic Bay Area ranch to be preserved as open space
“A nearly 2,000-acre cattle ranch south of San Jose, a rare vestige of the region’s past, has been purchased by conservationists as part of a continuing effort to keep the strip malls and subdivisions of Silicon Valley at bay. The Peninsula Open Space Trust closed last month on the $22.4 million sale of Lakeside Ranch, on Uvas Road near Morgan Hill. The plan is to maintain the rural property, with its creeks, grassy hills and oak woodlands, in its current, largely natural state and eventually build a through-trail for hikers. The site is one of several in the Coyote Valley area of southern Santa Clara County that has been bought in recent years with the purpose of protecting open space. The acquisitions follow a long and concerted push to create a vast greenbelt of farms and nature preserves to confine the bustle of San Jose to the north. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
CENTRAL COAST
Big Basin Water customers voice frustrations at rate hike meeting
“Bright red fire trucks were replaced by folding chairs and a small speaker system at the Boulder Creek Fire Department Monday as more than a hundred people gathered to hear details about a proposed rate increase for Big Basin Water Co. customers. The meeting was attended by Jim Moore, who privately owns the company alongside his wife Shirley and their son Damian, who is the chief operator of the business providing water to 547 customers in Boulder Creek. The California Public Utilities Commission was the host, as it has the authority to approve, partially approve or deny the requested increase. But it was the father-son duo who answered most of the public’s questions, which were shared via small index cards and often succeeded by spontaneous follow-up questions shouted from the live audience. … ” Read more from the Santa Cruz Sentinel.
Local officials push for fast action on Pajaro River levee fix
“Shortly after a breach in the Pajaro Levee caused torrents of water to flood the tiny town of Pajaro on March 11, work crews temporarily plugged the breach. Now, officials hope to permanently repair the levee by banking on a law that will call in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE). Under Public Law 84-99, which covers emergency assistance in response to flood and coastal storms, repairs usually take two years. But Pajaro River Flood Management Agency Director Mark Strudley says the agency is asking for the levee’s repairs to be expedited and completed by summer. Even after repairs, he says, the old levee system—which holds the Pajaro River back from the agriculture fields and neighborhoods in both Monterey and Santa Cruz Counties—is rife with weakness that could mean more flooding in future years. … ” Read more from Good Times Santa Cruz.
The Pajaro River levee restoration project is a unicorn: 100 percent of local funding will come from the state.
“David Schmalz here, thinking about the residents of Pajaro and grateful that President Joe Biden finally issued a formal declaration of disaster for the area, which will free up federal resources to help residents on what could be a tough road toward recovery. I’ve also been thinking how unlucky Pajaro residents are that this winter of deluge happened before the long-planned Army Corps of Engineers levee restoration project was completed—it’s projected to begin in 2025. But another part of my brain also recognizes that the current protection levels of the Pajaro River levee only guard against a 15.4-year flood event, meaning there’s a 6.5-percent chance it could occur in any given year. And considering that it last breached in 1998, the fact that it took 25 years for it to happen again actually seems lucky. … ” Read more from Monterey Weekly.
Monterey Peninsula Water Management District names its price for Cal Am: $449 million.
“In November 2018, when voters on the Monterey Peninsula approved Measure J with 56 percent of the vote, they gave the Monterey Peninsula Water Management District a mandate: buy out Cal Am’s local water infrastructure, and become the Peninsula’s new water supplier—if feasible. The feasibility of the buyout was affirmed by the district’s consultants in 2020, but there was a hiccup thereafter—the district asked the Local Agency Formation Commission of Monterey County to activate the district’s “latent powers” to become a retail water provider. Despite LAFCO staff’s recommendation to grant the district such powers, the board voted against it. The district then sued LAFCO over the denial, and the litigation continues. However, MPWMD General Manager Dave Stoldt has long maintained that the district doesn’t need LAFCO’s blessing to forge ahead, just that it could make things easier in the buyout process. But when it comes to water in Monterey County, nothing’s ever easy aside from pumping. … ” Read more from Monterey Weekly.
Monterey Peninsula water district offers $448M for Cal Am delivery system; Cal Am says no
“Monterey Peninsula water officials, buffeted by a standing-room-only crowd of supporters of a public takeover of California American Water Co., made an offer to the water retailer of $448 million for its delivery system on Monday. Cal Am immediately refused, setting up a condemnation battle in the courts. Five years after voters approved Measure J requiring the Monterey Peninsula Water Management District to pursue the feasibility and acquisition of the Peninsula water system from Cal Am, the district board of directors unanimously green-lighted the appraised value of Cal Am based on an earlier closed session vote. The district sent over the offer to Cal Am at about 3:30 p.m. Monday. Cal Am has often criticized the district for the money it has been spending, but that hasn’t phased supporters. … ” Read more from the Monterey Herald.
Paso Robles City Council greenlights funding for ambitious recycled water project
“The Paso Robles City Council has approved millions in funding for an ambitious recycled water project. The project involves building a 4.5-mile pipeline that will carry recycled water to vineyards and parks on the east side of the city. “I think it’ll save water and it goes back into the ground,” said Doris Vermi, who lives near Paso Robles. The city is moving forward with a $35 million-dollar project that will bring an extra source of water to the east side of the city along Highway 46. … ” Read more from KSBY.
Santa Barbara County planners deflect a Cuyama Valley ‘water grab’ by Harvard University
“When a subsidiary of Harvard University’s investment company bought the North Fork Ranch in the parched high desert of the Cuyama Valley in 2012 and planted 840 acres of wine grapes, the locals were worried. The 6,565-acre ranch, south of Highway 166 and the Cuyama River and nine miles west of New Cuyama, had been historically used as dry rangeland — but Harvard drilled 16 wells to irrigate its new vineyard, the largest in the valley. The county doesn’t require a zoning permit to grow grapes, but Robbie Jaffe, co-owner of Condor’s Hope Ranch, a five-acre vineyard less than two miles from North Fork, was concerned that the pumping for the new vineyard — she didn’t know back then that it belonged to Harvard — would affect her small operation. “We were just astounded that there could possibly be the water supply in this area to put in a vineyard that size,” Jaffe said. “It was literally shocking.” … ” Read more from the Santa Barbara Independent.
A proposal to create fish farms in the Santa Barbara Channel meets some local opposition
“There’s a proposal to create 8 fish farms in the Santa Barbara Channel. The sites are part of a wider proposal to develop 19 sites in US federal waters. The sites, which include 8 in the Santa Barbara Channel, are being proposed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) following a Trump-era Executive Order to develop sites for fish farms. “These sites are really really harmful for a myriad of reasons,” said Jake Schwartz from Don’t Cage Our Oceans. … ” Read more from KCLU.
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
Manganese in Central Valley water threatens fetuses and children
“Water in California’s Central Valley contains enough manganese to cause cognitive disabilities and motor control issues in children, and Parkinson’s-like symptoms in adults. A naturally occurring metal, manganese is found in water supplies throughout the world. It is regulated as a primary contaminant in many Southeast Asian countries where the climate causes it to leach into groundwater. However, in the U.S. it is regulated only as a secondary contaminant, meaning no maximum level is enforced. A new UC Riverside-led study shows that, among Central Valley communities, the highest concentrations of manganese are in private, untreated well water systems. However, the researchers also found it in public water systems at higher concentrations than what studies have shown can have adverse health effects. … ” Read more from UC Riverside.
The resurrection of Tulare Lake
“Crisscrossing the dry flatlands of the San Joaquin Valley last week, I drove along a narrow country road just outside this small agricultural town known as the “Farming Capital of California,” tilled dirt fields on either side of me as far as the eye could see. And then, suddenly, water. A vast inland sea rose beside the pavement, and the waters glittered far out into the horizon. An egret flapped its snowy white wings along the banks of the newly formed lake. Shorebirds twittered and blue-gray waves lapped and whooshed, bringing the sounds of the beach to the Central Valley. For the first time in decades, Tulare Lake had returned. … ” Read more from the New York Times.
Isabella Dam safety project done just in time for record snowpack
“Speaker after speaker on Tuesday noted the years long construction project to increase safety on Isabella Dam was completed this past October – just in time. With a snowpack at 422% of normal, the reservoir is expected to hit its full capacity of 568,000 acre feet, and then some. Water content in Kern River watershed is estimated at 1.8 million acre feet, which means even at full capacity, Isabella Lake will have to empty and refill several times. Water is expected to be released from both the dam’s river valves and its spillway, possibly reaching 9,000 cubic feet per second through June and July, according to Kern River Watermaster Mark Mulkay. … ” Read more from SJV Water.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Plans for 10-acre lake in Rialto get $2 million federal boost
“A plan in Rialto to construct 10 acres of lake and wetlands adjacent to the city’s wastewater treatment plant near the Santa Ana River received $2 million in federal funding this week. The Lake Rialto Habitat Management Community Open Space, or Lake Rialto, for short, will be “an environmentally-sensitive and attractive recreational facility and wildlife habitat,” Mayor Deborah Robertson said in a statement. It will be created using recycled water from Rialto’s treatment plant, which produces about 7 million gallons of recycled water daily. In addition to the 10-acre lake south of Santa Ana Avenue on the outskirts of town, the area will have a mile of pedestrian trails, open green space and places for educational environmental programs. … ” Read more from the San Bernardino Sun.
IMPERIAL/COACHELLA VALLEYS
Golfer, official rescue driver from car that plunged into Indio canal
“A golfer in the middle of his round during a Southern California Golf Association championship and an SCGA official jumped into a canal at an Indio course Tuesday to extricate a driver from a car that was submerged in the water. “I have never seen an incident like this,” said Jeff Ninnemann, director of championships and golf operations for the SCGA, who leaped into the Coachella branch of the All-American Canal that runs through the 36-hole Terra Lago Golf Resort. “I was certain when the water started filling and we could not get that door open, I was certain it was going to end a lot worse.” Battalion Chief Jorge Segura of CalFire in Indio said that sometime before 10:30 a.m., a driver of a Nissan Pathfinder went off the road near the clubhouse at Terra Lago and cut through an empty lot filled with trees, piles of sand and rock and even boulders. Tournament officials said they believed the driver was having a seizure behind the wheel. … ” Read more from the Desert Sun.
Imperial Valley: As river runs dry, desert region is at a crossroads
“For a hundred years, ever since engineers diverted water from the Colorado River, farming has shaped and sustained life in the valley. Imperial County’s $2.9 billion agriculture sector, wholly dependent on the Colorado River, accounts for a quarter of its economy, employing one-sixth of its workforce. Scientists warn the river could run dry within two years. As it dwindles, the region stands at a crossroads. “If agriculture goes away, so goes the community,” said Tina Shields, water manager for the Imperial Irrigation District. The Imperial Valley is home to 180,000 people. The largely Latino county has the state’s lowest median income and its highest jobless rate. Entitled to more than a third of all the water in the Colorado River’s Lower Basin, the region is both rich in water and uniquely reliant on it. … ” Read more from Ag Alert.
SAN DIEGO
Rains worsen San Diego’s most dangerous dam
“Lake Hodges Dam has received the state’s worst possible safety rating, leaving the city with another delay in making repairs some say are decades overdue. Last month, the state’s Division of Safety of Dams downgraded its condition from poor to unsatisfactory due to seismic issues, rating the hazard “extremely high.” The 105-year-old city dam is at the end of its lifespan. The discovery of new defects are outpacing the city’s ability to make repairs. Over 10 percent of dam failures occur when dams are 100 years or older. … ” Read more from the San Diego Reader.
Spring and sewage are in the air near San Diego
“Public health officials have long known that sewage-ladened coastal waters threaten the health of swimmers and surfers. However, new research shows that this common form of water pollution might also pose health risks to those who stay ashore. Bacteria and pollutants found in sewage-tainted water can be ejected into the atmosphere via sea spray aerosols—tiny droplets that form when waves break—according to a study published in Environmental Science and Technology. “Once they get into the air, those aerosols can travel miles,” said study coauthor Kimberly Prather, an atmospheric chemist at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California, San Diego. As a result, “many, many more people are exposed.” … ” Read more from EOS.
Along the Colorado River …
Colorado River Basin reservoirs still face grim outlook despite healthy snowpack
“The healthy snowpack whitening Colorado’s mountain peaks has given water officials some breathing room to manage the Colorado River Basin’s ongoing drought. The challenge will be not to squander it. As winter storms wind down, water managers and policymakers are mulling over decisions about how to release and retain water in shrunken reservoirs across the basin, which supports 40 million people across the West. This year, many Colorado reservoirs will have the chance to refill, but the situation is still grim for the two largest reservoirs in the system, Lake Mead and Lake Powell. “While having a decent year of snowpack doesn’t solve all of our problems, it does give us a little bit of breathing room to focus on longer-term issues,” said Amy Ostdiek, chief of the interstate, federal and water information section at the Colorado Water Conservation Board, the state’s leading water agency. … ” Read more from the Colorado Sun.
Cities or farms — who should get precious Colorado River water?
“Yuma-area farmers are fighting a proposed set of Colorado River water use curbs, saying they favor urban users in Phoenix and Tucson even though the farmers have higher-priority rights to the water. The disagreement means puts Arizona’s two biggest Colorado River water using sectors — big cities and farms — squarely at odds. And it’s happening at the same time Arizona and five other Colorado River Basin states are squaring off against California over how to shave millions of acre feet a year off total diversions of water from the overallocated, depleted river. An attorney for the Yuma farmers, Wade Noble, wrote Arizona state water chief Tom Buschatzke recently that the farmers don’t agree with a number of key points in a proposal for river water cuts made by Arizona and all the other seven river basin states except California. … ” Read more from the Arizona Daily Star.
Lake Mead water level rises, defies projections
“Lake Mead, the largest reservoir on the Colorado River and a major source of Southern California’s water, is staying above the most recent projections released by the government several weeks ago, KTLA sister station KLAS reports. According to the US Bureau of Reclamation’s “Most Probable 24-Month Study” published in March, Lake Mead was projected to have dropped to approximately 1,043.06 feet (above sea level). But as of April 3, Lake Mead’s water level is at 1,045.91, almost three feet above the projected level. It’s a positive trend seen in the last three months of projections. … ” Read more from KTLA.
Nevada Legislature bill would urge federal government to protect the Colorado River
“If passed, a bill in the Nevada Legislature would urge the United States Bureau of Reclamation to consider more measures to protect and manage the Colorado River. SJR 3 reads that the Colorado River is the most vital water source in Nevada, and much of the western states, including 22 Native American tribes and Mexico. Ninety percent of Southern Nevada’s water supply comes from the Colorado River via Lake Mead, which is still facing unprecedented drought and aridification. … ” Read more from Channel 5.
Controversial Arizona bill would allow factories to treat their own water
“A bill to let Nestlé treat wastewater at its proposed Glendale plant and pump that water into the aquifer, earning water storage credits to draw on in the future, is raising fears that it will pit businesses against other water users. Under SB 1660, industrial plants would not only be allowed to treat their wastewater on-site, but they would also earn long-term storage credits for treated water they put back in the aquifer. Companies could use those credits later to draw out 75% of the treated water they put in the ground. One of the bill’s sponsors, Sen. Sine Kerr, R-Buckeye, points out that it will be a net gain of 25% in the groundwater for other users, and called the plan “the best aquifer management program the state will have.” But its many critics – which include water utilities, home builders and the city of Phoenix, among others – said the bill would create a fragmented system, overburden the state Department of Environmental Quality and possibly degrade the quality of Arizona’s water. … ” Read more from Cronkite News.
Arizona judge, special master set to preside over 2 crucial water cases
“Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Scott Blaney has chosen a water master for general stream adjudications involving the state’s two key water cases. Blaney, who was recently appointed by the Arizona Supreme Court to oversee the cases involving Gila River and the Little Colorado River systems, named Sherri Zendri as the special master, according to a press release. Zendri assumed her role meant to provide additional support for general stream adjudications on March 20. A general stream adjudications is a judicial proceeding that is used to determine the priority and extent of all water rights, the release said. … ” Read more from KTAR.
In national water news today …
Biden-Harris administration announces over $391 million for drinking water infrastructure upgrades in California
“Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced $391,500,000 to California for essential drinking water infrastructure upgrades through the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF). Thanks to a $6 billion boost from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, EPA is increasing the investments available to rebuild the nation’s water infrastructure. “Every community deserves access to safe, clean drinking water,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “Thanks to President Biden’s historic infrastructure investments in America, we have an unprecedented opportunity to revitalize America’s drinking water systems, support the Biden-Harris Administration’s goal of removing 100% of lead pipes across our country, and protect communities from PFAS pollution.” … ” Read more from EPA.
