On the calendar today …
- WEBINAR: Seeing the Forest: For the Wildlife from 12pm to 1pm. Join us for part 3 of Pacific Forest Trust’s “Seeing the Forest” webinar series, which will include a discussion with PFT President Laurie Wayburn and panelists Paul Henson, Lauren Ponisio and Brett Furnas on the impact of current forest management policies and climate change on forest biodiversity. We’ll explore the critical role of natural forest management in restoring and maintaining older forests that can better support the native species that call our forest lands “home.” Click here to register.
- MEETING: Drought Resilience Interagency & Partners (DRIP) Collaborative April Meeting from 1pm to 4:30pm. Join the Department of Water Resources for the first Drought Resilience Interagency & Partners (DRIP) Collaborative meeting. Members of the public will be able to observe the meeting and provide public comments in-person at the meeting location or remotely. Registration is not required to provide public comments. Members of the public who wish to comment during the meeting can do so by joining on Zoom (https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89304863093). The meeting will be webcast live at: https://youtube.com/live/Hb4yCRtfIlI?feature=share.
In California water news today …
After floods in California and Pakistan comes a scale for ‘atmospheric rivers’
“For skiers it has been an epic winter in California, with more than 16 metres of snow recorded at the Donner Pass in the Sierra Nevada. But for many people the excessively stormy winter has brought misery, submerging homes in snow, and causing widespread flooding and landslides across the state. The source of this string of powerful storms has been an “atmospheric river”, with clouds carrying as much moisture as the Mississippi. Atmospheric rivers are nothing new, but they do appear to be growing more intense and frequent, driven by warmer temperatures and faster evaporation from the world’s oceans. Now scientists have devised an intensity scale for atmospheric rivers, enabling forecasters to rank the severity and identify extremes. The scale, described in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres, mirrors the hurricane scale and runs from AR-1 to AR-5, with AR-5 being the most intense. … ” Read more from The Guardian.
Dramatic photos show how storms filled California reservoirs
“Water levels fell so low in key reservoirs during the depth of California’s drought that boat docks sat on dry, cracked land and cars drove into the center of what should have been Folsom Lake. Those scenes are no more after a series of powerful storms dumped record amounts of rain and snow across California, replenishing reservoirs and bringing an end — mostly — to the state’s three-year drought. Now, 12 of California’s 17 major reservoirs are filled above their historical averages for the start of spring. That includes Folsom Lake, which controls water flows along the American River, as well as Lake Oroville, the state’s second largest reservoir and home to the nation’s tallest dam. … ” Read more and view pictures from The Independent.
Here’s where experts say California’s historic snowpack presents the greatest flood risks
“While California’s historic snowpack is a boon for drought conditions, the unprecedented amount of water pouring down from the Sierra raises concerns for flooding downstream, where flows converge. The snowmelt runoff forecasts for the April-to-July period range from 265% of average in the Kings River watershed, to an “absurdly high” 422% of average in the Kern River watershed, according to Sean de Guzman, manager for snow surveys and water supply forecasting for the California Department of Water Resources. The data comes from the March 28 update of a monthly publication forecasting seasonal runoff from the state’s major watersheds. The department also forecasts high runoff in watersheds to the north over the April to July timeframe: 126% of average in the inflow to Shasta Lake, the state’s biggest reservoir, and 181% of average in the Feather River at Oroville. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle. | Read via MSN News.
SEE ALSO:
- ‘Very, very dangerous’: These parts of California face flood risk from snowmelt, spring sun, from the LA Times. | Read via AOL News.
- Will a ‘wall of water’ flow down from Sierra Nevada when snow melts? Experts weigh in, from the Sacramento Bee
Column: Wait for a 300% snowpack to melt may not be a long one
“The Central Valley has got its good news and bad news. There is a record 305% of average snowpack in the southern Sierra and a forecast for a high of 81 degrees in Hanford this weekend — the second week of April. The contrasts around the region are dramatic with Mammoth Mountain’s snowpack at 870 inches at the summit. Talk about contrasts — Death Valley is forecast to reach over 100 degrees on Easter. China Peak, above Fresno, now sports over 700 inches of snow at the top of the mountain. Mammoth says you will be skiing at least into July and at China Peak they are scheduled to be open into May. California’s highest-ever recorded snowfall was 818 inches (68.24 feet) in 1938. More snow is forecast this week in Northern California, as days seem to see-saw between cold and warming up. The big atmospheric river storms appear to be gone, thank you. … ” Read more from the Hanford Sentinel.
Pilot project aims to divert excess water runoff potentially caused by massive Sierra snowpack
“For most of California’s history, a record snowpack in the Sierra has been like money in the bank — filling reservoirs and keeping rivers healthy and flowing year-round. But in this era of climate change, there’s a real concern that some of that precious water could slip through our fingers. “If we get a very warm rain, or a series of warm rains — if we get an extended period of warm weather, that’s going to trigger the snowmelt and the flooding potential for the river,” said Central Valley rancher Don Cameron. Cameron runs the Terra Nova Ranch near Fresno. He’s building a pilot project that could help reshape the way California manages and stores its Sierra runoff. It involves diverting excess water from the nearby Kings River through a network of canals to deliberately swamp his own fields. … ” Read more from ABC San Francisco.
Biden gives California more than $690 million to improve water quality and infrastructure
“Over the course of two days, the Biden administration announced it would give the state more than $690 million for water projects this year. On Tuesday, the United States Environmental Protection Agency said it would send California more than $391 million to improve its drinking water infrastructure this year. On Wednesday, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation said it would allocate $300 million to 24 projects for water delivery, storage and electricity in California. The funding for each comes from the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The act injected $6 billion to the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund for states, territories and tribal lands to use in 2023, according to the EPA on Tuesday. … ” Read more from McClatchy DC | Read via Yahoo News.
SEE ALSO:
- Biden-Harris Administration Announces Nearly $585 Million from Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to Repair Aging Water Infrastructure, Advance Drought Resilience, press release from the Bureau of Reclamation
- Feinstein Applauds $300 Million Investment to Repair California Water Infrastructure, from Senator Feinstein’s office
- Here’s where new federal funding will be spent on California’s aging water projects, from the San Jose Mercury News
The promises—and perils—of ocean desalination
“Sean Bothwell can understand why people think desalination is a silver bullet. When he was a kid living in California’s Orange County, the ocean was always close by. It didn’t make sense to him that all the water near him wasn’t usable. “I grew up thinking, like, why the heck aren’t we desalinating?” said Bothwell, who is now executive director of the California Coastkeeper Alliance. “Why are people always saying that we need to save water and conserve?” Now, a few decades later, California is in an even more dire situation—as is the rest of the world, much of which went through one of the driest summers on record last year. As water crises around the world become more common as climate change stresses already-overused water systems, it’s clear more resources are going to be needed. Making use of abundant ocean water seems like a better and better deal. … ” Read more from Gizmodo.
SEE ALSO: WEBINAR SUMMARY: What is the potential role of desalination in California’s water portfolio?, from Maven’s Notebook
Column: There’s a bright side to the battery of California storms — more clean hydroelectric power and groundwater
George Skelton writes, “Drought-busting storms this season have given California priceless opportunities on two ecological fronts. We’re practically drowning in water already, and the heavy runoff of record Sierra snow hasn’t even begun. First, we’ll have previously unimagined volumes of water to generate clean hydroelectric power. That means burning less dirty fossil fuel and less likelihood of power blackouts. Hydro has been a basically overlooked benefit of our three-month drenching. Second, we can now earnestly pursue the ambitious task of refilling our depleted underground reservoirs, the sinking aquifers that have been irresponsibly overpumped for decades, mostly by farmers. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
Superbloom or superbust? California blooms with life after a massive rainy season : 6 places to see wildflowers
“The term “superbloom” has been thrown around excitedly this year, especially after the rainy season that just hit California––more than 600% of the normal rainfall. This month, California is coming alive with the radiant colors of wildflowers. I got a preview last weekend at North Table Mountain Ecological Reserve. Blanketed with the most vibrant greens, oranges, purples, and whites, it felt like I was walking through a watercolor painting. North Table Mountain lived up to its name: The entire landscape was flat, except for the majestic, twisting blue oaks that stood against the crisp, cloudless sky. It seemed as if the blanket of color would never end until I reached the cliffside––an immediate drop into an impressive canyon complete with a 160-foot waterfall. … ” Read more from UC Davis.
SEE ALSO: Spring super bloom taking off around California Valley, from KSBY
Gone for good? California’s beetle-killed, carbon-storing pine forests may not come back
“Ponderosa pine forests in the Sierra Nevada that were wiped out by western pine beetles during the 2012-2015 megadrought won’t recover to pre-drought densities, reducing an important storehouse for atmospheric carbon. “Forests store huge amounts of atmospheric carbon, so when western pine beetle infestations kill off millions of trees, that carbon dioxide goes back into the atmosphere,” said Zachary Robbins, a postdoctoral at Los Alamos National Laboratory. Robbins is corresponding author of a new paper published in the journal Frontiers in Environmental Science about carbon stored in living ponderosa pines in the Sierra Nevada of California. “We also found that because so many trees died during the megadrought, there’s much less risk of another huge die-off this century because the bark beetles will have fewer host trees,” he said. … ” Read more from Science Daily.
California marks progress, historic investments to protect people and nature from climate change threats
“The Newsom Administration today issued a progress report on actions over the past year to build climate resilience across California. Guided by the state’s Climate Adaptation Strategy, California is leading the way with comprehensive and innovative actions to adjust to changes and protect the most vulnerable communities from accelerating climate threats. The report released today shows nearly three-quarters of the Strategy’s 350+ metrics across nearly 150 actions are well underway, ongoing, or completed, with the remaining metrics in the early stages of scoping or beginning project work. See the progress here. “Climate change is happening all around us. In just the last year, California experienced a record heat wave and communities suffering from years of drought are now facing historic flooding,” Governor Gavin Newsom said. “We are acting now with an all-of-the-above approach to help all Californians prepare and adapt. California’s Climate Adaptation Strategy recognizes that extreme weather and other climate impacts threaten communities in every part of our state and accelerates actions to protect the most vulnerable. While we have made great progress over the last year, the climate crisis demands we move further and faster to reduce risks to our people.” … ” Read more from the Natural Resources Agency.
EPA, CNRA give a progress update on California’s climate strategy
“On Wednesday, the state’s natural resources agency provided information on California’s Climate Adaptation Strategy Progress Report. The report was created to outline ways to protect Californians from climate-driven threats. Officials from the California Natural Resources Agency, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Office of the Governor’s Senior Climate Advisor came together to discuss how the state has made progress implementing coordinated efforts to build climate resilience and protecting people from the impacts of the climate crisis. The California Climate Adaptation Strategy highlights how 2022 was a year of unprecedented extremes in California, dominated by extreme heat, drought, and flooding. It consists of nearly 150 actions across 6 priorities being implemented through projects all across the state. … ” Read more from Channel 23.
Today’s featured article …
DELTA LEAD SCIENTIST: Sea level rise and the Delta’s wetlands
Wetlands an ‘important battle partner’ in managing sea level rise, plus how atmospheric rivers might factor in
At the March meeting of the Delta Stewardship Council, Delta Lead Scientist Dr. Laurel Larsen spotlighted recent research on the effect of sea level rise on wetlands.
Dr. Laurel Larsen began the article spotlight with a question: How do we estimate which parts of coastal landscapes will be inundated with future sea level rise?
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
Klamath Project receives $8.75M to study, repair canals under federal infrastructure
“The Klamath Project will receive $8.75 million to study and repair aging water infrastructure as part of a $585 million federal outlay announced Wednesday, April 5. Funding will be provided to 83 projects in 11 states this year to increase drought resilience and improve water delivery systems. The Klamath Project will receive $5 million from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation to study using alternative Cement-Bentonite Slurry Walls on the A Canal. The Klamath Irrigation District would also look at piping the canal for approximately 9 miles using high-density polyethylene pipe. An additional $3.75 million will be going to the project’s C Canal for a 1-mile slurry cutoff wall using controlled low-strength material — also known as flowable fill. That would include retrofitting and modifying one flume. … ” Read more from Herald & News.
Yurok Tribe scores big grant to continue its salmon habitat restoration work on the Trinity River
“The Yurok Tribe recently received a $3,990,587 grant from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife for an urgently needed, large-scale river restoration project on the Trinity River. “These funds will help us transform a severely damaged section of the Trinity into diverse, dynamic and complex habitat for salmon and steelhead,” said Frankie Myers, the Yurok Tribe’s Vice Chairman and President of the Yurok Tribe Construction Corporation. “I sincerely thank California Governor Newsom and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife for investing in our effort to rebuild these invaluable fish stocks and make the Klamath Basin more resilient to climate change. These funds could not have come at a better time.” … ” Read more from the Lost Coast Outpost.
Huffman announces $65.9 million for Trinity River Hatchery upgrades
“Rep. Jared Huffman (CA-02) announced $65.9 million has been awarded to modernize and repair the Trinity River Hatchery in the northern part of his district. This project is one of 83 projects in 11 states that was selected as part of a nearly $585 million investment from President Joe Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to improve water conveyance and storage, increase safety, improve hydropower generation and provide water treatment. The Trinity River Hatchery project will install a supervisory control and data acquisition, or SCADA, system; replace corroded and leaking piping; install new filtration system and incubator jars; abate hazardous noise from hatchery operations; and replace deteriorated iron supports for 150 shallow troughs and 26 deep tanks. … ” Read more from the Lake County News.
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
Millions provided to reduce wildfire risk: Largest agreement to date between USFS and NFF to benefit North Yuba Landscape
“The U.S. Forest Service announced on Wednesday that Tahoe National Forest is providing the National Forest Foundation with $117 million to implement forest management work in the North Yuba Landscape that will help to prevent or lessen extreme wildfire events. “In 2022, North Yuba Landscape was one of 10 initial high-risk landscapes nationally selected for investment as part of the Forest Service’s Wildfire Crisis Strategy,” forest service officials said. “The landscape is one of the most at-risk watersheds to large-scale, catastrophic fire in the United States and includes the 275,000-acre North Yuba Landscape Resilience Project, a multi-phase vegetation and fuels management project to be implemented over 15 to 20 years.” With the additional funding, the National Forest Foundation is expected to treat more than 21,000 acres of forest and produce more than 55 million board feet of timber from thinning treatments. … ” Read more from the Appeal-Democrat. | Read via Yahoo News. | Read press release from Yuba Water.
Yuba Water discusses water supply conditions, approves funding for local hydro improvements and more
“Water supply in Yuba County is in excellent condition. That was one of the key takeaways from today’s Yuba Water Agency Board of Directors meeting. “After three very dry years, Yuba County’s water supply is in fantastic shape this year, thanks to the exceptionally wet and snowy winter we’ve had,” said Ryan McNally, Yuba Water’s director of water resources and flood risk reduction. In a presentation to the board, McNally described the health of Yuba County’s surface and groundwater supplies and how Yuba Water works closely with its local irrigation partners to manage those supplies. McNally also detailed the agency’s extensive water delivery infrastructure and planned upgrades to ensure continued water supply reliability. … ” Read more from Yuba Water.
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
Adapting to a changing climate through ridgetop to river mouth water management
“In a recent blog, titled “The Climate is Changing. How we Manage Water Must Change Too,” Dr. Liz Chamberlin, Director of Innovation with Point Blue Conservation Science describes how with more frequent floods and droughts, water management needs to change in California to adapt to climate change while continuing to deliver water for all beneficial uses. This change involves managing water and land resources from the ridgetop to the river mouth – restoring mountain meadows in the Sierra and reactivating floodplains and implementing nature-based solutions in agricultural lands along the Valley floor. Dr. Chamberlin’s complete blog is available below. … ” Read more from the Northern California Water Association.
NAPA/SONOMA
Board of Supervisors gives initial approval to Well Ordinance update
“The Board of Supervisors on Tuesday gave initial approval to amendments to the county’s Well Ordinance, which would create a new regulatory process for approving well permits. Under the amendments, before a well permit may be approved, potential adverse impacts on public trust resources in navigable waterways, such as the Russian River, would be analyzed and mitigated to the extent feasible. The amendments were created to reflect the county’s responsibilities under California’s public trust doctrine regarding natural resources such as waterways. The board also voted on Tuesday to extend the current six-month moratorium on new, non-emergency well permits, which the board established in October 2022 to allow staff time to update the ordinance. The extended moratorium will expire upon the effective date of the amended ordinance if it is finally adopted on April 18. … ” Read more from the County of Sonoma.
Board approves major infrastructure investment project for maintenance of aging water storage tanks
“On Tuesday, April 4, the Board of Directors of the Sonoma County Water Agency (Sonoma Water) approved a $6 million contract for recoating two major water storage tanks, Cotati Tank No. 1 and Kastania Tank, the largest infrastructure upgrade project to date. The Cotati Tank No. 1 and Kastania Tank Recoating is part of Sonoma Water’s Tank Maintenance Program, an essential element of Sonoma Water’s Capital Improvement Plan that protects the transmission system’s 18 above-grade welded steel water storage tanks through targeted proactive maintenance actions, structural repairs, and cathodic protection systems. “This project is the largest of its kind and is aimed at ensuring the long-term sustainability of our water storage and transmission infrastructure. By recoating these tanks, we can ensure their continued functionality and reliability for years to come,” said David Rabbitt, Sonoma Water Director. … ” Read more from County of Sonoma.
Sonoma Land Trust acquires 174-acre land that boasts endangered flower species, vernal pools
“A 174-acre span of land along Sonoma Mountain that features lush green meadows, seasonal pools of water and a variety of endangered flower species has been conserved so future generations may discover its qualities as a natural haven. Known as Sonoma Mountain Vernal Pools, the property was purchased March 10 by the Sonoma Land Trust, a charitable nonprofit that buys land with the goal of conservation, in partnership with the Sonoma County Ag + Open Spaces, which acquired a conservation easement for the tract of land. The purchase further contributes to California’s goal of conserving 30% of the state’s lands by 2030. … ” Read more from the Sonoma Index-Tribune.
BAY AREA
Here’s when the first round of showers will arrive in the Bay Area
“A low-pressure system that’s been gradually deepening off the coast of California over the last few days is set to come ashore Thursday afternoon, ushering in yet another chance for rain across portions of the Bay Area. This system isn’t slated to bring anywhere near the levels of ferocity seen in many of the March storms , but it is a reminder that the historic wet season isn’t over just yet. This upcoming low-pressure system will raise some concerns of flooding in the Central Valley as well as isolated landslides, with the storm’s first round of showers on tap for parts of Northern California starting Thursday evening. Winds will pick up Thursday afternoon and begin blowing out of the northwest, reaching gusts of 25 mph across the North Bay, San Francisco and the Peninsula, carrying moisture into the wider Bay Area and raising puffy cumulus clouds. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
Benicia declares state of emergency over damaged water line
“Benicia officially declared a state of emergency on Tuesday, formally putting into motion its response to fixing a damaged water line that has forced residents to rely on secondary drinking water sources. The Benicia City Council unanimously ratified an emergency proclamation issued last week by the interim city manager, opening Benicia up to receiving emergency funds for repairs from external sources. Some relief could come from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Benicia is in conversation with the Solano County Office of Emergency Services for backup support, financial assistance and oversight, but the city is the chief responder to the incident. More direct state and federal oversight could occur if the county and other local municipalities are unable to provide assistance. … ” Read more from the Vallejo Times-Herald.
With ‘horizontal levee,’ Palo Alto brings new approach to sea-level rise protection
“The newest levee in the Palo Alto Baylands will look nothing like the others. Once completed, it will stand between Harbor Marsh and the Regional Water Quality Control Plant, gradually rising from the tidal marshes of the bay and toward the grassier landscapes around Byxbee Park and the wastewater plant. Unlike the existing levees, which tend to be more steep, hulky and rocky, the new one will function as an ecotone — a transitional zone between the two habitats and a new refuge for endangered Baylands species such as the Ridgway’s rail and the salt marsh harvest mouse. … ” Read more from Palo Alto Online.
CENTRAL COAST
Big Basin Water Company faces state intervention
“After regularly failing to provide reliable safe drinking water for people in Boulder Creek and amounting millions of dollars in fines from the state, Big Basin Water Company, a private utility, faces intervention by the State Resources Water Control Board. The agency is pushing for receivership, a process that would place a judge-appointed lawyer temporarily in charge of managing Big Basin’s Water operations until it comes up to code. Ownership does not change. A letter by the Office of Enforcement to Big Basin, at the request of the State Water Control Board, in part reads, “BBWC must ensure a reliable and adequate supply of water at all times that is pure, wholesome, potable and does not endanger the health of its consumers. … ” Read more from KSBY.
Pismo Beach enters desal study, focus still on Central Coast Blue
“Pismo Beach joined a local desalination feasibility study, completing the San Luis Obispo County-wide bandwagon to identify long-term water supply sources. The last to participate, the Pismo Beach City Council agreed on April 4 to support county efforts in the face of exiting two historic droughts and an uncharacteristically wet winter season, the flood control and water conservation district naming water resiliency as a high priority, and the Central Coast Blue project nearing realization. A SLO County-based desalinated water project is one of the many options that could be available to Pismo Beach to buttress against drought-induced water shortages. Other sources include connecting to Diablo Canyon’s desalination plant, raising the Lake Lopez dam spillway, and buying more water from the state. … ” Read more from New Times SLO.
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
SSJID irrigation starts April 13; storm coming
“There’s more rain and snow on the way. But this time around it will be more of an early spring storm. The National Weather Service is calling for light rain — less than a tenth of an inch — to fall on Manteca, Ripon, and Lathrop between late tonight and early Saturday. Meanwhile, the series of atmospheric rivers has allowed South San Joaquin Irrigation District to push back the start of their irrigation season to April 13. It marks the third time that SSJID has started the irrigation season as late as April since 1990. The other times were April 15, 1991, April 5, 1995 and April 20, 1998. … ” Read more from the Manteca Bulletin.
Rains bring California lake back from the dead: ‘We’re surrounded by water’
“Kayode Kadara is worried about the rising waters near his home. Just a few months ago, this landscape in California’s Central Valley was a dry basin filled with pistachio and almond groves. Then a winter of historic rain and snow brought Tulare Lake – a huge freshwater body drained a century ago by agricultural canals – rushing back from the dead. Workers from state agencies have brought sandbags in by helicopter, rebuilt levees and constructed walls to hold the deluge back. “We are surrounded by water,” Kadara says. For places like Kadara’s home town of Allensworth, a historically Black community on the shores of Tulare Lake, the return has brought concerns about the future, and who will get flooded first. … ” Read more from The Guardian.
South Valley communities battle flooding as storms continue
“Two communities in Tulare County are currently flooded with several inches of water due to levee breaks caused by the pressure built up from the immense rains that have battered the Central Valley. Meanwhile, in Kings County, designed and illegal levee cuts have taken place, resulting in the old Tulare Lake starting to re-form. The big picture: Over the weekend, the Kings County Board of Supervisors voted to cut a levee to relieve pressure on the Tule River, resulting in planned flooding of the old Tulare Lakebed. … ” Read more from the San Joaquin Valley Sun.
Flood response: Safely releasing water this spring key
“The effort to release water to “get us safely through the spring” was among the topics stressed by Tulare County Fire Chief Charlie Norman during what has now become his weekly update on the response to the flooding at Tuesday’s Tulare County Board of Supervisors meeting. Norman said the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has “done a fantastic job of letting water out to get us safely through the spring.” There are no storms expected for the next several weeks and at the request of the Lower Tule Irrigation District the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have temporarily reduced flows from the Richard L. Schafer Dam at Success Lake so the district can make repairs to its facilities damaged by high river flows. … ” Read more from the Porterville Recorder.
In defense of tomatoes: “Wherever it isn’t going to flood, we’re going to try to farm.” – Boswell president
“Representatives of the J.G. Boswell Company defended both the agricultural giant’s handling of flood water so far and its tomato plantings at the Kings County Board of Supervisors meeting Tuesday. In an impromptu discussion during public comments, Phil Hansen, with Hansen Ranches, again noted that areas of Boswell land deep in the old Tulare Lake bed remained dry while other areas that typically haven’t flooded, or were historically flooded last, are covered in water. In particular, he named sections in the southwestern corner of the lake that, in 1983, were filled first, progressing northward. “All those are still dry,” Hansen said. “And we reiterate that the bottom should flood first.” … ” Read more from SJV Water.
Major work on Isabella Dam Safety Modification Project is complete
“On Tuesday, House Speaker and California Congressman Kevin McCarthy joined the US Army Corps of Engineers and Kern County community leaders at a ribbon-cutting ceremony marking the official completion of Phase 2 of the Isabella Dam Safety Modification Project. Phase 2, the core of the project, is where all the main repairs were made to reduce flood risk for downstream communities like Bakersfield, which as we know has been on many people’s minds given the recent storms. Community members say they now feel safer and are happy to have their lake back. … ” Read more from Channel 23.
EASTERN SIERRA
Eastern Sierra “rain season” tops out at 68.9-inches, a new record
“The East Side’s rain season officially ended April 1. With any luck, the rain gods will adhere to that date and skulk away until autumn. What the season left was a new record of 68.9-inches of water content, soaring past the wettest year, 2016-17, that left a measly measurement just over 50 inches. At a hair under 70 inches, we have survived a rainfall three times higher than normal. Maybe the area’s normal could qualify for a desert, but nearly 70 inches is a whole lot of wet no matter where it falls. While skiers may be celebrating Mammoth’s massive snow dump and loading upon super sun screen for a summer on the slopes, the weather has wreaked havoc on those who live there. … ” Continue reading at the Sierra Wave.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Messy cleanup: 40,000 pounds of storm trash collected since February, county says
“Could too much rain cause more pollutant problems? It’s definitely something to keep an eye on as Southern California prepares for yet another storm. The wet conditions have caused sinkholes and toppled tress, but all the rain is also sending more pollutants into the ocean. “I think the amount of rainfall that we have had this season is unprecedented, and that means the amount of material that gets carried through the system is also unprecedented,” said Phyllis Grifman, the executive director of the USC Sea Grant program. Plus, the last three months in Southern California have been pretty wet. … ” Read more from KABC.
New 10-acre lake, wetlands area coming to Inland Empire
“The Inland Empire city of Rialto is planning to break ground this fall on an ambitious project that will bring 10 acres of lake, wetlands and trails to the community. This week, officials announced they are one step closer. On Tuesday, the city reported it had received $2 million in federal funding to support its Lake Rialto habitat project, bringing total funding for the $8 million project to more than $5 million. The project design is now 90% complete, according to Rialto Mayor Deborah Robertson, with Rep. Pete Aguilar (D-CA33) securing the latest funding. … ” Read more from The Patch.
Cadiz announces completion of wellfield expansion to 36,000 acre-feet per year
“Today, Cadiz, Inc. (NASDAQ: CDZI/CDZIP) (“Cadiz”, the “Company”), a clean water solutions company, announced that it completed construction of three new groundwater wells at the Cadiz Ranch increasing the wellfield to 12 production wells with an annual capacity of 36,000 acre-feet of water per year (AFY). With the new wells online, the Cadiz Ranch wellfield will have sufficient capacity to deliver the full volume of the Company’s Northern Pipeline, or 25,000 AFY, and also continue to support current agricultural operations at the Cadiz Ranch. “Our mission is to deliver clean, reliable and affordable water to people,” said Susan Kennedy , Executive Chair of Cadiz. “Our wellfield and infrastructure will provide both reliable new supply during extreme drought periods and underground storage during extreme wet periods.” … ” Read more from Investors Observer.
IMPERIAL/COACHELLA VALLEYS
Could Biden’s infrastructure law bring funding to Coachella Valley’s projects?
“As Coachella Valley officials eye the billions on the table to address dire infrastructure needs like local mobile home parks without clean drinking water, White House senior advisor and infrastructure coordinator Mitch Landrieu visited Thermal on Tuesday to tout funding opportunities available under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Landrieu joined U.S. Rep. Raul Ruiz, a Democrat who represents the 25th Congressional District, for a tour of Oasis Mobile Home Park where the infrastructure needs are particularly dire. The mobile home park has been repeatedly cited by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency over several years for having water that’s contaminated with dangerous levels of arsenic — a known carcinogen that can cause severe health problems if consumed at high levels over a prolonged period. Residents currently rely on bottled water to drink,while officials work to both relocate Oasis residents and expand public water lines across the eastern Coachella Valley. … ” Read more from The Desert Sun.
Conservation groups protect working farmland in Imperial County from future development
“Roughly 2,000 acres of farmland in Imperial County will remain either productive farmland or open space forever, in a move announced Wednesday that was designed to protect the agricultural land from potential housing development or other uses. Oswit Land Trust and the Trust for Public Land officials said Wednesday that they’ve acquired an agricultural conservation easement on nearly 2,000 acres of productive farmland in Imperial County, limiting the ability of the land to be used for non-agricultural uses in the future. The conservation groups placed the agricultural conservation easement on Alphabet Farms Ranch A, representing roughly 1,888 acres of currently productive farmland near Brawley in Imperial County. … ” Read more from the Desert Sun.
Congressman Ruiz praises $8 million investment towards Imperial Dam
“An $8.2 million award for the Colorado River Basin’s Imperial Dam was announced on Wednesday. Congressman Raul Ruiz (D-California) joined Senator Alex Padilla (D-California) and Deputy Secretary of the Interior Tommy Beaudreau. … “I’m most especially excited to celebrate the $8 million investment that will benefit the Colorado River Basin’s Imperial Dam,” said Dr. Ruiz. “The Imperial Dam is the cornerstone of water access for the Imperial Valley and its surrounding communities, helping nourish the crops that sustain our local economy. … ” Read more from KYMA.
Along the Colorado River …
Utah: Red tape and water shortages stand in the way of Lake Powell Pipeline
“In 2006, the Utah Legislature predicted Washington County would experience so much population growth it would need to build a 140-mile pipeline from Lake Powell to provide residents with water. So, they passed a bill to construct the Lake Powell Pipeline. Lawmakers were right about Washington County’s growth spurt. St. George has been ranked the fast-growing metro area in the nation, and that’s not projected to stop. Estimates place Washington County at more than 464,000 residents by 2060. It’s been 17 years since the Lake Powell Pipeline project was announced and no ground has been broken, but Washington County officials still say it’s their long-term plan. … ” Read more from KUER.
In national water news today …
Ocean Cleanup removes 200,000 kilograms of plastic from the Pacific Ocean
“The Ocean Cleanup is on a mission to remove plastic waste from the ocean. This restoration project recently passed another major milestone. As per the Twitter post, the non-profit organization has removed up to 200,000 kilograms of plastic debris from the North Pacific Ocean. It is known as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch (GPGP) and is situated between California and Hawaii. This feat was accomplished on Trip 13 during the first cleaning deployment of 2023. During the organization’s first waste extraction drive of the year, it was able to extract 6,260 kilograms of waste from a large pile of floating plastics, which included everything from large fishing nets to tiny microplastics. According to a study, over 75 percent of the garbage patch consists of fishing-related plastic waste. … ” Read more from Interesting Engineering.
The chemical menace inside glaciers and icebergs
“Inscribed in any chunk of Antarctic snow, Crispin Halsall will tell you, is a story about how humans have treated the planet. Over the years, each round of precipitation at the South Pole has brought down the atmospheric detritus of the day: pollen; volcanic ash; and of particular interest to Halsall, human pollution. Antarctic pollution can originate as far away as the northern hemisphere, with volatile chemicals floating in the wind to arrive at the South Pole in a matter of days. “Those layers of snow become an environmental record of contamination, going back decades,” says Halsall, who is a chemist at Lancaster University in the UK. The world’s icy landscapes also foretell our environmental future. As icebergs and glaciers melt, pollutants trapped inside are released back into seas, waterways, and the air. Melting ice can unleash harmful molecules that damage ecosystems, deplete the ozone layer, or mess with the weather. And due to rising global temperatures, more and more of the world’s frozen landscapes are thawing. … ” Read more from Wired.
