On the calendar today …
- GRACAST: The Pulse of an Aquifer: Making Sense of Geophysical Data in California’s San Joaquin Valley from 12pm to 1pm. Aquifer systems are often complex in how they change through time. When, where, and how water enters, moves through, and exits these underground reservoirs depends on a number of factors, such as the composition and structure of the aquifer system, the availability of natural and managed surface water, and the coordinated use of groundwater and surface water. Using simple yet novel techniques, we illustrate how California’s San Joaquin Valley episodically “pulses” by mapping the timing of seasonal displacement. In the context of independent geophysical and hydrological data, this technique may suggest potential pathways for groundwater recharge and flow. Information such as this may help to fill gaps in our understanding of how these aquifer systems respond to various hydrological scenarios and general water use. Click here to register.
Department of the Interior release options for Colorado River …
Feds’ Colorado River choice: California’s rights or Arizona’s future?
“Almost half of all the water that flows through the Colorado River each year is consumed by just two states: Arizona and California. Over the past year, as the Biden administration has scrambled to respond to a decades-long drought that has sapped the river, these two states have known a reckoning is coming. In order to stabilize the river, both of them will have to use less water. At a press conference overlooking the Hoover Dam on Tuesday, the administration unveiled two plans to achieve those cuts, promising to reach a final conclusion by August. One plan would divide future cuts equally between Arizona and California, a potential violation of California’s stronger legal rights to the river. The other plan would recognize the Golden State’s seniority and reduce Arizona’s water allocation by more than half its current size during the driest years. Both scenarios would be unprecedented in scale and severity, requiring at least some big reductions from both states as well as neighboring Nevada. … ” Read more from Grist.
Feds propose water cut options to stabilize imperiled Colorado River Basin
“The Bureau of Reclamation on Tuesday outlined options aimed at helping to stabilize the ailing Colorado River system and the nation’s largest reservoirs, Lake Powell in Arizona and Lake Mead in Nevada. The 23 years of drought in the region, brought on by climate change, have taken a serious toll on the water basin. In order to maintain the water levels needed to continue operations of the dams on the lakes, which supply electric and water deliveries to eight states, more water cuts across the Southwest are anticipated. In its draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement issued Tuesday, the bureau analyzed two alternatives to how those cuts could happen: The cuts could be based upon the priority of states’ water rights, or they could be made equally across all of the states in the basin. “Drought conditions in the Colorado River Basin have been two decades in the making. To meet this moment, we must continue to work together, through a commitment to protecting the river, leading with science and a shared understanding that unprecedented conditions require new solutions,” said Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Camille Calimlim Touton in a statement. … ” Read more from the Courthouse News Service.
Biden administration outlines options for Colorado River emergency plan
“Following a brief but intense period of consultation and analysis, the Biden administration unveiled a pair of short-term options to sustain water levels in key Colorado River reservoirs in the next three years. Framed by the salt-encrusted canyon walls above Lake Mead, officials from the Interior Department joined colleagues from state and tribal agencies to release a draft supplemental environmental impact statement (SEIS) that describes how operating procedures at lakes Powell and Mead might be altered to preserve water. The alterations could reduce water deliveries to the lower basin states of Arizona, California, and Nevada by as much as a quarter combined next year and even more in 2025 and 2026. The big question: how will those cuts be distributed among the states? One option is based on historical priority. The other gives each state the same percentage of the cuts. … ” Read more from the Circle of Blue.
US proposes options for cutting California’s Colorado River water
“The Biden administration today proposed alternatives for cutting Colorado River water allocations for Southwest states, including one that would substantially reduce the amount of water delivered to Southern California. One of the three options would retain California’s historic, century-old senior water rights, while another would override them and split the cuts in water deliveries evenly between California, Nevada and Arizona. The even-split option would be a big blow to Imperial Valley farmers while benefiting the other states. The river, which supplies water for 40 million people in seven states, has shrunk during the West’s megadrought, with its major reservoirs, Mead and Powell, approaching record lows and expected to eventually run out of water unless user states cut back. … ” Read more from Cal Matters.
Imperial Irrigation District’s response to Reclamation’s draft of Colorado River interim operating guideline revisions
“Imperial Irrigation District General Manager Henry Martinez issued the following statement on the draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) released today by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. The draft SEIS evaluates potential modifications to the 2007 Interim Shortage Guidelines that govern operation of the Colorado River’s major dams and reservoirs. “IID remains committed to being part of a seven-state consensus that protects the Colorado River system,” Martinez said. “The district looks forward to fully reviewing the draft SEIS and its components and its continued cooperation with Reclamation and the Basin States and Basin Tribes.” The SEIS analyzes three alternatives identified to protect critical reservoir elevations and near-term operating conditions. IID recognizes that Reclamation included an alternative in the SEIS implementing the priority system in accordance with existing agreements and laws, but continues to have concerns with any alternative that involves “equal cuts” among water users. … ” Read more from the Imperial Irrigation District.
EXPLORE MORE COVERAGE:
- Interior Department Announces Next Steps to Protect the Stability and Sustainability of Colorado River Basin, press release from the Department of Interior
- Feds may cut supply across seven states to keep Colorado River afloat, from the Desert Sun
- Interior unveils plans for Colorado River cuts, from E&E News
- California Could Face Cuts to Colorado River Usage Under Federal Proposal, from the Wall Street Journal
- Federal government proposes landmark water cuts to conserve Colorado River water, from ABC News
- Southern Nevada could face more water cuts under Feds proposed plan for Colorado River Basin states, from Channel 13
- Biden administration proposes evenly cutting water allotments from Colorado River, from the New York Times
- US proposes options for cutting California’s Colorado River water, from Holtville Tribune
- Federal government considers major water cuts to protect Colorado River, from the LA Times
- Colorado River cities and farms face dire trade-offs with new federal review, from the Washington Post
DC field hearing in Tulare …
House panel dives head-first in drought, flood issues during Tulare hearing
“California’s water issues are receiving heightened attention from Federal lawmakers, particularly with the powerful House Committee on Natural Resources. Tuesday, that discussion made its way to the Central Valley as the Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries held a field hearing in Tulare to discuss two proposed bills that would change how California’s water management system and endangered fish are managed. The hearing even managed to coin a new nickname for California Gov. Gavin Newsom. … ” Continue reading from the San Joaquin Valley Sun.
Pair of bills undermine critical protections for salmon and tens of thousands of jobs
“A pair of bills introduced in the House of Representatives, H.R. 872 and H.R. 215, would have devastating impacts on California and Oregon’s already beleaguered salmon populations, natural resources, and tens of thousands of jobs, as well as on the cultural heritage and traditional way of life of Native American Tribes. H.R. 872, the so-called FISH Act introduced by Representative Calvert (R-CA), would eliminate the National Marine Fisheries Service’s (NMFS) Endangered Species Act authority over salmon and other anadromous species by transferring that management to the Secretary of the Interior. This type of switch was done during the Trump Administration because NMFS refused to sign off on water rules that granted massive water increases to San Joaquin Valley agriculture at the expense of salmon. The Trump rules, largely still in place today, have resulted in salmon stocks being driven into steep decline and the closure of state waters to salmon fishing and massive job losses. H.R. 215, introduced by Representative Valadao (R-CA), seeks to preempt state law and undermine the vital protections for salmon and other fish and wildlife that people depend on. … ” Read more from the Golden State Salmon Association.
Central Valley congressman calls for more water storage, less environmental regulation
“Republican Congressional representatives from across California and the U.S. made their way to Fresno and Tulare counties Tuesday for a hearing on a pair of water bills, including one introduced earlier this year by Rep. David Valadao, R-Hanford. Valadao’s bill, House Resolution 215, is dubbed the Working to Advance Tangible and Effective Reforms (WATER) for California Act and has the backing of all of California’s Republican congressmen. The legislation is aimed at providing increased water storage in California reservoirs as well as order large-scale federal and state river and canal systems to operate under relaxed environmental rules established under the Trump administration. Representatives in the Valley on Tuesday include Bruce Westerman of Arkansas, chair of the House Natural Resources Committee; Water, Wildlife & Fisheries subcommittee chairman Cliff Bentz of Oregon; Rep. Paul Gosar of Arizona, and California GOP representatives John Duarte of Modesto, Doug LaMalfa of Oroville and Tom McClintock of Elk Grove. … ” Read more from the Merced Sun-Star.
EXPLORE MORE COVERAGE:
- Congressional Committee ‘kangaroo court’ promotes two salmon-killing water bills, from Dan Bacher at the Daily Kos.
- Congressman David Valadao calling for better water storage systems throughout California, from ABC 30
- House Natural Resources Subcommittee Field Hearing on California Water Level Impacts, video of hearing from CNBC
Melting snow and flood risk …
The big melt: San Joaquin Valley eyes historic snowpack with trepidation
“It’s unlikely that all the snow looming above the San Joaquin Valley will melt and barrel toward the valley floor at the same time. If history is a guide, the melt should be staggered between the San Joaquin, Kings, Tule and Kern river watersheds starting later this month through July. “That’s good,” said California Department of Water Resources Climatologist Michael Anderson during a press briefing on Tuesday. “It means not all the watersheds will see the same melt at the same time.” But there’s still going to be a massive amount of water coming down, according to DWR’s Bulletin 120, a monthly report that measures snowpack and water content across the Sierra Nevada mountains. The report also estimates when to expect how much water downstream. … ” Read more from SJV Water.
Historic California snowpack heightens risk of springtime flooding, officials say
“It’s been a wet winter in California, one that’s brought record-breaking precipitation to many parts of the state. Now, state officials say it’s time to prepare for springtime runoff to come from now-historic levels of snowpack. Snowmelt season in California typically begins in April and ends sometime in July, but it’s hard to say exactly how quickly snowmelt will occur. Water from the snowpack could melt and trickle down slowly throughout the season, as state officials hope, but warm rainfall could make it melt more quickly than expected. “How this year plays out will depend on the weather and how quickly we warm up,” said Michael Anderson, the state climatologist. … ” Read more from Capital Public Radio.
EXPLORE MORE COVERAGE:
- DWR: Flood threat highest in San Joaquin Valley and Tulare Lake Basin, from Channel 10
- California releases snowmelt runoff prediction; peaks expected in April and May for several rivers, from CBS Sacramento
- California has so much snow that flood danger will last through the year, from the LA Times
- California officials gird for potential disaster: When and where will the record melting snow go?, from the San Jose Mercury News
- ‘We’re in uncharted territory’: Why California’s epic snowpack presents flood concerns, from the San Francisco Chronicle
- California leaders prepare for potential impacts of melting snow, from KFSN
In other California water news …
Groundwater gold rush: Banks, pension funds and insurers have been turning California’s scarce water into enormous profits, leaving people with less to drink
“As storms battered California in March, the state’s inland breadbasket erupted with almond blossoms. It happens every year. The Central Valley—the source of 40% of America’s fruit and nuts—explodes in a riot of pink and white blooms. This year petals fluttered off branches into raging irrigation ditches that only a few months earlier had twisted across the dry dust like coils of snake molt. California has a temporary reprieve. At the Woodville Public Utility District, 60 miles southeast of Fresno, Ralph Gutierrez has watched these cycles of flood and drought for decades. Gutierrez, 65, who grew up picking tomatoes and grapes with his parents in the nearby fields, has spent the past 43 years operating water systems for some of the poorest communities in the state. He’s a well whisperer. Brawny, with a tattooed forearm, a silver belt buckle and Western boots, Gutierrez coaxes water from stone aquifers that have been hammered for years by agricultural pollution and overpumping. … ” Read more from Bloomberg.
San Joaquin County is at ground Zero for disastrous Delta tunnel project
“San Joaquin County is dealing with a third water disaster with permanent consequences. And it has the potential to make the current drought that appears to be winding down plus the threat of spring flooding from a massive spring snowmelt seem like inconsequential irritants in comparison. The San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday heard an update on efforts by county staff to defeat the Delta tunnel project. San Joaquin County, with the largest land mass in the Delta, has the most to lose should the tunnel be built and water from the Sacramento River bypasses the Delta to reach the forebay of the California Aqueduct northwest of Tracy. Public Works Director Fritz Buchman during the meeting gave a presentation regarding the county’s water-related activities related to Delta advocacy and the Delta Counties Coalition. … ” Read more from the Manteca Bulletin.
Northern California farmers urge officials to drop drought regulations
“Farmers and ranchers in the rural Scott Valley of Northern California have asked water officials to rescind drought regulations in light of the state’s recent heavy snowfall. At a State Water Resources Control Board public meeting on April 4, farmers in the valley urged officials to drop an emergency drought regulation that the board put in place last year, saying it is no longer necessary after this winter’s large snowpack. “We believe that we have been regulated in an unprecedented and unfair manner, and now that we’ve had a very decent winter, that unfair treatment is looking more and more like abuse,” Theodora Johnson, a local farmer and spokeswoman for the Scott Valley Water Alliance, told board officials at the meeting. … ” Read more from the Capital Press.
California is between droughts right now. Will we act accordingly?
“You don’t need me to tell you California got absolutely dumped on this winter, but I’ll try to summarize it anyway. The state’s snowpack currently contains roughly 30 million acre-feet of water — among the deepest it’s ever been. From November through March, more than 27 inches of precipitation on average fell on California, marking the the eighth wettest rainy season in more than 125 years. That’s more than 78 trillion gallons, as estimated by USA Today based on National Weather Service figures. “I think the official estimate is ‘a hell of a lot,’” joked hydroclimatologist Peter Gleick, co-founder and senior fellow of the Pacific Institute in Oakland. “Maybe the best way to summarize it is it was almost a record-breaking year for rain and snow.” There have been plenty of headlines about the abnormally wet season putting an end to California’s historic drought. Now, as we transition from wet season to dry season, water experts are answering an important question: Is the drought really over — and what does that mean for California? … ” Read more from the LA Times.
Senator Grove’s bill to streamline permits for water, groundwater recharge projects moves forward
“Senator Shannon Grove (R-Bakersfield) announced that her bill SB 651, which directs the State Judicial Council to limit the ability to stall water conservation and groundwater recharge projects, passed its first committee. Once signed into law SB 651, would cap at 270 days the ability to challenge under the environmental impact report these needed projects. The bill is similar to Sections 12 and 13 of Governor Newsom’s Executive Order N-7-22, which addresses water conservation and groundwater recharge projects as it relates to the drought state of emergency. … ” Read more from the Ridgecrest Independent.
Hedgerows: Can they help save the planet?
“More than 20 years ago, Craig McNamara started planting woody vegetation on his family’s farm, west of Sacramento, California. McNamara was an early organic pioneer in the region, and he prioritized weaving nature into the agricultural landscape at a time when it was far from popular. Native shrubs and trees lined a creek that ran through the walnut farm. Plants became boundaries between orchards and row crops—i.e., hedgerows—and it didn’t take long for the 450-acre organic farm to come “alive,” says Craig’s son, Sean McNamara, who joined the operation in 2014. Bees, owls, ladybugs, and many other creatures still routinely visit the farm. Just a few weeks ago, a bobcat strolled through the bushes along the creek. These above-ground benefits to hedgerows are easy to spot. But a few years ago, McNamara watched as a soil scientist dug into the dirt surrounding them. She scooped up rich, dark, compacted soil, mycelial strands tangled within. “I think we were in the middle of summer and the soil, even the topsoil, was moist,” he recalls. It was a memorable sight in drought-riddled California. … ” Read more from the Public News Service.
California Watchable Wildlife partners with Ducks Unlimited
“As part of their efforts in fostering awareness and support for the conservation and protection of wildlife and habitats, Ducks Unlimited and California Watchable Wildlife have formed a new partnership. Ducks Unlimited, a private waterfowl and wetlands conservation organization, has made it its mission to conserve, restore, and manage wetlands and associated habitats for North America’s waterfowl, according to its website. California Watchable Wildlife said it “celebrates the state’s wildlife and diverse habitats by acknowledging and elevating the value of wildlife viewing to benefit individuals, families, communities, and industries while fostering awareness and support for conservation and protection of wildlife and habitats.” … ” Read more from the Appeal Democrat.
Swamp rats with bright orange teeth are terrorizing wetlands across the US
“In March, Louisiana officials announced a deal to free an unlikely folk hero and fugitive: Neuty the swamp rat. His fellow species members may not be so lucky. In 2020, New Orleans couple Myra and Denny Lacoste found the pint-sized specimen on the side of the road, after his mother and siblings had been killed by a vehicle, so the family decided to take in the cuddly nutria, a species of semiaquatic mammal native to South America known for its bright-orange teeth. … The state Department of Wildlife and Fisheries initially planned to confiscate the critter and relocate Neuty to the Baton Rouge Zoo, though the DWF eventually settled last month for a deal where the Lacoste family would give the nutria regular veterinary checkups and keep him caged while at the seafood shop.Neuty may have come out unscathed, but things look a little different for his swampy brethren: nutria, which can consume up to a quarter of their body weight in plant material a day, are the subject of a sweeping nationwide culling effort to stop the swamp rats from eroding wetlands and damaging farm crops. … ” Read more from The Independent.
California man dies of flesh-eating bacteria after chasing dog into pond with scratch on his arm, mother says
“A California woman is urging the public to avoid standing water after, she says, her son was infected with a flesh-eating bacterium and died. Jeff Bova, 41, died Friday after he waded into standing water with a small cut on his right arm last month as he chased his dog into a pond. “Stay away from standing water, especially after it rains, because there is just a ton of bacteria in it,” Susan Mc Intyre, Bova’s mother, said Tuesday. “If you get any kind of cut and it starts getting red, go to the doctor immediately — don’t wait. … ” Read more from NBC News.
Why your swimming pool may be worse for urban water scarcity than climate change
“If you own a wealthy home with a swimming pool, keep your garden well watered and regularly wash your car, you may be contributing to urban water shortages as much as climate change or population growth, according to a new study. It’s the latest evidence to suggest that the lifestyle and consumption habits of rich communities are disproportionately contributing to the planet’s environmental and humanitarian crises. The study, published Monday in the journal Nature Sustainability, modeled the water use of residents of Cape Town, South Africa, based on their income levels. It found that the city’s wealthiest people consumed 50 times more water than its poorest—and mostly for non-basic needs like “garden watering, car washing and filling swimming pools.” Cape Town’s richest residents make up just 14 percent of the city’s population but consume 51 percent of the city’s water, according to the study. In contrast, Cape Town’s poorest residents make up 62 percent of the population but consume a mere 27 percent of the city’s water resources. … ” Read more from Inside Climate News.
When fires create floods: Is California ready for a cascade of disasters?
” … For first responders and residents reeling from wildfires, the risks increasingly extend beyond the initial burn. Extreme storms, expected to be more frequent in a warmer climate, will trigger flash floods and debris flows in fire scars that take lives, threaten communities and imperil water supplies. Although these events can happen anywhere across California’s mountainous terrain, moisture-zapped burn scars are particularly susceptible during intense bursts of rain, which are challenging to predict. And with each degree of global warming, scientists warn, these compounding disasters could happen more often and in rapid succession. “Collectively, post-wildfire hydrologic hazards — debris flows and flash floods — are going to be increasing in a warming climate,” said Daniel Swain, a climate scientist at UCLA and the Nature Conservancy. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
California super blooms are so huge they’re showing up in satellite images
“Powerful storms that soaked California this winter have yielded wildflower super blooms so large and vivid that they’re showing up in images captured by satellites orbiting the Earth. Satellite imagery taken by Planet Labs PBC, a San Francisco-based aerospace company, shows large swaths of colorful wildflowers in the Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve (Los Angeles County) and the Carrizo Plain National Monument (San Luis Obispo County). The aerospace company operates over 150 satellites orbiting Earth at an altitude of about 500 kilometers, or a little over 300 miles, said Will Marshall, the company’s co-founder and CEO, on Twitter. The satellites collect over 350 million square kilometers of images daily, according to the company’s website. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle. | Read similar story from AccuWeather.
Leaving footprints: Can growing indoor cannabis be sustainable?
“Growing commercial cannabis outdoors requires a few specific things: open land, ample water, and a fertile terroir. Southern California lacks most of these features, which is a big reason why the cities and counties in the region that have approved cannabis cultivation require it to be done indoors. That’s made SoCal the epicenter for legal indoor cannabis cultivation in California. Growing, selling, manufacturing, and distributing cannabis is legal in the city of LA, but it’s not yet in LA County. That’s about to change, though. Last year, the LA County Board of Supervisors approved a motion to open up unincorporated LA County to legal cannabis businesses. The county is still figuring out how to make that work. … But indoor cultivation has one major problem – it’s not environmentally friendly for a couple of different reasons. … ” Read more from KCRW.
To more effectively sequester biomass and carbon, just add salt
“Reducing global carbon dioxide emissions is critical to avoiding a climate disaster, but current carbon removal methods are proving to be inadequate and costly. Now researchers from the University of California, Berkeley, have proposed a scalable solution that uses simple, inexpensive technologies to remove carbon from our atmosphere and safely store it for thousands of years. As reported today in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers propose growing biomass crops to capture carbon from the air, then burying the harvested vegetation in engineered dry biolandfills. This unique approach, which researchers call agro-sequestration, keeps the buried biomass dry with the aid of salt to suppress microbial activity and stave off decomposition, enabling stable sequestration of all the biomass carbon. The result is carbon-negative, making this approach a potential game changer, according to Eli Yablonovitch, lead author and Professor in the Graduate School in UC Berkeley’s Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences. … ” Read more from UC Berkeley.
In commentary today …
Dan Walters: Increasing temperatures increase California flood risk
“California was experiencing a series of major rain and snow storms in January when Gov. Gavin Newsom proposed a 2023-24 state budget. Tucked into one of the budget’s hundreds of pages of detail was this paragraph: “San Joaquin Valley Flood Plain Restoration – A reduction of $40 million General Fund in 2023-24, which eliminates funding for this purpose.” The $40 million had been a small down payment on the billions of dollars that would be needed to protect communities in the valley from disastrous floods that scientists had been warning could occur under certain meteorological circumstances. Just last summer, with California still experiencing a years-long drought, a major study warned about the state’s vulnerability to a huge flood similar to one that occurred in 1862. “We find that climate change has already increased the risk of a (1862) megaflood scenario in California, but that future climate warming will likely bring about even sharper risk increases,” the study declared. … ” Read more from Cal Matters.
Salmon declines and hatchery options
“Kilgore Trout” writes, “On Saturday (March 18, 2023), Sep Hendrickson’s “California Sportsmen” radio show hosted James Stone, current president of the Nor-Cal Guides and Sportsmen’s Association. The Association recently lobbied to close the California salmon fishing season for 2023. The discussion raised several interesting issues about the status and management of salmon. Mr. Stone questioned why regulators did not close the salmon fishery earlier than this year. He noted that in 6 of the last 8 years, the annual escapement of Sacramento fall-run Chinook salmon was below the minimum conservation objective of 122,000 adults, a dismal 75% failure rate for forecasters. … Sep and James agreed that all too often, 100% of California’s recent salmon declines are blamed on climate change and droughts, not factors like overfishing after years of low escapement. Indeed, a NOAA study conducted after the 2008 closure of the California salmon fishery attributed the collapse primarily to poor ocean conditions, but also noted contributing factors like dry inland conditions and fishing. Sep and James continued to discuss water management in California’s Central Valley. … ” Read the full post at the California Fisheries blog.
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
With spring snow survey complete, Klamath National Forest says that the current snow pack is nearly double that of an average year
“The Klamath National Forest has completed the April 1st snow surveys. These measurements are a part of the statewide California Cooperative Snow Survey program, which helps the State forecast the quantity of water available for agriculture, power generation, recreation, and stream flow releases later in the year. Winter continued strong all through March. There were many snowfall events; and when snow did fall, it stayed in place and helped build up the local snowpack. The end result is an amount of snow that hasn’t been seen in years and quite welcome after the lows of the previous year. According to measurements taken for the April survey, the snowpack is at 178% of the historic average snow height (snow depth) and at 163% of the historic Snow Water Equivalent (“SWE”, measure of water content) across all survey points. … ” Read more from the Lost Coast Outpost.
Tracking spring Chinook: Acoustic receivers installed in fingerlings
“Where will fingerling-sized spring Chinook salmon go and how many will survive after they’re released in tributaries to Upper Klamath Lake? It’s hoped that answers to those and others questions will be found by placing pebble-sized acoustic tags in Chinook fingerlings. Under the coordination of Mark Hereford, the Klamath Falls-based fisheries reintroduction biologist for the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, a team of fishery biologists installed hundreds of pebble-sized acoustic receivers at the Klamath Fish Hatchery near Fort Klamath earlier this week. … ” Read more from the Herald & News.
Low Trinity Lake levels concern nearby communities
“Water releases down the Trinity River have been frustrating locals across the county and on both sides of the dam. Trinity Lake sits at just 38% of capacity, much below the levels seen at both Lake Shasta and Lake Oroville after a wet winter. The high precipitation totals mean that 701,000 acre feet are set to be released according to standards, but that release will only exacerbate the problems Trinity Center is experiencing. “You can see the snow in the hills, yes it’s there, but again we’re looking at maybe filling this lake to 50%. And, as you look here now, there’s nobody here. … ” Read more from KRCR.
Water levels at Lake Pillsbury to be lower this year
“Despite 2023 starting off as a normal or above-normal water year, the spillway gates atop Scott Dam at Lake Pillsbury in Lake County will not be closed this spring or in future years. In years past, PG&E has closed the gates at the dam on or around the beginning of April, allowing lake levels to increase by as much as 10 feet above the spillway crest during the spring runoff, storing up to about 20,000-acre feet of additional water to support recreation and releases during the dry season. For the Eel River, this means more water will potentially flow in the spring as PG&E is not storing as much water with the gates open. It also means less water will be stored in Lake Pillsbury for summer and fall water releases that support cold water fishery resources in the Eel River below Scott Dam and Russian River agricultural interests, as well as for recreation, specifically boat ramp access. … ” Continue reading from PG&E.
Lake County objects to leaving spillway gates open
“Lake County reps say Lake Pillsbury serves several important functions that aren’t being considered in the future of the Potter Valley Project. The spillway gates on Scott Dam remain open, almost a week after they are typically closed. PG&E, which owns and operates the Potter Valley hydroelectric Project, announced in mid-March that the gates will remain open indefinitely. This will cause an estimated 20% reduction in the water levels of Lake Pillsbury. PG&E told FERC, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, that an initial engineering assessment indicated that leaving the gates open is a necessary seismic safety measure. Meanwhile, PG&E is about twenty months away from the deadline to submit a plan to surrender the project. It’s still unknown how long that will take, or what exactly it will entail. … ” Read more from KZYX.
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
Lake Tahoe’s best clarity in 40 years is the work of this ‘natural cleanup crew’
“Lake Tahoe has attained a clarity that scientists haven’t seen in 40 years – and it’s all because of a microscopic animal acting as a “natural cleanup crew” to restore the clear blue waters. On Monday, researchers from the UC Davis Tahoe Environmental Research Center (TERC) released their annual report showing that the lake’s average visibility in 2022 was at 71.7ft – compared with 61ft in 2021 – which was largely due to a spike in clarity in the last five months of the year. Such a sudden improvement “is, I believe, totally unprecedented”, said Geoffrey Schladow, TERC director, to the San Francisco Chronicle. “We’ve never plotted data like this, where the last five months of the year were totally different” from the remainder of the calendar year. … ” Read more from The Guardian.
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
Large gravel dump to provide greater chances for salmon survival
“Ten million pounds of gravel will go into the Sacramento River next week, with the hope of preventing extinction for a critically endangered fish population. That’s the goal of a continuing effort to boost the population of winter-run chinook salmon, as the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and the Sacramento River Settlement Contractors are set to begin placing 5,000 tons of spawning gravel just north of Redding Monday. The five-day project will seek to bolster the Keswick Dam Gravel Injection Site, where the two groups dropped 20,000 tons of gravel in April 2022. The resulting spawning habitat is crucial to the survival of the salmon, which have suffered in recent decades from disruption to their migration routes due to dams. Warmer water has also caused higher mortality to eggs in spawning zones, U.S. Fish and Wildlife biologists have determined, along with thiamine deficiency in the fish. … ” Read more from the Chico Enterprise-Record.
DWR increases releases from Lake Oroville into Feather
“The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) announced Tuesday that it is temporarily increasing water releases from Lake Oroville to the Feather River in an effort to assist with spring fish planting operations. Officials said flows into the Feather River would increase to 10,500 cubic feet per second (cfs) on Tuesday with 4,000 cfs flowing through the low-flow channel within the city of Oroville. “The temporary increase in water flow is performed to boost survival rates of spring-run Chinook salmon as they migrate from the Feather River to the ocean,” DWR officials said. “DWR and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife are also planting pre-smolt fall-run Chinook salmon to help alleviate the effects of drought on fall-run Chinook salmon populations.” … ” Read more from the Appeal Democrat.
Feather River snowmelt forecast: 187% average
“As the rain year shifts from rainfall to snowmelt, supplemental releases may come from the Oroville Dam spillway in response to above-average forecasted snowmelt. According to a report published Monday by the Department of Water Resources, the Feather River watershed from April 1 to July 31 is expected to see 187% of average snowmelt amount based on records dating to 1991. The forecasted snowmelt for the Feather River watershed is estimated to be 3.2 million acre-feet with a 90% probability of at least 2.76 million acre-feet and 10% probability of more than 4.22 million acre-feet. … ” Read more from the Chico Enterprise-Record.
BAY AREA
Drought emergency declared over in Santa Clara County, San Francisco, Peninsula
“The Bay Area’s two largest water providers on Tuesday declared an end to the drought that has gripped California for the past three years, setting the stage to halt most mandatory water restrictions and surcharges. The board of the Santa Clara Valley Water District, a government agency based in San Jose that serves 2 million people, voted 7-0 to rescind an emergency drought declaration that it passed in June 2021. Meanwhile, the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, which provides water to 2.7 million people in San Francisco, the Peninsula and southern Alameda County, also voted Tuesday afternoon to rescind its emergency drought declaration, and to drop its drought surcharge effective May 1. Tuesday’s votes are the latest in a trend since Gov. Gavin Newsom on March 24 dropped most statewide drought rules. … ” Read more from the San Jose Mercury News.
SFPUC latest to drop local drought declaration after wet winter
“Officials with the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission have voted to end their local drought declaration, joining other local water agencies that have dropped similar measures following record rains this past winter. In a unanimous vote Tuesday, the commission voted to rescind the Water Shortage Emergency Declaration which was put into place in late 2021. The commission also lifted a drought surcharge starting in May. The easing of drought restrictions and surcharges follows a historically wet winter, as California was pummeled by multiple atmospheric river storms. On April 1, the snowpack in the Sierra was at 237% of normal. … ” Read more from CBS San Francisco.
Coalition sues EPA over unregulated water pollution from oil refineries, plastics plants, and other industries
“A coalition of environmental groups, including San Francisco Baykeeper, today filed a federal lawsuit against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for failing to set limits on harmful chemicals like cyanide, benzene, mercury, and chlorides in the billions of gallons of wastewater pouring out of U.S. oil refineries, chemical plants, and factories that manufacture fertilizer, plastics, pesticides, and nonferrous metals. “Oil refinery pollution doesn’t belong in San Francisco Bay or in any of the nation’s waterways, and it certainly doesn’t belong in our neighborhoods,” said Eric Buescher, Managing Attorney at San Francisco Baykeeper. “It’s high time we held the EPA accountable, and compel the agency to crack down on the toxic pollution from oil refineries that’s threatening both wildlife and human health around San Francisco Bay, and across the country.” … ” Continue reading this press release from Baykeeper.
Tunnel vision: San Francisco’s water supply depends on a portal to the past and the future
“Without a single, unassuming tunnel tucked into a shrubby hillside near Groveland in Tuolumne County, San Francisco’s water supply would be cut off near the source. Mountain Tunnel is just one stop along our water’s 250-mile journey from the Sierra to the Bay Area, but it’s a key portal for The City’s water supply, regulating flows for our drinking water and The City’s hydroelectric power. But at more than 100 years old, the tunnel is in desperate need of an upgrade. It’s leaky, cracked and full of debris. In addition, some stretches of the 19-mile passage are inaccessible, requiring water managers to shut off flows and drain one of the system’s 11 reservoirs just to enter the tunnel for maintenance or repairs. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Examiner.
SEE ALSO: Mountain Tunnel, key piece of Bay Area water infrastructure, getting major overhaul, from CBS Bay Area
EBMUD completes Oakland Inner Harbor Crossing, advances significant investment in infrastructure
“The East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) has successfully completed the installation of approximately 3,000 feet of 32-inch diameter earthquake-resistant pipeline below the Oakland Estuary floor to serve the City of Alameda. The new pipe, which took three months to construct, was installed over the April 7-8 weekend, and replaces a 1940s era cast iron pipeline in an area that is susceptible to liquefaction during an earthquake. The innovative design, construction and installation of the Oakland Inner Harbor Crossing took nearly a decade of work and partnerships to come to fruition. … ” Read more from East Bay MUD.
Riparian habitat or ripe for new housing? Debate continues over Los Altos site at 2100 Woods Lane
“The largest mostly undeveloped property in Los Altos is the subject of a debate over environmental impacts. The nearly 9-acre property at 2100 Woods Lane in south Los Altos has local environmentalists and some nearby residents calling for open-space preservation even as the city of Los Altos has the land marked for potential housing development in its sixth-cycle housing element. The property, currently on the market for $22.5 million, also is being touted as available for single-family or multifamily housing. However, members of the Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society (SCVAS) note parts of the land are a riparian habitat and home to an endangered species. Members added that state and federal agencies have stopped development on the property in the past due to environmental concerns. … ” Read more from Los Altos Online.
CENTRAL COAST
Cal Am buyout begins
Melodie Chrislock, director of Public Water Now, writes, “On April 3, 2023, the Monterey Peninsula Water Management District (MPWMD) made Cal Am a buyout offer of $448,808,000. This begins the buyout process. The water management district can use eminent domain if Cal Am refuses to sell. Back in 2018, Public Water Now put Measure J on the ballot, and voters passed it by 56%, despite a multimillion-dollar campaign by Cal Am to defeat it. When Measure J passed, it became law, and MPWMD was mandated by that law to acquire Cal Am if feasible. The buyout was proven feasible by expert consultants in 2019. Most ratepayers voted to get rid of Cal Am because of the cost of their water. According to the California Public Utilities Commission’s Public Advocates Office, out of all the private investor-owned water systems in California, the Peninsula has the most expensive water except for two tiny water systems in Dillon Beach and Catalina Island. Only 15% of Californians still get their water from private investor-owned water systems. Over the last five years, the reasons to say goodbye to Cal Am have multiplied. … ” Read more from Voices of Monterey.
Commentary: Reconsider if takeover of Cal Am is feasible
“In 2018, Peninsula voters were asked a question on the ballot for Measure J. “Should the (Monterey Peninsula Water Management District) look into acquiring our local water company and if it is feasible, move forward?” Over time this has been misconstrued as a voter mandate to purchase the water company no matter how long it takes, or how much it costs. “Feasibility” is in the eye of the beholder and the public has not had a vote as to whether it is feasible or not. Measure J can be amended by a vote of the people and that may come into play if the MPWMD continues to play games with our money and future. The MPWMD has taken a damned the torpedoes, full steam ahead attitude. They tried to avoid complying with CEQA. They stated they did not need approval from the Local Agency Formation Commission. Upon application to LAFCO they were denied. No approval means no authority to move forward. … ” Read more from the Monterey Herald.
Floodplain restoration projects on the Carmel River hold promise to protect against future floods
“David Schmalz here, still alive after kayaking down the last five-or-so miles of the Carmel River on Saturday with two friends, one of whom had to bail early on after her inflatable kayak was punctured. … All along the route I saw the impacts of this winter’s storms—downed willow trees, tattered sandbag casings and homes that may have flooded or, at the very least, were under evacuation orders. And with the wet years often becoming wetter as climate change alters the atmosphere’s physics, it was hard not to wonder how those homes will survive the coming century, where 100-year floods may become 25-year floods. The good news for those who live in the Carmel River floodplain is that Big Sur Land Trust’s Carmel River FREE (Floodplain Restoration and Environmental Enhancement) project, which will use a former artichoke field east of Highway 1 as an overflow when waters get too high, plans to help protect the lower Carmel Valley from flooding. … ” Read more from Monterey Weekly.
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
Modesto Irrigation District farmers will pay $9 more per acre for water. How does it compare with nearby areas?
“A vote Tuesday added $9 per acre to the cost of water in the Modesto Irrigation District. Its board decided 4-0, with Director Janice Keating absent, to adopt the increase for the irrigation season that just began. The extra money will go to maintaining canals that deliver Tuolumne River water to about 3,100 farmers. Under state law, the proposal would have died if a majority of them filed protests at or before Tuesday’s hearing. Only 11 did so. The new rate reflects the cost of service as detailed in a study adopted in November, said Gordon Enas, assistant general manager for water operations. … ” Read more from the Modesto Bee.
‘I’ve never seen this in my life’ | San Joaquin River rising to historic levels in Patterson
“Just feet from his pink Victorian home he built 45 years ago, 80-year-old Raymond Washburn is keeping a close eye on the swollen San Joaquin River. “It’s coming up every night, probably eight or 10 inches,” said Washburn, motioning to the river that butts up to his back property. He says he has seen the river as high as it is now only two other times, however the retired mechanic/machinist and Vietnam veteran isn’t too worried at the moment. Nonetheless, his myriad of workshops, children’s train and his “She Shed,” a workshop built for his wife, are directly in the path of the river if it floods. “First, it came in over there on the neighbor’s. Then she called me and said, ‘Hey, the water is coming.’ Then, it came over into here now and it’s come all the way up,” said Washburn. … ” Read more from Channel 10.
VIDEO: ROOTED IN THE VALLEY: Will Scott came back to farming, hopes to encourage young Black farmers
“Will Scott grew up farming but left for a career in the Navy and as an electrician. “If it’s in your blood, you’ll come back to it,” he says of why he started his small farming operation in Fresno County after many years away. Farming is fundamental to life, he says and hopes to encourage young people to realize its value. This is the third in SJV Water’s series of videos called “Rooted in the Valley,” featuring small family farmers who continue to work the land in spite of all the challenges they face – especially water.” Watch video at SJV Water.
Farmland in peril as Tulare Lake to fill this summer
“For several years, the colors on California’s section of the U.S. Drought Monitor map changed rapidly to dark red. Those extreme and exceptional color rankings are gone as much of the state is now outside of any drought conditions. While the high and low desert regions from Imperial to Inyo counties, and much of northern California are still in a state of drought based on the March 28 map, the San Joaquin Valley is literally swimming in water. Tulare Lake in Kings County, Calif., is projected to see at least 1 million acre-feet of water move onto the lakebed by the end of summer, curbing the crops that can be grown there by thousands of acres. … ” Read more from the Western Farm Press.
As Kernville recovers from flooding residents prepare for more to come
“Kernville is seeing drastic changes just days after being hit with a storm that brought severe flooding. However, these changes might not last as Kern braces for another storm this week. “The river has never been anything like that that I’ve seen ever, so it was pretty eye-opening,” Kernville Resident Mike Dougherty said. Dougherty and his wife Tracy witnessed the flooding themselves and shared they are both shocked to see the difference a few days can make. Kernville dangerously flooded just days ago, but now the same areas are nearly dry. However, the river is still full of water and another storm is heading this way. Tracy Dougherty hopes it’s not worse than the last. … ” Read more from Channel 12.
Kern’s spring melt could feed the river through the summer
“The California Department of Water Resources gave an update on flood monitoring efforts on Tuesday. Their report showed that the snowpack is at 233 percent of average and Kern County is at 429 percent of average for expected runoff. Officials are hoping for a long, cool spring so the snowmelt doesn’t cause rapid large inflows to a watershed that’s already at capacity, but area residents are glad to see the water again. “It has been so dry for so many summers that it it is so good to see the water back here again,” said Bakersfield resident Bill Dorr. Dorr walks down Yokuts Park every day, and says he’s happy the amount of snowmelt expected. … ” Read more from Channel 23.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
City committee fails to support plan to loosen Pasadena’s water restrictions
“Members of the Municipal Services Committee voted 2-2 on the recommendation to implement Level 1 of the city’s Water Supply Shortage Plan and lift the temporary 15 percent voluntary water-use reduction target. Vice Mayor Felicia Williams and Councilmember Justin Jones voted for the recommendation while Councilmembers Tyron Hampton and Jason Lyon voted against it. Since August of 2021, Pasadena has been implementing conservation actions under Level 2 of the Water Supply Shortage Plan. It has also adopted a voluntary water reduction target of 15 percent, which aligns with the state’s reduction goal. The plan restricts outdoor watering to two days per week from April to October and one day per week from November to March. … ” Read more from Pasadena Now.
IMPERIAL/COACHELLA VALLEYS
EPA settles with Imperial Irrigation District for Safe Drinking Water Act underground injection well claims
“Today the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a settlement with Imperial Irrigation District for violations of the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) at its El Centro Generating Station site located in El Centro, California. The district will pay a $67,110 penalty and make facility improvements to ensure it complies with underground injection control program requirements. “Facilities that include underground injection in their process must ensure compliance with permit conditions in order to protect underground sources of drinking water,” said EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Administrator Martha Guzman. “EPA’s Underground Injection Control Program regulations help ensure these vital sources are preserved and violators of this program are subject to significant penalties.” … ” Read more from the US EPA.
SAN DIEGO
Olivenhain Municipal Water District recycled water pipeline reduces imported water
“A new recycled water pipeline in Encinitas is helping to reduce the region’s dependence on imported water supply. The Olivenhain Municipal Water District, or OMWD, constructed the Manchester Avenue Recycled Water Pipeline Project to expand the availability of recycled water within the City of Encinitas. Local, regional, state and federal officials celebrated the project‘s completion with a ribbon-cutting ceremony Tuesday at MiraCosta College. The officials highlighted the various funding sources for the new pipeline while also pointing out the various infrastructure projects online and under development to increase local water supply sources in San Diego County. … ” Read more from the Water News Network.
Also on Maven’s Notebook today …
NOTICE of public workshop on statewide nutrient management
NOTICE of Availability of Second Revised Draft Initial Biological Goals for LSJR and Notice of Workshop
