In California water news today …
Scientists take flight to map California’s vast snowpack and measure flooding threats
“Flying thousands of feet above the Sierra Nevada in a plane equipped with specialized imaging devices, Elizabeth Carey has been scanning the mountains with lasers to precisely map the snow. The snow blanketing the Sierra lies so deep that the mountain range looks surprisingly swollen and “puffy,” said Carey, who leads the flights as part of a state-funded program. “The amount of water that we have in the snowpack this year is just mind-blowing,” she said. “It’s just been extraordinary.” By mapping the snowpack with laser pulses and spectrometers, Carey and her colleagues are able to provide a detailed picture of one of the biggest snow accumulations ever recorded in the state. The flights are also collecting data to estimate when and how fast the snow will melt, helping California officials prepare for the runoff, manage water releases from dams, and assess which areas are most at risk of flooding. … ” Read more from the LA Times. | Read via AOL News.
Raging California rivers are replenishing historic Gold Rush spots
“For 170 years, the gold deposits along Sierra streambeds have been so poked and prodded that easy supplies of the precious metal have grown scarce and are a challenge to find. This spring’s raging rivers are regifting them. “There it is!” said Kevin Bell of Sacramento, swirling a pan in the cold waters of Moore Creek, as glitter suddenly illuminated the inky black sand. A half bucket of material yielded 12 showy specks — nearly a tenth of a gram of gold, worth about $7 — about double the typical haul in previous years. Prospectors call it “flood gold” — fine-sized flakes carried by alluvial waters and then deposited as flow recedes. … ” Read more from the San Jose Mercury News.
Satellite data signals that El Nino is knocking at the door
“El Niño is coming, El Niño is coming – but instead of the “secret signal” lanterns that Paul Revere’s militia men left in the window of the Old North Church, this one comes from space. A satellite picked up Kelvin waves which are a potential precursor of a developing El Niño. Short but powerful, the 2 to 4-inch waves that develop at the equator are hundreds of miles long from north to south, according to NASA. They are bringing warm water from the western Pacific to the Eastern Pacific. Scientists wait for the central and eastern Pacific to be 0.5 degrees Celsius warmer than the average for three months before making the call, “El Nino is here.” … ” Read more from Fox Weather.
Lead in the water: 25% of California child care sites tested found unsafe levels of metal
“About 1,700 licensed child care centers in California — a quarter of the nearly 7,000 tested so far — have been serving drinking water with lead levels exceeding allowable limits, according to data that the nonprofit Environmental Working Group secured from the state. Susan Little, a senior advocate for the environmental group, said it’s “really alarming” that California infants and preschool-age children are being exposed to this risk in places where their parents think they are safe. Lead, of course, has been proven to permanently damage children’s brains and other parts of their nervous system. “Young children are especially susceptible to the effects of lead because their bodies just absorb it … as if it were calcium,” Little said, “and that lead does lasting damage to their development and to their brain function and to potentially their behavior, as well as other more serious things because lead is linked to cancer and other health harms.” … ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee.
Another CSPA legal victory: US Supreme Court denies appeal, affirming state regulation of Merced and Yuba Rivers
“The United States Supreme Court has declined to hear an appeal regarding the California State Water Resources Control Board’s authority to set mandatory conditions in the new operating licenses for four hydroelectric projects. The appeal was filed jointly by the Merced Irrigation District (Merced ID), Yuba County Water Agency (YCWA) and the Nevada Irrigation District (NID) in February 2023. The denial in the Supreme Court’s May 15, 2023 “Order List” means that the State Water Board will set conditions for Merced ID’s Merced River Project and Merced Falls Hydroelectric Project on the lower Merced River; YCWA’s Yuba River Development Project on the lower Yuba, North Yuba, and Middle Yuba rivers; and NID’s Yuba-Bear Hydroelectric Project on the Middle Yuba, South Yuba, and Bear rivers. … ” Read more from the California Sportfishing Protection Alliance.
Monster fish: Lessons for sturgeon management in California
“If you ever watched National Geographic television and are interested fishes and rivers, you likely have some familiarity with Dr. Zeb Hogan. He hosted a series of shows on giant freshwater fishes, called Monster Fish. He and a colleague also recently published a fascinating book (Hogan and Lovgren 2023) on global adventures searching for giant freshwater fishes. This book is likely to interest California Water Blog readers for several reasons. … ” Read more from the California Water Blog.
Orchards are not resilient to floods or droughts
“The Newsom administration’s strategy for dealing with flood flows relies heavily on diversions to farmland for groundwater recharge. But flooding in the Tulare basin this year is showing how orchards are not resilient to floods. And orchards have also not been resilient to recent droughts.A large number of orchards in the San Joaquin Valley also had to be taken out during the recent drought. … ” Continue reading at California Water Research.
Nut crop outlook raises concerns locally, statewide
“With almond trees bearing fruit and walnut trees blossoming, the U.S. Department of Agriculture released two reports this week on nut crops. But an action last week by the Butte County Agricultural Commissioner’s Office may be a stronger indicator. For the second straight year, Ag Commissioner Louie Mendoza filed an emergency declaration with the California Office of Emergency Services and California Department of Food and Agriculture due to weather impacts on almonds, covering 40,000 acres in the county. Separate weather conditions affected walnuts last year, too; that crop’s outlook remains uncertain. “We had very cold, rainy, wet conditions — and then we had hail on top of that — that was not conducive to appropriate pollination levels for bee activity,” Mendoza said. While walnuts self-pollinate, almonds require pollinators. “I think we’re looking at potentially a 30% crop loss based on the last five-year average of our crop reports.” … ” Read more from the Chico Enterprise-Record.
Swimming upstream: Why culverts for fish passage are an important element of wildlife and habitat connectivity
“In the Western U.S., migratory habitat and corridors for big game species have gotten a lot of attention in recent years. In 2018, then-Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke signed a secretarial order which directed Interior department agencies to work with Western states to identify, conserve and restore migratory habitats for big game species. … These and other efforts to protect and connect wildlife habitat and migration routes are overwhelmingly popular. According to the Colorado College State of the Rockies 2023 Conservation in the West poll, 85 percent of Westerners support investing in the construction of crossing structures to help migrating wildlife, and more than 90 percent of voters in all eight states polled say that preserving habitat and migration routes for wildlife is an important reason to pursue conservation efforts. As important as land migration corridors are, they are not the only piece of the puzzle. Just as roads fragment habitat and block big game species from moving along migratory corridors, they can also block passage for fish and other aquatic and riparian species. … ” Read more from WestWise.
‘These forests will never recover’ — Climate change-associated fires stump reforestation efforts
“While fire is an integral part of Southwest forest ecosystems, a century of policies geared toward fire suppression in the American West that has led to a lack of diversity is colliding with climate change, upending the rules. Historically, a mature forest would burn, then, over time, return to a healthy, recognizable state. Today, however, an unprecedented decades-long drought, rising temperatures and massive insect outbreaks are hammering forests across the region, creating ideal conditions for megafires like the Calf Canyon/Hermits Peak inferno. Thanks to climate change, experts say many southwestern forests destroyed by megafires may never return. Conditions across the region have become too hot and too dry for normal forest succession, and wildfires such as Calf Canyon/Hermits Peak are a catalyst for rapid change to an entirely different ecosystem. Forests can become fire- and flood-prone shrubland, and shrubland can become grassland dominated by invasive species such as cheat grass that likes to burn. … ” Read more from the Genetic Literacy Project.
In commentary today …
When one almond gulps 3.2 gallons of water
Columnist Nicholas Kristof writes, ” … Arizona lures retirees with lush golf courses, sometimes requiring as much as 200 million gallons of water per 18-hole golf course over a year. But the big user of water isn’t households, sprawling lawns, fountains, industry or golf courses. It’s farming. One study found that 88 percent of water in 17 Western states was used by agriculture. Only 7 percent was consumed by homes. Alfalfa fields single-handedly drank up almost three times as much as all households. California produces a bounty of almonds, which gulp about 3.2 gallons of water for each almond, according to a 2019 study. … A wet winter and spring this year have brought a reprieve, but the West is squandering this opportunity to develop a new water regime — because few politicians want to impose painful but necessary cuts on agriculture and other uses. … ” Read the full commentary at the New York Times.
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
Radio: Scott Valley farmers and ranchers bristle at ongoing water restrictions
“Take a look at the most recent federal drought maps, and you notice that parts of Oregon have it worse than anyplace in California. But some drought restrictions remain in place, including restrictions on both surface water and groundwater in the Scott and Shasta Valleys. Both streams are considered critical for the survival of coho salmon, and the restrictions went into effect in the summer of 2021. Farmers and ranchers in the Scott Valley Agriculture Water Alliance (AgWA) think it’s time the restrictions came off. They make the case that their voluntary water conservation measures should be enough. Rancher Theodora Johnson and farmer Lauren Sweezey join us with details.” Show airs at 9am this morning; audio available afterwards. Listen at Jefferson Public Radio.
Eel River Recovery Project: A positive force in our community
Columnist Jim Shields writes, “At back-to-back meetings last week (April 26 and April 27), the Laytonville Area Municipal Advisory Council (LAMAC) and the Laytonville County Water District (LCWD) Board, both approved supporting the Eel River Recovery Project (ERRP) in a ludicrous dispute with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) regarding essential watershed restoration work. For disclosure purposes I’m chairman of the LAMAC and district manager of the Water District. For the record, the Water District has a long-standing relationship with ERRP, and we have assisted and partnered with them over the years on a number of watershed restoration projects that have been brought to successful completion. I have worked with ERRP’s Executive Director, Pat Higgins, for 10 years on numerous watershed projects. … ” Continue reading at the Anderson Valley Advertiser.
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
CEA: Planning Commission recommends NO to Gold Mine
“The Nevada County Planning Commission, before an overflow crowd, unanimously denied recommending approval to the Board of Supervisors of the reopening of the Idaho-Maryland Mine and opted not to recommend certification of the Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR). The final decision will be made by the Board of Supervisors later this Summer. The decision came after two days of hearings, with over 900 people in attendance. Over 350 people signed up to speak to the Commission. The crowd flowed into the outdoor area surrounding the County Administration Center, where the hearing could be followed by outdoor speakers provided by the county. Food trucks provided lunch, and music lightened the tension. Those attending were overwhelmingly opposed to the mine, many holding what has become a common sight around the county – bright yellow “No Mine” signs. … ” Read more from YubaNet.
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
While Shasta Lake is brimming, Trinity Dam is not even half full. Why?
“While Lake Shasta is brimming with water, Trinity Lake is less than half full. There are several reasons why that happened this year, according to the Bureau of Reclamation, and why the situation at Trinity Dam may not be as dire as it sounds. Winter rainstorms filled Lake Shasta to 98% of its capacity, 116% of its historic average for this time of year, according to the California Department of Water Resources. The water level at the dam is lapping a little more than three feet from the top, Bureau of Reclamation Area Manager Donald Bader said. … ” Read more from the Redding Record-Searchlight.
Tehama County: Flood control district to look at potential waivers for well program
“The Tehama County Flood Control and Water Conservation District will meet on Monday at 11 a.m., but according to the agenda will wait until the end until they get a well registration update. They will also be asked to vote on the adoption of a policy that would outline the criteria for which a groundwater sustainability executive may waive fees for the controversial well registration program. … According to the agenda for Monday’s meeting, the staff has developed criteria that would allow properties in compliance with the company to get the waiver. … ” Read more at the Tehama Daily News.
Oroville council considers Southside orientation
“The Oroville City Council will consider inviting outside input on revitalizing South Oroville as its item of regular business at Tuesday’s meeting. Councilors also will hear funding plans from the local groundwater agency and, mostly on the consent agenda, decide on a series of improvement projects around the city. … Christina Buck, assistant director of the Butte County Department of Water and Resource Preservation, will detail how the Wyandotte Creek Groundwater Sustainability Agency intends to pursue long-term funding. State law places responsibility for managing groundwater on local agencies but does not directly fund those agencies. … ” Read more from the Oroville Mercury-Register.
Lake Oroville water releases to increase Sunday
“Lake Oroville water releases through the Oroville Dam spillway to the Feather River will increase to 15,000 cubic feet per second on Sunday. The flow will increase 5,000 cfs from Friday, when water releases was increased to 10,000 cfs. At the Thermalito Afterbay River Outlet, 9,350 cfs will be released. … ” Read more from Action News Now.
Regional San’s monumental wastewater treatment plant expansion project delivered ON schedule and UNDER budget
“The Sacramento region can expect to see big changes related to how wastewater is treated and reused with the completion of Regional San’s $1.7 billion, decade-long expansion. Named the EchoWater Project, the immense upgrade was completed in spring 2023—on schedule and under budget. The result is a safe and reliable supply of treated water for discharge to the Sacramento River, which will also be used for recycled water purposes—like irrigating local agriculture and supporting habitat conservation land. The expanded tertiary treatment facility is now the second largest treatment plant of its kind in the nation, and the expansion project was among the largest public works projects in the Sacramento region’s history. Regional San treats an average of 135 million gallons of wastewater each day from 1.6 million people throughout Sacramento County and West Sacramento. … ” Read more from Yahoo News.
NAPA/SONOMA
Sonoma County coast ready for the return of deep sea groundfish season after 20 years
“For the first time in more than twenty years, a unique recreational fishing season called the “offshore-only” season is opening on May 15, 2023, off the coast of California between Cape Mendocino and Pigeon Point. These are the so-called Mendocino and San Francisco Groundfish Management areas. This is a big deal for local fishing enthusiasts, whether they’re hobbyists enjoying the sport, individuals fishing for their own food, or even gourmet cooks looking for the freshest ingredients. The “offshore-only” season allows people to fish for a group of fish known as groundfish, but only in the deeper waters far from shore. These fish include species like rockfish and lingcod. … ” Read more from the Sonoma County Gazette.
Sonoma County Board of Supervisors to consider sewer rate increase
“Property owners throughout Sonoma County may see an increase in sewer rates in the upcoming fiscal year. The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors will consider a proposal Tuesday to increase annual rates by 3.5% to 8.9%, or $38 to $172, across eight districts or zones in the county. The increase is intended to cover costs of maintaining and replacing infrastructure, a county staff report said. … ” Read more from the Santa Rosa Press Democrat.
BAY AREA
Record Bay Area rainfall leads to murky future for endangered salmon species
“Bay Area biologists remain uncertain about the status of the region’s endangered and threatened salmon species after challenges posed by the recent onslaught of winter rainstorms inhibited their research and may have prevented some of the fish from successfully breeding and laying eggs. Marin Municipal Water District ecologist Eric Ettlinger told the Marin Independent Journal the historic storms have not only prevented surveyors from monitoring the numbers of coho and Chinook salmon for several weeks but also apparently damaged a number of their spawning beds, which are referred to as redds, in Marin County, home to the largest population of coho salmon from Monterey Bay to the Noyo River in Mendocino County. … ” Read more from MSN News.
Commentary: County must show that flood-control spending benefits Ross Valley residents
Richard D. McCallum, a resident of San Anselmo and a former member of the Ross Valley School District Board of Trustees, writes, “During my time as a member of the Ross Valley School District Board of Trustees, I used one simple question to address every issue that came before the board: Who benefits from this decision? In the context of the school district, if the answer was not “kids,” I voted against it. I would like to apply that simple test to the Marin County Flood Control District Zone 9: Who has benefited from the over $52.1 million that has been raised and spent? From my perspective, it has not been residents living near flood-prone areas. I live five houses away from Corte Madera Creek in San Anselmo. What has been done to reduce my flood risk and that of my neighbors? … ” Read more from the Marin Independent Journal.
Flooding could threaten hazardous sites in San Francisco Bay Area
“Hundreds of industrial sites along California’s coastline may face a heightened risk of coastal flooding by 2050 because of sea level rise from human-caused global warming, a recent study says. Why it matters: Flood and storm surge events amplified by sea level rise against such facilities could increase the chances of hazardous chemicals escaping from the sites and contaminating nearby communities. The potential release of contaminants from future extreme weather events may also have an increased effect on people of color and low-income communities. That’s because those communities are more likely to live near industrial and hazardous waste sites, according to a new study published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology this month. … ” Read more from Axios.
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
“Conditions are ripe” for intense run-off after storms, Friant water official says.
“A recent trip up Friant Rd. could have reached a surprising result once Millerton Lake was reached: a not-so-full reservoir after the torrential storms that battered California in the early part of the year. That’s because the Bureau of Reclamation, which operates Friant Dam, has been releasing water at record levels in anticipation of the oncoming so-called “Big Melt.” Friant Water Authority Chief Operating Officer Johnny Amaral spoke with The Sun for an upcoming episode of Sunrise FM to discuss the current state of Millerton Lake and the oncoming waterflow, in addition to a variety of other water issues. … ” Read more from the San Joaquin Valley Sun.
Drought and deluge: Experts are racing to protect the Central Valley from a catastrophic flood
“Coming out of the state’s driest three-year period ever recorded, the new year launched a series of atmospheric rivers that pummeled California’s lowlands with rain, hail and violent winds, and packed the Sierra Nevada with near-record depths of snow. This blessing of water will be carried into the dry season, but so will the devastation. At least 27 people lost their lives due to downed trees and flooding. Destroyed crops, damaged homes and infrastructure will cost billions to repair. This year has been a reminder of the Golden State’s history of drought and deluge, particularly for those who occupy the Central Valley’s floodplains. And while history can show us the humanity of natural disasters — Gov. Leland Stanford famously boated to the Capitol for his 1862 inauguration — experts cannot predict the magnitude of future events. Faced with the unknown, they are fighting a constant battle against climate change, erosion — and rodents — to protect Central Valley residents from a perfect storm. … ” Read more from Comstock’s.
Facing the floodwaters in California’s San Joaquin Valley
“Allensworth, a farmworker town of about 500 people in California’s San Joaquin Valley, sits at the edge of an area called the Tulare Lake Basin, a patchwork of scrub brush and irrigated farmland that’s part of the most productive agricultural region in the nation. Last March, California’s barrage of atmospheric rivers overwhelmed the area, flooding pistachio orchards and swamping communities, and Allensworth found itself all but surrounded by a shallow sea. Residents were told to evacuate. They were also told that this flood was just the beginning. California is fighting a slow-motion disaster, one that could become its largest flood in recent history. As the near-record snowpack in the Sierra mountains melts, the water making its way through the foothills is pooling in the basin, reviving a lake that had long disappeared. This process is expected to accelerate over the coming weeks and months, and it could take up to two years to subside. And while the return of Tulare Lake could devastate everyone in the region, historically disenfranchised communities like Allensworth are uniquely vulnerable. … ” Read more from the Food and Environment Reporting Network.
Record snow melt expected to flood some areas in Central Valley
“Warm temperatures didn’t stop people from visiting the Old Town Flea Market in Clovis on Sunday. Small business owner Marina Avila said people were ready to battle the heat. Some people were even ready to shop right when the gates opened. “There were a lot of people at 9 am. A steady stream up until like noon or 1 pm,” said Avila. She said people check the weather before shopping and eating at the flea market events. Heat doesn’t impact how she operates her business, but that’s not the case for beauty and candle business owner Rebecca Hill. “Summer markets can be really tough. With the sun just beating down on them, if it’s just within the tent, they seem to be ok. But if they’re exposed to sunlight, it can actually even turn wax a different color,” said Hill. … ” Read more from KFSN.
Bracing for more floods and snowmelt, three Yosemite campgrounds will close on Monday
“Amid warming temperatures, record snowmelt and yet another flood forecast, Yosemite National Park announced that three campgrounds will be closed starting Monday. Housekeeping Camp and the Lower and North Pines campgrounds will remain closed until conditions clear up — and additional closures are possible, park officials said. More updates will be provided by Monday evening. A flood watch issued Saturday evening by the National Weather Service is in effect through at least Friday. Officials say the Merced River could reach 12.6 feet by mid-week and overtop Pohono Bridge, an iconic stone crossing in Yosemite Valley. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
Local agencies ramp up public information as releases increase from Isabella Dam
“Until last week, people who called local authorities asking about flood risks posed by the record snowpack in the southern Sierra Nevada didn’t get a lot of specific information, let alone a detailed assessment of the threat to their personal property. Federal flood plain maps available publicly were generally left unmentioned out of concern they were too hard to understand. Mostly, callers received assurances from city and county officials that there was no emergency to worry about — in the near term, at least. That’s about to change following the activation Tuesday of Kern County’s Emergency Operations Center near Bakersfield College, where representatives of a wide variety of agencies are coming together to share and disseminate information about flooding projected to hit parts of Bakersfield within about a month as water releases from Isabella Dam continue to ramp up. … ” Read more from the Bakersfield Californian.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Concerns over costs prevent water pipe renovation in Fullerton
“Whether or not the drought returns, Fullerton is facing issues with replacing its aging water infrastructure. The city will not meet their goal of replacing 27 miles of city water main pipes by 2024 due to unanticipated cost increases. According to the 2022 Water Rate Progress Report, the city’s inflation, supply chain issues, increased water testing requirements and shortages of qualified professionals as setbacks in their plan to renew water infrastructure. While facing a 20% water shortage, the city is making efforts to meet its water use guidelines by limiting irrigation to 3 days a week and prohibiting filling ornamental fountains. If Fullerton suffers a 30% shortage, residents will no longer be able to wash cars, plant new landscape or maintain ornamental fountains. … ” Read more from the Daily Titan.
Along the Colorado River …
Efforts to remove invasive giant reed in Arizona rivers and lakes continues with Department of Forestry grants
“A giant reed that can grow 4 inches per day is choking Arizona rivers, creeks, and lakes. The stubborn Arundo donax plant, an invasive species brought to the U.S. from Southeast Asia, is wreaking havoc in about 30 mostly warm-weather states in the South and West, including Arizona. According to the University of California, Riverside Center for Invasive Species Research, Arundo was first planted in California in the 1820s to provide roofing and erosion control in the Los Angeles area. Willie Sommers, the invasive plant program coordinator for the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management, says nonnative plants can be described as out-of-control “biological wildfires.” His program provides grants to groups working to remove destructive plants, including Arundo, and is responsible for prioritizing invasive plant treatment. … ” Read more from Arizona Public Media.
It’s time to have honest debate about water
“In Arizona, there are few statements truer and purer than the common refrain: Water is Life. It is a cruel irony, then, that the laws and policies that we have created to regulate water in our state are among the most complex in statute. Since before Arizona became a state, lawmakers have sought to protect water rights; and stakeholders who used that water have added, subtracted, and developed the complicated mix of water laws into its current form. As we face the reality of the aridification of the Colorado River, emerging challenges to rural and urban groundwater management, and the growing water needs to support our population and economy, we must ensure that all stakeholders and policy makers can agree on the need for good-faith and honest discussions of water policy. … ” Read more from Arizona Capitol Times.
Massive Wyoming snowpack could hold Colorado River crisis ‘maybe for a few months’
“Far from ending the “mega-drought” that’s gripped the Colorado River Basin for years, a massive Wyoming snowpack will do little more than buy Wyoming and other downriver states some time. “This will stave off the crisis we’re headed toward maybe for a few months,” Thomas Minckley, a professor of Geology and Geophysics at the University of Wyoming, told Cowboy State Daily. “Notice that I said ‘months’ and not ‘years,’” he added. Minckley in 2019 was part of a UW-led venture that retraced the route of the 1869 John Wesley Powell expedition down the Green and Colorado rivers. That was another exceptionally wet year, but also wasn’t enough to break a 22-year-long drought, he previously told Cowboy State Daily. He’ll soon depart for a run down the river through the Grand Canyon. Engineers plan to move water from Lake Powell through the canyon and into Lake Mead at 18,000 cubic feet per second. … ” Read more from the Cowboy State Daily.
More news and commentary in the weekend edition …
In California water news this weekend …
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Poppy sunset in the East Bay. Photo by Jay Huang. 600,000 years of history, and Tulare Lake isn’t done yet
- A rabbit rescue operation is launched to save bunnies from rising floodwaters
- Calif. to cover costs to raise Corcoran Levee as re-emerging Tulare Lake swells
- Despite state investment in Corcoran levee, concerns remain for incarcerated population
- Much warmer conditions and mountain thunderstorms return to CA as extreme blocking pattern develops over western Canada
- El Niño is coming in strong, NOAA says
- How one strawberry farmer is coping with erratic weather in California
- Report: Valley almond crop to dip for third-straight year
- Almond grower in Ceres tests the benefits of cover crops
- California waterfalls: Map shows where to find dozens across Northern California
- Is it legal to collect rainwater in your state?
- In a reduced climate budget, Newsom pivots to flood response and cuts drought
- Scott Valley Agriculture Alliance: Drought officially over in Scott River watershed, yet emergency regulation remains–Local farmers and ranchers still required to give up 30% of groundwater
- Marin Municipal Water District defends plan for huge rate hike
- How big will Valley almond crop be this year? And why is USDA estimate kept secret?
- Kern River water to go into California Aqueduct to keep it out of Tulare Lake; flows to ramp up mid-June
- Here’s the truth about the Arizona water supply
- And more …
Click here for the weekend digest.
Also on Maven’s Notebook today …
NOTICE of availability of the draft EIR for Friant-Kern Canal draft water quality guidelines
