In California water news this weekend …
It may be a record wet year but the state is still doling out millions to prep for California’s next drought
“Even as some San Joaquin Valley communities still have flood damage to fix, new drought preparedness funding has been awarded by the state. Millions of dollars are going to local groundwater agencies for farmland retirement and repurposing. And some funding will help update infrastructure in small communities. The state Department of Water Resources announced on Wednesday $10 million through its 10th round of funding from the Small Community Drought Relief Program. This funding round includes two San Joaquin Valley projects. … ” Read more from SJV Water.
California budget passes by deadline, but still room for ‘shaping’
“The California Senate passed the 2023-2024 state budget Thursday. The Senate Democrats approved amending the budget over the weekend which was a source of concern for Republicans saying that it limits public input and decreases transparency. “We’ve had subcommittee meetings in each house and there are differences. How in this process, are we going to reconcile the differences between the two houses? Which used to be done in a conference committee but clearly we’re not having one of those today,” Republican Senator Roger Niello, R-Fair Oaks, Vice Chair of the Senate Budget Committee said on the floor last week. … ” Read more from Center Square.
Metropolitan to get $21 million to transform Delta island
“Grazing cattle on an island in the central Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta could soon make way for Contra Costa County’s first rice fields and a mosaic of restored wetlands now that its owner has received a $20.9 million state grant. The company plans to restore nearly 5,000 acres of Webb Tract, including 3,000 in wetlands, 1,500 in rice fields and the rest in other habitats, such as grasslands and scrub. The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Conservancy Board recently approved funding for the restoration work at Webb Tract, which the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California proposed on land it purchased along with three other islands – Bouldin, Bacon and Holland – for $175 million in 2016. At the time, the district said it could use them to store construction equipment, but critics warned that it would make it easier for the governor’s proposed — and later scrapped — California Water Fix project to send more water to Southern California, with twin tunnels to be built smack in the islands’ pathway. … ” Read more from the San Jose Mercury News.
Press release: State Water Board proposes Hexavalent Chromium Limit five hundred times higher than the public health goal
“Today, the State Water Resources Control Board (State Board) took a necessary and long-awaited step by releasing a draft maximum limit for Hexavalent Chromium (Chrome 6) in drinking water. However, at 10 μg/L, the proposed limit is 500 times the Public Health Goal of 0.02 μg/L. While a health protective MCL is urgently needed, this proposal does nothing to strengthen the same inadequate level in the administrative draft released in March 2022. The State Board must do better to provide protection for the California public. “Clean water, safe water, and water that’s not harmful for humans should be our number one priority,” says Naaman Starling who relies on a private well in Monterey County for his drinking water. “I have chromium-6 at 27 parts per billion, and we waited six years to just leave [the MCL] at the same level, while leaving many communities exposed to this carcinogen. The state needs to protect our health.” … ” Continue reading from the Community Water Center.
RELATED: NOTICE of Proposed Rulemaking: Hexavalent Chromium MCL, from the State Water Resources Control Board
The latest effort to break away from California is brewing in El Dorado County
“It’s a decades-old pursuit that’s been attempted, thus far, unsuccessfully — but a group of El Dorado County residents are hoping to finally get their shot at breaking free from California. The new effort to separate from one of the largest states in the U.S. is brewing in one of its smallest counties. Located east of Sacramento, El Dorado County is home to fewer than 200,000 residents but includes such picturesque spots as south Lake Tahoe. “We all knew that our problem was representation, living in Northern California,” said Sharon Durst, who is garnering support for El Dorado County to become its own state. “We don’t have a voice. We don’t have one representative — state or federal government — that lives in the border of El Dorado County.” … ” Read more from the LA Times. | Read similar story from the New York Post.
Pumping too much groundwater has changed Earth’s spin
“According to a recent study published in the journal Geophysical Research Letters, humans have caused the Earth to tilt approximately 80 centimeters (31.5 inches) eastward between 1993 and 2010 by pumping and relocating large amounts of groundwater. The study explores the impact of groundwater redistribution on the Earth’s rotational pole, which refers to the point around which the planet rotates. Changes in the distribution of water on Earth affect its mass distribution and consequently alter the rotational pole’s position. This phenomenon, known as polar motion, is analogous to adding weight to a spinning top, thus causing it to spin differently. … ” Read more from Earth.com.
In people news this weekend …
Promotions, passings, profiles – submit people news items to maven@mavensnotebook.com.
San Diego County Water Authority General Manager Sandra Kerl celebrated for 40 year public service career
California Senate President pro Tempore Toni G. Atkins June 16 recognized the accomplishments of San Diego County Water Authority General Manager Sandra L. Kerl, who is retiring later this month after a 41-year career in public service. During a ceremony at the Water Authority’s Kearny Mesa headquarters, Atkins presented Kerl with a framed plaque of the resolution on behalf of the entire San Diego County delegation in the state Legislature. The resolution honors Kerl’s long career, highlighting many of her accomplishments, including her work the past 14 years at the Water Authority. … ” Read more from the Water News Network.
Podcasts …
THE ECONEWS REPORT: What’s that fence in the river?
This week on the EcoNews Report hosts Alicia Hamann from Friends of the Eel River and Tom Wheeler from EPIC discuss an experimental installation in the South Fork of the Eel River. Guests Marisa McGrew from the Wiyot Tribe’s Natural Resources Department and Gabe Rossi and Philip Georgakakos, both research scientists with UC Berkeley, tell us all about the collaborative effort to install and manage a weir in the river. The primary purpose of the weir is to remove invasive pikeminnow from the river system and keep them away from prime rearing habitat for salmon and steelhead farther upstream. Click here to watch a video and learn more about this exciting project.
WATER IS A MANY SPLENDOR’ED THING: Wine and Water
Grapes are very much dependent on water and temperatures brought on by the seasons. Initially, water is one of the fundamental components of the life force needed for growing a vineyard to its mature state. However, once established, a grape vineyard needs very little water to produce its fruit. You might say that a vineyard benefits greatly during dry times like drought. What is it about a grape vineyard that gives its ability to adapt so well to water shortage? Water is a Many Splendor ’ed Thing brings you another water relationship that has a personally significant impact to your life. Produced by Steven Baker, Bringing People Together to Solve Water Problems, water@operationunite.co 530-205-6388
RIPPLE EFFECT: 2023 Colorado River System Conservation Pilot Project
Lily Bosworth, Staff Engineer for the Utah Colorado Authority of Utah, joins us to give an update on the SCPP. Great discussion about recent leasing efforts in the Colorado and brass tacks, like determining per acre-foot values, navigating changing economic conditions, types of conservation projects, and exciting developments to quantify water savings through satellite remote sensing. Looking to the future, the lessons learned through the 2023 SCPP may be able to be applied as a more permanent drought mitigation tool or demand management program for the State of Utah.
In regional water news this weekend …
NORTH COAST
The massive dam removal on the Klamath may save salmon but can’t solve the West’s water crisis
“Sheldon SmilingCoyote locked his eyes on the push and pull of the waves in front of him, suddenly slashing the tip of his handheld hook through the water, pulling out a slimy prehistoric fish. Lassoing the lamprey over his head to keep it from squirming off the hook, he ran to a hole he’d dug in the sand and released the fish on a pile of its relatives. SmilingCoyote tallied two dozen in his catch on a late February day. These nutrient-rich fish, a wintertime staple for the Yurok people, lost 400 miles of their historical spawning habitat to four dams that transformed the churning upper reaches of the Klamath River into slack water, threatening the lamprey and other native species. But that’s set to change. … ” Continue reading at the Pulitzer Center.
Collaborative efforts to restore the Eel River Estuary
“Winding across northern California, the Wild and Scenic (and endangered!) Eel River drains the state’s third largest watershed as it emerges from its headwaters in the Coast Range, snakes through steep canyons and old growth redwoods, and joins the Pacific Ocean south of Humboldt Bay. California Trout’s North Coast Region leads several projects in the watershed that complement projects led by other organizations. … Mist breezes onshore as waves crash beyond billowing sand dunes blockading water that slowly flows through the marsh. We are overlooking the estuary on the edge of Table Bluff where a patchwork of colors shows a centuries-long plant drama continuing as the non-native cordgrass (Spartina densiflora) imported from South America invades native pickleweed (Sarcocornia pacifica) patches in the marsh while introduced European beach grass (Ammophila arenaria) has become established the dunes. … ” Read more from Cal Trout.
$9 million and algae-covered bricks? Inside the plan to restore California’s underwater forests
“The recovery of Northern California’s once-great kelp forest may come down to dropping bricks to the bottom of the ocean. Last week, Bay Area researchers did just that: They made baby kelp grow on twine in a lab, then wrapped the twine around clay bricks and deposited them into Drakes Bay, a part of Point Reyes National Seashore that was once dense with the golden, towering strands of seaweed. “The hope is that they’ll stay in one place long enough for the kelp to grow up and be able to produce its own spores,” said Rietta Hohman, the kelp restoration project manager at the Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary, who wore an orange life vest on the deck of the sanctuary’s research vessel. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
Beach space decreased this year as Lake Tahoe fills from historic winter
“With the summer season heating up, locals and visitors will be flocking to the dozens of beaches that surround Lake Tahoe. A historic winter and subsequent run-off from snowmelt, however, means there will be less real estate for beachgoers at many of the lake’s popular summertime destinations. Thanks to our wet winter, Lake Tahoe is approaching its maximum limit,” said Lisa Herron, public affairs specialist for the U.S. Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit. “This means beaches may look different this year as water levels are very high around the lake. Visitors can expect Lake Tahoe beaches to be smaller than previous years due to the high lake levels.” … ” Read more from the Tahoe Daily Tribune.
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
Pacific Flyway Center groundbreaking is ‘major milestone’
“The Pacific Flyway Center hosted a groundbreaking ceremony Saturday morning for its new location south of Fairfield on the northwest corner of the Suisun Marsh. The center will host an education center and three miles of walking trails through preserved marshes where both migratory and local birds make their natural habitat. Project Director Claude Grillo said the groundbreaking was a major milestone for the project, but with a location selected and construction beginning, he was glad to see continued support and a good turnout at the event. “We have so many people who believe in it,” Grillo said of the project, “and I think that’s why I’m still here.” … ” Read more from the Fairfield Daily Republic.
NAPA/SONOMA
Board hands down harsher penalty for Felta Creek timber owner’s water quality violations
“A timber owner whose logging operations fouled the sensitive Felta Creek watershed, allowing sediment to enter the salmon-bearing waterway near Healdsburg over two successive winters, was ordered Friday to pay $276,000 in penalties. The North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board’s unanimous decision came as a severe blow to landowner Ken Bareilles, 81, who fought to deflect a proposed $251,000 fine during a 3 1/2-hour hearing only to have the board return with a harsher penalty given the importance of Felta Creek to coho salmon populations and the potential harm resulting from inadequate erosion control. ‘’The whole thing is speculative,” Bareilles argued, challenging what he considered to be weak evidence and chastising water quality personnel for failing to use sensors or gauges to measure the sediment in streams. … ” Read more from the Santa Rosa Press Democrat.
BAY AREA
Elevated levels of bacteria found at Stinson Beach, Marin County officials say
“Marin County Environmental Health Services says the central section of Stinson Beach does not meet state standards “for water contact recreation” after finding elevated levels of enterococcus bacteria there. The elevated bacteria levels were found in one of the three sections of the beach that Marin County officials test. This week, they released an alert that bacterial testing at the central section did not pass state standards. Marin County epidemiologist Arti Kundu said it’s difficult to determine where the bacteria came from, but the testing yielded unsafe levels of enterococcus. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
Pristine Bay Area beach on clean-water ‘honor roll,’ but region has five of the grungiest
“Lapping waves. Sand castles. Colorful umbrellas. Water with poop in it. You might get more than you bargained for at some Bay Area beaches. The annual Heal the Bay report is out this week, and five San Mateo County beaches made the “Beach Bummer” list for having ocean water heavily contaminated with fecal matter. Three were in Foster City, at Erckenbrack Park, Marlin Park and Gull Park. One was in Half Moon Bay, in Pillar Point Harbor at Capistrano Avenue. And one was on the open ocean: Pacifica’s main strand, Linda Mar Beach. “This marks the fifth consecutive report where San Mateo County has multiple Beach Bummers,” according to the report by the Los Angeles-based nonprofit that has been issuing the yearly water-quality Beach Report Cards for more than 30 years. … ” Read more from the San Jose Mercury News.
In Pleasanton, tainted water tapped to meet peak demand
“Across the Bay Area, reservoirs are brimming, snowmelt is plentiful, and drought restrictions have ended. Yet in Pleasanton, some residents are worried that, even with all that water, there won’t be a safe drop to drink. The end of California’s drought restrictions left the East Bay city with an unenviable choice — continue to mandate water conservation to meet peak summer demand after one of the wettest winters of record or tap contaminated wells. During a City Council meeting last month, Pleasanton chose the second option in a bid to satisfy residents eager to use more water, fill swimming pools and soak lawns after years of restrictions. Although the city gets most of its water from the California State Water Project, city leaders say they’ll also need to tap city wells contaminated with PFAS, also known as “forever chemicals,” to meet the highest spikes in usage. … ” Read more from the San Jose Mercury News.
CENTRAL COAST
Are Ventura County’s water providers ready for a major wildfire? A new Grand Jury report says no
“A new Ventura County Grand Jury reports says some of the county’s water providers aren’t adequately prepared to deal with the impacts of wildfires. The report says one of the top issues is many of the 15 water suppliers don’t have adequate backup power to deal with disruptions due to the loss of utility power, or fire damage. It calls on them to have on-site emergency power backup at critical infrastructure. … ” Read more from KCLU.
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
San Joaquin River open again in Fresno County, but the snow runoff danger isn’t over
“The San Joaquin River has reopened for recreational use, though the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office is still calling for people to use caution when entering the cold, fast running waters. Both the San Joaquin and Kings rivers have been closed in Fresno County since March, due to the amount of snow melt coming from the Sierra Nevada causing hazardous, life-threatening conditions. Water levels on the San Joaquin have since been reduced to flows that are safe to access, the Sheriff said in a statement Friday. The river is open from from Friant Dam to the Merced County line, though the parks at Lost Lake and Skaggs Bridge remain closed. Both contain hazards and will require maintenance work before being accessible to the public. A reopening date has not yet been determined, according to the sheriff’s office. … ” Read more from the Fresno Bee.
State hydrates water project funds for Fresno, Tulare counties
“The California Department of Water Resources announced funding for 11 projects as part of the Small Community Drought Relief Program. In a press release Wednesday, June 14, the department said the 10th round of program funding will go to projects in “underserved communities,” including Fresno, Tulare, Lake, Marin, Shasta, Tehama, Siskiyou and Tuolumne counties. Parlier and Waterworks District 40 in Fresno County and North Kaweah in Tulare County will benefit from the funds. … ” Read more from the Foothills Sun-Gazette.
Tooleville tank springs a leak, temporarily shutting off water to the beleaguered Tulare County town
“On top of all its other water woes, the tiny town of Tooleville temporarily lost water entirely Friday after one of its aging storage tanks sprang a leak. This is just the latest in a string of water issues that have plagued the rural Tulare County community for decades. Tooleville’s two wells have repeatedly run dry over the years, particularly during drought when nearby agricultural groundwater pumping intensifies. Residents rely on bottled drinking water because its groundwater supply is laced with a carcinogen called Hexavalent Chromium. It’s also currently receiving hauled water for the storage tanks from nonprofit Self-Help Enterprises because one of its wells has been struggling to produce enough water. … ” Read more from SJV Water.
EASTERN SIERRA
Advisory issued for Crowley Lake in Mono County for algal bloom
“Mono County has issued a recreational advisory for Crowley Lake in Mono County due to a harmful algal bloom. The county and the State Water Resources Board are urging fishermen and recreational users to exercise caution at the lake. The county says the algae was seen at the lake earlier this week, and that localized areas of the lake are now being tested to determine severity. … ” Read more from KOLO.
Ridgecrest: Water District to send letter of opposition to California water bill
“At their regular board meeting on June 12, the Indian Wells Valley Water District unanimously approved a motion to send a letter opposing California Assembly Bill 560. The letter itself was not provided in the meeting package, but board members stated that AB 560 unnecessarily complicates the adjudication process and puts too much power in the hands of the state, although the Water District board member Ron Kicinski said, “If this passes, it’s going to put way too much power in the hands of all the groundwater authorities in the state as well as additional power in the Department of Water Resources, and I just can’t agree with that.” … ” Read more from the Ridgecrest Independent.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Mojave Water Agency awarded $12 million grant to develop infrastructure projects.
“The Apple Valley-based Mojave Water Agency was awarded a $12 million grant from the California Department of Water Resources. On Thursday, the agency was named one of the Urban Community Drought Relief Program grant recipients by California Department of Water Resources. Grant funds will finance a water banking feasibility study that will help the agency’s develop infrastructure projects. The water agency serves roughly 500,000 residents within its 4,900-square-mile service area, of which, more than 89% is classified as an “Economically Distressed Area or a Disadvantaged Community,” the agency reported. … ” Read more from the Victorville Daily Press.
IMPERIAL/COACHELLA VALLEYS
Economic and Energy Summit bursting at the seams with those ready to ride the lithium train
“As the Imperial Valley College full south end parking lot portended, the halls and lecture room were packed June 14 with professionals and others ready to glean knowledge and leads in the hot energy market in the Imperial County. Thursday was the 15th annual Imperial Valley Economic & Energy Summit organized by the Imperial Valley Economic & Development Corporation (IVDEC) to educate attendees and enhance the joining of investors and project developers. The 2023 Summit kicked off with an appreciation BBQ Wednesday evening at The Patio at Las Chabelas Restaurant in Brawley. IVDEC President Tim Kelley emceed the evening and introduce many of the movers and shakers who made the event possible. Every year, the Summit brings together experts and leaders from top industries and the region. The full-day event covered geothermal, solar, Lithium Valley, transmission and clean transportation, including electric vehicle and battery supply chain, green hydrogen, and renewable natural gas and fuels. … ” Read more from the Desert Review.
SAN DIEGO
Imperial Beach cleanup event highlights water contamination issues at US—Mexico border
“Vince Harris and Maya Duncan were among dozens of volunteers who spent the morning picking up full bags of trash found at Imperial Beach. The San Diego Association and Surfrider Foundation hosted a community beach cleanup event Saturday morning. “People want to swim, people want to surf, people want to fish, people want to enjoy what California has to offer,” Harris said. But beachgoers at Imperial Beach have not been able to enjoy these activities recently due to signs warning them of the water contamination in the area. … ” Read more from NBC 7.
Along the Colorado River …
Some want to fill Lake Powell, others want to drain it
“To save or not to save Lake Powell? That is the question the Bureau of Reclamation is asking, now looking to the public to help create future guidelines and strategies to protect the Colorado River. Over the next two years, the Bureau will make big decisions on how much water to preserve in the Colorado River reservoirs, like Lake Mead and Lake Powell and how much they should be releasing downstream to those who need to use the water. The Blue Ribbon Coalition is recommending its “3588’ Plan” to fill Lake Powell, said executive director Ben Burr. … ” Read more from Fox 13.
As the Colorado River declines, water scarcity and the hunt for new sources drive up rates
“Across the Southwest, water users are preparing for a future with a lot less water as the region looks to confront steep cuts from the Colorado River and states are forced to limit use to save the river. Farms are being paid to not farm. Cities are looking to be more efficient and find new water supplies. And prices are starting to go up. In Phoenix, the city’s Water Services Department is preparing to increase residents’ monthly water bills starting this October if the hike is approved by the city council. The city isn’t alone. Water providers throughout the entire Colorado River Basin have raised water rates, or are preparing to, to compensate for increasing costs of infrastructure repairs and water shortages along the river. Inflation is driving up the costs of resources to treat and deliver water to customers, and other additional fees are planned to incentivize conservation. … ” Read more from Inside Climate News.
Nevada senator asking Congress to OK Vegas-area water pipeline through US conservation area
“A proposal to tunnel beneath a national conservation area to install a second pipeline to deliver Colorado River water to a large swath of suburban Las Vegas has drawn support from Nevada’s senior Democratic senator. U.S. Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto announced Thursday she introduced legislation asking Congress to let the Southern Nevada Water Authority drill the underground pipeline through part of Sloan Canyon National Conservation Area. “This legislation will increase the capacity of our entire water system in the (Las Vegas) valley while protecting our unique ecosystems and the residents and businesses in Henderson,” Cortez Masto said in a statement. … ” Read more from the Associated Press.
Nevada Senator Cortez Masto pushes bill for Colorado River water to feed Las Vegas sprawl
“Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) introduced legislation today to force approval of the Horizon Lateral Pipeline, which would deliver Colorado River water to feed new sprawl development south of Las Vegas. The pipeline’s route would go directly across Sloan Canyon National Conservation Area, a protected area that’s home to world-famous petroglyphs and other cultural artifacts. The conservation area provides important habitat for desert bighorn sheep, Nevada’s state animal. “The Colorado River is in free fall, but Sen. Cortez Masto wants to build another straw to suck water out of it to fuel more unsustainable development,” said Patrick Donnelly, Great Basin director at the Center for Biological Diversity. “This latest attack on public lands to benefit real-estate developers should outrage everyone who cares about the future of the river and the desert Southwest.” … ” Read more from the Center for Biological Diversity.
As drought grips West, feds offer cash, not necessarily water
“The federal government has more money than water to offer as drought grips the West and forces states to conserve. Deputy Interior Secretary Tommy Beaudreau visited Santa Fe on Friday to tout the flood of funding available to New Mexico and other states that share in the Colorado River system. In a speech at the Next Generation Water Summit, he said collaboration and a willingness to embrace projects that help communities make do with less are vital to withstanding the impacts of drought and climate change. … ” Read more from the Albuquerque Journal.
Also on Maven’s Notebook this weekend …
