On the calendar today …
- PUBLIC MEETING: Fish Restoration Grant Program Peer Review Committee from 12pm to 2pm. Agenda items include 2024 Public Solicitation Notice Recommendations and a discussion on the vacancies on PRC and recruitment. Click for the agenda. Click here to join the Teams meeting.
In California water news today …
Legislature’s budget sidesteps fight with Newsom over Delta tunnel
“Despite approving a budget in time to preserve their paychecks, California lawmakers opted to circumvent the stickiest budget issue of the year. That issue? A proposal by Gov. Gavin Newsom to rapidly expedite permitting of major infrastructure projects. The big picture: Newsom is facing pushback from state legislators over his plan to expedite the state’s building and permitting process, with fears emerging that Newsom’s true motive is to favor a single project — the long-delayed and long-disputed plan to build a giant tunnel to re-route how the state moves water from north to south. … ” Read more from the San Joaquin Valley Sun.
After a winter deluge, California rivers are too dangerous to enjoy
“Gwyny Pett has been visiting the Kern River for decades, camping there as a girl and then taking her own children, now grown, to splash in shallows so calm they felt like a private pool. She has seen it in dry cycles like last year, when the river was difficult to explore not because of surging water, but because she turned her ankles on the exposed pebbles. She has also seen the destructive power of the river during high-water years. And although Ms. Pett, 66, recently looked ready for a swim at a popular riverside campground — black bikini on, pool towel draped over her beach chair — there was no way she was getting in. “I mean, this is dangerous,” she said, gesturing at the water speeding past. … ” Read more from the New York Times.
Satellites show gains in California water
“After years of intense drought and diminishing groundwater, California just saw its greatest year-over-year water gains in two decades, according to data from the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment Follow-On (GRACE-FO) satellite mission, a partnership between NASA and the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ). This past winter’s bonanza of atmospheric rivers alleviated some of the water deficit that the state incurred during periods of drought over the last 10 years, which included the three driest years on record in California. … ” Read more from Phys Org.
Sewage to sustenance: making reclaimed water ready for crops
“Plant materials that would otherwise become trash may be the key to solving two big problems: diminishing freshwater supplies for farms and diminishing effectiveness of antibiotics. On average, agriculture accounts for 70% of global freshwater use. In California, which produces nearly half of all U.S.-grown fruits, nuts, and vegetables, that number rises to 80%. The United Nations estimates food production will need to double by 2050. However, water supplies will not increase accordingly. Instead, due to climate change and drought, water resources are quickly shrinking. One solution to the increasing need for farm water is to use treated municipal wastewater. There are roughly 16,000 wastewater treatment plants in the U.S., each of them capable of processing up to 10 million gallons every day. … ” Read more from UC Riverside.
This is why your strawberries were so meh this season until now
“You can blame California’s wild winter for all sorts of havoc this spring and summer: moldy, leaking roofs, plagues of mosquitoes, cabin fever. Giant, less-flavorful strawberries also deserve a spot on that list. California produces 90% of the nation’s strawberries, which typically enjoy a growing season that starts as early as January and lasts until July. Peak season usually begins in March. But this year, thanks to a series of deadly atmospheric rivers this winter and spring, a deluge of rain flooded the state’s strawberry fields in Watsonville and Salinas, washing away two to three months of the season. Earlier reports this year have estimated $200 million in damage to crops, property and equipment. The California Strawberry Commission confirmed at least $100 million in crop loss. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
Endangered freshwater fishes: Does California lead the world?
Peter B. Moyle & Robert A. Leidy write, “Few things give the authors of this essay more pleasure than swimming in a California stream on a hot summer day, wearing a mask and snorkel, and observing diverse native fishes behaving naturally. But being able to watch such fishes may be a passing phenomenon, not only here, but globally. Freshwater habitats are disappearing or being rapidly modified, a reflection of the ever-expanding demands of people, accelerated by global climate change. Not surprisingly, there is a global freshwater biodiversity crisis, of which fish are one of the most conspicuous indicators. There is widespread agreement that the crisis is real (e.g., Dudgeon et al. 2006; Strayer and Dudgeon 2010; Darwell et al. 2018, Tickner et al. 2020). We started to document this crisis over 30 years ago (Moyle and Leidy 1992) when we concluded that, conservatively, 20% of the world’s freshwater fishes were already extinct or in severe decline towards extinction. … ” Continue reading at the California Water Blog.
California’s proposal to establish an MCL for hexavalent chromium is not based on best available science and will undermine water affordability initiatives
“Today, the American Chemistry Council, the California Manufacturers and Technology Association, the California Chamber of Commerce and the California League of Food Producers issued the following statement on the State Water Resources Control Board’s proposed rule to lower the maximum contaminant level for hexavalent chromium: “The State Water Resources Control Board’s (SWRCB) proposed rule to establish a maximum contaminant level (MCL) of 10 parts per billion (ppb) for hexavalent chromium is not based on the most up-to-date science, is not consistent with the findings of other authoritative bodies and would increase the cost of water without providing a meaningful improvement in public health. An MCL of 10 ppb for hexavalent chromium is based on the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment’s (OEHHA) public health goal (PHG), which was first adopted in 2011, before the publication of a large body of high-quality scientific research designed to understand how exposure to hexavalent chromium in drinking water can increase the risk of adverse health effects like cancer. In addition, OEHHA’s PHG is supposed to be reviewed at least once every 5 years and should have been revised in 2016 and again in 2021 based on the availability of newly published research. … ” Read more from the American Chemistry Council.
Farming methane
“To further its climate goals, California is providing dairy and hog farms huge subsidies to turn animal waste into a form of energy called biogas or biomethane that farms can not only get carbon credit for, but that they can also sell as a supposedly “low carbon” liquid fuel for vehicles. Proponents of biomethane call it a win-win that helps reduce farm emissions, produces an ostensibly “renewable” natural gas, and also gives farms carbon credits that other polluting industries can buy to offset their emissions. But researchers and environmentalists who have dug deeper have a different take. They say these financial incentives to produce biomethane are not only prolonging the state’s dependence on natural gas but are also be promoting the expansion of industrial agriculture, and brings with it all the problems associated with packing cows and pigs into Concentrated Animal Feedlots (or CAFOS). … ” Read more from Earth Island Journal.
Biden set to announce $600 million in climate projects during a visit to Palo Alto
“President Joe Biden is set to announce a $600 million investment in projects aimed at combatting climate change during a visit to Palo Alto on Monday. State, local, and environmental justice leaders will join the president in touring the Lucy Evans Baylands Nature Interpretive Center and Preserve, a coastal wetland in Palo Alto that plays a key role in protecting shoreline communities. Biden is expected to highlight the wetland to emphasize the urgency of climate action in coastal communities across the nation. During the visit, Biden is also expected to preview his administration’s latest actions to help communities adapt to a changing climate and increasingly extreme weather. … ” Read more from the San Jose Mercury News.
SEE ALSO: Biden to highlight climate commitments during West Coast swing, from CNN
Garcia and assembly coalition mobilize support for California Climate Resilience Bond
“On Wednesday, June 14, Assemblymember Eduardo Garcia (D-Coachella) and a coalition of Assemblymembers representing diverse regions across the state held a press conference mobilizing support for AB 1567, the California Climate Resilience Bond. According to a press release from Garcia’s office, as the Legislature moves to approve a state budget in the face of a deficit, passing a climate bond has become all the more urgent to uphold resource commitments and accelerate a climate crisis action plan. Per the release, AB 1567 proposes over $15.9 billion “in proven strategies and equity-focused investments to protect California communities.” … ” Read more from the Imperial Valley Press.
In commentary today …
California’s regulated water utilities work constantly to provide safe, clean water
Jennifer Capitolo, executive director of the California Water Association, writes, “Water is a precious resource, essential to life and requires our utmost care. As drought, climate change, wildfires and other natural disasters become more impactful, it is more important than ever that we are meeting our everyday and emergency water needs. Across California, over 90 regulated water utilities are serving more than 6 million customers. Locally, residents in Calipatria and Niland receive water from Golden State Water Company, a utility provider that employs water professionals and industry experts who live and work in the communities they serve. They’re dedicated to building water infrastructure, supporting the sustainability of our natural resources, and delivering clean and reliable drinking water 24/7 year-round. … ” Read more from the Desert Sun.
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
Paradise lost? Copco Lake residents brace for dam removal
“The impending removal of four hydroelectric dams on the main stem of the Klamath River has thrown the normally tranquil community of Copco Lake into turmoil. The Copco Lake store has been closed for over a decade; still, it’s easy to imagine stopping in for some bait and sandwich fixings, or chatting with a neighbor in one of the mismatched rocking chairs on the front porch. The sidewalk in front of the store is cracked, but the building is tidy, and on a sunny day in late May, Francis Gill is mowing the lawn. Danny Fontaine, Gill’s husband, recalls a time when rafters, still breathless after riding in on the Klamath River’s Class 3 and 4 rapids, crowded the grass. “It was really lively,” says Fontaine. “And so we’re thinking, well, that would be really cool to recreate that out here.” … ” Read more from Jefferson Public Radio.
Reclamation and National Resources Conservation Service award $6 million for Klamath Basin salmon recovery
“The Bureau of Reclamation and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service announced today 11 projects totaling $6 million to be awarded as part of three Klamath Basin Salmon Restoration grant programs. Partnering with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to administer funds, the grants will be combined with $9,395,146 in matching contributions for a total conservation impact of nearly $15 million. … ” Read more from the Bureau of Reclamation.
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
Why Lake Tahoe’s popular state parks could face closures this summer
“As peak tourism season dawns on Lake Tahoe, the spectacular state parks ringing the shoreline are so short-staffed that officials are warning that service cuts and even temporary closures may loom ahead. Sand Harbor State Park, a picturesque pocket of golden beach coves and smooth granite boulders on the lakeshore in Nevada, is so popular that cars queue at its entry gate each summer morning, sometimes backing up onto the highway. Its 450-space parking lot typically fills up shortly after the park opens at 7 a.m. But staffing is at about 75% capacity heading into the busiest time of year, and there’s a chance the park closes for a day or two midweek this summer if the state’s parks department can’t shuffle in enough help, according to Allen Wooldridge, Tahoe region manager for Nevada State Parks. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
Firefighters face new challenges combating California wildfires
“Firefighters are gearing up for what is expected to be a challenging summer ahead of the peak of fire season. The rainy and wet winter may be creating dangerous conditions in the Sacramento Valley. On Sunday, the fire line got dangerously close to homes in the area of Bradshaw and Calvine roads. Heather Apel visited her mother’s property to check on the house and their horses. As she drove, she hoped for the winds to calm down. “I was hoping the fire didn’t cross the street,” Apel said. … ” Read more from CBS Sacramento.
BAY AREA
Story of the rising tides: King Tides project map out now
“This winter, King Tides hit the Bay Area, causing immense flooding that acted to foretell the impacts of sea level rise in our communities. Our Chapter and the Bay Alive Campaign, consisting of nearly 50 dedicated volunteers, set out into their neighborhoods, strolled along shorelines, and braved flooded pathways to capture these tides in photographs and tell the story of our future as the oceans rise — all in an effort we called the King Tides Project. King Tides are not a new phenomenon. They are semi-annual high tide events that occur when the earth, moon, and sun are aligned to produce the greatest tidal effects of the year. This winter, however, between the record storms and seasonal tides, nearly every Bay Area city was affected. The end product of this project is a StoryMap, a map that includes all photo submissions, marked areas of specific concern, sliding photos to compare regular tide cycles with the King Tides, and a recording of our webinar with speakers from the California Coastal Commission, San Francisco Estuary Institute, and the Bay Conservation and Development Commission. … ” Read more from the Bay Area chapter of the Sierra Club. | View story map here.
Plenty of birds laying eggs at Cache Creek Preserve
“Southeast area residents of Woodland residents may be fighting a losing battle against those “no-see-ems” swarming out of the Yolo Bypass this time of year. But the birds which feed in part on the tiny critters are apparently doing well, based on the number of nesting boxes filled with chicks at the Cache Creek Nature Preserve. While the birds in the Bypass and at the Nature Preserve may not be that closely linked by geography, it’s indicative of the lingering effects from last winter’s record rainfall. Felicia Wang, a staff biologist at the Nature Preserve, reported this week there are nearly 50 boxes of various sizes at the Preserve, the nearby Granite Woodland-Reiff Property and Capay Open Space Park, with most occupied by birds who are hatching either their first or second clutch of eggs. … ” Read more from the Woodland Daily Democrat.
Crews battle wildfires across the Bay Area, fire season gets underway
“Several wildfires are being reported across the Bay Area this weekend, including at Lake Cunningham in San Jose and the Snell Fire in Napa County. Brush fires have also been reported in Watsonville and Sonoma County east of Cloverdale. So far no structure damage or injuries have been reported in any of these fires, but Cal Fire says they are a good reminder that wildfires can and will still happen despite the wet weather earlier in 2023. … ” Read more from KTVU.
Residents seek flood control action in San Mateo
“In the wake of flooding and water damage from rainstorms early in the year, San Mateo residents are organizing and calling on city leaders for more tangible action to prevent future flooding. A group of community members are asking the City Council to dredge Marina Lagoon and address future flooding concerns following the city getting 5 inches of rain during the New Year’s Eve storm that damaged property and businesses throughout the city and resulted in the city having to close streets and set up barriers and traffic control in multiple residential neighborhoods. … ” Read more from the San Mateo Daily Journal.
Zone 7 among grant recipients confirmed by California Department of Water Resources
“The California Department of Water Resources announced $288 million in grants this month to help fund drinking water, drought response and flood control projects around the state, including $300,000 for a Zone 7 Water Agency initiative. DWR highlighted several projects that will receive funds, including three in and around the Bay Area that together will get $17 million for groundwater recharge, water supply and recycled water projects. In Alameda County, Zone 7 will receive $300,000 to build an automated self-service recycled water fill station to provide water year-round for irrigation and other uses. … ” Read more from Pleasanton Weekly.
Apple co-founder to sell huge Carmel Valley ranch for $35 million to become public nature preserve
“A legendary Silicon Valley tech leader who bought a vast ranch in Carmel Valley 40 years ago is selling the property to a conservation group to become a new public preserve and cultural site. In 1977, Mike Markkula gave two unknown, shaggy-haired computer programmers, Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak, $250,000 to help turn their young partnership into a new company. He become the third employee at Apple, served as its CEO and chairman of the board, and at one time owned 26% of the company. Markkula, an engineer who had worked at Intel before meeting the duo, used part of his fortune to buy one of the largest properties in Monterey County, the historic Rana Creek Ranch, a 14,100-acre landscape that stretches 8 miles through Carmel Valley, between Salinas Valley and Big Sur. … ” Read more from Silicon Valley.
Commentary: Valley Water project protects Milpitas residents, businesses from flooding
Richard P. Santos, Valley Water Board member representing District 3, writes, “Valley Water was set to host a ribbon cutting June 20 to celebrate the completion of the Lower Penitencia Creek Improvements Project in Milpitas, one of many projects we are working on to help protect residents and businesses from flooding. With the completion of this project, we can continue providing flood protection for residents and businesses along a one-mile stretch of Lower Penitencia Creek. Our agency built a new levee and floodwalls and raised an existing levee along the creek from its confluence with Coyote Creek to San Andreas Drive in Milpitas. Although Valley Water completed some flood improvements in the existing channel in the 1980s, we needed to increase the creek’s capacity to carry water. During the rainy season, water flows from Berryessa Creek into Lower Penitencia Creek. Valley Water is currently working on flood improvements along Berryessa Creek, resulting in greater storm flows in Lower Penitencia Creek. … ” Read more from the San Jose Mercury News.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Toxic algal bloom suspected in dolphin and sea lion deaths in Southern California
“The rapid growth of harmful algae along parts of the Southern California Coast is believed to have killed hundreds of California sea lions and close to 60 dolphins in the first weeks of June. The Channel Islands Marine & Wildlife Institute has fielded more than 1,000 reports of sick and dead marine mammals from June 8 through June 14, said Ruth Dover, co-founder and Managing Director. The Institute is part of the West Coast Marine Mammal Stranding Network, which is coordinated by NOAA Fisheries and responds to live marine mammal strandings in Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties. “We are managing more than 200 reports of marine mammals in distress each day,” Dover said. … ” Read more from NOAA Fisheries.
SAN DIEGO
How did San Diego’s sewage-blasted shorelines evade the list of dirtiest beaches in California?
“Heal the Bay released its 33rd annual beach report card this week, including a list of the dirtiest shorelines in California. Glaringly absent were the ocean waters off San Diego’s southern coast, from Coronado down to Imperial Beach. Residents there have endured a record number of swimming restrictions over the last 18 months as massive amounts of sewage continue to spill over the border from Tijuana. … So why didn’t the Santa Monica-based nonprofit call out these San Diego beaches in its latest assessment of the state’s ocean water quality? The short answer: Advocates with Heal the Bay were somewhat perplexed by a new highly sensitive DNA-based test for water quality launched last year by San Diego County. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
Along the Colorado River …
Lakes Powell, Mead levels rise as government plans future water rules
“A year after Lake Mead dropped to a historic low, the U.S. government’s Department of Interior and Bureau of Reclamation have announced the beginning of the process to develop a new plan to deal with the changing water levels in reservoirs along the Colorado River. To do this it is setting up three public input meetings online where people can voice ideas and concerns. Reclamation needs to put in place new rules to replace the “2007 Colorado River Interim Guidelines for Lower Basin Shortages and the Coordinated Operations for Lake Powell and Lake Mead,” which will expire at the end of 2026. This new step is to “assure the continued stability of the Colorado River system into the future,” according to Reclamation. … ” Read more from Channel 8.
Arizona business leader pushes back on media ‘misperception’ about water
“The leader of Arizona’s most influential business group is pushing back on what he says is a “misperception” in the national media that Arizona is running out of water. “How often has the national media gotten this wrong?” Danny Seiden, chief executive officer and president of the Arizona Chamber of Commerce & Industry, said in an interview on this weekend’s “Sunday Square Off.” “I look forward to reminding the New York Times of that 10 years from now, just like the Smithsonian, who 10 years ago predicted we would be out of water. Phoenix would be out of water right now.” … ” Read more from Channel 12.
SEE ALSO: Moody’s sees ‘red flag’ water stress ahead for Phoenix area, from the Arizona Daily Star
In national water news today …
AI to stop water pollution before it happens
“Artificial intelligence will be used in south-west England to predict pollution before it happens and help prevent it. It’s hoped the pilot project in Devon will help improve water quality at the seaside resort of Combe Martin, making it a better place for swimming. Sensors placed in rivers and fields will build a picture of the state of local rivers, rainfall and soil. AI will then combine that data with satellite imagery of local land use. … ” Read more from the BBC.
Half the nation’s wetlands just lost federal protection. Their fate is up to states.
“States’ to-do lists just got a little longer: Decide how — or whether — to oversee building, planting and water quality in some wetland areas. Last month, a U.S. Supreme Court decision struck down federal protections for wetlands covering tens of millions of acres across the country, leaving no regulation of those areas in nearly half the states. The court’s narrowing of the Clean Water Act has left some states scrambling to enact their own safeguards and others questioning whether their regulators can handle the workload without their federal partners. Other states, though, see the loss of federal oversight as an opportunity to roll back corresponding state laws at the behest of developers and farmers, who argue such regulations are overly burdensome. “State protections are not all the same,” said Jim McElfish, senior research and policy adviser with the Environmental Law Institute. “It’s going to be up to the states to fill the gap, and they might act very quickly. It’s really going to be up to what the legislatures want to do.” … ” Read more from Stateline.
Found: Giant freshwater deposits hiding under the sea
“On a clear September day in 2015, after 10 years of working to get funding, my colleague Kerry Key and I stepped aboard the R/V Langseth, a research ship docked at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Massachusetts. We were about to lead a 10-day expedition to map a deposit of fresh water, size unknown, hidden 100 meters (about 330 feet) under the rocky seafloor. Back in the 1960s the U.S. Geological Survey had drilled a series of vertical boreholes off the New Jersey coast, looking for sand deposits and other resources. They unexpectedly struck fresh water, which was baffling. Years later researchers obtained water samples from the same location and analyzed the chemistry, finding to their surprise that the liquid was a mix of recent rainwater and seawater. Rainwater, 65 kilometers (40 miles) out to sea—under the seafloor? … ” Read more from Scientific American.
PFAS-chomping bacteria kill some ‘forever chemicals,’ scientists say
“There’s been a lot of concern recently about PFAS, pervasive “forever chemicals” that have seeped into waterways in the Mountain West and are difficult to remove. But now there’s a glimmer of hope. Some researchers are finding bacteria can help clean up the chemicals, which have been linked to cancer and kidney disease. University of California Riverside researchers identified two species of bacteria found in soil that can break down some PFAS chemicals commonly used in some electronics and medicine packaging. The findings were published in the journal Nature Water last month. … ” Read more from KUNC.
More news and commentary in the weekend edition …
In California water news this weekend …
-
Lassen Volcanic National Park by Jasperdo It may be a record wet year but the state is still dolling out millions to prep for California’s next drought
- California budget passes by deadline, but still room for ‘shaping’
- Metropolitan to get $21 million to transform Delta island
- Press release: State Water Board proposes Hexavalent Chromium Limit five hundred times higher than the public health goal
- The latest effort to break away from California is brewing in El Dorado County
- Pumping too much groundwater has changed Earth’s spin
- $9 million and algae-covered bricks? Inside the plan to restore California’s underwater forests
- Beach space decreased this year as Lake Tahoe fills from historic winter
- San Joaquin River open again in Fresno County, but the snow runoff danger isn’t over
- Some want to fill Lake Powell, others want to drain it
- And more …
Click here to read this article.
Also on Maven’s Notebook today …
NOTICE of Proposed Rulemaking: Hexavalent Chromium MCL
