On the calendar today …
- LEG HEARING: Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Water beginning at 9am. Click here for the full agenda and remote access instructions.
- WEBINAR: Adaptation Checklist for Climate Smart Natural Resource Management Projects from 10:30am to 12:00pm. Climate change has implications for both the effectiveness and hazard risk potential of many projects and activities undertaken or reviewed by natural resource managers. Failing to evaluate the potential vulnerability of a project or action prior to implementation or approval can lead to missed opportunities to improve design, optimize siting or otherwise reduce risk. The “Adaptation Checklist for Climate Smart Projects” is a tool that can be used by conservation practitioners across agencies and organizations to help determine how climate change might impact a given project, and what adaptation options may be most appropriate to apply. While this tool is most easily used in evaluating a place-based project, it can be used to assess the climate savviness of many types of natural resource management-related actions as well as policies. Click here to register.
- VIRTUAL SCOPING MEETING: Long-Term Operations of the California State Water Project from 11:30am to 1:30pm. DWR is seeking approval of long-term operations of the SWP facilities in the Delta, Suisun Marsh, and Suisun Bay to continue to provide water supply for agricultural, municipal, and industrial uses, along with the additional benefits to recreation and the environment in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations, including contractual obligations. SWP operations will be coordinated with DWR’s implementation of the Voluntary Agreements, an alternative implementation approach for satisfying the revised State Water Resources Control Board’s Bay-Delta Water Quality Control Plan, including flows to satisfy legal obligations under both endangered species laws and the Voluntary Agreements should the Voluntary Agreements be adopted by the State Water Resources Control Board. Considering other ongoing regulatory processes, the project will provide a framework for future projects involving SWP operations to come online. No new infrastructure facilities are included in the proposed project and long-term SWP operations would not change DWR’s water rights or impact the water rights of any other legal user of water. Join via Zoom at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89067984085 Call-in Only: 1-877-853-5247 Meeting ID: 890 6798 4085
In California water news today …
California lawmakers, Gavin Newsom hammer out $311 billion budget — without major water project
“California lawmakers and Gov. Gavin Newsom agreed on a $310.8 billion budget deal Monday, a compromise reached by dropping the governor’s proposal to move forward with a 45-mile Delta water tunnel that would pump water from the Sacramento River to other parts of the state. Legislators released a series of bills Saturday and Sunday showing the broad outlines of a spending plan that includes more money for public transit, child care, prison reform and Medi-Cal. The measures also reflected the challenges of closing the state’s estimated $31.5 billion budget gap. “In the face of continued global economic uncertainty, this budget increases our fiscal discipline by growing our budget reserves to a record $38 billion, while preserving historic investments in public education, health care, climate and public safety,” Newsom said in a statement late Monday evening. … ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee. | Read via Yahoo News.
Takeaways from the California budget deal between Newsom and Democratic lawmakers
“Gov. Gavin Newsom and Democratic legislative leaders on Monday agreed to a $310.8-billion budget spending plan that will reduce investments in fighting climate change and reflects a compromise on the governor’s last-minute proposal to speed up infrastructure projects across California. The 2023-24 budget deal, which lawmakers will vote on in a series of bills this week, ends weeks of infighting among Democrats that began after the governor introduced a package of infrastructure bills into the tail end of the budget process, including making it easier to approve his highly controversial plan to build a $16-billion tunnel beneath the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta to transport water south. Newsom threatened to veto the Legislature’s budget priorities over the last week unless they approved his infrastructure plan. The two sides ultimately settled on a deal that removes the delta tunnel project from the package but retains measures to reduce delays to other major projects due to legal challenges under California environmental law. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
MORE BUDGET COVERAGE:
- What you need to know on the California budget deal, from Cal Matters
- Dan Walters: California budget being misused to provide special interest goodies, from Cal Matters
- Winners and losers in the California budget deal, from Cal Matters
- California’s new budget covers $32 billion deficit without touching reserves, from the Associated Press
Harder makes move to kill tunnel via appropriations
“Governor Gavin Newsom wants to fast track the Delta tunnel. Congressman Josh Harder wants to derail it. The two California Democrats are on opposite sides of what is shaping up as the Golden state’s next big water ware — the $16 billion Delta tunnel. While Newsom as busy in Sacramento trying to get language tied into the state’s proposed $306.5 billion budget that would drastically reduce the environmental review process for the 40-mile plus tunnel, Harder on Thursday introduced an amendment in the House of Representatives appropriations mark up to stop the project. Since the project involves water from a Bureau of Reclamation project — Shasta Dam — it can’t proceed without federal blessing. … ” (Maven note: As I understand it, the Delta Conveyance Project is now for the State Water Project only, so it would not use water from Shasta Dam. Reclamation is not providing any funding, so I don’t see any federal nexus here.) Continue reading from the Manteca Bulletin.
‘This water needs to be protected’: California tribe calls for preservation of Tulare Lake
“When Leo Sisco was growing up on his tribe’s reservation, he heard elders’ stories about the great lake that once sustained their people, and how it was drained and taken away from them. This year, Sisco has been witnessing a remarkable transformation as Tulare Lake has reappeared on low-lying farmland near the reservation. The chairman of the Santa Rosa Rancheria Tachi Yokut Tribe has been noticing the water is attracting many birds, and he has been coming regularly to the lakeshore to offer prayers and look out over the water, which stretches to the horizon. “I am very happy the lake is back,” Sisco said. “It makes me swell with pride to know that, in this lifetime, I get to experience it. My daughters, my grandson get to experience the lake, and the stories that we heard when we were kids, for us it comes to fruition.” … ” Read more from the LA Times. | Read via Yahoo News.
Here’s how California’s flooding risk could be higher than we think
“A national flood assessment tool could be out of date. A new study says this tool is not taking into account how many more severe events are happening because of climate change and how new construction could be at a higher risk. The study by the First Street Foundation found that 1-in-100-year events are now expected more often because of climate change. Their research found people across the country are now being affected in a way they weren’t 20 to 30 years ago. “It feels like the 1-in-100-year event occurs every ten years in some places it is because we’re not measuring it accurately,” said Dr. Jeremy Porter, the head of climate implications research at the First Street Foundation. … ” Read more from CBS Sacramento.
SEE ALSO: Extreme floods are happening way more often than federal data would suggest, analysis shows, from CNN
The more stakeholders are included in policy planning, the better those policies protect them
“Having a seat at the table, and voices heard, makes a world of difference when it comes to natural resources. It sounds intuitive, but experts didn’t have enough data to prove it until now. A team of researchers from across the country pored over 108 groundwater management plans in California to see how well they protect stakeholders like domestic well users, farmers and ecosystems. They found that the plans that incorporated stakeholder input offered greater protection from groundwater depletion. Unfortunately, only 9% of the sustainability plans integrated these users in a comprehensive manner. The findings have broad implications for resource management, both in California and abroad. The authors published their independent analysis in Nature Communications. The data and findings from this study were shared with different stakeholders and organizations, who have used it to inform policy recommendations. … ” Read more from The Current.
‘Tremendous project’ at San Luis Dam showing progress
“Q: I was traveling with a friend recently from Gilroy to Santa Nella and we passed the full San Luis Reservoir on the trip. What a sight! There is a lot of construction going on near the face of the dam along Pacheco Pass. It must be a tremendous project, as there were trucks full of materials and a series of gravel, rock and dirt yards full of raw materials to be moved somewhere else, as well as trucks driving across the top of the dam. I hope you can find out what is going on.A: It’s a $1.2 billion project to rebuild the largest dam in Santa Clara County in order to reduce the risk of the dam failing in a major earthquake. … ” Read more from the San Jose Mercury News.
Metropolitan co-sponsors bill to restrict use of drinking water to irrigate non-functional turf
“The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California has officially signed on as a co-sponsor of statewide legislation that would prohibit businesses and institutions from using drinking water to irrigate decorative or non-functional lawns. Metropolitan joins the Natural Resources Defense Council and Heal the Bay as co-sponsors of Assembly Bill 1572, introduced by Assemblymember Laura Friedman (D-Burbank). The bill would phase out the use of potable water to irrigate non-functional grass that is not used for recreation or other purposes on commercial, industrial, municipal and institutional properties. If enacted into law, requirements would go into effect in phases, beginning in 2027. The bill does not affect properties that irrigate with recycled water or single- and multi-family residential properties. … ” Read more from the Metropolitan Water District.
Column: Where does our water go?
Kevin Hendrick, a 30-year resident of Del Norte County, writes, “On a recent trip to Los Angeles, I drove along the California Aqueduct, a huge canal flowing south. At the bottom of the San Joaquin Valley the water was sucked up by gigantic pipes for delivery over the mountains to southern California cities. This made me curious to know, where does our water go and where does it come from? I found there are five major water projects that deliver water across California. … ” Continue reading at Del Norte Triplicate.
US push to lower wildfire risk across the West stumbles in places
“Using chainsaws, heavy machinery and controlled burns, the Biden administration is trying to turn the tide on worsening wildfires in the U.S. West through a multi-billion dollar cleanup of forests choked with dead trees and undergrowth. Yet one year into what’s envisioned as a decade-long effort, federal land managers are scrambling to catch up after falling behind on several of their priority forests for thinning even as they exceeded goals elsewhere. And they’ve skipped over some highly at-risk communities to work in less threatened areas, according to data obtained by The Associated Press, public records and Congressional testimony. With climate change making the situation increasingly dire, mixed early results from the administration’s initiative underscore the challenge of reversing decades of lax forest management and aggressive fire suppression that allowed many woodlands to become tinderboxes. The ambitious effort comes amid pushback from lawmakers dissatisfied with progress to date and criticism from some environmentalists for cutting too many trees. … ” Continue reading at ABC News.
Prescribed fire, cultural burning get liability support
“California rolled out a first-of-its-kind approach to curbing the state’s catastrophic wildfire problem on June 19 by providing new protections for prescribed fire and cultural burning practitioners. The $20 million allocated for the “Prescribed Fire Liability Claims Fund Pilot” will cover losses in the rare instance that a prescribed or cultural burn escapes control. State Sen. Bill Dodd authored the 2022 bill (Senate Bill 926) that made this fund possible, continuing his many years of leadership on wildfire and prescribed fire-related legislation. … ” Read more from the Western Farm Press.
Corporations and climate change: California may force large businesses to disclose climate impacts
“Corporations have for years graded themselves on climate change, at times marketing themselves as environmental stewards while failing to fully disclose their emissions. Now California is considering holding corporations more accountable: If approved by the Legislature and Gov. Gavin Newsom, two bills would make California the first state to require large corporations to disclose their greenhouse gas emissions and report their risks from climate change. One bill — already approved by the Senate — would force about 5,300 U.S. corporations earning more than $1 billion and doing business in California to annually report their global emissions of carbon dioxide and other gases that contribute to climate change. … ” Read more from Cal Matters.
In commentary today …
Sacramento wants to upend Calif.’s water market. It could kill farms, housing.
William Bourdeau, executive vice president of Harris Farms, director of the Westlands Water District, and chairman of the Valley Future Foundation, writes, “I’m a farmer, a water steward, and just like you, a citizen deeply concerned about the way we use and manage our water resources here in the Golden State. I’m here today to discuss a bill that – if enacted – could upend our state’s water markets, impact agriculture, limit our water supply, and hinder housing development. The culprit? California State Assembly Bill 1205, a piece of legislation affecting California water rights through the sale, transfer or lease of agricultural land. You see, AB 1205 proposes a change that sounds harmless on the surface: it wants to label the sale, transfer, or lease of water rights from our agricultural lands by investment funds as a wasteful or unreasonable use of water. But let’s dig a bit deeper and reveal why this bill is a potential harmful for all Californians, especially our businesses, communities, the environment, and our very capacity to produce our own food. … ” Read more from the San Joaquin Valley Sun.
Higher food, housing, water prices on tap under state water proposals
Cathy Green, president of the Orange County Water District (OCWD), writes, “As President of the Orange County Water District (OCWD), I help drive OCWD’s mission which is to provide safe, clean and affordable water to the 2.5 million residents in central and north Orange County that rely on the groundwater basin managed by OCWD for 85% of their water demands. Legislation introduced in Sacramento threatens to unwind 90 years of hard work and innovation to supply groundwater to our 19 retail water agencies, while driving up prices for produce, stifling housing development, and doing damage to our local economy. Two bills authored by two Assemblymembers moving through the California Legislature – Assembly Bill 460 by Rebecca Bauer-Kahan, D-Orinda, and AB 1337 by Buffy Wicks, D-Oakland – would put Orange County’s water reliability at risk. … ” Read more from the OC Register.
A wet winter began to replenish Mono Lake. L.A. should let it be a lake again
“Los Angeles has a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to restore one of California’s ecological treasures and begin to reverse a century-old habit of relying on water from afar to quench our thirst. State regulators are considering a pause on water imports from the Eastern Sierra Nevada’s Mono Lake watershed to allow the fragile ecosystem to recover after decades of diversions to the L.A. Basin. Local leaders should embrace the chance to do the right thing for the environment and the Indigenous people who have stewarded this resource since time immemorial. L.A.’s water managers should also take this step for the region’s sake because importing water from far-flung places is a gamble at this point. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
Today’s featured article …
STATE WATER BOARD lays out proposed timeline for state intervention in six groundwater basins with inadequate plans
In March 2023, six basins were deemed by the Department of Water Resources to have inadequate groundwater sustainability plans, prompting possible intervention by the State Water Board. This marks the first since the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act was passed in 2014. The Act mandates all medium and high-priority basins to establish local groundwater sustainability agencies (GSAs) and develop and implement groundwater sustainability plans (GSPs). These plans serve as a roadmap to ensure the long-term sustainability of groundwater resources.
The six basins: the Delta Mendota, Chowchilla, Kaweah, Tulare Lake, Tule, and Kern County, had submitted their groundwater sustainability plans (GSPs) to DWR for review in January 2020. DWR’s evaluation found them incomplete; they were given six months to revise their plans. The plans were resubmitted in the summer of 2022 and were ultimately deemed inadequate in March 2023. DWR’s list of deficiencies included continuing overdraft, worsening land subsidence, and impacts on domestic wells. This has triggered the potential for the State Water Board to intervene and starts a process that could ultimately result in the State Water Board temporarily taking over management of the basin.
Click here to read this article.
Solar is Booming in the California Desert, if Water Issues Don’t Get in the Way
By Wyatt Myskow, Inside Climate News, posted at Maven’s Notebook
Solar farms stretch out mile after mile along Interstate 10 around Palm Springs, creating one of the densest areas of solar development in North America in the heart of California’s Colorado Desert. But the area’s success in meeting the state and the nation’s renewable energy goals is running up against the Southwest’s biggest climate challenge: Having enough water.
Local wells in the area have gone dry since the construction of multiple utility-scale solar projects near Desert Center—threatening the only water source for hundreds of people and a handful of local businesses. Solar farms typically don’t use much water when operating, but during construction, the law requires developers to mitigate dust—which can spread health problems like Valley Fever. That requires water.
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
Copco 2 deconstruction begins on Klamath River
“The deconstruction of Copco No. 2, the smallest of the four hydroelectric dams being removed from the Klamath River, is underway. This week, crews removed the gates, walkway, and two of the five bays down to the spillway. This work was done to direct waters around the dam, rather than over it, allowing construction crews to do work through the summer months. “While this is just the first step, it certainly is an exciting moment,” said Mark Bransom, CEO of the Klamath River Renewal Corporation (KRRC). “Crews are making fast progress in these early stages of the project, and we are on track with our removal timeline.” … ” Read more from Cal Trout.
CENTRAL COAST
Pajaro flood management agency could lose key partner and $1 million in funding
“Less than four months after a levee breach on the Pajaro River Levee flooded the community of Pajaro, a relatively new agency that was formed to plan and implement flood control projects is already in jeopardy of losing a key partner and nearly $1 million in funding. “So this really sends the wrong message to the public that we’re now in dispute over funding when this work just started and there’s a long road for us and the public wants us to get this work on the river and its tributaries done as soon as possible. This is a setback,” said Monterey County Supervisor Luis Alejo, who also sits on the board of the Pajaro Regional Flood Management Agency. … ” Read more from KSBY.
SEE ALSO: One partner in a collaborative flood management agency threatened to withdraw. It wasn’t a bluff., from Monterey Weekly
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
Sierra snow melt set Millerton and Pine Flat lakes at near capacity
“It won’t be long before snow melt from the Sierra fills our two local lakes, Pine Flat and Millerton. It’s a sight to behold. Two lakes in central California with water almost to the top. Millerton Lake at 84% capacity of 500,000 acre feet. Pine Flat Lake at 76% with a capacity of 1,000,000 acre feet. Randy McFarland is spokesperson for the Kings River Water Association. “We do expect it to fill by the middle of July and probably remain full for about a week or so before the level starts to drop.” … ” Read more from KMPH.
Kern River flows to drop again after noise detected in Isabella Dam outlet tunnel
“Outflows from Lake Isabella into the Kern River will be cut to zero starting at 1 a.m. Tuesday so dam operators can check the source of “funny noises” coming from the outlet tunnel, according to Kern River Watermaster Mark Mulkay and an Army Corps of Engineers press release. “They’ve been hearing funny noises in the tunnel. The thinking is that it’s probably debris,” Mulkay said. “So, to minimize any future damage, they want to get in there and see if they can fix it quickly and outflows will start up again.” Though the situation isn’t exactly “routine,” Mulkay said, it’s also “not unheard of” either. “The main thing for the public to understand is this is something that’s scheduled, it isn’t an emergency.” … ” Read more from SJV Water.
SEE ALSO:
- Where’d the river go? On 24-hour hiatus while Army Corps check out dam; agencies ask water users to conserve in the meantime, from KGET
- USACE to pause Isabella Dam water releases for routine inspection, from the Army Corps of Engineers
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
OC Water District’s wetlands home to endangered bird and more
“A habitat rich with wildlife and plants sits behind the Prado Dam. It’s managed and maintained by a group of biologists who work for the Orange County Water District, or OCWD. The area includes a large riparian forest and over 460 acres of wetlands. Field biologist David McMichael showed Spectrum News around the Prado Basin and shared how the team has helped an endangered bird make a comeback locally. OCWD Natural Resources Director Dick Zembal also discusses how the wetlands clean the water flow from the Santa Ana River, removing nitrates, sediments and other things from future drinking water. … ” Read more from Spectrum 1.
Mojave Water Agency importing water to fulfill its mission
“That water rushing under the Bear Valley Road bridge is not a mirage, nor is it the runoff from snowmelt in the local mountains. What you are seeing is the Mojave Water Agency (MWA) importing water to supplement our groundwater supply. Established in 1960 to participate in the State Water Project, Mojave Water Agency is one of 29 contractors permitted to deliver water from the California Aqueduct. This is just one of the ways MWA fulfills its mission to collaboratively manage groundwater basins sustainably, import water responsibly, and address risks proactively using sound science. “In simple terms, this means one of the Agency’s most important tasks is to import water from Northern California to replenish our groundwater basin,” said Board President Mike Page, who explained that is exactly why water is flowing from edge to edge in the normally dry riverbed. “While a small fraction of that water is natural runoff, approximately 90% of it is imported State Water Project flows.” … ” Read more from ACWA’s Water News.
Solar sprawl is tearing up the Mojave Desert. Is there a better way?
“High above the Las Vegas Strip, solar panels blanketed the roof of Mandalay Bay Convention Center — 26,000 of them, rippling across an area larger than 20 football fields. “This is really an ideal location,” said Michael Gulich, vice president of sustainability at MGM Resorts International. The same goes for the rest of Las Vegas and its sprawling suburbs. There’s enormous opportunity to lower household utility bills and cut climate pollution — without damaging wildlife habitat or disrupting treasured landscapes. But that hasn’t stopped corporations from making plans to carpet the desert surrounding Las Vegas with dozens of giant solar fields — some of them designed to supply power to California. The Biden administration has fueled that growth, taking steps to encourage solar and wind energy development across vast stretches of public lands in Nevada and other Western states. … ” Read the full story at the LA Times.
Along the Colorado River …
Arizona needs to conserve Colorado River water. Here’s a rundown on cities’ voluntary cuts
“Arizona cities and other entities could serve nearly 2 million households for a year with the amount of water they plan to voluntarily leave behind in the Colorado River the next three years, but they say they’re foregoing the supply to help preserve the reservoirs’ health. The Colorado River supplies seven states, Mexico, 5.5 million acres of farmland and 40 million people with drinking water each year. It’s a significant and vital source of drinking water for most Valley cities, making up 40% of Phoenix and Mesa’s annual supplies. But a two-decade drought and climate change have shrunk the river. Lake Mead, one of the reservoirs that contains river water to supply lower basin states, such as California, Arizona and Nevada, has been depleted to dangerously low levels. … ” Read more from Arizona Central.
Supreme Court keeps Navajo Nation waiting for water
“More than 150 years after the Navajo Nation signed treaties with the United States establishing its reservation and recognizing its sovereignty, the country’s largest tribe still struggles to secure the water guaranteed by those agreements. Decades of negotiations with the state of Arizona have proven fruitless. The state has been uniquely aggressive in using the scarce resource as a bargaining chip to extract concessions from the Navajo Nation and other tribes, dragging out the talks while Indigenous communities await desperately needed water and infrastructure, a recent ProPublica and High Country News investigation found. The Navajo Nation sued in hopes of accelerating the process. The case, launched 20 years ago, held the potential to reimagine how tribes secure their water rights. But the U.S. Supreme Court last week dashed those hopes by largely deferring to the status quo the tribe has dealt with for decades. … ” Continue reading from Pro Publica via Maven’s Notebook.
In national water news today …
Humans have used enough groundwater to shift Earth’s tilt
“Rampant removal of groundwater for drinking and irrigation has altered the distribution of water on Earth enough to shift the planet’s tilt, according to a sweeping new study. The finding underscores the dramatic impact that human activity can have on the planet. Humans pump most of our drinking water from natural underground reservoirs called aquifers. Researchers calculate that between 1993 and 2010, we removed a total of 2,150 gigatons of groundwater — enough to fill 860 million Olympic swimming pools. According to the new study, published on June 15 in the journal Geophysical Research Letters, moving all that water has shifted Earth’s tilt 31.5 inches eastward. … ” Read more from the Washington Post (gift article).
Major lakes have suffered major water losses over the past few decades
“Earth’s lakes are drying up. From 1992 to 2020, more than half of the world’s largest lakes, which account for 95% of all the lake water storage on the planet, lost “significant” amounts of water, according to a recent study in Science. The trend held for both natural lakes and human-created reservoirs and for both dry and wet regions. As a result, roughly one quarter of the human population now lives in a drying lake basin, a situation threatening water supplies, hydroelectric power, recreational opportunities, and more, the study suggested. The study attributed the losses primarily to global climate change, which is increasing evaporation. It also identified steadily growing human demand. “I was surprised by this drying trend,” said Fangfang Yao, a climate fellow at the University of Virginia and the study’s lead author. “This had been seen locally in other studies, but we show that this pattern is global.” … ” Read more from EOS.
Insurers pull back as US climate catastrophes intensify
“The insurance industry is increasingly wary of the risks presented by climate and natural disasters, prompting major firms to scale back their presence in more vulnerable states. In June, Farmers Insurance announced in a company memo it will no longer write new property insurance policies in Florida, citing “catastrophe costs … at historically high levels.” Earlier in the month, AIG stopped issuing policies along the Sunshine State’s hurricane-vulnerable coastline. Those followed State Farm, California’s largest homeowners’ insurer, which in May announced a moratorium on new policies in the state, blaming “rapidly growing catastrophe exposure.” The decision came after years of devastating wildfires have sent insurance rates in California skyrocketing. … ” Read more from The Hill.
