In California water news today …
Many obstacles remain in SGMA implementation
“Many challenges remain in implementing California’s Sustainable Groundwater Management Act nearly 10 years after it was passed, according to a report from the University of California’s Institute of Water Resources. New social and economic questions have emerged as sustainability plans have been submitted – with some deemed inadequate – and implementation is just beginning, asserts authors Garrison Schlauch, Ellen Bruno and Kristin Dobbin. In early June, roughly 60 practitioners, researchers, and community members met at UC Berkeley to discuss social and economic issues around groundwater management in California. … ” Read more from the Western Farm Press.
Agricultural fields in California’s Tulare Lake Basin could be underwater for years to come, experts say
“Farmers in one of the most prominent agricultural communities in the country will likely be living an underwater nightmare for the foreseeable future. Central California’s Tulare Lake is filled past the brim, but with the blessings of an ample water supply also comes a curse: spillage that experts say could continue to drown fields and roadways for years to come. The flooding has left farmland, streets and properties under several feet of water. Visual evidence of the decades-long megadrought that plagued the West and left lakes nearly depleted has nearly disappeared. An onslaught of moisture from dozens of atmospheric rivers that pummeled the West over the winter season has insured available water supply for the first time in several years, but it has also wreaked havoc in a region of California that yields a vast amount of the country’s produce. … ” Read more from ABC News.
If Corcoran had flooded, were its prisons prepared? Why some say more transparency is needed
“Like the water surging out of the Sierra Nevada, the news of the flooding came in torrents for Joseph, who was watching the news one morning in mid-March when he saw video footage of flooded fields nearby. “It was just every day, all day,” Joseph said, “showing how the flooding was just taking over so much.” Joseph is one of 8,000 men incarcerated within two state prisons outside of the Kings County city of Corcoran. Joseph isn’t his real name – he’s using an alias for fear of retaliation. He’s incarcerated at the Substance Abuse Treatment Facility and State Prison in Corcoran (SATF), and he’s speaking out against prison administration. It was through those news reports at the time, watched on 15-inch television screens in prison bunkbeds – not official announcements from prison administrators – that Joseph says he and many other inmates learned about the historic floodwaters that had begun to fill Tulare Lake for the first time in decades. … ” Read more from KVPR.
SEE ALSO: Water Whiplash: A ‘wake up call’ for two prisons near the edge of Tulare Lake, from KVPR
Rain gardens could save fish from toxic tire chemicals
“New research finds that specially-designed rain gardens could drastically reduce the amount of amount of a toxic chemical associated with tires entering waterways, according to a press release by the University of British Columbia (UBC). The chemical 6PPD-quinone can form when car tires interact with the atmosphere. It enters rivers and streams from stormwater runoff. The chemical is toxic to many fish. Rain gardens, or bioretention cells, could reduce the loading of 6PPD-quinone by more than 90%, according to the research published by the American Chemical Society. Specially designed gardens could reduce the amount of a toxic chemical associated with tires entering our waterways by more than 90 per cent, new research shows. … ” Continue reading at Stormwater Solutions.
California Senator introduces voluntary agricultural land repurposing bill
“U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla, D-California, introduced a bill that he hopes will bolster water supply. Padilla introduced the Voluntary Agricultural Land Repurposing Act. It would provide funding to states that voluntarily repurpose certain agricultural lands. Padilla filed the bill in response to the Colorado River Basin’s water shortage, the Great Salt Lake’s declining water supply, and groundwater overdraft in California’s Central Valley, among other issues. … “Agriculture is essential to California’s economy and allows us to put food on the table for families across the country, but the climate crisis and historic droughts require us to adapt to long-term water scarcity,” Padilla said in a press release. “My Voluntary Agricultural Land Repurposing Act will provide another tool for communities to support the collaborative planning and voluntary actions already underway to reduce water use in the West. This legislation embraces state and local ingenuity and long-term land use planning while ensuring that our agricultural economies remain vibrant for years to come.” … ” Read more from The Center Square via Maven’s Notebook.
SEE ALSO: Padilla Introduces Legislation to Facilitate Voluntary Agricultural Land Repurposing to Bolster Water Supply, from the Office of Senator Alex Padilla
Padilla introduces bill to bolster atmospheric river forecasting
“Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) introduced the Atmospheric Rivers Reconnaissance, Observation and Warning Act, legislation that would improve the accuracy and timeliness of West Coast Atmospheric River (AR) forecasts by directing the Air Force and NOAA to provide the necessary aircraft, personnel, and equipment to meet AR mission requirements during the winter season in the West Coast. As the frequency and intensity of AR storms increase, winter season reconnaissance flights are critical for more accurately anticipating the landfall and severity of ARs, enabling communities to better prepare for and mitigate damage from storm events and improve water management. … ” Read more from Senator Alex Padilla.
Sriracha prices soar amid ongoing supply shortage linked to droughts
“Bottles of Huy Fong Sriracha are going for as much as $70 on some sites amid a shortage of the popular hot sauce linked to ongoing droughts. A single 28-ounce bottle is being listed by one eBay seller for nearly $70, while a two-pack of 17-ounce bottles is going on Amazon for around $100 or more from some merchants. Other brands’ iterations of the sauce on the sites are notably less expensive, but prices for Huy Fong’s authentic version are being driven up by the an ongoing shortage of the chilis used to make the condiment. The company announced a “a shortage of chili pepper inventory” back in 2020, and said last year that weather conditions were affecting quality and sparking an even “more severe” shortage. The company is based in Irwindale, Calif., and reportedly supplied by chili pepper farms in California, New Mexico and Mexico, areas that have faced drought in recent years. … ” Read more from The Hill.
The science behind California’s worsening heat waves, explained
“California is facing its first major heat wave of the year, with triple-digit temperatures potential for the Bay Area’s interior valleys and some locations in the Sacramento Valley expected to see temperatures approaching 110 degrees. The cause? A looming high-pressure system. This atmospheric lid is trapping hot air over California, though not to the extent of the historic heat dome that settled over the Western U.S. in September 2022. In the U.S., heat kills more people in an average year than other weather extremes — more than torrential floods, tornadoes and cold snaps. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
California is off to a slow fire season so far, but Newsom, fire leaders urge readiness as summer begins
“With reservoirs full and snow still deep across the Sierra Nevada following one of the wettest winters in recent decades, California’s fire season is off to a slow start this year. But Gov. Gavin Newsom and state fire leaders urged residents on Thursday not to be complacent as the Fourth of July nears and summer weather begins to heat up. “In the last four years, we’ve had two of the most extreme wildfire seasons — some of the worst and most destructive in terms of acreage and property and lives lost — and then two of the more modest fire seasons,” Newsom said during a visit to the Cal Fire Air Attack Base in Grass Valley. “We live in this new reality,” he added, “where we can’t necessarily attach ourselves to some of the more predictive models of the past because of a world that is getting a lot hotter, a lot drier and a lot more uncertain because of climate change.” … ” Read more from the San Jose Mercury News (gift article).
What wet winter? California prepares for peak wildfire season
“As California faces its first major heat wave of the summer this Fourth of July weekend, state officials are urging residents to not become complacent about the threat of wildfires this year. Standing beneath the blistering sun at the Grass Valley Air Attack Base in Nevada County, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection chief Joe Tyler outlined the state’s plans to battle blazes this year with new tools and technology, as well as increased vegetation management efforts. He cautioned that while the wet start to 2023 may have delayed the start of fire season, it has not deterred it. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
Monitoring system improves response to fires, other hazards
“In early May, the University of California San Diego launched ALERTCalifornia, a monitoring system that is designed to confirm wildfires across the Golden State. Comprising more than 1,000 pan-tilt-zoom wildfire monitoring cameras and sensor arrays, the system collects massive amounts of publicly available data that can be used in real time by first responders as they address wildfires and by others to inform responses to varying types of natural disasters. Researchers also are using ALERTCalifornia cameras and sensors to monitor ongoing structural engineering experiments involving UC San Diego’s Large High-Performance Outdoor Shake Table, the world’s largest outdoor earthquake simulator. … ” Read more from Civil Engineering Source.
SEE ALSO: Gov. Newsom speaks on wildfire season preparations using advanced tech, including A.I., from ABC 7
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
Yurok Tribe signs historic MOU to help salmon
“The Yurok Tribe, CalTrout and Farmers Ditch Company recently signed an agreement that envisions a future where salmon populations and family farms both flourish in the Scott River Valley. “The Yurok Tribe initiated this unique partnership in an effort to develop cooperative, mutually beneficial solutions that help the Scott River’s salmon runs recover,” said Yurok Tribal Council Member Ryan Ray. “We believe that strong fish runs and resilient ranching operations can coexist in the Scott River Valley. This agreement establishes the necessary framework to make it happen.” … ” Read more from the Del Norte Triplicate.
The meaning of fire
“Long before recorded history, in a place now referred to as the Klamath River Basin in Northern California, the Karuk Tribe thrived along the riverbanks. The Karuk have relied on the land and the water for their spiritual and physical livelihoods. They developed rich traditions using fire to take care of the land. As those tribal practices evolved so did the landscape—both needed each other, both needed fire. Beau Goodwin, a Karuk Tribal member, is not sure when he first experienced fire, but he was likely just a baby. … ” Continue reading from the US Forest Service.
The experts weigh in: environmentalists, engineers, and lawyers on the future of the Potter Valley Project
“On June 21 the Russian River Water Forum held a Technical Briefing on Water Supply and Fisheries in both the Eel and Russian Rivers. Experts covered the declining fish populations in affected waterways, the nuances of the Russian River watershed, and indigenous water rights in the area. Manning gave high-level recaps of more than a thousand pages of online reports conducted for the Two Basin Partnership. The Partnership was an ad hoc group formed by Congressman Jared Huffman in 2018 to explore terms for a new hydroelectric license at the Potter Valley Project. PG&E has since announced that it would be abandoning the hydroelectric project. The Two Basin Partnership ended, and its successor, RRWF, is a larger group formed to explore the possibility of taking over the Potter Valley Project and restoring the habitats of the Eel and Russian River watersheds. RRWF is following up on the research and studies undertaken by the Partnership. … ” Read more from Mendo Fever.
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
‘Far as the eye can see’: Fields of ‘suncups’ are covering the Sierra
“California conservationist Beth Pratt was hiking in Yosemite National Park on June 25 when she came across miles upon miles of suncups. “I’ve been hiking in the Sierra for 33 years,” said Pratt, regional executive director of the National Wildlife Federation’s California Regional Center. “I’ve encountered them a lot but never to this extent. That was something. First, in how much coverage there was of them, and then the depth. The depth was something I’ve never encountered. Some were up to my hips, and saddling them got uncomfortable, as you can imagine.” … ” Read more from SF Gate.
High water narrows Tahoe beaches
“Holiday visitors looking to spend some time on Lake Tahoe’s beaches may find there isn’t much space available thanks to high water. “Due to our wet winter, Lake Tahoe is approaching its maximum limit,” said U.S. Forest Service Public Affairs Specialist Lisa Herron. “Beachgoers can expect Lake Tahoe beaches to be smaller and narrower than previous years due to high-water levels. Beaches with vegetation or rocky shoreline may be inaccessible. We suggest visitors arrive early to beat the crowds and use this opportunity to explore new areas.” The July 4 weekend is one of the busiest holidays at Lake Tahoe. Visitors should arrive early as parking areas at beaches, picnic areas and trailheads fill up quickly. … ” Read more from the Record Courier.
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
Kayaker warns others about hazard near American River, calls for its removal
“A kayaker is trying to warn others about a hazard near the American River. A regular to the river and the creator of the American River Lost & Found Facebook page, Karl Bly, is concerned about an old pipe just barely submerged beneath the surface on the southwest end of the William B. Pond Recreation Area in Carmichael, where the water feeds into the American River. “At this water flow, it’s just enough where a kayaker could get caught up in it and his kayak can get pinned underneath it. That has happened in the past,” Bly said. “I’ve helped people out that have lost stuff right here on this pipe, so that’s the concern. Right now, the flow is at the, well, at the wrong level for safety.” … ” Read more from KCRA.
Yolo County: Groundwater issues surface in Golden Bear
“Even with an abundance of rainfall this year, the Yolo Subbasin Groundwater Agency (YSGA) has highlighted different areas of special concern regarding the depletion of groundwater around Yolo County — with the Golden Bear area being one of them. While there are numerous factors contributing to this issue, many small farms and rural community members around Yolo County are fighting tooth and nail to help establish sustainable underground water use policies and practices so all in the area can continue to farm and thrive together for years to come. YSGA designated, special areas of concern include areas in Zamora, Plainfield Ridge, Hungry Hollow and northwestern Winters (Golden Bear). Although there was plentiful rainfall to help pry California away from its relationship with droughts, groundwater takes far more time to recharge, especially in these areas. … ” Read more from the Winters Express.
Are water levels dropping or rising at Lake Berryessa?
“One of the key water reservoirs for Napa wine country in California has experienced dropping water levels in 2023. Lakes and reservoirs are essential to residential water supply, especially in places like California where there are frequent droughts. Lake Berryessa offers recreation but, more importantly, sustenance. Lake water levels have shifted over the years for several reasons, including periods of drought in California. Here’s what to know about Lake Berryessa water levels, what they mean for California residents, and the overall climate impact. … ” Read more from Green Matters.
NAPA/SONOMA
‘Spectacular water conditions’ expected to draw weekend, holiday crowds to the Russian River
“Russian River Adventures owner Larry Laba — headed for retirement at season’s end — is jazzed, and not just because he’ll soon be on permanent vacation. After three years of drought, last winter’s rains have restored the Russian River, providing a refreshing flow of cool, clear water high enough that folks who rent his canoes and kayaks can paddle downstream without hitting low spots, like they did in seasons past. “What a way to go out,” the Healdsburg business owner said. “This is the best water conditions I’ve seen at this time of year.” And just in time. After a cool start to the season, high temperatures and holiday cheer are expected to drive crowds of revelers to the river this weekend, jamming beaches and sending folks down river in boats and on rafts. … ” Read more from the Santa Rosa Press Democrat.
For first time in 4 years, dam is up at Healdsburg Veterans Memorial Beach in Sonoma County
“Not today, but soon. That was the message to 11-year-old Devin Davenport and his mother, Lisa, when they stopped by Healdsurg’s Veterans Memorial Beach late Monday morning. The Davenports had asked a worker at the county park when the dam holding back the waters of the Russian River would be finished — when the narrow riverbed would once again be transformed to an expansive, seven-foot-deep swimming area. That beloved local tradition hadn’t taken place since 2019. Meager rainfall and drought conditions had forced the county to forego this seasonal dam for three straight summers, starting in 2020. … ” Read moire from the Santa Rosa Press Democrat.
BAY AREA
Marin water projects allocated $9.8M from EPA
“Marin County, the Sausalito Marin City School District and the Richardson’s Bay Regional Agency have been selected for nearly $10 million in water quality and wetlands projects. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced the grants Wednesday at an event in Oakland. The Marin projects are among two dozen in the Bay Area to receive $52 million in grants. “Restored wetlands in the San Francisco Bay are our first line of defense against sea-level rise, groundwater rise and localized flooding for the communities that live along the shoreline,” said Martha Guzman, regional administrator for the EPA’s office in San Francisco. “Many of them live in underserved communities where the impact will be highlighted,” she said. … ” Read more from the Marin Independent Journal.
Feds award ‘record’ amount of funding to clean up, restore San Francisco Bay
“The Environmental Protection Agency is awarding close to $52 million for protecting and restoring San Francisco Bay. The money, announced Wednesday, will go toward 24 projects that focus on improving water quality and climate resilience. It is the agency’s largest-ever investment of its kind in the region and represents a significant increase over previous federal spending on water quality in San Francisco Bay. “The San Francisco Bay is one of our nation’s most iconic natural treasures and vital ecosystems, and its shores are home to numerous and diverse Californian communities,” said Martha Guzman, regional administrator for EPA, in a statement. “EPA is proudly awarding a record level of funding to protect and restore the bay’s watersheds and wetlands, and benefit surrounding underserved communities.” … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
CENTRAL COAST
Santa Cruz County takes back flood mitigation funding
“Santa Cruz County has withdrawn from an agreement with Pajaro Valley Regional Flood Management Agency (PRFMA) after the two disagreed on how to spend roughly $1 million in funds meant to address flood risk in South County. PRFMA is made up of the counties of Santa Cruz and Monterey, Santa Cruz County Flood Control and Water Conservation Zone 7, the Monterey County Water Resources Agency, and the City of Watsonville. It was formed in 2021 to oversee projects and programs to reduce flood risk in the areas surrounding the Pajaro River and its tributaries. The County Supervisors unanimously approved the withdrawal, which was buried in the consent portion of the agenda for Tuesday’s meeting—a portion of the meeting with limited public discussion and no public comment. … ” Read more from the Pajaronian.
In the wake of winter storm damage, Pajaro River flood-control efforts slide
“Just months after a levee failure inundated the small farmworker community of Pajaro, Calif., and sent thousands fleeing, cracks have already begun forming in the regional agency tasked with maintaining flood infrastructure. After initially agreeing to provide a one-time payment of almost $1 million to help with infrastructure repairs and maintenance in the flood zone along the Pajaro River and its tributaries, the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors voted this week to withdraw the funding, saying the money was needed for other flooding issues in the county. The move has dealt a blow to the Pajaro Regional Flood Management Agency — a joint powers authority created two years ago by the city of Watsonville and the counties of Santa Cruz and Monterey — and highlighted the difficulties local governments face when attempting to upgrade aging levees in an era of weather whiplash. … ” Read more from the LA Times. | Read via Yahoo News.
Pajaro Valley Water Management Agency awarded $8.9 million state grant
“The Pajaro Valley Water Management Agency announced Wednesday it was one of four regional groundwater management agencies to receive grant funding from the California Department of Conservation. The four agencies received a total of $35 million in grant funding. Pajaro Valley’s share is $8.89 million and it will go toward various projects aiming to achieve sustainable groundwater resources, flood risk reduction, environmental restoration and community access, according to a news release by the Pajaro Valley Water Management Agency. … ” Read more from the Santa Cruz Sentinel.
River diversion adds nearly a half billion gallons to Seaside Basin
“The floods that damaged property along the Carmel River in January and March have become a mixed blessing. The amount of water captured from the river and stored for later use as drinking water topped 540 million gallons, but far more ended up flowing to the sea untapped. The 540 million gallons, also measured as 1,656 acre-feet, was enough to meet 17% of the Monterey Peninsula’s water demand in a year. The Peninsula uses roughly 9,600 acre-feet annually. … ” Read more from the Monterey Herald.
As local beavers rebuild their dams after a brutal winter, the SLO Beaver Brigade seeks to rebuild their population on the Central Coast
“The signs of their work are modest but ubiquitous. Branches and debris stacked carefully in layers across several feet of meandering river. Gnawed pieces of willow on the ground. Hidden canals. Footprints. Scat. Six months after a historic and powerful set of winter storms flushed out the Salinas River watershed, the local beaver population is starting to rebuild what got swept away. “It’s kind of like the infancy of the beaver habitat,” says Audrey Taub, founder of the San Luis Obispo Beaver Brigade and frequent visitor to this section of the Salinas in Atascadero. “It’s very late in the season for them to be starting. It’s going to be fascinating to watch.” … ” Read more from New Times SLO.
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
Bureau of Reclamation supports Water Blueprint for the San Joaquin Valley
“The Water Blueprint for the San Joaquin Valley and the California Water Institute (CWI) will be getting additional financial support from the Bureau of Reclamation. In a step towards sustainable water resource management, the Bureau has awarded a grant of approximately $1 million. The funding aims to support the development and integration of subregional water management initiatives and local projects into a comprehensive water plan. Adam Nickels, Chief of Resources Management and Planning at Reclamation, expressed enthusiasm for the collaboration, stating, “Reclamation is committed to looking towards the future relative to sustainable resource management, and we are excited to partner and support efforts spearheaded by CWI and the Water Blueprint. Under this effort, information will be gathered by a diverse cross-section of the American public and stakeholders and will be used by resource decision-makers and stakeholders.” … ” Read more from Ag Net West.
Turlock groundwater agency secures $9 million grant. What will it use the money for?
“A water agency that serves part of Stanislaus and Merced counties is using a grant of nearly $9 million to work on sustainable groundwater management. Its efforts include evaluating alternative cropping practices and opportunities for floodplain reconnection. “We knew that we were going to have to cut back on pumping,” said Mike Tietze, general manager of the East Turlock Subbasin Groundwater Sustainability Agency. “And that necessarily meant land conversion. … Our view really was that the concepts that we came up with were concepts that are sound and that we would implement regardless of if we get the grant, and we got the grant” of $8.89 million. … ” Read more from the Modesto Bee.
Pine Flat Dam spillway expected to release water within days
“The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers expects to use the gated service spillway at Pine Flat Dam within the next seven days as temperatures rise along the Sierra Nevada, increasing snowmelt runoff that flows to the reservoir. The release is part of normal operations and is implemented when Pine Flat Lake exceeds 85 percent of its authorized capacity, approximately 1 million acre feet of water. Based on current conditions and forecasts, USACE does not anticipate that Pine Flat Lake will exceed the authorized capacity. The Water Control Manual (WCM), which dictates operation of the dam for flood control operations, considers the space available in the reservoir, anticipated downstream water supply and irrigation demands, and forecasted snowmelt inflows. Following the manual in coordination with downstream agencies helps reduce the potential for downstream flooding. … ” Read more from the Army Corps.
SEE ALSO:
- Water authorities to start releases from Pine Flat Dam, from KFSN
- Pine Flat Dam releases water over spillway, but that doesn’t mean the lake is “full”, from SJV Water
Heavy water year lets wildlife thrive on Kern Water Bank grounds
“The Kern Water Bank is a recharge facility that diverts water into an underground aquifer. The goal is to be able to preserve and store water during wet years for use during years of drought. It is a 32-square-mile property just west of Highway 43 near Panama Lane. The property has over 80 recharge basins, where water slowly seeps into the ground aquifer. The groundwater basins resemble lakes, which fill up during wet years, and with all that water, comes the wildlife. “We hired an ornithologist because I can’t tell, and he’s counted 240 species of birds on the water bank and as far as water birds go he’s counted as many as 35,000,” explained John Parker, the general manager of the Kern Water Bank Authority. … ” Read more from Channel 23.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Santa Clarita: Cemex petitions state water board to cancel new review of mine permit
“Cemex Inc. has petitioned the State Water Resources Control Board, seeking to set aside a decision to reopen the review of the mining company’s water permit for Cemex’s proposed 56-million-ton sand and gravel mine in Soledad Canyon. In a six-page letter from attorney Kerry Shapiro of San Francisco-based Jeffer Mangels Butler & Mitchell LLP, the Mexico-based multinational mining company contends that neither the project nor downstream water users’ circumstances have sufficiently changed in the past 30 years to warrant re-noticing the project. The letter says Cemex is petitioning the state water board to vacate its executive director’s June 1 decision that the application “to appropriate 0.95 cubic-feet/second (not to exceed 322-acre-feet/year) from the Santa Clara River must be re-noticed.” … ” Read more from The Signal.
Thousand Oaks: Fish and Wildlife: ‘No evidence of wetlands’
“The United States Department of the Interior’s Fish and Wildlife Service has changed its wetland designation regarding a large Thousand Oaks property. The parcel in question is a 37-acre panhandle-shaped lot adjacent to the 101 Freeway dubbed the Borchard property because of its close proximity to Borchard Road. “The National Wetlands Inventory has reviewed the parcel for the presence of wetlands and has determined no wetlands are visible on the property,” said Jonathan Phinney, chief of the Fish and Wildlife Service’s Virginia-based Geospatial Mapping and Technical Services branch, in a letter to the property owner dated March 25. … ” Read more from the Thousand Oaks Acorn.
Some L.A. fireworks shows canceled after new environmental rules. ‘We’re all disappointed’
“In response to newly mandated environmental rules, several Fourth of July fireworks shows along Los Angeles County’s coastline have been canceled. The decisions come just a month after the L.A. Regional Water Quality Control Board adopted a protective fireworks display permit in late May, which requires new best practices aimed at reducing plastics and other pollution that could fall into oceans or marinas from fireworks displays. The catalyst for the new permit came from a federal lawsuit brought by environmental activists against Long Beach’s Big Bang on the Bay, which claimed that the show had violated the Clean Water Act by discharging pollutants into Alamitos Bay. Although a judge didn’t rule in favor of the environmental group, evidence from the trial found at least one instance of “fireworks-related pollutants,” pushing the regional water board to improve regulation of these shows over waterways. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
Sea lions aren’t acting like themselves, are more aggressive because of algae bloom in California
“Southern California beachgoers are being warned about sea lions showing unusual signs of aggression as the sea mammals continue to be exposed to a toxic algae bloom. Warning signs were placed at Salt Creek Beach and Strands Beach this week after two reports this week of sea lion-related injuries, a spokesperson for Orange County Parks said. The first incident occurred at Salt Creek on Monday, when a juvenile told lifeguards that he had been bitten while wading in the water. He was treated and released to a guardian, with the advice to seek additional treatment at an urgent care clinic. … ” Read more from NBC LA.
Stormwater capture project near El Dorado Park could be built by 2026
“A stormwater capture project in East Long Beach that would help protect local waterways, boost the city’s water supply and create a usable recreational area is expected to be completed by late 2026, city officials announced this week. Construction on the El Dorado Regional Stormwater Capture Project is expected to begin in 2025 near the Long Beach Water Reclamation Plant along Willow Street, across from the El Dorado Nature Center, according to a plan presented by the Public Works Department at a community meeting Wednesday. The project, which is still in the design phase, would require the construction of three vegetated ponds capable of storing more than 3.3 million gallons of rainwater captured from a drainage area that spans 2,874 acres and includes Long Beach, Cerritos, Hawaiian Gardens, Artesia, Norwalk and Lakewood. … ” Read more from the Long Beach Post.
IMPERIAL/COACHELLA VALLEYS
Imperial Valley farmers brace for potential water cuts
“During Mark McBroom’s 40 years of farming in the Imperial Valley, he’s had to adapt to changing climate conditions and water availability. After California, Arizona and Nevada came to an agreement in May to reduce their Colorado River water usage, McBroom may soon have to adapt again. Imperial County is the driest in California, only getting 2 to 3 inches of rainfall every year. So, farmers in the region get the vast majority of their water from the Colorado River. Because of climate change induced droughts, the river’s flow has dropped by 20% over the past century. The drop in water levels forced states dependent on the river to negotiate conservation measures to ensure the longevity of the river system. … ” Read more from Spectrum 1.
SAN DIEGO
Drought? Dam crack? Fireworks safety? Why is the water level at Lake Murray so low?
“Alvis Jones looked out over Lake Murray and wasn’t impressed. “It’s dropping,” he said while casting a line into the lake. “Probably, looks like 10, 20 feet.” Jones stood on a metal dock that was floating on the surface of the water considerably lower than usual. “My first thought was evaporation,” said Valerie Weise, who was walking through dirt that should be underwater. Speculation amongst visitors and on social media threads ranged from a crack in the Lake Murray dam to a return of the drought, even though the past winter was exceptionally rainy and filled most of the reservoirs across California. Lake Murray looks like it’s drying up because of what’s coming next week. … ” Read more from NBC 7.
Along the Colorado River …
To keep the Colorado River’s heart beating, people step in to do what nature once did
“The muddy San Juan River plunged over a waterfall on its final push toward Lake Powell, trapping endangered fish in the whorl of driftwood, plastic foam and trash that heaved in the eddy below. This sedimentary hurdle in the river’s path didn’t exist before the government dammed the Colorado River downstream at Glen Canyon in 1963, creating Lake Powell. Water backed up past this remote expanse of rippling Navajo Nation desert shore, a point accessible by horse, boat or high-clearance vehicle. Decades of silt piled up below the surface. Then amid drought and overuse, the still water receded and left the San Juan, a tributary of the Colorado, to slice a new course through the mud and create the waterfall. … ” Read more from the Arizona Republic..
Arizona must stop the $400B giveaway of groundwater to the world’s largest foreign based mining companies
“A stunning loophole in Arizona’s water laws has left the state powerless to address a groundwater crisis rapidly unfolding in the Phoenix metropolitan region. To pass the seminal Groundwater Management Act of 1980, state politicians exempted the powerful mining industry from restrictions on how much water mines can pump. That decision is now colliding with the stark reality that Arizona is facing an economically devastating deficit in groundwater supplies. The 1980 law allows mines to pump unlimited groundwater without paying the state a dime. Based on current water prices, Arizona is poised to give away $400 billion worth of diminishing groundwater to the two largest foreign-owned mining companies in the world that plan to construct the Resolution Copper Mine 70 miles east of Phoenix. … ” Read more from Native News Online.
Headwaters: At the Colorado River’s source, oil trains would pose risks to both sides of the Divide
“At 88 miles long, with a projected capacity of up to 350,000 barrels per day, eastern Utah’s Uinta Basin Railway would rank among the most ambitious efforts to haul crude oil by rail ever undertaken in the United States. But it’s not the largest ever considered. That label belongs to a proposed 580-mile, dual-track railroad to the northern coast of Alaska studied by the U.S. Department of Transportation in the early 1970s. The route would have hauled as much as 2 million barrels per day from the oil fields of Prudhoe Bay, but in the end it was ditched in favor of what was deemed a safer and more efficient method of transport: the Trans-Alaska Pipeline, which instead pumped the oil 800 miles to the port of Valdez, where it could be loaded into tanker ships. … ” Read more from Colorado Newsline.
In national water news today …
Federal agencies will revise WOTUS rule to comply with Supreme Court ruling
“The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) recently announced their plan to revise the Biden Administration’s “waters of the United States” (WOTUS) rule and issue a new final rule by Sept. 1. The new rule is meant to comply with the recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Sackett v. EPA. This revised final rule will not be subject to public comment. The Biden WOTUS rule was originally published on Jan. 18, with the effective date of March 20. However, due to various court challenges, the rule is currently effective in less than half of the states. … ” Read more from ACWA Water News.
Biden’s forest service is dragging its feet on protecting ancient trees from logging
“On Earth Day last year, President Joe Biden signed an executive order aimed at protecting and restoring mature and old-growth forests on federal lands across the country — one that many environmentalists took as a sign that the administration could move to halt logging of ancient trees that help slow the effects of climate change. The order acknowledged the “irreplaceable role” forests play in sequestering planet-warming greenhouse gasses and tasked the nation’s two largest federal land managers, the Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service, with inventorying the nation’s remaining carbon-rich forests and then crafting rules to better conserve them in the face of mounting climate change impacts. “Old-growth” forests, sometimes referred to as primary forests, are typically defined as those at least 150 years old and largely undisturbed by human activity, whereas “mature” forests are decades old but haven’t reached the old-growth stage. Together, these ecosystems form a key natural climate solution. … ” Read more from the Huffington Post.
This machine creates drinking water ‘from thin air’ in driest parts of the world
“For the vast majority of Americans, access to clean drinking water is a given. But that isn’t the case for Abbie Nez. The 77-year-old has lived in a one-room hogan on the Navajo Nation for decades without running water or electricity. … This is not a new problem. About a third of the residents on the Navajo Nation live without running water in their homes. They’re forced to collect rain from their roofs or haul tanks of water back home from far-away cities. … As the tribe looks for solutions, there is new technology helping people like Nez. She has two solar-powered machines in her yard that suck water vapor out of the air to create more than a gallon of drinking water every day. They’re called hydropanels. … ” Read more from WBUR.
Rampant groundwater pumping has changed the tilt of earth’s axis
“The Earth has lost enough groundwater to thirsty humans to measurably tilt the planet’s axis of rotation. The net water lost from underground reservoirs between 1993 and 2010 is estimated to be more than 2 trillion tons. That has caused the geographic North Pole to shift at a speed of 4.36 centimetres per year, researchers have calculated. The results appeared on 15 June in Geophysical Research Letters. The tilt of the axis on which any celestial object spins tends to be stable. But small changes can occur when large masses shift location inside a planet and on its surface. “Every mass moving around on the surface of the Earth can change the rotation axis,” says Ki-Weon Seo, a geophysicist at Seoul National University. … ” Read more from Scientific American.
National water and climate update …
The Natural Resources Conservation Service produces this weekly report using data and products from the National Water and Climate Center and other agencies. The report focuses on seasonal snowpack, precipitation, temperature, and drought conditions in the U.S.
dmrpt-20230629Also on Maven’s Notebook today …
YOUR INPUT WANTED: California Water Commission Survey: Drought Strategies to Protect Communities and Species
NOTICE: Status of Water Quality Objectives for Salinity in the Lower San Joaquin River
NOTICE: Lower San Joaquin River, Notice of Opportunity to Comment – Draft USBR 2024 Annual Work Plan
