In California water news today …
Tribes, activists rally in Sacramento over water rights
“On Wednesday, representatives from Native American tribes, including some from Humboldt County, and activists protested in front of the capitol in Sacramento over water rights, rules and a specific project on the Delta River. The rally featured speakers and tribal representatives from across the state, including from the Hoopa Valley Tribe and Karuk Tribe, both with ancestral lands in Humboldt County. The group called on Gov. Gavin Newsom to realign the state’s water rights system to greater favor management from tribes and less diversions for agriculture. “Our social well-being, or our physical or cultural or spiritual well-being, it all runs parallel to the salmon and if the salmon are doing good, we’re not doing good,” said Jason Jackson-Reed, an executive assistant with the Hoopa Valley Tribe. … ” Read more from the Eureka Times-Standard.
Tribal leaders, environmental groups rally for a better water rights system
“Indigenous leaders and environmental groups gathered at California’s Capitol on Wednesday to rally for better access to clean water. Advocates specifically expressed support for a trio of bills that would revamp the state’s approach to water rights given before 1914, often referred to as senior water rights. Claimants of these rights are given priority to divert water over more junior water rights holders. The three bills — Assembly Bill 1337, Assembly Bill 460 and Senate Bill 389 — would allow the state to review water rights claimed before 1914. The bills, sponsored by Democratic legislators, would also give state officials more power to curtail water diversions and to penalize illegal diversions. “That’s really I think what these three bills altogether are trying to do — create a California where it’s not just certain folks who have had this power for so long, who are getting all the water and who can illegally divert water with almost no penalty,” said Julia Dowell, a community advocate with the environmental nonprofit San Francisco Baykeeper. … ” Read more from Capital Public Radio.
A water war is underway in Santa Barbara County’s carrot country
“The Cuyama Valley, the driest region in Santa Barbara County, is awash in discontent. The world’s largest carrot producers, newly subject to restrictions on over-pumping, are suing all other landowners over water rights, and legal fees are mounting. The Cuyama groundwater basin, which covers 380 square miles east of Santa Maria, overlapping with Kern, San Luis Obispo, and Ventura counties, is on the list of the state’s 21 basins in “critical overdraft.” Over time, more than twice as much water has been pumped out by farmers as has been replenished, resulting in ever-declining water levels underground. … Last year, records show, Grimmway Farms, the largest carrot corporation in world, and Bolthouse Farms, the second largest, pumped 28,500 acre-feet of water from the Cuyama basin — equivalent to nearly a year’s supply for three cities the size of Santa Barbara, population 87,000. The two companies, based in Bakersfield, are by far the biggest water users in the valley; they alone account for more than 40 percent of basin pumping. … ” Read more from the Santa Barbara Independent.
Recharge alone won’t end California’s groundwater drought
“After a winter of historic rains, California’s reservoirs are filled to the brim. Rivers are supercharged—and have flooded much of the Central Valley. With the water came a deluge of news voicing worries that California is letting all that water wash into the sea after years of drought—and heralding the idea of capturing it to recharge our long-parched groundwater aquifers. The political will is strong: Gov. Gavin Newsom has issued three separate executive orders aimed at amping up recharge efforts. But while recharge is a useful way to put surface water back underground, experts say it is a limited solution. “We have unrealistic expectations of groundwater recharge, as a way of addressing groundwater overdraft and long-term drought in particular,” says Jay Lund, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at UC Davis. “We will probably be able to reduce the overdraft by maybe 15 to 25 percent by increased groundwater recharge. It’s nice, but it’s not going to be enough.” … ” Read more from Bay Nature.
Near-term actions to capture diversions, recharge groundwater
“Paul Gosselin, the Department of Water Resources (DWR) official in charge of implementing SGMA for the state, recently held a webinar where he discussed actions to capture excess flood flows and recharge groundwater. You can view the presentation here. According to DWR, the current total recharge capacity estimates for this year is 3.8 million acre-feet. To date, 92,410 acre-feet has been diverted for recharge on 88,362 acres and DWR estimates that there are another 2.1 million acre-feet in active recharge projects, water banks and surface water diversions. DWR also discussed its “Rip & Chip” program designed to clear land of crops, such as almonds, walnuts and vines, so diversions can occur timely to capture this past winter’s historic precipitation and runoff. … ” Read more from the Milk Producers Council.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s climate agenda highlights tensions with environmental groups
“In the rush to cut California’s pollution and rid the state of fossil fuels, the most intriguing confrontation hasn’t involved business leaders or the oil industry. Instead, it’s simmering tensions between the state’s robust environmental advocacy wing and California’s progressive governor who considers himself one of their own. The modern environmental movement has its roots in California, including the founding of the Sierra Club. Gavin Newsom, who rose from local politics in liberal San Francisco to become governor of the nation’s most populous state, sees himself as a descendant of that progress, proudly carrying the movement’s goals on the world stage. Yet in the early days of Newsom’s second term in office, some of his loudest criticism has come from inside the proverbial house. … ” Read more from the Associated Press.
SEE ALSO:
- California lawmakers approve Newsom’s plan to speed up ‘green’ construction across the state, from the Courthouse News Service
- Newsom’s infrastructure package appeases environmentalists, water agencies, from KALW
California’s salmon fishers are facing a summer without salmon. Will they get federal help?
“On another day, Matt Juanes would have set out on the water long before sunrise. But this still June morning, Juanes was taking his time. Today, though, he would be chasing an unfamiliar catch for the first time: coonstripe shrimp. “This is all new to me,” Juanes, 46, said. “This is going to be a learning experience.” Juanes is one of hundreds of commercial fishers who dock along the Golden State coast and who would normally be out hunting mighty chinook or “king” salmon — the mainstay of California’s commercial salmon fishing industry. The first months of summer are typically a premier time for both salmon and salmon fishers. But this summer, California’s salmon fishing season is completely shut down for the first time in over a decade. The decision, which fishery managers hope will give salmon time to recover, has left California’s commercial fishers scrambling to find alternate sources of income. … ” Read more from KQED.
How far will salmon swim for a craft beer?
“Of all the traits that make salmon extraordinary migrants—their leaping prowess, their tolerance of both fresh and salt water, their attunement to the Earth’s magnetic fields—the most impressive might be their sense of smell. Guided by the odors they imprint on in their youth, most adult salmon famously return to spawn in the stream where they were born. No one knows precisely what scents young salmon memorize, but it’s probably some combination of mineral and biological signals, such as distinctive metals and the smell of their own kin. Several years from now, however, if scientists at the Oregon Hatchery Research Center have their way, some chinook salmon will be chasing a very different scent: the rich, beery bouquet of brewer’s yeast. The alluring aroma of ale is a bid to solve a sticky conservation conundrum: how do you get hatchery-reared salmon to come home? … ” Continue reading at Hakai Magazine.
In commentary today …
Sacramento River 2023 Temperature Management Plan – What is missing
Tom Cannon writes, “It is that time of year again for another Sacramento River Temperature Management Plan. You know, the plan adopted to protect Sacramento River salmon from the operation of the Shasta/Trinity Division of the federal Central Valley Project of US Department of Interior, Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation). Past plans have failed to protect salmon since they became a requirement in 1990 in the State Water Board’s Water Rights Order 90-05. The plans have failed even in wet years, including this wet year (four wet years have occurred since 2010). This year, Shasta Reservoir is full, and there is more than ample cold water to deliver to the salmon below Shasta Dam (a “Tier 1” wet year). Oroville and Folsom reservoirs are also full this year and ready to help Shasta supply the needs of salmon in the Sacramento River and Bay-Delta. … ” Read more from the California Fisheries Blog.
Today’s featured article …
DELTA COUNCIL: Wildfires increasing in acres burned and severity, but total cost to California remains unclear
California’s forests are facing a growing threat: wildfires. The severity and frequency of these fires are on the rise, fueled by poor fire management practices, prolonged drought, and bark beetle infestation. These factors are only worsened by the changing climate, with hotter and drier summers, warmer winters, and a shift from snow to rain in precipitation patterns. As a result, wildfires in California are becoming more frequent, intense, and extensive, leaving a devastating impact on the state.
Fires occurring outside the Delta don’t directly affect it; however, there can be indirect impacts from fires in the Delta watershed, such as increased sediment and debris, runoff, fire retardants, dissolved contaminants, other water quality impacts, and poor air quality from smoke. To learn more about these impacts, the June meeting of the Delta Stewardship Council featured a panel discussion on wildfires.
Click here to read this article.
In regional water news and commentary today …
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
8,500 pounds of trash left at Lake Tahoe after Fourth of July celebrations
“More than four tons of trash was left behind from the Fourth of July celebrations at Lake Tahoe. It took volunteers with the League to Save Lake Tahoe about three hours to clean up the 8,559 pounds of litter left behind. That trash included cigarette butts, plastic food wrappers, beach toys and even barbecues taken from six beach sites, parking lots and streets around the Tahoe Basin. Zephyr Shoals was the most impacted of their cleanup sites. Organizers of the cleanup said nearly 6,279 pounds of litter was strewn across the beach and piled between bushes and trees in a nearby forest. Zephyr Shoals is an unmanaged area on Tahoe’s east shore, far from trash cans, dumpsters or toilets. … ” Read more from ABC 10.
SEE ALSO: ‘Worst I’ve ever seen’: More than three tons of July 4 trash left behind at this Lake Tahoe spot, from the San Francisco Chronicle
Eldorado National Forest collaborates with upper Mokelumne River Watershed Authority to reduce the risk of high severity wildfire
” As part of a stewardship agreement between the USDA Forest Service and the Upper Mokelumne River Watershed Authority (UMRWA), hazardous fuel reduction is expected to begin this summer on a 25,671 acre project within the Amador Ranger District of the Eldorado National Forest. This project, called “Forest Projects Plan Phase 1”, is designed to help prevent high-intensity wildfires, improve forest conditions, protect important wildlife habitat and other forest resources, and protect a water supply that serves approximately 1.5 million people. Funding to start the work is being provided by two grants that UMRWA received from CAL Fire – a $5 million Wildfire Resilience grant and a $7 million Forest Health grant. “Catastrophic wildfire in this watershed can severely degrade the water supply for communities in Amador, Calaveras, San Joaquin, Alameda and Contra Costa counties,” said John Coleman, Chair of UMRWA’s Board of Directors. “This project is the next step in a longstanding collaboration with the Forest Service and many other stakeholders who want to protect this watershed.” … ” Read more from the Amador Ledger-Dispatch.
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
Keeping up with water measurement and reporting: New guidance for water suppliers and landowners
“With all the various water reporting and measurement requirements in California, it can be daunting to fully understand and then meet the various deadlines for reporting. A recent report authored by MBK Engineers “summarizes and describes the current reporting and measurement requirements that water districts, companies, GSAs and individual landowners must comply. This report has been updated to reflect the most recent changes to reporting regulations and it includes surface water measurement and reporting regulations, water management planning requirements, groundwater measurement and reporting regulations–including those required by the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA), Integrated Regional Water Management requirements, and Irrigated Lands Regulatory Program water quality regulations. Accompanying the report are summary infographics highlighting the reporting, measuring, and planning requirements for Agricultural Water Users and for All Water Users. … ” View/download at the Northern California Water Association.
BAY AREA
Salmon habitat improvements continuing at Muir Woods National Monument
“Muir Woods National Monument, a setting of towering trees, also harbors an overlooked habitat that is valuable to endangered coho salmon. Enhancing this habitat is the focus on a stream project set to begin next week. On Monday, July 10, crews will work to restore natural creek features that support the survival of young fish. Improving fish habitat will enhance the wildlife viewing visitor experience for future generations, according to the National Park Service. The project is scheduled to run through November. Muir Woods, located north of San Francisco in California, will remain open during this project, and there will be no changes or decrease in visitor parking. Visitors should expect some dust, noise, and detours at the park entrance and on some trails. The entrance plaza will be used as a staging area and a route for visitors to bypass the staging area will be fenced. A few trail segments will be closed during parts of the project. Park rangers will be on site to answer questions about the project and signs will be posted indicating trail status. … ” Read more from the National Parks Traveler.
Pleasanton, Zone 7 Set To Receive Settlement
“The 3M Company will pay public water systems nationwide — including those owned by City of Pleasanton and the Zone 7 Water Agency — up to $12.5 billion to settle lawsuits that accused the company of making and selling products it knew contained cancer-causing “forever chemicals” that seeped into drinking supplies. Details on how local agencies will receive their shares were not immediately known, but Pleasanton and Zone 7 officials said it will take some time. “There is a rather lengthy court-supervised settlement process that will take place,” Pleasanton City Attorney Dan Sodergren explained. “At this time, I can’t speculate on how much of the settlement the city will receive and to what specific purpose it will be put. I am not sure how many entities are involved in the settlement, but I believe that there are thousands.” … ” Read more from Pleasanton Weekly.
CENTRAL COAST
State budget allocates millions to projects on Central Coast
“State Senator John Laird (D-Santa Cruz) recently announced over $20 million has been secured in the 2023-2024 state budget in the 17th District. This important funding for Central Coast communities addresses disaster recovery efforts, services for underserved populations, advances climate change priorities, and more, according to Laird. “While California faces another difficult budget year, it is heartening to be able to secure funding for numerous important projects that will assist in securing and improving our quality of life,” said Sen. Laird. “Senior assistance, homeless services, disaster recovery, and climate change planning and mitigation are a few of the areas we are able to tackle throughout the Central Coast.” … ” Read more from Paso Robles Daily News.
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
In California’s San Joaquin Valley, addressing inequities in urban planning is a tough task
“When Arlin Benavides Jr. set out to hear residents’ environmental concerns in one of the most marginalized parts of a region facing water scarcity, groundwater contamination, extreme heat and other woes, he wasn’t sure if people would open their doors, much less talk. He was aiming to engage with people in Tulare County in California’s Central Valley, a region known as the food basket of the world and a place with extreme poverty. Many of the residents live in remote, isolated farming hamlets. In these far-flung communities, Benavides, an AmeriCorps CivicSpark Fellow working for Tulare County’s Resource Management Agency, discovered that residents felt forgotten by their local government officials. When he explained that he was part of the agency’s effort to develop an environmental justice element for the county’s general plan, he was met with suspicion and skepticism. … ” Read more from KVPR.
Orestimba Creek threatened Newman last winter. This project will ease risk, and boost aquifer
“Officials broke ground near Newman on a $9.9 million project aimed at easing the flood threat on Orestimba Creek. It will divert some of the high flows to about 80 acres of new ponds that will percolate into groundwater. They are scheduled to be ready by June 2024, funded by the State Water Resources Control Board and other sources. Orestimba is often barely a trickle as it runs out of Stanislaus County’s western hills to the San Joaquin River. Last winter, massive rainstorms caused the creek to flood several roads. The city of Newman was not damaged, but a nursing home was evacuated for few weeks as a precaution. … ” Read more from the Modesto Bee. | Read via Yahoo News.
Tulare Lake’s ghostly rebirth brings wonder — and hardship. Inside a community’s resilience
“In the lowlands of the San Joaquin Valley, last winter’s torrential storms revived an ancient body of water drained and dredged decades ago, its clay lakebed transformed into a powerhouse of industrial agriculture. Rivers swollen with biblical amounts of rainfall overwhelmed the network of levees and irrigation canals that weave through the basin diverting water for farm and livestock use. … The lake’s rebirth has reshaped life in the Tulare basin and likely will do so for years to come. Some residents grew up picking cotton here. Others found their way to the basin as adults, fell in love with the country sunsets and never left. After a winter of hardships, they remain committed to the San Joaquin Valley and its remarkable seasonal rhythms.Here are some of their stories. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
Isabella surpasses half a million acre-feet of water, but will it fill to 568,000 acre-feet?
“Isabella Lake exceeded 500,000 acre-feet of water storage during the holiday weekend for the first time in nearly two decades. By midday Wednesday, the water level in the lake had continued to rise, surpassing 510,000 acre-feet, or nearly 90 percent of what the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers refers to as the “gross pool,” the approved capacity of the reservoir. That magic number is 568,000 acre-feet. One acre-foot is enough water to cover a football field 1 foot deep. In other words, a full lake could inundate nearly 900 square miles of land in 1 foot of water. Kern River Watermaster Mark Mulkay said filling the lake is still part of the plan. In fact, the Corps needs the water in the reservoir to reach capacity before engineers can fully test the capabilities of the new dam. … ” Read more from the Bakersfield Californian.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Here’s how LA County beaches scored in this year’s water pollution report
“Water quality along Los Angeles County’s coast, according to Heal the Bay’s annual Beach Report Card, was a mixed bag this year, reflecting a statewide trend — though there was some good news. Heal the Bay, an environmental nonprofit, released its 33rd annual beaches report on Wednesday, June 14. The report details the amount of pollution at California beaches in hopes of providing ocean-lovers with a guide on where to swim safely. The grades are split into three seasonal categories: summer dry, wet weather and winter dry. “The one most people are going to be paying attention to the most is the summer dry rates,” Luke Ginger, a water quality scientist with Heal the Bay, said in a Wednesday interview. “That’s an analysis of the water quality during the summer months when it isn’t raining — when most of the people are going out to the beach.” … ” Read more from the Daily Breeze.
Trabuco Canyon residents’ water bill rates are increasing
“Trabuco Canyon Water District passed a proposal to increase rates for “new water, wastewater and recycled water” in a special meeting that took place on June 29. The proposed rates have been applied to bills since July 1, and will slowly increase over the next five years. The rates will incrementally increase for water with an average single-family bill increasing from the current average of $133.38 per month to $287.80 per month. The increased rates will add $24 million in support to the district. … ” Read more from the OC Register.
Twenty-nine Palms: Locals angry over proposed treatment plant
“Discussion of a proposed sewer system for Twentynine Palms, including a treatment plant, has been contentions. Karalee Hargrove, who chairs the city’s wastewater committee, talked about how involved and sometimes upset the public is when she spoke at the June 27 City Council meeting. The proposal to build a wastewater treatment plant northwest of Twentynine Palms Highway and Utah Trail has raised the ire of residents, worried about how odor and light from the plant, noise from construction and any accidents will affect their property values and quality of life. Those concerns, Hargrove said, have found their way to wastewater committee meetings. … ” Read more from the Hi-Desert Star.
SAN DIEGO
Oceanside included in county’s 7 beach water-quality advisories
“A football-field length of beach south of the San Luis Rey River in Oceanside was added to San Diego County’s list of seven water-quality advisories this week. Tests showed bacteria levels in excess of acceptable levels, according to the county Department of Environmental Health and Quality. People should avoid contact with the water for 300 feet south of the river’s outlet. Also on the advisory list are: the Silver Strand shoreline, which was added Tuesday; the Tidelands Park shoreline in Coronado, added June 8: Dog Beach near the San Diego River outlet in Ocean Beach, since June 16; La Jolla Cove beachline, added June 28; and Avenida De La Playa, also added June 28. The Children’s Pool in La Jolla, home to a sea lion colony, has been under a chronic advisory since 1997. … ” Read more from the San Diego Union-Tribune.
Along the Colorado River …
How might we save the Colorado River?
“Climate change and overuse are depleting the Colorado River and threatening the future of the American Southwest. Federal scientists estimate that the river has declined 20 percent over the last century, and they predict it will drop further if the region continues to warm. Demand for Colorado River water has not dropped to match the dwindling supplies: Cities and suburbs that rely on the river have grown exponentially. Water-hungry industries and a desert region that grows and ships food all over the world continue to expand. The 20th century was a time for building dams and diverting water across the region to power its growth. Now, water managers and some residents of the Southwest are re-examining our relationship with water to figure out how we can continue to live — and thrive — here with less. … ” Read more from Colorado Public Radio.
The Colorado River flooded Chemehuevi land. Decades later, the Tribe still struggles to take its share of water.
“At night, the lights of Lake Havasu City’s hotels, boat launches and neighborhoods reflect off the reservoir that gave this busy Arizona tourist town its name. The federal government dammed the Colorado River just downstream in the 1930s, providing the water and recreation opportunities that have allowed the community to flourish. The opposite side of the reservoir is dark and so quiet that water lapping on the shore and bats clicking overhead can be heard over the distant hum of boat engines. This is the Chemehuevi Indian Tribe’s reservation in California. The water that rose behind Parker Dam to create Lake Havasu washed away homes and flooded about 7,000 acres of fertile Chemehuevi land, including where members grazed cattle. The communities across the reservoir reflect the vast divide in economic opportunities between Indian Country and the rest of the West, which has been perpetuated, in large part, by who received water and who did not. … ” Continue reading from Pro Publica.
How private interests benefit from tribal water settlements
“First, the Santa Cruz River stopped flowing into the San Xavier District of the Tohono O’odham Nation. Then wells began to dry up across the reservation, and farming became nearly impossible for tribal members. Fissures and sinkholes opened up across the landscape where the ground had sunk as much as 15 feet. The collapsing, cracking earth was the result of decades of agriculture and mining companies and cities overusing groundwater — a finite resource — in a desert. Those responsible included the Anamax Mining Company, Cyprus-Pima Mining Company and Duval Corporation (now all part of the global mining company Freeport-McMoRan), as well as the copper-mining giant Asarco and the agribusiness Farmers Investment Company. All were operating near the San Xavier District, pumping water from underneath land the Tohono O’odham had farmed for thousands of years. Alarmed, the nation sued to protect its water rights in 1975. … ” Continue reading at High Country News.
In national water news today …
Study says drinking water from nearly half of US faucets contains potentially harmful chemicals
“Drinking water from nearly half of U.S. faucets likely contains “forever chemicals” that may cause cancer and other health problems, according to a government study released Wednesday. The synthetic compounds known collectively as PFAS are contaminating drinking water to varying extents in large cities and small towns — and in private wells and public systems, the U.S. Geological Survey said. Researchers described the study as the first nationwide effort to test for PFAS in tap water from private sources in addition to regulated ones. It builds on previous scientific findings that the chemicals are widespread, showing up in consumer products as diverse as nonstick pans, food packaging and water-resistant clothing and making their way into water supplies. … ” Read more from the Associated Press.
‘Frankenstein chemicals’ are even worse than ‘forever chemicals’
“Health fads come and go, but drinking more water (and less beer and soda) is one of the few things that’s unequivocally good for the human body. It should be as easy as putting a glass under the tap, but what kinds of potentially harmful chemicals lurk there? News that 3M is paying more than $10 billion to clean “forever chemicals” from municipal drinking water isn’t helping our confidence. Susan Richardson, a former EPA chemist now at the University of South Carolina, has been working to establish a big-picture view — using an instrument that can measure the relative abundance of different kinds of chemical contaminants. She’s been following the forever chemicals (polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS) for 30 years, but she’s come to realize that for most of us, these likely pose a minor threat compared to something else — the chemicals that form spontaneously as a byproduct of water disinfection. … ” Read more from the Washington Post.
July 3 was Earth’s hottest day on record — until July 4.
“The world broke an all-time heat record this week — twice. For two days in a row, the planet’s daily temperature soared to the highest ever measured by humans, according to data from the National Centers for Environmental Prediction. Earth’s thermostat touched a record 62.62 degrees Fahrenheit on Monday, then inched up to 62.92 degrees Fahrenheit (17.18 degrees Celsius) on Tuesday. Extreme heat, made more likely by climate change and the planet-warming El Niño weather pattern that just took hold, has gripped much of the United States and world in recent weeks. Relentless heat waves have smothered the southern U.S. and parts of the West for days, with heat indices hovering in the triple-digits from California to Mississippi. As many as 54 million people in the United States could be exposed to dangerous heat this week, according to the Washington Post’s heat index. … ” Read more from Grist.
