In California water news today …
Tribes and conservation groups rally at State Capitol for water justice and to save imperiled salmon
“Representatives of California Tribes, fishing groups and conservation groups held a big rally at the State Capitol on July 5 to advocate for water rights and to protest the Governor’s plans to build the Delta Tunnel and Sites Reservoir and the state and federal government’s refusal to release sufficient flows downriver for salmon and the other fish. Speakers repeatedly discussed California’s history of genocide against indigenous peoples and how this history continues into the present with the current salmon crisis that has left Tribes without once-abundant salmon populations. In addition to the press conference and rally calling for healthy rivers and a healthy estuary, the day long event include lobbying visits to offices in support of current legislation that they says puts California on the path to a sustainable water future. … ” Read more from Dan Bacher at the Daily Kos.
Coalition of tribes, fisheries, environmentalists demand changes to ‘dysfunctional’ state water rights system
A coalition of California tribal governments, fishery groups and environmental justice organizations rallied on the steps of the State Capitol Building Wednesday to demand significant changes to a “dysfunctional” water rights system in the state. The collective of 20 tribal communities and prominent environmental groups, like the Sierra Club and San Francisco Baykeeper, called on the Newsom Administration to reform the state’s water rights system so it can better support salmon populations and the overall health of rivers, estuaries, specifically the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. “We are currently experiencing degradation of our water, air and right to public access of our waterways,” said Artie Valencia, community organizer and government liaison of Restore the Delta. “Our frontline communities are the ones who will deal with the consequences of water exports at the expense of the health, safety and quality of life for environmental justice communities.” … ” Read more from SF Gate.
SEE ALSO:
- Day of Action for Water Justice & Salmon: Restore Our Rivers for Tribes, Communities, and the Environment, from Restore the Delta
- Native American tribes rally for water justice and salmon survival at the state capitol, from KRCR
Beyond the yuck factor: Cities turn to ‘extreme’ water recycling
“In downtown San Francisco, in a cavernous garage that was once a Honda dealership, a gleaming white-and-blue appliance about the size of a commercial refrigerator is being prepared for transport to a hotel in Los Angeles. There, this unit, called a OneWater System, will be installed in the basement, where its collection of pipes will take in much of the hotel’s graywater — from sinks, showers and laundry. The system will clean the water with membrane filtration, ultraviolet light and chlorine, and then send it back upstairs to be used again for nonpotable uses. And again. And again. “There is no reason to only use water once,” said Peter Fiske, executive director of the National Alliance for Water Innovation, a division of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, in Berkeley. Just as natural systems use and reuse water repeatedly in a cycle driven by the sun, he said, “we now have technologies to enable us to process and reuse water over and over, at the scale of a city, a campus and even an individual home.” … ” Read more from Green Biz.
Local actions are key to progress in reaching groundwater sustainability
Paul Gosselin, DWR Deputy Director of Sustainable Groundwater Management, “Some may be asking after this extremely wet water year — how is California progressing towards sustainable groundwater management and efforts to recharge groundwater basins? Local agencies, with state support, have made tremendous progress thus far in carrying out the requirements of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA), and locals are continuing to make critical decisions about how to manage this vital resource beneath our feet through future extreme weather cycles. As the Governor is building a more climate ready California, progress towards a sustainable groundwater future is helping communities become resilient against long-term climate-driven extremes like extended periods of drought and periodic intense storms. … ” Continue reading from DWR News.
Department of Water Resources releases approved determination for the Eastern San Joaquin Subbasin
“On March 2, 2023, the California Department of Water Resources (Department) determined the Eastern San Joaquin Subbasin be Recommended for Approval. Today, the Department released the Approved Determination for the Eastern San Joaquin Subbasin. The determination can be found on the Department’s SGMA Portal.”
Reclamation resumes water management plan reporting for Central Valley Project contractors
“The Bureau of Reclamation is announcing that Central Valley Project water contractors subject to water management plans must resume annual reporting. That requirement was suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Central Valley Project Improvement Act requires water contractors using 2,000 acre-feet or more to develop and submit a plan on the efficient use of water resources. The plan must be updated and reviewed every five years and deemed adequate for fulfilling the terms of their water contract. The requirements are specified in the standard criteria developed by the California-Great Basin Region. Once a plan is developed and deemed adequate by Reclamation, contractors must submit yearly updates on the implementation of the plan. For 2023, annual update requirements are due by Aug. 30, 2023, for the previous year only. Annual updates may be submitted either in a fiscal year or a water year format.”
Degree of storm damage in orchards still unknown
“It may take a year before damage to Central Valley orchards from the winter and spring barrage of atmospheric rivers is fully known, a University of California expert says. Almond growers are expecting a diminished crop as cold and rain during bloom limited bee activity and hindered spray operations, causing the spread of phytophthora and other maladies, according to researchers. But since the buds for next year’s crop are formed in the current year, the unusually wet and cold spring of 2023 may also influence the crop size in 2024, UC Cooperative Extension farm advisers Elizabeth Fichtner and Mae Culumber wrote in a recent newsletter. … ” Read more from the Western Farm Press.
In regional water news and commentary today …
East San Jose lake finally receives funding for restoration
“After failed attempts to restore the much-neglected Lake Cunningham, San Jose has found a way to kickstart the lake’s revival. The state budget allocated $1.5 million to improving the East San Jose lake last week, which for years has suffered under the weight of faulty infrastructure and poor water quality. San Jose Assemblymember Ash Kalra, who pushed for the funding in the state budget, said the money will mostly go toward restoring the wetlands in hopes of further improving the water quality in the lake. “I understand how important Lake Cunningham is for my district and the city,” Kalra told San José Spotlight. “The restoration process is critical, not only for the enjoyment of the public, but in order for us to reestablish the wetlands in what is otherwise a highly developed area.” … ” Read more from the San Jose Spotlight.
Antelope Valley: Wilk backs groundwater, train plans
“State Sen. Scott Wilk, R-Santa Clarita, voted in support of several bills to reform the California Environmental Quality Act to make building key infrastructure projects in the state easier, Wilk’s office announced Wednesday. Two local beneficiaries of these bills are a groundwater recharge project in the Antelope Valley and a rail line connecting the High Desert to the Inland Empire and Las Vegas. “This is a win-win for constituents and for our state’s climate goals, ensuring access to precious water during the inevitable dry years and connecting commuters to jobs down the hill,” Wilk said. … ” Read more from the Antelope Valley Press.
LAND OF EXTREMES: Oasis at risk: The Colorado River and Imperial Valley
“Imperial Valley’s history has been and will continue to be inextricably linked with the great Colorado River – in sickness and in health. The River is a formidable force of nature, with it and its tributaries spanning several U.S. states into Mexico. Once tamed by human engineering at the turn of the 20th century after many setbacks, the mighty River’s water was able to bring life, agriculture, and prosperity to an otherwise largely undeveloped desert. While the River is in no danger of running dry completely, less water has been flowing in recent years. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, a top federal scientific agency, the Colorado River Basin as a whole is still in the middle of “its worst drought in recorded history.” The Colorado River, for all the good it has brought to the Valley, also remains an ever-present sword of Damocles hanging over us, with other states and cities coveting our senior water rights and climate change further frustrating the problem. … ” Read more from the Land of Extremes.
Along the Colorado River …
The forgotten sovereigns of the Colorado River
“If it weren’t for the Colorado River, Albuquerque wouldn’t exist — at least, not as a city of half a million. Which is interesting, because the city itself is nowhere near the river: The Colorado and its tributaries flow on the opposite side of the Continental Divide from New Mexico’s largest city. The thing that joins the city to its water — the thing that allows Albuquerque to exist, it’s no exaggeration to say — is the Azotea Tunnel. From a trio of small dams along Colorado tributaries — the tunnel openings are about as wide as a one-car garage — the Azotea Tunnel snakes beneath the mountains and high desert steppe of the Jicarilla Apache Nation in northwestern New Mexico, carrying water that will emerge 26 miles later and flow down a concrete sluice into a tributary of the Chama River. From there, the Chama carries water that would have ended up in the Pacific Ocean toward a city and a river system that drains ultimately into the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean beyond. … ” Read more from Politico.
Commentary: How AI can help Arizona solve multiple water supply problems
Maggie Laird, head of Lumada Software Business & Corporate Sustainability at Hitachi Vantara, writes, “What’s missing in the media conversation about water is the less flashy but critical role that vastly improved data management will play in sustainability efforts. Arizona recently teamed up with the company I work for, Hitachi Ventara, to centralize data collection and automate analyses from 330,000 water resources in the state. We need more public-private partnerships like this, because accurate, up-to-date data is mandatory for informed decision-making. It’s also imperative if we really want to steward the environment and create sustainable ways to live. The key is to deploy digital solutions that solve real problems — tech for tech’s sake won’t work. … ” Read more from the Arizona Republic.
In national water news today …
Here are the chances your water supply is contaminated by ‘forever chemicals’
“Nearly half of the United States’ water supply is contaminated with “forever chemicals” — per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances also known as PFAS. That’s according to a new study from the U.S. Geological Survey. Between 2016 and 2021, federal scientists tested tap water from public supply sites and private wells across the U.S., and in territories including Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Those tests revealed PFAS contamination in almost 45 percent of the faucets tested. PFAS cause a wide variety of health impacts, such as developmental delays in children, bone irregularities, behavioral changes, and interference with the body’s ability to produce hormones. They can also cause an increased risk of cancers. Research has shown that certain PFAS have been found in the blood streams of humans and animals and can remain in the body for years. … ” Read more from Grist.
National water and climate report …
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-20230706Also on Maven’s Notebook today …
NOTICE of Additional Comment Period for Proposed Regulations Relating to the Delta Levees Investment Strategy
NOTICE: Conditional Approval of Groundwater Protection Targets within the Central Valley Region
NOTICE: Delta Science Program seeks next Delta Lead Scientist
