A wrap-up of posts published on Maven’s Notebook this week …
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This week’s featured articles …
FEATURE: Moving beyond crisis management for winter-run chinook
Two years ago, California’s winter-run chinook were dealt a devastating blow. These endangered salmon were already struggling to survive, with as few as one thousand adults returning from the ocean to spawn in recent years.
Then, in 2021, a sizzling summer on top of a severe drought killed three quarters of the eggs the fish laid in the Sacramento River near Redding, their last remaining spawning grounds. Now, a new plan to help protect winter-run chinook eggs is in the works.
Named for the season they swim upstream, winter-run chinook wait as late as August to spawn. Summer temperatures in the Central Valley regularly soar above 100 ⁰F, making it a challenge to provide the cold water that salmon eggs require. During the summer of 2021, there simply wasn’t enough cold water left in Shasta Lake to keep the river below the 53.6 ⁰F limit required to protect their eggs.
Click here to read this article.
How well-managed dams and smart forecasting can limit flooding as extreme storms become more common in a warming world
By Riley Post, University of Iowa, The Conversation
The arduous task of cleaning up from catastrophic flooding is underway across the Northeast after storms stretched the region’s flood control systems nearly to the breaking point.
As rising global temperatures make extreme storms more common, the nation’s dams and reservoirs – crucial to keeping communities dry – are being tested. California and states along the Mississippi River have faced similar flood control challenges in 2023. Managing these flood control systems is a careful balancing act. Do managers release water to make room for the storm’s runoff, increasing the risk of flooding downstream, or hold as much as possible to protect downstream farms and communities, which could increase the chance of larger floods if another storm comes through?
The earlier decisions can be made, the better the chance of avoiding downstream damage. But forecasts aren’t always reliable, and waiting for the rain to fall may mean acting too late.I managed flood control reservoirs in Iowa and locks and dams along the Mississippi and Illinois rivers for a decade, and I now research the operation of large systems of reservoirs for flood control at the University of Iowa’s Iowa Flood Center. Here’s what reservoir managers think about during storms, and how efforts to improve forecasting may soon be able to reduce flood damage.
Click here to continue reading this article.
IEP ANNUAL MEETING: Dr. Jay Lund: Floods, droughts, and climate change, oh my!
The Delta’s ecosystem and native species are in decline, despite the considerable efforts and resources devoted to reversing the trend. In his plenary presentation at the Interagency Ecological Program’s Annual Meeting, Dr. Jay Lund emphasizes the need for proactive planning and acknowledges the importance of learning from failures. He highlights how failures have influenced California’s water policies and plans. Don’t be afraid of failure; rather, embrace it as an opportunity to learn and improve the system’s management. … ”
Continue reading this article.
GUEST COMMENTARY: Newsom’s Infrastructure Package Will Get More Clean Water to Californians
Commentary by Jennifer Pierre, General Manager of the State Water Contractors, and David Guy, President of the Northern California Water Association
Despite record rainfall and snowmelt this year, California is emerging from the three driest years in state history, and we’re estimated to lose 10% of our water supply in only 17 years. The Colorado River, and our state’s share of it, is shrinking. Many communities still don’t have reliable access to clean drinking water.
Weather whiplash threatens to make these problems even worse, threatening the supply of clean drinking water throughout California. These are the dire realities that our state faces, and it requires action. That means building more storage, fixing water pipes, modernizing infrastructure and water delivery, and more.
Click here to read this guest commentary.
In California water news this week …
The history of the Delta water tunnel project and why people are against it
“A battle remains underway in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Valley Delta. For decades, Delta residents and the state have been unable to agree on a plan to transport water from the rainy but rural northern part of the state down to the heavily populated, dry southern half. The current Delta Conveyance Project wants to put a tunnel underneath the Delta to transport water. Former Governor Jerry Brown proposed two tunnels and Gov. Gavin Newsom narrowed it down to one. To understand its significance and the controversy surrounding it, you need to look at the Delta. “We have 700 miles of waterways across this, the five-county area of that we call the Delta. That’s a trip down to Los Angeles and back basically in this one area,” said Jay Ziegler with The Nature Conservancy. “This is the source of water for the state and federal water projects, also the Bay Area, and all the communities in the Delta and all the farms that exist across 700,000 acres.” … ” Read more from Channel 10.
SB 389: California Legislature considers granting State Water Board unprecedented authority
“California Senate Bill 389 (SB 389) is a legislative effort to increase the State Water Resources Control Board’s (State Water Board) authority over pre-1914 appropriative water rights and riparian water rights. Introduced by Senator Ben Allen (D-Redondo Beach) on February 9, 2023, the bill purports to “provide the State Water Board with more tools to determine whether senior water right claimants who assert riparian or pre-1914 appropriative rights have defensible ground for their diversion and use of water.” The bill is inspired by a February 3, 2022 paper released by the Planning and Conservation League (PCL) entitled “Updating California Water Laws to Address Drought and Climate Change.” Notably, the paper recommends that the State Water Board obtain authority to verify the validity of pre-1914 appropriative rights and riparian rights. The PCL asserts that the bill could enable the State Water Board “to better manage the system for the benefit of all users, and the ecology of California’s many beautiful streams.” … ” Read more from Somach Simmons & Dunn.
How many dead trees there are in California might surprise you
“If long droughts and massive wildfires weren’t enough harm to California’s trees, there is massive damage being done by pests and fungi. This could contribute to more acres of record-setting wildfires. Remember the song “It’s not easy being green?” Well, it isn’t for forests up and down California. Many trees are turning brown and dying losing the fight at fending off harmful beetles, borers, moths, weevils and fungi. The California Forest Pest Council released a report earlier this year that shows elevated levels of tree mortality were recorded on more than 2.6 million acres, totaling an estimated 36.3 million dead trees. The majority of trees killed were fir, followed by ponderosa pine and Douglas fir. Mortality was particularly severe and widespread in the central Sierra Nevada range. … ” Read more from the OC Register.
Biden-Harris Administration invests $50 million in California water storage projects
“The Department of the Interior today announced a $152 million investment from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that will bring clean, reliable drinking water to communities across the West through six water storage and conveyance projects. The projects in California, Colorado and Washington are expected to develop at least 1.7 million acre-feet of additional water storage capacity, enough water to support 6.8 million people for a year. The funding will also invest in a feasibility study that could advance water storage capacity once completed. … ” Continue reading from the Bureau of Reclamation.
Long-awaited Sites Reservoir Project inches closer to construction, says executive director
“Construction of the long-awaited Sites Reservoir Project could be only a couple of years away. That’s the word from Sites Project Authority Executive Director Jerry Brown, who spoke to the Redding Rotary Club on Thursday afternoon, at Simpson University. During wet years, the 1.5-million-acre-feet would be pumped out of the Sacramento River and into the reservoir, west of Colusa, with the water used by agencies who would pay for it. KRCR asked Brown what everyone asks him: when are we going to see something happen there? … ” Continue reading at KRCR.
DWR releases GSP determinations for 10 non-critically overdrafted basins
“The Department of Water Resources (DWR) announced today the approval of groundwater sustainability plans for 10 non-critically overdrafted groundwater basins located across California. The approved basins are East Bay Plain, East Contra Costa, Ukiah Valley, Sierra Valley, North San Benito, North American, South American, Butte, Vina, and Wyandotte Creek. These basins provide a significant portion of water supply for nearly three million Californians. “Local groundwater sustainability agencies have put a tremendous amount of work into these plans that will have long-term benefits for communities, agriculture, and the environment across California,” said DWR Deputy Director of Groundwater Management Paul Gosselin. “These approved plans will continue to address the impacts of ongoing weather extremes associated with climate change to ensure that communities remain safe and resilient to the challenges of a hotter, drier future in California.” … ” Read more from the Department of Water Resources.
AGU: Many of California’s threatened species live in reused water — for better or worse
“In the parched west, reusing water is a must. But scientists are still working to understand how reused, treated municipal waste water might impact the environments it’s released into. This water can have negative impacts, such as eutrophication, but can also provide new flow for spots where water had been diverted or dried up long ago. While many studies have explored the impact of reused water on water quality, fewer have examined its impacts on flora and fauna. A new study maps out California’s watersheds and how much of their water is reused. … ” Continue reading from the American Geophysical Union.
REPORT TO LEGISLATURE: Status of 2020 Urban Water Management Plans
“The Department of Water Resources (DWR) Report to the Legislature on the Status of 2020 Urban Water Management Plans (UWMPs) was submitted to the Legislature on 7/25/2023. All water suppliers that submitted a UWMP to DWR receive a copy of this report. DWR is required by California Water Code Section 10644(c)(1)(A) to submit a report to the legislature describing the status of submitted UWMPs and identifying exemplary elements of submitted plans. This report summarizes the status of 2020 UWMP submittals received as of the time of report preparation and documents key findings in the UWMPs. The report also provides an update on statewide progress toward meeting the 20% reduction in water use by 2020 that was required by SB X7-7, The Water Conservation Act of 2009 in California Water Code Sections 10608 to 10608.44. … ” Read more from the California Natural Resources Agency.
OEHHA releases second public review draft of public health goals for PFOA and PFOS in drinking water
“After two years, late last week the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) released its Second Public Review Draft of proposed public health goals (PHGs) for perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) in drinking water. OEHHA has been working on the PHGs since 2019, and the release of the second draft is another significant regulatory development for water purveyors and municipalities providing other related services such as wastewater treatment because PHGs are used to create enforceable drinking water standards and remediation goals for groundwater contamination. The deadline to submit written comments on OEHHA’s Second Public Review Draft is August 14, 2023. … ” Read more from Downey Brand.
Plugging the gaps: How the USGS is working to fill in data gaps for orphaned oil and gas wells
“Once a well has reached the end of its productive lifetime, it is supposed to be properly shut down and sealed. Then the area around the well is supposed to be returned as much as possible to the way it was before the well was drilled. This process is called “Plugging and Abandoning.” The majority of modern oil and gas wells are plugged and abandoned properly. However, oil and gas wells have been drilled in this country since the 1800s, so there are quite a few wells that reached the end of their production run well before any laws were in place to require them to be properly closed. In addition, some modern oil and gas wells were not properly plugged and abandoned, despite existing mandates. In most cases, these unplugged oil and gas wells are not owned and registered by anyone, making them “orphaned” wells. … ” Continue reading from the USGS.
Bakersfield: Calif.’s oil wind-down rankles neighboring farmers
“A small Bakersfield-based organic farmer is calling on an oil company to clean up crude oil on his farm that is still there months after the company removed an idle well. While the state got involved through the California Geologic Energy Management Division (CalGEM), the fines that have been issued to operator Sequoia Exploration have not resulted in a cleanup of the entire property. The big picture: Farmer Larry Salada told The Sun that Sequoia Exploration removed an idle well that was situated on his 2.5-acre farm, where he grows organic fruits and nuts. Removing the well ended up creating a mess as the high winds that day spread crude oil over his property and his three neighbors, covering buildings, cars, trees and animals, including his miniature goats. … ” Read more from the San Joaquin Valley Sun.
SOMEWHAT RELATED ARTICLE: What is produced water?, from Inside Climate News
El Niño will likely continue into early 2024, driving even more hot weather
“More hot weather is expected for much of the United States in the coming months, federal forecasters warn, driven by a combination of human-caused climate change and the El Niño climate pattern. El Niño is a cyclic climate phenomenon that brings warm water to the equatorial Pacific Ocean, and leads to higher average global temperatures. El Niño started in June. Today, officials from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced that El Niño will continue through March 2024. “We do expect the El Niño to at least continue through the northern hemisphere winter. There’s a 90% chance or greater of that,” explains NOAA meteorologist Matthew Rosencrans. … ” Read more from Capital Public Radio.
In commentary this week …
Delta mega-tunnel is not the answer to state’s water challenges
Molly Culton, a senior conservation organizer for the Sierra Club California, and Katja Irvin, chair of the Sierra Club Loma Prieta Chapter Water Committee, write, “Climate change is rapidly affecting California’s environment. From drought to catastrophic floods and landslides occurring from unprecedented atmospheric rivers, to sea-level rise and reduced snowpack, there are many water challenges facing the state. The solution to these problems is not a $16 billion mega-tunnel paid for by ratepayers that won’t be completed until 2040 at the earliest. We need solutions now — solutions that won’t cause further damage to already overburdened ecosystems and communities. The Department of Water Resources’ claim that the Delta tunnel could have moved an additional 228,000 acre-feet of water into San Luis Reservoir during the month of January if it had been operational this year is misleading. The Delta tunnel would not have added any additional supply or contributed to long-term water resilience because there isn’t enough storage space to hold the “additional” water south of the Delta for the next dry year. … ” Continue reading at the Mercury News (gift article).
LTE: California needs to build the Delta tunnel right now
Jerry Meral writes, “Generals are often accused of preparing to fight the last war, instead of preparing for the next, very different one. Those opposed to the proposed tunnel taking water from the Sacramento River under the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta to the state and federal water pumps near Tracy cite the danger to the Delta environment from the project. If the tunnel took too much water, damage could occur. Alternatively, as the retired deputy director for the California Department of Water Resources, I think that, if operated correctly, the tunnel would prevent the unnatural, environmentally damaging flows caused by the current operation of the pumps. … ” Continue reading at the Marin Independent Journal.
Get the ‘forever chemicals’ out of our drinking water
The LA Times editorial board writes, “A recent study by the U.S. Geological Survey found that nearly half of the drinking water in the United States is contaminated with “forever chemicals,” the per- and polyfluoroakyl substances known as PFAS that can cause cancer and other health complications. And Southern California is among a handful of regions nationwide with a higher probability of tap water contaminated with PFAS. These findings are worrisome, particularly for communities that are already suffering from other sources of pollution. In Los Angeles County, water agencies in cities such as Commerce, Montebello, Monterey Park, Vernon, Downey were found to have PFAS higher than the recommended levels as early as 2019. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
Say no to these 4 new California bond measures worth $43.7 billion
The Southern California News Group editorial board writes, “As people are finding when they go for a home or car loan, today’s high interest rates have increased monthly payments. Despite that, reported the Sacramento Bee, members of the Assembly and Senate are proposing at least $43.7 billion in bond measures be put before voters in next year’s March and November elections. … Senate Bill 867 is by Sen. Ben Allen, D-Redondo Beach. It would be $15.5 billion in bonds for the Drought, Flood, and Water Resilience, Wildfire and Forest Resilience, Coastal Resilience, Extreme Heat Mitigation, Biodiversity and Nature-Based Climate Solutions, Climate Smart Agriculture, Park Creation and Outdoor Access and Clean Energy Bond Act. Especially after last year’s nearly $100 billion state budget surplus turned into this year’s $31.5 deficit, the Legislature should reject all these bonds. The loans always must be paid back, often with tax increases. … ” Read the full editorial at the Orange County Register.
Water supply needs must be resolved through statewide infrastructure investments
Shivaji Deshmukh, general manager of Inland Empire Utilities Agency, writes, “Though summer months have arrived, it’s too soon to forget that a multi-year, near disastrous drought left Californians preserving every last drop. While a series of powerful winter storms drastically relieved these conditions earlier this year, it will not make up for years of deficit, leaving residents wondering — how long will our current water supply last and what is our long-term plan? We can all take a moment to celebrate — much of the state is out of drought, reservoirs are overflowing, and groundwater basins are replenishing, all giving essential support to communities and businesses — but, we must not forget that we cannot rely on unpredictable, intense rainstorms as California’s long-term water supply management plan. … ” Read more from the Fontana Herald News.
There’s no denying our new climate reality: We must rethink disaster management
Mathew Sanders with the Pew Charitable Trusts writes, “One evening this spring, I was out to dinner when a curious thing caught my attention. The Weather Channel was on TV in the background, and every few minutes the camera cut to a radar shot of Fort Lauderdale, where a lone storm cell sat stationary over the city. There it continued to sit, refusing to move inland to dissipate or blow out to sea. I had never seen anything like it. Neither had Fort Lauderdale, where on that day, April 12, nearly 26 inches of rain fell in approximately 12 hours.Fort Lauderdale is not a one-off. … ” Read more from The Hill.
In regional water news this week …
Rafting outfitters prepare for change on the Klamath River
“At Spring Island, a popular put-in spot on the upper Klamath River, a dozen or so whitewater rafters are getting ready to run a reach called Hell’s Corner Canyon. The thrill seekers adjust helmets and snug their life jackets as Nate McLennan, a rafting guide with Noah’s River Adventures, describes what they’ve signed up for. “We’ve got two big Class Four-plus rapids: one called Caldera; one called Hell’s Corner,” says McLennan. “They’re going to be long, big, fast: lots of paddling; lots of grabbing on; lots of shifting around in the boat.” … Spring Island is just downstream of the J.C. Boyle Dam and hydropower plant near the Oregon-California border. That this trip is possible through the summer is thanks to coordinated releases of water from the powerhouse. But J.C. Boyle, along with three other dams that are part of the Lower Klamath Project, will be removed next year, and the powerhouses decommissioned (the smallest of the four dams, Copco 2, has already been partially deconstructed). When guides return to the Upper Klamath in 2025, this stretch of the river will be forever changed. … ” Read more from Jefferson Public Radio.
Yurok Tribe: There will be no salmon at the 59th Annual Klamath Salmon Festival
““With a heavy heart,” the Yurok Tribe has announced that salmon will not be served at the 59th Annual Klamath Salmon Festival because the Klamath River’s forecasted fall Chinook salmon run is one of the lowest on record. “This decision reflects our sacred responsibility to take care of the Klamath River’s fish stocks,” said Joseph L. James, the Chairman of the Yurok TribeIn addition to not catching fish for the festival, we will not harvest any Klamath salmon this year to protect the fish population. “The festival is still happening and we are doing everything possible to make it the most memorable event yet. I encourage everyone to come out to support local vendors and have a good time with family and friends.” … ” Read more from the Daily Kos.
Lake Tahoe’s clear water is brimming with tiny plastics
“Despite its waters being the clearest they’ve been in 40 years, Lake Tahoe is brimming with microplastics, according to a new paper published this month in the journal Nature. The alpine lake, which straddles the border between Nevada and California, contains the third-highest amount of microplastics among 38 freshwater reservoirs and lakes around the globe, the researchers found. Lake Tahoe is so full of microplastics that their concentration in its waters—5.4 plastic particles per cubic meter—is greater than the concentrations measured near some of the huge garbage patches swirling in the world’s oceans. Only two other lakes analyzed in the study had higher concentrations of microplastics: Lake Maggiore and Lake Lugano, which are located next to each other along the border of Italy and Switzerland. … ” Read more from Smithsonian Magazine.
Kings County: Local water district challenges water export ordinance
“Corcoran area water district El Rico GSA has sued Kings County over the county’s new groundwater export ordinance. The lawsuit, received June 8, says the County did not follow the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) procedures that they are mandated to follow. The district says the ordinance, passed Nov. 29, 2022 was adopted with only one hearing in a few weeks’ time. not allowing for input from water agencies. The news that the County wanted to move forward on the ordinance was met with criticism from a number of local water entities. El Rico maintains that allowing time for input could have ironed out problems they say include the issue of groundwater imports into the county. … ” Read more from the Hanford Sentinel.
The story of the Kern River this year was one of historic numbers, luck and long term plans paying off
“Despite a few white knuckle moments, the Kern River’s historic flows were successfully managed through a combination of incredible timing, long term planning and pure luck, according to Kern River Watermaster Mark Mulkay. During a detailed discussion of Kern River and Isabella Dam operations Tuesday before a packed room, Mulkay led the audience through the run up to this year’s epic runoff. The luncheon discussion was hosted by the Water Association of Kern County at Bakersfield College. In October, he said, Kern River irrigators were bracing themselves for another horribly dry year on top of three previous horribly dry years. … ” Read more from SJV Water.
Not all Kern River water is being counted the same by water districts
“Farmers in an agricultural water district northwest of Bakersfield may have South Fork Kern River water stored in a local water bank. Or they may not. It depends on who’s counting the water. The Rosedale-Rio Bravo Water Storage district says that since July 5, up to 43 cubic feet per second of South Fork Kern water from its Onyx Ranch has been flowing through Lake Isabella and down the canyon to the valley floor where it’s been tucked into storage west of Allen Road. The Kern River Watermaster says otherwise. “We are not accounting for their water,” Mark Mulkay said Tuesday. “The daily flows are assigned at First Point (just west of Hart Park) to each rights holders. We are not delivering Onyx water.” … ” Read more from SJV Water.
Ridgecrest: Court to allow amicus briefs in Mojave Pistachios water appeal
“The Fourth Appellate District, Court of Appeal will allow four amicus briefs to be filed in support of Mojave Pistachios in its legal action against the Indian Wells Valley Groundwater Authority according to an order issued by the court last week. “Amicus brief” means literally “friend of the court.” An amicus brief is filed by a person or organization who is not a party to a legal case but who wants to aid the court by providing information or arguments. Mojave Pistachios put out a press release yesterday on the development, but groundwater authority General Counsel Keith Lemieux said the news is no big deal. … ” Read more from the Ridgecrest Independent.
San Diego Politics Report: Special water edition
“Eleven years ago, when the San Diego County Water Authority was going through the final stages of approving what had, by that time, become a decade-long odyssey to create the first desalination plant on the West Coast, the agency made a prediction. Yes, the potable water the plant created from the ocean would be expensive. Yes, it would take a lot of energy. But the agency asked us to compare that to the water we imported from Northern California and the Colorado River, via the Metropolitan Water District. Officials said in countless hearings and documents that, within 20 years, that imported water was going to be more expensive. We would look brilliant having made this investment. Now, those projections look terrible. … ” Continue reading at the Voice of San Diego.
Colorado River Basin has lost water equal to Lake Mead due to climate change
“From 2000 to 2021, climate change caused the loss of more than 40 trillion liters (10 trillion gallons) of water in the Colorado River Basin — about equal to the entire storage capacity of Lake Mead — according to a new study that modeled humans’ impact on hydrology in the region. Without climate change, the drought in the basin most likely would not have reduced reservoir levels in 2021 to the point requiring supply cuts under the first-ever federally declared water shortage, according to the study, which was published in the AGU journal Water Resources Research, which publishes original research on the movement and management of Earth’s water. … ” Read more from AGU.
Announcements, notices, and funding opportunities …
NOTICE: Flood management releases to end, San Joaquin River Restoration Flows to continue through summer, fall, and winter.
DELTA FARMERS: Apply by 8/14 for the BirdReturns-Delta Farmlands Program
NOTICE of 180-Day Temporary Water Right Permit Application to Appropriate Water from the Scott River in Siskiyou County
