In California water news this weekend …
Newsom signs order to expedite California levee repair ahead of the next wet winter
“In anticipation of potentially record-setting rainfall and snow for the second consecutive winter, California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) on Friday signed an executive order to prepare for the next wet season. The order serves to expedite levee repairs and debris removal to help communities that were inundated with precipitation this winter to get ready for what could come, according to the governor’s office. “The State has experienced over 30 atmospheric rivers since December 2022, resulting in compounding and cumulative impacts across California, including record or near record amounts of snow in the Sierra Nevada,” the order states. Damaged levees provide weaker protection from high water levels, while debris and vegetation in river channels decrease capacity to move these flows, the governor’s office noted. … ” Read more from The Hill.
SEE ALSO: Governor Newsom Signs Executive Order to Prepare for the Next Wet Season, press release from the Office of the Governor
Siskiyou County repeals water ordinances that residents said targeted Asian Americans
“Siskiyou County has repealed a pair of ordinances that residents said targeted Hmong and other Asian Americans in the region and made it harder for them to access water during a period of intense drought. The ordinances had barred the transportation of more than 100 gallons of water without a permit on certain roads, according to the Asian Law Caucus. The county also revised a third ordinance “to establish due process protections and limit violation fines that discouraged people from providing water,” the legal organization added in a statement this week. Fines had been set so high that they effectively made those with access to water, such as large well owners, afraid to sell or provide water to anyone else, according to the Asian Law Caucus. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
State approves bill to ban sale, transport of Caulerpa algae
“A new bill prohibiting the sale, transport and possession of any species under the Caulerpa genus in California has just been signed into law late last month. The genus includes both Caulerpa taxifolia, which infested part of Huntington Beach and Carlsbad’s waters in the early 2000s, and Caulerpa prolifera, which has been battled in Newport Harbor in recent years. The bill, AB655, was proposed by Assemblywoman Cottie Petrie-Norris (D-Irvine), who confirmed Thursday local environmentalist groups OC Coastkeeper and the California Coastkeeper Alliance reached out to her in January to partner on it. “We want to thank Gov. [Gavin] Newsom for signing AB 655 into law,” said Sean Bothwell, executive director of California Coastkeeper Alliance in a statement announcing the bill’s passage. “Invasive species are a pervasive problem in California, but banning Caulerpa is a simple fix to a very serious and expensive problem.” … ” Read more from the LA Times.
Department of Water Resources releases approved determinations for the Merced, Westside, and Kings Subbasins
On March 2, 2023, the California Department of Water Resources (Department) determined the Merced, Westside, and Kings Subbasins be recommended for approval. Today, the Department released the approved determinations for these three subbasins. The determinations can be found on the Department’s SGMA Portal.
California’s wet winter lowered the risk of big fires, experts say
“This winter, researchers predicted record-breaking snowpack and precipitation would mean a reduced risk for massive wildfires. That theory has held up: According to the National Interagency Fire Center’s August outlook, the potential for fire in California is normal, with some areas marked as below normal. Craig Clements, director of the Wildfire Interdisciplinary Research Center at San Jose State, said that’s a big deal for California. In recent years, he’s often seen the state’s outlook in the red — meaning above normal risk for significant fires. … ” Read more from Capital Public Radio.
In commentary this weekend …
This is the water question that California politicians keep refusing to answer
Thomas Birmingham, former general manager of Westlands Water District, writes, “In 1980, Congress enacted Public Law 96-375, authorizing the Secretary of the Interior to study the feasibility of enlarging Shasta Dam. Every study the Bureau of Reclamation has conducted under that authority has concluded that enlarging Shasta Dam would have multiple benefits. Most recently, in 2020, the Bureau of Reclamation concluded that enlarging Shasta Dam 18.5 feet would create an additional 634,000 acre-feet of storage for environmental and consumptive water uses; improve water supply reliability for environmental and consumptive uses; improve water temperatures and quality below the dam for Chinook salmon survival; improve hydro-electric generation; and improve flood control. … ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee. | Read via Yahoo News.
Editorial: How can EPA care more about minor sewage woes in San Francisco than disaster in San Diego?
The San Diego Union-Tribune writes, “It was awesome to see so many local elected officials finally have their “aha!” moment on the South Bay sewage nightmare in June and complain so loudly and uniformly that the federal government’s response has been woefully inadequate. But any inclination to start handing out kudos should be tempered by a reality that in retrospect seems unfathomable: For years, many of these same leaders essentially accepted broken Tijuana sewage infrastructure constantly fouling our coast from the Mexican border to Coronado. … Future generations will look extremely unkindly on this passivity. They should also frown on federal regulators’ long indifference. A legal fight over coastal sewage pollution pitting the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency against the city-county of San Francisco shows why. The EPA has for years been treating a far smaller problem on San Francisco’s Pacific coast with a sense of urgency that’s absent in San Diego. … ” Read the full editorial at the San Diego Union-Tribune.
In people news this weekend …
Promotions, passings, profiles – submit people news items to maven@mavensnotebook.com.
The Optimist, Lewis Bair
It was supposed to be just like the other trips they took to the Sonoma Coast. But this time, they wouldn’t make it to Fort Bragg for the Memorial Day Weekend holiday. Parked along a two-lane road, the brake-line in their RV-Bus conversion failed and the Bair family was tossed about the camper as it rolled several times down the steep embankment. Three-year-old Lewis Bair came away with only a few minor cuts and bruises. His parents, Sheryl and Lewis, 18 and 21 years old at the time, were both paralyzed in the accident. That single moment may have changed everything – but it didn’t limit who the Bair family would become or how they would act from that point on. “To my parent’s credit, we did everything that other families did,” said Lewis Bair, III. “They may have had physical challenges but it never stopped them from living life to the fullest.” Read more from the Northern California Water Association, or listen to the podcast below.
Aqueduct and Reservoir Keepers, the Eyes and Ears of the Los Angeles Aqueduct
“This year’s storms led to a record-breaking snowpack in 2023, expected to melt into runoff that is 225 percent of normal. While LADWP engineers in the Water Operations Division (WOD) of the Aqueduct Section were busy forecasting the City of L.A.’s water supply, LADWP Aqueduct and Reservoir Keepers were responsible for patrolling almost 2,000 miles of canals, ditches, reservoirs and covered sections of the Los Angeles Aqueduct (LAA) to make sure the Department is managing the water effectively and efficiently. This includes opening spillway gates, flood prevention and moving water in areas for best management practices. “Aqueduct and Reservoir Keepers are the eyes and ears of the aqueduct. We are the boots on the ground currently doing at least three checks a day to critical aqueduct infrastructure and water spreading areas,” said Ben Butler, Senior Hydrographer who oversees the Aqueduct and Reservoir Keepers in Bishop, Independence and Mojave. … ” Continue reading at the LADWP
San Bernardino Valley honored with Special Achievement in GIS award
“Esri, the global leader in geographic information and intelligence, presented San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District (San Bernardino Valley) with the Special Achievement in GIS (SAG) Award on July 12, 2023, at the annual Esri User Conference (Esri UC). Selected from hundreds of thousands of users worldwide, San Bernardino Valley received the award for its innovative use of mapping and analytics technology in water resources management. The SAG Award is intended to demonstrate an appreciation for organizations around the world that are using geographic information system (GIS) technology to understand vast amounts of data and solve complex problems. … ” Read more from the San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District.
Podcasts …
DIVE IN WITH NOAA FISHERIES: Restoring the Klamath River Basin: The Largest Dam Removal Project in the World
How the restoration of the Klamath watershed, the largest dam removal project in the world, will reopen access to habitat for the threatened and endangered native fish of the area.
SACTOWN TALKS: Interview with Jennifer Capitolo
Today we welcome Jennifer Capitolo, Executive Director of the California Water Association. Capitolo has previously served in the Department of Finance under Governor Gray Davis and as a district representative for Congresswoman Barbara Lee and former Assemblymember Ellen Corbett. We discuss Capitolo’s career, CWA, groundwater, California drinking water and more.
THE ECONEWS REPORT: Are Environmental Laws in the Way?
Call it what you want—supply side progressivism, a “liberalism that builds,” or good ol’ permitting reform—a debate has emerged within progressive circles about whether environmental laws get in the way of good things, like renewable energy, and if so, what to do about it. As the executive director of a non-profit law firm that regularly uses environmental laws to fight bad things like oil and gas development, Erik Schlenker-Goodrich of the Western Environmental Law Center, has some thoughts on the matter. He joins the show for a conversation about the perils and potential of amending environmental laws to make good things easier to do. Listen at the Lost Coast Outpost.
WE GROW CALIFORNIA: The Darcys are back!
Lots has happened over the last few months, including feedback from you! Darcy and Darcy are back in the studio answering your questions and discussing your comments. Tune-in and see what these two have been up to and what they have to say.
THE LANDSCAPE: Inside the effort to protect the greater Grand Canyon region
In a special episode, Aaron and Kate talk to two members of the Havasupai Tribe about the proposed Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni Grand Canyon National Monument. The proposed monument would partially surround and help protect the Grand Canyon National Park, as well as the communities that live in and near the canyon, from uranium mining. The monument is being proposed by a large group of tribes called the Grand Canyon Tribal Coalition, which includes members of the Havasupai, Hopi, and Hualapai Tribes, as well as the Kaibab Paiute Tribe, the Las Vegas Band of Paiute, the Moapa Band of Paiutes, the Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah, the Navajo Nation, the San Juan Southern Paiute Tribe, the Yavapai-Apache Nation, the Pueblo of Zuni, and the Colorado River Indian Tribes. Carletta Tilousi, a former tribal councilwoman who has helped lead the effort to establish the monument, and Stuart Chavez, a former tribal councilman who serves on the Havasupai Anti-Uranium Subcommittee, talk about their involvement in the fight for the monument and how it would help protect their homeland.
WATER IS A MANY SPLENDOR’ED THING: Reflections of a Dairyman III
Water battle haven’t changed much since the settlers first migrated west of the Mississippi River. It’s always been recognized that land with no water is land of no value and that creates quite a stir especially if the land had water back in the day. Water is a Many Splendor ’ed Thing brings you another water relationship that has a personally significant impact to your life. Produced by Steven Baker, Bringing People Together to Solve Water Problems, water@operationunite.co 530-205-6388
In regional water news this weekend …
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
A “peak” into California’s alpine lakes and their food webs
Christine A. Parisek writes, “Alpine lakes are fascinating ecosystems. They are recognized for their clear and pristine appearance, and are mostly cold-water environments nestled into rugged high elevation landscapes. These lakes harbor unique and interesting plant and animal species adapted to thrive in the seemingly harsh environment. The goal of this blog is to introduce California Waterblog readers to California’s alpine lake resources and to highlight the significance of effectively managing these valuable and increasingly vulnerable ecosystems. As a researcher in mountain lake ecology, I’m excited to share some of my field research and provide an overview for why these lakes offer unique opportunities to learn about California’s freshwater resources and food web ecology. … ” Continue reading at the California Water Blog.
Placer County Water Agency approves funds for increased water security
“Customers of the Placer County Water Agency will have increased security in their water supply during future disasters due to increased funding for infrastructure projects, according to the water agency’s board of directors. On Thursday, the board approved around $550,000 in funding to go towards new backup emergency generators at the American River and Ophir Road pump stations and a power generation facility fueled by forest-thinning projects. The installation of the new generators will cost around $250,000 and the water agency says these backups will double the pumping capacity to ensure water delivery during public safety power shutoff events. … ” Read more from Fox 40.
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
Expect construction on Folsom Dam and Auxiliary Spillway
“The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) have partnered together to make necessary enhancements to the perimeter of the dam and replace rods essential to the main functions of the dam’s spillway. The two agencies have partnered for this joint-federal project (JFP) to keep Sacramento County a safe place to live via raising dam dikes, and have begun to join forces once again for another project, this time to fix the spillway. Regarding the replacement of the Folsom Hydraulic Cylinder rods (referred to hereafter as ‘rods’), USBR Project Integration Chief Mark Curney told the Folsom Telegraph, “(The USACE and the city of Sacramento) need to get up to 200 years of flood protection or better … If we have the mother of all storms, and we had to basically protect the facility and not over-top the dam, we wanted to be able to basically make a certain release in order to pass that storm event. To where, after the storm event had subsided, we’d be back to life as quick as possible and the dam would be in place.” … ” Read more from Gold Country Media.
Heavy Sierra Nevada snowfall creates ‘perfect float’ conditions for Sacramento rafting
“Conditions for river rafting in the areas surrounding Sacramento have been historically good throughout the season — and there’s still time to enjoy them if you haven’t already. “Right now, the best thing is that we are finally having that perfect float where the paddles are just in the rafts for steering,” said Kent Hansen, owner of American River Raft Rentals. “But the reality is, you can just lay back and enjoy the float right now, where the last couple years you had to actually actively paddle to get down the river.” … ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee.
Elk Grove: Delinquent waste, water utility accounts to be submitted for collections
“More than 2,600 delinquent solid waste and storm utility services accounts in Elk Grove will be placed on Sacramento County’s tax roll for the upcoming fiscal year 2023-24 for collections. Elk Grove’s municipal code provides for the collection of delinquent utility service charges on the Sacramento County assessor’s property tax roll. Republic Services’ report is a listing of accounts deemed eligible for collections through that tax roll. The city of Elk Grove began contracting with Republic Services six years ago to provide solid waste and storm utility services and billing to Elk Grove property owners. … ” Read more from the Elk Grove Citizen.
NAPA/SONOMA
Napa Valley’s Rutherford Ranch winery growth approvals appealed
“Rutherford Ranch winery’s bid to have more visitors and employees will have a sequel, with water at the heart of the matter. The Napa County Planning Commission on June 21 approved the winery’s growth requests. Water Audit California has appealed the decision to the county Board of Supervisors. Opposition to the approval focuses on Conn Creek, which Water Audit California said is home to federally protected steelhead trout. The group alleged the county has done too little to ensure Rutherford Ranch groundwater pumping doesn’t sap water from the creek. A major part of the group’s argument is the public trust doctrine. “The essential idea of the public trust doctrine is that the government holds and protects certain natural resources in trust for the public benefit,” the appeal document said. … ” Read more from the North Bay Business Journal.
BAY AREA
Dead fish wash ashore as toxic red tide hits the San Francisco Bay Area
“At least 21 marine animals have washed ashore dead throughout the San Francisco Bay Area in the last week — potential victims of the return of the same toxic red tide that killed thousands of fish in the region last year. Harmful algae blooms of this kind can be caused by a number of different microorganisms, but this red tide is associated with one called Heterosigma akashiwo, which was also the culprit behind last year’s event, said Ian Wren, an algae expert and staff scientist for San Francisco Baykeeper. This latest red tide was first seen in Seaplane Lagoon, the Berkeley Marina, Belvedere Cove and near Muir Beach, according to the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
As algal bloom returns to the bay, is swimming safe for humans (and pets)?
“The red tide that killed an immeasurable number of fish in San Francisco Bay last year has again emerged, covering parts of the bay in a light brown sheen. The state agency in charge of regulating flows into the bay held a press conference in early August alerting the public about the return of the tea-colored water. This alert came after an environmental watchdog group, San Francisco Baykeeper, received a series of calls at the end of July about a reddish-brown film floating on the surface of the water in places like Berkeley, Emeryville, Albany and Tiburon. Environmental scientists believe the algal bloom, while a natural occurrence and likely not harmful to human health, is fueled by treated sewage put out by wastewater treatment plants across the Bay Area — and could be worsened by climate change. … ” Read more from KQED.
Ross Valley Sanitary District completes $100M system overhaul
“Ten years ago, following major sewage spills, the state slapped the Ross Valley Sanitary District with a cease-and-desist order. The state’s San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board told the agency that it had to clean up its act. Last month, the district said it marked the end of its aggressive $100 million capital improvements campaign designed to do just that. “What we’re seeing is a lot less spills, a lot less overflows,” said Doug Kelly, a district board member. “What we’re doing is working.” The rehabilitation of Pump Station 14 in Larkspur, completed in July, could be the district’s final project needed to get back in the state’s good graces. Steve Moore, general manager of the district, said the pump station projects are designed with the latest technology to reduce noise, emissions and odor while improving energy efficiency and prolonging the life of the sewage system. … ” Read more from the Marin Independent Journal.
2 East Bay sinkholes force water shutoffs, road closures
“Some Alameda residents have been left without water after two sinkholes in two days forced shutoffs and road closures. The first sinkhole formed Wednesday evening after a water main break on the 2900 block of Lincoln Avenue, according to the East Bay Municipal Utility District. To repair the sinkhole, crews turned off water service for customers on Lincoln Avenue from Versailles Avenue to High Street, as well as on some side streets, EBMUD said. They also urged residents to avoid the area and take alternative routes. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
Valley Water sensor recalibration leads to erroneous flood alert
“The weather conditions and a technology-driven, automatic alert didn’t add up. Under sunny skies in the Bay Area, Wednesday, an automated system posted a notice from the National Weather Service saying a portion of the 24-mile-long Los Gatos Creek had reached thousands of feet high. “So why would they do that? I guess that’s the question…why would they put something out that…I mean, if they’re gonna put an announcement out like that, maybe they should have some justification or reinforcement of the information on that,” said Robert Lira, who was walking along the creek-side trail during his lunch break. … ” Read more from KTVU.
CENTRAL COAST
‘This is taking too long’: California community awaits cleanup of PFAS-contaminated wells
“Kathy Borland has lived for four decades in a house beside the San Luis Obispo County Regional Airport, raising seven children and using water from the family’s well to water the garden, cook and drink. Over the years, she sometimes noticed fire trucks stopped on the tarmac, but she never thought much about it. In June of last year, she was notified that her well was contaminated with high levels of harmful PFAS chemicals from the firefighting foam used during drills. Dozens of her neighbors were also warned of chemicals in their water. “We don’t really know how long this contamination has been going on,” Borland said. “It could have taken 20 years to seep into our groundwater.” … ” Read more from the LA Times.
Central Coast residents call for Big Carrot boycott as growers sue over water rights
“In a battle likened to David versus Goliath, Cuyama Valley residents have launched a boycott of Big Carrot after two giant growers sued all landowners in the community over water rights. Bolthouse Farms and Grimmway Farms are among the plaintiffs for the lawsuit claiming hundreds of defendants — and all property owners — including homeowners, businesses and public agencies in the Cuyama Valley. At the heart of the fight is the rights to the water in the Cuyama Valley Basin, which has been designated among the California’s most overdrafted groundwater basins for years. Overdrafted basins happen when the amount of water pumped out is larger than the long-term average supply of water into the basin. Groundwater remains the lone source since State Water Project delivery isn’t available. … ” Read more from the San Luis Obispo Tribune.
SEE ALSO: Dry Cuyama Valley was once dominated by ‘thirstiest of crops.’ Then water worries began, from the San Luis Obispo Tribune
Major overhaul of San Luis Obispo water treatment plant flowing along
“A high-tech upgrade of a century-old water treatment plant in San Luis Obispo, Calif. is nearing completion after four years of construction that itself followed a decade of planning. Crews have built a new membrane bioreactor (MBR) system, a new ultraviolet (UV) disinfection system, new digesters and other infrastructure within the same footprint as the old system, which had to stay operating 24/7 during construction. Over the years, “we did a few upgrades, triggered by the need for city to expand or to meet discharge permit requirements,” says Miguel Barcenas, utilities deputy director with the city. “The first major expansion was in 1964.” When preparing for the current upgrade to the Water Resource Recovery Facility (WRRF), “we dealt with a lot of the electrical stuff from 1964” along with other unknown underground obstructions. … ” Read more from Engineering News-Record.
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
Turlock: Canals full with snowpack runoff
“Fitness enthusiasts who were out walking the Joe Galloway Pathway along Canal Drive may have noticed that the water level in the canal was about shin-deep on Thursday. By Friday morning, the canal was full. That’s because Turlock Irrigation District is making controlled releases from Don Pedro to help keep the reservoir at acceptable levels. “Right now, we’re releasing approximately 3,100 cubic feet of water per second,” said said Brandon McMillan, communications specialist for TID. “About 550 cubic feet of that is going into the river. The other portion is being diverted to TID or MID for irrigation.” … ” Read more from the Turlock Journal.
Valley water advocates, residents blast Tulare County drought plan
“At their Tuesday meeting, the Tulare County Supervisors unanimously approved the county’s drought and water shortage risk analysis and response plan amid concerns that the plan falls short in facilitating water system consolidations for rural residents in communities where wells are already running dry. The plan was developed to satisfy the requirements of Senate Bill 552, which aims to ensure drinking water for all residents during drought periods and water shortages. To meet state requirements, the plan has to include consolidation of existing water systems and domestic wells, establishment of drinking water mitigation programs and creation of emergency and interim drinking water supplies when wells run out. … ” Read more from Fresnoland.
Tulare County jury gives special district websites poor marks
“In its final report for 2022-23, the Tulare County Civil Grand Jury (TCCGJ) found that of the 132 special districts operating in the county, 80% failed to maintain their websites in accordance with the requirements of Senate Bill 929. Only 20 districts had websites that were in full compliance with state laws. Senate Bill (SB) 929 became effective Jan. 1, 2020. According to the bill’s text, the purpose of SB 929 is to “…require every independent special district to maintain an internet web site that clearly lists contact information for the special district…” According to the bill’s text, SB 929 was created to ensure that independent special districts provide the public, via websites, information that is both accurate and easily accessible. … ” Read more from the Foothills Sun-Gazette.
What’s in the mysterious waters of Tulare Lake? Contaminants, egrets and many unknowns
“Out on the water, a silence hangs in the air and the sun’s harsh glare reflects off the lake’s still surface. Small fish float belly-up alongside snakelike tubes of irrigation piping. Five feet below, abandoned chicken coops, dairy barns and equipment sheds slowly rot, their shapes blurred in the murky green water. The Central Valley summer heat is unrelenting, even while boating across this ghost lake. It roared to life last spring after epic winter storms and runoff from the snow-laden Sierra Nevada overwhelmed the human-made systems that long ago drained the Tulare Lake basin. The reborn Tulare Lake submerged thousands of acres of farmland used to grow pistachios, almonds, cotton and safflower in one of the nation’s most productive agricultural regions, creating a seemingly endless blue horizon. But with little breeze and a wispy veil of high-flying clouds, the lake hardly offers the cooling reprieve afforded by its closest comparison, Lake Tahoe, the state’s eternal playground. … ” Read more from the Los Angeles Times.
EASTERN SIERRA
California’s Mammoth Mountain is wrapping up its second-longest season after 275 days
“The lifts at Mammoth Mountain in California will stop spinning Sunday after an incredible season spanning 275 days — the second-longest ski season in the resort’s recorded history — and nearly 900 inches of record-breaking snowfall. Tucked into the Eastern Sierra Mountains, Mammoth is California’s highest ski resort at just over 11,000 feet. And though it’s not unusual for the mountain to stay open into late spring, a nine-month season stretching into August has only happened two other times in the resort’s 70-year history. “This year on July 4th, almost the entire upper mountain was open. It was basically full go. That’s very unusual,” Tim LeRoy, co-founder of BluBird Communications and Mammoth Mountain spokesperson, told NPR. … ” Read more from NPR.
SAN DIEGO
Sand retention project in Oceanside draws global design experts
“The city of Oceanside is enlisting the help of global experts to come up with innovative solutions to replenish and preserve Oceanside beaches. Design firms from across the world were invited to apply to participate in RE:BEACH, a Coastal Resilience Competition bringing together design teams from around the world to develop innovative sand retention pilot projects for the city of Oceanside. “What we need is to retain sand better,” said Jayme Timberlake, the coastal zone administrator with the city of Oceanside. “We need to be able to place sand and then retain it. What we don’t want to do is take the sand from offshore, place it on our beaches, and see it gone within one storm.” … ” Read more from KPBS.
Along the Colorado River …
Lake Mead 3 feet deeper than a month ago, expected to keep filling as Lake Powell drops
“Lake Mead is still filling up, now at about one-third of capacity despite punishing heat along the Colorado River over the past few weeks. The lake is getting about 3 feet deeper every month as the steady flow continues from Lake Powell since late April. Lake Powell has dropped by almost 5 feet since July 8, but water managers at the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation aren’t stopping the increased flow to Lake Mead. Lake Powell filled to about 40% of capacity before spring runoff slowed down. It’s now at about 38.1% full. … ” Read more from Channel 8.
Crisis on the Colorado: New analysis charts hard choices for a drying river
“It’s time for a serious reckoning with the way we use water from the Colorado River, and the way forward will be tough, according to a new publication by Jack Schmidt, chair of the Center for Colorado River Studies in the Quinney College of Natural Resources, Charles Yackulic of the USGS Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center, and Eric Kuhn, retired general manager of the Colorado River Water Conservation District. The article, published recently in WIREs Water, takes a new look at the development and future of the Colorado River crisis. Schmidt and colleagues make a critical distinction between the ultimate and proximate causes of the crisis — although the roots lie in trends for declining watershed runoff in a warming world, the immediate cause is closely tied to society’s inability to adaptively respond to the declining runoff for the past 20 years and more. … ” Read more from the University of Utah.
Column: How will billions in federal cash change Arizona’s water outlook? If only we knew
Opinion columnist Joanna Allhands writes, “If President Biden plans to tout the effects of the Inflation Reduction Act on our state’s water supply when he visits Arizona next week, temper your expectations: The speech will probably be short. The president is touring the West to highlight his administration’s plans to address climate change, which include more than just water. But he is expected to tout the impact of the Inflation Reduction Act during those stops. … ” Read more from the Arizona Republic.
Las Vegas: What developers need to know about, amidst the water drought
“With southern Nevada reliant on the Colorado River, water resource planning is a priority to meet the community’s water demands. The Southern Nevada Water Authority (“SNWA”) has sought to ensure water removed from Lake Mead is used, deposited into the sewer system, treated, and returned. Each gallon returned generates “return-flow credits,” allowing southern Nevada to take more water from the Colorado River system. Water removed and not otherwise returned, such as evaporation or septic system storage, is deemed consumptive use and is the target of the SNWA.” Click here to access the article at Brownstein.
In national water news this weekend …
Do cities make thunderstorms worse? Not necessarily, but urban heat is having an impact
“Since the invention of weather radar, anecdotes have swirled about how a thunderstorm changes as it approaches and moves across a city. The stories involve a storm suddenly splitting and reforming downwind of a city or, in a related way, suggest that a thunderstorm is producing more rain immediately downwind of a city. These concepts have long been a source of interest to people studying mesoscale meteorology, which covers weather systems that are between a few miles to several dozen miles in size. These include sea breezes, tropical rain bands and thunderstorm complexes. Gathering data to understand the behavior of storms at the mesoscale level has historically been challenging. For many years, the surface observation network, radars and satellite imagery were all too coarse to catch those smaller scale wind patterns and circulations.But observation technologies are getting better, and computers are getting faster, allowing the scientific community to investigate these weather phenomena more closely. … ” Read more from the St. Louis Dispatch.
Also on Maven’s Notebook this weekend …
OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT on Possible Board Direction Regarding Establishing Minimum Instream Flows for the Scott and Shasta Rivers
