On the calendar today …
- WORKSHOP: Central Valley Flood Protection Board beginning at 10am. Central Valley Flood Protection Plan Resolution Implementation – Operations: Board staff will provide an update on the Board’s implementation goals detailed in Resolution of Adoption 2022-29 grouped under “Operations Theme”. Staff will provide update and solicit feedback on the current progress and seek input on its current implementation strategy. Click here for the full agenda and remote access instructions.
In California water news today …
Odds of a ‘strong’ El Niño grow again: Will California feel it?
“As the months go on, El Niño grows stronger over the Pacific. On Thursday, national forecasters gave it a larger than 95% chance of lasting through early next year. “Given recent developments, forecasters are more confident in a ‘strong’ El Niño event,” National Weather Service forecasters said. The odds of a historically strong El Niño are now a 2 in 3 chance. This El Niño is expected to continue strengthening until it reaches its peak sometime in winter. That’s when the climate pattern can have the biggest effects on weather around the country. … ” Read more from Fox 5.
Brief update on the progress of the inadequate SGMA subbasins
“In making the rounds of public meetings of Inadequate Subbasin Groundwater Sustainability Agencies (GSAs) over the past couple of weeks, I have heard reports about the meetings these Subbasins have had with the State Water Resources Control Board staff recently. The reports indicate that in those meetings State Board staff has been much clearer and more specific about their concerns and expectations. … ” Continue reading at the Milk Producers Council.
C-WIN: Even with full reservoirs, San Francisco Bay sturgeon are dying again. Why?
“Sturgeon are dying again in San Francisco Bay, a result of oxygen depletion and toxic “red tide” algae. A similar event occurred last summer, and state officials claim that climate change is the prime mover of both events. But Tom Cannon, one of California’s most experienced fisheries biologists, maintains the real answers are super moon lunar cycles and a water management policy that prioritizes deliveries over environmental health. San Francisco Bay sturgeon need releases from Shasta Reservoir on the Sacramento River to create the cool, clean, brackish conditions in the Bay/Delta estuary essential for their survival. “It’s ridiculous,” said Cannon, who has consulted extensively for state and federal regulatory agencies. “Unlike 2022, Shasta is now full. The water contractors are getting everything they want and more. Every almond and pomegranate tree in the Central Valley is just sopping with water. There’s enough water for the salmon. Enough for the sturgeon. They’re just not getting it.” … ” Continue reading this press release from C-WIN.
EPA to investigate California State Water Board for alleged civil rights violations
“The Environmental Protection Agency has begun an investigation into whether California’s top water agency has discriminated against Native tribes and people of color, carrying out a civil rights probe that could force changes in how the state manages water. The EPA’s civil rights office announced it has accepted a complaint filed by tribes and environmental justice groups, who accuse the State Water Resources Control Board of discriminatory practices and mismanagement contributing to the ecological deterioration of the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta. The tribes and environmental groups argue that out-of-date water quality standards in the Delta have led to collapsing fish populations and worsening toxic algae blooms, harming tribes whose traditions are tied to the rivers and leaving residents in South Stockton and other areas with stagnant waterways often choked with algae. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
Debate centers on diversions from California’s Mono Lake basin
“In 1940, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power completed the Mono Basin Extension of the Los Angeles Aqueduct, the famed system finished in 1913 to convey water by gravity more than 230 mi from the Owens Valley on the eastern slope of the Sierra Nevada to Los Angeles. With the extension, the LADWP began diverting runoff in 1941 from four streams that feed Mono Lake, an ancient terminal water body measuring roughly 9.3 mi length and 13 mi in width in the eastern Sierra Nevada that provides a unique habitat for wildlife due to its salinity and remote islands. The lake is one of the oldest in North America and is near the community of Lee Vining and Tioga Pass, the eastern entrance to Yosemite Valley. By 1982, the diversion of these feed waters had decreased the elevation of Mono Lake by 45 ft, shrinking the lake’s surface area by nearly one-third and doubling its salinity. Exposure of the lakebed as the waters receded led to significant problems related to air pollution. … ” Continue reading from The Source.
Video: FIRO-MAR Workshop highlights lessons learned from Water Year 2023
“The Flood-MAR Network hosted a FIRO-MAR virtual Workshop on Thursday, July 20th, 9:00 am – 12:00 pm PT. Workshop Purpose: What are we learning from this past winter that can inform or improve reservoir operations in future wet years and advance FIRO-MAR? The workshop was facilitated by Meagan Wylie (CSUS) and moderated by Duncan Axisa (CW3E). Opening remarks by Cary Talbot (USACE) focused on the research and development aspects of FIRO. Presenters gave insight to what happened this water year with respect to atmospheric river activity, explored how FIRO made a difference in managing runoff in 2022/23, reviewed tools available for reservoir operators to make forecast-informed decisions, and discussed work being done throughout the state to identify FIRO-MAR opportunities and advance FIRO-MAR implementation. … ” Read more from the Center for Western Water & Weather Extremes.
Case study by CART: Developing a tool to help decision-makers navigate complex drought scenarios
“Intense periods of drought across the western U.S. present severe threats to a wide range of shareholders tasked with managing natural resources. In an era of intensifying human-driven climate change, the severity and frequency of these droughts will likely increase. While managing water is a critical approach to mitigating and responding to drought, water management does not encompass the wide array of impacts, management strategies, and shareholders related to drought management. For example, aridification from lack of precipitation has agricultural and natural resource implications. Effective drought response involves interdisciplinary collaboration and the expertise and experience of diverse actors including private landowners, business owners, scientists, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and managers and policymakers within Tribal, local, state, and federal government agencies. However, it is not clear how their differing professional, cultural, educational, and jurisdictional expertise can complicate collaboration. … ” Continue reading this story map.
The West has a checkerboard problem
“According to the company behind the popular hunting app OnX, 530,000 acres of public lands in California alone are inaccessible to the general public. That’s because they alternate with privately owned lands in the shape of a checkerboard. It’s easy to see the checkerboard and its inaccessible public lands just by looking at a road atlas. The western Mojave Desert, the swath northwest of Lake Tahoe, and the area between Redding and the Oregon border all have alternating square-mile checks of private and public land. But it’s often invisible on the ground because no fences or visible property lines mark the change in land tenure. If private landowners choose to restrict access across their property, as they have in popular hunting areas in Wyoming and Montana, the public can be prosecuted for trespassing if they pass through to get to the adjacent public land—even if they “corner-cross,” moving diagonally between the squares. … ” Read more from the Desert Sun.
The ocean is shattering heat records. Here’s what that means for fisheries.
“Scientists first spotted the Blob in late 2013. The sprawling patch of unusually tepid water in the Gulf of Alaska grew, and grew some more, until it covered an area about the size of the continental United States. Over the course of two years, one million seabirds died, kelp forests withered, and sea lion pups got stranded. But you could have easily missed it. A heatwave in the ocean is not like one on land. What happens on the 70 percent of the planet covered by saltwater is mostly out of sight. There’s no melting asphalt, no straining electrical grids, no sweating through shirts. Just a deep-red splotch on a scientist’s map telling everyone it’s hot out there, and perhaps a photo of birds washed up on a faraway beach to prove it. Yet marine heatwaves can “inject a lot of chaos,” said Chris Free, a fisheries scientist at the University of California, Santa Barbara. … ” Read more from The Grist.
In commentary today …
“Forever chemicals” are in our bodies and drinking water. We must stop using them
Assemblyman Phil Ting and Andria Ventur, legislative and policy director for Clean Water Action California, write, “Have you gotten food in a to-go container? Worn waterproof outdoor gear? Sat on a sofa made with stain-resistant fabric? Then you’ve likely been exposed to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, harmful substances commonly referred to as PFAS. Another popular name for PFAS is “forever chemicals” because, according to Harvard, “they don’t break down in the environment or in our bodies.” With so many of these chemicals in our everyday lives, PFAS have been leaching into our drinking water. Finally, though, there’s something being done about this. For the first time in more than a quarter century, the federal government is proposing strong, enforceable drinking water standards for previously unregulated chemicals. … ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee.
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
Reclamation announces flow schedule for Hoopa Valley Tribe Boat Dance Ceremony
“The Bureau of Reclamation will begin to increase releases from Lewiston Dam to the Trinity River beginning Aug. 18. The increased releases are in support of the Hoopa Valley Tribe bi-annual Boat Dance Ceremony held in Hoopa, California, and are separate from the Trinity River restoration flows. People near or recreating on the river can expect river levels to increase during this time and should take appropriate property and safety precautions. Beginning Aug. 18, Lewiston Dam releases are scheduled to gradually increase from the summer base flow of 450 cubic feet per second and are expected to reach a peak flow of 2,000 cfs on Aug. 20 before gradually returning to summer base flows later in the week. River recreators can expect a higher volume of water and increased turbidity in the Trinity River during the ceremonial flow. As always, the public is urged to exercise caution when recreating in or around the Trinity River. … ” Read more from the Bureau of Reclamation.
Field Note: A day of pikeminnow suppression
Matt Metheny writes, “Early one morning in July I leave the cool, foggy Humboldt Bay area heading south and inland. As I pass through the ancient trees of Humboldt Redwoods State Park, the morning sun starts to shine on the South Fork Eel River. A little later, I arrive in the small community of Piercy to meet our team from the Wiyot Tribe, Blue Lake Rancheria, UC Berkeley, and the Bureau of Land Management. We head over to our weir trap to see if any pikeminnow came in the night before. The weir is like a giant floating fence that prevents larger fish from passing upstream. Our team installed the weir after the annual runs of salmon and steelhead ended to keep invasive Sacramento pikeminnow out of the cool, productive headwaters of the South Fork Eel. … ” Read more from Cal Trout.
More algae was found in Mad River
“There’s another algae bloom, this one is in the Mad River. Cal Poly Humboldt fisheries shared a video on their social media showing a potentially toxic bacteria growing in the river. These bacteria can be dangerous for pets and children. “Cyanobacteria are toxic algae, as it’s commonly referred to, are a billion years old and there are hybrid of bacteria and photosynthetic algae and they love warm water,” said Patrick Higgins the Managing Director of the Eel River Recovery Project. “With climate change and warming conditions in water, they’re proliferating.” … ” Read more from KIEM.
Multiple groups wary of new Potter Valley Project plan
“A plan was submitted to Pacific Gas and Electric Co. that would maintain diversions from the Eel River to the Russian River amid a dam removal process in the Potter Valley. The plan was submitted by three of the five groups who previously formed a partnership to balance water diversions with fish interests. Some groups that advocate for fish conservation say the plan could create further delays in the dam removal process which they say could jeopardize steelhead and salmon populations in the Eel River, permanently. Friends of the Eel River, the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations and the Institute for Fisheries Resources said in a press release the plan risks the extinction of Humboldt County fisheries, which have been hit hard in past years. … ” Read more from the Eureka Times-Standard.
SEE ALSO: PG&E to consider new license surrender proposal for Potter Valley Hydroelectric Dam Project, from KRCR
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
Rotary screw traps are coming to the North Yuba
“Rotary Screw Traps (RSTs) are specially designed sampling devices used to capture downstream migrating juvenile fish such as salmon and steelhead. They are large, cylindrical traps that float on pontoons. This October, two RSTs will be installed on the North Yuba River, one at Rocky Rest Campground at RM 25.6 and the other along Old Toll Bridge Road at RM 33.4. They will be there from October 2023 to May 2024. Public outreach events regarding safety around these RSTs will be held at the end of August in both Downieville and in Nevada City. These RSTs will be gathering data on how traps of this type perform on the North Yuba for future efforts conducted by the Yuba Salmon Study. … ” Read more from The Union.
Monitoring for groundwater and surface water in the Haskell Peak meadows project
“Kyle McNeil, Ecohydrologist for the South Yuba River Citizens League (SYRCL), Wrenn Cleary, SYRCL’s AmeriCorps Monitoring Coordinator, and Jessica Nguyen were recently out monitoring for groundwater and surface water at Freeman and West Church Meadows in the Haskell Peak Meadows project in the upper North Yuba headwaters area. Currently, SYRCL, in partnership with the Tahoe National Forest, is wrapping up the planning phase and moving toward restoration implementation on 229 acres of meadow habitat within five high priority meadows in the North Yuba Watershed: Haskell Headwaters Fen, Chapman Saddle Meadow, West Church Meadow, Freeman Meadow, and Bear trap Meadow. … ” Read more from the South Yuba River Citizens League.
South Yuba River Citizens League was back at Loney Meadow
“Loney Meadow, located on the Grouse Ridge, is part of a larger meadow complex that drains into the Canyon Creek sub-watershed. Loney Meadow is a beautiful meadow that supports a diverse and fragile ecosystem. SYRCL (South Yuba River Citizens League) began working at Loney Meadow with the Tahoe National Forest in 2011 to assess meadow conditions, restore aspen habitat, improve the interpretive trail, improve stream habitat, and monitor greenhouse gas emissions and carbon sequestration. In September and October of 2017, the Tahoe National Forest and SYRCL restored stream and wetland habitat across the 50-acre meadow. … ” Read more from the South Yuba River Citizens League.
27th annual Lake Tahoe Summit examines climate crisis impact on the basin, path to restoration and preservation
“The 27th annual Lake Tahoe Summit was held at the Kings Beach Recreation Area Wednesday, Aug. 9. The bi-partisan, bi-state coalition of local, state, federal, Tribal, and environmental leaders were able to gather to discuss the importance of sustainable solutions to combat climate crisis and local community issues in Lake Tahoe. This year’s summit, “Protecting Lake Tahoe Sustainability and Stewardship in the Face of the Climate Crisis,” was hosted by U.S. Senator Alex Padilla, who was joined by many of his colleagues including Speaker Emerita Rep. Nancy Pelosi, Senator Catherine Cortez Masto, and Senator Jackie Rosen, among many others. The summit was able to highlight the urgent need to extend the authorization of the Lake Tahoe Restoration Act through 2034 in order to keep allocating funds and approving projects that lead to the restoration and preservation of Lake Tahoe. … ” Read more from the Tahoe Daily Tribune.
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
Litigation of Aerojet cleanup a topic at water board meeting
“Litigation filed against the Aerojet Superfund Site is on the closed session agenda at the August 10 Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board meeting, according to the meeting agenda. “Our standard practice is to include all litigation items on our Board Meeting agenda, even if there is not an urgent matter related to the litigation which requires the Board members’ attention.” said Central Valley Water Control engineer Geoff Rader. “So, you’ll see that this item has been included on past Board meeting agendas as well. It is unlikely that the Aerojet Superfund Site cleanup will actually be discussed at the board meeting.” … ” Read more from Gold Country Media.
Construction to begin next week on habitat project at Upper River Bend
“A new project to enhance crucial habitat for native fall-run Chinook salmon and steelhead trout in the Lower American River is scheduled to begin August 14 at Upper River Bend at Ancil Hoffman Park. The Ancil Hoffman area of the river is important to the survival of salmon and steelhead. A 2021 habitat enhancement near the Effie Yeaw Nature Center produced a noticeable surge in redds—underwater depressions or “nests” created by female salmonids to lay their eggs. … ” Read more from the Water Forum.
BAY AREA
Editorial: Finally, polluting Bay Area cement plant will be closed
“At long last, after thousands of environmental violations and more than $2.5 million in fines, an agreement has been reached to shut down a 3,500-acre quarry that had sent wastewater laced with selenium into San Francisco Bay. The permanent closure of Lehigh Quarry and Cement’s cement production in an unincorporated area of Santa Clara County near Cupertino is a long overdue environmental victory for the Bay Area. For decades, Lehigh had provided more than half the cement used in Bay Area construction projects. Cement distribution will allow construction projects to continue without the massive regional environmental impact. The hope is that the eyesore site in the Santa Cruz Mountains will eventually be restored to its former beauty. … ” Read more from the San Jose Mercury News.
CENTRAL COAST
The City of Monterey is entertaining a plan to import water. It’s not without its critics.
“One thing that’s not in dispute is that the City of Monterey needs water. What is in question is where that water comes from. On Aug. 1, the Monterey City Council discussed the possibility of teaming up with the Marina Coast Water District for an agreement that would potentially deliver whatever water the city needs to make proposed housing developments a reality (like on Garden Road, for example, wherein office buildings near the airport would be converted to apartments). But like all things water-related, it’s not that straightforward. The backstory is that the Monterey Peninsula’s water utility – California American Water, which is privately owned – ran afoul of state regulators for over-pumping the Carmel River, leading the State Water Resources Control Board to issue a cease-and-desist order for that over-pumping in 2009. (The Cal Am service area has an annual demand of about 10,000 acre-feet.) … ” Read more from Monterey Weekly.
San Luis Obispo landowners ordered to clean up polluted groundwater near airport
“For four years, the Noll family was deemed responsible for polluting the groundwater used by them and their neighbors in rural San Luis Obispo County. That changed on Tuesday, when the Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board issued a cleanup and abatement order to the current and former owners of a property found to be the source of the toxic groundwater contamination. Those include present-day landowner John Coakley, who owns Coakley Vineyards and Apple River & Company. … ” Read more from the San Luis Obispo Tribune.
Grand jury criticizes Santa Maria Valley Water District in 2 reports
“A Santa Maria Valley water district that oversees Twitchell Dam and Reservoir hired a contractor without financial due diligence and has operated without transparency, a government watchdog panel said. The Santa Barbara County Civil Grand Jury released a pair of reports focused on the Santa Maria River Water Conservation District. The jurors spotlighted significant concerns and issued 10 recommendations that mostly call for new policies. The Grand Jury investigated after receiving a complaint that the district is “poorly run.” The small district oversees the maintenance and operations of Twitchell Dam and Reservoir, which helps recharge the groundwater basin, is essential for the area’s water supply, and provides some protection from flooding. … ” Read more from Noozhawk.
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
Severe heat waves, longer drought among climate impacts expected in Stanislaus County
“The Northern San Joaquin Valley is known for hot summers and is projected to get much hotter with global and regional climate change in the next 25 years. Studies conclude the average maximum daily temperature will increase 4 to 5 degrees in the San Joaquin Valley by 2050, raising temperatures above 105 degrees more than 20 days in some years. In addition to heat waves, climate change promises longer and more intense droughts, more wildfires, extreme storm events and flooding in wetter years, and worsening air pollution. The climate conditions will come with health impacts for people who live in the Valley stretching from Stockton to Bakersfield, a region that’s projected to be one of the hardest hit in California. … ” Read more from the Modesto Bee.
Recharged and ready: Lindsay Recharge Basin brings relief to community
“While it doesn’t completely solve the water issues facing the City of Lindsay and its residents, the completion of the Lindsay Recharge Water Basin project will bring some much needed relief to the community. On Wednesday morning, a small group of people gathered near the Lindsay Recharge Basin, located off of Mariposa Street, to celebrate the project’s completion with a ribbon cutting ceremony. Lindsay Mayor Hipolito Cerros and Tulare County Supervisor Larry Micari were both present to recognize and speak on the momentous moment for the city. … ” Read more from the Porterville Recorder.
Friant repairs on schedule, canal lining begins
“Friant Water Authority chief executive officer Jason Phillips stated the current Friant-Kern Canal repair project “remains on schedule.” In addition Phillips stated work on the new realigned canal in the area as part of the repairs has begun. Phillips presented his monthly update on the project in the July newsletter from FWA, which oversees the Friant-Kern Canal. Despite the severe damage to the repair project that was caused by the flooding in March, Phillips said the project is on schedule. “You’ve heard about historic flooding in the region and how it has impacted the equipment, workload and the schedule of this project,” Phillips stated. “It has been challenging and frustrating sometimes but thanks to our project partners and a strong commitment from the FWA Board of Directors, the project remains on schedule.” … ” Read more from the Porterville Recorder.
Avian botulism confirmed in two birds recovered from Tulare Lake
“Avian botulism has been detected in two birds collected from Tulare Lake after testing by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Tulare Lake, once the largest freshwater lake west of the Mississippi River, reemerged from the pastures and agricultural fields in the southern San Joaquin Valley this year as a result of California’s extraordinarily wet winter and spring, attracting water birds of all sorts. The lake is expected to attract millions of waterfowl, shorebirds and other bird species as fall migrations get underway in earnest. The avian botulism was detected in a mallard duck and white-faced ibis. It is caused by toxin type C, which is the toxin type most frequently involved in avian botulism cases associated with waterfowl and shorebirds. … ” Read more from the Hanford Sentinel.
SEE ALSO: Bird bacteria found in carcasses at Tulare Lake in CA, from the Fresno Bee
High water in the Kern River brings new legal issues as local group seeks to keep water in the riverbed
“A local group that’s suing the City of Bakersfield for how it manages the Kern River, is seeking a court order that would force the city to keep water in the normally dry riverbed as this year’s massive runoff begins to recede. “The relief sought is narrowly focused,” states the motion for a preliminary injunction filed Wednesday by attorneys for Bring Back the Kern. “It does not seek to change the City’s management of the Kern River allocations, but only to restrain the City from diverting water that is required to keep in good condition the fish that currently exist below each of the Weirs, a clear and unequivocal dictate of California law.” A hearing has been requested for Sept. 6. … ” Read more from SJV Water.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Santa Clarita: Water board quiet on appeal letter
“While Santa Clarita Valley residents await finding out the next steps for Cemex’s quest to build a mine in Soledad Canyon, the State Water Resources Control Board is staying quiet due to “a prohibition on ex parte communications,” according to State Water Board staff. The most recent question put to the board, specifically Executive Director Eileen Sobeck, is whether the water board acted improperly in its decision to re-notice the mining giant’s application for a permit to use the Santa Clara River. The board has not indicated any timeline for a new decision on the process, but there’s also pending legislation that could impact the next steps. … ” Read more from The Signal.
Is there any such thing as a guilt-free lawn in L.A.?
“Rip it all out, she said. Every blade of grass, frontyard and back. As soon as my wife heard the city was offering a rebate, she wanted to replace our lawns with bark mulch and bunchgrass. “We’ll save on the water bill,” she said. “And we’ll help the environment.” I had my doubts. What would neighbors think about disrupting the procession of tidy, green rectangles that defined our block? What about resale value? Would our dog miss her old backyard? My wife frowned. The ensuing debate lasted for weeks, a back-and-forth revived by each new report of drought and water restrictions. It has left me with an essential question: Is there any such thing as a guilt-free lawn in L.A.? … ” Read more from the LA Times.
Department of the Interior Secretary Haaland visits EMWD to discuss water supply resiliency
“Eastern Municipal Water District (EMWD) was selected by the Department of the Interior to provide a briefing and tour of its planned Purified Water Replenishment (PWR) facilities to Department of the Interior Secretary Deb Haaland. The Department of the Interior’s United States Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) has committed $10 million in funding to the project through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. EMWD has also previously received a $17.5 million commitment for the project through the USBR’s Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act. … ” Read more from Eastern Municipal Water District.
IMPERIAL/COACHELLA VALLEYS
Lithium Valley impacts Imperial County’s economy
“Thursday morning, leaders involved in the Lithium Valley project spoke about how it will impact the local economy. Up to 40 percent of the world’s potential future lithium supply is located under and near the Salton Sea. It is primarily used today in lithium-ion batteries, often found in areas where there’s also a lot of geothermal energy. … ” Read more from Channel 11.
Along the Colorado River …
Backyard Problems: Extractive industries keep leaving toxic messes across the West. Will history continue to repeat itself?
“The Western United States has a long history of extractive industrial activity. Since the 1800s, westward colonization has both driven and relied upon the extraction of the West’s resources, from furs to timber to gold and other minerals. Extractive activity from this time prompted some of the nation’s first attempts at regulating these industries, including the General Mining Law of 1872 and the Mineral Leasing Act of 1920 . This activity also predated what are now considered to be the nation’s bedrock environmental laws, including the Clean Air Act (1963), National Environmental Policy Act (1970), and Clean Water Act (1972). This meant that early mining and drilling occurred without environmental safeguards, and moreover was governed by laws and regulations that were designed to encourage mining and drilling as part of a national goal of colonizing the West and extracting its resources to serve the expanding nation. As a result, mining and drilling from this time caused major damage to Western landscapes and waters, and in many cases left behind pollution that continues to impact people, wildlife, water, and air today. … ” Continue reading from the Center for Western Priorities.
Inside a plan to completely drain Lake Powell
“Lake Powell will cease to exist if one group’s plan to restore Glen Canyon as the “heart of the Colorado River” comes to fruition. An above-average snowfall and excessive precipitation in the spring have bolstered the water levels at Lake Powell and Lake Mead, but Glen Canyon Institute Executive Director Eric Balken told Newsweek that he doubts that Lake Mead will ever return to full capacity. Drought and excessive water use have severely impacted water levels in the Colorado River—which has lost more than 10 trillion gallons of water over 21 years. The dwindling water supply is impacting the efficiency of hydropower at the Glen Canyon Dam in Arizona and creating drought issues downstream at Lake Mead. … ” Read more from Newsweek.
In national water news today …
More than 1m acres of Indigenous land flooded by dams, new study finds
“More than a million acres of tribal land – an area larger than the state of Rhode Island – have been flooded by dams, compounding centuries of land seizures and forced displacement by settler colonials and the US government, new research has found. Land has always been central to Indigenous culture, sovereignty and prosperity, while land dispossession has been a mainstay strategy used to divide and disempower communities, by depriving Indigenous people of clean water, traditional food sources, spiritual connections and economic opportunities. The study, published in the journal Environmental Research Letters, is the first attempt to calculate the amount of land lost by Indigenous Americans due to the construction of dams that re-engineered America’s rivers and lakes to store, divert and control waterways. … ” Read more from The Guardian.
Congress hones in on PFAS
“In late June, the U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee (EPW) published a draft bill focused on addressing PFAS issues. Similarly, the House Armed Services Committee advanced a proposal to tackle “forever chemicals” as part of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for fiscal year 2024. ACWA has been tracking regulatory and legislative developments on PFAS closely. Congress’ focus on PFAS pollution and contamination has been encouraged by a series of rulemakings from the Environment Protection Agency (EPA) spanning several years, starting in 2019. … ” Read more from ACWA’s Water News.
Scientists look beyond climate change and El Nino for other factors that heat up Earth
“Scientists are wondering if global warming and El Nino have an accomplice in fueling this summer’s record-shattering heat. The European climate agency Copernicus reported that July was one-third of a degree Celsius (six-tenths of a degree Fahrenheit) hotter than the old record. That’s a bump in heat that is so recent and so big, especially in the oceans and even more so in the North Atlantic, that scientists are split on whether something else could be at work. Scientists agree that by far the biggest cause of the recent extreme warming is climate change from the burning of coal, oil and natural gas that has triggered a long upward trend in temperatures. A natural El Nino, a temporary warming of parts of the Pacific that changes weather worldwide, adds a smaller boost. But some researchers say another factor must be present. … ” Read more from the Associated Press.
National water and climate update …
The Natural Resources Conservation Service produces this weekly report using data and products from the National Water and Climate Center and other agencies. The report focuses on seasonal snowpack, precipitation, temperature, and drought conditions in the U.S.
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