On the calendar today …
- WEBINAR: Growing a Sustainable Future: The Role of Agrivoltaics in California’s Water-Energy-Food Nexus from 1:30pm to 2:30pm. Agrivoltaics is the co-location of solar panels on agricultural lands that results in the co-production of agricultural products and electricity. Globally, it is a growing area of research that has the potential to address challenges in the water-energy-food nexus. In the US, there has been a recent expansion of research into the compatibility of various crops with a range of solar panel designs. Understanding crop-panel interactions is critical to simultaneously maximizing crop yield and energy yield, while gaining other benefits like increased water use efficiency. However, to date, there has been limited investment in agrivoltaics research or development in California, despite California being a leader in both agriculture and solar energy production. This panel of experts will discuss the potential for development, challenges, and benefits of agrivoltaics in California. Click here to register.
In California water news today …
To help navigate looming water cuts, Imperial Irrigation hires its longtime rival from LA
“One of the West’s top water kingpins is back, and in an unlikely new spot. Jeffrey Kightlinger, retired general manager for the powerful Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, has been hired as a consultant by the Imperial Irrigation District, which in the past has been his bitter rival on Colorado River policy. The contract comes at a critical juncture, as seven states and federal officials ramp up negotiations over a long-term agreement to keep the massive but dwindling river and its reservoirs functional. IID holds the rights to by far the largest share of that water. Kightlinger, 63, said of his new client, “It’s an intriguing thing … IID is obviously a big player, and I’ve been doing this for a long time, so I think it could work out well for both of us. ” … ” Read more from the Desert Sun.
How much water is left in the Colorado River? Scientists and officials are scrambling to find out
“Fresh off a phenomenal winter snowpack, water levels on the Colorado River are going up for the first time in years. As a result, federal officials will announce this week that they are easing water restrictions in the Southwest starting next year, three sources familiar with the plan told CNN, lifting the region from a Tier 2 water shortage to a Tier 1. It’s a remarkable turnaround that will give back billions of gallons of Colorado River water to millions of people in the Southwest, primarily in Arizona and Nevada. But they can’t breathe a sigh of relief. Officials, farmers and tribes are bracing for more difficult negotiations on how to divvy up the river when the current interstate agreement expires in 2026. The big, unanswered question: Exactly how much water is there to divvy, and how long can the Southwest expect to rely on it? … ” Continue reading at CNN.
Fear of the ‘Big Melt’ turns to big relief along the Eastern Sierra
“Although a state of emergency remains in effect throughout much of the Eastern Sierra Nevada — a region where epic snowpack had threatened to unleash catastrophic flooding on small valley towns — local officials and the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power are finally breathing a collective sigh of relief: The worst days of the “Big Melt” are over, they say. As rivers gorged with snowmelt begin to recede, and egrets glide over catch basins brimming with runoff, officials say that an aggressive and collaborative response — as well as a cooler-than-anticipated spring — helped them avoid massive community flooding and damage to the Los Angeles Aqueduct, the city’s century-old water lifeline. While an armada of heavy equipment remains at the ready to shore up flooding infrastructure and clear debris, forecasters expect the region’s waterways to return to normal by next month. … ” Read more from the LA Times. | Read via MSN News.
A federal probe could change the course of CA’s Bay-Delta water plans
“The Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta is a key water source for many Californians. But state tribal leaders and environmental activists say state officials have for years failed to properly manage it. They accuse California’s powerful water agency of excluding Indigenous residents and people of color from discussions about the future of the delta while diverting water to big agricultural interests and distant cities, damaging the local ecosystem. Now, their accusations will be looked into by the federal government. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
Time to dance the salmon home: This summer a Tribal ceremony celebrated the return of sacred fish, lost for generations
“Late in the morning on July 12, a helicopter landed in a field near the entrance to AhDiNa, a campground on the McCloud River in Northern California. Children ran ahead to greet the craft, and soon the road was lined with spectators waiting to witness the delivery of precious cargo: an insulated bucket containing 25,000 fertilized winter-run Chinook salmon eggs. These eggs would not only bring the Winnemem Wintu Tribe one step closer to bringing salmon, or Nur, back to their ancestral waters, but could also help save the species from extinction. Winter-run Chinook spawn in summer, but the spring-fed McCloud River runs cold all year round, buffering eggs and young salmon from even the worst summer drought. For 80 years the formidable Shasta Dam has blocked Chinook from the McCloud. Now fish are stuck in California’s Central Valley, where sizzling temperatures and water withdrawals make the Sacramento River lethal. … ” Read more from The Revelator.
Valley fever: Why the fungal disease is spreading into Northern California
“The effects of climate change in California, from harsher heat waves to more volatile rainstorms, are well established. Lesser known is what those crises can help fuel: the northern migration of infectious diseases. One, in particular, is already on the move. Valley fever, a respiratory disease spread by fungal spores that grow in soil, has long been concentrated mostly in the Arizona desert and California’s lower San Joaquin Valley. But a growing body of research suggests the disease is gaining a foothold farther north, driven by warming temperatures and extreme swings in rainfall and drought tied to climate change. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
SEE ALSO: Valley fever cases soar in Stanislaus County. What’s the reason for the big increase?, from the Modesto Bee
Hidden links between aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems: part 2
“Running through the Central Valley’s patchwork of yellow, green, and brown farmlands is the deep blue of California’s largest river–the Sacramento. Once a much wider river, meandering across the flat valley floor, the Sacramento has been straight-jacketed by steep earthen levees and confined to a more controlled channel. On either side of the river, where once would have stretched seasonal floodplains dotted with gnarled cottonwoods, shrubby willows, and dense tufts of tule grass, there’s now a vast expanse of rice fields. Around 95% of historic floodplain habitat in the Central Valley has been lost to draining and agricultural conversion. There are only a few pockets of floodplain still left in the valley, mostly in the flood bypasses–areas where water from the Sacramento River is intentionally diverted during high-flow years. When river water inundates these floodplains a sort of ecological magic happens. … ” Continue reading at the California Water Blog.
House Republicans call for better forest management during hearing in Yosemite
“After several years of devastating wildfires around California, Republican members of the House Committee on Natural Resources are calling for common-sense changes to the nation’s forest management practices. Friday, the committee’s GOP members held a field hearing in Yosemite National Park to discuss forest management. The big picture: Over 72 million acres have been torched by wildfires over the last decade across the country, which is roughly equal to the size of Arizona. California’s wildfires have been especially devastating, with 8.7 million acres burned in the Golden State in the last five years. That totals 22 percent of total acreage burned in the United States across that time period. … ” Read more from the San Joaquin Valley Sun.
California fire risk at highest level this year amid risk of dry lightning. Here are the details
“A heat wave across the Pacific Northwest is spilling some of its warmth into California this week, bringing above-normal temperatures to the Golden State. Additionally, thunderstorms in the Sierra Nevada are expected, with a chance of some storms spilling into the Bay Area on Monday and Tuesday. These factors will combine to create the highest fire risk so far this year for Northern California. … As lightning chances increase, fire risk also increases. The possibility of lightning has prompted the National Interagency Fire Center to forecast a high risk of significant fire potential across parts of Northern California on Monday. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
SEE ALSO: Wildfire risks are rising across U.S., from Hawaii to Oregon to Texas, from the Washington Post
In commentary today …
California’s historic water rights come under new scrutiny, and that is a good thing
Thomas Holyoke, professor of political science at CSU Fresno; Cordie Qualle, lecturer in civil and geomatics engineering at CSU Fresno; and Laura Ramos, interim director of research and education at the California Water Institute at CSU Fresno, writes, “Over the last few years, we have heard plenty of disturbing stories about wells going dry in the small, poor towns across the San Joaquin Valley, such as East Porterville and East Orosi. In 2012, California reacted by declaring access to water to be a human right, but with little money attached to stop what was now a human-rights violation. More recently, alarms have been ringing about the state seeking to abolish its longstanding system of water rights. This concern is overblown, at least at the moment, and a little refining of the state water rights system might make it easier to supply poor, rural communities with some water. The 2012 law is little more than a values statement, enacted after a rash of drying-up domestic wells made international headlines. … ” Continue reading at the Fresno Bee. | Read via Yahoo News.
Editorial: No one will win a North Coast water war
The Santa Rosa Press Democrat writes, “The tap on the upper Russian River turns at the Potter Valley hydroelectric plant. Since 1908, water from the Eel River has flowed through a tunnel 8 feet in diameter and dropped 450 feet through penstocks to spin the turbines at the Potter Valley powerhouse, in a remote area northeast of Ukiah. From there, the water empties into the Russian River, where it sustains vineyards, ranches and cities in Mendocino and Sonoma counties. But the power plant is no longer profitable, and PG&E is moving ahead with plans to shut it down permanently. … California has a long history of water wars, and another one may be shaping up here on the North Coast. … ” Read the full editorial at the Santa Rosa Press Democrat (gift article).
Editorial: Say goodbye to grass that’s only there for looks. California can’t afford to waste water
The Los Angeles Times editorial board writes, “California was so dry and its water supply so precarious by May 2022 that the State Water Resources Control Board issued an emergency order: No drinkable water could be used to irrigate grass that had no function other than to look nice. The regulation does not apply to residential lawns, although they were already turning brown due to local restrictions on sprinkler use. It does apply to all purely ornamental lawns — “nonfunctional turf,” in regulatory parlance — at commercial, industrial and institutional sites, such as shopping centers and corporate headquarters. That order was recently extended for another year. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
The disputed Potter Valley Project, the Skunk Train vs. the Great Redwood Trail—highlights from the Redwood Valley MAC Meeting
“The Redwood Valley Municipal Advisory Council met on August 9 at the Grange Hall to discuss code enforcement sweeping through Redwood Valley, water issues and the fate of the Potter Valley Project, the county cannabis ordinance, community disaster preparation, and the Great Redwood Trail. … Member Adam Gaska, who is also the Board President of the Redwood Valley County Water District and Agricultural Representative for the Ukiah Valley Groundwater Sustainability Agency, gave a water update: The Redwood Valley County Water District lifted the 55-gallon per day domestic limit for the first time in almost four years. … ” Read the full article at Mendo Fever.
Sonoma’s Eel River diversion plan risks extinction of Humboldt fisheries
“Yesterday, a group led by Sonoma Water proposed a new plan to maintain diversion of Eel River Water to the Russian. Humboldt County fishermen, Tribes, and conservation groups were blindsided by the proposal. “The only reason to leave out conservation organizations, fishermen, and Humboldt County interests would be to advance a plan designed to keep the fish killing Eel River dams in place as long as possible,” said Alicia Hamman, Executive Director of Friends of the Eel River. “The fish have no time to wait.” For well over a century, Russian River water users have benefited from dams that divert precious Eel River water to the Russian River Valley. This Potter Valley Project (PVP) no longer generates power, or profit, for PG&E. … ” Read more from Friends of the Eel River.
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
Work begins on Sacramento Weir Widening Project
“The United States Army Corps of Engineers contractor, Granite Construction, has begun work to widen the Sacramento Bypass flood control structure. According to a Yolo County press release, the Sacramento Weir Widening Project is taking place along Old River Road, also known as County Road 22, just north of the city of West Sacramento city limits. This crucial step toward bolstering flood control measures along the Sacramento River aims to enhance flood stage management both upstream and downstream of the Sacramento Weir during high-flow events, thereby mitigating flood risks and safeguarding the areas adjoining the Sacramento River. … ” Read more from the Daily Democrat.
NAPA/SONOMA
Napa vineyards are pairing wine with ‘fish friendly farming’
“Among even the most casual eaters, invoking Napa Valley will almost assuredly lead to talk about wine. Blessed with a Mediterranean climate, Napa Valley’s grapes benefit from dry summer days, rainy winters and nighttime fog — ideal conditions for the cultivation of late-ripening cabernet sauvignon grapes, which represent over 50 percent of the total varietals planted in Napa. Far less likely to come up in discussions of Napa travels: native, endangered species of salmon and trout. But what happens along the waterways of wine country has a huge impact on its local fish. Lush, green and temperate, ringed by low-lying mountains and bisected by the San Pablo Bay-bound Napa River, Napa Valley might appear at first blush to be gloriously immune to the more dire effects of climate change. But an alarming decrease in the region’s salmonid populations over the past 75 years suggests otherwise. … ” Read more from Reasons to be Cheerful.
BAY AREA
EPA funding will help Valley Water better serve community
Valley Water District board member Richard P. Santos writes, “Valley Water is responsible for providing safe, clean water, flood protection and environmental stewardship to Santa Clara County. We are currently working on dozens of projects to help us meet this mission for the communities we serve. However, we can’t carry this out alone. Our agency continues to seek out investment partners, including the state and federal government, to help us complete these projects and reduce the cost to ratepayers. Pursuing and securing state and federal funding is the key to completing projects that support a reliable water supply, flood protection and stewardship of creeks and streams. Earlier this summer, Valley Water was awarded $6.8 million in funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to help fund two projects for our communities. … ” Read more from the San Jose Mercury News.
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
Springville residents receive interim water supply
“While it may not be coming out of their faucets, Springville residents who are still being affected by the aftermath of the March flooding can now pick up free packs of bottled water at the River Island Country Club. After going months without a steady supply of water in their homes, Springville residents now have regular access to clean water thanks to the efforts of Senator Shannon Grove and Assemblyman Vince Fong. On Aug. 11, Grove and Fong invited residents to head down to the country club from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. to grab cases of Crystal Geyser water, who worked with Grove to supply the residents. … ” Read more from the Foothills Sun-Gazette.
Along the Colorado River …
40 million people share the shrinking Colorado River. Here’s how that water gets divvied up.
“The Colorado River provides water for millions of people, including Coloradans from the Western Slope to the Eastern Plains. But much of the river system is overallocated, its waters are overused and its flows are shrinking. “It’s not a rosy picture. We’ve been in a drought for a very long time,” said Kevin Reidy, senior state water efficiency specialist with the Colorado Water Conservation Board, the state’s top water agency. “Really, what we’re looking at is aridification across the state, across the Southwest.” What’s happening with the river is complicated, so The Colorado Sun is breaking down the basics. … ” Read more from the Colorado Sun.
Commentary: Arizonans know best: protecting ecosystems is a win-win
“Earlier this year, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) proposed the Public Lands Rule to bring much needed balance to the agency’s management of roughly 245 million acres across the West. Specifically, the proposal would modernize BLM’s strategies for managing public lands and increase their focus on conservation, recreation, wildlife, water, and local economies. Currently, 90% of this land is open to oil and gas drilling, cattle grazing, and mining. To be clear, the proposed rule does not remove these multiple uses. Rather, it brings balance to the equation by putting conservation outcomes on equal footing, as directed by the Federal Land Policy & Management Act. In a recent Gallup poll in partnership with the Center for the Future of Arizona, 92% of Arizonans said it was a priority to protect and preserve Arizona’s rivers, natural areas, and wildlife. In other words, most Arizonans support the types of outcomes that would be achieved through the proposed Public Lands Rule. … ” Read more from the Arizona Daily Sun.
Utah: Here’s how Washington County plans to meet a growing demand for water
“An influx of people to a region can be closely tied to increased water demand, regardless of whether there’s supply in place to meet that demand. This is undoubtedly true for Washington County, one of the fastest-growing areas in Utah and the nation. “None of the growth we’ve experienced would be possible without water,” St. George Mayor Michele Randall said. “Although we’ve had a very wet year this year … we still have a lot of challenges when it comes to water.” … With this in mind, the Washington County Water Conservancy District recently published a 20-year plan to guide the county to ensure it has the necessary water supply to meet the growing demands associated with an increasing population. … ” Read more from KSL.
In national news today …
Record shattering: Earth had its hottest July in 174 years
“Earth just roasted under its hottest July on record, according to scientists from NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI). For the fourth-consecutive month, the global ocean surface temperature also hit a record high. … The average global surface temperature in July was 2.02 degrees F (1.12 degrees C) above average, ranking it as the warmest July in NOAA’s 174-year record. Because July is the globe’s warmest month of the year from a climatological perspective, July 2023 was also likely Earth’s warmest month on record. … ” Read more from NOAA.
More news and commentary in the weekend edition …
This weekend in California water news …
- Heat, humidity, and some thunderstorms to come as cut-off low sets up shop south of blocking ridge
- EPA launches civil rights probe over Calif. water fight
- Hoopa Tribe press release: State court blocks Trump federal contract with Westlands Water District for million acre-feet of Trinity River water
- Survival of this frog in California wildfire scar lends ‘some hope’ for threatened species
- Sturgeon perished as algae bloom hit San Francisco Bay and Delta water exports amped up
- Sturgeon moon 2 – August 30
- New UCSD-developed AI system helps California spot developing wildfires
- Podcasts on Klamath Dams, Potter Valley Project, groundwater data, Why sewage treatement is part of the water cycle, NEPA and CEQA
- And more …
Click here for the weekend digest.
Also on Maven’s Notebook today …
NOTICE: Available for Comment: Kaweah Basin Water Quality Coalition Comprehensive Surface Water Quality Management Plan
