In California water news today …
Hilary to bring life-threatening flooding from Southern California to Nevada, western Arizona
“A recently formed tropical system has strengthened rapidly into Category 4 Hurricane Hilary and is forecast by AccuWeather meteorologists to wander close enough to the southwestern United States to raise the likelihood of torrential rain and the potential for major flash flooding beginning this weekend and lasting into next week. The system was dubbed a tropical storm on Wednesday morning when it developed maximum sustained winds of 40 mph. As of late Thursday night, it had strengthened to a Category 4 hurricane with sustained winds of 145 mph. The powerful hurricane was located 400 miles to the south of Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. Hilary has far exceeded the threshold of a 35 mph increase in sustained winds over a span of 24 hours to qualify as rapidly intensifying. … ” Read more from AccuWeather.
‘Increasingly likely’ Hilary will reach SoCal as a tropical storm
“Hilary was a Category 4 hurricane with 130 mph winds, rotating a few hundred miles southwest of the southern tip of Baja California on Friday morning. California meteorologists are closely watching the powerful system that’s expected to bring significant and rare impacts to Southern California including torrential rain, flash flooding, powerful winds and monster surf. “It is increasingly likely that Hurricane Hilary will reach far Southern California at tropical storm strength early Monday,” the National Weather Service’s San Diego office said. … ” Read more from SF Gate.
Hilary could disrupt West Coast harvests
“Now off the tip of Baja California, Hurricane Hilary is expected to bear down on the U.S. Southwest this weekend and drench much of the West just as growers are planting or harvesting a multitude of the region’s iconic specialty crops. While lettuce beds are starting to go up in the deserts of Southern California and southwestern Arizona, some farmers planning their transition to winter vegetables may see some delays. Meanwhile, California farmers are being told to brace for significant impacts. One Yuma-area cotton farmer said his transition to lettuce might be delayed as he opted to wait out the storm before defoliating his cotton. … ” Read more from the Western Farm Press.
Reclamation Districts: The state’s oldest special districts turned swamps into fertile farmland
“California’s water crisis was set in motion the moment James Marshall discovered gold in a stream flowing beneath Sutter’s Mill in Coloma in 1848. The following year, after Pres. James Polk endorsed the find, more than 100,000 people migrated to California. These “’49ers” brought not only mining operations to California but most every other kind of business, from banking to transportation to retail sales, as thousands of corporations and entrepreneurs realized that there was as much money to be made from the influx of immigrants as from gold mining itself. Starting with the mining industry, which built sluices, flumes and dams to divert water to the purpose of extracting gold from the Earth, all of these businesses together consumed vast amounts of water, permanently altering the physical landscape of California and leading to the crisis that still plagues the state today. … ” Read more from California Local.
A schism over the softer side of Westlands
“For 22 years, Tom Birmingham served as general manager of the Westlands Water District, aggressively lobbying for farmers’ water access and making enemies of environmental groups along the way. He fought for controversial proposals like expanding Shasta Dam, saw longtime lobbyist David Bernhardt appointed as Interior Department secretary under Trump, and earned the sobriquet the “Darth Vader of California water.” Now he’s retired from the post, and there’s a new general manager in town: Allison Febbo, a trained hydrologist from the Mojave Water Agency in SoCal. … ” Read more from Politico.
Digitizing data: Tracking harmful algal blooms in the San Francisco Estuary
Interagency Ecological Program Lead Scientist Dr. Steve Culberson writes, “Earlier this month, I was working my way through my morning emails and discovered a brief note from one of my Interagency Ecological Program (IEP) colleagues. They had been notified by one of their field crew employees of some higher-than-normal chlorophyll concentrations in their routine water samples from San Pablo Bay (chlorophyll-a is a green plant pigment used to track the presence of phytoplankton in our aquatic systems). These higher-than-normal chlorophyll levels can be associated with harmful algal blooms (HABs) that produce toxins that are dangerous to humans, pets, and fish. HABs were a potential cause of a Bay-Delta Estuary fish kill in Lake Merritt last August. A toxic red tide killed up to 10,000 fish, according to a variety of organizations, including the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. … ” Read more from the Delta Stewardship Council.
Bloom or bust: Navigating the wild waters of harmful algal bloom monitoring in the San Francisco Estuary
Senior Environmental Scientist Tricia Lee writes, “As soon as the weather starts to warm and the days start to lengthen, I keep an ear out for algal bloom rumors. A few weeks ago, a harmful algal bloom (HAB) in San Francisco Bay was reported and determined to be caused by the same HAB-forming organism, Heterosigma akashiwo, that bloomed last summer, resulting in massive fish kills. Although we have not yet seen that level of devastation from this current incident, the threat of HABs to San Francisco Estuary habitats persists. Despite the consistent presence of HABs in the Estuary, the science community lacks the ability to forecast conditions for HAB development like those created in other water bodies. This means that we can only deal with HABs in a reactive manner rather than having tools to proactively prevent HABs. … ” Read more from the Delta Stewardship Council.
OSU researchers develop novel technique for sniffing out toxic algae blooms
“Researchers at Oregon State University have developed a new way to monitor the danger associated with algae blooms: “sniffing” the water for gases associated with toxins. The scientists found that certain combinations of volatile organic compounds released by algae can serve as indicator for microcystin, a toxin produced at varying levels during blooms of cyanobacteria, commonly known as blue-green algae. Different cyanobacterial species produce different toxins, said OSU’s Kimberly Halsey, who led the study. Most of them cause gastrointestinal illness and acute skin rashes, and they can be deadly. In 2017, more than 30 cattle died after drinking contaminated water at Junipers Reservoir near Lakeview, Oregon, and blooms particularly pose a threat to dogs entering affected lakes. … ” Read more from KTVZ.
Board adopts amendment extending once-through-cooling operations at four coastal plants
“Following its evaluation of recommendations by the state’s energy and utility operators for managing climate change impacts to grid reliability, as well as substantial public comment, the State Water Resources Control Board on Tuesday adopted an amendment to its Once-Through-Cooling Policy that extends final compliance dates for phasing out the use of ocean water for cooling operations at the Alamitos, Huntington Beach, Ormond Beach and Scattergood coastal power generating stations. The policy is designed to protect marine life when large amounts of water from the ocean or estuaries are used for cooling at power plants. The extensions the board granted yesterday follow recommendations made by the Statewide Advisory Committee
on Cooling Water Intake Structures (SACCWIS) in 2022. … ” Read more from the State Water Resources Control Board.
Award-winning author, Mark Arax, visits Merced
“Very few artists across history have done such an incredible job capturing the essence of California as renowned author Mark Arax has in his career. Through a thoughtful and well-informed blend of history, lived experience, and artistry, Arax shares and memorializes the story of his community, family, and self. As a way to reach out to the community as well as promote his most recent project, “The Dreamt Land,” he spent last Saturday afternoon with Mercedians at the Multicultural Arts Center, discussing his work as well as the uncertain future of the valley. This event was made possible because of the Friends of the Merced County Library and their mission of encouraging readership in the valley. … ” Read more from the Merced Times.
California’s top methane emitter is a vast cattle feedlot. For now, federal and state greenhouse gas regulators are giving it a pass.
“Forty miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border in Southern California’s Imperial Valley, the Brandt Company cattle ranch is the largest single point source of methane emissions in the state, releasing more of that greenhouse gas than any oil or gas well, refinery or landfill. The 643-acre feedlot is home to 139,000 beef cattle, according to the most recent figures reported by state regulators. With their belching and manure, the animals produce an estimated 9,167 metric tons of methane annually, according to an Inside Climate News analysis. The calculations build on the work of the nonprofit coalition Climate TRACE, which is developing a farm-by-farm inventory of methane emissions from cattle with the aid of public records, satellite imagery and artificial intelligence. … ” Read more from Inside Climate News.
‘It won’t go back to normal’: What this year’s heat waves mean for life in the coming years
“One of the biggest stories of 2023 is the heat; relentless record-setting heat across much of the United States and the world. Canada has broken all-time wildfire records. Phoenix reached 110 degrees or higher every day in July for the first time. Ocean waters off south Florida hit 101 degrees this summer, the temperature in hot tubs. And heat waves have sent the mercury over 115 degrees from the Bay Area to Southern California in recent years, straining the power grid. Scientists say El Niño conditions, coupled with climate change, are making heat waves more severe. That has major implications for public health, outdoor workers, and even America’s food supply. Palo Alto native Jeff Goodell examines the topic in his recently released book: “The Heat Will Kill You First: Life and Death on a Scorched Planet,” a New York Times best-seller. … ” Continue reading at the San Jose Mercury News.
In commentary today …
Perhaps we need to sacrifice jobs & farmland in LA to bring Chinook salmon back to LA River
Dennis Wyatt, editor of the Manteca Bulletin, writes, “Climate change clearly is the common battle cry in Sacramento. Then why hasn’t California abandoned the high-cost absolute rock bottom minimum return to ensure the future of Chinook Salmon on the Stanislaus, Tuolumne, and Merced rivers? Harboring that as a mere thought would constitute blasphemy in today’s climate change/political complex. But if one is certain severe climate change is eminent, then concentrating on chinook salmon preservation efforts where they have the better chance such as the Sacramento River is the logical thing to do. It also would free up the water resources involved to address other climate change concerns such as adequate water to grow food, serve human needs, and protect the Delta. … ” Read more from the Manteca Bulletin.
In regional water news and commentary today …
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
Placer Supervisors approve contract to enhance wildfire resilience around French Meadows Reservoir
“The Placer County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday continued its commitment to wildfire resilience in the region by awarding a contract to Summitt Forests Inc. to help mitigate wildfire severity around the French Meadows Reservoir. “Today’s decision reflects the county’s commitment to safeguarding local communities and the infrastructure from the escalating threat of wildfires,” said Placer County District 5 Supervisor Cindy Gustafson. Summitt Forests Inc. emerged as the lowest bidder for the contract, securing the project with a funding allocation of $1.4 million. … ” Read more from YubaNet.
Reclamation continues wildfire prevention on Auburn Project Lands with Fuels Reduction Project
“The Auburn area Five-Year Fuels Reduction Project work is on schedule and the Bureau of Reclamation’s contractor, Wildfire Services Group, Inc., has completed several segments of shaded fuel break construction and maintenance work on Auburn Project Lands within the Auburn State Recreation Area in Placer and El Dorado counties. Since Oct. 2022, fuels reduction work has been completed in accordance with the Five-Year Fuels Reduction Project schedule. Work to remove vegetation to lessen the threat of wildfire has been completed on over 180 acres. Progress includes 65 acres in El Dorado County’s Cool Shaded Fuel Break; 66 acres around Auburn Lake Trails area near Sweetwater Trail; and 50 acres in Placer County at Edgehill Lane on the Auburn Shaded Fuel Break. In early August, Wildfire Services Group began work at a new project location—64 acres in Monte Verde Estates. … ” Read more from the Bureau of Reclamation.
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
Endangered Butte Creek spring Chinooks imperiled by sediment plume from breached PG&E canal
“Butte Creek, a tributary of the Sacramento River that is the last stronghold for endangered wild spring-run Chinook salmon in the Central Valley, has seen a number of die offs of endangered spring-run Chinook salmon in recent years, including the estimated 19,773 out of 21,580 salmon that perished before spawning in 2021. Disaster struck the creek again after a plume of sediment rushed down the hillside from a breach in a PG&E canal starting around 9:00 p.m. on Wednesday, August 9. As a consequence, the waters of the creek flowed a yellowish brown and orange color from the Sierra/Cascade foothills for 20 miles into the Sacramento Valley. … ” Read more from the Daily Kos.
NAPA/SONOMA
Potential rain in Hurricane Hilary’s wake worrisome for Sonoma County winegrowers
“As Hurricane Hilary moves along the western coast of Mexico and flirts with the coastline of California, winegrowers in Sonoma and Napa counties are keeping a close eye on the weather forecast. The storm has the potential to bring heavy rains and high winds to parts of the state over the weekend and into next week, which many winegrowers find worrisome at this critical time. This year’s cool growing season has delayed harvest by an average of three weeks, and most fruit is still on the vine. Cooler temperatures have also made some vineyards more susceptible to disease, which wet weather could exacerbate. … ” Read more from the Santa Rosa Press Democrat.
Crews work to eradicate invasive, flammable Arundo canes from the Russian River banks in Healdsburg
“Healdsburg Fire Marshal Lance Macdonald recalls tending to a fire six years ago that burned so fiercely it melted the soles of his boots. The blaze started near the Healdsburg Memorial Bridge in a patch of Arundo donax canes aside the Russian River. It was contained without extraordinary effort, with support from Cal Fire — and absent the winds that would rise around the region three weeks later and fan the destructive North Bay firestorm of October 2017. But the “giant reed,” as it’s also called, threw off so much heat on its own that it wrecked wildland firefighting boots meant to last, Macdonald said. “When those reeds are on fire, they burn really hot and really fast,” he said. … ” Read more from the Santa Rosa Press Democrat.
BAY AREA
Tomales Bay invaded by invertebrates from Southern Hemisphere
“Thousands of small, self-cloning sea anemones native to the Southern Hemisphere are rapidly spreading in Tomales Bay, an event researchers say could be the first recorded sighting of the species above the equator. After the anemone was reported last year through a citizen science app, iNature, researchers at the University of California at Davis’ Bodega Marine Laboratory confirmed the species to be Anthopleura hermaphroditica, known as the small brown sea anemone. The striped anemone, which is less than an inch, is native to New Zealand, Australia and Chile. UC Davis researchers, led by doctoral student Keira Monuki, are contemplating how the species could affect the bay’s ecosystems. … ” Read more from the Marin Independent Journal.
Fish-killing toxic algae bloom has left San Francisco Bay for now
“A toxic algae bloom that killed fish in San Francisco Bay for the second year in a row has dissipated, scientists say. The overall impact was much smaller than last year’s red tide, but experts caution that it’s too soon to say whether another one might flare up this summer. A bloom of Heterosigma akashiwo, the same organism that killed countless fish in San Francisco Bay and Lake Merritt last summer, was detected in the bay July 27. A week later, dead fish started washing up on the shoreline, including 10 sturgeon, along with bat rays, striped bass and other fish. Though it is unclear whether all were related to the bloom, a total of 85 dead fish were observed by citizen scientists before the red tide dissipated late last week. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
Diablo Water District celebrates milestone for groundwater protection
“Diablo Water District announced that the groundwater sustainability plan for the East Contra Costa Subbasin has been approved by the Department of Water Resources. It is a significant step towards preserving one of the state’s vital resources, the district said in a press release. Developed in collaboration with Luhdorff & Scalmanini Consulting Engineers (LSCE), and in partnership with other local agencies, a plan was developed to maintain the local aquifer and ensure the long-term sustainability of the groundwater basin over the next 50 years. … ” Read more from The Press.
CENTRAL COAST
State authorities: Big Basin Co. wastewater plant close, but not fully operable
“A wastewater treatment facility in Boulder Creek that has been inoperable for years is almost up and running, but state authorities say it is not ready for new connections just yet. In an email to the Sentinel on Thursday, Waste Discharge Requirements Program Manager with the Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board Jennifer Epp said that Big Basin Water Co., which owns the wastewater treatment plant, submitted data in early August demonstrating that the biological activity in the plant was healthy and indicated it could produce safe effluent “in the near future.” But more water quality data is needed before the state agency, responsible for wastewater treatment and disposal regulation, can give it the green light to fully resume operations. … ” Read more from the Santa Cruz Sentinel.
Coastal Commission upholds appeal of Los Osos residential project on water use issues
“The California Coastal Commission flexed its power over the decades-long local debate over water use and potential for new development in Los Osos. At its Aug. 10 meeting, the Coastal Commission upheld the Los Osos Sustainability Group’s appeal of the San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors approval of a coastal development permit for a proposed residential project. With that permit, Los Osos resident Roger Dick hoped to build a roughly 2,500-square-foot family residence with a garage on a 6,000-square-foot vacant lot. Another property once rested on that lot, but it was demolished in 2010, leaving the land unoccupied for years. But the sustainability group’s appeal and the Coastal Commission’s findings proved to be stumbling blocks. … ” Continue reading at New Times SLO.
Column: Carrot kingpins
“The Shredder” writes, “Who wants to reduce their groundwater pumping by 60 percent? Everybody who overlies the Paso Robles Groundwater Basin! Just kidding. They don’t, and they don’t have to. The 60 percent rule only applies to folks pumping water out of the Cuyama Valley Groundwater Basin—a separate but equally-beholden-to-the-state overdrafted aquifer that touches San Luis Obispo County. I’m absolutely sure that nobody really wants to pump 60 percent less water out of the ground ever year, because that’s a lot! But Big Carrot—yes, BIG Carrot—really, really, really doesn’t want to. In fact, they don’t want to so badly that they filed an adjudication lawsuit against “all persons claiming a right to extract or store groundwater” in the basin. … ” Continue reading at the New Times SLO.
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
Westlands’ Westside Subbasin Groundwater Sustainability Plan receives approval
“Westlands Water District (District) received official notice from the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) that the Westside Subbasin Groundwater Sustainability Plan (Westside GSP) was approved. Submitted in conformity with the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA), the Westside GSP’s approval is a significant step in ensuring a long-term water future in the heart of the San Joaquin Valley’s prime farmland. … ” Read more from Valley Voice.
Why does Clovis’ water taste different right now?
“Clovis residents have recently been reporting a different taste to their water, and on Thursday the city explained what’s going on. In a statement, Clovis officials say any residents who are experiencing an earthy taste or odor in their water are actually detecting a naturally occurring compound called “geosmin” from the treated surface water. Officials say geosmin can give water an earthy or dirt-like taste or smell and some can have a higher sensitivity than others – but geosmin is not toxic or harmful. … ” Read more from Your Central Valley.
Hurricane Hilary likely to weaken before it reaches Kern, but ag worries persist
“As a hurricane tracks toward California, Kevin Andrew couldn’t help but have two things on his mind: grapes and tomatoes. In his 45 years of ag experience, Andrews, the senior vice president at the Bakersfield-based Illume Agriculture, said in an email Thursday that he’s never seen this situation arise. And he’s worried. The San Joaquin Valley should expect substantial rain early next week as Hurricane Hilary, which developed into a Category 2 storm Thursday morning, may reach Kern County by Monday, bringing several inches of rain and possible flooding, especially at higher elevations. The storm and its projected precipitation come at an almost never experienced time of year, to a region where even a shift in temperature can delay harvest. … ” Read more from the Bakersfield Californian.
EASTERN SIERRA
Ridgecrest: Groundwater Authority to host two public scoping meetings for Pipeline Project
“The Indian Wells Valley Groundwater Authority (IWVGA) will host two scoping meetings to receive public, trustee and agency input concerning the preparation of the Environment Impact Report (EIR) for the Imported Water Pipeline Project. … The proposed Imported Water Pipeline Project includes the construction of a 20 to 24-inch diameter water pipeline that will start at existing water distribution facilities owned and operated by Antelope Valley-East Kern Water Agency and located in California City which will be used to pipe water to the Indian Wells Valley Water District’s Ridgecrest Heights Water Storage Tank located southwest of Ridgecrest. … ” Read more from the Ridgecrest Independent.
Ridgecrest: Water District still not happy with Groundwater Authority’s public communication plan
“The IWV Water District does not believe the IWV Groundwater Authority is doing enough to communicate and engage with the public, according to discussion at the Water District’s monthly board meeting on August 14. They believe the IWVGA needs to do more to clearly communicate with the public, and to encourage the public to communicate with them. The Water District board also believes that the IWVGA is ignoring Chuck Griffin, who acts as the Water District’s representative on the IWVGA board. “I kinda got blown off, in my opinion,” Griffin said at the recent Water District meeting. “I had zero support from the other board members.” … ” Read more from the Ridgecrest Independent.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Hurricane Hilary brings high risk of flooding for SoCal coast, deserts, mountains
“Hurricane Hilary, gaining ferocity on its march toward Southern California, is expected to bring pounding rain and a “distinct risk” of flash floods, the weather service says. The storm, gaining strength off the southern tip of Baja California, was rated Category 4 and was expected to strengthen before reaching landfall in Mexico on Friday night. However, the cooler water will weaken the storm significantly by the time it reaches San Diego County, according to meteorologist Brandt Maxwell of the National Weather Service. “Right now it’s looking like we’ll still have a tropical storm when it moves into Southern California, but it’s going to be weakening pretty quickly,” Maxwell said. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
Hurricane Hilary is bearing down on Southern California. What’s your flood risk?
“Brace yourself: Hurricane Hilary is expected to dump a lot of rain on Southern California on Sunday and Monday. In the latest forecast from the National Weather Service, Hilary is projected to make landfall as a tropical storm in the Baja California peninsula over the weekend, then move in a north to northwest direction up the coast. Eastern Los Angeles County could see some rain, starting with light showers, as early as Saturday evening. The rainfall is expected to spread throughout the county Sunday. Most of the region can expect 4 inches of rain; rainfall could amount up to 10 inches by Tuesday in the mountains and deserts of San Diego and Riverside counties, according to the National Hurricane Center. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
Along the Colorado River …
States have started negotiating new rules to keep the Colorado River from crashing. Here’s what they want
“The states that share the Colorado River need to negotiate new rules to better manage the dwindling river so it can continue to meet the needs of millions of people across the Southwest. That means finding ways to keep more water in the river and reservoirs, which means less water to go around. The high-stakes, multi-year negotiation process between the states — Colorado, Utah, Wyoming and New Mexico in the upper basin and Arizona, Nevada and California in the lower basin — along with the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, officially kicked off in June. By the start of 2027, the states and the federal government are expected to have a new agreement on rules to manage the river so that Lake Mead and Lake Powell, the country’s largest reservoirs, don’t hit critically low levels. Climate change and overuse have stressed the river system and helped drive both reservoirs to drop to record-low water levels. … ” Read more from Colorado Public Radio.
In national water news today …
Drinking water of millions of Americans contaminated with ‘forever chemicals’
“Drinking water consumed by millions of Americans from hundreds of communities spread across the United States is contaminated with dangerous levels of toxic chemicals, according to testing data released on Thursday by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The data shows that drinking water systems serving small towns to large cities – from tiny Collegeville, Pennsylvania, to Fresno, California – contain measurable levels of so-called “forever chemicals”, a family of durable compounds long used in a variety of commercial products but that are now known to be harmful. The water of as many as 26 million Americans is contaminated, according to an analysis of the new EPA data performed by the Environmental Working Group (EWG), a Washington DC-based non-profit. … ” Read more from the Guardian.
SEE ALSO: EPA’s new definition of PFAS could omit thousands of ‘forever chemicals’, from the Guardian
Is groundwater conservation bill a federal ‘buy and dry’ program?
“Mark Twain once famously said, “Whiskey is for drinking, water is for fighting over.” Recently, Reps. Yadira Caraveo, D-CO, and Jake LaTurner, R-KS, jointly introduced the bipartisan Voluntary Groundwater Conservation Act in the House of Representatives that should reduce fighting over water. The goal, says the bill’s supporters, is for it to become part of the farm bill. U.S. Sens. Jerry Moran, R-KS, Michael Bennet, D-CO, and Martin Heinrich, D-NM, introduced the Voluntary Groundwater Conservation Act in the Senate earlier in July. The act “gives farmers and ranchers the flexibility they need to protect groundwater sources while also keeping their agricultural lands in production under a new voluntary groundwater easement program at the United States Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resource Conservation Service within the Agricultural Conservation Easements Program,” according to statements by both members. … ” Read more from the High Plains Journal.
Panel backs federal dam safety risk policies and methodologies
“The risk-management programs used for dam safety by three key federal agencies are “appropriate and sound,” according to the recently released findings of an independent external peer review panel convened to assess the use of risk-informed dam safety practices by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. However, the congressionally mandated review offered several recommendations for improvement regarding the use of risk-informed decision-making in the dam safety arena. The panel’s final report, while dated Sept. 15, 2020, was publicly released for the first time by the Corps in the spring. … ” Read more from The Source.
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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