On the calendar today …
- WEBINAR: This is Not Your Usual Heat Extreme from 11am to 12pm. 2023 has seen heat records smashed around the world including locations in the United States like Phoenix, AZ that experienced over 30 straight days of temperatures at 110 degrees or more. Rising temperatures and increased heat are impacts that have been accurately projected in climate change modeling, but to describe 2023 temperatures as the new normal is inaccurate. We are just beginning to feel the effects of a changing climate and things will likely get worse. How much worse depends on our ability to mitigate GHG emissions and implement adaptation measures. Stanford scientists and other climate experts will discuss what we know about extreme heat and the range of possible future scenarios we should reasonably prepare for, its health implications for people, especially vulnerable populations, and additional significant impacts of heat on the planet and nature. Click here to register.
- WEBINAR: Cows, Crops, and the Colorado: Thirsty Practices in a Time of Crisis from 12pm to 1pm. The unprecedented decline of the Colorado River has precipitated a crisis affecting the people and ecology that rely on this vital water source. While recent levels of rain- and snowfall have provided a temporary respite, addressing the causes and consequences of sustained reductions in the Colorado River’s flow, coupled with climate uncertainties, requires long-term cooperation and collaboration among numerous stakeholders including governments, agriculture, sustainability advocates and critical infrastructure managers. To this end, this colloquium convenes representatives from diverse backgrounds in a thoughtful discourse on these enduring and pressing challenges. Click here to register.
- PUBLIC MEETING: 2021 Reinitiation of Consultation on the Long-Term Operation of the Central Valley Project and State Water Project from 1pm to 3pm. The Bureau of Reclamation will hold a quarterly public meeting on Sept. 12, 2023, between 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 pm to provide an update on the development of the Biological Assessment and Environmental Impact Statement for the 2021 Reinitiation of Consultation on the Long-Term Operation of the Central Valley Project and State Water Project. The meeting is pursuant to the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act. Join Teams Meeting
In California water news today …
Bay Delta Plan: State Water Board adopts initial biological goals for the Lower San Joaquin River
“At the September 6 State Water Resources Control Board meeting, Board members took another step forward in the long-running effort to update the Bay Delta Water Quality Control Plan (or Bay-Delta Plan) by unanimously approving initial biological goals for the Lower San Joaquin River. Erin Foresman, Environmental Program Manager, led the staff presentation. As a framework for protecting beneficial uses in the Bay-Delta watershed, the Bay-Delta Plan establishes water quality objectives and outlines a comprehensive plan for their implementation. However, despite the requirement to review and update the Plan at least every three years, this has only occurred three times since the first plan was adopted in 1978. The most recent revision dates back to 2006, and efforts to update it have been in progress since 2009. … ” Continue reading at Maven’s Notebook.
“Immense” flow of public funds to groundwater agencies is tapering off
“Since 2015, the state has doled out nearly $150 million to groundwater agencies for planning and projects. The flow of money has been almost nonstop for some agencies and has made it possible to operate consistently. But the tap is shutting off. Groundwater sustainability agencies (GSAs) are meant to be self-sufficient and generate their own operating funds through fees. With the state’s pot of grant money dwindling, GSAs are facing a future with potentially much less state support. In 2014 the state passed the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA), which aims to bring groundwater basins into balance by 2040. That goal is to be met locally, driven by the GSAs that will institute pumping regulations and projects to build up groundwater savings. … ” Read more from SJV Water.
DWR starting maintenance work on Oroville Dam spillway
“Officials with the Department of Water Resources (DWR) said maintenance work on Oroville Dam’s main spillway was expected to start this week as construction staging equipment and materials make their way to the worksite. Maintenance work is expected to be performed on localized sections of the spillway to address areas of deteriorated concrete and sealant identified during annual inspections, DWR officials said. “Periodic concrete and sealant repairs of the spillway are expected due to seasonal temperature variations, spillway releases, and sun exposure,” officials said. “Approximately 500 square-feet of total concrete repairs are anticipated, representing less than 0.1% of the spillway’s surface. Concrete work by contractor Syblon Reid will include tying new concrete material to the spillway’s first layer of reinforcing steel to provide a longer-lasting repair.” … ” Read more from the Appeal Democrat.
Tulare Lake flood shrinks to less than half its peak size
Legislation accelerating Salton Sea restoration efforts passes Assembly floor
“Last week, the California Assembly passed Senate Bill 583, authored by Senator Steve Padilla (D-San Diego) and co-authored by Coachella Valley Assemblymember Eduardo Garcia (D-Coachella), with bipartisan support. The bill creates the Salton Sea Conservancy to unify the state’s efforts to protect residents’ health, foster ecological recovery in the area, and to empower local stakeholders in that process. “The deterioration of Salton Sea is one of the worst environmental disasters in California history,” said Senator Padilla. “Generations of working families have already suffered the consequences of California’s failure to address the harm the Sea inflicts on these historically underserved and overlooked communities. A Conservancy empowers those living with this reality and gives them a meaningful voice as we manage limited resources to best help remediate this public health crisis. These communities cannot afford more delay.” … ” Read more from Senator Padilla’s website.
Dry states taking Mississippi River water isn’t a new idea. But some mayors want to kill it
“Community leaders along the Mississippi River worried that dry southwestern states will someday try to take the river’s water may soon take their first step toward blocking such a diversion. Mayors from cities along the river are expected to vote on whether to support a new compact among the river’s 10 states at this week’s annual meeting of the Mississippi River Cities and Towns Initiative, according to its executive director Colin Wellenkamp. Supporters of a compact hope it will strengthen the region’s collective power around shared goals like stopping water from leaving the corridor. “It is the most important working river on earth,” said Wellenkamp. “It’s a matter of national security that the Mississippi River corridor remain intact, remain sustainable and remain ecologically and hydrologically healthy.” … ” Read more from the Associated Press.
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
Judge finds feds violated law by favoring irrigators in the Klamath Basin
“A magistrate judge in Oregon sided with the Klamath Tribes on Monday in finding that the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation violated the Endangered Species Act by misallocating limited water supplies from the Upper Klamath Lake, harming endangered sucker fish and other aquatic wildlife. In the 52-page findings and recommendation, U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark D. Clarke found the central question is whether the federal government broke the law by allocating water for irrigation when it knew it could not comply with its Endangered Species Act obligations to endangered sucker fish in the Upper Klamath Lake, a freshwater reservoir in the southern Oregon portion of the Klamath Basin. “The answer to this question is yes,” Clarke wrote, adding that the courts have held that irrigators’ rights are subservient to the bureau’s obligations under the Endangered Species Act and the tribes’ fishing and water rights. … ” Read more from the Courthouse News Service.
New grants given to Humboldt and Mendocino fish culvert projects
“Today, U.S. Representative Jared Huffman (CA-02) announced new grants for his district from the FY22 National Culvert Removal, Replacement, and Restoration Grant Program (Culvert AOP Program). Last Wednesday, Huffman visited the site of one of these projects to examine how the award will be utilized and the local impacts. “Undersized and poorly placed culverts are a major impediment to salmon and steelhead trying to reach important spawning grounds,” said Rep. Huffman. “This funding will open miles of habitat for federally protected fish while improving the safety and function of roadway structures – which is increasingly important as we face more frequent flooding due to climate change. It’s a major win-win that will help improve our region for travelers and our iconic species alike.” … ” Read more from the Redheaded Blackbelt.
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
Divers have been dispatched to eradicate invasive plants from Lake Tahoe’s Emerald Bay
“Divers have embarked on a mission to eradicate invasive plant species from the pristine waters of Lake Tahoe, announced the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) on Monday. TRPA revealed that last year, a substantial infestation of Eurasian watermilfoil, spanning one-and-a-half acres, was identified in the breathtaking Emerald Bay region. The removal operation, which commenced on Monday and is set to continue until September 22, involves divers diligently “suctioning and hand pulling” the invasive plants. The TRPA issued a call for boaters to exercise vigilance and be watchful for workers diligently toiling beneath the water’s surface. … ” Read more from Active NorCal.
Saving Lake Tahoe:Tourists and the litter they leave behind are threatening the beautiful alpine lake region
“Mark Twain’s love affair with Lake Tahoe is akin to that of John Muir’s love for Yosemite; both places present expansive, breathtaking natural destinations for vacations and day trips for those lucky enough to live within driving distance. But some of the 15 million tourists that visit Lake Tahoe each year are threatening that natural beauty, along with some unruly residents. Tahoe lovers were shocked when they saw images of the aftermath of July 4th celebrations at Zephyr Cove that went viral on social media. Covering the entire beach were piles of beer cans, soda and water bottles, food boxes and wrappers, beverage containers, coolers and other trash. More than 400 volunteers cleaned up 8,598 pounds of trash on July 5th. … ” Read more from Comstock’s.
Restoration efforts continue at Pothole Thumb Meadow in Yosemite
“Pothole Thumb Meadow, a 5.65-acre groundwater-supported wetland located at the westernmost end of Tuolumne Meadows in Yosemite, is undergoing restoration efforts. Yosemite’s wilderness restoration team took action during the fall of 2022 to address a significant issue—a large gully that had been impacting the meadow’s health. The origins of this gully date back to the late 1800s and can be attributed to various human activities, including non-native sheep grazing, ditching, road building, horseback riding, and camping. … ” Read more from My Mother Lode.
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
Northstate cattlemen concerned about groundwater acreage fee
“Cattle producers who own and manage land in Butte, Colusa, Glenn, and Tehama counties are gravely concerned with the approach adopted by Groundwater Sustainability Agencies (GSA’s) in our respective basin/counties, reports the California Farm Bureau. In each of those basins, the farm bureau claims non-extractors, or de minimis users who only pump stock water, are reportedly being assessed acreage fees by the respective GSAs to generate the funding required to comply with the state’s Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA). Cattle producers are predominantly rangeland operations that do not use groundwater, except for watering livestock, and in fact, serve as a net recharge zone for the basins. However, many ranchers also have irrigated lands that utilize groundwater. … ” Read more from the Appeal Democrat.
Lewiston Lake’s surprise guest: Unwanted toxic algal mats
“Lewiston town officials announced on their Facebook page the discovery of toxic algal mats in Trinity County’s Lewiston Lake on Sunday, Sept. 10. … ” Read more from KRCR.
Salmon Festival returns to Oroville
“The 29th Annual Salmon Festival will celebrate the return of the salmon to the Feather River with a full day of activities, events, vendors, music and food throughout downtown Oroville on Sept. 23. “The Salmon Festival is a great Oroville tradition,” said Eric Smith, Chamber of Commerce CEO. “We are celebrating the return of the salmon, a celebration that has been going on for millennial. It’s an on-going tradition that celebrates the circle of life.” In keeping with tradition, the festival kicks-off kicks off with the Salmon Dinner on Sept. 22 at 6 p.m. The dinner, which will take place at Centennial Plaza on Arlin Rhine Memorial Drive, on the levee behind the Oroville Convention Center, is being hosted by the Oroville Docent Association, and proceeds will benefit this volunteer organization’s work in the city’s five museums. … ” Read more from the Chico Enterprise-Record.
Butte County moves to last phase of summer pest control
“Aboard a small plane exiting the Butte County Mosquito and Vector Control District’s headquarters late Monday morning was a tank full of particles fine-tuned to halt the growth of mosquito larvae. By 11:30 a.m., the same plane had already unleashed its payload on three separate wetland areas and was returning for its fourth, which would be outside of Gridley. Matthew Ball, director of the vector district, said this substance is an insect growth regulator that, rather than outright killing larvae, affects growth hormones, keeping them from growing and leaving the water. “So when the mosquitoes eat it, they don’t even die,” Ball said. “They stay in the food system.” … ” Read more from the Chico Enterprise-Record.
This agreement puts water away for dry years: Roseville and PCWA work together to bolster groundwater reserves
“Think of it as water in the bank for not-so-rainy days. To help bolster reserves, the City of Roseville and Placer County Water Agency (PCWA) recently amended their longstanding water agreement to allow Roseville to purchase and “bank” more water during “wet” years. “This change in our water contract is a big step toward making sure we always have enough water,” said Roseville Mayor Bruce Houdesheldt. “With our partnership with PCWA and our agreement with the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation for federally supplied drinking water (from Folsom Reservoir), we can make sure our residents and businesses have the water they need.” That additional water will be stored in the region’s vast underground aquifers for Roseville’s use as needed. … ” Read more from the Sacramento News & Review.
10-year-old likely caught invasive species of fish in Dry Creek near Antelope, experts say
“Jayden Fish-Kessler, 10, went fishing on Sunday with his family in Sacramento County, but what he caught was beyond his wildest imagination. Fish-Kessler was at Dry Creek, just north of Antelope where he lives, when something in the water grabbed onto his fishing line. “I pulled it out of the water, I reeled it in and pulled it out. I thought it was a giant blue gill,” Fish-Kessler said. What he caught was a big fish – with teeth. That led his family to believe he had caught a piranha. “I was downstream so I couldn’t see, so I ran down, and I was like, ‘That’s a piranha!’ And I was like, ‘What the heck,’” 10-year-old Connor McAyeal said. … ” Read more from KCRA.
NAPA/SONOMA
Napa: Idea of water agency for all Napa County is still alive
“Napa County civic leaders want to keep exploring whether the dozens of local agencies that deliver water to tens of thousands of residents and businesses should be working together more closely. County agencies involved with water range from the city of Napa serving 80,000 residents to rural districts serving a few hundred customers. They have various water sources and make their own water decisions. A study three years ago by the Local Agency Formation Commission of Napa County suggested they form some type of county water agency or district to better work together. The idea hasn’t been forgotten. Monday morning, LAFCO met in the Yountville Town Council chamber to consider what might happen next and learn what’s already being done. … ” Read more from the Napa Register.
BAY AREA
Marin water suppliers respond to dam safety criticism
“Marin County’s two largest water suppliers say they have dam safety strategies in place but intend to update their hazard mitigation plans in the near future. The utilities were responding to a Marin County Civil Grand Jury report urging the agencies to prepare for more intense “atmospheric river” storms caused by climate change. Both agencies are required to provide responses under state law. The June report said the seven dams managed by the Marin Municipal Water District and the one dam managed by the North Marin Water District are in compliance with regulatory standards. However, the report said the agencies’ dam hazard mitigation plans do not incorporate the latest science on climate change effects on storms. … ” Read more from the Marin Independent Journal.
Sailboat on Stinson Beach to be removed this week
“A sailboat stuck in the sand in Stinson Beach will be removed this week, Marin County’s top parks official said Monday. The 33-foot-long vessel, which weighs about 10 tons, has been stranded on Upton Beach since July 31. Initially, authorities gave the owner, Logan Walker, until the end of August to salvage the vessel. On Aug. 29, U.S. District Court Judge James Donato granted a temporary restraining order preventing authorities from removing the boat until noon on Monday. The county, per the court, is now cleared to remove the boat. … ” Read more from the Marin Independent Journal.
Crews to begin controlled explosions at Anderson Dam site
“Residents in the area of Anderson Dam over the next few weeks may hear loud warning horns and explosive sounds as crews continue to excavate a tunnel under construction for the dam’s seismic retrofit project, according to Valley Water. Water district staff say the impact to residents and passing traffic should be minimal. Starting on Sept. 12, construction crews will begin the controlled blasting of hard rock for the Anderson Dam Tunnel Project. Scheduled detonations over the next few weeks will take place Monday through Friday, and possibly on Saturdays, from 8am-7pm, Valley Water spokesperson Matt Keller said. … ” Read more from the Morgan Hill Times.
CENTRAL COAST
Why are hundreds of clams showing up on SLO County beaches? Here’s what scientists say
“A kindergartner scurried across the sand at Pismo Beach on Friday, scooping palm-sized clams into a bucket to carry back to the ocean. Meanwhile, a seagull swooped out of the fog to pluck a clam from the shore, trotting a few paces before tearing it open for lunch. Usually, Pismo clams burrow a few inches beneath the wet sand, using their siphons like snorkels to eat and breathe, according to California Department of Fish and Wildlife environmental scientist Claudia Makeyev. In recent months, however, Pismo clams have been showing up on top of the sand at San Luis Obispo County beaches. … ” Read more from the San Luis Obsipo Tribune.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Walnut students partner with water district to promote water-saving technology
“Returning middle and high school students in Walnut are adding an extra item to their agendas – helping members of their community monitor their home’s water usage. Dubbed Project Bright, the students earn community service hours by engaging with the public over the environmental and fiscal benefits of more efficient water usage. They spot any leaks with the help of water sensor technology, Flume, provided through the Walnut Valley Water District. “I chose to participate because this way I can get volunteer hours, I can make new friends, I get a lot experience and I can basically get to know my community better,” said seventh-grade student Anny Jiao. “It’s honestly a really nice way to help like community as well as conserve water.” … ” Read more from the San Gabriel Valley Tribune.
SAN DIEGO
The U.S. Government owes Oceanside a beach
“Oceanside’s beaches were so wide before the construction of Camp Pendleton military base, beachgoers raced cars along the sandy shore. Now beachgoers sit perched atop boulder revetments at mid-tide – the thing protecting property from the onslaught of waves. I recently wrote that the city of Oceanside is about to spend $2.6 million of its own money to save its beaches from disappearing into the Pacific Ocean. But Oceanside – and potentially all of San Diego – would have much more beach if the federal government hadn’t built Camp Pendleton and its harbor in the first place. … ” Read more from the Voice of San Diego.
Along the Colorado River …
The US has pumped so much groundwater that it’s literally splitting the ground open across the American Southwest
“The United States has been pumping so much groundwater that the ground is beginning to split open across southwestern parts of the country for miles on end. These giant cracks, aka fissures, have been spotted in states including Arizona, Utah, and California. When too much groundwater gets pumped up from the natural aquifers below the surface, it causes the land to sag and create these cracks, Joseph Cook, who researches Earth fissures at the Arizona Geological Survey, told Insider. The fissures “are not a naturally occurring thing,” Cook said. “It’s something we’ve caused to form.” … ” Read more from Insider.
Wildlife competing with people for priority in plans for Colorado River’s future
“Setting the course for a Colorado River with less water is an enormous challenge that’s not likely to satisfy everyone. And climate change has created a collision course with wildlife. The river isn’t just managed to accommodate people. Governments are also responsible for the ecosystems that sustain fish, birds and other animals. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) is an important player in the battle that’s ahead. A letter submitted by USFWS to the Bureau of Reclamation has as many questions as answers. … ” Read more from KLAS.
What Arizona and other drought-ridden states can learn from Israel’s pioneering water strategy
“Arizona is one of the fastest-growing states in the U.S., with an economy that offers many opportunities for workers and businesses. But it faces a daunting challenge: a water crisis that could seriously constrain its economic growth and vitality. A recent report that projected a roughly 4% shortfall in groundwater supplies in the Phoenix area over the next 100 years prompted the state to curtail new approval of groundwater-dependent residential development in some of the region’s fast-growing suburbs. Moreover, negotiations continue over dwindling supplies from the Colorado River, which historically supplied more than a third of the state’s water. As a partial solution, the Arizona Water Infrastructure Finance Authority is exploring a proposal to import desalinated water from Mexico. Conceptualized by IDE, an Israeli company with extensive experience in the desalination sector, this mega-engineering project calls for building a plant in Mexico and piping the water about 200 miles and uphill more than 2,000 feet to Arizona. … ” Read more from The Conversation.
Salt River Project project would allow for more efficient use of Roosevelt Lake runoff water
“Salt River Project is working on a project that would allow Valley communities, tribes, and agricultural districts to use water runoff from Roosevelt Lake more efficiently. Currently, when water enters the “flood control space” at Roosevelt Lake, SRP is required by the US Army Corps of Engineers to release it down the Salt River within 20 days. The flood control space is designed to mitigate large floods. Next year, however, that may change as SRP is working with 13 Valley cities, tribes, and agricultural districts to extend the release of water through Roosevelt Dam from 20 days to 120 days. … ” Read more from ABC 15.
Federal fish conservation programs have found success in Western Colorado, but they’re swimming upstream in Congress this year
“A popular federal effort to protect threatened Western fish is in murky waters as stakeholders await Congressional action on reauthorization. The Upper Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery Program has for 30 years sought to restore four species that once thrived in the river: the razorback sucker, Colorado pikeminnow, bonytail and humpback chub. A sister effort, the San Juan River Basin Recovery Implementation Program, works to restore the same fish in the Four Corners region. The species are imperiled by human-wrought habitat disruption, like dams, and preyed upon and out-competed by introduced species like rainbow and brown trout. … ” Read more from Colorado Public Radio.
Environmental groups renew legal challenge of massive Denver Water reservoir expansion
“A years-long legal battle over the expansion of one of the reservoirs holding Denver’s water supply entered a new chapter this week when environmental groups asked a judge to invalidate the federal permits underlying the $464 million project. A coalition of environmental groups filed a complaint Tuesday that argues federal agencies failed to properly consider the massive construction project’s impacts on the environment in Boulder County when they approved the expansion of Gross Reservoir. They also didn’t adequately weigh the risk of taking more water from the Colorado River system, the filing says. … ” Read more from PhysOrg.
Colorado lawmakers, officials grapple with U.S. Supreme Court ruling on wetlands
“The 2024 legislative session is likely to see lawmakers trying to figure out how to protect Colorado wetlands following a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision that applied a more strident test on what should be considered one. A panel of legislators last month heard pleas from municipal and state officials to come up with a policy to continue to protect the state’s wetlands in light of Sackett v. Environmental Protection Agency, a case that redefined the terms by which a body of water can get protection under the Environmental Protection Agency’s “Waters of the United States” rule. They said half of Colorado wetlands — meaning nearly a million acres — could lose protection and that any state action should provide clarity to water users and businesses, particularly when it comes to permitting. … ” Read moire from Colorado Politics.
In national water news today …
Fiberglass – an overlooked aquatic pollutant
“From garbage gyres that choke aquatic life to microplastics that accumulate in the human body, plastic pollution in the ocean is a huge problem. People are starting to pay attention to ocean plastic. Another type of ocean pollution still doesn’t get much notice – fiberglass. On the coasts as well as along lakes and rivers, abandoned and derelict vessels (ADVs) break down in the water and wreak aquatic havoc. Technically, fiberglass pollution is just another type of plastic pollution. Fiberglass, sometimes called glass fiber or fiber-reinforced plastic, is a composite material made from plastic resin (usually polyester, vinyl ester or epoxy) and glass fibers. It is extremely strong, lightweight, flexible, water resistant, and non-biodegradable. These qualities make it extremely useful for construction and aquatic applications. … ” Read more from Earth 911.
Groups sue EPA in an effort to strengthen oversight of livestock operations
“A coalition of environmental groups is seeking to force the Environmental Protection Agency to strengthen its regulation of large livestock operations that release pollutants into waterways. Food & Water Watch and a dozen other environmental and community groups filed a lawsuit Friday in the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco. The lawsuit came nearly a month after the EPA denied two petitions filed by the groups in 2017 that sought tighter oversight of the largest U.S. hog, cattle and chicken operations. The suit asks the court to reconsider changes the groups sought in those petitions, including clarification about what farms must comply with federal regulations and what kinds of discharges are exempt from regulations. … ” Read more from the Porterville Recorder.
2023 has already broken the US record for billion-dollar climate disasters
“Four months before the close of 2023, the United States has already broken its record for the number of weather and climate disasters with damages exceeding $1 billion in a calendar year. There have been 23 “billion-dollar disasters” to date this year, according to a monthly report issued Monday by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association, or NOAA. The last calendar-year record was set in 2020, with 22 disasters costing $1 billion. (NOAA adjusts its count of past years’ billion-dollar disasters to account for inflation.) This year’s 23 disasters have cost Americans a total of nearly $58 billion and caused at least 253 deaths. … ” Read more from The Grist.
