On the calendar today …
- PPIC EVENT: Managing Water and Farmland Transitions in the San Joaquin Valley from 9am to 1:30pm. Achieving groundwater sustainability is vital to the health of the San Joaquin Valley’s communities, agriculture, environment, and economy—but the transition will be challenging. How can the region ensure the best outcomes? Authors of a new PPIC study and a diverse group of local and state experts will discuss key issues and solutions to some of the valley’s looming challenges. Click here to register.
- MEETING: California Water Commission (Tour – in-person only) beginning at 9:30am. The Commission will tour the rebuilt Oroville Dam spillways and the Feather River Fish Hatchery. Click here for the agenda.
- WEBINAR: From Forests to Faucets: Resilient Forests and Water Supplies from 10am to 11am. Christina Burri will share about Denver Water’s proactive investments in watershed health, and the lessons learned from past fires. Denver Water is experiencing a return on investment through forest and watershed health commitments, and Christina will explain why investing in forest and watershed health is a smart business decision for Denver Water. Christina will provide a summary of the long-term costs of being reactive after catastrophic wildfires, and what Denver Water is doing to recover after past fires. The participants will learn why it matters to invest in forest and watershed health, and how connections can be made across all levels of government to leverage resources for watershed investments. Click here for more information and to register.
- MEETING: State Water Resources Control Board beginning at 12pm. The Board will consider a proposed Order on Own Motion Review of General Waste Discharge Requirements for dischargers from Irrigated Lands Order No. R3-2021-0040, issued by the California Regional Water Quality Control Board, Central Coast Region (SWRCB/OCC File A-2751(a)-(b)). The State Water Resources Control Board will consider issuing an Order remanding the General Waste Discharge Requirements. Click here for the full agenda and remote access instructions.
- WEBINAR: Design Build: Delivering Water Reuse Projects, Together from 1pm to 2:30pm. Design-build is an increasingly popular method for delivering major water infrastructure projects, in which a team works under a single contract to provide both design and construction services. The WateReuse Association is partnering with the Water Collaborative Delivery Association (WCDA) to provide a detailed overview how the design-build delivery approach can benefit water reuse projects. Click here to register.
In California water news today …
California halts some Arrowhead water bottling activities
“The California State Water Resources Control Board on Tuesday issued a cease-and-desist order against Arrowhead parent company BlueTriton Brands, stopping some of its water-bottling operations in San Bernardino County. However, the board’s unanimous decision has no effect on the Connecticut-based company’s water-diversion activities in that area for other purposes, some of which include bottling. Tuesday’s board action stems from complaints received between 2015 and 2017 against BlueTriton’s predecessor company, Nestlé Waters North America. Those complaints said the diversion of water from the Strawberry Creek watershed without a valid right, unreasonable use of water, and incorrect reporting of those diversions, among other issues. The cease-and-desist order states that BlueTriton has no rights for diverting water through certain tunnels and boreholes for its “Arrowhead Brand 100% Mountain Spring Water” bottling activities. … ” Continue reading from the Courthouse News Service.
SEE ALSO:
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- THIS JUST IN … State Water Board requires BlueTriton to immediately cease unlawful diversions in San Bernardino Mountains, press release from the State Water Resources Control Board
- Water Board upholds “cease and desist”; says company has no rights to spring water used in its Arrowhead bottled water brand, from SJV Water
- Nestlé bottled water from California spring for 100 years. It’s illegal and must stop, regulator says, from the Sacramento Bee
- California orders bottled water company to stop ‘unauthorized’ piping from springs, from the LA Times
Thousands of California wells are at risk of drying up despite landmark water law
“Even though California enacted sweeping legislation nearly a decade ago to curb excessive agricultural pumping of groundwater, new research predicts that thousands of drinking water wells could run dry in the Central Valley by the time the law’s restrictions take full effect in 2040. The study, published this month in the journal Scientific Reports, casts critical light on how the state is implementing the 2014 Sustainable Groundwater Management Act. The research reveals that plans prepared by local agencies would allow for heavy pumping to continue largely unabated, potentially drawing down aquifers to low levels that would leave many residents with dry wells. The researchers warned that unless local agencies adopt more stringent measures or come up with backup plans, many people in the Central Valley could be left without access to drinking water, and low-income communities could be severely affected. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
Hydropower delays pose grid threat as permits lapse
“When the operator of the nation’s tallest dam applied for a new federal permit in 2005, few expected the process to drag on for more than a decade. It’s still not done. California’s Oroville Dam is among a dozen major hydroelectric projects that have been waiting over 10 years to receive a long-term permit from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. The sluggish process is fueling uncertainty about the future of a key source of clean power that has bipartisan support in Congress — but that faces new challenges as the climate warms. “We’ve been in this patient mode for 17 years, waiting for the license issuance. We’re kind of just tired of it, to be frank,” said David Pittman, the mayor of Oroville, a small city in California’s Sierra Nevada mountains located directly downstream of the dam. … ” Read more E&E News.
California fire weather watches are in effect. Here’s what that means
“In early October 2017, following a stretch of unusually warm and dry weather, faulty electrical equipment sparked a fire just outside Calistoga. Strong winds, at times gusting over 60 mph, propelled the blaze through Napa and Sonoma counties as fast as 230 feet per minute. A few hours later, the Tubbs Fire had already moved 12 miles and roared into Santa Rosa. It became one of California’s deadliest and most destructive wildfires, killing 22 and destroying over 5,600 buildings, propelled by dangerous weather. Fire weather watches are currently in effect for a large portion of Northern California through Thursday morning, including parts of Napa, Sonoma and Solano counties. While the weather doesn’t guarantee that a blaze will ignite or take off, conditions are lined up for fires to spread. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
Water-watching satellite monitors warming ocean off California coast
“Warm ocean waters from the developing El Niño are shifting north along coastlines in the eastern Pacific Ocean. Along the coast of California, these warm waters are interacting with a persistent marine heat wave that recently influenced the development of Hurricane Hilary. The Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) satellite is able to spot the movement of these warm ocean waters in unprecedented detail. A collaboration between NASA and the French space agency, CNES (Centre National d’Études Spatiales), SWOT is measuring the height of nearly all water on Earth’s surface, providing one of the most detailed, comprehensive views yet of the planet’s oceans and fresh water lakes and rivers. … ” Read more from NASA.
Department of Pesticide Regulation seeks comment on 2024 Strategic Plan
“The California Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) has released a draft of its 2024 Strategic Plan. It establishes guiding principles and measurable goals over the next five years. The Draft Strategic Plan 2024-28 reflects a sustainable pest management approach to the full scope of DPR responsibilities. DPR notes that the plan lays out a foundation for a streamlined, transparent, and accountable department. As part of the effort to engage community members, DPR is soliciting public feedback through a series of meetings. … ” Read more from Ag Net West.
Will California scientists strike? Union declares impasse over salaries, requests a mediator
“After years of bargaining and several recent labor actions, the union representing California state scientists has taken another step toward what could eventually become the state’s first-ever strike among civil service employees. The California Association of Professional Scientists on Tuesday asked the state’s Public Employment Relations Board to determine that they had reached an impasse in bargaining with Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration and, in turn, appoint a third-party mediator to help facilitate negotiations. PERB now has five days to decide whether it agrees with CAPS that an impasse exists. “We wish we didn’t have to take this step because we have reached agreement with the State in many areas, but salaries remain an issue,” said Jacqueline Tkac, chair of the CAPS bargaining team, in a statement Tuesday. … ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee.
In commentary today …
AG ALERT COMMENTARY: Anti-farming agenda blocks vineyard in Napa Valley
Peter Nissen, president of Nissen Vineyard Services and president of the Napa County Farm Bureau, and Ryan Klobas, CEO of Napa County Farm Bureau, write, “Napa Valley is an agricultural destination known worldwide for its wineries, vineyards and picturesque landscape. The farmers of Napa Valley are devoted to this land. They are committed to world-class agricultural standards and to their roles as stewards of the land by embracing sustainability and environmentally sound practices. Yet last month, our community witnessed a disturbing development. For the first time in this famous wine region, a vineyard project fully compliant with Napa County’s strict land-use rules was denied. The proposed Le Colline Vineyard, a modest-scale project in the works for nine years, fell victim to anti-agriculture stereotypes peddled by local activists and an out-of-state interest group. Backers of the project, which includes a 20.55-acre vineyard on an 88.3-acre property, pledged to preserve vast forest acreage, plant additional conifer trees, increase erosion protections and operate the vineyard with net-zero carbon emissions. … ” Read more from Ag Alert.
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
Reclamation prevails in lawsuit against Klamath Drainage District
“An irrigation district in the Klamath Project can no longer divert water from the Klamath River under a state-issued water right without approval from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, a federal judge has determined. Reclamation sued the Klamath Drainage District in July 2022 for taking water from the river despite curtailments intended to protect endangered fish. The 2022 irrigation season was severely hampered in the project following several consecutive years of drought. Reclamation allotted just 62,000 acre-feet of water from Upper Klamath Lake for irrigators, about 14% of full demand, including zero water for districts with junior rights. … ” Read more from the Capital Press.
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
Prescribed burning set to begin in Lake Tahoe area as early as September 25
“Prescribed burning may begin in the Lake Tahoe area as soon as next week. The Tahoe Fire & Fuels Team (TFFT) fall prescribed fire program may begin as early as Monday, Sep. 25, if conditions and weather are favorable. California State Parks is scheduled to conduct understory burning on approximately 80 acres over the next three weeks in Burton Creek and Sugar Pine Point state parks and the USDA Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit may begin burning piles near Fallen Leaf Lake. Smoke will be present. … ” Read more from Fox 11.
BAY AREA
‘Idyllic’ private island on edge of San Francisco Bay on sale for $75 million
“A small private island on the fringes of San Francisco Bay went up for sale this week for the pretty price of $75 million. Billed as a “great escape for sports gatherings or corporate events,” the roughly 50-acre plot, largely undeveloped with big bay views and assured solitude, is one of the few islands in the Bay Area not owned and protected by the state or federal government. Known as Point Buckler Island, the private property sits in the brackish waters of Suisun Marsh, just east of the Carquinez Strait where the San Francisco Bay quietly transitions into the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta. The area is popular with kiteboarders and wildlife watchers. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
CENTRAL COAST
EPA reaches agreement with California Department of Corrections over claims of Clean Water Act violations
“The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has entered into an Administrative Order on Consent with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation for claims of Clean Water Act violations at the California Men’s Colony wastewater treatment plant located in San Luis Obispo, California. The treatment plant failed to properly operate and maintain all wastewater facilities and systems of control as required by a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit issued under the authority of the Clean Water Act. “This order ensures that the California Men’s Colony treatment plant will take action to prevent further discharges of dangerous levels of pollution into Chorro Creek, which flows into the ocean,” said EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Administrator Martha Guzman. “Compliance with the Clean Water Act permit – and all the pollutant limits enshrined in that permit – is essential to protecting public health and the environment, and with our state partners EPA will continue to provide vigilant oversight.” … ” Read more from the US EPA.
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
‘It’s a balancing act’: Fresno Farmers anticipate water allocation after wet winter
“As summer officially comes to an end in just a few days, farmers across Fresno County are already thinking about the upcoming wet winter season. “We’re starting off in a good position,” said Ryan Jacobsen, with the Fresno County Farm Bureau. He says many in the agriculture industry are focusing on just how much water will carry over from this year to next year. … ” Read more from Your Central Valley.
Stanislaus County had its biggest earthquake in 100 years. Here’s what that means
“A California county experienced its largest earthquake on record Monday night, amid a swarm of more than 10 earthquakes. The 4.5 earthquake that occurred near Westley shortly after 9 p.m. on Monday was bigger than any in Stanislaus County going back a century in U.S. Geological Survey records, said USGS research geologist Austin Elliott. While earthquakes like this don’t necessarily signal anything big is imminent, they are a reminder that the ground can shake at any moment, Elliott noted. “No individual small earthquake inherently indicates anything larger is coming, and most earthquakes of this magnitude pass without further events and without further larger events,” Elliott said. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
Southern Sierra Miwuk Nation works to protect traditions in a warming world
“The Oak Fire, which burned roughly 20,000 acres west of Yosemite National Park last summer, was devastating to the area’s Indigenous tribes — including the Southern Sierra Miwuk Nation. The tribe is headquartered in Mariposa, California, a small town in the Sierra Nevada foothills close to the national park. “It really hit our community hard,” said Tara Fouch-Moore, a member of the Southern Sierra Miwuk’s tribal council. “We lost 127 households.” The Oak Fire destroyed much more than property. “These super fires, they burn so hot,” said Jazzmyn Gegere Brochini, the tribe’s cultural resource preservation manager. “The Oak Fire disintegrated absolutely everything in its path.” … ” Read more from Capital Public Radio.
Poplar digs up access to clean water
“Residents can be flooded with new hope now that 12 years of planning is coming together to bring the community improved access to accessible, clean water. A new well in Poplar had its groundbreaking on Monday, Sept. 18, to celebrate the increased access to clean water in the area. Poplar has been pursuing a new well for the last 12 years due to the high level of contaminants in the water. After years of planning, the community has now received assurance they will have safe drinking water for years to come. … ” Read more from the Foothills Sun-Gazette.
EASTERN SIERRA
Mono Lake’s summer rise
“It has been an exciting summer at Mono Lake as we’ve watched the lake rise before our eyes after a record-breaking snowy winter. We were amazed to see daily changes along the shoreline as the lake steadily rose. Check out the timelapse video below to see Mono Lake’s summer rise for yourself in just 30 seconds. … ” Read more from the Mono Lake Committee.
Ridgecrest: Groundwater Authority decides on partial funding path for imported water
“At the Indian Wells Valley Groundwater Authority board meeting on September 13, the IWVGA board voted unanimously to pursue the Environmental Infrastructure Project funding path for its imported water pipeline project. The Daily Independent previously reported that the IWVGA had the difficult decision of pursuing a quicker path that only covered 75% of the project’s cost or a slower path that covered the whole cost. In the end, they chose the quicker path that covers 75% of the cost. 75% sounds promising, but the remaining 25% will need to be paid for and it accounts for at least $53 million dollars. … ” Read more from the Ridgecrest Independent.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Santa Clarita: The breakdown: Bouquet Canyon Creek Recovery Project Planning awarded $12m
“The State Wildlife Conservation Board on Aug. 24 unanimously approved $12 million to be allocated from its general fund toward creating habitat enhancement and restoration projects for aquatic species in Bouquet Canyon Creek. The Bouquet Canyon Creek Recovery Project Planning only involves the feasibility and planning studies for possible future actions. The grant is for the planning, design and environmental compliance. This would develop numerous “shovel-ready” implementation projects. According to the report from the board meeting, the applicant, Los Angeles County Public Works, with full design documents and environmental documents and permits, would be in the position to organize construction bids and engage a contractor for the construction. … ” Read more from The Signal.
LA County documents and addresses racial disparities using GIS technology
“In 2020, against a backdrop of national protests over the killing of an unarmed Black man by police in Minneapolis, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors joined other counties and cities in declaring racism a matter of public health. The board said racism against Black people was at crisis levels. “As a nation, we had reached an inflection point which demanded that every institution in this nation—including Los Angeles County—publicly and collectively confront the myriad injustices faced by Black people in this country,” the board wrote. As the most populous and racially/ethnically diverse county in the US—serving approximately 10 million people—leaders here are especially motivated to adopt innovative strategies and approaches for ending systemic and normalized racism. … ” Read more from ESRI.
Local water district floats plan to turn ocean water into drinking water
“A local water district is proposing an ambitious plan to turn ocean water into drinking water, and while the idea of a “Blue Water Farm” sounds promising, some environmental groups say that ocean desalination should be a last resort and that more can be done to conserve water in affluent communities. Over the last two years, customers of the Las Virgenes Municipal Water District (LVMWD) have seen restrictions and fines over how much water they use. “The reason for that is because we have one singular source of water, which is the [California] State Water Project,” LVMWD Communications Manager Mike McNutt told KTLA. … ” Read more from KTLA.
SAN DIEGO
San Diego raises water rates by nearly 20 percent in 2 years
“San Diego water rates will rise nearly 20 percent over the next two years after a divided City Council approved Tuesday the first comprehensive rate hike in nearly eight years. The rate increases, approved by a vote of 5-3, will come in three parts: A 5 percent hike on Dec. 1, a 5.2 percent increase next July 1 and an 8.75 percent jump in January 2025. An earlier version of the proposal would have raised the rates more quickly — by 10.2 percent on Dec. 1 and 8.75 percent in January 2025. When compounded, the increases total a 19.8 percent jump. For the average single-family homeowner, that’s an increase of about $12 per month. … ” Read more from the San Diego Union-Tribune.
Newsom won’t explain why Tijuana River isn’t an emergency
“Gov. Gavin Newsom has the authority to declare the sewage crisis at the Tijuana River an emergency and ask for federal aid but has so far declined. Eighteen local mayors, the County Board of Supervisors and San Diego’s Democratic Congressional delegates all say it is one. But that doesn’t mean much unless Newsom or the president of the United States agree. Emerging research and many local leaders say governors have a lot of flexibility in interpreting what qualifies as an emergency under the federal Stafford Act. So, I asked his staff earlier this month: What fits the definition of an “emergency” under Newsom’s administration? And why doesn’t the Tijuana River sewage issue fit that definition? … ” Read more from the Voice of San Diego.
SEE ALSO: Community members rally over ongoing sewage issue in South Bay, from Channel 10
Along the Colorado River …
Feds’ cash stream supports Colorado River conservation — but the money will dry up
“Despite a megadrought, states in the West have been able to avoid drastic cuts to their allocations of Colorado River water this year not only because of surprising storms but also thanks to generous financial incentives from all levels of government that have encouraged people to conserve. The temporary Colorado River water-sharing agreement that Arizona, California and Nevada announced in May depends on an injection of $1.2 billion from the federal government. Some of the 30 tribal nations in the river basin also are getting federal dollars. The Gila River Indian Community, for example, will receive $233 million from the feds over the next three years, mostly to conserve water. Fueled by the Inflation Reduction Act and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the feds will spend a total of $15.4 billion for drought resiliency programs over the coming years, mostly for large-scale projects for water storage and recycling but also to persuade people to use less water. … ” Read more from Stateline.
Audio: ‘Fill Mead First’ proposal picking up steam as Colorado River faces ongoing drought
“A once-controversial idea dubbed the “One-Dam Solution” or “Fill Mead First” is gaining steam as climate change threatens the health of the Colorado River — and millions of us who rely on its water. It used to be environmentalists who pushed for draining Lake Powell, bypassing Glen Canyon Dam, and filling up the river’s largest reservoir first: Lake Mead. But now, farmers are joining in the call. Luke Runyon, co-director of the Water Desk at the University of Colorado’s Center for Environmental Journalism, has covered water in the West and the Colorado River for years and he joined The Show to explain it all.” Listen at KJZZ (6:52).
‘Cloud seeding’ offers water generation opportunity in Arizona, with some caveats
“A scientific process of triggering rain or snow known as “cloud seeding” offers tantalizing possibilities for water creation, especially in areas like drought-stricken Arizona. Orestes Morfin with Central Arizona Project said the actual process of cloud seeding is fairly simple. “Cloud seeding… stimulates the generation of ice crystals or precipitation,” he explained. “When you introduce what is called a ‘nucleating agent,’ it just gives a little kickstart for the water in that cloud to start coalescing.” … ” Read more from KTAR.
Colorado’s water watchers celebrate wettest year in some areas in 128 years
“Residents living along Colorado’s northern Front Range and Northeastern Plains experienced a pretty wet year — the wettest, in fact, in 128 years. And water experts expect this winter isn’t likely to be much different. Becky Bolinger, assistant state climatologist at the Colorado Climate Center, said those areas had the wettest year since the state started keeping those records 128 years ago. Bolinger reviewed the water year that will end on Sept. 30 with the state’s Water Availability Task Force on Tuesday. … ” Read more from Colorado Politics.
