On the calendar today …
- WEBINAR: Community Water Center Drinking Water Tool Webinar from 10am to 12pm. Community Water Center has updated the Drinking Water Tool to visualize more drinking water threats, and we invite you to provide feedback at our next advisory group webinar. Click here to register.
In California water news today …
More than 90% of California out of historic drought as water year ends
“Less than one week until California’s new water year begins, experts say the state is nearly free of drought — but there is no guarantee that another wet winter is soon to arrive. The state, according to the Sept. 19 U.S. Drought Monitor, is 93% free of drought, a big improvement since measuring at 72% drought-free three months ago. Only small regions of drought remain along the state’s southeast corner bordering Arizona and in the northernmost region at the Oregon border. However, experts warn the full scope of recovery from several years of drought will not be known until a report in early April to assess the 2023-2024 snowpack. … ” Read more from the Courthouse News Service.
El Niño set to strengthen this winter, what does it mean for Northern California?
“El Niño conditions continue to strengthen and some may see the return of an active winter. But could Northern California see any impacts? In a recent El Niño forecast by the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), there is a greater than 95% chance that El Niño continues across the Northern Hemisphere through the winter into 2024. The chance of a “strong” El Niño has also increased from 66% in August to now 71% in September. NOAA reports that the current state of El Niño is strong, with sea surface temperatures 1.6 degrees Celsius above average. … ” Read more from CBS Sacramento.
SEE ALSO: An El Niño winter is coming. Here’s what that could mean for the US, from CNN
Early onset of fall rains in Northstate offers positive outlook for water year, says state climatologist
“According to the Department of Water Resources (DWR), the possible rain we will see on Monday is starting the first fall precipitation about a week earlier than average. They say it often offsets the drought and dryness that we see in the summer and seeing this first storm at the start of fall gives a positive outlook for the water year. … ” Read more from KRCR.
‘Atmospheric river’ threatens California wine harvest
“Wineries in northern California are rushing to pick their white grapes ahead of anticipated heavy rainfall this week that could lead to disease. Approaching rain is accelerating the pace of the harvest in California’s North Bay, with wineries frantically picking their white grapes to beat the storm that is forecast to arrive in the next few days. Having already got off to a late start due to a cold, wet spring delaying the ripening of grapes by two to three weeks, the 2023 harvest is now likely to have an even bigger challenge to contend with. An atmospheric river is expected to bring precipitation and high wind to the area, with winds of up to 30 miles per hour sweeping across the region. The bulk of the storm is expected to hit today and Tuesday. … ” Read more from the Drinks Business.
Northern California could get help with wildfires, smoke from early atmospheric river
“Starting Monday, Northern California will see some precipitation from the first atmospheric river of the season. It’s a little unusual; California typically starts to see atmospheric rivers later in the year, in November. Jonathan Garnder, the lead forecaster for the National Weather Service in Eureka, said the early-in-the-season storm could help fight fires burning along the California-Oregon border. “Potentially, it’ll put them out, but if it doesn’t put them out, then it will cause them to burn less intense and allow the firefighters to get a good handle on containing them,” Garner said. … ” Read more from Capital Public Radio.
Will California take this small, but important step toward a more equitable water rights system?
Amanda Fencl, Western states senior climate scientist, writes, “Earlier this summer, I wrote about three bills that were poised to make long overdue changes to California’s outdated and inequitable water rights system. Whether you call it updating, modernizing, or reforming, changes to the water rights system have long been considered a political third rail—the electric kind you don’t touch. This year, one of those water rights bills, Senate Bill 389 (SB 389) made it through the gauntlet of the legislature and will become law if Governor Newsom signs it. The bill would give the State Water Resources Control Board (the Water Board) the authority to verify pre-1914 appropriative and riparian water rights. It passed by a clear majority–58-17 votes in the Assembly and 30-8 in the Senate–and most opposition was withdrawn. UCS joined a broad group of organizations in submitting a letter to Governor Newsom urging him to sign the bill. … ” Read more from the Union of Concerned Scientists.
‘California Forever’ CEO defends controversial plan to build new Solano County city
“The leader of the group hoping to build a new Bay Area city in Solano County revealed more details about the vision and potential financing for the controversial planned community in an interview on KQED on Monday. Jan Sramek, founder and CEO of California Forever, defended the controversial, secretive effort to buy over 55,000 acres of land in hopes of creating a new urban center. More than $800 million in land purchases alarmed elected officials and residents, particularly due to their proximity to Travis Air Force Base. With financial backing from Silicon Valley tech billionaires including Reid Hoffman and Laurene Powell Jobs, Sramek is now in the midst of a public campaign to win support from skeptics and concerned stakeholders. Here are five takeaways from the former Goldman Sachs trader and Czech Republic native’s remarks, from the timing of the project to whether public money will be needed. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
Tearing down dams could save Western rivers — and also make climate change worse
“Deep in the bowels of Idaho’s Brownlee Dam, Neal Lincoln is ready to offer a demonstration. Almost 40 feet below the surface of the Snake River — whose waters originate in Yellowstone National Park, then cascade down the Rocky Mountains and course across Idaho — Lincoln makes a call to the power plant control room. The narrow hallway where we stand waiting is chilly, the air dank and the floor covered with leakage from the river. A siren goes off. A minute later there’s a long whooshing sound from behind an imposing metal hatch, as the control room fires up the hydroelectric turbine on the other side — the largest hydro turbine operated by Idaho’s largest power company. … There are no fossil fuels being burned, no coal or oil or natural gas heating the planet and filling the air with pollution. Just hydropower, which forms the backbone of the Gem State’s electric grid and has allowed Idaho Power to pledge 100% clean energy by 2045. It’s an unprecedented green ambition in a deep-red state — or a greenwashing sham, depending on whom you ask. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
Lessons from California on how to adapt to sea level rise
“The Pacific Ocean off the California coast could rise more than six feet by the end of this century, according to some estimates. “We have a lot of time before some of these big changes. I mean, you could say 2100, you know, I’m not even going to be alive in 2100,” Charles Lester, director of the Ocean and Coastal Policy Center in the Marine Science Institute at UC Santa Barbara, says. “But the changes that we should be thinking about in order to be resilient then … needs to start now.” That rising water is forcing the state and its coastal communities to completely rethink their viability, resilience, and even their resistance to change. “What does it mean to actually protect the coast in the face of sea level rise? Is protecting the coast, truly holding the line, and maintaining the world as we know it,” Rosanna Xia, environmental reporter for the LA Times, says. “Is maintaining the status quo what we actually want? Have we actually stopped to think about that?” Today, On Point: Lessons from California on what must change for everyone in a world of rising water.” Listen at WBUR.
The threat of wildfires is rising. So is new artificial intelligence solutions to fight them
“Wildfires fueled by climate change have ravaged communities from Maui to the Mediterranean this summer, killing many people, exhausting firefighters and fueling demand for new solutions. Enter artificial intelligence. Firefighters and startups are using AI-enabled cameras to scan the horizon for signs of smoke. A German company is building a constellation of satellites to detect fires from space. And Microsoft is using AI models to predict where the next blaze could be sparked. With wildfires becoming larger and more intense as the world warms, firefighters, utilities and governments are scrambling to get ahead of the flames by tapping into the latest AI technology — which has stirred both fear and excitement for its potential to transform life. While increasingly stretched first responders hope AI offers them a leg up, humans are still needed to check that the tech is accurate. … ” Read more from KSL.
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
New fire burns 3,000 acres on Klamath Marsh Wildlife Refuge, Fremont-Winema Forest; most growth stopped
“Cooler weather and rain is helping reduce fire behavior on several large, weeks-old blazes around Oregon, but new blazes continue to emerge, including one that has burned about 3,000 acres on the Klamath Marsh National Wildlife Refuge and the Fremont-Winema National Forest. The Marsh Fire, reported by a citizen Saturday afternoon, was burning near Silver Lake Highway and Military Crossing. It is 0% contained and the cause is under investigation, officials said in Monday’s update. … ” Read more from News 21.
September brings Humboldt County beach clean ups
“Through September, the North Coast Environmental Center hosted trash clean ups across Humboldt County. Last weekend, five clean ups were held, including on beaches near the North Jetty, Samoa and Shelter Cove. The most common piece of litter found, like usual, was cigarette butts. The clean up is part of the statewide California coastal clean up effort. Community members involved with NEC actually started this yearly tradition in the 1970s, said Caroline Griffith, the NEC’s executive director. Humboldt County married couple Joe Abbott and Ann Morrissey wrote a grant for a beach cleaning effort in 1979 to address the growing problem of garbage and debris on Humboldt County beaches. The Coastal Commission says 2023 marks the 39th statewide clean up, calling it California’s largest annual volunteer event. … ” Read more from the Eureka Times-Standard.
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
Will Sacramento see rain as atmospheric river brings wet weather to Northern California?
“With fall comes rain, and some Northern California areas are bracing for heavier amounts than others. The Sacramento region is expected to receive very light rainfall. An atmospheric river storm was predicted to bring precipitation and high wind to Northern California early this week. That’s still expected to happen with chances in Sacramento now being roughly 20%, said meteorologist Brian Ochs with the National Weather Service. The areas expected to be hit with the most rain — with an about 60% chance and a little over a quarter of an inch — will be the Sierra Nevada as well as portions of Redding, Eureka and Weaverville. “Pretty much anywhere along the coast as well,” Ochs said. … ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee.
State delivers $55 million to Sacramento water agencies in support of local water resilience projects
“To help combat climate change and drought impacts on regional water supplies, the California Natural Resources Agency (CNRA) and Department of Water Resources (DWR) have partnered with local water agencies to implement critical infrastructure upgrades that will improve water resilience and support environmental health in the Sacramento area. As part of a landmark partnership agreement, the state agencies have committed $55 million in funding to the Sacramento Regional Water Authority to advance 21 projects designed to boost local water supplies and environmental flows for the Lower American River during dry years. … ” Read more from DWR.
SEE ALSO: Millions in state funding received to improve Sacramento groundwater storage, from KTXL
BAY AREA
Groundwater cleanup of contaminated Zeneca site to begin next month
“Zeneca Inc. will begin a series of “groundwater injections” next month at the controversial Campus Bay project site in South Richmond, setting off a nine-month process to break down hazardous compounds underlying the 86-acre patch of coastal land. According to Zeneca planning documents, contractors will pump thousands of gallons of city water, reactive iron, microbes and microbe food into about 400 wells that dot the 86-acre site, which lies due west of Richmond’s Panhandle Annex neighborhood. The idea, California Department of Toxic Substances Control officials say, is that the microbes will consume a host of volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, left over from a century of heavy industrial use of the site — compounds like benzene, chlorobenzene, chloroform, dichloromethane, carbon tetrachloride and vinyl chloride which can in some cases cause cancer. … ” Continue reading at Richmond Confidential.
Bay Area weather: Cold front is on tap for these cities
“The first rain of the fall clipped the Bay Area on Monday night, bringing minor accumulations to the North Bay, while heavier totals were refined to the North Coast. Localized drizzle remains possible early Tuesday morning along the Peninsula and in the Santa Cruz Mountains before tranquil weather returns for the afternoon. High temperatures will be near normal, with upper 60s along the coast, lower to mid-70s near the bay to near 80 inland under mainly clear skies. The National Weather Service has issued a high-surf advisory along the coast of Sonoma, Marin, San Francisco, San Mateo and Santa Cruz counties for potential 12-16 foot breaking waves 5 a.m.-11 p.m. Tuesday. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
CENTRAL COAST
Aptos teen couldn’t find data on health of local waterways, so he invented his own award-winning tool
“Jack Driscoll-Natale was learning about measuring the health of local waterways for a class at Pacific Collegiate School his sophomore year when he realized there wasn’t enough publicly available data to complete his lab work. So he decided to build his own tool that can continuously monitor water quality. Now the 17-year-old senior is racking up awards and plaudits from scientists for his invention, which can upload a continuous stream of water quality data to a publicly accessible website for the fraction of the cost of professional equipment. … ” Read more from Lookout Santa Cruz.
Water district holds public hearing to consider acquisition of Monterey Water System
“The Board of Directors of the Monterey Peninsula Water Management District plans on holding a public hearing to consider the acquisition of the Monterey Water System. The board is considering adopting a Resolution of Necessity for taking by eminent domain in order to convert the privately owned and operated water system to public ownership and control. Currently, the Monterey Water System is privately held by the California American Water Company. … ” Read more from KSBY.
SAN DIEGO
Voice of San Diego diving into the western water wars
“If you’ve been following this newsletter for any amount of time, you won’t want to miss this year’s Politifest. Politifest combines two things our newsroom loves: Politics and festivities. While we don’t feature the dunk tanks and petting zoos of the original inception of the event (much to the chagrin of our CEO Scott Lewis, and frankly, myself). But this year we’ll fill the halls of the University of San Diego on Saturday, Oct. 7 with some of the biggest players in western water politics. In two years, almost every major agreement currently keeping battle swords sheathed on the Colorado River will expire. Seven western states and Mexico will have to wrestle with the fact that there’s less water for their people and industries than before. And they have until 2026 to get new agreements to use much, much less water in place. … ” Read more from the Voice of San Diego.
Along the Colorado River …
Colorado River’s Upper Basin will re-up a plan that pays farmers and ranchers to use less water
“Some states in the arid West are looking to invest more money in water conservation. Colorado, Wyoming, Utah and New Mexico have agreed to re-up a water conservation program designed to reduce strain on the Colorado River. Those states, which represent the river’s Upper Basin, will use money from the Inflation Reduction Act to pay farmers and ranchers to use less water. The four states are re-implementing the program amid talks with California, Arizona, Nevada and the federal government to come up with more permanent water reductions by 2026. The aim is to find ways to reduce water use by the agriculture industry—whose water demands account for about 80% of all Colorado River water use — without harming the people and communities that depend on productive farms and ranches. … ” Read more from KUNC.
Colorado River officials extend stumbling program that pays farmers, ranchers to use less water
“Colorado farmers and ranchers will have another chance to be paid to cut back on their water use through a conservation program that was extended into 2024. The System Conservation Pilot Program is part of a federally funded, multistate effort to stabilize the overtaxed Colorado River Basin, but the program saw mixed success this year. The four Upper Basin states — Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming — spent nearly $16.1 million in tax dollars on this year’s conservation program, almost double the $8.5 million spent, in total, during the four-year pilot that preceded it. They saved about 37,810 acre-feet of water, a tiny drop in the Colorado River’s annual flow of about 12 million acre-feet. … ” Read more from the Colorado Sun.
New survey of Colorado River Basin irrigators points to challenges, pathways for agricultural water conservation
“An in-depth survey of more than 1,000 farmers and ranchers in the Colorado River Basin has some startling implications for how water conservation in the drought-stricken region could come about. The survey data and report, released today by Western Landowners Alliance and the University of Wyoming, suggest that while the vast majority of agricultural water users in the basin are concerned about water shortages and have already adopted some water conservation measures, recent state and federal efforts to fund conservation in the Basin need to be better targeted to be effective. … ” Read more from Oil City News.
SEE ALSO: UW and WLA Release Report on Survey of Colorado River Basin Irrigators, from the University of Wyoming
Debate rages over dams and reservoirs as Colorado River runs out
“As one of the nation’s most critical and iconic water bodies grows increasingly scarce, those who depend on it are trying to figure out how they can grab more for themselves. “Across the states of the Upper Basin of the Colorado River — Wyoming, Colorado, Utah and New Mexico — new dams are rising and new reservoirs are filling, with more being proposed,” Inside Climate News reported. “In all, the projects have the potential to divert the amount of water Nevada is allocated from the river each year.” … ” Read more from Water Online.
What’s being done to protect the Southwest’s dwindling water supply? A new online tool shows you
“Researchers from the U.S. Department of Agriculture have created a searchable atlas that compiles regional research and efforts to deal with water scarcity and drought. The map, called the Water Adaptation Techniques Atlas, was developed by the agency’s Southwest and California Climate Hubs and so far contains 183 case studies from Arizona, California, New Mexico, Nevada and Utah. “Ultimately one of the main groups we want this to be useful for are agricultural producers, especially irrigation water users,” said Noah Silber-Coats, project lead for the atlas. … ” Read more from the Arizona Republic.
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 Arizona Republic.
In national water news today …
NIDIS invests approximately $2 million to build tribal drought resilience
“NOAA’s National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS) has announced approximately $2 million in funding for projects to support tribal drought resilience as part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda. This investment will help tribal nations address current and future drought risk on tribal lands across the Western U.S. while informing decision-making and strengthening tribal drought resilience in a changing climate. Proposals may request funding of up to $700,000 total to be disseminated in the first year and expended over three years in the form of cooperative agreements. A total of 3–5 projects may be funded depending on the project budget requested. … ” Read more from NIDIS.
USA groundwater reserves being depleted at alarming rate
“The USA is racing towards a water crisis. All across the country, groundwater reserves are being depleted at a dangerous rate, the New York Times has revealed. The impact of their depletion could be disastrous for the America and for global food supply. An investigation found that 45 per cent of the more than 80,000 groundwater wells surveyed across the nation showed a statistically significant decline in water levels since 1940. Four in ten of the wells have hit record-low levels in the past decade. Don Cline, the associate director for water resources at the United States Geological Survey, said: ‘There is no way to get that [groundwater] back. There’s almost no way to convey how important it is.’ … ” Read more from Geographical.
Why rain is getting fiercer on a warming planet
“One of the weirder side effects of climate change is what it’s doing to rainfall. While most people think about global warming in terms of extreme heat—the deadliest kind of natural disaster in the United States—there is also an increasing risk of extreme precipitation. On average, it will rain more on Earth, and individual storms will get more intense. Intuitively, it doesn’t make much sense. But the physics is clear—and highly consequential, given how destructive and deadly floods already were before climate change. … ” Read more from Wired Magazine.
Innovation abounds: floating cows and vertical farms
“Could the news on the environment get any worse? Every day, we are inundated by stories about extreme weather events, including floods, hurricanes, extreme heat, a global water crisis due to severe droughts, and a food crisis resulting from declining land suitable for agriculture. But there is some good news to report. Innovation is driving solutions to many of these problems. Perhaps the situation is not as dire as the news reports.” Read more form the American Council on Science and Health.
