On the calendar today …
- IN-PERSON FORUM: Climate resilience: Moving from ideas to action (San Bernardino) from 9am to 1pm. Join Susan Longville, San Bernardino Valley MWD Division 3, for a discussion with industry experts about the efforts underway to observe, analyze, and respond to the changing climate. Keynote speaker: Erica Gies, Author of Water Always Wins: Thriving in an age of drought and deluge. RSVP to Kelly Malloy at kellym@sbvmwd.com.
- MEETING: Delta Stewardship Council beginning at 9am. Agenda items include the Delta Lead Scientist’s Report; an update from the Delta Watermaster; an update on the Delta National Heritage Area Management Plan; and an update from the Delta Independent Science Board. Click here for the agenda and remote access instructions.
- EVENT: Historical Memory, Policy, and the Future of Water in the Central Valley from 5:30pm – 7:00pm. Join us for an insightful evening as we delve into the rich history, policy implications, and the future of water in the Central Valley. During this gathering, Mark Arax, author of The Dreamt Land: Chasing Water and Dust Across California, and Ellen Hanak, vice president and director of the PPIC Water Policy Center and a senior fellow at the Public Policy Institute of California, will explore the critical role of historical memory in shaping water policies and its impact on the future of this vital resource. Arax will read from his acclaimed book The Dreamt Land. Arax and Hanak will also sit down for a dialogue about the Central Valley, California policy, local stories, collective memory, and more. Doors open at 5:00 PM. Address: 5200 Lake Road, ACS 120, Merced, CA 95343
In California water news today …
Is the San Joaquin Valley ready for its post SGMA future? Not…quite…yet
“In less than 20 years’ time, the San Joaquin Valley could become a patchwork of vast swaths of vacant, weed-filled lands interspersed with a few single-crop mega farms that employ only a small fraction of those who currently work in agriculture. Or, it could be thriving with robust solar operations, thousands of water recharge basins, interconnected wildlife habitat, cohesive towns and a smaller, but diverse and secure farming economy. The difference in those potential futures could depend on how the transition to less reliance on groundwater is managed, according to a report by the Public Policy Institute of California that was discussed during a recent conference. … ” Read more from SJV Water.
Nine years in, California’s groundwater sustainability overhaul is becoming a reality
“For years, conversations about the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act – known commonly as SGMA – have largely taken a tone of speculation and even apprehension. The 2014 law, which aims to slow California’s unlimited tapping of underground aquifers, gives locally organized groundwater sustainability agencies until 2042 to overhaul pumping practices for the spectrum of groundwater users — from cities and rural communities to dairies, small farms and agricultural conglomerates. Ultimately, the consequences could be dire: the non-profit Public Policy Institute of California predicted even in the best-case scenario, as much as 500,000 acres of farmland may need to be fallowed in order to adequately reduce groundwater pumping. Now, nine years into SGMA’s rollout, public conversations are evolving from planning water-saving projects to implementing them. … ” Read more from KVPR.
How powerful land barons shaped the epic floods in California’s heartland
“As dark clouds massed over Kings County on the chilly morning of March 18, scores of panicked farmers and landowners packed the Board of Supervisors chambers in Hanford for a third day of emergency hearings. They were there to hurl accusations and blame and to plead with county leaders to do something to divert the floodwaters that were submerging their fields and homes, sapping their livelihoods and now threatening to wipe out the city of Corcoran and farm towns across the region. One by one, agitated farmers stood to address the supervisors. They pointed at maps and diagrams to show areas of the Tulare Lake Basin that had been inundated in past floods that now were dry, and areas that had never flooded but were now underwater. They didn’t understand what was happening with the floodwater — and why it seemed to be coursing onto farms and ranches where it had never gone before. “We’ve lost control,” one farmer shouted in exasperation. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
California’s first snow of season is coming to Sierra ski resorts
“Less than two months since Mammoth Mountain’s historic ski season concluded, the first snowfall of the new season is set to arrive in the Sierra Nevada. Weather models predict a low-pressure system with Canadian roots will bring cool temperatures and rain showers to the California coast and Central Valley on Saturday. In the Sierra Nevada, the air is expected to be cold enough for the first snowfall of the season at Kirkwood Mountain, Mammoth Mountain and other high-elevation ski resorts. Snowfall at the ski resort at this time of year isn’t unprecedented, said Emily van Greuning, a spokesperson for Mammoth Mountain, “but it’s great to see and something that we’re definitely going to celebrate.” … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle (gift article).
The weird weather of 2023: Better get used to it
“Water Year 2023 comes to an end on September 30. For most weather-watchers, this was an unusual year, with very wet conditions following several very dry years. And there were some dramatic events within the water year, including winter and spring flooding, near-record snowpack, a summertime tropical storm, and the reemergence of ancestral Tulare Lake. Large year-to-year variation is common in California, which has the distinction of having the nation’s most variable precipitation. But are the frequency and intensity of these variations increasing as the planet’s temperature rises? And if so, what might be the implications for water management? There are many sophisticated ways to measure climate variability; here we offer some simple metrics. The first panel in the figure below plots statewide annual precipitation since 1900. It shows how variable precipitation is in California. It also shows that we haven’t been experiencing long-term declines or increases in overall precipitation; the trendline is flat. … ” Read more from the PPIC.
Reviewing the record-breaking water year in Northern California
“Sept. 30 marks the end of a water year to remember in California. With the new water year kicking off Oct. 1, it’s worth looking back at the water year that was from record snowfall to landfalling tropical storms and everything in between. Entering the 2022-23 water year, a rare third consecutive year of La Niña dampened hopes of breaking the historic drought California was enduring as it entered the water year. Although the La Niña event was weakening, California typically ends up drier during these events, and seasonal outlooks favored a drier fall and winter for the state. Those predictions couldn’t have been more wrong. … ” Read more from ABC 10.
PUBLIC WORKSHOP: Senate Bill 122 – Protective Screens for Temporary Pump Intakes
“Newly adopted legislation related to diversion of flood flows for groundwater recharge requires that diversions use either existing diversion infrastructure or temporary pumps. Diversions using temporary pumps to divert flood flows directly from rivers or streams are required to use protective screens on intakes to minimize the impacts of diversion to fish and other aquatic life. Pursuant to Water Code section 1242.1, subdivision (e)(4), the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) will conduct an online public workshop to review recommended design parameters and ranges of scenarios for deployment and use of protective screens mentioned above. In addition, representatives from the Department of Water Resources (DWR) and the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) will provide an overview of the new Water Code provisions and resources pertaining to diversions of floodflows for groundwater recharge.” Click here for more information.
State Water Board seeking comment on proposed water restrictions
“The California State Water Resources Control Board is holding an Oct. 4 public workshop on draft regulations that would require cities to dramatically restrict water usage from 2025 onward. The state could intervene with water conservation orders and fines in cities that do not meet the proposed water reduction targets. Over 200 cities are regulated urban water suppliers. Each of those cities has specific water reduction targets. These projected water reductions are coming too quickly for cities to implement. Elected city officials and staff are strongly encouraged to provide public comments remotely or in person. The League of California Cities formed a working group shortly after the draft regulations were released this year to provide feedback to the State Water Board. However, as in the legislative arena, every city’s voice is crucial. … ” Read more from the League of California Cities.
California may crack down on washing machines without filters—here’s why
“A California bill is looking to make oceans cleaner by requiring new washing machines to filter microfibers from their emissions, a move designed to stop microfibers from falling off clothes and harming ecosystems—but the state has faced pushback from laundromats. AB 1628—which hasn’t yet been approved by the governor—would require all new residential and commercial washing machines sold on or before January 1, 2029, to include a microfiber filtration system to reduce the amount of microfibers that end up in oceans and freshwater, though older models without the filter can still be used if they were bought before the set date. … ” Read more from Forbes.
DELTA CONVEYANCE PROJECT: New Materials & Final Environmental Impact Report Expected Release Date
“DWR is still on track to issue a Final EIR for the proposed Delta Conveyance Project in late 2023. The Final EIR will describe potential environmental impacts, identify mitigation measures that would help avoid or minimize impacts and provide responses to all substantive comments received on the Draft EIR. … ” Read more from the Department of Water Resources.
SEE ALSO: Final environmental impact report for Delta Tunnel project slated for release in ‘late 2023’, from the Daily Kos
CDFW’s Cannabis Enforcement Program targets illegal operations on public and private lands
“Wildlife officers with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s (CDFW) Marijuana Enforcement Team (MET) spearheaded several enforcement investigations in August and September. From Sept. 4-8, MET officers targeted several illegal cannabis operations on rural private lands in Shasta, Tehama and Sutter counties. Officers received a tip from a hunter who stumbled on one of the trespass grow sites and reported it. As a result, MET officers eradicated more than 5,500 illegal plants, arrested four suspects, seized several firearms including one stolen handgun, dismantled several water diversions and removed thousands of pounds of trash. Support was provided from CDFW’s Air Services and K9 Units, as well as the California Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Eradication and Prevention of Illicit Cannabis (EPIC) task force. “Many recreationists who venture into California’s backcountry are our best eyes and ears for reporting poaching, pollution and illegal cannabis cultivation on public land,” said Nathaniel Arnold, Acting Chief of Enforcement for CDFW. … ” Read more from the Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Is hydropower good or bad for the environment? The LA Times went to Idaho to find out
Sammy Roth writes, “What’s more important: Tearing down dams that have decimated rivers and driven salmon and other fish toward extinction? Or letting those dams stay up, so they can keep producing carbon-free electricity that doesn’t worsen the climate crisis? That question has been on my mind since April, when I spent a week in Idaho exploring the pros and cons of hydropower. Along with its Pacific Northwest neighbors, the Gem State gets more power from dams than anywhere else in the country. Utility company Idaho Power intends to use those dams as the backbone of its voluntary pledge to achieve 100% clean energy. So should Idaho Power be seen as a model of sustainability? Or a river-destroying villain? … ” Read more from the LA Times.
SOMEWHAT RELATED: Drought in US Northwest Prompts Energy Agency to Cut Hydropower Forecast, from Bloomberg
Reclamation invests $28.97 million to assist with planning and feasibility study development for 31 water recycling and desalination projects
“The Bureau of Reclamation announced the selection of 31 planning projects to receive $28.97 million in appropriated funding to support potential new water reuse and desalination projects to help create new sources of water supply less vulnerable to drought and climate change. The recipients will use the funding to prepare feasibility studies and undertake other planning efforts like preliminary project design and environmental compliance activities. “These projects currently under development will supplement existing freshwater supplies in urban and agricultural areas in the Western United States,” said Deputy Commissioner David Palumbo. “The funding announced today will provide needed assistance to communities and entities as they undertake the development of feasibility studies and other planning necessary to facilitate project development.” The 31 projects are in California, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, and Utah. The projects also bring a cost-share contribution of $64.7 million, bringing the total investment of $93.7 million. … ” Read more from the Bureau of Reclamation.
A hidden climate danger threatens coastal communities
“A little-known climate threat lurks under our feet: rising groundwater that could release toxic chemicals from more than 132,000 contaminated sites in coastal areas of the US. In a first of its kind study, researchers estimated the number of polluted industrial sites and mapped them to areas likely to experience groundwater inundation due to rising seas. “A lot of people don’t realize that the ocean actually extends under the land in coastal areas, so as the ocean rises, it pushes up the groundwater toward the surface,” said Kristina Hill, an associate professor at the University of California at Berkeley and the lead author of the paper, which was published last week in the journal Earth’s Future. Factories, fuel stations, military bases and other industrial facilities have left surrounding soil contaminated with carcinogenic chemicals and heavy metals. Some became Superfund sites whose cleanup is overseen by the federal government. Far more are managed by individual states. … ” Read more from Bloomberg (gift article).
In commentary today …
Governor should help California cities protect against flooding
Joshua Quigley, policy manager for Save The Bay, writes, “The series of strong storms that California experienced this past winter brought not just intense rainfall, devastating flooding and terrible loss of life, but also a growing awareness that California urgently needs to protect against the flood impacts of climate change. Coastal areas that were inundated by rainfall experienced a preview of where rising seas will soon bring more frequent flooding. Those areas face a daunting future as climate change also brings intense storms more often. Now Gov. Gavin Newsom can take an important step to protect communities against these floods by signing a bill that requires cities to create effective shoreline resilience plans. … ” Read more from the San Jose Mercury News.
Pesticides’ uneven regulatory system violates civil rights
Woody Rehanek, retired farmworker and a special ed teacher, writes, “The state of California’s regulatory agencies, especially the Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR), boast that we have the toughest network of environmental laws, designed to protect public health, in the country. Yet over the decades, it has been devilishly difficult for people with negative health impacts resulting from pesticide exposures to prove it in court. Despite an abundance of quality information on the relationship between pesticides and negative public health outcomes, there are enormous legal and scientific barriers to actually proving direct harm, of finding a “smoking gun,” because there are so many variables interacting at one time. We’re exposed to hundreds of minute chemical residues every day in furniture, clothing, water, soil, plants, cars, carpets, building materials, pillows, etc. How do you find a smoking gun when the world’s on fire? … ” Read more from the Santa Cruz Sentinel.
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
Klamath Water Users announce annual Fall Harvest Tour
“On Oct. 5, 2023, KWUA will host their annual Fall Harvest Tour. The tour showcases Klamath Basin agriculture, its importance to the regional economy, and its value to wildlife. The tour is open to all: we welcome participation by community members, students, elected officials, and anyone with an interest. Space is limited, and it is advisable to make your reservation as soon as possible. Our tours provide first-hand exposure to a variety of activities and processes related to irrigated agriculture. … ” Read more from the Herald & News.
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
Sculpture made of litter removed from 72-mile Lake Tahoe cleanup unveiled
“It’s a clean-up effort that has taken nearly a year to complete. Divers in Lake Tahoe collected more than 25,000 pounds of trash, and now some of that trash has been turned into treasure. It’s a sculpture unlike any other. “It’s amazing when you work on something for so long to see it actually come to this culmination with the most incredible sculpture,” said Amy Berry, the Tahoe Fund CEO. “I’m just blown away by it.” The art installation called Surfaced was unveiled Wednesday in South Lake Tahoe. On the surface, it’s a beautiful 9-foot tall by 8-foot wide eagle eye-catching piece. But its story actually begins deep below the surface of Lake Tahoe. … ” Read more from CBS Sacramento.
NAPA/SONOMA
St. Helena to investigate forming a water/wastewater commission
“Who’s best suited to manage St. Helena’s financially strained and politically sensitive water system: the City Council or the people? A group of citizens is pushing for the council to form a permanent water and wastewater commission that would serve as a council-appointed board of directors overseeing water and wastewater operations, financing and staffing. “It wouldn’t be deciding who gets water,” Arlene Corsetti, one of the founders of the Water Advocates St. Helena (WASH), told the Star. “It would make sure we have equitable rates and a sense of history and continuity.” WASH has the council’s attention. On Tuesday the council agreed to form a temporary working group to identify how citizens can best support the water and sewer enterprises and make the recommendation to the council about a potential permanent advisory body. … ” Read more from the Napa Register.
BAY AREA
Richardson Bay agency awards eelgrass restoration contract
“A Bay Area conservation consultancy has been hired to implement a $1.1 million grant to restore eelgrass in Richardson Bay. The Richardson’s Bay Regional Agency board of directors voted unanimously on Sept. 14 to approve the deal, which authorized Executive Director Brad Gross to execute a contract with Coastal Policy Solutions in the amount of $1,129,000. The contract has a stipulation for a potential increase of $266,900 and is to not exceed $1,395,900. The program calls for the restoration of 15 acres of eelgrass by 2027. The contract is a portion of a $2.8 million grant awarded to the agency by the Environmental Protection Agency in June. The grant calls for the development of an eelgrass management plan, research and restoration. The RBRA operates on a $1.84 million budget. … ” Read more from the Marin Independent Journal.
Zone 7 opens PFAS water treatment facility
“The Zone 7 Water Agency recently unveiled its new state-of-the-art water treatment facility, which will use an ion exchange treatment process to remove PFAS chemicals from the Stoneridge groundwater well in Pleasanton. “It’s finally here … and it’s going to work,” Zone 7 Board President Sandy Figuers said during the Sept. 13 facility ribbon-cutting ceremony. “It’s going to give us a lot of good water, especially for Pleasanton.” Nearly 30 Tri-Valley officials, residents and Zone 7 staff members gathered for the event to celebrate the first-of-its-kind facility in Northern California. … ” Read more from Pleasanton Weekly.
Valley Water releases draft Environmental Impact Report on the Anderson Dam Seismic Retrofit Project and Starts Permitting Process
“Valley Water recently reached a milestone in its work to rebuild Anderson Dam so it can protect public safety and serve as Santa Clara County’s largest drinking water reservoir. On Sept. 1, 2023, Valley Water released the Anderson Dam Seismic Retrofit Project Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR), which identifies environmental impacts associated with Valley Water’s plan to rebuild Anderson Dam to modern-day seismic safety standards. The Draft EIR is now available on Valley Water’s website for public comment and review through Nov. 1, 2023. … ” Read more from Valley Water News.
CENTRAL COAST
How mass marketing changed Salinas Valley agriculture forever.
“Through John Steinbeck’s writing, readers who had never laid eyes on the Salinas Valley could see with precision the Gabilan Mountains in the east, low, green and sparkling, letting the sunshine flood through the fields. To the west, they could imagine the foreboding Santa Lucia Mountains, creating a thick wall of shadow. “He was trying to put Central California on the map,” says Susan Shillinglaw, a literary scholar, English professor at San Jose State University and former executive director for two Steinbeck centers (one in San Jose and the National Steinbeck Center in Salinas). “He’s a photographer in a way, like many of the great photographers of his time. He was like Edward Weston with words. His style was very sharp like a photograph,” she says. But writing wasn’t the only way people living in the early 1900s could experience the Salinas Valley. … ” Read more from Monterey Weekly.
Reclamation awards Soquel Creek Water District $30 million through President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda to advance groundwater replenishment
“Reclamation has awarded the Soquel Creek Water District $30 million from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to advance the Pure Water Soquel Groundwater Replenishment and Seawater Intrusion Prevention Project. The funding will help offset the total cost of the project, which is providing a cost-effective and efficient means of creating a sustainable alternative water supply to address the critically over-drafted Santa Cruz Mid-County Groundwater Basin and preventing further seawater intrusion. President Biden’s Investing in America agenda represents the largest investment in climate resilience in the nation’s history and is providing much-needed resources to enhance Western communities’ resilience to drought and climate change. Through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Reclamation is investing a total of $8.3 billion over five years for water infrastructure projects, including water purification and reuse, water storage and conveyance, desalination, and dam safety. … ” Read more from the Bureau of Reclamation.
A big update on water politics on the Monterey Peninsula.
“Across Monterey County, there are few topics more talked about or litigated than water. David Schmalz here, and I’ve covered water in most corners of the county for the better part of the last decade, and in my opinion, the topic has never been more interesting or eventful than it is right now, at least on the Monterey Peninsula. I’m going to be covering a lot of ground here—err, water, I mean—but I’ll keep it as tight as I can. There’s a lot to catch you up on. First, on Sept. 13, the Monterey Peninsula Water Management District released its draft “resolution of necessity,” a document that, if approved, is the first step in the eminent domain process for a public buyout of Cal Am’s Monterey service area. … ” Read more from Monterey Weekly.
San Luis Obispo County is witnessing an uptick of private wells drying as groundwater lowers
“Out in the rural countryside of the Arroyo Grande Mesa, on 8 acres of flowers, fruit trees, and animals, a zero-waste nonprofit ranch brings a feeling of freedom to those in the disabled community. Rancho de los Animales for the Disabled is a therapeutic, educational, and recreational ranch and is run by Beth Currier, who became a paraplegic in 1955 after she contracted polio. Currier said she found freedom among animals, especially while on the back of a horse, and she wants everyone who visits her ranch to experience that same feeling. However, taking care of the ranch, Currier said, is becoming almost impractical. Getting water to the horses of Rancho de los Animales is a lot harder than it used to be, as the ranch’s well went dry. … ” Read more from New Times SLO.
Biden-Harris Administration announces $13M WIFIA loan for the planning and design to modernize the Santa Felicia Dam
“Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) loan totaling $13 million to the United Water Conservation District in Oxnard, California. … This funding will support the planning and design to modernize the district’s largest surface water source, the Santa Felicia Dam, and expand the local drinking water supply by 20%. The Santa Felicia Dam is categorized as an extremely high hazard due to risks associated with seismic events, and United Water Conservation District reduced its reservoir capacity by 20% to comply with seismic reservoir restrictions. This WIFIA loan supports the planning and design costs for the dam’s modernization, which will enhance its resiliency to seismic events, improve stormwater management, expand drinking water supply, and protect public safety. The project will be constructed under a future WIFIA loan and will include a new outlet works system, expansion of a dam spillway, and a new outlet channel. … ” Continue reading from the EPA.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Forever chemicals at former NASA lab are leaking into LA River, say watchdogs
“Two highly toxic chemicals polluting a former Nasa research site are also probably contaminating the Los Angeles River and aquifer from which the region’s agricultural growers draw their water, watchdog groups and a whistleblower charge. The Santa Susana field laboratory about 30 miles north of downtown Los Angeles is already notorious for its radioactive waste, but the site, which is owned by the federal government and Boeing, is also now suspected of leaching polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) “forever chemicals” into the water. Despite evidence of the pollution and pressure from environmental groups to act, state regulators have so far allowed Boeing to continue polluting without a cleanup or proper monitoring for the dangerous chemicals, say the groups. … ” Read more from The Guardian.
Commentary: Delta project a key to future Santa Clarita Valley water
Matt Stone, general manager of SCV Water, writes, “Here in the Santa Clarita Valley, we are fortunate to enjoy a high quality of life. We pride ourselves on having created a wonderful place to live, work and raise a family, which can be attributed in part to maintaining a reliable supply of high-quality water. At the SCV Water Agency, our vision statement even underscores our commitment to that principle: “Exemplary water management for a high quality of life in the Santa Clarita Valley.” Yet the reliability of that water is less certain in the future. … ” Read more from The Signal.
Long Beach gears up to fight upstream sewage spills that pollute its coastline
“Long Beach had to close its coastline for 63 days over the last five years because of upstream sewage spills, but city staff told council members Tuesday that the total amount of economic or environmental damage caused by the recurring spills is hard to estimate. Beach closures caused by raw sewage are a perennial problem in Long Beach because the city is downstream from much of Los Angeles County. The Los Angeles and San Gabriel rivers carry debris and pollutants into the ocean, which can make bacteria levels in Long Beach’s water unsafe for use. Thanks to a robust sewage system, most of the spills don’t originate in Long Beach, which is significantly better at controlling its own overflows than other cities in the region and state on average, according to a report presented to the City Council’s Climate, Environmental and Coastal Protection Committee. But because it still suffers the consequences of other municipalities’ spills, Long Beach is now looking to advocate for other cities in the region to improve their aging infrastructure. … ” Read more from the Long Beach Post.
Twentynine Palms Water District officials: Coming water regulations are too costly
“Twentynine Palms Water District officials voiced concerns recently that new state water-quality regulations would push up rates. The State Water Resources Control Board is considering lowering the setting amount of hexavalent chromium to 10 parts per billion. The contaminant is found in local wells from natural sources. The new standard would be much lower than the 50 parts per billion currently allowed for total chromium, including hexavalent, trivalent and other forms of chromium. This regulation, Twentynine Palms Water District officials said, would be unique to California. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency limits the total chromium content in drinking water instead of individual forms of the element. … ” Read more from the Hi-Desert Star.
IMPERIAL/COACHELLA VALLEYS
A month after Hilary, people in hard-hit Palm Desert neighborhood still looking for help
“Standing outside her home in Palm Desert’s Spanish Walk neighborhood on a recent dusty morning, Lydia Duran recalled being “super, super happy” in her time living there — until Tropical Storm Hilary struck. Duran bought a first-floor condo in the community nestled between Gerald Ford Drive and Interstate 10 last year, so before the historic deluge in August, she hadn’t seen any major storms in her brief time in the desert. The neighborhood north of Frank Sinatra Drive, which sits directly across the interstate from Acrisure Arena, also falls outside of any FEMA-designated high-risk flood zones, offering some degree of reassurance. But as the rain poured in the Coachella Valley on Aug. 20 and 21, Duran began getting texts from her upstairs neighbors about the street flooding outside. Soon, mud and rainwater started to seep in through her garage and front door. … ” Read more from the Desert Sun.
Holtville takes steps toward trestle restoration
“The city’s vision to expand its Pete Mellinger Alamo River Trail beyond its current limits is closer to being realized with another step toward the restoration of the Holton Interurban Railway Bridge. A small step in that direction was taken on Monday night, Sept. 25, when the Holtville City Council unanimously granted its city manager the powers to execute California Department of Transportation contracts to move forward efforts to renovate the trestle bridge west of Highway 115 west of the Alamo River bank. “Eventually, when everything is completed, we are hoping the railroad trestle bridge can connect our current Mellinger Alamo River walking trail with the new wetlands we are finishing up just northwest of there,” Holtville Mayor Pro Tem Murray Anderson said on Tuesday, Sept. 26. “The wetlands are in the final stages and should be completed within a month or so.” … ” Read more from the Holtville Tribune.
SAN DIEGO
East County Advanced Water Purification Project progressing
“The East County Advanced Water Purification project is progressing, with construction underway at multiple East San Diego County locations. The project will create a new, local, sustainable, and drought-proof water supply using state-of-the-art technology to purify East San Diego County’s recycled water. Construction for the East County AWP is expected to be completed in 2025, and water production will begin in 2026. When completed, the project is expected to provide approximately 30% of current drinking water demands for East San Diego County residents and businesses. … ” Read more from the Water News Network.
‘Creative and constructive’: Supervisors advance Borrego Springs water rights
“The Board of Supervisors Wednesday unanimously advanced a proposed ordinance amendment that would align county regulations with a court ruling in connection with water rights in the Borrego Springs community. Supervisors also voted to find that the amended ordinance complies with state Environmental Quality Act guidelines. The supervisors will consider adopting the updated ordinance during a second reading, at their Oct. 11 meeting. In 2021, a San Diego Superior Court judge ruled that users in the Borrego Springs Subbasin have the right to pump groundwater. In connection, there is a required 70% reduction in groundwater use to comply with the state Sustainable Groundwater Management Act that must be achieved by 2040. … ” Read more from the Times of San Diego.
Along the Colorado River …
Where does the Colorado River start? Mapping the stream from the headwaters to the basins.
“The Colorado River crosses seven states and Mexico and is 1,450 miles long – the sixth longest in the nation according to river conservation organization American Rivers. More than a natural spectacle, the river supplies drinking water for one in 10 Americans and just half of the river water nourishes nearly 90% of the nation’s winter vegetable crops. But the constant demand means the river also faces aridification and overconsumption. Here’s everything you need to know about the river many call the “lifeline of the Southwest.” … ” Read more from USA Today.
Audio: Lake Mead’s rising levels this summer a mirage compared to future
“Remember that boat that was sticking up out of the dried-up bed of Lake Mead last summer? Recent photos have shown the water has risen to almost cover the boat again. So hallelujah, right? Not really. Las Vegas is growing. We have two new casinos about to open. The Sphere is going to open soon. The Formula 1 race is going to draw tens if not hundreds of thousands of people. Next year, we’ll have the Super Bowl. All those people are temporary, maybe you’re thinking. And that’s true. But the eyes they open to the business opportunities here means there is going to be more development. We’ve already heard of a multi-billion development coming to the south end of the Strip. That means more people. And more water use. And as most of us know, Southern Nevada gets the smallest slice of Colorado River out of seven states that share water from the river.” Guests: Pat Mulroy, former CEO, Southern Nevada Water Authority; Alex Hager, Colorado River Basin reporter; Tina Quigley, president and CEO, Las Vegas Global Economic Alliance. Listen at Nevada Public Radio.
How reclaimed wastewater is reviving tribal land
“Looking out along Old Maricopa Road — the state highway that cuts 17 miles north-south through the Gila River Indian Community reservation, just south of Phoenix — David DeJong saw barren land, fallow fields baking under the Arizona sun. It was the 1970s, and DeJong, then a teenager, was on one of his regular drives through the Gila River community from his hometown of Mesa to work on a family farm in Maricopa. “It was obvious to me that a lot of this land had been farmed, and I wanted to know why it wasn’t being farmed anymore,” says DeJong. “Something had happened here.” Today, the view from Old Maricopa Road, now State Highway 347, is greener than it was half a century ago. The Gila River Indian Community (GRIC) has been working to bring agriculture — and its lifeblood, water — back to its territory for 150 years. And in their fight, which has spanned federal courtrooms and irrigation canals, the community has found an unlikely and increasingly important tool: wastewater. … ” Read more from Reasons to be Cheerful.
In national water news today …
Food & Water Watch: The future of farming is uncertain. Here’s how we save it.
“As veteran reporter and author Tom Philpott says, our food system is incredibly productive — but also incredibly fragile. The consequences of this have become ever clearer over the past few years. We’re seeing it in the headlines, in our communities, and in grocery store prices, which have soared amid disease outbreaks, climate-fuelled disasters, and supply chain shocks. These kinds of crises now seem a part of everyday life. But our food system isn’t built to handle the stress — in fact, it’s caused or worsened many of these crises. Instead, our food system is designed to maximize corporate profits. Tom knows this well. He wrote his book, Perilous Bounty, after 20 years of reporting on food issues and a few years spent running his own farm. … ” Read more from Food & Water Watch.
As scarcity worsens, Mississippi River users seek protective compact.
“Looking ahead toward the future for one of the country’s most iconic rivers, officials have taken steps to better protect their local source water as climate change seems poised to present increasing challenges. “At the Mississippi River Cities and Towns Initiative’s (MRCTI) annual meeting … about 30 mayors unanimously voted in favor of pursuing a compact that would span more than 2,300 miles of river,” the MinnPost reported. “MRCTI’s executive director, Colin Wellenkamp, said a compact among the core states bordering the river would be a way to think about river management at watershed-scale, from the headwaters in Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico, and coordinate during events affecting the whole river, like drought and flooding.” … ” Read more from Water Online.
NASA-led study pinpoints areas of New York City sinking, rising
“Scientists using space-based radar found that land in New York City is sinking at varying rates from human and natural factors. A few spots are rising. Parts of the New York City metropolitan area are sinking and rising at different rates due to factors ranging from land-use practices to long-lost glaciers, scientists have found. While the elevation changes seem small – fractions of inches per year – they can enhance or diminish local flood risk linked to sea level rise. The new study was published Wednesday in Science Advances by a team of researchers from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California and Rutgers University in New Jersey. The team analyzed upward and downward vertical land motion – also known as uplift and subsidence – across the metropolitan area from 2016 to 2023 using a remote sensing technique called interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR). … ” Read more from NASA JPL.
Clock ticks for water utilities to join national PFAS settlements
“In? Or out? Thousands of water utilities across the Great Lakes region and nationwide will decide in the next three months whether to join two multibillion-dollar, class-action settlements against the largest producers of toxic PFAS chemicals that have tainted drinking water supplies. The settlements with 3M and DuPont, each having slightly different terms, could provide roughly 12,000 water providers with money to construct and operate facilities that remove the so-called “forever chemicals” from drinking water. The settlements come as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is developing first-ever drinking water regulations for six PFAS chemicals. Those regulations will impose substantial financial burdens for utilities dealing with contamination. The settlements could provide money for construction, but also prevent future litigation against the companies. … ” Read more from Circle of Blue.
Tire dust makes up the majority of ocean microplastics, study finds
“When contemplating the emissions from road vehicles, our first thought is often about the various gases coming out of the tailpipe. However, new research shows that we should be more concerned with the harmful particles that are shed from tires and brakes. Scientists have a good understanding of engine emissions, which typically consist of unburnt fuel, oxides of carbon and nitrogen, and particulate matter related to combustion. However, new research shared by Yale Environment 360 indicates that there may be a whole host of toxic chemicals being shed from tires and brakes that have been largely ignored until now. Even worse, these emissions may be so significant that they actually exceed those from a typical car’s exhaust output. … ” Read more from The Drive.
Also on Maven’s Notebook today …
ANNOUNCEMENT: CDFW Announces the Availability of $2 million to Support Non-Lethal Beaver Damage Management
ANNOUNCEMENT: Sierra Nevada Conservancy seeking input on Strategic Plan
