In California water news today …
BAY DELTA WATER QUALITY CONTROL PLAN
The Bay-Delta ecosystem is collapsing. California just unveiled rival rescue plans
“With the Bay-Delta watershed in the throes of an ecological crisis, California’s water regulators Thursday unveiled several controversial options for managing the heart of the state’s water supply. The long-awaited, nearly 6,000-page draft is part of a fiercely contentious but under-the-radar process to update the Bay-Delta Water Quality Control Plan, with high stakes for both wildlife and water providers serving cities and millions of acres of farms. State water officials have said that existing requirements for water quality and flow through the critical but imperiled San Francisco Bay and Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta watershed have “failed to protect fish and wildlife” and must be updated “to halt and reverse the ecosystem collapse.” Several of the strategies the report evaluates would set minimum amounts of water to remain in rivers and streams, which could ultimately require water suppliers and other water users to cut back on how much they divert for people and farms. … ” Read more from Cal Matters.
California wants to restore its rivers and San Francisco Bay to health. Here is its controversial plan
“California water regulators have teed up what promises to be one of the state’s biggest debates on water in years, releasing a long-anticipated proposal to revive dozens of rivers, creeks and wetlands by reining in the draws of cities and farms. The goal is nothing short of ensuring that sufficient water is flowing from the High Sierra to San Francisco Bay, to nourish vast and diverse landscapes, support fish and wildlife and halt the decline of the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, the largest estuary on the West Coast and the hub of the state’s water supply. The nearly 6,000-page document released Thursday, an update to what’s known as the Bay-Delta Plan, focuses on boosting water flows, and limiting pumping, in the delta and the Sacramento River basin. A previous update, in 2018, did the same for the San Joaquin River basin, to the south. Taken together, the two updates, once implemented, provide regulatory standards for the entire Sacramento-San Joaquin River watershed, from the Oregon border to Fresno. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
SEE ALSO: State Water Board initiates public planning process for Bay-Delta Plan updates, press release from the State Water Resources Control Board
REACTIONS: Here’s what water agencies and NGOs have to say about the State Water Board’s Bay Delta Plan environmental document
Yesterday, the State Water Board released its release of its draft staff report and Substitute Environmental Document for the Bay-Delta Water Quality Control Plan, which includes analysis of the voluntary agreements. Here’s what Metropolitan Water District, Restore the Delta and its coalition of tribes and NGOs, and the State Water Project Contractors and its coaliton of water agencies had to say. Click here to read the reactions.
OTHER CALIFORNIA WATER NEWS
November-like chill, rain, and mountain snow coming to West
“The most widespread and dramatic change to autumn weather of the season yet will overtake the West this weekend into next week. There have been some small patches of snow over the high country in the West in the last couple of weeks, but this chilly outbreak will be much more extensive and bring the season’s lowest temperatures by a significant margin. A large dip in the jet stream will form quickly over the interior West this weekend and will cause chilly air to develop in place. As the atmosphere chills, moisture will be drawn from the Pacific Ocean and wrung out in the form of rain, drizzle and high-country snow. … ” Read more from AccuWeather.
SEE ALSO: Rain is coming to California. This map shows the forecast near you, from the San Francisco Chronicle
It’s hard to predict what the coming El Niño will bring
“El Niño, once feared and nearly revered, has lost cachet. It poses the threat of massive, damaging storms in California and also the potential to quickly wipe out severe drought. But this periodically recurring atmospheric phenomenon in recent years has become just too unreliable to count on. This winter, a big emerging El Niño might bring Southern California deluges, perhaps destruction, as it did in the winters of 1982-83 and 1997-98. Many coastal roads, restaurants and businesses in San Diego County suffered damages in 1982-83. Statewide, damages topped $2 billion; in 1997-98, they topped $1 billion. But the coming El Niño could also be like the 2015-16 version, which was billed by some as a can’t-miss “Godzilla” that would inundate the state. Instead of a monster, that one turned out to be a mouse. California water managers were counting on that El Niño to produce, because the state was mired in a multi-year drought. But the 2015-16 El Niño mainly left the state high and drier. … ” Read more from the Voice of San Diego.
SEE ALSO: What a ‘super’ El Niño could mean for winter weather in each U.S. region, from the Washington Post
Video: California 2030: How can we maximize the state’s water supply?
C-WIN press release: Ten years after: tracking the promises, accomplishments and shortfalls of California’s Human Right to Water law
“In 2012, California passed the Human Right to Water Law (HRTW), the first state statute that defined water as a basic right. Widely heralded as landmark legislation in the campaign to provide equitable distribution of California’s most fundamental public trust resource, HRTW has improved the lives of hundreds of thousands of state residents. But as detailed in an analysis by water policy expert Max Gomberg, HRTW has also suffered some dramatic setbacks. Most notably, writes Gomberg in Environmental Law News, a publication of the California Lawyers Association, the legislation has failed to quickly provide safe drinking water to a million state residents; it hasn’t provided promised water bill assistance to struggling families; and it hasn’t assured adequate water and sanitation access to homeless people. … ” Read more from C-WIN.
NGO letter calls on Water Board to pay attention to lead and not lose millions of dollars to fix our problems
“Clean Water Action and our allies at NRDC, EWG, and CalPirg have been working on lead for a number of years, but the State Water Board’s staff has been loath to admit that Californians can be exposed to unsafe levels of lead via leaded connectors and galvanized pipes that are (or at one time were) downstream of leaded materials. While we do not have a plethora of actual lead pipes compared to other states, these materials are extremely problematic, demonstrated by recent studies finding schools and child care centers providing water with unsafe lead levels to children. The Board has failed to collect comprehensive information about how much of this lead or lead tainted material is out there and lost millions of federal funding as a result. This is part of a culture at the Board to cater to water systems who want to downplay lead and other toxic issues. And there is no reason for it at this time given that federal funding will pay for the removal of these materials. Fortunately, the Feds are giving CA another chance to provide information about the extent of lead in our systems serving the public. The attached letter is from a diverse group of organizations calling on the Water Board to stop putting its head in the sand, provide a comprehensive needs assessment for lead removal in CA, get the federal funds and use it to protect California’s people.” Click here to read the letter.
California court dismisses last remaining lawsuit against the state’s Delta Plan
“The California Court of Appeal has dismissed the remaining appeal challenging the state’s long-term management plan for the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, the Delta Plan. “The Court’s decision affirms the Council’s authority and role,” said Chair Virginia Madueño. “I look forward to building stronger relationships with stakeholders to ensure the long-term sustainability of the Delta.” The appeal, dismissed on September 1, was filed following a Sacramento County Superior Court decision in favor of the Council filed on November 4, 2022.1 All suits were terminated with strong decisions in favor of the Council’s authority to develop, amend, and implement the Delta Plan. … ” Read more from the Delta Stewardship Council.
Unique barrier on the Sacramento River will keep endangered fish on the right path
“Construction and diving crews are installing a new underwater barrier along a section of the Sacramento River designed to prevent endangered fish from taking a wrong turn, but it is not a physical barricade. On the Sacramento River near Walnut Grove, workers and divers on a construction barge are putting together a structure with lights that looks like a lighting grid that would hang over a rock concert. The structure, once complete, will create bubbles, make loud noises and include flashing lights. … ” Read more from KTXL.
Is California’s wildfire season finally over? Don’t bet on it, experts say
“California has entered fall amid notably moist conditions that have left some wondering whether this year’s fire season has officially fizzled. The state has seen about 276,000 acres burn so far this year — significantly less than the five-year average of 1,158,028 acres for the same year-to-date period, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. Experts said much of the mildness can be attributed to historic rains that soaked the state this year, including more than 30 atmospheric rivers that caused major flooding and record snowpack in the winter and spring, and a rare tropical storm that barreled through Southern California in August. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
Warming planet’s cold beer supply threatened by climate strain on hops, barley, water
“Earth’s changing climate is not just causing increasingly punishing droughts, intense wildfires, and extreme weather, it could disrupt the world’s beer supply by as much as 16%. Now, California scientists are brewing up solutions to the dilemma. In Oakland’s Fruitvale district during Oktoberfest, Morgan Cox brews and serves up all kinds of craft beers. On this day, he is making a batch of his Kolsch-style Town Beer. “It’s an ale that’s fermented at lager temperatures,” explained Cox. “It gives it a unique flavor.” … ” Read more from CBS News.
In commentary today …
Editorial: A wild water year is just the start of climate whiplash
The Santa Rosa Press Democrat editorial board writes, “California’s water year ends Saturday, and what a strange year it’s been. Just 12 months ago, the North Bay and all of California were struggling through a yearslong drought. Today the region is flush with water. Whiplashing between annual weather extremes is the new normal. When it rained here this week, it was the first precipitation in months. Dry summers through September are the historic norm in the North Bay, but this bit of September rain capped a wet and wild 2023 water year. (Official water years are labeled by the September in which they end.) In October, Santa Rosa recorded more than 10 inches of rain. December, January and March all saw huge, soaking downpours, too. More than 42 inches of rain fell over the past 12 months. That replenished aquifers and reservoirs that were below critical levels. Today, the Lake Sonoma and Lake Mendocino reservoirs hold twice as much water as they did a year ago. The region is in good shape for now. … ” Read more from the Santa Rosa Press Democrat.
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
Things to know about the Klamath River Dam Removal Project, the largest in US history
“The largest dam removal project in United States history is underway along the California-Oregon border. The project will remove four dams on the Klamath River. Work has already begun on removing the smallest of the four dams. The other three will come down next year. The project is part of a larger trend across the U.S. to remove dams blocking the natural flow of rivers and streams. Some things to know as the project gets going … ” Continue reading at US News & World Report.
Sonar technology provides more accurate counts of Eel River salmonids
“The South Fork Eel River is a salmon and steelhead stronghold and represents one of the best opportunities to restore wild fish abundance. This stretch of river has been impacted by excessive water diversions in many of its tributaries. Improving stream flows is critical to protecting key life-stages for coho salmon and steelhead survival. To inform our conservation work on the Eel, CalTrout works with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) to try to answer the question: how many salmon and steelhead are there in the South Fork Eel River? In the 2022-2023 season, we estimated almost 5000 fish passing through the system. Although 5000 may sound like a lot, these populations are well below the level needed to recover these species. We estimated this number using a Sound Metrics Dual Frequency Identification Sonar (DIDSON) camera system. … ” Read more from Cal Trout.
Trinidad Rancheria starts work on Harbor stormwater project
“The Cher-Ae Heights Indian Community of the Trinidad Rancheria will commence of construction of the Trinidad Harbor Stormwater Construction Project on Oct. 2 and conclude Oct. 30. Trinidad Rancheria purchased the Trinidad Harbor Property in January 2000. Since the purchase, the tribe has worked hard to mitigate hazardous waste and remove toxic materials left behind by previous commercial operations, and other sources of pollution such as used oil, hydraulic fluid, creosote and pollutants that affect groundwater and the Trinidad Bay. After first purchasing the property, Trinidad Harbor was identified by the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) as in violation of the California Ocean Plan and the Rancheria began work on mitigating several discharges to the Trinidad Head Area of Special Biological Significance (ASBS), which is home to the unique and diverse kelp forest ecosystem. … ” Read the full story at the Mad River Union.
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
Keep Tahoe Blue volunteers turn out to revitalize a meadow and creek
“Sawdust drifts into a small pile as a volunteer cuts a fallen log into six-foot lengths. Around her, a team of five is busy lopping pine boughs and carefully placing timber across a narrow stretch of Saxon Creek in the community of Meyers, mimicking the work of beavers who once lived there. If they’re successful, this “beaver dam analog” will help restore the creek’s natural, meandering course, filter out sediments that degrade Lake Tahoe’s clarity, and invite the beavers to return. The work was one of a half dozen projects undertaken by 70 volunteers as part of Tahoe Forest Stewardship Days (TFSD), a semi-annual ecosystem restoration event hosted by the League to Save Lake Tahoe since 1997. … ” Read more from South Tahoe Now.
Hydraulic oil leak into Indian Creek Reservoir
“On Thursday, September 28, approximately fifteen gallons of hydraulic oil leaked into Indian Creek Reservoir and the reservoir is closed for recreational use. Indian Creek Reservoir is a freshwater reservoir in Alpine County operated by the South Tahoe Public Utility District. Fresh water is released out of the reservoir through a dam into Indian Creek. … ” Read more from the Tahoe Daily Tribune.
Rise Grass Valley petition for vested rights hearing rescheduled to December 13
“The Board of Supervisors has rescheduled a hearing to December 13 on Rise Grass Valley’s petition for vested rights to conduct mining operations at the Idaho Maryland Mine. The hearing was originally scheduled for October 27. Due to the unprecedented volume of material provided to the County in the petition, and the responses that are expected to be submitted by the public, the Board rescheduled the hearing to provide County staff additional time to review and respond to Rise Grass Valley’s petition. “With over 2,000 pages submitted with the petition for recognition of vested rights, which far exceeds most other known petitions for vested rights, and after consultation with our outside counsel, it was clear that we needed additional time to review and analyze the petition,” explained County Counsel Kit Elliott, adding that “the issues involved are unique and complex and staff want to make sure that all history is verified, and the legal analysis is complete before preparing the presentation before the Board of Supervisors.” … ” Read more from YubaNet.
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
Butte County provides additional funding for Palermo water project
“Butte County took another step forward on Tuesday in its ongoing Palermo Clean Water Consolidation Project by way of approving additional grant funding for construction. The Butte County Board of Supervisors approved $3 million in American Rescue Plan Act funding for the project in October 2021 to get the ball rolling. The first phase of the project, the design draft, came at a cost of $364,908 and is now complete, prompting the board to release the remainder of the pledged funding during its meeting on Tuesday. Born out of concerns for Palermo’s current water system and the area’s high flood risk, the project’s goal is to connect hundreds of parcels as well as a fire station to the South Feather Water and Power Agency’s system. Butte County Water and Resource Conservation Director Kamie Loeser said the project’s construction costs are estimated at $12,440,290. In total, 380 parcels would be connected to the water system. … ” Read more from the Chico Enterprise-Record.
Sacramento set to activate its biggest groundwater plant. Why some might notice tap water change
“The city of Sacramento aims to activate its biggest groundwater treatment facility by mid-October, seven years after construction for the project began. Once the plant — which is located near Cosumnes River College — begins producing up to 4 million gallons of drinking water a day, people living in the Shasta neighborhood could notice their tap water change, Department of Utilities spokesperson Carlos Eliason said. Some residents could sense more of a mineral taste associated with well water compared to the treated river water the area has received, Eliason said. But while drinking water preferences depend on the person, he said the Shasta Groundwater Treatment Facility will improve the entire city’s water supply. … ” Read more from Capital Public Radio.
Is your smelly tap water safe to drink? Here’s what Sacramento city officials say
“Has your tap water recently acquired an earthy, organic smell and taste? Well, there’s a reason for that. This natural, reoccurring phenomenon tends to happen in the region’s water during the late summer and early fall, according to a city of Sacramento news release Wednesday. “As summer turns into fall, naturally occurring organic materials accumulate in upstream reservoirs and in rivers — where we get most of our water from,” said Mark Severeid, a Department of Utilities water quality superintendent, in the news release. “Although the treatment process filters and disinfects the water, some organic compounds remain.” … ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee.
BAY AREA
Marin wetlands proposed for federal reserve expansion
“Two of Marin County’s largest wetlands could become part of a federal reserve under a proposal by a group of U.S. lawmakers. Reps. John Garamendi, Jared Huffman and Mike Thompson — Democrats who represent counties in the North Bay — are drafting legislation that would expand the San Pablo Bay National Wildlife Refuge by nearly 7,000 acres. Among the areas proposed for inclusion are more than 2,000 acres of state-managed wetlands near the Bel Marin Keys and Hamilton areas of Novato. … ” Read more from the Marin Independent Journal.
Aging Berkeley waste facility violated laws for treating stormwater, inspections show
“In two independent inspections over the past year, the city of Berkeley’s trash and recycling hub was found in violation of clean water laws. The violations pertain to how stormwater is managed at the seven-acre Second Street transfer station and recycling processing site — the legally required steps the city must take to help prevent harmful pollutants from flowing or seeping into nearby creeks and the San Francisco Bay. Most regulation is under the federal Clean Water Act, enforced by the state Water Resources Control Board, and its regional offices. Violations included clogged drains, overflowing stacks of recycled materials, lingering oily sheen and incomplete required testing and reporting. At least some were observed after last winter’s heavy rainfall. … ” Read more from Berkeleyside.
Rain is expected in these Bay Area cities this weekend
“A typical early fall low-pressure system is approaching California from the Pacific Northwest, raising the chance for light showers across the Bay Area this weekend. Breezy winds and clouds ahead of the system will move across the Bay Area at midday Friday, a precursor to the precipitation to come. Rain chances begin Friday afternoon and continue until Saturday evening. Accumulations will be minimal and range from a few hundredths of an inch in the North Bay and isolated spots of more than a quarter inch in the Santa Cruz Mountains and Diablo Range. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
Flood insurance out of reach for many businesses in Planada
“A study by the ABC Owned Television Stations Group shows many Americans with homes and businesses at risk of flooding in the next thirty years don’t have flood insurance. That includes many people impacted by the winter storms here in Central California. A clear sunny day in Planada could lead you to believe the winter floods are a distant memory, but clean-up and repairs are still happening around town. “I just think about that time, and it’s awful,” said Deanna Adame, Deanna’s Hair Salon. “This is my baby, you know?” The January floods are still fresh in Deanna Adame’s mind. … ” Read more from KFSN.
Kings River’s 2022-23 runoff sets a record
“The 2023-24 Water Year still has a week to go but Kings River runoff has already established an all-time record as a result of the past winter’s massive Sierra Nevada snowstorms and significant summer rainfall. The Kings River Water Association now expects that when the current water year concludes Saturday, September 30, the river’s annual runoff will total approximately 4.5 million acre-feet. Kings River Watermaster Steve Haugen said this year’s total runoff eclipsed the river’s 40-yearold water supply record on Sunday, September 17. That’s when the 2022-23 total passed 4.4763 million acre-feet, the amount of unimpeded full calculated natural flow that occurred in another big central Sierra water year, 1982-83. … ” Read more from California Ag Today.
Bakersfield hires former assistant director of Water Resources Department to lead the department
“Following a nationwide recruitment effort, the City of Bakersfield is pleased to announce that Kristina Budak has been hired to lead the City’s Water Resources Department, effective Oct. 2, 2023. Budak’s hiring marks a return to the City of Bakersfield after spending nearly two years serving as the Engineering and Groundwater Services Manager for the Kern County Water Agency in Bakersfield. … “I am looking forward to returning to the City of Bakersfield to join the leadership team and support the City’s efforts to provide water to the City’s residents as the City continues to grow,” said Budak, who holds a Bachelor of Science in Mining Engineering degree from Montana College of Mineral Science and Technology in Butte, Mont. and is a Licensed Civil Engineer in the State of California. … ” Read more from SJV Water.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Corps, Newport Beach partner during cleanup event at salt marsh
“On a picture-perfect sunny California morning, representatives with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District and the City of Newport Beach hosted a cleanup event Sept. 23 at the Santa Ana River Marsh in Newport Beach. A total of 54 registered citizens and Corps volunteers participated, removing trash and debris, with security and support accessing the site by the Orange County Sheriff’s Department. The cleanup of the 92-acre saltwater marsh area was in recognition of National Public Lands Day. Corps Park Rangers set up shade with water safety information and a table with Bobber the Water Safety Dog coloring books that proved popular with the youngest volunteers. … ” Read more from the Army Corps of Engineers.
Commentary: Santiago Creek – Saving one of Orange County’s longest natural waterways
Les Hall writes, “The largest tributary flowing into the Santa Ana River south of the Prado Dam is Santiago Creek and few residents of Orange County even know it exists. One of the longest waterways entirely within Orange County it starts in the Santa Ana Mountains and ends at the Santa Ana River, and it flows through the cities of Orange, Villa Park and Santa Ana.It’s also the last naturalized creek in Santa Ana, with multiple varieties of trees, some almost 100 years old and 80 feet tall, and home to federally protected bird species as well as hawks, owls, parrots and other wildlife and specifically designated as a Bird Sanctuary.In Santa Ana’s portion of Santiago Creek the Chicago District of the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) wants to remove essentially all of the trees and other vegetation adjacent to the Creek and build a 6,400 foot long trapezoidal flood control channel lined with riprap. … But first a major question: why is this project assigned to the Chicago District of the USACE and not the Los Angeles District? … ” Read more from the Voice of the OC.
IMPERIAL/COACHELLA VALLEYS
LAND OF EXTREMES: The Salt Water Saga: A Waterway of Surprises
“In the early 1900s there was no body of water called the Salton Sea. This barren wasteland was instead known as the Salton Sink. It was only through a series of errors and natural water flow that the Salton Sea was created. For a moment the Salton Sink seemed to be a promising jewel within the Imperial Valley. Innovation would prove to be costly as people at the time couldn’t have foreseen what was coming. In the late 1800s, Charles Rockwood and his partner Anthony Heber created the California Development Company (CDC). The local CDC was created to replace the Colorado River Irrigation Company, which was supposed to find ways to irrigate the Colorado Desert. The CDC’s primary goal was to find ways to divert water from the Colorado River into canals around the Colorado River serving the Coachella, Imperial Valley and Salton Sink basin in hopes of turning the desert into agricultural green fields. … ” Continue reading at the Imperial Valley Press.
SAN DIEGO
Community to get chance to weigh in on possible Escondido water rate increases
“Escondido city leaders on Thursday night will hear from the community regarding a proposal to raise city water rates over the next five years. Under the proposal, customers who receive water from the City of Escondido would see a rate increase of 8.5 percent on Jan. 1, 2024, followed by four yearly increases of 9 percent every July 1 from 2024-2027. Additionally, wastewater and recycled water rates would go up 9 percent on Jan. 1, 2024, with three annual increases of 7 percent every July 1 from 2024-2026. A 5 percent increase would then take place on July 1, 2027. … ” Read more from Channel 10.
Along the Colorado River …
Survey reveals barriers, opportunities to Colorado River water conservation
“Drought, growing demand and climate change have led to increasingly frequent water shortages in the West, and a new report on a survey of agricultural water users in the Colorado River Basin lends insight into what is being done — and can be done — to address the issue. “Landowners control much of the West’s water and the management of its watersheds. And they’re really key to being a part of finding and implementing solutions in this space,” said Hallie Mahowald, chief programs manager for Western Landowners Alliance and coauthor of the report. It’s critical to understand their perspective and solicit their input to develop successful strategies to address water issues, she said during a webinar on Tuesday highlighting the survey results. … ” Read more from the Capital Press.
Senators urged to step up after Supreme Court ruling on Navajo water rights
“Crystalyne Curley told a U.S. Senate panel Wednesday that the Navajo Nation Council is 100 years old this year – and that the tribe’s fight for water access has been going on for at least that long. Curley, the speaker of the Navajo Council, made the comments at a Senate Indian Affairs Committee hearing on the government’s trust obligations to ensure water access for tribes. Most of the senators and witnesses at the hearing in Washington, D.C., agreed that there is a legal obligation, but Curley said it goes beyond that. “I grew up without running water, and so did many of my relatives,” Curley said. “We used to live in a small area and community. So this was at the forefront for most.” … ” Read more from the Arizona Capitol Times.
The 2023 Phoenix monsoon was the driest on record
“The monsoon for 2023 in Phoenix will do down as the driest since 1895, when weather records began being kept regularly in the area. We only got 0.15″ of an inch of rain at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport, less than half the rain of the previous driest monsoon in 1924.The rainfall was also well below the normal of about 2.43 inches each monsoon. The wettest, which is an amazing number, was 9 ½ inches in 1984. … ” Read more from Arizona Family.
In national water news today …
Disaster recovery projects stall nationwide as FEMA runs out of money
“It’s been a tough year for residents of Perry County, Kentucky, and the federal government isn’t making it much easier right now. Raging flood waters ravaged the mountain county of 28,000 last year, sweeping away homes and killing at least three people. The underfunded local government has been able to recover only with help from Washington, which promised about $3.7 million to repair roads and buy out flooded homeowners. Last month, after the county had spent $2 million of its own money on recovery efforts, County Judge Scott Alexander received a concerning letter from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA. The agency was running low on money, the letter said, and it was pausing the reimbursements it had promised. Not only would the county not be paid back for its road repairs, it also wouldn’t receive money for home buyouts. The projects would be suspended until Congress gave FEMA more cash. That’s left homeowners in limbo, and the county with a fiscal hole that’s equivalent to 10 percent of its annual budget. … ” Read moire from Grist.
National water and climate report …
The Natural Resources Conservation Service produces this weekly report using data and products from the National Water and Climate Center and other agencies. The report focuses on seasonal snowpack, precipitation, temperature, and drought conditions in the U.S.
dmrpt-20230928
