Dianne Feinstein championed the environment. On California water, her legacy is complicated
“It was 1990, and a self-identified city girl in a denim skirt and boots perched herself atop bales of hay near Los Banos in California’s farming heartland. Dianne Feinstein was running for governor and looking for votes. But the former San Francisco mayor lost the race to Pete Wilson, a more familiar face in the world of Central Valley agribusiness. Feinstein would win election to the Senate two years later and become a powerhouse, the longest serving woman U.S. senator. With her passing this week, she left behind a strong legacy on the environment, brokering deals to restore precious landscapes. On California water, her record is less straightforward. It was marked by a testy relationship with environmentalists, strong rapport with the state’s agricultural power brokers and a ferocious work ethic that led her to master the subject. … ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee.
Losing a general in California’s water wars
“Whoever succeeds Sen. Dianne Feinstein will likely be a climate and environment champion. That’s just the nature of California politics. The real question is where her successor will stand on the state’s water wars. They may be down to a simmer now thanks to a wet winter, but they’ll erupt again as soon as the next drought hits — a condition made more likely by climate change. Agricultural interests are already bending Gov. Gavin Newsom’s ear on who they want to replace her. They’ve floated Rep. Jim Costa (D-Calif.) and state Sen. Anna Caballero (D-Salinas). Feinstein was known for her willingness to represent agricultural interests and her ability, despite hailing from urban, liberal San Francisco, to work across the aisle with congressional Republicans who represent the Central Valley. … ” Read more from Politico.
SEE ALSO: Farmers are already lobbying Newsom on Feinstein’s replacement, from Politico
Feinstein’s legacy: Shaping policy on gun control, water and LGBTQ rights
“Sen. Dianne Feinstein was an enduring force in myriad national debates, with a political career that spanned decades, including a 30-year run in Washington that made her the longest-serving female senator in U.S. history. The veteran lawmaker, who got her start in scrappy San Francisco politics, was thrust to the fore of the gun control issue after the shooting deaths of two colleagues, Mayor George Moscone and city Supervisor Harvey Milk. It became a cause she vigorously pursued in Congress. Following her middle-of-the-road approach, she also became a broker in the unrelenting water wars of the West, while her longtime ties to the LGBTQ community, strengthened by her time as mayor of San Francisco during the AIDS epidemic, drove her advocacy for LGBTQ rights. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
STATEMENTS
Association of California Water Agencies: Executive Director Dave Eggerton: ““The California water community has lost a friend and one of its greatest champions with the passing of Senator Feinstein. ACWA honored the Senator in 2017 with its Legislative Leadership Award for her remarkable work in steering California drought legislation through Congress and helping to pass in 2016 the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation (WIIN) Act. Senator Feinstein was a legendary advocate for water resources management and has left an extraordinary legacy of leadership in Western water. ACWA sends its heartfelt condolences to the senator’s family, loved ones and staff.”
Metropolitan Water District: “”Senator Feinstein was a true champion of water, conservation, and sustainability. She headlined the opening of Diamond Valley Lake and stood by Metropolitan and the people of Southern California through several rounds of negotiations on the Colorado River. Our general managers and board chairs over the decades cherished her for being honest and forthright as we began facing the realities of climate change also impacting our supplies from the Sacramento Bay-Delta,” said board Chair Adán Ortega, Jr. and General Manager Adel Hagekhalil in a joint statement.”
San Luis & Delta Mendota Water Authority: “It is with heavy hearts that we heard the news of Senator Feinstein’s passing last night. She was a trailblazer, a formidable and unyielding legislator for the causes she believed in, and was always focused on forging compromise amongst frequently competing interests in the management of California’s complex water system for the best outcome for California’s people and it’s environment,” said Cannon Michael, Chairman of the San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Authority. “Her legacy lives on in her family, the lives of so many she touched, and the significant engagement over a long legislative career, including the passage of the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation (WIIN Act), the San Joaquin River Restoration Settlement Act, and the Calfed Bay-Delta Authorization Act, as well as the countless millions of dollars she was able to secure to improve California’s water infrastructure over her storied career.”
Valley Water: “At Valley Water, we always had a strong ally in Senator Feinstein to partner on our mission to supply safe, clean water, flood protection, and environmental stewardship. She led the charge in addressing critical water challenges in California, working across the aisle and with diverse stakeholders to achieve results. Nowhere was her impact more strongly felt in Santa Clara County than in the protection and restoration of the South San Francisco Bay shoreline. She helped broker the sale of the Cargill salt ponds in 2003, laying the groundwork for Valley Water’s South San Francisco Bay Shoreline Project and the South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project – a critical sea level rise protection project and the largest wetlands restoration project on the West Coast. These projects will protect the people and environment in our region for generations.”
Western Growers: President & CEO Dave Puglia: “Senator Feinstein’s public service to California will be remembered fondly by people from every region of the state, from urban to rural. For those striving to protect and strengthen California’s farms and the communities connected to agriculture, Senator Feinstein was our champion. She leaned into seemingly intractable issues, especially water supply and immigration, to bring diverse interests together. No one ever doubted her mastery of the details or her drive to reach pragmatic compromises that would break through the ideological logjams that are too common in our politics today. Senator Feinstein’s dedication to sound public policy will continue to serve the people of California agriculture for many years to come. The members and staff of Western Growers send our condolences to her family, friends and staff. She will be deeply missed.”
Westlands Water District: General Manager Allison Febbo: “Senator Feinstein was a trailblazer who opened up doors and was not afraid to fight for what she believed in. She was a thoughtful, skilled, and passionate legislator, and a friend to the Valley. Her leadership on important water policy will live on as part of her legacy and her expertise and tenacity will be dearly missed.”
In California water news this weekend …
Why California’s weather is set up for abrupt seasonal shifts soon
“Summer-like heat waves will likely yield to the first storms of the water year in the coming weeks as dramatic weather swings arrive in October. A high pressure system is expected to haul unusually hot temperatures and dry air to California next week. Seasonal changes will then begin to undercut heat as cold and wet areas of low pressure increase in coverage during the second half of the month. Coastal residents in cities like San Francisco and Los Angeles can expect unusually high daytime temperatures, up to 15 degrees above average, in the first week of October. Thermometers could easily hit the 80s in towns along Highways 1 and 101 by Wednesday. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
SGMA happens
“The Kern Subbasin GSAs – and there are about 17 of them – have agreed on a common approach to setting minimum thresholds. A lack of coordination between these GSAs in their originally submitted plans was a big reason for their subbasin being deemed “inadequate” by the Department of Water Resources and thereby moving the Kern Subbasin into a relationship with the State Water Resources Control Board. … The Kaweah Subbasin is working on a common approach to minimum thresholds as well. … ” Read the full update from the Milk Producers Council.
More California flood victims take steps to sue local, state agencies over winter floods
“More Central San Joaquin Valley residents plan to sue local and state agencies who they say failed to prevent flooding that devastated their homes and community in March. Nearly seven months after a series of winter atmospheric rivers brought heavy rains that overwhelmed water infrastructure and caused the Tulare County city of Woodlake to flood, residents are taking steps to sue local and state agencies over what they say was failure to ensure the proper operation of floodgates and storm drains. About 100 Tulare County residents and business owners, primarily residing in Woodlake, have partnered with Los Angeles-based law firm, Kabateck LLP, to file claims – the first step before they can sue public entities under state law. … ” Read more from the Fresno Bee.
California-Nevada Drought & Climate Outlook Webinar: September 25, 2023
“We’re in for an El Niño winter—and likely a strong one. The El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is expected to continue through December 2023 to February 2024, according to the National Weather Service’s Climate Prediction Center. El Niño typically brings wet winter weather to California and Nevada, but what areas is this El Niño cycle expected to favor? Tune in to this month’s Drought & Climate Outlook Webinar for a discussion on the expected impacts of ENSO along with a regular drought and climate update. … ” Read more from NIDIS.
Fire retardant has killed thousands of fish in the Pacific Northwest, including endangered salmon species
“The U.S. Forest Service (USFS) invented fire retardant in the 1950s and for decades the agency has said it’s one of the most important tools to slow the progression of fast-moving wildfires. But when the bright red retardant, dropped from aircraft, accidentally misses the mark and ends up in waterways, it can be lethal to aquatic life, including salmon and steelhead on the endangered species list. The retardant contains ammonium phosphate – a high source of elemental nitrogen used as an ingredient in certain fertilizers used by farmers. It’s also highly toxic to fish and other aquatic life. Thousands of steelhead were killed in Omak Creek on the Colville Indian Reservation in Eastern Washington in two retardant drops that mistakenly landed in the water in 2001 and again in 2003. … ” Read more from King 5.
As heat waves warm the Pacific Ocean, effects on marine life remain murky
“Scientists are pretty good at recognizing marine heat waves: A global network of thousands of oceanic buoys and orbiting satellites allow them to see, in real time, ocean surface temperatures, changing currents and storm systems as they develop, move or stall from the Antarctic to the North Pole. What’s harder to see is what’s happening to the marine ecosystems below — to the fish, invertebrates, plants and mammals. “There’s sort of a disconnect between temperature and how something like temperature impacts species distribution patterns or how fisheries are operating or how protected species might be responding,” said Jarrod Santora, a fisheries biologist with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. “There’s a big jump between what we identify as a temperature anomaly and process in the ocean.” … ” Read more from the LA Times.
Podcasts …
WHAT MATTERS: Desalination decoded
Get ready to explore the cutting-edge world of desalination and uncover the future of water supply in Southern California! Join us as we dive headfirst into this technology with four distinguished guests from San Diego County Water Authority, Eastern Municipal Water District, Las Virgenes Municipal Water District and South Coast Water District. Learn how these projects work, their impact on California’s thirst during dry times and so much more today only on What Matters Water TV + Podcast! From coastlines to arid inland regions, seawater and brackish water desalination projects are popping up like never before. But how do they work? What is the environmental impact? And can they really quench California’s thirst during those dry times? Are they truly drought proof? Joining us to answer these questions are four distinguished guests, each at the helm of a water agency contributing to this critical conversation.
WATER IS A MANY SPLENDOR’ED THING PODCAST: Lessons Learned
Klamath Falls, Oregon, found out in 2001 how tough life can become when water is in short supply. They knew that they could no longer act as if the water shortage issues were not going on and continuing business as usual. And you can be sure they did something about it. Water is a Many Splendor ’ed Thing brings you another water relationship that has a personally significant impact to your life. Produced by Steven Baker, Bringing People Together to Solve Water Problems, water@operationunite.co 530-205-6388
TAPPED: Water and copper in Arizona
We wrap up our look at the 5 Cs of Arizona’s economy with an examination of copper. The state is dotted with towns that at some point relied on mineral extraction for jobs. And that industry’s historical practices around water use have reflected the state’s feelings about both natural resources, whether it’s dropping slag into rivers in the early-to-mid 1900s or efforts to squeeze and treat every drop of water out of today’s tailings. How does this stalwart of Arizona’s economy compare to others when it comes to water use?
LAWYER 2 LAWYER: Environmental Law Series, part two: NEPA & CEQA: Courts, City councils, envvironmental consequences, and filing lawsuits
In this episode of our Environmental Law series, host Craig Williams is once again joined by Alisha M. Winterswyk, an attorney from Best Best & Krieger, LLP, as they continue their discussion on NEPA & CEQA. The conversation moves into the specifics of how courts deal with decisions by city councils that dealing with environmental consequences, and on the other side, how citizens deal with this whole process by filing lawsuits.
Return to topIn regional water news this weekend …
NORTH COAST
Klamath River reach prepped for post dam removal flows
“The Yurok Tribe and the Klamath River Renewal Corporation (KRRC), in collaboration with the Shasta Indian Nation, recently started preparing a stretch of the Klamath River to flow freely for the first time in a century. The soon-to-be dismantled Klamath Hydroelectric Project has blocked fish passage and altered river flows for over 100 years. In Kikacéki, a place sacred to the Shasta Indian Nation, there is an area commonly known as Ward’s Canyon where the river has lacked consistent flows for nearly a century. In 1925 the construction of Copco No. 2 dam was completed, diverting the river into a tunnel that traveled nearly 2 miles downstream to a powerhouse, dewatering the historic reach of river canyon. In the absence of sustained river flows, a dense stand of trees colonized the riverbed within the steep canyon. … ” Read more from the Del Norte Triplicate.
Wade in the water: Stories of the Klamath River
“This is where it begins, right here in Klamath Falls. The headwaters of the 257-mile Klamath River originate from the lake in our own backyard, Upper Klamath Lake. Water flows are carried all the way to the river’s mouth at the Pacific Ocean just south of CrescentCity, Calif. In the era of dam removal, severe drought and worsening water shortages, the stories of the Klamath River and the peoples and wildlife who depend on its resources are plentiful and urgent. For any journalist to paint the big picture for readers, hands-on work in the field is often the most effective approach, as opposed to the new-age format of conducting interviews via phone calls and Zoom meetings. But for many reporters, photographers, videographers and freelancers, the story often is more than a short drive down the road, making virtual interviews the only option. … ” Read more from the Herald & News.
A tale of two rivers in Mendocino County: Where the Eel and Russian Rivers meet
“The water supply for the southern half of inland Mendocino County is dependent on water from the Russian River. The West Fork begins on Tomki Road in Redwood Valley. The East Fork begins at the top of Powerhouse Road in Potter Valley and flows south into Coyote Valley which is flooded and becomes Lake Mendocino. The East Fork and West Fork join just beyond Coyote Dam in an area called The Forks on Lake Mendocino Drive. From there, the Russian snakes south past the City of Ukiah, Talmage then runs along Old River Road into the Sanel Valley, the town of Hopland, then exits Mendocino County. … ” Read more from the Ukiah Daily Journal.
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
Tahoe, Donner Lake levels: A successful water year
“This year has shown immense promise for both Tahoe and Donner. Lake Tahoe’s current elevation is 6227.8 feet above sea level, just shy of the maximum legal limit of 6,229.10. With a natural rim at 6,223.00 feet above sea level, this allows for 6.1 feet of reservoir storage from the natural rim to the top of the dam in Tahoe City. While it’s encouraging that the lake has recovered from being below the natural rim in December, Heather M. Segale, Education and Outreach Director at the UC Davis Tahoe Environmental Research Center, notes that higher water levels, devastatingly enough, lead to reduced beach areas. … ” Read more from the Tahoe Daily Tribune.
Placer County Water Agency receives state approval to acquire Weimar Water Company
“The Placer County Water Agency (PCWA) is pleased to report that its purchase of Weimar Water Company was approved on September 21, by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC). This consolidation means Weimar’s 550-plus customers will benefit from improved water supply reliability and more stable water rates.In addition, the acquisition helps PCWA fulfill several long-range strategic goals, which will bring greater operating efficiencies that benefit existing customers. PCWA initially announced the consolidation in February, following voluntary discussions with the owners of Weimar Water Company, an investor-owned utility. The commission’s approval allows PCWA to assume responsibility for operating and maintaining the Weimar water system. … ” Read more from YubaNet.
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
DWR gives update on Lake Oroville
“The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) said Friday that Lake Oroville is at 835 feet elevation with a storage of about 2.62 million acre-feet, which is 74% of its total capacity and 136% of the historical average. Water released into the Feather River stood at 7,500 cubic feet per second (cfs) as of Friday. “Flows through the city of Oroville are at 650 cfs and releases from the Thermalito Afterbay Outlet (Outlet) are at 6,850 cfs for a total of 7,500 cfs downstream of the Outlet,” officials said. “DWR continues to assess releases to the Feather River daily.” … ” Read more from the Appeal Democrat.
NAPA/SONOMA
North Bay rain totals lowered slightly as storm nears region
“The North Bay will wake up to steady rainfall Monday — the result of an anticipated storm, described as an atmospheric river sans the tropical moisture, that forecasters expected to begin falling in the region Sunday night. The National Weather Service predicts the showers will continue through the day on Monday well into the evening. Despite this, meteorologists downgraded their earlier North Bay rainfall estimates Sunday, hours before the anticipated storm was expected to reach the region. … ” Read more from the Santa Rosa Press Democrat.
BAY AREA
‘Is it drinkable?’: Concerns continue over quality of tap water in East Palo Alto
“East Palo Alto residents are continuing to question the quality of their water. On Thursday, the nonprofit organization Nuestra Casa held a community event to help connect residents directly affected. Resident Toby Goldberg said there are still issues present. “There have been a few incidents where water got cutoff temporarily, I’m also concerned about water quality – I don’t drink the water directly from our tap, I won’t drink it unless it’s filtered,” Goldberg said. … ” Read more from KGO.
CENTRAL COAST
A fight over precious groundwater in a rural California town is rooted in carrots
“In the hills of a dry, remote patch of California farm country, Lee Harrington carefully monitors the drips moistening his pistachio trees to ensure they’re not wasting any of the groundwater at the heart of a vicious fight. He is one of scores of farmers, ranchers and others living near the tiny town of New Cuyama who have been hauled into court by a lawsuit filed by two of the nation’s biggest carrot growers, Grimmway Farms and Bolthouse Farms, over the right to pump groundwater. The move has saddled residents in the community 100 miles (161 kilometers) northwest of Los Angeles with mounting legal bills and prompted them to post large signs along the roadway calling on others to boycott carrots and “Stand with Cuyama.” … ” Read more from the Associated Press.
Grover Beach proposes water rate increase to pay for Central Coast Blue
“Grover Beach is looking to raise water and wastewater rates almost 20 percent beginning in 2024 to help fund infrastructure improvements and Central Coast Blue project costs. Matthew Bronson, Grover Beach’s city manager, said that a recent rate study looked at the needs in the city’s water and wastewater system, what the operating costs were, and how much reserves the city had on hand. “We did our rate study in the summer and it indicated that our current revenue from our water and wastewater system did not suffice for what our future needs were for infrastructure and ensuring adequate water supply,” Bronson said. … ” Read more from New Times SLO.
Ventura: Forecast calls for a damp end to an unusually wet water year. Here’s what to know
“Ventura County got drenched during a wet 2022-23, defying early predictions of another in a string of dry years for the region. Now, the forecast calls for another bout of showers at the end of the water year, which runs from October through September. The National Weather Service expects local areas could see a quarter-inch to a half-inch of rain this weekend. That may bump up 2022-23 rainfall totals. As of Friday, some local spots already had reached double that of a normal season, according to preliminary figures from the Ventura County Watershed Protection District. Ojai recorded more than 44 inches and Santa Paula had received 38 inches, more than double their normal rainfall. … ” Read more from the Ventura County Star.
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
Creek beds to be used for groundwater recharge and to improve water quality in Kaweah subbasin
“A fast-acting recharge project in a creek bed near Lindsay is scheduled to break ground in December, one of three such projects underway in the East Kaweah Groundwater Sustainability Agency. Lindmore Irrigation District’s Lewis Creek Recharge Project will capture water via a siphon from the Friant-Kern Canal when supplies are available, and send it along nine miles of the creek bed that winds past the disadvantaged communities of Lindsay and Tonyville. The creek bed’s alluvial soils — deposited over centuries — are the best way to sink water fast, according to water managers. The Lewis Creek project could put up to 3,000 acre feet a year into the aquifer, when water is available. … ” Read more from SJV Water.
SAN DIEGO
A very wet year for San Diego
“San Diego’s water year ends Saturday — and it will be recorded as the 14th wettest year on record for the city. A recorded 15.72 inches of rain fell at the San Diego Airport over the past 12 months. The weather station there typically sees about 9.5 inches a year. It was the wettest year ever on Palomar Mountain. Rainfall there totaled 69.24 inches. … ” Read more from KPBS.
Along the Colorado River …
Colorado River officials to expand troubled water conservation program in 2024
“Colorado River officials plan to expand a conservation program next year that pays farmers and ranchers to use less water. But questions remain about some of the proposed ideas and the program’s overall efficacy. The state initially launched the System Conservation Pilot Program in 2015 as a part of a multistate effort to conserve water from the Colorado River, which provides water for millions of residents throughout seven states as well as Mexico. The effort was designed to see if conservation efforts could stabilize the water levels in critical reservoirs along the river, like Lake Powell. While there have been some challenges, the project is set to expand in 2024, Colorado Water Conservation Board Director Lauren Ris said during the National Community Reinvestment Coalition’s Just Economy conference in Denver on Sept. 27. … ” Read more from the Colorado Newsline.
Also on Maven’s Notebook this weekend …
REMINDER: Upcoming Deadlines for County Planning Assistance
AVAILABLE FOR PUBLIC COMMENT: Westlands Water Quality Coalition Surface Water Quality Management Plan Completion Request
AVAILABLE FOR PUBLIC COMMENT: Kings River Water Quality Coalition Comprehensive Surface Water Quality Management Plan
