On the calendar today …
- PUBLIC WORKSHOP: State Water Board emergency regulation efforts for the Scott River and Shasta River watersheds from 9am to 4:30pm. The State Water Board staff will hold a workshop to facilitate the exchange of information and foster greater understanding on specific topics that can be used to inform the State Water Board’s adoption of an emergency regulation for the Scott River and Shasta River watersheds. During the workshop, State Water Board staff will provide an opportunity to discuss information on specific elements of the emergency regulation that the State Water Board adopted for the Scott River and Shasta River in 2021 and 2022. Parties are being invited to present information and answer questions on the following topics: baseline minimum flows for fisheries, the state of the fisheries in these watersheds, local cooperative solutions, and data. In-person and remote participation available. Click here for the full meeting notice with remote access instructions.
In California water news today …
California drought map shows where stubborn conditions remain after a wet water year
“There’s no more drought in California, except for a sliver in the most northwestern portion of the state. California is 99.93% drought-free, according to a Thursday update from the U.S. Drought Monitor. But Del Norte County reentered drought status in August after having been drought-free since January. Approximately 3,000 people remain in drought areas, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor — a significant decrease from roughly 9,800 people in September and about 903,000 people in August. The update showed 0.07% of California still has “moderate drought,” down from 0.22% on Sept. 5. … ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee.
Water expert says 2023 flood’s lessons ignored in California, a bad sign for future
“Flooding is the worst. Worse even than wildfires. In terms of natural disasters, says Lois Henry, flood damage is the most destructive, because it is the longest lasting. “Flood is the most expensive disaster we have,” Henry said to the members of the Rotary Club of Visalia on Wednesday at the Marriott Hotel. “Damage to homes, to property, that damage is persistent and costly. “And so many people don’t have flood insurance,” she said. “People lose their homes even after just a small amount of water damage.” Henry is the owner/founder and editor/reporter of SJV Water, a non-profit news site at www.sjvwater.org. She has been reporting on all things regarding water in the Valley since founding the site in 2019. Henry is a 30-year veteran of journalism in the Valley, including a long career with the Bakersfield Californian. … ” Read more from the Visalia Times-Delta.
Another wet year is predicted in California. Officials say this time they’re better prepared
“Water leaders across California are beginning to prepare for another wet winter, as a new water year got underway this week. According to the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, the state’s reservoirs are the fullest they’ve been at the start of a water year in 40 years. And, with an El Niño weather pattern looking more and more likely, so is the possibility for a lot of rain in the months ahead. But with months to go before winter rains begin in earnest, it’s unclear how strong El Niño will be – and how much it will disrupt seasonal temperatures, winds, and other weather patterns. There are “a lot of pieces in play for some new extremes we haven’t seen in decades,” explained state climatologist Michael Anderson during a press briefing this week. What is certain is that water leaders are preparing now for potential flooding. … ” Read more from KVPR.
Jellyfish spotted in Northern California reservoir, experts say. Are they dangerous?
“It was an unexpected sight for Casey Neet and his 8-year-old daughter paddleboarding in an Eldorado National Forest reservoir: Hundreds of transparent white circular blobs drifted in the serene freshwater. Neet, who thought they might be pollen or egg sacks at first glance, told The Sacramento Bee that he leaned in closer and realized freshwater jellyfish floated alongside them. It was a species known as peach blossom fish that have been spotted across North America but rarely in that area, said Maura Santora, an aquatic biologist with the U.S. Forest Service, who also conferred with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to make the identification on the recent finding. … ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee.
State can’t be sued for Oroville spill that forced evacuations in 2017
“The state can’t be sued for water pollution from the breach and spill at the Oroville Dam in 2017, which forced 188,000 people to evacuate their homes, a state appeals court ruled Thursday. Local governments and conservation groups in the area won a state Supreme Court ruling last year allowing them to seek, and the state to impose, new environmental protections at the nation’s tallest dam, a 770-foot structure on the Feather River in Butte County. But the 3rd District Court of Appeal in Sacramento said Thursday that the state Department of Water Resources, which is responsible for protecting fish and wildlife from any harm caused by pollution or debris from the dam, is legally immune from suit by Butte County. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
SGMA IMPLEMENTATION: New fact sheet available on future interconnected surface water guidance
“The Department of Water Resources has published the Guidance on Interconnected Surface Water fact sheet that provides a general overview of the timing and content of the technical aspects of interconnected surface water (ISW) and guidance for complying with Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP) Regulations for the depletions of ISW as part of the implementation of SGMA. Fact sheet details and a link to the pdf can be found on the “Guidance Documents” tab of the Best Management Practices and Guidance Documents website. Guidance Documents address topic areas relevant to SGMA, for which no established standards in the water management industry exist. These Guidance Documents can also provide clarification on issues which may not have been specifically identified in the GSP Regulations with the intent to promote water conservation, protect groundwater resources, and advance the sustainable management of groundwater. … ” Click here to view/download fact sheet.
USGS: Expanded harmful algae monitoring in the San Francisco Estuary
“NOAA recently awarded a grant through its Monitoring and Event Response Research Program (MERHAB) to support the development of a harmful algal blooms (HABs) collaborative monitoring program for the San Francisco Estuary. The monitoring program will be led by scientists at the San Francisco Estuary Institute, the U.S. Geological Survey California Water Science Center, and the California Department of Water Resources. It will leverage on-going research and monitoring activities in San Francisco Bay and the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta (collectively referred to as “the San Francisco Estuary”) to build a robust system-wide HAB monitoring program for the San Francisco Estuary. The collaborative team includes the University of California, Santa Cruz, Bend Genetics, the San Francisco Bay and Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Boards, San Francisco Baykeeper, Cal Maritime Academy, Restore the Delta, and NOAA-NCCOS. The grant will enable the development of a sustained, Estuary-wide HAB monitoring program. … ” Read more from the USGS.
What’s a nature-based solution? An explainer.
“The term “nature-based solutions” has burst outside of the bubble of ecology and conservation and entered into the mainstream policy-making conversation, it seems. Late last year, the Biden administration unveiled an NBS roadmap with an intent to “unlock the full potential of nature-based solutions to address climate change, nature loss, and inequity.” California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s 30×30 executive order last year committed California to developing more nature-based solutions. And—among other funds—the California Natural Resources Agency has a $101 million Tribal Nature-Based Solutions Program. But what is a nature-based solution? And what is it solving? … ” Read more from Bay Nature.
Wildfires can become more frequent in western US, new research warns
“The western US can likely experience more frequent and intense wildfires due to warm temperatures and climate change, urging for efficient efforts to prevent fires. Western US is no stranger to extreme weather events. In California, widespread wildfires and bushfires can cause devastating damage to forests, trees, ecosystems and communities. The frequency of fires can make it challenging for people and animals to prepare and survive. As a result, effective protection efforts are crucial to prevent significant impacts. … ” Read more from Nature World News.
September sizzled to records and was so much warmer than average scientists call it ‘mind-blowing’
“After a summer of record-smashing heat, warming somehow got even worse in September as Earth set a new mark for how far above normal temperatures were, the European climate agency reported Thursday. Last month’s average temperature was 0.93 degrees Celsius (1.7 degrees Fahrenheit) above the 1991-2020 average for September. That’s the warmest margin above average for a month in 83 years of records kept by the European Space Agency’s Copernicus Climate Change Service. “It’s just mind-blowing really,” said Copernicus Director Carlo Buontempo. “Never seen anything like that in any month in our records.” … ” Read more from the Associated Press.
In commentary today …
GUEST COMMENTARY: Governor Newsom Should Sign Legislation to Ensure Equitable Distribution of Water Quality Funding
Sean Bothwell, Executive Director of the California Coastkeeper Alliance, writes, “If your community suffered from contamination because of illegal dumping by a nearby industry, you’d expect the polluter to clean up your neighborhood. Unfortunately, that’s not how it works in California today. But Assembly Bill 753 by Assemblywoman Papan (D, San Mateo) is designed to fix the problem. … AB 753 would require at least 40% of the fines the State Board receives from water quality violators to be used to clean up the pollution and benefit local communities near the the violation. This is a big deal – because the impacts of pollution are not shared equally. … ” Continue reading this guest commentary.
Editorial: You’re already drinking dinosaur pee. So don’t be afraid of recycled wastewater
The LA Times editorial board writes, “Perhaps the biggest development in water over the last three decades has been the change in attitude among consumers about their liquid assets. After repeated droughts punctuated by history-making deluges, Californians appear more open than ever to embracing reuse of stormwater, wastewater and seawater — as long as we can be certain that it is clean and safe to drink. The public is getting used to the idea that all water on the planet has at some point passed through someone’s or something’s body or encountered some questionable substance on the land or underground. There’s a joke among scientists: We’re already drinking dinosaur pee. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
This wildfire season, here’s another terrifying threat to worry about
Ken Pimlott, chief of Cal Fire, writes, “This fire season, Americans have been inundated by smoke from wildfires that destroyed vast forestlands in Canada, and we witnessed in horror an entire community burned to the ground in Maui. Although California’s fire season has so far been light because of a wet winter, many of our state’s most destructive and deadliest fires have occurred in October and November. Heightened fire danger is predicted throughout parts of Northern California well into October. For decades, Californians have benefited from one of the strongest firefighting alliances in the world. In fact, the system now used nationally to manage and mitigate wildfires and other emergencies was forged in California in 1970 from a partnership that included the U.S. Forest Service, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) and local firefighting agencies. The system’s success depends on every partner contributing firefighters and resources, whether in the Klamath National Forest or the hills above Malibu. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
Klamath Tribes rejects damages offer for Swan Lake Hyrdo Project
“The Klamath Tribes rejected the Copenhagen Investment Partnership (CIP)’s latest compensation offer for damages related to the soon-to-be-built Swan Lake Rim Hyrdopower Project. The company’s latest offer was worth more than $40 million and included $22 million for land acquisition, $10 million for a tribal museum, $5 million for a sober living facility, $2 million for education, and promises to employ tribal members in union wage jobs,” the Klamath Tribes said in a news release. In the release, the Klamath Tribes quoted a letter that current Chairman Clayton Dumont sent to CIP representatives in January 2020. … ” Read more from KDRV.
Commentary: Bigger storms, poor oversight put dams at risk
Alicia Hamann, executive director of Friends of the Eel River, writes, “On Sept. 12, storm Daniel overwhelmed two neglected dams in Libya. The flood washed away entire neighborhoods in the coastal city of Derna, killing thousands. Experts warned just last year that lack of maintenance risked failure of the dams, built in the 1970s to allow the development they destroyed. But storm Daniel brought more rain than builders ever planned for. Because warmer air absorbs more water, Earth’s warming atmosphere brings increasingly intense storms. Northern Californians don’t need to look far to find dangerous dams built in inappropriate places. In 1908, Cape Horn Dam was built across the Eel River to divert water into the East Branch of the Russian River, where a powerhouse first supplied electricity to Ukiah. But the dam’s small reservoir quickly silted up. … ” Read more from the North Coast Journal.
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
Butte Creek up for ‘wild and scenic river’ protection in new federal land plan
“For the first time in 30 years, plans on managing federal public lands in northwest California are being updated, and one among many recommendations include eligibility for Butte Creek forks to get “Wild and Scenic River” protections. The Bureau of Land Management published Sept. 29 the first draft of its resource management plan encompassing northwestern California, from the “north coast beaches” to the “foothills of the Sierra Nevada,” the agency announced in a press release. The draft is open for public comment until Dec. 28. It is called the Northwest California Integrated Resource Management Plan, and its planning size is about 14.4 million acres. The bureau owns 382,200 acres that may be affected by new protections. … ” Read more from the Chico Enterprise-Record.
Yuba College, Yuba Water Agency partner to host watershed documentary
“Yuba College, in partnership with the Yuba Water Agency, will be hosting a free viewing of “California’s Watershed Healing” at 5 p.m. on Oct. 11 at the Yuba College Theatre in Marysville. This showing will be immediately followed by a panel discussion with regional and local experts, including the documentary’s filmmaker and producer, Jim Thibaut. Willie Whittlesey, Yuba Water Agency’s general manager, will also be in attendance. Organizers have invited the community to attend this event in hopes that it will highlight the area’s own Yuba River watershed and its relationship to the local economy, agriculture, and other industries. Viewers will also be presented with the realities of climate change, drought, and the increasing amount of wildfires paired with poor forest health. … ” Read more from the Appeal-Democrat.
Sen. Dodd: Governor signs Davis habitat, climate project bill
“Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed legislation from Sen. Bill Dodd, D-Napa, that will allow the city of Davis to help create endangered species preserves and support climate mitigation projects. “Davis voters have made clear their desire to preserve endangered species and our precious environment, and Gov. Newsom’s signing of this bill is a big step in that direction,” Sen. Dodd said. “It is a smart use of public land that will protect and enhance our community for generations to come.” Senate Bill 256 would modify the terms of a voter-approved bond act, Proposition 70 of 1988, which provided $1.97 million for the purchase of natural lands in the city of Davis. Under the bill, the city would convey easements of the land to Yolo Habitat Conservancy for preservation of targeted species. Also, the city could convey easements to a third party for the purpose of capturing carbon from renewable biomass energy activities, deep underground, for climate mitigation. … ” Read more from Senator Dodd’s office.
BAY AREA
This is an outrage’: MMWD water bill surge stuns some ratepayers
“The first water bills since the Marin Municipal Water District’s historic rate increases are causing sticker shock for some residents. The county’s largest water supplier significantly overhauled its rates in July as it works to increase water supplies at a level not seen in decades and to recover financial losses from the recent drought. Prior to the rate increase, the district told ratepayers that the median single-family home would likely have a 20% increase in the bimonthly water bill during the first year of the four-year rate plan. But some residents state their September and October bills say otherwise. “It’s just not the reality,” Kentfield resident Topher Gaylord said. … ” Read more from the Marin Independent Journal.
Weather service makes big change to forecast during heat event
“Temperatures have trended higher than originally forecast during a bout of sweltering weather in the San Francisco Bay Area. In fact, on Friday morning, the National Weather Service said it’s now referring to the weather event as a heat wave rather than as a less extreme warmup, as it had done in recent days. Weather service meteorologist Dalton Behringer said temperatures at the coast and in San Francisco have been warmer than forecast, as the marine influence — the fog and sea breeze that usually act as a natural air conditioner — has been extremely weak. “Along the coast, it’s notoriously hard to predict the marine influence,” Behringer said. “That kept the forecast uncertain for a little bit. We saw the sea breeze yesterday. It’s just not cooling us off because it’s so hot. The marine influence has been weaker than expected.” … ” Read more from SF Gate.
CENTRAL COAST
Wells on the Central Coast are going dry despite big rains, and property owners have to truck in water
“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 run by Beth Currier, who became a paraplegic in 1955 after she contracted polio. 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 the Santa Maria Sun.
Endangered frogs halt $11 million construction project in Nipomo
“The Nipomo Community Services District’s (NCSD) plans to consolidate its sewer system with Blacklake’s is on hold thanks to endangered California red-legged frogs found in a pond adjacent to construction. Mario Iglesias, NCSD’s general manager, said the project’s been waiting around a year to hear back from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife for an incidental take permit so it can move forward with construction. That process usually takes 12 to 16 months, which Iglesias said will be exhausted by the end of this year. “During the environmental review of the project, biologists found red-legged frogs in a pond next to our wastewater plant, so they want to build within the envelope of their habitation, and therefore we have to go Fish and Wildlife so that we can go ahead and move forward with the construction of that lift station,” Iglesias said. … ” Continue reading at New Times SLO.
Santa Barbara County preparing for worst-case El Niño winter storm scenario
“With an El Niño pattern developing in the equatorial Pacific Ocean, Santa Barbara County emergency response officials said they are preparing for a worst-case wet winter that could bring flooding and debris flows to high-risk areas. Not every El Niño pattern brings excessively wet winters — in fact, some El Niño winters have been drier than average — but officials want to be ready either way the weather turns, they told the Board of Supervisors in a storm preparation report Tuesday. “We are in an El Niño pattern,” Kelly Hubbard, director of the Office of Emergency Management told supervisors. “Whether it will be wet or dry is still kind of an unknown, but [meteorologists] think there is a high likelihood of a set pattern for our area. … ” Read more from the Lompoc Record.
Dam formed by debris net on San Ysidro Creek above Montecito to be cleared
“A helicopter will be flying over San Ysidro Creek in the hills above Montecito on Friday to deliver equipment being used to clear the 25-foot dam that’s formed behind a debris net placed across the stream in 2019. The project is not without its controversies — on the one hand, it’s a fulfillment of promises made when the ring nets went in; on the other hand, it’s happening 10 months after the debris should have been removed. Additionally, the group that placed the net is asking Santa Barbara County for permission to keep them for another five years, which creek advocates oppose. Extraordinary circumstances led to the six steel barriers that were placed across three creek beds on private properties — unchallenged — in one of the most environmentally conscious communities in California. … ” Read more from the Santa Barbara Independent.
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
Months after flooding, Woodlake residents plan to sue local and state agencies
“Nearly 100 Woodlake residents plan to sue local and state agencies over their handling of the city’s flood response in March. The residents filed legal claims in mid-September against the City of Woodlake, Tulare County, the State of California, and various other local water and resource management agencies – including the Tulare Flood Control District, Tulare County Resource Management Agency and the Tulare Irrigation District. On March 9, more than 20 homes in Woodlake were severely damaged after they were overtaken by floodwaters. At the time, city administrator Ramon Lara said at least four blocks were “completely covered” in water. … ” Read more from KVPR.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Mayor Bass joins state water officials and LADWP to announce $19 million in state funds for water supply reliability projects for LA
“Mayor Karen Bass and State and local water officials announced in Los Angeles today that the City will receive $19.1 million from the State for climate resilience projects, including one that will pay for free yard transformations in underserved LA communities. About $14.6 million of the grant from the California Department of Water Resources’ (DWR) Urban Community Drought Relief Grant Program will fund a free lawn replacement program that could save 77 million gallons of water each year. Under the program set to launch in 2024, qualifying Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) customers with single-family homes in LA’s underserved communities can have their water-thirsty lawns replaced — at no cost to them – with water-efficient landscapes installed by professional landscapers under contract with LADWP. … ” Read more from the LADWP.
SEE ALSO: City of LA gets $19 million to fund turf replacement program, from NBC LA
SCV Water reconsiders fee, sees things Five Point’s way
“The Santa Clarita Valley Water Agency changed course Tuesday, deciding that millions of dollars in “contributed capital” built by a developer would be considered in the retail fee set for its expanding Valencia customer base. The decision represents an estimated reduction in cost of about $3.25 million for The Newhall Land and Farming Co., a subsidiary of Five Point Holdings, which could make about 20,000 connections in the area for SCV Water. Water officials and an independent ratepayer advocate, who both initially supported not including the developer’s contributions to the existing infrastructure in the rate fee, took time for “additional talks” after receiving a demand letter from the developer June 6. … ” Read more from The Signal.
L.A.’s Green New Deal didn’t get much done and needs a reboot, city controller says
“In the wake of the world’s hottest summer on record, Los Angeles City Controller Kenneth Mejia is calling for an urgent reboot of the city’s “Green New Deal” over concerns that the 2019 climate plan has outlived its usefulness and lacks the transparency needed to accurately measure its outcomes. The plan laid out a sweeping vision of a more sustainable Los Angeles when it was first unveiled four years ago by former Mayor Eric Garcetti. It included 47 long-term sustainability targets and 97 short-term milestones geared toward improving air quality, reducing emissions, increasing water supplies and moving toward 100% renewable energy, among other goals. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
SAN DIEGO
WaterSmart moves pay off for Fallbrook avocado farm
“Josh Kane didn’t know a lot about avocado farming 10 years ago, but he does now. In 2001, Kane’s mother bought a 60-acre avocado farm, the Rice Canyon Ranch, in Fallbrook, thinking it would be a good investment. But, some not-so-good advice, and the 2014 drought, had the business in a nosedive. So, Kane quit his job in commercial real estate and stepped in to help his mom turn the farm around, or “they would have lost the investment,” said Kane. During that time, the Fallbrook area had been a hub for agriculture, specifically avocados. But many farms ceased operating due to a complex suite of factors that include increasing water and labor costs, competition from imports, and climate volatility. Rice Canyon took a long-term investment perspective and invested in innovative measures, including tree stumping and grafting. Those strategies, along with smart irrigation, helped turn the farm around. But challenges remain. … ” Read more from the Water News Network.
Reliable water supplies make San Diego region well-prepared for 2024
“Thanks to a decades-long supply diversification strategy and continued efficient use of water across the region, the San Diego County Water Authority announced that the region has reliable supplies to meet demands in Water Year 2024, which started October 1. Hydrologists use Oct. 1 to begin measuring the snow and rain that will help carry water users through dry summer months the following calendar year. This fall, El Niño conditions continue to strengthen and could bring above-average precipitation to Southern California. In a recent El Niño forecast by NOAA, there is a greater than 95% chance that El Niño continues across the Northern Hemisphere through the winter into 2024. The chance of a “strong” El Niño is 71%. “San Diego County continues to have the water necessary to support our $268 billion economy and quality of life for 3.3 million residents,” said Mel Katz, chair of the Water Authority Board of Directors. “We are grateful for the reprieve from drought – but we recognize that dry times will return, probably sooner than later. We are ready when they do.” … ” Read more from the Water News Network.
San Diego fined $4.6M for Sweetwater sewage spill as aging pumps fail and overflows intensify
“Most of the fish that Marco Valdez catches at the mouth of the Sweetwater River in the South Bay he throws back. He says that in his community, talk of water contamination circulates on the regular – and ever more often. “You hear this in the news all the time, Pa’,” Valdez told an inewsource reporter as he reeled in his line. In 2020 one of the two largest sewage pumps in San Diego was undergoing electrical issues when a storm came through. The pump unleashed 11 million gallons of untreated sewage water into the Sweetwater River just above Pepper Park in National City, a widely used fishing and community gathering spot with public waterway access for local boats. … ” Read more from KPBS.
In national water news today …
$1 billion will bring more city trees. But it’ll take more than seedlings to grow urban forests
“Over the next five years, leaders here in the Emerald City will spend millions in federal dollars to green up neighborhoods that lack trees. As Seattle and the surrounding region deal with more frequent extreme heat events, residents are starting to view trees as more than a luxury. “The conversation around our urban forest has hit a high degree of urgency because of climate change,” said Jessyn Farrell, director of the city’s Office of Sustainability & Environment. “What has really shifted in the last couple of years is the idea that trees are important climate infrastructure, and trees are really suffering because of climate change.” As cities across the country brace for more extreme weather, a new federal grant program is helping them use trees as a solution — especially in neighborhoods with little canopy. Urban forests provide shade that significantly lowers temperatures during heat waves; they also absorb stormwater runoff and air pollution. But communities of color and low-income areas are far less likely to share in those benefits. … ” Read more from the San Jose Mercury News.
Pope Francis: ‘Irresponsible’ western lifestyles push the world to ‘the breaking point’ on climate
“Taking aim at the United States and an “irresponsible lifestyle” with some of the world’s highest carbon emissions per capita, Pope Francis on Wednesday doubled down on his earlier call for urgent action to tackle climate change, while also criticizing a failing global response to the crisis. Eight years after the Vatican published Francis’ landmark “Laudato Si’: On Care for our Common Home,” the first papal teaching letter sent to all of the church’s bishops focused on the environment, the pontiff’s new writing comes in the form of a papal exhortation called Laudate Deum, or Praise God. On the climate crisis, Francis writes that “our responses have not been adequate, while the world in which we live is collapsing and may be nearing the breaking point.” … ” Read more from Inside Climate News.
Also on Maven’s Notebook today …
PUBLIC NOTICE for Permit Application, West False River Drought Salinity Barrier project, Contra Costa County, CA
