On the calendar today …
- MEETING: California Water Commission beginning at 9:30am. Agenda items include an update on the Pacheco Reservoir Expansion Project, an update on the Water Storage Investment program, and a briefing on construction and operations of the State Water Project. Click here for the agenda and remote access instructions.
- WORKSHOP: State Water Resources Control Board beginning at 9:30am. The Board will hold a public workshop to receive public input on the Cross-Connection Control Policy Handbook. Click here for the full agenda and remote access instructions.
- HYBRID EVENT: EVENT: Lessons Learned in Stormwater Capture and Groundwater Recharge in 2022-2023 from 11:30am to 1pm. Managing the water for those recharge basins is an ongoing challenge for the Orange County Water District. And in the past year, the District’s efforts have been tested in a multitude of ways. After a winter of unusually high rainfall, OCWD had to deal with the unexpected impact of this summer’s Tropical Storm Hillary, which dumped record amounts of rain in the Santa Ana River watershed. Join us to learn firsthand about the efforts OCWD undertook this year to capture, store, and percolate stormwater, recycled water, and imported water to ensure the surface recharge basins continue to operate efficiently. The lessons learned this year will guide OCWD’s efforts in the years ahead, but they’ll be tested this winter, as most forecasts see a wet El Niño before us. Click here to register.
In California water news today …
Once hailed as a drought fix, California moves to restrict synthetic turf over health concerns
“Gov. Gavin Newsom last week passed on a chance to limit the use of the so-called “forever chemicals” in legions of plastic products when he vetoed a bill that would have banned them in synthetic lawns. His veto of an environmental bill that overwhelmingly passed the Legislature underscores California’s convoluted guidance on the plastic turf that some homeowners, schools and businesses use in place of grass in a state accustomed to drought. Less than a decade ago then-Gov. Jerry Brown signed a law prohibiting cities and counties from banning synthetic grass. At the time, the state was in the middle of a crippling drought and fake lawns were thought to be helpful in saving water. But this year Democrats in the Legislature went in a different direction, proposing bills that would discourage synthetic turf. They’re worried about health risks created by the chemicals present in these lawns, including perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, also known as PFAS chemicals. … ” Read more from Cal Matters.
California cracks down on ‘forever chemicals,’ or PFAS, found in food packaging
“California Attorney General Rob Bonta hosted a press conference on Tuesday, Oct. 17 at Los Angeles State Historic Park, to warn companies of their responsibility to disclose the presence of dangerous PFAS under Assembly Bill 1200. He issued a letter to manufacturers, distributors, and sellers of food packaging and cookware, alerting them that they must adhere to AB 1200, a recently enacted law that restricts the presence of PFAS in food packaging and imposes labeling disclosure requirements for cookware. Bonta also issued a consumer alert with tips for reducing exposure to PFAS, referred to as “forever chemicals” which include thousands of toxic chemicals widely used in every day products including food packaging, cookware, clothing, carpets, shoes, fabrics, polishes, waxes, paints and cleaners. … ” Read more from the LA Daily News.
SEE ALSO: 5 things to know about toxic ‘forever chemicals’ now limited by California law, from USC News
Will El Niño’s return mean rain and snow for California’s 2023 winter?
“Climate scientists and weather forecasters suspect this winter could be as wet or wetter than last year’s torrential downpours. But just how wet will this winter become? The answer isn’t quite as simple as forecasters pumping various inputs into computer models that then spit out what we can definitively expect. The Bay Area’s weather patterns are created by global patterns in the atmosphere, everything from interactions with the ocean, landscape and sun. One of those natural factors is the climate pattern known as El Niño, which has returned after a four-year hiatus, ushering in the possibility of yet another stormy winter. This weather system has a 75%–85% chance of becoming a strong system from November to January, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. … ” Read more from KQED.
Migration alert: Strong habitat, waterfowl numbers across California has hunters optimistic
“Talk about water whiplash! From years of persistent drought to an overabundance, that is the pleasant topic that captivates waterfowl hunters and fish and wildlife biologists this fall in California. Optimism is high thanks to an abundant water supply, the likes that duck hunters haven’t seen in years. Instead of a dry landscape and poor habitat along the 800-mile length of the Golden State, there is plenty of water. The notable exception is the high plateau Klamath Basin in the northeast, which remains extremely dry. The limited northeast hunting season opened Oct. 7. Modoc National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) and Ash Creek Wildlife Area provided the best shooting for the public, without the need for a reservation following the opener. … ” Read more from Ducks Unlimited.
Farmers, tribes weigh in on river flows for salmon
“Farmers, ranchers, tribal members and others who rely on water from the Scott River and Shasta River watersheds turned out last week to offer insights to state officials considering an emergency regulation to set minimum flows on the tributaries. The gathering at an informational workshop on Oct. 6 in Sacramento came in response to a July 1 petition by the Karuk Tribe, which asked the California State Water Resources Control Board to use its emergency powers to set permanent minimum instream flows to prevent the extinction of coho salmon. In August, the water board directed staff to return with a plan to adopt interim flow measures to support salmon. It also asked farmers, tribes and other interested parties to work together to develop plans for long-term restoration of the salmon fishery. … ” Read more from Ag Alert.
Biologist asks judge to limit Coyote Valley Dam’s impact on endangered salmon
“An attorney for a Northern California fisheries biologist asked a federal judge on Tuesday to order changes to flood control procedures at Coyote Valley Dam, saying current operations endanger species in the salmon family. Sean White says the dam, which guards his city of Ukiah from flooding in the nearby Lake Mendocino, is a danger to Central California coast steelhead, coho and Chinook salmon. Populations of the fish in the lake and the East Fork Russian River are under threat, too, White said in his 2022 complaint. White claims the dam’s flood control operations violated the Endangered Species Act by jeopardizing salmon populations. Sediment stirred up by water rushing in from the dam can result in “abrading and clogging gills, and indirectly cause reduced feeding, avoidance reactions, destruction of food supplies, reduced egg and alevin survival, and changed rearing habitat.” Philip Williams, White’s attorney, asked a federal judge on Tuesday to forbid the dam from releasing any water unless it was essential. … ” Read more from the Courthouse News Service.
Recharge net metering (ReNeM) provides win-win-win for groundwater agency, landowners, & sustainable groundwater management
“An insidious issue has been growing along the Central Coast and throughout the state of California for decades: groundwater overdraft. In response to this growing threat and 2014 legislation designed to put an end to chronic overdraft, many basins have identified managed aquifer recharge (MAR) as an essential supply-side tool for managing water resources. MAR promotes infiltration using natural or engineered infrastructure and available water, thereby improving water balance. Distributed MAR is an even newer concept, relying on catchment systems spread throughout a groundwater basin rather than centralized in a single location. However, areas most suitable for MAR––spaces with suitable geology to which water can be efficiently routed for infiltration––are often located on land that water management agencies cannot freely access. The individuals, businesses, or outside agencies that do own or manage these areas are not sufficiently incentivized to participate in MAR. … ” Read more from Legal Planet.
October report details water recharge capacity for Water Year 2023
“The October 2023 Semi-Annual Groundwater Conditions Update, from the Department of Water Resources (DWR) highlights how impactful the series of atmospheric rivers were during the Water Year 2023. Data collection through August 31, 2023, reveals a remarkable turnaround compared to 2022. Groundwater levels experienced notable improvement propelled by managed aquifer recharge and natural processes. DWR estimates 3.8 million acre-feet of recharge capacity accumulated in Water Year 2023. Notably, over 1.2 million acre-feet resulted from permitted groundwater recharge by state agencies. Additional contributions came from floodwater recharge and various managed and natural sources. … ” Read more from Ag Net West.
SCIENCE SPOTLIGHT: What role do mercury-contaminated floodplains play in methylmercury contamination in the Delta?
“For the September Delta Lead Scientist report, Lead Scientist Dr Laurel Larsen spotlighted the study, Effects of vegetation on methylmercury concentrations and loads in a mercury-contaminated floodplain, which looked at the role that mercury-contaminated floodplains play in methylmercury contamination in the Delta. Mercury is a potent environmental neurotoxin; chronic exposure can cause tremors, speech problems, emotional instability, and hallucinations. Mercury contamination is a major issue for California’s waterways due to its extensive use during the Gold Rush era. Mercury was used to enhance gold recovery in all types of mining operations, but especially in placer mining, which used jets of water to recover gold from the sand and gravels along the waterways. … ” Read more from Maven’s Notebook.
The struggle to balance safety and public access at California’s abandoned mines
“Behind an unmarked warehouse in Red Mountain, an unincorporated community in Southern California, Sterling White drops a pebble down the hole. It bounces off the sides of the pit, the sound reverberating and then slowly fading, long before the rock hits the bottom. White, who is a resource specialist for the federal Bureau of Land Management (BLM), estimates that it’s about 300 or 400 feet deep. These days, the old mining shaft is covered with a thick steel gate, strong enough White says that someone could drive on top of it. Not that many years ago, though, it was uncovered, a treacherous hole in the ground for anyone unlucky — or reckless — enough to go in. Red Mountain, a small town in the Mojave Desert with 130 residents, calls itself a “living ghost town,” alongside neighboring Johannesburg and Randsburg (named for the famous gold region of South Africa). The legacy of mining is everywhere in this quiet, dusty corner of California. According to state estimates, at least 100,000 shafts, pits, tunnels, trenches, and other abandoned mining features litter the landscape of California, most of them on public lands across almost every county of the state. … ” Read more from the Earth Island Journal.
California Forever, state Sen. Dodd answer questions at Fairfield forum
“California Forever’s previously promised “listening tour” continued Monday afternoon in Fairfield, as Paradise Valley Estates held a forum for its residents to ask questions of community and business leaders on the proposed new city in eastern Solano County. Jan Sramek, CEO of California Forever, joined state Sen. Bill Dodd, Solano County Supervisor Mitch Mashburn and retired Travis AFB pilot Steve Vancil for a panel discussion regarding the company’s proposed developments on the 50,000-plus acres they have purchased over the last five years. The forum offered each panel member the chance to address residents of the community and answer questions from other panelists and the audience. Sramek was repeatedly pressed for more details on his company’s plans, as regulators outlined their concerns about how the project will affect Travis Air Force Base and the county as a whole. … ” Read more from The Reporter.
Audio: ‘Like a thiefdom’: How one California family controls who floods and who doesn’t
“California has had one of its wettest years in recorded state history after enduring extreme drought. That’s good news for reservoirs that supply drinking water and water for farming. But a parade of strong storms also caused widespread flooding. The Los Angeles Times has a new investigation looking into how one powerful family controlled where the floodwaters went in the agricultural lands of Tulare County — with little accountability. Here & Now’s Deepa Fernandes speaks with Susanne Rust, an investigative reporter part of the team on this story for the LA Times.” Listen at KASU.
Westlands Water District asks CA Supreme Court to overturn environmental restoration obligations
Dan Bacher writes, “In its latest effort to evade payment of at least $100 million in environmental restoration and other costs, the Westlands Water District, the largest agricultural water district in the country, is asking the California Supreme Court to overrule four State court decisions. These decisions refused to “rubber stamp a federal contract to eliminate Westlands’ massive debt to the United States Treasury,” according to the Hoopa Valley Tribe in a press statement. Westlands, located on drainage-impaired land on the west side of the San Joaquin Valley, has been dubbed the “Darth Vader of California Water Politics” by its opponents for its legal, legislative and administration attacks on fish restoration efforts on the Trinity River, a major tributary of the Klamath River, and the Sacramento and San Joaquin River systems for decades. … ” Read more from Dan Bacher at the Daily Kos.
UC scientists share techniques to sustainably grow agave in California
“A group of University of California researchers and collaborators is developing innovative agricultural techniques for growing agave in California without compromising natural resources. The team’s findings and practical tips, available online in English and Spanish, are designed to help Californians sustainably grow agave, which can be used to make sweeteners and profitable distilled beverages like tequila and mezcal. The researchers view agave production as an ecological and financially viable solution for agriculture in a changing climate. They work closely with growers, environmental organizations and agroecology experts to advance sustainable production practices that promote biodiversity; soil, water and air conservation; and the protection of the natural environment. … ” Read more from UC Ag and Natural Resources.
Adapting to climate change, inland
“Managed retreat—the process of moving people and property away from the shoreline—is an unpopular but increasingly accepted response to rising sea-levels. In the inaugural issue of Nossaman’s California Water Views – 2023 Outlook, we discuss the saga of Morro Bay’s efforts to relocate and reopen its wastewater treatment plant farther inland at the direction of the California Coastal Commission. After many fits and starts, the Morro Bay plant opened in February 2023 and cost $161 million to build. The Morro Bay case is relevant because similarly situated coastal communities may end up having to pursue a similar course of action in the not-too-distant future. … ” Read more from Nossaman’s California Water Views.
In commentary today …
Farmers need support in rollout of groundwater law
Justin Fredrickson, a water and environmental policy analyst for the California Farm Bureau, writes, “A Public Policy Institute of California report last month warned of historic challenges for the state’s leading agricultural region under the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act. The report, “Managing Water and Farmland Transitions in the San Joaquin Valley,” drills down on previous PPIC work in an update that reminds us of the sheer scope and magnitude of what is at stake as the 2014 groundwater law is implemented. Under SGMA, the report estimates average annual water supply for farm irrigation is expected to drop by 20% by 2040. The PPIC said the impacts could result in the retirement of 500,000 acres of irrigated farmland annually and up to 900,000 acres in a worst-case scenario. The difference between the high and low ends is dependent to a significant extent on efforts to promote water trading. This is examined at different scales—local trading, basin-level trading and valley-wide trading. … ” Read more from Ag Alert.
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
Spot check: Mid-summer on the Klamath River
Michael Wier writes, “What makes a river special to you? Is it the sound of the rushing water? The spots you can jump in and cool off? The opportunity to catch a fish or view other wildlife? The fact that it is an ecosystem that helps support all types of life? Or that it is a path to travel up or down? My favorite types of rivers have always been wild rivers — rivers that I know are flowing free and natural. Those are the areas that seem to speak to me the most. The more developed a river gets, the more it starts to feel like plumbing. That’s how I feel when I visit the dams on the Klamath River. Something just doesn’t sit right deep within my soul. I recently had the opportunity to visit the mid-Klamath Basin for a sneak peak of summer conditions on Iron Gate reservoir and the main stem Klamath River. It hurts the soul to see what Iron Gate reservoir looks like in the middle of summer when it’s hot and dry. The lake is a horrible green color, and the algae blooms are prolific through July and August. … ” Continue reading at Cal Trout.
National Weather Service warns of ‘sneaker waves’ on the North Coast
“The National Weather Service (NWS) has warned of an extreme risk due to ‘sneaker waves’ along the North Coast starting Wednesday morning. The NWS is forecasting a long period of westerly swell that will bring with it the risk of sneaker waves in Humboldt, Del Norte, and Mendocino Counties. According to the NWS, sneaker waves can surprise beachgoers by running up on a beach significantly farther than other waves or over outcroppings. The NWS warns that beachgoers encountering sneaker waves can be knocked down or dragged into the ocean. … ” Read more from KRCR.
SEE ALSO: What is a sneaker wave?, from Fox Weather
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
The answer is crystal clear: This is the cleanest lake in California
“California has over 3,000 named lakes, natural and artificial, but there is no doubt some lakes are better suited for an afternoon on the water than others. Of all the lakes across California, it is the state’s most famous that is also the cleanest. Lake Tahoe, which straddles the Northern California-Nevada border, is one of the cleanest lakes in the US, and the absolutely cleanest lake in California. There are a number of amazing facts to know about Lake Tahoe. Considered one of the largest Alpine lakes in North America, Lake Tahoe spans 22 miles long by 12 miles wide. At 1,645 feet deep, it is also the second-deepest lake in the US, coming second only to Oregon’s Crater Lake. … ” Read more from The Travel.
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
Floodplain forward: Reactivating floodplains in the Sacramento Valley to benefit fish and farms
“As climate change exacerbates drought, it can often feel like there is not enough water to go around to protect the interests of both humans and wildlife. However, CalTrout takes a unique role in the conservation space to balance those interests and bring about benefits for both farmers and fish. How? In the Sacramento Valley, we work with a coalition of partners to reactivate floodplains. A floodplain is a low-laying area of ground adjacent to a river, subject to routine (you guessed it!) flooding. Cyclical flooding allows river ecosystem access to the tremendous food web of resources produced in floodplain wetlands. It is the act of the river expanding to inundate these nutrient-rich lands that allows the river food web access to the solar energy stored in floodplain plants and soils. This energy travels into the water via microbial break down of plant matter. Microbes and bacteria eat the nutrients, which in turn feed abundant invertebrates, which in turn feed fish and birds. It’s this consistent inundation of floodplains that allows river valleys to actually make fish! … ” Read more from Cal Trout.
A creek runs orange: Why nature’s infrastructure works better than ours
“On Thursday, August 10, 2023, Butte Creek turned orange. The culprit: a failed PG&E canal that caused orange sediment to flood the creek potentially creating deadly conditions for native fish currently inhabiting the watershed including threatened spring-run Chinook salmon. Salmon are a keystone species, and their health is intricately connected with the rest of the ecosystem. Native fish across California are consistently vulnerable to safe and responsible operation of hydroelectric infrastructure such as dams and canals. In some cases, basins like Butte Creek are managed by water-moving infrastructure, guiding flows from the nearby Feather River watershed to Butte Creek. When functioning properly, this inter-basin transfer provides cold-water to Butte Creek and actually improves conditions for fish, like spring-run Chinook salmon, that rely on good water quality throughout the summer. Across the state, fish, wildlife, and people are dependent on this infrastructure for habitat, drinking water, and electricity – but at times, as witnessed on August 10, infrastructure fails. … ” Read more from Cal Trout.
Groundwater recharge in Glenn County
“Local groundwater supplies in Glenn County are receiving a boost from over 2,000 acre-feet, or 650 million gallons, of water through groundwater (aquifer) recharge, reported the Glenn Groundwater Authority (GGA). This amount is enough to provide 2,500 local households with a year’s supply of water. Since the first of the year, more than 15 groundwater recharge projects have been implemented in Glenn County to capture excess surface water and infiltrate it through ponds, gravel pits, drainage ditches, and pasture. GGA, a local groundwater sustainability agency, is leading the groundwater recharge efforts to help local aquifers rebound. “This is just the beginning,” according to Glenn Groundwater Authority Board Chairman Gary Hansen. “It’s our mission to protect local groundwater supplies, and we see groundwater recharge as critical to achieving sustainability.” … ” Read more from the Corning Observer.
Full rice crop set to win back lost markets
“After idling half the state’s normal rice acreage last year due to water shortages, farmers of the grain are back in full force with harvest underway in the Sacramento Valley. They’re off to a later start because of planting delays in the spring, which has pushed harvest into the rainy season. Substantial downpours this time of year could cause muddy fields, further delays and rice plants to fall over, dramatically reducing yields and quality. With days getting shorter and cooler, the race is on to get the crop off and into mills. “I’m a little antsy because we’re always worried about rains coming in October and messing up the harvest,” Colusa County grower George Tibbitts said. … ” Read more from Ag Alert.
BAY AREA
Marin water district plots reservoir connection plan
“A $5.2 million plan to pump water from Phoenix Lake to Bon Tempe Reservoir to bolster the water supply looks promising, Marin Municipal Water District staff said. Project engineers have agreed on the proposed alignment of approximately 7,000 feet of 12-inch pipe needed to move water between the two reservoirs, said Paul Sellier, district water resources director. What’s more, an inspection of the 1,200-foot tunnel at Bon Tempe where the new pipeline would connect was favorable, he said. “The conditions in the tunnel are pretty good,” Sellier said. “It looks like they’ll be able to reuse that access to Bon Tempe.” … ” Read more from the Marin Independent Journal.
The last piece of the puzzle: On mainstem Alameda Creek, the last unnatural barrier to fish passage will soon be removed.
“In the late 1990s, East Bay resident Jeff Miller asked himself a question: what is the best salmon restoration opportunity in the Bay Area? The Central California Coast population of steelhead trout had just been listed as a threatened species under the federal Endangered Species Act, and salmonid populations were declining across the state. Miller was looking for an opportunity to do something local to help solve a bigger problem. “Everything started pointing towards Alameda Creek,” he explained. In 1997, Miller founded the Alameda Creek Alliance (ACA). In the past twenty years, the organization has pushed and helped partner agencies to complete 16 fish passage projects in the Alameda Creek watershed. In 2022, newly constructed fish ladders enabled Chinook salmon and steelhead to migrate through the lower creek into Niles Canyon and access parts of the upper Alameda Creek watershed for the first time in over fifty years. Soon, these fish will be able to consistently swim even further upstream. In 2023, California Trout was asked to lead a barrier removal project in Sunol Valley to open more than 20 miles of stream in the upper watershed to Chinook salmon and steelhead, remediating the last unnatural barrier on mainstem Alameda Creek. … ” Continue reading from Cal Trout.
CENTRAL COAST
San Lorenzo Valley investing in water systems
“The San Lorenzo Valley Water District is wrapping up its nearly four-month project to make necessary upgrades to its Blue Ridge water tank, north of Boulder Creek. “This is important for continuation of fresh water for locals, and it affects people on so many levels,” said Julie Horner, a reporter and resident in the San Lorenzo Valley. “Not only property value if you’re looking to sell a home or something, but just to have fresh drinking water and wash water and so forth.” The nearly $1 million project is replacing an undersized redwood water tank with a new, 120,000-gallon, steel-bolted, 32-foot-tall tank. This tank will aid in firefighter response in the area. … ” Read more from KSBY.
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
Residents below Isabella Dam again swamped by seepage after new pump runs out of gas
“Residents living below the Isabella Auxiliary Dam were thrilled earlier this month with a temporary fix that finally dried up excessive seepage from the dam that had been swamping septic systems and breeding forests of mosquito-infested weeds around their homes. The didn’t realize how temporary the fix would be, however. After only 12 days without a river cutting through his land, rancher Gerald Wenstrand woke up to see the seepage back on Saturday. “This morning, 10/14/23, excess dam water seepage is being dumped on us again!” he texted. … ” Read more from SJV Water.
EASTERN SIERRA
Ridgecrest: New Water District General Manager describes plan, Griffin explains imported water funding vote
“The Indian Wells Valley Water District held its monthly board meeting on October 10 and discussed a range of issues. Most notable were comments from the Water District’s new general manager and board member Griffin’s explanation of his vote on imported water funding as the Water District representative on the board of the IWV Groundwater Authority. George Croll began serving as the Water District’s new general manager on September 1. At the board meeting on October 10, Croll remarked on his time so far in the IWV. “I’m starting to get a feel for the valley, and the diversity of opinions and diversity of culture that’s here,” Croll said. “I’m really loving my time here. It’s a great place.” … ” Read more from the Ridgecrest Independent.
Water woes: Pipes in Cal City outdated, causing frequent breaks
“The water lines are a major problem here in California City, and there’s no easy solution. Mayor Kelly Kulikoff and Acting City Manager Joe Barragan say the water issue in Cal City is one of the worst in the state. The pair say the metal pipes underground are more than 50 years old. There are frequent bursts and, in some areas, boil water notices. Barragan says there are more than 200 miles needing repair, impacting hundreds of families. There are weekly – – sometimes daily – – notices of water pipe bursts and interruptions. … ” Read more from Channel 23.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
SCV Water to discuss plan to clean up well
“Santa Clarita Valley Water Agency officials are expected to approve Tuesday a nearly $2 million cleanup program for a well that’s an important part of the local drinking water supply next to the Saugus Cafe on Railroad Avenue. Water leaders also announced this past week a separate upcoming special meeting for their regularly scheduled review of the head of the agency, General Manager Matt Stone. Saugus Well No. 2, which has been the subject of a number of improvement efforts in its 35 years, was identified by water officials as “a crucial containment measure to protect the drinking water aquifer,” according to an SCV Water meeting agenda. … ” Read more from The Signal.
DWR and LADWP partnership helps bridge the gap between resources and underserved communities
“As California welcomes the start of a new water year, the Department of Water Resources (DWR) joined local officials and the Los Angeles Department of Power and Water (LADWP) to celebrate two projects that will build climate resiliency in underserved communities and diversify water supplies in the region. The projects are supported by $19.1 million in grant funding awarded through DWR’s Urban Community Drought Relief Program and are an example of DWR’s recent work to prioritize building partnerships with local partners under the Go Golden Initiative. Of the funding, $14.6 million will support a free turf replacement program that could save million gallons of water each year for LADWP customers with single-family homes in underserved areas. The program is expected to launch in 2024 and will transform local yards into beautiful, drought-tolerant gardens without placing the burden of cost onto homeowners who otherwise might not be able to afford it. … ” Read more from DWR News.
Along the Colorado River …
Lake Mead forecast improves by 2 feet since September as new water year begins
“New projections show Lake Mead dropping about 9 feet between now and October of 2024 — but keeping an extra 2.57 feet compared to forecasts from just a month ago. The 24-month study for October 2023 from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation is the first forecast of the 2023 water year, which runs from Oct. 1, 2023, to Sept. 30, 2024. And the “most probable” forecast is much better than last year, when Las Vegas was nervously watching the lake shrink. Lake Mead provides 90% of the valley’s drinking water. … ” Read more from KLAS.
Water conservation program could make Las Vegas Grand Prix F1′s first net-zero water consumption race
“Formula 1 officials on Wednesday announced it will launch a first-of-its-kind water conservation program that could make the Las Vegas Grand Prix the first net-zero water consumption race in the company’s history. According to a news release, the initiative will be rolled out at MGM Grand Hotel & Casino in partnership with the Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA), WaterStart and MGM Resorts ahead of the upcoming Las Vegas Grand Prix. As part of the initiative, F1 says it will install an atmospheric water generator to offset the expected outdoor water usage throughout race weekend. Atmospheric water generators, according to F1, are used around the world to capture water vapor that would otherwise be considered waste product and return it back into the system. The company says that iin some areas of the world, this process is used to create drinkable water where there is no access to running water. … ” Read more from Channel 5.
Arizona is evicting a Saudi alfalfa farm, but the thirsty crop isn’t going anywhere
“As Arizona struggles to adapt to a water shortage that has dried out farms and scuttled development plans, one company has emerged as a central villain. The agricultural company Fondomonte, which is owned by a Saudi Arabian conglomerate, has attracted tremendous criticism over the past several years for sucking up the state’s groundwater to grow alfalfa and then exporting that alfalfa to feed cows overseas. Governor Katie Hobbs responded to those calls for action on Monday when she canceled one of Fondomonte’s four leases in the state’s rural Butler Valley and pledged not to renew the other leases when they expire next year. Hobbs, a Democrat who took office earlier this year, said in a statement about the decision that the company “was operating in clear default” of its lease and had violated state laws around hazardous waste. She also pledged to “hold defaulting, high-volume water users accountable” and “protect Arizona’s water so we can sustainably grow for generations to come.” … ” Read more from Salon Magazine.
With beavers missing from the landscape, humans do the dirty work
“As Jordan Nielson tromped through recovering pastureland around Mud Creek, his boots occasionally got sucked into the soil, still saturated in the waning days of summer. It’s exactly what he wanted to see. The creek had become so degraded by a century of cattle grazing it made several deep cuts in the bank, sloughing off the land and dumping sediment into Scofield Reservoir. All those nutrient loads spurred algal blooms, making the reservoir dangerous for swimming, fishing and boating. Now, the creek has slowed. Water diffuses into nascent wetlands that clean it and build habitat for wildlife. It’s quite the transformation, and it only took a year to take shape using a simple technique — artificial beaver dams. … ” Read more from the Salt Lake Tribune.
In national water news today …
Climate change is driving a global water trade you can’t see
“Every manifestation of the dangerous weather wreaking havoc around the world has one thing in common: water. As the Earth’s climate changes, the lack of water, or its sudden abundance, is reshaping the global economy and international trade. From prolonged drought slowing down ships in the Panama Canal to deluges halting industrial production in Japan, it’s one of the most obvious ways that rising temperatures are affecting businesses. Increasingly acute scarcity has forced cities, countries and companies to purchase much more water from farther-away places than before. Water deliveries are a growing industry, and not just in places with unreliable freshwater supplies. Tanker trucks loaded with the life-giving liquid have become necessary even in developed nations enduring multiyear droughts. At the same time, marketplaces where water rights are bought and sold have become more volatile in parts of Australia, Chile, Spain and the US. But that trade of H₂0 pales in comparison to another, invisible way that water moves around the globe. Because it’s needed to make almost every raw material and product that humans consume, the trillions of dollars in commodities and goods exchanged every year also ultimately represent an exchange of water. … ” Read more from Bloomberg.
Flame retardants pollute wildlife worldwide
“Flame retardant chemicals in furniture, vehicles and other everyday items contaminate more than 150 animal species worldwide. Creating a map that combined hundreds of published scientific studies, Green Science Policy Institute scientists showed how flame retardants threaten killer whales, chimpanzees and other endangered species. Among the polluting chemicals at issue are chlorinated paraffins, which the team reports are commonly used in consumer products and cause liver, thyroid and kidney cancers in laboratory animals. They shrunk the livers of black-spotted frogs living near electronic-waste facilities in China, and can be transferred to their eggs. Despite a ban in the 1970s, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) affect survival rates of lower killer whale calfs survival rates and weaken their immune systems. The team reports that orca pods in Greenland, the Strait of Gibraltar and Hawaii suffer due to the accumulation of flame retardants, and noted how one study calculated that PCB contamination could cut the world’s killer whale populations in half over the next century. … ” Read more from the Courthouse News Service.
Wildfires are dealing a massive blow to US real estate and homeownership, congressional report finds
“Climate change-fueled wildfires are costing the US economy between $394 billion to $893 billion annually, a new congressional report suggests – a shocking figure that is more than double what previous government reports have estimated. The new report from the Joint Economic Committee, chaired by Democratic Sen. Martin Heinrich of New Mexico, examined a wide range of costs beyond immediate wildfire damage, including impacts to real estate value; premature deaths and health risks from wildfire smoke; threats to watersheds; and income loss. The report was shared first with CNN. The range Heinrich’s committee found, which was adjusted for inflation, is significantly higher than a Trump administration report that examined fewer impacts and found the annual cost for wildfires was between $87.4 and $427.8 billion. … ” Read more from CNN.
