In California water news today …
Weather roller coaster is headed to California. Here’s when to expect next rain, snow showers
“The wet season began across the Bay Area on Sunday, with rainfall accumulations up to a half inch. A dry break is expected Monday and Tuesday, with near-normal temperatures ranging from the 60s at the coast to near 80 inland. A cold front is expected to move down from the Pacific Northwest on Wednesday, raising the chances of rain across Northern California and light snow in the Sierra Nevada. Additional Bay Area rain showers and high-elevation snow are possible Friday. After months of mainly dry weather, the jet stream is beginning to visit California again as winter approaches. This ribbon of strong winds tens of thousands of feet in the air guides storms over the Pacific Ocean and pushes them toward California. …
Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
Second earthquake strikes near Isleton in Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. What we know
“A small earthquake struck Monday morning near Isleton, the third such quake to strike the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta since Wednesday. The 2.9-magnitude quake hit at 7:42 a.m. at Twitchell Island in the Delta, three miles south of Isleton and less than a mile south of a 4.2-magnitude quake on Oct. 18. It erupted at a depth of about 8 miles, according to preliminary reports from the U.S. Geological Survey and the Berkeley Seismology Lab. Automated equipment initially pegged the magnitude at 4.0 but that was quickly revised — with the epicenter moving from Grand Island to Twitchell Island — given what seismologists learned from last week’s quake, according to Bob de Groot, a spokesman for the USGS in Southern California. … ” Read more from the Merced Sun-Star.
Groundwater recharge legislation takes effect January 1, 2024
“Governor Gavin Newsom has signed SB 659 as a means for improving groundwater recharge efforts. The legislation known as the California Water Supply Solutions Act of 2023 was authored by Senator Angelique V. Ashby. It was co-sponsored by the California Association of Winegrape Growers (CAWG). This bill empowers the Newsom Administration and future governors to implement long-term strategies, including regulations and funding, to address the impacts of climate change on the state’s water supply. “SB 659 represents the most significant effort since creation of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act in 2014, in emphasizing the supply side of managing groundwater,” CAWG President Natalie Collins said in a press release. “CAWG thanks Governor Newsom and Senator Angelique Ashby for their leadership in helping to secure California’s water future.” … ” Read more from Ag Net West.
Audio: California looks to restore floodplains, to protect communities from impacts of climate change
“Water is the lifeblood of agriculture But as climate change brings more extreme weather, farming towns in the Central Valley face increasing risks from both drought and flooding. But an innovative solution is scaling up with new state investments.” Listen at KQED.
REPORT: Annual Supply Report shows water suppliers well positioned for 2024
“The 2023 Annual Water Supply and Demand Assessment Summary Report summarizes the Department of Water Resources’ review of Urban Water Suppliers’ Annual Water Shortage Assessment Reports for the State Water Resources Control Board. The report includes water shortage information at the supplier level, as well as regional and statewide analyses of water supply conditions. The Annual Shortage Reports provide a mechanism for suppliers to demonstrate to the State that they have adequately developed and are following their locally adopted Water Shortage Contingency Plans (WSCP). … ” Continue reading at Maven’s Notebook.
Company invents unreal technology that ‘prints’ water for your lawn — it could save homeowners hundreds of dollars
“As water prices rise across the U.S., one company has found a way to dramatically reduce the amount of water needed to maintain your lawn — by “printing” it like an inkjet printer. … Irrigreen has designed a watering system that essentially sprays the exact amount of water your lawn needs — and maps its spray to the shape of a lawn area. Specially built software calculates each nozzle’s surrounding surface area for every 0.8 degrees of rotation, according to a company report. It uses that data to adapt the nozzle’s rotational speed and valve opening to achieve an equal distribution of spray. … ” Read more from Yahoo News.
One of California’s riskiest volcanoes is very active. Is an eruption coming?
“One of California’s riskiest volcanoes has for decades been undergoing geological changes and seismic activity, which are sometimes a precursor to an eruption, but — thankfully — no supervolcanic eruptions are expected. That’s according to Caltech researchers who have been studying the Long Valley Caldera, which includes the Mammoth Lakes area in Mono County. The caldera was classified in 2018 by the U.S. Geological Survey as one of three volcanoes in the state — along with 15 elsewhere in the U.S. — considered a “very high threat,” the highest-risk category defined by the agency. The two other volcanoes in California with that classification are Mt. Shasta in Siskiyou County and the Lassen Volcanic Center, which includes Lassen Peak in Shasta County. The threat assessment is not a list of which volcanoes are most likely to erupt or a ranking of those that are most active; rather, it’s defined as a combination of a volcano’s potential threat and the number of people and properties exposed to it. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
Column: Strategies move forward on managing sea-level rise. They’re not easy.
Michael Smolens writes, “In Oceanside, design teams have entered a competition to devise strategies aimed at replenishing the city’s beaches and make the coastline more resilient. Nearly 2,800 miles across the country, the National Park Service has purchased two homes threatened by the Atlantic Ocean encroaching on North Carolina’s Outer Banks. Those are among the approaches coastal areas are taking to deal with the steady march of rising sea levels. Widespread efforts are continuing in hopes of slowing, if not reversing, global warming. Those actions have not made a dent in reducing human-made greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change, which exacerbates sea-level rise. … ” Read more from the San Diego Union-Tribune.
‘There’s still beauty’: a national park bounces back after California’s biggest single fire
“The fire was coming. Roughly 30 miles of dense forest withering under extreme drought stood between Lassen Volcanic national park and the Dixie fire – land ready to ignite. The historic town of Greenville had already been reduced to rubble by the flames. Entire communities had fled. Jim Richardson, the park superintendent, understood the blaze would soon be at his doorstep despite the efforts of thousands of firefighters. The question on his mind was what could be spared in the fire’s march across the Sierra Nevada. “We knew that all the fuels in the forest around us were very flammable,” Richardson said. “Within the first two days I recognized that our park was at risk from this fire.” … ” Read more from The Guardian.
This was a good year for prescribed burns. Why didn’t California do more?
“For forest managers to conduct prescribed burns, weather conditions have to be just right: not too hot or windy. “Not too damp, but also not too dry. Just right, Goldilocks, in the middle,” said UCLA climate scientist Daniel Swain. Overall, experts say more prescribed burning is needed across California to prevent out-of-control megafires. That fact is even more pronounced in cool, wet years like this one. Mild weather conditions provided the perfect backdrop for fire agencies to conduct large-scale controlled burns, which help prevent extreme wildfires. “Most days this year that were favorable for it, there really wasn’t much-prescribed fire activity,” Swain said. Prescribed burning is expected to get harder with climate change. … ” Read more from KQED.
In commentary today …
Groundwater gold rush
Chris Shutes with the California Sportfishing Protection Alliance, writes, “The groundwater gold rush is on. New projects to divert rivers for groundwater recharge are popping up across the state. Most of these projects are temporary, but most also explicitly foresee long-term, permanent projects. These recharge projects threaten to divert still more water from already-depleted rivers, even as the State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board) finally begins the update of the Bay-Delta Plan, which starts from the premise that rivers need more water, not less. The threat is enormous in scale. Diversions to recharge groundwater don’t have to show use of the water for up to five years. Because so many aquifers are already overdrafted, places in the ground to put water are almost unlimited. The limitations on these projects are thus economic, technical, and regulatory. There are few established rules for when rivers have enough water to allow diversions to groundwater storage. … ” Read more from the California Sportfishing Protection Alliance.
The weaponizing of environmental law
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
‘This place wanted to be a wetland’: how a farmer turned his fields into a wildlife sanctuary
“Birdsong hums over the rumble of Karl Wenner’s truck as it bounces along the dusty trails that weave through his property. For almost 100 years, this farm in southern Oregon grew barley, but now, amid the sprawling fields, there lies a wetland teeming with life. Wenner installed the wetland on 70 of the farm’s 400 acres to help deal with phosphorus pollution that leaked into the adjacent Upper Klamath Lake after his land flooded each winter. With support from a team of scientists and advocates, the project has become a welcome sanctuary for migrating and native birds that are disappearing from the area. Today, this corner of Lakeside Farms looks far different from a typical American farm. Waterfowl nest among the vegetation, joining pond turtles and even endangered native fish near rows of sprouting barley. … ” Read more from The Guardian.
Removing the Klamath dams is good news for salmon — and for bat researchers
“An old shed stands at the bottom of the J.C. Boyle Dam near Klamath Falls. The building is unremarkable in just about every way — except that it’s home to a colony of bats. “There’s a data gap on bats in the Pacific Northwest,” said Kaly Adkins, a conservation biologist with the Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife. That makes the shed valuable in a couple of bat-friendly ways. First, the 1950s space is tiny, small enough that Adkins had to stoop to enter on one recent fall day. Bats like to hide away, so prefer these kinds of confined quarters. Second, it has a corrugated metal roof, so the shed gets nice and warm in the summer, perfect for rearing bat pups. … ” Continue reading from OPB.
Another step forward for Nordic Aquafarms’ California project
“The company, Nordic Aquafarms Inc, which is a subsidiary of its Norway based parent, had originally planned to build a 33,000 tonne RAS (recirculating aquaculture system) salmon farm at Humboldt Bay Harbour on the US west coast, but decided in April this year to switch to yellowtail kingfish. It hopes to start production next year. It says yellowtail requires 10% less energy to produce than Atlantic salmon grown in the same recirculating system, and as a marine species it does not require fresh water in order to grow. The latest boost for the project has come from a unanimous decision by the California North Coast Regional Water Quality Board to adopt the National Pollution Elimination System order awarding the permit for waste water discharge. The company said: “Nordic is dedicated to fulfilling the conditions of the order which includes extensive water monitoring. With one more permit obtained, Nordic is pleased to continue on the path forward in the permitting process.” … ” Read more from Fish Farmer.
Lake County Supervisors to consider response to draft state water regulations
“The Board of Supervisors this week will consider a response to draft state regulations that could request Lake County water right holders to provide information on wells and water usage as part of an effort to save the threatened Clear Lake hitch fish. In an item timed for 1:30 p.m., the supervisors — sitting as the Board of Directors of the Lake County Watershed Protection District — will consider a draft comment letter to the State Water Resources Control Board regarding draft emergency regulations proposed for the Clear Lake watershed. Those draft regulations allow the State Water Resources Control Board’s deputy director or designee to issue an order to water right holders or users to provide information related to water diversion, extraction, or use in the Clear Lake watershed, “including but not limited to groundwater well location and depth, beneficial uses of diverted or extracted water, place of use of diverted or extracted water, volume and timing of diversions or extractions, the basis of right with supporting documents or other evidence, parcel information, or any other information relevant to the Board’s Clear Lake hitch protection efforts.” … ” Read more from the Lake County News.
BAY AREA
North Marin Water District rethinks Novato rates amid rising costs
“Rising costs to purchase imported water and the impact of inflation, among other factors, have prompted the North Marin Water District to take a closer look at its Novato rates. The district board voted unanimously Tuesday to perform a rate study a year ahead of schedule. The action authorizes an $60,000 agreement with Hildebrand Consulting to produce the report. Tony Williams, the district general manager, said the district’s 2020 study, which outlines a five-year rate increase plan, has outdated assumptions. The study recommended 5% increases for this year and next. “We realized there is no way, we’re going to get in trouble if we try to stick with the recommended 5%,” Williams said. … ” Read more from the Marin Independent Journal.
Pleasanton plans to build two new wells to support city’s water supply
“The Pleasanton City Council unanimously gave staff the green light last week to move forward with a plan to construct two new groundwater wells, which is expected to cost the city a minimum of $23 million. “The main thing is we want to provide clean and safe water to our residents, and that’s what we are trying to address here,” Councilmember Valerie Arkin said during the Oct. 17 meeting. Staff told the dais during the council meeting that the construction of the two new wells, which is scheduled to take three to four years to complete, will help the city meet its long-term water needs and ensure safe, PFAS-free drinking water to Pleasanton residents. … ” Read more from Pleasanton Weekly.
Bayside flood barrier proposed from SFO to San Mateo
“An off-shore barrier is being proposed from SFO to as far south as Coyote Point to create a lagoon that would protect the shoreline from sea-level rise through doors that could close during large storms or extreme tides. The proposal is by OneShoreline, the county’s Flood and Sea Level Rise Resiliency District, and its CEO Len Materman is making the rounds to various government agencies to explain the concept and gather feedback. “OneShoreline was created to address huge problems that need huge solutions. I don’t want our legacy to do things on the margins. I want to address this issue,” Materman said. … ” Read more from the Daily Journal.
Along the Colorado River …
Tap water is cheap, but old pipes and a shrinking Colorado River could change that
“Tap water is cheap. Maybe too cheap. Municipal water departments in the Colorado River basin are entering a time of change. Their infrastructure is aging and needs replacement, and they’re starting to invest in new systems that will help cities adapt to a future with a smaller water supply. But, that means big spending and costs that will get passed along to the millions of people who use that water in sinks, showers and sprinklers. “There’s literally nothing else you can have 1,000 gallons of delivered to your house at two in the morning for a few bucks,” said Mark Marlowe, water director in Castle Rock, Colorado. Marlowe and other water experts across the arid West agree, the amount you pay for tap water should probably go up, and likely will over the next few decades — in large part due to aging infrastructure. … ” Read more from KUNC.
Buckeye’s master-planned Teravalis, once Douglas Ranch, in legal dispute over groundwater
“Buckeye’s ambition to build the largest master-planned community in Arizona is tied up in a legal battle over whether developers have enough groundwater to make it a reality. A portion of the community’s conditional groundwater rights expired in 2020. The Arizona Department of Water Resources declined to extend the rights, a move that the developer is arguing was illegal. The dispute centers around a hydrological study that Douglas Ranch, now Teravalis, was to submit that would have reserved a portion of groundwater for 10 years. Because the study was never submitted, the Department declined to extend what it calls a conditional analysis, the only such special consideration it ever granted, officials there said. … ” Read more from the Arizona Republic.
Utahns are ‘very concerned’ about water and want officials to do more, USU poll says
“A new survey from Utah State University says around 55% of Utahns are “very concerned” with a lack of water throughout the state. Meanwhile, the same survey says only a fraction of Utahns — only 14% — believe elected officials are doing enough to address the issue. The survey is just one aspect of the newly-released yearly report from USU’s Janet Quinney Lawson Institute for Land, Water, and Air — a report that outlines the environmental issues Utah faces, along with what Utah lawmakers can do to better address those issues. Brian Steed, the executive director for the institute, said during a presentation Thursday in downtown Salt Lake City, that the water outlook in 2022 was “terrifying.” Though a wet, snowy winter helped, Utah is far from in the clear. … ” Read more from the Salt Lake Tribune.
In national water news today …
Biden’s $8 billion quest to solve America’s groundwater crisis
“A looming depletion of groundwater across the U.S. has drawn nationwide attention in recent years, as local officials in states from Kansas to Arizona struggle to manage dwindling water resources even as homes and farms get thirstier. However, the federal government’s surprisingly robust push to address this crisis has drawn far less attention. With little fanfare, the Biden administration is funneling billions of dollars to a suite of infrastructure projects designed to break the country’s dependence on vanishing groundwater. An infusion of money from the 2021 infrastructure bill is now being deployed, reviving long-dormant proposals for pipelines, reservoirs, and treatment facilities in rural areas across the U.S. West. These rural areas have long relied on underground aquifers as their only source of water, lacking access to the major rivers and reservoirs that sustain cities such as Denver, Colorado, and Los Angeles, California. As climate change leads to worsening droughts, the water level in these aquifers has fallen as there’s less rainfall to recharge them. As a result, many of these communities have suffered dire water access issues: Some have found their aquifers contaminated with unhealthy chemicals, while others have lost water access altogether as irrigated farms drain water away from household wells. … ” Read the full story at Grist.
Biden-Harris administration proposes ban on trichloroethylene to protect public from toxic chemical known to cause serious health risks
“Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a proposal to ban all uses of trichloroethylene (TCE), an extremely toxic chemical known to cause serious health risks including cancer, neurotoxicity, and reproductive toxicity. TCE is used in cleaning and furniture care products, degreasers, brake cleaners, and tire repair sealants, and a variety of safer alternatives are readily available for many uses. This action, taken under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), would protect people from these health risks by banning the manufacture, processing, and distribution of TCE for all uses. EPA’s proposed risk management rule would take effect in one year for consumer products and most commercial uses and would implement stringent worker protections on the limited remaining commercial and industrial uses that would be phased down over a longer period. … ” Read more from the EPA.
More news and commentary in the weekend edition …
In California water news this weekend …
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Middle Fork of the Tule River. Photo by Mike Trimble. Biden-Harris Administration and San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Authority approve plan for B.F. Sisk Dam Project, advancing water supply reliability and public safety in the Central Valley
- One Central Valley dam project gets nearly $95 million in funding; two others still in proposal phase
- Chuck Bonham on what’s upstream for California salmon
- Graphics: The atmospheric rivers of Water Year 2023: End of water year summary
- SB 389: New law sharpens the microscope’s focus on water rights
- Need help paying your water and sewer bill? California extended this assistance program
- Tribes and conservation groups file comments on updated California Water Plan
- ‘California water conservation mandates do not rein in biggest water consumers’
- LA leadership recognizes low Mono Lake concerns
- LA equestrian facility protects rivers by getting horse owners to ‘scoop the poop’
- Colorado River water debate: Tribes weigh in on future agreements
- And more …
Click here for the weekend digest.
