On the calendar today …
- MEETING: Central Valley Flood Protection Board beginning at 9am. Agenda items include a legislative update, presentation of Army Corps inspection results for levees in Butte County, Flood risk notification program, and consideration of a Sacramento River erosion contract. Click here for the full agenda and remote access instructions.
In California water news today …
Arrowhead bottled water company sues to continue piping from California forest
“The company that sells Arrowhead 100% Mountain Spring Water is suing to challenge California regulators’ recent ruling that the company must stop taking much of the water it pipes from the San Bernardino National Forest for bottling. BlueTriton Brands filed the lawsuit this month in Fresno County Superior Court, arguing in its complaint that the State Water Resources Control Board overstepped its authority “far beyond what California law allows.” Lawyers for the company argued during a hearing last month that the process was rife with problems and that they are entitled to the water. The state’s order is a “a radical departure from over a century of [water board] administrative practice and legal precedent,” BlueTriton said in an email. The board’s order “ignores dozens of agency staff reports and analyses which uniformly conclude that the [water board] does not have permitting authority over groundwater unless it is flowing in a ‘subterranean stream,’” the company said. … ” Read the full story at the LA Times.
DWR releases SGMA GSP evaluations: 11 approved, 6 GSPs deemed incomplete
“The Department of Water Resources (DWR) [yesterday] announced decisions for groundwater sustainability plans in 17 non-critically overdrafted groundwater basins in California. These determinations mark ongoing progress in reaching long-term sustainability for the state’s groundwater basins, a critical water supply for millions of Californians. These groundwater plans are addressing current issues and long-term solutions towards water resiliency for communities, households, industries, and the environment that are all dependent on groundwater. The Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) directs DWR to evaluate groundwater sustainability plans to determine if the plans are based on the best available science and information and will reasonably achieve the sustainability goal for each groundwater basin. Criteria for plan evaluation is specified in the Groundwater Sustainability Plan regulations. Each of the 17 basins announced today submitted a single basin plan. … ” Continue reading from DWR.
California sees positive signs for wet winter
“Drivers passing through Donner Summit along Interstate 80 in the high Sierra, over 7,000 feet above sea level, didn’t expect significant snow. People thought Wednesday would bring rain with only a light amount of snow. That changed around 2 p.m., according to Officer Carlos Perez with the California Highway Patrol. “We were prepared, but a lot of people were not prepared,” the Truckee-based officer said. “It was definitely winter-driving conditions.” Wednesday marked th first time this season that authorities implemented chain control over the summit on I-80, starting at 2:15 p.m. and lasting until 6:10 p.m. Vehicles needed four-wheel drive or chains to pass through. … ” Read more from the Courthouse News Service.
Seasonably cool weekend ahead, increased fire weather concerns for Northern California
“Cool weather for October standards will continue into the weekend, although a minor warming trend will push temperatures back into the low 70s by Sunday. Cooler air, ushered in by Wednesday’s cold front that dropped light rain across the valley and a few inches of snow in the Sierra, will result in high temperatures in the mid to upper 60s across the valley. This is well below the average high of 74 in Sacramento for Oct. 26. Temperatures will remain in this range Friday and Saturday before warming into the lower 70s by Sunday. Sierra highs will remain in the 40s and 50s through the weekend, along with frigid mornings that will see temperatures dip into the teens Saturday and Sunday. … ” Read more from Channel 10.
House passes Congressman Valadao’s water legislation
“Today, Congressman David G. Valadao (CA-22) released the following statement after the House passed H.R. 4394 – Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2024. Among other provisions, the bill text includes Rep. Valadao’s Working to Advance Tangible and Effective Reforms (WATER) for California Act. “Ensuring communities throughout the Central Valley have access to a clean, reliable water supply is my top priority,” said Congressman Valadao. “Without a reliable water supply, our farmers, ranchers, and producers in California’s Central Valley won’t be able to grow food for the nation. The strength of our local economies, livelihoods, and government services depend on access to this critical resource. “For too long, complex and contradictory laws and regulations that control how much water we’re able to pump, and what storage projects we’re able to build and use, have amplified water shortage problems across the western United States. This bill will help alleviate some of these issues by providing eligibility for funding for the Shasta project and bringing much needed accountability to the way water is managed. I look forward to working with my colleagues to continue advancing this critical legislation for the Central Valley.” … ” Read more from Congressman Valadao’s office.
After long wait, House OKs Valadao’s water reforms
“After a lengthy wait, owing to the ouster of House Speaker Emeritus Kevin McCarthy (R-Bakersfield), the House of Representatives is getting back to business. For Rep. David Valadao (R–Hanford), the end of logjam is already bearing fruit, with critical water legislation getting approved on Speaker Mike Johnson’s (R–La.) first day in office. Driving the news: The House voted to approve H.R. 4394, which includes Valadao’s Working to Advance Tangible and Effective Reforms (WATER) for California Act, a measure focusing on ensuring access to clean and reliable water supply in the Central Valley. … ” Read more from the San Joaquin Valley Sun.
Draft California Water Plan Update 2023: A brief overview
“Every five years, the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) prepares the California Water Plan, a statutorily mandated strategic plan to guide the management and control of the state’s water resources. The main purpose of the 2023 California Water Plan (2023 Water Plan) is to outline the status and trends of California’s water supplies, water-dependent natural resources, and agricultural, urban, and environmental water demands while also reflecting the current legislative and administrative priorities for water resources. Ultimately, the 2023 Water Plan will serve as a planning and policy roadmap that will guide DWR in the proceeding five-year period. On September 20, 2023, DWR released a Public Review Draft of the 2023 Water Plan (Draft 2023 Plan), allowing members of the public to review and provide comments to the Draft 2023 Plan within a 30-day comment period, ending October 19, 2023. … ” Read more from Somach Simmons & Dunn.
Cities and state agencies advance water efficiency efforts
“Cities and state agencies are both advancing water efficiency goals. At the center of these efforts are draft regulations that would create long-term water conservation targets for 400 urban water suppliers statewide, including 200 cities. With California swinging from one extreme weather event to the next, the state is looking at various ways to cultivate long-term water conservation. The goal is to make conservation a way of life and lessen the need for emergency water reductions during droughts. The draft regulations are part of a 2018 legislative package. On Oct. 17, the League of California Cities submitted comments to the State Water Resources Control Board requesting flexibility for cities. The proposed changes are in line with the legislative package’s original timeline. … ” Read more from the League of California Cities.
Newsom, Calif. do about-face on fake grass
“Assembly Bill 626, signed into law by Gov. Gavin Newsom on October 8, allows cities and counties in California to ban artificial grass due to concerns of “forever chemicals” potentially leeching into the soil. Gov. Newsom appears willing to ban the use of chemicals called perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in synthetic turf, despite efforts to develop PFAS-free products. The backstory: In 2016, then-Gov. Jerry Brown prevented local governments from banning artificial turf, considering it a viable option for conserving water in California’s drought-prone environment. … ” Read more from San Joaquin Valley Sun.
Phil Isenberg, former Chair of the Delta Stewardship Council, has passed away
“Phil Isenberg, a former Sacramento mayor and one of the most influential Democratic members of the Assembly in the 1980s and 1990s, died Thursday after a short illness. He was 84. A UC Berkeley-educated lawyer whose public career spanned 50 years, Isenberg worked for a time for Willie Brown’s San Francisco law firm as he rose in Democratic politics in the 1960s. Later, he became Assemblyman Brown’s lead staffer when Brown chaired the powerful Ways & Means Committee, served as Sacramento mayor from 1975-1982, and won an Assembly seat in 1982 representing Sacramento. … In the Assembly, Isenberg was an inside player known for his quick wit, focus on detail and policy, and an ability to form alliances with Republicans. He focused on judicial issues and the environment, working to preserve the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta and negotiating a deal to help save Mono Lake. … ” Read more from Capitol Weekly.
Researchers create app to help drones improve farm efficiency
“Researchers at the University of California, Davis, have developed a web application to help farmers and industry workers use drones and other uncrewed aerial vehicles, or UAVs, to generate the best possible data. By helping farmers use resources more efficiently, this advancement could help them adapt to a world with a changing climate that needs to feed billions. Associate Professor Alireza Pourreza, director of the UC Davis Digital Agriculture Lab and postdoctoral researcher Hamid Jafarbiglu, who recently completed his doctorate in biological systems engineering under Pourreza, designed the When2Fly app to make drones more proficient and accurate. Specifically, the platform helps drone users avoid glare-like areas called hotspots that can ruin collected data. … ” Read more from UC Davis.
Abandoned golf courses are being reclaimed by nature
“Golf courses, despite occupying large green spaces, are not necessarily good for the environment. Land is often cleared to make way for a fairway and maintaining the pristine turf often requires a lot of water, regular mowing and the spraying of fertilizers and pesticides – none of which is good for biodiversity. In the US, with the number of course closures outweighing new openings every year since 2006, some are questioning how we should use these huge spaces – and asking whether, instead of golf, nature should be left to run its course. Conservation nonprofits and local authorities are looking to acquire golf courses that have been abandoned due to high maintenance costs, low player numbers or other reasons, and repurpose them into landscapes that boost biodiversity and build natural defenses against climate change. … ” Read more from CNN.
How El Niño is fueling an intense Pacific hurricane season
“Hurricane Otis made landfall in Mexico on Tuesday night, rapidly intensifying to a category 5 hurricane, the strongest Pacific Ocean hurricane to make landfall in Mexico in modern history. Otis was the eighth major hurricane in the East Pacific in 2023. Another category 3 or stronger hurricane this season would match a record for major hurricanes in the eastern Pacific. Scientists say warmer than normal ocean temperatures — due to El Niño conditions and human-caused climate change — have fueled the region’s active hurricane season. Matthew Rosencrans, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s lead for this year’s seasonal hurricane outlook, says atmospheric and oceanic conditions are primed for hurricane development and growth in the eastern Pacific Ocean this year. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
In regional water news and commentary today …
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
As part of ‘Team Tahoe’, Feinstein’s legacy includes lake protection, preservation
“In 2011, the bistate compact between Nevada and California that had long governed Lake Tahoe was under threat. Formed in 1969, both states had for more than 40 years committed to the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA), a shared governance model to enforce caps on development on their respective sides of the lake. But a bill in the Nevada Legislature threatened to pull the Silver State from the compact, jeopardizing environmental progress in the “Jewel of the Sierras” and enveloping the annual Tahoe Summit — a meeting of elected officials and others involved in lake management each August — in a thick blanket of tension. Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) hosted the 2011 summit at California’s Homewood Mountain Resort. After the morning’s programming and her annual stakeholder luncheon, she brought all the key players, including then-Govs. Jerry Brown (D) of California and Brian Sandoval (R) of Nevada, into a room. “She said, ‘OK, we need to work this out,’” recalled TRPA executive director Julie Regan. “‘And I would like to hear a plan for you to work this out within the year.’” … ” Read more from the Nevada Independent.
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
Winters Salmon Festival marks return of Chinook to Putah Creek
“The sixth annual Winters Salmon Festival, which began in 2016 to celebrate the return of chinook salmon in the lower reaches of Putah Creek, will be celebrated this November. The event will feature family-oriented programs including live music, local food trucks, children’s activities, educational programming and more. The festival is free to the public and will take place on Saturday, Nov. 4, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Rotary Park (201 Railroad Ave.) located in downtown Winters. … ” Read more from the Winters Express.
BAY AREA
Marin County is preparing for rising sea levels
“Sea levels along the US coastline are expected to rise between 10-12 inches by 2050. But according to the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission – or BCDC – we don’t just need to worry about rising sea levels, we also need to be planning for storm surges and rising tides, which – in conjunction with rising sea level – has the potential to cause tremendous damage to the Bay Area. … That’s why, on Tuesday, the BCDC spoke to the Marin County Board of Supervisors about a proposed $110 billion “shoreline resiliency program.” … ” Read the full story at KALW.
City of Pleasanton to drill two new wells for cleaner water
“The city will drill two new wells — one in Del Prado Park and one in Bernal Park — to open new water sources free of toxic chemicals and restore groundwater pumping. Toxic chemicals known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), or forever chemicals, are a group of several thousand synthetic chemicals that, although used widely in manufacturing in recent decades, are harmful even at small concentrations. Groundwater chemical testing shut down one of the city’s wells in 2019, and evolving state health standards closed Pleasanton’s remaining two wells last November. Since then, the city has relegated its wells to emergency-demand periods only, a situation that has not yet occurred. Pleasanton has purchased water from the Zone 7 Water Agency, the regional water wholesaler, to make up for the shortfall. … ” Read more from the Independent.
SEE ALSO: Clean Water on Pleasanton’s Horizon, editorial from the Independent.
Taxpayers’ group sues City of Livermore over water and sewer rates
“The Alameda County Taxpayers’ Association (ACTA) has filed a lawsuit against the City of Livermore alleging the city charges excessive water and sewer rates and places the extra funds it collects into its general fund. The practice, the lawsuit contends, is a violation of state Proposition 218, a measure approved by voters in 1996 to prevent local agencies from circumventing Proposition 13’s limits on property tax increases. The ACTA and member Alan Heckman, a Livermore resident, filed the lawsuit Oct. 10 in Alameda County Superior Court in Oakland. “The simple way to put it is that local agencies like the city cannot overcharge customers for physical property-related services in order to generate additional revenue to support its general fund and other costs not related to operating the utilities,” ACTA attorney Vincent Slavens said. … ” Read more from the Independent.
South Bay residents warned of flood risks ahead of rainy season
“Officials from the Santa Clara Valley Water District, Santa Clara County and the city of San Jose alerted the public on Wednesday to the risks of flooding this rainy season, providing directions to preparation and emergency resources. “This winter, the climate prediction center at the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration is forecasting a higher probability of above normal rainfall,” said Brian Garcia, the warning coordination meteorologist for the National Weather Service in the Bay Area. … ” Read more from CBS Bay Area.
CENTRAL COAST
Santa Cruz County supervisors hear flood risk report
“Since a series of storms ravaged Santa Cruz County earlier this year, county officials have been preparing for another potential winter of heavy rains. This includes clearing debris from creeks and rivers and repairing three damaged portions of the Pajaro River Levee system. All of this comes in advance of a massive $400 million rebuild of the levee, which will kick off next year. Pajaro River Flood Management Agency will sign a contract with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers next month for the long-awaited project, director Mark Strudley told the County Supervisors Tuesday during an update on this year’s flood prevention efforts. … ” Read more from the Pajaronian.
San Luis Obispo County gets big grant to study desalination and water reuse projects
“This month, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation announced that San Luis Obispo County was among 31 Western U.S. planning projects to receive $28.9 million in funding to support potential new water reuse and desalination projects. SLO County was awarded $550,000 in matching funds to start a feasibility, technology and project location study to take advantage of our over 80 miles of ocean frontage that could help transform seawater into drinking water. With the prospect of future droughts due to global warming, “this renewable, almost inexhaustible resource would not be diminished by climate change, insufficient rainfall, or water conservation efforts,” says Angela Ford, SLO DESAL (Desalination Executable Solution and Logistics) Plan manager and supervising water resources engineer with the county. … ” Read more from the San Luis Obispo Tribune.
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
Lack of flood control raises concerns over water board representation
“During three weeks in December and January, storms dumped 32 trillion gallons of rain and snow on California. With it came unwelcome floods for many communities of color. The winter and spring storms were a rare chance for drought-stricken communities to collect rainwater, rather than have their farms, homes and more overwhelmed by water. Much of the rain that fell instead overflowed in lakes and streams, leading to disaster in low-income Central Valley towns like Allensworth and Planada. “It’s a long history of disinvestment in disadvantaged communities and communities of color, in drinking infrastructure, water systems and flood control,” said Michael Claiborne, an attorney for the Leadership Counsel for Justice and Accountability, an environmental justice organization based in the San Joaquin and East Coachella Valleys. … ” Read more from the Foothills Sun-Gazette.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Court upholds protections for Southern California Steelhead
“A Los Angeles County Superior Court judge has rejected a challenge from a water agency seeking to strip protections from the Southern California steelhead. The ruling adopted on Tuesday allows legal protections for the imperiled fish to continue until the California Fish and Game Commission makes a decision on permanent protections. “We are thrilled to see the court uphold CalTrout’s science-driven petition to list southern steelhead under the California Endangered Species Act,” said Walter “Redgie” Collins, legal and policy director at CalTrout. “Southern steelhead are in dire need of state protections and today the court ruling got us one stop closer to that goal.” … ” Read more from the Center for Biological Diversity.
Palmdale Water District to begin removal of baffle curtains from clearwell
“Palmdale Water District (PWD) has started preparing for the scheduled removal of the baffle curtains from its six-million-gallon clearwell water tank, known as the 6M, where treated water is stored before being distributed to customers. Divers with Blue Locker Diving are scheduled to enter the 6M on Monday, Oct. 30, to cut the approximately 30-foot-tall hanging baffle curtains into manageable sections. Baffle curtains in clearwell water tanks increase contact time for chlorine-treated water by creating a longer flow path within the tank, improving water treatment performance. … ” Read more from ACWA’s Water News.
First phase of multipurpose groundwater storage and delivery project unveiled in Antelope Valley
“After three years of construction, water officials announced Monday the completion of the first stage of a groundwater storage project they say will “significantly increase” Southern California’s water supply in the face of a “rapidly changing climate.” Officials from the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California and the Antelope Valley-East Kern Water Agency gathered in Lancaster to celebrate the High Desert Water Bank, which will allow Metropolitan to store water from the State Water Project in the Antelope Valley groundwater basin. … ” Read more from KABC 7.
SAN DIEGO
Supervisors OK land easement for East County Recycled Water Project
“The San Diego County Board of Supervisors voted 3-0 Wednesday to vacate a small parcel of land as part of an East County recycled water project. The quarter-acre piece of land sits on a 10.47-acre undeveloped parcel west of El Monte Road and north of Lake Jennings Park Road, along Laurel Canyon Road, in the Lakeside Community Planning Area. According to the county, easement approval was needed to continue pipeline construction for the plant. … ” Read more from The Patch.
Biden’s emergency funding request includes $310M to treat Tijuana pollution
“Local and state elected officials Thursday thanked President Biden and others for requesting $310 million to expand wastewater treatment in the South Bay as part of an ongoing effort to tackle cross-border pollution in the Tijuana River Valley. The funding is part of an emergency supplemental funding request. “The inclusion of $310 million to address the sewage crisis in the president’s emergency supplemental request marks a significant step forward in tackling this crisis,” said San Diego County Board of Supervisors Chairwoman Nora Vargas. “It is essential that we continue taking action at every level of government to achieve our collective mission to protect our environment, communities, and the future of San Diego County.” … ” Continue reading at Channel 7.
Along the Colorado River …
Water Year 2023 in context: A cautionary tale
“The end of September marked the end of Water Year 2023 (WY2023). This is a good time to take stock of the year’s runoff and to understand how much reservoir storage improved. What kind of a year was WY2023? How long will any added storage last? Can we ease our collective effort to reduce consumptive uses and losses in the basin? The short answer is that WY2023 was certainly a good year for runoff, reservoir inflow, and increases in reservoir storage—but the same amount of inflow would have to occur for several additional years to fully recover storage to what it was in summer 1999 when the system was last full. Such a string of high flow years has not occurred in the 21st century and is unlikely in the future. … ” Read more from the Inkstain Blog.
Colorado River system safe — for now, say officials
“Life is a bit more certain on the shores of Lake Mead, and hopes are it stays that way. The heavy snowfall last winter and ensuing runoff have bought time for Bureau of Reclamation officials, dozens of governing entities and 40 million users of Colorado River water to fix decades of increasing drought problems. This week, the bureau released a document known as a revised draft supplemental environmental impact statement, and the Biden administration hailed the efforts to protect the stability and sustainability of the Colorado River Basin. Decades of steady decline in the reservoir system that provides Southern Nevada with 90 percent of its water has been at least slowed, thanks to a rare and bountiful snowmelt combined with shrinking water usage. But the challenges of having less water after 23 years of drought in the Southwest have not gone away. … ” Read more from the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
Wet weather and a conservation deal ease some short-term pressure on Colorado River managers
“A wet winter and a temporary water conservation agreement have lifted some weight off the shoulders of Colorado River policymakers. That shift is reflected in a new draft management plan from the Bureau of Reclamation, the federal agency which operates major dams and reservoirs across the West. The draft document, called a “Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement,” outlines water management plans until 2026 and reflects a shift away from short-term crisis management, as the region’s water policymakers begin to focus on a more permanent rewrite of rules for how the river is shared. … ” Read more from Wyoming Public Media.
Utah: Washington County hopes its 20-year water plan will keep it blooming in the desert
“The quest to find — and save — more water is nothing new for people living in the southwest Utah desert. Back in the 1930s, St. George’s water conservation plan hinged on wooden, iron and cement pipes that replaced the open canal from the Pine Valley Mountains. The pipes reduced evaporation and seepage so much that the flow into town nearly doubled. Efforts like this allowed Washington County’s population to grow by 25% between 1930 and 1940. That’s a drop in the bucket compared to the county’s growth in the years since. The population has quadrupled since 1990 — it’s now roughly 200,000 people — and projections from The University of Utah say the number could double again in the next three decades. … ” Read more from KUER.
President Biden’s Investing in America agenda supports $327 million investment to fulfill Indian water rights settlements
“The Department of the Interior today announced a nearly $327 million investment through President Biden’s Investing in America agenda to continue fulfilling settlements of Indian water rights claims with funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Reclamation Water Settlements Fund. The funding will support major water projects across the West to secure reliable water supplies for Tribes. “Through the President’s Investing in America agenda, the Interior Department is continuing to uphold our trust responsibilities and ensure that Tribal communities receive the water resources they have long been promised,” said Secretary Deb Haaland.“Reliable water is crucial to ensuring the health, safety and empowerment of Indigenous communities. I am grateful that Tribes, some of whom have been waiting for this funding for decades, are finally getting the resources they are owed.” … ” Continue reading from the Department of the Interior.
In national water news today …
What’s stopping desalination from going mainstream?
“Panic over saltwater intrusion in the Mississippi River threatening drinking water supplies in major cities and an ongoing drought parching the West have some officials weighing a controversial solution — desalination. But the process of removing salt from water to make it potable comes with a variety of drawbacks that complicate widespread viability. “It is costly to build and operate desalination plants,” said Mary Grant, a campaign director with the group Food & Water Watch, who added that while the practice has been “a hot topic” in drought-ridden states like California, “its main hurdles have been cost and environmental impacts.” Countries like Saudi Arabia, Israel and the United Arab Emirates all operate desalination plants that help provide drinking water. In the U.S., plants are scattered across states with saltwater intrusion problems and drought concerns, namely in Florida, California and Texas. … ” Read more from E&E News.
Democrats unveil ‘most comprehensive plan ever’ to address plastics problem
“As plastic litter builds up in the environment, polluting landscapes and poisoning ecosystems, U.S. lawmakers have unveiled their “most comprehensive plan ever” to tackle the problem. Three Democratic members of Congress on Wednesday introduced the Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act of 2023, a sweeping bill to reduce plastic production and hold companies financially responsible for their pollution. Previous iterations of the legislation were introduced in 2020 and 2021, but this year’s version includes stronger protections for communities that live near petrochemical facilities, more stringent targets for companies to reduce their plastic production, and stricter regulations against toxic chemicals used in plastic products. … ” Read more from the Grist.
National water and climate report …
The Natural Resources Conservation Service produces this weekly report using data and products from the National Water and Climate Center and other agencies. The report focuses on seasonal snowpack, precipitation, temperature, and drought conditions in the U.S.
dmrpt-20231026Also on Maven’s Notebook today …
NOTICE: Water Right Petitions for Temporary Urgency Changes in Mendocino and Sonoma Counties
