On the calendar today …
- IN-PERSON LISTENING SESSION: regulation of flows in the Scott River and Shasta River watershed at 2pm and 5:30pm in Montague. State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board) staff will host two in-person listening sessions on regulation of flows in the Scott River and Shasta River watersheds that can be used to inform ongoing and future efforts the State Water Board may take regarding regulation of flows in the Scott River and Shasta River watersheds. The purpose of these in-person only listening sessions, which will be broken into two identical sessions, is to give the public the opportunity to provide feedback and for comments from tribes, local diverters, residents, and others on their experiences and thoughts regarding prior efforts in the watershed, including the emergency regulation, with a focus on what has worked well, what has worked poorly, and recommendations for changes in approach moving forward over the long term. Click here for the full meeting notice.
In California water news today …
As western water grows more precious, what is the future of farming?
John Chacon / DWR
“We humans have a built-in capacity to take things for granted. Perhaps it is a survival instinct, a constant drive to find placid state of “normal.” It’s an understandable goal, but it is futile. For most of the twentieth century we took the “normal” functioning of the planet’s climate system for granted; some, amazingly, still do. Among the many thing taken for granted today is the truly incredible opportunity afforded by an airliner’s window seat to view the planet from a perspective available to no human beyond the few most recent generations. We make much of the famous “blue marble” image of the Earth from space taken by Apollo 17. But the “one world” clarity of that powerful photo does not require a ticket on SpaceX or Virgin Galactic. A relatively cheap window seat on Spirit Airlines will do the trick. … ” Continue reading at the Breakthrough Institute.
EPA to fund studies of toxic ‘forever chemicals’ in agriculture
“The Environmental Protection Agency announced on Thursday $8 million in new research funding to understand how the toxic compounds known as “forever chemicals” are affecting plants and animals in agricultural, rural and tribal communities. The agency announced the new funds as part of an effort to develop ways to identify and mitigate exposure pathways to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, a class of more than 12,000 chemicals known as PFAS. These nearly indestructible chemicals, which do not exist in nature, accumulate in the environment and in living things, including people. They contaminate air, soil and waterways and have been detected in the blood of nearly every person tested in the United States. The agency is offering researchers five $1.6 million grants over four years. The grants aim to support research that advances the EPA’s mission to protect human health and the environment as part of its Science to Achieve Results program. … ” Read more from Inside Climate News.
Dispatches from the deep Pacific
“Monsters are lurking… Off the coast of California, down in the chilly depths of the Pacific Ocean, there lie the most unsettling denizens that appear summoned from the nightmares of Mira Grant. Here in the inky blackness, where nature spawned these most otherworldly configurations, inhabitants reign in pure darkness. Even the bravest of brave souls may not be able to suppress a shudder after reading this post. Prepare to endure a frightful encounter with some of nature’s most sinister and vile entities… ” Continue reading from the California Water Blog.
In commentary today …
More water is coming to Valley farmers, and they can thank Joe Biden for it
Tad Weber, opinion columnist, writes, “Food grows where water flows. So goes the saying on signs I have seen in farmlands in Fresno, Tulare, Merced and Kings counties since I moved to the San Joaquin Valley 10 years ago. The signs, and others like them, are protests against cuts to water deliveries to growers in those regions. More often than not, farmers were angry with whoever was California’s governor. Since the Republican party has been stuck in super minority status, California’s governors have been Democrats, namely Jerry Brown and now Gavin Newsom. Despite persistent droughts, they often get blamed for whatever water cuts are happening, along with Fresno congressman Jim Costa and his colleague from San Francisco, Nancy Pelosi. They also are Democrats. … ” Read more from the Fresno Bee.
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
Lady of the Lake: The science of scary water
“Dear Lady of the Lake, Do you have any spooky or scary stories to tell about Lakes or Clear Lake? It’s the season, afterall. Dear Laura, Thank you for reaching out about this! It is the spooky season and it’s a great time to share stories and haunted legends about lakes. Unfortunately, I don’t yet have a library on haunted stories about Clear Lake, but I am compiling that list with the help of some local friends. First I will describe some of the science behind water, and why, in its basic elemental form, it has so much perceived potential to be linked to the paranormal. This column will merge the science with the spiritual, if you will. Feel free to explore more of the science on your own, and take what you want of the spiritual, if you believe in that sort of thing, of course. … ” Continue reading from the Lake County News.
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
D.L. Bliss state park in Lake Tahoe remains closed into 2024. Here’s work to still be finished
“D.L. Bliss State Park in Lake Tahoe will remain temporarily closed through the summer of 2024, California State Parks announced Friday. The popular destination, which sits next to scenic Emerald Bay, was closed last June to replace aging waterlines and the work is expected to be completed next year. “Work will resume after the snow melts in the spring and is anticipated to continue through summer 2024,” California State Parks wrote in a news release. The closed areas of the park include the vehicle access area at Lester Beach, Calawee Cove, Balancing Rock trailhead, Rubicon Trailhead North, campsites and the visitor center. … ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee.
NAPA/SONOMA
Napa County tentatively approves KJS & Sorrento vineyards
“Le Colline is far from the last word on vineyard development in local mountains, with a bigger KJS & Sorrento project recently receiving tentative approval from Napa County. The proposed 28-acre Le Colline project near Angwin, which was approved administratively in the same manner, became a flashpoint. The county Board of Supervisors tentatively overturned that approval on Aug. 15 after opponents filed an appeal and is to take a final vote on Nov. 7. Napa County Farm Bureau has questioned whether the county is following its own agricultural-promoting policies. Environmentalists who opposed Le Colline applauded the Board of Supervisors’ decision and pointed to county conservation regulations. … ” Continue reading from the Napa Register.
BAY AREA
Lagunitas Creek salmon habitat project gets $4.6M grant
“habitat for endangered coho salmon in Lagunitas Creek has received a $4.6 million infusion from the state. The Marin Municipal Water District plans to use the grant to hire a contractor to do restoration work for phase one of the project, staff said at a presentation to the finance and administration committee Thursday. “The grant also includes funding for a natural resources technician position here at the district,” said Jonathan Koehler, the district fisheries program manager. The position is for two years. The committee recommended that the board accept the funds and authorize the district general manager to sign the grant agreement. A resolution is expected to be presented to the full board next month. … ” Read more from the Marin Independent Journal.
‘We have to stop’: Plan for fossil-fuel drilling on the flanks of San Francisco Bay draws protest
“Two years after public opposition halted a bid to drill natural gas in Suisun Marsh, next to San Francisco Bay, a Florida energy company is taking another run at it. Lantos Energy LLC submitted an application with Solano County last month to construct a well and a possible pipeline alongside wetlands about 10 miles east of Benicia, where the bustling East Bay eases into the quiet of the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta. The area historically has been a bastion for natural gas, with many companies, including Pacific Gas and Electric Co., still getting a bulk of their fuel from the region. Hundreds of wells, for nearly a century, were drilled into the area’s rich fossil-fuel deposits to heat homes and generate power — without much fanfare. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
Pleasanton plans to drill new groundwater wells to address contamination
“Pleasanton is moving forward with a plan to build two new drinking-water wells to replace its wells found to be contaminated. The new wells would be drilled away from the ones contaminated with the potentially harmful per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances — known as PFAS — that caused the city to stop using the three wells it currently operates. The City Council this month approved moving forward with the project, which will take about four years to complete and cost an estimated $23 million to $43 million, according to city figures. However, city officials have not decided how to pay for the entire project. The City Council only committed $500,000 from the city’s water fund to cover planning and development costs. … ” Read more from the San Jose Mercury News.
Santa Clara County Supervisor seeks broader use of AI to help prevent wildfires
“As local officials work to install sensors along the Los Gatos Creek watershed that use artificial intelligence to detect wildfires, Santa Clara County Supervisor Otto Lee is a recommending that these sensors be installed across the county’s wildland urban interface. The Saratoga-based FireSafe Council is working with San Jose Water to install 10 sensors across 6,000 acres in the watershed in an effort to protect the water source for millions of Santa Clara County residents. The solar-powered sensors, which come from the technology company N5 Sensors, measure gas, particulate matter and heat. AI then analyzes that data to detect where small fires may be before they spread. These data also make their way to an interactive dashboard to provide visualization of the sensor data and fire alerts. … ” Read more from the San Jose Mercury News.
CENTRAL COAST
$300M drought-busting water treatment facility in works at Naval Base Ventura County
“A local water district is in the early stages of building a $300 million drought-busting water treatment facility at Naval Base Ventura County that will supply the much-needed resource to the base and surrounding areas. At a water sustainability summit on Thursday, United Water Conservation District officials said the agency has secured $8.6 million plus $1.3 million in expected state grants that will carry the project through its first phase. “It will create a new, reliable (water) supply that is not affected by drought,” Maryam Bral, United’s chief engineer, said Wednesday. … ” Read more from the Ventura County Star.
EASTERN SIERRA
Clearing up the “green lake” phenomenon
“This summer, the water in Mono Lake appeared noticeably clearer than it has during most summers over the last decade. Historically, the clarity of Mono Lake’s water fluctuates seasonally, appearing green and opaque in the winter as algae grows and then clearing up in the summer as brine shrimp hatch and eat the algae. However, starting in 2014, researchers and recreationalists alike noticed the lake stayed green with algae during the summer, greatly reducing water clarity and visibility. This “green lake” phenomenon of summers with significantly decreased water clarity persisted until 2017, another exceptionally wet year akin to this year. 2018 and 2019 were somewhat in-between years with regards to water clarity, and the remaining years until 2023 have had exceptionally opaque, green water. Anecdotally, 2023 appears to have even greater clarity than 2017, but data are still being collected and processed. “Why is this happening?” is the question the Mono Lake Committee, researchers, and visitors have been asking. … ” Continue reading from the Mono Lake Committee.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
A new SoCal underground water storage project aims to keep supplies flowing during drought
“A solution to help bolster Southern California’s water outlook during future droughts is taking shape in the Mojave Desert. Water transported in canals and pipelines has begun flowing into a series of basins carved into the desert, filling a large underground reservoir that will be available to draw upon in dry times. The facility, called the High Desert Water Bank, started taking in supplies from the State Water Project last month. Water diverted from the East Branch of the California Aqueduct has been flowing through a 7-foot-wide pipeline and gushing into one of the basins, where it gradually percolates into the desert soil and recharges the groundwater. Newly drilled wells will allow for water to be pumped out of the aquifer when needed to supply cities and suburbs throughout Southern California. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
Commentary: A reliable water source is critical to the sustainable growth of our region
Acquanetta Warren, mayor of Fontana, writes, “In Fontana, a city known for its diversity, thriving business environment, and unwavering commitment to the well-being of all its residents, we’re witnessing unprecedented growth. As we work tirelessly to enhance our infrastructure and services to support our expanding economy, securing a dependable source of clean, safe drinking water is a top priority. That’s why I’m strongly supportive of Governor Newsom’s plan to upgrade California’s main water distribution infrastructure. As California faces more frequent and extreme climate events, our water supply – particularly in arid Southern California – is becoming less reliable. Long-lasting droughts and intense floods, driven by climate change, are making water planning and procurement more challenging than ever. … ” Read more from the Inland Daily Bulletin.
Banning approves contract for wastewater basin design
“Riverside-based Albert A. Webb Associates, an engineering firm, received approval for a contract to design Banning’s Wastewater Treatment Plant Equalization Basin at the Oct. 24 City Council meeting. City Council agreed to pay the company up to $159,863, including a 10 percent contingency, to plan an equalization basin, which collects and holds wastewater prior to being pumped into a treatment plant. Banning’s equalization basin was originally designed to have two connecting basins, so the city can better prepare for intense rain events, during which the city’s wastewater treatment plant can be overwhelmed by excess stormwater if there isn’t sufficient capacity for overflow and excess flow storage. … ” Read more from the Record-Gazette.
IMPERIAL/COACHELLA VALLEYS
Into the Wild West: Understanding the problems of the past
“The Coachella Valley depends on the Colorado River to thrive. Farmers in the east valley rely on Colorado River water to irrigate crops, and the valley’s drinking water comes from the aquifers below, which are replenished by river water. But with drought and climate change, the river is bringing less water. And the fight over who gets water is ramping up. We’re in a trap,” said John Weisheit, an environmentalist with Living Rivers who is known as the Colorado Riverkeeper. “To solve this problem means we have to have some very, very serious discussions, and I don’t see that happening.” … ” Read more from Channel 3.
SAN DIEGO
San Diego County Supervisors expand efforts to improve Tijuana River Valley
“The County Board of Supervisors approved a plan Tuesday, Oct. 24 to expand dredging work in the Tijuana River Valley to remove trash and sediment and help reduce flooding impacts from the Tijuana River. The work will improve the conditions in two channels that run through the valley, impacting residents and visitors to the Tijuana River Valley and nearby communities of Imperial Beach, San Ysidro, and Otay Mesa. The Board’s action extends the County’s current dredging in Smuggler’s Gulch (above) beyond the County-owned and managed Tijuana River Valley Regional Park to include land in Smuggler’s Gulch that is owned by the City of San Diego and the City of San Diego’s Pilot Channel. … ” Read more from San Diego News.
Big progress and big uncertainty in border pollution fight
Columnist Michael Smolens writes, “It seems like this is how government is supposed to work. A coordinated effort by officials at the local, state and federal levels — including San Diego and California representatives in the House and Senate — led to a significant step in tackling a problem of, literally, international proportions. That unified front helped persuade the Biden administration to propose nearly doubling the money targeted at stemming cross-border sewage pollution from Mexico that has been plaguing San Diego’s South County communities for generations. … ” Read more from the San Diego Union-Tribune.
Along the Colorado River …
The water wars deciding the future of the West
“On the eastern flank of metropolitan Las Vegas, out past a water park advertising “the world’s largest man-made wave” and a nascent development called Cadence, a red-dirt parking lot teases public access to the system that enabled the past three decades of growth in southern Nevada. Called the Las Vegas Wash, it amounts to a channel that funnels the area’s recycled water back to its aquatic lifeline: Lake Mead. … Every day, 200 million gallons of water are returned to Lake Mead—the nation’s largest reservoir—through the wash, enough to virtually replace all of the water that’s used indoors by the 2.3 million residents of Clark County. The ultimate source is the Colorado River and the contentious ledger that governs the waterway’s use throughout its 1,450-mile run between the Rocky Mountains and the Sea of Cortez, which separates Baja California from the rest of Mexico. … ” Read more from The New Republic.
Proposed Arizona water rules promise more growth, less groundwater pumping
“A state water advisory council wants Gov. Katie Hobbs to push for new rules that would allow some new growth in the groundwater-pinched Phoenix area with new homes pumping less groundwater than they can now. The Governor’s Water Policy Council on Friday approved that recommendation and a second one that would put new “build-to-rent” housing developments in urban areas under the same state requirements for having an assured, 100-year water supply that now falls solely on for-sale housing subdivisions. … ” Read more from the Arizona Daily Star.
Arizona: Would you drink recycled water? Because it’s no longer a ‘someday’ idea
Columnist Joanna Allhands writes, “One day — maybe in only a few years — recycled wastewater could flow out of your tap. This future excites me, because I know what it means for metro Phoenix. For many others, however, the thought elicits a raised eyebrow or an upturned nose. It’s a reaction we need to address, because all signs point to recycled water playing a far larger role in our water future. That’s why we’re brewing a beer with the stuff. More on that in a bit. First, let’s talk about the “ick” factor. … ” Continue reading from Arizona Central.
Commentary: Learning from shared scarcity: the Colorado River, the Yellow River and the world
Brian Jackson and Yiwei Gan with the EDF write, “One of the largest rivers in the world struggles to reach the ocean. Spread across a huge slice of a continent, its basin supports millions. Yet the weight of its work to irrigate and power booming farms and cities in an increasingly arid zone is straining the river to a breaking point. For many working in the western water space, this describes the Colorado. A river whose over-work and over-allocation, despite its fundamental role in sustaining life for half a continent, seems in many ways singular. Yet this is also the Yellow River. A river thousands of miles away that sustains a population four times that of the Colorado Basin is also confronting foundational issues of overuse and growing water scarcity. Even though they are an ocean apart, with different climates, physical, and institutional settings, water users in both basins are grappling with the realities of less fresh water compounded by accelerating climate impacts and unrelenting urban growth. … ” Continue reading from the Environmental Defense Fund.
In national water news today …
Water woes, hot summers and labor costs are haunting pumpkin farmers in the West
“Alan Mazzotti can see the Rocky Mountains about 30 miles west of his pumpkin patch in northeast Colorado on a clear day. He could tell the snow was abundant last winter, and verified it up close when he floated through fresh powder alongside his wife and three sons at the popular Winter Park Resort. But one season of above-average snowfall wasn’t enough to refill the dwindling reservoir he relies on to irrigate his pumpkins. He received news this spring that his water delivery would be about half of what it was from the previous season, so he planted just half of his typical pumpkin crop. Then heavy rains in May and June brought plenty of water and turned fields into a muddy mess, preventing any additional planting many farmers might have wanted to do. “By time it started raining and the rain started to affect our reservoir supplies and everything else, it was just too late for this year,” Mazzotti said. … ” Continue reading at SF Gate.
Water stewardship will be one of the biggest food trends in 2024
“The global agri-food industry— valued at $6 trillion— is one of the most highly exposed to water risks, with water stress impacting many of the world’s largest food-exporting countries. Paradoxically, despite mounting perils to both food and water security stemming from water depletion, pollution, and climate-induced droughts, the food and agri-business sector is a chief contributor to the problem, accounting for a substantial 70% of all freshwater withdrawals. As the tides of environmental consciousness continue to shape consumer choices, it is no wonder that water stewardship is set to become one of the top food trends for 2024, as per the insights of the Whole Foods Trends Council. With the theme ‘Water is Life, Water is Food. Leave No One Behind,’ United Nations World Food Day 2023 emphasized the critical role of water in supporting life and its interconnected relationship with food. In a video message delivered on October 16th, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said that “The sustainable management of water for agriculture and food production is essential to end hunger, achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, and preserve water for future generations.” … ” Read more from Forbes.
More news and commentary in the weekend edition …
In California water news this weekend …
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The North Fork Battle Creek in Shasta County, California on April 22, 2022. (CDFW Photo/Travis VanZant) DAN WALTERS: Another wet winter looms. California needs to get serious about water management
- California’s young ‘water buffalo’ JB Hamby spurs united Colorado River rescue, for now
- Historic rains boosted California’s depleted groundwater wells. How long will it last?
- The modern-day gold diggers of California: ‘It doesn’t take much to catch the fever’
- Tahoe Keys Weeds Test wraps up second year
- Battle Creek: Low numbers of salmon returning could mean long road to recovery
- Marin water suppliers support Mendocino plant proposal
- What El Niño means for winter weather in Southern California
- IID’s Equitable Water Distribution plan gets a 2023 update
- San Diego temporarily solved its water crisis by turning ocean water into fresh water. But desalination won’t work everywhere.
- Arizona changes course in push to import water
- And more …
Click here to read the weekend digest.
