On the calendar today …
- WORKSHOP: Food Webs: Exploring the scientific and management implications of upper trophic level interactions in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta – Day 1 from 8:30am to 5:00pm. The Delta Independent Science Board is hosting this two-day hybrid workshop as part of its food-webs review. The workshop will evaluate the degree to which the inclusion of food-web interactions across trophic levels could benefit and facilitate ecosystem management and whether the available data and science can support the development of tools (such as models). The topic of this first day is how a better understanding of food web interactions might improve management. Register to attend in person or virtually. Click here for the meeting notice.
- EVENT: California Financing Coordinating Committee Virtual Funding Fair from 9am to 12pm. The California Financing Coordinating Committee (CFCC) conducts free funding fairs statewide each year to educate the public and offer potential customers the opportunity to meet with financial representatives from each agency to learn more about their available funding. CFCC members facilitate and expedite the completion of various types of infrastructure projects by helping customers combine the resources of different agencies. Project information is shared between members so additional resources can be identified. Presentations will be held from 9 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. and participants can visit virtual booths from 11:00 a.m. to 12 p.m. to meet with representatives. Click here to register.
- MEETING: State Water Resources Control Board beginning at 9:30am. Agenda items include Office of Operator Certification Program Updates; Site Cleanup Subaccount Program Status Update; and Presentation of Fiscal year 2022/23 Annual Performance Report. Click here for the full agenda and remote access instructions.
- WEBINAR: Regulatory Focus – Los Angeles RWQCB Updates on Vapor Intrusion, PFAS, and Oil & Gas Programs from 12pm to 1pm. This GRACast will provide regulatory updates from the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board on PFAS, Vapor intrusion, and oil & Gas. Click here to register.
- IN-PERSON WORKSHOP: Tulare Lake designation as a probationary basin under SGMA from 6pm to 8:30pm in Hanford. The State Water Board will be holding a public hearing in April of 2024 at which it will consider designating the Tulare Lake Subbasin as a probationary basin pursuant to the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA). State Water Board staff have developed a draft recommendation for the State Water Board to consider, which describes the actions staff recommends the State Water Board should take. Staff will hold a public staff workshop to explain the draft staff report and share more about how to participate in the State Water Board’s state intervention process. Staff will also accept verbal public comments on the draft staff report at the workshop. Click here for the full notice.
In California water news today …
Rewilding baby salmon using indigenous knowledge
“In July 2022, the Winnemem Wintu Tribe as well as several fish and wildlife agencies celebrated the reintroduction of Chinook salmon to the McCloud River in far Northern California for the first time since World War II. That was when federal officials removed Winnemem Wintu people from their ancestral homes along the river and erected the 602-foot Shasta Dam, blocking the salmon’s migration path and flooding 27 miles of the lower McCloud.Because mother salmon couldn’t swim up the river to dig their nests, called redds, agency staff trucked and helicoptered fertilized salmon eggs from a Sacramento River hatchery to the remote, mountainous site on the McCloud River. They then deposited the eggs into streamside incubators, which are designed to imprint the unhatched salmon with an urgent desire to return to the river’s unique water chemistry as adults. After experimenting with a barrel-like incubator, agency staff eventually moved the eggs to another device called “heath trays” because they could filter the McCloud’s potentially dangerous spouts of turbid flows. … ” Read more from the Earth Island Journal.
How too much rain – not drought – devastated a popular California crop
“On a bright October morning, Margaux Hein crouched under the shady cover of grapevines. She held up a hefty bunch of a variety known as Autumn King – green berries nearly the size of ping pong balls. “It’s crunchy and it’s a big, green, good-eating fruit,” she said. She bit into one, producing a loud and crisp crunch. “People say they’re like baby apples,” she laughed. Hein is the farm manager at this vineyard near Shafter, and she was searching for healthy bunches of grapes. It should have been easy; over the summer, she was expecting the best harvest the vineyard had produced in all the decades her family has been managing it. But that potential was never realized. Now, for every plump, green grape, there’s another one that’s purple and shriveled. … ” Continue reading at KVPR.
California is drought-free for first time in years. What it means.
“California is drought-free for the first time in more than three years because of a remarkably wet, snowy winter and a rare tropical storm over the summer. The last remaining traces of drought disappeared in October, as autumn rainstorms grazed the northwestern corner of the state. Last year at this time, California faced a deepening water crisis amid “extreme” and “exceptional” drought, and officials feared another dry winter because of La Niña, the climate pattern that tends to reduce precipitation in southern and central California. It was the culmination of the three driest years on record, a period defined by parched reservoirs, heat waves and record-breaking wildfires.But, defying predictions, last winter was exceptionally wet. … ” Read more from the Washington Post.
There’s no drought anywhere in California: How long that’s expected to last, and why
“Less than a year after facing historic water shortages, California this week was declared drought-free thanks to a year of epic rains, with an El Niño forecast that could keep wet conditions going into 2024. The U.S. Drought monitor’s latest data show the vast majority of California reporting no drought as of Oct. 17, though pockets in the northernmost and southeastern parts of the state are still considered abnormally dry. “For the most part, California had been drought-free” for weeks, but “a little smidgen” remained, said Brian Fuchs, a climatologist at the National Drought Mitigation Center at the University of Nebraska. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
California drought eases, but its water problems remain
“California’s prolonged megadrought that helped send grocery prices soaring is finally abating, but experts warn more needs to be done to address water overuse in the state before the next dry threat arrives. The big picture: Nowhere in the state is classified as in drought and only 5% in Northern and Southeast California is “abnormally dry,” per the U.S. Drought Monitor — though it does not consider all drought factors. Groundwater depletion is not assessed, for instance. NOAA expects wetter-than-average conditions in parts of California this winter. However, climate and water scientist Peter Gleick told Axios that precipitation predictions for California’s wet season, from October to April, are “notoriously unreliable” — especially when there’s an El Niño event, as there is now. … ” Read more from Axios.
California Forever proposes land exchange near Travis Air Force Base
“California Forever sent a letter on Monday to Solano County, the City of Fairfield and the Solano County Water Agency proposing a land exchange of thousands of acres near Travis Air Force Base. The company has offered to swap 1,573 acres of high habitat value land on Jepson Prairie near Travis Air Force Base, for 1,403 acres of pasture with medium agricultural value six to 10 miles away from the base, mostly east of Rio Dixon Road. The letter, signed by California Forever CEO Jan Sramek, was addressed to Fairfield City Manager David Gassaway, County Administrator William Emlen and General Manager of Solano County Water Agency Chris Lee. The letter says that California Forever is offering the exchange because it learned the parcels it purchased on the Jepson Prairie are included under the Department of Defense’s Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration program, and that its ownership of them could also pose a threat to the goals of the Solano County Habitat Conservation Plan. … ” Read more from the San Jose Mercury News.
Local leaders react to land swap proposal
“Following a proposal made by California Forever Monday regarding the exchange of thousands of acres of land near Travis Air Force Base, local leaders are still unsure of how Solano County, the Solano County Water Association and the City of Fairfield will respond. However, being left with only seven weeks to decide before the company’s Dec. 31 deadline has them frustrated. Fairfield Mayor Catherine Moy said a real estate transaction of this magnitude normally takes governments much longer than two months to iron out, so the city will have to work quickly to consider the proposal. While there are many things to discuss, she said every elected official involved on every level is focused on protecting the viability of Travis. “I think its very smart for Flannery or California Forever to bring forward their idea of how to protect Travis,” she said of the plan. … ” Read more from the Daily Reporter.
California’s proposed reservoir could be streamlined, faces opposition
“Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Monday he is fast tracking a new reservoir project — the first of its kind in 50 years. The $4 billion Sites Reservoir project would be able to supply water for 3 million households to use in drier months, if approved in its current proposed state. Newsom signed multiple new infrastructure bills in July to speed up development, saying they’re cutting through red tape but activist groups say it’s actually just cutting corners. The proposed project is located in both Glenn and Colusa counties and would be able to hold 1.5 million acre-feet of water. … ” Read more from Channel 10.
Governor streamlines Sites Reservoir Project, despite opposition by conservationists and tribes
“Despite strong opposition from Tribes, fishing groups and conservation organizations, Governor Gavin Newsom on November 6 took action to accelerate the Sites Reservoir project, utilizing new tools from the controversial infrastructure streamlining package to “build more faster.” “We’re cutting red tape to build more faster,” said Governor Newsom. “These are projects that will address our state’s biggest challenges faster, and the Sites Reservoir is fully representative of that goal – making sure Californians have access to clean drinking water and making sure we’re more resilient against future droughts.” … However, the Sierra Club and other environmental groups blasted the certification of the sites Reservoir project for judicial streamlining under Senate Bill 149, describing the project as “environmentally destructive.” … ” Continue reading at the Daily Kos.
SEE ALSO:
- Pre-empting enviro blitz, Newsom OKs streamlining approvals for Calif.’s first new dam in 50 years, from the San Joaquin Valley Sun
- ‘We’re cutting red tape to build more faster’: Sites Reservoir Project gets boost from Gov. Newsom signing, from the Appeal Democrat
US EPA to investigate tire preservative linked to toxic runoff and salmon deaths
“Federal environmental regulators are taking action that eventually could transform the way motor vehicle tires are manufactured to reduce toxic runoff from a substance used in tire production that kills or harms some fish, including federally protected coho salmon and steelhead trout. In doing so, the Environmental Protection Agency is granting a petition submitted by three West Coast tribes, including the Yurok in Northern California, seeking action under the nation’s landmark toxic substances law to address the threat posed by a chemical contained in most or all tires to salmon stocks at the center of tribal culture. … ” Read more from the Santa Rosa Press Democrat.
It’s been 5 years since California’s deadliest wildfire. Can we stop it from happening again?
“Five years ago today, around 6:15 a.m., a Pacific Gas & Electric Co. transmission line in the Sierra Nevada foothills malfunctioned. There was a spark, and soon the spark was a fire. Flames gnawed through Butte County’s Feather River Canyon, where menacing winds shot through the slot and sent embers aloft, turning the blaze into a fast-moving firestorm. Within an hour, structures were burning in Concow, three miles away. By noon, the fire was going strong in the neighboring town of Paradise. By nightfall, the entire town would be gone. The Camp fire went on to burn 153,000 acres and kill 85 people — the deadliest wildfire in California history. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
In commentary today …
Blueprint seeks water reliability for San Joaquin Valley farmers
Mike Wade, Executive Director of the California Farm Water Coalition, writes, “California’s San Joaquin Valley is one of the most productive farming regions on Earth. Blessed with deep, alluvial soils and one of the world’s five Mediterranean climates, the valley’s agriculture is unmatched. Yet over the past three decades, a changing approach to water management has reduced water supplies to farmers by millions of acre-feet. In 2021 and 2022, farmers received zero water allocations from the federal Central Valley Project and just 5% of supplies from the State Water Project. Water shortages for farms weren’t just about the drought. They had much to do with changed priorities for the use of water stored in reservoirs such as Shasta, Oroville, Folsom, New Melones and others. Management of facilities originally built to provide water for agriculture and communities has now increasingly considered the needs of fish at the expense of the farmers who grow our food. … ” Continue reading this commentary.
Dam removal supports California’s 30×30 Goals
Julie Turrini, director of Lands, Rivers, and Communities at Resources Legacy Fund where she leads the Open Rivers Fund, writes, “California has hundreds of outdated dams, small and large, that no longer serve a function. These obsolete dams litter our rivers and streams, block fish passage, and create costly liabilities to communities. We need to accelerate our pace of dam removal as a nature-based strategy for restoring freshwater systems and preparing for increasing threats from climate change. Dam removal fits nicely within California’s effort to protect 30 percent of its land and coastal waters by 2030 (30×30). After all, rivers and streams connect the land to the coast and along the way, they provide critical habitat for fish and wildlife, drinking water for towns and cities, irrigation water for farmers and ranchers, first foods and important ceremonial spaces for Indigenous Peoples, and recreational opportunities for many. … ” Read more from Capitol Weekly.
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
Humboldt County starts new water year below average
“In Eureka, the National Weather Service Office measured 42.74 inches of rain fell in the 2022-23 water year, but this water year kicked off with slightly below average rainfall. October saw 2.09 inches of rain, just barely below the 2.31-inch 30-year average. After sweeping rainfall, California is no longer in a drought, with only most of Siskiyou County considered abnormally dry. “October was a fairly typical month for the North Coast, that is to say, it was consistently inconsistent,” said a National Weather Service report. “A series of cold fronts sweeping across the area brought periods of low clouds and light rain, followed by consistent offshore flow.” The aforementioned offshore flow created both the coldest day of the mouth at 36 degrees and the warmest day at 78 degrees. … ” Read more from the Eureka Times-Standard.
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
Ski season is officially here as first Tahoe ski resort opens on Friday
“Last winter was the second-snowiest winter on record in the Sierras, which certainly introduced some hazards, but also had the upside of presenting a pretty long and glorious ski season (except when roads and resorts were closed). We don’t know if a looming El Niño will bring similar levels of record precipitation this winter. But we do know, from the Chronicle’s new roundup of when Tahoe ski resorts are opening, that Reno’s Mount Rose ski resort is opening this Friday, November 10. … ” Read more from SFist.
Environmental group says Tahoe forests are too crowded and need to be thinned
“Some in the Tahoe Basin may see having a forest full of trees as a good thing. But after a certain point, too many trees can be detrimental to overall forest health, said Tahoe Fund CEO Amy Berry. So how many is too many? For the CEO of the environmental nonprofit, there are 22 million more trees than a healthy Tahoe forest should have. “This is a total paradigm shift in the way people have to think,” Berry said. “For years it was ‘if you love nature, hug a tree.’ But for us in the Tahoe Basin, in the Sierras, really in the whole West, if we love the forest, we really need to lose a lot of our trees – or we risk losing all of our trees.” … ” Read more from KUNR.
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
Measuring groundwater overdraft in the Sacramento Valley
“The Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) is now in its tenth year since passing in 2014, and we are beginning to see some real progress in coordination and implementation. Groundwater sustainability agencies (GSAs) have been formed and initial groundwater sustainability plans (GSPs) submitted. Following submission, some plans have been approved, some are still under state review, and many have gone through some iteration to correct deficiencies. In an earlier series, we looked at the early stages of GSP development and planning in the San Joaquin Valley. Now that the Sacramento Valley has made similar progress, we look at these plans and what they mean for sustainable groundwater management. Much recent attention towards groundwater sustainability has focused on the heavily overdrafted San Joaquin Valley. However, the Sacramento Valley also needs to bring its groundwater basins into balance and avoid significant undesirable results of pumping. This can be a particular challenge during extended dry periods, such as the recent 2020–22 drought, which heavily impacted the region. … ” Read more from the PPIC.
Nearly double the acreage for California rice farmers this year
“California rice farmers are celebrating a robust harvest, thanks largely to water availability, according to Tim Johnson, President and CEO of the California Rice Commission. Johnson expressed his satisfaction, stating, “We had a year where we had adequate water and could plant really a full crop of rice almost twice what we planted last year. So, the industry is really happy. Farmers are having a good year.” The positive impact, however, extends beyond the farm gates. Johnson highlighted the broader benefits to communities and various supporting industries. “Our communities, our driers, our aerial applicators—all those businesses that are supported by the rice acres that are out there are also having a good year,” he said. … ” Read more from Ag Net West.
Yuba Water board amends grant, OKs loan for member units
“The Yuba Water Agency Board of Directors unanimously approved a $1 million grant amendment on Tuesday for Reclamation District 10 to continue work along the Toe Access Corridor in addition to a $1.7 million loan to water districts affected by the Ostrom Road crossing failure this year. In February 2019, the Board approved a $1.3 million grant to the reclamation district for the design, construction, and permitting of an elevated Toe Access Corridor along the Feather River east levee. The Board also approved a grant amendment in 2021 for $1.05 million to cover costs associated with additional real estate, borrow and fencing costs that were not considered in the original project. In order to complete construction of an elevated access road along the levee, Reclamation District 10 needs an additional $1 million, officials said. … ” Read more from the Appeal Democrat.
NAPA/SONOMA
Harnessing, but not over-pumping–finding balance in groundwater use
“Behind the big checks handed to local groundwater agencies by the state water agency last week, lay one simple goal, a process that started with the 2014 passage of California’s Sustainable Groundwater Management Act, known as SGMA. Keith Wallace from the Department of Water Resources’ Sustainable Groundwater Management office summed up hundreds of pages of legalese into a single sentence. “The intention of both SGMA, and the sustainable groundwater management grant program, is to make groundwater more reliable,” Wallace said. Last Monday’s low-key ceremony was held just prior to a Sonoma Valley Groundwater Sustainability Agency board meeting. The checks will help pay for additional study of how local aquifers work and how best to refill them. … ” Read more from Northern California Public Media.
How one Napa vineyard might have saved millions of dollars by using birds as pest control
“On a damp and gray Friday at Bouchaine Vineyards, Rebecca Rosen looked up, noticed the handful of ravens circling above her and lobbed an insult. “Jerks!” she yelled. They flew together, swirling and squawking as she walked to the trunk of her Tesla Model S and pulled out the box. There, she hides her ammo: a 6-year-old Harris’ hawk named Rocky, a 17-year-old falcon named E.B. and a 4-year-old spectacled owl named Hootbert, whose only job is to perch himself on a chair and let some tipsy wine tasters snap a photo. Rocky is the real threat. Rosen pulled him out of the box, removed his hood and loosened his strap. Free at last, Rocky soared to the roof of the Bouchaine tasting room and perched high enough to scan the vineyard. His mere existence is enough to irritate the ravens. … ” Read more from the San Jose Mercury News.
Napa County explains controversial Le Colline vineyard rejection
“The Napa County Board of Supervisors is explaining in depth its controversial decision to overturn administrative approval of the proposed Le Colline vineyards in the mountains near Angwin. On Aug. 15, the board, by a 3-2 vote, said it intended to uphold an appeal against the project filed by the Center for Biological Diversity. On Tuesday, it made the decision official by a similar vote. Supervisors Anne Cottrell, Joelle Gallagher and Belia Ramos voted to overturn the Le Colline approval made by the Planning, Building and Environmental Services department. Supervisors Ryan Gregory and Alfredo Pedroza dissented. Various environmental groups and local environmentalists welcomed the board’s decision as a rare win for tougher watershed protections that they favor and perhaps the start of a new direction. The Napa County Farm Bureau and Winegrowers of Napa County questioned whether the county is following its agriculture-protecting policies. … ” Read more from the Napa Valley Register.
BAY AREA
‘Potentially stronger storm system’ poised to sweep SF Bay Area
“The National Weather Service is warning that a “potentially stronger storm system” could impact the San Francisco Bay Area next week, likely between Nov. 14 and 17. The system has the potential to be the wettest system the region has seen since the rainy season began on Oct. 1, but with the event still more than a week away, a lot of uncertainty remains in the forecast. The early forecast suggests that the system could be a “strong atmospheric river,” said Dalton Behringer, a meteorologist with the weather service. These storms pull moisture from the subtropics, typically the region around Hawaii, and can release copious amounts of rain when they reach land. … ” Read more from SF Gate.
Bay Area needs large-scale solutions to sea level rise
Dick Spotswood writes, “Marin, California and the world need to deal with climate change-induced sea level rise. In an article published Oct. 29, the IJ reported that “according to a recent National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration study, San Francisco Bay has risen 8 inches since 1900 with an additional 12 to 32 inches predicted by 2050 and up to 10 feet or more by the end of the century.” In the event of a “100-year” storm, the bay could rise by 4.7 feet. While there are Marin climate-change deniers, they’re a rarity in most of the developed world where climate science is accepted by political parties on both the right and left. Eighty percent of Californians acknowledge that seas are rising, while 20% disagree. Nothing is going to convince either side to change their mind. … ” Read more from the Marin Independent Journal.
To prepare for winter storms, Valley Water performs maintenance work in creeks to reduce flood risk
“Valley Water work crews maintain stream conditions across Santa Clara County to safely carry water during winter storms. This flood protection work is critical, as we can’t predict when a wet winter will deliver the type of rainfall and creek flows that we saw last season. Santa Clara County has over 800 miles of creeks, and Valley Water owns and manages about 294 miles of those streams. Valley Water inspects and prioritizes portions of these streams for maintenance projects each year through our Stream Maintenance Program. We focus on streams that have been improved with engineered flood protection projects to provide continued flood protection for homes and businesses. … ” Read more from Valley Water.
CENTRAL COAST
Sixth District reverses writ, upholds responsible agency Monterey County’s approval of desalination plant in reliance on CPUC’s EIR for multi-component, cross-jurisdictional water supply project
“In an opinion originally filed on September 8, and subsequently modified and certified for partial publication on October 4, 2023, the Sixth District Court of Appeal reversed the trial court’s judgment granting a writ setting aside Monterey County’s issuance of a permit to investor-owned public utility/water supplier California-American Water Company (“Cal-Am”) to construct a desalination plant and related facilities needed as one component of Cal-Am’s Water Supply Project. Marina Coast Water District v. County of Monterey (California-American Water Company, Real Party in Interest) (2023) ___ Cal.App.5th ___. On Cal-Am’s appeal, the Court held the trial court erred in finding the County’s statement of overriding considerations prejudicially inadequate for not addressing the uncertainty created by the City of Marina’s (“City”) denial of a coastal development permit (“CDP”) – later granted with conditions by the Coastal Commission on appeal – for the drilling of intake wells in coastal zone aquifers to supply the plant. … ” Read more from the CEQA Chronicles.
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
Sandhill cranes return to the valley, and fans flock to Lodi for annual fest honoring them
“As the sandhill cranes make their fall return to the wetlands of the San Joaquin Valley, the festival celebrating the migratory birds celebrated its 25th anniversary this past weekend. Presented by the Lodi Sandhill Crane Association and the City of Lodi, the annual Sandhill Crane Festival was a paradise for bird lovers and enthusiasts who got to spend their weekend learning about birds and especially the sandhills, make origami cranes, appreciate the artwork depicting the birds, purchase binoculars for their birdwatching tours and more. … ” Read more from MSN.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
First, dry Santa Ana winds and a fire weather watch. Then get ready for rain
“Santa Ana winds will sweep through Southern California on Wednesday and Thursday, heightening wildfire risk, according to forecasts by the National Weather Service, which has issued a fire weather watch. Meanwhile, forecasters predict an about-face in the weather starting next week as the first storms of the rainy season head to Southern California. This week, however, is expected to be dry and windy. A wind advisory is in place for much of Ventura, Orange and Los Angeles counties through Thursday morning, with winds of 30 to 50 mph forecast. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
Cadiz agrees to reserve water supply for San Bernardino County communities
“Cadiz Inc. announced that it has entered into a binding agreement to provide priority rights to water supply from the Cadiz Water Conservation and Storage Project to public water systems serving San Bernardino County communities. The binding agreement is with San Bernardino County, Santa Margarita Water District (SMWD) and Fenner Gap Mutual Water. The new agreement, approved first by the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors on October 24, 2023, amends the 2012 Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Cadiz, the county and SMWD governing groundwater management for the Cadiz Project in the eastern Mojave Desert. The amendment requires Cadiz to offer binding agreements for water supply from the Cadiz Project to public water systems serving San Bernardino County residents prior to exporting water for beneficial use outside of San Bernardino County. … ” Read more from Water World.
IMPERIAL/COACHELLA VALLEYS
Grant powers regional lithium mining hub as shortage looms
“Hoping to forestall an expected global lithium shortfall, those working to establish a sustainable lithium mining industry in Southern California have gotten a surge of support with a new grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration. The $500,000 grant is helping establish the Lithium Valley Clean Tech Hub, a consortium of academics, private industry, government agencies, and nonprofit organizations. Imperial County and UC Riverside will jointly lead the charge. “UC Riverside is looking forward to working with Imperial County and our other consortium partners to establish inland Southern California as a national leader in sustainable lithium technology,” said Principal Investigator Shane Cybart, director of the UCR division of the California Institute for Telecommunications and Information Technology. … ” Read more from UC Riverside.
SAN DIEGO
Live results: Fallbrook and Rainbow water districts approve detachment measures
“Voters in Fallbrook and Rainbow approved of detaching from the San Diego County Water Authority for cheaper water in Riverside County in early voting results Tuesday night. After nearly three years of battling the Water Authority over what they say is increasingly high water rates, voters have had enough. “It’s a win for the farmers who have had to pay astronomical water rates, and they’ve lost so many trees and so many groves,” said Eileen Delany, head of the Fair Water Rates campaign. “It’s a win for the little guy. It’s a win for local control, and it’s a win for families that are struggling to pay their bills.” … ” Read more from KPBS.
San Diego County offers water bill assistance
“The San Diego County Water Authority reminded the public on Tuesday that federal aid is still available for low-income water customers in San Diego County to cover overdue residential water and wastewater bills. “Water affordability is one of the top priorities for the Water Authority, and we are committed to helping ensure that everyone in San Diego County has access to safe and reliable water,” Dan Denham, water authority general manager, said in a statement. The Low-Income Household Water Assistance Program offers one-time payments to cover outstanding residential water or wastewater bills. The federal government allocated $116 million to California to help households struggling to pay their water bills, according to the San Diego County Water Authority. … ” Read more from KPBS.
Along the Colorado River …
Mohave Valley IDD part of new Colorado River water conservation agreements
“New Arizona agreements, including with Mohave Valley Irrigation and Drainage District, will conserve up to 162,710-acre feet of water in Lake Mead through 2026. “We’re excited that we keep putting back into Lake Mead,” said Kari Hatz, MVIDD general manager. “Without (the agreements) we could all be facing cuts.” The Biden-Harris administration announced Friday nearly $64 million for new water conservation agreements to protect the long-term sustainability of the Colorado River System. The investments are administered through the Lower Colorado River Basin System Conservation and Efficiency Program and funded by the Inflation Reduction Act. … ” Read more from the Mohave Valley Daily News.
Arizona homebuilders are using a rental loophole to get around water laws
“Desert cities around Phoenix are constantly facing questions of water supply — not just at water management agencies but also at city councils considering where to develop. That’s because Arizona has one of the most powerful laws in the country linking water with the decision to build. In Casa Grande, Mayor Craig McFarland knows his city’s future is linked to water. Housing is already in high demand. Industry is moving into the area, with both a battery and an electric car manufacturer offering thousands of jobs near town. “We have this huge need for workforce housing, and that workforce housing needs a place to go,” McFarland says. “And so that’s why all of a sudden the rush is on.” … ” Read more from Fronteras.
In national water news today …
Environmental groups cut programs as funding shifts to climate change
“A significant shift in donor contributions to nonprofits fighting climate change in recent years has left some of the nation’s biggest environmental organizations facing critical shortfalls in programs on toxic chemicals, radioactive contamination and wildlife protection. The Natural Resources Defense Council is shutting down its nuclear mission and has laid off its top lawyer in the field, Geoffrey Fettus, who led decades of litigation against the Energy Department to force radioactive waste cleanup and halt the creation of a nuclear waste dump at Yucca Mountain in Nevada. The NRDC is not alone. The Sierra Club, Defenders of Wildlife and the Environmental Working Group, which have been at the forefront of efforts to clean up waste water, regulate pesticides and adopt tougher standards for atomic power plants, are facing similar financial problems. … ” Read more from the New York Times.
Also on Maven’s Notebook today …
NOTICE of Preliminary Draft Emergency Regulation for Scott and Shasta Rivers, Virtual Public Meeting, and Opportunity to Comment
NOTICE of Temporary Water Right Application to appropriate 6,000 AF from the Sacramento River for groundwater storage
NOTICE of 180-Day Temporary Permit Application T033404 – Mariposa Creek and Bear Creek in Merced County
