On the calendar today …
- MEETING: Wildlife Conservation Board beginning at 9am. Agenda items include a funding update and several presentations on projects. Click here for the full agenda and remote access instructions.
- MEETING: California Water Commission beginning at 9:30am. Agenda items include a presentation on the voluntary agreements, Chino Basin Program request for early WSIP funding, and presentation of white paper on drought strategies. Click here for the agenda and remote access instructions.
In California water news today …
Satellite photos show storm far off the California coast take unusual turn
“After nearly a week of speculation, a wet weather system finally approached California on Tuesday. But rather than bringing widespread rainfall to the Bay Area, the storm split into two separate areas of low pressure, as shown in the satellite image above. Two areas of low pressure are performing an intricate dance over the Pacific Ocean as they circle around each other, a movement known as the Fujiwhara effect. Satellite imagery Tuesday morning showed the areas of low pressure spinning hundreds of miles out to sea off the California coast. Weather models are struggling to pinpoint where these storms will travel as they continue to tango far offshore on Tuesday. Depending on the movement of the low pressures, the California coast will either see bursts of heavy rainfall or scattered drizzles over the course of the week. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
Robust Pacific storm to lurk off California coast, instigating rounds of rain and mountain snow
“AccuWeather meteorologists say that pockets of Pacific moisture will be ushered into California later this week as a robust storm lurks offshore, spreading intervals of rain and showers inland from the coast and even some accumulating snowfall to the peaks of the Sierra Nevada. Earlier this week, rounds of showers dampened parts of Northern California, Oregon and Washington. Rainfall totals generally remained below the 1-inch mark, although some coastal locations and upslope regions in far northwestern California and western Oregon picked up just over an inch of rainfall from Monday to early Tuesday morning. There will be numerous opportunities for rain and showers across parts of California from Wednesday to Saturday as this feature circulates nearby. … ” Read more from AccuWeather.
SEE ALSO: Offshore storm could bring rain to California today. Here’s what to expect, from the San Francisco Chronicle
Growing agrivoltaics: Conference harvests California, German know-how for farmland solar
“California and Germany are comparing notes on agrivoltaics development in an effort to move the industry through its early stages of adoption in the Golden State. At the first California Germany Agrivoltaics Conference, held at the University of California at Davis on Nov. 1, researchers, technology providers, project developers and government administrators combined ideas to bolster adoption. “Agrivoltaics is still new to the United States, and mostly involves pilot or test installations, while Germany is further ahead. That’s why we’ve come together,” said Mirko Wutzler, VP of the German American Chamber of Commerce of California (GACC). Since many agrivoltaics installations must be designed differently in terms of light requirements and the particular PV technology selected for specific crops, “structural integration optimization is very important to this industry,” said Wutzler, also the moderator of the conference keynote session. … ” Read more from Solar Builder.
Floodwaters on farms help boost aquifers
“The historically wet winter early this year motivated greater adoption of a water management strategy known as flood-managed aquifer recharge, or flood-MAR, in which excess flood flows are diverted onto farmland to boost depleted groundwater aquifers. “We knew from the previous year, even in intense drought years, we have opportunities with these big storm events and need to do everything we can,” said California Department of Water Resources Director Karla Nemeth, addressing water managers, farmers, government officials and others, as part of the Flood-MAR Forum in Sacramento last week. “Our ability to respond to those kinds of intense rain events is becoming increasingly important.” Pointing to atmospheric rivers that hit the state in January, Nemeth highlighted the executive order by Gov. Gavin Newsom that enabled farmers to divert water onto farmland for groundwater recharge, which also helped mitigate flooding impacts. … ” Continue reading from Ag Alert.
Water agencies say funding for California’s biggest dam in decades is ‘pretty much lined up’
“California water agencies say they have nearly secured $4.5 billion in funding needed to build the state’s largest reservoir in nearly a century, Sites Reservoir, as a state environmental review process for the project comes to a rapid close after decades of delay. “We pretty much have our funding lined up,” said environmental planning and permitting manager for the Sites Project Authority, Ali Forsythe, on Tuesday. “We’re just putting all the pieces together, but we have our full funding portfolio so that’s exciting for us.” She also said the authority, a coalition of water districts leading the project, will consider its final environmental impact report on Friday. Approving it would mark a key procedural milestone and official green light for construction scheduled to begin in 2026. … ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee.
Sites Reservoir on fast track for final legal green light
“After decades of discussions and delays, a major new reservoir in Northern California is close to becoming reality. Last week, Gov. Gavin Newsom certified the Sites Reservoir project to be fast-tracked for construction, exercising for the first time his power under a new state law to streamline the process to break ground on infrastructure projects. The reservoir, estimated to cost $4.5 billion and hold 1.5 million acre-feet of water, would be the first major reservoir built in California in almost half a century. It would be located about 80 miles northwest of Sacramento on ranchlands in Colusa and Glenn counties. “The project we are considering today will help the state meet key climate change goals and create a more resilient water supply for Californians and the environment,” Fritz Durst, chairman of the Sites Joint Project Authority, said in a statement. … ” Read more from Ag Alert.
A wind farm and a marine sanctuary walk into a bar… and Colorado River war of words
“It’ll be years before a wind farm rises in the deep waters off California’s Central Coast, but conflicts over the project are already here. The California coast is playing host to three of the Biden administration’s policy priorities: clean energy, environmental conservation and tribal relations. Those objectives are colliding with one another in a proposal to create a new marine sanctuary between Morro Bay and the Channel Islands. The Morro Bay area is important to both wind developers and the tribes. … ” Scroll down for Colorado River story: “For the past year, California has held up a united front in high-stakes Colorado River negotiations, a feat that allowed the state to cut a deal with Arizona and Nevada that headed off a federal threat to impose gutting, legally questionable cuts on the Golden State. But behind the scenes, it’s not all kumbaya. … ” Read more from Politico.
Scientists ‘refrigerated’ a Nova Scotia salmon stream: Researchers explore whether active intervention is a feasible approach to saving coldwater fish species
“Scientists artificially refrigerated a salmon stream in Nova Scotia during last summer’s record heat wave. Hundreds of migratory and river-dwelling fish basked in the cold-water flows pumped into the river from a nearby groundwater well. The addition of cold water to the Wrights River was part of a Dalhousie University study conducted to determine if adding colder water to streams that become dangerously warm for trout and salmon during prolonged heat waves can help keep the fragile fish alive. Results, biologists say, were encouraging. It’s no secret that coldwater-dependent fish like trout and salmon seek out thermal refuge when water gets too warm to comfortably survive. According to the study’s author, Kathryn Smith, a PhD candidate at the Centre for Water Resources at the university in Halifax, climate change is exacerbating the impacts that periods of hot weather have on coldwater rivers. Nevertheless, questions remained about the likelihood of wild fish using a human-induced plume of cold water to seek thermal refuge. During a nasty July heatwave last summer, Smith and her colleagues got their answer. … ” Read more from Hatch.
These maps rank every California neighborhood by extreme weather
“Californians are intimately familiar with extreme weather, from hot, dry winds that can whip up wildfires to heavy downpours that result in destructive floods. But climate change has ramped up the frequency and severity of such activity, making it more important than ever for communities to prepare for intense weather. This interactive map uses historical and projection data to show how neighborhoods across the state face distinct challenges due to extreme weather events, now and in the future. The data comes from a peer-reviewed study published this year that defines a climate vulnerability index describing how specific census tracts may be affected by climate change. “There’s a lot of variation, even within a state and even within a county,” said Weihsueh Chiu, a computational scientist at Texas A&M University, who co-led the research. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
In commentary today …
Editorial: What we flush down the toilet matters for health and safety. Only the ‘three Ps,’ please
The LA Times editorial board writes, “What goes in the toilet, and what goes in the trash? It’s the kind of discussion one has with a 2-year old, and is all the more delightful because it’s a topic generally regarded as taboo in polite conversation. You get to say things such as only “the three Ps” — pee, poop and paper — go in the toilet. Everything else goes in the trash can. Right? Alas, modern human life is much more complicated and the conversation far more difficult, though fundamentally important for health, safety and good manners. The last century has given us three new Ps to contend with: plastics, PFAS, and pharmaceuticals. We should not flush these, though throwing them in the trash doesn’t mean they won’t come back to harm us. Microplastics are found in human blood. PFAS — per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, which are known popularly as “forever chemicals” and are associated with a host of bad health effects — taint the drinking water of numerous communities. Drugs meant to treat deadly disease in human beings end up causing illness in other creatures when, discarded, they leach into the water. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
Klamath Basin farmers lauded for helping refuge
“A wildlife group is lauding a water district in the Klamath Basin straddling the Oregon-California state line for an innovative approach this year that benefitted bird habitat while boosting the groundwater table and still providing water to farmers. The Tulelake Irrigation District’s strategy reduced the district’s overall water use while still supplying farmers through the growing season, the conservation group Ducks Unlimited reports. As a result, the Tule Lake subbasin’s shallow aquifer has climbed several feet, making it easier to flood wetlands in the months to come. … ” Read more from the Western Farm Press.
How Klamath River dam removals affect salmon populations
“The largest dam removal project in the country is currently underway near the southern Oregon border in a historic attempt to revive dwindling salmon populations by lowering disease and improving the water quality of the Klamath River. Why it matters: Because salmon is not only an essential resource and commodity in the Pacific Northwest but a lifeline to native tribes, dozens of efforts are underway across the region to restore habitats to ensure the species’ longevity. Driving the news: In a study published last month, Oregon State University researchers said dam removal along the Klamath River will aid salmon populations. … ” Read more from Axios.
‘It’s all about salmon’: Klamath River’s nearly century-old Copco 2 dam is history
“For nearly 100 years, Copco 2 was one of the dams along the Klamath River, but now it’s no more. Completed in 1925, Copco 2 was located just below Copco 1 in a steep canyon upstream from the small Northern California community of Hornbrook and about a hour’s drive from Ashland. It is the first of four dams to be removed. What used to a 33-foot-high diversion dam is now a section of a river being restored to its historic, free-flowing state. … ” Continue reading at the Bend Bulletin.
Audio: Fin, feather, and more: busy times for the Yurok Tribe Fisheries Department
“The federal Fish & Wildlife Service and its predecessors date back more than 150 years, one of the first official government moves to protect animals. The Yurok Tribe started its official departments to manage fish and wildlife within the last few decades, but the relationship between the tribe and the animals of the Klamath River region dates back thousands of years. The department is especially busy at the moment, tending to issues both in the water and in the air. The water part is the pending freeing of the river, as the removal of four dams (one is already gone) moves into high gear. A dam-free Klamath figures to be a lot friendlier to fish. Meanwhile, the Yurok program of releasing California Condors continues to put the big birds back into the wild. Barry McCovey, Jr. is the Yurok Fisheries Department Director, and our guest for an update on both programs.” Listen at Jefferson Public Radio.
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
Large-scale, multi-benefit floodplain restoration project transforms part of the lower Yuba River
“After five years of construction, a 157-acre, multi-benefit habitat restoration project that directly benefits native fish like salmon and steelhead in the lower Yuba River is complete. The Hallwood Side Channel and Floodplain Restoration Project includes nearly two miles of restored side channels and alcoves and more than six miles of seasonally flooded side channels – areas that are essential for fish where they can hide from predators, rest, eat and grow. Recent fish surveys show that steelhead and salmon are already using the new habitat. “The project has already shown an increase of juvenile Chinook salmon and steelhead using the site, as well as adult fish that are spawning in the channels,” said Chris Hammersmark, director and ecohydrologist for cbec eco engineering. “The project area is producing more bugs (aka fish food) and providing a myriad of aquatic conditions, which is exactly the kind of habitat that fish need to grow and thrive. The outcome so far is just incredible.” … ” Read more from Yuba Water.
Lower Yuba River project helps create safer home for salmon population, reduces flood risk
“A habitat restoration project in the lower Yuba River is complete. The project not only helps the local fish population but also those who live along the river’s banks. “The Hallwood Fish Habitat Project” restored the natural flow of the Yuba River after decades of collecting debris from hydraulic mining during the Gold Rush. Aaron Zettler-Mann, executive director of the South Yuba River Citizens League, said he’s proud of the project and the flood plain it’s created. “Prior to this project, really, the Yuba River was characterized by training walls, so massive piles roughly 80 feet tall of just aggregate,” Zettler-Mann said. … ” Read more from CBS Sacramento.
Redding officials say they’re taking quick action on “forever” chemical contamination
“The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) put out a new report finding hundreds of communities across the country are over the minimum reporting levels they’ve recently established for PFAS chemicals, or more commonly known as “forever” chemicals. Redding is one of them, but city officials say the contamination was minor and has already been handled. This report is coming out now because this year is the first time the EPA is establishing a minimum reporting level for these chemicals, It’s these new guidelines that prompted Redding to test for these forever chemicals in their water sources. They found just one well had levels of these chemicals over the EPA’s new threshold for reporting. One of the city’s smallest wells. … ” Read more from KRCR.
Redding’s water supply does not currently have high levels of ‘forever chemicals,’ says water manager
“Recent federal data shows that the water supply in Redding, California had around three times the recommended level of toxic chemicals in the water. But that data was taken out of context, and the city’s water supply is safe, according to officials. In March, Redding was testing its water supply as part of a federal effort to gather information about unregulated contaminants. A group of chemicals known as PFAS were discovered. PFAS stands for per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances. These chemicals stay in the environment for a very long time, and are linked to negative health effects including cancer. But, on Tuesday, Redding’s Water Utility Manager Josh Watkins said the data doesn’t tell the whole story. … ” Read more from Jefferson Public Radio.
Tehama County Groundwater Commission application period open
“The Tehama County Groundwater Sustainability Agency (GSA) is now seeking applicants for the 11-member Groundwater Commission. The commission has advisory responsibilities pertaining to groundwater management in the seven subbasins or portions thereof for which the Tehama County Flood Control and Water Conservation District has been designated as the GSA under the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA). … ” Continue reading at the Daily News.
BAY AREA
Bay Area housing project raises concerns about sea-level rise
“Climate activists are pushing back on a contentious shoreline housing project in the South Bay city of Newark. By building there, the activists believe, the city will miss an opportunity to restore sensitive wetlands and areas for them to migrate to as seas rise. Marshes are the region’s first line of defense against rising seas, and the Bay Area has just 15% of its wetlands left. Environmental advocates want these ecosystems protected. Longtime Newark resident Taran Singh walks the marshland daily. He said for developers to build homes on the lip of the bay is shortsighted and will ensure disaster in the city’s future. “These are our only buffer zones for the bay with all the melting ice,” Singh said. “It’s going to be catastrophic for all the houses.” … ” Read more from KQED.
CENTRAL COAST
Winter is here and so is El Niño. Is the Central Coast in for another rough one?
“The first taste of winter weather is upon us, with rain in the forecast throughout our area the rest of the week. And there could be plenty more where that came from. Brian Garcia, Warning Coordinator Meteorologist with the National Weather Service for the San Francisco and Monterey Bay region, said forecasters are keeping a close eye on El Niño—the periodic warming of the Pacific Ocean that is often associated with wetter than normal weather in California. While not every wet winter is a result of El Niño — last year’s storms took place in a so-called “La Niña” pattern, which is the opposite of El Niño — Garcia said in an interview that this year’s pattern is particularly intense. … ” Read more from KAZU.
Reducing water use during winter can save on monthly sewer bill
“The City of Paso Robles would like to remind residents that their winter water use sets their sewer rates for the year, and by conserving water from Dec. 20 through Feb. 20 residents can lower their sewer bills considerably.To get rates as low as possible, residents can conserve water by reducing outdoor irrigation during the winter season (Dec. 20-Feb. 20).Lawns and ornamental landscaping require much less water during the cool winter days and can typically rely on the rain we receive to keep them happy and healthy throughout the winter season. Not only is reducing water during the winter months important to conserve our local water resources, but it also has a big impact on your monthly sewer bill calculation. … ” Read more from the Paso Robles Daily News.
What does a California carrot boycott have to do with tourism?
“A growing number of residents and owners of small family farms in California’s Cuyama Valley would rather you stop eating carrots. Or, rather, they’d prefer you not buy them from two of the country’s largest carrot producers—Grimmway Farms and Bolthouse Farms—with whom they’re locked in a water use rights lawsuit. The small farmers claim that the two carrot producers led a committee tasked with creating a sustainable plan for the valley’s groundwater reserves, which have been dropping fast over the past two decades. Grimmway and Bolthouse then filed suit against virtually every water user in the valley, delaying implementation of the plan while the case winds its way through California’s courts—buying time, the farmers contend, so they can continue to pump the community’s groundwater, knowing that similar cases have taken up to 20 years to resolve. … ” Read more from Fodors.
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
Flooding biggest climate change threat to Manteca
“The state-mandated climate change action plan Manteca is creating might seem a bit of an abstract when it comes to the effect of greenhouse gas. What isn’t is the No. 1 climate threat facing Manteca — flooding. And it’s flooding frequency that is expected to rise. Various models show precipitation patterns are slowly changing over Northern and Central California as they have done in a repeated cyclical pattern over the course of thousands of years. Models point to less snow in the Sierra and more rain in the foothills and on the valley floor. … ” Read more from the Manteca Bulletin.
Turlock: Sustainable drinking water on its way
“Local dignitaries gathered for a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Tuesday to officially open the $230 million Stanislaus Regional Surface Water Treatment Plant north of Turlock. Set on 47 acres near Fox Grove Park, the plant will provide clean, sustainable drinking water from the Tuolumne River for the cities of Turlock and Ceres, while reducing dependence on groundwater. In 2011, both cities, along with Turlock Irrigation District, formed the Stanislaus Regional Water Authority, a joint powers authority to build and operate the plant. To pay for the plant, the city councils of both cities enacted a series of water-rate increases. … ” Read more from the Turlock Journal.
Fish to receive 40% of Kern River flow under judge’s order
“A judge’s order signed Tuesday ensures there will be at least some water flowing in the Kern River through Bakersfield in perpetuity. Unless, of course, it’s overturned. Kern County Superior Court Judge Gregory Pulskamp signed an order that requires 40% of the Kern River’s flow to remain in the river to keep fish populations healthy. This order is the implementation of an injunction granted by Pulskamp October 30 mandating that some amount of water must flow through the river for fish populations. Pulskamp instructed the City of Bakersfield and plaintiffs to work out how much water should be kept in the river for fish, which is what Tuesday’s implementation order lays out. … ” Read more from SJV Water.
MEETING NOTES: Flood repairs going slowly as Cawelo Water District waits on federal relief funds
“The district has applied for $8.89 million in funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The district only has $600,000 on hand to fund repairs, which were extensive after the March 10 storm brought tons of debris down the Poso Creek, destroying district weirs, pump stations and wells. Cawelo hopes the start of the 2023-2024 federal budget will speed up the process. Cawelo General Manager Dave Ansolabehere said in a separate interview that the district has finally received confirmation that it has authority to make repairs under California’s disaster declaration. But its FEMA reimbursement request is still pending. … ” Read more from SJV Water.
Water importation system dedicated to Robert J. Jasper
“Jeff and Vic Jasper were young boys on that cold, windy November afternoon 50 years ago when a large crowd gathered at what is now known as Brite Lake to wait for the first water from the State Water Project to be delivered to Tehachapi. The weather was much nicer Tuesday morning, and the Jaspers were back at the lake — also known as J.C. Jacobsen Reservoir — for a dedication of the importation system in honor of their father, Robert J. Jasper. About 60 people were at Tuesday’s event, sponsored by Tehachapi-Cummings County Water District and a tribute to Bob Jasper, the district’s first employee. Jasper, who died in March 2021, served the district for 42 years and was one of only four general managers in the district’s history. …” Read more from the Tehachapi News.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Scattered showers are in the forecast. Here’s when SoCal can expect rain
“Days of scattered showers are in the forecast for Southern California. Rain will arrive in two waves, the first starting Wednesday into Thursday. A second round of scattered showers begins Friday and continues into the weekend. The first system off the coast will drop rain over the ocean before eventually moving east. Showers arrived early Wednesday in part of Ventura County. … ” Read more from NBC LA.
Santa Clarita: Community waiting for word on Cemex application
“As the holidays approach, the State Water Resources Control Board said there’s been no timeline yet identified for when the public notice might occur for a water permit application that could fundamentally change the future of the Santa Clarita Valley. Cemex Inc. purchased major mining rights for a site just east of city limits more than 30 years ago — the two 10-year contracts would allow the Mexico-based international mining company to extract 56 million tons of aggregate from Soledad Canyon. If approved, the mine would be the largest of its kind in North America, according to state legislators who helped fight the effort, Assemblywoman Pilar Schiavo, D-Chatsworth, and Sen. Scott Wilk, R-Santa Clarita. … ” Read more from the Signal.
State presents $38 million to Metropolitan to increase turf rebate for businesses, institutions
“Businesses and institutions gearing up to comply with a new state ban on using potable drinking water to irrigate non-functional lawns will soon get additional help from the Metropolitan Water District to transform turf into more sustainable landscaping, thanks to a state grant awarded to the district. The California Department of Water Resources presented a $38 million check to Metropolitan officials today as part of its Urban Community Drought Relief program, which has awarded over $217 million to 44 projects to help communities strengthen drought resilience and better prepare for future dry conditions. … ” Read more from DWR.
Along the Colorado River …
Video: Colorado River in Crisis: A Los Angeles Times documentary
“The Colorado River can no longer withstand the thirst of the arid West. Water drawn from the river flows to millions of people in cities from Denver to Los Angeles and irrigates vast farmlands. For decades, sections of the river have been entirely used up, leaving dusty expanses of desert where water once flowed to the sea in Mexico. Now, chronic overuse and the effects of climate change are pushing the river system toward potential collapse, with depleted reservoirs near the lowest levels since they were filled. A water reckoning is about to transform the landscape of the Southwest. Colorado River in Crisis follows Los Angeles Times journalists traveling throughout the river’s watershed, from the headwaters in the Rocky Mountains to the river’s dry delta. These stories reveal the stark toll of the river’s decline, responses that have yet to match the scale of the crisis, and voices that are urging a fundamental rethinking of how water is managed and used to adapt to the reality of an overtapped and dwindling river. This documentary was filmed and produced by Albert Brave Tiger Lee, with reporting by Ian James and other L.A. Times journalists. Consulting producers included Maggie Beidelman, Robert Meeks and Erik Himmelsbach-Weinstein. (46 minutes).” Watch video at the LA Times.
The ways of water: Interdisciplinary research examines water systems in the American Southwest
“For more than 25 years, hydrology and water resources expert Tom Piechota has immersed himself in the study of water systems and issues in the American Southwest. These days, his research is even more acutely focused on the existential challenges of managing water in the West. Supported in part by a $1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education, Piechota works with Chapman University faculty research colleagues and students across a variety of disciplines, including environmental science, remote sensing, computer science and engineering. As he pursues answers to vital questions about the immediate and long-term impact of drought, floods, wildfires and coastal erosion, he draws on a wide range of experiences. Previously, he was co-PI on a $20 million climate change impact study funded by the National Science Foundation, which also has given him a CAREER Award. His journal articles and other research work have been cited more than 4,000 times. … ” Read more from Chapman University.
Phoenix drought pipeline program: Less resources, no problem
“The City of Phoenix Water Services Department (WSD) has a long history of diversifying its water supply and planning for the future. As a result, the City began planning for drought resiliency years before restrictions began on the Colorado River. Based on a 2017 study, it was found that there would be a water supply shortage to 400,000 residents in north Phoenix if there was an outage of the Central Arizona Project (CAP) supply. The study analyzed alternatives to sustain a projected demand shortage during an outage of the CAP requiring major upgrades to the City’s water delivery infrastructure. It revealed the need for additional water supply in north Phoenix being served by two CAP water treatment plants (WTP). Major upgrades to the system were recommended to provide resiliency, redundancy and flexibility to ensure a safe and reliable water supply for customers throughout Phoenix. … ” Continue reading from Water World.
Lake Powell rebounds but drought remains
“After falling to record lows in early 2023, water levels in Lake Powell—the second-largest reservoir in the United States—rebounded in the summer of 2023. Above-average snowmelt from the Rocky Mountains provided some short-term relief to the reservoir, but long-term drought remains. The images above show portions of Lake Powell, which straddles the border of Utah and Arizona, as of October 20, 2023 (right), compared to September 23, 2022 (left). As of November 12, 2023, lake levels stood at 3,572 feet (37 percent full), which is just below the 1991–2020 average for that date. The 2023 image was acquired with the OLI (Operational Land Imager) on Landsat 8 and the 2022 image was acquired by the OLI-2 on Landsat 9. … ” Read more from NASA’s Earth Observatory.
In national water news today …
Even treated sewage harms freshwater ecosystems
“Rivers are awash with excess nutrients, chemicals, and other pollutants, including sewage. Globally, roughly 50% of wastewater is treated at facilities before being released into nearby bodies of water. But new research shows that even advanced treatment might not be enough to safeguard the health of freshwater ecosystems. Researchers released dilute, treated wastewater into an unpolluted stream in northern Spain and made a before and after comparison of energy flows through the ecosystem. “We found subtle yet fundamental shifts in ecosystem function after adding wastewater,” said Ioar de Guzman, a freshwater ecologist at the University of the Basque Country in Spain and lead author of the study. … ” Read more from EOS.
Water is now a global asset, and a growing threat
“To measure all the ways humans move our dearest commodity around the planet, researchers devised two categories of water. Physical water pools in reservoirs and comes out of the faucet. It’s wet. Virtual water, on the other hand, is the invisible history of all the H2O used to make stuff: tomatoes, solar panels, wood and almost everything else. Not necessarily wet. Global average temperatures spiked by 1.8C in September; it was a shock to scientists. The atmosphere sponges up 7% more water vapor for every additional degree Celsius. That’s a kind of virtual water, in a way — impossible to see and easy to forget. Except when it becomes a very physical flood raging through the streets. As a matter of economics, water is mostly virtual. The physical liquid is only 0.0002% of the global trade. That means the real economics of water is mostly hidden, just like the climate consequences. Until they’re not. … ” Continue reading at Bloomberg.
The planet just had its warmest October on record
“The planet added another record-breaking month to 2023, with October ranking as the warmest October in the 174-year global climate record. Last month was also 2023’s fifth month in a row of record-warm global temperatures, according to scientists from NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information. The average global temperature for October was 2.41 degrees F (1.34 degrees C) above the 20th-century average of 57.1 degrees F (14.0 degrees C), ranking as the world’s warmest October on record. This was 0.43 of a degree F (0.24 of a degree C) above the previous record from October 2015. For the seventh-consecutive month, global ocean surface temperature also set a record high. … ” Read more from NOAA.
No place is safe: New national report on climate change details sweeping effects
“A new national climate assessment paints a dismal picture of the nationwide impacts of climate change, driving food shortages, intensifying droughts, floods and wildfires, spreading diseases and air pollution and jeopardizing public infrastructure like roads and railways. The federal report, released today, ranked California among the top five states suffering economic effects from climate-related natural disasters. A chapter about the risks and effects in the Southwest contains a long and alarming list of projections, particularly the impact of drought on water supplies, agriculture, diseases and ecosystems. “Droughts are projected to increase in intensity, duration, and frequency, especially in the Southwest….Human and natural systems are threatened by rapid shifts between wet and dry periods that make water resources difficult to predict and manage,” the report reads. … ” Read more from Cal Matters.
Billions endangered by years of inaction on climate change, new report says
“It’s bad, but not inevitable, according to The Lancet’s new Countdown on Health and Climate Change report. The world’s hot, and it’s only getting hotter because of climate change — causing heat related deaths to increase, water supplies and food production to decrease, and accelerating the spread of infectious diseases that will affect billions of people’s health. The eighth annual report, published by British medical journal The Lancet on Tuesday, is a clarion call from over a hundred experts, researchers and scientists, for politicians, corporations, financial institutions, healthcare workers and citizens across the world to work together to stop burning fossil fuels to protect the planet, and people’s health and safety. “With climate change claiming millions of lives annually and its threats rapidly growing, seizing the opportunity to secure a healthier future has never been more vital. Ensuring that a thriving future remains in reach will require the coordinated action of health professionals, policy makers, corporations, and financial institutions,” researchers write in the report. … ” Read more from the Courthouse News Service.
