DWR announces initial State Water Project allocation of 10% …
California sets initial water allocation forecast at 10%
“The California Department of Water Resources on Friday said its initial State Water Project allocation forecast is 10% of requested supplies for next year — a 5% increase from its December 2022 initial forecast. The department, which issues its initial forecast by Dec. 1 each year, pointed to current levels of reservoir storage, as well as the expectation of extremely dry conditions, as the reason for its forecast level. Dry soil, runoff and storage in Lake Oroville also play a role. So far, the water year — which starts Oct. 1 — has yielded little rain. The few storms that have swept into the state did not significant rain or snow. The allocation forecast could change, depending on if the state receives more rain and snow. Allocations get updated each month after snowpack, rainfall and runoff are examined. A final allocation occurs in May or June. … ” Read more from the Courthouse News Service.
SEE ALSO:
- Initial water allocation from state a bit tight but water users hoping for more, from SJV Water
- DWR announces initial State Water Project allocation of 10% for 2024, press release from DWR
- California officials warn of potentially low water supplies next year, from the San Francisco Chronicle.
Statement by Adel Hagekhalil, general manager of the Metropolitan Water District
“While we received significant rain and snow last winter that helped replenish severely depleted storage across the state, this fall has so far been relatively dry. We must be prepared for the possibility that these dry conditions will continue. The state is wise to make a conservative initial state project allocation. Water managers recognize that climate change is making California’s swings from wet to dry even more extreme, and we must be ready. Hopefully, we’ll again see wet conditions this winter, and the allocation will increase. But we can’t count on it, yet.
“Regardless of the weather, we can never take our water supplies for granted. For Californians, that means being as water efficient as possible, every day. For water managers, it means making strategic investments to help our communities adapt to climate change. That is precisely what Metropolitan is doing. Last month, we launched our new High Desert Water Bank, the first phase of a groundwater storage project that will allow Metropolitan to store up to 280,000 acre-feet of State Water Project supplies in the Antelope Valley groundwater basin. We’re already storing available water there that we can draw upon when needed. And our board has begun developing a Climate Adaptation Master Plan for Water, which will guide our decision-making to provide Southern California with a reliable water supply for decades to come.”
Statement from Jennifer Pierre, General Manager of the State Water Contractors
“The success of California’s climate resiliency rests on our ability to be flexible in making water management decisions that can effectively account for real-time and forecasted swings in hydrologic conditions. We support the Governor’s ‘all of the above’ approach to improve the way we manage water through climate change, modernizing our 60-year-old water infrastructure through the Delta Conveyance Project and implementing the Voluntary Agreements – known as the Agreements for Healthy Rivers and Landscapes – to better manage flows for the environment and the communities that depend on the State Water Project. We need to store water when it’s wet, so we can use it when it’s dry. We can support sensitive fish species with reservoir releases while ensuring enough water to make sure that people can still run their homes, farms and businesses that underpin our entire economy.”
In other California water news this weekend …
Proposal for new water district sparks fear of Northern California ‘water grab’
“As California grapples with worsening cycles of drought, a proposal to create a new water district in Butte County has sparked fears of a profit-driven water grab by large-scale farmers and outside interests. In the walnut and almond orchards along State Route 99 near Chico, agricultural landowners have led a years-long campaign to form the Tuscan Water District — an entity they say is vital for the future of farming in this part of Northern California. They say having the district will enable them to bring in water and build infrastructure to recharge the groundwater aquifer. Yet some residents argue the district would open the door to water profiteering, claiming the plan would connect local supplies to California water markets, and allow the state to demand transfers during drought emergencies. … ” Read more from the LA Times. | Read via the Lawton Constitution.
Westlands loses appeal to state Supreme Court
“The California Supreme Court rejected an appeal by the nation’s largest agricultural district in its bid for a permanent water contract with the Bureau of Reclamation. The state’s highest court on Wednesday denied a request from the Westlands Water District to reverse a series of lower court rulings refusing to validate the contract, a decision that opponents of the deal said will leave the Rhode Island-sized agricultural district with little choice but to rely on temporary agreements. A coalition of Native Americans, commercial and recreational fishermen, scientists, and conservation groups had opposed the contract, saying there needs to be more scrutiny about use of water in drought-plagued California, as well as attention to impacts on fisheries. … ” Read more from E&E News.
SEE ALSO: California Supreme Court denies Westlands’ appeal, press release from the Hoopa Valley Tribe
Lead pipe rule changes: What does this mean for California?
“For years, we’ve known about the harmful effects lead in drinking water can have on the public, especially children, but millions of lead pipes still exist throughout the country. Now, most U.S. cities would have to replace lead water pipes within 10 years under strict new rules proposed by the Environmental Protection Agency as the Biden administration moves to reduce lead in drinking water and prevent public health crises like the ones in Flint, Michigan and Washington, D.C. “This is as much about public health as it is about equity,” said Mike McNutt, the communications manager for the Las Virgenes Municipal Water District. “Everyone deserves to have clean water as a human right. Everyone deserves to have healthy children and a healthy lifestyle. This is long overdue. It’s something that’s going to benefit the entire country.” … ” Read more from ABC 7.
How hydrology modeling supports accurate wetlands delineation
“Computerized hydrology modeling software utilizes sophisticated numeric models to analyze water runoff within a watershed area over a specific time period and rainfall intensity. This advanced technology revolutionizes the assessment of water resources and their impact on project planning. By integrating existing topography, soil types, and vegetation cover, hydrology models can accurately predict water surface elevations and identify areas prone to water inundation within associated water drainages. The management and regulation of water inundation areas fall under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, governed by the federal Clean Water Act, as well as the State of California, under the California Environmental Quality Act and Fish & Game Code. These regulatory frameworks ensure that impacts to state and federal waters are carefully assessed and mitigated. Obtaining the necessary permits for projects that impact aquatic resources is essential, and these permits require mitigation measures to compensate for the loss of regulated aquatic resources. … ” Continue reading from Dudek.
Science for Salmon – Part 1: What is a Juvenile Production Estimate anyway?
“Spring-run Chinook salmon (“spring-run”) are listed as threatened under both the California Endangered Species Act and the Federal Endangered Species Act. Like most salmon, these fish are anadromous: The adults, having grown and matured in the ocean, return to their natal stream to spawn, and the juveniles, after rearing in freshwater, eventually migrate downstream to the ocean (see Figure 1). During that downstream migration, juvenile salmon are exposed to a gauntlet of threats, including warm water temperatures, predators of all sorts, and “taking the wrong turn” through water diversions and getting lost on their way to the ocean. Managing or reducing the risk posed by water diversions is a responsibility of the Department of Water Resources, and to do that water managers need to know the number and timing of those outmigrating juvenile spring-run as they enter the Delta. Coming up with an accurate prediction of this—what’s termed a Juvenile Production Estimate (PDF) or JPE—is not simple. This is the first of a two part piece about our efforts to develop a JPE, both what’s been accomplished and what’s planned, as well as a timeline. … ” Continue reading from the Interagency Ecological Program.
Too hot for company: Warm temperatures break up smelt shoals
“For little fish on the menu of countless hungry predators, staying alive often means seeking refuge in the company of their own kind. When prey species form a group or “shoal,” individuals are able to forage more efficiently and better evade predators. Shoal cohesiveness is strongly influenced by the energetic needs of its individual members, and this means temperature can play a large role in determining group structure and behavior. Climate-change driven warming of water temperatures has the potential to reduce the ability of fish to stick together in shoals, which could have major implications for ecological interactions like predation and competition. However, most studies of warming and fish behavior do not fluctuate temperatures to mimic what would occur in nature – namely increasing temperature during the day and decreasing it at night. … ” Read more from FishBio.
In commentary this weekend …
Sites Reservoir: Fast-tracking and greenwashing a huge water development
Sarah Vardaro writes, “In the summer of 2023, Governor Newsom signed Senate Bill 149 into law. This bill gave the Governor the power to fast-track infrastructure projects deemed beneficial to the state of California’s bid to create a climate-resilient future. On November 6th, 2023 the Governor used this law to fast-track approval for the highly controversial Sites Reservoir Project. In a statement, the Governor characterized this move as “cutting red tape.” The red tape in question is the normal scrutiny the Sites Project would be subject to under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). Governor Newsom’s decision to fast-track the Sites Project is based on his assertion that it is beneficial to the environment. The Governor’s rhetoric is in line with the Sites Project’s public relations campaign. When the drought hits, they argue, the Reservoir will release water, in part, to ensure the survival of downstream habitat and species. This is a deceptive narrative. … ” Read more from the California Sportfishing Protection Alliance.
Protect Californians, wildlife from groundwater contamination
Sean Bothwell, executive director of California Coastkeeper Alliance, and Ileana Miranda, general manager of the San Jerardo housing cooperative, write, “More than a decade ago, UC Davis released a groundbreaking report about the growing human health threat from groundwater contamination. It revealed that hundreds of thousands of Californians rely on polluted groundwater to meet their household needs. More than a million are at risk. The problem is now well understood. Yet for over a decade, the California Water Resources Control Board has failed to take meaningful action. That’s why a coalition of Latino, farmworker, environmental and fishing organizations filed suit in October challenging the water resources board and Central Coast Regional Water Board for continuing to allow agricultural pollution to contaminate drinking water supplies and ecosystems. The case is focused on the Central Coast, but a successful outcome may help force action by regional water boards statewide. … ” Continue reading at the San Jose Mercury News (gift article).
Nitrate pollution: One place environmental justice and environmental advocacy meet
Sarah Vardaro writes, “In 2021, the Central Coast Regional Water Board (Regional Board) adopted Agricultural Order 4.0. This order contained measures to reduce nitrate pollution in groundwater caused by the agricultural sector. Specifically, Order 4.0 set numeric limits to regulate the amount of chemical nitrate fertilizers growers could use in their fields. In September 2023, the State Water Resources Control Board (State Board) issued Order WQ 2023-0081, which repealed Order 4.0’s numeric limits. At the same time, the State Board upheld Order 4.0’s omission of protections for rivers, streams, and riparian habitats. This decision will have statewide impacts because the State Board asserted that all its decisions on groundwater pollution are “precedential.” … ” Read more from the California Sportfishing Protection Alliance.
IID president and director on water use: ‘The ’20 families’ boogie-man implies control and influence over Colorado River water supply’
“We read the Nov. 9 articles published by the Desert Sun (“The 20 farming families who use more water from the Colorado River than some states” and “The historic claims that put a few California farming families first in line for Colorado River water”), with interest, but found each long on blame and short on solutions and key facts. First, the reporting seemed to go after Imperial Valley growers with gusto, providing a false impression that the listed families, many generations deep, act monolithically as economic units, as if normal family dynamics and independence attitudes are somehow not at play when it comes to farming. Bunching together many independent farming operations into “farming families” and then simply attributing to them a combined volume of Colorado River water use is not reflective of their operational reality. … ” Read more from the Desert Sun.
In people news this weekend …
Promotions, passings, profiles – submit people news items to maven@mavensnotebook.com.
A Reclamation veteran closes a legacy of family service
“Working for Reclamation has been a family tradition for Richard Welsh. Welsh, 61, the principal deputy regional director at the California-Great Basin Region since 2019, is retiring from Reclamation Nov. 30 after 38 years of service. He is the second Welsh to devote a career of public service to Reclamation. His father, Robert, spent 41 years with Reclamation, beginning just out of college with construction of the San Luis Project in Los Banos. Richard Welsh leaves Reclamation just as the B.F. Sisk Dam Raise and San Luis Reservoir Expansion Project is formally underway. The first authorized reservoir expansion in more than a decade, the expansion bookends the B.F. Sisk Dam Safety of Dams Modification Project, Reclamation’s largest dam safety project under the 1978 Safety of Dams Act. In a way, it represents the closing of a process that started when Richard was a toddler in the early 1960s and his father worked on the creation of the dam and reservoir during the Kennedy administration. … ” Read more from the Bureau of Reclamation.
Podcasts …
WE GROW CALIFORNIA: Assembly Ag Committee Chair Esmeralda Soria
Assembly Ag Committee Chair Esmeralda Sora joins Darcy and Darcy this week and shares her own frustrations with getting things done, the importance of water and ag to California and the nation, how she is working to bridge the gap between urban and ag policy makers, and her hopes on how we can and must do better.
GOLDEN STATE NATURALIST: The Klamath Mountains with Michael Kauffmann
The Klamath Mountains, straddling the California-Oregon border, are a hotspot for biodiversity. But what drives the species richness of the region? Come with me and Michael Kauffmann to a moss-covered edge of the Klamath mountains as we discuss ancient rocks, carnivorous plants, temperate rainforests, why people are a vital part of the story of place, and why the Klamath Mountains are bursting with a truly stunning array of beings and relationships.
WHAT MATTERS: Water equity in Southern California
In this episode of What Matters Water TV + Podcast, we tackle the pressing issue of equity, access, and affordability in Southern California’s drinking water. Hosted by Charley Wilson, we’re joined by three remarkable guests who are at the forefront of this conversation. Martin Ludlow, a champion of water justice and founder of Groundswell for Water, Fontana Mayor Acquanetta Warren, a city leader advocating for underserved communities, and Anatole Falagan, a seasoned utilities expert and assistant general manager at Long Beach Utilities, share their insights and expertise. Together, we explore the challenges and solutions in ensuring equitable access to clean drinking water. From engaging communities to navigating governance, we delve into the complexities of this vital issue. Join us on this journey to make California’s “Human Right to Water” a reality, and discover how we can work towards a future with equitable, accessible, and affordable water for all in Southern California.
MARKETPLACE: Water, water, everywhere
Water is running low in the southwest. The ongoing drought, the shrinking Colorado River and climate change all contribute to the crisis. So finding new water supplies is critical. The good news is water is all around us; you just have to know where to look.Some communities are looking to the ocean, the sewer and even the sky to produce drinking water. In this episode, we’re going on a road trip across the west to check out the fascinating water tech solutions that our future might depend on: from desalination to recycling wastewater and an invention that feels like it came straight out of “Star Wars”! We’ll explore what the next generation of our water supply might look like and how it could complicate the fight against climate change.
WATER IS A MANY SPLENDOR’ED THING: Conjunctive Use
Montana is one state that recognizes that water in streams, creeks and lakes at the ground surface are connected to underlying groundwater aquifers. This realization has initiated a new kind of water management practice that seeks balance between groundwater aquifers and surface water usage. Water rights associated with surface waters can now be related with groundwater extracted from groundwater wells. Water is a Many Splendor ’ed Thing brings you another water relationship that has a personally significant impact to your life. Produced by Steven Baker, Bringing People Together to Solve Water Problems, water@operationunite.co 530-205-6388
WATERLOOP: An interview with ChatGPI
In a groundbreaking episode, water management in the digital era is explored through a unique engagement with artificial intelligence. ChatGPT was used to create Dr. Aqua, an AI persona embodying a water management expert. Dr. Aqua’s responses were then given voice and visual life through AI tools, presenting a fascinatingly interactive character. Dr. Aqua discusses the integration of digital twins, effective data management, the crucial role of cybersecurity, and the innovative use of drones and robots. The episode also delves into the potential of AI and tools like ChatGPT, exploring how these technologies can enhance communication with the public and address water challenges. Dr. Aqua shares insights on the adoption of digital tools in water management versus other industries, the risks of technological stagnation, and practical advice for embracing digital advancements. This conversation is not just an exploration of water management strategies but also a testament to the evolving role of AI in understanding and solving complex industry issues.
New on the Water Shelf …
BOOK REVIEW: The Profits of Distrust: Citizen-Consumers, Drinking Water, and the Crisis of Confidence in American Government
By Justin Scott-Coe
Every water utility leader and tap water user should have this book. Reading The Profits of Distrust: Citizen-Consumers, Drinking Water, and the Crisis of Confidence in American Government (Cambridge University Press, 2022) is – as its hefty title implies – a commitment of time, energy, and attention. It is worth the effort.
Co-authors Manny Teodoro, Samantha Zuhlke, and David Switzer argue that successful provision of basic services, such as drinking water, is inextricably tied to trust in democratic government. When governments fail to provide such services, either directly or through regulatory oversight, citizens will seek those services elsewhere. What’s more, the authors demonstrate that water service failures are “contagious,” resulting in unearned distrust in the tap water provided by agencies with sterling records of high-quality service. Those who profit from this distrust are bottled water companies and urban water kiosk vendors, selling a less regulated and more expensive product to those who often can least afford it.
Click here to continue reading this book review.
NEW BOOK: Liquid Asset: Buzz Thompson on How Business Government Partnerships Can Help Solve the Water Crisis
By Felicity Barringer, Stanford University
Access to clean water is a human right, South Africa’s constitution declared in 1996. That’s what the courts in India ruled in 2000 and what 122 member states of the United Nations approved in 2010. The government of California signed on to the idea in 2012. But no matter how many institutions assert this right, it is usually honored in the breach. Declarations are one thing. It’s another to make clean water universally available and affordable.
Barton H. “Buzz” Thompson Jr. wades into the debate with a new book, Liquid Asset: How Business and Government Can Partner to Solve the Freshwater Crisis. Its focus: how water managers can team up with the private sector—consultants, water delivery companies, inventors, and financial firms—to overcome the daunting obstacles to making safe, affordable, and sustainable water a reality everywhere. The obstacles include growing populations, growing demand, and climate change-driven droughts. Aside from hurricanes, Thompson writes, “Droughts currently cause greater economic loss than any other form of natural disaster.”
Click here to continue reading this announcement.
Sunday video …
A narrated 360 degree view of the floodplains in the Sacramento River Basin
The Northern California Water Association invites you to join us in exploring the Sacramento River Basin in a new and immersive way with our 360-video, Soaring Over the Floodplains. The 360-degree experience is narrated by California Natural Resources Secretary, Wade Crowfoot and features: Jeff McCreary of Ducks Unlimited, Jacob Montgomery of California Trout and Kim Gallagher, a fifth-generation rice farmer. Unlike traditional videos which are typically done in a 16×9 frame and is controlled by the director, a 360-video allows users to view the entire space. By using your cursor on your desktop or laptop, or by moving a tablet or phone around you, you can view the video space in every direction, thus giving you, literally the entire picture of this special region.
In regional water news this weekend …
BAY AREA
Retransmission: Weather service warns of increased risk of sneaker waves
“The National Weather Service warned early Sunday of increased risk of sneaker waves from Monday afternoon until nighttime. A Beach Hazards Statement was issued for San Francisco, Coastal North Bay including Point Reyes National Seashore, San Francisco Peninsula Coast and Southern Monterey Bay and Big Sur Coast Counties. The weather service said northwest-facing beaches are most at risk for sneaker wave threat beginning Monday afternoon as long period northwest swell moves through the coastal waters. Large, unexpected waves can sweep across the beach without warning and can move large objects such as logs, it added. … ” Read more from SF Gate.
CENTRAL COAST
Finding sanctuary: Volunteers keep an eye on water quality in Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary
“Living in a state that is prone to drought, Californians this time of year await with great anticipation the first rain, with hopes that our thirsty gardens receive a reprieve, groundwater recharges our aquifers, and the mountains create enough snowpack to get us through the spring and summer (and allow for some snow play). With rain and melting snow, lots of water flushes toward the ocean, carrying with it unwanted contaminants and pathogens. What we do on land greatly impacts our oceans. Ten major watersheds drain into Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, carrying everything from migrating anadromous salmon, fertilizers we apply to our gardens, or outdoor cleaning agents. Sea otters, an endangered species and an important keystone predator in the sanctuary, are especially vulnerable to Toxoplasma infection that is carried in cat waste, into storm drains and then into the sanctuary. … ” Read more from the Monterey Herald.
Crews work to prepare Carmel lagoon for rainy season, mitigate flooding risk
“State, federal and county agencies worked together on Wednesday to mitigate the risk of flooding at the Carmel River Lagoon. Work was done to create what’s called a “pilot channel” which will connect the lagoon to Monterey Bay — alleviating pressure from the lagoon. The surrounding neighborhood was hit hard in 2021 following storms and rising water levels, with homes being completely flooded. Jamie Adams, a resident who lives in the area, says his home was a few feet from being flooded. … ” Read more from KSBY.
San Luis Obispo County could see a strong El Niño this winter. Here’s what one looked like in 1982
“Fishermen off the coast of Peru in the 1800s observed a troubling phenomenon: Catch numbers would nosedive if warm water arrived around Christmastime. Fish who fed best in cold upwelling waters along the coast abandoned the now-too-warm equatorial zone. They called it El Niño — “the boy” in Spanish — referring to the birth of Christ. Decades later, the oscillating pattern would be linked to changes in rainfall and other metrics. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration calls the pattern El Niño/Southern Oscillation or ENSO. The cycle tends to run in a 3 to 5 year loop, bookended by El Niño and the opposite condition, La Niña. … ” Read more from the San Luis Obispo Tribune.
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
California’s Holland: 55 percent of it is within San Joaquin County
“The end of the last California ice age 10,000 years ago did the final carving of Yosemite Valley. It’s part of the 400-mile-long stretch of granite we now call the Sierra that tectonic forces pushed upward over 2.4 million years ago. The global warming that followed the end of the last ice age gets credit for creating the Rodney Dangerfield of California’s great natural wonders — the Sacramento San Joaquin Delta. Before temperatures started heating up to force the retreat of the vast glaciers that once covered a large swath of what is today eastern California, the sea level was more than 300 feet lower with the edge of present-day San Francisco nearly 20 miles from the ocean. … ” Read more from the Manteca Bulletin.
EASTERN SIERRA
Important information for Indian Wells Valley community private property owners
“On June 16, 2021, a comprehensive groundwater adjudication of the Indian Wells Valley Groundwater Basin was commenced in superior court. On October 12, 2023, the Indian Wells Valley Groundwater Authority (GA) filed a motion in the adjudication case asking the court to certify a proposed “Small Pumper Class” made up of all owners of real property overlying the Basin that pump between 0 to 5 acre-feet per year of Basin groundwater. The GA’s motion states that: “The class is ascertainable because class members can be identified through pumping data, geographic information systems, and County tax and property records.” The GA’s motion asks the court to appoint the GA’s own attorneys as legal counsel for the proposed class, stating that the GA “does not believe there is a conflict” with its attorneys representing both the proposed class and the GA. … ” Read more from the Ridgecrest Independent.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Commentary: Twelve water solutions for Southern California
Mark Bird, retired sociology professor, writes, “Given the 2022-23 winter and the filling of northern California reservoirs, millions in California falsely think the state water scarcity situation is over. But two-thirds of the people in the state live in Southern California which has no large reservoir. Lake Mead and Lake Powell (both on the northern Arizona border) are the two largest reservoirs in North America. Lake Mead’s water capacity is 7.5 times larger than the capacity of Lake Oroville, the largest reservoir in California. Lakes Mead and Powell supply southern California with electricity, water and a variety of food. Currently these reservoirs are, respectively, 34 and 37 percent full. (Figuratively, either lake is currently 100 percent empty as the remaining water could fit in the other lake without filling it.) … Lake Mead supplies water to more people than the number of people in the six New England states. Following are 12 solutions … ” Read the full post at LA Progressive.
Laguna Beach ocean water closures reduced following sewage spill
“Some water closures off the coast of Laguna Beach were lifted on Friday, Orange County Health Care Agency officials announced. A sewage spill that discharged an estimated 94,500 gallons of wastewater on Wednesday had resulted in ocean water closures from Laguna Avenue to Blue Lagoon. The ocean water closures remained between 500 feet north of Anita Street and 500 feet south of Bluebird Canyon Drive as of Friday afternoon. County health officials had prohibited swimming, surfing and diving in the affected waters until water-quality testing had shown acceptable standards had been met. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
Dredging begins for O.C. beaches sand replenishment project
“Dredging began this week for the Surfside-Sunset project as trucks rolled out to Surfside and Sunset beaches on Monday. The project, helmed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, will deposit an estimated 1.2 million cubic yards of sand on a small stretch of beach south of the Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach, which is expected to travel down to replenish Huntington, Bolsa Chica and Newport beaches by way of ocean current. Newport Beach will receive an additional 100,000 cubic yards of accumulated sand from the far west Newport area to replenish the beaches between 52nd and 36th streets. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
IMPERIAL/COACHELLA VALLEYS
Grower celebrates a century of “green gold”
““Grow, baby, grow! It’s coming in, it’s coming!” Jack Vessey cheered excitedly driving down the dirt roads alongside one of his romaine lettuce crops. The Holtville-area farmer took a reporter on a ride-along recently as he checked on his crops for his business, Vessey and Co. Inc. Letting the reporter get a glimpse inside his mind, Vessey chatted about the nuances of farming, including his family’s legacy, the importance of maintaining expectations, trusting the process, building a strong supportive team and being ready to adjust as necessary. All this as Jack Vessey ushers the family business into its second century of operation. Vessey and Co. earlier this month went all out celebrating its 100th anniversary, but that doesn’t stop the fact that mid-November nears the peak of the season. … ” Read more from the Holtville Tribune.
SAN DIEGO
Thousands of San Diegans will now pay more for water. What customers can expect
“San Diego residents that receive their water from the city will soon be paying more on their bills, as the first increase of the city’s progressive hike in rates is set to go into effect on Friday. Starting Dec. 1, customers’ water rates will go up by 5%. The adjustment is one of three in a comprehensive increase over two years that was approved by the San Diego City Council earlier this year — the first such change in pricing for city water customers in nearly eight years. The next increase will be about 5.2%, going into effect on July 1, 2024. A final 8.7% rate hike with this round of changes will be on Jan. 1, 2025. … ” Read more from Fox 5.
Rare rainstorms are shielding San Diego from wildfires — for now
“Some Bonsall residents had Christmas lights up when the Lilac Fire roared through their community in 2017. The blaze, which started Dec. 7 and wasn’t contained until Dec. 16, destroyed 157 structures and burned 4,100 acres. That North County inferno, whipped by strong Santa Ana winds and fueled by drought-stricken vegetation, reinforced Cal Fire’s mantra: Wildfire season is now year-round. Yet an early December repeat this year appears unlikely, thanks in part to this week’s rain. In fact, both locally and statewide, this entire year has been a relatively calm fire period. Firefighters and residents have been given a bit of a reprieve from wildfire angst. … ” Read more from the Voice of San Diego.
Along the Colorado River …
Biden-Harris Administration announces new agreement with Imperial Irrigation District to save 100,000 acre-feet of water in Colorado River system
“The Biden-Harris administration today announced an agreement with the Imperial Irrigation District (IID) that will conserve approximately 100,000 acre-feet of water in Lake Mead in 2023. The agreement includes approximately $77.6 million in new investments from President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, which will fund projects for water conservation, water efficiency, and protection of critical environmental resources in the Colorado River System this year. The investments, which are part of the Biden-Harris administration’s whole-of-government approach to improve and protect the stability and sustainability of the Colorado River System now and into the future, are administered through the Lower Colorado River Basin System Conservation and Efficiency Program and funded by the Inflation Reduction Act, the largest climate investment in history. … ” Read more from the Department of the Interior.
Imperial Irrigation District OKs plan aimed at preserving Colorado River, Salton Sea
“The Biden Administration will pay the Imperial Irrigation District an estimated $77.6 million for conserving 100,000 acre-feet of water in the Colorado River this year, setting the stage for more than half a billion dollars in federal funds to be paid to the agency, the river’s largest user, to conserve far more through 2026. IID’s board on Friday voted unanimously to approve the complicated 2023 agreement, which involves numerous other Southern California agencies. The $776 per acre-foot price also will be used as the base rate to pay IID to conserve another 800,000 acre-feet through 2026, said Tina Shields, IID’s Colorado River water manager, who along with other staff spent months negotiating the deal. … ” Read more from The Desert Sun.
SEE ALSO: New Water-Sharing Agreement Expected to Boost Lake Mead, Mitigate Rising Prices, from the Times of San Diego
Two California water districts agree to keep more water in Lake Mead
“A forecast issued Friday by the National Weather Service Weather Prediction Center contains the magic words: atmospheric river. “An atmospheric river is forecast to bring heavy precipitation, including mountain snow, to the Northwest and the northern Rockies this weekend. Low snow levels at the onset are expected to rise markedly by the latter half the weekend. Impactful snows are likely downstream as ample moisture and energy moves into the central Rockies,” according to forecast discussion on the Weather Prediction Center website. … ” Read more from KLAS.
Commentary: I helped pass Arizona’s groundwater law. 40 years later, it’s time for the next step
Bruce Babbitt, former Arizona governor and former secretary of the Interior, writes, “Forty-five years ago, as governor, I gathered Arizona’s leaders to confront a growing water crisis: declining groundwater that threatened our economy and imperiled Arizona’s growth. We worked together as Republicans, Democrats, and representatives from agriculture, homebuilders and industry to secure our future. In the end, we negotiated, and the Legislature then enacted, the 1980 Groundwater Management Act (GMA). … None of us imagined that Arizona’s population would soar from less than 3 million to more than 7 million, or that the worst drought in a thousand years was coming, or that out-of-state, industrial agriculture would pile into the state, demanding irrigation water for tens of thousands more acres. That unforeseen future has now arrived. … ” Continue reading at the Arizona Republic.
In national water news this weekend …
Iran-linked cyberattacks threaten equipment used in U.S. water systems and factories
“An Iran-linked hacking group is “actively targeting and compromising” multiple U.S. facilities for using an Israeli-made computer system, U.S. cybersecurity officials say. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) said on Friday that the hackers, known as “CyberAv3ngers,” have been infiltrating video screens with the message “You have been hacked, down with Israel. Every equipment ‘made in Israel’ is CyberAv3ngers legal target.” The cyberattacks have spanned multiple states, CISA said. While the equipment in question, “Unitronics Vision Series programmable logic controllers,” is predominately used in water and wastewater systems, companies in energy, food and beverage manufacturing, and health care are also under threat. … ” Read more from NorCal Public Media.
