In California water news today …
Warmer winter temperatures in California could make ‘storms more hazardous,’ report says
“Winters in California aren’t as cold as they used to be — and that’s not a good thing. Temperatures across the Central Valley, Central Coast and parts of Southern California have increased at least 2 degrees over the past several decades, according to Climate Central’s “2023 Winter Package.” Other parts of the state have warmed at least 1 degree, and the majority of the U.S. has risen an average of 3.8 degrees, posing a long-term threat to water supplies, energy use, public health and agriculture. In California, warm and short-lived winters could disturb fruit and nut crops. Climate Central analyzed temperatures and days recorded above normal between December and February — from 1969-70 to 2022-23 — with data from the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration’s Regional Climate Centers. … ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee. | Read via Yahoo News.
How mountains affect El Niño-induced winter precipitation
“A consideration of how mountains influence El Niño and La Niña-induced precipitation change in western North America may be the ticket to more informed water conservation planning along the Colorado River, new research suggests. The study, coinciding with a recent shift from a strong La Niña to a strong El Niño, brings a degree of precision to efforts to make more accurate winter precipitation predictions in the intermountain West by comparing 150 years of rain and snow data with historic El Niño-Southern Oscillation patterns. Overall, the analysis shows increasing winter precipitation trends in the north and decreasing trends in the south, particularly during the latter part of the 20th century. It also sheds light on how mountains both amplify and obstruct precipitation, leading to heavier rainfall to their west and lower levels of precipitation to their east. The more accurate estimate of where and how much winter precipitation has been driven by El Niños of the past may help guide future management of resources in western North America, one of the most water-stressed parts of the world, researchers say. … ” Read more from Ohio State University.
Video: California Drought: Are we in drought again? Where is the rain and snow? What is El Niño doing?
It has been a slow start to the wet season, but that doesn’t mean things are bad! Plus, El Niño is still brewing in the Pacific & there’s signs of more rain & snow.
The race to save ketchup: Building a tomato for a hotter world
“In the heart of one of the world’s top vegetable-growing regions in California, scientists are on a mission to save ketchup. Plant breeders at the Woodland, Calif., facility of German pharmaceutical and agriculture giant are testing whether tomatoes meant for processing into pizza sauces and ketchup can survive on a fraction of their traditional water needs, without sacrificing taste or juiciness. Using a small set of tweezers, Taylor Anderson carefully removes the part of a tomato plant that allows it to self-pollinate. He extracts pollen from the flower of a second plant and places it on the first, creating a new hybrid. Anderson, a vegetable breeder at Bayer, leads a team that is mixing and matching tomato varieties that have historically done well under drought conditions or have a stronger root system, aiming to produce varieties capable of growing with 20% or 50% less water. … ” Read more from the Wall Street Journal.
Can agriculture kick its plastic addiction?
“Plastics are tightly woven into the fabric of modern agriculture. Black polyethylene “mulch film” gets tucked snugly around crop rows, clear plastic sheeting covers hoop houses, and most farmers use plastic seed trays, irrigation tubes, and fertilizer bags. These synthetic polymer products have often been used to help boost yields up to 60 percent and make water and pesticide use more efficient. … But plasticulture, or the use of plastic products in agriculture, also comes with a wide range of known problems. Plastic contaminates fields at a much greater scale than it does our oceans, posing an acute threat to soil health and food security. Research shows that as the chemicals from degrading debris leach into the soil, their persistence decreases crop productivity while snaking up the food chain, appearing in earthworm guts and even human placentas. … ” Read more from Civil Eats.
California’s extreme weather and walnuts
“California’s walnut production keeps growing and expanding north of the Central Valley, with crops reaching 400,000 acres in 2022, and total production volumes of 752,000 tons. This year’s record rainfall in the state has been very positive for walnut trees, leading to historical projections for the crop which is expected to reach 790,000 tons. “Starting in January, rain hit California pretty much constantly, reaching upwards of 200% from normal precipitation in some places,” Tapan Pathak, a specialist in climate adaptation in agriculture from UC Merced shared during a presentation at the 2023 Exponut which took place last week in Santiago, Chile. … ” Read more from Fresh Fruit Portal.
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
Supervisors to discuss PG&E’s Potter Valley Project decommissioning plan
“The Board of Supervisors will discuss Pacific Gas and Electric Co.’s initial plan to decommission the Potter Valley Project this week. The board will meet beginning at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 5, in the board chambers on the first floor of the Lake County Courthouse, 255 N. Forbes St., Lakeport.In an item timed for 9:15 a.m., the board will consider submitting public comments in response to PG&E’s initial draft surrender application and conceptual decommissioning plan for the Potter Valley Project, which includes the Scott Dam. A memo from supervisors Eddie Crandell and Bruno Sabatier explained that PG&E released the draft plan on Nov. 17. “This draft plan offers limited detail in many areas that are crucial to Lake County’s interests.” … ” Read more from the Lake County News.
BAY AREA
More rain is expected in the Bay Area this week. Here’s which day will be the wettest
“A fire hose in the sky, known as an atmospheric river, will dominate the West Coast weather pattern this week. This strong atmospheric river-fueled storm is forecast to bring heavy precipitation totals and major flooding to the Pacific Northwest, while California remains comparatively drier. By the time the river of moisture reaches the Bay Area on Wednesday, it will fade to the intensity of a stream or creek. San Francisco should still get a decent soaking, but the North Bay will get the heaviest precipitation, up to an inch. Showers are forecast to hang around Thursday and Friday as temperatures trend downward late in the week. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
Migratory birds would benefit if ranching in Pt. Reyes stops
Marty Griffin, a retired physician and longtime Marin environmental activist, writes, “California is blessed with two stunning natural water habitats for migratory oceanic birds. One is located in the Point Reyes National Seashore in coastal Marin County. The other, 350 miles east across the Sierra Nevada close to the Great Salt Lake desert, is known as the Mono Lake Tufa State Natural Reserve. For thousands of years, both habitats provided safe nesting and ample insects for food. The salty Mono Lake supplies brine shrimp and alkali flies for millions of birds. These special habitats should be protected as the finest treasures of nature. However, Marin residents and the National Park Service have allowed up to 5,000 head of cattle to graze and trample its wetlands, which is detrimental to insects and small salmon. … ” Read more from the Marin Independent Journal.
City creeks see explosion in spawning salmon population in San Jose after 10 years of habitat cleanup
“In the Bay Area of California, home of San Francisco, San Jose, Santa Clara County, and Silicon Valley a famous Pacific resident is heading home for the holidays—up newly-cleaned creeks to spawn. Who could have thought that the cradle of 21st-century civilization, with its problems and advancements, would have space for wild river ecosystems capable of supporting salmon runs? But here they are, reports KTVU, as large as 30 pounds, as long as 35 inches, running up the Guadalupe River Watershed by the hundreds. … ” Read more from the Good News Network.
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
Water — we’ve got good news and bad
Columnist John Lindt writes, “Water is in the news again this week. The good news is that farms, looking to reverse lower groundwater levels, are recharging their groundwater big time this fall from substantial flows sourced from valley rivers and canals. “Record water flow this year has propelled the Kings River region closer to groundwater sustainability, recharging 500,000 acre-feet of water into the aquifer during the 2023 Kings River water year,” says the Kings River Water Association. “Flood releases from Pine Flat have coursed water through Kings River channels and water purveyor headgates for 162 days straight.” … ” Continue reading at the Hanford Sentinel.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Turning a barrier into a bridge for the endangered SoCal steelhead
“A Caltrans project along Pacific Coast Highway will help the endangered Southern California steelhead trout return to their historic habitat in the Santa Monica Mountains. These giant fish in the salmon family used to be found all over the rivers and streams throughout Southern California, but their population has dropped off dramatically over the past few decades. Kyle Evans is a senior environmental scientist supervisor with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife for the South Coast Region. He told LAist local residents in the 1940s and 50s used to be able to catch big, beautiful 2-foot-long silver steelhead trout right in Malibu Creek. … ” Read more from the LAist.
Tackling PFAS with innovation: Orange County Water District’s approach
“For the past 90 years, the Orange County Water District (OCWD) has provided a safe and reliable local groundwater supply to Southern California. As regulations and requirements for water quality have changed dramatically since 1933, OCWD has continuously adopted new methods and technologies to manage both water supply and water quality in its local groundwater basin. Besides testing for harmful bacteria and heavy metals like lead and copper, OCWD also tests for chemical residues of common pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs), as well as petrochemicals, pesticides and other contaminants. … ” Read more from Water Finance & Management.
After a mild fire year, Southern California crews look ahead to 2024
“On a cool, cloudy morning one day last week, Albert Rivas approached a pile of dry wood in the Angeles National Forest and set it on fire. The pile roared to life, and within minutes, it was spewing flames at least 10 feet tall. Rivas, a firefighter with the United States Forest Service, paused briefly to admire his handiwork before aiming his gasoline- and diesel-filled drip torch at another pile nearby. By morning’s end, he and more than a dozen other Forest Service firefighters had burned about 17 acres’ worth of woody material around the Lower San Antonio Fire Station at the base of Mt. Baldy — a forest management feat they attributed to favorable weather and fuel conditions. “It’s all about going at it the right way, correctly, with all the techniques,” Rivas said as smoke swirled around him. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
IMPERIAL/COACHELLA VALLEYS
A struggling California region is suddenly poised to become very, very rich
“Imperial County, a sprawling desert region three hours southeast of Los Angeles that straddles the U.S.-Mexico border, may not be what you would typically associate with Southern California. Home to ramshackle landmarks like Salvation Mountain, the Salton Sea and Bombay Beach, it’s the least populated county in the region with just 180,000 residents. But U.S. politicians are suddenly interested in this rural area for other reasons — namely, the wealth of lithium deep beneath its surface. The rare mineral used in batteries, now in particularly high demand with the rise of electric vehicles, could be enough to produce 375 million batteries for that use, according to a new report. … ” Read more from SF Gate.
Along the Colorado River …
Commentary: Utah will never run out of water
Howard Sierer, St. George resident and former satellite systems engineer, writes, “How can this column’s title be correct? Most of us are all too aware that the Great Salt Lake is shrinking and that Colorado River flows have been declining for decades, effectively killing the Lake Powell pipeline. If Utah continues to grow at recent rates, where will we find the water needed to support continued growth? The answer has been demonstrated by our neighboring state to the south. An article titled “Phoenix Is in No Danger of Running Out of Water” explains why even the hottest big city in the country, located in the midst of the Sonoran Desert, is in no danger of running out of water. The state of Arizona uses about the same amount of water today as it did in the 1950s, this despite the fact that the state’s population is now seven times as large and its economy is 15 times as large. How did the state do it? … ” Read more from the Southern Utah Independent.
Commentary: If drinking recycled water is a good idea, why isn’t everyone in Arizona doing it?
Joanna Allhands writes, “Phoenix and Scottsdale are considering plans to recycle water for drinking in the next few years. The tap water that emerges from this Advanced Water Purification process — which typically involves additional filtration, ozone treatment and reverse osmosis — should be super clean. And, even better, it would offer a relatively drought-proof, renewable water source that could supplement dwindling groundwater or Colorado River supplies. But if that’s the case, why isn’t everyone pursuing this technology? Perhaps the answers to common reader questions will help explain the limitations … ” Continue reading at the Arizona Daily Star.
In national water news today …
U.S., already hit by 25 disasters of $1 billion each, could see more flooding this year
“The U.S. has had a record 25 weather disasters so far in 2023, each of which caused at least $1 billion in damage — and a new NASA analysis suggests the year’s extreme weather events may be far from over. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on Wednesday released its monthly climate report, which included details of the country’s billion-dollar extreme weather events in the first 10 months of the year. With two months left in 2023, the 25 disasters tallied to date are already the most for any year since 1980, when NOAA started keeping such records. This year’s major disasters included flooding events in the Northeast and in California, a deadly wildfire in Hawaii, Hurricane Idalia in August, a drought and heat wave event that gripped the South and Midwest, and a flurry of severe storms around the country. … ” Read more from NBC News.
More news and commentary in the weekend edition …
In California water news this weekend …
DWR announces initial State Water Project allocation of 10%- Proposal for new water district sparks fear of Northern California ‘water grab’
- Westlands loses appeal to state Supreme Court
- Lead pipe rule changes: What does this mean for California?
- How hydrology modeling supports accurate wetlands delineation
- Science for Salmon – Part 1: What is a Juvenile Production Estimate anyway?
- Too hot for company: Warm temperatures break up smelt shoals
- Crews work to prepare Carmel lagoon for rainy season, mitigate flooding risk
- Thousands of San Diegans will now pay more for water. What customers can expect
- Biden-Harris Administration announces new agreement with Imperial Irrigation District to save 100,000 acre-feet of water in Colorado River system
- And more …
Click here for the weekend digest.
