On the calendar today …
- MEETING: Delta Independent Science Board from 9am to 12:30pm. Agenda items include Delta Conveyance Project Final Environmental Impact Report Review, Sacramento/Delta Update to the Bay-Delta Water Quality Control Plan, Presentation: A Collaboratory to Support Decision-Making for Adaptive Stewardship of the Sacramento-San Joaquin River System by Dr. Laurel Larsen; Green and White Sturgeon: A Comprehensive Review; Decision-making Under Deep Uncertainty Review; Subsidence Review; and Food-webs Review. Click here for the agenda and remote access instructions.
- MEETING: State Water Resources Control Board beginning at 9am. The Board will consider a proposed Resolution to adopt Emergency Information Order Regulations for the Clear Lake Watershed. Click here for the full agenda and remote access instructions.
- PUBLIC WORKSHOP: DWR Interim Annual Water Use Reporting Template from 9am to 11am. The Department of Water Resources (DWR) Water Use Efficiency Branch invites you to join a workshop to walk-through the DWR-developed interim annual water use report template. The workshop will provide an opportunity for water suppliers to get detailed guidance on how the template functions, what data is required, and what resources DWR is providing. This is a repeat of the 11/17 webinar. Click here to register.
- WORKSHOP: SacPAS: Central Valley Prediction & Assessment of Salmon from 9:30am to 12:00pm. SacPAS: Central Valley Prediction & Assessment of Salmon is a publicly accessible, web-based query and reporting system of historical/current fish, environmental, and hydrologic information, vital to year-round planning and adaptive management of the Central Valley Project and State Water Project. The goals of the workshop are to provide stakeholders greater awareness of SacPAS tools, streamline data management processes, refine tools with better understanding of needs, and receive requests for new tools to be developed. Click here to register.
- WEBINAR: Assessing Drought in a Changing Climate from 12pm to 1pm. How will climate change affect how we assess drought? How can we assess if a drought was made worse because of a warming climate? This webinar, hosted by NOAA’s National Weather Service (NWS) and National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS), will focus on challenges in assessing and communicating drought conditions in a changing climate. The presentations and feedback received during this webinar will help NWS to develop practical field office guidance for messaging drought in a changing climate, based on the best available science. Click here to register.
- WEBINAR: Functional Wetland Loss in the American West: How Water Scarcity is Reshaping Wetland Ecosystems from 12pm to 1pm. Climate change is driving inequity in wetland loss through functional declines. An improved understanding of these trends provides important insight for wetland managers and adaptive strategies needed to offset accelerating losses. This presentation will discuss recent findings from a pilot study examining disproportionate impacts on semi-permanent wetlands and migratory waterbirds in Oregon and California. Results identify emerging bottlenecks and potential challenges to wetland conservation in increasingly water-limited landscapes. Click here to register.
- LUNCH-MAR: Flood-MAR implementation from 12:30pm to 1:30pm. The webinar will feature two presentations from the Forum event by growers implementing flood-MAR: Christine Gemperle, Gemperle Orchards, and Mark Hutson, Hutson Farms. After hearing from Christine and Mark about their successes and lessons learned from the last wet year, we’d like to brainstorm with you all ways to engage more growers and Flood-MAR implementers in the Network. Click here to register.
- WEBINAR: California’s Environmental Heritage: Indigenous Wisdom, Historical Impact, and Future Sustainability from 6pm to 7:30 pm. Explore California’s past, free from concrete and dams, and envision a greener future. Join Dr. Brittani Orona, Dr. Melinda Adams and Rose Ramirez in California State Library’s Zoom Room for a night of discussion about the environmental legacy of settler colonialism in California, including its impact on current land and water management policy, through the lens of Indigenous practices and perspectives. Click here to register.
In California water news today …
New progress in California water rights reform
“Many have argued that California’s water rights laws are sorely in need of modernization. Some feel that the recently passed bill, SB 389, is taking a step in that direction. Two legal experts and PPIC Water Policy Center research network members, Jennifer Harder and Rick Frank, were part of a group convened by the Planning and Conservation League Foundation (PCLF) to make recommendations for improving the water rights system. We asked them to explain the bill’s implications. Could you explain what SB 389 does? Jennifer Harder: SB 389 specifies that the State Water Resources Control Board (board, SWB) has express authority to investigate whether a water user has valid water rights and whether they’re using that water in a way that’s consistent with the law. If the board finds that they aren’t, it can take enforcement action. … ” Read more from the PPIC.
Sacramento/Delta amendments to the Bay-Delta Water Quality Control Plan: Public comment process and next steps
“The San Francisco Bay/Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta (Bay-Delta) is a vast and unique watershed, encompassing thousands of miles of land stretching from the northern reaches of the Sacramento River and its tributaries, down to the coastal waters of the San Francisco Bay area in the west, and the San Joaquin River and its tributaries to the southeast. The Sacramento Delta, which begins at the headwaters of the northern tributaries to the Sacramento River, down to the area just below the confluence of the Calaveras River and the San Joaquin River, supports both fertile farmlands and a variety of native fish and wildlife species. It has become the focal point for some of California’s most notable water policy debates. … ” Read more from Somach Simmons & Dunn.
As atmospheric rivers become more frequent, California expands research to prepare
“A new law expanding California’s atmospheric river research program goes into effect next year. It connects flood and reservoir control operations with new technologies and strategies that can help operators accurately predict the arrival of these storms. California first established the program in 2015. It’s allowed officials to better understand — and respond to — the intense storms that are a regular part of wet years in the state. In January, a series of atmospheric rivers hit California hard, causing intense flooding, power outages and evacuations throughout the state. But although these storms can have devastating effects, they also crucially feed into California’s water supply. Democratic Assembly member Chris Ward, who represents the San Diego area, introduced the bill where the law originated. He said it will help California better respond to these storms. … ” Read more from Capital Public Radio.
How El Niño and La Niña climate patterns form
“Trade winds usually push warm water across the Pacific westward toward Oceania and Asia, causing cold water to surface along the coastlines of the tropical Americas, including parts of Mexico, Central America and South America. But every few years, trade winds weaken during the early spring, and warmer water settles around these coasts and into the mid-Pacific. This phenomenon is part of a broader climate pattern called the El Niño-Southern Oscillation. The warm phase of ENSO is simply called El Niño. Stronger than usual trade winds, by contrast, push warm water westward, allowing more cool water to surface and bringing a La Niña pattern. El Niño and La Niña occur naturally, though recent research suggests climate change is affecting these patterns. … ” Continue reading from the Journalist’s Resource.
Cities are changing groundwater availability for residential growth
“According to the US Drought Monitor, 28.8% of the lower 48 states are in drought. At one point in 2022, almost half of the country was in a drought condition. The lack of precipitation plays havoc on the groundwater supply which is the basic water supply for most Americans. Because of unpredictable weather events and patterns, many states have revisited their Water Laws to ensure their populations, animals and farming are provided adequate sources of groundwater for the years to come. These changes in regulations will impact industrial, commercial and residential development, as well as farming for those relying on groundwater usage. This is especially important in the sunbelt states from Texas to California where most populations and water demand are on the rise. In fact, California and Texas are two of the top three states which utilize the largest total volume of groundwater due to their populations and extensive farmland in arid areas. This article looks at several recently implemented water regulation changes in these areas and the impact on residents and commercial entities. … ” Read more from JD Supra.
It takes water to produce the food and goods we use every day.
“From our dinner to our data centers, everything has a water footprint. Find out more about how much water it takes to grow our food or charge our cars with this infographic.” Check out the infographic from the California Farm Water Coalition.
Johansson urges support to sustain farms
“California Farm Bureau President Jamie Johansson called on lawmakers to work to sustain agriculture into the future by securing water supplies and rejecting policies that merely ask farmers and ranchers to be resilient in the face of unaddressed challenges. Speaking before the 105th Annual Meeting of the California Farm Bureau in Reno, Nevada, this week, Johansson outlined “extraordinary events that have put all California farmers and ranchers at risk.” He pointed to impacts of a three-year drought that resulted in the fallowing of more than 1.2 million acres of productive farmland. That was followed in 2023 by atmospheric river storms and destructive floods that caused hundreds of millions of dollars in damages to California farmland and crops. … ” Read more from Ag Alert.
Biden-Harris Administration makes $106 million available for Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund as part of Investing in America agenda
“Today, the Department of Commerce and NOAA are announcing the availability of up to $106 million in funding through the Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund (PCSRF) for Pacific salmon and steelhead recovery and conservation projects. This funding — which includes funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) and Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) — will support state and tribal salmon restoration projects and activities to protect, conserve and restore these fish populations and their habitats. “Restoring Pacific salmon populations and their habitats is vital for communities on the West Coast and in Alaska,” said Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. “This funding — supported by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act, a key pillar of Bidenomics — will power transformational, high-impact projects and support efforts by states and tribes to protect and conserve salmon populations.” … ” Read more from NOAA.
COP28 goes local: LA scientists are racing to reverse climate effects
“Through December 12, Dubai is hosting the United Nations’ COP28, where world leaders and scientists are discussing the implications of our warming planet and how to reduce climate effects, which are affecting the Golden State. “In Southern California, we’re seeing already impacts on water resources. … We’ve already seen a reduction in water availability during our dry spells … increases in the size and intensity of wildfires … [and] increases in heat extremes,” explains Alex Hall, professor in the Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences and Institute of the Environment and Sustainability at UCLA. As carbon emissions continue, more severe droughts and wildfires won’t be the only threats. … ” Read more and listen to podcast from KCRW.
NOAA seeks better ways to track drought impacts in US as climate change affects cycles
“Scientists with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration are working with their partner agencies to reassess how droughts are monitored. A new report released by NOAA aims to find ways to more accurately represent changes in regional climate patterns. “We were hearing a lot of concerns from our partners that assess drought at local, state and national levels that changes in the climate were not being accounted for in the drought assessment,” said Britt Parker, the primary author of the report and program manager for NOAA’s National Integrated Drought Information System. Long-term shifts in annual precipitation or temperature can impact the length and intensity of a drought. That can change how drought effects play out. … ” Read more from KCRA.
Guns, recycling, housing and pets. A rundown of major new laws going into effect January 1
“Starting Jan. 1, new California laws affecting everything from what you can recycle to where you can carry a concealed handgun will go on the books. Here’s a rundown of the key bills Gov. Gavin Newsom signed in 2023 … ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee.
In commentary today …
Farmers and ranchers are essential when it comes wildfire resilience. Unfortunately, California doesn’t think so
Katie Brimm, co-founder of Farmer Campus and a Public Voices Fellow on the Climate Crisis, writes, “On what should have been a clear, sunny day in Northern California, I squinted with my headlamp into the dark fields of our farm. Each crop shone a dull uniform orange beneath a sky blackened by wildfire smoke. Our masked farm crew moved through the eerie fields, brushing ash from cabbages and cauliflower. Still-legible pages of books fluttered from the sky like snow, and with so little sunlight filtering through, the crops stayed frozen late into the day from the previous night’s freeze. This was just another day in the life of California farmers. Climate change and years of misguided fire suppression policies are rapidly increasing the size, longevity and intensity of wildfires, with a record-breaking fire season nearly every year. … You’d think California would be using every tool in its toolbox to build resilience to wildfire. While progress has been made, we’ve been overlooking key wildfire allies: farmers and ranchers. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
Removal of Klamath River dams caps long fight by Native American tribes
“In 1918, when the industrials seeking to harness Northern California’s Klamath River for hydroelectric power began erecting their first concrete dam against the steep canyon walls near the California-Oregon border, the tribal ancestors of Clayton Dumont registered their protest. “It was during my great grandfather’s time that those dams went in,” Dumont said, standing on the frozen ground in Chiloquin, Oregon. “He was active in opposing them.” Those cries against the damming of the Klamath seemed to flush like rain down the river’s chilly currents as the work pushed ahead without input from the tribes. Their worst fears about the health of the river were realized almost immediately. With the building of the first dam, Copco #1 in 1918, the robust chinook salmon runs that sustained tribes and other fishing interests began to quickly vanish as hundreds of miles of upper habitat were sealed off behind the first concrete fortress. By the 1960s, four dams would lord over the river near the town of Yreka. … ” Read more from NBC Bay Area.
Reclamation of fire and water for Klamath River tribes
“The elements themselves were taken from the Yurok Tribe when the federal government forced them onto a northern California reservation in 1855. Gone was the earth of the tribe’s ancestral lands. Gone were the salmon-filled waters the tribe had relied on. Gone was the tribe’s access to cultural burning. And, earlier this year, the tribe even lost access to its air. On the evening of August 15, the Six Rivers National Forest was hit with 150 lightning strikes that ignited 27 confirmed fires, according to inciweb. A dozen of those fires were ignited in Del Norte County, fires that would later be managed together as the Smith River Complex. … ” Read more from Wildfire Today.
Wade in the Water: Reap what is sowed
“Agriculture in the Klamath and Tule Basins is a family business with a legacy. Third-, fourth- and even fifth-generation farmers till the same fields as their great-grandfathers decades ago. Over the course of the past century, the fruits of their labor have diminished as the available water supply dwindled. Steep decreases in water also led to the demise of neighboring Fish and Wildlife wetland reserves which serve as a popular destination for migrating waterfowl along the pacific flyway. At the start of winter and spring, dozens of species of birds congregated, numbering in the millions in the once plentiful wetlands. The annual migrations made the area a renowned hunting grounds. … ” Read more from the Herald & News.
Congressional Legislation: Expanding Smith River National Recreation Area
“U.S. Rep. Val Hoyle (OR-04) and Rep. Jared Huffman (CA-02) have introduced the Smith River National Recreation Area (NRA) Expansion Act. The Act is designed to protect Southwest Oregon’s scenic North Fork Smith River watershed and its world-class rivers, salmon strongholds, rare plants, clean drinking water, and recreation opportunities. The House bill is a companion to Oregon Sen. Jeff Merkley’s legislation. “I’m proud to introduce this legislation that is so widely supported by conservationists, businesses, and local governments in Southwest Oregon and Northern California,” Hoyle said. “Keeping the renowned North Fork Smith River watershed clean is pivotal for drinking water, tourism and fishing jobs, salmon populations, and outdoor recreation. This is a special place that future generations should be able to enjoy.” … ” Read more from the Del Norte Triplicate.
EPA selects final cleanup plan for Sulphur Bank Mercury Mine Superfund site
“The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Monday announced the final cleanup plan for the Sulphur Bank Mercury Mine Superfund site, covering the mine site and residential soils in Clearlake Oaks. EPA said its cleanup plan will combine and cover mine waste piles, remove or cover contaminated residential soils, minimize impacts on nearby tribes, and reduce mercury entering Clear Lake sediments and fish. The mine operated from the late 1800s to the 1950s, spreading waste with toxic levels of mercury and arsenic across the mine property and into nearby neighborhoods and Clear Lake. The 160-acre mine property, which sits on the lakeshore, has been a Superfund site since 1990. “This cleanup plan marks the culmination of years of planning with tribes, local government and the state to develop a joint vision for reviving the local environment and economy around Clear Lake,” said EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Administrator Martha Guzman. … ” Read more from the Lake County News.
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
Hallwood habitat restoration project complete
“After five years of work, the Hallwood side channel and floodplain restoration project is complete, effectively restoring the habitat, spawning and rearing grounds for native salmonids. This multi-benefit, multi-partner project transformed 157 acres of floodplain habitat in the lower Yuba River, including two miles of restored side channels and alcoves and nearly six miles of seasonally flooded side channels. This nearly $12-million project broke ground in August 2019. All major work for the project is now complete. According to the Yuba Water Agency, some minor vegetation planting will be carried out this month. Planning and construction of the Hallwood project began in response to environmental impacts of hydraulic mining during the Gold Rush era, the Appeal previously reported. The restoration project was designed to remove large areas of debris called training walls, which release millions of cubic yards of sediment into the lower Yuba River. … ” Read more from the Appeal Democrat.
Yuba Water Agency OKs Daguerre Point investigation; Board approves additional funding for North Yuba Water District
“On Tuesday, the Yuba Water Agency Board of Directors approved a California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) exemption for a site investigation at Daguerre Point Dam in order to improve fish passage on the lower Yuba River. According to officials, this project would help improve fish passage by providing a new nature-based side channel that restores the river’s historic flow path around the south end of Daguerre Point and allowing a bypass for fish. As part of a larger investigation, Yuba Water Agency proposed a site investigation program to provide planning and design information for the side channel project. This includes aerial photogrammetry, geophysical investigations, drilling and testing, and excavation of test pits, officials said. … ” Read more from the Appeal Democrat.
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
Roseville celebrates two new wells to help city replenish groundwater
“The city of Roseville is celebrating two new ground wells to help replenish groundwater and store water for future use. These are the sixth and seventh wells in the city.” Watch video from KCRA.
New Sacramento Regional Water Bank video series explores climate change adaptation
“The Regional Water Authority (RWA) is pleased to announce the release of a new video series designed to educate the public about the critical challenges facing the Sacramento region’s water system and the innovative solutions underway to secure a sustainable water future. The series, available at SacWaterBank.com, includes four videos, each offering a unique perspective on the region’s water resources, the impact of climate change and adaptation through the Water Bank … ” Read more from ACWA News.
DA Thien Ho accuses Sacramento of allowing homeless to pollute waterways, endangering health
“Three months after suing the city of Sacramento over its response to the homeless crisis, Sacramento County District Attorney Thien Ho is accusing city officials of allowing homeless camps to pollute area waterways and endanger public health. In a 48-page amended lawsuit filed Tuesday in Sacramento Superior Court, the D.A. says the city has allowed homeless residents to pollute the American and Sacramento rivers by dumping human waste and trash into waterways near their camps. “The occupants of the camps utilize the waterways to wash clothing, cooking utensils, dishes and other personal items,” the complaint says. “The food waste and soaps and detergents used are deleterious to aquatics life. … ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee.
Cosumnes watershed: A BLM restoration landscape
The Cosumnes River is the last free-flowing river extending from the Sierra Nevada Mountains to California’s Great Central Valley. There, it joins with the Mokelumne River to form a matrix of wetlands, riparian forest, and natural floodplains filled with upland oak woodlands, savannas and vernal pools. Together, this unique area forms the Cosumnes Watershed , home to the state’s largest remaining riparian oak forest and critical habitat for migrating and wintering birds, essential waterways for native fish, and serves as an important social and economic benefit for valley communities. … Within the lower region, BLM California manages crucial acreage at the Cosumnes River Preserve, which has a strong tradition of collaborative management with eleven partner organizations. The Cosumnes Watershed Restoration Landscape investments of $8.4 million will restore and enhance habitat for wildlife, fisheries, wetlands, and floodplains, ensuring this remarkable preserve is protected for future generations. … ” Read story map here.
NAPA/SONOMA
Sonoma Water, Sonoma County approve formation of Eel-Russian Project Authority
“The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors, who also serve as the Board of Directors for the Sonoma County Water Agency, voted today to approve a Joint Exercise of Powers Agreement with Mendocino County Inland Water and Power Commission to form the Eel-Russian Project Authority. The new entity will have the power to negotiate with the Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) as the utility moves ahead with plans to surrender operations of the Potter Valley Hydroelectric Project and to decommission the Scott and Cape Horn dams on the Eel River. The new authority will also have the legal capacity to own, construct and operate a new water diversion facility near the Cape Horn dam. “This is another important step in the process to find a truly regional solution to the challenges facing the Eel and Russian River watersheds,” said Sonoma County Supervisor and Sonoma Water Director David Rabbitt. “We’re grateful to all of the partners who are working diligently to achieve our co-equal goals of continued diversions into the Russian River and improving fisheries in the Eel River.” … ” Read more from Sonoma Water.
BAY AREA
Another round of rain coming to Bay Area. Here’s what to expect today
“An area of low pressure is expected to raise showers and another round of gloomy weather across the Bay Area. Drizzle is anticipated to begin over the coastal mountains and hillsides along Highway 1 from Santa Rosa to Half Moon Bay around sunrise, before spreading inland over the morning hours. Precipitation is then expected to get heavier by noon, evolving into showers on the Peninsula and in the North Bay. Up to three-quarters of an inch of rain is likely to fall north of the Golden Gate, while a few vineyards in Sonoma County could end up with up to an inch by the time showers recede Wednesday evening. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
CENTRAL COAST
Toro Canyon oil spills: Santa Barbara County pleads guilty to criminal and civil charges
“It wasn’t quite the trial of the century. In fact, it was over almost before it started. In just 15 minutes on Wednesday morning, November 29, the County of Santa Barbara’s Public Works Department was charged with two counts of criminal negligence — one felony and one misdemeanor — plus 12 civil charges for dragging its bureaucratic feet and not timely containing a long-festering oil spill seeping into Toro Canyon Creek, which runs downslope from the spill site about 1,600 feet before feeding into the ocean between Summerland and Carpinteria. In that limited courtroom moment, the county agreed to plead guilty to two criminal misdemeanors and all the civil allegations. For its failures to contain an oil spill that first came to the county’s attention in January 2018, the county also agreed to pay fines and penalties of $765,000. About half of that will go to environmental organizations whose mission is to prevent such spills and the damage they inflict. … ” Read more from the Santa Barbara Independent.
EASTERN SIERRA
New analyses show significantly more water available in Indian Wells Valley
“Newly released analysis related to the Indian Wells Valley groundwater safe yield and storage were released Friday by a Technical Working Group put together to ensure that the best available science is used to develop the most accurate estimates of the IWV groundwater basin and local groundwater supplies, and thus ensure that potentially costly groundwater management efforts (such as a proposed $200 million+ imported water pipeline project) are implemented prudently. The results are significantly different than the current values used by the Groundwater Authority. … ” Read more from the Ridgecrest Independent.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
L.A. County aims to collect billions more gallons of local water by 2045
“Over the next two decades, Los Angeles County will collect billions more gallons in water from local sources, especially storm and reclaimed water, shifting from its reliance on other region’s water supplies as the effects of climate change make such efforts less reliable and more expensive. The L.A. County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday adopted the county’s first water plan, which outlines how America’s largest county must stop importing 60% of its water and pivot over the next two decades to sourcing 80% of its water locally by 2045. The plan calls for increasing local water supply by 580,000 acre-feet per year by 2045 through more effective stormwater capture, water recycling and conservation. The increase would be roughly equivalent to 162 billion gallons, or enough water for 5 million additional county residents, county leaders said. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
LA County aims to boost local water supply and rely less on expensive, faraway sources
“The Board of Supervisors adopted a “water plan” Tuesday for Los Angeles County in an effort to bolster local water supplies and reduce reliance on more costly imported water. “The County Water Plan is a detailed blueprint for weaning greater LA from its historical reliance on imported sources of water,” Rita Kampalath, the county’s chief sustainability officer, said in a statement after the vote. “By investing in increased water recycling and runoff capture, we are investing in local systems that are more reliable, more resilient and less energy intensive.” In conjunction with the plan, the board adopted a motion by Supervisor Lindsey Horvath outlining a series of steps aimed at meeting the plan’s objectives — in part by bolstering stormwater-capture efforts, recycling and other conservation strategies, with a goal of increasing the local water supply by 600,000 acre-feet by 2045. … ” Read more from the Whittier Daily News.
Orange County’s beaches are washing away. This is what’s being done to stop it
“The U.S. Army Corp of Engineers is spearheading a major effort to save Orange County‘s world-famous beaches from a natural threat: erosion. The problem of disappearing sand is nothing new but has become more alarming in recent years. In March, the U.S. Geological Survey released a report predicting that rising sea levels could erode 25% to 70% of California’s coastline by 2100, The Orange County Register reported. The erosion isn’t just a threat to the beauty and recreational uses of the beaches. It also threatens infrastructure including roads, rail lines and homes. … ” Read more from KTLA.
SAN DIEGO
Dunes and native plants to sprout next year on Oceanside’s harbor beach
“A relatively low-budget project has received a $57,000 state grant to restore sand dunes and native plants next year to spots along Oceanside’s North Strand and Harbor Beach. Protected from erosion by a long jetty and replenished by annual harbor dredging, the beach is probably Oceanside’s widest, about 500 feet from the harbor parking lot to the water. “The primary purpose of the Oceanside Coastal Dune Restoration Project is to deploy a nature-based solution to elevate the back beach (away from the waves) and retain sand in areas along the city’s coast where sandy resources persist, with the additional benefit of restoring rare, native coastal dune habitat,” states a staff report. … ” Read more from the San Diego Union-Tribune.
Along the Colorado River …
24 ideas floated for saving water and protecting Colorado River from drought, climate change
“Colorado could spend millions more to replace water-hungry lawns, keep extra water in streams to protect fish and their habitats, and repair water-wasting farm and city delivery systems, according to a list of potential fixes from a state task force hoping to drought-proof the Colorado River. The 17-member panel finished its preliminary list of recommendations Friday. It will finalize the list Thursday and hone it for a final report to lawmakers due Dec. 15. The task force’s job has been to identify new policies and tools to help save water and ensure neither Colorado water users nor the environment are adversely affected by any new federal Colorado River agreements designed to protect the drought-strapped river across the seven-state region where it flows. … ” Read more from the Colorado Sun.
Climate change threatens Colorado River Basin’s water supply
“Despite a strong snowpack last winter, climate researchers and hydrologists have concerns about the long-term viability of the Colorado River Basin’s water supply, especially as run-off has fallen under model predictions in recent years. With climate change leading to more extreme temperatures and drier periods, environmentalists are proposing ways to rethink water use in the West, including in the San Juans. The Biden-Harris Administration and the U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP) published the Fifth National Climate Assessment (NCA5) in mid-November, which details the effects of climate change. The report also addresses ways to adapt to future warming and increase climate resilience in regions across the U.S. … ” Read more from the Telluride Daily Planet.
In national water news today …
Bluefield: Portland, Oregon, tops U.S. cities for highest average monthly water bill
“According to a new report from Bluefield Research, the combined water and sewer bill for a typical U.S. household has increased by 56% since 2012, or 4.2% annually. The report is Bluefield’s U.S. Municipal Water & Sewer: Annual Utility Rate Index, 2023, an annual report that examines the water and sewer rates for 50 of the largest cities that provide services to 15% of the U.S. population. The report notes that across 50 of the largest U.S. metropolitan areas, average monthly household water bills increased to $50.61, and monthly sewer bills reached $71.16, based on average household water consumption. … ” Continue reading from Water Finance & Management.
Rejecting 3M, DuPont PFAS settlements risks decade-long legal fights, judge warns
“The U.S. judge overseeing thousands of lawsuits over toxic “forever chemicals” on Tuesday warned that any water utility that opts out of proposed settlements with 3M (MMM.N), DuPont de Nemours (DD.N) and others may have to wait a decade to resolve their individual cases. U.S. District Judge Richard Gergel in Charleston, South Carolina, issued the warning as water utilities are reviewing two proposed settlements worth a combined nearly $11.5 billion that would help pay to clean up drinking water polluted with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS. Those settlements could be derailed if too many water utilities opt out. … ” Read more from Reuters.
2023 will officially be the hottest year on record, scientists report
“Earth’s temperature was off the charts this year, and scientists just confirmed what much of planet already felt coming: 2023 will officially be the hottest year on record. The analysis from the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service found this year’s global temperature will be more than 1.4 degrees Celsius warmer than pre-industrial levels — close to the 1.5-degree threshold in the Paris climate agreement, and beyond which scientists say humans and ecosystems will struggle to adapt. Every month since June has been the hottest such month on record, and November piled on. The month was roughly 1.75 degrees warmer than pre-industrial levels, and two days soared beyond 2 degrees, worrying scientists about what this means for the planet in the coming years. … ” Read more from CNN.
