On the calendar today …
- PUBLIC MEETING: Safe and Affordable Funding for Equity and Resilience (SAFER) Advisory Group from 8am to 5:30pm. The Safe and Affordable Funding for Equity and Resilience (SAFER) Advisory Group will hold its last meeting of 2023. This meeting will include a tour of the Coachella Valley to commemorate community leadership and the 100th SAFER consolidation project. Click here for the full agenda.
- PUBLIC MEETING: California Advisory Committee on Salmon and Steelhead Trout from 10am to 3:30pm. Agenda items include Update on the status of the Klamath River Dam Removal Program, Survival of Juvenile Salmonid Outmigrants in the South Fork Eel River: Adaptive Management Considerations; Status of Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) License Status for Desabla Powerhouse on Butte Creek and Oroville Dam on Feather River; and Status of the Climate Change Resiliency Hatchery Evaluation. Click here for the full agenda and remote access instructions.
- VIRTUAL WORKSHOP: Water Measurement and Reporting Regulation adopted pursuant to 2015 Senate Bill 88 from 10am to 1pm. Division of Water Rights staff from the State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board or Board) will hold a workshop to discuss recently released datafile templates and guidance for the water measurement and reporting regulation adopted pursuant to 2015 Senate Bill 88 (SB 88). During the workshop, there will be a staff presentation about the regulation and instructions on how to find, download, and use the datafile templates. The public can ask questions and engage with staff following the presentation. The workshop will be recorded and posted online. Register at https://bit.ly/SB88_Workshop
- WEBINAR: Exploring the Water-Energy Nexus through the Power of Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reporting from 10am to 11am. The Climate Registry (TCR) is excited to host a webinar series where we will be officially relaunching the Water-Energy Nexus (WEN) Registry. Part one of the series will be held on December 7th at 10am PT, with a panel of water agency representatives from across California offering their perspective on the latest water-related emissions guidance and best practices. Alongside our WEN partners, we will explore the motivations for measuring and reporting greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and the benefits that accompany emissions reporting. Confirmed panelists include water energy experts with Jacobs, the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, and the California Department of Water Resources. Click here to register.
- WEBINAR: California Water Law 101: Basic principles and recent developments from 10:30am to 12:00pm. California’s water law is notoriously complex, but it’s founded on a few fundamental ideas that are not too hard to grasp. Board members and executive staff who understand these basic principles can more effectively help their agenices utilize and defend their water supplies in a turbulent world. Your instruction, Tom Cumpston, has practiced water law in the Sierra foothills for thirty years adn is skilled at presenting legal concepts to non-lawyers. In this online seminar, Tom will first walk you through California Water Law 101. Then, he’ll apply what you’ve learned to explain and predict the latest developments in the ever-changing legal landscape surrounding Calfiornia’s precious water resources. Click here to register.
- WEBINAR: Our Watershed Moment: A Community-Based Path to Water Sustainability from 11am to 12pm. More than one million Californians in the San Joaquin Valley do not have access to reliable, affordable, or clean drinking water due to severe groundwater overdraft. With climate change causing drought cycles to intensify and recur more frequently, there’s pressure on all water users to adapt, but communities like those in the San Joaquin Valley remain particularly vulnerable. As we work towards long-term water sustainability and climate resilience, it’s essential that we take a community-centered approach that balances both water quality and quantity. Join Sustainable Conservation as they sit down with a panel of community water experts to discuss how we can improve groundwater supply while prioritizing community drinking water. We’ll highlight the work being done on lasting solutions to secure safe water for people and explore how our best hope for a climate-resilient California is made possible when we keep our collective health front and center. Click here to register.
- PUBLIC WORKSHOP: Nitrate Control Program Management Zone Implementation Plans from 1pm to 4pm. The Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board (Central Valley Water Board) invites interested parties to attend its upcoming Management Zone Implementation Plan staff workshop. The purpose of this meeting is for the Central Valley Water Board to provide an update on CV-SALTS Nitrate Control Program Implementation, for Management Zones to provide an overview of the Management Zone Implementation Plans, and gather input and comments from interested parties. Spanish language interpretation services will be provided for the webinar via Zoom. Written comments on the Management Zone Implementation Plans are due no later than 22 December 2023. Please view the Public Notice for more information regarding document availability and public comment period. View the meeting notice and remote access instructions. View the agenda.
In California water news today …
As public hearings draw to a close, agencies discuss voluntary agreements
“On Monday, the State Water Resources Control Board will hold the final day of a three-day public hearing on the Sacramento/Delta update to the Bay Delta Water Quality Control Plan. The focus of the hearing is the draft staff report, which analyzes the options for updating the plan, including the Board’s proposal and the highly touted and controversial voluntary agreements. As the state contemplates a new approach to managing the Delta, the voluntary agreements were on the agendas of the California Water Commission and Metropolitan’s One Water and Stewardship Committee. … ” Continue reading from Maven’s Notebook.
NOAA lays out what could happen in California during strong El Niño
“A strong El Niño developed in the fall and could strengthen even more in coming months, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The pattern is predicted to be a driving factor of weather across the globe and has left Californians wondering how El Niño will affect winter conditions. A series of maps released last week by NOAA may offer some clues. The maps depict precipitation data from the seven strongest El Niño events since 1950 and show the odds are tilted slightly in favor of above-normal precipitation in California, especially in Southern California, said Nat Johnson, a NOAA meteorologist who conducted the analysis and created the maps. But it’s not a guarantee; parts of California have seen normal or below-normal precipitation in strong El Niño years. … ” Read more from SF Gate.
Are more mostly dry months ahead for California?
“As we enter the critical rainy months of December through March, we find ourselves in two unusual and conflicting situations: lack of water and an abundance of it. So far this rainy season, the Department of Water Resources says California’s water year is off to a relatively dry start with October and November. “Now we’ve seen, so far through the fall, a pretty dry year; only half of the precip we would expect by now,” said state climatologist Michael Anderson. UC Merced’s Center of Watershed Sciences expert agrees. “Average snow water content is much lower. Precipitation is much lower than average for this time of the year, so that’s where we are,” Josue Medellin-Azuara said. … ” Read more from KTVU.
Snow drought current conditions and impacts in the West
“Snow drought is most prevalent in the Northern Rockies, Sierra Nevada, and parts of the southern Intermountain West. Low precipitation is driving snow drought in the Rockies and southern Intermountain West, while the Sierra Nevada is experiencing low precipitation and warm temperatures. An area of concern includes snow drought in the Rio Grande Basin headwaters and north-central New Mexico, where Extreme Drought (D3) is already present due to a weak monsoon. Early December storms benefitted the Pacific Northwest and Great Basin, but did not improve snow drought in the remaining regions. Ongoing high-elevation rain is reversing gains in the Cascade Range. … ” Read more from NIDIS.
Water Board criticized for recent decisions
“A former state water official cast doubt last week on the State Water Resources Control Board’s independence and autonomy, as the board considers water-quality control options for the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. The Tri-Valley relies on Delta water via the State Water Project. Max Gomberg, who served on the Water Board for 10 years as both climate and drought advisor, discussed with the Tuolumne River Trust (TRT), which seeks to protect and restore the Tuolumne River, how Delta and river health require the Board to restore river flows in the Sacramento and San Joaquin River watersheds. … ” Read more from the Livermore Independent.
Almond update: industry camaraderie in challenging times
“The Almond Board of California (ABC) kicked off The Almond Conference 2023 on Tuesday, with a spirit of optimism for the future. During the State of the Industry presentation, attendees heard about the variety of efforts underway to help the industry move through challenging times. Chair of the Board of Directors for ABC, Alexi Rodriguez noted that resiliency is the keystone for the industry and that there are reasons to be hopeful for the future. “We’ve been working through these challenges for what feels like a long time now and I will say one of the nice things about this is that I think because we are all going through this together, there’s a sense of camaraderie in that,” Rodriguez explained. “I think the overall tone is now that we have been doing this for a little bit, we have a clear idea of what has to be done moving forward.” … ” Read more from Ag Net West.
Feds offer emergency loans to idled salmon industry
“Last spring, the commercial chinook salmon season was completely cancelled. Now federal officials are offering emergency subsidized loans for an industry in crisis. Rates on the loans of up to $2 million dollars are subsidized. Loans to small businesses are available at 4%, and at 2.38% for nonprofit organizations. The loans must be repaid over a 30-year term, though no payments are required over the first year. … ” Read more from the Northern California Public Media.
Migration alert: good habitat, duck numbers across California
“While the dreaded “November slump” may have been the greatest duck hunting downturn in at least the past decade, the approach of winter brings hope as the migration hits full stride. Evidence of the fall migration of northern birds began to appear about 10 days ago, as green-winged teal – California’s most-harvested species – suddenly turned up on marshes where, just 24 hours before, there had been none. How teal can show up overnight, up and down the 500-mile-long Central Valley is anyone’s guess. “Greenwings suddenly appeared in the Sacramento Valley,” says field scout Bob Scruggs, who hunts rice ground near Dingville, south of Yuba City. Hunters in rice blinds below Delevan National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) echoed the same positive thoughts. … ” Read more from Ducks Unlimited.
Billionaires’ utopia CEO defiant in face of loud calls to drop lawsuit against Solano County property owners
“The CEO of a contentious plan backed by Silicon Valley billionaires for a utopia in Solano County refused to back down from a $510 million lawsuit against property owners, as he faced a mistrustful crowd of local residents. Former Wall Street investor Jan Sramek on Tuesday addressed about 150 ranchers and other locals at the American Legion hall in Rio Vista, a hamlet of 10,000 people on the Sacramento River near Antioch. His company, California Forever, billed the gathering as a town hall to inform the public and gather feedback about the plan to build a new city with tens of thousands of homes in the next 35 to 40 years. … California Forever, founded in 2017 and funded by billionaire venture capitalists Marc Andreessen and Michael Moritz and fellow billionaires LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman and businesswoman Laurene Powell Jobs, raised hackles in rural Solano County by keeping their plan secret while buying up tens of thousands of acres, much of the land agricultural, then suing dozens of landowners in May for $510 million in damages over claims that through “endless greed” they conspired to jack up the sale prices of their properties. … ” Continue reading at the San Jose Mercury News (gift aritcle).
Calif. Farm Bureau shakes up leadership, appoints new President
“The California Farm Bureau has a new leader, electing Shannon Douglass from Glenn County to be the organization’s next president. Douglass moves up in the ranks from vice president and is the first woman to lead the Farm Bureau. The big picture: Douglass ascends to the top spot as Jamie Johansson was removed as president after three terms, which began in 2017. She owns Douglass Ranch in Orland, which raises cattle and grows walnuts, corn and forage crops. … ” Read more from the San Joaquin Valley Sun.
What the fifth national climate assessment means for California’s land managers
“The Fifth National Climate Assessment (NCA5), released November 14, 2023, is a comprehensive analysis of the current and future effects of climate change on the United States, its ecosystems, agricultural production, natural resources, and residents. The report, a four-year collaboration between 14 federal agencies and nearly 500 authors, spans 17 topics and 10 regions. Additionally, chapters on physical science provide scientific context for the report and chapters on adaptation and mitigation analyze how to best improve our responses to climate change. While the full report contains an impressive level of detail, this summary is meant to provide a tailored view of five chapters with immediate relevance to our stakeholders managing California’s natural and working lands. … ” Read more from the USDA.
In commentary today …
The right water project for a changing California just got put on the fast track
Mike Wade, Executive Director of the California Farm Water Coalition, writes, “Last week, Gov. Gavin Newsom utilized the state’s new infrastructure streamlining bill to accelerate the building of Sites Reservoir. This is great news for all Californians, particularly farmers who provide a safe, healthy, reliable food supply. Sites Reservoir is a critical element in California’s struggle to maintain a reliable water supply in the face of climate change. Current media reports have been telling us to expect a wet El Niño weather pattern this winter, but whether or not that occurs, everyone who lives in the state knows that dry years will return. No matter the forecast, we must prepare for future droughts by capturing water during wet years, like 2023, and saving it for inevitable dry ones on the horizon. We need facilities to store water, especially in wet years, and we must do so in ways that deliver water to people in cities and towns, farmers who grow our food and the environment. … ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee.
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
New regional body formed to transform Potter Valley Project
“This week saw another milestone in the transformation of the Potter Valley Project in Lake County, as a new regional entity to take over the project was formed. You’d think decisions about water flowing through Lake County would be made there. But the supervisors who voted on the Potter Valley Project’s future weren’t the ones in Lakeport. On Tuesday, it was Sonoma County supervisors who unanimously approved a new joint powers agreement between the county, its water agency Sonoma Water, and the Mendocino County Inland Water and Power Commission, creating the Eel-Russian Project Authority. … ” Read more from Northern California Public Media.
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
The State denies Big Valley Basin’s groundwater sustainability plan
“Lassen County Supervisor Alabugh, who sits on the board, along with other county supervisors from Modoc, announced they would have 180 days to make the state’s requested adjustments. In 2014, California enacted the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA). This law allows local groups called groundwater sustainability agencies (GSA) to create plans for taking care of certain groundwater areas in California. The law says that GSAs in areas with serious groundwater problems must ensure the water is managed well to avoid bad outcomes. To do this, they need to create plans that work and think about the needs of everyone who uses the groundwater, including the environment. … ” Read more from the Sierra Daily News.
Tahoe to get more snow than expected. Here’s latest forecast
“A Winter Weather Advisory went into effect for the Central and Northern Sierra Wednesday afternoon and is set to last until 10 p.m. Thursday as up to 10 inches of snow are expected at elevations above 4,000 feet. The National Weather Service warned drivers to expect slippery roads and travel delays — and around 7:30 p.m. Caltrans shut down westbound traffic on Highway 80 through Truckee due to “multiple spinouts.” As of 8 p.m., the agency had no estimate of when traffic would resume. Highway 89 was also shut down at Monitor Pass, a mountain road about 27 miles south of South Lake Tahoe near the Nevada border, according to California Highway Patrol. Further south, Highway 108 was closed in both directions in Mono County due to inclement weather with no expected opening time. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
What’s the deal with the perfectly symmetrical tree plots in the Sierra Nevada?
“If you were to approach these select plot of trees from the ground, you may not know something was different. Certainly, seeing trees spaced perfectly apart from each other is odd, but from the ground there’s not a whole lot to see. That all changes when you get a birds-eye view, showing a beautifully symmetrical plot of trees shining bright throughout the forest in the Sierra Nevada. So what’s the deal with these tree plots? … ” Continue reading at Active NorCal.
South Lake Tahoe ski resort among worldwide resorts with good bets for snowy slopes this season
“Skiers, take note. Less snow is falling worldwide, according to analysis of data gathered since 1973 by the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service. The Northern Hemisphere’s middle latitudes (the area north of the tropics and south of the Arctic) are seeing the most notable decline. Last winter, ski resorts in places such as Austria, Vermont, Switzerland and Spain’s Sierra Nevada region had unexpected closures because of unseasonably warm winter temperatures. “In the United States, winters are now 2.3°F milder than a century ago,” said Bob Henson, a meteorologist and journalist with Yale Climate Connections. “Although heat waves are a huge risk with summer warming, winters are warming even more dramatically than summers in many areas,” he said. … ” Read more from CBS Sacramento.
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
A milestone for Sites Reservoir Project
“Earlier this month, the Sites Project Authority celebrated the approval of the project and certification of the Final Environmental Impact Report and Environmental Impact Statement (Final EIR) for the Sites Reservoir Project, a multi-benefit, off-stream water storage facility, located north of Sacramento in rural Colusa and Glenn counties. Over the last six years, we have worked with our participants, government partners, and other stakeholders from across California to configure an off stream reservoir that will benefit all of California. We completed an extensive environmental analysis – one of the most comprehensive ever done for a water supply project – that critically analyzed potential impacts Sites Reservoir would have on the environment and surrounding communities during construction and operation of the reservoir. It also incorporated input from the local community, tribes with traditional or cultural affiliation with the Project area, and non-governmental organizations. … ” Read more from the Northern California Water Association.
NAPA/SONOMA
Beach restoration delivers new nesting habitat for snowy plovers
“The snowy plovers of Doran Beach noticed something different about 2020. Where had all the humans gone? Where were the dogs, often off-leash and coming too close? Where was the noise, the vehicles? For the first time in the Doran Regional Park’s 50-year history, the beach was empty. One pair of plovers saw in that empty beach a little patch of sand that looked perfect, and they laid eggs. While humankind was under COVID lockdown, wildlife responded positively to the change. For years, snowy plovers have been overwintering at Doran Beach, an area of Doran Regional Park in Sonoma County, but the nesting behavior of 2020 was a welcome surprise. Now that the crowds have returned, Sonoma County Regional Parks is working to keep the beach an appealing and safe site for both overwintering and nesting plovers. … ” Read more from the US Fish & Wildlife Service.
Russian River environment: Taking the dirty out of stormwater
“After the first few rains, our Sonoma County landscape transforms from parched golden brown to rich hues that host a world of vibrant new growth. A celebration is not only warranted for us seeing all this glorious new growth but also creating distance through time from another record setting drought. Water reservoirs this year have been full even before the beginning of our rainy season, and help us usher in the cool green of winter and reassure us there will be more time for wonderment before the risk of another wildfire season creeps in. As we notice the abundance of stormwater filling the creeks and rivers and appreciate the beauty we are immersed in, we don’t typically delight in the thought of stormwater or the infrastructure that is needed to treat or hold it so that we have less flooding and clean healthy water pulsing through these precious local waterways. … ” Read more from the Ukiah Daily Journal.
City of St. Helena says levee is ready for rainy season, but residents are nervous
“St. Helena city officials say the levee along the Napa River is ready for another rainy season, even as residents push for more aggressive maintenance. In addition to monthly inspections by city staff, St. Helena hired Mead & Hunt, the engineering firm that designed the 12-year-old levee, to inspect it and offer recommendations on its upkeep. Joe Leach, the city public works director, said engineers from Mead & Hunt inspected the levee in mid-November and will report to the City Council in late January or early February. “As far as we know, there isn’t anything that requires immediate attention,” Leach said. … ” Read more from the Napa Register.
BAY AREA
Bay Area weather: More rain arrives before temperatures plummet
“Another area of low pressure is anticipated to raise showers over the Bay Area, along with plenty of cold air to go around. This system is expected to bring up to a tenth of an inch of rain across the region during the Thursday morning commute, with up to a quarter of an inch possible in the North Bay. Most Bay Area residents can expect these showers to last until noon, though drizzle is likely to continue in parts of the Peninsula and the Sonoma County shoreline. San Franciscans in Twin Peaks and Diamond Heights can look for spotty afternoon drizzles. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
Redwood City water bills to rise
“The Redwood City Council is increasing water utility service rates an average of around 12% because of higher rates from the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission. The vote passed 6-0-1, with Vice Mayor Lissette Espinoza-Garnica absent, at the Dec. 4 council meeting, where 20 emails of dissent for the proposed increase were read aloud — and 60 city residents previously expressed protest for the increase to the Public Works Department, Water Utilities Superintendent Justin Chapel said. Written protests by 10,913 residents could have stopped the vote under Proposition 218, but the margin was not met. … ” Read more from the San Mateo Daily Journal.
CENTRAL COAST
Monterey County asking to push completion of failed Pajaro levees
“The Monterey County Board of Supervisors are lobbying state and federal representatives to step in and pressure the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers to stop allowing delays on repairs to two of the three Pajaro River levees that failed during the 2023 winter storms. In a letter dated Wednesday, the Board of Supervisors laid out their concerns that erosion on a levee near where Highway 1 crosses the Pajaro River and a break in the levee downstream from there are not being addressed with the urgency needed to protect people and property. The locations have been labeled Site 2 and Site 3. The letter refers to two earlier letters on Nov. 15 and Nov. 27 from the Monterey County Water Resources Agency and the Pajaro Regional Flood Management District expressing worry about delays the Army Corp is allowing the contractor, SEA Construction. … ” Read more from the Monterey Herald.
Nearly 30 years after Cal Am was ordered to cut back on its pumping of the Carmel River, solutions brought by public agencies might finally end the Peninsula’s water poverty.
“Drip, drip, drip.So goes the flow of water news in recent decades on the Monterey Peninsula, where one chapter leads to another, which leads to another after that, rinse, repeat, year after year. In that context, it’s hard to keep perspective of where we’re at, how we got here and where we may be heading. Yet it’s a vitally important topic, and decisions made in the present can impact not only current residents, but also generations to come. And finally, after decades of failed proposed water supply projects, there is a glisten of light on the droplet coming out of the tap. For some people, attending water meetings, writing letters and railing against California American Water – the investor-owned utility delivering water to the Peninsula’s taps – is something of a hobby. … ” Read more from the Monterey Weekly.
EASTERN SIERRA
Commentary: New analyses suggest the Indian Wells Valley has more groundwater than previously estimated
Mallory J. Boyd, President of the Board, IWV Water District, writes, “In an effort to ensure the best available science is used to determine the most accurate estimate of Indian Wells Valley groundwater basin supplies, the Indian Wells Valley Water District and other entities representing 80% of the valley’s total groundwater production organized a Technical Working Group. The Group consists of experts from six professional hydrogeological science and engineering consulting firms. Their goal was to determine both a basin safe yield and the total water in storage within the valley. To achieve these goals, the Technical Working Group analyzed the most complete, comprehensive, and up-to-date data sets available using state-of-the art analytical methodology. The results are significantly different than the current values used by the Groundwater Authority. … ” Continue reading at the Ridgecrest Independent.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
SCV Water votes to stay in PFAS lawsuit
“Santa Clarita Valley Water Agency officials voted Friday evening to stay in litigation with 3M and Dupont, a case that is progressing on a yearslong settlement timeline expected to conclude at the end of the decade. The federal lawsuit, which was filed in October 2020 and likely impacted due to a COVID-related case backlog, has more than 100 plaintiffs in federal court, both city-type water agencies and individuals from across the country, and a number of defendants, including Dupont and its successor companies. The plaintiffs are seeking to recoup the cost of removing the companies’ contaminants. … ” Read more from SCV Water.
City of Pasadena announces Arroyo Seco Water Reuse Project public scoping meeting
“A public scoping meeting will be held 6-8 p.m. on Thursday, December 14, 2023 at La Casita Del Arroyo, 177 S. Arroyo Blvd, Pasadena to share information regarding the Arroyo Seco Water Reuse Project. The Cities of Pasadena and South Pasadena have partnered to implement a set of design strategies that will result in improving the water quality in the Arroyo Seco Channel. The project includes two locations: Lower Arroyo Seco southwest of the San Rafael Avenue overpass of the Arroyo Seco Channel at the southern border of the City of Pasadena; and San Pascual Site: Lower Arroyo Seco southeast of the San Pascual Avenue overpass of the Arroyo Seco Channel between the channel and Stoney Drive in the Cities of South Pasadena and Los Angeles. … ” Read more from the City of Pasadena.
Long Beach restores utility billing, payment services following cyber attack
“Long Beach residents can once again make utility bill payments online, the city announced this week, about a month after its digital payment processing systems were taken offline in the aftermath of a cyber attack. The city first identified the security incident on Nov. 14 and shortly after took the majority of its official website’s connections, networks and systems offline in order to eliminate the cause of the breach. The City Council approved an emergency proclamation relating to the incident on Nov. 17, which granted the city manager’s office additional powers to quickly respond to the incident. … ” Read more from the Long Beach Press Telegram.
IMPERIAL/COACHELLA VALLEYS
New River project to help improve water quality going into the Salton Sea
“50 years ago, the community of Calexico protested the amount of pollution that was coming in from the New River. Water that is coming in from industrial areas, wastewater, and landfills from Mexico make the river very polluted. In 2016, the State of California decided to secure $1.4 million in funding to start finding ways to mitigate water pollution. … ” Read more from Channel 11.
SAN DIEGO
Sweetwater Authority set to vote on rate hike pending public comment
“Water rates could be increasing for Sweetwater Authority customers. Wednesday evening, the water utility company plans to discuss new water rates and charges. Company officials told FOX 5 they have some of the lowest rates, but inflationary pressure is driving a potential rate hike. “We have to keep up with increasing costs, so that is oftentimes what drives these cost increases,” said Carlos Quintero, the Sweetwater Authority’s general manager. … ” Read more from Fox 5.
Along the Colorado River …
USBR announces a total of 18 Colorado River conservation agreements with Arizona entities
“Representatives of major Arizona water users, including cities and tribes, gathered with the Commissioner of the Bureau of Reclamation and Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs at Phoenix City Hall on Nov. 3 to celebrate the execution of new Colorado River system conservation agreements in Arizona. At the Phoenix event, Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Camille Calimlim Touton announced the execution of seven new system conservation agreements in Arizona, which will conserve up to 162,710-acre feet of water in Lake Mead through 2026. “The voluntary system conservation implementation agreements will help increase water conservation, improve water efficiency and help prevent Lake and Powell from falling to critically low elevations,” said Commissioner Touton. In total, the Bureau now has inked 18 agreements with Arizona water users, including tribes, cities, agricultural users and irrigation districts. … ” Read more from the Arizona Department of Water Resources.
When vegetation choked off water recharge basins, who did CAP call? Goat munchers
“In an overgrown and dried-up basin outside Sun Tan Valley, ringing bells and the occasional cacophony of goat bleats have replaced the sound of water flowing into the area. The source of the sound is a herd of 70 goats that have taken up residence, munching away at the dense vegetation with an appetite and a purpose: protect critical water infrastructure. The Central Arizona Water Conservation District — the agency that delivers Colorado River water to Phoenix and Tucson through the Central Arizona Project Canal — usually fills its Superstition Mountains recharge basins with excess water for future use. But over the past few months, the district has flooded one basin with goats. … ” Read more from Arizona Central.
In national water news today …
Fitch: Water sector outlook moves to ‘neutral’ from ‘deteriorating’
“According to a new sector outlook for 2024 by Fitch Ratings, inflationary pressures will continue to ease for U.S. water utilities in the coming year, and the credit ratings agency has moved its outlook to “neutral” from “deteriorating.” Fitch’s U.S. Water and Sewer Outlook 2024 notes that water utility costs increased more than 3% in 2023 on the back of a 6.5% inflationary increase in 2022. However, the rate of inflation appears to have crescendoed and will likely continue to level off in the coming year. “Water utilities have now worked higher operating and capitals costs into their budgets,” said Senior Director Audra Dickinson. “With the operating environment now on more stable footing, water and sewer systems seem to have greater certainty around budgeting for the upcoming year.” … ” Read more from Water Finance & Management.
Seaworthy solution yields green energy, fresh water
“Cornell engineers have refined a model that not only cultivates green energy, but also desalinates ocean water for large, drought-stricken coastal populations. By pumping seawater to a mountaintop reservoir and then employing gravity to send the salty water down to a co-located hydropower plant and a reverse osmosis desalination facility, science can satisfy the energy and hydration needs of coastal cities with one system. “With our growing population, there are increasing energy demands and mounting freshwater needs,” said Maha Haji, assistant professor in the Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, in Cornell Engineering. … ” Read more from the Cornell Chronicle.
Also on Maven’s Notebook today …
SITES RESERVOIR: Notice of assignment to the Administrative Hearings Office
