On the calendar today …
- MEETING: State Water Resources Control Board beginning at 9am. Agenda items include consideration of regulations for Direct Potable Reuse, SGMA implementation update, and consideration of an emergency regulation for curtailment authority in the Kamath River watershed and that establishes minimum instream flow requirements and information order authority in the Scott River and Shasta River watersheds. Click here for the full agenda and remote access instructions.
- WEBINAR: Insights about species, ecological processes, and habitats from aggregated California eDNA data from 1pm to 2:30pm. The CALeDNA program amasses tens of thousands of environmental collections that are used in grassroots research projects to explore biodiversity composition and change across the whole tree of life. The techniques CALeDNA uses that have become quite standard — eDNA metabarcoding and qPCR — can also illuminate what underpins these patterns of composition and change. By integrating CALeDNA data from different projects and with other observations from iNaturalist to satellites, we are developing exciting insights to advance ecological knowledge and enable nature-based solutions. In this presentation, Dr. Meyer will share CALeDNA findings on how habitats reassemble after disturbances like aquatic invasive species or wildfire, and how eDNA biodiversity surveys are assisting practitioners in natural areas management and innovation. Because of its utility, eDNA science needs to be shared in new ways that are more accessible than publications. Dr. Meyer will also present new tools for sharing eDNA results so we can help each other biomonitor and gain insights in real-time. Click here to register.
In California water news today …
California faces flash flooding threats as storm promises days of significant rain
“Fresh on the heels of a storm system that brought rain to Northern California to kick off the week, a second, stronger storm is swirling toward the region, keeping periods of heavy rain in the forecast for much of the week and threatening flash flooding. Light to moderate rain lingers across the northern half of the state on Tuesday from the previous storm, which brought 1-3 inches of rainfall across the coastal mountain ranges and around an inch to the San Francisco Bay Area. San Francisco reported 0.80 inches of rain Monday, making for its wettest day since March 21. Additional rainfall totals of up to an inch are expected Tuesday in the coastal lowlands, with 1-2 inches of additional rain expected in the coastal mountains. While water levels will rise across creeks and streams in the region, major flooding is not expected. … ” Read more from Fox Weather.
SEE ALSO: Second storm set to arrive in California, spurring flood, snow advisories, from the LA Times
Map shows parts of California that are prone to extreme storms
“Climate change has made precipitation more extreme, and national standards aren’t keeping up, according to a new study by researchers at First Street Foundation, a science and technology nonprofit.Extreme rainfall intensities thought to only occur once every 100 years actually happen every 30 years in California, according to the research. This could mean more flooded highways, overtopping rivers and overwhelmed drainage systems than expected, the scientists said, because the national precipitation standards guide engineering projects. “We’re actually building infrastructure that’s out of date as soon as it’s completed,” said study co-author Jeremy Porter, head of climate implications research for First Street. “It’s not able to manage the risks that exist for that area.” … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
DWR: State Water Project drives California’s economy
“The California State Water Project is the backbone of California water infrastructure – delivering water supply, protecting against floods, generating clean hydropower, providing recreational opportunities and environmental benefits, and driving California’s economy. For the last 60 years the State Water Project has supported a service area with an economy worth $2.3 trillion. According to a study published in December 2023 by the California Department of Water Resources and the Berkeley Research Group – a global economic consulting firm – the State Water Project’s service area would be the eighth largest economy in the world if it were its own nation. “The State Water Project provides a critical water supply to a majority of California’s households and supports an economy between the size of France and Italy,” said Professor David Sunding, lead author of the report. “Maintaining the reliability of the State Water Project is critical to California’s wellbeing as the Project’s water is inexpensive relative to the cost of developing alternative supplies.” … ” Continue reading this press release from DWR.
Department of Water Resources refuses to allow public comment period on Delta tunnel final environmental impact report
“Sierra Club California, environmental justice, and conservation groups submitted a letter to the Department of Water Resources (DWR) requesting 60 days for the public to review the Final Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the Delta Conveyance Project (Delta Tunnel) before DWR takes action to certify the EIR or approve the Project. The Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR) for the Delta Tunnel was released on December 8, 2023, nearly a year after the comment period closed on the Draft EIR. DWR announced that there would not be a public comment period for the FEIR. The FEIR was released months before DWR is expected to produce a full cost-benefit analysis for the Tunnel that would allow project investors and ratepayers to make an informed decision about whether to move forward with the project. DWR must provide 10 days notice to responsible agencies before certifying a FEIR, however this time frame is inadequate to allow for meaningful public review of the roughly 27,000 page document for this highly controversial and destructive infrastructure proposal. … ” Read more from the Sierra Club.
Delta Flows 12/18/23: There’s a better future
Barbara Barrigan-Parilla writes, “The California Department of Water Resources published the final Environmental Impact Report for the Delta Conveyance Project on December 8, 2023, and will soon publish a Notice of Determination (NOD). The NOD will be the final administrative published record for a proposed project by the lead agency, which in this case is the Department of Water Resources. Before discussing what is next in the long permitting process for the proposed Delta Conveyance Project, let’s look at the backdrop in California. California’s unhoused population is at an all-time high; and the state budget deficit has ballooned to $68 billion. We recently learned that there is a freeze on new state contracts. Even though unemployment is low, wages are up, and gas prices are lower than they have been in recent years, mostly due to post-pandemic federal strategies, California has major problems to solve, including water management in a changing climate. … ” Read more from Restore the Delta.
The private equity firm tapping America’s spring water
“BlueTriton Brands owns Poland Spring, Arrowhead and other bottled water brands. As it tries to grow, experts worry sensitive springs, creeks and groundwater supplies from Florida to California are paying the price. Ginnie Springs is a true Florida oasis. Ringed by towering cypress trees, the spring-fed pools off the Santa Fe River in Gilchrist County draw thousands of visitors every year to swim and cool off in their turquoise waters. It’s also big business. For years, a local operator has been pumping the water to sell to bottlers, despite evidence of declining flows. Years of extraction have led the water district to label the lower Santa Fe River basin as “in recovery.” … ” Read more from Bloomberg (gift article).
California is set to become 2nd state to OK rules for turning wastewater into drinking water
“When a toilet is flushed in California, the water can end up in a lot of places — the ice in a skating rink, the manufactured snow on ski slopes, in pipes providing irrigation for farmland. And — coming soon — in your drinking glass. California regulators on Tuesday are set to vote on new rules to let water agencies recycle wastewater and put it right back into the pipes that carry drinking water to homes, schools and businesses. It’s a big step for a state that has struggled for decades to have a reliable source of drinking water for its more than 39 million residents. And it signals a shift in public opinion on a subject that as recently as two decades ago prompted backlash that scuttled similar projects. … ” Read more from the Associated Press.
SEE ALSO: Inside California’s plan to transform sewage into drinkable water, from the LA Times
State Water Board announces Eric Oppenheimer new executive director
“Following a thorough and competitive process, the State Water Resources Control Board has selected Eric Oppenheimer as its new executive director to lead the board’s managerial, programmatic and administrative functions. Oppenheimer currently serves as one of the State Water Board’s chief deputy directors, with over 25 years of experience, including with two regional boards. For the last eight years, his primary areas of responsibility have encompassed several of the board’s top policy priorities. These include planning solutions for the Bay-Delta, implementing the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act, advancing racial equity, promoting water conservation and administering water rights. He will succeed Eileen Sobeck, who is retiring in December after seven years with the board and nearly 45 years of public service in a variety of federal and state government roles.
Study: Managed forests are healthier
“A 20-year experiment in the Sierra Nevada confirms that different forest management techniques — prescribed burning, restoration thinning or a combination of both — are effective at reducing the risk of catastrophic wildfire in California. These treatments also improve forest health, making trees more resilient to stressors like drought and bark beetles, and they do not negatively impact plant or wildlife biodiversity within individual tree stands, the research found. The findings of the experiment, called the Fire Surrogate Study, are published online in the journal Ecological Applications. … ” Read more from the Western Farm Press.
In regional water news and commentary today …
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
Lake Tahoe forecast to see more rain than snow this week
“The Tahoe basin straddling California and Nevada is forecast to record more rain than snow this week as a pair of warm and wet systems sweep the Sierra Nevada on Monday through Wednesday. Snow levels are expected to hover between 8,000 and 8,500 throughout the duration of the first two systems, likely dropping to about 7,000 feet for a period Tuesday night into Wednesday, the National Weather Service said. “That’s pretty high for this region,” Edan Lindaman, a meteorologist with the weather service’s Reno office, said. “We’re looking at quite a bit of water much of this week. It’s pretty warm, pretty wet.” … ” Read more from SF Gate.
NAPA/SONOMA
North Bay prepares for wet week, rubber dam lowered on Russian River
“In the North Bay, people are getting ready for a very wet week but are happy to see the rain. Flood prevention efforts are also underway near the Russian River. Heavy rain arrived Monday morning, making driving challenging on Highway 101 in Novato, clear up to the backroads of Sonoma Wine Country. “We are very happy to see the rain coming. It’s been pretty dry,” said Pam Jeane from Sonoma Water. All eyes are on the Russian River. Sonoma Water officials say it’s currently flowing at about 400 cubic feet per second but later this week it could be running 25 times that. It’s why a rubber dam near Forestville is being deflated because it could be damaged. … ” Read more from ABC Bay Area.
BAY AREA
Bay Area storm: Heaviest rain is yet to come
“Rounds of rain are forecast for the Bay Area the next two days, and before things quiet down for the holiday weekend, much of the region could see the heaviest rain of the season so far. Monday’s rainfall totaled over an inch in much of the Bay Area, and showers are expected to continue Tuesday. While downpours aren’t as likely as Monday, persistent showers should add up to at least a half inch in most spots. The North Bay and Santa Cruz Mountains could see up to an inch of rain, while the South Bay and East Bay interior valleys may be closer to a quarter inch. Another storm system will approach the Bay Area in the evening, and it will be unsettled in nature, capable of producing heavy downpours and gusty winds. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
Marin rain could spur salmon activity
“Carefully wading through knee-high water in Lagunitas Creek, salmon researchers recorded the fish and nesting sites they encountered. While the first coho and chinook salmon were observed at the mouth of the creek last month, rain has been slow to start this season. That has contributed to a gradual arrival of the adult fish to their spawning grounds, researchers said. “Right now is when the most fish are supposed to run,” Ophelia Macdonald, a watershed aide in the Marin Municipal Water District fisheries department, said on Monday. “After these rains, there’s probably going to be a lot of fish by the end of the week.” … ” Read more from the Marin Independent Journal.
Pleasanton council to review update on creation of Water System Management Plan
“The Pleasanton City Council is set to receive an update from staff on the development of a Water System Management Plan on Tuesday after the council had continued the item from the previous meeting. According to the staff report, the plan will aim to ensure the effective management of the city’s water system. “Development of this plan includes a comprehensive review of the various elements of the water enterprise, including administration, planning, operations and maintenance, capital improvements, resources and financing,” according to the staff report. The report states that the development of the management plan includes an initial water enterprise 10-year capital improvement plan draft, which has been formulated to guide and plan for “investment and replacement needs to ensure a high-performing and sustainable water delivery system for the city.” … ” Read more from Pleasanton Weekly.
Mountain View water pollution lawsuit will go forward in court
“In a legal setback to the cities of Mountain View and Sunnyvale, a federal court judge recently denied a request this month to dismiss a water pollution lawsuit that could potentially cost the cities tens of millions in fines. In 2020, San Francisco Baykeeper, a nonprofit environmental organization, filed lawsuits against Mountain View and Sunnyvale alleging that they violated the federal Clean Water Act by discharging high volumes of raw sewage into creeks that flowed into the San Francisco Bay. The suit alleged that the discharges occurred in Stevens Creek, Calabazas Creek, the Sunnyvale East Channel and the Guadalupe Slough. … ” Read more from the Mountain View Voice.
Historic levee breach opens 300 San Francisco Bay acres to tidal marsh restoration
“On December 13, the South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project partners and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service opened a 300-acre former industrial salt pond to the Bay with a celebration marking the 20th anniversary of their joint restoration venture. This major milestone event is part of an ambitious 50-year effort to restore 15,000 acres of historic wetlands to tidal marsh and other habitats. Tidal marsh once ringed the South Bay and cushioned the shore from storms and tides. But over the course of the 20th century, approximately 85% of San Francisco Bay wetlands, over 150,000 acres, were lost to development. Restored tidal marshes help to absorb floodwaters and buffer against sea level rise, support wildlife and improve water quality by filtering pollutants. “The restoration of the South Bay Salt Ponds is the most ambitious wetland restoration project on the West Coast,” said California State Coastal Conservancy Executive Officer Amy Hutzel. … ” Continue reading from US Fish & Wildlife Service.
CENTRAL COAST
Interior Secretary Deb Haaland visits Ventura water treatment project
“Interior Secretary Deb Haaland made a journey to Ventura on Friday to learn more about a planned water treatment facility and tout its importance for the future of the city’s water supply. Haaland said facilities like VenturaWaterPure help create a locally owned, drought-resilient water source that isn’t dependent on rainfall. She visited Marina Park with Michael Brain, the Interior Department’s principal deputy assistant secretary for water and science. When complete, Ventura’s facility will recover, treat and recycle wastewater and reduce discharges of effluent into the Santa Clara River estuary. … ” Read more from the Ventura County Star.
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
KERN MEETING NOTES: Arvin-Edison board concerned by continued subsidence beneath Friant-Kern Canal
“It was reported to the Arvin-Edison board that repairs to a 33-mile section of the Friant-Kern Canal is 90% complete. The timeline board members were given for the project is that the canal is expected to be operational by the end of Jan. 2024, functioning by February, and to its full capacity by March or April. That section of the canal had sunk due to excessive groundwater pumping by area farmers. The sag runs from about Pixley in Tulare County to the Kern County line and had substantially reduced the Friant-Kern’s carrying capacity from about 2,750 cubic feet per second down to 1,400 cfs. … ” Read more from SJV Water.
USACE approves request to temporarily reduce Isabella Dam flows
“The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) has approved a request from Isabella Partners to reduce Isabella Dam water releases following a review and analysis by the USACE Sacramento District. Isabella Partners made the request so that they can safely perform maintenance within their power plant property at the base of the dam. USACE’s approval provides the requested period to complete repairs to the power plant conduit, which was damaged earlier this year during high releases. USACE considered factors related to reservoir storage management, dam safety, flood risk management, and environmental impacts. The water management strategy at our flood risk reduction projects like Isabella Dam prioritizes the protection of life and property. The proposed water release deviation and associated maintenance plan does not pose a risk to the dam structure. If conditions at Isabella Lake should present a significant flood risk at any time, USACE maintains the authority to take appropriate steps to revoke approval and increase releases. Such steps would be closely coordinated with Isabella Partners and Kern River water users.”
Brite Lake level to drop as water district continues recharge efforts
“Expect the level of Brite Lake to drop in coming weeks as Tehachapi-Cummings County Water District diverts water from the reservoir to recharge facilities — and to prepare for a new season. General Manager Tom Neisler made that report to the district’s Board of Directors at its meeting Dec. 13. Neisler also said the district shut down its importation system for the year on Nov. 22, as planned. “It was one for the record books as we imported 9,556 AF in six weeks less than a full pumping season,” he said. “I indicated to the board in March that I was hopeful that we could import more than 8,500 acre-feet. Once again, Team TCCWD exceeds expectations.” … ” Read more from the Tehachapi News.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Pacific storm to spin heavy rain across Southern California, Southwest deserts
“The much-awaited first major rain event with ties to a strong El Niño is on deck for Southern California this week, and the storminess could cause travel problems in other parts of the West into the Christmas holiday, AccuWeather meteorologists say. The biggest rainstorm since Hurricane Hilary is brewing for the latter part of this week and this weekend. The rare hurricane dropped a general 1-3 inches of rain and local amounts to nearly 6 inches in Southern California on Aug. 20 and 21. Since Hillary, most areas in Southern California have received only a few hundredths of an inch of rain. … ” Read more from AccuWeather.
Tustin water rates to spike after city shuts down contaminated wells
“Tustin is the latest city to hike water rates for residents this year, but they have a different reason than many of their surrounding cities – some of the drinking water might not be safe. Due to concerns about chemicals called polyfluoroalkyl substances in the city’s groundwater, also known as “forever chemicals,” city leaders shut off five of the city’s wells, forcing them to import nearly half the city’s water from out of town. While none of the city’s wells exceeded state regulations on forever chemicals, they were coming up near the limit, as the city also wrestles with leftovers from the Marine Corps Air Station Tustin base that might’ve poisoned much of the city’s groundwater over several decades of chemical dumping. … ” Read more from the Voice of the OC.
Beaumont: Surplus water purchases strengthen reliability for customers
“Following California’s unprecedented wet weather this year, Beaumont-Cherry Valley Water District (BCVWD) is buying as much water as possible to replace local groundwater and build community reserves. The extra water will be stored for future use, supporting long-term supply dependability for area residents. BCVWD requested to purchase 11,200 acre-feet of water from state water contractor San Gorgonio Pass Water Agency (SGPWA) for 2024, with an additional order of 7,000 acre-feet for further groundwater supply pending availability. This follows a similar water order and additional availability of 18,000 acre-feet in 2023, with an anticipated actual delivery of around 16,500 acre-feet. The total amount of water delivered to BCVWD in 2024 will be dependent on winter storms, water supply availability and capacity constraints in the East Branch Extension of the State Water Project. “Thanks to thoughtful planning and valuable partnerships, we hope to replenish up to 36,400 acre-feet of water to the Beaumont Basin for 2023 and 2024 demands and future water supplies” said BCVWD General Manager Daniel Jaggers. “Our state will experience more dry periods and shoring up this water now will help protect our community from future drought impacts.” … ” Read more from the Beaumont Cherry Valley Water District.
SAN DIEGO
North County coastal wetlands would benefit from proposed $60 million federal program
“Two local nonprofit leaders are praising Rep. Mike Levin, D-San Juan Capistrano, and others in Congress for introducing a bipartisan bill that would authorize $60 million annually to protect coastal wetlands. The Resilient Coast and Estuaries Act would strengthen efforts to preserve natural habitats along the San Luis Rey River in Oceanside, the San Elijo Lagoon on the border of Encinitas and Solana Beach, and in coastal communities across the United States from the sea-level rise and intensifying storms that accompany climate change. “As climate change and development continue to degrade the functioning of these coastal treasures, it is even more imminent to engage in their protection and restoration,” said Natalie Shapiro, executive director of the Buena Vista Audubon Society in Oceanside. … ” Read more from the San Diego Union-Tribune. | Read more from PhysOrg.
Just how gross South Bay beaches are
“It’s been almost two years since San Diego County’s public health officials started using more advanced technology to detect just how much bacteria from human feces pollute San Diego’s southern beach waters. These more sensitive tests measure how much and how often sewage is spilling from Tijuana onto South Bay beaches. Our MacKenzie Elmer pulled the data and the not-so-comforting results: South Bay beaches have much more bacteria than we thought. They are also dangerously polluted more often than we thought. Oddly, officials have been closing the beaches way less often. … ” Read more from the Voice of San Diego.
Along the Colorado River …
Lawmakers will start 2024 with a new drought playbook. Is it bold enough for a hotter, drier Colorado River?
“Colorado lawmakers will start their annual session in January with a new set of recommendations on how to help Colorado weather prolonged drought and meet its commitments to delivering water that originates as snowpack in the Rockies downstream to other states, tribes and Mexico. Lawmakers created the Colorado River Drought Task Force, a group representing conservation groups, farming and ranching, tribes, cities and other entities, earlier this year, to get recommendations on specific concepts and tools to better manage water. It met for about five months and wrapped up its work Friday. The recommendations come as the seven Colorado River states have started negotiating a long-term agreement on how to divvy up the shrinking supply of water in the basin. Collectively, they’ve been using more water than the river naturally provides year-to-year, and flows are down about a quarter over historical levels. … ” Read more from the Colorado Public Radio.
Audio: All the biggest stakeholders met on how to save the Colorado River. Here’s what they discussed
“As the Colorado River continues to shrink, stakeholders from across our region are going to have to figure out how to share the water differently in the future — and use a lot less of it. At the Colorado River Water Users Association annual meeting in Las Vegas, that’s exactly what they tried to do. But as Alex Hager reports, a lot of the negotiating happened behind closed doors. Hager covers the Colorado River for KUNC in Colorado, and he joined The Show to tell us more about what happened last week in Vegas. … ” Read more from KJZZ.
Rural Arizona has gone decades without groundwater regulations. That could soon change.
“It’s been nearly a decade since Steven Kisiel’s well at his home in Wilcox, Arizona, ran dry. In the years since, his neighbors—along with other rural Arizonans across the state—have encountered the same sight he did when turning on their water facets: a slow trickle of water accompanied by fine sediment, a sign the well is beginning to fail. The cost to reach more water can run tens of thousands of dollars—Kisiel spent nearly $20,000 to redrill his well to access water deeper underground. All the while, massive agricultural operations continue to flood into the state and pump huge amounts of water from underground aquifers. In Wilcox, east of Tucson, Kisiel watched as more and more enormous farming and dairy operations opened up, resulting in over 90 percent of the local basin’s water going to agriculture, something rural Arizonans have witnessed up and down the state. The reason for the draining of the aquifers is simple—80 percent of Arizona has no regulations over the use of groundwater. … ” Continue reading from Inside Climate News.
Flurry of water reuse claims threatens to take more water from Great Salt Lake
“A bill meant to keep some of the only water guaranteed to reach the Great Salt Lake flowing — treated wastewater — may have inadvertently spurred a flurry of water reuse applications across the basin. Currently most of Utah’s largest reclamation plants sit near the shores of the imperiled lake or Utah Lake, which is connected to the Great Salt Lake via the Jordan River. The facilities clean water flushed down the drain from homes, businesses and industries, then discharge it into canals or rivers that reach the lakes. But more rigorous treatment standards meant to prevent toxic algal blooms have resulted in pricey upgrades for those reclamation facilities. Those costs, along with a rapidly growing population, have cities and water districts eyeing treated wastewater for reuse, either on lawns or, in some cases, as a new drinking water supply. … ” Read more from the Salt Lake Tribune.
Colorado River drought task force achieves consensus — but some water experts say recommendations “fell short”
“The final recommendations from a statewide task force charged with finding water-saving solutions for the drying Colorado River focus largely on expanding and tweaking existing programs. That outcome has underwhelmed some water experts, prompting calls for more decisive action to address overuse and drought on the river that’s the lifeblood of the American Southwest. Delivered after four months of hours-long meetings, all but one of the eight recommendations would expand or change current programs, including initiatives aimed at continuing the measurement of snowpack, improving water infrastructure and boosting a program to replace thirsty grasses with native plants. … ” Read more from the Greeley Tribune.
Interior Department urged to pull plug on Lake Powell pipeline
“Conservation groups across the Colorado River Basin called on the U.S. Interior Department today to cancel environmental reviews and scrap plans for the controversial Lake Powell Pipeline. The Bureau of Reclamation is reviewing the planned pipeline, which would divert water from the shrinking Colorado River to Utah, as water cuts are being proposed downstream in three states. “Each minute wasted on this pipeline sham comes at the cost of real solutions that the Colorado River’s communities and endangered fish desperately need for survival,” said Taylor McKinnon, Southwest director at the Center for Biological Diversity. “It’s time for the Interior Department to pull the plug on the Lake Powell Pipeline.” … ” Continue reading at the Center for Biological Diversity.
In national water news today …
2023’s extreme storms, heat and wildfires broke records – a scientist explains how global warming fuels climate disasters
“The year 2023 was marked by extraordinary heat, wildfires and weather disasters. In the U.S., an unprecedented heat wave gripped much of Texas and the Southwest with highs well over 100 degrees Fahrenheit (37.8 Celsius) for the entire month of July. Historic rainfall in April flooded Fort Lauderdale, Florida, with 25 inches of rain in 24 hours. A wave of severe storms in July sent water pouring into cities across Vermont and New York. Another powerful system in December swept up the Atlantic coast with hurricane-like storm surge and heavy rainfall. California faced flooding and mudslides from a series of atmospheric rivers early in the year, then was hit in August by a tropical storm – an extremely rare event there. So, how exactly is global warming linked to fires, storms and other disasters? I am an atmospheric scientist who studies the changing climate. Here’s what you need to know. … ” Read more from The Conversation.
