In California water news today …
Push to build biggest California reservoir in decades hit with lawsuit
“A plan to build the largest reservoir in California in decades, Sites Reservoir about 70 miles north of Sacramento, is being challenged as ecologically destructive and not worth the cost in a lawsuit filed by environmental groups Wednesday. The $4.5 billion project, which seeks to boost water supplies for drought-plagued cities and farms, was recently put on the fast track by Gov. Gavin Newsom. The suit, though, alleges the reservoir’s environmental impact report was insufficient, failing to address harm to fish and greenhouse gas emissions — problems opponents say make the additional water hard to justify. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
Conservation groups sue over Sites Reservoir project
“A legal challenge was filed Wednesday in Yolo County Superior Court over one of California’s largest reservoir projects in decades. Friends of the River, the Center for Biological Diversity, the California Sportfishing Protection Alliance, California Water Impact Network and Save California Salmon claim in their suit that the Sites Reservoir — about 80 miles northwest of Sacramento — will hurt the Sacramento River ecosystem. Additionally, they say the project will threaten fish and lead to greenhouse gas pollution. “The Sites Reservoir project will cause much environmental harm, which falls on the public, and a small amount of good, which primarily benefits the project investors,” said Ron Stork, senior policy advocate at Friends of the River, in a statement. According to the suit, the project will include several dams, as well as two 3,000-foot-long and 23-foot-wide tunnels. It’s expected to cost $4.4 billion. … ” Read more from the Courthouse News Service.
Lawsuit: Sites Reservoir proposal threatens river, climate, fish
“Conservation and environmental justice groups filed a legal challenge today to the largest reservoir project approved in California in decades. The Sites Reservoir would harm the Sacramento River ecosystem, threaten already imperiled fish species, and release greenhouse gas pollution, today’s lawsuit says. Sites would require the construction of several enormous dams and two 3,000-foot-long and 23-foot-wide tunnels. It will cost an estimated $4.4 billion. Proposed for a rural area about 80 miles northwest of Sacramento, the project would store about 1.5 million acre-feet of water, or nearly 490 billion gallons. To achieve this capacity, the reservoir would divert large quantities of water from the Sacramento River system, which is home to federally protected salmon and steelhead. … ” Read more from the Center for Biological Diversity.
State’s groundwater enforcement timeline is “not nearly as ambitious” as originally envisioned
“State staff revealed it will be well into 2025 before all of the “inadequate” groundwater subbasins will start probationary hearings. The state Water Resources Control Board held a meeting on Tuesday where staff discussed the tentative schedule and heard from water agencies and members of the public. The Water Board is the enforcement arm under the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act. Another state agency, the Department of Water Resources has been tasked with guiding groundwater agencies over the last five or more years to come up with plans to bring critically over pumped aquifers back into balance by 2040. … ” Read more from SJV Water.
State Water Resource Control Board hearing on subbasin probation
“On December 19, 2023, in Sacramento and virtually, the five-member State Water Resources Control Board held a meeting with an ambitious agenda. While the Board approved significant new regulations regarding reuse of potable water, making the national news, of particular interest to the Central Valley was an update on implementation of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act or SGMA. The focus here was on six critically over-drafted subbasins whose revised groundwater sustainability plans (GSPs) had been found inadequate by the Department of Water Resources (DWR). They are, geographically from north to south, Delta-Mendota, Chowchilla, Kaweah, Tulare Lake, Tule and Kern County. The plans for each of these subbasins had been developed and revised by one or more local Groundwater Sustainability Agencies or GSAs. … ” Read more from Water Wrights.
State Water Board outlines pathway for more efficient permitting of coastal desalination plants
“This week, state agencies finalized the “Siting and Streamlining Report to Expedite Permitting Seawater Desalination Projects,” further bolstering the Newsom Administration’s all-of-the-above approach to boosting California’s water resilience amid climate change impacts. Hotter and drier weather conditions spurred by climate change could reduce California’s water supply by up to 10% by the year 2040. To help shore up California’s water supply while protecting coastal marine environments, the report, led by the State Water Resources Control Board, establishes criteria developed by multiple state permitting entities for the efficient and timely approval of coastal desalination projects. To protect the marine environment, projects must meet Ocean Plan waste discharge requirements in order to be eligible for streamlining. … ” Read more from the State Water Board.
California weather: Here’s what to expect for the holiday weekend
“A stormy pattern across Northern California and the Bay Area is shifting toward Southern California on Thursday, but overall quieter weather is expected across the Golden State for the holiday weekend. The low-pressure system responsible for the heavy rains will move east toward Arizona on Friday and Saturday, eventually becoming a Rocky Mountain snowstorm on Christmas Eve. High pressure will return to California on Saturday, and dry weather will last through at least Christmas. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
California rain totals: How rainfall compares to previous years
“Downpours are drenching the Bay Area this week, producing flooded roadways and causing delays at San Francisco International Airport. The wet weather marks a turnaround following a relatively dry stretch of months. The water year, tracked starting Oct. 1, has been drier than average across the state. San Francisco, for example, has seen just 4.3 inches of rain this water year as of Dec. 19. That’s just two-thirds of the 1991-2020 average. “The wet season wasn’t all that wet in Central and Southern California,” said Chronicle newsroom meteorologist Anthony Edwards. “Until this week.” Charts show how the current water year is playing out across California compared with previous years. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
Drinking toilet water may be the future of drought-stricken California
“As climate change and water scarcity become increasingly urgent issues around the world, governments are turning to new options to ensure adequate water supplies — including turning sewage waste into drinking water. And if you’re in California, this may soon be flowing from your kitchen tap. The State Water Resources Control Board on Tuesday voted to allow water companies to pump treated wastewater into residents’ taps in the populous, drought-prone state. In a statement, the board said the decision would give California “the most advanced standards in the nation for treating wastewater to such an extent that the finished product meets or exceeds current drinking water standards.” … ” Read more from the Washington Post.
SEE ALSO:
- From Toilet to Tap: California’s New Wastewater Treatment Rule, from GovTech
- Now is the time to go all in on California water reuse, commentary by Dr. Mark Gold with the NRDC
SCIENCE FEATURE: Considering the Role of Individual Cognition When Using Scenarios for Effective Organizational Decision Support
“Rapidly changing conditions and increasing uncertainty of future climate projections make extreme and hard-to-predict conditions challenging to manage the Delta and its watersheds effectively. Similarly, changing social, policy, and economic conditions can alter resource use and desirable management approaches, sometimes substantially. The Delta Independent Science Board (Delta ISB) has been holding a webinar series on Decision-making Under Deep Uncertainty to explore the scientific tools and concepts that can increase the capacity to anticipate and adapt to the growing uncertainty of future conditions in the Bay-Delta system. The DISB hopes to aid managers, stakeholders, and interested parties in evaluating and planning for a wide range of plausible futures in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. Decision-making under deep uncertainty is the exploration of tools that can be used to anticipate risks and inform decisions, even when uncertain how likely those future risks may be. … ” Read more from Maven’s Notebook.
Survey results show how Solano Co. residents feel about new ‘walkable, affordable city’
“The billionaire backed company that’s proposing to build a new city in Solano County released the results of their latest survey that’s getting a pulse of what the people want. The results of 10,000 residents were released exclusively to the ABC7 News I-Team. California Forever CEO Jan Sramek says most survey respondents indicate strong support to move forward with the project, but added there’s a substantial percentage of residents that are still undecided. … ” Read more from ABC 7.
In commentary today …
Eliminating water scarcity
Edward Ring, senior fellow and co-founder of the California Policy Center, writes, “After the deluge that inundated California during our most recent water season, there is no chance Californians will confront a water supply crisis this year. Water levels, as reported by the California Data Exchange Center, are above the historical average for this date in every one of California’s major reservoirs. But storms of scarcity remain on the horizon, and conservation is not enough. If conservation is our only approach, we will not conserve our way out of anything, not scarcity, poverty, inflation, or fragility, much less water. If rainfall totals are destined to permanently drop, then we must invest, innovate, and build. There is nothing Californians cannot do, so long as we apply our creativity and our wealth from an abundance mindset. … ” Read more from the California Globe.
Now is the time to go all in on California water reuse
Mark Gold, Director of Water Scarcity Solutions, People & Communities Program at the NRDC, writes, “On December 18, the California State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) unanimously approved direct potable reuse (DPR) regulations. Wastewater treated to meet the new DPR regulations can be served directly to customers without a temporal, spatial, or mixing buffer. Now California has the most comprehensive water reuse regulations in the nation and, on paper, regulations that protect public health while providing the public, agriculture, and industry with a reliable source of water. Because everyone bathes and flushes toilets, recycled water is more reliable than climate-vulnerable imported water and highly variable stormwater sources. And unsustainable groundwater management has led to decreased reliability in many groundwater basins; plus, locations like San Diego don’t have ample groundwater resources. … ” Read more from the NRDC.
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
Emergency regulation to ensure minimum flows for Scott, Shasta rivers
“The State Water Resources Control Board yesterday readopted an emergency curtailment regulation that establishes minimum flow requirements for the Scott and Shasta rivers to protect imperiled fish, ensure supplies for human health and livestock needs, and encourage voluntary efforts that may be used in lieu of curtailments. The Scott and Shasta rivers, key tributaries to the Klamath River, continue to experience prolonged impacts from multiple years of drought. The rivers are crucial water sources for Siskiyou County and of immense economic, ecological and cultural importance to tribes and the surrounding communities. They also are important habitat for federally and state-threatened coho salmon, culturally and commercially significant Chinook salmon and culturally important steelhead trout. … ” Continue reading this press release from the State Water Board.
Hoopa Valley Tribe reclaims 10,000+ acres of ancestral lands in historic deal
“The Hoopa Valley Tribe announced they have acquired over 10,000 acres of land bordering the western boundary of the tribe’s reservation. According to Tribal officials, the acquisition of the 10,395 acres, previously held by New Forests—an Australia-based forestland manager—constitutes the tribe’s largest re-acquisition of land since the Hoopa Valley Reservation was established in 1864. … ” Read more from KRCR.
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
Winter storm brings wet week to UC Berkeley Central Sierra Snow Lab
“It’s been a busy week at the University of California Berkeley Central Sierra Snow Laboratory. Experts with the lab say that this week’s winter storm brought a mixture of snow and rain, which both melted and refreshed snow levels at the lab, which sits at an elevation of 6,894 feet. The lab says that the area has received 80% of its normal precipitation to date, and the warm rain that fell this week has made up for some of the lack of snow this season. The lab has only seen 29 inches, or 37% of its normal snowfall at this point. … ” Read more from KTVU.
NAPA/SONOMA
Federal regulators reject controversial pumped storage project proposed for Sonoma Coast
“Federal regulators have denied a requested preliminary permit for a highly controversial hydropower facility on coastal land near Fort Ross, all but shutting down a proposal that aroused anger and opposition throughout the region. In a six-page decision issued Tuesday, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission noted a wide range of public and governmental objections to the proposed project, its potential environmental impacts and ramifications for protected public lands, including the Fort Ross State Historic Park and the Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary offshore. The Tuesday decision still allows Alabama-based Hydro Green Energy to seek a rehearing before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission within 30 days. … ” Read more from the Santa Rosa Press Democrat (gift article).
$2 million grant awarded to Sonoma Water to help salmon, steelhead in Russian River
“Sonoma Water received a $2 million grant to boost efforts to divert the Eel River to the Russian River with the least possible impact on salmon and steelhead. The funding was announced in mid December by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and comes from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which was co-authored by North Bay US Representative Jared Huffman. “Funding for this design work represents a major milestone in the progress toward a true regional solution for the Potter Valley Project,” said Sonoma County Supervisor James Gore, who also serves on the Sonoma Water Board of Directors. “We’re grateful to Congressman Huffman for his efforts and advocacy in securing this grant. Through this planning process, we hope to create the best possible outcome for fish in the Eel River while also continuing critical diversions into the Russian River.” … ” Read more the Sonoma County Gazette.
CENTRAL COAST
Ventura County streets under water as storm soaks Southern California
“Ventura County, a swath of coastal California just north of Los Angeles, saw severe, heavy rainfall Thursday morning, leading to flooding and evacuation warnings, officials said. Portions of streets in Oxnard were under water due to the torrential rains spawned by a low-pressure system that soaked the Golden State. “Many of the streets and intersections are heavily impacted by flooding. Please stay off the city streets for the next several hours until the water recedes,” the Oxnard Police Department said in a statement issued at 5 a.m. … ” Read more from the Ventura County Star.
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
New Fresno lawsuit pits father against son in struggle for control of Assemi family business
“The son of one of Fresno’s wealthiest and most politically influential families is suing his father and uncles, accusing them of fraud, mismanagement and “a pattern of racketeering activity.” Kevin Assemi, an attorney, businessman and the son of Assemi Group CEO Farid Assemi, filed the lawsuit on Dec. 15 in Fresno County Superior Court. The suit names as defendants brothers Farid, Farshid, and Darius Assemi, as well as the Assemi Group, Inc., and several subsidiaries, employees and associates of the company. It cites more than two dozen causes of action, including “repeated financial frauds affecting members of their extended family, lenders, and businesses.” … ” Read more from Fresnoland.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Slow-moving storm to bring heavy rain and flooding to Southern California before Christmas
“There is no snow in the forecast for Southern California this holiday season, but residents can expect heavy rain, thunderstorms, and flooding on roadways and creeks as a slow-moving winter storm system lingers over the region through Friday. Forecasts predict that Christmas Eve and Christmas Day will be warmer and dry. A tightly wound and well-defined low-pressure storm system about 300 miles off the San Francisco Bay Area is slowly making its way south, according to the National Weather Service. Typically, winter storm systems are propelled by the Pacific jet stream, said meteorologist Ryan Kittell, of the National Weather Service in Oxnard. But this holiday low-pressure system is cut off from the stream and merely wobbling its way toward Southern California in a cyclonic flow. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
Devil’s Gate Reservoir gets a cleaning ahead of storms
“L.A. County Public Works has removed more than 90,000 cubic yards — the equivalent of 27 Olympic pools — of sediment from Devil’s Gate Reservoir, one of 14 dams in the San Gabriel Mountains that prevent flooding and capture water for our drinking supply. … ” Read more from the LAist.
Collaborative approach among four SoCal public agencies ensures sustainability for groundwater supplies
“For the past decade, the Hemet-San Jacinto Watermaster has been a critical administrator of a regional effort to create long-term groundwater sustainability throughout the San Jacinto Valley. The Watermaster is comprised of representatives from the four public agencies that rely on the San Jacinto Groundwater Basin – Eastern Municipal Water District (EMWD), Lake Hemet Municipal Water District (Lake Hemet), and the cities of Hemet and San Jacinto. Private groundwater producers are also represented on its Board of Directors. In April 2013, a Stipulated Judgement was entered with the Riverside County Superior Court, adopting the management plan and creating the Watermaster. Its role is to protect the Soboba Band of Luiseño Indians water rights that were established by the Soboba Settlement Act. The Act was signed into law by President George W. Bush in July 2008 to remediate the loss of water by Soboba due to a variety of factors. … ” Read more from Eastern Municipal Water District.
SAN DIEGO
Local and regional water agencies explain new wastewater into drinking water rules
“Water is arguably the most vital resource, and California knows it. On Tuesday,the State Water Board approved a new rule allowing – but not requiring – water agencies to take wastewater, treat it and then put it directly into drinking water. “So, the regulators are comfortable with the level of treatment and the safety levels of that water to be directly connected to our distribution systems,” Lindsay Leahy, the Director of Water Utilities from City of Oceanside, said. … ” Read more from Channel 10.
Along the Colorado River …
The Colorado River: Heading into 2024 with hope for a more stable system
“At this time last year, conditions in the Colorado River Basin were dire. We knew we were heading into the first Tier 2a shortage for 2023. But we also knew that more needed to be done to stabilize the critical levels of the Basin’s two main reservoirs – Lake Powell (held back by Glen Canyon Dam) and Lake Mead (held back by Hoover Dam). Lake Powell was set to release the lowest volume since filling and Mead was anticipated to head into a Tier 3 shortage or greater in 2024. The Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) was considering additional protection measures as part of a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) that would modify Powell and Mead operations. So, what happened this year – and where are we headed for 2024 and beyond? … ” Read more from the Arizona Department of Water Resources.
Closing in on a post-2026 Colorado River management deal (some terms and conditions may apply)
“The news out of last week’s Colorado River Water Users Association is that, behind the scenes, a deal is taking shape with the potential to bring Colorado River Basin water use into balance with water supply. The deal would eliminate the “structural deficit”, and creates a framework for a compromise over the Upper Basin’s Lee Ferry delivery/non-depletion obligation. This is huge. But so are the caveats – in terms of both the challenges remaining for a deal, and the definition of the problem we are trying to solve. The U.S. Lower Basin states – California, Arizona, and Nevada – have converged on a set of numbers to permanently reduce their use on a year-in, year-out basis by a minimum of 1.25 million acre feet per year, eliminating the “structural deficit” – the year-in, year-out gap between inflows and outflows that has drained Lake Mead over the last two decades. … ” Read more from the Inkstain blog.
St. George says it’s counting on getting water from Lake Powell. Environmentalists want to stop the project.
“A stalled regulatory process, extreme drought and significant opposition have stranded the Lake Powell pipeline in permitting purgatory, leading many to believe that the project was dead in the (lack of) water. But it’s not, and environmental nonprofits from across the Colorado River Basin want to change that. They are asking the Department of the Interior to eject the Lake Powell pipeline from future environmental permitting — essentially, to prevent it from ever being built. “The [Lake Powell pipeline] is incompatible with sustainable Colorado River policy, it is incompatible with the Bureau of Reclamation’s direction calling upon Colorado River Basin states to cut 2-4 million acre-feet from the system, and we believe the Bureau of Reclamation should not be permitting a project that would further reduce the Colorado River water supply,” reads their letter to Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland. … ” Read more from the Salt Lake Tribune.
Lake Powell Pipeline opponents urge cancellation of the project
“Colorado River Basin conservation groups have sent a letter to the U.S. Department of the Interior urging it to cancel the Lake Powell Pipeline project that’s been in the works since 2006. The conservation groups said the Washington County Water District’s 20-year water plan demonstrates that the county does not need the water. In the letter, the groups also said that “a number of recent hydrological, environmental, and political issues impacting the Colorado River Basin have introduced uncertainty regarding the timing and yield of that project.” Additionally, the groups said the new issues have prompted water officials to evaluate other options. … ” Read more from KSL.
In national water news today …
Momentum is growing for restoring freshwater ecosystems
Freshwater ecosystems provide clean drinking water, reduce the impacts of floods and fires, and are essential habitat for fish and wildlife. Despite these benefits, rivers and wetlands are often undervalued and overlooked, and the rapid loss and degradation of freshwater systems is undermining our ability to tackle the climate and biodiversity crises. Some of the most common sense and cost-effective options to address these crises are nature-based solutions. … Fortunately, this month, the United States took important steps to stimulate future investment in protecting and restoring these critical freshwater ecosystems. … ” Continue reading at the NRDC.
EPA moved further and faster than ever before in 2023
“In 2023, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) moved further and faster than ever before to deliver on its mission and protect human health and the environment. Thanks to the Biden-Harris Administration’s historic investments in America and the President’s ambitious climate and environmental agenda, EPA took significant steps over the last year to tackle climate change, advance environmental justice, and protect the health and safety of communities across the country. “President Biden believes every person in this country deserves clean air to breathe, clean water to drink and the opportunity to lead a healthy life, and EPA is central to making that belief a reality. After a year of significant unparalleled accomplishments, I couldn’t be prouder of EPA’s driven and dedicated workforce,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “From standing up rules to cut harmful pollution and bring clean, reliable energy to communities that need it most, to deploying billions of dollars in resources, EPA has never been in a stronger position to make people’s lives better and we’re not slowing down now.” … ” Continue reading this press release from the EPA.
Also on Maven’s Notebook today …
NOTICE: Proposed Water Quality Control Policy for Standardized Cost Reporting in Municipal Stormwater Permits
