In California water news today …
Late-week storm to end California’s dry stretch, bring travel-disrupting rain & snow
“The quiet weather that Californians enjoyed over the Christmas holiday will come to an end during the run-up to New Year’s festivities late this week and this weekend, as a storm packed with moisture comes ashore, say AccuWeather meteorologists. The storm is expected to bring a period of travel-disrupting rain to the coast and lower elevations, which can impact holiday season travel by air and car, including around the Los Angeles and San Francisco Bay areas. The wet weather also means snow for some higher elevations and caps what has been an exceptionally wet year in the Golden State. “This storm will bring in colder air compared to recent ones,” said AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Heather Zehr. “This will cause snow levels to go down in the Sierra Nevada mountain range.” … ” Read more from AccuWeather.
SEE ALSO: Bay Area storm: Rain, wind and massive waves expected. Here’s a timeline of impacts, from the San Francisco Chronicle
Extinction Watch: No Delta Smelt collected in CDFW fall survey for sixth year in a row
Dan Bacher writes, “For the sixth year in a row, no Delta smelt have been collected in the California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Fall Midwater Trawl Survey in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta from September through November 2023. Once the most abundant species in the entire estuary, the Delta smelt has declined to the point that it has become virtually extinct in the wild, due to massive water diversions from the Delta to agribusiness oligarchs and water brokers, combined with toxics, water pollution and invasive species. Disparaged as a “little minnow” by agribusiness oligarchs and right wing talking heads like Sean Hannity, the important role this fish plays in the ecosystem can’t be overemphasized. … ” Read more at the Daily Kos.
Spying on beavers from space could help save California
“For the first time in four centuries, it’s good to be a beaver. Long persecuted for their pelts and reviled as pests, the dam-building rodents are today hailed by scientists as ecological saviors. Their ponds and wetlands store water in the face of drought, filter out pollutants, furnish habitat for endangered species, and fight wildfires. In California, Castor canadensis is so prized that the state recently committed millions to its restoration. While beavers’ benefits are indisputable, however, our knowledge remains riddled with gaps. We don’t know how many are out there, or which direction their populations are trending, or which watersheds most desperately need a beaver infusion. Few states have systematically surveyed them; moreover, many beaver ponds are tucked into remote streams far from human settlements, where they’re near-impossible to count. “There’s so much we don’t understand about beavers, in part because we don’t have a baseline of where they are,” says Emily Fairfax, a beaver researcher at the University of Minnesota. But that’s starting to change. … ” Read more from Wired Magazine.
Beavers released into California wild for the first time in 75 years
“The little buck-toothed critter warily peered out of his kennel perched at the edge of a pond in Northern California, his beady eyes following five of his family members that were already paddling out toward the pine trees dotting the horizon. The water glimmered in the October sun as the willows rustled in the breeze. A group of wildlife officials and conservationists watched from the shore as the colony of beavers began to explore their new home in Tásmam Koyóm, a 2,325-acre valley in Plumas County and the ancestral lands of the Mountain Maidu people. Unbeknownst to the 2-month-old kit, a historic moment was underway for his keystone species — the first time they had been returned to their native state habitat in nearly 75 years, as part of a major project spearheaded by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Maidu Summit Consortium. Nevertheless, he stayed put. … ” Read more from SF Gate.
Bills of 2023 | Unraveling the gold rush: New law aims to sort out water rights
“Senate Bill 389, by Sen. Ben Allen, a Democrat from Redondo Beach, spells out the state’s powers to investigate even the longest-standing claims to water from California’s rivers and streams. Under the state’s byzantine, Gold Rush-era water rights system, so-called “senior water rights” holders — those who have claims to water flowing past their property or that pre-date a 1914 law — use about a third of the surface water supply. They are not required to have permits or licenses, and the state’s power to investigate them has been murky. This bill authorizes the State Water Board to investigate and seek verification of these water rights claims, as well as ask for information about water use. It also spells out that the board can take action against unauthorized water users under its existing authority. … ” Read more from The Signal.
Artificial intelligence holds potential for farmers, but challenges remain
“Founder of Better Food Ventures, Rob Trice said that advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) have the potential to have a massive impact across the agricultural sector. However, there will be steps to take along the way. Following a panel discussion on “Unlocking the Value of AI on the Digital Farming Journey” at the Organic Grower Summit, Trice emphasized the need for AI to have a strong, standardized presence across productions. Trice admits that the transition from traditional farming practices to the use of artificial intelligence is a big one. “The biggest barrier to the adoption of digital agriculture in general is the farmer’s notebook and the three-ring binder,” said Trice. Additionally, more work needs to be done to verify the efficiency of technology in the industry, he said. … ” Read more from Ag Net West.
In commentary today …
The price of scarcity
Edward Ring, contributing editor to the California Globe and senior fellow with the California Policy Center, writes, “”How much water does $7 billion buy? In so many ways that it almost defies description, California’s lawmakers have relied on flawed logic to justify recently passed laws that will impose punitive urban water rationing. Rather than undertake the Sisyphean task of enumerating them, let’s just focus on one critical factor: the opportunity cost. California’s urban water consumption is already down from over 9 Million Acre-Feet/year in the 1990s to only around 7.5 MAF/year today despite adding 8 million people to the state’s population over the past 30 years. Practical conservation measures have already been taken, so now the state Legislature wants us to kill “nonfunctional” lawns (and the trees that depend on lawn irrigation), and limit indoor water use to 42 gallons per day. The cost to implement these destructive, draconian edicts is estimated at over $7 billion. The benefit? An estimated savings of around 400,000 acre feet per year (this Dept. of Water Resources study estimates total savings of 340,515 acre feet per year – ref. page 61). … ” Read more from the California Globe.
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
Returning to the river: Tribal nations see hope for homelands as Klamath River dams are removed
“Jenny Creek burbled cool and clear under a leafy canopy, and dragonflies flitted about the lively little waterway. But a few hundred feet away, the dreamy little creek drains into Iron Gate Reservoir and an ecological nightmare. Scummy algae-topped water exudes a putrid odor that causes some visitors to gag. At certain times of the year, it’s not safe to fish or jump in the reservoir. … For people who lived along the river, the solution seemed obvious: Take down the dams. And now, after years of legal wrangling, the failure of the Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement, shuffling the dams to several owners and finally, signoff from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission in November 2022, the nation’s largest dam removal project has commenced. … ” Continue reading at USA Today.
BAY AREA
North Marin Water District approves water conservation regulations
“The North Marin Water District has approved several conservation regulations, including banning irrigation on decorative grass on commercial properties in Novato and western Marin. Tony Williams, the district’s general manager, said the regulations were brought to the board this month to “stay ahead of formal state regulations regarding nonfunctional turf, which will likely take effect in late 2024.” In response to the three-year drought, the California State Water Resources Control Board adopted an emergency regulation in 2022 banning the use of drinking water on “nonfunctional turf,” or decorative grass in commercial, industrial and institutional areas. The ban was continued through June 2024. … ” Read more from the Marin Independent Journal.
San Mateo County pledges $15M to combat flooding
“The San Mateo County Board of Supervisors pledged $15 million earlier this month to combat flooding in the northern part of the county and parts of San Francsico. The funding will go to the Vista Grande Watershed Project to combat flooding following overflows in Lake Merced in San Francisco, which borders Daly City. “When San Francisco’s Lake Merced overflows it floods in north San Mateo County five hours later, and during heavy rains, the floods can cause extensive property damage,” Supervisor David Canepa said in a press release. “This is an aging and historic sewer system that needs some serious plumbing that will need to adapt to a changing climate.” … ” Read more from KTVU.
SEE ALSO: Commentary: Drastic flood control plan needs more public scrutiny, at the San Mateo Daily Journal
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
Visalia funds fixes to slogging sewer system
“The city of Visalia took the first step to unclogging its sewer system this week and relieving a backlog of development in the neighboring community of Goshen. At its Dec. 18 meeting, the Visalia City Council approved two items on its consent calendar related to the current capacity of the sewer system and the ability to accommodate future capacity in Goshen. Both items were approved on a 4-0 vote, as Vice Mayor Bret Taylor was absent. While items on the consent calendar are considered routine, these two approvals represent the first official movement the city has taken to address its sewer needs. … ” Read more from the Foothills Sun-Gazette.
Bakersfield c0mmentary: A flowing river will greatly benefit our community
Kelly Damian writes, “In his Dec. 26 Community Voices piece “Leave as much water as possible in Lake Isabella,” Ed Davis raises concerns that might be on the mind of some Bakersfield residents. Specifically, he worries that a flowing river will create a “catastrophe” for our community. In order to fully understand this issue, it’s important to put three things into perspective: the nature of water rights, the amount of the total water budget that a flowing river requires and the many benefits that a healthy river system will bring to Bakersfield. …. ” Read more from the Bakersfield Californian.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
The last working orange grove in the San Fernando Valley to give way to homes
“Part of what sold Setmir and Aida Qose on the World War II-era home they bought last April was something even older: a century-old orange grove across the street. “Summertime, you can smell the oranges,” said Aida Qose, 49 years old. “It feels like you are living in the middle of the country.” Yet her home and the Bothwell Ranch in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Woodland Hills sit only blocks from the busy Ventura Freeway, and the surrounding San Fernando Valley is carpeted with suburban development. A developer plans to build homes and in the process remove most of the trees from the 14-acre farm, which contains the remnants of the valley’s last working citrus grove. The plans have prompted sadness, and an outcry from some. “We would prefer it stay the way it is,” Qose said on a sunny day in early December, gazing at trees brimming with fruit. … ” Read more from the Wall Street Journal (gift article).
Ocean waters off of Laguna Beach’s coast remain closed after sewage spill
“A portion of the ocean waters remained closed as of Tuesday evening after a sewage spill was reported in Laguna Beach over the holiday weekend. The Orange County Health Care Agency issued a notice on Saturday, warning that the waters between Victoria Beach to Goff Island Beach were impacted by a sewage spill of roughly 1,964 gallons. That approximation has not changed since initial reports. “The coastal stretch from Victoria Beach to Goff Island Beach remains closed for swimming, surfing and diving due to the sewage spill,” said Darwin Cheng, the interim director of the county’s environmental health division, in a statement Tuesday. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
Moleaer nanobubble generators to reduce algal blooms in Lake Elsinore
“Moleaer, a nanobubble technology company, announced that it has launched a project with the City of Lake Elsinore, California, to help reduce algal blooms Lake Eslinore. Lake Elsinore, with 3,300 acres of surface water and a maximum depth of 40 feet, is a terminal lake located at the end of the San Jacinto watershed. It is the largest natural freshwater lake in Southern California. With no outflow for the nutrient-rich water, algae blooms have flourished in the lake. Over the years, high levels of toxins from algae have made it unsafe for people and pets to go into the water, resulting in numerous lake closures and caution advisories. This challenge is not unique to Lake Elsinore. … ” Read more from Stormwater Solutions.
Along the Colorado River …
A ‘snow drought’ is leaving the West’s mountains high and dry
“Across the West, the winter is off to a dry start. Wide swaths of the Rocky Mountains have lower-than-average snow totals for this time of year, but scientists say there’s still plenty of time to end the “snow drought” and close the gap. High-altitude snowpack has big implications for the region’s water supply. Two-thirds of the Colorado River’s water starts as snow in Colorado’s mountains before melting and flowing to about 40 million people across seven states. Nearly every part of Colorado, Utah and Wyoming has significantly less snow than usual for late December. The latest data from a region-wide network of snow sensors shows snow in many areas with snow totals around 60 or 70% of normal. … ” Read more from KJZZ.
Arizona lawmakers propose selling options for those with historic groundwater rights
“A lawmaker is proposing new selling and leasing options for those with groundwater harvesting rights. Rep. Alexander Kolodin (R-Scottsdale) plans to introduce legislation with colleagues that would let farmers in protected groundwater areas lease water to home building developers. “It’s good for stabilizing our aquifers, it’s good for home affordability, but it’s just also good for free people to be able to make decisions, right? I mean, that’s good in and of itself. Water is autonomy in this state,” Kolodin said. The measure would apply to entities in Phoenix, Tucson and the Pinal metro areas with Type 1 grandfathered water rights. … ” Read more from KJZZ.
Radio: 2023’s wild water arc: Despite a wet winter, Colorado River users kept conserving
“Water was top of mind for many Arizonans in 2023, between talks over Colorado River water usage, trying to get the taps back on in Rio Verde Foothills and all of the precipitation we got over the winter. And the issue of water will continue to loom large. As states work to craft policy to use less water from the Colorado River, Arizona continues to look into supplementing its water supplies, be it from desalination or recycled wastewater. The Show spoke with John Fleck about the biggest water stories in 2023, and what he thinks the new year will hold. He’s a water policy researcher at the University of New Mexico, based at the Utton Center at the University of New Mexico School of Law. The conversation started with this year in water and some of the top things that come to mind for him.” Listen at KJZZ.
In national water news today …
Iranian-linked hacks expose vulnerabilities of US water system
“In late November, an Iranian-backed hacking group attacked Israeli-made digital controls commonly used in the water and wastewater industries in the US, affecting multiple organizations across several states. That same month, the North Texas Municipal Water District, which supplies water to more than 2 million customers, was the victim of a ransomware attack. And earlier this year, hackers linked to China’s People’s Liberation Army attacked a water utility in Hawaii, according to the Washington Post. While none of the intrusions affected water quality or supply or disabled any critical function, they’ve all taken place while the US government has been haggling with municipal water associations and policymakers over how best to protect one of the nation’s most critical resources from cyberattacks. … ” Read more from the Insurance Journal.
The water trade is booming — and sucking Australia dry
“On the day the trucks took away Meghan Campbell’s cows, she wept. Campbell, 23 at the time, had helped build her family’s herd of 500 dairy cattle since grade school. She ordered her first cow embryos at age 14. She’d talked to her dad about becoming the third generation to run the 800-acre dairy in Australia’s middle Murray River district. … The Campbells shut down their dairy in 2019, at the peak of Australia’s last drought. The state of New South Wales, for the second year in a row, had allocated zero irrigation water to most farmers in the state’s Murray region. To buy water on Australia’s spot market was not an option; drought had sent the average price for Murray-Darling water up 139% percent in the past year, to A$550 ($360) a megaliter. The Campbells were still paying debt from the last dry spell a decade earlier. Now, they’d need to borrow up to A$800,000 to buy water. Meghan’s dad Neil, then 63, decided it was too much. “That’s it, darling,” he told Meghan one night. “We’re out.” … ” Continue reading at Bloomberg.
Water increasingly at the center of conflicts from Ukraine to the Middle East
“Six months ago, an explosion ripped apart Kakhovka Dam in Ukraine, unleashing floods that killed 58 people, devastated the landscape along the Dnipro River and cut off water to productive farmland. The destruction of the dam — which Ukrainian officials and the European Parliament blame on Russia, even though the structure was under Russian control — was one in a series of attacks on water infrastructure that have occurred during the Russia-Ukraine war. Alongside those strikes, violence linked to water has erupted this year in other areas around the world. In countries including India, Kenya and Yemen, disputes over water have triggered bloodshed. And on the Iran-Afghanistan border, a conflict centering on water from the Helmand River boiled over in deadly clashes between the two countries’ forces. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
