On the calendar today …
- LEG HEARING: Assembly Committee on Water, Parks, and Wildlife beginning at 9am. Click here for the agenda and remote access links.
- LEG HEARING: Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Water beginning at 9:30 am. Click here for the agenda and remote access links.
- WEBINAR: Reorienting to Recovery: Central Valley Salmon Recovery Project Update from 9:30am to 10:00am. This short webinar will provide an update on the project and a preview of the February 6 forum that will present and review modeling results of blended recovery scenarios. Zoom link: https://kearnswest.zoom.us/j/
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In California water news today …
Q & A: Today’s data and past history could add up to a more equitable way to divvy up California’s water
“Joan Didion wrote in the 1970s that “so much water is moved around California by so many different agencies that maybe only the movers themselves know on any given day whose water is where.” In the half-century since, not much has changed — except for the climate. “We really struggle as a state to convey basic information about California’s water — where it’s coming from and who is using it, when, and where. This makes it difficult to understand how climate change will affect our access to water and to determine what actions are needed to reduce risks to communities, agriculture, and the environment,” says Ted Grantham, PhD, a UC Berkeley associate professor of cooperative extension.
Grantham leads a two-year, $9.1 million research project called COEQWAL, which stands for “Collaboratory for Equity in Water Allocations.” COEQWAL aims to use sophisticated water and climate modeling — coupled with engagement with dozens of diverse academics, regulators, water suppliers, and water users — to provide California with new state-of-the-art water planning and stewardship tools. … ” Read more from Maven’s Notebook.
Two storms are headed to California, with one bringing severe impacts
“Two weather systems are expected to move through Northern and Central California in the next two days. Tuesday’s system is expected to be weak, dropping only light rainfall in the Bay Area and minor snowfall accumulations in the Sierra Nevada. Wednesday’s system will be stronger, especially in the Sierra Nevada. The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning for 10 to 20 inches of snow and gusts up to 50 mph. The warning is in effect from 10 p.m. Tuesday until 10 p.m. Wednesday, with the heaviest snow expected midday Wednesday. … More impactful weather is possible Friday night through Sunday. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
El Niño not living up to billing in California so far
“El Niño is here, but California isn’t seeing the impact, at least not yet. Joe Sirard, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service office in Los Angeles, says precipitation for the current water year is generally lagging behind averages. “Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco are all below normal in rainfall,” Sirard told KTLA on Monday. … In a 90-day outlook released in November, the government’s climatologists said there was a 40% to 50% chance of above-normal moisture for all of California through February. Sirard says that has not materialized yet, except in isolated areas. … ” Read more from KTLA.
Third District rejects CEQA and other challenges to Department of Water Resources’ EIR for amendments extending long-term State Water Project supply contracts through 2085
“In a 51-page published opinion filed January 5, 2024, and resolving consolidated appeals, the Third District Court of Appeal rejected baseline, piecemealing/segmentation, impact analysis, project description, alternatives analysis, and failure-to-recirculate challenges to the EIR for the Department of Water Resources’ (“DWR”) approval of amendments to long-term water supply contracts with local government agencies receiving water through the State Water Project (“SWP”). The amendments extended the contracts, which were originally entered into in the 1960s for 75-year terms, so as to end in the year 2085, and made other amendments to their financial provisions. In the course of affirming the trial court’s judgment upholding the EIR and contract amendments against CEQA, Delta Reform Act, public trust doctrine, and other challenges, the Court of Appeal applied numerous well-established CEQA principles in the enormously significant and complex context of continuing long-term SWP contracts. Planning and Conservation League, et al v. Department of Water Resources, et al, etc. (2023) ___ Cal.App.5th ___ (Ct. App. Nos. C096304, C096316, C096384). … ” Read more from Miller Starr Regalia.
Here’s what you’re really swallowing when you drink bottled water
“People are swallowing hundreds of thousands of microscopic pieces of plastic each time they drink a liter of bottled water, scientists have shown — a revelation that could have profound implications for human health. A new paper released Monday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found about 240,000 particles in the average liter of bottled water, most of which were “nanoplastics” — particles measuring less than one micrometer (less than one-seventieth the width of a human hair). For the past several years, scientists have been looking for “microplastics,” or pieces of plastic that range from one micrometer to half a centimeter in length, and found them almost everywhere. … But researchers at Columbia University have now identified the extent to which nanoplastics also pose a threat. … ” Read more from the Washington Post (gift article).
Researchers discover thousands of nanoplastic bits in bottles of drinking water
“It seems anywhere scientists look for plastic, they find it: from the ice in Antarctica, to the first bowel movement produced by newborn babies. Now, researchers are finding that the amount of microscopic plastics floating in bottled drinking water is far greater than initially believed. Using sophisticated imaging technology, scientists at Columbia University’s Lamont-Doherty laboratory examined water samples from three popular brands (they won’t say which ones) and found hundreds of thousands of bits of plastic per liter of water. Ninety percent of those plastics were small enough to qualify as nanoplastics: microscopic flecks so small that they can be absorbed into human cells and tissue, as well as cross the blood-brain barrier. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
Ripple effects of contentious California water utility ratemaking decisions
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How California’s farmers and ranchers could lead the way to climate resilience
“When it comes to climate change contributors—like greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and water pollution—large-scale farmers and ranchers are among the worst culprits in the U.S. and worldwide. However, these very farmers and ranchers could wind up leading the way out of the ecological nightmare humans have created, and toward an equitable, livable future. “Farmers and ranchers—with policies and funding that help them take risks and try new approaches—can make the transition to climate resilience,” says Renata Brillinger. She is co-founder and executive director of the California Climate and Agriculture Network (CalCAN), a coalition working since 2009 to advance state and federal policies that support sustainable and organic agriculture to catalyze climate solutions. … ” Read more from Resilience.org.
Global study shows extreme short-term drought has even greater impacts on grasslands and shrublands than previously thought
“UC Santa Cruz scientists supported a new global study showing that the effects of extreme short-term drought—which is expected to increase in frequency with climate change—have been greatly underestimated for grasslands and shrublands. The study was organized and led by Colorado State University (CSU) and published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The findings quantify the impact of extreme short-term drought on grassland and shrubland ecosystems across six continents with a level of detail that was not previously possible. It is the first time an experiment this extensive has been undertaken to generate a baseline understanding of the potential losses of plant productivity in these vital ecosystems. … ” Read more from UC Santa Cruz.
Why are California’s ocean waters lighting up in blue?
“California seems to be off to a glowing start to the year — and we’re not just talking about Hollywood stars assembling for awards season. We’re talking about bioluminescent algae. Biolumi-what? Bioluminescent algae. It’s not new, but this latest algae bloom in parts of Southern and Northern California is causing waves and areas of the water in the Pacific Ocean to glow in fluorescent blues, drawing surfers and other enthusiasts out to look and share photos of a bright blue ocean. The water is so luminescent when it is disturbed at night that it seems like surfers are riding waves in “Avatar: The Way of Water.” … ” Read more from the New York Times.
In regional water news and commentary today …
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
That’s not snow: Thousands of styrofoam beads wash up on Incline Village beaches
“Community members are throwing pasta strainers, kitty litter scoops, buckets, tarps, leaf blowers, and shop vacuums at cleaning up potentially hundreds of thousands of styrofoam beads that washed ashore Incline and Ski Beach on Sunday. To the unknowing onlooker, the beads look like snow that has settled into drifts around the beach. The source of the nearly Dippin’ Dot sized beads—a floating dock—discovered Sunday afternoon. The dock likely broke open during the storm, scattering an unknown amount of plastic styrofoam beads into the lake. The Incline Village Improvement District removed the damaged dock Monday morning and volunteers have been working since to clean up its remnant pellets. … ” Read more from the Tahoe Daily Tribune.
Cleanup nightmare: Styrofoam spill at Tahoe
“Stormy weather this past weekend created an environmental mess and a huge cleanup job for volunteers at Lake Tahoe’s north shore. A floating dock broke loose. Wind and waves drove it and the floatation material it contained toward the shore at Ski Beach and Incline Beach. Volunteers from the Clean up the Lake group were working to clean things up Monday. It’s a big job.They’ve been working for the past couple of years, donning scuba gear and picking off all sorts of trash from the lake’s bottom, but this work poses a more difficult challenge and, potentially, an even greater danger to the lake’s environment. … ” Read more from KOLO.
Severe Winter Storm Warning issued for Lake Tahoe
“The National Weather Service has issued a severe Winter Storm Warning in the Greater Lake Tahoe area later this week. The warning will go in effect from 4 a.m. on Wednesday until 1 a.m. on Thursday, impacting the early morning and evening commutes with hazardous road conditions. Heavy snow is expected to come down on Lake Tahoe communities, accumulating to 10 to 14 inches of snow for areas such as Truckee and South Lake Tahoe, officials said. Areas above 7,000 feet of elevation are expected to get 14 to 24 inches of snow. … ” Read more from Fox 40.
Here’s how much snow fell in Tahoe’s first big storm of the winter
“Bone-chilling temperatures were recorded in the Tahoe Basin after a winter storm delivered fresh snow over the weekend. The gauge at the Truckee Tahoe Airport sat at negative 2 degrees just before 7 a.m. Monday, and South Lake Tahoe was zero degrees, according to the National Weather Service.Weather service forecaster Chris Johnston called the negative-temperature reading at the airport “typical when there’s snow on the ground.” Temperatures in the Tahoe Basin were running about 5 to 7 degrees below normal Monday morning, he said.“It gets cooler in those valleys,” Johnston said. “The reason is all the cold air pulls down from the mountains and then you have snow that reflects radiation into the lower atmosphere.” … ” Read more from SF Gate.
They were accused of using guns to start the Caldor Fire. Why the case hit a dead end
“An El Dorado County judge ruled there wasn’t enough evidence to try a father-and-son pair accused of shooting guns and igniting the 2021 Caldor Fire, which destroyed the community of Grizzly Flats and menaced South Lake Tahoe. David Scott Smith, 66, of Somerset and his son Travis “Shane” Smith, 32, of Folsom called 911 to report the start of the Caldor Fire on Aug. 14, 2021, when the first flames broke out in the remote outskirts of the Eldorado National Forest north of Highway 88 above the Cosumnes River. Investigators looking for the fire’s cause soon honed in on the Smiths. Authorities arrested them four months later on suspicion of reckless arson, accusing them of igniting the blaze while firing weapons in the drought-parched forest. … ” Continue reading at the San Francisco Chronicle.
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
Rice farmers, refuge benefit from water delivery upgrades
“Thirty years after Congress required California provide more water for fish and wildlife through the Central Valley Project Improvement Act (CVPIA), a popular wildlife refuge amidst rice fields will get what was promised, and this time not at the cost of farmers. Late last year Ducks Unlimited and a host of collaborators including the Biggs West Gridley Water District, and several state and federal agencies, heralded the culmination of six years of work costing more than $52 million to improve over five miles of canals, install seven new water control structures, raise numerous county and private bridges, and build a tunnel under a railroad. All with the goal of complying with the 1992 CVPIA, a law dedicating 800,000 acre-feet of water annually for fish and wildlife. … ” Read more from the Western Farm Press.
BAY AREA
Bay Area will soon see some of the highest king tides of the year
“King tides, which brought minor flooding and damage to parts of the Bay Area just weeks ago, are splashing back into the region this week. Tides around 7 feet or more are expected to arrive in the Bay Area on Tuesday and continue through Saturday, according to the National Weather Service. The highest tides are projected on Thursday and Friday with a return to normal levels by Sunday, said Dial Hoang, a meteorologist with the weather service’s Bay Area office. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
Marin watershed recreation management plan nears completion
“A debate over whether e-bikes should be allowed on Marin Municipal Water District land is revving up again as the staffers prepare to release a draft watershed recreation management plan. The developing policy document takes a look at how the watershed is used today and what officials can do to ensure continued safe recreational access, while also protecting the habitat and water quality. A status update on the plan was presented to the district watershed committee at its Dec. 12 meeting. “We identified a pilot study as an opportunity for something that we could advance as a next step to evaluating different techniques for trail sharing and trail use,” said Shaun Horne, the district’s watershed resources manager. “So we are identifying the need to update our 2005 roads and trails plan.” … ” Read more from the Marin Independent Journal.
San Mateo property owners approve stormwater fee
“With its city affected by chronic flooding, property owners in San Mateo have voted in favor of a stormwater fee to improve the city’s drainage system. About 51.87%, or 5,195 voted in favor of the fee, while 48.22%, or 4,837 voters, thumbed down the measure. The San Mateo City Council will decide whether to adopt the measure in its Jan. 16 meeting. This measure would implement a fee that would enhance storm drain systems within the city in order to combat flooding. The proposed “community flood and storm protection fee,” set at $8 per month or $96 annually for property owners, is anticipated to generate $4 million in its first year. … ” Read more from the San Jose Mercury News.
Valley Water’s annual Capital Improvement Program: Projects to ensure a reliable water supply for Santa Clara County
“Every year, Valley Water updates its plan for funding the agency’s critical infrastructure projects required to meet the needs of Santa Clara County. The Capital Improvement Program (CIP) Five-Year Plan is a comprehensive document that provides a roadmap for funding the planning, design, and construction of water-related infrastructure. To read more about how Valley Water develops the CIP Program, please see our recent blog. Currently, Valley Water is preparing the CIP Fiscal Year 2025-2029 Preliminary Five-Year Plan, which includes 66 projects to help Valley Water meet its mission to provide Silicon Valley with safe, clean water for a healthy life, environment, and economy. … ” Read more from Valley Water News.
CENTRAL COAST
King tides on the horizon
“King tides, or the highest tides of the year, are expected to move into the Monterey Bay Area Wednesday through Friday. Dial Hoang, meteorologist with the National Weather Service of Monterey, said high tides could reach six feet around Monterey Bay and even 7 feet in the San Francisco Bay Area. King Tide is a term used to describe very high tides, caused by the alignment of the gravitational pull between the sun, moon, and Earth, Hoang said. If such tides occur during floods or storms, water levels can rise much higher than normal conditions with a potential of causing damage to the coastline and coastal properties—similar to what coastal areas in Santa Cruz County experienced just over a week ago. … ” Read more from Good Times Santa Cruz.
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
Multi-million dollar verdicts reached in Assemi, Resnick suits
“A Fresno County jury reached a verdict in a lawsuit between two of California’s wealthiest growers. Four years ago, Farid Assemi, a San Joaquin Valley farmer, developer, and healthcare scion, filed a $30 million lawsuit against Stewart Resnick, America’s wealthiest farmer. Lawyers with Assemi could not be immediately reached for comment. Assemi’s lawsuit landed just days after the family held up their 2019 pistachio crops over Resnick’s alleged failures to assure the Assemi family that they would get the full value of their 2019 crop. Assemi later filed a second claim in court, arguing Resnick’s Wonderful Pistachio cooperative deliberately undervalued the family’s nuts. … ” Read more from the Foothills Sun-Gazette.
Planning and coordination kept Porterville dry during floods but the rest of the San Joaquin Valley remains fragmented
“How did Porterville, where a then raging Tule River cuts through the town, stay dry while so many other San Joaquin Valley communities got flooded out last spring? Planning, coordination and permits. Sounds simple, but it took officials from the city, irrigation district, Tulare County and federal offices years to establish. It paid off as the small south San Joaquin Valley town stood out among many of its neighboring communities for staying mostly dry. “It’s a very difficult answer,” said Michael Knight, director of Public Works for the City of Porterville. “I give all the praise and credit to my staff.” … ” Read more from SJV Water.
MEETING NOTES: Cawelo Water District still hoping for federal reimbursement for work on Poso Creek flooding damage
“It was reported to the Cawelo Water District board of directors that all of the district’s project plans regarding Poso Creek have been submitted to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Two of those plans were sent back with requests for some modifications and will be resubmitted with the changes soon. The district had submitted plans starting in August and was notified the project is in the final review stage. The district is hoping it will be approved soon so the district can begin receiving reimbursements for work it has already done. So far, it has spent $250,000 repairing damage caused by last spring’s flooding on Poso Creek. … ” Read more from SJV Water.
MEETING NOTES: Wheeler Ridge-Maricopa Water Storage District still wrangling water from 2023 supply
““Carryover” refers to water that State Water Project contractors can hold in San Luis Reservoir from their previous year’s allocation. The Department of Water Resources calculates how much each contractor can carry over each year based on a number of factors such as making sure there’s enough room in the lake for anticipated winter precipitation and providing enough freshwater flow through the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta to maintain water quality. It’s also complicated for water districts that want to keep enough carryover water in San Luis to hedge against a dry season but not so much that they run the risk of having their water “spill.” … ” Read more from SJV Water.
EASTERN SIERRA
This tribe got their “land back.” but it’s no longer livable.
“The high temperatures in Death Valley National Park attract tourists from all over the world. Big groups come in shiny luxury buses. Visiting Badwater and Zabriskie Point, the park’s most frequented attractions, you’re likely to run into at least one film crew or fashion shoot from nearby L.A. And the luxury hotel the Inn at Death Valley boasts a forest of whispering palm trees, a lush golf course, a swimming pool, and gourmet seafood entrees in the middle of the hottest place on earth. Barbara Durham lives down the road from the Inn, in the Timbisha Shoshone Village—a small piece of reservation land created in 2000 by the Timbisha Shoshone Homeland Act. The law made Death Valley the first and only U.S. national park to legally allow its Indigenous inhabitants to remain where they have long lived, by returning land that was taken when the park was established. Today, the village of 25 households is still fighting for survival, but no longer against the park service. Now their enemy is extreme heat. And the legal right to live inside the park, once the most important thing to the Timbisha, is no longer enough to protect their way of life. … ” Read more from The New Republic.
SAN DIEGO
Fallbrook sees rates drop in ‘water divorce,’ Rainbow not so much — yet. Here’s why
“With the new year, Fallbrook residents are seeing a reduction in their water rates as a result of the detachment from the San Diego County Water Authority (SDCWA) — the so-called “water divorce.” Voters in Fallbrook and Rainbow overwhelmingly approved the detachment, a process that started four years ago. Both Fallbrook Public Utility District (FPUD) and Rainbow Municipal Water District (RMWD) had said that their customers were paying too much for water. The lower rate is a result of the divorce. FPUD detached from the Water Authority on Jan. 1. … ” Read more from KPBS.
Australian firm’s proposal to build headlands, artificial reef in Oceanside wins jury endorsement
“A plan to build headlands and an artificial reef has been selected from three proposals by international design firms for a pilot project to restore and retain sand on Oceanside’s eroded beaches. The Australian firm International Coastal Management submitted the concept, and the headlands would be small, rounded extensions of the beach to be built at the ends of Tyson and Wisconsin streets. The raised headlands would be protected from the waves by rock barriers, similar to the area of the beach that supports the lifeguard headquarters building beneath the Oceanside pier. Instead of a building, the raised sandy surfaces would be topped by pedestrian paths, shade structures, fencing and native dune plants. … ” Read more from the San Diego Union-Tribune.
Another round of king tides — this time even higher — to hit San Diego beaches this week
“Some of the highest tides of the season are about to roll across the San Diego coast. King tides, the phenomenon that describes what are typically some of the highest tides of the year, will surge again from Jan. 10-13, according to NBC 7’s meteorologist Sheena Parveen. Though two rounds of king tides hit San Diego beaches in December 2023, this round is expected to reach even greater heights. Here’s what to know … ” Read more from NBC 7.
Along the Colorado River …
Arizona governor vows to update state’s water laws
“Entering her second year in office, Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs again declared water a top issue for her administration during Monday’s State of the State address, framing it as a bipartisan issue in need of new solutions as the state looks to address drought brought on by climate change and overconsumption. In her speech, Hobbs vowed to update Arizona’s groundwater laws, something water experts and residents have been calling for for years. Under the current law, 80 percent of the state has no regulations over groundwater, resulting in agriculture operations pumping unlimited amounts of water, which has caused some communities’ wells to go dry. Even for parts of the state with regulations, loopholes in the law have allowed for some communities to be built without a reliable water supply assured by the state water department. … ” Read more from Inside Climate News.
Climate change is a threat to Colorado’s snowpack. What does that mean for the water in your tap?
“Yearly snow storms form an enormous frozen reservoir in Colorado, but climate change is threatening its future. Winter precipitation is, historically, unpredictable in Colorado. Cities, farmers and recreationists are used to varying supplies each year, but there was almost always enough to go around. A prolonged drought, rising temperatures and climate change have thrown a worrisome curveball. Now, experts are starting to see signs of a declining snow season. “The variation year-to-year is pretty extreme. Just because in 2023 we had a substantial snowpack doesn’t mean we’re not on this long-term decline,” said Jeff Deems, co-founder of Airborne Snow Observatories. “There’s a lot more below-average years these days than above-average.” … ” Read more from the Colorado Sun.
SEE ALSO: Climate change could slash Colorado stream flows, with effects across the US West: report, from The Hill
In national water news today …
Supreme Court rejects Pebble mine, climate and water cases
“The Supreme Court has rebuffed a plea by the state of Alaska to revisit a federal veto of a massive mine, an attempt by oil companies to extract themselves from a climate lawsuit and a petition from West Coast farmers seeking more water from the Klamath River Basin. In a long list of orders released Monday, the high court declined to take up Alaska v. United States, an unusual request from the Last Frontier to skip the lower courts and have the justices directly step in to reverse EPA’s veto of the proposed Pebble copper and gold mine in the pristine Bristol Bay watershed, home to one of the world’s premier salmon fisheries. The decision, marking another chapter in the Pebble mine saga, deals a significant blow to Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy, a Republican whose administration asked the high court in July to undo EPA’s move to block Pebble and similar extraction projects on state land in southwestern Alaska. … ” Read more from E&E News.
Earth reaches grim milestone: 2023 was the warmest year on record
“An astonishing seven consecutive months of record-breaking warmth has culminated a grim milestone for humanity: 2023 was, officially, Earth’s hottest year on record. That assessment, announced Tuesday by the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service, follows a year in which extreme heat smothered multiple continents simultaneously, pushed ocean temperatures to alarming highs and spurred dire warnings about the worsening effects of climate change. “2023 was an exceptional year with climate records tumbling like dominoes,” read a statement from Samantha Burgess, deputy director of Copernicus. “Not only is 2023 the warmest year on record, it is also the first year with all days over 1 degree Celsius warmer than the preindustrial period. Temperatures during 2023 likely exceed those of any period in at least the last 100,000 years.” … ” Read more from the LA Times.
