In California water news today …
‘Super El Niño’ is here, but La Niña looks likely. What’s in store for the coming months
“The current El Niño is now one of the strongest on record, new data shows, catapulting it into rare “super El Niño” territory, but forecasters believe that La Niña is likely to develop in the coming months. One of the main ways scientists determine whether El Niño is present, and a key indicator of its strength, is through ocean surface temperatures. And from November to January, the temperature of the tropical Pacific Ocean where El Niño originates was 2 degrees Celsius warmer than normal, according to NOAA’s Climate Prediction center – a threshold that has only been breached six times on record. It means a very strong El Niño is ongoing. But this so-called super El Niño’s strength won’t last long – it has reached its peak strength and is headed on a downward trend, said Michelle L’Heureux, a climate scientist with the Climate Prediction Center. … ” Read more from CNN.
El Niño is starting to lose strength after fueling a hot, stormy year, but it’s still powerful − an atmospheric scientist explains what’s ahead for 2024
“Wild weather has been roiling North America for the past few months, thanks in part to a strong El Niño that sent temperatures surging in 2023. The climate phenomenon fed atmospheric rivers drenching the West Coast and contributed to summer’s extreme heat in the South and Midwest and fall’s wet storms across the East. That strong El Niño is now starting to weaken and will likely be gone by late spring 2024. So, what does that mean for the months ahead – and for the 2024 hurricane season? … El Niño is likely to end in late spring or early summer, shifting briefly to neutral. There’s a good chance we will see La Niña conditions this fall. But forecasting when that happens and what comes next is harder. … ” Continue reading from The Conversation.
EPA advocates for river flows to the Sacramento River Delta
“The Bay Delta Plan should focus more on the amount of water flowing through rivers and less on habitat restorations to restore its ecosystems, according to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) comments submitted to the State Water Resources Control Board. The Water Board, which is in the process of revising its draft Bay Delta Plan for public review, will decide what river-flow requirements and water-quality controls will govern uses within the Sacramento River watershed. The EPA’s comments came as part of the plan’s public comment period, which closed on Jan. 19. … In his written comment, EPA Water Division Director Tomás Torres said he supported using river flows as a primary objective of the plan. “Numeric criteria serve as consistent and transparent targets to drive implementation and EPA strongly recommends that the State Water Board include numeric flow objectives in its amendments to the Bay-Delta Plan,” according to Torres. … ” Read more from the Livermore Independent.
San Joaquin Valley Blueprint response to State Board draft report
Don Wright writes, “Proposals contained in a draft report prepared by the State Water Resources Control Board staff recommending updates to the Bay/Delta Plan have triggered warnings of extensive harm due to bias against the San Joaquin Valley and its people. The draft report can be a tough read with just the title and the table of contents taking up 72 pages. That’s partially why it was released last year in September with a comment deadline of January 2024. It takes a while to get through. … The Blueprint reviewed the draft report and came to some startling conclusions in a comment response recently submitted. For one, the report underestimates the amount of water available to the Valley by 300,000 acre feet. … ” Read more from Water Wrights.
San Joaquin Valley stakeholders contest State Water Board’s Bay Delta Plan Update
“The State Water Resources Control Board’s draft report, designed to update the Bay Delta Plan, has sparked a wave of criticism over its potential impacts on the San Joaquin Valley. A coalition of regional stakeholders, known as the Water Blueprint for the San Joaquin Valley, argues that the report’s proposed Unimpaired Flow Objectives (UIF) from tributaries will lead to significant water supply reductions. This, in turn, could adversely affect the region’s agricultural sector and overall socioeconomic health. One of the major criticisms levied against the report stems from the claim that it underestimates the water available to the Valley by 300,000 acre-feet. This miscalculation could lead to an erroneous perception of water scarcity and potentially biased policy decisions against the region. The report’s assumptions are also under fire for being inconsistent with other statewide objectives. … ” Read more from BNN Breaking.
Water releases from Oroville Dam’s Spillway stopped on Wednesday
“Water releases from the Oroville Dam’s main spillway stopped around 10 a.m. on Wednesday with releases continuing through the Hyatt Powerplant, the DWR announced. The DWR also said they are reducing Feather River releases due to low runoff inflow rates into Lake Oroville. Total releases from the Feather River may increase again to account for additional incoming storms and high inflows. Water released into the Feather River supports the environment with some eventually making its way through the State Water Project to the San Luis Reservoir where it will be captured to maintain the overall water supply. … ” Read more from Action News Now.
SEE ALSO: Video: The Oroville Dam’s Main Spillway is dry again, from Action News Now
DWR: Weirs on the Sacramento River: 100 Years of Flood Control
Andrew Nixon / California Department of Water Resources
“Set into the banks of the Sacramento River as it winds its way south from its Mount Shasta headwaters are six large concrete structures which, despite their size, go largely unnoticed until the rains come and the river rises, threatening floods. Then they get to work, channeling the deluge into bypasses and basins, and away from the levees and bridges of Sacramento and other downstream communities. These unobtrusive structures, called weirs, are distributed along a 95-mile stretch of the river from Butte City to North Sacramento, acting as silent sentinels protecting millions of Californians from flooding. … ” Continue reading from DWR.
Efficiency push in California water fluoridation trial: A potential game-changer for public health policies
“As the California federal courtroom buzzes with anticipation, a monumental bench trial unfolds, its focal point – the potential risks posed by fluoridated water. The case, overseen by a seasoned judge, has been extended to allow the parties involved ample time to present their respective arguments. However, the judge’s recent remarks hint at an underlying dissatisfaction with the trial’s pace, urging the counsel to adopt a more streamlined and focused approach. The trial, by its sheer significance, has captured the nation’s attention. It grapples with public health concerns stemming from water fluoridation, a prevalent practice aimed at curbing tooth decay. … ” Read more from BNN Breaking.
Snow drought current conditions and impacts in the West
“Snow drought still covers much of the western U.S., with the worst conditions in the northern Rocky Mountains. While the spatial extent of snow drought in the western U.S. decreased since early January, snow water equivalent (SWE) remains below normal at 78% of stations in the West as of February 4, 2024. The worst conditions are in the northern Rocky Mountains, including the Missouri River Headwaters. A recent rain-on-snow event and a winter heat wave in the Cascade Range intensified warm snow drought conditions. Storms are likely to continue to improve conditions over the next couple weeks in the Southwest while the Northwest leans dry during this time period, consistent with a typical El Niño winter pattern. … ” Continue reading from NIDIS.
California’s trees are dying in huge numbers — and Tahoe is the epicenter
“California’s forests continue to see mass die-offs of trees as a result of too little water, insect infestation and disease. But last year’s wet winter provided at least some relief, new federal data shows. Roughly 28.8 million trees died statewide in 2023, according to the U.S. Forest Service’s annual aerial survey. The central Sierra Nevada, including the Lake Tahoe basin, and the state’s far north experienced the brunt of the mortality. While the casualties were high and add to the unprecedented toll of more than 200 million tree deaths counted by the agency since the start of last decade’s drought, it’s down 20% from 2022. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
Western US lawmakers push to protect watersheds from impacts of wildfires
“A bipartisan team of lawmakers from Colorado and Utah are urging Congress to help safeguard the nation’s watersheds by considering a new bill aimed at expediting the cleanup of contamination caused by wildfires. The Watershed Protection and Forest Recovery Act, co-sponsored by Sens. Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) and Mitt Romney (R-Utah), would accelerate watershed recovery efforts on federal land, while also protecting private property and water resources downstream. Joining Bennet and Romney in supporting the legislation are Reps. Joe Neguse (D-Colo.), Yadira Caraveo (D-Colo.), Celeste Maloy (R-Utah) and John Curtis (R-Utah). “We need to make it easier for local water managers and the U.S. Forest Service to collaborate to restore the health of our watersheds following a natural disaster,” Bennet said in a statement. … ” Read more from The Hill.
In commentary today …
California is hardly harvesting the deluge
Edward Ring, senior fellow with the California Policy Center, writes, “A historic barrage of atmospheric rivers hit California. Across the Sierra Nevada and down through the foothills into the valley, rivers turned into raging torrents, overflowing their banks and flooding entire communities. California’s Central Valley turned into an inland sea, as low lying farms and grasslands were incapable of draining the deluge. That was 1861, when one storm after another pounded the state for 43 days without respite. Despite impressive new terminology our experts have come up with to describe big storms in this century – “bomb cyclone,” “arkstorm,” and “atmospheric river” – we haven’t yet seen anything close to what nature brought our predecessors back in those pre-industrial times over 150 years ago. But we are getting rain this year. Lots of rain. … Are we harvesting this deluge? In this new age of climate change, which purportedly portends years of drought whipsawing occasionally into a year or two of torrential rain, do we have the means to take those so-called big gulps into storage? … ” Continue reading at the California Globe.
Unimpaired flow proposal could devastate local agriculture, our community and the environment
Rich Johansen, Nevada Irrigation District President, Board of Directors, writes, “While the Nevada Irrigation District (NID) is working hard to ensure the reliability of our water supply, the district is facing potential state regulations that would have dire negative impacts for agriculture, our community, fire protection, wildlife and aquatic habitat. State recommended regulations would affect NID operations and service, decreasing water supply and raising the cost of water to all customers if implemented. The California State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board) is working to update an action plan to improve water quality and save imperiled fish populations, including salmon and delta smelt, in the San Francisco Bay/Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta (Bay-Delta). A recently released draft staff report includes an alternative that recommends increasing unimpaired flow to 55 percent from Northern California rivers and Sacramento/Feather River tributaries into the Bay-Delta. This includes the Yuba and Bear rivers, key source watersheds of NID’s water system. … ” Continue reading at YubaNet.
Kings County Farm Bureau responds to State Board re: Tulare Basin groundwater probation
Dusty Ference, Executive Director of the Kings County Farm Bureau, writes, “On November 8, 2023, the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) held a public information hearing in Hanford, intended to inform the public why SWRCB staff have recommended the Tulare Lake Subbasin be placed on probation for deficiencies in the subbasins Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP). Since then, local Groundwater Sustainability Agencies (GSA) have been working to update the subbasins GSP in hopes of satisfying the SGMA and addressing the SWRCB’s concerns. … Under ideal circumstances, the SWRCB staff would examine the revised GSP before the probationary hearing scheduled for April 16, 2024. If the new plan meets the legal requirements, it would be presented to the SWRCB for final approval. However, during the November 8, 2023 public meeting, the SWRCB staff informed the attendees that they would require at least four months to review the document. Recent letters to the SWRCB have urged them to postpone the probationary hearing to allow for enough time for staff to review the updated plan. It appears those appeals were disregarded at the SWRCB. … ” Read more at Water Wrights.
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
Klamath Dam removal project to hurt whitewater rafting company
“A local whitewater rafting company said the dam removal project on the Klamath River will negatively impact business. Indigo Creek Outfitters, based out of Phoenix, OR, said its trips through the upper portion of the Klamath River are some its most popular. Now that the dam removal project has made the upper Klamath inaccessible, Indigo Creek Outfitters is planning to see a slower upcoming season. “We’re not operating on the upper Klamath this summer,” said Will Volpert, owner of Indigo Creek Outfitters. “Last year, it represented about 25% of our business. It’s really difficult for any business to take a hit like that.” … ” Read moire from Channel 12.
PG&E drops diversion options from its Potter Valley Proposal, Mendocino County officials report
“Mendocino County officials said they will continue working on options for maintaining water diversions between the Eel and Russian rivers that were created more than 100 years ago for the Potter Valley Project, despite the announcement by the Pacific Gas and Electric company last week that it will no longer include plans being formulated by a regional group for modification of the hydroelectric plant’s infrastructure in its proposal for decommissioning the facility. “It’s a shock, and we’re still kind of reeling from it,” 1st District Mendocino County Supervisor Glenn McGourty told the Board of Supervisors during its Feb. 6 meeting, describing the announcement from the utility company as “very much like Lucy (pulling the football out from under) Charlie Brown every time we deal with PG&E.” … ” Read more from the Willits News.
NAPA/SONOMA
Napa County supervisors uphold Rutherford Ranch winery approval
“The Napa County Board of Supervisors signaled it supports legalizing rule violations at Rutherford Ranch winery and allowing a further boost in visitors. Supervisors on Tuesday heard an appeal of a June 21, 2023, Planning Commission approval of the winery’s requests. Water Audit California filed the appeal, citing environmental concerns. The Board of Supervisors unanimously decided to tentatively deny the appeal. A final decision is scheduled for March 26, when a resolution reflecting the board’s direction is drawn up. Rutherford Ranch winery is located at 1680 Silverado Trail. It took part in the county’s 2019 code compliance program that encouraged wineries to voluntarily step forward to correct rules violations. … ” Read more from the Napa Register.
BAY AREA
Carbon capture in Montezuma Wetlands is a dangerous plan
Chirag Bhakta, California director of Food & Water Watch, writes, “Last May, a Bay Area company curiously named Montezuma Wetlands submitted an application to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to build a “CarbonHub” in Solano County’s Montezuma Wetlands. According to the proposal, the project would involve drilling a well for carbon injection and establishing an extensive expansion of submerged pipelines across San Francisco Bay. Almost immediately the project rightfully came under fire from our organization and many others due to the reality that such a venture would threaten public health, degrade the local environment and stall legitimate climate action. Indeed, carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) — the process of trapping and storing climate pollution before it enters the atmosphere — has never worked in the real world and, in an ironic twist, has mostly been embraced by major polluters who see it as a way to claim they are cleaning up their act without changing anything. … ” Read more from the San Jose Mercury News.
San Mateo’s wastewater treatment plant faces hurdles
“Upgrades to the city’s wastewater treatment plant have received $7 million in additional funding after supply chain entanglements, cost increases and labor issues have delayed the timeline of the new plant. Constructing the area’s new treatment plant, located off Detroit Drive and next to Leslie Creek, is part of a larger, 10-year, $1 billion effort to enhance the city’s wastewater collection and treatment services, making it the largest capital project in San Mateo history. The project is also meant to bolster wet weather management efforts by handling up to 78 millions of water per day. … ” Read more from the San Mateo Daily Journal.
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
Water levels at Tulare Lake receding despite recent storms
“Last year’s record storms led to the return of the long-time dry Tulare Lake as waters flooded into the basin, putting vast swaths of farmland underwater. Today, it’s looking quite different. Last summer, Tulare Lake covered around 120,000 acres of land in Kings County. “If you think about Kings County, it’s about 890,000 acres total, and so with that coverage, over 10% of our county was covered in water, which is a pretty remarkable thing to think about.” Kings County Sheriff’s Sgt. Nate Ferrier said. In the months since, the water has receded drastically, now covering around 4,500 acres of land. … ” Read more from KFSN.
SEE ALSO: Despite Atmospheric River, California’s Tulare Lake Is Vanishing Again, from Newsweek
EASTERN SIERRA
Commentary: Groundwater Authority says, ‘Show me yours, but I won’t show you mine’
Rod Stiefvater, Mojave Pistachios, writes, “I was struck by both the hubris and hypocrisy of the Indian Wells Valley Groundwater Authority’s recent public records request to the Indian Wells Valley Water District detailed in last week’s article titled “Groundwater Authority presses WD for new basin data.” For over half a decade, the Groundwater Authority has been hiding behind a “confidentiality agreement” with the United States Navy to deny the public requests for access to its self-proclaimed prodigious groundwater model. It has also violated the Public Records Act by refusing to provide water users with documents to support its actions, including its adoption of the highest “replenishment” fee in California. … ” Continue reading at the Ridgecrest Independent.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Some rain, snow still on tap for SoCal, but worst of deadly winter storm has passed
“After days of historic rainfall from a deadly atmospheric river storm, forecasters say some dry weather is finally on the horizon for Southern California — but not until after a smaller system brings some additional rain and snow to the region. A new low-pressure system is moving into the area Wednesday, bringing a cold front and further precipitation — though nothing as severe as the major system that dumped more than a foot of rain in some parts of Los Angeles County since Sunday, causing mudslides, flooding, widespread power outages and forced evacuations. The statewide death toll from the storm has climbed to nine, including four people hit by trees in Northern California and three motorists who died after crashes in Central and Southern California, according to state officials. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
SEE ALSO:
- A final burst of rain for Southern California — then the storms are done, from the OC Register
- NASA Map Shows How Atmospheric River’s Intense Rainfall Drenched LA, from Newsweek
Los Angeles’s floods show why sewers matter
“The Los Angeles River is often little more than a trickle as it winds downtown on its way through Long Beach to the Pacific. But this week, it threatened to overflow its concrete banks. Neighborhoods found themselves under feet of water. Mudslides took out hundreds of trees and dozens of buildings, flash flooding swept cars away, and at least three people have died. … The storms, which continued through Tuesday and had tens of millions of people under flood watches and warnings, again show how unprepared many places are for the climate crisis: The warming atmosphere can hold more water, meaning it can drop more of it on us all at once. And while some types of infrastructure get all the press when it comes to climate change—think sea walls or levees, the big aboveground projects that can either stand up to a hurricane or fail spectacularly—the flooding in Los Angeles, San Diego, and other cities is a reminder that the more mundane urban systems are also dangerously outdated in the face of a rapidly warming planet. … ” Read more from The New Republic.
The unloved L.A. River just prevented a flood disaster. Can more of its water be saved?
“As intense atmospheric rivers become more common in a warming world, so too do questions about stormwater capture in Los Angeles. Each year, when rain pours down and the L.A. River roars back to life, Angelenos want to know how much of that water is being captured and stored — and how much is washing out to sea. The monster storm that hammered Southern California this week dropped billions of gallons of rain, but as much as 80% of that water was whisked into the Pacific Ocean, experts say. For residents who only recently were asked to conserve unprecedented amounts of water, such a loss can be confounding. But capturing rainfall is only one part of the L.A. River’s job. It is also a flood control channel that is critical to protecting lives and properties when stormwaters surge. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
LA County captured enough rainfall this week to provide water to 65,600 residents for a year
“While this week’s atmospheric river drenched Southern California with record-breaking rainfall, some water managers were busy capturing some of that runoff to save for dry days ahead. Others were busy fending off an environmental disaster. Los Angeles County Public Works captured 2.7 billion gallons of stormwater as the rain fell in sheets, public information officer Liz Vazquez told CNN in an email – enough water for 65,600 residents for a year. In all, stormwater capture facilities across Southern California snagged around 15,000 acre-feet – or around 4.9 billion gallons – for recharge into groundwater since Sunday night, according to Rebecca Kimitch, a spokesperson for Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. … ” Read more from CNN.
L.A.’s monster storm was even worse in some areas than the alarming forecasts
“Southern California has a complex relationship with the rain. Many years, we get very little of it. But when the big storm hits, it can bring devastating deluges that instantly alter the landscape and put people in harm’s way. And that brings us to “Stormwatch,” the vital but sometimes mocked warnings about dangerous weather headed our way. For days, forecasters raised alarms about potentially life-threatening storms that would dump heavy rain on the region. It would be the latest in a winter of extreme weather that brought once-in-1,000-year flooding to Ventura and San Diego County. Many took the warnings seriously. A few scoffed. But in the end, the grim forecast turned out to be largely right — and in some cases actually underestimated the rainfall. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
Long Beach moves to recovery mode after a record-breaking 10 inches of rainfall
“After weathering a total of nearly 10 inches of heavy rainfall from two storms over the course of a week, Long Beach is now moving to clean up its streets and address other infrastructural needs. “Thank you to our incredible city team on the storm response,” said Mayor Rex Richardson. “They’ve been working around the clock for the last three days.” Long Beach Airport saw its wettest three-day period ever since 1958, when record keeping began, receiving more than 7 inches of rain between Sunday, Feb. 4 and Tuesday, according to Todd Hall, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Los Angeles. … ” Read more from the Long Beach Post.
Sewage closes ocean in Seal Beach
“Sewage has made its way to the ocean in Seal Beach, prompting authorities to close the stretch of water from the San Gabriel River to the Anaheim Bay breakwater. The OC Health Care Agency closed the area “due to the occurrence of multiple sewage spills that were caused by weather-impacted surges on sewer mains in areas of Los Angeles County that border Orange County,” according to a news alert sent out Wednesday afternoon. “Out of an abundance of caution, the affected ocean water area will remain closed to swimming, surfing, and diving until the results of follow-up water quality monitoring meet acceptable standards,” officials said. … ” Read more from the OC Register.
Options for sand replenishment in San Clemente still being discussed, delay could reach into summer
“The earliest a dredger will be available to resume a sand replenishment project in San Clemente is likely going to be just as the busy summer season starts in the coastal town. San Clemente officials gave an update Tuesday, Feb. 6, on the project, which remains in limbo after the first attempt resulted in more cobble and rocks being spread near the pier than expected and the city asked for a pause last month to address its concerns about the quality of the sand being delivered. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which is spearheading the $14 million project, is evaluating alternate dredging sites that may be better suited with sand and is looking to see if the original Oceanside location tapped is still viable, Mayor Victor Cabral said during Tuesday’s update at the City Council meeting. … ” Read more from the OC Register.
IMPERIAL/COACHELLA VALLEYS
Coachella Valley escapes storm mostly unscathed after it pounds coastal California
“The Coachella Valley emerged relatively unscathed Tuesday from the atmospheric river that pounded much of Southern California with historic rainfall and flooding. By midday, a little more than a half-inch of rain had fallen in and around Palm Springs and slightly less in the eastern Coachella Valley after the storm had soaked the region since Sunday. The National Weather Service reported that the heaviest rain was expected early Tuesday and would subside by that evening. Things were so calm, in fact, that one dedicated golfer decided he could even get in a round during a break in the rain. There were fewer than 10 cars in the parking lot at The Lights at Indio Golf Club for most of the morning, and one of those who braved the forecast was Eric Reyes of Indio. … ” Read more from the Desert Sun.
Brawley’s Wiest Lake algae issue gets some help
“In a move that Imperial County Public Works officials hope will set to rest an issue at Brawley’s Wiest Lake that has been ongoing since last summer and beyond, an algae-control system will now be installed as a preventative measure to halt the harmful algae blooms that intermittently closed the lake and threatened native ecosystems in the area. The Imperial County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved the purchase and installation of the system at the meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 6, by recommendation of Public Works Director John Gay. The proposed LG Sonic device is a “floating, solar-powered platform” that, according to the algae-control professionals, should “reduce algal blooms by up to 70-90%.” … ” Read more from the Holtville Tribune.
SAN DIEGO
Council wants flood prevention action despite budget deficit
“Last month’s flooding has prompted San Diego City Council members to demand more money for clearing storm drains and flood channels, despite the large projected budget deficits the city faces. Council members said Wednesday that Mayor Todd Gloria must find money in the new city budget for aggressive action to clear, maintain and upgrade stormwater channels near underserved communities. “These floods were the result of storm channels located in underserved areas either not being maintained at the level that they should have or not being adequately upgraded over the years,” Councilmember Vivian Moreno said. “The city must adjust, and we need to start now.” … ” Read more from the San Diego Union-Tribune.
Along the Colorado River …
Arizona water regs appear ‘predetermined,’ ag leader says
“The president of the Arizona Farm Bureau says the organization withdrew from Gov. Katie Hobbs’ Water Policy Council because its leaders believed their suggestions for the state’s water future were being ignored. The Farm Bureau and others announced last fall they were quitting the Democrat-led council, which has been discussing proposals for groundwater management as drought and high demand have drawn down aquifers in areas fed by the overdeveloped Colorado River. “We believe practices in place have been deaf to the concerns of Arizona’s 30,000 farm and ranch family members,” AFB President Stefanie Smallhouse told Farm Press. … ” Read more from the Western Farm Press.
In rural Utah, concern over efforts to use Colorado River water to extract lithium
“A plan to extract lithium — the lustrous, white metal used in electric vehicle batteries — in southeast Utah is adding to an anxiety familiar in the arid American West: how the project could affect water from the Colorado River. An Australian company and its U.S. subsidiaries are analyzing the saline waters in a geologic formation shared by Utah, Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona, an area called the Paradox Basin. The area’s groundwater is rich in lithium salts and other minerals from when it was a marine basin millions of years ago that repeatedly flooded and drained. The company has also acquired rights to freshwater from the Green River nearby, leading to questions about how groundwater and river water are connected, and how its plans to produce lithium could affect the environment. The Green River is a tributary of the Colorado River, the over-tapped powerhouse of the West upon which 40 million people rely. … ” Read more from the Associated Press.
Changes in Cataract Canyon
Mike DeHoff, Returning Rapids Project, writes, “Recently I found myself looking up the definitions for “cubic feet per second” and “acre feet.” Cubic Feet Per Second (cfs) – a means to measure water in motion. Acre Foot (af) – a means to measure impounded water. When Lake Powell reservoir behind Glen Canyon Dam was full or nearly full in the 1980s and 90s, both means of water measurement could be found in Cataract Canyon. In the heart of Canyonlands National Park, Cataract Canyon starts where the Green River and Colorado River come together in a craggy and uniquely sublime landscape where sun, sandstone, and ravens dominate the 2,000-foot-deep canyon system. This 41-mile stretch of river corridor is the furthest upstream section of the Colorado River that was affected by Glen Canyon Dam’s impoundment of river water. … ” Continue reading at American Rivers.
Reclamation formally advances options to counter threat of nonnative fish in Colorado River below Glen Canyon Dam
“The Bureau of Reclamation today released a draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) that analyzes varying the timing of water released from Glen Canyon Dam to disrupt the downstream establishment of nonnative fish, primarily smallmouth bass. This document supplements the 2016 Glen Canyon Dam Long-Term Experimental and Management Plan (LTEMP) Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) and Record of Decision. Glen Canyon Dam impounds Lake Powell, the largest storage unit of the Colorado River Storage Project. The proposed updates to the 2016 LTEMP FEIS are in response to increasing numbers of warmwater predatory fish below Glen Canyon Dam, which can prey on native fish threatened under the Endangered Species Act. As Lake Powell’s elevation has declined, the epilimnion (the warmest, top-most layer of the reservoir), where these nonnative, warmwater predators reside, has become closer to the dam’s water intakes. As a result, warmwater predatory fish are more likely to pass through the dam into the Colorado River. … ” Read more from the Bureau of Reclamation.
Colorado’s snowpack inching closer to average after slow start to snow season
“Colorado’s snowpack is inching closer and closer to average after a slow start to the season. As of Feb. 6, the statewide snowpack average climbed to 91%. That’s up from just 68% of the average reported back in January. The start of the year came with some of the lowest early January snowpack levels in history. Extended periods of heavy mountain snow in mid to late January gave a big boost to those snowpack levels, especially in the Northern mountains. The Yampa & White, North Platte, South Platte, Upper Colorado, and Gunnison basins have now all climbed into the 90th percentile or higher. The Upper Colorado River basin is currently at 100% of average. … ” Read more from CBS Colorado.
In national water news today …
Federal swings in water regulations dramatically changed policy for energy projects
“The 1972 Clean Water Act protects the “waters of the United States” but does not precisely define which of the 3 million US stream miles and 120 million acres of US wetlands this phrase covers. Instead, presidential administrations and the Supreme Court have used qualitative language to describe what constitutes the “waters of the United States,” then the Army Corps of Engineers determines whether the Clean Water Act regulates individual sites on a case-by-case basis. As a result, the exact coverage of the Clean Water Act rules is a moving target. … ” Read more from Energy Atlas.
Insurers race to study wildfires as losses mount
“A small engineering team at a cavernous lab in South Carolina spends its days setting buildings, fences and bushes on fire — and studying what happens next. The research is for the U.S. insurance industry, which has suffered historic losses over the last decade in blazes that have leveled entire communities. The industry in response has tapped the scientists to investigate how wildfires spread through urban areas, a field of study that has taken on greater importance as climate change fuels bigger and more destructive wildfires. “The impact that it’s having on our communities is the likes of which we have never seen in past decades,” said Anne Cope, who leads the team of engineers at the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety, an industry-backed nonprofit. “We have to put a stop to it.” … ” Read more from E&E News.
January was the warmest on record after world’s hottest year in 2023
“Last month was the hottest January on record, with global temperatures 1.66C above the average during pre-industrial times, according to a monthly report by Europe’s Earth observation agency Copernicus. It was the eighth consecutive month with record-high monthly temperatures, according to the report. Global temperatures over the past 12 months were the highest ever recorded — 1.52C above the average between 1850 and 1900. “Rapid reductions in greenhouse gas emissions are the only way to stop global temperatures increasing,” Samantha Burgess, deputy director of the Copernicus Climate Change Service, said in a statement. Thermometer readings were well above the average of the past three decades in southern Europe, eastern Canada, northwestern Africa, the Middle East and Central Asia. … ” Read more from Bloomberg.
