In California water news this weekend …
California faces renewed ‘significant flooding risk’ as more atmospheric river storms loom next week
“As California finally gets a sunny weekend to wring out and clean up from record rainfall and deadly storms earlier this week, long-range weather forecasts show a renewed flooding threat as the weather pattern reverts later this week. California will remain on a break from the weather through the work week, but a series of atmospheric river storms are lining up once again to push through the Golden State starting next weekend and possibly lingering into the following week. Each storm could bring heavy rain and high winds to California, with heavy snow at higher elevations between Feb. 17-21, according to NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center. … ” Read more from Yahoo News.
California’s flood defenses held this time, but they are weakening
“Los Angeles averted a flooding disaster during torrential rains this past week, thanks to an elaborate system of bulwarks that drivers hardly notice as they speed down freeways and course through canyons. It seldom rains in Southern California, but when it does, history has shown that the result can be deadly. A 1938 Los Angeles flood killed more than 100 people and destroyed more than 5,000 buildings. So engineers have created reservoirs and debris basins to capture the water, mud and boulders that can come tumbling down the 10,000-foot San Gabriel Mountains, and have encased streams and rivers in concrete to quickly carry raging waters out to the Pacific Ocean. This system is showing its age and wear, and engineers and other experts are warning that it could crack as storms become more extreme as a result of a changing climate. “The infrastructure is optimized to move water quickly to the ocean, and it did its job,” said Brett Sanders, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at the University of California, Irvine. “But had we had another storm right after that, we might have gotten close to the limits of that system.” … ” Read the full story at the Wall Street Journal (gift article).
SEE ALSO: L.A. staved off disaster this time. When will our luck run out as extreme weather worsens?, from the LA Times
La Niña on the horizon? California’s wild weather year could get even weirder
“Storm-soaked California is still in the clutches of a wet El Niño winter, but in an unexpected plot twist, La Niña could be hot on its heels. The El Niño-La Niña Southern Oscillation, or ENSO, is a climate pattern in the tropical Pacific that can influence weather worldwide and across the Golden State, although its outcomes are never guaranteed. Typically, El Niño is associated with warm, wet winters in Southern California, while La Niña is associated with cooler and drier conditions. So far this year, El Niño has delivered on that promise. The pattern intensified in recent months, becoming what is now believed to be the fifth-strongest El Niño on record, according to an advisory the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration issued this week. … ” Read more from the LA Times. | Read via AOL News.
Despite historic rains, the west’s “snow drought” spells trouble for wineries
“Despite widespread flooding, mudslides and other catastrophic damage from the back-to-back atmospheric rivers that have been pummeling California this past week, water managers are still ringing alarm bells over the lack of snowpack in the Sierra Nevada, a critical water source for the state. As of Thursday, the Golden State’s snowpack stood at 75% of average for the date. California, however, is far from alone in its snow woes. The entire American West has been plagued by unseasonably warm temperatures and rain that melts snow, compounding what the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has been referring to as a “snow drought.” The repercussions will stretch far beyond mountain ski slopes down to the region’s vineyards. Here’s how. … ” Read more from Wine Enthusiast.
Physics to fish: Habitat restoration for native fish populations in California’s Central Valley
“The Central Valley Project is a complex network of dams, reservoirs, canals, hydroelectric powerplants and other facilities that extends 400 miles across central California. It reduces flood risk for the Central Valley and supplies water to major urban centers in the Greater Sacramento and San Francisco Bay area. The Central Valley Project has an ongoing need for scientific improvements in adaptive management. The cooperative project between BOR and USGS aims to provide the necessary scientific information to evaluate the effectiveness of current and future adaptive management actions. The overarching goal is to enhance the scientific basis for more flexible CVP operations that ensure water-supply reliability, while also protecting native fish species such as the federally endangered Delta smelt, endemic to the San Francisco Estuary. … ” Read more from the USGS.
Where does CDFW experiment with the delta smelt population stand?
“Q: What’s the latest on CDFW’s experiment with the Delta smelt population? A: CDFW continues to work alongside several partner agencies to learn more about the decline of Delta smelt and what might be possible to aid in the survival of the endangered species. The Delta Smelt Experimental Release Study involves releasing 90,000 laboratory-raised fish into the Delta this season to determine which methods prove the most effective at production, tagging, transport and release of the fish into the wild. Learning which plan works best could someday help to supplement the population with a goal of aiding in the recovery of the species. … ” Read more from Noozhawk.
California Farm Water Coalition submits comments on Sacramento/Delta update to Bay Delta Plan
Executive Director Mike Wade writes, “I am writing on behalf of the members of the California Farm Water Coalition (Coalition) to express our support for the alternative proposal, the “Agreements to Support Healthy Rivers and Landscapes,” to the SWRCB staff recommendation for unimpaired flows. This alternative is a more promising avenue for achieving a balanced and sustainable water management strategy for California. First, we support the emphasis on collaboration over regulation in these agreements. Unlike the more rigid mandates proposed by the Board’s staff, these agreements encourage stakeholders to work together, fostering shared responsibility. This approach promotes inclusivity and cooperation, providing a platform for finding solutions that meet both environmental needs and the requirements of the agricultural sector. Second, the focus on innovation and investment in water infrastructure is noteworthy. … ” Read more from the California Farm Water Coalition.
The hidden threat from rising coastal groundwater
“When people think about sea level rise, many picture scenarios like flooded coastlines in Florida or Bangladesh, and beachfront homes succumbing to erosion on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. But some of the most significant threats to our communities are going unnoticed, underground. The ocean is in direct contact with coastal groundwater. If you’ve ever built a sandcastle on the beach, digging a moat that fills with water from below, you’ve experienced this firsthand. As sea level rises, coastal groundwater levels rise too. Cities have a crucial network of underground infrastructure, including water pipes, sewer systems, stormwater drains, electrical and fiber-optic lines and support structures for roadways and buildings. As coastal groundwater rises in our urban areas, it can flood this subterranean network. Often, that water is salty and corrosive. … ” Read more from Knowable Magazine.
California sea otters nearly went extinct. Now they’re rescuing their coastal habitat
“The California sea otter, once hunted to the edge of extinction, has staged a thrilling comeback in the last century. Now, a team of scientists has discovered that the otters’ success story has led to something just as remarkable: the restoration of their declining coastal marsh habitat. “To me, it’s quite an optimistic message,” says Christine Angelini, a coastal ecologist at the University of Florida and one of the authors of the study published in the journal Nature. It’s a demonstration, she says, “that the conservation of a top predator can really enhance the health and the resilience of a system that’s otherwise under a large portfolio of stress.” … ” Read more from Capital Public Radio.
California introduces rule to end fracking in the state
“The California Conservation Department on Friday released a proposed to stop issuing permits for well stimulation treatments, commonly known as fracking, in the state. “This regulatory proposal aims to protect life; property; public health and safety; and environmental quality, including mitigating greenhouse emissions associated with the development of hydrocarbon resources by prohibiting new permits to conduct WST across California’s oil and gas sector,” the department’s Geologic Energy Management Division said in a statement. Most fracking operations in California are carried out in oil fields in Kern County in the state’s Central Valley, where more than 2,200 have been permitted, according to the state. About 12% of oil and 17% natural gas extracted in the state comes from wells that have undergone fracking at some point. … ” Read more from the Courthouse News Service.
New film profiles immediate actions to restore California’s wildfire-vulnerable forests
“The new film “California’s Watershed Healing” documents the huge benefits that result from restoring forests to healthier densities. UC Merced’s Sierra Nevada Research Institute partnered with the nonprofit Chronicles Group to tell the story of these efforts, the science behind them, and pathways that dedicated individuals and groups are pioneering to scale up these urgent climate solutions. “California’s forests are at a tipping point, owing to both climate stress and past unsustainable management practices that suppressed wildfires and prioritized timber harvesting,” explained UC Merced Professor Roger Bales, who was involved in developing the film. Covering over 30 million acres – nearly a third of the state – these iconic ecosystems provide water, recreation, habitat, carbon storage and serve other needs. But they now contain too many trees, packed too closely together. … ” Read more from UC Merced.
In commentary this weekend …
Here’s why nobody can accurately predict the weather in California
“Harris K. Telemacher was a Los Angeles TV weathercaster with an ocean of knowledge — he had a doctorate in humanities and quoted Shakespeare — but no real meteorological training. So, assuming California weather was predictable, he taped his televised forecasts weeks in advance. This worked until an unexpected Pacific storm deluged Southern California during one of his pre-recorded forecasts. Telemacher also was a fictional character invented by Steve Martin in the film “L.A. Story.” But the fake forecaster embodied a real-life cliché that needs retiring. California weather has never been as predictable as a TV weathercaster gag — especially when it comes to the rain and snow of Golden State winters like this one. … ” Continue reading at the San Francisco Chronicle.
In people news this weekend …
Promotions, passings, profiles – submit people news items to maven@mavensnotebook.com.
DR. DANIEL SWAIN: The weather man
The moment Daniel Swain wakes up, he gets whipped about by hurricane-force winds. “A Category 5, literally overnight, hits Acapulco,” says the 34-year-old climate scientist and self-described weather geek, who gets battered daily by the onslaught of catastrophic weather headlines: wildfires, megafloods, haboobs (an intense dust storm), atmospheric rivers, bomb cyclones. Everyone’s asking: Did climate change cause these disasters? And, more and more, they want Swain to answer. Swain, PhD ’16, rolls over in bed in Boulder, Colo., and checks his cell phone for emails. Then, retainer still in his mouth, he calls back the first reporter of the day. It’s October 25, and Isabella Kwai at the New York Times wants to know whether climate change is responsible for the record-breaking speed and ferocity of Hurricane Otis, which rapidly intensified and made landfall in Acapulco as the eastern Pacific’s strongest hurricane on record. … ” Continue reading at Stanford Magazine.
Podcasts …
WE GROW CALIFORNIA: All about the Pineapple Express
It’s February 2024 and the atmospheric rivers are upon us! Chris White, Executive Director of the San Joaquin River Water Authority Exchange Contractors joins Darcy and Darcy in the studio and discusses the current atmospheric river conditions, California reservoir management, and a preview of the ECPAC member meeting presentation on February 28th. To reserve your spot at the meeting, visit us online. Reservations are required.
FISH WATER PEOPLE: Science’s role in the story of recovery, with Stephanie Carlson & Gabe Rossi
Life history diversity in salmon and trout populations is crucial to building resilience – especially in a rapidly changing environment. But what is life history diversity all about? And how can scientific research leave the lab and inform actual on-the-ground recovery actions? We talk with UC Berkeley and CalTrout collaborators Stephanie Carlson, Ph.D., and Gabe Rossi about science’s role in the story of recovery and restoration as an action to unlock life history diversities for fish. You can think of salmon life history diversity like a financial portfolio: a diverse portfolio will be much more resilient to the changes happening around it than one with all the same assets. We zoom in to the Eel River where salmon have faced incredible adversity and yet are still showing up, and we explore applied science, CalTrout and UC Berkeley’s collaboration in the watershed, and optimism for a return to abundance. Darren Mierau, CalTrout’s North Coast Regional Director, also joins the conversation to discuss his team’s work in the Eel River watershed with Cal Poly Humboldt to understand non-native pikeminnow as a threat to salmonids and the team’s efforts to suppress this non-native predator population. When the academic world joins forces with entities like CalTrout that are enacting restoration projects, we can have a real chance for recovery of these fish species hovering on the brink.
TERRA VERDE: On the Trail of California’s Hazardous Waste
Contractors load contaminated soil into trailers as part of a restoration project in Barstow, CA. California exports nearly half of its hazardous waste, much of it soil, to neighboring states. Photo courtesy of the Defense Visual Information Distribution Service. When it comes to hazardous waste, California has some of the strictest rules in the country. Specifically, the state has set lower bar than most for what exactly it considers hazardous, triggering greater precautions around in-state disposal. But that doesn’t mean California is always disposing of toxic materials more carefully than its neighbors. That’s because nearly half of the the Golden State’s hazardous waste is disposed of across state lines, much of it is contaminated soil. CalMatters investigative reporter Robert Lewis joins Terra Verde host and Earth Island Journal managing editor Zoe Loftus-Farren to discuss his long-term investigation into California’s hazardous waste rules, how they are impacting communities both inside and outside state, and where we might go from here.
WATER IS A MANY SPLENDOR’ED THING PODCAST: Water is Just Too Cheap
One thing that is probably true across the board is people do not really know how important water is in their lives. When was the last time you asked yourself how you can reduce your water consumption or how are you going to encourage fixing all those leaky city water pipes? Water is a Many Splendor ’ed Thing brings you another water relationship that has a personally significant impact to your life. Produced by Steven Baker, Bringing People Together to Solve Water Problems, water@operationunite.co 530-205-6388
RIPPLE EFFECT: Watershed improvements for carbon credits
Alex Johnson, Chief Strategic Officer for Virridy, walks us through this Company’s unique, and very innovative, platform to merge monitoring water quality improvements with selling carbon credits on the voluntary carbon market. Hint – treating water is energy intensive and reducing the need for treatment results in real verifiable carbon reductions. Absolutely fascinating discussion!
Sunday fun …
Salton Sea Board game puts players in the position of geothermal developers
Here’s a new addition to your game night! The Salton Sea is a new board game where players are in the role of geothermal developers, working to create the most efficient geothermal company.
From the website: “In this area of intense geothermal activity, you will drill the ground and extract the steam and hot water to obtain lithium and sell it as part of a modern industry, far from fossil fuels, that will allow you to lead the energy transition towards a completely renewable future. … During the game, players must manage their geothermal lithium extraction companies to obtain the greatest number of points. The extraction of this material and its subsequent processing will be the driving force of your companies. … The game will reward you for exhausted land, executed contracts, short-term objectives, company development, or research advances. Will you master the power of the Salton Sea to create the most efficient geothermal company?”
This isn’t your parent’s Monopoly game. Or Parchesi or Risk, either. A bargain at $39.99! Check it out at Devir Games.
In regional water news this weekend …
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
Tahoe’s snowpack: ‘disappointing,’ but not a concern
“Experts say it’s a disappointing start to the year for Tahoe’s snowpack, but not a concern given last year’s heavy winter. Plus, there’s still time for mother nature to boost the numbers. Thursday’s snowpack reading at Mount Rose’s SNOTEL site revealed a 67 inch deep snowpack. If you melted that snow, Hydrologist Jeff Anderson with the Natural Resources Conservation Service says it would produce about 16.3 inches of water. This is about 60% of a normal snowpack. About 9% of that accumulated since Feb. 1. … ” Read more from the Tahoe Daily Tribune.
BAY AREA
Lawmakers propose measure they believe would save Bay from future flooding
“Lawmakers want Californians to have the chance to vote on a new measure they believe would save the Bay from future flooding. On Friday, lawmakers and climate advocates on the Peninsula proposed a vote to help protect people, homes and businesses near the water. “Low-lying communities are all at risk but the impacts of sea level rise will soon be felt by all residents of the Bay Area,” said Assemblymemebr Damon Connolly. Specifically, they’re pushing for a $16 billion climate resiliency bond. … ” Read more from NBC Bay Area.
Marin environmental restoration projects allocated $1.4M
“Two projects designed to restore more than 5 acres of coastal wetlands and upland habitat in Marin County are set to receive nearly $1.4 million in grant funding. One project addresses a historic lagoon in Tomales Bay, while the other involves Corte Madera Creek, a San Francisco Bay tributary. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced the allocation last week under the National Coastal Wetlands Conservation grant program. The California State Coastal Conservancy will administer the grants. “This grant program has been a great source of funding for a long time,” said Joel Gerwein, a regional manager for the conservancy. “Both projects have so many partners, including the community, county and federal agencies, which is a really nice feature where everyone is coming together to make things happen.” … ” Read more from the Marin Independent Journal.
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
Department of Water Resources approves Tracy subbasin Groundwater Sustainability Plan
“The San Joaquin County Public Works Department announced today that the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) approved the Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP) for the Tracy Subbasin. This approval is a significant step toward ensuring state mandated regional groundwater sustainability by the year 2040 per the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA). The GSP includes measurable objectives and milestones in five-year increments to achieve long-term groundwater sustainability. … ” Read more from the County of San Joaquin.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Climate change turns an idyllic California community into a ‘perilous paradise’
“The clouds have parted after torrential downpours soaked southern California. It’s the third-wettest two-day period Los Angeles has ever seen since records began. And those totals aren’t even close to the more than 14 inches that fell on a western Los Angeles County neighborhood called Topanga. The community of about 8,000 people had to deal with flooding, mudslides and evacuation orders. It was thanks to a dangerous combination of a slow-moving atmospheric river, a bomb cyclone and El Niño. … ” Read more from NPR.
San Clemente City officials working nonstop to resume shoreline project, mayor says
“San Clemente Mayor Victor Cabral updated the public about the postponed San Clemente Shoreline Project at the City Council’s meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 6, in lieu of an appearance from officials from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The project has been delayed since mid-January, when Manson Construction informed the USACE and the city that it would move its equipment and personnel to a project in Solana Beach amid difficulties accessing beach-quality sand at a borrow site near Oceanside. Cabral reiterated that the City of San Clemente is not part of the agreement between the project contractor, Manson Construction, and USACE, meaning that the city can’t provide direct advice or input on the project. … ” Read more from the Capistrano Dispatch.
SAN DIEGO
King tides are hitting San Diego’s beaches for the last time this winter
“Higher-than-normal tides are hitting San Diego’s coasts once again, but this round is expected to be the last of the winter season, according to NBC 7 meteorologists. King tides — the phenomenon that describes what are typically some of the highest tides of the year — are happening now and will continue on Friday and Saturday. Thursday morning had a high tide of around 7 feet combined with waves of 6 to 8 feet. Friday morning’s tide will also be around the same height, but because the size of the surf is dropping, there is less risk of coastal flooding, NBC 7 meteorologist Greg Bledsoe explained. San Diego beaches already saw two complete rounds of king tides this winter, one in December 2023 and one in January. Here’s what to know … ” Read more from NBC Channel 7.
Does San Diego need a water quality tax to help with flood prevention?
“After several recent rainstorms, a local politician plans to revive a proposed water quality tax to pay for flood prevention and anti-pollution efforts. San Diego Council President Sean Elo-Rivera said a tax is necessary to pay for updating the city’s outdated 20th century stormwater system. It isn’t out of the ordinary for this type of tax. Los Angeles County voters approved a water quality tax in 2018 that is raising $285 million a year. Exact proposed tax rates are not yet available. … ” Read more from the San Diego Union-Tribune.
Along the Colorado River …
Long-term Colorado River rescue plan at an impasse? It’s north vs. south in the West
“Will seven Western states be able to rapidly craft a voluntary plan to keep the Colorado River afloat for decades to come? It’s increasingly unclear, as negotiations have foundered between two sides, according to key players. There are sharp differences between northern and southern states’ proposals, with representatives of the mountainous Upper Basin states of Colorado and New Mexico unwilling, to date, to shoulder large future cuts, both because of historic underuse of their share of the river and because of heavily populated California and Arizona’s historic overuse. The southwestern states have for years taken twice as much as their northern neighbors. Upper Basin officials, including Colorado’s plainspoken river commissioner, Becky Mitchell, said they have been informed of a proposal under discussion by California, Arizona and Nevada, collectively known as the Lower Basin, where the Lower Basin and Mexico would agree to take 1.5 million acre-feet of water less from the shrinking river each year. Mitchell said far more details are needed. … ” Continue reading at the Desert Sun.
In $100 million Colorado River deal, water and power collide
“Colorado’s Glenwood Canyon is as busy as it is majestic. At the base of its snowy, near-vertical walls, the narrow chasm hums with life. On one side, the Colorado River tumbles through whitewater rapids. On the other, cars and trucks whoosh by on a busy interstate. Pinched in the middle of it all is the Shoshone Generating Station. “It is a nondescript brown building off of I-70 that most people don’t notice when they’re driving,” said Amy Moyer, director of strategic partnerships at the Colorado River District. “But if you are in the water world, it holds the key for one of the most interesting and important water rights on the Colorado River.” … ” Read more from KUNC.
A future with certainty: Colorado River commissioner speaks on tough road ahead for post-2026 negotiations
“Rebecca Mitchell, Colorado’s Upper Colorado River commissioner, spoke to a sold-out crowd at the Colorado Water Congress’s Annual Convention in Aurora, Colo., recently. She shared an update on the state’s negotiation positioning, and the reality of difficult roads ahead, as the states and Tribal Nations work to find sustainable solutions for 40 million people who rely on the Colorado River in the arid southwest. “Change is coming to the Colorado River and because it is, I can’t emphasize enough how much the Post-2026 negotiations matter,” Commissioner Mitchell said in her speech. “Whether you are in the Upper Basin, Lower Basin, Mexico, or a member of one of the 30 Tribal Nations, we all deserve a future with certainty and security in our water supply, without that being jeopardized by constant crisis management.” … ” Read more from the Fence Post.
Colorado River managers propose plan to protect Grand Canyon fish, but some say it’s not enough
“Federal water managers proposed a new plan to protect native fish species in the Grand Canyon, but conservation groups say it doesn’t go far enough. Water levels in Lake Powell, the nation’s second-largest reservoir, have been dropping to historic lows as the region struggles to rein in demand in response to dry conditions fueled by climate change. Those low water levels have allowed non-native fish to pass through the Glen Canyon Dam, which holds back Lake Powell, and eat native fish that live on the other side, in the portion of the Colorado River that runs through the Grand Canyon. … ” Read more from KUNC.
Colorado snowpack has rebounded, but it’s too early to promise a water win for rivers and reservoirs
“Colorado’s winter got off to a slow start, but snowpack levels have finally started to rebound to normal levels across the state. Statewide, snow accumulation across Colorado is about 98 percent of normal levels, data from the federal government’s SNOTEL network retrieved on Feb. 9 show. Zooming in, sensors in each of the state’s major river basins report snow accumulations that are close to the long-term average, which is based on snowpack levels recorded from 1991 to 2020. This is a major improvement from just weeks ago and welcome news for water planners: Colorado snowpack is a vital water storage system, a reservoir that melts into liquid in the spring and supplies water used across the state. That mountain runoff also supplies most of the water that flows into the Colorado River to 40 million people across the West. … ” Continue reading at Colorado Public Radio.
In national water news this weekend …
New York City is considering a laundry pods crackdown
“New York City is considering limiting the types of laundry and dishwashing detergents available in the five boroughs. City Council Member James Gennaro, a Democrat, introduced a bill on Thursday that would make it illegal to sell or distribute detergent pods or laundry sheets that contain polyvinyl alcohol, also known as PVA or PVOH. If approved, the bill would take effect on Jan. 1, 2026. “The introduction of this bill is a clarion call to rally the scientific community, to to help out in this public policy question about what do we do about the fate of PVA’s,” Gennaro told Bloomberg Green. “I have a lot of concerns about what this does to aquatic ecosystems.” … ” Read more from Bloomberg.
How do you stop a glacier from melting? Put up an underwater curtain.
“Scientists are working on an unusual plan to prevent Antarctic glaciers from melting. They want to build a set of giant underwater curtains in front of ice sheets to protect them from being eroded by warm sea water. Ice in polar regions is now disappearing at record rates as global warming intensifies, and urgent action is needed to slow down this loss, the international group of scientists has warned. Their proposed solution is the construction of a 62-mile-long (100 km) curtain that would be moored to the bed of the Amundsen Sea. It would rise by about 656 feet (200 meters) from the ocean floor and would partially restrict the inflow of relatively warm water that laps at the bases of coastal Antarctic glaciers and undermines them. … ” Read more from Grist.
