On the calendar today …
- HYBRID MEETING: SAFER Drinking Water Program from 9:30 am to 5pm. The SAFER Advisory Group will hold its first meeting of 2024. The meeting will onboard new members, give an overview of team member roles, and introduce members to available resources and support. There also will be an opportunity for members to get to know each other and meet State Water Board staff. Click here for the notice and remote access instructions.
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MEETING: Environmental Flows Workgroup beginning at 10am. Click here for more information.
- MEETING: State Board of Food and Ag from 12pm to 2pm. Agenda items focus on the Specialty Crop Competitiveness Initiative. Click here for the full agenda and remote access instructions.
In California water news today …
Wet weather on tap: Three new storms are heading toward the Bay Area
“Shorts? Sunglasses? Sunscreen? Put them away. It’s time for the raincoat again. Just when the Bay Area was getting used to sunshine and dry days, another week of wet weather is on the horizon. Three separate storm systems will roll into Northern California starting Wednesday, bringing rain nearly every day until the following Wednesday, forecasters said Monday. The storms won’t be as big or as rough as during the last system, which peaked Feb. 4, causing havoc in Southern California, dumping 5 feet of snow on the Sierra, triggering power outages across the state and prompting flood warnings on the Guadalupe River near downtown San Jose. “It’s not on the level of what we saw the weekend before last, but there are still good amounts of rain that will be coming our way,” said Brayden Murdock, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Monterey. “It will be prolonged rain. And it eventually will add up to being a good amount.” … ” Read more from the San Jose Mercury News.
Striking satellite photos show California snow replenished by recent storms
“Two “Pineapple Express” atmospheric river storms hit California within a week, delivering significant precipitation across the West Coast. New satellite photos show the impact these storms had on California’s flagging snowpack. The image below from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration shows the Sierra Nevada mountain range on Jan. 29 (left) and Feb. 11 (right). On Jan. 29, the Sierras were in the throes of a protracted snow drought. In the Northern Sierra, the snowpack was at 61% of its historical level on Jan. 29. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
Atmospheric rivers boosts California’s hydropower supplies
“A pair of atmospheric rivers that drenched California in recent weeks will bolster the state’s hydropower systems by filling reservoirs and building up snowpack levels after a prolong drought cut supply, the state’s Department of Water Resources (DWR) data showed. As of Saturday, the state’s reservoir storage was at 118% of its historical average, according to the DWR. In northern California, Lake Oroville, its largest reservoir, was at 78% capacity. historical average as a result of the storms akin to rivers in the sky that dump massive amounts of rain, opens new tab, which occurred between Feb. 4 and Feb. 7. That represented a hike of more than 20% from Jan. 30. … ” Read more from Reuters.
Atmospheric rivers have major economic and infrastructure impacts
“Earlier this month, a classic atmospheric river fueled by El Niño resulted in historic rainfall levels across California. During the peak of the event, the Weather Prediction Center issued an unusual “high risk of excessive rainfall” for more than 16 million people across Southern California; strong winds knocked out power to more than 300,000 people, and three deaths were reported as a result of fallen trees as hundreds of mudslides ruined homes, businesses and roadways. These once-unfamiliar storms have become as familiar as hurricanes and tornadoes in recent years, bringing real economic hardships to the communities impacted. … ” Read more from Forbes.
A tempest of trouble: Atmospheric rivers and California’s flood insurance crisis
Mahnoor Jehangir writes, “As I stand here on the soaked Californian soil, gazing at the swollen rivers and flooded homes, I can’t help but marvel at the sheer power of the atmospheric rivers. These vast corridors of water vapor, transporting up to 8 trillion gallons of rain to the Golden State, have the potential to both quench and destroy. After a record-breaking warm January, the arrival of two atmospheric rivers in early February brought much-needed snow to the Sierra Nevada. Yet, these storms, accompanied by hurricane-force winds, have also left a trail of devastation in their wake. … ” Read more from BNN Breaking.
Flood damage raises alarms about California’s next ‘disaster insurance gap’
“Dakota Rivas was getting out of the shower the evening of Jan. 4 when she heard a dull roar behind the home her family rents in West Hills. A fast-moving mudslide had begun on the rocky hill behind the property, overwhelming a clogged drain, backing up against the house and tearing across the yard where her children and dogs play. “It sounded like thunder or something big rolling,” the 32-year-old said, surveying the damage after the rain finally stopped last week. “I went to go check what it was and saw a bunch of mud and water flowing into our driveway.” … For many Southern Californians, this is the new normal. Homes once prized for hillside views and apartment complexes on low-lying urban streets alike are increasingly under threat from severe flooding, mudslides and heavy winds. Wildfires and earthquakes have long been the focus of concern, but the consequences of wet storms are only now beginning to generate similar levels of alarm. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
Train carrying over 100 tons of coal derails, spills into Northern California’s Feather River
“A Union Pacific train carrying 118 tons of coal derailed Sunday due to a track defect and dumped its contents into and around Plumas County’s Feather River, according to railroad officials and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Fifteen rail cars chugging west on tracks parallel to the Middle Fork Feather River in Blairsden derailed, spilling the coal into the river. At least 14 rail cars tipped over or sustained damage, Fish and Wildlife officials said. At least one rail car fell into the water. “Several cars lost the total payload and some cars partially released,” the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services said in a report detailing the incident. … ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee.
Science spotlight: Managing a Cyanobacteria Harmful Algae Bloom “hotspot” in the Upper San Francisco Estuary
“At the January meeting of the Delta Stewardship Council, interim Delta Lead Scientist Dr. Lisamarie Windham-Myers highlighted recent research on Harmful Algal Blooms, and highlighted upcoming Delta science events. This month’s article spotlight focuses on research funded by the Delta Science Program on the harmful algal blooms in 2022, a uniquely bad year for the toxic menace. The research, led by Ellen Preece, focused on how nutrient loading affected cyanobacteria harmful algae blooms (CHABs) in the Deep Water Ship Channel and the Stockton waterfront area in the summer of 2022 and considered four categories of management actions to mitigate the occurrence and impact of the blooms. … ” Continue reading at Maven’s Notebook.
Research shows that wildfires can have major impacts on snowpack
“Winter snowpacks are an important source of water in the West, and their size can impact fire seasons. But researchers are finding that wildfires themselves can impact snowpack. Bright, white fresh snow has a high albedo, meaning it reflects much of the sun’s light. But wildfires, which are increasing in size and frequency, can substantially reduce the reflective power of snow for years. Blazes can also burn off the tree canopy, exposing snow to more sun. “Following a fire, snow disappears four to 23 days earlier and melt rates increase by up to 57%,” reads the opening of a 2022 paper that University of Nevada Reno geography professor Anne Nolin co-authored. A 2023 paper she also co-authored looked at burns in California and had similar findings. … ” Read more from Aspen Public Radio.
Years after a Newsom order, California is finally set to ban oil and gas fracking
“Nearly three years after Gov. Gavin Newsom directed it, California’s oil and gas industry regulator kickstarted a process to outright ban hydraulic fracturing, the fossil fuel extraction method known as ‘fracking.’ Fracking permits have not been issued in the state since 2021, but environmentalists celebrated the move as a win in the fight against climate change. Oil industry groups called it yet another example of regulatory overreach and argued it could lead to higher oil prices. Late last week, the Geologic Energy Management Division (CalGEM) said in a draft rule that it will officially cease to approve hydraulic fracturing permits on California oil and gas wells. … ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee.
Seven conservation lessons I learned in government work
Andrew L. Rypel writes, “Before joining the faculty at UC Davis, I spent the previous five years as a research scientist at the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources in Madison, Wisconsin. Apparently this experience is somewhat rare among academics. A peer even once described me as “approximating a unicorn”, which I’m still not sure is a good thing or a bad thing! Ultimately, the experience of having lived in both spheres has provided useful perspectives, particularly on the anatomy of successful conservation efforts. So, I’d like to share with you a set of lessons I took from my government work. … ” Read more from the California Water Blog.
Dan Walters: Will cataloging California’s top policy issues inspire politicians to think long term?
“California’s public policy issues tend to stretch across multiple years or even decades, while the attention spans of politicians are abbreviated by election cycles and term limits. The short-term mentality of governors and legislators undermines the continuity that’s needed to deal with long-term issues. Many examples of the syndrome exist but a classic is a project that has been kicking around in one form or another, with multiple name changes, for at least six decades – moving water from the Sacramento River around, through or under the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta to the head of the California Aqueduct. It was touted as the last major link in the state’s water system, and originally it was to be a 43-mile-long “peripheral canal” around the Delta when first proposed in the 1960s. … ” Read more from Cal Matters.
In commentary today …
A smart alternative: Agreements to support healthy rivers & landscape
Jennifer Pierre, General Manager of the State Water Contractors, and Tom McCarthy, General Manager of the Kern County Water Agency, write, “The Central Valley, and Kern County specifically, is a cornerstone of California’s thriving economy. One of the top oil and agriculture-producing counties in the nation, Kern’s success depends on reliable, affordable water supplies. The State Water Project (SWP) — an engineering feat that relies on the Sacramento San-Joaquin Delta (Delta) and delivers high-quality water to 27 million homes and businesses and irrigates 750,000 acres of farmland annually — supplements Kern River supplies, provides water for groundwater recharge and banking, and helps to mitigate the impacts of recurring droughts and groundwater overdraft in Kern County. If the State Water Project service area were its own nation, it would rank as the world’s eighth largest economy. Yet, for decades, flows to and from the Delta have been rigidly managed based on outdated science and with limited success. Important species have continued to decline and water supply reliability has not improved. … ” Read more at Water Wrights.
As storms dump rain on California, most goes to the sea. Why?
Kenneth Schrupp writes, “Thanks to a second year of torrential rains, California has already passed its annual rainfall average. But with decades-long shortfalls in water storage expansion, most of that water is going right to the sea, leaving the state ill-prepared for the next drought in the typical drought-storm cycle that has long-defined the state’s climate. California experienced 31 atmospheric rivers during the 2022-2023 October-March rainy season, leaving the state drought-free for the first time in three years. As a result of the drought’s end, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power finally ended its 13-month water restrictions limiting outdoor watering to just two times per week. Despite the drought’s official end, everyday Californians have continued to curtail their water consumption, with CalMatters reporting a 6% decline in urban water use since July 2021. … ” Read more from the Mountain Democrat.
The Fish and Wildlife Service should go back to drawing board on the Longfin Smelt listing
Paul S. Weiland writes, “Over the past decade and a half, a persistent collection of petitioners has pressed the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) to list the Bay-Delta population of longfin smelt under the federal Endangered Species Act (ESA). The longfin smelt spawns in freshwater tributaries that feed the Bay, including lower portions of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Rivers Delta. Although the scarcity of longfin smelt in surveys that record pelagic fishes in the Bay and Delta is readily explained — the surveys poorly sample the habitats of longfin smelt during its two-year rearing period and do not at all sample its spawning habitat — data from those surveys have been used to support the notion that the longfin smelt population is greatly imperiled and may be verging toward extinction. Other data and analyses undercut this notion. Nonetheless, in October 2022, the Service proposed listing the Bay-Delta population of longfin smelt as an endangered species in response to litigation pressuring the agency to act. … ” Read more from the Center for California Water Resources and Management.
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
Dam removal project ‘going exactly according to plan’
“The largest dam removal project in American history is still running on schedule, according to the Klamath River Renewal Corporation (KRRC). The KRRC told NewsWatch 12 the drawdown phase of the project was officially completed over the weekend. Because of this, there’s been a significant increase in sediment. “This is the accumulation of over 100 years of sediment that was not allowed to move down the river, was trapped behind the dams and basically eliminated that really important process that all healthy river systems rely on,” said Mark Bransom, CEO of the KRRC. … ” Read more from KDRV.
Citizen concerns prompt on-site meeting to hear about Klamath River dam removals
“As muddy water flows down the Klamath River after the recent breaching of three dams, the Siskiyou County, Calif., Board of Supervisors has scheduled a special meeting on Tuesday at what is now the former site of Copco Lake. The supervisors say they want to hear from concerned constituents and provide “accurate and vital” information to them. With the breaching last month of Iron Gate and Copco 1 dams in California about 25 miles southeast of Ashland and the breaching of JC Boyle Dam near Klamath Falls, sediment in reservoirs behind the dams has flowed downstream and muddied the river. It has killed fish, while muck left behind where reservoirs once stood has caused the death of at least 10 deer stuck in the muck. … ” Read more from the Herald & News.
Siskiyou County locals voice dam removals project concerns; project CEO responds
“Siskiyou County residents and the team behind the Klamath River renewal project are at odds over circumstances related to the project. In recent weeks, representatives with the county issued a press release urging residents to stay away from the Iron Gate and Copco Reservoirs because animals have been getting stuck in the muddy reservoirs and are facing danger as a result. County personnel said residents shouldn’t try to rescue the animals on their own. They warned that entering the mud can pose serious risks to one’s safety and well-being. These conditions follow reservoir drawdowns, which are part of the process to prepare for the removals of the Iron Gate and Copco 1 Dams. … ” Read more from KRCR.
Video: Eel River—Reconnecting salmon and people
“The Eel River is the third-largest watershed in California—and it once hosted one of the state’s great salmon runs, with as many as a million salmon returning annually. For a century, however, dams have blocked fish from reaching historical high-quality spawning grounds, and today it is estimated that less than 5% of the historical fish population remains in the Eel. In 2023, American Rivers named the Eel River one of the most endangered rivers in America. Removing the Eel River dams could restore access to more than 200 miles of habitat, but how will these changes affect the many communities connected to the river? Filmmaker Cameron Nielsen spoke to people on all sides of the issue in this visually arresting short documentary.” Watch video from the PPIC.
Here’s where Sonoma, Napa, Mendocino county reservoirs stand a week after bomb cyclone
“A bomb cyclone that swept through the region last week dumped over 5 inches of rain on the wettest parts of Sonoma County. As the region recovers from the storm, which one fire official said could take months, here’s a look at how the weather event helped to fill local reservoirs. … ” Read more from the Santa Rosa Press Democrat.
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
Tahoe hotels brace for busiest winter month with weather, World Cup and ski week surge
“The yearly exodus to Lake Tahoe for some Bay Area families is about to begin and hotels around the lake say they’re preparing for a particularly busy week as several factors such as weather and a World Cup event coalesce around the same time. Every February, some Bay Area schools allow students to take the entire week off following President’s Day, which falls on Feb. 19 this year. Many people take off for the mountains on the Friday before the holiday, which is often the worst day to drive to Tahoe in February. This year’s mid-winter break — colloquially called “ski week” to the chagrin of those who don’t partake in the sport — occurs at an optimal time for visiting Tahoe. There’s typically a fresh load of snow and hotels in the region say they rely on the boost in bookings. … ” Read more from SF Gate.
Nevada snowpacks: a case of the ‘haves and have nots’
“While Lake Tahoe’s snowpack is around 64% of normal, that isn’t the case for the rest of Nevada’s mountain ranges. Northern, eastern and even southern ranges have above normal snowpacks, many upwards of 130%, “It’s really a tale of the haves and have nots.” And here in the Sierras, Hydrologist Jeff Anderson says, we’re the have nots. According to the Natural Resources Conservation Service, it’s unusual for the Ruby Mountains in north eastern Nevada to have more snow than the eastern Sierras. The Feb. 12 snowpack reading in the Upper Humboldt area shows 132% compared to the 64% in Tahoe. … ” Read more from the Tahoe Daily Tribune.
NAPA/SONOMA
Windsor Water District initiates potential annexation
“At its meeting on February 7, 2024, the Windsor Water District (WWD) Board of Directors, took the first step toward the potential annexation of a portion of Sonoma Water’s Airport Larkfield Wikiup Sanitation Zone (ALWSZ). The purpose of expanding WWD’s service area via annexation would be to provide for maximum efficiency of operations for both agencies, offer a significant increase in available storage for recycled water, and gain a greater level of beneficial reuse of recycled water, thus preserving potable water for other uses. … ” Read more from ACWA’s Water News.
CENTRAL COAST
Hundreds attend Wetland restoration event in Watsonville
“More than 250 people joined city and state officials in celebrating World Wetlands Day on Feb. 3, part of the ongoing restoration of Struve Slough. Watsonville Wetlands Watch (WWW) co-hosted the annual event with a widespread planting project, music, dance performances, arts and crafts, speeches and an information blitz. The event was headed up by WWW Executive Director Jonathan Pilch. Watsonville Mayor Vanessa Quiroz-Carter, Assemblymember Robert Rivas, Sen. John Laird and a representative from Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office were in attendance. All voiced their support of being stewards of area wetlands before teams of volunteers fanned out around the slough to put young plant starters in the ground. … ” Read more from the Pajaronian.
Monterey Peninsula water lawsuit heads to appeals court
“A quasi-governmental agency has appealed a Monterey County Superior Court decision that ruled the agency overstepped its bounds when it blocked a regional water district from acquiring the local assets of California American Water Co. In January 2022, the Local Area Formation Commission, or LAFCO, denied the Monterey Peninsula Water Management District’s petition for what’s called the district’s latent powers to buy out Cal Am’s local infrastructure. Latent powers essentially refer to whether or not the water district has the financial wherewithal and expertise to acquire and operate the Cal Am system. The water district sued, alleging the behavior of several LAFCO commissioners in denying the petition was inappropriate. Monterey County Superior Court Judge Thomas Wills ruled in favor of most of the points the water district alleged. … ” Read more from the Monterey Herald.
California American Water appeals ruling on LAFCO decision
“California American Water is appealing the Superior Court’s December 11, 2023 decision to vacate a Monterey County Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) December 2021 resolution denying the Monterey Peninsula Water Management District (MPWMD) application for authorization to become a retail water supplier. This is a requirement for MPWMD to serve Monterey customers. If the Superior Court’s decision to vacate stands, the matter would potentially be sent back to LAFCO for reconsideration. LAFCO has filed a separate and similar appeal. … ” Read more from Yahoo News.
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
The resurgence of Tulare Lake: Ecological boon amid agricultural concerns
“Tulare Lake, or ‘Pa’ashi’ as it was known by the Tachi Yokut tribe, was once a prominent feature of California’s San Joaquin Valley. A sprawling expanse of water stretched over 100 miles in length and 30 miles wide, it was a vital part of the region’s landscape, serving as a navigational route for 19th-century steamships and a lifeline for the local ecosystem. However, the lake vanished in the late 1800s due to the state’s ‘reclamation’ project, a process that saw public and indigenous lands transformed into private agricultural plots, necessitating the draining of the lake for irrigation. … ” Continue reading at BNN Breaking.
MEETING NOTES: Funding for Cawelo Water District’s Poso Creek work moving forward
“David Ansolabehere, general manager of Cawelo Water District reported to the board that there are two projects in relation to repairs being made to Poso Creek that have moved on to the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (CalOES) from FEMA. CalOES is the office that will reimburse what Cawelo has spent so far on repairs. Ansolabehere said he hopes this means the district can expect funds soon. … ” Read more from SJV Water.
Tehachapi: Water district claims city did ‘short-sighted analysis’ of Sage Ranch project in latest court filing
“Tehachapi-Cummings County Water District told a judge in Sacramento County Superior Court that the city of Tehachapi approaches water supply planning with “fantasy and coercion” in a Feb. 6 court filing. The brief outlining the district’s case against the city of Tehachapi was expected and is part of a schedule outlined last November to bring the matter to a hearing before Judge Stephen Acquisto on March 22. The water district filed a petition for a writ of mandate under the California Environmental Quality Act in September 2021, following the city’s approval of the planned Sage Ranch subdivision earlier that month. The project would transform 138 acres near Tehachapi by adding 995 residential units over seven years. … ” Read more from the Tehachapi News.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
After a brief reprieve more wet weather is on the way for Southern California
“Crisp morning temperatures will make way for sunny skies across Southern California this week, but don’t stash those umbrellas and rain boots away quite yet. More wet weather is on the horizon. … Forecasters anticipate a storm system will begin showering the region with rain by Sunday. It’s not clear how much precipitation it could bring, but Wofford said early estimates show anywhere from 2 to 4 inches of rain in the valley and coastal areas. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
Groundwater University’ with site tour will dive into contamination at Santa Susana Field Lab
“Three public online meetings, and an in-person tour, are scheduled to inform the public and receive input about contaminated groundwater at Santa Susana Field Lab in the Simi Valley Hills. California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) is the regulatory agency responsible for the clean-up of the decades old contamination that includes radioactive material. Several entities own the over 2,000 acres that are subject to various clean-up plans. DTSC with The Boeing Company (Boeing), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), are hosting the meetings together. … ” Read more from the Ojai Valley News.
Southern California Water Coalition January meeting highlights urgent need for delta conveyance and community engagement
“At the January 26, 2024, Board meeting of the Southern California Water Coalition, California Natural Resources Secretary Wade Crowfoot had the opportunity to address the diverse array of 35+ Board members, including representatives from top water agencies, businesses, nonprofits, agricultural interests, and labor unions in the region. His main focus was the importance of a modernized Delta Conveyance Project. During his remarks, Secretary Crowfoot expressed Governor Newsom’s dedication to leaving the water supply in a more adaptable state. He emphasized the need to build local resilience and protect the backbone of the State Water Project. … ” Read more from the Southern California Water Coalition.
Commentary: We should work with nature, not against it, in managing the Los Angeles River’s flows
Bruce Reznik, Executive Director of LA Waterkeeper, writes, “Your article about the Los Angeles River playing an important role in reducing flood risk in the LA region during times of heavy rain was accurate (Yes, the Los Angeles River is dramatically full. But it’s just ‘doing its job’, 6 February). But the decision to line the LA River – and many of its tributary creeks and streams – with concrete to control flood risk was a 20th-century engineered approach to how urban areas should coexist with the whims of nature. In the 21st century, we know there are better ways to address concerns about both water quality and flood risk in ways that promote greater resilience and equity. Rather than sending billions of gallons of water – an increasingly precious resource in drought-prone southern California – directly out to sea when storms hit, we should lean into nature-based solutions that provide multiple benefits while managing storm-water flows. … ” Continue reading at The Guardian. … ” Read more from The Guardian.
IMPERIAL/COACHELLA VALLEYS
Groundbreaking lithium extraction plant launches in California
“Construction of the first large-scale direct lithium extraction plant in the U.S. began last month in California’s “Lithium Valley”— igniting potential to transform the Salton Sea area into a significant source of the material critical to energy transition. Controlled Thermal Resources Holdings Inc., an Australia-based company, is spearheading the $1.85 billion project to construct a fully integrated lithium and renewable power production facility on the sea’s shore in the Imperial Valley region. The Jan. 30 groundbreaking marked the construction launch of the first phase of the facility. … ” Read more from Engineering News-Record.
SAN DIEGO
The City of San Diego let wetlands take root and complains it can’t remove wetlands to prevent floods
“Wetlands, a muddy, weedy and endangered ecosystem, protect coasts from storm surge and sea-level rise. They provide habitat for countless threatened species and they clean rainwater from storms before it flows to the surf. But they also clog up channelized creeks designed to send flood water into the ocean before it destroys homes and businesses. To prevent devastating floods in the future, the city of San Diego will have to figure out how to better balance its responsibilities to protect them while protecting people and their property. It is not doing either very well. The city got a lot of heat from residents after record-breaking rain and resulting floods destroyed their homes Jan. 22. The southeastern fork of Chollas Creek topped its banks and flooded houses and apartment buildings with five feet of water in some places. … ” Read more from Voice of San Diego.
More flooding victims file claims against city of San Diego
“A series of legal claims has been filed against the city of San Diego on behalf of residents who were recently displaced by storm-related flooding, it was announced Monday. The claims allege the city failed to properly manage its stormwater infrastructure, leading to last month’s rain-induced flooding that ravaged homes and left many residents without shelter. Attorneys representing the residents said they are seeking class-action status for “hundreds of claimants” impacted by flooding, and also want the city to establish a stormwater utility in order to fund projects to address stormwater infrastructure needs. … ” Read more from NBC 7.
Sewage in Tijuana River Valley is the ‘worst it’s ever been’
“Imperial Beach Mayor Paloma Aguirre patiently talked to residents while spending some time at the foot of the city’s iconic pier, the overriding topic of conversation was the sewage problem in the nearby Tijuana River Valley. Imperial Beach, or I.B. as the locals refer to it, is the American city most impacted by the sewage that comes in from Mexico every day. A lot of this effluent ends up in the ocean, forcing the closure of California beaches in city’s like I.B. and Coronado to the north. “It’s the worst it’s ever been, it’s the border crisis nobody is talking about,” Aguirre said. … ” Read more from KRON.
Along the Colorado River …
New study demonstrates how climate and irrigation influence salinity of waters in the Upper Colorado Basin
“A newly published study from the U.S. Geological Survey explains how salinity in the Upper Colorado River Basin has changed over the past few decades and shows how climate, irrigation and flow of groundwater contribute to salinity in the watershed. The study correlates overall salinity declines in the river basin since the 1980s with a transition from wet to dry conditions. High salinity can limit water available for agriculture, drinking water, aquatic life and infrastructure, with significant impacts to the economy and human health. Salt occurs naturally in water, but salt loads are influenced by irrigated agriculture, geology, land cover, land-use practices and precipitation. Salinity can exacerbate corrosion of lead pipes and increase lead levels in drinking water and mobilize other metals or pollutants as well. High salinity levels in the Colorado River reduce agricultural yield, damage infrastructure and are estimated to cause $348 million per year in damage to infrastructure and crop production. … ” Read more from the USGS.
Reclamation awards $20.9 million to six salinity control projects in Colorado and Utah
“The Bureau of Reclamation today awarded $20.9 million to fund six salinity control projects in Colorado and Utah through its Basinwide and Basin States Salinity Control Programs. These projects will reduce the amount of salt in the Colorado River and its associated impacts in the basin. This funding will prevent approximately 11,661 tons of salt each year from entering the Colorado River. Quantified economic damages due to salinity in Colorado River water is currently about $332 million per year in the United States. It is estimated that damages would increase to $631 million per year without the Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Program. … ” Read more from the Bureau of Reclamation.
Utah lawmakers advance bill that seeks water sources outside state lines
“A Utah Senate committee voted to advance a bill that seeks to tap into new water sources for Utah, namely those beyond state lines. Utah Senate President Stuart Adams is sponsoring SB 211, and presented it to the Senate Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee on Monday. What the new water sources bill would accomplish: The bill would create an agent that looks for new Utah water sources. The agent, according to the bill text, would be in the form of a new Water District Water Development Council. … ” Read more from KSL.
Arizona GOP leaders challenge Biden’s national monument designation
“Legislators from Arizona led a Monday lawsuit against President Joe Biden and his administration for the designation of a new national monument near Grand Canyon National Park, accusing the president of abusing the Antiquities Act and interfering with the state’s economic resources. Through the Antiquities Act — which allows the president to protect objects with scientific or historical significance — Biden designated the Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni-Ancestral Footprints of the Grand Canyon National Monument in Northern Arizona in August 2023. “Congress passed the Antiquities Act to protect just that: antiquities. It did not pass the law to allow the Biden Administration to declare every inch of federal land a federal forest, cut off from all but those it selects,” the plaintiffs wrote in the 49-page suit filed in federal court in Arizona. … ” Read more from the Courthouse News Service.
Commentary: Arizona is smart about water. It should stay that way.
Bloomberg opinion writer Mark Gongloff writes, “You really have to hand it to Arizona: Even as its population has doubled and it has suffered through a decadeslong megadrought, the state uses less water today than it did 40 years ago. This success story is the result of what may be the smartest, most conservative approach to water in the country. But homebuilders want to scrap some key elements of this careful system. It’s a bad idea, especially as the climate changes, making the state’s water supply less reliable. And it’s a cautionary tale for the rest of us as we try to adapt to a warming world. … ” Read more from Bloomberg.
Does Utah’s water future mean importing it from other states?
“Utah, among the most arid states in the nation, may someday have to contemplate importing water from another state. Senate President Stuart Adams, R-Layton, is proposing to set up an infrastructure to do just that with SB211. The bill would establish a new entity to negotiate all things water in the state. Adams’ measure — heard before the Senate Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment Committee Monday — passed, but not without questions about transparency and accountability. Adams’ bill sets up a “generational” view of water development via a new council to be established that negotiates water resources for 50 to 75 years. … ” Read more from Yahoo News.
February’s atmospheric river doesn’t compensate for dry January
“A strong Pacific storm system brought flooding rains to California and heavy snow to the Sierra Nevada, but drought concerns continue for Nevada as persistent dry and warm temperatures cut into the state’s snowpack. February brought the first atmospheric river of the winter into the Sierra, and while the storm system improved conditions significantly it has not produced enough snow to recover from Nevada’s poor January conditions. Lack of snow and precipitation in earlier winter months has decreased the likelihood of an average water year for Nevada, said Thomas Albright, the interim Nevada State Climatologist. “We had a very dry start,” Albright said. “We’ve got a lot of ground to make up. It’s not that it couldn’t happen. But we’ve got about half the season behind us. So we’d have to have a really big end of the season.” … ” Read more from The Current.
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 Inside Climate News.
Dozens of Colorado growers and one city apply for Colorado River conservation program with a promise of big payouts
“Coloradans gunning to join this year’s effort to save water in the Colorado River Basin could help conserve up to 17,000 acre-feet of water — much more than the 2,500 acre-feet saved in 2023 — and receive about $8.7 million in return. The voluntary, multistate program pays water users to temporarily use less water. State and federal officials relaunched the effort, called the System Conservation Pilot Program, in 2023 in response to federal calls to cut back on water use in the drought-stressed river basin. After a stumbling relaunch in 2023, this year’s program is moving forward with more applications, more potential water savings and more money for participants. “The changes this year — it was just much more transparent,” said Greg Vlaming, a consultant who helped nine growers apply to the program. “The application process was simple and easy. It took me less than 15 minutes per application.” Read more from the Colorado Sun.
In national water news today …
Supreme Court watchlist: Agency power, air rules, water rights
“The Supreme Court is halfway through another term that will have transformative consequences for environmental law. After spending the last two years striking down key climate and water protections, the conservative-dominated court now appears to be on the verge of erasing a tool for federal agencies to defend their environmental regulations against legal attack. Such a decision would bring the court another step closer toward conservative lawyers’ professed goal of weakening executive agencies and shifting power to Congress and the states. “It’s just so unfortunate that we are entering a moment where we are starting to have to respond to the real-world, on-the-ground impacts of climate change,” said Katrina Fischer Kuh, an environmental law professor at Pace University. “It would be great to have a network of expert scientists to help us in this moment, and it feels like we are in the exact opposite place.” … ” Read more from E&E News.
The world is quietly losing the land it needs to feed itself
“The greatest threats to our existence today are caused by human activity rather than nature acting alone, according to a recent United Nations report. Many people are familiar with human contribution to climate change and perhaps also the loss of biodiversity. But there’s a third environmental impact that rarely gets the attention it deserves: desertification, also known as land degradation. The world is rapidly losing usable land for self-inflicted reasons, ranging from intensive agriculture and overgrazing of livestock to real estate development and, yes, climate change. The crisis is further fueling food and water insecurity, as well as adding to more greenhouse gas emissions. … ” Read more from Bloomberg.
