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In California water news today …
Wet pattern persists: New storms to soak California
“The relentless wet pattern will continue for residents along the West Coast, AccuWeather meteorologists say. Through at least the middle of this week, stormy conditions will move onshore in the West and bring rounds of locally heavy rainfall and a renewed risk for flooding. … The storm will continue to push rain across inland portions of the state early this week as well, with a widespread area both along the coast and north of the San Joaquin Valley expected to receive between 2-4 inches of rain through Wednesday. Areas along the Northern California coast, upslope regions as well as a zone north of the Los Angeles Basin, will contend with 4-8 inches of rain. … ” Read more from AccuWeather.
Once drought-stricken California now encountering another flood bout
“Nearly all of California was facing adverse weather early Tuesday as an atmospheric river brought heavy rain to much of the state, with heavy snow falling in higher elevations. Many residents, including those in Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco, were under a flood watch early Tuesday. The Los Angeles region was under a moderate risk for excessive rainfall, which the National Weather Service says can lead to flash flooding. The National Weather Service said a surface front will continue spreading across California. On Tuesday, rain will lessen for portions of Northern and Central California while continuing across Southern California into midday, the agency said. … ” Read more from Scripps News.
Wet winter storm hits California, closing regional airport and trapping people in swollen rivers
“Another wet winter storm swamped California with heavy rainfall on Monday, flooding the runways at a regional airport and leading to several rescues on swollen rivers and creeks. The Santa Barbara airport, on the state’s central coast, closed Monday after as much as 10 inches of rain had fallen in the area by noon, covering the runways with water. “Commercial flights have been canceled, general aviation operations are paused, and the Terminal is closed,” airport officials said in a statement posted on social media. In a subsequent update, airport officials said floodwaters were not expected to recede Monday night. “SBA remains closed until further notice,” they said. … ” Read more from NBC News.
SEE ALSO: California doused by atmospheric river but spared major damage, from Reuters via Yahoo News
California’s getting more snow, but there’s a bigger concern than our snowpack
“Dispelling a concern that California’s snowpack levels may be falling below average, the latest measurement from the Sierra Nevada Thursday showed the state is inching closer to the median. Scientists of the UC Berkeley Central Sierra Snow Lab found California’s snow water level is at about 83% of median, thanks to 13 inches of the fresh snow that fell between Wednesday and Thursday. “We’ve come a long away,” said Andrew Schwartz, the lead scientist of the UC Berkeley Central Sierra Snow Lab. “If we can get a few big storms here in the next couple of weeks, that would really go a long way towards getting us towards that median mark.” … ” Read more from NBC 4.
Tale of the tape: Where we are – for now – on California’s water roller coaster
“Over the past three years, California has been put through a water whiplash, going from multiple years of crippling drought directly into one of the wettest years on record. The data shows how stark the experience was while state officials point to both successes and areas needing improvement that arose during the turbulent last few years. In 2022, California was in its third year of a historic drought. Farmers relied heavily on pumping groundwater. Water tables dropped precipitously, which dried up hundreds of domestic wells across the valley. In February of 2022, every reservoir in the valley was below the historical average level for the time. … ” Read more from SJV Water.
All that rain is driving up cases of a deadly fungal disease in California
“Last week, a long, narrow section of the Earth’s atmosphere funneled trillions of gallons of water eastward from the Pacific tropics and unleashed it on California. This weather event, known as an atmospheric river, broke rainfall records, dumped more than a foot of rain on parts of the state, and knocked out power for 800,000 residents. At least nine people died in car crashes or were killed by falling trees. But the full brunt of the storm’s health impacts may not be felt for months. The flooding caused by intensifying winter rainstorms in California is helping to spread a deadly fungal disease called coccidioidomycosis, or valley fever. … ” Read more from Wired Magazine.
Northern California reservoirs rise amid much needed winter rain
“Recent years have quite literally seen ups and downs for Lake Oroville, but this winter’s rainfall has been a welcome trend in the right direction. In his 60 year old boat, Greg Purdy is playing taxi driver for some friends who are heading out to a houseboat on Oroville, which is doing just about as well as it could be. “Oh, the lake level is beautiful,” he said. In fact, lake management is working to keep the lake down ahead of the incoming storm systems. It’s a dramatic reversal of fortune from just a few years ago. … ” Read more from CBS San Francisco.
How freeing rivers can help California ease flood risks and revive ecosystems
“Throughout the Central Valley, California’s rivers have long been held within their banks by levees and berms, artificially disrupting the natural cycles of flooding and preventing streams from meandering across the landscape. Natural floodplains — the lush green lands along rivers that historically flooded, retained water, and nourished life in the heart of the valley — were mostly drained and converted to farmland generations ago as the state’s waters were dammed and diverted. Today, an effort to bring back some of those floodplains is flourishing at the 2,100-acre Dos Rios Ranch Preserve near Modesto, where workers years ago planted native trees on retired farm fields and removed berms to create space for water to spread out again. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
New analysis finds Sites Reservoir would be 80 percent full after recent storms if it were operational today
“The Sites Project Authority (Authority) announced that with the recent storms, Sites Reservoir could have diverted and captured 1.2 million acre-feet of water in 2023 and 2024 to date. Based on 2023 flows and significant storms this January and February, it is estimated that Sites Reservoir would be 80 percent full today following the critically dry prior years when Sites water would have been depleted. “These latest storms show the need for Sites Reservoir to capitalize on California’s rainy season and store excess stormwater for the betterment of communities, farms, and the environment,” said Fritz Durst, Chairman of the Sites Project Authority Board of Directors. “While the exact amount of water will vary from year to year, we need to be prepared to capture water from major storms when they happen and save it for the next inevitable dry period. With hotter and drier weather threatening California’s water supply, we have no time to waste.” … ” Read more from Sites Project Authority.
SEE ALSO: Sites analysis touts potential of reservoir, from the Appeal Democrat
Can large dams help feed downstream ecosystems?
“About 1,500 dams obstruct, modify, and regulate flow in all but one of California’s major rivers. These dams provide Californians with reliable drinking and irrigation water, flood protection for low-lying communities, and hydropower for our electrical grid. But dams also threaten downstream ecosystems by severely disrupting natural processes with potentially dire consequences for native species. Dams affect ecosystems (both upstream and downstream) in many ways, including eliminating habitat inundated by reservoirs, reducing connectivity for migratory and resident fishes, and altering natural flow, sediment, temperature, and nutrient regimes. While several “deadbeat” dams are now being removed, many will continue to play a critically important role in California’s water infrastructure. In response, alternative management strategies for dam operations are being developed, to reinstate key ecosystem processes. … ” Read more from the California Water Blog.
Still reeling from pandemic, Sacramento Delta residents eye major land, water management deals
“The watershed of California’s Sacramento delta — officially known as the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta — is the largest freshwater estuary on the West Coast and one of the Golden State’s most prized natural zones. A National Heritage Area, it offers a variety of wetland habitats and also serves as “California’s cornucopia” and “one of the most fertile agricultural regions in the world,” according to the National Park Service. … Still, for those who live and work along the 57,000 acres of waterways, controversy over how to manage the delta’s levees, land and ecosystems has long been a part of this area’s legacy. That’s particularly true now, amid big proposed changes to the area’s land and water use. … ” Read more from the Courthouse News Service.
For the sixth year in a row, no Delta Smelt were found in CDFW fall midwater trawl survey
“For the sixth year in a row, no Delta Smelt were collected in the California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Fall Midwater Trawl (FMWT) Survey in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta from September through December 2023. Once the most abundant species in the entire estuary, the Delta Smelt has declined to the point that it has become virtually extinct in the wild. The 2 to 3 inch fish, found only in the Delta, is an “indicator species” that shows the relative health of the San Francisco Bay/Delta ecosystem. When no Delta Smelt are found in six years of a survey that has been conducted since 1967, the estuary is in a serious ecological crisis. … ” Read more from Dan Bacher at the Daily Kos.
California Fish and Game Commission holds hybrid meeting
“At its February meeting, the California Fish and Game Commission acted on several issues affecting California’s natural resources. The following are just a few items of interest from this month’s meeting held in Sacramento, with an option for the public to join via Zoom. … The Commission unanimously voted to notify interested parties of its intent to amend Klamath River Basin sport fishing regulations related to fall-run Chinook salmon. … The Commission received one-year status review reports on the petitions to list Mohave desert tortoise and southern California steelhead under the California Endangered Species Act. The Commission will consider whether to list each species at its April meeting. … ” Read the full report here.
Newly rebuilt Friant-Kern Canal still sinking from overpumping, Tulare farmers not paying their share for the fix, lawsuit alleges
“Farmers in Tulare County are being allowed to continue pumping so much groundwater that it is endangering a newly constructed portion of the Friant-Kern Canal that had to be rebuilt because overpumping had sunk a 33-mile section of the canal, according to a lawsuit filed Friday. Land around the new canal section has continued to sink at a much faster rate than initially envisioned, said Johnny Amaral, chief operating officer of Friant Water Authority, which filed the lawsuit along with the Arvin-Edison Water Storage District. “To make matters worse,” Amaral continued, “there are new cones of subsidence upstream and downstream of the realigned canal that are causing concern.” A new canal had to be built next to the existing canal, which had sunk from about Pixley in Tulare County to the Kern County border. That “sag” reduced the canal’s carrying capacity by nearly 60 percent. … ” Read more from SJV Water.
SEE ALSO:
- FWA files suit against ETGSA, from the Porterville Recorder
- Friant Water Authority and Arvin-Edison Water Storage District file lawsuit against the Eastern Tule Groundwater Sustainability Agency for breach of settlement agreement and interference with contract for water deliveries, press release from the Friant Water Authority
The innovative ways California is improving its underground water storage
“As of mid-February, the Sacramento area has now received more than a foot of rain in the current water season. The rain and snowfall from this winter’s storms have been swelling rivers, adding to the Sierra Nevada snowpack and hopefully replenishing reservoirs. Water experts say if we don’t change the way we store and use the water we will be in trouble in the future, likely facing higher water bills and laws that seriously restrict water use. There could be another way, however, if we look beneath our feet. … ” Read more from KTXL. | Read via Yahoo News.
UA hydrologist launches website to track groundwater
“A University of Arizona researcher has led a national science foundation project that integrated AI to simulate the nation’s groundwater supply to forecast droughts and floods. This website has been in development for three years and has now been launched. It is important to our climate here in Southern Arizona since groundwater is essential to make this area livable. Dr. Laura Condon has been studying the behavior of groundwater and droughts for years and has released a website that can project groundwater changes over decades. “With the machine learning emulator, we can now generate groundwater forecasts and groundwater simulations across the U.S. on demand.” … ” Read more from Channel 4.
Watershed panel draws large audience to City Hall during Wild and Scenic Film Festival
“Attendees of the 22nd Annual Wild and Scenic Film Festival (SYRCL) packed Nevada City’s City Hall on Sunday morning to hear from an all-star panel of federal, state and regional watershed managers, scientists and policy makers from across the state. The well-attended panel discussion moderated by SYRCL Executive Director Dr. Aaron Zettler-Mann took place after the screening of the 2024 official selection, “California’s Watershed Healing” by filmmaker in attendance James Thebaut. The film addresses threats to the Sierra Nevada’s forested ecosystems from drought to wildfire and how the need for restoration and sustainable management is needed to avoid environmental, economic and national security threats to California’s most precious resource – water. … ” Read more from YubaNet.
Snowfall is declining in the US. This map shows how it’s affecting the West.
“Some ski resorts in the western U.S. are fighting to stay open with poor snowfall and warmer weather threatening the snowpack. This month, a locally owned ski resort west of Choteau, Montana closed halfway through the 2023-2024 season, citing lack of snowfall, warming temperatures and financial issues. In Big Sky, Montana, snowfall levels hit a 33-year low, according to Outside Magazine. One reason to blame for poor weather conditions is El Niño. Weather reports from last fall predicted lower-than-average snowfall in the northern Rockies and higher-than-average precipitation in the southwest, the magazine reported. Not all hope is lost for skiing and snowboarding enthusiasts: Snowstorms are hitting the east and storms may continue in the next few weeks. Here’s how snowfall and snowpack has changed across the country … ” Read more from MSN News.
How many bills in the 2024 CA Legislature?
“With the dust settled after Friday’s bill introduction deadline, the California Legislature’s count for new bills this year is 2,124. That includes 1,505 in the Assembly and 619 in the Senate, according to lobbyist Chris Micheli. The total is close to the recent average, though many measures never reach the governor’s desk. That’s because some aren’t really proposed to get there in the first place and others are introduced without tracking whether similar existing laws are working. Last year, legislators introduced more than 2,600 bills (the most in a decade) and passed 1,046. Gov. Gavin Newsom signed 890 and vetoed 156. But with 2024 being an election year, lawmakers seeking reelection may hope to notch a few legislative wins, inked with the governor’s signature, under their belt. … ” Read more from Cal Matters.
And lastly … Rare opportunity to kayak in Death Valley National Park
“A temporary lake provides a rare opportunity to kayak in the driest place in the United States: Death Valley National Park.
“You might think with no drain to the sea, that Death Valley would always have a lake,” says park ranger Abby Wines. “But this is an extremely rare event. Normally the amount of water flowing in is much less than the evaporation rate.” Badwater Basin lies at the bottom of Death Valley. At 282 feet below sea level, it is the lowest elevation in North America. Badwater Basin is normally a dry salt flat. The magic ingredient this year was rain—and lots of it. Death Valley National Park averages about two inches of rain per year. The valley floor received 4.9 inches in the past six months, and surrounding mountains received greater amounts of rain. Most of that precipitation happened in two events: 2.2 inches during the remnants of Hurricane Hilary on August 20 and 1.5 inches during an atmospheric river February 4-7. … ” Read more from the National Park Service.
SEE ALSO: ‘Extremely rare event:’ Satellite images show lake formed in famously dry Death Valley, from USA Today
In commentary today …
Why California’s water glass is half-empty after rain and Arizona’s is full
Jon Gabriel, editor-in-chief of Ricochet.com, writes, “If it bleeds, it leads.” So goes the old maxim explaining why media outlets focus on the negative. As an Arizona State University editing professor told me back in the day, traffic flowing smoothly won’t impress readers; it takes a seven-car pileup to do that. But reporters can carry this pessimistic tendency to excess. When issues can be framed as a “glass half-full,” they’re often cast as “depleted container raises worries about thirst, death, experts say.” I’ve seen this most recently from our friends in California, especially at the leading Los Angeles daily. For years, the LA Times has focused on the state’s drought with headlines nearly apocalyptic in tone … ” Continue reading at Arizona Central.
Is the restoration of California’s cutest keystone species worth it?
David Helvarg, executive director of Blue Frontier, an ocean policy group, writes, “Sea otters are terminally cute critters and a delight to view rolling and diving in the kelp canopy of Monterey Bay, where some 3,000 endangered southern otters play an essential role in maintaining the marine kelp forest. But to crabs, clams, abalone, urchins and some fishermen, sea otters are voracious marine weasels that can eat 25% of their body weight a day — a perceived threat to life and livelihood. That’s why some lively debates were launched at 16 open houses put on by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service last year to get public input on, as the invitation put it, the “potential reintroduction of sea otters to their historic range,” including Oregon and Northern California, a decision that is expected to be made this year. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
Fish loss, sediment flows were expected after dam removal, Klamath River Renewal Corporation leaders say
“The massive deaths of non-native fish and the deluge of sediments resulting from the drawdown of reservoirs as part of the Klamath River dam removals was expected and is predicted to result in long-range benefits. Public concern has been expressed following because of the recently completed initial drawdown of reservoirs created by the John C. Boyle, Copco 1 and Irongate hydroelectric dams. Copco 2, a diversion dam, was removed late last year because it would have interfered with the Copco 1 drawdown. The dam removal project is the largest in U.S. history. During a Thursday video news conference, Mark Bransom, chief executive office for Klamath River Renewal Corporation, which is overseeing the dam removal project, and Dave Coffman, the habitat restoration as program manager for RES (Resource Environmental Solutions), briefly discussed the ongoing project and impacts of the recently completed initial drawdown. … ” Read more from Herald & News.
The monumental effort to replant the Klamath River dam reservoirs
“On a cool October morning, Joshua Chenoweth and Alauna Grant crane their necks and peer into a canopy of round-lobed oak leaves. “This one is loaded,” says Chenoweth, taking in the twisty limbs and furrowed gray bark. “Oaks are slow growers; that’s an old tree.” Chenoweth, senior riparian ecologist with the Yurok Tribe, is leading the effort to replant newly revealed reservoir footprints as four dams are removed from the Klamath River in northern California and southern Oregon. To prepare for the mammoth endeavor, his crews have been collecting native seeds from around the project area. Today they’re gathering acorns from white oak trees along Scotch Creek, a tributary of the Klamath. … ” Read more from the Revelator.
Water quality discussed after completion of Klamath reservoir drawdown
“Iron Gate, the lowest of the Klamath dams, was breached first on Jan. 9, followed by J.C. Boyle in Oregon, and finally, Copco 1. Draining the three reservoirs marks another milestone toward the removal of dams in the Lower Klamath Project. “A lot of sediment mobilized and moved through the system, exactly according to our plans and our projections,” said Mark Bransom, CEO of Klamath River Renewal Corporation, during a press conference on Thursday morning. “We’re very pleased with the progress that has been made on the drawdown.” In total, KRRC expects 5 to 7 million cubic yards of sediment—the same amount that the Klamath River would normally drain in a single year—to wash downstream over a short period of time. The material, composed mostly of very fine silt and dead algae, has imbued the river with a dark coffee color. … ” Read more from Jefferson Public Radio.
Radio: Yurok, Klamath & Karuk Native tribes celebrate historic dam removals
“On this edition of Your Call’s One Planet Series, we discuss the historic Klamath River dam removal and its significance for Yurok, Klamath & Karuk Native tribes in Northern California and Southern Oregon. The Klamath River was once the third-largest salmon producer on the West Coast, but the construction of the dam led to a sharp decline in the salmon population. Water is now freely flowing for the first time in 100 years. Tribal activists began calling for the removal of four Klamath River dams in the late 1990s.” Listen at KALW.
Commentary: Klamath Dam removal: ‘it’s an environmental disaster’
Katy Grimes writes, “The removal of dams along the Klamath River in Siskiyou County, Northern California was sold as necessary to save salmon – specifically, “to restore habitat for endangered fish.” The dams are part of the Klamath project, a series of seven dams built in the 1910’s and 1920’s in the Klamath Basin to bring electricity and agricultural water mitigation for Southern Oregon and Northern California, the Globe reported in 2020. However, in recent years, concerns over the dams’ effect on the wildlife and fishing industry have been raised, especially regarding claims of fish facing extinction because the dams. In 2018, plans were released to destroy the dam system. However, those plans halted in 2019 because of data errors and issues over who owns the dams. The Bureau of Reclamation swiftly issued a study on the dams’ effects through 2024, leading to California to again push for destruction of the dams. … ” Continue reading at the California Globe.
Scott-Shasta River salmon update – February 2024
“At the end of November 2023, the Beaver Moon, the last full moon before December, appeared. The Beaver Moon was so named because it was the last chance for trappers to catch beaver with full coats before winter set in. The Beaver Moon also occurs at the peak of the Coho and Chinook salmon runs in the Scott River Valley, once named Beaver Valley. The beaver were once very abundant before being “removed” by ranchers and trappers. Today, beaver are slowly coming back. The beaver help maintain the local groundwater tables, streamflow, water temperatures, riparian vegetation, and create good coho salmon rearing habitat. … ” Read more from the California Fisheries blog.
Trinity Lake sees long-awaited rebound with 2024 storms
“While many of California’s reservoirs saw full recovery from the drought during last year’s wet winter, there was one notable exception: Trinity Lake. The state’s third largest reservoir did not rebound like the others. In fact, it might as well have been another year of drought for the people there, many of whom felt as if they’d been left out of that comeback winter. So Trinity really did need another big rainy season and, so far, they’re getting it. “The lake has come up a lot and we’ve been working on houseboats,” said marina owner Darryl Marlin. “It’s coming up probably a foot, foot and a half a day.” … ” Read more from CBS San Francisco.
Sewage incident in Rio Dell
“A new hazardous materials incident involving sewage has been reported to the California Office of Emergency Services. According to a report published by the office, the incident took place at or near a road in Rio Dell at around 10:30 a.m. today. More than 1,000 gallons of a substance described as “raw sewage” were released to the environment, according to the person who called in the report. … ” Read more from the Lost Coast Outpost.
If the Russian River goes dry, affluent Marin County has as much at stake as Mendo—Op-ed
Adam Gaska writes, “Originally, I wrote ‘A Tale of Two Rivers in Mendocino County: Where the Eel and Russian Rivers Meet’ as the beginning of what would be a series of articles that took the time to focus on the different regions, communities, that depend on the Russian River, and by extension, transfers of water from the Eel River. The purpose of which is to examine and educate. To that end, and considering the current turn of events, I am continuing with the originally intended series of articles. PG&E has decided to withdraw the proposal that was submitted by the Inland Water and Power Commission (IWPMC), Sonoma Water, and Round Valley Indian Tribes (RVIT) to include the building of new infrastructure to continue some level of water transfer from the Eel River to the Russian River after removal of Scott and Cape Horn Dams as a part of their decommissioning plan being submitted to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). … ” Continue reading at Mendo Fever.
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
Skiers, snowboarders hit the slopes for fresh powder from Northern California storm
“It’s still the holiday weekend and with another atmospheric river in Northern California, the Sierra got some more snow. Skiers and snowboarders braved the weather at Boreal Mountain, and most people seemed satisfied with the conditions. The biggest worry was packing up and driving back down the mountain. “Icy. There’s going to be a lot of cars heading down at the same time,” said a snowboarder named Ethan. These skiers and snowboarders decided the drive back is a later problem, and they’re out enjoying the fresh powder. … ” Read more from CBS Sacramento.
Nevada County Supervisors deny Rise Grass Valley’s Idaho Maryland Mine Project
“Today, after six hours of public comment over two days, the Nevada County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to deny Rise Grass Valley’s Idaho Maryland Mine Project and Final Environmental Impact Report (EIR). The final motion read: deny the certification of the Final Environmental Impact Report (EIR) and deny the Rise Gold project. “This has been a fair and consistent process,” said Board of Supervisors Chair Hardy Bullock. “Supervisors have been engaged and heard from the community and from the applicant. Our job is to reflect the values and vision of our community.” … ” Read more from YubaNet.
South Tahoe PUD updates Water Conservation Code
“On February 15, the South Tahoe Public Utility District Board of Directors adopted updates to the water conservation code. The water conservation code establishes directives such as designated watering days and water waste prohibition. The current codes were put into place in 2015 and have not been substantially updated in 20 years. In that time, the State of California has signed into law multiple water conservation mandates. The following changes have been incorporated to comply with the State of California water conservation regulations … ” Read more from the Tahoe Daily Tribune.
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
Local fishermen demand improved communication with government regarding water release
“Joshua Peard, a local fisherman from Redding, is leading the charge for greater awareness of the challenges faced by the fishing community. He and fellow fishermen say that water levels are too low for salmon spawning. The situation becomes more difficult when the state withholds water for release.” Watch video at KRCR.
Rains bring flooding, damage to parts of Redding. More wet weather through Wednesday
“Heavy rain over the weekend and into Monday from an atmospheric river that took aim over California caused flooding and damage in portions of greater Redding. Nearly 2.5 inches of rain fell in west Redding during the 24-hour period ending at 5 p.m. Monday, according to National Weather Service meteorologist Jeffery Wood. A similar amount, 2.46 inches of rain, fell at a weather station near Whiskeytown Lake west of Redding, he said. At the Redding Regional Airport on the east end of town, 1.27 inches of rain was recorded there, Wood said. The unsettled weather will continue through mid-week. Redding could receive about a half inch of rain through Wednesday, he said. … ” Read more from the Redding Record-Searchlight.
Water is being released from Oroville Spillway to make room for more water
“Water is being released from the Oroville Spillway to make room for more water. They reopened the spillway on Friday. Lake Oroville is at 851 feet and it’s at 80 percent of its total capacity and 131 percent of the historical average for this date. … ” Read more from Action News Now.
American River Watershed drinking water supply remains among the best in the United States
“A new independent survey of conditions in Placer County Water Agency’s American River watershed has found that water quality remains excellent overall, despite some initial concern following recent forest fires and erosion of ash and sediment that followed. The PCWA Board of Directors on Feb. 15 heard a report from Starr Consulting of Colfax about water quality during the five-year period from January 2018 to December 2022 in the American River watershed. The survey found that PCWA’s drinking water quality far exceeds regulatory requirements. It also found no need to modify PCWA’s drinking water treatment activities. … ” Read more from Roseville Today.
NAPA/SONOMA
Time between storms this winter reduces flood risk on Russian River
“The Sonoma County airport rain gauge shows 25.74 inches for the season as of Sunday. By this time last year 25.83 inches had fallen since Oct. 1, the official start of the water season. This year, rainfall totals around the region look awfully similar to last year’s, and are even higher this season than last in some locations, like Bodega Bay and Cazadero. Yet, last winter residents along the Russian River were preparing for flooding on several occasions. This year? Not so much. The main reason, experts say, is the breathing room provided by the pattern of storms in the North Bay over recent weeks. … ” Read more from the Press Democrat.
Healdsburg residents remain wary after drought lessons despite heavy rain
“As the rain continues to fall, one Sonoma County town remembers three years ago when their water supply almost ran dry. The lessons Healdsburg residents learned from the dry times have stuck with them, and as Healdsburg’s leading water conservation advocate, Brigette Mansell was out Monday taking video of the storm-swollen Russian River. It’s hard to believe that just three years ago, Healdsburg nearly ran out of water. Lake Mendocino, the town’s only source of water, was running so low that the state mandated a 40 percent cut in water usage for the whole town. … ” Read more from CBS Bay Area.
BAY AREA
Some downpours, thunder and flooding today as storm ebbs
“Intermittent rain and occasional thunderstorms are expected to continue into Tuesday in the Bay Area, as a storm system that brought high winds, downpours and other intense weather over the long weekend continues to move through. “Periods of moderate to locally heavy rain will continue into Tuesday before diminishing Tuesday night,” the National Weather Service wrote. Wednesday and Thursday are expected to be mostly dry, but unsettled weather is likely to return to the region ahead of the weekend, the weather service said. A flood watch was in effect throughout the Bay Area and Central Coast until 10 a.m. Wednesday “due to excessive rainfall,” indicating that some creeks and streams could overtop their banks, the weather service said. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
How Bay Area residents say 2024’s winter storms differ from last year, as they prepare for more
“With more Bay Area storms coming, some are noting how the breaks in between rain have been helpful in recovery. Boulder Creek resident Shandra Hunt is still cleaning up from an intense windstorm earlier this month. “This is where the fir tree fell, and this is all the debris- it fell all the way across the farm,” Hunt said. In December, Hunt gave ABC7 News a virtual tour of Hillhouse Farm and the measures she took to prevent flooding. … ” Read more from ABC 7.
Marin rain totals mount as storm lingers in region
“Rain and wind raked Marin County on Monday as a stormy period continued for another day in the Bay Area. Mount Tamalpais accumulated 2.61 inches of rain in the 72-hour period ending at about 4:30 p.m. Monday, according to the National Weather Service. Other rainfall totals for the same period included 2.09 inches in Novato, 2.04 inches in San Rafael, 2.03 inches in Kentfield and 1.17 inches in Mill Valley. Winds of 45 to 55 mph were common in the county on Monday, with speeds topping 70 mph over the peaks, the weather agency said. Pacific Gas & Electric Co. reported power outages affecting hundreds of meters in Sausalito, Marin City and the Marin Headlands. Other outages were reported in Novato, Sleepy Hollow, Mill Valley, San Anselmo and western Marin. … ” Read more from the Marin Independent Journal.
Marin experts assess state’s new salmon strategy
“A new state-level plan to protect salmon is underway, and it might benefit Marin County’s fish. The “California Salmon Strategy” was released by Gov. Gavin Newsom on Jan. 30. It lists six priorities and 71 actions to build healthier, stronger salmon populations throughout the state in the age of climate change-induced drought and heat. The six goals are removing barriers and modernizing infrastructure; restoring and expanding habitat suited for spawning and rearing; protecting water flows and quality at times essential to salmon; modernizing salmon hatcheries; transforming technology and management systems for climate adaptability; and strengthening partnerships with local groups. … ” Read more from the Marin Independent Journal. | Read via AOL News.
Marin commitment to restoring historic wetlands commendable
The Marin Independent Journal editorial board writes, “Over the years, Marin has taken the initiative to restore its wetlands. The focus and work is a recognition of the importance this soggy acreage plays in the ecological chain that keeps our bays and oceans healthy and thriving. In many cases, it means restoring historic wetlands covered by years of built-up silt and blanketed by landfill. The announcement that work will soon start on two such projects is another sign that progress is being made to restore and revive these shorelines. … ” Read more from the Marin Independent Journal.
S.F. beaches are littered with trash. Here’s why it’s worse this time of year
“When Megan Moilanen wraps up teaching for the day, she drives to Fort Funston — her outdoor escape. But what she saw there in late January brought tears to her eyes. Plastic littered the beach. “It is devastating because this is such a sanctuary,” Moilanen said. The amount of trash at Fort Funston increased dramatically in recent weeks, according to Moilanen, who has never seen it so bad since she started her daily walks at Fort Funston more than a year ago. “It is so overwhelming. We have to protect this,” Moilanen said. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
CENTRAL COAST
Sea otters are the unlikely heroes helping to restore a marine ecosystem
“At first glance, Elkhorn Slough shouldn’t be doing very well. The wetland reserve in California’s Monterey Bay is tucked among housing developments, ranches, and farms. Nutrient runoff helps create slicks of algae so thick they smother plants. In addition, for over a century the salt marshes that help stabilize the estuary in the bay have been besieged by shore crabs, which burrow and feed on pickleweed roots. The colorful native crabs decimate this vegetation that would otherwise stabilize creek banks. “You walk across the marsh there—it’s like Swiss cheese,” Christine Angelini, the director of the Center for Coastal Solutions, said. “It’s not like there’s a couple of crab burrows. The whole landscape is riddled with them.” But in recent years, the slough has gained an unexpected ally in the form of a very hungry and very cute hero. Sea otters began returning to the slough in the 1980s, aided by local conservation efforts and later the release of rehabilitated otters. Now, researchers recognize these recovering otter populations are more than a successful reintroduction story. … ” Read more from Sierra Magazine.
A test oil and gas well will move forward in the Cuyama Valley
“An exploratory oil and gas well, the first such project in recent memory in Santa Barbara County, and the first believed ever to be approved for a permit, will likely be drilled before next fall on a private ranch in the Cuyama Valley. The project was approved 4-1 last month by the county Planning Commission amid a chorus of protest from a coalition of community and environmentalist groups. This week, opponents said they were disappointed in the vote but would not appeal to the county Board of Supervisors to overturn it. “Time will tell whether the proposed exploratory oil well is ultimately successfully,” said Jeff Kuyper, executive director of Los Padres ForestWatch, a conservationist group that led the opposition. “ForestWatch and our allies — as well as residents throughout Santa Barbara County — will be ready to fight any future proposals to expand oil drilling in the Cuyama Valley.” … ” Read more from the Santa Barbara Independent.
Sedimentation continues to decrease the storage capacity of Gibraltar Reservoir
“Over the past few months, a lot of rain has fallen in Santa Barbara County, so I asked Matt Young with Santa Barbara County what impact that’s having locally. “We had a very wet rain year last year, more than 200% of our annual average, so we filled all of our surface water reservoirs and started to make progress filling our groundwater basins,” Young said. Lake Cachuma, Jameson, and the Gibraltar Reservoir are all full, but it’s not just water filling up the lakes. … ” Read more from KSBY.
With rain forecast, Santa Barbara County taps health risks from storm water runoff
“Due to the rainfall forecast to begin Saturday into next week, Santa Barbara County Environmental Health Services is reminding residents about health risks associated with storm water runoff at countywide beaches. Storm water is untreated rain water that flows through the drain system into creeks, the ocean, and other waterways. Contact with storm water while swimming or surfing may increase the risk for certain types of illnesses such as rashes, fever, chills, ear infections, vomiting, and diarrhea. To minimize health risks, it is recommended that people do not swim, play or surf in the ocean and creeks during and for at least three days following a rain event. Beachgoers should also avoid areas near the outfall from drainpipes and creeks that enter the ocean following a rain event as storm water runoff may carry high levels of bacteria and pollutants. … ” Read more from the Santa Ynez Valley Times.
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
Local reservoirs below flood capacity despite recent storms
“While it was a slow start to the water year, recent rain and snow have increased water levels at Millerton Lake. “Now, in the past few weeks, it has improved significantly. So right now, just given the storms to happen the past few weeks and this week, I think we’re in the midst of one. We’re looking to be closer to about 80% of precipitation to date,” said Rufino Gonzalez with the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. There was a drywall at Friant Dam on Monday, as both the dam and Pine Flat are currently below flood control levels, the complete opposite of what we saw last year with the historic atmospheric rivers. … ” Read more from Channel 30.
Audio: The Central Valley town of Corcoran is sinking due to overpumping of groundwater
“The Tulare Lake Basin in the southern end of California’s San Joaquin Valley has a problem — it’s sinking due to persistent overpumping of groundwater. But the landowners pumping most of that water have no desire to stop. What does that mean for everyone else who lives and works there? And what does it mean for the future of farming in the region? Once the largest lake west of the Mississippi, Tulare Lake is the epicenter for sinking ground in California. Generations ago, it was drained and converted to farmland. Now, water around the lake is heavily pumped, affecting the clay beneath the surface and causing subsidence, the gradual caving in or sinking of an area of land. In some places, the ground is collapsing at a rate of two feet per year.In Corcoran, rates of subsidence have reached nearly five feet a year since 2015.” Listen at KCRW.
Can letting Tulare Lake live make the Valley thrive?
“What if the return of Tulare Lake during last year’s storms wasn’t just the result of getting too much water too fast for the flood-control infrastructure to handle it? What if – instead of a blow to the local economy affecting the lives of the richest to the poorest – the refilling of Tulare Lake is really the fallout from a century and a half of mismanagement of the Valley’s greatest natural resource: water? Could the flooding of Tulare Lake Basin show us a way to strengthen the Valley’s ecology and economy? The global climate, for whatever reason, continues to change with unpredictable and ultimately destructive consequences, and the largest lake west of the Mississippi could be a Valley asset instead of a foe. … ” Read more from Valley Voice.
Irrigation improvements lead to less flooding throughout Delano
“Have you ever been driving down the street and see something that resembles a ditch filled with water? Ever wonder what they are or why they’re there? These additions to the city are what’s attempting to make flooding an issue of the past — and so far, things are going well. “We catch all the water and we divert it from the city and it goes into large dirt pools or reservoirs that we’re familiar with and in turn that water will sit there and slowly seep back into the ground into our drinking water,” said Delano City Council Member Mario Nunez. “It benefits the city of Delano and our farmers around us.” … ” Read more from Channel 23.
Dead end river: Fish carcasses starting to pile up in stagnant pools at the Kern River’s western end
“Avid cyclist and angler Jonathan Vegas was thrilled last fall when he read that a local judge had issued an injunction requiring the City of Bakersfield to keep enough water in the Kern River to support fish populations. “It’s a dream of mine to be able to leave my backyard, take a two mile trip and be fishing right in town,” the construction worker told SJV Water. “How amazing would that be?” So, he was dismayed when he saw water dwindling in the riverbed west of town. At this point, he said, by the time the Kern River reaches Enos lane, the braided flows have mostly petered out leaving just a smattering of shrinking pools and dead and dying fish as he shows in a video he shot Feb. 11. … ” Read more from SJV Water.
Water allocations on agenda for TCCWD board meeting Wednesday
“A public hearing about 2024’s groundwater allocations for the Cummings Basin will be held during Wednesday’s meeting of the Board of Directors of Tehachapi-Cummings County Water District. The meeting is set to begin at 3 p.m. and will be held at district headquarters, 22901 Banducci Road, Tehachapi. The water district is the watermaster over three water basins — Tehachapi, Brite and Cummings. Water rights in the three basins were originally established through the adjudication process in the early 1970s. Early in 2021, Kern County Superior Court Judge Stephen Schuett approved the Cummings Basin Amended and Restated Judgment and Physical Solution, which was prepared and presented by the Tehachapi-Cummings County Water District. … ” Read more from the Tehachapi News.
EASTERN SIERRA
Cost of Owens Valley storm damage continues to mount for Los Angeles Department of Water and Power
“Heavy rain and flooding over the last year have caused roughly $100 million in damage to Los Angeles Department of Water and Power infrastructure and dust control systems in the Owens Valley, according to officials, and that figure is expected to climb as Southern California endures yet another atmospheric river this week. Although heavy storms have dumped a bounty of rain and snow along the southern Sierra Nevada, enabling Los Angeles to draw millions of gallons of water for its residents, the precipitation has also taken a heavy toll on systems designed to prevent choking dust storms from developing on the dry bed of Owens Lake. “We’re trying to build resilience into our Owens Valley operations,” said Adam Perez, manager of the Los Angeles Aqueduct. “But large amounts of stormwater in short order causes damage, and we do our best to address that.” … ” Read more from the LA Times.
MEETING NOTES: Desert groundwater authority wins appeal on pumping fees; and South Kern water district declares official shortage
“Mojave Pistachios LLC had sued Indian Wells Valley Groundwater Authority for $250 million in damages after the authority imposed a “replenishing fee” for some pumpers in the district. An Orange County Superior Court ruled against Mojave Pistachios, which then appealed to the Fourth District. The authority’s legal counsel reported that the appeals court had also ruled against Mojave Pistachios and that the company now owes $30 million in back fees for the replenishment fee charged by the authority. Legal counsel noted that Mojave Pistachios may try to take the case to the California State Supreme Court but that the current ruling by the appellate court is very solid. The Supreme Court may take up the case, however, due to its implications for the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA)…. ” Read more from SJV Water.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Part of Los Angeles could see record rainfall as flood alerts span almost all of California
“Over 35 million people under flood alerts: Rain continues to drench much of California on Tuesday, with the heaviest downpours focused on Los Angeles and coastal Southern California. Flood watches in place across parts of Northern California will expire Tuesday morning, but the bulk of the state’s flood alerts last through Wednesday. After historic rainfall inundated the city earlier this month, downtown Los Angeles could see its wettest February on record if it picks up 3 inches of rain this week. … ” Read more from CNN.
As rain pelts soggy Southern California, residents are urged to stay vigilant for mudslides
“A slow-moving winter storm that pelted Los Angeles with steady rain Monday was expected to subside briefly Tuesday before roaring back at nightfall with heavy downpours, strong winds and the possibility of thunder and lightning. Authorities, fearing the effect of additional rain on hillsides and creek beds already saturated by a massive storm earlier this month, issued flash flood warnings for a swath of L.A. from Malibu to Griffith Park as well as portions of the San Fernando Valley. Residents were encouraged to remain in their homes and stay vigilant for signs of mudslides. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
‘We don’t want to cry wolf’ How forecasters predict L.A.’s next huge rain storm
“When it came to forecasting L.A.’s biggest winter storm of the season, local meteorologists had a secret weapon: experience. For sure, there was plenty of computer modeling available to indicate the Southland was in for a severe — and potentially dangerous — soaking. But based on their expertise, forecasters at the National Weather Service in Oxnard correctly anticipated that even the machine-calculated, eye-popping rain totals were probably an underprediction. When it comes to such a serious storm event, getting the forecast as close to correct as possible isn’t just a matter of pride. Forecasters go to great lengths to assess a storm’s strength so they can accurately inform the public about the dangers it may pose. Forecasters will face another test in the coming days, when another storm is set for Presidents Day weekend. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
Here’s the science behind California landslides — and what it means for the coming storms
“Storms have drenched California this winter, saturating landscapes and sending mud and rocks barreling down hillsides. An atmospheric-river-fueled storm on Jan. 31 propelled sludge onto Bay Area roads and even dropped boulders onto Highway 1 near Bixby Bridge. Downpours caused even more mayhem in Southern California in early February, producing life-threatening landslides in the Los Angeles area that buried cars and damaged homes. Soils are soaked, and more storms are coming to California this weekend, prompting concerns that additional rain could trigger shallow landslides. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
Winter rains fuel ‘unprecedented’ acceleration, expansion of landslides in Rancho Palos Verdes
“Since 1982, Sallie Reeves and her husband have lived atop a serene Rancho Palos Verdes canyon, overlooking the sparkling Pacific Ocean and Catalina Island, with little reason to worry about the slow-moving landslide complex beneath their feet. In just the last month, however, their Portuguese Bend home has started shifting under stress from intensifying land movement: Cracks have snaked up their walls, cupboards can no longer close, doorways have split at the seams and brick pavers are separating. … “What’s happening is unprecedented,” Mike Phipps, Rancho Palos Verdes’ contracted geologist, said this month after reviewing more than 16 years of data. “We haven’t seen this kind of movement in the upper areas of the landslide in the whole history of monitoring this landslide.” … ” Read more from the LA Times.
SEE ALSO: Living on the Edge in California, from the New York Times
New water reservoir in Upland opens, replaces 48-year-old facility
“Upland’s new reservoir is officially online after almost eight years of planning and construction. Reservoir 15 is a new above-ground, 7.5 million-gallon reservoir adjacent to an older reservoir built in 1976 on the northwest corner of 17th Street and Benson Avenue. At a Feb. 15 ribbon cutting ceremony, city officials celebrated the opening of the reservoir which was called a representation to the city’s commitment to the community’s well-being by Mayor Bill Velto. “The foresight to invest in our water structure is what brought us here today,” said Michael Blay city manager for Upland at the ceremony. … ” Read more from the Daily Bulletin.
Huntington Beach tries out ocean-cleaning robot in hard-to-reach local waterways
“Recent visitors to Huntington Harbour may have noticed a tiny unmanned vessel skimming along the water, sucking up wayward bits of trash under the direction of a remote-control device being operated by monitors on shore. Spectators near enough for a close-up look may be able to make out the words “Clean Earth Rovers” on the hull of the craft. At 5-feet by 5-feet, the vehicle may be small, but its mission is mighty — to leave local waters in a pristine condition. As part of a two-month, $10,000 pilot project being conducted by the Huntington Beach Public Works Department, the rover is being deployed twice weekly to two hard-to-clean harbor areas to test out an innovative technology in real-world conditions. … ” Read more from the Daily Pilot.
SEE ALSO: A device being tested in Huntington Beach is like Roomba for cleaning the water, from the OC Register
150 acres of Los Cerritos Wetlands on path to restoration after land swap deal finalized
“More than 150 acres of Long Beach wetlands, near the city’s border with Orange County, is at last on the path to restoration after a massive land swap deal that’s been years in the making cleared a major hurdle this week. The California Coastal Conservancy OK’d a deal that would see an oil company hand over 154 acres of wetlands to the Los Cerritos Wetlands Authority in exchange for 5 acres on the northeast corner of North Studebaker Road and Second Street. The approval paves the way to restore the historic tidal connection to a greater portion of the wetlands and reinvigorate the once-thriving ecosystem there. The 154 acres set for restoration are bounded by Studebaker Road, Pacific Coast Highway, Second Street and Loynes Drive. … ” Read more from the Long Beach Telegram.
UC Irvine sand study shows new data to help manage shrinking beaches
“Millions of dollars are being spent to add sand to local beaches – but a new study suggests technology can give a better understanding of how sand moves, offering data decision-makers could use in planning how to fix the eroding coastline. A new paper published recently by UC Irvine researchers in the Coastal Engineering Journal analyzed beaches between Long Beach and La Jolla, offering new data and methods that can be used to figure out the most vulnerable areas of coastline and whether those beaches are suitable for the mega, costly projects often turned toward for trying to replenish and retain sand. … ” Read more from the OC Register.
Video: Lake Elsinore tries nanobubble technology as a solution to chronic toxic algae blooms
“Lake Elsinore has a long history of dealing with toxic algae blooms, so much so that in 2022, the lake had to be closed to the public for six months. The lake is just one of thousands of water bodies across the United States that is dealing with the effects of harmful algae blooms. Over the years, the city has tried several solutions, but their latest hope is using a natural remedy called nanobubble technology to improve the lake’s water quality from Hawthorne-based company Moleaer.” Watch video from Spectrum 1.
IMPERIAL/COACHELLA VALLEYS
Salton Sea Authority invites Owens Lake dust expert to discuss playa
“The Salton Sea Authority Board of Directors held their monthly meeting to discuss ongoing Salton Sea actions on Thursday, Feb. 15. Phill Kiddo, Air Pollution Control Officer of Great Basin Unified Air Pollution Control District, first presented the board with the work at Owens Lake, CA. From their program, their partners include at the state level, the California Air Resources Board, Environmental Protection of Air Quality, and the City of Los Angeles Department of Water and Power as the responsible agencies for controlling the emissions at Owens Lake. Their program controls the air contaminants caused by the city’s water diversions, monitoring it, and mitigating it. The City of Los Angeles helps fund their program to preserve actions to protect public health. … ” Read more from the Desert Review.
Are artificial wetlands, nearing completion at California’s Salton Sea, the future of the Great Salt Lake?
“Not everyone gets to turn their hobby into a career. But thanks to the Salton Sea, California duck hunting guide Breck Dickinson gets to do just that. He doesn’t even advertise, and yet he has work booked out years in advance. Declining water levels at the Salton Sea, which has lost about a third of its water supply in the past 25 years, jeopardize the future of his business. The ducks remain plentiful, he says, but access to the lake has declined and other species of birds have largely disappeared. “For one thing, there are no more brown pelicans here,” Dickinson says. “They used to be here. The Salton Sea used to have fish in it … but those big algae blooms choked out all the oxygen and they died.” … ” Read more from Deseret News.
SAN DIEGO
Leucadia’s drainage issues span decades, and there’s still a long way to go
“Twelve years ago, a San Diego County grand jury urged the city of Encinitas to find a long-term solution to improve the existing stormwater infrastructure in Leucadia Roadside Park, a neighborhood in Encinitas. Last month, historic flooding across San Diego County damaged the homes and businesses of more than 1,000 residents – Leucadia Roadside Park was one of the communities hit hard. The area’s inadequate stormwater infrastructure was a major reason why. “At least 10 businesses in the area were impacted,” said Stacy Reddell, executive director of the Leucadia 101 Mainstreet Association. … ” Read more from the Voice of San Diego.
Rep. Issa seeks full accounting of how wastewater plant was allowed to deteriorate
“Rep. Darrell Issa is again demanding a full accounting of how a wastewater treatment plant at the U.S.-Mexico border was allowed to deteriorate, discharging untreated sewage into the Tijuana River watershed. Issa, R-Bonsall, wrote a letter last week to Maria-Elena Giner, commissioner of the U.S. Section of the International Boundary and Water Commission, which manages the South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant. He asks Giner to identify those responsible for ensuring timely maintenance of the facility, describe the reporting problems that led to the unresolved repairs, and explain why the IBWC did not review maintenance reports and what it has done to prevent that from happening again. He also asks whether the IBWC or its contractors self-audit or have been audited. … ” Read more from the San Diego Union-Tribune.
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. The mayor told Border Report that recent storms dropped a tremendous amount of rain bringing with it staggering levels of raw sewage from the south side of the border. … ” Read more from Channel 8.
Along the Colorado River …
The Colorado River is shrinking. Will seven states agree on how to manage its water by March?
“The seven Colorado River states face a quickly approaching deadline to present a unified plan for how to manage the drying river that provides water for 40 million people across the West. But major disagreements remain ahead of next month’s target — and the Upper Basin states, including Colorado, say they may submit their own proposal to the federal government instead. The seven states are tasked with proposing a long-term plan to manage the crucial river and its two major reservoirs. The river system generates electric power, fuels recreation economies across the West and irrigates 5.5 million acres of agricultural lands that feed the country. The amount of water in the Colorado River — overestimated from the beginning — is shrinking because of climate change. Lake Powell and Lake Mead, the major water storage units on the river, remain dangerously low. All sides agree there is a crisis. But shared solutions remain elusive. … ” Read more from the Greeley Tribune.
Significant changes in Lake Mead outlook explained
“Updated projections released on Thursday show Lake Mead rising another foot by the end of February and then crashing in April, eventually dropping 20 feet by November. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation’s February 24-month study shows Lake Mead hanging onto about 2 feet more water this year than projections showed just a month ago. And the outlook for 2025 is even more positive. The study is updated monthly to summarize expected river flows, and charts reflect the “most probable inflow” based on scientific models. On Wednesday, Lake Mead’s surface reached 1,075 feet above sea level — a benchmark level used when the federal government formally declared a water shortage in August of 2021. The Lower Colorado River Basin states — Nevada, Arizona and California — remain in a Tier 1 water shortage and Lake Mead is expected to drop below 1,058 feet as August arrives this year. … ” Read more from KLAS.
Projects funded to prevent tons of salt from entering Colorado River each year
“The U.S. Bureau of Land Management recently awarded $20.9 million for six projects along the Colorado River aimed at reducing the costly amount of salt in its water. Five of the projects are in Colorado. In a Feb. 12 press release, the BLM estimated economic damages currently caused by excess salinity in the Colorado River water at about $332 million per year. That economic damage mostly comes from the inability to plant certain types of crops which need the river’s water for irrigation, as well as costs associated with treating the river’s water for residential and commercial usage, according to a BLM report released six years ago. “This funding will prevent approximately 11,661 tons of salt each year from entering the Colorado River,” the BLM announced in its press release. … ” Read more from CBS Colorado.
Arizona’s uneven groundwater for farmers: ‘About 40 miles and a world of difference’
“Water is a precious resource for everyone in Arizona, but especially for farmers who manage land across the state. Arnoldo Burruel handles roughly 4,800 acres of farmland. “We have grown just anything you think you could try to make money on in Arizona,” he joked. He says he and his son work on his land. Their crops over the years have included corn, Bermuda grass and alfalfa. Burruel’s land is split between Marana and Eloy. “About 40 miles and a world of difference,” Burruel said, referring to the water situation. “If I’m talking with my Pima County neighbors, we feel lucky to be here.” But things dry up in Pinal County. … ” Read more from Channel 9.
Arizona tribe first to span canals with solar panels
“For the first time in the United States, a tribe in Arizona is building a solar farm over an irrigation canal to produce clean energy and save water at a time of unrelenting drought. The Gila River Indian Community has broken ground on a project to put solar panels over nearly 3,000 feet of the Casa Blanca canal south of Phoenix. It’s one phase of a pilot project designed to eventually help the tribe reach its goal of using 100% renewable power. The idea is modeled after a similar project in India, says David DeJong, director of the Pima-Maricopa Irrigation Project. “Nobody’s ever done this before,” he says. … ” Read more from WBUR.
Feds deny permits for hydro projects on Navajo land, citing lack of consultation with Tribes
“Federal officials Thursday denied preliminary permits for multiple pumped storage hydroelectric projects proposed on the Navajo Nation that would have required vast sums of water from limited groundwater aquifers and the declining Colorado River, citing a lack of support from tribal communities. In the order, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission announced it was implementing a new policy requiring that any project proposed on all tribal land must gain the respective tribe’s consent to be approved, a move that local tribes, opposed to the proposed hydroelectric projects, had been calling for. The decisions pave the way for increased tribal sovereignty in energy-related projects seeking federal approval across the country. … ” Read more from Inside Climate News.
SEE ALSO: Federal energy regulators deny permits for a controversial project on the Navajo Nation, from KUER
Auction of Colorado River water nets $4.7 million
“Longmont dairy farmer Jim Docheff has been in the dairy business for all of his 88 years, and his son Joe grows the corn and alfalfa for the dairy cows on the farm east of the city. On Wednesday, Docheff acquired six units of Colorado River water to use on his family farm by outbidding other would-be buyers in a water auction. “I came with the idea of buying up to 10 units, but I only got so many dollars to spend,” Docheff said. Docheff was one of 42 registered bidders who gathered at Barn A of the Boulder County Fairgrounds for a chance to buy some of the 90 units for sale of Colorado-Big Thompson Project water. The transmountain diversion project, built by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation in the 1940s, takes water from the headwaters of the Colorado River in Grand County and transports it via a system of tunnels, pipes and canals to farms and cities in northeastern Colorado. … ” Read more from Aspen Journalism.
Humans killed Cataract Canyon. It brought itself back to life
“The river churns a muddy brown as it carries us through towering vermilion rock walls toward the roar of Gypsum Canyon Rapid. The sound of water breaking over boulders grows louder as we approach, but Mike DeHoff shows no fear at the coming chaos. Rather, as he works the oars of his 18-foot raft, full of a week’s worth of camping gear and science equipment, it’s clear that he is, instead, thrilled. DeHoff is a local from Moab, Utah, and he’s rowed this stretch of the Colorado River, called Cataract Canyon in homage to its long series of vicious rapids, countless times. But he’s never rowed Gypsum before. That’s because until recently, this rapid wasn’t here. It’s only just fully resurfaced this month after being drowned for nearly half a century under the water of the Lake Powell reservoir. … ” Read more from the Rolling Stone.
