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On the calendar today …
- JOINT ASSEMBLY OVERSIGHT HEARING: Water We Doing with Groundwater: Evaluating Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) Implementation beginning at 9am. The Budget Subcommittee No. 4 and the Water, Parks, and Wildlife Committee will hold an oversight hearing titled, Water We Doing with Groundwater: Evaluating Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) Implementation. Click here for more information.
- MEETING: Delta Independent Science Board beginning at 9am. Update on the Delta Levees Investment Strategy (DLIS), Delta Lead Scientist Report; Discussion on the Delta Conveyance Project Final Environmental Impact Report Review; Decision-making Under Deep Uncertainty Review; Subsidence Review; and Food-webs Review. Click here for the full meeting notice.
- MEETING: State Water Resources Control Board beginning at 9am. Agenda items include current hydrologic conditions and response, Delta Watermaster periodic report, Quarterly Delta Lead Scientist report, and consideration of grant to East Orosi Community Services District. Click here for the full agenda and remote access instructions.
- MEETING: CA Water Commission beginning at 9am. Agenda items include Consideration of Action on Resolution of Necessity for the Yolo bypass Salmonid Habitat restoration and Fish Passage Project (Big Notch Project); Exercise of Commission Discretion and Options for Outcomes for the Water Storage Investment Program, Strategic Plan development, and overview of the State Water Project strategic plan. Click here for the meeting agenda and remote access instructions.
- IN-PERSON EVENT: OASIS Water Resources Center (Irvine) from 11;30am to 1:3opm in Irvine. South Orange County relies heavily on uncertain imported water from the Colorado River and Northern California. To address ongoing water supply challenges, Moulton Niguel Water District (MNWD) is exploring opportunities to maximize wastewater and stormwater use. MNWD is actively seeking interagency partnerships to enhance water supply and climate resilience, benefiting the community by improving watershed health. Our presentation will focus on MNWD’s OASIS Water Resources Center project, emphasizing data-driven partnerships and its potential to provide customers with a drought-resistant, new local water supply. Click here to register.
In California water news today …
For Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta farmers, the only certainty is change
“At the stroke of midnight, January 1st, 2023, the winds came. Tom Slater, a wine grape grower near Clarksburg, California, was sitting in his house “when all heck broke loose for the whole state…” He continues, “I’ve never seen winds as bad as it was.” After a drought-stricken 2022, the New Year’s Eve storm of 2023 came out swinging, inundating the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta with 10 to 15 inches of rain over two and a half weeks. Along with the rain came gale force winds that knocked over trees and powerlines, leading to a weeks-long power outage. Luckily, Slater’s neighboring rivers, the Sacramento River and Elk Slough, were low, reducing the chance of flooding. But when the power went out, the electric pumps stopped. Normally, these were responsible for draining the fields in times of high water. Though flooding wasn’t an immediate concern, it could have quickly become one as the storm rolled in. … ” Read more from & the West.
A new tool can help protect California and Nevada communities from floods while preserving their water supply
“At the dawn of the new year in 1997, the Truckee River transformed. The winter season had thus far been great for snow, but when a subtropical storm from near the Hawaiian Islands rolled in, it carried with it unseasonably warm rain. The warm rainfall combined with snowmelt to swell the rivers, with the Truckee burying much of downtown Reno under water. Two people were killed amidst the nearly $1 billion disaster, and it wasn’t the first nor the last time that warm rains triggered severe flooding in the area. These types of storms, called “rain-on-snow” storms, can produce river flows 50-80% higher than typical spring snowmelt. Nevada cities nestled against the dramatic peaks of the Sierra Nevada mountains are at particularly high risk from these storms: Reno and Carson City have records of flooding linked to these storms as early as 1862 and as recent as 2017. Despite the repeated challenge, predicting when these storms will occur and the risk of flooding remains challenging for scientists. DRI’s Anne Heggli, Ph.D., is on a mission to change that. … ” Read more from the Desert Research Institute.
Here’s how much California’s snowpack has improved after recent storms
“After a slow start to the year, the Sierra Nevada snowpack has grown by leaps and bounds in recent weeks, thanks to a series of heavy storms with especially big impacts in the northern Sierra. The latest measurements from the California Department of Water Resources places the statewide snowpack at 85% of normal for this time of year, according to data as of Tuesday. In comparison, the snowpack was just 52% of average on Jan. 30 and a paltry 25% of average on Jan. 2. But the gains haven’t been evenly distributed. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
How two California reservoir water levels changed after atmospheric river
“California’s two biggest reservoirs have risen by several feet since Sunday after yet another atmospheric river lashed the state with rain. California has faced a slew of atmospheric rivers this winter. Last year, more than a dozen of them helped alleviate the state’s severe drought situation and replenished many of the state’s reservoirs, but the storms also caused devastating floods and landslides. Another moisture-laden storm arrived in the Golden State on Sunday and brought heavy rain to the northern half of the state first before working its way south on Monday. Since the storm’s arrival, Lake Shasta and Lake Oroville in Northern California have risen by nearly 4 feet and 3 feet, respectively. … ” Read more from Newsweek.
California reservoirs remain well above historical average as snowpack builds
“A wet, snowy January and start to February have all but locked up another year of drought-free conditions for most of California. Thanks to last year’s record wet winter, reservoirs remained at healthy levels throughout the dry summer months as the record snowpack and subsequent melt off period flowed into them. After the melt-off period, Lake Shasta — the keystone of the Central Valley Project — was at 98% capacity, Oroville was at 100% capacity and Folsom Lake was nearly full at 95% capacity. These bodies of water were quite parched heading into the winter due to the three years of drought preceding the past winter’s deluge and ranged from 25-32% capacity before the atmospheric river events rolled in. … ” Read more from Channel 10.
What is California doing to capture and store all the water from winter storms?
“We all know the saying about saving something for a rainy day, but in California it’s about saving the water for a dry day. As the rain and snow continue to hit our region, what is California doing to capture it all? The state is working to recharge the groundwater with what is hitting the surface. “You stop pumping groundwater and you allow the basin to fill up naturally,” said Ryan Ojakian, manager of government relations for the Regional Water Authority. The water expert told CBS13 that you use more surface water when it is wet and more groundwater when it is dry. That is what the Sacramento Regional Water Bank has been doing, and it is seeing results. … ” Read more from CBS Sacramento.
How ‘reactivating’ floodplains along rivers can be a water solution for California
“California has lost most of its natural wetlands as rivers have been cut off from their natural floodplains. And it’s pretty remarkable what can be achieved when rivers are given space to reconnect with floodplains. I learned more about opening up spaces for rivers to roam while working on an article about floodplain restoration efforts in the Central Valley. These types of projects have received broad-based support in recent years as an effective nature-based solution that can bring various interrelated benefits. They include: reducing the risks of flooding in vulnerable communities downstream; capturing and storing more water underground in aquifers; improving water quality; and helping to repair ecosystems. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
Salmon with a side of lamprey: non-native basses primarily eat native fishes in California’s Stanislaus River
“Salmon face many perils during their migration to the ocean, including disease, entrainment, degraded water quality, and predation. However, predation has been the factor that has generated the most interest and debate. FISHBIO has been conducting a research program focused on fish species that prey on other fish in the Stanislaus River to understand how predatory fishes may affect juvenile salmon migration. As part of the research program, FISHBIO asked, what’s on the menu for predatory fishes in the Stanislaus River? In an article published in the December 2023 issue of San Francisco Estuary and Watershed Science, FISHBIO scientists explained the results of examining three years worth of diet samples from over 20 predatory fish species (Peterson et al. 2023). … ” Read more from FishBio.
NOW ONLINE: A New Decision-Support Tool and Storymap for Delta levees
The Delta Stewardship Council is pleased to share new resources related to the Delta Levees Investment Strategy (DLIS), a risk-based prioritization for levee investments in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta that became California state law as part of the Delta Plan in January 2024. The DLIS aims to benefit Californians by maximizing flood protections for people, property, and infrastructure and to support the coequal goals. The DLIS decision-support tool enables the Council and others at work or interested in the region to explore flood risk results for each Delta island and tract across different time frames and future scenarios. The DLIS storymap describes the importance of the investment strategy – and how it came to be – in an interactive format. Click here for the tool and storymap.
Biden-Harris Administration announces over half a billion for California drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure upgrades as part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda
“Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced over half a billion ($510,054,000) from President Biden’s Investing in America agenda for California drinking water and clean water infrastructure upgrades. This historic funding is part of over $50 billion in water infrastructure upgrade investments from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law – the largest investment in American history. Almost half of this funding will be available as grants or principal forgiveness loans, ensuring funds reach disadvantaged and underserved communities most in need of investments in water infrastructure. This vital funding will support essential water infrastructure that protects public health and treasured water bodies across the state. “All people deserve the peace of mind that the water they drink, swim and bathe in, and use to feed their families is safe, readily available, and clean,” said EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Administrator Martha Guzman. … ” Read more from the EPA.
After heavy storms, Death Valley is now open to kayakers: The return of ghostly Lake Manly
“Storms pummeling Southern California have dramatically transformed Death Valley National Park, doubling the size of a vast temporary lake that is even visible to orbiting spacecraft. Although water sports are a definite rarity for the hottest place on Earth, Park Ranger Abby Wines recently launched a small, inflatable kayak on the waters that now cover the salt flats of Badwater Basin. It was “calm, really, really peaceful” and “very still,” she said of her voyage late Friday afternoon. She returned the next day with her boyfriend for another go. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
The Williamson Act: How the law that protects California’s farmland works
“In the decades between the two World Wars, California’s population grew—but at a reasonable, steady rate. In 1920, two years after the end of World War I, there were 3.4 million people living in the state. By 1940, the year before the United States entered the Second World War, there were 6.9 million. Then the explosion came. … The mid-century population boom may have been good news for industry, and the state’s economy overall. But it was definitely bad news for what was then and now one of the largest sectors of the California economy—agriculture. In the mid-1960s, California’s legislature attempted to address that problem by passing a landmark law that became known as the Williamson Act. … ” Read more from California Local.
What the latest farm census says about the changing ag landscape
“Texas has more farms than any other state, but California generates the most money from farming. Young farmers under 35 are more prevalent in northern states. In 2022, nearly 18,000 farms grew blueberries compared to 16,000 farms in 2017. These are the kinds of data that can be gleaned from the Census of Agriculture, a massive, wide-ranging survey the federal government has been conducting regularly since 1840. Now completed every five years by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), the census asks detailed questions about who is farming, what they’re growing, and the practices they use, as well as where their farms are located and the economics of it all. Given the essential nature of food and fiber production, it’s crucial to understand as much as possible about the country’s farm landscape, and the resulting data can be then spliced and diced to understand and identify trends and challenges. … ” Read more from Civil Eats.
California lawmakers face a ballooning budget deficit
“The biggest challenge facing lawmakers and Gov. Gavin Newsom is the state budget deficit — and it just got bigger. Today, the Legislative Analyst’s Office projected the shortfall as $15 billion higher, or $73 billion. The analyst’s office had pegged the 2024-25 deficit at $58 billion in January, using Newsom’s revenue estimates when he presented his initial budget proposal. On Friday, Newsom’s Department of Finance reported that preliminary General Fund cash receipts in January were $5 billion below (or nearly 20%) the governor’s budget forecast. Unless state tax revenues pick up significantly, the bigger number will make it more difficult to balance the state budget just through dipping into reserves and targeted spending cuts. … ” Read more from Cal Matters.
SEE ALSO:
-
- California watchdog predicts deficit will grow to $73 billion, from the Courthouse News Service
- Deficit Update: Under LAO Revenue Update, Budget Problem Grows by $15 Billion, from the LAO
- Gavin Newsom’s new budget is already leaking red ink as revenues fall behind, from Dan Walters at Cal Matters
And lastly … Watch: ‘Bird Jesus’ appears to walk on water as atmospheric river fills California waterway with debris
“A video posted on Monday shows birds walking on debris floating on the water’s surface after an atmospheric river storm drenched Southern California. The atmospheric river was the latest in a series of atmospheric rivers to slam the Golden State, causing areas to flood and creating numerous landslides. The storm also washed debris downstream, where an assortment of trash and natural refuse collected into a thick brown soup, as seen in the video. … ” Read more from Fox News.
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
Klamath River Basin is largest new federal wildfire landscape protection area
“A federal government effort to “confront the wildfire crisis” in the Western United States is making the Klamath River Basin the largest of 11 new landscape designations for extra support. Today, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack says the Biden Administration is investing nearly $500,000,000 to expand work on the USDA Forest Service’s Wildfire Crisis Strategy. Vilsack says funds from the Administration’s Investing in America agenda will support work to reduce risk to communities, critical infrastructure and natural resources from the nation’s ongoing wildfire crisis. … ” Read more from KDRV.
Indigenous-themed interpretive signage installed at Baduwa’t Estuary Restoration Project
“CalTrout, McKinleyville Community Services District, the Wiyot Tribe, Redwood Community Action Agency, and local artists collaborated to design and install interpretive signage at the site of a recently completed restoration and public access project at Baduwa’t estuary. Baduwa’t is now known as the Mad River but is not a direct translation. The signage was installed on Monday, February 12, 2024 at the western end of School Road in McKinleyville. The new installation includes three interpretive signs with artwork by Alme Allen and Jullia Finkelstein. Over the past eight years, the sign’s narrative was cultivated with the Wiyot Tribe, CalTrout’s project manager Mary Burke, and Denise Newman with RCAA – whose designs artfully thread interpretive themes together. These signs welcome and orient visitors to the site and are held proudly between original pedestals designed by Alme Allen and fabricated by Nick Kieselhorst of Ironside Metal in Arcata to create a powerful sense of place. … ” Read more from Cal Trout.
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
Nevada County rejects controversial gold mining project
“After years of controversy, the Nevada County Board of Supervisors unanimously struck down a Grass Valley gold mining project. “It’s clear that this community wants to move forward to a cleaner economic future and not go back to mining,” said Heidi Hall, a member of the board, during the meeting last week. “And notwithstanding past board decisions, this board has the obligation to look at what the community needs and wants today and in the future.” Rise Gold first submitted an application to resume gold mining operations at the Idaho Maryland Mine, which is in Grass Valley, in 2019. The site had been inactive since its closure in the 1950s, but Rise Gold said it had untapped potential. … ” Read more from Capital Public Radio.
Placer County Board of Supervisors greenlights next contract for French Meadows Ecological Forest Restoration Project
“Tuesday marked another step forward for the French Meadows Ecological Forest Restoration Project as the Placer County Board of Supervisors voted to allocate a contract to advance critical forest health initiatives in the Middle Fork American River watershed. Dowling Underground & Networking Inc. has been selected as the recipient of the contract, valued at $587,584, to spearhead non-commercial fuels reduction services across various land units surrounding the French Meadows Reservoir. “Adding another almost 400 acres of treatment on the French Meadows project highlights our commitment to proactively address forest health challenges while fortifying the resilience of local ecosystems and communities against the escalating threat of wildfires,” said Placer County District 5 Supervisor Cindy Gustafson. … ” Read more from YubaNet.
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
Tribes call for new Sáttítla National Monument in northeastern CA
“Tribes in far northeastern California are pressing President Joe Biden to create a new national monument about 30 miles from Mount Shasta. The Pit River Tribe is asking the president to use his powers under the Antiquities Act to create the new Sáttítla National Monument on just over 205,000 acres in the Medicine Lake Highlands. Radley Davis, an advocate for the Sáttítla National Monument and a citizen of the Illmawi Band of the Pit River Tribe, said the area is a very important watershed. “The headwaters of Northern California goes all the way down into the San Francisco Bay Area, gets collected and goes to the aqueduct,” Davis pointed out. “That gets further transmitted down in Southern California for agriculture, so we feel protecting this area is very, very key.” … ” Read more from the Public News Service.
Storms lead to Sacramento River ‘action stage’ reading at Colusa Bridge gauge
“Recent storms have Northern California water managers keeping a close watch on river levels. In Colusa County, the river level gauge along the Sacramento River was reading between 65 and 66 feet Tuesday. According to the National Weather Service’s (NWS) Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service, that reading means the river level falls in what’s considered the “action stage,” which kicks in at 60 feet. … ” Read more from KCRA.
Levee project could remove hundreds of trees along the American River, Sacramento group warns
“A community group is worried a project to strengthen levees in Sacramento will lead to the removal of several hundred trees along the American River Parkway, creating long-lasting environmental effects while damaging a popular regional recreation area. The community group, American River Trees, is specifically concerned about a portion of the levee upgrade project by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers known as the “Contract 3B site,” where erosion protection measures will be constructed upstream of Howe Avenue along the river to Watt Avenue. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers plans for construction to take place in 2025 and 2026 for the Contract 3B North and South project. Project officials said the upgrades are needed to “armor the riverbank to reduce and prevent erosion which, if left unaddressed, could result in levee failure.” … ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee.
BAY AREA
Marin water district partners with firefighters for land management
“The Marin Municipal Water District is enlisting the services of county firefighters to help build a wildfire defense in the Mount Tamalpais watershed. Under a new agreement, the county’s Tamalpais Crew and the Fire Innovation, Recruitment and Education Foundry, known as the FIRE Foundry, have been tapped to support the district, its contractors and other partners to reduce the fire risk and enhance the watershed ecosystem. The Tamalpais Crew is a specialized land management team, and the FIRE Foundry is a program with the College of Marin designed to bring more women and people of color into the firefighting workforce. The district aims to tackle vegetation management on about 1,500 acres, said Shaun Horne, watershed resources manager. … ” Read more from the Marin Independent Journal.
CENTRAL COAST
Peninsula water politics create a wedge on Salinas City Council
“Members of local city councils and various special districts are elected to serve their city or district. But they also are appointed to fill various roles on boards of directors for regional agencies, giving them additional influence. Entities like Monterey-Salinas Transit, the Transportation Agency for Monterey County and Central Coast Community Energy are governed by appointees from various elected boards. These appointments can sometimes take on the tone of a perfunctory assignment process. … ” Read more from Monterey Weekly.
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
State rejects groundwater plan for Modesto subbasin
“The late Vance Kennedy was appalled when he learned tens of thousands of groundwater-dependent acres had been planted with almond orchards on in the foothills on Stanislaus County’s east side. “That groundwater is our savings bank,” said Kennedy, then a resident of the City of Modesto. “That’s our reserve in case of an extended drought.” Kennedy, an award-winning hydrologist and geologist during his career at the U.S. Geological Survey, thought the thirsty almond orchards could ultimately threaten the viability of the entire Modesto Subbasin, which supplies water to cities throughout the county. In fact, the only city in the county that receives significant volumes of surface water is Modesto, which still relies on groundwater for almost half its needs. Cities like Oakdale, Riverbank and Waterford rely solely on groundwater. … ” Read more from the Valley Citizen.
No major damage reported after crops flooded in Tulare County
“Blue skies surrounded Tulare on Tuesday afternoon compared to Monday when rain came down hard, flooding some fields. “It’s come in waves, the rain has,” said Tom Tucker, the Tulare County Agricultural Commissioner. “It’s had a tropical effect on much of it. So, it’s a little on the warm side. It’s mostly localized ponding.” Tucker said it helps that the rain has been spread out over several days and weeks, unlike last winter’s relentless storms. So far, the agency has not received any reports of damaged crops. Right now, it’s the middle of citrus season. The wet weather can stall operations when those crops get picked. … ” Read more from KFSN.
Kern River flows through Bakersfield again
“Water is flowing down the Kern River in Bakersfield for the first time in many years, thanks to the combination of abundant snowmelt and an injunction preventing water diversions from drying up the river. Record runoff from last winter’s historic snowpack in the Sierra Nevada brought enough water back to the riverbed that the river flowed through the city instead of drying out upstream of Bakersfield, as it has for most of the last 70 years. And with the water came fish, and echoes of the Mono Lake story. Last November, a Kern County Superior Court judge issued a preliminary injunction requiring 40% of the Kern River’s natural runoff to remain in the river to keep the fish healthy and restore the Lower Kern River’s Public Trust resources. … ” Read more from the Mono Lake Committee.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Another climate impact hits the public’s radar: A wetter world is mudslide city
“Picture the minute hand at about eight past the hour. That’s the slope of Viet’s backyard in southern Los Angeles County. It’s a bit too aggressive for a slip-and-slide. In fact, Viet doesn’t even let his 7-year-old daughter play on the family’s small back patio. … “Whenever it rained, we’d be happy: ‘We’re not in a severe drought anymore, yay!’” Viet said. “But after this, every time it rains, I get scared.” “This” was the atmospheric river storms that hit L.A. with a one-two punch (the first, a jab, the second, a wallop) in the first week of February. The usual winter rainy season in California has been amped up this year by a parade of such storms. … ” Continue reading at Inside Climate News.
San Bernardino project to secure safe drinking water breaks ground with help of $10.2 million state grant
“The State Water Resources Control Board joined the South Mesa Water Co., Riverside County, CalMutuals, San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District and the San Gorgonio Pass Water Agency last Friday to mark the groundbreaking of a major construction project that will strengthen and expand the region’s drinking water system. The project received a more than $10 million grant from the State Water Board. Serving a population of about 10,000 in the disadvantaged communities of Yucaipa and Calimesa in Riverside County, South Mesa Water Co. relies on several aging groundwater wells and distribution water mains that are undersized. Expected to be completed in 2026, the project will improve the system’s integrity by drilling a new groundwater well and replacing water mains to meet current and future demand. Once complete, South Mesa will connect the failing water system serving nearby Hillcrest Mobile Estates, a severely disadvantaged community with about 500 residents that is struggling with nitrate contamination, to its distribution line. … ” Read more from the State Water Resources Control Board.
IMPERIAL/COACHELLA VALLEYS
This California county could hold the key to U.S. lithium mining. But there’s a catch
“In the quest to bolster domestic lithium production, a county in Southern California is emerging as a crucial player. The Salton Sea, a salty lake located in Imperial County three hours east of Los Angeles, contains some of the world’s largest lithium deposits. According to a Department of Energy report published last November, there are approximately 18 million tons of lithium here—enough to meet the demand for 375 million EV batteries, significantly more than all EVs currently on American roads. … ” Read more from Fast Company.
Along the Colorado River …
Lake Mead levels continue recovery due to conservation, professor says
“Lake Mead water levels continue to recover this winter, and one expert cites conservation efforts behind the recent upward trajectory. According to Professor Andrea Gerlak of the Udall Center For Studies in Public Policy at the University of Arizona, the recent cuts approved by the feds last fall have made a difference. Nevada, California and Arizona agreed to cut back usage by 3 million acre feet through 2026—which equates to 977.5 billion gallons of water. The states received federal funding to manage those cuts. “It’s really great to see Lake Mead on the mend. It’s really great news for everyone living in the Colorado River Basin to see these lake levels up. What it tells me is that the conservation efforts are really working,” Gerlak said. … ” Read more from Channel 5.
In national water news today …
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Bureau of Reclamation: A Joint Commitment to the Nation’s Water Infrastructure
“The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Bureau of Reclamation recently released State of the Infrastructure: A Joint Report by the Bureau of Reclamation and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The report provides a high-level overview of the infrastructure asset portfolio and related asset management practices, collaboration efforts, and future strategies. The two agencies have recently made record investments in critical water resource construction projects and to further develop innovative approaches to address their most pressing challenges. … “We are at a critical moment in our history with a once-in-a-generation investment in our nation’s Civil Works infrastructure,” said Director of Civil Works for the Army Corps Edward Belk, Jr. “Together, we can provide the most efficient and effective solutions to promote safety, economic well-being, and the environment in the West and across the country.” … ” Continue reading this press release from the Bureau of Reclamation.
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