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On the calendar today …
- WEBINAR: Outreach and Engagement Training for Groundwater Sustainability Agencies from 10am to 11:30am. This workshop will focus on how GSAs can engage or re-engage with interested parties in their basin to enhance local relationships. Registration link: https://stantec.zoom.us/
meeting/register/ tJUvceCtrzgvH90Vl10Avjow0hk4Co PJe8je - PUBLIC MEETING on the development of the Biological Assessment for the 2021 Reinitiation of Consultation on the Long-Term Operation of the Central Valley Project and State Water Project from 1pm to 3pm. Teams Meeting Link Click here for more information.
In California water news today …
‘Simply catastrophic’: California salmon season to be restricted or shut down — again
“California’s fishing industry is bracing for another bad year as federal managers today announced plans to heavily restrict or prohibit salmon fishing this year, following a complete ban last year. The Pacific Fishery Management Council today released a series of options that are under consideration, all of which either ban commercial and recreational salmon fishing in the ocean off California or shorten the season and set strict catch limits. The council’s final decision is expected next month; the commercial season typically begins in May and ends in October. While more Chinook salmon returned from the ocean to spawn last year than in 2022, fishery managers said the population is expected to be so small that they must be protected to avoid overfishing. … ” Read more from Cal Matters.
California Current Ecosystem shows resilience entering strong El Niño
“The California Current ecosystem is a vital ocean system stretching from Washington to Baja California. It faces a strong 2024 El Niño event, a cyclical warming of the Pacific Ocean. However, the latest information from NOAA’s Integrated Ecosystem Assessment program suggests the ecosystem is better positioned to weather these changing conditions than previous El Niño events. The annual California Current Ecosystem Status Reports compile results from researchers who monitor changes and trends in all facets of ecosystem health. They represent physical, chemical, biological, and socio-economic sciences. Results from these reports are presented annually to the Pacific Fishery Management Council. … ” Read more from NOAA Fisheries.
Second San Joaquin Valley groundwater subbasin recommended for state takeover
“The Friant-Kern Canal was called out specifically as one of the reasons the state should take over pumping in the Tule groundwater subbasin in Tulare County. The recommendation was contained in a recently released staff report to the Water Resources Control Board. While the report stated groundwater management plans covering the subbasin didn’t adequately address subsidence and continued depletion of the aquifer and degradation of water quality in general, it also noted the significant harm to the Friant-Kern Canal, which brings water 152 miles south from Millerton Lake to Arvin. Excessive overpumping caused land beneath a 33-mile stretch of the Friant-Kern Canal to collapse, creating a sag that reduced the canal’s carrying capacity south of Pixley by 60%. … ” Read more from SJV Water.
As water rates climb, many are struggling to pay for an essential service
“In California and across the country, household water rates have been rising as utilities invest to upgrade aging infrastructure, secure future supplies and meet treatment standards for clean drinking water. As monthly water bills continue to increase, growing numbers of customers have been struggling to pay. New federal legislation would establish a water assistance program to help low-income families pay their bills and prevent shutoffs of water service. The bill, introduced by Democratic Sen. Alex Padilla, would make permanent a federal program that Congress authorized in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. The program provided more than $1 billion in assistance, but it’s expiring. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
SEE ALSO: Rising prices stifle affordability of an essential right: Water, from the LA Times
Legislation to ease water conservation mandates gains regional support
“In a significant move aimed at alleviating the financial strain on water suppliers and households, Walnut Valley Water District (WVWD), Rowland Water District (RWD), and Bellflower-Somerset Mutual Water Company have come together to co-sponsor a landmark bill, SB 1330, introduced by Senator Bob Archuleta (D-Pico Rivera). This common-sense legislation, designed to address concerns raised by water suppliers across the state, seeks to provide relief from the costly burdens associated with complying with water conservation mandates. With water bills on the rise and concerns about meeting regulatory requirements mounting, the co-sponsored bill aims to offer a lifeline to Californians grappling with increasing costs and environmental challenges. “My goals for SB 1330 are simple: to provide flexibility for water suppliers, reduce costs, and ultimately, make water conservation achievable for all Californians,” Senator Archuleta emphasized. “In a state known for its high cost of living, ensuring affordable access to water is not just a necessity, but a responsibility.” … ” Read more from the Walnut Valley Water District.
Tire makers say lawsuit over fish-killing chemical sidesteps EPA
“Michelin (MICP.PA) and 12 other tire manufacturers have asked a U.S. court to dismiss a lawsuit filed by California-based commercial fishing groups that allege a chemical used in their tires is poisoning West Coast watersheds and killing rare trout and salmon. The tire manufactures, which also include Bridgestone (5108.T), and Goodyear Tire & Rubber (GT.O), told a federal court in San Francisco on Friday that the lawsuit attempts to “step around” the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, which is the country’s primary regulator of chemicals and is already considering rules targeting 6PPD, a rubber stabilizer. … ” Read more from Reuters.
Vineyards are being ripped out en masse — a troubling sign for California wine
“This winter, Garret Schaefer has been pulling his grapevines out of the ground. Schaefer’s family has been farming wine grapes in Lodi since 1894. For the past 60 years, the family had a reliable buyer for their 180 acres of grapes, about half of which is Zinfandel. But in 2019, that buyer — a winery — decided to stop making Zinfandel. Since then, Schaefer has tried relentlessly to find another winery to buy the crop. “At some point you have to say this isn’t working,” Schaefer said. So far, he’s brought in excavators to dig up 40 acres of grapes, and he expects he’ll remove 14 more this year. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
Map shows which coastal California cities are sinking, face greater flood risk
“Those living along the coasts in the U.S. — Atlantic, Pacific, and the Gulf — are no strangers to flooding. Some in the Northeast saw back-to-back storms earlier this year cause damage to wharfs and sand dunes, and flooding that forced many to evacuate to higher ground. California has been battered with rain — and accompanying flooding — this winter, largely thanks to a strong El Niño weather pattern. Scientists have long been predicting flooding will only become more common for coastal communities. Last year, Climate Central, an organization of scientists and journalists focused on studying the impacts of climate change, released an interactive map showing which of those communities could be hardest hit by flooding (caused by rising sea levels and typical annual flooding) by 2050. … ” Read more from KRON.
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
Deconstruction of Copco No. 1 underway
“Following Friday’s successful test blast, the Klamath River Renewal Corporation will proceed with the removal of the Copco No. 1 Dam, the second dam to be removed as a part of the Klamath dam removal project. The Copco No. 1 Dam, constructed in 1918 for the sole purpose of hydroelectric power generation, has blocked fish passage for over 100 years and is expected to be fully removed by the end of August 2024. “We are excited to get to work,” said Mark Bransom, CEO of the Renewal Corporation “with the initial phase of drawdown complete, the dam is fully exposed and can safely be disassembled.” Copco No. 2, a diversion dam that was located just downstream of Copco No. 1, was removed last year. The remaining three dams, Copco No. 1, Iron Gate, and JC Boyle created reservoirs that needed to be drawn down before removal could begin. … ” Read more from the Klamath River Renewal Corporation.
SEE ALSO: Copco No. 1 dam removal underway, from KDRV
Klamath River: And the award goes to…
“The first annual “River of Death” award goes to the Klamath River Renewal Corporation (‘KRRC’) and its CEO Mark Bransom. Let’s face it, it really takes a lot to kill-off an entire aquatic ecosystem, and in the process, contaminate the Klamath River to the point where the County Health Department has to issue a press release warning citizens to stay out of the water! Residents should not be in or drink water from the Klamath River due to high levels of arsenic, lead and aluminum, the Siskiyou County Environmental Health said today. According to the report, heavy metals in the Klamath River have increased due to sediment buildup that happened after drawdown of the river’s three reservoirs in January. This is part of the Lower Klamath Dam Removal project. … ” Read more from the California Globe.
BAY AREA
Harmful algae detected in Lake Merritt water samples
“A rusty red color in Lake Merritt that left lake stewards scrambling to sample the water on Mar. 7 has tested positive for the same algae that caused the devastating harmful algal bloom in 2022. On Friday, lake stewards sent water samples to labs run by the California Department of Public Health and San Francisco Bay Regional Water Control Board. Unofficial field testing initially detected no harmful algae. However, lab testing confirmed over the weekend the presence of Heterosigma akashiwo, a type of algae often associated with harmful blooms. … ” Read more from Oaklandside.
CENTRAL COAST
San Luis Obispo receives $6.6 million grant to clean up contaminated groundwater
“The California State Water Resources Control Board issued a $6.6 million grant for a city of San Luis Obispo project intended to clean up contaminated groundwater. Presently, the city does not use groundwater for its drinking water supply. SLO’s potable water supply comes from Whale Rock Reservoir, Santa Margarita Lake and Nacimiento Reservoir. City officials have sought to diversify the water supply in an attempt to achieve “greater drought and climate change resiliency.” Previously, contamination from tetrachloroethylene, or PCE, served as a barrier to doing so. PCE is a toxic chemical produced by dry cleaning and industrial activities, which took place in the city decades ago. … ” Read more from Cal Coast News.
Montecito Water District rate evaluation underway
“Extraordinary inflation and opportunities to improve resiliency were key discussion points in Montecito Water District’s Special Board Meeting this week. Directors reviewed a preliminary analysis with Raftelis Financial Consultants in anticipation of adjusting water rates for customers later this year. Rates are revisited every three to five years, and are required to be based on a rigorous cost-of-service analysis. Annual rate increases have remained steady at 2.8% since the Board last adopted a rate plan in 2020. While this was consistent with inflation figures at the time, the past three years have brought substantially greater cost increases to nearly every aspect of the business. … ” Read more from the Montecito Journal.
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
Fresno State: Groundwater Awareness Week shines spotlight on vital water issues
“The California Water Institute at Fresno State is scheduled to host an online webinar at 9 a.m. Friday, March 15, to highlight local issues regarding the use of groundwater. The webinar is part of Groundwater Awareness Week, an annual observance established by the National Groundwater Association and will be taking place through March 16. “Our goal is to educate the community about water issues,” said Laura Ramos, interim director of the California Water Institute’s Research and Education Division. “[The webinar] will fulfill that goal as well as educate about the research and studies we are working on.” … ” Read more from Fresno State.
Sage Ranch lawsuit hearing delayed; now set for March 29
“A hearing expected to resolve a 2021 lawsuit challenging the city of Tehachapi’s approval of the proposed Sage Ranch project has been delayed by a week. A minute order published on March 7 by Sacramento County Superior Court shows that a hearing on the legal action filed by Tehachapi-Cummings County Water District has been moved from March 22 to March 29. The hearing is set to begin at 1:30 p.m. that day. The change in hearing date was made on the court’s own motion and was not related to any action by any of the parties. … ” Read more from the Tehachapi News.
EASTERN SIERRA
A win for the Mono Basin Scenic Area
“Last fall the California Department of Resources Recycling & Recovery (CalRecycle) completed earth work on the former Lee Vining Burn Dump site adjacent to the Mono Basin National Forest Scenic Area Visitor Center. The work demonstrates the success of the two-year effort to convince CalRecycle to fix major damage caused by their contractors, which resulted from the absence of environmental documentation and permitting. The earth work is the critical, initial step toward the restoration of the site. Thanks to a focused coalition led by the Mono Lake Committee, expensive and time-consuming litigation was avoided, project missteps were reversed, and remediation and restoration achieved for the Scenic Area. … ” Read more from the Mono Lake Committee.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
State officials will discuss cleaning up groundwater at Santa Susana Field
“The state agency that oversees the cleanup of the contaminated Santa Susana Field Lab will host a series of workshops starting on Tuesday, March 12, where residents from the San Fernando and Simi valleys can learn about the conditions of the field’s groundwater near their communities. The “lab” stretches across 2,850 acres at the border of the San Fernando and Simi valleys where rocket engine testing and nuclear research took place for decades during the Cold War, polluting the land’s soil and groundwater. Now, the Boeing Company, NASA and the U.S. Department of Energy, who own the site, are partnering with the California Department of Toxic Substances Control, or DTSC, to host the “Groundwater U” workshop to inform the public about the status of the cleanup. … ” Read more from the LA Daily News.
Water quality control board denies landfill’s request to expand
“The Chiquita Canyon Landfill operators have been denied a request to expand, the latest in a series of setbacks for the landfill that has been producing toxic chemicals and polluting the air, water and land on site and in neighboring communities for months. The LA Regional Water Quality Control Board denied the landfill’s request to expand operations in its East Canyon Project. The landfill applied for the expansion on Jan. 4, 2022. The water control board sent a letter dated March 1 informing the operators of the rejection. … ” Read more from Spectrum 1.
SAN DIEGO
New state bill aims to force companies to clean up pollution in the Tijuana River
“Still water in the Tijuana River Valley reflects the chirping birds who live there, giving the impression it is as nature made it — until you see the floating trash and smell the stagnant, polluted water. For decades, activists tried to clean up the Tijuana River’s watershed as it flowed from Tijuana into San Diego’s coastal waters, which are contaminated with both human and industrial waste. A recent study from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography found that coastal pollution is also transferring to the air. “This is nothing short of an environmental and public health crisis, and it has been made worse by the fact that California companies are part of the problem,” said State Senator Steve Padilla Monday, while announcing SB 1178, a bill to address cross-border pollution. … ” Read more from KPBS.
California aiming to rein in polluters adding to the South Bay sewage crisis
“A pair of new state bills are looking to crack down on some of the polluters fueling the cross-border sewage crisis that has hobbled access to San Diego County’s southernmost beaches for decades. Senate Bill 1178 and Senate Bill 1208, introduced on Monday by State Sen. Steve Padilla, add regulations to water discharges for large corporations, as well as prevent water authorities from issuing additional permits for waste releases into areas in the Tijuana River system. “Our communities have had enough of companies polluting at will and escaping the consequences,” Padilla said in a release. “If you’re going to do business in California, you’re going to answer to the public when you pollute and poison our water.” … ” Read more from Fox 5.
Along the Colorado River …
How 7 Colorado River states will come to agreement on water sharing
“Arizona is reliant on water from the Colorado River. But, it’s shrinking due to climate change. And we’re not the only ones who will need it in the future. In fact, there are seven states at play here, and they all have to come to an agreement as to how to manage the future of the river by 2026. But now, our next guest reports there are two competing proposals from states about how to deal with shortages on the river. And they fall along century-old lines. Alex Hager covers the Colorado River basin for KUNC in Colorado and joined The Show for more.” Listen to the radio show or read transcript from KJZZ.
States relying on major river for water are pushing to make a deal before next presidential inauguration — here’s why
“The seven states that depend on the Colorado River for water have been trying to reach a long-term agreement on water rights before the next presidential inauguration. As the New York Times reported, they are worried that a possible change in leadership could delay negotiations about how they will share the water. “Whenever there’s an administration change, that significantly disrupts things,” JB Hamby, Colorado River Board of California chairman and the state’s lead negotiator, told the Times. “If we can get a draft ready and in place by the end of the year, that will ensure that we get the hard work done.” However, time is running out to reach a consensus on water allocations. The 1922 Colorado River Compact, which, along with later agreements, determines how Colorado River water gets distributed, has associated temporary guidelines that expire in 2026. … ” Read more from The Cool Down.
Counseling patience on the current Colorado River kerfuffles
Jon Fleck writes, “Despite the Sturm und Drang of last week’s competing proposals to the federal government for managing drought and climate change on the Colorado River, there’s a lot to be hopeful about. On their faces, the Upper Basin and Lower Basin proposals have a lot of “Water’s for fighting over after all!” vibe. But if you take them “seriously but not literally”, to borrow a meme from recent political rhetoric, it’s clear there is much to be hopeful about. Here’s the part I do take both seriously and literally. New Mexico’s representative in all of this, my representative, Estevan Lopez, said this: “We look forward to working with our sister Lower Basin States to resolve differences in approach and create a 7-state consensus alternative.” The key understanding the gap between the “Water is for fighting over!” rhetoric of last week and Estevan’s comment is to remember two interlocking things about the two basin submissions to the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. … ” Read more from the Inkstain blog.
Thirst for change—The imperative to preserve the Colorado River
Member of Hispanic Access Foundation’s Climate Council, writes, “The Colorado River originating high in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado and stretching an impressive 1,450 miles, crossing 30 tribal nations and most of the United States, is a lifeline winding through the arid landscapes of the American Southwest. … The Latino community is especially affected by the Colorado River’s health. The river basin is home to one-third of the U.S. Latino population, and a substantial number of Latinos are engaged in agriculture as farmworkers, relying on access to its water for irrigation and crop cultivation. It is no surprise why its conservation is a focal point of concern for Latino voters in the West, with 83 percent of these voters recognizing the river as critical to their state’s economy, and 84 percent believing it requires urgent action. … ” Read the full commentary at Newsweek.
‘Closer’ to normal: What Rockies snowpack could mean for Lake Mead
“For Nevadans at the forefront of the West’s water crisis, snowpack in the Rocky Mountains that eventually trickles down to Lake Mead is always front of mind. Following an incredibly wet year that brought the Colorado River basin a brief reprieve, early signs point to a less impressive snowpack this time around, said Paul Miller, a hydrologist at the National Weather Service’s Colorado Basin River Forecast Center in Salt Lake City. Current estimates place the Upper Colorado River Basin snowpack at 103 percent of a 30-year historical average — a noticeable downgrade from last year at this time, when the snowpack hovered around 130 percent. … ” Read more from the Las Vegas Review Journal.
In national water news today …
How the groundwater crisis may impact data centers
“For organizations thinking about where to build a data center, there’s a new consideration to add to the list: Groundwater availability. Although groundwater conditions haven’t traditionally been as important as factors like energy sources and network infrastructure when constructing data centers, groundwater is poised to play an increasingly important role in shaping the reliability and cost-effectiveness of data centers in the decade to come. Here’s why – and what data centers owners can do to help ensure groundwater issues don’t undercut their infrastructure strategy. … ” Continue reading from Data Center Knowledge.
