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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 address challenging situations and will provide tools for GSAs navigating difficult dialogue. Registration link: https://stantec.zoom.us/
meeting/register/ tJcvcOygqzktH9K9T3B09BinokDSIT ewhCkP - WEBINAR: EPA Tools & Resources: Nutrient Explorer from 12pm to 1pm. Excess nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus) in lakes can lead to eutrophication, hypoxia, and algal blooms that may harm aquatic life and people. Some U.S. states have established numeric water quality criteria for nutrients to protect surface water, but monitoring to determine if criteria are being met is limited by resources and time. EPA’s Nutrient Explorer can help managers locate and prioritize areas where nutrients in surface waters are predicted to exceed certain water quality thresholds. Nutrient Explorer is a downloadable tool for modeling relationships between watershed land use, climate, and other variables and surface water nutrient concentrations. This interactive application allows users to explore spatial patterns and temporal trends in surface water nutrient datasets and can be applied by decision makers to different locations and surface water bodies to identify the most influential drivers of excess nutrient concentrations and to prioritize watersheds for restoration. Register for the Nutrient Explorer webinar.
- WEBINAR: Navigating the Permitting and Regulatory Environment of Beaver-Related Projects: A Panel Discussion from 12pm to 1:30pm. Click here for more information and to register.
- WEBINAR: NEPA 101: How it affects you and you can affect change from 6pm to 7:30pm. Join Great Basin Water Network, the Center for Biological Diversity, Owens Valley Indian Water Commission, and Friends of the Inyo, on Wednesday, March 13 at 6 pm, for a FREE webinar to help you learn about the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), how it affects communities, and how you can meaningfully engage in the public comment process to help shape federal actions and policy planning measures concerning public lands. Attendees will learn where to sign up for updates in their area and how to gather meaningful information from NEPA documents in order to speak up on the issues they care about affecting federal resources. Click here for more information and to register.
In California water news today …
California weakens plan for mandatory cutbacks in urban water use, yielding to criticism
“Facing criticism over their ambitious plan to curb urban water use, California’s regulators today weakened the proposed rules — giving water providers more years and flexibility to comply. Cities and urban water districts welcome the changes to the state’s draft conservation rules, which they said would have been too costly for ratepayers, estimated at $13.5 billion, and too difficult to achieve. But environmentalists are dismayed by the revisions, which they said won’t save enough water to weather shortages as climate change continues to squeeze supplies. “It’s really looking like this is a ‘do nothing’ regulation,” said Tracy Quinn, CEO and president of Heal the Bay, a Los Angeles County environmental group. “The updated standards are weak, and the regulation includes semi-truck sized loopholes that make it too easy for water suppliers to shirk their obligation to use water more efficiently.” … ” Read more from Cal Matters.
REACTIONS: Here’s what ACWA and the Conserve4CA Coalition have to say.
SEE ALSO:
- Water Board releases revised proposed conservation regulation draft to simplify compliance, increase flexibility, press release from the State Water Resources Control Board
- California relaxes controversial new water conservation rules, from the San Jose Mercury News (gift article)
- California rolls out first-of-a-kind permanent water restrictions for cities and towns. Here are the details, from the San Francisco Chronicle
- California eases new water saving regulations for local agencies after pushback, from the LA Times
Powerful California winds to precede West Coast warmup
“A major change in the weather pattern will allow a drying and warming trend on the Pacific Coast, especially in the Northwest, this week and beyond. However, strong winds will buffet much of California during the transition and could cause some problems, AccuWeather meteorologists warn. The upcoming pattern change will mark a temporary end to the onslaught of storms from the Pacific Ocean that have hit the West Coast in multiple rounds this winter. … ” Read more from AccuWeather.
Western storms to give way to warm spring
“It’s beginning to look a lot like … spring. The annual ritual of daylight savings in most states is being accompanied by a dramatic change in the weather pattern this week, as a couple of days of strong winds will sweep away the clouds and bring temperatures in the 70s in California’s Central Valley. The wind event will begin tonight (March 13) and last through Friday morning, according to the National Weather Service in Sacramento. Wind gusts Thursday could top 70 mph in the Sierras south of Interstate 80 while causing downed tree limbs, weakened trees and localized power outages in the valley, the weather service warns. … ” Read more from the Western Farm Press.
SoCal agencies first to affirm continued Delta Conveyance Project support
“San Gorgonio Pass Water Agency and San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District became the first two agencies in California to approve next steps for the investment in the Delta Conveyance Project (DCP), further solidifying their dedication to advancing water security for local communities. At a joint workshop February 13, 2024, the agencies approved motions to formally support the next phase of the DCP through letters from the Board of Directors of each agency. “This is how government works best, by working together,” said SGPWA Board President Mickey Valdivia. “Without the Delta Conveyance Project, we risk not having enough water to serve the families and businesses in our communities. Now is the time to act. Delaying today would delay the future.” … ” Continue reading this press release.
Additional $205 Million in funding for Sites Reservoir
“Congress has given the green light for a significant boost to the Sites Reservoir Project, based on a recommendation from the Bureau of Reclamation. A total of $205.6 million in federal funds is being allocated. The money comes from the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation (WIIN) Act, which helps enhance water systems across the country. It marks the largest single award in the history of the WIIN Act for a storage project. “With the support of the Biden-Harris administration, Reclamation continues to make historic investments in Western water infrastructure projects like Sites Reservoir,” Commissioner Camille Calimlim Touton said in a press release. … ” Read more from Ag Net West.
Building a defense against extinction
“The group of low-slung, nondescript buildings in a remote corner of San Joaquin County near Tracy are hardly noticeable and are not open to the public. Inside, scientists are cultivating a slender, silvery minnow-like fish species with the aim of staving off its extinction, and reverse the course of decline of the long-troubled Delta smelt. Those familiar with the plight of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta need no introduction to the Delta smelt. Derided by some pundits as a worthless bait fish whose existence stymies water deliveries, the once-plentiful smelt’s tale is one of the estuary’s woes. Found nowhere else on the planet, its numbers have plummeted, an indication of the many changes in the Delta ecosystem that negatively affect native fishes. … ” Read more from the Bureau of Reclamation.
President proposes $1.6 billion in fiscal year 2025 for Bureau of Reclamation
“President Biden today proposed a $1.6 billion gross discretionary fiscal year 2025 budget for the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Reclamation. The budget builds on recent accomplishments and supports the Administration’s goals of ensuring reliable and environmentally responsible delivery of water and power for farms, families, communities and industry, while providing tools to confront widening imbalances between supply and demand throughout the West. “The President’s budget proposal supports Reclamation’s critical work delivering water and generating power in the West in the face of a historic drought and a changing climate,” said Reclamation Commissioner Camille Calimlim Touton. “Reclamation will also be able to continue its collaboration with its many partners, stakeholders and Tribes as we all work for sustainable water and power solutions into the future.” … ” Read more from the Bureau of Reclamation.
Research farm seeks help as income falls
“Use of micro-irrigation may be commonplace in California orchard systems today, but the practice of applying precise water to individual plants rather than broadcasting with sprinklers may not have taken off if not for the research trials conducted decades ago at the Nickels Soil Laboratory in Colusa County. The privately owned research farm in Arbuckle is often credited with helping to propel the state’s tree nut industry to the powerhouse it is today. Through its demonstration research projects, Nickels showed growers management techniques that allowed them to produce higher yields on marginal soils. This led to dramatic expansion in acreage and changed the agricultural landscape of the Central Valley. … ” Read more from Ag Alert.
Farms cut tomato acres, await price as planting starts
“California farmers are scaling down their processing tomato acreage this year as processors enter the planting season with boosted inventory. The state’s tomato processors planned to contract for 11.6 million tons this year, down about 10% from the 12.9 million tons they contracted for in 2023, according to a January report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. “Every grower for the most part has been reduced,” said Mike Montna, president and CEO of the California Tomato Growers Association. Planted acreage was projected to fall from 255,000 last year to 232,000 this year, according to USDA, with growers aiming to produce 50 tons per acre. … ” Read more from Ag Alert.
In commentary today …
Carbon capture and storage can help California reach climate goals
Julian Cañete, President and CEO of the California Hispanic Chambers of Commerce, writes, “Almost six years ago, under the direction of former Governor Brown, California began an ambitious journey to achieve carbon neutrality by 2045. Since then, this goal has been enacted into law by our state’s lawmakers and successfully built on by Governor Newsom’s administration. Even with these important steps forward, there is still more to be done to reach this important climate goal. A recent report from the nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s Office found that our state’s newest plan for carbon neutrality lacked a “clear strategy” and that emissions would need to decline much faster than we have seen in the past few years. There has never been a better time to take the steps needed to protect our state for years to come. … ” Read more from Capitol Weekly.
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
The State Coastal Conservancy supports two important Del Norte projects
“The Conservancy awarded a grant of up to $1,500,000 to the Smith River Alliance to implement the Point Saint George Coastal Trail Implementation Project, consisting of cultural resources protection and construction of 1.25 miles of the California Coastal Trail, new restrooms, interpretive signage, and other improvements to the main trailhead parking area at Point Saint George in Del Norte County. The project will extend the California Coastal Trail, protect sensitive resources, improve public safety, and provide amenities at a natural area that is an important open space destination for tourists and the local community. The project is essential to protect the resources of the site and to improve public access to the 339-acre Point Saint George property that was purchased in part with Conservancy funds in 2002. … ” Read more from the Del Norte Triplicate.
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
New trail connects into Pacific Crest Trail through Lake Tahoe — and you could get paid to hike it
“Carson City has a deal for hikers: Trek from the Nevada state capital east through the mountains to a link-up with the Pacific Crest Trail in Lake Tahoe, and then complete the 1,600-mile mountain walk north to the Canadian border, and you could earn $5,000. It’s part of the city’s plan to promote a new 10-mile trail that accomplishes a longstanding goal of providing hikers, mountain bikers and equestrians a path through the peaks separating Carson City and the Tahoe basin, a feat the city’s tourism officials reckon is worth celebrating. After many years in planning, the Capital to Tahoe Trail, as it’s called, will open to outdoor enthusiasts as soon as the spring melt allows. Technically it was finished last year, but winter’s deep snowpack lingered on the trail through the summer season. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
Rice footprint gaining traction
“The response to a rice footprint in the Sacramento Valley that reflects needed acreage to sustain habitat, floodplain and small community needs leading to protections of lands used for rice cultivation is overwhelmingly positive. Lawmakers, conservation organizations, growers, mills, and our partners including NCWA have embraced the proposition that working ricelands are critical to the future of California, the environment, and our communities. Here is an update of work to date. … ” Read more from the California Rice Commission.
Yuba Water Agency: Managing flood flows
“Yuba Water Agency manages water resources in Yuba County. Two of their primary objectives are managing flood flows and water supply. Yuba Water Agency wants residents to know they work tirelessly to reduce the risk of floods. The agency continues to evolve by having a deeply committed staff, collaborating with other companies, and using cutting-edge technology. Ryan McNally, Director of Water Resources and Flood Risk Reduction, is a life-long Yuba resident and knows personally about flood risk, having experienced the floods of 1986 and 1997. “To say those events shaped who I am today is an understatement,” McNally says. “The fear of losing everything at a young age led to the passion I impart upon our team today.” His vivid memories in fact drive him to do anything to protect residents from floodwater. … ” Read more from the Sacramento News & Review.
BAY AREA
EPA investing over $43 million in new funding to protect and restore San Francisco Bay and its watersheds
“The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced $43.5 million to fund projects that will help protect and restore San Francisco Bay and local watersheds and wetlands. EPA also announced today that the Agency will be launching a new program office later this year that will focus solely on advancing the Agency’s work in the San Francisco Bay watershed. The $43.5 million in funding announced today comprises $38 million in congressionally-appropriated funds for EPA’s San Francisco Bay Water Quality Improvement Fund (SFBWQIF) that will be awarded as grants later this year, over $5 million in SFBWQIF grants from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) that are in the process of being awarded and a $500,000 wetlands program development grant to San Francisco Estuary Partnership. “San Francisco Bay is one of the most iconic natural places in the country and EPA is committed to ensuring it is protected and restored so that its ecosystems and local communities can thrive for generations to come,” said EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Administrator Martha Guzman. “This new funding – along with our San Francisco Bay program office – will play a major role to improve water quality and restore wetlands across the Bay and its watersheds and build climate resilience in underserved communities.” … ” Read more from the EPA.
Possible hazardous material investigated near Martinez recycling plant
“An abandoned trailer outside a water treatment plant in Martinez sparked a possible hazardous material investigation on Tuesday. After running test on a sample, the liquid substance found in the container was not hazardous, the Contra Costa Fire Protection District said. Authorities temporarily shut Pacheco Avenue from Howe Road to Morello Avenue while they investigated what substance was left in the trailer. The investigation started at 9:30 a.m. when someone reported the presence of the abandoned trailer. … ” Read more from KTVU.
Pleasanton declares intent on debt financing to cover water-related improvement projects
“The Pleasanton City Council approved a resolution on Tuesday which declares the city’s intent to reimburse money spent on near-term improvements to Pleasanton’s water infrastructure through debt financing in the form of a revenue bond sale that the council will look at approving at a future council meeting. According to staff, these improvements — which include replacing water booster stations and pipes — will help improve the city’s water system capacity, increase water reliability and support future projects like the drilling of two new groundwater wells. However, in order to pay the vendors who would be carrying out these projects within the next few years, staff needed the council to pass Tuesday’s resolution. … ” Read more from Pleasanton Weekly.
Zone 7 Water awarded $959,752 federal grant to help fund PFAS treatment at Chain of Lakes Wells
“Zone 7 is celebrating Groundwater Awareness Week with a $957,752 federal grant award to help fund the Chain of Lakes (COL) PFAS Treatment Facility, a project that will add Ion Exchange (IX) treatment to the existing facility to remove Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from the well’s groundwater supply. Zone 7 has worked actively with Congressman Eric Swalwell and Congressman Mark DeSaulnier to ensure the safety and continued reliability of the Tri-Valley’s groundwater via the grant funding that will support the construction of the Agency’s second PFAs Treatment Facility. On March 8, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Consolidated Appropriations Act 2024 (H.R. 4366), a portion of which secured funding for several environmental projects in the Bay Area, including partial funding for the COL PFAS Treatment Facility. … ” Continue reading from Zone 7 Water Agency.
Valley Water: Groundwater Awareness Week is here!
“Each year, the nation takes a week to celebrate something you can’t see but use every day – groundwater. This year, we’re celebrating Groundwater Awareness Week on social media by sharing interesting information and tips on conserving and protecting groundwater. Here in Santa Clara County, groundwater is an important part of our water supply, with local groundwater basins holding more than twice the amount of water in all 10 of our surface reservoirs combined. In fact, Valley Water got its start 95 years ago as a way to make sure our groundwater supply was sustainable. Back then, water was being pumped out of the ground faster than it was replaced. This led to unreliable water supplies and land subsidence, where the land surface sinks, causing problems like infrastructure damage, flooding and seawater intrusion. Before we halted subsidence around 1970, parts of San José sank 13 feet! We still work hard today to make sure groundwater supplies are reliable while preventing subsidence and seawater intrusion. We do that by ensuring our groundwater basins are not over-pumped. … ” Continue reading from Valley Water News.
CENTRAL COAST
A year after Pajaro levee breach, flood survivors remain in fear of a repeat
“A year has gone by since the long-neglected Pajaro levee was breached, once again causing catastrophic flooding in the community of Pajaro. “It’s been a long journey long tiresome,” Joanne Jackson, Pajaro resident. It’s hard to forget the devastating images of homes, businesses, and agricultural fields being submerged. The event is historic in many ways, from a historic storm to historic aid. But for so many living in the community, this is just their everyday lives. Pain is still very real a year later. … ” Read more from KSBW.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Metropolitan Water District CEO calls for increased water conservation despite recent rains
“The recent rains which drenched Southern California over the last several months were a very good thing, said Adel Hagekhalil, the General Manager and Chief Executive Officer of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, as he addressed the Pasadena City Council Monday, but he added, “We can’t be victims to hydrology. We can’t be victims of climate change. What we need to do is prepare for it.” Hagekhalil appeared before the Council at his own request to update them on the constant need for more water conservation, while praising the City’s efforts so far. … ” Read more from Pasadena Now.
Garcia calls for Chiquita landfill closure
“Rep. Mike Garcia, R-Santa Clarita, called on Chiquita Canyon Landfill to cease operations while the facility addresses its growing problems, during a virtual address to the landfill’s Community Advisory Committee on Tuesday night, acknowledging county and state regulators’ growing frustration over problems at the Castaic facility. Assemblywoman Pilar Schiavo, D-Chatsworth, announced the state Department of Toxic Substances Control elevated its look into the problems at Chiquita Canyon Landfill to its criminal investigations desk, after learning the facility was sending toxic leachate to a Gardena facility not equipped to handle such chemicals. Schiavo also sent a letter to Gov. Gavin Newsom, asking him to declare a state of emergency related to the landfill. … ” Read more from The Signal.
EPA orders Watts metal recycler to prevent water pollution
“The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has ordered a scrap metal recycler in Watts to take action to prevent chemicals from washing into local storm drains and drifting onto the campus of a neighboring high school. Federal regulators are requiring S&W Atlas Metal & Iron, one of the city’s oldest metal recyclers, to upgrade its stormwater treatment system and limit metallic debris from migrating off its property. The facility is next to Jordan High School, where students and staff have long complained that school grounds have been coated in metallic dust and pelted with metal shrapnel. In recent years, as heavy rains have showered Los Angeles, the scrap yard’s operations have allowed polluted stormwater to drift onto the high school grounds, according to the EPA. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
IMPERIAL/COACHELLA VALLEYS
‘Irondad’ treks around the Salton Sea amid unfolding ecological crisis
““I can experience minor hallucinations,” said Irondad, while describing his trek around the edge of the mystical Salton Sea. He’s an activist, artist and ultra-endurance athlete bringing attention to the toxic dust emitted near the shallow, landlocked and highly saline body of water that touches both Riverside and Imperial counties. Born by the name of William Sinclair, the 49-year-old has completed several long-form triathlons and ultramarathons, earning the benchmark of Irondad through those feats as well as his air of gravitas. A resident of the once thriving Bombay Beach, he divides his time between working, training and creating art installations — something the area is widely known for, much of it built on the dry playa that was once the seabed. “I’m very active in the community here, contributing a lot of my time to Bombay Beach Arts and Culture (BBAC),” Irondad told FOX 5. “So my life in Bombay Beach is — in a word — busy.” … ” Read more from Channel 12.
New River Project’s third phase begins
“Although the last storm in our area damaged parts of the Calexico New River Project, the third phase of construction is now underway. This phase includes a water pumping system that will help filter the polluted water that ultimately ends up in the Salton Sea. It’s being built near the Gran Plaza Outlets. … ” Continue reading at Channel 11.
Along the Colorado River …
A simple change could save the West from drought. You probably won’t like it.
“You may have seen The New York Times graphic that shows where all the Colorado River’s water goes (spoiler: it’s mostly used to grow food for cows). The researcher behind it, Brian Richter, has spent decades raising awareness about global water scarcity, formerly for The Nature Conservancy and currently as president of Sustainable Waters. Late last year, he also published a study with scientists from Virginia Tech and the University of Delaware that explores how shifting the crops farmers grow can help alleviate water shortages, including in the Great Salt Lake Basin. The findings, published in the journal Nature Water, were revised this month. … ” Read more from the Salt Lake Tribune.
As states butt heads over Colorado River plans, water experts gauge impacts to Colorado
“Colorado’s water and reservoirs are in the thick of disagreements over Colorado River management in a drier future. All seven Western states in the Colorado River Basin agree that climate change is exacerbating conditions in the basin, and water users need sustainable, predictable water management. They agree that the current rules, which expire in 2026, didn’t do enough to keep reservoirs from dropping to critically low levels. They even agree that water cuts need to happen. But they’re at loggerheads over how to share the pain — and have been for years. Now, the Lower Basin officials have proposed a plan calling on all basin users, including Coloradans, to make sacrifices. … ” Read more from the Colorado Sun.
Tribes set to consider MOU regarding water rights
“A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) has been proposed among the Upper Colorado River Basin Tribes and the Upper Colorado River Commission (UCRC) to foster collaboration in the management and preservation of the Colorado River. Established through legislative actions by five state legislatures and Congress in 1948, the Upper Colorado River Basin Compact created the Upper Colorado River Commission (UCRC). This interstate water management agency is tasked with distributing Colorado River water fairly among the Upper Division States of Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, and New Mexico. It also ensures these allocations comply with the obligations set forth in the 1922 Colorado River Compact, which affects the Lower Division States of Nevada, Arizona, and California, as well as the Republic of Mexico. … ” Read more from Indian Time.
States grapple with how to grow in drying West
“Across the parched West, there are signs the region’s decadeslong population and housing boom is confronting the realities of dwindling water supplies. These have come in recent months from court rulings and executive edicts alike, as states crack down on the potential for new users to draw from already oversubscribed aquifers and surface waters. The skeleton of a would-be subdivision outside Las Vegas illustrates the coming constraints, stymied by a lack of water to support the new community. Water shortages also forced difficult decisions in other places, such as new restrictions in the Phoenix suburbs and a Utah town that halted all new construction for more than two years until it could secure a new well. … ” Read more from E&E News.
Also on Maven’s Notebook today …
NOTICE of Proposed Order Setting Aside Water Quality Certifications for NOTICE of Proposed Order Setting Aside Water Quality Certifications for Merced Falls, Yuba-Bear, Don Pedro, La Grange Hydroelectric Projects
NOTICE draft order denying reconsideration in response to the Petition for Reconsideration of Order WR 2019-0148 (Cachuma Project)
