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On the calendar today …
- LEG HEARING: Assembly Committee on Water, Parks, and Wildlife beginning at 9am. Click here for more details.
- MEETING: DPIIC Delta Agency Science Workgroup from 9am to 11:30am. The main agenda item is the draft Delta Cyanobacteria Harmful Algal Blooms Strategy presentations and discussion. Attend online or in person. Click here for the full meeting notice.
- MEETING: State Water Resources Control Board beginning at 9am. Agenda items include current hydrologic conditions and response; consideration of amending the Clean Water State Revolving Fund IUP by providing DFA Deputy Director with discretion to reduce construction grant maximum; and Consideration of adopting an emergency regulation amending SGMA Fee Schedules. Click here for the full agenda and remote access instructions.
- WEBINAR: Exploring Findings and Recommendations from a New National Assessment of Urban Stormwater Runoff Potential in the United States from 10am to 11am. Launched recently, the study titled “Untapped Potential: An Assessment of Urban Stormwater Runoff in the United States,” quantifies the volumetric potential of stormwater runoff in urban areas, finding 59.5 million acre-feet per year (AFY) — equivalent to more than 53 billion gallons per day – of urban stormwater is generated. Panelists from the Pacific Institute and 2NDNATURE will discuss major findings across a variety of geographies and dive deeper into the results through four illustrative case examples that highlight the potential role for stormwater capture. The webinar will conclude with a discussion of recommendations for policy and practice to help realize the ‘untapped potential’ as a tool to combat water scarcity and support long-term water resource sustainability and resilience in communities. Click here to register.
- WEBINAR: Water Resource Applications of Soil Moisture Monitoring: Case Studies from the Colorado River Headwaters from 11am to 12pm. The National Coordinated Soil Moisture Monitoring Network is hosting a regular online seminar series to share innovative soil moisture research activities. This seminar will explore how soil moisture monitoring information can be used to support water resource and ecological applications by presenting case studies from two headwaters basins of the Colorado River. Click here to register.
- WEBINAR: Data for lunch: Openscapes from 12pm to 1pm. The Consortium will host a presentation by Openscapes on their work to promote transparent science. Openscapes believes open science can accelerate interoperable, data-driven solutions and increase diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in research and beyond. Our main activity is mentoring environmental and Earth science teams in open science, and connecting and elevating them both through tech like R, Python, Quarto, and JupyterHubs and communities like RLadies, Black Women in Ecology Evolution, and Marine Science, Ladies of Landsat, and NASA. We’ll share stories and approaches about supporting open science as a daily practice – better science for future us – and welcome you to join the movement. Click here to register.
- WEBINAR: Predicting and Mapping the effects of the Sackett Decision from 12pm to 1:30pm. The 2023 Supreme Court decision in Sackett v. EPA is the most recent change to the scope of the Clean Water Act through its shrinking of federal jurisdiction over streams and wetlands. In the decision’s wake, several states, organizations, and researchers have been developing predictive geospatial tools to map future possibilities for the extent of “Waters of the United States”. This webinar will feature presentations of ongoing prediction efforts in two states, Wisconsin and New Mexico, as well as a recently published national model to support future policy and regulatory frameworks. Click here for more information and to register.
- PUBLIC MEETING: Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Report for the Pulse Flows Component of the Water Storage Investment Program Groundwater Projects from 4pm to 5pm. The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), is making available to the public the Draft Supplemental Impact Report(Draft SEIR) for the Pulse Flows Component of the Water Storage Investment Program (WSIP) Groundwater Projects (Pulse Flows Component) for a 45-day review period beginning February 16, 2024 and closing April 1, 2024 at 5:00 p.m. The public meeting will begin with a brief presentation and an opportunity for clarifying questions, followed by a public comment session. Comments should be focused on the analysis in the Draft SEIR. All substantive oral comments received during the meeting will be recorded as official public comments and responded to in the Final SEIR. Click here for more information. Click here to register.
In California water news today …
California policy protecting major rivers upheld in long-awaited court decision
“A state policy that seeks to protect California’s major rivers and creeks by cracking down on how much water is pumped out by cities and farms can move forward despite widespread opposition, the Superior Court has ruled. The long-awaited decision on what’s known as the Bay-Delta Plan denies 116 claims in a dozen separate lawsuits that seek to undo a 2018 update to the policy, most of which are from water agencies saying the limits on their water draws go too far. The 160-page verdict, released Friday by Sacramento County Judge Stephen Acquisto, specifically notes that arguments made by San Francisco against the regulation fell short. The city, which gets most of its water from the Tuolumne River in and around Yosemite National Park, has claimed that regulators showed preference for safeguarding fish and wildlife instead of defending Bay Area water supplies, ratepayers and economic growth. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle (gift article).
A state of permanent drought
“Despite back-to-back wet winters, California’s water regulator is working to finalize permanent rules for urban water conservation first imposed by legislation during the height of the drought in 2018. The Association of California Water Agencies has complained about the deadlines and costs of the proposed rules, saying they will hit those least able to pay the hardest. Environmentalists want even more conservation as protection from a hotter, drier future because of climate change. “We have a lot of tools to address the large and growing gap between supply and demand, and I know the smartest thing to do first is the one that is fastest and cheapest, and that’s conservation,” said Tracy Quinn, the president and CEO of Heal the Bay, in a press call last week. … ” Read more from Politico.
California takes a big step forward to make better use of storing water underground
“A project spanning three years and 16,000 miles is showing just how much storage potential is beneath the surface in California. The state released new information as it approached the 10th anniversary of California’s Sustainable Groundwater Management Act, legislation passed in 2014 to help protect the state’s groundwater in the long term. Groundwater is a natural pre-built, underground system that has the potential to store up to 1.3 billion acre feet of water. It’s a huge increase from the roughly 40 million acre feet of storage from above ground reservoirs. … ” Read more from Channel 10.
Sites Reservoir aims to reshape California’s water landscape
“Colusa County, California, could soon be home to the largest new reservoir in the state in 50 years. In accordance with the Bureau of Reclamation’s recommendation, Congress greenlit the allocation of $205.6 million in federal funding for the Sites Reservoir Project under the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act (WIIN Act). This act aims to enhance water infrastructure nationwide through grants. Notably, this allotment represents the largest single WIIN Act grant designated for a storage project. … ” Read more from Energy & Environment Leader.
Water risks to agriculture: Too little and too much
“Water is among the most precious resources on the planet. Some areas don’t get enough; some get too much. And climate change is driving both of those circumstances to ever-growing extremes. Two UC Merced experts in civil and environmental engineering took part in a recent report by the Environmental Defense Fund examining the issue and potential solutions. Associate Professor of Extension Tapan Pathak and Professor Josué Medellín-Azuara co-authored the report, “Scarcity and Excess: Tackling Water-Related Risks to Agriculture in the United States,” and wrote the section pertaining to California. In addition to climate change, disruptive human interventions such as groundwater over-extraction, sprawling drainage networks and misaligned governance are driving up water-related agricultural costs, particularly in midwestern and western states, the researchers found. … ” Continue reading from UC Merced.
What artificial streams can teach us about insects, algae and our changing climate
“A network of artificial streams is teaching scientists how California’s mountain waterways — and the ecosystems that depend on them — may be impacted by a warmer, drier climate. Over the next century, climate change is projected to bring less snowfall to the Sierra Nevada. Smaller snowpacks, paired with warmer conditions, will shift the annual snowmelt earlier into the year, leaving less water to feed streams and rivers during the hot summer months. By 2100, mountain streams are predicted to reach their annual base, or “low-flow,” conditions an average of six weeks earlier in the season than now. In a new study, University of California, Berkeley, researchers used a series of nine artificial stream channels off Convict Creek in Mammoth Lakes, California, to mimic the behavior of headwater streams under present-day conditions and future climate change scenarios. … ” Read more from UC Berkeley.
SCIENCE SPOTLIGHT: Keeping water in climate-changed headwaters longer
“Climate change projections for California indicate a future characterized by warmer temperatures, reduced snowfall, greater rainfall, and drier summer conditions. While the future of annual precipitation is uncertain, there is a widespread projection of drier, more drought-prone conditions interspersed with occasional intense storms. At the February meeting of the Delta Stewardship Council, Interim Delta Lead Scientist Lisamarie Windham-Myers presented an essay that argues that rather than focusing on the uncertain changes in annual precipitation, water managers should prioritize preserving water in the headwaters for more extended periods. … ” Continue reading at Maven’s Notebook.
The ebbs and flows of water management
“In recognition of World Water Day on March 22, it’s important for us to remember the intense need that we have for improved, sustainable water management practices in the U.S. Take, for example, California. Every year, the Golden State sees varying amounts of rainfall in different counties statewide. Last year, parts of Southern California were soaked by up to 11 inches of rain in only a week or so, leading to extensive flooding and dangerous mudslides, while Maricopa County would see less than a full inch of rain over the course of a whole month. The disproportionate distribution of moisture in the country’s third largest state is a function of geography and weather patterns. A century ago, state officials implemented an ambitious water plan that took advantage of water stored in the Sierra snowpack. But today, there’s concern that precipitation patterns are changing, becoming more intense and more likely to come in the form of rain, rather than high-elevation snow. … ” Continue reading from WSP.
In honor of fix a leak week, DWR’s Go Golden initiative celebrates partnerships to repair aging water infrastructure
“Household leaks waste nearly 1 trillion gallons of water nationwide every year, enough to provide water to over 11 million homes. During Fix a Leak Week (March 18 to March 24), the Department of Water Resources (DWR) encourages everyone to find and fix leaks inside and outside their home to save water. Leaks are not just a household problem – parts of California’s water delivery infrastructure are aging and developing leaks too. This aging infrastructure can cause significant water loss and hinder our ability to deliver water efficiently. DWR is committed to repairing them to maintain our infrastructure and protect California’s valuable water supplies for future generations. … ” Read more from DWR News.
What’s worse than a flood? A debris flow
“Jimmy Guilinger is an assistant professor of applied environmental science at California State University, Monterey Bay, and an expert on post-wildfire debris flows. After recent damaging storms in Southern California, we asked him to tell us more about debris flows—what they are, why they happen, and how Californians can protect themselves. Q: We’ve been hearing more about debris flows recently. What makes a debris flow distinct from ordinary flooding, and what unique challenges does it pose? A: While flood flows are dominated by water, debris flows are a slurry of a lot of things, including boulders. They are typically half water and half sediment, and they are very energetic. They move rapidly, they’re more destructive than floods, and they can jump out of a previous waterway and carve a new path. It’s a lot harder to predict where they’ll go. … ” Read more from the PPIC.
California’s ‘normal’ winter and high snowpack could curb wildfire risk, prevent drought
“The California snowpack is glistening white at more than 100% of the average for this time of year — and meteorologists forecast a storm this weekend could deepen it even more. The snowpack could grow by as much as 2 feet at the highest elevations as a typical winter-like storm passes over the Sierra Nevada as soon as Friday and lasts through Sunday, said National Weather Service Sacramento meteorologist Dakari Anderson. Water managers consider California’s snowpack as a frozen reservoir that plays a significant role in providing water to farms and cities as it slowly melts into reservoirs, rivers and streams. “The storm won’t be like anything we saw in the last few storms,” Anderson said of weather patterns that piled as much as 12 feet of snow in parts of the Sierra. “Overall, we are looking at above-normal amounts of snow across the Sierra because of what happened in February.” … ” Read more from KQED.
How large fires are altering the face of California’s Mojave Desert
“The Kousch House stood in the Mojave Desert for nearly a century — first as the residence of a prominent homesteader, then as testament to humanity’s ability to survive harsh and forbidding environments. Now, all that remains of the landmark is a limestone chimney surrounded by charred rubble. In July, the massive York fire raced through the area, obliterating an old silver mine and other historical structures and torching vast tracks of Joshua trees, whose blackened arms still rise skyward as if in surrender. The blaze was the largest in a series of wildfires that have become increasingly common in this corner of the desert as climate change brings hotter, drier conditions and more extreme swings in precipitation. … ” Continue reading from the LA Times.
California proposes rule that would change how insurers assess wildfire risk
“A newly proposed regulation aims to draw insurers back to the state by allowing them to anticipate future wildfire risks when raising their rates. The proposed rule change, released Thursday, would allow companies to submit catastrophe models for wildfires, floods and terrorism to the California Department of Insurance for approval. If approved, insurers could then use predictions from those models when requesting rate hikes for commercial or homeowners insurance. Catastrophe modeling is currently approved only for earthquake insurance rates and fires resulting from earthquakes, according to the department. To calculate wildfire risk, California insurers depend on historical data, rather than models of what might happen in the future. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
Cleaning up California’s oil graveyards
“Thousands of leaking, idle oil wells are scattered across California, creating toxic graveyards symbolic of a dying industry. To tackle this “urgent climate and public health crisis,” Santa Barbara Assemblymember Gregg Hart introduced Assembly Bill 1866 last week. The bill would mandate oil operators to develop plans to plug the 40,000 idle wells (and counting) in the state within a decade, prioritizing those within 3,200 feet of vulnerable communities. Santa Barbara ranks among the top five California counties with more than 1,600 idle and orphan wells, with many of these wells leaking harmful methane gas. “The facts are clear — this serious problem is getting worse and can’t be ignored,” said Hart. Weak state laws have allowed oil companies to neglect idle wells and skirt by without plugging them or paying cleanup costs, which too often fall to the state. … ” Read more from the Santa Barbara Independent.
In commentary today …
It’s time for equilibrium in Calif.’s water policies
William Bourdeau, executive vice president of Harris Farms, writes, “Surrounded by the fields of California’s Central Valley, where generations of farmers have toiled to feed a nation, a quiet battle for survival unfolds. As a cultivator of this land, we stand at the crossroads of tradition and conservation, where every drop of water holds the promise of life and the threat of scarcity. In our quest to sustain the legacy of the valley, we navigate an evolving maze of regulations that shape our destiny.
In this state, where the soil is as diverse as its people, agriculture forms the cornerstone of our economy and culture. Yet, the lifeblood of our fields—water—is entangled in a complex web of environmental, societal, and regulatory challenges. … ” Read more from the San Joaquin Valley Sun.
I’m a California farmer. Other states can learn from our water conservation success.
Stephen Benson, a farmer in the Imperial Valley and board member of Imperial Valley Water (IVH2O), writes, “Last fall, all seven states sharing the Colorado River — Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming — came together and agreed on a short-term fix to alleviate pressing concerns caused by prolonged drought. Nevertheless, the river community is back at the negotiating table to craft a long-term plan to carry us past 2026. While it’s daunting to start from scratch, we believe the basis for a sustainable future will only work if we learn from our past. Everyone involved in Western water is aware that California holds senior water rights on the Colorado River. The Imperial Irrigation District, with senior water rights dating to 1901, shares these present perfected rights with other public water agencies and tribes (Chemehuevi, Fort Mojave, Quechan and Colorado River Indians). Present perfected rights were established prior to and are protected in the Colorado River Compact of 1922. Known as the “Law of the River,” this sizable body of work represents more than 100 years of established water law. As such, it provides the most solid foundation for a stable future. Ignoring it guarantees chaos and years of prolonged court battles that will do nothing to help the millions who rely on the river. … ” Read more from the San Diego Union-Tribune.
Klamath River Dams – KRRC’s Sediment Plan – A ticking time bomb?
William Simpson, an ethologist living among and studying free-roaming American wild horses, writes, “The Klamath River Renewal Corporation (‘KRRC’) has been misinforming everyone. And when anything goes terribly wrong, they claim it’s “as planned.” The 15-million cubic yards of remaining toxic lake bottom sediments pose a very real and significant threat to the ongoing health and recovery of the Klamath River. Genuine advocates for River restoration might actually be interested in WHY the foregoing is true. And when dam removal advocates learn the scientifically supported truth, they should be very alarmed and upset with Klamath River Renewal Corporation and its staff. There is already arguable evidence that KRRC likely knew that there were toxins and heavy metals in the sediments that would impact human health, safety and welfare as well as the lifeforms in the Klamath River. As a result of the sediments dumped into the main-stem of the Klamath River by KRRC, the Siskiyou County Heath Department has had to issue a press release warning people to stay out of the Klamath River! … ” Continue reading at the California Globe.
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
Klamath undamming ahead of schedule while county officials find heavy metal contamination
“The deconstruction of Copco Dam Number One is going to get underway in the next few weeks, and the Klamath River Renewal Corporation says its all going ahead of schedule. Klamath River Renewal Corporation (KRRC) CEO Mark Bransom says things are going exceptionally in the progress of undamming the river. Sharing, with approval to move forward on Copco Dam Number 1, they’re now looking at a finish by the end of summer, and only better days for the Klamath River from there. “They will begin a series of drilling into the top of Copco Number One, packing those holes with explosives, detonating those explosives and the idea is to break up that large concrete dam into more manageable chunks of concrete,” Bransom said. … ” Read more from KRCR.
Meeting Tuesday will include update on Potter Valley Project
“The group hoping to continue water diversions between the Eel and Russian rivers that were created for the Potter Valley Project will be meeting Tuesday to discuss the latest developments in Pacific Gas and Electric’s plan to decommission the hydroelectric plant in Mendocino County. According to the agenda for the March 19 meeting of the Eel-Russian River Project Joint Powers Authority, which includes representatives from Mendocino and Sonoma counties, members will receive an “update on discussions with Pacific Gas & Electric regarding (the) Potter Valley Project.” … ” Read more from the Ukiah Daily Journal.
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
Lake Tahoe remains murky after 25 years and a $2.9 billion investment
“A nearly $3 billion effort shepherded by the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency during the last two decades to ‘Keep Tahoe Blue’ has prioritized spending on recreation and transportation over improving water quality, according to the agency’s own data. “The TRPA is more concerned about economics than the lake’s restoration. And the lake is in really bad shape,” says Tahoe Area Sierra Club vice-chairman Tobi Tyler. “Lake Tahoe is in the midst of an environmental crisis,” said the Lake Tahoe Restoration Act, passed by Congress in 2000. The Act attributed the loss of clarity in the lake’s cobalt-blue waters to pollution caused by a variety of factors, including land disturbance, erosion, air pollution, highway drainage and urban runoff. … ” Read more from the Nevada Current.
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
San Joaquin Valley water plan takes shape
“California Water Institute and Water Blueprint of San Joaquin Valley have partnered to establish a working water plan for the San Joaquin Valley that unifies regional water stakeholders to collaboratively find sustainable water supply and management solutions that best mitigate regional water issues. Additionally, the unified water plan report will serve as a guide to Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) compliance. The probationary hearing for the Tulare Lake Subbasin will be held next month. The subbasin is used by two Groundwater Sustainability Agencies (GSAs) that operate in Kings County, Mid-Kings River and South Fork Kings. … In June 2023, Water Blueprint of San Joaquin Valley and the California Water Institute were awarded a $1 million grant to develop a unified water plan report for the San Joaquin Valley region, according to a U.S. Bureau of Reclamation news release. … ” Read the full story at the Hanford Sentinel.
No fooling: Fresno irrigation to begin April 1
“Farmers in California’s Fresno Irrigation District can schedule surface irrigation deliveries beginning April 1. Canals will begin filling soon in preparation for the deliveries. District directors approved the move as almond bloom is over, and pistachio pollination is scheduled to soon begin. Deliveries are expected into July, according to FID General Manager Bill Stretch. “We wanted to make this decision as early as possible to help our agricultural users make informed decisions,” Stretch said in a prepared statement. … ” Read more from the Western Farm Press.
Ripon looking at feasibility to use old water well
“The City of Ripon is looking to evaluate a 35-year-old water well near the Ripon Recreation Area of the Stanislaus River Park. At a recent Ripon City Council meeting, elected leaders agreed to employ Stantec Consulting Services of Walnut Creek to evaluate the condition of Well No. 9, a currently not-in-use potable water well on Reynold Avenue that was constructed in 1989. No discussion was necessary. … ” Read more from the Manteca Bulletin.
Kern water districts look at joining forces to fix domestic wells and study sinking along the Friant-Kern Canal
“The Kern subbasin, composed of 22 water entities across the valley portion of Kern County, is working on a groundwater sustainability plan its members hope will be accepted by the State Water Resources Control Board after the subbasin’s initial plan was deemed inadequate. Currently the subbasin has two main objectives. One is partnering with Self-Help Enterprises to assist with the administration of a program to fix domestic wells harmed by over pumping. The other is gathering support among the 22 entities to participate in the Friant-Kern Canal subsidence study. … ” Read more from SJV Water.
EASTERN SIERRA
Tribal Beneficial Uses proposal for Mono Lake and Mono Basin streams
“Last Friday the Lahontan Regional Water Quality Control Board released a draft report advancing the Mono Basin Tribal Beneficial Uses Designation Project. This project proposes to amend the Water Quality Control Plan for the Lahontan Region to designate Tribal Beneficial Uses for Mono Lake and its tributary streams. Lahontan states that designation “serves to acknowledge and highlight the need to maintain water quality sufficient to protect Tribal cultural and Tribal subsistence uses of waterbodies in the Mono Basin” and adds that “completion of this project will advance efforts towards racial equity.” Tribal Beneficial Uses of state waters were defined by the State Water Board in 2017, and the Lahontan action would represent the first implementation in California. The proposed designation was developed with extensive consultation with the Mono Lake Kutzadika’a Tribe (also spelled Kootzaduka’a) and other area tribes about traditional and cultural uses of Mono Lake and its tributary streams. … ” Read more from the Mono Lake Committee.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Santa Rosa Plateau’s vernal pools — and rare shrimp — are back
“Seasonal vernal pools have returned to the Santa Rosa Plateau. Rob Hicks, reserve interpreter for the Santa Rosa Plateau Ecological Reserve near Murrieta, said the wetland feature appears after winter rains and lasts until April or May. “They were once widespread throughout California,” he said, but most of that land has been developed, and only 5% to 10% of vernal pools remain. Among the wildlife attracted by the pools are two species of fairy shrimp, one of which is found nowhere else in the world. The crustaceans will lay eggs, which turn into embryos that can lay dormant “not just years, not just decades, but for centuries,” Hicks said. The next time the pools return, 5% to 10% of the eggs will develop, while the rest wait for another cycle. … ” Read more from the Riverside Press-Enterprise.
SAN DIEGO
Biden’s border pick tries to bring her house in order
Mackenzie Elmer writes, “I finally have something to report from the people in charge of a broken sewage treatment plant along the U.S.-Mexico border. Last week, I didn’t get much out of a 350-page report that was extremely redacted by the International Boundary and Water Commission, or IBWC (a binational federal agency with commissioners in both the U.S. and Mexico that deals with cross-border water issues). The report was supposed to tell us exactly what’s wrong with a wastewater plant on the U.S. side of the border which treats and prevents Tijuana sewage from spilling into San Diego and the ocean. … ” Continue reading from the Voice of San Diego.
Turning wastewater into tap water for East County residents
“Construction on the new East County Advanced Water Purification facility is well underway. When completed, it will turn 15 million gallons of wastewater into purified water for people in Lakeside, Santee, El Cajon and the surrounding areas. The $950 million facility is being built with 10 million pounds of reinforcing steel, enough concrete to fill 16 Olympic-sized swimming pools, and tanks and basins big enough to hold 3 million cubic feet of water. Eventually, it will pump out 11.5 million gallons of purified water a day. “This project will create a new, local, and sustainable drinking water supply that is uninterruptible and available to us both dry and wet seasons,” said Rebecca Abbott, Engineering Manager for Advanced Water Purification. … ” Read more from Channel 8.
Along the Colorado River …
Latest drought report good for Arizona, but water levels still a concern
“After a brutally dry summer, Arizona is catching a little relief from the drought even as our water systems take a hit. More of Arizona has gotten out of drought conditions, according to the latest report from the U.S. Drought Monitor. Roughly 13.5% of the state — mostly southwestern Arizona — isn’t facing a drought. That’s a 5% increase from December. Most of the Valley is still under a severe drought warning meaning that fire danger is high and there’s little water for plants and wildlife. Extreme drought is still a concern in parts of Cochise, Graham and Greenlee counties. … ” Read more from Channel 12.
Utah supports post-2026 proposal to manage water in Lakes Powell and Mead
“While the recently-concluded general session of the Utah Legislature debated the state’s future water needs, the Colorado River Authority of Utah has joined other upper Colorado River Basin states in advancing an immediate plan to operate Lakes Powell and Mead starting in 2026. “Water is the lifeline of Utah’s economy, agriculture and communities,” according to Sen. Chris Wilson (R-Logan). “The state’s growing population and economy rely on a steady and sustainable water supply.” “This is a pivotal moment for Utah and the entire upper basin (of the Colorado River)” agrees Gene Shawcroft, the state’s river commissioner and CEO of the Colorado River Authority. “(Our plan) is about adapting to the realities we face today and securing a water-resilient future for our region.” … ” Read more from Cache Valley Daily.
Historic Upper Colorado River Basin Agreement requires states to meet with Tribes
“A historic interstate, inter-governmental agreement is finally institutionalizing the much-needed practice of including the six Native American Tribes of the Upper Colorado River basin in Colorado River discussions. On Monday, March 4, 2024, the Upper Colorado River Commission, a multi-state water administrative agency tasked with ensuring the states of Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, and New Mexico allocate water pursuant to the 1922 Colorado River Compact, voted to support the unprecedented agreement, called the “Memorandum of Understanding Among the Upper Colorado River Basin Tribes and the Upper Colorado River Commission.” Despite the fact that Tribes are entitled to approximately a quarter of the water within the Colorado River basin, the 1922 Colorado River Compact says nothing about including Tribes in decision-making mechanisms. In fact, signatures from Tribes were not even required for the Compact to become a binding agreement. … ” Read more from the University of Colorado at Boulder.
Weekend storms bump up Colorado’s mountain snowpack to above-average levels
“All major river basins in Colorado are at or above their normal snowpack for this time of year thanks in part to recent storms that dumped 2 to 5 feet of snow on parts of the state. This winter got off to a slow start, but as of Monday, the state’s snowpack is above average at 109% of historic norm. The accumulation of snow in the mountains provides a vital source of water for Colorado and other Western states as it melts. The recent storms also covered this season’s dust-on-snow events, which can hasten that snowmelt and leave water users and rivers in short supply in late summer. “As far as snowfall: Really healthy totals, especially everywhere essentially east of the (Continental) Divide and into the I-25 corridor,” said Bruno Rodriguez, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service station in Boulder. … ” Read more from the Colorado Sun.
In national water news today …
Biden-Harris Administration engages states on safeguarding water sector infrastructure against cyber threats
“Today, March 19, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan sent a letter to all U.S. Governors inviting state environmental, health and homeland security Secretaries to a convening by their deputies to discuss the urgent need to safeguard water sector critical infrastructure against cyber threats. This meeting will highlight current federal and state efforts to promote cybersecurity practices in the water sector, discuss priority gaps in these efforts, and emphasize the need for states and water systems to take immediate action. … “Drinking water and wastewater systems are a lifeline for communities, but many systems have not adopted important cybersecurity practices to thwart potential cyberattacks,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “EPA and NSC take these threats very seriously and will continue to partner with state environmental, health, and homeland security leaders to address the pervasive and challenging risk of cyberattacks on water systems.” … ” Read more from the EPA.
US, Germany partnering on mission to track earth’s water movement
“The Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment-Continuity mission will extend a decades-long record of following shifting water masses using gravity measurements. NASA and the German Space Agency at DLR (German Aerospace Center) have agreed to jointly build, launch, and operate a pair of spacecraft that will yield insights into how Earth’s water, ice, and land masses are shifting by measuring monthly changes in the planet’s gravity field. Tracking large-scale mass changes – showing when and where water moves within and between the atmosphere, oceans, underground aquifers, and ice sheets – provides a view into Earth’s water cycle, including changes in response to drivers like climate change. … ” Read more from JPL.
12 months of record ocean heat has scientists puzzled and concerned
“Every day for the last 12 months, the world’s sea surface temperatures have broken records. Ocean scientists are growing increasingly concerned. “It’s not just an entire year of record-breaking ocean temperatures, but it’s the margin it’s breaking them by — it’s not even close to what the previous record was,” said Brian McNoldy, a senior research associate at the University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science. “That’s what’s raising the eyebrows of a lot of people.” Average sea surface temperatures today are roughly 1.25 degrees Fahrenheit higher than they were from 1982-2011, according to the University of Maine’s Climate Reanalyzer. It’s a huge anomaly that could have significant effects on weather and ecosystems. … ” Read more from NBC News.
