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In California water news today …
Sierra Nevada snowpack ‘unusually normal’ and reservoirs are brimming as winter season winds down
“As winter conditions wind down, the beginning of April is always the most important time for California’s water managers to take stock of how much snow has fallen in the Sierra Nevada. This year, something unusual happened. After years of extreme drought and several very wet flood years, the Sierra snowpack, the source of one-third of the state’s water supply, is shockingly average this year: 104% of normal on Friday. And more is on the way. The National Weather Service on Friday declared a winter storm warning for the Sierra, predicting 1 to 2 feet of new snow through Sunday. Chain controls went into effect on Interstate 80 Friday afternoon. For a state where 11 of the past 17 years have been in severe drought, where massive, punishing storms last year brought the biggest snowpack since 1983 and waves of destruction along the coast, and storms in 2017 caused $100 million in flood damage to downtown San Jose and nearly collapsed Oroville Dam, an ordinary winter is a godsend, experts said Friday. … ” Read more from the San Jose Mercury News (gift article).
With California’s rainy season wrapping up, will we see water restrictions?
“The start of April means that California’s rainy season is coming to an end. Things are looking pretty good this year, but there are some caveats. The snowpack across the Sierra Nevada and the Colorado River Basin — both critical stores of water — is hovering slightly above average, though it’s nowhere near what we saw last winter. For comparison, in 2023, the State Water Project (SWP) was able to fulfill 100% of water requests made by municipalities across California. This year, the SWP announced a 30% allocation. “Last year there was so much water we were looking for every place we could to store some water,” said John Yarbrough, assistant deputy director for the SWP. … ” Read more from the LAist.
SEE ALSO:
- What California’s ‘unusually average’ snowpack means for water resources, from the San Francisco Chronicle
- California storms deliver above-average snowpack, replenish reservoirs, from the LA Times
- How the last 20 years of Sierra snowpack stack up, in one graphic, from the LA Times
- California Water Update, from LAist
Four reasons you should care about California snow
Jose Pablo Ortiz Partida, Senior Bilingual Water and Climate Specialist, writes, “Last week, I visited Yosemite National Park and walked along a gorgeous trail surrounded by snow-blanketed sequoia trees. Beyond the horizon of pine trees to the south lies the Sierra National Forest, and beyond the rocky horizon to the north lies the Stanislaus National Forest. Further beyond these national forests lies the rest of the expansive Sierra Nevada Mountain Range, spanning 400 miles. The slow pace of snow at the start of this season worried water managers at first, but California has now exceeded 100% of the average for this time of the year. Beyond this year’s measurements, it’s critical to consider what our snow levels mean for water management in a warming climate, and what needs to change so we can better prepare for the future. … ” Read more from the Union of Concerned Scientists.
Salmon populations are struggling, bringing economic woes for California’s fishing fleet
“On the docks at Pillar Point Harbor, fishing crews have been arriving with loads of freshly caught Dungeness crab. The season is almost over, and this time of year the harbor would typically be bustling with crews preparing their vessels and gear for catching salmon. But this year, those in the fishing fleet of Half Moon Bay — as well as other California marinas — expects to catch very few, if any, of the popular fish. The season typically runs from May to October, but California Chinook salmon populations have declined so severely in recent years that fishery authorities are considering whether to adopt severe restrictions this season or impose a ban on fishing altogether for the second consecutive year. … ” Read more from the LA Times. | Read via AOL News.
Toxic dust threatens California salmon population, lawmaker seeks solution
“For the first time in more than three decades of fishing for salmon near Bodega Bay, Dick Ogg will motor his white and navy boat, Karen Jeanne, north this summer past his typical fisheries in hopes of finding the multicolored species along the Oregon coast. There aren’t enough salmon left off the California coast for Ogg to sell on Bodega Bay’s historic docks. “We, as fishermen, have nowhere to turn,” he said. Fishery managers are signaling they may cancel California’s commercial salmon season for the second year in a row, which means the 71-year-old has two options: temporarily traveling to Oregon to catch salmon or barely making ends meet luring in rockfish and sablefish. … ” Read more from KQED.
Groups ask State Water Board for more time to file protests on Delta Conveyance Project petition for change in point of diversion
“On February 22, 2024, the State Water Resources Control Board received a Petition for Change from the Department of Water Resources to add two new points of diversion and rediversion to the water right permits associated with the State Water Project. Protests against the change petition must be filed by April 29, 2024, with a copy provided to the petitioner. Last week, several groups requested an extension of the deadline. … ” Read more from Maven’s Notebook.
Solano County Water Agency to present to Fairfield City Council on Bay Delta Plan
“The Solano County Water Agency will provide a presentation to the Fairfield City Council in the wake of the draft Bay-Delta Water Quality Control Plan that could see water allocations for Solano County communities from Lake Berryessa cut significantly. The Dixon and Suisun City Councils will also meet on Tuesday evening for regularly scheduled meetings. Spanning hundreds of miles from north of Lake Shasta to Fresno, the tributaries of the Sacramento and Sac Joaquin rivers that feed into the San Francisco Bay reach well into the Sierra Nevadas and Central Valley. The State Water Quality Control Board has noted that diminished river flows in these areas are harming fish habitats and are detrimental to the water system as a whole ecologically. … ” Read more from the Reporter.
NOW AVAILABLE: Additional draft components of voluntary agreements proposal related to Bay-Delta Plan Update
“The State Water Board has posted documents in preparation for the upcoming three-day workshop on the Voluntary Agreements scheduled for the end of this month. See Notice of Board Workshop on Proposed Voluntary Agreements Related to Sacramento/Delta Update to Bay-Delta Water Quality Control Plan. The documents include a cover memo explaining the documents that are being submitted. … ” Click here to access the documents.
Bankruptcies, lower ag land values mark new Calif. chapter
“The gravity of higher interest rates and other economic woes forced agricultural land values down last year. Some think it’s just the beginning of something bigger. The annual Trends Report, published by the California Chapter of the American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers, records a downtrend in ag real estate values that began within the past year. This comes on the heels of higher lending rates and dismal commodities prices from popular crops like almonds and walnuts. What was characterized in the Trends Report as a “mostly stable” and “resilient” agricultural land market in 2022 changed abruptly in the first quarter of 2023. … ” Read more from the Western Farm Press.
Point Blue: Twelve months of restoration impact across California
“One year ago, we announced the exciting news that the California Wildlife Conservation Board had awarded Point Blue two substantial block grants totaling $50 million to restore ecosystems on California’s working lands and Sierra meadows over four years. So, what’s happened over the past 12 months? A lot! We’ve built new partnerships, dramatically increased the availability of funding for groups historically left out of restoration funding, broken ground on new projects, and so much more. In 2020, California set an ambitious goal of conserving or restoring 30% of its land and waters by 2030 through a movement known as “30×30.” Through these two awards from the WCB, California has asked Point Blue to take on a leadership role to help the state achieve its 30×30 goals, highlighting the unique value Point Blue provides of scientific rigor, multiple benefit restoration strategy, and a commitment to increase the diversity of participating communities. … ” Read more from Point Blue Conservation Science.
‘Digitizing is the future’: California’s water rights system needs to be brought into the 21st century
“The papers are what’s known as water rights – the backbone of life in California and its multitrillion dollar economy. Water rights are official documents validating who has the authority to take water, from where, and how much of it. Jay works in the Records Room to keep track of all the physical water rights and their supporting documents. There are about seven million individual pieces of paper of all shapes and sizes, age and utility. One water right contained a newspaper clipping dated November 24, 1916, with an advertisement for a new Ford Model T automobile. You could get your hands on the new 4-wheeled technology for a mere $360 if you bought the Touring Car. There is also an old South Bay map from the Alameda County Water District from the mid-20th century. Rubber cement was used to stitch together nine smaller maps to create one big one. Lines were hand drawn and the labels attached with rubber cement have since fallen off. “Now it’s kind of like a puzzle piece,” said Jay. “We’re trying to reach back out to these water diverters and say ‘Is this up to date, is this accurate?'” … ” Read more from Channel 10.
Global wine glut compounds headaches for struggling California vineyards
“Times are getting increasingly tough for many of California’s wine grape growers. Wine-souring smoke from wildfires, grape-shriveling drought and global warming have all been playing an increasingly detrimental role in state vineyards for at least the last decade. But those aren’t the only headaches. More recently, a tectonic shift in generational drinking habits has led to a global glut of wine. Now, struggling California growers have found themselves having to compete with bargain-basement wine prices from overseas growers eager to rid themselves of aging supplies. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
The future of fog
“Fog is central to life in California. That’s why the saying “The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco” (dubiously attributed to Mark Twain) persists. Heck, someone’s even created a social media account for San Francisco’s fog. But climate change is going to disrupt this quintessentially Californian weather experience. We asked Todd Dawson, a scientist who has long studied the relationship between fog and redwoods, to divine the future of fog for us. Q: Why does fog occur in California, and why is it so important to the state’s ecosystems? A: Fog forms on the western edges of most continents around the globe. When warm, moist air meets the cold water upwelling from the deep ocean, that creates most coastal fogs. On the West Coast of North America, fog occurs mostly from May to October every year, as the high-pressure system that drives winter precipitation moves south. … ” Read more from the PPIC.
In commentary today …
Strong water conservation standards are essential for low-income communities
Kyle Jones, the Policy & Legal Director at the Community Water Center, writes, “California’s State Water Board is wrestling with what terms to set for water conservation regulation for urban areas. This regulation implements state policy designed to Make Conservation a California Way of Life. But the only way to make that vision equitable is to ensure the needs of low-income communities are taken into account. Unfortunately, the Water Board is considering making it too easy to slow-walk investments in conservation, not only in low-income communities, but also in wealthy places like Beverly Hills that use significantly more than their fair share. The proposed regulation currently under consideration means that 72% of Californians will not need to save a single additional drop until 2035. This approach continues to shift the burden of meeting California’s water needs onto communities that can least afford it. … ” Read more from Capitol Weekly.
Superior court upholds State Board’s plan to increase flows on San Joaquin River but denies claims flows are inadequate to protect fish
Sarah Vardaro with the California Sportfishing Protection Alliance writes, “In December 2018 the State Water Resources Control Board (State Board) adopted updates to the Bay-Delta Plan (Plan) in accordance with its obligations under the Porter-Cologne Act. The updated Plan included flow objectives intended to restore and protect Chinook salmon and Central Valley steelhead in the lower San Joaquin River and its tributaries. Twelve lawsuits and 116 claims were filed challenging the State Board’s updated Plan. On March 15, 2024, Sacramento County Superior Court Judge Stephen Acquisto rejected all lawsuits and claims. To some degree the court’s decision is a win for California’s fisheries, but the decision also affirmed the discretionary right of the State Board to keep less water in rivers than needed to restore fisheries and aquatic ecosystems. … ” Read more from the CSPA.
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
Siskiyou County declares emergency over Klamath River dam-removal impacts
“The Siskiyou County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday voted 4-1 to declare an emergency due to Klamath River water quality impacts caused by sediment flowing downriver as a result of dam-removal activities. “It is hereby proclaimed that a local emergency now exists throughout Siskiyou County as a result of impacts to Klamath River water quality and potential impacts to air quality related to Lower Klamath Dam Removal activities,” the board stated in a proclamation. Three dams on the river are being removed this year, while a fourth was removed last year, in order to improve fish passage and water quality. Iron Gate Dam, downriver of the other three dams, is about 23 miles southeast of downtown Ashland. Sediment that had backed up over the decades in reservoirs behind the dams has flowed downriver since lake levels were lowered in anticipation of dam removal this year. Sediment flows muddied the river, prompting concerns from the public. … ” Read more from the Capital Press.
Klamath River and dam removal crises continues with CA Dept. of Fish and Wildlife failure
William Simpson writes, “On Tuesday March 26th, the Siskiyou County Board of Supervisors declared a local State of Emergency in regard to the adverse impacts of the Klamath Dam removal project affecting the Klamath River. Details of that action by the County’s Board of Supervisors can be found at the California Globe. For nearly two-years, the CEO of the Klamath River Renewal Corporation (‘KRRC’) Mr. Mark Bransom and KRRC’s public information officer Ren Brownell provided numerous public presentations outlining exactly how they intended to de-water the lakes behind the Klamath River Dams. Their detailed slide show presentation depicted the timelines for the project, including the timeline and schedule for draining the water from the lakes behind the dams. On January 23rd, 2024, the Klamath River Renewal Corporation (“KRRC”), headed by CEO Mark Bransom decided to go ‘off-plan’, without any public consultation or input from Siskiyou County, and they drained the water from the Klamath Lakes in just a few days! And in that off-plan action, they released, according to Mr. Bansom, about “5-7 million cubic yards” of sediments into the main-stem of the Klamath River. … ” Read more from the California Globe.
Yurok Tribe leads massive revegetation project
“Under contract with Resource Environmental Solutions (RES), the Yurok Fisheries Department is leading a monumental project to restore the diverse, native flora that once flourished within the Klamath River’s 38-mile-long reservoir reach. During the last six weeks, the Yurok Revegetation crew collaborated with smaller teams from Siskiyou Biosurvey and Native Ecosystems Inc. to hand sow billions of native plant seeds and over 28,000 acorns in briefly bare earth behind the bygone Iron Gate, Copco and J.C Boyle reservoirs. In the 2,000-acre project area, the tribal crew and corporations also manually planted approximately 76,000 trees and shrubs representing nearly 100 native plant species. Currently, countless small seedlings have begun to cast a sea of green across the empty reservoirs. … ” Read more from the Yurok Tribe.
Two dams are coming down on California’s Eel River. Will it threaten water supplies?
“Nearly 120 years ago, when the West still hummed with gas lighting and horse-drawn wagons, a San Francisco man named W.W. Van Arsdale, once described by a local newspaper as uncharacteristically enterprising, set out to help rural Mendocino County find a bridge to the young 20th century. The entrepreneur, in a move that would forever change Northern California, bored a mile-long tunnel in a mountain near the county seat of Ukiah and piped water from the Eel River through to power a new hydroelectric plant. … Outflow from the power plant, which takes the bounty of the Eel River and puts it in the East Fork of the Russian River, gave new life to communities in the Russian River basin, from Ukiah to Sonoma County. … This welcomed excess, however, may soon be no more, and the daily water supplies of potentially hundreds of thousands of people are at risk of shrinking. … ” Read the full story at the San Francisco Chronicle.
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
Late March storm delivers extended ski season for Tahoe resorts
“With a March that kept on giving snow, Lake Tahoe ski resorts reported as much as 2 feet of new snow over the Easter weekend. Some resorts have extended closing dates until the end of May, and others have teased that if it keeps snowing in April, projected closing dates could change. … ” Read more from the Reno Gazette-Journal.
Are Lake Tahoe’s tourists getting less trashy?
“Tahoe community organizations ranging from business associations to nonprofits to kayak rental companies have long been begging the lake’s visitors to be more responsible with picking up their trash. And now, the results of a two-year study and monitoring project in Lake Tahoe could suggest that the messaging may just be working. The findings come from Clean Up The Lake’s two-year project that sent scuba divers to clean up trash in 30 “litter hot spots” between 0 and 25 feet deep along Lake Tahoe’s shoreline. Hot spots were areas of heavier-than-normal trash, identified via diver observations and garbage data. The first sweep was finished in July 2021, and the second was completed in fall 2023. … ” Read more from SF Gate.
Placer, Nevada county residents conserving water after ‘infrastructure issues’
“Californians are used to cutting back on water usage, but for some residents in Nevada and Placer counties, they’re having to cut back for very different reasons — an infrastructure problem. Officials with the Nevada Irrigation District (NID) say Rollins Lake provides water for consumption and agriculture use. For the next few months, however, the water at Rollins Lake will need to be conserved. “At the bottom of Lake Spaulding is a power plant that is owned and operated by PG&E. They had an emergency infrastructure break,” said Greg Jones with the NID. … ” Read more from Channel 10.
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
High concentration of ‘forever chemical’ found in Red Bluff residents’ water
“A community in Red Bluff, California was recently notified that their water had alarming concentrations of chemicals called PFAS. Data shows that the site has had high levels of contamination for several years. Residents at Friendly Acres Mobile Home Park were given bottled water and warned about possible contamination in their well during a March meeting organized by the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board and California’s Division of Drinking Water. First reported by the Red Bluff Daily News, the concern stems from alarming levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances. … ” Read more from Jefferson Public Radio.
Tehama County’s well registration exemption deadline approaching
“Tehama County wants property owners to know that April 10 is the deadline to fill out their well registration forms to be eligible for an exemption from future registration fees for the remaining years after the third year. The Tehama County Flood Control and Water Conservation District Board of Directors adopted a resolution in 2022 that set the annual fee of $0.29 per acre to fund the creation, implementation, and administration of a county-wide well registration program. According to county staff, the $0.29 per acre fee is solely for well registration and the necessary data management. “Well registration is a critical part of all of the programs that we are talking about being successful, and not being successful has its own very negative implications,” Public Works Director Deputy Justin Jenson said. … ” Continue reading at the Red Bluff Daily News.
Paradise redux: In Butte County, California, five years after the Camp Fire
J. Matt writes, “In 2019, I labored through what was then the single most difficult workday of my life — and I am someone who made a living excavating broken sewers with a pick and shovel. (After the Loma Prieta earthquake, in San Francisco, in 1989.) At the end of January 2019, I traveled around the town of Paradise, making photographs and researching the consequences of the Camp Fire, California’s deadliest wildfire to date. It was two months after the conflagration had at last been designated fully contained.Large fires that burn into developed areas are often described by those who experience the inferno or its aftermath as looking “like war zones.” Yet most war zones are bigger and more devastating than even the 5,636 buildings lost in the Tubbs Fire in 2017 — which, until the Camp Fire, was the most destructive in California history. … ” Continue reading from the Places Journal.
Water Forum: 30 years together: cooperating for habitat and flood control
“It’s rather amazing to ponder: As of this year, the Lower American River Task Force (LARTF) has been meeting regularly for the past 30 years. The task force is a unique collaborative venue created in 1994 as a way for environmental, recreational, community organizations, and others to learn about and engage with local, state, and federal agencies on their efforts to maintain flood control, environmental protection, and recreation on the Lower American River Parkway. Its members include representatives from federal, state, and local agencies, environmental and recreational groups, water suppliers, and other interested parties. The group has a vital role, as this stretch of river is nationally recognized as a Wild and Scenic River, and also bears a heavy weight in protecting urban Sacramento from significant flood risk. The Lower American River (LAR) and Parkway also face many challenges, such as climate change, population growth, aging infrastructure, and competing demands. … ” Read more from the Water Forum.
NAPA/SONOMA
Microplastics are everywhere. Are they in Sonoma County’s water?
“East of Willowside Road, the Santa Rosa Creek is well maintained. For an often-used trail, where cyclists, dog-walkers and runners alike traverse both sides of the creek, it’s not often one finds much litter. West of Willowside Road however, paints a different story. Here, where the path ends at the bank of the creek, broken branches intersperse with buried and hanging refuse. Gatorade, mayonnaise and Fireball bottles, soccer and golf balls, Nerf bullets, ballpoint pens, hypodermic needles, nasal sprays—you name it and Carol Shumate, the clean team director at Russian Riverkeeper, has seen it. Not just here, but all over the county. Shumate said the state of Willowside Creek is the result of garbage that has evaded trash and recycling bins. “It comes from the gutters and the drains. The trash starts flowing, it rains a lot, it goes through the pipes, and then ends up here,” Shumate said. … ” Continue reading from the Sonoma Gazette.
BAY AREA
Novato, county challenge state over fecal pollution claim
“Marin County and Novato are disputing a state water board’s contention that they are doing too little to prevent the discharge of fecal bacteria into the Petaluma River. The San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Board notified both the county and Novato in January that they are out of compliance with a program that it adopted in 2019 to reduce the level of fecal bacteria in the river. Both jurisdictions, however, contend that they are not required to comply with the program because the scheme has not yet been incorporated into their municipal storm sewer system permits, which are issued by the State Water Resources Control Board. In addition, Jenna Brady, chief deputy county counsel, said, “We don’t believe that they have shown that the county stormwater system is at issue because there are no samples from downstream of our system.” … ” Read more from the Marin Independent Journal.
Marin water district digs into recycled water costs
“It doesn’t look like wastewater will be turned into tap water in Marin County any time soon. California regulators approved new rules in December allowing water agencies to purify wastewater and put it back into the pipes that carry drinking water to homes, schools and businesses. Officials at the Marin Municipal Water District said potential projects come with a high cost and lots of complexities. “Where we stand is we look forward to continuing to monitor the regulations and larger agencies,” said Lucy Croy, water quality manager. With that said, members of the district board said they are interested in pursuing expansion of its purple pipe system that delivers recycled water for such purposes as irrigation, toilet flushing and industrial cooling. … ” Read more from the Marin Independent Journal.
Marin Municipal Water District directors detail commitment to reliable supply, resilience
“The Marin Municipal Water District has grappled with challenges facing many water agencies in the West – climate change impacts with droughts that have severely depleted supplies, aging infrastructure and rising costs due to inflation. Marin Water, in partnership with its customers, has navigated these challenges and put the district on a track toward reliable water supplies and protection of our watershed. As the incoming and outgoing presidents of the Board of Directors, we think it is important to highlight these efforts as we look to the upcoming year’s activities. Following a strategic assessment of various water management alternatives to increase our resilience to drought and climate change with new water supplies, we adopted the district’s “water supply roadmap” in February 2023. This approved roadmap combines demand management and short-term water supply strategies with developing longer-term supply options. … ” Read more from the Marin Independent Journal.
Marin Municipal Water District explores pilot programs for expanded bike access
“Bike access on the Mount Tamalpais watershed could soon be expanded under pilot programs recommended in a draft recreation management study by the Marin Municipal Water District. The feasibility study outlines desires, needs and issues around recreation on the watershed that are shared by a variety of visitors. It establishes the framework for updating the district’s “watershed road and trail management plan,” a guidebook for land stewardship. A few controversial strategies that have dominated conversation of the study include a pilot program for multiuse trails and bike access on single-track paths. Another pilot would formalize a study of class 1 e-bikes, also known as pedal-assist bikes, for up to three years. The district’s watershed committee, which consists of the board of directors, decided at a meeting on March 21 that the draft study was ready to be formalized by the board. … ” Read more from the Marin Independent Journal.
Ingenious design helps California’s Crystal Springs Dam stand strong
“Propelled by the continuing flood of riches from the Mother Lode gold mines of California and the Comstock Lode of Nevada and opportunities afforded by the newly completed first transcontinental railroad, San Francisco, by the early 1870s, was the most populous city on the West Coast and was rapidly growing in prestige. Situated at the northern tip of the San Francisco Peninsula and blessed with one of the world’s greatest natural harbors, with saltwater on three sides and a mild Mediterranean climate, there was only one thing that threatened the city’s continued growth: an adequate water resource. Despite its optimal location, San Francisco lacked a sufficient watershed within its boundaries from which to develop a potable water supply. … ” Read more from Civil Engineering Source.
Science spotlight: Preparing to monitor fish and fish habitat
“The San Francisco Estuary is home to many different species of fish, which are vital parts of the region’s ecology, cultural resources, recreation, and fisheries. Yet several of the region’s fish species are threatened or endangered. There have been dramatic declines of native fish species that were abundant in pre-colonial times in the San Francisco Estuary, including in four unique runs of Chinook salmon. These declines are partly caused by the loss of more than 90% of the original extent of the San Francisco Bay’s tidal marsh habitat. The WRMP will monitor fish and fish habitat in San Francisco Bay to better understand how wetland restoration can support thriving fish populations and inform adaptive management. … ” Read more from SF Estuary Wetlands Regional Monitoring Program.
CENTRAL COAST
Central Coast nonprofits file discrimination complaint against state water officials
“Frustrated by what they view as a lack of action by state water officials to curb drinking water contamination, particularly in populations of low-income people of color, Central Coast environmental and social justice nonprofits have gone over the state’s head by asking the federal Environmental Protection Agency to step in and help force change. The 77-page civil rights complaint was filed this week with the EPA alleging the State Water Quality Control Board’s approval of what’s called Ag Order 4.0 has caused “racially disproportionate impacts” because of the board’s failure to regulate water pollution from nitrogen fertilizers used along the Central Coast. Excess nitrate, a by-product of nitrogen fertilizer, can interfere with the ability of red blood cells to carry oxygen to the tissues of the body, producing a condition called methemoglobinemia. … ” Read more from the Monterey Herald.
After decades without safe drinking water, San Lucas will receive aid to build a pipeline
“A generational issue for the families living in San Lucas continues as they’ve gone decades without drinking water. Soon federal, state, and local leaders will secure nearly a million dollars to build a pipeline to King City. “The kids couldn’t even be bathed in the water. That’s how bad it is that babies are not able to get bathed. That means there’s something really wrong,” said Fray Marin-Zuniga, a San Lucas resident. Plants not growing, animals dying, young children unable to bathe, this is the reality for those living in the unincorporated South Monterey County town of San Lucas. … ” Read more from KSBW.
Ventura County water board member admits to stealing $30K in water
“An elected member of a Ventura County water board has pleaded guilty to a felony charge of stealing water for his Oxnard farm. Daniel Naumann, 66, admitted to one count of grand theft of water, Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko said in a Friday news release. As part of his plea agreement, five other felony charges will be dropped, the Ventura County Star reports. Naumann, a Camarillo resident who is owner and operator of Naumann Family Farms, was an elected board member of the United Water Conservation District and an alternate board member of the Fox Canyon Groundwater Management Agency. … ” Read more from KTLA.
SEE ALSO: Ventura County farmer and former water board member pleads guilty to water theft, from the LA Times
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
Stanislaus County’s young farmers are switching to sustainable practices. Here’s how
“Flint McGrath didn’t grow up on a farm, but memories of enjoying fresh eggs and goat milk from his childhood home have sparked a desire to explore farming. “The excitement of springtime and planting something and seeing it come up, it’s like a living lab,” McGrath, a junior at CSU Stanislaus, said. While the number of farmers is declining, there remain young individuals interested in pursuing careers in agriculture. And their focus is increasingly directed toward implementing sustainable farming practices. According to the USDA Agriculture Census for California, Stanislaus County lost 166 farms and 37,401 acres of farmland between 2017 and 2022. The county also had 1,733 new producers and 533 young producers in 2022, with the average age of a producer being 58. … ” Read more from AOL News.
Facing water uncertainties, Fresno County farmers seek the sun for new revenue
“Some Bee colleagues and I recently took a tour of Westlands Water District — the nation’s largest agricultural water district, located on the western edges of Fresno and Kings counties. The district covers 1,000 square miles, and provides water to about 700 farms, with more than 50 different crops being grown, including almonds, pistachios, tomatoes, wheat, garlic, grapes and cotton. Westlands estimates its growers generate $4.7 billion in farm-related economic activity in Fresno and Kings counties. The district says its growers produce more than 5% of the nation’s vegetables and melons and 3.5% of the nation’s fruits and nuts. They do this despite not having local surface-water supplies. Westlands growers rely on the federal Central Valley Project, which moves Sacramento River water from Northern California south, as well as pumping underground supplies. … ” Read more from the Fresno Bee. | Read via AOL News.
Feds boost Friant Division water allocation
“The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation boosted Friant Division Class 1 water allocation by 20 percent on Monday. Friant Division water contractors will now receive 95 percent of their Class 1 water allocation. … ” Read more from the San Joaquin Valley Sun.
Residents in Kern County desert groundwater basin need to represent their own water interests in ongoing court action
“Meeting: Indian Wells Valley Groundwater Authority board of directors. The basin depends on 7,650 acre feet of natural inflow each year but users pump out nearly 28,000 acre feet annually, creating a severe overdraft. As the Authority has worked to comply with the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) to bring the basin into balance numerous legal actions have erupted. The Authority restricted pumping for most users. The U.S. Navy, which operates the China Lake Navale Weapons Base in the basin, got the lion’s share of pumping. While agricultural users, such as Mojave Pistachios, which started planting in the high desert around 2010, received zero pumping allocation. … ” Read more from SJV Water.
Tehachapi Basin’s 50th annual report provides water rights transfers, other data
“Fifty years. That’s how long the Tehachapi-Cummings County Water District has made annual reports to Kern County Superior Court, updating water rights and other information about the Tehachapi Basin. The 50th annual watermaster’s report — for calendar year 2023 — was received and filed by the district’s board of directors at its meeting March 20, along with the 49th annual report for neighboring Cummings Basin. In a staff report, General Manager Tom Neisler told the board that the district is required to file an annual report on basin operations by April 15 of the subsequent year. “The 2023 annual report is the 50th consecutive report that we have filed with the Kern County Superior Court,” he said. … ” Read more from the Tehachapi News.
EASTERN SIERRA
April 1, 2024 Mono Lake level triggers important choice for DWP
“Los Angeles Department of Water & Power (DWP) and Mono Lake Committee staff met this morning at the shore of Mono Lake to conduct the annual joint reading of the surface elevation of Mono Lake. The consensus is that the lake stands at 6,383.70 feet above mean sea level which means that Mono Lake is only halfway to the 6,392-foot elevation level mandated by the California State Water Resources Control Board 30 years ago to resolve ecological, wildlife, economic, Tribal, public trust, and air quality harms caused by the lowering of Mono Lake. Today’s lake level triggers an important choice for DWP: Will the Department choose a nearly fourfold increase in diversions (16,000 acre-feet), or will it choose to leave exports unchanged (4,500 acre-feet) and preserve the lake level gains of the record-wet winter of 2023? … ” Read more from the Mono Lake Committee.
Diverse Los Angeles coalition calls on Mayor Bass to not increase water exports from the Mono Basin this year
“The Mono Lake Committee, together with over 25 Los Angeles-based conservation and environmental justice groups, has delivered a letter to Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass asking that the city avoid quadrupling the amount of water it diverts away from Mono Lake this year by choosing not to increase diversions this year. The letter states that after two consecutive years of ample rainfall, the City has sufficient water supplies without increasing its diversion of water from Mono Lake. The letter goes on to note the amount of water they are asking the city to forgo is just a tiny fraction of the city’s water supply. Signed by the leaders of environmental justice groups including Communities for a Better Environment, East Yard Communities for Environmental Justice, and Pacoima Beautiful, alongside groups including the Sierra Club, the Los Angeles Water Keeper, and LA Audubon, the letter notes that the mayor has the authority to divert less water from Mono Lake than allowed. … ” Read more from the Mono Lake Committee.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
‘Way, way, way above normal’ rains could set all-time L.A. record as wet weather continues
“After a comparatively dry fall in Southern California, there was a point last December when it seemed like the fears of a strong, wet El Niño winter may have been overblown. So much for that. In a matter of weeks, a succession of powerful storms flipped the script, dumping a stream of record-setting, intense rainfall across California, much of it on the state’s southwestern region. That wet pattern has continued as winter has given way to spring, with this past weekend’s storm dumping up to 4 inches of rain in some areas — pushing Los Angeles to a new two-year rain total not seen since the late 1800s and forestalling any hope for a quick end to the rainy season. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
California ski resorts benefiting from wet winter
“California’s epic snowfall in recent months is leading to an equally epic ski season. Following news that more than 300 inches of snow have fallen on Mammoth Mountain during the current season, another of California’s most popular ski resorts received a new round of fresh powder. Officials for Big Bear Mountain Resort said two feet of snow dropped over the most recent weekend, and another stormfront this Friday could bring more snow to the San Bernardino County wilderness. In March alone, more than four feet of new snow fell in and around Big Bear. That’s led to bustling slopes and a lively atmosphere, with all three resorts open daily. … ” Read more from KTLA.
Cracking the code: Tracking trout habitat through temperature patterns
“As decades-long devotees of Southern California trout angling, our passion and curiosity extend to the habitat conditions needed for these resilient fish. As SoCal residents, the “think globally, act locally” mantra could not be more appropriate as we bring a stewardship ethic to the incredibly underrated wild spaces within an hour of our home. Recently, we’ve found ourselves equipped less and less with rods in hand, but more with other tools like a GoPro ready to be dipped under a rock, or a drone to scout if a pool survived a dry summer .5 miles up a rugged canyon, or both. The fundamental value of quality habitat and its protection, conservation, and restoration has led us down many rabbit holes. Last year we got roped into an exciting project related to water temperature, one of the important indicators that tell us about habitat health. … ” Read more from Cal Trout.
Rancho Water receives $9.1 Million investment from US Bureau of Reclamation for groundwater banking expansion program
“Rancho California Water District (Rancho Water/District) is pleased to announce that it has been awarded $9.1 million in funding from the US Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) as part of the “Investing in America” agenda. This investment, made possible through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, will support Rancho Water’s Upper Valle de Los Caballos Groundwater Recharge and Recovery Expansion Program (Groundwater Banking Program). The Groundwater Banking Program is a critical element in expanding Rancho Water’s groundwater storage and recovery program. Collectively, the program will give the District the storage equivalent of 60,000 acre-feet or one year of water demands. It will also allow the District to purchase lower-cost raw water in lieu of imported treated water. During wet years, the program will recharge the Pauba Valley groundwater subunit in the Temecula Valley. This stored water will be invaluable during dry years to meet potable water demands in the district, including agricultural needs. … ” Read more from the Rancho California Water District.
Mojave Water Agency imports historic amount of water
“After more than a decade of drought, California saw a significant amount of rainfall in 2023, allowing Mojave Water Agency to import a record amount of water last year. All water supplied to businesses, homes and farms throughout the High Desert is pumped from local groundwater aquifers. This groundwater is replenished, or “recharged,” by two main sources: natural runoff from the local mountains, and water imported from the State Water Project (SWP). The SWP is a water storage and delivery system of reservoirs, aqueducts, pumping plants, and power plants owned and operated by the State of California and managed by the California Department of Water Resources (DWR). … ” Read more from Mojave Water Agency.
IMPERIAL/COACHELLA VALLEYS
Lithium and a healthy Salton Sea can coexist. Here’s how
Coachella Valley resident Chuck Parker writes, “On Jan. 26, there was an opening ceremony at the Salton Sea for the construction of a big new plant to produce lithium. Presiding at the ceremony was John Podesta, who is the senior adviser to President Biden in implementing the $375 billion Clean Energy and climate change bill that was part of the Inflation Reduction Act passed in August 2022. It was Podesta who worked with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to speed up the environmental review for the lithium plant. But at the same time, the Army Corps has recently announced that it is postponing a restoration plan for the Salton Sea until 2030 or 2032. Many are saying that the method of extracting lithium at the Salton Sea is less damaging to the environment than traditional open pit mining and evaporation ponds. However, production will be going on next to the rapidly deteriorating Salton Sea which will produce toxic and widespread dust storms that will endanger all of us who live within 200 miles. … ” Continue reading at the Desert Sun.
Essay: An idyll on the shores of a toxic lake
Jaime Lowe writes, “There are two ways to experience the town of Bombay Beach, Calif., as a visitor: gawk at the spectacle or fall into the vortex. Thousands of tourists cruise through each year, often without getting out of their cars to see decaying art installations left over from an annual mid-March gathering of artists, photographers and documentarians known jokingly as the Bombay Beach Biennale. When I went to the town for the first time in 2021, I was looking for salvation in this weird desert town on the Salton Sea south of Palm Springs and Joshua Tree National Park. I dropped in, felt vibes and left with stories. I stared at the eccentric large-scale art, posted photos on Instagram of ruin porn and a hot pink sign on the beach that said, “If you’re stuck, call Kim.” I posed in front of a mountain of painted televisions, swung on a swing over the edge of the lake’s retreating shoreline and explored the half-buried, rusted-out cars that make up an abandoned ersatz drive-in movie theater. On that trip, it felt as if I were inside a “Mad Max” simulation, but I was only scratching the surface of the town. … ” Continue reading at the New York Times.
Imperial Irrigation District granted $7 million to construct the largest reservoir in district history
“The Imperial Irrigation District announced in a recent press report that it has been awarded $7 million in grant funds from the Department of the Interior in support of the district’s proposed Upstream Operational Reservoir Project, which would be the largest reservoir ever constructed in the Imperial Valley during IID’s 113-year history as an irrigation district. The announcement was recently made by the Interior Department, with funds coming from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to increase water supply reliability. This latest grant award to IID is in addition to a $9.5 million grant previously awarded to the district for a total of $16.5 million in federal funding for the Upstream Operational Reservoir Project. … ” Read more from the Desert Review.
SAN DIEGO
US steps up watchdog role over Tijuana sewage system
MacKenzie Elmer writes, “Years ago, in a moment of despair over the utter dead-end that solving the Tijuana River sewage crisis seemed to be, I asked U.S. officials why we don’t just cross the border and start fixing broken pipes in Mexico. Nations can’t just cross each other’s borders like that, MacKenzie, the kindly federal official told me. At least, they shouldn’t. It would be a rude mistake. Mexico could consider such federal intrusion without permission as an act of war. But President Joe Biden’s pick to reign-in cross-border sewage spills has found a way to leverage her relationships with Mexico to encourage more collaborative U.S. involvement. Maria-Elena Giner announced to reporters during a press conference last week that the International Boundary and Water Commission (the binational agency that deals with cross-border water issues) will start monthly inspections of a key sewage pump and trash shredder in Tijuana that feeds wastewater into San Diego for treatment. That’s new for the IBWC. … ” Read more from the Voice of San Diego.
New website launched to monitor illnesses caused by South Bay pollution
“San Diego’s cross-border sewage crisis has been an ongoing issue for decades. As local legislators work to get federal funding and to find a permanent solution to the issue, San Diego County Public Health Services has launched a new website to monitor gastrointestinal illnesses caused from the raw sewage flowing into South Bay waters. Millions of gallons of raw sewage flows across the border from Mexico into the U.S. everyday, according to the International Boundary and Water Commission, contaminating the Tijuana River Valley and the nearby Pacific Ocean. The crisis has been ongoing for years, and just this past fall, a local South Bay urgent care practice alerted health officials to a possible increase in stomach and intestine (gastrointestinal) illnesses. … ” Read more from Fox 5.
Along the Colorado River …
This new proposal for Colorado River sharing prioritizes the environment
“A coalition of environmental groups is proposing a new set of rules for managing the Colorado River after 2026, when the current guidelines expire. Their proposal, which aims to weave environmental protections into river management policy, comes amid heated negotiations about how the shrinking river should be shared in the future. In March, the seven states which use the river found themselves divided into two camps, each faction publishing its own proposal for managing water. The two groups have promised to work towards consensus and are aiming to agree on a singular plan before 2026. The authors of the new environmentally-focused proposal — a group of seven conservation nonprofits — say they don’t expect their own plan will be adopted in full, but hope to encourage state and federal water managers to consider plants, animals and ecosystems while drawing up their own Colorado River policies. … ” Read more from KUER.
Snowpack for Colorado River ends season 11% above normal
“Water for a thirsty Las Vegas has been building up over the past month and a half and snowpack levels are 11% above normal on April 1 — the date that snow normally peaks as warmer weather begins to set in. The above-average “snow water equivalent” (SWE) is a measure of how much water is stored in the snow in the Upper Colorado River Basin — a vast 17,800-square-mile region that feeds the river and its tributaries in five states. More than 40 million people rely on the river for water. That extra 11% is a surprise after last year, when SWE came in at 160% of normal on April 1, 2023. Rosemary Carrol, a research professor of hydrology for the Desert Research Institute (DRI), said in mid-March that researchers have noticed a “whiplash” effect that often brings a very dry year after a wet winter. … ” Read more from KLAS.
What does the future hold for the Colorado River?
“There’s no easy way to put it: The Colorado River, which flows for 1,400 miles and is described as the workhorse of the West, is in trouble. More water is coming out than what is going in the system. Andrea K. Gerlak, director at the Udall Center for Studies in Public Policy and a professor in the School of Geography, Development and Environment at the University of Arizona, said it is a harsh reality faced by the seven states, 30 tribes and northern Mexico — all dependent on the river. “You can imagine what that means with your household finances. If you have more expenses than you have income — it’s really a simple analogy.” … ” Read more from Deseret News.
Where does Colorado River water go? Scientists have finally found out
“Hay meant to feed farm animals accounts for an overwhelming share of Colorado River water use in the Southwest, scientists have found. Many Southern Nevadans are all too familiar with the West’s water woes. Las Vegas is almost entirely dependent on water from the river-fed Lake Mead, the country’s largest reservoir, which has hovered near historic lows as of late. A new study released Thursday pins down a more definitive assessment of how water from the river is used, confirming suspicions that water scientists have held for decades. Only a fraction of the river’s water makes it to what’s known as the Colorado River Delta, where it would flow naturally without human intervention. … ” Read more from the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
EDITORIAL: Don’t blame Las Vegas for Colorado River woes
The Las Vegas Review-Journal editorial board writes, “Another study refutes the belief that Las Vegas and other urban centers in the Southwest are sucking Lake Mead dry. Instead, if the region is to adequately address its water problems, policymakers must confront hard questions about the wisdom of farming in the arid Mojave Desert. Last week, Sustainable Waters released a report on water use and the Colorado River. Contrary to what many people believe, the vast majority of the region’s water is used for irrigation to support agricultural interests. Sprawling urban development in Phoenix and Las Vegas isn’t the problem. “Irrigated agriculture,” the report found, “consumes about three times the volume of all the cities and industries combined.” … ” Continue reading from the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
Commentary: Solving water crises begins with good data
Brian Richter, president of Sustainable Waters, writes, “The Colorado River in the southwestern US is getting a lot of media attention lately, for good reason. Since 2000, more water has been consumed from the river basin and its reservoirs than melting snows and summer monsoons have been able to replenish. As a result, Lakes Mead and Powell — the two largest reservoirs in the US — are now three-quarters empty, the river no longer reaches the Gulf of California in Mexico, and persistent water shortages threaten the security of cities, farms, electricity generation, recreation, and ecological health. As I’ve long advised my university students and fellow water professionals, any efforts to resolve a water crisis must be founded on accurate and complete data characterizing available water supplies and uses. … ” Read more from Sustainable Waters.
Attorney general seeking evidence of groundwater overpumping in rural Arizona, may sue
“Attorney General Kris Mayes told La Paz County residents she’s considering a lawsuit to stop corporate farms from overpumping groundwater there and in Cochise County. Her investigators are seeking examples of harm such as dry wells, cracked foundations and dust on which to build a possible case using the state’s nuisance laws, she said Thursday. She outlined her plans to 150 or so people gathered at a town hall meeting in a combination community center and library 100 miles west of Phoenix. She also urged residents to push state lawmakers to enact legislation to protect rural Arizona’s largely unregulated groundwater. … ” Continue reading from Arizona Central.
Sinking cities: How land subsidence is affecting Arizona
“The Grand Canyon State’s cities may not have any of George Strait’s prized “ocean front property in Arizona,” but they do have one thing in common with coastal cities around the world: The cities are sinking. In fact, the whole state is. A recent study published in the journal Nature has shown that the world’s coastal cities are falling prey to subsidence in addition to the already-documented rising sea levels. Land subsidence is a geological term for the sinking or settling of the Earth’s surface. Subsidence can be caused by a variety of factors, but in most cases it’s accelerated by the extraction of groundwater. Arizona, of course, doesn’t have rising sea levels to contend with — but that doesn’t mean land subsidence is a non-issue. … ” Read more from KJZZ.
Endangered species protections sought for Wilson’s Phalarope
“The Center for Biological Diversity, leading a diverse coalition of scientists and conservation groups, filed a legal petition with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today seeking protections for Wilson’s phalarope under the Endangered Species Act. Wilson’s phalaropes are inland shorebirds that rely on saline lakes in the Great Basin as critical stopovers along their migratory path to South America. The species is threatened with extinction because of the imminent collapse of these lakes, including the Great Salt Lake in Utah and Lake Abert in Oregon. “This petition on behalf of the Wilson’s phalarope is an act of love,” said author Terry Tempest Williams. “It is our wild promise to the future of the Great Salt Lake ecosystem, understanding that our lives and the lives of Wilson’s phalarope are one — intrinsically bound to the health of our inland sea. This is a threshold moment. The survival of Great Salt Lake can no longer be seen as a local issue or a state issue but a global one — with the phalarope’s epic migration from Argentina to Utah and back again signaling (as the brine shrimp and brine flies do) the interdependence of all life. By invoking the Endangered Species Act and listing the Wilson’s phalarope as a threatened species, we can change this story of a lake in retreat to a lake being restored in the name of all lives, both human and wild, that our Mother Lake sustains.” … ” Read more from the Center for Biological Diversity.
Interior Department Announces announces $30 million from President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda for water savings in the Upper Colorado River Basin
“The Department of the Interior today announced that the Bureau of Reclamation has made $30 million available for 114 projects in the Upper Colorado River Basin through President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, which is delivering unprecedented resources to protect the Colorado River System. These projects will conserve about 66,400 acre-feet of Colorado River water in the Upper Basin as part of the Colorado River 2024 Conservation Pilot Program. Relaunched in 2024 with funding from the Inflation Reduction Act, the Conservation Pilot Program is helping support water management and conservation efforts to improve water efficiency and ultimately protect the short-term sustainability of the Colorado River System. … ” Read more from the Bureau of Reclamation.
Don’t complain about Colorado’s next big rainstorm. Its aftermath could help solve our water woes.
“Drought-challenged U.S. communities are overlooking what could be a major source of relief: stormwater, which generates more water annually than is stored in lakes Mead and Powell, the largest reservoirs in the West. But Colorado and other states with laws against collecting stormwater are likely to miss out on its potential. Heavy rains produce some 59.1 million acre-feet of water annually, according to “Untapped Potential: An Assessment of Urban Stormwater Runoff Potential in the United States,” released last month by the Pacific Institute, a water research think tank in Oakland, Calif. “Our results indicate that there is a vast potential for stormwater capture all across the country,” said Bruk Berhanu, a lead author of the study and senior researcher in water efficiency and reuse at the Pacific Institute. … ” Read the full story at the Colorado Sun.
In national water news today …
Biden administration officials meet with states on cyber threats to water sector
“Anne Neuberger, Deputy National Security Advisor for Cyber and Emerging Technologies and Janet McCabe, EPA Deputy Administrator, recently met with state and local officials from across the United States to discuss cybersecurity in the water sector. The meeting was a follow up to a March 19 letter sent by National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael S. Regan to all governors highlighting the urgency to improve the water sector cybersecurity and protect water resources from potential cyberattacks by foreign governments and associated criminal entities. During the meeting, officials from several states outlined actions that they are currently taking to protect their water systems. … ” Read more from Water Finance & Management.
SEE ALSO: White House Issues Dire Warning Regarding Drinking Water Supply and Wastewater System Cyberattacks, from Nossaman
As feds stand down, states choose between wetlands protections or rollbacks
“For 200 miles, the Wabash River forms the border between Illinois and Indiana as it meanders south to the Ohio River. On the Illinois side, lawmakers are scrambling to pass a bill that would protect wetlands from development and pollution, in order to safeguard water quality and limit flooding. But in Indiana, state policymakers hastily passed a law earlier this year to roll back wetlands regulations, at the urging of developers and farm groups who said such rules were overly burdensome. That means the water that flows into the Wabash River from the west may soon be governed by very different standards than its watershed on the eastern side. The divide is the result of a U.S. Supreme Court ruling last year that stripped federal protection from millions of acres of wetlands that had been covered under the Clean Water Act — leaving their fate up to the states. … ” Read more from the San Jose Mercury News.
NOAA Fisheries and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service finalize revisions to regulations implementing the Endangered Species Act
“NOAA Fisheries and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have finalized three rules that will restore important protections for species and their habitats, strengthen the processes for listing species and the designation of critical habitat and consultation with other federal agencies, and ensure a science-based approach that will improve both agencies’ ability to fulfill their responsibilities under the Endangered Species Act. These final rules demonstrate the agencies’ commitment to applying the best available science when implementing the Act. These rules further President Biden’s Day One executive action to ensure an all-of-government approach to bolster resilience to the impacts of climate change. On June 22, 2023, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and NOAA Fisheries published three proposed rules revising portions of the implementing regulations. We received approximately 468,000 comments during the public comment periods on these three rules. … ” Read more from NOAA Fisheries.
Air pollution has masked climate change’s influence on U.S. Rainfall
“As greenhouse gas emissions raise the temperature of the atmosphere, scientists expect global rainfall to increase, but making regional precipitation predictions is challenging. And it’s at the regional level that these predictions are most important for many. Farmers and water managers need to make plans and adjust to climate change. “Especially for rainfall, what’s happening locally is really important,” said Mark Risser, a climate scientist at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Risser is an author of a recent study published in Nature Communications that aimed to clarify rainfall trends in the United States by incorporating data about aerosol air pollution. … ” Read more from EOS.
Also on Maven’s Notebook today …
NOTICE of Proposed Rulemaking for Ecosystem Regulations
