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On the calendar today …
- MEETING: Delta Stewardship Council beginning at 9am. The Council will elect a new chair and vice chair. Click here for the agenda and remote access instructions.
- WORKSHOP: Central Valley Flood Protection Board beginning at 10am. This workshop will focus on the Yolo Bypass and include an update on the Yolo Bypass-Cache Slough Partnership, Yolo Bypass Cache Slough Administrative Draft Master Plan, and an overview of the Upper Yolo Bypass Regional Planning and Coordination efforts. The Army Corps will also provide an update on the Yolo Bypass Comprehensive Study. Click here for workshop agenda and remote access instructions.
- WEBINAR: Bank protection project reduces erosion induced flood risk on the American River from 12pm to 1pm. The cities of Sacramento and New Orleans are considered the US cities to be at the highest risk for severe flooding. Sacramento’s risk is because rainfall and runoff from a 2,100-square-mile watershed located immediately uphill to the east comes rushing down to Folsom Dam and then is conveyed through the leveed portion of the American River and through the Sacramento metropolitan area. The Lower American River is relatively steep, meaning the water is conveyed at a high velocity that is very erosive of the adjacent levees. For over 20 years, flood risk reductions have been implemented at Folsom Dam and along the American River levees. One of the few remaining components of the work includes installation of bank protection along the American River to reduce the threat of erosion causing a levee failure. The Corps of Engineers is working with its partners, the State of California’s Central Valley Flood Protection Board and the Sacramento Area Flood Control Agency, to implement this bank protection. Click here to register.
In California water news today …
The hunt for water is causing this region to sink. Now, California is weighing a historic crackdown
“A stretch of California that’s considered one of the fastest-sinking areas in the nation, where farms have pumped so much water from the ground that the land has slowly collapsed, is on the verge of state intervention. In a first-ever move, California regulators are looking to step in and monitor groundwater pumping in the Tulare Lake subbasin, an 837-square-mile hydrological region flush with cotton, hay and almonds between Fresno and Bakersfield. Because of heavy pumping, some places here are sinking a foot a year, causing roads to buckle and canals to crack. Growers and government officials in this farm belt, who don’t always take kindly to policies in Sacramento, are urging the state to stay out for fear of losing control of their water, the region’s lifeblood. But state regulators say local leadership has failed to act to protect groundwater and that oversight may be what’s needed to shore up over-drafted aquifers, keep wells from going dry and halt land subsidence. Subsidence occurs because water helps prop up the land, and when so much water is gone, so is the support. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
SEE ALSO: Audio: One big problem with SGMA, from Ag Info
Here’s why California is drought-free for a second straight year
“A late-season storm is swinging into California this weekend, bringing heavy rain, mountain snow and strong winds. It’s the latest in a stormy season in which 51 atmospheric rivers — jets of moisture from the Pacific — struck the West Coast, fueled in part by the strong El Niño climate pattern. While California did not see the eye-popping rain and snow totals that it did last year, the storm door opened in January and has stayed open well into spring. “This year had many weaker storms, but so many more of them that we are pretty much normal across the state,” said Chad Hecht, a research meteorologist at the Center for Western Weather and Water Extremes at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in San Diego. “It’s abnormal to be this normal — we tend to be either really wet or really dry.” Though El Niño is rapidly weakening, experts say this winter bore the signs of the climate pattern, both in California and nationally. … ” Read more from the Washington Post (gift article).
Chance of La Niña developing is high. Here’s why that’s rare and how it could impact U.S. weather
“The El Niño winter, which delivered above-normal precipitation to much of California, is drawing to a close. But as quickly as El Niño emerged, it is expected to fade even faster. Signs of La Niña have already appeared in the eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean. Cooler than normal sea-surface temperatures recently emerged off the coast of Ecuador and Peru, according to a Climate Prediction Center report published Thursday. By June, there’s only a 15% chance that El Niño will persist, with an 85% chance of “neutral” or near normal sea-surface temperatures. By August, La Niña is favored, with odds increasing to 80% or more by October. This transition could significantly impact U.S. weather patterns. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle (gift article).
Storm set to soak parts of California, ending warm stretch of weather. Here’s what to expect
“The Bay Area’s warmest stretch of weather so far this year is over, as another rainmaker is poised to soak parts of California this weekend. A low-pressure system will skirt past Oregon on Friday on its way toward Central California. The system is expected to slow down and stall near San Francisco on Saturday, spiraling rain showers and thunderstorms around its center. San Francisco, Sacramento, Oakland, San Jose and Santa Barbara are forecast to receive a half-inch to an inch of rain from Friday night through Sunday afternoon, with up to 2 inches of rain in the Santa Cruz Mountains and the Big Sur coast. Los Angeles could receive around a quarter- to half-inch inch of rain, while San Diego is not expected to pick up more than a tenth of an inch. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
Sierra snowpack update spreads optimism among water managers
“The snowpack at a key spot in California’s Sierra Nevada measured at 113% of average, a figure that has state water managers — including the Tri-Valley’s Zone 7 Water Agency — excited for the spring melt off that will fill rivers, lakes and reservoirs. The state’s April 1 survey at Phillips Station at the 6,800-foot elevation level near South Lake Tahoe found 64 inches of snow depth with a “snow water” equivalent of 27.5 inches. A snow water equivalent studies the amount of water contained in the snowpack and is a focus for state Department of Water Resources (DWR) officials. The April measurement proves critical for water managers because it is considered the peak for the season, and marks the beginning of the Sierra’s spring melt off that supplies some 27 million Californians with water. “This is good news for Zone 7,” said Valerie Pryor, general manager of the agency that provides treated drinking water to more than 250,000 people in Pleasanton, Livermore and Dublin, and untreated water for irrigation in the South Livermore Valley vineyards. … ” Read more from the Livermore Independent.
A “surprisingly average” year for Sierra snowpack
“When it comes to mountain snow, the Sierra Nevada is known for its booms and busts: Last year brought record high snow, whereas the snowpack was low in the three years prior. After more than a decade of either unusually wet or unusually dry years, snowpack in the Sierra Nevada was close to normal in 2024. Snowpack throughout the Sierra range was 110 percent of average on April 1, 2024, according to the California Department of Water Resources (DWR). The department has been making snow water equivalent measurements since the early 1900s, based on 130 ground stations throughout the state. … ” Continue reading from the Earth Observatory.
As water rates climb, many are struggling to pay for an essential service
“In California and across the country, household water rates have been rising as utilities invest to upgrade aging infrastructure, secure future supplies and meet treatment standards for clean drinking water. As monthly water bills continue to increase, growing numbers of customers have been struggling to pay. New federal legislation would establish a water assistance program to help low-income families pay their bills and prevent shutoffs of water service. The bill, introduced by Democratic Sen. Alex Padilla, would make permanent a federal program that Congress authorized in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. The program provided more than $1 billion in assistance, but it’s expiring. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
SEE ALSO: In spite of all the rain, higher water rates loom ahead, from the LAist
Report highlights strong interest in farmland transition funds
“There was no shortage of interest in the $90 million in state funding made available through the new Multibenefit Land Repurposing Program, according to the first report released this month on the effort to transition irrigated farmland in overdrafted groundwater basins to less water-intensive uses. The program was created through a 2021 bill authored by Assemblymembers Robert Rivas (D-Salinas) and Rudy Salas (D-Bakersfield) with the expectation that some farmland will need to be idled in the coming years as part of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act. To meet SGMA goals in the Central Valley, it is estimated that up to one million acres of farmland may have to be taken out of production. … ” Read more from SJV Water.
Groups urge water boards to investigate elevated toxic selenium releases to refuges, San Joaquin River, and SF Bay-Delta Estuary
“Writing to three water boards April 11, 2024, conservation groups called for an investigation into control of dangerous selenium being released from federal irrigators into the San Joaquin River and Bay-Delta Estuary. Federal scientists have documented these selenium levels cause reproductive failure, deformities, and death in fish and waterfowl. “Action is needed to protect fish and wildlife from this toxic pollutant,” said John Buse, Center for Biological Diversity Senior Counsel. “Federal scientists have linked deformities in the Sacramento splittail to elevated levels of selenium in the San Joaquin River.” The deformities to splittail, a native fish species, are documented in a federal scientific study released in 2018. Elevated selenium levels have been attributed to runoff from San Joaquin Valley lands irrigated with federally-subsidized water. “We urge the water boards to strengthen the selenium standards to protect aquatic life from these toxic releases of selenium before it’s too late,” said Howard Penn, Executive Director of the Planning and Conservation League. “The water boards need to immediately require a wet-year monitoring program of splittail funded by these federal drainage contractors and require more protective standards.” … ” Continue reading this press release from the Center for Biological Diversity and the Planning and Conservation League.
San Francisco salmon fishers slam season’s cancellation
“San Francisco fishers are speaking out against coastal fishing officials’ decision to cancel recreational and commercial salmon fishing in California for the second consecutive year. The Pacific Fishery Management Council unanimously voted earlier this week to call of the season that would have begun May 16 because drought, wildfires and algal blooms have dwindled the presence of salmon in state waters. Local businesses impacted by the move said the cancellation adds to preexisting financial struggles, as California wildlife officials cut an already-delayed Dungeness crab season short for most of the state earlier this week. Business owners argued that the situation could’ve been avoided if state officials incorporated fishing industry members into their conservation efforts. “It’s not about reduced profits or someone taking a chunk out of our sales. It’s about survival at this point,” Joe Conte, a co-founder of Bay Area seafood supplier Water2Table, told a crowd gathered Thursday along Pier 47. He called the council’s decision a “real gut punch to us here on the pier.” … ” Read more from SF Weekly.
SEE ALSO: Santa Cruz County fisherman react to salmon season being shutdown in California, from KION
Newsom administration requests federal fishery disaster declaration
“Today, Governor Gavin Newsom and Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis announced a request for a Federal Fishery Disaster Declaration to support impacted fishing communities. This request and the recommended season closure will protect salmon populations and support the fishing industry. These actions build on Governor Newsom’s Salmon Strategy for a Hotter, Drier Future to address this decades-long crisis and rehabilitate these populations. The Newsom Administration and Legislature have already spent over $800 million in the past few years to protect and restore salmon populations, and the federal government allocated $20.6 million following last year’s disaster declaration request. … ” Read more from Governor Newsom’s office.
Congressman Jared Huffman statement on the 2024 salmon season closure
“Today, U.S. Representative Jared Huffman (CA-02), Ranking Member of the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife, and Fisheries, released the following statement regarding the Pacific Fishery Management Council’s vote to cancel salmon fishing season off the California: “Last year’s California’s salmon season closure was a crushing blow for our state. And now we’re facing the unprecedented back-to-back closures of the entire California salmon fishery. This is a new low – it’s not just devastating, it’s unacceptable,” said Rep. Huffman. “We just finished getting federal approval for last year’s California salmon disaster. I was relieved that with the reforms I’ve passed in Congress and all the political pressure we worked to build, the federal approval process was somewhat faster. But the amount of disaster money is not nearly enough for the needs of fishermen, tribes, businesses, and families who depend on healthy salmon fisheries – and now we have to start all over again for second consecutive disaster year. We must do better. … ” Continue reading this statement from Congressman Jared Huffman.
Planning for the future: New State Water Project strategic plan focuses on ensuring a reliable, sustainable, and resilient water supply amid a changing climate
“As California experiences more weather extremes due to climate change, planning for the future will be critical for the resilience of the state’s water supply. To help guide those efforts, DWR has released a new State Water Project (SWP) Risk-Informed Strategic Plan to ensure a reliable, sustainable, and resilient water supply through 2028 and beyond. The plan, known as Elevate to ‘28, furthers the implementation of DWR’s department-wide strategic plan. Elevate to ‘28 contains organization-wide perspectives including the mission, vision, and purpose of the SWP while integrating risk management to be better equipped to serve the water needs of California. “As stewards for sustainably managing the water resources of California, the SWP team is committed to elevating our strategic approach and honing our focus, ensuring reliable services for the people and environment of California through the Elevate to ’28 plan,” said State Water Project Acting Deputy Director John Yarbrough. “It is the spirit that will guide us through the challenges and triumphs that lie ahead.” … ” Read more from DWR News.
How to successfully secure funding for your critical infrastructure projects
“Over the past two decades Eastern Municipal Water District (EMWD) has leveraged strategic partnerships into hundreds of millions of dollars in grants and loans funding that benefit its nearly 1 million customers. The roots of these successes stretch back over a generation and have become part of the organization’s culture. Decades ago, EMWD sought out strategic partnerships with like-minded agencies that could help chart a vision for how the region would deliver services while successfully managing their resources. An example of this was EMWD’s work with the United States Bureau of Reclamation in the 1990s. This partnership began with programs such as the San Jacinto Wetlands, where EMWD partnered with the Bureau to develop a pilot treatment facility for the treatment of secondary treated wastewater through a wetland’s facility. Subsequently, the Bureau began supporting additional EMWD projects and programs, including providing significant financial support for the backbone infrastructure of what is now an expansive recycled water system. … ” Read more from Stormwater Solutions.
NAWI awards funding to continue desalination hub to drive innovation for sustainable water security
“The National Alliance for Water Innovation (NAWI), which is led by the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab), has been extended for five more years with $75 million in funding from DOE. NAWI will continue its contributions to helping decarbonize the water and wastewater sectors through investments in technologies that enhance the efficient use of energy for water use, treatment, and distribution. “Water and energy are interdependent – water is used to produce nearly every major energy source, and energy is critical to transporting and treating water,” said Jeff Marootian, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. “The deep connection between these two resources demands an integrated approach that considers the challenges and opportunities inherent to both sectors. The Department of Energy is proud to be leading the nation’s efforts to decarbonize the water economy, while ensuring a secure water future for communities nationwide.” … ” Read more from Berkeley Lab.
How one lawmaker wants to improve California regulations
“California’s Legislature has a team of attorneys who help draft bills. State agencies need the same to avoid flawed regulations, says Sen. Roger Niello. Niello introduced Senate Bill 1104 — based on an idea from veteran lobbyist Chris Micheli — that would establish an Office of Regulatory Counsel in the governor’s office to draft regulations until 2035. Currently, the 600 or so regulations proposed each year are typically drafted by staff, and go through public hearings. The Office of Administrative Law reviews them to make sure they comply with some basic standards, such as whether the agency making the rule has the authority to do so. And the office will look at whether the language is clear, but that usually happens at the tail-end of the process. If state agencies have a central group similar to the Legislature’s Office of Legislative Counsel, it would give regulations a better shot at moving through the approval process, Niello said. … ” Read more from Cal Matters.
California lawmakers take action on budget deficit
“The California Legislature passed a highly touted “early action” bill Thursday, sending legislation to the governor that Democrats have said will reduce the deficit by some $17 billion. Assembly Bill 106 — written by Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel, an Encino Democrat and chair of his chamber’s Budget Committee — affects the state’s 2022-23 fiscal year budget. It reduces the deficit by pulling back money already designated but not yet spent, borrowing money, delaying other expenses and shifting costs. The bill moved quickly after Governor Gavin Newsom and top Democrats announced their plan last week to shave billions from the deficit. It passed a procedural vote in the state Senate that day and was voted on Thursday first by the Senate, followed by the Assembly. … ” Read more from Courthouse News Service.
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
FERC requests more information before final approval for Iron Gate Dam
“The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission is asking for more information before giving final approval for the removal of Iron Gate Dam along the Klamath River. Douglas Johnson, a Regional Engineer with FERC says the letter is in response to documents related to the decommissioning of the dams within the Lower Klamath Project submitted by Mark Bransom, CEO of the Klamath River Renewal Corp. Following a review of said documents, Johnson indicates six issues that need to be addressed prior to FERC’s authorization of the Iron Gate Dam removal. Those include submitting an updated schedule after removal methods and/timelines changed, a proposed design for the headwall/wingwall with a detailed description of how they will be installed, as well as a detailing the penstock intake tower removal procedure. … ” Read more from KOBI 5.
Klamath River Renewal Corporation responds to story regarding Kiewit pulling out of dam removal project
“This morning’s Daily Digest included this story from the California Globe, stating that Kiewit had pulled out of the Klamath Dam removal project. I have just received this email from Ren Brownell with the Klamath River Renewal Corporation: “The assertion made in the California Globe and Siskiyou News articles that our contractor has left the project is wholly inaccurate. Kiewit chose not to implement an exploratory drilling program that they had previously proposed, and FERC was simply acknowledging this in the letter. There are no delays to the project as a result. … ” Read more from Maven’s Notebook.
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
Who were the busy beaver dam demolishers?
“What began as a routine walk for one community member turned into a neighborhood effort to save a beaver. While on this walk, one community member found what they described as a destroyed beaver dam near the Tahoe Beach Club and bare dirt and tire tracks near an adjacent creek in post, which has since been deleted, on Nextdoor.com. The photo accompanying the post showed a tangle of branches divided by a path of water moving through it. Just north of the Tahoe Beach Club, between U.S. Highway 50 and Nevada Beach, is a U.S. Forest Service owned parcel on which a slew of restoration projects are planned. Rabe Meadow, Burke Creek and Jennings Pond are on this site. Beaver activity is often spotted there. The community has dubbed one of these inhabitants, Beaver Burke, complete with his own Facebook fan page. Douglas County Lake Tahoe Sewer Authority also operates a pump station on this land with an access road from the Tahoe Beach Club. … ” Read more from the Tahoe Daily Tribune.
Nevada County awarded nearly $1 million for South Yuba Rim Hazardous Fuels Reduction Project
“At their April 9 meeting, the Board of Supervisors accepted nearly $1 million in funding from the FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) for the South Yuba Rim Hazardous Fuels Reduction Project. Supervisors also approved a contract with local non-profit Yuba Watershed Institute to begin work. The project area encompasses 6,000 acres along the north rim of the South Yuba River canyon, stretching from Bridgeport east for 16 miles to North Bloomfield. It will protect over 44,000 residents, critical infrastructure, and the Wild and Scenic South Yuba River from the impacts of wildfire. Within the 6,000-acre planning area, the focus will be on 800 acres of private property to connect and complement the work already completed on state, federal, and private lands, including 13 Firewise Communities. … ” Read more from The Union.
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
Some Marysville water customers to receive monetary relief
“California Water Service (Cal Water) announced this week that thanks to $83 million in additional state funding, some customers with past-due balances incurred during the COVID-19 pandemic will receive credits to their account. With the money set to be spread out among the different districts that Cal Water serves, its Marysville district received an allocation of $372,313.91. Officials said that within 60 days, Cal Water will notify its customers if a credit will be applied to their accounts. Those receiving a credit will get one within that 60 day timeframe. “With financial impacts of COVID-19 felt by Cal Water customers well past the height of the pandemic, Cal Water applied for and has received more than $83 million through the California Extended Water and Wastewater Arrearage Payment Program (Extended Program) to relieve residential and commercial customers of past-due balances incurred during the pandemic,” the company said. … ” Read more from the Appeal Democrat.
BAY AREA
Plans underway for project to restore Delta wetlands in Knightsen
“The East Contra Costa County Habitat Conservancy has partnered with the East Bay Regional Park District to develop plans to restore wetlands aimed at protecting habitats while enhancing the environmental quality in the Delta. Known as the Knightsen Wetland Restoration Project, the project entails restoring a 645-acre property in the western Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta in between Delta Road and Sunset Road to a “mosaic” of wetland and upland habitats seeking to benefit state and federally threatened and endangered species in addition to providing support to other migratory birds and species native to the Delta. The property was acquired in 2016 for conservation purposes with feasibility studies beginning prior to the land acquisition in 2012. Since then, assessment of the site, planning, and project design have been ongoing. … ” Read more from The Press.
EPA fines East Bay Cities and Municipal Utility Districts for sewage discharge violations
“Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board announced that the East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) and six East Bay cities will be assessed $372,876 in penalties for violating settlement terms designed to prevent untreated sewage from entering San Francisco Bay. Under a 2014 Clean Water Act settlement, EBMUD and seven East Bay cities paid a $1.5 million civil penalty for past sewage discharges. They agreed to assess and upgrade their 1,600-mile-long sewer system infrastructure over 21 years. Since then, over 114 miles of sewer main pipe have been rehabilitated or replaced and over 650 miles of private sewer laterals have been certified as leak-free. “These East Bay cities and utilities made commitments to upgrade aging sewer infrastructure, which is a necessary step for protecting the waters of San Francisco Bay and surrounding communities,” said EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Administrator Martha Guzman. “We’re taking this action to ensure they live up to those commitments and undertake the efforts needed to renew wastewater infrastructure.” … ” Read more from the EPA.
Tri-Valley commentary: Let’s improve water conservation despite ample snowpack
“For the second year in a row, snowpack in the Sierra Nevada has come in above average for the April snow survey. This measurement is considered the peak snowpack for the season and marks the annual transition from snow accumulation to spring runoff, according to the California Department of Water Resources. It suggests above-average runoff in the coming months. While two wet winters pose little danger of a drought, they do risk sidestepping water conservation and management. Human-induced climate change has upset weather patterns. In this new normal, above-average snowpack will likely be countered by above-average droughts in coming years. … ” Read more from the Livermore Independent.
CENTRAL COAST
Morro Bay wraps up $116 million in wastewater reclamation project contracts
“Morro Bay has one more phase to complete on its water reclamation facility, something city Public Works Director Greg Kwolek calls the “cornerstone” of the project. The first phase—the Water Resources Center, pipes, and lift stations—started servicing city customers at the end of 2022/beginning of 2023, and the Morro Bay City Council voted to close out the construction contracts for that phase at its most recent meeting. Next comes the recycled water portion of the project. … ” Read more from New Times SLO.
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
S.J. County requests more than $13.7 million in federal funding for six projects
“San Joaquin County submitted more than $13.7 million in federal funding requests recently for six projects that will enhance programs, services, and infrastructure. The first $2.5 million of the requests will be for the Stockton Metropolitan Airport’s aircraft passenger boarding ramps and boarding bridges, county officials said. The funding will help the airport comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act aircraft boarding standards by eliminating its current reliance on stairs. “Community Project Requests like these are essential to our local community because they provide the additional funding needed to get vital projects off the ground,” Miguel Villapudua, chair of the San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors, said in a statement. … ” Read more from Stocktonia.
EASTERN SIERRA
SGMA gone awry in Indian Wells Valley
“The California Supreme Court can protect incentives for responsible groundwater management by agreeing to review an appellate court decision (Mojave Pistachios v. Indian Wells Valley Groundwater Agency) challenging Indian Wells Valley Groundwater Sustainability Plan (“GSP”). The dispute is over whether the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (“SGMA”) allows Indian Wells Valley to eviscerate a landowner’s (Mojave Pistachios LLC) groundwater rights without due process and impose unreasonable “fees” for a speculative GSP. The future of reasonable groundwater management hangs in the balance. This dispute has garnered widespread interest from parties interested in groundwater rights and responsible groundwater management. Third parties supporting the challenge include the California Building Industry Association, Western Growers Association, California Farm Bureau Federation, American Pistachios Growers, Pacific Legal Foundation, Howard Jarvis Taxpayer Foundation, and individual landowners as far from Indian Wells Valley as Madera. Hydrowonk is unaware of any third parties intervening on behalf of Indian Wells Valley. … ” Read more from the Hydrowonk blog.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Another above-average snowpack improves water supply resiliency for Los Angeles
“Following the final snow surveys for the 2023-2024 winter season, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) today announced that the Eastern Sierra snowpack measured 103% of normal, providing ample supplies through the City’s most cost-efficient water supply from the Los Angeles Aqueduct. This year’s snowpack this, while initially underwhelming compared to the record-breaking measurements in 2023, increased significantly in February and March and ended up exceeding expectations with above-normal conditions. “While our reservoirs are full following two wet winters, we are still seeing the impacts of climate whiplash across the state,” said LADWP General Manager and Chief Engineer Martin L. Adams. “We know we have to stay focused on our investments in local water supply projects as LADWP continues to evolve and balance the needs of our customers with the challenges associated with extreme weather patterns, more than anything else, we encourage our customers to stay vigilant in their water wise practices, which have helped keep water conservation citywide near record highs.” … ” Read more from LA DWP.
In spite of all the rain, higher water rates loom ahead
“Southern California has seen record rainfall lately, and there’s a healthy snowpack in the Sierra Nevada. But in spite of all the rain and snow, many local consumers can expect to see higher water bills next year. The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California’s board adopted a two-year budget this week that includes a spike in water rates. This will hit around 19 million consumers in two ways: as higher bills passed along by the city or local agency they get their water from, and potentially as an increased water fee on future property tax bills. Rates for the district’s 26 member agencies and cities — including Los Angeles — are expected to go up 17% during the next two years, beginning with an initial 8.5% increase next Jan. 1 and another the following January. The board is expected to vote on the property tax increases in August. … ” Read more from the LAist.
South Coast Water District announces funding agreement for desalination plant
“The South Coast Water District announced on Thursday morning, April 11, the potential to earn roughly $39.9 million over the next 15 years for production of water through its Doheny Ocean Desalination Project, thanks to a new agreement between Southern California water agencies. The roughly $140 million seawater desalination plant aims to produce 5 million gallons of water per day (MGD), equal to 5,600 acre-feet (AF) per year. On Monday, April 8, the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California Board of Directors authorized entry into a Local Resources Program (LRP) Agreement with the SCWD and the Metropolitan Water District of Orange County (MWDOC) that would provide incentive payments for producing up to 5,600 AF annually. … ” Read more from the Dana Point Times.
Along the Colorado River …
Upstream discovery puts greater need on long-term plan for Lake Mead, Colorado River water
“Lake Mead sits at 1,074 feet as of April 11. While levels are going down slower now, this is the highest it’s been during spring in a few years. I caught up with Bruce Nelson, who owns the Lake Mead Marina. He says with the water level being up, they expect more boaters. While this boating season appears to be OK, the future remains in question. States on the Colorado River recently sent their ideas of how to manage the lake and river after 2026. That final plan will be coming from the Bureau of Reclamation. But now, a recently released Bureau memo highlights another issue upstream at the Glen Canyon Dam. Damage discovered to pipes during high-release experiments last year could pose a threat to future releases if Lake Powell’s water level gets too low. … ” Read more from Channel 13.
A plumbing issue at this Lake Powell dam could cause big trouble for Western water
“Conservation groups are calling for changes to the management of Lake Powell, the nation’s second largest reservoir, after the discovery of damaged plumbing within the dam that holds it back. The damage is to Glen Canyon Dam’s “river outlet works,” a critical set of small tubes near the bottom of the dam that were originally intended to release excess water when the reservoir is nearing full capacity. The reservoir is currently only 32% full, beleaguered by climate change and steady demand. Water experts think the river outlet works may soon become the only way to pass water from Lake Powell, situated in far northern Arizona, to the Colorado River on the other side. Experts worry that damage to those tubes could impede the ability to use them regularly. … ” Read more from KUNC.
SEE ALSO: Potential damage at Glen Canyon Dam could affect Colorado River flows, from Channel 3
Arizona: Topock Marsh to get infrastructure improvements
“Scattered throughout the reedy water, long-dead skeletal remains eerily reach up from below the surface of the marsh. Mostly dry and bleached from years of exposure to the sun, tree stumps from a long-dead mesquite forest show moister, darker rings exposed by dropping water levels. As coyotes, bobcats and foxes search for an early morning meal, the whistly calls of numerous birds are one of the few sounds that break the silence of Topock Marsh. Nestled on the Arizona side of the Colorado River across from Needles, California, the 4,000 acre marsh has felt the impacts of the region’s long-term drought. Without serious intervention, the marsh and its inhabitants might have faced a future as bleak as that of the mesquite forest that dominated the area before a portion of the Colorado River channel moved west, allowing for the marsh’s creation in 1966. … ” Read more from the Bureau of Reclamation.
In national water news today …
Message to Congress: Cyberthreats to infrastructure surging
“Although cybersecurity threats to U.S. infrastructure are not new, the nature of the threats appears to be evolving. Once primarily the work of individual hackers or organized crime groups looking to extract ransoms from hacked entities, cyberthreats now are also the handiwork of nations looking to harm the U.S., if not today then potentially in the future. At a recent House committee hearing, federal officials gave ominous warnings about ongoing efforts by the Chinese government to infiltrate U.S. infrastructure via weaknesses in cybersecurity systems. The goal of such efforts, the officials declared, is for the Chinese government to gain the ability to harm vital U.S. infrastructure sectors in the event of a major conflict between the nations. Meanwhile, a separate House hearing, held the same day, focused on how best to ensure cybersecurity among the many thousands of U.S. drinking water and wastewater treatment systems, which can differ significantly in terms of resources and technical capability. … ” Read more from Civil Engineering Source.
Last month was Earth’s warmest March on record
“Earth added another remarkably warm month to the year so far, with March 2024 ranking as the warmest March in the planet’s climate record. Last month also continued the world’s streak of record-breaking warm months — 10 in a row — according to scientists and data from NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI). The average global land and ocean-surface temperature for March was 2.43 degrees F (1.35 degrees C) above the 20th-century average of 54.9 degrees (12.7 degrees C), ranking as the warmest March in the 175-year global climate record. March 2024 was also the 10th-consecutive month of record-high global temperatures. … ” Read more from NOAA.
