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On the calendar today …
- LEG HEARING: Assembly Committee on Water, Parks, and Wildlife beginning at 9am. Click here for more information.
- PUBLIC HEARING: Proposed designation of Tulare Lake subbasin as a probationary basin beginning at 9am. The California State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board or Board) will hold a public hearing at which it will consider designating the Tulare Lake Subbasin as a probationary basin pursuant to the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA).The hearing will include time for public comments and Spanish interpretation will be available. Participants can provide comments during the hearing in-person or via Zoom. Additionally, there will be a watch-only webcast option for viewing the hearing. Click here for the hearing notice.
- WEBINAR: Sluicing and slicing: How CalMatters pooled water data from across the state to visualize the wet and dry seasons from 12pm to 1:30pm. CalMatters is a nonpartisan and nonprofit news organization bringing Californians stories that probe, explain and explore solutions to quality of life issues while holding our leaders accountable. We created our water and drought tracker to show our readers that the water they drink starts in the sky and ends in the hundreds of miles of aqueducts crisscrossing the state, or in an aquifer buried deep underground. The dashboard funnels many data points collected by public agencies telling different pieces of this story into a straightforward explanation about how the state is doing when it comes to water management and access. We weave data visualizations and interactive elements into a visual explainer that dives into issues pertaining to surface water, groundwater and water usage. We’ll walk people through the dashboard and have a conversation about the state of water data in California. Click here to register.
- EVENT: Reception Celebrating 20 Years of the Sierra Nevada Conservancy from 5pm to 7pm. The Sierra Nevada Alliance, Sierra Business Council, and The Sierra Fund are hosting a reception to recognize SNC’s 20th anniversary. Click here to register.
In California water news today …
Trinity River named among America’s Most Endangered Rivers® of 2024
“Today, American Rivers named the Trinity River, the largest tributary of the Klamath River, among America’s Most Endangered Rivers® of 2024. Excessive water withdrawals and rising water temperatures threaten the river, and the people and salmon who depend on it. With the removal of the Klamath River dams, a watershed-wide restoration effort has begun. The Trinity River–the main source of cold, clean water for the Lower Klamath River where over 65,000 adult salmon died in 2002–is critical to this effort. “Rivers cannot be harvested for their parts and remain healthy, just like we can’t divert excessive volumes of blood from our body without experiencing systemic failure. We need to stop thinking of the Trinity as a piped tributary to the Sacramento River and recognize that its natural value to the Klamath far exceeds any single Central Valley user’s benefit,” said Ann Willis, California Regional Director, American Rivers. … ” Read more from American Rivers.
Tijuana River named among America’s Most Endangered Rivers® of 2024
“The Tijuana River Watershed, the ancestral and current homeland of the Kumeyaay People and a vital lifeline for millions on both sides of the U.S./Mexico border, faces a mounting threat as pollution chokes its waters, endangering public health and undermining local economies. Decades of neglect and inadequate wastewater infrastructure have led to grave violations of the Clean Water Act, resulting in ecosystem degradation, beach closures, and widespread illnesses. Despite community efforts and recent progress, significant obstacles persist. American Rivers and partners called on President Biden and Congress to immediately invest in infrastructure to clean up the river and address one of the most significant environmental justice issues in the United States. … ” Read more from American Rivers.
SEE ALSO: America’s Most Endangered Rivers® of 2024 Spotlights Threats to Your Clean Water, press release from American Rivers
New PFAS lawsuit cites EPA’s ‘forever chemicals’ drinking water rules
“A new lawsuit filed by public drinking water systems in California against manufacturers of toxic “forever chemicals” is among the first to cite new Biden administration regulations that set strict limits for the chemicals in drinking water. The Orange County Water District and more than a dozen other California water utilities filed the lawsuit in Los Angeles federal court on Friday against seven manufacturers of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, including Dynax America Corp. and Arkema Inc. The lawsuit accuses the manufacturers of negligence and of creating a nuisance by contaminating water with PFAS, and seeks money to remediate that contamination. … ” Read more from Reuters.
EPA has limited six ‘forever chemicals’ in drinking water – but there are 15,000
“Strong new limits for some PFAS compounds in drinking water set by the US Environmental Protection Agency this week are being celebrated for how far they go in reducing exposures to the dangerous chemicals. But public health advocates say the rules merely represent a first step that is limited in its impact on the broader PFAS crisis because they do not directly prevent more pollution or force the chemical industry to pay for cleanup. The rules also address only six compounds, although about 15,000 PFAS exist, and the vast majority remain unregulated or unstudied. Meanwhile, drinking water represents only about 20% of human exposure, the EPA estimates, and diet is probably a larger problem. The PFAS crisis is so vast and complex that the only way to address it is to regulate the chemicals as a class and strongly limit their use, public health advocates say. … ” Continue reading at The Guardian.
California-Nevada Drought Status Update
“Halfway through the water year, California-Nevada precipitation is near-normal, with above-normal snowpack. After two normal to wet winters, less than 1% of California-Nevada is in drought. At the end of the climatological wet season (the first half of the water year) much of the region has received near-normal precipitation. February and March storms brought snow water equivalent near normal, mitigating any risk of snow drought in the region. As the region enters its climatological dry season (with the exception of monsoon-impacted areas), temperatures are leaning toward above normal in the short and long term with the potential to affect run-off from snowmelt. Fire risk throughout the region is predicted to be near- or below-normal from April through June. … ” Read more from NIDIS.
Crop-rich California region may fall under state monitoring to preserve groundwater flow
“California might step in to regulate groundwater use in part of the crop-rich San Joaquin Valley, which would be a first-of-its-kind move that comes a decade after lawmakers tasked local communities with carefully managing the precious but often overused resource. At issue is control over a farming-dependent area where state officials say local water agencies haven’t come up with a strong enough plan to keep the water flowing sustainably into the future. The State Water Resources Control Board will hold a hearing Tuesday to decide whether to place the region under monitoring, which would mean state, not local, officials would temporarily watch over and limit how much water could be pumped from the ground. “It’s a huge deal,” said Dusty Ference, executive director of the Kings County Farm Bureau, which represents regional farmers. “What you gain in having local control is the ability to build groundwater recharge projects and some flexibility with how water is used and moved and traded or not.” … ” Read more from SF Gate.
No birdsong, no water in the creek, no beating wings: how a haven for nature fell silent
“The tale starts 30 years ago, when Bernie Krause made his first audio clip in Sugarloaf Ridge state park, 20 minutes’ drive from his house near San Francisco. He chose a spot near an old bigleaf maple. Many people loved this place: there was a creek and a scattering of picnic benches nearby. As a soundscape recordist, Krause had travelled around the world listening to the planet. But in 1993 he turned his attention to what was happening on his doorstep. In his first recording, a stream of chortles, peeps and squeaks erupt from the animals that lived in the rich, scrubby habitat. His sensitive microphones captured the sounds of the creek, creatures rustling through undergrowth, and the songs of the spotted towhee, orange-crowned warbler, house wren and mourning dove. … But in April last year, Krause played back his recording and was greeted with something he had not heard before: total silence. … ” Read more from The Guardian.
Sustainable vineyards earn Green Medal awards
“As California’s wine industry marks Down to Earth Month in April, four of the state’s premier wineries and vineyard companies were awarded California Green Medal Sustainable Winegrowing Leadership Awards, joining 36 past winners from throughout the Golden State. These awardees are recognized for their advanced sustainability practices and innovation based on a comprehensive judging process focused on both sustainable viticulture and winemaking. Presented by several California wine organizations devoted to sustainability, four green medals are awarded annually in the following categories: Leader, Environment, Community and Business. … ” Read more from the Western Farm Press.
Vital climate tool or license to pollute? The battle over California’s first carbon capture project
“In western Kern County, where rolling hills are punctuated by bobbing rigs, the state’s largest oil and gas producer is betting that a novel technology will stave off the extinction of California’s fossil fuel industry. The proposal has split this region, known as California’s oil country: Some want a future for oil and gas with less carbon emissions, while others insist that the polluting industries must go altogether. In a project that would be California’s first attempt to capture and sequester carbon, California Resources Corp. plans to collect emissions at its Elk Hills Oil and Gas Field, and then inject the gases more than a mile deep into a depleted oil reservoir. The goal is to keep carbon underground and out of the atmosphere, where it traps heat and contributes to climate change. Around the world, the race to build these carbon capture and storage projects is part of a broader bid by the oil and gas industry to remain viable in a world struggling to decarbonize. … ” Read more from Cal Matters.
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
Reclamation announces 2024 initial Klamath Project water supply allocation and additional funding for drought resiliency, ecosystem enhancement
“The Bureau of Reclamation today announced the initial 2024 water supply allocations for the Klamath Project along with $8.5 million in immediate funding for the Klamath Basin communities to support drought resiliency and $5 million for Klamath Basin tribes impacted by drought. In partnership with the Klamath Project Drought Response Agency, Reclamation has secured $8.5 million for administration of specifically authorized drought resiliency programs targeted for project contractors who receive a reduced water allocation. Reclamation is announcing this funding together with an additional $5 million from separate program sources which will be disbursed through technical assistance agreements with Klamath Basin Tribal Nations for drought and ecosystem activities. … ” Read more from the Bureau of Reclamation.
KWUA expresses deep disappointment with 2024 ag water announcement for the Klamath Project
Klamath Water Users Association (KWUA) expressed deep disappointment with the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation’s announcement of an agricultural water supply of 230,000 acre-feet this year. This amount, characterized as an “initial allocation,” is at 35 percent less than the estimated need. “Because of the way the internal distribution of water works, we are looking at family farms that will go without water for the fifth straight year,” said KWUA Executive Director Paul Simmons. “Overall, water conditions in the Klamath Basin are favorable,” said Moss Driscoll Director of Water Policy for KWUA. “It’s even better than last year, when the allocation was higher.” … ” Read more from Klamath Alerts.
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
Radio show: How will demolishing an old motel help preserve Lake Tahoe’s clarity?
“Lake Tahoe is an ecological gym, the clearest lake in the United States. Residents there are working to maintain the lake’s famous clarity. Their latest move involves purchasing an old Motel 6.” Listen at KNPR.
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
Shasta Lake nears capacity for second year in a row, still plenty of room left to fill
“Shasta Lake is near its capacity for the second straight year, but officials say there still is plenty of room left to fill. As of Monday, California’s largest reservoir is just seven feet from its max capacity of 1,067 feet. This marks the first time in over a decade that Shasta Lake has remained nearly filled in back-to-back years, according to the Bureau of Reclamation’s Don Bader. While less than 10 feet of room may not sound like a lot, the reservoir still has plenty of storage space. … ” Read more from KRCR.
San Juan Water District hit with nuisance litigation on wholesale water rates
“The San Juan Water District (San Juan) was hit with a nuisance lawsuit on April 10, 2024 from two of its five Wholesale Customer Agencies (WCAs) – Citrus Heights Water District (CHWD) and Fair Oaks Water District (FOWD). The lawsuit, which will cost ratepayers in Granite Bay, Folsom, and Orangevale (as well as in Fair Oaks and Citrus Heights) at least tens of thousands of dollars to defend, challenges the five-year wholesale rate plan that San Juan adopted in December of 2023. This is the second nuisance lawsuit filed by CHWD and FOWD against San Juan in the last seven months; the first was dismissed by the Sacramento Superior Court in January. The suit was filed even when San Juan’s wholesale rates are the lowest in California, due to San Juan’s senior water rights on the American River and its efficient operations. … ” Read more from the San Juan Water District.
Solano County Water Agency to get state F&W grant to find Los Rios Check Dam solution
“The Solano County Water Agency board this week accepted an $825,000 planning grant from the state Department of Fish & Wildlife to help salmon better navigate around, or over, the Los Rios Check Dam. “There’s been a version of the (check dam) going back before the 1960s,” Max Stevenson, the Putah Creek streamkeeper, said in a phone interview Friday, the morning after the board’s action. “The problem is it blocks fish passage.” The dam boards can keep adult fish from coming up into the creek to spawn, and keep juvenile fish from reaching the toe drain, which flows into the waters of the Cache Creek complex, into the Delta and eventually out to sea. The vision is for those fish to return to the creek with each new generation, creating a specific Putah Creek race of salmon. … ” Read more from the Daily Reporter.
BAY AREA
S.F. has seen more rain than Seattle this year. Here’s what El Niño has to do with it
“San Francisco has been giving Seattle a run for its money on the precipitation front. Since Jan. 1, nearly 18 inches of rain has accumulated in San Francisco. Meanwhile, Seattle sits at just 13 inches. This year is unusual. San Francisco has been rainier than Seattle in just 16 of the past 50 years through mid-April. In a normal year, San Francisco trails Seattle by about 2.5 inches of precipitation on April 14. Annually, Seattle averages 16.5 inches more rainfall than San Francisco and may still surpass San Francisco this year. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
Cal Water IDs 22 Bakersfield water wells that may require treatment for ‘forever chemicals’
“A preliminary assessment suggests nearly two dozen Bakersfield water wells suspected of containing harmful “forever chemicals” may have to be treated within five years to bring local taps served by California Water Service into compliance with new federal rules. Expectations are that reverse osmosis or granular activated carbon will effectively remove the compounds known as PFAS — per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances — the local district manager for San Jose-based Cal Water said Monday. She had no estimate of how much money the work will cost customers. Regulations finalized Wednesday by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency require water utilities across the country to test and monitor drinking water sources for PFAS within three years. Any sources that test higher than 4 parts per trillion, for the most common PFAs, will have to be disclosed and relevant utilities will be given two additional years to install treatment systems. … ” Read more from the Bakersfield Californian.
Bear Valley CSD hears from water district
“Tom Neisler, general manager of Tehachapi-Cummings County Water District, provided information about the local water scene at the April 11 meeting of the Bear Valley Community Services District Board of Directors. He will make a similar presentation at the CSD’s town hall event planned for 11 a.m. Saturday, May 11. Neisler noted that TCCWD is a regional purveyor, serving 415 square miles and ensuring a water supply for 40,000 people in the district. He provided background information on the formation of the water district and court cases that settled water issues in local water basins in the early 1970s — and the updated groundwater management plan for the Cummings Basin approved by Kern County Superior Court in early 2021. … ” Read more from the Tehachapi News.
EASTERN SIERRA
SWOT satellite helps gauge the depth of Death Valley’s temporary lake
“California’s Death Valley, the driest place in North America, has hosted an ephemeral lake since late 2023. A NASA-led analysis recently calculated water depths in the temporary lake over several weeks in February and March 2024, demonstrating the capabilities of the U.S.-French Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) satellite, which launched in December 2022. The analysis found that water depths in the lake ranged from about 3 feet (1 meter) to less than 1.5 feet (0.5 meters) over the course of about 6 weeks. This period included a series of storms that swept across California, bringing record amounts of rainfall. … ” Read more from JPL.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Chiquita Canyon Landfill in Castaic hit with state violation for dumping leachate
“The troubled Chiquita Canyon Landfill in Castaic received a new violation last week from a state water agency for pumping untreated leachate water from the landfill into local waterways that empty into the Santa Clara River. A violation letter dated April 9 was sent to the landfill operators by the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board, raising concerns that the landfill’s wastewater may reach groundwater sources fed by the river and used for drinking water. The next day, Stephen Cole, assistant general manager of the Santa Clarita Valley Water Agency, sent a letter to the water control board expressing concerns about “potential groundwater impacts due to current conditions at the Chiquita Canyon Landfill.” … ” Read more from the Pasadena Star News.
Federal Appeals Court upholds SCV Water judgment against Whittaker
“The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit affirmed a $68.5 million judgment Monday for SCV Water for the cleanup of local groundwater contamination in its case against the Whittaker Corporation. The judgment was originally awarded on June 28, 2022, by the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California following a combined jury and bench trial. “(Today’s) ruling by the 9th Circuit is an important step in a lengthy process to ensure SCV Water finally recovers funding to address groundwater contamination caused by the Whittaker Corporation,” said Matt Stone, SCV Water general manager. “Water quality remains our top priority, and this ruling ensures that SCV Water customers remain protected and will continue to receive drinking water that meets all standards set by Federal and State regulatory agencies.” … ” Read more from SCV News.
Metropolitan helps advance local water supply projects
“Four new local water supply projects that will together produce enough water for 100,000 Southern California homes every year received a $250 million commitment from the Metropolitan Water District as part of the agency’s latest investments aimed at increasing the region’s supply reliability. Metropolitan’s Board of Directors last Tuesday (April 9) voted to approve separate agreements with the city of Los Angeles; Las Virgenes Municipal Water District and Las Virgenes-Triufino Joint Powers Authority; Eastern Municipal Water District; and Municipal Water District of Orange County and South Coast Water District as part of Metropolitan’s Local Resources Program, which provides economic incentives for water developed and produced from groundwater clean-up, water recycling, and seawater desalination throughout the agency’s six-county service area. … ” Read more from the Metropolitan Water District.
LA to receive $139M over 25 years for groundwater replenishment project
“As part of a $250 million commitment to support four water supply projects in Southern California, Los Angeles will receive $139 million over 25 years for its Groundwater Replenishment Project in the San Fernando Valley, officials announced Monday. Earlier this month, the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California’s Board of Directors approved separate agreements with water agencies, including the city of Los Angeles, as part of its Local Resources Program. The Metropolitan Water District is a state-established wholesaler that provides water for 19 million people in six counties. The Local Resources Program aims to provide economic incentives for water developed and produced from groundwater clean-up, water recycling and seawater desalination throughout the agency’s six-county service area. … ” Read more from MSN News.
Along the Colorado River …
What happens if there is no agreement on post-2026 Colorado River operations?
“Given how far apart the competing proposals from the Colorado River Upper and Lower Division States are, a legitimate question is – “what happens if we get to the summer of 2026 and there is still no agreement on the post-2026 operational guidelines?” Well, believe it or not, that is a question upon which the seven basin states and the Secretary of the Interior already agree. The Upper Division States made the following comment in their proposal: “As of the date of this submittal, Reclamation has not disclosed the No Action Alternative for this EIS. The No Action Alternative must acknowledge that, upon expiration of the 2007 Interim Guidelines, the operating criteria for Lake Powell and Lake Mead will revert to the Long-Range Operating Criteria (LROC) used to model baseline conditions in the Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Interim Surplus Guidelines dated December 2000.” The language quoted by the Upper Division States letter comes from the Record of Decision (RoD) for 2007 Interim Guidelines (Section 8. C.). This termination language was included with the consent of the states. So, the obvious questions are – if the operating criteria are to revert to the LROC, what are the LROC, and what specifically do they mean for the operation of Lakes Mead and Powell? … ” Read more from the Inkstain blog.
New Lake Mead, Lake Powell projections: A breakdown of changes in April’s 24-month study
“Projections for Lake Mead show little change after winter snowpack reached 111% of normal levels, but Lake Powell is now expected to go up over the next two years. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation’s 24-month study — a forecast updated once a month — shows Lake Mead is projected to drop about 15 feet by the end of July, then climb as high as 1,063.64 feet by February 2025 before dropping to 1,048.24 at the end of July 2025. Those levels closely follow projections issued last month. That 15-foot drop was anticipated as the hot summer months set in. But changes in the projections show Lake Powell won’t see the same effects, 8½ feet by next summer, a big improvement over projections made just a month ago. … ” Read more from Channel 8.
Water officials to hold informal meetings on possible changes to AZ’s assured supply rule
“Before a developer can record plats of land or sell parcels in certain areas, they must show Arizona real estate officials that the water supply is assured for 100 years. The state Department of Water Resources says it’s holding a series of informal meetings on a possible new way to satisfy the requirement. Officials say an alternative path to a 100-year-assured-water-supply designation aims to address challenges faced in pursuing the classification. … ” Read more from KJZZ.
‘Water is more valuable than oil’: the corporation cashing in on America’s drought
“One of the biggest battles over Colorado River water is being staged in one of the west’s smallest rural enclaves. … Nearly a decade ago, Greenstone Resource Partners LLC, a private company backed by global investors, bought almost 500 acres of agricultural land here in Cibola. In a first-of-its-kind deal, the company recently sold the water rights tied to the land to the town of Queen Creek, a suburb of Phoenix, for a $14m gross profit. More than 2,000 acre-feet of water from the Colorado River that was once used to irrigate farmland is now flowing, through a canal system, to the taps of homes more than 200 miles away. A Guardian investigation into the unprecedented water transfer, and how it took shape, reveals that Greenstone strategically purchased land and influence to advance the deal. The company was able to do so by exploiting the arcane water policies governing the Colorado River. … ” Read more from The Guardian.
Data dump: Exporting hay (and water)
Jonathan Thompson writes, “Pretty much every time I write about the amount of Colorado River water that is consumed to irrigate alfalfa and hay, readers respond with a comment or question about how much of the alfalfa — and therefore Colorado River water — is shipped overseas. And that’s when the comments really start to fly, e.g.Let’s look into this a bit. It is true that Western farms export alfalfa to foreign countries. And it’s also true that Saudi Arabia-based food giant, Almari, owns at least one farm in Arizona where it grows alfalfa that is shipped overseas to feed its massive herd of dairy cattle. While Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs cancelled some of the company’s state land leases, thereby ending groundwater pumping at those locations, the company still has other holdings in the state where it presumably continues to farm. A United Arab Emirates company and a major global hay exporter also operates farms in Arizona and California. … ” Read more from the Land Desk.
Problems with Glen Canyon Dam could jeopardize water flowing to Western states
“A new memo from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation is raising concern about the infrastructure at the Glen Canyon Dam and its ability to deliver water downstream should levels at Lake Powell continue to decline. Environmental groups are calling it “the most urgent water problem” for the Colorado River and the 40 million people who rely on it. Water stored at Lake Powell, the country’s second largest reservoir, typically moves through the Glen Canyon Dam hydropower turbines — the Glen Canyon Power Plant produces about 5 billion kilowatt hours of power each year, distributed to Utah, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada and Nebraska, according to the Bureau of Reclamation. … ” Read more from News from the States.
SEE ALSO: Damage found inside Glen Canyon Dam increases water risks on the Colorado River, from the LA Times
