DAILY DIGEST, 5/1: Iron Gate Dam removal begins; Atmospheric rivers in CAa’s ancient past exceeded modern storms; Agencies race to fix plans to sustain groundwater levels; Tech could enhance local levee monitoring to reduce flood risk; and more …


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On the calendar today …

  • WEBINAR: Paths to Partnership: Building Tribal Partnerships to Advance Environmental Justice from 11:30am to 1:00pm.  This webinar will provide several speakers discussing their paths to building successful Tribal partnerships and the lessons they learned along the way. Many of the new funding opportunities available for Tribal Nations and Indigenous Peoples under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) include statutory requirements for partnerships and collaboration between Tribal Nations, community-based organizations, Tribal Colleges/Universities, and other entities, so let’s hear from some experts on how to do it right! Speakers will provide a summary of their successful partnership, what worked and what didn’t; and provide other advice they wish to share. Click here to register.
  • LUNCH-MAR: Multibenefit Land Repurposing Program at 12:30pm. This Lunch-MAR will feature the Department of Conservation’s Multibenefit Land Repurposing Program (MLRP). In light of California’s uncertain groundwater future, the MLRP launched two years ago with the objective of finding solutions for resilient landscapes. Click here to register.

In California water news today …

California begins demolition of 173-foot dam as part of nation’s largest removal project

Iron Gate Dam. Photo by Michael Wier

“The historic dam-removal project on the Klamath River, along the remote California-Oregon border, is hitting another milestone this week as demolition of the largest of four targeted hydroelectric dams gets underway.  Iron Gate Dam, a 173-foot dam in Siskiyou County, is scheduled to start being disassembled by work crews Wednesday, an endeavor that is expected to continue until September or October. The 62-year-old dam is the third so far to face the wrecking ball. The small Copco #2 Dam was removed last year, the 126-foot Copco #1 Dam is currently being taken down, and the 68-foot J.C. Boyle Dam is scheduled for dismantling starting May 13. All of the demolition work is expected to be completed this year. … ”  Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.

Scientists are tracking ecological changes as the Klamath River dams come down

“Desiree Tullos and Will Nuckoles clambered down a steep slope high above what used to be Iron Gate Reservoir in Northern California one mid-February morning. As they wound through buckbrush, trying not to slip on the gravelly soil, Tullos, an Oregon State University professor, lagged behind her graduate student, hampered by the boot cast on her broken right ankle. “I’m not supposed to put any weight on it,” said Tullos. “But I didn’t want to miss anything.”  As they neared a trail camera mounted on a metal stake, the view emerged: Sheer chocolate-colored cliffs slanted down to the bottom of the canyon, where the muddy brown Klamath River meandered through a raw and reborn landscape. … ”  Read more from High Country News.

SEE ALSO: The era of dam removal is here, from High Country News

Atmospheric rivers in California’s ancient past exceeded modern storms

“Clarke Knight studies just how far back in history, massive atmospheric river storms wreaked havoc on California.  As she reviewed her recent findings on a computer at her then-home in Menlo Park, the power went out. The cause? An atmospheric river in February of last year.  “It was kind of an ironic moment to be thwarted by the very thing I’m trying to understand,” said Knight, a USGS research geographer who studies paleoclimatology — the effects of weather on Earth in the past.  By looking 3,200 years into the past, Knight extended atmospheric river knowledge significantly: twice in three millennia, atmospheric river activity exceeded anything in modern instrumental record keeping, deluging the state with widespread rainfall beyond what current Californians have ever experienced. … ” Read more from KQED.

Agencies race to fix plans to sustain groundwater levels

“Seeking to prevent the California State Water Resources Control Board from stepping in to regulate groundwater in critically overdrafted subbasins, local agencies are working to correct deficiencies in their plans to protect groundwater.  With groundwater sustainability agencies formed and groundwater sustainability plans evaluated, the state water board has moved to implement the 2014 Sustainable Groundwater Management Act, or SGMA.  Last month, the Tulare Lake Subbasin became the first subbasin in the state to be placed under probation. Other critically overdrafted subbasins with inadequate plans include the Tule, Kaweah, Kern County, Delta-Mendota and Chowchilla subbasins. Local agencies overseeing the subbasins are scheduled to appear before the state water board later this year and early next year to learn if the board will place them under probationary status. … ”  Read more from Ag Alert.

Fairfield urges residents to speak out against state Bay Delta Plan update

“The city administration has called on its residents to speak up against the state’s proposed “55% unimpaired flows” Bay Delta Plan policy.  The statement, released through the city’s communications office, had no direct comment from a council member or the administration leadership. “The state’s proposed ‘55% unimpaired flows’ would have a direct and significant impact on Lake Berryessa and the communities that depend on it. This amounts to approximately 144,000 acre feet of water,” the statement said. “Furthermore, the plan would require Lake Berryessa to be kept at 65% capacity, regardless of drought conditions. This would effectively eliminate our drought resiliency, as it represents a three-year water supply that our communities would not have access to.” … ”  Read more from Daily Republic.

Regulators took aim at two water contaminants recently. But do regs go far enough or target the right players?

“Water systems will need to comply with new rules on contaminants at the state and federal levels after two regulations were approved this month. That could bring challenging costs to water providers. And still, advocates say protections aren’t good enough.  On April 17, the state Water Resources Control Board passed a maximum contaminant level (MCL) for hexavalent chromium, a heavy metal that can occur naturally and through improper industrial site disposal. Hexavalent chromium was made famous in the 2000 Oscar-winning movie “Erin Brockovich,” starring Julia Roberts. The MCL is 10 parts per billion and took seven years to establish.  On April 18, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) designated perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) as hazardous substances. Collectively, the contaminants are known as per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS.) The contaminants come from non-stick and stain-resistant products. Long-term exposure can cause serious health impacts. … ”  Read more from SJV Water.

Tech could enhance local levee monitoring to reduce flood risk

“The Yuba Water Agency’s flood risk reduction manager, Sami Nall, said that while she is not an oracle, it is critically important that locals understand that no matter how much we invest in flood risk reduction, there will always be a risk of flooding.  “We live below a dam, and we live along the river,” Nall said. “Yuba Water is committed to minimizing that risk to the smallest extent possible, but there will always be a risk.”  With the goal of further reducing the risk of catastrophic flooding, a project kickoff meeting was held last month to better understand how the Center for Information Technology Research in the Interest of Society and the Banatao Institute (CITRIS) could use research and technologies to enhance levee monitoring and management in Yuba County. CITRIS leverages the research strengths of different University of California campuses. … ”  Read more from GovTech.

Rep calls latest CVP boost ‘insufficient’

A congressman who represents part of the San Joaquin Valley is criticizing the Bureau of Reclamation’s latest increase in this year’s Central Valley Project water allocation for his area, calling it “insufficient.”  In March, Reclamation announced a 35% allocation for agricultural repayment and water service contractors south of the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, up from their initial February allocation of 15%. Last week, Reclamation announced these allocations for South-of-Delta contractors would be increasing to 40%.  “A 5% increase is insufficient for our family farms and downstream communities who rely on meaningful allocations to grow the food that feeds the world,” said U.S. Rep. David Valadao, R-Calif. … ”  Read more from the Western Farm Press.

A look at beavers’ important role in California’s wildfire resistance

“Nature’s firefighters might not be what you think.  Beavers. They’ve had a bad reputation. Many call them pests, but they’re far from it. They play such an important role in our ecosystem that their work can even curtail wildfires. Beavers are a keystone species, which means their existence benefits many types of plants and animals.  The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (DFW) is recognizing the role beavers play, implementing a beaver restoration program just last year to aid in drought and wildfire resistance.  “Beaver wetlands are uniquely resistant to the effects of drought and then subsequently to the effects of wildfire,” said Emily Fairfax, who is an assistant professor of geography. … ”  Read more from CBS News.

A rare Yosemite waterfall is absolutely ‘raging’ right now

“The seasonal waterfalls at Yosemite National Park are in spectacular full force, with one “secret waterfall” taller than an iconic New York City skyscraper almost at peak flow.  “I was just out walking around the park,” Cory Goehring, lead naturalist at Yosemite Conservancy, told SFGATE in a phone interview. “People were asking, ‘What is that? Is that thunder?’ It sounds like it’s crashing down.” That’s Yosemite Falls he’s talking about, the biggest in the park and one of the tallest falls in North America.  The 2,400-foot falls ran year-round last season, but they’re not expected to do so again this year. Last winter’s record Sierra Nevada snow helped keep them from going dry, something that had happened only once before in the previous decade. … ”  Read more from SF Gate.

California moves closer to banning Paraquat

“In continuity with efforts to reduce pesticide usage in California, the Assembly Committee on Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials approved Assembly Bill 1963 — a bill prohibiting the use, manufacture, sale, delivery, holding, or offering for sale in commerce of any pesticide product containing paraquat.  Authored by Democratic Assemblymember Laura Friedman, AB 1963 — if approved by the legislature and signed by Governor Gavin Newsom — would ban the use of paraquat on California fields and orchards by 2026. … ”  Read more from Valley Ag Voice.

Campaign to build new California city submits signatures to get on November ballot

“A wealthy Silicon Valley-backed campaign to build a green city for up to 400,000 people in the San Francisco Bay Area has submitted what it says are enough signatures to qualify the initiative for the November election.  The campaign submitted more than 20,000 signatures but would need only about 13,000 valid ones to qualify for the ballot. If verified by Solano County’s elections office, voters will decide in the fall whether to allow urban development on land currently zoned for agriculture. The land-use change would be necessary for the development to be built.  Jan Sramek, a former Goldman Sachs trader who heads the company behind the campaign, California Forever, said at a news conference Tuesday that he heard from thousands of people who want careers and homes in the county where they grew up but can no longer afford to live there because of high housing costs and a lack of nearby work. … ”  Read more from the Courthouse News Service.

SEE ALSOCampaign to erect new city on Solano County ranchland submits signatures for November ballot, from the LA Times

Helping managers make sense of climate models for decision making

“In January 2024, the California Climate Hub partnered with the USDA Forest Service Pacific Southwest Region’s Climate Change Integration Team to put on “The Next Generation of Climate Models,” a webinar designed to educate land managers on recent evolutions in climate modeling. … After Dr. Parker introduced the topics of climate, climate change, and the basics of global climate modeling, Dr. Abatzoglou discussed the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6), an international climate modeling experiment that consists of over 100 different climate models from 49 different modeling groups around the world, and its differences compared to the project’s fifth phase (CMIP5). He also provided some examples of how global climate model data can be used by land managers in California. To round out the webinar, Dr. Cayan discussed data downscaling and LOCA2, his group’s publicly available dataset, downscaled from CMIP6 climate models. … ”  Read more from the USDA.

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In commentary today …

Californians have a right to safe water, yet many don’t have it. Is help on the way?

“Twelve years after California became the first state in the nation to declare a “human right to water,” achieving this basic societal goal of securing clean water for all 39 million state residents is more daunting than ever. This is a moral imperative for one of the largest economies in the world. There is no good reason for clean, safe water to be elusive to an estimated 1.2 million Californians who get their water from failing water systems beset with financial problems and safety concerns. But there is an undeniable reason: The state’s water system was in far worse shape than previously thought. California needs to drill more than 55,000 new wells and fix nearly 400 failing public water systems. The initial estimate in 2021 put the cost at about $4.6 billion. The new preliminary estimate is more than double that, at $10.6 billion. … ”  Read more from the Sacramento Bee. | Read via Yahoo News.

Addressing the myths that Republicans and President Trump are soft on the environment

Attorney Mike Stoker writes, “The mainstream media loves the narrative that it is only Democrats who care about protecting our environment.  A review of the facts shows just the opposite.  Republican presidents, not Democrat presidents created and supported landmark legislation that gave us our national parks and the Environmental Protection Agency.  Yellowstone, the first National Park, was created by legislation signed by President Ulysses S. Grant in 1872.  In 1901 President Theodore Roosevelt greatly expanded the National Park system.  President Richard Nixon created the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 1970, by Executive Order, and shortly thereafter advocated the passage of both the Clean Air Act of 1970 and the Clean Water Act of 1972.  As for the Donald Trump Administration, one natural place to start to see whether his administration was softer or tougher concerning the environment is to review whether enforcement actions by the EPA increased or decreased. … ”  Read more from the Riverside Press-Enterprise.

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In regional water news and commentary today …

MOUNTAIN COUNTIES

Watershed restoration is the cornerstone of Eagle Lake’s fishy business

“Beneath the meandering channels that run across a Sierra Nevada meadow in spring, your eye may catch silver flashes dancing along the banks. In the Pine Creek watershed of Lassen County California, those glimmers could be Eagle Lake Rainbow Trout (ELRT), a California Heritage Trout, Species of Special Concern, and endemic subspecies of rainbow trout. These iridescent salmonids travel upstream to spawn in the meadows and cascading headwaters of Pine Creek each spring. Their journey begins as soon as the creek swells with snowmelt and spills into Eagle Lake, but the window to return is narrow and unpredictable. … ”  Read more from American Rivers.

New, wider marina gate coming soon to New Bullards Bar Reservoir

“The gate was designed by a former mechanical intern who was supervised by Yuba Water Senior Hydro Engineer Aaron Esselman. One of the challenges of the design was ensuring the 7,000-pound gate would float at just the right elevation – not too heavy, not too light.  “This project really underscores the valuable, hands-on experience that interns can expect when coming to work for Yuba Water,” Esselman said. “It’s awesome seeing their work move from paper to design and now, out there in the world improving the recreation experience at Bullards.” … ”  Read more from YubaNet.

Online dashboard tracks Tahoe’s climate resilience

“The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency launched an online Climate Resilience Dashboard this week to monitor and record progress on climate action strategies that will help guide the long-term health of the Lake Tahoe watershed and safety of its communities, according to the agency.  The dashboard, funded by the California Tahoe Conservancy and TRPA, pulls together regularly collected data from diverse sources and displays them in relation to their role in climate resilience. … ”  Read more from the Tahoe Daily Tribune.

SACRAMENTO VALLEY

The Bee awarded money to local climate efforts. Here’s how the agriculture project shaped up

“Farmers, scientists and experts gathered on Sunday at Sacramento State to talk about how to innovate farming in ways that promote the health of humans and soil. 350 Sacramento hosted a free community forum on regenerative agriculture, which is an approach to land management that seeks to “leave our land, waters, and climate in better shape for future generations,” according to the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). This gathering was made possible with the support of several organizations, including The Sacramento Bee. The Sacramento-based nonprofit was one of three organizations that won a $5,000 grant from The Bee in 2023, as a part of the Solutions Journalism Network’s Beacon Initiative to address climate change. … ”  Read more from the Sacramento Bee.

SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY

Dual-use solar: An exploration of potential in the San Joaquin Valley

“Dual-use solar — the co-location of solar with one or more other land use — has the potential to provide added environmental, social, and economic benefits compared to traditional solar development. Previous blog posts provided a primer on the range of uses, benefits, and applicability of three forms of dual-use solar — agrivoltaics, ecosystem services-based solar, and floatovoltaics — and an overview of policy considerations. We concluded that, while dual-use solar is not a silver-bullet solution to barriers facing utility-scale solar deployment, it can complement traditional projects and provide opportunities to increase local benefits of solar development.  This blog investigates the potential of dual-use solar in a particular region — California’s San Joaquin Valley (“the Valley”) — informed by expert insights and background interviews with local stakeholders, including county-level officials, advocacy organizations, developers, and experts on dual-use configurations. … ”  Read more from the Clean Air Task Force.

Last chance for residents to comment in writing on the possibility of probation for the Tule subbasin

“Residents in southern Tulare County have a final chance to share their thoughts in writing with the state Water Resources Control Board on whether the region should go on groundwater probation. But they need to get their comments to the board by noon May 7.  Water Board staff is recommending the region be put on probation, according to a draft report.  Probation could lead to state bureaucrats setting pumping allocations.  That is the stick the Water Board is hoping will prod local groundwater sustainability agencies (GSAs) to adequately address depleted aquifers, drinking water quality, dewatered domestic wells and most especially subsidence, or sinking land. … ”  Read more from SJV Water.

Poison in the Water: 17 News special report

“California’s problem with poor water quality is worsening and Kern County is the epicenter of the crisis.  The number of failing water systems is growing statewide, leaving more than a million residents with contaminated water. Most of those failing systems are in disadvantaged communities, where residents wonder when state regulators will finally ensure they can drink tap water without fearing it may harm their health.  The days of lining up at a water fountain are over for children at many schools in Kern County, not by choice, but because of failing water systems. … ”  Read more from KGET.

Date is set for hearing prompted by dead fish in the long meandering Kern River case

“Kern River combatants are headed back to court where a local advocacy group hopes to force the City of Bakersfield to goose up flows, which were cut to a trickle leaving piles of dead fish west of Bakersfield.  The hearing is set for May 9 at 8:30 a.m. in Division J before Kern County Superior Court Judge Gregory Pulskamp.  “Nobody should be happy with the condition of the Kern River right now; the people deserve and the law requires a flowing river, not a couple of stagnant pools with gasping and cooking fish,” wrote Attorney Adam Keats in an email. … ”  Read more from SJV Water.

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

May is off to a wet start in Southern California with cold temperatures and rain over the weekend

“Los Angeles is expected to see colder temperatures and some light rain over the weekend, kicking off a wet start to May.  L.A. County has about a 30% chance of rain Saturday into Sunday morning, according to National Weather Service meteorologist Rose Schoenfeld. Rainfall totals are expected to range between 0.1 inch and 0.25 inches in lower elevations, with more potentially in mountain regions.  Temperatures are expected to drop over the weekend, as an increase in air flowing in from the Pacific Ocean will bump up the marine layer clouds and the influence of the sea breeze, Schoenfeld said.  Daniel Swain, a climate scientist at UCLA, wrote in an April 23 blog post that a “slightly unsettled pattern of weak but possibly colder low pressure systems” will move across the West Coast over the next few weeks, keeping temperatures at below-normal values. … ”  Read more from the LA Times.

Palmdale Water District addresses status of coming year’s water supply

The Eastern Branch in Palmdale is part of the State Water Project aqueduct, which carries water from the Tehachapi area to San Bernardino County. Credit: California Department of Water Resources (May 2023)

“The wet winter has bolstered the state’s snowpack and reservoirs, but what does that mean for the local water supply for the coming year? … “We had a decent number of storms this winter and spring that have really helped with our water supply,” PWD Resource and Analytics Supervisor Claudia Bolanos said. “We depend on three sources for our water supply, so it always involves more than just our local rainfall. I look forward to sharing with our community what the supply looks like right now and how we are planning for the year.” … ”  Read more from the Antelope Valley Press.

Malibu holds sea level rise workshop

“The City of Malibu is taking steps to plan for predicted sea level rise and mitigate potential associated coastal erosion with a Coastal Vulnerability Assessment (CVA) and series of public workshops. Concerned residents and developers attended the second meeting held April 18 at Malibu City Hall. A summary packed with information was presented and then the public was invited to share concerns that will be incorporated into a final report.  A public survey of 76 respondents revealed 67 percent live along Malibu’s coast. A majority of respondents said they enjoyed beach activities such as surfing, walking along the beach, ocean swimming, and wave watching. However, 76 percent said they thought sea level rise and coastal erosion are issues in Malibu and cited loss of sand, increased erosion, rising tides, and wave runup, that they would like to see addressed. … ”  Read more from the Malibu Times.

Pico Rivera Sports Arena could shut down due to Whittier Narrows Dam repair work

“The Pico Rivera Sports Arena and other community venues could disappear due to repair work on the Whittier Narrows Dam, city officials announced Tuesday.  According to the Army Corps of Engineers, the dam needs repairs to prevent critical flooding. These works would impact the iconic sports stadium, the only golf course in Pico Rivera and Streamland Park.  Pico Rivera authorities estimate that these closures will affect the economy of the city and its surroundings, with losses of income and jobs. … ”  Read more from NBC LA.

IMPERIAL/COACHELLA VALLEYS

Primeval Energy, GWF partner for geothermal desalination in California

“Geothermal solutions company Primeval Energy (Primeval) has entered into a strategic partnership with Global Water Farms (GWF) for a Southern California desalination project.  The Primeval team will be providing geothermal assistance to the project which will require considerable energy in the form of Combined Heat and Power.  GWF has an ambitious yet realistic business plan to provide vast volumes of clean water to augment the flow of water in the Colorado River through desalination. GWF will use the salt by-product for the manufacture of salt-based construction blocks, creating a second environmentally focused business that lowers the demand for traditional cinder blocks. … ”  Read more from Think Geoenergy.

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Along the Colorado River …

Audio: Colorado River deal means more say for Indigenous people in water decisions

“Six Native American tribes have come to an agreement with the Upper Colorado River Basin states on a deal to share the river’s water.  The arrangement with Utah, Colorado, New Mexico and Wyoming comes as tribes have asked the federal government for more input on talks over the river’s future.  Alex Hager of KUNC in Colorado joined The Show to talk about about the agreement and what it means going forward.”  Listen at KJZZ.

The Colorado River is vital in Utah. Here’s why it’s going to get even more publicity

“The sun begins to break from an overcast sky as Jennifer Jones describes how popular this section of the Colorado River has become in recent years, while standing near the banks of the snowmelt-charged river.  She points over the river toward Fisher Towers, a striking red sandstone formation tucked underneath the snow-capped La Sal Mountains from her vantage point. While many people come to southeast Utah to visit Arches or Canyonlands national parks, she points out Fisher Towers is a national recreation trail growing in popularity. In fact, the land she’s standing on — overseen by the Bureau of Land Management — and practically everywhere in the immediate area is about as popular as any national park, drawing just over 3 million visitors in 2019. … ”  Read more from KSL.

Arizona gov vetoes attempt to protect big farms from being sued over water

“Gov. Katie Hobbs won’t let Republican lawmakers strip away the attorney general’s right to sue owners of corporate farms whose groundwater pumping dries up their neighbors’ wells.  Nor will she allow them to erect hurdles for others who file “nuisance’’ lawsuits about the loss of groundwater. In her veto of HB 2124 on Tuesday, Hobbs did not address the claims of Democratic Attorney General Kris Mayes that such a change in law would undermine her ability to protect property owners “where individuals may lack the resources to fight these battles.’’  Instead, Hobbs chided lawmakers who have been approving a series of changes in water laws on a piece-meal basis. … ”  Read more from the Arizona Daily Star.

As Great Salt Lake nears key level, Utah finds inspiration elsewhere to help lake’s recovery

“The Great Salt Lake’s southern arm reached 4,195 feet elevation at times over the stormy weekend as it nears reaching that figure daily for the first time in five years.  While that’s a key water level in the ongoing efforts to preserve the lake after it reached an all-time low in 2022, the state agency tasked with overseeing the lake’s future recently took a field trip to other parts of the Southwest as it soaks up ideas that could help improve future water inflows.  The Great Salt Lake’s southern arm entered this week at 4,194.9 feet elevation, 0.1 inches off the “intermediate target” outlined in the Great Salt Lake Strategic Plan that the Office of the Great Salt Lake Commissioner unveiled in January. U.S. Geological Survey data indicates that it could reach a daily level of 4,195 feet elevation as early as this week as it receives water from snowpack runoff and controlled releases from upstream dams. … ”  Read more from KSL.

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In national water news today …

EPA proposes banning toxic food pesticide over drinking water concerns

“Today, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed a ban on acephate, a widely used organophosphate pesticide found in celery, tomatoes, lettuce, and various other crops, due to acute poisoning risks from drinking water contamination.  Organophosphates, a class of nerve agent chemicals extensively used in wheat, various vegetables, citrus fruits, and berries, have been the subject of scrutiny due to their link to adverse health effects such as reduced IQ, attention deficit disorders, and autism spectrum disorders, as indicated by peer-reviewed studies. The EPA is now reevaluating its health risk studies on each organophosphate to decide whether to uphold safeguards for children and farmworkers. Acephate is used in at least 25 states.  … ”  Read more from Earthjustice.

US officials find weak security practices at water plants breached by pro-Russia hackers

“Pro-Russia hackers have exploited shoddy security practices at multiple US water plants in recent cyberattacks that have hit a wider swathe of victims than was previously documented, according to an advisory by US federal agencies obtained by CNN.  Though the attacks have not impacted drinking water, the advisory lays bare the cybersecurity challenges facing the thousands of water systems across the US, many of which are often short of cash and personnel to deal with threats. The document helps explain the plea that US national security adviser Jake Sullivan made in March to water authorities to shore up their defenses. … ”  Read more from CNN.

Sizzling summer ahead: AccuWeather issues 2024 US summer forecast

“Air conditioners will have their work cut out for them this summer as AccuWeather meteorologists say it is looking like a hot season for most areas of the United States.  Some regions have already had flashes of summerlike conditions, including Baltimore where the temperature reached 90 degrees on April 29, nearly one month ahead of schedule, and Phoenix, which had its earliest 100-degree day in six years.  Meteorological summer starts on Saturday, June 1, while astronomical summer begins nearly three weeks later on the solstice, which is at 4:50 p.m. EDT on Thursday, June 20, 2024. No matter how you slice it, the upcoming season is shaping up to be a hot one for most of the United States. … ”  Read more from AccuWeather.

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About the Daily Digest: The Daily Digest is a collection of selected news articles, commentaries and editorials appearing in the mainstream press. Items are generally selected to follow the focus of the Notebook blog. The Daily Digest is published every weekday with a weekend edition posting on Sundays.

 

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