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On the calendar today …
- PUBLIC MEETING: SAFER Drinking Water Program: Advisory Group Meeting from 1oam to 3pm. Agenda items include 2024 Needs Assessment results, draft priorities for the Fund Expenditure Plan, SAFER program updates, and SAFER Advisory Group announcements. To watch the meeting, join video.calepa.ca.gov
In California water news today …
How a ‘death trap’ for fish in California’s water system is limiting the pumping of supplies
“Giant pumps hum inside a warehouse-like building, pushing water from the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta into the California Aqueduct, where it travels more than 400 miles south to the taps of over half the state’s population. But lately the powerful motors at the Harvey O. Banks Pumping Plant have been running at reduced capacity, despite a second year of drought-busting snow and rain. The reason: So many threatened fish have died at the plant’s intake reservoir and pumps that it has triggered federal protections and forced the state to pump less water. The spike in fish deaths has angered environmentalists and fishing advocates, who argue the state draws too much water from the delta while failing to safeguard fish. Conversely, the reduced pumping has vexed Central Valley growers and water districts, who have complained that they need more water from the estuary and that deliveries are being unduly limited by regulatory constraints and outdated infrastructure. … ” Read more from the LA Times. | Read via Yahoo News.
Why no one won in this year’s water wars
“California had (is still having, amazingly) a really good water year. But all the rain and snow is doing almost nothing to lubricate the state’s perpetual conflicts between fish and farms. Neither farmers, cities nor environmentalists feel like they’re getting enough water from the State Water Project and the federally run Central Valley Project, a semi-coordinated labyrinth of reservoirs, canals and pumping stations that together irrigates nearly 4 million acres. Farmers and cities are arguing that the storms mean they should get more than the 40 percent of their contractual deliveries that they’ve been promised so far (they get about 63 percent on average). They’d have more of an argument if endangered fish weren’t also getting massacred at the pumps: The water projects have already exceeded their take limit for the season for steelhead trout, meaning they’re violating the Endangered Species Act. … ” Read more from Politico.
Feds sue San Francisco over shoddy stormwater-sewage system
“The federal government sued the city and county of San Francisco on Wednesday over “its repeated and widespread failures to operate its two combined stormwater-sewer systems and sewage treatment plants in compliance with the law and its permits, and in a manner that keeps untreated sewage off the streets and beaches of San Francisco.” Sewage treatment systems are designed to filter wastewater so it can be discharged into rivers, lakes and the ocean without pollution. But during heavy rains, those systems can easily overflow, especially in urban areas filled with concrete. When the system overflows, untreated water — including human waste — is sent directly into the ocean. According to the federal complaint, the overflow of San Francisco’s sewer system “discharges of billions of gallons of combined sewage each year onto the beaches of San Francisco and into San Francisco Bay and its tributaries.” A spokesperson for the San Francisco Public Utility Commission, which runs the sewer system, called the lawsuit “unfortunate.” … ” Read more from the Courthouse News Service.
SEE ALSO:
- Feds, state accuse S.F. of dumping sewage into bay, ocean for years, from the San Francisco Chronicle
- United States and California take enforcement action against San Francisco for violations of Clean Water Act, press release from the State Water Resources Control Board
- EPA takes enforcement action against San Francisco for violations of the Clean Water Act, press release from the EPA
‘Innovation in the Cornerstone’ of the California Water Plan
“Governor Gavin Newsom, with the support of the Department of Water Resources (DWR) and other state agencies, signed into effect new developments for the California Water Plan which details water conservation efforts for the next five years. Newsom said that the state has invested $9 billion in the last three years, and that “I want folks to know that we are not just victims of fate, that we recognize the world we’re living in.” Recognizing that California will be operating with ten percent less water in 2040 than what is currently available, Newsom said “We put out a hotter, drier strategy” to offset the loss. This includes plans for improving water security, desalinization plants, stormwater capture, water recycling, and new strategies for large-scale conveyance. “Innovation is the cornerstone of this five-year plan,” the governor said. … ” Read more from Ag Net West.
Are flooded fields and orchards the answer to California’s groundwater shortage?
“It’s a good water year in California. As of early April, the snowpack in the Sierra Nevada mountains was 110 percent of average. Winter rain storms have filled reservoirs, creeks, streams and lakes. And as the mountain snow melts, more water will be added. For almond grower Christine Gemperle, it means that, for the second year in a row, she will open the gates of the irrigation canal next to her orchard located in the Turlock water district of California’s Central Valley orchard and flood her property. As the water in the canal permeates the soil, it will travel deep below the surface, recharging depleted groundwater reserves. The groundwater versus surface water distinction is important, especially for dry regions such as the Golden State. … ” Read more from Modern Farmer.
Weatherwatch: What’s driving California’s extreme weather?
“Changing weather patterns might not have been foremost in Bob Dylan’s mind when he wrote The Times They Are A-Changin’, but his lyrics seem apt now. Rising greenhouse gases are altering the world’s weather patterns and new research demonstrates how increased emissions have shifted atmospheric circulation patterns, resulting in more frequent extreme weather events around the world. California in North America has ended up being at the frontline of the climate crisis in recent years, lurching between extreme drought and excessive rain. To understand what might have triggered these extremes, researchers modelled the interplay between the three major drivers of the weather in this region and the impact that greenhouse warming has had on these drivers. Their results, published in Nature Climate and Atmospheric Science, showed that the warming climate has shifted the path of the jet stream, increasing the likelihood of weather patterns getting jammed in place for a month or longer over western North America. … ” Read more from The Guardian.
‘Winter is not over yet’: Late-season storm poised to slam California this weekend
“Meteorologists are fine-tuning California’s weekend forecast that shows a cold May storm sweeping the Golden State, bringing widespread rain, mountain snow and cool temperatures. Far Northern California could see up to 3 inches of rain, while Southern California is more likely to receive a sprinkling, according to the National Weather Service. “I would call this a late-season storm,” said Bob Oravec, a meteorologist with the weather service’s Weather Prediction Center. “It doesn’t typically occur in May, but it’s not unheard of. If we had this in July or August, that would be really anomalous.” The cold front that formed in the Bering Sea off the Aleutian Islands is slated to arrive in far Northern California on Friday, gradually pushing southward Saturday and exiting the state by Sunday evening. … ” Read more from SF Gate.
SEE ALSO: Northern California set for a weather changeup. Here’s what storm forecast looks like now, from the San Francisco Chronicle
Congressman Valadao urges Reclamation to significantly increase water allocations
“Today, Congressman David G. Valadao (CA-22) took to the House Floor to urge the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) to significantly increase water allocations for South-of-Delta contractors. Congressman Valadao emphasized the critical role California agriculture plays in the nation’s food supply and the importance of meaningful water allocations from Reclamation: “California grows a quarter of our nation’s food, so these allocations are critical to the fate of our nation’s food supply. I urge Reclamation to significantly increase these allocations for South-of-Delta water contractors so our communities can meet the nation’s food supply needs,” said Congressman Valadao…. ” Continue reading from Congressman Valadao.
Planet Vs. Plastics: How CalEPA is tackling the plastic pollution problem
“Did you know packaging, most of it plastic, makes up more than 50% of what California dumps in landfills? That’s about 290 Olympic-sized swimming pools per day of trash that will take hundreds of years or more to decompose. For decades, producers have falsely advertised single-use plastic products as recyclable when they were designed to be thrown away. Single-use plastics accumulate in landfills and break down into microplastics that pollute air, food, water and our bodies. Plastic production is also a significant source of emissions; greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the plastic industry are expected to surpass those from coal-fired power in the United States by 2030. Plastic production undermines California’s emissions reduction goals and our commitment to transition away from fossil fuels. We must address plastic production and emissions at the source. … ” Read more from Cal EPA.
SEE ALSO: Stand Up to Plastic, from The Nature Conservancy
Coalition calls for climate action and equitable outcomes in new California bond
“In California, as in most of the world, climate change is hitting hardest in the most vulnerable communities—those with the fewest resources to prepare for or respond and adapt to their shifting reality. Fortunately, there’s hope for relief: On Feb. 12, Pew joined more than 100 organizations to launch a California state legislative effort to place a bond initiative on the November 2024 ballot to support investments in the communities and natural resources most affected by climate change. The coalition has since grown to over 160 organizations. The proposed bond is structured to ensure that more than 40% of the investments flow to disadvantaged communities that are overburdened by pollution; the bond would complement the Biden administration’s Justice40 Initiative. If it passes, the proposed $10 billion bond would represent the largest voter-approved climate resilience investment in U.S. history and would prioritize investments specifically requested by the communities most at risk from climate impacts. … ” Read more from Pew Charitable Trusts.
2024 could be the hottest year on record. Here’s what that means for California
“2023 was the planet’s warmest year on record, coming in 2.12 degrees Fahrenheit above the 20th-century average. But California bucked the trend. The state overall was just 0.8 degrees above the 1991-2020 average; some places had near- to below-average temperatures. There’s a 55% chance that 2024 will be even warmer than 2023, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. And for now, California is expected to be in line with this projection. Seasonal outlooks show that the United States will be warmer than average this summer, though pinpointing exactly how hot is a challenge. Rising temperatures in California in late summer and into fall could prime conditions for potential wildfires. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
In commentary today …
State water regulators are listening to and learning how to promote conservation
Ellen Hanak, economist and senior fellow with the PPIC Water Policy Center, and David Mitchell, an adjunct fellow at the PPIC Water Policy Center and a consulting economist with the firm M.Cubed, write, “The state legislature has mandated that water conservation become “a California way of life.” This may sound simple, but converting these words into reality — with tailored local reduction targets for over 400 water agencies that deliver water to most Californians each and every year — is proving to be hard work for regulators. Getting this right, even if it takes some extra time, is what matters. Centralizing water conservation in California falls to our guardian of water rights: the State Water Resources Control Board. Late last year, the board released their draft “Making Conservation a California Way of Life” regulations, intended to further limit urban water use. As designed, however, our analysis showed that the water savings would be modest while the costs would be high. And, most troubling, we found that the proposed regulations would hit low-income, inland communities the hardest. That’s why we suggested that the State Water Board revisit these rules. … ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee.
It’s time for a grand bargain to end California’s solar squabbling
Sammy Roth writes, ” … Massive solar projects in the desert, small rooftop systems — all of the above, please. In a state still heavily dependent on planet-warming natural gas for electricity, there are plenty of climate-friendly electrons — and plenty of jobs — to go around. In theory, anyway. In practice, unfortunately, many suppliers and supporters of large-scale and rooftop solar have done hardly anything to help each other politically. And some of them have torn each other to shreds. Especially in California, this solar infighting is exasperating and increasingly embarrassing. With time running short to stop burning most if not all fossil fuels, it needs to end. We could use a grand bargain — a political masterstroke to end the solar squabbling. … ” Continue reading at the LA Times.
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
Scenes from California as the dams on the Klamath River come down
Photo feature from the Register-Guard. View photo feature.
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
Lake Tahoe boating season begins with new protocols to prevent spread of New Zealand mudsnails
“Lake Tahoe watercraft inspection stations are open for the season to help prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species and boaters can now book an appointment for this summer online, announced the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency and the Tahoe Resource Conservation District. With the discovery last year of invasive New Zealand mudsnails in Lake Tahoe, the agencies are urging boaters, paddlers, beachgoers, and anglers to learn how to prevent the spread of this new threat. Inspections are available without an appointment any time of the year, according to TRPA and Tahoe RCD who have managed the inspection program since its launch in 2008. During the peak season, an optional appointment can be scheduled online for a $15 convenience fee any day between May 15 and September 30, depending on availability. … ” Read more from the Sierra Sun.
Judge declares Tahoe poison test illegal
“The state water board in charge of Lake Tahoe broke California laws and its own regulations by allowing a homeowners association to put poison into the lake water, per a ruling by an El Dorado County Superior Court Judge. It’s the latest development in an ongoing environmental crisis in South Lake Tahoe. As the ABC10 Originals team explained in an investigation last year, crews tested two chemical herbicides in the man-made boat canals at the Tahoe Keys housing development. … ” Read more from Channel 10.
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
Legal brief: Butte County contamination settlement
“A federal court in California issued a text-only minute order indicating that a settlement has been reached between the nonprofit group California Open Lands and a solid waste facility managed by Butte County’s Department of Public Works. The nonprofit had accused the county of allowing contaminants to seep out of its facility and into the nonprofit’s wetland preserve. A consent decree is expected to come by mid-July.” Read the legal brief. Read previous coverage of the underlying dispute.
West Sacramento officials tour levee improvement project
“Earth Day in West Sacramento involved more than just planting some trees. April 22, the annual day dedicated to the planet’s health, involved a comprehensive tour of the Southport Levee Improvement Project. Officials, including the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Sacramento District Commander Col. Chad Caldwell, Congresswoman Doris Matsui and Mayor Martha Guerrero, gathered to enjoy the fresh land and fruits of the city’s labor. “More than 77,000 plants, trees, and shrubs were planted during construction of the setback levee, creating a 120-acre ecosystem for critters and waterfowl,” West Sacramento public information officer Paul Hosley said. … ” Read more from West Sacramento News Ledger.
BAY AREA
Marin dam expansion proposals rile ranchers
“After screening proposals to expand water storage capacity, the Marin Municipal Water District has narrowed its options. But expansion of the Soulajule reservoir — the district’s star prospect — is drawing mounting opposition from neighboring ranchers who fear that their multigenerational homes and ranches will be engulfed by the new footprint created by the larger dam. As discussed to date, the proposal would elevate the dam by 39 feet, expanding the reservoir by 530 acres, meaning some existing agricultural land would be under water. “When you consider the relative cost of this project, please know that by raising the Soulajule dam by 39 feet, you will cause us irreparable loss,” Carol Dolcini, a West Marin rancher, told district officials at a board meeting Tuesday. … ” Read more from the Marin Independent Journal.
Is this East Bay refinery-turned-housing-development a model for reclaiming contaminated sites?
“On the surface, Victoria by the Bay is a charming neighborhood of 926 homes only a short walk from the shores of San Pablo Bay. But the ground beneath the roughly 200-acre development was once home to the former Pacific Refinery Co., a facility built in 1966 that produced 55,000 barrels of oil daily and stored other hazardous substances in the northernmost corner of Hercules, adjacent to Rodeo. … Now, officials in Contra Costa County are wondering if Victoria by the Bay could be a model for the shifting energy and housing needs of other communities. … ” Read more from the San Jose Mercury News.
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
Grayson, a community in Stanislaus County, without clean water due to replacement of treatment plant
“A community outside of Modesto in Stanislaus County is without clean running water as the city is replacing the area’s nitrate removal plant. The small unincorporated community of Grayson has seen city trucks canvassing each street laying roughly five cases of bottled water on every doorstep. The nitrate removal plant is beyond the end of its useful life and the replacement will take up to two months. In the meantime, residents are making do with bottled water provided by the city. It’s a service older residents are appreciative of and understand why. … ” Read more from CBS News.
Lindsay-Strathmore Irrigation District water project tapped for $400K boost
“The Lindsay-Strathmore Irrigation District has received a splash of federal funding from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, siphoning $400,000 into an ongoing water project meant to improve groundwater sustainability during the state’s drought years. Lindsay-Strathmore Irrigation District (LSID) general manager Craig Wallace described the funds as a positive step forward for the Rancho de Kaweah groundwater banking project, saying they will assist in finishing the environmental studies for it. “Obviously on a project of that size, any grant assistance we can get definitely helps,” Wallace said. “We have done pilot recharge testing and pilot recovery testing. We are basically moving into the environmental CEQA process, so we are still in the early stages.” … ” Read more from the Foothills Sun-Gazette.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Cemex case against State Water Board continued to summer
“A lawsuit by the mining company with contracts to extract more than 50 million tons of aggregate from Soledad Canyon has been continued to July, according to court records. Cemex, a multinational building materials company, is suing the State Water Resources Control Board over the company’s application for the rights to use the Santa Clara River. The State Water Board said last year Cemex’s application would be publicly re-noticed, after pressure from state lawmakers who sought legislation to force the board to re-notice the request to use the river to mine. … ” Read more from The Signal.
After months of delays and decades of waiting, fluffy sand is being delivered in San Clemente
“Beachgoers who visit the San Clemente Pier area this summer should see some extra towel space on the sand. While the grains are a bit darker in color – sediment pulled from the bottom of the ocean off Surfside Beach about 30 miles away – the soft sand is a welcome sight for the coastal city grappling with severe erosion that has shrunk its beaches in recent years. The US Army Corps of Engineers-led sand replenishment project got underway again late last week after months of snags. including more rocks and cobble being initially dredged up than expected, causing the endeavor to be halted until a new source identified. It had taken decades of permitting and funding delays to even get the project approved. “We’re delighted to have them back and working again in San Clemente, the restart is a very good cause for celebration,” said Leslea Meyerhoff, San Clemente’s coastal administrator. “The sediment quality looks great.” … ” Read more from the OC Register.
SAN DIEGO
Sinkholes threaten Bonsall family’s home after county stormwater dissolves underground pipes
“Imagine nearly 50 basketballs rolling past your front door, per second, every second. That’s how many cubic feet of county stormwater flowed through underground pipes directly beneath the Stavinohas’ driveway. The Bonsall family said they had no idea those 30-in diameter underground pipes ran right through their front yard until it was impossible not to see them through gaping holes in their driveway. “We don’t have enough money to fix this,” said a visibly exasperated Kerry Stavinoha during an interview outside their home last month. Two sinkholes in less than two years have chewed away at the Stavinohas’ concrete driveway. What once was a flat front yard, now resembles a shallow bowl; a bowl that sinks lower and lower into the earth after every rain. … ” Read more from NBC 7.
Along the Colorado River …
Meet the 28-year-old Californian trying to save the Colorado River
“The Colorado River is in crisis — one of the worst in recorded history. We take more water out of the river than flows in, and climate change is making things worse. So for the past several months, the seven states that use Colorado River water have been trying to come up with a plan to keep the river from collapsing. Thirty tribal nations and Mexico also tap the Colorado River, but they are not formally represented in these negotiations. The states have until the end of 2025 to make a deal. And recently, the states have been deadlocked over who should use less water, and how much. The states in the “Upper Basin” (Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, and New Mexico) vehemently disagree with the states in the “Lower Basin” (California, Arizona, and Nevada). If they can’t make a deal in time, and the river continues to dry up without an agreement about how to handle that, no one knows what will happen. … ” Read more from the LAist.
It’s been a good year for Colorado River snowmelt. But dry soil, high temperatures could erase gains
“High in the Rocky Mountains, spring is the time of year when altitude makes all the difference. Above the treeline, the mountains have been rendered almost featureless, blanketed by the deepest snow they’ll see all year. Lower down, that white blanket is starting to turn to slush, beginning its spring trickle into the streams and rivers that flow downhill. Forecasters are optimistic after a relatively strong snow season, but say a variety of weather factors could limit the amount of water that will run off into rivers and reservoirs this spring. Water managers from across the West are turning their eyes to those high-alpine climes to get a sense of summertime water supply for cities and farms across the region. The Colorado River, which supplies 40 million people from Wyoming to Mexico, gets the vast majority of its water from mountain snow. Two-thirds of that snow falls in Colorado. … ” Read more from KJZZ.
Precipitation may brighten Colorado River’s future, says modeling study
“The Colorado River’s future may be a little brighter than expected, according to a new modeling study from CIRES researchers. Warming temperatures, which deplete water in the river, have raised doubts the Colorado River could recover from a multi-decade drought. The new study fully accounts for both rising temperatures and precipitation in the Colorado’s headwaters, and finds precipitation, not temperature, will likely continue to dictate the flow of the river for the next 25 years. Precipitation falling in the river’s headwaters region is likely to be more abundant than during the prior two decades. The work, published in the Journal of Climate, comes as policymakers, water managers, states, and tribes look for answers on how to govern the Colorado River’s flows beyond 2025. … ” Read more from PhysOrg.
SEE ALSO: Colorado River Water ‘Extremes’ Forecast by Scientists, from Newsweek
How chromatography is helping address pollution in the Colorado River
“The American southwest is home to some of the United States most beautiful natural wonders. From Monument Valley to the Grand Canyon, the geographical landscape of the American southwest has amazed locals and visitors for centuries. One of the most important natural resources is the Colorado River. … But right now, the Colorado River is facing numerous challenges, including pollution, climate change, and a declining water table. … Analytical techniques like liquid chromatography (LC) have played an important role in helping to address some of these challenges over the years. For example, ultrahigh-pressure liquid chromatography (UHPLC) was used to analyze organic contaminants in water sources. … ” Read more at Chromatography Online.
Stakes, risks ahead of Colorado River Compact expiration
“Journalists from radio stations, websites, newspapers and television attended the first Colorado River Collaborative at Utah State University’s Moab Campus to learn what is happening throughout the Colorado Plateau. USU Managing Director for the Janet Quinney Lawson Institute for Land, Water & Air Anna McEntire is a prime mover behind the collaborative and has learned first-hand how the river affects the rest of the region it sustains. “Our job is to help create that connection between our researcher expertise and people who can use that information to make good decisions,” said McEntire. “It’s not just a southern Utah issue, anyone who drinks water in Utah should care about what happens to the Colorado River.” … ” Read more from Fox 13.
Gov. Hobbs vetoes bills to curb AG’s groundwater plan
“Gov. Katie Hobbs won’t let Republican lawmakers strip away the right of Attorney General Kris Mayes to sue the owners of corporate farms whose groundwater pumping dries up the wells of their neighbors. Nor will she allow them to erect hurdles for others who file “nuisance” lawsuits about the loss of groundwater. In her veto of HB2124 on Tuesday, the governor did not address the claims by Mayes that such a change in law would undermine her ability to step in 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 Capital Times.
Commentary: Arizona can build more homes and save water, if we listen to Republicans
Rep. Gail Griffin and Sen. Sine Kerr, a Republican, co-chairs of the Joint Legislative Ad Hoc Study Committee on Water Security, write, “Average working-class Arizonans can’t afford to purchase homes right now because of supply shortages. Arizona is quickly becoming one of the least affordable places in the nation to buy a home and is currently facing a crisis when it comes to housing affordability. Approximately 8,000 people are moving to our state each month, yet the housing supply has remained essentially the same. Meanwhile, prices continue to increase, which keeps the prospect of homeownership out of reach for anyone making less than $120,000. To keep up with demand, economic experts say that Arizona needs between 40,000 and 50,000 new homes. But current water policies are preventing new homes from being built in the most affordable markets. … ” Read more from Arizona Central.
Salt River Project prepares to store as much water in Arizona as possible in watersheds
“Another wet winter has led to high water levels across the SRP watershed system. SRP’s director of water supply, Charlie Ester manages the water and snowfall that melts down from the mountains in the northwest part of the state and into the system. The precipitation eventually becomes drinking water and SRP is doing its best to store as much of it as they can. … ” Read more from Fox 10.
Wetlands in Arizona? Tres Rios Wetlands is Phoenix’s hidden nature gem
“Did you know Phoenix is home to wetlands? Located near 91st Avenue and Broadway, lies a haven of biodiversity and tranquility not usually found in the desert. The Tres Rios Wetlands spans 700 acres of water and features a unique ecosystem unlike anything in the Valley. From rare bird species to lush vegetation, this hidden gem showcases seven miles of hiking trails. “We constructed a wetlands out here starting back in 2007 and I think we finished up around 2012,” said David Martinez, Superintendent for Water Services Department. “Having this water source come through here, it’s a way to recycle the water that’s coming from the wastewater treatment facility. The main focus is habitat restoration, flood control for the locals in the area, revitalizing the community and to add water quality to the effluent coming from the 91st Avenue wastewater treatment plant. … ” Read more from ABC 15.
Why Utahns should care about the Colorado River
“The Colorado River no longer reaches the sea. The river winds down the mountains of Colorado to carve red rock canyons in the Southwest, pooling behind dams that create popular recreation areas, distribute vital water supplies and generate hydropower. Where the water once coursed into the Gulf of California is now a dry and drained estuary. Demand exceeds supply on the Colorado River’s 1,450-mile path — from the seven Western states it sustains to irrigated agriculture to 30 Native American tribes. And that’s not all; the Colorado River’s flows have dropped by at least 20% since the turn of the century, and researchers say that flows could decrease by an additional 20% by 2050 and 35% by 2100. … To share solutions-oriented reporting, The Salt Lake Tribune has joined the Colorado River Collaborative with 10 other news organizations across Utah. … ” Read more from the Salt Lake Tribune.
In national water news today …
US warns of Russian hackers targeting operational technology in water systems
“U.S. agencies are warning North American and European water treatment systems operators to be wary of and take steps to prevent a surge of Russia-linked hackers trying to break into their operational technology. The advisory, which also includes French, Canadian and British authorities, says that pro-Russia activists are “targeting and compromising” operational technology platforms that underpin wastewater and water treatment systems, at times posing physical threats to safety. The NSA, FBI, Department of Energy and Department of Agriculture were also included in the notice. CNN first reported on the release. According to the advisory, this malicious activity “has been observed since 2022 and as recently as April 2024.” … ” Read more from NextGov.
EPA announces final rule to protect water quality where Tribes have treaty and reserved rights
“Today, May 2, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a final rule that will help protect water quality where Tribes hold and assert rights to aquatic and aquatic-dependent resources. For the first time, this action establishes a clear and consistent national framework for EPA and states to consider Tribal treaty and reserved rights when establishing Water Quality Standards under the Clean Water Act. In addition, this rule advances the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to uphold the United States’ treaty and federal trust responsibility to federally recognized Tribes. When implemented, this final rule will better protect waters that Tribes depend on for fishing, gathering wild rice, cultural practices, and other uses. … ” Read more from the EPA.
White House sends $3B to states for lead pipes
“The Biden administration announced $3 billion in federal funding Thursday to help all 50 states remove lead pipes from their drinking water systems. The funds come from the 2021 infrastructure law and will flow through EPA’s Drinking Water State Revolving Fund, which provides grants and low-interest loans to states to make drinking water cleaner and safer. The largest chunk of money this year will go to Illinois, which is getting $240.9 million, followed by Florida, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York and New Jersey, EPA officials said. The agency is also releasing a memorandum to states clarifying how they can use the funding to improve their infrastructure. … ” Read more from E&E News.
Also on Maven’s Notebook today …
NOW AVAILABLE: Update 2023 draft resource management strategies posted
