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In California water news this weekend …
Federal study shows vast amount of forest lost in California after wildfires, drought
“California landscapes are not recovering from wildfires as quickly as they did in past decades, a new study reports. “Forests are having a hard time regenerating after these big fires,” said author Christopher Potter, an earth scientist at NASA Ames Research Center, at Moffett Field in Santa Clara County. “They’re just not coming back the way we expect them to.” One reason could be severe drought, like what the western United States faced in recent years, according to the study, published in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences. Experts predict that such droughts will become more frequent and more severe in California in the future as the toll from climate change mounts. … ” Continue reading at the San Francisco Chronicle (gift article).
Climatologists expect La Nina to return before summer ends
“The surface of the Pacific Ocean along the equator is cooling and likely will continue to cool, triggering a La Nina this summer that will stay through the winter, the National Weather Service predicted Thursday. Sea-surface temperatures have been above average for almost a year, but will drop this month to near normal, ending a strong El Nino that peaked in December, according to the weather service’s Climate Prediction Center. There is a 69% chance that between July and September seas will be cool enough for a La Nina. La Nina winters are generally cooler and wetter in the Pacific Northwest and good for irrigators. … ” Read more from the Capital Press.
As Lake Oroville nears capacity, DWR says no need to fear spill overs
“With Lake Oroville creeping toward capacity, concerns over emergency spillage loom. The California Department of Water Resources, however, said this won’t happen because of controlled outflows and monitoring. DWR Spokesperson Raquel Borray said the dam is being watched closely. “DWR’s Water Operations unit closely monitors weather forecasts and runoff into Lake Oroville and adjusts releases as needed to provide continued flood control protection to the city of Oroville and downstream communities,” Borrayo said. “As Oroville Dam and the spillway continue to operate as intended, DWR will maintain releases using the Hyatt Powerplant and main gated spillway.” … ” Read more from the San Jose Mercury News.
Chinese community located on Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta maintains its charm
“The historic town of Locke, an unincorporated community on the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, has stood the test of time. Through the years, this Chinese delta community has maintained its charm and wonder. Stepping into this picturesque place can feel like going back in time. The town of wood-frame structures built more than a century ago, sits on 14 acres tucked away along the Sacramento Delta. “People need to know how significant this place is,” said Stuard Walthall. … ” Read more from CBS Sacramento.
Rice farming in the Delta with Jerred Dixon & Delta ag updates
“The third video of Restore the Delta’s Rice Farming in the Delta series is here! Jerred Dixon, fifth-generation Delta farmer, and Staten Island Director, discusses the importance of rice farming, specifically in the Delta, and offers new perspectives on how it can help different aspects of Delta farming, including mitigating subsidence and making a profit. In addition, he expands on changes in crop trends and the daily struggles of farms. Altogether, Dixon encouraged those interested in rice farming to jump on as soon as possible, with the current conditions the Delta is facing. … ” Read more from Restore the Delta.
The numbers are in: 2023 Water Year was fantastic
“About 90% of California’s dairy industry operates in the San Joaquin Valley. When California passed the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) in 2014, most of the Valley groundwater basins were designated as critically overdrafted. The Turlock and Modesto subbasins are the exception to that; they are designated as medium priority basins whereas the rest of the subbasins in the Valley are designated as high priority. The goal of SGMA is to eliminate the “undesirable results” from the overpumping of groundwater by the year 2040. There were major milestones along the way that the law prescribed to carry out this paradigm-shifting change in public policy. … ” Read more from the Milk Producers Council.
Peak water: Do we have enough groundwater to meet future need?
“A new study finds that, by mid-century, nearly half the global population could live in areas where groundwater will become so costly as to raise regional food prices and significantly alter the geography of trade and crop production. Nine percent of the world’s water basins appear to have already reached such a state of near depletion. The new research, led by scientists at the Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, suggests an additional 11.5 percent could reach this point by 2030, with another 22 percent joining by mid-century. The authors of the new work sought to identify when and where water withdrawals from many of the world’s aquifers could “peak,” as in, when external forces could drive groundwater extraction to reach its maximum. Similar peaks have been observed in other resources, like fossil fuels or minerals. But, until now, no study has observed and quantified the same behavior in groundwater. This new work marks the first time anyone has projected the peak and decline of water withdrawals in relation to demand from human-driven systems. It represents “the most extensive, large ensemble experiment focused on future global groundwater extraction to date,” said lead author and Earth scientist Hassan Niazi. … ” Read more from the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.
Big cuts, no new taxes: Gov. Newsom’s plan to fix California’s budget deficit
“Faced with ongoing weaknesses in state finances, Gov. Gavin Newsom put forward a revised budget plan today that he said aims to stabilize California in the longer term by addressing a “sizable deficit” estimated at $56 billion over the next two fiscal years. Looking beyond the typical annual budget cycle, Newsom proposed more than $30 billion in ongoing and one-time spending cuts, including to education and climate objectives that have been among the governor’s own priorities, though he promised that “core programs” providing social services to needy Californians would be mostly untouched. “These are propositions that I’ve long advanced, many of them. These are things that I’ve supported,” Newsom said during a press conference in Sacramento. “But you’ve got to do it. We have to be responsible. We have to be accountable. We have to balance the budget.” … ” Read more from Cal Matters.
In commentary this weekend …
The cost of the boondoggle Delta Conveyance Project to burden taxpayers during a budget deficit
Maven note: There is no money in the Governor’s budget for the Delta Conveyance Project. Barbara Barrigan-Parilla with Restore the Delta writes, “Despite a Superior Court ruling that sets limits on the Department of Water Resources’ ability to sell water bonds, a potential $27.6 billion budget deficit that will impact workers, healthcare, and education, and reversals to land-water restoration investments to mitigate climate change impacts, the Department of Water Resources will be releasing a Delta Conveyance finance planning documents in the near future. Although Governor Newsom stated in his press conference on the budget that there would be no impact on advancing the Delta Conveyance Project, what he described as the state’s “number one climate resiliency program,” the potential financial impacts on future state bond repayments should not be ignored, as well as the Governor’s climate resiliency claims. … ” Read more from Restore the Delta.
California Public Utilities Commission denies PG&E application for transfer of assets: A big win for CSPA
Sarah Vardaro writes, “On May 9, 2024, the California Public Utilities Commission (Commission) denied an application for transfer of assets filed by Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) and its subsidiary, Pacific Generation. This decision is a win for the California Hydropower Reform Coalition (CHRC) of which California Sportfishing Protection Alliance (CSPA) is an active member. CHRC challenged PG&E’s application throughout regulatory hearings conducted by the Commission on the grounds that the transfer of assets was not in the public interest. In its decision the commission agreed stating that PG&E was required to “demonstrate, among other things, that their requests are adequately justified, reasonable, and in the public interest.” The Commission found that PG&E’s proposed transaction failed to meet “even the minimal public interest standard.” … ” Read more from the California Sportfishing Protection Alliance.
In people news this weekend …
Promotions, passings, profiles – submit people news items to maven@mavensnotebook.com.
ACWA presents Leadership Award to PCWA General Manager Andy Fecko
“The Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA) today presented its 2024 Excellence in Water Leadership Award to Placer County Water Agency (PCWA) General Manager Andy Fecko for his leadership and commitment to water resource issues, especially in reducing fuel load in our National Forest system lands. At PCWA, Fecko manages several billion dollars of infrastructure that must be operational at all times, including during and after wildfires that have become more common and destructive in the past decade. In response to the devastating Kings Fire in 2014, Fecko led the region’s creation of the French Meadows Forest Restoration Project – a public/private forest health partnership. The project consists of 30,000 acres of ecological thinning within the Tahoe National Forest. This is a first-of-its-kind project that established the formula for success in California forest management, which is based on collaboration. … ” Continue reading from ACWA’s Water News.
Obituary: Petey Daniel Brucker
“Peter (Petey) Daniel Brucker passed away peacefully, in the arms of his loved ones. As the sun rose at 6:37 AM on Earth Day, April 22nd, 2024, he took his last breath at his home on the Salmon River in Northern California. … Living in the remote wilderness community of Forks of Salmon, Petey dedicated his life to protecting this extraordinary watershed. He inventoried and measured the damage done by the extractive mining and logging industries, then devised strategies for repair. As fish populations plummeted, and fires ravaged the landscape, Petey was determined to restore healthy forests and rivers. Agent Orange was repurposed after the Vietnam War as an aerial herbicide. After clearcutting, It was sprayed on tree plantations to ensure profitable timber sales, but it damaged human health, wildlife, and the forest itself. In response, Petey banded together with others to found ‘Salmon River Concerned Citizens’ to raise awareness and organize to stop aerial herbicide spraying. … ” Read the full obituary at MyKeeper.
Podcasts …
RIPPLE EFFECT: Maven’s Notebook
Chris Austin, publisher of Maven’s Notebook, walks us through her EXCELLENT website covering all things California water news. Maven’s Notebook is brimming with timely and comprehensive information on a number of hot topics. Chris discusses collaboration as both the rising trend and best hope for implementing creative and impactful solutions to California water issues.
ECONEWS REPORT: In-Stream Flows Set to Expire for Klamath Tributaries. What’s Next?
The Scott and Shasta Rivers were once salmon strongholds, but over-allocation of water has made these rivers nearly uninhabitable for coho and chinook. The State Water Resources Control Board established emergency regulations that set minimum streamflows during the most recent drought. But those will likely expire soon. Without new permanent instream flows, both rivers could run dry. A coalition of tribal governments, fishermen and environmental nonprofits are asking the State Board for new permanent instream flow dedications. And new legislation, if passed, will strengthen the ability of the state to protect those instream flows. Karuk Vice-Chairman Kenneth Brink, Cody Phillips of the California Coastkeeper Alliance, and Klamath advocate Craig Tucker join the EcoNews to talk about what’s needed to save California’s salmon.
ENGINEERING WITH NATURE: Using state-of-the-art tools to cocreate a future for the LA River
Imagine restoring a 51-mile-long concrete river—running through the heart of the Los Angeles Basin in California—into a vibrant corridor reconnecting fractured communities and ecosystems. In Season 7, Episode 7, host Sarah Thorne and cohost Amanda Tritinger from the US Army Corps of Engineers talk with landscape architects Alex Robinson from University of Southern California (USC) and Leslie Dinkin from the Kounkuey Design Initiative in Los Angeles. They discuss the use of storytelling, augmented reality, and physical modeling tools to engage people along the river in cocreating a new future for themselves and for the river.
WATERLOOP: Comments on current drinking water issues
This episode features a series of rapid-fire questions with Alan Roberson of the Association of State Drinking Water Administrators, delving into some of the most pressing issues facing the drinking water industry today. The conversation tackles hot topics such as regionalization, Consumer Confidence Reports, the Lead and Copper Rule, PFAS, point-of-use filtration at homes, and the safety of bottled water. Alan provides expert insights into these critical areas, highlighting the latest developments and regulatory changes that impact public health and water quality across the United States.
In regional water news this weekend …
NORTH COAST
A blueprint for fire prevention: Lake County California puts federal support to local action
“The sounds of chainsaws and chippers aren’t normally associated with a sense of new life and vitality. But in Lake County, California, where the 2015 Valley Fire killed 4 people and destroyed nearly 2,000 structures, clearing overgrown brush is not only reducing the risk of wildfire, but also creating jobs and restoring hope. “The Valley Fire made us all wake up and feel that we had to do something,” said Carolyn Ruttan, co-founder of the non-profit Clear Lake Environmental Research Center, when recalling how she became involved in wildfire mitigation work. Ruttan spends most days in the basement of an old Carnegie Library in Lakeport, California, in her lab coat and blue nitrile gloves analyzing water samples. Since relocating to Lake County and co-founding the water quality lab, she has dedicated much of her time to monitoring California’s largest lake. But it wasn’t until 2015 that she started looking beyond the water in her pursuit to protect this cherished resource. “We were trying to draw attention to Clear Lake, and we thought to ourselves, ‘We’ve got to think of the watershed,’” said Ruttan. … ” Continue reading from the USDA Forest Service.
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
Lake Tahoe expected to fill for the first time in years
“Lake Tahoe is expected to fill this spring for the first time in nearly five years, thanks to the lingering effects of two particularly wet winters. The last time the lake filled up was in June 2019, but research published by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in a recent water supply outlook report predicts that this year’s snowmelt will be enough to fill the lake once more. “The water year continues through September, but it is already a safe bet to pencil in a win on this year’s report card especially for northern Nevada,” the report states. … ” Read more from SF Gate. | Similar story from the SF Chronicle | Similar story from the Sacramento Bee
California red-legged frogs found in Tahoe National Forest after the mosquito fire
“Last year, we shared a story about a threatened California red-legged frog that was spotted near the Mosquito Fire burn scar in Foresthill, California. We have more good news to share. Just a few weeks ago, biologists from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Sacramento Fish and Wildlife Office and Tahoe National Forest returned to the burn scar to see if they could find any frogs. In addition to seeing new native plant growth, they were thrilled to spot TWO California red-legged frogs living in newly constructed wetlands about a mile away from where the frog was found last year! … ” Read more from the US Fish & Wildlife Service.
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
Commercial turf replacement project to save hundreds of thousands of gallons of water annually
“If you’re driving on Douglas Blvd, you might not realize that the retail center at the 1850 block will save an estimated 500 thousand gallons of water annually, thanks in part to Roseville’s Cash-for-Grass program. With the landscape change, the amount of water saved could provide water to an average Roseville home for more than four years. Paul Voresis, president of Delta Landscape, has significantly benefited from using available water-saving rebates. They converted approximately 11,500 square feet of non-functional turf into a water-efficient landscape by installing drip irrigation, planting low- to mid-water use plants, and adding absorbent material that keeps moisture in the soil. An astonishing mix (nearly 400) of San Gabriel Fruitless Olive trees, Manzanita, and Carpet Rose shrubs top the rock and mulch, and will bloom quickly with the updated irrigation system. … ” Read more from the City of Roseville.
BAY AREA
Editorial: Regardless of outcome, Marin must explore reservoir expansions
The Marin Independent Journal editorial board writes, “Those stunning warnings in 2021 that the Marin Municipal Water District was within months of running out of water led voters to demand change. In the 2022 election, that frustration was evident as voters elected three new directors. The historic drought has taken a toll on the district’s chain of reservoirs, the capacity of which it relies to meet the water needs of the communities MMWD serves. The Lake Sonoma reservoir, which MMWD relies on to import about 25% of its supply, was also depleted by the drought and its releases restricted. The drought was a huge test of the district’s long held policy of maintaining its supply through conservation. … ” Read more from the Marin Independent Journal.
Photos: Tour of the 1,732-foot-long tunnel at the Anderson Dam project
“Workers are about 80% finished digging a new 1,736-foot-long outlet tunnel at Anderson Dam near Morgan Hill. The work is part of a $2.3 billion project to bring the dam, which was built in 1950 and holds back Santa Clara County’s largest reservoir, up to modern earthquake standards. The Santa Clara Valley Water District, which is overseeing the project, says work to tear down the old dam and rebuild a new one will begin in 2026, with completion scheduled for 2032. … ” Read more and check out the pictures at the San Jose Mercury News (gift article).
A look inside 1,750-foot tunnel under construction beneath Anderson Reservoir
“The scenes from 2017 are unforgettable, with firefighters rescuing residents along Coyote Creek in San Jose from their inundated homes. Heavy rains that year overwhelmed the Anderson Reservoir, sending water over the dam’s spillway into Coyote Creek. In 2020, the federal government ordered the entire reservoir to be drained due to seismic safety concerns. Now, a massive tunnel is under construction beneath the Anderson Reservoir. “So this new tunnel will help us keep the reservoir empty as we approach the larger Anderson Dam seismic retrofit project which will include a rebuild of the dam embankment itself,” said Ryan McCarter, the project manager of the Anderson Dam Seismic Retrofit Project. … ” Read more from KTVU.
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
Kern agencies prepare to submit third groundwater plan in hopes it’s the charm that wards off state pumping takeover
“In an effort to avoid the fate of their neighbors to the north, Kern County water managers are putting the finishing touches on a new groundwater plan they hope will stave off probation in order to keep state bureaucrats from taking over local pumping. The county’s 20 groundwater agency boards began approving final changes to the plan, which is actually six identical plans, last week in expectation of submitting them to the state Water Resources Control Board by May 28. The goal is to stay out of probation, which is where the Tulare Lake subbasin ended up after a hearing before the Water Board on April 16. Tulare Lake covers almost all of Kings County. … ” Read more from SJV Water.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
L.A. County captures 96 billion gallons of water during ‘super year’ of storms
“Heavy rains this winter and spring sent torrential flows down local creeks and rivers, and L.A. County managed to capture and store a significant amount of that stormwater, officials say. To be exact, they snared an estimated 295,000 acre-feet of water since last October, or 96.3 billion gallons. That’s enough water to supply about 2.4 million people a year — nearly one-fourth of the county’s population. “This year has really been a super year,” said Mark Pestrella, director of L.A. County Public Works. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
Along the Colorado River …
Lower Basin proposal adopted by federal government stabilizes Colorado River system through 2026
“On May 9, 2024, the Department of Interior signed a new Record of Decision (ROD) to implement the Lower Basin’s commitment to conserve 3 million acre-feet to address critical elevations in Lakes Powell and Mead in the near term through 2026. The ROD supplements the 2007 Interim Guidelines (for Lower Basin shortages and coordinated operations of Lake Powell and Lake Mead) in order to address the potential for continued low runoff conditions in the Colorado River Basin. … ” Read more from the Arizona Department of Water Resources.
The Colorado River water emergency
“In Nevada’s monstrous Lake Mead Reservoir, the term “dead pool” has a dual meaning. For hydrologists, dead pool represents a catastrophically low water level in a reservoir below which the water can no longer pass through the outlet works of the dam or produce electricity. Dead pool in Lake Mead might also relate to the hundreds of human bodies concealed within its depths, some of them Las Vegas mob hits, most of them unrecovered drowning victims. In recent years Lake Mead’s water level has plummeted alarmingly towards dead pool and, as it does so, has exposed human remains along new shorelines. Lake Mead currently sports a giant white “bathtub” ring indicating the newly exposed land. When the lake reached its lowest level in 2022, the ring was nearly 200 vertical feet, and the reservoir held only 30% of its capacity. Apocalyptic predictions of the reservoir’s doom flooded the national media. … ” Read more from Yellow Scene.
Arizona comemntary: Seeking balance between flexibility, certainty in water policy
Julie Murphree, Arizona Farm Bureau communications director, writes, “You insist on flexibility in everyday life, but you also want certainty. And life’s day-to-day disruptions regularly prove these two priorities are at odds with one another. Rural communities seeking flexibility and certainty in water policy experience the same disconnect. It’s what makes building solid water policy so difficult. Flexibility in water policy will require meaningful local input and harnessing the ingenuity of individual water users. As a result, a one-size-fits-all approach does not work since every rural community has differing water sources as well as hydrologic and legal conditions. More importantly, every water user within each of these rural communities will have different factors to consider when making decisions on what conservation methods can be feasibly and economically applied in their individual situation. … ” Read more from the Arizona Capitol Times.
In national water news this weekend …
Is it time to stop wasting waste?
” …Waterborne infrastructure is largely taken for granted by those fortunate enough to have flushing toilets. But why does this technology persist? Does it make sense that vast quantities of fresh water are used to flush away human waste, while, according to UNICEF, about 1.5 billion people in the world still lack basic sanitation? Along with discarding a precious resource — in urban areas as much as 30 percent of fresh water is used to flush toilets — we are losing valuable nutrients that are needed in food production by not reclaiming them. A number of recent initiatives, some more dreamy than others, propose to stanch the flow of flushed water. But the challenges are immense, given the cost of redesigning infrastructure for human wastewater disposal and implementing it on a global scale. … ” Read more from the New York Times.
Also on Maven’s Notebook this weekend …
NOTICE of public meetings on watershed selection for water supply and demand assessment program
