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On the calendar today …
- MEETING: Central Valley Flood Protection Board beginning at 9am. Click here for the agenda and meeting materials.
Delta Conveyance Project Cost Benefit Analysis …
$20 billion: The Delta tunnel’s new price tag
“California’s contentious and long-debated plan to replumb the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and pump more water south finally has a price tag: about $20 billion. The new estimate for the Delta tunnel project — which would transform the massive water system that sends Northern California water south to farms and cities — is $4 billion higher than a 2020 estimate, largely because of inflation. Included is almost $1.2 billion to offset local harms and environmental damage, such as impacts on salmon and rare fish that state officials have called “potentially significant.” The goal of the project is to collect and deliver more water to two-thirds of California’s population and 750,000 acres of farmland during wet periods, shore up supplies against the threats of climate change and protect the system from earthquakes. … ” Read more from Cal Matters.
California officials say Delta tunnel project is worth the costs and risks
“State water officials say a controversial plan to build a tunnel to take water from the north end of California to its southern regions is worth the costs, risks and protests from environmental organizations. Staff with the California Department of Water Resources said in a briefing Thursday that the “Delta Conveyance Project” to take water from the Sacramento River-San Joaquin Delta will now cost $20 billion, up from a $16 billion estimate reported in 2020. A new cost-benefit analysis found the tunnel will improve future water collection as the effects of climate change worsen, despite the high price tag. The project already passed two key thresholds — the release of an environmental impact report and approval from the department. David Sunding, an emeritus professor at University of California, Berkeley, who wrote the new cost analysis, said: “The project enables ongoing demands to be satisfied and water supply reliability to be maintained.” … ” Read more from the Courthouse News Service.
DWR analysis claims ‘benefits’ of Delta tunnel will outweigh costs; critics strongly disagree
“The Department of Water Resources (DWR) today released a controversial benefit-cost analysis for the Delta Conveyance Project, AKA Delta Tunnel, that claims the embattled project would create billions of dollars in benefits for California communities. … DWR cited “reliable water supplies, climate change adaptation, earthquake preparedness and improved water quality” among the “benefits.” Delta Tunnel project critics weren’t impressed by DWR’s analysis. Restore the Delta noted that with annual inflation costs for construction rising to 10.7% since 2020, costs will continue to rise significantly during the extended permitting period prior to DCP construction, “making the $20.1 billion figure obsolete before construction begins.” … ” Read more from the Daily Kos.
EXPLORE MORE COVERAGE:
- Dr. Jeff Michael’s Quick Reaction to Delta Conveyance Benefit-Cost Analysis, from the Valley Economy blog
- $20 billion: The Delta tunnel’s new price tag, from Capital Public Radio
- Newsom administration unveils new $20-billion cost estimate for Delta water tunnel, from the LA Times
- Cost of California’s largest water project in decades rises to $20 billion, from the San Francisco Chronicle | Read via MSN.
- Price tag for California’s controversial Delta tunnel project increases by $4 billion, from the Sacramento Bee
In other California water news today …
How is this year’s water year is shaping up? Where does the state’s water supply stand?
“We’ve been fortunate this season to pick up a beneficial amount of rain and snow across Northern California. Of course, our current season does not near the 2022-2023 season, which had a record 33.56 inches of precipitation, but two back-to-back wet seasons never hurt a drought-prone Golden State. The El Niño climate pattern may be responsible for yet another productive winter, but how are we shaping up this water year as we get closer to summer? … ” Read more from CBS Sacramento.
Will this summer be the hottest on record? Here’s what Northern California can expect
“Summertime is about to seep into Northern California — and you can already feel it. Warm temperatures are popping up in the region, with inland areas reaching highs in the 90s. Summer officially starts on Thursday, June 20. How much warmer will it get during the season? Here are some early predictions for what residents in the northern part of the state can expect. This summer could bring the hottest temperatures in recorded history, according to the Farmers’ Almanac. Its prediction isn’t far off base, said Paul Ullrich, professor of regional and global climate modeling at UC Davis. “I also expect that this summer will be probably the hottest on record,” said Ullrich, who is also the climate adaptation leader at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. “If it’s not one of the hottest on record, it’s definitely going to be in the top five.” … ” Read more from the Santa Rosa Press Democrat.
Focus on high-value veggies turns profit for California farms
“In a region where many farm businesses plant, harvest and process countless fresh vegetables nearly 365 days a year, it’s no surprise that Monterey County, Calif., landed as one of Farm Futures’ Best Places to Farm. “We have the perfect microclimate to grow lettuce,” says Zach Barnes, farm and transplant manager for Dole Fresh Vegetables in Salinas, the county seat. “That’s why we call this the ‘Salad Bowl of the World.’ Some 60% of our nation’s lettuce comes right out of Salinas, and it gets shipped across the nation and the world.” Barnes manages 3,500 “crop acres” on a land base of 1,650 acres, which means he manages 2.12 crops per year on each acre. He also manages transplant activities with contracted growers on 1,500 additional acres. … ” Read more from the Western Farm Press.
SB 903 and California’s fight against PFAS
“Invisible yet widespread, Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) have woven into the fabric of modern life since their introduction in the 1940s in industry and consumer products. These man-made compounds have found application in everything from non-stick cookware to firefighting foams. However, beneath their usefulness lies a concerning reality. Long-term exposure to PFAS poses significant health risks, including potential impacts on fertility, immunity, and an elevated risk for various diseases such as cancer and liver damage. As these substances persist in the environment, infiltrating air, water, and soil, their legacy of harm persists, necessitating vigilant monitoring and stringent regulations to safeguard public health. … ” Read more from Atkinson, Andelson, Loya, Ruud, and Romo.
Biden-Harris Administration Delivers $520 Million from President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda to revitalize aging water infrastructure and strengthen drought resilience
“Acting Deputy Secretary of the Interior Laura Daniel-Davis today announced more than $520 million from President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda to revitalize aging water delivery systems across the West. The funding will support 57 projects across all six regions served by the Bureau of Reclamation to improve water conveyance and storage, increase safety, improve hydropower generation, and provide water treatment. To strengthen America’s climate resilience, President Biden secured more than $50 billion for climate resilience and adaptation through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act, and established a National Climate Resilience Framework, which is advancing locally tailored, community-driven climate resilience strategies. … ” Read more from the Bureau of Reclamation.
SEE ALSO: Delta-Mendota Canal and O’Neill Pumping Plant Awarded Bureau of Reclamation Funding for Critical Upgrades and Repairs, from the San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Authority
In commentary today …
California’s weather was made for demagogues
Susan Shelley writes, “California’s weather was made for demagogues. For as long as records have been kept, the state has typically experienced a series of dry years followed by a series of wet years. The weather lines up conveniently with election cycles. A few years of drought will prompt an excitable politician to declare that projections clearly show the end of the world is upon us unless California takes immediate action. Depending on the circumstances, that action can be the election of that politician to office, or re-election to office, or an oppressive law that takes effect after the perpetrators are out of office, or voter approval of borrowed money for an overpriced project that might be a state-of-the-art boondoggle. In 2018, as Gov. Jerry Brown prepared to head into the sunset of his colorful political career, he signed two new laws that imposed permanent drought-emergency restrictions on the people of California. He did this despite the end of a drought emergency a year earlier. In Brown’s philosophy, Californians must live as if the end of the world is constantly imminent. … ” Read more from the Daily News.
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
Protective legislation pending for Klamath Water Agreements Support Act
“On April 11, 2024, Representative Cliff Bentz introduced H.R. 7938, the “Klamath Water Agreements Support Act,” in the U.S. House of Representatives. The bill is very similar to legislation that has been introduced by Senator Wyden, on behalf of himself and Senator Merkley, in the U.S. Senate. The Senate bill, S. 484, the “Klamath Power and Facilities Agreement Support Act, was introduced by the Oregon Senators in February of 2023. In a press release, Representative Bentz stated, “This bill builds upon the promises made by parties to the agreement entered into regarding dam removal and species restoration, all intended to shield farmers from the adverse effects of dam removal. The legislation also ensures that the Department of the Interior remains accountable, preventing the transfer of river infrastructure unrelated to irrigation costs onto hardworking farmers.” … ” Read more from the Herald & News.
Four things to know about the impacts of dam removal on the Klamath River
“The world’s largest dam removal on the Klamath River continues to push forward, with one dam completely removed, and the remaining three in progress. During the removal process, sediment impounded in the dam’s reservoirs will keep moving downstream. What do these processes mean for fish and wildlife in the river and the communities who depend on the Klamath? To make things easy, American Rivers has put together four key things you need to know about the impacts of dam removal on the Klamath River. … ” Read more from American Rivers.
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
Upper Long Bar pre-project vegetation monitoring
“The Upper Long Bar Salmonid Rearing Habitat Enhancement Project is dedicated to enhancing the habitat conditions for spring-/fall-run Chinook salmon and Central Valley steelhead along the lower Yuba River. By strategically altering the hydrology of a degraded gravel bar, we aim to create optimal rearing environments for these crucial species. This transformation will involve adjustments such as heightened inundation frequency and reduced groundwater depth, changes that are expected to have a significant impact on the local plant ecosystem. Prior to implementing these modifications, thorough vegetation surveys were conducted to establish baseline data on the diversity and abundance of both native and non-native plant species. … ” Read more from the South Yuba River Citizens League.
Haskell Peak Meadows: Implementation year two
“The SYRCL headwaters team is gearing up for another exciting year of implementation work on the Haskell Peak Meadows Restoration Project. This project is working to restore five meadows in the headwaters of the North Yuba River. Last fall, we began restoration using low impact, process-based restoration techniques by building structures like Beaver Dam Analoges (BDAs) and Post Assisted Log Structures (PALS). This year, we plan to remove relic features, like ditches and roads, that have been interrupting meadow hydrology. This will require working with contractors who can remove an earthen road base in West Church Meadow, fill a relic ditch that is draining Freeman Meadow, and replace an undersized culvert with a low water crossing. … ” Read more from the South Yuba River Citizens League.
Court rules in favor of parties challenging herbicide release in Tahoe Keys
“El Dorado Superior Court Judge Gary Slossberg deemed the California Sportfishing Protection Alliance and Sierra Club prevailing parties in a lawsuit taking issue with herbicides released in the Tahoe Keys lagoons. The court’s ruling, filed late April, commanded the Lahontan Regional Water Quality Control Board vacate and set aside approval of the project involving herbicides, and any approvals rendered in furtherance of project implementation. The suit listed the Tahoe Keys Property Owners Association as a real party in interest who was involved in submitting an application to the board to release herbicides. “This is a major disappointment, but I want to be clear, we feel without question,” says association board member Pete Wolcott, “the ruling is incorrect and it is unjust based on the record.” … ” Read more from the Tahoe Daily Tribune.
BAY AREA
Pleasanton to finance water wells
“The city will take on $19 million in debt to fund improvements to its water facilities, which include two new groundwater wells to address forever-chemical issues in its existing three wells. The water revenue bonds, approved unanimously by the city council at its May 7 meeting, will mature in 30 years and carry an interest rate at or below 6%, amounting to an annual repayment of $1.12 million over the next 30 years. Funds for the repayment will come from the city’s water ratepayer profits. “This is similar to buying a house,” said Mayor Karla Brown. “You don’t just get it from your salary. Sometimes you have to go in debt and pay it back over time.” … ” Read more from the Livermore Independent.
Proposed ordinance would make living alongside waterways illegal in Santa Clara Co.
“Valley Water and the City of San Jose have a problem: trash and pollutants from encampments along their waterways. And now Santa Clara County’s water district is proposing a new ordinance that would make living near creeks and rivers illegal. For many, like Ruben Salas who lives in an encampment along the Guadalupe River in San Jose, being unhoused is not a choice. Unmanaged and unclean conditions are not ideal, but it’s the only option he has. Since July, Valley Water has spent nearly $3 million cleaning up 1,300 tons of trash along 295 miles of rivers and creeks in Santa Clara County. To stop people from living along the waterways, Valley Water is proposing an ordinance that would subject violators to $500 fines or up to 30 days of jail time. … ” Read more from KGO.
San Benito County city receives $12.5 million for water infrastructure
“The city of San Juan Bautista is set to receive upwards of $12.5 million in funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to improve wastewater infrastructure, announced U.S. Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren. The city will receive a combination of grants and low-cost federal loans from a specific program that supports clean drinking water systems and proper disposal, the Water and Waste Disposal Loan and Grants program. San Juan Bautista will receive a loan of nearly $10.3 million and a grant of just over $2.2 million. … ” Read more from KSBY.
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
Corcoran has sunk nearly 5 feet
“Land subsidence remains the biggest issue in the new state regulation of groundwater. The state Water Board reports that subsidence measured as much as 7 feet just east of Corcoran between June 2015 and January 2024. Groundwater pumping west of Highway 99 has caused the land to sink at least 4 to 5 feet according to a DWR database. The worry here is the collapse of water delivering infrastructure. Tulare Lake farmers have been asked to install metering on their pumps 90 days after the decision to put the GSA on probation which was made April 16. That means by mid-July pumpers must install metering as well as begin reporting how much water they are extracting. … ” Read more from the Hanford Sentinel.
EASTERN SIERRA
Indian Wells Valley Water District urges private well owners to represent themselves in water adjudication
““Go to the District’s website. It literally walks people through how to prepare that initial disclosure,” said Indian Wells Valley Water District legal counsel Jim Worth, urging private well owners to sign up to become parties in the ongoing comprehensive water adjudication lawsuit. “It’s not ‘legalese.’ It’s just very simple questions about what they have pumped and where they have pumped for the past ten years. Go to the District’s website; there’s great information there.” The discussion took place at the Water District’s regular board meeting held on May 13. The board and Judie Decker–a vocal member of the public–were at the tail end of a lengthy conversation about the fate of private well owners amidst the adjudication lawsuit when Worth made the above request for well owners to sign up. … ” Read more from the Ridgecrest Independent.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Cloudy with a chance of rage: Climatologists fume over relocation of L.A. weather station
“A nasty storm is brewing over the meteorological heart of Los Angeles. A decision by government forecasters to relocate downtown L.A.’s official weather observation station from USC to Dodger Stadium is generating extreme heat and wind gusts from some local climate experts. They insist the move will cast fog on local efforts to document the effects of climate change. “It contaminates the record,” said Jan Null, a veteran California meteorologist who runs the Golden Gate Weather Service. “It changes the ballgame.” The station — a curious array of poles, metal boxes and shiny cylinders that weather wonks know affectionately as “KCQT” — is slated to move from USC to the Los Angeles Fire Department’s training center on the south side of the stadium in Elysian Park on Monday. The last time the key monitoring station moved was 25 years ago. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
SAN DIEGO
Port fights invasive algae as another patch found in San Diego Bay
“The Port of San Diego is keeping up its fight Thursday against an invasive algae spreading in San Diego Bay, following the continuation of an emergency declaration by the Board of Port Commissioners. The algae, Caulerpa prolifera, was discovered in the bay in September 2023 and additional patches have been found near Coronado Cays. The algae is native to Florida and other subtropical and tropical locales, but can take over non-native natural habitats, disrupting the ecosystem and displacing native plants and the animals who rely on them. “It is absolutely critical that we find and remove or cover every little piece of Caulerpa as quickly as possible to preserve our bay’s strong and healthy ecosystem,” said Chairman Frank Urtasun of the San Diego Board of Port Commissioners. … ” Read more from Channel 7.
Column: Changes up and down San Diego’s coast trigger familiar battles
Columnist Michael Smolens writes, “San Diego’s identity is inextricably tied to its coastline, a widely cherished wonder that is in a constant state of change. Depending on one’s perspective, the region’s seashore has been enhanced or diminished by human endeavors for generations, all the while being shaped by natural forces. Those elements currently are coming together in a big way, changing — or potentially changing — the San Diego coast. Numerous projects touch on issues involving coastal protection and access, climate change and sea-level rise, and public safety and transportation. Most have touched off familiar conflicts of varying intensity. Some of the projects are completed or will be soon, while others are years away or still on the bubble. Taken collectively, the changes could be transformational. In short, there’s a lot going on. … ” Continue reading at the San Diego Union-Tribune.
Along the Colorado River …
Lower Basin Colorado River consumptive use is lowest in 40 years
“Average Colorado River consumptive use for the Lower Basin states has been steadily decreasing over the past decade. The Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) has released the 2023 Colorado River Accounting and Water Use Report, which states the most recent Colorado River consumptive use volumes for Arizona, California and Nevada. In 2023, Lower Basin Colorado River consumptive use was the lowest since 1983. And last year, Arizona’s use was 1.89 million acre-feet (MAF), which is almost a 1 MAF reduction from its 2.8 MAF entitlement. “Congratulations to the water users in Arizona, California and Nevada,” says Brenda Burman, CAP general manager. “Pursuant to the Arizona v. California decree, the federal government has released the 2023 Colorado River Accounting and Water Use Report. This shows the lowest consumptive use in the Lower Basin in 40 years. Through mandatory reductions, extraordinary conservation, investments and sacrifice, we are demonstrating our ongoing commitment to protect all who rely on the Colorado River.” … ” Read more from the Central Arizona Project.
A once-promising Colorado River forecast is downgraded after mediocre April snowfall
“A dry April around the Colorado River Basin melted hopes for a second-straight banner year of big runoff to swell Lake Powell’s reservoir storage, government hydrologists say. The result is a likely holding pattern for drought responses over the next two years, according to the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. Water levels in Lake Powell and Lake Mead are unlikely to rise as they did after the strong snowpack that accumulated over the 2022-2023 winter, but are also unlikely to tip the Southwest into a new tier of water austerity measures. The mountain snow season started out dry, came on strong in the middle, and came to an abrupt standstill in April. … ” Read more from the Arizona Star.
Lake Mead outlook improves in latest water projections
“The water picture for Las Vegas is a little brighter in projections released this week by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. It will take a year to get there, but Lake Mead is expected to be 4 feet deeper in May 2024 than projections released just a month ago. Where is that water coming from? Big swings in lake levels that came in past years — the product of extremely dry years followed by a very wet winter last year — appear to be stabilizing this year. The 24-month study shows Lake Mead won’t return to March 2024’s peak (1,076.66 feet) in the next two years. But it also won’t drop below 1,050 feet. … ” Read more from KLAS.
Maintaining water security for Las Vegas a constant challenge, experts say
“George Rhee, a professor of physics at UNLV, was direct when speaking about the water crisis face the west during a panel discussion on Wednesday at Westgate Las Vegas. ‘“Living in the desert, water is more valuable than gasoline,” said Rhee, the host of a discussion during the Climate Change Preparedness Conference. The Colorado River, which provides drinking water to 40 million people in seven US states and Mexico, has been in a drought since 2000 that has spurred years of drought contingency plans and water shortages. Marco Velotta, chief sustainability officer for the city of Las Vegas, said the City of Las Vegas’ decisions around water use all contend with the long drought that’s consumed the Colorado River Basin. … ” Read more from the Las Vegas Sun.
Editorial: Drought conditions ease considerably in the West
The Las Vegas Review-Journal editorial board writes, “Nevadans have been inundated for years with sobering news on the water front. But recent months have brought consistently encouraging developments. The Wall Street Journal reported this week that two wet years have replenished reservoirs across the West. After hitting a record low, Lake Mead has rebounded by 30 feet. Lake Powell is up 40 feet. “The mountain snowpack that feeds the Colorado River … is 107 percent of average this winter after hitting 153 percent in 2023, marking the wettest two-year period in more than a decade,” the paper observed. Just 15 months ago, researchers at Brigham Young University warned that the Great Salt Lake was on the verge of disappearing. Thanks to copious rain, the lake has since grown by 150 square miles, and overall water levels are up 6 feet. … ” Read more from the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
Also on Maven’s Notebook today …
NOTICE: Deadline extended for the 2025 Delta Research Awards
YOUR INPUT WANTED on the 2024 Climate Adaptation Strategy
