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In California water news this weekend …
California judge weighs injunction for Delta Conveyance Project
“Petitioners battling over a massive and controversial California water infrastructure project drilled into the details on Friday over what actions require specific authorization before they can occur, with local governments and water districts asking a Sacramento County judge to stop the state water resources department from making any exploratory moves. At issue are geotechnical actions, like initial drilling and installing monitoring equipment, that the Tulare Lake Basin Water Storage District — and many others — argued don’t have the required green light to proceed. The state Department of Water Resources has countered that a preliminary injunction halting the project’s first steps would do more harm than good. Superior Court Judge Stephen Acquisto made no decision Friday on the preliminary injunction. … ” Read more from the Courthouse News Service.
Water Blueprint for the San Joaquin Valley builds momentum
Geoff Vanden Heuvel with the Milk Producers Council writes, “When the state of California began to implement and enforce the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act some nine years ago, it became clear that without change, there will not be enough sustainably available groundwater to support all of the irrigated acres that are currently in production. With that decline in agriculture, the businesses, communities and tax base that depends on those farms would be very negatively impacted as well. This reality prompted a wide variety of interests in the San Joaquin Valley to form a “coalition of the willing” that came to be known as the Water Blueprint for the San Joaquin Valley (Blueprint). The dairy industry was one of those interests. Over 90% of California milk production is located in the San Joaquin Valley, much of which is designated by the State as “critically overdrafted.” On behalf of Milk Producers Council, I have been involved with the Blueprint from the beginning. Here is an update on the progress of the Blueprint. … ” Read more from the Milk Producers Council.
Water Blueprint and Metropolitan Water District of Southern California sign historic MOU
Revisiting the first OpenET Applications Conference: how satellite-based data is transforming water, farm, and forest management
“This spring, hundreds of scientists, engineers, water managers, farmers and ranchers gathered in New Mexico to share and learn about how OpenET data is being used to advance water resources management. OpenET has radically improved access to data on evapotranspiration (ET) — or how much water plants and other vegetation consume. The result has been a flood of new applications of ET data in land and water management. This year’s convening in New Mexico was a first-ever chance to take stock of all the ways people are using OpenET. The conference cut across a wide range of geographies and sectors and revealed a quickly emerging, dynamic community of practice centered on the platform. In keeping with the spirit of OpenET, all plenary sessions and speaker presentations are available on the OpenET YouTube channel. The conference agenda includes the full list of presentations and speakers. Here are some key takeaways from the conference. … ” Read more from EDF.
California braces for triple-digit temperatures. Here’s where it will be the hottest
“The first major heat wave of the season is set to impact much of the western U.S. next week, including large parts of California. Starting on Tuesday, all of the Central Valley and parts of the Bay Area will see a multiday stretch of triple digit temperatures, which is about 10-20 degrees above normal for early June. In the Central Valley, daily record temperatures will be in play on Wednesday and Thursday, when the mercury may top out in the 105-110 degree range. Tahoe and areas across the Sierras will see some very warm temperatures as well, with highs ranging from the upper 70s to low 80s, which will accelerate the snow melt. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
Padilla delivers keynote address at Southern California Water Summit, pushes for funding to improve clean and reliable water for all Californians
“Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Chair of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Subcommittee on Fisheries, Water, and Wildlife, delivered the keynote address at the 2024 Water Infrastructure Networking Summit (WINS) alongside water leaders from across Southern California. WINS hosted water industry leaders, water advocates, private entities, and elected officials from five Southern California counties — Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, and San Diego Counties — to advance solutions to California’s water infrastructure challenges. The summit’s theme of “The New Politics of Water” aimed to foster collaboration among key decision-makers to navigate challenges and forge solutions to California’s water affordability and infrastructure crises amid rising water rates. The event, convened by the Moulton Niguel Water District, focused on the need to increase water infrastructure investments across California, which have fallen behind transportation, energy, and broadband infrastructure for decades. … ” Read more from Senator Padilla’s office.
Money available for wetland owners, applications closing soon
“There’s a new opportunity for private wetland owners to make money from their land. The BirdReturns program pays wetland owners to flood their land and provide habitat for birds in the Central Valley. The program offers seasonal participation and is currently accepting applications for fall participation. Applications close on June 9. The program is funded through a $15 million grant from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife which will keep the program running through 2026. The program, “aims to fill in all the other gaps throughout the rest of the year when, in the natural cycle, there would be habitat for birds,” said Ashley Seufzer, senior project coordinator for Audubon California. … ” Read more from SJV Water.
In commentary this weekend …
DWR’s Delta Conveyance Project analysis finds a 0.39 benefit-cost ratio for agricultural users. It won’t be long before even more agricultural agencies are dropping out or filing lawsuits against the project.
Dr. Jeff Michael, Professor of Public Policy in the public policy programs at University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law, writes, “A benefit-cost ratio specific to agricultural users is not reported anywhere in the report, but it is pretty easy to calculate from the reports Table 1 and projected water allocation from the reports Table 1 and projected water allocation. According to Table 1, the water supply and water quality benefits to agricultural users has a present value of $2.36 billion. Assuming, they receive a share of seismic benefits that is proportional to their share of total water supply and quality benefits (6.4%), they also receive an additional $60 million in seismic reliability benefits for a total of $2.42 billion in benefits. The benefit-cost analysis also estimates that agricultural users will receive an average water yield of 148,500 af, which is 36.35% of the total projected water yield of 403,000 af. … ” Continue reading from the Valley Economy blog.
The nation’s weather forecasting must rise to the challenges of climate change
Rep. Grace Napolitano writes, “There is a critical need to improve and expand precipitation forecasting in the Western United States. Access to reliable forecasts at timeframes longer than seven days is long overdue, especially in the West, where conditions can rapidly swing between extreme droughts and floods. Advancing and updating our precipitation forecasts is beyond necessary for our decision-makers, water agencies, agricultural producers, energy suppliers, tribes and others, so they can take accurate and necessary mitigation actions and put contingency plans in place to protect our cities and our local communities. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is responsible for weather forecasts, provided through the National Weather Service (NWS) and weather and climate research produced by the Office of Atmospheric Research. Together, these agencies support the National Weather Service’s goal of having a “weather-ready nation,” preparing communities for extreme weather, water, and climate events. … ” Read more from The Hill.
In people news this weekend …
Promotions, passings, profiles – submit people news items to maven@mavensnotebook.com.
General Manager Michelle Reimers announces departure
“Turlock Irrigation District General Manager, Michelle Reimers, has announced her resignation effective June 21, 2024. Reimers has served as General Manager since January 2020. “It has been an honor and privilege to lead the organization I have called home for the past 18 years. I am proud of the progress that we have made as an organization, and I believe that TID is well positioned to continue to meet our mission of providing reliable and affordable water and power for years to come.” Reimers, who started her career at TID in 2006 working in public information, led with a focus on transparency, collaboration, and a commitment to customers throughout her career at TID. Reimers held various leadership roles at the District, ultimately becoming the first woman general manager in the agency’s 137 year history. … ” Read more from the Turlock Irrigation District.
Podcasts …
WE GROW CALIFORNIA: Same infrastructure, new uses
Darcy and Darcy welcome back Steve Chedester, Director of Policy and Programs at the San Joaquin River Exchange Contractors Water Authority (Exchange Contractors). Steve shares some innovative infrastructure news that for us Water Nerds, is super exciting! The Exchange Contractors partnered with the San Luis Water District and the Grasslands Water District for the Los Banos Creek Detention Dam Reservoir Re-Regulation Project. (That was a mouthful!) This reservoir was once only used for the Central Valley Project Flood Control and now, through strategic improvements and re-purposing of existing infrastructure, yields new water reliability for the partners. The Project was made possible through Federal funding opportunities championed by Congressmen Costa and Duarte. Steve also provides an update on the San Joaquin River Restoration Project. You guessed it! It’s been 15 years and not a lot of infrastructure progress yet, the price tag for the project continues to go up. A needed project without a viable funding source is problematic and additional funding is necessary to move forward.
WATERLOOP: Accounting for groundwater from valley to coast
California is grappling with a severe groundwater crisis, underscoring the urgent need for accurate accounting under the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA). SGMA mandates that certain basins develop plans to achieve groundwater balance by 2040, ensuring that withdrawals do not exceed recharge rates. This episode features conversations with Ann Hayden, Vice President of Climate Resilient Water Systems at the Environmental Defense Fund; Brad Samuelson, Managing Partner of Water and Land Solutions; and Brian Lockwood, General Manager of Pajaro Valley Water Management Agency. This episode features conversations with Ann Hayden, Vice President of Climate Resilient Water Systems at the Environmental Defense Fund; Brad Samuelson, Managing Partner of Water and Land Solutions; and Brian Lockwood, General Manager of Pajaro Valley Water Management Agency.
WHAT MATTERS: Assemblywoman Blanca Rubio
Get to know Assemblywoman Blanca Rubio from California’s 48th District and listen along while she and host Charley Wilson delve into a profound conversation that unpacks the complexities of water management and policy in California. The dialogue also gets personal, as the assemblywoman shares her personal story, from her roots in Mexico, her family’s journey to citizenship, her struggle to learn English and overcome stereotypes. Learn how she has become a powerful voice in California politics, and how her experiences shape her approach to governance and advocacy.
WATER IS A MANY SPLENDOR’ED THING PODCAST: The Denver Basin
A 7,000 square mile area along the east side of the Rocky Mountains is home to over three million Coloradoans. Daily life for these people is possible because water is available for each individual. The water source originates from a geologic structure called the “Denver Basin”, and this water is very old; 30,000-years old. Population growth is likely to increase by more than fifty percent in the next 20 years. Where does all this water come from and will there be enough to go around? Water is a Many Splendor ’ed Thing brings you another water relationship that has a personally significant impact to your life. Produced by Steven Baker, Bringing People Together to Solve Water Problems, water@operationunite.co 530-205-6388
Summer adventures …
6 wild swimming spots in California, beyond the coast
writes, “The best of California is not its famous cities or coastline. The most authentic version of the state is its freshwater, in its many wild forms. At least, for my family. My partner Caroline Clements and I write about water and wilderness and have spent much of the last 10 years documenting swimming around the world. Most recently, we returned to California to explore the state more deeply, piling into an old motor home with our toddler, and spending six months traversing the state in search of the best places to swim. The variety of California’s environments continue to amaze us. Mountain lakes and redwood groves. Granite canyons and emerald pools. Volcanic peaks and thermal springs. The many long, slow river miles that nourish the state. It’s these wild, inland swims that stir us the most. Below are six freshwater places that exemplify the best of the state. … ” Read more from the New York Times.
Yosemite’s waterfalls are ‘absolute perfection’ this spring. Here’s when they’ll peak
“Yosemite National Park’s renowned waterfalls are reaching their peak flows, or likely will within the next few weeks, showcasing this year’s ample snowpack as it melts and cascades down from the high country. Such spectacles as Yosemite Falls, Bridalveil Fall and Vernal Fall are roaring with snowmelt, as are lesser-known giants like Ribbon Fall and Silver Strand Falls, all benefiting from the moderately wet year. The flows are highly dependent on temperatures, which rise in the spring and accelerate the melt-off, ultimately determining when exactly the falls hold the most water. A heat wave forecast for next week is expected to hasten flows. While the waterfalls won’t be quite what they were last year after a winter of blockbuster storms, the roughly average snowfall this year still promises a good show. Early June is widely believed to be optimal for viewing. “This is absolute perfection,” said Cory Goehring, lead naturalist at the Yosemite Conservancy, a nonprofit that supports the park. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
Summer 2024 outlook at California’s 10 largest reservoirs
“Summer is almost upon us and California’s reservoirs are brimming from snowmelt! Anticipation is high for another fantastic year of water resources. The past two wet seasons have delivered California from a horrible drought and catastrophic fire seasons. A more than ample dose of precipitation these previous two years quickly tamped down on the doom and gloom projections. California’s 10 largest reservoirs should deliver an epic summer season in the Golden State! Explore and Enjoy! … ” Read more from Roseville Today.
Lake Tahoe is the most beautiful in the us, according to Instagram
“We’ve always known Lake Tahoe has it all. From pristine powder for snow sports in the winter to adventurous water sports and stunning backcountry hiking trails in the summer, it’s hard to not fall in love with the see-to-the-bottom, turquoise waters surrounded by a pine-covered Sierra Nevada mountain range. Now this veritable paradise that straddles the border between California and Nevada has acquired a well-deserved honor. According to a new study by the vacation rental company Lake.com, Lake Tahoe is the most picturesque lake in the United States. … ” Read more from Thrillist.
In regional water news this weekend …
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
Congressman LaMalfa talks Sites Reservoir as project gains $67.5 million investment
“The Sites Reservoir project is getting more federal funding. Officials with the U.S. Department of the Interior announced on May 30 that the Biden-Harris Administration is investing $242 million toward projects aimed at offering clean, as well as reliable, drinking water in Western communities. From this funding, $67.5 million will be offered for the Sites Reservoir project in Colusa and Glenn counties. The initiative will add up to 1.5 million acre-feet of new water storage west of the city of Maxwell, on the Sacramento River system. … ” Read more from KRCR.
BAY AREA
Stinson Beach sea-level report evaluates adaptation
“In Stinson Beach — where the ocean threaten to swallow up streets and waterfront homes by the end of the century — building a defense against sea-level rise will come with tradeoffs, a new county report suggests. The Stinson Beach adaptation options evaluation takes a look at the pros and cons of several possibilities, from construction of levees and protective dunes to wetlands restoration and more. The report shows that there is a mix of landowners in the area, and suggests that projects would require community collaboration and compromise in a race against nature. “One of the goals of this is to help people understand that there are a lot of considerations that need to be acknowledged before any action is taken,” said Isaac Pearlman, a planner with the Marin County Community Development Agency, the department leading the effort. … ” Read more from the Marin Independent Journal.
Marin water utilities boost rainwater harvesting incentives
“Marin County’s major water providers have raised rebates for rainwater catchment systems because of county funding. The Marin Municipal Water District and the North Marin Water District are offering customers with the systems rebates of 75 cents per gallon of water — 25 cents more than before. The offer is supported by $20,000 in funding from the Marin County Stormwater Pollution Prevention Program. The grant marks a collaboration between Marin County and the water utilities to encourage residents to save water. Collecting rainwater to use for irrigation also helps protect the area from potential flooding during storms, and prevents pollutants collected through water runoff from entering bodies of water. “I think we just saw that there was an alignment with our goals and their goals and it makes a lot more sense to go at it together, recognizing the mutual benefits as opposed to having separate programs independent of each other,” said Carrie Pollard, MMWD water efficiency manager. … ” Read more from the Marin Independent Journal.
Berkeley, Albany to test popular bayside parks for evidence of uranium and DDT
“Officials in Berkeley and Albany are moving forward with plans to test two popular bayside parks — César Chávez and the Albany Bulb — for evidence of radioactive material possibly dumped decades ago by the former Stauffer Chemical Co. plant in Richmond. Richmond has been dealing with radioactive material and other hazardous waste left by Stauffer for decades, but Berkeley and Albany officials were warned only this year that the company may have also discarded tons of industrial waste into landfills that have since been covered over and converted to the bayshore parks. The planned testing in both cities will include uranium, thorium and the banned pesticide dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), on the advice of the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board, according to reports from both cities. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
CENTRAL COAST
Ghost-hunting for Salmon and Steelhead in Santa Cruz
“Monitoring salmon and steelhead is like ghost-hunting. Despite declining population numbers, these spawning salmonids still run in the memories of communities along coastal California streams. These fish support the livelihoods of diverse people including tribes, commercial fishers, and recreational fishing businesses. Claire Buchanan, Bay Area Senior Project Manager, captured the sentiment when she said “steelhead are like ghosts” as she described how they often migrate up and down creeks undetected under the cover of darkness and murky waters after storms. In the Santa Cruz Mountains, at the southern edge of where salmon spawn along the West Coast, sightings of critically endangered coho salmon are rare and sightings of threatened steelhead are even less frequent. Conservationists are working to conjure more of these fish back into the Santa Cruz Mountains. … ” Read more from Cal Trout.
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
Manteca facing $15.7M water & sewer deficits
“The fact water and sewer rates haven’t increased in Manteca in 15 years has finally caught up with the city. The proposed budget for the fiscal year starting July 1 projects a $12.5 million deficit in the water fund. The deficit in the sewer is expected to reach $3.2 million. The water fund is already in deficit spending. It started going into the red earlier this fiscal year. It is expected to be $.52 million in the hole by June 30. With needed expenditures of $20.6 million next fiscal year to keep the system operating with only $13.2 million in revenue, the water fund deficit is expected to be at $12.3 million on June 20, 2025. … ” Read more from the Manteca Bulletin.
Sisk Dam expansion project receives $75 million from federal government
“The San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Authority has received $75 million to raise Sisk Dam. The funding comes from the 2021 bipartisan infrastructure bill for the enhancement of off-stream water storage. The big picture: Raising B.F. Sisk Dam by 10 feet will provide around 130,000 acre-feet of additional off-stream water storage. … ” Read more from the San Joaquin Valley Sun.
Counting groundwater: The devil is in the details
“A lengthy complaint alleging secretive, self-dealing on the part of a prominent farmer and board member on a key Tulare County groundwater agency slogged through a Fair Political Practices Commission investigation over the past four years resulting in, essentially, a slap on the wrist late last month. Eric L. Borba, former chair of the Eastern Tule Groundwater Sustainability Agency, was found in violation of the state’s disclosure rules at the Commission’s April 25 meeting for not listing his ownership in several ditch companies including the value of those water assets. He was ordered to revamp his Form 700s, which public board members and executives must file each year, and pay a $5,400 fine. The Form 700s now list Borba’s ownership, through a variety of entities, in five area ditch companies. Specifically, he owns 13 shares in the Hubbs & Minor Ditch Company, 14 shares in the Porter Slough Ditch Company, 18 and ⅓ shares in the Gilliam-McGee Ditch Co., 61.5 shares in the Pioneer Water Co. and 9.9283 shares in the Poplar Irrigation Company, according to a letter from his attorney to the FPPC obtained by SJV Water through a Public Records Act request. … ” Read more from SJV Water.
Will water districts fail to deliver on historic contract?
Eric Caine writes, “Earlier this year, Louis Brichetto was having breakfast with a local cattleman who mentioned having seen the Brichetto name on a historical water contract he had been reviewing along with some of his own old contracts. The casual remark got Brichetto’s immediate attention. Brichetto’s roots in Stanislaus County’s Oakdale region go back well over 150 years. His great grandfather made the nine-month trip from the eastern United States around Cape Horn to San Francisco in 1859, lured by the promise of gold in the Sierra Nevada. Paul Brichetto soon realized — as did few other entrepreneurs of the time — that money was to be made providing the gold seekers with the food they needed to keep on digging. According to George Tinkham’s History of Stanislaus County, “When the whole country between Stockton and Oakdale was almost a continuous wheat field – save for the cattle ranches – and held by the ranch kings of “Octopus” fame, Paul Brichetto, then operating a little garden of leased land on the out-skirts of Stockton, decided he would do a little prospecting…. ” Continue reading at the Valley Citizen.
Army Corps performs routine high pool inspection of Terminus Dam
“The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Sacramento District conducted a routine high pool inspection of Terminus Dam at Lake Kaweah on May 30, 2024. The dam is operating safely, and as designed. Sacramento District engineers and dam operators will use the observations from the high pool inspection to make informed decisions about the dam’s operation and maintenance. Terminus Dam and its reservoir, Lake Kaweah, serve as a source for flood risk management, water supply, environmental stewardship, and recreation. USACE performs high pool inspections to ensure the safe performance and integrity of dams. “The fact that this inspection occurred coincident with the annual observance of National Dam Safety Awareness Day is a reminder of the key role this vital infrastructure plays for flood risk management,” said Dan Vellone, the district’s Dam Safety Program Manager. … ” Read more from the Army Corps of Engineers.
Kings County Water District withdraws from MKRGSA
“Kings County Water District is withdrawing from its position in the Mid-Kings River Groundwater Sustainability Agency Joint Powers Authority with Kings County and the City of Hanford, relieving its board of directors and general manager of duties related to the Tulare Lake Subbasin and Sustainable Groundwater Management Act compliance. The unanimous vote made on Wednesday morning at a Special Meeting removes the Water District from working with the two local governments on the MKRGSA to develop a Groundwater Sustainability Plan required by the California Department of Water Resources and the California State Water Resources Control Board as part the Tulare Lake Subbasin probationary status. … ” Read more from the Hanford Sentinel.
EASTERN SIERRA
The Mono Lake 2024–2025 lake level forecast report
“Each spring the Mono Lake Committee’s team of Mono Basin modelers and hydrology experts uses the lake level on April 1 together with the Mono Basin snowpack numbers and similar-year hydrological statistical data to produce the Mono Lake Committee lake level forecast for the runoff year ahead. Since December 2022, Mono Lake rose 5.3 feet due to an “Extreme-Wet” 2023 and average precipitation this past winter. On April 1, 2024 the surface elevation was 6383.7 feet above sea level. This forecast shows that the most probable lake level (with 1999 climate) for April 1, 2025 is 6383.6’. April 1 was the start of the current runoff year, which is classified as a “Normal” year type. The graph below shows the range of likely Mono Lake elevations for the runoff year. The range of projections (light blue shading) is produced by the Mono Lake Committee’s modeling of hydrologic sequences using historic near-average runoff years, with levels based on 1999 conditions shown as a likely scenario (solid blue line). … ” Read more from the Mono Lake Committee.
IMPERIAL/COACHELLA VALLEYS
The Salton Sea Action Committee reintroduces Salton Sea Bus Tours
“The Salton Sea Action Committee (SSAC) held a ‘Day of Learning’ bus tour of the Salton Sea for community members to learn more about ongoing efforts in the region on Wednesday, May 15. “Actions – not just study,” said Juan De Lara, president of SSAC, about the Salton Sea bus tour’s intent and SSAC’s mission. Salton Sea Action Committee supports the Salton Sea rehabilitation of the Salton Sea for public benefit in health, the environment, and the economy. SSAC actively partners with IID, The Salton Sea Authority, the California Natural Resources Agency, the California Department of Water Resources, and Audubon, according to De Lara. … ” Read more from the Desert Review.
Along the Colorado River …
Water inequality on the Colorado River
“For the last couple of decades, water managers in southern Nevada have promoted a plethora of conservation measures, from fixing leaks in the vast system of pipes snaking beneath Las Vegas to encouraging reduced-flow faucets to banning ornamental turf. But the sacrifices aren’t shared equally. A few miles off the Las Vegas Strip, for example, on the far edge of a golf course and residential development, sits a cluster of red-tile-roofed buildings. … The home, if you can call it that, is also Las Vegas’ largest water user, guzzling 13 million gallons in 2022 — more than 300 times what the average resident consumes. … Call it water inequality, or the growing disparity in water consumption across the Colorado River Basin. … ” Read more from High Country News.
Indigenous nations approve historic water rights agreement with Arizona. It now goes to Congress
“Irene Yazzie can’t think of anyone who lives within 10 miles of her farm in the Navajo Nation who has drinking water flowing into their homes, hers included. In the far reaches of the reservation in Northeastern Arizona, near where the red-rock buttes of Monument Valley rise above the desert floor, indoor plumbing can feel like a luxury. “I don’t know that people understand how hard of a life we have here,” said Yazzie, 71. Help could be on the way if Congress approves a historic agreement reached between the Navajo, Hopi and San Juan Southern Paiute Tribes and the state of Arizona that would settle all of their outstanding water rights claims to the Colorado River Basin. The deal, which all three tribes have now approved, marks a historic milestone for Indigenous nations that have fought for decades for their fair share of the water coursing through their ancestral lands. … ” Read more from the LA Times. | Read via Yahoo News.
Utah Rep. John Curtis seeks to quell salinity in Colorado River
“Salinity in the Colorado River is a huge problem and threatens to impact seven states, 30 Native American tribes and Mexico because all those entities share this finite resource that flows for more than 1,400 miles, provides water for 40 million people and irrigates 5 million acres of farmland. To that end, Rep. John Curtis, R-Utah, presented his bill, the Colorado River Salinity Fix Act, during a Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries hearing earlier this month. The legislation addresses the excessive salinity levels in the Colorado River, which have significant environmental and economic impacts on Utah and other Western states. … ” Read more from Deseret News.
SEE ALSO: Utah’s Curtis sponsors bill that would flow more funds to salty Colorado River, from the St. George Spectrum
Could Wyoming water get piped to Colorado? A decades-old plan resurfaces
“A gas exploration company with Florida ties is pursuing plans to pull groundwater out of existing coalbed methane wells in southern Wyoming, then pipe it into the lower reaches of the water-stressed Colorado River Basin. The project was formally initiated in December, when the State Engineer’s Office received 21 groundwater test well applications from Mark Dolar of Dolar Energy LLC. The test wells are all located on Bureau of Land Management property south of Rawlins, Wyoming, in the Atlantic Rim gas field. Two test well applications have since been rescinded by Dolar to comply with the state of Wyoming’s sage grouse and big game migration policies, according to an email from State Engineer Brandon Gebhart. … “If the water is of sufficient quality, the applicant hopes to transport groundwater to Colorado via a pipeline,” states a letter signed by Habitat Protection Supervisor Will Schultz. … ” Read more from the Arizona Daily Sun.
