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On the calendar today …
- PRE-HEARING CONFERENCE: Sites Reservoir water rights beginning at 9am. The State Water Resources Control Board Administrative Hearings Office will hold a Pre-Hearing Conference and a Public Hearing on the pending petition for Assignment of State-filed Application 25517 and accompanying water right Application 25517X01 and the Petitions for Release from priority of State-Filed Applications 25513, 25514, 25517 (unassigned portion), 22235, 23780, and 23781 in favor of water right Application 25517X01 of Sites Project Authority. Click here for the meeting notice and remote access instructions.
- PUBLIC MEETING: DRIP Collaborative Drought Relevant Data Workgroup from 10am to 11:30am. The Drought Resilience Interagency & Partners (DRIP) Collaborative will hold a workgroup meeting to refine proposed recommendations under the Drought Preparedness for Domestic Wells Focus Area. During the workgroup meeting, DRIP members will review input provided during the April DRIP Collaborative meeting and will address impacts, implementing partners, alignment with other initiatives, and other issues. The workgroup meeting will be conducted as a special teleconference meeting, whereby DRIP Collaborative members may attend remotely or at the physical location identified below. Members of the public will be able to observe the meeting and provide comments during the meeting, either in-person at the meeting location at the CNRA building or remotely through the Zoom meeting. Click here for more information.
- LEG HEARING: Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Water beginning at 3pm. Click here for more details.
In California water news today …
In California, tribal members are reclaiming the ‘land of the flowing water’
“The vast territory known as the Owens Valley was home for centuries to Native Americans who lived along its rivers and creeks fed by snowmelt that cascaded down the eastern slopes of the Sierra Nevada. Then came European settlers, and over time, tribe members lost access to nearly all of that land. Eventually, the water was lost, too: In the early 20th century, the developers of Los Angeles famously built a 226-mile-long aqueduct from Owens Lake to the city. … Less familiar is what happened to the Owens Valley, and the people who lived there, after most of the water was sent south. Owens Lake is now a patchwork of saline pools covered in pink crystals and wetlands studded with gravel mounds designed to catch dust. And today, the four recognized tribes in the area have less than 2,000 acres of reservation land, estimated Teri Red Owl, a local Native American leader. But things are changing, tribal members say. They have recently reclaimed corners of the valley, buoyed by growing momentum across the country to return land to Indigenous stewardship, also known as the “Land Back” movement. … ” Read more from the New York Times (gift article).
‘Collaboration for the sake of success’ is critical to water resilience
“Mike Wade, Executive Director of the California Farm Water Coalition, gave insight to recent developments on water resilience from memorandums signed by water districts, government entities, and interest groups. In a memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed on May 8, Westlands Water District, Metropolitan Water District, and Friant Water Authority agreed to improve collaborations on surface, groundwater, transfers, and exchanges of water from the San Joaquin Valley to Southern California. Furthermore, a second MOU was signed between Metropolitan and Water Blueprint for the San Joaquin Valley, a coalition that aims to advance water accessibility across the state. The MOU intends to identify, develop, and initiate water projects for the Central Valley to solidify water resilience. Wade, who is also a board member of Blueprint, said that there are “big opportunities going forward for both sides.” … ” Read more from Ag Net West.
The future of water in California
” … As climate change induces the aridification of the state, California is planning for a hotter and drier future. Water for drinking and irrigation, across the majority of the state, is provided by a vast infrastructure of pipelines, canals and reservoirs in the combined California Department of Water Resources (DWR) operated State Water Project (SWP) and the federal Central Valley Project (CVP). In both of those agencies,system managers measure water use in acre feet, which is the volume of water one foot deep on a square acre, or 325,851 gallons. California consumes between 60-90 million acre feet of water per year from the state water system and from the feds’ CVP. Climate change is projected to reduce supply by up to 10 percent, or 6-9 million acre feet, by 2040. The state of California has a four-step plan to cover the shortfall in the SWP … ” Read more from California Local.
The big impact of small waters: Zooplankton density trends in the North Delta
“Zooplankton are tiny aquatic organisms unable to swim against currents; they include microscopic crustaceans, small jellyfish, and larval life stages of other organisms (Figure 1). Although zooplankton are small in size, they have a big impact on the food web because they connect primary producers (mostly phytoplankton) to bigger consumers (like fishes). Most fishes rely on tiny, crustaceous zooplankton during early life stages, and some, like the endangered delta smelt (Hypomesus transpacificus), consume zooplankton throughout their entire life. … ” Continue reading from the California Water Blog.
The cost of building the perfect wave
“For nearly as long as surfing has existed, surfers have been obsessed with the search for the perfect wave. It’s not just a question of size, but also of shape, surface conditions, and duration—ideally in a beautiful natural environment. While this hunt has taken surfers from tropical coastlines reachable only by boat to swells breaking off icebergs, these days—as the sport goes mainstream—that search may take place closer to home. That is, at least, the vision presented by developers and boosters in the growing industry of surf pools, spurred by advances in wave-generating technology that have finally created artificial waves surfers actually want to ride. Some surf evangelists think these pools will democratize the sport, making it accessible to more communities far from the coasts—while others are simply interested in cashing in. But a years-long fight over a planned surf pool in Thermal, California, shows that for many people who live in the places where they’re being built, the calculus isn’t about surf at all. … ” Continue reading from MIT Technology.
Dangerous fire conditions persist in California as U.S. braces for extreme weather week
“Fire weather risk will continue in parts of California on Monday, kicking off an active weather week across the U.S. The wind-driven Post Fire near Interstate 5 in Gorman (Los Angeles County) exploded Saturday, and the Point Fire in Sonoma County prompted evacuation orders Sunday, along with numerous other wildfires across the state over the weekend. Dangerous fire conditions will continue Monday, and several red flag warnings are in effect throughout California. The Bay Area Air Quality Management District issued a Spare the Air alert for the nine-county Bay Area on Monday due to smoke from the Point Fire. Air quality reached the very unhealthy and hazardous category in portions of the North Bay on Sunday evening. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
SEE ALSO: Red flag warnings expanded throughout California as fire danger increases, from the San Francisco Chronicle
In commentary today …
Column: Biden and Newsom’s jig is up: manufactured water scarcity is a farce
Wayne Western writes, “Although a recent, science-fiction and heavily-slanted piece in Politico on California’s impending water battle is a page waster, there is some truth whether intended or not. Water allocations in California are one-hundred percent political and the Biden and Newsom administrations are working hard to guarantee more water is dumped into the ocean for the foreseeable the future. The difference we realize today versus the decades of back-and-forth on water management in our state is they currently have no hesitation in admitting what their goals are. The goal for California, in this case, is scarcity. … ” Read more from the San Joaquin Valley Sun.
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
Sensational, ‘misleading’ NASA image of Clear Lake strikes blow at Lake County tourism
“The calls to Clear Lake State Park come in steadily now from people saying they’ve heard the lake may no longer be safe for swimming. Judging from the number of campers who have canceled reservations or just never showed up, many have decided it’s not worth the risk, Senior Park Aid Cindy Eddo said. It’s pretty clear why. A composite satellite image produced by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s Earth Observatory depicting a nasty-looking, solid green lake has been circulated widely over the past two weeks, republished by news agencies around the nation and posted all over social media, to the chagrin of Lake County tourism interests. … The thing is, the photo-like image, created from satellite data, is not a true photograph. The lake doesn’t look like that. … ” Read more from the Santa Rosa Press Democrat.
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
Water and sewer rates may rise in Corning
“The city will hold a public hearing in August regarding a proposed raising of water and sewer rates. The proposed increases would translate to a 10 percent annual water rate increase and a 5 percent separate annual sewer rate increase for the next two years. According to staff, this would mean an increase of $2.26 per month for residential water and $2.24 per month for sewer in the first year, and $2.49 for water and $2.35 for sewer in the second year, effective July 1, 2025. A recent downward trend in revenues tied to these services underscores the need for these rate increases. City Manager Brant Mesker explained that when water usage trends down, the city’s revenues also decrease. … ” Read more from the Red Bluff Daily News.
EchoWater project helps relieve multiyear drought in Sacramento
“Owned and operated by Sacramento Regional County Sanitation (Regional San), the Sacramento Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant near Elk Grove, California, treats 135 million gallons of wastewater daily from 1.6 million people throughout Sacramento County and West Sacramento. When new permit discharge requirements were issued back in 2010, Regional San began exploring various strategies to upgrade their existing infrastructure to perform cutting-edge treatment processes that deliver safe and reliable water to be used for recycled purposes, including irrigation for local agriculture. Known as EchoWater, the project evolved into a decade-long facility expansion to improve water quality, alleviate ecological issues, and provide some relief to California’s multiyear, drought-ridden agricultural industry. … ” Read more from Water Finance & Management.
BAY AREA
Fourth time’s a charm: water board oks San Jose waterway plan
“The San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board has green-lit San Jose’s plan through 2027 to tackle homeless encampment trash going into city waterways — further ensuring the city’s compliance with environmental regulations. Deputy City Manager Kip Harkness said at a Monday San Jose City Council meeting that the city is going to stop the endless cycle of cleaning up trash indefinitely by moving homeless residents off the waterways and blocking the area with barriers and signage. As more housing becomes available, they will move more residents off the waterways, he said. … ” Read more from SF Gate.
CENTRAL COAST
California Coastal Commission votes to lift Los Osos building moratorium
“The California Coastal Commission voted unanimously on Thursday to lift Los Osos’ 35-year building moratorium with plans to implement a limit of 1% yearly increase in residential growth. With area septic systems leaking nitrates into the basin, in 1988, the SLO County Regional Water Quality Board cracked down on new development in the coastal community. San Luis Obispo County then worked to build a new sewer plant and recycling facility which was completed in 2016. … ” Read more from Cal Coast News.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Refugio State Beach closed for repairs, but officials hope to reopen it later this summer
“One of California’s most popular state beaches in Santa Barbara County remains closed as crews repair extensive winter storm damage, but officials are hoping to reopen it later this summer. Refugio State Beach — on a pristine stretch of coastline — was inundated by extreme rain and flooding in February that caused a “complete failure” of a culvert system, resulting in numerous sinkholes, according to the state park’s website. Although there is no official reopening date, parks officials are “hopeful Refugio State Beach will reopen sometime this summer,” said Jorge Moreno, southern communication manager for the state parks. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
In Southern California, a wildfire that may foreshadow a hazardous summer
“A wildfire that quickly consumed more than 12,000 acres of grasslands and brush in a mountainous area northwest of Los Angeles over the weekend signaled the start of what experts warn could be a dangerous, prolonged fire season in the West. “This is a taste of what’s to come,” said Daniel Swain, a climate scientist with the University of California, Los Angeles. The blaze, named the Post fire, started on Saturday afternoon near Interstate 5 about 45 miles outside of Los Angeles, the authorities said. It forced the evacuation of about 1,200 people from the Hungry Valley campground, a popular state recreation area for off-road vehicles. Officials also closed nearby Pyramid Lake, a destination for weekend boaters. As of Sunday afternoon, the fire was about 2 percent contained, according to CalFire, California’s firefighting agency. … ” Read more from the New York Times.
IMPERIAL/COACHELLA VALLEYS
5 years of water, sewer rate increases imminent in Calexico?
“Residents appeared ready to exercise their right to protest the city of Calexico’s most recent water and sewer utility rate study, information which shows a significant price increase expected for customers over the next five years, according to data presented at the City Council meeting on Wednesday, June 12. The legal process to raise fees includes a 45-day timeline to allow for Calexico water and sewer customers to prepare comments for an upcoming public hearing on Aug. 21. The August meeting and hearing will provide the public a chance to stop the five-year plan to increase rates — if enough people speak up, that is. “I’m a little concerned about what I’m hearing that there’s a possibility of raising our water rates,” said resident Leticia Cota, who spoke at the June 12 meeting, expressing the general sentiment of most of those who commented on the issue. … ” Read more from the Holtville Tribune.
Along the Colorado River …
Lake Mead’s 2-year outlook: A 5-foot drop, then what?
“Big swings in water levels at Lake Mead aren’t expected to repeat over the next two years, according to projections released Friday by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. For now, projections that are updated each month in Reclamation’s 24-month study aren’t changing much. Lake Mead is expected to hit a low of 1,059.83 feet in November 2024, just 5 feet lower than its current level, 1,064.81 feet at noon on Friday. Those are measures of the lake surface’s altitude — the number of feet above sea level. From there, Lake Mead will climb to 1,066.08 feet in February 2025, and then drop to 1,052.62 feet by July 2025. Projections show the lake reaching 1,067.11 feet — the highest level in the 24-month forecast — in March 2026. … ” Read more from KLAS.
A water war is looming between Mexico and the US. Neither side will win
“Tensions are rising in a border dispute between the United States and Mexico. But this conflict is not about migration; it’s about water. Under an 80-year-old treaty, the United States and Mexico share waters from the Colorado River and the Rio Grande, respectively. But in the grip of severe drought and searing temperatures, Mexico has fallen far behind in deliveries, putting the country’s ability to meet its obligations in serious doubt. Some politicians say they cannot give what they do not have. It’s a tough argument to swallow for farmers in South Texas, also struggling with a dearth of rain. They say the lack of water from Mexico is propelling them into crisis, leaving the future of farming in the balance. Some Texas leaders have called on the Biden administration to withhold aid from Mexico until it makes good on the shortfall. … ” Read more from KAKE.
