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On the calendar today …
- MEETING: Central Valley Water Board beginning at 9am. Agenda items include a “Rain Ready California” presentation by the CA Stormwater Quality Association, and numerous WDRs and NPDES permits. Click here for the full agenda.
- MEETING: Delta Independent Science Board from 9am to 12:30pm. Agenda items include the draft cyanobacterial harmful algal bloom monitoring strategy for the Delta; Draft Grand Challenges to Delta Science; Draft Delta Plan Five-year Review Report with Performance Measures Report Cards; Draft Delta Adapts Adaptation Plan Review; Food-webs Review; and Subsidence Review. Click here for the meeting notice.
In California water news today …
California judge grants injunction in Delta Conveyance Project
“A Sacramento County judge on Thursday ruled in favor of several water districts and local governments over California’s planned delta tunnel project that would divert water from Northern California to the south of the state, saying that exploratory work can’t continue until the state completes a necessary certification process. The decision by Superior Court Judge Stephen Acquisto is a win for the groups that had argued the state Department of Water Resources hadn’t completed all documentation required by the California Environmental Quality Act and complied with the Delta Plan. The department had sought to perform geotechnical work, like initial drilling and the installation of monitoring equipment. It argued those actions were preliminary, and didn’t fall under the act’s requirements. … ” Read more from the Courthouse News Service.
Legal Analysis: Court issues preliminary injunction halting geotechnical investigations for the Delta Conveyance Project
“On June 20, 2024, the Sacramento County Superior Court stopped the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) from undertaking further geotechnical investigations implementing the Delta Conveyance Project (DCP) until DWR files a certification of consistency with the Delta Stewardship Council as required under the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Reform Act of 2009 (Delta Reform Act). The DCP will, among other things, include two new intake facilities on the Sacramento River in the north Delta near the community of Hood, and a concrete-lined tunnel and associated vertical tunnel shafts to convey water from the intakes 45 miles to the Bethany Reservoir Pumping Plant and Surge Basin located south of the State Water Project’s Clifton Court Forebay. The geotechnical investigations would have included thousands of borings, trenching, installation of monitoring devices, test pits, and other tests throughout the Delta and along the path of the proposed DCP facilities to gather information for further project design and construction. The DCP final environmental impact report identified over 70 significant impacts relating to the geotechnical activities and the need for over 90 related mitigation measures. … ” Read more from Somach Simmons & Dunn.
SEE ALSO:
- Court halts DWR’s geotechnical work for controversial Delta tunnel project, press release from attorneys Osha Meserve, Roger Moore, and Thomas Keeling
- State Water Contractors Respond to Narrow Interpretation of Law Creating Unnecessary Delays in Delta Conveyance Project, from the State Water Contractors
NOT ENTIRELY RELATED BUT IMPORTANT TO NOTE: DELTA CONVEYANCE PROJECT: Notice of Assignment and Pre-Hearing Conference, announcement from the State Water Board Administrative Hearings Office
Chinatown: The real-life California scandal that inspired the iconic Los Angeles thriller
“Now 50 years old, Chinatown is one of the all-time great crime films – and that’s partly because of a potent story based on the real history of California’s so-called “water wars”. “Forget it Jake, it’s Chinatown…” is one of the most famous lines in film history. The dialogue closes a lynchpin of post-war US cinema: Roman Polanski’s Chinatown (1974). The 1930s-set neo-noir, which turned 50 this week, is still a regular talking point in popular culture, for everything from its celebrated screenplay by Robert Towne (for which it won its sole Oscar) to its phenomenal score by Jerry Goldsmith, its astonishing lead performances by Jack Nicholson, Faye Dunaway and John Huston, to the subsequent disgrace of its criminally convicted, fugitive director. Polanski and Towne’s story was part of a particular trend in crime cinema of the period. While Watergate-inflected thrillers like Francis Ford Coppola’s The Conversation (1974) and Alan J Pakula’s The Parallax View (1972), and hyper-aggressive cop flicks like Don Siegel’s Dirty Harry (1971) and William Friedkin’s The French Connection (1971), were all caught up in present day issues, a new alternative to gritty procedurals and paranoid political thrillers was becoming popular – namely the lavish period crime film. … ” Read more from the BBC.
Economic brief: Investing in a modern water and ecological data system to better serve California
“The California Water Data Consortium and Bay Area Council Economic Institute have released an economic brief highlighting the critical importance of investing in modernizing the state’s water data infrastructure. This investment is essential to manage California’s water resources efficiently, adapt to climate change, and ensure safe, affordable drinking water. The brief underscores the potential economic benefits, improved decision-making capabilities, and enhanced security and operation of water systems through upgraded data infrastructure. … ” Read more from the California Water Data Consortium.
Report looks at link between cover crops and SGMA
“A recent report highlights the impact that cover crops have on water management in the Central Valley in relation to the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA). Key findings of the “Cover Cropping in the SGMA Era” report indicate that cover cropping can significantly improve soil health, water infiltration, and reduce runoff. However, its water impacts are variable and context-dependent. The report highlights that cover crops’ evapotranspiration is minimal in winter months compared to bare ground, supporting their water efficiency. The analysis reveals that current Groundwater Sustainability Agencies (GSAs) may unintentionally discourage cover cropping due to a lack of recognition of its water-related benefits. … ” Read more from Ag Net West.
State lawmakers axe longstanding Habitat Conservation Fund
“For 35 years, the state Habitat Conservation Fund has been a modest but consistent source of money for acquiring, conserving, and improving habitat across California. And Proposition 117, the vote that created the fund, explicitly prevents using that money for anything else. But last week the state Legislature approved doing exactly that—passing budget legislation proposed by Gov. Gavin Newsom that moves $45 million allocated to the fund for the next fiscal year into the state’s general fund. And if this holds, environmental groups worry it may set a precedent that endangers at least $120 million more of conservation funding. “Voters approved the HCF with Prop. 117 because they wanted a permanent source of funding for conservation of lands and waters in California: with the emphasis on permanent,” said Mark Green, the executive director at CalWild, in a statement. … ” Read more from Bay Nature.
DWR presents new eDNA Strategy in Washington D.C. to help improve water management
“One of the primary goals of the Department of Water Resources (DWR) is to use the newest and best available science for water management. DWR also pioneers that science, as shown recently in an article about “Using Genetic Identification to Find Spring-run Salmon and More.” Earlier this month, DWR senior environmental scientist Sarah Brown was invited to Washington D.C. to participate in the 3rd National Workshop on Marine eDNA and to present DWR’s new eDNA Strategy. Environmental DNA, or eDNA, is the DNA that animals and plants leave behind as they pass through their environment. New genetic tools are allowing scientists to take basic water samples and scan it for DNA of specific species. The power of these new tools to rapidly obtain comprehensive information about biological communities in our fresh and marine waters is opening exciting new doors for natural resource management. … ” Read more from DWR News.
In commentary today …
Drought not over for some California farmers thanks to questionable Delta smelt regulations
Dennis Wyatt, editor of the Manteca Bulletin, writes, “It smells like cucumbers. It tops out at 4 inches in length. It is a luminous silvery blue color. That is what a Delta smelt looks and smells like in a nutshell. At one point, the fish that have a one-year life cycle were so plentiful that they were caught and sold commercially. Today, the fish that are unique to the San Joaquin-Sacramento Delta are on the verge of extinction in the wild. And they are being thoroughly cursed by farmers in the Southern San Joaquin Valley. The reason is simple. The fish plays a pivotal role in California’s perennial water wars. … ” Continue reading at the Manteca Bulletin.
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
California and Shasta Indian Nation collaborate on historic land back plans
“The agreement marks a significant moment for the tribe, which has been without a land base for over 100 years. On June 18, California Governor Gavin Newsom announced that the state is working with the Shasta Indian Nation to transfer 2,820 acres in Siskiyou County back to the tribe. It marks a significant moment for the tribe, which has been without a land base for over 100 years. The land lies at the heart of the Shasta Indian Nation’s ancestral homeland, which they call K’íka·c’é·ki,; until very recently, part of this land was submerged under the Copco 1 reservoir, a narrow lake east of I-5 and just south of the Oregon-California border. “This is the culmination of over 16 years of consistent pressing forward and struggle to get to this point,” said Michael Olson, council member for the Shasta Indian Nation. “It’s a very amazing time for us.” … ” Read more from Jefferson Public Radio.
California will help return tribal lands as part of the historic Klamath River restoration
“More than a century has passed since members of the Shasta Indian Nation saw the last piece of their ancestral home — a landscape along the Klamath River where villages once stood — flooded by a massive hydroelectric project. Now more than 2,800 acres of land that encompassed the settlement, known as Kikacéki, will be returned to the tribe. The reclamation is part of the largest river restoration effort in U.S. history, the removal of four dams and reservoirs that had cut off the tribe from the spiritual center of their world. “For so long we have felt a great loss, a loss of our family, our ancestors, for the loss of our villages and ceremony sites,” said Janice Crowe, chair of the Shasta Indian Nation. “Now we can return home, return to culture, return to ceremony, and begin to weave a new story for the next generation of Shasta, who will get to call our ancestral lands home once again.” … ” Read more from the LA Times.
Klamath Basin Restoration: Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Projects
“The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, enacted in November 2021, is a once-in-a-generation investment in the nation’s infrastructure and economic competitiveness. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service was directly appropriated $455 million, with the Klamath Basin set to receive $162 million of this investment over five years to restore the regional ecosystem and repair local economies. The Klamath Basin’s fragile ecosystem depends on collaborative partnerships among a wide variety of stakeholders and the development of holistic solutions. Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding will help rebuild communities by investing in the ecological infrastructure of the Klamath Basin while working with Tribes, states of California and Oregon, local officials, private landowners, farmers and ranchers and other partners to improve conditions for fish, birds, and local communities. To date, the Service has allocated almost $90 million in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding to support 41 projects driven by Tribes, partners and communities addressing local and regional needs. These wide-reaching conservation projects help to create fish habitat, monitor water quality, quantify ecosystem recovery, improve hydrologic models, and better track salmon and sucker populations. … ” Continue reading from the US Fish & Wildlife Service.
Fort Bragg City Council approves solar and roof projects, purchase agreement for desalination buoy
“During the city council meeting on June 10, the council approved contracts for the city facilities solar project and the fire station roof replacement project. It also approved the purchase agreement for the Oneka desalination buoy project. The city also provided direction for next year’s fiscal budget. The council approved a contract with Syserco Energy Solutions to add solar power to six different Fort Bragg city facilities and be grandfathered into a more favorable metering system. In late 2022, the California Public Utilities Commission voted to transition from NEM 2.0 to NEM 3.0. With NEM 2.0, any excess power produced during the summertime is credited to the solar system owner during the wintertime. However, NEM 3.0 removes this benefit. … ” Read more from the Advocate-News.
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
PG&E shares new information re Spaulding at PCWA meeting
“Placer County Water Agency (PCWA) Directors and members of the public received a status update on the ongoing repairs at the Spaulding facilities from Eric Van Deuren, Sr. Director Power Generation Project Execution for PG&E. His report contained new information, including the root cause for the failed discharge horns in the powerhouse, additional issues with support columns and more. Van Deuren began by explaining why the return to service date for the Spaulding Powerhouse #1 have changed so many times, stating “I think that the key thing to recognize is this is not a normal plan project. … ” Read more from YubaNet.
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
PG&E will temporarily divert water back in Upper Centerville Canal
“Three months after PG&E stopped the flow of an important canal in Magalia, people on the ridge who depended on that water got some good news Thursday night from the utility company. It was a full house at the Magalia community center as people spoke with PG&E about the fate of the Upper Centerville Canal. PG&E will be temporarily diverting water back into the canal. But the water will not be coming from Butte Creek, as it’s still out of service from the breach back in August. PG&E says by law the water has to come from Butte Creek, but recently the company found a way around that, involving diverting water from the Hendricks Canal. … ” Read more from Action News Now.
BAY AREA
Restoring natural waterways in San Francisco’s Mission District and Mission Bay
“Beneath the streets of San Francisco’s Mission District once flowed a rich network of natural waterways. A system of creeks, lagoons, and acres of tidal wetlands oscillated their salinity with the tides, swelled and contracted with the seasons, and served as a naturally modulating microbiome for countless forms of life at the interface between land and sea.The first known people in the Bay Area were the Ohlone speaking tribes such as the Ramaytush in San Francisco. They lived as a partner with this ecosystem for over 10,000 years. But a brief 300 years ago, the Spanish and Americans arrived and changed the land and waterways for the worse. The Spanish began by diverting freshwater for farming and light industrial use, but it was the Americans who shifted environmental engineering into high gear after 1848, filling in land to make way for newly surveyed plots hosting heavier industries like woolen mills, tanneries, glassworks, steelworks, breweries, textiles, and railroads to connect them. … ” Read more from the Sierra Club.
Bay Area is heating up. Its infrastructure isn’t designed for it
“The San Francisco Bay Area is set to endure its first heat wave of the year this month. On June 4, the National Weather Service warned of temperatures touching 100 in the coming weeks. As temperatures across the world rise, each summer is becoming hotter and hotter. Especially in the Bay Area, where summers have historically rarely topped 85 degrees Fahrenheit, the effects of climate change are beginning to appear rather drastically. And contemporary architecture isn’t built for accommodating heat waves and rising temperatures. California’s Fourth Climate Change Assessment Report for the San Francisco Bay Area Region, released in 2018, found that between 1950 and 2005, the average annual maximum temperature increased by 1.7 degrees Fahrenheit. Additionally, the coastal fog that envelops large parts of the Bay and is responsible for respite from the summer heat is “less frequent than before.” … ” Read more from Inside Climate News.
East Bay: Where does your water come from?
“Water is, and will forever be, an essential resource to any community. Its importance and emphasis on use and conversation has been the subject of much conversation in the wake of droughts that have plagued the state in recent years. However, water supplied to each community can vary. Most tap water in the United States comes from surface water or groundwater, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website section on drinking water. Examples of surface water include a lake, river, or reservoir, while examples of groundwater include water from a well or an aquifer. Water can also be recycled. However, water supply, and even quality, can differ from community to community, according to Diablo Water District and Community Relations Manager Kait Knight, adding that it is important for residents to rely on messaging from their local water retailer. Here are some local communities and the respective sources of their water. … ” Read more from the Brentwood Press.
SEE ALSO: Local water agencies happy with supply, from the Brentwood Press
CENTRAL COAST
Land use watchdogs sue the City of Seaside over its 2040 general plan.
“Yet again, the City of Seaside finds itself embroiled in a lawsuit over its attempts to develop the former Fort Ord, just over a week after City Council finalized an $850,000 settlement with Sacramento-based developer Paul Petrovich regarding his attempt to develop the so-called “Main Gate” property north of Lightfighter Drive and east of Highway 1. On June 14, nonprofits Center for Biological Diversity and Landwatch Monterey County sued the City over its approval of an environmental impact report for a general plan update on May 16. The general plan lays out a future vision for development through 2040. It’s not like the council wasn’t warned – both organizations sent letters to the city on May 15, alleging deficiencies in the environmental review of the plan update. Both number more than 40 pages. … ” Read more from Monterey Now.
Coastal Commission eases path to lifting Los Osos’ building freeze
“Los Osos leaped closer to a future without the building moratorium that’s gripped the coastal community for a generation. The California Coastal Commission approved a modified version of the new Los Osos Community Plan, effectively smoothing the way for San Luis Obispo County to amend the local coastal plan governing development in the unincorporated area since the 1970s. “I did take a three-minute shower today,” Los Osos resident Alexandra Fairfield told the Coastal Commission at the June 13 meeting. “Tomorrow, I’ll skip it.” Fairfield belongs to the wave of critics who oppose the commission’s decision. They claim that lifting the suspension on building developments—mainly single-family and multi-family residential units—would dry up what they say is an overdrafted Los Osos Valley Groundwater Basin. … ” Read more from New Times SLO.
Possible sewage spill reported in Pismo Creek
“Pismo Coast Village reported a possible sewage spill into Pismo Creek on Wednesday. At approximately 9:10 a.m., a manhole cover at the Pismo Coast Village Campground overflowed for unknown reasons, causing sewage to flow onto the ground and potentially impact a nearby creek. A contractor was contacted to assess and make necessary repairs. The flow has been stopped and cleanup efforts were made. It is estimated that approximately 100 gallons of sewage may have spilled into Pismo Creek. An ocean water sample was collected at the creek outfall, and warning signs were posted at the beach. San Luis Obispo Environmental Health Services Division advises beachgoers to avoid contacting the ocean water near this creek outfall until sample results indicate acceptable levels of bacteria. … ” Read more from the Paso Robles Daily News.
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
Waterways still dangerously cold despite warm weather across Central California
“Authorities are continuing to stress the importance of water safety after two people drowned in a Madera County creek. “Water that is coming from very high elevations, it is running quite cold. Our latest water temperatures, and the foothills, and the Sierra, and up towards Yosemite national Park are running about 50 to 60 degrees,” said National Weather Service Meteorologist, Stephen McCoy. On Wednesday, two people from Madera County drowned at Angel Falls. The Madera County sheriff’s search and rescue team recovered the bodies of the man and woman after a frantic 911 call sparked the search. … ” Read more from KFSN.
Eastern Tule GSA approves well mitigation pilot program to help local communities that depend on groundwater
“ETGSA entered into a partnership with Self-Help Enterprises (SHE) to help protect access to groundwater for local rural communities. SHE is a non-profit community development organization based in Visalia that focusses on housing and water assistance. The well mitigation pilot program is another step toward finding long-term fixes for local groundwater wells impacted by many decades of overpumping occurring throughout the Central Valley. At a special meeting on June 17, ETGSA’s Board of Directors voted to approve a contract with SHE to kickoff the well mitigation pilot program within ETGSA’s area of the Tule Subbasin. The contract identifies a local domestic well that has gone dry. Under the contract, SHE will cooperate with ETGSA to drill a new well, provide emergency water supplies, and perform appropriate water quality testing. The pilot program is designed to be expanded. The ETGSA will consider a longer term contract with SHE in the near future. … ” Read more from the Porterville Recorder.
State delays Kaweah subbasin’s probationary hearing date by two months
“The state postponed the Kaweah groundwater region’s Nov. 5 probationary hearing until Jan. 7, 2025, according to an announcement at a “state of the subbasin” event held June 19 to answer questions about what probation would mean. “We have some good news for you this afternoon and we could all use some good news,” Mark Larsen, manager of the Greater Kaweah Groundwater Sustainability Agency, said at the meeting. “Our probationary hearing has been moved… That gives us an extra two months to prepare for our hearing.” The California Water Resources Control Board pushed back the hearing because Nov. 5 is Election Day and “…having a board meeting on that day is not ideal for public participation,” wrote a Water Board spokesman in an email to SJV Water. … ” Read more from SJV Water.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Palmdale Water District begins work on demonstration facility
“State, local and regional officials gathered Thursday to mark the beginning of Palmdale Water District’s new water treatment demonstration facility, a project that is expected to not only bolster local water resources, but also make strives toward a carbon-neutral reality. “Climate change is real, and it is something we in the water industry need to deal with,” Charley Wilson, executive director of Southern California Water Coalition said. “The old ways of doing business simply needs to change.” The Pure Water AV demonstration facility will be built on vacant land adjacent the Palmdale Water District’s offices on East Avenue Q. Under the auspices of the Palmdale Recycled Water Authority, the project will treat recycled water — provided by PRWA, a joint powers authority with PWD and the City of Palmdale — to a very high level, then inject it into the underground aquifer to bolster local water supplies. … ” Read more from the Antelope Valley Press.
Cadiz signs Northern Pipeline Delivery Agreement with Santa Margarita Water District
“Cadiz, Inc. (NASDAQ: CDZI / CDZIP) (“Cadiz” or the “Company”), a California water solutions company, today announced that the Company signed a definitive agreement with Santa Margarita Water District (“SMWD”) to deliver water from the Cadiz Water Supply and Storage Project in the Mojave Desert through the Company’s Northern Pipeline. SMWD’s board of directors approved the agreement by unanimous vote at the agency’s board meeting on June 5th. The 50-year take or pay agreement with SMWD follows the previously announced term sheet entered into with SMWD in February 2024. SMWD’s decision to contract for delivery of water through Cadiz’s Northern Pipeline provides key revenue streams expected to support infrastructure financing for the pipeline project. Under the agreement Cadiz is expected to deliver 5,000 acre-feet per year to groundwater banks located along the 220-mile pipeline in the High Desert in exchange for water that can be delivered to SMWD by State Water Contractors with local water suppliers. In accordance with the agreement the price per acre-foot of water from Cadiz, inclusive of all capital, operating and maintenance costs, will not exceed $1,650 per AFY. … ” Read more from Cadiz.
Along the Colorado River …
Arizona Governor’s Water Council reviews “ag to urban” groundwater reform proposal
“The statewide group of stakeholders tasked by Gov. Hobbs to modernize Arizona’s groundwater management laws met on June 18 to discuss reforms considered during the recently concluded session of the State Legislature. Representatives from the Governor’s Office and ADWR provided the Governor’s Water Policy Council with a review of ongoing discussions of rural groundwater legislation and a detailed analysis of an “ag to urban” groundwater-management proposal. “We’re going to share, in that regard, a lot of data, a lot of projections, that ADWR has been working on,” said ADWR Director Tom Buschatzke, who co-chairs the Governor’s Water Council, while introducing his Department’s presentation. “We have made some progress to date and we recognize that there is a path forward, but we also believe that now is the time to act – now and in the near future,” he said. … ” Read more from Arizona Department of Water Resources.
ASU, SRP use laser technology to detect how forest thinning can boost water supply
“New technology is helping ASU researchers better understand how to protect and preserve our water supply. They’re using laser imaging, detection, and ranging or LiDAR which uses light from lasers to map out land and make a virtual forest. The tech shows them how tree thinning can help the water supply. “We get them from flights. Airborne flights from a helicopter that map out the trees using essentially lasers,” said Enrique Vivoni, the director of the Center for Hydrologic Innovations at ASU. This research is part of SRP’s forest restoration project, which aims to thin overly dense forests. … ” Read more from Arizona Family.
In national water news today …
EPA faces ‘difficult choices’ with budget cut
“EPA will keep staffing levels on track despite Capitol Hill’s whack to the agency’s core budget. The agency’s fiscal 2024 operating plan shows EPA’s hiring goal for its base appropriations remained over 15,000 employees, rising slightly compared to the prior year’s target, as President Joe Biden has pushed to grow the agency to handle the mounting workload from his signature climate and infrastructure laws. His administration’s aspirations for EPA, however, have collided with the Republican-led House, which has already slashed the agency’s resources and plans to do so again in upcoming spending legislation. … ” Read more from E&E News.
Ancient ocean slowdown warns of future climate chaos
“When it comes to the ocean’s response to global warming, we’re not in entirely uncharted waters. A UC Riverside study shows that episodes of extreme heat in Earth’s past caused the exchange of waters from the surface to the deep ocean to decline. This system has been described as the “global conveyer belt,” because it redistributes heat around the globe through the movement of the ocean waters, making large portions of the planet habitable. Using tiny, fossilized shells recovered from ancient deep-sea sediments, the study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences demonstrates how the conveyor belt responded around 50 million years ago. … ” Read more from UC California.
Also on Maven’s Notebook today …
DELTA CONVEYANCE PROJECT: Notice of Assignment and Pre-Hearing Conference
NOTICE: SGMA Kaweah Probationary Hearing rescheduled for January 2025; Workshops on draft staff report next week
