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On the calendar today …
- FRIDAY: Central Valley Flood Protection Board from 9am to 3pm. Agenda items include Presentation of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ levee inspection results for the Wadsworth Canal Right Bank, and the Delta Levee Maintenance Subventions Program. Click here for the agenda and remote access instructions.
In California water news today …
California environmental group sues U.S. Forest Service over Arrowhead bottled water operation
“A Southern California environmental group is suing the U.S. Forest Service for allowing bottled water company BlueTriton Brands to pipe water out of the San Bernardino National Forest. The nonprofit group Save Our Forest Assn. filed the lawsuit in federal court, arguing the Forest Service violated federal laws by allowing the company to continue piping water from boreholes and water tunnels in the San Bernardino Mountains. The environmental group said the extraction of water, which is bottled and sold as Arrowhead 100% Mountain Spring Water, has dramatically reduced the flow of Strawberry Creek and is causing significant environmental harm. The group said the Forest Service has granted the company “illegal occupancy” of public lands, and urged the U.S. District Court to order the agency to shut down the network of pipelines and remove the water-diverting infrastructure from the national forest. … ” Read more from the LA Times. | Read via Yahoo News.
One of California’s largest reservoirs is not as big as everyone thought
“Lake Oroville may be the largest state-run reservoir in California, but water officials just learned it’s not as big as they thought. The California Department of Water Resources, during the 2021 and 2022 drought years, took advantage of the reservoir’s historically low levels to map the lakebed and discovered with the help of recently created 3-D models that it’s about 3% smaller than advertised. Starting Monday, the state will change its water supply calculations and reservoir operations to reflect the lake’s reduced water capacity: now 3,424,753 acre-feet instead of 3,537,577 acre-feet. (An acre-foot of water supplies at least two households for a year.) State websites and public information materials also will be updated. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle (gift article).
Research article: Storing and managing water for the environment is more efficient than mimicking natural flows
“Dams and reservoirs are often needed to provide environmental water and maintain suitable water temperatures for downstream ecosystems. Here, we evaluate if water allocated to the environment, with storage to manage it, might allow environmental water to more reliably meet ecosystem objectives than a proportion of natural flow. We use a priority-based water balance operations model and a reservoir temperature model to evaluate 1) pass-through of a portion of reservoir inflow versus 2) allocating a portion of storage capacity and inflow for downstream flow and stream temperature objectives. We compare trade-offs to other senior and junior priority water demands. In many months, pass-through flows exceed the volumes needed to meet environmental demands. Storage provides the ability to manage release timing to use water efficiently for environmental benefit, with a co-benefit of increasing reservoir storage to protect cold-water at depth in the reservoir. … ” Read more from Nature.
Data is key to protecting California’s groundwater
“This year marks the tenth anniversary of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA), the landmark 2014 legislation that regulates California’s groundwater use for the first time. It was a key turning point for a state that had overdrafted its aquifers for decades and was suffering the consequences. Implementing SGMA has been no simple feat, yet one surprising ally has emerged in the fight to restore California’s groundwater: data. It’s no overstatement to say that before SGMA, groundwater management was a bit of a Wild West situation in most of California’s agricultural regions. Apart from county-level reporting, data about where crops were being grown was limited, and information about groundwater conditions was practically non-existent. The legislature, local agencies, and the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) have all played key roles in transforming the data landscape. … ” Read more from the PPIC.
SGMA: DWR releases its periodic reviews of nine alternative GSPs
“The California Department of Water Resources (DWR, the Department) today released nine periodic reviews of Alternatives (Alternatives) to a Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP) submitted by local agencies to meet the requirements of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA). The Department is required to perform a periodic review of each Alternative at least every five years, based on the agency’s periodic evaluation and annual reports, with an emphasis on maintaining or achieving sustainability. Today’s release marks the first time under SGMA that DWR has completed a periodic review of an Alternative or a GSP. SGMA requires that each medium- or high-priority groundwater basin develop a GSP that defines a sustainability goal for the basin (Water Code § 10727). SGMA provided an opportunity for local agencies to submit an Alternative for evaluation and assessment by the Department if the local agency believed that the alternative satisfied the objectives of SGMA for the basin (Water Code § 10733.6). … ” Read more from the Department of Water Resources.
California’s water innovation: Technologies driving sustainability in the Golden State
“Water is critical to California’s economic development, supporting environmental preservation as well as extensive agricultural, industrial, and recreational activities. The high demand for water, particularly in the hot summer months when prolonged droughts and water shortages are common, is fueling growing conflict between different user groups and regions over water availability. The California Water Plan 2023 promotes this vision: “All Californians benefit from water resources that are sustainable, resilient to climate change, and managed to achieve shared values and connections to our communities and the environment.” To achieve the ambitious goals outlined in the California Water Plan, the state has started implementing innovative technologies to manage resources more efficiently in urban and agricultural settings. … ” Read more from San Diego News.
Beavers, back on tribal land after 100 years, could aid California’s fragile ecosystem
“Beavers are precious to the Tule River Indian Tribe. They are woven into the California tribe’s stories and appear in ancient pictographs painted by ancestors on the walls of a rock shelter in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. But when nine of the furry rodents recently slid out of crates and slipped into waterways on the Tule River Reservation, they returned to a habitat where they hadn’t been seen in nearly a century. A family of beavers — three adults, one subadult and three babies, known as “kits” — were released into the South Fork Tule River watershed on June 12, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife said. Two other beavers were released into Miner Creek on June 17. The department conducted the releases in the foothills of the southern Sierra in partnership with the tribe, whose 55,356-acre reservation is based in Porterville, Calif., in Tulare County. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
SEE ALSO: The Tule River Tribe of California recruits an old ally in its fight against wildfires: Beavers, from Grist
Climate Action research grants assist Tribal nations with resource management
“In 2022–23, the state of California allocated $100 million to the University of California to fund research grants supporting climate change resilience in communities across the state. Three of the California Climate Action Seed Grant-funded research projects are establishing collaborations between academic institutions and Tribal nations to support climate change resilience through tribal resource management. The projects involve investigating pinyon pine forest ecology and cultural values in the Eastern Sierra, monitoring fisheries on the North Coast, and surveying the changing landscapes of California Indian Public Domain Lands. … ” Read more from the University of California.
California’s next heat wave is coming — and it could be the worst of 2024
“California is bracing for an intense, long duration heat wave next week with temperatures set to soar to the highest levels so far this year, just in time for Fourth of July celebrations. On Wednesday, the National Weather Service in Sacramento issued an excessive heat watch for the Central Valley from Monday through Friday of next week. Starting Tuesday, high temperatures are likely to range from 105 to 115 degrees for several days in a row across the Central Valley. Inland valley locations around the Bay Area will probably see temperatures in the triple digits, and locations facing the bay along the Peninsula and East Bay should see temperatures in the 80s and 90s. Many locations will see temperatures a good 20 degrees above average for this time of year. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
In commentary today …
Legislative efforts tackle Western wildfires
Dan Keppen, executive director of Family Farm Alliance, writes, “With summer officially underway, the media is already abuzz with predictions of climate change-driven widespread wildfire in the coming months. Fortunately, some federal lawmakers are advancing solutions that many rural Westerners believe gets to the real problem behind these fires: forest management – or rather, the perceived lack of management by federal agencies, driven in part by environmental litigation. … The unhealthy state of our national forests has led to catastrophic wildfires that threaten the reliability, volume, and quality of water for tens of millions of Americans, along with the wildlife, recreational, and multi-purpose values of these lands. Burdensome regulations and frivolous litigation remain the primary obstacles hindering better forest management outcomes. … ” Continue reading at the Western Farm Press.
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
The Klamath River dams are disappearing fast
“The Klamath River dams are almost gone! Removal of the four Klamath River dams is the largest dam removal project in the history of the United States and the largest salmon restoration project ever. It will also begin to restore justice to the Tribes and indigenous peoples who have lived along the Klamath River since time immemorial. Earlier this week, Curtis Knight, CalTrout Executive Director, toured the dams with fellow Klamath River Renewal Corporation board members. His big takeaway: “they’re disappearing fast!” Iron Gate Dam is about halfway gone. Truckload by truckload the dirt used to construct the earthen dam is being removed and relocated to a nearby source area. … ” Read more from Cal Trout.
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
Nevada Irrigation District implements mandatory conservation to address emergency water shortage
“In response to the current water shortage emergency, the Nevada Irrigation District (NID) needs to enact mandatory water conservation measures for all treated- and raw water customers. The measures include an assigned three-day watering schedule for lawns, ornamental landscape and turf. In addition, there is a list of commonsense measures to cut back on treated water usage. NID is entirely reliant on a limited supply of stored water in Rollins and Scotts Flat reservoirs after damaged infrastructure owned by Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) has cut off deliveries through Lake Spaulding to NID. Emergency repairs by PG&E to the infrastructure are underway, but some unforeseen challenges have caused repair delays. This has severe impacts to the District’s operations and, ultimately, its ability to deliver a reliable supply of water to NID’s customers. … ” Read more from YubaNet.
$42-Million TUD Wastewater Treatment Plant overhaul completed
“The Tuolumne Utilities District held a ceremonial ribbon cutting marking the completion of the successful overhaul/replacement of the Sonora Regional Wastewater Treatment facility. The project commenced in October of 2021 and the updated operation, on the outskirts of Sonora, now has the ability to treat an average of two million gallons of wastewater per day. The $42-million project replaces an outdated plant built in the 1970s. The project site was strategically contained within the footprint of the existing treatment plant on Southgate Drive. All five board members, and several other local leaders, were on hand for a Wednesday celebration at the facility, and the ceremonial ribbon was cut by Board President Jeff Kerns. … ” Read more from My Mother Lode.
Addressing hydro impacts on Yuba River salmon: Public process brings focus on potential solutions
“On July 10th, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission will hold a public hearing regarding the relicensing of the Narrows 1 Project located on the lower Yuba River in Nevada County. Below is background on relicensing of the Narrows 1 Project and more information about the upcoming public hearing and opportunity to comment. The Federal Energy Commission (FERC) is charged with the licensing of non-federal hydroelectric dams. These legally binding licenses require dam operators to meet certain conditions on the river and may include additional conditions such as recreational access, minimum river flows, and monitoring of fish. … ” Read more from the South Yuba River Citizens League.
‘This is how you Tahoe:’ BEBOT expands into North Tahoe ahead of July Fourth
“It was a relatively colder morning on Monday, June 17, but that didn’t stop beachgoers from setting up chairs and blankets at Kings Beach. The sight of corduroyed sand that the beach cleaning robot, called BEBOT, left behind had some beach visitors pause for a moment before settling into a spot. If the track shoed robot and its evidence in the sand didn’t reveal that something was going on, the Keep Tahoe Blue popup tent, coned-off beach sections and those gathered in high visibility vests did. This was BEBOT’s debut of its North Tahoe expansion with a series of beach cleanings lined up for the remainder of June. The kick off didn’t start small. This Kings Beach cleaning was the most square footage BEBOT has covered to date and most litter collected in one cleanup. … ” Read more from the Tahoe Daily Tribune.
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
Paradise Irrigation District is getting major props for its high-quality water
“The Paradise Irrigation District is getting major props for its high-quality water. Especially after the drinking water of almost a million Californians failed to meet state requirements this year. The Association of California Water Agencies, or ACWA, came to Paradise on Thursday to host a tour to highlight the Camp Fire recovery process. The Paradise Irrigation Water System was highlighted not only for being a key part of Paradise’s recovery but they were also highlighted for how well Paradise’s water system is doing. … ” Read more from Action News Now.
NAPA/SONOMA
Rough waters–controversy brewing over riverbank access in Forestville
“Just when you thought it was safe to get back in the water, there’s a new kerfuffle brewing along the Russian River. Lynda Hopkins is the Sonoma County supervisor representing the area. Hopkins looked into a series of complaints aired on social media about incidents along a stretch of riverbank in Forestville after KRCB News reached out to her, Sonoma County Regional Parks and California State Parks. “What we’re sort of hearing about is folks attempting to access the beach from the river side and that actually being defended by a security guard and also a string of buoys,” Hopkins said. … ” Read more from Northern California Public Media.
BAY AREA
‘Phenomenal’: Species rebounds in Bay Area creek
“When Randy Renn, a biologist with the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, first started monitoring steelhead trout at Alameda Creek near Sunol in 2015, his traps were usually empty. This year, for the first time, he has too many fish to keep track of. “It’s been a lot of work for sure, but rewarding work,” Renn said, who has been coming down to the creek to catch the trout every day since his fish-tagging season began on Feb. 1. “Just to be here and see that increase, it’s phenomenal.” The dramatic increase in the steelhead is part of a larger, decades-long effort to restore the habitat of this native species that has been trapped in creeks in the hills and unable to make its migratory journey to the ocean. This year the endangered fish began making the entire journey through Niles Canyon and the final urban stretch to the San Francisco Bay in meaningful numbers. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
The creek cleanups will continue indefinitely
“At the rumble of the trash compactor’s approach, and the arrival of two police cars, many of the creekside camp’s residents elect to take their leave. One emerges from a blue-green tent flap and whizzes past us on his bicycle, mouthing a “good morning.” For the authorities, he’s left behind a collection of trash and assorted items, heaped neatly away from his home and angled toward the road. It’s around 9:30am on the banks of Penitencia Creek in San Jose, and Santa Clara Valley Water is here for creek clean-up. This public agency that provides water to county residents is charged with keeping water sources clean and preventing floods. … ” Read more from Bay Nature.
County receives $1.5 million from state to develop Contra Costa Resilient Shoreline Plan
“Contra Costa County received $1,499,285 from the California Ocean Protection Council’s Senate Bill 1 Sea Level Rise Adaptation Planning Grant Program, which aims to provide funding for coastal communities to develop plans to combat sea level rise and projects to build resilience along the entire coast of California and the San Francisco Bay, according to a press release from the state. The Contra Costa Resilient Shoreline Plan will create a comprehensive roadmap to address sea level rise across the entire 90-miles of the county’s shoreline with a focus on impacted communities. It will serve a coordinating and organizational role for local plans in alignment with Bay Conservation and Development Commission guidelines and explore natural and constructed infrastructure improvements. … ” Read more from the Brentwood Press.
Report: Look Out Below: Groundwater rise impacts on East Palo Alto — a case study for equitable adaptation
“As Bay Area policymakers plan for the impacts of sea level rise, they have an opportunity and a duty to address another emerging climate change hazard: groundwater rise. Without adaptation measures, groundwater rise in the Bay Area’s low-lying communities will increase inland flood risks , damage belowground infrastructure, mobilize contaminants at legacy industrial sites, and increase the risk of building collapse in the event of an earthquake. SPUR partnered with community-based organization Nuestra Casa to explore how rising groundwater is likely to affect one Bay Area city: East Palo Alto. Our case study found that groundwater rise will exacerbate existing vulnerabilities in East Palo Alto caused by proximity and exposure to contaminated sites, existing flood exposure, aging infrastructure, and small privately-owned utility providers –– vulnerabilities common to other low-lying and low-income Bay shore communities. … ” Continue reading and access the report from SPUR.
East Palo Alto’s groundwater risk has vital lessons for the city
“New research further magnifies the growing risk rising groundwater poses to San Francisco and other low-lying Bay Area cities. The nonprofit SPUR (the San Francisco Bay Area Planning and Urban Research Association) and the East Palo Alto community organization Nuestra Casa released a study earlier this week analyzing the impacts groundwater rise could have on East Palo Alto. The research centered on the Peninsula city because of its proximity to the water, making it one of the Bay Area jurisdictions most susceptible to groundwater rise. But the findings, researchers said, can be applied to all of the Bay Area’s at-risk cities, including San Francisco. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Examiner.
CENTRAL COAST
San Luis Obispo County will release reservoir water into the Salinas River. Here’s why
“After a rainy winter in San Luis Obispo County, the sunshine is finally back for summer — but this means parts of the Salinas River are drying up. On Monday, the San Luis Obispo County Public Works Department confirmed there was a dry section of the Salinas River in Monterey County near Bradley Road, the agency announced in a news release. Without a free-flowing river, the county will resume releasing water from the Salinas Reservoir Dam at Santa Margarita Lake back into the Salinas River, the agency said. The agency is required by a 1972 California State Water Resources Control Board ruling to release water from the reservoir when part of the river dries up to ensure property owners downstream have access to water, SLO County Public Works Department program manager Laura Holder said. … ” Read more from the San Luis Obispo Tribune. | Read via Yahoo News.
Higuera Apartments will gain safe drinking water through SLO annexation with the help of the state water board
“After suffering from water contamination for nearly seven years, a disadvantaged apartment community in unincorporated San Luis Obispo County could find respite under the city of SLO’s wing. The SLO City Council unanimously voted on June 18 to annex the 3-acre South Higuera Street lot that houses a 24-unit apartment complex connected to a single nitrate-polluted well. The city will consolidate Higuera Apartments—4320 South Higuera St., south of Los Osos Valley Road—and its 30 residents so that they can connect to SLO’s safer water and wastewater systems instead. … ” Read more from New Times SLO.
Bonita Elementary drinking water project moving forward
“Bonita Elementary School’s plan to connect to Santa Maria’s main water supply is moving forward, with the next step being an application submitted to the Local Agency Formation Commission, according to City spokesperson Mark van de Kamp. The project aims to eliminate a contaminated water supply that creates the need for students and staff to drink bottled water. The Santa Maria-Bonita School District is still working to finalize the design of the project, van de Kamp said. “Once design is complete the school district is to secure grant funds for the construction of the project, among many other items associated with this project,” said van de Kamp. Construction on connection to the city water supply is expected to begin in January 2025 and last for approximately a year. … ” Read more from the Santa Maria Times.
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
Okieville water recharge project a “poster child” of partnership to protect residential water
“More than 40 engineers, landowners, water officials and drinking water advocates gathered along the banks of a full, flowing canal in Tulare County Thursday to inaugurate the Okieville Recharge Basin. But the first order of business on the hot summer day was snow cones. The 21-acre project is a “poster child” of partnership that will yield multiple benefits, Tulare Irrigation District manager Aaron Fukuda said. But like most construction projects, it didn’t come without delays or obstacles. “This project epitomizes how people worked together and did not give up,” he said of the nine-year effort. … ” Read more from SJV Water.
EASTERN SIERRA
Water woes continue for Inyokern folks
Darla Baker writes, “Inyokern residents are under advisory to boil their tap water before drinking or cooking with it due to problems that arose with the water well’s pressure system, pumps and hydropneumatic tanks which are maintained by the Inyokern Community Services District (ICSD). According to Jeff Densmore of the State Water Resources Control Board, Division of Drinking Water, the problem started last Friday when he received a call from ICSD stating the well was not operating and that residents would eventually run out of water. Densmore said he was also told that there was still plenty of water available in the tank. … ” Continue reading at the Ridgecrest Independent.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Lake Hemet, Lake Elsinore have toxic algae blooms. What to know
“As tempting as it is to take a dip or go fishing in area lakes right now given the summer heat, beware of potentially harmful cyanobacteria, also known as toxic or blue green algae, that can sicken you or be deadly, especially to children and pets. “highly toxic” harmful algal bloom at shallow Lake Elsinore triggered a “danger” advisory by regulators on Wednesday, who warned the public to avoid water contact of any kind and to not eat any fish or shellfish from the lake. The State Water Resources Control Board, in conjunction with the Santa Ana Regional Water Quality Control Board and City of Lake Elsinore, urged the public to stay out of the water, including refraining from boating and paddle boarding. … ” Read more from the Desert Sun.
SAN DIEGO
San Diego to spend up to $100 million for dam safety consultant over next 10 years
“In recent years, the city of San Diego has released more than 11 billion gallons of freshwater from city-owned reservoirs into the ocean. It has been done because many of the dams holding the water in are failing and have been placed on water restrictions to prevent a breach. Now, the city of San Diego is looking to hire an outside consultant to manage its dam safety program for the next ten years at a price of up to $100 million. The cost of the consultant is in addition to the potential billions of dollars needed to repair or replace some of the dams listed in “unsatisfactory” or “poor” condition, which include those at Lake Hodges, Lake Murray, Morena Reservoir, and El Capitan. … ” Read more from Channel 8.
Water rates look poised to go up — but not as steeply as feared. That could create its own problems.
“Local water bills might not be going up quite as sharply next year as expected. The County Water Authority’s board tentatively shrank a proposed rate hike for wholesale water from 18 percent to 14 percent on Thursday — despite concerns the move could hurt the water authority’s credit rating. An increase in wholesale rates will force nearly every local water agency to pass on the extra costs to its customers, but just how much gets passed on could vary widely. Some agencies buy less wholesale water than others, especially those with groundwater basin storage or other local water supplies. … ” Read more from the San Diego Union-Tribune.
Plans for La Jolla Shores seat wall detailed at Coastal Resilience Master Plan meeting
“More details are coming to light about the city of San Diego’s plans for La Jolla Shores as part of its Coastal Resilience Master Plan following a public workshop June 25 at the La Jolla/Riford Library. The in-development master plan includes concept-level designs for six locations along San Diego’s coast, including two at La Jolla Shores and one at Tourmaline Beach at La Jolla’s southern boundary with Pacific Beach. According to the city, the plan will identify coastal projects or approaches that mimic or are designed after natural ecosystems and processes “to improve the resilience of our communities to sea-level rise while also benefiting wildlife, habitat and natural coastal resources.” One of the projects proposed for La Jolla Shores is an elevated earthen dike on the north and south ends of Kellogg Park with a seat wall along the existing parking lot. … ” Read more from the San Diego Union-Tribune.
Along the Colorado River …
Las Vegas’ water is ‘very hard.’ Is that cause for alarm?
“By all federal standards, the water we drink in Southern Nevada from the Colorado River is safe, according to water quality data released every year by water managers. A vast network of filtering and treatment centers, including the Las Vegas Wash that carries treated wastewater to Lake Mead, helps make this a reality. But one measure that’s pulled focus in discussions around water quality is so-called “hardness,” or the total amount of dissolved minerals picked up as water makes its way down the river from the Rocky Mountains. The minerals in question are mostly calcium and magnesium, which scientists agree have no effect on public health. The Las Vegas area is unique in that 90 percent of its water comes from the Colorado River, whereas other major urban cities in the Southwest can more heavily rely on groundwater that’s less mineral-dense, said Bronson Mack, a spokesman for the Southern Nevada Water Authority, which oversees water resources across the region. … ” Read more from the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
Arizona commentary: We need collaboration over cynicism to solve groundwater challenges
Stefanie Smallhouse, Arizona Farm Bureau president and a southern Arizona rancher, writes, “An unhealthy plate of cynicism with a side of hypocrisy is served up every day in politics. So let me offer a bit of sincerity to sum up the last several months. In November, Gov. Katie Hobbs’ Water Policy Council finalized its report outlining the principle guidelines and key elements for any future groundwater management framework. The Council did not author any proposed legislation, which makes sense. Historically, these advisory councils have created the priorities and set the guardrails for water policy in Arizona. This is then followed up by a more intensive effort on the part of smaller groups with particular expertise and direct impact, to then hammer out the details. … ” Read more from the Arizona Capitol Times.
In national water news today …
Water conference promotes collaboration in competitive field
“The American Geophysical Union hosted its biennial water conference, WaterSciCon, in Saint Paul’s appropriately-named RiverCentre convention center this week where hydrologic and other water-centric researchers and enthusiasts from academic, government and civilian backgrounds gathered to discuss new developments in the field. From new stormwater management systems, to the challenges of sharing data in a field where “publish or perish” reins and data formats abound, the conference provided a forum for scientists — hydrologists, data scientists, geophysicists, and more — to present their research on waterways, precipitation and all other forms of water from around the world. The second WaterSciCon ever, subtitled “Catalyzing Collaborations,” was facilitated by the American Geophysical Union and the nonprofit Consortium of Universities for the Advancement of Hydrologic Science, Inc., a research organization funded by the National Science Foundation. … ” Read more from the Courthouse News Service.
Flume to lead largest residential water use study in North America
“Flume Water, a leading provider of smart water monitoring solutions, is pleased to announce that the Water Research Foundation (WRF) has selected Flume to conduct the Residential End Uses of Water Study, Version 3. This prestigious research project will be the largest and most significant residential end-use study ever conducted in North America with over 50 utility partners. This opportunity underscores Flume’s commitment to advancing water research and improving water management now and into the future.”We are honored to have been selected by the Water Research Foundation to conduct the Residential End Uses of Water Study, Version 3,” said Eric Adler, CEO of Flume. “Flume is uniquely positioned to perform this study based on our extensive water data collection, which gives us unprecedented insight into the water use patterns of North American households. This study is critical for ensuring long-term sustainability and community resilience, and we are proud to contribute to this vital effort.” … ” Read more from Flume.
Study finds small streams, recently stripped of protections, are a big deal
“Last year, the Supreme Court sharply restricted the federal government’s ability to limit pollution in small streams that sit dry for much of the year and fill up only after rainfall or snowmelt. Now, a new study finds that those bodies, so-called ephemeral streams, are significantly more important to the nation’s waterways than often appreciated. The research, published Thursday in the journal Science, estimates that 55 percent of the water flowing out of America’s river basins can be traced back to millions of ephemeral streams that flow only periodically. The findings suggest that the Supreme Court ruling, which rolled back protections for those streams, could leave large bodies of water vulnerable to pollution. … ” Read more from the New York Times.
Supreme Court overrules landmark precedent on government authority
“The Supreme Court overruled a key administrative law ruling Friday, tossing out four decades of precedent and limiting the government’s ability to interpret federal laws. Chevron v. Natural Resources Defense Council gave deference to federal agencies’ interpretation of statutes. For 40 years, the precedent has been the backbone of administrative law, limiting judicial decision-making in favor of agency expertise. Two years ago, the conservative supermajority created a carveout from Chevron, allowing judges to discard agency deference if the contested regulation concerns a major question. The justices already used the broad ruling to question the government’s authority to regulate air pollution and forgive student loans. … ” Read more from the Courthouse News Service.
