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On the calendar today …
- WEBINAR: Restoring the Klamath River – What We are Learning from America’s Largest Dam Removal Project from 12pm to 1pm. Removal of four outdated hydroelectric dams has begun the revival of the Klamath River and its once prodigious salmon runs. Decades of Indigenous activism, negotiations, and meticulous planning led to this ambitious restoration, which brings ecosystems back to life and confronts century-old historic injustices. What are we learning as dams are removed? How do we expect nature to respond in coming months and years? And how can this effort catalyze broader environmental and cultural reconciliation across California and the United States? Join us for a candid conversation with key leaders driving this remarkable transformation. Click here to register.
In California water news today …
From litigation to collaboration: How environmentalists and water agencies went from fighting over fish to helping them
“A decade ago, California fish advocates and water suppliers seldom crossed paths except as entrenched opponents in a court of law. Worse, both sides often drew opposite conclusions from the same science on how the state’s massive water delivery projects affect Delta smelt, salmon, and other species listed under the federal Endangered Species Act. Finally, in 2013, a judge decided he’d had enough. “The courts got tired of hearing differing interpretations of the science,” says Samuel Luoma, a University of California, Davis research ecologist who has worked in the Bay-Delta for decades. “The judge said, ‘You guys need to start talking to each other―don’t argue it out in front of me!’” The resulting court order sparked the Collaborative Science and Adaptive Management Program (CSAMP), a surprisingly little known effort considering that it literally brings top people from environmental nonprofits, water agencies, and state and federal fish and wildlife agencies to the same table. … ” Continue reading from Maven’s Notebook.
Conserving California’s freshwater biodiversity under climate change
“The conservation of freshwater biodiversity has emerged as a global challenge. The loss of habitat and the changing climate are reducing the viability of native freshwater species worldwide—and California is no exception to this. For decades the state has struggled to protect its native species. Today, roughly half of California’s native freshwater plants and animals are vulnerable to extinction by the end of this century (Howard et al. 2015; Moyle et al 2022). Rapid changes in climate are making it harder to conserve these species. Californians have shown an enduring commitment to protecting native species. Numerous efforts are underway to meet that challenge. All Californians benefit when their freshwater ecosystems—meadows, streams, lakes, rivers, floodplains, wetlands, marshlands, estuaries—are healthy enough to support multiple human uses as well as biodiversity. But rapid changes in climate, along with historic land and water uses, are making it increasingly likely that many native species will disappear, and new, less-desirable ecosystems will appear. Urgent action is needed. … ” Read more from the California Water Blog.
Invasive Species: California’s three-billion dollar problem
“Invasive species cause billions of dollars worth of damage in the United States annually, and California is no exception. In 2021, it was reported that the United States spent between $120 billion and 137 billion per year on the environmental damage caused by invasive species, which are defined as organisms (plants, animals, microbes) that are not native to an environment, and once introduced, quickly reproduce, spread and cause harm to the environment, economy or even human health. In California, at least $3 billion is spent annually on eradicating invasive pests, according to the University of California Riverside. The university adds that 80% of endangered species are threatened globally by invasive species, making them second to habitat destruction as the largest threats that native species face. … ” Read more from Fox 40.
California’s heat wave is ending. Here’s what’s next
“After nearly two weeks of record-breaking temperatures and relentless heat advisories blanketing the state, California’s heat wave is set to conclude this weekend. Heat advisories in the Bay Area expired Friday night, while those in the Sacramento and San Joaquin Valleys are expected to lift by Saturday evening. By Sunday, the only locations in California expected to remain under a heat advisory are in the Sierra and the eastern parts of the state near the Nevada border. A massive ridge of high pressure, also known as a heat dome, that has been centered over California since early July has finally shifted east, toward Utah, taking the most intense heat with it. Temperatures across the Bay Area will be 10 to 15 degrees cooler over the weekend, with no triple-digit heat expected in inland areas for the first time in over a week. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
SEE ALSO:
Kayaking the West Coast’s biggest marsh
“For most people, the coffee-colored waters of the Suisun Marsh are just a body of water you pass by on the way to the Bay Area. To James Burge, the marsh is so much more. “Water for me and I believe a lot of people, after they experience it, is calming. It’s good for the soul, good for the mind, can destress and just kind of connect yourself with nature,” he said. Burge runs Grizzly Waters Kayaking out of Suisun City, an intimate and sometimes windy tour of the largest tidal estuary west of the Mississippi. “‘Suisun’ means ‘the west wind’ literally, so the Suisun Indians are people of the west winds,” Burge explained. Unlike a swamp, a marsh generally doesn’t have trees to break the wind. In the case of Suisun Marsh, tule reeds are the main respite from wind. … ” Read more from Channel 10.
Coastal restoration: Saving sand
“We need to talk about sand. Most people don’t realize that these humble grains — that ubiquitous stuff of vacations, ant farms and hourglasses — are the second-most used natural resource in the world after water. According to a 2019 report from the United Nations Environment Programme, we use more than 55 billion tons of it per year — nearly 40 pounds per person per day. And a lot of that sand comes from illegal activity, involving criminal gangs who mine, smuggle, and kill for the precious material. Sand — legal or otherwise — gets used to enhance beaches, extract petroleum through hydraulic fracking, fill land under buildings, and make computer chips. But the biggest amount by far — an estimated 85% of the sand mined globally — goes into making concrete. … ” Read more from The Revelator.
Legal analysis: Loper Bright: What is not impacted by the Supreme Court’s recent ruling overturning the Chevron Doctrine
“On June 28, 2024, the Supreme Court of the United States (Supreme Court) issued a decision in Loper Bright Enterprises, et al. v. Raimondo, Secretary of Commerce, et al., No. 22-451, 2024 U.S. LEXIS 2882 (Loper Bright), overturning the doctrine established by its prior decision in Chevron U.S.A. Inc. v. Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc., 467 U.S. 837 (1984) (Chevron). The Chevron doctrine directed courts to defer to certain instances of a federal agency’s statutory interpretation if the statute at issue is ambiguous and the agency’s interpretation was reasonable. Chevron deference could not, however, be invoked for every instance in which a federal agency interpreted the law. Instead, courts would consider whether to apply Chevron only when an agency interpretation was issued in the exercise of its authority to act with the force of law. … ” Read more from Somach Simmons & Dunn.
Agricultural groups help bring bond measure to the November ballot
“Western United Dairies and the Almond Alliance have helped to secure the passage of the legislation placing a new bond measure on the ballot in November. The Legislature passed SB 867, known as the Safe Drinking Water, Wildfire Prevention, Drought Preparedness, and Clean Air Bond Act of 2024 which will be voted on in the November General Election. If approved, it will provide $10 billion for projects to improve water and wildfire resilience, protect biodiversity, and support sustainable farming. … ” Read more from Ag Net West.
Padilla, Napolitano urge Bureau of Reclamation to increase project cap for water recycling projects
“Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Chair of the Environment and Public Works (EPW) Subcommittee on Fisheries, Water, and Wildlife, and Representative Grace Napolitano (D-Calif.-31) led 27 lawmakers from the Western United States in calling on the Bureau of Reclamation to raise the per-project cap on federal funding for Title XVI water recycling projects from $30 million to $40 million by adjusting the cap for inflation. The Title XVI water recycling program provides up to 25 percent cost-shared funding for the planning, design, and construction of water reuse projects, and has allowed water providers in the West to leverage federal funding for water recycling and water reuse infrastructure for nearly 30 years. … ” Read more from Senator Alex Padilla.
Over $100 million is going toward projects to combat drought and climate change — here’s what’s being done
“Thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, $179 million will be invested in water reuse projects across the American West. According to CleanTechnica, these projects will be centered in California and Utah, areas that often struggle with drought. Projects receiving funding include water recycling in Los Angeles and Ventura, California, groundwater replenishment in Los Angeles, and water reuse initiatives in Washington County, Utah. These projects will help the areas have more options when it comes to their water supply and make that supply more resistant to drought. This is a timely investment, indeed. As of 2022, the previous 22 years were the driest of the last 1,200 years in that geographic area, according to a UCLA study. At the worst points, cities have announced major cutbacks in water usage after massive heat waves caused serious illness and raised water demand. … ” Read more from The Cool Down.
In commentary today …
A resilient water future for the San Joaquin Valley is within reach.
Ashley Boren, CEO of Sustainable Conservation, writes, “The San Joaquin Valley recently received some good news about its groundwater: We are replenishing more of it whenever we have the chance. Comparing two recent wet years — 2017 to 2023 — the volume of water returned to the Valley’s groundwater aquifers through recharge increased by 17%. This finding, released by the Public Policy Institute of California, validates the hard work of all those who helped move the needle on groundwater recharge in the past six years. But we can’t let our foot off the gas now. The partnerships forged, research conducted, policies developed, risks taken and hours spent in the field charted the course for 2023’s positive momentum, and we must keep going to realize the full potential of recharge in California. … ” Read more from the Fresno Bee. | Read via Yahoo News.
Commentary: What the state should do about water shortage
Rick Wood writes, “In a recent Letter to the Editor (“Water Plan Isn’t Legal,” July 7), I was critical of the State Water Resources Control Board’s approach to the state’s projected water shortage, specifically regulations requiring each local and regional urban water agency reduce use based on a percentage of historical use regardless of the supply available to that agency. I even suggested that’s illegal: The state can’t deprive anyone of water they have a right to use without compensating them for it, and the state is doing exactly that. Today, I try to do the responsible thing and outline an approach for the state that would both be effective and legal. … ” Read more from the Daily Republic.
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
‘It represents a future’: Locals on restoring the ecosystem of the Klamath River
The Klamath River dams removal is the largest river restoration project in U.S. history, and it is nearly finished after years of toxic algae, dead wildlife and protests from local natives who wanted change. NBC News’ Steve Patterson has the latest update on the dams’ removal.
California Trout releases Eel River restoration report
“California Trout released its Eel River management and restoration report earlier this month, outlining its priority to restore species diversity and habitat restoration in the watershed. What California Trout has is a plan, what it doesn’t have is funding. The river recovery plan — which can be read in full at https://bit.ly/3zxO96H — details initiatives to reinvigorate the watershed’s biological health, but acknowledges it needs significant fiscal resources to pursue river health improvements and there’s no completely reversing the damage done by the dams and development. “The priority is to restore what can be restored to support critical aquatic species. The watershed itself is huge, and it’s not realistic to try to restore the whole watershed back to what it would have been like pre-contact before,” Christine Davis, California Trout’s North Coast project manager, said. … ” Read more from the Eureka Times-Standard.
Lady of the Lake: Saving the lake through shoreline stewardship
“Dear Lady of the Lake, I heard that Clear Lake has lost wetland shorelines needed to help improve the water quality of the lake, which gets pretty green and concerning during the summer. We live on the lake, is there something we can do to help the lake and the shorelines? A: Thanks for this question! This is a great topic to discuss right now as the lake is clearly demonstrating what happens when a natural water body has too many nutrients and too little natural shoreline to help trap or use those nutrients – an abundance of cyanobacteria and algae blooms! The good news is that together, as informed shoreline stewards, we have the power to make a change that will have some positive impacts on Clear Lake water quality. … ” Continue reading at the Lake County News.
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
Billionaires keep trying to buy up Tahoe, but the land has never been theirs
“Meeks Bay is a crescent-shaped beach on Lake Tahoe’s West Shore. It’s smaller and quieter than its iconic, touristy neighbor to the south, Emerald Bay. But with a broad bench of sand, calm water for swimming and tall pines that shade picnic tables and campsites, the stretch of shoreline is hard to beat for a summer day spent lounging on the beach. …The tribe has managed the beach concession here for 20 years and, last year, signed a contract with the Forest Service for another 20 years. The bay is one of the only places in the Tahoe Basin that’s easily accessible for tribal members, and more importantly, is a place where they feel comfortable and welcomed. “This is the Washoe Tribe’s last stronghold,” said Rhiana Jones, director of the Washoe Tribe’s environmental protection department. “This is where Washoe people come to feel comfortable. This is where they feel accepted.” … ” Read more from SF Gate.
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
Spotlight on the Pacific Flyway in the Sacramento Valley
“The Pacific Flyway is one of four major North American migration routes for birds, especially waterfowl, and extends from Alaska and Canada, through California, to Mexico and South America. The Sacramento Valley plays a significant role within the Flyway, providing crucial habitat for these traveling birds. This unique region is not only a haven for waterfowl but also plays an essential role in Northern California’s integrated water system. The Sacramento Valley stands as the most important wintering area for waterfowl along the Pacific Flyway. Migrating birds depend on this region to rest and feed during their annual journeys. In addition to the various species of waterfowl, the Valley also supports raptors, shorebirds, and numerous other species that rely on this habitat year-round. … ” Read more from the Northern California Water Association.
Federal judge approves settlement against Butte County over water contamination
“A federal judge approved a consent decree Friday in a case brought by a California environmental nonprofit against Butte County over a county-run solid waste facility. That nonprofit, California Open Lands, maintains a wetland preserve in Butte County that leads to a Sacramento River tributary. The wetland sits near the Neal Road Recycling and Waste Facility — and during a major rainstorm in 2019, the nonprofit said the facility allowed contaminants to seep out of its facility and into the wetland. The Butte County Department of Public Works operates the facility, which was damaged during the devastating Camp Fire in November 2018. In February 2019, a rainstorm inundated the area. The storm caused leachate from the facility to seep into a stormwater basin and into a ditch that flows into the nonprofit’s wetland preserve, California Open Lands claimed. The group said stormwater next flowed into an unnamed creek and then into Hamlin Slough — a tributary of Butte Creek which is itself a tributary of the Sacramento River. … ” Read more from the Courthouse News Service.
NAPA/SONOMA
Water Report: Both Lake Sonoma and Lake Mendocino are still nearly filled to capacity
“Lake Sonoma is currently at 95.2% of storage capacity and Lake Mendocino is at 83%, both excellent. Nonetheless, although they are nearly full, Sonoma Water still notes that it is important to save water. The fire season has come early to our area, among other water demands. In this hot weather use of potable water increases; people irrigate more and need to stay hydrated. In recent years, low rainfall seriously lowered the level of water in reservoirs, both Lake Sonoma and Lake Mendocino, sources of water that are used by Sonoma Water, the supplier of water in the County of Sonoma that provides water to the Valley of Moon Water District and the City of Sonoma. … ” Read more from the Sonoma Valley Sun.
Tensions flare over the public’s right to use privately owned Russian River beaches
“Framed by the historic Hacienda Bridge as it spans the water west of Forestville, the Russian River delivers a steady stream of strangers to the edge of Hacienda Beach. Hundreds of people ― maybe thousands ― float or paddle downriver on hot weekends and summer holidays, rounding a curve toward the bridge and the privately owned beach just beyond. There are paddleboards, kayaks, canoes and inflatables, as well as clusters of colorful, linked inner tubes that form boisterous floating parties ― all directly on course for a beach that has been long reserved for members of the 85-year-old Hacienda Improvement Association. … Hacienda homeowners understandably, want to keep the 3-acre, gravel beach to themselves. But that’s not the law, experts and public officials say. … ” Read more from the Santa Rosa Press Democrat.
BAY AREA
Tomales Bay forest management project clears hurdle
“California State Parks has approved a controversial 10-year project that involves prescribed burns and the use of masticators and herbicides in the Tomales Bay forest. A project analysis shows that the work described is consistent with the public works plan for the state park that received unanimous approval from the California Coastal Commission in April. The new project analysis was submitted to the state Board of Forestry and Fire Protection on July 8. The move signals that state parks officials are gearing up to seek clearance from the Coastal Commission to start work. Although the commission already approved the public works plan, state parks staffers need project-specific approval at a public hearing before any pile burning, brush clearing or tree cutting can begin. … ” Read more from the Marin Independent Journal.
Marin Municipal Water District seeks water storage gains by altering dam spillways
“The Marin Municipal Water District is exploring options to increase its storage capacity by modifying spillways on reservoir dams. The district board recently authorized spending up to $2.2 million to design proposals for potential projects at Nicasio Reservoir, Soulajule Reservoir, Kent Lake and Alpine Lake. Spillways are the parts of a dam that provide controlled release of water downstream. Work has already been done to determine that it could be possible to alter Seeger Dam at the Nicasio Reservoir with floodgates to add about 3,000 acre-feet of storage capacity. Early estimations indicate it would be around a $5 million construction project. “This project is what’s kind of called the spin-off of the bigger water storage projects that staff are working on,” Alex Anaya, director of engineering, said during a project update on June 21. … ” Read more from the Marin Independent Journal.
Marin water reservoirs remain above average amid summer heat
“Marin County water managers say two consecutive wet winters have provided a bountiful supply for the year as reservoir levels remain above average for July. Both the Marin Municipal Water District and the North Marin Water District ended the fiscal year on June 30 with above-average rainfall counts. The Marin Municipal Water District recorded 62 inches of rain from July 2023 through June, or about 120% of the average of 52 inches. “Which is great considering the year before we also were well above average,” Lucy Croy, the district water quality manager, said in an update on the water supply at a meeting on July 2. … ” Read more from the Marin Independent Journal.
Unprecedented numbers of gray whales are visiting San Francisco Bay, and nobody quite knows why
“When Bill Keener started working at the Marine Mammal Center as a field biologist in the 1970s, there were no whales or dolphins in San Francisco Bay. The waters east of the Golden Gate Bridge were chock- full of life — sea lions and harbor seals galore — but not a cetacean to be seen. Starting in the late 2000s, things began to change. There are now four cetacean species living in or regularly visiting the busy waters east of the Golden Gate — harbor porpoises, gray whales, humpback whales and bottle-nosed dolphins. Yet Keener and other marine researchers aren’t sure if the animals’ presence is a sign of ecosystem health and rejuvenation or a portent of planetary disaster. And in each case, the story is a little different. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
World’s first hydrogen-powered commercial ferry to run on San Francisco Bay, and it’s free to ride
“The world’s first hydrogen-powered commercial passenger ferry will start operating on San Francisco Bay as part of plans to phase out diesel-powered vessels and reduce planet-warming carbon emissions, California officials said Friday, demonstrating the ship. The 70-foot (21-meter) catamaran called the MV Sea Change will transport up to 75 passengers along the waterfront between Pier 41 and the downtown San Francisco ferry terminal starting July 19, officials said. The service will be free for six months while it’s being run as part of a pilot program. “The implications for this are huge because this isn’t its last stop,” said Jim Wunderman, chair of the San Francisco Bay Area Water Emergency Transportation Authority, which runs commuter ferries across the bay. “If we can operate this successfully, there are going to be more of these vessels in our fleet and in other folks’ fleets in the United States and we think in the world.” … ” Read more from the Associated Press.
Massive fish die-off in Fremont’s Lake Elizabeth points to decades of neglect
“The death of 1,000 fish in Fremont’s Lake Elizabeth shocked residents and drew widespread news coverage this month. But in reality, the problems at the city’s 83-acre lake go much deeper — and stretch back decades. The city maintains the die-off was simply a result of the heat, but Joyce Blueford, president of the Math-Science Nucleus — a nonprofit organization that works to restore local watersheds — said Fremont and the Alameda County Flood Control and Water Conservation District, which mostly owns Lake Elizabeth, have failed to maintain it. “You have a lot of problems. It shouldn’t be this bad,” Blueford said. “This is negligence.” … ” Read more from the San Jose Mercury News.
CENTRAL COAST
Santa Cruz salmon anglers facing challenges keeping afloat
“The abrupt end of salmon season, announced on April 10, has left commercial fishermen across the Central Coast grappling with economic fallout and seeking alternative income sources. “It’s frustrating to see, and I’m losing faith that we might ever even have salmon season again,” said Heidi Rhodes, CEO of H&H Fresh Fish Market. Rhodes’ business, a staple for fresh and locally caught salmon in Santa Cruz, has felt the impact of the loss of this specific fish over the past few years. “It’s just been honestly catastrophic. We’re all waiting, just trying, hoping some federal disaster relief will come. It’s been really hard to stay afloat,” added Rhodes. … ” Read more from KSBY.
A project to restore the floodplain along the Carmel River will make things ‘messier.’ That’s a good thing.
“David Schmalz here, to share some good news, thankfully. Today, I was able to attend a celebration: A score of officials from various public agencies, headlined by Rep. Jimmy Panetta, D-Carmel Valley, gathered at Palo Corona Regional Park to highlight the heavy lift by countless people to get the Carmel River Floodplain Restoration Project fully funded to the tune of about $35 million, with $19 million of that coming from state agencies and $16 million from federal agencies. This is a project I care deeply about for reasons I’ll get into shortly. Made possible by the Monterey Peninsula Regional Park District’s acquisition of the former eastern 18-hole portion of Rancho Cańada Golf Course in 2018, in a deal that was underwritten by the Trust for Public Land at a cost upwards of $10 million, the former course is converting back to country. … ” Read more from Monterey Now.
‘Beaches are in trouble’: Sea-level rise coming for Santa Barbara County coastline
“As sea levels rise, nothing along the coastline is safe. Not even parking lots. Or bathrooms. Eventually, the rising tide will consume more than just sand. Two professors from Cal State University Channel Islands (CSUCI) dug deeper, asking, where, what, and how soon? By the end of the century — projecting a sea-level rise of three feet — 40 percent of Santa Barbara County’s beach access sites (i.e., where the public can enjoy the beach) will be underwater, according to the recent study by CSUCI professors Kiersten Patsch and Dan Reineman. No matter what we do about climate change, Reineman said, the heat introduced into the atmosphere and oceans has already set off a domino effect and “sea level will continue to rise.” … ” Read more from the Santa Barbara Independent.
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
Energy storage project above Lake Isabella is back on the table, along with two other similar proposals
“A roundly castigated proposal to build a holding reservoir above Lake Isabella in order to pump water up from the lake and run it back down through turbines for power – known as pumped energy storage – is back. And it brought friends. There are now three pumped energy storage proposals in Kern County, including the old-now-new-again Lake Isabella proposal. That proposal and another for a project near Rosamond are undergoing review by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) for preliminary permits. FERC is seeking public comments on both proposals through Aug 12. A third proposal, for a project in the mountains above Gorman (though it’s listed as Tehachapi) has an approved preliminary permit from FERC. That doesn’t mean anyone will be bulldozing hillsides anytime soon, though. … ” Read more from SJV Water.
EASTERN SIERRA
A boom in blooms
“Just before the July 4 holiday, a group of recreationists went to the Bridgeport Reservoir to escape the sweltering heat – only to break out in rashes soon thereafter, Louis Molina, Mono County’s environmental health director, announced recently. Now, cautionary signs at the shoreline warn beachgoers not to enter the water. The group’s ailments were presumably caused by a toxin released by a surplus of algae in freshwater lakes, he said. Cyanobacteria, also known as blue-green algae, are a typical element of freshwater ecosystems, according to the EPA. However, with excess heat and nutrients, the microbes multiply rapidly and produce cyanotoxins, which are harmful to humans, pets and wildlife. … ” Read more from The Sheet.
We hear you … sorta
““We appreciate your input and this presentation; we have listened to your concerns and ideas and we hear you. We can’t do anything right now, but we’ll get back to you to start the ‘conversation’ about what we can and cant’s do about your issues. Thank you.” That, in a paraphrased nutshell, was the gist of the response from the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power Board of Commissioners on July 9 after listening to public comments and a presentation by the Owens Valley Indian Water Commission outlining major issues between the tribes and LADWP and possible actions that could lead to renewed talks and possible solutions. … ” Read more from The Sheet.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Cool, gentle Tujunga stream draws masses. Piles of waste, traffic, illegal parking follow
“The lure of a cool, clear and gentle stream on a broiling hot day was irresistible. Elizabeth Lopez and her husband loaded their two daughters in the car and drove some 36 miles to the banks of the Tujunga Wash from their Harbor Gateway home. “I heard about this place because my church held a prayer service up the road,” said Lopez, 39. “I told my husband I want to come here. The water isn’t too deep, and I can watch my kids. He thinks it’s safer too.” The ample gurgling water, the rare outpouring of a super-rainy winter, has turned a rural corner of Los Angeles into a popular — and unauthorized — recreational spot this summer. People lugging canopies, lawn chairs and barbecues are converging on a stretch of the wash accessible mainly through a private road. Along the way, they are blocking the narrow street, illegally parking and leaving behind piles of trash and waste. … ” Read more from the LA Times. | Read via AOL News.
Long Beach Utilities to host public hearing over proposed rate increases this August
“The Long Beach Utilities Department has approved three different rate increases as part of its fiscal year 2025 budget — though the changes will be subject to a public hearing and City Council approval before becoming official. The Utilities Commission approved its $378 million budget — which is comprises a $180 million water fund, a $165 million Gas fund and a $33 million sewer fund — for the upcoming fiscal year last month. That proposed budget, which will still need to be OK’d by the City Council as part of its larger citywide budgeting process later this year, includes proposals for an 11% increase to water rates, an 8% increase to sewer rates and a 4% increase to gas rates. The city’s fiscal year runs from Oct. 1 to Sept. 30. In total, according to the Utilities Department, all three rate increases will amount to about an extra $9 per month on the average customer’s total utility bill. … ” Read more from the Long Beach Press Telegram.
Along the Colorado River …
These three words from 1922 are at the heart of the latest Colorado River clash
“The future of the Colorado River hangs in the balance. The states that will decide its future are stuck at an impasse. They can’t agree on a plan to divvy up the shrinking water supply. At the heart of that disagreement are three words written over 100 years ago. It’s all rooted in a document called the Colorado River Compact. None of its authors are alive today, but the words they wrote in 1922 are still shaping life for millions today. “The content of this particular document, the Colorado River Compact, is the foundation of the law that is governing the Colorado River at this point,” said Patty Rettig, who manages the water archive at Colorado State University’s library. … ” Read more from KUNC.
USIBWC welcomes new Colorado River Citizens Forum board
“The United States Section of the International Boundary and Water Commission held a citizens forum Tuesday at Yuma City Hall to welcome the new Colorado River Citizens Forum board. The board is made up of both new and previously serving members who represent a variety of local interests. “The purpose of the citizens forum is to encourage dialogue,” said USIBWC Public Affairs Chief Frank Fisher. The citizens forum is not an advisory committee for IBWC. Rather, its purpose is to generate the sharing of opinions through discussion and presentations created by board members. According to Fisher, the first IBWC citizen’s forum happened in El Paso in 1999, and it has expanded to all five U.S. field offices. … ” Read more from the Imperial Valley Press.
As a Nevada community fights a lithium mine, a rare fish and its haven could be an ace in the hole
“Eight thousand years. That’s roughly how long it takes for snowmelt from Mount Charleston, north of Las Vegas, to reach the aquifer in the Amargosa Basin and Death Valley—the hottest and driest corner of the United States. The temperatures are among the hottest on Earth, with Death Valley potentially setting a world record of over 130 degrees Fahrenheit this summer. Rain is scarce, just a few inches a year in the basin. Its namesake river largely runs dry on the surface, the water hidden underground. The only sign of life across much of the valley adjacent to Death Valley National Park is the sea of creosote bushes, but islands of mesquite and cottonwood trees hide pools of water bluer than the sky above. And despite the harsh conditions, those scattered springs, streams and seeps have made this place—Ash Meadows—one of the most biodiverse places in the world. … ” Read more from Inside Climate News.
University of Arizona program helps farmers in Yuma conserve water; here’s how
“A University of Arizona grant program is helping farmers reduce water use, thereby increasing the amount of potable water for Arizonans. University data shows that in the program’s first year, they conserved enough water to fill the size of Tempe Town Lake 12 times. Irrigated agriculture is the state’s biggest water user, using up about 75% of Arizona’s supply. It’s why U of A is leading efforts to help farmers and ranchers build more efficient watering systems that save water. The state of Arizona funds the program and has invested $45 million in water irrigation efficiency so far. Farmers apply to the program and are then given money to switch from flood irrigation practices to water-saving irrigation systems. … ” Read more from Arizona Family.
Arizona leads the way on saving water. It’s time to take these ideas full-scale
“Water is on everyone’s mind. Much of the Arizona business community says that there is enough water for the state to continue its rapid growth. Many in the environmental community want to slow down that development to assure that the state never runs out of water. In the middle is the government, which wants to increase the tax base and keep a strong economy growing, but which also wants to ensure that every project will have a supply of water 100 years from now. Where will this water come from? Homes and fields. … ” Read more from Arizona Central.
USGS report says Navajo aquifer is ‘healthy’
“The U.S. Geological Survey published its annual accounting of the Navajo aquifer which underlies Black Mesa on the Navajo Nation. The aquifer supplies drinking water to Kayenta, Tuba City and the Hopi villages. The USGS has monitored the levels in several dozen wells tapped into the Navajo aquifer since the 1970s. Hydrologist Jon Mason, who authored the report, says the data show the aquifer is “healthy.” “It’s really high-quality water, too, which is unusual for a desert, so it’s a really amazing aquifer. And it’s still intact. There’s still a lot of water there to be used if they want to use it,” he says. … ” Read more from KNAU.
Lake Powell just hit its fullest point for the year. See where it stands.
“The second-largest reservoir in the country hit its peak for the year this week. Lake Powell, which straddles Utah’s shared state line with Arizona, reached its fullest point for 2024 on Wednesday. The reservoir reached an elevation of 3,587.17 feet above sea level, or 42% full, according to the federal Bureau of Reclamation. As snowpack has melted on mountains across the West this summer, the water has fed rivers and streams — including the Colorado River, which flows into Lake Powell. The reservoir will begin to fall over the rest of the calendar year as spring runoff slows. In March, hydrologists predicted that Lake Powell’s capacity would peak at 37% this year, which the reservoir has now exceeded. … ” Read more from the Salt Lake Tribune.
In national water news today …
‘Everyone is drinking it’: Why this type of ‘forever chemical’ seems to be everywhere
“For years, scientists have worried about “forever chemicals,” substances used to make hundreds of household items that have been linked by research to a wide range of health problems. In response, a growing number of companies have pledged not to use the chemicals, and regulators have increasingly taken aim at them. But even as work continues to phase out the substances, scientists are beginning to focus on new types that are far more widespread than earlier realized — prompting worries about undetected health risks. A growing body of research has raised concerns about a forever chemical known as TFA, which is short for trifluoroacetic acid and has been found in increasing amounts in rainwater, groundwater and drinking water. … ” Continue reading at the Washington Post.
PFAS hazardous substances designation goes into effect
“New U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations, which went into effect on July 8, 2024, designate perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), and their salts and isomers as hazardous substances under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), also known as Superfund. The rule imposes new reporting requirements and empowers federal and state regulators to mandate investigations and cleanups of PFOA and PFOS-contaminated sites. Additionally, it allows for the pursuit of financial accountability from responsible parties to cover the cleanup costs. A coalition of industry interests is already challenging the rule, but as it stands, the designation raises the specter of crushing liability for landowners, businesses, and public utilities. … ” Read more from Public CEO.
To help with climate change, carbon capture will have to evolve
“More than 200 kilometers off Norway’s coast in the North Sea sits the world’s first offshore carbon-capture-and-storage project. Built in 1996, the Sleipner project strips carbon dioxide from natural gas — largely made up of methane — to make it marketable. But instead of releasing the CO2 into the atmosphere, the greenhouse gas is buried. The effort stores around 1 million metric tons of CO2 per year — and is praised by many as a pioneering success in global attempts to cut greenhouse gas emissions. Last year, total global CO2 emissions hit an all-time high of around 35.8 billion tons, or gigatons. At these levels, scientists estimate, we have roughly six years left before we emit so much CO2 that global warming will consistently exceed 1.5 degrees Celsius above average preindustrial temperatures, an internationally agreed-upon limit. (Notably, the global average temperature for the past 12 months has exceeded this threshold.) … ” Read more from Knowable.
Also on Maven’s Notebook today …
NOTICE: Public Comment extended for DEIR LTO of State Water Project in Sac-SJ Delta-Suisun Marsh-Suisun Bay
