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In California water news today …
Shift to La Niña for the coming winter could affect the next water year in the West
“While California and Nevada remain virtually drought-free, climate experts say extreme heat and wildfire risk may continue plaguing the West for months. Scientists with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said during a webinar Monday that ongoing heat events across the West present a major risk to vulnerable communities, despite a good water supply outlook for the region. … Casola added that the chances of a coming La Niña pattern — which consists of cooler climate trends that worsen drought in the western U.S. and exacerbate the Atlantic hurricane season — are elevated in September and October. Still, there’s a one in three chance a La Niña may not materialize at all, he said. … ” Read more from the Courthouse News Service.
SEE ALSO: ‘Long-duration’ heat wave again cooking California, raising health and wildfire concerns, from the LA Times
Congressman Harder works on tunnel death blow
“Congressman Josh Harder uses the State of California’s own words to make his case to make it impossible for the $20 billion Delta bypass tunnel to be built. It would increase salinity, devastate San Joaquin County agricultural production, deteriorate critical ecological systems that fish rely on, and land a severe economic blow to the region. And just how would Harder make it impossible from his position in Congress to pull the plug on a state water project pushed by urban Southern California and large southern San Joaquin Valley corporate farm concerns? Harder is pushing for the adoption of legislation directing the Army Corps of Engineers not to issue a required permit to allow federally controlled Central Valley Project water — essentially flows from Shasta Dam — to be diverted into the proposed tunnel south of Sacramento. Without the permit or the participation of the federal Bureau of Reclamation, the tunnel can’t be built or the water diverted. … ” (Maven note: The Delta Conveyance Project, as currently proposed, is for the State Water Project only, and the Bureau of Reclamation is not participating in the project.) Read more from the Manteca Bulletin.
SEE ALSO: State suffers another legal loss in its effort built controversial Delta Tunnel, from the Sacramento News & Review
Desalination plant proposed for San Francisco Bay
“Saying it needs to evaluate all options for new sources of drinking water, Silicon Valley’s largest water district is studying a plan to build the first seawater desalination plant along the shores of San Francisco Bay. The Santa Clara Valley Water District, a government agency based in San Jose, has approved spending $1.7 million for Black & Veatch, a Walnut Creek firm, to conduct an engineering feasibility study over the next 12 months for a project near the bay’s shoreline in Palo Alto, Mountain View or San Jose. Under the proposal, which is still in the early stages, the plant would take between 20 million to 80 million gallons of water a day from the bay, run it through filters to strip the salt out and serve from 10 million to 40 million gallons a day of freshwater to South Bay homes and businesses. That would provide about 11,000 to 44,000 acre-feet of water per year, enough for between 100,000 and 500,000 households. … ” Read more from the San Jose Mercury News (gift article).
Since launch of landmark state program, 900,000 more Californians have access to safe, affordable drinking water
“Five years after its launch, the state of California’s landmark Safe and Affordable Funding for Equity and Resilience (SAFER) drinking water program has made significant progress in advancing the human right to water. In the five years since the program was established, the State Water Resources Control Board has distributed more than $1 billion in grants to disadvantaged communities – over two-and-a-half times the amount of grants provided during the five years prior. During this time, the number of people served by failing water systems has fallen from 1.6 million to 700,000 – a net gain of 900,000 more Californians who now have safe and affordable drinking water. “When I took office, 1.6 million people didn’t have access to clean drinking water. We’re halfway through our SAFER program, and more than half of those people now have safe drinking water in their homes and schools,” said California Gov. Gavin Newsom. “Connecting 900,000 people to water is a huge success, but we won’t let up until every single Californian gets access to this essential resource.” … ” Read more from the State Water Resources Control Board.
World’s biggest dam removal project to open 420 miles of salmon habitat this fall
“For the first time since 1918, an astonishing 420 miles of salmon habitat in the Klamath River watershed in California and Oregon will be fully connected by September. This results from the world’s largest dam removal effort, the Klamath River Renewal Project. The amount of habitat opened up on the Klamath is equivalent to the distance between Portland, Maine, and Philadelphia–a journey through seven states. PacifiCorp, the previous owner, agreed to remove the aging dams after they determined removal would be less expensive than upgrading to current environmental standards. The dams had been used for power generation, not water storage. The Copco No. 2 Dam on the Klamath was removed last year. The deconstruction of the Iron Gate, Copco No. 1, and JC Boyle dams is underway and running ahead of schedule. “I think in September, we may have some Chinook salmon and steelhead moseying upstream and checking things out for the first time in over 60 years,” says Bob Pagliuco, NOAA marine habitat resource specialist. “Based on what I’ve seen and what I know these fish can do, I think they will start occupying these habitats immediately. There won’t be any great numbers at first, but within several generations—10 to 15 years—new populations will be established.” … ” Read more from NOAA Fisheries.
Dry-farming in American viticulture? Irrigation and a changing climate
“Riggs Lokka stands in a seven-foot soil pit on Green Valley’s Hallberg Ranch in Russian River Valley. With a cowboy hat atop his head, he points out the soil types from ground level to the base of the pit. The line of demarcation two feet down is stark. What begins as Goldridge, a sandy loam, becomes bright-orange Sebastopol, a sandy, clay loam. Even more striking, vine roots branch down through both. Lokka, vineyard manager of Emeritus Vineyards and member of the California Dry-Farming Advisory Board, practices dry-farming. The practice eschews irrigation and relies solely on rainfall and the natural moisture stored in the soil. Vineyard managers like Lokka help provide a roadmap for California wine-growers with heat and drought-threatened vineyards. ‘We only take what Mother Nature gives us,’ said Lokka. Emeritus proudly holds the title of the largest 100% dry-farmed Pinot Noir estate in Sonoma County. … ” Read more from Decanter.
The California-to-Arkansas farmer pipeline
“The thick, squelching mud means there’s no outrunning the mosquitoes, which pierce any bit of skin left un-doused by bug repellant. Still, the discomfort of slogging through flooded Arkansas rice fields in the sticky month of June is offset by visions of abundance. A few glistening inches of water lie across several paddies on Hallie Shoffner’s 2,000-acre seed farm, Delta Harvest, from which thousands of bright green stalks of specialty rice protrude. … Shoffner’s efforts stand on their own. But they are also nestled within an even more monumental goal, spearheaded by World Wildlife Federation (WWF), to shift some crop production from increasingly water-scarce, heat- and fire-scorched California to the Mid-Delta. Called The Next California, WWF’s plan is not to steal fruit, vegetable, nut, and grain production from the Golden State. Rather, it presumes that climate change will make it impossible for California to continue producing all its customary crops — that state’s water-dependent farmers will need an out, and it might be soon. … ” Read more from Investigate Midwest
Rethinking stormwater—from waste to treasure
“Unmanaged stormwater can be a flood hazard and a contaminant. But when it’s properly managed, stormwater actually can benefit communities, creating green spaces and recharging aquifers. We spoke with Karen Cowan, executive director of the California Stormwater Quality Association (CASQA), to learn more about this underappreciated resource. First, tell us a bit about CASQA. How should we be thinking about stormwater in California?CASQA advances sustainable stormwater management protective of California’s water resources. We advocate for stormwater policies, regulations, legislation, and solutions that are based on the latest science. We emphasize stormwater capture—putting water in the ground. … ” Read more from the PPIC.
Time to recharge: strategies for groundwater and stormwater capture
“According to the Department of Water Resources’ Water Year 2023 report, the State of California experienced “weather whiplash,” with the water year starting off in drought conditions and ending with 141 percent of statewide average precipitation and 137 percent of April 1st snowpack. The state’s above-ground reservoirs, which are averaging 90 percent full, are all above historic average levels as of spring 2024 and don’t have additional capacity. How can a drought-prone state capture and store more of this precipitation for future use? Let’s look deeper at the topic of water storage—as in underground—and explore two approaches that California water managers are taking to not only manage floodwaters but also recharge groundwater aquifers, which are important and unseen components in water supply management. … ” Read more from ESA.
Supporting water supply resiliency at the local level
“Water districts across the nation face increasing risks to their supplies and delivery systems resulting from increasing demand, aging infrastructure, environmental constraints, and periods of drought. Across California, the Pacific Northwest, and Florida, ESA’s Water experts are supporting local water districts’ efforts to enhance their systems’ resilience and reliability in the face of these supply challenges, and maintain safe and reliable drinking water supplies for their communities. Read on to learn more about a few of these projects. … ” Water districts profiled include Marin Water and Ventura Water. Read the article at ESA.
Community-driven climate action spurs economic benefits
“For Carolina Rios, work used to mean the agricultural fields where her immigrant parents labored outside of Stockton, California. An internship changed her life. Rios now works with the organization Rising Sun Center for Opportunity, helping families like hers access home upgrades to save money, energy, and water. “I’ve learned a lot, like how to be more green and how I can help my community,” said Rios reflecting on her time with Rising Sun, first as an intern and now project manager. Her climate career has helped her and her family financially. “With the money I’ve earned, we were also able to move from a one-bedroom that five of us shared to a more spacious place,” she added. Both the internship program and the energy and water-saving projects were funded by a grant from California’s Transformative Climate Communities (TCC) program awarded to Stockton Rising. … ” Read more from UCLA.
Protecting California’s waters: Leveraging Outstanding National Resource Waters Designation
“Climate change is driving record-setting droughts, uncontrolled wildfires, and extreme temperatures, all of which jeopardize our water security. At CalTrout, we believe in taking proactive measures to safeguard our watersheds. Waiting until the damage is done is not an option – the time to act is now. Fortunately, we have a powerful tool at our disposal: the Outstanding National Resource Waters (Outstanding Waters) designation. After years of studies, campaign building, and advocacy, the North Coast Regional Water Quality Board approved CalTrout’s request to designate Elder Creek and Cedar Creek as Outstanding Waters, the first step in the official designation process. Over the next few months, our experts will be collaborating closely with the Board to secure these critical protections – an important step towards ensuring water security for all Californians, people, and wildlife. … ” Read more from California Trout.
Billionaires’ utopia company California Forever scraps plan for ballot initiative in wake of damning report
“Days after a Solano County report slammed a plan backed by Silicon Valley billionaires to build a utopian new city from scratch near Fairfield, the company behind the “California Forever” project has scrapped the ballot initiative it was to put to county voters in November. The report released late last week by Solano County said the proposed new city of 50,000 — possibly up to 400,000 decades from now — would likely cost the county billions of dollars and create substantial annual financial deficits, while slashing agricultural production, damaging climate-change resilience and potentially threatening local water supplies. The project, according to the report, “may not be financially feasible.” County supervisors on Tuesday were set to consider the report, then vote on whether to approve California Forever’s contentious plan to rezone 17,500 acres of farmland for the city or let voters decide in November. … ” Read more from the San Jose Mercury News.
SEE ALSO: Silicon Valley-backed voter plan for a new California city won’t be on the November ballot after all, from ABC News
NOAA tests next-generation wildfire detection and warning tools
“Two experimental tools that will speed fire detection and warning got a week-long test run in NOAA’s new Fire Weather Testbed in June during a series of hands-on simulations with National Weather Service fire weather forecasters, state wildfire managers, researchers, and social scientists. The first, NOAA’s Next Generation Fire System, or NGFS, uses artificial intelligence to rapidly and autonomously identify fires from observations made by geostationary satellites. By quickly communicating information to forecasters and land managers, it reduces response time when a swift initial attack is most critical. NGFS, which was developed by NOAA Satellites, uses artificial intelligence to rapidly and autonomously identify fires from observations collected by NOAA’s geostationary satellites By quickly communicating information to forecasters and land managers, the new system reduces response time when a swift initial attack is most critical. … ” Read more from NOAA.
In commentary today …
Water is life. Water is also property value.
The Water Blueprint for the San Joaquin Valley writes, “When water supply and water quality are discussed, the focus is often on the critical importance of water for people’s health and safety, for agriculture, and for the natural environment. Rightly so. However, a more recent development is the direct tie between water and property values. One of the outcomes of the passage of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act of 2014 (SGMA) has been the connection of land values to the availability of surface water. Adjacent parcels that are otherwise identical now have dramatically different appraisals if one is in the service area of an irrigation district and has access to surface water, and the other has groundwater as its sole water source. The real estate community saw this coming, and now water sources have become a valuation factor cited in property appraisals. … ” Read more from the Water Blueprint for the San Joaquin Valley.
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
Land use studies to address climate change along the Mendocino Coast open up opportunities for policy changes
“Peter McNamee, of the GrassRoots Institute’s Mendocino Vision Working Group, describes what one may better term a nightmare than a vision. “Look at the trailer parks along the coast,” he says. “They’re at near sea level. We could have a king tide at the same time as a Pineapple Express storm that dumps 10 inches of rain during the night. There could be half a dozen breaches of State Route 1, the highway that people rely upon for emergency response. Some of those trailers could be washed out to sea. A local emergency response can’t manage a 129-mile coastline.” This and other issues, such as climate refugees flooding the Mendocino Coast, the Blue Economy, water regulations and zoning changes, are what the county, cities, and the California Coastal Commission (CCC) are examining in a series of studies meant to update what the commission terms Local Coastal Programs (LCPs). … ” Read more from the Mendocino Voice.
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
PG&E to boost Feather River flows, warns of class 5 rapids this weekend
“If you’re planning to be on the north fork of the Feather River this weekend, PG&E urges you to use caution as they plan to increase flows to the area on July 27 and 28. PG&E says they’re increasing flows on the Rock Creek Reach part of the river near the community of Storrie for whitewater recreation. They say it’ll have class 3, 4, and 5 rapids, which are only for skilled paddlers and not for people hoping for a little tubing. Flows will gradually reduce on Sunday afternoon. … ” Read more from KRCR.
Two popular Tahoe beaches closed by sewage spill
“Two popular North Lake Tahoe beaches remained closed Monday, about four days after untreated sewage spilled into the pristine mountain lake during the height of the tourist season amid a stretch of hot weather. The Carnelian West and Patton Landing beaches in Carnelian Bay have been closed since just before sunset Thursday when a private contractor working on a Caltrans project struck a North Tahoe Public Utility District pipeline, officials said. Sewage leaked into a nearby parking lot and reached the lake, according to the district. The pipeline was quickly repaired, but crews have been working to clean up the spill and remediate the damage along the shoreline and test the water quality in the lake. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
Are chemicals still spreading near Placer County missile site? New probe data show the latest
“The most recent data collected by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at the Titan-1 missile silo site in Placer County found that despite longstanding concerns, new soil vapor monitoring probes closest to homes in the Sun City Lincoln Hills development do not show signs of trichloroethylene, or TCE, a chemical that can cause health problems. The monitoring probes did, however, measure low levels of benzene — a chemical linked to cancer — at the wells nearest to the homes. Officials say the source of the benzene was not immediately clear, but that the amounts found do not appear to be dangerous. Titan-1 missiles were a Cold War-era project. The Lincoln site, one of three in California, took up dozens of acres in a then-remote part of Lincoln — with miles of tunnels, three 160-foot-deep silos and other operation and housing buried underground. … ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee.
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
Reclamation, partner agencies revive fishery at East Park Reservoir
“As the sun began to set at East Park Reservoir, an angler stood on the bow of a fishing boat, casting her line in hopes of reeling in a largemouth bass. After casting several times, she excitedly yelled, “Got one!” As she reeled in her line, you could see the excitement on her face as she landed a 4.5-pound bass. “What a fun fight!” she said as she brought the fish onboard the boat to remove the hook and place it gently back into the water. This scene would not have been possible two years ago during one of the worst droughts in California’s history. As lake levels dropped across the state, the decision was made to make much needed repairs to the East Park Dam. … ” Read more from the Bureau of Reclamation.
NAPA/SONOMA
BAY AREA
South Bay reservoir levels remain healthy despite evaporation
“South Bay water officials said Monday overall reservoir levels remain healthy despite a significant amount of water being lost to evaporation this summer. Santa Clara Valley Water said the local water supply is healthy at 85% capacity for nine reservoirs, but in May and June, evaporation removed almost 560 million gallons of potential drinking water countywide, the district said. “That number may seem like a large number, but it’s something that we should be expecting given the evaporation for this time of the month as well as our very high reservoir storage levels,” Valley Water engineer Julio Maravilla said. In other words, the more water in reservoirs, the higher the evaporation rate. … ” Read more from NBC Bay Area.
Study finds seasonal differences in marshland erosion in South San Francisco Bay
“Erosion of marsh boundaries by waves is a major cause of marsh loss, but little research has captured the effect of seasonal differences on marsh-edge retreat. A new study conducted by scientists at the United States Geological Survey (USGS) and the University of California, Berkeley, shows how seasonal climate variations influence the rate of marshland erosion due to wind-driven wave activity. The study, published in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Earth Surface, focused on Whale’s Tail Marsh South in South San Francisco Bay. The researchers constructed five detailed 3D models of the marsh surface using aerial photos collected with a fixed-wing aircraft and photogrammetry techniques, capturing its state during summer, fall, winter, and spring over a single year. By comparing these models, they observed distinct variations in marsh loss depending on the season … ” Read more from the USGS.
CENTRAL COAST
Lake San Antonio to reopen Wednesday, fish die off likely due to algae bloom
“Test results at Lake San Antonio in southern Monterey County suggest the culprit in a recent massive fish die-off that closed the lake may have been an algae bloom spurred by high heat that depleted the oxygen in the water and suffocated the fish. According to officials, there is no threat to public health and the lake will reopen Wednesday. After reports surfaced of a massive die-off of small fish around July 5 when temperatures climbed to 114 degrees at the lake, and then spread to larger fish in the following days, the recreation area was closed to the public July 10. The continued die-off prompted the Environmental Health Bureau to issue a “precautionary measure directive” to the Monterey County Parks Division to keep the public from boating, fishing and swimming in the lake. … ” Read more from the Monterey Herald.
SEE ALSO: Lake San Antonio reopens after fish die-off, from the Paso Robles Daily News
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
SAFER Water: State talks progress of Porterville wells
“On Monday morning, representatives from the California State Water Resources Control Board visited Porterville to give a five-year update on the Safe and Affordable Funding for Equity and Resilience (SAFER) drinking water program and the impact it’s had on the residents of Porterville. … City of Porterville Public Works Director Michael Knight and Mayor Martha A. Flores were able to speak on the local impacts of the state’s program and how many people the funding has served locally. Through SAFER funding, the city has completed several water consolidation projects including Beverly Grand Mutual Water, Porterville Trailer Park, Central Mutual Water Company, and the Golden Key Apartments. The state also has several consolidation projects that are still in progress including Hope Elementary School, Del Oro Grandview Gardens, and Del Oro East Plano District. … ” Read more from the Porterville Recorder.
EASTERN SIERRA
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Cancer-causing contaminants rampant in L.A. tap water, nonprofit says
“If you’re curious about what toxins may be in your tap water, a tool from the nonprofit Environmental Working Group will tell you, but you may not like what you find. EWG’s Tap Water Database breaks down detected contaminants by zip code and how much of each substance was found. As the Los Angeles Times notes, however, it’s important to consider that EWG’s standards differ from the maximum levels prescribed by federal and state governments. Keep that in mind when the Tap Water Database tells you, for instance, that the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power’s water contains 430 times more arsenic than EWG’s guidelines. Despite alarming figures like that, Jonathan Leung, the LADWP’s director of water quality, told the Times that “there’s no health concern,” as levels of arsenic and other contaminants meet federal limits. … ” Read more from KTLA.
15,000-gallon sewage leak triggers closures at two L.A. County beaches
“Parts of Venice Beach and Dockweiler State Beach are closed after 15,000 gallons of sewage leaked into the ocean near Marina del Rey over the weekend, the Los Angeles County Public Health Department said. Beachgoers are being advised to stay out of the water one mile north and one mile south of Ballona Creek until tests there over 48 hours show the water quality meets health standards. The first test was scheduled for Monday, according to the health department. On Saturday, a broken water main pushed sand into the city sewer line, causing sewage to back up and discharge into a nearby storm drain. By the time L.A. Sanitation and Environment alerted the county health department of the issue, the sewage had been flowing for almost two hours, officials said. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
IMPERIAL/COACHELLA VALLEYS
Salton Sea Authority board receives project updates
“The Salton Sea Authority (SSA) held its bi-monthly meeting in El Centro at the Board of Supervisors Chambers, Thursday July, 18. The Board discussed supporting the upcoming University of Riverside (UCR) Salton Sea Summit, and potential participation. “We believe that the work being performed by UCR in this area is an integral part of understanding more clearly the risks to human health and safety resulting from changes taking place at the Sea, and will be a necessary tool in developing strategies to ensure that those risks are being well defined and responsibly mitigated,” staff wrote in the memorandum. The SSA does not typically have a budget allocation present to sponsor events such as this one, but staff wrote that a contribution of around $500-$1000 minimum would benefit in the long term. … ” Read more from the Desert Review.
SAN DIEGO
Rainbow MWD board approves rate, capacity fee increases
“Two separate 5-0 Rainbow Municipal Water District board votes June 25 approved an increase for water and wastewater rates and an increase in capacity fees. Water rates will increase by approximately 4.5% while wastewater rates will be increased by 13%. The first capacity fee increase in seven years will be 26.4%. In November 1996, the state’s voters passed Proposition 218, which requires a public vote on benefit assessments but exempts water and sewer rate increases if a cost of service study shows a relationship between the rates and the agency’s cost to provide service. A rate setting policy can be in effect for up to five years and must include a rate design and public review. In June, Rainbow held a Proposition 218 hearing which authorized increases of up to 9% each year from 2024 through 2028. … ” Read more from the Village News.
San Diego residents ask city council member to find way to move wildlife from popular beach
“San Diego’s La Jolla neighborhood is known for its wealth, its ocean views, and wildlife that congregate on its beaches. But some of the area’s residents say it’s time to take control of one of its most famous beaches by moving the sea lions that congregate there elsewhere. La Jolla Parks and Beaches, a nonprofit that advises the city of San Diego on park issues but has no enforcement or legislative powers, held a public meeting on the issue at a library in the neighborhood Monday. Bob Evans, president of the group, described the management of La Jolla Cove, a small beach where sea lions are known to congregate, as a “shit show.” Attracted by how close the wildlife is to the city, tourists crowd the area, endangering the sea lions, Evans said. Sometimes, the tourists come so close that the sea lions end up charging at them, according to videos posted to social media. … ” Read more from the Courthouse News Service.
New problem spot sends millions of gallons of raw sewage from Mexico into California
“The International Boundary and Water Commission says as much as a million gallons of water tainted with raw sewage from Mexico has been flowing daily into the Tijuana River Valley through an area known as “Goat Canyon.” This is on top of the sewage that normally flows in every day from Mexico. Imperial Beach Mayor Paloma Aguirre says a treatment plant that is being remodeled in Tijuana has been releasing polluted water while the work is done. It’s one of several projects underway south of the border to mitigate sewage flows. … ” Read more from the Border Report.
Along the Colorado River …
Hoover Dam and the social nature of infrastructure
“A water nerd friend and I made a pilgrimage yesterday evening to Hoover Dam, spanning the Colorado River on the Arizona-Nevada border. We’d had dinner at one of the restaurants on the docks at Hemenway Harbor, and driven up to the old abandoned boat ramp at Boulder Harbor, two Lake Mead landmarks for me, places I often visit. It was late, and hot as hell, and we were tired, but it didn’t take much persuasion for my friend to say “yes” to a last stop at Hoover Dam. I’m here in Southern Nevada to be part of a PBS Newshour livestream Wednesday: “Tipping Point: Colorado River Reckoning.” I came out a couple of days early to see some friends and do the sort of “place-based” stuff that’s at the heart of my Colorado River work. I’ve been coming to this place – Lake Mead and Hoover Dam – for the last 15 years, watching the reservoir rise and fall, using this place as a conceptual anchor as I write my books. … ” Read more from the Inkstain blog.
‘Essential’ water bill passes House; here’s how Laughlin, Las Vegas could benefit
“A routine reauthorization of federal funds may give Nevada’s water infrastructure a needed boost. Every other year since 2014, Congress has considered the Water Resource Development Act, taking stock of what is working and what needs to change when it comes to developing a stable water supply for the future. It allows lawmakers to advocate for more money on behalf of their state — and two Nevada congresswomen have done just that now that the House of Representatives passed the bill Monday on a vote of 359 to 13. Next, it’ll need to go through the U.S. Senate and win the approval of the president. Reps. Susie Lee and Dina Titus, D-Nev., separately pushed amendments through with Nevada in mind. … ” Read more from the Las Vegas Review Journal.
Federal funds to empower Nevada tribes as climate challenges mount
“Recent federal investments in climate resilience for Indigenous communities in Nevada have included funds to modernize tribal power grids against wildfires, build water storage for people reliant on well water and bring electricity to homes. U.S. Rep. Steven Horsford, D-Nev., and Matthew Dannenberg, a senior tribal liaison for the U.S. Department of Energy, gave a glimpse Monday into infrastructure upgrades that will help Nevada’s tribal nations better cope with climate change. Nevada tribal communities have access to more than $813 million between the Inflation Reduction Act, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the American Rescue Plan, all of which were passed by Congress and signed into law during the Biden-Harris administration. … ” Read more from the Las Vegas Sun.
Interior Department announces next steps to implement President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda for ecosystem and habitat restoration in the Upper Colorado River Basin
“The Department of the Interior today announced a funding opportunity through President Biden’s Investing in America agenda for ecosystem and habitat restoration projects in the Upper Colorado River Basin that address impacts caused by drought. These funds will help increase community and landscape resiliency while restoring habitats and assisting in species recovery. These funds are made available through the Bureau of Reclamation from the Inflation Reduction Act—the largest ever investment in climate—for use in the Upper Basin States of Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming. “As communities across the West continue to face the impacts of prolonged and worsening drought, this funding will enhance watershed health and conservation throughout the Upper Basin,” said Secretary Deb Haaland. “Thanks to historic funding from the Investing in America agenda, the Interior Department is using every resource available to ensure the sustainability of the Colorado River system for the families, farms and economies that rely on it.” … ” Read more from the Bureau of Reclamation.
Colorado River wildlife and infrastructure at ‘extreme risk’ from invader
“A highly invasive species has been found colonizing the Colorado River, which could be catastrophic for native ecosystems. The larvae of these invasive zebra mussels—known as zebra mussel veligers—were detected in river water, Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) said in a statement. This is concerning for conservationists, as the presence of zebra mussels in the Colorado River could have significant impacts on native fish populations, especially in areas of slower water movement. “This challenging discovery has ecological and economic impacts not only on the Grand Valley but potential statewide impacts as well. CPW is committed to working with all of our partners as we work to better understand the extent of this discovery and the next steps in protecting the natural resources and infrastructure,” CPW Director Jeff Davis said in the statement. … ” Read more from Newsweek.
Opinion: Colorado must prioritize restoring rivers instead of unnecessarily delivering municipal water via pipelines
Evan Stafford, communications director for American Whitewater, writes, “Despite decades of evidence, there is still a false binary choice being hoisted upon Coloradans by municipalities and water development entities — either we almost completely dewater our rivers as they flow through lower elevation communities, decimating river health, river recreation and local economic opportunities, or we provide municipal water to rapidly growing suburban cities on the Front Range. Instead, our state government should help prioritize river restoration by championing in-channel water delivery projects. … ” Read more from the Colorado Sun.
In national water news today …
US sanctions alleged Russian hackers who claimed attacks on US water facilities
“The US Treasury Department on Friday sanctioned two alleged members of a Russian cybercriminal gang that has claimed responsibility for a slew of hacks against US critical infrastructure providers, including a cyberattack in January that caused a tank at a Texas water facility to overflow. Treasury posted photos of the two alleged hackers — Yuliya Vladimirovna Pankratova and Denis Olegovich Degtyarenko — unmasking them from the anonymous social media accounts that they tend to hide behind. Pankratova and Degtyarenko are allegedly part of a politically motivated hacking group called Cyber Army of Russia Reborn (CARR) that has claimed credit for a series of cyberattacks against American and European organizations in support of Russia. … ” Read more from CNN.
Rising sea level will affect 2 million in U.S. by 2050, analysis finds
“When a particularly high tide lands on a beach in northern Los Angeles County, there is no dry sand left to stand on. It’s named Broad Beach, even though it has been disappearing steadily for decades. “I think there are another 10 stairs below the sand right here,” said Michael Quill, marine programs director at nonprofit LA Waterkeeper. Quill comes here to Malibu, California, to study sea level rise and beach erosion. He’s stopped halfway down the staircase to avoid getting wet. Behind him are multimillion-dollar luxury beachfront homes perched on stilts above the crashing waves. He is standing in line with a row of boulders that’s supposed to keep the water at bay. On this day, it’s, not working. The waves crash over the rocks and seawater washes between the stilts that support the houses. … ” Read more from Marketplace.
