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On the calendar today …
- MEETING: Environmental Flows Workgroup from 10am to 12pm. Agenda items include Application of the California Environmental Flows Framework to the Los Angeles River and Inoperable Flows Project: Identifying Flow Data Gaps and Predicting Daily Streamflow for California Central Valley Salmonid Restoration. Click here for the complete agenda and remote access information.
- WEBINAR: Flume Household Water Use Index: Q2 2024 from 10am to 11am. Flume, the company that brings connectivity and intelligence to residential water usage, is excited to present the Flume Household Water Data Index on Tuesday, August 13th at 10am PT/1pm ET. During the hour, we will review California’s new conservation regulations and how utilities are collecting data to better understand indoor and outdoor water use across their communities to comply with efficiency standards; indoor and outdoor residential water use patterns throughout the United States in Q2 of 2024; and the latest indoor and outdoor water use trends for the largest 15 Metropolitan Statistical Areas. Click here to register.
- PUBLIC MEETING: Long-Term Operation of the Central Valley Project and State Water Project from 6pm to 8pm in Redding. The Bureau of Reclamation is taking comments on the draft EIS for long-term operations of the Central Valley Project and State Water Project. This is the second of six meetings and will be held at the Redding Veteran’s Memorial Hall, 1605 Yuba Street, Redding. For more information about these documents, click here. More information on this page.
In California water news today …
Friant Water Authority pins projected canal project shortfall on four ag water districts, wants them to pony up
“Even as work on the first phase of fixing the sinking Friant-Kern Canal is nearly done, officials are worried they won’t be able to pay the bill and have come up with a plan that puts pressure on four agricultural water districts to pony up. The Friant Water Authority owes the federal Bureau of Reclamation potentially $90 million, plus interest, for its share of the massive project. It is also looking at a possible $5.1 million construction payment in summer 2026 that it may not have funds for. That bill isn’t due yet. But the Bureau has asked the authority to explain how it will get the money to pay its share of the first phase of construction, which totaled $326 million. And wants to make sure a funding path is lined up for the second phase of construction, anticipated to cost about $247.2 million. … ” Read more from SJV Water.
Long-awaited Sites Reservoir nears finish line
Dan Keppen, executive director of Family Farm Alliance, writes, “The long-envisioned construction of Sites Offstream Storage Reservoir in northern California is getting closer to the finish line. Over the last six years, the Sites Project Authority—the lead agency for the project —has worked with its participants, government partners, and statewide stakeholders to design an off-stream reservoir that would benefit all of California. Last year – 2023 – marked several existing milestones for the project. Sites qualified for a $2.2 billion low-interest loan, and the Final Environmental Impact Report was certified. Gov. Gavin Newsom and the State Legislature certified Sites for streamlined judicial review. Sites was awarded $110 million in federal funding from, bringing the total federal funding committed to the project through the end of 2023 to $244 million. … ” Read more from the Western Farm Press.
Calif. groups buy 11,000 acres from timber company to protect Trinity reservoir
“A San Francisco nonprofit has purchased 11,000 acres of land at the headwaters of the Trinity River from a timber company, aimed at protecting the source of the massive Trinity Reservoir. The Pacific Forest Trust spent $15.5 million on the checkerboard of properties before transferring their ownership to a local nonprofit, the Watershed Research and Training Center, per an Aug. 5 press release. That group will be tasked with keeping the watershed safe, natural and productive. California’s Wildlife Conservation Board funded most of the land acquisition. “It has a wonderful mosaic of springs, and then streams and riparian areas,” Pacific Forest Trust president Laurie Wayburn told SFGATE. “It is highly productive for water.” The Watershed Center will own and operate the land under the terms of a “conservation easement” with the Pacific Forest Trust. … ” Read more from SF Gate.
University researchers share research on water reuse technologies
“Water reuse researchers from academia and federal agencies gathered Aug. 6 and 7 at the University of Nevada, Reno for a progress report from the University’s Nevada Center for Water Resiliency (NCWR). About 20 participants, including researchers from the University of Arizona, the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) and the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, learned about NCWR projects, which focus on new water reuse technologies — especially potable water (drinking water) reuse from a variety of water sources. The Interim Progress Report meeting also included lab tours, one-on-one meetings, a student poster session and a presentation on the Advanced Purified Water Facility at American Flat by Lydia Teel of the Truckee Meadows Water Authority. … ” Read more from the University of Nevada-Reno.
Sound and vision: Using sonar to study fish
“An oft quoted fisheries biologist once said “counting fish is like counting trees, except they’re invisible and they move around.” While this idiom is always sure to get a laugh and a knowing nod from fellow biologists, there are technologies available that can help researchers overcome these challenges and “see” underwater. Such tools include sonar cameras that convert pulses of sound reflected off of underwater objects into high resolution digital imagery, similar to a medical ultrasound. This technology allows biologists to make real-time observations of fish in their natural environment without ever having to enter the water. What’s more, sonar can see through very muddy water where visual observation would be impossible. These characteristics make sonar a valuable tool to count and measure fish, observe fish behavior, and visually assess aquatic habitat – all from the deck of a boat. … ” Read more from FishBio.
Wildfires don’t just burn farmland − they can contaminate the water farmers use to irrigate crops and support livestock
“The wildfires that burned across Maui, Hawaii, in August 2023 became the deadliest conflagration in the United States in more than a century. While the harm to homes and tourism drew the most attention, agriculture was also heavily affected across the island, and the harm did not stop once the flames were out. In some cases, fires smoldered underground for weeks. Water systems were destroyed, and some were contaminated in ways scientists are only beginning to understand. As an environmental engineer, I work with communities affected by wildfires and other disasters. I also led a team of university and public works professionals to assist in Maui’s response to the fires. In a new study based on that effort, my team worked with the Hawaii Department of Agriculture to assess damaged water systems, including water pipes, wells and pumps that are essential for livestock and crops. It was the first study of its kind to examine wildfire damage to agriculture water systems. The results show the types of damage that can occur when a fire burns through property, and they offer a warning to agricultural regions elsewhere. … ” Continue reading from The Conversation.
Don’t worry, it was only the second-hottest month ever
Sammy Roth writes, “Great news: July 2024 was not the hottest July in recorded history. Indeed, last month was a whole 0.04 degrees cooler than July 2023. It was, however, still Earth’s second-hottest month on record, and also the hottest month ever recorded for California. The Golden State’s average temperature was 81.7 degrees — surpassing the previous high mark by almost two degrees, as my L.A. Times colleague Grace Toohey reports. Numbers like those help explain why I don’t have much patience for people who claim, based on a poor understanding of climate science, that global warming is mostly a problem for the future, not the present. My impatience is buoyed by surveys such as this one, finding that 7 in 10 Americans say extreme heat has impacted their electricity bills in the last year. Something to keep in mind the next time you hear someone say that transitioning from planet-warming fossil fuels to clean energy is too expensive. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
In commentary today …
Logging industry’s wildfire claims are misleading the public
Opinion writer Chad Hanson writes, “The Park Fire in northern California has reached approximately 400,000 acres in size, and already logging industry advocates are pushing out misinformation about the fire in an attempt to promote their deceptively-named Fix Our Forests Act logging bill. The timber industry’s political apologists tell us that the Park Fire grew so big, so fast ostensibly because public forestlands are “overgrown” and in need of “thinning.” They tell us that we can solve this problem by passing the Fix Our Forests Act, which would roll back bedrock environmental laws to give logging companies even greater access to mature and old trees on our national forests and other public lands. As with other large wildfires in recent years, the self-serving claims made by logging interests while fires burn do not stand up to even casual scrutiny. … ” Read more from The Hill.
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
Supervisors to consider appeal of cannabis grow next to Highland Springs, Scott Dam decommissioning study
“The Board of Supervisors this week will hold a public hearing on the appeal of a cannabis grow near Highland Springs and consider awarding a contract to look at the impacts should the Scott Dam be decommissioned. The board will meet beginning at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 13, in the board chambers on the first floor of the Lake County Courthouse, 255 N. Forbes St., Lakeport. … ” Continue reading at the Lake County News.
NAPA/SONOMA
Russian River MAC tackles river access issues
“The Lower Russian River Municipal Advisory Council (MAC) reached a high-water mark in addressing some of the region’s most pressing concerns at their Aug. 8 meeting. Often dismissed as a Potemkin village, the MAC broke through the usual surface-level chatter this time, digging into the real issues plaguing the Russian River community. The key topic was the always thorny issue of public access to the river versus private property rights. Don McEnhill, executive director of Russian Riverkeeper, got straight to the point: “The public’s rights do not include the right to trespass across private property to get to the river. Those access rights are incumbent upon members of the public getting to the river via legal public access like our county river parks.” … ” Read more from the Sonoma Gazette.
Pressure grows to close controversial Napa Valley landfill
“A coalition of environmental groups are pushing California officials to close a Napa Valley-area landfill that has been the site of repeated regulatory violations and is suspected of sending toxic chemicals into local waterways, which drain into the river that irrigates the valley’s famous vineyards. In an Aug 12 letter, six local nonprofit organizations called on officials overseeing waste management and water quality to shut down the Clover Flat Landfill and the related garbage collection recycling and composting operation called Upper Valley Disposal Services (UVDS). The landfill is “long overdue to move its waste operations to a safer, less environmentally sensitive location,” the groups wrote. … ” Read more from The New Lede.
BAY AREA
Veggie oil, lactose key to toxic groundwater cleanup at Alameda Point
“There are faster ways to clean up industrial solvents in groundwater, but the only viable choice for a large contamination site at Alameda Point was to turn the job over to bacteria. Known as bioremediation, a unique bacteria is breaking apart the solvent trichloroethylene (TCE), also known as trichloroethylene, into a harmless substance. It takes time and the right conditions for the bacteria to thrive—namely, an absence of oxygen and the presence of a carbon source. Readily available carbon sources to pump into the contamination area just happen to be soy vegetable oil and dairy lactose. … ” Continue reading at the Alameda Post.
Marin Municipal Water District proposes tighter lawn limits
“The Marin Municipal Water District wants to set tighter limits on the size of lawns of new single-family homes. District staff said they’re working on a proposal to impose restrictions starting as early as January. Already, the state will only allow 25% of a landscape to be grass, and this applies to all homes and residential complexes. Limiting grass areas to 10% of a total landscape, or no larger than 1,000 square feet, could reduce outdoor water use by more than 60%, staff said at the Aug. 6 district board meeting. The state’s rule would still apply to remodels and commercial properties. “Nonfunctional turf grasses don’t have a place here,” board member Jed Smith said. … ” Read more from the Marin Independent Journal.
CENTRAL COAST
An audit finds that Monterey One Water overcharged the Monterey County Water Resources Agency.
David Schmalz writes of Monterey One Water, “For nearly 30 years, the agency has provided recycled and treated water for growers in the northern Salinas Valley through a series of projects with the Monterey County Water Resources Agency. Their aim is to both provide growers with water while also stemming the march of seawater intruding into the aquifers, which is brought on by excessive pumping. Tomorrow, the MCWRA Board of Supervisors (i.e. the county board of supervisors), will be presented with a financial audit commissioned by MCWRA last year to assess the accuracy of expenses M1W has billed to MCWRA over the fiscal years 2018-19 to 2021-22 for the projects they partner on. The audit produced seven “findings,” some of which M1W argues are redundant or inappropriate, or arguably inaccurate. And the findings don’t make M1W look good: According to the auditors, GPP Analytics, Inc., M1W overcharged MCWRA an estimated $1.11 million over the course of the four audit years, more than half of which came in fiscal year 2021-22. GPP recommends that M1W return the “overcharged” amount. … ” Read more from Monterey Now.
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
New Mid-Kings River Groundwater Sustainability Agency forms
“On Monday, July 29, 2024, the Mid-Kings River GSA held a special board meeting to wrap up the GSA’s official business before the Kings County Water District’s last day as a member agency. At the same time, the County of Kings and City of Hanford held a joint special meeting, at which they approved a restated joint powers agreement (JPA), ensuring that the Mid-Kings River GSA will continue to function without the Kings County Water District’s involvement and appointed new directors to serve on the board. KCFB appreciates both agencies working together and safeguarding the Tulare Lake Sub-basin (TLSB) from having an unmanaged zone under the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA). However, KCFB has concerns about the adopted JPA. As written, the current JPA consists of a six-member board of directors. Five seats are filled by the Kings County Supervisors, and the sixth is reserved for a representative from the City of Hanford. Even-numbered boards, particularly boards of public agencies, are unorthodox at best and problematic the rest of the time. … ” Read more from the Hanford Sentinel.
Bakersfield’s lawsuit against an oil company could set precedent for affected claims
“”It affected us a lot because we actually closed for 4 weeks,” Ismael Mendoza manager of Quiroz Kitchen recalls the moment when his business suffered extensive losses because of a water contamination that happened in early June. “We fell behind on rent, bills, everything,” said Mendoza. Cal Water Service initially sent an advisory asking people in Office Park Drive, Commercial Way, Commerce Drive, and Truxtun Avenue, between Mohawk Street and Westside Parkway, to not drink or use their tap water until further notice. … ” Read more from Bakersfield Now.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Santa Clarita: Water official resigns, board to discuss options
“The Santa Clarita Valley Water Agency governing board this week will decide on whether to appoint or hold a special election to fill the vacancy created by a longtime board member’s resignation. SCV Water announced Thursday that Ed Colley, whose District 2 seat will be on the November ballot, has resigned, effective Aug. 7. … In a news release Thursday, water officials said they would “discuss options for filling the vacant seat,” at their Aug. 20 meeting. … ” Read more from The Signal.
US Fish and Wildlife Service proposes listing Santa Ana speckled dace as threatened species
“The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is seeking public comment on its proposal to list the Santa Ana speckled dace as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. The Service determined that critical habitat for the species is not determinable at this time. With the proposed listing of the species, the Service is also proposing a 4(d) rule that provides exceptions to the prohibition of take for activities that can have beneficial or only negligible impacts to the dace. Excepted activities include forest management activities that reduce the risk of high-severity wildfire, public safety work, habitat restoration and enhancement, removal of nonnative species, and translocation efforts or fish salvage operations to benefit the dace. The Santa Ana speckled dace is genetically distinguishable from other populations of speckled dace and was recently designated as its own species. It is a freshwater fish in the cyprinid family, native to the Santa Ana, San Jacinto, San Gabriel, and Los Angeles watersheds in Southern California. Its relatively small and isolated populations occur mostly on federal lands managed by the U.S. Forest Service. … ” Read more from the US Fish and Wildlife Service.
SAN DIEGO
How car wash runoff can contribute to water pollution
“To avoid having someone write ‘wash me’ on your vehicle, you can either take it to a car wash, use a mobile detail service, or lather up the suds yourself. Whatever you choose, did you know that the runoff can actually contribute to the water pollution in our county? Project Clean Water has ways to reduce that. Project Clean Water is an organization dedicated to protecting water quality in San Diego County. They promote countywide initiatives for good watershed health by collaborating with 21 governmental agencies, the County, Port of San Diego, San Diego International Airport, and the 18 incorporated cities within the county. … ” Continue reading at CBS 8.
Along the Colorado River …
Imperial Irrigation District acts to protect Colorado River, Salton Sea with new Conservation Agreement
“Today, the Imperial Irrigation District Board of Directors approved a landmark conservation agreement with the federal government to leave up to 700,000 acre-feet of water in Lake Mead through 2026. The Board’s approval of the System Conservation Implementation Agreement (SCIA) with the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation will provide funding for the implementation of conservation programs from 2024 through 2026 to conserve up to 300,000 acre-feet a year of water that will remain in Lake Mead to aid the drought-stricken Colorado River. The conservation programs authorized under the SCIA include expanding IID’s existing On-Farm Efficiency Conservation Program (OFECP) and a new Deficit Irrigation Program (DIP). … ” Continue reading this press release from IID.
Imperial Valley farmers to try DIP program for water conservation
“The latest data from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation indicates that water conservation and management efforts within the Colorado River Basin are yielding positive outcomes as the region continues to navigate an ongoing drought. According to the July 24 report, the 2024 consumptive use to date will ensure that all authorized water delivery requests can be fulfilled without exceeding the limits set by the Reclamation. Imperial Irrigation District (IID) Director Gina Dockstader spoke with The Desert Review about another tool in the toolbox to further reduce irrigation water usage to meet contractual obligations made to the Bureau of Reclamation with the proposed 2024 Deficit Irrigation Program (DIP). … ” Read more from the Desert Review.
Bureau of Reclamation releases finding of no significant impact for final environmental assessment for proposed water conservation agreement
“The Bureau of Reclamation has issued a finding of no significant impact for a final environmental assessment of action proposed as part of a system conservation implementation agreement between Reclamation and the Imperial Irrigation District. The agreement is funded by the Inflation Reduction Act and supports voluntary system conservation to protect Colorado River reservoir storage volumes amid persistent drought conditions driven by climate change. Under the proposed temporary voluntary water conservation agreement, the Imperial Irrigation District proposes to conserve up to 300,000 acre-feet of Colorado River water annually from 2024 through 2026, up to a cumulative total of 700,000 acre-feet of water, which will remain in Lake Mead to benefit the Colorado River System and its users. … ” Continue reading from the Bureau of Reclamation.
Commentary: A long-term solution must be based on existing law, water rights, and conservation efforts expanded to all Colorado River states
Imperial Valley H2O writes, “The Law of the River, a sizable body of compacts, statutes, court decisions, and priority rights, represents more than 100 years of established law. As such, it provides the most solid foundation for a stable future that avoids litigation in the midst of decreasing hydrology and low reservoir conditions. It’s equally important to note that in August of 2023, all three Lower-Basin states – Arizona, California, and Nevada – signed a joint letter agreeing that the Law of the River must be the starting point for a long-term operations plan … It is clear from the last several years of drought, challenging weather conditions, and sacrifice by farms, families, businesses, and tribes in all seven Basin states, that the need for swift action is great. And the quickest way to a long-term plan begins with the Law of the River. Ignoring it only guarantees chaos and years of court battles that will do nothing to help the millions who rely on the river or protect the health of the river itself and its surrounding environment. … ” Read more from the Desert Review.
The Colorado River may need your help this week with its insect problem
“As the Colorado River level dips down Tuesday to kill off a moth-like pest, there’s a rare opportunity to help clean it up. Bullhead City, Arizona, is on the other side of the river from Laughlin, about an hour and a half southwest of Las Vegas. Its city officials are encouraging people to take the day to participate in city-wide cleanups, taking advantage of the lower water level to reach areas that are normally submerged. Starting at 3 a.m. Tuesday and lasting until 3 p.m., flows from Davis Dam will be reduced. That’s largely so the Bureau of Reclamation and the Bullhead City Pest Abatement District can kill off caddisflies, a harmless insect drawn to water that’s present in overwhelming numbers in Laughlin and Bullhead City. … ” Continue reading at the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
Expect Las Vegas water shortage to remain in effect as Lake Mead projections come out
“Water shortage levels for Southern Nevada are not expected to change when the federal government makes its anticipated once-a-year announcement this week. The decision is made each year in mid-August, based on projections for Lake Mead’s level in the coming year. Lake Mead is the nation’s largest reservoir. It’s currently only a third full. But for Las Vegas, that’s only half the story. Conservation measures and water recycling have allowed Las Vegas to reduce water use while the city has added residents. The Southern Nevada Water Association (SNWA) continues to promote conservation to reduce outdoor water use. So far this year, Nevada has recycled about 150,000 acre-feet of water, returning treated wastewater to Lake Mead via the Las Vegas Wash. An acre-foot is 325,851 gallons — literally, the amount needed to cover an acre with a foot of water. That’s enough to supply two to three households for a year. … ” Read more from Channel 8.
Arizona: US Air Force avoids PFAS water cleanup, citing supreme court’s Chevron ruling
“The US air force is refusing to comply with an order to clean drinking water it polluted in Tucson, Arizona, claiming federal regulators lack authority after the conservative-dominated US supreme court overturned the “Chevron doctrine”. Air force bases contaminated the water with toxic PFAS “forever chemicals” and other dangerous compounds. Though former US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) officials and legal experts who reviewed the air force’s claim say the Chevron doctrine ruling probably would not apply to the order, the military’s claim that it would represents an early indication of how polluters will wield the controversial court decision to evade responsibility. It appears the air force is essentially attempting to expand the scope of the court’s ruling to thwart regulatory orders not covered by the decision, said Deborah Ann Sivas, director of the Stanford University Environmental Law Clinic. … ” Read more from The Guardian.
Four Colorado River states, feds ramp up negotiations over water conservation credit program
“Colorado River officials in four states, including Colorado, are negotiating a new agreement with the federal government to conserve water and get credit to protect against possible cutbacks in the future. Water conservation is a big issue in the Colorado River Basin, where prolonged drought, a changing climate and overuse have strained the water supply for 40 million people. Currently, water conserved on a farm simply reenters streams and can be used by anyone downstream. The negotiations aim to set up a program to track, count and store that water so it can benefit the four Upper Basin states — Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming. Coloradans have asked for a conservation credit program, and this is a way of addressing that feedback, said Commissioner Becky Mitchell, Colorado’s representative on the Upper Colorado River Commission. … ” Read more from the Colorado Sun.
Colorado water rights: A complex system and pricey process
“Colorado water rights are a complex subject. How it’s sold and what happens to it thereafter can be as dizzying a process to understand as it is to trace. All water in Colorado is public in that it must be used for a beneficial purpose. Speculation is against the law, which is to say you can’t look to develop new water without first having an intended used for it. You can buy and sell existing water rights, even those you don’t actually own as yet. And who owns the water can mean everything, especially in a state where the high-plains desert accounts for a large percentage of water consumption. … ” Read more from the Denver Gazette.
