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On the calendar today …
- MEETING: Delta Independent Science Board from 9am to 12:30pm. Agenda items include a discussion of the election of a new chair-elect and may take action to elect a new chair-elect; and discussion of the food web review, decision-making under deep uncertainty review, subsidence review, and the Delta Conveyance Project EIR memo. Click here for the full agenda and remote access instructions.
- PUBLIC MEETING: Long-Term Operation of the Central Valley Project and State Water Project (virtual) from 12pm to 2pm. The Bureau of Reclamation is taking comments on the draft EIS for long-term operations of the Central Valley Project and State Water Project. For more information about these documents, click here. Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84327628004?pwd=JEzvJoNabgizXUBrNuaIrAEEM5bei0.1 Passcode: 200998
In California water news today …
At Southern Nevada Water Summit, leaders share hope for Colorado River
“Two years after Lake Mead hit an all-time low and concern swelled for the Colorado River’s long-term sustainability, water managers and lawmakers generally see a healthier basin. But that didn’t come without sacrifice in Las Vegas. U.S. Rep. Susie Lee, D-Nev., brought together federal, state and local leaders at Springs Preserve on Wednesday for her second annual Southern Nevada Water Summit. Decision-makers painted a hesitant, yet more hopeful view for the river that provides drinking water for 40 million people across seven states, Native American tribal lands and parts of Mexico. Since the founding of the Southern Nevada Water Authority in 1991, the state, which is afforded the smallest portion of the river by far, has emerged as a leader in the West in conversations about how cities can reduce their usage through aggressive policies. … ” Read more from PhysOrg.
Federal official: Nevada, Lower Basin states meet key Colorado River water goals ahead of schedule
“A plan from water officials in Arizona, Nevada and California to cut back on the amount of water those states use from the Colorado River in exchange for money with hopes of saving 3 million acre-feet of water over three years is meeting conservation goals, a top water official said Wednesday. The 2023 agreement has already seen 1.7 million acres of improvement less than one year into the effort, Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Camille Touton said. She says she believes the states are on pace to reach their original goal. “There is proof here that we can take on these hard moments, but we have to do it together,” said Touton, who spoke during a summit hosted by U.S. Rep. Susie Lee, D-Nev., at Springs Preserve. “We’ve been able to stabilize the system in the short term, and now we are focused on what this river looks like for the future.” … ” Read more from the Las Vegas Sun.
SEE ALSO:
- Water Summit highlights Nevada leadership on Colorado River issues, from KLAS
- Commentary: Time is now for a new Colorado River Basin process to bring together and engage sovereigns and stakeholders, from the Colorado Sun
Despite recent water supply improvement, more cuts expected for Colorado River, feds say
“After Lake Mead hit an all-time low two years ago, the Colorado River’s water supply is in a much better position this summer, but it hasn’t improved enough to prevent further cuts this year. While conservation efforts and two hardy winters have improved the short-term outlook for the Colorado River, Lake Mead is currently at 33% of capacity, meaning cuts this summer are likely, said Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Camille Calimlim Touton in Las Vegas Wednesday. “Where we’re going to be, most likely, is in a tier reduction. But the good news is it’s not where we were two years ago, and the lake is in a better place,” Touton said. In 2021 and 2022, Lake Powell and Lake Mead — the two largest reservoirs in the nation — both fell below critical thresholds, triggering emergency water cuts in Nevada, Arizona, and California and federal action to protect the lakes. A historic and extended drought on the Colorado River has severely impacted regional water supply, but recent conservation efforts have federal, state and local leaders cautiously optimistic. … ” Read more from the Nevada Current.
More Colorado River news in the regional section below. Take me there!
BlueTriton Brands, Inc. files lawsuit against U.S. Forest Service over Arrowhead Springs water rights
“On July 27, 2024, BlueTriton Brands, Inc. (formerly Nestlé Waters North America) received a notice dated July 26, 2024, from the Front Country District Ranger of the U.S. Forest Service. The notice, titled “Notice of Denial of Application for Use and Occupancy of National Forest Lands; Termination of Special Use Permit FCD728503,” denies BlueTriton’s February 21, 2023, renewal request for the special use permit (SUP) that allows the company to operate in the San Bernardino National Forest (SBNF). The Notice of Denial imposes immediate, indefinite restrictions on BlueTriton’s access to its Arrowhead Water Rights, effectively halting the company’s ability to use the right-of-way outlined in the SUP. In response, on August 6, 2024, BlueTriton filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Forest Service and several of its officials, including Chief Randy Moore, Deputy Chief Christopher French, Regional Forester Jennifer Eberlein, San Bernardino National Forest Supervisor Danelle Harrison, and Front Country District Ranger Michael Nobles. The lawsuit, filed in federal court, asserts that BlueTriton and its predecessors have legally owned and utilized the water from Arrowhead Springs in Strawberry Canyon for over 150 years. … ” Continue reading at the Mountain News.
Los Vaqueros Reservoir may expand storage
“Earthquake and drought risks to the Tri-Valley’s water supply may be mitigated in coming years by increased water storage at the Los Vaqueros Reservoir. The expansion project would also include obtaining access to a second source of San Francisco Bay Delta water through the Contra Costa Water District (CCWD). On Aug. 7, the Zone 7 Water Agency Board of Directors, which manages the area’s water supply, discussed options for participating in the Los Vaqueros Expansion project ahead of agreement negotiations later this month. The board said more data was needed before deciding what form Zone 7’s participation would take. “The bottom line is we’re missing the bottom line,” said Director Kathy Narum. … ” Read more from the Livermore Independent.
Column: Modern miracle from the Sacramento Valley feeds the world. It’s horribly overlooked
Opinion columnist Tom Philp writes, “The list of California innovations is long and famous. The semiconductor, the internet, Hollywood, aerospace, renewable energy, Disneyland, Apple and, of recent, artificial intelligence. Yet one achievement has been horribly overlooked. Its genius did not come from Silicon Valley. Or the San Fernando Valley. It came from the Sacramento Valley. Here, in all the places on the planet, is where this creation best prospers. Many are likely in your home right now, in many forms. We have taken the California Tomato for granted. We have underestimated its reach. We have overlooked its remarkable evolution. And here in Sacramento, the epicenter of a veritable tomato empire, we simply don’t appreciate what we have. … ” Continue reading at the Sacramento Bee.
Cover crops offer water-holding benefits
“As farmers statewide prepare for anticipated cutbacks to groundwater under the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act, or SGMA, they are trying to stretch every drop of water to stay in business. Merced County farmer Benina Montes, owner of Burroughs Family Farms, planted cover crops between rows of almond, walnut and olive trees at her farm near Snelling to improve soil health and attract beneficial insects. She is now seeing water savings. “For every 1% increase in soil organic matter, you can hold another 20,000 to 25,000 gallons of water per acre,” Montes said of the water-holding capacity of soil planted with a cover crop. “By having the ground covered, we’re getting much better water penetration.” … ” Read more from Westside Connect.
The Chumash Tribe’s long struggle to protect California’s coastal waters
“The Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians is working on a proposed marine sanctuary on California’s Central Coast—but planning has been complicated by the development of offshore windfarms that will need access to sanctuary waters. How is the Tribe managing the tradeoffs of these projects? We spoke with Sam Cohen, the Tribe’s government affairs and legal officer, to learn more. Q: First, tell us about the proposed Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary. Where is it, and why are the Chumash seeking to protect these waters? A:The Chumash have a rich maritime history dating back to the invention of the plank canoe—we call it a tomol. Tribal members sailed in the tomol between all the Channel Islands just south of Santa Barbara as far as Ventura, and close to Los Angeles. This was a treacherous journey, but it created a familiarity with the ocean. … ” Read more from the PPIC.
Half their land burned in a decade: The California counties constantly on fire
“The Park fire started in late July outside Chico, Calif., and in just 10 days exploded to become the fourth largest in the state’s history. Three years before, the Dixie fire grew so large that it became the first fire to leap over the Sierra Nevada mountains. In 2020, the North Complex fires, sparked by lightning in Plumas National Forest, destroyed more than 2,300 structures and killed more than a dozen people. And in 2018, the Camp fire razed the town of Paradise and killed 85 people, becoming the state’s deadliest fire to date. These four historic California fires burned in Butte County, which, along with neighboring counties near the foothills of the Sierras, has in the past decade seen much of its land engulfed in flames. … ” Continue reading at the New York Times.
A working lands carbon mitigation bank program
“A number of counties in California are largely agricultural, with a few small communities. Most of that agricultural land is intensively farmed, much of it irrigated. This situation presents the opportunity to sequester large amounts of carbon relative to the total greenhouse gas emissions from all county activities. In other words, the county can approach a level of net-zero emissions with a surplus available to share with other jurisdictions, particularly with those in within a County. Since many of these Counties are already planning to use this sequestration strategy to meet its own emission reduction goals, these reductions will be real, additional, and verifiable, meeting the gold standard for use as credits by other jurisdictions. … ” Read more from Economics Outside the Cube.
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
Water woes threatening livelihoods of California ranchers
“At their ranch in Scott Valley, about 40 miles from the Oregon border—Theodora and Dave Johnson saddle up their horses to drive their cattle herd to a fresh pasture. As sixth-generation ranchers, they enjoy their way of life, but like other ranchers, they’re worried that state-imposed water restrictions for livestock and irrigation could threaten their livelihood. The California State Water Resources Control Board issued two orders, effective July 25, restricting surface and groundwater diversions for agricultural use in the Scott River watershed. The orders require an immediate stop of the use of any water from diversions. … Theodora Johnson, a spokeswoman for the Scott Valley Agriculture Water Alliance, said ranchers in Scott and Shasta valleys are calling for an end to California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s emergency drought proclamation, which has been in place since 2021. … ” Read more from the Epoch Times.
Judge rules for city of Clearlake in Highlands Mutual Water Co. lawsuit
“On Wednesday the city of Clearlake scored a win in its lawsuit against Highlands Mutual Water Co. when a judge ruled that the water company must hold a new board election and release more information about its operations. In making his decision, Judge J. David Markham considered the water company’s bylaws, case briefs, arguments, district practice — and even matters of punctuation. Markham presided over the brief oral arguments in the case on Tuesday afternoon, taking the matter under submission and planning to release the decision by the end of the week, as Lake County News has reported. … ” Continue reading at Lake County News.
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
Residents install dry hydrant in the North Bloomfield area, extending water supply for firefighters
“North Bloomfield residents Randall Strossen and his wife Elizabeth Hammond recently added a 3,000 gallon fire suppression tank to their property. Then, Randall took the idea to his neighbors. “I wrote about a dozen neighbors, explained we were doing this. I said, you know, if anyone else has got a tank or pool or pond or something they can throw in for this dry hydrant idea, let’s do that.” One of his neighbors replied, “I’d like to throw my 32,000 gallon pool into the mix.” Now, Strosser wants to spread the concept all over the county. “A dry hydrant can take the form of water tanks, ponds, swimming pools, etcetera. In our area, anything we can have on the ready is a huge plus,” Strosser said during our interview. … ” Continue reading from YubaNet.
NAPA/SONOMA
Local environmental groups call for controversial Napa Valley dump sites to close
“A coalition of environmental groups are calling on local officials and regulators to shutter two controversial dump sites that have long operated in the Napa Valley hills near Calistoga. “We are a growing list of nonprofits that are asking for Clover Flat Landfill and Upper Valley Disposal Service to be decommissioned,” said the letter to the regional California Water Board, Napa County Board of Supervisors and Upper Valley Waste Management Agency, the oversight body for Napa County waste services. The group called for operations to be moved “to a safer, less environmentally sensitive location than the current CalFire High Fire Severity Zone at the top of the Napa River watershed.” … ” Read more from the Santa Rosa Press Democrat (gift article).
BAY AREA
Bay Area city ‘overwhelmed’ by massive fish grave
“From a massive fish grave to an incognito city administrator and a pizza party, public records have revealed the details of what went down after an estimated 1,000 catfish, trout and carp washed up dead at Lake Elizabeth during a heat wave over the Fourth of July weekend. The fish die-off began July 3, with crews cleaning up the mess by July 6. The city later confirmed that the die-off was caused by elevated temperatures in the shallow, human-made lake. The Mercury News gained access to public records on the city’s cleanup effort and discovered just how costly — and odd — it was. … ” Read more from SF Gate.
CENTRAL COAST
Two public agencies in the Salinas Valley are partnering to make groundwater sustainable.
“When the state Sustainable Groundwater Management Act was signed into law in 2014, Monterey County already had a leg up, at least from a data perspective: Since 1995, the Monterey County Water Resources Agency has been tracking groundwater extraction amounts and groundwater levels throughout most the Salinas Valley (called the GEMS program), giving those working to create state-mandated groundwater sustainability plans locally information to base their plans on. But as the Salinas Valley Basin Groundwater Sustainability Agency has been creating its plans throughout the Salinas Valley sub-basins, it’s run up against a problem: Some areas the state wants data on are outside the area of MCWRA’s GEMS program, so SVBGSA was stuck in a pickle – the data simply did not exist. Enter new leadership – in 2023, Piret Harmon and Ara Azhderian became general managers of SVBGSA and MCWRA, respectively, and decided to deepen the collaboration between the agencies to leverage MCWRA’s in-house expertise. … ” Read more from Monterey Now.
The future of sustainable groundwater management in Carpinteria
“Throughout California, groundwater sustainability agencies (GSAs) are working on developing policies and programs that will allow for their groundwater basins to meet the state’s requirements outlined in the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA). SGMA was passed in 2014 to encourage the local management of groundwater basins to help protect this critical water source over the long-term. The Carpinteria Groundwater Sustainability Agency (CGSA) was formed in 2020 after the Carpinteria Groundwater Basin (CGB) was designated as a high-priority basin by the state. We submitted our Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP) to the Department of Water Resources (DWR) at the beginning of this year, outlining how the CGSA and local stakeholders will ensure groundwater reliability within 20 years. DWR has two years to respond and comment on the GSP. … ” Read more from the Coastal View.
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
Large grant to help mitigate floods, recharge groundwater in Merced County
” A one million dollar grant promises to help with groundwater recharge and flood diversion in the Merced County, the Westlands Water District says. The grant was awarded to the district by the California Department of Water Resources as part of the Flood Diversion Recharge (FDRE) Initiative. “The District is committed to building a resilient water future for the San Joaquin Valley and our family farms,” said Allison Febbo, General Manager of Westlands Water District. “This grant will greatly assist us in clearing the way for flood diversion and support our ongoing groundwater recharge efforts as we navigate through climate-driven weather extremes and continued decline in reliable surface water supplies and work towards groundwater sustainability.” … ” Read more from Your Central Valley.
Westlands receives $1 million grant for groundwater recharge
“Westlands Water District has been awarded a $1 million federal grant to support its groundwater recharge efforts. The Department of Water Resources awarded the grant as part of its Flood Diversion Recharge Initiative. The big picture: Grant funding will focus on California’s efforts to reduce flooding by increasing flood flow diversion volumes to recharge areas. It will also go toward expanding local capacity to divert future flood waters. In practice, those efforts will reduce downstream flood impacts and facilitate groundwater recharge. … ” Read more from the San Joaquin Valley Sun.
Bakersfield: Cal Water shows where the money goes
“It took a lengthy regulatory filing last month for California Water Service Co. to make its formal case for a 34.5% rate increase proposed to take effect in 2026. But on Wednesday morning, it made the same case in a much simpler way: by leading a tour for local news media. Instead of words and numbers, it used images. The first of four stops was at the corner of N and 3rd streets, where two Cal Water employees labored in a trench to replace an old section of pipe made of cast iron with one made of bright blue PVC expected to last at least 100 years. … ” Read more from the Bakersfield Californian.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Column: Can AI dream up a more sustainable Los Angeles?
““Tell them stories. They need the truth. You must tell them true stories, and everything will be well.” So says the ghost of an old woman to nun-turned-astrophysicist Mary Malone in “The Amber Spyglass,” the final tome in Philip Pullman’s “His Dark Materials” trilogy and one of my favorite novels. The admonition came to mind as I explored an unusual art exhibit at the USC’s Wrigley Marine Science Center on Catalina Island, two dozen miles off the Southern California coast. A series of 11 images envisions a sustainable future for Los Angeles — as dreamed up by artificial intelligence. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
Cadiz announces northern pipeline now contracted for 85% capacity
“Cadiz, Inc. (NASDAQ: CDZI / CDZIP) (“Cadiz” or the “Company”) announced today that it has secured water purchase agreements for 85% of capacity of the Company’s “Northern Pipeline.” The announcement follows execution of the fifth agreement this year for water supply from the Company’s Water Conservation, Supply, and Storage Project (the “Project”), bringing the cumulative total acre-feet per year under contract for delivery via the Northern Pipeline to 21,275 acre-feet per year. Under the five water supply agreements signed so far this year, the Project is expected to deliver an annual supply of water under “take-or-pay” contracts over 40 – 50 years. The Northern Pipeline, which stretches approximately 220-miles northwest from Cadiz, California through San Bernardino and Kern Counties, has a total capacity of 25,000 AFY and is capable of serving remote desert and Inland Empire communities that currently rely upon imported water from Northern California through the California State Water Project. … ” Read more from PR Newswire.
SAN DIEGO
‘Your Herculean efforts fall short:’ State water board scolds IBWC for not fixing sewage treatment plant
“The binational agency that operates an aging wastewater treatment plant at the U.S.-Mexico border that is allowing Tijuana sewage to foul South County shorelines said it won’t meet this week’s deadline to bring the broken system into compliance with federal water quality standards. Commissioner Maria-Elena Giner, who heads the U.S. section of the International Boundary and Water Commission responsible for the South Bay plant, told the San Diego Regional Water Quality Control Board on Wednesday that continuing equipment failures and political challenges made it impossible to get three of the five primary treatment tanks online by Thursday, as had been promised. “We are not going to make (tomorrow’s) deadline, right, but we do have a plan,” she said during an extensive presentation. She requested an extension, citing the unparalleled amount of sedimentation from Mexico that is confounding multimillion-dollar efforts to bring the plant fully online. … ” Read more from the San Diego Union-Tribune.
Along the Colorado River …
A plan to save Colorado River water could bring big financial and governmental costs
“The Colorado River’s largest water user agreed to leave some of its supplies in Lake Mead in exchange for a massive federal payout. But environmental advocates say the plan was rushed and could harm wildlife habitat and air quality. The Imperial Irrigation District, which supplies water to farms in the Southern California desert, stands to receive more than $500 million from the Inflation Reduction Act. The cutbacks, spread out over the next three years, are part of a plan to prop up Lake Mead. Mead is the nation’s largest reservoir and holds water for farms and major cities like Los Angeles, Phoenix, and Las Vegas. State and federal leaders are under pressure to cut back on water demand as climate change shrinks supplies. Imperial, which has a larger allocation of Colorado River water than any other farming district or city between Wyoming and Mexico, has ended up in the crosshairs as a result. … ” Read more from Utah Public Radio.
Feds will pay California farmers not to use Colorado River water
“A key Colorado River conservation goal just got more realistic. The Bureau of Reclamation approved an agreement this week that will keep 700,000 acre-feet of water in Lake Mead that would have been used by the Imperial Irrigation District, which uses more water from the river than any city or farming district in the West. In return, the bureau will dole out millions in federal funds to the influential district and the farmers within it. Because water law in the West recognizes the principle of “first in time, first in right,” those with the most senior water rights, such as farmers, are given legal priority to pump water from the river. … ” Read more from the Las Vegas Review Journal.
The Colorado River delta is showing signs of life after U.S.-Mexico deal to restore water
“A decade-old effort to restore the once parched Colorado River delta in northwestern Mexico appears to be succeeding. Since the United States and Mexico agreed to restore some water to the delta in 2012, populations of native birds and plants have begun to rebound after decades of decline, researchers report in two recent studies. The results highlight “what can be achieved by establishing a balance in sustainable water management for the benefit of all, including the ecosystems themselves,” says Roberto Alejandro Sánchez-Rodríguez, a climate change specialist at the College of the Northern Border who was not involved in the studies. … ” Read more from Science.
Audio: Why a Colorado River water rights settlement could also create a new tribal reservation
“A landmark water rights deal between the Navajo Nation, Hopi tribe and San Juan Southern Paiute is now before Congress. The agreement wouldn’t just provide access to the Colorado River; it would also set aside a reservation for the San Juan Southern Paiute, the largest federally recognized tribe in Arizona without a reservation. Here & Now‘s Peter O’Dowd speaks to President Robbin Preston Jr.of the San Juan Southern Paiute about what establishing a reservation would mean for his tribe.” Listen at WBUR.
Commentary: Nevada’s high hazard dams are like the national debt
“We would like to pay off the national debt, but will Congress go beyond promises and stop the “tax/borrow and spend” that created an annual interest obligation higher than our military budget? We would also like to fix Nevada’s aging high hazard dams, but other pressing priorities are easier for elected officials to address. This does not indict our officials for neglect, it’s just a reality that any of us might agree with if faced with their options. For them it is like picking their favorite child when it comes to allocating funds — not easy. Another factor that kicks our infrastructure weaknesses down the road are these lyrics to a song made famous by Peggy Lee: “The window she is broken and the rain is coming in / If someone doesn’t fix it I’ll be soaking to my skin. / But if we wait a day or two the rain may go away. / And we don’t need a window on such a sunny day. / Manana, manana, manana is good enough for me.” This often puts us in a reactive mode with much of our infrastructure, including dams. … ” Read more from the Nevada Independent.
In national water news today …
The Clean Water Act 101
“It’s hard to imagine that just over 50 years ago, our lakes, ponds, and oceans were open dumping grounds for waste and sewage—and that it was legal! The hodgepodge of local and state rules governing the treatment of waterways were little match for the scale of pollution flowing from industry and municipalities. So when the Clean Water Act (CWA) was enacted in 1972, it drastically changed the course of public and environmental health. The bipartisan law gave the federal government the authority to set limits for water pollutants, help fund wastewater infrastructure, and support research and technology to improve water quality. We still have a ways to go before all of our waters are truly “clean.” In fact, the CWA has faced many challenges, including lawsuits from polluters intent on loosening regulations. Here’s everything you need to know about the CWA, from its origins to today. … ” Read more from the NRDC.
Faced with heavier rains, cities scramble to control polluted runoff
“In 2011, Philadelphia’s city-owned water utility drew national attention when it began Green City, Clean Waters, a 25-year program to manage an increasing volume of stormwater by using mostly “green infrastructure,” such as rain gardens and porous pavements, which allows rain to soak into the ground rather than becoming runoff that pollutes rivers and creeks. With a plan for green infrastructure to drain some 9,500 acres across the city, the Philadelphia Water Department was considered by many to be at the cutting edge of stormwater management — an increasingly urgent challenge for city governments amid the bigger, more frequent rainstorms now occurring as a result of climate change, especially in the northeastern United States. … ” Read more from Yale e360.
Climate change fueled last year’s extreme wildfires — some more than others
“Starting in March 2023, Canada burned for eight months, with flames licking all 13 provinces and territories in the country’s deadliest ever fire season. At least 150,000 people evacuated, and tens of millions across North America were affected by the drifting smoke. In New York, residents experienced the worst air quality in half a century. Five months later, Greece was besieged by the European Union’s largest blaze yet, which claimed almost 350 square miles of forests and took the lives of 19 immigrants. Near the equator, the Amazon experienced a record-breaking number of fires. For months, satellite images showed thick plumes of smoke shrouding entire countries and swaths of charred land, their perimeter accented by flares of highlighter-orange flames. … ” Read more from Grist.
