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In California water news this weekend …
Judge issues first-of-its-kind ruling to rein in groundwater pumping
“As Californians pump increasing amounts of water from the ground, sometimes siphoning flows from the rivers above and hurting fish, wildlife and other water users, an old state law is proving to be a new and successful means of reining in excessive pumping. A Superior Court judge ruled this week that Sonoma County must do more to ensure responsible groundwater pumping under the state’s Public Trust Doctrine. The historical doctrine holds that rivers, creeks and other waterways must be protected for the public. Groundwater has only recently been considered part of the Public Trust Doctrine, as the hydrological connection between waterways and below-ground water supplies has become clear. The new court decision is likely the first to enforce this. The ruling will not only require Sonoma County to revisit and perhaps rewrite its ordinance for permitting groundwater wells, but it could set the stage for other counties to similarly step up regulation for groundwater pumping. With aquifers being overdrawn across the state as above-ground supplies get squeezed, environmentalists are optimistic that this will be the case. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle (gift article).
SEE ALSO:
- Court decision slams the brakes on Sonoma County groundwater extraction, from the Sonoma Valley Sun
- Judges say Sonoma County’s water policy is a threat to public resources, from the Sonoma Gazette
DWR releases operation plan for the Delta Conveyance Project
“The Department of Water Resources (DWR) has transmitted to the State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board) an Operations Plan for the Delta Conveyance Project (Project) describing Project operations. The Project operations have been presented previously in several public documents, including the Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR) certified in December 2023 and the Project Incidental Take Permit (ITP) Application submitted to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife in April 2024. The Operations Plan consolidates this information in one convenient location for presentation to the State Water Board and participants. In February 2024, DWR submitted a petition to the State Water Board for the change in point of diversion (CPOD) for existing State Water Project (SWP) water rights to implement the Delta Conveyance Project. The Operations Plan was prepared to assist the public in better understanding how the new north Delta intakes will be operated. … ” Read more from the Department of Water Resources.
Big water decision coming up this week
“Over 350,000 acre-feet of stored northern California surface water is at stake in a decision that will be made by state and federal water and environmental agencies this next week. The City of San Diego uses 175,000 acre-feet of water per year, so 350,000 acre-feet is twice the annual water consumption of a major California city. The issue is a regulation designed to help the endangered delta smelt in the operating plans that govern the export of surface water to southern and central California. That regulation is called the Fall X2 requirement. This is a regulation that requires extra surface water to be released to the ocean in the Fall (September and October) in wet and above normal years for the purpose of helping the delta smelt. Multiple scientific studies released in the past year have demonstrated that extra releases of water to the ocean in the Fall have no positive impact on the delta smelt. In other words, there is zero scientific evidence that this release of valuable surface water helps the delta smelt at all. … ” Read more from the Milk Producers Council.
Potential water restrictions at Arrowhead Springs Hotel raise concerns over wildfire danger
“A dispute between the U.S. Forest Service and the bottler of Arrowhead Water could deprive the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians of millions of gallons of water, compromising the tribe’s ability to fight wildfires around its iconic Arrowhead Springs Hotel. Blue Triton Brands, which bottles and manufactures Arrowhead 100% Mountain Spring Water, was denied a special-use permit by the federal agency on July 26. The Forest Service ordered the company to stop drawing water from Strawberry Canyon, near the architecturally renowned hotel, and to remove its equipment and infrastructure. The San Manuel Indians receive a substantial amount of water from Blue Triton’s gravity-fed pipeline. A San Manuel spokesperson said the San Bernardino County Fire Protection District, Cal Fire and the Forest Service all share the tribe’s water supply with the San Manuel Fire Department, and assist each other in battling wildland fires in the foothills and front country areas. … ” Read more from the OC Register (gift article).
Rare August snowfall dusts Sierra resorts, closes portion of highway
“Mammoth Mountain and Palisades Tahoe were dusted by a rare August snowfall Saturday, with rain falling in some lower elevations of the Sierra Nevada and potential snow also forecast for Yosemite National Park. Overnight snowfall also forced a closure of Highway 89 through Lassen Volcanic National Park. Resort officials previously told the Chronicle that any snow would be highly unusual considering August’s normally warm temperatures. But on Saturday, the snow was visible even from the main lodge at Mammoth Mountain, which has not seen pre-October snow since 2017, according to the resort website. The snow was isolated to the resorts’ higher elevations, with a scattering of snow visible at Mammoth Mountain’s McCoy Station at 9,630 feet. Mammoth’s forecast had predicted a slight chance of snow before 11 a.m., followed by a slight chance of rain after 2 p.m., with temperatures dipping into the low 30s as of Saturday morning. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
Heat waves, wildfires and now … snow? California endures a summer of extremes
“An unusually cold weather system from the Gulf of Alaska interrupted summer along the West Coast on Saturday, bringing snow to mountains in California and the Pacific Northwest and prompting the closure of part of a highway that runs through a national park. Parts of Highway 89 through Lassen Volcanic National Park in California were shut down after an estimated 3 inches (7.6 centimeters) of snow fell overnight, according to the National Weather Service. Photos posted by the agency and local authorities showed a high-elevation blanket of white on Mount Rainier in Washington along with a dusting of snow at Minaret Vista, a lookout point southeast of Yosemite National Park in California’s Sierra Nevada. Madera County Deputy Sheriff Larry Rich said it was “definitely unexpected” to see snow at Minaret Vista in August. … ” Read more from Fox 40.
Following taste of fall, temperatures in parts of the West to soar as August winds down
“In the wake of the coolest weather since last spring, summertime heat will quickly rebound in parts of the West for the last week of August. AccuWeather meteorologists warn that record high temperatures could be in jeopardy in some areas. The big jump in temperatures, mainly focused in California and the Southwest, is part of a volatile weather pattern that will continue to bring sharp changes in the weather to the West to close out August. The changing conditions will also complicate efforts to control wildfires in the region and could spark more, as gusty winds are expected as temperatures change quickly. … ” Read more from AccuWeather.
How likely is a La Niña system this fall?
“Summer is about halfway over, but forecasters say extreme weather isn’t going anywhere for a while. A La Niña weather system this fall and winter could plummet much of California back into drought conditions. LA Times staff writer Grace Toohey joined Lisa McRee on “LA Times Today” to talk about the likelihood of La Niña and what it means for California. Toohey explained the difference between La Niña and El Niño weather systems. “These are recurring patterns that we see coming from the Pacific. And they’re important because they really affect our weather and climate here in California and across the U.S. El Niño, which is the pattern that we’ve been in for about a year, is this warm, moister, counterpart compared to La Niña, which we think of as kind of the drier counterpart. It tends to bring drier weather across much of the US,” she said. … ” Read more from Spectrum 1.
Resilience in practice: Avoiding planning traps
Paul Redvers Brown’s keynote speech to the IWA World Water Congress & Exposition in Toronto, Canada: “We convene today under the banner of “Shaping our Water Future.” In North America, many of our most capable water utilities are RE-shaping themselves in anticipation of an unpredictable future, expected to be profoundly different from our past, and sure to be full of surprises. With leadership from the US Water Alliance, a widely held “One Water” vision imagines all of our agencies and interests acknowledging the interconnectedness of what we do and collaborating in its accomplishment. Among water utility leaders, the willingness to invest in that vision may be at an all-time high — thanks in part, to many of you here today. Where I live in Southern California, the race is on to reinvent our existing independent water and wastewater systems — moving from two separate single-purpose utilities to closed-loop, multi-purpose projects and partnerships among and within agencies. At times, it feels like water utilities are in a competition to get all of our water recycling projects on-line, at full-scale, as quickly as possible. … ” Continue reading this keynote speech.
Educator Virginia Matzek on natural carbon capture and floodplain restoration
“Whether she’s teaching restoration ecology classes at Santa Clara University, exploring how floodplains and natural carbon capture intersect, or taking a class in the Amazon rainforest as a research volunteer, Virginia Matzek is doing what she can to prepare future restoration ecologists. When she returns to Santa Clara University from her year-long sabbatical for the 2025–26 academic year, it will be her 20th year teaching and her 18th year on that campus. She has co-authored nearly 30 peer-reviewed articles and taught thousands of students about ecosystem ecology and conservation. So when Matzek, one of the nation’s premier natural carbon capture scholars, says that floodplains “are hugely important” for ecosystem services, we listen. “Floodplains punch above their weight in terms of what they do for ecosystem services, and though they’re limited to these small amounts of total acreage, that acreage is hugely critical, from wildlife corridors to flood safety to groundwater recharge and all kinds of things,” she said. “We need floodplains. We need them to be forested. We need them to be flooded periodically for a thousand reasons. The carbon picture, though—that’s complicated.” … ” Read more from River Partners.
Sea lions continue to wash ashore on California coast amid toxic algae bloom
“An increasing number of sea lions are washing up on the California coast due to toxic algae that experts say could be the result of human-caused climate change. Stress has always been part of the job for Dr. Cara Field. But lately, it’s been bordering on frantic. “I’m going to start look at some of our patients and assess their neurologic responses,” she said. For the last three weeks, Field, the Director of Conservation Medicine at the Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito, has been in a race against the clock treating dozens of sea lions that have washed up along the California coastline. “When we get our patients here in the hospital one of the most important things is figuring out what the heck is going on with them,” she said. … ” Read more from CBS San Francisco.
Wildlife Conservation Board awards $44 Million in grants to 23 habitat conservation and restoration projects
“The Wildlife Conservation Board (WCB) approved 23 habitat conservation and restoration projects spanning 22 counties across nearly 7,891 acres at its Aug. 22 quarterly meeting. One of the grants will fund fuels reduction efforts and preparation for prescribed fire in an area badly damaged by the CZU Fire in 2020. Jointly owned by the Peninsula Open Space Trust and Sempervirens Fund, the 8,532-acre San Vicente Redwoods property connects 27,500 acres of protected woodland and supports one of California’s most iconic species. The CZU Fire—one of the most severe fires in California’s history—impacted more than 86,000 acres in this area. … ” Read more from the Wildlife Conservation Board.
State scientists approved a historic contract. Will other state workers follow their lead?
“Friday’s ratification vote, approving California scientists’ tentative agreement with the state, marked a turning point for the relatively small, but active union. Not only did California Association of Professional Scientists members overwhelmingly approve the measure, they also turned out in big numbers. Shortly after the results were finalized Friday evening, CAPS-UAW President Jacqueline Tkac told The Sacramento Bee of the 91% of the members who participated in the election, 97% voted to ratify the proposed contract. “This is truly a historic moment for our union,” Tkac said. “We can only go up from here.” … ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee.
In people news this weekend …
Promotions, passings, profiles – submit people news items to maven@mavensnotebook.com.
Delta Independent Science Board names Dr. Diane McKnight chair-elect
” At its August 15, 2024, meeting, the Delta Independent Science Board voted Dr. Diane McKnight from its existing membership as chair-elect, putting her in line to assume the chair duties in two years. Dr. McKnight’s chair-elect duties begin on September 1, 2024, when the current Chair, Dr. Lisa Wainger, will become past-chair, and the current Chair-Elect, Dr. Inge Werner, will become chair. Dr. Diane McKnight began her career with the United States Geological Survey. She is currently a professor in the Department of Civil, Environmental, and Architectural Engineering at the University of Colorado. Her research focuses on coupling hydrology, aquatic ecology, and water quality. Dr. McKnight has studied streams, lakes, and wetlands in diverse regions, including the arctic tundra in Alaska, polar desert streams in Antarctica, alpine lakes in the Rocky Mountains, and wetlands in Botswana. From 2015 to 2018, she served as a program officer with the Arctic Program at the National Science Foundation. … ” Read more from the Delta Independent Science Board.
Mark Gold returns to Metropolitan board
“Bringing over 35 years of environmental advocacy and water resource management experience, Dr. Mark Gold returned to the Metropolitan Water District’s Board of Directors today as the city of Santa Monica’s representative. The director of water scarcity solutions for the Natural Resources Defense Council, Gold succeeds board Vice Chair and Director Judy Abdo, who represented Santa Monica on Metropolitan’s board for more than 25 years. He previously served as a city of Los Angeles representative on Metropolitan’s 38-member board from April 2016 to July 2019. Chair Adán Ortega, Jr welcomed back Gold, hailing his expertise and experience as among the most accomplished water professionals in the state. “In appointing Dr. Gold to our board, the city of Santa Monica is sharing a leader who will help us adapt to the challenges of climate change and secure reliable water supplies for generations to come,” Ortega said. “He re-joins our board as a highly valued member.”
Passings: Fresno journalist Lloyd Carter, who exposed Kesterson environmental disaster, dies at 76
Lloyd G. Carter, 76, a journalist and lawyer whose reporting of an environmental disaster at the Kesterson National Wildlife Refuge refuge near Los Banos in 1984 sent shockwaves through the Reagan administration, died last week in Fresno. Mr. Carter, who had a vast understanding of California water issues, passed away in hospice care, according to the Fresno County coroner. Information on funeral services was not available. He was a former news reporter for United Press International and The Fresno Bee who uncovered a massive waterfowl die-off on the San Joaquin Valley’s west side. That, in turn, began his journey to becoming an expert on water in the San Joaquin Valley, as well as the powerful government and corporate farming interests who seek to control water policy. … ” Read more from GV Wire.
Podcasts …
WE GROW CALIFORNIA: There’s water and then there’s everything else
This week Ryan Jacobson, Chief Executive Officer of Fresno Farm Bureau joins Darcy and Darcy for an interesting conversation on what a Farm Bureau is, what it does, and how they work. Ryan discusses that over the last ten years, a lot of what he does can be summed up in these words, “There’s water … and then there’s everything else.” Ryan shares how he serves a wide range of interests, needs, and communities. Water-speak, as we all know, is a challenge. Ryan also serves as President of Fresno Irrigation District, which gives him a definite advantage. Farm Bureau provides immense value and service to its members and communities. Darcy B learned a lot. You just might too!
WATERLOOP: Tracking Evapotranspiration from space
Managing water resources effectively is crucial, especially in regions facing scarcity and drought. The OpenET platform, developed through collaboration between NASA, the Environmental Defense Fund, and other partners, offers a groundbreaking solution by leveraging satellite data to measure evapotranspiration. In this episode, we hear from Forrest Melton of NASA and Robyn Grimm, formerly of the Environmental Defense Fund, who explain the science behind OpenET and its diverse applications. The episode also features insights from various users across the water sector, including farmers and water managers, who discuss how OpenET is transforming their approach to water use and conservation. From supporting regulatory compliance to optimizing irrigation, OpenET is proving to be a critical tool for ensuring sustainable water management in the face of climate challenges.
ECONEWS REPORT: How to think about fire (from a fire expert)
“Wildfires are burning across many parts of California, including in Humboldt County. Fires are complicated. Fire is somewhat paradoxical. It is both a natural phenomenon and necessary for forest health, yet some large fires are unnatural. The way to reduce big bad fires may be more, smaller fires. Complicated things are difficult to understand and even harder to discuss well in public. Luckily, the EcoNews Report has Lenya Quinn-Davidson, Director of the University of California Agricultural and Natural Resource’s Fire Network, who is both thoughtful and a good communicator about fire. Listen in and up your fire knowledge!
WATER IS A MANY SPLENDOR’ED THING PODCAST: Wine and Water
Grapes are very much dependent on water and temperatures brought on by the seasons. Initially, water is one of the fundamental components of the life force needed for growing a vineyard to its mature state. However, once established, a grape vineyard needs very little water to produce its fruit. You might say that a vineyard benefits greatly during dry times like drought. What is it about a grape vineyard that gives its ability to adapt so well to water shortage? Water is a Many Splendor ’ed Thing brings you another water relationship that has a personally significant impact to your life. Produced by Steven Baker, Bringing People Together to Solve Water Problems, water@operationunite.co 530-205-6388
RIPPLE EFFECT: Airborne Snow Observatory
Jeff Deems from Airborne Snow Observatories and Lily Bosworth from the Colorado River Authority of Utah join us to talk about their joint venture to more accurately measure snowpack in the Colorado Basin. ASO employs a new flight technology using a combination of LIDAR and a high resolution spectrometer to remotely sense the depth of snowpack and get the snow water equivalent. This data is used for better snow run-off forecasting and reservoir operations. A really cool technology with the potential to be incredibly helpful in the coming years. Check-out the Authority’s very cool public ASO Data Site to see the results of their Pilot Project.
WATER SHELF: “Liquid Asset” with Buzz Thompson
Buzz Thompson joins the Water Shelf Podcast to talk about his innovative and extraordinary new book, Liquid Asset: How Business and Government Can Partner to Solve the Freshwater Crisis (Stanford University Press, 2024). Barton H. “Buzz” Thompson, Jr. is the Robert E. Paradise Professor of Natural Resources Law at the Stanford Law School. He is also a Senior Fellow at the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment, where he directs the Water in the West program, and is a Professor of Environmental Behavioral Sciences in the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability. Buzz is a practicing attorney specializing in water resources, was a former law clerk to U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice William Rehnquist and a Supreme Court-appointed Special Master, and has authored or co-authored numerous books on environmental law and policy. Why does someone with so many accolades and accomplishments go by “Buzz”? Listen to the podcast and find ou
In regional water news this weekend …
NORTH COAST
Governor’s office denies state of emergency assistance for Klamath dam removal project
“Siskiyou County will not get state funding to address the effects of the lower Klamath dam removal project. According to a Facebook post from the county, the California Governor’s Office has denied its requests for a state of emergency. “The County had requested state and federal assistance to address the impacts anticipated from the dam removal, citing concerns about air and water quality, and the potential risks to public health and safety,” the post said. “Despite these concerns, the assessment conducted by the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) concluded that the situation does not meet the threshold required for a State of Emergency declaration.” This means that the state believes the county can manage the effects of the dam removal project without state or federal assistance, the post said. … ” Read more from Channel 12.
Unexpected feral horses creating chaos on Klamath River reservoirs
“When land management experts and others were laying out scenarios for revegetation work after the removal of the four Klamath River dams, dealing with feral horses wasn’t on the agenda. They are now. “It’s a bit of a problem because horses can bring in exotic vegetation on their hide and hooves,” said Dave Meurer, director of community affairs for Research Environmental Solutions (RES), the nation’s largest ecological restoration company overseeing what will be a years-long restoration process along the 263-mile-long river. “It’s not a super big problem.” … ” Read more from the Herald & News.
Water truck, 180 lbs. marijuana,1200 plants seized in Klamath County raid
“A 1979 Freightliner water truck was seized during a raid at an illegal marijuana grow just south of Keno on the Oregon-California border Thursday. According to the Klamath County Sheriff’s Office, officers also seized 1,216 marijuana plants and 180 pounds of processed marijuana ready for distribution. The property belongs to 62-year-old Moua Y Lo of Wisconsin who police say was not at the location during the search. An estimated 170,000 gallons of water was illegally misappropriated and according to the sheriff’s office, this was the first time the agency has seized a water truck as evidence. … ” Read more from KOBI.
SEE ALSO: Sheriff’s Office Seizes Illegal Water-Tanker, Dismantles Large Marijuana Grow Operation, from Klamath Alerts
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
Northern California water agencies ask customers to conserve as PG&E continues repairs
“Customers of the Placer County Water Agency and the Nevada Irrigation District will need to practice their water conservation into 2025 as new issues have arisen along their water supply network. The two water agencies said that while work continues to progress along two PG&E pipelines that were damaged from winter storms, a new problem occurred at Lake Spaulding. As operators of the Spaulding 2 Powerhouse turned on the generator for testing, unforeseen mechanical failures occurred that created a major delay in the return of regular water flows along the system, according to NID. … ” Read more from Fox 40.
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
Yolo Causeway home to 250,000 bats this time of year, swarming sky in “ribbons” at sunset: “It’s beautiful.”
“This time of year, more than 250,000 bats make their home under the Yolo Causeway. It’s quite a sight to see when the colony, mostly made up of pregnant or nursing females, heads out for dinner each night. “I call it a ribbon when they come out. Some people call it a cloud,” said Corky Quirk, program coordinator for the Yolo Basin Foundation. Watching and waiting for the show Friday night was a sold-out Bat Talk and Tour, a group of about 70 people eager to see the bats take flight. Each night around sunset, the bats can be seen filling the sky by the thousands. It’s like ringing the bat dinner bell at the bug buffet. … ” Read more from CBS Sacramento.
CENTRAL COAST
Monterey court tentatively rules water district can advance Cal Am buyout
“A Monterey County Superior Court judge issued a tentative ruling in favor of the Monterey Peninsula water district’s voter-mandated acquisition of California American Water Company’s Monterey Peninsula operations Friday. The court action, when finalized, will allow the Monterey Peninsula Water Management District to begin the legal process of acquiring Cal Am’s infrastructure and take over the retail distribution of water to the Peninsula. “When it becomes final, our takeaway is that it will look very similar to the tentative ruling, which is very favorable for us,” said Dave Stoldt, the general manager of the water district. … ” Read more from the Monterey Herald (gift article).
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
New 2024 GSP for Kern Subbasin
“In May 2024, the Kern County Subbasin Groundwater Sustainability Agencies (GSAs) submitted a new Groundwater Sustainability Plan (2024 GSP) to the California State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB). The 2024 GSP comprehensively addresses deficiencies identified by the Department of Water Resources (DWR) in prior plans and incorporates feedback from SWRCB staff. The 2024 GSP is the product of hundreds of collaborative meetings between technical and policy representatives from all Subbasin GSAs and also incorporates SWRCB staff feedback. The Kern Subbasin GSAs developed the 2024 GSP to comply with the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA), which was enacted in 2014 and gave local agencies new authorities to manage groundwater. Under SGMA, GSAs must develop and implement a GSP that will achieve sustainable groundwater management by 2040. … ” Read more from Water Wrights.
Groups fighting for higher flows in upper Kern River
“Boaters and anglers believe Southern California Edison doesn’t leave enough water in a stretch of the Kern River above Kernville to support a healthy fish population. They want the utility to conduct a robust flow study as part of its quest to relicense its power plant. The company is conducting a “Level 1” study of “angling and aesthetic flows” on that 16-mile section of river. Level 1 is a “desktop review of existing information including a literature review, structured interviews, and the results of aesthetics-related questions,” from other studies, according to a description by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission of the studies Edison is required to complete as part of the relicensing process. … ” Read more from SJV Water.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Tainted groundwater from old Rocketdyne plant stirs concern anew
“Officials with the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board are reviewing findings from RTX Corp., the owner of the former Rocketdyne site, seeking to test soil and groundwater at several businesses, homes and the Westfield Shopping Mall for contamination. The vast 47-acre property in Warner Center sits across the street from bustling Westfield Topanga Mall, and is one of the largest undeveloped sites in Los Angeles. The former Rocketdyne parcel has been undergoing an extensive cleanup to address the tainted soil and groundwater at the site that trace back to toxic chemicals produced at the site three decades ago. Cleanup of the site has been underway since 1991. Still, its contaminated groundwater has spread to the land beneath nearby homes, businesses and the busy Westfield Topanga mall, according to a report filed in June with the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board, which is overseeing the cleanup. … ” Read more from the LA Daily News.
Laguna Beach County Water District partners with Doheny Ocean Desalination Project
“The Laguna Beach County Water District Board of Directors voted 4-1 to approve the cost share agreement for Phase 1 of the Doheny Ocean Desalination Project. The Doheny Ocean Desalination Project aims to create a new, reliable, local, and drought-proof water supply capable of producing up to five million gallons per day (MGD). By providing an essential emergency water source, the project aims to enhance South Orange County’s resilience against natural disasters. Leveraging existing infrastructure will significantly reduce costs and construction impacts and facilitate desalinated water delivery. Operation is scheduled to begin in 2028. … ” Read more from the Laguna Beach Independent.
Yucca Valley: Water rates going up; Average HDWD bill will be over 10% more
“Water and sewer rates will go up every year for the next five years under increases approved 5-0 by the Hi-Desert Water District directors Wednesday. The average household will pay just under $11 more a month this year for water and sewer services. Director Bob Stadum said inflation and the federal government are mostly to blame for the higher rates. “Most, I think two-thirds, three-quarters, maybe more, of the amount that we’re having to raise rates now and for the future is because the federal government and the federal reserve has failed to maintain a stable money supply, and so these rates are based on cheaper and cheaper dollars year after year after year,” Stadum said. … ” Read more from the Hi-Desert Star.
SAN DIEGO
For years, sewage from Mexico has floated over to California. Now help is on the way.
“After years of pollution from sewage flowing across the U.S.-Mexico border and onto San Diego beaches, federal officials are stepping in. At least “100 billion gallons of untreated sewage, industrial waste, and urban runoff have spilled into the Tijuana Estuary and the Pacific Ocean via the Tijuana River and its tributaries” in the last five years, according to the International Boundary and Water Commission (IBWC), prompting beach closures for more than 700 consecutive days, San Diego State University researchers stated in a study released in February. … ” Read more from SF Gate.
Along the Colorado River …
Time is running out to solve the Colorado River water crisis
Tom Wilmoth writes, “A solution to the long-building Colorado River conflict is needed — now. The Colorado River supplies water to roughly 35 million people in the American West and in Mexico. A mosaic of compacts, treaties, statutes and rules dating back to 1922, known as “The Law of the River,” divides the river’s water between the seven U.S. states in the Colorado River Basin and Mexico. The secretary of the Interior, through the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, exercises control over reservoir operations. The Law of the River is deeply rooted in history, remarkably complex and ill-suited to short-term adaptive strategies. Today’s water crisis has been building since 2000, when, ironically, the Bureau of Reclamation was evaluating plans to store extra water. Today presents a very different situation: Water demand outstrips supply, and the influence of climate change is obvious and unrelenting. … ” Read more from The Hill.
Arizona’s waters kept clear by plant-eating specialist
“When it comes to keeping some of Arizona’s most important water clean, local experts have turned to a non-native fish with a taste for greens. Grass carp are a type of large fish native to East Asia known for their appetite for aquatic vegetation. They have been used across the state and country to limit plant interference to any closed body of water’s intended purpose. Now the city of Litchfield Park is joining the likes of Salt River Project and the Central Arizona Project in deploying the first as a solution to its ongoing problem of aquatic weeds and algae growing in Tierra Verde Lake Park. “Aquatic vegetation has been an issue for people operating the canals since the canals were built in the early days,” said Brian Moorhead, environmental scientist and engineer at SRP. … ” Read more from the Daily Independent.
