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In California water news this weekend …
California details path to reintroducing fish into Klamath River
“California officials on Thursday released a plan they say will aid officials in the reintroduction of fish, including the imperiled Chinook salmon, to the Klamath River. The report’s release came the same week that river, which crosses from southern Oregon to Northern California, became free-flowing for the first time in a century, after the final two cofferdams in California on it were breached. The main goal of the Klamath River Anadromous Fishery Reintroduction and Restoration Monitoring Plan is to create healthy, self-sustaining fish populations, including Chinook and coho salmon, steelhead and Pacific lamprey. This would bring economic benefits, as well as enhance tribal, recreational and commercial fisheries, the state Department of Fish and Wildlife said. “The approach outlined in the plan minimizes interruption of natural biological processes to allow natural demographics, ecology and evolution to unfold thus promoting wild fitness, life history diversity and resiliency of these species,” said Charles H. Bonham, director of the fish and wildlife department, in a statement. … ” Read more from the Courthouse News.
SEE ALSO:
- Klamath River fishery plan calls for wild, self-sustaining salmon, steelhead populations in newly undammed river, from the Department of Fish and Wildlife
- See Klamath River in California flowing freely for first time in a century after historic dam removal, from the San Francisco Chronicle
Post-wildfire erosion in California threatens water storage and increases flood risk
“California communities and waterways near scorched hillsides are vulnerable to serious disasters, long after wildfire flames die out. Downpours can wash away millions of tons of soil and rock each year from California slopes, according to a study published this week, led by scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey and California Geological Survey. Researchers found this postfire erosion has dramatically accelerated across Northern California over the past four decades. Burn scars are especially at risk of debris flows, fast-moving slurries of mud and rock that can destroy homes and wipe out roads. But even smaller trickles can unload soil into waterways and clog up lakes. The researchers reported that across the state, 57% of the material flushed from postfire locations was upstream of reservoirs. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle (gift article).
RELATED CONTENT: USGS: Erosion following wildfire has increased in California since 1984
Portantino bill requiring robust study of microplastics in drinking water passes senate, heads to governor
“Senate Bill 1147, authored by Senator Anthony J. Portantino (D – Burbank), passed the Senate floor today and is now headed to the Governor for signature. The bill requires the study of the health impacts of microplastics in drinking water. “With increased reports and interest on the health risks of microplastics, it is past time we formally study its impacts,” stated Senator Portantino. “SB 1147 calls for the identification of a level of microplastics in drinking water that do or don’t pose risks to our health and then initiates a strategy to make drinking water safer for consumption. The bill applies to both tap and bottled water, which will ensure that all drinking water is treated consistently to maximize public health.” … SB 1147 would require the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) to share biennial studies that explore the health impacts of microplastics in drinking and bottled water to evaluate toxicity characteristics and identify levels of microplastics that are not anticipated to cause or contribute to adverse health effects, or to identify any data gaps that would need to be addressed to establish those levels. After considering the findings of the report, the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) may request OEHHA prepare and publish a public health goal for microplastics in drinking water. … ” Read more from Senator Portantino.
Friedman bill to protect California’s wetlands following supreme court decision passes the California legislature
“Last year, the United States Supreme Court decimated protections for the nation’s wetlands. Assemblymember Laura Friedman’s (D-Burbank) landmark bill, AB 2875, which protects California’s vital natural resources from the rollback of federal protections. Yesterday, the bill passed the California Legislature with a vote of 76-0. Wetlands are vast but delicate webs of interdependent species and complicated geology akin to rainforests or coral reefs. California was once flush with wetlands, the brimming tidal lands, riparian habitats, and seasonal vernal pools once covered more than 4 million acres throughout the state. Wetlands, while crucial habitat for California’s native species, have been nearly eradicated in the Golden State. A mere 10% of California’s wetlands including 5% of its tidal wetlands, still exist, choice waterfront property that developers dream of selling for top dollar. … ” Read more from Assembly member Laura Friedman.
California Proposition 4: Funding climate action
“Proposition 4 is a $10 billion bond to help the state pay for efforts to address the impacts of climate change, including boosting water recycling, flood control and wildfire and sea level rise protections. Official title on the ballot:Proposition 4 — The Safe Drinking Water, Wildfire Prevention, Drought Preparedness, and Clean Air Bond Act. What the measure asks: Should the state be allowed to sell a $10 billion bond for natural resources and climate activities. Much of the bond money would be used for loans and grants to local governments, Native American tribes, not-for-profit organizations, and businesses. Some bond money also would be available for state agencies to spend on state-run activities. … ” Read more from the LAist.
Podcasts …
WE GROW CALIFORNIA: Call to action: Fall X2
Darcy V is harvesting tomatoes so that means, Darcy B. is leading this discussion, and what a discussion it is! Darcy welcomes Geoffrey Vanden Heuvel, the Director of Regulatory and Economic Affairs for the Milk Producers Council, a California dairy farmer trade association. Geoff is currently the Vice-Chairman of the Water Blueprint for the San Joaquin Valley Board. Geoff joins Darcy B in the studio where they discuss the urgent Fall X 2 Action. The Fall X2 Action (Technically it addresses salinity intrusion in the Bay Delta), as currently mandated, results in significant water supply reductions that provide water for the San Joaquin Valley’s agricultural industry, rural communities, including disadvantaged communities, Southern California cities, families, industry, and economies, as well as critical habitat in both federal and private wildlife refuges.
WHAT MATTERS: All about the Delta Conveyance Project
Imagine a future where California faces increasing water instability. The state experiences more rain, less snow, and an uptick in extreme weather events like droughts and floods. Layer in the looming threats of sea level rise, climate change, and seismic activity, and the picture becomes even more complex. Now, consider a solution designed to tackle these challenges head-on—the Delta Conveyance Project. This ambitious, multi-billion-dollar initiative aims to enhance water reliability for 27 million Californians by modernizing the water transport infrastructure within the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. But what does this mean for the environment, local communities, and California’s long-term water security?
DELTA DISPATCH: Bloom Boom
Have you ever seen bright green patches of algae floating in the water? You might be seeing a bloom of algae… and it might be harmful to you and your pets! In this episode, we explore Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta with Guests Tricia Lee (Delta Stewardship Council, Delta Science Program) and Spencer Fern (Restore the Delta). We delve into what HABs are, examine their causes and impacts on human health, and discuss the performance measure aimed at monitoring and mitigating their effects.
WATER IS A MANY SPLENDOR’ED THING: Blue Green Algae
Scott Springer grew up in Chicago and decided to pursue his personal growth in the 1960s by traveling clear across the country to Mt. Shasta, California. It was there that he learned of the benefits of blue green algae that grew from the waters of Klamath Lake, Oregon. Water is a Many Splendor’ed Thing brings you another water relationship that has a personally significant impact to your life. Produced by Stephen Baker, Bringing People Together to Solve Water Problems, water@operationunite.co 530-205-6388
THROUGHLINE: Water in the west
What does it mean to do the greatest good for the greatest number? When the Los Angeles Aqueduct opened in 1913, it rerouted the Owens River from its natural path through an Eastern California valley hundreds of miles south to LA, enabling a dusty town to grow into a global city. But of course, there was a price. Today on the show: Greed, glory, and obsession; what the water made possible, and at what cost.
GOLDEN STATE NATURALIST: Coastal wetlands
Are coastal wetlands the same thing as estuaries? What about salt marshes? How can some plants grow in saltwater? Can I use them to salt my french fries? What’s an endangered river? Why do some birds build floating nests? Why should I visit nature that’s close to home? Join me and Empress Holliday as we explore the Tijuana Estuary to admire plants, gush over birds, and discuss everything from blue carbon to baby halibut.
In regional water news this weekend …
NORTH COAST
Estimated 20,000 migratory birds have died so far in Klamath Basin botulism outbreak
Increased water allocation to the Klamath Basin wildlife refuges is helping mitigate a summer botulism outbreak that has resulted in the deaths of thousands of migratory birds. On Aug. 17, the Bureau of Reclamation started flowing water to the Tule Lake and Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuges to help mitigate an outbreak of avian botulism. Thousands of ducks, waterfowl, and shorebirds at the Tule Lake Refuge have died from the disease this month. Both refuges are part of the Klamath Basin Refuge Complex straddling the Oregon-California border near Klamath Falls. … ” Read more from Jefferson Public Radio.
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
Restoration redefined: meadow recovery and climate action join forces in the Sierra Nevada Glass Mountains
“About 70% of Sierra meadows are degraded, with diminished capacity to hold water or store below-ground carbon. Similarly, vast tracts of forest where dead and dense tree stands predominate are vulnerable to catastrophic wildfire, counteracting their carbon benefits. CalTrout is developing a new approach to meadow and forest health in the Sierra Nevada – we are transforming meadow and forest restoration efforts into quantifiable carbon, water, and energy benefits on a landscape scale. This differs from traditional approaches which address only one or two primary causes of ecological degradation limited to the immediate project area, neglecting efficient use of restoration byproducts, facilitation of atmospheric carbon-reduction, and connecting local communities with sustainable energy resources. CalTrout recently received funding from the Sierra Meadows Partnership to start implementing this bold initiative through a pilot program in the Glass Mountains. This remote location possesses a unique combination of all features needed for the project. … ” Read more from CalTrout.
BAY AREA
What threat does lead poisoning pose to Oakland Unified students?
“The Oakland Unified School District is grappling with high lead content found in water at some of its schools. The heavy metal is toxic and hazardous to human health. Here what you need to know about lead. Q: What is the safe amount of lead in drinking water? A: There is no safe amount of lead in drinking water, according to Asa Bradman, a professor of public health at the University of California Merced. Federal and state law caps the amount of acceptable lead in drinking water at 15 parts per billion, but some school districts have enacted policies to further restrict that limit, including Oakland Unified which has a limit of 5 ppb and Berkeley Unified which has a limit of 1 ppb. … ” Read more from the San Jose Mercury News.
San Jose looks to make Lake Cunningham safe for swimming again after feds chip in $850,000
“For many longtime East Side residents, Lake Cunningham holds a special place in their hearts — and San Jose Councilmember Domingo Candelas is no exception. He learned to swim at the 50-acre, man-made lake and made many more memories frequenting the 203-acre park with his family, friends and neighbors. But over the past several decades, the water quality has deteriorated so badly that the lake’s become an environmental disaster, with swimming long banned. After years of neglect, San Jose is seeking to restore the lake to its glory days. And the federal government has given Lake Cunningham some hope. U.S. Rep. Jimmy Panetta has secured $850,000 in funding to help improve water quality, with the ultimate goal of making the lake usable for the first time in nearly 30 years. … ” Read more from the San Jose Mercury News.
Sunnyvale officials delay vote to ban artificial turf
“The debate between using artificial turf or natural grass on government-owned athletic fields in Sunnyvale has been pushed into the future, leaving environmental activists and youth sports groups in limbo. The Sunnyvale City Council declined to decide on banning artificial turf after a 4-2 vote, with Mayor Larry Klein and Councilmember Richard Mehlinger dissenting and Councilmember Alysa Cisneros absent. Instead, councilmembers will wait about a year and half for the city to finish its study on the environmental effects of artificial turf versus natural grass before reconsidering a ban. Sunnyvale Alliance Soccer Club President Damon James said he is disappointed by the delay, which affects efforts by the club’s youth sports group to get better quality athletic fields. He added that delaying a decision doesn’t feel like a response to the demands of environmental groups, such as the Sierra Club. … ” Read more from the San Jose Spotlight.
Morgan Hill hikes waste water rates, raising affordability concerns
“Despite some worries over the cost to residents, Morgan Hill City Council voted Wednesday to raise wastewater rates by 9% in October, with additional hikes each of the following three years. Under the plan, residents would be paying nearly 50 percent more than the current rates by 2028. “This will hopefully allow us to operate and maintain the system to provide the services that the residents want,” said Dat Nguyen, finance director for the city of Morgan Hill. Nguyen stressed that the city was not allowed to charge more than it costs to maintain the system, and that the hike was necessary for the system to operate safely. … ” Read more from the San Jose Mercury News.
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
Why does Amazon want to conserve the Central Valley’s water?
“According to an announcement Wednesday morning, Amazon Web Services (AWS) has plans to save the Central Valley’s salmon population through water conservation; however, these efforts would also serve a dual purpose, benefitting both the company and salmon across the state. The cloud service provider officials say they are committed to being water-positive by 2030. The company adds that a large part of getting to water positivity starts with their worldwide network of data centers, which need an abundance of water to keep from overheating. AWS says they are working on new water replenishment projects in China, Chile, the United States, and Brazil. In the Central Valley, their mission focuses on Chinook Salmon, which have garnered attention after statewide restrictions on salmon fishing. … ” Read more from KSEE.
Fresno district marches toward groundwater recharge goals
“The Fresno Irrigation District is 47 acres closer to its goal of building 1,300 acres of recharge basins capable of sinking 200,000 acre feet of water during a wet years. It celebrated the completion of the 47-acre Kenneson and Sanchez basins on August 21. The addition of those basins brought its total recharge acreage to 940, with 215 acres added just since 2015. And the district has purchased another 350 acres for more recharge, said Bill Stretch, general manager of FID. “But we need funds to engineer, permit and construct,” said Stretch. “In approximately the next five years we’ll bring those online, so at that point, we’ll be close to just under 1,300 acres of recharge basins.” … ” Read more from SJV Water.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Cemex files appeal of State Water Resources Control Board decision
“A mining company with contracts to extract more than 50 million tons of aggregate from Soledad Canyon is now pursuing an appeal for its right to build a mine on 500 acres just east of the city of Santa Clarita. Santa Clarita officials have feared for years that such an operation could irrevocably alter the bucolic nature surrounding the community’s eastern borders. The city has spent millions over the past three decades purchasing open space in order to preserve a “green belt” around the Santa Clarita Valley that connects the area with paseos and hiking trails. … ” Read more from The Signal.
Regulators say Chiquita Canyon has made ‘no meaningful improvement’ to odors
“Environmental regulators are faulting Chiquita Canyon Landfill for making “no meaningful improvement” in reducing noxious odors emanating from the Castaic facility and have ordered operators to take additional steps to address the problem. In a three-day public hearing, South Coast Air Quality District attorney Kathryn Roberts argued that Chiquita Canyon is operating under “crisis-like conditions” because its operators “chose to actively conceal” early signs of an underground landfill fire. Now, the landfill staff is forced to implement emergency measures that are exacerbating odors, such as excavating and relocating buried trash to prevent landslides. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
Toxic chemicals found in soil and groundwater near former Rocketdyne site in Canoga Park
“A former rocket testing and development site in Canoga Park is under increased scrutiny after recent tests showed high levels of two toxic chemicals in surrounding homes and businesses. The report, delivered on behalf of RTX Corp. to the California State Water Resources Control Board in June, detailed soil vapor and groundwater inspections at seven locations near the now vacant lot that was once home to the Rocketdyne testing and development site. It is adjacent to the Westfield Topanga mall. At each of the seven locations, the tests recorded levels of toxic cleaning solvents that were above environmental screening levels that could pose a long-term threat to human health and the environment. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
Alternative to controversial plan to bury contaminated sediment in Newport Harbor gains traction
“Environmentalists claimed victory this week over a stalled plan to bury contaminated sediment in Newport Harbor and applauded an alternative proposed earlier this month that would repurpose it for a pier expansion program in Long Beach. But city officials say both options are still on the table. The sediment would be the byproduct of dredging the harbor so channels remain deep enough for boats to safely navigate the federally controlled waterways. Newport Beach officials have described the substance as nontoxic. But samples from the bottom of the harbor have tested positive for trace amounts of harmful chemicals including mercury, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and the pesticide dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethane (DDT). … ” Read more from the LA Times.
SAN DIEGO
Congressional delegation demands answers from Mexico about border odors
“Members of San Diego’s congressional delegation Wednesday demanded answers as to why despite the dry weather, environmental officials are reporting an increase in sewage flow and strong odors from Mexico in the Tijuana River. Reps. Juan Vargas, Sara Jacobs, Scott Peters, all D-San Diego; Mike Levin, D-Dana Point; and U.S. Sens. Alex Padilla and Laphonza Butler, both D- California, called on the U.S. Department of State to pressure Mexican officials for answers on the unprecedented dry weather sewage and sediment flows from Mexico. “We write to you to express our deep concerns regarding the significant dry weather transboundary flows in the Tijuana River Valley, reports of increased sediment coming from Mexico, and the recent increase in odors coming from the Tijuana River Valley, and to urge you to press Mexican officials to address these issues as soon as possible,” the lawmakers wrote in a letter to the agency. … ” Read more from NBC 7.
San Diego Congress members want the State Dept. to do more to stop record-breaking Tijuana pollution
“San Diego Congress members are calling on the U.S. State Department to press Mexico to address unprecedented levels of sewage pollution spilling over from Tijuana, causing unbearable rotten-egg odors for residents in the region. In a letter Wednesday, officials asked the State Department to explain its steps to pressure the Mexican government or say why it has not done more to help stop thousands of tons of sediment and trash from crossing the border. Reps. Juan Vargas, Sara Jacobs, Scott Peters and Mike Levin and U.S. Sens. Laphonza Butler and Alex Padilla addressed the joint correspondence to Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs Brian A. Nichols and U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Ken Salazar. … ” Read more from the San Diego Union Tribune.
Along the Colorado River …
Listen: What do more water cuts in 2025 mean for Las Vegas and Nevada?
“Even though it still gets over 100 degrees, and forecasters say it’ll stay there for another week or so, right now … we’re all breathing a sigh of relief. Because the summer’s awful summer heat seems over. How bad was it? Even those few born here weren’t doing their usual boasting about how the heat was nothing. This summer was something altogether different. It was starting to break people, and it killed dozens. To make matters worse, the news came a few weeks ago that Las Vegas would once again have cut back on its use of the Colorado River, even though it already has the smallest share of water out of seven states that use the river. And it’s made us all wonder about our water supply. We can have all the megaresorts we want, but without a steady supply of water, Las Vegas doesn’t exist, or it exists on a much smaller scale. But is that even a potential future? Will the seven states get their act together and come up with enough river cuts that we can stop worrying for a while?” Listen at NPR.
Lake Powell: Water rule change could have saved 28.5 billion gallons
“As Lake Powell and other vital water sources in the Colorado River Basin face increasing stress, researchers are calling attention to a simple yet critical legal reform that could help secure the region’s water future. A recent study by a consortium of scientists, including experts from the University of Virginia, suggests that closing Colorado’s “free river conditions” loophole could play a key role in stabilizing water supplies and safeguarding reservoirs like Lake Powell. The loophole is a remnant of historic water-sharing agreements between the seven states, 25 Native American tribes and parts of Mexico that rely on the Colorado River—some 40 million people. It allows anyone in Colorado to divert unlimited water from the river when it carries enough to meet everyone’s needs, regardless of their water rights. “Closing this loophole in Colorado’s water rights system could save millions of cubic meters of water and be the state’s modest contribution to solving water stress in the Colorado River Basin,” lead author Peter Debaere said in a statement. … ” Read more from Newsweek.
SEE ALSO: Researchers urge closing outdated water rule to aid Colorado River crisis, from Smart Water Magazine
New technology in the Upper Colorado River basin states will measure water lost to the sky
“To help quantify how much water is lost as evapotranspiration — the biggest unknown in estimating water use — the Upper Colorado River Commission is installing EC towers across its basin. For now, the eddy-covariance towers measure the water lost from soil and plants to the sky and carbon dioxide, a major component of global warming. The towers take measurements 20 to 40 times every second, and each one costs a half- million dollars. One is up and running now at the Southwestern Colorado Research Center in Yellow Jacket. “Come next year, around this time, we will have 32 operating fully seamless, all of them communicating in the entire upper basin,” said Kaz Maitaria, Ph.D., a staff engineer at the Upper Colorado River Commission and a Fulbright Scholar. … ” Read more from The Journal.
Labor Day dips alter stream composition
“This weekend, people all across the United States will be enjoying the last hurrah of summer, perhaps with a trip to the nearest swimming hole. But an influx of bathers, tubers, and paddle boarders could significantly change the composition of freshwater streams, according to new research published in ACS ES&T Water. “People are exposed to other chemicals based on the choices of their fellow swimmers. And you’re all swimming around in it like a soup,” said Carsten Prasse, an environmental chemist at Johns Hopkins University and an author on the study, in a statement. … ” Read more from EOS.
SEE ALSO: Poop, pee, cocaine! People bring more than just tubes to Colorado rivers over Labor Day weekend, from the Colorado Sun
In national water news this weekend …
Five times more fish at risk of extinction than previously thought
“The number of fish species facing the threat of extinction has been dramatically underestimated, according to a study published Thursday. The International Union for Conservation of Nature estimated that 2.5% of marine teleost fish species — by far the largest infraclass of ray-finned fishes —are at risk of extinction, but researchers now say that figure is more like 12.7%. A team of scientists from the Marine Biodiversity, Exploitation and Conservation Unit in Montpellier, France, conducted research on the fate of these fishes. The study, published Thursday in the journal PLOS Biology, took a comprehensive look at fish species previously excluded from extinction predictions due to a lack of data. … ” Read more from Courthouse News.
Reclamation joins innovative water management partnership
“The Bureau of Reclamation is joining the Integrated Water Resources Science and Services, an innovative partnership of federal agencies, to address significant challenges in water management and science. The partner federal agencies include the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Geological Survey, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and Federal Emergency Management Agency. “We are always looking to use the latest and best scientific information in our water management decisions,” said Chief Engineer David Raff. “This memorandum of understanding will enable collaboration as we all seek to adapt to a changing climate and the ever-increasing demands placed upon our flood-risk reduction and water supply. … ” Continue reading from the Bureau of Reclamation.
