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On the calendar today …
- PUBLIC HEARING: Sites Reservoir Water Right Permit beginning at 9am. The State Water Resources Control Board is holding a multi-day public hearing on the Sites Project Authority’s application for a water right permit to store up to 1.5 million acre-feet of water annually in a proposed reservoir in the Sacramento Valley. View hearing on the Administrative Hearings Office YouTube channel.
- MEETING: State Board of Food and Ag beginning at 10am. Main agenda item is a presentation and discussion on Defining Regenerative Agriculture for State Policies and Programs. Click here for the full agenda and remote access instructions.
- MEETING: Drought Resilience Interagency & Partners (DRIP) Collaborative from 1pm to 3pm. Join the Department of Water Resources for the Drought Resilience Interagency & Partners (DRIP) Collaborative for a joint workgroup meeting, bringing together the Drought-Relevant Data and Drought Definition and Narrative workgroups. This joint workgroup meeting will focus on Rapid Inventory of Drought Related Tools and Resources (REC 2), Drought Case Studies (REC 8), Drought Definitions White Paper (REC 6), Drought Indicators and Metrics (REC 1), and Communication Program (REC 7). Click here for more information and remote access instructions.
In California water news today …
Californians to face steep fines for violating water orders under new legislation
“California lawmakers late Friday approved a massive increase in fines for water scofflaws after ranchers intentionally defied state orders and pumped water from the drought-plagued Shasta River for eight days. Two years ago, state officials imposed the maximum fine allowed under law — $4,000, or roughly $50 per rancher, causing outrage among tribes and conservationists. The river provides vital habitat for salmon, and California was experiencing its driest three-year stretch on record. The new legislation, which is now awaiting Gov. Gavin Newsom’s signature, would double daily fines for water rights holders who commit minor violations. Those violating curtailment orders could face fines of up to $10,000 per day — a 20-fold increase — plus $2,500 for every acre-foot of water taken. Had it been in place at the time, the Siskiyou County ranchers could have faced total fines exceeding $1.2 million. … ” Read more from Cal Matters.
State Water Board staff gives two groundwater agencies a pass, keeps Tule subbasin on hook for probation
“A final report released by state Water Resources Control Board staff Friday maintains its recommendation that the Tule subbasin be put on probation but gives a pass to two specific groundwater agencies within the subbasin. The report recommends that farmers in the Delano-Earlimart Irrigation District and Kern-Tulare Water District groundwater sustainability agencies be exempted from having to register their wells at a cost of $300 per well, file pumping reports and pay a $20-per-acre-foot pumping fee. Those fees and requirements are recommended for farmers in the rest of the subbasin, which covers the southern half of the valley portion of Tulare County. … ” Read more from SJV Water.
State Water Board needs to get up to speed on Kern’s new groundwater plan, speakers say
“The state came to Kern County Thursday night and got an earful. Water managers, farmers, residents and others told members of the Water Resources Control Board that they need to get up to date on the region’s new groundwater plan. Frustration was evident among speakers who didn’t understand why Water Board staff would recommend the Kern subbasin be put on probation based on a plan from 2022 that is now “obsolete.” Kern water managers submitted an entirely new plan at the end of May 2024. Water Board staff acknowledged they had only done a preliminary review of the new plan and that their probation recommendation was based almost entirely on the 2022 plan. That didn’t go over well. … ” Read more from SJV Water.
Kern subbasin groundwater sustainability agencies urge State to consider updated plan
“The Kern Subbasin Groundwater Sustainability Agencies (GSAs) have responded to a draft report from the California State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB). The draft report finds the Kern subbasin’s Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP) to be inadequate and recommends that the subbasin be placed on probation. The GSAs’ response was submitted during public workshops held on August 26, 2024, and August 29, 2024, and highlighted the significant improvements made in the 2024 GSP, which addresses previous deficiencies and outlines a strategy to achieve groundwater sustainability by 2040. Notable improvements include enhanced protection for drinking water wells, expanded monitoring network, and the application of uniform data sets and methodologies across the entire subbasin to establish and maintain the subbasin’s sustainability goals. Despite these advancements, the SWRCB’s draft report, primarily based on outdated plans, recommends placing the Kern subbasin on probation, which could lead to state oversight and additional requirements for local landowners. … ” Continue reading this press release.
SEE ALSO: State Board Workshop Kern Subbasin August 29, 2024, coverage by Water Wrights
SGMA’s groundwater costs could slash fruit and nut production, study finds
“Groundwater makes up roughly a third of California’s freshwater supply used for irrigation — a necessary resource to continue producing three-quarters of the nation’s fruits, nuts, and half of its vegetables. Yet, a new study finds that with the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act imposing higher groundwater pumping costs, farmers may switch to crops that use less water. According to a study led by the University of Maryland, California can meet SGMA’s groundwater targets, but doing so will cut fruit and nut production by a quarter and leave 50% more cropland unused. “Our study found that farmers will ride out short-term increases in the cost of water, like during a drought, but as cost increases become permanent, they shift away from crops like fruit trees, which are long-term investments,” Louis Preonas, UMD Assistant Professor of Agriculture and Resource Economics and study co-author, said in a release. … ” Read more from Valley Ag Voice.
Unusually hot weather returns to the West, with major heatwave & fire weather escalation after Labor Day
“Well, it’s not official yet–but when the formal NOAA statistics come out later this week, it’s quite likely that Summer 2024 will be deemed the hottest on record across much or most of the American Southwest, perhaps including Arizona, Nevada, California, and maybe Utah at a statewide level. Although not official, the regions painted in dark red in the map plot above should give a general sense of how widespread the record-breaking heat was this summer. And it wasn’t universal: In fact, most of California’s immediate coastline missed out on record heat this season (including some of the most densely populated portions of the SoCal megalopolis)–meaning that while a majority of California’s land area did indeed just experience a record-hot summer, the majority of California’s population likely did not (a pattern we’ve seen repeated in several recent years). The millions of folks living in and near Las Vegas and Phoenix, however, were not so lucky. … ” Read more from Weather West.
Watching native fishes vanish
“It’s an odd, disturbing feeling – watching populations of native fish species collapse and then disappear. Sometimes it happens quickly, other times it’s a series of slowstep change events. The end result is the same though – smaller populations, extinctions, less biodiversity. We put up a little fight, and occasionally have moderate success. But by and large, the overall trend is down, the pace of change quickening, and it is relentless. We’ve watched it over our careers, and maybe some of you have too. Either as biologists or water professionals, or perhaps as long-time readers of this blog. This summer has been no different. It has been an avalanche of stories, all with variations on this theme. Here, we provide a synopsis of some recent events, along with wider thoughts on what watching this happen means. … ” Continue reading from the California Water Blog.
Researchers are working to understand California’s rise in harmful algal blooms
“Passersby around McLeod Lake in the city of Stockton might think the watercolor looks reminiscent of a bloody scene from jaws, but Ellen Preece with the Department of Water Resources said the pinkish dye released by them is harmless, and performing an important task. “We have a number of sensors that will be out in the water measuring the dye,” Preece said. “Then those results will feed into a hydrodynamic model so that we can better understand how water circulates in this area.” Understanding water circulation, Preece said, is part of the bigger goal to better understand harmful algal blooms. … ” Read more from Spectrum 1.
State dam safety programs could get new look after summer storms
“Supercharged summer storms unleashed a deluge of rain in many Midwestern states this year, pushing several aging dams past their capacity as floods tore away embankments, inundated subdivisions and carried sediment that had built up for decades downstream. In the southern Illinois town of Nashville, six inches of rain fell in just a few hours in mid-July. The deluge pushed water from a city reservoir over the top of a 90-year-old dam, prompting evacuations of 200 nearby homes and businesses. Officials also ordered evacuations in the eastern Wisconsin town of Manawa in early July, after water started eroding the banks along the side of a dam. But the most striking scenes came from southern Minnesota in early June, when the Blue Earth River tore a new path around the Rapidan Dam near Mankato. Trees and other debris blocked the gates where water was supposed to flow, so it diverted course to its western bank, which was made of topsoil. … ” Read more from Route 50.
A newly launched UNLV startup advances the search for water sustainability solutions to the Southwest climate crisis
““The best way to predict the future is to invent it.” These words from computer science pioneer Alan Kay, shared over 50 years ago, summarize our current climate crisis in the Southwest U.S. quite well. Severe heat waves and dwindling groundwater reserves are threatening the future vitality of the growing region, creating an unfavorable prognosis that requires the intervention of invention. That’s where UNLV engineering professor H. Jeremy Cho comes in. He co-founded and leads the research team behind WAVR Technologies, Inc., a UNLV startup that makes devices capable of capturing water vapor from the air around us for commercial and individual uses. “I certainly saw the need with water levels at Lake Mead getting lower and lower,” said Cho, who arrived at UNLV from Princeton in 2021. “Something had to be done, and that’s when I took a good look at atmospheric water harvesting technology and thought I could come up with a better way to do this.” … ” Read more from the UNLV.
Study reveals membrane behavior impacting water-purification performance
“Desalination can help provide much-needed freshwater to communities lacking access, but the process can be difficult at scale. Now, scientists have discovered one of the reasons behind that difficulty. Roughly 80% of the world’s desalination involves the use of reverse osmosis — a water-purification process utilizing a semi-permeable membrane to separate water molecules from other undrinkable substances. Engineers and scientists around the world have leveraged thin-film-composite reverse-osmosis membranes, essential in reverse osmosis, for more than 40 years. A multi-institutional research team from the UCLA Samueli School of Engineering, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Yale University and the University of Connecticut has recently published a study investigating the behavior of the membranes as governed by their viscoelastic properties. … ” Read more from the UCLA Samueli School of Engineering.
Wildfires are contaminating water supplies
“If you stood on the banks of the Cache la Poudre River in Colorado after the 2020 Cameron Peak Fire, the rumbling water may have appeared black. This slurry of ash and charred soil cascaded toward the reservoirs that supply drinking water for the downstream city of Fort Collins, home to around 170,000 people. Although the water looked clear again several weeks later, Charles Rhoades, a research biogeochemist at the US Forest Service Rocky Mountain Research Station, says he is still seeing contaminants from the fire in the watershed. Recent studies have found that while some watersheds begin to recover within five years of a fire, others may be fundamentally altered, never fully returning to their pre-fire conditions. And with wildfires becoming more common, much larger, and burning for longer as the world warms, hydrologists, ecologists, and water-management officials are scrambling to understand and mitigate the consequences fire-contaminated water can have on humans and ecosystems. … ” Read more from Wired Magazine.
Hillside erosion worsening in California due to wildfires and intense rain
“Over the last three decades, California has seen increasing erosion after major wildfires — a phenomenon that not only endangers water resources and ecosystems, but is also likely to worsen with climate change, according to researchers. A new study from the U.S. Geological Survey documented a tenfold increase in post-fire hillside erosion in Northern California from the late 1980s to the 2010s, with the majority of the largest sediment-producing fires occurring in the last decade. This erosion causes a number of problems. When heavy rains scour charred hillsides, debris flows can choke rivers and streams, depriving fish of oxygen. Sediment runoff can also fill reservoirs and take up valuable water storage space, damage flood control infrastructure and threaten nearby communities vulnerable to flash flooding. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
Western Governors urge Congress to “act now” and reform wildfire management
“For many years, Western Governors have worked together to develop and implement bipartisan policy that helps mitigate uncharacteristic wildfire. On August 28, in correspondence with Congressional leadership, the 20 Governors represented in the Western Governors’ Association expressed their bipartisan support for several recommendations in the final report of the Wildland Fire Mitigation and Management Commission. While not every individual Western Governor may agree with every Commission recommendation, the letter highlights select recommendations and their alignment with Western Governors’ policy as it relates to pre-fire risk mitigation, active fire suppression, post-fire recovery, and systemic reforms that affect every phase of the wildland fire management cycle. … ” Read more from the Tahoe Daily Tribune.
In the Park Fire, an indigenous cultural fire practitioner sees beyond destruction
“Where others might see only catastrophe, Don Hankins scans fire-singed landscapes for signs of renewal. Hankins, a renowned Miwkoʔ (Plains Miwok) cultural fire practitioner and scholar, has kept an eye on the Park Fire’s footprint as it sweeps through more than 429,000 acres across four Northern California counties. It started late last month and became one of the largest fires in state history in a matter of days, fueled by dry grasslands. The fire has since risen into the Sierra Nevada foothills, burning through chaparral shrub to reach the mixed conifer belt of the Lassen National Forest. Timber has become its latest energy source. Yet Hankins says he is seeing some signs of a landscape resilient to fire in areas where he and his team of researchers at California State University, Chico have been able to bring back to the land “good fire” that reduces the potential for destructive wildfires, maintains ecological diversity and holds cultural and spiritual significance for many Indigenous tribes. It is a practice known as cultural burning. … ” Continue reading at Inside Climate News.
In commentary today …
Delta tunnel plan is a risky, destructive and unnecessary gamble
Malissa Tayaba, vice chair of the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians; Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla, executive director of Restore the Delta, and Scott Artis, executive director of the Golden State Salmon Association, write, “The Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta is more than just a water source. It is a vibrant, living estuary — the largest on the West Coast of the Americas — with over 1,100 miles of waterways that support diverse wildlife, including declining salmon runs that have led to fishery closures two years in a row. Saving the estuary is of national importance. Yet state officials continue to push forward with a plan to build a 36-foot-diameter, 45-mile tunnel through the Delta that would pump as much as 7,500 cubic feet of water per second from the Sacramento River — enough to cover 11,000 football fields with a foot of water daily. The State Water Resources Control Board is fast-tracking public hearings for the so-called Delta Conveyance Project, limiting meaningful and fair public participation. … ” Continue reading at the San Jose Mercury News (gift article).
Common sense still missing in Delta water management
Scott Hamilton, President of Hamilton Resource Economics, writes, “Water management in California is often perplexing. Earlier this year, state and federal pumps were brought to minimal levels to reduce salvage of steelhead. Perhaps only a small percentage of the steelhead population was turning up at the pumps – no one knows as there are no estimates of the population. The fish that were caught were diverted into holding tanks before they reached the pumps and released back into the Delta to continue their journey to the ocean. So, if the fish were being salvaged, why was there a need to reduce pumping in the first place? … ” Continue reading at Valley Ag Voice.
The California Tomato: Less an innovation, more a complete sensory sensation
Stephanie Taylor writes, “It’s an early August morning 30 miles north of Sacramento. The sun is still low. But the heat stored in fertile soil lifts an early fragrance from a field covered in Christmas reds and greens. I pick one from the vine, round and warm and dusted with dirt. I’m here to understand the California tomato. I joined Sacramento Bee Opinion Writer Tom Philp on his journalistic journey to explain this agricultural marvel. He came away understanding the tomato as an innovation, a multitude of red orbs grown and processed in miraculous quantities through one clever California breakthrough after another. But me? As a Sacramento Valley-born and -based artist, I discovered something quite different Yes, how we grow 30% of the world’s tomatoes on a tiny fraction of the state’s agricultural landscape is impressive. But the tomato’s true essence is not an innovation, it’s a sensation. It’s breathtaking to all my senses: sight, smell, sound, touch. These tomatoes are our living art. After my time in the fields and in frenetic processing plants, I came to no other conclusion. Let’s not merely admire and understand the life of California tomatoes. Let’s savor them with every sense at our disposal. … ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee.
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
‘Anything that can be built can be taken down’: The largest dam removal in US history is complete – what happens next?
“The Klamath River is free of four huge dams for the first time in generations. But for the Yurok tribe, the river’s restoration is only just beginning – starting with 18 billion seeds. Brook Thompson has been fishing on the Klamath River ever since she could stand up in a boat. To Thompson and her family, who are part of the Karuk and Yurok tribes from northern California, fishing is second nature. “The river was our grocery store,” the 28-year-old explains. That was until a catastrophic fish die off happened in 2002. “It changed everything,” Thompson remembers. “We’d always had plenty of food up until then. As a seven-year-old, the salmon were almost as big as me, and I saw thousands of their bodies piled up on the shoreline, I smelled their rotting flesh. It was apocalyptic.” … ” Read more from the BBC.
As California dam removal hits final stage, river flows freely for first time in a century
“The decades-long push led by tribal communities to remove four dams along the Klamath River reached another victory this week as crews began the project’s final stages, restoring historic water flows to the river for the first time in over a century. Crews planned to break down the last remaining cofferdams — infrastructure built to divert water around the larger dams’ original construction sites — at the Iron Gate and Copco No. 1 dam sites in Siskiyou County this week, the Klamath River Renewal Corp. announced on Tuesday, and did so. Now, the river can flow freely between Lake Ewauna in Klamath Falls, Oregon, to the Pacific Ocean for the first time since the dams were constructed between 1903 and 1962. … ” Read more from SF Gate.
Federal officials confirm botulism outbreak at Klamath refuges, with 20,000 birds dead so far
“On Aug. 13, Outdoor Life reported on a suspected avian botulism outbreak at the Klamath Basin National Wildlife Refuge Complex on the Oregon-California border. Biologists with the California Waterfowl Association had found roughly 500 dead birds — mostly ducks and other waterfowl — at the Tule Lake NWR, and they suspected that avian influenza could be playing a role as well.The botulism outbreak has since been confirmed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and refuge managers fear they could be dealing with dual outbreaks of avian botulism and High Path Avian Influenza. The death toll at the Refuge Complex is currently around 20,000 birds, according to Jefferson Public Radio. … ” Read more from Outdoor Life.
California lawmakers urge Biden to create new national monument near Mount Shasta
“A bid to create another national monument in Northern California, near towering Mount Shasta, got a significant boost on Friday with an endorsement from federal lawmakers. U.S. Sens. Alex Padilla and Laphonza Butler alongside Rep. Adam Schiff, all from California, are urging President Biden to use his executive powers to designate a volcanically distinct area known as the Medicine Lake Highlands as the Sáttítla National Monument. Padilla and Butler also are planning to introduce legislation in Congress to create the monument, should the president not act before leaving office early next year. Monument status would ensure greater protection of the site and raise its profile in the pantheon of American public lands. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
Toxic algae alert issued for Mendocino County’s Navarro and Russian Rivers
“Health officials in Mendocino County are warning the public about potentially toxic algal mats recently discovered in two local rivers, advising caution for anyone who boats, fishes, or swims in the affected areas. The North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board and Mendocino County issued advisories for the Navarro River in Philo and the East Fork of the Russian River, where the algal mats were found. Children and dogs, who are most susceptible to serious health impacts, should avoid touching any suspicious-looking algal material in the water or along the riverbanks. … ” Read more from MendoFever.
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
What to know about algae in Tahoe
“Algae in Lake Tahoe has been a hot topic this summer. While these tiny organisms are a natural part of Tahoe’s aquatic ecosystem, algae can become a harmful algal bloom, or HAB, under the right conditions. No HABs have been detected in Lake Tahoe this summer, but this time of year is when to be on the lookout, when warm, shallow water increases the likelihood for HABs. For everyone who enjoys the region’s lakes, rivers, and creeks, it’s important to know how to spot a HAB, where to report your sightings, and what to do to keep yourselves, your pets, and others safe. … ” Read more from the Tahoe Daily Tribune.
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
Cal Water upgrades water infrastructure in Marysville
“California Water Service (Cal Water) recently completed a water infrastructure upgrade that will improve water supply reliability and fire protection for Marysville residents and businesses, according to officials. Cal Water installed over 1,600 feet of new water main on A Street between 2nd and 4th streets in southern Marysville. “Infrastructure improvements like this help Cal Water maintain a reliable water supply for both everyday and emergency needs and enable us to keep providing quality, service, and value to our customers,” Marysville District Manager Tavis Beynon said in a statement. … ” Read more from the Appeal Democrat.
NAPA/SONOMA
Court orders Sonoma County to ensure groundwater pumping doesn’t harm streams and fish
“Every year in Sonoma County, steelhead trout and coho salmon return to spawn in creeks along the Russian River that are fed by groundwater. Environmental advocates have long urged the county to adopt measures that would prevent groundwater pumping and well drilling from drying up these streams and damaging vital fish habitat. Now, a Sonoma County Superior Court judge has sided with environmental groups, ruling that the county violated state law and failed to meet its obligations to protect so-called public trust resources when officials adopted rules for wells under an amended local ordinance. “We have long known that excessive well pumping can harm our public trust resources, such as salmon and steelhead,” says Don McEnhill, executive director of the nonprofit group Russian Riverkeeper. “We’re seeing major degradation in habitat.” … ” Read more from the LA Times.
Editorial: Time to revist county groundwater rules
The Santa Rosa Press Democrat editorial board writes, “Sonoma County could become ground zero in California’s long-running political feud over groundwater regulations. … Sonoma County’s modest initial efforts to regulate wells have been challenged in court twice by conservation groups, and local judges twice ruled against the county. In the most recent case, Superior Court Judge Bradford DeMeo concluded that the county must do more to ensure that any new wells it permits in three designated groundwater basins — the Russian River, Petaluma River and Sonoma Creek — will not harm surface streams or underground aquifers. DeMeo’s 40-page ruling relies on the California Environmental Quality Act and the Public Trust Doctrine, a legal principle requiring government agencies to protect natural resources, including water, for the benefit of the public. … How courts apply CEQA and the Public Trust Doctrine will be pivotal to establishing the scope of groundwater management rules, in Sonoma County and across the state. … ” Read more from the Santa Rosa Press Democrat (gift article).
Chinook Salmon counts in the Russian River are dropping
“The health of the Russian River, Sonoma Valley’s primary source of drinking water, is critically important. One indicator of health is the status of Chinook Salmon, which used to migrate to spawn in uncountable numbers. Sonoma Water, the county agency that manages water extraction and delivery from the Russian River to cities and counties, monitors the number of Chinook Salmon and generates yearly reports. The following information is drawn from Sonoma Water’s website. … ” Read more from the Sonoma Valley Sun.
Seasonal dam fails on Russian River, closing beach and seasonal crossing
“A seasonal dam on the Russian River has failed, prompting road and beach closures ahead of the Labor Day holiday weekend. Sonoma County 5th District Supervisor Lynda Hopkins, who represents West Sonoma County, said the Vacation Beach Seasonal Dam, downriver of Guerneville, appears to have failed in evening on August 29th. “One of the sort of steel elements in the sort of summer dam for Vacation Beach, which is installed annually by the Russian River Rec and Park District failed,” Hopkins said. … ” Read more from Northern California Public Media.
SEE ALSO: Seasonal dam on lower Russian River fails, forcing early removal of summer bridge, from the Santa Rosa Press Democrat
BAY AREA
Marin County readies for winter storms
“Winter storm preparations have begun across Marin County. Efforts are underway by the county’s Department of Public Works to get ready for the seasonal onslaught of downed trees, landslides, road damage and flooding. The work includes removing sediment buildup from creek beds, replacing pump station equipment, conducting roadside storm drain work and checking and repairing levees. The work, which launched in late spring, is expected to be wrapped up by mid-October. “Plain and simple, our annual storm preparation work is a critical piece of flood prevention and public safety,” said Laine Hendricks, a county spokesperson. “Clearing debris and obstructions from creeks, storm drains, and culverts helps prevent flooding by ensuring that water can flow freely.” … ” Read more from the Marin Independent Journal.
CENTRAL COAST
Fish flop: Environmental groups allege that SLO County isn’t doing enough to help steelhead populations succeed in Arroyo Grande Creek
“Four environmental organizations recently teamed up to sue San Luis Obispo County over Lopez Dam and what it’s not doing for the endangered steelhead trout. “Lopez Dam is a complete barrier blocking SCCC [South-Central California Coast] steelhead migration to the majority of high-quality spawning, rearing, and refugia habitat above Lopez Lake,” the lawsuit reads. “Moreover, the county releases insufficient flows from Lopez Dam to the mainstem Arroyo Grande Creek resulting in severely degraded spawning, rearing, and migration habitat downstream of the dam.” San Luis Obispo Coastkeeper, Los Padres ForestWatch, California Coastkeeper Alliance, and The Ecological Rights Foundation filed their lawsuit against the county on Aug. 13. It alleges that several species in the Arroyo Grande Creek watershed that are listed as endangered or threatened under the federal Endangered Species Act are in jeopardy because of the way the county manages Lopez Dam. … ” Read more from New Times SLO.
SEE ALSO: Activists say Lopez Dam harms steelhead trout, sue SLO County, from the San Luis Obispo Tribune
Officials discover ‘one of the rarest fish in America’ thriving in secret creek for first time in a decade: ‘It has the will to survive’
“One of the rarest fish in the country is slowly swimming back from the brink of extinction after being spotted in a California river for the first time in 10 years. The Southern California steelhead trout, known for its long, spotted body with a splash of pink along its side, has been recognized as an endangered species on the national and state levels. As of May, only 177 adults of the rare fish had been documented in creeks, streams, and rivers between Santa Maria, California, and the border of Mexico in the last 25 years, according to the Independent. Luckily, that number appears to be growing. Brian Trautwein, a senior analyst and watershed program director for the Environmental Defense Center, told KEYT-TV that a large group of the trout has now been discovered in Santa Barbara County. … ” Read more from The Cool Down.
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
Stockton Metro Airport’s water contaminated with Legionella, San Joaquin County says
“The Stockton Metropolitan Airport is giving out bottles of water after the airport’s drinking water tested positive for Legionella bacteria. San Joaquin County said its drinking water was shut off after test results on Aug. 19 found higher than accepted levels of the bacteria, which can cause infections. Routine tests were conducted on Aug. 5. The county said airport management will be meeting with Clean Harbors Environmental Services to discuss the next steps to fix the issue. The airport is now “working expeditiously to have the terminal building system evaluated, flushed, treated, tested, and returned to normal service,” the county said. … ” Read more from KCRA.
High-Speed Rail Authority and Grassland Water District reach settlement agreement
“The California High-Speed Rail Authority (Authority) and the Grassland Water District, Grassland Resource Conservation District, and Grassland Fund (Grassland) have reached an agreement that releases Grassland’s potential California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) claims regarding the Authority’s adoption of environmental review documents for the San Jose to Merced portion of the high-speed rail project. The agreement fosters a collaborative partnership between Grassland and the Authority as it works to connect the high-speed rail system from the Central Valley to the Bay Area while further building on its commitments to avoid and reduce impacts in the sensitive Grassland Ecological Area. … ” Read more from the California High Speed Rail Authority.
Chasing vision and value in the Central Valley’s last native grassland
“Where Great Valley Grassland State Park’s single boat ramp meets the San Joaquin River, the water ripples with non-native mosquito fish, darting aimlessly in the murky water. Sparse riparian vegetation along the river bank provides little protection from the stinging Central Valley sun. Dry floodplains surround us, and a single social trail, an unofficial trail formed from people repeatedly walking that way, winds through the tall invasive plants that thrive on the unnaturally parched land. At Great Valley Grasslands State Park (GVGSP), American Rivers is combining levee deconstruction, native plant revegetation, habitat restoration, and community outreach to conserve one of the California Central Valley’s last native grasslands, restore the San Joaquin River’s natural floodplain hydrology, and create an accessible and inclusive community space for recreation, environmental and cultural education, and stewardship. … ” Read more from American Rivers.
Eastern Tule Groundwater Sustainability Agency board approves revised Groundwater Sustainability Plan
“The Eastern Tule Groundwater Sustainability Agency Board approved a revised Groundwater Sustainability Plan it hopes will convince the State Department of Water Resources Control Board to delay putting the Tule Subbasin on probation. The GSP covers six GSAs in the Tule Subbasin that essentially cover Tulare County. The ETGSA which essentially covers Southeastern Tulare County is one of the GSAs in the Tule Subbasin. By a 6-2 vote the ETGSA board approved the revised GSP after hearing an update on specific revisions that were made concerning the ETGSA. It’s hoped the revised GSP will convince the state board to delay putting the Tule Subbasin on probation. … ” Read more from the Porterville Recorder.
EASTERN SIERRA
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Southern California heat wave to bring temperatures up to 119 degrees
“Southern California was bracing Monday for a heat wave expected to bring triple-digit temperatures to much of the region this week. Driven by weak offshore winds and a heat dome over the southwestern United States, temperatures are forecast to rise over the course of the week before peaking Thursday and Friday. Portions of the Los Angeles Basin could reach 113 degrees by the weekend while the mercury could climb to 119 in the Coachella Valley. “We are in what’s already the hottest time of the year climatically, and we are going to be 10 to 15 degrees above normal, in almost every area from the beach to the deserts,” said meteorologist Ryan Kittell of the National Weather Service’s Oxnard office. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
What happens when a concrete jungle becomes a ‘sponge city’
“In early February, meteorologists warned Southern Californians that a supercharged storm was headed their way, potentially bringing catastrophic flash flooding. The predictions came true, and then some: Up to 10 inches of rain fell on parts of Los Angeles over a 24-hour period, shattering all-time precipitation records. That meant as much as 21 million acre-feet of water — or one and a half times the entire annual volume of the Colorado River — fell on the 36,000-square-mile greater LA metro area. When trillions of gallons drench a typical concrete-dominated cityscape, the water runs off rooftops and slides onto impermeable concrete driveways and into streets, turning them into virtual rivers. It cascades into stormwater drains and concrete-cased arroyos — picking up dirt, garbage, oil and other substances — before rushing into larger rivers and, ultimately, the sea. When it rains as much as it did in February, the chances of a system failure — drains clogging, gutters overflowing, flood-control structures collapsing — rise, setting the stage for an urban flooding catastrophe. … ” Read more from High Country News.
Contaminated sediment proposed for burial in Newport Harbor could go to Port of Long Beach instead
“A plan to bury contaminated sand and debris dredged up from main navigational channels in Newport Harbor in a pit at the harbor’s floor appears to be off the table, with the material instead to be repurposed by the Port of Long Beach. The Army Corps of Engineers is set to clear an estimated 1.2 million cubic yards from the harbor’s central channel and channels near its entry. Of that, about 10% of the material removed can’t be dumped into the open ocean under federal law because it contains elevated levels of mercury and industrial chemicals such as DDT. A confined aquatic disposal facility dug into the harbor’s floor was proposed for the dredge material that needed a place to go, with blessings from the California Coastal Commission to bury the sediment in the pit with a clean layer of sand over top. … ” Read more from the OC Register (gift article).
Will our slice of the Pacific Ocean still be healthy in 2050?
“Ask Ben Lyles, a former biology teacher, if the ocean off the coast of Southern California will still be a good place to swim or surf in, say, 2050, and he answers by saying how much he wants to teach one of his great-granddaughters to fish. Two hurdles, he said, stand in his way: “Time and greed.” … Lyles said his favorite fishing hole – the Pacific Ocean off Southern California – is changing, and not for the better. “We (messed) it up,” he said, nodding at the ocean. A lot of people, from scientists to activists to people who make a living from the ocean, agree with that basic premise, though often with many caveats. “The ocean is still beautiful. And it’s still my favorite place to be. And people still want to live next to it,” said Joanna Schmidt, a real estate agent who sold homes in West Los Angeles before moving to Oregon last year.“ … And it’s a gamble, right?” she added. “If the ocean dies, so does the Southern California lifestyle, in my opinion. You can’t have one without the other.” … ” Read the full story at the LA Daily News (gift article).
IMPERIAL/COACHELLA VALLEYS
California Legislature approves creation of Salton Sea Conservancy
“Today, the California State Senate passed Senate Bill 583, authored by Senator Steve Padilla (D-San Diego) and co-authored by Coachella Valley Assemblymember Eduardo Garcia (D-Coachella), with bipartisan support. The bill creates the Salton Sea Conservancy to unify the state’s efforts to protect residents’ health, foster ecological recovery in the area, and to empower local stakeholders in that process. Conservancies in California have had historic and recorded success in remediating and restoring some of the state’s most vulnerable habitats. The Salton Sea Conservancy would be California’s 11th conservancy and the first established in over 15 years. The state is making unprecedented investments in Salton Sea restoration efforts with over $250 million secured for critical restoration in the Inflation Reduction Act at the federal level, $60 million from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, and $170 million if the voters pass the Safe Drinking Water, Wildfire Prevention, Drought Preparedness, and Clean Air Bond Act of 2024. This financial commitment comes at a key time, ensuring residents have a seat at the table deciding how recovery efforts proceed and projects are prioritized. … ” Read more from Senator Steve Padilla.
SAN DIEGO
Escondido water recycling facility will offset restrictions that often come during droughts
“Water use restrictions are usually the first sign of severe drought conditions in California, but a new recycled water treatment facility in Escondido set to go online early next year could help offset those restrictions for the local farming communities. What’s unique about the new plant is that when drought conditions develop, local farmers with avocado and citrus groves won’t have to cut back on their water use. Water that goes through the new Membrane Filtration Reverse Osmosis Facility (MFRO) in Escondido is essentially being repurposed, according to Escondido Utilities Director Angela Morrow. Morrow said MFRO will create a drought-tolerant supply for farmers so that they still have water for their crops during what can be the most trying times in a growing season. … ” Read more from NBC 7.
Coastal wetland project enhances restoration efforts
“In short, the San Dieguito Lagoon Wetland Restoration project was set on restoring the saltwater wetlands, enhancing and maintaining the natural flood control channel and developing new pedestrian trails. If one zooms out though, the project is a complement to recent restoration efforts in the lagoon, encompasses 194 acres of land and is part of the overall wetland strategy included in the Public Works Plan and Transportation and Resource Enhancement Program and the City of San Diego El Camino Real Bridge/Road Widening Project. … ” Read more from Stormwater Solutions.
Federal, state and local officials tour South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant
“With the smell of sewage in the air, San Diego Representatives Scott Peters, Juan Vargas and Sara Jacobs toured the plant to witness the situation firsthand. They were joined by other federal and state officials, including Deputy Secretary of State Richard Verma. “This has taken too long to get fixed, but thankfully we are on a better path today,” Peters said. Peters said a big reason why the problem is so hard to solve is because of years of neglect. “Between 2010 and 2020, over 10 years, only $4 million was spent on this plant’s maintenance,” he said. … ” Read more from KPBS.
SEE ALSO:
- Federal agency says sewage odors aren’t its fault. Local air pollution officials say that’s not entirely true, from the San Diego Union-Tribune
- ‘Nowhere is safe’: Imperial Beach rallies to demand quicker fix to sewage crisis, from the San Diego Union-Tribune
Along the Colorado River …
Authors of new Colorado River study want water officials to close loophole
“Authors of a new study on laws that manage the Colorado River are calling for change: They want to see water officials scrap an old rule and allow more water to make its way to major reservoirs. In Colorado, when there’s enough water in the Colorado River for everyone to get the amount they’re legally entitled to, the river enters “free river conditions.” Once that happens, anyone, whether or not they have legal access to the river, can just take water out. Brian Richter helped write the new study and would like to see the state ditch the free river rule. … ” Read more from KJZZ.
ADWR Director, tribal liaison, planning meetings with Arizona tribal water partners
“Should Congress approve the water rights agreements recently negotiated by four Native American tribes, a majority of Arizona’s 22 federally recognized tribes at long last will enjoy adjudicated rights to water supplies – a major achievement that in most cases will conclude decades of negotiations and legal proceedings. In early July, Arizona’s US Senators introduced legislation seeking congressional approval of water rights and funding for infrastructure projects involving three Arizona-based tribes. If passed by Congress, the Northeastern Arizona Indian Water Rights Settlement Act of 2024 authorizes a comprehensive settlement of the water rights claims of the Navajo Nation, Hopi Tribe and San Juan Southern Paiute Tribe in Arizona. Funding provided by the Act would include money for construction of a major pipeline project giving the Navajo Nation access to the main stem of the Colorado River. … ” Read more from the Arizona Department of Water Resources.
SEE ALSO: ADWR director and tribal liaison announce trips to visit tribes with settled water rights, from KJZZ
Just add sewage: How a bone-dry river bed became a thriving haven for desert wildlife
“Arizona’s Santa Cruz River is currently imperiled. Stretching for 180 miles through major cities like Tucson and into the Sonoran desert, the Santa Cruz River is in danger of drying up because of human factors like climate change and irresponsible wastewater disposal. Yet even though sewage is not the stuff of romance and legend, the same gross stuff that has helped imperil the Santa Cruz River may help save it. Wastewater is filled with human feces, garbage and other gross gunk that carries dangerous disease, and is piped away from our civilization for that reason. Yet according to a recent study in the journal Restoration Ecology, effluent — or sewage that has been dumped into a body of water, like a river or ocean — can be used to help the environment, at least if used strategically. … ” Read more from Salon.
In national water news today …
Something’s poisoning America’s land. Farmers fear ‘forever’ chemicals.
“For decades, farmers across America have been encouraged by the federal government to spread municipal sewage on millions of acres of farmland as fertilizer. It was rich in nutrients, and it helped keep the sludge out of landfills. But a growing body of research shows that this black sludge, made from the sewage that flows from homes and factories, can contain heavy concentrations of chemicals thought to increase the risk of certain types of cancer and to cause birth defects and developmental delays in children. Known as “forever chemicals” because of their longevity, these toxic contaminants are now being detected, sometimes at high levels, on farmland across the country, including in Texas, Maine, Michigan, New York and Tennessee. In some cases the chemicals are suspected of sickening or killing livestock and are turning up in produce. Farmers are beginning to fear for their own health. … ” Read more from the New York Times.
In another brutally hot summer in the U.S., these six things stood out
“Although there will be more brutal heat to come, summer is over and fall is here, according to the climatological calendar. June through August will enter the record books as abnormally hot for a considerable portion of the Lower 48 states. Large parts of the western United States notched their hottest summer on record, including Phoenix and Las Vegas. Hot weather frequently visited both coasts and scorched the northern and southern borders. Below, we recap six of the most notable aspects of yet another historically hot summer in the United States. … ” Read more from the Washington Post.
Also on Maven’s Notebook today …
NOTICE: September 17, 2024, SGMA Public Board Hearing on Tule groundwater subbasin: Final Staff Report available
NOTICE: Public hearing on proposed reservoir project in Sacramento Valley continues in September
NOTICE: Curtailments remain in effect for Scott River watershed
