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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.
- WEBINAR: Re-Imagining Water Resiliency – The San Diego Story from 12pm to 1:30pm. An overview of how San Diego went from being almost 100% reliant on one imported water supplier to developing one of the most resilient water supplies in the southwest. Dan Denham is general manager of the San Diego County Water Authority, an agency established by the State of California to provide wholesale water supplies for 24 member agencies, 3.3 million people and a $268 billion regional economy. Denham joined the Water Authority in 2006 to manage the multi-party Quantification Settlement Agreement. He later served as deputy general manager for five years before being appointed to his current post. Click here to register.
In California water news today …
The key to fix California’s inadequate water storage? Put water underground, scientists say
“A new University of California Riverside study on California agriculture and climate proposes a plan for new water capture, storage and distribution systems throughout California that will sustain agriculture and keep up with climate trajectories. Available water for consumption is disappearing because of climate change and failing storage systems, leaving one of its top consumers—the agricultural industry—scrambling, the study concludes. California’s agriculture sector uses about 40 percent of all the state’s water, or 80 percent of its consumed water. With less water available, agriculture must adjust. The study provides a pathway for the sector to do so. The study, published last month in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, finds that groundwater aquifers have more storage potential than surface water reservoirs. So, instead of devoting decades to build more dams and reservoirs that are subject to evaporation and overflow, water should be diverted into these depleted aquifers below the Central Valley and the coastal plains. … ” Read more from Inside Climate News.
Extension of Yuba Accord transfer program could bring in millions
“The Yuba Water Agency believes that the estimated financial impact of an extension to its water transfer program could generate millions of dollars in revenue through 2050. On Tuesday, the agency’s board of directors are scheduled to hold a public hearing about that extension as it relates to the Yuba Accord Long-Term Water Transfer Program. Earlier this year, the Yuba Water Agency Board of Directors submitted a water-right change petition to the State Water Resources Control Board. First established in 2008 after decades of legal battles, the Yuba River Accord is a landmark multi-agency agreement that has guided water usage, purchases, and instream flow requirements since its inception. … ” Read more from the Appeal Democrat.
The ups and downs of California dams
“Completed in 1967 by the federal Central Valley Project, the San Luis Reservoir has a storage capacity of 2,042,000 acre-feet of water and is the fifth largest reservoir in California. Located in Merced County, it is a vast landmark for motorists on the adjacent Highway 152 linking the Central Coast to the Central Valley. Since the beginning of the year, commuters and travelers might have noticed a caravan of heavy dump trucks hauling loads of earth to waiting bulldozers that are spreading the dirt out at the base of the dam, slowly raising the level of the ground imperceptibly with every load. It’s part of a $1 billion project to fortify the B.F Sisk Dam against earthquakes and raise it by 10 feet to store an additional 130,000 acre-feet of water, projected to be completed in 2032. The additional storage isn’t for “new” uses or customers; it’s one of a number of projects statewide initiated to store more water against projected future shortfalls caused by the climate change-induced aridification of California. … ” Read more from California Local.
California’s earliest snow advisory in nearly 20 years could also bring month’s worth of rain
“A low pressure system moving into the West Coast today will bring rare early-season snow and rain to California through Monday. “A winter weather advisory is in effect for portions of the Sierra Nevada above 8,000 feet where up to 4 inches of snow could fall tonight and Monday,” the National Weather Service office in Hanford said. Visitors to Yosemite National Park may encounter snow as they drive through the park. Up to 2 inches of snow is possible from Tuolumne Meadows and Tioga Pass, one of the main thoroughfares in the park. The last time a similar weather alert was issued in September was a snow advisory from Yosemite to Kings Canyon back in 2007. … ” Read more from CNN.
Early-season low pressure system to bring brief shift to much cooler & moister conditions
Dr. Daniel Swain writes, “Well, the early September heatwave sure turned out to be a remarkable one–particularly across Southern California (where a number of locations came close to or even tied all-time record highs) and the Pacific Northwest (where a number of locations recorded the hottest temperatures on record for so late in the season). In SoCal, this was not a particularly dry heat–in fact, some locations logged dew points into the 70s F–representing a pretty miserable and unusual (especially for autumn) humid heatwave in which apparent (heat index) temperatures were near or even above actual temperatures. … ” Read more from Weather West.
Aquatic ecosystems aren’t immune to wildfire impacts, research shows
“Amid an unusual September heat wave, several major wildfires are raging simultaneously out West. As climate change fuels more severe infernos, a fairly new field of study has emerged to investigate how these blazes are interacting with a substance that would seemingly be immune to their path of destruction: water. Aquatic ecosystems—from tiny ponds to the ocean—could be vulnerable to the same fires that burn through millions of acres of land each year, scientists say. A string of recent studies has started to uncover some of the unexpected and sometimes problematic ways that wildfire and water are mixing in the environment—and what that could mean for us land-dwellers. … ” Read more from Inside Climate News.
Ash in the Rivers: The unexplored consequences of post-wildfire runoff on freshwater fish
“Wildfires have become a hot topic. Although wildfires are a natural part of some ecosystems (e.g. the chaparral biome), megafires (fires that burn >100,000 acres of land) are becoming increasingly common as the climate continues to warm and droughts intensify. As of late, California’s fourth largest wildfire, the 2024 Park fire, charred ~425,000 acres (just over the size of Greater London!) and has threatened the survival of spring-run salmon, potentially pushing them near the brink of extinction. Indeed, the Park fire abutted the Lassen National Park, 68.8% of which already burned in the 2021 Dixie Fire, the largest (~960,000 acres) single-source wildfire in California’s history. But while news reporting on the fires usually halts after the flames have been extinguished, wildfire impacts can be felt for decades to come [1]. Unfortunately, this includes the rivers and streams where salmons and other aquatic organisms spawn and call home – and physiological research on this topic remains nascent. … ” Read more from the California Water Blog.
Metropolitan invests in health of northern Sierra watersheds through forest resilience bonds
“Metropolitan Water District will be one of the first backers of an innovative new approach to restore forests, improve watershed health and increase the reliability of the state’s water supplies in the face of climate change and worsening wildfires. Metropolitan’s Board of Directors voted Tuesday (Sept. 10) to provide funding for three forest restoration programs in the northern Sierra – headwaters of the State Water Project, which on average delivers 30 percent of the water used in Southern California. The programs will include pilot investigations to better understand the effect of improving watershed health on water quality, water supply, habitat protection, wildfire risk reduction, and carbon sequestration. “We know that healthy forests have many benefits. But we want to better understand the connection between the health of this watershed and our state project supply to see if the benefits can be quantified,” Metropolitan Interim General Manager Deven Upadhyay said. “With state supplies increasingly stressed by drought, climate change and wildfires, these studies will give us the data we need to more confidently identify cost-effective measures that can be deployed quickly and efficiently to protect watershed health.” … ” Continue reading from Metropolitan Water District.
Making desalination more efficient, by way of renewable energy
“With freshwater becoming an ever scarcer resource, desalination of ocean water is increasingly employed to bridge the gap between supply and demand.. However, desalination is energy-intensive, often powered by fossil fuels, so meeting the need for freshwater can exacerbate the challenge of reducing atmospheric CO2, the main driver of climate change. Yangying Zhu, an assistant professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at UC Santa Barbara, wants to address that conundrum. Now, a two-year, $500,000 seed grant from the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) within the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) will make it possible for her to start the work. The grant was provided as part of Inspiring Generations of New Innovators to Impact Technologies in Energy (IGNIITE 2024) a new ARPA-E program focused on supporting early-career scientists and engineers to convert disruptive ideas into impactful energy technologies, with an eye toward bringing promising technologies to market. … ” Read more from the Santa Barbara Current.
In commentary today …
The climate crisis won’t wait for California’s budget to recover. Vote yes on Prop. 4
Ellie Cohen, the CEO of The Climate Center, writes, “Faced with a multi-billion-dollar budget deficit, Gov. Gavin Newsom and state lawmakers were forced to make some tough decisions this year. As a result, they’re cutting more than $9 billion from climate solutions across California, walking back investments in everything from sustainable agriculture to clean drinking water, wildfire preparedness and renewable energy. Unfortunately, for Californians, the climate crisis won’t wait for our state budget to recover. That’s why it’s critical that we pass Proposition 4, the Safe Drinking Water, Wildfire Prevention, Drought Preparedness and Clean Air Bond Act of 2024, this November. … ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee. | Read via Yahoo News.
Prop. 4 will prevent wildfires and protect California’s coasts as the climate changes
Laura Engeman, an environmental researcher and a member of the San Diego Sea-level Rise Working Group, and Christopher Anthony, a registered professional forester and former chief deputy director at Cal Fire, writes, “You don’t have to look very far in San Diego to witness the real and growing threats of a changing climate. To the east, hillsides thick with brush put communities at risk of destructive wildfires. To the west, beaches and lowlands are imperiled by a rising sea. And in nearly every direction, communities lack safe drinking water. Among the state’s top 20 deadliest wildfires, four have occurred in San Diego County — destroying thousands of homes and filling the sky with lung-burning smoke and ash. Communities and livelihoods here depend on the coastline but many local beaches are disappearing, eroding 1 to 3 meters a year. Of nearly 2.4 million Californians living in communities without clean drinking water access or where local water systems might fail, more than 20,000 live in the county. … ” Read more from the Times of San Diego.
California Fisheries blog comments on Fall X2
Tom Cannon writes, “I fully support implementation in 2024 of the Fall X2 action prescribed in the biological opinion for Delta smelt. Furthermore, I support maintaining Delta Outflow at 10,000-12,000 cfs year-round[1] in all water year types to protect Delta smelt and longfin smelt. The compelling reason for such action is to maintain the low salinity zone (LSZ) and the head of that zone downstream of the confluence of the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers in the western Delta, on an average-daily or tidally-filtered basis … ” Read more at the California Fisheries blog.
In regional water news and commentary today …
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
Tahoe basin Caldor hazard tree fuels reduction project begins
“Mechanical hazard tree removal will begin this week in the Caldor Fire Area off Pioneer Trail near South Lake Tahoe and on Echo Summit this fall. The purpose of the Tahoe Basin Caldor Hazard Tree Fuels Reduction Project is to reduce excess vegetation (fuels) associated with remaining hazard trees, and to stabilize and revegetate priority areas disturbed by fire suppression and initial hazard tree removal activities. The project area includes approximately 862 acres of National Forest System lands burned during the Caldor Fire. Project activities will also include planting of native trees in areas where hazard trees are removed. … ” Read more from the Tahoe Daily Tribune.
CENTRAL COAST
Threat of invasive mussels means all boats will be inspected at 2 SLO County lakes
“To combat the threat of invasive shellfish, the San Luis Obispo County Parks and Recreation Department is strengthening its boat inspection protocols at Lopez Lake and Santa Margarita Lake. Zebra and quagga mussels, which are native to eastern Europe, attach to boats and hitchhike from one lake to another, damaging the environment and clogging water equipment, according to Lopez Lake supervising ranger Craig Duprey. Neither Lopez Lake or Santa Margarita Lake are infected with the shellfish — and the county wants to keep it that way. Starting Nov. 1, all boats entering the two lakes will be inspected for both mussels, he said. … ” Read more from the San Luis Obispo Tribune. | Read via AOL News.
Santa Barbara: La Cumbre Plaza development must provide sustainable water
Environmental lawyer Robert Sulnick writes, “A recent “walk-about” around La Cumbre Plaza in Santa Barbara was the proverbial dog-and-pony show by Matt Taylor, developer of a proposed housing project at the site; Santa Barbara City Councilman Eric Friedman; and Rob Fredericks, executive director and CEO of the Housing Authority of the City of Santa Barbara. The speakers highlighted the proposed plans for transforming Macy’s into a 685-unit housing development ranging from two to six stories, and reaching as high as 88 feet. (The city’s charter states that buildings over 60 feet are not allowed.) In promoting the project, Friedman, who represents the Upper State Street neighborhood, said La Cumbre Plaza “has seen better days.” Regardless of whether the mall has in fact “seen better days,” it remains to be determined if there is sustainable water available for a 685-unit housing development. … ” Read more from Noozhawk.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Endangered frogs threatened by California wildfires once again. A rescue could be in order
“Endangered frogs snatched as tadpoles from fire-ravaged mountains above Los Angeles in 2020 were returned home last year in a moment of hope and excitement. But the California amphibians are once again in the line of fire and another rescue mission could be in the cards. Massive wildfires are raging through the San Gabriel and San Bernardino mountains — two of the three ranges where Southern California mountain yellow-legged frogs eke out a fragile existence in a handful of isolated streams. As of Saturday, the fires had chewed through more than 90,000 acres and there is worry the flames may be encroaching on the frog’s critical habitat. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
This endangered kangaroo rat needs floods to survive. A new agreement aims to restore its SoCal habitat
“Good news for two imperiled species found only in Southern California: Wildlife groups and local water agencies have reached an agreement to protect the habitats of the San Bernardino kangaroo rat and Santa Ana sucker fish, two formerly widespread local species whose habitats were largely destroyed due to human development, construction, and flood management systems. The approach will be experimental, according to Dan Silver of the Endangered Habitats League, one of the parties in the lawsuit that led to this week’s agreement. It wouldn’t involve reverting the species’ habitat to a completely natural state – that would require the removal of the Seven Oaks Dam in Highland, which is used to mitigate floods for communities farther down the Santa Ana River like San Bernardino. Rather, it would create a new management system to keep the species alive. … ” Read more from the LAist.
Thousands of fish dying off in Lake Elsinore amid Airport Fire; biologists monitoring water
“Biologists are monitoring the water at Lake Elsinore to see if falling ash from the Airport Fire could possibly be contributing to fish dying off at the lake. Thousands of threadfin shad have been found dead in the past couple of days. Community Support Manager for the City of Lake Elsinore Adam Gufarotti said the issue was first reported to the city Wednesday night. “We’re still gathering data, it’s still very early,” he said. Gufarotti told ABC7 there are a number of things that cause fish die-offs. “The threadfin shad is a very small fish and it’s very vulnerable to changes in pH and temperatures and dissolved oxygen,” he said. “So when the lake heats up, this fish has problems. When water heats up as what we’ve seen in the last couple of weeks, we’ve had a heatwave, and the lake heats up, this fish species has problems.” … ” Read more from KABC.
Cadiz lines up water contracts for pipeline
“Downtown water infrastructure company Cadiz Inc. has been trying for nearly 30 years to win permission to transport water from its Mojave Desert aquifer to water agencies throughout Southern California. Several times over the decades, the company has come close to starting construction, only to be thwarted by last-minute legal and permitting hurdles. Now Cadiz once again appears to be close to starting construction on a pipeline that could convey its desert aquifer water to thirsty Southern California communities. … ” Read more from the LA Business Journal.
Along the Colorado River …
AG Mayes wants approval of new well for Saudi-backed alfalfa farm revoked
“In a letter, Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes said she thinks more can be done to limit a Saudi-backed alfalfa farm in La Paz County. “I am deeply concerned by the Arizona Department of Water Resources (“ADWR”) recent issuance of a drilling permit for a new, 1000 to 1500 foot deep, 3000 GPM well issued to Fondomonte and located on Fondomonte’s alfalfa farm in Vicksburg, La Paz County on the Ranegras Plain Basin.” AZPM broke the news of Fondomonte filing a Notice of Intent to drill a new well last week, and was cited in the letter regarding similar concerns by residents in Cochise County. Mayes said she would rather action be taken immediately than follow Hobbs’ plan of first pursuing a fix through the legislature before taking executive action. … ” Read more from Arizona Public Media.
Video: What is Lake Powell and why does it matter?
“Lake Powell is the second-largest reservoir in the United States. It was created when the Glen Canyon Dam was constructed along the Colorado River near Page, Arizona. But why does the lake matter to Utahns and people throughout the West?”
Down with more dams? A new book envisions Glen Canyon and Colorado River recovery
“A new book about water management on the Colorado River offers treasures for at least four semi-distinct groups of readers: avid outdoor adventurers (particularly dusty river runner types); students of hydrologic science, policy or infrastructure; social justice advocates; and those with a romantic penchant for western environmental history. It’s an ambitious target to aim for all these audiences at once, but Zak Podmore’s “Life After Dead Pool: Lake Powell’s Last Days and the Rebirth of the Colorado River” hits the mark, perhaps because he embodies all four. Published in late August by Torrey House Press, Podmore’s second book builds on his 2019 “Confluence: Navigating the Personal and Political on Rivers of the New West” to further establish his as a modern voice of western waterways. … ” Read more from Arizona Central.
In national water news today …
Microchip manufacturing is booming – and it’s intersecting with water rights and regulations
“Since the Biden administration designated $52 billion to semiconductor manufacturers through the CHIPS Act, manufacturing spending has grown substantially. Despite these funds, semiconductor manufacturers still face challenges in building facilities, particularly in navigating state water regulations. As semiconductor designs become more intricate and able to channel even more information in ever smaller vessels, manufacturing facilities must keep pace. The complexity of chips directly impacts the cost of building and operating these facilities, requiring owners to select general contractors that understand the essential design, construction and legislative considerations associated with semiconductor manufacturing. … ” Read more from Construction Dive.
