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In California water news this weekend …
California scores legal win on appeal over Sites Reservoir project
“A three-judge appellate panel has sided with California Governor Gavin Newsom over the Sites Reservoir project, ruling that a key environmental report meets muster. Groups including Friends of the River had sued over the reservoir project, claiming it will threaten fish and contribute to greenhouse gases. They asked a Yolo County Superior Court judge to rule that the certification of an environmental impact report for the reservoir was invalid because it didn’t meet the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act, or CEQA. The judge in June ruled in favor of the state, leading the plaintiffs to appeal. On Friday, the Third Appellate District panel affirmed the lower court’s decision. … ” Read more from the Courthouse News Service.
SEE ALSO:
- Third District Court of Appeal rules in favor of Sites Project Authority on CEQA challenge, statement from the Sites JPA
- Sites Reservoir project clears legal hurdle thanks to streamlining law, press release from the Office of the Governor
California cracks down on another Central Valley farm area for groundwater depletion
“California water regulators are cracking down on a second farming area in the San Joaquin Valley for failing to take adequate steps to curb overpumping that is depleting groundwater, causing the land to sink and damaging a canal that transports water for 1 million acres of farmland and more than 250,000 people. The State Water Resources Control Board has voted unanimously to place the Tule groundwater subbasin on probationary status, a step that brings additional state oversight, new water fees and requirements for most well owners to report how much they are pumping. “It just strikes me that we really are in a crisis situation,” board Vice Chair Dorene D’Adamo said after hearing hours of testimony from farmers, water managers, residents and lawyers. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
Subsidence issues cost Tule subbasin landowners & farmers
Geoff Vanden Heuvel writes, “The Tule Subbasin probationary hearing took place this past Tuesday, September 17 at the State Water Board in Sacramento. An article by SJV Water does a good job of summarizing the hearing (see next article). The bottom line is the State Water Board voted to put the Tule Subbasin in probation – but there is more to this story. As I have mentioned in the past, there are some unique issues in the Tule Subbasin that relate to the impact of groundwater pumping on subsidence (the sinking of ground levels). The major issue is the impact of groundwater pumping in the Eastern Tule GSA (ETGSA) on the Friant-Kern Canal. The Friant Water Authority that operates the canal encouraged the State to put the Tule Subbasin in probation because they claim that the ETGSA has been too slow in restricting groundwater pumping that continues to impact the canal. … ” Read more from the Milk Producers Council.
NOW AVAILABLE: DWR releases second and third papers on depletions of interconnected surface water
“To help Groundwater Sustainability Agencies (GSAs) address the depletion of interconnected surface water (ISW) in their Groundwater Sustainability Plans (GSPs), the Department of Water Resources (DWR) released the second and third in a series of three draft papers that discuss the technical aspects of ISW and quantification of depletions of ISW caused by groundwater pumping. DWR previously released the first paper in the series in February 2024. Included with this release is a letter from Deputy Director Paul Gosselin highlighting a few key concepts related to the papers. … ” Read more from the Department of Water Resources.
Update on Fall X2
“In August, the Blueprint and the Southern California Water Coalition submitted a letter to Governor Gavin Newsom and Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland, advocating for the temporary suspension of the Fall X2 component of the Summer Fall Habitat Action for the 2024 water year. The request was based on scientific findings that showed no observable benefits for Delta smelt yet it created significant negative impacts to the Valley’s water supply. … ” Read more from Water Blueprint for the San Joaquin Valley.
Restored Solano County wetland ceremonially flooded to save endangered Delta fish
“The endangered delta smelt is on its way to having a new wetland home. On Wednesday, the California Department of Water Resources held a levee breaching ceremony to celebrate the completion of the Lookout Slough Tidal Habitat Restoration and Flood Improvement Project in Solano County. The State of California is required to offset impacts to species, including delta smelt, that become endangered by the operation of the State Water Project in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. The water project is one of the largest in the world, serving 27 million people and 750,000 acres of farmland, according to state officials. … ” Read more from CBS News.
Scientists develop AI models able to predict future drought conditions with high accuracy
“Scientists say they have developed new AI models with the ability to predict future drought conditions with almost unerring accuracy. Their research, published in the journal Scientific Reports, highlights the substantial advantages of using AI models over conventional drought indices in predicting the causes and onslaught of conditions leading to scarcity of rain and water. (The study can be found at: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-024-70406-6) “The results were promising. The AI models were able to predict future drought conditions with high accuracy. The AI models demonstrated strong correlations with multiple drought indicators and consistently outperformed existing indices, said Dr. Mohamed Abdallah, University of Sharjah’s Associate Professor of Civil Engineering, and the study’s lead author. … ” Read more from KTLA.
Western water bills teed up in U.S. Senate
“The Senate Energy and Natural Resources (ENR) Subcommittee on Water and Power earlier this month heard testimony on 16 bills, with several focused on addressing challenges in the Colorado River Basin. The Colorado River, vital to 40 million people across seven Western states, has been severely impacted by prolonged drought. However, a handful of bills have implications for water users throughout the rest of the West, including in the Klamath Basin. The Family Farm Alliance, which advocates for irrigated agriculture across the West, has been monitoring several of these bills, and prepared written testimony for the Sept. 11 hearing record. … ” Read more from Herald & News.
Heinrich, Risch applaud House committee passage of their legislation to clean up abandoned mines
“U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Jim Risch (R-Idaho) applauded the passage of the House companion to their legislation, the Good Samaritan Remediation of Abandoned Hardrock Mines Act, in the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. The legislation would make it easier for “Good Samaritans,” such as state agencies, local governments, nonprofits, and other groups, to clean up and improve water quality in and around abandoned hardrock mines. Heinrich and Risch hailed the Senate’s unanimous and bipartisan passage of the bill in July. But the bill still needs to pass in the House before it can go to the President to be signed into law. The House companion legislation is being led by U.S. Representatives Celeste Maloy (R-Utah) and Mary Peltola (D-Alaska). … ” Read more from YubaNet.
California judges call for continuing education in face of climate-related litigation
“A panel of California judges emphasized the need for their colleagues to keep abreast of the latest developments in environmental law, regulations and science as increasingly more large and complex climate-related lawsuits come before them. “We are trying to keep up with the times,” Third Appellate District Justice Ronald Robie said at a meeting Friday of the California Judicial Council. “Environmental law, water law and laws related to climate change is a critically and rapidly developing field.” Given the complexity and the dynamic nature of environmental issues, understanding the applicable law is essential for judges that are tasked with interpreting and applying the law, Robie said in describing the significance of the Judicial Council’s environmental law education program. … ” Read more from the Courthouse News Service.
In people news this weekend …
Promotions, passings, profiles – submit people news items to maven@mavensnotebook.com.
ACWA Mourns Past President Betty Boatmun
“Past ACWA President and long-time Contra Costa Water District (CCWD) Board of Directors member Bette Boatmun passed away on Sept. 19. Boatmun served as ACWA President during the 2002-’03 term and served as Vice President during the 2000-’01 term. She was ACWA’s second female President and was actively involved in the association throughout her career, serving as a Board member and being engaged in ACWA Region 5. Boatmun dedicated 46 years of her life to representing her community on the CCWD Board of Directors, having been first appointed in 1974 and retiring in 2020, when ACWA honored her with its Lifetime Achievement Award. Boatman was also previously honored with ACWA’s Emissary Award in 2014. “Bette was truly an amazing human being and one of the most consequential leaders in ACWA’s history,” said ACWA Executive Director Dave Eggerton. “For my entire career, she has been an enormously important figure in the water industry and at ACWA. She was also a personal mentor who provided me with invaluable counsel.” … ” Read more from ACWA.
Dr. Inge Werner becomes chair of the Delta ISB
“Dr. Inge Werner led her first meeting on September 12, 2024, as Delta Independent Science Board chair. Chair Werner will guide the Delta ISB for the next two years as the Board continues providing independent oversight of scientific programs that support Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta decision-making. “As we look ahead, I am excited about the work we will undertake together, including completing the three thematic reviews on food webs, subsidence, and decision-making under deep uncertainty, and embarking on new reviews, including one on contaminant monitoring in the Delta,” said Chair Werner. Chair Werner succeeds Dr. Lisa Wainger, who completed her two-year term as chair of the Board on August 31, 2024, and now serves as past chair. “Together, we have laid a strong foundation for continued success of the Delta ISB, said Past Chair Dr. Lisa Wainger. “I am excited to see what the future holds for this incredible board.” … ” Read more from the Delta Stewardship Council.
APPOINTMENTS
Samantha Arthur, of Sacramento, has been appointed Deputy Secretary of Water at the California Natural Resources Agency.
Arthur has been Assistant Secretary for Salton Sea Policy at the California Natural Resources Agency since 2023. She held several positions at Audubon California from 2014 to 2023, including Working Lands Program Director from 2019 to 2023, Conservation Project Director from 2016 to 2019 and Conservation Project Manager from 2014 to 2016. Arthur was a Land Protection Specialist with Big Sur Land Trust from 2010 to 2012. She was a member of the California Water Commission from 2020 to 2023. Arthur earned a Master of Environmental Science and Management degree from the University of California, Santa Barbara and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology and Environmental Studies from Whitman College. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $181,596. Arthur is a Democrat.
Podcasts …
TAPPED: This aquifer is our Colorado River: Rural residents struggle when corporate farms drill deep for water
From Governor Katie Hobbs to Attorney General Kris Mayes, Arizona officials grapple with saving rural water supplies.
WATER IS A MANY SPLENDOR’ED THING PODCAST: Water Out of Thin Air
British biologist discovered a beetle in the Nubian Desert of southwest Africa. They can survive the arid environment by catching moisture from the dense morning fog that rolls in from the Atlantic Ocean. The body of this beetle is sculpted in a particular way that makes it highly efficient in trapping moisture. Can we learn from this small beetle the magic of pulling water out of thin air? 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
TAHOE TAP: Tahoe Water for Fire Suppression Partnership
Join hosts Mike Peron and Rob Galloway for another exciting episode of Things, Adventure, and People, where we dive deep into all things Tahoe! In this episode, we kick off with a local news roundup, covering the top stories from around the Tahoe region. Then, we shift gears to focus on the Tahoe Water for Fire Suppression Partnership, a vital bi-state collaboration formed in response to the 2007 Angora Fire. We’re joined by three special guests: Justin Broglio (PIO at North Tahoe PUD), Shelly Thomsen (Director of Public and Legislative Affairs at South Tahoe Public Utility District), and Kim Boyd (Director of Strategic Affairs at Tahoe City Public Utility District). Together, they share how the partnership is working to upgrade the region’s outdated water infrastructure—originally designed for summer cabins—to better support firefighting efforts. This includes installing new fire hydrants, upsizing waterlines, and adding emergency generators and water storage tanks. Since 2009, the partnership has leveraged $20 million in federal funding to implement over $52 million in critical fire suppression projects, with an additional $120 million needed over the next five years to safeguard Tahoe’s communities from wildfire.
In regional water news this weekend …
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
Nevada Irrigation District Board to vote next Wednesday on discontinuing plans for Centennial reservoir
“At their September 25th meeting, Nevada Irrigation District (NID) Directors will vote on a resolution that, if approved, will focus on increasing capacity in Rollins Reservoir and remove the Centennial Reservoir project from consideration. NID General Manager Jennifer Hanson states, “On Wednesday Sept. 25, the Board of Directors will consider the storage alternatives evaluated in the Plan for Water. This decision will be based on nearly three years of extensive work which has identified, in addition to storage alternatives, strategic scenarios that seek to determine how to meet NID’s future water supply needs of our community for the next 50 years.” … ” Read more from YubaNet.
Research shows Lake Tahoe is world’s third-oldest freshwater permanent lake
“Before considerable scientific research by Western Nevada College Professor of Geosciences Dr. Winnie Kortemeier, it was understood that Lake Tahoe, the largest alpine lake in North America, was created during the Pleistocene era, also known as the Ice Age, roughly 10,000 to 2.6 million years ago. Through her radiometric dating of rocks and examining the basalt that has interacted with the water of Lake Tahoe, Dr. Kortemeier has determined that the lake is 2.3 million years old. As a result, Dr. Kortemeier has concluded that Lake Tahoe is North America’s oldest freshwater, permanent lake — and the third oldest in the world. … ” Read more from the Tahoe Daily Tribune.
World’s largest sugar pine discovered in Yosemite
“On August 25, 2024, big tree hunters Michael Taylor, Carl Casey and Martin Crawford measured a massive sugar pine that they knew about in Yosemite National Park. The team calculated that it was not only the largest known sugar pine, but the largest pine tree on Earth. I recently spoke with Taylor – who is the original and lead “discoverer” of this and many other champion trees and has recently pioneered that use of LiDAR to find tall trees – about how he found this incredible sugar pine. He initially put it very simply and said, “It has an unusual background, actually.” He then proceeded to relate an almost unbelievable discovery story. … ” Read more from the Tahoe Daily Tribune.
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
What’s happening at the Oroville Dam? Details on the upcoming spillway inspection
“California Department of Water Resources (DWR) will be cleaning and performing routine annual inspections of the concrete spillway chute at the Oroville Dam the week of Monday, Sept. 23. In a press release DWR said, contractor Syblon Reid will begin cleaning areas of the spillway following another wet winter requiring flood control releases from Oroville Dam’s main spillway. Residents can expect to see crews using pressure washers, brooms, and small cleaning equipment, followed by engineers traversing the spillway on foot conducting the inspections. … ” Read more from KRCR.
Salmon management methods shown during free Feather River rafting excursions
“Free rafting tours this fall are scheduled each Saturday starting Oct. 5 through Nov. 9, 2024 by the Department of Water Resources (DWR). Each Saturday will have multiple floating classroom sessions with limited seats. Rafters will go through Feather River salmon spawning habitat with scientists from the DWR and the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission. Rafters will also hear about ongoing and planned research projects, restoration and monitoring projects, and fisheries management activities supported by DWR’s State Water Project. … ” Read more from Action News Now.
BAY AREA
Marin Municipal Water District approves lawn limits
“The Marin Municipal Water District has set tighter limits on the size of lawns for new houses. The board’s unanimous vote Tuesday also updated the district’s standards for plumbing fixtures. The new ordinance, which will replace the district’s grey water ordinance, aims to simplify requirements for new construction and reduce indoor and outdoor water use. Grey water is wastewater from bathtubs, showers, bathroom sinks and clothes washers. The grey water ordinance states that applicants seeking new water service, and projects requesting expanded water service for large residential or commercial remodels, must install a grey water recycling system for landscape irrigation. However, the district allowed customers to self-certify whether a grey water system was feasible, resulting in many owners of eligible sites exempting their properties. That means the desired water savings from the ordinance isn’t being achieved. … ” Read more from the Marin Independent Journal.
CENTRAL COAST
California Water Service announces upcoming infrastructure upgrades to Salinas’ water system
“The California Water Service has announced it is working on major infrastructure upgrades to Salinas’ water system over the coming months and years to continue providing safe, clean and reliable drinking water to the community. Here is a list of some of the construction projects underway, when they’re expected to be complete if a timeline is available, and what areas of Salinas they impact: 150,000-gallon water storage tank for the community of Las Lomas expected to be fully operational in April 2025, New booster station on Harrison Road in north Salinas expected to go online in March 2025 … ” Read more from KSBW.
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
Once-sinking ship Aurora getting pushed out by City of Stockton
“After a month of cleaning up hazardous materials and oily water from the Aurora, a once-sinking ship in the Delta near Stockton, the city is trying to move it out. One big question that remains is: Who is going to pay for the cleanup and moving the ship out? The old ship was docked in Potato Slough when it started taking on water in late May. “There’s a lot of deterioration and rust and metal, and it hasn’t operated. That’s evidently why it’s there,” said Connie Cochran with the City of Stockton. Cochran said the ship, which one former owner tried to turn into a museum, now poses major hazards even after being refloated in late June. … ” Read more from the City of Sacramento.
Young people pitch in to remove invasive reeds along Kern River
“Good environmental cause or not, no one was really expecting teenagers to show up on time on a weekend morning to labor outdoors in the heat for free. But sure enough, at 9 a.m. Saturday, a group of them gathered around next to the Kern River to hear instructions and hazard warnings for their voluntary assignment: Begin removing a large clump of fast-growing, invasive reeds that was sure to spread and eventually choke the river if left uncontrolled. … ” Read more from the Bakersfield Californian.
City of Tehachapi, water district reported to be meeting to complete overdue plan
“A troubled regional water management planning effort may be able to resume, the general manager of Tehachapi-Cummings County Water District told board members on Sept. 18. The 2020 Regional Urban Management Plan — commonly called the RUWMP — was to be submitted to the state Department of Water Resources by July 1, 2021. The water district, the city of Tehachapi, and three community services districts — Bear Valley, Golden Hills and Stallion Springs — all agreed in 2020 to collaborate and fund the plan’s creation with AECOM as the consultant. But AECOM threw in the towel in May, sending a letter to all parties stating that it would not continue because of “unexpected conflicts between participating agencies.” … ” Read more from the Tehachapi News.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Migrating like a southern steelhead through Southern California
“Last spring, Sean Jansen, freelance writer and overall outdoor junky, began hiking. His route? A 1,000-mile circumnavigation of the entirety of Southern California steelhead’s historic range, from the California-Mexico border to the Central Coast. Born and raised in San Clemente, Sean was always torn between two worlds: surfing and trout. These two things hardly ever seemed to cross over; until he discovered that there are steelhead trout swimming in those same waters that he surfs in. As he learned more about Southern steelhead and their migration routes through his home waters, he also began to learn about the disruptions to those routes and how these fish were teetering on the brink of extinction. In response, Sean dreamed up a trip where he could backpack the extent of Southern steelhead’s historical range raising awareness about their plight along the way. Southern steelhead once thrived with tens of thousands of them swimming through Southern California waters, but today, it is rare to see even a few. They are listed as endangered under both the federal and state Endangered Species Acts. … ” Read more from Cal Trout.
Cleanup begins after yacht goes up in flames and sinks in Marina del Rey
“The United States Coast Guard installed roughly 2,000 feet of boom Friday morning in Marina Del Rey to contain nearly 4,000 gallons of leaking diesel fuel after a yacht fire. The yacht sank Wednesday night when a powerful explosion engulfed a the large boat in flames with nearly 1,000 rounds of unused fireworks and ammunition on board. Fire crews poured water onto the burning vessel, which was ultimately destroyed and sank into the harbor at 2201 Basin A. … ” Read more from NBC LA.
SAN DIEGO
Construction to begin in Encinitas on final phase of new recycled water pipelines
“Olivenhain Municipal Water District is beginning construction on new recycled water pipelines in Encinitas. The pipelines are part of a larger expansion of OMWD’s recycled water distribution system that will result in the savings of more than 12.5 million gallons of imported drinking water each year, according to a news release. This phase of the project involves installing pipelines in Summerhill Drive and Village Center Drive in Encinitas. Work is scheduled to take place Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Additionally, restricted work hours of 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Monday through Thursday, and 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Friday, will be in effect for any work directly impacting Diegueño Middle School. … ” Read more from the San Diego Union Tribune.
Along the Colorado River …
New tool to help decision makers navigate possible futures of the Colorado River
“The Colorado River is a vital source of water in the Western United States, providing drinking water for homes and irrigation for farms in seven states, but the basin is under increasing pressure from climate change and drought. A new computational tool developed by a research team, led by Penn State scientists, may help the region adapt to a complex and uncertain future. Their tool, the Framework for Narrative Storylines and Impact Classification (FRNSIC), can help decision-makers explore many plausible futures and identify consequential scenario storylines — or descriptions of what critical futures might look like — to help planners better address the uncertainties and impacts presented by climate change. They reported their findings Sept. 19 in the journal Earth’s Future. … ” Read more from Penn State University.
The Buzz: Arizona’s rural water fight continues
“On September 12, Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes sent a letter to the Arizona Department of Water Resources calling into question its approval of paperwork filed by Saudi-backed alfalfa farm Fondomonte to drill a new well on land it owns in La Paz County. “This is an area that we are already investigating for over-pumping by the Saudis, and it’s also an area that has a formerly utilized munitions site. State law already requires the Director of the [Arizona] Department of Water Resources to not approve this well, at least not without additional study and making it clear and known that the site will not migrate to other areas and cause additional contamination to the water supply,” Mayes told AZPM. … ” Read more from Arizona Public Media.
Also on Maven’s Notebook this weekend …
DWR: Lake Oroville update: Routine spillway inspections scheduled; Geotechnical investigation; Feather River floating classrooms; Current lake operations; and more …
ANNOUNCEMENT: Celebrating Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Week 2024
