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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.
In California water news today …
$1.5 billion project to expand major Bay Area reservoir collapses
“In a stunning setback for efforts to expand water storage in Northern California as the state struggles with more severe droughts from climate change, a $1.5 billion plan to enlarge Los Vaqueros Reservoir in Contra Costa County and share the water with residents across the Bay Area has collapsed after more than seven years of planning and millions of dollars spent. “We’ve gotten as far as we were able to on this project,” said Rachel Murphy, general manager of the Contra Costa Water District, which was overseeing the plan, on Monday. “It’s not a decision taken lightly.” The project, which was promised $477 million in state funding six years ago by the administration of former Gov. Jerry Brown, had been viewed by water planners as one of the most promising efforts to increase reservoir storage anywhere in the state. … ” Read more from the San Jose Mercury News (gift article).
NOTEBOOK FEATURE: How the fight against Auburn Dam advanced flood control in California
“In 1990, Gary Estes moved to Auburn, a town of nearly 14,000 in the Sierra Nevada foothills on the North Fork of the American River. Estes, an environmentalist, immediately joined the fight against Auburn Dam. The proposed dam site was only about one mile from his house. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers wanted to build Auburn Dam to boost flood control in the city of Sacramento, which is about 30 miles downstream of Auburn and which the Corps considers to be the region most at-risk for catastrophic flooding nationwide. But the American River already had the 340-foot high Folsom Dam between Auburn and Sacramento. “The environmental community said, ‘Do we really need another dam?’” Estes recalls. He and other Auburn Dam opponents thought there had to be a better way to protect Sacramento from floods―and they turned out to be right. … ” Read more from Maven’s Notebook.
Californians who steal water from rivers will soon be subject to much steeper fines
“Californians will soon be subject to a sharp rise in punitive fines for illegal diversions of water resources, after Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) signed a bill into law this weekend. Newsom on Sunday granted his approval to A.B. 460, which will raise potential fines for those who steal water from rivers to up to $10,000 daily. That’s 20 times more than violators had to pay two years ago, when state officials charged $4,000 — about $50 per person — when a group of Siskiyou County ranchers diverted water from Shasta River, according to CalMatters. … ” Read more from The Hill.
UC Merced and San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Authority execute partnership agreement that opens exciting opportunities
“A new five-year pilot study to place solar panels on the water in the Delta-Mendota Canal is just the beginning of a formal working relationship between UC Merced and the San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Authority. The two entities signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Friday, agreeing to work together using science-based and data-driven decision-making on efforts to mitigate climate impacts. The partnership also aims to develop a skilled workforce in the water industry, a crucial industry to improve the socioeconomic outcomes of the people of the San Joaquin Valley. The pilot project includes deploying up to three different technologies to assess the viability, costs and benefits of floating solar arrays over large conveyance facilities such as the Delta-Mendota Canal. This research will also identify and address issues related to maintaining a canal with panels on it, explore the power generation potential and develop methods to quantify impacts on water quality. … ” Read more from UC Merced.
SEE ALSO: UC Merced, San Luis and Delta-Mendota Water Authority come together with new partnership, from the San Joaquin Valley Sun
Environmental and fish groups disappointed with appellate court ruling on Sites Reservoir EIR
“On Friday, Sept. 20, a California appellate court upheld an earlier trial court ruling and found the controversial Sites Reservoir Project environmental impact report (EIR) to be legally adequate. Judge Ronald B. Robie, Presiding Judge of the Third Appellate District Court in Yolo County, concluded that “the environmental impact report is not invalid because all the alternatives shared diversion criteria.” Judge J. Wiseman, Retired Associate Justice of the Court of Appeal, Fifth Appellate District, concurred with Robie’s decision. The Sites Reservoir Project, an off stream water storage facility being promoted by the California Department of Water Resources, would be located on the west side of the Sacramento Valley, approximately 10 miles west of Maxwell in Glenn and Colusa counties. … ” Read more from the Daily Kos.
SEE ALSO: Sites Reservoir project moving forward after clearing legal hurdle, from KRCR
Kings County Farm Bureau: Continued success in efforts to stop probation
Dusty Ference writes, “KCFB reached another milestone in its case against the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) on Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024, when Judge Kathy Ciuffini issued a preliminary injunction (PI) against the SWRCB’s decision to place the TLSB on probation under the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA). Issuance of the PI prohibits the SWRCB from enacting any additional requirements on groundwater users in the TLSB, including but not limited to stopping the requirement for growers to register their wells, record pumping information, report pumping amounts, and pay fees previously associated with those activities. The PI does not affect the SGMA as the law; it only limits the SWRCB’s authority under SGMA and the probationary designation from April. … ” Read more from the Hanford Sentinel.
Hydropower industry lost billions to drought over two decades
“Hydropower is one of the country’s leading sources of clean energy, but extended drought reduces the amount of power these facilities can produce. Without adequate planning, say researchers from The University of Alabama, this clean and renewable energy source can be a liability in times of drought. In a recently published study, the UA researchers at the Center for Complex Hydrosystems Research conducted a comprehensive analysis to determine the impact of drought on hydropower generation during the 18-year period and identify the relative vulnerability of each state to drought. They found a considerable decline in hydroelectric power between 2003 and 2020 at a cost of an estimated $28 billion to the sector nationwide. Hydropower facilities not only lost out on revenue, but the energy deficit then had to be purchased from other utilities. … ” Read more from the University of Alabama.
Climate change leads CA farmers to seek alternative crops, like agave
“Most of the country’s fruits and nuts, like avocados and almonds, come from California. But scientists say human-caused climate change means more extreme heat and intensifying periods of drought for the state. That puts a strain on the state’s water supply, which challenges farmers cultivating water-thirsty crops — like almonds. Now, many are seeking out less water-thirsty crops — like agave. The succulent has long been grown in Mexico and is the key ingredient in making Tequila and Mezcal. But agave as a crop is a new idea for the U.S. In California, it’s more often seen as a part of decorative landscaping. … ” Read more from KQED.
California accuses ExxonMobil of lying about plastics being recyclable
“The state of California sued ExxonMobil on Monday, accusing the oil giant of misleading the public about the effectiveness of plastics recycling and contributing to the flood of bottles, bags and wrappers polluting waterways in the state and worldwide.In the first lawsuit of its kind, California Attorney General Rob Bonta (D) alleged that ExxonMobil has engaged “in a decades-long campaign of deception that caused and exacerbated the global plastics pollution crisis.” ExxonMobil is a major producer of the synthetic substances used to make plastics.The lawsuit, filed Monday in San Francisco County Superior Court, seeks to hold the oil titan accountable for allegedly falsely promoting all plastics as recyclable. Some recent estimates suggest that only a small fraction of the plastic produced gets recycled: about 9 percent worldwide and about 5 to 6 percent in the United States. … ” Read more from the Washington Post.
SEE ALSO: California sues Exxon over ‘deceptive’ plastic recycling claims, from Greenwire
EPA: Where rubber meets the road: EPA researchers study the environmental and health impacts of tires
“To some people, tire pollution might draw up an image of a blown-out or discarded tire on the side of a highway, or stockpiled old tires behind a garage. However, the issue of tire pollution is more complex and prolific than at first glance, as every step of a tire’s life cycle, from production to use to disposal, can impact our environment, health and wildlife. To address growing concerns of tire pollution and a specific pollutant called 6PPD-quinone (6PPD-Q), EPA researcher Dr. Paul Mayer led an effort to investigate the life cycle of tires and their impacts on the environment. The resulting article, “Where the rubber meets the road: Emerging environmental impacts of tire wear particles and their chemical cocktails,” is a holistic examination and data compilation of tires as complex pollutants across three levels: their whole state (e.g., tire production or disposal in landfills), as particulates (i.e., as they are worn down), and as “chemical cocktails.” … ” Continue reading from the EPA.
New study suggests California should start counting timber industry’s greenhouse gas emissions
“A new study on the impacts of the logging and wood products industry in Shasta and Siskiyou Counties has found such economic activities emit an average of 4 million metric tons of CO2 equivalent per year, equal to the annual emissions of 883,000 gas-powered passenger vehicles. The estimated climate damages caused by the greenhouse gas emissions are $487 million to $1.4 billion per year, which far exceeds the revenue generated by logging and wood products. The kicker? According to the study, California does not currently report or regulate GHG emissions from industrial logging activities because they are erroneously considered carbon neutral. The emissions produced by the industry statewide is estimated to be 17 million metric tons of CO2 equivalent per year. … ” Read more from A News Cafe.
In commentary today …
Solution to California’s water storage needs lies underground, not more dams
Columnist Marek Warszawski writes, “The name isn’t printed on any map, but history-minded visitors to San Luis Reservoir outside Los Banos call it “President’s Hill.” In August 1962, on a hilltop overlooking the western shoreline of what today is California’s fifth-largest reservoir, President John F. Kennedy headlined a list of dignitaries gathered for the groundbreaking of B.F. Sisk Dam. … “President’s Hill” is currently closed to the public – and will be until 2032 – because that section of the state recreation area is a construction zone. Gone are the fishermen, campers and hunters. Instead, the roads are traveled by heavy machinery and trucks transporting rocks, gravel and dirt to fortify and raise the 3 1⁄2-mile-long earthen dam and better protect nearby communities from flood risk. On top of that, literally, negotiations are underway to raise the dam an additional 10 feet in order to create an additional 130,000 acre-feet of storage in the 2 million acre-foot reservoir. … ” Read the full commentary at the Fresno Bee.
The reckoning of California’s regional economic planning and water availability
Barbara Barrigan-Parilla writes, “While Restore the Delta continues to defend the SF Bay-Delta estuary through policy work, advocacy, and public process participation, over the last six years we have also been involved in economic planning efforts through numerous state and regional initiatives that focus on the development of an inclusive green economy. At first glance, a new economy tackling the impacts of climate change while providing true economic opportunities for all communities appears to be a noble endeavor for our future – and it is. We fully support and are working at the local and regional level to build new green economy programs that will support ecosystem health and the health of all people in the Delta region. The problem, however, is that California is failing to incorporate sustainable water planning based on true water availability within emerging climate programs and new energy technologies. Instead, numerous economic plans for the San Joaquin Valley rely on continually increasing Delta exports. … ” Read more from Restore the Delta.
The kids get it: Why Proposition 4 is the right thing to do
Juliet Christian-Smith, Western States Regional Director of the Union of Concerned Scientists, writes, “Last week, we received our voter information guides in the mailbox. Before I had a chance to even take a look, I found my fifth-grader reading through the guide with a checklist. Looking over her shoulder, I saw her list of the proposition numbers – most with question marks next to them – but one with a big, bold check mark: Proposition 4. Even though I hadn’t said a word, she gets it. In her short life, she has been through three wildfire evacuations, she has been told not to drink the toxic drinking water in our friend’s neighborhood in Merced County, and she has been kept inside for days and weeks on end due to dangerous, orange, smoky skies. I don’t have to explain why investing in climate resilience is about the best financial decision California could make right now for her future. The kids get it. … ” Read more from the Union of Concerned Scientists.
How a California community helped prevent the Bridge fire from destroying their town
Chad Hanson, wildfire scientist with the John Muir Project of Earth Island Institute, writes, “On the evening of Sept. 10, things looked bad for the mountain ski town of Wrightwood in the San Gabriel Mountains, northeast of Los Angeles. Driven by extreme fire weather, the Bridge fire, which had started on the other side of the mountain range, grew from just a few thousand acres to 34,240 acres that day, and was spreading toward the town. By the next morning, it had reached Wrightwood’s boundaries. This could have been a catastrophe, like the Camp fire in 2018, which claimed dozens of lives and destroyed thousands of homes in the northern Sierra Nevada town of Paradise. Instead, out of more than 2,000 residences in Wrightwood, 13 were destroyed by the Bridge fire. It’s tragic that homes were lost, yet the fact that more than 99% of residences survived and all of the people were safely evacuated is a significant wildfire success story. What explains it? … ” Read more from the LA Times. | Read via Yahoo News.
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
Redwood Valley water board discusses potential shortages and billing transition
“At the Redwood Valley County Water District board meeting on September 19, 2024, members discussed significant challenges, including a nearly 10,000 acre-foot drop in Lake Mendocino’s water level compared to last year. With only 600 acre-feet sold this year, the district is grappling with reduced inflows from the Potter Valley Project while preparing for the City of Ukiah to take over billing services. So far this year, approximately 600 acre-feet of water have been sold. Lake Mendocino’s water level is approximately 10,000 acre-feet lower than at the same time last year, according to the chart on the Russian River Flood Control weekly update. There is less water coming into the lake because of reduced flows through the Potter Valley Project. Mandatory releases are made from Lake Mendocino to satisfy minimum stream flow requirements into the Russian River south of the lake. … ” Read more from Mendo Fever.
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
CEA foundation begins legal action against Rise Gold to stop mine drain pollution
“Local non-profit Community Environmental Advocates Foundation (CEA Foundation) has sent Rise Gold Corp and its subsidiary, Rise Grass Valley Inc., a Notice of Violation and is preparing a lawsuit to address contaminated mine water effluent discharging into Wolf Creek. Currently, the Idaho-Maryland Mine discharges contaminated water from several mine drain points directly into the main branch of Wolf Creek, including the Eureka Drain and the East Eureka Drain. The illegal contamination levels were identified in testing done in 2019 by the EPA as well as in Rise Gold’s 2020 Environmental Impact Report. The tests show that the mine effluent exceeds safe values of Arsenic, Lead, Manganese, Barium, and other heavy metals in clear violation of the Clean Water Act (CWA). … ” Read more from YubaNet.
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
Sewage seeps into Folsom Lake from problem pipe in El Dorado Hills
“Officials are warning people to stay out of Browns Ravine at Folsom Lake after a pipe leaked sewage into the water Sunday night. El Dorado Irrigation District spokesperson Jesse Saich said an old pipe on Green Valley Road, just west of Francisco Drive, started leaking at around 9:30 p.m. Sunday. Within 30 minutes, pump trucks were out there working to suck up as much sewage as possible, but Saich said some sewage water did flow into Folsom Lake. The stinky sewage also seeped into the gated community Rolling Hills Estates in El Dorado Hills. … ” Continue reading at CBS Sacramento.
Abandoned pipe near American River to be removed after safety concerns
“An abandoned pipe near the American River that a kayaker warned was a safety hazard is now being removed. Kinder Morgan told KCRA 3 last year that the pipeline used to transport refined petroleum products before it was abandoned in 2009. Now, 15 years later, the company says it is working to remove it. The pipe is just barely submerged beneath the surface on the southwest end of the William B. Pond Recreation Area in Carmichael, where the water feeds into the American River. … ” Read more from KCRA.
BAY AREA
Thousands of San Francisco residents to soon get much higher water bills due to glitch
“Thousands of San Francisco residents will soon receive much higher sewer and water bills because of a technical glitch in the transponders on automated water meters operated by the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission. In an email to SFGATE, agency spokesperson Nancy Hayden Crowley said that about 8,200 of the agency’s water and sewer customers were receiving service over the last few months, or longer, but weren’t being billed because the transponders on their meters weren’t working properly. … ” Read more from SF Gate.
CENTRAL COAST
Montecito: Water Year 2025 and Beyond
“Did you know that water has its own calendar? The current Water Year comes to a close on September 30, and Water Year 2025 will begin. While there is no crystal ball to indicate what it will bring, this is a timely opportunity to share highlights from Montecito Water District’s quarterly water supply update which General Manager Nick Turner presented to the Board of Directors at their regular August meeting. The District’s focus in recent years has been to increase local, reliable supplies and reduce dependence on the increasingly scant and costly State Water Project. These efforts combined with two years of above average rainfall have put the District in a very different position than it was facing just a few years ago on the heels of the worst drought in history. Now the District’s three-year water supply outlook indicates adequate water to meet projected customer water demand through Water Year 2027 without shortages and without the need for State Water Project or supplemental supplies. The key is keeping customer water use at or below projections … ” Read more from the Montecito Journal.
EASTERN SIERRA
Ridgecrest Council mulls city’s role on IWVGA, changes nothing
“The Ridgecrest City Council on Wednesday discussed the city’s continuing role on the Indian Wells Valley Groundwater Authority and whether or not the city representative to the IWVGA — Council Member Scott Hayman — voted appropriately at the Aug. 21 public hearing at which the controversial basin replenishment fee was approved. (Hayman voted for the fee.) Mayor Pro Tem Lindsey Stephens led the charge on both, energetically questioning the city’s participation on the groundwater authority as well as apparently criticizing Hayman’s recent vote for not corresponding with council’s intent. … ” Read more from the Ridgecrest Independent.
Indian Wells Valley Water District General Manager’s Column: Impact of IWVGA fees on district customers
“The Indian Wells Valley Groundwater Authority (“Authority”) has taken actions recently with regards to fees that will affect customers of the Indian Wells Valley Water District (“District”). These are pass-through fees implemented by the Authority. Though they will appear on your water bill, the money collected goes to the Authority and not the District. It is my intent to provide context for how these fees will translate to your bill from the District. The first fee to discuss is a fee that is already in place but will increase effective this month. … ” Read more from the Ridgecrest Independent.
SAN DIEGO
Most of Imperial Beach shoreline opens to public after lengthy closure
“Most of the shoreline at Imperial Beach is open Monday, following three years of nearly continuous closure from sewage and pollution at the South Bay city’s beaches. Late Sunday, San Diego County’s Department of Environmental Health and Quality lifted the beach closures in Imperial Beach for Cortez Avenue and the end of Seacoast Drive, less than two miles from the International Border. “For the first time since December 2023, the majority of the Imperial Beach shoreline is now open and safe for public use,” said San Diego County Supervisor Nora Vargas. “With water from Seacoast Drive north meeting state health standards, residents and visitors can once again enjoy our beautiful coastline.” … ” Read more from KPBS.
Along the Colorado River …
Planning for an uncertain future in the Colorado River basin
“Providing drinking water for homes, supporting wildlife, and irrigation for farms across seven states, the basin is under significant pressure to adapt to an uncertain and challenging future. In response to these growing concerns, a team of dedicated researchers led by Penn State University has developed a state-of-the-art computational tool aimed at helping the region’s decision-makers navigate these complex uncertainties. The novel tool, the Framework for Narrative Storylines and Impact Classification (FRNSIC), can help decision-makers explore various plausible futures and identify consequential scenario storylines – thoughtfully crafted descriptions of critical futures. … ” Read more from Earth.com.
Technology changes coming to Chandler water users
“Chandler will begin installing new technology to monitor water usage. The city is moving away from a system where meter readers drive routes and use handheld devices to collect monthly data. With the new system, water meters will communicate directly with about 50 antennas placed throughout the city. Jeremy Abbott, assistant director of public works and utilities, said an online portal will provide daily water consumption and leak alerts, “Currently, a customer may not realize they have a problem until they get their bill, you know, 30 days later, and they see that, oh, wow, my bill went up $50 or $100 from last month. What’s going on? It’s a very reactive mode.” … ” Read more from KJZZ.
Arizona’s water woes, semiconductor facilities and data centers spark debate on sustainability
“As Arizonans face hotter, drier conditions, new semiconductor facilities sprawling across the Valley are raising concerns about their impact on the state’s water resources. Semiconductors are vital for powering technology but they’re also thirsty – requiring vast amounts of water for their manufacturing processes. While these plants claim to reclaim much of the water used, questions linger about the sustainability of their practices in a water-scarce region. A recent segment from ABC15 explores whether these semiconductor plants are truly being “good stewards to our environment,” given the increasing value of water amidst climate change considerations. The report includes insights from experts on the water reclamation efforts of semiconductor plants, but the wider implications for local water supplies and the long-term effects on Arizona’s environment remain a point of contention. … ” Read more from Hoodline.
In national water news today …
The future of climate research at the USGS – Climate Science Plan is released
“On September 6, the USGS released the U.S. Geological Survey Climate Science Plan—Future Research Directions, the culmination of a two-year effort by the Climate Science Plan Writing Team. The team was charged with identifying the major climate science topics of future concern and developing an integrated approach to conducting climate science in support of the USGS, Department of the Interior (DOI), and administration priorities. The overarching purpose of the plan was to define the scope and delivery of critical climate science, identify future research directions, and outline opportunities to increase our climate science capacity and expand our research portfolio. Climate is one of the primary drivers of environmental change and a priority in defining science conducted across all USGS mission areas. … ” Read more from the USGS.
