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On the calendar today …
- WORKSHOP: Central Valley Flood Protection Board workshop beginning at 10am. Agenda items include Central Valley Flood Protection Board an update on Flood Planning and Program activities in the Yolo Bypass Cache Slough Region and the Yolo Bypass Cache Slough Master Plan Public Draft; and the Army Corps of Engineers staff will provide an update and progress on the Yolo Bypass Comprehensive Study. Click here for workshop agenda and remote access instructions.
In California water news today …
Chances for La Niña have shifted. Here’s what it means for California
“The odds of La Niña emerging have gone down, according to a monthly update by the Climate Prediction Center on Thursday. The latest discussion calls for a 60% chance that La Niña emerges during the fall, a drop from the 71% probability reported last month. “Now there’s a 2 in 5 chance that La Niña won’t develop during the (September-November) season,” said Michelle L’Heureux, a climate scientist with the Climate Prediction Center. La Niña is defined by cooler-than-average sea-surface temperatures in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific, which can affect atmospheric circulation and shift the jet stream northward. This tilts the odds toward drier-than-average conditions in Southern California in the winter. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
Drought expands across California, Southwest amid record-shattering heat wave
“An exceptional October heat wave is shattering temperature records and accelerating drought conditions throughout the Southwest. Phoenix broke another temperature record Wednesday, the city’s 16th consecutive day with a new record. The hot weather is causing more evaporation than normal across the desert, which the U.S. Drought Monitor noted in its weekly update. “Drought tends to move slowly this time of year in the West … but the excessive heat has caused drought conditions to intensify at a quicker rate than usual,” the Drought Monitor wrote in its weekly summary. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
How much runoff comes from the West’s snowpack?
“Snow is a cornerstone of the American West’s water supply, but just how important is it to the region’s streams, rivers and reservoirs? In the popular press and academic papers, the sizable share of runoff that originates as snowmelt is often cited as a reason why the West’s snowpack is so crucial to both cities and farms, not to mention the region’s wildlife and very way of life. But when a team of researchers set out to study the question, they found a wide range of estimates cited in 27 scientific papers. They concluded that “a detailed study of the contribution of snow to the runoff over the western U.S. has not been conducted.” To clarify the connection between the snowpack and streamflow—and project how climate change is altering the relationship—the scientists used computer simulations and hydrological modeling in a 2017 paper in Geophysical Research Letters to estimate snow’s significance for runoff across the West. … ” Read more from the Water Desk.
Is California discriminating against people who rely on fish from the ‘Dirty Delta’?
“This week’s dispatch comes from CalMatters’ water reporter Rachel Becker. Becker reported this week on how the San Francisco Bay-Delta, California’s largest estuary, is facing severe environmental challenges, including low water flows, algal blooms, and urban and agricultural runoff. These issues are particularly affecting low-income immigrants from Asian countries and other people of color who rely on fishing in the Bay-Delta for food. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is investigating claims that California’s management of the Bay-Delta has discriminated against these communities. The allegations are that the State Water Resources Control Board failed to update water quality standards, which determine how much water is diverted to cities and farms, and has excluded tribes and Black, Asian, and Latino residents from the policymaking process. … ” Read more from Cal Matters.
Environmental groups call attention to fundamental flaws with Delta Conveyance Project hearings
“[Yesterday], the Delta Tribal Environmental Coalition (DTEC), represented by the Environmental Justice Law and Advocacy Clinic at Yale Law School, together with the California Indian Environmental Alliance, San Francisco Baykeeper, and Golden State Salmon Association, submitted a formal statement with the State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board) highlighting fundamental flaws with the Delta Conveyance Project (DCP) hearings. These hearings concern petitions submitted by the Department of Water Resources (DWR) in February 2024 asking the State Water Board to modify water rights permits issued in 1972, allowing DWR to use them now to construct and operate the DCP. In August, DWR also quietly added a request to extend the construction deadline for water storage and conveyance facilities under those permits by fifty-five years, from 2000 to 2055. … ” Continue reading this press release.
DWR: Delta Conveyance Project water rights permit timeframes and public transparency
“Water rights in California can be complicated. As a part of the Delta Conveyance Project, the Department of Water Resources (DWR) filed a petition with the State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board) in February 2024 to “change the point of diversion” (CPOD) by adding two new intake locations. DWR has created the Water Rights 101 blog to provide important information, facts and context to help Californians better understand the water rights system, the regulatory processes involved, and specifics about the Delta Conveyance Project’s petition. … ” Read more from DWR.
San Francisco is suing the EPA over how specific water pollution permits should be
“The U.S. Supreme Court will test how flexible the EPA and states can be in regulating water pollution under the Clean Water Act when it hears oral argument in City and County of San Francisco v. Environmental Protection Agency on Oct. 16, 2024. This case asks the court to decide whether federal regulators can issue permits that are effectively broad orders not to violate water quality standards, or instead may only specify the concentrations of individual pollutants that permit holders can release into water bodies. My research focuses on water issues, including the Clean Water Act. This case involves both federal and state authority to issuing permits, and it will be interesting to see where the court focuses. While justices have been willing to limit the EPA’s authority under the act, they traditionally have allowed states broad authority to protect water quality. Thus, while some fear that this case is yet another occasion for the court to limit the EPA’s authority, California’s involvement may have exactly the opposite effect. … ” Continue reading from The Conversation.
State Water Board approves rate hikes for 2024-25, impacting farmers and groundwater recharge projects
“The California State Water Resources Control Board has approved rate increases for the 2024-25 fiscal year, impacting various water quality and water rights programs. These increases aim to address budget shortfalls affecting programs that involve farmers and ranchers. Notably, fees for groundwater recharge projects, a critical component of California’s strategy to manage water in drought-prone areas, will rise. According to the California Farm Bureau, the new rates, adopted on September 18, will see increased fees for temporary 180-day and five-year high-flow diversion permits, which some agricultural advocates argue could discourage participation in much-needed groundwater recharge efforts. The board reduced some of the proposed increases by 50% to mitigate this concern. … ” Read more from Ag Net West.
State: Groundwater management improving unsettled supply
“The state has released its Fall 2024 Groundwater Condition Update, with long-term research revealing that more than half of California’s groundwater wells have experienced declining trends over the past 20 years. From the spring of 2023 to the spring of 2024, of the 6,316 wells monitored in the Bay Area, close to 70% showed no significant change, reported as 5 feet or less decline or 5 feet or less increase; while about 5% did show levels dropping 5 to 25 feet; 30% increasing 5 to 25 feet; and the rest had groundwater levels gaining 25 feet or more. However, groundwater levels in half of the wells monitored in the San Joaquin and Tulare Lake hydrologic regions, for example, test below normal levels. … ” Read more from the Daily Republic.
Legal alert: Governor issues executive order terminating emergency groundwater well permitting requirements
“Landowners and public water suppliers should find it easier to drill new groundwater wells in medium- and high-priority groundwater basins regulated under the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (“SGMA”) thanks to an executive order recently signed by Governor Gavin Newsom. Governor Gavin Newsom on September 5, 2024, signed Executive Order (“EO”) N-3-24, which terminated prior EOs from 2022 and 2023 (EO N-7-22 and EO N-3-23) that required local agencies to seek approval from the applicable Groundwater Sustainability Agency (“GSA”) before issuing a permit for a new or modified groundwater well in medium- or high-priority groundwater basins. Before approving the new permit, the GSA was required to determine that the new well is consistent with the Groundwater Sustainability Plan (“GSP”) and unlikely to interfere with nearby wells or cause subsidence. In 2023, EO N-3-23 added an exemption to the GSA approval requirement for permits issued for equivalent replacement wells. … ” Read more from the Kronick Law Firm.
A tough nut to crack: Kind Snacks tackles sustainability in almond orchards
“Orchards blanketing California’s Central Valley produce 80 percent of the world’s supply of almonds, and all of ours in the United States. Touted as a superfood, they’ve soared in popularity since the 1980s — with Californian production increasing seven times since then. Filled with nutrients and antioxidants, almonds help lower cholesterol and blood pressure, strengthen bones, and improve blood sugar control and gut health. But almonds are a thirsty crop, which can be problematic under water shortages in California. So Kind Snacks, a producer of snack bars and cereal, is delving into the nuts and bolts of almond farming. Last year, it launched a three-year pilot program, the Almond Acres Initiative, to test regenerative agriculture and new technologies in partnership with one of its top suppliers, Ofi. With a year of promising progress under their belt, the organizations are expanding the Central Valley project to include a second, drier site. Undaunted by dust and dehydration, they’re hoping to make our favorite nut a little better for everyone. … ” Read more from Triple Pundit.
Are California’s forests becoming more resilient to wildfire? State leaders say yes
“As California sees yet another year of devastating wildfires, state and federal officials on Thursday reported headway on boosting the health and fire-resiliency of forests — but perhaps not quite enough. Nearly 700,000 acres of wildlands across California were “treated” last year with prescribed burning, tree cutting, grazing or some combination of these and other forestry tactics designed to clear out burnable vegetation and reduce wildfire risk, according to newly released state data. The amount of forestry work is up over prior years, the data show, and fire officials say it is already helping temper the severity of wildfires. Still, the treated acreage represents only about 2% of California’s forested lands. Experts have estimated that at least 1 million acres of forestry projects annually are needed to significantly improve conditions on the ground and put a major dent in the wildfire crisis. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
Does the US have a fire problem?
“In the summer of 1910, wildfires raged from Washington to Wisconsin, posing a significant challenge to the nascent United States Forest Service (U.S.F.S.). The pinnacle of this fire season was the “Big Burn,” a two-day inferno that consumed several hundred thousand acres across Montana and Idaho and claimed nearly eighty lives. This catastrophic event marked a turning point for the U.S.F.S., as it was forced to confront the devastating power of fire and reconsider its approach to fire management. Fire is naturally bombastic and terrifying, making media coverage of wildfires financially alluring. Regional and national newspapers reported on these fires in 1910, and their coverage set a standard for journalists. The news media grappled with a duality of fire policy: fire inclusion and exclusion. Inclusion focused on letting a fire burn naturally; exclusion was the dedicated elimination of fire. Media coverage became pivotal in advancing a fire exclusion policy soon after 1910. … ” Read more from the Sierra Nevada Ally.
In commentary today …
On your November ballot: Prop 4 would approve $10 billion for climate action, conserving natural resources
“Prop 4 proposes issuing $10 billion in bonds to fund state and local parks, environmental protection projects, water infrastructure projects, energy projects, and flood protection projects. Additionally, 40% of the bond revenue would be used to fund activities that benefit communities with lower incomes or that are affected by environmental changes or disasters.$3.8 billion would help pay to improve drinking water systems and prepare for droughts and floods. Another $1.5 billion would go to programs focused on wildfire preparedness and $1.2 billion would go to programs combating the rise of the sea level. The remaining funds would be divided up. Supporters of the proposition argue that the threat climate change brings to the state is an immediate one. Issues like wildfires, water pollution, and extreme heat call for funding to be directed towards countering the effects of climate change. Several environmental groups are backing the measure as well. … ” Read more from San Diego Voice & Viewpoint.
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
California’s massive dam removal has been lauded. But residents miss the lakes
“The first thing you notice at Copco Lake is that there’s no lake here. Yet, in this woodsy Northern California community just miles from the Oregon border, wooden docks sit oddly in grassy backyards. Boats lie idle in dirt lots or on parked trailers. The occasional fishing pole or life vest is strewn about on a side lawn. These fixtures of boating, swimming and angling, no longer in use, serve as witness to the ghost of a reservoir that haunts this rural area. Recently, the community lost its signature Copco Lake when four hydroelectric dams were removed on the Klamath River. In what was celebrated as the largest dam-removal project in U.S. history, the reservoirs behind the dams emptied of water and the popular aquatic activities at Copco saw a quick death. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
Salmon make their way back up the Klamath River after dam removal
“For the first time in more than a century, salmon are swimming freely along the Klamath River and its tributaries — a major watershed near the California-Oregon border — just days after the largest dam removal project in U.S. history was completed. Researchers determined that Chinook salmon began migrating Oct. 3 into previously inaccessible habitat above the site of the former Iron Gate dam, one of four towering dams demolished as part of a national movement to let rivers return to their natural flow and to restore ecosystems for fish and other wildlife. “It’s been over one hundred years since a wild salmon last swam through this reach of the Klamath River,” said Damon Goodman, a regional director for the nonprofit conservation group California Trout. “I am incredibly humbled to witness this moment and share this news, standing on the shoulders of decades of work by our Tribal partners, as the salmon return home.” … ” Read more from KGW8.
Klamath Dam removal is complete – How well did it go?
Tom Cannon writes, “The final steps in Klamath River dam removal are complete, and the first salmon has migrated upstream into the dam-removal reach in over 100 years. The four reservoirs were drained last winter and the dams removed this summer. The river is now free in its natural channel. Two dams remain up at Klamath Lake (Keno and Link dams – not part of the project), but the lower four hydroelectric project dams – three in Oregon and one in California – are gone. With the demolition of the last of these lower four dams this summer, the Klamath is running free from its headwaters in southeastern Oregon to its mouth in the Pacific Ocean on Yurok tribal lands in northwestern California. Hundreds of miles of spawning grounds are open to Chinook salmon, Coho salmon, and steelhead for the first time in more than a century. … ” Read more from the California Fisheries blog.
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
All aboard the M.S. Dixie: Tahoe 7th and 8th graders take a journey into Tahoe’s environment
“Over two inspiring days, 500 students from the Lake Tahoe Unified School District’s seventh and eighth grades embarked on an unforgettable educational adventure aboard the M.S. Dixie paddleboat, exploring the vital importance of water and environmental stewardship with the South Tahoe Environmental Education Coalition (STEEC). For many students, this trip marked their first experience on a boat. Eighth grade teacher Christien Clark acknowledged the trip’s importance, saying, “This is a great opportunity to get the kids on the boat and out in the Tahoe environment, learning by connecting with Tahoe.” Cruises allowed students to engage with Lake Tahoe while learning about water issues and natural history. During the voyage, they tasted and voted on tap versus bottled water, facilitated by the South Tahoe Public Utility District, and explored the unique properties of water with the Lahontan Regional Water Quality Control Board. … ” Read more from the Tahoe Daily Tribune.
Root cause of Spaulding outages “not subject to public disclosure” says PG&E spox
“The Nevada Irrigation District (NID) board meeting yesterday had the usual PG&E update on the Spaulding infrastructure repairs on its agenda. The discussion got heated after the PG&E spokesperson informed Directors that the root cause of the failures at Spaulding would not be shared with them or NID staff. Today, a letter from PG&E to FERC appears to contradict statements made by PG&E representatives in various meetings and press releases. The report by Brandon Sanders, PG&E Sierra Division Government Affairs, was standard enough to begin with. … ” Read more from YubaNet.
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
Sacramento County is in a floodplain. Officials urge residents to know their flood risk.
“Considering severe storms and flood damage across the country, Sacramento County officials are urging Northern California residents to know their home’s flood risk. Sacramento County is in a flood plain recognized by FEMA and according to the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, Sacramento is considered one of the most at-risk cities in the country for “catastrophic” flooding. More than 500,000 people are dependent on the levees, a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers spokesperson said Thursday. “Upgrading and maintaining area levees is essential to maintaining security and safety for the hundreds of thousands of residents and billions of dollars in property that lies literally feet from the Sacramento and American Rivers,” said Public Affairs Specialist Paul Bruton. “Our levee system is the only thing keeping these waters at bay during storm events.” … ” Read more from KCRA.
BAY AREA
Lagunitas Creek salmon restoration project progresses
“The inaugural effort to restore an endangered fish spawning habitat in Lagunitas Creek is nearly complete. This summer, the Marin Municipal Water District broke ground on a project to restore coho salmon habitat in the creek. The work entailed strategically placing logs, boulders and gravel to recreate spawning beds in the creek that runs through Samuel P. Taylor State Park. The district led dignitaries on a tour of the three project sites on Tuesday. Among them were officials from California State Parks; the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration Fisheries; the California Department of Fish and Wildlife; the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; the Bureau of Reclamation; lawmakers; and the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board. … ” Read more from the Marin Independent Journal.
Filling San Francisco Bay with drinking water
“In the 1940s and 1950s, San Francisco was looking for a more reliable supply of fresh water. Actor and theatrical producer John Reber came up with the wild idea of building two dams in San Francisco Bay to keep out salt water. “His idea was to convert [the bay] into reservoirs, like freshwater reservoirs,” said U.S. Army Corp of Engineer Park Ranger Linda Holmes. At the time, converting the salty bay into a freshwater reservoir would have been the largest civil works project in the country’s history, and would have also drastically reshaped the Bay Area. “At the San Rafael Richmond Bridge would have been a dam, and roughly where the Bay Bridge would have been a dam,” said Holmes. “Then by filling in Berkeley and Emeryville, and then creating a locking gate system to connect the two dams so the ships could get up over into the ports they needed to go.” … ” Read more from Channel 10.
Wetland project to help protect Palo Alto from flooding
“Coastal waterways face numerous threats – from sea level rise and storm surge flooding to pollution. So Palo Alto, California, is working on a pilot project to help address some of these problems together. The city plans to create what’s called a horizontal levee on San Francisco Bay. It’s a sloping wetland that provides a transition between the open bay and its heavily developed shores. … ” Read more from Yale Climate Connections.
Solano County cup runneth over with water concerns, issues
“Solano County is moving forward on two water-related projects, including a holistic look at the need to monitor and manage all groundwater resources in the county. A One Water & Utilities Master Plan is also in the works with the goal of bringing all water management issues – surface and groundwater supply, quality, drainage and more – into a countywide structure. It is paid for with $300,000 from the county’s American Rescue Plan Act funds. A draft framework of the plan has been completed, officials said. Currently, only one of three groundwater subbasins in Solano County fall under state management requirements, but Supervisor John Vasquez emphasized the value of knowing how all the groundwater systems are impacted by drought, wet years and draws for agricultural, urban and other uses. … ” Read more from the Daily Republic.
SJ Water employees take field trip to learn about watershed
“On Sept. 27, Eric W. Thornburg loaded up into a passenger van with his coworkers and headed out on a field trip into the Santa Cruz Mountains just above Lexington Reservoir. The Saratoga resident just happens to be the CEO of SJW Group, a utility company that clocked net income of $32.4 million in just the first six months of 2024. He was joined by Tanya Moniz-Witten, president of SJ Water Co., and several employees from different arms of the multi-pronged organization. The goal was to give workers an on-the-ground look at the life-sustaining system they use to bring drinking water to local dining tables—a way to bring spreadsheets and data points to life. What better way to do that than to head up into the Santa Cruz Mountains for an overview of the watershed that supplies Los Gatos and the surrounding areas with drinking water. … ” Read more from the Los Gatan.
CENTRAL COAST
The importance of Measure Q for Santa Cruz water resources
Santa Cruz County Supervisor Bruce McPherson writes, “In last week’s edition, I highlighted how supporting Measure Q on the Nov. 5 ballot represents a historic opportunity to steward our precious and increasingly fragile environment, which is a value shared throughout Scotts Valley and the San Lorenzo Valley. The water and wildlife protection measure will provide a steady stream of locally generated and locally governed revenue to reduce fire risk, bolster natural habitat and improve our cherished parks. This week, I’d like to share a few thoughts specifically about a critical resource to be bolstered by Measure Q: our natural water sources. During my 12-year tenure as Santa Cruz County’s District 5 Supervisor, I have joined other local leaders in dedicating a great deal of time and energy toward ensuring a strong future for our water systems. … ” Continue reading from the Press-Banner.
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
‘Erratic’ releases from PG&E’s dam in Fresno County put river swimmers in danger, non-profit says
“A national non-profit dedicated to river conservation is calling on PG&E to better regulate releases from a Fresno County dam after state numbers show approximately ten times more water being released into the river below than expected. The group says a sudden release of water from the same dam led to a Clovis teenager’s death in 2018. PG&E releases water from the Kerckhoff Dam, which increases flows downstream into the San Joaquin River. The utility tells YourCentralValley.com that releases are done to conduct planned maintenance at the powerhouse. … ” Read more from Your Central Valley.
MEETING NOTES: Kern groundwater agencies want to push back subbasin’s probation hearing date
“Dan Bartel, Rosedale-Rio Bravo’s engineer-manager, informed the board that the Kern subbasin is looking to push back the February 20th hearing date before the state Water Resources Control Board on its groundwater plan. Water Board staff have recommended the region be put on probation for not having an adequate plan. Probation would include requirements for pumpers to meter and register their wells at $300 each, report extractions and pay $20 per acre foot for what they pump. That would be on top of fees farmers already pay to their water districts and groundwater agencies. If the subbasin can’t work up an adequate plan a year after being put on probation, the state would issue pumping allotments. … ” Read more from SJV Water.
EASTERN SIERRA
Cruise: Searles Valley Minerals committed to Indian Wells Valley water security
““We need to first agree on a set of facts,” said Dennis Cruise, President of Searles Valley Mineral Inc, speaking about discrepancies between company and government findings about our local water supply. Cruise spoke with the Rotary Club of China Lake about his company’s recent water-related conflict with the state of California, as well as sharing how they have benefited the community for over a century. SVM has been pumping water from the IWV Groundwater Basin for over 90 years, the oldest water rights in the region. In addition to pumping water to run its plants, it directly supplies water to Trona, since 1943, and owns five potable wells in the basin. The company has come into conflict with the state’s Sustainable Groundwater Management Act. … ” Read more from the Ridgecrest Independent.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Students learn about water up close
“Thirteen Knight High School freshman in the Digital Design and Engineering Academy got hands-on experience testing water for residual chlorine or turbidity and also learned how to fix a water main leak as part of Palmdale Water District’s Junior Water Ambassadors Academy. Prior to the hands-on activities, the students heard from district employees about the different jobs they do in order to provide clean drinking water to the district’s thousands of customers. The academy took place Wednesday at the Leslie O. Carter Water Treatment Plant, where the district treats its water. The students spent the day learning about the history of the 106-year-old district, careers in water, the Littlerock Dam and customer care. They also took a tour of the plant. … ” Read more from the Antelope Valley Press.
Strengthening water security in the Southland: San Bernardino Valley Water Conservation District captures 24.4 billion gallons
“With water scarcity becoming a greater concern in California, the San Bernardino Valley Water Conservation District announced today its fourth highest water recharge record of all time: 74,958-acre feet of water, or 24,425,171,383 gallons. This extraordinary figure includes 25,525-acre feet from the State Water Project and 6,409-acre feet from in-river channel recharge. The amount can be credited to high levels of rain and snowmelt as well as the district’s efficient water capture and storage efforts in local underground aquifers. “Groundwater recharge is the most economical, environmentally harmonious, and resilient way we can safeguard our region’s water supply,” said General Manager Betsy Miller Vixie. “Alongside our interagency partners, the San Bernardino Valley Water Conservation District is committed to maximizing the capture and storage of available water sources every year. We are excited about our team’s 2024 accomplishments and expect to far exceed these recharge numbers as new interagency projects come online in the coming months and years.” … ” Read more from the San Bernardino Valley Water Conservation District.
San Bernardino Valley College receives approval for first-ever bachelor’s degree in water resources management
“San Bernardino Valley College (SBVC) is proud to announce the official approval of its new bachelor’s degree in water resources management, a landmark achievement for the college and the community. The California Community Colleges (CCC) Board of Governors granted the approval during their historic, first-ever meeting at SBVC on September 23, marking a significant milestone for the institution and its students. “We are thrilled to receive approval for this groundbreaking program,” said SBVC President Dr. Gilbert Contreras. “This degree will not only equip our students with the specialized knowledge and skills required in the water resources management field, but it will also position SBVC as a leader in addressing critical workforce needs in our region. By offering this degree, we are opening doors to high-wage, in-demand careers that will benefit both our students and our community.”
San Clemente’s North Beach sand project complete
“San Clemente has finished a sand replenishment project at North Beach, a months-long effort to help widen a stretch of eroded coastline. The project, which kicked off in late July, delivered 37,000 cubic yards of sand from the Santa Ana River, with truckloads hauling the material in and spreading it out on the north end of the coastal town. The beach, which has been closed Mondays through Thursdays throughout the project’s duration, is now open to the public. The construction equipment is being removed. “The emergency sand placement will enhance public recreation opportunities while also serving to bolster the function of the sandy beach as a natural buffer to protect critical public infrastructure and existing structures,” city official said. … ” Read more from the OC Register.
San Clemente’s ‘sand czar’ looks to turn back the tide of coastal erosion
“Before becoming San Clemente’s new coastal administrator last year, the beach has always held a nostalgic place in Leslea Meyerhoff’s heart. “Some of my earliest memories are walking the beach in Santa Monica with my grandma,” she said. “I also recall fond times boogie boarding, collecting seashells or just enjoying a stroll at the beach.” On a recent foggy afternoon by San Clemente Pier, Meyerhoff looked on from a picnic bench as a handful of families similarly walked along the beach while others carried boogie boards into the ocean. In recent years, the city’s eroding beaches have been a far cry from the wide, expansive sands of Meyerhoff’s Santa Monica memories. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
SAN DIEGO
California lawmaker says Imperial County needs to rework its lithium spending plan
“A California lawmaker says Imperial County officials need to rework their controversial lithium spending plan, or they could face state intervention. In an interview with KPBS, Assemblymember Eduardo Garcia (D-Coachella) said the county was required by state law to direct significantly more lithium tax dollars to towns on the north end of the valley. He said the current spending plan does not comply with those terms. “I do believe that they’re missing the marker,” Garcia said. “My hopes are that they will consider going back to the drawing board and looking at ways that make greater investments in those regions — not based on the formula of population, but based on the formulas of the law.” … ” Read more from KPBS.
Along the Colorado River …
CAP board candidates discuss potential Colorado River deal hopes, worries
“Candidates running to manage Arizona’s largest water provider want the federal government to take a stronger role in stalled Colorado River negotiations. Speaking during a candidates’ debate on Tuesday, Heather Macre, one of six people seeking a seat on the Central Arizona Water Conservation board, argued that the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation — the federal agency responsible for managing dams — should provide “contours” to guide the seven Colorado River basin states toward a solution for managing the river’s recent decline. “That’s something we have been asking for and haven’t really gotten,” Macre said. Macre and fellow board incumbent Terry Goddard said the bureau should at least clarify that any proposals will have to conform to the the conditions of the 1922 Colorado River Compact, a critical treaty that divides the river among the seven states. … ” Read more from Arizona Central.
Supporting at-risk bird habitat in the Lower Colorado River Basin
“Close your eyes. Picture the vibrant healthy ecosystems of the Colorado River Basin. … The northern half of the watershed, though rife with dams and diversions, largely resembles a more natural environment—the rivers swelling with runoff as the snow disappears from the surrounding peaks, and native vegetation dominating much of the riparian zone, creating quality habitat for birds and other wildlife. The southern part of the Colorado River Basin presents a different picture. Hydropower—as well as water orders for cities and farms in Arizona, California, and Mexico—determine the amount and timing of flows in the Colorado River causing the river’s ecosystems to decline. Audubon’s Water and Birds in the Arid West reported that though these riparian areas account for a tiny portion of the Basin (5%), they are home to a large percentage of the birds in the region (40% of all species); and, because of the decline, species such as Bell’s Vireo and Western Yellow-Billed Cuckoo are increasingly threatened. But that is not how it has always been. … ” Read more from Audubon.
Google, REI, and more partner with nonprofits on ‘future-proof’ projects: ‘We’re proud to support’
“A recent report shows Arizona’s Verde River is a model example of how partnerships between major companies and conservation organizations can restore essential waterways. For decades, the Colorado River has suffered from droughts and excessive withdrawals, the Walton Family Foundation reported. Years ago, major companies like Coca-Cola, REI, Meta, Google, and Microsoft teamed up with multiple nonprofits, including The Nature Conservancy and Salt River Project, to address these problems in the Verde River — a tributary of the Salt River in the Colorado River Basin. This body of water is a critical resource for local farms and large urban areas in metro Phoenix. Rising global temperatures, groundwater pumping, and withdrawals had put the river in jeopardy. … ” Read more from The Cool Down.
In national water news today …
Millions of people across the US use well water, but very few test it often enough to make sure it’s safe
“About 23 million U.S. households depend on private wells as their primary drinking water source. These homeowners are entirely responsible for ensuring that the water from their wells is safe for human consumption. Multiple studies show that, at best, half of private well owners are testing with any frequency, and very few households test once or more yearly, as public health officials recommend. Even in Iowa, which has some of the strongest state-level policies for protecting private well users, state funds for free private water quality testing regularly go unspent. Is the water these households are drinking safe? There’s not much systematic evidence, but the risks may be large. … ” Read more from The Conversation.
Why are Chinese cities sinking? A comprehensive analysis of causes, effects and solutions
“Imagine a city, its skyline dominated by skyscrapers and highways. Now, imagine it slowly drooping into the ground. This is not a sci-fi novel but a real problem facing many of China’s major cities. From the famous streets of Shanghai to the industrial hub of Tianjin, Chinese cities are sinking at an unprecedented rate. Earth.org digs into the complex web of factors behind this urban subsidence, looking at the historical context, the speed of development, the consequences of industrialisation and the solutions being proposed to fix this problem. As we untangle this messy issue, we see how China’s drive for globalisation and economic power has inadvertently created an environmental crisis that threatens the very foundations of its cities. … ” Read more from Earth.org.
Earth’s wildlife populations have disappeared at a ‘catastrophic’ rate in the past half-century, new analysis says
“Earth’s wildlife populations have fallen on average by a “catastrophic” rate of 73 percent in the past half-century, according to a new analysis the World Wildlife Fund released Wednesday. The WWF and the Zoological Society of London track 5,495 species of amphibians, birds, fish, mammals and reptiles around the world through the Living Planet Index, and the database shows the extent to which human activity is decimating them. Freshwater populations fell by an average of 85 percent, according to the new Living Planet report, while terrestrial populations by 69 percent and marine populations by 56 percent in the five decades between 1970 and 2020. … ” Read more from the Washington Post.
