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On the calendar today …
- MEETING: Central Valley Water Board beginning at 9am. Agenda items include an update on compliance and enforcement, and several waste discharge and NPDES permits. Click here to register.
- WEBINAR: California Snow Surveys and Water Supply Forecasting from 12pm to 1pm. Speaker will be Sean de Guzman, P.E., M.S.: Manager of the Flood Operations Section at the California Department of Water Resources (DWR). Click here to register.
In California water news today …
California’s winter forecast: Likely a ‘year of extremes,’ but predictions still murky
“The official winter forecast from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Climate Prediction Center dropped Thursday morning, and the agency’s prediction is likely to leave Californians with more questions than answers. NOAA predicts equal chances of above- and below-normal precipitation across much of California, with a slight tilt in the odds toward drier-than-normal conditions in the desert regions of Southern California from December through February. Regarding temperatures, neither cooler- nor warmer-than-normal conditions are favored in Northern California, with equal chances. Above-normal temperatures are favored in Southern California. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
There’s dangerous fire weather in California late this week. What to know.
“California is bracing for a round of dangerous autumn fire weather after months of hot and dry conditions in the state. Fire risk will ramp up Thursday through Saturday because of strong offshore winds that are forecast to spread across a broad region. “This is one of the more concerning fire weather scenarios that we have experienced so far this year,” the National Weather Service in San Francisco wrote in a forecast discussion. The event begins early Thursday when winds from the north race down the Sacramento Valley and then turn offshore and northeasterly on Thursday night, blowing from land to sea, rapidly drying vegetation as humidity plummets. Utilities in both Northern and Southern California may cut power to some areas to avoid sparking a wildfire. … ” Read more from the Washington Post.
California braces for a clash of seasons: Fire warnings, freeze alerts and fierce winds
“A clash of seasons is unfolding across California. A bevy of weather advisories span the state on Friday, including fire weather warnings in the Central Valley and Bay Area, freeze warnings for the Sierra Nevada and Northern California mountains, and wind advisories for Southern California’s deserts. Snow fell across parts of the Sierra on Thursday, right as the fall foliage season is in full swing and the valleys prepare for several days of high fire danger. The weather contrast is driven by a series of cold fronts linked to a strong low-pressure system that passed through the state Thursday, setting up a clash between lingering summer warmth in the interior and encroaching winter cold from the northern latitudes. … ” Read more from the SF Chronicle.
New Drought Monitor report shows growing dryness in California
“The new U.S. Drought Monitor shows growing severe drought in the southeast corner of California. Moderate drought is also expanding in the same region and the northern border near Oregon. The Drought Severity and Coverage Index also jumped from 82 to 94 in the last month. This index is an experimental product from the U.S. Drought Monitor converting drought levels to a single value. DSCI values are from 0 to 500, with zero representing an area with no abnormally dry or drought conditions. A value of 500 means all of the area is in the most critical category, exceptional drought. The 2023-24 water year ended with much of the state seeing near-normal precipitation. Once the dry season hit in May, several events led to growing dryness. … ” Read more from Channel 10.
Drought status update for California-Nevada
“Much of California and Nevada received near-normal precipitation throughout the 2024 Water Year. After a dry start, the region benefited from late season storms in February and March. Near-record summer temperatures dried out the landscape, increasing the percentage of California-Nevada that is Abnormally Dry (D0) or in drought from 1.96% on June 1 to 85.47% on October 1. Severe Drought (D2) developed in southern Nevada and southeastern California since the start of Water Year 2025, in part due to a lack of summer monsoon activity. Despite recent dryness, reservoir levels throughout the region remain at or above historical averages. The 2024 fire season thus far was higher than 2023, but below recent averages. Elevated risk for significant wildland fire remains along southern coastal California. … ” Read more from NIDIS.
Study: Climate change extends drought recovery by at least three months
“A group of researchers at UC Merced has found that climate change means it takes about three months longer for California to recover from drought, and probably longer. “Climate change has fundamentally changed the odds of getting out of drought. It has weighted the dice,” said Emily Williams, a postdoctoral scholar with the Sierra Nevada Research Institute. “This is happening because of warming in summer months, and a good portion of it is because of human-caused climate change.” As Californians know, water is a precious resource and needs to be carefully managed to make sure there is enough to meet all needs, from those of the agriculture industry to everyday water users. … ” Read more from UC Merced.
DWR Releases Webinar on Depletion of Interconnected Surface Water and Extends Paper Comment Period
“To help Groundwater Sustainability Agencies address the depletion of interconnected surface water (ISW) in their Groundwater Sustainability Plans, the Department of Water Resources (DWR) released a pre-recorded informational webinar summarizing the contents of three previously released draft ISW papers (linked below). The webinar also describes the next steps in the development of a guidance document which will aim to discuss the management of depletion of ISW. The guidance document is planned for release as a draft in winter 2024/2025 and DWR has included a call for public input to aid in the development of the guidance document via an online form as presented in the webinar or linked here: Guidance for Managing ISW Depletion Questionnaire. DWR requests that feedback be provided before November 30, 2024. … ” Read more DWR.
Calif. water regulators move toward permanent salmon protections in 2 rivers
“California water regulators took a step Wednesday toward requiring permanent protections for endangered salmon in two far Northern California rivers where farmers and environmentalists have long fought over water supplies. The State Water Resources Control Board voted to complete a report setting out the scientific justification for permanent in-stream flow minimums on the Scott and Shasta rivers, a prerequisite before it can establish the requirements. “The resolution is a step that can be used to move us forward, and what has been a lot of work, long time coming,” said the water board’s chair, Joaquin Esquivel. … ” Read more from E&E News (sorry, subscription required).
California ag land values plummet as groundwater law threatens farms
“Ag land values, especially almond and pistachio land has plummeted in the past year, Central Valley appraisers say, according to a Wednesday article from AgAlert. In the past eight months, the value of vineyards and tree nut orchards in the San Joaquin Valley has declined 25% to 50%, according to analysis from Gatzman Appraisal in Stanislaus County. Some almond orchards without reliable surface water have dropped by more than half, and some Tulare County pistachio orchards sold for a quarter of what they were worth last year, the article states. But even low crop prices, rising input costs, and high interest rates faced by the industry don’t explain the freefall seen this year, experts say. … ” Read more from GV Wire.
California agriculture museum curates groundbreaking history of farm technology
“When the museum received a 1906 Best 110 HP steam tractor in 2012, its arrival warranted a press release. Described as the “monarch of the fields,” it was a massive machine weighing in at 34,000 pounds with 8-foot-diameter rear wheels and a water tank that held up to 940 gallons of water. It was considered ahead of its time because of its use of a piston-type admission valve that balanced its steam pressure, allowing the tractor to move backward and forward more easily. This behemoth not only dominated the fields but was used for hauling freight and as a road engine for the logging and mining industries. Now it resides in tractor heaven, which, apparently, is in Woodland. … ” Read more from Comstock’s.
Algae bloom kills hundreds of sea lions off California
“Hundreds of sea lions off the coast of California have been poisoned this year amid a “highly unusual” algae bloom that has persisted in southern and central parts of the state into October. Experts believe the blooms, which are becoming more common, may be linked to warming and changing ocean conditions. They harm sea life when algae produce a neurotoxic chemical that can be taken up by fish and crustaceans and absorbed by the larger animals that eat them. Off the US west coast, the proliferations of algae, sometimes called “red tides”, usually peak in the late spring. For the last three years, however, harmful blooms have come on strong in the summer. This year, the bloom has persisted into autumn. That is “highly unusual,” according to Clarissa Anderson, a researcher with the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, who is also the director of the Southern California Coastal Ocean Observing System, which tracks harmful algal blooms. “It’s catching us all off guard,” Anderson said. … ” Read more from The New Lede.
Unlocking water’s secrets: how advanced modeling shapes resource management
“The traditional view of the water cycle taught in schools is evolving, thanks to research at Michigan State University. Scientists are now incorporating human activities into their models, providing a more comprehensive understanding of water movement and availability in the modern world. Dr. Yadu Pokhrel, a Red Cedar Distinguished Professor at MSU, is at the forefront of this research. His work focuses on how human interventions, such as irrigation and groundwater extraction, impact the hydrological cycle. By developing advanced models, Pokhrel and his team are helping to answer critical questions about water availability and sustainable management in the face of growing demands and climate change. … ” Read more from Environment and Energy Leader.
In commentary today …
State Water Resources Control Board’s evolving role: Balancing groundwater sustainability with property rights
Thierry Montoya from Frost Brown Todd writes, “In California, groundwater has long been a critical resource, especially for agricultural landowners. The passage of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) in 2014 marked a turning point in the state’s water management strategy, aiming to address persistent issues of groundwater overdraft. SGMA seeks to ensure sustainable groundwater use, but it has also introduced new regulatory limitations that affect property owners’ rights to extract groundwater beneath their land. The California State Water Resources Control Board plays a central role in enforcing SGMA’s objectives. As local Groundwater Sustainability Agencies (GSAs) work to implement Groundwater Sustainability Plans (GSPs), the SWRCB intervenes when these plans are inadequate or absent. This expanded authority raises significant legal questions about the balance between protecting water resources and respecting property rights. This article explores the SWRCB’s evolving role and how its enforcement actions under SGMA intersect with property owners’ groundwater rights, especially considering potential regulatory takings claims. … ” Read more from Law.com.
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
Tragic mass bird deaths at Tule Lake due to botulism outbreak
“An unprecedented botulism outbreak at the Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuge in northern California has killed over 94,000 birds, marking the worst recorded event of its kind at the site, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The bacterial illness, caused by Clostridium botulinum, leads to muscle paralysis in birds, often resulting in suffocation as they are unable to move or control their muscles. “It’s a very traumatic thing to see,” said biologist Teresa Wicks with the Bird Alliance of Oregon, reflecting on the devastation. This tragic die-off, while local to Tule Lake, has global implications as it is tied to larger environmental issues. These include the shrinking of wetlands, increased demand for water resources, and the impact of Climate change, which scientists say is fueling the conditions that make such outbreaks more likely. Andrew Farnsworth of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology noted, “Given warming temperatures, droughts, then intense periods of rain followed by drying … the hallmarks of Climate change are all over this.” … ” Read more from One Green Planet.
‘It’s a feeling of spiritual renewal’: Klamath Tribes react to dam removal
“The largest dam removal project in the world has officially concluded finishing a project that local tribes have sought to do for decades. The project removed the J.C. Boyle, Irongate, and Copco No. 1 & 2 dams. It was done to restore the local watershed and replenish fish such as salmon that have been unable to swim upstream due to the dams. The project came from local tribes wanting to renew parts of their culture that were lost with the fish being unable to swim upstream in large numbers. “Those fish, as we see it in Indian country, in our tribe, is healing. Medicine,” said Klamath Tribe chairman William Ray Jr. “To not only keep our subsistence going, but also a revival of our culture for fishing.” … ” Read more from Channel 12.
After historic California dam removal, first salmon swims all the way to Oregon
“The massive dam-removal project on the Klamath River began to live up to its lofty goal of improving fish passage this week when at least one salmon was observed swimming upriver past the four former dam sites that previously blocked fish. Wildlife officials said Thursday that a chinook salmon was spotted a day earlier at Spencer Creek in Oregon, suggesting that salmon have begun their long-hoped for return to their historic waters above all of the demolished dams. For more than a century, the iconic fish have been unable to complete their migration from the ocean into hundreds of miles of waterways along the California-Oregon border. Lack of access to this cold, abundant water limited their spawning and has contributed to the steep decline of salmon on what was once the third-largest salmon-producing river in the West. … ” Read more from the SF Chronicle.
SEE ALSO: First salmon since 1912 spotted in Oregon’s Klamath Basin, months after dam removal, from KTVZ
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
The Good Samaritan Remediation of Abandoned Hardrock Mines Act: A potential path to a cleaner Yuba River

“The Good Samaritan Remediation of Abandoned Hardrock Mines Act is a legislative effort aimed at addressing the environmental and public safety hazards posed by abandoned hardrock mines across the United States. Introduced by a bipartisan coalition, this legislation seeks to empower “Good Samaritans”—state agencies, local governments, nonprofits, and other groups—to clean up pollution from these abandoned sites without facing long-term legal and financial liability. The Yuba River watershed is home to numerous abandoned hardrock mines, remnants of the Gold Rush era. These mines, numbering around 128 in the North Yuba watershed alone, pose significant environmental challenges. Toxic waste, unsecured tunnels, and contaminated water are just a few of the issues that threaten the health of the river and the surrounding ecosystem. … ” Read more from the South Yuba River Citizens League.
Salmon return numbers: August – September 2024
“Through SYRCL’s participation in the River Management Team (RMT), our staff receives monthly updates on the number of Chinook and steelhead adults utilizing the fish ladders at Daguerre Point Dam. This information is collected using VAKI River Watcher camera systems installed in the North and South ladders, which snap a photo every time a fish swims past it. It is important to recognize that passage numbers at the fish ladders are just one piece of the puzzle that helps us understand the population of adult salmon returning to spawn in the lower Yuba River. Data from redd and carcass surveys are also collected and plugged into models that will produce a more accurate population estimate of adults that make it to all stretches of the lower Yuba River. Further complicating the VAKI reporting data this season is that the system on the south ladder has been functional for less than 15% of the time since the beginning of the reporting period in March. On average, about 3% of the fish that make it past Daguerre Point Dam use the south ladder. … ” Read more from the South Yuba River Citizens League.
Sierra Nevada Alliance gathers conservation community to build solutions: Conference coming to South Lake Tahoe in November
“The Biannual Sierra Nevada Alliance Conservation Conference will take place this year from November 7-8 in South Lake Tahoe at Lake Tahoe Community College. This year’s theme is Strengthening Conservation Impact Through Partnership, reflecting an effort to gather the public and conservation professionals together to have important conversations about how to protect the region’s critical natural resources. … ” Read more from The Union.
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
Biden-Harris Administration invests $25 Million from Investing in America Agenda in the Sacramento River Valley

“The Bureau of Reclamation today announced the availability of $25 million from the Inflation Reduction Act for fish habitat and facility improvements in the Sacramento River Valley. This funding will complement the State of California’s Healthy Rivers and Landscapes program, which is working to increase river flows, restore ecosystems and strengthen water supply reliability across the state. The rivers of the Central Valley support populations of fall-run Chinook, spring-run Chinook, winter-run Chinook salmon and steelhead trout. Due to water resources development, stream channel changes and other recent actions historical salmon habitats have been reduced and modified. To address these challenges, President Biden’s Investing in America agenda and America the Beautiful Challenge are helping to restore the river and safeguard species in the Sacramento River Valley, including through $2 million to support the removal of the Sunset Weir in Feather River and $1.5 million for floodplain and tidal wetland restoration in the Yolo Bypass of the Sacramento River. Today’s investments will further advance landscape-level restoration work along the river, safeguarding species and strengthening local water supplies. … ” Read more from the Bureau of Reclamation.
American River Common Features Project
“Greater Sacramento, California, is often regarded as one of the most at-risk regions in America for catastrophic flooding. The area relies on an aging system of levees, weirs, bypasses, and Folsom Dam to manage its flood risk. However, like a chain, this system is only as strong as its weakest link. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, in collaboration with California’s Central Valley Flood Protection Board, the California Department of Water Resources, and the Sacramento Area Flood Control Agency, has made significant progress in reducing flood risk. Yet, more work remains. Thanks to the Bipartisan Budget Act, USACE has received full, upfront funding to modernize Sacramento’s aging flood infrastructure. This enables us to efficiently implement nearly $1.8 billion in upgrades to the flood risk management system. The authorized improvements include up to 13 miles of seepage cutoff walls, 21 miles of bank protection, 5 miles of levee stabilization, 5 miles of levee raises, and the widening of the Sacramento Weir and bypass.” Click here to learn more and watch video at DVIDS.
NAPA/SONOMA
Dried stretch of Napa River in St. Helena renews groundwater pumping concerns
“A stretch of the Napa River that recently dried out in St. Helena has renewed concerns of groundwater pumping among environmental advocates. “A lot of people nowadays, they see the river being dry during the summer and they don’t think too much of it,” said Alyx Howell, a board member of the Institute for Conservation Advocacy Research and Education, a Napa County-based environmental nonprofit, and member of the Mishewal Wappo Tribe. “They see it every year, so they’re used to it.” But it once was home to chinook and coho salmon and more abundant steelhead, all of which he said wouldn’t survive the conditions of a regularly drying riverbed. “If those fish live in that waterway, that tells you right there that river should not be going dry every summer,” Howell said. … ” Read more from the Santa Rosa Press Democrat.
BAY AREA
Silicon Valley water agency addresses impact of homelessness
“Santa Clara County’s largest water district is weighing how to address the hundreds of homeless people living along local waterways — including potential penalties for those camped on district land. Valley Water officials on Friday hosted the Unhoused People and Environment Summit featuring district staff, housing nonprofits and county officials to discuss challenges and how they can work together to tackle humanitarian and environmental concerns. Valley Water owns the land rights to 295 miles of the 800 miles of waterways in Santa Clara County, and there are more than 700 people encamped along its property — a number that has risen since the pandemic. … ” Read more the San Jose Spotlight.
Byron School District hopes Measure R money can solve water problem
“The Byron Unified School District has a water problem. The current water system, which relies on an underground well, continues to fail after going through multiple repair projects, school officials say. The water system has been pumped out recently to remove sediment leaking into the system deeming the water unsafe for drinking, and can be used only for washing hands and bathroom use. “We’ve been dealing with the well for about a year and a half,” Superintendent Crystal Castaneda said. “We had our third attempt to help fix the well by patching holes, cleaning it out, and pumping all the sediment out of it. It goes down about 500 feet and there was a lot that accumulated over time.” … ” Read more from The Press.
CENTRAL COAST
Last two winters good for Cachuma Lake, Santa Barbara County groundwater basins
“The last two wet winters helped fill Santa Barbara County’s reservoirs and groundwater basins, but the Board of Supervisors is still concerned about how some water sources are being managed and is looking for ways to supplement current sources. Climatologists say that, with the climate changing, the county can expect fewer wet years with longer dry spells in between, according to a report on the county’s water supplies delivered Tuesday by Matt Young, manager of the Water Agency. “After an extremely wet 2023, water year 2024 was the second consecutive wet year,” Young said. “For some gauges these were the wettest back-to-back years in the entire record, going back to 1900.” … ” Read more from the Lompoc Record.
Are we doomed to flood during a deluge?
“As the fall sets in, Santa Barbara’s desiccated landscape anxiously awaits winter rains. But will the rains arrive? Will the winter bring dry conditions, or another lineup of intense storms? Will it be a drought year, or a deluge year? As I learned when I was elected to the Goleta Water District Board in 2014, either option is more likely than an average rain year — Santa Barbara has always experienced highly variable precipitation, swinging between drought and flooding. Recently, this trend has only intensified. Climate change is causing Santa Barbara to experience more intense rain, especially during atmospheric rivers, due to a warmer atmosphere that holds more moisture. This increased moisture leads to heavier rainfall and more powerful storms. What we are experiencing now is a heightened pattern of extremes. … ” Read more from the Santa Barbara Independent.
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
California farmers developing 20 GW solar-plus-storage plan
“A coalition of farmers and legislators is advancing the Valley Clean Infrastructure Plan (VCIP), aiming to build transmission power lines capable of delivering 20 GWac of solar power and energy storage to California. The California legislature enabled this local control through the passage of AB 2661. The plan calls for private investors to finance the development of both the power lines and energy resources, while local residents oversee the process to ensure the benefits are distributed within the region. … ” Read more from PV Magazine.
EASTERN SIERRA
Ridgecrest: What is the solution to the valley’s water woes? Groundwater Authority and Water District spar over recycled water
“At the Indian Wells Valley Groundwater Authority board meeting on Oct. 9, the IWVGA sparred with the IWV Water District representative over what the solution is to the water crisis in the IWV: imported water or recycled water? The conversation surfaced as the IWVGA board members discussed potential plans for a recycled water project — a plan that comes up every few months, and each time the IWVGA finds it not feasible for helping the water sustainability issues facing the IWV. At the moment, IWVGA’s main focus is on building and operating a pipeline to import water from Antelope Valley. This time, the IWVGA board was looking at the recycled water project again at the request of the Water District. … ” Read more from the Ridgecrest Independent.
Water District considers raising rates amid reduced pumping and increased costs
“At the Indian Wells Valley Water District’s board meeting on Oct.15, the board heard a presentation from Mark Hildebrand of Hildebrand Consulting on the potential need to adjust water rates. Rates were already set to increase by 8% next year, but this new study suggests the Water District should instead raise rates by 12% next year. The board approved a motion by a vote of 3-1 to put out a 45-day notice for a public hearing to discuss this rate increase. Board member Stan Rajtora was the dissenting vote. The presentation also included a note about how public agencies, like the Water District, are required to manage costs. It said that according to Proposition 218, “Revenues shall not exceed funds required to provide services, nor used for another purpose.” … ” Read more from the Ridgecrest Independent.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Agoura Hills: Pure Water timetable is set
“With compliance being complete under the California Environmental Quality Act—a major pre-construction hurdle—the Advanced Water Treatment Plant in Agoura Hills is ready for its final design phase and should see construction underway by early 2026, officials said while giving an update on the important project Oct. 10 in Agoura Hills. In the planning since 2015-16, the so-called pure water treatment facility will turn the treated effluent from the Las Virgenes Municipal Water District’s Tapia sewer plant in Calabasas into potable water for distribution to the more than 100,000 customers in the Las Virgenes and Triunfo Water and Sanitation districts. Construction of the $466-million potable reuse plant on Agoura Road just east of the border with Westlake Village will take about three years to finish, putting the plant in operation by around 2030, officials said. … ” Read more from The Acorn.
River LA begins fundraising for 100-acre Taylor Yard Park
“River LA, a non-profit organization created by the City of Los Angeles in 2008 to support investment in the Los Angeles River, has announced a capital campaign to help bring about 100 acres of park spaces at the former Taylor Yard. The venture, also known as the 100 Acre Partnership, includes the City of Los Angeles Bureau of Engineering, the State Parks Department, and the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority. If completed, the new Taylor Yard River Park would be the largest new park in the City of Los Angeles since Griffith Park was established in the late 19th century. … ” Read more from Urbanize Los Angeles.
Phillips 66 refinery closure a welcome surprise to environmental and community activists
“For more than a century, the sprawling Phillips 66 oil refinery complex has dominated a vast tract of southern Los Angeles County. Its massive fuel storage tanks, distillation towers and sprawling pipeline network loom over Carson and Wilmington and are a long-standing source of community concern. But in recent years, complaints of acrid odors, fiery accidents, soot and harmful emissions have gained new resonance as officials become more sensitive to accusations of environmental injustice. So when Phillips 66 announced recently that it would shutter the complex late next year, it came as a welcome surprise to many, according to Julia May, senior scientist for Communities for a Better Environment. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
IMPERIAL/COACHELLA VALLEYS
New wastewater treatment plant opens in Niland
“County, state, and federal officials held Wednesday morning a groundbreaking ceremony near this unincorporated town for the $11.7 million Niland Sanitation District Wastewater Treatment Plant and Collection System Improvements Project. “The county today conducted a groundbreaking ceremony on the much expected Niland wastewater treatment plant,” Imperial County Executive Officer Miguel Figueroa said in an interview. “This plant will not only help us serve better the community of Niland, but also grow and expand future capacity needs as Niland and its region grows, obviously considering renewable energy development coming down.” According to the county official, the wastewater treatment plant will help better serve local residents and the future growth of the Lithium Valley and the additional expansion of the geothermal energy plants. … ” Read more from the Imperial Valley Press.
SAN DIEGO
CDC arrives for South Bay health assessment to investigate Tijuana river sewage crisis
“Families in the South Bay are being asked to share their concerns regarding sewage pollution along the Tijuana River Valley for a health assessment being conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC arrived to the region Thursday to begin the assessment intended to gather information about the needs arising due to concerns about toxic air pollution in the South Bay stemming from sewage overflow in the Tijuana River Valley. Over the last few weeks, more than 6,000 homes were expected to receive flyers informing them of the Community Assessment for Public Health Emergency Response, or CASPER, Volunteers wearing reflective vests will begin distributing the flyers door-to-door on Oct. 3. … ” Read more from Channel 7.
Along the Colorado River …
A weak La Niña could bring dry conditions to parts of Southwest this winter, NOAA says
“A weak La Niña is forecast to appear this winter and affect weather patterns across the country, likely bringing drier-than-average conditions in much of the Southwest and wetter-than-average conditions in the Pacific Northwest, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The outlook is uncertain, however, for much of California, where NOAA experts predict there are equal chances of below-average, average or above-average winter precipitation. “For California, there was quite a bit of uncertainty,” said Jon Gottschalck, chief of the Operational Prediction Branch at NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center. “Drought is not favored to develop in California at the current time, but it’s something we will be watching very closely as we go into the winter, because La Niña events do sometimes have a dry signal, especially in Southern California.” … ” Read more from the LA Times.
SEE ALSO: NOAA forecasts a warmer winter for Southern California. What’s the weather for Christmas?, from the Visalia Times-Delta
Running dry – US Army base under fire for high water use in drought-stricken Arizona
“The San Pedro River, nestled in southeastern Arizona’s San Pedro Valley just north of the US-Mexico border, is one of the last undammed rivers in the Southwest and is considered a biodiversity hotspot. Lined with cattails, willows and cottonwoods, the marshy waterway shelters hundreds of diverse bird species, including many considered endangered and protected by federal law. The area is also home to the Fort Huachuca US Army base, which has been heralded as an example of the military’s efforts to become more environmentally conscientious due to its use of solar power and other “green” initiatives. … ” Read more from The New Lede.
Denver’s Gross Reservoir expansion violates Clean Water Act, federal judge rules
“Denver Water’s permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for the ongoing expansion of Gross Reservoir violates the Clean Water Act and the National Environmental Policy Act, according to a ruling Wednesday from a U.S. District Court judge. Senior federal judge Christine Arguello did not order Denver Water to stop construction in Boulder County, which has been underway since 2022, but said the environmental plaintiffs have a right to relief from any damage that will occur to surrounding land and forest once the dam closes and the expanded pool rises. “To the extent Denver Water disagrees, it has only itself to blame — because Denver Water chose to proceed with construction despite the obvious risk posed by pending federal litigation,” according to the ruling, in the U.S. District Court for Colorado. … ” Read more from the Colorado Sun.
Federal judge cites Upper Colorado River Basin’s Compact Call risk
“A federal judge this week criticized the federal government for failing to consider the risk of a Colorado River Compact call in its environmental review of the planning for Denver Water’s expansion of Gross Reservoir in Boulder County. Wrangling over the risk of a compact call – which the judge said could force water use reductions in the Upper Basin if the Upper Basin states fail to deliver enough water past Lee Ferry to the Lower Basin – has been a key point in current negotiations between the two basins over future Colorado River operations. The ruling, in a lawsuit against Gross Reservoir expansion by Save the Colorado River and others, allows construction to proceed, but criticizes the project’s planners for not considering the fact that the risk of a compact call means there might not be enough water to fill it. … ” Read more from the Inkstain blog.
In national water news today …
U.S. Winter Outlook: Warmer and drier South, wetter North
“A slowly-developing La Nina is favored to influence conditions for the upcoming winter across most of the country, according to NOAA’s U.S. Winter Outlook released today by the Climate Prediction Center — a division of NOAA’s National Weather Service. This outlook is for December 2024 through February 2025 and contains information on likely conditions throughout the country for temperature, precipitation and drought. This winter, NOAA predicts wetter-than-average conditions for the entire northern tier of the continental U.S., particularly in the Pacific Northwest and the Great Lakes region, along with northern and western Alaska. Meanwhile, drier-than-average conditions are expected from the Four Corners region of the Southwest to the Southeast, Gulf Coast and lower mid-Atlantic states. … ” Read more from NOAA.
Also on Maven’s Notebook today …
ANNOUNCEMENT: 45-Day Public Comment Period Opens for Draft PSP for Reservoir Gaging at Ungated Spillways (RGUS) Project