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On the calendar today …
- WEBINAR: Recharging California – The power of collaboration from 11am to 12pm. Water connects all Californians. This fact underscores the need for action around the climate challenges facing our Golden State – but also highlights the solutions we can craft by working together. Ensuring our collective water future takes collective action. When we build powerful, collaborative partnerships, we create innovative and lasting strategies to benefit entire watersheds, and the whole state. Sustainable Conservation is fueled by collaboration, and we are fortunate to work closely with partners ranging from community groups to government agencies to water districts, and more, to develop and scale water resilience strategies. We believe only through collaboration can we create lasting solutions. Join them for this webinar where they will dive into the work of our partner organizations, discuss how we’re advancing recharge together, and highlight how collaboration is vital to ensuring a climate-resilient future for all Californians. Click here to register.
- WEBINAR: Water Savings and Beyond: Insights from Colorado Turf Replacement Studies beginning at 11am. Replacing high water use, non-functional turfgrass with waterwise landscaping has gained momentum in Colorado in recent years as an impactful municipal water conservation tool. This webinar will showcase two recent research projects on turf replacement in Colorado: Resource Central’s Garden In A Box Impact Analysis Study and Western Resource Advocates and WaterNow Alliance’s Enabling Large-Scale Non-Functional Turf Replacement. Resource Central’s study analyzed the outdoor water savings associated with the installation of Garden In A Box garden kits, as well as program participants’ motivations for installing water-wise landscapes. Western Resource Advocates and WaterNow Alliance partnered with three Colorado communities – Westminster, Broomfield, and Greeley – to assess the extent of non-functional turfgrass in their communities, design and fund large-scale turf replacement projects, and analyze the costs and benefits associated with investing in turf replacement at-scale. Both studies offer insights into both the quantitative and qualitative benefits associated with landscape transformation and resources for Colorado communities considering their own investments in turf replacement. Click here to register.
- SCOPING MEETING: Ocean desalination amendments to the Ocean Plan from 1pm to 4pm. State Water Board staff will hold the public scoping meeting with both a physical meeting location and an option to participate remotely. The meeting will consist of a State Water Board staff presentation regarding the development of the Proposed Project and will provide an opportunity for meeting participants to provide oral comments either in person or via Zoom. Click here for the meeting notice and remote access instructions.
In California water news today …
The ‘soft path’ of water for farmers in the Western US
“When Peter Gleick moved to California in the 1970s, the state had more than a million acres of cotton in production and little control over the use of its rapidly depleting groundwater. Today, California grows a tenth the amount of cotton and groundwater use has been brought under control. For Gleick, an author and cofounder of the water-focused Pacific Institute, these are signs that change can happen. But there’s much more to be done, and quickly, especially in the arid western United States, where water use is extremely high—and climate change and drought are increasing pressure on a region that already uses a tremendous amount of water. In his latest book, The Three Ages of Water, Gleick describes what he calls a “soft path” for water conservation, moving beyond the hard infrastructure and rigid policies we’ve relied on in the past. This means rethinking attitudes toward growth, while recognizing water as a fundamental human right and a source of broader ecological health. In the West, that also means reconsidering our approach to agriculture. Civil Eats caught up with Gleick to understand what that means and how we should think about water in the near future. … ” Read more from Civil Eats.
Water challenges — made worse by rising temperatures — are threatening the world’s crops
“A new report finds that one-quarter of the world’s crops are grown in places facing high levels of water stress, water unreliability, or both. The analysis comes from the research nonprofit World Resources Institute, or WRI, and highlights the difficulty of growing enough food to meet rising demand on a warming planet. One out of every 11 people in the world are hungry, meaning they don’t get enough food to maintain basic health, according to a recent United Nations report. The water challenges outlined in WRI’s latest research could potentially contribute to increased levels of food insecurity, especially as global temperatures continue to rise. The report looks at both irrigated crops, in which water is transferred from reservoirs to cropland, and rain-fed crops, which receive water through precipitation. The authors relied on WRI’s existing global water risk data and compared it to crop production data from the International Food Policy Research Institute. … ” Read more from the LAist.
Got Blood? Unmasking a vampire fish
““They’re strong, they’re fast, and they’re out for blood…..” From the depths of a murky lake, a slimy eel-like creature emerges, slithering and writhing. With a gaping, circular mouth lined with rows of needle-sharp teeth spiraling inward, it locks in on its target prey: you! Soon this nightmarish creature is slinking up from the lakes, streams, even through drains, and ferociously attacking human populations. No one is safe from the aquatic monster lurking beneath: horrifying and bloodthirsty lamprey. In case you haven’t guessed, this isn’t real— lampreys pose zero threat to humans. Instead, this is the plot of the 2014 B-rated horror movie Blood Lake: Attack of the Killer Lampreys. While wildly campy and rife with blatant misinformation, the film draws on some truths about these fish and our fears surrounding them. But the real story of lampreys is far more fascinating and complex. … ” Read more from the California Water Blog.
Seaweed farming works toward a greener future
“About 5 miles off the coast of Santa Barbara, California, a vast swath of giant kelp-Macrocystis pyriferia, which can grow nearly 3 feet per day-sways just below the surface of one of the world’s first open-ocean seaweed farms. Still in its research phase, the 86-acre project is operated by Ocean Rainforest, a company that aims to fight climate change by growing seaweed at scale: 1 million tons a year by 2030. Although an 86-acre terrestrial farm would be considered boutique, the Ocean Rainforest plot, floating in sight of the Channel Islands, represents a significant leap in size from the average U.S. seaweed farm of 1 to 4 acres-and a new frontier for ocean farming. … ” Read more from the Public News Service.
California authorities eradicate over $353 million in illegally grown cannabis
“Nearly 775,000 illegally cultivated cannabis plants across the state were eradicated in a joint effort by California Attorney General Rob Bonta’s office and local and federal law enforcement partners. The enforcement was part of the Eradication and Prevention of Illicit Cannabis program (EPIC), Bonta announced this month. In addition to the plants, 106,141 pounds of processed cannabis were seized, and 282 arrests were made in 36 different counties across California, including San Bernardino County. The total underground market price for these seizures is valued at approximately $353 million, Bonta stated. EPIC is an interagency task force focused on combating the illegal cannabis market, and cannabis enforcement work, and investigating and prosecuting civil and criminal cases with a focus on environmental, economic, and labor impacts from illegal cultivation, state officials stated. … ” Read more from the Victorville Daily Press.
Forest service halts prescribed burns in California. Is it worth the risk?
“This week, the U.S. Forest Service directed its employees in California to stop prescribed burning “for the foreseeable future,” a directive that officials said is meant to preserve staff and equipment to fight wildfires if needed. The pause comes amid the crucial fall window for planned, controlled burns, which remove fuel and can protect homes from future wildfires — raising concerns that the move will increase long-term fire risks. “There are two times in the year when it’s safe to do prescribed fire: in the fall right before the rains come, and in the spring when things are dry enough to burn but not dry enough to burn it in a dangerous way,” said Michael Wara, energy and climate expert at Stanford University. He worries half of the prescribed fire season on federal lands will be sacrificed because of this decision. “There is a risk aversion here that’s really damaging. The reality is, if there are mistakes on prescribed fires, people are likely to face consequences, even when those mistakes turn out to be positive,” Wara said. … ” Read more from KQED.
In commentary today …
San Francisco uses the ocean as its toilet and wants to flush a key environmental law
Opinion columnist Tom Philp writes, “San Francisco has long used the Pacific Ocean as its toilet. In heavy rains, the city on the hill cannot store all the storm runoff and sewage that flows toward an oceanside treatment plant in a single old pipe, so some heads out to sea. Now, in a case with national implications, San Francisco is hoping that the U.S. Supreme Court will allow it to pollute the ocean on occasion without violating the federal Clean Water Act. Although San Francisco has lived under this regulatory construct for decades, it has now decided to test the limits of federal regulations with a right-leaning high court known for restricting environmental laws. It is beyond ironic that San Francisco is normally the favorite punching bag of America’s right, with Florida’s Ron DeSantis once showing a map of homeless defecation sites in the city while debating California’s Gavin Newsom. Yet now, San Francisco is trying to take advantage of this infamously right-tilted court. … ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee.
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
Ukiah set to take over Groundwater Agency promising 40% cost savings
“At its October 10, 2024 meeting, the Ukiah Valley Basin Groundwater Sustainability Agency (UVBGSA) Board advanced plans to transition administrative duties from the West Yost consulting firm to the City of Ukiah. Sean White, Ukiah’s Director of Water Resources, presented a cost proposal estimating the City could manage the agency for 40% less than West Yost. While the move promises savings, board members raised concerns about potential conflicts of interest given the City’s dual role as a GSA member and the largest groundwater user in the basin. The Board of the Ukiah Valley Basin Groundwater Sustainability Agency spent the previous Board meeting discussing how to transition administration of the GSA from the West Yost consulting firm to the City of Ukiah. … ” Read more from Mendo Fever.
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
Collaboration results in conservation of 101 Ranch
“The Feather River Land Trust and the Trust for Public Land, in partnership with Sierra Pacific Industries, report they are proud to announce the permanent protection of the 101 Ranch, a working ranch owned and managed by SPI. This is the second property FRLT has conserved with SPI; the neighboring Home Ranch was protected with a conservation easement in 2021. These two properties combined permanently protect over 4,300 acres, including a significant portion of the Mountain Meadows Complex, one of the largest remaining montane meadows in California. This land protection project is the result of a decade-long collaboration between TPL, FRLT and SPI and is a historic achievement for conservation in partnership with a large timber company. “Sierra Pacific is pleased to work with our conservation partners in a manner that balances sustainable forest management, ranching and environmental protection,” said Mark Emmerson, CEO of Sierra Pacific Industries. “Initiatives like this reflects SPI’s commitment to both ecosystem stewardship and responsible economic activity.” … ” Read more from the Plumas Sun.
Lahontan cutthroat trout were once wiped from Tahoe. Scientists have them spawning again
“For thousands of years, Lahontan cutthroat trout swam in the expansive waters of Lake Tahoe. But by 1938, the fish — affected by European settlers’ actions in the Tahoe Basin by such as logging, overfishing, construction of dams and water diversions, and the introduction of non-native species — disappeared. European settlers offset the lack of large fish by stocking Lake Tahoe with non-native species but for decades, the lake was devoid of Lahontan cutthroat trout. A Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) project is changing that. … ” Read more from the Nevada Independent.
Recycled water plan from STPUD is open to public comment
“The South Tahoe Public Utilities Department (STPUD) held a stakeholders advisory group and public information meeting regarding how they deal with recycled water. The plan is open for comment from October 24 to November 11. STPUD was established in 1950 to provide drinking water and provide sewage collection, treatment, and export for the South Tahoe community. Since California has limited water supplies, the entire state has recycled wastewater for decades through chemical and microbiological treatment. STPUD is no different and currently recycles 100% of its wastewater. Because of the Porter Cologne Act, which protects water quality and water use in the state, the STPUD began exporting its wastewater to facilities in Alpine County in 1967, a response to environmentally protect the watershed of Lake Tahoe. Since then, STPUD has worked with Alpine County and Harvey Place Reservoir to store and distribute wastewater—a costly endeavor, as the water must be pumped over 26 miles over major elevation changes. … ” Continue reading at the Tahoe Daily Tribune.
‘Danger in my back yard’: residents in a wildfire-prone California town eye more Yosemite tourism with unease
“Kathleen Armstrong saw the smoke curling above the tree-covered horizon and turned on her scanner with bated breath. Mariposa was on fire again. … In the aftermath of the French fire, Armstrong and her neighbors reflected on their chaotic evacuation down the winding mountain roads and focused on a new worry: this time, they barely made it through the sloping two-lane egress toward town. Would they make it next time around? Kampgrounds of America (KOA) is eyeing a plot just down the road for a new camping and glamping development. Should the project move forward, up to a thousand visitors could end up spending the night on land that straddles the narrow escape route. When a fire inevitably flares again, evacuating may be far more challenging. … ” Read the full story from The Guardian.
BAY AREA
Marin reservoirs remain above average headed into winter
“Despite months of dry weather and no major rain in the forecast, Marin water managers say reservoirs are in good shape. That’s because the past two winters have been wetter than normal, and Marin reservoirs, along with California’s major reserves, are holding more water than usual for this time of year. Both the Marin Municipal Water District and the North Marin Water District ended the fiscal year on June 30 with above-average rainfall counts, and the reservoirs are holding up. “We’ve been able to maintain high local storage levels the past two years primarily from receiving above-average rainfall, along with conservation efforts from our customers,” said Lucy Croy, water quality manager of the Marin Municipal Water District. The district recorded 62 inches of rain from July 2023 through June, or about 120% of the average of 52 inches. … ” Read more from the Marin Independent Journal.
Tesla spills chemicals that cool its AI supercomputer into local creek
“Tesla Motors last week dumped more than 500 gallons of water-treatment chemicals that it uses to cool its supercomputer into a storm drain near Matadero Creek, prompting a cleanup effort at the creek and in the nearby Ventura neighborhood, according to local and state officials. The spill occurred at about 5 p.m. on Oct. 17, according to a hazardous spills report issued by the governor’s Office of Emergency Services. While the office could not say how much of the mixture was released and how much of it affected the creek, the Palo Alto Fire Department recovered 550 gallons of the mixture from the storm drain, the report stated. … ” Read more from the Mountain View Voice.
Environmentalists buy part of huge ranch at center of mining controversy in Santa Clara County
“For nearly a decade, developers have been trying to build a sand and gravel quarry on Sargent Ranch, a sprawling 6,500-acre property along Highway 101 south of Gilroy with a rich cultural history, extensive wildlife and years of failed development proposals, from golf courses to a casino. Centered on one of the largest remaining private undeveloped landscapes in Santa Clara County, the quarry has been opposed by environmental groups, multiple city councils including in Santa Clara, Mountain View and Sunnyvale, and the Amah Mutsun tribal band, which previously inhabited the area for thousands of years. Now in a significant shift, nearly 20% of the original Sargent Ranch will be preserved as open space. … ” Read more from the San Jose Mercury News.
CENTRAL COAST
Elkhorn Slough: How big is that estuary and why that’s important
“Visitors focus on the sloughs and otters and other beautiful things. Then they think about how to preserve them. But we tend to forget what was there in the past, says Moss Landing Marine Laboratories Geographer Charlie Endris, and what has been lost to development. A recent wetland mapping study is helping us remember. Maps can help push back against what ecologists call the “shifting baseline.” “Shifting baseline paradigm is where as you lose coverage of an estuary, that becomes your new normal,” says Endris, lead author of the study. “You forget what was there in the past.“ In Elkhorn Slough, the project found that dikes have reduced the area inundated by the ocean by 60%. Officials are now looking at removing some of the dikes to restore marsh habitat. The study also revealed that sometimes, we do not even realize what is there in the present. … ” Read more from the Monterey Herald.
RELATED: Here today, forgotten tomorrow: How shifting baselines transform nature and challenge restoration, from Maven’s Notebook
From eucalyptus removal to prescribed burns, Monterey Bay area climate change projects launched
“A suite of local climate change adaptation projects launched this month thanks to a recent infusion of $71.1 million in federal funds. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration awarded the monumental grant — part of the Climate Resilience Regional Challenge funded by the Inflation Reduction Act — for wildfire and flood risk prevention, regional collaboration and workforce development across the Monterey Bay area. Locally, the Esselen Tribe will lead prescribed burns, Elkhorn Slough Foundation will expand eucalyptus removal and other groups will reduce vegetation fuels on the Mitteldorf and Santa Lucia Preserves. Several collaborators will also spearhead flood prevention efforts around the Salinas River, Carmel River and the Elkhorn Slough. … ” Read more from the San Jose Mercury News.
United Water to get $20M for long-awaited fish ramp on the Santa Clara River
“United Water Conservation District will get $20 million from the Bureau of Reclamation to replace a long-litigated fish passage on the Santa Clara River, but construction could still be years away. United’s Freeman Diversion near Saticoy was built in the 1990s to help recharge groundwater supplies and has an existing fish ladder. But regulatory agencies have said that the facility can create a barrier and needs to be replaced to allow endangered Southern California steelhead trout to move up and down the river. Plans now call for building a new hardened ramp, one the National Marine Fisheries Service said could be essential for recovery of the imperiled fish. … ” Read more from the Ventura County Star.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Fish still recovering from oceanic pesticide dumping
“Decades before the pesticide DDT was banned in the United States, it was dumped in the ocean off the coast of Los Angeles. The marine ecosystems are still recovering from it, but new research highlights methods to predict contaminants in fish. A team of scientists, led by those at the University of California’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography, researched the lasting impacts of those years of chemical discharge and detailed their findings in a study published Monday in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. DDT and other chemicals were dumped offshore with the assumption that the ocean would mitigate its impacts on humans and the environment by diluting and spreading pollutants. The scientists found that the areas near the historical dumping sites still show high DDT concentrations in sediment and in fish. … ” Read more from the Courthouse News Service.
IMPERIAL/COACHELLA VALLEYS
CEC Commissioner: Lithium Valley ‘not a sure thing’’
“Recent discoveries of lithium-rich deposits in other states, the decreasing price of lithium and a lack of state and federal funding for development could be insurmountable challenges for the lithium industry here in Imperial County, according to commissioner Noemí Gallardo of the California Energy Commission. In an address made to the 13th annual Environmental Health Leadership Summit hosted by Comité Civico del Valle on Tuesday, Oct. 22, Gallardo spoke on Lithium Valley, and the state of California’s commitment to the restoration of the Salton Sea. “I want to be very clear with everyone that the Lithium Valley is not a sure thing. And I am sorry that this is going to sound like doom and gloom, but I feel an obligation because of the trust that we have developed to be direct with you and share the latest information,” Gallardo said. … ” Read more from the Holtville Tribune.
SAN DIEGO
Escondido unveils California’s first agricultural-only water reuse facility
“With the recently completed AgX MFRO, the new $64M two-million-gallon-per-day facility membrane filtration (MF) and reverse osmosis (RO) water reuse treatment plant, the City of Escondido has achieved an important milestone in its goal of creating a high-quality alternative to potable water for local agriculture growers. With this facility beginning operations, the City and its partners the Filanc Brown and Caldwell (FBC) Joint Venture, held a dedication ceremony on August 28, 2024. … ” Read more from Smart Water Magazine.
EPA reviewing petition to evaluate Tijuana River Valley’s eligibility as a Superfund site
“The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said Friday it is reviewing a petition sent by San Diego County residents and elected officials asking the federal government to evaluate whether the polluted Tijuana River Valley may be eligible for Superfund designation. County Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer spearheaded the effort after a majority of her colleagues on the Board of Supervisors voted earlier this month to delay any decision for at least three months. “We need the EPA to come in here, and tell us once and for all if there is toxic waste in the ground so we have it addressed or take it off the table as an issue for our communities,” Lawson-Remer said in a statement. … ” Read more from the San Diego Union-Tribune.
Along the Colorado River …
A small, silver lining to the Colorado River drought
“Land re-emerging from dried out reservoirs seems to be thriving with native plants. They’re out-competing invasive weeds that are choking the river elsewhere.The Colorado River drought has been so bad for so long that places that were underwater for decades are now out on dry land and starting to grow plants again. Scientists researching those plants are finding thriving native ecosystems. Alex Hager from member station KUNC reports. … ” Read transcript or listen to podcast from NPR.
CSU researchers studying hay crops that use less water, respond better to drought
“With Colorado and the southwest looking at an increasingly hotter and drier future, researchers with Colorado State University in the Grand Valley are looking into how alternative hay crops respond to drought and whether they can use less water than the thirsty alfalfa grown throughout the region. On Tuesday, The Water for Colorado Coalition hosted several tours along the Colorado River corridor looking at different water conservation projects. The last stop was at the CSU Western Colorado Research Center where Dr. Perry Cabot, a research scientist with CSU, is conducting trials on alternative forage or hay crops. “If (growers are) trying to ride out a really rough cropping season or they know it’s going to be rough for the foreseeable future, which we do,” Cabot said, “how can they actually get something growing on that land that doesn’t require the consumptive use demand of alfalfa?” … ” Read more from the Daily Sentinel.
Commentary: Protecting Colorado River flows is a win-win for agriculture, recreation
Merrit Linke, Grand County Commissioner, and Hattie Johnson, Southern Rockies Restoration Director for American Whitewater, write, “Agriculture and recreation are the beating heart of Colorado’s economy and lifestyle, and both depend on the Colorado River. Together, these industries pump billions into our state’s GDP, breathing life into communities across our region. In our respective roles as stewards of irrigated agriculture and river recreation, our lives and livelihoods revolve around the river’s pulse and the precious water it provides. … At times, the interests of agriculture and recreation have seemed at odds due to our shared reliance on the river’s finite resources. However, we have found common ground in pursuing long-term solutions that protect our shared water future. … ” Read the full commentary at the Daily Camera.
