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In California water news today …
Unstoppable invasion: How did mussels sneak into California, despite decades of state shipping rules?
“After the recent discovery of a destructive mussel in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, some experts say California officials have failed to effectively enforce laws designed to protect waterways from invaders carried in ships’ ballast water. A state law enacted 20 years ago has required California officials to inspect 25% of incoming ships and sample their ballast water before it’s discharged into waterways. But the tests didn’t begin until two years ago — after standards for conducting them were finally set — and testing remains rare. State officials have sampled the ballast water of only 16 vessels out of the roughly 3,000 likely to have emptied their tanks nearshore. Experts say stronger regulations are needed, as well as better enforcement. “It’s not really a surprise that another invasive species showed up in the Delta,” said Karrigan Börk, a law professor and the interim director of the UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences. “It’s likely to continue happening.” … ” Read more from Cal Matters.
Storms have brought dramatic shift to California rain totals. Here’s what the data shows
“An atmospheric river-fueled storm brought plentiful precipitation to California last week, including record-breaking rainfall in the North Bay. Downtown Santa Rosa recorded over a foot of rain in just three days, which experts expect to occur just once a millennium. The 2025 water year in California began on Oct. 1, 2024. … The recent rain has been a dramatic turnaround from the start of the water year, tracked beginning Oct. 1. San Francisco tallied just 0.11 inches of rain in October, on a single rainy day. But over the last week, the city logged about 3.8 inches. … ” Read more and check out the charts at the San Francisco Chronicle.
California lake jumps by nearly 12 feet after atmospheric river
“An atmospheric river that pummeled Northern California last week helped boost the water levels at many of the state’s reservoirs, recent data shows. Levels at Lake Sonoma had jumped more than 12 feet as of Monday, raising the fill to 66% of the reservoir’s capacity. Santa Rosa, the largest city in Sonoma County, experienced an unprecedented rainfall — more than 12 inches over three days. This deluge was significant enough for the National Weather Service to call it a once-in-a-thousand-years event, as SFGATE previously reported. … ” Read more from SF Gate.
State’s outlook for water year is uncertain so far
“California experienced its hottest summer on record this year, but previous above average and normal water years helped the state maintain a good supply of surface water in reservoirs and recharge more groundwater. “We’re finally starting to feel fall temperatures here, which I think everybody’s ready for to get into winter,” said Michael Anderson, state climatologist for the California Department of Water Resources. “The timing, pace and scale of those atmospheric river storms are absolutely key to how the year plays out.” Anderson and other DWR colleagues addressed members of the California State Water Resources Control Board last week, providing a state water update. State water officials reflected on the 2024 water year and discussed the state of supplies going into the new water year, which began Oct. 1 and continues through Sept. 30. … ” Read more from Westside Connect.
Bay-Delta Plan, Delta tunnel discussed in Metropolitan Water District meeting
“The recent Metropolitan Water District of Southern California’s One Water & Stewardship Committee Meeting focused on the Bay-Delta water management challenges, with significant discussions around the Delta Conveyance Project (DCP), according to a statement from Restore the Delta (RTD). Max Gomberg, representing the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians, addressed constraints tied to the Bay-Delta Plan, emphasizing tribal beneficial water uses and anticipated litigation over public trust and water rights,” the group wrote. “Our Executive Director Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla critiqued the financial and environmental sustainability of the DCP, pointing to unrealistic timelines, seismic risk mismanagement, and an incomplete Bay-Delta Plan. Both panelists highlighted the unequal financial burdens placed on stakeholders, the need for levee investment, and the importance of collaborative approaches to mitigate the impact of climate change and ensure water reliability. … ” Read more from Dan Bacher at the Daily Kos.
Calif. almond acreage continues to decline
“California’s meteoric rise in total almond acreage is now in decline, though bearing acreage figure remains at a record high. Total almond acreage fell for the third consecutive year to just over 1.5 million acres, according to a report by Land IQ, a Sacramento-based agricultural and environmental research and consulting firm. The report reveals a drop of about 40,000 acres from the previous crop year. The decline in total almond acreage may have a multi-faceted cause. Low almond returns over the past several years have turned what was once a profitable crop into an unprofitable one, forcing some growers to give up on the crop altogether. Increased input costs to farm those almonds, and the reduction in irrigation water in some growing areas likely led farmers to remove or abandon orchards. … ” Read more from the Western Farm Press.
Agave workshop in Madera County
“Nearly 100 growers, students and ag professionals attended a two-part workshop focused on agave, the plant grown widely in Mexico that provides the juice distilled to make tequila and mezcal. Known for its ability to thrive in climates with extreme heat and very little water, agave has attracted the attention of California growers who are looking for new opportunities in the face of reduced availability of water for cropping and forecasted increasingly high summertime temperatures.The event was held on November 19. A morning session was hosted by Madera Community College with presentations by two plant scientists from a research center in Jalisco, Mexico. In the afternoon, Kevin and Eric Herman of the Specialty Crop Company showed visitors their 10 acres outside Madera planted this spring to agave, speaking about their experience as growers and their plans for expansion to a planned 60 acres. … ” Read more from Water Wrights.
SEE ALSO: Agave spirits made in Madera? College is investing in crop’s future distillers, farmers, from the Fresno Bee
Drought-friendly UCR turfgrass is now on the market
“UC Riverside has licensed a new drought-resistant bermudagrass cultivar that may well change the landscape of Southern California and beyond. The agreement with licensee West Coast Turf will allow for the grass, which is being commercialized as Coachella™, to be available for purchase. The university’s Office of Technology Partnerships said West Coast Turf hopes to initially target golf courses and sports stadiums that require a large amount of real grass. Homeowners’ lawns will come later, as supply increases. Coachella™ is not a scratchy, scrubby native groundcover stand-in for grass. It’s a less thirsty, greener-longer hybrid of the dominant turf for the California climate, bermudagrass. At UCR’s Agricultural Operations field, thin blades of the lush, green turf are on display in test plots, and in a large field. … ” Read more from UC Riverside.
In commentary today …
A Delta island came dangerously close to flooding. How California is ignoring the risk
Opinion columnist Tom Philp writes, “Imagine living right next to the Sacramento River on land many feet below sea level — the river next door running above the elevation of your land — and the only thing keeping you dry is an earthen berm never failing that is between you and the river. That is today’s Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. Now, imagine if an unknown weak link in the levee began to fail, water seeping onto your land at a rate that could fill a typical swimming pool in three minutes. This recently happened on San Joaquin County’s Victoria Island. Had the levee failed, Highway 4 would have been under more than 10 feet of water, and key power lines to run the California grid would have been suddenly inaccessible. This near-levee failure on a dry and unremarkable day reminds us of a common enemy — flooding — and the unaddressed risks in the Delta and throughout the Central Valley. … ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee.
Trump victory will lead to new battles in California’s ‘water wars’
Kerry Jackson, the William Clement Fellow in California Reform at the Pacific Research Institute, writes, “California has been lately in the business of blowing up dams. So a decision to actually raise one is big news. In a deal approved by eight water agencies as well as the federal government, the San Luis Reservoir between Gilroy and Los Banos, the fifth-largest reservoir in the state, will be raised by 10 feet. Already at 382 feet, the added height will increase storage by 130,000 acre feet. That’s roughly the amount of water that would be consumed by 650,000 people in one year. Matthew Keller, a spokesperson for the Santa Clara Valley Water District, one of the eight agencies, called it “a significant milestone and positive direction,” which is no embellishment in a state that has made dam removal a centerpiece of its identity. … ” Read more from GV Wire.
Peter Gleick: I’m a climate scientist and an optimist. I refuse to give up hope
Peter Gleick writes, “I’m a climate and water scientist. For more than 40 years, I’ve worked on trying to understand and communicate the complex climate threats facing the planet. In general, I’ve always been an optimist: I believe that we can solve these challenges. But I also have to acknowledge both my growing worry that I’m wrong, and the remaining steep obstacles in our path now made steeper by the recent U.S. election and the persistent failures of the world’s nations to commit to actions to adequately tackle the problem. The scientific facts of climate change and the role that humans play in driving those changes are irrefutable and have been understood and tested for literally decades—some of the earliest warnings about the adverse effects of burning fossil fuels on the climate and the planet were actually made more than 150 years ago. … ” Read more from Time Magazine.
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
Salmon are returning to the undammed Upper Klamath River even sooner than expected
“West Coast salmon anglers and native tribes have even more reasons to be thankful this year, as they watch fish returning to places in California and Oregon that have been devoid of salmon and steelhead for decades. These returns are due to a massive dam removal project on the Klamath River — the largest of its kind in U.S. history — that re-opened access to roughly 420 miles of spawning and rearing habitat in the now free-flowing upper river and its tributaries. The fish are a reminder that dam removals, when chosen and conducted appropriately, can help restore dwindling salmon runs at a time when most stocks are declining throughout North America. The most recent batch of good news came over the weekend, when the California Department of Fish and Wildlife announced the first known return of coho salmon above the former Iron Gate dam site in Oregon. … ” Read more from Outdoor Life.
Students witness history: Field trips highlights historic return of Klamath salmon
“Months after the historic removal of four hydroelectric dams along the Klamath River, the region is witnessing remarkable ecological recovery and renewed community engagement, creating opportunities to use the river as a living classroom. Last week Humboldt and Siskiyou County schools embarked on their third year of dam removal field trips, where students observed salmon spawning where the Klamath dams once stood. Last spring these students watched the beginning of the dam removal process. “It has been an emotional and exciting time to not only witness the dam removal but also to provide the community and youth the opportunity to see what can be accomplished with hard work and dedication,” shared Star Gibbens, SCS Youth Coordinator and local parent. “Watching the kids’ faces change from sadness at the dam site in previous years to excitement as they watched salmon spawn above the former dam sites will forever be a fond memory.” … ” Read more from the Daily Kos.
Commentary: How the return of salmon to the Klamath River shows us what’s possible in wildlife conservation
“Imagine standing on a riverbank as thousands of dead salmon float past, belly-up and rotting in the hot California air. That’s the sight—and smell—that greeted people along the Klamath River in September 2002, when 35,000 fish perished there in the span of a few days. They were victims of warm water temperatures and low river levels, both caused by dams and diversions that altered the river’s flow. … But the Klamath story continues to be written. Just a little over two decades on from the massive fish kill, the Klamath became the site of the largest dam removal project in history. Since removal of the lower four dams on the river was completed last month, salmon have surged upstream to parts of the river where they haven’t been seen for more than a century. No longer is the Klamath River a tragic example of the global nature crisis; instead, its restoration serves as an inspiring story of how people can work together to repair wildlife habitats. This huge turnaround was made possible through collaboration and unwavering commitment—especially by the region’s Indigenous people. It is an example we can learn from and start replicating across the world. … ” Read more from Scientific American.
Floods cut off Northern California neighborhood, so residents opt for canoes
Humboldt County is no stranger to resourcefulness, and for Bret Rinehart and his neighbors in Freshwater’s Howard Heights, last week that meant reviving a time-honored tradition. As torrential rains inundated the region, the community took to their neighborhood canoe to navigate flooded pastures and reach the outside world. Freshwater is an unincorporated community with a rugged past. Its watershed, carved by Freshwater Creek — the second-largest freshwater tributary to Humboldt Bay — has seen over a century of redwood logging. By the 1950s, nearly the entire area had been clear-cut. Rinehart and his family have called Freshwater’s Howard Heights neighborhood home for nearly eight years. Accessing their property requires crossing a bridge over Freshwater Creek. … ” Read more at SF Gate.
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
A meadow in the Tahoe National Forest was drying up with sagebrush. Now it’s a lush wetland.
“A key piece in the Sierra Nevada, north of Truckee, has flipped from private to public land. On Tuesday, the Trust for Public Land announced the completed transfer of 569 acres in Sardine Meadow to the Tahoe National Forest. The transfer permanently protects a vital part of the Truckee River watershed and comes after a large conservation effort to heal the meadow following decades of logging, overgrazing and railroad construction dating back to the late 1800s. Sardine Meadow is north of Stampede Reservoir, outside Truckee. It’s the largest meadow in the Davies Creek watershed, which feeds into the Truckee River and supplies water downstream to the Reno area. … ” Read more from SF Gate.
Winter storm warning issued for Greater Lake Tahoe Area ahead of Thanksgiving
“A winter storm warning is in effect for the Greater Lake Tahoe Area until 4 p.m. Tuesday, according to the National Weather Service. Heavy snow is expected, with accumulations ranging from 3 to 8 inches above 7,000 feet. Areas near and south of California State Route 88 could see even higher amounts, between 4 to 12 inches. At Lake Tahoe level, snowfall could reach up to 3 inches. Ridge winds are gusting up to 85 mph, while southwest winds are blowing at 10 to 15 mph with gusts up to 30 mph. Wave heights on Lake Tahoe are expected to reach 1 to 3 feet. … ” Read more from KTNV.
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
Tehama County hit by flooding; Caltrans clears debris under Salt Creek Bridge
“After nearly a week of rain, the impacts from flooding have hit Tehama County hard. Caltrans crews have been clearing out debris the last few days from under the Salt Creek Overflow Bridge. Prior to this last week, the creek bed under the Salt Creek Overflow Bridge was clean. That all changed following rain that came down during the atmospheric river, causing the creek to swell and bringing down the river debris, which was caught on the bridge pillars. The water was so powerful that full trees were carried downstream. Caltrans District 2 Supervisor Bill Shakespear said that the bridge and material beneath was not the cause of flooding on State Route 99 that caused closures this weekend. … ” Read more from KRCR.
Chico’s flood channels transform into rivers, showcasing flood infrastructure
“The normally dry Lindo and Sycamore Channels turned into rushing rivers last week as consistent rain poured into Chico. Experts say it’s a sign that the city’s flood infrastructure is working as designed in that area. “It’s famous for all the graffiti that’s usually visible but right now the water is flowing,” Jim Brobeck said. The water policy analyst for AquAlliance surveyed water levels Friday, Nov. 22, walking along the levee at the Five Mile Recreation Area in Bidwell Park. “The box gates prevent water that’s more than 1,500 cubic feet per second (cfs) from flowing through Chico and diverts the rest of the flow of Big Chico Creek to the north to this area,” Brobeck said. … ” Read more from KRCR.
NAPA/SONOMA
Sonoma County locals raise questions about how officials responded to historic storm
“Sonoma County is still dealing with the impact of last week’s historic rainfall, with some local residents raising concerns about whether officials did enough to warn people. For some, the storm had deadly consequences. A man was found in a vehicle submerged in flood water Saturday morning near Mays Canyon Road and state Highway 116, the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office confirmed. Earlier that morning in Santa Rosa, a man was found dead in Piner Creek just south of Guerneville Road, the police department said. His death is being investigated and has not yet been linked to the storm. With the Russian River rising higher and faster than initially projected, some neighbors felt a little caught off guard. … ” Read more from CBS Bay Area.
Here’s where Sonoma, Napa, Mendocino county reservoirs stand after the storm
“Last week’s powerful storm dumped record rain on parts of Sonoma County, flooding roads and filling reservoirs. … ” Check out the graphs at the Santa Rosa Press Democrat.
NapaSan wins San Francisco Bay Regional Water Board’s 2024 Pollution Prevention Award for creative public outreach efforts
“NapaSan, the City of Napa’s municipal wastewater treatment agency, has been named the winner of the 2024 Dr. Teng-chung Wu Pollution Prevention Award for its exemplary public outreach and education activities to encourage pollution prevention.
The San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board presents this award annually in memory of Dr. Teng-chung Wu, a former Water Board employee and early advocate for pollution prevention. He believed many pollutants could be more effectively eliminated by controlling their sources rather than by relying on end-of-pipe treatment. The award recognizes a leader in pollution prevention in the Bay Area. NapaSan’s pollution prevention program embodies Dr. Wu’s philosophy by educating the Napa community about proper disposal methods to keep common pollutants like wet wipes and cooking grease out of wastewater. … ” Read more from the Water Boards.
BAY AREA
One final burst of rain expected in Bay Area before a cold snap takes hold
“The end appears to be in sight for a seemingly endless flow of rain that again was expected to stream down steadily on the Bay Area for at least part of Tuesday, according to the National Weather Service. Next up on the weather menu: dry, cold air. “The winds from the northwest are going to build, and that’s going to be helpful in drying out the rain,” NWS meteorologist Rick Kaplan said early Tuesday. “The pattern itself is continuing to shift south, so by late morning or late afternoon, we really should start to see the beginnings of the wet stuff tapering off. That’s also going to allow the cooling pattern to begin.” … ” Read more from the San Jose Mercury News.
S.F. residents shocked by huge, backdated water bills. This is why they’re getting them
“More than 8,000 San Francisco residents did not receive water bills for months, some for more than a year, due to problems with aging equipment operated by the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission. Now, the agency wants to retroactively charge those customers for the error, putting them on the hook for hundreds or even thousands of dollars in unexpected bills. This fall, the San Francisco utility began charging monthly installments for the backlogged bills, a move that surprised and enraged some customers. “Why should the consumer be responsible for such an egregious mistake?” said Tom Ammiano, a San Francisco resident and former member of the California State Assembly who was among those affected. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
Dead salmon in Lake Merritt could point to healthier waters, researchers say
“It’s a sunny Tuesday morning on the shores of Lake Merritt, and a small group of researchers and curious onlookers is crowded around a dead fish. The silvery, 13-inch-long Chinook salmon, pulled that morning from a small, enclosed arm of Lake Merritt that leads to Glen Echo Creek, is placed on a concrete slab, and a man with a sharp instrument gets to work. First he slices through the belly, and then separates the head from the body. “We are going to remove the ear bones, which have a lot of information,” says Katherine Noonan, founder of Oakland’s Rotary Nature Center Friends, an environmental education group, as the passers-by crane their necks to observe. “They have rings in them like the rings of a tree.” By analyzing them, she explains, it might be possible to decipher how this Chinook salmon found its way from the ocean to downtown Oakland. … ” Read more from East Oakland.
‘Unique’ Lafayette Reservoir tower will be shortened, but residents want to halt plan
“The battle over the shortening of a 100-year-old tower that stands within Lafayette Reservoir took center stage Monday night, with East Bay water officials concluding it must be altered while residents and community leaders said not so fast. The East Bay Municipal Utility District, the owner and operator of both the reservoir and the tower, has told residents over the past year that the tower must be reduced by 40 feet to meet seismic standards, in case of a major earthquake. Built in 1929, the 170-foot tower, which is used to control the water level in the reservoir, has become an iconic fixture to residents and visitors alike. The tower ended up being built too high because the original plan called for building the dam 33 feet higher than its current height – but that was scrapped since the soil couldn’t support it. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
CENTRAL COAST
San Luis Obispo County pauses weekly ocean water quality testing
“The first big storm of the season has hit the Central Coast, bringing with it a warning to stay out of the ocean water. “You can tell during the storms the whole bay will fill up and it’ll turn brown,” said San Luis Obispo resident Rodger York. These advisories come from San Luis Obispo County Public Health. The department’s Environmental Health Services team usually tests ocean water weekly at 19 coastal locations, looking for bacteria that can indicate harmful microbes. “Then you can make an informed decision whether you want your granddaughter to go into that water or not,” said Avila Beach resident Kathy Pritchard. … ” Read more from KSBY.
EASTERN SIERRA
Grant Lake Reservoir infrastructure in revised planning phase
“Rush Creek restoration continues to be delayed as construction of the long-awaited modification to Grant Lake Reservoir is complicated by the replacement of the 88-year-old broken rotovalve buried 80 feet below the edge of the reservoir within the aqueduct intake tunnel. Replacing the broken valve is a major undertaking and is now, along with the outlet modification of the reservoir, wrapped up in a much larger project that requires safety improvements. The Los Angeles Department of Water & Power (DWP) is proposing a complex project that will allow for the eventual replacement of the rotovalve infrastructure after the construction of buried siphons along the spillway. … ” Read more from the Mono Lake Committee.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
SCV Water OKs pipeline for Bouquet Canyon
“Santa Clarita Valley Water Agency officials recently signed off on a plan that will bring Bouquet Canyon something it’s been seeking for a decade: a new water supply. At last week’s board meeting, the agency approved the contract for a 1.75-mile, 12-inch pipeline that will run along Bouquet Canyon Road to LARC Ranch and the Lily of the Valley Mobile Village, from Shadow Valley Lane to the LARC turnout road. SCV Water received grant funding for an 8-inch connection, but budgeted funds for the larger size to allow developed areas, including ranches, residences and businesses along the pipeline who are on well systems the opportunity to connect. The difference is expected to be around $450,000, which the agency already had budgeted. … ” Read more from The Signal.
Pasadena city attorney to draft resolution for water payments to Metropolitan Water District
“The City Attorney will draft a resolution to authorize the City Manager to approve payments to the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD) for purchased water. “It is in the best interest of the City to adopt a resolution authorizing the City Manager, General Manager of Pasadena Water and Power, or their designees the authority to approve payment for invoices of purchased water from MWD in amounts necessary to meet the business needs of the City,” according to a City staff report. The resolution ensures that the City will be able to continue purchasing water from MWD in necessary amounts to meet the needs of its water system by giving the City Manager and Pasadena Water and Power General Manager the flexibility to approve these payments, ensuring the City’s water needs are met without disruption. … ” Read more from Pasadena Now.
LA region pushes forward on big-ticket water infrastructure
“Los Angeles and southern California infrastructure agencies are poised to set precedents in advancing water projects in one of the nation’s largest and most drought-impacted metropolitan areas, with efforts underway that include an innovative ocean-based water desalination plant, officials told the ENR LA Infrastructure Forum on Nov. 18. With the impending 2028 Olympic Games expected to also strain the region’s transportation capabilities, officials are seek to secure public funding and contractor support for the construction mission—including small and diverse firms and a skilled craft, technical and management workforce to execute it. … ” Read more from Engineering News-Record.
Newport Beach approves $2.79-million contract for maintenance of wells supplying most of its water
“The Newport Beach City Council awarded a $2.79-million contract last week to continue maintenance on wells in Fountain Valley that supply the majority of the coastal city’s water. The decision to contract General Pump Inc. for the job was unanimously approved as part of the consent calendar during the regular meeting Nov. 19. The company recently completed a tuneup on one of the four wells pumping water from an underground basin beneath Fountain Valley to Newport Beach at a cost of $897,914.47. The bid the contractor submitted to rehabilitate the remaining three wells was 12.5% less expensive than what engineers had estimated, according to city staff reports. They’ll be tasked with cleaning out pipes reaching between 400 and 800 feet down to the groundwater supply and installing a protective lining as well as new pumps. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
Partners pitch ‘exclusive’ access to Mt. Waterman ski resort. The Forest Service has concerns
“Prospective new owners intend to revitalize the vintage Mt. Waterman ski resort in the Angeles National Forest — in part by selling exclusive access to coveted powder days to well-heeled customers and ferrying them to the mountains in chartered helicopters. But there’s a snag: The federal agency that has the final say on what can be done at the homey 390-acre resort hasn’t approved such a plan and said it would be hesitant to sanction anything that smacked of exclusivity. “I’m pretty confident we would not allow … any kind of exclusive use,” said the U.S. Forest Service’s Justin Seastrand, who oversees the public services staff area of the Angeles National Forest. That could throw a wrench into the business plan of the prospective owners, known as Angeles Mountain Partners LLC. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
Commentary: Stopping Cadiz is good for people, the environment and our water future
Ron Escobar, director of the Tribal Historic Preservation Office for the Chemehuevi Indian Tribe, writes, “When the California Desert Protection Act was signed into law 30 years ago, the United States pledged to protect the fragile desert lands in the traditional territory of Chemehuevi Native Americans, establishing places now known as Joshua Tree National Park and Mojave National Preserve. It was a turning point for the nation toward a more respectful relationship with the land, aligning with the Chemehuevi people who have stewarded this region since the beginning of time. Preserving these lands has helped preserve our origins, history, songs, religious ceremonies, ancient sites and trails. When we protect land, it is not only for the benefit of wildlife or the natural environment, but for our well-being. For the Chemehuevi Indian Tribe, where I serve as director of the Tribal Historic Preservation Office, precious resources of the desert like water are a part of what ties our people physically and spiritually to the land. … ” Read more from the Desert Sun.
IMPERIAL/COACHELLA VALLEYS
Choking wetlands blaze near Salton Sea raises concerns about hunters’ campfires
“A 400 acre swath of wetlands near the Salton Sea burned this weekend, with choking grey smoke casting an unhealthy pall for miles over northeastern Imperial County. Duck hunters in the area who built a campfire to ward off the chill may have accidentally sparked the smoky blaze, officials said, though the cause is under investigation. The fire started on Saturday morning north of an unnamed pond in thick, dry marsh grasses normally only accessible by boat, said Imperial County Fire Department Battalion Chief Oscar Robles, who spent 24 hours straight at the scene. The pond area is located about four miles west of Niland and Route 111 and northeast of Red Hill Park. “It was probably human error,” said Robles. “There were duck hunters in the area, but I can’t tell you what caused it.” … ” Read more from the Desert Sun.
SEE ALSO: Fire contained after burning 400 acres southeast of Salton Sea, from the Desert Review
SAN DIEGO
South Bay Sewage Crisis: Families struggle with toxic odors ahead of holidays
“An odor advisory has been issued for neighborhoods near the Tijuana River Valley. The stench, described as a “rotten egg” smell caused by hydrogen sulfide, is not just ruining Thanksgiving plans — it’s also affecting the health of those living in the area. For Edward Delos Reyes and Gaylene Scarbrough, who have called the South Bay home for decades, the situation has reached a breaking point. “I can feel sometimes it burns when I inhale, and it’s disgusting,” said Edward. The couple has canceled Thanksgiving dinner at their home again this year, citing the unbearable odor. … ” Continue reading from Channel 10.
Along the Colorado River …
This Arizona agency is asking companies for a plan to import 100 billion gallons of water
“The Water Infrastructure Finance Authority of Arizona took the first steps last week to asking companies for plans to showthey could import more than 100 billion gallons of water into the state. The move comes as the authority has faced financial challenges. WIFA’s funding has been cut to less than half of its original budget after the state government had to make sweeping budget cuts. The board is looking for other options after scrapping an idea to desalinate ocean water from the Gulf of California. Any imported water would supplement what’s used by homeowners, industrial users and farmers. … ” Read more from KJZZ.
Arizona: With depleted funds, WIFA seeks ideas to augment water supply
“They have less than half the money they were promised by the Legislature. There’s also no guarantee that the ideas they are pursuing to increase the supply of water in Arizona actually will make financial sense. But members of the state’s Water Infrastructure Finance Authority voted Nov. 20 to take the first step to asking companies to come up with plans to show how they could import more than 100 billion gallons of water from elsewhere to supplement, and possibly replace, some of what is being used now to supply homeowners, industrial users and farmers. What the board wants from them are not just meaningful of how these companies technically could bring water to the desert. They want to know the price tag. … ” Read more from the Arizona Capitol Times.
The Show: Builders call new AZ water rules unfair. But agency head thinks it’s the right plan
“New rules to allow developers to build in areas that don’t have the necessary 100-year assured water supply have won the approval of a key panel. What that could mean for Valley communities like Buckeye and Queen Creek. And, a provocative debate on end-of-life care in the UK. That and more on The Show.” Listen at KJZZ.
SEE ALSO: Arizona has new rules meant to preserve state’s dwindling groundwater supplies, from Channel 13
Think Utah farmers should do without irrigation? Here’s what that looks like
“Shay Lewis waded into a stand of thigh-high wheat, snatched one of the seed heads and tossed some grain into his mouth. “Those are plump kernels,” he said, gesturing to the harvest waiting in his field. “This is what it should look like.” Hundreds of acres of ripe, golden grain — and not an irrigation system in sight. Agriculture consumes roughly three-quarters of all diverted water in Utah. So as states fight over the Colorado River and climate change intensifies drought, farms have come under increased scrutiny about how much water they use to irrigate their fields. But not this one. “The only way it grows is we have to have rainfall,” Lewis said. “That thunderstorm you just heard right behind us is what puts the water on the field.” … ” Read moire from KSL.
Diversifying Colorado’s Water Portfolio: The Potential for Stormwater Capture and Use to Contribute to a Water Resilient Future
“The 2023 Colorado Water Plan estimates that by 2050 there will be a municipal and industrial water supply gap of between 250,000 and 750,000 acre-feet per year. “Diversifying Colorado’s Water Portfolio: The Potential for Stormwater Capture and Use to Contribute to a Water Resilient Future” seeks to advance understanding of the extent to which rainwater harvesting and stormwater capture in urban areas can help fill this gap. This project achieves this goal by 1) synthesizing Colorado water law as they relate to rainwater harvesting and stormwater capture and use, 2) quantifying the volumetric potential of rainwater harvesting and stormwater capture in urban areas across each of Colorado’s eight river basins and the Denver metropolitan area, 3) identifying benefits associated with stormwater capture and use, 4) highlighting examples of urban stormwater capture and use projects in Colorado, 5) engaging and facilitating input from a diverse Expert Review Panel, and 6) providing recommendations and next steps. … ” Read more from Pacific Institute.
In national water news today …
As Arctic climate warms, even Santa runs short of snow
“With a month to go until Christmas, Santa Claus is busy preparing, but the warming climate and lack of snow in his Arctic hometown have him worried. By this time of year, the town of Rovaniemi in Finnish Lapland — marketed by tourism officials since the 1980s as the “real” home of Santa Claus — should be white and pretty. But on a recent visit, rain poured down from a gloomy slate sky and the temperature was well above freezing, with the thermometer showing 35 F. “My reindeer can fly, so that’s no problem,” said the man in the red suit and long white beard, resting his weary legs after a long day of meeting excited children and adults. But “we can see that climate change is real. And it’s affecting the reindeer. It’s affecting life here in the Arctic,” added the man, whose employers declined to identify him by his real name. … ” Read more from Courthouse News.
