DAILY DIGEST, 12/13: Atmospheric river triple-threat bringing rounds of rain, snow; State Water Project operations continue under new incidental take permit and new litigation; Elected officials are watching idly as seawater intrusion continues advancing down the Salinas Valley; and more …


Several news sources featured in the Daily Digest may limit the number of articles you can access without a subscription. However, gift articles and open-access links are provided when available. For more open access California water news articles, explore the main page at MavensNotebook.com.

On the calendar today …

  • MEETING: Central Valley Water Board beginning at 9am in Rancho Cordova.  Agenda items include consideration of a permit for USFS and BLM; Consideration of a Resolution to Adopt the Triennial Review of the Water Quality Control Plans for the Sacramento River and San Joaquin River Basins and the Tulare Lake Basin; and numerous WDRs and NPDES permits.  Click here for the full agenda.

In California water news today …

Atmospheric river triple-threat bringing rounds of rain, mountain snow across West

“A series of three atmospheric river storms has already started bringing rounds of rain and mountain snow across the West Coast, most notably in northern California, through Monday.The first atmospheric river moved in Wednesday night and brought rain and mountain snow to northern and central California on Thursday. Up to 4 inches fell in northern California, with less to the south.The second and strongest atmospheric river of the group will move into the West Coast later Friday and continue through Saturday, according to the FOX Forecast Center. … ”  Read more from Fox Weather.

Coming storms could buoy California snowpack after late start

“The winter snowpack started accumulating later than usual in California, but a series of early-season storms have pushed totals above average for this time of year. With multiple storm fronts forecast to sweep through Northern California in the coming days, the northernmost regions of the Sierra Nevada have already seen snowpack levels well above what is typical for this time of year. The range’s regions further south, meanwhile, are around or below average, in a pattern that aligns with a developing La Niña.  As of Thursday, the California snowpack was 101% of the Dec. 12 normal, according to data from the statewide cooperative snow surveys. The northern Sierra Nevada and Trinity alps were at 156% of the Dec. 12 normal, while the central (70%) and southern Sierra Nevada (104%) were at or below average. … ”  Read more from the San Francisco Examiner.

SEE ALSO:

King tides are back. Here’s what they’re telling us

“King tides return this weekend and with them a reminder of rising sea levels.  “As sea level rises, the king tides will get higher and the potential damage that extreme high tides cause will be greater,” said Annie Kohut Frankel, grants and education manager at the California Coastal Commission. “Soon the places we love so much – the beaches, trails and coastal communities will be underwater or flooded at least twice a year.”  When the earth, the moon and the sun all align in a straight line, there are higher tides due to the combined gravitational pulls of the moon and the sun. The moon orbits the earth in an ellipse, and so does the earth around the sun. Ellipses are not quite round, tending to be more oval-shaped, causing varying distances from the center to the diameter. Twice a year, when the earth is closest to the sun, while the moon is also closest to the earth, we get the highest high tide and also the lowest low tides. These are called king tides. … ”  Read more from the Marin Independent Journal.

California’s State Water Project continues under new incidental take permit and new litigation

“On November 4, 2024, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (“CDFW”) adopted Findings of Fact and issued Incidental Take Permit Number 2081-2023-054-00 to the Department of Water Resources (“DWR”) in connection with long-term operation of its State Water Project. The permit, which is in effect until 2034, allows for continued water diversion and storage, and operation of power plants and conveyance systems that make up the State Water Project, which provides a water supply to 27 million Californians. On November 27, 2024, certain environmental groups filed a lawsuit challenging DWR’s approval of the project and alleging violations of the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”), the California Endangered Species Act (“CESA”), and the public trust. On the same date, various Central Valley Project (“CVP”) water users that obtain water supplies through contracts with the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (“Reclamation”) also filed suit under CEQA, alleging that DWR’s approval would negatively impact their contract supplies.  … ”  Read more from Atkinson, Andelson, Loya, Ruud, & Romo.

More water agencies favor Delta tunnels

“The water districts of Alameda County, Palmdale, and Desert Water Agency, which represent hundreds of thousands of Californians, recently voted in supporting the continued planning, permitting and engineering design of the next phase of funding for the Delta Conveyance Project, aka the Delta water tunnels.  The vote follows numerous other water districts in favor of protecting water access against the threats of climate change and to provide necessary infrastructure that will protect access to clean drinking water for 27 million Californians. According to a press release from Gov. Newsom’s office on Tuesday, Dec. 10, the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California recently voted overwhelmingly to approve $141 million more money for planning and permitting for the Delta water tunnels. … ”  Read more from The Press.

Delta Counties Coalition responds to Metropolitan Water District Board’s approval of $141 million for Delta tunnel

“In response to Metropolitan Water District Board’s (MWD Board) approval of $141 million in additional funds to continue planning for the controversial and harmful Delta Tunnel Conveyance Project (DCP), Pat Hume, Chair of the Delta Counties Coalition (DCC), made the following statement on behalf of the five jurisdictions that would be most negatively impacted:  “This proposal is as inconsistent with the goals and priorities of the Bay Delta Plan as its twin tunnel predecessor. The DCC will continue to reject a project that deprives the area of origin protections promised when the State Water Project was authorized. It is disappointing that we continue to throw good money after bad on an ill-fated boondoggle, rather than work together on forward-thinking solutions.  … ”  Read more from the Delta Counties Coalition.

EOS: 2023 California storms recharged watersheds, geodesy data reveal

“Dozens of atmospheric rivers, superconcentrated channels of water in the sky, dumped staggering amounts of rain and snow on the U.S. West Coast in late 2022 and early 2023. The intense, long-lasting storms caused more than $3 billion in damage and killed 21 people. But they also recharged California’s watersheds and alleviated the state’s stubborn drought conditions, according to new research from a team of experts in hydrology, meteorology, and geodesy.  It’s common knowledge that increased precipitation can ease both meteorological drought, which is based on the rainfall deficit and the length of a dry period, and hydrological drought, which is based on factors such as groundwater and reservoir decline. But just how much atmospheric rivers influence reservoir, groundwater, and snowpack levels can be difficult to measure. … ”  Read more from EOS.

Saltwater will taint 77% of coastal aquifers by century’s end, modeling study finds

“Seawater will infiltrate underground freshwater supplies in about three of every four coastal areas around the world by the year 2100, according to a recent study led by researchers at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California. In addition to making water in some coastal aquifers undrinkable and unusable for irrigation, these changes can harm ecosystems and corrode infrastructure.  Considering the two factors separately, the study’s authors found that by 2100 rising sea levels alone will tend to drive saltwater inland in 82% of coastal watersheds studied. The transition zone in those places would move a relatively modest distance: no more than 656 feet (200 meters) from current positions. Vulnerable areas include low-lying regions such as Southeast Asia, the coast around the Gulf of Mexico, and much of the United States’ Eastern Seaboard. … ”  Read more from Smart Water Magazine.

Return to top

In regional water news and commentary today …

NORTH COAST

Reclamation announces funding for six Klamath Basin tribes under Drought and Resiliency Program

“The Bureau of Reclamation this week announced $4.6 million in funding for the Hoopa Valley Tribe, Karuk Tribe, The Klamath Tribes, Modoc Nation, Pulikla Tribe of Yurok People, and Yurok Tribe. The funds will support 14 projects aimed at combating drought and building resilience in tribal communities across the region.   “The Klamath Basin Drought and Resiliency and Tribal Ecosystem Restoration Program allows Reclamation to work with Klamath Basin tribes to determine the most effective way to allocate these essential funds,” said California-Great Basin Regional Director Karl Stock. “It also reflects Reclamation’s ongoing efforts to implement multi-faceted, durable, and collaborative strategies that balance both human and environmental needs.”   Of the 14 projects recommended for funding, eight will help tribes conduct environmental and ecosystem analysis and data collection to prepare for drought, restore ecosystems, and build resilience. The remaining projects will focus on general drought preparation, funding for staff and personnel, outreach, and infrastructure improvements.  … ”  Read more from the Bureau of Reclamation.

USGS: New flood hazard products to support coastal climate adaptation planning in Humboldt County

“Across the US, coastal communities face increasing threats from flooding, erosion, and rising groundwater tables due to accelerating sea-level rise and changing storm patterns. CoSMoS is a dynamic modeling approach that allows for detailed projections of coastal flooding due to both future sea level rise and storms. It is integrated with long-term coastal evolution (i.e., beach changes and cliff retreat) over large geographic areas (100s of kilometers).  CoSMoS models all the relevant physics of a coastal storm (e.g., tides, waves, and storm surge), which are then scaled down to local flood projections for use in community-level coastal planning and decision-making. Rather than relying on historical storm records, CoSMoS uses wind and pressure from global climate models to project coastal storm impacts under changing climatic conditions during the 21st century. Projections of multiple storm scenarios are provided under a suite of sea-level rise scenarios. These options allow users to manage and meet their own planning horizons and specify degrees of risk tolerance. … ”  Read more from the USGS.

Mendocino community gathers to discuss draft source water study

“It was standing room only at the community center on Tuesday evening, December 3, where over 60 people and another 30 attendees online heard a presentation of the draft Source Water Study prepared by an engineering firm for the Mendocino City and Community Services District (MCCSD). In the special meeting, MCCSD and attendees learned about the potential water requirements in the area if a community water system replaces the current system of individual wells and the possible sources of additional water that have been examined over the last 40 years. … ”  Read more from the Mendocino Beacon.

MOUNTAIN COUNTIES

Tuolumne River Partners complete habitat restoration project – Pioneering project includes 10 acres of native species habitat

“As part of our ongoing commitment to provide a healthy habitat for fish to thrive, Tuolumne River partners Modesto Irrigation District (MID), Turlock Irrigation District (TID) and the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) are excited to announce the construction completion of the Tuolumne River Mainstem Channel Restoration Upstream of Old La Grange Bridge Project.  MID, TID and the SFPUC provided more than 7.5 acres of mainstem restoration, more than 2.5 acres of floodplain habitat and more than 50,000 cubic yards of spawning gravel. These actions are expected to result in a five-fold increase of trout and salmon habitat upstream of Old La Grange Bridge.  “We remain committed to be good stewards of the Tuolumne and implement solutions to provide a healthy river habitat,” said TID General Manager Brad Koehn. “There is new spawning and in-channel habitat, and we’re encouraged as we’re already seeing fish spawning in the new gravel.” … ”  Read more from the Modesto Irrigation District.

SACRAMENTO VALLEY

Protecting our water and community infrastructure: Taking action to prevent subsidence in the Sacramento Valley

“We appreciate the Department of Water Resources (DWR) continuing to provide its semi-annual groundwater conditions report and its InSAR subsidence data to better understand our groundwater resources in the Sacramento Valley and to help inform and guide current and future water management decisions.  Recent datasets are showing several pockets in the Sacramento Valley where there are early indications that “sustainable yield” may be exceeded and there is subsidence and the related physical changes in the surface elevation. The extent and potential elasticity of the subsidence (active and residual) will be studied further with local monitoring, analysis, and DWR’s future updates. In these subareas, subsidence will be addressed by local Groundwater Sustainability Agencies (GSAs), working with DWR and other local agencies. The following will help guide our actions in the subareas within the region that are vulnerable to subsidence … ”  Read more from the Northern California Water Association.

A Sacramento-area fish hatchery’s spawning salmon fed families in need — no longer

“Between 80 and 200 Chinook salmon spawn at Nimbus Fish Hatchery in Gold River each day from early November through this Friday, ending their life cycle with an ascent up the fish ladder to the processing room. For years, their meat went on to feed hungry Californians via California Emergency Foodlink, a southeastern Sacramento nonprofit group. This year, it’s different. California Emergency Foodlink had relied on Washington-based American Canadian Fisheries to fillet, freeze and deliver the salmon to its distribution headquarters, where it was distributed to food banks. The subcontractor did so free in exchange for keeping some of the fish. … ”  Read more from the Sacramento Bee.

Vacaville to construct flood detention basin

“Public Works Director Brian McLane presented a detention basin project that would limit flooding on Alamo Creek to the Vacaville City Council Tuesday evening.  Stormwater runoff from the Blue Ridge Range runs into Alamo Creek and three smaller creeks that wind through the community, he said, which can lead to widespread flooding across the city. The proposed project would increase storage from 36 to 256 acre-feet of detention area located on the city’s west side near Interstate 80.  The $8 million project would see the city spend $1.6 million of Measure M funding, with the rest covered by a combination of funds from the state and Solano County Water Association. The county voted unanimously to approve the project and close the $1.6 million funding gap. … ”  Read more from the Daily Reporter.

BAY AREA

Bay Area braces for quadruple threat: rain, wind, surf and king tides

“The Bay Area is bracing for a quadfecta of environmental conditions this week — heavy rain, strong winds, high surf and king tides — that will create blustery conditions and potential flooding across the region.  “It’s like everything all at once,” said Nicole Sarment, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service’s Bay Area office.  After Wednesday night brought moderate rain, Sarment said the Bay Area will get a short reprieve before a larger, windy, wet storm settles over the region late Friday through Saturday.  Sarment foresees flooding due to heavy rain, high surf and king tides. Starting Friday, according to the weather service’s online forecast discussion, “there are going to be poor conditions everywhere, especially on the water or at the beach.” … ”  Read more from KQED.

Input needed for Big Break Regional Shoreline improvements

“The East Bay Regional Park District will host a public meeting to discuss park improvements to the Big Break Regional Shoreline in the City of Oakley.  This event is a an opportunity for the community to come together and share ideas on how to protect and enhance the regional shoreline park and you are encourage to attend the discussion.  According to the Park District, Big Break Regional Shoreline, is a beautiful, and vulnerable regional park located in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta. … ”  Read more from Contra Costa News.

An overview of Valley Water’s annual Capital Improvement Program

“Each year, Valley Water reviews and updates its plan for funding critical infrastructure projects needed to serve Santa Clara County.  The Capital Improvement Program (CIP) Five-Year Plan is a comprehensive document that outlines the funding strategy for the planning, design, and construction of water-related infrastructure.  In May 2024, the Board of Directors adopted the CIP Fiscal Year 2025-2029 Five-Year Plan, which included 73 projects to help Valley Water meet its mission to provide Silicon Valley with safe, clean water for a healthy life, environment, and economy. The CIP includes initiatives related to water supply, flood protection, water resources stewardship, buildings and grounds and information technology. … ”  Read more from Valley Water News.

CENTRAL COAST

Elected officials are watching idly as seawater intrusion continues advancing down the Salinas Valley. If only someone could do something.

“David Schmalz here, wrestling with a conundrum: Seawater intrusion is advancing in the northern Salinas Valley—heading toward Salinas from the coast—which has forced growers to drill deeper wells, but that’s only made the problem worse.  Why does that matter? The drinking water supplies of more than 150,000 people, and the viability of highly productive ag land, hang in the balance.  Last Wednesday, Dec. 4, county staff presented the Board of Supervisors a report about the state of the groundwater situation in the Salinas Valley Basin. The report is not new—it was published in 2023, but it was started in 2015.  None of its findings are surprising to anyone paying attention: Groundwater levels continue to fall, though the lettuce, strawberries and artichokes are still getting all the water they need to thrive. … ”  Read more from Monterey Now.

Water is on the way for Peninsula, new construction may follow

“Next week could spell the beginning of the end, at least in part, of a building moratorium that has plagued the Monterey Peninsula for the better part of 15 years.  On Monday the governing board of the Monterey Peninsula Water Management District is set to approve an ordinance establishing how much water each jurisdiction in the district will receive when the Pure Water Monterey expansion project comes online late next year. Called a “first reading,” the ordinance process will be followed by a “second reading” on Jan. 27, and then 30 days after that the ordinance becomes effective.  The project is expected to deliver an additional 2,250 acre-feet of water to the Peninsula that would enable the construction of thousands of new houses and multifamily units. Once the expansion comes online, it will bring the Peninsula’s water supply up to 12,116 acre-feet from all sources. … ”  Read more from the Monterey Herald.

Santa Barbara’s Mission Creek restored at Oak Park

“Mission Creek, a waterway that flows through Oak Park, is returning to its natural state after years of degradation. On Wednesday morning, the city’s Creeks Division, Councilmember Oscar Gutierrez, and Mayor Randy Rowse broke out the big scissors to celebrate the completion of the creek’s restoration project.  The project transformed a 1,800-foot section of the creek by removing concrete structures within the creek bed, restoring hardened creek banks, and creating floodplain habitat. Invasive, non-native plants were removed, restoring the creek channel, and 3,000 new native plants and trees now stand in their place. … ”  Read more from the Santa Barbara Independent.

EASTERN SIERRA

High desert groundwater basin in Kern to get $50 million in federal funding; announces settlement with pistachio grower

“The Indian Wells Valley Groundwater Authority meeting Wednesday kicked off with two major pieces of news: The authority will receive $50 million in federal funding that it will use to help build a pipeline to import water from the California Aqueduct into the high desert basin and it settled a protracted lawsuit with Mojave Pistachios.  “I can’t stress enough how important this development is,” authority chairman and Kern County supervisor Phillip Peters said of the federal funding. “It provides the community assurance that this basin’s overdraft will be addressed in a positive manner. It allows the Navy to continue its mission and expand. And it allowed this board to move forward with the settlement with Mojave Pistachios.” … ”  Read more from SJV Water.

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

With bone-dry conditions, Southern California high fire danger could linger into the new year

“By this time of year, Southern California has usually recorded some measurable rainfall. Santa Ana winds, meanwhile, are typically dying down.  But this December, neither is the case.  Precipitation remains well below average, which has kept vegetation bone-dry, and forecasters say powerful offshore winds could pick back up in the next few days.  It’s a recipe that’s likely to keep the threat of wildfires elevated even into January if conditions don’t change.  “The way this winter has started, how dry it is, it could extend our fire season to next year,” said Joe Sirard, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Oxnard. If the rains don’t come and the winds do, he said, “that will keep us in high fire season.” … ”  Read more from the LA Times.

SAN DIEGO

San Diegans can drink their tap water. Many pay more at the vending machine anyway.

“On a May afternoon, customers fill empty five-gallon jugs at vending machines beside the front door of the Aqua Bar water store in Escondido. Inside, the store’s owner chats with regulars turning the faucets at two large metal sinks. Customers come and go, wheeling carts full of newly-filled containers out to the trunks or flat-beds of waiting cars.  Aqua Bar is roughly in the middle of a neighborhood that could be the water vending machine capital of San Diego County.  The ratio of water vending machines to people is about eight times the county average in this corner of Escondido.  Demand for vended water does not appear to be related to municipal water quality.Social science researchers have seen the same patterns in other places and said consumers learn to distrust their tap water after seeing other government services fail. … ”  Read more from the Voice of San Diego.

RELATED:  Everything You Need to Know About Water Vending Machines, from Voice of San Diego

Water rates could soar more than 60% within 5 years under proposed hikes

“San Diego could raise water rates by 61% and sewer rates 32% over four years to cover sharply rising costs for workers, imported water, chemicals, energy, construction projects and other priorities.  The increases, which would incrementally kick in between January 2026 and January 2029, are recommended by two new studies analyzing future revenues and expenses for the city’s water and sewer systems.  The hikes wouldn’t be finalized until City Council votes scheduled for September. The city’s independent budget analyst says it will hire a consultant to evaluate each study and perhaps recommend changes.  The possible rate hikes would be on top of previously approved increases for city water and sewer customers that are already scheduled to kick in during the coming months. … ”  Read more from the San Diego Union-Tribune.

Landowner of unlicensed cannabis grow site to pay $410,000 for failure to comply with cleanup order

“The San Diego Regional Water Quality Control Board on Wednesday ordered Olivia Yutang Liu, the landowner of an unlicensed cannabis cultivation site, to pay approximately $410,000 for repeatedly disregarding required actions and deadlines to resolve ongoing waste discharge violations at a 38-acre property near Anza Borrego State Park.  During four site inspections conducted between November 2019 and May 2021, San Diego Water Board Cannabis Program staff uncovered the following unauthorized activities: grading and construction of greenhouses within the channel of an ephemeral stream that diverted its natural course; excavation and burial of trash and debris into multiple pits, some more than 10-feet deep; and discharges of cultivation wastewater, which may contain pesticides and concentrated fertilizers, directly into the stream channel and discharging to neighboring properties. … ”  Read more from the Water Boards.

‘Forever chemicals’ detected in Sweetwater Reservoir

“Roughly 200,000 San Diego County households get their tap water from the Sweetwater Authority. In a recent safety test, however, that water flagged a toxic chemical called PFAS, also known as a forever chemical. The level is not enough for action, but enough to trigger a mandatory state warning.  “We have one data point. There is a lot of things that we are waiting for, a lot of information,” said Paulina Martinez Perez, the chairwoman of the Sweetwater Authority. “The water is safe to drink, and we are ready and prepared to do whatever we need to do in order to continue delivering safe and reliable water to our customers.” … ”  Read more from Fox 5.

Return to top

Along the Colorado River …

Commentary: Colorado River negotiations stuck in turbulent waters

Brian McNeece writes, “Colorado River guides fear getting their boats stuck in rapids — being buffeted against submerged rocks or pulled down by reverse currents — unable to escape. This seems to be an apt metaphor for the lack of progress on how to share water at the recent Colorado River Water Users Association convention in Las Vegas.  The problem is that there’s not enough water in the river to satisfy the labyrinth of agreements that allocate water. There never was enough water.  But only recently did all the parties grow into a need for water that the river couldn’t fill.  Drought and climate change have exacerbated the problem. … Who’s to blame for the current impasse in the negotiations between the Upper Basin States of Colorado, Wyoming, New Mexico and Utah and the Lower Basin states of Nevada, Arizona and California? That’s actually an easy one. It’s the men who wrote the Colorado River Compact of 1922. Blame them because the Compact made promises that can’t be kept. … ”  Read more from the Holtville Tribune.

Lake Mead’s uncertain future leads Arizona to eye water imports

“Arizona is taking steps to secure its water future as the prolonged megadrought gripping the Colorado River continues to deplete its reservoirs, including Lake Mead and Lake Powell.  This week, the state’s Water Infrastructure Finance Authority (WIFA) advanced plans to import billions of gallons of water from outside its borders, a move necessitated by Lake Mead’s precarious levels and unresolved disputes among the seven states relying on the Colorado River.  At a conference on Tuesday, WIFA officials outlined a phased process inviting companies to propose viable solutions for bringing external water supplies into the state.  Newsweek contacted WIFA via email for further comment. … ”  Read more from Newsweek.

Colorado has big dreams to use more water from the Colorado River. But will planned reservoirs ever be built?

“Nearly two hours east of Grand Junction on a remote dirt road on the Grand Mesa is a nondescript, shallow, sage-brush-covered valley where two creeks meet.  The site, at 8,200 feet in elevation, is home to a wooden corral where ranchers with grazing permits gather their livestock and to the Owens Creek Trailhead where hikers set out for nearby Porter Mountain.  It’s also the spot where the largest domestic water provider on Colorado’s Western Slope plans to someday build a reservoir. The proposed Owens Creek Reservoir is modest in size, at about 7,000 acre-feet. It would help Ute Water Conservancy District satisfy the needs of its 90,000 customers into the future.  “Our job as a water provider is never done,” said Greg Williams, assistant manager at Ute Water. “You can develop one and you move onto your next project and go through that same process.” … ”  Read more from Aspen Journalism.

Return to top

In national water news today …

How to make sense of the fluoride debate

“Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s skepticism about fluoride has become a focal point in the debate about whether he’s suitable to run the nation’s health department.  His pledge that the Trump administration would “advise all U.S. systems to remove fluoride from public water” has sparked outcry among dentists and some public health experts who say that fluoridated water is safe and essential for protecting oral health in children.  But other medical experts have raised concerns about the potential negative health effects of high levels of fluoride, particularly for fetuses and young children.  This isn’t the first time concerns about fluoride have cropped up: Opposition to fluoride dates back to the 1940s and ’50s. At that time, some people felt that more studies were needed to establish the safety of water fluoridation. In addition, unfounded conspiracy theories — like that fluoridation was a Communist plot to poison Americans — began to spread. Skepticism about fluoride became so associated with fringe worldviews that it became a kind of punchline.  But the research shows a more nuanced picture of fluoride’s benefits and risks. Here’s what to know…. ”  Read more from the New York Times.

New study discovers major changes in global river flows

“Rivers are undergoing a dramatic transformation worldwide, with headwater streams swelling and downstream basins shrinking.  A comprehensive study published Thursday in Science has mapped 2.9 million rivers from 1984 to 2018, revealing significant changes in global river flow patterns and highlighting the evolving role of upstream rivers in flood dynamics.  Researchers Dongmei Feng and Colin Gleason from the University of Cincinnati developed the Global River Discharge Reanalysis dataset — a tool that combines satellite data with hydrologic models to track daily river flow from source to sea.  Their findings reveal that river flows have shifted significantly upstream across 29% of the global land surface. This change has resulted in a 42% increase in the frequency of 100-year floods and a 4.9% rise in erosional stream power in headwater regions.  “I think the primary drivers are climate change and human regulations,” Feng said in an email. “We found consistent upstream shift patterns in global river flow, precipitation, and snow melt.” … ”  Read more from the Courthouse News Service.

Return to top

About the Daily Digest: The Daily Digest is a collection of selected news articles, commentaries and editorials appearing in the mainstream press. Items are generally selected to follow the focus of the Notebook blog. The Daily Digest is published every weekday with a weekend edition posting on Sundays.