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In California water news this weekend …
Storms across US bring heavy snow, dangerous ice and a tornado in California
“A tornado near a mall in central California swept up cars, uprooted trees and sent several people to the hospital. In San Francisco, authorities issued the first-ever tornado warning. Elsewhere, inclement weather plagued areas of the U.S., with dangerous conditions including heavy snow in upstate New York, a major ice storm in Midwest states and severe weather warnings around Lake Tahoe. The ice storm beginning Friday evening created treacherous driving conditions across Iowa and eastern Nebraska Friday and into Saturday and prompted temporary closures of Interstate 80 after numerous cars and trucks slid off the road. In upstate New York, more than 33 inches (84 centimeters) was reported near Orchard Park, which is often a landing point for lake-effect snow. … ” Read more from the Associated Press.
SEE ALSO: Tornado touches down near California mall, flipping cars and injuring 3, from SF Gate
Brewing storm to spread rain, snow into the West
“The ongoing stormy pattern across the West will not wane as the weekend comes to a close, AccuWeather meteorologists say. As an early-weekend storm shifts across the northern Rocky Mountains with drenching rain and mountain snow, a new storm brewing offshore will continue to inch closer to the coast by late Sunday. Not only did the early weekend storm bring flooding rainfall to some locations in Northern and Central California, but also intense thunderstorms. … During the early week period, conditions will remain stormy across the Northwest states as a separate storm currently brewing offshore begins to advance into Washington, Oregon and Northern California. … ” Read more from AccuWeather.
Governor Newsom’s water projects face backlash over climate impact
“Governor Gavin Newsom’s promotion of two major water infrastructure projects, the Sites Reservoir and the Delta Tunnel, has sparked significant criticism from environmental groups. Newsom recently described the Delta Tunnel as the “single most important climate adaptation project in the U.S.” However, Friends of the River, an environmental advocacy group, argues that these projects could exacerbate California’s climate crisis. The group claims that the Sites Reservoir would significantly contribute to greenhouse gas emissions, particularly methane, which is a potent greenhouse gas. They estimate that the reservoir’s average annual emissions would surpass those of more than 80,000 gas-powered passenger vehicles, undermining California’s goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2045. … ” Read more from KRCR.
Gavin Newsom’s CA Jobs First press conference: “Donald Trump, this is your kind of project.”
Dan Bacher writes, “In a press conference for his “CA Jobs First” tour on the Davis Farm in Colusa County on Dec. 10, California Governor Gavin Newsom made “lofty (but unsupported) claims” that Sites Reservoir and the Delta Tunnel are essential climate adaptation projects, according to Friends of the River (FOR). “He also made offensive and false statements about Tribes, and made digs against environmentalists and communities that oppose these projects, likening them to NIMBYs,” the group said. “He even pandered to President Trump for funding and partnership on Sites Reservoir, stating, ‘Donald Trump, this is your kind of project.’” “This may go down as one of the most tone-deaf press conferences of his governorship,” FOR added. … ” Read more from the Daily Kos.
Kern water districts approve new groundwater plan, talk turkey on Delta tunnel
“Several water districts held public hearings and voted to adopt the latest version of the 2024 Kern Subbasin Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP) that will be submitted to the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) the week of December 16. Water Board staff recommended the region be put on probation based largely on a 2022 plan that was found inadequate. Kern subbasin districts had submitted a new plan in May 2024, but the inadequate finding was not lifted. … The Delta Conveyance Project (DCP) is a long-envisioned tunnel that would take water from the Sacramento River under the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta to farms and cities in southern California as part of the State Water Project. The project is expected to cost $20 billion at full build out and be paid for by the water users, including Kern County water districts, which, collectively, are the second largest contractor within the State Water Project. The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California is the largest contractor. The state needs both Met and Kern County to fund the tunnel. … ” Read more from SJV Water.
Court rules California Coastal Commission can limit construction of seawalls for thousands of property owners
“The California Coastal Commission, a powerful state agency that regulates development along the state’s 1,100-mile coastline, can deny property owners permits to build seawalls if their homes or businesses were constructed after 1977, a state appeals court has ruled. The closely watched case, centered on 10 townhouses near Half Moon Bay, could affect thousands of property owners and beaches visited by millions of people, particularly as the Pacific Ocean continues to rise due to climate change. In a published opinion released Thursday, the First District Court of Appeal in San Francisco sided with the Coastal Commission and environmental groups, who have increasingly argued that sea walls cause public beaches to erode and eventually disappear. “We’re very pleased that the court upheld a commonsense reading of the Coastal Act,” said Kate Huckelbridge, executive director of the Coastal Commission. … ” Read more from the East Bay Times.
Industrial and business groups send Trump a deregulatory wish list
“More than a hundred industrial trade groups and chambers of commerce are urging President-elect Donald Trump to weaken or eliminate numerous Biden administration regulations on energy, air pollution, recycling, worker heat protections, consumer safeguards and corporate financing, claiming that the rules are “strangling” the nation’s economy. In a 21-page letter addressed to Trump and his presumptive Cabinet, the groups requested changes to dozens of “burdensome regulations that are stifling investment, making us less competitive in the world, limiting innovation and threatening the very jobs we are all working to create right here in America.” Among other actions, the Dec. 5 letter urges Trump to resume exports of liquefied natural gas, support legislation boosting the use of nuclear energy, repeal new emission standards for coal- and gas-fired power plants, relax newly proposed standards for soot and PFAS “forever” chemicals, pause implementation of worker heat standards, limit the Food and Drug Administration’s food traceability requirements and fight efforts to impose “right-to-repair” rules, which provide consumers with tools and instructions to fix their damaged electronics instead of throwing them away. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
SEE ALSO: Manufacturing Group Urges Sweeping Environmental Deregulation in Letter to Trump, from the National Law Journal
In commentary this weekend …
Turning climate change on its head: What Governor Newsom doesn’t understand about his own water agenda
Friends of the River writes, “Earlier this week, Governor Newsom was all over the state pushing his two favorite water infrastructure projects, Sites Reservoir and the Delta Tunnel. He called the tunnel the “single most important climate adaptation project in the U.S.” Apparently, the Governor doesn’t know that Sites Reservoir and the Delta Tunnel will actually make the climate change crisis in California worse in major ways. First, Sites Reservoir would be a major new contributor of greenhouse gas emissions – mostly in the form of methane, one of the most powerful greenhouse gasses. In fact, average annual emissions from the proposed reservoir are expected to exceed that of more than 80,000 gas-powered passenger vehicles. This directly undermines recent state law mandating carbon neutrality by 2045, and the Governor’s own efforts to achieve this goal. … ” Continue reading this press release.
LA rolls out the Trojan horse named ‘Climate Change’ to shred the Delta
Dennis Wyatt, editor of the Manteca Bulletin, writes, “The Los Angeles water overlords want to tempt Californians with their latest Trojan Horse. And the horse’s name is “Climate Change.” Do not misunderstand. Climate change per se exists. And it has many possible scenarios that should be dealt with. But destroying the Delta’s ecological system and creating a ripple effect that would imperil water supplies in the Northern San Joaquin Valley to “protect” a large chunk of Southern California’s water supply is not one of them. Addressing the consequences of climate change was referenced as the main reason that the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California this past week in allocated $142 million for pre-construction and planning costs for the Delta tunnel. … ” Read more from the Manteca Bulletin.
Standing by Words
Trudy Wischemann writes, “Wendell Berry, the American agrarian author who has been speaking for integrity between land and people for half a century, wrote a book called “Standing by Words” (1984). I admire his writings, but this book’s title itself speaks volumes. Standing by our words may be what Americans both red and blue crave most. Last week I attended more public meetings than I have all year. Sitting there, I remembered why I resist going: it’s a language problem. Between unexplained acronyms for ongoing programs and the pauses in sentences while officials decide what can be said in public, it’s hard not to feel left out. Our government officials wonder why the public doesn’t attend, while speaking in tongues and keeping their cards close to their chests. One of last week’s meetings was different, though language still played a confounding role. The State Water Resources Control Board (now shortened to “Waterboards”) held a special session to hear the concerns of Punjabi farmers and present information with translators. Unfortunately, there was more presenting than listening. … ” Read more at the Foothills Sun-Gazette.
In people news this weekend …
Promotions, passings, profiles – submit people news items to maven@mavensnotebook.com.
Ellen Hanak reflects on her time at the PPIC
“Ellen Hanak launched PPIC’s work on California water policy as a research fellow in 2001, and she went on to serve as the institute’s research director before starting the PPIC Water Policy Center in 2015. As she prepares to retire from PPIC at the end of this year, we asked her to reflect on her momentous career in California water, and to tell us what’s next. Q:Which accomplishments would you share with your grandchildren from your 20-plus years at PPIC? A: My grandsons—aged seven and almost five—would definitely think this is boring, but to me it’s been exciting and (usually) fun to develop a way of doing policy-oriented research that engages deeply with stakeholders. Folks on the ground are doing all kinds of amazing things, but many of them lack the time and perspective to get answers to big, tough questions about water policy. We’ve been able to bring rigorous methods to answering some of those tough questions. … ” Continue reading at the PPIC.
Bowles Farming Company receives California Leopold Conservation Award
“Bowles Farming Company of Los Banos is the 2024 California Leopold Conservation Award® recipient. The $10,000 award honors farmers, ranchers, and forestland owners who go above and beyond in their management of soil health, water quality and wildlife habitat on working land. Cannon Michael, Bowles Farming Company President, was presented with the award during the California Farm Bureau Federation’s Annual Meeting on December 9. Sand County Foundation and national sponsor American Farmland Trust present Leopold Conservation Awards to private landowners in 28 states. In California, the award is presented with Sustainable Conservation and the California Farm Bureau Federation. … ” Read more from Cal Ag Today.
Santa Cruz County Supervisor Justin Cummings named chair of California Coastal Commission
“Santa Cruz County Supervisor Justin Cummings has been named chair of the California Coastal Commission, one of the most powerful regulatory bodies in the state. Cummings, appointed to the commission in 2023 by then-state Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon, was unanimously chosen for the role by the 15-member group of policy makers and will be supported by Imperial Beach Mayor Paloma Aguirre as vice chair. “I am honored to take on the role of Chair and thankful to my colleagues for their support and faith in me as a leader,” said Cummings in a release from his office. “I believe access to California’s exceptional coastal beauty is a right enshrined in law by the people of California by the passage of Prop 20 in 1972. It is our responsibility as Commissioners and citizens to protect access and natural resources we cherish so that future generations can continue to enjoy them. The California Coastal Act is a crucial law safeguarding equitable access to our state’s incredible coast. I look forward to working with my colleagues and communities up and down the state to foster opportunities for collaboration and communication.” … ” Read more from the Mercury News.
Aquadoc: In memoriam
Emily Green writes, “Like water through rock, the news of Michael Campana’s death traveled slowly from where he died late last August, in his home city of Corvallis, Oregon, to where I now live, in Baltimore, Maryland. Top of the scroll in the December 2nd New Yorker, there was a quip of his that likened an RFK, Jr. scheme to save a river by bottling its water to “a church running a brothel.” Pure Michael or, to use his water handle, pure “Aquadoc.” Long sober from Twitter, I searched Michael on the newly vibrant platform Bluesky to high five him. Look who’s in The New Yorker! No Aguadoc. Something was wrong. Amplifying good work on social media matters these days. It’s expected that working scientists be out doing “sci comm” on social media explaining their work and promoting their universities. Even before Twitter, Michael was all over it, and not just for himself, but also for his publicity-shy peers. … ” Continue reading from Chance of Rain.
Podcasts …
KNEE DEEP TIMES/ESTUARY NEWS: Longfin Smelt Don’t Smell Like Cucumbers
Biologists Michael Eakin (Cal Fish & Wildlife), and Brian Schreier (Department of Water Resources) offer a quick overview of what Californians should know about longfin smelt, an estuarine fish recently added to the federal endangered species list. Is this fish our last chance to do right by endangered fish in the San Francisco Estuary? And how is this long-finned species different from Delta smelt?
VIC BEDOIAN: Water Equity and the Valley’s Future
California recently celebrated ten years since the enacting of SGMA [pronounced Sigma], the state’s landmark groundwater management act. The law mandated that overdrafted groundwater basins must come into balance over the next twenty years. That’s when groundwater extraction could not exceed the amount aquifers are replenished. Most of the state’s overdrafted basins are in the San Joaquin Valley. Local agencies are now working to craft groundwater management plans that state regulators will accept. Vic Bedoian reports from Fresno.
WATER TALK: Disabled groundwater
A conversation with professor Sunaura Taylor (author, artist, UC Berkeley) about injured aquifers and reframing disability in a broader environmental context. Released December 13, 2024.
ECO NEWS REPORT: Can we clean up Humboldt Bay before the sea rises?
The industrial legacy of the 20th Century left many contaminated sites around Humboldt Bay. Our second special episode on communities at risk from sea level rise features local residents talking about several of the most vulnerable sites, including Tuluwat Island, Butcher Slough in Arcata, and the nuclear waste storage site above King Salmon. Many thanks to Hilanea Wilkinson, Adam Canter, Jerry Rohde, Nate Faith, and to Jessie Eden, who produced this episode with funding provided by the California Coastal Commission Whale Tail Grant Program.
ENGINEERING WITH NATURE: Bending the bird curve – A conversation with Elizabeth Gray
Since 1970, the bird population in North America has declined by about 3 billion birds. In Season 8, Episode 5, host Sarah Thorne and Jeff King, National Lead of the Engineering With Nature (EWN) Program, US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), are joined by special guest, Dr. Elizabeth Gray, CEO of the National Audubon Society. Elizabeth is an ornithologist and a world-renowned champion of science-based conservation and leads an organization dedicated to protecting birds by altering the course of biodiversity loss. Elizabeth is the first woman CEO of Audubon since its founding in 1905. In her lifetime, Elizabeth has seen significant changes in bird populations. “This is just really tragic, and we know two-thirds of those birds are threatened by climate change. When I go out in the field, I see increasing habitat loss and habitat fragmentation. Climate change is a magnifier of all these effects, and birds are indicators of planetary health—really the sentinels and the symbols of how the planet’s doing.”
WATER IS A MANY SPLENDOR’ED THING: A Commissioner’s Wisdom on Water
Water demands in farms and towns across the western United States are increasing with each new year. Has actual shortage of water been experienced in a significant way in the western states and if it has, what can we do to avoid serious water scarcity? Water is a Many Splendor ’ed Thing brings you another water relationship that has a personally significant impact to your life. Produced by Stephen Baker, Bringing People Together to Solve Water Problems, water@operationunite.co 530-205-6388
In regional water news this weekend …
NORTH COAST
California Coastal Commission OKs Palco Marsh stormwater changes
“On Friday, the California Coastal Commission approved some planned changes at Palco Marsh — largely upgrades for the stormwater network, with aims to prevent flooding from storms and future sea level rise. It was approved unanimously as part of their consent calendar, without discussion. Eureka’s Public Works department wants to take on a bundle of projects at the marsh. This includes discharging more partially treated stormwater there, upgrading stormwater infrastructure, dredging 350 feet of new channels and deepening 800 feet of tidal channels (with sediments put on the marsh plain), and upgrading drainage between the marsh and Humboldt Bay — all impacting 86 acres of fresh and saltwater marsh between U.S. Highway 101 at Broadway and Humboldt Bay, south of Del Norte Street. … ” Read more from the Eureka Times-Standard.
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
Inspectors find no damage at Martis Creek Dam after magnitude 5.8 quake
“The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Sacramento District conducted an inspection Dec. 10 at Martis Creek Dam following a reported 5.8 magnitude earthquake in Nevada. Inspectors found no issues or concerns and the dam is functioning as designed. The seismic instrumentation on site did not detect the event. This post-seismic inspection follows four other inspections performed at the district’s structures last week after a 7.0 magnitude event off the coast of Northern California. USACE policy requires post-seismic inspections for its project structures based upon the intensity or magnitude of a seismic event and the distance at which the event occurred from a project structure. The inspections are performed to ensure the safe performance and integrity of dams immediately following seismic activity. “Based upon the distance from an earthquake event may trigger a special inspection at a project,” noted Daniel Vellone, the district’s Dam Safety Program Manager. … ” Read more from the Army Corps of Engineers.
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
Some Live Oak residents concerned over drinking water after discovery of forever chemicals in well
“People who live in the city of Live Oak have concerns over their drinking water after a well sample discovered the presence of forever chemicals. The California Water Resources Control Board is overseeing a project that samples roughly 4,000 public water wells serving disadvantaged communities across California. Results from the samples are being used to better understand poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), also known as forever chemicals. A sample in a well in Live Oak came back with a presence of them. PFAS are found in many common household items from make up to cookware. Now they’re making their way into our water supply. … ” Read more from CBS Sacramento.
BAY AREA
Two more storms headed to Bay Area in wake of intense system that triggered tornado
“It’s calm after the storm—but it won’t last long. Following an extremely active day of weather, temperatures are expected to drop into the 30s and 40s overnight, prompting a Frost Advisory for the North Bay and elevated areas of the East and South Bays. Then, two storm systems are expected to impact the Bay Area next week. The atmosphere has essentially reset after the passage of this morning’s strong storm system. Clear skies and light, variable winds overnight will create ideal conditions for cold temperatures across the region. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
‘We cannot wait much longer’: King tides foreshadow a far wetter future for SF shoreline
“Every time waves from king tides crash against San Francisco’s hard city edge like they did Friday, officials brace for flooding along the Embarcadero southeast of the Ferry Building. It’s a reminder that as baseline sea levels continue to rise, future floodwaters could inundate a vital part of the city’s transportation infrastructure: commuter rail lines. The city is working on two solutions to cure its bayside flooding woes. The first is a shorter-term plan to raise the shoreline and use deployable temporary infrastructure (PDF) to block water from getting into the train system. The second would take decades: rebuilding a vulnerable stretch of San Francisco’s seawall and raising structures like the Ferry Building. Elaine Forbes, executive director of the Port of San Francisco, said king tides have worsened over the past decade. That makes the flood-resiliency work especially urgent. … ” Read more from KQED.
Valley Water may step back from flood-control efforts around creek
“Citing governance concerns and financial uncertainty, Valley Water is reconsidering its participation in a regional effort to improve flood control around the San Francisquito Creek in Palo Alto, Menlo Park and East Palo Alto. The Santa Clara County water agency is one of five partners in the San Francisquito Creek Joint Powers Authority, which was established a year after the devastating 1998 flood with the goal of bolstering protection around the volatile creek. Since then, it has played an outsized role in funding creek projects, including the “Reach 1” effort that reconfigured levees and widened the channel in the downstream area, near East Palo Alto and U.S. Highway 101. Valley Water contributed about $50.1 million toward that project, according to its staff. … ” Read more from Palo Alto Online.+
How a surprising San Jose spot became a last refuge for the Bay Area’s burrowing owl population
“Near the huge sewage plant that treats San Jose’s wastewater at the southeast tip of the San Francisco Bay, wildlife biologist Phillip Higgins peers through binoculars. A powerline hums in the background while he scours the ankle-high grass ahead for signs of life. In less than a minute, he spots what he is looking for — a small head with large yellow eyes is poking out of a buried pipe. This is a burrowing owl, less than a foot tall and weighing just ounces. Higgins indicates that if we approach, it will surely fly away. As one of the Bay Area’s most imperiled birds, the owl has every reason to be skittish. Sandwiched between office buildings and the sewage plant, this 200-acre slice of land is home to some of the last burrowing owls in the Bay Area. They were once common, but urbanization has paved over most of their grassland habitat. In October, the state designated the owls as a candidate for protection under the California Endangered Species Act. … ” Read more from the San Jose Mercury News.
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
Local salmon, trout get a new home for Christmas
“Construction of the Tuolumne River Mainstem Channel Restoration project, which aims to provide healthy habitat in which fish can thrive, was completed this week by partners Turlock Irrigation District, Modesto Irrigation District and the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission. The three utilities 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, which is expected to result in a five-fold increase of trout and salmon habitat about 1.5 miles 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 Turlock Journal.
SEE ALSO: Tuolumne River partners complete habitat restoration project, press release from the SFPUC
Recount in Fresno County ends with a one-vote victory for water district incumbent
“Frank Zonneveld, the incumbent board president of Laguna Irrigation District will retain his seat after a hotly contested race that ended with a dramatic flourish. The race initially ended in a tie of 101-101, what would have been Fresno County’s first tied race in 25 years. A recount sought by challenger Wes Harmon was abruptly halted Tuesday with one ballot outstanding. There was reason to believe it had been double counted, according to observers. But once the recount requestor asked for a halt, the race would have remained tied unless another voter in the district asked to restart the recount. That voter was Andrew Zonneveld, Frank Zonneveld’s son. … ” Read more from SJV Water.
Hearing on battle over fees to fund groundwater measures in Madera County postponed
“A hearing in the lawsuit over groundwater agency fees in Madera County has been postponed until Feb. 27, 2025. It had been scheduled to start Tuesday, Dec. 17. The lawsuit was filed two years ago by a group of farmers over land assessment fees – some as high as $246 per acre – meant to fund measures to address the region’s groundwater overdraft. The fees were assessed by the Madera County Groundwater Sustainability Agency (GSA) to implement land fallowing, recharge and other programs to bring the aquifer into balance as mandated by the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA). Farmers felt the fees were unfair and won an injunction that stymied the fees until the lawsuit is decided. The county believes fees should be paid regardless. The county’s attorney Kyle Brochard called the farmer’s suit “flawed from the start,” in an email. “Those flaws were pointed out in the beginning and were not fixed, and now cannot be fixed.” … ” Read more from SJV Water.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
How recent wildfires have primed Malibu and the Santa Monica Mountains for more frequent blazes
“A red glow illuminated the valley behind the Brunel family’s Malibu home around 11 p.m. Monday. The fierce Santa Ana winds blowing dry desert air over the mountains and out to sea had already triggered public safety power shutoffs. The family, whose previous home was destroyed by the 2018 Woolsey fire, knew it was a bad sign. They started packing and turned on their water sprinklers. By 1 a.m. they were driving to Pepperdine University as flames raced along Malibu Canyon and up toward their home. Pepperdine buzzed with life as some students evacuated and others hunkered down in the school’s library. The fire quickly blew through the Brunels’ neighborhood and reached campus. Two hours later, it had all passed. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
Where you live in LA can mean more ‘forever chemicals’ in your blood
“There’s new evidence that your environment can play a significant role in how much you’re exposed to “forever chemicals,” a nickname for a group of harmful human-made substances that end up in your blood and are nearly impossible to get rid of. University of Southern California researchers found in a study that some Angelenos, who lived near or too far from certain neighborhood factors, had a higher presence of chemicals in their bloodstream. Talk of “forever chemicals,” officially known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), is usually focused on our tap water supply. But these globally-used chemicals are in tons of consumer products, including grease-resistant food packaging, nonstick cookware, and waterproof clothing. … ” Read more from the LAist.
EPA Region 9 expands NPDES stormwater regulation for two watersheds in Los Angeles County
“The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 9 published a new rule requiring privately-owned commercial, industrial, and institutional (CII) sites with five or more acres of impermeable surfaces that discharge into the Los Cerritos Channel/Alamitos Bay and Dominguez Channel and Los Angeles/Long Beach Inner Harbor watersheds to obtain a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit. Region 9’s rule follows Region 1’s proposed rule and draft General Permit regulating stormwater discharge for CII properties with one or more acres of impervious surface across three watersheds in Massachusetts. EPA using its residual designation authority to regulate additional stormwater discharges may create a roadmap for EPA expanding NPDES permitting requirements to CII sites in other watersheds in California and the United States. … ” Read more from Hanson Bridgett.
IMPERIAL/COACHELLA VALLEYS
Coachella Valley Water District OKs $39M grant from feds to treat sewage to irrigate local fields. Will rates go up?
“A major project that would pipe highly treated sewage to farm fields with the help of federal dollars could also mean higher water bills for most of the Coachella Valley. Coachella Valley Water District’s board voted 4-0 this week to accept $39 million in Inflation Reduction Act funds from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation to build an advanced treatment plant to create a million gallons per day of recycled water. Three growers have told district personnel they’d be willing to use the water on about 400 acres total, instead of part of their Colorado River allotments, to help prop up supply in the drought-stressed Lake Mead reservoir that serves major cities and farms fields across the Southwest. … ” Read more from the Desert Sun. | Read via Yahoo News.
SAN DIEGO
Poway, Ramona to study feasibility of sharing water resources
“Ramona Municipal Water District and the city of Poway have entered into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to look at the feasibility of sharing water resources. Poway has been looking to diversify its water resources for the past 30 years, but the city is at a point where it needs to develop this. In 2019, backed-up storm drains contaminated the drinking water, leading to Poway’s first-ever boil water advisory. Eric Heidemann, Poway’s director of public works, said that event paved the way for the current MOU. “It was born out of that, but (what’s) really important to know is that about four or five months before that event happened, we had sent a letter to the San Diego County Water Authority initiating conversations to get this project going,” he said. … ” Read more from KPBS.
Dredging OK’d for Carlsbad lagoon will add sand to nearby beaches
“The California Coastal Commission has approved two additional rounds of dredging for Carlsbad’s Agua Hedionda Lagoon, one to be completed this winter and another in the 2027-28 season. The outer basin of the lagoon just south of Tamarack Avenue has been dredged periodically since the mid-1950s, first to supply a reliable source of seawater for the Encina power plant, and now for the seawater desalination plant that operates at the lagoon’s edge. Sand dredged from the lagoon is used to widen three different sections of the nearby Carlsbad State Beach, from about Pine Avenue to below the southern edge of the lagoon near the end of Cannon Road. The lagoon was last dredged in the winter of 2020-21, when about 300,000 cubic yards of sand were removed and piped onto the beach. This winter’s operation is expected to produce at least 400,000 cubic yards of material. … ” Read more from the San Diego Union-Tribune.
Along the Colorado River …
After ‘once-in-a-generation’ funding helped save Colorado River water, an uncertain future for conservation
“Where the farm fields meet the desert in Southern California’s Imperial Valley, farmer John Hawk looks out over a sea of green. “It really is an emerald gem that we have,” he said. “With the water, we can do miracles.” The Imperial Irrigation District uses more water from the Colorado River than any other single entity – farm district, city, or otherwise – from Wyoming to Mexico. As climate change shrinks the river’s supplies, its biggest users are facing increasing pressure to cut back on their demand. “Do we need to conserve? Absolutely,” Hawk told KUNC in 2023. “We need to conserve, but we need to be paid for the conservation.” … ” Read more from KUNC.
Navajo Nation campaigns for ‘consensus’ to ratify historic water settlement before Congress adjourns
“Following last week’s annual conference of Colorado River water users, the seven basin states are preparing for a second Trump term, and there’s still unfinished business on Capitol Hill. Arizona has already signed a historic $5 billion Indian water rights settlement with three federally recognized tribes, but neighboring states and Congress still need to ratify the deal before this session adjourns — otherwise negotiations will have to begin anew. Stakeholders still aren’t seeing eye-to-eye on Arizona’s agreement — the Northeastern Arizona Indian Water Rights Settlement — despite the fact the Navajo Nation and their allies aggressively advocated for it during the Colorado River Water Users Association conference in Las Vegas. A coordinated campaign ensued. … ” Read more from KJZZ.
SEE ALSO: A historic water rights settlement will finally bring water to the Navajo Nation, from NPR
In national water news this weekend …
Floods, insufficient water, sinking river deltas: hydrologists map changing river landscapes
“A new study in Science by researchers from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and University of Cincinnati has mapped 35 years of river changes on a global scale for the first time. The work has revealed that 44% of the largest, downstream rivers saw a decrease in how much water flows through them every year, while 17% of the smallest upstream rivers saw increases. These changes have implications for flooding, ecosystem disruption, hydropower development interference and insufficient freshwater supplies. Previous attempts to quantify changes in rivers over time have only looked at specific outlet reaches or a rear basin part of a river, explains Dongmei Feng, lead author, assistant professor at the University of Cincinnati and former research assistant professor in the Fluvial@UMass lab run by the paper’s co-author Colin Gleason, Armstrong Professional Development Professor of civil and environmental engineering at UMass Amherst. … ” Read more from Smart Water Magazine.
Also on Maven’s Notebook this weekend …
NOTICE of Revised U.S. EPA Selenium Water Quality Criteria for California
NOTICE: Extension of Written Comment Period for Draft Sacramento/Delta Updates to Bay-Delta Plan and January 23 Workshop Participation Update
NOTICE: Public Staff Workshop: Proposed Urban Stormwater Infiltration Policy
NOW AVAILABLE: CA Water Commission’s Five Year Strategic Plan
