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In California water news today …
Too wet and too dry: The crazy north-south gap in California’s rain
“A remarkably wet kickoff to Northern California’s rainy season has coincided with a desperately dry fall in Southern California — a huge disparity, perhaps unprecedented, between the haves and have-nots of rainfall. Los Angeles usually gets several inches of rain by now, halfway into the rainy season, but it’s only recorded a fifth of an inch downtown since July, its second driest period in almost 150 years of record-keeping. The rest of Southern California is just as bone-dry. At the same time, much of the northern third of the state has weathered nearly two months of storms, flooding and even tornadoes. Santa Rosa, north of San Francisco, has received more rain than nearly any other city in California — nearly two times its average rainfall to date. At the city’s airport, almost 7 inches fell on Nov. 20 alone, an all-time daily record. Northern California is always wetter than the semi-arid southern half. But the scale of the north-south gap that has persisted for several months has stunned experts. … ” Read more from Cal Matters.
Lack of water from hydrants in Palisades fire is hurting firefighting efforts, reports say
“As fires raged across Los Angeles on Tuesday, some firefighters battling the Palisades fire reported on internal radio systems that hydrants in Pacific Palisades were coming up dry. “The hydrants are down,” said one firefighter. “Water supply just dropped,” said another. L.A. developer Rick Caruso, who owns Palisades Village in the heart of the Westside neighborhood, told The Times he was receiving similar reports from his staff at the shopping center. “There’s no water in the fire hydrants,” Caruso said. “The firefighters are there [in the neighborhood], and there’s nothing they can do — we’ve got neighborhoods burning, homes burning, and businesses burning. … It should never happen.” … ” Read more from the LA Times. | Read via AOL News.
SEE ALSO:
- Firefighters running out of water as fires tear through Los Angeles, from the New York Post
- Powerful Santa Ana winds intensify fast-moving wildfires in Southern California, from AccuWeather
- Thousands flee, homes destroyed as several Southern California wildfires rage out of control, from AccuWeather
The benefits and challenges of desalination
“Communities are expanding their water supply portfolios to address water scarcity driven by population growth, extreme weather, droughts, and urbanization. As freshwater limitations increase, the demand for brackish and seawater desalination is expected to rise. However, significant hurdles — such as high costs due to energy demands and environmental concerns — hinder the widespread adoption of desalination.Based on lessons learned from desalination projects over the last decade, including the Aqaba-Amman Water Desalination and Conveyance Project in Jordan, CDM Smith has developed a road map from concept through procurement. We identified five major steps in this road map … ” Continue reading from Water Online.
The queen of forages still rules the river
“Alfalfa has a lot of impressive features when it comes to water usage. And despite being a major water user, alfalfa is also a major food producer. At least, that is how Dan Putnam defended the number one field crop in the Golden State against claims of water overconsumption at the California Alfalfa & Forage Symposium last month in Sparks, Nev. At the symposium, Putnam explained alfalfa’s value as a productive and flexible water consumer. The extension professor emeritus with the University of California, Davis, contended that deficit irrigation — not fallowing or eliminating alfalfa stands — may be the best tool to address the water crisis in regions where robust forage production occurs in the West and water availability is highly variable. … ” Read more from Hay and Forage.
California’s biggest reservoir has best January start in at least 15 years
“California’s Lake Shasta had its best January start in at least 15 years, according to water levels recorded there last week. Newsweek reached out by email to the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, which manages the lake, for comment. Lake Shasta is the state’s largest reservoir, and its water levels saw a monthslong decline that began in June 2024, which is typical of the season. Multiple atmospheric rivers supplemented the Northern California lake in late November and December, contributing to a steep jump in water levels that had the lake starting the year strong on January 1. In the summer of 2022, many California reservoirs reached very low levels amid a yearslong drought. Water levels recovered significantly that winter and the following years. Lake Shasta nearly reached capacity in the late spring of 2023 and 2024. … ” Read more from Newsweek.
Full reservoirs and drought
“The recently released drought map from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA) looks like another looming crisis, which is red meat for journalists. The data made available by the U.S. Drought monitor on January 1 highlights areas categorized as “abnormally dry” or in “moderate drought.” However, a closer look at other data from the California Data Exchange Center (CDEC) presents a contrasting perspective, showing that 14 of the state’s 17 largest reservoirs are currently at or above year-to-date historical averages. Most are at 70 percent or more of their full capacity and precipitation levels are only slightly below average for this time of year. This raises important questions about how “drought” conditions are assessed and interpreted. … ” Read more from the California Farm Water Coalition.
California adopts permanent water rationing
“California implemented permanent water rationing for urban water users on January 1. The California State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) designed the regulations, which will affect about 405 water providers serving about 95 percent of the state’s population. These providers in turn will need to determine how to meet their SWRCB quotas. The stringency of the rationing varies across locations. Newsweek reports estimated water delivery reductions of 92 percent for the City of Vernon, 58 percent for the City of Atwater, and 43 percent for the City of Glendora by 2040. It also reports that by 2040, about 36 percent of water suppliers will need to cut water delivery by an estimated 10 percent or more. About 31 percent of suppliers are estimated to avoid any cuts by 2040. Fines for noncompliance could reach $10,000 per day, though compliance apparently won’t be enforced until 2027. … ” Read more from the Hoover Institute.
Floating classroom program highlights chinook salmon lifecycle and Feather River research
“During the autumn months, the Feather River in Oroville is home to adult Chinook salmon that have returned to their natural spawning grounds to complete their lifecycle and start the next generation. This infusion of thousands of salmon offers a prime opportunity for public education, with classes held on the river instead of within the four walls of a school. Through the Department of Water Resources’ (DWR) Feather River Floating Classroom Program, people of all ages are learning about the salmon lifecycle and critical ongoing conservation efforts and research in the Feather River. Developed by environmental scientists within DWR’s Division of Integrated Science and Engineering (DISE), the Feather River Floating Classroom Program has held various forms over the last decade. For many years public tours were offered solely during the City of Oroville’s Salmon Festival, celebrating the return of Chinook salmon. With the program’s growing popularity, DWR is now supporting dozens of free tours for local schools and public members during the fall spawning season. … ” Read more from DWR News.
DELTA COUNCIL: Tackling Delta CHABs: A community-driven monitoring strategy
“Cyanobacteria harmful algal blooms (CHABs) have long been a persistent water quality issue in the Delta, affecting ecosystems and public health for decades. Despite numerous studies highlighting their impacts, the Delta lacks a formal regulatory framework for monitoring CHABs. The Delta CHABs Monitoring Strategy was developed to fill this critical gap, driven by input from the science community and a public workshop held in Fall 2022. The Delta CHAB strategy establishes a community-informed approach to better manage CHABs in the Delta. Its key objectives include coordinating the collection of priority data, developing collaborative approaches to sharing data, and implementing effective mitigation techniques. By aligning scientific expertise with community involvement, the Delta CHABs Monitoring Strategy aims to advance both understanding and management of these harmful blooms. … ” Read more from Maven’s Notebook.
Breaking down how ‘forever chemicals’ got into our water
“A group of synthetic chemicals known as “PFAS” are more commonly known as “forever chemicals” because they are difficult to break down in the environment. They are found in everyday products like non-stick pans and waterproof clothing. But they are also posing health risks. Today, we speak with Hannah Norman, a reporter with KFF Health News, about how the chemicals are being detected in an unexpected place.
Weather whiplash in the Sierra-Cascade and the need to accelerate resilience
“Winter began in earnest when an atmospheric river drenched Northern California with record breaking rainfall totals and dropped a thick blanket of snow on the Sierra-Cascade at the end of November 2024. This historic storm followed another record-breaking weather event in 2024—California’s hottest summer ever recorded. Although it’s too early to know if this year’s winter will bring more record-breaking storms, the fast transition from one extreme weather event to another, known as weather whiplash, is an increasing pattern seen throughout the state. The burst in vegetation growth from a wet 2024 spring quickly dried out during the heatwaves that followed in June and July. Once the Park Fire ignited, it was able to spread rapidly through the fuel load, making it the fourth largest wildfire in the state’s recorded history. For the Sierra-Cascade Region, the record-breaking heat is one of many extreme weather events that have defined the past decade. … ” Read more from the Sierra Nevada Conservancy.
Rising to California’s water challenges in 2025
“It’s a new year, and the state and federal legislatures are welcoming a slew of fresh faces to their storied halls. As the next crop of public servants finds its footing in Sacramento and Washington DC, now’s the time to take stock of the most important water issues facing California in 2025. And the biggest issue in 2024 will very likely persist in 2025 and beyond: heat. It’s no secret that temperatures are rising across the globe. Here in California, we’re feeling the impacts in our water system. Climate whiplash—the swing between extreme droughts and extreme floods—is increasing, snowpack is diminishing, and wildfires are growing ever more severe. All of this is impacting the state’s people, farms, ecosystems, and vast water grid, which supplies water to the majority of the state’s nearly 40 million residents. But Californians are nothing if not innovative and resilient. While Californians have work to do on climate adaptation, we’ve already made real progress in several key areas … ” Read more from the PPIC.
Cloud seeding might not be as effective as once believed, report reveals
“Cloud seeding is an idea that’s often thrown around as a solution to our state’s drought, but manipulating the weather to make it rain might not be as effective as once thought. A nonpartisan government agency recently completed a report on cloud seeding, and they found the science may not be as promising as the hype. Cloud seeding is the process of sending tiny particles, like salt or Silver iodide, into a cloud, which encourages it to rain and snow even more than it would have originally. Cloud seeding is nothing new. It’s been around since the 1940s. “There’s peer reviewed literature that is available that has shown that cloud seeding can work. Now the ability of it to always work, that’s another question,” said University of Arizona professor of Atmospheric Science Armin Sorooshian. … ” Read more from Arizona Family.
New report: A framework for permitting innovation in the wastewater sector
“This report, A Framework for Permitting Innovation in the Wastewater Sector, marks the culmination of over a decade of research and engagement on innovation in the water sector. It also marks the beginning of an effort to move the concepts we have developed into practice in this sector, and to apply them in other contexts. In some ways, this report can be summarized in two main results: First, despite reports about permitting as a barrier to innovation, there is little desire among utility managers for relief from stringent permit terms. Rather, the permitting process itself is identified as the primary challenge to initiating innovative projects in a timely manner. Second, there is a clear path forward to improving this process. The clear, research-based framework presented in this report highlights the ingredients for a recipe that has been used with success in many places, and a successful recipe, which we believe can be replicated across the nation. … ” Continue reading from UC Berkeley Law.
Extracting precious resources from wastewater
“To find chemical engineering problems to solve, William Tarpeh uses a simple formula. “Name a wastewater, either where it comes from or something about it. Name a pollutant you want to get rid of, and then name a product you’d be interested in making,” said Tarpeh, an assistant professor of chemical engineering in the Stanford School of Engineering. This combination has fueled Tarpeh’s interests since he was a Stanford undergraduate. Now, it shapes his vision for finding innovative ways to extract value from wastewater, including new research that involves designing and refining ways to reclaim ammonia from nitrate-contaminated wastewater streams. … ” Read more from Palo Alto Online.
Biden-Harris administration announces $41 million investment in water resources and ecosystem health
“The Department of the Interior today announced a more than $41 million investment from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for 21 projects to bolster water resources, advance ecosystem health, and support resilience in communities facing drought and other climate change impacts. The projects will support instream and riparian restoration, canal lining and piping, fish habitat improvements and fish passage. This follows a $51 million investment for Environmental Water Resource Projects through the same program in 2023. “Nature is our best ally in the fight against climate change and through President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, we have transformational resources to advance locally led, partnership driven projects like these that will catalyze nature-based solutions and build resilient communities and landscapes,” said Secretary Deb Haaland. “These collaborative projects will enhance watershed health and conservation throughout the country.” … ” Read more from the Bureau of Reclamation.
US FWS awards $3 million to protect and restore coastal wetlands in California
“Today, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is awarding $3 million to support three projects in California under the National Coastal Wetlands Conservation Grant Program. Coastal wetlands are vitally important in protecting us from floods, filtering our water, supporting recreation and local economies, and providing habitat for fish and wildlife. Despite their importance, there has been a steady loss of coastal wetlands, and California is no exception. Nationwide, the Service is awarding $25.7 million to support 28 projects in 11 coastal states, which will restore or enhance over 10,000 acres of coastal wetlands and adjacent upland habitats and more than eight miles of streams and shoreline. State, local and Tribal governments, private landowners, conservation groups and other partners will contribute $16.8 million in additional funds to support these projects nationwide. “Conserving coastal wetlands is essential for supporting ecosystems that protect wildlife and our communities from climate change impacts,” said Service Director Martha Williams. “Wetlands provide critical habitat for countless species of wildlife and birds while also increasing our resilience to floods and storms. Through these grants, we prioritize the conservation of these important areas and help create a healthier environment for future generations, ensuring that nature and local communities can thrive together.” … ” Read more from the US Fish and Wildlife Service.
Biden’s parting gift to Northern California: A new national monument in the remains of an ancient volcano
“The Medicine Lake Highlands in Northern California, near towering Mount Shasta, has a long and storied past. Its distinct lakes, lava beds and underground labyrinths rose from the blasts of what is the largest volcano, by volume, in the Cascade Range. The striking landscape has since drawn countless Native Americans seeking its professed healing powers. It has served as training grounds for NASA moon missions. It has sustained aquifers that help supply water to millions. On Tuesday, the site made new history with its designation by President Joe Biden as the 224,000-acre Sáttítla Highlands National Monument. The designation recognizes this remote, mostly wooded area in Siskiyou and Modoc counties, about 350 miles north of San Francisco, as federally significant and brings protections to ensure its safekeeping. The classification also means more Americans coming to visit. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
Biden establishes 2 new national monuments in California, as part of final big environmental push
“President Biden on Tuesday established two new national monuments in California, the latest in a flurry of major environmental initiatives affecting the Golden State as his presidency comes to a close. Biden designated the Chuckwalla National Monument in Southern California, south of Joshua Tree National Park, and the Sáttítla Highlands National Monument in Northern California, east of Mount Shasta near the Oregon border. Chuckwalla is 624,000 acres of federal land, mostly overseen by the Bureau of Land Management where the Colorado and Mojave Deserts come together in a mix of scenic mountains and canyons that is home to bighorn sheep, desert tortoises and chuckwalla lizards. Sáttítla is 224,000 acres of national forest land in the remote landscapes of Siskiyou and Modoc counties, a landscape rich with bald eagles, black bears and salmon. Together, the two areas are larger than Yosemite National Park. … ” Read more from the San Jose Mercury News.
In commentary today …
Opinion: It’s good to be a California beaver. Again.
Leila Philip, author of “Beaverland: How One Weird Rodent Made America, writes, “For the first time in 200 years it’s great to be a beaver in California. In a show of unanimous bipartisan support, the state Legislature voted this summer to pass Assembly Bill 2196, which codifies the state’s Beaver Restoration Program at the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. The law gives the program, which implements beaver-assisted environmental projects, protection from state budget cuts and political upheaval, and it stands as a rebuke to the Supreme Court’s devastating ruling in 2023 that removed up to 70% of the nation’s waterways and wetlands from Clean Water Act protections. California environmental activists, biologists and Indian tribes have been advocating for beavers for more than two decades, launching an extensive education campaign that included having to convince authorities that beavers are a native species throughout the state. Now the restoration effort will add to California’s “30×30” goals — the national effort to set aside and protect 30% of U.S. lands and coastal waters by 2030. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
H.B. 7938 signed into law, protects Klamath Project water users
“Oregon U.S. Congressman Cliff Bentz announcing a law protecting Klamath water users from costs related to certain dam removals has gotten the president’s signature. The bill, HR 7938, passed the U.S. House and Senate late last year and was penned into law by President Biden on January 4th. The now law directs the Bureau of Reclamation to operate the Link River and Keno dams without imposing any costs upon water users. Congressman Bentz called it a just result for farmers and ranchers who have sustained Klamath communities for the past century, emphasizing that promises made by the bureau when it took control of the dams more than ten years ago must be kept. … ” Read more from KOBI 5.
Rep. Huffman secures $3 million for Weaver Creek habitat restoration implementation
“Today, U.S. Representative Jared Huffman (CA-02) announced that he secured $3 million in federal funding for the Yurok Tribe Fisheries Department for habitat restoration along Weaver Creek in California’s 2nd District. Funds for this grant were awarded through the Bureau of Reclamation’s WaterSMART program.The Yurok Tribe Fisheries Department will create instream habitat and develop new floodplain areas along the upper section of Weaver Creek, a tributary to the Trinity River. The project will control the spread of invasive plant species, establish habitat connectivity during summertime baseflow conditions, and support populations of threatened Coho Salmon. … ” Read more from Congressman Jared Huffman.
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
Sierra Nevada Conservancy-funded fuel treatments protected Butte County communities from Park Fire
“The 2024 Park Fire burned over 450,000 acres and destroyed more than 700 structures. It was both the largest and most destructive wildfire in California in 2024. The Sierra Nevada Conservancy (SNC) has supported a network of fuel breaks constructed around Butte County communities that helped to prevent even more tragic results. … This area of the Sierra-Cascade, Butte County and the surrounding region, has endured multiple large, damaging, and deadly fires in recent years, beginning with the tragic 2018 Camp Fire. Thus, in the early hours of the Park Fire, many feared the worst—more towns and lives would once again be lost in a part of California that has already suffered so much. But the worst-case scenario was avoided, and did not materialize. … ” Read more from the Sierra Nevada Conservancy.
Yuba receives $35 million grant for Plumas Lake work
“Yuba County Tuesday was awarded $35.5 million from the federal government to extend Plumas Lake Boulevard east over Highway 70, the Union Pacific Railroad, and a drainage canal, and to connect Highway 70 directly with the new “Sports and Entertainment Zone” at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Sacramento at Fire Mountain property. The project will eliminate the need for concert and other tourist traffic to detour through Plumas Lake local roads to get to the casino and the surrounding property. It will also allow for a future North Valley Rail Stop that will extend passenger rail service from Natomas to Plumas Lake, Yuba City, Gridley, and Chico, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. … ” Read more from the Appeal Democrat.
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
Board member criticizes unfinished Keswick Dam projects for environmental harm
“Board Members Jason Thatcher for the Nor-Cal Guides and Sportsmen’s Association says the board has noticed an increase of sediment in the Sacramento River by the Keswick Dam area. Thatcher said the increase in sediment is due to the Bureau of Reclamation’s gravel augmentation programs. The gravel augmentation projects are meant to reverse damage to spawning nearby habitats in the river originally caused by dam operations. Thatcher said that he understands the benefit of habitat restoration projects. However, in the Keswick dam scenario, the area was left unfinished, which he says is even worse for the environment. There appears to be spilled oil and fuel that will runoff into the rivers, as well as many tires. … ” Read more from KRCR.
Anderson Cottonwood Irrigation District may sign a new federal drought protection agreement
“The traumatic memory of California’s devastating 2022 drought is back on the minds of Shasta County irrigators. Members of the Board of the Anderson-Cottonwood Irrigation District (ACID) told water users a few weeks ago that they’ll decide in January whether to sign a federal Drought Protection Program (DPP) agreement that would reduce ACID’s water rights in “critically dry” years while providing funds for infrastructure improvements. On the evening of December 19, water users and ACID Board members filled a spacious veterans’ hall in Anderson to hear about the DPP from four professionals who work in different aspects of irrigation. Those experts included the Oroville–based water rights attorney who represents ACID, Dustin Cooper; the Executive Director of the Sacramento River Settlement Contractors (SRSC), Thaddeus Bettner; a drought operations engineer named Anne Williams; and the ACID’s current General Manager, Daniel Ruiz. … ” Read more from the Shasta Scout.
CDFW returns Sacramento perch to namesake city, county for urban fishing opportunity
“The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) has returned California’s only native sunfish – the Sacramento perch – to its namesake city and county, recently stocking 3,000 mostly juvenile fish into a pond at Granite Regional Park to create a unique urban fishing opportunity. Granite Regional Park is already part of CDFW’s Fishing in the City Program and receives regular stockings of rainbow trout in the winter and channel catfish in the summer to provide fishing opportunities for urban and suburban residents. While those stockings will continue, Sacramento perch could complement those offerings with a year-round fishery at the small, former quarry pond surrounded by office buildings, soccer fields and parking lots. “It’s an experimental, pilot effort,” said Max Fish, a Senior Environmental Scientist within CDFW’s Fisheries Branch. “We’re trying to assess whether the fish do well in the pond first and foremost and, if so, whether anglers enjoy this unique experience to interact with a heritage fish being brought back to the Sacramento area for the first time in many decades.” … ” Read more from the Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Salmon success in river
“Within weeks following completion of a $1.7-million Water Forum project in October, giant Chinook were spawning in new gravel beds. The 2024 effort to aid the endangered species centered on River Bend Park (Rancho Cordova) and William B. Pond Park (Carmichael). The work augmented salmon breeding habitat with thousands of tons of clean gravel. A deepened and reconnected side channel also created rearing havens for baby salmonids. Following similar projects over 16 years, the latest restoration impacted eight American River acres. At the peak of the recent salmon run, biologists counted almost 40 new redds (nests) in previously unhospitable areas. Female salmon were using muscular tails to dig cradles when this reporter joined survey biologists. Following the Chinook migration, steelhead and Pacific lamprey will reproduce in the same spots. … ” Read more from the Carmichael Times.
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
The Central Valley is sinking at record rates. Researchers propose these solutions
“The land beneath the Central Valley has been sinking since the 1920s. New research from Stanford University shows that the sinking, known as “subsidence,” is continuing at a record-breaking pace. Today, we speak with Drs. Rosemary Knight and Matthew Lees. They discuss their new research and what they say are solutions to reverse land sinking. ”
Kings County Board of Supervisors opts to keep current chair in light of water troubles
“It was Kings County Supervisor Rusty Robinson’s turn to preside over board meetings as chair this year, but he declined, leaving the job to Supervisor Doug Verboon. This would be Verboon’s second consecutive year as chair – the first time in 17 years a supervisor was chosen to lead twice in a row. Supervisor Joe Neves said the last time that happened was in 2007-08 when Neves was selected twice for the chair position. “Thank you for the vote of confidence,” Verboon said to his colleagues, who unanimously voted for him. Robinson’s motive? To keep Verboon, who is also a farmer, in charge while the Tulare Lake groundwater subbasin, which covers most of Kings County, faces scrutiny from the state. … ” Read more from SJV Water.
Corcoran Irrigation District to use $15 million federal grant to conserve water
“Corcoran Irrigation District won a $15-million federal grant for water conservation but is still working out the details for how to spend that money. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the grant award in August 2024, as part of a larger program to invest $400 million to address drought across the west. That money is intended to help 18 water districts, including Corcoran, invest in water-saving technologies, according to a news release sent out at the time. The goal is to “conserve up to 50,000 acre-feet in water use across 250,000 acres of irrigated land in production, while expanding and creating new, sustainable market opportunities,” according to the news release. But the details are still vague. … ” Read more from SJV Water.
Return of 14,000 acres of ancestral Tule River Tribe lands to conserve huge swath of diverse habitat and preserve Deer Creek headwaters
“A former cattle ranch in the southern Sierra Nevada foothills with proximity to the headwaters of Deer Creek is one step closer to being conserved thanks to a $2.4 million grant and collaborative efforts between the Tule River Indian Tribe, California Natural Resources Agency and the Wildlife Conservation Board. The Hershey Ranch, in southeastern Tulare County, is a stunning swath of more than 14,000 acres of blue oak woodlands that conservationists deemed a “must conserve” property years ago because of its varied qualities, key among them its Deer Creek watershed and the riparian habitat of rolling hills and savannahs. Deer Creek is one of the few remaining undammed waterways in the state, said Logan Robertson Huecker, executive director of Sequoia Riverlands Trust, a nonprofit based in Visalia that submitted a letter in support of the project. … ” Read more from SJV Water.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
This week’s unholy mix of drought, wind, and fire in Southern California
“A prolonged, top-end bout of damaging winds will hit parts of Southern California from Tuesday to Thursday, January 6-8. The winds themselves could bring serious havoc, knocking down trees, limbs, and power lines. An even bigger worry is fire: the fierce gusts will scrub a landscape parched by one of the driest starts to the water year in Southern California history, so any wildfire that gains traction could be devastating. As of midday Tuesday, gusts of 84 mph had already been recorded on Magic Mountain, just north of the San Fernando Valley, and 50 to 70 mph gusts were already becoming widespread. A fast-moving fire had erupted by late morning above Pacific Palisades, quickly growing to 200 acres before noon PST. … ” Read more from Yale Climate Connections.
SAN DIEGO
New research on dangers of toxic sewage flowing into Tijuana River Valley
“They want the governor and president to declare a state of emergency. They want someone to look at the mounting evidence of a growing public health crisis. They want someone to stop the flow of toxic sewage into the Tijuana River Valley in San Diego County. “You just see it just flowing through, and it’s nasty,” exclaimed Clayton Howard. “It’s sickening.” The Egger Highlands man lives a stone’s throw from Imperial Beach and the Tijuana River. For years, neighbors complained about the smell emanating from the river. Now, local university chemists are working on getting new research published, proving the air above and around the Tijuana River Valley is toxic. … ” Read more from Channel 7.
EPA rejects petition to investigate Tijuana River Valley for a superfund designation
“The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has denied a request to investigate the Tijuana River Valley for a superfund designation, a label issued to some of the most toxic places in the nation needing long-term cleanup. In a Jan. 3 letter to local elected officials, the federal agency said a site inspection of the river valley – the first step in a lengthy process that evaluates whether a site poses a threat to public health – was not warranted for several reasons. Among them was that concentrations of polluting substances previously found in the area did not exceed the EPA’s threshold for health concerns. The agency said its decision was based on “an extensive search and review of available data” and other information petitioners included in their request. … ” Read more from the San Diego Union-Tribune.
Along the Colorado River …
Solution to Arizona’s water crisis? Local researcher hopes so, sharing breakthrough in desalination technology
“Two years ago, Arizona state leaders were actively exploring the idea of a binational desalination plant that would bring water from the Sea of Cortez to the state. The plan, spearheaded by former Governor Doug Ducey, aimed to address the state’s growing water shortage. However, after facing backlash from water authorities and a lack of transparency, the project ultimately fell through. Later, Governor Katie Hobbs redirected funds away from long-term water supply projects, further pushing desalination off the table for the time being. Despite these setbacks, one local researcher has continued to push the boundaries of desalination technology and is hopeful that his breakthroughs could provide a solution to the ongoing water crisis in Arizona. Professor Mark Witten, a researcher at the University of Arizona, has spent the past 17 years finding ways to efficiently remove salt from seawater. … ” Read more from Channel 9.
What’s next after the failed effort to secure Colorado River Basin water rights for tribes in Arizona?
“Advocates of a deal to secure reliable water for thousands of tribal members in Arizona raced to win Congressional approval until the final hours of the session in December. They didn’t make it. “We just ran out of time to address all the issues,” said Tom Buschatzke, director of the Arizona Department of Water Resources and principal negotiator for the state on Colorado River matters. The proposed Northeastern Arizona Indian Water Rights Settlement Act aimed to secure water rights for Navajo, Hopi and San Juan Southern Paiute tribal members in northeastern Arizona and to give the San Juan Southern Paiute Tribe a reservation. The $5 billion deal failed because officials from around the Colorado River Basin, including Colorado, couldn’t resolve key questions and concerns in time to call a vote before Congress adjourned. The bill’s outcome was disappointing, Buschatzke said. … ” Read more from the Colorado Sun.
In national water news today …
Trump rails against ‘quagmire’ of enviro rules
“President-elect Donald Trump on Tuesday doubled down on his pledge to expedite environmental reviews for some companies as he blasted a “quagmire” of U.S. regulations. Speaking Tuesday at his Mar-a-Lago resort, the incoming president declared the “beginning of a great, beautiful, golden age of business” as he ticked off grievances about the environmental review process, electric heaters, water-conserving faucets and wind turbines. Trump also assailed a Biden administration move to ban drilling off most of the United States’ coastline and promised to “drill, baby, drill.” Trump’s wide-ranging energy remarks come as he prepares to return to the White House later this month and pursue his campaign-trail promises to eliminate the Biden administration’s environmental policies, expand domestic fossil fuel production and broadly slash government regulations. … ” Read more from E&E News.
New research reveals groundwater pathways across continent
“Researchers from Princeton University and the University of Arizona have created a simulation that maps underground water on a continental scale. The result of three years’ work studying groundwater from coast to coast, the findings plot the unseen path that each raindrop or melted snowflake takes before reemerging in freshwater streams, following water from land surface to depths far below and back up again, emerging up to 100 miles away, after spending from 10 to 100,000 years underground. The simulation, published Jan. 6 in the journal Nature Water, shows that rainfall and snowmelt flow much farther underground than previously understood and that more than half the water in streams and rivers originates from aquifers once thought to be so deep as to be walled off from streams. These unexpected findings have major implications for tracking pollution and predicting the effects of climate change on groundwater, which supplies half of all drinking water in the United States. … ” Read more from Princeton Engineering.
Bridging the water finance gap as climate impacts bite
“When it comes to corporate exposure to nature risk, water has to be the most salient. Agriculture uses 70% of the world’s freshwater, but it is also critically important to sectors ranging from textiles to pharmaceuticals and semiconductors. For many years companies took for granted that water would be available in sufficient quantities for whatever they wanted to do. That perception, however, has started to change as the impacts of climate change – from droughts to catastrophic floods to changes in rainfall patterns – start to make themselves felt on water supplies, infrastructure and business operations around the world. Water risks now feature prominently in the World Economic Forum’s annual Global Risks Report. … ” Read more from Reuters.
Severe cold spells may persist because of warming, not in spite of it
“Huge swaths of North America are facing subfreezing temperatures this week as cold Arctic air pushes southward. Paradoxically, such cold spells may persist or even become more common as the planet warms, scientists say. The polar jet stream, a slim band of westerly winds circling the Arctic, is formed where cold, northerly air meets warmer air to the south. But the Arctic is heating up nearly four times faster than the rest of the planet, narrowing this difference in temperature. The result, according to a recent review of scientific research, is a weaker, more meandering jet stream that allows frigid air to reach further south. Even as the planet is warming as a whole, “we are still seeing surprisingly severe cold spells that sometimes last for many days and invade regions unaccustomed to severe cold,” said coauthor Jennifer Francis, of the Woodwell Climate Research Center. … ” Read more from Yale e360.
