DAILY DIGEST, 1/22: Trump takes step to overhaul Delta water deliveries, kicks off potentially messy fight over Biden’s infrastructure money; Tulare County water managers work to hold off state pumping sanctions; Rain in the LA forecast; and more …


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On the calendar today …

  • MEETING: State Water Resources Control Board beginning at 9am.  Agenda items include Consideration of a proposed Resolution to amend the Administrator Policy Handbook to incorporate provisions pursuant to Assembly Bill 805 (2024) for the appointment of administrators to inadequate sewer services, and consideration of a proposed Resolution adopting the Water Quality Control Policy to Standardize Cost Reporting in Municipal Stormwater Permits.  Click here for the full agenda and remote access instructions.
  • MEETING: Delta Conservancy Board from 9am to 1pm.  Agenda items include updates on grant programs, the Delta Conservancy 2024 Annual Report, Update on the Lean Six Sigma Board Packet Preparation Project; and a Presentation on Delta Adapts: Creating a Climate Resilient Future.  Click here for more information.
  • IN-PERSON EVENT: Anaheim PFAS Treatment Plant: An OCWA Industry Insight from 11:30am to 1:00pm in Irvine.  The City of Anaheim, Anaheim Public Utilities (APU) operates 19 groundwater wells to meet approximately 75% of the City’s water demand. The remaining 25% is served with imported water from Metropolitan Water District.  To construct the needed PFAS treatment plants, APU utilized Design-Build for their Groundwater Treatment Plants (GWTP) Project. Construction of this Project enabled APU to accomplish three critical and time-sensitive goals: restore groundwater availability and reduce reliance on imported water, improve groundwater quality by removing PFAS contaminants to below the detection limit, and improve system operability and overall life cycle value.  As one of the largest, and potentially one of the more critical projects ongoing in the County today, this presentation will explore some of the most important issues facing us all.  Click here to register.
  • WEBINAR: Southern California Water Dialogue: Who Will Pay the Price for Climate Change? from 12pm to 1:30pm.  As we adapt to climate change, there are financial costs associated with changing infrastructure and making resiliency investments. Water Dialogue speakers will address proposed infrastructure updates, the costs, and what the costs might be if we don’t make such investments. They will also speak to the more philosophical issue of who pays during a drought. Do people pay through rate hikes, conservation mandates, or curtailment of agricultural diversions or is it the environment with reduced flow in rivers and loss of habitat? How do we strike the right balance and how can we best plan and prepare for these types of scenarios?  Click here to register.
  • WEBINAR: Evaluating the Efficacy of Nature-Based Solutions to Urban Water Challenges from 2pm to 3pm.  Featured speaker: Monica M. Palta, PhD, Assistant Cooperative Extension Specialist in Urban Water Quality, Health, and Justice.  As cities increasingly contend with water quality and quantity challenges exacerbated by the changes in weather patterns and extreme events resulting from climate change, urban planners, designers, policymakers, and environmental managers require information and tools that address these emerging concerns. Nature-based solutions (NBS) such as constructed or restored wetlands, forests, and bivalve (e.g., mussel) reefs have been increasingly implemented in urban areas to provide ecosystem services (flood mitigation, improved water quality, social benefits) and increase ecosystem resilience to extreme weather (e.g., extreme precipitation, heat waves).  However, these NBS have varying potential for providing significant benefit and can also render disservices, or harms. I will discuss the various empirical datasets and models I have used to examine the nature, extent, and balance of tradeoffs among services and disservices provided by NBS in urban watersheds in the northeastern and southwestern US.  My current and future work focuses on further exploring these biophysical and social contexts, as well as the role of NBS design and management, to more fully define the role and impact of NBS in cities.  Click here to register.
  • IN-PERSON EVENT: Darcy Lecture with Dr. Grant Ferguson: Living Fossils– Ancient Groundwaters in the Anthropocene from 6pm to 8pm in Berkeley.   This event is in partnership with the Berkeley Water Center, the Berkeley Center for Smart Infrastructure, and the Berkeley Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. The bulk of groundwater on Earth is fossil, having been recharged more than 12,000 years ago. Past definitions classified these waters as nonrenewable because the aquifer systems containing them are not replenished on human timescales. Scrutiny of this definition suggests that it is overly simplistic and may result in preventing access to groundwater to improve water security in some cases or while failing to prevent excessive depletion in others. In many aquifers, groundwater residence times are long because of their large storage volumes; there is no reason to believe that using groundwater from large aquifers is less sustainable than using groundwater from smaller aquifers if recharge rates have not varied appreciably over time.  Click here to register.

Trump’s executive orders …

Trump takes step to overhaul Delta water deliveries to farms, cities

A drone provides a view of water pumped from the Harvey O. Banks Delta Pumping Plant into the California Aqueduct at 9,790 cubic feet per second after January storms. Photo by DWR.

“President Donald Trump lost no time Monday in advancing his agenda for California’s water supply with a “presidential action” intended to send more Delta water south to millions of Southern Californians and San Joaquin Valley farms.  The memo calls on the Secretary of Commerce and the Secretary of the Interior to develop a new plan within 90 days “to route more water from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta to other parts of the state for use by the people there who desperately need a reliable water supply.”  Entitled “Putting People Over Fish: Stopping Radical Environmentalism to Provide Water to Southern California,” Trump’s order calls for reinstating 2019 regulations drafted by his first administration.  At stake are the rules that guide operation of the federal Central Valley Project and State Water Project, the two systems that deliver water from Northern California rivers to San Joaquin Valley farmers, Southern California residents and other water users in the southern half of the state. … ”  Read more from Cal Matters.

Of fish and men: Trump’s California water order takes aim at Newsom and troubled smelt

“In an apparent poke at California politics, one of  President Donald Trump’s executive orders on Monday directed federal agencies “to route more water” from across the state instead of trying to protect a nearly extinct tiny fish species.  Experts say the state’s water flow has been complex for more than four decades, and the president’s mandate might be considered a bit fishy as he tries to keep a longstanding campaign promise.  In the executive order titled “Putting People Over Fish: Stopping Radical Environmentalism to Provide Water to Southern California,” Trump mandated water from Northern California’s Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, one of the state’s main water sources, to be redirected south. It’s an attempt to change the environmental protections of the smelt, a three-inch-long fish once vital to California’s ecosystem but now nearly extinct, and criticize the state’s efforts while battling raging and deadly wildfires that have wreaked havoc across greater Los Angeles. … ”  Read more from USA Today.

SEE ALSO:

Trump kicks off potentially messy fight over Biden’s infrastructure money

“An executive order by President Donald Trump requiring agencies to stop paying money for two mammoth Biden-era laws could bring a wide range of infrastructure, transportation and energy projects to a halt — including those already delivering jobs to Republican-led states.  The language in question, in one of dozens of orders Trump issued on his first day in office, commands agencies to “immediately pause the disbursement of funds” under former President Joe Biden’s 2021 infrastructure law and his 2022 climate statute. That wording could imperil billions of dollars in funding for projects that states have already begun working on, some lawmakers and policy experts said Tuesday, for everything from roads and bridges to broadband and withstanding the effects of climate change. … ”  Read more from Politico.

President Trump wants to make showerheads and toilets flow greatly again, but so may utility bills

“President Donald Trump once expressed concern with how low showerhead flow affected his “perfect” hair. Now back in the White House, he’s again taking aim at some high-efficiency household items — and that may mean higher water and electric bills in your home.  One of Trump’s several dozen first-day executive orders promises to “unleash American energy,” including a pledge to ease efficiency standards for household appliances and fixtures.  The standards are intended to make dishwashers, showerheads, refrigerators, laundry machines, toilets and the like use less energy and water. The higher-efficiency appliances can have higher upfront costs, but they save water and electricity. … ”  Read more from the Associated Press.

Trump targets California environmental policies on first day, sparking lawsuit threats

“President Donald Trump targeted California environmental policies with executive orders to revoke the the state’s electric vehicle sales mandate and weaken protections for fish in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, setting the stage for legal battles. Gov. Gavin Newsom condemned Trump’s flurry of orders to dismantle former President Joe Biden’s climate and clean energy agenda, including withdrawing the U.S. from the Paris Agreement following the hottest year in recorded history. “If you don’t believe in science, believe your own damn eyes,” said Newsom speaking from Los Angeles where authorities are still battling devastating fires. Trump is expected to visit the Los Angeles region on Friday. … ”  Read more from the Sacramento Bee.

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In other California water news today …

Sites Reservoir progressing towards construction

Sites Reservoir is beginning 2025 with three new announcements that set the stage to move the project into final design, construction and ultimately, operation. A project of this magnitude requires careful planning to move from years of permitting and design, to moving dirt and building a reservoir. While there are still key milestones ahead, including securing the state water right permit and other agreements, the Sites Project Authority is ensuring that the project is ready to advance quickly and efficiently once we reach those critical progress pointsIn preparation for the construction phase of this project, the Authority launched a competitive procurement process with the release of a Request for Qualifications for a Reservoir Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR) to construct the up to $3 billion reservoir and roads package that is part of the Sites Reservoir Project (Project). … ”  Read more from the Northern California Water Association.

Could President Trump resume plans to raise Shasta Dam?

“President Donald Trump is taking action to increase California’s water supply to Central and Southern California. On Monday, President Trump issued a memo to the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Commerce to restart the work from his first administration to route more water from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta to other parts of the state.  Trump instructed the Secretary of Commerce and Secretary of the Interior to report to him within 90 days about implementing the policies.  Among Trump’s plans from his first term was raising the Shasta Dam by more than 18 feet. By increasing the dam from 602 feet to 620 feet tall, it would provide an additional 600,000 acre-feet of water storage. The plan was challenged in court by the California attorney general in 2020 who said it lacked a complete environmental impact study. It’s not clear if Trump plans to resume the plan to raise the Shasta Dam. … ”  Read more from Action News Now.

Too little too late? Tulare County water managers work to hold off state pumping sanctions

“Groundwater managers and others in southern Tulare County are scrambling to comply with state mandates to try and hold off pumping sanctions.  Changes in the past four months since the Tule subbasin was placed on probation by the Water Resources Control Board for lacking an adequately protective groundwater plan are in the works. But some wonder if it’s too little, too late.  One of the biggest changes in the Tule subbasin will likely be a doubling of the number of groundwater sustainability agencies (GSAs) from six to 12.  Here’s a breakdown of what SJV Water has been tracking … ”  Read more from SJV Water.

Kern subbasin’s groundwater plan still not up to snuff in state’s eyes

“Kern water managers’ struck out again on their fourth attempt to write an adequate plan to protect the region’s groundwater, according to a report from state Water Resources Control Board staff released Tuesday, which recommends the board put the subbasin on probation at its Feb. 20 hearing in Sacramento.  Probation would bring with it requirements for farmers to meter and register their wells at $300 each, report all extractions and pay an added $20 per acre foot pumped to the state. That’s on top of fees and assessments they already pay to their water districts and groundwater sustainability agencies.  Specifically, the staff report found Kern’s recently revised plans still don’t do enough to protect water quality and domestic wells from going dry;  keep land from sinking around critical canals and other infrastructure; and stem the chronic lowering of groundwater, among other issues.  “It doesn’t surprise me but it is unfortunate,” said local farmer John Moore. “I think we’ve made great strides as a county. And despite the state’s continued misgivings about Kern, I’m optimistic we will be able to achieve our goal of sustainability by 2040.” … ”  Read more from SJV Water..

Recent case further clarifies California’s wheeling statutes

“A recent decision from the Sixth District Court of Appeal in Rosedale-Rio Bravo Water Storage District v. Buena Vista Water Storage District, et al. (Dec. 23, 2024, H051858) (nonpub. opn.) (Rosedale Decision) offers insight into how future courts may treat the interpretation and applicability of California’s wheeling statutes. Enacted in 1986 as Water Code sections 1810-1814 (Wheeling Statutes), California’s Wheeling Statutes generally require that a public agency with unused capacity in its water conveyance facility may not deny a water transferor the use of the conveyance facilities to “wheel” the water being transferred. Wheeling refers to the use of a water conveyance facility by someone other than the owner or operator to transport water. The prohibition against denying access to wheeling transactions is subject to certain listed conditions, and the water transferor must pay fair compensation, as defined, for that use. … ”  Read more from Somach Simmons & Dunn.

CDFW awards $15 Million for salmon and steelhead habitat restoration projects

“The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) today announced the selection of 15 projects that will receive funding for the restoration, enhancement and protection of salmon and steelhead (anadromous salmonid) habitat in California watersheds. The total funding for these projects amounts to more than $15 million in grant awards.  Among these 15 projects, the Salmon River Restoration Council was awarded $1,888,060 for the Windler Floodplain Habitat Enhancement Project. The project will enhance salmonid rearing habitat at the Windler River bar, on a reach of the North Fork Salmon River, by lowering the floodplain and increasing connectivity. The project also includes riparian revegetation, which will increase shade and diversity along channels and across the river bar.  “As climate-driven disruptions to California’s ecosystems continue to evolve, so must our efforts to support the critical work our partners are doing to restore and protect habitat throughout our rivers and streams,” said CDFW Director Charlton H. Bonham. … ” Read more from the Department of Fish and Wildlife.

SoCal fires …

Much-needed rain to dampen most of Southern California

“As a storm slides south along the California coast from Friday to Sunday, enough Pacific moisture may be pulled in to bring some much-needed rainfall and potentially help ease the wildfire for a time, AccuWeather meteorologists say.  “Just about every location in coastal Southern California, as well as the Southern California mountains, should get in on some showers this weekend,” AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Dave Houk said.  “Most coastal areas have the potential to pick up 0.25 to 0.50 of an inch of rain, and some of the foothills and lower mountainsides could pick up 1 inch to 1.5 inches,” AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Heather Zehr added.  Snow levels will dip with the storm to between 4,000 and 5,000 feet, so there could be wet snow and slippery conditions over the crest of Tejon Pass, especially from Saturday night to Sunday. … ”  Read more from AccuWeather.

With rain possible for the weekend, Bass works to shore up burn areas

“Mayor Karen Bass issued an emergency executive order Tuesday morning to shore up Los Angeles burn areas and protect watersheds ahead of potential rain this weekend.  The forecast, which calls for some rain as soon as late Friday or early Saturday, comes as the Los Angeles area continues to battle a catastrophic firestorm that has devastated a wide swath of coastal L.A. and Altadena in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains.  Although precipitation might seem welcome as fires continue to burn, mudslides and debris flows in burned areas can be highly destructive. The toxic remains of these urban fires only magnify the threat. Meanwhile, the region is still facing severe fire danger, which is likely to persist until Thursday or Friday. … ”  Read more from the LA Times.

SEE ALSO: Ahead of Possible Rain, Mayor Bass Issues Emergency Order to Shore Up Burn Areas & Protect Watershed and Beaches From Hazardous Runoff, press release from Mayor Karen Bass

Marine ecosystem survey encounters a new variable: Falling ash from Los Angeles fires

“The devastating fires in Los Angeles have numerous secondary effects as scientists are finding out now off the coast of Southern California.  Researchers from UC San Diego’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography and NOAA Fisheries’ Southwest Fisheries Science Center were collecting samples off the California Coast when the Palisades, Eaton and other fires broke out. The smoke that billowed from those fires dropped ash and debris that coated the ocean surface as much as 160 kilometers (100 miles) offshore.  The ship and its crew began collecting samples of the ash from the deck and the surrounding waters. NOAA has adjusted the ship’s course to make use of the chance to revisit the area to track any effects on the marine ecosystem. The survey is part of the collaborative California Cooperative Oceanic Fisheries Investigations (CalCOFI) program among the state of California, Scripps Oceanography and NOAA. … ”  Read more from Scripps Institute of Oceanography.

California water supply crucial for LA wildfire response allowed to run dry months before infernos: lawsuit

“Over a dozen victims of the Pacific Palisades Fire are suing a Los Angeles public utility company for “failures” they say contributed to the fire’s devastation.  The lawsuit, filed last week on behalf of community residents and a pizzeria owner, accused the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power of being unprepared for the Palisades Fire and allowing a critical water supply to remain dry before the inferno that lawyers said was “the worst natural disaster in the history of the City of Los Angeles,” according to court documents obtained by Fox News Digital.  “The water supply system servicing Pacific Palisades failed miserably, leaving residents and firefighters with little to no water to fight the blaze,” Roger Behle, an attorney representing one of the Palisades Fire survivors and whose own family lost their home to wildfire in 2020, said in a statement. … ”  Read more from Fox News.

Do-not-drink water notice extended for some Eaton Fire areas

“A do-not-drink water notice has been extended for some of the areas impacted by the Eaton Fire, officials said.  The Pasadena Water and Power Department says the extension affects 4% of the impacted water accounts. Those individuals have been advised to not drink tap water or use it for cooking.  Customers are advised instead to use bottled water for drinking, brushing teeth, washing dishes, making ice and more. That also applies to pets and domestic animals.  Officials said they are conducting extensive testing to confirm the safety of the drinking water for those customers. … ”  Read more from ABC 7.

FIRE, WATER, AND POLITICS

In commentary today …

State again gives farmers absurd water allocation

Columnist Thomas Elias writes, “The thousands of drivers traversing Interstate 5 on any given day this winter can see for themselves: nothing even remotely like a water shortage currently plagues the State Water Project.  This is completely obvious from the major viewpoint off the east side of the interstate between Justine and Patterson, from which it’s clear that all major canals of the project just south of the Delta of the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers are full to capacity, or nearly so.  It’s much the same a few dozen miles to the southwest where the water project’s largest man-made lake, the San Luis Reservoir, is chock full. Sand-colored margins that grew steadily larger during the drought of the 2010-20 decade have long since been inundated, with the artificial lake shining bright blue on crisp, sunny winter days.  Water officials also promise San Luis will soon be expanded. … ”  Read more from the Chico Enterprise-Record.

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In regional water news and commentary today …

NORTH COAST

Water flows as part of a massive habitat restoration in the Upper Klamath Basin

“Earlier this month, a levee separating Agency Lake and the Upper Klamath National Wildlife Refuge was breached, re-connecting 14,000 acres of wetland habitat to Upper Klamath Lake. It’s a long, bumpy ride in a mud-crusted ATV to the western shore of Agency Lake, and frost is still clinging to the marsh grasses on this cold, sunny January day. Even so, a small crowd has made the trip to watch excavators punch a hole in the levee separating the lake from the Upper Klamath Wildlife Refuge.  Biologists, engineers, contractors, and cultural monitors with the Klamath Tribes watch as two large machines remove scoops of wet mud in a coordinated dance, while a mini-excavator grabs bucketfuls of brush. … ”  Read more from Jefferson Public Radio.

State Water Board readopts emergency regulation for minimum flows in Scott, Shasta River watersheds

Shasta River. Photo by Nick Jolin

“In a continuing effort to protect imperiled fish, ensure adequate water supplies for human health and livestock needs, and support ongoing drought recovery in the Scott and Shasta River watersheds, the State Water Resources Control Board adopted an updated emergency regulation Jan. 7, 2025, that maintains minimum flow requirements and authorizes curtailment orders in the event flows fall below those levels.  The rivers, which are key tributaries in the Klamath watershed, are crucial water sources for Siskiyou County and are important habitat for federally and state-threatened coho salmon, Chinook salmon and steelhead trout. They are also of immense economic, ecological and cultural importance to tribes and the surrounding communities. … ” Read more from the State Water Resources Control Board.

MOUNTAIN COUNTIES

New water regulations impact local businesses using domestic wells

“Local businesses that are using a domestic well are getting hit with additional water bill and required to get a permit from the California State Resources Control Board, Division of Drinking Water.  In some cased the permit is $1500 per well.   Here is the letter that was obtained by Sierra Daily News from a local business;  State Water Resources Control Board, Division of Drinking Water.  Recent changes to the California Health and Safety Code (CH&SC) made by the California State Legislature have been signed into law by the Governor on September 8, 2023. These changes will affect your facility, specifically the regulatory oversight of your domestic water system. … ”  Read more from Sierra Daily News.

Post-wildfire sediment yield in a Sierra Nevada watershed

Location map of CA study area showing 2021 Caldor Fire burn zoneA new study by USGS and the California Geological Survey analyzes post-fire landscape response following the 2021 Caldor Fire, which burned a heavily managed forest setting highly likely to see more large, intense fires in the coming decades. The research, conducted in the aftermath of the 221,835-acre (89,773-hectare) Caldor Fire, focused on a heavily logged, forested watershed in California’s western Sierra Nevada, and provides findings needed to understand and anticipate post-fire sediment risks. … ”  Read more from the USGS.  Wildfires leave hillslopes vulnerable to erosion, often leading to increased sediment transport in streams. This sediment surge can fill up water-storage space in reservoirs, damage infrastructure, and disrupt water supplies, particularly in regions where fire activity is intensifying due to climate change. Understanding the extent and timing of sediment delivery is crucial for resource managers assessing risks to ecosystems, water supplies, and downstream infrastructure. … ”  Read more from the USGS.

SACRAMENTO VALLEY

Sacramento wants to clean up two toxic sites contaminated by gas stations decades ago

“The Sacramento City Council signed off on a $750,000 agreement to assess and begin cleaning up the toxic sites left by two gas stations at a Del Paso Heights intersection. Sacramento has identified “volatile organic compounds” on the now-city-owned lots that sit on the north- and southwest corners of Marysville Boulevard and Grand Avenue. Such compounds can vaporize in the air and cause harmful health effects. The Greater Sacramento Urban League owns adjacent property, where it wants to build housing. The funds to improve the sites come from an Environmental Protection Agency Brownfields Program grant. The program helps address contamination by “hazardous substances, pollutants, or contaminants,” including petroleum. … ”  Read more from the Sacramento Bee.

Will there be a future for avocados in the Sacramento Delta region?

“Pears, almonds, cherries, and wine grapes are the main fruit and nut crops grown in California’s Sacramento Delta region. This unique region is formed by the confluence of two large rivers: the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers. The Delta provides clean drinking water to millions of Californians but also has a unique microclimate that allows certain fruits and nuts to flourish. For decades, Rivermaid Trading has been growing, packing, and shipping pears and cherries in the Delta region, sending them to customers around the world. … ”  Read more from Fresh Plaza.

NAPA/SONOMA

Rep. Jared Huffman secures $15 million for Eel River Dam removal and Russian River diversion plan

“Rep. Jared Huffman, D-San Rafael, recently announced that the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation has awarded Round Valley Indian Tribes and the Sonoma County Water Agency $15 million toward implementing the Two-Basin Solution for water diversions from the Eel River to the Russian River.  In a press release, Huffman explains that “the funds through the Inflation Reduction Act will fund a major Eel River estuary project supported by the tribes, and put a down payment on construction of a new wintertime diversion to the Russian River following the removal of two salmon-blocking dams on the Eel.”  “This funding shows what can be accomplished thanks to the strong partnerships in the Eel and Russian river basins. We’ve now reached a significant milestone in restoring salmon and other aquatic life in the Eel River while protecting a key water supply for communities in Mendocino, Sonoma, and Marin counties,” Huffman is quoted as saying in the release. … ”  Read more from the Santa Rosa Press Democrat.

Adobe Creek’s wild origin story: The uppermost stretch of this vital Petaluma waterway is special for so many reasons.

“This story starts in a natural place – the beginning.  The beginning of Adobe Creek is a wild place way up on Sonoma Mountain, below some rocks at the bottom of a steep slope.  I’m visiting in early January, after a series of storms in November and December lit up the Petaluma River watershed from top to bottom. Yet the line is still clear – just above the seep, the earth is solid and relatively dry. Then, suddenly, clean water flows, trickling through a broad marshy area of rushes and watercress indicating perennial moisture, and then down, down, down the hill toward Petaluma and possibly all the way to its river, seven-and-a-half miles away. … ”  Read more from the Petaluma Argus-Courier.

CENTRAL COAST

Moss Landing battery fire: Gov. Newsom calls for investigation into massive blaze

“Five days after a huge fire at one of the world’s largest battery storage plants in Moss Landing, Gov. Gavin Newsom has called for an investigation into the blaze, which has jolted California’s renewable energy industry.“The governor believes there should be an investigation into this incident to determine cause and any steps that can be taken to make older facilities like Moss Landing safer,” said Daniel Villasenor, a spokesman for Newsom. “As the governor has said before, as this technology has evolved, California has done extensive work to advance battery safety and reliability.” … ”  Read more from the San Jose Mercury News.

SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY

Turlock Irrigation District approves irrigation rate hike

“Turlock Irrigation District’s board of directors voted to increase the irrigation volumetric water rate for the first time in a decade, on the same day it said goodbye to a longtime employee.  By a 5-0 vote, the directors approved a rate increase that will be phased in over three years, along with a restructuring of its water-rate tier system, in accordance with a study provided by consultant NewGen Strategies and Solutions.  The current normal-year fixed fee is $60 per acre ($68 in dry years), while Tier 1 is $2 per acre, Tier 2 is $3, Tier 3 is $15 and Tier 4 is $20. Under the newly adopted guidelines, there would be no change to the normal-year and dry-year prices from 2025 through 2027, while tiers 1, 2, and 3 would be consolidated into a single rate (up to available water) of $2.70 in 2025, $3.23 in 2026, and $3.83 in 2027. Tier 4 (over available water) would have a cost-justified rate of $20 in each of those years. … ”  Read more from the Ceres Courier.

New surface water plant serving Ceres, Turlock receives national recognition

“The new surface water plant that is supplying treated Tuolumne River water to homes in Ceres and Turlock has been recognized because of several achievements.  The plant is operated by the Stanislaus Regional Water Authority (SRWA).  The Design-Build Institute of America (DBIA) gave the SRWA a National Award of Merit.  Chris Fisher, general manager of the SRWA, explained in a presentation at the Ceres City Council meeting that the award is given to agencies for projects that demonstrate efficiency, streamlining for faster completion and cost savings through fewer and less costly change orders. The local plant was one of 25 across the country recognized with the honor. … ”  Read more from the Ceres Courier.

Sacramento judge sets March 7 hearing for city’s objection to water district suit

“The city of Tehachapi and Tehachapi-Cummings County Water District seem to have made no progress toward the settlement of issues related to litigation filed by the water district in September 2021. On Jan. 13, the city filed a demurrer — the legal term for an objection — challenging allegations by the water district that the city has a “pattern and practice” of inadequate environmental review. That allegation was the fourth cause of action in the water district’s lawsuit followed just days after the Tehachapi City Council approved the proposed Sage Ranch residential project in 2021. … ”  Read more from the Tehachapi News.

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

The California water wars: How LA got its water supply

“On July 29, 1905, the lead story in the Los Angeles Daily Times announced the city’s purchase of land and water rights in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, and an ambitious plan to pipe fresh mountain water 250 miles to a thirsty Los Angeles.  “This new water supply, immense and unfailing, will make Los Angeles forge ahead by leaps and bounds, and remove every spectra of drought or doubt,” wrote the Times. “With such an enormous stream of the purest mountain water pouring in here, Los Angeles will have one of the best supplies in the land… she will have assured her future for a century.”  When the Los Angeles Aqueduct was completed in 1913, it was celebrated as an engineering marvel, and its creator, Los Angeles water superintendent William Mulholland, was hailed as a hero. … ”  Read more from the History Channel.

OC Coastkeeper’s legal action saves Newport Harbor from contaminated sediment exposure

“After years of community advocacy and legal battles over a proposed Confined Aquatic Disposal (CAD) facility in Newport Harbor, the Newport Beach City Council has voted to repurpose contaminated dredged material for a pier expansion project in Long Beach.  This decision ensures that Newport Harbor will not become the site of a flawed CAD facility, which would have stored dredged material contaminated with DDT and mercury under a thin layer of sand at the harbor’s turning basin. The project posed significant risks to marine life and water quality due to a high potential for recontamination if the cap layer was disturbed.  This victory wouldn’t have been possible without the lawsuit Coastkeeper filed against the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers over potential violations of the Endangered Species Act and the National Environmental Policy Act. … ”  Read more from the OC Coastkeeper.

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Along the Colorado River …

Smallmouth bass: Not a small threat to the Grand Canyon

“Decades of climate-driven drought, and a consistent imbalance between supply and demand for Colorado River water have led to low reservoir levels in the Colorado River Basin. Low water levels have implications to rivers located both upstream and downstream of the reservoirs, particularly in the Colorado River in Grand Canyon, located below Glen Canyon Dam, and above Lake Mead. Lower water elevation in Lake Powell brings the warmer surface water and nonnative game fish in closer proximity to the power turbine intakes where they can become entrained and may survive passage to the river below. Smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu), a popular and abundant game fish in Lake Powell, are undesired invasive predators below the dam. Preventing the establishment of a new predatory invasive species is essential to protecting and facilitating recovery of the federally listed humpback chub (Gila cypha) in the Colorado River in Grand Canyon. We modeled the probability that smallmouth bass would establish a self-sustaining population below the dam under a range of scenarios varying lake elevation, release temperatures, survival, and growth. … ”  Read more from the National Park Service.

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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.