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In California water news this weekend …
The Delta holds ‘environmental ticking timebombs’
“The quiet waters of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta hold a troubling obstacle course. Dozens and possibly hundreds of ships, abandoned in years and decades past, lie rusting in the water — disrupting the flow of marine traffic and posing a threat to shipping lanes if dislodged by the wind. Yet there’s little money to remove them, and most of their owners are long gone. Hazardous materials such as oil, asbestos and sewage may leak from the vessels into the water — potentially endangering salmon, migratory fowl and hundreds of other species native to the delta, according to John Durand, a senior researcher at UC Davis’ Center for Watershed Sciences. Contaminated runoff could also make its way to drinking water for cities or irrigation for farms, Durand said. The abandoned vessels are “environmental ticking timebombs,” said Sacramento County District Attorney Thien Ho. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
Given the benefits of this California solar project, it’s amazing how rare it is
“A novel solar power project just went online in California’s Central Valley, with panels that span across canals in the vast agricultural region. The 1.6-megawatt installation, called Project Nexus, was fully completed late last month. The $20 million state-funded pilot has turned stretches of the Turlock Irrigation District’s canals into hubs of clean electricity generation in a remote area where cotton, tomatoes, almonds, and hundreds of other crops are grown. Project Nexus is only the second canal-based solar array to operate in the United States—and one of just a handful in the world. … Proponents of this emerging approach say it can provide overlapping benefits. Early research suggests that, along with producing power in land-constrained areas, putting solar arrays above water can help keep panels cool, in turn improving their efficiency and electricity output. Shade from the panels can also prevent water loss through evaporation in drought-prone regions and can limit algae growth in waterways. … Still, the technology isn’t an obvious choice for many canal operators. … ” Read the full story at Mother Jones.
As insurance companies withdraw from climate impacted markets, research explores alternative solutions
“The building was tall. But that didn’t stop the flood from submerging its first story and encroaching one foot into the second level, a local inn owner shared with Bryant undergraduates during a recent visit to Guerneville, California. North of San Francisco, Guerneville is one of several towns along the Russian River. Built on a floodplain, Guerneville has experienced major floods in the past; however, these events are increasing in frequency and severity. Under the direction of Mathematics and Economics Department Chair Gao Niu, Ph.D., and Economics Lecturer Allison Kaminaga, Ph.D., six students spent the spring semester exploring the economic impacts of repeat flooding by the Russian River. Sponsored by Bryant’s Student Research Grants, undergrads followed up their quantitative research with a visit to the town in April where they met with local partners. … ” Read more from Byant University.
In last-minute scramble, California lawmakers fail to deliver promised environmental reform
“In June, California Democrats rushed to significantly roll back the state’s landmark environmental law to clear the path for land development. Environmental justice advocates weren’t happy. Because of changes signed into law by Gov. Gavin Newsom, certain developments now are exempt from environmental reviews, which advocates fear will cut out tribal community feedback, threaten endangered species and lead to more pollution for some of the state’s most at-risk residents. Facing backlash, Senate President Pro Tem Mike McGuire promised a fix. “That is an issue that we’re going to need to continue to focus on in the weeks and months to come before we leave this session in September,” McGuire told his fellow senators in June. … ” Read more from Cal Matters.
Controversial nonstick pan ban clears critical hurdle in California
“The California State Assembly narrowly approved a controversial bill Friday evening that would ban popular nonstick cookware products from being sold in the state starting in 2030. The measure bans cookware containing perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, more commonly referred to as PFAS, from being sold in the state. It would also ban a new “cleaning product, dental floss, juvenile product, food packaging, or ski wax” that contains PFAS from being sold starting in 2028. The Assembly approved the measure in a 41 to 19 vote, with 20 assemblymembers not voting. The bill still needs a final concurrence vote in the Senate before it can be sent to Gov. Gavin Newsom for his signature to make it law. Isabella Jimenez, a spokesperson for Assemblymember Damon Connolly, who was managing the proposal, told SFGATE in an email that their office expects the bill to pass that vote. … ” Read more from SF Gate.
SEE ALSO: California bill to ban ‘forever chemicals’ in consumer products heads to governor, from the Environmental Working Group
Lawmakers send Newsom a high-stakes energy overhaul tied to wildfires, utilities and oil
“Gov. Gavin Newsom closed out the legislative year with one of the most sweeping overhauls of California’s energy and climate policies in decades — a package that could give him a presidential debate-stage talking point on rising energy costs as the Democratic Party shifts its focus to affordability. The six-bill deal — passed Saturday after lawmakers extended their session by an extra day because of last-minute dealmaking — was sold as a way to ease gas prices and soaring electricity bills while preserving the state’s signature climate programs. Ratepayers are expected to get some relief through measures to cut the cost of building transmission lines, and an expanded cap-and-trade energy credit aimed at blunting rising energy bills. They also will get some protection from utilities hiking rates based on the cost of wildfire-proofing their infrastructure, such as by putting power lines underground. But they’ll also continue paying $9 billion over the next decade into a fund to compensate wildfire victims. … ” Read more from Cal Matters.
Elevating tribal leadership in California’s climate future
“Since time immemorial, Native peoples have been the stewards of California’s rivers, forests, and floodplains. Their cultural practices—like burning, weaving, fishing, tending, and gathering—shaped some of the most biodiverse landscapes on Earth. Yet genocide and the dispossession of California Native peoples severed communities from their ancestral lands, leaving deep cultural and ecological scars that are still felt today. River Partners is working to change that story. With the largest footprint of restoration in the West, we’re partnering with Tribes and Native-led groups to repair ecosystems, return access to land and water, and elevate Indigenous leadership in climate resilience. The heart behind it all is Austin Stevenot, Northern Sierra Mewuk and River Partners’ first Director of Tribal Engagement. … ” Read more from River Partners.
In commentary this weekend …
Newsom must protect California’s drinking water from microplastics
Andria Ventura, director of legislation and policy at Clean Water Action, writes, “In the current political environment, where good theater often trumps good policy, California has the opportunity to lead with some plain common sense. Governor Newsom can sign AB 823, authored by Assembly member Tasha Boerner (D-Encinitas), and prevent unnecessary plastic pollution from entering our drinking water — and our bodies. The bill, which unanimously passed the state Senate on Sept. 3 and now precariously sits on the governor’s desk, builds off a law passed 10 years ago that successfully stopped the use of plastic microbeads in rinse off personal care products, by expanding the prohibition to cleaning products and “stay on” cosmetics. It is based on the simple premise that if plastic isn’t necessary in a product, it shouldn’t be there. … ” Read more from the San Jose Mercury News.
Cal Fire’s forest management undermining California’s climate goals
“In these times of climate denialism in Washington, some look for signs of reason in California. Sadly, one particular agency can’t see the forest for the trees. Cal Fire, the state’s chief fire agency, has a little-known side hustle managing 14 state-owned forests, totaling 85,000 acres. To pay those bills, Cal Fire logs the public’s trees in its largest holding – Jackson Demonstration State Forest – which spans 50,000 acres in Mendocino County. The agency also wields absolute approval power for logging on California’s vast private lands. Trees are about half carbon by dry weight. Coastal redwood forests contain more of the stuff than any other, storing it for more than two millennia if undisturbed. Highly resistant to rot, insects, and fire, old redwoods provide an extremely durable carbon piggy bank storing up to 1,300 tons per acre. At odds with California’s climate goal of achieving zero-net carbon pollution, logging and milling wastes promptly release half a tree’s carbon into the atmosphere. The rest resides for a time in lumber, which in the case of redwood is mostly used for picnic tables, fences and decks that all too soon decay and release the remaining carbon. … ” Read more from the San Jose Mercury News.
Podcasts …
WATER IS A MANY SPLENDOR’ED THING PODCAST: Actions Speak Louder Than Words
Working with land use, air quality, and rural health and safety issues have their moments. But, when it comes to water, you can bet the farmers of the California Delta are standing on their feet demanding decisions be made to assure future farming and lifestyles are upheld. Katie Patterson shared her observations of the demands on farmers of the San Joaquin Delta area that had occurred over ten years ago. 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
WATER RESOURCES: Increasing water consumption in data centers amplifies local water scarcity
Landon Marston discusses rising water intensity of large data centers, resulting in a notable impact on local water demand.
In regional water news this weekend …
NORTH COAST
Klamath Tribes notified by feds of additional water takes for Klamath Project
“The Klamath Tribes are pushing back against an unexpected extension request to increase water allocations entered by the Bureau of Reclamation. In a news conference Wednesday, Klamath Tribal leaders gathered to inform news agencies of a newly developed issue before them. Klamath Tribes Chairman William Ray Jr. said that, two weeks prior, the Tribes received notification of Reclamation’s new proposal which would take an additional 38,000-acre feet of water from Upper Klamath Lake to be used among water users within the Klamath Project for local agriculture. “We oppose this action because it affects our water, our water quality and all the restoration work that we’re trying to do in order to save our endangered species,” Ray Jr. said. … ” Read more from Herald & News.
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
Demolition of iconic Lake Tahoe bridge underway
“Heavy machinery punches into the asphalt with a piercing snap again and again. A puff of smoke rises above construction equipment and what’s left of the historic Fanny Bridge, which spans the Truckee River at its headwaters in Lake Tahoe.A demolition project to tear down and replace the aging bridge is well underway. Plans for the project have been discussed since the mid-1990s, but crews finally broke ground this summer, and a large part of the bridge came down at the end of August and beginning of September. Last week, both ends of the bridge were suspended in midair, above a pile of cobble, still supported by the abutments. But the middle of the bridge was gone. “The last bridge pier and footing was just removed this afternoon, and the entire deck of the bridge has also been removed,” said John O’Connell, spokesperson for Caltrans District 3, in an email to SFGATE on Wednesday. … ” Continue reading at SF Gate.
NAPA/SONOMA
Planned asphalt plant at family-owned Forestville quarry ignites environmental debate
“A proposal to build an asphalt plant at a longtime gravel quarry in Forestville has set off a fierce local battle, with more than 700 residents warning it could pollute waterways, fuel wildfires and threaten endangered species. The plant, planned at Canyon Rock — a family-run quarry just west of Highway 116 — is still years from a final vote. Sonoma County officials say the project remains in an early stage, with environmental review underway and a draft report not expected until fall 2026. But the fight is already playing out in public meetings, letters to county supervisors and dueling websites, as the quarry’s owners and a new community group, Russian River Community Cares, push competing narratives. … ” Read more from the Santa Rosa Press Democrat.
DA: Calistoga landfill owners to give millions for environmental projects after 2019 contamination
“The owners of a Calistoga landfill have agreed to restore damaged property and pledge $2.6 million toward environmental projects as part of a settlement with Napa County that resolves violations the landfill incurred in 2019 following a 40,000-gallon toxic water spill, prosecutors announced Friday. Clover Flat Landfill Inc. and Vista Corporation’s commitments pertain to a leachate spill at Clover Flat, off Silverado Trail. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife investigated the matter six years ago and also uncovered unauthorized removal of trees and vegetation, and road development through a stream, officials said. The landfill was owned by the local Pestoni family in 2019 and it was acquired in February 2023 by Texas-based Waste Connections, parent company of Clover Flat and Vista Corp. … ” Read more from the Santa Rosa Press Democrat.
SEE ALSO: Napa County DA announces environmental lawsuit settlement with landfill, from the San Jose Mercury News
BAY AREA
S.F. sewage facility promises to extinguish odors after $700 million renovation: ‘You won’t smell anything’
“When a toilet flushes in San Francisco, its contents join a churning current of wastewater that travels through more than 1,000 miles of sewer pipes beneath the city streets. Most of that water is going to the same place: a 40-acre facility in the Bayview. Eighty percent of San Francisco’s wastewater is processed at the Southeast Treatment Plant, which treats about 45 million gallons a day: enough to fill 68 Olympic swimming pools. It’s been more than a decade since the city’s Public Utilities Commission decided that the facility was due for an upgrade. Some of its machinery dated back to 1952, before the agency was concerned about odor control or rising sea levels. After seven years of construction, the PUC has finalized a $717 million upgrade to its headworks facility, the first stop for water processed at the plant. Funded in part by state bond proceeds and federal grants, the rebuilt facility replaces two older operations at the site, which have now been inactive for over a year. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
Environmental groups rally against proposed carbon dioxide pipeline in Solano County
“A group of community organizers, residents, physicians, and scientists gathered to spread awareness about the potential dangers of a proposed carbon dioxide pipeline through Solano County at a rally in Fairfield on Tuesday. “For too long, Solano County has been used as a dumping ground for fossil fuel pollution,” Isabel Penman, an organizer with Food & Water Watch, said at the rally. “Today, we are standing up together to say no to carbon dioxide pipelines in the bay and in our backyards.” The project, called the Montezuma NorCal Carbon Sequestration Hub, is currently waiting on a permit from Solano County to build a test well. “We expect that process to proceed over the next few months,” said Jim Levine, the managing partner of Montezuma Carbon LLC. … ” Read more from the Vallejo Sun.
Pacheco Reservoir project falls, sparing the Diablo Range for now
“After eight years of Sierra Club’s unwavering opposition, the controversial Pacheco Reservoir Expansion Project (PREP) was canceled on August 26 by the Valley Water Board of Directors (hereafter referred to as “the Board”). The project unraveled after the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation blocked the project’s use of federally controlled San Luis Reservoir water, adding to concerns over skyrocketing costs and mounting schedule delays. In 2017, the project’s cost was estimated at $969 million. On August 26 this year, the Valley Water staff shared the latest estimate of $3.22 billion—and anticipated further increases (including $65M for the PG&E transmission line). In 2017, the project schedule showed construction starting in 2024 and completing by 2029. The latest schedule had construction starting in 2029 and continuing through at least 2036. … ” Read more from the Sierra Club.
San Mateo County: Bay Area coastal community is reeling as cliffs crumble and the land moves
“The staircase leans in a disturbing direction. The view out the window is no longer straight to the horizon, and living room chairs almost feel like they’re sliding toward the ocean. But 91-year-old artist Carol Guion wishes to live out her days in her home of 55 years on the San Mateo County coast, in defiance of the earth slowly moving beneath her. “I can’t leave here,” said Guion, who is in hospice care. Guion lives in Seal Cove, a picturesque neighborhood of around 170 homes perched on Pillar Point Bluff in Moss Beach, just west of the Half Moon Bay airport. The bluff is an anomaly on the California coast. Its cliffs are crumbling with remarkable speed, as waves erode the loose sediment, and faults run along the coast and through the entire bluff. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
CENTRAL COAST
Plans move forward to add another water supply source to Los Osos
“Plans are moving forward in Los Osos to secure water for the town’s future, which currently depends on groundwater. “We’re highly vulnerable. If there is any type of interruption in supply, like power outages, earthquakes, anything like that, we have no other source,” said Ron Munds, Los Osos CSD general manager. To bring in more water, a 2.5-mile-long Water Resiliency Intertie Pipeline project is in the works after a design contract was recently approved for $854,000. It would run along South Bay Boulevard to Highway 1. … ” Read more from KSBY.
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
State has opportunity to “leverage” Edison power plant relicensing to protect upper Kern River, Fish and Game commissioner says
“A California Fish and Game commissioner urged staff on Thursday to look for ways to better protect the upper Kern River watershed and fishery as part of the ongoing relicensing of Southern California Edison’s Kern River 3 (KR3) power plant near Kernville. The statement, by Commissioner Darius Anderson, came during the commission’s Wildlife Resources Committee meeting after comments and questions from two Kern River advocates who aired their concerns over what they felt has been a lack of interest and urgency in the river by the Department of Fish and Wildlife’s (CDFW) Region 4 division. Angler Jim Ahrens and Brett Duxbury, with the Kern River Boaters, laid out what they feel has been a lackadaisical attitude toward the upper Kern by the division, especially in regards to the relicensing procedure. … ” Read more from SJV Water.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Cemex files final brief to State Water Board
“With the Cemex sand and gravel case “fully briefed,” now all that’s left on appeal is oral arguments on the fate of Soledad Canyon. The Second Appellate District Court of California received briefs and then the replies to those briefs from both sides at the end of last month, in the battle over Soledad Canyon mining. There’s no date scheduled for the next hearing, according to city officials who have closely watched the situation for decades. “After oral arguments, the court would issue a decision, but that could take several months or longer,” said Masis Hagobian, city intergovernmental relations officer. Cemex wants to exercise the mineral rights it purchased for 56 million tons of aggregate found there, and the State Water Resources Control Board, citing drastic changes the area has seen since Cemex first applied for the rights more than 30 years ago, said the application now needs to be publicly noticed. … ” Read more from the Santa Clarita Signal.
Lead levels in soil exceeded state standards in Eaton Fire burn zone, LA County reports
“The L.A. County Department of Public Health released the final findings from soil sample testing in and around the Eaton and Palisades fire burn zones. The data confirmed levels of lead and other contaminants were higher than the state’s thresholds, but that “there is no evidence of widespread contamination from fire-related chemicals,” according to a news release from the department. … ” Read more from LAist.
Invasive golden mussel detected at Silverwood Lake and Pyramid Lake
“The Department of Water Resources (DWR), California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), and California State Parks have confirmed presence of the invasive golden mussel at Pyramid Lake in Los Angeles County and Silverwood Lake in San Bernardino County. These lakes are the southernmost State Water Project (SWP) reservoirs where golden mussels have been detected. The invasive species was recently discovered during a routine water test by DWR; in response, State Parks has updated Silverwood Lake’s boat inspection protocols, effective immediately. Pyramid Lake, which is managed by DWR, implemented exit inspections following the discovery of quagga mussels in 2016. … ” Continue reading from DWR.
SAN DIEGO
San Diego Council plans to protect Sunset Cliffs from coastal erosion move forward
“The San Diego City Council voted 8-0 Tuesday to adopt a coastal resilience master plan focused on flooding and erosion risks. According to the city, the plan “was developed to help the city brace for the impacts of a warming climate.” Of particular note is the proposed impact to Sunset Cliffs. The plans would transform Sunset Cliffs Blvd. into a one way street, with a dedicated pedestrian walkway. It would also remove the parking directly along the cliffs, and possibly begin charging for parking around the bluffs, which are a popular destination for sunset seekers and surfers. “If you don’t see the natural beauty that we have here and you think you need to fix it up, you need to really take another look,” said Richard Aguirre, a Sunset Cliffs resident who founded the community group ‘Save Sunset Cliffs.’ … ” Read more from NBC 7.
Along the Colorado River …
Western US to heat up ahead of next surge of tropical moisture
“AccuWeather meteorologists are tracking a potential surge of showers and thunderstorms in the Southwest late next week, fueled by moisture from short-lived Tropical Storm Mario and a possible new tropical entity. Ahead of the influx of moisture, conditions will trend drier across the Four Corners region, spanning Sunday, Monday and perhaps into Tuesday. The region has been riddled with frequent shower and thunderstorm activity in recent days, including storms on Friday which produced high wind gusts up to 72 mph in New Mexico. A landspout tornado was reported in southeastern Arizona. … ” Read more from AccuWeather.
Policymakers have limited time to protect Lake Powell and Lake Mead, report says
“A new report from Colorado River researchers found water levels at the nation’s two largest reservoirs are dropping fast and on track for dire consequences. The authors are calling on policymakers to move with urgency and protect Lake Powell and Lake Mead. Negotiators are locked in talks about the future of those reservoirs after 2026, when the current rules for managing water there expire. But the authors of this report say a dry year could bring levels so low, the reservoirs stop working before any new rules go into effect. Katherine Tara with the University of New Mexico is one of them. “The consequence of drawing down these reservoirs, and, you know, not conserving as a basin, is that people won’t get water in a way that I don’t think we’ve seen before,” Tara said. … ” Read more from KJZZ.
Colorado River forecast: Water demand to surpass supply by 3.6M acre-feet next year
“A new study says the Colorado River is in worse shape than experts believed, and the West has less time to cut water use. Researchers from the University of Colorado Boulder and other universities, including Arizona State University, found that even after years of conservation measures, people are still using trillions of gallons more than the river provides. “We continually find out that things are worse off than we thought they were,” said Eric Kuhn, one of the report’s authors. “We’re trying to catch up with hydrology, and we’re not catching up.” The study projects that if current use continues, demand will exceed supply by 3.6 million acre-feet next year. An acre-foot is enough water to cover an acre of land a foot deep, roughly what three homes use in a year. That means the region is overdrawn by the equivalent of water for 10 million homes. … ” Read more from Channel 12.
New report warns Colorado River storage could hit critical lows by 2026
“A new analysis is warning that water stored in the Colorado River’s two largest reservoirs — Lake Mead and Lake Powell — could fall to critically low levels in just one year if current water use continues and next winter and spring brings little relief. The study, released on Thursday by water experts including Anne Castle, Senior Fellow at the Getches-Wilkinson Center for Natural Resources, Energy, and the Environment at the University of Colorado Boulder, paints a stark picture by the end of summer 2026, combined storage in Mead and Powell could shrink to just 9% of what they held at the start of the 21st century. … ” Read more from Channel 15.
How serious is Arizona’s drought? San Carlos Reservoir is nearly dry
“Water for the San Carlos Irrigation and Drainage District is expected to run out this month, a stark marker of how drought continues to grip Arizona. The dry-up could leave farmers in central Arizona increasingly reliant on wells and put their crops at risk heading into next year. As of Sept. 10, the San Carlos Reservoir held just 8,627 acre-feet of irrigation water, according to Brandi Ogle, business manager for the reservoir. By comparison, storage reached about 500,000 acre-feet in 2023. The reservoir can hold about 900,000 acre-feet. The district, which stretches between Florence and Casa Grande, depends on the Gila River. Water is stored behind Coolidge Dam near Globe in the San Carlos Reservoir, serving both the Gila River Indian Community and non-tribal farmers. … ” Read more from Arizona Central.
200 dead fish in Colorado reservoir have local groups concerned over climate change’s impact on mountain waters
“In August, Kurt Dahl, Pitkin County’s environmental health manager, headed up to Grizzly Reservoir to investigate reports of dead fish along the banks of the mostly drained lake. “We walked three-quarters of the lake, and there were approximately 150 dead fish,” Dahl said of the Aug. 19 trip, estimating there were an additional 50 fish in the part of the shore they didn’t cover. Colorado Park and Wildlife had just stocked the lake with rainbow trout a week prior. The agency said it tested the reservoir, and conditions were fine to release the fish. But within the turquoise waters lurked a “remarkably high” concentration of naturally occurring copper, experts said. This year, warm temperatures and less water flowing into Grizzly Reservoir allowed the metal’s concentration to reach a deadly threshold. With a changing climate in the mix, local groups are worried more fish kills, and higher pollution levels, are in the future. … ” Read more from the Colorado Sun.
In national water news this weekend …
Can bipartisan support in Congress save NOAA from White House cuts?
“To understand the bipartisan support that has emerged in Congress for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, it only takes a glance at the list of stakeholders who have been lobbying to save the embattled agency from the Trump administration’s budget knife. Those who fish the oceans and those who ship goods over their waves, officials who maintain dams and those who manage drinking water systems, the insurance industry and a slew of universities from red and blue states alike have all made the case for maintaining NOAA funding this year. On Sept. 10, members of the House Appropriations Committee made clear that they heard this message, rejecting the White House proposal to eliminate NOAA’s research arm and cut the agency’s budget by one-third. Instead, the legislators approved a fiscal year 2026 spending bill that includes a modest trim—about 6 percent—and directs the agency to avoid closure of any of its laboratories or cooperative research institutes. The Senate, meanwhile, is set to consider a budget bill that would maintain the current funding level at NOAA: about $6.1 billion. … ” Read more from Inside Climate News.
