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On the calendar today …
- WEBINAR: Review of the Long-Term Operations of the Central Valley Project and the State Water Project: Report Release from 12pm to 1pm. This webinar will discuss the National Academies report, Review of the Long-Term Operations of the Central Valley Project and the State Water Project. At the request of the USBR, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine established a committee to conduct a biennial review of the monitoring, modeling, and other relevant scientific activities of the CVP and the SWP. This first report in the series examines three actions designed to help protect the fish —the Shasta Coldwater Pool Management Action, the Old and Middle River Flow Management Action, and the Summer-Fall Habitat Action for Delta Smelt. The report evaluates the scientific basis for each of the actions, along with monitoring and modeling needs, and makes specific recommendations for strengthening each of them to help them reach their stated goals. Click here to register.
On the calendar tomorrow …
- WEBINAR: People, Place and Policy: Community-Driven Solutions in Fairmead from 12pm to 1pm. For generations, the community of Fairmead has faced dwindling water supply and advocated for more equitable access to water. As an unincorporated community, without a local government, Fairmead Community and Friends is showing what’s possible when communities lead the way. Join Sustainable Conservation for an inspiring conversation with local Fairmead leaders on how collaboration, trust-building, and resource access are essential to community-based solutions, and how Fairmead’s journey offers a model to advance water equity and resilience across California. Click here to register.
- IN-PERSON EVENT: Groundwater and Land Subsidence – A Pending Crisis beginning at 7pm at 210 W. Center Ave in Visalia. The event presented by Tulare County Voices at 210. Panelists include Johnny Amaral, chief operating officer at Friant Water Authority, Aaron Fukuda, general manager at Tulare Irrigation District and Mid-Kaweah Groundwater Sustainability Agency, and Greg Collins, former Visalia mayor and co-author of “Seven Generations: The Past, Present and Future of the Tulare Lake Basin.” The forum is intended to explain what is being done to address the twin issues of groundwater depletion and subsidence.
In California water news today …
National Academies releases report on the long-term operations of the Central Valley Project and the State Water Project
“At the request of the USBR, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine established a committee to conduct a biennial review of the monitoring, modeling, and other relevant scientific activities of the CVP and the SWP. This first report in the series examines three actions designed to help protect the fish —the Shasta Coldwater Pool Management Action, the Old and Middle River Flow Management Action, and the Summer-Fall Habitat Action for Delta Smelt. The report evaluates the scientific basis for each of the actions, along with monitoring and modeling needs, and makes specific recommendations for strengthening each of them to help them reach their stated goals.” Read more here.
A much stronger, wetter storm will hit California this week. Here’s a timeline
“You can call it weather whiplash. That’s what it will feel like this week as the Bay Area turns from unseasonably warm to wintry, wet and windy in the blink of an eye. After a continuation of warm weather Monday, probably the warmest day of the week with San Francisco and Oakland pushing 80 degrees and even higher temperatures inland, the mild pattern will hold through Tuesday. But the pattern flips quickly after that. A deepening low-pressure system dropping south from the Gulf of Alaska will merge with a nearly stationary upper-level low lingering over the Pacific on Wednesday. That merger spins up a secondary low-pressure system closer to the California coast, a feature missing from recent weaker storms and one that will help squeeze out 6 to 8 hours of heavy rain from an active atmospheric river setup nearby. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
Think now about the unthinkable in US disaster management
“In a turbulent year for US disaster management, changes that seemed unthinkable a few months ago are now coming to pass. California leaders should be planning proactive responses now. The California Flood Future Panel is now assessing potential impacts of federal changes to US disaster management, particularly considering proposed changes or elimination of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). The Panel’s initial report discussed recent “frog in the kettle” shifts – “Changes to NFIP and FEMA that seemed unlikely in February became plausible by [June], only to be announced as de facto policy since then.” Recent news from Washington, DC suggests that boiled frog is now on the menu. … ” Read more from the California Water Blog.
Water funding for western land owners
“Farmers and ranchers are stewards of the land, so they are often the target when watersheds show signs of depletion or pollution. The Freshwater Trust, led by CEO Joe Whitworth, believes they have cracked the code on scalable river restoration by aligning funding and incentives around results using technology. Whitworth… “ There is a jumble of dollars and agencies all involved in water some way or another, but they’re not coordinated. … ” Read more from Ag Info.
New ballot measure push aims to overhaul California’s landmark environmental law
“One election just ended, but another potentially major voter battle has already started in California. No, not the governor’s race, but a proposed ballot measure that could make significant changes to one of the state’s landmark environmental laws — the California Environmental Quality Act. Late last month, the California Chamber of Commerce announced it had filed paperwork to place a measure on next November’s statewide ballot that would overhaul the law, commonly known as CEQA, with the goal of cutting red tape, lowering housing and energy costs, and making construction easier. If the Chamber and its supporters collect 546,000 valid signatures by next spring, as expected, the “Building an Affordable California Act” would impose a 365-day limit on environmental reviews for a wide range of projects, including new reservoirs, desalination plants, forest thinning to reduce wildfire risk, apartments, housing subdivisions, senior housing, student housing, roads, bridges, public transit, hospitals, medical centers, broadband internet, solar farms, wind farms and battery storage facilities. … ” Read more from the San Jose Mercury News.
New study raises alarms about ecosystems that may be on verge of irreversible collapse
“If you could view our planet from space, it might look the same, but new research suggests the Earth is actually spinning at a dangerous tipping point. Temperatures are now predicted to blow past the 1.5 degree Celsius rise compared to pre-industrial levels within the next five years and major ecosystems and climate drivers are on the verge of irreversible collapse. According to a newly released study from the University of Exeter, the first casualty could be the planet’s coral reefs. “You know, what I’ve seen is what almost everybody that I know that studies reefs over the last, you know, over a period of decades has seen that almost every reef I’ve ever been to has gotten more and more and more damaged over time,” says Stephen Palumbi, Ph.D., a professor of marine sciences at Stanford’s Hopkins Marine Station at Monterey Bay. … ” Read more from ABC Bay Area.
Sea Level Rise: Flooding, coastal erosion, pollution and the threat of rising tides
“From the San Diego-Tijuana border to Humboldt Bay, here are seven original audio stories that share the perspectives of people and communities dealing with flooding, coastal erosion, pollution and damage to their homes — all made worse by sea level rise. Covering locations across California, the stories offer a glimpse of how rising seas affect daily life.” Read more and listen at Local News Matters.
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
Arcata ranches are flooding; the city says addressing it is challenging
“Residents off West End Road in Arcata see persistent flooding during the rainy season. The city says addressing it is challenging. Jane Fraser lives on a 20-acre ranch where U.S. Highway 101 meets State Route 299, hosting cattle and a flock of peacocks. After enough rainfall in winter, Fraser’s driveway floods. If she needs hay for her cattle, she has to take a boat to get to the road. “Normally out here in this field, I wouldn’t have water standing clear back here unless it was the middle of winter,” she said. Fraser said flooding from Janes Creek has reached within five feet of her home, and the problem is getting worse each year. She wants the city to do more about it. Her neighbor’s property floods seasonally too, a field of grass transforming to a wide and shallow pond birds and fish splash in. … ” Read more from the Eureka Times-Standard.
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
From near record highs to snow at Lake Tahoe this week
“There is one more day of summer-like weather at Lake Tahoe on Monday, with a forecast high of 68, just one degree shy of the record 69. Unseasonably warm and dry conditions with light, terrain-driven winds will continue through Tuesday. All good things must come to an end, and this quiet pattern is no exception. A significant shift is on tap for the middle of the week as our “big bubble, no trouble” of high pressure finally erodes, according to the National Weather Service (NWS) in Reno. The Veterans’ Day ceremony at the American Legion on Tuesday will be under partly cloudy skies with a high of 66. … ” Read more from South Tahoe Now.
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
Slight changes coming to PG&E’s Miocene Canal usage
“For years, PG&E has used a portion of the upper Miocene Canal for the purpose of taking measurements, but with a recent action by the Butte County Board of Supervisors, at the company’s request, that water will remain in the Feather River going forward. This was all part of a 2014 agreement between the county, the California Department of Water Resources and PG&E that allowed for the diversion of water from the Feather River to Lime Saddle Powerhouse. The board approved a contract amendment during its Oct. 28 meeting. “The PG&E non-project water would be measured by an existing California Data Exchange Center stream gauge for delivery to the CWS treatment plant,” the related staff report said. “As a State Water Project contractor, the county is eligible to convey non-project water through Article 55 of the Water Supply Contract with DWR.” … ” Read more from the Chico Enterprise-Record.
Federal judge could pause razing of trees on American River Parkway in Sacramento
“A federal project cutting trees on the American River Parkway to fortify banks against flooding could be stalled as a judge heard arguments Friday from environmental groups seeking a preliminary injunction. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers planned flood protection measures at the lower American River, Natomas East Main Drainage Canal, Arcade Creek and Magpie Creek. Congress in 2016 approved about $1.5 million to safeguard about 11 miles across those rivers. The Central Valley Flood Protection Board approved work concerning the lower American River this year. The American River Parkway is at the heart of a lawsuit filed by Sacramento nonprofits and the Center for Biological Diversity, a national environmental conservation group. A judge will consider whether to block a 3.3-mile portion of the Corps’ work, between Watt and Howe avenues. … ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee.
BAY AREA
Atmospheric river incoming: Inches of rain possible in Bay Area this week
“An atmospheric river could drop 1 to 2 inches of rain on the Bay Area between Wednesday and Friday, according to the latest forecast from the National Weather Service. Higher elevation areas of the North Bay and the Santa Cruz Mountains have a 60% to 90% chance of seeing 2 or more inches of rain this week, according to the NWS. Heavy rainfall is also possible along Big Sur. Interior valleys and the South Bay are more likely to see 1.5 inches of rain or less. The NWS forecasts a 10% to 30% chance that these areas could see as much as 2 inches of rain this week. … ” Read more from KRON.
Marin Municipal Water District launches salmon tracking dashboard
“For nature lovers, the pilgrimage to Lagunitas Creek to watch the returning salmon is as much a winter ritual as the salmon run itself. Given the public interest, and the continued restoration of the salmon habitat, the Marin Municipal Water District has introduced a new “spawner dashboard” that allows users to dive into the fishery’s data back to 1999. “We were looking for a more engaging way to tell the story of salmon other than the kind of monitoring reports that we have been generating for years,” said Eric Ettlinger, aquatic ecologist for the district. The online dashboard at bit.ly/3XgEYjG includes a map of the Lagunitas Creek watershed that displays where salmon and steelhead have laid their eggs, Ettlinger said. … ” Read more from the Marin Independent Journal.
Marin Voice: Plan Bay Area’s draft report is built on false narrative
Susan Kirsch, founder of Catalysts for Local Control, writes, “San Francisco Bay Area residents are once again being given a chance to see what regional planners propose for us through 2050 and the predicted impacts on our lives. Two regional agencies sit at the center of this effort. The Metropolitan Transportation Commission has about 422 employees and a budget of roughly $360 million. The Association of Bay Area Governments operates with a budget of about $93 million and no separate staff; instead, MTC staff support ABAG’s programs. Under this governance model, MTC staff shape how our region grows and oversee regional investments. Their joint blueprint, Plan Bay Area 2050+, identifies needs and revenues for implementing 35 strategies covering transportation, housing, the economy and the environment. The draft environmental impact report, a legally required analysis under the California Environmental Quality Act, examines what that growth will mean for aesthetics, air quality, wildfire risk, and 14 other environmental categories. … ” Read more from the Marin Independent Journal.
CENTRAL COAST
Forest makeover boosts Pebble Beach fire defense
“Trees are missing from the Del Monte Forest and it’s for a good reason. Crews are removing dead trees and flammable underbrush after the Pebble Beach Community Services District doubled the funding allocated to its long-running Fire Defense Plan. Pebble Beach firefighters could once find themselves battling flames that soared 150 feet high, according to Fuels Manager John Trenner of Cal Fire. In 1987, a campfire in the Morse Wildlife Preserve quickly spread to Huckleberry Hill, igniting the forest from floor to canopy and burning 30 houses. The District, a government agency that provides essential services such as fire protection to the Del Monte Forest area, responded by creating the Fire Defense Plan, a set of initiatives aimed at reducing future fire risk. … ” Read more from the Monterey Herald.
San Lorenzo River mouth surf spot approved as California Historic Landmark
“For years, the San Lorenzo River mouth surf break in Santa Cruz has been celebrated by local surfers and history buffs as the location where surfing was first introduced to the continental United States more than a century ago. On Friday, state authorities stepped in to make that recognition official. The California Historical Resource Commission unanimously agreed to designate the Three Princes’ Surf Site at the San Lorenzo River mouth as a California Historical Landmark. The application process was spearheaded by California State Parks but came after at least a decade of advocacy work among local community members and surfers. “Together with our partners at the City of Santa Cruz and the Seabright and surfing communities, we are delighted to see the Three Princes’ surf site at the San Lorenzo Rivermouth formally recognized as a California Historical Landmark,” State Parks Santa Cruz District Superintendent Chris Spohrer told the Sentinel in a statement after the vote. … ” Read more from the San Jose Mercury News.
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
Stockton waterfront faces annual invasion of fast-growing hyacinth
“Stockton’s downtown waterfront faces an annual takeover by invasive water hyacinth, a fast-growing plant that can blanket thousands of square feet of water in a single season. Deemed “hopeless” by PBS in 2015, the plant returns each year to San Joaquin County waterways, including McLeod Lake in Stockton,the Calaveras River and the broader Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. Known as “the fastest-growing plant in the world,” a single hyacinth can wreak massive ecological and economic damage, making it one of California’s most destructive invasive species. Unlike other invasive plants, experts say eradication is nearly impossible, leaving ongoing control as the only viable solution. For decades, the invasion of water hyacinth and other invasive plants like alligator weed have been a persistent problem for Stockton. … ” Read more from Stocktonia.
Several ‘firsts’ featured in Fresno farm reports
“Fresno County scored a few “firsts” with the release of its annual crop and livestock report. Not only did the county regain its top spot among agricultural counties in the nation, but it also retained its leading role as the top almond producer and assumed the same role as the state’s leading pistachio producing county. In another first, the county’s diverse crop production was valued at $9.03 billion last year, a first for any county in the United States to gross more than $9 billion in agricultural sales. The 5.7% growth in the annual crop value in Fresno County last year came as a surprise to Supervisor Nathan Magsig, who referenced the 8% decline in nearby Kern County’s gross crop receipts last year. … ” Read more from the Western Farm Press.
Tulare County Voices to host forum on groundwater and land subsidence, a ‘pending crisis’
“Many people in the San Joaquin Valley have seen the ominous photo: It depicts a person standing next to a telephone pole that bears a series of signs labeled with years. Way at the top of the pole is a sign that reads “1962.” Several feet lower is a sign reading, “1970.” Much further down, another sign says, “2015,” followed by more signs for the years 2019, 2021 and finally a sign at the bottom that reads “2025.” Another label explains that each sign on the pole shows the levels that year of the ground, which has sunk from the depletion of groundwater in a phenomenon called “subsidence.” … “Groundwater and Land Subsidence – A Pending Crisis” will be a public forum presented by Tulare County Voices at 210, at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 11 at 210 W. Center Ave. … ” Read more from the Visalia Times-Delta.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
As a century-old oil field winds down, what’s next for Baldwin Hills? A sprawling park or housing?
“The 342-foot climb from Culver City streets to the Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook is a monster, but the payoff is sublime: panoramic views from Santa Monica Bay to the San Gabriel Mountains. Almost sublime, that is. The foreground is a scar of denuded earth, storage tanks and bobbing pumpjacks — the legacy of oil discovered a century ago when only farmhouses were scattered over the surrounding flatlands. A long and inevitable clash came when suburbia closed in around the 1,000-acre Inglewood Oil Field, as occurred at oil facilities all over the region. Now that conflict is coming to a resolution. A state edict, if it holds up in court, would require drilling and pumping to stop by the end of the decade. What hasn’t been resolved is what will then become of one of the region’s last great pieces of undeveloped land. … ” Read more from the LA Times. | Read via AOL News.
Capistrano Beach, Seal Beach flood as high tide, big surf combine at the coast
“King tides and a big swell hit the Southern California coastline on Friday, Nov. 7, combining to cause flooding in some areas. At Capistrano Beach, the parking lot was closed as the water poured over rocks and k-rails when high tide hit around 9:20 a.m. — an extreme high tide of about 7 feet that coincided with a strong northwest swell that brought 6- to 8-foot waves at some beaches. Spectators stopped to take photos, bicyclists and walkers carefully navigated the beach trail littered with rocks and mud, while county workers scooped up the pebbles and larger boulders tossed into the beachfront parking lot by the ocean. Longtime resident Bill Johnson, of Dana Point, thought he was clear of the ocean’s threat by standing up on a planter taking photos of the big waves making a dramatic show, only to be soaked as a set wave jacked up to send a shocking saltwater shower. “I love to watch Mother Nature do her thing,” he said, chuckling at the surprise soak. “I can’t believe it, I thought I was safe. You never know.” … ” Read more from the OC Register.
IMPERIAL/COACHELLA VALLEYS
California’s drying Salton Sea harms the lungs of people living nearby, say researchers
“Chemical-laden dust from southern California’s drying Salton Sea is likely harming the lungs of people around the shrinking body of water, and the effects are especially pronounced in children, new peer-reviewed research from the University of California, Irvine, shows. A separate peer-reviewed study from the University of California, Riverside, also found the Salton Sea’s contaminated dust seemed to alter lung microbiome, which could trigger pulmonary issues that have been reported around the lake. The two new papers are part of a series of studies that are revealing the environmental and public health risks of dust from the drying Salton Sea, which sits about 60 miles (95km) south-east of metropolitan Los Angeles. The dust has been found to travel more than 100 miles (160km), though the prevailing winds blow to the south-east. “The drying of the Salton Sea is not only an environmental crisis but also a public health crisis,” UC Irvine study co-author Jill Johnston said in a statement. “Our study provides concrete evidence that children in surrounding communities are facing measurable harm to their lungs as a result of increased dust exposure.” … ” Read more from The Guardian.
Along the Colorado River …
How Phoenix will deal with deeper shortages on the Colorado River
“Unless Arizona’s farmers and tribes can strike deals to bail out the state’s growing cities, Arizona’s largest population centers will likely start to face water restrictions on the Colorado River. Cities like Phoenix, Scottsdale and Tucson could lose more than 20% of their river allocations, triggering public debates in council chambers and municipal offices over how to respond, what to sacrifice and what to prioritize. Arizona’s cities have been shielded from existing cuts for the past three years by agreements with tribes and through compensation from fast-depleting pools of federal money. But those agreements and that money are set to run out by the end of 2026. Water managers and officials don’t know how big the cuts will be, but most agree on one thing: real cuts are possible. … ” Read more from the Arizona Republic.
Concerning new research reveals that the ground beneath Arizona is collapsing
“In Arizona’s Willcox Basin, located just over an hour east of Tucson, the ground is literally breaking apart. Cracks spread across the surface, wells are running dry, and unusual flooding appears after heavy rains. The reason is straightforward: large-scale farms are extracting vast amounts of groundwater for irrigation, causing the water table to drop and the land itself to subside. “For a long time,” says Dr. Danielle Smilovsky, a geospatial research scientist at the Conrad Blucher Institute, “there were no water regulations there.” Smilovsky recently presented new findings at GSA Connects 2025 in San Antonio, Texas, detailing how much the region has sunk. Her five-year study, covering 2017–2021, used satellite observations to track subtle ground movements. The data revealed that some parts of the basin are sinking by as much as six inches per year—nearly three feet over the study period. Since the 1950s, the ground in some areas has dropped by up to 12 feet. The Willcox Basin now shows the fastest rate of subsidence in Arizona, although the issue extends across much of the state. … ” Read more from Sci Tech Daily.
In national water news today …
Inside the PFAS settlements: Why the special needs funds could mean millions more for utilities
“Disbursements from the landmark Aqueous Film Forming Foam (AFFF) Products Liability Litigation settlements with 3M and DuPont began this past summer for eligible water systems that submitted claims documentation on time. For many systems, awards from these settlements will be in the many millions of dollars, much needed funds to upgrade their facilities with PFAS treatment technology or to pay themselves back for investments already made to remove PFAS from their source water and comply with new EPA regulations. … ” Read more from Water Finance & Management.
