Aquafornia

Colorado voters may be asked to send more sports betting money to water projects

Alastair Bland — Fri, 26 Apr 2024 15:07:00 +0000

Colorado voters may be asked to let more money flow to water projects by allowing the state to keep all of the sports betting tax revenue it collects, if a measure referring the issue to the November ballot is approved by lawmakers. House Bill 1436 … collects a 10% tax on the proceeds of licensed sports betting. Some of the money is used to cover the cost of regulating betting and the rest, up to $29 million total, is funneled toward water projects. In the event tax collections exceed $29 million, the legislature decides how to refund the money under the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights.

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A company made millions selling farmland water rights to Queen Creek, and the practice is growing

Alastair Bland — Fri, 26 Apr 2024 14:54:00 +0000

A water transfer from a small western Arizona town to a growing East Valley community has some observers concerned. About a decade ago, a company called Greenstone bought nearly 500 acres of land in the town of Cibola, in La Paz County. But, a few years later, Greenstone sold the water rights for that farmland to Queen Creek. In the process, the company made about $14 million in profit. Since then, La Paz and two other Arizona counties have sued the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, arguing the agency didn’t consider the long-term implications when it approved the deal. A judge this year sided with those counties, and told the bureau to essentially redo its environmental assessment of the arrangement.

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Audubon: ‘Rivers in the sky’ have drenched California, yet even more extreme rains are possible

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Tijuana River Valley pollution: bills passed to address water supply issues

Alastair Bland — Fri, 26 Apr 2024 14:51:00 +0000

The water in Imperial Beach could soon be much cleaner. A legislative package protecting the Tijuana River Watershed was passed by the Senate Environmental Quality Committee Wednesday. The two bills address corporate pollution tainting California’s water supply. Companies responsible for sewage, garbage and chemicals that are spilling over from south of the border and contaminating the waters of San Diego could soon be held accountable by having to pay fines depending on how much waste they improperly dump.

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After decades without safe drinking water, a California community will receive aid to build a pipeline

Alastair Bland — Fri, 26 Apr 2024 14:43:00 +0000

A generational issue for the families living in San Lucas continues as they’ve gone decades without drinking water. Soon federal, state, and local leaders will secure nearly a million dollars to build a pipeline to King City. Advertisement “The kids couldn’t even be bathed in the water. That’s how bad it is that babies are not able to get bathed. That means there’s something really wrong,” said Fray Marin-Zuniga, a San Lucas resident. Plants not growing, animals dying, young children unable to bathe, this is the reality for those living in the unincorporated South Monterey County town of San Lucas. “Back when I was in school here, because I graduated from San Lucas School, the water was yellow,” Martin-Zuniga said. Martin-Zuniga has lived in San Lucas his entire life, he shows KSBW the dry skin condition that he’s developed on his arm. He says as the years go by, the need for clean water has never wavered.

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San Mateo County approves $15 million budget for drainage project

Alastair Bland — Fri, 26 Apr 2024 14:42:00 +0000

The San Mateo County Board of Supervisors unanimously voted to approve $15 million in funding for the construction of the Vista Grande Drainage Basin Improvement project. The project aims to address persistent flooding in northern San Mateo County and parts of San Francisco. “The project is expected to provide a range of public benefits, including improved storm drainage, water supply, wastewater disposal, solid waste capture, recreation, and environmental enhancement benefits,” county staff said in a report. According to county staff, much of the flooding can be attributed to overflowing water at Lake Merced during heavy downpours. The project will channel and filter rainwater from the Vista Grande Watershed before releasing it into the Pacific Ocean.

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Northern California dog owners warned by state wildlife officials to keep their canines away from raw fish

Alastair Bland — Fri, 26 Apr 2024 14:38:00 +0000

Those who enjoy fishing and who seek trout and salmon in particular were reminded Wednesday by California Department of Fish & Wildlife officials that they should keep their dogs away from the uncooked fish. A parasitic flatworm called Nanophyetes salmincola can be transmitted to canines that eat the two types of fish before they’re cooked, creating a bacteria-like organism in their body and a condition called salmon poisoning disease, officials said in a news release. The parasite is seen only in dogs; the disease is potentially fatal but is treatable, experts say. Signs of the disease in a dog include a rise in body temperature, a loss of appetite, listlessness, diarrhea and vomiting. Rapid weight loss may also occur.

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Podcast: Breaking barriers – Inside the Klamath Dam removal project, with Mark Bransom

Alastair Bland — Fri, 26 Apr 2024 14:15:00 +0000

Get ready for the latest scoop on the Klamath River dam removal and restoration project! In the newest episode of the Fish Water People Podcast, Mark Bransom, CEO of the Klamath River Renewal Corporation, is welcomed back to discuss exciting updates on the once-in-a-lifetime restoration effort. In recent months, significant milestones have been achieved, with successful dam breaching at Iron Gate, Copco 1, and J.C. Boyle in Southern Oregon – signifying a monumental leap forward in the journey to restoring river vitality. Despite expected challenges such as sediment management and ecological adjustments, the project remains steadfast on its course. Native vegetation is already beginning to sprout, breathing new life into the ecosystem. Curious what lies ahead on this monumental journey of renewal?

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Kings County farmers vote down proposed groundwater pumping fees

Alastair Bland — Fri, 26 Apr 2024 14:13:00 +0000

Water users in the Mid-Kings River Groundwater Sustainability Agency shot down a proposed pumping fee that would have been nearly $100 per acre-foot. That sends the Mid-Kings River GSA back to the drawing board, with local stakeholders calling for more input in the next proposal. The backstory: California views that the GSA – which comprises of water users in the Kings County Water District, the City of Hanford and Kings County – has not done enough to manage groundwater pumping through the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA). SGMA was passed by the Legislature in 2014, and it governs how agencies in critically overdrafted areas achieve groundwater sustainability.

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Union of Concerned Scientists: Blog – Understanding future groundwater sustainability scenarios

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How 3 U.S. states incorporate coastal habitats into climate change planning

Alastair Bland — Fri, 26 Apr 2024 13:20:00 +0000

Coastal wetlands—including salt marshes, tidal forested wetlands, and seagrasses—can sequester more carbon per acre than inland forests, making them some of the world’s most effective natural carbon sinks. So, states [including California] are increasingly incorporating the protection and restoration of these “blue carbon” habitats into their broader initiatives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and meet their climate change goals. Although states use different approaches to incorporating coastal wetlands into their climate planning, some common elements are high-level leadership and policy goals, quality data and established methodologies for understanding blue carbon trends, and partnerships for effective implementation.

Related articles:

Spectrum News: Biden administration announces new wetlands protections after Supreme Court decision

KQED – San Francisco: California’s plans for slowing climate change through nature-based solutions

Newsweek: US map shows ‘hazard zones’ for rising sea levels, tsunamis

Oregon State University: Research showcases Indigenous stewardship’s role in forest ecosystem resilience

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Rivers are the West’s largest source of clean energy. What happens when drought strikes?

Alastair Bland — Fri, 26 Apr 2024 13:13:00 +0000

The Pacific Northwest lays claim to well over two-fifths of America’s dam-derived electricity. So when a drought hits the region, the nation takes notice. That happened in 2023 when, according to a recent report, U.S. hydroelectric power hit its lowest level in 22 years. … Last year offered energy providers in the West a glimpse of the conditions they may need to adapt to as the world warms and seasonal weather patterns shift. While models predict climate change will plunge California and the Southwest deeper into drought, what awaits Washington and Oregon is less clear.

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KNAU – Arizona Public Radio: Federal energy regulators reject hydro-storage project on Navajo Nation

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New study: Using genetic identification to find spring-run salmon and more

Alastair Bland — Fri, 26 Apr 2024 12:57:00 +0000

Balancing the water supply needs of millions of Californians while protecting the environment is no easy task. The Department of Water Resources is committed to using and advancing the best available science to operate the State Water Project to get water to the people who need it while protecting native fish species. One important way DWR is doing just that is through the advanced use of genetics to identify different runs of Chinook salmon to monitor and protect the runs that are listed as threatened or endangered. Knowing which runs are present and where they are being found in the water system ultimately helps rebuild salmon populations in California. DWR has released a video showing the genetic identification process in action.

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Sacramento delta stewards eye climate change protection for levees, habitats

Alastair Bland — Fri, 26 Apr 2024 12:46:00 +0000

The Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta faces significant challenges affecting the health of its waterways and ecosystem, and stewards say state agencies must accelerate efforts to prepare for the impacts of climate change and a growing urban landscape. Delta Stewardship Council staff presented the Delta Plan Five Year Review on Thursday, recommending numerous measures to preserve precious water and environmental habitats against future crises such as extreme drought, sea level rise and earthquakes. The council recommended that stewards work with state regulators to improve the delta’s ecosystems and reduce reliance on delta water, and with landowners to identify affordable uses of sinking land for sustainable farming.

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Northern California Water Association: Blog - The agreements to support healthy rivers and landscapes benefits all Californians

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Blog: Valley Water working to reduce methylmercury (toxins) in local waterways

Alastair Bland — Fri, 26 Apr 2024 12:44:00 +0000

For more than 15 years, Valley Water has measured mercury levels in reservoirs and creeks in the Guadalupe River Watershed and studied ways to reduce the metal’s harmful impacts. Parts of the Guadalupe River watershed, which covers about 171 square miles, are contaminated with mercury from the former New Almaden Mining District. The mining and processing of mercury occurred in the area from 1845 through 1971. These operations released large amounts of mercury into parts of the Guadalupe River watershed, which flows into South San Francisco Bay. Mercury-enriched sediment from mining waste made its way into creeks and reservoirs within the watershed. Creeks flowing in the watershed carry that sediment down the Guadalupe River to San Francisco Bay, especially during wet years.

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Dead fish suddenly found in California lake raises alarms

Alastair Bland — Fri, 26 Apr 2024 12:43:00 +0000

Officials are conducting tests at a drinking water reservoir in California, after dead fish were found floating there. The Lake Elsinore & San Jacinto Watersheds Authority (LESJWA) announced on Wednesday evening it had launched an investigation into oxygen levels at Canyon Lake. The reservoir, in southern California, has historically suffered from algae blooms, which can cause environmental concerns, according to the LESJWA website. ”A fish die-off, is one of the first visible signs of environmental stress when dead fish are found floating on the surface of water or washed up on the shore,” a statement said. “The most common cause of a fish die-off is the depletion of dissolved oxygen in a body of water.” There was no mention of whether the fish die-off or presence of algae could potentially impact the quality of the drinking water.

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California’s oldest water rights exist only on paper. A new project aims to change that

Alastair Bland — Fri, 26 Apr 2024 12:36:00 +0000

College students in California have begun scanning 2 million pages of water rights records on paper to make them more easily available in digital form to the public as part of a $60 million project. The idea is to make it easier to determine who has the right to use water in the state, and from what stream and when, especially in times of drought. Here & Now’s Peter O’Dowd learns more with Erik Ekdahl, deputy director of the California State Water Board’s Division of Water Rights.

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Friday Top of the Scroll: ‘Rivers in the sky’ have drenched California, yet even more extreme rains are possible

Alastair Bland — Fri, 26 Apr 2024 12:34:00 +0000

For years, scientists have said that atmospheric rivers can either make or break the water supplies of thirsty California cities and farms. For the last two winters, a steady succession of these giant “rivers in the sky” have dumped record-breaking and drought-busting precipitation across the state, while simultaneously causing catastrophic floods, landslides, and dangerous blizzards. But now, new research has found that these recent atmospheric rivers pale in comparison to some of the monster storms that battered ancient California — a sobering revelation that suggests to some experts that the state could be revisited once again by such cataclysmic storms. … The study’s findings do not bode well for a state whose flood infrastructure was severely strained last year, when a train of atmospheric rivers breached numerous levees, flooded communities and re-filled once dry Tulare Lake.

Related articles:

San Francisco Chronicle: Will California’s historic storms get even more intense? New research may hold a clue

Los Angeles Times: You’re gonna need a bigger number: Scientists consider a Category 6 for mega-hurricane era

California Department of Water Resources: News release - One year later – state-led drought task force releases inaugural report laying the groundwork on how to improve drought resilience for California

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A golden age of renewables is beginning, and California is leading the way

Alastair Bland — Thu, 25 Apr 2024 15:09:00 +0000

Something spectacular is happening in the Golden State. California—the fifth-largest economy in the world—has experienced a record-breaking string of days in which the combined generation of wind, geothermal, hydroelectric and solar electricity has exceeded demand on the main electricity grid for anywhere from 15 minutes to 9.25 hours per day. These clean, renewable electricity sources are collectively known as wind-water-solar (WWS) sources. … With the future growth of both utility-scale and rooftop solar, however, California will ultimately provide 100 percent WWS during summer daytime hours as well. Solar, though, provides electricity during the day only.

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Biden admin vows to restore 8M acres of wetlands

Alastair Bland — Thu, 25 Apr 2024 14:55:00 +0000

The Biden administration announced a goal Tuesday to protect and restore 8 million acres of wetlands over the next six years in an effort to counter development pressures and recently weakened federal regulations. The bold new target seeks to reverse the ongoing loss of U.S. wetlands, which help keep pollutants out of rivers and streams and act as a natural buffer against flooding. Over 60 percent of wetlands now lack protections under the Clean Water Act for the first time in decades after the Supreme Court curtailed the law’s scope last year. In addition to wetlands, the administration committed to “reconnect, restore and protect” 100,000 miles of rivers and streams nationwide by 2030, including by removing impediments such as dams and by restoring stream banks experiencing erosion.

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Reuters: Biden sets new target to protect vast US water sources

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SNWA offers Las Vegas residents incentive to get rid of grass

Alastair Bland — Thu, 25 Apr 2024 14:53:00 +0000

For the last 20 years, the Southern Nevada Water Authority has been giving Las Vegas residents cash for each square foot of grass they convert to a desert landscape. That incentive went up just for 2024 from $3 a square foot to $5 a square foot of grass converted. … Last year, over 12 million square feet of grass was converted and that was when the incentive was at $3 a square foot. Now this year at $5 a square foot SNWA is seeing around a thousand applications each month for the rebate program which has a budget of about $24 million.

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Removing lead cables from Lake Tahoe: It’s the mission of grassroots organizers

Alastair Bland — Thu, 25 Apr 2024 14:43:00 +0000

Emerald Bay is known for its beauty, with an island castle at its center, and an underwater state park full of sunken boats. But that’s not all that lies beneath the water’s surface. Two defunct, lead-clad telecommunications cables run across the mouth of the bay and along Tahoe’s southwestern shores. An ongoing court battle and investigation by the Wall Street Journal have brought the cables into the public eye. The California Sportfishing Protection Alliance has sued AT&T to have the cables removed, while competing studies by AT&T and WSJ resulted in drastically different findings on whether the lines pose any risk to the lake and its visitors.

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