A collection of top water news from around California and the West compiled each weekday. Send any comments or article submissions to Foundation News & Publications Director Chris Bowman.
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The setup and density of urban neighborhoods may be
exacerbating the intensity of flood risks in areas already
suffering from climate-induced weather extremes, University of
California (UC) researchers determined in a new study. Cities
worldwide have become increasingly prone to flooding due to the
compounding impacts of stronger storms and population growth,
the authors noted. But “urban form” — construction density and
street networking — may be intensifying that flooding,
according to the study, published Monday in Nature
Communications.
An appellate court decision earlier this month sided with
environmental groups who have long said Fresno’s review process
doesn’t adequately address construction impacts on
neighborhoods. Now, the city has issued at least one memo to
builders using the city’s Program Environmental Impact Report
to stop and do their own review. The decision could delay
“dozens” of industrial, commercial, and residential projects,
according to a City Hall source who requested anonymity. …
California’s Fifth Appellate District delivered its opinion on
Aug. 6, saying the city’s report did not account for realistic,
up-to-date levels of air pollution,
groundwater, and pedestrian traffic. The court
also said that the city didn’t provide needed alternatives to
mitigate those impacts.
Public records show a hedge fund that, according to its
website, is “a global investor in companies and assets that
ensure water quality and supply” paid $100 million for land in
La Paz County in July. AZPM found records for purchases
totaling 12,753.81 acres. The land was previously owned by a
company out of North Carolina, which bought at least some of it
from the City of Phoenix. The land encompasses a large portion
of the unincorporated community of Wenden and sits in the
McMullen Valley. Officials in La Paz County told AZPM they fear
that such deals could result in groundwater
being pumped and sent to other communities. The aquifer under
the land is designated as a transfer basin, meaning water can
be pumped from there and sent to other places in the state.
Sustainable Conservation, in partnership with Netafim USA, is
excited to announce the award of a Conservation Innovation
Grant (CIG) from the Natural Resources Conservation Service
(NRCS). This grant will fund a first-of-its-kind pilot project
at De Jager Dairy, where the award-winning Subsurface Drip
Irrigation for Dairy Effluent (SDI-E) system will be adapted to
irrigate and fertilize almond crops. Dairy farms are integral
to California’s agricultural economy, but the 1.72 million
dairy cows in California generate manure that can be a major
source of nitrate pollution and methane emissions. With over
600,000 residents reliant on contaminated wells for household
water in the San Joaquin Valley alone, we must manage manure in
ways that unlock its nutrient-rich potential and protect our
water quality.
The Central Valley of California historically contained a
diverse tapestry of freshwater habitats, from the salty marshes
of the lower estuary to the ice-cold mountain streams of the
Sierras. Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) developed a
remarkable array of strategies to take advantage of these
varied habitats, but as habitats have been altered and
fragmented, so too has the diversity of Chinook populations. In
particular, the Chinook that relied on coldwater habitats to
survive in rivers through the summer – such as spring-run
Chinook – have lost access to much of their historic range due
to dams, and consequently have experienced precipitous
declines. As the diversity of Chinook populations diminishes,
so does the species’ resilience and adaptability. But all hope
is not lost – the findings of a recent study examining the
genetics of Chinook in a very modified river in the Sacramento
Basin (Hugentobler et al. 2024) suggest that the diversity of
these salmon may be more persistent than previously thought.
We can find beaver dams here and there in the Sonoma Valley
watershed, and the ecological benefits include slowing and
storing water to help prevent erosion, and providing habitat
for fish, frogs and multiple aquatic species. But what
about places where beaver dams could help restore and improve
watersheds, and yet there are no beavers? That’s where the new
Beaver Restoration Assessment Tool, or BRAT, comes in. It is an
innovative planning tool designed to assess the potential for
beaver dams as a stream conservation and restoration agent
across watersheds. The idea is to install man-made beaver dams
to replicate the ecological effects of natural beaver dams.
Putting branches and limbs across a tributary, modeled on
beaver dams, can provide spectacular benefits for people, fish,
and fire breaks, according to Glen Ellen environmental
consultant Karla Noyes. — Written by Teri
Shore, environmentalist and journalist
Senator Melissa Hurtado said she believes the problems facing
the Central Valley and California, while myriad and complex,
have a common denominator: data manipulation. And that is
restricting Valley residents from living the American dream. In
a recent interview with the Times, Hurtado (D-Bakersfield)
touched on multiple topics, including the state budget deficit,
homelessness, the high cost of living, water shortages,
Proposition 47 and the skyrocketing cost of energy. … In
May 2022, Hurtado wrote a letter to the U.S. Attorney General,
Merrick Garland. In her letter, Hurtado expressed concern that
non-ag entities, including hedge funds, have engaged in
anti-competitive prices with respect to purchasing water
rights. She said these same entities potentially profit from
the drought affecting Western states. In August 2022, Hurtado
again wrote Garland. In this letter, she asked him to take
urgent action “to address potential fraud and market
manipulation practices that result in less water availability
in the Western states.”
Trace levels of mpox detected recently in San Francisco
wastewater are unrelated to a new outbreak in Africa that
prompted the World Health Organization this week to declare a
global health emergency, officials said. The San Francisco
Department of Public Health said health officials have
monitored mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, in wastewater
since a 2022 outbreak. The trace levels that were detected
at two sites recently are from Clade II, a type of genetic
grouping of viruses that prompted a global health emergency
from July 2022 to May 2023. During that outbreak, the virus
spread from Africa to Europe and North America. The California
Department of Public Health said mpox cases have been
increasing in California, with 54 cases reported since June 1.
However, that is not anywhere near the level of spread in the
2022 outbreak, with up to 150 cases reported in one day.
…. [Environmental Policy Professor Jeff Langholz] has
made safe, clean, and reliable water access the focus of a
professional career that reads like an adventure novel.
… Langholz introduced his clean-water work to a wider
audience at last year’s campus open house for prospective
students with a talk titled “The Future of Water Is Closer and
Better Than You Think,” which feels like required viewing in an
increasingly water-insecure world. As part of the
presentation, he highlighted a number of decentralized ways to
capture life-sustaining moisture—and keep using it—like gray-
and black-water recycling, rain harvesting, and atmospheric
water generation. The last proves most stunning, and
happens by deploying generators of scalable sizes to extract
potable H2O from the atmosphere—at volume, using renewable
energy, and doing it affordably—and then recycling
it indefinitely. … Langholz’s students have pursued
a number of projects related to this area, from fog harvesting
(with a device called the FogLog) to financing infrastructure
for rainwater harvesting systems (Rain Returns), two projects
that made the finals of the Startup Challenge Monterey
Bay.
California Consulting is proud to announce the successful
acquisition of a $4,992,209 grant from the State Water
Resources Control Board’s Clean Water State Revolving Fund for
the City of Arvin. This critical funding will finance
essential repairs and upgrades to the Water Treatment Plant
(WTP) Effluent Pond #3. This grant is a major
milestone in the City of Arvin’s clean water vision. The
awarded funds will be used to implement comprehensive
repairs and upgrades, including reinforcing pond structures,
updating treatment technologies, and ensuring compliance
with state water quality standards. These improvements will not
only boost the efficiency and reliability of the water
treatment process but also contribute to the overall
well-being of Arvin’s residents.
A Northern California school district is under fire after it
disclosed Monday that nearly 200 drinking fountains and water
faucets across multiple schools had elevated levels of lead
that tested above the district’s standards. The Oakland
Unified School District, California’s 11th-largest public
school district, said in a letter to families that it had
tested over 1,000 faucets and fountains at 40 TK-12 schools to
assess lead levels in the water. While nearly 83% of the
faucets and fountains tested were under the school district’s
limit of 5 parts per billion, or ppb, about 17% were above the
limit. The district’s standard of 5 ppb is more strict compared
to the state and federal guidelines of 15 ppb, which the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency set as the action level for
lead in drinking water.
A would-be sand miner in Southern California is seeking $300
million in compensation from the city of San Diego after it
released six billion gallons of water from the El Capitan Dam.
The plaintiff says the release raised the water table by
40-feet, rendering its nearly finished mining permit worthless,
because the city does not allow sand mining below the water
table.
One year ago, California’s rockfish world was turned on its
head with the announcement of the nearshore rockfish closure on
Sept. 1, 2023, from Point Conception north to the Oregon border
due to data indicating an excessive take of quillback rockfish.
Since quillbacks are normally found from 20 to 50 fathoms, the
rockfish regulations were modified this year to accommodate
recreational fishing in less than 20 fathoms or greater than 50
fathoms. …. By combining the expertise and ideas of
a diverse group, they have successfully established protocols
to evaluate Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), the status of
nearshore fish stocks, and how climate change is impacting
marine resources in California.
—By Dave Hurley, educator, fishing writer and member
of the California Outdoors Hall of Fame
Nearly 200 water faucets in Oakland public schools
had levels of lead that exceeded district standards,
sparking outrage among staff who criticized district officials
this week for failing to immediately notify school communities
about results found earlier this summer and spring. Out of
the 1,083 faucets and fountains tested, nearly 83% fell below
the district’s limit of 5 parts per billion, or ppb, meaning
they were safe, but 17% were above the limit. Federal standards
are more lenient than Oakland’s standards, at 15 parts per
billion, but 70 taps in the districts also failed to meet that
requirement, in some cases by a wide margin. … While the
risk to students might be low, it’s unclear how long taps with
high levels of lead remained in use after the district obtained
results. … Districts across California have been testing
water for lead under a voluntary program since 2017,
and as required by state law since 2019. And they have been
finding it in hundreds of hallways, bathrooms, classrooms and
other locations, especially in older buildings.
The California Supreme Court, on Aug. 14, declined to
review an objection by plaintiffs in the Kern River lawsuit to
a lower court’s ruling that paused an order requiring
water flows through Bakersfield. That means the 5th District
Court of Appeal will continue toward a hearing on whether the
order was appropriate and the other part of the case will
continue on its path in the Kern County Superior Court. It also
means the order remains paused, so there is no requirement
that the City of Bakersfield keep water in the river for fish
populations. What water has been flowing through town all
summer was voluntarily put into the river bed by the city.
… Glen Canyon is perhaps best known for the reservoir that
fills it. Lake Powell, the nation’s second-largest reservoir,
has kept much of the canyon underwater since the 1960s and 70s.
The 21st Century has changed that. Climate change and steady
demand have brought its water levels to record lows, putting
once-submerged reaches of the canyon above water for the first
time in decades. What happens next is still up in the air.
Some environmental advocates want to see the reservoir drained
so plants, animals, and geologic features can come back.
Boaters and other recreators want to maintain the status quo –
keep storing water in Lake Powell and sustain a tourism site
that brings in millions of visitors each year.
Extreme weather alerts for dangerous heat, wildfires, storms,
flooding and other hazards have affected nearly everyone in the
United States over the past few months. Tracking data from the
National Weather Service, the nonprofit Union of Concerned
Scientists has found that since the beginning of May, extreme
weather alerts have been issued for 99% of the country’s
population. It’s a striking statistic that underlines the
growing risks the nation faces as climate change continues to
intensify extremes — such as last month’s record heat in
California.
From almost any vista point around the southern portion of Lake
Oroville, scorched earth from the Thompson Fire in July is
clearly visible. While the charred landscape surrounds the main
spillway, the California Department of Water Resources said the
structure itself did not sustain damage. “Thompson Fire damage
was limited to vegetation and minor structures such as fencing
and trail structures like wooden footbridges,” said Tracy
Hinojosa, DWR Water Operations Manager with the State Water
Project. “DWR and State Parks are coordinating to remove hazard
vegetation near trails and replace footbridges. Several trails
within the Lake Oroville State Recreation Area remain closed
including those around the diversion pool, Potter’s Ravine and
the North Fork Trail area.”
At its August 15, 2024, meeting, the Delta Independent Science
Board voted Dr. Diane McKnight from its existing membership as
chair-elect, putting her in line to assume the chair duties in
two years. Dr. McKnight’s chair-elect duties begin on September
1, 2024, when the current Chair, Dr. Lisa Wainger, will become
past-chair, and the current Chair-Elect, Dr. Inge Werner, will
become chair. Dr. Diane McKnight began her career with the
United States Geological Survey. She is currently a professor
in the Department of Civil, Environmental, and Architectural
Engineering at the University of Colorado. Her research focuses
on coupling hydrology, aquatic ecology, and water quality. Dr.
McKnight has studied streams, lakes, and wetlands in diverse
regions, including the arctic tundra in Alaska, polar desert
streams in Antarctica, alpine lakes in the Rocky Mountains, and
wetlands in Botswana.
On Wednesday, Big Basin will take a significant step toward
recovery, as the California Department of Parks and Recreation
holds its first public meeting to unveil three options for
rebuilding the facilities at the 18,000-acre park in the Santa
Cruz Mountains. … Environmental groups who helped
establish and enlarge Big Basin over the years say things
generally are moving in the right direction.
… “Everything from the pavement that prevents water
to getting from the roots of the old-growth trees, to the
buildings and fuel tanks and flammable material that goes along
with it puts the resources at risk,” said Sam Hodder, president
of Save the Redwoods League, an environmental group in San
Francisco. “Letting visitors enjoy a more healthy forest
ecosystem, not burdened with a lot of infrastructure will
create a better experience and a more healthy redwood forest.”