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Drought Conditions Could Stretch to Spring, Set Stage for Another Rough Fire Season

/in , /by /KQED by Craig Miller

The latest outlook from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration suggests that California’s persistent drought-like conditions could last through the winter and into spring, possibly fueling another grueling fire season in 2021.

Currently, three-quarters of California is experiencing at least moderate drought conditions.

“Keep in mind, we’re coming off the driest May-through-October period, statewide at least, across California, Arizona and New Mexico,” said Mark Svoboda of the National Drought Mitigation Center in Nebraska.

Forecasting three to four months out is a dodgy proposition for scientists, but NOAA’s modeling shows the likelihood of relatively dry weather through February.

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Growers See Initial Allocation of 10% for 2021 Water Year

/in , /by /The Sun Gazette

While deciding the final allocation for growers who gather their water from the Friant-Kern Canal is months away, things early on are not looking good. The California Department of Water Resources announced on Dec. 1 an initial state water project allocation of 10% of requested supply for the 2021 water year. Initial allocations are based on conservative assumptions regarding hydrology and factors such as reservoir storage.

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EPA Guidance May Exempt Some Water Polluters from Supreme Court Permit Mandate

/in , /by /The Hillby Rachel Frazin

The Environmental Protection Agency on Tuesday released a draft guidance that interprets a Supreme Court decision in a way that may exempt some facilities from needing permits to pollute groundwater. In April, the court decided that a permit is required for both direct discharges of pollutants into federally-regulated rivers and oceans as well as their “functional equivalent” in groundwater that flows into regulated waters.

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House Passes Water Resources Development Act; Final Bill Expected to Become Law This Year

/in , /by /Lake County Newsby Elizabeth Larson

On Tuesday, Congressman John Garamendi, a senior member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure whose district includes 200 miles of the Sacramento River and is adjacent to several major ports, secured key provisions in the “Water Resources Development Act of 2020” for the California Delta and Central Valley. The legislation passed the House Tuesday and is expected to pass the Senate with strong bipartisan support and become law this year.

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Scientists with the Scripps Institution of Oceanography Deploy Wave Buoy Off Westcliff

/in , /by /Santa Cruz Sentinelby Hannah Hagemann

Scientists with the Scripps Institution of Oceanography will soon have a deeper insight into how Santa Cruz waves impact local flood events, thanks to a coastal buoy installed on Sunday. The wave buoy will track wave height, direction, speed, as well as water and air temperature.

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Toxic Tap Water in Latino Towns is a Legacy of Racist Policies, California Officials Say

/in , /by /The Fresno Beeby Monica Vaughan and Nathalie Vera

In the San Joaquin Valley, agricultural runoff from fertilizer and manure leaches into groundwater, contributing to some of the highest levels of nitrate pollution in community water systems in the country. Residents in Tipton were warned months ago not to drink or cook with tap water because of dangerous levels of nitrate. For two years, Estella Bravo, 78, has been advocating for her neighbors to get free bottled water.

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Final WRDA Package Leaves Clean Water Out

/in , /by /WaterWorld Magazine

A House-Senate conference committee approved a final version of the Water Resources Development Act, or WRDA, for 2020, late last week. The final language did not include the clean water sector, drawing criticism from members of the industry.

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For The West’s Drinking Water, Wildfire Concerns Linger Long After Smoke Clears

/in , /by /KNPR (Nevada Public Radio) by Luke Runyon

For many communities in the West, the water that flows out of kitchen faucets and bathroom showerheads starts high up in the mountains, as snowpack tucked under canopies of spruce and pine trees.

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California’s Colorado River Water Users Do Not Have Traditional Water Rights

/in , /by /California Ag Todayby Sean Hood

Farmer Michael Abatti v. Imperial Irrigation District is a landmark decision by the California Court of Appeals concerning the millions of acre-feet of Colorado River water used annually to meet the needs of Southern California’s agricultural empire.

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Wall Street’s New Water Market Is the Latest Sign We’re Headed Toward a Mad Max Future

/in , , /by /Gizmodoby Dharna Noor

We need water to cook and wash our bodies and clothes, and especially to drink—without it, we can’t live. Despite this, Wall Street traders are going to start betting on it as a commodity.

This week, with the launch of $1.1 billion contracts tied to water prices in California, the Chicago Mercantile Exchange will launch the country’s first water market. It will allow farmers, hedge funds, and municipalities to essentially make wagers on the price of water and likelihood of water scarcity. Water will be a commodity, like gold or oil.
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