Russian River Update 9/18/23
Reservoir Storage & Operations:
Water supply information provided by Sonoma Water (more info here).
Calling one and all: Resource Conservation District is hosting the 2023 Ukiah Valley Russian River Cleanup on September 23 to pick up trash in our tributaries before it enters the Russian River this winter. They will be handing out free T-shirts from Russian Riverkeeper. Meet at Low Gap Park at 8:30 AM to grab coffee and snacks before dividing into groups and heading out to locations around Ukiah. Email Jessica at j.reid@mcrcd.org for more information. REGISTER for the cleanup. Click here for flyer
State Water Board advances water resilience and safe drinking water through $1.2 billion in financial assistance
“We have been bringing all of our regulatory authorities and funding to bear to build California’s resilience to climate change impacts as quickly as possible,” said board Chair E. Joaquin Esquivel. “We are leveraging the momentum created by extraordinary state and federal commitments to infrastructure spending over the past two years to advance projects that increase our water supplies, expand access to safe drinking water and relieve debt burdens of disadvantaged communities.”
DWR Awards $187 Million to Improve Sustainable Groundwater Use and Storage Statewide
The Department of Water Resources (DWR) has awarded $187 million to 32 groundwater subbasins through the Sustainable Groundwater Management (SGM) Grant Program. Unfortunately, the Ukiah Valley Basin Groundwater Sustainability Agency did not receive any funding and the Agency Board is conducting a Rate & Fee Study as well as revisiting the budget to adjust to the reduced amount of funding expected.
Celebrate Water Professionals Appreciation Week Oct. 7-15
In the press:
CLIMATE CHANGE:
- CA Water Education Foundation: CA Lawsuit Says Oil Giants Deceived Public on Climate Change, Seeks Funds for Storm Damage, 9/18/23 (various articles)
- CalMatters: Climate bill on Newsom’s desk would force companies to reveal carbon footprint, 9/12/23
- Associated Press: Special UN summit, protests, week of talk turn up heat on fossil fuels and global warming, 9/16/23
- PHYS.org: Climate change is undermining nearly all sustainable development goals, says report, 9/14/23
OTHER:
- PPIC: How Might Small Farms Fare Under SGMA?, 9/13/23
- Courthouse News: Judge finds feds violated law by favoring irrigators in the Klamath Basin, 9/11/23
- CalMatters Commentary: Water rights reformers scored only a minor victory in the Legislature, 9/17/23
- Union-Bulletin: Lawmakers approve plan to strengthen oversight of California water rights, 9/9/23
- CalMatters: California lawmakers move to ban irrigation of some decorative lawns, 9/13/23
- Maven's Notebook: Floodplain Restoration and Recharge Pilot Studies; Evaluating the multiple benefits of increasing floodplain inundation, 9/5/23
- CA Water Blog: Hidden links between aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems: part 3 – Eel River, 9/10/23
- Monterey County Weekly: The State Water Board seeks to weaken regulation on fertilizer application. Lives are at risk., 9/1/23