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Russian River Weekly Update 8/26/24

Lake Mendocino, March 2020 by CJ Watt
Lake Mendocino, March 2020 by CJ Watt

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Reservoir Storage & Operations:

Water supply information provided by Sonoma Water (find more water storage info here).

A table showing storage data for Lakes Mendocino, Pillsbury, and Sonoma, including current storage, target storage, and 7-day changes.
A line graph showing Lake Mendocino Storage data with different years of water storage levels measured in acre-feet.
A graph showing Lake Pillsbury storage data over several years with target storage scenarios.
Graph showing Lake Sonoma storage levels for different years, with annotations and a storage curve.

 

10 Years In: A SGMA Report Card – All Day Conference by UC Davis School of Law, September 6

This day-long conference will assess the status and effectiveness of California's Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA), a decade after the state Legislature passed and former Governor Jerry Brown signed this groundbreaking legislation into law. The conference will consider how effectively SGMA has been implemented to date; several key SGMA case studies from around the state; and what changes to SGMA may be warranted in the future.
This conference will feature a morning plenary address by Karla Nemeth, Director of California's Department of Water Resources; an afternoon plenary address will be delivered by award-winning author Mark Arax (The King of California; The Dreamt Land). The conference will also provide an optional, introductory briefing on SGMA and California groundwater law, and four panels featuring a diverse set of panelists and SGMA-related topics.

More information on agenda and registration

 

An event poster for "Recharging California" with Dr. Daniel Swain, focused on sustainable conservation, scheduled for September 4, 2024

Recharging California – A Conversation with Climate Scientist Dr Daniel Swain

Join Sustainable Conservation’s fall 2024 webinar series, Recharging California. Climate and water experts will demystify climate change impacts in California and explain how we can better understand and prepare for our weather whiplash of drought and deluge. The series will highlight how groundwater recharge is vital to our climate adaptation toolkit and dive deep into Sustainable Conservation's collaborative efforts with communities and partners to scale resilience strategies like recharge, soil health practices, and ecosystem restoration. 

The series kicks off on Wednesday, September 4 at 11:00 AM with a conversation between Sustainable Conservation CEO Ashley Boren and climate scientist Dr. Daniel Swain. Daniel will bring his climate expertise to explain how climate change is reshaping California, and together with Ashley, they will discuss its effects on water management and strategies to enhance drought and flood resilience. Registration.

 

California Natural Resources Agency Hosts Virtual Discussion on Righting Historical Wrongs - Advancing Tribal Access, Co-Management, and Ancestral Land Return

The California Natural Resources Agency is proud to announce the kick-off of its new Tribal Stewardship Strategy Webinar Series with a two-part event, "Righting Historical Wrongs: Truth, Healing, and Tribal Stewardship."

Part I: At 10:30 a.m., moderated by Secretary Wade Crowfoot, the beginning of this two-part conversation with distinguished leaders will delve into a history of injustice faced by California Native American tribes and how advancing tribal access, co-management, and ancestral land return can foster healing and justice for the land, water, and people. Tuesday, August 27, 2024, from 10:30 to 11:45 a.m. Register to join here.

Part II: Due to high demand, registration for our first interactive breakout session is closed. To ensure all voices are heard, we invite you to join us for a second interactive breakout session on August 28 from noon to 1 p.m. Register to join here.

 

 

DWR offers partnership opportunity to upgrade stream gages

DWR has announced a new partnership opportunity to support the State’s ability to measure stream and river flows. The department’s California Stream Gage Improvement Program is seeking to partner with public agencies to install, upgrade, and reactivate existing stream gage stations. The gages measure, record, and transmit data on flow, water temperature, and dissolved oxygen levels. Information on eligible agencies, how to apply, and application deadlines can be found in the program guidelines.

 

Sonoma County Groundwater Pumping

“The Sonoma Superior Court ruled that Sonoma County violated both the Public Trust Doctrine and the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) by adopting a well ordinance that inadequately safeguarded local waterways. The court is ordering the county to conduct extensive environmental assessments and implement new measures to prevent harm to rivers, fish populations, and other public trust resources.” From: Sonoma County Gazette: Judges say Sonoma County’s water policy is a threat to public resources 8/23/24

 In the press:

 

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