Russian River Weekly Update 7/8/24
<Click to view content on website>
Reservoir Storage & Operations:
Water supply information provided by Sonoma Water (find more water storage info here).
Future of the Eel River
“The decommissioning and removal of the two PG&E-owned Potter Valley Project dams will restore anadromous fish access to hundreds of miles of high-quality habitat in the upper Eel River. Coupled with federal and state recovery plans, and a strong community of regional partners who are implementing restoration actions throughout the basin, the Eel River is poised for transformative change. The Eel River Restoration and Conservation Plan enhances existing efforts and creates a roadmap of actions for collaborative, long-term, and holistic restoration and conservation that can revitalize the Eel River watershed and restore its fisheries.”
State Water Board Adopts Making Conservation a California Way of Life Regulation
The State Water Resources Control Board adopted the Making Conservation a California Way of Life regulation last week. The regulation is intended to achieve long-term water use efficiency with the purpose of adapting to climate change by establishing unique goals for each urban retail water supplier in California. Under the regulation, urban retail water suppliers must comply with three major components:
- An urban water use objective, which is a supplier specific water budget that is the sum of water use efficiency standards that are applied to unique local characteristics (e.g. population, landscape area, etc.)
- Commercial, industrial and institutional (CII) performance measures
- Annual reporting
Under the regulation, suppliers must work with their customers to achieve water savings. Individual customers are not required to comply with the urban water use objective.
Beginning Jan. 1, 2025 and by Jan. 1 every year thereafter, each supplier is required to calculate its urban water use objective for the previous year. Additionally, beginning Jan. 1, 2027, each urban retail water supplier must also demonstrate compliance with its urban water use objective. More information on the Rulemaking to Make Conservation a California Way of Life
Press On the Conservation is a Way of Life Regulation:
- PRESS RELEASE: State takes action to make urban water conservation a way of life, 7/3/24
- Courthouse News via Maven's Notebook: California water board implements new efficiency regulations, 7/3/24
- Politico: Trees are casting shade on California’s climate-proofing, 7/3/24
- CalMatters via Maven's Notebook: California now has mandatory water conservation in urban areas: How will the new rules affect your supplier?, 7/3/24
Applications for the Safe and Affordable Funding for Equity and Resilience (SAFER) Advisory Group, 2025-2026 term, are now open!
The State Water Board’s SAFER program is designed to ensure Californians who lack safe and affordable drinking water receive it as quickly as possible. The SAFER program is helping water systems achieve this goal through a set of tools, funding sources, regulatory authorities, community outreach and education.
The SAFER Advisory Group is a consultative body that provides recommendations to the Board on the SAFER Fund Expenditure Plan, and other key analyses and policies as needed. The SAFER Advisory Group does not make decisions or come to consensus on discussion topics. There are 11 open seats for the 2025-26 term. Selected applicants will be notified by winter 2024. For additional tools and resources on how to apply, please visit the SAFER Advisory Group webpage at https://bit.ly/SAFER_AG
Further Education Opportunity: Groundwater 101 Week
"Groundwater 101 Week," hosted by GRA from July 15-19, 2024. Register now for this informative multi-day virtual event packed with insightful sessions tailored for professionals and students passionate about groundwater research and management. Government, Academic, NGO, and student pricing available. the agenda is now available for review.
In the press:
Recently Published Reports, Fact Sheets, and newsletters:
- Abacela Weather and Climate Summary and Forecast, July 2024
- Climate, Grapes, and Wine by Greg Jones
- Mendocino County Resource Conservation District Newsletter - Black-crowned Night Herons and more.
On the Climate Resiliency Bond:
- KQED: California's $10B Climate Bond Breaks Through Political Gridlock, 6/30/24
- Calmatters: California voters likely to decide $20 billion in bonds for climate and schools, 7/1/24
- SF Chronicle: California voters likely to see historic $10 billion climate bond on November ballot
- LA Times: $10-billion climate bond will go before voters in November/3/24