Russian River Weekly Update 9/25/23
Reservoir Storage & Operations:
Water supply information provided by Sonoma Water (more info here).
Three Sonoma County groundwater sustainability agencies awarded $15 million in state grant funds
The California Department of Water Resources announced on Sept. 12, 2023, that it will award grant funds to Sonoma County’s three groundwater sustainability agencies serving Petaluma Valley, Santa Rosa Plain and Sonoma Valley. The three basins will receive $15.1 million in funding, out of the $187 million that DWR awarded to 32 groundwater subbasins through its Sustainable Groundwater Management Grant Program, These efforts will help support local sustainable groundwater management, including projects to help rural residents use water more efficiently and better understand how groundwater pumping impacts local creeks and streams. See Press Release for more information.
The funds will help carry out a portion of the work outlined in each basin’s Groundwater Sustainability Plan, which were approved by the Department of Water Resources earlier this year. These plans include an assessment of available groundwater under current conditions and a detailed 20-year plan to ensure that groundwater is available to meet foreseeable needs for the following 50 years.
For more information about Sonoma County’s Groundwater Sustainability Agencies, subscribe to the Groundwater Sustainability Agency Newsletter, published quarterly in both English and in Spanish at each of the groundwater sustainability agency websites: petalumavalleygroundwater.org, santarosaplaingroundwater.org and sonomavalleygroundwater.org.
‘Making Conservation a California Way of Life’ Regulation
On October 4, 2023, the State Water Board will hold a public hearing/workshop to present the details of the proposed Making Conservation a California Way of Life regulation. State staff anticipates this item will not end before 3 pm and Staff recommends that interested parties who plan on attending in person keep this in mind as they make any travel arrangements.
When: Wednesday, October 4, 2023, starting at 9:30 a.m.
Where:
IN-PERSON PARTICIPATION CalEPA Headquarters Building, Sierra Hearing Room, Second Floor, 1001 I Street, Sacramento, CA 95814
VIDEO AND TELECONFERENCE OPTION To watch the meeting, join video.calepa.ca.gov
The purpose of this public hearing/workshop is to provide an opportunity for all interested parties to provide comments on the proposed regulation. The workshop will also provide an overview of the initial regulatory package that has been released for public comment. This is one of multiple opportunities the public and interested parties will have to submit comments on the proposed regulation.
California Water Plan 2023: Navigating Climate Challenges with Equity and Resilience
From severe, multi-year droughts to sudden flooding, California is experiencing the impacts of the intensifying climate crisis. To better prepare and plan for a future with climate extremes, the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) has released the Public Review Draft of California Water Plan Update 2023.
To tackle this ambitious mission, California Water Plan Update 2023 focuses on three intersecting themes: addressing the urgency of climate change, strengthening watershed resilience, and achieving equity in water management. The Public Review Draft of California Water Plan Update 2023 can be viewed on DWR’s website and is open for public comment until Thursday, Oct. 19, 2023. Read more here.
Planting Cover Crops to Reap Benefits in the Upcoming Wet and Cold Winter
As strong El Nino atmospheric conditions are poised to bring another wet and cold winter, University of California scientists are urging nut growers to plant cover crops in orchards.
“The weeks immediately following harvest present the best time of the year to plant cover crops to reap their various benefits in the months ahead,” Pierce and Reyes advise in a fall newsletter for walnut growers
Western Farm Press: UC: Grow cover crops before wet winter, 9/21/23
In the press:
- Mendo Voice: City of Ukiah receives $921k state grant to hire new resilience officer, expand programs, 9/8/23
- MendoFever: A Tale of Two Rivers in Mendocino County: Where the Eel and Russian Rivers Meet, 9/15/23
- Environmental Protection Agency: Biden-Harris Administration Announces Commitment to Advancing Water Equity and Access for All, 9/20/23
- Weather West: Fall-like weather pattern for CA as El Niño continues to strengthen; Odds of a second consecutive wet winter rise (though with caveats!), 9/21/23