Category: Drought

Comments on the Water Board’s draft urban conservation regulations

Tree in wet and dry landscape
~ Deirdre Des Jardins ~ Leave a comment

On Wednesday, October 4, 2023, the State Water Resources Control Board held a hearing on proposed regulations to implement 2018 legislation to make conservation a way of life in California. According to the Board's fact sheet: Making Conservation a California Way of Life is a new regulatory framework proposed by State Water Board staff that establishes … Continue reading Comments on the Water Board’s draft urban conservation regulations

Will ruling on pre-1914 curtailments force the Water Board to track stored water?

~ Deirdre Des Jardins ~ 1 Comment

On September 12th, 2022, the Sixth District Court of Appeal issued a ruling that the State Water Resources Control Board did not have the authority to curtail pre-1914 water rights under Water Code section 1052(a).  This code section provides that “The diversion or use of water subject to this division other than as authorized in … Continue reading Will ruling on pre-1914 curtailments force the Water Board to track stored water?

Water Board’s Decision 1641 adopted in wetter period

Tree in wet and dry landscape
~ Deirdre Des Jardins ~ 2 Comments

This blog post analyzes long term changes in the Sacramento Four River runoff using a 10 year and 30 year running mean. Sacramento River runoff was lower during the Dust Bowl era drought of 1928-34, and the current 30 year mean runoff is close to the mean for the historic record. However, the current 10 … Continue reading Water Board’s Decision 1641 adopted in wetter period

The State Water Project Delivery Reliability Report may have created systemic drought vulnerability

~ Deirdre Des Jardins ~ 1 Comment

On June 7, 2022, Adel Hagekhalil, general manager of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, issued the following statement: We are in an unprecedented situation, where our water supplies from the State Water Project are so limited by drought and climate change that they do not meet demands. Southern Californians must decrease their water … Continue reading The State Water Project Delivery Reliability Report may have created systemic drought vulnerability

Could California be at a social tipping point towards sustainability of water use?

~ Deirdre Des Jardins ~ 1 Comment

European Complex Systems scientists Ilona M. Otto et. al. published a conceptual model of the dynamics of social tipping points towards rapid decarbonization of the earth's economy.  The concepts are also applicable to the changes needed to transition to more sustainable resource use, including water. This figure from Otto's paper shows a series of social … Continue reading Could California be at a social tipping point towards sustainability of water use?

California Senate proposes $2 billion program to balance water supply and water rights

~ Deirdre Des Jardins ~ Leave a comment

The California Senate has proposed a $2 billion reconciliation framework to rebalance water supply and water rights, as part of proposed investments of $7.5 billion in state and federal funds spread over three years for climate resiliency. It is the most sweeping land retirement proposal since the landmark 1992 Central Valley Project Improvement Act. According … Continue reading California Senate proposes $2 billion program to balance water supply and water rights

Models that forecast water that isn’t there hurt all beneficial uses

~ Deirdre Des Jardins ~ 1 Comment

Assemblymember Adam Gray has called for an audit of the Department of Water Resources and the State Water Resources Control Board, in part to answer the question, What happened in the Water Year 2021 (October 1, 2020 to September 30, 2021) to lead the state to miscalculate by some 700,000 acre-feet the amount of water … Continue reading Models that forecast water that isn’t there hurt all beneficial uses

Fatal errors in DWR’s runoff forecasting: comments to the State Water Resources Control Board

~ Deirdre Des Jardins ~ 4 Comments

The State Water Resources Control Board held a workshop today (March 16, 2022) on Sacramento River Temperature Management. Among the topics considered were "hydrologic conditions, including operations, forecasting, and accounting." These were my comments. This is Deirdre Des Jardins with California Water Research. I’m the physicist who sent comments to DWR in 2012 predicting the … Continue reading Fatal errors in DWR’s runoff forecasting: comments to the State Water Resources Control Board

We need to step up our game on evaluating drought risk

elevated drought risk impact Feb 20 2022
~ Deirdre Des Jardins ~ Leave a comment

The Department of Water Resources’ new California Water Watch website is a great new resource, however, the site appears to miss information on the rapidly developing drought. The website displays statewide precipitation for the water year to date. It also displays a map of “Drought Risk Impacts” based on precipitation being less than 70% of … Continue reading We need to step up our game on evaluating drought risk

DWR 2006 study: “too much risk” taken with reservoir operations

~ Deirdre Des Jardins ~ 2 Comments

In 2006, for the first California Climate Assessment, DWR published a study of operations of the State Water Project and Central Valley Project with climate change. The report was titled, "Progress on Incorporating Climate Change Into Management of California’s Water Resources." DWR's 2006 modeling predicted the current crisis, with Shasta, Folsom, and Oroville reservoirs being … Continue reading DWR 2006 study: “too much risk” taken with reservoir operations