Independent research and analysis of California's developed water systems
Climate scientist Michael Mann wrote an Op Ed in the LA Times, On the climate crisis, delay has become the new form of denial. The Op Ed has many concepts that resonate with what is happening with California water management. Mann argues: One can no longer credibly deny that climate change is real, human-caused, and a … Continue reading For California water management, delay is denial of climate change impacts
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
California Water Research filed a protest of the May 17 Temporary Urgency Change Petition by the California Department of Water Resources and the US Bureau of Reclamation. We requested that the State Water Resources Control Board require a written report by DWR and USBR on the methodology used for the runoff forecast used in this … Continue reading TUCP: California Water Research asks Water Board to require report on 2021 runoff forecast errors
Our May 10, 2021 blog post, DWR Chief Engineer warned of climate change draining Northern California reservoirs explained how Francis Chung, the Department of Water Resources’ Bay-Delta modeling chief, sounded the alarm in 2010 that climate change could drain major Northern California reservoirs. Chung recommended that DWR develop a reoperation strategy for the State Water Project … Continue reading State Water Contractors objected to development of a drought operations strategy for the State Water Project and Central Valley Project
Current operations of the State Water Project and Central Valley Project reservoirs in the Sacramento Valley are an example of a greedy strategy.[1] Under the greedy strategy, the system operators export as much water as possible in any given year. The strategy results in maximum water deliveries in a given year, but with the risk … Continue reading The “greedy” strategy for SWP and CVP reservoir operations
A 1983 Bulletin by the Department of Water Resources (Bulletin 160-83) [1] documents that Oroville reservoir was designed to provide long-term carryover storage and reliable water deliveries in case of a repeat of the 1928-1934 drought. The Department of Water Resources proposed in the same Bulletin 160-83 to change State Water Project operations to take … Continue reading The State Water Project was originally designed for a six year drought
On February 18, 2021 the Delta Conveyance Design and Construction Authority (“DCA”) adopted new bylaws which allow the Executive Director to be a "member entity" staff person. On March 9, 2021, the DCA met in closed session to consider employment of the current Executive Director, Kathryn Mallon. Mallon is working under a 5 year contract … Continue reading Delta Tunnel: DCA’s new bylaws allow MWD staff person to be Executive Director
Environmental groups have been strongly critical of the Department of Water Resources’ “blank check” Delta Program Revenue Bond / General Bond Resolution.. The General Bond Resolution is expected to fund Governor Newsom's Delta tunnel project, which is currently estimated to cost $15.9 billion. The State Water Contractors have countered that DWR is simply "validating its … Continue reading “General Bond Resolution” could fund twin tunnels project in stages
On the Sean Hannity show this week, Donald Trump told the audience, California is gonna have to ration water. You wanna know why? Because they send millions of gallons of water out to sea, out to the Pacific ... because they want to take care of certain little tiny fish, that aren't doing very well … Continue reading Critical protections for endangered fish had little water cost, analysis shows
The Delta Conveyance Design and Construction Authority convened the 10th meeting of the Stakeholder Engagement Committee on Wednesday, July 22, 2020. Carrie Buckman, the Environmental Manager for the Department of Water Resources, gave a presentation on DWR’s screening of alternatives suggested in the scoping process. Buckman summarized the Delta tunnel project objectives as follows: CLIMATE … Continue reading Delta tunnel: DWR rejects consideration of No Tunnel alternatives in EIR