water | food | environment — The Blog of David Guy

“We are Worthless without Water”

These are the words of the Midland, Texas mayor in the New York Times reflecting on the drought plaguing Texas.

For the past year in this blog, we have been talking about the nation’s droughts and asking whether California is preparing for the next drought. As Texas’ water resources managers (and many others in the United States) are scrambling to conserve water and stretch additional supplies, let’s take a moment to think about the value of stored water during critical periods.

To start, California has experienced the driest first quarter on record going back to the 1800’s. Thankfully, the existing carryover water storage from last year has helped much of the state through this intensely dry period, without any major panic buttons being pressed by the Governor or any of the fishery agencies. Here, the investment in stored water throughout the state has proven a blessing.

Lake Oroville, South Fork of the Feather River, Feb 4, 2008.
Photo courtesy of CA Dept of Water Resources

Yet, despite the obvious value of stored water during these times, the current debate around California water policy does not seem to place the same value on stored water. Rather than developing strategies to maximize existing storage or to explore additional increments of storage, the major state initiatives surrounding the Bay-Delta appear to prefer evacuating existing water storage in the major projects–the State Water Project and Central Valley Project—for short-term benefits in the Delta. Why?

In California’s Sacramento Valley, which is upstream of the Bay-Delta, the depletion of stored water for critical periods affects all the beneficial purposes in the region–the cold water in storage necessary for salmon habitat, the water for farms during the growing season, the reliability of municipal water supplies; the birds dependent upon wildlife refuges and ricelands along the Pacific Flyway, and the recreational opportunities offered by these reservoirs.

With the vivid images of drought around the country, California should take note and be developing strategies to maximize its water storage for all these important purposes, particularly during the inevitable dry periods when the water is at a premium.

To see the New York Times story visit: “Getting Serious about a Texas-Size Drought.”

Dr. Mehmet Oz (of Oprah fame) wrote a recent article in Time magazine that provides interesting new thinking on food and the ability to access many kinds of nutritious, healthy and wholesome food in the United States.  His general thesis is intended to dispel myths about nutrition and assure consumers that there are many good choices for high quality food in the United States.

“After several years of research and experience, I have come to an encouraging conclusion: the American food supply is abundant, nutritionally sound, affordable, and, with a few simple considerations, comparable to the most elite organic diets.” Although this article has created a buzz among various food commentators, the conclusion to me is very simple and important—we have excellent and safe food choices in the United States and particularly California. This means that people can visit farmer’s markets and have a high quality food experience; as well as rely upon canning and frozen foods as proven technology that preserves the nutritional quality of food. In other words, all demographics in this country have access to high quality food.

In California, the California Agricultural Vision prepared by the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) has as its first strategy to “improve access to safe, healthy food for all Californians.”

I encourage you to read the article in Time magazine at: Give (Frozen) Peas a Chance – and Carrots Too.

Kudos to the farmers and food processors in California and the Unites States.

Should we be paying more attention to drought? A look at the United States Drought Monitor map tells an important story—there is an exceptional, extreme and severe drought dominating a significant part of our country’s landscape.  This in turn has had devastating impacts on the economy, the environment and general morale across the country. The Midwest and Southeast part of the U.S. were in the news last year and the Texas drought is now starting to receive national attention.

Last week in Washington D.C., President Obama in a fairly obscure part of his inaugural address on climate change, recognized “the devastating impact of raging fires, and crippling drought, and more powerful storms.” On the West Coast, in Governor Brown’s state of the state, although he talked about new water infrastructure in the Bay-Delta, he did not acknowledge the prospects of drought or the fact that California is several years removed from its last officially declared drought.

Although the current map looks positive for Northern California, water resources managers are not waiting for the next drought. They are taking a hard look at how the Sacramento Valley responds to drought based on experiences over the past several decades and they are using this knowledge to explore new and innovative ways to prepare for the next dry cycle in California. Here, the stakes are high as water is the lifeblood for a world-renowned mosaic of natural abundance: two million acres of productive farmland; six National Wildlife Refuges and managed wetlands; meandering rivers that support and feed salmon and other natural habitats; and cities and rural communities across the region. The effects reach beyond the Sacramento Valley, as much of California relies upon water from the Sacramento Valley. The reliability of these supplies, particularly during prolonged drought, is decreasing and should be a concern for residents throughout California.

Rising from California’s Sacramento Valley, the enigmatic Sutter Buttes (“Buttes”) emerge as the smallest and perhaps least known mountain range in the world. The Buttes are truly singular and stand tall as both a landmark and icon for the southern Sacramento Valley. The isolated cluster of dry, rugged, peaks is near the heart of the southern Sacramento Valley and is visible from throughout the region. Surrounding the Buttes is a special landscape that joins together a world-renowned mosaic of natural abundance: productive farmlands, wildlife refuges and managed wetlands, cities and rural communities, and meandering rivers that support and feed fisheries and natural habitats. Nourishment and sustenance from the fields, habitats for fish and wildlife, recreation and a special quality of life—the Sacramento Valley is home to all of this, and more. The Buttes and the Sacramento Valley continue to provide what’s essential to California’s future success and prosperity.

On a Saturday in September, my family and I spent the day circling the Sutter Buttes. For those who have not had a chance to see or explore the Buttes, the attached slideshow shows pictures from 360° of the Buttes shot by my 15-year old son Nielsen, an accomplished and aspiring photographer. He was shooting that day with a Canon T3i with a Canon 18-55 lens.

We started on the southern flank near the town of Sutter and then proceeded west and circled the Buttes and finished up in Yuba City. The day was warm, with the haze from the Rumsey Canyon fire spreading over the Buttes. Although the Buttes are in every picture, it is the working landscape in the foreground that gives dimension to the Sacramento Valley. Through these pictures, you can sense the blending of the working and natural landscape surrounding the iconic Sutter Buttes. On this day, the rangeland surrounding the Buttes was bone-dry, while the highly productive and pastoral rice, trees and other crops were verdant and on the verge of harvest. On the northern flank, the Gray Lodge Wildlife Area was partially flooded and had attracted ducks and several other birds.

For those interested in exploring and learning more about the Sutter Buttes, the Middle Mountain Foundation provides conservation and educational programs. The Foundation draws its name from the Maidu Indians who lived in harmony with the land’s natural elements, always preserving it for their future generations. For the geology of the Sutter Buttes, see  United States Geologic Survey (USGS)  and, also visit the Sacred Land Film Project.

This is the third post in a series on reoperation of the water system.  You can view the first post at: Are We Optimizing California’s Water Resources? and the second post at: Managing Water for Multiple Beneficial Uses. 

The re-operation of the two largest reservoirs in the Sacramento Valley may provide new opportunities to improve water supplies for California according to a recent investigation.

In an earlier blog,  I described the state policy to evaluate re-operation opportunities in California’s Central Valley with a focus on the Central Valley Project (CVP) and the State Water Project (SWP). A recent investigation, jointly prepared by the Glenn Colusa Irrigation District (GCID) and the Natural Heritage Institute (NHI), investigated the potential benefits from changing the operations of the two largest reservoirs in California so that they can capture a larger fraction of the annual rainfall and snowmelt. These are Shasta reservoir, the cornerstone for the CVP, and Oroville reservoir, the only major water storage facility for the SWP.  Both reservoirs are located in the Sacramento Valley, and control a significant part of the water flows on the Sacramento River and the Feather River.

Shasta Dam - Photo by U.S. Bureau of Reclamation

The investigation began with a concept that surplus water generated through the re‐operation of these reservoirs could be banked in the groundwater aquifers in the Sacramento Valley, much like other conjunctive management programs in Southern California and the San Joaquin Valley. Here, water would be put into groundwater storage in wet years and extracted in dry years. Initial assessment and site screening, however, revealed that conditions in the Sacramento Valley are not conducive to this approach, primarily because groundwater aquifers in the upper Sacramento Valley generally refill completely during each precipitation season. What emerged instead was a conjunctive management approach based on reservoir re‐operation backstopped by selective groundwater extractions to supplement reservoir storage when refill is insufficient.  The results show that this technique can help meet multiple beneficial uses by provide environmental flow benefits while also improving water supply reliability, reducing flood risks, and potentially buffering the effects of climate change.

The study explains these results in more detail as follows:  Reservoirs that have dual flood protection and water supply functions, such as the CVP and SWP reservoirs, are typically operated under conservative rules designed to maximize water supply while avoiding flood risks.  This results in relative high levels of water storage going into the winter season when the reservoirs have the greatest potential to refill. As such, there are more frequent “spills” of water during the rainy season to create the necessary flood storage capacity to prevent flood damage in the floodplain in the Sacramento Valley. These spills are a portion of the water endowment that is not controlled and therefore not beneficially used under the California Constitution.

To capture and manage this increment of water would require creating additional storage capacity. One way to do that, short of enlarging the reservoirs or constructing additional facilities, is to lower the water storage levels going into the winter/spring refill period, thereby creating more reservoir capacity to capture high flows during this period. Storage levels can be lowered by delivering additional water to meet new water supply objectives, including enhancing flows for healthier rivers or augmenting water supplies for farms, birds along the Pacific Flyway or communities.

To summarize the investigation, GCID General Manager Thaddeus Bettner has found that “this detailed study and investigation has shown that there is the capacity to re-operate existing surface water reservoirs and generate new yield to the system to benefit the environment and water users with minimal risk.  What we have learned is that with every decision we make with our current infrastructure is that there are trade-offs that require real time decision making to identify the best benefits when re-operating a system.  We are hopeful that this study will help policy makers, project operators, water users, and our neighbors understand the balance of these trade-offs and benefits.”

Gregory Thomas, the CEO of NHI, adds that “this is surely the most rigorous study to date on the potential for optimizing the operations of existing water infrastructure in California to produce benefits for both the environment and water supply that are complementary rather than competitive.  We know from this study what will work and what may work even better by more fully integrating the management of existing reservoirs and groundwater systems and by physically interconnecting them.

A full copy of the investigation is available at: Feasibility Investigation of Re-Operation of Shasta and Oroville Reservoirs in Conjunction with Sacramento Valley Groundwater Systems to Augment Water Supply and Environment Flows in the Sacramento and Feather Rivers.  The groundwater element of this investigation will be discussed in a future blog.

This is the second post in a series on reoperation of the water system.  You can view the first post at: Are We Optimizing California’s Water Resources? 

In looking at opportunities for improved water management in California, it is important to start from a full understanding that the current hydrologic system is managed for multiple benefits. In very basic terms, the same drops of water serve multiple purposes and thus are reused many times as they work their way through the hydrologic cycle and the California landscape. The ability to fully utilize water for multiple beneficial uses is a California hallmark that deserves recognition and, in my view, helps fulfill the challenge posed in the California Constitution to put our precious water resources “to beneficial use to the fullest extent of which they are capable.”

For illustrative purposes, consider this snapshot of the multiple benefits provided by water in California’s Sacramento Valley. For Shasta Reservoir, the cornerstone for the Central Valley Project, the stored water and the cold-water released during the summer supports the following beneficial uses:

• Recreation on Lake Shasta and the surrounding areas that are a central part of the Redding area’s economy and way of life;
• The cool water temperatures that are important habitat to support salmon present in the upper Sacramento River;
• Hydroelectricity generated by the turbines that meets various peak summer demands for power;
• The riparian habitat and related values surrounding a meandering river through the Sacramento River Conservation Area;
• Irrigation for nearly a million acres of very productive and pastoral ricelands, trees, row crops and pasture on the westside of the Sacramento Valley;
• Three National Wildlife Refuges (Sacramento, Delevan and Colusa) that, along with the ricelands and other managed wetlands, are an essential part of the Pacific Flyway for birds and various terrestrial species. The refuges receive their deliveries primarily from the irrigation suppliers;
• Farmland in the North Delta;
• Flows into the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta to serve various beneficial purposes.

In thinking about these multiple uses, two important lessons emerge. The first is the importance and value of stored water that is available for critical times to meet these various beneficial uses. This is true every year, but grows exponentially more important during drier periods where water is scarce.

The second is the challenge water resources managers have operating the system to optimize the water availability for these beneficial uses, and fully understanding the tradeoffs that need to be considered in making these decisions. The challenge in thinking about and evaluating re-operation scenarios is thus two-fold: can the system be re-operated to more effectively serve these various beneficial uses; and, conversely, can adverse impacts to these beneficial purposes be avoided?

Are we putting our precious water resources “to beneficial use to the fullest extent of which they are capable” as guided by the California Constitution? The answer to this question is complex on many levels–yet we know that providing water for the many beneficial uses in a state with 38 million people depends upon continually improving water management. This generally requires a better understanding of the water system and a more concerted effort among water resources managers, in tandem with policy makers, to continually explore opportunities to optimize the water system. I will explore this question further and many emerging opportunities for re-managing the system in a series of upcoming blogs.

To start this discussion, the California Legislature in 2008 stated “the policy of the state to more effectively integrate its flood protection systems with its water supply and conveyance systems in order to conserve limited public dollars, increase the available water supply, improve water quality, increase wildlife and ecosystem protections, protect public health and safety, and address the effects of climate change.” (Water Code §83000(f).) The Legislature also committed to “identify potential options for the reoperation of the state’s flood protection and water supply systems that will optimize the use of existing facilities and groundwater storage capacity.” (Water Code §83002(b)(6)(B(i)). For more details, please visit CA Department of Water Resources – System Reoperation Program.

System reoperation generally involves changing the operational and management procedures of the existing water system to achieve additional water-related benefits. A significant part of California depends upon the operations of the two largest projects: the State Water Project and Central Valley Project. In this light, the Department of Water Resources (DWR) is conducting a “System Reoperation Program” to identify viable reoperation strategies in the Central Valley, which will be assessed with respect to their ability to improve water supply reliability, flood hazard reduction, ecosystem protection and restoration, and water quality improvement. Here, managing expectations is important, as the practical opportunities to re-manage the system likely involve incremental (not sweeping) changes in timing and volumes of flows and deliveries that are vital for beneficial use.

Shasta Dam - Photo by U.S. Bureau of Reclamation

The cornerstones for these projects–Shasta, Folsom and Oroville Lakes–are in the Sacramento Valley, the northern part of the Central Valley. Although the Sacramento Valley is in balance with respect to its water resources (both surface and groundwater), water resources managers, in partnership with innovative conservation organizations, continue to explore and implement programs to re-manage and re-time water supplies to improve the water system and to more effectively provide water for all the various beneficial purposes, including cities and rural communities, farms, fisheries, refuges and managed wetlands, and recreation. In looking at the water system operations in the Sacramento Valley, there are two dynamic forces that enter the discussion. The first priority is always public safety and flood protection as this area has historically seen major floods every decade. On the other end of the hydrologic spectrum, the ability to store water for dry periods in a managed system is essential to providing water for all these “beneficial uses to the fullest extent of which they are capable.”

The Water Education Foundation (Foundation) this week celebrated its 35^th Anniversary. As part of the celebration, the Foundation asked readers to take a moment to reflect on the various written words and publications that have influenced them in the ongoing discourse around California’s water resources. The water landscape in many ways has been shaped as much by the written word as the various hydrodynamic and political forces. To be sure, water in California involves various disciplines, all of which are central to the policy debate and rely upon the written word to convey ideas and information.

The response was interesting. In reviewing the nominations from around the state, a mélange of influential writing emerged that is both interesting and should help inform anyone interested in California water. All nominations were passionately presented in a very thoughtful manner, thus showing the value of the written word. As you might expect, nominations covered a wide spectrum. This includes time–the entire 20^th Century to the present day was covered; the audience–from broad poetry and essays to reports designed for a particular purpose; and ideology–many diverse perspectives were clearly imbedded in the nominations.

What makes this reflection valuable and enjoyable is that many of the nominations would be on my personal list; yet several were not, which provides an opportunity to further explore new insights into California water. I am guessing the same will be true for others, where this list will contain many of your recommendations, but you will wonder why another particular favorite of yours is not on the list. In sum, this list will hopefully serve as a simple annotated bibliography to stimulate interest in California’s water resources and are all worth reading.

Books. There are many wonderful books that touch on California water. In thinking about the books that were nominated, several categories emerged. From a historical perspective, two books stand tall. Robert Kelley’s Battling the Inland Sea as the premier tome that weaves flood management in California with the surrounding public policy context. Norris Hundley Jr’s The Great Thirst is a solid and readable history of California water up to the turn of the century.

Several well-known books: Marc Reisner’s Cadillac Desert and Joan Didion’s 2003 memoir Where I Was From reached audiences larger than the water community and thus drew attention to California water in different ways. More recently, David Zetland’s End of Abundance has painted both a provocative and compelling picture of the value of water.

Plans and Reports. For plans and reports, the 1919 Marshall Plan, written by Colonel Robert Marshall, the Chief Surveyor for the U.S. Geological Survey, proposed a plan for diversion dams and two canals to serve the Central Valley. This report influenced both the California Water Plan in 1930 and Bulletin 3 in 1957, which foreshadowed water management in California. Governor Jerry Brown’s 1978 report from the “Governor’s Commission to Review California Water Rights Law” is still talked about in water circles. More recently, several Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) reports, most notably Envisioning Futures for the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, brought together new and different approaches to the Bay-Delta debate. The National Research Council reports over the last several years on the Bay-Delta, such as Sustainable Water and Environmental Management in the California Bay-Delta provide similar thinking.

Poetry and Essays. Ralph Waldo Emerson’s Water in twelve lines captures the essence of water, as shown below. Closer to home, Joan Didion, shaped by her childhood in Sacramento facing both drought and floods, wrote Holy Water in her 1979 collection of essays in the White Album.

Legal Profession. The legal profession has a unique body of work that deserves attention. This includes Wells Hutchins’ The California Law of Water Rights, which, after more than 50 years, still remains a staple of any legal library. With respect to law reviews, several have received attention: The Pacific Law Journal’s “Symposium: Revisiting California Water Law” in 1988 and the University of California Davis “Symposium-The Public Trust Doctrine: 30 Years Later.

Blogs. David Zetland’s Aguanomics, which includes his daily musings, provides thought-provoking ideas through the blogosphere.

Legislation. With respect to writing in the legislative arena, three statutes drew praise. The overarching provision for California water is Constitution, Article X, section 2 that was passed by initiative in 1928 and directs that all uses of California’s water resources must be for reasonable and beneficial purposes. The Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act in 1969, which was the first comprehensive legislation to address water quality, remains an increasingly central part of the water policy landscape and it influenced the federal Clean Water Act. The Delta Protection Act of 1992 addressed an important place in California and the land uses in this pivotal part of the state.

In thinking about the value of the written word, the Foundation’s 35^th Anniversary has also provided a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the Foundation’s accomplishments and its mission “to create a better understanding of water resources and foster public understanding and resolution of water resource issues through facilitation, education and outreach.” The water community clearly recognizes the important role that Western Water, the various Layperson Guides, maps, Water and the Shaping of California, Aquafornia, and soon Aquipedia, have all served to inform the public policy debate surrounding our precious water resources. Congratulations to the Water Education Foundation for serving this vital role.

[Note: The author serves on the Board of Directors for the Water Education Foundation.]

Water, by Ralph Waldo Emerson

The water understands

Civilization well;

It wets my foot, but prettily,

It chills my life, but wittily,

It is not disconcerted,

It is not broken-hearted:

Well used, it decketh joy,

Adorneth, doubleth joy:

Ill used, it will destroy,

In perfect time and measure

With a face of golden pleasure

Elegantly destroy.

(Source: Poets of the English Language (Viking Press, 1950))

This past weekend leaders from throughout Yolo County gathered in a special place to embrace the Taste of Capay—a benefit to support the Capay Valley Vision in Northern California.

Nestled in the Coast Range in Yolo County, the Capay Valley defines bucolic and is home to farms and ranches, several small communities, the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation, and numerous wildlife. Capay Valley Vision (Vision) began in 2000 when a group of residents-including farmers, townspeople, and the Tribal Council of Rumsey Indian Rancheria-came together to discuss issues facing the Capay Valley and to develop strategies to manage growth, their natural resources and preserve a sense of place. The Vision established a community-wide vision for the future of the Capay Valley Region and it facilitates an ongoing collaborative process for planning.

The purposes for which Vision is organized are to:

• Preserve its heritage and sense of place;
• Strengthen personal relationships;
• Preserve the rural character of the Valley;
• Preserve farmlands, rangelands and wildlands;
• Develop a viable economic strategy;
• Protect natural resources; and
• Enhance community health and well-being for citizens of the Valley.

The event was hosted by and showcased Capay Organic Farm, a second-generation farm that was founded by Kathleen Barsotti and Martin Barnes in 1976, marking the early stages of the local and organic foods movement. Today, the farm delivers fresh, organic fruits and vegetables directly to customers in Northern and Southern California. A wonderful meal, featuring local food grown in the Capay Valley, was served alfresco in a shady spot with a beautiful valley setting as seen in the picture. Thaddeus Barsotti, farmer, co-owner and Vision Board member showed off his farm and pointed out the fields, Cache Creek (the Capay Valley’s water supply), and the hills rolling in the distance. Many of the farm products in the Capay Valley are served in restaurants all over Northern California, including Sacramento and San Francisco.

For more information visit Capay Valley Vision. A summary of the “Capay Valley Atlas” prepared by resident Ann Scheuring and other publications are available on the website.

The National Wildlife Refuge System this week celebrated several birthdays: the Sacramento Valley National Refuge with 75 years and Delevan National Wildlife Refuge 50 years. These milestones provide an opportunity to reflect on the importance of the National Refuge System and its role in the Pacific Flyway, which is perhaps the greatest environmental success story of our generation.

Image courtesy of Leslie Morris

Starting in 1937 the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, working with the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), began creating wildlife refuges in California’s Sacramento Valley. Today, the Sacramento Valley has six National Wildlife Refuges, as well as 50 state wildlife areas. To support the refuge complex, there has been a concerted and creative effort to manage water for both the public refuges, as well as the surrounding private lands (including ricelands and other managed wetlands), which has provided important habitat and food for ducks migrating along the Pacific Flyway. This water management has been a result of various partnerships between landowners, water agencies and conservation organizations, including the Central Valley Joint Venture.

These managed wetlands have played a significant role in supporting an increasing number of birds. The birthday celebrations come during a year when the number of mallards, teals, canvasbacks and other ducks have reached the highest level ever recorded in North America. In the Sacramento Valley, the report shows positive trends for all birds as represented by the light blue line in these charts.

Charts provided by: Mike Wolder, Supervisory Wildlife Biologist
Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge

 For more information on visiting the refuges, go to Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge Complex.