The above photo is of the smelt…a tiny fish that is making massive waves in california. Scientists have seen a sharp decline in the delta smelt population over the last five years. Many biologists are concerned the species could go extinct in its native environment, the San Joaquin Delta - happens to serve as a major water throughway for the state.
The pumps at the delta tend to chew up the little smelt contributing to the decline in population. In June, state officials ordered the pumps at the San Joaquin Delta to shut down for 10 days. This shutdown affected 25 million water users, including hundreds of thousands in the East and South Bay.
While backups were utilized to supply the 25 million, powerful groups have been lobbying for change. This is a drought year, another few years of drought would consume backup supplies. In that case, a pump shutdown could turn into a crisis. Much of the water pumped is used for agricultural purposes, contributing to the economic urgency around the issue.
So we are faced with a question…extinction of a species or maintaining the current supply. No easy answers. Look for this issue to continue to be battled in the courts. And we haven’t begun talking about the fragile levee system….more to come about that.
Takeaway The intense political pressure around a little fish illustrates the huge stakes. Frankly, i’m underwhelmed with the backup water supply situations for millions. What about an earthquake? prolonged drought? What’s the state’s long term water supply strategy? — More questions are raised than answers for sure.
The SFPUC has proposed drawing an additional 25 million gallons per day from the Tuolumne River by 2030 to meet rising demands. The project, totalling 4.3 billion dollars, would also increase protection against terrorism and earthquakes along the 167 mile aqueduct. The SFPUC does project rising usage from current 265 million gal/day to 300 million gal/day. This rise would impact the Tuolumne River area greatly, with already 60% of the total water output diverted to the Bay Area.
Conservation groups have emerged to challenge the SFPUC’s projections. The Tuolumne River Trust commissioned a report by the Pacific Institute to evaluate the projections. The report says 60% of the anticipated increased use is for outdoor use….i.e. watering lawns. Also, the report claims only 3% of demand will be met by recycling and reuse…significantly lower than other city agencies.
Takeaway: Conservation groups have a right to be mad. 60% increase in outdoor usage indicates failure in conservation efforts. No good. Personally, I think the extra allocation is a move to secure a long term contract in case supply dwindles (e.g. global warming), a reasonable strategy for the PUC.
At the same time, we should demand increased conservation education. If you’re going to have a nice lawn, you should be using efficient watering methods. Public comment is open through October 1…let your voice be heard!
Water is often taken for granted in the US, especially in water rich areas . However, the battle over water affects us to this date.
Take the Darfur crisis for example. In early 2003, Arab Baggara nomad tribes began moving their livestock south. Decades of drought and no water management left them with no choice. They started to displace non-Arab farming communities, birthing the conflict. Latest numbers: 450,000 dead, 2.5 million people displaced. All of this over water.
In 2004, PBS aired the documentary “Thirst”, detailing the struggles of three public communities (Rajasthan - India, Cochabamba - Bolivia, and Stockton - California) losing control of their public water to private companies.
The documentary raises a fundamental question: Is water a human right or a commodity? That question is the basis for an ever growing social war.
It’s a little dry, but here is a video of Tim Brick, Chairman of the Board of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, detailing the effects of climate change on our water resources.
Takeaway: Water supply is expected to decrease by up to 10% in certain warming scenarios. Here’s a shocker, 19% of state’s electricity output is gobbled up by water management, delivery, and treatment. Any increase in water productivity will reduce our GHG emission levels, and those could be significant.
DtaS is taking December off, we'll be back in January with another great event
Science in Action Events Science in Action is a series of tours, trips, and hikes intended to put you in the middle of active science in the Bay Area.
If you're interested in attending, send me an email.
