El Dorado County Water Digest

In their June 24 meeting, the El Dorado Irrigation District Board of Directors approved a 20-year plan of upgrades to infrastructure.

The measures are substantially weaker than a previous proposal after an onslaught of criticism. But they will still save enough water through 2050 to supply the state’s entire population for a year, at a cost of $4.7 billion.

Almost 400 suppliers, two-thirds in communities of color, don’t meet safety and reliability standards. Fixing them would cost billions.

Funding of over $3 million was awarded for efforts to protect the lake from aquatic invasive species.

A new round of litigation began when environmental groups opposed to the Sites reservoir in Colusa County filed an appeal on a ruling which dismissed their suit seeking to halt the project from proceeding.

Legal rights to use water — particularly those obtained prior to 1914 — lie at the heart of California’s perpetual wrangling over the allocation of increasingly limited water supplies.

The El Dorado Irrigation District water treatment plant is 63 years old and plans are underway for renovations and upgrades.

Aiming to store more water and protect the public, legislators are negotiating with the governor to restore $50 million to help repair 42 aging dams throughout the state.

A new study, conducted by researchers at three University of California campuses, projects that a combination of factors will reduce California’s water supply by up to 9 million acre-feet a year.

The $4.5 billion Sites Reservoir project is advancing after a judge dismissed a lawsuit filed by environmental groups.

Cal State Fullerton researchers released findings of ancient floods in Southern California which indicate the state may be more prone to mega flooding than previously thought.

Researchers say if California could collect and treat more stormwater in cities, it could provide enough water to supply a quarter of the state’s urban population.

It’s been almost a half-century since I first heard the term “peripheral canal” uttered by William Gianelli, who was then-Gov. Ronald Reagan’s top water official. The project, in one form or another, had already been kicking around for decades.

The centerpiece of California’s water wars pits Gov. Newsom against local communities and environmentalists. A new report says the benefits of the tunnel exceed the cost since other water supplies would cost more.

On May 11, 100 volunteers sampled water from 34 streams, ponds and lakes to gather water quality data for the Truckee River watershed and Lake Tahoe as part of the 24th annual Snapshot Day.

The Society of Outdoor Recreation Professionals recognized the Lake Tahoe Destination Stewardship Plan with the Project Excellence Award during the National Outdoor Recreation Conference held May 4 - 9 in Stateline.

The El Dorado Irrigation District certified the Sly Park Intertie Improvements Project environmental impact report paving the way for the next phase of the effort to replace an interconnection pipeline decommissioned since 2013.

A plan to restore Meeks Creek while continuing to support sustainable recreation opportunities has been released by the Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management and is available for public review and comment.

Rising costs to access public docks and piers for passenger boarding of local fishing and boat charters are lead to requests for options before the South Lake Tahoe City Council at a recent meeting.

The Lake Tahoe Destination Stewardship Council announced the hiring of Meyers resident Nettie Pardue as its first managing director, tasked with coordinating 30 parters to implement the Destination Stewardship Plan.

Included in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2024 is $2M requested by Representative Kevin Kiley's to fund water projects in the El Dorado County region.

The buildings and parking lot on the 31 acre South Lake Tahoe Motel 6 property on the upper Truckee River will be removed and the land restored.

The Upper American River Programmatic Watershed Plan is the product of water agencies from six counties to coordinate management of the watershed of the Upper American River.

The El Dorado Irrigation District reported that Jenkinson Lake is full with Folsom Lake above normal for this time of year.

Highway 49 bridge debris left over from a washout in 1964 are in the early planning stages of a removal project.

California, Arizona and Nevada would cut their allocations about 20% when reservoir levels drop. But other states have their own more aggressive plan. Now the federal government has to decide how to manage the drought-plagued river.

A temporary lake in Death Valley National Park doubled after recent rains and is now deep enough to launch a kayak. Prior to August, ghostly Lake Manly hadn’t appeared in 19 years.

Gary Ellrod, retired NOAA Meteorologist and current senior meteorologist at Weather Extreme, explains the basics of frost, and how it forms.

Los Angeles County flood control network withstands punishing rains—for now.

The storm fed off of unusually warm waters as it grew. It also reached “bomb cyclone” status as it neared California.

Chinook and other salmon runs are collapsing. Conservation groups call it too little, too late. Plan includes dam removals and restoring river flows.

What is an ARkStorm and why is everyone talking about it on social media right now?