El Dorado County Water Digest

Drought, human-caused climate change, invasive species and a “legacy” of environmental issues are permanently altering California’s landscape and placing some communities and ecosystems at increasing risk.

At its Nov. 14 meeting, the El Dorado Irrigation District Board of Directors engaged in a public workshop on the 2023-24 operating budget and 2023-27 financial plan. Finance director Jamie Bandy outlined an operating budget that showed a nearly $5 million drop in revenue.

It’s looking like Georgetown Divide Public Utility District Directors Michael Saunders and Donna Seaman will continue to serve on the water district’s governing board, with newcomer Robert Stovall likely to join them as ballots are tallied in El Dorado County to fill three seats.

A dozen independent fish scientists are calling for urgent changes to sport fishing rules to save California’s largest freshwater fish after an unprecedented red tide this summer left hundreds of them dead.

For eight straight days this summer, farmers in far Northern California drained almost all of the water out of a river in defiance of the state’s drought regulations. The move infuriated environmentalists and salmon-dependent Native American tribes downstream.

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife is marking the 50th anniversary of the first designated Wild Trout Waters in the state.

Linda and Stewart Resnick have donated $50 million to UC Davis for an agricultural research center—the largest donation in the campus’s history—but the couple’s Wonderful Company is the state’s single biggest water user.

As Lake Tahoe watercraft inspections shift to winter operations, inspectors have reported far fewer vessels with aquatic invasive species onboard.

The South Tahoe Public Utility District has rejoined the Mountain Counties Water Resources Association, which serves 57 executive, affiliate, and associate members across 12 of California’s counties.

Wildfires, drought, extreme heat and other effects of climate change are compounding in California, according to a report from state scientists.

The El Dorado Irrigation District Board of Directors heard an update on water supplies on Oct. 24. “September thunderstorms provided the ability to increase hydroelectric generation and … the filling of El Dorado Forebay to maximize capacity,” states a report from hydrologist Jordan Baxter.

The Georgetown Divide Public Utility District has declared a local emergency due to damage from the Mosquito Fire to its water service infrastructure.

Thomas Gilbert, a Garden Highway resident who currently serves as the Board President of Reclamation District 1000, writes about his personal experiences with disasters in the region.

As drought drives prices higher, families are facing water bills of more than $200 a month. With 1 in 10 households behind on water payments, calls are mounting for the state to step in and help.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, a warm, dry winter is in store for much of California as La Niña conditions are expected to persist through at least January.

The 2023-27 capital improvement plan, which includes funds to replace wooden flumes with concrete ones so they don’t burn in forest fires, has been presented to the El Dorado Irrigation District Board of Directors.

After nearly a dozen years with the South Yuba River Citizens League, including five years at its helm, Melinda Booth will step down as executive director following the 21st anniversary of the Wild & Scenic Film Festival in February 2023.

The growth and spread of algae is one reason blue lakes around the world can go green in the summer. Most algae in Lake Tahoe does not pose a health risk to people or animals. Keep Tahoe Blue offers tips on dealing harmful algal blooms.

The Tahoe Fund and EarthViews have created the first “street view” style map of all 72 miles of Lake Tahoe’s shoreline. This new, interactive map offers a 360-degree view of the shoreline, as well as underwater views and water quality data.

Complete replacement of the Silver Lake Dam has been penciled in five years from now, according to an agreement between El Dorado Irrigation District, FEMA and the state Division of Safety of Dams.

After launching an extensive underwater cleanup in Fallen Leaf Lake, the nonprofit Clean Up the Lake asserts that it has found the Tahoe Basin’s dirtiest mile yet in this small body of water.

The nonprofit group SaveTahoeBeaches.org wants to raise awareness of the growing problem of algae proliferation in Lake Tahoe, which causes foul odors and unkept beaches.

The American River Basin will see increasing temperatures and a declining snowpack through the end of the 21st century, according to a study released by the Bureau of Reclamation. Also, variability of fall and winter precipitation will amplify the severity of droughts and flooding.

Below the Blue, a nonprofit that works to remove debris from bodies of water, came on the scene in 2020. But its founders have a much longer history in Lake Tahoe.

It’s been 10 years since scuba divers Seth Jones and Monique Rydel-Fortner first spotted old, lead-coated AT&T cables in the depths of Lake Tahoe while diving in Emerald Bay. A settlement last fall called for their removal, but they’re still underwater.

After experiencing extensive damage from the Caldor Fire, the Grizzly Flat Watershed will be restored and preserved, thanks to a new federally funded grant that will provide over $1 million in repairs and improvements.

In the midst of the third year of drought, El Dorado Irrigation District announced that alpine reservoirs are at or near capacity and lake levels range from 78.6% to 100%. The Board of Directors says the current water supply will last 10 years.

The State Water Resources Control Board has issued emergency water conservation regulations in Georgetown, Cool and surrounding areas. The district will join a statewide coalition of urban water suppliers to provide further input.

Small water system preservation was the focus of El Dorado County Water Agency's biannual meeting. Participants included land owners, business owners, and various water district employees; together they considered solutions as the county faces California’s now three-year drought.

The USDA Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit is reaching out to both the general community and fellow agencies to seek input on the environmental review of the Meeks Bay Restoration Project. The goal is to return the area into a more natural state while still accommodating recreation.

California faces the prospect of a drought-fueled summer of power shortages, hydroelectric plant shutdowns and rising electricity costs, a new report from the U.S. Energy Information Administration warns.

The environment is currently favorable to begin a control methods test in the Tahoe Keys lagoons, with herbicide application beginning May 23. Boating, fishing and other water activities will be restricted during this testing process.