Department of Water Resources
A daily compilation of significant news articles and comment
March 16, 2009
5. Agencies, Programs, People –
Our state needs a growth cap
The
Taming the tap
The San Francisco Chronicle
New maps will ignore levees when drawing flood plain
The
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Our state needs a growth cap
The
By Norma Jeanne Strobel and Ralph E. Shaffer
"The sky is falling." Actually, according to our governmental alarmists, the problem is that the sky is not falling. We're in a drought!
Our governor has declared a "drought emergency." The Metropolitan Water District will soon reduce allotments to water agencies in
Hogwash! There is no drought. This year's slightly below normal rainfall is simply a vagary of our cyclical weather.
Average annual rainfall in
In July 2007, after 130 years of record keeping, the weather bureau's charts revealed that average annual rainfall over that entire period was precisely 15 inches. Drought, if it exists, has had no significant impact on L. A.'s average precipitation.
What alarmists misinterpret as drought is actually our normal climate pattern. That pattern is an inexplicably random one in which precipitation varies greatly from year to year. That pattern also includes clusters of years in which rainfall may be significantly lower, or higher, than usual. Our average is 15 inches, but in the past 130 years we have had only three years in which rainfall measured between 14.5 and 15.4 inches.
Yes,
The problem we face is man-made - not nature-made. There is too great a demand for the amount of water available either locally or imported from elsewhere.
When population growth outraced its local water supply, we reached to the
The great water projects of the post-war era, particularly Pat Brown's California Water Project, made possible that growth. The era of the single-family dwelling on a half-acre was gone, replaced by postage-stamp sized lots. Multifamily apartments began springing up. This influx of high-rise and other types of apartment homes contributed to the water problems we now face.
When the California Water Project originated, the state's population was approximately 20 million. It is now 75 percent greater. There is no question but that
Although the state's residents are not the greatest consumers of water, they suffer the burden of conservation. Even though the governor, in his drought declaration, stressed the importance to our economy of construction, industry, and agriculture, the principal users of the state's water, in essence, he suggested that residential water users should practice conservation.
And, in order to conserve and promote growth, the order of the day would be to have water rationing. We have taxed our rivers to their limit. Not only is there no more water to send South, but we are in danger of losing access to what we had been allotted.
Conservation is not the solution. Let's face reality.
There is reason for alarm, but our leaders should place the blame on growth, not on drought. #
http://www.dailynews.com/editorial/ci_11914867
Taming the tap
It wasn't by choice that Dan Lehrer cut off the water supply to his apple trees. When the irrigation system on his organic farm in
Accustomed to enjoying drip irrigation 24 hours a day for roughly five months at a time, the trees were thirsty and stressed, but began producing smaller fruit that was less waterlogged and resulted in notably richer and crisper apples.
They ripened later and kept better in storage. Meanwhile, Lehrer saved a hefty chunk on his water bill and conserved thousands of gallons each season, both from his well and from the public supply - notable in this low-water area of western
"The quality is way better," said Lehrer, who owns Flatland Flower Farm and sells his fall harvests at several Bay Area farmers' markets and to the
Lehrer is among an increasing number of regional farmers who have taken to cultivating certain hearty crops, notably tomatoes and a variety of fruit trees, without the use of irrigation. The loosely defined technique, known as dry farming, relies almost exclusively on seasonal rainfall and residual moisture in the soil. The practice was status quo among
Training vines
"It's all about training the vines to reach down in the soil structure," said Frank Leeds, the vineyard director at Frog's Leap Winery in
With ancient agricultural roots traced back to semi-arid and arid regions across the globe, from olive groves in the
And it's something, asserts Lehrer, that many residents in the Bay Area can do in their own gardens.
After an alarmingly dry January,
And economic woes and steep grocery bills have led a growing number of cash-strapped Bay Area residents to revisit their backyards and community gardens to start growing more of their own food.
Facing reality
Lehrer's wife, Joanne Krueger, who grows plant starts at Flatland and sells them at Bay Area farmers' markets, said she's seen a notable increase in sales during the past two years. And while few oppose growth in urban food production - especially as it generally uses far less resources than landscaping - a spike in the number of gardens does inevitably mean an increase in residential water use.
"For sure, people are going to have to cut back on water use," said Lehrer. A former Bay Area journalist, he and his wife quit their desk jobs in the mid-'90s to become urban farmers. They initially grew plant starts and cut flowers in their home garden in the
"The good news is that they are able to grow really high-quality tomatoes with very little water. Apples too. It's something that backyard gardeners can discover," Lehrer said. It seems like the logical thing to give plants a lot of water, he adds, "but that's not always the case."
Lehrer, 43, stands in a bare field at the top of the farm's gradual slope, the soft light of the late afternoon retreating quickly over the original orchard below. It's been an unseasonably warm winter here, and the trees are already beginning to bud, months ahead of schedule. Marked by tractor wheel tracks, this empty plot will be planted with new apple trees in the early spring. The shaped rows are at a slight grade so rain can collect in small pools and run down into the roots of the trees, a nifty design trick that will prevent erosion and allow the fledgling orchard to thrive without irrigation.
Size vs. taste
Lehrer said the simple reason for why more fruit growers aren't farming this way is the profitability factor. Because of their long roots, dry-farmed trees and plants have to be spaced farther apart. The fruit also grows slower and, despite the boost in flavor, is notably smaller. Lehrer refers to most apples at supermarkets, which are huge largely because of their water content. They're mostly tasteless, he said, but they're heavy, and that's what's important at the cash register. "Farms get paid for size, not taste."
Best practices for dry farming vary widely, depending on who you ask, and there are few absolute rules. The basic idea is to keep the soil moist for as long as possible and train your plants to establish deep roots that seek it out. Some seasoned commercial farmers say it's a complex process requiring a generous amount of space and a certain method of tillage that can break up capillaries to allow for moisture to be captured and retained in the soil.
Opinions also differ on what crops can successfully withstand withdrawal, and whether plants should be irrigated minimally or starved completely.
But for folks who simply want to grow really good produce without sucking the state dry, Lehrer argues, it need not be so complicated.
"That kind of stuff tends to intimidate people, the need to do fancy tricks" he said. "For me, 99 percent of it is getting it in the ground."
Using less water
Even if dry farming is not for you, there are ways to save water in your home or community garden. Here are some tips from urban gardener Antonio Roman-Alcala and Flatland Flower Farm's Dan Lehrer.
Always use mulch. Mulch (any organic material placed at the surface of the soil) will prevent evaporation and retain soil moisture. It also regulates soil temperature, suppresses weeds and provides a habitat for beneficial organisms. Straw is good for annual beds and wood chips for perennial crops.
Drip irrigation. If you have to irrigate, use drip lines as much as possible. They are far more water efficient than sprinklers and hoses and deliver water where it's needed - to the roots, rather than the leaves. It also reduces mildew and disease.
Watering schedule. If all you've got is a hose, reduce evaporation by watering in the early morning or evening, not during the heat of the day.
Water catchment. During the rainy season, capture precipitation in barrels, small ponds and other storage containers. Although the legality is in question if not up to code, home gray-water systems are also a way to recycle large amounts of water from sinks and showers.
Plant thickly. Reducing open space in beds will cut down on evaporation.
Row cover. The translucent fabric can be draped over crop rows to protect against pests and help retain moisture and heat.
What to plant
Flatland Flower Farm's Joanne Krueger recommends these non-edible plants that look good and don't ask for much in return.
Succulents, Kangaroo Paws, asters, lavender, blue-eyed grass, bay trees, rosemary, artemisia, perennial sunflowers, gladioli and a variety of bulbs, especially daffodils.
Tips, techniques and how-tos
Several parameters should be considered to grow food crops successfully without irrigation, says Dan Lehrer.
For one, it won't work with greens and other water-dependent plants, which will quickly wither in dry months. Dry farming is also geographically specific, generally exclusive to temperate coastal climates with periods of consistent rainfall, as well as some fog exposure.
In addition, it's necessary to have a decent amount of space and deep, rich clay soil without any obstruction. It won't work in pots, since the roots should reach down far, upwards of 10 feet in the case of tomatoes. This factor is an automatic deal breaker for people gardening in raised beds or in yards on top of concrete foundations. Also excluded are most residents of
But it can be done in areas of the city where food has traditionally been grown, including the Mission District, Bayview-Hunters Point and
The chances of success for the plants will also increase if the soil is amended with compost before transplanting, and a generous helping of mulch laid down afterward to hold in the moisture.
"In the Bay Area, in a normal year of rainfall - though clearly normal may no longer exist - one can grow lots of crops over the rainy season with little or no additional irrigation," says Antonio Roman-Alcala, an urban gardener who works at Alemany Farm, a community project on a 4 1/2-acre plot off I-280 in the south end of San Francisco.
For the past two summers, the farm has grown dry-farmed tomatoes and this summer will likely try to dry-farm pumpkins as well. Outside of summer, Roman-Alcala notes, garlic, onions, cole crops like kale and collards, fava beans, peas and others can grow with minimal irrigation from October to June. "If there is enough rainfall, you just plant, maintain and collect your produce. No watering necessary."
Most experts agree that the best dry-farmed returns come from tomatoes, especially the Early Girl variety, a popular and hearty hybrid with deep roots.
"They're a really tough plant," said Lehrer. He notes that in the middle of the summer, after months without water, the plants might not look great. "You'll start to worry about them, but don't worry about it. They're putting all their energy into the fruit."
Jim Leap, the farm manager at the UC Santa Cruz Center for Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems, began dry- farming Early Girls 19 years ago, a technique he learned at Molino Creek Farm in
"People just like to water plants, and plants just don't need that much water," he said, noting dry farming also cuts down significantly on weeds.
When Leap first started selling his dry-farmed Early Girls at local farmers' markets, they sold like hotcakes as customers became quickly enamored by their uniquely sweet, rich flavor. He describes a trial test he once did with irrigated and dry versions of his Early Girls, finding the former, in comparison, completely devoid of flavor. During one year, he said he made $10,000 selling dry-farmed yields from a third of an acre alone. But in recent years, he's lost that market niche as more small farmers are growing them, some his former students. "Our sales are way off because there's so much more on the market," he notes. "You can blame us because we taught everyone else how to do it."
Leap said the challenge is to get the timing just right and trap the moisture by tilling the soil after the rainy season. In years of standard rainfall, he then transplants his tomato starts in late May. The plants will send roots into the moisture layer, typically as much as 10 feet down into the deep clay in search of residual rainfall.
Full sun exposure and generous spacing is required to accommodate the plant's extensive root system, he adds, which may be a limiting factor for home gardeners. He's calculated that each season, his crop conserves about 325,000 gallons of water per acre-foot compared to their irrigated counterparts.
"I'm this one lone voice in the woods, saying, 'You don't need to water, let it go,' " said Leap, noting that many growers make the common mistake of watering heavily after transplanting, causing the plant to establish a shallow root zone and immediately wilt without steady irrigation. "If you over water, you're just leeching nutrients into the groundwater and wasting precious resources during drought times."#
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/03/14/HOUO15SB5E.DTL&type=homeandgarden
New maps will ignore levees when drawing flood plain
The
By Roger H. Aylworth
The sudden inclusion in a flood plain results from a nationwide mapping project by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Theoretically the new maps are supposed to identify areas that could be subject to what is called a "1 percent" flood event — a flood of such intensity and power that it is expected to hit on average only once in a century.
However, it appears in some places the flood plain designation has more to do with dollars and bureaucratic wrangling than it does with the danger of rising water.
For more than four decades, north and east
The Big Chico Creek system includes levees and flood control structures that shunt potential floodwaters into Sycamore and Mud Creeks. A substantially smaller system on Little Chico Creek diverts potential floods into a canal that ultimately dumps into Butte Creek.
While these structures have been in place since the 1960s, the flood maps will be drawn as if the levees didn't exist, and the impact of that bit of governmental sleight of hand could be profound.
Homeowners with federally insured mortgages will be forced to buy flood insurance that could cost from hundreds to thousands of dollars a year.
Would-be builders in these newly christened flood plains will face a collection of new state requirements that could easily make development impossible. And if things go as planned, all of this could happen sometime in 2010.
The problems with the disappearing levees are two-fold.
Fritz McKinley,
That facility was built to protect the area from a so-called "50-year" flood and it simply can't meet the current standard.
The Big Chico Creek levees are another story. That system was constructed to meet the 1 percent standard.
Matt Thompson, senior civil engineer for the city of
"That brings us up to today. FEMA has made a determination that all the owners and the maintainers of levees have to certify that they will adequately pass the floods, that they were adequately designed, the underlying geology is appropriate and that they are appropriately maintained," said Thompson.
Certification can be achieved by having the entire length of the levees surveyed — the Big Chico Creek complex alone is 18.5 miles long — and then have any problems that are uncovered repaired.
Both
There is a short-term option that would give everybody involved two years to figure out how to deal with the problem.
FEMA allows for a "provisionally accredited levee" agreement; the levee owner and the maintainer will sign an agreement guaranteeing the levees are sound. Such an agreement forestalls the area's flood plain designation, with all its consequences.
According to Stuart Edell, manager for the land development division of the Butte County Department of Public Works, the state Department Water Resources owns the levees and the county maintains them with money generated by a county service area.
In the post-Hurricane Katrina era, when levees that were expected to hold failed, signing a PAL is more than issuing an informed opinion. Any government agency that enters into a PAL agreement also accepts the responsibility for the levee's performance.
Both the DWR and
"Now, taking on that legal responsibility and that liability, that's an awful large liability, and an awful large responsibility.
Now, is the city willing to do that? I can't speak for the council," continued McKinley.
A February letter from Sally Ziolkowski, director of the mitigation division for the Oakland FEMA office, to Chico Mayor Ann Schwab makes it clear how the agency feels about the issue. Schwab had written FEMA about ways to deal with the levee situation.
"As part of the process FEMA sent you a letter dated Oct. 29, 2008, to provide you the opportunity to a provisionally accredited levee designation," said the letter.
Chico refused to enter into such agreements, so, "Based on your response, these levees will not be recognized as provisionally accredited and will be deaccredited" and will not be used in preparing the maps, continued Ziolkowski.
As a result, roughly everything east of Highway 99 and south of Big Chico Creek, nearly to the Skyway is likely to be officially in a "special flood hazard area, Zone A, and "mandatory flood insurance purchase requirements" will be applied, according to Ziolkowski's letter.
McKinley said there will be opportunities to challenge parts of the flood plain designation by establishing exactly how high any particular plot of land is and how roads and other structures would act as mini-dikes.
"The new
Even if these challenges succeed, there will be a time during which the flood insurance and building rules will apply.
Thompson said "what is really irksome" is that a lot of area residents will be forced to purchase flood insurance while they are paying taxes to maintain a levee system that FEMA treats as nonexistent. #
http://www.chicoer.com/news/ci_11916992?source=rss
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DWR’s California Water News is distributed to California Department of Water Resources management and staff, for information purposes, by the DWR Public Affairs Office. For reader’s services, including new subscriptions, temporary cancellations and address changes, please use the online page: http://listhost2.water.ca.gov/mailman/listinfo/water_news . DWR operates and maintains the State Water Project, provides dam safety and flood control and inspection services, assists local water districts in water management and water conservation planning, and plans for future statewide water needs. Inclusion of materials is not to be construed as an endorsement of any programs, projects, or viewpoints by the Department or the State of
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