A ssessing
R egion V ia I ndicators
The Environment
the
2006-2011
The State
G reat
of the
central valley
of
C alifornia
Supporting the economic, social and environmental
well-being of California’s Great Central Valley
G r e at V a l l e y C e n t e r
S i e r ra N e va d a R e s e a rc h I n s t i t u t e , U C M e rc e d
201 Needham Street, Modesto, CA 95320
5 2 0 0 N o rt h L a k e R oa d , M e rc e d , C A 9 5 3 4 3
Tel: 209 /522-5103
Tel: 209 /228-7674 Fax: 209/228-4158
Fax: 209/522-5116
w w w . g r e at va l l e y . o r g
i n f o @ g r e at va l l e y . o r g
s n r i . u c m e rc e d . e d u
s n r i r e q u e s t s @ u c m e rc e d . e d u
Contributing Organizations
Great Valley Center
201 Needham Street, Modesto, CA 95354
(209) 522-5103
[email protected]
www.greatvalley.org
Sierra Nevada Research Institute
University of California, Merced
5200 North Lake Road, Merced, CA 95343
(209) 228-7674
[email protected]
snri.ucmerced.edu
Sponsoring Support
AT&T
208 South Akard, Dallas, TX 75202
1-888-944-0447
www.att.com
About this Report
Produced by Staffs of the Great Valley Center and
UC Merced’s Sierra Nevada Research Institute:
Report Editors
David Hosley
Executive Director
Sierra Nevada Research Institute
University of California, Merced
Linda Hoile
Program Manager
Great Valley Center
Research Assistant
Brian Weikel
Intern
Sierra Nevada Research Institute
University of California, Merced
Design
Desiree Cervantes Holden
Program Manager
Great Valley Center
Special thanks to the following contributors
for their assistance:
Alex Padilla
Jesse Roseman
Lucinda Roth
Dr. Jeffrey Underwood
Photos
California State University, Stanislaus
Dave Feliz, California Department of Fish and Game
Flickr Creative Commons
John Fiscalini, Fiscalini Farms
Kern County Water Agency
University of California, Davis
University of California, Merced
201 Needham Street
Modesto, CA 95354
(209) 522-5103
www.greatvalley.org
5200 North Lake Road
Merced, CA 95344
(209) 228-7674
snri.ucmerced.edu
July 2012
Dear Friends:
It is our pleasure to present "The State of the Great Central Valley: Assessing the Region Via
Indicators — The Environment 2006-2011." This is the 12th report in a series of regional studies
measuring conditions in California’s fastest growing region, the Great Central Valley. The Great
Valley Center has published a cycle of reports that assess the environment; economy; community
well being; public health and access to care; and education and youth preparedness in the region.
This one is our first in cooperation with UC Merced’s Sierra Nevada Research Institute. "The
Environment 2006-2011" revisits indicators first introduced in 2001 and revised in 2005. We have
added a few new indicators for this third edition. These data sets, which underlie and correlate
with many of the other assessments of regional well-being, are grouped in sections describing air,
water, land use, species and habitat, and resources and energy.
While some progress has been made in the past five years, it is unclear whether these gains might
be overshadowed by the impact of the Valley’s dramatic population growth — both realized and
predicted. Moreover, it must be acknowledged that in some instances complete data sets are not
available.
We thank UC Merced professor and researcher Roger C. Bales for the centerpiece essay, which
stresses the need to develop a sustainable water supply. Within the context of climate change and
a growing population, he highlights the importance of improving management, information
systems and infrastructure for a safe, reliable water supply. California’s current water monitoring
system is not in operation in several parts of the state. Furthermore, the state’s water infrastructure
is more than 50 years old. California citizens will need to decide how to approach these problems
as impacts of climate warming increase.
This report was underwritten by AT&T and we extend our sincere appreciation to Kathy McKim
and her colleagues at AT&T for their steadfast support of our Great Central Valley.
Sincerely,
Dejeune Shelton
David H. Hosley
Executive Director
Great Valley Center
Executive Director
Sierra Nevada Research Institute
T h e S tat e
o f t h e G r e at C e n t r a l
The Environment
Valley—
Assessing the Region Via Indicators 2006-2011
The Central Valley is a vast region – about 450
miles long, averaging 50 miles wide. Stretching
from Redding in the north to Bakersfield in the
south, the Valley encompasses 19 counties. It is
bound by mountain ranges – to the east and north
stand the snow-capped Sierra Nevada and the
Cascades, and to the west are the Coast Ranges, a
barrier against the moister, milder climate of the
Pacific Coast. The Tehachapis separate the Central
Valley from the metropolitan areas to the south.
What are indicators?
Indicators are powerful tools for measuring and
tracking overall quality of life and for comparing
performance against goals or benchmarks.
They help communities monitor conditions
by providing a baseline against which future
changes can be measured. Indicators help answer
important questions, such as how well the
economy is functioning, how schools are doing,
or whether air and water quality are improving or
worsening.
In this report, we divided the large region into
three subregions: the North Sacramento Valley,
the Sacramento Metropolitan Region and the San
Joaquin Valley. Occasionally, the San Joaquin
Valley is further divided into the North San
Joaquin Valley and the South San Joaquin Valley.
What are good indicators?
A good indicator has several characteristics:
• It addresses a fundamental component of
long-term regional or community well-being;
• It is clear and understandable;
How to use this report:
The data presented creates a snapshot of
information, providing tools for measuring the
Valley's environmental well-being. The report
offers data, analysis and structure that can be used
as a benchmark for assessing the Valley's progress,
providing valuable comparative information at the
county, sub-regional, regional, and state levels.
• It can be tracked, is statistically measured at
regular intervals, and comes from a reliable
source;
• It is easy to communicate in concept as well
as in terms of its value and importance to the
region;
• It measures an outcome rather than an input.
The indicators do not present the entire picture of
environmental conditions or issues in the Valley, but
they may serve as a guide and model for further
research and dialogue. As with any indicators effort,
the data should be used with the understanding
that there is much more information available to
create a more complete, and sometimes more local,
assessment. In many cases, additional information
is available online through the web agencies and
data sources listed in the report.
About this report:
Since 1999, the Great Valley Center has produced
reports in the five-part State of the Great Central
Valley series. The themes are updated in five-year
increments. This publication is a follow-up to the
second environmental report which was released in
2005.
All reports in the series are available online at
www.greatvalley.org/work/indicators. Useful
information about the environment can also be
found at http://snri.ucmerced.edu.
2
Recommendations
The Great Central Valley’s environmental resources are among California’s most unique and least understood.
With a population expected nearly to double by 2050, the region’s air, land, water, species and natural
resources will be under significant challenges. Long term environmental planning and implementation of
strategic policies hold the potential to promote stewardship of the Valley’s resources, a healthy economy and
improved quality of life.
1
The long term health of the Valley’s citizens requires stricter standards in the region’s air quality and further adoption of green
technologies.
While the pollutants of concern have declined, the Valley’s air quality remains at non-attainment levels for all
counties. Compared to the rest of the state, the Valley has the most people at risk for asthma, bronchitis and
emphysema. The precursors to ozone and particulate matter could be reduced by using more fuel-efficient
diesel trucks and paving rural roads.
2
Continued investment in management and infrastructure will help protect, preserve and restore the Valley’s diminishing water
supply.
The Central Valley is California’s fastest growing region with a rising demand for water. California will need
to direct more effort and funding into a portfolio approach to water supply planning rather than looking for
“silver bullets." The need for a sustainable water supply can best be met by increased recycling, use of aquifers
and urban efficiency. Improving irrigation technologies and infrastructure will ensure cleaner drinking water.
3
The Valley’s environment must be regarded as a unique and critical asset that provides economic, social and environmental
benefits.
The real estate bust has greatly reduced the loss of agricultural land in our region, but as the population
increases, the Central Valley will need to take a more careful approach to the urbanization of prime soils.
Increasing the density of urban areas will help grow the region’s economy while maintaining agricultural
dominance. A balanced approach is necessary to insure wetlands and riparian habitats and the species that
inhabit them are valued in policy making at the local, regional and state levels.
4
The Valley must embrace renewable energy technologies for sustainable growth.
The climate and landscape of the Central Valley are ideal for solar panel, wind and biomass energy farms. The
area’s adoption of these technologies combined with constructing energy-efficient buildings will increase the
region’s economic opportunities by attracting well-educated workers and provide a greater mix of housing
choices.
5
The Valley needs to continue to invest in data gathering and sharing and implementation of regional growth blueprints prepared
over the past decade.
More resources and funding are needed at the planning and data-gathering levels to assess the Valley’s
environmental health and to develop strategies to protect and restore its biological heritage and diversity.
This should include more timely data collection, increased data sharing, and coordinated data reporting and
integration. State cutbacks have resulted in negligence in updating several databases. Blueprints from Shasta
County to the southern San Joaquin Valley call for higher housing density and more transportation choices,
but they need to be inculcated throughout the Central Valley in city and county general plans.
3
The Great Central Valley
Because different
parts of the Valley have
different characteristics,
the region has been divided
into the following subregions:
• North Sacramento Valley:
Five counties — Butte, Colusa,
Glenn, Shasta and Tehama
• Sacramento Metropolitan Region:
Six counties — El Dorado, Placer,
Sacramento, Sutter, Yolo and Yuba
• North San Joaquin Valley: Three counties
— Merced, San Joaquin and Stanislaus
• South San Joaquin Valley: Five counties —
Fresno, Kern, Kings, Madera and Tulare
To give context to the data, statewide and regional data are
sometimes presented.
4
of
California
TABLE OF CONTENTS
AIR
6
C a r b o n M o n ox i d e
Precursors
to
7
Ozone
8
T ra c t o r E n g i n e R e p la c e m e n t P r o g ra m I mp r o v e s A i r Q ua l i t y
O z o n e E xc e e da n c e
12
O z o n e A t -R i s k C o u n t s
14
P a rt i c u lat e M at t e r
D ra m at i c
10
16
i n c r e a s e i n c o n s e rvat i o n t i l la g e h e l p s t o i mp r o v e a i r q ua l i t y
T ox i c A i r C o n ta m i n a n t s
20
22
WATER
24
W at e r s h e d s
25
G r o u n d wat e r , S u r fa c e W at e r ,
W at e r b a n k i n g p r o v i d e s
in Kern County
and
D r i n k i n g W at e r Q ua l i t y
s u cc e s s f u l wat e r m a n a g e m e n t a n d c o n s e rvat i o n
P r e c i p i tat i o n , R e s e rv o i r S t o ra g e , R u n o f f ,
I n t e l l i g e n t W at e r I n f ra s t r u c t u r e
for
and
S n o wpa c k California
LAND
27
28
31
36
Pesticide Use
37
S o i l D ra i n a g e
Y o l o B y pa s s W i l d l i f e A r e a
39
offers model for ecological
40
a n d i n t e g rat e d r e s o u rc e m a n a g e m e n t
Land Use Density
B lu e p r i n t s B r i n g R e g i o n a l P la n n i n g
to a
43
New Level
45
L a n d U s e U r b a n i z at i o n
46
SPECIES & HABITAT
48
E n da n g e r e d
49
and
T h r e at e n e d S p e c i e s
A n a d r o m o u s F i s h
51
W at e r f o w l
W e t la n d s
and
52
R i pa r i a n H a b i tat s
R e p o pu lat i o n a n d h a b i tat
Rabbit to gain ground
r e s t o rat i o n h e l p e n da n g e r e d
R i pa r i a n B r u s h
RESOURCES & ENERGY
D i s p o s a l W a s t e O r i g i n
and
D e s t i n at i o n
59
digester produces
“cow
power” while reducing green-
house gases
61
64
67
DATA SOURCES
56
58
E n e r g y C o n s u mp t i o n
Fiscalini Farms
54
5
AIR
AIR
Air quality has a direct impact on the
physical health of the Central Valley’s
population as well as on its economy and
quality of life. Assessing the influences of
human activities that contribute to poor
air provides guidance for regulatory and
lifestyle choices that may improve the area’s
Source: University of California, Merced
air quality.
• Since 2005, emissions of carbon monoxide have steadily decreased in the Sacramento Valley
Air Basin and the San Joaquin Air Basin.
• The Valley’s air basins have also seen a decline in the Nitrous Oxide (NOx) and Reactive
Organic Gas (ROG) emissions — the two key compounds that create ozone.
• Although the San Joaquin Valley Air Basin has a higher number of days in which the air failed
to meet government standards in 2008 compared to 2005, both air basins have shown a
steady decline in the number of days they exceed those limits.
• The number of people at high risk of ozone exposure is greater in the San Joaquin Valley Air
Basin than the Sacramento Valley Air Basin.
• The amount of coarse particulate matter (PM10) and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) emitted into
the air have decreased from 2005 levels.
• Between 2005 and 2008, most toxic air contaminants decreased, with occasional spikes as
observed in diesel particulate matter.
• Other toxic air contaminants, including formaldehyde and acetaldehyde, have elevated amounts
from 2005 levels throughout the Valley.
6
AIR
CARBON MONOXIDE
Emissions of this harmful toxic gas have declined since 2005, and are expected to decrease at a slower rate than
previous years.
Definition:
Carbon monoxide is a colorless odorless gas
emitted from the exhaust of any engine that uses
carbon-based fuels, such as gasoline or diesel.
It is typically measured in parts per million
(ppm). This indicator measures the average
amount of carbon monoxide emitted into the
air. State carbon monoxide standards, which are
more stringent than the Federal standards, are
exceeded when the level is above 20 ppm for
one hour and 9 ppm for eight hours compared
to the federal standard of 35 ppm for one hour.
How are we doing?
Carbon monoxide emissions in the Central
Valley have steadily declined since the
inauguration of the Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) in 1970. Between 2005 and
2010, the Sacramento Valley Air Basin
experienced a 15 percent decrease in total carbon
monoxide emissions while the San Joaquin
Valley Air Basin saw a 17 percent drop.
By 2020, emissions of carbon monoxide levels
are expected to be 27 percent of the emission
levels observed in 1975 for the Sacramento
Valley Air Basin and 28 percent of emission
levels measured in 1975 for the San Joaquin
Valley Air Basin.
Why is it important?
Carbon monoxide is responsible for most fatal
air poisoning. The toxic gas absorbs easily into
the lungs and impedes oxygen from flowing
through the bloodstream to organs and tissues.
7
AIR
PRECURSORS TO OZONE
Emissions of the pollutants that create ozone are expected to decrease for future years and have steadily declined
since 2005.
Definition:
Near the edge of the Earth’s atmosphere, a
colorless gas called ozone creates a protective
layer that shields us from the Sun's harmful
ultraviolet rays. Ozone also exists at ground
level, where it has a different effect – making
it difficult for people to breathe and damaging
plants. Ozone is created when sunlight interacts
with two families of chemicals created by human
and natural activity: nitrous oxides (NOx), and
reactive organic gases (ROG). Because these two
families of compounds are necessary to create
ozone, they are called “precursors to ozone.”
Why is it important?
Measuring the presence of the compounds that
work with sunlight to create ozone (NOx and
ROG) is an important indicator of potential
ozone levels in a region. Due to the key role of
sunlight, the chemical reaction that causes ozone
ceases at night.
How are we doing?
The Central Valley has seen a significant decline
in NOx emissions since 1990 and decreased
ROG emissions since 1980. California’s strict
vehicle-emission standards have been a factor.
Recent advances in zero emission, hybrid, and
electric vehicles are expected to reduce smogcausing pollutants and greenhouse gas emissions
under the Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV)
Program, which provides credits for qualifying
vehicles.
Despite an increase in the vehicle miles traveled
8
and number of vehicles on the road, the
Sacramento Valley Air Basin saw a 15 percent
drop in NOx emissions and an 11 percent drop
in ROG emissions between 2005 and 2010.
During the same time period, the San Joaquin
Valley Air Basin witnessed a 12 percent drop in
NOx emissions and a 7 percent drop in ROG
emissions.
NOx: In the Central Valley, on-road mobile
sources from gasoline and diesel engines are
the largest contributors of NOx emissions.
Statewide, on-road mobile sources (cars, buses,
trucks, etc.) contributed 47 percent of the
total NOx emissions in 2010. In the Central
Valley, however, the percentage of NOx from
on-road mobile sources was higher with the
Sacramento Valley Air Basin at 51 percent and
the San Joaquin Valley Air Basin at 57 percent.
Furthermore, diesel vehicles added more than
two-thirds of on-road vehicles’ NOx emissions
in each air basin.
ROG: Area-wide sources (architectural coatings,
farming operations, road dust, etc.), at 31
percent contribute the most ROG emissions
and are followed by on-road mobile sources at
27 percent statewide. Thirty-four percent of
the total ROG emissions in the Sacramento
Air Valley Basin came from area-wide sources
whereas 42 percent of the total ROG emissions
in the San Joaquin Valley Air Basin were due to
similar sources.
AIR
9
AIR
Tractor Engine Replacement Program Improves Air Quality
Results tabulated from the first three years
of a new voluntary air-quality program
demonstrate that farmers are making significant
improvements in reducing oxides of nitrogen
(NOx) emissions, precursors of ozone. The
Natural Resources Conservation Service
(NRCS) National Air Quality Initiative
(NAQI) Mobile Off-Road Agricultural Engine
Replacement program splits the cost with
farmers of replacing the oldest and most
polluting combustion diesel engines on their
farms, with new technology that runs at least
71 percent cleaner.
Source: Flickr/Creative Commons FranceHouseHunt.com
the 2008 Farm Bill. “The EPA has signed a
memorandum of agreement that will allow
these results to be counted toward emissions
reduction targets for 2023 that will become
mandated in future legislation.”
Through this program, NRCS and California
farmers have partnered in replacing engines
in 1,179 old tractors and other farm
equipment from 2009 through 2011 to reduce
approximately 1,680 tons of NOx emissions.
When all contracts have been implemented,
the reduction will produce the equivalent
of removing 500,000 cars from California
highways. The federal grant program has
invested $64.4 million to date to fund the new
engines and permanently destroy the old diesel
engines.
Demand for the program has far outstripped
the grant funding available. NRCS received
3,455 applications for engine replacements
over the past three years, and was able to fund
only 34 percent of these requests. The Nisei
Farmers League and other program partners
are working to increase the 2012 funding by an
additional $50 million so more applicants can
participate in this successful program.
"California's farmers have responded
enthusiastically to our efforts to improve air
quality," said Ed Burton, USDA's Natural
Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) state
conservationist for California.
The Central Valley received the majority of the
replacement funding with approximately 1,000
of the contracts (roughly 85 percent) going
to farmers in this region. When all contracts
have been implemented, this will represent an
emissions reduction equivalent to removing
430,000 cars from Valley highways.
The primary goal of the program, which was
rolled out in 2009, is to help farmers and
ranchers achieve air-quality conditions set by
the National Ambient Air Quality Standards
(NAAQS). Producers in the 36 California
counties not currently in compliance with one
or more of these standards were eligible to
participate in the engine-replacement program.
“This first-time, voluntary program offers
solid, trackable and quantifiable results in
reducing NOx emissions,” said Manual Cunha,
Jr., president of the Nisei Farmers League,
one of the organizations that helped craft the
program set-up and federal funding as part of
10
“Less dust is better for the air and better for
growing grapes.”
The program was implemented at an ideal time
for Steven Ficklin, a third-generation farmer
who has 120 acres of table, wine and raisin
grapes in Madera County. He was able to
replace two tractors, one 22 years old and the
other 18 years old. “Our tractors were chewing
up gas and oil and needed replacement, but we
did not have the resources to accomplish this
ourselves,” Ficklin said. “This program made it
financially feasible for us.”
NRCS has also joined into 420 contracts for
other types of air-quality conservation work,
at a cost of $6.4 million. Farmers typically
contribute 50 percent. In 2009, the San
Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District
(SJVAPCD) provided $3 million to increase
the cost share rate for some of the farmers in
its district. In 2011, the SJVAPCD initiated
its own off-road agricultural engine incentive
program and obligated $22 million for San
Joaquin Valley producers.
The engine-replacement program targets the
oldest tractors (Tier 0 rated) that are used the
most hours per year, replacing them with the
cleaner Tier 2 and Tier 3 tractors. The Nisei
Farmers League would like to supplement this
effort by establishing a “trade down” program.
Under the proposed program farmers would be
able to trade Tier 0 tractors that are used 300
or less hours per year for Tier 1 tractors at no
cost.
Conservationist Burton credited the effective
partnership that has supported the policy,
technical and educational work necessary to
achieve the air-quality benefits.
"Conservation, farming and environmental
groups all got behind the effort to help put
California agriculture on the leading edge of
conducting business in a cleaner, greener way
that protects the air and complies with local
and state regulations," concluded Burton.
“Our goal is to have every tractor in California be
rated Tier 1 or above by 2023,” said Cunha.
The partnership includes the California
Department of Food and Agriculture, the
Environmental Defense Fund, California Farm
Bureau Federation, Nisei Farmers League,
Western United Dairymen, California Cotton
Growers and Ginners, Resource Conservation
Districts, California Citrus Mutual, California
Grape and Tree Fruit League, California
Dairy Campaign, the San Joaquin Valley Air
Pollution Control District, and the USDA's
Farm Service Agency. Several partners joined
with NRCS in 2009 to host 15 workshops
throughout the Central Valley to alert and
educate producers about air quality and the
opportunities available through the Farm Bill
program.
While the engine-replacement program
specifically targets emissions of oxides of
nitrogen from combustion engines, NRCS
and farmers collaborate on air-quality work
on nine conservation practices to further air
quality goals for particulate matter (PM10
and PM 2.5), ozone and volatile organic
compounds (VOCs). These practices also
include conservation tillage, treating farm roads
to reduce dust, using machinery that reduces
VOCs in orchards and more.
Ficklin noted that his farming operation has
also been practicing minimal tillage, letting the
natural grasses grow in the vineyards. “We plow
about half as often as we used to,” Ficklin said.
11
AIR
The initiative is set to operate through 2012
under current authorizations.
AIR
OZONE EXCEEDANCE
Overall, the number of days above government standards for ozone has been gradually decreasing since 1998.
Definition:
Ozone exists 10 to 25 miles above the Earth’s
surface. As previously mentioned, ozone
damages living things and causes difficulty in
breathing at ground level. In the Central Valley,
ozone is especially prevalent in the summer when
there is plentiful sun and winds are calm.
Ozone is measured by gauging how many parts
per million (ppm) of ozone that people are
exposed to within certain periods of time. The
State and Federal governments differ in what
they consider excessive ozone levels. Ozone
levels exceed the state one-hour and eight-hour
standards when they surpass 0.09 ppm and
0.070 ppm respectively.
In 2005, the EPA revoked the national one-hour
standard. The state established a lower ozone
exceedance level for the eight-hour standard
in 2006. The national level for the eight-hour
standard was also lowered in 2008, but remains
higher at 0.075 ppm.
This indicator measures the ozone exceedance
days in the Central Valley by air basin and
county for both the state and national standards.
Why is it important?
Children, senior citizens and people with
compromised respiratory systems are especially
vulnerable to ozone. When inhaled, ozone
can irritate lung tissues and respiratory tracts,
damage living cells and induce asthma attacks.
Ozone can also be harmful to plant cells,
damaging vegetation and ultimately resulting in
a lower crop yield.
12
How are we doing?
The numbers of ozone exceedance days in
the Central Valley have changed along with
statewide trends, with the greatest drop coming
in 2007. However, the number of ozone
exceedance days surpassed the number of days
observed in 2005. All counties of the Central
Valley remain in nonattainment status for either
the one-hour or eight-hour standard, meaning
their ozone levels are not below acceptable
levels.
Because the levels of the compounds that create
ozone have been decreasing, ozone exceedance
days in the Central Valley air basins have shown
a slight decrease, too. The Sacramento Valley
Air Basin had 45 days above the state one-hour
standard while the San Joaquin Valley Air Basin
had 95 days in 2008. In the same year, the
Sacramento Valley Air Basin had 79 and 55 days
above the state eight-hour standard and national
eight-hour standard, respectively; while the San
Joaquin Valley Air Basin had 150 and 127 days
above the state eight-hour standard and national
eight-hour standard respectively.
13
AIR
AIR
OZONE AT-RISK COUNTS
The Central Valley has higher rates of pediatric asthma, adult asthma, chronic bronchitis and emphysema than
other parts of California.
Definition:
This indicator shows the total number of people
at high risk of ozone exposure as measured and
defined by the American Lung Association. Each
year, the American Lung Association releases a
“State of the Air” report covering communities
throughout the nation and measures “at-risk”
populations as the aforementioned categories.
Numbers shown are percentages of the total
population that are younger than 18, or 65 and
older, suffering from pediatric asthma, adult
asthma, chronic bronchitis and emphysema.
Members of these groups, however, can fall
into one or more of the other groups listed.
For example, a child younger than 18 can also
be included in the pediatric asthma category
or an adult 65 or older can also be counted in
the emphysema category. Additionally, an adult
between 17 and 65 afflicted by asthma may be
counted toward the adult asthma category.
Why is it important?
At-risk populations are especially vulnerable to
ozone exposure because of compromised health
or underdeveloped lungs. Recent studies have
shown that because juvenile lungs continue to
develop into the late teens, they are especially
affected by poor air quality.
Knowing which community members are
affected by ozone exposure and how serious the
public health threat is, leads to better policies,
programs and laws that result in healthier
communities and the reduced potential for ozone
pollution.
14
How are we doing?
In 2011, 1.9 million children younger than 18
and 0.7 million adults 65 and older experienced
ozone exceedance days in the Central Valley.
In the same year, 0.8 million or 12 percent of
Central Valley residents suffered from more
serious conditions, including asthma, chronic
bronchitis and emphysema.
While the number of ozone exceedance days are
gradually decreasing on average, the San Joaquin
Valley continues to have the highest proportion
of people at risk. When coupled with poor air
quality that is often worse than other California
regions, people in the San Joaquin Valley
experience the highest proportional decline in
health overall.
AIR
Ozone “At-Risk” Exceedance Days in the Central Valley 2010
County Butte Colusa El Dorado Fresno Glenn Kern Kings Madera Merced Placer Sacramento San Joaquin Shasta Stanislaus Sutter Tehama Tulare Yolo Yuba TOTAL Total Population 220,577 21,321 178,447 915,267 28,299 807,407 148,764 148,632 245,321 348,552 1,400,949 674,860 181,099 510,385 92,614 61,138 429,668 199,407 N/A 6,612,707 Under 18 20.95 30.74 23.43 30.14 28.86 31.03 27.61 29.36 31.98 23.99 25.81 29.95 23.00 29.24 27.65 25.03 32.88 23.09 N/A 28.11 65 & Older 14.96 12.04 12.17 9.78 12.54 9.00 7.71 10.37 9.85 15.71 11.25 10.10 15.76 10.49 12.92 15.22 9.40 9.82 N/A 10.86 Pediatric Asthma 1.39 2.04 1.55 2.00 1.92 2.06 1.83 1.95 2.12 1.59 1.71 1.99 1.53 1.94 1.83 1.66 2.18 1.53 N/A 1.86 Adult Asthma 6.16 5.41 6.03 5.48 5.56 5.42 5.69 5.54 5.33 5.92 5.82 5.50 6.01 5.55 5.65 5.85 5.26 6.03 N/A 5.64 Source: Ozone exceedance days, California Air Resources Board. At-risk groups, American Lung Association
15
Chronic Bronchitis 3.47 3.01 3.52 2.90 3.11 2.85 2.84 2.98 2.83 3.45 3.16 2.96 3.53 3.00 3.14 3.40 2.79 3.11 N/A 3.05 Emphysema 1.78 1.50 1.78 1.33 1.57 1.28 1.16 1.40 1.31 1.85 1.50 1.38 1.90 1.41 1.58 1.82 1.28 1.36 N/A 1.44 AIR
PARTICULATE MATTER
Particulate matter emissions are above standards, especially PM2.5 emissions in the San Joaquin Valley.
Definition:
Particulate matter describes very small particles
in the air. While individual particles cannot be
seen with the naked eye, collectively they can
appear as black soot, dust clouds or grey hazes.
Particulates include pollutants, such as smoke,
fumes, dust, ash and pollen.
The two commonly used categories of particulate
matter are determined by their size.
“Coarse” particulate matter measures less than
1/7th the diameter of a human hair (10 microns)
and is referred to as PM10. “Fine” particulate
matter is even smaller (2.5 microns) and is
referred to as PM2.5. Fine particles can be
directly emitted into the atmosphere through
area-wide sources, such as motor vehicles,
agricultural burning and dust, and road dust.
Fine particles are so small they can penetrate the
respiratory system.
This indicator looks at days above the
state PM10 standard based upon periodic
measurements every six days; no state PM2.5
standard on the number of exceedance days
exists. The state PM10 standard is exceeded
when the measurement is greater than 50
micrograms per cubic meter of air or greater
than 12 micrograms per cubic meter of air
for PM2.5. Moreover, the indicator shows the
emission trends over a 10-year span based upon
the average micrograms per cubic meter of air.
The indicator also ranks the greatest contributing
factors of particulate matter by tons per day in
each air basin.
16
Why is it important?
When inhaled, particulate matter can lodge deep
in lung tissue and cause health problems. Given
their size, particulates can enter the bloodstream
and reach internal organs. Some particulates,
such as diesel exhaust, contain substances that
are possible carcinogens. Particulate matter is
also a main ingredient in haze, which impedes
visibility.
How are we doing?
Both air basins have made significant progress
in reducing the number of exceedance days for
PM10. From 2001 to 2010, the Sacramento
Valley Air Basin and the San Joaquin Valley
Air Basin’s days above the state standard has
dropped 76 percent and 60 percent, respectively.
Both air basins show a slight decline in PM10
and PM2.5 emissions with occasional spikes
caused by lengthy and/or frequent forest fires,
especially during the summer of 2008.
In 2010, the PM10 sources in the Sacramento
and San Joaquin Valley Air Basin came primarily
from farming operations, fugitive windblown
dust and road dust, which collectively added
142 tons per day for the former and 208 tons
per day for the latter. During the same period,
managed burning and disposal, residential fuel
combustion and road dust contributed to 45
tons per day in the Sacramento Valley Air Basin
and 64 tons per day in the San Joaquin Valley
Air Basin. Several measures have been taken to
reduce PM10 and PM2.5 pollution: controls
for industrial facilities; landscaping, barrier and
fencing to reduce windblown dust; and cleaner
burning gasoline and diesel fuels.
AIR
17
AIR
Top Ten Estimated Annual Average Emissions for PM10 in the
Sacramento Valley Air Basin 2010
Rank 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Emission Source Unpaved Road Dust Paved Road Dust Farming Operations Construction and Demolition Residential Fuel Combustion Managed Burning and Disposal Fugitive Windblown Dust Mineral Processes Food and Agriculture Wood and Paper Tons per Day 56.59 40.92 34.88 24.47 21.07 13.73 10.08 5.59 4.64 3.95 Sources: California Air Resources Board
18
Rank 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Emission Source Residential Fuel Combustion Managed Burning and Disposal Paved Road Dust Unpaved Road Dust Farming Operations Mineral Processes Wood and Paper Construction and Demolition Heavy Heavy-­‐Duty Diesel Trucks (HHDV) Food and Agriculture Tons per Day 20.3 12.72 6.14 5.66 5.34 2.47 2.46 2.45 2.34 1.94 Sources:
California Air Resources Board
Top Ten Estimated Annual Average Emissions for PM10 in the
San Joaquin Valley Air Basin 2010
Rank 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Emission Source Farming Operations Paved Road Dust Fugitive Windblown Dust Unpaved Road Dust Managed Burning and Disposal Construction and Demolition Residential Fuel Combustion Food and Agriculture Heavy Heavy-­‐Duty Diesel Trucks (HHDV) Cooking Tons per Day 72.91 46.84 45.06 43.08 20.86 11.88 9.7 9.56 8.89 3.68 Sources: California Air Resources Board
Top Ten Estimated Annual Average Emissions for PM2.5 in the
San Joaquin Valley Air Basin 2010
Rank 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Emission Source Managed Burning and Disposal Farming Operations Residential Fuel Combustion Fugitive Windblown Dust Heavy Heavy-­‐Duty Diesel Trucks (HHDV) Paved Road Dust Food and Agriculture Unpaved Road Dust Off-­‐Road Equipment Chemical Sources: California Air Resources Board
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Tons per Day 19.3 16.91 9.35 7.69 7.69 7.03 4.56 3.9 2.82 2.53 AIR
Top Ten Estimated Annual Average Emissions for PM2.5 in the
Sacramento Valley Air Basin 2010
AIR
Dramatic increase in conservation tillage
helps to improve air quality
Historically conservation tillage was used as a
method to reduce soil erosion. However, in the
primarily flat lands of the Central Valley, the
threat of soil erosion is minor and not a strong
motivator for experimenting with conservation
tillage. Yet, over the last decade there has been
a dramatic and documented increase in the use
of conservation tillage by percent Valley farmers as a way to improve air quality, conserve fuel
and increase surface residue.
Source: Flickr/Creative Commons CIMMYT
the number of tillage passes used in valley crop
cultivation, including the large production sectors of dairies and tomato farms.
Fall is a peak time for the Central Valley to
exceed air quality standards, as many crops
finish harvesting and fields are tilled for planting the next crop. In 2003, farmers Valleywide
were encouraged to come up with ways to
improve air quality, including a goal of reducing tillage passes across production fields. This
encouragement and work of California’s Conservation Tillage and Cropping Systems Workgroup led the way for conservation tillage to
begin gaining significant traction.
Dairy farmers are employing strip tillage with
great success, plowing narrow strips into the
fields for planting the next feed crop, and leaving stubble from the previous crop as ground
cover. Conservation tillage also may more readily allow triple cropping by some Valley dairy
farmers, thus increasing productivity.
The dairy production sector has actually seen
the greatest conversion to CT in recent years
with more than 100,000 corn silage acres being
produced using a form of conservation tillage.
Fewer tillage passes means less dust from plowing and has been shown to reduce airborne
particulate matter by 60 percent or more.
Reducing passes also decreases diesel fuel emissions and provides farmers with fuel and labor
cost savings, as well as decreasing wear and tear
on equipment.
Tomato growers, on the other hand, are using
strip-tillage to reduce costs and to increase
organic carbon in the soil, which is important
to soil health and sustainable soil management. Along with conservation tillage, growers
are planting winter cover crops of barley and
triticale in order to increase soil carbon and
improve soil tilgh.
A 2010 survey conducted by the CT Workgroup shows an estimated 31 percent increase
in the past six years in the number of Central
Valley acres where conservation tillage is in use.
Both strip-till and minimum till have proven to
be effective means of significantly decreasing
20
1,500 farmers, University of California representatives, government agencies and environmental organizations.
California and its Central Valley can expect
more research and innovation from this partnership over the next decade as well. Jeff Mitchell,
workgroup chair, reports that the group is
planning to expand its networking opportunities and scope of focus by becoming the Conservation Agriculture Systems Institute, with
“conservation agriculture” a globally recognized
term for preserving residue, increasing soil
carbon and diversifying crop rotation.
“We have experienced savings of about 30
percent in tractor costs, such as fuel, maintenance as well as labor savings through reduced
tillage,” Sano said. “Minimum tillage is also
better for the soil, helping to mellow it out and
manage salts.”
While the cover crops grown as part of Sano’s
conservation tillage have provided more organic
matter to aerate the soil, challenges remain
when there is heavy rain. He also notes that the
reduction in water use has not been as great as
originally hoped.
Implementation of conservation tillage techniques has its challenges. Farmers must plan
ahead, anticipating when they are going to irrigate and making accommodations in how they
apply water. They also have to avoid frequent
use of herbicides in order to prevent the proliferation of resistant weeds. There is an additional
challenge to the efficiency of tomato harvest,
with the increased possibility of gathering up
more residues from earlier crops.
Source: Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of California
The Central Valley is home to a large number
of pioneering farmers and agriculturists who
have created and adapted innovative systems to
address challenges and remain competitive. This
dedication to developing and implementing
best practices is a driving force for the Conservation Tillage Workgroup, a network of almost
21
AIR
Alan Sano began using minimum tillage about
eight years ago on his 2,200-acre tomato farm
in Firebaugh. Sano, a recipient of Workgroup’s
CT Farmer Innovator Awards in 2010, notes
that his farm’s move towards conservation tillage was motivated by the need for cost savings.
He has also switched to micro drip irrigation in
an effort to conserve water.
AIR
TOXIC AIR CONTAMINANTS
Most harmful air pollutants have increased since 2005.
Definition:
Toxic air contaminants (TACs) are air pollutants
found in emissions from areawide, stationary and
mobile sources. The California Air Resources
Board (CARB) monitors many contaminants,
including volatile organic compounds (VOCs),
carbonyl compounds, toxic metals and
hexavalent chromium.
This indicator looks at the average amount of
contaminant for 10 toxic air contaminants in
both the Sacramento and the San Joaquin Valley
air basins.
Why is it important?
Toxic air contaminants are air pollutants that are
hazardous to human health. They can irritate the
eyes, nose, throat and skin, and cause or increase
the risk of death.
How are we doing?
Overall, the Central Valley has suffered from
significant increases in the amount of toxic
contaminants emitted into the air. In 2005,
approximately 2,400 tons of diesel particulate
matter (both PM10 and PM2.5) was released,
primarily by vehicles, into the atmosphere. In
2008, this contaminant rose by 211 tons, or 8
percent, in the Sacramento Valley Air Basin and
2,058 tons, or 34 percent, in the San Joaquin
Valley Air Basin. The CARB and the U.S. EPA
estimates 460 to 590 premature deaths are
associated with PM2.5 in the Sacramento Valley
Air Basin and 1,100 to 1,400 premature deaths
are associated with PM2.5 in the San Joaquin
Valley Air Basin annually.
Formaldehyde (found in smog, open fireplaces
22
and some household cleaning products) also
rose by 11 percent in the Sacramento Valley Air
Basin and 20 percent in the San Joaquin Valley
Air Basin between 2005 and 2008.
In the Sacramento Valley Air Basin, the amount
of benzene emitted dropped by 111 tons, or
10%, and by 140 tons, or 8 percent, in the San
Joaquin Valley Air Basin.
Perchloroethylene (a chemical used to clean
clothes) commonly found in stationary sources,
such as dry cleaning facilities, has also decreased
in both air basins. In the Sacramento Valley Air
Basin, the amount dropped 21 percent to 355
tons. In the San Joaquin Valley Air Basin, the
amount dropped 6 percent to 617 tons.
AIR
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WATER
W A T ER
Water quality and quantity is inextricably
tied to the Valley’s agricultural economic
base, to the variety of species that depend
on the Valley’s unique environmental
resources and to the needs of the region’s
rapidly growing population. Thirty-eight
of California’s 58 counties are either
completely or partially within the Central
Source: Dave Feliz, CA Department of Fish and Game
Valley Water Board’s boundaries. The
second largest contiguous groundwater basin
in the United States is situated in the Central Valley. The Sacramento-San Joaquin
Delta is the largest West Coast estuary and supplies more than two-thirds of
California's water. Almost 50 percent of all facilities regulated for discharges to
land and more than 42 percent of all state septic systems are located in the Central
Valley.
• The collaborative effort to develop standards of watershed health will allow more accurate
assessment of conditions in the Valley.
• Nitrate is among the most frequently detected contaminants in California’s groundwater
systems, especially in the extensively tapped aquifers in the Central Valley.
• The amount of available water in reservoirs is rebounding from a three-year drought because
of recovering precipitation, runoff and snowpack levels.
• The long term increase in demand for water being met by groundwater supplies depletes
groundwater levels and reduces the aquifer system’s ability to recharge itself.
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WATERSHEDS
Definition:
A watershed, also sometimes called a water
catchment basin, is an area of land draining into
a river, river system or other common waterway.
The geographical extent of a watershed can
be described in acres or any measurable unit
of land. Common zones within a watershed
are: the upland area – the land above the zone
inundated by floods, or the transition between
riparian and terrestrial vegetation; the riparian
zone – the vegetated area between the water
body's edge and the upland area; and the water
body itself – any stream, river, abandoned
channel, pond, lake, wetlands, estuary or ocean.
This indicator shows the area, average
precipitation, precipitation range and total water
storage.
Why is it important?
Watersheds are critical to all living species.
One of the major functions of watersheds is
to collect precipitation that recharges aquifers,
which are important sources of drinking water.
The waterways and riparian corridors that
surround watersheds also filter surface water,
reducing or even removing contaminants from
them. These same corridors provide recreational
opportunities, including fishing and swimming,
and open space that improves the quality of life
in a community.
Riparian areas adjacent to streams serve as
floodplains that can minimize damage to life
and property caused by flooding. Many Central
Valley streams and river areas provide habitat for
birds, fish and wildlife, especially endangered
species. These waterways and adjacent riparian
areas also serve as corridors for wildlife.
An assessment of rainfall and total water
available by county allows for government
agencies and other organizations to develop
more complete watershed plans tailored to each
area.
How are we doing?
In 2006, the State of California adopted a
modified version of the U.S. EPA framework
based on hydrology-geomorphology; landscape
condition; biotic condition; chemical and
physical characteristics; socio-economic
condition; natural disturbance regimes; and
ecological processes.
In partnership with the California Department
of Conservation’s Statewide Watershed Program,
UC Davis is working to establish the California
Watershed Assessment Manual (CWAM), which
will provide more comprehensive guidance for
the planning and technical needs of watershed
groups, local and state agencies, academic
scientists, consultants and other people involved
in assessing watersheds. The assessment will
reduce the reinventing of planning, data
collection and analysis approaches each time
an assessment is done. The manual will focus
on the primary natural and human processes
(continued)
25
WATER
The California EPA framework was adopted as a placeholder. Data standards are being developed by the California
Department of Conservation in partnership with University of California, Davis, and will result in new knowledge
about watersheds once the work is completed.
WATERSHEDS
(continued)
WATER
in rural watersheds of northern and central
California. The guidelines for assessing urban
and agricultural areas are still being developed.
The areas under evaluation include geography;
hydrology (water balance, groundwater and
aquifers, surface water and flow); climate
(precipitation and energy exchange); flooding
and stormwater runoff (flooding frequency);
geology, soils and sediment (geology, soils,
erosion and morphology); water quality
(nutrients, temperature, dissolved oxygen,
inorganic and organic pollutants, bacteria and
pH); aquatic ecosystems; terrestrial landscapes
and habitats; human land uses (residential,
commercial, industrial, agriculture, timber,
mining and recreation); water management and
uses; social and economic setting; and historic
context and analysis.
Watershed Physical Characteristics
Watershed Area (km2) Feather Yuba Bear American Cosumnes Mokelumne Calaveras Stanislaus Tuolumne Merced San Joaquin Kings Kaweah Tule Kern 9412 3114 730 4822 1385 1498 937 2341 3971 2685 4315 3998 1451 1015 5983 Average Precip. (cm/year) 121.5 167.5 122.1 135.8 107.3 123.3 86.5 115.9 110.1 104.5 101.4 96.4 94 76.4 56 Source: University of California, Davis: Center for Watershed Science
26
Precip. Range (Min-­‐
Max) (cm/year) 36.6-­‐301.4 83.2-­‐223.6 63.2-­‐187 63-­‐203.6 58.9-­‐143.4 57.8-­‐164.3 55.3-­‐142.8 64.8-­‐168.1 43.5-­‐172.8 50.1-­‐159.1 35.5-­‐159.1 50.1-­‐154.5 36.8-­‐151.1 28.6-­‐119.2 24.4-­‐147.3 Total Water Storage Capacity (mcm)* 6668 1764 224 2216 51 1050 394 3505 3352 1285 1566 1536 176 102 701 GROUNDWATER, SURFACE WATER AND DRINKING
WATER QUALITY
Septic tanks, sewers and underground storage top the list of possible contaminating activities in the Valley.
Why is it important?
Clean drinking water is essential to public health.
A number of surveys show that drinking water
pollution is the environmental threat of most
concern to the general public. Assessments of
drinking water sources allow for an understanding
of potential threats to source water and point to
opportunities to plan commercial development
in ways that can minimize future exposure.
Regulatory and non-regulatory actions are also
taken to clean existing water sources and to help
protect against possible future contamination.
How are we doing?
In urban areas, most groundwater impairment
and pollution comes from leaking underground
fuel tanks, industrial waste discharges, commercial
facilities (including dry cleaners), failed septic
systems, municipal treatment ponds and landfills.
In agricultural areas, groundwater pollution
comes from fertilizers, pesticides, animal waste
and irrigation leaching.
The National Pollutant Discharge Elimination
System (NPDES)’s Stormwater Program
oversees surface water quality. Nearly 2,000
industrial storm water sites and more than 4,200
construction sites are regulated.
The Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL)
determines how much of a contaminant can
enter a water body without causing impairment
– determining the body's carrying capacity –
or what can be done to restore the impaired
water body, and then establish load-reduction
requirements to insure that the carrying capacity
is not exceeded. The Regional Boards of
California are currently engaged in developing
more than 120 TMDLs. By 2006, there were
342 listed impairments on 122 water bodies.
The levels of nitrates in drinking water have
been increasing in the Central Valley because
of intensive agriculture and human activities,
including using nitrogen-based fertilizers and
planting nitrogen-fixing cover crops. The
increased nitrate concentrations are commonly
found in soils and aquifers in the region, and
pose an environmental health risk because
many rural areas obtain drinking water from
wells that are often shallow and vulnerable
to contamination. Additional effects include
the eutrophication of surface waters and their
resultant marine “dead zones,” atmospheric
deposition that acidifies ecosystems and
depletion of ozone.
27
WATER
Definition:
The Department of Pesticide Regulation
(DPR) and the Division of Drinking Water
and Environmental Management (DDWEM)
of the California Department of Public Health
(CDPH) assess the vulnerability of groundwater,
surface water and drinking water in conjunction
with the Drinking Water Source Assessment and
Protection (DWSAP). Parts of these assessments
include identifying past or present activities
that post a contamination threat to drinking
water sources. This indicator measures the
most frequent possible contaminating activities
(PCA). PCAs include septic systems, landfills or
dry cleaners and their associated contaminants
(nitrates, arsenic, solvents, etc.) in proximity to
drinking water sources in the Central Valley.
WATER
Water banking provides successful water management
and conservation in Kern County
Water is an extremely precious resource to California, including the economically vital agricultural heartland of the Central Valley. Kern
County, which receives less than 7 inches of rain
each year, relies heavily on the Kern River and
on imported water to supply the needs of families, farms and businesses. This makes water
banking an especially important water management and conservation practice for the county.
Water banking allows excess water supplies to
be stored in the underground aquifer during
wet years for use during dry years.
Source: Kern County Water Agency
late water into the sandy aquifer. The stored
water is then recovered as needed by pumping it
out with wells.
Surface reservoirs have traditionally been used
to manage California’s fluctuating water supply,
with hundreds located throughout the state.
Many of these reservoirs are owned and operated by local agencies. However, storing water in
the ground can be a more efficient and economical water management strategy in many parts
of the state.
According to the Kern County Water Agency,
the Kern County portion of the San Joaquin
Valley's groundwater basin has a total of about
10 million acre-feet (MAF) of available storage
capacity. Between 1977 and 2005, Kern County
invested more than $300 million to build its
groundwater banking infrastructure. The banks
can store up to 5.7 MAF of water, which can
be recharged during wet years and extracted
during dry years. Since the banking projects
began operating in the 1970s, more than 4
MAF of water have been recharged.
The substantial evaporation losses experienced
with surface facilities do not occur with water
supplies stored underground. Additionally, the
steep cost to develop water banks is still usually
lower than the cost to construct surface reservoirs with similar storage capacity. The Kern
Water Bank also provided for the creation and
restoration of thousands of acres of environmentally significant upland and intermittent
wetland habitat.
The City of Bakersfield's 2800 Acres Spreading Area was the first full-fledged Kern County
banking project and started in 1978. In the
1990s, water banking programs expanded with
the formation of the Kern Water Bank, which
encompasses 20,000 acres of recharge ponds
and habitat/wildlife land, and the Kern County
Water Agency's 2,200-acre Pioneer Banking
Project.
Because of its unique geographical and geological makeup, Kern County has the ability to bank
rainfall or runoff water when it is plentiful, and
recharge it through shallow ponds that perco-
28
“The early challenges faced by the Kern Water
Bank included concerns from other basin stakeholders regarding potential project impacts,
endangered species concerns and questions
about water quality,” said Jon Parker, general
manager of the Kern Water Bank Authority.
“These issues were addressed through an agreement with the basin stakeholders regarding
operations, the development of a Habitat Conservation Plan/Natural Communities Conservation Plan for the endangered species questions,
and the development of project recovery guidelines with the Department of Water Resources
and stakeholders in the California Aqueduct.”
“The public water agencies that operate the
banking programs continue to develop new
and innovative ways to increase the efficiency
of water management through groundwater
banking projects,” said Curtis Creel, water
resources manager for the Kern County Water
Agency. “Groundwater banking is becoming an
important regional water management tool and
a valuable resource to meet the growing needs
throughout California.”
Approximately 800 production wells and 200
monitoring wells are measured for groundwater
levels on a semiannual basis within the Kern
sub-basin of the San Joaquin Valley groundwater
basin, and approximately 350 production and
monitoring wells are measured monthly within
the Kern River Alluvial Fan area.
Source: Kern County Water Agency
The KWB covers nearly 30 square miles of the
southern San Joaquin Valley. It has about 7,000
acres of recharge ponds which, on average,
recharge at a rate of 0.3 feet per day. Up to
72,000 AF per month can be recharged at the
beginning of a recharge program, a rate that
declines as the program progresses. After a year
of continuous recharge, the rates may be as low
as 30,000 AF per month.
The Kern Water Bank (KWB) is the largest water
bank in the county and was established in 1996
when KWB participants retired 45,000 acrefeet (AF) of State Water Project entitlement in
exchange for acquisition of the Kern Fan Element property, a large, undeveloped section of
the Kern River’s sandy alluvial fan. Since then,
the KWB Authority has invested approximately
$35 million in infrastructure and improvements,
including wells, canals, pump stations and pipelines to create the functioning water bank.
While there is no fixed amount of water the
KWB can hold, the estimated storage that is
readily accessible is believed to be about 1.5
million AF.
(continued)
29
WATER
Groundwater banking is so important to Kern
County that almost every water district participates in a banking program in some fashion,
with a total of 15 entities in the county involved.
Through the various water districts, agencies
and municipalities, Kern County is able to transport this groundwater to areas in need through
a complex series of canals and pumping and
conveyance facilities.
WATER
The KWB’s 85 recovery wells can each produce
on average about 5 cubic feet per second (2,250
gallons per minute) of water. In a 10-month
recovery program, about 240,000 AF of water
could be recovered. If water is recovered in
successive years, well production and annual
recovery will decline. Recovered water is used
to meet dry-year demands by the water bank’s
participants, which include water districts, a
mutual water company and an improvement
district. This water irrigates thousands of acres
of farmland in Kern and Kings Counties, and
serves municipal needs throughout the metropolitan Bakersfield area.
Source: Kern County Water Agency
Bank Authority were able to overcome those
challenges and develop a very successful project
that not only provides for water conservation,
but also provides tremendous benefits for wildlife.”
The Kern Water Bank plays a dual role, providing
both a valuable water resource and critical wildlife habitat. The water bank operates a nationally recognized native plant and wildlife habitat
conservation program on 17,000 acres of former
farmland that have been restored to their natural
state. This upland and intermittent wetlands area
provides habitat and protection for endangered
species such as the San Joaquin kit fox, Tipton
kangaroo rat and San Joaquin wooly threads.
The Kern County groundwater banking programs include: Arvin-Edison Water Storage
District Water Management Program; Berrenda
Mesa Joint Water Recharge/Recovery Project;
Buena Vista Water Storage District Water Management Program; Buena Vista Water Storage
District/West Kern Water District Water Supply
Project; Cawelo Water District/Dudley Ridge
Water District Conjunctive Use Program;
Cawelo Water Districts Modified Famoso Water
Banking Project; City of Bakersfield 2800 Acre
Groundwater Recharge Facility; Kern Delta
Water Districts Groundwater Banking Program; Kern Water Bank; North Kern Water
District Groundwater Storage Project; Pioneer
Groundwater Recharge and Recovery Project;
Rosedale-Rio Bravo Water Storage District and
Improvement District No. 4 Joint Use Groundwater Recovery Project; Rosedale-Rio Bravo
Water Storage District’s Groundwater Banking
Program; Semitropic Groundwater Banking
Project and West Kern Water Districts Groundwater Banking Program.
The restored habitat has resulted in a significant increase in the number of sensitive species
that live on the water bank. Since 1994, that list
has grown from 10 species to 34, due in large
part to the addition of shallow recharge basins
that provide diverse habitat to a wide variety of
water-dependent bird species. Biologists have
also reported a great increase in biodiversity,
with 77 new species occupying the Kern Water
Bank lands.
“The Kern Water Bank was initially considered
a risky undertaking by many due to a wide
range of challenging issues,” notes Parker.
“However, the six members of the Kern Water
30
PRECIPITATION, RESERVOIR STORAGE, RUNOFF
AND SNOWPACK
The amount of available water increased in 2010-2011 following the 2007-2009 drought.
Most of California is comprised of two distinct
seasons — wet and dry. The wet season typically
lasts from October 1 through April 30 and
brings the majority of rainfall annually. Excess
water from the rainy season is stored in artificial
lakes, called reservoirs, for unusually dry periods,
during which water is carefully released. When
the soil becomes fully saturated, excess water
called runoff from rain, snow or other sources
flows over the land. Snowpack forms from
the accumulation of snow at higher altitudes.
This indicator measures the percent of average
precipitation, reservoir storage, runoff and
snowpack from 2006 through 2011.
Why is it important?
Knowing the amount of available water is vital
for efficient delivery of water to urban and
agricultural areas. Assessments of precipitation,
runoff, and snowpack help state and municipal
agencies manage their reservoir water levels
and release needed water appropriately. In
conjunction with rainfall, the water content
of snowpack also helps forecast future runoff
levels for the California Division of Flood
Management. Furthermore, mountain snow that
melts into reservoirs, streams and aquifers in
California provides approximately one-third of
the water for California’s households, farms and
industries. Lower levels of precipitation, runoff
and snowpack mean less water in reservoirs
and a greater dependence on groundwater.
Over time, this hinders the recharge ability of
groundwater systems.
How are we doing?
The amount of available water is slowly
returning back to levels observed in 2006.
Precipitation, runoff and snowpack reached
their lowest levels during 2007. Because of
this dry year, reservoir storage dropped in the
following year as water was released. Despite
recent recovery of annual precipitation, reservoir
storage, runoff and snowpack, the Central Valley
is often in a state of moderate to severe drought.
Drought is typically measured in years with
below average rainfall or reservoir storage.
Since 2002, the increased dryness has led to
a surge of wildfires. Combating forest fires
requires an extreme amount of water, and more
water may be contaminated as fire remnants are
washed into water supplies from subsequent
rain. As a result, Cal Fire has banned debris
burning in many parts of California.
A rapidly increasing population has put a
strain on water resources in the Valley. The
development of more residential neighborhoods
and intensive irrigation for farms has also
hampered the recharge rates of reservoirs.
31
WATER
Definition:
PRECIPITATION, RESERVOIR STORAGE, RUNOFF,
AND SNOWPACK
WATER
(continued)
32
WATER
33
INTELLIGENT WATER INFRASTRUCTURE
FOR CALIFORNIA
By Roger Bales
Professor of Engineering, UC Merced
Director, Sierra Nevada Research Institute
Researcher, UC Center for Information Technology Research in the Interest of Society
M
uch of the land in California is semi-arid, and
supports a large and growing population,
industry, and agriculture that depend on reliable,
high-quality water. Climate warming is placing
additional stresses on water supply and use.
Globally there is a water crisis. Currently 1.1
billion people (approximately 1/7th of the global
population) lack access to sufficient and safe
drinking water; a problem that is getting worse as
the world’s population grows (9 billion by 2050).
Climate variability and change are making this worse,
with water stress already apparent as a significant
destabilizing factor in some regions. And we are
seeing increasing evidence of this global crises right
here in the Great Central Valley and need to address
these stresses with a greater sense of urgency at the
government, business and individual levels.
Toward A Sustainable Water Supply
Climate-change effects are becoming already
apparent in California, particularly in areas with
steep natural gradients in climate and species,
such as the Sierra Nevada. Changes in snow/rain
fractions, freeze/thaw cycles and temperature affect
the availability of fresh water, with multi-billiondollar implications for California’s economy and the
many ecosystem services in the affected forests and
rangelands. Research has shown that shifts in snow
accumulation, spring runoff, greenup, tree mortality,
species migration and fire frequency are occurring;
these trends and others are projected to continue.
With better management, California’s existing
water supply could go further towards meeting
the needs of the state’s urban and agricultural uses.
In the face of climate change, current solutions
are becoming increasingly inadequate to precisely
manage water resources. Key questions include:
How can California’s water storage and conveyance
infrastructure be operated to improve watersupply reliability while simultaneously maintaining
acceptable flood risks, improving water quality
and creating sustainable habitat? What costeffective changes to infrastructure can we make to
improve water supply, power generation and flood
protection?
Water Information
A unified water monitoring system based on cyberphysical sensing infrastructure will enable California
to operate its water system at maximal efficiency.
For improved and robust operations and planning,
it is necessary to have real-time information on the
state of water supply, storage and distribution, from
the Sierras to the ocean. Within the University of
California we are developing technology, ranging
from low-cost sensors to large-scale online data
analytics tools to support integration of streaming
water information into a next-generation situationawareness management tool.
Water Supply
Approximately 65 percent of California's renewable
water resources come from Sierra Nevada snowmelt.
Increasing pressures on mountain water supplies
and warming temperatures introduce uncertainty
into water forecasts that are currently based on
historical data. Most climate model results indicate
that southwestern North America will dry in the
21st century and that the transition to a more
arid climate could already be under way. Other
climate modeling results show that the region is a
climate-change hotspot characterized by interannual
variability rather than by changes in the long-term
means. Together, these observations and model
projections provide strong evidence that climate
and hydrology are changing, and that these changes
will continue. Moving toward a smarter water
infrastructure will enable optimal control schemes
that can simultaneously increase the water storage,
flood control and hydropower capacity of California’s
existing reservoirs.
Water Storage
Up to 60 percent of California’s water supply comes
from groundwater. The state currently uses 18
percent more groundwater than is being replenished
by nature. The 2009 Water Plan identified the
enhanced use of groundwater storage as second
only to conservation in generating "new supply" for
California. Engineered recharge of aquifers provides
storage of excess surface water without the cost of
new dams, and coupled with engineered wetlands,
removes sediments, nutrients and improves water
quality. Technology that allows the acquisition,
processing, and display and control of groundwater
resource data in near-real time, provides essential tools
for operators to optimize surface and groundwater
management.
Water Security
The vast majority of California’s water flows through
the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta system. There are
serious concerns regarding the structural integrity
of the State’s canals and levees containing this
water due to age or the effects of extreme events.
We need to expand methods for identifying weak
portions of the water conveyance systems and
technologies for remediation and strengthening, so
we can complement expertise for engineering seismic
safety of Delta levees with real-time monitoring and
control strategies to insure public safety and mitigate
hazards.
Wetlands
The Delta and other wetlands are not only vital
elements of California’s water system; they also
provide opportunities for regenerating lost ecosystems
and reversing farmland subsidence. Restoring and
constructing wetlands is also a method for mitigating
climate change through carbon sequestration.
Currently there is a lack of basic understanding on
how wetland engineering can reach its potential.
Water Quality
Water quality is part of the global water problem, and
in California our poorest Valley communities often
suffer from the worst water quality. Information from
low-cost sensors, provided for timely decision making,
can enhance management of salinity, nutrients and
other water-quality challenges.
Benefits for the State of California
The key question the government and stakeholders
of California will ask is how a state-wide information
system for water will benefit the people of California.
Possibly the most significant benefit is that efficiencies
from such a system will save the state many millions
of dollars by enabling more-optimal use of available
water-storage facilities; necessary as a consequence
of both population increases across the state, but
particularly in the Central Valley, and the earlier and
more significant run-off from the Sierra Nevada
snowpack.
Other benefits include improved security of California’s
water supply (early warning of structural threats for
example), much improved flood control (forewarning
of run-off for example), monitoring of the important
Delta levees enabling focused intervention after
earthquakes for example and improved water
management for irrigation. Steps taken to this point
are inadequate to meet the challenges we have
ahead of us. We need the best information possible
to inform critical choices for leaders of our region and
the rest of the state.
LAND
The 450-mile flat stretch of land
surrounded by mountains defines the
Central Valley. Its unique and dynamic
landscape consists of mainly agricultural
land, but also includes a variety of
established and developing land. The
Central Valley covers approximately 60,000
Source: Dave Feliz, CA Department of Fish and Game
square miles of land or nearly 40 percent of
the total land of California. More than 18 percent of the California’s population is
LAND
within the Central Valley and that number is expected to increase significantly over
the next four decades with focused growth in the region.
• Although total pesticide use decreased slightly, better farming methods increased crop yields.
• Different soil conditions in each region are important considerations in land use decisions.
• Land use urbanization and density varies throughout the Central Valley.
• The northern San Joaquin Valley has the highest observed proportion of prime farmland
urbanized.
36
PESTICIDE USE
Between 2001 and 2010, the amount of pesticide used in the Valley remained fairly consistent, but crop yields
increased because of new techniques.
Pesticides are chemicals used to manage
unwanted species such as insects, weeds or fungi.
Pesticides can be applied in a variety of forms
such as spraying, gases, baits and dusts in the
form of chemicals or microbes. This indicator
measures the pounds of active ingredients used
for each Central Valley subregion.
Why is it important?
Many Californians use pesticides in homes,
schools, and on lawns and landscapes, to kill,
manage or repel pests that are unwanted or
potentially damaging. Reported pesticide
applications are only a portion of the pesticides
sold each year. Approximately two-thirds of the
pesticides sold, including chlorine used primarily
for municipal water treatment and home-use
pesticide products, typically are not subject to
reporting.
The use of pesticides has several benefits, such as
saving human lives by preventing the spread of
insect-borne disease, increasing food production
and lowering the cost of producing food.
The detrimental effects of pesticide use can be
problematic. Many pests become genetically
resistant to pesticides, forcing agricultural
experts to constantly work on developing new
solutions to pest problems. Pesticides can also
harm helpful species, such as the pests’ natural
predators (which keep many pest populations
low) and honeybees, which are important for
crop pollination. Pesticides can run off into
waterways, drift in the air and leach into soil,
resulting in negative impacts on the environment
and human health. Pesticide residues of concern
may remain on food, and agricultural workers
may be exposed to pesticides during application
or during activities in recently treated fields.
How are we doing?
The Central Valley is the most significant
contributor to pesticide use in California
because of its high agricultural production.
Although new pesticide use restrictions have
been imposed, the Central Valley has not seen
a significant decline in the pounds of pesticides
used, because there have been an increased
number of pests and a rise in public health
concerns, such as mosquito control. The pounds
of pesticides used in the Central Valley dropped
from 136 million pounds in 2006 to 126 million
pounds in 2010. Additionally, weather and crop
variation determine the amount of pesticides
used. The ultimate amount of pesticides vary as
a result of the level of pests and the extent to
which their application causes environmental and
health impacts. Consequently, growers are trying
alternative methods to reduce pesticide use in
order to comply with stricter clean air and water
standards.
37
LAND
Definition:
PESTICIDE USE
LAND
(continued)
38
SOIL DRAINAGE
Previous years of poor soil drainage have caused a debate over how to fix the problem of increasing salinity and
removal of contaminants.
is more prevalent in the western part of the San
Joaquin Valley, where the soil has a naturally high
salt content and thousands of acres of a shallow,
low-permeability layer of clay.
Definition:
Soil drainage refers to the frequency and duration
of periods of saturation or partial duration of
periods of saturation or partial saturation (wet
periods). It is a measure of how high the water
table is throughout the year in a specific location
and in a specific soil. Seven classes of natural
soil drainage are recognized: excessively drained;
somewhat excessively drained; well drained;
moderately well drained; somewhat poorly drained;
poorly drained, and very poorly drained.
Why is it important?
The Central Valley Salinity Alternatives for LongTerm Sustainability (CV-SALTS) is a strategic
initiative to address salinity, including nitrates, in
a sustainable fashion. The effort utilizes regional
collaboration for more efficient and effective
salinity and nutrient management from regulated
discharges via regional salt storage or conveyance
systems, treatment facilities, real-time management,
water or salt trading, or other necessary actions.
Soil drainage is a factor in determining how best
to use the land in a specific location. It provides
a guide to the limitations and potentials of the
soil for field crops, forestry, range, wildlife and
recreational uses. It indicates the degree, frequency
and duration of wetness, which are factors in rating
soils for various other uses such as agricultural,
urbanization, industrial, recreational or mining. Soil
drainage also impacts soil fertility and permeability,
the soil's ability to allow water to percolate. In
cases of excessively drained soil, plants are unable
to take up enough water before it drains past
root zones. Poor or slow soil drainage can cause a
variety of problems, including waterlogging, salt
buildup and runoff that can harm farmland and
wildlife ecosystems.
Increasing salinity has led to a debate over whether
to focus on “in-Valley” or “out-of-Valley” solutions.
Out-of-valley solutions include a brine line using
modern technology to remove contaminants
of concern before the water reaches the ocean.
In-Valley solutions are currently being used to
manage salt in the Tulare Lake Basin and other
areas in the San Joaquin Valley. These include
on-farm water reuse and salt precipitation; reverse
osmosis concentration and truck disposal to
existing ocean outfalls; brine reinjection into oil
extraction areas; water management and source
water replacement; and source control for salts
going into domestic sewers and evaporation ponds.
How are we doing?
Increased water demand has dried several streams
and lakes. Tulare Lake remains dry most days
and only reappears during floods and heavy rain.
Additionally, poor soil drainage, especially in the
San Joaquin Valley, has increased salinization, a
process in which water-soluble salts accumulate in
the soil, preventing plants from taking up enough
water and ultimately ruining farmland. This trend
Some farmers are planting salt-tolerant crops, such
as pistachios and Jose Tall Wheat Grass for cattle
feed.
39
LAND
The USDA Natural Resources Conservation
Service (NRCS) has completed soil surveys for all
the counties in the San Joaquin and Sacramento
valleys. Soil surveys contain information that can be
used in planning and prediction of soil behavior for
selected land uses. A survey highlights limitations
on hazards inherent in the soil and improvement to
overcome those limitations.
Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area offers model for ecological
and integrated resource management
LAND
The Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area is recognized
as a national model for sound ecologicallybased integrated resource management. It also
provides an outstanding example of effective
collaboration and partnership among many
stakeholders, including conservationists, hunters, farmers, business people and elected
officials, as well as local, state, and federal
water supply, flood management, wildlife and
agriculture related-agencies. While agriculture
and wildlife management are seen in some
communities as having opposite or competing
objectives, the Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area has
managed to bridge these seemingly disparate
fields, creating a cooperative and mutually beneficial relationship.
Source: Dave Feliz, CA Department of Fish and Game
Approximately 3,000 acres of cropland and
3,400 acres of grazing land within the wildlife
area are designated for “core lease” activities,
where a tenant is the lead for crop choices and
grazing rotations. Portions of the remaining
10,000+ acres of the wildlife area are grazed
as requested, (approximately 3,500 to 5,000
acres per year), depending on DFG’s habitat
objectives. Agricultural and grazing activities
contribute to the wildlife area goals by maintaining or enhancing habitat for native wildlife
and plants and by providing an income source
for the management and operation of the area.
The arrangement also helps maintain the flood
control function of the Yolo Bypass. In addition it supports agriculture as a viable economic
activity in Yolo County.
The Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area (Wildlife Area),
located in Yolo County, is composed of approximately 16,770 acres, or more than 22 square
miles, on the west side of the lower Sacramento
River. It is the largest public/private wetland
restoration project in the Yolo Bypass floodway
and is also a key component of the Sacramento
River Flood Control Project.
Land acquisition began in 1991, when the
California Wildlife Conservation Board (WCB)
purchased 3,700 acres for the California
Department of Fish and Game (DFG) to create
the wildlife area. President Bill Clinton attended
the dedication event in 1997, marking the
opening of the wildlife area to public use. In
2001 the WCB purchased an additional 13,000
acres. Restoration of wetland habitats on the
wildlife area represents the ongoing work of a
broad coalition of stakeholders.
Agricultural lands within the wildlife area are
leased to local farmers and managed, under an
agreement between the DFG and the Dixon
Resource Conservation District (Dixon RCD).
The tenants work in cooperation with DFG
to manage their agricultural activities with a
wildlife-friendly approach. The leases are struc-
40
Many innovative, natural resource compatible
agricultural practices are used in the wildlife
area. Crops cultivated during the summer
months include 1,400 to 1,800 acres of rice
(combination of wild and regular), 300 to 400
acres of organic tomatoes, as well as ryegrass,
safflower and sunflowers. After the rice harvest is completed, the fields are mowed, disked
and then flooded to provide a valuable winter
habitat for tens of thousands of migratory
shorebirds and waterfowl. Grazing rotation
strategies are designed to provide a diversity of
wildlife habitat elements and to achieve specific
vegetative and habitat objectives. The tenants
and DFG staff have been open to experimenting with innovative practices. A new strategy
for attracting summer shorebirds was discovered this way. As a result, each year at least 200
acres of the rice rotation on the wildlife area are
fallowed and then managed as shorebird habitat
by shallow flooding in July and August.
The farmers also plant food crops such as milo,
millet and safflower, specifically and soley for
wildlife to forage. These fields are cultivated
and mowed to provide seed for upland species
such as ring-necked pheasant and mourning
dove.
Much of the grassland in the southern portion of the wildlife area is managed with cattle
grazing, resulting in spectacular blooms of
wildflowers during the spring months. The predominance of nonnative annual grasses in that
area can otherwise inhibit the production of the
native plant community that includes several
rare and endangered species. Because there is a
predominance of nonnative grasses, a
concentrated grazing strategy is used to favor
the production of native plants. This is accomplished through carefully crafted agricultural
leases that reflect the results of scientific grazing
studies while providing the potential for tenants
to still make a profit from his cattle operation.
Dave Feliz, who managed the wildlife area
for more than 13 years, notes, “The area is a
prime example of successful long term working partnerships that include the DFG, Dixon
RCD, Yolo Basin Foundation, Yolo County,
Sacramento River Flood Protection Board,
Reclamation District 2068, Sacramento Yolo
Mosquito and Vector Control District, California Waterfowl Association, Ducks Unlimited
and, of course, the farmers.”
LAND
tured to use farming and livestock grazing as
tools to achieve wildlife and native plant habitat
management objectives.
Source: Dave Feliz, CA Department of Fish and Game
While the wildlife area provides a variety of
public uses and benefits, a primary function
remains flood-control. The area is located
within the 59,000 acre Yolo Bypass, a flood
control structure within the historic Yolo Basin
floodplain, with boundaries defined by constructed levees. As part of the Sacramento River
Flood Control Project, the Yolo Bypass protects
the urban areas of Sacramento by carrying Sacramento River overflow to the Delta.
(continued)
41
The wildlife area protects and enhances habitat
for wildlife and provides the public with
compatible wildlife-related recreational uses.
Thousands of visitors from throughout the
region use the area for hunting, fishing, walking, hiking, wildlife viewing, nature photography and educational purposes each year.
LAND
The DFG and the Yolo Basin Foundation, two
key players in the development of the wildlife
area, continue to work hand-in-hand on habitat
restoration, wildlife protection and promoting
the many uses of the area. The DFG manages
the area for public use activities including hunting and wildlife viewing and works with Yolo
Basin Foundation to provide public access and
educational programs.
Source: Dave Feliz, California Department of Fish and Game
With a board of directors that represents a
diverse group of interests, the foundation
facilitates the Yolo Bypass Working Group
meetings, which provide a focused opportunity for farmers, land owners and agencies
within the Yolo Bypass to discuss and provide
input and guidance on land management issues
related to the Yolo Bypass.
The Yolo Basin Foundation, a nonprofit organization, provides a broad range of environmental
education and interpretation activities for students of all ages, as well as for teachers and the
general public. Since its inception, hundreds of
teachers and more than 44,000 K-12 students
from the five-county region have participated
in the Discover the Flyway program for schools
operated by the foundation in partnership
with DFG. The Flyway Nights Lecture Series,
California Duck Days festival and public tours
are other activities organized by the foundation
to create awareness and engagement with the
wildlife area.
Public access and use of the wildlife area is
an important aspect of its continued success,
providing visitors and urban residents with
a nearby opportunity to escape city life and
experience a connection with nature, and an
opportunity to gain an understanding and
appreciation for compatible farming, wildlife
habitat and floodway management.
The Yolo Bypass is a key component of the
habitat restoration planned for the Bay Delta
Conservation Plan, and it is also a vital element
in the international effort to restore migratory
bird populations throughout North and Central America as part of the Central Valley Joint
Venture’s Management Plan.
“The Yolo Basin Foundation believes that
environmental education is the cornerstone of
protection for the future of our wetlands and
wildlife,” explains Robin Kulakow, executive
director of the Yolo Basin Foundation. “For
thousands of children, it all begins with their
first trip to the Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area.”
42
LAND USE DENSITY
Densities vary greatly throughout the Valley.
The land-use-density indicator measures the
number of houses and people per square mile.
The higher the ratio of people per square mile to
houses per square mile, the greater the efficiency
in land and resources, such as water.
Why is it important?
The number of homes and people per
square mile has environmental and economic
implications. Having fewer homes per square
mile increases the dependence on automobiles,
affecting air quality, infrastructure costs and
public health. Higher-density developments may
protect open space, economically important
agricultural land, species habitat, water and
air quality and historic downtown commercial
centers. High-density households also decrease
the amount of resources used, especially water.
Moreover, the evaluation of land-use density
allows planners to develop adequate forms of
transportation. Cities with poor infrastructure
cannot adequately meet the needs of residents in
high-density neighborhoods.
How are we doing?
Currently, no centralized, comprehensive form
of reporting the total land use density exists in
the Central Valley. Although the Central Valley’s
population is rapidly growing, most of the
housing communities that had been constructed
before the recession were larger houses, which
relied on automobiles for transportation and
created low-density urbanized areas. Urban
expansion and density are increasing in the
Sacramento and Fresno metropolitan regions.
43
LAND
Definition:
LAND USE DENSITY
LAND
(continued)
44
Blueprints bring regional planning to a new level
The past decade has seen a marked improvement in land use and transportation planning in
California’s Central Valley, putting it in a leadership position for the state on the whole. And
that’s not a role we’re used to playing.
But there was an unintended consequence — as
home building slowed and then ground to a
halt, local and regional governments suddenly
had the gift of time, and the motivation of
funding from Caltrans, to adapt an approach
established by Envision Utah.
Mapping the Valley’s future
The Sacramento Region was first, in 2004, to
adopt a set of guidelines for growth over the
next four decades, establishing density ratios
to absorb most of the population growth in
existing urban areas with a goal of conserving
remaining prime lands for the Valley’s top economic driver — agribusiness. And in making
these changes, to be incorporated as city and
county general plans were updated, thousands
of residents were asked how they wanted their
communities to look and feel in the future they
would share.
From the mountains in the north part of the
Central Valley to the oil derricks of the south,
blueprints efforts got underway over the next
several years. Shasta Forward set the standard
Source: Flickr San Joaquin Valley Blueprint
for smaller counties, Kern and Fresno added
innovations of their own as part of the joint San
Joaquin Valley regional blueprint. There were
bumps along the way, but on the whole, the lull
in building was leveraged effectively and the
benefits will be felt for generations.
Working across boundaries
New levels of cooperation result from this kind
of planning, and groups who had never been at
the table were invited — and did — participate.
Public agencies that had tended to go their own
ways in planning reached out — sometimes
reluctantly — to work across city and county
battle lines and acknowledged that many of the
challenges facing the valley are connected to
where and how we build homes, business space
and the roads and highways that connect them.
If the blueprints are followed, there will be more
choices in transportation modes for residents
and those who visit us, including high speed
rail which emerged as more than a vision while
the blueprints were being debated and then
adopted. The key will be how well they are incorporated into planning at the local level, down
to the neighborhood. Federal funds have been
obtained by several of the regions to help in that
task, but as the economy slowly improves it will
be important for all residents to mark how their
lives are impacted.
45
LAND
The nexus of a national trend to create “blueprints” with a higher level of public participation than in the past was prompted in part by
rapid loss of farmland adjacent to urban areas.
But then the housing boom turned into a bust
in much of the Golden State, depressing the
economy and making the Valley the mortgage
default capital of the world.
LAND USE URBANIZATION
The North San Joaquin Valley has seen the highest percentage of prime farmland urbanized.
of the total land urbanized was prime land.
Definition:
Urbanization is the conversion of land that
was previously undeveloped and in a natural
state, existing as open space, or used for
farmland or grazing land. Urban and builtup land consists of residential, industrial,
commercial, construction and other developed
purposes as defined by the Farmland Mapping
and Monitoring Program (FMMP), which
inventories and maps land in California.
Agricultural land is rated according to soil
quality and irrigation status, with the best
quality land labeled as “prime farmland.”
Despite a steep decline in housing prices
with the housing-market collapse, California
still lacks an adequate supply of housing
that is in growing areas and affordable to
families, the workforce and special-needs
populations. Before the economic downturn,
California experienced decades of undersupply,
contributing to significant price escalation and
an affordability crisis. The recent recession has
worsened the effect of a long-term inadequate
supply and affordability problems, which has
not been offset by record foreclosures and
current depressed market conditions.
LAND
Why is it important?
Land is a valuable and finite resource. Despite
the housing-market collapse, the Valley’s
increasing population requires more land for
residential and commercial purposes. Knowing
what land is best suited for development,
agriculture, and species habitat can inform
land-use choices.
How are we doing?
Between 2006 and 2008, irrigated farmland
in California decreased by a record amount
according to the Department of Conservation.
The amount of lost irrigated farmland is
equivalent to an area larger than New York City.
The North San Joaquin Valley experienced the
highest loss of prime agricultural farmland at
46 percent compared to the South San Joaquin
Valley, where prime land accounted for 7
percent of the total urbanized land, followed
by the Sacramento Metropolitan Region at 8
percent. In the Sacramento Valley, 23 percent
46
New home construction, especially in the
Central Valley, reached record lows during
the recession and has been slow to rebound.
During the past decade, residential new
construction has averaged less than 150,000
permits per year, lagging behind the state’s
annual average need. Many of the proposed
developments in the Central Valley were
delayed, halted, or abandoned. The current
inventory of foreclosed units does not
eliminate the need for more housing in the
Valley’s metropolitan areas. Over the past
10 years, housing demand has resulted in
overbuilt neighborhoods that were commonly
constructed over prime farmland as future
luxury neighborhoods. As a result, prices
spiked in Central Valley metropolitan areas
such as Stockton, Modesto and Merced, and
now, following the mortgage crisis, have fallen
more than 50 percent.
47
LAND
Species & Habitat
The Central Valley is home to a large
variety of animals, birds, plants and
important habitats. But those habitats
and species are threatened by rapid
population growth, among other factors that limit the diversity.
• The Valley is home to 588 de facto rare
and endangered species.
Source: Dave Feliz, CA Department of Fish and Game
• Smelt, steelhead and salmon are recovering from a severe decline in population with
several populations already rebuilt.
• Located on the Pacific Flyway, the Valley is the winter home to 16 species of water fowl
numbering 4 to 6 million birds.
SPECIES
&
HABITAT
• California has invested in and is compiling a comprehensive database of species through
biogeographic mapping technology.
• Information is being collected to establish the status of the wetlands and riparian habitats
and provide a preliminary overview of the Central Valley.
• Partnerships and collaborations are helping restore and protect diverse species and
habitats.
48
ENDANGERED AND THREATENED SPECIES
588 de facto endangered and threatened species reside in the Central Valley.
A rare species has special status because of
limited distribution, low population numbers
or immediate threat. Rare species may also be
threatened or endangered if they are nearing
extinction throughout all or a significant portion
of their range. Rare and endangered species
may also be officially listed by the state of
California or by the federal government under
the appropriate endangered species act.
The species at risk included in the list below are
endemic to the region, but do not constitute the
total species of concern for the Central Valley or
California.
Why is it important?
Biological diversity enhances a region’s quality
of life and its economic vitality. It contributes
to an area’s uniqueness and forges a direct
link between environmental enhancement,
cultural enrichment and economic advantage.
Diminishing biological diversity negatively
impacts all aspects of life all aspects of life.
How are we doing?
development of agricultural and urban areas. In
recent years, this trend has slowed. Nevertheless,
flood-control structures such as levees and dams,
have altered the floodplain habitats so much
that elk and pronghorn from the Central Valley
have been extirpated. Other factors include
introduction of exotic species, disease and
pollution.
Although additional surveys are needed to
measure the status of Swainson’s hawks
commonly found in the Sacramento/Davis/
Stockton region of the Valley, the population
declined more than 95 percent statewide
between 1940 and 1994. These hawks require
large, open grassland with several possible
nest trees, but the majority of these lands are
turned into agricultural or urban areas. The
loss of their land has caused the birds to move
to privately owned lands while pesticide use at
agricultural fields have been linked to recent
die-offs of several thousand raptors. Since
habitat mitigation measures were enacted, the
Swainson’s hawks have expanded their range in
the past 10 years to include new conservation
lands set aside for them.
SPECIES
&
More endangered and threatened species are
found in the Central Valley than any other
region in the continental United States. While
many efforts are being made to reduce the
rate at which species become endangered or
threatened, the number of species listed in the
California Natural Diversity Database continues
to increase. The rapidly growing population
of the Valley has caused the loss, degradation
and fragmentation of habitats through the
HABITAT
Definition:
49
ENDANGERED AND THREATENED SPECIES
(continued)
Central Valley-Endemic Special Status Vertebrates
SCIENTIFIC NAME
COMMON NAME
Dipodomys californicus eximius
Marysville California kangaroo rat
Dipodomys nitratoides exilis
Fresno kangaroo rat
Dipodomys nitratoides nitratoides
Tipton kangaroo rat
Hypomesus transpacificus
Delta smelt
Lampetra hubbsi
Kern brook lamprey
Lavinia exilicauda exilicauda
Central Valley hitch
Neotoma fuscipes riparia
Riparian (=San Joaquin Valley) woodrat
Pogonichthys macrolepidotus
Sacramento splittail
Sylvilagus bachmani riparius
Riparian brush rabbit
Thamnophis gigas
Giant garter snake
Toxostoma lecontei macmillanorum
San Joaquin Le Conte’s thrasher
Source: California Department of Fish and Game
SPECIES
&
HABITAT
Central Valley-Endemic Special Status Invertebrates
SCIENTIFIC NAME
COMMON NAME
Apodemia mormo langei
Lange’s metalmark butterfly
Banksula incredula
Incredible banksula harvestman
Branchinecta conservatio
Conservancy fairy shrimp
Calicina breva
N/A
Calicina diminua
N/A
Cicindela hirticollis abrupta
Sacramento Valley tiger beetle
Cicindela tranquebarica n. ssp.
San Joaquin tiger beetle
Dufourea stagei
Stage’s dufourea bee
Helminthoglypta callistoderma
Kern shoulderband snail
Hygrotus curvipes
Curved-foot hygrotus diving beetle
Idiostatus middlekauffi
Middlekauff’s shieldback katydid
Metapogon hurdi
Hurd’s metapogon robberfly
Microcina jungi
Jung’s micro-blind harvestman
Microcina leei
Lee’s micro-blind harvestman
Microcina lumi
Lum’s micro-blind harvestman
Microcina tiburona
Tiburon micro-blind harvestman
Saldula usingeri
Wilbur Springs shorebug
Speyeria callippe callippe
Callippe silverspot butterfly
Talanites ubicki
Source: California Department of Fish and Game
50
Ubick’s gnaphosid spider
ANADROMOUS FISH
After a severe decline in Chinook salmon, recovery efforts show promising signs of improvement.
Definition:
Anadromous fish support large commercial
and recreational fisheries in the ocean and in
fresh water. Furthermore, they are a part of the
Valley’s diverse native fish communities. The
fish are highly valued as part of the cultural and
natural heritage of the Central Valley.
How are we doing?
Many smelt, steelhead and salmon populations
have suffered considerable decline from their
historic numbers and are at a fraction of their
historical abundance. Overfishing, loss of
fresh-water and estuarine habitat, hydropower
development, poor ocean conditions and
hatchery practices contributed to this decline
and caused the National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS) to list at least 29 different types
of smelt, steelhead and salmon under the Federal
Endangered Species Act.
Recently, the American Land Conservancy
(ALC) has led several projects that have
stabilized rivers and their tributaries,
including the Sacramento River Bend project.
In partnership with the Bureau of Land
Management, the ALC has supported the
salmon, southern bald eagle, osprey, Swainson’s
hawk, yellow-billed cuckoo, ringtail, mule deer
and bobcat, while offering multiple public
recreation sites.
51
HABITAT
Why is it important?
&
Native anadromous fish in the Central Valley
include four races of Chinook salmon, steelhead,
and white and green sturgeon that swim up the
Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers and their
tributaries and the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta
to reproduce after maturing in San Francisco Bay
or the Pacific Ocean.
In particular, the Delta Smelt has seen its
population decline 90 percent in the past 20
years because of decreasing Delta water outflow
and diversions of the Sacramento and San
Joaquin rivers for agriculture and urban use.
Until 1940, approximately 2,000 miles of river
habitat in all major river systems supported
600,000 fish with the San Joaquin River — at
times — holding 200,000 fish. Currently, 80
percent of the historical Chinook habitat is no
longer accessible because dams and diversions
alter river flow, water temperatures and
hydrological conditions necessary to maintain
gravel beds and channel settings. However, six
Chinook salmon stocks have returned to healthy
levels, bringing the total number of stocks
rebuilt to 27 since 2000.
SPECIES
Anadromous fish are born in fresh water,
migrate to salt water to grow and mature, and
return to spawn in fresh-water streams.
WATERFOWL
Mandated water supplies coupled with growing demand for water from rising populations, increased land
conversions and drought have caused migratory waterfowl populations to decline sharply.
The Central Valley is the winter home to 16
key species of waterfowl, with populations
ranging from 4 million to 6 million birds each
winter. Waterfowl wintering and migrating
through the Valley feed on natural foods
found in wetlands as well as waste grains from
agricultural crops, such as rice. The Central
Valley supports nearly 250 species of birds or
60 percent of the Pacific Flyway population.
Definition:
SPECIES
&
HABITAT
Waterfowl is the collective term for 162
species of ducks, geese and swans worldwide,
with 37 species in North America. Most
North American waterfowl are migratory,
and large numbers spend their winters in
the Central Valley. Some species remain in
California year round. Waterfowl spend most
of their lives in or around wetlands.
The Central Valley Joint Venture's 2006
Implementation Plan includes two population
measurements for selected species. The
first measurement, developed by the North
American Waterfowl Management Program,
was based upon environmental conditions and
breeding waterfowl numbers in mid-winter.
The second measurement is the TRUEMET
model, which was developed to estimate
waterfowl habitat requirements by comparing
food energy needs to food energy supplies.
The two population measurements help
provide a more accurate and feasible objective
for waterfowl management in the Valley based
on environmental conditions and available
food.
Why is it important?
How are we doing?
The American, Butte, Colusa and Sutter
drainage basins, which accounts for only
25 percent of the Valley’s landmass, contain
50 percent of all waterfowl in the Valley,
including 85 percent of all geese. Most of
the rice is found in these basins. Because
migratory waterfowl populations are difficult
to determine, planners try to predict how
many fewer ducks would use the Central
Valley if rice production was reduced. A 50
percent decrease in the number of acres of rice
production might result in a loss of capacity to
support 1.2 million ducks over 225 days while
a 25 percent decrease in rice acreage would
result in a loss of capacity to support 600,000
ducks over the same period.
In the Central Valley, approximately 530,000
acres of rice has been planted each year from
2005 to 2010. This has provided food for
ducks and geese once the rice is harvested in
early fall, and helped bring back some of the
migratory waterfowl to the region.
Waterfowl represent an important component
of the region’s biodiversity. They are the most
prominent and economically important group
of migratory birds of the North American
continent, with many species hunted for
food and recreation. Watching, hunting,
photographing and otherwise appreciating
waterfowl are popular activities shared by
millions of people each year.
However, the amount of water delivered to
Central Valley wetlands in recent years remains
below 25 percent of the amount recommended
to provide an optimal habitat for waterfowl.
52
Mid-winter population objectives for ducks in the Central Valley based upon the
Central Valley Joint Venture 2006 Implementation Plan
SPECIES
NAWMP OBJECTIVE
DUCK NUMBERS USED IN
TRUEMET MODEL
Mallard (Ana platyrhynchos)
670,074
670,074
Northern pintail (Anas acuta)
2,418,339
2,418,339
Gadwall (Anas strepera)
102,420
270,343
American wigeon (Anas americana)
1,103,440
772,408
Green-winged teal (Anas crecca)
486,215
486,215
Cinnamon teal (Anas cyanoptera)
2,990
2,990
Northern shoveler (Anas clypeata)
581,999
296,819
Wood duck (Aix sponsa)
106,137
106,137
Total Dabblers
5,471,613
5,023,325
Redhead (Aythya americana)
1,007
504
Canvasback (Aythya valisineria)
39,336
19,668
Greater and lesser scaup (Aythya marila, A. affinis)
223,406
111,703
Ring-necked duck (Aythya collaris)
42,327
21,164
Ruddy duck (Oxyura jamaicensis)
155,167
77,584
Total Divers
461,243
230,623
Total Ducks
5,932,856
5,253,948
SPECIES
&
HABITAT
Source: Central Valley Joint Venture
53
WETLANDS AND RIPARIAN HABITATS
A more cost-effective plan was recently enacted to provide a complete quantitative analysis of wetlands.
the overall regional biodiversity by providing
food, rearing areas, and cover for hundreds of
species of birds, mammals, fish, reptiles and
amphibians, invertebrates and plants, many of
which are threatened or endangered species.
Definition:
A wetland is an area that is periodically
flooded, whether by the tide, the rise of river
flows, rain or — in some cases — human
activity. Wetlands have special soils and
vegetation indicative of how often and how
long they are inundated. Types of wetlands
include vernal pools, marshes, bogs, swamps,
mudflats and riparian areas.
SPECIES
&
HABITAT
Riparian habitats are transitional areas between
land and water-based ecosystems. They include
the banks and edges of streams, rivers, lakes,
seeps or springs and their associated soils,
topography and vegetation.
In the Central Valley, riparian areas are
typically areas with slow moving water in
floodplains of gentle topography. The result
is dense riparian vegetation including large
trees such as cottonwood, sycamore, alder and
valley oak in the overstory and shrubs, such
as wild grape, wild rose, California blackberry,
elderberry, and willows in the understory.
Why is it important?
Wetlands filter and clean runoff, prevent soil
erosion, control flooding, provide recreational
opportunities and support wildlife. The many
combinations of vegetation and water present
in wetlands are vital to a large group of plants
and animals that depend upon them for
survival. Wetlands are productive ecosystems
at the intersection where water- and landbased habitats overlap. They contribute to
Riparian habitat in California supports a
diverse array of plant species and more than
225 species of bird, mammals, reptiles and
amphibians. Fish are also dependent on the
well-being of nearby riparian areas.
Riparian areas store surface water and
sediment, which can reduce downstream
flood damage. They also remove pollutants
from overland flows and groundwater, modify
stream microclimates and the sediment
process, and provide bank stabilization,
organic litter, wood and nutrient retention and
cycling.
How are we doing?
Large amounts of public and private funds
are being invested in policies, programs and
projects to protect, restore, enhance, and
manage wetlands in California. However, most
of these investments have not been evaluated
because the ambient conditions of the habitats
have not been monitored, or the monitoring
methods have been inconsistent, and there is
little assurance of the data quality.
In 2008, the California Rapid Assessment
Method (CRAM), part of a three-level system
recommended by the EPA, was implemented
to cost-efficiently monitor the health of
54
wetlands and riparian habitats.
In 2009, the California Riparian Habitat
Joint Venture released the "California Riparian
Habitat Restoration Handbook," which
approaches riparian restoration design from
an ecological perspective specific to the
project location. It also describes the existing
ecological conditions and physical processes
at the watershed level that must be considered
when developing an accurate, site-specific
restoration plan that will successfully meet
targeted objectives, with priority given to
wildlife habitat.
Level 1 (landscape assessment) uses remote
sensing data and field surveys to inventory
the wetlands and riparian habitats, e.g., the
California and National Wetlands Inventory.
Level 2 (rapid assessment) uses observable
field diagnostics and existing data to assess
conditions at wetland and riparian sites, e.g.,
CRAM. Level 3 (intensive site assessment)
provides quantitative field data to validate
Level 1 and 2 methods and determine the
causes of habitat conditions.
SPECIES
&
The use of CRAM for ambient monitoring
will, over time, help wetland managers and
scientists quantify the performance of wetland
and riparian restoration projects as well as the
status and trends of California.
HABITAT
Source: Dave Feliz, CA Department of Fish and Game
55
Repopulation and habitat restoration help endangered
Riparian Brush Rabbit to gain ground
The federal and state-listed Riparian Brush
Rabbit appeared doomed at the beginning of
the 21st century. With only one known population in Caswell State Park and more than 90
percent of the riparian woodlands this small
cottontail calls home lost, things looked bleak.
SPECIES
&
HABITAT
Then, in November 2001, the Endangered Species Recovery Program (ESRP) at California
State University, Stanislaus, began breeding the
rabbits in captivity and releasing them in 2002
into the San Joaquin River National Wildlife
Refuge (NWR). The refuge, established 1987,
encompasses 10,000 acres of public and private
lands in Stanislaus County, including riparian,
seasonal and permanent wetlands and grasslands inhabited by many species native to the
Central Valley.
Source: California State University, Stanislaus
a significant portion of the newly established
brush rabbit population.
“When flooding occurs on the river, the San
Joaquin refuge fills up like a bathtub,” explains
Matt Lloyd, who worked for the ESRP for nine
years and is now the easement manager for the
San Luis National Wildlife Refuge Complex.
“We realized in 2006 that there was not adequate high ground for the rabbits to escape.”
The rabbits primarily breed from January
through late summer or early fall and the
ESRP typically releases five to 20 young bunnies each month during this time. Over the
10-year course of the breed-and-release program, more than 1,200 riparian brush rabbits
have been released. Over 800 of these rabbits
were released on the refuge, with the remainder released on adjacent lands, including the
Gallo Family Faith Ranch, an important private
partner with a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
easement and the Buffington property, which is
now part of the San Joaquin River NWR.
ESPR biologists conducted a post-flood assessment of the refuge, mapping the areas where
flooding was less severe. As a result of their fieldwork and GIS analysis, ESRP recommended the
establishment of high-water refugia for brush
rabbits and other terrestrial species at specific
locations on the refuge.
The refuge, in partnership with the ESRP
and the nonprofit River Partners, collaborated
to enhance the habitat by building “bunny
mounds” in 2006-07 that serve as refuge and
habitat for a whole host of animals and plants.
Using a scraper, dirt was piled into mounds
measuring roughly 10 feet high, 200 feet long
and 100 feet wide. As the mounds were constructed, River Partners worked to restore
The ESRP and the rabbits have faced a couple
of major set-backs along the way. In 2004, a
large fire that swept through refuge destroyed
much of their habitat, followed by extensive
flooding in 2006, that wiped out
56
“Our efforts do more than just save these rabbits,” Lloyd explains. “They are an umbrella
species for a variety of other wildlife once ubiquitous in the San Joaquin Valley. The refuge also
provides habitat for native mammals like skunks,
raccoons and foxes, and for raptors, water birds
and migrating song birds, as well as endangered
riparian woodrats and Least Bell’s Vireo.”
Source: California State University, Stanislaus
One of the most important factors in the successful rabbit repopulation and re-vegetation
efforts is the partnership and collaboration
between the ESRP, Fish and Wildlife Service
and River Partners, as well as the broad base
of financial support received from the Central Valley Project Conservation Program, the
Central Valley Project Improvement Act, the
Habitat Restoration Program, Reclamation’s
South-Central California Area Office, the
California Department of Fish and Game, the
California Department of Water Resources, the
California Department of Parks and Recreation,
CalFed Bay Delta, private landowners and
others.
57
HABITAT
Although the ESRP takes a census every six
months, the riparian brush rabbit is difficult
to survey because it prefers to be in the dense
brush for cover. ESRP is still gathering data
and does not have definitive headcounts. Before
the 2011 flood, the rabbit-capture results indicated the animals were finally reaching a robust
population size. The population has survived
because there is more high ground and because
of the rescue efforts during the flood. The
rabbit population is expected to again become
robust, and eventually, self-sustaining.
&
However, the number and placement of
mounds is limited and flood waters can rise
quickly or in the dark, stranding rabbits in trees
and bushes. This happened in the refuge during
the March 2011 flood. A dozen employees
from the Fish and Wildlife Service, ESRP and
River Partners used boats to reach the stranded
bunnies and ferry them to safety on elevated
land, rescuing approximately 125 rabbits. While
some rabbits and other terrestrial species were
lost to the 2011 flood, many rabbits and other
wildlife were already living on the mounds or
were able to move to the mounds as the water
level rose.
Patrick Kelly, professor of zoology and coordinator of the Endangered Species Recovery
Program at CSU Stanislaus, points out that
in addition to the San Joaquin River NWR
having tremendous value in the preservation
of our natural heritage, it is also a very important educational and recreational resource.
“With the restoration of riparian, wetland and
upland natural communities and the expansion
of the refuge, the overall quality of life will be
enhanced for all of us, as well as for the riparian
brush rabbits and riparian woodrats that have
been teetering on the brink of extinction for
decades,” Kelly notes.
SPECIES
vegetation along the existing, decommissioned
levees and on the mounds, giving the rabbits
higher, drier hiding places during periods of
flooding.
RE S O U R C E S & ENER G Y
Because the Central Valley has the fastest
growing population in California, there is
increased economic and environmental concern regarding rising energy costs and rapid
development. The success and sustainability
of the area is linked to making necessary
lifestyle choices and applying efficient tech-
Source: University of California, Merced
nological advances. Ambitious clean-energy
efforts have mandated that 33 percent of California’s electricity come from renewable
sources, including wind, solar, geothermal, biomass and small hydroelectric facilities
by 2020.
• Due to the switch to a per capita disposal rate in 2007, county-level data on state waste diversion is no longer available for recent years, and the annual per capita disposal rate per resident is
currently available in a limited number of jurisdictions.
• Most of the reported jurisdictions are meeting their 50 percent equivalent per capita disposal
target.
• The Valley’s reliance on renewable energy is increasing for solar, wind and biomass because of
optimal conditions for solar panels, wind farms and abundance of dairy farms.
RESOURCES
&
ENERGY
• Overall, the amount of energy used has not changed between 2006 and 2010.
58
DISPOSAL WASTE ORIGIN AND DESTINATION
With more waste generated in recent years, cities and counties are focusing on programs to reduce waste from
residents and businesses through reuse, recycling, and composting.
in each county, officials may introduce better
measures to prolong the lives of landfills by
reducing the amount of waste deposited in
them.
Definition:
Waste disposal is the management of solid
waste through landfills or transformation, such
as waste-to-energy programs at solid-waste
facilities permitted by the California Integrated
Waste Management Board (CIWMB). The
Disposal Reporting System (DRS) was created
to track the amount of waste jurisdictions sent
to permitted landfills in California.
Disposal information can be used by cities
and counties to better understand how waste
changes throughout a year. Grass clippings and
tree trimmings are in the highest amounts in the
summer, whereas, the holiday season typically
has higher amounts of wrapping paper and
Christmas trees. With this knowledge, officials can
better plan recycling opportunities.
Before 2008, each jurisdiction’s base year
generation number was adjusted annually to
reflect changes in waste generated caused by
changes in the population and economy since
the base year. The diversion rate, or percentage
of solid waste generated and not disposed of in
landfills, is now calculated by disposal tons to
population per capita and expressed in pounds
per person per day for city-based jurisdictions.
The per capita disposal rate is a jurisdictionspecific index and cannot be compared between
jurisdictions.
Additionally, the greater the discrepancy between
the amount of waste generated by a county and
the amount of disposed waste in a county, the
more fuel is needed to properly dispose of waste.
How are we doing?
According to the CIWMB’s Disposal Reporting
System (DRS), Sacramento County produced
the most waste at 954,063 tons in 2010.
However, during the same year, only 61 percent
of waste generated by the county was disposed
within Sacramento County. Conversely, San
Joaquin County imported the most waste in
2010. Waste disposal in the county was more
than twice the amount of waste generated in the
county itself.
This indicator provides the origin of waste, or
the amount of waste produced by a jurisdiction
in tons for a comparison between counties, and
the destination of waste, or the amount of waste
imported from other areas.
Why is it important?
59
RESOURCES
&
ENERGY
The DRS provides information on how much
waste each city and county sends to California
landfills. The cities and counties use the disposal
numbers to calculate their recycling rates, which
are used by the CIWMB to determine whether
the cities and counties are complying with the
law. By tracking the amount of waste produced
DISPOSAL WASTE ORIGIN AND DESTINATION
RESOURCES
&
ENERGY
(continued)
60
ENERGY CONSUMPTION
The Central Valley is making great strides forward in energy efficiency.
in the Valley at 5 percent, while Fresno County
had the highest proportional increase in
electricity use at 4 percent.
Definition:
This indicator measures the use of electricity and
natural gas of accounts in both residential and
nonresidential sectors between 2006 and 2010.
Residential includes all homes, from single
family to multiplexes. Nonresidential includes
retail, commercial and industrial operations
(excluding power production facilities). One
account equals one utility meter.
Natural Gas Use
For nonresidential natural gas, Kern County
used more than 13 times the amount of natural
gas as the next highest county and other
similarly ranked counties in 2010. Conversely,
Sacramento County led in residential natural gas
use in 2010.
Why is it important?
Most energy used in the Valley comes from
traditional, limited resources, such as coal, oil
and natural gas. A growing population means
the amount of energy available per person will
continue to decrease. This will require more
renewable energy sources, increased efficiency
and conservation to sustain the economy and
current quality of life.
How are we doing?
Between 2006 and 2010, the Central Valley’s
use of energy has been varied throughout the
counties. As prices continue to climb, energy
efficiency programs have increased and energy
conservation has become more common.
Electricity Use
61
RESOURCES
&
ENERGY
For nonresidential electricity use, Kern County
observed the greatest reduction at 13 percent
from 2006 to 2010. Merced County had the
greatest increase in nonresidential electricity
at 29 percent. For residential electricity use,
Sacramento County had the greatest reduction
ENERGY CONSUMPTION
RESOURCES
&
ENERGY
(cotinued)
62
ENERGY CONSUMPTION
63
RESOURCES
&
ENERGY
(cotinued)
Fiscalini Farms' digester produces “cow power” while
reducing greenhouse gases
Fiscalini Farms has turned the idea of “cow
power” into a reality with a state-of-the-art
digester facility that generates renewable energy
from dairy waste while reducing two types of
greenhouse gases. Construction of the innovative project took several years and $4.5 million to complete, and the digester is producing
around 375 kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity each month, with an expected increase in
energy production in the near future.
Source: John Fiscalini, Fiscalini Farms
RESOURCES
&
ENERGY
The digester, which became fully operational
in June 2009, consists of two circular tanks
made of concrete reinforced with steel and surrounded by insulation. A slurry of water and
manure from the daily flushing out of the dairy
barns provides the main source of fuel for the
digester, and heating tubes inside the concrete
wall and floor of each tank heat the mixture
inside to 100 degrees. The slurry goes through
a process to concentrate the solids before it is
pumped into the tanks, and the leftover water
portion is re-used for flushing. Each tank holds
approximately 860,000 gallons of effluent.
In 2008 and 2009, Fiscalini Farms harvested
the Sudan crop as silage to use for a fuel in
the digesters. This green product substantially
increases methane production.
As bacteria breaks down the organic materials
inside the tanks, methane is produced and rises
to the top, where it is trapped inside an expandable rubber bladder. It is piped to an engine
that burns biogas and is connected to a 710kWh generator. The unit makes both electricity
and hot water.
The electricity generated is sold to Modesto
Irrigation District, bringing in approximately
$32,000 per month. Fiscalini Farms and Fiscalini Cheese Company use about $20,000
in electricity each month, and lease payments
for construction of the digester of $35,000 a
month keep the operation from showing any
profit. However, owner John Fiscalini hopes
this will soon change. He recently received a
permit that will allow use of waste generated
from other farms and businesses in the digester.
Work is underway to identify sources of waste
Other waste products from the dairy and
Fiscalini Cheese, such as whey and silage, are
added to the manure mixture. Whey, a byproduct of cheese making, is rich in protein and
an additional source of bacteria. Fiscalini Farms
also triple crops its 460 acres of farmland, producing corn for silage in the summer and wheat
for hay or silage in the winter and growing
Sudan grass between the corn and wheat crops.
Sudan grass is desirable forage for the dairy, but
weather conditions limit the number of years it
can be grown and harvested as hay.
64
that will be acceptable under the permit and
to put the necessary infrastructure in place to
accommodate the use of off-site fuel. This will
allow Fiscalini to increase the electricity generated to approximately 700 kWh per month.
unforeseen permitting needs. Because of the
significant cost overruns, project profitability
may never occur.
Fortunately, Fiscalini Farms received state and
national grants that have helped cover approximately 20 percent of the total costs. The grants
have also helped pay for research on air and
water quality, engine modifications to result in
cleaner air, fertilizer value of solid and liquid
by-products, use of off-farm waste as digester
fuel, and project profitability.
If all goes smoothly, modifications can be
installed that would bring the power generated up to a megawatt, and eventually a second
engine could be added that would double the
output, creating 2 megawatts of electricity.
Even with the ongoing need for expenditures
on repairs and maintenance, at that point the
project would become profitable. Fiscalini
hopes it will inspire other dairy operators and
perhaps even municipalities to consider installation of similar digesters.
“Germany has thousands of digesters used to
turn waste from restaurants and homes into
electricity,” Fiscalini points out. “This is an
extremely clean method of producing renewable energy. The difference is that here we only
pay 10 cents per kilowatt, while in Germany
electricity is much more expensive, around 30
cents, so the incentive to implement this technology is greater over there.”
Source: John Fiscalini, Fiscalini Farms
A continuing challenge Fiscalini faces with this
project is trying to convince the Air Quality
Board that the benefit realized in reducing the
greenhouse gases methane and carbon dioxide
outweighs the oxides of nitrogen (particulate
matter) generated by the digester engine.
In addition to the electricity, two heat exchangers on the engine provide enough hot water
to keep both digester tanks operating at 100
degrees, as well as providing hot water for sanitation at the dairy and cheese facilities, for pasteurization in the cheese plant and for heating
the cheese vats. Fiscalini said there is also the
possibility of using thermal transfer technology
to cool the cheese facility's aging rooms using
excess heat generated.
65
&
Fiscalini’s ground-breaking project has been
delayed many times by state agencies and
RESOURCES
Some gases are more damaging than others,
said Amruta Sudhalkar, program officer at
ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability
USA.
(continued)
ENERGY
“We are reducing greenhouse gas emissions
equivalent to taking 25,000 cars off the road,
while adding particulate matter equal to that of
one diesel truck’s emissions,” Fiscalini explains.
"Methane is 21 times more powerful than
carbon dioxide in its global warming potential,”
said Sudhalkar. “Every metric ton of methane
released into the atmosphere is equivalent to
21 metric tons of carbon dioxide in terms of its
heat-trapping ability.”
Several Central Valley operations installed
digesters earlier than Fiscalini Farms, using
simple “lagoon digesters,” including Joseph
Gallo Cheese in Merced County and the CalDenier Dairy in Sacramento County.
However, the Fiscalini Farms digester is one of
the most advanced in the United States.
RESOURCES
&
ENERGY
“The potential for digesters in our country is
phenomenal,” Fiscalini said. “Right now we are
among the first using this technology so we are
experiencing the guinea pig syndrome. But if
they let me make this digester profitable it will
inspire other dairies and perhaps municipalities
to invest in this type of green technology in the
future.”
66
DATA SOURCES & REFERENCES
AIR
Toxic Air Contaminants
Carbon Monoxide
•
California Air Resources Board
The California Almanac of Emissions and Air
Quality, 2006 Edition
www.arb.ca.gov/aqd/almanac/almanac.htm
www.arb.ca.gov
•
California Air Resources Board
The California Almanac of Emissions and Air
Quality, 2009 Edition
www.arb.ca.gov/aqd/almanac/almanac.htm
www.arb.ca.gov
•
California Air Resources Board
The California Almanac of Emissions and Air
Quality, 2009 Edition
www.arb.ca.gov/aqd/almanac/almanac.htm
www.arb.ca.gov
Precursors to Ozone
•
California Air Resources Board
The California Almanac of Emissions and Air
Quality, 2009 Edition
www.arb.ca.gov/aqd/almanac/almanac.htm
www.arb.ca.gov
WATER
Watersheds
Ozone Exceedance
•
California Air Resources Board
The California Almanac of Emissions and Air
Quality, 2009 Edition
www.arb.ca.gov/aqd/almanac/almanac.htm
www.arb.ca.gov
•
U.S. EPA
Healthy Watersheds Initiative National Framework
and Action Plan, 2011
http://water.epa.gov/polwaste/nps/watershed/
framework.cfm
•
University of California, Davis
California Watershed Assessment Manual, Volumes
I and II
http://cwam.ucdavis.edu
•
University of California, Davis
Center for Watershed Sciences
http://hydra.ucdavis.edu
Ozone At-Risk Counts
•
•
California Air Resources Board
The California Almanac of Emissions and Air
Quality, 2009 Edition
www.arb.ca.gov/aqd/almanac/almanac.htm
www.arb.ca.gov
Groundwater, Surface Water, and Drinking Water
Quality
American Lung Association
American Lung Association State of the Air: 2011
www.stateoftheair.org
•
California Department of Public Health
Public Drinking Water Systems
www.cdph.ca.gov/certlic/drinkingwater/Pages/
default.aspx
•
University of California, Davis
Drinking Water Source Assessment and Protection
Program
http://swap.des.ucdavis.edu
Particulate Matter
•
•
California Air Resources Board
iADAM: Air Quality Data Statistics
www.arb.ca.gov/adam/
California Air Resources Board
2009 Almanac Emission Projection Data
www.arb.ca.gov/app/emsinv/emssumcat.php
67
DATA SOURCES & REFERENCES
SPECIES & HABITAT
Precipitation, Reservoir Storage, Runoff, and
Snowpack
•
Endangered and Threatened Species
California Department of Water Resources
California Cooperative Snow Surveys
Water Conditions in California: Bulletin 120,
•
California Department of Fish and Game
California Wildlife: Conservation Challenges
(California’s Wildlife Action Plan), 2007
http://www.dfg.ca.gov/wildlife/wap/report.html
www.dfg.ca.gov
•
California Department of Fish and Game
Biogeographic Data Branch
California Natural Diversity Database
State & Federally Listed Endangered & Threatened
Animals of California, January 2011
http://www.dfg.ca.gov/biogeodata/cnddb/pdfs/
TEAnimals.pdf
www.dfg.ca.gov
LAND
Pesticide Use
•
California Department of Pesticide Regulation
Pesticide Use Reporting
www.cdpr.ca.gov/docs/pur/purmain.htm
Soil Drainage
•
•
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Natural Resources Conservation Service
Soil Series Classification Database
http://soils.usda.gov/technical/classification/scfile/
index.html
Anadromous Fish
California Department of Fish and Game
California Wildlife: Conservation Challenges
(California’s Wildlife Action Plan), 2007
http://www.dfg.ca.gov/wildlife/wap/report.html
www.dfg.ca.gov
•
U.S. Department of Commerce
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Status on Stocks: Report on the Status of U.S.
Fisheries for 2011
http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/stories/2012/05/docs/
status_of_stocks_2011_report.pdf
www.nmfs.noaa.gov
•
American Land Conservancy
Sacramento River Bend
http://www.alcnet.org/projects/overview/
california/sacriverbend
www.alcnet.org
Central Valley Salinity Coalition
Central Valley Salinity Alternatives for Long-Term
Sustainability
www.cvsalinity.org
Land Use Density
•
•
U.S. Census Bureau
American FactFinder
Census, 2010
http://factfinder2.census.gov/faces/nav/jsf/pages/
index.xhtml
www.census.gov/
Land Use Urbanization
•
•
California Department of Conservation
Farmland Mapping and Monitoring Program
California Farmland Conversion Report, 2006-2008
http://www.conservation.ca.gov/dlrp/FMMP/Pages/
Index.aspx
Waterfowl
•
Public Policy Institute of California
California 2025: Planning for A Better Future
http://www.ppic.org/main/publication.asp?i=895
www.ppic.org
68
Central Valley Joint Venture
Central Valley Habitat Implementation Plan, 2006
http://centralvalleyjointventure.org/science/birdconservation-plans
DATA SOURCES & REFERENCES
•
California Rice Commission
Assessing Waterbird Benefits from Water Use in
California Ricelands
http://www.ducks.org/conservation/habitat/
benefits-of-wetlands-and-grasslands
www.ducks.org
Wetlands and Riparian Habitats
•
California Rapid Assessment Method
www.cramwetlands.org
•
California Riparian Habitat Joint Venture
California Riparian Habitat Restoration Handbook,
Second Edition, July 2009
http://www.rhjv.org
RESOURCES & ENERGY
Disposal Waste Origin and Destination
•
California Department of Recycling and Recovery
Disposal Reporting System: Multiyear Countywide
Origin Summary, 2010
http://www.calrecycle.ca.gov/LGCentral/Reports/
DRS/Origin/WFOrginAnnual.aspx
www.calrecycle.ca.gov/LGCentral/
•
California Department of Recycling and Recovery
Disposal Reporting System: Multiyear Countywide
Destination Summary, 2010
http://www.calrecycle.ca.gov/LGCentral/Reports/
DRS/Destination/WFDestAnnual.aspx
www.calrecycle.ca.gov/LGCentral/
Energy Consumption
•
California Energy Commission
Energy Consumption Data Management System
Electricity Consumption by County, 2006 and 2010
http://ecdms.energy.ca.gov/elecbycounty.aspx
http://ecdms.energy.ca.gov
•
California Energy Commission
Energy Consumption Data Management System
Natural Gas Consumption by County, 2006 and
2010
http://ecdms.energy.ca.gov/gasbycounty.aspx
http://ecdms.energy.ca.gov
69
T h e S tat e
Indicator
of the
r e p o rt
Great Central Valley
Series
Each topic area in the Great Valley Center’s indicator report series is updated every five
years. The following reports are available for download free of charge at
www.greatvalley.org/work/indicators.
The Environment
2000 Edition
2005 Edition
2006-2011 Edition
Education and
Youth Preparedness
2004 Edition
2008 Edition
Community Well-Being
The Economy
2002 Edition
2006 Edition
1999 Edition
2005 Edition
2009 Edition
Public Health and
Access to Care
2003 Edition
2007 Edition
Sierra Nevada Research Institute, UC Merced
5200 North Lake Road, Merced, CA 95343
Tel: 209 /228-7674 Fax: 209/228-4158
snri.ucmerced.edu [email protected]
YOUTH
ENGAGEMENT
Great Valley Center
201 Needham Street, Modesto, CA 95354
Tel: 209/522-5103 Fax: 209/522-5116
www.greatvalley.org [email protected]