Some California Taps Threaten by Sea Rise

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WB Staff
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Some California Taps Threaten by Sea Rise

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Some California Taps Threaten by Sea Rise.jpg
Could Sea Level Rise Threaten the Water Coming Out of Some California Taps?

Most Californians turn on their taps without thinking about where the water comes from or if that flow might trickle out someday. They may not realize how local, state, and even federal water managers work together to ensure a steady water supply now and in the future.

Flooding from earthquake-caused levee breeches or climate change-caused sea level rise could result in more saltwater invading our water supply that travels through the Delta. DWR’s climate scientists and water managers will address ways to plan for potential climate change impacts such as sea level rise at the Climate Change Vulnerability and Adaptation Summit in Sacramento on September 17, 2019.

Located east of the Bay Area, the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta provides water used by two-thirds of California. Without the fresh water that flows from Central Valley rivers through this maze of channels, much of Silicon Valley, Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, and San Diego would have one-third to one-half the water they need.

At the western end of the Delta mother nature engages in a continuing clash rages over our fresh water supply. Saltwater from the Pacific Ocean fills San Francisco Bay, flowing north to San Pablo Bay, then east through the Carquinez Strait into Suisun Bay, pressing finally into the mouth of the Delta along the shores of Antioch. The primary barrier to the invading seawater is a constant flow of freshwater that starts high in the Sierra, then is released as needed from reservoirs upstream to push back the saltwater threatening to infiltrate the west end of the Delta.

Can the flow of river water continue keeping the saltwater out as sea levels rise? The sea level has already risen eight inches along the San Francisco coast and is expected to climb another 1 to 3.4 feet by the end of the century, according to the State of California’s Sea-Level Rise Guidance 2018 Update.

Local farmers and water agencies pull water from the Delta, as does DWR. The Department then distributes it southward through the California aqueduct and the rest of the State Water Project’s water delivery system. The federal government also pulls Delta water originating from the federal dams of Lake Shasta and Lake Folsom to send through its Central Valley Project.

Future sea level rise will significantly affect the hydrodynamics of the Delta, according to a report on climate change impacts to the State Water Project in California’s Fourth Climate Change Assessment. Sea level rise increases Delta salinity, requiring extra Delta outflow [to] dilute more brackish Delta water to meet environmental standards. The extra Delta outflow is provided at the expense of Delta exports, or water sent through the California Aqueduct to water suppliers and users south of the Delta.

The impacts of sea level rise, along with flooding and earthquakes, puts the water used by 27 million Californians at risk. DWR’s Climate Change Vulnerability and Adaptation Summit state brings water managers and stakeholders from across the state together to address the diverse portfolio of solutions to consider as they plan the future of the state’s water supply.
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hydro
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Re: Some California Taps Threaten by Sea Rise

Post by hydro »

The Delta will be destroyed from over pumping long before the sea levels rise enough to cause it .
mark poulson
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Re: Some California Taps Threaten by Sea Rise

Post by mark poulson »

hydro wrote:The Delta will be destroyed from over pumping long before the sea levels rise enough to cause it .
Amen!
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not4un
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Re: Some California Taps Threaten by Sea Rise

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mark poulson
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Re: Some California Taps Threaten by Sea Rise

Post by mark poulson »

For every scientist who thinks like this, there are literally thousands who disagree, and say the sea level is rising.
So, based on shear numbers, your post is fake news.
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Whoopbass
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Re: Some California Taps Threaten by Sea Rise

Post by Whoopbass »

mark poulson wrote:
For every scientist who thinks like this, there are literally thousands who disagree, and say the sea level is rising.
So, based on shear numbers, your post is fake news.
LOL....Where did you get that "thousands" number?? I wonder how many of these studies are slanted in favor of the views of whomever is giving them the funding to do these studies? I bet it's "thousands".
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Re: Some California Taps Threaten by Sea Rise

Post by mark poulson »

Try checking out this NASA website:
https://climate.nasa.gov/faq/17/do-scie ... te-change/
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green weenie
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Re: Some California Taps Threaten by Sea Rise

Post by green weenie »

Well I think the thousands of experts and so called advocates not changing their personal behavior tells the real story; Obamas’ buying a 14-15 million dollar beach house, celebrities and officials flying around the world to lecture others not to fly, etc and etc, thousands of real examples not based on pseudoscience of discriminating data. Any climate change is not significantly man made or these scientists and advocates would make real changes to their behavior. “Don’t tell me what you believe, I’ll watch you and tell you what you believe.”
mark poulson
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Re: Some California Taps Threaten by Sea Rise

Post by mark poulson »

green weenie wrote:Well I think the thousands of experts and so called advocates not changing their personal behavior tells the real story; Obamas’ buying a 14-15 million dollar beach house, celebrities and officials flying around the world to lecture others not to fly, etc and etc, thousands of real examples not based on pseudoscience of discriminating data. Any climate change is not significantly man made or these scientists and advocates would make real changes to their behavior. “Don’t tell me what you believe, I’ll watch you and tell you what you believe.”
Good point, but rich people can always "evacuate" to another one of their properties in a safer area. The rest of us don't have that luxury.
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WRB
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Re: Some California Taps Threaten by Sea Rise

Post by WRB »

Salt water incursion into the aquifer occurs when the fresh water supply drops lower reducing pressure. The San Juaqine Valley at one time had free flowing rivers from as far south as the Kern, Kings and Merced that created Standing water that seeped down into the aquifers filling them.
The rivers were domed to control flooding and provide year around water supply.
Farming the San Juaqine Valley exploded as a result, wells providing water and 100 years of pumping aquifer has dropped about 1 foot per year, 50 foot deep wells are now at 150 feet.
More and more agriculture demands more water, larger populations demand more water and with drought periods less water is available.
Yes, the ocean is a treat but far less a treat then the lost supply of fresh water and increasing demand for more.
Politicians using global warming caused by man made pollution defies all logic and weather historical data. Yes, we can control man made pollution and should for the sake of clean water, air and soils. Claims we can control weather patterns by controlling made made pollution over looks the fact the earth is the major producer of pollution and always has been.
Tom
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JoeLanghans
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Re: Some California Taps Threaten by Sea Rise

Post by JoeLanghans »

Hey, does the glass of water overflow when the ice melts? Think about it...
WRB
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Re: Some California Taps Threaten by Sea Rise

Post by WRB »

JoeLanghans wrote:Hey, does the glass of water overflow when the ice melts? Think about it...
No, ice expands takes up more volume then water. What does your question have anything to do with this topic?
Tom
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JoeLanghans
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Re: Some California Taps Threaten by Sea Rise

Post by JoeLanghans »

WRB wrote:
JoeLanghans wrote:Hey, does the glass of water overflow when the ice melts? Think about it...
No, ice expands takes up more volume then water. What does your question have anything to do with this topic?
Tom
Thanks for your answer Tom. Tired of all these liberal topics.
WRB
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Re: Some California Taps Threaten by Sea Rise

Post by WRB »

JoeLanghans wrote:
WRB wrote:
JoeLanghans wrote:Hey, does the glass of water overflow when the ice melts? Think about it...
No, ice expands takes up more volume then water. What does your question have anything to do with this topic?
Tom
Thanks for your answer Tom. Tired of all these liberal topics.
If it wasn't for Delta water issues this site would dry up, very little state wide bass fishing content.
Cheers,
Tom
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