CALIFORNIA WATER NEWS

Notebook News and Features Planning and management

NOTEBOOK FEATURE: Delta data offline? No more X2? Monitoring changes could obscure the fate of fish & flows

Cariad Hayes Thronson February 9, 2026

CAL MATTERS: ‘Little death bombs’: Illegal cannabis farms poison California’s forests. Who’s cleaning them up?

Cal Matters February 9, 2026

CAL MATTERS: EPA touts bipartisan efforts to clean up Tijuana River

Cal Matters February 9, 2026

USGS: Elevated geogenic contaminants common in drinking water aquifers across the US

USGS February 9, 2026

VOICE OF SAN DIEGO: Valentine’s Day marks next crucial deadline on the Colorado River

Voice of San Diego February 7, 2026

Planning and management

DWR: Final 2025 UWMP Guidebook Released

Department of Water Resources (DWR) February 7, 2026

Author Podcasts WATER SHELF

WATER SHELF PODCAST: “Legal Geographies of Water” by Cristy Clark

Justin Scott-Coe February 6, 2026

Policy and regulation

UC IRVINE: Challenging California’s water ‘scarcity’ narrative

UC Irvine February 6, 2026

Planning and management

UNIV. OF ROCHESTER: How to entice water guzzlers to conserve

University of Rochester February 6, 2026

Water project operations

LETTER: Water Blueprint for the San Joaquin Valley sends letter in support of Action 5

Water Blueprint for the SJ Valley February 6, 2026

Groundwater News

SJV WATER: Longtime Kern County farm family fears change in groundwater status will lead to greater pollution

SJV Water February 6, 2026

PRESS RELEASE: San Diego Coastkeeper & CERF reach resolution with BNSF Railway over transportation of plastic pellets

San Diego Coastkeeper February 6, 2026

WATER DESK: Western U.S. snowpack is worth trillions of dollars

The Water Desk February 5, 2026

NEVADA CURRENT: Warmer water in Lake Mead risks vital operations

Nevada Current February 5, 2026

SJV WATER: Mussel mania: San Joaquin Valley water agencies gear up to fight invasive mollusk

SJV Water February 5, 2026

Latest news from around the web

DAILY DIGEST, 2/9: Delta data offline? No more X2? Monitoring changes could obscure the fate of fish & flows; Sierra snow is finally returning; Valley farmers push for Trump to fund Shasta Dam enlargement project; The Colorado River might get a short-term fix. Is that good enough?; and more …

February 8, 2026

IN THIS POST ...In California water news today …Delta data offline? No more X2? Monitoring changes could obscure the fate...

DAILY DIGEST, weekend edition: Storms line up to revive winter; CA Sierra Club backs Alex Padilla’s water bill, worries about Delta tunnel risk; Miles of pristine LA beach could become America’s next national park; More snow in Florida than Utah? Why weird weather has dominated this year; and more …

February 8, 2026

DAILY DIGEST, 2/6: CA to see ‘major pattern change’ as rain, snow enter forecast; Challenging California’s water ‘scarcity’ narrative; How to entice water guzzlers to conserve; How failing negotiations could spiral into a bitter fight over the Colorado River; and more …

February 6, 2026

DAILY DIGEST, 2/5: Environmental, tribal groups slam Bay-Delta deal over weak flow rules; Army Corps begins public review for Oroville, New Bullards Bar dams; Western U.S. snowpack is worth trillions of dollars; Warmer water in Lake Mead risks vital operations; and more …

February 5, 2026

ONLY ON MAVEN'S NOTEBOOK

NOTEBOOK FEATURE: Delta data offline? No more X2? Monitoring changes could obscure the fate of fish & flows

February 9, 2026

NOTEBOOK FEATURE: A hard look at the 3,000-page Bay-Delta Plan

January 27, 2026

NOTEBOOK FEATURE: The Delta’s role in California’s carbon sequestration and climate goals

January 26, 2026

California water news

NOTEBOOK FEATURE: Delta data offline? No more X2? Monitoring changes could obscure the fate of fish & flows

Cariad Hayes Thronson

Notebook News and Features Planning and management

February 9, 2026

by Cariad Hayes Thronson Big changes are likely on the way for the Delta, thanks to new federal policies, state...

CAL MATTERS: ‘Little death bombs’: Illegal cannabis farms poison California’s forests. Who’s cleaning them up?

February 9, 2026

Even after legalization, illicit cannabis grows continue to pollute California’s public lands. And the contamination, new research shows, lingers. By...

CAL MATTERS: EPA touts bipartisan efforts to clean up Tijuana River

February 9, 2026

EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin met with local and congressional leaders in San Diego on Thursday to tout the U.S. and...

USGS: Elevated geogenic contaminants common in drinking water aquifers across the US

February 9, 2026

New comprehensive analysis of groundwater quality from 1988 to 2022 can help water-resource managers and the public health community assess...

VOICE OF SAN DIEGO: Valentine’s Day marks next crucial deadline on the Colorado River

Voice of San Diego

February 7, 2026

But none of the U.S. states negotiating the river’s future have any love for each other. By MacKenzie Elmer, Voice...

DWR: Final 2025 UWMP Guidebook Released

Department of Water Resources (DWR)

Planning and management

February 7, 2026

From the Department of Water Resources: The Final 2025 Urban Water Management Plan (UWMP) Guidebook has been published to the...

UC IRVINE: Challenging California’s water ‘scarcity’ narrative

Policy and regulation

February 6, 2026

Nícola Ulibarrí’s research reveals abundance gap is about distribution, not supply California doesn’t have a water scarcity problem. It has...

UNIV. OF ROCHESTER: How to entice water guzzlers to conserve

University of Rochester

Planning and management

February 6, 2026

A California field experiment shows why targeting high water users with the right incentives outperforms years of public messaging. By...

LETTER: Water Blueprint for the San Joaquin Valley sends letter in support of Action 5

Water Blueprint for the SJ Valley

Water project operations

February 6, 2026

From the Water Blueprint for the SJ Valley: Last week, Water Blueprint for the San Joaquin Valley member organizations joined...

SJV WATER: Longtime Kern County farm family fears change in groundwater status will lead to greater pollution

Groundwater News

February 6, 2026

By Lois Henry, SJV Water The groundwater in parts of western Kern County is salty and, generally, considered a bit...

PRESS RELEASE: San Diego Coastkeeper & CERF reach resolution with BNSF Railway over transportation of plastic pellets

San Diego Coastkeeper

February 6, 2026

BNSF Railway, Coastal Environmental Rights Foundation, San Diego Coastkeeper, and North County Transit District resolve claims related to transportation of...

WATER DESK: Western U.S. snowpack is worth trillions of dollars

February 5, 2026

Putting a price tag on the water stored in the region’s high-elevation frozen reservoir By Mitch Tobin, The Water Desk...

Delta

RESTORE THE DELTA: New report reveals AI data center boom threatens Delta communities and ecosystems

Restore the Delta

Planning and management

January 16, 2026

Press release from Restore the Delta As artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure rapidly expands, a new white paper released today by Restore the...

USGS: A model to predict sediment bulk density for the San Francisco Estuary

Planning and management

January 13, 2026

DELTA LEAD SCIENTIST: The role of wetland restoration in reviving Delta food webs

January 5, 2026

NOTEBOOK FEATURE: The biggest threat to the Delta you’ve (probably) never heard of

Notebook News and Features Water quality

December 9, 2025

Groundwater News

SJV WATER: Longtime Kern County farm family fears change in groundwater status will lead to greater pollution

Groundwater News

February 6, 2026

By Lois Henry, SJV Water The groundwater in parts of western Kern County is salty and, generally, considered a bit...

SJV WATER: Kings County groundwater agency threatens to fine landowners $1,000 a day and shut off wells if they don’t register and report extractions

Groundwater News

February 4, 2026

EOS: Report: 13 Great Lakes’ worth of water underlies the contiguous United States

Groundwater News

January 26, 2026

SJV WATER: Pumping allocation described as “necessary evil” approved by Kings County groundwater agency

Groundwater News

January 23, 2026

Ecosystems

CAL MATTERS: ‘Little death bombs’: Illegal cannabis farms poison California’s forests. Who’s cleaning them up?

February 9, 2026

Even after legalization, illicit cannabis grows continue to pollute California’s public lands. And the contamination, new research shows, lingers. By...

SJV WATER: Mussel mania: San Joaquin Valley water agencies gear up to fight invasive mollusk

February 5, 2026

NOTEBOOK FEATURE: Boosting climate resilience in the Delta’s mountain headwaters

February 3, 2026

AG ALERT: Invasive mussels spread, could clog irrigation systems

January 28, 2026

Colorado River

VOICE OF SAN DIEGO: Valentine’s Day marks next crucial deadline on the Colorado River

Voice of San Diego

February 7, 2026

But none of the U.S. states negotiating the river’s future have any love for each other. By MacKenzie Elmer, Voice...

NEVADA CURRENT: Warmer water in Lake Mead risks vital operations

February 5, 2026

ARIZONA MIRROR: Arizona lawmakers prepare for Colorado River water fight with unanimous vote boosting legal fund

February 4, 2026

INSIDE CLIMATE NEWS: Colorado River negotiators are nearly out of time and snowpack

February 4, 2026

Announcements

NOTICE: Term 91 now in effect

State Water Board

February 7, 2026

From the State Water Board: Term 91 is now in effect. The Delta was in Balanced conditions as of February...

NOTICE: Water right Term 91: Advance notice of probable curtailment

State Water Board

February 6, 2026

From the State Water Board: This email is to notify water right permit and license holders with Standard Water Right...

NOW AVAILABLE: Answers to Tulare Lake Subbasin Frequently Asked Questions Now Available

State Water Board

January 9, 2026

Information for Tulare Lake groundwater extractors regarding metering, groundwater extraction reporting, fees, and subbasin status is now available in Frequently Asked Question...

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY: 2025-26 San Francisco Bay Program Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) is now OPEN

US Environmental Protection Agency

January 9, 2026

From the US EPA Region 9: The SF Bay Program is funding from Congress to protect and restore San Francisco...

OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT: 2025-2030 Nonpoint Source Program Implementation Plan

State Water Board

January 5, 2026

From the State Water Resources Control Board: A Notice of Opportunity for Public Comment on the Draft 2025-2030 Nonpoint Source...

ANNOUNCEMENT: DRIP Collaborative seeks to fill membership vacancies

Department of Water Resources (DWR)

December 3, 2025

From the Department of Water Resources: On behalf of the Drought Resilience Interagency and Partners (DRIP) Collaborative, the Department of...

PUBLIC HEARING Regarding the Appeals Filed for the Delta Conveyance Project Certification of Consistency with the Delta Plan

Delta Stewardship Council

ANNOUNCEMENTS Delta Conveyance Project

November 28, 2025

From the Delta Stewardship Council: The Delta Stewardship Council will conduct a public hearing on February 26 and 27, 2026,...

YOUR INPUT WANTED: Recharge Incentives Survey Re-Opened Until December 5th

Guest Contributor

November 25, 2025

From Sustainable Conservation: Recently we asked you to spend a little time responding to our survey on groundwater recharge incentives....

YOUR INPUT WANTED: Winter-run Chinook Salmon Annual Loss Independent Peer Review

Delta Stewardship Council

Science Announcement

November 25, 2025

From the Delta Science Program: At the request of the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and California Department of Water Resources,...

YOUR INPUT WANTED: Draft 2026 Delta Science Plan

Delta Stewardship Council

Science Announcement

November 20, 2025

From the Delta Science Program: The Delta Stewardship Council’s Delta Science Program is developing the third iteration of the Delta...

Reports

Delta science Reports

NOW AVAILABLE: Now Available: FY 2023-2024 Delta Crosscut Budget Report

Delta Stewardship Council December 12, 2025

Reports Water project operations

REPORT: NASEM reviews science behind Central Valley Project and State Water Project operations

Maven December 11, 2025

Reports Water project operations

REPORT: New DWR conveyance study finds groundwater stabilization key to protecting San Joaquin Valley water supplies

Department of Water Resources (DWR) November 25, 2025

Reports Water project operations

UC DAVIS: How California’s state and federal water projects can better protect fish

UC Davis November 15, 2025

Reports Water project operations

NEW REPORT: Review of the Long-Term Operations of the Central Valley Project and the State Water Project

Guest Contributor November 10, 2025

Groundwater News Reports

DWR: New reports show progress in community actions to make groundwater sustainability a reality in California

Department of Water Resources (DWR) October 21, 2025

Climate change Reports

REPORT: From drought to deluge: WMO report highlights increasingly erratic water cycle

Utah Dispatch October 3, 2025

Planning and management Reports

UCLA: Student research drives water resilience and equitable solutions in post-fire Los Angeles

UCLA August 28, 2025

Groundwater News Reports

PRESS RELEASE: DWR Semi-Annual Groundwater Conditions Update highlights key trends for Water Year 2024

Department of Water Resources (DWR) June 24, 2025

Planning and management Reports

NEW REPORT: ASM and AGU offer critical strategies to protect public health and safe drinking water amid climate change

American Geophysical Union June 12, 2025

Podcasts and webinars

Author Podcasts WATER SHELF

WATER SHELF PODCAST: “Legal Geographies of Water” by Cristy Clark

Justin Scott-Coe February 6, 2026

Author Podcasts WATER SHELF

WATER SHELF PODCAST: “Body in a Barrel” by Aaron Mead

Justin Scott-Coe January 11, 2026

Fish and wildlife Science Podcasts

DELTA DISPATCH: How To Have Our Fish, and Eat Them, Too

Estuary News Group November 22, 2025

Author Podcasts WATER SHELF

WATER SHELF PODCAST: “Living with Water Scarcity” by David Zetland

Justin Scott-Coe August 31, 2025

Author Podcasts WATER SHELF

WATER SHELF PODCAST: “Replumbing the City” by Sayd Randle

Justin Scott-Coe July 11, 2025

Podcasts and webinars Science Podcasts

PODCAST: Destination: Delta

Estuary News Group June 2, 2025

Ecosystems Science Podcasts

DELTA DISPATCH: Restoration, reciprocity

Estuary News Group April 26, 2025

Science Podcasts

DELTA DISPATCH: From Snowpack To Spigot

Estuary News Group April 26, 2025

Author Podcasts WATER SHELF

WATER SHELF PODCAST: “Too Good to Be True” by Paul Brown

Justin Scott-Coe April 18, 2025

Fish and wildlife Science Podcasts

SCIENCE IN SHORT: Longfin smelt, the little fish that gets around

Ashleigh Papp March 5, 2025