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In California water news this weekend …
Efforts to preserve California’s groundwater enter a new phase: a season of judgement

“The first decade of California’s Sustainable Groundwater Management Act has been one changing seasons as farmers, engineers, lawyers, bureaucrats and environmental experts grapple with ways to stop the pumping away of the state’s groundwater. The first season of the process, intended to preserve a resource that provides between 40 to 60 percent of California’s water supply each year, saw the painstaking work to define groundwater basin boundaries and create local agencies. This was followed by a season during which these agencies, their members and their engineering consultants wrote first-of-their-kind plans for managing their stressed resource. These were submitted to the state. Now the season of judgment has arrived. Agencies with stressed groundwater basins have had several chances to establish adequate controls. The state’s Department of Water Resources decides whether the plans are likely to succeed – “complete” – or remain “incomplete” or worse, “inadequate.” … ” Read more from … & the West.
Kern groundwater agency bans pumping along sinking California Aqueduct

“A groundwater agency on the western fringes of Kern County has taken the unprecedented step of banning all pumping from wells along the California Aqueduct for a 30-mile stretch. The move is mainly designed to protect the vital artery that moves hundreds of millions of gallons of water a day from northern to southern California and is threatened by sinking land that could crimp its ability to function. The ban is also intended to prove whether groundwater pumping is the true culprit. “We don’t believe the subsidence is due to groundwater pumping,” said Mark Gilkey, general manager of the Westside District Water Authority. “But we don’t have the data to back that up. This was one of the ways we could prove groundwater pumping wasn’t the problem and safeguard the aqueduct, which is where we get all our water deliveries.” … ” Read more from SJV Water.
DWR: Validation action filed regarding financing of approved Delta Conveyance Project
“The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) filed a “validation action” with the Sacramento County Superior Court regarding DWR’s authority to, among other things, issue revenue bonds to finance the planning, design, construction and other capital costs of Delta conveyance facilities, such as the Delta Conveyance Project DWR approved in December 2023. Although DWR has existing legal authority to finance and construct the proposed project under the Central Valley Project Act, a validation action is necessary to provide the requisite assurance to the financial community for the sale of revenue bonds. DWR is pursuing this path in parallel with its appeal of the decision issued in its previous validation action to explore all possible paths to resolve the validation question with expediency. … ” Read more from DWR.
CA Department of Water Resources files delta tunnel ‘validation action’ with court
Dan Bacher writes, “On January 7, the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) filed a “validation action” with the Sacramento County Superior Court regarding DWR’s authority to issue revenue bonds to finance the planning, design, construction and other capital costs of Delta conveyance facilities, such as the Delta Conveyance Project DWR approved in December 2023. On January 16 of last year, the Sacramento Superior Court ruled that DWR lacks the authority to issue revenue bonds to finance the embattled Delta Conveyance Project, commonly referred to as the Delta Tunnel. DWR has appealed that decision: sacramento.newsreview.com/… The Delta Tunnel is a project opposed by several California Indian tribes, nearly all environmental groups in the state and beyond, Southern California ratepayers, recreational anglers, commercial fishermen, conservationists, Delta businesses and Southern California water ratepayers. … ” Read more from the Daily Kos.
2024 was the hottest year on record, NASA and NOAA confirm
“Amid a week of horrifying wildfires in Los Angeles, government agencies in the U.S. and around the world confirmed Friday that 2024 was the planet’s hottest year since recordkeeping began in 1880. It’s the 11th consecutive year in which a new heat record has been set, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said. “Between record-breaking temperatures and wildfires currently threatening our centers and workforce in California, it has never been more important to understand our changing planet,” Nelson said. Firefighters on Friday were battling to protect NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in La Cañada Flintridge from the Eaton fire, which has burned 13,690 acres and roughly 5,000 buildings thus far. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
SoCal fires …
Santa Ana threat to resume early next week around Los Angeles
“Following the devastating fires that expanded across areas of Los Angeles and Ventura counties over the last week and resulted in multiple fatalities, AccuWeather forecasters warn that another round of Santa Ana winds are expected early next week. A trough developing offshore from Southern California paired with high pressure centered over the West will create yet another setup for dry, offshore winds from Monday to Wednesday. “The magnitude and timing of the most intense wind gusts next week will depend on the location of a storm off the Pacific Coast,” explained AccuWeather Lead Long-Range Forecaster Paul Pastelok. … ” Read more from AccuWeather.
When will California fires stop? Here’s what experts say
“Five days into an onslaught of wildfires that have scorched more than 58 square miles in the Los Angeles area, firefighters are still battling to gain the upper hand. What does it take to contain these fires? And how much longer could the blazes stalk L.A, where 100,000 people remain under evacuation orders? Experts agree it could take weeks to contain the Palisades and Eaton blazes — the largest of nine blazes that broke out this week under gale-force Santa Ana winds. Those two fires collectively burned 35,200 acres and were both 8% or less contained by late afternoon Friday. Strong winds are expected to return Saturday afternoon and again Tuesday, potentially spreading flames in new directions, reigniting smoldering debris that might otherwise die out and spreading new starts. The Palisades Fire is now powerful enough to create its own wind-field. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
No ‘water system in the world’ could have handled the LA fires. How the region could have minimized the damage
“Even as flames in Southern California continued to carve a destructive path on Friday and fire officials sought to assess the damage and determine how the fires began, a larger question loomed: Could this level of devastation somehow have been minimized, or is this simply the new normal in an era of climate-related calamities? A CNN review of government reports and interviews with more than a dozen experts suggests the ultimate answer is a mix of both. Los Angeles city and county officials have characterized the fires as a “perfect storm” event in which hurricane-force gusts of up to 100 miles per hour prevented them from deploying crucial aircraft that could have dropped water and fire retardant on the drought-ravaged neighborhoods early on. The consensus of experts interviewed by CNN was that the combination of those winds, unseasonably dry conditions and multiple fires breaking out one after another in the same geographic region made widespread destruction inevitable. … ” Read more from CNN.
Fact check: Could brush clearance have prevented the Palisades Fire?
“As the destructive reality of the fires tearing through the greater Los Angeles area sets in, people are searching for answers about how things got so bad. We’ve already fact checked what we know about the lack of water availability, but there have also been questions about whether enough brush prep was done in the Santa Monica Mountains ahead of the Palisades Fire. As of Friday, that fire has burned more than 21,000 acres and killed five people. Former L.A. mayoral candidate and billionaire businessman Rick Caruso has suggested that brush clearance would have “significantly mitigated” the destruction and losses. “The brush clearance alone, had that happened, would have just changed the trajectory of this fire,” Caruso said during an appearance on ABC 7 earlier this week. However, that seems unlikely. … ” Read more from the LAist.
Newsom orders investigation into dry fire hydrants that hampered firefighting in L.A.
“Gov. Gavin Newsom has ordered an investigation into the causes behind water supply problems that left fire hydrants dry and hampered firefighting efforts during the devastating fires in Southern California. Newsom’s demand for answers came amid criticism of city officials in Los Angeles over their handling of the disaster and questions about whether local water-related decisions and planning played a role in depriving firefighters of water during the most destructive fires in L.A. history. The governor has also come under criticism, largely on social media and in right-wing media coverage, for the state’s handling of the disaster. “I am calling for an independent investigation into the loss of water pressure to local fire hydrants and the reported unavailability of water supplies from the Santa Ynez Reservoir,” the governor said in a post on X. “We need answers to ensure this does not happen again and we have every resource available to fight these catastrophic fires.” … ” Read more from the LA Times.
SEE ALSO: Newsom calls for independent investigation of LA Department of Water and Power, from The Hill
Reservoir in Pacific Palisades was out of commission when fire started
“A 117-million gallon reservoir in one of the Los Angeles communities ravaged by wildfires was out of commission when the fire started in the area on Tuesday. The Santa Ynez Reservoir in the Pacific Palisades has been closed for repairs after a covering designed to preserve water quality tore. The Los Angeles Times first reported that the reservoir was offline. The reservoir’s status may have limited the water system’s ability to provide consistent pressure for firefighters, but Marty Adams, a former general manager of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, said it is unlikely to have made a significant difference in the battle against the Palisades Fire, which burned through 20,000 acres as of Friday afternoon. “It was out of service. I don’t know exactly how long it’s been out of service,” Adams said. … ” Read more from NBC LA.
Wildfires can contaminate drinking water systems with harmful chemicals − here’s what Los Angeles needs to know
“The wildfires in the Los Angeles area have destroyed more than 10,000 structures, many of them homes, and firefighters continue to battle the infernos. Parts of Pacific Palisades, Altadena, Pasadena and other California communities are now unrecognizable. As evacuation orders are lifted, safe drinking water should be top of mind for those residents able to return to their homes. What many people don’t realize is the extent to which their community drinking water systems can be damaged by fire, how their water is affected and what they can do about it. As an environmental engineer, I work with communities affected by wildfires and other disasters. Over the years, my team and I have been called in to help after some of the most destructive wildfires in U.S. history. In some cases, we have advised state and local officials from afar. Several local water systems in the Los Angeles area have begun issuing warnings about not using the potentially unsafe drinking water. Here’s what residents in the area, and anyone else living near where a wildfire burns, need to know. … ” Read more from The Conversation.
What is the flame retardant that planes are dropping on the LA fires?
“Air tankers are dropping thousands of gallons of red flame retardant in the hills around Los Angeles as firefighters attempt to limit the devastation from multiple wildfires. Images of vivid red clouds enveloping trees and scrubland prompt two questions: What is it, and what’s in it? “It’s primarily a product called Phos-Chek LC95, which is sold by a company called Perimeter,” Daniel McCurry, an associate professor in civil and environmental engineering at the University of Southern California, tells NPR. “It’s been used for decades by the Forest Service,” he says. “It’s one of maybe only two products currently approved for aerial use by the Forest Service.” … ” Read more from the LAist.
SEE ALSO:
- Everything you need to know about the water drops in California during wildfires, from Fox News
- What’s in the Pink Flame Retardant Planes Are Dropping on the LA Fires?, from KQED
And lastly … these pilots are awesome !!
If you only watch one video today, it should be this one.
In commentary this weekend …
California regulations only make wildfires worse
Susan Shelly writes, “On Thursday morning at the White House, President Joe Biden told reporters he talked to Gov. Gavin Newsom about fire hydrants running dry as fires raged out of control across Los Angeles County. The president said he learned that it’s not a water shortage that’s causing the problem. “The fact is, the utilities understandably shut off power because they’re worried the lines that carry the energy were going to be blown down and spark additional fires,” Biden said. “When they did that, it cut off the ability to generate pumping the water.” … The president is mixed up. The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power said it was able to fuel its back-up generators to move water. The problem in Pacific Palisades is that LADWP infrastructure couldn’t move enough water to refill three 1 million-gallon water tanks as fast as firefighters were using the water. But there is a problem in California with emergency back-up generators. Air quality regulations limit their use, and some water agencies found that they could not adequately run their generators for testing. … ” Read more from the LA Daily News.
In people news this weekend …
Promotions, passings, profiles – submit people news items to maven@mavensnotebook.com.
E. Joaquin Esquivel, of Sacramento, has been reappointed to the State Water Resources Control Board …
…where he has served since 2017. Esquivel was Assistant Secretary for Federal Water Policy at the California Natural Resources Agency from 2015 to 2017. He held multiple roles at the Office of United States Senator Barbara Boxer from 2007 to 2015 including Director of Information and Technology, Legislative Assistant for Native American, Water, and Agricultural Issues, Legislative Aide, and Research Assistant. This position requires Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $186,588. Esquivel is a Democrat.
Nichole Morgan, of Sacramento, has been reappointed to the State Water Resources Control Board …
… where she has served since 2021. Morgan held multiple roles at the State Water Resources Control Board from 2009 to 2019, including Assistant Deputy Director of Financial Assistance, Supervising Water Resources Control Engineer in the Division of Financial Assistance, Water Resources Control Engineer in the Division of Water Rights and in the Office of the Delta Water Master, and Water Resources Control Engineer in the Division of Financial Assistance. Morgan held multiple positions at the California Regional Water Quality Control Board, Central Valley from 2011 to 2014, including Supervising Water Resources Control Engineer and Senior Water Resources Control Engineer. She was Project Manager VII at URS Corporation in 2009. Morgan held multiple roles at RMC Water and Environment from 2006 to 2009, including Project Manager III and Operations Manager. Morgan was Project Engineer at Kimley-Horn and Associates from 2005 to 2006. She was Senior Civil Engineer and Departmental Construction and Maintenance Supervisor at the California Department of Parks and Recreation from 2004 to 2005. Morgan was Project Manager at Psomas from 2001 to 2004. She was Assistant Civil Engineer at the Sacramento County Regional Sanitation District from 1999 to 2001. Morgan earned a Bachelor of Sciences degree in Civil Engineering from California State University, Sacramento. This position requires Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $180,840. Morgan is a Democrat.
Jose Solorio, of Santa Ana, has been reappointed to the California Water Commission …
… where he has served since 2021. Solorio has been Director of External Affairs and Business Development for California American Water since 2024. He was a Government Affairs Officer at Moulton Niguel Water District from 2018 to 2024. Solorio was a City Councilmember at the City of Santa Ana from 2016 to 2020. He was a Senior Policy Advisor at Nossaman LLP from 2015 to 2018. Solorio was an Assemblymember for the 69th District in the California State Assembly from 2006 to 2012. Solorio earned a Master of Public Policy degree in Government and Business Policy from Harvard University and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Social Ecology from University of California, Irvine. This position requires Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $100 per diem. Solorio is a Democrat.
Alexandre Makler, of Berkeley, has been reappointed to the California Water Commission …
… where he has served since 2020. Makler is Executive Vice President, West for Calpine Corporation, where he has held multiple positions since 1999, including Vice President of Strategic Origination and Development and Vice President/Assistant General Counsel. He earned a Juris Doctor degree and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Economy from the University of California, Berkeley. This position requires Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $100 per diem. Makler is a Democrat.
CA Water Commission appoints Laura Jensen as Executive Officer
The California Water Commission would like to announce the appointment of Laura Jensen as its Executive Officer. Laura has served as the Commission’s Assistant Executive Officer since 2020. In this role, she managed the Commission’s annual workplan; formulated policy papers assigned to the Commission in the Governor’s Water Resilience Portfolio on water conveyance, groundwater trading, and drought; developed the 2025 Strategic Plan that will guide the Commission’s work for the next five years; and spearheaded efforts to increase public awareness and engagement with the Commission. She brings extensive experience to the position. Prior to serving as the Commission’s Assistant Executive Officer, she managed ecosystem restoration and community programs for the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Conservancy, and served as an environmental scientist with the Department of Water Resources. Laura replaces the retiring Joseph Yun, who served in the role of Executive Officer since 2017, overseeing the formation of the Water Storage Investment Program and the Commission as it transitioned to its modern incarnation.
2025 Delta Leadership Program kicks off
“Nineteen emerging Delta leaders convened Friday at the Nature Conservancy in Sacramento for the kickoff of the 2025 Delta Leadership Program. Run by the Delta Protection Commission and the Delta Leadership Foundation, the program is designed to build and support leadership within the Delta community. “We’re making you stronger leaders so the Delta is stronger,” Leadership Foundation President Mike Campbell told the group. The group will gather four more times between now and April for daylong seminars that will provide deep dives into the Delta’s ecology, economy, heritage, regulatory framework, and more. Seminars will also hone participants’ leadership skills and serve as workshops for team projects that will be presented to the Delta Protection Commission on May 15.” Find out who made the list at the Delta Protection Commission.
Podcasts …
WATERLOOP: Providing SAFER water in California = with Adriana Renteria
About one million Californians face persistent challenges accessing safe, affordable drinking water, particularly in rural and disadvantaged communities. California’s SAFER program, led by the State Water Resources Control Board, takes a holistic and proactive approach to address these inequities, providing funding, technical assistance, and regulatory tools to ensure clean water for all. In this episode, Adriana Renteria, Director of the Office of Public Engagement, Equity, and Tribal Affairs, shares insights into her journey from a childhood shaped by water inequities to her leadership in driving solutions. She discusses the SAFER program’s unique model, which prioritizes failing water systems through needs assessments, funds community engagement, and enforces solutions like water system consolidation. Adriana highlights the role of tribal partnerships, including innovative collaborations to fill gaps in federal funding and resources. She also emphasizes the importance of rebuilding trust and transparency with communities historically left out of water decision-making.
WATER IS A MANY SPLENDOR’ED THING: Meeting of the Waters
Emergency response of the horrific wildfire that has engulfed Pacific Palisades has been slowed down by limited to no water discharging from the fire hydrants in the fire impacted areas. This has led to an opinion that California regulators direct too much water to the ocean which bypasses our reservoirs that are used for human purposes. This Water is a Many Splendor’ed Thing segment reminds us that surface water flows provide multiple benefits that serve humans and aquatic and bird life as it travels through the Delta. Reallocation of portions of this water, however, is a worthwhile endeavor when considering extreme water demands that are now happening in California. An equally important assessment is the identification of choke points which limit our current water infrastructure of pipes, pumps and reservoirs from moving water through the system. This may be a primary reason the water has not arrived at the fire hydrants. Produced by Stephen Baker, Bringing People Together to Solve Water Problems, water@operationunite.co 530-205-6388
VOICES OF THE VALLEY: The connection between farming, food, and wellness
In this episode, we explore the powerful connection between the food we eat, provided by the farmers who grow our food, and our overall health and wellness. From fueling our bodies and preventing disease to supporting a balanced lifestyle, we discuss how nutrient-rich crops play a crucial role in our well-being with insights from our health and wellness expert, Beth Sims.
In regional water news this weekend …
NORTH COAST
Pit River Tribe celebrates designation of Sátíttla Highlands as one of two new national monuments
“On January 7, 2024 the sun rose over 848,000 acres of California wilderness that’s been newly protected from the encroachment of industrialists. The land includes the sites of two new national monuments that were just signed into law by President Joe Biden as part of the America the Beautiful initiative. The new monuments federalize Chuckwalla, close to Joshua Tree National Park, as well as Sátíttla Highlands in California’s far north. The newly-designated Sátíttla Highlands National Monument straddles parts of the Modoc, Klamath, and Shasta-Trinity National Forests, on land surrounding the behemoth dormant Medicine Lake volcano. The area, known as the Sátíttla wilderness, is bejeweled with unique geological formations and sacred to both the Pit River and Modoc peoples. … ” Read more from the Shasta Scout.
BAY AREA
Marin officials laud regional sea-level adaptation plan
“With about 40 miles of low-lying bay shoreline near homes and businesses, Marin is among the Bay Area counties most threatened by rising seas, county flood officials say. “Even relatively small increases in the bay water levels will cause major flooding impacts,” said Roger Leventhal, an engineer with the Marin County Flood Control District. That’s why Leventhal, Marin planners and environmental groups are applauding the San Francisco Bay Area Conservation and Development Commission for adopting a first-of-its-kind regional shoreline adaptation plan. The playbook is designed to guide and coordinate how bayside communities, including those in Marin, protect their shores from the perils of the rising sea, which is swelling at an increasing rate. … ” Read more from the Marin Independent Journal.
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
Turlock Irrigation District board set to vote on water rate increase
“The Turlock Irrigation District board of directors will consider at its Tuesday meeting an increase to the volumetric water rate, which would be the first such increase in a decade. TID would restructure its water-rate tier system, in accordance with a study provided by NewGen Strategies and Solutions, a consulting firm headquartered in Texas. Board newcomer Becky Hackler Arellano, who hadn’t yet won her Division 4 seat when this issue was last addressed by the board on Nov. 5, said she supports the increases “for the good of future generations.” … ” Read more from the Turlock Journal.
Speaker series asks audiences to consider Tulare Lake’s past, present and future
“Speakers are lined up to offer five free public talks about Tulare Lake, a body of water that many didn’t know existed until massive flooding in the spring of 2023 prompted its rebirth and generated national headlines. “Most people in California and our area still don’t know about Tulare Lake, because this is not part of our taught history,” said organizer Barbara Brydolf. “Awareness of the lake has really only been since the recent floods and even then considered an anomaly. I want people to know and understand what the Tulare basin was like before Europeans came, what happened to ‘disappear’ the lake, and as Vivan Underhill so eloquently states, the ‘Colonial Unknowing’ that took away our responsibility for what happened.” … ” Read more from SJV Water.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
City of Chino denies sewer access to Chino Hills car wash
“A request from the applicant of a proposed car wash in Chino Hills to connect to Chino’s sewer system was rejected by the Chino City Council Tuesday night when no councilmembers made a motion to approve the hookup. PrimeWash Express Car Wash received approval from the Chino Hills Planning Commission last year to build at the southwest corner of Ramona Avenue and Chino Hills Parkway. The applicant asked the City of Chino if it would allow a connection to its sewer line because it is only 200 feet away, while the sewer line in Chino Hills is 1,200 feet away. Assistant City Engineer Jesus Plasencia said a connection to Chino Hills would cost more and require Caltrans approval because it will run under the 71 Freeway. … ” Read more from the Chino Champion.
SAN DIEGO
Judge rejects environmental groups’ claims challenging lithium extraction in Imperial Valley
“Imperial County’s plans to allow companies to mine lithium from the drying Salton Sea do not violate California’s environmental quality rules despite the concerns of local environmental justice groups, a superior court judge ruled. The Comite Civico Del Valle, a nonprofit environmental justice group based in Imperial County, took issue with an environmental impact reports’ analysis of air quality impacts of the proposed lithium mining. “It is unclear how such impacts could be analyzed in a more meaningful way, and petitioner does not suggest a method of doing so,” Imperial County Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Jones wrote in a tentative decision Thursday. “A trail of analysis with numerous ‘if/then’ forks controlled by uncertain, if not random, events (which might or might not occur in the future) can be done, but will almost certainly lead to endpoints that are speculative. The EIR adequately addresses non-speculative air quality impacts,” Jones added. … ” Read more from the Courthouse News Service.
Along the Colorado River …
Forecast: Colorado River flow to Lake Powell will only reach 81% of normal in 2025
“An early season forecast indicates Lake Powell will get only about 81% of its normal water flow because of dry conditions around much of the Upper Colorado River Basin. Officials emphasized that forecasts this early can be inaccurate, and they represent the “most probable” conditions identified by the Colorado Basin River Forecast Center (CBRFC), part of the National Weather Service. The forecast was based on data collected up until Jan. 1. Lake Powell, the nation’s second-largest reservoir, is currently 37% full, according to the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. Water released from the lake through Glen Canyon Dam flows down the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon to Lake Mead, the nation’s largest reservoir. Lake Mead is currently 34% full. … ” Read more from KLAS.
Rockies snowpack season for Colorado River basin off to rocky start
“It’s too early to make sweeping assessments of this year’s snowpack, but some signs point to a remarkably average year in the Rocky Mountains, where snow turns to water and flows down the Colorado River into ever-shrinking reservoirs. Las Vegas residents make up a portion of the 40 million people who rely on yearly flows from the river to drink, bathe, water crops or lawns, and more. Southern Nevada sources about 90 percent of its water from Lake Mead — part of a fickle river system that’s becoming drier every year and would need several consecutive, above-average years of snow to recover. “Even if we have a great snowpack year, the trends are that water supply is declining,” said Abby Burk, senior manager of The Audubon Society’s Western Rivers Program, who is based in Colorado. “We are burning through an increasingly shortened timeline by playing a zero-sum game.” … ” Read more from the Las Vegas Review-Journal.