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In California water news today …
Valley Water to vote on whether to help fund [planning costs for] Gov. Gavin Newsom’s $20 billion Delta tunnel project
“Silicon Valley’s largest water agency will vote Tuesday on whether to support Gov. Gavin Newsom’s plan to spend $20 billion to build a massive, 45-mile long tunnel under the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta to make it easier to move water from Northern California to Southern California. The board of the Santa Clara Valley Water District, a government agency based in San Jose, will consider contributing $9.7 million toward planning and geotechnical studies for the project, which it says could improve its water supply reliability — but which is also one of California’s most long-running and controversial water proposals. Newsom’s idea is to build a 36-foot diameter concrete tunnel to take water from the Sacramento River about 15 miles south of Sacramento, near the town of Courtland, and move it roughly 150 feet deep, for 45 miles under the marshes and sloughs of the Delta to the massive State Water Project pumps near Tracy, reducing reliance on them. … ” Read more from the San Jose Mercury News.
SEE ALSO: Valley Water to hold key vote on governor’s Delta tunnel project, from NBC Bay Area
‘We need to be prepared’: La Niña to bring extreme weather shifts to California
“At the beginning of the new year, California’s snowpack looked promising. On Jan. 2, the state’s Department of Water Resources measured the snowpack at 108% of average, for that date. The bomb cyclone in November and a push of winter storms in December had set up California’s mountains with a better start than last year. On the same day last year, the state’s snowpack was just 28% of average, to date. “While our snowpack looks good now, we have a long way until April when our water supply picture will be more complete,” said Department of Water Resources Director Karla Nemeth in a statement. No one knows how the rest of this winter will play out. … ” Read more from SF Gate.
Arrowhead water bottler seeks injunction after Forest Service denies pipeline permit
“The bottler of Arrowhead Mountain Spring Water on Monday asked a federal judge to issue an injunction against the U.S. Forest Service after the agency refused to renew its permit for a pipeline that runs through the San Bernardino National Forest. U.S. District Judge Jesus Bernal didn’t make a ruling on BlueTritonBrands’ request at the hearing in Riverside, California. The judge indicated he’ll issue a decision in a few days. The company, a former subsidiary of Nestlé and since last year part of Primo Brands, claims its rights to the water that percolates to the surface at Arrowhead Springs in Strawberry Canyon predate the creation of the San Bernardino National Forest in 1893. However, this past July the Forest Service ordered BlueTriton to dismantle the pipeline that it has used for decades to transport water from the springs. … ” Read more from the Courthouse News Service.
Tribal-Environmental Coalition calls for justice and equity in Bay-Delta Water Quality Plan
“Administrative comments filed last Friday by the Delta Tribal Environmental Coalition (DTEC) urge the State Water Resources Control Board (Board) to abandon unlawful private deal-making with large water diverters and instead adopt regulations that restore the health of the Bay-Delta, protect tribal uses of water and strengthen engagement with Tribes and disadvantaged communities in watershed management. DTEC’s comments are in response to the Draft Water Quality Control Plan for the Bay-Delta released by the Board in October 2024. DTEC comprises the Buena Vista Rancheria of Me-Wuk Indians, Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians, Winnemem Wintu Tribe, Little Manila Rising and Restore the Delta. Their comments focus on opportunities for the Board to fulfill its obligations to “racial equity and repair for the profound injury the State has caused to tribal sovereignty and cultural survival” and to meet its legal duties to regulate water quality for the benefit of the ecosystem, Tribes and communities that depend on it. … ” Read more from the Delta Tribal Environmental Coalition.
Sites Reservoir receives millions in federal funding
“One of California’s largest upcoming water projects, Sites Reservoir, recently received over $100 million in federal funding, according to Sites Reservoir Project officials. Under President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, $129 million has been earmarked for Sites Reservoir. The State of California already planned to invest $47 million into the project. The 1.5 million-acre-feet reservoir will be located about 75 miles northwest of Sacramento along the Sacramento River. Sites Reservoir will not utilize a dam to capture water. Instead, it will be positioned parallel to the Sacramento River, diverting excess water into the reservoir.During times of significant rainfall and snowmelt, Sites will serve as a major line of defense from flooding and ease the burden of storm management systems downriver. … ” Read more from KTXL.
Podcast: Restoring hope for imperiled Sacramento River salmon

California Department of Water Resources
“Host Dave Schlom and Producer Matt Fidler explore some of the hopeful restoration work being done to improve salmonid habitat on the Sacramento River in Northern California. First up, Dave gets a crash course in salmon life cycles and the issues causing their populations to decline with US Department of Reclamation Fish Biologist John Hannon. Then, two scientists from River Partners, an NGO based right here in Chico, join Dave to discuss restoration projects being done by the organization. Associate Director of Restoration Science Michael Rogner and Senior Restoration Ecologist Jennifer Rotnem describe work being done at various sites to improve side channels and other habitat corridors to give juvenile fish a place for rest and protection from invasive species predators like striped bass. Matt goes into the field near Chico to visit with Michael and Jennifer on-site at Indian Fishery on the Sacramento River to see and hear firsthand how habitat is being improved both for fish and communities.” Listen at North State Public Radio.
Palisades fire threatens last population of steelhead trout in the Santa Monica Mountains
“Rain might bring relief from wildfires searing Los Angeles County but could spell disaster for the only known population of Southern California steelhead trout in the Santa Monica Mountains. The destructive Palisades fire appears to have scorched the entirety of the state and federally endangered trout’s accessible habitat in Topanga Creek, a small coastal mountain stream that drains into the Pacific Ocean. But experts say the secondary effects of the fire are what pose the biggest existential threat. A heavy storm following a blaze can sweep massive amounts of sediment and charred material from the denuded hillsides into the water they inhabit — a death trap for creatures that can’t flee. Like fish. “One of our biggest concerns is … losing that last population of fish,” said Kyle Evans, an environmental program manager for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
760,000 acres of critical habitat proposed to protect imperiled frogs in California
“The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today proposed to designate 760,071 acres of critical habitat under the Endangered Species Act for the foothill yellow-legged frog. The areas to be protected lie throughout the Sierra Nevada and along the central and southern California coast. Today’s proposal is the result of a Center for Biological Diversity petition and lawsuits. It will safeguard habitat essential to the conservation and recovery of four imperiled populations of foothill yellow-legged frogs in California — in the southern Sierra Nevada foothills, North Feather River, Central Coast and South Coast. “This is good news for these little lemon-legged frogs, which will get protections for the most important rivers, creeks and adjacent areas where they live,” said Jeff Miller, a senior conservation advocate at the Center. “Foothill yellow-legged frogs are integral to stream ecosystems along California’s coast and the Sierra foothills, and safeguarding their critical habitat will give them a chance to survive and recover.” … ” Read more from the Colorado Sun.
Ninth Circuit Court affirmed the lower court’s dismissal of conservationists’ “taking” claim under Endangered Species Act, finding the suit moot
“In Friends of Gualala River v. Gualala Redwood Timber, LLC, 2024 U.S. App. LEXIS 24618, the Ninth Circuit affirmed the district court’s dismissal of Appellants’ action under 16 U.S.C. § 1540(g), concluding Appellants’ claim under the Endangered Species Act (“ESA”) is moot. Plaintiffs-Appellants Friends of Gualala River (“FOGR”) and the Center for Biological Diversity (“CBD”) (collectively, “Appellants”) sued Defendant-Appellee Gualala Redwood Timber, LLC (“GT”) for violating the ESA by logging the Gualala River floodplain and “taking” several endangered species, under the citizen suit provisions of the ESA. The underlying suit was dismissed in 2020 when FOGR and CBD jointly filed the case in the Northern District of California federal court to challenge GT’s logging plan that the plan allegedly would result in the “taking” of protected species through habitat modification and degradation. … ” Read more from the Land Use Law Blog.
Reclamation revises categorical exclusion to streamline environmental reviews
“The Bureau of Reclamation is moving forward with final revisions to seven categorical exclusions under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969. The revised categorical exclusions will allow Reclamation to complete environmental reviews more efficiently and effectively for water-related contracting, use authorizations, financial assistance, loans, and funding activities. “Revising these categorical exclusions will help Reclamation better support priority infrastructure projects, especially those under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act,” said Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Camille Calimlim Touton. “These changes are essential to ensuring timely environmental reviews, accelerating our ability to implement critical water resource projects that benefit communities across the West.” … ” Read more from the Bureau of Reclamation.
LAO: The 2025-26 Budget: Overview of the Governor’s Budget
“On January 10, 2025, Governor Newsom’s administration presented its proposed state budget to the California Legislature. In this report, we provide a brief summary of the Governor’s budget based on our initial review as of January 12. In the coming weeks, we will analyze the plan in more detail and release many additional issue-specific budget analyses.” Read the report from the Legislative Analyst’s Office.
SoCal wildfires …
Containment grows on Palisades and Eaton fires as dangerous winds are expected to return
“Containment grew on both the Eaton and the Palisades fires before anticipated dangerous winds started hitting the region. The Eaton fire, burning in Altadena and Pasadena, was 35% contained as of early Tuesday, Jan. 14, officials said, and the fire did not expand beyond the 14,117 acres reported burned as of Sunday. Near the coast, fire crews had 17% containment of the Palisades fire, while the fire expanded minimally to 23,713 acres, according to Cal Fire. The growth has been “very little,” said Jim Hudson of Cal Fire Incident Management Team 2, a positive, though a red flag fire weather warning is in place in the area. Containment, the percentage of a blaze’s border not expected to swell, increased several percentage points for each of the six-day-old fires. … ” Read more from the LA Daily News.
As recovery efforts in LA move forward, powerful new winds threaten progress
“While Los Angeles officials are making progress in fire containment and search and recovery efforts, extreme fire danger threatens LA and Ventura counties over the next few days. Strong winds — reaching gusts of up to 70 mph — will create dangerous conditions and the possibility of new wildfires, even as multiple blazes continue to burn across already decimated areas. “Severe fire weather conditions will continue through Wednesday. Please be assured that all fire departments and all law enforcement agencies in the area will be prepared,” Los Angeles County Fire Department Chief Anthony Marrone said during a press conference on Monday. “The anticipated winds combined with low humidities and low fuel moistures will keep the fire threat in all of Los Angeles County critical.” … ” Read more from NPR.
What caused the LA fires? We explain what’s known so far and how fire causes are determined
“Investigations are underway into the causes of the Eaton and Palisades fires — two of the most deadly wildfires in state history. But how, exactly, do people determine what caused a wildfire? LAist spoke with two veteran wildfire investigators to find out. Many media outlets have reported that investigators are looking into whether the Palisades Fire may be a re-kindling of an earlier fire caused by fireworks on New Years Eve. Meanwhile, investigators are studying a electrical transmission line in the Eaton Canyon area as a possible source of the Eaton Fire, according to the L.A. Times. The utility Southern California Edison denies its lines are responsible and says it has not been officially accused of causing the fire. Multiple lawsuits have already been filed against the company. … ” Read more from the LAist.
Lawsuits blame SCE, LADWP for Eaton and Palisades fires
“The wind-driven wildfires that devoured thousands of homes in Los Angeles County, turning whole neighborhoods into moonscapes, have yet to be extinguished, but the legal battles are already beginning. At least three suits representing more than a dozen victims were filed Monday, Jan. 13, in Los Angeles County Superior Court against Southern California Edison, blaming the utility for igniting the Eaton fire, which reduced areas of Altadena to rubble and caused 16 deaths. Attorneys were poised Monday to file more suits in the catastrophic Pacific Palisades blaze, signaling a wildfire of litigation. The legal complaints in the Eaton fire allege the 14,117-acre blaze was caused by sparks from Edison high-voltage power lines that were not “de-energized” despite the high threat of fire. Two of the suits say a resident near the area where the fire was first reported noticed the power flicker minutes before the blaze began. … ” Read more from the LA Daily News.
SEE ALSO: Los Angeles utility sued over Palisades Fire water shortage, court filing shows, from Reuters
Pacific Palisades had a fireworks problem. Now one may have caused a disaster
“Few recent Pacific Palisades Community Council meetings ended without residents in the fire-prone community complaining about teens launching fireworks into the sky over bone-dry vegetation and treacherous terrain. Whether near the recreation center in town or on dirt trails in the mountains on the outskirts, residents would voice their frustrations over the nonchalant behavior in a community designated as among the state’s most hazardous by California fire officials. “There have been problems lately with teens and firecrackers, and it seems to come up at almost every PPCC meeting,” said Sue Kohl, president of the council that meets a couple times a month. Kohl and most of her neighbors lost their homes. Now, what some residents saw as innocent teen hijinks could be at the heart of an investigation into a deadly inferno that killed at least eight people and destroyed at least 1,200 structures. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
LA fires: Why fast wildfires and those started by human activities are more destructive and harder to contain
“Investigators are trying to determine what caused several wind-driven wildfires that have destroyed thousands of homes across the Los Angeles area in January 2025. Given the fires’ locations, and lack of lightning at the time, it’s likely that utility infrastructure, other equipment or human activities were involved. California’s wildfires have become increasingly destructive in recent years. Research my colleagues and I have conducted shows U.S. wildfires are up to four times larger and three times more frequent than they were in the 1980s and ’90s. Fast-moving fires have been particularly destructive, accounting for 78% of structures destroyed and 61% of suppression costs between 2001 and 2020. Lightning strikes are a common cause of U.S. wildfires, but the majority of wildfires that threaten communities are started by human activities. … ” Read more from The Conversation.
Water tanks in the sky: Firefighting planes help ground crews combat California wildfires
“Fighting the deadly wildfires in Southern California requires a coordinated team effort – from tactical crews attacking hazardous hot spots on the ground to planes and helicopters providing fire suppression from the air. Specialized aircraft are dropping massive amounts of water and colorful fire retardant to aid thousands of firefighters on the ground – and some fly breathtakingly low to do it. The water and chemicals dropped by aircraft aren’t designed to completely extinguish wildfires by themselves, though they can be used to significantly reduce fires to allow access to ground crews. Instead, they’re often used to build a barrier called a fire line, a strip of land that has been cleared of flammable material down to bare soil. Fire lines can contain or slow a wildfire. … ” Read more from the USA Today.
Cheat sheet: Everything LA residents need to know about water advisories
“Water departments across L.A. County, including the L.A. Department of Water and Power and Pasadena Water and Power, have issued water advisories for residents near the Palisades and Eaton fires. Because the fires have opened up the potential for contaminants to get in the water system, these notices offer guidelines for how to use the water safely if you’re in an affected area. There are three types of advisories in effect right now due to the wildfires. Here’s what advisories are active, what they each mean and what you should do if they affect your area. … ” Read more from the LAist.
SEE ALSO: Contaminated drinking water is a growing concern for cities facing wildfires, from the Associated Press
Newsom expands special session, proposes $2.5 billion for LA fire response and recovery
“Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday expanded a special session for California lawmakers to respond to deadly wildfires tearing through Los Angeles County and asked the legislature to approve $2.5 billion to aid response and recovery efforts. Newsom had originally called the special session in November to funnel millions in additional dollars to the state Department of Justice in preparation for incoming President Donald Trump’s second term, which begins next Monday. “California is organizing a Marshall Plan to help Los Angeles rebuild faster and stronger – including billions in new and accelerated state funding so we can move faster to deliver for the thousands who’ve lost their homes and livelihoods in these firestorms,” the governor said in a statement. “To the people of Los Angeles: We have your back.” … ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee.
Newsom proposes $2.5 billion for wildfire response as L.A. burns
“Gov. Gavin Newsom asked legislative leaders Monday to approve at least $2.5 billion in response to the wildfires that have ravaged Los Angeles County — a move that expands the focus of the special session in the California Capitol beyond strictly fighting President-elect Donald Trump. The aid request comes as Democrats at the Capitol find themselves under mounting pressure to spend less time waging a national political battle against Trump as unprecedented blazes have left at least 25 dead and a trail of destruction in their own state. Newsom issued a proclamation that broadens the scope of the special session and calls for the Legislature to approve $1 billion for emergency response, cleanup and recovery in Los Angeles County, which the state hopes to recover through the Federal Emergency Management Agency. … ” Read more from the LAist.
SEE ALSO: Governor Newsom proposes billions in new funding for L.A. firestorm response and recovery, press release from the Office of the Governor
Can California use ocean salt water to put out fires? Here are three key factors for L.A. firefighters
“As the Palisades and Eaton fires continue to scorch Southern California, helpless spectators are raising questions about whether there are better ways to tame the flames. While some fire hydrants in Los Angeles ran dry amid the extreme wildfires, people wondered if firefighters could use salt water from the ocean instead of depleting fresh water sources. The short answer is yes, they can — but it’s more complicated than simply going to the beach to transport water to the hillsides of L.A. Here are a few key factors to know about how seawater is being used for firefighting — and some of its limitations … ” Read more from CBS News.
FIRE, WATER, AND POLITICS
Trump’s misinformation about LA fires fuels concerns over future disaster aid for California
“While firefighters battle unprecedented blazes in Southern California, Democratic state leaders are bracing for a different fight ahead: a potential clash with the administration of President-elect Donald Trump over disaster aid. In the days after the deadly fires broke out amid bone-dry conditions and hurricane-force winds, Trump posted more than half a dozen social media statements blaming Gov. Gavin Newsom and local leaders for the fires. Trump falsely tied the urban fires to state water policies and environmental protections for the Delta smelt, a tiny, endangered fish. Conservative politicians and commentators, including billionaire Elon Musk, piled on, blaming forest management and even DEI initiatives. But it’s not just the rhetoric that concerns state leaders: In Trump’s first term, he refused to send disaster relief funds to California, until an aide showed him how many people voted for him in one of the impacted areas. Last fall, Trump made a direct threat, saying if Newsom wouldn’t send more water to Central Valley farmers, “we won’t give him money to put out all his fires.” While President Joe Biden pledged federal support over the past week, discussions are underway between Trump and congressional Republicans about tying future fire aid to debt ceiling negotiations. … ” Read more from KQED.
Dan Walters: As LA fires rage, Governor Newsom and Mayor Bass are targets in the blame game
“When catastrophe strikes, its victims understandably want to know how and why — but their curiosity often morphs into snap judgments and witch hunts by those with ulterior motives. The horribly destructive wildfires sweeping through Los Angeles County neighborhoods have become fodder for irresponsible, fact-free finger pointing, mostly aimed at Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and Gov. Gavin Newsom. Social media have erupted with vituperative attacks on both figures, alleging that they, either by actions or inactions, allowed the firestorms to destroy thousands of homes and claim dozens of lives. One expertly produced fake video depicts Newson and Bass playing fiddles, Nero-like, while the city burns. President-elect Donald Trump started the campaign of misinformation by very quickly pinning the fires on Newsom, who has been one of his sharpest critics. But his broadside made absolutely no sense. … ” Read more from Cal Matters.
SEE MORE:
- Biden approved LA wildfire aid. But Trump will control spending, from E&E News
- Trump Says Newsom’s ‘Refusal’ To Sign ‘Water Restoration Declaration’ Led to Shortage in LA Fires, from Snopes
- Are the Resnicks “hoarding” water while LA burns? No, from SJV Water
- Column: With attacks on the lowly delta smelt, Trump and the GOP launch baseless claims about fire and water, from Michael Hiltzik at the LA Times
- Water? Flame-retardant? What does Trump pour on L.A. fires? Gasoline, commentary from Jack Ohman at the San Francisco Chronicle
- Did climate change fuel the LA wildfires?, from the Western Farm Press
In regional water news and commentary today …
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
Commentary: Fast tracking new land use changes would only elevate Tahoe’s already dangerous wildfire threats
Pamela Mahoney Tsigdinos writes, “On Monday, Jan. 6, Washoe County planners held the first of two barely noticed workshops to discuss proposed, far-reaching changes to the Washoe Tahoe Area Plan (TAP). These changes didn’t come from Tahoe community members. They originated with a Portland-based consulting firm tapped by the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) with help from developers prioritizing their bottom lines, not public safety. Together, they advanced a high-density urban infill model best suited to large cities. The public heard about TRPA’s proposal from a confusing patchwork of meetings and presentations in 2023 that were met with widespread public concerns and disapproval and one lawsuit. More than a year has passed since TRPA approved its controversial land use amendments. Tahoe-facing counties, however, share land use, construction permitting, and building plan decision-making power. … ” Read more from the Nevada Current.
NAPA/SONOMA
Russian River communities felt blindsided by recent changes to flood zones
“Nick Schwanz went to a Sonoma County Board of Supervisors meeting in November to weigh in on a particular agenda item. He was surprised to learn, however, that another item, which appeared to be a routine and technical set of zoning adjustments, actually carried huge implications for his community. Schwanz, a board member of the Russian River Chamber of Commerce, quickly pivoted and became one of the few to comment on an apparent change to the federal flood zones that could affect insurance rates, property values and building especially along the lower Russian River. “As far I know this isn’t on anybody’s map,” Schwanz said. Supervisors, too, seemed taken by surprise. … ” Read more from the Santa Rosa Press Democrat.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
SCV Water discusses supply after narrow miss
“Responding to concerns circulating online, Santa Clarita Valley Water Agency officials said Monday the supply was not in any danger last week as firefighting efforts nearly surrounded the SCV, despite a local request to cut back on water usage until early Friday morning. Questions about water pressure in the city of Los Angeles, which brought pointed questions during a recent news conference, made some ask whether SCV residents dodged a bullet last week. In December, State Water Project maintenance on local pipelines, planned months in advance, prompted SCV Water to ask residents to lessen their outdoor watering for a week starting Jan. 6. As the winds approached 100 mph Jan. 7 and fires began to burn out of control in Pacific Palisades and Altadena, state officials called off the SCV work and the normal water operations resumed. … ” Read more from The Signal.
After reports of dry hydrants amid Palisades fire, Laguna Beach officials highlight resilience of local water infrastructure
“Local officials highlighted ongoing efforts to ensure Laguna Beach has enough water getting to hydrants so firefighters can do their jobs during a news conference Monday, after returning from a visit to fire-ravaged Pacific Palisades. Mayor Alex Rounaghi and City Manager Dave Kiff checked in with firefighters stationed in the Huntington Palisades neighborhood over the weekend before hosting a Zoom session with reporters. They were joined by Laguna Beach Fire Chief Niko King and Laguna Beach County Water District General Manager Keith Van Der Maaten. “I was just struck by how much it looks like Laguna Beach,” Kiff said of the community on the edge of the Palisades fire’s reach. “Parts of it, especially areas where we drove through, you could picture it being Skyline [Drive in Laguna Beach]. I mean, just the structure of the road, how narrow it is, how much vegetation is around.” … ” Read more from the LA Times.
SAN DIEGO
San Diego has driest start to water year in recorded history
“San Diego County is experiencing the driest start to the water year in recorded history, according to meteorologists, but some climatologists are hopeful that a La Niña could mean rain on the horizon. The meteorological water year — the “rainy season” — starts on Oct. 1 and, so far, San Diego County has only received a little over a tenth of an inch of rain, leaving a rain deficit of almost four inches. As a result, moisture in vegetation, both in living and dead plants, is at critically dry levels, making them far more flammable in the event of wildfires. “So the longer we go into January, the worse it gets, right? And now we have fallen into first place,” National Weather Service Meteorologist Alex Tardy said. “So we’ve never seen a time since 1860 that has started off our rainy season, or the winter or the water year this dry.” … ” Read more from NBC 7.
Along the Colorado River …
Colorado’s snowpack is average for January despite near-record warm conditions
“Colorado’s mountain snowpack is hovering around average so far this winter despite flatlining snowfall in December. While winter recreationists might watch the buildup of snow in Colorado’s mountains with skiing or snowmobiling in mind, many water managers are watching for one thing: water supply. The state’s snowpack is a vital frozen reservoir for communities across Colorado, 19 downstream states and Mexico — one that is being strained by rising temperatures and prolonged drought. As of Monday, the snowpack measured slightly below normal for early January, at 95% of the median between 1991 and 2020, according to federal data. “It’s pretty close, in the grand scheme of things, to where you’d expect to be at this point in the winter,” said Russ Schumacher, Colorado state climatologist and a professor at Colorado State University. … ” Read more from the Colorado Sun.
Stable on the Colorado River: When “good” is not good enough
“Preliminary year-end Colorado River numbers are stark. Total basin-wide storage for the last two years has stabilized, oscillating between 30 and 27 maf (million acre-feet), where storage sits at the start of 2025[1]. That is lower than any sustained period since the River’s reservoirs were built (Fig. 1). Stable is better than declining, but we did not succeed in rebuilding reservoir storage during 2024’s excellent snowpack but modest inflow. Although reservoir storage significantly increased after the gangbuster 2023 snowmelt year, we have not protected the storage gained in 2024 when inflow to Lake Powell was ~85% of normal from a 130% of normal snowpack. We can’t rely on frequent repeats of 2023; we must do better at increasing storage in modest inflow years like 2024. … ” Read more from the Inkstain blog.
In national water news today …
Chemicals in sewage sludge fertilizer pose cancer risk, EPA says
“Harmful chemicals in sewage sludge spread on pasture as fertilizer pose a risk to people who regularly consume milk, beef and other products from those farms, in some cases raising cancer risk “several orders of magnitude” above what the Environmental Protection Agency considers acceptable, federal officials announced Tuesday. When cities and towns treat sewage, they separate the liquids from the solids and treat the liquid. The solids need to be disposed of and can make a nutrient-rich sludge often spread on farm fields. The agency now says those solids often contain toxic, lasting PFAS that treatment plants cannot effectively remove. When people eat or drink foods containing these “forever” chemicals, the compounds accumulate in the body and can cause kidney, prostate and testicular cancer. They harm the immune system and childhood development. … ” Read more from Fox News.
Supreme Court rejects climate, lands, wind, air battles
“The Supreme Court is staying out of heated legal fights over the oil industry’s responsibility to pay up for climate change, ownership of public lands in Utah, environmental review of a major offshore wind project and EPA’s crackdown on smog-forming pollution. In a long list of orders issued Monday, the justices declined to reconsider a 2023 Hawaii Supreme Court ruling that advanced claims from Honolulu officials that fossil fuel producers knowingly lied to the public about the danger of their products and should help foot the bill for flooding, wildfires and other climate impacts. The high court’s decision to stay out of the Hawaii case could have sweeping effects: Nearly 40 U.S. cities, states and counties have brought similar litigation in state courts against Exxon Mobil, Chevron and other major oil companies. Industry lawyers have warned that the cases will continue to multiply without Supreme Court intervention. … ” Read more from E&E News.