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On the calendar today …
- WORKSHOP SERIES: Bay Delta Plan, Sacramento/Delta update, the last workshop of the series, beginning at 9am. The State Water Board will hold a workshop series on the draft Sacramento/Delta update to the Bay-Delta Plan. This is the last of five workshops. The topic is Topic: Potential Provision to Protect Base Delta Outflows During Drought Periods (Alternative 5a) and Potential Provision to Protect VA Flows and the Base They Are Added to From New Projects (Alternative 6a.) It is also the last opportunity to provide public comment on the Bay Delta Plan. Click here for the meeting notice.
- MEETING: Delta Stewardship Council beginning at 9:30am. Agenda items include Consideration and Possible Adoption of a Determination on Appeals of Department of Water Resources Certification of Consistency for Delta Conveyance Project Proposed Geotechnical Activities. Click here for the full agenda.
In California water news today …
DWR submits petition to extend water rights permit

“The Department of Water Resources yesterday filed a petition with the State Water Resources Control Board to extend the timeframe to maximize its existing water rights. This is an important component of meeting the State’s climate change preparedness goals and the potential to develop additional storage of water and would help support virtually every major water initiative underway. These include California’s Water Supply Strategy: Adapting to a Hotter, Drier Future, the Department’s Climate Adaptation Plan, the Healthy Rivers and Landscapes Program, the state’s water quality control plan, and all efforts for water reliability in and through the Delta. The State Water Project has several water right permits granted by the State Water Board. These water rights provide permission to use a certain amount of water for beneficial purposes and the Department seeks to extend the timeframe for maximizing that amount of water. … ” Read more from DWR.
U.S. EPA urges swift action on Bay-Delta Plan in support of Tribal and Bay-Delta communities
“On January 10, 2025, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sent the following letter to the State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board) in regards to two petitions filed with the EPA by the Delta Tribal Environmental Coalition (DTEC) in December 2022. DTEC includes the Buena Vista Rancheria of Me-Wuk Indians, Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians, Winnemem Wintu Tribe, Little Manila Rising and Restore the Delta. The first petition was a Title VI civil rights complaint accepted by the EPA for investigation, asserting discriminatory practices and disparate impacts against California Tribes and communities of color in the Delta region by the State Water Board. The second petition, which EPA did not officially take action on, pertained to Clean Water Act violations due to the State Water Board’s failure to complete the Bay-Delta Plan as consistent with the law. … ” Read more from Restore the Delta.
Tulare County Farm Bureau donates $10K to Kings County Farm Bureau legal fund
“Tulare County Farm Bureau’s $10,000 contribution to the Kings County Farm Bureau’s legal defense fund has inspired donations from several of its members. The donations will help support the farm bureau’s legal fight against the California State Water Resources Control Board, which farm bureau members believe overreached in enforcing the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA). On April 16, 2024, the 837-square-mile Tulare Lake Subbasin, which is almost entirely in Kings County, was put on probation for “groundwater over pumping” and as a consequence, groundwater pumpers in the basin were to be assessed $300 per well and $20 per acre-foot of water. In May, however, Kings County Farm Bureau formed the SGMA Defense Fund to contest these and other sanctions that were to be imposed by the water board. … ” Read more from the Visalia Times-Delta.
Point Buckler sold at Solano County auction
“Point Buckler Island, a private island in the Suisun Marsh once on the market for $70 Million, was sold for $3,783,270.24 to an unnamed bidder, reportedly a representative of the John Muir Land Trust. Moments after the auction on the steps of the Solano County Hall of Justice, the island’s former owner John Sweeney, and his wife Jennifer Frost, were arrested by Solano County Sheriff’s Department Deputies who took them immediately to the Old Solano Courthouse. There, Judge Christine A. Carringer set a preliminary hearing for contempt of court for both Sweeney and Frost, who must return on Feb. 5 at 10 a.m. If Sweeney and Frost do not return, the judge said, she will issue no-bail bench warrants for their arrest. … ” Read more from the Daily Reporter.
California snow forecast: Here’s where to expect flurries
“A long January dry spell across California will finally be interrupted this weekend as a cold low-pressure system brings snow showers to the lowest elevations so far this winter. Thursday and Friday will be dry and warm across the state, but a big temperature swing is in store Saturday. The low-pressure system set to bring snow will drop from Canada straight toward California and draw in much colder air in its wake. Because the system is spinning up over land, rather than moving off the Pacific Ocean, it will be moisture-starved. It should ingest just enough moisture to result in rain and snow showers in Central and Southern California, but some uncertainty remains. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
California leading the way with 30×30: Where do our rivers fit in?
“California launched an ambitious plan in 2020 to conserve 30% of its lands and coastal waters by the year 2030. Initiated by an executive order from Governor Newsom, in just five years the “30 x 30” Plan has already made significant progress. This collaborative effort has brought together conservationists, scientists, policymakers, and communities to protect vital ecosystems, increase access to nature, and preserve biodiversity hotspots. However, as we near realization of these goals, an important question arises: how do freshwater systems (like the Yuba) fit into this plan? At SYRCL, we believe the protection of freshwater resources is crucial to the success of 30×30. However, freshwater resources are largely overlooked in the plan when it comes to protecting additional areas. … ” Read more from the South Yuba River Citizens League.
Quantifying the upside of more lawns

“A respected advocate for farming interests in California once explained to me that every acre of lawn requires 5 acre feet of water per year. The unsubtle implication was that the more lawn we kill, the less water we waste. But this is zero sum thinking. How much lawn are we talking about, and how much water? In August 2023, the editorial board of the Los Angeles Times offered their unequivocal take on lawns with a column titled “Say Goodbye to Grass.” They claimed that the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California has 218,000 acres of turf in their service area, and 23 percent of that is deemed “nonfunctional.” Let’s suppose that 50 percent of Met’s sprawling service area is within Los Angeles County. That would mean that 109,000 acres of turf (“functional” and “nonfunctional”) are requiring 545,000 acre feet of water per year to keep green. The horror. But is any lawn “nonfunctional?” … ” Read more from the California Policy Center.
Trump’s executive order
Trump wants to upend California water policy. State officials say it could do harm
“In one of the first acts of his second term, President Trump is seeking to put his stamp on California water policy by directing the federal government to put “people over fish” and send more water from Northern California to the Central Valley’s farms and Southern California cities. Trump issued a memorandum Monday ordering federal agencies to restart work to “route more water” from the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta to other parts of the state “for use by the people there who desperately need a reliable water supply.” Trump directed his Interior and Commerce secretaries to report back on their efforts to implement the new policy by April 20. His order left unclear precisely how his administration will seek to carry out that objective. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
Debate over Trump’s water order: farmers cheer, environmentalists express concern
“President Donald Trump has signed an executive order titled “Putting People Over Fish: Stopping Radical Environmentalism to Provide Water to Southern California. ” This order could redirect water from the Shasta Dam and other sources to Los Angeles and Central Valley farmers. The order instructs federal officials to resume efforts from Trump’s first term to reroute water from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta to other parts of California, including the federal Central Valley Project. The regulations have sparked debate among federal officials, environmentalists, farm groups, and scientists due to concerns about the endangered delta smelt, a fish species on the brink of extinction. … ” Read more from Action News Now.
Valley water players praise Trump’s “People over Fish” order
“President Trump’s “Putting People over Fish” executive action was met with praise among some of the Central Valley’s major water stakeholders. Trump’s executive order, issued Monday shortly after he was inaugurated, promises a return to policies developed during his first term that will increase water supplies to the region from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. Driving the news: Under Trump’s order, the Secretary of Commerce and Secretary of the Interior are to immediately restart the work from his first administration to route more water from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta to other parts of the state. Both secretaries are ordered to report back to Trump on their progress within 90 days. … ” Read more from the San Joaquin Valley Sun.
Advocacy groups concerned about ‘people over salmon’ executive order
“Out of 26 orders signed by President Donald Trump on Inauguration Day, one has drawn the ire of pro-salmon groups in California. The order, titled “Putting People over Fish: Stopping Radical Environmentalism to Provide Water to Southern California,” calls on federal agencies to divert water from Northern California down south — which could change flows on the Trinity River. Two salmon advocacy groups based out of California and Gov. Gavin Newsom called out misinformation in the order in respective press releases. … But what Regina Chichizola, executive director of Orleans-based Save California Salmon, is most concerned about is the effects on the Trinity River, a major tributary to the Klamath, in the next four years. “We’re really going to have to fight to keep water in the Trinity River under the Trump administration,” she said. … ” Read more from the Eureka Times-Standard.
‘A salmon extinction plan’: How Trump’s executive orders on climate could impact California
“President Donald Trump’s sweeping agenda to reverse national policies combating global warming has taken direct aim at climate-leading California. In a series of executive orders, the Trump administration signaled it would promote the fossil fuel industry and curtail renewable and clean energy programs, on the heels of the hottest year on record. Trump also targeted environmental protections, even those for a tiny fish in San Francisco Bay. The Trump administration said it aimed to “promote true consumer choice” and “market competition,” according to the orders. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
Trump says a ‘valve’ can solve California’s water woes. Experts say it’s not true.
“It’s one of California’s thorniest problems. The nation’s most populous state is full of sprawling cities, vast farmland, rich ecosystems — and it must decide how to divide scarce water resources among them. But for President Donald Trump, the solution is simple: Turn a valve and more water will flow. “Los Angeles has massive amounts of water available to it,” Trump said at a news conference Tuesday. “All they have to do is turn the valve.” As Trump prepares to visit Los Angeles, which has been ravaged by wildfires, on Friday, he has offered different theories for how Southern California could get more water to fight fires. He is blaming a minnow-sized fish, claiming water can be diverted from Canada and suggesting a single valve could be turned to solve the state’s water woes. … ” Read more from the Washington Post.
Dan Walters: Trump jumps back into California’s water wars with a pro-farmer decree
“It would be impossible to overstate the complexity of water supply management in California. Hundreds of federal, state and local agencies decree who or what is supplied with water, when and how much will be delivered, and the prices recipients must pay. Moreover, there are policy differences within those broad categories. For instance, local agricultural water agencies and municipal providers to homes and businesses often have different priorities. The politics of water are even more convoluted, involving not only the public agencies but seemingly countless outside stakeholders, ranging from developers who need water supply commitments for their projects to commercial fishermen who want to protect spawning salmon. The proliferation of competing agendas explains why it is so difficult to reach the consensus needed to move policy forward. It’s not unusual for proposed projects and policies to kick around for years, if not decades, before something concrete occurs. … ” Read more from Dan Walters.
SEE ALSO: Trump’s water war with California could benefit his golf course, from E&E News
SoCal fires
New fire erupts in Southern California as thousands remain under evacuation from fast-moving Hughes Fire
“Firefighters are tackling a new brush fire — dubbed the Sepulveda Fire — near Interstate 405 and Sepulveda Blvd in Los Angeles. The fire sparked hours after fire crews started to achieve some containment on the Hughes Fire, which spread rapidly Wednesday afternoon in a Los Angeles County suburb. An evacuation warning for the brush fire was issued for some residents in Sherman Oaks around 11:40 p.m. Wednesday — the warning has since been lifted, but smoke could be seen in the area near locations including campuses for UCLA and for Mount Saint Mary’s University-Los Angeles. Also nearby are the Getty Center, whose spokesperson told the Los Angeles Times it implemented fire protection protocols, as well as pricey real estate valued in the tens of millions of dollars, according to local listings. … ” Read more from CNN.
Rain forecasts bring relief as California fires blaze, but there’s a chance of mudslides
“Much-needed rain is expected across drought-stricken and wildfire-ravaged areas of Southern California this weekend, weather officials said, but with it comes the threat of mudslides and a new set of problems. “Just about every location in coastal Southern California, as well as the Southern California mountains, should get in on some showers this weekend,” according to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Dave Houk in an online forecast Wednesday. A 60% to 80% chance of thunderstorms is anticipated in the area beginning Saturday, which could bring up to two inches of rainfall, Ryan Kittell, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service’s office for Los Angeles, told USA TODAY Wednesday. … ” Read more from USA Today.
After the fire: Rain on wildfire burn scars can trigger deadly debris flows – a geologist explains how
“While firefighters work to extinguish the Los Angeles-area wildfires, city officials and emergency managers are also worried about what could come next. The potential for rain the weekend of Jan. 25-26 could help tamp down the fires. But rain can also trigger dangerous floods and debris flows on burned hillslopes. These flows can move with the speed of a freight train, picking up or destroying anything in their path, and move tons of sediment during a single storm, as Montecito, just up the coast from L.A., saw in 2018. What causes these debris flows, sometimes called mudflows, and why are they so common and dangerous after a fire? I am a geologist whose research focuses on pyrogeomorphology, which is how fire affects the land. Here’s what we know. … ” Read more from The Conversation.
Governor Newsom deploys specialized debris flow teams to Southern California ahead of wet weather
“With anticipated rain in the forecast, Governor Gavin Newsom is mobilizing the full-force of the state government to protect recent burn scar areas and prepare for mudslides. Through proactive coordination across various departments and agencies, highly trained teams and specialized equipment are prepositioning to help protect the communities and natural resources impacted by the recent firestorms in Los Angeles from possible debris flows. “Even before we saw rain on the horizon in Los Angeles, I directed my departments and agencies to act fast to protect neighborhoods from potentially hazardous debris flows. By stationing resources and staff in key locations, we can help make a difference as we transition from fire response to storm preparedness,” said Governor Newsom. … ” Read more from Governor Newsom.
Malibu and Palisades residents prepare for debris removal and rainfall risks
“Malibuites and their Palisades neighbors impacted by the Palisades Fire and those affected by the Franklin Fire in early December need to remove debris from their property caused by the disasters. Further, to the extent possible, many landowners hope to act proactively to protect both their charred hillsides and landscapes and structures from suffering landslides and mudslides. Building on his Jan. 12 executive order to direct fast action to clear debris from the affected areas to mitigate any damages that could be caused by mudslides and flooding when rains come, Gov. Gavin Newsom on Jan. 15 signed an executive order authorizing the Environmental Protection Agency to begin Phase 1 of hazardous waste removal. By the next day, EPA officials were on the ground assessing properties and starting the staging work to begin hazardous household waste removal. The Federal Emergency Management Agency has allocated $100 million to the EPA to begin this work. … ” Read more from the Malibu Times.
Los Angeles County board approves emergency measures to address post-fire debris flows
“In response to the devastation caused by recent wildfires, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved an emergency motion, led by Supervisors Lindsey P. Horvath and Kathryn Barger, to mitigate debris flow risks and accelerate cleanup efforts in affected communities. “This motion directs swift action to prevent dangerous debris flows and protect our water and air quality in fire-impacted areas,” Supervisor Horvath said in a statement. “With support from Governor Newsom’s Executive Order and partnerships with federal and state agencies, we are clearing hazardous debris, stabilizing flood-prone areas, and safeguarding critical infrastructure. Together, we’re taking urgent, coordinated steps to ensure a sustainable recovery.” … ” Read more from the Santa Monica Mirror.
Electric line ignites in Eaton Canyon 10 days after wildfire
“An electric line that was repaired after the deadly Eaton wildfire caught fire last week, although emergency crews positioned nearby were able to quickly extinguish the flames. Video and photos of the Friday evening fire show flames across an electric wire connected to Southern California Edison’s distribution lines in Eaton Canyon. Debris from the line fell to the ground and continued to burn until firefighters put it out. David Eisenhauer, an Edison spokesman, said the company was aware of the Friday incident but found that it happened on “customer-owned equipment.” The company had not discovered any problems with its distribution lines in the area at that time, he said. The line was less than a mile from Edison’s transmission tower that is a focus of investigators probing the Eaton wildfire that has killed at least 17 people and destroyed thousands of homes. Edison executives have said their early investigation showed the utility’s equipment didn’t ignite the wildfire on Jan. 7. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
Hundreds of tiny endangered fish saved from Palisades burn area — in the nick of time
“The rescue team donned waders and marched into a murky Malibu lagoon scorched by the Palisades fire. Their mission: Save the lives of northern tidewater gobies, a tiny endangered fish. The destructive wildfire had stripped the slopes of the nearby Santa Monica Mountains and now rain could send a tremendous amount of sediment flowing into Topanga Lagoon, a death trap for fish. The squad encompassing biologists from several government agencies mobilized late last week to try to capture the swamp-colored, semi-translucent gobies before a storm arrived. But success wasn’t guaranteed. It was a seasonal population lowpoint for the species, which hunkers down in winter under rocks and vegetation. And a sandbar that had severed Topanga Lagoon from the Pacific Ocean had been swept away by high tides and an influx of water used for firefighting — an unnatural breach that could flush them into the surf. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
L.A. fires are bringing ash 100 miles offshore. Here’s how scientists think it could impact oceans
“The Eaton and Palisades fires have changed life for thousands of Los Angeles residents. Now, scientists are investigating how the blazes may also impact marine life some hundreds of miles offshore. Scientists aboard a research vessel off the California coast were collecting samples when the fires broke out. Despite their distance from the blazes, smoke carried by intense Santa Ana winds scattered ash and debris atop the ocean surface. The scientists “were sending these pictures that should have been plankton but instead (were) all these big pieces of ash,” said Julie Dinasquet, a marine microbiologist at UC San Diego’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography. Smoke and ash from wildfires are linked to a number of serious health problems in humans, including heart disease, asthma and certain types of cancer and dementia. It’s a bit more unclear how wildfire smoke pollution impacts ocean species. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
The impact of the Southern California fires
“These past two weeks have been extraordinarily difficult for California. Two historic fires—the Palisades and Eaton fires—along with several smaller fires have burned more than 35,000 acres, devouring neighborhoods near Los Angeles and leaving thousands of Californians homeless. So many Californians have been touched by this tragedy—even if you don’t live in Southern California. Many of us have friends and family who have been evacuated or who have seen their homes burn to the ground. Even after the winds and flames subside, we know that people will need help for months and years to come. A continuing focus on supporting communities as they recover—especially those who lacked insurance when the fires hit—will be vitally important. … ” Read more from the PPIC.
Boiling won’t help. Explaining the Palisades and Altadena ‘Do Not Use’ water alerts
“At least eight water districts in Los Angeles County — six in the Altadena area and two in the Malibu/Palisades area — have issued do-not-use or do-not-drink water advisories since the Eaton and Palisades fires began burning earlier this month, meaning customers should not use that water until they get the all-clear. If you’re wondering how fires can make drinking water dangerous, the first thing to understand is this: The structures where we work and shop, dine and sleep and just generally live our lives are full of materials that release toxic waste when those materials burn. The examples are numerous. Couches and mattresses, TVs and refrigerators, tires and toys, even clothes are full of polyurethane and plastics, which vaporize into a toxic smoke once they’re set on fire, said Dr. Gina Solomon, chief of the Division of Occupational, Environmental and Climate Medicine at UC San Francisco. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
DWR’s responds to Los Angeles fires
“DWR is deploying over 30 engineers, watershed experts, and support staff to the LA region to direct fire mitigation work in burn scars and protect downstream communities. Our teams are working with over 500 California Conservation Corps members to assess damaged sites, determine what types of Emergency Protective Measures are needed for watershed protection, and direct crews to place those materials to reduce contamination into waterways and control erosion. This critical work will help ensure the region is ready for any weather the region may see for the rest of this winter.” Watch video from DWR.
ACWA statement on Southern California wildfires
“The Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA) is working to support our member agencies impacted by catastrophic wildfires. ACWA President Cathy Green issued the following statement regarding the fires: “ACWA recognizes the immense challenges water agencies face in Southern California as they work tirelessly to provide assistance, manage resources, and help the firefighting efforts. The dedication and resilience displayed by those agencies and their employees in such extreme circumstances is truly admirable. “Climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of climate-driven disasters, including storms, floods, droughts, and catastrophic wildfires. This is why ACWA and its member agencies have advocated during the past two decades for further state and federal investment into advancing forest and headwaters health.” … ” Continue reading from ACWA.
FIRE, WATER, AND POLITICS
- What Trump can (and can’t) do to disrupt Los Angeles wildfire aid, from The Grist
- Trump says he may withhold federal aid for Los Angeles if California doesn’t change water policies, from Channel 10
- Cracks emerge in House GOP after speaker’s threat to saddle California wildfire aid with conditions, from the Washington Post
In regional water news and commentary today …
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
Rise Gold sued over Clean Water Act violations
“In the heart of the historic Gold Rush area, Grass Valley is no stranger to legacy contamination from gold mines, but holding companies accountable for fixing the contamination has proven to be no small feat. Community Environmental Advocates Foundation (CEA Foundation) is working to change that. A Canadian-headquartered company, Rise Gold Corp., purchased the Idaho- Maryland gold mine property in 2017 in hopes of reopening the mine, but were denied a permit by Nevada County Supervisors in 2024 due to extensive concerns about unmitigated risks to the surrounding community. Unfortunately, the project denial also killed prospects of cleaning up some of the toxic mine waste residues left over from the past century, including acres of contaminated mine tailings and ongoing polluted mine drainage into local creeks. … ” Read more from YubaNet.
Flows on South Yuba River to fluctuate during powerhouse testing
“Flows on the South Yuba River may increase by as much as a few inches starting Thursday, Jan. 23 through Feb. 3, while Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) conducts tests at an upstream powerhouse in Nevada County. Despite the higher flows, water levels are expected to be far lower than what is often seen during winter storms.Before testing, flows in the South Yuba River at the Bowman Lake Road bridge crossing have averaged 10 cubic feet per second (cfs) over the last week. … ” Read more from the YubaNet.
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
Rain could return to Sacramento, weather service says. Here’s when and how much
“The Sacramento area can expect a breezy weekend with rain possibly returning to the region, according to the National Weather Service. Brisk winds will whip through the capitol city starting Saturday and possibly continuing into Sunday, said meteorologist Katrina Hand at the weather service’s Sacramento office. Hand said the area could receive gusty winds at 20 to 30 mph from the north and east. The weather service is not concerned about these strong winds leading to potential fire activity in Northern California, she said. Sacramento could see some “sprinkles” over the weekend, with one to two hundredths of an inch of rainfall expected, Hand said. … ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee.
City says it opposes increase in Marysville water rates
“A special meeting of the Marysville City Council was called for Thursday afternoon to address concerns about a 33 percent revenue increase California Water Service is seeking across its service area of 24 communities, including within the Marysville city limits. “The City of Marysville expresses strong opposition to California Water Service’s proposed 33 percent rate increase,” read a statement from the city. “This significant rate hike would disproportionately impact Marysville residents, who already face higher water rates compared to neighboring jurisdictions.” … ” Read more from the Appeal Democrat.
NAPA/SONOMA
Federal dollars continue to flow into Potter Valley Project makeover
“The Biden Administration may be over, but the long horizon of 2021’s Inflation Reduction Act is keeping DC dollars flowing to the North Coast. $15 million dollars in federal money is going towards two major Eel River projects. North Bay congressman Jared Huffman’s office said part of the money, awarded through the Bureau of Reclamation, will pay for Eel River Estuary restoration work, in collaboration with the Round Valley Indian Tribes. … ” Read more from Northern California Public Media.
BAY AREA
A mussel bed is full of life, 80 years later
“Just as the sun came up, Emily Longman held up a map of boulders that were laid out in front of her—a rocky outcrop off of Second Sled Road in Dillon Beach. To her surprise, the map was still largely accurate, nearly eight decades later. She walked in her rain boots towards one of the bigger boulders, a few feet higher than her five-foot stature, covered in a seemingly impenetrable layer of inky black mussels. But she knew what lay between them, and pulled them apart anyways. Glowing under her headlamp were tightly-packed red barleysnails, green anemones, white barnacles, beige limpets, and blue porcelain crabs. The map was just one among many illustrations drawn by two UC Berkeley graduate students, Harvey Fisher and Milton Hildebrand, who documented thousands of individual organisms living among the mussel beds on a boulder at Dillon Beach in 1941. The report was later stored in the Bodega Marine Laboratory Library, where UC Davis marine scientist Eric Sanford and research associate Jackie Sones unearthed the exceptional record of life sampled just before the United States entered World War II. When UC Davis PhD candidate Emily Longman took on the project, she was struck by the scrupulousness of Fisher and Hildebrand’s observations. … ” Read more from Bay Nature.
Quantum leap in collecting and unifying regional metrics on wetland health

“In 1999, regional managers vowed to restore 100,000 acres of tidal wetlands in the San Francisco Estuary by 2030. More than two decades later, over 53,000 acres have been or are in the process of being restored. But the effort to track those acres, and monitor the success of tidal marsh restoration projects, has relied on a patchwork of data collection efforts, each using different sampling methods over different time scales. Managers are still often unclear on whether these wetlands are flourishing or providing good habitat for target fihs, birds and mammals. “We know very little about many of these habitats; they’ve just never been sampled in a standardized way,” says Levi Lewis, UC Davis fish ecologist. Six years in the making, an effort to close these gaps is finally gaining traction. … ” Read more from Maven’s Notebook.
CENTRAL COAST
Monterey County declares state of emergency over Northern California lithium battery plant fire
“Monterey County supervisors on Tuesday declared a state of emergency in response to last week’s major fire at the Vistra lithium battery plant in Moss Landing. The emergency declaration came during a special meeting where officials gave updates on the fire and ongoing response. While the fire has burned itself out, there are still a lot of questions from local leaders and neighbors about what’s next. “This was the beginning,” said Josh Contreras as he showed photos he took of the incident from his houseboat. The images show a fireball on the horizon, not even a mile away. “I walked up the docks, and then I took more photos,” he said. “Because you could see the flames, probably almost as tall as the towers that stand here.” … ” Read more from CBS News.
Nature-based solutions for Carpinteria’s groundwater
“Where does the Carpinteria Valley get its water? The water we use in our homes, businesses, and farms comes from the local groundwater aquifer. Unfortunately, we’ve been depleting the aquifer; between 1985-2020, we reduced the amount of groundwater in storage by more than 40,000 acre-feet (for reference, that’s about 20,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools). To meet the current demand, we’ve also been importing water from Lake Cachuma and northern California. But as described in the Coastal View News recently, these sources are costly and unreliable. So how can we replenish the groundwater in our local aquifer to ensure we have a self-sustaining water source now and into the future? A couple ideas for recharging the aquifer were recently presented in the CVN. One is to remove salt from ocean water and inject it into the ground, and another is to purify water from the wastewater treatment plant and do the same. Both require construction of large facilities, as well as long-term funding for operations and maintenance. … ” Read more from Coastal View.
Water District ensures fire suppression readiness amid wildfire concerns
“The Carpinteria Valley Water District (CVWD) is addressing community inquiries regarding the adequacy of its fire hydrants and water supply in preparation for potential wildfires in the region. With a robust infrastructure in place, CVWD is well-equipped to manage emergency water needs. The district boasts an impressive local water storage capacity of 27.5 million gallons, supported by a high-capacity water transmission pipeline that can deliver 10 million gallons daily into Carpinteria. Additionally, CVWD’s groundwater wells have a production capacity of two million gallons per day. The distribution system is strategically designed to channel large volumes of water to various areas, ensuring that resources are readily available during emergencies. … ” Read more from the Coastal View.
IMPERIAL/COACHELLA VALLEYS
Birders chase beauty and battle decline at the Salton Sea
“Equipped with scopes, binoculars and high-powered cameras, dozens of birders gathered at the Salton Sea State Recreation Area in Mecca for the annual Salton Sea Bird Festival. Hosted by the Sea and Desert Interpretive Association, San Diego Bird Alliance and the Audubon Society, in partnership with the Salton Sea State Recreation Area and the Sonny Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge, the festival took place on Saturday, Jan. 18. The annual event brings together birders, conservationists and nature enthusiasts to observe migratory species, discuss birding techniques, and, in recent years, to raise awareness of the environmental challenges facing California’s largest lake. As the Salton Sea continues to shrink due to declining water inflows and increasing salinity, experts warn of significant impacts on bird populations that rely on this vital stop along the Pacific Flyway. … ” Read more from the Holtville Tribune.
SAN DIEGO
One year since record-breaking storm, city of San Diego encourages flood preparedness and prevention
“One year ago, on Jan. 22, a historic rainstorm hit the San Diego region, bringing 2.73 inches of rain in a 24-hour period, making it the highest level of precipitation since 1850. The storm caused significant flooding in several neighborhoods of the city along Chollas Creek and in other jurisdictions, causing devastating damage to homes and businesses. During the storm, San Diego Fire-Rescue and San Diego Police Department teams responded to rescue multiple people who were trapped in their homes or vehicles due to the flooding. More than 200 water rescues were performed. “A year ago, parts of San Diego were hit by an extraordinarily rare storm that devastated some of our communities, and many San Diegans are still living with its impacts every day,” Mayor Todd Gloria said. … ” Read more from the Times of San Diego.
SEE ALSO:
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- San Diego storm channels, then and now, one year after devastating floods, from the Times of San Diego
- Major Upgrades Continue on San Diego’s Historic First Aqueduct, from the Times of San Diego
Along the Colorado River …
The January 2025 24-month study is a major caution sign for the Colorado River Basin
“On January 16th, the Bureau of Reclamation released the January 2025 24-Month Study. Based on the January 1st runoff forecast into Lake Powell, the projected “most probable” annual release from Glen Canyon Dam for Water Year 2026 is now 7.48 maf. This needs to be taken as a significant caution sign because it shows that we are on a clear trajectory to hit what Colorado’s Jim Lochhead first called the 1922 Compact’s first “tripwire” (82.5 maf/10-year) as early as 2027. Given the current stalemate between the Upper and Lower Division States over how the reservoir system should be operated, it means the potential for basin-wide litigation is now in the “Red Zone.” The January 24-Month study is the first in each water year to be based on a published forecast from the Colorado Basin River Forecast Center’s runoff model – the first to be based on actual snowpack. … ” Read more from the Inkstain blog.
17 Colorado environmental projects are in limbo after Trump halts spending from Biden-era law
“On Friday, in the last hours of the Biden administration, the Bureau of Reclamation announced it would spend $388.3 million for environmental projects in Colorado and three other Colorado River Basin states. Now that funding is in limbo. The money was set to come from a Biden-era law, the Inflation Reduction Act. On Monday, President Donald Trump ordered federal agencies to halt spending money under the act. Lawmakers were still trying to understand whether the freeze applied to the entire Inflation Reduction Act or portions of it as of Wednesday afternoon. The new executive order focused on energy spending but also raised questions about funding for environmental projects in the Colorado River Basin, including $40 million for western Colorado’s effort to buy powerful water rights tied to Shoshone Power Plant on the Colorado River and 16 other projects in Colorado. … ” Read more from the Colorado Sun.
Also on Maven’s Notebook today …
STATE WATER BOARD releases final staff report ahead of February 20 Public Hearing for the consideration of a probationary designation for the Kern County Subbasin