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On the calendar today …
- WEBINAR: Birdy Hour: Flows of Water and Waterbirds Across California from 5:30pm to 6:30pm. At this free virtual talk, Dr. Nathan Van Schmidt, Science Director at the San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory, will discuss the challenges of bird conservation, after birds displaced by development and human presence on beaches and former Central Valley wetlands have come to depend on man-made ponds in the South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project lands. Find out more and register here.
No military came to California to turn on the water …
Trump social media claim of using troops to force water flow is refuted by California
“President Trump on Monday night heightened his battle with California over water policy by suggesting U.S. military troops arrived in the state to turn on pumps and send more water flowing — something state officials quickly denied. On Monday evening, Trump wrote that the military “just entered the Great State of California and, under Emergency Powers, TURNED ON THE WATER flowing abundantly from the Pacific Northwest, and beyond,” in a post on his social media platform Truth Social. The California Department of Water Resources responded in a statement: “The military did not enter California. The federal government restarted federal water pumps after they were offline for maintenance for three days. State water supplies in Southern California remain plentiful.” … ” Read more from the LA Times. | Read via AOL News.
Trump said the military ‘turned on the water’ in California. Not quite.
“California officials said late Monday that President Donald Trump did not send the military into the state to “turn on the water,” as he claimed in a social media post. Rather, federal officials turned on a federal water-pumping station in Northern California that had been down for maintenance, state officials said. California officials said late Monday that President Donald Trump did not send the military into the state to “turn on the water,” as he claimed in a social media post. Rather, federal officials turned on a federal water-pumping station in Northern California that had been down for maintenance, state officials said. “The military did not enter California,” California’s state Department of Water Resources posted on X after 10 p.m. Pacific time. “The federal government restarted federal water pumps after they were offline for maintenance for three days. State water supplies in Southern California remain plentiful.” … ” Read more from Politico.
‘The military did not enter California’ | California pushes back on Trump’s Truth Social post
“The California Department of Water Resources pushed back on a Truth Social post from President Donald Trump that made claims about water and the military. President Trump said the military entered California and “TURNED ON THE WATER” that’s flowing form the Pacific Northwest. “The United States Military just entered the Great State of California and, under Emergency Powers, TURNED ON THE WATER flowing abundantly from the Pacific Northwest, and beyond. The days of putting a Fake Environmental argument, over the PEOPLE, are OVER. Enjoy the water, California!!!” President Trump said on Truth Social. The California Department of Water Resources on X said the military did not enter California and the water pumps being turned on were federal water pumps that were temporarily offline for maintenance. “The military did not enter California. The federal government restarted federal water pumps after they were offline for maintenance for three days. State water supplies in Southern California remain plentiful,” DWR said on X. … ” Read more from ABC 10.
Fallout continues from Trump’s Executive Order …
Trump reenters California’s water wars. It’s unclear who will win
“President Trump has signed an order directing federal agencies to “maximize” water deliveries in California and “override” state policies if necessary. Trump’s executive order outlines steps intended to increase the amount of water pumped from the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta. The directive was praised by agencies that supply water to farmlands in the San Joaquin Valley, which could receive more water under the changes ordered by Trump. Westlands Water District, the largest agricultural water supplier in the Central Valley, welcomed the executive order. “It’s clear that what we’ve been doing for the past few decades has not been working; not for the people, for agriculture, or for the fish,” the district said in a written statement. Westlands General Manager Allison Febbo said the district intends to work with government agencies “to bring common sense back” to water management in the valley, one of the nation’s major food-producing regions. … ” Read more from the LA Times. | Read via Yahoo News.
California leaders condemn Trump executive order tying water policy to wildfire relief
“Environmentalists and California state leaders on Monday slammed President Donald Trump’s executive order seeking to circumvent both California and federal law by taking a massive water conveyance system — and threatening to withhold federal wildfire disaster relief. “It’s sickening to see this pointless attack on California’s water management. And it’s disgusting that Trump is still threatening to hold desperately needed relief funds hostage. This order allows the lead Project 2025 author and incoming director of the Office of Management and Budget to potentially indefinitely withhold all federal financial assistance to California over perceived disagreements on immigration policies or other extreme MAGA ideas,” said Kierán Suckling, executive director of the Center for Biological Diversity, in a statement. “We won’t stand by and watch this lawless president blatantly disregard the safeguards that protect both people and the environment.” The order, issued over the weekend, calls for the federal Central Valley Project in California, which is operated by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, to deliver more water “notwithstanding any contrary state or local laws.” The order directs the heads of the departments of Defense, Justice, Homeland Security, Commerce, Interior and Agriculture to take measures to ensure Southern California has adequate water resources. … ” Read more from the Courthouse News Service.
Trump tries another grab at California’s water. What comes next?
“President Donald Trump’s latest sweeping executive order related to California water tees up a legal fight with the state over whether the federal government can use an emergency to sidestep local environmental law. Trump directed the government on Friday to immediately find ways to move more water through the Central Valley to the southern half of the state, circumventing California’s strict environmental rules related to water quality and citing the wildfires around Los Angeles in doing so. He asked Cabinet members to report back on ways that they could do so within 15 days, “including emergency authorities,” signaling that he is considering using the disaster — which has killed at least 28 people and caused billions of dollars in destruction — as a reason to declare an emergency and force changes to California’s water policy. But, as state officials and environmentalists were quick to point out, the federal government does not deliver water to Southern California, and the water deliveries Trump references in his order service mostly farms in the San Joaquin Valley, which would be the primary beneficiaries of increased federal deliveries. … ” Read more from KQED.
Trump looks to seize control of California water
“The Trump administration is weighing how to take control of water in California — including setting aside endangered species protections — framing its mission in a new executive order as necessary to prevent future wildfires like those that recently swept across Los Angeles. President Donald Trump issued the order titled “Emergency Measures to Provide Water Resources in California and Improve Disaster Response in Certain Areas,” following his visit Friday to see fire-damaged areas and meet with local, state and federal elected officials. “I’m signing an executive order to open up the pumps and valves in the north. We want to get that water pouring down here as quickly as possible and let hundreds of millions of gallons of water flow down into Southern California, and that’ll be a big benefit to you,” Trump said during his meeting with officials. The order was not published by the White House until Sunday. … ” Read more from E&E News.
Ag leaders react to President Trump’s executive orders on California water policy
“An executive order issued by President Donald Trump would assert more federal government control over California’s water policy to bolster fire protection efforts. The President told federal agencies to “immediately take action” to deliver more Central Valley water and eliminate rules standing in the way. The order also calls for the Secretary of the Interior to take over California’s Central Valley Project, which delivers water primarily to local farmers. Those in the valley ag industry applaud the move, but a legal battle could be looming, the latest chapter in the state’s long-running water war. Farmers in the Westlands Water District rely on irrigation water pumped out of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and then delivered south to San Luis Reservoir. This year they received a 50% water allocation, higher than their 10-year average of about 30%. … ” Read more from Channel 30.
Delta communities, regional fishing groups, startled by new presidential executive orders
“On Friday, President Donald Trump issued executive orders that will have “devastating consequences” for California’s water future, public health and environmental protections – threatening a federal takeover of the state’s right to manage its land and resources – according to a coalition of fishing, tribal and environmental organizations. The executive orders are entitled, “Emergency Measures to Provide Water Resources in California and Improve Disaster Response in Certain Areas.” The executive orders were issued as the Central Valley salmon and Delta fish populations are in their worst-ever crisis. Salmon fishing has been closed for the past two years, due to the collapse of Sacramento and Klamath River fall-run Chinook populations. For seven years in a row, no Delta smelt, an indicator species, have been caught in the California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s surveys. Now, Trump appears to be ordering that far more fresh water be moved out of the Northern California and its Delta and shipped down south. … ” Read more from the Sacramento News & Review.
Commentary: The fatal flaw in Donald Trump’s order to send more water to fire-ravaged Los Angeles
Tom Philp writes, “In the guise of helping Los Angeles from the devastation of its fires, President Trump’s latest executive order seeks to increase water supplies from a Northern California project that doesn’t even serve the city. While Trump may now rule Washington in new and unprecedented ways, he cannot get around water power vested in Sacramento so easily. Water legislation is largely the domain of the 50 states. There’s only so much that Trump can do and there are signs that he is giving Los Angeles a green light to the disaster relief it needs, despite hinting otherwise in recent days to the contrary. Opinion Dubbed “Emergency measures to provide water resources in California and improve disaster response in certain areas,” Trump called on federal officials last week to “immediately take actions to override existing activities that unduly burden efforts to maximize water deliveries.” … ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee.
Commentary: Trump doesn’t understand California’s complex water network. But that’s not the point
Robert Greene writes, “Does Donald Trump truly believe the nonsense he spouts about California water — the mythical “valve” connecting the state to Canada, or the imagined “half-pipe” that stands ready to soak the Los Angeles area? Does he honestly believe that “forest management” practices supposedly used in wet and chilly Finland or alpine Austria would have prevented the burning of California coastal sage scrub and the destruction of Altadena and Pacific Palisades? Trump is both a master of strategic misdirection and a man who tends to believe what he finds advantageous to believe, facts notwithstanding. Either way, Trumpologists — those who specialize in deciphering him — generally advise examining his actions rather than his words. Trump’s actions took the form of a new executive order that crystalized his alliance with large and thirsty San Joaquin Valley agricultural interests and his contempt for the state’s fishing industry, inland Delta cities, Indigenous tribes and natural resources. The order calls for overriding state environmental laws and reinterpreting federal laws like the Endangered Species Act that stand in the way of water transfers in times of drought to growers of crops like almonds and alfalfa. … ” Read more from Cal Matters.
SEE ALSO:
- GOV. NEWSOM: Hear the experts give the real facts on California water
- CalTrout’s statement on the trump administration and our commitment to protecting California’s watersheds and native fish
- Trump seizes L.A. momentum, directs agencies to boost Calif. water flow immediately, from the San Joaquin Valley Sun
- Trump seeks to circumvent laws on California’s water amid wildfire response, from NBC LA
- Citing LA fire victims, Trump orders more water for Central Valley agriculture and less for fish, from the Sacramento Bee
In other California water news today …
California farms fail as land values plunge amid groundwater crisis
“There was a time when the water under Nick Sahota’s Terra Bella farm was free and abundant, supporting tidy rows of pistachio trees and table grapes to supply Bay Area groceries like Costco, Food 4 Less and SaveMart. Now water costs on his Tulare County farm have soared to about $1,500 an acre due to pumping restrictions created by California’s historic Sustainable Groundwater Management Act. A decade after the law was adopted after great controversy, implementation is ramping up — and farmers’ anxieties are mounting, fearing bankruptcies are on the horizon. With outstanding loans of over $15 million, Sahota’s family lives in fear that it could lose the farm that took decades to build and was once proudly profitable. The value of his orchards has plummeted to one-quarter of what they were worth only four years ago. “How are we going to pay the loans? It’s impossible,” said Sahota, 50, who farms with his 83-year-old father on the flat sandy soils of eastern Tulare County, where summer temperatures rise well into triple digits. … ” Read more from the San Jose Mercury News.
Pattern change ahead? When atmospheric river moisture could return to California
“It’s been an unusually dry January in Northern California but there are signs of a weather pattern change as February begins. As of Monday evening, downtown Sacramento has only had .3 inches of rain this month. The average rainfall through Jan. 27 is 3.27 inches. Snow is also in short supply. According to the UC Berkeley Central Sierra Snow Lab in Soda Springs, this is the site’s seventh driest January on record. Records go back more than 50 years. Rain and snow chances will increase for the West Coast later this week as moisture from a weak atmospheric river moves closer. Here’s what the KCRA 3 weather team is saying about the days ahead. … ” Read more from KCRA 3.
California reservoir water levels in trouble after unusually dry January
“California requires “several more storms” to make up for an unusually dry January that has plagued the southern half of the state, according to State Climatologist Michael Anderson. So far, Southern California has seen an extremely dry start to the water year. San Diego, for example, had its driest start to the year on record. Other cities, like Los Angeles, were around 6 inches below their average precipitation amounts for this time of year. The bout of dry weather has contributed to the devastating wildfires that ignited across the Los Angeles region, and it could have other, long-standing impacts if more storms don’t arrive before winter ends. … ” Read more from Newsweek.
ACWA voices support for Healthy Rivers and Landscapes Program before State Water Board
“ACWA staff and more than a dozen member agency representatives and organizations spoke in support of including the Healthy Rivers and Landscapes (HRL) Program in the Bay-Delta Plan Update during a Jan. 23 State Water Resources Control Board workshop. Their public comments were the latest in ACWA’s years-long effort through public testimony, comment letters and coalition building to support the Healthy Rivers and Landscapes Program, formerly known as Voluntary Agreements. The State Water Board is currently considering potential updates to the Sacramento River watershed, Delta eastside tributaries, and Delta portions of the Bay-Delta Plan. ACWA supports the HRL Program as the preferred pathway for updating the Bay-Delta Plan as opposed to an approach based solely on a percentage of flows. … ” Read more from ACWA’s Water News.
How urban streams, climate change and unhoused people intertwine
“In Fairfield, on the northeast edge of California’s Bay Area, there is a spot where the land drops below a gravel parking lot and into a ravine. Ledgewood Creek flows through an underpass, just out of sight from passing traffic and across from a Home Depot. On a hot day in early September 2024, researchers from UC Davis are in the creek, setting up transects to measure its size and shape. Olive trees, willows, blackberry brambles and dried grasses share space here with scattered bits of trash — soda bottles, plastic bags, broken toys, paper plates, a pizza box. A woman shuffles below the shade of an oak. An empty wheelchair is parked under a tree. A shirtless man on a bike emerges from a trail and quickly apologizes for “being in the way.” He’s not, Professor Gregory Pasternack assures him: “We’re just researchers from UC Davis measuring the stream.” They are joined by Costanza Rampini, an associate professor of environmental studies at San José State University. She and her research team are conducting trash surveys and interviewing unhoused people living along this stream. Together, their research is part of a two-year study of urban stream corridors throughout the Bay Area centered on climate change and unhoused people. … ” Read more from UC Davis.
The LA County fires devastated homes in the wildland urban interface. Here’s what that is.
“In just a single month, 2025 is the second most destructive fire year in California history, with more than 16,000 homes and other structures damaged or destroyed by two fires in the Los Angeles area. Most of those structures were in neighborhoods where the boundaries between human development and natural landscapes blur — the area fire officials and researchers call the wildland urban interface or WUI (woo-ee). When a wildfire approaches one of these areas, the results can be hazardous as a fire can transition from consuming trees, shrubs and plants to devouring homes and other structures often constructed in ways that are vulnerable to burning. And it’s also where California has been building homes for decades — nearly 45% of homes built between 1990 and 2020 are located in places with lots of vegetation ready to fuel a fire. … ” Read more from Cal Matters.
This bill to reduce wildfires might actually make them worse
“The Fix Our Forests Act, which breezed through a House vote last week, represents a “return to common sense,” according to Speaker Mike Johnson. “The reason this is so important is because we see what happened in California,” Johnson said. The recent wildfires that have left at least 26 dead and nearly 15,000 structures destroyed, he has also suggested, are partly the fault of “water resource mismanagement, forest management mistakes, all sorts of problems,” which should be fixed before those suffering receive further federal aid. The Fix Our Forests Act would allow loggers to more easily thin forests by reducing environmental regulations and public input. The thinking is that reducing tree counts means reducing wildfire fuel. Yet environmental groups including Sierra Club and Earthjustice say that the bill would cause more fires, not fewer. … ” Read more from Yahoo News.
In regional water news and commentary today …
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
Lake Tahoe’s water levels above average, but Sierra snowpack lags behind
Last weekend’s storm didn’t do much to improve a dry January for Northern Nevada, but a storm hitting the region this Friday afternoon could get February off on the right foot. On Friday, the snow-water equivalent at Big Meadows — the station closest to Reno-Sparks — stood at just 59% of average to date. Monday’s reading at the station was 61% of average to date. The Sierra snowpack is currently at 65% of average across all stations, according to California Water Watch. … ” Read more from the Reno Gazette-Journal.
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
January remains dry after rainy December
“Despite the seemingly constant influx of storms through December, January has been considerably dry. For the most part, January has been one of the wetter months for Northern California, but in years past, the month has proven harder to predict. Eric Kurth, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service’s Sacramento office, said rainfall has been minimal across the board throughout this January. “Essentially, the whole area has been really dry,” Kurth said. “We’ve certainly seen some periods in the 15 years where we’ve had several dry Januarys. It’s not common but it’s something that we’ve seen in recent years where we’ve had relatively low or no precipitation.” The saving grace is expected to arrive on Friday, on the last day of January, when the first wave of smaller storms is expected to hit. … ” Read more from the Chico Enterprise-Record.
BAY AREA
Working to protect Coyote Creek from flooding
“Valley Water is proud to announce the near completion of Phase 1 of the Coyote Creek Flood Protection Project. This project included the construction of over 8,500 feet of floodwalls along a four-mile stretch between Old Oakland Road and Interstate 280. The construction of floodwalls enhances Coyote Creek’s capacity to manage increased water flow when water is released from the newly completed tunnel at Anderson Dam during storms or emergencies. Our teams will also focus on restoring local vegetation over the next three years. Phase 2 of the Coyote Creek Flood Protection Project will extend along Coyote Creek from Montague Expressway to Tully Road. The combination of Phase 1 and Phase 2 projects will protect 600 homes and businesses from floods up to the level that occurred on February 21, 2017. In addition, the combined projects will protect homes and businesses from flooding when water is released from a planned secondary diversion tunnel while Anderson Dam is rebuilt as part of the Anderson Dam Seismic Retrofit Project. … ” Read more from Valley Water News.
CENTRAL COAST
Coho salmon remain afloat four years after CZU fire
“Landslides. Falling trees. Scorched forests. These are just a few ways the 2020 CZU Lightning Complex Fire transformed habitats in the Santa Cruz Mountains. But scientists are finding that the blaze’s effects on the region’s coho salmon have been small. “Fire is part of the natural landscape here,” says NOAA research ecologist Joe Kiernan. “And these fish have evolved with fire.” The blaze consumed nearly all of the Scott Creek watershed north of Santa Cruz, but surveyors in 2022 counted more baby coho in that creek than in any year since 2002. Groups of coho salmon swim upstream from the ocean every winter to breed, a journey that has delivered fresh seafood to generations of Californians. But in recent decades their numbers have collapsed. “I have been fishing the San Lorenzo [River] for 30-40 years,” says Curtis Smith of Felton. At first, the catch limit was ten, he says. Now scientists see less than ten spawning coho there in an entire year. … ” Read more from Knee Deep Times.
Monterey County battery fire linked to surge of heavy metals in nature reserve’s soil
“After a massive fire at a Monterey County energy storage facility this month, scientists at San José State University have found heightened levels of heavy metals in the nearby Elkhorn Slough Reserve, they said Monday. Unusually high concentrations of nickel, manganese and cobalt were detected in soils within 2 miles of the lithium battery storage site, according to field surveys conducted by the university’s Moss Landing Marine Laboratories, which has monitored the area for years. Despite initial reports from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and local authorities that the Jan. 16 fire did not release toxins, local environmental groups have warned of the potential for dangerous levels of particulate matter and other chemicals and have pushed for more testing of nearby soil and water. … ” Read more from KQED.
SEE ALSO: Moss Landing battery fire: Unusually high concentrations of toxic metals found in wetlands near plant, from the San Jose Mercury News
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
Water, fire, health among Tulare County’s top advocacy issues
“Water, fire protection, and health are among the priority advocacy issues the Tulare County Board of Supervisors approved at its Jan. 14 meeting. Every other year, supervisors adopt both a federal and a state legislative platform that include the priority issues for the county. These platforms provide direction for supervisors and staff when they advocate on behalf of the county in Sacramento and Washington, D.C. The platforms, which include both the “challenge” and a proposed “solution” for each issue, are intended to help county representatives in their travels. “There is a lot of value in in-person advocating because it’s amazing when we go to these meetings in these locations how folks remember us,” Supervisors Chair Pete Vander Poel said. “They remember the requests, and items get carried forward just based on that one small connection.” … ” Read more from the Visalia Times-Delta.
Tehachapi: Water district adjusts budget, reviews imported water supply
“The cost of natural gas needed to power engines used to transport water from the California Aqueduct to Tehachapi is expected to increase by 11% this year, adding about $200,000 to the expense of Tehachapi-Cummings County Water District. General Manager Tom Neisler shared that information with the district’s Board of Directors at its Jan. 15 meeting as part of the budget amendment process. “The district’s total amended budget reflects expenses exceeding revenues by approximately $7.4 million,” Neisler said in a report. However, he noted that much of that deficit is due to the projected $7.32 million expenditure of bond proceeds for the major capital improvement project to replace engines at two of the district’s five pump plants. In June 2023, the district completed the placement of a $12-plus million bond to fund engine replacement. The district will pay 3.89% in interest over 15 years to pay off the debt. …” Read more from the Tehachapi News.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Some mudslide risk in Southern California after rain helped ease fires
“After historic winter firestorms in Southern California, a late weekend bout of rain brought conditions helpful for easing flames — though it also brought some risk of concerning debris flows through recently burned areas.Los Angeles officially recorded 0.61 inches Sunday, the most in a day there since late March — and 20 times more than the total winter-to-date amount that had been recorded before this storm system. Additional showers and thunderstorms Sunday night brought the total for the city to 0.95 inches for this system. As rains fell, a flash flood warning was issued late Sunday for portions of the Palisades and Franklin burn scars as well as Malibu and surrounding locations. It was the first flash flood warning of the traditional wet season issued by the National Weather Service office serving Los Angeles. Mudflows prompted the closures of at least some roads, including in Topanga Canyon and on parts of the Pacific Coast Highway…. ” Read more from the Washington Post.
Dear LAist: How long could ash be a problem in LA?
“You’ve probably heard about this a lot lately: Ash can be found around Los Angeles County from the recent wildfires and residents should be careful cleaning it up. We’ve offered guides and tips to dealing with ash in your belongings because the dusty residue is essentially the toxic byproduct of all that’s burned — electronics, paints, and furniture — that can contain harmful substances. But readers have reached out with two big questions: How at risk are people who live farther away from the burn scars? And how long could the ash problem persist? Ed Avol, professor emeritus at USC’s Keck School of Medicine and former chief of its environmental health division, said the recent rain would likely reduce ash’s ability to travel in the air. … ” Read more from the LAist.
Governor Newsom cuts red tape, further suspends Coastal Commission rules to help LA firestorm survivors rebuild
“Governor Gavin Newsom today issued an executive order further cutting red tape by reiterating that permitting requirements under the California Coastal Act are suspended for rebuilding efforts and directing the Coastal Commission not to issue guidance or take any action that interferes with or conflicts with the Governor’s executive orders. The order also helps boost the availability of short-term housing, by making it easier for survivors of the LA area firestorm to stay in hotels and other short-term rentals for more than 30 days. “As the state helps the Los Angeles area rebuild and recover, we will continue to remove barriers and red tape that stand in the way. We will not let over-regulation stop us from helping the LA community rebuild and recover,” said Governor Gavin Newsom. … ” Read more from the Office of the Governor.
IMPERIAL/COACHELLA VALLEYS
Flood-control dispute: Owners of Thousand Palms land want millions; CVWD says no
“The Coachella Valley Water District board was scheduled to vote Tuesday on whether to buy private property for a long-planned Thousand Palms flood-control project for what one owner alleges is far less than it’s worth. The potential purchase by CVWD is the first of several acquisitions that will be needed for the $110 million project, which aims to protect 10,000 acres of current and future development and designated conservation lands from flooding from three watersheds, by lacing dikes and channels from the Classic Club Golf Course to Del Webb/Sun City Homes north of Interstate 10, documents show. … ” Read more from the Desert Sun.
Along the Colorado River …
Trump’s orders on climate and environment could hurt Arizona’s economy, experts fear
“President Donald Trump began his second term with bold actions opposing the transition away from fossil fuels for the preservation of a livable climate. Most of these came as executive orders signed Monday night, hours after he was inaugurated. At the end of his first week back, the precise implications of how and when these orders may be felt across the nation and in Arizona remain largely unclear. Broadly speaking, though, scientists, lawyers and policy experts told The Arizona Republic that Trump’s intentions to reverse climate progress and boost oil production are likely to hurt Arizona’s and the United State’s economy while further destabilizing atmospheric weather patterns that increase the likelihood of expensive storms, fires and infrastructure damage. … ” Read more from Arizona Central.
Phoenix nears dry spell record as drought conditions worsen
“The US city of Phoenix is close to breaking another extreme weather record, this time the longest stretch without rain as drought conditions worsen across Arizona. As of Saturday, there had been no recorded rainfall in America’s fifth largest city for 154 consecutive days – the second longest dry spell on record as the climate crisis collides with natural weather patterns. The last measurable rainfall was recorded on 22 August by the National Weather Service (NWS) weather station at Phoenix Sky Harbor airport. There is a small chance of rain on Sunday night, but with La Niña conditions present, which tend to make the US south-west drier and cooler, the current record of 160 dry days, set in 1972, could be broken. … ” Read more from The Guardian.
Lake Powell: Water flows to drop 24% below normal say forecasters
“Federal forecasts reveal that water flows into Lake Powell are expected to be only 76 percent of the seasonal norm this year, a drop from the 81 percent prediction made earlier this month. The Colorado Basin River Forecast Center attributes the decline to poor precipitation above the reservoir, which fell to 69 percent of normal from January 1–15. Snowpack conditions, crucial for runoff, are uneven across the region, with below-normal levels in southern Utah, Colorado and Arizona. Newsweek contacted the Forecast Center via email for further comment. … ” Read more from Newsweek.
In national water news today …
How to build a national effort to secure America’s disappearing groundwater
“In early 2024, the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology’s (PCAST) requested input on how to address the country’s groundwater challenges. For EDF’s Climate Resilient Water Systems team, which has been working on this issue for over a decade, this provided an opportunity to reflect on what strategies have been effective and where we think future efforts should be focused. We submitted written recommendations to the President’s Council and accepted a subsequent invitation from the committee to participate in an in-person workshop to flesh out possible strategies. Groundwater is one of our most vital resources, underpinning a secure food supply, providing drinking water for nearly half of the U.S. population, sustaining ecosystems like wetlands and streams, and supporting rural economies. … ” Read more from the Environmental Defense Fund.
Three studies point to El Niño as key to 2023 record global heat
“Earth’s average surface temperature has risen by about 1° Celsius over the past half century. While the upward trend is unrelenting, dips and spikes along the way are common due to natural climatic anomalies. The spike in global temperature in 2023 was especially large, breaking the previous record by nearly 0.2°Celsius. This motivated several researchers including Huang et al. [2024], Jiang et al. [2025] and Raghuraman et al. [2024] to dig into the mechanisms. All three point in different ways to El Niño and La Niña—temporary warming and cooling events in the tropical Pacific Ocean that occur every few years. Huang et al. [2024] used global observations of sea surface temperature to uncover the ocean’s role in the record heat of 2023, including a transition from a long-lasting La Niña to El Niño. … ” Read more from EOS.
Finally, an answer to why Earth’s oceans have been on a record-hot streak
“Earth’s oceans caught a fever in March 2023 that has yet to break. Since then, the bathwater-like conditions have killed corals in a record-breaking mass bleaching event, fueled hurricanes, and collapsed entire fisheries. The two years of heat have created a scientific mystery, with 450 straight days of record high global sea surface temperatures from April 2023 to July 2024 — a streak that exceeded climate scientists’ predictions even when accounting for climate change and the natural climate pattern known as El Niño. A study published on Tuesday by researchers at the University of Reading helps solve the puzzle and points to one prominent culprit: the sun. … ” Read more from Grist.
Also on Maven’s Notebook today …
NOTICE: Delta Conveyance Project Public Hearing Begins Feb 18
NOTICE: Public Comment Period Opens for Periodic Evaluations and Amendments of Groundwater Sustainability Plans
