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On the calendar today …
- PUBLIC HEARING: Sites Reservoir Project water rights hearing beginning at 9am. The State Water Resources Control Board Administrative Hearings Office will hold a Public Hearing on the pending petition for Sites Reservoir Project water rights. Interested members of the public who would like to watch this hearing may do so through the Administrative Hearings Office YouTube channel at: https://www.youtube.com/@swrcbadministrativehearing728/featured. Click here for the hearing notice.
In California water news today …
Storms boost reservoir releases with Sacramento-San Joaquin-Bay Delta pumps operating at full capacity
“The recent series of atmospheric rivers brought periods of heavy rain increasing runoff into Northern California rivers and reservoirs. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation says it’s increasing water releases from some Central Valley Project reservoirs for flood control management. This will result in rises on some rivers. These coordinated management operations are done to maximize hydropower production from Central Valley Project facilities. In addition, the federal pumps in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Bay-Delta are operating at maximum capacity and storing water in the San Luis Reservoir to support south-of-Delta delivery to farms, communities and wildlife refuges to use during the dry season when needed. … ” Read more from Channel 10.
Chance of strong atmospheric river storm grows, as does risk of mudslides in L.A. burn scars
“The risk is rising for a strong atmospheric river to arrive next week, possibly bringing rain that could trigger debris flows and mudslides in Los Angeles County’s burn areas. There is now a 30% chance that “high amounts” of rain could fall between Feb. 12 and 15 in Los Angeles, Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties, the National Weather Service said, up from the 10% chance forecast Tuesday. The chance of moderate or low amounts of rain now stands at 30%, with a 10% chance of no rain. “The range of outcomes is still very uncertain, but that potential for a strong, very wet system is still there,” said Ryan Kittell, meteorologist with the National Weather Service office in Oxnard. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
SEE ALSO: California gets a short respite from rain, but a powerful storm looms, from the SF Chronicle
CDFW partners with DWR and fishing industry to diversify salmon hatchery release strategies
“In a collaborative effort to increase the sustainability of California’s salmon populations, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) has partnered with the Department of Water Resources (DWR), as well as ocean and inland fishing groups to continue a pilot project aimed at diversifying salmon hatchery release strategies. As part of a broader initiative to expand salmon hatchery release strategies, CDFW recently released more than a million fall-run Chinook salmon fry into the Feather River. These salmon fry are released shortly after hatching, which mimic the same life stage in the wild when they would swim up out of the gravel. Typically, fall-run Chinook salmon released from the hatchery are about six months old and 3.5- to 4-inches in length. This technique was first introduced at the American River at the Nimbus Fish Hatchery in 2023. This marks the second fry release in the Feather River this year, bringing the total number of fry released to approximately 1.8 million. These releases are in addition to the Feather River Hatchery’s typical target of 6 million smolts (a young salmon that is ready to migrate from freshwater to the ocean, usually around 6 months old) as well as the additional 3.5 million smolts and sub-smolts CDFW aims to produce at the Feather River Hatchery in 2025. … ” Read more from the Department of Fish and Wildlife.
U.C. Davis hopes to see federal funding continued for Delta Smelt captive breeding program
“The disinformation about the Delta Smelt spouted out by President Trump and his Big Ag allies has deluged social media and both mainstream and “alternative media” in recent weeks. As an independent journalist who has covered the Delta Smelt and the California water wars for the past three decades, I was intrigued when I saw a piece in San Francisco Chronicle about the federal funding for the Delta smelt being cut: www.sfchronicle.com/… “After President Donald Trump’s recent criticism of the delta smelt — a fish he has tied to the lack of water for fighting the Los Angeles fires — his administration is planning to cut funding for a captive breeding program intended to ensure survival of the endangered fish,” reporter Kurtis Alexander wrote. Concerned about the reported slashing of the captive breeding program funding by the Bureau of Reclamation, I contacted UC Davis spokesperson Bill Kisliuk, who sent me his statement about the current status of the captive breeding program, indicating that they were hoping to get funding for the program extended past Feb. 28 … ” Read more from the Daily Kos.
B.F Sisk Dam Raise and Reservoir Expansion Project
“On January 17, 2025, the United States Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) and the San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Authority (SLDMWA) signed a cost share agreement for the B.F. Sisk Dam Raise and Reservoir Expansion Project (Sisk Dam Raise). The project would add much needed water storage to the Central Valley Project and improve water supply reliability for SLDMWA members. SLDMWA is a joint powers authority representing water and irrigation districts that together supply water for two million people, over one million acres of farmland, and 135,000 acres of wetlands and wildlife habitat, including areas of San Benito County. … ” Read more from Benito Link.
Republicans blame California policy for fueling Los Angeles fires at hearing Dems call political theater
“House Republicans blasted California’s environmental regulations as helping fuel the Los Angeles County wildfires, often using politically charged and sometimes misleading claims, as Congress on Thursday convened its first hearing on last month’s deadly firestorms. The state’s inability to clear combustible brush and trees and too little water for firefighting, both of which the critics blamed on “overregulation,” were cited as reasons that the Southern California infernos became the disaster they were. The criticism at the Republican-led subcommittee hearing echoed the recent remarks of President Donald Trump, who has taken aim at California’s policies since the fires and even threatened to withhold disaster aid if major revisions aren’t made. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
GOP blames California’s policies for extent of LA wildfire damages as they debate aid bill
“A House subcommittee held a hearing on Thursday examining whether a series of state-level regulations in California have helped contribute to its growing issues with destructive wildfires that have caused billions in damage as Congress continues to debate a disaster relief bill to help the city rebuild. … President Donald Trump and other Republicans in Congress have blamed California’s Democratic leadership, particularly targeting Gov. Gavin Newsom, for mismanaging its water supply and failing to take enough preventative measures to keep fires from breaking out and spreading“One would think California would prioritize mitigation efforts to reduce the number of the strength of fires. Unfortunately, California leaders have insisted and instead prioritized often counterproductive goals, like planting trees, installing electric vehicle charging stations over equipping their communities and first responders with the tools they need to protect their citizens and livelihoods,” said Rep. Scott Fitzgerald, R-Wis., who chairs the subcommittee that held Thursday’s hearing. … ” Read more from The National News Desk.
Gavin Newsom visited DC to lobby for wildfire aid — but left without a deal in place
“This week, Gov. Gavin Newsom headed to Washington, D.C., to persuade federal officials to approve federal disaster aid after wildfires devastated Los Angeles last month. Newsom has warmed to President Donald Trump in recent weeks, whom he praised for his collaboration with California during previous disasters. It hasn’t always been that conciliatory. Trump has referred to the governor in the past as “Newscum,” and called on him to resign immediately after the Los Angeles wildfires. Ultimately, the governor left the nation’s capital Thursday afternoon without a concrete deal in place as Republicans slammed his leadership and blamed the fires on overregulation. … ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee.
Unscheduled water release prompts questions from Jared Huffman
“Last Friday, the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee questioned Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth after the United States Army Corps of Engineers, in accordance with the wishes of the Trump administration, directed unscheduled water releases from Lake Kaweah (the Terminus Dam) and Success Lake (the Schafer Dam) in Tulare County. The water release occurred on Jan. 30, with the water ostensibly to be used to fight fires in Southern California; most of the water, reserved for important growing regions in central California, went into the ground. Senator Alex Padilla, D-Calif., released a statement condemning the act as “reckless” and noted that the fires had largely been contained by Jan. 30. … ” Read more from the Eureka Times-Standard.
These new materials could help solve drought in the Western US
“Advances in a field of research known as reticular chemistry could provide a breakthrough solution to the growing water scarcity crisis in the western United States. Material science researchers have developed highly porous crystalline materials, known as metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) and covalent organic frameworks (COFs), capable of efficiently capturing water vapor from the atmosphere—even in extremely dry conditions. These novel materials could transform the way water is sourced, offering an alternative to reliance on dwindling natural reservoirs. The development comes at a critical time, as water shortages intensify across the western U.S. and globally. … ” Read more from Newsweek.
USGS-led study: Shoreline seasonality of California’s beaches
“Most of the world’s beaches exhibit regular cycles of erosion and recovery, but new USGS-led research is showing that these cycles may be considerably different from common perceptions. One common pattern of beach morphology is the seasonal cycle of the shoreline. Shorelines often show cycles of erosion and recovery year after year, which results in recurring widening and narrowing of the beach. Scientists know that these cycles are related to ocean waves, and that larger waves cause movement of beach sand offshore whereas smaller waves move this sand back to the beach. Knowledge of these seasonal cycles comes from a long history of scientific measurement of beaches, and a general consensus is that beaches erode during winter conditions and recover during the summer. These descriptions of winter and summer beach conditions are so well accepted that they can be found in most earth and ocean science textbooks. However, new research by USGS and partners using large datasets of beaches from satellite imagery shows that this winter/summer framework doesn’t fit all beaches—including the majority of southern California’s beaches. … ” Read more from the USGS.
In commentary today …
Newsom must bring balance back into California’s environmental policy
Edwin A. Lombard III, the executive director of Californians for Smarter Sustainability, writes, ““You can please some of the people all of the time, you can please all of the people some of the time, but you can’t please all of the people all of the time.” Although penned by a poet, it may be more apropos for politics — it was famously co-opted by Abraham Lincoln, after all. In 2025, Governor Gavin Newsom would be well served to take a page from Lincoln’s book when it comes to his own sustainability policies in California. With less than two years left in his administration, Newsom is in a difficult position as he tries to solve existing challenges while carving out a lasting legacy of environmental stewardship and signature accomplishments. Yet despite his self-proclaimed commitment to the environment, the governor has drawn some criticism from climate groups that oppose several of his much-needed water infrastructure projects. … ” Read more from the Times of San Diego.
DAN WALTERS: Colorado River poses another California water conflict that Trump will affect
“President Donald Trump’s intrusion into California’s long-running conflict over water management – essentially favoring farmers over wildlife habitat – has drawn massive media and political attention. Trump ordered federal water managers to release more water for farmers but the increased flows have so far been largely symbolic because farmers use little water during the winter but need more during the growing season. Trump’s action has been denounced by environmental groups which have long sought to enhance river flows for salmon and other species, with tacit support from Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration. However, Newsom directed state water managers to maximize retention of runoff from recent rains to raise water levels in reservoirs, an action that some environmentalists criticized as emulating Trump. These events represent a continuation not only of California’s internal conflicts over water but pick up where Trump left off during his first stint in the White House. … ” Read more from Dan Walters at Cal Matters.
In regional water news and commentary today …
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
At hidden Tahoe lab, scientists learn the art of measuring snow
“Anyone riding the gondola lift at Sugar Bowl Ski Resort one bright day in January might have seen something unexpected in the glade below them: A series of figures energetically digging pits in the snow by hand – deep enough for them to then jump inside. These pit diggers intently studied the walls of their newly carved chambers, before pressing bright yellow sensors into the ice. They were in fact student scientists receiving training from the Central Sierra Snow Lab close by. And while most visitors to the Sierra would never have a reason to come across this stocky, unassuming 1940s cabin nestled on a nearby backroad, the Snow Lab has been at the forefront of snow science for almost 80 years, maintaining the data that has huge implications for California’s water supply. … ” Read more from KQED.
Latest precipitation due to atmospheric river adds 12 billion gallons of water to Lake Tahoe
“Lake Tahoe’s water level has increased by over a quarter of a foot since last week, requiring an astonishing 12 billion gallons of water to achieve this increase. The recent atmospheric river event significantly boosted the lake’s water supply, according to a social post from The Tahoe Fund. As of Thursday, February 6, 2025, Lake Tahoe’s water level is 6,227.10 feet above sea level, 2.10 feet above its full pool of 6,225.00 feet. The substantial amount of water is thanks to the atmospheric river that hit the west coast bringing heavy precipitation. … ” Read more from Snow Brains.
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
Shasta Dam boosting water releases again as Lake Shasta rises 20 feet in February
“Shasta Dam will increase water releases again to receive more rain from the storms passing through Redding and far Northern California through Friday. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation’s move, announced on Thursday, could mean more flooding along the Sacramento River, affecting homes and businesses in parts of Redding and Anderson. That prompted Shasta Sheriff Michael Johnson to close the Sacramento River to recreational boating below Shasta Dam to the county line starting at 6 p.m. on Friday. The storms and runoff from hard rains this week boosted Lake Shasta’s water level another 5 feet through Wednesday, according to the California Department of Water Resources. All told, the lake, California’s largest reservoir, has risen about 20 feet so far in February. … ” Read more from the Redding Record Searchlight.
Releases from Shasta Reservoir, Lewiston Dam being increased as part of flood control management
“The United States Bureau of Reclamation announced Thursday that due to high runoff inflows entering multiple northern California reservoirs, the Bureau of Reclamation is increasing water releases into rivers for some Central Valley Project reservoirs as part of flood control management. Officials say that the flood control management operations are coordinated to maximize hydroelectric energy production from the Central Valley Project facilities. Concurrently, the federal pumps in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Bay-Delta are currently operating at maximum capacity and storing water in the San Luis Reservoir to support the south of the Delta water deliveries to farms, communities, and wildlife refuges when needed later this year. … ” Read more from Action News Now.
Keswick Dam increases into Sacramento River to reach 40K cfs
“The Bureau of Reclamation announced Wednesday that the Keswick Dam would release water into the Sacramento River on Thursday and Friday. The Bureau of Reclamation reported that water released from the dam into the river would increase from 7,500 to 20,000 cubic feet per second on Thursday and then to around 40,000 cfs on Friday. The agency explained that the elevated releases are due to recent storms resulting in inflows into the Shasta Reservoir. It recommended caution along the river. Tehama County Deputy Public Works Director Justin Jenson said his department uses the California Nevada River Forecast Center to predict river levels. According to Jenson, the center indicates that the river will remain below flood stage through Tuesday next week, and the weather forecast looks favorable for that to remain the case as well. “One thing landowners can do to reduce localized flooding is to maintain the drainages on their property,” Jenson shared. “If you own property with a creek or draw on it, you are required to maintain it. That means clearing debris and overgrowth. Most hand work in drainages does not require specialized permits.” … ” Read more from the Chico Enterprise-Record.
Reclamation implementing flood control operations at Shasta Reservoir
“Early February storms are causing high runoff inflows to continue into Northern California reservoirs. Reclamation is increasing water releases into rivers from some Central Valley Project reservoirs for flood control management. The flood control management operations are coordinated to maximize hydropower production from Central Valley Project facilities. Concurrently, the federal pumps in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Bay-Delta are currently operating at maximum capacity and storing water in San Luis Reservoir to support south-of-Delta delivery to farms, communities, and wildlife refuges when needed later this year. Releases from Shasta Reservoir into the Sacramento River will be incrementally increased to 60,000 cubic feet per second on Friday as part of flood control operations, Reclamation announced today. The flood control management releases, currently at 30,000 cfs, will reach 40,000 cfs at 2 p.m. Friday then 60,000 cfs at 10 p.m. The increased releases, regulated by Keswick Dam, downstream of Shasta, are expected to last at least through the weekend and may be adjusted further next week. … ” Read more from the Bureau of Reclamation.
North State building industry: a champion for reliable and safe water supplies in the region
“On January 24, the North State Building Industry Association (NSBIA) was pleased to honor former Roseville Mayor and current City Councilmember Bruce Houdesheldt with the 2024 Friend of Housing Award. The NSBIA chose him for this distinguished honor, as significant contributor to the regional economy, creating a variety of homeowner options for local residents and families. In addition to his work on the Roseville City Council, Bruce has helped ensure reliable and safe water supplies as the Northern California Water Association’s (NCWA) Director of Water Quality. Since the mid-90s, the NSBIA has been involved in local water policy issues as a stakeholder in the landmark Sacramento Regional Water Forum process. Even before the passage of the 2014 Sustainable Groundwater Management legislation, Roseville proactively developed an aquifer storage recovery (ASR) program that today includes seven groundwater wells and will ultimately include 11 ASR wells. This program improves water supply flexibility and reliability, enabling Roseville to supplement surface water supplies with groundwater during high-demand periods, such as summer months, droughts, or emergencies. … ” Read more from the Northern California Water Association.
Portions of One Mile, 5 Mile Recreation Area floods as waters of Big Chico Creek overflows its banks
“In 1961, the Army Corps of Engineers built the levy behind me to withstand 16,000 cubic feet per second, that’s cubic feet per second with three feet of free board. During the flooding of 1998, the water was 6 inches from going over the top at 26,000 cfs in the 27 years since that flood sediment has accumulated upwards of 67,000 cubic yards. To put that into perspective we are talking about 4,500 dump trucks worth of build up. If this levy fails, the city of Chico will be impacted with heavy flooding from Big Chico Creek. … ” Read more from Action News Now.
Storms continue to push through Northern California but room remains in area reservoirs
“The latest in a series of winter storms moving through the Sacramento area Friday is filling Northern California rivers and reservoirs, but storage remains in the region’s dams including at Folsom and at Oroville, where state water officials began releasing water earlier this week. Folsom Dam on the American River was at 48% of capacity, or 469,201 acre-feet, monitors at the California Department of Water Resources reported about 9 a.m. Thursday. At an elevation of about 413 feet, the reservoir is at 103% of its historical average, water managers said. On the Feather River, Oroville Dam stood at 83% of capacity at 2.85 million acre-feet at an elevation of 861 feet, or 137% of its historical average. Department of Water Resources officials opened Oroville Dam’s main spillway Monday morning for the first time in 2025, setting releases at 35,000 cubic feet per second after weekend storms raised water levels. … ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee. | Read via AOL News.
Emergency levee erosion repairs happening along Cosumnes River ahead of more wet weather
“Emergency repairs are happening on the levee near the Cosumnes River from damage that dates back to the 2023 winter storms. Reclamation District 800 declared a state of emergency at the start of the week ahead of all the rain in the forecast. “We had a couple of areas that were concerning,” said Leland Schneider, a Reclamation District 800 board member. “They weren’t out of control, but they had some weird flows in the area.” Schneider said that misinformation spread online over the weekend that there was a break in the levee east of Dillard Road and south of Highway 16, but that wasn’t true. “There were no levee breaks,” he said. “There was some erosion that was happening that was concerning that we didn’t want to get away from us.” … ” Read more from CBS Sacramento.
BAY AREA
Days of heavy rain turns Lake Berryessa into a quirky tourist spot
“Back-to-back atmospheric rivers have dumped buckets of rain across Northern California, filling its rivers to the brim and beyond. The Russian River spilled over its banks in Sonoma County, and in the far reaches of the state, Lake Shasta, a key marker of the state’s overall water levels, has nearly filled up. And just east of Napa Valley, a rare not-fully-natural phenomenon was observed for the first time since 2019: Water began gushing, furiously, through a spillway in Lake Berryessa. The eye-catching event has happened only three other times in the past 20 years, and it has drawn curiosity seekers to the man-made reservoir, 70 miles northeast of San Francisco. “People were taking pictures and videos and just standing in awe,” said Peter Kilkus, the editor of the Lake Berryessa News, who was there Wednesday morning with about two dozen other people. … ” Read more from the New York Times.
C&H ordered to stop dumping raw sugar into Carquinez Strait
“The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ordered C&H Sugar to cease dumping raw sugar into the Carquinez Strait — an act that agency officials say violates the Clean Water Act. The Clean Water Act, enacted in 1948*, regulates discharges of pollutants into U.S. waters. EPA officials said last month that on at least three occasions, raw sugar was discharged into the strait from ships delivering sugar to the C&H refinery in Crockett. Sugary wastewater can deplete dissolved oxygen when dumped into water, which could endanger fish and other sea life, officials said. The EPA said the refinery also failed to maintain a proper wastewater system and fully implement its stormwater pollution prevention plan, in addition to violating its discharge limits. … ” (*Note: The Clean Water Act was signed into law on October 18, 1972. It was a rewrite of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act of 1948.) Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
Several NorCal reservoirs nearly at capacity after powerful atmospheric river
“Several prominent California reservoirs saw major jumps in water levels after an atmospheric river storm soaked the state this week. The heavy downpours, which largely favored Northern California, resulted in several inches of rainfall across the North Coast. As of Tuesday’s data from the National Weather Service, some of the wettest spots included Mount Tamalpais, which received more than 17 inches of rain; Yountville in Napa County, which recorded 14 inches of rain; and Woodacre in Marin County, which had 13 inches of rain. After a bone-dry January, all of that precipitation has filled reservoirs beyond their historical averages. … ” Read more from SF Gate.
Marin County’s latest storm caps watery week
“Another installment of rain in Marin County on Thursday brought the total to nearly 20 inches in the past week on Mount Tamalpais, the National Weather Service said. The storm, the latest in a series to blow through the county, dropped almost an inch on the mountain Thursday, said Braydon Murdock, a regional meteorologist for the agency. The cumulative total since last Friday is 18.39 inches there. Other rainfall figures in Marin on Thursday included 1.47 inches in San Anselmo, for a one-week total of 11.28 inches, and about an inch in Woodacre, for 14.25 inches over the week. San Rafael and Woodacre picked up about an inch Thursday, while Point Reyes Station and Tiburon got about 0.75 inches. The weeklong total in those spots ranged from about 6.5 inches to 9 inches. … ” Read more from the Marin Independent Journal.
Silicon Valley water agency flops on outreach ahead of sweeps
“Santa Clara County’s largest water agency has begun banning homeless encampments on its property, reversing a commitment to let nonprofits and advocates do outreach prior to enforcing its new policy. Although Valley Water planned to start training nonprofit groups to provide information to homeless residents prior to enforcing an encampment ban on Jan. 2, that hasn’t happened. Instead, the agency has begun sweeping the waterways ahead of securing contracts with nonprofits and advocates who were to speak with individuals and make them aware of the new policy and its ramifications. “These operations were planned independently of the Water Resources Protection Zones Ordinance due to public safety and criminal activity impacts to the surrounding community and environmental risk factors,” Mark Bilski, assistant officer in the Valley Water maintenance division, told San José Spotlight. “No amount of outreach would have allowed the people to stay there. We did give several weeks of notice before each of our encampment sweeps this year.” … ” Read more from San Jose Spotlight.
CENTRAL COAST
What’s in a word? When it comes to water supply, everything.
“Sara Rubin here, with words on my mind. I think about words a lot—unfair advantage, I’m a writer and editor—but it was a surprise when members of the Monterey Peninsula Water Management District board of directors found themselves deeply embroiled in a conversation about vocabulary when they met last week on Jan. 27. The issue at hand was whether to adopt Ordinance No. 197, establishing how much water will be allocated to each jurisdiction within MPWMD’s area once more recycled water is produced. (Specifically, this is water projected from the expansion of Pure Water Monterey, a project anticipated to be completed by the end of this year.) An ordinance requires two readings; the MPWMD board had already done a first reading in December. That’s usually where the sausage is made—deliberations may be heated as issues are sorted and questions are answered. A second reading is in general more of a perfunctory matter. But in this case, that was not to be. … ” Read more from Monterey Now.
Commentary: Attempt to take over Cal-Am is a gross overreach
Jennifer Capitolo, Executive Director of the California Water Association, writes, “The Monterey Peninsula’s water system is extensive — made up of 680 miles of pipeline and 100 water storage tanks — and provides reliable service to 100,000 residents and businesses throughout Monterey, Carmel, Seaside, Pacific Grove, Pebble Beach, Del Rey Oaks, Sand City, Carmel Valley, Salinas and Chualar. Operated by California American Water (Cal-Am), the region’s vast water system is among the most complex and highly engineered in the state. The scientists, engineers and water managers who quietly work behind the scenes to keep the region’s water running — and demand met — have been embedded members of the community, successfully managing scarce water supplies through climate extremes. … ” Read more from Capitol Weekly.
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
Merced’s wastewater treatment plant plays a crucial role in protecting the environment
“Merced’s Wastewater Treatment Plant plays a vital role in protecting the environment as well as humans as treated water and biosolids eventually make their way back into the environment. Multiple steps area involved in treating the wastewater that enters the plant. Merced Wastewater Treatment Plant Manager Bill Osmer, said there are about five or six processes the water goes through after coming into the plant, before it the treated product is eventually released back into the environment. These processes involve the removal of pollutants, solids, fats, greases ammonia and bacteria. The plant’s role goes beyond just the treatment of wastewater and is critical to the area’s water management and environmental sustainability efforts. … ” Read more from the Merced Sun-Star.
Kings River watershed snowpack currently far below average
“Snowpack conditions in the Sierra Nevada mountains within the Kings River watershed are low, the Kings River Water Association reported Thursday. While the conditions are in rough shape, they are slightly better than at this time last year. The big picture: The snowpack water content in the area is around 8.8 inches, which is 52% of average for Feb. 1. It also is at 32% of the April 1 average, which is when California’s snowpack is typically at its peak. … ” Read more from the San Joaquin Valley Sun.
Date set for arguments in Kern River appellate court hearing
“Justices for the 5th District Court of Appeal will hear arguments on March 20 over whether flows can be legally required to run down the Kern riverbed. “We’re looking forward to getting the appeal resolved and – hopefully – getting the river flowing again soon,” said Attorney Adam Keats, who represents a local public interest group called Bring Back the Kern, which sued the City of Bakersfield in 2022 for allegedly being derelict in its river operations. The opposition, several agricultural water districts with river rights, is also eagerly anticipating the upcoming hearing. “Appellants are pleased that the Court of Appeal has scheduled oral argument for March 20 and are looking forward to addressing the court,” wrote Attorney Scott Kuney in a text message. … ” Read more from SJV Water.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Inside the LA fire cleanup’s rush to remove tons of toxic rubble
“Removing toxic waste from the foothills and coastal canyons where more than 16,000 homes and businesses burned down in the Los Angeles wildfires was always going to be an unprecedented challenge in a densely-populated, traffic-choked metropolis. And then the Trump administration ordered the job to be completed in just 30 days. Federal officials revealed the deadline on Jan. 29, days after President Donald Trump met with survivors of the Pacific Palisades fire. The US Environmental Protection Agency said that it’s been “tasked” with finishing the household hazardous materials cleanup within a month. But the vast scale of the damage is testing the government’s well-honed wildfire playbook and signals the growing challenge of responding to ever-more frequent and destructive climate disasters. It took the EPA more than three months to remove hazardous debris from 1,448 residential and commercial properties incinerated in the 2023 Lahaina wildfire in Hawaii. LA has nearly 10 times the number of destroyed buildings and at least five times as many potentially explosive electric vehicles abandoned in fire zones that must be disarmed. … ” Read more from Bloomberg.
Earth doesn’t burn: (back) toward a fire-wise infrastructure in Southern California
Dr. Kenjus D. Watson writes, “In October 2020, as the Bobcat Fire threatened to scale the San Gabriel Mountains and descend into Pasadena, my family and I packed our essentials and temporarily relocated with loved ones across the country in Ohio. The fire wasn’t just a natural disaster; it was a symptom of larger systemic failures. Between the fire, terrible air quality, and the ongoing COVID pandemic, my wife and I felt the acute fragility of our situation as we sheltered in the Midwest with our 7-month-old daughter, who is now 5 years old. That evacuation marked a turning point for me. Instead of pursuing a tenure-track academic job immediately after earning my doctorate, I joined the CalEarth Institute’s Long-Term Apprenticeship Program to learn and teach others how to build SuperAdobe homes, structures designed to withstand the realities of fire, floods, earthquakes, and the broader polycrisis of climate collapse. … ” Read more from The Revelator.
5 approaches that experts say are our best shot at surviving future wildfires
“At their peak, the devastating wildfires that ignited around Los Angeles in January forced upward of 200,000 people to evacuate and torched more than 16,000 homes, offices, and shops. The total economic losses may reach as high as $275 billion. Now the blazes are fully contained and have mostly died down. As Angelenos grapple with their losses, the disaster has turned into an excuse for some to litigate their grievances with the state: President Donald Trump said that federal aid to California should be conditioned on policy changes like voter ID laws. He also ordered a reservoir that isn’t connected to Southern California’s water supply to dump 2.2 billion gallons of water. There were indeed decisions that did make the fires more destructive than they needed to be. Wildfires are a natural part of the landscape in Southern California, but as more people move into vulnerable areas, the risk of sparking a fire and the scale of the ensuing destruction grow. And as average temperatures rise due to climate change, the Golden State is likely to experience more of the weather sequences that created the fuel for the recent wildfires. … ” Read more from Vox.
Topanga Creek’s steelhead trout faced localized extinction: ‘We got to go get these fish’
“Hundreds of endangered fish were evacuated from Topanga Creek after the devastating Palisades Fire ripped through the area. The Southern California steelhead trout survived the flames underwater, but recent rains posed a new threat — localized extinction. Wet weather flushed suffocating sediment, heavy materials and ash from burn-scarred Topanga Canyon into the creek. Officials worried that flows after a major storm would wipe out the fish population, which is estimated to be as low as 400. Kyle Evans, environmental program manager with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, told LAist that Topanga Creek is home to the last SoCal steelhead in the Santa Monica Mountains, the species’ historic habitat where it is now considered critically endangered. … ” Read more from the LAist.
Along the Colorado River …
Progress on new Colorado River Basin operational guidelines may stall until federal agencies stabilize
“Federal administration turnover may slow progress in adopting new operating guidelines for the Colorado River Basin. “Of course, there’s been a major change in federal administration and there’s going to be a significant turnover in Department of Interior and Bureau of Reclamation, probably reaching all the way down to the regional director,” said Michael Pearce, Mohave Valley Irrigation and Drainage District attorney. “So, we’ll see where it goes, but probably nothing will happen until the DOI and BOR get stabilized under a new administration.” Pearce presented the information during Tuesday’s regularly scheduled meeting of the MVIDD governing board. … ” Read more from the Mohave Valley News.
In national water news today …
Trump moves to shutter environmental offices across the government
“In a little over two weeks, the Trump administration has taken unprecedented steps to shutter or remake federal offices focused on the environment, causing turmoil and confusion for current and former employees.The latest shake-up came Thursday, when Trump appointees at the Environmental Protection Agency notified staff members that they plan to close the Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights and place 168 of its employees on administrative leave, according to agency officials.The tumult has also engulfed the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division, a little-known yet crucial office tasked with defending the federal government’s environmental actions in court. Trump appointees recently announced plans to fire about 20 employees at the division, among other actions that have sent morale there plummeting, according to three people familiar with the matter who, like others interviewed for this article, spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to comment publicly. … ” Read more from the Washington Post.
Also on Maven’s Notebook today …
DWR: Public comment period opens for periodic evaluations and amendments/revisions of groundwater sustainability plans
NOTICE: Delta Conveyance Project public hearing begins Feb 18
