DAILY DIGEST, holiday weekend edition: Delta Conveyance Project receives key permit; Lake Shasta waters still high after heavy dam releases; Kern Subbasin probationary hearing scheduled for February 20; Inside the battle to restore drinking water in Altadena and Pacific Palisades; and more …

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In California water news this weekend …

Delta Conveyance Project receives Incidental Take Permit: includes statements from the Governor, Restore the Delta, and State Water Contractors

“The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) has issued an Incidental Take Permit (ITP) under Section 2081 of the California Endangered Species Act (CESA) for the Delta Conveyance Project. Completion of this permit is an important milestone in the planning process, advancing this critical project closer to implementation.  Under CESA, DWR is required to obtain an ITP to minimize, avoid, and fully mitigate impacts to threatened or endangered species as a result of the construction, operation, and maintenance of the Delta Conveyance Project.  The Delta Conveyance Project is one of California’s most important climate adaptation strategies. By modernizing the infrastructure of the State Water Project, it will protect water supply reliability for 27 million people and 750,000 acres of farmland.  By developing infrastructure – including intake and tunneling facilities – on the Sacramento River in the Delta region, the Delta Conveyance Project would better equip the State Water Project to take advantage of the types of atmospheric rivers that are becoming more common. This would expand the state’s ability to improve water supply reliability, while maintaining fishery and water quality protections. … ”  Read more from Maven’s Notebook.

Delta tunnel project receives Incidental Take Permit for California endangered species

“On the afternoon of Valentine’s Day, Governor Gavin Newsom announced that the controversial Delta Conveyance Project has received an Incidental Take Permit, a “critical milestone” in the advancement of the embattled Delta Tunnel.  The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) issued the permit to the California Department of Water Resources. Under the California Endangered Species Act (CESA), DWR is required to obtain an ITP to “minimize, avoid, and fully mitigate impacts to threatened or endangered species” as a result of the construction, operation, and maintenance of the Delta Conveyance Project.  The Delta Tunnel project is opposed by a broad coalition of Tribes, fishing groups, environmental justice organizations, conservation groups, Southern California ratepayers, five Delta Counties, scientists and elected officials. … ”  Read more from the Daily Kos.

Lake Shasta waters still high after heavy dam releases; February rain breaking records

“Lake Shasta water levels are still higher than usual for this time of year, even after U.S. Bureau of Reclamation officials released 10 times the amount of water flowing through Shasta and Keswick dams during the second week of February.  At just under 1,037 feet, Shasta Dam was lapping almost 30 feet from the top of the reservoir (1,067 feet) on Thursday, according to the California Department of Water Resources.  But the amount of water in the state’s largest reservoir is much closer to its historical average for this time of year than it was a week ago, days after record breaking rainfall drenched the greater Redding area and the North State. As of Friday morning, just under 10 inches of rain had fallen in Redding so far in February. … ”  Read more from the Redding Record-Searchlight.

Kern Subbasin probationary hearing scheduled for February 20

“I attended two separate Kern Subbasin GSA board meetings this past week. The Kern folks are ready for their hearing. A tremendous amount of work has been done by this more than 1 million acre subbasin. There are 22 different GSAs, but they are very coordinated in their submitted Groundwater Sustainability Plans. They have done the work of modifying their plans and worked closely with the State Board members and staff in anticipation of the hearing next week. While the final State Board staff report released in January does recommend putting the Kern Subbasin into probation, this past week an Alternative Draft Resolution was released for the State Board members to consider at the hearing… ”  Read more from the Milk Producers Council.

Pumping 1/100th of available water: A case study in regulatory constraints

“On February 10, 2025, flows from the Sacramento River through the Delta were increasing following a series of storms in Northern California. Delta outflow—flows out to the Pacific Ocean on that day were estimated by the Department of Water Resources to be 197,700 cfs. On that same day, the State Water Project pumps were operating at 1,800 cfs. SWP operations achieved the unique distinction of pumping less than 1/100th of the water that was flowing out to the ocean. Why? It wasn’t due to physical capacity — the pumps were capable of moving 5.5 times that amount. It wasn’t a permitting issue either, as they were authorized to pump 3.5 times that volume. And it wasn’t a lack of downstream storage—San Luis Reservoir was not yet full and even if it were, huge volumes could be sent to groundwater recharge facilities. … ”  Read more from the Milk Producers Council.

Groups sue Trump administration to protect white sturgeon

“The white sturgeon of the San Francisco Estuary resembles something out of a Jurassic Park film. The prehistoric fish, the largest freshwater fish in California, looks like a steel-colored mix between a dinosaur and a catfish. Historical records show that they can grow up to 20 feet long and live over 100 years, bearing their age handsomely with a set of prominent whiskers. They’ve been around in some form going back more than 100 million years. However, these remnants of an ancient world are now facing some of the greatest threats they’ve seen in their long lives: politicians.  “It’s a species that is at real risk, that is a truly remarkable creature and lives for decades,” said Eric Buescher, managing attorney for San Francisco Baykeeper, a nonprofit watchdog. “It’s been around essentially since the time of the dinosaurs and here we are, in the last 30 or so years, pushing it toward the brink of extinction.” … ”  Read more from Bay Nature.

EPA fires ‘probationary’ employees

“EPA has fired hundreds of its employees, many of whom are just starting their careers at the agency, as the Trump administration pares down the federal workforce.  The staffers let go by EPA were on “probationary” status, who generally have less than a year of federal service. Those employees still in their trial periods can be fired more easily by the agency.  “EPA has terminated 388 probationary employees after a thorough review of agency functions in accordance with President Trump’s executive orders,” EPA spokesperson Molly Vaseliou told POLITICO’s E&E News on Friday.
That is a significant chunk of the agency’s workforce that is no longer employed. EPA has roughly 16,000 employees on the payroll. … ”  Read more from E&E News.

Trump’s spending freeze halts key California wildfire work: ‘We can’t even buy the rakes’

“A key federal agency overseeing 15 million acres of public lands in California has halted some critical fire prevention work because of the massive freeze in government funding directed by President Donald Trump.  The Bureau of Land Management confirmed it had stopped all plans to clear hazardous overgrowth on public lands across the country if the projects were to be paid for through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The law was slated to fund $113 million worth of fuels reduction work on 770,000 acres nationwide this year, a bureau spokesperson said. Trump has previously chastised California for not “raking” its forests, but his efforts to slash the federal budget and workforce — including an estimated 3,400 U.S. Forest Service positions — have federal lawmakers, firefighters and others concerned the federal government will fall short of its important role preventing and battling wildfires. … ”  Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.

SEE ALSO: Trump administration policy is slowing the very fire prevention work he endorsed, critics say, from the LA Times

California banned polystyrene. Has the plastic industry spooked the governor into silence?

“On Jan. 1, polystyrene packaging became illegal to sell, distribute or import into California — the result of a landmark waste law signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom in 2022, and heralded by lawmakers and environmentalists as a game-changer in the fight against single-use plastics and pollution.  But few would have known that this particularly pernicious plastic polymer had been phased out if they’d been waiting for the state to make mention of this monumental milestone — one that environmentalists describe as an unequivocal demonstration of the law’s strength to phase out problematic, single-use plastics for which there is little if any recycling available.  That’s because no statements or acknowledgments about the effective ban have been released by the governor’s office or CalRecycle, the agency charged with overseeing and enforcing the law.  Instead, there’s growing concern among environmental groups and some lawmakers that plastic manufacturers, producers and distributors are waging a behind-the-scenes battle to derail the plastics law, known as SB 54. … ”  Read more from the LA Times.

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In commentary this weekend …

An exclusive interview with Donald Trump’s least favorite fish, the Delta smelt

Columnist Joe Mathews writes, “I’m just a little fish, not even 3 inches long.  But my story speaks volumes.  Which is why the biggest fish in America is gunning for me.  Donald Trump has taken more shots at me than at Vladimir Putin. He called me a “worthless fish” on Truth Social. And he blamed me for every bad thing in California this year, except Bianca Censori’s Grammy dress. Worst of all, he pinned responsibility on me for January’s Los Angeles area fires. He said that I stopped water imports to Southern California, keeping fire hydrants dry. The president also used me to justify his crazy decision to unleash enormous stores of water from two lakes. That move wasted water that our farmers will need this summer. Luckily, no one was killed in the Central Valley by this Trump-ordered flood — or those deaths would have been my fault, too.  I haven’t responded to any of this, because what can I say? … ”  Continue reading from the San Francisco Chronicle.

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In regional water news this weekend …

NORTH COAST

End of an Era: PG&E plans to decommission Potter Valley Hydroelectric Facility

“PG&E held a town hall webinar on February 6 to present key details from its 2,086-page Final Draft Application for Surrender of License for the Potter Valley Project. The document outlines PG&E’s plan to decommission the hydroelectric facility, which has been operating under an annual license since its previous authorization expired in 2022. The plan also includes a proposal for a new seasonal water diversion system, the New Eel Russian Facility (NERF), to be developed by the Eel Russian Project Authority (ERPA). If approved, this facility would continue diverting winter water flows from the Eel River to the Russian River while allowing for fish passage. … ”  Read more from MendoFever.

First ‘Eel River Expo’ planned for the spring

“The North Coast Region of CalTrout and the Rotary Club of Eureka will co-host the first-ever Eel River Expo: A Source to Sea Community Event on April 19 from noon to 4 p.m. at River Lodge, 1800 Riverwalk Drive, Fortuna.  This is a free community celebration of the region’s vital Eel River watershed. A press release for the event says, “We are entering a critical time in Eel River watershed recovery. This year marks a major milestone as we enter Phase 2 of the Eel River Watershed Restoration and Conservation Program. The Potter Valley Project (including two dams) is also in the process towards decommissioning.”  This event will create opportunities for people of all ages in the community to develop a deeper connection with their local environment. … ”  Read more from the Eureka Times-Standard.

MOUNTAIN COUNTIES

Tahoe-area resorts see ‘prime’ skiing conditions after storms. How much snow fell in Sierra?

“Strap on your skis and snowboards. Ski resorts in the central Sierra Nevada have received multiple feet of snow in the first half of February, thanks to recent winter storms. The new snow has created great conditions for skiing and snowboarding, representatives for ski resorts in the greater Lake Tahoe area told The Bee on Friday. A representative for Palisades Tahoe told The Sacramento Bee that recent snow flurries have allowed the Olympic Valley ski resort to open all lifts and terrain for operation However, crews will need time to clear new snow that’s fallen since Wednesday at the Silverado chairlift. … ”  Read more from the Sacramento Bee.

‘The community is freaking out’: Tahoe avalanche forecaster is targeted by federal workforce cuts

“The mass federal workforce cuts affecting hundreds of thousands of government employees nationwide are threatening a key hub of daily reporting on snow conditions and avalanche risks in the Sierra — vital information on which skiers, snowmobilers and search-and-rescuers depend to travel safely through California’s winter mountain landscapes.  In partnership with the U.S. Forest Service, the nonprofit Sierra Avalanche Center employs three avalanche forecasters during the winter months who produce daily risk assessments across a zone that stretches about 200 miles from Sierra County south to Bear Valley and encompasses the Tahoe Basin. They travel through treacherous terrain, monitoring how weather impacts snow conditions on the ground and collating their observations into analyses that show where deadly problems like snow slides might occur. … ”  Read moire from the San Francisco Chronicle.

CENTRAL COAST

Moss Landing battery fire: Residents sue Vistra, others for damages

“Despite testing from the county and corporations saying there is no risk to public health, many Monterey County residents near and around the site of the Moss Landing Battery Plant fire have shared concerns about the aftermath.  A group of Monterey County residents filed a lawsuit in Alameda County against several companies for damages following the large fire at the Moss Landing Battery Plant on Jan. 16.  The complaint filed by Singleton Schreiber, LLP, names Moss Landing Power Company, Vistra Corp., Dynegy Operating Company and LG Energy Solution among others as being negligent and liable for hazardous activities. … ”  Read more from the San Jose Mercury News.

Storm surge causes wastewater spill into San Luis Obispo Creek

“Officials from the San Luis Obispo County Public Health Department are advising the public to avoid contact with ocean water at the creek outfall at Avila Beach following the release of partially treated wastewater into the San Luis Obispo Creek.  According to the City of San Luis Obispo Wastewater Treatment Plant, the release began at 12:40 p.m. due to a storm surge event. Approximately 50,000 gallons of partially treated wastewater mixed with diluted rainwater entered the creek. The release was mitigated by 1 p.m.  San Luis Obispo County Environmental Health Services has issued beach closure advisories for the creek outfall and beach areas up-coast and down-coast of the Avila Beach Pier. Ocean water samples will be collected tomorrow to assess bacteria levels. … ”  Read more from the Paso Robles Daily News.

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

Cleanup begins after storm ravages Southern California, leaving mud, debris, and forcing swift-water rescues

“Heavy rainfall triggered several mudslides in Southern California on Thursday evening, Feb. 13, trapping cars and trucks and seeping into homes in Sierra Madre, while another swept a Los Angeles Fire Department vehicle and a firefighter into the Pacific Ocean.  Flooding on the Mission Road underpass to the 60 Freeway led to a swift water rescue in Riverside, while the roof of a Smart & Final in Azusa collapsed during the storm.  The steady downpour predicted to be the strongest storm of the winter season did not disappoint, bringing nearly four inches of rain to parts of the San Gabriel and San Fernando Valley foothills, nearly three inches in downtown LA and upwards of six inches in parts of the San Gabriel Mountains, according to data from the National Weather Service.  The 2.8 inches in downtown Los Angeles set a 71-year record for the date, breaking the previous high of 2.71 in 1954. … ”  Read more from the LA Daily News.

Malibu takes another punch, rattled by earthquake hours after damaging storm passes

“Malibu has taken punch after punch from planet Earth this year, from deadly wildfires to torrents of muddy flash flooding after a potent atmospheric river. Saturday morning, the punches came from below as an earthquake rattled thousands of residents in the area.  While just a coincidence in timing coming on the heels of the storm, the magnitude 3.7 quake struck just before midnight and was centered just 7 miles northwest of Malibu, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.  It had a depth of just over 9 miles. Over 2,300 people around the Los Angeles area reported feeling the quake to the USGS, stretching from Santa Barbara to the north and even as far south as San Diego. … ”  Read more from Fox Weather.

FEMA doubles down on its decision to not test soil as part of wildfire cleanup

“In the face of mounting backlash from wildfire survivors and California elected officials, federal disaster agencies are defending their decision to forgo soil testing after cleanup crews remove debris from properties that burned in the Los Angeles County fires.  The Federal Emergency Management Agency and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have said that federal cleanup workers will remove toxic wildfire ash and rubble, along with a 6-inch layer of topsoil from properties. But, this week, federal officials told The Times they won’t order soil testing to confirm that properties aren’t still contaminated after the removal.  Follow-up soil testing — conducted after every major wildfire in California since 2007 — is intended to ensure that properties are remediated to state standards and don’t still contain dangerous levels of toxic substances.  But now FEMA, the agency responsible for allocating funding and outlining cleanup procedures in the aftermath of wildfires, insists that scraping 6 inches of topsoil from each property is sufficient to protect public health. … ”  Read more from the LA Times. | Read via Yahoo News.

Inside the battle to restore drinking water in Altadena and Pacific Palisades

“The Rubio Cañon Land & Water Assn.’s tiny Altadena office building had turned into a command post by early morning Jan. 8. As firefighters scrambled to save homes and lives from the Eaton fire above ground, Rubio Cañon’s staff was fighting to keep its below-ground water system alive.  It was a losing battle.  The small utility, one of the three private customer-owned water providers in Altadena, watched as water hemorrhaged from its system — from residents running garden hoses to try to douse flames licking at their homes to water lines at the base of destroyed homes that melted or snapped in the heat. The water level in the labyrinth of underground pipes began to drop, creating a vacuum in the system. Open hydrants and broken connections higher in the hills began sucking in the toxic smoky air to fill the void left by the water depletion. … ”  Read more from the LA Times. | Read via Yahoo News.

DWP secures law firm, at up to $1,975 an hour, to defend against Palisades fire lawsuits

Faced with a deluge of litigation from the Palisades fire, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power approved a three-year, $10-million contract with a top law firm to defend the utility.  The Board of Water and Power, which is made up of mayoral appointees, voted Tuesday to retain the L.A. firm Munger, Tolles & Olson to investigate anticipated claims related to the fire and respond to lawsuits from residents whose homes were destroyed or damaged.  Although the firm is to be paid by DWP, it was selected by L.A. City Atty. Hydee Feldstein Soto.  Under the deal, partners at the firm will charge the utility up to $1,975 per hour for their legal work. Associates will bill from $745 to $1,180 per hour. A spokesperson for Feldstein Soto said this “discounted rate structure” was among the factors that led to the selection of the firm. … ”  Read more from the LA Times. | Read via AOL News.

Los Angeles wildfires spell trouble for California ocean health

“Just a month and a half into the new year, and already more than 350 wildfires in California have consumed and destroyed over 50,000 acres of land across the counties of Los Angeles and San Diego.  Though wildfires are nothing new in our state, toxic fallout from recent fires in densely populated urban areas, such as the Palisades Fire and Eaton Fire, pose a serious and unique threat to our coastal and ocean environment. Toxic “urban ash” from these fires threatens to smother and poison coastal ecosystems, hurting marine animals and worsening California’s ocean water quality. … ”  Read more from Environment Health.

Collaborative water testing following LA fires

“Wildfires don’t just leave behind scorched landscapes, they also impact our waterways, beaches, and ocean. Following the recent Palisades and Eaton fires, Surfrider LA has been actively involved in response efforts, collaborating with SCCWRP (Southern California Coastal Water Research Project), Heal the Bay, the Proteocean Lab at USC, and other scientific institutions to investigate the effects of wildfire ash and debris on water quality along the Los Angeles coast.  This collaboration involved a multi-pronged approach to testing and monitoring water contamination. The results will provide crucial insight into the levels of pollutants present in stormwater runoff and its impact on nearshore waters. Surfrider LA worked alongside Heal the Bay and USC to conduct bacterial sampling, while SCCWRP took the lead in analyzing a broader range of potential contaminants … ”  Read more from Surfrider.

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Along the Colorado River …

The water fate of thousands may rest with the Arizona Supreme Court

Columnist Joanna Allhands writes, “We don’t yet know whether the Arizona Supreme Court will agree to intervene in a dustup between Chandler and the Roosevelt Water Conservation District (RWCD).  Or if it does, how the court might rule.  But this case should be a cautionary tale for all of Arizona:  We’re going to see more disputes like this as water grows scarcer and competition for supplies grows.  It’s in all our best interests to resolve them before the fate of thousands (or even millions) of water users rests with a black-and-white court order. … ”  Read more from Arizona Central.

A resolution in the Utah legislature could impact negotiations over the Colorado River

“A resolution introduced in the Utah State Legislature could have an impact on negotiations between states, tribes and Mexico over the future of the Colorado River.  House Joint Resolution 9, sponsored by Rep. Casey Snider, R-Paradise, calls for Utah to use its full allocation of Colorado River water in the upper and lower basins.”We’re just wanting to make sure that it is clear and unequivocal what the state’s position is on the Colorado River,” Rep. Snider told FOX 13 News in an interview.  The agreements governing the Colorado River expire in 2026 and are currently being renegotiated. The Great Basin Water Network believes the state’s position with this resolution when it comes to Colorado River water is “we’re going to use it wherever we want.” … ”  Read more from Fox 13.

Utah seems ready to pay farmers to leave more water in the Colorado River

“Utah is another step closer to paying farmers to leave more water in the Colorado River system.  The state’s Demand Management Pilot Program will use around $4 million in state money to compensate farmers who temporarily stop irrigating some of their land. The practice is known as fallowing, and the water they would have normally used for irrigation can stay in the river. The idea is to then track that conserved water as it flows downstream and gets stored in a reservoir, such as Lake Powell.  The program has received 27 applications from water users in east and southeast Utah to take part in the effort’s inaugural year. The Colorado River Authority board will now consider which projects to fund as it looks to launch this spring.  The saved water will hopefully help Utah avoid mandatory cuts in the future as it looks toward a renegotiated Colorado River agreement next year, said Authority Executive Director Amy Haas. … ”  Read more from KUER.

Colorado Water Trust’s mission to restore water back to Colorado’s rivers

“Imagine the rushing waters of the Yampa River, lush and flowing alongside your hike to see the changing leaves in the fall. Or the crests of the Roaring Fork River as rafters glide down them in the summer. Even the South Platte River, snaking its way through Denver, a city built on its banks.  Now imagine these rivers gone, dried up; lost to the effects of climate change, overconsumption and population strains. This could be a reality for Coloradans in just a few decades. That’s why Colorado Water Trust, a non-profit organization based in Boulder, took on the charge in 2001 to help restore water to rivers and streams across the state. … ”  Read more from the Colorado Water Trust.

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In national water news this weekend …

As Trump administration reforms the EPA, cleanups of America’s most toxic sites are uncertain

“Just over a mile from where Patricia Flores has lived for almost 20 years, a battery smelter plant spewed toxic elements into the environment for nearly a century.  Exide Technologies in southeast Los Angeles polluted thousands of properties with lead and contributed to groundwater contamination with trichloroethylene, or TCE, a cancer-causing chemical.  Since Exide declared bankruptcy in 2020, California has invested more than $770 million to clean the various properties. But much more cleanup is needed, and with Donald Trump’s return to the White House, those efforts are uncertain.  “The groundwater that was found to have TCE is spreading,” said Flores in Spanish. “It’s not just going to affect us – other people will also be impacted by the contamination. And it is worrying that we won’t be added to the priority list for the cleanup to be done.” … ”  Read more from KTNV.

Trump officials signal potential changes at NOAA, the weather and climate agency

“Federal workers at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration are on high alert as they monitor signs of a potential Trump administration overhaul of one of the government’s main scientific agencies.  Many employees are bracing for potential staff cuts, as well as slashes to the funding that supports science within the agency and by many research partners across the country.  In particular, NOAA staffers are concerned about how President Trump’s executive orders, including one targeting climate change programs, could affect the agency’s research and operations. Agency officials have received a list, which NPR has viewed, of terms that could run afoul of the orders in the grants and programs they manage; the list includes terms like “climate change,” “pollution” and “natural resources,” as well as many terms associated with diversity, equity and inclusion. NPR obtained the list from an official at NOAA who agreed to talk on the condition of anonymity for fear of retribution.  NOAA did not respond to NPR’s request for comment. … ”  Read more from the LAist.

The role of AI in eco-friendly resource management

“The world’s looming concerns of climate change and environmental issues demand new creative solutions to resource management rationally. Artificial Intelligence (AI) has come up as technology in eco-friendly resource management, such as to the energy industry, the public sector, and the local communities for optimization of energy use, waste cut-down, and sustainability promotion. AI by using the various machine learning systems, data analysis, and automation gives us the possibility of conserving natural resources like never before and makes the operations more efficient and also more environmentally friendly. … ”  Read more from GIS User.

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