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In California water news this weekend …
2024 Klamath salmon numbers ‘very low,’ but not surprising, say fish groups
“This month, the Pacific Fishery Management Council released a review of the West Coast’s salmon fisheries in 2024. Salmon groups say the reported fish counts in the Klamath basin are low but not unexpected. Fish managers predicted 36,511 adult Chinook salmon would return to the river to spawn in 2024, but only 24,032 adults returned, 66% of the preseason prediction, according to the review. Yurok Fisheries Department Director Barry McCovey wrote in an email, “We were not surprised by the low numbers in 2024 because the salmon population was still recovering from the extended drought. Some of the worst runs in recorded history occurred during the years-long dry period. Thankfully, there was quite a bit of precipitation last year and 2025 is on track to be above average, but it’s still early,” he wrote. … ” Read more from the Eureka Times-Standard (gift article).
Fall salmon returns to Sacramento and Klamath Rivers much lower than forecasted by fishery managers
“Despite the closure of salmon fishing in California river and ocean waters in 2023 and 2024, the number of Fall Chinook Salmon returning to both the Sacramento and Klamath River Basins was well below the numbers forecasted by state and federal officials one year ago. Under the 2024 regulations, the projected spawning escapement in the Sacramento River Basin was 180,061 hatchery and natural area fall Chinook adults, according to the Pacific Fishery Management Council’s just-published Review of Ocean Salmon Fisheries. However, only 99,274 hatchery and natural area adult spawners were estimated to have returned to the Sacramento River Basin in 2024. That number is only 55 percent of the 2024 conservation and management objective of 180,000 fish … ” Read more from the Daily Kos.
EPA asks to miss key California deadline, blames ‘budget and staffing’
“The Environmental Protection Agency is seeking to postpone a deadline for a long-awaited plan to reduce pollution at Yosemite, Sequoia and other national parks in California, blaming staffing problems partly for the delay. The agency, which was recently downsized by the Trump administration, filed court documents this week asking a judge to push the deadline to Aug. 29 to give administrators at the EPA’s Pacific Southwest Region more time to evaluate California’s Regional Haze Plan. The EPA cited “current budget and staffing levels” as reasons for its inability to meet the statutory deadline. While it’s not clear whether hundreds of firings at the EPA over the past month played any role in the holdup, critics say it’s clear that the agency shouldn’t be getting rid of people when it’s falling behind on work. Critics worry the backup could be the first of many to come with the newly diminished agency. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
California Congressman taking steps to prevent Delta Conveyance Project
“Rep. Josh Harder is working to prevent the completion of the Delta Conveyance project. Harder introduced a bill Tuesday in an effort to stop the project plans. The move comes after Gov. Gavin Newsom took steps to move forward with the project last week. According to Harder, the Delta Conveyance Project will give less water to people in the Central Valley by giving more of it to Southern California. “We’re introducing a bill called the Stop the Delta Tunnels Act, and it does exactly what it says. It would be the final solution towards this problem,” Harder said. “My bill would stop this once and for all by essentially making sure that there could be no permit to build the Delta Tunnel. Not now, not ever.” … ” Read more from KCRA.
Sen. Ben Allen moves to protect California’s freshwater
“Environmentalists throughout the country…no throughout the world…have discovered in recent years that it can no longer count on America’s federal government for help stewarding this world. Nowhere is that more true in the battle to protect clean, freshwater, especially in California. … State Senator Ben Allen (D-Santa Monica) isn’t content with playing defense on water issues. Allen introduced Senate Bill 601 legislation that would restore protections on California’s fresh water removed by the Supreme Court. “The challenges presented by ever-changing federal policy requires California to step up and fill the void that is left when priorities become misaligned,” said Allen in a statement. “The federal Clean Water Act, punched by the Supreme Court less than two years ago, provided important protections for many waters throughout California. Now more than ever, we must take action to protect vulnerable ecosystems so they may thrive long into the future.” … ” Read more from Cal Streetsblog.
Newsom asks Congress for $40B to help with L.A. wildfire recovery
“Gov. Gavin Newsom wrote to leaders of Congress Friday requesting nearly $40 billion in disaster funding for recovery from the Los Angeles fires. Newsom said the funding would “directly support these communities in both the immediate and long-term recovery work needed to rebuild lives and properties from this catastrophic event.” The fires, which broke out in early January, destroyed more than 16,000 structures and killed at least 29 people. The letter — addressed to House Speaker Mike Johnson, Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Rep. Tom Cole and Rep. Rosa DeLauro — says that Newsom expects more requests for funding to follow as California “continues to evaluate and assess the damage while conducting active response and recovery efforts.” … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle (gift article).
Top Trump aide says conditions on federal aid to L.A. will target California Coastal Commission
“The Trump administration is planning to set conditions on federal disaster assistance to Los Angeles as it rebuilds from the Eaton and Palisades fires, a top aide to the president said Friday, indicating that the California Coastal Commission would be a central target of the White House. Ric Grenell, a longtime ally to President Trump, serving as his presidential envoy for special missions, said at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington that “there will be conditions” to the coming aid, echoing previous warnings from both men in recent days. “I think the reality is that the federal response is mostly money, and so we are going to have strings on the money that we give to California,” Grenell said. “We’re talking about those conditions now. … ” Read more from the LA Times. | Read via AOL News.
SEE ALSO: Richard Grenell: There will be conditions on Los Angeles fire aid, from Politico
Wildfires increase mercury concentrations in headwater streams
“Mercury is a toxic heavy metal that poses significant wildlife and human health risks. It is converted into methylmercury, a highly toxic organic form, by microorganisms in aquatic environments. This toxic mercury form accumulates in the tissues of fish and other animals, leading to higher concentrations at higher trophic levels (biomagnification). Although considerable research and monitoring have focused on sources, transformations, and bioaccumulation of mercury, the effect of additional stressors, such as wildfires, is not as well understood. Wildfires can potentially disturb soil and water systems, releasing previously stored mercury back into the environment, thereby complicating existing issues related to mercury contamination. Understanding these interactions is crucial for effective management and mitigation strategies. … ” Read more from the USGS.
In commentary this weekend …
Rehydrating the Los Angeles heat island
Edward Ring, director of water and energy policy for the California Policy Center, writes, “Along with the fairly recent popularization of terms such as atmospheric river and bomb cyclone, we increasingly hear the term “vapor pressure deficit” (VPD). At any given temperature, the term refers to how much moisture is in the air compared to how much moisture could be in the air. The higher the deficit, the dryer the air. A recent article in Cal Matters describes how a high vapor pressure deficit in Los Angeles caused winds to have greater drying power, removing moisture from living plants, making fires “almost unstoppable once they start.” The article goes on to cite a UCLA paper from 2021 that claims that “compared to the 1980s and 1990s, the number of days with an extreme vapor pressure deficit nearly doubled in the first two decades of this century.” For everyone who wants fires to stop immolating cities, whether they believe the cause is primarily climate change or land mismanagement, adaptation is an urgent priority. The debate is over how to adapt. … ” Continue reading at Maven’s Notebook.
In people news this weekend …
Promotions, passings, profiles – submit people news items to maven@mavensnotebook.com.
Tina Thomas, of Sacramento, has been appointed to the Wildlife Conservation Board.
Thomas has been Of Counsel at Downey Brand LLP since 2023. She was Founding Partner at Thomas Law Group Sacramento from 2012 to 2023. Thomas has held multiple positions at Remy, Thomas, Moose, and Manley, LLP from 1982 to 2011, including Counsel and Managing Partner. She was an Associate Attorney at Remy and Associates from 1979 to 1982. Thomas is a Board Member at the Steinberg Institute, Sacramento Federal Judiciary Library, and Meristem, and Member Emeritus at the Sacramento Food Bank. She earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of San Diego, and a Bachelor of the Arts degree in Sociology and Political Science from Stephens College. This position does not require Senate Confirmation, and there is no compensation. Thomas is a Democrat.
Frances “Fran” Pavley, of Agoura Hills, has been reappointed to the Wildlife Conservation Board …
… where she has served since 2018. Pavley has been the Environmental Policy Director at the University of Southern California Schwarzenegger Institute since 2018. She served as a Senator in the California State Senate from 2008 to 2016. Pavley served as an Assemblymember in the California State Assembly from 2000 to 2006. She served as Mayor/City Councilmember for the City of Agoura Hills from 1982 to 1998. Pavley earned her Master of the Arts degree in Environmental Planning from California State University, Northridge, and her Bachelor of the Arts degree in Social Science from California State University, Fresno. This position does not require Senate Confirmation, and there is no compensation. Pavley is a Democrat
Podcasts …
WE GROW CALIFORNIA: A Brave New World
Vivian Welsh, Founder and CEO of Vivians.io, a firm that develops Artificial Intelligence (AI) solutions, joins Darcy and Darcy and discusses what AI is, how utilities or farmers use this technology, what guardrails (If any) are in place, and what’s been the biggest barrier to AI implementation. Vivian shares great success stories, answers tough questions, and provides wonderful tips for getting started. Young, old, or in-between, this is an episode you can’t miss. Join the conversation!
RIPPLE EFFECT: Information needs for water markets
Sarah Null, Professor at Utah State University in the Department in Watershed Sciences, Nell Green Nylon, Senior Research Fellow, and Molly Bruce, Research Fellow at the Center for Law, Energy, & Environment at the UC Berkeley School of Law, join us to talk about their report “Information Needs for Water Markets: Fair and Effective Water Markets Require Adequate Measurement and Reporting of Diversion and Use.” This collaborative effort synthesizes a number of key trends and themes across California, New Mexico, and Utah, impacting the ability to set up and establish water markets. The Report does a great job compiling a large amount of information and stakeholder feedback and distilling it into actionable recommendations. Fantastic effort led by a great group!
WATER IS A MANY SPLENDOR’ED THING PODCAST: Let’s Get it Done
Our most recent reminder of natural catastrophic events of the Pacific Palisades wildfire, and perceived water shortage and conveyance issues bring us to a discussion regarding building more resiliency in our wildfire strategies and water systems. These climatic conditions are likely to show more often than we like. Knowing this, it is time to collectively roll up our sleeves and set up our defenses and contingencies. Water is a Many Splendor ’ed Thing brings you another water relationship that has a personally significant impact to your life. Produced by Stephen Baker, Bringing People Together to Solve Water Problems, water@operationunite.co 530-205-6388
WATER RESOURCES: Evaluation of PFAS regulations
Joe Cotruvo describes PFAS compounds, sources and impacts along with U.S. PFAS regulations compared with other regions globally.
BOILING POINT: Climate change is no joke. Or is it?
Comedian Esteban Gast talks with Sammy about using humor to alleviate climate anxiety, while making clean energy and other environmental solutions more interesting — and even fun. From punchlines to policy, they explore laughter as a powerful tool for change.
WATER SHELF: “Water: A Biography” by Giulio Boccaletti
Giulio Boccaletti provides a master class on water, politics, and social organization in this fascinating discussion of his book Water: A Biography (Pantheon Books, 2021). His “story of people and water” traces the historical dialectic between the practical realities of water management and the development of political ideologies, and he argues for republicanism over authoritarianism in addressing climate change. Dr. Boccaletti is the Scientific Director of the Euro-Mediterranean Center on Climate Change Foundation, Honorary Research Associate at the Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment at the University of Oxford, and Executive Producer of the upcoming PBS/BBC Studios series “The Future of Nature.”
In regional water news this weekend …
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
Placer County Water Agency prepares for second year of water reductions due to PG&E infrastructure failure
“Placer County Water Agency (PCWA) announced yesterday that Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) has halted water releases from Lake Spaulding to facilitate ongoing infrastructure repairs. As a result, water reductions for PCWA customers in 2025 are expected to match those implemented last year. PG&E’s damaged outlet infrastructure at Lake Spaulding has severely impacted regional water deliveries since March 2024. Multiple infrastructure failures at PG&E facilities prevented water releases for more than four and a half months, cutting off flows from the reservoir into the Bear River, which ultimately feeds Rollins Reservoir, a primary source for PCWA’s water system. While PCWA has alternative water sources, the outage significantly increased costs due to additional pumping from the American River and disrupted service to untreated water customers throughout last year’s irrigation season. Additionally, all customers were asked to voluntarily conserve water where they could. … ” Read more from Placer County Water Agency.
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
California Department of Water Resources decreases water releases from Lake Oroville to 13,000 cfs
“The California Department of Water Resources Friday issued an update on the ongoing flood control releases from Lake Oroville. The DWR says they are continuing federally required flood control releases from Lake Oroville in order to maintain flood protection for communities living downstream. Officials say that water is currently being released through the Edward Hyatt Power Plant for hydro-electric energy production and is also being released via the main spillway at the Oroville Dam. The DWR says that with drier weather returning to the area and inflows into Lake Oroville reducing, officials have decreased the total Feather River flood control releases to 13,000 cubic feet per second (cfs). … ” Read more from Action News Now.
BAY AREA
Tiburon marine research center to close amid budget cuts
“San Francisco State University is planning to shut down its Romberg Tiburon Campus for marine research. The university is facing a $13.9 million structural deficit. Closing the satellite campus will save some money, but it will have consequences for research at the Estuary and Ocean Science Center, especially on eelgrass restoration and sea-level adaptation. “Of course we were very surprised and kind of shocked,” said Katharyn Boyer, director of the center. “Our feelings, my feelings about it, is that it’s just a terrible mistake.” Bobby King, director of communications for the university, said the deficit is compounded by the system’s reallocation plan requiring a budget reduction of about $25 million. Additionally, it will likely face cuts of $20.7 million if the state approves plans to reduce California State University’s budget…. ” Read more from the Marin Independent Journal.
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
Kern River weir construction finally underway
“Construction on a key weir in the Kern River at Coffee Road got underway Feb. 20, more than two years after the Bakersfield Water Resources Department was first awarded grant funding to replace the aging structure. The city received $1.3 million from the state Integrated Regional Water Management Program in late 2022 to tear out the existing structure, which only reached half way across the riverbed, and build a fully functional weir in its place. Total cost of construction is $5.3 million. The previous structure, built in the 1980s, reached halfway into the riverbed and city crews had to build, and occasionally rebuild, a sand “plug,” or giant berm, to reach the northern riverbank. After the city announced the grant in early 2023, Mother Nature delayed the project with a whopping water year that brought the river back to life through town from February 2023 through September 2024. … ” Read more from SJV Water.
Kern County subbasin gets more time to fix groundwater plan
“At its probationary hearing on Feb. 20, the Kern County Subbasin circumvented a probationary designation by the State Water Resources Control Board, which instead voted to continue the hearing to September 17, 2025. Kern County Groundwater Sustainability Agencies were given until June 2025 to submit a revised Groundwater Sustainability Plan that addresses lingering deficiencies identified by State Water Board staff. At 9 a.m. on Feb. 20, the SWB and its staff commenced the formal probationary hearing to evaluate the 2024 Groundwater Sustainability Plan for the Kern County Subbasin and determine whether the SWB would assume control. Two alternative staff draft resolutions were presented to the Board—one recommending probation and another requiring Kern GSAs to submit a revised GSP by June 20, 2025, with the hearing continued to September 17, 2025. … ” Read more from Valley Ag Voice.
SEE ALSO:
- California water resources board clamps down on Kern County groundwater sustainability, from Channel 17
- Kern County subbasin groundwater agencies push for sustainability, from Channel 23
Volunteers needed to survey native plants at restoration project
“At least 40 volunteers who want to spend a day outdoors measuring plants are needed Feb. 27 and Feb. 28 at the Capinero Creek Restoration Area in Tulare County. The 467-acre property is owned by the Tule Basin Land & Water Conservation Trust and is the site of a former dairy. This is the second volunteer event of the year at Capinero Creek, which is in the midst of being transformed from intensively farmed ground back to native habitat. Thousands of recently planted native scrub grasses have taken the place of water-intensive crops that used to feed dairy cows. Volunteers will check the progress of the new plants by measuring and recording their height. Work begins at 9 a.m., with snacks and lunch provided. The day ends at 3 p.m. … ” Read more from SJV Water.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Trump administration funding cuts could hamper L.A. River parks projects, lawmaker warns
“Cyclists sped past on a trail overlooking the Los Angeles River near Dodger Stadium as a group of city officials and members of Congress walked to a neighborhood park filled with native plants, trees and picnic tables — an example of larger parks and green spaces that are planned along the river with support from federal funds. U.S. Rep. Laura Friedman (D-Glendale) was there along with Rep. Rick Larsen, (D-Wash.), the top Democratic member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, to call attention to federally funded projects that they believe are now at risk as President Trump and his allies seek to make widespread cuts to government programs. … “This is a big, transformative project for Los Angeles,” Friedman said. “It would just be heartbreaking to see the Trump administration pull all the federal funding that we’re relying on.” … ” Read more from the LA Times.
Large-scale debris removal underway at Eaton Wash Dam
“The recent storms brought lots of ash and fire debris into the Eaton Wash Dam in north Pasadena. Now the county is working to clean it out. Eaton Wash Dam, one of 14 dams managed by L.A. County Public Works, captures storm water that is then cleaned for use as drinking water. The dam also serves as essential flood control, protecting communities downstream. The recent storm sent ash and mud from the Eaton Fire scar in the mountains into the dam. The danger is that the sediment will clog up a valve outlet that allows controlled releases of water to prevent flooding. …” Read more from the LAist.
The weather and climate influences on the January 2025 fires around Los Angeles
“On January 7, 2025, a handful of wildfires erupted in the Los Angeles metro area and raced through multiple neighborhoods, killing more than two dozen people, razing upwards of 15,000 homes and businesses, and creating unhealthy air quality for millions of people. Based on preliminary estimates, the two largest blazes—the Eaton Fire and the Palisades Fire—have already moved into the second (Eaton) and third (Palisades) spots on California’s list of most destructive fires on record. The fires around Los Angeles were the result of the dangerous overlap of multiple human and natural influences. The fire ignitions were human-caused—like virtually all winter fires in the area—although the exact trigger remains under investigation. How destructive they became has a lot to do with population density and building patterns that position homes and other vulnerable assets shoulder to shoulder with the region’s grass and shrub-dominated chaparral landscapes. On the weather and climate side, there were record-amounts of flammable vegetation—what fire scientists call “fuel load”—due to extreme wetness followed by extreme heat and record dryness. The landscape was primed for explosive fire. And then extreme Santa Ana winds started to blow down from the Great Basin. … ” Read more from NOAA.
SAN DIEGO
Mexico has finished repairs on broken wastewater plant, IBWC commissioner says
“The infamous yellow “KEEP OUT OF WATER” signs are sadly synonymous with Imperial Beach. They’ve even creeped up the Silver Strand into Coronado. There’s a chance they could stand down this summer. A chance. A spokesperson for the State of Baja California said the San Antonio de los Buenos wastewater treatment plant is nearing completion. The plant has been offline and dumping more than 17 million gallons of raw sewage a day directly into the Pacific Ocean for several years. … ” Read more from Channel 7.
Along the Colorado River …
Some Coloradans are eyeing floating solar panels in the search for new water supplies
“Colorado River Basin communities, searching for ways to save water in times of drought, are looking to floating solar panels. In Colorado, the solar-powered savings could be big: more than the water used by all of the state’s cities and towns combined. Reservoirs and canals regularly lose water because of evaporation, which steals about 10% of the overstretched Colorado River’s average streamflow each year. Covering the water bodies nips that evaporative loss in the bud. California, the Gila River Indian Community, and some Colorado towns are experimenting with floating solar panels. At maximum, Colorado could use the arrays to keep 429,000 acre-feet of water from entering the atmosphere — if, and this is a big “if,” the projects can beat environmental, recreational and legal barriers. “It is a pretty new technology. This is an early look at it,” said Cole Bedford with the Colorado Water Conservation Board, which published a feasibility study on the systems in December. “If this is a route we’re going to go, there’s work to do.” … ” Read more from the Colorado Sun.
In national water news this weekend …
States move to cement PFAS protections amid fears of federal rollbacks
“Concerns are growing about the fate of a Biden-era rule to limit toxic PFAS chemicals in drinking water, with some states moving to introduce laws that would lock in place PFAS protections that could survive any potential rollback by the Trump Administration. California introduced legislation on Wednesday that would direct the State Water Resources Control Board to adopt regulations at least as protective as those in the federal rule. If California’s bill passes, it will require state regulators to set new regulations by January 1, 2026 that would mirror the Biden Administration rule that set a limit on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in drinking water. The legislation specifically calls for adopting the requirements in place on a federal level as of the day prior to President Donald Trump’s January 20th inauguration. “We think there’s a case here for folks to act with urgency given the developments in Washington, given the threat to public health and public safety that these chemicals pose,” Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel (D-CA), who introduced the bill, said on a February 19 press call. “We are going to do this so we can protect our communities irrespective of what happens at the federal level.” … ” Read more from The New Lede.
Future uncertain for National Environmental Policy Act implementation
“Ever since the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit declared in Marin Audubon that the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) had no authority to issue binding National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) regulations, questions have swirled about the future of NEPA implementation. Since Marin Audubon was decided on November 12, 2024, several significant actions have been taken. Here, we summarize some key NEPA-related developments over the past 90 days, including a potential interim final rule by CEQ rescinding its own NEPA regulations. … ” Read more from Nossaman.
Also on Maven’s Notebook this weekend …
NOTICE: Continuation of the February 20 Public Hearing for the Consideration of a Probationary Designation for the Kern County Subbasin; Kern County responds
