A wrap-up of posts published on Maven’s Notebook this week …
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In California water news this week …
‘I’m still nervous’: California’s vital snowpack below normal as winter winds down
“The big storms that pounded California in early February, after a terribly dry January, did only so much to boost the state’s lackluster snow levels. Snowpack in the Sierra Nevada, southern Cascades and Trinity mountains will likely hover around 85% of average, for the date, on Friday when state water managers conduct their monthly snow survey. The survey comes after what are typically the three snowiest months in California, helping shed light on the state’s water picture for the coming year. Snow, as it melts and fills rivers and reservoirs, accounts for nearly a third of California’s water supply. The big storms that pounded California in early February, after a terribly dry January, did only so much to boost the state’s lackluster snow levels. Snowpack in the Sierra Nevada, southern Cascades and Trinity mountains will likely hover around 85% of average, for the date, on Friday when state water managers conduct their monthly snow survey. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle (gift article).
California’s water allocation up as state juggles supply and flood risks
“The California Department of Water Resources announced another increase to the State Water Project (SWP) allocation forecast for 2025. The allocation increased to 35%, up from 20% in January. This after comes after two large atmospheric rivers in February helped boost water supply. The SWP provides water to agencies serving 27 million Californians and 750,000 farmland acres across the state. California has pivoted from a wet start to the water year, to an abnormally dry January, back to a wet February. This poses challenges for the state to store as much water in wet times, but protect areas of potential flooding hazards. Proposed projects like Sites Reservoir and the Delta Conveyance Project are two ways the state hopes to add additional storage when there is excess water. DWR says “the Delta Conveyance Project alone could have captured more than 700,000 acre-feet of additional storage so far this winter, which is enough to support more than 7 million people and nearly 2.5 million households.” … ” Read more from Channel 10.
SEE ALSO:
- Reclamation maximizes water supplies for initial Central Valley Project 2025 allocations; CVP contractors respond.
- State Water Project allocation increased to 35%; Metropolitan, State Water Contractors respond.
Weak storm to deliver showers, mountain snow in California this weekend
“A series of storms will bring some impacts to California into next week, including cooler air and some moisture, AccuWeather meteorologists say. The first storm will remain very weak as it pushes inland from Friday to Saturday. This storm will mostly occupy the middle part of the atmosphere but will have enough influence to turn off the offshore winds, cool down the air and bring sporadic showers along with some clouds. Even where it does not rain from the first storm, which may be in most areas, temperatures will be 10-20 degrees lower on Friday and Saturday compared to Wednesday and Thursday. A somewhat more organized storm with more moisture will come in from the Pacific this weekend to early next week. … ” Read more from AccuWeather.
California weather has undergone an important shift — and you’ll be feeling the impacts soon
“Spring has warmed across much of the United States over recent decades, according to an analysis released Wednesday by Climate Central, an independent group of scientists and communicators. Californians across the state felt the impacts, with all 58 counties experiencing warmer springs from 1970 to 2024. Such a shift could stress water supplies, prolong seasonal allergies and worsen wildfire risk. The analysis looked into average temperatures during meteorological spring — March, April and May — based on data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Over 95% of the counties analyzed in the U.S. experienced rising spring temperatures from 1970 to 2024. Temperature jumps were especially in Alaska and the Southwest. There’s still variability from year to year but “the baseline is going up,” said Jen Brady, a senior data analyst with Climate Central who led the spring temperature analysis. A few places, such as in the Dakotas, experienced slightly cooler springs — scientists are still investigating why, Brady said. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
DAN WALTERS: California lacks the capacity to store water that atmospheric rivers dump on the state
“President Donald Trump is obsessed with how California manages its water supply, demanding changes as one price of giving the state billions of dollars in aid to cope with Southern California’s deadly and destructive wildfires. However, Trump’s specific complaints are not grounded in hydrologic or managerial reality — such as his insistence that a lack of water from Northern California was a factor in either the fires’ eruption or the firefighting efforts. Hydrants dried up largely because systems were designed to deal with individual structure fires, not widespread wildfires involving thousands of buildings. That said, there’s much to criticize in how California, once a global leader in large-scale water management, has faltered. Population growth and evolving agricultural practices have increased demand, while federal and state environmental laws, judicial decisions, political foot-dragging and climate change have restricted supply. … ” Read more from Cal Matters.
Elon Musk’s DOGE layoffs hit California National Weather Service employees
“Large federal workforce firings began at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on Thursday, including National Weather Service employees in California. At least one California weather service office was impacted by the layoffs, according to a person familiar with the matter, who spoke to the Chronicle on condition of anonymity without authorization to speak publicly. The person was granted anonymity in accordance with the Chronicle’s sourcing policies. According to U.S. House Natural Resources Committee ranking member Jared Huffman, D-San Rafael, hundreds of NOAA scientists were being terminated. Employees were told terminations would go into effect Thursday evening. “People nationwide depend on NOAA for free, accurate forecasts, severe weather alerts and emergency information,” Huffman said. “Purging the government of scientists, experts and career civil servants and slashing fundamental programs will cost lives.” … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle. | Read via MSN News.
Two Delta counties and other Delta agencies sue Delta Stewardship Council, alleging bias and legal error favoring controversial Delta tunnel project
“Sacramento County, San Joaquin County, the City of Stockton, Central Delta Water Agency, Sacramento County Water Agency, and Sacramento Area Sewer District (Petitioners) have sued the Delta Stewardship Council (Council) in Sacramento County Superior Court. The new suit seeks to invalidate a January 2025 Council decision regarding the controversial Delta Tunnel that also has broad consequences for other actions under the 2009 Delta Reform Act (Act). The Delta and its communities, the public interest requiring agency compliance with the Act, and the integrity and reputation of the Council all would suffer if the decision is allowed to stand. The case arises out of a 2024 lawsuit challenging the California Department of Water Resources’ (DWR) Delta Conveyance Project (DCP or Delta Tunnel). In May 2024, the trial court stopped DWR from proceeding with geotechnical activities that DWR admitted were a key component of the Delta Tunnel project. DWR has admitted the Delta Tunnel is a “covered action” under the Act. Under the Act, a project proponent may not implement a covered action before certifying the whole project is consistent with the Delta Plan adopted by the Council. DWR had not done so. … ” Read more from Maven’s Notebook.
Sites Reservoir, Harvest Water projects could get big boost as commission mulls $500M in funding
“The California Water Commission has $526.3 million to spend on water storage. At February’s commission meeting, options on how exactly they’ll do that were discussed, and it could mean more funding for two Northern California water projects. The Sites Reservoir Project in Colusa County and the Harvest Water Project in Sacramento County stand to gain millions of dollars of additional funding to cover inflation costs thanks to the collapse of another Northern California water project. Los Vaqueros Reservoir stores up to 160,000 acre-feet of water and is the primary water storage source for Contra Costa residents. Since 2017, preparations had been underway to expand Los Vaqueros to 275,000 acre-feet. Despite receiving backing from state and local water agencies and already having been allocated some funding from the 2014 Proposition 1 Water Bond, the decision was made to end expansion of the reservoir. … ” Read more from ABC 10.
Army Corps grilled about January water dump; meanwhile storm releases fill Tulare County waterways
“Even as Kaweah and Success lakes returned to normal operations, with some releases sent into local rivers last week after recent storms, the United States Army Corps of Engineers was being grilled in Washington, D.C. about whether the earlier water dump in January adhered to established practice and “common sense.” “I’m going to speculate that you have a lot of work to do to regain the trust and confidence of farmers, local stakeholders, scientists and all of us that you’re going to follow common sense and facts rather than an executive order that contradicts all those things,” said Rep. Mike Levin (D-Oceanside) after repeatedly challenging Army Corps Lt. General William H. Graham to explain last month’s releases. The exchange happened Tuesday during a State of the Civil Works Program oversight hearing. … ” Read more from SJV Water.
DWR approves 15 groundwater sustainability plans in latest round of determinations
“Marking a major milestone towards sustainably managing California’s groundwater supplies, the Department of Water Resources (DWR) today announced determinations for groundwater sustainability plans in 16 basins across the state. These plans are expected to present a roadmap for how local agencies will sustainably manage groundwater, a critical water supply for millions of Californians, over the long-term. These customized plans are a critical piece towards implementing the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) which is centered around the local control of groundwater basins. Passed in 2014, the law calls for local groundwater sustainability agencies (GSAs) to develop and implement plans to achieve the sustainability goals of groundwater basins over a 20-year period. … ” Read more from the Department of Water Resources.
Even in wet years, wells are still dry. Why replenishing California’s groundwater is painfully slow
“After abundant rain and moderate snowfall this year in the northern half of the state, California’s largest reservoirs are holding more than 120% of their historical average. But underground, the state’s supply of water for drinking and irrigating crops remains depleted. Even after multiple wet winters, and despite a state law that’s supposed to protect and restore the state’s precious groundwater, thousands of wells — mostly in rural, low-income communities in the San Joaquin Valley — have gone dry because of over-pumping by growers. So why hasn’t the recent bounty of rain and snow replenished the state’s underground supplies? The Newsom administration has been pushing for more groundwater storage and investing hundreds of millions of dollars in solutions, but most stormwater flows into the ocean. Some of this is intentional — the water has to be routed quickly away from communities to prevent flooding, while some supports aquatic ecosystems, including endangered salmon. But millions of acre feet escape every year because there is no statewide system of pumps, pipelines and ponds to capture it and let it sink into the ground. … ” Continue reading from Cal Matters.
State expands program that has provided free replacement water for over 1,800 nitrate-impacted wells
“Building on the success of a groundbreaking program that has already helped thousands of Central Valley residents, the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board is expanding its Nitrate Control Program (NCP) to eight more groundwater basins, ensuring thousands more households that rely on domestic wells have access to safe drinking water. Launched in 2021, the Central Valley Salinity Alternatives for Long-Term Sustainability (CV-SALTS) Nitrate Control Program has had a significant impact. Since the program began, over 9,000 wells have been sampled in Priority 1 basins – those groundwater basins identified as having the most serious contamination issues – and free replacement drinking water has been provided to over 1,800 households with nitrate-impacted wells. Additionally, over 3.7 million gallons of safe drinking water have been distributed through bottled water deliveries and eight public water filling stations across the region.“We are now in the fourth year of this program, and the results speak for themselves,” said Patrick Pulupa, Executive Officer for the Central Valley Water Board. “Expanding into more zones means thousands more families will have the peace of mind that comes with knowing their water is safe—or getting immediate help if it’s not.” … ” Read more from the State Water Resources Control Board.
2024 Incidental Take Permit marks a shift in state water management strategy
“The California Water Commission’s February meeting included a brief presentation by Dr. Lenny Grimaldo, Environmental Director for the State Water Project, on the project’s recently issued Incidental Take Permit (ITP). This updated permit, approved by the Department of Fish and Wildlife in October 2024, is critical in regulating activities that could affect species protected under the California Endangered Species Act (CESA). The 2024 ITP includes provisions for Delta smelt, longfin smelt, and both winter-run and spring-run Chinook salmon. Additionally, the permit extends to white sturgeon, a species currently under consideration for listing by the Fish and Game Commission. While the listing decision is pending, specific measures are required to ensure its protection. … ” Read more from Maven’s Notebook.
California rice and wildlife report released
“From ducks and cranes to giant garter snakes and salmon, flooded rice fields in California’s Central Valley offer important — often vital — habitat to many wildlife species. Yet uncertainties around crop markets, water and climate can prompt some growers to fallow rice fields or change their management practices. Will today’s rice acreage under current practices be enough to meet key species’ needs? If not, how much rice is needed? Where should it be planted? And what management practices offer the greatest benefit for species of concern? Scientists from the University of California, Davis, and Point Blue Conservation Science address these questions in a new report, “A Conservation Footprint for California Rice,” written for the California Rice Commission. “This was a highly interdisciplinary effort that I don’t think has been attempted at this scale for California rice or perhaps any other California agricultural crop working with wildlife,” said report co-lead John Eadie, a UC Davis professor emeritus in the Department of Wildlife, Fish and Conservation Biology who coordinated the 173-page effort among 13 authors. “I think this report provides the baseline for future work to come.” … ” Read more from UC Davis.
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).
Saving the salmon: Restoring native fish populations on Lower Clear Creek
“For millennia, Northern California Native Americans, particularly the Wintu, relied heavily on salmon harvested from Clear Creek and the Sacramento River for food and trade. These waterways once thrived as major salmon habitats, sustaining the Wintu’s diet and culture. However, the mid-1800s California Gold Rush brought drastic changes. Gold miners dredged creek bottoms and mined stream banks, leading to significant sedimentation and siltation downstream. This influx of silt robbed salmon of the clean gravel essential for their reproduction, contributing to their population decline. While gold mining has waned over the years, other human activities such as logging and, most notably, dam construction have continued to impact salmon habitats. These modern influences pose significant challenges to the recovery of salmon populations. What measures have been taken, and what more can be done to support their resurgence? … ” Read more from the National Park Service.
Diversity in coho salmon could be key to species survival
“New research published today in Ecology Letters from the Stone Center found that coho salmon, one of five Pacific salmon species, have more dynamic migration patterns than previously thought. The study reveals these alternative life histories made coho populations more stable over time, which could be a missing piece in conservation research and action more broadly. Salmon are keystone species (they play an essential role in the health and function of their larger ecosystems) and coho are endangered in California. Researchers with UC Berkeley and California Sea Grant led the 12 year-long study in Willow Creek, a tributary to the Russian River located in northern California’s Sonoma County, to evaluate the effectiveness of salmon restoration efforts. “It’s commonly thought that, during their first year of life in freshwater, coho live and eat near to where they hatched prior to migrating to the ocean for adulthood,” said Dr. Hank Baker, lead author of the paper and postdoctoral researcher within the Carlson and Grantham labs and Freshwater Group at UC Berkeley. “However, we noticed that some individuals leave their natal habitat early and spend months in other parts of the river network before migrating. We found that this subtle diversity within the population contributed quite dramatically to a more robust and stable population overall.” The effect is similar to that of a well-diversified financial portfolio, according to Baker. … ” Continue reading from UC Berkeley.
How young salmon navigate a gauntlet of danger en route to the sea
“For young salmon, the journey along the San Joaquin River in Central California is no small feat. Every spring and fall, thousands of these fish—each as long as a pinky finger— embark on a 350-mile race, swimming day and night and dodging predators along the way to reach the Pacific Ocean. But less than 5% survive the journey, and in some years, hardly any make it. Elevated water temperatures, dams and poor water quality all endanger the animal, but human-introduced predators, including striped and largemouth bass, kill most of them. In a new CU Boulder-led study, researchers reveal how these salmon learn to swim in different parts of the river at different times of day to avoid predators and conserve energy. The study was published Feb 24 in the journal Ecology Letters. … ” Read more from CU Boulder.
Scientists attest to value of UC Davis Smelt Lab
“Moshiur Rahman doesn’t know much about what’s going on with federal funding for the facility he works at, the UC Davis Fish Conservation and Culture Laboratory near Byron. What Rahman, an assistant project scientist, knows is the value of the work that his facility does researching and breeding smelt such as the endangered Delta smelt. While the population of this fish has been largely depleted, it can help feed other parts of the Delta ecosystem and prevent algae blooms. Rahman even knows what he’d say to people trying to politicize smelt: “You have to save this species.” This might be in doubt, with the San Francisco Chronicle reporting on Feb. 6 that the federal government was looking to not renew funding for the lab after its current round expires on Friday. While sources close to UC Davis are confident of a new contract being signed with the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, that hadn’t happened as of press time. People like Rahman warn about what could happen next. … ” Read more from Comstock’s.
New Fish and Wildlife campaign urges Californians to “Save a swamp, Sauté a Nutria”
“It’s National Invasive Species Awareness Week and the US Fish and Wildlife Service wants people to know that nutria can be delicious. The large, semi-aquatic rodent is considered an invasive species along the Pacific, Atlantic and Gulf coasts. Originally brought to the US from South America for fur, wildlife officials say the large rodent is destroying marshland. In California, wildland managers have been raising concerns over nutria for years – warning that the giant rodent poses not only a threat to natural habitats but also to levees critical to agriculture. Noting that eating invasive species is one way people can help protect native wildlife, Fish and Wildlife started a new campaign for this National Invasive Species Awareness Week by highlighting a number of pests that can make for a nice meal. … ” Read more from CBS News.
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.
Purge of federal support jolts California agriculture
“The Trump administration’s mass firing of federal employees and its withholding of federal funds during the past month have impacted farmers who for decades have partnered with the federal government for conservation, infrastructure and equipment upgrades, research and other work critical to agriculture. “We have been constantly assessing the impacts because these actions touch so many areas of the federal government that farmers and ranchers interact with,” said Erin Huston, natural resources and land consultant for the California Farm Bureau. “We are concerned about the impacts to both agriculture and the rural communities agriculture serves.” Among those affected were farmers expecting repayment under federal conservation contracts, such as those funded through the U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service and its Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities grants. … ” Read more from Ag Alert.
Clothes dryers due for closer look as possible culprit for spread of microplastics
“Clothes dryers blow a lot of hot air, but one group wants to know about what else gets spit out by the machine. The San Francisco Estuary Institute is taking a closer look at the household appliance as part of their research into micro-plastic pollution in the Bay Area. Maybe the vent shoots out towards the side yard, breezeway, or back alley, but somewhere that little air vent flaps and flops while your clothes dry through. But is it just hot air coming out the other end? “We saw high levels of microplastics in storm water runoff and a lot of them were fibers,” Diana Lin said. “And so we’ve been wondering where all these fibers are coming from and one hypothesis is that clothing dryers, which are vented outdoors, could be an important source.” … ” Read more from NorCal Public Media.
State Water Board developing statewide urban stormwater infiltration policy
“The California State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board) has begun its process to develop a new statewide Urban Stormwater Infiltration Policy. The goal of the proposed new policy is to establish statewide standards for stormwater infiltration to provide a consistent regulatory framework to “encourage infiltration of urban stormwater and increase local water supply resiliency, provide greater protection of stormwater quality, and develop projects with multiple benefits for communities.” The proposed policy scope includes the following components:Decision-making framework and support tools for assessing infiltration conditions, including potential prohibitions to protect groundwater quality; Minimum siting, design, operation, and maintenance requirements for new or expanded systems; Requirements for existing infiltration systems; and Antidegradation analysis of the effects of stormwater infiltration on groundwater quality. … ” Read more from Nossaman.
Proposed California water law would revive Clean Water Act rules
“Clean water soon could join a list of issues – smog, the minimum wage, gun control – as an area where California law goes further than similar laws in the rest of the country. But here’s the rub: The most likely path for that to happen is if lawmakers approve a new bill, SB 601, that calls for California to permanently enshrine into state law the rules of what has been, until recently, the federal status quo – the Clean Water Act of 1972. The bill’s basic premise is simple. All future water pollution laws in California will have to cover the same waterways – wetlands, creeks, streams rivers and lakes – that applied to the federal Clean Water Act as recently as the early years of Joe Biden’s presidency. Farmers and ranchers, among others, might fight it, in part because they’ve been hit hard by rising water prices. … But supporters say the new bill is the opposite of costly. … ” Read more from the OC Register (gift article).
In commentary this week …
The easy impossible paths to water abundance
Edward Ring, Director of Water and Energy Policy at the California Policy Center, writes, “Coming up with a plan to find sufficient water to maintain 100 percent of existing irrigated farm acreage in the San Joaquin Valley the next time a multi-year drought strikes is not impossible. We can pipe water from Lake Roosevelt in Washington all the way down to Lake Mead in Nevada. From there, modest expansion of already existing canals and storage facilities can get Los Angeles, Orange, and San Diego counties, along with Imperial Valley farms and the Salton Sea, all the water they need. After all, the Colombia River has an average annual flow of nearly 200 million acre feet. So why not divert 10 million acre feet a year, a mere 5 percent of its flow? This will free up about 1.5 million acre feet per year that currently goes over the Tehachapis to Los Angeles to stay in the San Joaquin Valley for farm irrigation. While this proposal has earned ridicule every time it’s come up in recent decades, it’s a project that could have been realized back in the 1950s. … ” Continue reading this commentary at Maven’s Notebook.
Editorial: Donald Trump — aided by DOGE — just crippled California’s ability to fight wildfires
The McClatchy California editorial board writes, “President Donald Trump made good on his promise to shrink the federal workforce— and he did it in the worst possible way. Aided and abetted by Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency, Trump declared a hiring freeze and fired tens of thousands of probationary employees, regardless of their missions. DOGE would have us believe these were mostly low-level bureaucrats who sat behind their desks and did little more than collect paychecks. They were not. They held down a variety of positions — not necessarily behind a desk — and often worked long hours for little pay, doing jobs that would be unimaginable to many of us. … ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee.
Dan Walters: Trump, Newsom play high-stakes game over billions in federal wildfire aid
“After voters shunned Kamala Harris and sent Donald Trump back to the White House, California Gov. Gavin Newsom immediately positioned himself as the leader of the opposition. Newsom called a special legislative session, seeking money for lawsuits to “safeguard California values.” “The freedoms we hold dear in California are under attack — and we won’t sit idle,” Newsom said in a statement. His office declared that “This is the first of several actions by the Newsom administration, in partnership with the Legislature, as the governor begins shoring up California’s defenses against an incoming federal administration that has threatened the state on multiple fronts.” Trump responded with a post on his Truth Social website, saying, “Governor Gavin Newscum is trying to KILL our Nation’s beautiful California” and “stopping all of the GREAT things that can be done to ‘Make California Great Again.’” … ” Read more from Dan Walters at Cal Matters.
Why Trump’s attempt to blackmail California on LA fire relief funding is a betrayal
Opinion writer Tad Weber writes, “One of California’s great treasures is its 840-mile-long coastline. From the redwood-forested coast of Northern California to the rocky shores of Big Sur on the Central Coast to the sandy beaches in Southern California, the California coast is truly a wonder. Central Valley residents know this as the coast is a prime destination for many when blazing hot summer months arrive. Preserving and guarding the splendor is the California Coastal Commission, the public agency that the state’s voters created in 1972. Its mission is “to protect, conserve, restore, and enhance the environment of the California coastline.” The commission frequently denies developers who want to build on the coast and private homeowners who wrongly believe the beach below their homes belongs to them. It doesn’t. It belongs to the public, as enshrined in the California Coastal Act of 1976. It is no surprise, then, that a critic of the Coastal Commission would be none other than President Donald Trump, aka a New York real estate developer. … ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee.
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.
Will Donald Trump Republicans in Congress cause a financial disaster in California?
Opinion columnist Tom Philp writes, “The political timing of liberal Los Angeles catching on fire, just as Republicans were about to take control of Washington, couldn’t have been worse. Just as the Congressional majority now looks to shed hundreds of billions of dollars in budget obligations to fund new ones, here comes Gov. Gavin Newsom, hands outstretched, asking for nearly $40 billion to help cover some of the public costs associated with the state’s worst disaster in modern time. California is so vulnerable. Congress, on a razor-thin Republican majority, struggles to agree on anything. “The impacted communities have experienced widespread devastation and the total impact on California’s economy will take years to fully quantify,” Newsom wrote to House Speaker Mike Johnson and others on Feb. 21. “The funding identified in this request totaling $39,680,737,878 will directly support these communities in both the immediate and long-term recovery work needed to rebuild lives and property from this catastrophic event.” … ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee.
Three former E.P.A. Leaders: You’ll miss it when it’s gone
William K. ReillyChristine Todd Whitman and former Environmental Protection Agency administrators, write, “In his first official cabinet meeting of his second term, President Trump on Wednesday indicated that the Environmental Protection Agency, the arm of the federal government essential to protecting our health and environment, is among the top targets for the next wave of major work force reductions. Mr. Trump said about 65 percent of the roughly 15,000 people working there could be fired. An E.P.A. official later said the president was referring to cuts to the agency’s budget, not to personnel. As former E.P.A. heads under both Republican and Democratic administrations, we fear that such cuts would render the agency incapable of protecting Americans from grave threats in our air, water and land. While there are opportunities to make the agency more efficient and better at enforcing laws, Americans across every state, city and local community would suffer the effects of deep cuts. E.P.A. public servants defend us and the environment from harmful pollution every day not in hopes of attention or bigger paychecks or to execute the wishes, wants or needs of billionaires looking to play on a bigger stage. They do it for all Americans and because of laws such as the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act and the Safe Drinking Water Act. This is an agency that sets standards and regulations according to science and the laws and funding approved by Congress. … ” Continue reading at the New York Times.
SEE ALSO: Trump fired these expert Interior staffers. Here’s what they say, from E&E News
What does it mean for western water management when the federal government becomes an unreliable partner?
Jon Fleck writes, “I got a text message yesterday afternoon about this, which is nuts: “The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers-Albuquerque District announced today that an unintended water release from Cochiti Dam may increase flood risk on the Rio Grande in the river channel, riverbanks, and floodway. The cause of the unintended water release was a procedural error during routine maintenance.” Accidentally dumping 8,000 cubic feet per second into a river channel that hasn’t seen that much water since 1985 is a big deal. The gage data suggests the river level rose four feet basically instantaneously. I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the stuff the federal government does in water management in the United States that we used to be able to take for granted, like, for example safely operate the dams. … ” Read more from the Inkstain blog.
In regional water news this week …
Lake County may try to derail Eel River Dam deal with direct appeal to President Trump
“It was all kumbaya a couple of weeks ago, as various players in the drama over the Eel River Project stamped their seals of approval on a deal that would tear down both Scott and Van Arsdale dams, while at the same time continuing delivery of Eel River water to the Russian River watershed. But Lake County — the actual home of Lake Pillsbury, the reservoir created by Scott Dam — now seems ready to throw a wrench into the gears, via a direct appeal to President Donald Trump. At its meeting tomorrow, the Lake County Board of Supervisors will consider sending two letters — one to Gov. Gavin Newsom and one to various cabinet-level officials in the Trump administration, arguing that removal of the badly broken dams runs contrary to policy. … ” Read more from the Lost Coast Outpost.
Lake County Supervisors approve letters to state, federal officials over concerns about proposed Scott Dam removal
“In a show of unity on Tuesday, the Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to submit comments to Pacific Gas and Electric, the governor and the Trump Administration regarding the county’s concerns over plans to decommission and eventually remove the Scott Dam. … The action they took on Tuesday included approving a letter to Gov. Gavin Newsom in which they raise issue with the state taking sides in the process when they said it should have been neutral. Their criticism included pointing out that removal of the Scott Dam contradicts Newsom’s own January executive order on maximizing water storage, and they point out that the state, through the Department of Water Resources, is a party to a memorandum of understanding on the process that does not include Lake County. Further, the county asks for time to meet with the Governor’s Office to discuss the situation. “Lake County has not been heard, and costs to keep Lake County whole in the face of potential future loss of Scott Dam have been minimized and misrepresented by other parties.” … ” Read the full story at Lake County News.
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.
Lake Tahoe environmental health shows stability, improvement in new report
“More than 90% of measurable standards for Lake Tahoe’s environmental health are stable or improving, according to a draft report presented by the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) to its governing board. The 2023 Draft Threshold Evaluation, which is peer-reviewed, highlights areas such as aquatic invasive species, regional wildfires, and seasonal lake clarity trends that require further attention, monitoring, or research. The report, compiled every four years, assesses 140 indicators of environmental quality in the Tahoe Basin and evaluates the progress of science-based policies and restoration programs under the bi-state Tahoe Regional Plan. “It’s incredible to see the hard work of public agencies and property owners making steady progress and making historic achievements in restoring Lake Tahoe and enhancing our communities,” said TRPA Executive Director Julie Regan. … ” Read more from NBC 4.
Moss Landing Battery Plant clean up begins
“The Environmental Protection Agency has started phase one of the clean up process at the Moss Landing Battery Plant in the wake of the days-long fire that started Jan. 16. During the county briefing Wednesday, on-scene coordinator Eric Sandusky said crews have started delinking batteries – disconnecting them from one another – in hopes of reducing the risk of large fires and flare-ups. Officials explained that delinking the batteries reduces the risk of thermal runway, when the battery heats up too quickly, because the risk is higher when the battery is damaged. “The delinking process reduces the risk of large fires, but there is always a risk that a damaged battery can heat up too quickly,” Sandusky said. The crews are also dealing with debris on the ground and the threat of what’s left of the building where the fire occurred collapsing. Sandusky said there is currently the risk of a wall toppling over and there are about 50% of the remaining batteries left to be delinked. … ” Read more from the Monterey Herald.
Valley Water Collaborative launches free well testing, replacement water program for private wells
“Valley Water Collaborative (VWC) on Feb. 26, begins accepting applications for its new free well testing and replacement water program for private wells located in five groundwater basins throughout the Central Valley. VWC started its free well testing program in the Modesto and Turlock Basins in 2021. Its service is now expanded to five more basins: Yolo, Eastern San Joaquin, Delta Mendota, Merced and Madera. The program is being offered free to residents living in the five basins who rely on private drinking water wells. VWC provides water testing for a range of groundwater contaminants such as nitrate, arsenic, uranium and 1,2,3-TCP. If the water exceeds State standards, replacement water is provided to those residents who meet program requirements. … ” Read more from the Turlock Journal.
State Water Board delays probation for Kern subbasin
“Groundwater agencies in Kern County have been given more time to improve their groundwater sustainability plans and potentially avoid state intervention. Citing significant progress in the agencies’ plans to bring the critically overdrafted Kern County Subbasin into sustainability by 2040 under the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act, or SGMA, the California State Water Resources Control Board last week continued its hearing to Sept. 17 on whether to place the subbasin in probationary status. This marks the first time a probationary hearing has been continued. As part of the continuance, the board asked the Kern Subbasin’s 20 groundwater agencies to submit their collective revised plans by June 20, to provide time for the board to review updated plans before the hearing. State water board Chair E. Joaquin Esquivel acknowledged that the Kern Subbasin is geologically complex and said there has been substantial progress by local agencies toward plans that ensure sustainable groundwater management. … ” Read more from SJV Water.
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.
Announcements, notices, and funding opportunities …
SAN JOAQUIN RIVER RESTORATION PROGRAM 2025 Restoration Flow Schedule
NOTICE: Public Hearing on the Petition for Long-Term Transfer filed by Yuba County Water Agency
DELTA STEWARDSHIP COUNCIL looks to fill Delta Independent Science Board vacancies
FRIENDS OF THE SF ESTUARY seeks new board members
