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On the calendar today …
- MEETING: Delta Independent Science Board beginning at 9am. The Delta ISB will meet in Clarksburg to discuss its reviews and activities, including debriefing on the tour. Among other agenda items, the Delta ISB will hear from the State Lands Commission on ballast water regulations in light of the recent golden mussel invasion, the California Department of Water Resources and the Delta Science Program on the management of tidal wetland restoration and fish in the upper San Francisco Estuary, and UC Davis on the Just Transitions and COEQWAL (Collaboratory for Equity in Water Allocation) projects. Click here for the meeting notice.
- MEETING: California Advisory Committee on Salmon and Steelhead Trout from 10am to 4pm. Agenda items include an update on CDFW budget and staffing cuts; 2024-25 Salmon/Steelhead Escapement and Management Updates; Update on the PG&E Eel River Potter Valley Project License Surrender Application, Water Diversion Agreement, and MOU; and an Overview of CDFW Cutting Green Tape Program Habitat Restoration Permitting Pathways. Click here for the agenda and remote access instructions.
- WEBINAR: Taking Bold Action to Save California’s Freshwater Species from 11am to 12pm. California’s freshwater ecosystems have been in decline for decades—and climate change is making matters worse. Could new approaches to conservation help stop and maybe even reverse these declines? We investigated climate-smart conservation tools and the legal framework that could enable their use. Join us for a presentation of our findings, followed by a moderated conversation with the researchers. Click here to register.
- MEETING: Delta Protection Commission from 5pm to 7pm. Agenda items include a report on Delta Stewardship Council activities, Consider Approval of the National Heritage Area Management Plan, Socioeconomic Indicators Report, and Delta as Place presentation by Rich Turner. Click here for the agenda.
In California water news today …
State decides how to spend nearly half a billion dollars available after collapse of Los Vaqueros Reservoir expansion project
“Six months after the collapse of a $1.5 billion plan to expand Los Vaqueros Reservoir in Contra Costa County, state officials began Wednesday to redistribute nearly half a billion dollars that had been earmarked for the failed project to provide more water to Bay Area residents. The California Water Commission, a panel appointed by the governor, voted unanimously to give $73 million immediately to the Harvest Water Program in Sacramento County, in addition to $291 million it had previously provided. … But the commission punted Wednesday on a question being closely watched by water managers around the state: When will it dole our the rest of the Los Vaqueros money? And which other reservoirs and water storage projects being planned around California will receive it? … ” Read more from the San Jose Mercury News.
SEE ALSO: CA Water Commission seeking more info as they decide how to allocate water storage funding, from KRCR
Here’s where California reservoir levels stand after recent storms
“Steady storms continued to benefit California in March, with reservoirs across the state gaining 200,000 acre-feet of water from the beginning of the month to Tuesday — that’s enough to fill 100,000 Olympic-size swimming pools. Across California, reservoir storage is well above average for this time of year, according to the Department of Water Resources. Statewide storage was 115% of normal, as of Tuesday. “Most of the reservoirs in California are in pretty good shape,” said Dan McEvoy, a climatologist with the Western Regional Climate Center at the Desert Research Institute. Big storms two winters ago filled up reservoirs, while relatively wet conditions the following year kept reservoir levels high. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
SEE ALSO: Northstate snowpack water content above average, from the Appeal Democrat
‘Actually awesome’: How close to full is Lake Shasta now?
“Lake Shasta water levels are going back up a month after U.S. Bureau of Reclamation officials amplified the amount of water flowing through Shasta and Keswick dams in response to record rains in February. The lake has gone up nearly 15 feet since March 1, and as of Tuesday the elevation at the state’s largest reservoir was 1,044 feet, 23 feet from the top, according to the California Department of Water Resources. According to water resources data, the amount of runoff flowing into the lake on Tuesday was 24,158 cubic feet per second. That’s a relative trickle from the record-breaking rain day of Feb. 4, when the rain and runoff flowing into the lake reached 102,213 cubic feet per second, which is the equivalent to 764,553 gallons. … ” Read more from the Redding Record-Searchlight.
SEE ALSO: Photos: Lake Shasta getting full to the brim after days of rain this season, from the Redding Record-Searchlight
Hydrologic Engineering Center in Davis to keep federal government lease
“Behind a nondescript door in downtown Davis exists a little-known but vitally important piece of infrastructure, the Hydrologic Engineering Center. “They provide the software infrastructure for hydraulic engineering for the U.S.,” says Gregory Pasternack, a professor of hydrology at UC Davis. “Their suite of software is used just about by every engineering firm that does anything related to rivers.” A recent threat to this center’s existence appears to have passed. Jeff White, a spokesperson for the U.S. General Services Administration, confirmed Tuesday via email that a lease termination notice the center received had been rescinded. The Davis Vanguard had reported March 5 that the Trump Administration was canceling the center, which sits under the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Virginia-based Institute for Water Resources. … ” Read more from Comstock’s.
Coalition demands cancellation of Delta tunnel change petition over DWR’s repeated failure to provide required water use data
“A coalition of water advocates, Tribes, environmental justice organizations, and fishing organizations submitted a motion calling on the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) to cancel the Department of Water Resources’ (DWR) Change Petition for the Delta Conveyance Project (DCP). The demand comes after DWR repeatedly failed to comply with mandatory orders to submit historical water use data necessary for evaluating the Change Petition’s potential impacts. DWR’s Change Petition, filed in February 2024, seeks to modify its water rights permits to facilitate the proposed 45-mile-long underground tunnel, which would divert up to 6,000 cubic feet per second (cfs) of water from the Sacramento River. However, the Administrative Hearing Officer (AHO) has repeatedly ruled that DWR must submit supplemental data on its historical maximum water diversions prior to 2009 — critical information for determining whether DWR’s requested changes would initiate a new water right. … ” Continue reading this press release.
Podcast: Impact of the ‘Delta Tunnel’
“The proposed Delta Conveyance Project aims to divert more water from the Sacramento River to 27-million people, largely in Southern California, along with acres of farmland. Supporters say the tunnel would cut down on earthquake risks, provide cleaner water, and bolster the state’s water supply. However, Delta residents worry about how construction could affect their communities and native wildlife. CalMatters Environment Reporter Alastair Bland joins Insight to talk about these concerns, proposed alternatives, and whether the “Delta Tunnel” is too big to kill.” Listen at Capital Public Radio.
Webb Tract Update: Updates on wetland and rice conversion projects
“The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California and the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Conservancy hosted the second public meeting for the Webb Tract Wetland Restoration and Webb Tract Rice Conversion Projects. These projects, funded by the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Conservancy and Metropolitan and located on the central Delta island of Webb Tract, will develop a wetland and convert existing agricultural lands to a sustainable agricultural crop. Together, both projects are designed to stop and/or reverse subsidence, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, sequester carbon, and provide funding for scientific efforts. … ” Continue reading from the Metropolitan Water District.
State Senate Committee SGMA hearing part two
“On Tuesday, March 11, 2025 the California State Senate’s Natural Resources and Water Committee held an informational hearing – Sustainable Groundwater Management Act at 11 Years: Progress and Challenges, scheduled to begin at 9:00am in Sacramento and online. Due to the length of the hearing this report is in two parts. Part one was a panel giving historical perspective on the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act. This is part two. … Speaking to the Committee were, Richard Frank-UC Davis Law Professor, Paul Gosselin-Deputy Director for Sustainable Water Management Department of Water Resources, Tina Cannon Leahy-Supervising Attorney State Water Resources Control Board, Javier Silva-Water Operator Yokayo Tribe, Lyn Carlisle-Executive Director Cuyama Valley Family Resource Center, Piret Harmon-General Manager Salinas Valley Basin Groundwater Sustainability Agency and Arshdeep Singh-President Punjabi American Growers Group.Limon asked the return panelists to be brief. Gosselin and Leahy complied. They said there has been some success in moving the procedure along. Leahy said there is too much overlap in more than one claim to a water right. … ” Continue reading at Water Wrights.
NASA uses advanced radar to track groundwater in California
“Where California’s towering Sierra Nevada surrender to the sprawling San Joaquin Valley, a high-stakes detective story is unfolding. The culprit isn’t a person but a process: the mysterious journey of snowmelt as it travels underground to replenish depleted groundwater reserves. The investigator is a NASA jet equipped with radar technology so sensitive it can detect ground movements thinner than a nickel. The work could unlock solutions to one of the American West’s most pressing water challenges — preventing groundwater supplies from running dry. “NASA’s technology has the potential to give us unprecedented precision in measuring where snowmelt is recharging groundwater,” said Erin Urquhart, program manager for NASA’s Earth Action Water Resources program at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “This information is vital for farmers, water managers, and policymakers trying to make the best possible decisions to protect water supplies for agriculture and communities.” … ” Read more from NASA.
Survey shows most valley farmers largely unaware of groundwater act impacts
“A new survey from the California State University system shows the majority of valley farmers don’t understand and don’t know the impacts of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA). The law was passed ten years ago to help preserve sinking groundwater levels across the state. SGMA won’t be fully in effect until the year 2040 but over the years more and more of its regulations are being implemented. But where it gets complicated is that everywhere is different because some places are further along in their plans. “The complexity on top of other regulations have made it difficult for farmers,” Ryan Jacobsen with the Fresno County Farm Bureau said. … ” Read more from Your Central Valley.
ACWA: Key water bills advance out of committees
“A bill co-sponsored by ACWA tightening penalties for water theft and a second bill proposing a low-income rate assistance program for water, on which ACWA is seeking amendments, passed out of committees today in the state Legislature. SB 394 (Allen) passed out of the Senate Local Government Committee with a 7-0 vote and was referred to Senate Judiciary Committee. Co-sponsored by ACWA and Las Virgenes Municipal Water District, the bill would allow local agencies providing water services to adopt an ordinance with enhanced penalties for water theft from a fire hydrant and help to address inefficiencies in current penalties. … ” Read more from ACWA’s Water News.
In commentary today …
EDWARD RING: Ignoring role of bass in salmon decline is negligence
“A March 5 “Perspective” in the Manteca Bulletin highlights a chronically underemphasized problem impacting every Californian. Bass, as editor Dennis Wyatt succinctly explains, are a “destructive, invasive species, that are a serious threat to the sustainability of the ecosystem.” Wyatt proposes a solution that has been implemented in Oregon, a bounty system. As he puts it, “The state would need to allow bass fishing year round with no limits. Then they would need to put in place a bounty program where authorized bait stores are contracted to serve as agents. For every bass a customer brings in, they would receive $5. The head would be cut off and the rest of the fish returned to the angler so it doesn’t go to waste. It is a proven and effective way to protect struggling native fish populations.” Why hasn’t this happened? … ” Read more from Edward Ring.
DAN KEPPEN: Trump, courts put check on new NEPA rule
Dan Keppen, executive director of Family Farm Alliance, writes, “The new administration and recent court decisions are putting clarifying limits on how a five-decade old environmental law can be implemented by federal agencies. The White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) last month issued a proposed interim final rule regarding federal agency implementation of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). CEQ’s rule is in response to one of President Trump’s first executive orders (EOs), which directs CEQ to replace Carter administration-era NEPA regulations with streamlined guidance to federal agencies on implementation of NEPA. For years, the often slow and cumbersome federal regulatory process (including NEPA implementation) has been a major obstacle to the realization of projects and actions that could enhance Western water supplies. Without new sources of water, increasing urban and environmental demands will deplete existing agricultural supplies and seriously threaten the future of Western irrigated agriculture. … ” Read more from the Western Farm Press.
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
Full water allocation restores hope for northern Modoc farmers and wildlife
“The Bureau of Reclamation has announced a full water allocation for the Klamath Project for the first time since 2019, providing much-needed relief to local farmers and ranchers. This decision is being celebrated by Modoc County officials as a vital step towards stabilizing agriculture in the region. The Klamath Project, established in the early 20th century, supplies essential irrigation to the Klamath Basin’s farmers and supports wildlife refuges such as Tule Lake and Lower Klamath. The Modoc County Board of Supervisors highlighted the significance of the announcement, noting that it allows farmers to plan their crops and operations with confidence. This development is also beneficial for the local wildlife and the families employed in the agricultural sector. … ” Read more from the Sierra Daily News.
Klamath Falls City Council hears from hospital, water users officials
“The Klamath Falls City Council shared a conversation with the executive officers of Sky Lakes and the Klamath Water Users Association on Monday evening during a work session. Held before their bi-weekly business meeting, the City of Klamath Falls elected officials and administrators were joined by David Cauble (Sky Lakes president and chief executive officer) and Paul Simmons (Klamath Water Users Association), who provided for them their respective organizations’ statistics and vision as the City of Klamath Falls prepares to enter into a new biennium. … ” Read more from the Herald & News.
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
Reclamation plans earlier spring refill at Truckee area reservoirs for improved water operations
“The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers South Pacific Division recently approved a Bureau of Reclamation request to temporarily change operations at Prosser Creek, Stampede, and Boca dams this spring through a planned major deviation from the 1985 Truckee Basin Water Control Manual. The deviation will allow the reservoirs to begin refilling in late-March, almost a month earlier than the 1985 Water Control Manual would allow. The reservoirs are currently operating below the required flood control levels, and the earlier refill will allow the capture of spring runoff without increasing flood risk based on current conditions. Further, Stampede Reservoir is more likely to remain at a higher elevation for longer under the deviation, with more water flowing through the powerplant, resulting in greater hydropower production. The 40-year-old Water Control Manual that guides flood control operations in the Truckee Basin prohibits reservoir refill in the spring until snowpack has decreased to a level that some reservoirs do not reach full capacity, even in large water years. In the fall, the manual requires dam operators to evacuate flood space to keep the reservoirs at low levels throughout the winter, even during low water years. This prevents carrying over water storage from wet periods to dry periods to help manage the variability in the basin. … ” Read more from the Bureau of Reclamation.
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
Butte County launches erosion control project after devastating fire
“In the aftermath of the Park Fire, the Butte County Resource Conservation District has initiated a response and recovery project aimed at combating post-fire erosion. The Recharge Enhancement Pilot Project is one of several initiatives funded by a $5.5 million grant awarded to the Vina Groundwater Sustainability Agency. The district has constructed over 1,500 rock weirs designed to slow, sink, and spread water flows, thereby reducing erosion and capturing sediments. Faith Churchill, the Shared Stewardship Coordinator of the Butte County Resource Conservation District, explained the project’s focus: “As we were starting to think about this project, we were thinking about what we felt the biggest threat to the landscape was going to be after the fire and what we decided that threat was going to be was post-fire erosion. … ” Continue reading at KRCR.
NAPA/SONOMA
‘Remarkable’ or devastating? Concerns about Russian-Eel River water supply focus of Cloverdale town hall
“Although stakeholders have approved a closely watched plan to continue diverting some Eel River water into the Russian River when a key hydropower facility goes offline in several years, civic leaders from Lake County, Cloverdale and elsewhere remain concerned about how the move might impact the region’s water supply. As a result, Cloverdale city leaders will host a town hall meeting at 6 p.m. Thursday at the Cloverdale Veterans Memorial Building, 205 West 1st Street. The meeting, which isn’t slated to be broadcast on Zoom or another video platform, will provide an opportunity for residents to learn more about the decommissioning of PG&E’s 117-year-old Potter Valley power plant. By 2028 at the earliest, PG&E is set to abandon the plant, with related plans to eventually tear down the Scott and Cape Horn dams on the upper Eel River. … ” Read more from the Santa Rosa Press Democrat.
BAY AREA
Marin Municipal Water District increases connection fees
“The Marin Municipal Water District is changing how it calculates its connection fees, a move expected to increase the average charge about $6,000. Under a plan approved by the board Tuesday, the district will shift to using the size of water meters instead of their estimated usage. The utility says the switch will bring it closer to industry standards. “I think it’s just an important step for our agency’s desire to do things right and be more amongst the norm of other agencies out there,” said Jed Smith, vice president of the board. “This seems like a great step and a good cleanup.” Connection fees, also called capacity charges, are one-time costs paid by new customers to get service, or by current customers who need to increase capacity. … ” Read more from the Marin Independent Journal.
State Water Commission visits Solano
“Members of the California Water Commission got a riparian reprieve from the stuffy confines of a Sacramento board room when they visited the Dixon area Wednesday to tour Lookout Slough Tidal Habitat Restoration and Flood Improvement Project. Completed in September of 2024 the 3,400 acres of restored habitat bolsters biodiversity in the Sacramento River Delta and provides flood mitigation to Solano County. Following their regular morning meeting in Sacramento, the nine-member commission from across the state spent about three and a half hours touring the site in the afternoon. Department of Water Resources staff showed off reclaimed wetland that was grazing land as recently as 2022. Water so far inland is not brackish, staff explained, but the area is still affected by the tides. Commissioners drove down the new setback levee and heard about habitat restoration and storm mitigation. The new levees have held up well in storms earlier this year. … ” Read more from the Daily Republic.
Boxes of mud could tell a hopeful sediment story
“This March, six boxes of mud shipped to a company in England for analysis. Scraped off the marsh surface, stripped from field magnets, and scooped off silicon disks, science teams collected these 430 samples in recent months from the tidal channels and marsh flats around Eden Landing in the South Bay. The samples may contain tiny specks of neo-green, magnetized silt called “tracers.” While invisible to the naked eye in a lump of bay muck, these fluorescent tracers promise to reveal their travels under the microscope. It’s all part of an elaborate experiment in which scientists are feeding sediment to needy marshes threatened by sea level rise. “I was really excited to see so many people invest so much time and energy in testing whether this new nature-based approach could work. It’s very forward-thinking,” says USGS research ecologist Karen Thorne. … ” Read more from Knee Deep Times.
Maintaining creeks in Santa Clara County is a shared responsibility
“Santa Clara County does not have one main organization in charge of creeks. Instead, Valley Water, public agencies and private property owners share the responsibility to maintain these waterways. Valley Water owns or has access to maintain approximately 333 of the 800 miles of creeks located in the county’s urbanized valley areas. The remaining stretches of creeks are owned by private property owners whose lands extend into them and by public agencies, including Santa Clara County and the cities where the creeks are located. Valley Water has built flood protection projects (improved channels) on 185 of the 333 miles of creeks it owns or has access to maintain. The other remaining 148 miles are natural, unmodified creek and river channels. … ” Read more from Valley Water News.
CENTRAL COAST
Testing continues at site of Moss Landing battery plant fire, headway made in delinking process
“County officials reaffirmed there is currently no risk to public health in the air, water or soil as phase one of the cleanup process continues at the Moss Landing Battery Storage facility, following the Jan. 16 fire. The battery delinking process, or disconnection, for the accessible batteries burned in the initial January fire was completed March 13, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. This was part of the first phase of hazard mitigation to reduce the risk of thermal runaway, re-ignition, and fire propagation. Officials with the EPA have warned that while delinking the batteries reduces the risk of large fires, there is still a chance for additional flare ups like the one that occurred on Feb. 18. Crews are continuing work with the expectation of another flare up. … ” Read more from the San Jose Mercury News.
Paso Robles moves forward with water sustainability agreement amid local concerns
“A 2015 state decision stating that groundwater in Paso Robles is depleting is now affecting local residents. The city is working on a joint powers agreement to address the water shortage, but the potential costs are raising concerns. The joint powers agreement aims to respond to state regulations prohibiting north county farmers and residents from pumping water at the current rate. The agreement will create a group of agency representatives with San Luis Obispo County, two local water districts and the city of Paso Robles. The group is tasked with developing a plan to conserve water in the Paso Robles Groundwater Sub-Basin. If the plan fails, the state could take control of the basin, said Christopher Alokal, the city’s director of public services, during a city council meeting in early March. … ” Read more from KCBX.
San Miguel opts out of Paso water basin JPA
“The San Miguel Community Services District is the sole agency that opted out of the joint powers authority dedicated to making the Paso Robles Groundwater Basin sustainable. At its meeting on March 13, the San Miguel CSD board voted 2-2 to join the Paso Robles Area Groundwater Authority, after hearing five public commenters speak against it. Because it was a tie, the motion failed. Board President Ashley Sangster said he was tired of hearing about the joint powers authority (JPA) and that the board controls the district’s destiny, not an authority. “I don’t want to hear about it again, personally,” he said. “It’s a dead issue at this point.” … ” Read more from New Times SLO.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Stantec to lead engineering of $800m Mojave groundwater bank project
“Design and engineering firm Stantec will serve as owner’s engineer of the $800-million Mojave Groundwater Bank project, designed to bring affordable water supplies to desert communities in California and Arizona. Cadiz, the private company leading the project, announced the deal in late February, saying in a statement that Stantec will oversee design, development and construction of the project that, once completed, is expected to provide 1 million acre-feet of underground storage and 2.5 million acre-feet of new water supply. The Mojave Groundwater Bank is an aquifer system holding as much as 50 million acre-feet of water, roughly the capacity of Lake Mead and Lake Powell combined, the companies stated. The project includes linking the reservoir to a 350-mile pipeline network connecting to both the Colorado River and California aqueducts, making it the largest new water infrastructure project in the Southwest, Cadiz says. … ” Read more from Engineering News Record.
Marine center in ‘crisis mode’ after sea lions and dolphins left stranded on LA beaches
“Sea lions can be heard barking off the San Pedro coast as the number of the sick mammals stranded on LA beaches continues to rise due to a toxic algal bloom. Sea Lions are not the only animals being affected by the bloom. Beginning last week, dolphins have also washed ashore from Long Beach to Malibu coasts, according to the Marine Mammal Care Center (MMCC). “This is the fourth year in a row of a bloom of algae that produces a neurotoxin. It builds up in the food chain, said Dave Bader, MMCC’s chief operating officer. “It can cause seizures, lethargy, aggressive behavior, it really just makes them very sick.” The MMCC is operating in “crisis mode” and a triage space is being set up in the Center’s parking lot to increase space for additional patient admits as the volume of animals coming into MMCC’s hospital each day remains high. … ” Read more from NBC 4.
Seal Beach: California Coastal Commission OKs wetlands restoration
“The California Coastal Commission on March 13 approved the two-phase restoration of the southern area of the Los Cerritos Wetlands. The project area is in Seal Beach. The coastal development permit was approved with conditions. The Los Cerritos Wetlands Authority, created in 2006, was the applicant. “The Southern California Wetlands Recovery Project, a partnership of 17 state and federal agencies, has identified the acquisition and restoration of the Los Cerritos Wetlands as a high regional priority,” according to the unsigned staff report. … ” Read more from the Sun Newspaper.
IMPERIAL/COACHELLA VALLEYS
Improper charges: The Coachella Valley Water District could owe its customers more than $100 million, pending appeals, following successful lawsuits by a taxpayers’ group
“On Jan. 31, the California Fourth District Court of Appeal upheld a Riverside County Superior Court ruling that the Coachella Valley Water District (CVWD) is required to reimburse to non-agricultural customers a minimum of $17 million. On March 12, CVWD filed an appeal with the California Supreme Court. In what has been dubbed “the canal water rates case,” the court found that the water district illegally charged this group more than its agricultural customers for the delivery of water via the Coachella Canal during the CVWD’s 2020, 2021 and 2022 fiscal years. According to the court, the plaintiff, the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association (HJTA), established that the water district was charging agricultural businesses $34.32 per acre-foot during these years, while non-agricultural customers—primarily single-family residence customers—were charged $102.12 per acre-foot. … ” Read more from the Coachella Valley Independent.
SAN DIEGO
Wastewater treatment plant operators argue they’re not responsible for border sewage pollution crisis
“Residents of a southern San Diego border town and environmental groups have filed multiple lawsuits to stop a company that operates a dysfunctional federally funded wastewater treatment plant from continuing to dump sewage and toxic chemicals into the Tijuana River and the Pacific Ocean, they claim. In a San Diego federal court on Wednesday, Veolia Water West Operating Services, Inc. argued in one suit that it’s not to blame for the pollution that residents of Imperial Beach claim has caused an environmental and public health crisis that’s making the value of their homes go down — Mexico, as well as an international agency that regulates waterways between the U.S. and Mexico, is. “There is a very significant and very important problem in Imperial Beach because Mexico is sending untreated waste,” said Matthew Ingber of Mayer Brown LLP, an attorney for Veolia. “This problem needs to be fixed, but the plaintiffs are targeting the wrong party.” … ” Read more from the Courthouse News Service.
New EPA administrator says agency will ‘ramp up’ border sewage crisis efforts
“At first, the Imperial Beach mayor was refused a Superfund site designation. Now, the EPA is promising to take the problems head on. An old problem greets the new EPA administrator. “I can’t get in the water. Its very frustrating. I live right here and cannot go in the water,” parent Oscar Soliz said. Oscar Soliz and wife Patty Soliz are drawn to the beauty but turned off by the failure to keep the Tijuana River Valley clean. “Just getting out of your house, sometimes. We live in San Ysidro, and we smell it all the way over there,” Patty Soliz said. … ” Read more from NBC 7.
Along the Colorado River …
Q&A: Wading into the shrinking waters of the Colorado River
“Key agreements in the “Law of the River,” which encompasses more than 100 years of regulations, laws, court decisions and more focused on managing the Colorado River, are set to expire next year. First established in 1922 as the Colorado River Compact, the guidelines split water management and allocation among seven states. Now, those states — Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming — are renegotiating the terms of use for the water. Drought, increased temperatures and decreased snowpack in the Rocky Mountains are complicating the matter, according to Antonia Hadjimichael, assistant professor of geosciences at Penn State. Hadjimichael, an interdisciplinary Earth scientist, studies how climate impacts water resources. A lot of her work focuses on the Colorado River because she said it serves as a “fascinating case study” of how climate, water, human institutions, economics and infrastructure interact.In this Q&A, Hadjimichael spoke about the Colorado River, its challenges and the research that looks to make the river a sustainable resource for millions of people. … ” Read more from Penn State University.
Lake Mead watch: Water managers eye snowpack as season reaches its peak
“A heavy dusting of snow — or the lack of it — can set the tone for water availability in dry desert states like Nevada. While most of Nevada is in good shape, the same can’t be said for the Rocky Mountains that fuel Lake Powell, the reservoir that sends water into Lake Mead. It’s been an average snow year in the Colorado River Basin with snowpack at 96 percent of its historical average as of Wednesday — not quite a match to the wet year of 2023 or ordinary 2024. Meteorologists look to April 1 as the date when snowpack peaks and begins to melt, leaving little time this year to make up the difference. The Bureau of Reclamation, the federal agency that manages dams and water in the West, estimates that Lake Powell will receive an amount of water equivalent to 71 percent of normal. … ” Read more from the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
The March 24-Month study and the myth of a “Compact Call”
“The Bureau of Reclamation released its March 24-Month study last Friday and just like last month, the forecast is for big trouble in the Colorado River Basin. Under the “Most Probable” scenario, the ten-year cumulative flow at Lee Ferry will drop below 82.5 million acre-feet (the “tripwire”) by the end of Water Year 2027. If this happens, the odds are high that the Lower Division states will trigger what they referred to in their February 13, 2025, letter to Secretary Burgum as a “compact call.” The nuance, however, is that the Colorado River Compact has no specific provision for a compact call. Under the compact, a call is just another word for interstate litigation. Although the letter is now over a month old, it just recently received attention from two of the region’s most respected water reporters, Ian James of the Los Angeles Times, and Tony Davis of the Tucson Daily Star. … ” Read more from the Inkstain blog.
While Resolution Copper banks water for mine’s future, critics fear long-term impacts on Oak Flat
“The giant Resolution Copper mine planned east of Phoenix cannot function without lots of water. And the mining industry’s heavy water usage has come under greater scrutiny as Arizona continues grappling with historic drought. While the multinational mining company is taking a proactive approach to meet its tremendous water needs, their actions may still have a lasting and severe impact on the local hydrological landscape around Oak Flat. Resolution Copper needs massive amounts of water – at least 250 billion gallons from the Phoenix Active Management Area over six decades. Right now, they’re busy getting rid of massive amounts of water – pumping out 1.5 million gallons a day since 2009. But all of that water isn’t being lost. … ” Read more from KJZZ.
Arizona Department of Water Resources sued over groundwater rule
“On March 10, Arizona House Speaker Steve Montenegro announced that the Arizona House of Representatives, in partnership with the Home Builders Association of Central Arizona (HBACA) and the Arizona Senate, filed a lawsuit against the Arizona Department of Water Resources (ADWR) over its Alternative Path to Designation of Assured Water Supply (ADAWS) regulation, alleging it is an “unlawful groundwater tax.” Under state law, a home developer in the Valley must prove that the project has enough water to last 100 years. This can be done through different sources, such as groundwater, surface water or reclaimed water. Tom Buschatzke, director of ADWR, explains that the groundwater model used by the agency shows that all supplies have been designated for the next 100 years. … ” Read more from Arizona Big Media.
Why this conservation group in southern Arizona has had to pause some of its work
“A nonprofit environmental conservation group in southern Arizona has had to stop some of its work because it lost more than a million federal dollars. The Borderlands Restoration Network has had $1.2 million frozen. That money was allocated as part of a pair of laws signed by former President Joe Biden, but was paused under an executive order signed by President Donald Trump. Wyatt Myscow, a Southwest correspondent for Inside Climate News, has written about this and joined The Show to talk about what he found, starting with what the Borderlands Restoration Network is and what kind of work they do. … ” Read more from KJZZ.
Lake Powell’s outlook hasn’t improved much despite March storms that boosted snowpack across the West. Here’s why.
“Storms this month have brought much-needed snow to the mountains above Lake Powell, but predictions for runoff into the reservoir this spring remain lackluster. At the start of March, the Colorado Basin River Forecast Center reported that snow levels above Lake Powell were 87% of the median — the median snowpack in the area between 1991 and 2020. As of Monday, snowpack for the same region jumped to 95% of the median. But runoff into Lake Powell between April and July of this year is predicted to be just 70% of 30-year average, hydrologists reported Monday. In terms of actual water, that translates to 4.5 million acre-feet of water. For reference, one acre-foot can support two Utah households for a year. The most recent forecast is a small increase from the early March forecast of 67%. … ” Read more from the Salt Lake Tribune.
In national water news today …
Water heater titans clash over Biden efficiency rule repeal
“Big players in the water heater business are fighting Republican efforts to roll back a Biden-era efficiency standard, arguing that foreign competitors stand to unfairly benefit. Those foreign competitors, however, still have the upper hand. Whether the clash of water heater titans derails the GOP rollback effort is uncertain. When the House voted last month to overturn the regulation via the Congressional Review Act, it enjoyed bipartisan backing. But two House Republicans did not support it, and at least one Senate Republican is noncommittal on the matter. They cited potential downsides to businesses if the regulation is killed. “I’m looking at what’s best for the long-term prospects of citizens,” Sen. Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.) said, adding that a “balancing act” must be performed regarding considerations like jobs and the nation’s competitiveness. … ” Read more from E&E News.
How gutting the EPA’s research team could impact clean air and water rules
“If EPA amputates its scientific arm, it would have consequences for environmental regulations for years to come, experts said. Administrator Lee Zeldin’s proposal to eliminate the Office of Research and Development — and fire hundreds of scientists — threatens to drain the agency of experts who ensure that federal rules accurately target pollution and provide remedies. The move, if approved by the White House, could also lead the agency to depend on outside researchers who risk being selected through a politicized process that jeopardizes EPA’s mission of assessing regulations without prejudice, according to experts. Reverberations from gutting the research office, known as ORD, could affect the agency long past the end of President Donald Trump’s second term. … ” Continue reading from Scientific American.
Water sector pushes for increased funding amid federal budget cuts
“When a $250M flood prevention infrastructure project in Louisville, Kentucky is complete, Tony Parrott, Executive Director of Louisville Metropolitan Sewer District, says the city will be able to better withstand intense weather events, including devastating floods and crippling ice and snow storms. With funding allocated through the bi-partisan American Rescue Plan Act, Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and Kentucky Infrastructure Authority (KIA), the project aims to address critical stormwater and flood protection needs by modernizing and maintaining the city’s sewers and flood systems, including the construction of a new flood prevention pump station and levy. “Our current assets aren’t built to handle extremely intense storms,” said Parrott, who also serves as President of the Water Agency Leaders Alliance. The project has been in the planning and construction phase for more than a year. But amid wide-ranging cuts to the federal budget, any potential delay to its funding lifeline is a worry that has now been top of mind. “If there is any change or restriction or pause to funding, it will be devastating to our momentum because we already have the project under construction,” Parrott said. … ” Read more from Contractor.
Outlook on President Trump’s second term and stormwater
“Trying to predict the priorities and actions of a new political administration is always challenging. However, there is value in trying to prepare for what might be coming over the next few years. This forces us to be as policy ready as we can be, which helps us assume a proactive posture and take advantage of opportunities to advance priorities in our sector. First, consider who is likely to be in leadership at the Department of Water in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). On February 11, President Trump nominated Jessica Kramer as EPA’s Assistant Administrator for the Office of Water, which is the highest political appointment on water within EPA. Kramer was a senior counsel to David Ross, who was the OW AA during President Donald Trump’s first term. OW priorities during the first term included the Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule, the Water Quality Certification Rule, infrastructure investment spending, and water reuse. … ” Continue reading at Stormwater Solutions.
Fired workers are reinstated at NOAA, creating confusion on the heels of severe storms
“Workers at the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration this week experienced a kind of whiplash as the federal government tried to reinstate probationary employees who had been fired. More than 600 NOAA workers were laid off more than two weeks ago, including some in public safety roles, such as scientists who issue tsunami alerts, hurricane-hunting flight directors and meteorologists in local forecast offices. But Thursday, a U.S. district judge in Maryland issued a temporary restraining order, blocking (at least temporarily) the terminations of tens of thousands of workers across agencies and ordering them to be reinstated. The Trump administration said in court Monday that it had moved to reinstate about 24,000 workers affected by the widespread cuts to the federal government’s probationary workforce. … ” Read more from NBC News.
Topography and the terrestrial water cycle
“The effects of topography on the distribution and movement of water on Earth have been observed throughout history. And while many scientific advances are well-documented, there are no summaries of our current knowledge from a large-scale perspective. A new article in Reviews of Geophysics seeks to close this gap by exploring the influence of topography on the global terrestrial water cycle, from the atmosphere down to the groundwater. Here, we asked the authors about early observations of topography’s influence, what their review covers, and what open questions remain. Q: What are some of the earliest recorded observations of the relationship between topography and the terrestrial water cycle? The fact that mountains influence climate, weather, and the flow of water across Earth’s surface was recognized thousands of years ago by ancient scholars from around the world, such as Aristotle (4th century BC) or Wang Chong (1st century AD). The idea of a “water cycle” also has a long history, and early sketches of the water cycle already included mountains, like the 1641 water cycle diagram by Kircher (Figure 1). In Kircher’s water cycle, water flows underground from whirlpools in the sea up into the mountains, where it emerges as springs and rivers that transport the water back to the sea. … ” Continue reading from EOS.
Revoking EPA’s endangerment finding – the keystone of US climate policies – won’t be simple and could have unintended consequences
“Most of the United States’ major climate regulations are underpinned by one important document: It’s called the endangerment finding, and it concludes that greenhouse gas emissions are a threat to human health and welfare. The Trump administration is vowing to eliminate it. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin referred to the 2009 endangerment finding as the “holy grail of the climate religion” when he announced on March 12, 2025, that he would reconsider the finding and all U.S. climate regulations and actions that rely on it. That would include rules to control planet-warming emissions of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and methane from power plants, vehicles and oil and gas operations. But revoking the endangerment finding isn’t a simple task. And doing so could have unintended consequences for the very industries Trump is trying to help. … ” Read more from The Conversation.
Announcements …
NOTICE: Invitation to Participate in SB 1157 Study Working Groups (Residential water use)
