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In California water news this weekend …
DELTA PROTECTION COMMISSION: Report: Many socioeconomic indicators for the Delta see improvement
“Unemployment fell. Median income rose. Land in agricultural production increased. These improving socioeconomic indicators for the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta are highlights of a report released today by the Delta Protection Commission. The Socioeconomic Indicators Update is the second report in an ongoing series providing a scorecard of key measures of wellbeing in the Delta, tracking them both over time and in comparison with the state as a whole. The first report (PDF) covered data from 2011 to 2016, and the update covers 2017 to 2022. The release of the update includes public access to the source data. Data used in the report come from the National Center for Education Statistics, 2021 American Community Survey, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Cropscape and the California Public Utilities Commission. … ” Continue reading from the Delta Protection Commission.
Tiny, swampy, ‘not really drivable’: The hamlet where California Forever envisions a shipbuilding powerhouse
“The little-known community of Collinsville, which emerged this week as the proposed site of a major shipbuilding yard from the development group California Forever, is about as backwater as the Bay Area gets. Sitting quietly along the Sacramento River in the marshes of Solano County, a smattering of homes and barns stands about two miles west of where the new maritime facility would operate. The small hamlet became even smaller after a grass fire tore through in 2014, burning many of the residences and leaving only a handful of families. Many of those remaining have ties to the area’s past, when fishing and ranching were the economy’s lifeblood and before hundreds of power-producing windmills dotted the nearby Montezuma Hills. While the community enjoys the charms of yesteryear, with its old wooden docks, gravel roads, dearth of traffic and plenty of open space, there’s also a sense that it’s fallen uncomfortably behind. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
SEE ALSO:
- Meet the Czech Millennial Who’s Building a Utopia in the California Hayfields, from Politico Magazine
- Billionaire-backed California Forever plots big shift: Huge shipbuilding operation, from the SF Chronicle
California Appellate Court addresses whether captured flood waters constitute personal property
“A California Court of Appeal (Fifth District) (“Court”) addressed in a March 14th Opinion whether water in an aquifer could be personal property. See Sandton Agriculture Investments III, LLC, v. 4-S Ranch Partners, LLC, 2025 WL 814870. The water in question constituted captured floodwaters stored in the aquifer. 4-S Ranch Partners, LLC (“4-S”) acquired legal title to California land consisting of 17 assessed parcels and containing approximately 5,257.46 acres and related interest. The land and attached improvements were appraised in 2019 at $14,985,000. The appraisal excluded any subsurface water or mineral rights. In addition, the appraisal indicated that due to two perpetual United States Fish and Wildlife conservation easements, that the land was limited to its current use as an irrigated and dry pasture ranch with some lower intensity farming uses. … ” Read more from Mitchell Williams.
Senate bill aims to formalize Tule River Tribe’s water rights
“A bill that would finally formalize a 2007 agreement between the Tule River Indian Tribe and several downstream agricultural users advanced to the Senate earlier this month. The “Tule River Tribe Reserved Water Rights Settlement Act of 2025,” introduced by Senators Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff (both D-California), advanced from the Committee on Indian Affairs and will be heard on the Senate floor. If passed, the bill would accomplish several tasks, including securing an annual supply of 5,828 acre feet of surface water from the South Fork of the Tule River for the reservation’s domestic water system, which serves more than 400 homes and all of its administration buildings. “Meeting basic water needs is foundational to any society, and it is directly linked to our ability to exist as a sovereign nation,” said Lester Shine Nieto, Tribal Council chairman in his committee testimony Feb. 25. “In these last years, we have learned more than ever that water is sovereignty.” … ” Read more from SJV Water.
Future of the newest national monuments looks murky after White House communication
“The Trump administration has sparked confusion over the future of two national monuments in California that President Joe Biden designated before he left office. Biden established Chuckwalla National Monument and Sáttítla Highlands National Monument on Jan. 14, protecting land considered sacred by area tribes. The confusion started March 14 when President Donald Trump issued an executive order rescinding several Biden-era actions. That order did not mention the monuments, but on the same day, the White House issued a fact sheet that called for terminating nearly a million acres that “constitute new national monuments that lock up vast amounts of land from economic development and energy production.” That language was later removed. When asked to clarify the monuments’ status, the White House pointed to the president’s executive order from March 14, which makes no mention of changes to the monuments. … ” Read more from the LAist.
In people news this weekend …
Promotions, passings, profiles – submit people news items to maven@mavensnotebook.com.
Westlands Water District appoints renowned fisheries and water management expert Brad Cavallo as Science Advisor
“Westlands Water District is pleased to announce the appointment of Brad Cavallo as its new Science Advisor. In this key role, Mr. Cavallo will provide scientific expertise and strategic guidance on water management, environmental compliance, regulatory matters, and scientific investigations. He will also collaborate closely with state and federal agencies, academic institutions, and key stakeholders to ensure water management decisions are grounded in sound science. A highly respected expert in fisheries science and water management, Mr. Cavallo has spent more than 25 years tackling complex fish and water supply and delivery challenges throughout California’s Central Valley, leading cutting-edge research on water operations, fish populations, and habitat restoration in the Bay-Delta ecosystem. … ” Read more from Westlands Water District.
Podcasts …
VIC BEDOIAN: State leaders assess 2025 water year
State agency heads looking toward the 2025 water year in a roundtable discussion cited some successful projects while expressing concern for outstanding unresolved issues. Leaders of water, wildlife and agriculture agencies also voiced uneasiness about the federal government’s slashing of staff and funding. Vic Bedoian reports from Fresno.
DIGGING INTO LAND USE LAW: The Making Conservation a California Water of Live Framework
In the latest episode of Digging Into Land Use Law, Lori Anne Dolqueist and Alex Van Roekel discuss in detail the “Making Conservation a California Way of Life Framework” regulations and the impact they may have throughout California. Regulations went into effect at the beginning of 2025 and compliance is required by 2027. Lori and Alex detail this framework that will impact all urban retail water suppliers throughout the state – a category that covers about 95% of California residents.
CALIFORNIA SUN: John Garamendi talks insurance, water, and farming under Trump
Rep. John Garamendi, a Bay Area Democrat, draws on his experience during two terms as California’s insurance commissioner to discuss the state’s insurance challenges. Garamendi argues that the state’s current insurance chief, Ricardo Lara, has surrendered much of his authority to industry, creating market instability while failing to require transparency. Garamendi also discusses farmers’ concerns over tariffs and market access, and water issues that have become increasingly politicized at the national level.
WATER IS A MANY SPLENDOR’ED THING PODCAST: Batten down the hatches
Making decisions on how to maximize the benefits of the California levees into the future is a function of engineering and economics. Cost for these projects are nine digits long. We are talking about one to four billion dollars. But there is a far greater price if the levees are not improved. 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
WE GROW CALIFORNIA: Thank you, Mr. Mayor
It’s March and newly elected officials have settled into their seats. At the state level, one third of all legislators are new. Locally, that percentage could be higher or lower. Regardless, newly elected officials rarely have an understanding about California’s water complexities nor the importance of Agriculture and its unique challenges. To get a newly elected perspective, Darcy and Darcy welcome Canyon Lake Mayor, Mark Terry. Mayor Terry was appointed to City Council two years ago and then was elected to his first four-year term in November. The Mayor shares his perspective on the importance of water, having a city that has two water providers, how is navigates the challenges, and what he recommends. Join the conversation and find some take-aways that might work for you in your community.
RIPPLE EFFECT: Wild Horses – A complex conundrum
Dan Adams, Senior Executive with the Langdon Group, and Celeste Carlisle; Biologist with Return to Freedom Wild Horse, Sanctuary, Educational, and Advocacy Group; Chair of the National BLM Wildhorse Working Group; and Chair of National BLM & Forest Service Wild and Burro Advisory Board; join us to talk wild horses in the West.This free ranging discussion covers the incredibly complex and emotionally charged issue of wild horses. We talk about the environmental complexities, the regulatory complexities, and the political complexities informing solution making on this topic. Fascinating discussion.
BOILING POINT: Breaking down plastic
Los Angeles Times journalist Susanne Rust shares her eye-opening experience documenting her daily interactions with plastic. Despite being an expert on the topic, she was stunned by the sheer volume of plastic in her life, from single-use items to everyday essentials. Susanne and Sammy also discuss the current state of plastic regulation in California, including a much-criticized decision by Gov. Gavin Newsom.
Weekend video …
H2Flow (Water Song) | GRAMMY Winners Celebrate World Water Day
Join GRAMMY winners Alphabet Rockers in celebrating World Water Day with East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD): Skip the plastic and tap that tap water! This year we celebrate children around the world who are protectors of the watershed and changemakers for environmental protection.
In regional water news this weekend …
NORTH COAST
Clear Lake: Hitch habitat restoration being executed yet still could use more funding
“Lake County Water Resources Department provided an update on efforts to improve water quality and flow circulation in a meeting in then Board chambers Thursday. Angela Depalma Dow provided a presentation on how the department coordinates programs with government agencies and Tribal Communities to protect water bodies. Depalma Dow is a water professional who manages programs to protect the water bodies. She discussed low flows in streams, habitat loss, barriers preventing fish reaching upstream during spawning season. Poor watershed management during the late 19th and early 20th centuries instigated problems. The prevailing sentiment was development was progress. noted DePalma Dow. Hydromodification is the alteration of the natural flow of water through a landscape and often takes the form of channel modification. It is a leading source of impairment in streams, lakes and other water bodies. … ” Read more from the Lake County Record-Bee.
Battle lines drawn months before PG&E submits final application to decommission Potter Valley hydropower plant
“More than 200 people from Humboldt to Marin counties packed the Cloverdale Veterans Memorial Hall Thursday night for a town hall meeting about how PG&E’s planned shutdown of its Potter Valley hydropower plant would impact the region’s water supply. The controversial project involves the removal of the Scott and Cape Horn dams and PG&E’s nearby hydroelectric facility in Lake County, with PG&E saying it won’t shut down the plant and begin dam removal until 2028 at the earliest. Residents and some elected officials are concerned the project will spark the potential loss of water from the Eel River to the Russian River that individuals from Mendocino, Sonoma and Marin counties have relied on for more than 100 years. “This plan is unacceptable,” said Cloverdale Fire Protection District Chief Jason Jenkins. “As a fire chief, I’m here to say this does not protect our community.” Bronte Edwards, a first generation sheep farmer from Sebastopol, said the project is setting farmers “up for failure,” and told leaders that if “you don’t have our backs, we will organize.” … ” Read more from the Santa Rosa Press Democrat.
BAY AREA
Lagunitas Creek salmon habitat project nears next stage
“A Marin Municipal Water District project to restore salmon habitat along Lagunitas Creek is moving on to the next phase. District officials reviewed a construction plan for Phase 1B of the project at a meeting Thursday morning. Staff said the next stage should begin this summer. Diana Maier, a member of the district board, said she and her family took a tour in January to observe spawning. “It was so cool,” she said. “We didn’t see that much, but the couple places we did see spawning going on, there were wooden structures that the guide pointed out as a result of this restoration project.” The district completed a project to restore coho salmon habitat in the creek last summer at three sites in the project area. The work entailed strategically placing logs, boulders and gravel to recreate spawning beds in 4,450 linear feet of the creek in Samuel P. Taylor State Park. … ” Read more from the Marin Independent Journal.
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
Porterville City Council looking to provide relief on sewer bills
“The Porterville City Council began the process of trying to provide relief when it comes to the significant water and sewer rate increases the council had to approve last year. At Tuesday’s meeting the council specifically addressed the significant increase in sewer rates. While the discussion at first centered on the impact of the increased sewer rates on churches, the council also talked about providing relief for all nonprofits and businesses as well. The council talked about helping those organization with the cost of installing irrigation meters that would significantly decrease their sewer costs. … ” Read more from the Porterville Recorder.
5th District Court of Appeal hears arguments over Kern River flows
“Justices with the 5th District Court of Appeal peppered attorneys with questions about the application of state water law and the fight over Kern River flows during arguments in Fresno on Thursday. How the 5th District rules on this appeal could have far-reaching effects on river conservation efforts throughout California as it involves California Fish and Game Code 5937. That code states dam owners must keep enough water downstream to keep fish in good condition. It was the linchpin in restoring other California rivers, including the San Joaquin River in Fresno County. And 5937 is the underpinning of a preliminary injunction and implementation order issued in late fall 2023 by Kern County Superior Court Gregory Pulskamp that mandated the City of Bakersfield keep enough water in the river through town for fish. That section is normally dry as canals east of town take most of the water for irrigation. The huge 2023 water year brought flows and fish back for the full length of the river and public interest groups suing Bakersfield over its river operations sought the injunction to protect those fish populations. … ” Read more from SJV Water.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Santa Clarita Valley water officials: Whittaker contamination expanding
“State regulators and water officials have expressed concerns that the pollution plume left behind by Whittaker-Bermite is expanding within the local water table, as city officials consider a plan to build thousands of homes nearby. The agenda for the Santa Clarita City Council meeting Tuesday includes the possible approval of a 10-year contract for monitoring wells on city property. The contract is between EHS Solutions and Whittaker Corp., which formerly owned the property. The city land is near the Whittaker-Bermite property, which was polluted by toxic waste for decades by the previous owners’ munitions manufacturing operations before the soil was cleaned up and eyed for more than 6,500 homes by developer New Urban West and renamed “Sunridge.” … ” Read more from the Santa Clarita Signal.
Cemex files latest appeal in mine fight
“Attorneys for the mining conglomerate Cemex filed their latest appeal in the effort to build a sand-and-gravel mine in Soledad Canyon, just east of the city of Santa Clarita. The mining company purchased the mineral rights to extract 56 million tons of aggregate, a material vital for construction that’s in rich supply there, according to the federal government. Cemex needs a beneficial-use permit from the State Water Resources Control Board to use the Santa Clara River in order to sustain its mining operations. And that’s been the object of the mine’s current legal fight. The mine’s permit application to the board has been part of a legal and political battle for decades between Cemex and Santa Clarita, a developing bedroom suburb pursuing advanced manufacturing, technology and filming jobs that has spent millions to avoid any potential transition to a mining town. … ” Read more from The Signal.
Many California trees survived the wildfires. Here’s why.
“In the charred landscapes left behind by the Los Angeles wildfires, a persistent sign of life has transfixed locals: trees.On lots where houses have been reduced to piles of rubble and cars to mangled metal husks, trees rise. These surviving oaks, pines and orange trees are often the only remaining landmarks in a neighborhood, bittersweet reminders of a time before so much tragedy. The trees’ survival was a curiosity to many. Shouldn’t they have burned alongside homes? In reality, trees are fairly fire resistant, and many will likely recover, resprout and stick around for years. Even some non-native species that are known for being flammable, like eucalyptus trees, still linger. These surviving beauts, some with singed trunks and leaves, are a sign of hope for many Californians, for whom the state’s mythology and aesthetics are so wrapped up in trees. … ” Read more from the New York Times.
Along the Colorado River …
US denies Mexico’s request for special delivery channel for Colorado River water
“The U.S. Department of State said on Thursday that the United States will for the first time deny a nontreaty request by Mexico for a special delivery channel for Colorado River water to be delivered to Tijuana. “Mexico’s continued shortfalls in its water deliveries under the 1944 water-sharing treaty are decimating American agriculture — particularly farmers in the Rio Grande Valley,” the department’s Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs said in a post on the social platform X. Under a 1944 treaty, Mexico is required to transfer water to the United States every five years from the two dams the countries share on the Texas border. Although Mexico’s foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the denial, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum on Thursday described the issue as an important one that is being addressed. … ” Read more from KSL.
Arizona: Bill proposing new groundwater regulations for rural communities advances
“A Republican-sponsored bill that would repeal the Willcox Active Management Area and establish groundwater conservation requirements in other designated rural areas is advancing through the Legislature. SB1520 would allow the creation of Basin Management Areas that would impose a series of restrictions intended to preserve groundwater in Gila Bend, Hualapai Valley and the Willcox Groundwater Basin, which would be converted to the Willcox Basin Management Area. A Basin Management Area could be initiated in those three basins if at least 10% of registered voters petition the director of the Arizona Department of Water Resources. It could also be initiated if the director finds an accelerated decline of groundwater levels, land loss due to groundwater withdrawal that endangers property or potential storage capacity, or other conditions in those basins, according to the bill. … ” Read more from Arizona Capital Times.
In national water news this weekend …
Big Tech under pressure to act on data centres’ thirst for water
“Booming demand for artificial intelligence tools, accelerated by the uptake of generative AI, is putting an increasing strain on water supplies to cool the IT infrastructure underpinning the technology. Now, the companies operating these data centres are facing calls to make the facilities much more efficient and subject to greater regulation. In the US, Virginia state legislators have advanced a bill aimed at addressing data centres’ water use. The bill would authorise municipalities to require centres to submit water use estimates as part of building requirements. Virginia is currently home to one of the world’s biggest concentrations of data centres, used by companies such as Amazon, Google and Microsoft. The bill, which is waiting for approval or veto from governor Glenn Youngkin, reflects voters’ concerns about data centres draining local water resources. … ” Read more from Financial Times.
Is planting trees ‘DEI’? Trump administration cuts nationwide tree-planting effort
“The Trump administration’s efforts to end federal diversity, equity and inclusion programs have hit an unexpected target: In February, communities around the country learned that funding was canceled for a nationwide tree-planting program aimed at making neighborhoods cooler, healthier and more resilient to climate change. The urban forestry initiative, administered by the nonprofit Arbor Day Foundation, was supposed to distribute $75 million in grant funding to about 100 cities, nonprofit organizations and tribes to plant shade trees in neighborhoods that need them the most. The program was funded by the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, which included big investments in climate initiatives.In a letter terminating the contract, the U.S. Forest Service stated the program “no longer aligns with agency priorities regarding diversity, equity and inclusion.” The U.S. Department of Agriculture, which houses the Forest Service, said in an emailed statement that the agency was complying with President Trump’s executive orders. … ” Read more from the LAist.
Trump executive order streamlines mining permits. Environmentalists fear what comes next
“President Donald Trump signed an executive order behind closed doors on Thursday that aims to fast-track mining projects across the country and prioritize mineral production on public lands with suitable resources—a decision natural resource lawyers and environmentalists say has the potential to dismantle protected landscapes like national monuments as well as threaten endangered species, waterways and local communities. The executive order is the latest action from the Trump administration rolling back environmental regulations and public land protections. It uses emergency powers to streamline federal reviews of mineral extraction projects and set the stage for numerous proposed mines on public lands, many of which are opposed by local communities for threatening wildlife, degrading landscapes that are sacred to tribes and consuming vast amounts of water in arid regions. … ” Read more from Inside Climate News.
Also on Maven’s Notebook this weekend …
LAKE OROVILLE UPDATE: Flood control releases ongoing; Planned water fluctuations at the Oroville-Thermalito Complex; Eagle Lake trout stocking; Current lake operations; and more …
SAN JOAQUIN RIVER RESTORATION PRGM: 2025 Restoration Flow Schedule Update
NOTICE of Proposed Rulemaking – Onsite Treatment and Reuse of Nonpotable Water (SBDDW-22-001)
NOTICE of a Request for a Water Quality Certification for the Potter Valley Project
ANNOUNCEMENT: Fuels to flows project launches
