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On the calendar today …
- MEETING: State Board of Food and Agriculture from 10am to 2pm. Agenda items include a presentation on avian influenza, resilient food systems infrastructure grants, Update by DWR’s Paul Gosselin, and a presentation on agricultural land conservation. Click here for the full agenda and remote access instructions.
- WEBINAR: Cultural Burn Agreements Under Senate Bill 310 from 1pm to 2pm. Learn more about the landmark cultural burn agreement with the Karuk Tribe and Senate Bill 310 (Dodd 2024). This new law allows the California Natural Resources Agency and local air districts to partner with federally recognized tribes on cultural fire agreements. It recognizes tribal sovereignty, acknowledges the harm caused by past bans on cultural burning, and expands the use of beneficial fire to help California better withstand wildfires and climate change. Register to join here.
In California water news today …
One of California’s biggest reservoirs is about to expand — if it can clear a major hurdle
“Amid rising concerns about California’s water future, the fifth largest reservoir in the state is primed for expansion. A coalition of water agencies, from Silicon Valley to Fresno, has agreed to partner with the federal government to raise the 382-foot-tall dam at San Luis Reservoir, the giant holding pool that looms as a small sea along Highway 152 in the hills between Gilroy and Los Banos. The dam’s enlargement would allow the federally owned reservoir to take in 130,000 acre-feet of additional water, equal to the annual use of more than 260,000 households. This makes the project one of the state’s biggest water-storage ventures in years. The Santa Clara Valley Water District, providing for 2 million people including San Jose, is the top beneficiary, and at least five other urban and agricultural water suppliers as well as the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation would be served by the new storage. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle (gift article).
It’s spring, but the Sierra are getting slammed by another round of snow
“Significant snow falling in the Sierra Nevada over the next few days could be the region’s last big snow dump of the season, showcasing a dramatic rebound for the snowpack that provides a significant portion of California’s water reserves through the rest of the year. Snow started falling in the Sierra Nevada, the California mountain range that straddles the state’s border with Nevada, on Sunday, and plenty more is expected through Tuesday. Elevations above 4,000 feet are expected to record one to four feet of snow, while the highest peaks over 8,000 feet could pick up five feet. “It’s coming really heavy right now,” Andrew Schwartz, the director of the Central Sierra Snow Lab at the University of California, Berkeley, said Monday morning. “I think it’s one of the snowiest periods we’ve had all season.” … ” Read more from the New York Times.
SEE ALSO: Dynamic California storm continues with Sierra snow, Bay Area thunderstorms, from the San Francisco Chronicle
Blurring the line between rain and snow: the limits of meteorological classification
“A new study published in Nature Communications utilizes insights gleaned from DRI’s Mountain Rain or Snow project to evaluate why traditional weather forecasting struggles to identify the rain/snow transition line. This forecasting is critical for informing communities about travel safety, accurate flood risk predictions, and managing water resources, but remains challenging when temperatures hover around the freezing point. The research was possible because thousands of community members across the U.S. contributed more than 40 thousand observations of the type of precipitation falling at their location. DRI scientists Meghan Collins, Anne Heggli, Sonia Tonino, Guo Yu, and Monica Arienzo contributed to the research. “This work is a natural extension of our previously published study, which used the citizen science data to validate the performance of three precipitation phase products from NASA,” said Guo Yu, Assistant Research Professor of Hydrometeorology at DRI and coauthor of the research. “In this new study, we further demonstrate that even the most advanced machine learning methods do not perform well in distinguishing between rain and snow without the incorporation of novel data sources.” … ” Continue reading from the Desert Research Institute.
Historic California drought harmed salmon, research shows
“How did California salmon react to historic drought conditions in the Golden State between 2012 and 2016? That’s the question a research team from the University of California at Berkeley set out answer as they examined several Northern California watersheds where salmon reside. And in a study published Monday in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, they say they found evidence that reduced and delayed rainfall during the winter of 2013-14 negatively impacted local salmon populations, in some cases even decimating them. Studying the watersheds, the team recorded the average water flow during the 2013-14 winter breeding season. They also recorded data from when the winter flows began, as higher flow conditions allow fish to move freely. They then compared their findings to data from coastal watersheds in Marin and Humboldt counties between 1983 and 2022. … ” Read more from the Courthouse News Service.
California farm bureau president calls for $600M in legislative action for farmers
“Farmers and agricultural leaders are once again highlighting the challenges they face and calling for more attention to the regulatory framework. California Farm Bureau President Shannon Douglass spoke at the California State Capitol on March 19, identifying critical issues faced by the state’s farmers and ranchers, stressing more action needed to support small and mid-sized farms, streamline regulations and invest in innovative water management practices. She spoke on behalf of the California Agricultural Coalition, joined by fellow coalition members Michael Miller, director of government relations for the California Association of Winegrape Growers and Roger Isom, president/CEO of the California Ginners and Growers Association and Western Tree Nut Association. … ” Read more from The Business Journal.
Trump wants ‘people over fish’. But what about fishermen?
“President Donald Trump’s vow to put “people over fish” in Southern California by shifting water to the region’s farmers could deal a new blow to struggling commercial, sport and tribal fishermen who have coped for years with decimated salmon populations. On the cusp of the anticipated third annual closure for salmon fishing in California — with an official decision due out next month from the Pacific Fishery Management Council — many are raising concerns that Trump’s vow to divert more water from the San Francisco Bay Delta and its watershed could further cripple their industry. Trump has long focused his ire on the almost extinct delta smelt, a 3-inch-long fish that lives in the Sacramento–San Joaquin River Delta and has been recognized for decades under both the Endangered Species Act and the California Endangered Species Act. He has often, incorrectly, asserted that flows to support the fish require water to be released “wastefully into the Pacific Ocean.” … ” Read more from E&E News (sorry, subscription required).
California farmers fear tariff trade war losses in billions, uneven bail outs
“As a potential trade war looms, a coalition of California agricultural organizations is urging the state’s Congressional delegation to protect them from becoming another casualty in the battle over tariffs. A letter from the group includes the names of nearly two dozen of the state’s most influential farming organizations, including the California Farm Bureau, Western Growers and American Pistachio Growers. It says, in part, that the emerging trade measures could trigger retaliatory tariffs that will hurt California farmers, whose exports totaled $23.6 billion in 2022. “While we recognize the intent behind some of these trade actions, we remained concerned that broad-based tariffs will disrupt agricultural markets both in the short term and long term,” stated the letter, dated March 3. … ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee.
California officials are lobbying for a new Trump windfall: Funds to create shipyards
“President Trump isn’t expected to issue his much-anticipated executive order calling for the revival of the U.S. shipbuilding industry until later this week — an initiative that could be paid for with heavy penalties levied on the China-flagged vessels that dominate cargo shipping. But that hasn’t stopped California port bosses, property owners and politicians on both sides of the aisle from making the case that their waterfront properties or ports would make the ideal spot to reboot the United States’ long-dormant shipbuilding sector. Last week Jan Sramek, CEO of California Forever, the billionaire-backed group trying to build a new city in east Solano County, led groups of elected officials and business leaders for a tour of the 1,400 acre riverfront property it owns near Collinsville, arguing that the site is “uniquely positioned to answer the call for rebuilding our nation’s naval power.” … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
On the heels of a dry winter, firefighters around the US brace for wildfire risks
“From the southwestern U.S. to Minnesota, Iowa and even parts of New Jersey, it seemed that winter never materialized. Many communities marked their driest winters on record, snowpack was nearly nonexistent in some spots, and vegetation remains tinder dry — all ingredients for elevated wildfire risks. More than 1,000 firefighters and fire managers recently participated in an annual wildfire academy in Arizona, where training covered everything from air operations to cutting back brush with chain saws and building fire lines. Academy officials say there’s consensus that crews will be busy as forecasts call for more warm and dry weather, particularly for the Southwest. … ” Read more from the Associated Press.
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
Dam decommission could seriously impact local economy says county-based organization
“A Lake County organization has voiced support for retaining the Scotts Dam as well as the Cape Horn Dam, slated for decommissioning and eventual removal by its owner, Pacific Gas & Electric Company. The Lake County’s Community Action Project (CAP) supports the Lake County Board of Supervisors’ decision to send letters to State and Federal government agencies, urging a halt to PG&E’s attempt to decommission Scott Dam on Lake Pillsbury. “This issue is too significant to be decided without input from Lake County residents, yet our community has been sidelined from critical discussions,” noted Chuck Lamb one of Lake County CAP’s members.in a letter received by the Record-Bee on March 24. … ” Read more from the Lake County Record-Bee.
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
Tahoe awaits details following California state of emergency proclamation to expedite fuels reduction projects
“The Tahoe Fire and Fuels Team is awaiting details from California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office and the California Natural Resources Agency (CNRA) after the governor issued a Proclamation of a State of Emergency at the start of March in response to the Los Angeles fires in January. The March 1 proclamation states immediate action is needed to prevent similar events with millions of housing units in high or very high fire hazard severity zones within wildland urban interfaces throughout California. The proclamation suspends statutory and administrative requirements to the extent necessary for expediting critical fuels reduction projects. This applies to the California Environmental Quality Act. “The partners welcome any new policies,” Milan Yeates said with the multi-partner Tahoe Fire and Fuels Team, “that will accelerate the pace and scale of forest health and community protection projects in the basin and see this proclamation as a potential new tool in the toolbox.” … ” Read more from the Tahoe Daily Tribune.
Commentary: Tahoe agency seeks state funds to advance development agenda couched as environmentalism
Pamela Mahoney Tsigdinos, a Washoe County resident and advocate working to protect Lake Tahoe, writes, “A sobering Lake Tahoe investigative journalism series by CalMatters arrived at an inopportune time for the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA). The deep dive into how public monies are used at Lake Tahoe landed as the agency comes before Nevada and California legislatures seeking millions of dollars for its operating budget. TRPA will be in Carson City on April 2. As explained in an NPR CapRadio interview, a team of reporters spent months requesting and analyzing documents from the agency and submitting public records requests to federal, state and county sources. What came to light is that the Tahoe agency and a “myriad” of funders from both states and the five counties in the Tahoe basin along with deep-pocketed private interests (which include resort executives and developers on non-profit boards) have established a closed loop system for advancing pet projects. Items include: a consultant-generated rebranding of tourism as ‘sustainable’; photo opp summits; trail construction into once pristine shorelines and forests; and, despite a court order to cease and desist: poisoning water in the Tahoe Keys to ease boat access. … ” Read more from the Nevada Current.
NAPA/SONOMA
How will federal cuts affect Russian River forecasts?
“Depending on the season, North Bay residents look for specific details in our weather forecasts, like flood stage height on the Russian River in the winter or wind speeds in the Mayacamas in the fall. These details affect our behavior, whether we hunker down or flee from flood or fire, and they come from as many as a dozen federal agencies, including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). NOAA includes the National Weather Service and the California-Nevada River Forecast Center, and their forecasters rely on the U.S. Geological Survey and the U.S. Forest Service as well. So what could happen to our forecasts — and to us — if Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency continues cutting jobs and from those agencies? … ” Read more from NorCal Public Media.
BAY AREA
Zone 7 celebrates opening of second water treatment site
“City and state employees, as well as elected officials from the Tri-Valley, attended the grand opening of the Zone 7 Water Agency’s second PFAS treatment facility last Wednesday, which many said would further improve the region’s water supply quality. Located in Livermore just off El Charro Road, the new Chain of Lakes PFAS Treatment Facility is the largest facility of its kind in Northern California. “Zone 7 has been at the forefront of addressing PFAS … in our groundwater basin,” said Zone 7 Board of Directors President Dennis Gambs during the new facility’s ribbon cutting ceremony on March 26. “Today we reached another milestone with the Chain of Lakes Treatment Facility. We take our mission to provide safe and clean drinking water in the Tri-Valley, very important.” … ” Read more from Pleasanton Weekly.
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
As Sierra snowpack bounces back, Stockton’s rainfall total edges closer to normal
“The state’s April snow-depth survey may have San Joaquin County growers breathing a little easier. The snowpack statewide is estimated to be “almost normal” — 90% of what’s average for this time of year, the California Department of Water Resources said. The deepest snowpack is farther north in California. Closer to Stockton, a measurement at a key point in the Sierra Nevada near Lake Tahoe last week put the snow depth at 39.5 inches and 17 inches of snow water equivalent — how much water the snowpack contains — which is 70% of normal for this time of year. At this point, the estimate can only grow in the near term. Officials said the latest round of storms is adding to the snowpack. It’s a shocking turnaround from January, when an unusually dry fall and winter had officials worried about drought. … ” Read more from Stocktonia.
Groundwater discussion finds its way into a celebration of new Sikh temple
“Amid the thousands of people streaming through the newly opened Guru Nanak Mission Sikh Center enjoying plates of stew and deliciously creamy mango drinks on Sunday, three came with a very specific mission. They came to talk about groundwater. Or, more precisely, the Kern County subbasin groundwater sustainability plan, which will come before the Water Resources Control Board in June. Water Board members are expected to decide if the plan adequately protects domestic wells, water quality and the water table. It has been a long journey for local water managers over the past decade to come up with a coordinated groundwater plan that addresses those and other issues in such a large and complex subbasin. … ” Read more from SJV Water.
EASTERN SIERRA
Indian Wells Groundwater Authority faces lawsuit over sustainability plan transparency
“Searles Valley Minerals (SVM) filed a lawsuit against Indian Wells Groundwater Authority on January 31, 2025, claiming the water authority is refusing to share public information. According to its website, the Indian Wells Valley Groundwater Authority (IWVGA) is a groundwater sustainability agency (GSA) responsible for managing the 597 square mile Indian Wells Valley groundwater basin. It was formed to address water resource challenges and to get withdrawals from the Indian Wells Valley groundwater basin in compliance with the state’s Sustainable GroundwaterManagement Act (SGMA). … ” Read more from the Bakersfield Now.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
SCV Water expected to raise rates
“The Santa Clarita Valley Water Agency is hosting a public hearing Tuesday, when it’s expected to approve a series of annual rate increases that will raise the cost of water by about $30 a month by the end of the decade. The hearing is expected to start at the beginning of the 6 pm. meeting, according to Kevin Strauss, spokesman for the agency. If approved, the increases would begin to take effect July 1. The rates are defined by customer service areas that refer back to SCV Water’s predecessor, the Castaic Lake Water Agency, which was eliminated in 2018 when it merged with the Newhall County Water District. … ” Read more from The Signal.
Mojave Water Agency awards contract for Mojave River Pipeline project in the Victor Valley
“The Mojave Water Agency announced that Nicholas Construction, Inc. was awarded a contract for the agency’s river pipeline traveling screen project. Late April is the expected groundbreaking date for the nearly $6.3 billion project that includes the installation of a traveling screen facility at the start of the Mojave River Pipeline, the agency stated. The screen facility will significantly reduce the amount of moss and debris entering the pipeline, help restore its capacity and improve the efficiency of water transportation from the California Aqueduct in the West Victorville area to recharge sites along the Mojave River. … ” Read more from the Victorville Press.
IMPERIAL/COACHELLA VALLEYS
Data farm proposed near Salton Sea could be first major development in Lithium Valley
“The first major development in Imperial County’s vaunted but stalled Lithium Valley may have nothing to do with lithium. Instead, a massive data server farm could replace hay fields on a 315-acre patch along Highway 111 at West Sinclair Road, the “gateway” to the proposed industrial zone in the Southern California desert. CalETHOS president and chief operating officer Joel Stone told The Desert Sun that the publicly traded start-up aims to break ground on a 200,000-square-foot data center by 2026, part of a $5.5 billion, million-square-foot “first phase” campus. Eventually the company wants to build a whopping 3 to 4 million square feet of buildings — the equivalent of 60 football fields worth — in Lithium Valley’s boundaries. What’s drawing the Tustin-based company to this blazing hot, impoverished county? “We could care less about the lithium … We care about the power,” Stone said, referring to a vast, boiling brine reserve tucked deep underground that can be used to extract reliable steam power. … ” Read more from the Desert Sun.
SAN DIEGO
San Diego, other cities to pay $11.4M for 2023 sewage spill along San Diego Bay
“San Diego and several other local cities must pay an $11.4 million fine for a sewage spill in January 2023 that released 9.9 million gallons of wastewater at 30 locations between Point Loma and San Diego International Airport. San Diego officials say the spill, which was blamed on heavy rains and sewer pump malfunctions, did not significantly impact any biological resources within San Diego Bay or along the bay. San Diego’s share of the fine is $7.5 million. The remaining $3.9 million will be split among the city’s 12 partner agencies in the Metro Wastewater Joint Powers Authority. Those agencies include the county government, Chula Vista, El Cajon, La Mesa, Lemon Grove, National City, Poway, Del Mar, Coronado, Imperial Beach, the Otay Water District and the Padre Dam Municipal Water District. … ” Read more from the San Diego Union-Tribune.
Along the Colorado River …
Dwindling water supply, legal questions push Colorado River into ‘wildly uncharted territory’
“Time is ticking for states that share the shrinking Colorado River to negotiate a new set of governing rules. One major sticking point, which has the potential to thrust the parties into a protracted legal battle, hinges on differing interpretations of a few sentences in a century-old agreement. In a recent letter, the river’s Lower Basin states – California, Nevada and Arizona – asked federal officials to analyze the effects of a hypothetical legal concept known as a “compact call.” The problem? The 1922 Colorado River Compact says nothing about a compact call. And although the phrase often looms like a threat over Colorado River discussions, there is no agreed-upon definition of the term, what would trigger a compact call nor how one would play out. In fact, the Upper Basin states – Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming – don’t believe the laws governing the river even contemplate it. … ” Continue reading from Aspen Journalism.
How much water flows down the Colorado River? The right answer is more important than ever
“With their funding source under review by the Trump administration, states and the federal government are continuing a mission to better understand how much water flows in the Colorado River, and how much of that water gets used before it reaches Arizona. As the possibility of legal battles on the Colorado River grows, competing states could use water data to back up their arguments, including claims that Arizona should bear the most water cuts in future shortages. The Upper Colorado River Commission — a body that represents the four states in the upper Colorado River basin — is in its third year beefing up the measurement of stream flows, water consumption by crops, and water diversions that its states use to regulate their water use. Though the Trump administration is reviewing the federal funding designated for the projects, the commission says it has continued its work. … ” Read more from the Arizona Republic.
US rejects Mexico’s emergency water request
“Tariffs and immigration crackdowns have taken center stage in recent weeks as President Donald Trump pushes border tougher restrictions. But there has been another issue also playing out: water. This month for the first time, the United States denied Mexico’s request for a special delivery of Colorado River water to Tijuana. Though not required in the 1944 U.S.-Mexico water treaty, these voluntary deliveries have been quietly taking place since 1972. The reason for the denial: U.S. complaints that delayed treaty-stipulated water deliveries by Mexico on the Texas border are threatening crops there. “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 U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs announced in a March 20 posting on X. … ” Read more from the Voice of San Diego.
SEE ALSO: U.S. denies Mexico’s request for Colorado River water for 1st time in 80 years, from KJZZ
Study shows groundwater gains in Arizona yet climate risks still threaten water supply
“A combination of water management practices has contributed to notable groundwater gains in Central Arizona despite the region dealing with long-term water stress, according to a study led by researchers at The University of Texas at Austin and collaborators in Arizona and Colorado. Since 1980, Central Arizona has been working to recharge its depleted aquifers. Much of that recharge depends on water from the Colorado River of the southwestern United States. That water, which accounts for 36% of Arizona’s water supply, is brought to the state from over 300 miles away via the Central Arizona Project’s system of aqueducts. Some of the state’s policies incentivize farmers to use surface water from the river rather than tap into groundwater. Other policies channel the river water directly to aquifer recharge zones, where it can seep down to the groundwater. … ” Read more from the University of Texas.
Arizona battles rising wildfire threat in ‘never-ending kind of year’ as state grows hotter, drier
“Arizona officials urged residents to take precautions as firefighters face longer hours battling more intense wildfires across the state. Gov. Katie Hobbs joined the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management (DFFM) for a media event outlining the 2025 seasonal fire outlook. They emphasized fire prevention and education for Arizona residents. DFFM is responsible for protecting 22 million acres of state and private lands. The department has treated vegetation to mitigate fire risk on over 23,000 acres since July and aims to expand that to 30,000 acres. Hobbs urged the public to take proactive measures in fire prevention and highlighted the role of human activity in wildfire outbreaks. According to a DFFM report, 66% of Arizona wildfires in 2024 were determined to be human caused. … ” Read more from Cronkite News.
In national water news today …
Canada, U.S. Columbia River Treaty negotiations in jeopardy
“The United States government has paused negotiations with Canada to finalize the renewal of a long-standing treaty covering the use of the Columbia River in the wake of President Donald Trump’s trade war with Canada and threats to annex the northern neighbor. The United States and Canada last July reached an agreement in principle to manage the mighty Columbia River, an economic and environmental powerhouse that starts in Canada and flows through Washington and Oregon on its journey to the Pacific Ocean. The two countries negotiated for six years to update the 60-year-old treaty. But talks to finalize the treaty are “currently paused” while the Trump administration reviews all pending international agreements, said Adrian Dix, head of the British Columbia Ministry of Energy and Climate Solutions in Canada. … ” Read more from Cascade PBS.
‘Chaos’: Trump cuts to NOAA disrupt staffing and weather forecasts
“A sense of chaos has gripped the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Noaa), one of the world’s premier research agencies, with key staff hastily fired and then rehired, cuts to vital weather forecasting operations and even a new, unsecured server that led to staff being deluged by obscene spam emails. Noaa is currently being upended by Donald Trump’s desire to slash the federal government workforce, with more than 1,000 people already fired or resigning from the agency and 1,000 more staffers are expected to be removed as the purge continues. In total, this represents around 20% of the Noaa’s workforce. … ” Read more from The Guardian.
Here’s what the new infrastructure report card says about water
“The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) released its 2025 Report Card for America’s Infrastructure last week, offering an assessment of U.S. infrastructure with an overall ‘C’ grade, finding that legislation passed by Congress since the 2021 Report Card sparked progress, despite more work and investment needed to meet current and future demand. Using an ‘A’ to ‘F’ school report card format, ASCE’s Report Card for America’s Infrastructure provides a comprehensive assessment of current infrastructure conditions and needs. It evaluates 18 categories. Broadband is a new category added to this year’s report. It is the second Report Card in which Stormwater has been graded. The 2025 grade of ‘C’ is an improvement over the ‘C-’ overall grade in 2021, and is the highest grade given by ASCE since it began its Report Card in 1998. … ” Continue reading from Water Finance & Management.
America’s aging water infrastructure faces new threats
“Despite a recent infusion of federal dollars, the health of the country’s aging water infrastructure has plateaued amid burgeoning environmental stressors and new cleanup demands, according to the American Society of Civil Engineers’ 2025 Infrastructure Report Card released last week. Drinking water infrastructure notched a “C-” while wastewater got a “D+” and stormwater tied with transit for the category with the lowest grade of “D.” These water grades are unchanged since ASCE’s previous report card in 2021. Funding from the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act helped lift the U.S.’ overall infrastructure grade to its highest-ever “C”, according to ASCE, which means it shows general signs of deterioration and requires attention. … ” Read more from Construction Dive.
