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On the calendar today …
- LEG HEARING: Senate Environmental Quality Committee beginning at 9am. Click here for the agenda.
- MEETING: State Water Resources Control Board beginning at 9am. Agenda items include current hydrologic conditions and response, and consideration of a proposed Order in the Matter of the draft Cease and Desist Order Issued Against David Collenberg for violations for failure to comply with diversion measurement and reporting regulations. Click here for the complete agenda.
- WEBINAR: Water Shortage Vulnerability Tool Overview and Tutorial, Small Water Systems from 9am to 10:30am. As part of its technical assistance for SB 552 implementation, DWR has updated and continues to maintain the Water Shortage Vulnerability Scoring and Tool. This resource provides foundational statewide data and information to help counties assess drought and water shortage vulnerability for small water systems. During this meeting, DWR will provide an overview of the tool’s features and underlying data, and demonstrate how to navigate and apply the tool to commonly asked questions. The final 30 minutes of the meeting will be dedicated to answering participant questions and discussing potential uses. Meeting Registration/Access Link: https://ca-water-gov.zoom.us/meeting/register/oVvvLHWfS-Wxjha5-fIUFg
- WEBINAR: Flood-MAR: Expanding FIRO – Screening Corps Reservoirs Nationally for Forecast-Informed Operations Potential from 12:30pm to 1:30pm. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) research and operations program Forecast-Informed Reservoir Operations (FIRO) seeks to add flexibility to dam release decisions where possible to improve outcomes across multiple objectives, including flood risk management, water supply availability, groundwater recharge, and environmental flows. This approach has demonstrated benefits during recent water years at pilot sites, expanding demand for FIRO assessments and implementation at more reservoirs. A nationwide screening process for FIRO is being applied across the USACE portfolio of reservoirs, assessing opportunities for benefit, barriers to implementation, and sufficiency of forecast skill by site. This presentation shares results of FIRO screening nationwide and in more detail across the southwest region and connects those results with MAR opportunities downstream of USACE dams. To join the session, use this link.
In California water news today …
Report: As Colorado River shrinks, states fail to tap an accessible water source
“States across the Colorado River Basin are squandering a critical opportunity to ease the region’s historic water crisis, according to a new report by UCLA and the Natural Resources Defense Council. The sweeping analysis reveals that just 26% of treated municipal wastewater is reused across the seven states that depend on the overdrawn river, which supplies water to more than 40 million people. While Arizona and Nevada recycle more than half of their wastewater, the others — California, Colorado, Utah, New Mexico and Wyoming — lag far behind, with several recycling less than 4%. “We’re facing a hotter, drier future, and we need to pursue water recycling aggressively if we’re going to ensure a sustainable, resilient water supply for the Colorado Basin,” said author Noah Garrison, a water researcher at UCLA’s Institute of the Environment and Sustainability. “Even recycling 40% of our wastewater could make a dramatic difference, and we have two states already above 50%, showing this is an entirely feasible solution.” … ” Read more from UCLA.
More water recycling could help fix Colorado River shortfall. California has a ways to go, report says
“California isn’t recycling nearly enough water, according to a new report by UCLA researchers, who say the state should treat and reuse more wastewater to help address the Colorado River’s chronic shortages. Analyzing data for large sewage treatment plants in seven states that rely on Colorado River water, the researchers found California is recycling only 22% of its treated wastewater. That’s far behind the country’s driest two states: Nevada, which is recycling 85% of its wastewater, and Arizona, which is reusing 52%. The report, based on 2022 data, found other states in the Colorado River Basin are trailing, with New Mexico recycling 18%, Colorado 3.6%, Wyoming 3.3% and Utah less than 1%. The researchers said that California and other states, with support from the federal government, should scale up investments in water recycling facilities to help as the region faces demands to dramatically reduce water use in order to prevent the river’s reservoirs from falling to critically low levels. They said the Southwest needs to prioritize water recycling to adapt as droughts grow more intense and long-lasting with global warming. … ” Read more from the LA Times. | Read via Yahoo News.
SEE ALSO: As Colorado River declines, states are failing to tap an alternate resource, from The Hill
Sierra Nevada snowpack sees most bountiful three years in a row in 25 years
“In a much-needed break after multiple years of severe droughts over the past two decades, California’s statewide Sierra Nevada snowpack, which provides nearly one-third of the state’s water supply, was at 96% of its historical average on Tuesday, up from 83% a month before. The April 1 reading, considered the most important of the year by water managers because it comes at the end of the winter season, follows two previous bountiful years when the snowpack reached 111% of normal last year on April 1 and 237% in 2023. Although Tuesday fell just short of a third year in a row above 100%, together the past three years represent most bountiful three-year period for the Sierra snowpack in 25 years. The last time there was this much snow three years in a row came in 1998, 1999 and 2000. “Gosh, what a relief,” said Jay Lund, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at UC Davis. “We’re in good shape. This is one of the better years in recent decades. We’ve had quite a lot of good precipitation this winter, especially in Northern California. And we haven’t had any major flooding. It’s been a near-Goldilocks amount. Just right.” … ” Read more from the Monterey Herald (gift article).
SEE ALSO:
- Late Storms Boost California’s Snowpack, Hitting a 3-Year Streak Not Seen in Decades, from KQED
- California soaks up the benefits of a solid rain season, from the Courthouse News Service
- For the first time in 25 years, California has a snowpack trifecta, from the LA Times
- Calif. snowpack hits milestone not seen in 25 years, from SF Gate
The right balance?
On January 30, 2025, total Delta inflow was estimated to be a little under 20,000 cubic feet per second (cfs). The Delta was still in “excess” meaning minimum flow requirements and water quality standards were being met and there was surplus water in the system. Flow to the ocean was around 13,000 cfs, considerably above the 4,500 cfs minimum outflow required by the State Water Resources Control Board. However, the San Joaquin River was flowing at around 1,150 cfs. That was a problem for Delta exporters because the net flow toward the pumps in Old and Middle Rivers (OMR flow) is not allowed to exceed 5,000 cfs — to help reduce the loss of endangered fish at water project pumps. Some of the San Joaquin River flow makes its way north along Old River and Middle River and increases the amount of water that can be pumped. On January 30, the total water being exported was 5,900 cfs. That is, 900 cfs of the 1,150 cfs of San Joaquin River flow was making its way to the pumps. But storms were on the way. … ” Read more from the Valley Ag Voice.
C-WIN PRESS RELEASE: The mask comes off: DWR reveals true purpose of the Delta tunnel
“The Newsom administration has long insisted the primary purpose of the Delta Conveyance Project (DCP) – aka, the Delta Tunnel – is to improve water delivery reliability for California ratepayers. In its Environmental Impact Report for the DCP, Newsom’s Department of Water Resources stated the purpose of the project is to “…restore and protect the reliability of SWP water deliveries …” [1] But recent written testimony from a Department of Water Resources engineer submitted to a State Water Resources Control Board hearing on the DCP documents the real intent of the project: maximize deliveries from the Sacramento/San Joaquin Delta, accelerating the death spiral of the already beleaguered estuary. The testimony of DWR engineer Amardeep Singh states that the DCP will increase water deliveries from the Delta by 22%. Moreover, during drought periods when fish are already strained by low flows and high temperatures, the DCP would increase deliveries by 24%. … ” Read more from C-WIN.
Current SWP and CVP water supply allocations
“The State Water Project provides water to 29 public water agencies, serving 27 million Californians and 750,000 acres of farmland. Following recent storms in February, the California Department of Water Resources announced a slight increase in the 2025 allocation forecast. In a news release, DWR Director Karla Nemeth explained that California is experiencing a dry winter broken up by “very wet, short storm events.” In those conditions, DWR must move as much water when it is available “as safely as possible.” “Ultimately, it will require new infrastructure to move and store enough water for California as dry spells last longer and wet periods become shorter and flashier,” Nemeth said. … ” Read more from Valley Ag Voice.
From milk jugs to millions: How American shad took over
“In early 1871, American shad was a popular food and sport fish, and the California Fish Commission engaged Seth Green, regarded as the father of fish culture in North America, to transport more than 12,000 American Shad fry by train to California. Green filled milk jugs with shad fry and took them onto a transcontinental train. After a seven-day journey, he arrived in California with 10,000 little fish still alive, and he released them into the Sacramento River near the town of Tehama. The project turned out to be more successful than Green could have imagined. From Sacramento, shad colonized and were introduced to rivers all along the West Coast. The Columbia River now sees shad annual runs of as many as 7 million fish, and shad are now the most abundant anadromous fish in the river. They make up over 90 percent of the recorded upstream migrants in some years and raise concerns about their impact on diminished salmon runs. … ” Read more from National Fisherman.
DAN WALTERS: In California’s Capitol, some political fights span decades
“Were we able to transport ourselves back in time 50 years and into California’s Capitol, we would find a governor seeking and enjoying massive attention by national political media as he eyes some greater office. We’d also find a Legislature dealing with conflicts among influential interests with heavy financial impacts. In other words, the Capitol’s dynamics in 1975 were pretty much what they are today. The resemblance even extends to specific issues. For instance, then-Gov. Jerry Brown was touting a “peripheral canal” in 1975 to carry water around the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. Gavin Newsom was seven years old then, but now as governor is waging the same campaign for a tunnel to do the same thing and is facing the same opposition. Other conflicts that confronted Brown and legislators a half-century ago can be found again among the hundreds of bills introduced so far in the 2025 legislative session. … ” Read more from Cal Matters.
Environmental leaders condemn plastics industry betrayal of compromise in California and the state’s failure to implement SB 54
“Yesterday, California Gov. Gavin Newsom effectively blocked the implementation of SB 54, a major environmental law aimed at reducing single-use plastics in California. Despite more than two years of collaboration on regulations, he ordered a restart just as the deadline arrived. Surfrider’s Plastic Pollution Initiative Senior Manager Miho Ligare participated in developing the regulations and had this to say: “Surfrider Foundation is extremely disappointed in today’s outcome. With countless hours spent developing and refining the draft SB 54 regulations, a thorough process with ample public engagement opportunities was conducted. This is another unfortunate example of industry undermining public processes to disrupt and maintain the status quo and pad their bottom line. We’re drowning in plastic pollution, and as California is looked up to as a global leader in environmental conservation, the state let down our communities, especially marginalized communities who bear the brunt of cumulative pollution impacts, and our environment by intervening.” … ” Continue reading from Surfrider.
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
Commentary: Scott Dam, situated on a fault, could fail during a seismic event
Bob Schneider and Chad Roberts, Ph.D. write, “The Pacific Gas & Electric Company (PG&E) is surrendering the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) license for the Potter Valley Project (PVP). PG&E identifies this action as a business decision because of the project’s failure to produce revenues that offset its operating costs, even though PG&E customers pay higher rates for delivered energy than just about everywhere else in the United States. In our opinion, PG&E wants to rid itself of the PVP for a different kind of economic consideration, after determining that the Scott Dam represents an economic liability that the company cannot afford. A key factor in this determination is the increased understanding of the seismic hazards represented by the Bartlett Springs Fault Zone (BSFZ), which runs through Lake Pillsbury approximately 5000 feet east of Scott Dam. As part of the PVP relicensing process, FERC held an auction for potential alternative licensees for the PVP. No takers made offers to accept the ownership of and responsibility for this existing hydropower license, for the same reason that PG&E does not want the responsibility for these existing conditions: a recognition of the outstanding risk that the BSFZ represents for the PVP licensee. … ” Read more from the Mendocino Voice.
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
Commentary: Nevada Irrigation District Water Supply update – emergency water shortage means no snowmelt to foothills
Ricki Heck, President, Nevada Irrigation District Board of Directors, writes, “This year, we are once again facing an emergency water shortage, not because of drought or lack of precipitation, but because Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) has essentially cut off our water while they continue to make repairs to their infrastructure at Lake Spaulding. As president of the Nevada Irrigation District’s Board of Directors, I’d like to address the growing frustration among customers and residents – and NID, as well — regarding the status of our water availability. Foremost, the water situation we face is confusing and complex. We have experienced a wet winter, with snowpack near historical average and NID’s storage reservoirs brimming and even spilling. Snow and water are plentiful in the watershed this year, leading to ample amounts of water in NID’s upper reservoirs. And yet, District projections indicate in a matter of months our foothill reservoirs will be extremely low, potentially worse than when we endure multi-year droughts. … ” Read more from YubaNet.
BAY AREA
Marin beaches get new influx of blobby sea creatures
“Jellyfish-like sea creatures have washed ashore on the beaches of Northern California. Known as Velella velella, or “by-the-wind sailors,” the creatures appear to have arrived in droves in coastal Marin after the latest rainfall. “It’s kind of funny because each year they come back — and they come back regularly — it’s almost like it’s a new occurrence,” said Ralph Camaccia, a Bolinas resident and member of the county-appointed Bolinas Lagoon Advisory Council. “It’s funny how surprised people are.” Camaccia said it’s normal to see them on Seadrift Beach and Bolinas Beach. What is unique this year, he said, is that they also entered the mouth of Bolinas Lagoon, a 1,100-acre tidal estuary, near Wharf Road. “They came in on the incoming tide, floating in by the thousands,” Camaccia said. … ” Read more from the Marin Independent Journal.
San Carlos adopts watershed management plan
“A management plan for the Pulgas Creek Watershed was approved by the San Carlos City Council, including flood management and climate change resiliency strategies for the city, developers and residents. The plan was developed with the intention of residents to think about the creeks and watershed as an amenity, said consultant Jeffrey Tarantino. “It’s not just something to build and redevelop, but how can we integrate use, provide access, how can we incorporate trails,” Tarantino said. The Pulgas Creek Watershed drains approximately 3.5 square miles within the city, and the goals of the management plan look to address the expected increase in frequent and severe flooding. … ” Read more from the San Mateo Daily Journal.
CENTRAL COAST
Beavers helping the Central Coast against drought, wildfires and flooding
“One unique animal with a large task in the health of our local creek and river systems. Along the Central Coast and the state, beavers have become a vital source of assistance in protecting against some of California’s biggest natural threats. One unique animal with a large task in the health of our local creek and river systems. Beavers have been busy guarding our landscape from drought, wildfires and even flooding, Atascadero resident Ann Colby has come to appreciate the furry creatures and their contribution to local ecosystems. “You see how the water starts to stay in an area and how the greenery increases and wildlife increases,” Colby said. “It’s just a fascinating thing to watch the the growth of it.” … ” Read more from KSBY.
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
Can Cemex dig a 600-foot hole and not harm the river? Arambula says no and writes a bill
“A mining company wants to dig hundreds of feet down on a site along the San Joaquin River. With an environmental review of the project released, the decision now lands on Fresno County supervisors to approve or deny — and, if the project gets a green light, decide how deep to allow the company to dig. Mexico-based mining company CEMEX wants to dig a 600-foot hole and blast hard rock from its quarry site about 200 feet from the banks of the San Joaquin River, according to Fresno County’s environmental impact report. The company already mines aggregate at its quarry. A permit to operate expires in July 2026. However, a new California legislative bill may decide the future of mining on the prime river land, bypassing the supervisors. Assembly Bill 1425 from Joaquin Arambula (D-Fresno) would ban dewatering from many sites along the San Joaquin River — effectively killing the CEMEX proposal. … ” Read more from GV Wire.
EASTERN SIERRA
LADWP reports annual Mono Lake level reading, marking end of 2024-25 runoff year
“Today, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP), Mono Lake Committee and others met at Mono Lake to mark the end of the 2024-25 water runoff year and the start of the next in the Eastern Sierra. For decades, LADWP conducts its final snow surveys and measures the surface elevation of Mono Lake on April 1. The lake level reading, alongside the annual snow surveys, provides essential data to better inform forecasting and water exports for the City of Los Angeles. Today’s field report at Mono Lake found the surface elevation to be 6,383 feet above sea level. “While every other Western terminal lake continues to decline in elevation, Mono Lake has, on average, been trending up for the past 30 years, and its elevation today is primarily driven by hydrology,” said Anselmo Collins, LADWP Senior Assistant General Manager – Water System. “Mono Basin overall is now one of the most protected watersheds in the United States, and LADWP is invested in partnerships and programs to further the Mono Lake success story. We are pleased to see that runoff from existing snowpack, alongside ongoing responsible environmental stewardship, is helping to sustain healthy ecosystems.” … ” Read more from LADWP.
California wildfire threatening forest home of world’s oldest tree
“Firefighters have managed to make “strong progress” containing a fire burning through eastern California near the world’s oldest trees, but the blaze remains an active threat, officials said. Since igniting on Sunday afternoon, the Silver fire has scorched nearly 1,600 acres (647 hectares) in the eastern Sierra Nevada and forced residents of about 800 homes to evacuate. Strong winds fanned the flames, which burned through dry grass and brush in Inyo county, threatening neighborhoods, endangered species and the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest. On Monday evening, Cal Fire’s San Bernardino/Inyo/Mono unit, the agency managing the response to the blaze, announced that firefighters had stopped forward spread of the fire. By Tuesday morning, authorities reported that crews working overnight had made “strong progress” on the fire, with containment at 50%, and announced that evacuation orders had been downgraded to warnings. … ” Continue reading from The Guardian.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
CalEPA increases Chiquita Canyon enforcement orders, threatens fines
“Disputing Chiquita Canyon Landfill’s recent claims that the subsurface reaction is under control, the California Environmental Protection Agency issued its own “expert analysis” Tuesday evening to state the opposite: “Contrary to recent public statements that the landfill operators have made while announcing termination of their Community Relief Program, the data show that the reaction is not under control,” read the statement from CalEPA, sent to The Signal via email by Nefretiri Cooley, deputy secretary for communications for the state agency. “In fact, it has expanded to 90 acres — over three times larger than the 28-acre reaction area claimed by the landfill,” the statement continued. “The reaction now threatens a ‘tank farm,’ a collection of tanks atop the waste mass where the facility treats and stores millions of gallons of leachate at the eastern edge of the landfill’s main canyon.” … ” Read more from The Signal.
Las Virgenes Municipal Water District pilots subsea water farm technology in California
“In a bold move to secure a climate-resilient water future, the Las Virgenes Municipal Water District (LVMWD) has launched a first-of-its-kind pilot to test an innovative subsea water harvesting system at its Westlake Village reservoir. The pilot marks a major milestone in LVMWD’s commitment to developing sustainable, drought-resistant water supplies for Southern California. The new system, developed in partnership with water technology firm OceanWell, uses deep-sea hydrostatic pressure at depths in excess of 400 metres to power reverse osmosis — to filter out salts, contaminants, and even PFAS to produce ultra-clean drinking water. This submerged technology cuts energy use by up to 40% compared with conventional desalination and avoids brine discharge. “We’re uncompromising in our pursuit to develop a new supply of drought-resilient water”, said David Pedersen, General Manager of LVMWD. “We’re incredibly excited to challenge the conventional thinking that ocean desalination and environmental stewardship cannot go hand-in-hand.” … ” Read more from Smart Water Magazine.
Scientists continue their study of the Santa Ana sucker
“The Santa Ana Sucker (SAS) is listed as threatened under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. The Act protects and aims to recover endangered species and their habitats. To support this goal, USGS scientists are researching what is necessary to restore and sustain healthy fish populations. Current USGS research on the SAS began in 2015 when the San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District partnered with the USGS to conduct a native fish survey. The goal of the survey was to estimate native fish species abundance within a chosen section of the Santa Ana River designated as critical habitat. In addition to the SAS, the Arroyo Chub (Gila orcutti) was also studied. This was done in support of the Upper Santa Ana River Habitat Conservation Plan. … Recently, USGS researchers investigated the potential for passive integrated transponder tagging (or “PIT tagging”) to be used to identify individual fish and track their movements. … ” Read more from the USGS.
‘I was so scared’: Sea lion bites girl repeatedly during Junior Lifeguards tryout in Long Beach
“A 15-year-old girl was attacked during her swim test in Long Beach by a sea lion sickened by a recent toxic algae bloom, according to the girl’s family. On Sunday, Phoebe Beltran was completing her swim test for the cadet Junior Lifeguards program near 2100 Ocean Boulevard, she told The Times. When she was swimming back during the 1,000-yard swim, she felt a “biting sensation” on her right arm over and over again. The teen ducked underwater, saw a shadow and feared that it was a shark. “I was so scared,” she said. “I thought it was a shark going to bite my arm off and kill me.” … ” Read more from the LA Times.
IMPERIAL/COACHELLA VALLEYS
CNRA submits Salton Sea annual report
“The California Natural Resources Agency has submitted its 2025 Annual Report on the Salton Sea Management Program (SSMP) to the State Water Resources Control Board, prepared in compliance with Order WR 2017-0134. The agency said the report provides specific updates on the SSMP’s activities in 2024 and planning for future projects, ongoing partnerships to help the SSMP meet its goals, community engagement, and next steps. The State’s Salton Sea restoration and management efforts continued to show significant, demonstrable progress in 2024 — achieving key milestones and accelerating the pace of critical project delivery functions. Completing major construction at the first 4,100 acres of the largest restoration project at the Sea and with new federal funding, the SSMP broke ground to expand it by an additional 750 acres. Further expansion is being initiated to suppress dust and restore habitat on up to 9,000 acres at the south end of the Sea, CNRA said. … ” Read more from the Imperial Valley Press.
SAN DIEGO
Carlsbad’s ‘miracle water’ and the birth of a resort town
“Water isn’t always just water. For instance, in the late 1800s, Carlsbad was a quiet stretch of undeveloped land—until 1882, when John Frazier struck liquid gold. While digging a well on his farm, he didn’t just hit water—he uncovered a mineral-rich spring with healing properties rivaling the famous spa waters of Europe. Word spread like wildfire: this wasn’t ordinary water; it was said to be a “miracle” elixir, packed with pure minerals that drew comparisons to the legendary springs of Karlsbad (now Karlovy Vary) in Bohemia. With excitement bubbling over, investors seized the moment. By 1886, the lavish Carlsbad Hotel stood proudly near the well, welcoming affluent travelers eager to experience the water’s supposed restorative powers. From aching joints to weary souls, visitors flocked from all corners of the country, convinced that a sip of Frazier’s discovery could transform their health—and their lives. … ” Read more from the Times of San Diego.
Water Authority reports ‘more than enough’ supply to meet regional demands despite little rain
“San Diego County’s water supplier announced it has more than enough water to meet the region’s needs through the summer and fall, despite the county receiving around half of normal rainfall this year. The San Diego County Water Authority said there is “plenty of water” to meet demands for the foreseeable future, and it is trying to transfer some water supply to areas in the West with greater water scarcity. Officials said selling or leasing water to other agencies will help offset the cost of the region’s longstanding water investments and address statewide affordability challenges. By offering agencies a limited amount of highly reliable water, officials said, they can retain water security for the county and lessen rate increases. … ” Read more from the Times of San Diego.
San Diego Water Authority plans to sell surplus water, aims to lower costs
“Despite a few rainy days this week, 2025 has had a drier-than-usual start. However, thanks to decades of strategic planning, the San Diego County Water Authority assures residents that the region has an ample water supply. In fact, officials say they are considering selling or leasing surplus resources — an initiative that could help lower water costs for San Diego ratepayers. The unpredictable nature of San Diego’s climate is becoming more evident, with extreme swings in weather patterns. San Diego County Water Authority General Manager Dan Denham explains that while the region has been preparing for long-term droughts, recent fluctuations in rainfall have impacted water sales. “We’ve planned for a drier, more arid climate into the future,” Denham said. “This blip we’ve had over the past two years has had a real material impact on sales.” … ” Read more from Channel 10.
Zeldin to visit border where ‘disgusting Mexican sewage’ is harming US environment
“Lee Zeldin, who heads the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), on Tuesday said she plans to visit the California-Mexico border to address issues pertaining to the “disgusting Mexican sewage” flowing into the United States. Zeldin will assess the toxic waste and sewage runoff from the Tijuana River, which has resulted in beach closures in San Diego County. ‘I’ll be visiting the California-Mexico border in the coming weeks where disgusting Mexican sewage is harming our precious environment in the United States,” Zeldin wrote on X. “Permanent solutions must be urgently implemented by Mexico to end decades of their filthy sewage flowing into the U.S. … ” Read more from Fox News.
Along the Colorado River …
Water Security at the US-Mexico Border | Part 1: Background
“Water security has been a growing concern at the US-Mexico border for decades. But in recent years, the situation has become critical, as persistent droughts, rising demand, and conflicting interests continue to strain two significant transboundary rivers — namely, the Colorado River and the Rio Grande. These rivers alone constitute two-thirds of the border, supplying water to an increasingly populated and industrialized region of the US and Mexico. Those dependent on the dwindling resource are now facing the economic and environmental consequences of unchecked development. … ” Read more from The Wilson Center.
L.A. sends masses of tourists to Vegas — and owns real estate nearby
“Los Angeles has long funneled masses of tourists to Las Vegas, providing much of the fuel for the casino-heavy economy here. But L.A. also has a more permanent foothold in Southern Nevada. The city of Los Angeles owns a portfolio of real estate within about 30 miles of the Las Vegas Strip, property records show, underscoring decades-old ties to the region that run deeper than many locals may realize. The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power runs a hilltop lodge in Boulder City and owns another facility nearby for DWP crews who work on transmission lines. It also owns at least 14 acres of land near Henderson’s Lake Las Vegas community and a 2.5-acre plot next to a housing tract in Henderson along Interstate 11, property records indicate. … ” Read more from the Las Vegas Review Journal.
Data centers a small, but growing factor in Arizona’s water budget
“It was supposed to be called Cipriani, a master planned community with more than 9,700 homes at the western fringe of this sprawling desert city in central Arizona. Plans have changed. One regional growth industry – housing – is being supplanted by another – computing. Even as both carry questions about efficient use of water in one of the driest, fastest-growing areas of the country. Last August, Cipriani Holdings sold the 2,069-acre land parcel west of the Buckeye Municipal Airport to Tract, a Denver-based data center developer. Instead of housing people, the Cipriani site, now part of the Buckeye Tech Corridor, will incorporate up to 20 million square feet of commercial space to house the cloud. … ” Read more from Circle of Blue.
Golden algae to blame for dead fish in some Arizona lakes
“Fish are dying and can be seen floating on the surface of some Arizona lakes, and golden algae is to blame. This is something that typically happens during Arizona’s hottest months, but we’re seeing it a lot earlier this year. For now, just the fish are affected, with no threat to humans, but an ASU professor says it could get a lot worse. “To date, no adverse health impacts have been noted for humans or non-gill-breathing wildlife that have come in contact with waters experiencing a golden algae toxin bloom. AZGFD will provide updates as needed,” Arizona Game and Fish Department said. … ” Read more from Fox 10.
Dropping the bass: USGS science helps partners stop spread of invasive smallmouth bass in Colorado River
“Managing the Colorado River Basin is complicated. Federal, state and Tribal agencies balance the needs of many user groups, from anglers to farmers to city municipalities. They also care for the river as an ecosystem, home to rare fish and the foundation of Grand Canyon, one of the Nation’s natural treasures. In an era of heat waves and drought, when there is less water than ever to go around, managers increasingly need high-quality science to respond to emerging challenges. The USGS provides critical science to resource managers in the Colorado River and Grand Canyon. Our stream gages monitor water quality and flows, our researchers track fish populations and our modelers forecast how resources may respond to future conditions. We help managers anticipate new threats and consider potential outcomes of management decisions. And on a scorching day in June 2022, the summer Lake Powell reached its lowest water level in five decades, we sprang into action when one of our predictions became suddenly real. … ” Read more from the USGS.
New study finds Rocky Mountain snow contamination
“Mountain snowpacks accumulate snow throughout the winter, building up stores of water that will supply communities across the American West throughout the long dry season. Now, a new study shows that as storms carry snow to the Rocky Mountains, they are also bringing mercury and other contaminants from mines in the region. The research helps scientists understand how contaminants are spread by atmospheric circulation and has implications for snowpack preservation and illuminating the lasting environmental impact of mining activities. The study, published in the May issue of the journal Environmental Pollution, examined contamination levels for Mercury, Zinc, Cadmium and Antimony from nearly 50 sites in the Rocky Mountains. DRI’s Monica Arienzo, Associate Research Professor of Hydrology, led the research, along with colleagues from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the University of Nevada, Reno, and Portland State University. They found higher levels of metal contaminants in the northern Rockies and identified mines in the Pacific Northwest, Idaho, and Montana as the likely source by following winter storms back in time. It is one of the first studies to look at metal contamination across the greater Rocky Mountains. … ” Read more from the Desert Research Institute.
In national water news today …
New poll shows Americans view water that’s safe to drink and reliably supplied as top issues
“New polling shows Americans view ensuring a reliable water supply as their top issue, beating out inflation, healthcare reform and others. The polling comes from the US Water Alliance’s Value of Water Campaign, an effort to raise awareness of the need to support water infrastructure, and is the first time a reliable water supply topped the list of key issues. Reducing water contamination came in third, behind inflation. Most Americans polled also expect the federal government to make investments to improve and maintain water infrastructure, the polling found, with the majority of participants going as far as supporting bond measures and higher local water bills to do so. “For most people, when they turn the tap on the water or on the faucet, water comes out. They flush the toilet, it goes away. It generally works,” said Scott Berry, the US Water Alliance’s director of policy and government affairs. “So people don’t see the problems buried beneath the surface, and it’s so critical that that infrastructure works because of how important and how embedded clean water is to everything that we do, whether it’s economic development, whether it’s public health, whether it’s environmental health.” … ” Read more from Inside Climate News.
Do ‘forever chemicals’ in water raise cancer risk for kids?
“Widely used in industrial and consumer products, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)—commonly known as “forever chemicals” due to their persistence in the environment—have been linked to various adverse health effects. An Environmental Protection Agency monitoring program documented detectable levels of PFAS in California drinking water between 2013 and 2015. In the new study in the journal Environmental Epidemiology, researchers investigated the role that PFAS exposure via drinking water contamination may play in childhood cancer risk. … ” Read more from the Good Men Project.
The $20B question hanging over America’s struggling farmers
“As Earth heats up, the growing frequency and intensity of disasters like catastrophic storms and heat waves are becoming a mounting problem for the people who grow the planet’s food. Warming is no longer solely eroding agricultural productivity and food security in distant nations or arid climates. It’s throttling production in the United States. Farmers and ranchers across the country lost at least $20.3 billion in crops and rangeland to extreme weather last year, according to a new Farm Bureau report that crowned the 2024 hurricane season “one of the most destructive in U.S. history” and outlined a long list of other climate-fueled impacts. … ” Read more from Grist.
White House weighs helping farmers as Trump escalates trade war
“Ahead of President Trump’s plan to impose sweeping tariffs across the globe this week, his administration is weighing a new round of emergency aid to farmers, who are likely to be caught in the middle if America’s trading partners retaliate. The early discussions offer a tacit acknowledgment that Mr. Trump’s expansive tariffs could unleash financial devastation throughout the U.S. agricultural industry, a crucial voting base that the president similarly tried to safeguard during his 2018 trade war with China. While the president has not announced any details of an aid package, his advisers have signaled in recent days that he could follow a playbook similar to the one he used in his first term, when he directed billions in payments to farmers who saw their exports to China plummet amid a trade war with Beijing. … ” Read more from the New York Times.
