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On the calendar today …
- PUBLIC HEARING: Delta Conveyance Project water right hearing beginning at 9am. The State Water Resources Control Board Administrative Hearings Office will hold a Public Hearing on the pending Petitions for Change of Water Right Permits for the Delta Conveyance Project. Interested members of the public who would like to watch this hearing without participating may do so through the Administrative Hearings Office YouTube channel at: bit.ly/aho-youtube. Click here for the meeting notice.
- LEG HEARING: Assembly Committee on Water, Parks, and Wildlife beginning at 9am. Click here for the agenda and audio link.
- LEG HEARING: Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee beginning at 9am. Click here for more information.
In California water news today …
How to set up groundwater agencies for recharge success
“The 2014 Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) is driving major changes for California’s vibrant agricultural industry. The state’s growers will need to pump less groundwater to comply with the law, which seeks to limit groundwater use in the face of depleted aquifers and the problems they cause. And while that shift will make agriculture more sustainable in the long-term, it will cause short-term challenges. One tool that can help lessen the economic pain and boost groundwater sustainability is groundwater recharge—putting water into underground aquifers. Groundwater recharge is key to implementing SGMA, because it can reduce the need to curtail groundwater pumping. Local agencies are working to scale up recharge by incentivizing it on private land. Our research has found that recharge on private land is growing fast, but it still accounts for less than 10% of total recharge volumes in the valley. … ” Read more from the PPIC.
Calif. farmland values are plummeting. Where’s the bottom?
“Farmland values across California are down significantly over this time last year and the bottom may not yet be in view. While this has erased billions of dollars in farm equity across the state, the fallout will be seen in communities and public services as county tax assessments are likely reduced on appeal. The trends are daunting, but not unforeseen. Professional agricultural land appraisers with the California Chapter of the American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers (ASFMRA) and others have been warning of this cliff for several years now. Implementation of the California Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) and other factors including poor commodity prices for major crops have led to double-digit declines in farmland values year-over-year. … ” Read more from the Western Farm Press.
California reservoir levels are ‘well-above average’ leading into a dry spring
“Nearly all of California’s major reservoirs are fuller than they were in previous years after a wet and stormy winter. As the rainy season fizzles out, the California reservoirs are seeing “well-above average” water levels, setting up a positive scenario for the dry, summer months, Jay Lund, a professor and vice director for the Center for Watershed Sciences at UC Davis, told SFGATE. “We’re in pretty good shape for water supply this year and for floods because flood season sort of ended by now,” Lund said. The state’s largest reservoir, Lake Shasta, is at 92% capacity as of Sunday, which amounts to 115% of its historical capacity for this time of year, according to data from the California Department of Water Resources. … ” Read more from SF Gate.
FIRO to avoid water FOMO: How to save every drop with smart reservoir operations in California
Angel S. Fernandez-Bou writes, ” … As we mark Water Week 2025, preparing for extremes is critical for modernizing our water management. In past years, supercharged snowmelt has led to flooding and dam safety concerns. For example, in 2017 nearly 200,000 residents had to be evacuated below the Oroville Dam due to fears of collapse after a rain-on-snow event. That’s why it’s vital that the state is working with the scientific community on a new management strategy to reduce flood risk for downstream communities and benefit water supplies during dry periods. It’s called Forecast Informed Reservoir Operations, or FIRO, a new approach that can help us more flexibly manage water extremes. Many of the reservoirs in California are managed so they have space to capture flood water to avoid flooding damage and hazards while they are also used for water storage. Without FIRO, reservoirs are managed with fixed calendar-based rules that tell you how much water to keep in the reservoir for that time of year. FIRO enables reservoir operators to use forecasts to adjust the amount of water in the reservoir before storms, reducing flood risk by releasing water ahead of major events while holding water in the reservoir if there are forecasted precipitation events. FIRO benefits both sides of water management by mitigating flood risk and increasing water availability. … ” Continue reading from the Union of Concerned Scientists.
CDFW sees ecosystem engineers at work in beaver restoration pilot projects
“The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) set out on its mission one-and-a-half years ago to begin returning beavers to watersheds throughout their native range in the state. Since then, the translocated beavers have begun their work as ecosystem engineers, initiating the restoration of wetlands and building resilience to the effects of climate change such as drought and wildfire. Today, CDFW announces the release of a status report on the translocated beavers and restoration sites, summarizing project successes, lessons learned, and next steps for beaver restoration in California. The status report is accompanied by a video update on the translocated beavers, CDFW’s post-release monitoring activities, and the ecosystem restoration progress made within the pilot projects. … ” Read more from the Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Monitoring water quality in the Delta: The role of the Delta Regional Monitoring Program
“The Delta is a vital water source, providing drinking water to over 27 million people and irrigating 3 million acres of farmland. The Delta is a rich mosaic of farms, wetlands, and diverse habitats that support a wide array of fish and wildlife and serves as a critical stopover for migratory birds along the Pacific Flyway. In addition to its ecological importance, the Delta is a recreational hub, attracting thousands of visitors each year for fishing, boating, birdwatching, and other outdoor activities. Preserving the Delta’s water quality is essential for human uses and sustaining its vibrant ecosystems and the wildlife that depend on them. Prior to 2013, water quality monitoring in the Delta was primarily conducted to meet regulatory requirements. The Delta Regional Monitoring Program (Delta RMP) was established to consolidate these fragmented efforts and assess the success of protection and restoration initiatives by providing a unified and effective approach to water quality monitoring. … ” Read more from Maven’s Notebook.
California stands by by fluoridated drinking water as RFK Jr., EPA raise concerns
“California public health officials are touting the safety and health benefits of fluoride in drinking water, as U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. reportedly revealed plans to curtail the practice and the Environmental Protection Agency announced it will conduct a review on the topic. Kennedy told the Associated Press he planned to tell the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention soon to stop recommending communities fluoridate drinking water. He also said he was in the process of assembling a task force to address the issue. Meanwhile, the EPA announced Monday that it had begun an effort to “expeditiously review new scientific information on potential health risks of fluoride in drinking water,” the agency said in a written statement. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin said the inquiry will be objective. … ” Read more from the Desert Sun.
SEE ALSO:
- RFK Jr. says he plans to tell CDC to stop recommending fluoride in drinking water, from the Associated Press
- US Health Department will make new fluoride recommendation, from Reuters News
As wet & cool late-winter pattern departs, growing signs of unusually warm & dry spring across CA & broader West
“Well, as the dry season approaches, it’s now pretty clear that the much-discussed north-south “precipitation dipole” across California did indeed manage to persist for the entire rainy season (something that had been predicted by seasonal outlooks). It did soften, somewhat, from its very intense iteration that peaked in January (with record wet conditions across portions of NorCal and record dry across nearly all of SoCal) as meaningful rainfall did eventually return to the south later in the season. But the first half of the rainy season was so extremely dry in SoCal, and was not counterbalanced by exceptionally wet second half, that seasonal deficits remain large. In fact, most of Los Angeles, Ventura, and Santa Barbara counties now appear likely to finish the season at less than 50% of average precipitation, and all of SoCal (plus the Central Coast) will likely finish below average. And this dipole actually extends to beyond California: much of Oregon, especially southern and eastern parts of the state east of the Cascades, are now wrapping up an exceptionally wet season. Meanwhile, much of the interior Southwest–and in particular the lower Colorado basin including Arizona, southern Nevada and Utah, and western New Mexico–experienced (another) exceptionally dry winter (record dry in some cases, with under 30% of average precipitation across a wide region). … ” Read more from Weather West.
DELTA CONVEYANCE PROJECT: Fourth Amended Notice Of Public Hearing and Procedural Ruling
This ruling adds more hearing dates to the schedule, outlines new procedures for participating in the hearing, addresses the requests to adjust the hearing schedule, and other pending requests and motions. Read the ruling here.
Fishing and environmental groups slam $134 million in additional federal funding for Sites Reservoir in Sacramento Valley
“The Sites Reservoir Project in Northern California, a controversial water project promoted by Governor Gavin Newson and opposed by a coalition of environmental groups, fishing organizations and indigenous tribes because it will divert more water out of the Sacramento River, recently received $134 million in federal funding from the Trump Administration. Critics assert that the money was issued as Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom develops an increasingly cozy relationship with President Donald Trump — and has been interviewing conservative media stars such as Charlie Kirk, Michael Savage and Steve Bannon by featuring them as guests on his new podcast. The $134 million brings the total federal investment in the project to $780.15 million. The money comes from the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act (WIIN Act) that provides funding to “improve water infrastructure throughout the United States,” according to an announcement from the Sites Authority. … ” Read more from the Sacramento News & Review.
Gray whales are dying off the Pacific Coast again, and scientists aren’t sure why.
“Gray whales are dying in large numbers, again. At least 70 whales have perished since the start of the year in the shallow, protected lagoons of Mexico’s Baja California peninsula where the animals have congregated for eons to calf, nurse and breed, said Steven Swartz, a marine scientist who has studied gray whales since 1977. And only five mother-calf pairs were identified in Laguna San Ignacio, where most of the wintering whales tend to congregate, Swartz said. That’s the lowest number of mother-calf pairs ever observed in the lagoon, according to annual reports from Gray Whale Research in Mexico, an international team of researchers — co-founded by Swartz — that has been observing gray whales in Laguna San Ignacio since the late 1970s. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
Why California and the West could face a ‘big fire season’ later this year
“As California continues to recover from devastating January wildfires and extreme dryness that reached deep into winter, there are early signs that the state and surrounding region could face a troubling fire season in the months ahead. The rainy season in the West is winding down, but much of the region remains well behind on rainfall. The Southwest is in deep drought after largely missing out on storms this winter. Much of the broader West is forecast to have unusually hot and dry weather in the coming weeks and months. And that heat — along with the recent proliferation of additional fire-fueling vegetation — could accelerate the turnaround into yet another wildfire season, with high risks of concerning conflagrations even for areas that had adequate rain and snow this winter. California’s fire season typically starts up in May as grasses dry out, and this year could see heightened wildfire risk by June that becomes widespread in July, according to outlooks released at the beginning of this month. … ” Read more from the Washington Post.
In commentary today …
Higher water rates vs. the right to water
The O.C. Register editorial board writes, “Did you know that in California, there’s a human right to affordable water? In 2012, Gov. Jerry Brown signed Assembly Bill 685, adding this language to the state Water Code: “every human being has the right to safe, clean, affordable, and accessible water adequate for human consumption, cooking and sanitary purposes.” The “affordable” part seems to be ignored. Today (April 8), the board of directors of the Metropolitan Water District is expected to approve a Climate Adaptation Master Plan for Water, or CAMP4W, a framework for spending massive amounts of money and then raising rates and property taxes to pay for it. On its website, the Metropolitan Water District says it is “committed to offsetting the costs of our strategic climate adaptation investments through creative cost-sharing partnerships and the pursuit of additional state and federal funding.” Good luck. We note that the federal and state budget climate has changed. … ” Read more from the OC Register.
Wildfires in California: A preventable tragedy
“This year, we got a harsh reminder of how vulnerable our cities really are. The California wildfires have exposed the flaws in our environmental, prevention, and urban policies, showing how far we are from creating sustainable communities in the Golden State. The devastating effects of climate change, environmental mismanagement, and government neglect are still felt today. While the immediate threat may have passed, the aftermath persists. Communities are rebuilding, ecosystems are recovering, and we must rethink our approach to prevent future disasters. This is not something we can simply move past—it’s time for lasting change to protect both people and the environment. The fires in Southern California, though no longer trending on social media, have permanently impacted thousands, causing deaths and material loss and exposing policies that separate the environment from human life—socially, economically, and politically. … ” Read more from the LA Daily News.
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
Celebrating a banner year for Mendocino coho salmon
“Each year, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) carefully counts juvenile and adult coho salmon in North Coast rivers and streams. This work is especially important for tracking the status of endangered populations of Central California Coast (CCC) coho. Last winter, CDFW staff realized they were seeing exceptional numbers of adult salmon returning to Mendocino’s coastal streams during their spawning run. When the monitoring season was over and the numbers were crunched, everyone working to recover these populations got some truly inspiring news: Last year, CCC coho salmon returns surged to their highest numbers since extensive monitoring began! … ” Read more from Trout Unlimited.
Major earthquake could instantly destroy Scott Dam, scientists warn in op-ed
UC Davis-trained geologist Bob Schneider and UC Davis’s Senior Ecologist Dr. Chad Roberts 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 Unted States. In our opinion, PG&E has determined 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. … ” Read more from MendoFever.
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
Tahoe Basin snowpack now at 111%
“The final snow survey media day of 2025 would come on a gloomy day at Mount Rose Ski Tahoe, something that has been common of late – boosting our area’s snowpack. “2023, of course, was a gigantic winter, so we’ve had three years of really good snowpacks for the Tahoe region,” said Hydrologist Jeff Anderson of NRCS. The snowpack for the entire Lake Tahoe basin is now sitting at 111% of average. Something that might have seemed unlikely after what Anderson calls an “abysmal” January in which New Orleans got more snow than Mount Rose. The snowpack in early February was at 60%. … ” Read more from KOLO.
Tuolumne Utilities District unveils new water tank
“With the completion of a new water tank, Tuolumne Utilities District (TUD) is inviting the public to a ribbon cutting and open house to view the site and ask questions. TUD boasts that the new White Fir Water Tank and Pump Station in Twain Harte has a 400,000-gallon capacity. According to TUD, it replaced an aged, 35-year-old tank that had reached the end of its useful life and a previous tank at a lower height in Twain Harte that collapsed and was dismantled due to structural problems, as detailed here. Both old tanks have been replaced by the new tank, which has stairway access, forced-air ventilation, outside roof rafters, and cutting-edge telemetry technology. … ” Read more from My Mother Lode.
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
Workshop taking place for Tehama County farmers and ranchers
“The Resource Conservation District of Tehama County will host a free Agricultural Resources Workshop for local farmers and ranchers on Wednesday. The RCDTC, Natural Resources Conservation Service, University of California Cooperative Extension, Community Alliance with Family Farmers, and others to learn about programs, services, and upcoming funding opportunities available in the county. … ” Read more from the Red Bluff Daily News.
Orland area water supply project picking up speed
“The City is letting some people in the county who get their water from wells, instead hook up to its city water supply for free. The work to the water tank started in October and now crews are welding the red steel panels as part of the base of the massive tank. It’s a milestone for the one million gallon water tank project underway. the plan to hook people in Glenn County up to the city’s water supply started in 2019 when people’s wells were going dry due to the drought. The City recently received federal permits to cross under irrigation canals. Work is completed on the northwest area of Orland and crews will do the work that crosses under canals in the southwest area of the City starting this month. … ” Read more from Action News Now.
Feds halt Yuba-Sutter levee work funds
“The Federal Emergency Management Agency has halted funding of a grant program that could have provided $100 million in upgrades to levees in Sutter, Yuba and Colusa counties. On Thursday, FEMA announced that it is ending the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program and canceling all BRIC grant applications. In 2004, the Sutter Butte Flood Control Agency and the California Department of Water Resources jointly applied for $50 million from the grant program to repair five miles of levee along the east bank of the Sutter Bypass which prevents flooding of the Yuba City basin. SBFCA described the section as the “worst first” segments of the bypass that needed to be addressed. SBFCA targeted 2027 as the date for construction of slurry cutoff walls of varying depths to provide a minimum level of 100-year flood protection to the lower portion of the Yuba City basin. … ” Read more from the Appeal-Democrat.
Folsom Lake, Lake Clementine to start 30-day quarantine for invasive golden mussels
“A required inspection and quarantine program will go into effect next week for trailered and motorized vessels being launched at Folsom Lake and Lake Clementine to eradicate invasive golden mussels, state officials said. Starting April 14, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation will require watercraft to participate in the program to help prevent the spread of golden mussels, according to California State Parks. The highly-invasive species was recently identified in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, marking the first known occurrence of golden mussels in North America, parks officials said. … ” Read more from ABC 10.
Hidden Wetlands: One of the last of California’s vernal pools
“It’s a crisp, damp morning just outside Mather Airport in Sacramento County, and a busload of eager fifth graders pours out into a seemingly empty, wet grassy field. Despite the plain surroundings, the children’s eyes light up as they spot what looks like a giant puddle, drawing them in like a magnet.“ So we have a class of fifth graders out here and they’re about to see all of the life that lives in the vernal pools,” explained Mackenzie Wieser, CEO of Sacramento Splash, an environmental education nonprofit dedicated to teaching local students about Sacramento’s watershed and vernal pools. … ” Read more from Channel 10.
BAY AREA
Rain is finally out of the S.F. forecast. But is it done for good?
“From downpours one day to warm sunshine the next, April often marks a month of transition for Bay Area weather as winter storms wane to a summerlike pattern. The transition from Sunday to Monday was a perfect example, as San Francisco warmed into the 60s under mostly sunny skies Sunday afternoon only for thick fog and rain to roll in less than 12 hours later. But Monday morning’s drizzle might be the city’s last shot at rain for a while, as California is in line for a warmup this week. Temperature should return to the 70s in downtown San Francisco by Wednesday, with 80s in the interior and 90s to low 100s in parts of Southern California. A dry pattern is likely to last through the weekend, but just how much longer the rain-free weather continues is up in the air. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
Ross arrives at tab for fixing disputed sinkhole
“Ross has spent nearly $50,000 to fill a sinkhole that set off a litigation battle between the town and a resident. The Town Council voted 3-1 to confirm the final bill — $49,500 — at a nuisance abatement cost confirmation hearing on April 3. The sinkhole appeared in 2023 at 61 Shady Lane, the home of Terry Pickett. The town told Pickett it’s his responsibility to fix the hole. Pickett has argued it is the town’s problem. “We went back and forth with the property owner on those facts, tried to explain to him, show him diagrams, show him that it is in fact in his property,” Public Works Director Richard Simonitch said. The Town Council eventually adopted a resolution telling staff to repair the sinkhole and record the expense. The costs include consultant fees and expenses for site inspections, reports and recommendations; town staff time; and work to abate the sinkhole. Simonitch said the cost does not include attorney fees. Pickett filed a lawsuit in August 2023, claiming the sinkhole was caused by the town’s stormwater drainage system. The lawsuit was filed before town staff could abate the sinkhole, according to a staff report. … ” Read more from the Marin Independent Journal.
Berkeley gets $4M to help clean Aquatic Park’s polluted lagoon and stop I-80 from collapsing
“The cliché “third time’s the charm” proved true for Berkeley’s efforts to fix the aging culverts connecting the Aquatic Park lagoon with the San Francisco Bay. Berkeley received a $4.1 million state grant last month after trying twice before in recent years for funding to repair or rebuild the deteriorating 100-year-old tubes running under Interstate 80, said Scott Ferris, head of the city’s parks and waterfront department. Prone to cracking and clogging, the failing tubes are believed to be primary culprits for the lagoon’s chronic pollution, as they’re less and less efficient in channeling bay water in and out of lagoon with the tides, a cleansing action. Of particular concern are the lagoon’s periodic but persistent high rates of enterococcus bacteria, a health risk for humans, and marine die-offs, primarily affecting rays and leopard sharks. … ” Read more from Berkeleyside.
Valley Water plans to keep many percolation ponds filled with water this summer and fall
“As people explore local trails this summer, they might notice that some of Valley Water’s approximately 100 percolation ponds in Santa Clara County are dry. There’s no need to worry; our groundwater basins are mostly healthy and full. Percolation ponds are facilities designed to allow water to seep into underground aquifers, thanks to the permeable gravel and sand in the surrounding areas. Their main purpose is to filter water underground and maintain healthy groundwater conditions. While these ponds aren’t specifically for wildlife, many types of birds, fish, and other animals benefit from them when there’s water. When the ponds dry up, animals often seek out other nearby water sources. … ” Read more from Valley Water News.
CENTRAL COAST
Santa Cruz County could seek payout for water contamination
“The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday are expected to join a class action settlement from manufacturers of firefighting foam for contamination of a county well that serves the Rountree jail facility near Watsonville.The State Water Resources Control Board notified Santa Cruz County staff that a well near Rountree may have elevated levels of PFAS, or “forever chemicals” in 2019. Continued testing showed contamination from the chemicals. The county was legally required to notify users of the contamination, but not required to provide another water source. Work on a new water filter at the facility that can remove the chemicals is expected this year, paid for by an $800,000 state grant. … ” Read more from Santa Cruz Local.
Paso Robles water district board stands firm on extraction fee opposition
“In a 3-1 vote during its April 2 meeting, the Estrella-El Pomar-Creston Water District (EPCWD) Board of Directors adopted a policy position opposing groundwater extraction fees for de minimis water users in the Paso Robles Groundwater Basin. The vote was part of a broader discussion on recommendations to the Paso Robles Area Groundwater Authority regarding a rate study, which will be reviewed at the Authority’s April 7 meeting.The EPCWD Board argues that de minimis users—defined as those extracting two acre-feet or less of groundwater annually—should not be subject to financial assessments that could place an undue burden on local residents. … ” Read more from the Paso Robles Daily News.
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
Woodward Reservoir closes boat launch amid threat of invasive species
“For something so small, its damage can cause a much bigger impact. Woodward Reservoir closed its boat launch due to the threat of invasive golden mussels. “It has impacts to our ecosystem, but primarily it can plug up the water treatment facility,” said Tera Chumley, director of Stanislaus County Parks and Recreation. “So, there’s more impacts on the water treatment facility, as well as the ecosystem in the reservoir.” The golden mussel discovery in the Delta is its first known existence in North America. The big question is, “How did it get here?” … ” Read more from KCRA.
Diablo Grande resort in Stanislaus County fears water could be shut off to homes
“Residents and officials of the Diablo Grande community on Stanislaus County’s West Side say water to their homes could be cut off and they’re appealing to local and state agencies for help with the crisis. A week ago, the Kern County Water Agency near Bakersfield issued a termination notice to Western Hills Water District that could stop delivery of water for Diablo Grande for nonpayment, effective June 30. Western Hills provides the water service to the 600 homes at Diablo Grande, which is in the hills southwest of Patterson. “This alarming situation threatens the health, safety and basic living conditions of hundreds of families,” the newly formed Diablo Grande Community Action Committee said in a statement over the weekend. … ” Read more from the Modesto Bee.
Kings County Farm Bureau to hold educational groundwater sessions
“The Kings County Farm Bureau is holding two informational events for residents to learn more about its lawsuit against the state involving the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA). Information will cover the suit’s current status and its potential effect on the community, according to the farm bureau’s Facebook page. The first meeting will be held Wednesday, April 9 at Lemoore College, 555 College Ave, in conference room 719 at 3 p.m. The second event will be held April 30 at St. John’s Hall, 8324 8 ½ Ave at 9 a.m. “We found that there are a lot of people that still are unaware of what SGMA is and truly how it impacts them,” Terra Brusseau, consultant for the Farm Bureau and founder of the Central Valley Group, said. “Our focus initially is to just let people know about SGMA.” … ” Read more from SJV Water.
Kings County Water District adds new member to the board
“The Kings County Water District Board of Directors unanimously appointed David Stanfield, a farm manager for Summerfield Farms and advisory member to Mid-Kings River Groundwater Sustainability Agency, to the board during its April 3 meeting. Stanfield was one of three applicants vying for the vacant District 2 seat after director Michael Murray’s resignation in March. Clif Van Groningen and John Warmerdamn also threw their hats in the ring. Ultimately, Stanfield’s involvement with Mid-Kings won over the board. “I hope to see water for our ag community passed down, set up the next generation, be a good steward and serve the community,” Stanfield told SJV Water. … ” Read more from SJV Water.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Near-average snowpack strengthens water supply resiliency for Los Angeles
“The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) announced that the Eastern Sierra snowpack measured 91% of normal, ensuring reliable water supplies through the City’s most cost-effective source, the Los Angeles Aqueduct. This year’s snowpack presents a promising outlook for water supply, which is anticipated to meet over half of the City’s annual water demand. This translates to 81 billion gallons of water – enough to supply about 62,000 households for an entire year. LADWP is committed to implementing safe, resilient water management strategies that balance environmental needs while ensuring affordable access to water for our customers. “The Los Angeles Aqueduct, local water supply investments, and our customers’ continued water conserving ethic all help to ensure a secure water future for all Angelenos,” said LADWP CEO and Chief Engineer Janisse Quiñones. “As we face more frequent and extreme natural disasters, it is essential that we remain focused and strategic – preparing now for any challenges ahead.” … ” Read more from LADWP.
Runoff from the Southern California wildfires may be feeding toxic algae blooms
“When the Palisades Fire ripped through Malibu three months ago, strings of beachfront homes burned to the ground. But since then, little has been done to contain the runoff, leading to a dangerous phenomenon threatening aquatic wildlife and other animals — including humans — that feed off it. Tracy Quinn, CEO of nonprofit Heal the Bay, said recently tested water off Santa Monica revealed “a lot of heavy metals.” “That debris is still sitting there within the high tide line. So every day the ocean is washing up and lapping those contaminants into the sea,” Quinn said. At the same time, there has been a dramatic rise in the number of sick animals washing up on the shores of Southern California, with one care center saying it is seeing four times as many as usual. … ” Read more from CBS News.
Oyster restoration in Huntington Harbour sets sail
“On Sunday, April 6, we kicked off a brand new community-based marine restoration project in partnership with the Huntington Harbour Yacht Club! With their help, we’re using strings of recycled oyster shells to attract and grow native Olympia oysters. Huntington Harbour is the newest venue of our Shell String Project, which is already underway in Long Beach’s Alamitos Bay. The Shell String Project invites participants to “oyster garden” by caring for baby Olympia oysters over the summer. Strung on ropes, these dried-out shells provide a perfect place for oyster larvae to settle and grow. In the fall, we’ll collect these shell strings and transfer the successfully recruited native oysters to a restoration site in Seal Beach. … ” Read more from the OC Waterkeeper.
SAN DIEGO
DOGE cuts shut down San Diego County’s wastewater testing system
“A coalition of top scientists loaded its last set of wastewater samples for analysis Sunday after receiving the final word from San Diego County late last week that the work should cease due to a nationwide clawback of federal public health funds. Since February 2021, the San Diego Epidemiology and Research for COVID Health program (SEARCH), a collaboration of UC San Diego, Scripps Research Institute and the genomics program at Rady Children’s Hospital, have used advanced science to analyze wastewater samples collected from three different treatment plants in San Diego County. Samples have been used to estimate both the amount and type of viruses shed by the region’s 3.3 million residents. What started with coronavirus during the COVID-19 pandemic expanded to include MPOX in 2022 and research efforts are underway on using the same genetic analysis techniques to detect influenza, hepatitis and measles and other pathogens. … ” Read more from the San Diego Union-Tribune.
Issue brief: Immediate action needed now to clean up Imperial Beach’s man-made environmental disaster
“Imperial Beach, California, is facing a massive environmental crisis. While its shores finally reopened last September after being closed for more than 1,000 days, it still faces intermittent closures (Anastas, 2024). The reason? Mexico has failed to ensure proper waste management and sewage treatment in Tijuana, leading to massive cross-border pollution that continues to this day (International Boundary and Water Commission, 2025). At present, 3.4 million gallons of wastewater escape to the Tijuana River per day, flowing across the border and contaminating Imperial Beach. Even worse, willful negligence has led to breakages along the International Collector pipeline, which have led to massive wastewater seepage, and Mexico has, as of mid-March, been unable to locate these fractures. … ” Read more from the America First Policy Institute.
Along the Colorado River …
US withholding water from Mexico to address debt, official says
“The United States is holding back water payments to Mexico in order to send a message, the U.S. International Boundary and Water Commissioner told Border Report. “The first action that the State Department has done is in denying water deliveries to Mexico in the Tijuana area,” U.S. IBWC Commissioner Maria-Elena Giner told Border Report last week when she visited South Texas. “We wanted to signal to them that our level of cooperation is diminishing because of the lack of performance on water deliveries. This is a first step,” Giner said. … ” Read more from the Border Report.
SEE ALSO: Why US Is Refusing To Give Water to Mexico, from Newsweek
Once-dying Mexican river delta slowly nursed back to life
“In a drought-hit Mexican border region at the center of growing competition with the United States for water, conservationists are working to bring a once-dying river delta back to life.On a stretch of the Colorado River, which on the Mexican side of the frontier is mostly a dry riverbed, native cottonwood and willow trees have been planted in place of invasive shrubs. It is the fruit of two decades of work by environmentalists along the lower part of the river from the US-Mexican border to the upper estuary of the Gulf of California, also known as the Sea of Cortez. … ” Read more from PhysOrg.
In the nation’s driest state, two bills seek to buy back and retire unused water rights
“Water is always scarce in Nevada, but 2014 was a particularly challenging year. Western Nevada farmers in Mason and Smith valleys faced water curtailments as wells ran dry, while, half a state away, Northern Nevada farmers in Diamond Valley were ordered to draft a plan to manage the region’s rapidly dwindling groundwater or face drastic cuts. The two basins are separated by hundreds of miles but had one thing in common — for decades, people had pulled more water out of the ground than Mother Nature had put back. The basins — and the lakes, wildlife and people that relied on them — were suffering. As similar situations played out across the state, the issue of how to combat Nevada’s declining groundwater levels became impossible to ignore. … ” Read more from the Nevada Independent.
Colorado: State of the snowpack: Explaining runoff predictions for the summer
“Spring is a season of extremes in Colorado — swinging from snowy days that resemble winter, to sunny stretches where shorts are required. The change of seasons means Coloradans must begin saying goodbye to their beloved weekend activities, like skiing or snowboarding. Keystone was one of a handful of ski resorts that closed for the season on Sunday. “I wanted to get here and give it one proper goodbye for the closing day, but looks like that’s not going to happen,” said Stephen Fucik, who arrived at Keystone after the lift stopped running. “But as I say, there’s always next year.” However, this time of year has water experts wondering what the snowpack levels will mean for runoff into the Colorado River, a critical resource. … ” Read more from Denver Channel 7.
In national water news today …
EPA defends its toxic water guidelines allowing higher levels of chemicals
“A battle over federal recommendations easing the limit of toxic chemicals allowed in waterways is for a three-member panel of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals to decide, as the government urged the court to reject the finding that it coerced states into adopting its criteria on Monday. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency maintains that the recommendations it issued to individual states and tribal nations in 2016 — which increased the levels of cadmium permitted in freshwater streams before the waterway is no longer considered safe under the Clean Water Act — were nonbinding and didn’t require outside agency consultation. Cadmium is a highly toxic, cancer-causing metal found in mineral deposits and released into the environment through the burning of fossil fuels. “The Clean Water Act is not about compulsion; it’s about cooperative federalism, and Congress structured things this way so that EPA could provide guidance and a backstop, but that does not mean that EPA is compelling any state to adopt any particular water quality criteria,” Michelle Melton, Justice Department attorney, argued. … ” Read more from the Courthouse News Service.
EPA must use the best available science − by law − but what does that mean?
“Science is essential as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency carries out its mission to protect human health and the environment. In fact, laws passed by Congress require the EPA to use the “best available science” in many decisions about regulations, permits, cleaning up contaminated sites and responding to emergencies. For example, the Clean Air Act requires the EPA to rely on science for setting emission standards and health-based air quality standards. The Safe Drinking Water Act requires the EPA to consider the best available peer-reviewed science when setting health-based standards. The Clean Water Act requires the agency to develop surface water quality criteria that reflect the latest science. The Toxic Substances Control Act requires the EPA to use the best available science to assess risk of chemicals to human health and the environment. But what exactly does “best available science” mean? That’s an important question as the Trump administration launches an effort to roll back clean air and water regulations at the same time it is preparing to replace all the members of two crucial EPA science advisory boards and considering eliminating the Office of Research and Development – the scientific research arm of the EPA. … ” Read more from The Conversation.
Southern Ocean warming will mean a wetter West Coast
“As global temperatures warm, the Southern Ocean—between Antarctica and other continents—will eventually release heat absorbed from the atmosphere, leading to projected long-term increases in precipitation over East Asia and the Western U.S., regardless of climate mitigation efforts. These teleconnections between the tropical Pacific and far-flung areas are reported in a Cornell University-led computer-model study published in Nature Geoscience. While other computer models have projected similar precipitation increases generated by a warming Southern Ocean, major uncertainties and a wide range of predictions exist between models. The new study serves to reduce those uncertainties, which could improve predictions of global mean temperatures and regional precipitation. … ” Read more from PhysOrg.
NOAA abandons plan to defer upkeep of key weather satellites
“NOAA has backed off a plan that would have deferred the maintenance of satellites critical to weather forecasts and storm predictions. A March 28 memo obtained by POLITICO’s E&E News and highlighted in a previous story showed the agency was prepared to operate its Joint Polar Satellite System under a “minimum mission operations approach.” The directive would have meant the delay of maintenance work such as flight software updates — which former NOAA officials said could ultimately degrade the accuracy of weather forecasts. But NOAA said Monday it would continue to maintain the satellite network. At issue was whether the agency was going to renew a contract for its upkeep, which it says has been done. … ” Read more from E&E News.
