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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. DWR is providing brief recaps here. Click here for the meeting notice.
- PUBLIC MEETING: Proposed Identification of the East Orosi Community Services District (CSD) as a designated sewer system beginning at 6pm. The State Water Resources Control Board will hold a public meeting regarding (1) the proposed Identification of the East Orosi Community Services District as a designated sewer system and (2) identification of Tulare County Resource Management Agency (RMA) as a proposed sewer system administrator to the East Orosi CSD. Click here for the meeting notice.
In California water news today …
Trump officials say destroying endangered species’ habitats isn’t ‘harm’
“In what could be one of the most significant actions the Trump administration has taken on the environment, officials have proposed redefining what it means to “harm” a plant or animal under the Endangered Species Act, excluding habitat destruction from activities deemed a threat to protected species. Officials said the move would reduce an unnecessary regulatory burden. Conservationists warn it would open the door to more logging, mining, oil and gas drilling, home construction and other ecologically damaging ventures in places where endangered creatures live. In a proposed rule released Wednesday, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said that a narrower interpretation of harm — to mean intentionally killing or hurting a particular animal rather than degrading a habitat a species needs to find food, breed and thrive — reflects “the single, best meaning” of the Endangered Species Act and “makes sense in light of the well established, centuries-old understanding.” … ” Read more from the Washington Post (gift article).
Interior Department proposal could end habitat protections for endangered species
“The U.S. Department of the Interior on Wednesday proposed a rule that would redefine what it means to “harm” a threatened or endangered species and rescind nearly all their habitat protections across the country. The deregulatory proposal issued by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service seeks to eliminate a “legally incorrect” definition of the term “harm” to threatened and endangered wildlife under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) based on a belief that the definition is incompatible with the “best reading” of the 1973 law. Narrowing the regulatory definition of “harm” would strip habitat destruction from the ESA’s prohibited actions, prompting outcry from conservationists who fear it would open the door to industrial destruction of places where endangered species live. Habitat degradation and destruction is a major factor in driving species toward extinction. … ” Read more from the Courthouse News Service.
SEE ALSO:
- Trump administration seeks to narrow Endangered Species Act by redefining ‘harm,‘ from the LA Times
- Trump move to redefine “harm” in Endangered Species Act may pose ecological risks for Colorado, from the Colorado Sun
- Notice of Proposed Rulemaking: NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service propose rescission of ‘harm’ definition in Endangered Species Act regulations, from NOAA
STATE WATER BOARD: Update on basins subject to State Board intervention; New BMP and land subsidence regulation in the works
Groundwater plays a vital role in California’s water supply, accounting for a significant portion of the Central Valley’s annual water budget and even more so in dry years. However, prolonged drought conditions and persistent aquifer overdraft have led to steady declines in groundwater levels over the past two decades. The 2014 passage of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act marked a turning point, mandating sustainable groundwater management and allowing state intervention where necessary. Since then, six basins have come under state oversight, with one more added this year. At Tuesday’s meeting, the State Water Board provided an update on its intervention efforts and the current status of these basins. The update was given by Brianna St. Pierre, Assistant Director for the State Water Board’s Office of Sustainable Groundwater Management; Amanda Howrey, engineering geologist; and Eric Holmes, analyst. Deputy Director of DWR for Sustainable Groundwater Management, Paul Gosselin joined the panel to discuss the Department’s efforts to support SGMA implementation, periodic evaluations, and the development of a BMP and a regulation to address land subsidence. … ” Continue reading at Maven’s Notebook.
Scientists map fastest pathways for replenishing Central Valley groundwater
“Depleted groundwater threatens communities, agriculture, and ecosystems in California’s Central Valley, which produces much of the nation’s fruit, vegetables, and nuts. But the same acres where farmers have long cultivated thirsty crops might be critical for refilling aquifers, Stanford scientists have found. In a paper published April 17 in Earth and Space Science, the researchers used electromagnetic geophysical data to identify areas across the Central Valley where water released on the surface could rapidly flow into aquifers to “recharge” groundwater. “We were hoping to see a relatively big portion of agricultural land that’s suitable for recharge, and that’s what we’re seeing,” said lead study author Seogi Kang, who worked on the research as a postdoctoral scholar in geophysics in the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability and is now an assistant professor at the University of Manitoba. … ” Read more from Stanford News.
California takes action to halt golden mussel invasion
“In response to the recent detection of golden mussel (Limnoperna fortunei) in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, the state of California has developed a comprehensive Golden Mussel Response Framework to address this urgent invasive species threat. The discovery in October 2024 marked the first known occurrence of golden mussel in North America. To combat this threat, the framework provides coordinated strategies by multiple California departments to prevent further introduction and spread of golden mussels, as well as to contain and suppress infestations to minimize their impact on the environment, water conveyance, recreation and agriculture. In addition, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) is offering $1 million in grant funding to boating facility operators to enhance efforts against invasive mussels, particularly the threat of golden mussels. This funding supports projects that help prevent the introduction and spread of invasive mussels in lakes, reservoirs and waterways, ensuring the long-term health of state waters. The grant solicitation and application link can be found on CDFW’s website. … ” Read more from the Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Water hyacinths show promise for microplastics removal, despite being an invasive species
“In a recent study, scientists have found that the species Eichhornia crassipes, also known as the common water hyacinth, has strong potential as a remediator for microplastics in the environment. In the study, published in the journal Environmental Science and Ecotechnology, researchers collected water hyacinths from a river in Shanghai, China and relocated the plants for continued growth in a greenhouse with controlled nutrients, light and temperatures. Then, to test for the ability to take up microplastics, researchers placed plants of the same size and from the same mother plant, with two of these plants per one glass culture bottle. From there, particles of polystyrene (PS) were added to the nutrient solution in the bottles and observed for a 14-day period, with the liquid in the bottles switched out every 7 days. Based on the results, the water hyacinths’ growth was not impacted by the presence of microplastics, and microplastics only made it to the stem of the plants, not the leaves. The root system even adsorbed the microplastics over the course of the research. … ” Read more from EcoWatch.
Salmon and water groups respond to closure of California commercial salmon fishing for third year
“Yesterday the Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC) recommended a full shutdown of all commercial fishing in California and extremely limited recreational ocean salmon fishing opportunities through the end of 2025. Save California Salmon, the Golden State Salmon Association and the California Water Impact Network (C-WIN) all responded to news of the commercial fishing season closure and the very limited recreational ocean fishing season with outrage over the failure of the state and federal governments to take the long-needed actions to restore the once abundant salmon fishery in California. They also recommended concrete steps that the state and federal agencies must take to bring back the salmon. “This marks the third year in a row of no commercial fishing allocation in California and the state’s first recreational salmon season since 2022,” reported Save California Salmon in a press release. “Tribal subsistence fishing allocations will also be limited. This decision was made due to extremely low returns of fall, winter and spring run Chinook salmon in the Sacramento and Klamath Rivers for the third year in a row.” … ” Read more from the Daily Kos.
SEE ALSO:
- California to reopen recreational salmon fishing for first time since 2022, from KRON
- CalTrout Remains Committed to Salmon Recovery Efforts as Commercial Salmon Fishing Season Is Shut Down Again, from Cal Trout
- Will There Be a Salmon Season – Ever Again?, from the California Water Impact Network
- Save California Salmon Responds to the Third Consecutive Year of California’s Commercial Fishing Being Shut Down, from Save California Salmon
Scientists unveil 3D-printing breakthrough that could transform global water systems: ‘The potential applications are vast’
“3D printing has opened up new possibilities across multiple fields, from food production to housing. Now, its use in designing the next generation of sustainable technologies could be a game-changer. Microbial electrochemical systems have broad applications for green tech, including wastewater treatment, energy generation, and chemical synthesis, as a report by SciTechDaily explained. These devices leverage microorganisms to transfer electrons, and MES can both degrade pollutants and generate electricity, making them a future-forward tool for sustainable design. Among the advantages of using 3D printing for MES is the ability to rapidly prototype and customize reactor designs, as the report detailed. This gives researchers the flexibility to optimize fluid dynamics and mass transfer within the reactors, helping improve performance. … ” Read more from The Cool Down.
Trump’s ‘tiny’ fish, a ‘giant faucet’ and ‘beautiful water flow’
“This is the story of how, under Trump, a falsehood with a kernel of truth becomes ever grander — and eventually becomes ineffective policy. California water policy is notoriously complicated. At its core, it involves a constant battle between cities and farms, each side wanting more. A politically connected group of Central Valley farmers gave Trump their version of the truth during a meeting in 2016, and he has hung on to that tale ever since. There is a three-inch silvery fish — called a delta smelt — that needs fresh water to thrive. (It is considered functionally extinct, because no fish have been counted in seven years of surveys since 2018.) But the water flows ordered by California officials also benefited much bigger fish, such as salmon and other commercial fisheries. The smelt is considered a bioindicator, reflecting the health of the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, which is on the edge of California’s agriculturally rich Central Valley and which empties into the Pacific Ocean. … ” Read more from the Washington Post. | Read via MSN News.
California weather service office will no longer answer public phone calls amid staffing cuts
“The National Weather Service office in Sacramento, which serves as a hub in California and forecasts weather in areas including Redding, Modesto, Vallejo and the Sierra Nevada, has been forced to cut down its operations and services due to “critically reduced staffing,” triggered by Department of Government Efficiency layoffs. The weather service office sent an email to partners Wednesday afternoon detailing major changes. The shifts include public phone calls will no longer be answered; written forecasts, including fire weather forecasts, will only be published once per day, rather than twice per day; staffing levels will be routinely reduced during overnight shifts, from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m.; and social media channels will be monitored less frequently. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
Trump administration revives effort to weaken Weaken Migratory Bird Treaty Act
“Five years after a federal judge blocked Trump administration efforts during his first term to weaken the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MTBA), the president has reinstated the same provisions across most of the country. At issue is whether businesses can be liable for “incidental takes” of migratory birds, instances where birds are killed by industrial activities, such as the deaths of birds that land on an uncovered pond of hazardous wastes. Back in August 2020 the judge, Valerie Caproni of the Southern District of New York, ruled that the so-called Jorjani Opinion lacked needed substance — “the Opinion is riddled with ambiguities made only more apparent by the incoherent guidance FWS subsequently issued.” — and was counter to the Interior Department’s “prior longstanding position and enforcement practices” under the treaty. … ” Read more from the National Parks Traveler.
Trump says USA will ‘protect our farmers’
“Farmers are on the frontlines of a trade war with China, as they were in his first administration, President Trump said in a social media post. In the early morning post April 15, Trump called farmers “patriots” and recalled urging them to hang on as he negotiated a trade deal in 2020 with China. “Our farmers are GREAT, but because of their GREATNESS, they are always put on the front line with our adversaries, such as China, whenever there is a Trade negotiation, or, in this case, a Trade War,” Trump wrote. “The USA will PROTECT OUR FARMERS!!!” Trump’s post came a few hours after Bloomberg reported China had halted deliveries of Boeing jets. The president referred to the news in his post and also said China failed to live up to the 2020 trade deal. “China largely reneged on the deal (although they behaved during the Trump Administration), only buying a portion of what they agreed to buy,” Trump wrote. … ” Read more from the Capital Press.
In commentary today …
Edward Ring: Ways to rein in the California Coastal Commission
“There is a growing bipartisan consensus even here in California that environmentalist restrictions have gone too far. It would be a dishonest oversimplification to pretend environmentalists have outlived their usefulness, or that many of the accomplishments of environmentalists over the past 50 years weren’t magnificent and necessary. But when special interests define and exploit environmentalism in order to consolidate industries, destroy small competitors, raise the cost of living, create scarcity for profit, deny upward mobility, and lower the quality of life for everyone apart from themselves and their elite counterparts, a restructuring is in order. A prime candidate for restructuring is the California Coastal Commission, a state agency that wields an astonishing degree of control over how any homeowner or business operating within five miles of the Pacific Ocean can manage their property. For people who had not previously thought environmentalist regulations went too far, the fires that destroyed thousands of homes in Pacific Palisades and Malibu were a clarifying moment. But even if Newsom’s executive orders prevent the Coastal Commission from stopping rebuilding in this one case, a bright light now shines on the Coastal Commission’s entire long history of abusing its authority. … ” Continue reading from Edward Ring.
In regional water news and commentary today …
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
Doom on broom: SYRCL sweeps away Scotch broom
“On March 29, 2025, SYRCL assembled a crew in the dappled morning sunlight, breaching the canopy in the South Yuba Recreation area campsite. Shovels leaned against shoulders, gloved hands holding weed-pulling wrenches, and a hopeful determination in the air, 17 volunteers shared their excitement for beautiful weather and a chance to come together to cultivate healthy forests. Around them, oaks, madrones, and kit-kit-dizze (aka mountain misery, aka bear clover) speckled the sparse understory. Occasionally, this mosaic of native plants was interrupted by dense pockets of spindly, chaotic bushes that sometimes reached over their heads: Scotch broom (Cytisus scoparius). This plant was what brought everyone together. … ” Read more from the South Yuba River Citizens League.
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
‘Another nail in the coffin’: Salmon fishing restrictions, golden mussel closures hurting bait shop
“For the third year in a row, commercial salmon fishing will be closed in California. Officials said the season is staying closed because of drought, climate impacts, and poor ocean conditions. For the first time since 2022, recreational ocean salmon fishing will open up again, but in a limited capacity. “Usually, we have a lot larger selection of stuff, colors or styles, but if you’re not selling anything for 2 to 3 years, you don’t buy it to sell it, you know.” Dennis Pfanner, owner of Sacramento Pro Tackle, said. “The lack of salmon fishing… we’ve probably lost 18 to 20% of our business for no salmon fishing allowed in the last two years.” … ” Read more from KCRA.
Fairfield takes pre-emptive step for future water sale
“The City Council on Tuesday approved a pre-authorization for a potential water sale that could bring additional revenue to the Water Enterprise Fund. While no specific transaction is identified, the action would allow the city to receive a one-time transfer of up to 2,000 acre feet of State Water Project water through the Solano County Water Agency. “If the opportunity presents itself, pre-authorization of a (Letter of Understanding) would allow the city to participate in another transaction through SCWA,” the staff report to the council states. “SCWA will then be empowered to seek out potential buyers of excess water and when a buyer is confirmed, SCWA as the contract administrator will execute an agreement and seek approval from the Department of Water Resources. Upon approval by DWR, SCWA will conduct the water transfer to the buyer in accordance with their agreement. A minimum rate of $250 per (acre feet) would be used as the baseline for a potential one-time transfer.” … ” Read more from the Daily Republic.
BAY AREA
Marin Municipal Water District approves $9.7M to advance Sonoma-to-Marin water pipeline
“The Marin Municipal Water District took another step this week in pursuit of what the agency says is its largest supply and drought resiliency project in 40 years. The district board voted unanimously on Tuesday to authorize spending $9.7 million to design a pipeline that would tap into an existing aqueduct system to get Sonoma County water to Marin reservoirs. The pipeline project was selected in February as the district’s priority effort to boost supply. If completed, it would be the largest water supply project since Kent Lake was expanded in 1982, according to the district. “This is where the rubber hits the road; it’s actually a pretty exciting evening,” Matt Samson, board president, said ahead of the approval Tuesday. … ” Read more from the Marin Independent Journal.
Bay Area company using hydrogen to power its data center
“As California already struggles to meet its goal of electrification, technology experts said the future demands of artificial intelligence will require a doubling of the nation’s energy output. But one Silicon Valley entrepreneur has developed a data center that generates not only the power to run it but also the water to cool it. The biggest problem facing high tech these days is power. The huge data centers that contain the internet already take massive amounts of electricity, and experts said AI could increase that demand by a factor of 10. Where’s all that power going to come from? It may be in Mountain View. Yuval Bachar is the founder and CEO of a company called ECL. He left his engineering job at Microsoft because he had an idea: a new kind of data center. … ” Read more from CBS Bay Area.
CENTRAL COAST
Desal approval: Local water agencies file objections to judge’s ruling
“A Monterey County Superior Court judge has struck down a lawsuit filed by three water agencies and one city against the California Coastal Commission for conditionally approving a desalination plant in Marina. But it is an “intended ruling” and is subject to challenges prior to a final ruling. The 118-page decision by Superior Court Judge Thomas Wills was issued March 28. But attorneys for the Marina Coast Water District, the city of Marina, the Marina Coast Water District Groundwater Sustainability Agency and the Monterey Peninsula Water Management District on Friday filed a total of 47 objections to Wills’ intended ruling. The objections were filed by David Laredo with the Pacific Grove firm of De Lay and Laredo, who represents the Water Management District; Howard Wilkins with the Sacramento law firm of Remy Moose Manley, who is the lead attorney for Marina Coast Water District, the Peninsula Water Management District and the groundwater sustainability agency; and Paul Spalding III with the San Francisco law firm of Shartsis Friese which represents the city of Marina. … ” Read more from the Monterey Herald (gift article).
Cal Am’s desal project has bureaucratic momentum, even with open questions.
“Since 2010, California American Water, the investor-owned utility that provides water to the Monterey Peninsula, has pursued building a desalination project to bolster the local water supply and put an end to its illegal overpumping of the Carmel River. In that time, the volume of documents born out of that effort – including by those trying to kill the project – could fill a warehouse. Meanwhile, a cheaper project – Pure Water Monterey, which recycles wastewater – has outpaced Cal Am’s efforts, and has already added enough water to the local portfolio to allow Cal Am to stop its overpumping, although a cease-and-desist order from the state remains in effect. And with the Pure Water Monterey expansion coming online later this year, the Peninsula’s supply will exceed 12,000 acre-feet. In the last water year, meanwhile, the Peninsula’s demand dipped below 9,000 acre-feet. … ” Read more from Monterey Now.
Monterey County Water Resources Agency gets funding to study flood mitigation efforts along Carmel River.
“Those who live along tributaries are, for the most part, well aware that the beauty of living beside running water can come at a cost. It was a point underscored by those who attended a flood project meeting on March 27, many of whom are all too familiar with how quickly the Carmel River can transform. The challenge, they agreed, is how to mitigate the impacts of flooding in the most timely and effective way. Atmospheric rivers made 2023 a catastrophic year for Monterey County, most notably in Pajaro, where a levee breach destroyed homes and businesses. But the storms also pushed the Carmel River to historic levels. In January, just a few months before the Pajaro floods, the Carmel River reached 12.69 feet, one of the highest levels on record. … ” Read more from Monterey Now.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
L.A. County remains ‘critically short’ on rainfall despite recent storms
“It may feel like it rained a lot last year – and it did – but not enough to satisfy L.A. County’s critical shortage of rainfall, officials say. A news release issued Tuesday by Water for L.A. County indicates that the county captured nearly 12 billion gallons of stormwater over the past several months. Tuesday was the last official day of the storm season, which begins on Oct. 15 every year. But the 11.9 billion gallons of stormwater received are still not enough. “While the recent late-winter storms provided a much-needed boost, the region remains far below its typical annual rainfall totals,” Water for L.A. County said. “Recent storms [boosted] stormwater capture, but the region remains critically short on rainfall.” … ” Read more from KTLA.
Port of LA pollution lawsuit tentatively settled
“The Port of Los Angeles must significantly improve its management of stormwater and groundwater to ensure that toxic pollutants stay out of the harbor, according to Wednesday’s tentative settlement of a lawsuit against the city of Los Angeles for alleged violations of the federal Clean Water Act. The lawsuit brought by Los Angeles-based Environment California in July 2024 alleged that there have been more than 2,000 illegal discharges of pollution in the previous five years at the port. That pollution stems from bacteria-laden stormwater and contaminated groundwater that accumulates in a 53-acre area of the port and is discharged into the harbor, the suit alleges. … ” Read more from My News LA.
Federal grant supplies stronger water resources in fire-prone area
“Beaumont-Cherry Valley Water District (BCVWD) received $2.5 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to bolster water system reliability for thousands of residents and support firefighting and fire suppression efforts in a challenging fire-risk region. The grant, awarded through the County of Riverside, will provide for two new pipeline projects that, coupled with a new District-funded 2-million-gallon water tank, greatly increase water system capacity and storage. These much-needed upgrades come in the wake of the catastrophic Apple and El Dorado fires in 2020, which pushed BCVWD’s water system to the edge. Both fires impacted the District’s upper pressure zones, which included many aged pipelines. … ” Read more from ACWA’s Water News.
IMPERIAL/COACHELLA VALLEYS
SAN DIEGO
New sand and rocks approved to stabilize San Clemente rail corridor. Environmentalists object
“Orange County officials are moving forward with a series of projects to stabilize a stretch of coastal railway through San Clemente despite environmental critics saying the “haphazard” measures will only have short term benefits. The coastal rail is part of the Los Angeles-San Diego-San Luis Obispo, or LOSSAN, rail corridor. Train service has had multiple disruptions since 2021 because of erosion and landslides. The emergency measures approved by the Orange County Transportation Authority board include the addition of more than 500,000 cubic yards of sand, as well as the repairing and additions of rock along the coastal railway. The California Coastal Commission’s permit approvals also include installing a 1,400-foot catchment wall to hold debris from landslides and restoring a pedestrian trail at Mariposa Point. … ” Read more from the LAist.
Plagued with pollution for decades, Tijuana River is ranked nation’s second most endangered
“The Tijuana River has been plagued with raw sewage and industrial waste from Tijuana for decades, fouling beaches along the U.S.-Mexico border with polluted water and sending foul odors drifting through communities in San Diego County. On Wednesday, the environmental group American Rivers ranked the Tijuana River No. 2 on its annual list of the nation’s most endangered rivers, up from No. 9 on the list last year. The group said it elevated the river on the list, right behind the first-ranked Mississippi River, to bring greater attention to the waterway’s chronic pollution problems and the lack of action to clean it up. Activists with another group, Surfrider Foundation, are also circulating a petition calling for President Trump to declare a national emergency to expedite efforts to curb the flow of untreated sewage and clean up the river. “The Tijuana River has moved from just being a pollution problem to being a public health crisis. Elevating the Tijuana River on our most endangered rivers list reflects that urgency,” said Ann Willis, American Rivers’ California regional director. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
Area representatives ask for meeting with EPA head on Tijuana River sewage
“San Diego’s congressional delegation Wednesday requested a meeting with EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin on the Tijuana River Valley’s pollution crisis during his upcoming visit to San Diego. “We appreciate your attention to the cross-border sewage pollution in the Tijuana River Valley,” Reps. Juan Vargas, Scott Peters and Sara Jacobs, all D-San Diego, and Rep. Mike Levin, D-Dana Point, wrote in a joint statement. “This pollution has had a devastating impact on our public health, our local businesses, and our environment. Together, our congressional delegation has fought to raise awareness, secured over half a billion dollars to upgrade the South Bay treatment plant, and continued to work with Mexico to ensure they do their part.” … ” Read more from KPBS.
Commentary: Would we allow sewage in Lake Tahoe? No, so why in South Bay?
“I’d like you to picture Lake Tahoe. Take in the pristine beauty, breathe in the cool air, marvel at the vastness of its width and depth. Now, imagine all of Lake Tahoe filled not with pure mountain water, but with raw sewage. Would it be safe to go in? To breathe its air? Last year alone, more than the entire volume of Lake Tahoe in raw human sewage and industrial waste was dumped into San Diego’s South Bay, a place where families live and work, and where children play and go to school. UC San Diego and SDSU scientists have documented the colossal amounts of poisonous toxins that saturate the water, soil and air. Who would allow this to happen — to happen for decades? After all, we’ve long understood how dangerous a lack of proper sanitation is and we’ve known how to deal with sewage for over a century. Shouldn’t government agencies intervene and make it their highest priority to protect the health of our people and precious environment? The answer is no. … ” Read more from the San Diego Union-Tribune.
Along the Colorado River …
What could future Colorado River water cuts look like? States look to this year’s weak snowpack to find out.
“If any of the Colorado River management options were used to manage this year’s sub-par snowpack, Arizona, California and Nevada would be forced to slash 17% to 43% of their legal share. Coloradans would be focused on voluntary conservation. Colorado River officials are debating six options for how to manage the overstressed river after 2026 with the goal of reaching a seven-state agreement by May. Under this year’s water conditions, all of the proposed plans would call for mandatory cuts in the three Lower Basin states with reductions ranging from 1.3 million to 3.2 million acre-feet. The basin’s legal share of the river is 7.5 million acre-feet, although estimates say its actual use is higher. Under most of the different management options, Colorado and its sister states in the Upper Basin would be asked to voluntarily conserve up to 500,000 acre-feet of water. One acre-foot roughly equals the annual water use of two to three households. … ” Read more from the Colorado Sun.
Major dust-up for water in the Colorado River
“The Colorado River system is the lifeblood of the southwest, delivering water to 40 million people across the United States and Mexico. Drought and overuse have left the river in crisis—the need for water far exceeds what’s available. Nearly all water in the 1,450-mile-long river originates from snowmelt in the Upper Colorado River Basin, a region adjacent to arid landscapes that regularly blow dust onto mountain snowpacks. The darker snow absorbs more sunlight, speeds up melting and depletes snowpacks earlier, leaving downstream communities at risk of running dry. Currently no snowmelt models account for dust—that’s a big problem for water managers who rely on accurate estimates to responsibly allocate water flowing through their districts. A University of Utah-led study debuts a powerful remote-sensing dataset that informs the timing and magnitude of snow darkening and the impacts on melt rates across the Colorado Basin, in real time. The research is the first to capture how dust effects the broad expanse of headwaters feeding the Colorado River system. … ” Read more from the University of Utah.
Trump directive creates chaos on the Colorado River
“In March, Gila River took out 10,000 acre-feet of their allotted water from Lake Mead after the Trump administration’s Unleashing American Energy executive order froze money for any program related to the Inflation Reduction Act. The act, which Congress passed during the Biden Administration in 2022, allocated money for tribes and states in exchange for giving up some of their shares of Colorado River water. The Trump administration later unfroze the Inflation Reduction Act funds that would be used for water conservation projects and to build canals. The act allocated around $4 billion to compensate tribes, states and other organizations to not take water out of the Colorado River to use to generate revenue like crops. Gila River Governor Stephen Roe Lewis wrote a letter to the Interior Secretary Doug Burgum on Feb. 11 before removing Colorado River water from Lake Mead. “We have given the department every opportunity to avoid what could be a calamitous break in our longstanding partnership, with terrible consequences for the entire basin,” he said. … ” Continue reading at ICT.
Leave it to ReBeaver: A new future for river restoration in the West
“Throughout the Rockies, TU employs hundreds of project managers, contractors, staff, and other essential individuals who all contribute to rural restoration and prosperity. Earlier this year, this work and investment took another leap forward through a new partnership with BlueCommons through their ReBeaver Restoration Fund, which supports communities seeking to implement watershed-scale riverscape restoration projects employing process-based principles. “For nearly two centuries, the forests and streams of the Colorado River Basin have been waiting for a chance to thrive again,” said Elizabeth Gonzalez, Operations Manager at BlueCommons. “The headwaters of nearly every watershed in the Basin hold immense potential for renewed water quantity and quality to support healthy watersheds. BlueCommons, through its ReBeaver Fund, is seizing this opportunity to empower local partners with innovative financing options – including an up-front cash match and low to no-interest loans – to unlock the ability for partners to tap into federal, state, and other public funding sources.” … ” Read more from Trout Unlimited.
Nevada: Earthquakes can’t stifle progress of tiny Devils Hole pupfish, feds say
“The seemingly sequestered, deep-blue swimming hole that the world’s rarest fish calls home isn’t immune to shifts in the tectonic plates. Luckily, scientists have been planning for years. Earthquakes — one in December and another in February — are part of the reason that National Park Service scientists recorded only 38 fish in their semiannual survey of Devils Hole pupfish, the agency said in a news release on Tuesday. Last spring, that number was much higher, at 191 fish. “The present size at near-record lows deserves our serious attention,” Michael Schwemm, a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service fish biologist, said in a statement. For the first time, scientists have successfully introduced into the wild 19 fish raised in captivity at the nearby Ash Meadows Fish Conservation Facility. … ” Read more from the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
SEE ALSO: ‘Extremely concerned’: Only 38 of this critically endangered species remain, from SF Gate
Arizona: Hobbs vetoes swath of Arizona water bills she calls ‘political cover’ for legislative inaction
“Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs vetoed a swath of bills on water issues this week, calling them “political cover” for what she says is the Arizona Legislature’s inaction on water security. Hobbs vetoed seven bills in total, all sponsored by Rep. Gail Griffin (R-Hereford), who has a history of blocking Hobbs’ and Democrats’ policy proposals. The bills would have made multiple policy changes, like modifying definitions of terms and giving voters an option for removing groundwater protections in parts of the state under Active Management Areas. Hobbs wrote in a veto letter that all the bills Griffin sent her either weaken water protections or make “pointless trivial statutory changes” that Hobbs argued demean Arizonans who want real groundwater management. … ” Read more from KJZZ.
Arizona: Alfalfa farm pumping groundwater in La Paz County wants to continue doing so
“Attorneys for a Saudi-owned alfalfa farm wants a judge to toss a bid by Attorney General Kris Mayes to halt its pumping of groundwater, saying what she is doing is illegal. In new filings in Maricopa County Superior Court, the lawyers for Fondomonte Arizona point out that the state is alleging that the company has created a “nuisance” with the amount it is pumping. Mayes’ claim is based on the legal theory that the amount being withdrawn fits that definition by draining the water that others who live in the area need.
But the lawyers are telling Judge Scott Minter that ignores a state law which says that agricultural operations conducted with good practices “are presumed to be reasonable and do not constitute a nuisance unless the agricultural operation has a substantial adverse effect on the public health and safety.” … ” Read more from KAWC.
Arizona: The Valley is a popular spot for data centers. Is there enough water to sustain them?
“Data centers have become more common in Arizona; the Valley is one of the biggest markets for them in the country. But data centers often need water, which in some cases, is in shorter supply here. So, how does that impact this industry in Maricopa County? Brett Walton, a reporter for Circle of Blue, a nonprofit news agency reporting on water issues, has written about this and joined The Show to discuss why it is that data centers require water.” Read transcript or listen to radio show from KJZZ.
Mexico: Drought paralyzes northern states’ water deliveries to US: ‘No one is obligated to do the impossible’
“Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum on Tuesday denied reports that Mexico had capitulated to U.S. demands for immediate water deliveries required by a 1944 treaty that allocates surface water along their shared border. One of the reports, published by the Mexican newspaper Reforma, stated that the Coahuila dam “La Amistad” had increased its extractions by 600%. Calling the published reports “false,” Sheinbaum said her administration is negotiating with northern states to send more water to the U.S. while recognizing that pervasive drought conditions have made it impossible to keep up with deliveries. “Talks are underway with the governors of Tamaulipas, Coahuila and Chihuahua to reach a joint agreement to determine how much water can be delivered … without affecting Mexican producers, while also complying with the 1944 treaty,” Sheinbaum said at her daily press conference. … ” Read more from Mexico Daily News.
In national water news today …
Worrisome lead levels in drinking water systems serving more than 250 million people
“New data released by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) show hundreds of millions of people are drinking water from water systems reporting problematic lead levels. NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council) has released a map showing the populations of people who get their tap water from systems that reported that they had detected widely varying levels of lead in the period of 2021-2024. The map shows the congressional districts most heavily affected, highlighting districts with members of both political parties, including from California, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, and Tennessee. There is no safe level of lead exposure. … ” Read more from the NRDC.
Trump receives thumbs down from water industry
“Water industry professionals skewed toward disapproval of President Donald Trump’s performance in office thus far. In a poll conducted by Waterworld following President Trump’s first few months in office, roughly 58% of responses were “very negative” or “somewhat negative.” 37% of responses were “very positive” or “somewhat positive,” while 6% of responses had “neutral” feelings about the administration’s performance so far. Overall, responses regarding the administration’s performance were fairly split and highlighted topics including government funding, the environment, regulations and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). … ” Continue reading at Water World.
The ‘king of poisons’ is building up in rice
“Throughout the Yangtze River Delta, a region in southern China famed for its widespread rice production, farmers grow belts of slender green stalks. Before they reach several feet tall and turn golden brown, the grassy plants soak in muddy, waterlogged fields for months. Along the rows of submerged plants, levees store and distribute a steady supply of water that farmers source from nearby canals. This traditional practice of flooding paddies to raise the notoriously thirsty crop is almost as old as the ancient grain’s domestication. Thousands of years later, the agricultural method continues to predominate in rice cultivation practices from the low-lying fields of Arkansas to the sprawling terraces of Vietnam. As the planet heats up, this popular process of growing rice is becoming increasingly more dangerous for the millions of people worldwide that eat the grain regularly, according to research published Wednesday in the journal Lancet Planetary Health. After drinking water, the researchers say, rice is the world’s second largest dietary source of inorganic arsenic, and climate change appears to be increasing the amount of the highly toxic chemical that is in it. … ” Read more from Grist.
