A wrap-up of posts published on Maven’s Notebook this week …
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In California water news this week …
Making recharge a “win-win” for landowners and groundwater agencies
“The tenth anniversary of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) last year put a spotlight on the challenges of implementing this landmark legislation. Agencies in both the San Joaquin and Sacramento Valleys have scaled up efforts to replenish aquifers in recent years, but they still need ways to better harness the water received in wet years. Spreading water on privately owned land so it can penetrate the soil and refill below-ground aquifers—a process known as groundwater recharge—is one way to make the most of surplus water when it’s available. This can include methods such as spreading water on farmland or on land that’s set aside solely for recharge. Landowners may recharge using their own water and land, an irrigation district’s water on their private land, or their own water on an irrigation district’s land. In a previous blog post, we explained how establishing groundwater accounting is a necessary first step for creating recharge incentives, and we explored several local agencies’ accounting methods. In this post, we outline how these agencies incentivize landowners to conduct recharge. … ” Read more from the PPIC.
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.
Advancing aquifer recharge potential in California
“Woodard & Curran has a longstanding relationship with the California Department of Water Resources (DWR), both as an advocate for our clients and as a partner in developing programs aimed at sustainable water resources management. Under the DWR’s Basin Characterization Program, which provides the latest data and information to the state’s water agencies as a means of better understanding aquifer systems and groundwater management, our groundwater experts supported the development of the Aquifer Recharge Potential (ARP) Process Document. Published in March 2025, this document describes the datasets and analyses used to create ARP Maps, which identify locations with relatively higher potential for managed aquifer recharge (MAR). The resulting maps are designed to support various MAR methods, including agricultural, on-field recharge, or recharge basins, and are tailored to achieve different recharge goals, including shallow well water supply, habitat rehabilitation, flood mitigation, and deeper aquifer recharge for subsidence mitigation. … ” Read more from Woodard Curran.
State Water Contractors denounce court decision to prohibit further Delta Conveyance Project geotechnical activities
“Last week, the Sacramento County Superior Court ruled that geotechnical investigations for the Delta Conveyance Project will not be allowed to continue, hindering the progress toward California’s most important climate mitigation project. Despite the Delta Stewardship Council’s recent decision that the Delta Reform Act does not regulate geotechnical work associated with the Project, the court affirmed its previous injunction on this important work. Geotechnical work — collecting soil samples — is needed to inform engineering, design and cost estimates before finalizing design and initiating construction. “Once again, common sense has been defeated in California, continuing to drive the cost of living up and putting water supplies at risk,” said Jennifer Pierre, General Manager of the State Water Contractors. “The court has ruled that collecting soil samples to further refine engineering and design is the same as the implementation of the Delta Conveyance Project. … ” Continue reading this statement from the State Water Contractors.
Commercial salmon season is shut down — again. Will California’s iconic fish ever recover?
“Facing the continued collapse of Chinook salmon, officials today shut down California’s commercial salmon fishing season for an unprecedented third year in a row. Under the decision by an interstate fisheries agency, recreational salmon fishing will be allowed in California for only brief windows of time this spring. This will be the first year that any sportfishing of Chinook has been allowed since 2022. Today’s decision by the Pacific Fishery Management Council means that no salmon caught off California can be sold to retail consumers and restaurants for at least another year. In Oregon and Washington, commercial salmon fishing will remain open, although limited. “From a salmon standpoint, it’s an environmental disaster. For the fishing industry, it’s a human tragedy, and it’s also an economic disaster,” said Scott Artis, executive director of the Golden State Salmon Association, an industry organization that has lobbied for river restoration and improved hatchery programs. … ” Read more from Cal Matters.
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.
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.
Looking to the Pacific, scientists improve forecasts of atmospheric rivers
“As atmospheric rivers pounded the U.S. West Coast last winter, scientists deployed increasingly advanced observing tools over the Pacific Ocean to improve forecasts of the powerful storms. Using airborne observations and ocean buoys, scientists targeted remote regions in the Eastern Pacific that most influence the development and path of atmospheric rivers. Those observations were fed into leading forecast models, enhancing 1- to 5-day predictions in ways that helped safeguard not only vulnerable West Coast communities but the entire nation. “These targeted observations provide a huge payoff,” said U.S. National Science Foundation National Center for Atmospheric Research (NSF NCAR) scientist Christopher Davis. “By taking these observations, we improve forecasts of atmospheric rivers for the West Coast and, because the storms keep moving east, we also improve winter forecasts for the entire continental United States.” Davis is one of the mission directors of Atmospheric Rivers Reconnaissance (AR Recon), a major effort involving multiple federal agencies, universities, and other partners. It’s led by the Center for Western Weather and Water Extremes, which is based at the University of California San Diego’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography. … ” Read more from UCAR.
Facing an environmental challenge? Nature-based solutions may be an option
“Humans want to live peacefully in desirable locations, many of which are popular for their beautiful landscapes and other environmental features. But nature has a mind of its own. Heavily technical construction projects require complex analysis and intensive planning before they begin. Despite major advancements in technology and civil engineering practices, “nature has a way of getting around it,” said Lily Baldwin, P.E., M.ASCE, president-elect of ASCE’s Environmental and Water Resources Institute. That’s where nature-based solutions come in. The term refers to civil engineering strategies that use natural elements to protect communities and their infrastructure from environmental risks. “Nature has a way of doing what it does, so rather than trying to work against it, why don’t we consider how nature works when we’re coming up with a solution?” said Baldwin. … ” Read more from The Source.
REPORT SUMMARY: Exploring the Water Footprint of “Green” Hydrogen for Power Generation in California
Hydrogen, as an emerging alternative fuel source, holds the potential to significantly contribute to California’s climate goals. Its carbon-free production using renewable electricity to split water into hydrogen and oxygen, known as ‘green’ hydrogen, offers a promising path towards reducing greenhouse gases. However, hydrogen has never been implemented as a large-scale energy resource, and there is substantial uncertainty about the implications of expanding its role in the energy system. The lack of clarity on how much water will be required to meet hydrogen-driven demand is especially concerning to some, given the state’s dry, drought-prone climate and the need for water conservation and equitable drinking water access across the state. A new report by the UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation, Exploring the Water Footprint of “Green” Hydrogen for Power Generation in California, examined the water footprint of green hydrogen production for power generation in California. … ” Continue reading this report summary.
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In commentary this week …
Salmon fishing shutdown marks a grim milestone. Why California shouldn’t give up hope
Chuck Bonham, director of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, writes, “This week, a public federal process determined there will be no commercial salmon fishing off California’s coast for the third year in a row. It’s a grim milestone for our state. While we will see some recreational ocean fishing, we’re at the low-water mark. With so few fish available, we know this won’t be enough to meet the demand of our state. That’s hard news in hard times. Thirty years ago, the idea we would be implementing — yet alone discussing — these restrictions would have been unthinkable. Back then, millions of salmon swam through the rivers of California every year. It was a bountiful, thriving species. But last year, the number of adult salmon in the Sacramento Index, a critical measure of the Sacramento River salmon population and an indicator of the overall health of California’s salmon, shrunk to roughly 100,000 fish. It’s a tiny fraction of salmon’s former might. … ” Read more from Cal Matters.
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.
‘Abundance’ is the best way to Trump-proof California
“Up until the 1970s, California was a state known for its commitment to boundless opportunities, with the Edmund G. “Pat” Brown governorship reflective of the can-do spirit that drew people here from across the world. Given the degree to which modern California is noted for its ineffectiveness, wastefulness and regulatory sclerosis, it’s difficult to imagine a California that took its Golden State moniker seriously. Brown “envisioned a future in which economic growth would be driven by a network of state-of-the-art freeways to move people, reservoirs, and canals to capture and transport water and intellectual capital from low-cost institutions of higher education. He sold that vision to the public and, in doing so, as the late historian Kevin Starr wrote, putting California on ‘the cutting edge of the American experiment,’” per a Hoover Institution retrospective. The state grew dramatically as a result. … ” Read more from the San Diego Union-Tribune.
California’s water infrastructure needs a boost: Time to build new hydroelectric sites
“California has not invested in water infrastructure for more than 50 years. Wouldn’t it be great if we could develop more water storage sites and generate clean affordable power? There are several areas in eastern Fresno County that are suitable for new dams identified over 100 years ago. In the early 1900s visionaries recognized an opportunity to create a series of dams and hydroelectric facilities to provide power to Southern California. The Big Creek project completed in 1929 involved six dams, eight tunnels (one over 10 miles long), three major artificial lakes and five powerhouses. This network of systems was created to provide power to a growing Los Angeles and its Southland suburbs. There were plans to build more dams and powerhouses, but the state has lost interest in developing new large scale hydroelectric facilities coupled with new dams. … ” Read more from the Fresno Bee.
In regional water news this week …
Northern California farmers urge Trump to prevent PG&E’s dam removal
“Four Northern California farm bureaus are making a plea to the Donald Trump administration, urging it to halt PG&E’s plan to dismantle a key piece of water infrastructure. The counties say they need time to craft a strategy to protect public health, the local economy and their communities. In a joint letter dated April 4, the presidents of the Lake, Mendocino, Sonoma and Marin county farm bureaus urged Trump and relevant members of his Cabinet to intervene in PG&E’s plans to remove Scott Dam. As nonprofit, nongovernmental advocacy groups representing local agriculture, they argue the removal “threatens the region’s water accessibility, economic stability, and disaster preparedness.” … ” Read more from SF Gate.
A new chapter for Lake Mendocino: Dam-raising study officially underway
“With golden eagles soaring above the glassy surface of a full Lake Mendocino, local leaders and federal officials gathered at the edge of Coyote Dam on April 11 for a momentous signing ceremony that could reshape the region’s water future. Against a backdrop of tribal songs and tight security, Congressman Jared Huffman and a coalition of partners formally launched a long-awaited feasibility study to raise and modernize the dam—an ambitious step toward water security, drought resilience, and tribal inclusion in water management for generations to come. The ceremony opened with a prayer sung by Sonny Elliott, Chair of the Hopland Band of Pomo Indians, as golden eagles soared overhead. A small, invitation-only crowd gathered at the foot of Coyote Dam, with CHP officers and Lake Mendocino rangers posted nearby. … ” Read more from Mendo Fever.
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.
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.
One year later, state groundwater sanctions paused but Kings County farmers, water managers moving forward
“Wednesday marks one full year since the state brought the “hammer” down on Kings County farmers for pumping so much groundwater it sank a vast area that could be seen from space, nicknamed “the Corcoran bowl.” In the year since the Water Resources Control Board put the Tulare Lake subbasin on probation for lacking a plan that would, among other things, stop excessive pumping that is causing land to collapse taking an entire town with it, state actions were halted by a lawsuit, injunction and appeal. Probation is the first enforcement step allowed under the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA), which aims to bring overpumped aquifers into balance by 2040. The legal actions have put a wall between Water Board staff and Kings County water managers but that doesn’t mean nothing’s been happening. … ” Read more from SJV Water.
The LA fires left behind millions of tons of debris, some of it toxic. Where does it all go?
“For more than two months, the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers has been leading efforts to clear properties damaged in the Eaton and Palisades fires to prepare them for rebuilding. The operation includes scraping the top six inches of soil and ash, cutting down damaged trees, removing concrete walls and foundations compromised by heat and pulling gnarled melted metal for recycling. The Army Corps estimates that across nearly 14,000 parcels, as much as 4.5 million tons of material will be removed by the time operations wrap up (hopefully) in the fall. This is the largest municipal wildfire cleanup operation in recent history. For comparison, the deadly 2023 fires in Hawaii generated roughly 400,000 tons of debris. … ” Read more from the LAist.
L.A. will set aside $3 million to help owners of fire-damaged homes test their soil for lead
“The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors will allocate $3 million to help homeowners near the Eaton burn area test for lead contamination, after preliminary tests found elevated levels of the heavy metal on homes standing after the fire. Supervisors Kathryn Barger and Lindsey Horvath proposed the motion after preliminary test results released last week by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health showed lead levels above state health standards in as many as 80% of soil samples collected downwind of the Eaton burn scar. On Tuesday, the board voted 4-0 to direct $3 million from the county’s 2018 $134-million settlement with lead-paint manufacturers to test residential properties that are both downwind and within one mile of the Eaton burn scar boundary. Lead is a heavy metal linked to serious health problems including damage to the brain and nervous system, as well as digestive, reproductive and cardiovascular issues, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
A ‘calamity waiting to unfold’: Altadena residents with standing homes fear long-term health effects
“On Jan. 7, two residents on opposite sides of Altadena — Francois Tissot, a Caltech professor who studies the geology of ancient Earth and our solar system, living in the east side of town; and Jane Potelle, an environmental advocate living in the west side — fled the intensifying red glow of the devastating Eaton fire. The inferno devoured home after home, unleashing what experts estimate to be tons of dangerous metals and compounds, from lead to asbestos to the carcinogen benzene. Carried through the vicious winds, the toxins embedded deep into the soil, seeped into the blood of first responders, and leaked into structures in the area that hadn’t burned down. Within weeks, Altadena residents whose homes had withstood the fire began to return — yet few were testing for contaminants both Tissot and Potelle knew were almost certainly sitting in their still-standing houses. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
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.
Announcements, notices, and funding opportunities …
AVAILABLE FOR COMMENT: Public Draft Yolo Bypass Cache Slough Master Plan
