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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.
- MEETING: Delta Stewardship Council (Clarksburg) beginning at 9:30am. Agenda items include a presentation on the Tribal and Environmental Justice Issue Paper, DWR report to the Council on Delta levees; and a Delta Conveyance Project update. Click here for the agenda and remote access instructions.
In California water news today …
The new math for reservoir management amid climate change
Sara Nevis / DWR
“The summer of 2022 brought worrying news for California’s water supply. Shasta Lake, the state’s largest reservoir and a critical source of water for millions, saw its levels drop to 38% of capacity in July — a historic low for that time of year. That drought laid bare a growing challenge: how to balance immediate water demand with long-term supply in an era of increasing climate uncertainty. In a working paper, UCLA Anderson’s Felipe Caro, University of Mannheim’s Martin Glanzer and UCLA Anderson’s Kumar Rajaram develop a model for the management of reservoir systems over the long term. It’s designed to minimize societal costs of a water shortage. In a case study of California’s Sacramento River Basin, the authors’ management policy reduced average shortage costs — the cost of getting water from other, last-resort, sources — by 40% compared with the current policy, potentially remarkable savings. … ” Read more from the UCLA Anderson Review.
In search of clean water, scientists are improving desalination technology
“Drought and climate change are impacting water supplies around the world. But desalination — pulling fresh, drinkable water from saltwater— can offer some relief. Desalination technology has existed for a while; dry countries like Israel, Saudi Arabia and Spain have used it for years. Most desalination technology uses a lot of energy, and leaves behind a toxic byproduct: all the salt extracted from the water. Scientists and entrepreneurs are working to improve its capabilities, from moving the process offshore to running mobile desalination hubs on solar power. One of those entrepreneurs is Robert Bergstrom, CEO of OceanWell, based in California. The company is testing desalination pods at a reservoir near Los Angeles. Eventually, the pods will go into the ocean to create fresh water. “We’re a small startup team that is set out to develop an extremely eco-friendly desalination system of a new type,” Bergstrom said. “We call it submerged RO, for reverse osmosis.” … ” Read more from WLIW.
Federal officials reviewing the Potter Valley Project, letter states
“In response to a letter urging federal officials to prevent the decommissioning of the Potter Valley Project, the acting commissioner of the federal Bureau of Reclamation advised that the matter is under review. “Thank you for your letter … to President Trump regarding funding to the Potter Valley Project,” a letter dated April 14, 2025, and signed by Acting Commissioner David Palumbo, states. “Your February letter is consistent with other perspectives we have heard in recent weeks from the Lake County area, and will be taken into account as the funding to this project is reviewed by agency leadership. The Bureau of Reclamation is committed to our mission of supplying water and power to the West and will continue to develop strategies to help ensure water supplies for current and future generations.” … ” Read more from the Ukiah Daily Journal.
Late-season California storm to bring rain, thunderstorms. Here’s what to expect
“A cutoff low spinning just off the California coast is set to bring scattered rain, isolated thunderstorms and a shot of late-season mountain snow to much of the state Friday into Saturday. But with the storm expected to track farther south, the most active weather is now expected to center on the Central Coast and Southern California. At the heart of this system is an unusually cold pocket of air aloft, colder than we would typically see in late April. That cold air will help to destabilize the atmosphere, making it easier for rain showers to form along the coast and thunderstorms to develop across the Central Valley late Friday and into Saturday. With the storm system cut off from the main jet stream flow, its movement will be slow and somewhat unpredictable. And while the system won’t be packing a major amount of moisture, the combination of cold air and lift will be enough to generate weather impacts on Friday and Saturday. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
Mapped: What a barrage of 56 West Coast atmospheric river events looks like
“The previous six months have proven to be a tale of the haves and have-nots when it comes to atmospheric river events impacting the West Coast. According to data from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, 56 atmospheric rivers impacted the western U.S. during late 2024 and early 2025, with the majority affecting Oregon and Northern California. Atmospheric rivers are long, narrow corridors of concentrated moisture that transport air from tropical regions and release precipitation over generally cooler areas. According to NOAA, these features typically range from 250 to 400 miles wide and can stretch over 1,000 miles in length. … ” Read more from Fox Weather.
Pacific clues improve atmospheric river forecasts
“Researchers have been actively trying to enhance atmospheric river forecasts by collecting targeted observations over the Pacific Ocean. Through the Atmospheric Rivers Reconnaissance (AR Recon) project, aircraft, buoys, and radiosondes gather real-time data on important atmospheric variables, which are then integrated into high-resolution weather models. This approach leads to measurable gains in forecast accuracy, improving readiness along the West Coast and supporting hydrologic planning across the country. For things to add up, we need to understand what atmospheric rivers really are. … ” Read more from The Watchers.
Federal proposal to rescind ESA’s ‘harm’ definition raises the stakes for California’s AB 1319
“The United States Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service (collectively, Services) proposed last week to rescind the regulatory definition of “harm” under the federal Endangered Species Act (ESA), sparking intense criticism from environmental advocacy groups. If finalized, the rescission would remove a longstanding protection for the habitat of wildlife species listed as threatened or endangered under the ESA, making regulatory compliance easier for many types of projects across the country. But it would also set up a potential collision between the current president’s deregulation efforts and one of several bills that California’s Legislature is considering as a way to compensate for potential “backsliding” of federal environmental protections, with the regulated community in California likely to be among the losers. … ” Read more from the National Law Review.
One water, many solutions
“To ensure the availability and sustainability of water resources and sanitation for all (United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 6), water managers and the communities they serve are investing in approaches that are both broad and deep.The delegations that help drive the One Water approach to water management are wide-ranging and often serendipitous, as Grace van Deelen explains in “Delegations Drive One Water Dialogues.” “One Water,” van Deelen writes, “treats drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater as a single, interconnected entity…bringing together water utilities, community members, business and industry leaders, researchers, politicians, engineers, and advocacy groups. A comprehensive framework like One Water may also help address a long-standing injustice: why communities of color are more likely to have higher levels of contaminants in their drinking water. … ” Read more from EOS.
Trump officials consider shrinking 6 national monuments in the West
“Trump officials are analyzing whether to remove federal protections for national monuments spanning millions of acres in the West, according to two people familiar with the matter and an internal Interior Department document, in order to spur energy development on public lands. Interior Department aides are looking at whether to scale back at least six national monuments, said these individuals, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because no final decisions had been made. The list, they added, includes Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni-Ancestral Footprints of the Grand Canyon, Ironwood Forest, Chuckwalla, Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks, Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante — national monuments spread across Arizona, California, New Mexico and Utah. Interior Department officials are poring over geological maps to analyze the monuments’ potential for mining and oil production and assess whether to revise their boundaries, one individual said. … ” Read more from the Washington Post.
In commentary today …
Why California should support Delta tunnel proposal
Mike Mielke, the Silicon Valley Leadership Group’s senior vice president for environment and energy, writes, “If our state wants to remain economically competitive, it must re-engineer the troubled estuary that serves as the hub of California’s elaborate water-delivery system — the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta. The best and most viable way to do this is via the single Delta tunnel project proposed by Gov. Gavin Newsom, which the Silicon Valley Leadership Group and our 350 members support. The water that flows through the Delta serves nearly 27 million people in our state and ensures 3 million acres of farmland stays productive. Yet, the current Delta water delivery system – comprised often of simple earthen levees – is fragile and extremely vulnerable to catastrophic disruption from earthquakes, floods, and rising seas. If this outdated system were to fail, salt water from the nearby San Francisco Bay would knock out the freshwater supply for most of the state, causing untold economic and environmental damage. This cannot be allowed to happen. … ” Read more from the East Bay Times.
California lawmaker wants to clean nitrates, arsenic out of rural towns’ water
The Fresno Bee editorial board writes, “Outside of major cities like Fresno and Clovis, drinking-water quality for San Joaquin Valley residents can be dicey. The Valley is full of examples of rural water systems failing to either produce enough supply or deliver fresh water that is not tainted by contaminants, be they manufactured, like farming chemicals, or naturally occurring elements in local soils like arsenic. The Bee has reported on such water problems for years, at places like Lanare and East Orosi. Now, Rep. David Valadao, a Republican from Hanford, is teaming up with Rep. Norma Torres, a Democratic legislator from Southern California, on a new bill that would amend the federal Safe Drinking Water Act by adding a special focus on nitrate and arsenic pollution in groundwater. The amendment would authorize the federal government to allocate $15 million a year in grants to clean up failing water systems in rural communities. … ” Read more from the Fresno Bee.
Is there common ground for Gavin Newsom, Donald Trump on forestry? Timber!
Opinion writer Tom Philp writes, “In California, Gov. Gavin Newsom wants to cut down lots of little trees for fire protection. President Donald Trump wants loggers to cut down bigger California trees for lumber. Between these two oft-warring leaders, is there a policy marriage of sorts in the woods? At first blush, the answer appears to be yes. The governor wants to reduce the fire dangers on a million California acres a year. The president wants to increase timber harvests by 25% on the state’s national forests. On paper, these two agendas are entirely compatible. But it’s one thing to order more trees to fall in a national forest. It’s another to plan for large-scale forestry operations, which takes staff and time. Trump’s team so far has shown more interest in cutting forestry staffing in California than cutting down trees. And that may stall any real changes on the ground, despite an executive order signed by the president demanding action. … ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee.
How the world is catching up to and surpassing California’s clean tech sector
Andrew Chang, the chief growth officer of New Energy Nexus, writes, “As someone born and raised in Oakland, I’m proud of the Bay Area’s reputation as a hub for innovation. From the solar rooftops of Berkeley to the battery breakthroughs of Silicon Valley, this region has shaped the global clean energy conversation. But as I prepare to attend San Francisco Climate Week, I’m struck by how narrow that conversation still feels. We’re at risk of being trapped in a bubble. Recent federal rollbacks on climate and clean energy policy have made looking abroad for signs of progress even more urgent. Because here’s the truth: Some of the most exciting and impactful climate tech revolutions today are happening beyond the U.S. — they’re unfolding in China and emerging markets like Vietnam and Pakistan. These countries aren’t just catching up. In some ways, they’re pulling ahead. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
Klamath Basin rising out of drought after 8 years
“Water users in the Klamath Basin are likely to have their needs met for this upcoming water year, though reactions to the news are mixed. The Bureau of Reclamation’s annual Operations Plan, released this week, indicates a pivot away from the last eight years of drought. The Klamath Water Users Association, which represents the interests of Klamath Project farmers and ranchers, says the news isn’t surprising given the wet winter we just had, but they say the Reclamation’s new rules for disturbing water are completely unrealistic and could be devastating to small farms and lesser water years. … ” Read more from KOBI.
SEE ALSO: Reclamation confirms adequate water for Klamath Basin, from the Capital Press
Changing planet: River Restoration
“In CHANGING PLANET” River Restoration,” Dr. M. Sanjayan returns to Northern California, where the largest dam removal project in U.S. history aims to resuscitate the Klamath River. The Klamath had one of the most significant salmon runs on the West Coast until the early 1900s when massive dams were constructed to generate hydroelectric power. But dams don’t just hold back water; they block salmon from returning to their spawning grounds, prevent nutrients from flowing downstream, and create favorable conditions for toxic blue-green algae to flourish in reservoirs. As a result, the Klamath ecosystem was damaged, leading to a more than 90% decline in Chinook salmon. The most effective way to heal the river would be to demolish the dams, allowing it to flow freely again. Finally, after decades of campaigning, the dams were dismantled in 2024, reveals Frankie Myers, Vice Chair of the Yurok tribe. This past fall, salmon returned and could swim upriver unimpeded for the first time in a century. … ” Read more from KPBS.
Bill 263 could extend emergency water regulations but this leaves farmers concerned
“Assemblymember Chris Rogers has introduced his bill, Assembly Bill 263, which aims to protect salmon populations in the Klamath River watershed while also providing local agricultural operations with certainty regarding river flows. This was introduced in partnership with the Karuk and Yurok Tribes, as well as the California Coastkeeper Alliance. Existing law states that the State Water Resources Control Board controls emergency regulations following the Governor’s proclamation of a state of emergency based on drought conditions. Bill 263 would allow specified emergency regulations adopted by the board for the Scott River and Shasta River watersheds to remain in effect until permanent rules establishing and implementing long-term instream flow requirements for these watersheds are enacted. … ” Read more from KRCR.
Caltrans, CHP investigating haz-mat dumping along Hwy 101 in Mendocino County
“Caltrans is asking for the public’s help following a series of illegal hazardous material dumpings along U.S. Highway 101 in Mendocino County, the agency said Wednesday. On Monday, 19 barrels containing hazardous waste were removed from an embankment south of Leggett near the Empire Rest Area, Caltrans said. The cost of the cleanup and disposal of the materials is estimated at $30,000. “Luckily, we’ve avoided any major environmental hazards thus far,” said Caltrans District 1 Hazardous Materials Manager Danny Figueiredo. “At the cleanup site on Monday, the materials were only 10 feet away from dropping over a cliff with a drop of about 50 to 75 feet right into the creek. The creek has fresh running water, with fish, and that would have been disastrous.” … ” Read more from NorCal Public Media.
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
Water bottle ban bill passes Senate
“The Nevada Senate has passed a bill that proposes to ban certain disposable plastic water bottles in Nevada Lake Tahoe communities with a vote on Friday, April 18. Senate bill 324 received approval from 16 senators, while four senators voted against it including, Senator Lisa Krasner, whose district covers the Nevada portion of Lake Tahoe. Other dissenters include Senators Lori Rogich, Jeff Stone and Robin Titus. Carrie Ann Buck absented. The bill proposes to prohibit the sale of disposable plastic water bottles under four liters in Nevada communities abutting the Lake Tahoe Watershed. The bill’s text details a structure of fines for violations. … ” Read more from the Tahoe Daily Tribune.
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
Water Forum turns 25: Reflecting on the past, shaping the future with Water Forum 2050
“April 24 marks the 25th anniversary of the Water Forum Agreement. While the story of how the Water Forum came together has been told many times, it deserves reflection on how a diverse group of business leaders, citizens, environmentalists, water managers, and local governments signed a Memorandum of Understanding in 2000 focused on the region’s water future. This visionary coalition recognized the Water Forum as crucial to securing a reliable water supply and protecting the lower American River’s environment for years to come. Over the past 25 years, the Water Forum has set an example for collaborative problem-solving. By coming together to support each other’s priorities, the diverse group of stakeholders facilitated significant infrastructure projects, improved salmonid habitat in the lower American River, developed an improved pattern of flow for the fisheries (the Flow Management Standard), built a culture of trust, and enabled quick responses to crises like drought, all without resorting to gridlock or litigation. … ” Read more from Water Forum.
NAPA/SONOMA
Sonoma Water Board approves wholesale water rate increase of 7.60 percent for Sonoma Aqueduct customers
“The Sonoma County Water Agency (Sonoma Water) Board of Directors on Tuesday approved a wholesale water rate adjustment for the 2025-2026 fiscal year to address aging infrastructure, rising operational costs and the need for continued investment in water system reliability. The new rates will result in an increase of 8.68 percent for Santa Rosa Aqueduct customers, 10.76 percent for Petaluma Aqueduct customers and 7.60 percent for Sonoma Aqueduct customers. For most households, this adjustment is expected to translate to an increase of $0 to $3 per month, depending on location and water usage, if fully passed through by local water retailers. Actual impacts may vary, as wholesale rates are only a portion of the total cost to consumers. … ” Read more from the Sonoma Valley Sun.
BAY AREA
North Marin Water District rates to increase
“North Marin Water District is planning hefty rate increases for its West Marin customers over the next five years to finance extensive repairs and upgrades to its aging infrastructure. The agency’s board accepted a rate study last week that calls for a 23.8 percent rate hike starting this July and 19-percent increases in the following four years to help pay for $27.5 million in capital improvements. The board will hold a public hearing on June 17, when it will vote on the package. The district serves about 1,800 customers, including 775 connections across Point Reyes Station, Olema, Bear Valley, Inverness Park and Paradise Ranch Estates. When the first round of increases takes effect, the median customer will see their bimonthly bill rise by about $25. … ” Read more from the Point Reyes Light.
CENTRAL COAST
Swimming in Lake Cachuma? Santa Barbara county floats the idea
“The long-standing rule against swimming in Lake Cachuma has come under renewed focus. Santa Barbara County is exploring how to change the rule that prevents visitors from swimming in the local reservoir while still maintaining its status as a water source for the region. The initial idea to start looking into it was suggested a few weeks ago by Fifth District Supervisor Steve Lavagnino during a meeting of the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors. Lavagnino said that one of the reasons he wants to change the rule is because of the Cachuma Lake Recreational Area, located right next to the lake. … ” Continue reading from Noozhawk.
Carpinteria: Water recycling delivers a key resource for the future
“After years of planning, environmental review and engineering design, the Carpinteria Sanitary District is now on the threshold of a major project that includes construction of an advanced water purification facility capable of producing over one million gallons of potable water every day. Capturing and reusing this valuable resource, which would otherwise be discharged to the Pacific Ocean, is an important piece of our long-term water supply puzzle locally. This novel water resiliency project, referred to as the Carpinteria Advanced Purification Project, or CAPP, is being developed through a partnership between the Carpinteria Valley Water District and the Carpinteria Sanitary District. First proposed in 2016, CAPP involves a type of water recycling known as Indirect Potable Reuse (IPR). … ” Read more from Coastal View.
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
Court of Appeal reverses preliminary injunction inn Kern River “fish flow” lawsuit
“On April 2, 2025, the Fifth District Court of Appeal issued its Opinion in Bring Back the Kern v. City of Bakersfield, Case No. F087487, reversing the Kern County Superior Court’s preliminary injunction and related implementation order. In November 2023, the trial court issued the injunction, based on Fish and Game Code section 5937, but directed the parties to work together to establish what flow rates are necessary to comply with the injunction; four days later, the trial court issued the implementation order, approving the flow regime to which the Plaintiffs and Defendant (but not the various irrigation districts and Kern County Water Agency that are named as Real Parties in Interest) stipulated. The appellate court held the trial court erred by failing to consider whether the uses of water under the flow regime were reasonable, by requiring Plaintiffs to post only a nominal bond, and by violating the Real Parties’ due process rights. … ” Read more from Somach Simmons & Dunn.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Santa Ynez Reservoir in Palisades must be drained again after more leaks found
“For months, Los Angeles city officials and an outside contractor have worked to ensure that the Santa Ynez Reservoir, the 117-million-gallon water complex in the heart of Pacific Palisades, could return to service by early May. Since early 2024, the reservoir had sat empty due to tears in the cover that floats across its surface. The reservoir was empty during the Jan. 7 Palisades fire, sparking anger from residents and prompting Gov. Gavin Newsom to call for an investigation. With repairs complete, crews with the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power were refilling the reservoir last week when they discovered further tears and “pinhole sized leaks” in the floating cover. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
County, legislators exchange letters over landfill crisis
“L.A. County 5th District Supervisor Kathryn Barger responded Friday to a letter from 22 members of the Los Angeles Legislative Delegation asking about the worsening environmental crisis at Chiquita Canyon Landfill. Noting the landfill’s relief program has “fallen short of expectation” as the subsurface fire has grown from 30 to 90 acres, Barger described the county and state’s plans going forward in a response sent last week. Barger’s letter also came one day after the South Coast Air Quality Management District Hearing Board levied additional reporting requirements for ongoing problems at the landfill. State legislators, led by Assembly members Pilar Schiavo, D-Chatsworth, and Tina McKinnor, D-Inglewood, sent their letter April 15, citing state agencies that call a “massive expansion” of the landfill’s problems an “urgent environmental and public health crisis.” … ” Read more from The Signal.
Video: L.A. wildlife struggle to adapt with increasing wildfires
The Palisades Fire destroyed entire neighborhoods and displaced thousands of people. But the disaster also tore through the natural world, disrupting fragile ecosystems that wildlife depend on. Watch below or at this page.
Endangered trout rescued from creek polluted by ash from Palisades fire thrive in new home
“More than 200 endangered steelhead trout that were rescued from a creek polluted by ash and debris from the Palisades fire are thriving in their new digs in Santa Barbara County, state officials reported on Wednesday. The 271 endangered Southern California steelhead trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) scooped out of debris-choked waters of Topanga Creek on Jan. 23 by crews from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife are thriving in Arroyo Hondo Creek, part of a preserve managed by the Santa Barbara County Land Trust. Earlier this month, biologists noticed that the fish had babies — at least 100 “young of the year,” as CDFW biologists call these baby fish — were first observed swimming in their new home in early April, reported Stephen Gonzalez, spokesperson for the CDFW. … ” Read more from the Daily News.
Invasive weed threatens Southern California’s deserts
“Once thought resistant to invasion, regional deserts are losing native plants to aggressive weedy species like Saharan mustard. New research shows its spread is disrupting biodiversity and reducing the desert’s ability to recover from extreme climate swings. The UC Riverside study published in the journal Ecology analyzes 17 years of data from the university’s Palm Desert campus and surrounding desert regions. UCR ecologist Loralee Larios and her colleagues found that Saharan mustard threatens native plants by overwhelming the desert’s natural seed bank. The seed bank—a reservoir of dormant seeds that resides in the top five centimeters of the soil—acts as a buffer against extreme weather by allowing plants to germinate at an optimal time and pace. Many native species rely on this system to survive long dry spells. … ” Read more from UC Riverside.
SAN DIEGO
At UC San Diego, NOAA collaboration provides backbone for global environmental intelligence
“Since February, hundreds of California sea lions, as well as dolphins, whales and seabirds have been stranding themselves along Southern California coastlines. The sea lions appear dazed, listless, and sometimes acting erratically. The diagnosis — domoic acid poisoning — is caused by a neurotoxin produced by a marine plankton commonly found in coastal waters. Domoic acid can cause illness and death in marine mammals, and be dangerous or fatal to humans if they consume contaminated seafood. This event, still underway three months later, marks the fourth consecutive year that a toxic algae bloom has caused marine mammal and seabird mortality events in Southern California. These blooms, which cost the U.S. economy $50 million each year through damage to public health, fisheries and coastal recreation, are tracked in a myriad of ways, with the support of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), a federal agency currently impacted by federal staffing cuts and threats to long-term funding. … ” Read more from UC San Diego.
EPA head calls on Mexico to stop Tijuana sewage flow to California
“The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) chief on Tuesday demanded that Mexico put an end to the unfettered flow of raw sewage from the Tijuana region into Southern California. “Mexico needs to fulfill its part in cleaning up the contamination that they caused — their people caused,” EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin said at a press conference in the area. “They cannot view this as a U.S. problem, just because their contamination reached U.S. soil,” Zeldin added, describing the crisis as “top of mind” for President Trump. Southern San Diego County towns have for years been the cross-border recipients of wastewater tainted with chemicals and pathogens. The contaminated water is the result of insufficient treatment in Mexico and ends up in California via ocean plumes and the Tijuana River Watershed. … ” Read more from The Hill.
Environmental groups protest EPA administrator’s visit to border in California
“Several Southern California environmental groups staged a protest as Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin visited the San Diego area Tuesday morning. The event called “Hands Off Earth” was organized as a way to denounce the Trump administration’s cutbacks on environmental protections and programs, said Sara Ochoa, programs director with Coastal Environmental Rights Foundation. The demonstration took place outside the Marine Corps Recruiting Depot, where Zeldin held a news conference after touring the Tijuana River Valley and the International Wastewater Treatment Plant. … ” Read more from the Border Report.
SEE ALSO: Some Imperial Beach residents skeptical of EPA’s visit to Tijuana River Valley, from Channel 10
Along the Colorado River …
The right to water: A new front in Trump’s aggression on Mexico
“For the first time in 81 years, the U.S. denied Mexico’s request to supply water from the Colorado River to Tijuana. The move comes in the wake of Trump’s escalating aggression against its southern neighbor. While Mexico is experiencing a historic drought, Trump absurdly blamed the country for stealing the U.S.’ water. In a Truth Social post, he wrote: “Mexico OWES Texas 1.3 million acre-feet of water under the 1944 Water Treaty, but Mexico is unfortunately violating their Treaty obligation.” Mexico has been unable to complete its usual water deliveries to the U.S. due to severe drought conditions caused by climate change. The drought poses an existential threat to Mexican farmers, wildlife, and communities. It also impacts the Southern U.S. border states that share the Rio Grande with Mexico. The U.S. has also had to scale back water shipments to Mexico due to drought conditions, but holds Mexico to a different standard. … ” Read more from Liberation.
Commentary: Arizona deserves more than a few months to plan for steep Lake Mead cuts
Opinion writer Joanna Allhands writes, “In “The Sun Also Rises,” one of the main characters was asked how he went bankrupt. “Two ways,” he replied. “Gradually and then suddenly.” The same could be said for the demise of the Colorado River. Many of us have seen this train wreck coming for years, the slow buildup of chronic overuse, coupled with a river that no longer produces as much water as it used to, that is draining Lake Mead and Lake Powell, the nation’s two largest water savings accounts. And if things don’t change soon, 40 million people who rely on this river are about to suddenly realize that decisionmakers squandered every dollar spent on buying time to fix this fundamental problem. … ” Read more from Arizona Central.
UCLA says Utah lags on recycling wastewater. That’s not how the state sees it
“Utah is far behind other Colorado River Basin states when it comes to a potential way to stretch its limited water supply — the recycling of sewage wastewater. A recent UCLA analysis shows Utah cleaned and reused less than 1% of its wastewater in 2022 — the lowest figure among the seven basin states. Nevada and Arizona recycled 85% and 52% of their sewage, respectively. As growing cities and thirsty farms strain the Colorado River system and drought affects communities across the state, report co-author Noah Garrison said Utah is missing a big opportunity. “Simply cutting off wastewater recycling as an opportunity or as a potential source of water, I think really is going to inhibit the ability of that region to meet its water supply needs over the next 10, 20, 30 years,” the UCLA water policy expert said. … ” Read more from KUER.
In national water news today …
A forthcoming Supreme Court decision could limit agencies’ duty to consider environmental harms
“A forthcoming Supreme Court decision is poised to weaken a bedrock law that requires federal agencies to study the potential environmental impacts of major projects. The case, Seven County Infrastructure Coalition v. Eagle County, Colorado, concerns a proposed 88-mile railroad that would link an oil-producing region of Utah to tracks that reach refineries in the Gulf Coast. Environmental groups and a Colorado county argued that the federal Surface Transportation Board failed to adequately consider climate, pollution, and other effects as required under the National Environmental Protection Act, or NEPA, in approving the project. In 2023, the District of Columbia Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in favor of the challengers. The groups behind the railway project, including several Utah counties, appealed the case to the highest court, which is expected to hand down a decision within the next few months. … ” Read more from Grist.
The economic case for preserving America’s wetlands
“America’s wetlands were historically viewed as useless areas that stood in the way of development. More than half of the 221 million acres of wetlands that existed when Europeans settled have been destroyed, and six states—California, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Missouri, and Ohio—have lost at least 85 percent of their wetlands, according to the US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS). Wetlands act as “natural sponges,” absorbing up to an estimated 1.5 million gallons of water per acre, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and they provide more than half of America’s $5.9 billion seafood harvest, including trout, bass, crab, shrimp, and oysters. They also filter pollutants from the water and sequester carbon dioxide. About half of our endangered and threatened species on wetlands. As sea levels rise and climate change drives more intense storms, flooding is becoming increasingly damaging—and expensive. In 2024 alone, there were 27 weather and climate disasters that will cost at least $1 billion each to recover from, according to NOAA. “You cannot beat wetlands in their natural state for holding back floodwaters,” says Kelly Moser, a senior attorney at the Southern Environmental Law Center. … ” Read more from Mother Jones.
Interior Department to fast-track oil, gas and mining projects
“The Interior Department said late Wednesday that it would fast-track approvals for projects involving coal, gas, oil and minerals on public lands, arguing that President Trump’s declaration of an energy emergency allowed it to radically reduce lengthy reviews required by the nation’s bedrock environmental laws. Environmental reviews that typically take a year to complete would be finished in 14 days, administration officials said. More complicated environmental impact statements that usually take two years would be completed in 28 days, they said. “The United States cannot afford to wait,” Doug Burgum, the Interior secretary, said in a statement. The shortcuts would apply to projects that increase the production of crude oil, natural gas, critical minerals, uranium, lease condensates, coal, biofuels, geothermal energy, kinetic hydropower and refined petroleum products, according to the department. … ” Read more from the New York Times.
White House proposal could gut climate modeling the world depends on
“Over the past two months, the Trump administration has taken steps to eliminate regulations addressing climate change, pull back funding for climate programs and cancel methods used to evaluate how climate change is affecting American society and its economy. Now it is directly undermining the science and research of climate change itself, in ways that some of the nation’s most distinguished scientists say will have dangerous consequences. Proposed cuts to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the agency whose weather and climate research touches almost every facet of American life, are targeting a 57-year-old partnership between Princeton University and the U.S. government that produces what many consider the world’s most advanced climate modeling and forecasting systems. NOAA’s work extends deep into the heart of the American economy — businesses use it to navigate risk and find opportunity — and it undergirds both American defense and geopolitical planning. The possible elimination of the lab, called the Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory, in concert with potential cuts to other NOAA operations, threatens irreparable harm not only to global understanding of climate change and long-range scenarios for the planet but to the country’s safety, competitiveness and national security. … ” Read more from Pro Publica.
Quest to retake $20B in climate money puts Trump agencies at ‘significant’ risk, attorney warned
“Trump administration attorneys knew they were on uncertain legal ground as they strategized ways to keep eight nonprofit groups from spending $20 billion in Biden-era climate grants that had already left the federal coffers, according to internal government emails obtained by POLITICO. The fight to squash the spending could expose the Trump administration to billions of dollars in damages if a court later finds its actions to be unlawful, one Environmental Protection Agency lawyer warned as part of a series of Sunday night emails last month — less than 48 hours before EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin terminated the grants altogether. In the same email chain, government lawyers acknowledged that they did not know whether criminal and civil investigations launched by the Trump administration would uncover evidence of the waste, fraud or conflicts of interest that Zeldin has publicly alleged in his frequent attacks on the climate grants. Their “short-term objective” was to block the money while those probes play out, a senior Justice Department attorney wrote in one email. … ” Read more from Politico.
Trump administration has set NOAA on ‘non-science trajectory’, workers warn
“The Trump administration has shunted one of the US federal government’s top scientific agencies onto a “non-science trajectory”, workers warn, that threatens to derail decades of research and leave the US with “air that’s not breathable and water that’s not drinkable”. Workers and scientists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Noaa) are warning of the drastic impacts of cuts at the agency on science, research, and efforts to protect natural resources. “The problems are still there. We still have harmful algal blooms, we still have fisheries that are collapsing, waters you can’t swim in. These problems don’t go away because we fired all the people who were trying to solve a problem,” said one Noaa veteran, who wished to remain anonymous for fear of retaliation. “How do you save the arms and legs or the feet and hands when the core is dying?” … ” Read more from The Guardian.
National Science Foundation terminates hundreds of active research awards
“Casey Fiesler, an information science professor at the University of Colorado Boulder, learned late on Friday evening that one of the three grants she had been awarded by the National Science Foundation was being terminated. “It was a total surprise,” Dr. Fiesler said. “This is the one that I thought was totally safe.” The grant supported Dr. Fiesler’s research on building A.I. literacy. She received no official explanation for why the grant was being terminated more than a year ahead of its scheduled end. But Dr. Fiesler speculated that it had something to do with the word “misinformation” in the award’s abstract. … ” Read more from the New York Times.
