Several news sources featured in the Daily Digest may limit the number of articles you can access without a subscription. However, gift articles and open-access links are provided when available. For more open access California water news articles, explore the main page at MavensNotebook.com.
On the calendar today …
- LEG HEARING: Senate Environmental Quality Committee beginning at 9am. Click here for the agenda.
- LEG HEARING: Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee beginning at 1:30pm. Click here for more information.
In California water news today …
State Water Project allocation increases to 50% as winter runoff flows into California’s reservoirs; State Water Contractors respond
“As snow begins to melt in the mountains and make its way to California reservoirs, the Department of Water Resources (DWR) today announced an increase to the State Water Project allocation forecast for 2025. The allocation has increased to 50 percent of requested water supplies, up from 40 percent last month. The State Water Project provides water to 27 million Californians and 750,000 acres of farmland. California’s snowpack peaked on April 4 at 100 percent for the season. With the weather warming up, that snowpack is now starting to melt and flow into California’s watersheds and further filling up reservoirs. Lake Oroville, the State Water Project’s largest reservoir, is 120 percent of average for this date and 95 percent full. DWR anticipates that Lake Oroville could reach capacity this spring, which would mark the third straight year the reservoir has filled. San Luis Reservoir in Merced County, a critical storage space for Southern California water, is 101 percent of average for this date and 83 percent full. … ” Read more from DWR.
State will deliver more water to Southern California this year via State Water Project
“Southern California cities can expect to receive 50% of their full water allotments this year from the aqueducts of the State Water Project, up from 40% last month, as runoff from this year’s ample snowpack continues to fill reservoirs in Northern California. “Our full reservoirs will allow us to help meet the needs of the State Water Project contractors and their customers this year as well as provide some water supply next year in the event that dry conditions return,” Karla Nemeth, director of the state Department of Water Resources, said in a statement Tuesday. The State Water Project’s aqueducts and pipelines transport water from the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta to cities and other agencies for 27 million people and 750,000 acres of farmland. … ” Read more from the LA Times. | Read via AOL News.
SEE ALSO: Strong winter runoff results in California water allocation bump, from ABC 10
USGS Water data centers may soon close, threatening states’ water management
“Across the country, the data collected at stream gauges managed by the U.S. Geological Survey are used to implement drought measures when streamflows are low, alert local authorities of floods, help administer water to users on rivers and issue pollution discharge permits required by the Clean Water Act for communities across the country. But more than two dozen USGS Water Science Centers that house the employees and equipment to manage those gauges and equipment will soon have their leases terminated after being targeted by the Department of Government Efficiency, headed by billionaire Elon Musk. Data collected by the centers inform studies of the condition of the country’s water resources and shape local and state water management plans. It’s the latest in the Trump administration’s assault on science and federal agencies, and means that centers from Alaska to Massachusetts will close once their leases are up, according to Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, a nonprofit that supports government employees. … ” Read more from Inside Climate News.
SEE ALSO: Crippling Water Quality & Flow Monitoring Cuts Slated, from YubaNet
Active California weather pattern to bring rain, wind, thunderstorms. Here’s when
“Another spring week, another California storm looms. Tranquil weather is expected to continue in the Bay Area through Thursday, but increasing clouds Friday afternoon will signal changes to come for the weekend. Hit-or-miss rain showers are expected across the Golden State on Friday and Saturday as a low-pressure system moves inland. Rainfall totals will be highly variable, “due to the showery nature of the event,” the National Weather Service office in Oxnard (Ventura County) said in an emailed forecast. Thunder and lightning may also accompany the storm, although it’s too early to pinpoint the most favorable time and location for thunderstorms. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
How California partners with the federal government on water and weather forecasts
“There’s a lot in the news about changes underway at federal agencies, including agencies California relies on for water and weather forecasts. The reductions in funding and workforce will have implications for the state. As these changes continue to unfold, it’s worth taking a step back to examine exactly how the state partners with the federal government on forecasts. We asked climate scientist Daniel Swain to explain. Q: How is the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) involved in weather forecasting in California? A: NOAA operates a vast array of instruments that measure weather, including satellites, radar, wind sensors, weather balloons, and thermometers. NOAA also brings the data together and makes it available for free to the public, including easy-to-use visualizations, such as the NOAA Climate at a Glance portal. It’s a fundamental public service used by researchers, businesses, local governments, and others. … ” Read more from the PPIC.
Willow Springs Water Bank moves closer to meeting WSIP milestones
“At its April meeting, the California Water Commission received an update from the CIM Group and representatives of the Southern California Water Bank Authority, proponents of the Willow Springs Water Bank Conjunctive Use Project. They sought to assure the Commission that the project was progressing steadily toward meeting the remaining Water Storage Investment Program (WSIP) requirements. Proposition 1 of 2014 dedicated $2.7 billion for investments in public benefits of water storage projects. The California Water Commission is administering the Water Storage Investment Program (WSIP) to fund the benefits associated with these projects. In July 2018, the Commission made maximum conditional eligibility determinations (MCEDs), awarding $128 million to the Willow Springs project. To receive the funding award, the project must complete environmental documents, execute contracts for public benefits, and obtain necessary permits and approvals. … ” Read more from Maven’s Notebook.
Sustainable Groundwater Management Act may worsen dust storms
“A new study published in the journal Communications Earth & Environment says the Central Valley accounts for about 77% of total fallowed (unplanted) land in California and is associated with about 88% of major anthropogenic dust events, caused by human actions. Local residents are well familiar with blowing dust and this paper says it’s getting worse. Dust can carry infectious soil-dwelling fungal spores, which cause coccidioidomycosis (Valley fever) when inhaled. The Central Valley is a hotspot for coccidioidomycosis in California, where incidences have increased by 800% between 2000 and 2018, and dust exposures have been linked to increased infection risk. Previous studies showed that substantial fractions of dust deposited on Sierra Nevada snow are from the Central Valley and that the deposited dust can change snowmelt timing over the Sierra Nevada and substantially impact California’s vulnerability to water resources. … ” Read more from the Hanford Sentinel.
Farmers are making bank harvesting a new crop: Solar energy
“Around the world, farmers are retooling their land to harvest the hottest new commodity: sunlight. As the price of renewable energy technology has plummeted and water has gotten more scarce, growers are fallowing acreage and installing solar panels. Some are even growing crops beneath them, which is great for plants stressed by too many rays. Still others are letting that shaded land go wild, providing habitat for pollinators and fodder for grazing livestock. According to a new study, this practice of agrisolar has been quite lucrative for farmers in California’s Central Valley over the last 25 years — and for the environment. Researchers looked at producers who had idled land and installed solar, using the electricity to run equipment like water pumps and selling the excess power to utilities. … ” Read more from Grist.
Why do we keep building golf courses in the desert?
“While California residents are asked to let their lawns go brown and swap grass for drought-tolerant landscaping, the Trilogy Golf Club at La Quinta reopened in December 2024 after a multi-million-dollar refresh. The restored 229-acre golf course underwent extensive re-grassing and irrigation upgrades, even though a single golf course can use up to a million gallons of water daily. Set in Coachella Valley, a golf mecca with over 100 courses, the region receives just three inches of rainfall annually. Amid historic droughts, the lush green fairways can feel like a threat. So why do they exist at all? The desert golf boom traces back to 1927 when oil tycoon Thomas O’Donnell opened a private course in Palm Springs. It later opened to the public as The O’Donnell Golf Club, setting a precedent. As California elites flocked to the region over the following decades, golf became a luxury status symbol and cornerstone of resort-style retirement. … ” Read more from Fodors.
Legislators criticize California golden mussel quarantine, inspections
“California Asm. Josh Hoover asked the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and California State Parks last week to adopt existing inspection and decontamination procedures to make Folsom Lake immediately accessible to boaters amid a golden mussel quarantine. Starting April 14, the bureau required watercraft to participate in a 30-day quarantine temporarily closing both Folsom Lake and Lake Clementine to all trailered or motorized vessels due to invasive golden mussels, which threaten water quality, infrastructure and boats alike. Vehicle owners wishing to launch at either lake must have their craft inspected and a quarantine seal applied for 30 days, according to California State Parks. Craft can also undergo decontamination — a process that can take 30-60 minutes depending on the size and type of vessel, the agency said. … ” Read more from Channel 1o.
Sacramento River Basin serves as test case for conserving water over unpredictable weather cycles
“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 UCLA.
California’s water storage system
California has engineered one of the most complex water storage systems in the world. Here’s how and why the state stores water.
Nature at work: building climate resilience in the Sierra-Cascade
“As a leader in combating climate change, California has added another pillar to the state’s climate strategy—nature-based solutions (NBS). These solutions are a suite of land-management activities that channel natural processes to remove and store carbon, prevent future emissions, and build climate resilience. Since its founding, the Sierra Nevada Conservancy (SNC) has advanced NBS. The SNC funds forest health, land conservation, mountain meadow restoration, and wildfire risk reduction projects across Sierra-Cascade landscapes that enhance the region’s ability to store carbon. California’s 2022 Scoping Plan found that the state’s lands are currently a net source of carbon emissions due to the accelerating impacts of climate change, a legacy of fire exclusion, and disconnection from traditional land-management practices. This means that California’s lands, in aggregate, emit more carbon than they remove and store through natural processes. … ” Read more from the Sierra Nevada Conservancy.
There’s a land trust near you working on land and water conservation
“Land trusts throughout California work locally and in unison to create a network of protected private lands across the state. Federal agencies like the US Forest Service manage more than 45% of California’s land. I learned this statistic as an undergrad in college and for this reason I assumed the best career option for me was to become a USFS ecologist, working to restore the unique California habitats I was taught about. What I didn’t learn until several years later is that an estimated 48% of the state is privately owned, and that land trusts play a pivotal role in protecting private lands for their important species and resources. A land trust is a nonprofit that conserves land by acquiring and stewarding land or through voluntary conservation agreements with landowners to protect their land’s conservation values. … ” Read more from the OC Register.
Environmental panel approves bill calling for tribal input on water projects
“A bill requiring the State Water Quality Control Board or regional water quality control board to describe and consider the impact on tribes of proposed water projects subject to their approval was approved today by the Assembly Committee on Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials. Assemblymember James C. Ramos (D-San Bernardino) introduced the bill, AB 362, that also requires the state and local boards to adopt, when applicable, water quality standards to protect reasonable protections of tribal water uses. “Under current law State and Regional Water Boards are not required to work with tribal communities even though the state’s First People have managed the land and its resources for centuries,” Ramos said. “Tribes are committed to the health and safety of delicate eco systems and a tradition of responsibility and stewardship. This long history and deep knowledge by our tribes deserves to be respected, and put to good use as we work to wisely manage our natural resources. … ” Read more from Lake County News.
Monster quake could sink swath of California, dramatically heightening flood risk, study says
“A long-feared monster earthquake off California, Oregon and Washington could cause some coastal areas to sink by more than 6 feet, dramatically heightening the risk of flooding and radically reshaping the region with little to no warning. Those are the findings of a new study that examined the repercussions of a massive earthquake on the Cascadia subduction zone, which stretches from Northern California up to Canada’s Vancouver Island. The study, published Monday in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, concluded that in an earthquake scenario with the highest level of subsidence, or land sink, the area at risk of flooding would expand by 116 square miles, a swath that’s 2½ times the size of San Francisco. … ” Read more from the LA Times. | Read via AOL News.
100 days in, here’s how California has fared under Trump
“It is no surprise that California was President Donald Trump’s biggest foil during the first 100 days of his second term. California’s Democratic-dominated politics and what Trump derides as “woke” policies made the state a natural target for the president to aim his executive orders and sharpest barbs. California’s response, however, has been more muted than expected, in part because Gov. Gavin Newsom is caught in a bind: While he has tried to gird the state against Trump’s anticipated attacks, he has also tamped down his attacks for fear of endangering federal disaster aid for the Los Angeles wildfires. In February, Newsom asked Congress for $39.6 billion in additional wildfire relief. Here are some of the ways Trump has affected life in California since his inauguration on Jan. 20. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
SEE ALSO: California has sued Trump 15 times in his first 100 days. Where do those cases stand?, from the LA Times via AOL News
In commentary today …
C-WIN: The DCP: Financially strapped households pay, the politically connected prosper
“The cost of living in California has always been high – and it’s getting worse for low-income and working-class residents. While the focus typically is on housing, home energy and food, water costs often go overlooked. But water rates have been rising quickly across the state, further stressing household budgets and necessitating public response. In Southern California, urban water agencies have been making critical investments in conservation and local water supplies to buffer against intensifying droughts triggered by climate change. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the state provided over $385 million in water debt relief. Managing the impacts of these investments on water bills has been a significant challenge, but Governor Newsom nevertheless is aggressively pushing for the construction of the Delta Tunnel – also known as the Delta Conveyance Project – which could cost upward of $40 billion after the inevitable construction cost overruns and interest on bonds. … ” Read more from C-WIN.
Whatever happened with Proposition 4?
Sheridan Karras, Research Manager for the California Policy Center, writes, “Voters were sold a shiny promise — now California is billions deeper in debt. Last November, California voters approved Proposition 4, which authorized $10 billion in bonds for “safe drinking water, wildfire prevention, and protecting communities and natural lands from climate risks.” It started with SB 867 (Allen-D, Hollywood), which was passed by the legislature and signed by Governor Newsom last year, and subsequently put on the November ballot. The bill (or rather, the approved bond measure) states that “Fifteen of the 20 most destructive wildfires in state history have occurred in the last decade alone… These wildfires have claimed more than 100 lives, tens of thousands of homes and structures lost, and more than 2,000,000 acres burned.” Sadly, the Palisades, Eaton, and Hughes fires would break out just over two months after voters passed this bond, accentuating the need for effective wildfire prevention in the state. However, with an already-strained budget, California doesn’t need to resort to this exorbitant borrowing and spending to enact effective fire prevention strategies. … ” Read more from the California Policy Center.
The federal government is fighting new California water-quality regulations
Molly Taylor with Northcoast Environmental Center, writes, “The Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management are fighting against having to comply with the Clean Water Act. Instead of fixing its broken roads that bleed sediment into salmon-bearing streams, the federal agencies are opposing new regulations that would hold them accountable for repairs. We think this stinks. The Clean Water Act is an interesting law. Although it is a federal law, it leaves implementation to individual states. In California, we implement the Clean Water Act through the Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act. Under Porter-Cologne, the state is broken into various districts, each with the responsibility to regulate water quality pollution to achieve water quality objectives—roughly that all waters should be drinkable, fishable and swimmable. Logging has significantly impaired water quality across the state. In our region, many rivers are “impaired” because of sediment pollution. The federal government, as the largest landowner in the region, has a significant role in the historic and ongoing impairment of water quality. Too many poorly maintained roads bleed sediment into nearby streams, sometimes slowly but continuously, and sometimes in a dramatic large sudden burst. … ” Read more from EPIC.
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
A major Cascadia zone earthquake could cause much of coastal Humboldt to rapidly drop into the sea, new study finds
“Those of us who live in earthquake country tend to have two primary anxieties about the unsettling events: the shaking itself (collapsed roofs, crumbling buildings, etc.) and a tsunami (giant wall of water, ‘nuf said). However, a newly published study invites us to adopt an altogether new earthquake-related fear: rapidly sinking land. The study, published Monday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), found that a major earthquake along the Cascadia subduction zone will likely cause between 1.6 and 6.5 feet of sudden subsidence long the Washington, Oregon and northern California coasts. This abrupt land sinkage would dramatically raise the relative sea level of coastal communities in a matter of seconds. In the worst-case scenario, the subsidence would more than double the flooding exposure of coastal residents, structures and roads. And those risks would remain long after the shaking settles. … ” Read more from the Lost Coast Outpost.
CalTrout acquires Elk River parcels for restoration, returns land to Wiyot Tribe
“CalTrout announced this week that it acquired four parcels totaling 175 acres of former ranch land along the Elk River. The nonprofit conservation organization said that the acquisition represents a “significant step in the ongoing efforts to protect and restore the Elk River estuary,” as well as a “a moment of restorative justice” for the Wiyot Tribe — which has been returned one of the parcels, a site of “immense historical and cultural significance” called “Chwanuchguk” in the Wiyot Tribe’s native language, Soulatluk. “Chwanuchguk, ‘a ridge comes down there,’ is a traditional fishing village where Wiyot people lived, harvested food and smoked fish since time immemorial,” Brian Mead, Tribal Chair of the Wiyot Tribe, said in a news release shared by CalTrout. “Access to the Hikshari’ (Elk) River and fish restoration on the Hikshari’ (Elk) River is of vital importance to the continuation of the tribe’s cultural practices.” … ” Read more from the Lake County Record-Bee.
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
Federal, state, and local agencies announce initiatives for the Yuba watershed
“On April 25, 2025, the State of California, NOAA Fisheries, and the Yuba Water Agency announced a significant initiative aimed at enhancing water management and ecosystem restoration. … SYRCL has been engaged in the development of the environmental portions of this initiative for nearly five years. This initiative reflects California’s need to take an integrated approach to water resource management, aiming to restore vital ecosystems while supporting agricultural productivity. Balancing the demands on freshwater resources is one of the greatest challenges facing California and the western United States. It is made even more challenging by shifting political pressure and values at the federal level. … ” Read more from the South Yuba River Citizens League.
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
Sacramento homeowners battle national developer in lawsuit over Natomas reservoir
“Homeowners of a large North Natomas community and a national homebuilder are in a legal battle over who should pay for reservoir maintenance. The Westshore Community Association filed a lawsuit Thursday in Sacramento Superior Court alleging national homebuilder K. Hovnanian Homes owes the homeowners nearly $800,000. The suit alleges the developer collected the money but did not properly maintain a reservoir as an agreement requires. K. Hovnanian was the developer for Westshore, which has over 1,300 residential lots near the corner of Natomas Central Drive and Del Paso Road, the lawsuit said. The lots were sold between 2007 and 2020, according to the suit. … ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee.
Sacramento-area lawmakers call for Folsom Lake reopening amid mussel threat
“Four Sacramento-area lawmakers are calling for the reopening of Folsom Lake in a letter to state waterways officials, saying the costs to the local economy and recreational boating are too great, while calling for better coordination between agencies to get boats back into the water. The letter — signed by state Assemblymember Josh Hoover, R-Rancho Cordova; state Sen. Roger Niello, R-Sacramento; Assemblymember Joe Patterson, R-Rocklin; and Rep. Kevin Kiley, R-Rocklin — calls on authorities to reconsider Folsom’s closure to boating after invasive golden mussels were discovered in the lake. U.S. Bureau of Reclamation officials closed the lake April 14. The closure extends to May 14. California State Parks imposed a 30-day quarantine on boats or are requiring the watercraft to undergo hot water decontamination before they could return to the water. The Republican lawmakers said no approved decontamination facilities are readily available to boaters to allow their return to the water just as boating season is approaching. … ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee.
‘New normal’: Business helping with golden mussel inspection process amid Folsom Lake closure
“A business in Folsom is pitching in to help with boat inspections amid Folsom Lake’s closure. It closed earlier this month, along with Lake Clementine, to help prevent the spread of golden mussels. All boats seeking to launch on either lake are required to go through a mandatory 30-day quarantine. The rules are aimed at preventing an infestation of golden mussels, which were recently identified in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and that “pose a significant threat to the ecological health of all waters of the state, its water conveyance systems, infrastructure, and water quality,” California State Parks said. … ” Read more from KCRA.
BAY AREA
Los Gatos group collaborates on reducing wildfire risk
“One group is clearing hundreds of forestland acreage in one of the largest wildfire risk reduction projects in Santa Clara County. The Los Gatos Creek Watershed Collaboration began testing tools to clear brush and restore the forest’s ecosystem on 155 acres along Montevina Road a little more than a week ago. The effort is part of a larger initiative to treat 840 acres of forestland in the Santa Cruz Mountains and prevent wildfires in the high-risk zone near the Lexington Reservoir. The collaboration, which recently received a $6.9 million Cal Fire grant for the work, includes Midpeninsula Regional Open Space Preserve, San Jose Water and the Santa Clara County FireSafe Council and parks department. … ” Read more from the San Jose Spotlight.
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
State panel kills San Joaquin River protection bill despite toxic mine warnings
“A state Assembly committee this week blocked legislation that would have shielded the San Joaquin River from a massive mining operation, prioritizing union jobs over federal warnings of lead and arsenic contamination. The Natural Resources Committee rejected Fresno Assemblymember Joaquin Arambula’s AB 1425 on a 2-1 vote, with most members abstaining from voting. The bill, supported by Fresno mayor Jerry Dyer, aimed to stop CEMEX from blast-mining a 600-foot crater near the river – a practice Mexico banned last year but remains legal in California. Committee members on Monday sidestepped the environmental substance raised by Arambula, focusing instead on bureaucratic processes. “I’m very concerned about the precedent. If you don’t like how the CEQA process is playing out, you circumvent it,” Bay Area Assemblymember Damon Connolly said. … ” Read more from Fresnoland.
Column: Bill to prevent CEMEX blast mine on San Joaquin River gets short shrift
Columnist Marek Warszawski writes, “If the San Joaquin River is to be protected from further harm at the hands of a multinational mining company with a history of environmental violations, help won’t be arriving from the state capitol. A bill authored by Assemblymember Joaquin Arambula (D-Fresno) aimed at squelching CEMEX’s controversial blast mine failed to advance from its first committee hearing Monday afternoon in Sacramento. Only one member of the Assembly Natural Resources Committee voted “aye” on AB 1425 compared to 13 “noes” and no votes, killing the bill for this legislative session. That does not mean CEMEX gets the green light to start drilling and blasting 200 feet away from the river 3 miles outside the Fresno city limits. Goodness no. It simply means the process for potential approval will continue as prescribed by the California Environmental Quality Act. … ” Read more from the Fresno Bee.
Kings County Farm Bureau event Wednesday to discuss state groundwater law
“The Kings County Farm Bureau will hold its second informational meeting on the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) at 9 a.m., Wednesday, April 30, at St. John’s Hall, 8301 8 ½ Ave. near Hanford. SGMA mandates overdrafted groundwater basins bring aquifers into balance by 2040 in order to protect drinking water wells and stop subsidence, land sinking, among other detrimental outcomes of over pumping. The event will touch on the Farm Bureau’s current lawsuit against the state Water Resources Control Board and its impact on the community. In 2024, the Farm Bureau sued the Water Board after the board placed the Tulare Lake subbasin, which covers most of Kings County, on probation for not submitting a complete groundwater sustainability plan (GSP). … ” Read more from SJV Water.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Weekend storm could be SoCal’s last rain for months
“As the dry season nears, a storm set to sweep across the interior West this weekend could be one of the last to deliver meaningful rainfall to coastal Southern California until fall. However, AccuWeather meteorologists say a lingering dip in the jet stream may bring one or two more opportunities into May. A storm that pushed onshore in the West this past weekend brought up to a few tenths of an inch of rain to coastal areas of Southern California. That storm is helping to spur on drenching downpours and severe thunderstorms over the southern Plains through midweek. There will be one more opportunity for some rain to dampen the ground in Los Angeles and San Diego, but it will depend on the storm’s track, speed and how much moisture it is able to pull in from the Pacific. Much of the precipitation from the storm — low-elevation rain showers and mountain snow showers — will be associated with a limited amount of Pacific moisture and a strengthening puddle of cold air in the upper levels of the atmosphere. … ” Read more from AccuWeather.
Empty reservoirs, energized lines cited in CA wildfire lawsuits
“Two federal judges who lost their Pacific Palisades homes in the January firestorm have joined hundreds of their neighbors in suing the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, claiming the utility failed to properly prepare for the wildfire and respond when it broke out. U.S. District Judge Dean Pregerson, who currently sits on the Central District of California’s court, and Vijay “Jay” Gandhi, who served as a magistrate judge in the same court, filed the lawsuit last week along with their families. The suit, filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, alleges that the Palisades conflagration “was caused by both LADWP’s water and power assets, specifically empty reservoirs and energized powerlines.” The lawsuit cites reporting from The Times that found LADWP’s Santa Ynez Reservoir, located in the Palisades, sat empty during the firefight, having been closed months prior for repairs. … ” Read more from Firehouse.
Baron & Budd and Diab Chambers file lawsuits on behalf of four water suppliers affected by 2025 Eaton Fire
“Today, the nationally recognized law firms of Baron & Budd P.C. and Diab Chambers LLP, filed lawsuits on behalf of Las Flores Water Company, Rubio Cañon Land and Water Association, Lincoln Avenue Water Company, and Kinneloa Irrigation District against Southern California Edison (SCE) for damages to water systems and critical infrastructure resulting from the January 7, 2025 Eaton Fire. The Eaton Fire burned more than 14,000 acres, damaged or destroyed more than 10,000 structures, including churches, temples, mosques, senior centers, parks, open space, and historical landmarks, displaced tens of thousands of Los Angeles County residents, and tragically resulted in the fatalities of at least 18 individuals. “The water agencies have mobilized resources to restore these systems for the safe and reliable delivery of water to Los Angeles County residents,” said Torri Sherlin, a shareholder with Baron & Budd, outside counsel for the water agencies in this action. “This legal action seeks appropriate compensation for the repair of this critical infrastructure and disruption to system operations.” … ” Read more from Business Wire.
Pasadena confronts its water future at annual town hall
“Pasadena Water & Power will host a virtual Water Town Hall on Wednesday, May 7 from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. via Zoom. The event aims to educate community members about their water sources, delivery processes, and PWP’s sustainability measures to ensure reliable, high-quality water services. The Water Town Hall serves as a centerpiece for May’s Water Awareness Month, an annual outreach campaign highlighting water as a precious resource in Southern California. PWP’s water system serves more than 160,000 customers across a 26-square-mile service area, encompassing Pasadena and portions of Altadena, East Pasadena, and San Gabriel. In 2023, the utility provided approximately 23,800 acre-feet or 8.6 billion gallons of water to these communities. … ” Read more from Pasadena Now.
Tackling the water crisis in the Mojave Desert: water systems for potable water
“In the heart of the Mojave Desert, where the heat can reach extremes and the landscape seems to be devoid of life, there is a resource that is becoming increasingly precious: water. While it may be far from the limelight, this desert in California is the centre of a major battle against the water crisis that afflicts many regions of the United States, particularly in the Southwest. For this reason, many innovative projects have emerged to ensure water supplies to one of the country’s driest areas. … ” Continue reading from We Build Value.
LA County marine life dying in droves from toxic algae
“Thousands of sea lions, dolphins, whales and other marine life have been washing onshore due to an unprecedented toxic algae bloom across the Los Angeles County coast. Sea lions and other marine mammals are stranding with domoic acid toxicosis, a toxic algae that’s deadly for many sea animals — particularly dolphins, which have no chance of survival. Common neurological symptoms in sea lions with domoic acid toxicosis are side-to-side head movements, erratic behavior, head extended backwards, foaming at the mouth and seizure activity. The Marine Mammal Care Center is responding to LA County strandings and urging beachgoers to report marine life with these symptoms to their hotline at 1-839-WHALE. … ” Read more from Spectrum 1.
SAN DIEGO
Carlsbad faces grumbling over water rate hikes
“The Carlsbad City Council voted 4-1 last week to raise rates for water, sewer and recycled water that will bring additional increases in Jan. 2026 and 2027, for a total of $61.75, or 49% over the current rate. City staff explained that the San Diego County Water Authority raised wholesale rates by 14% last July. “That means it costs us 14% more to purchase water for Carlsbad customers,” said Shoshana Aguilar, senior management analyst with the city’s utilities department. Sixty five percent of the cost of water bills involves county water purchases from sources such as the Colorado River and desalination. The rate hikes fund the many costs of water delivery and can’t exceed the cost of service. “We make no profit on utility rates.” … ” Read more from the San Diego Reader.
San Diego Bay showing signs of improvement after reef balls installed
We first showed you these reef balls in 2021. They were installed in December of that year and they were made of oyster shells that came from the Carlsbad Aquafarm.
EPA head pushes Mexico to address Tijuana River sewage in recent San Diego visit
“Water knows no borders. Unfortunately, neither does sewage. Each day, the Tijuana River carries millions—and sometimes billions—of gallons of sewage across the U.S.-Mexico border into California, where it dumps into the ocean. This wave of waste frequently overwhelms wastewater treatment plants in both countries, fueling a public health and environmental crisis in nearby San Diego communities. The problem has gotten worse in recent years as budget-strapped infrastructure deteriorates and climate change fuels increasingly intense storms. Last week, the Environmental Protection Agency’s administrator, Lee Zeldin, visited San Diego County to urge a “100 percent solution” from Mexico and the U.S. for ending the flow of untreated wastewater. He told reporters that a meeting with Mexico officials went well but stressed that the U.S. is “all out of patience.” “There’s no way that we are going to stand before the people of California and ask them to have more patience and just bear with all of us as we go through the next 10 or 20 or 30 years of being stuck in 12 feet of raw sewage and not. … ” Read more from Inside Climate News.
Along the Colorado River …
Colorado River talks carry on without Reclamation leader
“Although the top post at the Bureau of Reclamation remains without a nominee more than 100 days into the second Trump administration, state officials say the empty seat will not slow negotiations over a new Colorado River operating plan. President Donald Trump has yet to put forth a leader for Reclamation, which is responsible for dams, reservoirs, canals and other infrastructure across 17 Western states. David Palumbo, the agency’s deputy commissioner, is currently serving in an acting capacity. But state officials said the lack of a Senate-confirmed leader is unlikely to hamper ongoing talks about how to share the Colorado River, as well as any potential cuts when flows are too low to meet the demands of some 40 million people and 5.5 million acres of farmland. … ” Read more from E&E News (sorry, subscription required).
New analysis reveals big ag is draining Colorado River dry
“New analysis out today from environmental organization Food & Water Watch reveals the egregious water abuse by certain agribusiness sectors, particularly alfalfa and mega-dairies. Protecting the Colorado River – which supplies water for nearly 40 million Americans every year – is more vital than ever now, as President Trump’s administration’s decisions are putting our water resources even more at risk. Analysis reveals the agribusiness industry’s over-consumption of the Colorado River’s water including that: In 2024, thirsty alfalfa farms consumed an estimated 2.15 trillion gallons of water across all seven Basin states. 40% of these farms are 1,000+ acres; this could supply the Basin states’ 40 million people with water for 3 and a half years … ” Continue reading from Food & Water Watch.
How environmental leaders in Phoenix are revitalizing the Rio Salado
“The Rio Salado, once a healthy river that sustained indigenous communities in central Arizona, faced deep degradation over time. Dams, sand and gravel mines, and industrial facilities polluted the riverbed. It was transformed into an informal landfill for trash and waste, scarring the heart of metro Phoenix. But in the last fifty years, environmental leaders began to imagine how it would be to have the beautiful river of its ancestors around them again. This culminated in Rio Reimagined, a revitalization initiative targeting over 55 miles of the Rio Salado and its tributary the Gila River. The effort spans eight cities and the Salt River Pima-Maricopa and the Gila River Indian communities. … ” Read more from Arizona Central.
AZ lawmakers, farmers consider farmland conversion program to save water and increase housing
“Ron Rayner’s family has farmed in the West Valley for generations. He runs A Tumbling T Ranch, growing wheat, alfalfa, cotton and barley on land in Buckeye, Goodyear and Gila Bend. From his office in Goodyear, you can see new developments springing up all around from the north. But to the south, it’s still sprawling fields of crops and a clear view to the Estrella Mountains. “I grew up right here, on this place. That little wooden house. Just to the north of us, there we had five kids in one room, my siblings. So we grew up right here on this piece of ground,” Rayner said. … ” Read more from KJZZ.
Some of Colorado’s mountains have no snowpack left after below-average winter
“The latest data shows Colorado has just 59% of the median snowpack it has seen over the last three decades. “This winter has not been a good one in terms of snowpack,” state climatologist Russ Schumacher said. The southwestern corner of the state is suffering the worst. According to the USDA’s Natural Resource Conservation Service, Cortez and the Four Corners have zero moisture left to melt. … ” Read more from Channel 31.
In national water news today …
Summer of heat, thunderstorms and drought to unfold for US in 2025
“Energy bills could run high this summer as AccuWeather long-range forecasters predict a hotter-than-normal season across large swaths of the United States. Meteorological summer starts on Sunday, June 1, and runs through the end of August, a three-month span that will feature sweltering heat, severe weather, intense wildfires and the start of a dynamic hurricane season. Many parts of the U.S. have already had a taste of summer warmth, including Phoenix, which had its earliest 100-degree temperature reading in seven years when the mercury cracked the century mark on April 10. And this is just a preview of what’s to come as it is expected to be a hot summer for most of the country. … ” Read more from AccuWeather.
Ten vital services provided by NOAA (beyond the National Weather Service)
“The National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is in the Trump administration’s crosshairs. Hundreds of scientists have been fired, and there have been proposals to close countless labs and facilities. And while there has been a groundswell of activism and media coverage pointing out the vital role that NOAA plays in keeping Americans safe and healthy, most of it focuses on the National Weather Service. While it’s absolutely true that cuts to the National Weather Service will make it harder to predict and monitor hurricanes and tornadoes, which will endanger countless lives and livelihoods, NOAA does so much more than this, and much of the vital services they provide aren’t getting enough attention. Here are ten lesser-known responsibilities of NOAA scientists. … ” Read more from the Union of Concerned Scientists.
EPA’s PFAS plans draw concern in public health circles
“Moves by the Trump administration to draw up a new regulatory framework for types of toxic chemicals has sparked suspicion among health advocates who fear the changes will protect polluters but not public health. The concerns come after US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin on Monday rolled out preliminary plans to tackle widespread environmental contamination by per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), chemicals used in myriad industries for decades that have been found to pose health threats. The plans include elements that appear aimed at reversing or weakening policies pursued by the Biden administration, including potentially shielding public water systems from the costs of cleaning certain types of PFAS from public drinking water supplies. Zeldin said the agency would be “advancing research and testing,” and taking other actions to “ensure Americans have the cleanest air, land and water.” … ” Read more from the New Lede.
The EPA is canceling almost 800 environmental justice grants, court filing reveals
“The Environmental Protection Agency plans to cancel a total of 781 grants issued under President Joe Biden, EPA lawyers wrote in a little-noticed court filing last week, almost twice the number previously reported. The filing in Woonasquatucket River Watershed Council v. Department of Agriculture marks the first time the agency has publicly acknowledged the total number of grants set for termination, which includes all of its environmental justice grants. It comes during court fights over whether the EPA has violated its legal obligations when clawing back the funds. “EPA is in the process of sending out the formal termination/cancellation notices to all of the impacted grantees,” EPA career official Daniel Coogan wrote in the filing. … ” Read more from the Washington Post.
In his first 100 days, Trump launched an ‘all-out assault’ on the environment
“One hundred days into the second Trump administration, many environmentalists’ worst fears about the new presidency have been realized—and surpassed. Facing a spate of orders, pronouncements and actions that target America’s most cherished natural resources and most vulnerable communities, advocates fear the Trump agenda, unchecked, will set the country back decades. “It is not an overstatement to say that the Trump administration has launched the worst White House assault in history on the environment and public health. Day by day and hour by hour, the administration is destroying one of the signature achievements of our time,” said Manish Bapna, the president and CEO of the environmental nonprofit Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). “If this assault succeeds, it could take a generation or more to repair the damage.” … ” Read more from Inside Climate News.
SEE ALSO: Trump’s first 100 days, by the numbers, from E&E News
‘It’s a huge loss’: Trump administration dismisses scientists preparing climate report
“The Trump administration this week summarily dismissed more than 400 scientists and other experts who had begun to write the latest National Climate Assessment report, informing them by email that the scope of the report was being reevaluated. The report, mandated by Congress, is prepared every four years under a 1990 law. It details the latest science on climate change, and also reports on progress in addressing global warming. Scientists said they fear the Trump administration could seek to shut down the effort or enlist other authors to write a very different report that seeks to attack climate science — a path they say would leave the country ill-prepared for worsening disasters intensified by humanity’s warming of the planet, including more intense heat waves, wildfires, droughts, floods and sea-level rise. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
