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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.
- EVENT: Delta Restoration Forum from 3pm to 5pm in Clarksburg. Please join the Delta Plan Interagency Implementation Committee’s Restoration Subcommittee for the third Delta Restoration Forum. Meet ecosystem restoration practitioners leading projects in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and Suisun Marsh and learn about efforts underway, including active and planned projects, funding programs, and opportunities for landowners to implement wildlife-friendly practices. Attendees will hear brief project presentations, network, and share perspectives. Attendance is free with registration.
- COMMUNITY MEETING Declining groundwater in Sonoma Valley: What can we do? from 5:30pm to 7:00pm in Sonoma Valley. Sonoma Valley residents, farmers, ranchers, and businesses must join together and take action to reverse the trend of declining groundwater. The event will include information about current conditions, groundwater sustainability priority areas, and policy and program options. Meet experts and local organizations that offer practical ways community members can help protect our groundwater. Click here to RSVP.
In California water news today …
House Republicans want to remove endangered species protection for a tiny fish in San Francisco Bay
“Congress is expected to vote Thursday on a Republican resolution to reverse endangered species protection for a tiny inhabitant of San Francisco Bay that opponents say could set a dangerous precedent. The resolution aims to remove the endangered species status of longfin smelt in the San Francisco Bay. The fish received that designation in July under the Biden administration. Rep. Doug LaMalfa, a Republican from Butte County, introduced the resolution in March under the Congressional Review Act, saying it was necessary to protect the state’s water supply. Opponents say the time period for such a resolution already expired and that the Republican effort is part of an unprecedented attack on endangered species protections. “Generally we’re seeing an all-out assault on the Endangered Species Act and protections like it,” said Cameron Walkup, policy advocate for Earthjustice, which opposes the resolution along with several other environmental groups, including San Francisco Baykeeper. Walkup called the Congressional Review Act “an undemocratic, scorched-earth policy (that) makes it so a bare majority in Congress can overturn any law.” … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle (gift article).
‘We need to plan for a more water-resilient future:’ Q&A with Richard G. Luthy, urban water expert
“Richard G. Luthy is the Silas H. Palmer Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Stanford University, and the former director of the National Science Foundation’s Engineering Research Center for Re-inventing the Nation’s Urban Water Infrastructure (ReNUWIt), a four-university consortium. His work focuses on ways to ensure that water overflows in both urban and rural California can be captured and stored underground — a requirement now as the ability to construct new dams for overground storage has almost vanished. Felicity Barringer, the editor and lead writer for “& the West,” conducted this interview. … ” Read the Q&A at … & the West.
California reservoirs surge past normal water levels: ‘great news’
“At least two of California’s reservoirs are expected to reach capacity for the third year in a row as the state heads into summer, a sharp turnaround from the persistent droughts that plagued much of the past decade. Newsweek reached out to the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) by email for comment. This year’s gains in water storage signal a major shift for California, which has struggled with extreme drought, depleted reservoirs, and contentious water politics for years. Full reservoirs not only ensure a more secure water supply for the state’s 39 million residents and vast agricultural industry, but they also help mitigate wildfire risks and stabilize ecosystems battered by dry conditions. … ” Read more from Newsweek.
More Lake Shasta water shipped south to San Joaquin Valley after Trump Administration order
“Agricultural irrigators and communities south of the San Joaquin Delta that rely on water from Lake Shasta and other federal reservoirs in California will get more water this year. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation announced this week that it is increasing the amount of water that south-of-Delta agencies receive from the federal Central Valley Project to 50% of their total contracted amount. Agencies north of the Delta that receive federal water will receive 100% of their contracts, the bureau said. In February, the bureau initially allocated 35% of contract amount to agricultural and municipal agencies south of the Delta, but higher-than-average snow and rainfall this past winter have North State reservoirs rising, the agency said. … ” Read more from the Redding Record-Searchlight.
Wet winter, full reservoirs lead to increased water deliveries from state, federal governments
“Water agencies up and down California will be getting larger allocations from the state and federal delivery systems this year, water managers announced this week. On Tuesday, the California Department of Water Resources announced it would be increasing deliveries to 50 percent of requested supplies from the State Water Project — that’s up from 40 percent in March. Also, officials with the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation announced that deliveries to irrigation systems and other water contractors south of the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta are being increased from 40 percent of requested supplies to 50 percent. Meanwhile, farms north of the Delta, and within the Delta itself, will receive 100 percent of their requested supplies from the federal Central Valley Project. … ” Read more from SF Gate.
Report details the widespread impacts of dust on California
“Researchers from several University of California campuses have collaborated to create a report on dust in California, a characteristic that defines the desert climate zone that encompasses most of the state. The regions where dust storms occur encompass an area greater than 55,000 square miles and are home to nearly five million Californians, a population greater than nearly half of the states in the United States. And now more than ever, there is a great need for the public to know about it, say members of the science team led by Amato Evan, a climate scientist at UC San Diego’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography. One major finding from the research compiled in this report is the wide-ranging impacts of dust on health, public safety, the environment, and the economy of California. … ” Read more from Scripps.
California forecast models show unsettled weather pattern could persist through mid-May
“A lingering upper-level trough will keep California locked in a springtime pattern of cooler than average temperatures, scattered showers and occasional high-elevation snow through at least mid-May. The setup, a continuation of the same broad-scale pattern that made April cooler and drier than normal, remains unusually far south for this time of year, said Scott Handel, a forecaster at the Climate Prediction Center. “The flow is cut off from the main storm track, which is why we’re seeing this kind of unsettled weather reach deeper into California than usual for May,” Handel said. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
Juvenile salmon roam between salt and fresh water while exploring miles of coast and rivers, new research finds
“The migrations that make up the well-known salmon life cycle have long been described as one way at a time. Juvenile salmon hatch and swim down rivers to the ocean, where they grow and mature before returning to the same river to spawn the next generation. Turns out that many young salmon do things differently, according to new research by NOAA Fisheries, Tribal, and university scientists. The findings were published in the peer-reviewed journal Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment. They discovered that as many as 22 percent of juvenile salmon in California and Washington streams swam downriver to the ocean and then back up other rivers as many as 9 times. They reached rivers as far as 40 miles away along the coast. Instead of simply entering the ocean for good, they roam miles of coastline, moving between freshwater and saltwater and exploring rivers as they go, said Todd Bennett, a salmon scientist at NOAA Fisheries’ Northwest Fisheries Science Center and coauthor of the new research. … ” Read more from NOAA Fisheries.
How a forecast, a booth visit, and a big decision changed the game for Tulare Irrigation District (Advertorial)
“In the fall of 2023, Tulare Irrigation District’s General Manager Aaron Fukuda sat in a packed session at the ACWA conference, listening to Rob Doornbos of Weather Tools talk about their water year precipitation forecast. Fukuda wasn’t expecting much, maybe some vague guidance with probabilities. But then Doornbos began walking through the model’s past performance — and it caught Fukuda’s attention. Doornbos shared a case study of the previous year (water year 2022-23) when most forecasters had called for another year of drought. But Weather Tools’ model saw something different. Their annual precipitation forecast—released the first week of November, months ahead of any state updates —projected “20 to 40% above normal precipitation.” That bold prediction proved to be right on target. And so was every forecast since 2016. Fukuda sat up straighter. “I remember thinking, ‘Wait… who is this guy?’” he said, laughing. … ” Read more from Water Wrights.
Fired (or not?) from Trump’s EPA, this Berkeley resident says his worst fears have come true
“Berkeley resident Daniel Fahey, recently hired by the Environmental Protection Agency to administer Bay Area grants aimed at improving water quality and restoring wetlands, is among the thousands of so-called “probationary” federal workers who received an email in mid-February announcing they’d been fired. His termination notice, which said he had “failed to demonstrate fully” his qualifications for continued employment, was part of the Trump administration’s broader push to drastically shrink the federal government to make it more “efficient” — an effort led by tech billionaire Elon Musk’s unofficial Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE. He was rehired after a judge’s order, but was placed on administrative leave and is leaning toward taking a buyout, expecting to be permanently cut from the agency even if he is not. Trump has said he wants to reduce the EPA’s staff by 65%, though the White House later backtracked, saying the figure referred to proposed spending cuts, not staffing levels. While many federal workers with jobs lost or in limbo have shied from the spotlight, Fahey said he thinks it’s important to tell his story. … ” Read more from Berkeleyside.
UC ANR Policy Institute launched to inform policymaking, implementation
“University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources has formally launched the new UC ANR Policy Institute, envisioned as a “one-stop shop” for policymakers to find and easily access scientists and research on a host of critical issues in California. Available expertise encompasses agricultural topics, wildfire and forestry, water and pest management, public health and nutrition, and community and youth development, among others. “This institute couldn’t come at a more critical time; as policies and regulations increase in complexity, so too does the need for data and science to be at the decision-making table,” said Glenda Humiston, UC vice president for agriculture and natural resources. “Researchers are prime resources for everyone engaged in policymaking – legislators, nonprofits, industry and individual community members – and by increasing capacity to engage in this space, UC ANR will help communities across California craft policies that are practical and produce desired results,” Humiston explained. … ” Read more from UCANR.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and National Marine Fisheries Service propose to rescind the regulatory definition of “harm” under Endangered Species Act
“On April 17, 2025, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (“USFWS”) and the National Marine Fisheries Service (“NMFS”) (collectively the “Services”) published a notice in the Federal Register of a proposed rulemaking that would rescind the regulatory definition of “harm” under the Endangered Species Act (“ESA”). The ESA prohibits “take” of threatened and endangered species. The statute defines “take” to include actions such as: “harass, harm, pursue, hunt, shoot, wound, kill, trap, capture, or collect, or to attempt to engage in any such conduct.” The ESA does not define “harm,” but the USFWS’s existing regulations define “harm” as “an act which actually kills or injures wildlife . . . [which] may include significant habitat modification or degradation where it actually kills or injures wildlife by significantly impairing essential behavioral patterns, including breeding, feeding or sheltering.” NMFS’s definition is materially the same. Since the USFWS adopted its regulatory definition of “harm” over four decades ago, there has been significant litigation regarding whether and to what extent actions that modify habitat constitute “harm” under the regulatory definition. … ” Read more from US Fish and Wildlife.
In commentary today …
Edward Ring: How to add 10 MAF/yr to California’s water supply
Edward Ring writes, “There is a good chance that a Californian is going to be nominated to become the new Commissioner of the Bureau of Reclamation. One source of opposition to his confirmation could be senators representing states that share with California the waters of the Colorado River, concerned that a Californian will not sufficiently take into account their interests. But if California invests in projects to increase its water supply, it won’t need as much water from the Colorado River. What follows are ways California, and only California, has the potential to increase its annual water supply by 10 million acre feet per year. That’s enough to cope with a prolonged drought without starving cities or farms of water. It’s also enough to make generous deals with the other states that withdraw water from the Colorado River. … ” Continue reading this commentary by Edward Ring.
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
Big water news in Gasquet
“Safe drinking water is coming to the Northfork Loop and Stoney Creek, in Gasquet. It’s a first! The much- welcomed H2o will now address springs running dry and leaving homeowners with no option but to purchase mobile-delivered water. Since the founding of the water district in 1968, the Loop has never had access to fresh, safe drinking water. Crews have begun digging a 3000 ft trench surrounding the Loop. Some 30 parcels are soon to be impacted. Water from the Smith is now being sanitized for the property owners. … ” Read more from the Del Norte Triplicate.
Cal Poly Humboldt helps reveal rising flood risk in Pacific Northwest
“The next great earthquake isn’t the only threat to the Pacific Northwest. A powerful earthquake, combined with rising sea levels, could significantly increase flood risks in the Pacific Northwest, impacting thousands of residents and properties in Northern California, Oregon, and Washington, according to a new study published this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The study, titled “Increased flood exposure in the Pacific Northwest following earthquake-driven subsidence and sea-level rise,” found that a major earthquake could cause coastal land to sink up to 6.5 feet. This would expand the federally-designated 1% coastal floodplain, an area with a 1-in-100 chance of flooding each year, by 35-116 square miles. Harvey Kelsey, a research associate in the Geology department at Cal Poly Humboldt and a co-author of the study, explained that the research is the result of several decades of fieldwork aimed at understanding the extent of flooding after a subduction zone earthquake. … ” Read more from the Redheaded Blackbelt.
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
Recreation sites around Lake Tahoe opening dates released
“With the weather warming up, many want to hit the beach and campgrounds around Lake Tahoe. The USDA Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit (LTBM) is preparing to open national forest recreation sites for the summer, now that snow is melting and spring is here. Many were worried about LTBMU’s ability to get things open due to staffing cuts across the country, but their concessionaire agreements that were already in place with other companies who run some of the sites allow work to get completed. Before recreation sites fully open to the public, sites must be cleaned up after the snow melts, safety hazards such as dead or damaged trees must be removed, and the danger of a freeze must pass before turning on restroom water systems. All opening dates are subject to change, due to conditions and weather. … ” Read more from South Tahoe Now.
BAY AREA
Judge: Tugboat skipper liable for Marin oil spill
“A tugboat captain involved in an oil spill off the Marin County coast is liable for the government’s $14 million cleanup, a federal judge ruled. The boat operator, Christian Lint, died from other causes after the incident. But his estate and the owners of the involved boats were sued by the U.S. Department of Justice to recover the cleanup costs. Lint lost control of another vessel that ran aground near Dillon Beach in 2021. Lint’s estate argued that the ship’s owners — not the tugboat captain or “operator” under maritime laws – were liable, so Lint should be removed from the lawsuit. But U.S. District Court Judge Thomas Zilly of the Western District of Washington disagreed and rejected the estate’s motion. Zilly ruled that the term “operator” under the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 “includes an individual who directs or controls the movement of a vessel.” … ” Read more from the Marin Independent Journal.
CENTRAL COAST
‘Holding Businesses Accountable’: Settlements reached with boat captain, dry cleaner over improper waste disposal
“The Ventura County District Attorney’s office issued two news releases on environmental enforcement actions, with one involving toxic discharges from a squid-fishing boat and another regarding a dry-cleaning business accused of abandoning dangerous chemicals in an alleyway. In an April 21 release, prosecutors said that on Dec. 6, 2024, commercial fishing boat captain William Porter McHenry allowed waste known as “stick water” to be discharged into the ocean much closer to shore than allowed. Stick water is created during the squid-fishing process when squid die in holds filled with sea water and release ink containing high levels of ammonia, which turns the water dark and toxic. … ” Read more from the Ventura County Reporter.
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
State says Arambula Cemex bill subverts CEQA. What’s next for San Joaquin River?
“State legislators denied a local lawmaker’s bill to stop a mining project that proposes to drill and blast a 600-foot pit along the San Joaquin River and is undergoing its environmental review. On Monday, the California Assembly Committee on Natural Resources voted down AB 1425 from Assemblymember Joaquin Arambula, D-Fresno, though it may come back up in January 2026 for absent committee members to consider, said committee chair Isaac Bryan, D-Baldwin Hills. The “narrowly tailored” bill, according to Arambula, would have stopped Mexico-based CEMEX from emptying water from mining pits, which he said risks contaminating the river and overdrafting water along the river. By banning “dewatering,” the company’s plan to dig the 600-foot pit would not only be stopped, but it would force the company to cease its current operations as well, CEMEX representative Scott Govenar said at the hearing. … ” Read more from GV Wire.
Gustine City Council approves agreement to continue water and sewer rate study
“The Gustine City Council has approved an agreement to extend the city’s water and sewer rate study, ensuring that utility rates are aligned with current and future costs of providing essential services to residents. The decision was made during the April 15 council meeting, following a recommendation from city staff. The approved resolution authorizes the City Manager to execute an addendum with Harris & Associates, the firm originally hired in late 2023 to conduct the rate study. The extension, known as Amendment No. 1, updates the project timeline and includes a cost escalation of $13,440. This adjustment will allow the study to resume after a pause earlier this year to incorporate updates to the city’s infrastructure maps and capital improvement plans. … ” Read more from Westside Connect.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
What’s in the Burnt Remains of the LA Wildfires?
“Wildfires tore through Los Angeles in January 2025, burning more than 16,000 structures, uprooting neighborhoods and displacing entire communities. As the infernos raged, DRI scientists with a wide range of expertise in soil science, air quality, and post-wildfire impacts put together a plan for collecting ash, dust, soil, and building material samples from the burn zones. To them, these urban fires presented a unique opportunity to understand how materials like plastics, metals, and even lithium batteries from electric cars can transform into environmental contaminants when they burn. “The community members affected by these fire scars will need this information in order to make decisions about whether to rebuild and how to safely live in these areas after risk reduction through proper cleanup” said Vera Samburova, Associate Research Professor of Atmospheric Science at DRI who led the effort. “This is an important thing to understand all across the West, because fires in the wildland-urban-interface are increasing everywhere, including in Nevada.” … ” Read more from Desert Research Institute.
L.A. lifeguards taking mental health leave as beach algae bloom takes toll
“Spencer Parker has never seen so many dolphin strandings in his more than 20 years as an L.A. County lifeguard. Since he started in 2002, only twice had he seen them come ashore before this year. But in just the last two weeks, there have been four. Now, things have gotten so bad that L.A. County lifeguards have begun taking mental health days off to cope with the devastation as an algae bloom is poisoning and killing marine life from San Diego to Santa Barbara. “We’re human beings and we have feelings and we care about marine life — that’s one of the reasons we chose this profession,” said Parker, a captain in the county Fire Department’s lifeguard division. “When these dolphins and sea lions come to shore and they’re still alive, we do our best to make them comfortable and sometimes it doesn’t work out and that takes a toll.” … ” Read more from the LA Times.
SEE ALSO:
- Toxic algae bloom taking a toll on LA County lifeguards, from CBS News
- Crisis in the waters: Toxic algae overwhelms San Diego rescuers as marine life suffers, from Channel 7
IMPERIAL/COACHELLA VALLEYS
CVWD on hook for $17M in refunds after court loss, sum could eventually top $100M
“Coachella Valley Water District is now on the hook to refund more than $17 million to non-farming customers, a sum that could multiply ten-fold. The California Supreme Court on Wednesday denied an appeal of the water district’s third-straight loss to the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association over its rate structure, and if it loses appeals of two other losses, the combined refunds could be well over $100 million, the association’s attorney said. “We are glad to see that justice has been done, and that CVWD is not successful in their scorched policy to deny justice to non-agricultural customers,” Jeffrey Costell, attorney for the taxpayers’ group said. … ” Read more from the Desert Sun.
Attack of the 75-foot roving mud puddle
Meg Bernhard writes, “My obsession with the roving mud puddle of Imperial County started several years ago, when my then-boyfriend sent me a YouTube video. Titled “Giant Moving Mud Puddle Tries to Take Out a TRAIN,” the clip from science influencer Physics Girl showed a brown, bubbling puddle some 50 feet from Highway 111, where the road runs along the Salton Sea’s eastern shore. In 2018, the muck traveled at least 60 feet over the course of several months, with some reports that it then matched that distance in one day. Nothing seemed able to stop its forward march, which terrorized California’s transportation authorities. The Salton Sea’s eastern shore is home to hundreds of mud pots, though only this one—known as the “Niland Geyser,” “moving mud spring,” and “Mundo”— moves. Scientists can’t figure out why: Some think that a series of earthquakes made the bedrock more permeable and allowed the mud to seep through. But there’s no conclusive link. … ” Read more from Alta Magazine.
Salton Sea Management Progam marks milestone in habitat restoration
“This month, a key milestone was reached as water began flowing into the East Pond of the Species Conservation Habitat (SCH) Project—the largest restoration initiative at the Salton Sea. A mixture of water from the New River and the Salton Sea is now filling the first pond, with the East Pond 1 expansion Pond expected to follow by the end of May. Together, the two ponds will support roughly 2,000 acres of habitat-roughly three square miles, the California Natural Resources Agency said. Launched in 2021, the SHC Project has expanded to nearly 5,000 acres at the Sea’s southern end, with future plans to grow the footprint to more than 9,000 acres. The restoration efforts are designed to rebuild critical wetland habitats and reduce harmful dust exposure for surrounding communities. … ” Read more from the Imperial Valley Press.
SAN DIEGO
San Diego’s grand plan to revamp Mission Bay stalls over impasse with Coastal Commission
“A dispute with the state Coastal Commission has left San Diego at a standstill on an ambitious plan to transform much of northeastern Mission Bay into climate-friendly marshland and new recreation space. The dispute — which began seven months ago and isn’t close to being resolved — could prevent the city from securing millions in state and federal climate resiliency grants that would help pay for the new marshland. If the city applies for those grants before securing the Coastal Commission approvals required to move forward, other resiliency projects that don’t face such uncertainty will have a leg up in the grant approval process. … ” Read more from the San Diego Union-Tribune.
South Bay beaches look forward to more sewage-free days this summer
“Tijuana’s wastewater treatment plant has only been treating sewage for about two weeks, but there’s hope South Bay beaches could welcome people back into the water. Coronado Mayor John Duncan confirmed the San Antonio de los Buenos wastewater treatment plant began treating 18 million gallons of Tijuana’s raw sewage the week of April 16. The plant has dumped billions of gallons of raw sewage into the Pacific Ocean off Punta Bandera since 2020. “It’s a real problem,” Duncan said. “Since the Mexico plant started up, we’ve had many more open days up here.” … ” Read more from Channel 7.
Along the Colorado River …
Colorado River cuts should be shared basinwide, long-time water experts say in new report
“For Colorado River expert Anne Castle, the basin state negotiations over the future water supply for 40 million people is like a black hole. “There are very few people who know what is being discussed,” said Castle, who as a former federal official, has had an inside view of the closed-door negotiations. The seven Colorado River states are trying to agree on a shared vision for Colorado River management after 2026, when the current management rules expire. But the states have been at loggerheads for months, and they are out of time to disagree. They have months (some say weeks) to submit a proposal for federal analysis. If they can’t, the federal government will have to move on with its process in order to have new management rules in place by fall of 2026. … ” Read more from the Colorado Sun.
Interior water nominee calls Colorado River ‘top priority’
“Interior Department veteran Andrea Travnicek on Wednesday identified Colorado River policies, critical minerals development and infrastructure as her top three priorities if she is confirmed as Interior’s assistant secretary for water and science. With a background that includes service in the first Trump administration’s Interior Department and leadership of North Dakota’s Department of Water Resources, Travnicek noted that there are “a lot of discussions right now” related to the 1,450-mile river and the allocation of its water. “We’ve got some looming deadlines that are in front of us next year, so we’re going to have to work really closely with those seven states in the [Colorado River] basin,” Travnicek told the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. Agreements that currently govern the Colorado River will end in December 2026. … ” Read more from E&E News (sorry, subscription required).
Majority of Arizona’s land lacks groundwater control, raising future concerns
“Water is something Arizona takes very seriously, and most cities have control over their water and its availability. However, up in the High Country, because of a law from the 80s, local counties and cities have no idea how much available groundwater there is, causing concern for the future. In 1980, the Arizona Groundwater Management Act was signed into law, giving Arizona’s major cities, like Phoenix, Tucson, and Prescott, the ability to monitor and regulate their groundwater. While that covers the majority of Arizona’s population, it leaves about 80 percent of Arizona’s land mass without control over its water. … ” Read more from Arizona Family.
Proposed EPA rule could put Arizona’s water resources at stake
“Arizona has a unique relationship with water and a proposed rule by the Environmental Protection Agency could further complicate it. It was only two years ago the Supreme Court narrowed the definition of which waters would receive federal protection. Elise Ketcham, communications director for the Arizona Wildlife Federation, explained the court determined only wetlands physically connected to other federally-recognized waters would qualify. Now in an effort to remove what he calls “unfair burdens” on farmers and landowners, EPA administrator Lee Zeldin said he is looking to roll back further protections. Ketcham argued the proposal would not only jeopardize the state’s water quality but disproportionately impact the state’s ephemeral streams. … ” Read more from KAWC.
Desert-adapted crops thrive in central Arizona, allowing farmers to stretch water supplies
“It might be hard to imagine crops thriving in the hot, dry climate of central Arizona. But one crop, called guayule (pronounced why-yoo-lee), has caught the attention of farmers and researchers for its potential economic benefits and adaptation to desert climates. Guayule has been found to have several benefits, notably that processing it into rubber doesn’t involve toxic chemicals that can harm humans and the environment, unlike traditional rubber production. The shrub is native to the Chihuahua Desert in Mexico, said Katrina Cornish, a global expert on alternate rubber and latex production and director of the U.S Arid Land Agricultural Center in Maricopa, Arizona. … ” Read more from Arizona Central.
Water meter mixup has Phoenix woman paying neighbor’s water bills
“A Phoenix woman says she’s been getting questionable water bills for years, so she reached out to Arizona’s Family for help. It all started when Heather Johnson moved into her north Phoenix home in 2021. Right away, she says she noticed something was wrong with her water bill. “I just couldn’t figure out why it was saying I was using so much,” she said. “I was doing things to conserve water and to make sure I was responsible and then I thought, OK, this is just what the bills are now.” Johnson went about her life and kept paying the bills until her next-door neighbor had a leak in February. She had had enough, so she called a plumber out to check things out. … ” Read more from Arizona Family.
Dusty snow and how it impacts the Colorado River
“Using 23 years of satellite data, University of Utah hydrologists studied how dust-darkened snow is hastening runoff and reshaping the future of water in the Southwest. It matters. A lot. … Although the headwaters of the Colorado River begin high in the mountains of Colorado, the river itself journeys 1,450 miles through many arid states. That journey leaves it vulnerable because the snowpack that sustains the river is increasingly subjected to windblown events that accelerate snowmelt and the resulting runoff is compromised. A University of Utah-led study debuts a powerful remote-sensing dataset that informs the timing and magnitude of snow darkening and the impacts on melt rates across the Colorado Basin. The research is the first to capture how dust affects the broad expanse of headwaters feeding the Colorado River system. … ” Read more from Deseret News.
Support for clean, safe and secure water supplies transcends partisan politics
“Americans in the western United States consistently report they are concerned about the safety and availability of water resources. Regardless of political party, they want long-term solutions that protect natural resources and create a secure water future. Colorado College’s annual State of the Rockies Project Conservation in the West Poll explores opinions on water safety and security in the West. The findings reinforce Americans’ clear desire for action that will improve the sustainability of rivers, lakes, streams and other water sources. Voters in across eight western states reported nearly universal concern about river levels and the long-term availability of water. Almost nine-in-ten voters (88%) say inadequate water supply is a serious problem in their state. Two thirds (66%) say it is an “extremely” or “very” serious problem. The highest concern was reported in several southwestern states that rely on the Colorado River as a source of water, including Utah (95%), Nevada (92%), New Mexico (91%) and Arizona (90%). … ” Read more from the Walton Foundation.
In national water news today …
Interior Department pledges to reduce environmental reviews for large projects to ‘weeks’
“The U.S. Department of the Interior, which manages more than 480 million acres of federal land across the country, has pledged to “implement emergency permitting procedures” to facilitate fossil fuel and critical mineral development. The department described its revised energy development directive as an effort to expedite permitting timelines so reviews that typically take several months or years can be reduced “to just weeks,” according to a press release the department issued April 23. Interior Secretary Dough Burgum, who formerly served as North Dakota’s governor, said the country “cannot afford to wait” to continue with multi-year project reviews to develop oil, natural gas, coal, uranium, biofuels, geothermal energy and critical mineral deposits. … ” Read more from the Montana Free Press.
Sen. Susan Collins blasts Trump for cuts to scientific research
“Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) kicked off a Wednesday hearing criticizing the Trump administration for cutting science funding, firing federal scientists and triggering policy uncertainties that she said threaten to undermine the foundation for America’s global leadership. Collins, chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, said the administration’s abrupt cancellation of grants and laying off scientists have little or no justification. “These actions put our leadership in biomedical innovation at real risk and must be reversed,” she said. Her warning came as American University’s Institute for Macroeconomic & Policy Analysis published a study Wednesday showing how major cuts to federal funding for scientific research could cause economic damage equivalent to a major recession. In the first 100 days of Trump 2.0, the administration has fired 1,300 employees from The National Institutes of Health, the largest funder of biomedical research in the world, and cancelled more than $2 billion in federal research grants. … ” Read more from Inside Climate News.
Trump quietly halts money for preventing disaster damage
“The Trump administration is scaling back a multibillion-dollar program that has been the backbone of state efforts to protect homes, hospitals and other structures from floods, hurricanes and earthquakes. President Donald Trump stopped approving new allocations in early April from a federal program that has been a top funding source for protecting people and property from disasters since 1989. The Hazard Mitigation and Grant Program has been used to elevate or demolish flood-prone homes, install tornado-safe rooms and strengthen buildings in hurricane or earthquake zones. The program, overseen by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, has been crucial for states such as Florida, Oklahoma, California and Missouri. Louisiana has received $2.5 billion to protect 10,000 properties, records show. … ” Read more from E&E News.
