A wrap-up of posts published on Maven’s Notebook this week …
Note to readers: Sign up for weekly email service and you will receive notification of this post on Friday mornings. Readers on daily email service can add weekly email service by updating their subscription preferences. Click here to sign up!
In California water news this week …
Study finds that subsidence, groundwater over-pumping could limit future water State Water Project deliveries if no action is taken
“A recently released technical report concludes that the sinking of land in the Central Valley due to over-pumping of groundwater, referred to as subsidence, has restricted the amount of water the State Water Project (SWP) can deliver in a year by 3 percent. By 2043, if no action is taken, the current trajectory of subsidence, combined with climate change, could reduce deliveries by 87 percent. The SWP, one of California’s primary water storage and delivery systems, helps supply water to 27 million Californians and 750,000 acres of farmland and businesses throughout the state. The technical report, an addendum that builds on the Delivery Capability Report (DCR) released in 2024, analyzed the capability of the SWP to deliver water under both current and potential future conditions in the year 2043. The new findings underscore the importance of eliminating groundwater overdraft in the Central Valley and repairing existing damage to the state’s main water-delivery arteries…. ” Read more from DWR.
SGMA creates winners and losers in Central Valley agriculture
“A decade after the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act became law, many California farmers still feel lost in the bureaucracy surrounding its implementation. A new study finds that, despite widespread awareness, real engagement remains low. According to research from CSU-WATER — an initiative encompassing 23 California State University campuses — significant logistical and representational barriers have prevented farmers from meaningfully engaging with their Groundwater Sustainability Agencies. The research is part of SGMA WAVE — short for Water and Valley Economy — a project led by CSU-WATER, a water policy initiative involving all 23 CSU campuses. The study focuses on 72 GSAs across the San Joaquin Valley counties of Madera, Fresno, Tulare, Kings, and Kern. The study was led by Dr. Steve Blumenshine of CSU-Water and Dr. Anita Chaudhry of CSU-Chico — input was also received from Dr. Dean Fairbanks of CSU-Chico. … ” Read more from Valley Ag Voice.
SGMA implementation accelerates farmland value declines
“California farmland values have been steadily declining since the impetus of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act, but 2024 marked a turning point. Last year, land values faced sharp downward pressure driven by a combination of low commodity prices, high farming costs, higher interest rates, and, notably, the mounting effects of SGMA implementation. According to the 2025 Trends in Agricultural Land and Lease Values by the California Chapter of the American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers, 2024 land values declined across most crop types. As a result, the year saw increased lender pressure, distressed sales, and notable bankruptcies — including Trinitas Advantaged Agricultural Partners and Trinitas Farming LLC’s 7,500-acre almond operation and other major players in tree fruit and wine. “The financial pressures facing many growers are expected to continue in 2025, especially with lenders actively ordering updated appraisals to better understand their current loan to value,” the report explained. … ” Read more from Valley Ag Voice.
Sustainable Groundwater Management Act: What are its early impacts?
Ellen M. Bruno and Nick Hagerty, Giannini Foundation Of Agricultural Economics: “In this article we discuss the early effects of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) on water-related investments in agriculture. We consider the role of the regulation in driving observable trends in new well construction and permanent crop acreage. Contrary to expectations, we find that future regulation does not yet appear to be affecting the rates of well drilling nor new perennial planting.” Read article here.
Kings County farmers upbeat about SGMA lawsuit against state
“More than 30 people gathered recently in Hanford to hear about the progress of the Kings County Farm Bureau’s lawsuit to hold off state-ordered groundwater pumping fees, reporting requirements and other sanctions. The April 30 event was the Farm Bureau’s second Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) informational meeting to discuss its lawsuit against the state Water Resources Control Board. … Ference was confident the Farm Bureau would win after Kings County Superior Judge Kathy Cuiffini issued a preliminary injunction pausing the probationary sanctions and stating the state’s actions were not transparent. “We will prevail,” Ference said. … ” Read more from SJV Water.
The nation’s largest cities are sinking, including San Francisco
“The nation’s largest cities, including San Francisco, are sinking, according to a new study that calls the downward spiraling a “widespread” and “slow-moving hazard,” threatening thousands of buildings and millions of people. Known technically as land subsidence, the phenomenon can cause roads, bridges, utilities, dams and building foundations to buckle and increase the likelihood of flooding. Often it is the result of groundwater pumping. … But there are other causes, too. In San Francisco, where groundwater pumping is not an issue, the compaction of filled-in land at such places as Treasure Island, the city’s eastern bayshore and San Francisco International Airport is causing the land to sink. Some San Francisco compaction sites are experiencing as much as 5 millimeters of annual subsidence, or about a fifth of an inch a year, according to the study. As a whole, the city averaged just under 1 millimeter of sinking. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
Arrowhead bottled water company wins one of three pending court cases
“The company that sells Arrowhead brand bottled water has won a court ruling overturning a decision by California water regulators, who in 2023 ordered it to stop piping millions of gallons of water from the San Bernardino National Forest. Fresno County Superior Court Judge Robert Whalen Jr. said in his ruling that the State Water Resources Control Board’s order went “beyond the limits of its delegated authority.” The board had ordered the company BlueTriton Brands to stop taking much of the water it has been piping from water tunnels and boreholes in the mountains near San Bernardino. The board issued the “cease and desist” order after the agency’s staff conducted an investigation and determined the company was unlawfully diverting water from springs without valid water rights. The judge found, however, that the state water board “misunderstood and inappropriately applied” state law. He said the legal question was “not about water rights,” and he cited a provision stating the board does not have the authority to regulate groundwater. … ” Read more from the LA Times. | Read via Yahoo News.
From forecast to flow: Optimizing California’s reservoirs with FIRO
“California is adapting to increasingly intense storm patterns, largely driven by atmospheric rivers. These narrow bands of concentrated water vapor transport immense amounts of moisture from the tropics, often resulting in heavy rain or snow when they reach land. By utilizing advanced weather forecasting tools and improved monitoring, Forecast Informed Reservoir Operations (FIRO) optimizes reservoir operations to manage runoff more effectively to increase water storage while mitigating flood risks to maximize the performance of California’s existing infrastructure. At the April meeting of the California Water Commission, Dr. Marty Ralph, Director of the Center for Western Weather and Water Extremes (CW3E), discussed how FIRO is being implemented in California. … ” Continue reading this Maven’s Notebook feature article.
California snowpack is reaching peak melt. Here’s why
“A prolonged spell of relatively warm and dry conditions across California is rapidly melting the state’s snowpack into creeks, streams and rivers. Hot weather this week will accelerate the melt. Several rivers fed by snowmelt, mainly in central and southern Sierra Nevada, are expected to hit their spring peak flows in the coming days. The Merced River at Pohono Bridge and the Tuolumne River at Hetch Hetchy, both in Yosemite National Park, are forecast to reach maximum flow on Sunday. It’s not just above-average temperatures driving the melt, but that in tandem with direct, strong sunlight warms up the snowpack, said David Rizzardo, hydrology section manager at the California Department of Water Resources. “Solar radiation is a key driver in snowmelt,” Rizzardo said. Using airborne data and hydrology models, Rizzardo explained, “we can see that the snow itself has warmed up to the point that it is ready to melt. Snow insulates itself very well, so it takes weeks for the snow to warm up enough that it will yield runoff.” … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle (gift article).
Landsat at work: Satellites help with complex crop and water issues
“Groundwater is a crucial source of water for California, especially for its $59 billion agriculture industry. But even when the water is underground, Landsat satellites that observe the Earth’s land surface can still help growers monitor it. In just one example of the benefits of monitoring, growers in a 100,000-acre area of California—an area about the size of Bakersfield—saw a 13% reduction in groundwater pumping in the first year of using information derived from Landsat and other sources. That resulted in savings of roughly $40 million. Supplies of groundwater for irrigation are more predictable than surface water, which can fluctuate with drought, but groundwater is not infinite. If too much groundwater is pumped out, wells can go dry and land can sink, leading to infrastructure issues. Monitoring groundwater use can help prevent problems like these. … ” Read more from the USGS.
Finding new uses for farmland in the heart of ag country a daunting task
“Pressure is mounting to find new uses for an estimated 70,000 acres – or 20% – of farmland in southern Tulare County that will likely be taken out of production to reduce groundwater use by 2040. With nearly 15% of Tulare County’s workforce employed in ag and ag-related industries, according to Data USA, that kind of farmland reduction could be devastating to residents. “When I hear about farms closing, it makes me sad,” Earlimart resident Maria Contreras said through an interpreter at a meeting to discuss other uses for farmland. “Those are jobs we are losing. I would love to hear more from farmers at future meetings about how we can all help each other.” … ” Read more from SJV Water.
DELTA CONVEYANCE PROJECT: State Water Board issues procedural ruling on alleged conflict of interest and conditional waiver
“This procedural ruling arises out of an alleged conflict of interest of the law firm Somach Simmons & Dunn (SSD), which firm represents several protesting parties in this proceeding, raised by the Department of Water Resources (DWR). DWR asserts that this conflict prejudices its interests but has agreed to waive its rights to pursue any remedies against SSD in this proceeding and any subsequent appeal or litigation resulting from this proceeding, if the Administrative Hearings Office (AHO) timely proceeds with the hearing in accordance with the existing schedule. (2025 04 24 DWR email to AHO.) This ruling addresses DWR’s offered waiver and, in addition, concludes that DWR will have waived its right to object to SSD’s participation in this proceeding if DWR does not indicate in writing, before this hearing reconvenes at 9:00 a.m. on Monday, May 5, an intent to seek a remedy.” Click here to read more.
CDFW adjusts salmon releases to support Sacramento River populations
“In a significant shift of California’s salmon strategy, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) has begun releasing juvenile fall-run Chinook salmon from CDFW-operated hatcheries into the main stem of the Sacramento River for the first time. The release of approximately 3.5 million fall-run Chinook salmon smolts into the main stem of the Sacramento River occurred in mid-April near Redding and Butte City. The fish originated from increased production at CDFW’s hatchery operations at the Feather River Fish Hatchery and the Mokelumne River Fish Hatchery. CDFW-operated salmon hatcheries historically have supported populations on their home rivers elsewhere in the Central Valley. “We strongly support the California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s bold decision to release salmon smolts directly into the main stem of the Sacramento River – a historic first that gives juvenile fish a fighting chance at survival,” said Scott Artis, executive director at Golden State Salmon Association. … ” Read more from CDFW.
Governor Newsom announces upgrades to 21 state fish hatcheries to boost salmon populations
“Governor Newsom today announced that the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) is upgrading 21 fish hatcheries to boost the state’s salmon and trout populations and protect hatcheries from the impacts of climate change. The project helps build the California salmon and trout supply, which are central to the health of California’s biodiversity but also indigenous peoples, communities, and the state’s multimillion-dollar fishing industry. “Our salmon populations are not only an important part of our state’s biodiversity, but a rich component of our history and heritage. We have a responsibility to prepare for the future and protect the ecosystems and people whose well-being are connected to the continued success of these important species,” said Governor Newsom. … ” Continue reading this press release.
For the first time since 2022, the recreational Chinook salmon fishing window will open.
“Few fish species are as emblematic of the freshwater-to-saltwater connection as the Chinook salmon, who start their lives in rivers and streams before migrating out to the ocean to feed, and then travel back to the river to spawn. It’s a dramatic journey, one imperiled by many hazards and predators (humans among them), as well as the impacts of climate change. So it’s perhaps no surprise that, for the third consecutive year, California’s beloved commercial Chinook salmon fishery has been canceled. Chinook are one of the largest salmon in the Pacific, and face growing threats from low river levels, wildfires, harmful algal blooms and more. Drought years are especially devastating: warmer summers heat shallow rivers, effectively cooking vulnerable salmon eggs without the insulating buffer of deeper, cooler water. … ” Read more from Monterey Now.
Trump’s return a “once-in-a-lifetime” moment to boost the Valley’s fortunes, water leaders say.
“Some of the top players in Central Valley water policy are urging farmers to take action while the time is ripe to press their elected representatives to work with President Donald Trump on making real change in the amount of water that will be delivered to the region for years to come. That was as the core of the message delivered to over 100 farmers at the fifth annual California Water Alliance forum, held in Fresno on Friday. The big picture: The California Water Alliance hosted Rep. Vince Fong (R–Bakersfield), Sen. Melissa Hurtado (D–Bakersfield), farmer Stuart Woolf and Friant Water Authority CEO Jason Phillips as the speakers in Friday’s forum, which was moderated by Fresno County Farm Bureau CEO Ryan Jacobsen. … ” Read more from the San Joaquin Valley Sun.
Trump administration cancels Community Water Center grant
“The Trump administration’s pullback of federal funding is hitting California drinking water projects and adding pressure to a state budget already facing an uncertain outlook. The EPA officially notified the Community Water Center today that it was canceling its $20 million grant to help clean and consolidate drinking water infrastructure in the low-income communities of Pajaro, Sunny Mesa, and Springfield of Monterey County, said the group’s executive director, Susana De Anda. The grant is one of almost 800 Biden-era EPA grants the Trump administration is moving to cancel, including dozens throughout California. … ” Read more from Politico (scroll down).
In commentary this week …
Potter Valley Project decommissioning was economic; seismic concerns came afterward
Dave Canny, vice president of PG&E’s North Coast Region, writes, “PG&E mostly agrees with a recent opinion piece urging the removal of Scott Dam due to a better understanding of the seismic risks. As described in our draft decommissioning plan, PG&E considers the expedited removal of the Scott Dam to be in the best interest of PG&E customers. It is also the most appropriate long-term mitigation to address the seismic risk. In the meantime, PG&E has implemented interim measures to reduce near-term seismic risk — the most prominent being the restricted maximum reservoir storage elevation. However, contrary to the opinion piece, PG&E’s decision not to seek a new license for the Potter Valley Project — a hydroelectric facility — is based on the fact the project is not economical for PG&E’s customers. PG&E can acquire energy from the market at much lower expense than producing it at the project’s Potter Valley hydroelectric powerhouse. Economics drove the license surrender decision. Later, seismic studies were completed. … ” Continue reading from the Mendocino Voice.
Edward Ring: Saving California’s rural water users
Edward Ring writes, “Despite its status as an agricultural superpower, eclipsing every other U.S. state in farm output, California’s farming sector wields relatively little influence in Sacramento. When you evaluate the state’s GDP components, the sectors that dominate are financial, IT, and services, at around a half-trillion each, followed by manufacturing and government at around $400 billion and $300 billion, respectively. Against that economic power, the value of California’s agricultural output – loosely estimated somewhere around $60 billion – is a rounding error. It’s not just money, it’s population. California’s top ten counties for agricultural production – Fresno, Tulare, Monterey, Kern, Merced, Imperial, San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Santa Barbara, and Kings – are home to 5.2 million people. And even if every voter in those ten counties sent state legislators to Sacramento who were fully committed to protecting agriculture, they would only represent 13 percent of the electorate. … ” Read more from Edward Ring.
A public-private partnership might be the answer to address California water scarcity
Emilio Tenuta, senior vice president and chief sustainability officer of Ecolab, and Jason Morrison, president of the Pacific Institute and head of the CEO Water Mandate, write, “The California Department of Water Resources’ final snow survey showed that the state’s water supplies got a much-needed boost from an exceptionally wet March. Still, this is just a drop in the bucket compared to the state’s long-term water challenges. State scientists warn that California is on track to lose 10% of its water supply in the next 15 years due to warmer weather — a crisis that threatens our communities, businesses and ecosystems. Not only does this mean less reliable water for growing food and running businesses, water scarcity increases our vulnerability to natural disasters. As extreme weather intensifies, securing and sustainably managing water resources will be critical to mitigating the impacts of prolonged drought, wildfire and flooding. … ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee.
Nature helps Gold Star families heal. That’s why Rep. Kiley must protect our parks
Karen Meredith, a longtime advocate for veterans and military families, writes, “After my son, Ken, was killed while serving his country in Iraq, I found solace in the outdoors. Whether walking on the shores of Lake Tahoe or sitting in quiet reflection at a national monument, these places gave me peace and a sense of connection to something greater than myself. That’s why I care deeply about our public lands and why I am calling on my representative, Congressman Kevin Kiley, to protect them. Kiley represents one of the most beautiful districts in the country, home to Lake Tahoe, the Eastern Sierra, Mammoth Lakes, Death Valley National Park, Devils Postpile National Monument and a total of five national forests. But our national parks and forests are not just places of beauty; they are economic engines. … ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee.
In regional water news this week …
Golden Mussels discovered during boat inspection at Folsom Lake
“The new vessel inspection program at Folsom Lake State Recreation Area uncovered an infestation of invasive golden mussels on a boat Tuesday at Beals Point. During an inspection, California State Parks staff identified several live golden mussels attached to a vessel. The vessel, which had recently been in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, was stored for further inspection. State Parks is working with the owner and other agencies to safely decontaminate and quarantine the vessel. “Thanks to this new program and the diligent work of our inspection team, we prevented this vessel from ever touching the water, which could have had catastrophic consequences,” said Folsom Lake State Recreation Area Superintendent Mike Howard. … ” Read more from YubaNet.
Nearly 700 trees on American River threatened by flood project, organization says
“American River Trees (ART), a grassroots organization based in Sacramento, arranged a walk Sunday morning to protest a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ (USACE) erosion project. The USACE project, which aims to alleviate flood risk, threatens the destruction of nearly 700 trees and miles of habitat in the American River Parkway, according to ART. The group walked during its protest a two-mile stretch of trail from the Kadema Drive River Access to Larchmont Community Park. ART says many trails, beaches and access to the river’s edge will be lost, and USACE hasn’t sufficiently looked into or incorporated less destructive alternatives. … ” Read more from Channel 10.
California wine country traffic jam fuels fight over endangered mice, marsh birds
“During his eight years on the Santa Rosa City Council, Chris Rogers spent hour after tedious hour in local transportation meetings discussing a proposal to reduce congestion on one of the main traffic arteries into the Napa-Sonoma Valley corridor. That’s why Rogers, now a rookie Democratic assemblymember, said he had to chuckle when environmental groups complained that a bill making its way through the Legislature was somehow “fast-tracking” the long-stalled Highway 37 widening project in the North Bay. “When you’re talking about a project that was started or at least conceived before you were born … and somebody’s calling it ‘fast tracking,’ it just doesn’t track,” Rogers said at a committee hearing last week. “The project should have been done already.” Assembly Bill 697 by Lori Wilson, a Democrat from the Fairfield area, would allow state highway officials to potentially harm three protected bird species and endangered mice as workers add new lanes to a stretch of Highway 37 to wine country. … ” Read more from Cal Matters.
Proposed groundwater adjudication bills spark debate in Kern
“During a special meeting of the Kern County Board of Supervisors on May 5, a heated debate on two proposed assembly bills regarding groundwater adjudications took center stage, prompting agriculture groups and Indian Wells Valley interests to make their voices heard. By the end of the meeting, First District Supervisor Phillip Peters’ motion that the board formally adopt a letter of support for two groundwater adjudication bills died without a second. The crux of the matter is that two bills — AB 1413 and AB 1466 — would aim to influence how groundwater adjudications interact with locally developed groundwater sustainability plans under the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act. While the directive was for the supervisors to discuss the proposed legislation and provide direction, draft letters of support were included in the packet for the Board’s consideration. … ” Read more from Valley Ag Voice.
LADWP says it never ran out of water in Pacific Palisades during fire, so why did hydrants run dry?
“On January 7 and 8, our ABC7 teams in the field covering the Palisades Fire interviewed desperate homeowners who reported that they, along with firefighters, didn’t have water. “They’re out of water,” said one man. “It does feel helpless when you’re watching it burn and there’s nothing you can do.” … As residents watched their homes burn, firefighters told them there was nothing they could do because they had no water. … But in multiple interviews with the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, officials maintain they never ran out of water. They said the problem was that demand reached four times the normal use. … ” Read more from ABC 7.
Column: Tiny water companies can no longer serve Altadena
“The overarching water myth in our part of our state is one of massive entities — MWD, LADWP — controlled by criminally wealthy Kings of California with unholy power straight out of a film noir plot. Ordinary people who dare question the way that water works need to be told, once again, “Forget it, Jake. It’s Chinatown,” and move on to fairer fights with organizations that aren’t so rich and gigantic that they are unassailable. When you live in Altadena, the water with which you irrigate your yard and brush your teeth does not come from anyone living very large. It comes from one of three tiny, ancient-for-California water companies that have so few resources that when disaster strikes, there is no bucks-up bureaucracy to bankroll a big fix. Disaster has struck. … ” Read more from the Whittier Daily News.
Southern California toxic algal bloom blamed for months-long marine life poisoning
“Inside the Marine Mammal Care Center in Los Angeles, more than 80 sea lions and seals lounge lethargically in outdoor fenced-in pens or paddle in small pools. Some bark and moan. Many of the sea lions noticeably stare into space or crane their necks so that their whiskers point to the sky. “Stargazing” is what animal rescuers at the nonprofit call the strange behavior. That gaze is indicative of domoic acid poisoning, a neurotoxin produced by an algae called Pseudo-nitzschia, which attacks the nervous systems of marine life. In the last few months, scientists said hundreds of sea lions, dolphins and seabirds have fallen ill or died after consuming sardines or anchovies that have feasted on an algal bloom along the California coast since winter. The biotoxin accumulates in the feeder fish. … “It’s a massive event,” said Dave Bader, chief operations and education officer at the marine mammal center in Los Angeles who last week provided a virtual tour of the sickened animals to Inside Climate News. Since February, the center has cared for more than 300 poisoned animals—more than the organization typically sees on an annual basis. … ” Read more from Inside Climate News.
Toxic algae threat eases along Southern California coastline
“Southern California’s coastline may finally be seeing relief as domoic acid—the toxin recently devastating marine life—begins to subside. The rescue team at SeaWorld San Diego is finally starting to catch their breath after weeks of responding to calls about sick or disoriented sea animals at some of our local beach communities. “They’re eating fish, they’re gaining weight, we haven’t seen signs of seizures,” said Jeni Smith, rescue program curator at SeaWorld San Diego. The road to recovery looks good for these sea lions thanks to Smith and her team at SeaWorld. … ” Read more from Fox 5.
Groups call on Trump administration to curb wasteful use of Colorado River water
“Environmental groups are demanding that the Trump administration exercise the federal government’s authority to curb wasteful water use in an effort to address the Colorado River’s chronic water shortages. In a petition submitted Tuesday, the Natural Resources Defense Council and nine other groups called for the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation to enforce a provision of federal regulations stating that water deliveries in California, Arizona and Nevada “will not exceed those reasonably required for beneficial use.” The petition takes aim in particular at wasteful water practices in agriculture, which accounts for about three-fourths of water diversions from the Colorado River, said Mark Gold, the council’s director of water scarcity solutions. “There is definitely a great deal of room for improvement in the agricultural sector,” Gold said. One example of waste, he said, is flood-irrigating farm fields year-round in the desert to grow water-intensive crops such as hay. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
Dry Colorado River forecast gets drier
“What a difference a month makes. The forecast for how much water will flow this year into Lake Powell, a bellwether reservoir on the Colorado River, was already meager. Now, after a dry April, it’s even more miserly. That does not bode well for a basin mired in contentious debate about which of the seven states should cut their water use and by how much. “It provides even more urgency to what was already an urgent situation,” said Anne Castle, former U.S. commissioner and chair of the Upper Colorado River Commission. On April 1, the traditional end of the snow accumulation period in the American West, the forecast for spring and summer runoff into Lake Powell, on the Arizona-Utah border, was 67 percent of the 30-year average. Not great, but not unusual for the boom-and-bust river. … ” Read more from the Circle of Blue.
