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On the calendar today …
- PUBLIC HEARING: Delta Conveyance Project water right hearing beginning at 9am. The State Water Resources Control Board Administrative Hearings Office will hold a Public Hearing on the pending Petitions for Change of Water Right Permits for the Delta Conveyance Project. Interested members of the public who would like to watch this hearing without participating may do so through the Administrative Hearings Office YouTube channel at: bit.ly/aho-youtube. DWR is providing brief recaps here. Click here for the meeting notice.
- MEETING: Delta Stewardship Council beginning at 9:30am. Agenda items include the Delta Lead Scientist’s Report, an update from the Delta Independent Science Board, and the Delta Levee Investment Strategy Risk Reduction Analysis. Click here for the agenda.
In California water news today …
State funders criticize pace and progress on $2.7 billion plan to build new reservoir in Santa Clara County
“In an ominous sign for an already struggling project, state officials on Wednesday said they are unhappy with the lack of progress over plans by the Santa Clara Valley Water District to build a huge new dam near Pacheco Pass and Henry W. Coe State Park in Santa Clara County. Members of the California Water Commission, an 8-member agency appointed by Gov. Gavin Newsom that tentatively committed $504 million in state bond funding seven years ago to the $2.7 billion project — and still could revoke it — expressed frustration at the district’s shifting timelines and lack of specifics and accomplishments. “As we move forward in time, the uncertainties should be decreasing,” said commissioner Sandra Matsumoto. “But I feel like the more we hear from the public, the more additional issues are coming up that make it sound less likely.” … ” Read more from the San Jose Mercury News (gift article).
Appellate court readies for next step on injunction that paused state groundwater sanctions in Kings County
“All of the legal motions that can be filed, have been filed in the state’s appeal of a preliminary injunction that has kept it from implementing sanctions against growers in Kings County. The next step could be oral arguments, or not. It all depends on how the justices at the 5th District Court of Appeal decide to go forward. “At this time, we are waiting on a ruling from the appeals court,” Farm Bureau Executive Director Dusty Ference wrote in a text message. “We don’t know yet if there will be oral arguments but I am told they are not likely to happen for the appeal.” The Farm Bureau sued the state Water Resources Control Board after it placed the region, known as the Tulare Lake subbasin, on probation in April 2024. Under probation, farmers would have had to meter and register their wells, paying an annual $350 fee to the Water Board, report extractions and pay the state $20 per acre foot pumped. So far, those sanctions have been held at bay after a Kings County Superior Court judge issued a preliminary injunction, finding the Water Board had overstepped its authority. … ” Read more from SJV Water.
Record pace of snowmelt in US West threatens another drought
“Widespread heat across the US West is causing the snowpack to melt at a record-breaking pace, risking water shortages and an early start to wildfire season. Parts of the region spanning the West Coast to the lower Mountain West have less than half of the normal amount of snow typical at this time of year, the US National Integrated Drought Information System said in a statement. Some have nothing. Only parts of southern Oregon and a few places in Northern California are holding onto above-average snow pack. The snowpack is vital to the region, which for more than 20 years has struggled with drought, leaving states struggling to maintain water supplies and contributing to wildfires. The lack of spring runoff also depletes hydroelectric capacity, a key power source for the West. … ” Read more from the San Jose Mercury News.
Abnormal snowpack melt in California, western U.S. increases wildfire and drought risks
“The snowpack in California and other western states is melting at a record-breaking pace despite above-average snowfall in many areas, threatening an early start to the wildfire season and the persistence of drought conditions, authorities announced. The National Integrated Drought Information System issued an update Tuesday warning of the rapid snowmelt because of above-normal temperatures and below-normal precipitation in April and May. The NIDIS said nearly all western basins are in late-season snow drought, an abnormally low snowpack for the time of year, even in areas that reached near to above-average water content in the snowpack during the winter. The rapid depletion of snow, along with increased evaporative demand – or how “thirsty” the atmosphere is for water – can quickly dry soils and vegetation and lead to the fire season’s early start. … ” Read more from CBS News.
Landsat at work: Conserving water and growing high quality grapes
“Using Landsat’s thermal imagery, researchers at Gallo Winery have been able to better understand vineyard water needs, optimize irrigation and support long-term sustainability across thousands of acres. This work also helped shape broader tools now supporting water management across the western United States. Leading that effort is Nick Dokoozlian, who has spent his career studying grapevines—from working on his family’s vineyard to teaching at the University of California, Davis, and now leading a research group at Gallo, the largest winery in the world. His extensive knowledge of growing grapes, paired with a commitment to preserving Central Valley water, led him to explore new tools for managing irrigation. That openness to experimentation brought him to remote sensing, and to Landsat, helping the company reduce water use while continuing to grow high-quality grapes for generations to come. After years of innovation and collaboration, the company has made it halfway to its long-term goal of reducing water usage by 50% while maintaining or improving yield and fruit quality. “Now we’re going after the next 25%. That goal will outlive me, probably, but we will continue to refine our irrigation practices to improve water use efficiency,” Dokoozlian said. … ” Continue reading from the USGS.
Stormwater sampling effort in Eureka reveals high concentrations of salmon-killing toxins are being flushed directly from “big box” store parking lots into local waterways
“A recent stormwater sampling effort in Eureka revealed a troubling trend in area parking lots: Even in periods of relatively light rain, high concentrations of salmon-killing toxic compounds are being flushed directly into local creeks and Humboldt Bay. The results come from a pilot project recently conducted by Humboldt Waterkeeper. The organization collected water samples from two Cal Poly Humboldt parking lots in Arcata and from the Eureka Target and Costco parking lots. The water samples were testing for a compound that has recently been discovered to be particularly toxic to coho salmon, which are listed under the federal Endangered Species Act. The pollutant in question, known as 6PPD, is used in tires to help maintain their integrity. As tires break down from normal wear and tear, 6PPD is released and reacts to ozone in the air and transforms into a compound known as 6PPD-q. The samples collected at the Cal Poly Humboldt lots after a relatively heavy rain showed concentrations of 130 ng/L, which is higher than the 95ng/L threshold above which coho mortality increases significantly. The Eureka Costco parking lot sample showed much higher concentrations – 340 ng/L – while runoff from the Eureka Target parking lot was even higher, 430 ng/L, or more than four times the lethal concentration for coho salmon. … ” Continue reading this press release.
SEE ALSO: New Study Shows Coho-Killing Toxin Pools in Humboldt County Parking Lots Before Draining Into the Bay, from the Lost Coast Outpost
REPORT SUMMARY: Cover Crops in the SGMA Era: Guidance for GSAs and growers
“Cover crops can play a vital role in protecting and enhancing soil during the off-season or between rows of trees and vines. They can offer numerous benefits, including improving infiltration and water storage, particularly critical for the San Joaquin Valley, where SGMA implementation pushes landowners to optimize every drop of water. However, the management actions of groundwater sustainability agencies (GSAs) could unintentionally hinder the adoption of cover crops. The report, Cover Cropping in the SGMA Era, assembled by Sustainable Conservation, includes an analysis of the impacts of SGMA and GSA management on cover crop implementation and recommendations for water planners and managers to ensure the viability of cover cropping as a multi-benefit management tool. The report is the product of a group of 100 multidisciplinary experts convened to generate practical insights for water planners, managers, and users around the water-related impacts of cover cropping and the implications of current water management within SGMA. … ” Continue reading this report summary.
Bacteria hot spots: Beaches in San Diego, Pacifica, San Luis Obispo make the dirty list
“As people begin to pack their swimsuits and head to the coast for Memorial Day weekend, a report has named three California beaches as some of the country’s dirtiest. The Surfrider Foundation’s annual Clean Water Report includes their top “ten beach bacteria hot spots,” recreational beaches where “testing consistently reveals dangerous levels of fecal bacteria that threaten the health of swimmers, surfers, and families.” Eighty percent of the beaches Surfrider analyzed for the report — 483 out of 604 — exceeded state health standards at least once in 2024, and 25% of all samples measured high bacteria levels, up from 22% in 2023. “Across the country, Surfrider’s BWTF programs are measuring high bacteria levels at a concerning number of beaches and recreational waterways where stormwater runoff and failing sewage infrastructure are polluting the water,” stated the report. … ” Read more from the Desert Sun.
California’s extraordinary tree die-off may finally be easing
“One of the largest tree die-offs in California history, which has turned evergreen forests into a bleak canvas of oranges and browns, appears to be subsiding after nearly a decade of wreckage. New data from the U.S. Forest Service shows that the number of trees that perished in California last year hit a 10-year low. The 6.6 million trees counted as dead is still above normal, scientists say, but it marks a major letup in the run of drought, bugs and disease that’s decimated forests across the state. The epidemic peaked in 2016 with 62 million dead trees. The improvement, revealed in the preliminary results of Forest Service aerial surveys, is credited to wet weather. Back-to-back stormy winters provided a rejuvenating burst of moisture before the tree data was collected last summer and fall. Since then, the state has seen an additional winter of decent rain and snow, meaning the death toll is likely to continue to recede — at least in the immediate future. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
More Delta Conveyance Project in the news …
Press release: Southern California water agencies issue strong support for Governor Newsom’s proposal to streamline Delta Conveyance Project approvals
“The Inland Empire Utilities Agency (IEUA), Western Municipal Water District (Western Water), Eastern Municipal Water District (EMWD), and Three Valleys Municipal Water District (Three Valleys/TVMWD) is issuing strong support for Governor Gavin Newsom’s recent proposal to streamline and expedite approvals for the long-awaited Delta Conveyance Project (DCP). The DCP is a critical infrastructure project that aims to modernize the State Water Project’s (SWP) delivery system by constructing a new, single-tunnel conveyance pipeline through the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. The SWP provides clean water to 27 million Californians and 750,000 acres of farmland. “Eastern Municipal Water District’s Board of Directors (EMWD) unanimously adopted a resolution in support of the DCP, underscoring our commitment to ensuring sustainable and reliable water supply for our region,” stated Joe Mouawad, EMWD’s General Manager. … ” Continue reading this press release.
C-WIN: The Delta Conveyance Project: Who benefits? It’s not ratepayers, taxpayers, or the Delta
“It’s an axiomatic question that applies to any government policy or project: who benefits? When it comes to the $20-40 billion Delta Conveyance Project (DCP), Governor Newsom would like us to believe that everyone benefits. However, his claim evaporates under basic scrutiny. We know that Southern California doesn’t need DCP water because water use has remained static while the population has grown. We know that modern infill housing is very water efficient, and we know that regional projects are under development to reuse existing deliveries from the Delta and the Colorado River, which are impacted by climate change. We also know that many hardworking Californians are already struggling to pay for rapidly rising water costs and have made water conservation part of their daily lives. So, who then actually benefits? The answer is simple: corporate agriculture and suburban housing developers. … ” Read more from C-WIN.
Tribes, environmental groups blast Newsom’s fast-tracking of Delta Tunnel, urge audit of DWR funding
“As Central Valley salmon and Delta fish populations plummet to record low levels, the Delta Tribal Environmental Coalition (DTEC) and a coalition of statewide organizations dedicated to the “equitable stewardship of California’s water resources” sent letters to legislative leaders urging them to reject Governor Newsom’s proposed budget trailer bill. They say the bill “would accelerate the Delta Conveyance Project, otherwise known as the Delta Tunnel, and eliminate critical environmental reviews for the Bay-Delta Water Quality Control Plan.” The Governor’s proposal to fast-track the Delta Tunnel and circumvent legal protections is also facing unanimous opposition from the California Legislative Delta Caucus, who held a major press conference yesterday in collaboration with statewide organizations and Tribes opposing the project. … ” Read more from the Daily Kos.
Calif. lawmaker says he’s ‘confident’ he can kill Newsom’s water tunnel plan
“Sen. Jerry McNerney is laying down the gauntlet against Gov. Gavin Newsom’s budget proposal to fast-track a controversial Delta water tunnel. What happened: McNerney said he has the votes to defeat Newsom’s bid last week to speed up the permitting for a tunnel underneath the state’s main water delivery hub, the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, if it came to that. “I’m confident that we do,” the former House Democrat said in an interview following a press conference on the issue. Why this matters: A version of the proposed project has been floating around — first as a canal, then a pair of tunnels — for more than a half-century, during which it has reliably brought out opposition from environmental groups and elected officials in the Delta region concerned about habitat loss and construction impacts. … ” Read more from E&E News (sorry, subscription required).
In commentary today …
Redefining ‘harm’ in the Endangered Species Act
Dan Keppen with the Family Farm Alliance writes, “The U.S. Fish and Wildlife and NOAA Fisheries services are seeking to modernize agency implementation of the federal Endangered Species Act of 1973. The redefinition of “harm’ proposed by the agencies would confine the notion of hurting wildlife to actions against the species in question. The ESA was an important and historic piece of legislation intended to preserve and recover species. There are instances where we have seen this promise fulfilled. And, while all of us have a strong affinity for our national environmental heritage, the regulatory implementation of this 52-year-old law has created challenges. There are a variety of real concerns with the existing definition of “harm.” By focusing the definition of “harm,” tenuous and speculative regulatory oversight and related litigation would be reduced or eliminated. … ” Read more from the Western Farm Press.
In regional water news and commentary today …
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
Extreme weather cycles change underwater light at Tahoe
“Lake Tahoe is experiencing large-scale shifts in ultraviolet radiation (UV) as climate change intensifies wet and dry extremes in the region. That is according to a study led by the University of California, Davis’ Tahoe Environmental Research Center and co-leading collaborator Miami University in Ohio. For the study, published in ASLO, the journal of the Association for the Sciences of Limnology and Oceanography, scientists analyzed an 18-year record of underwater irradiance at Lake Tahoe, which is renowned for its clear blue waters. They found up to a 100-fold difference in UV radiation between a wet and dry year. These large fluctuations were associated with wet and dry extremes in the local climate, which caused variations in particulate matter and colored dissolved organic matter in the lake. UV radiation penetrates most deeply in clear water bodies, such as alpine or polar lakes, so the research carries implications for those water bodies. In less transparent lakes, UV radiation may reach only a few inches into the water. In clear systems like Lake Tahoe, it can reach dozens of feet down. … ” Read more from UC Davis.
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
Battle Creek offers a lifeline for endangered winter-run chinook salmon
“The Sacramento River is home to four distinct “runs” of Chinook (or king) Salmon. Each run is named for the season in which the adult salmon enter freshwater from the ocean as they make their way upstream to spawn: winter-run, spring-run, fall-run and late-fall run. These four runs mean the Sacramento River is home to the most diverse Chinook salmon populations on Earth. The river is capable of supporting this vast diversity of salmon populations becauuse of the diverse landscape that it flows through. Fall-run are a rain salmon, spawning in reaches of the rivers along the valley floor when fall and winter storms swell the Sacramento and its tributaries with water. Spring-run are a mountain fish, silver and sleek, entering the river from the ocean just as warm spring temperatures begin to thaw the snowpack off the high peaks of the Sierra Nevada (and to a lesser extent off the Coast Range). Imagine them “reverse-surfing” the pulse of spring snowmelt up into deep, cold mountain canyons where they will spend all summer waiting to spawn once water temperatures decrease in the fall. Late-fall Chinook behave as a mix between spring and fall. … ” Read more from Cal Trout.
BAY AREA
Commentary: Upgrading Santa Clara County’s water infrastructure
Tony Estremera, District 6 director and chair of the Valley Water board of directors, writes, “Valley Water provides safe, clean water to homes, businesses and farms throughout Santa Clara County. A dependable water supply is something we rely on every day, even if we don’t always think about it. Safe, clean water is essential to our health, economy and the innovation that drives Silicon Valley. However, much of our water infrastructure was built decades ago and now needs upgrades. To ensure continued reliability, we must replace aging pipelines and dams and improve other key systems. At the same time, climate change is creating serious challenges, including longer droughts and more severe storms. To keep pace, Valley Water must invest in new water supply and storage projects that address climate impacts and support a growing population. Now is the time to make long-term investments so we can deliver safe, clean water to Silicon Valley for our children and grandchildren. … ” Read more from the San Jose Spotlight.
CENTRAL COAST
A proposed decision on Peninsula’s water needs paves the way for desal.
“In 1987, the Carmel River Steelhead Association filed a complaint with the State Water Resources Control Board, arguing that utility company California American Water was pumping too much water from the Carmel River to supply users in and around the Monterey Peninsula, harming steelhead trout. That state board agreed, and in 1995, issued Order 95-10, directing Cal Am to find a replacement water supply for river water it was illegally siphoning away from the habitat. It’s 30 years later, and Cal Am has complied. Since 2021, it has pumped within its legal limit (3,376 acre-feet per year) from the Carmel, down from about 14,000 acre-feet at the time. And yet Order 95-10 is still in place, with state officials calling for a “permanent replacement” supply before lifting it. … ” Read more from Monterey Now.
SEE ALSO: Monterey Superior Court affirms California Coastal Commission’s approval of California American Water’s Monterey desalination project, from Business Wire
Monterey County agencies unite to protect Salinas Valley groundwater
“Two Monterey County agencies are teaming up to track groundwater use in the Salinas Valley to keep control local and prevent the state from stepping in. The Monterey County Water Resources Agency and the Salinas Valley Basin Groundwater Sustainability Agency are collaborating to monitor wells across the valley, collecting data on groundwater levels, quality, and how much is being pumped. “It’s important to recognize that Monterey County is a groundwater-dependent economy, essentially, whether it’s our communities, our agriculture, our tourism. Almost all of the water that we utilize in the county, Monterey is groundwater. And so managing it for the future is vitally important,” said Ara Azhderian, with the Monterey County Water Resources Agency. The collaboration is focused on maintaining local control, reducing costs, and avoiding state intervention, while preserving the economy, communities, and culture of the Salinas Valley. … ” Read more from KSBY.
In an effort to bring Salinas Valley groundwater into sustainability, annual well fees are coming.
“For decades, drilling a well in the Salinas Valley and its outlying rural communities has required only one bureaucratic step – applying to the county’s Environmental Health Bureau for a ministerial permit and paying a one-time fee. But with the advent of the Salinas Valley Basin Groundwater Sustainability Agency (SVBGSA) in 2017, that paradigm was no longer sustainable. In the years since forming following California’s 2014 Sustainable Groundwater Management Act, SVBGSA has been collecting data and creating reports to send to the state Department of Water Resources to show proof the region is on track to meet SGMA’s requirements to achieve groundwater sustainability by 2040. If the Department of Water Resources doesn’t think a GSA is effectively doing that, it is empowered to step in and take over the process, which is the worst-case scenario for stakeholders who want to retain local control over managing their groundwater. … ” Read more from Monterey Now.
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
Land conversion money available for Tulare County farmers, others, to cut groundwater use
“Growers hoping for a lifeline as groundwater pumping restrictions tighten learned how to apply for state funding to find other uses for their irrigated farmland during a seminar in Tulare County Tuesday. The funding is part of a $1.5 million pot from the Kaweah subbasin Multibenefit Land Repurposing Program (MLRP). Growers and others can apply for between $50,000 and $200,000 to fund land transition projects through Aug. 31. “It’s hard to farm with the amount of water the state says we can use,” said Dee Dee Gruber, who attended the seminar with her husband, Tom Gruber, and about 25 others. The Grubers’ pumping allocation left them with few options, Tom said. “It was just enough to keep our trees alive, but we didn’t have a crop to sell. The walnuts were too small.” … ” Read more from SJV Water.
Bakersfield students “dive” into water, Kern River
“I didn’t know what to expect when Chipman Junior High school teacher Michael Hutson asked me to attend the school’s “Water Wise Kern County: Use, Management and Planning” event at noon on Monday. Junior high kids? Me? Water? Huh? Turns out the seventh grade students had been working on projects examining water use as part of a month-long look at the importance of infrastructure in different civilizations. … ” Read more from SJV Water.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Clearing the way for safe and efficient hydropower
“High in the Sierra Nevada, if you listen closely, you’ll hear the steady hum of Southern California Edison’s hydroelectric power plants generating clean, carbon-free energy. For SCE’s Marc Jones, the continuous rush of water is a reassuring indicator that the generation systems are operating smoothly and safely. “We take dam safety seriously; protecting this critical infrastructure is key to its safe operations,” said Jones. Jones works with SCE’s Vegetation Management team and part of his role includes protecting the company’s 32 hydroelectric power plants, which present a unique set of challenges. Because of the scale of dam facilities, interaction with water pressure and exposure to natural elements, specialized maintenance is needed. … ” Read more from SoCal Edison.
IMPERIAL/COACHELLA VALLEYS
State inaugurates water flows into Salton Sea Restoration Project
“Representatives of conservation and community groups celebrated today at the Salton Sea as state officials began filling the 750-acre Species Conservation Habitat Project (SCH) East Pond Expansion. Together with the just-filled East Pond, California will soon have more than 2000 acres of habitat acres at the Salton Sea, California’s largest lake and the linchpin in the state’s efforts to protect critical reservoir storage along the imperiled Colorado River. The Species Conservation Habitat (SCH) Project is the first large-scale project of the State’s 10-year plan for improving conditions at the Salton Sea. It will create a network of ponds and wetlands that will reduce dust emissions by inundating playa – exposed lakebed – and it will provide important fish and bird habitat. All major construction has been completed on the initial 4,100 acres. Now, the project has expanded to a footprint of over 9,000 acres, made possible by recent federal funding from the Bureau of Reclamation to the Salton Sea Management Program. … ” Read more from Audubon.
SEE ALSO: Water flows for the first time at major Salton Sea habitat project, from the Desert Review
Experts outline ‘promise and challenges’ of Lithium Valley
“The Lithium Valley panel at the recent Salton Sea Conference brought together scientists, planners, policymakers and industry leaders to lay out a broad — and at times sobering — picture of Imperial County’s energy future through the lens of lithium extraction. Panelists presented data on mineral reserves, environmental concerns, infrastructure needs and community engagement efforts tied to the proposed Lithium Valley — the collection of lithium extraction and processing sites near the Salton Sea that could reshape the region’s economy. “This is not a trivial amount of lithium,” said Michael McKibben, professor of geochemistry and economic geology at UC Riverside, who led off the May 9 panel with an overview of the Salton Sea’s lithium potential. “If we consider what we might build in the future … lithium production could reach almost a million metric tons per year of lithium carbonate equivalent. And that’s enough for almost 30 million electric vehicles per year.” … ” Read more from the Calexico Chronicle.
SAN DIEGO
‘Fast-tracking’ treatment plant not enough to fix sewage problem, border mayor says
“The Environmental Protection Agency and International Boundary and Water Commission on Tuesday announced the fast-track expansion of the International Wastewater Treatment Plant in the Tijuana River Valley. The facility has been in a state of disrepair for years and had been undergoing a remodel to double its capacity at a cost of more than $600 million, the work was slated to take several years to complete. But according to the EPA and the IBWC, the construction will now be done in 100 days, expanding capacity from 25 million gallons to 35 million per day. “It’s something we’ve been asking for a long time,” said Paloma Aguirre, mayor of Imperial Beach, the American city most affected by the sewage and pollution that comes in from Mexico on a daily basis. … ” Read more from the Border Report.
Along the Colorado River …
May water supply: Lake Mead is dropping after lackluster winter
“Lake Mead has declined about three feet in elevation since the start of May, and officials are prepping for a future with less water with an extended boat ramp at Hemenway Harbor.While seasonal dips are normal this time of year, the reservoir is about 10 feet lower than it was at this same time last year.As of Monday, Lake Mead’s elevation clocked in at 1,059 feet, while Lake Powell to the northeast is at 3,558 feet. Both reservoirs are currently 32% full. … ” Read more from Channel 13.
Tribal water rights and the future of Colorado River basin management
“The Colorado River Basin is home to 30 federally recognized Tribal Nations, each with distinct histories, cultures, and relationships with the river’s ecosystem. As vital stakeholders in water management discussions, these nations depend on the river for domestic use, agriculture, economic development, and cultural practices. Currently, 22 Tribal Nations hold recognized rights to approximately 3.2 million acre-feet (MAF) annually—about 25% of the basin’s average water supply—while 12 additional nations are pursuing legal settlements to quantify their claims. As negotiations over post-2026 water management intensify, Tribal Nations are poised to play an essential role in shaping the future of water allocation amid increasing pressure from drought and climate change. … ” Read more from E&E Leader.
Amodei-backed Nevada public land sales removed from GOP budget bill
“A controversial provision backed by Rep. Mark Amodei (R-NV) to sell hundreds of thousands of acres of federally owned land in Nevada and Utah to generate revenue for Republicans’ tax and spending bill has been stripped out of the legislation by GOP leadership at the behest of Rep. Ryan Zinke (R-MT). Amodei’s move in early May to add a surprise amendment to Republicans’ reconciliation bill generated an uproar among conservationists and Nevada Democrats, who pilloried him for including parcels in Clark County, which he does not represent, and for not keeping the proceeds of land sales in Nevada rather than going to the U.S. Treasury, as was done previously. To that end, Rep. Dina Titus (D-NV) introduced an amendment during the Rules Committee’s marathon markup Wednesday to strip the Clark County acreage from the bill, while Rep. Susie Lee (D-NV) offered an amendment to take out land sales for parcels in Utah that run alongside a proposed water pipeline route that concerned water managers in other Colorado River states, including Nevada. “Let the people of Southern Nevada have a say in what happens to their public treasures,” Titus said during her testimony. … ” Read more from the Nevada Independent.
Nevada: Fish threatened by farms and mining set to be first species listed as endangered in second Trump term
“A century ago, Fish Lake Valley looked much more like its name than it does today. … By the end of the 20th century, Fish Lake was dry, as were many of the local streams. And so too was most of the Fish Lake Valley tui chubs’ natural habitat, reduced to just one spring located on a nearby ranch. After a century of decline, the fish—a four- to five-inch minnow that comes in shades of silver, brown and olive—may soon finally have the protections it needs to recover. Tuesday, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced Fish Lake Valley tui chub warranted a listing as endangered under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The proposed listing is the first under President Donald Trump’s second administration. The decision has the potential to limit local Fish Lake Valley farms and slow the surge of geothermal and lithium mining projects proposed in the region, and it landed as the Trump administration is proposing to roll back ESA protections. … ” Read more from Inside Climate News.
SEE ALSO: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service invites public input on proposal to list Fish Lake Valley tui chub as endangered, from the US FWS
Arizona: Hobbs says there’s ‘absolutely room’ to negotiate desalination
“Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs said Wednesday that she’s optimistic about Arizona’s chances of augmenting the state’s water supply with desalination. Under former Gov. Doug Ducey, the Arizona Legislature set aside $1 billion for water augmentation projects. At the time, Ducey spoke of the possibility of building a desalination plant in partnership with Mexico. But since Hobbs took office in 2023, most of the funding earmarked for water was clawed back in state budget negotiations. She also wouldn’t say whether those cuts to the state Water Infrastructure Finance Authority were meant to be permanent. … ” Read more from KJZZ.
In national water news today …
A.I. is poised to revolutionize weather forecasting. A new tool shows promise.
“Weather forecasters rely on models to help them make decisions that can have life-or-death consequences, so any advantage is welcome. Artificial intelligence holds promise to deliver more accurate forecasts quickly, and tech companies including Google, Nvidia and Huawei have produced A.I.-based forecasting models. The latest entrant is Aurora, an A.I. weather model from Microsoft, and it stands out for several reasons, according to a report published Wednesday in the journal Nature. It’s already in use at one of Europe’s largest weather centers, where it’s running alongside other traditional and A.I.-based models. The Aurora model can make accurate 10-day forecasts at smaller scales than many other models, the paper reports. … ” Read more from the New York Times.
How farmers can help rescue water-loving birds
“James Gentz has seen birds aplenty on his East Texas rice-and-crawfish farm: snow geese and pintails, spoonbills and teal. The whooping crane couple, though, he found “magnificent.” These endangered, long-necked behemoths arrived in 2021 and set to building a nest amid his flooded fields. “I just loved to see them,” Gentz says.Not every farmer is thrilled to host birds. Some worry about the spread of avian flu, others are concerned that the birds will eat too much of their valuable crops. But as an unstable climate delivers too little water, careening temperatures and chaotic storms, the fates of human food production and birds are ever more linked — with the same climate anomalies that harm birds hurting agriculture too. … ” Read more from Knowable.
Budget cuts at Trump EPA become flashpoint at a heated hearing — and, Democrats say, may kill people
“The head of the Environmental Protection Agency clashed with Democratic senators Wednesday, accusing one of being an “aspiring fiction writer” and saying another does not “care about wasting money.’’ Democrats countered that EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin’s tenure will likely mean more Americans contracting lung cancer and other illnesses. The heated exchanges, at a Senate hearing to discuss President Donald Trump’s proposal to slash the agency’s budget in half, showed the sharp partisan differences over Zeldin’s deregulatory approach. Zeldin, a former Republican congressman, has said his tenure will turbocharge the American economy while ensuring clean air and water. Democrats say he is endangering the lives of millions of Americans and abandoning the agency’s dual mission to protect the environment and human health. … ” Read more from the Associated Press.
