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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. Click here for the meeting notice.
- MEETING: Delta Conservancy Board from 9am to 1pm. Agenda items include updates on grant programs, Consideration of Amendment to Budget and Term of Delta Drought Response Pilot Program Agreement, Consideration of Updates to the Delta Conservancy’s Modifications and Amendments Process, and California Department of Water Resources Multibenefit Restoration Program Update. Click here for more information.
- WEBINAR: The Next Chapter for Southern California Water Storage from 12pm to 1:30pm. Metropolitan will present its recently completed “Surface Water Storage Study, Phase 2”. This study evaluates reservoir sites along the California Aqueduct to store SWP water in years when it is plentiful. The Dialogue will also showcase two innovative and collaborative groundwater storage programs. The Bunker Hill Basin Groundwater Basin in San Bernardino County has multi-benefit recharge projects that have significantly increased stored groundwater. The Water Replenishment District is pushing to fully utilize unused groundwater pumping rights to replenish its West Coast and Central Basins with locally sustainable resources such as stormwater and new recycled water supplies. Click here to register.
- HYBRID EVENT: GRA SoCal: The essential role of geochemistry at the aquifer-aquitard boundary from 6pm to 8pm. Whether you’re a regular or a first-timer, GRA Southern California Branch would love to see you at its next dinner talk! Social hour starts at 6 p.m. with the presentation following at 7 p.m. Dinner is included. The event is free for all. This presentation examines why many public supply wells fail to meet water quality standards despite initial testing suggesting compliance. It highlights the role of fine-grained sediments and aquitard boundaries, which often harbor high concentrations of contaminants like arsenic, iron, and manganese, in contributing to non-compliance. By analyzing 143 wells in California and Nevada, the study emphasizes the need to include these zones in water quality testing and recommends using long-screened test wells to better assess geochemical risks and prevent non-compliant well construction. Click here to register.
In California water news today …
LAO Report: May revision trailer bill proposals on the Delta Conveyance Project and Water Quality Control Plans
“LAO Bottom Line: We recommend deferring action on both proposals, without prejudice. These policy issues do not have budget implications. Deferring action would allow the Legislature more time and capacity for sufficient consideration of the potential benefits, implications, and trade-offs. [In this report], we describe the proposals and note some key issues for the Legislature to keep in mind when it considers these proposals.” Read the report from the Legislative Analyst’s Office.
Broad coalition of labor, business, environmental and community leaders urge legislature to advance Delta Conveyance Project
“A diverse and powerful coalition of more than 90 labor unions, business leaders, water agencies, local chambers of commerce, and community organizations today announced their strong support for a budget trailer bill that would streamline processes to move the Delta Conveyance Project (DCP) forward — a critical climate-resilience initiative to modernize California’s aging water infrastructure. In a letter sent to Governor Newsom, legislative leadership, and members of the Senate and Assembly Budget Committees, the coalition urged lawmakers to back the proposal as a common-sense step to break through years of bureaucratic gridlock and costly delays, allowing informed decisions to be made about future construction investment. … ” Continue reading from Californians for Water Security.
SEE ALSO: SCV Water supports Newsom’s proposal on Delta project, from the Santa Clarita Signal
Reclamation announces another increase in 2025 Central Valley Project water supply allocations; Westlands calls it ‘disappointing’
“Continuing to focus on maximizing California’s water supplies, the Bureau of Reclamation is increasing the water supply allocations for Central Valley Project contractors south of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Bay-Delta. While all north-of-Delta Central Valley Project contractors are currently at 100% of their supplies, south-of-Delta irrigation water service and repayment contractors are increased to 55% from 50%, and municipal and industrial water service and repayment contractors are increased to 80% from 75% of their historical use, or public health and safety needs, whichever is greater. “As California’s primary precipitation season concludes, we now have greater certainty about water availability for the remainder of the water year, said Acting Regional Director Adam Nickels. “This allows us to responsibly adjust Central Valley Project allocations to better meet the needs of our water users while continuing to support environmental requirements.” … ” Continue reading this press release and response.
SEE ALSO:
- Reclamation provides “disappointing” water allocation increase, from the San Joaquin Valley Sun
- Valley water allotment ‘disappointing,’ Farm Bureau says endangered species part of issue, from Your Central Valley
- Westlands Leader Calls Slight Water Boost ‘Disappointing,‘ from GV Wire
California’s 2nd-largest reservoir hits record milestone after brutal dry spell
“California’s second-largest reservoir reached full capacity for the third year in a row Thursday, the first time it’s hit such a record in its 57-year history.Lake Oroville, located about 80 miles north of Sacramento behind the tallest dam in the country, was 99% full as of Monday, according to the California Department of Water Resources. Its surface-level elevation is 898.73 feet, just shy of its full elevation base level of 900 feet. When it reaches capacity, the department said, it’s likely for windy conditions to cause water splash onto the emergency spillway. This could create minor flooding from emergency spillway drains, but the department described it as “normal.” … ” Read more from SF Gate.
Reclamation awards $255M contract to kick off Phase 2 construction for B.F. Sisk Safety of Dams Project
“The Bureau of Reclamation is awarding a major construction contract for Phase 2 of the B.F. Sisk Dam Safety of Dams Modification Project. The $255 million award to NW Construction marks a significant milestone in the continued effort to improve public safety and water supply reliability in California. “Reclamation is committed to ensuring the safety and integrity of our water infrastructure,” said Reclamation Acting Regional Director Adam Nickels. “This project represents a major investment in the future of California’s water supply and the communities and ecosystems that depend on it.” The 382-foot-tall dam is situated within a seismic zone associated with the Ortigalita Fault. Reclamation’s Dam Safety Program evaluates risks and implements actions such as the project at B.F. Sisk Dam. The dam safety project, Reclamation’s largest under the 1978 Safety of Dams Act, will construct stability berms and shear keys, and raise the crest of the existing 3.5-mile-long earthen dam. The combination of these features will improve downstream public safety concerns by reducing the likelihood of overtopping if slumping were to occur during a seismic event.” Read the press release at Bureau of Reclamation.
Meeting notes: The cost of wells and hot button bills discussed
“The Shafter-Wasco Irrigation District board voted to pay $50,000 toward the cost of a new drinking water well that had been dewatered since 2016. That’s about half the cost of the estimated $90,000 needed to replace the well. The rest, $45,000, is expected to come through Self-Help Enterprises, a nonprofit organization that helps provide valley residents with clean water when their wells go dry. … In a legislative update discussion, board member Chuck Griffin, the Indian Wells Valley Water District representative on the authority, reiterated his opposition to Assembly bills 1413 and 1466. A lengthy discussion was held on these bills during a special meeting of the Kern County Board of Supervisors May 5. Supervisors declined to support the bills, which had been brought to that board by Supervisor Phillip Peters who also serves on the board of the Indian Wells Valley Groundwater Authority. Both bills involve how courts handle adjudications, which are lawsuits to establish how much groundwater is available to pump in a region, who has rights to it and how much those rights holders can pump. AB 1413 would require courts to use the sustainable yield figure (how much groundwater is available to pump) established by a region’s groundwater agency. … ” Read more from SJV Water.
1st heat wave of the season to bake West with 100-degree temps
“Some of the hottest weather of the year so far is in store for the interior western United States from later this week to this weekend. Highs will be in the triple digits Fahrenheit in some areas during the heat wave before cooler air, showers and thunderstorms arrive, AccuWeather meteorologists say. A strong area of high pressure is what will cause temperatures to surge. Adding to this will be a general offshore flow, where the wind travels from the land to the water. This prevents any cooling by the chilly ocean water along the coast or the notorious “June gloom” this time of the year. The offshore flow will be caused by the strong high pressure area to the north and a storm setting up over the Pacific southwest of Southern California. … ” Read more from AccuWeather.
SEE ALSO: Why California’s coming heat wave could be more dangerous than you think, from the San Francisco Chronicle
June Whiplash to come: Brief surge of record NorCal heat before sudden cooler/unsettled shift–then notable heat returns again?
“Well, here comes the roller coaster! The next 2 weeks will feature a wide array of active, unusual, and highly changeable weather conditions across California and the broader West. It would, I think, be fair to call the upcoming pattern one characterized by rather dramatic weather whiplash–from record hot in NorCal on Fri-Sat to windy, cool, and even showery by Tuesday (on top of some isolated SoCal thunderstorms this weekend?) only to be followed, immediately, by another episode of potentially widespread anomalous heat. Something for everyone, I suppose, but certainly not typical June weather in this part of the world!A very strong ridge will build rapidly by Thursday along the West Coast from central California northward into the Pacific Northwest interior, peaking at record strength (for late May) on Fri/Sat. Meanwhile, a notable low pressure system will develop directly south of California–forming what is known as a “Rex Block” pattern. As it does so, Northern CA will experience rapid warming to well above average and in some cases record-breaking levels by Friday. … ” Continue reading from Dr. Daniel Swain at Weather West.
California’s agave revolution: Farmers and distillers embrace drought-tolerant, high-potential crop
“When Craig Reynolds of Sacramento planted a small plot of agave in Mexico to raise funds for a nonprofit in 2006, he had no idea it would spark a revolution in the California spirits scene. Now, nearly 20 years later, he finds himself at the helm of the state’s burgeoning agave spirit sector—a movement he helped pioneer. “We’re offering something unique and that California has grown,” Reynolds says of California agave spirits, which by law are made from 100% California-grown agave and contain no added flavors or colors. “The super-premium sector is the fastest-growing segment of agave spirits.” Reynolds’ journey into the agave world began in Colima, Mexico, where he volunteered for Project Amigo, an organization dedicated to helping underprivileged youths. … ” Read more from California Bountiful.
Despite DOGE, Calif. moves to protect habitats with $60 million grant funds
“As the Trump administration continues to gut federal funding for some of California’s most unique parks and natural landscapes, state officials are moving to protect critical habitat for rare plant and animal species, marking a victory for conservationists. The California Wildlife Conservation Board, a state agency dedicated to protecting California’s biological diversity, has approved $59.5 million in grant funding to preserve nearly 23,000 acres of some of the state’s most ecologically significant habitats, a May 23 news release from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife shows. Projects are planned across 21 counties and take place as far south as Bombay Beach to as far north as the Sonoma Coast. … ” Read more from SF Gate.
A look at customer assistance programs for utility bills today
“The affordability of necessary utilities like electricity and water is a growing concern for many Californians. Last October, Governor Newsom signed Executive Order N-5-24, directing several state agencies to take steps to manage rising electricity costs. California has long had programs to help low-income customers pay for their water service and more help may be coming. As we move through this year, it will be interesting to see how these efforts develop. … ” Read more from Nossaman LLP.
Technical knowledge needed for state’s water future
“Efficient water management is a growing priority in California as agriculture, urban and recreational development, and environmental needs increasingly compete for limited resources. There is a pressing need for professionals who understand water system complexities but also can design, manage and optimize irrigation systems. To meet this need, professionals need an excellent source of irrigation education that includes extensive written material to emphasize the details and a tested hands-on component to help understand complex topics.Cal Poly’s Irrigation Training and Research Center, or ITRC, plays a critical role in addressing that need. … ” Read more from Ag Alert.
Pajaro River levee project [and others] at risk after Trump claws back funding
“President Donald Trump has taken millions of dollars already allocated to blue states—and reallocated the funding to red states—impacting a wide array of ongoing critical infrastructure projects, including the Pajaro River Flood Management Project. In a press conference Thursday U.S. Democratic Senators Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff—both members of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works—joined the Washington state Senate delegation in calling out Trump’s decision to zero out critical funding for Army Corps of Engineers construction projects. Overall, the Army Corps’ plans would steer roughly $258 million more in construction funding to red states while ripping away roughly $437 million in construction funding for blue states. … ” Read more from Good Times Santa Cruz.
The PPIC Water Policy Center turns 10
“Launching the PPIC Water Policy Center ten years ago was a risk. How was a small team going to have a big impact on such intractable problems? After a decade, the proof is in the pudding. We’ve done it by being interdisciplinary, seeking out facts amid controversy, and really trying to understand the challenges and opportunities in each water sector. Despite the many difficulties and complexities of California’s water, the state has made tremendous progress on water management in the last decade, and the Water Policy Center has worked hard to support that progress with forward-looking, nonpartisan research. We follow where the facts lead, and that commitment to the facts—even if the results are not popular—has made us a trusted voice on some of the thorniest challenges in the field. … ” Read more from the PPIC.
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
Undammed: Runners celebrate first salmon return after largest dam removal in US History
“From May 22-25, 2025, the 22nd annual Salmon Run took place with historical significance under the 2025 theme, “Undammed.” This year’s run honored the first return of salmon following the largest dam removal project in U.S. history, which restored hundreds of miles of habitat along the Klamath River. Four dams were removed on the Klamath River in 2024. “This is the first year, after over two decades of work, that we are running past an Undammed Klamath River,” added Karuk Tribal Member Crispen McAllister. “I remember several years ago when just a small handful of runners made the journey to the upper basin for the first time. Every year since then, the run has grown, and we have had the opportunity to experience the change we were hoping for, to see a dam-free Klamath River that the Salmon could come home to.” … ” Read more from the Redheaded Blackbelt.
Blog: Forest Service set to rebuild salmon killing roads.
Felice Pace writes, “In a May 25th Press Release, the US Forest Service announced road closures on the Klamath National Forest due to storm damage. Some of these roads have failed time and again during large storms, delivering many tons of fine, salmon-killing sediment to our streams. Nevertheless, the agency is almost certain to reconstruct these roads using a permanent federal fund and NOT the Forest Service’s own budget. The Forest Service will reconstruct failed, salmon-killing roads without a meaningful environmental review or analysis to determine if the roads are really needed. In this manner, the US Forest Service has kept over 8,000 miles of dirt and gravel roads on the Klamath National Forest alone, even though the agency only has funds sufficient to maintain about 25% of those roads. … ” Read more from KlamBlog.
Illegal lamprey selling operation on Klamath River shut down by CDFW
“A Placer County man is going to jail after the California Department of Fish and Wildlife busted an illegal fish selling operation. According to the CDFW, their Delta Bay Enhanced Enforcement Program and Special Operations Unit investigated a conspiracy to sell Pacific lamprey, leading to the arrest of Justin D. Lewis. Lewis sourced Pacific lamprey, a California state species of special concern, from the Klamath River in Del Norte County and resold the fish to sellers across Colusa County and beyond. The CDFW said lamprey are often used as bait for sturgeon and other fish, but also are valued highly by the Yurok tribe in Del Norte County as a food source and cultural emblem. Lewis was sentenced on May 21 to two years — one in the Colusa County Jail, and another on supervised release. He also must pay more than $20,000 in fines and his fishing privileges are suspended. … ” Read more from the Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Invasive species harming waterways may come to Humboldt County
“This month, local water authorities issued an alert to those that use our county waterways warning that invasive golden mussels are stowing away on recreational vehicles — and have the potential to wreak havoc on our native species and ecosystems. The golden mussel, native to East and Southeast Asia, was first documented in California in October 2024, according to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Golden mussels have subsequently spread rapidly throughout the Sacramento Delta, and they have been found as far south as Kern County along the California Aqueduct. “Since we’ve found them in the Port of Stockton, they’ve mostly stuck to the (Sacramento) Delta area, and throughout the Delta area, they’ve popped up in different areas,” CDFW Information Officer Steve Gonzalez told the Times-Standard. “It looks like they may have been around for a year or maybe even a few years prior to detection. The main way that we think they’re traveling is through boats and fishing gear, fishing activity, so that’s why we message to people ‘Clean, Drain and Dry.’ ” … ” Read more from the Eureka Times-Standard.
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
After seeing land sinking in Red Bluff and Corning areas, Tehama County calls meeting
“Parts of Tehama County, including around Red Bluff, Corning and Antelope, are sinking, officials have discovered, prompting an emergency meeting to decide next steps to intervene. In a statement announcing the June 3 meeting, county officials said they found the mid- to southwestern part of Tehama had “observable land subsidence on a scale that has never been recorded.” Land subsidence is a drop in the Earth’s crust — sudden or gradual — into empty underground space, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. In Tehama County, some of the area’s groundwater dried up during years of heavy drought, according to the announcement. The soil is now collapsing into the cavity left by the absent water, making the ground above it sink. … ” Read more from the Redding Record-Searchlight.
SEE ALSO: County may declare groundwater emergency, from the Red Bluff Daily News
Return of rare species underscores importance of restoring Sacramento River wildlife corridors
“Documenting wildlife in the field can be a slow endeavor. Roaming through vast landscapes of often-times wildly overgrown and insect-filled habitat looking for individual birds, mammals, insects, and other hard-to-find wildlife can sometimes uncover very little, if any, evidence that they’re around. For River Partners’ biologists and ecologists, though, the reward for perseverance comes when they spot a rare or elusive species. It also proves that restored riparian habitats provide thriving homes for all kinds of wildlife, especially those on the brink. Through our longstanding partnership with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), River Partners has been studying wildlife at numerous sites along the 3,900-acre Sacramento River Wildlife Area (SRWA)—through field monitoring, reviewing tens of thousands of camera-trap photos, and listening to more than 3,900 hours of audio recordings. Below, we’ve shared some highlights of what we discovered. … ” Read more from River Partners.
BAY AREA
After two decades of restoration work, a crucial Bay Area habitat returns to its original natural beauty
“It took $25 million and 22 years to restore the 122 acres of Pacheco Marsh, the historic saltwater marshland just northeast of downtown Martinez, where Walnut Creek flows into the Carquinez Strait. Now, kayakers paddle through tidal currents past native wildflowers and coyote brush, while young families and seniors plod along nearly 2.5 miles of flat, paved trails and pedestrian bridges while migratory birds fly overhead – a peculiar juxtaposition of concrete, steam and steel on the horizon from the first Bay Delta project stewarded by the John Muir Land Trust. But the property, located at 2501 Waterfront Road off Interstate 680, once served as dumping ground for sand mined near Alcatraz Island and offloaded by boat, where it would be dried in basins not dissimilar to the salt ponds further south before being shipped to a cement factory. While not as hazardous as the many refineries and chemical plants that dot the Suisun Bay’s industrial shoreline, the land weathered decades of dysfunction. … ” Read more from the San Jose Mercury News.
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
Utility district bans boats, alcohol at Lake Comanche in San Joaquin Valley
“When the weather heats up, many want to grab a drink, get on a boat and spend time with friends and family on the water. This year, at Lake Camanche, it’s a different story. “We’ve taken the precaution, a difficult one, to shut down our boat launches for this year as we try to get our arms around this and figure out the best way to prevent its introduction to East Bay MUD’s water system,” East Bay Municipal Utility District spokesperson Christopher Tritto said. The reason is because of the recently discovered golden mussel found in the Sacramento and San Joaquin Delta. While this invasive species hasn’t made it into the reservoir, the utility district is taking this ban a step further: no kayaks, no paddleboards, and more. … ” Read more from SJV Water.
Fresno hasn’t tapped San Joaquin River’s potential. Could it be city’s main draw?
“To those who know about it, the San Joaquin River is Fresno’s greatest natural feature.In the springtime, burrowing owls nestle into its bluffs, songbirds float around its floodplains, and hawks soar overhead. East of Highway 41, hiking trails connect its lush sand bars to the 300-acre Woodward Park. West of the freeway, riverside ponds attract anglers searching for bass, catfish and trout. The San Joaquin River did not always run full through Fresno after Friant Dam was completed in the 1940s and began diverting water for agriculture. But in the past 15 years, the regular release of water — an effort to restore the Chinook salmon population — changed everything. The river now has an ever-present flow and, one day, should again provide large salmon runs, a potential spectacle for visitors. Barbara Foster, executive director of Fresno State’s Office of Community and Economic Development, said the river also could be the ideal recruitment tool for businesses considering a new location: “I can’t imagine how anyone would not see the connection to the economic possibilities there.” … ” Read more from the Fresno Bee.
EASTERN SIERRA
Broken Grant valve threatens restoration
“Since 1941, the Los Angeles Department of Water & Power (DWP) has used Grant Lake Reservoir to collect, store, and divert fresh water from Mono Basin streams to the City of Los Angeles. The reservoir is located on Rush Creek, the largest tributary to Mono Lake. … The required flows for Rush Creek below Grant Lake Reservoir are specific. Defined in DWP’s licenses as Stream Ecosystem Flows (SEFs), SEFs set the timing, magnitude, and duration of flow releases for the four creeks that have been historically damaged by DWP’s stream diversions. SEFs were developed from 15 years of extensive scientific stream studies; they seek to match natural runoff patterns to maximize stream restoration and stream health. But for as long as SEFs have been a requirement in DWP’s stream diversion licenses, infrastructure constraints at Grant Lake Reservoir have impaired DWP’s ability to fulfill the flow requirements for Rush Creek. That’s why in 2021 the State Water Board required DWP to construct a new—and now overdue—outlet to ensure reliable flow release. … ” Read more from the Mono Lake Committee.
Power outage causes failure at Eastern Sierra hatchery
“The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) announced that a sustained power outage has led to the widespread loss of fish at the Fish Springs Trout Hatchery. The power outage, which was outside CDFW’s control, occurred in the afternoon of Tuesday, May 20, 2025, in the Owens Valley, and lasted more than two hours. Fish Springs Trout Hatchery, powered by the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, has backup diesel motors which can supply continued water pumping during power outage events. During the power outage on Tuesday, the backup diesel motors were non-operational due to a software issue. A contractor had been previously scheduled to come to the hatchery on Thursday, May 22 to diagnose the software issue, assess the motors, and help CDFW resolve the problem. … ” Read more from the Department of Fish and Wildlife.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
‘Don’t be afraid’: California coastline begs for tourism
“Many signs on my Saturday drive along the Pacific Coast Highway from Santa Monica to Malibu would point to it being yet another uneventful late-spring morning. For starters, there was a healthy flow of cars heading north. Surfers could be seen dotting the water in the overcast weather, a harbinger of the region’s well-known “June gloom” to come. A plane with a somewhat out-of-touch banner promoting the new season of “Love Island” (“It’s Back, Beaches”) flew overhead. But it certainly wasn’t a normal morning. Just one day before, on Friday, May 23, that particular 13-mile stretch of the PCH had been reopened to the public after January’s tragic and widespread wildfires. In announcing the road’s reopening for Memorial Day weekend, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass stressed safety, saying in an official statement: “As Pacific Coast Highway reopens, we will continue to protect the safety and security of Palisades neighborhoods through a strict security plan established in coordination with the State. All of us have a shared goal – to ensure residents can safely and quickly rebuild and return to their community.” … ” Read more from SF Gate.
IMPERIAL/COACHELLA VALLEYS
California Wildlife Conservation Board awards IID a $5.2 million grant
“The Wildlife Conservation Board (WCB) has approved $59.5 million in grants to support 25 habitat protection and restoration projects in 21 counties across California. In a statement, the agency said that the projects, awarded at WCB’s May 22 meeting, will safeguard nearly 23,000 acres of the state’s most ecologically important landscapes. A $5.2 million grant to the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) in partnership with the Imperial Irrigation District (IID) and the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation to implement the Bombay Beach Wetland Enhancement Project at the Salton Sea. The project aims to restore just over 560 acres of wetland habitat for migratory birds and endangered species such as the desert pupfish, while also controlling dust near the disadvantaged community of Bombay Beach. Long-term management will be led by the Salton Sea Conservancy, with support from state agencies and conservation groups. … ” Read more from the Imperial Valley Press.
SAN DIEGO
Many local farmers pay a discounted water rate, but that could be about to change
“Local farmers are fighting against a plan to sharply reduce their special water rate discount, contending it could wipe out much of the county’s already-shrinking agriculture industry. The cash-strapped County Water Authority says it must roll back the longtime rate discount it now gives to roughly 1,000 local farmers because of dropping demand and changes to the authority’s business model. Farmers say the rate hike proposal is shortsighted because it would accelerate the demise of many farms, stripping the water authority of existing customers at a time when it needs more customers — not less. Losing hundreds of local farms would also hurt ordinary San Diegans, the farmers say, by replacing local fruits and vegetables with imported produce that would be more expensive and less fresh. “To jeopardize what we have here — that serves not only the local community but the rest of the state and the county — would be very shortsighted,” said Dana Groot, president of the county Farm Bureau board. “We are losing agricultural acreage every year and water rates play a significant role in that.” … ” Read more from the San Diego Union-Tribune.
Water agency demands retraction from former board member
“Lawyers for the Sweetwater Authority water agency are demanding that former authority board member Josie Calderon-Scott retract claims she made recently to Voice of San Diego that the authority knew about elevated levels of toxic industrial chemicals in its main reservoir years before alerting the public. But Calderon-Scott said she’s not backing down. And she challenged the authority to produce documents that she said would settle the issue. In a May 23 letter, lawyers for the agency’s law firm, Best, Best & Krieger, demanded that Calderon-Scott retract claims she made in a May 13 Voice newsletter that the agency knew “for years it had a PFAS [chemicals] problem in its reservoir” and that “this problem existed for a long time before [the agency] notified the public.” Those statements, the lawyers wrote, “are false and untrue, are defamatory, and create alarming confusion for residents served by the authority.” … ” Read more from the Voice of San Diego.
Along the Colorado River …
The Colorado River is running low. The picture looks even worse underground, study says.
“The dwindling flow of the Colorado River has alarmed the American West for years, but the water losses happening underground are even worse, according to a new study that uses satellite data to measure groundwater supplies across the Colorado River Basin.The research found that the region lost 27.8 million acre-feet of groundwater since 2003, roughly the same volume as the total capacity of Lake Mead — the nation’s largest reservoir — and that the decline accelerated rapidly over the past decade. These groundwater losses accounted for more than twice the amount taken out of reservoirs in the region during that time.“The picture of what’s happening is pretty dire,” said Jay Famiglietti, a professor at Arizona State University and the senior author on the study, published Tuesday in the journal Geophysical Research Letters. … ” Read more from the Washington Post.
SEE ALSO:
- Colorado River basin has lost nearly the equivalent of an underground Lake Mead, from The Guardian
- Groundwater supplies are plunging across the Colorado River Basin: Study, from The Hill
The Colorado River’s water-sharing treaty is expiring next year. How close is a new deal?
“The western U.S. has been in the midst of a megadrought for more than 20 years. Higher temperatures and less precipitation are becoming the norm as humans continue to burn fossil fuels, causing the entire globe to warm up year after year. A 2022 UCLA study found that human-caused climate change is responsible for 42 percent of the deficit in soil moisture over the last 25 years. And that’s a problem for the Colorado River Basin. The river starts in central Colorado, flows through Lake Powell and Lake Mead, and ends up crossing the border into Mexico. More than 40 million people rely on the river along the way. When so many people rely on the Colorado River, water-sharing agreements are highly political. With the current treaty expiring next year, how close is a new deal? And what do water conditions this spring mean for western wildfires this year? … ” Read more from WAMU.
National Park Service prepares for projected historic low water level at Lake Mead in Nevada
“Lake Mead hit its all-time low water level three years ago: 1040 feet. Right now, the lake is about 18 feet higher, but water levels are projected to drop throughout the summer, and the lake could reach that record low level once again according to the Bureau of Reclamation. Declining water levels due to climate change and 20 years of ongoing drought have reshaped the park’s shorelines. As Lake Mead continues to recede, the National Park Service is committed to extending boat launch ramps to continue to give the public access to the lake. One major extension at the lake’s most popular launch site is soon set to begin. … ” Read more from Channel 8.
It’s a thirsty world for Arizona wildlife. How a state agency keeps water basins full
“One May night, a lone coyote emerged from a dry desert wash outside Phoenix, ducked beneath the metal bar of a specially-designed livestock fence, walked up a concrete ramp, and took its nightly drink of water from an artificial oasis, maintained and refilled by the state of Arizona. After the coyote left, a gray fox, trotting on its tiny paws, slunk under the same fence and drank. Hours later, a great horned owl landed silently at the water’s edge and dipped its beak. A herd of mule deer followed, towing a yearling fawn, and then dawn broke, and the watering hole fell to daytime visitors: quail, ravens, vultures, doves and the occasional lizard. The “Teddy Bear” water catchment, nicknamed for the teddy bear cholla that grows around it, is among thousands managed by the Arizona Game and Fish Department. Built to boost game numbers for hunting and compensate for habitat fragmentation, the watering points have satisfied thirsty animals since the 1940s. … ” Read more from Arizona Central.
Mayes sued to stop Fondomonte pumping groundwater. How might that affect Arizona farmers?
“The future of groundwater has — once again — been a big topic of debate this year at the state Capitol. But, again as in past years, there hasn’t been agreement between the GOP-led Legislature and Gov. Katie Hobbs about the best way to handle the issue. On top of that, Attorney General Kris Mayes has sued a foreign company, accusing it of creating a public nuisance because of the amount of groundwater it’s pumping to grow alfalfa. Howie Fischer of Capitol Media Services joined The Show to talk about what’s to come at the state Capitol. … ” Listen to podcast or read transcript at KJZZ.
Utah: Water woes: The future of the Colorado River
“Upper and lower states in the Colorado River Basin have until next summer to decide how they will share the responsibility of managing a resource growing ever more scarce in the West: water. This impacts all of us. Of all water used in Utah, 27% of it comes from the Colorado River. The Colorado River supplies 40 million people with drinking water, generates hydroelectricity to power 2.3 million homes, and irrigates nearly 5.5 million acres of land. The Colorado River is the lifeblood of agriculture across the Western and Southwestern United States. Agriculture accounts for 70% of the river’s water usage, but the river’s flow continues to ebb, and money set aside to help conserve water from the Colorado might not make it to the farmers it’s supposed to help. The Biden administration set aside more than $4 billion as part of the Inflation Reduction Act in part to pay farmers to draw less water from the river, so there will be enough water to continue the flow downstream, but the new presidential administration halted those payments. … ” Read more from Salt Lake Magazine.
Southern Ute tribal member elected to chair Colorado water policy board in historic first
“The Colorado Water Conservation Board, one of Colorado’s top water policy agencies, has a new leader: Southern Ute tribal member Lorelei Cloud. The 15-member board sets water policy within the state, funds water projects statewide and works on issues related to watershed protection, stream restoration, flood mitigation and drought planning. On May 21, board members elected Cloud to serve a one-year term as chair, making her the first Indigenous person to hold the position since the board was formed in 1937. Cloud said her new role gives Indigenous people a long-sought seat at the table where water decisions are made. “This is history,” Cloud said during the meeting. “What a moment. What a great moment for the state of Colorado.” … ” Read more from the Colorado Sun.
Trump forces Mexico to share more water along the Rio Grande
“Mexico’s announcement late last month that it would send water to the United States to meet its treaty requirement to meet the needs of residents in the Rio Grande Valley was seen by President Claudia Sheinbaum as a step to ensure water supplies for Mexican communities. Across the river, U.S. President Donald Trump was quick to cast the water transfer as a “major win” for U.S. farmers along the Rio Grande and took credit for levying tariffs and threatening other measures to force Mexico to give up water stored in reservoirs and nearby rivers. The strategic and political gamesmanship to assure larger water deliveries along the dry U.S.-Mexico border is one more example of the geopolitical upheaval occurring as the world dries from climate change. It also illustrates how the American president’s tough foreign policy and freewheeling social media diplomacy is yielding results in his favor. … ” Read more the Circle of Blue.
In national water news today …
The unparalleled daily miracle of tap water
writes, “I used to have no problem with tap water. I grew up in Cincinnati with parents who, at dinner, filled a pitcher straight from our kitchen sink. In St. Louis during college, I subsisted on campus water fountains. I later moved to New York, which boasts “the Champagne of tap water” and claims it to be the secret ingredient in its bagels. During a two-year stint in Montana, I went on long hikes and sipped stream water, shockingly cold and straight from the glaciers, but other than that, I drank from the tap. And then I landed in Los Angeles, where everyone I met used a filter. … ” Read more from the New York Times.
PFAS ‘forever chemicals’ detected in 95% of beers tested in U.S.
“Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) can be found in many places, including food packaging and waterproof clothing, but did you know the ubiquitous chemical compounds can also be found in the most popular alcoholic beverage in the world — beer? Forever chemicals have been detected in most beers in the United States, with beer brewed in parts of the country that have known PFAS-contaminated water sources having the highest levels, a new study by researchers from independent scientific research institute RTI International said. “Beer has been a staple beverage since premodern times, when it was actually considered safer than water given the destruction of waterborne pathogens during brewing,” the authors of the findings wrote. “Breweries typically have basic water filtration and treatment processes to ensure source water meets brewing requirements. While these processes aim to balance water parameters for brewing, they are not necessarily effective at removing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).” … ” Read more from EcoWatch.
As Trump comes after research, Forest Service scientists keep working
“The research and development team at the U.S. Forest Service employs about 1,500 people full-time, a small but mighty faction inside an agency that, until recently, was 35,000 strong. The research it conducts spans everything from managing visitors at recreation hotspots to understanding the pulse of life and land on the 193 million acres the agency manages. Since President Donald Trump took office, his barrage of executive actions in the name of curbing waste have imperiled the basic functions of federal agencies. At the Forest Service, the result is a climate of fear and uncertainty that’s stymieing the scientists working to fulfill the agency’s mission — sustaining the nation’s forests and grasslands for the public’s long-term benefit — just as the summer research field season ramps up. “Science and research are critical to maintaining public lands,” said Jennifer Jones, the program director of the Center for Science and Democracy at the nonprofit Union of Concerned Scientists. Federal scientists intimately understand the ecosystems of the public lands they study. Their institutional position and on-the-ground knowledge make them uniquely suited to translate study findings into effective management. “If we lose a few months — a few years — of science and science-led management of those natural resources, it could take decades and generations for ecosystems to recover if they’re poorly managed,” she said. … ” Read more from High Country News.
Also on Maven’s Notebook today …
NOTICE: New Water Rights Reporting System is Coming Soon!
DELTA SCIENCE PROGRAM: Call for 2025 Delta Synthesis Working Group Ideas and Participants
YOUR INPUT WANTED: CDFW Seeks Public Comment on Draft Guidelines for Recovery Planning
ENV DOCS: USACE releases environmental document for proposed Napa River/Napa Creek floodwalls
