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In California water news today …
Rapid snowmelt and Trump cuts compound wildfire fears in US west
“Unusually warm springtime temperatures have contributed to rapid reductions in snowpacks across the western US that rival the fastest rates on record, increasing concerns around wildfire season. The rapid snowmelt, in addition to reduced staffing and budget constraints initiated by the Trump administration, has set the stage for a particularly dangerous season across the west, according to an analysis of publicly available data by the Guardian and interviews with experts in the region. The National Weather Service has issued flash flood warnings across the south-west this week as warm weather ushered in rainfall at higher-than-usual elevations, worsening the runoff. In several lower-elevation locations within the headwaters of the Colorado River, mountain terrain is already snow-free – the earliest complete melting of snowpack on record. “Such rapid melt rates are not normal,” according to a special update by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Noaa) last month. … ” Read more from The Guardian.
Oroville Reservoir reaches capacity but drought development likely in California
“The latest U.S. Drought Monitor shows growing dryness in California. Parts of the northwest corner of the state are now in the abnormally dry category. The typical impacts in this category include growing fire risk, dry soils, and more required irrigation. Other areas in the state remained unchanged as of June 3, 2025. Much of Central and Southern California are in some drought category. The Central and Southern San Joaquin Valley from Merced County to parts of Kern County is in moderate drought. Surrounding hill areas remain abnormally dry. Farther south, from Santa Barbara to San Diego Counties, coastal and inland communities remain in severe drought. Dryness intensifies in parts of Inyo County, San Bernardino County, Riverside County, San Diego and Imperial County where extreme drought conditions are present. The most intense category is exceptional drought which only covers a small portion of the southeast corner of Imperial County. … ” Read more from ABC 10.
Here’s why forecasters see California turning red on this map
“California’s first real taste of summer arrived recently, with temperatures pushing triple-digit highs from Redding to Palm Springs, heat more typical of July than spring. Yet during last week’s heat wave, due to fog pooled beneath the Golden Gate Bridge that spilled over western San Francisco, afternoon highs only hit the low 60s in San Francisco. Meanwhile, just 30 miles inland, Concord baked at 100 degrees. These sharp temperature contrasts mark a California summer rite of passage, but forecasts suggest a less pronounced divide for future heatwaves this year. That’s because coastal areas may have to rely on a thinner marine layer, which means less of the cooling ocean air that typically allows places like S.F. to stay comfortable. According to the seasonal outlook from NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center, most inland areas in California have a 60% to 70% chance of experiencing one of the warmest summers since 1991. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
Invasive golden mussels first found in Stockton may bring action from Congress
“An invasive species of mussels first discovered in the Port of Stockton is now getting attention in Washington, D.C. Rep. Josh Harder, D-Tracy, said this week he has joined other Delta-area members of Congress in introducing a bill aimed at trying to halt the spread of golden mussels. The mollusks have been found in various parts of the Delta and as far south as Bakersfield. The discoveries have prompted a variety of measures, including closure of at least one popular San Joaquin County reservoir to the launching of boats, kayaks and other watercraft. … “Don’t let the name fool you. These golden mussels are sharp, slimy and stinking invaders that clog our waterways with sludge and threaten our fragile Delta ecosystems. We need to act now to stop their advance,” Harder said in a statement. Harder said the bill that was introduced will protect Delta and waterways by initiating a rapid response program to contain and eradicate infestations. It also will fund new technology and inspection stations and foster coordination between local, state and federal agencies. … ” Read more from Stocktonia.
Trump cut UC Berkeley researchers’ funding. Their response is a fierce lawsuit.
“Six Bay Area researchers slammed recent funding cuts by President Donald Trump’s administration in a strongly worded lawsuit on Wednesday, arguing that the moves are not only unlawful but also damaging to them, the University of California system and the public good. … The complaint’s plaintiffs are researchers with projects focused on water management, the effects of wildfire smoke, methane from landfills, Mark Twain’s oeuvre, Indigenous students’ STEM education and Ottoman history. But if a judge certifies UC researchers as a class, the body of relevant research will dramatically expand. All six saw their grant funding suddenly cut off with little explanation, and various co-researchers were also impacted, the suit said. … ” Read more from SF Gate.
Small Kings County city jumps in the ring in legal fight against state Water Board
“The small city of Lemoore recently joined the legal fight against the powerful state Water Resources Control Board over groundwater sanctions issued against Kings County farmers by the state last year. The Lemoore City Council on May 22 subbmited an “amicus brief,” or friend of the court motion, in support of an injunction that has, so far, held those groundwater sanctions at bay. The injunction was ordered by a Kings County Superior Court judge as part of a lawsuit filed against the Water Board by the Kings County Farm Bureau. The state appealed the injunction, which is now under review by the 5th District Court of Appeal. A state spokesman wrote in an email to SJV Water that the Water Board disagrees with Lemoore’s brief and would file a response by this Friday. … ” Read more from SJV Water.
What is subsidence and how does it impact the ground beneath our feet?
“You may have heard of the term subsidence but what does it mean? Subsidence is the sinking of land which can be caused by various factors including groundwater pumping. In California, subsidence has been documented for over a century and is a growing issue that impacts our water infrastructure and the communities who rely on it. This summer, DWR plans to release a draft best management practices document to help local agencies minimize subsidence impacts around the state. For more information about DWR’s efforts to sustainable manage groundwater and reduce the impacts of subsidence visit DWR’s Groundwater Management page.”
Senator seeks to understand California’s farm challenges
“California farmers and agricultural leaders are getting to meet their new U.S. senator as he makes visits up and down the state. Perhaps more importantly for these leaders is the opportunity they see in helping to educate the first California senator to sit on the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition & Forestry in over 30 years. Since being elected to the senate late last year, Adam Schiff, D-Calif., has made multiple trips to visit with California farmers and ag industry leaders. This is part of Schiff’s public effort to support California agriculture and understand the concerns of the agricultural community. His visits to California farms are notable because of his ag committee appointment. Colleen Cecil, executive director of the Butte County Farm Bureau in northern California said that educating the senator on California’s specialty crops is part of a larger message they want him to understand. … ” Read more from the Western Farm Press.
Facing California’s challenges with smart irrigation and agri-intelligence
“Nick Papagni, “the Ag Meter”, has a discussion with Nick Anderson from Helena Agri-Enterprises about the mounting challenges farmers face in California — and the innovative strategies they’re using to stay ahead. California growers face more than just climate hurdles — they’re also grappling with increasing political and regulatory pressures. But that hasn’t stopped them from getting creative, especially when it comes to water use. Anderson highlights the importance of drip and microjet irrigation systems, which allow for precise water delivery and efficient use of fertilizers. This not only saves resources but places nutrients exactly where they’re needed. A major game-changer? Agri-Intelligence. … ” Read more and listen at Ag Net West.
Tomatoes to tequila: Stuart Woolf’s agave revolution in California
“If you’ve spent any time in California ag circles, you’ve heard of Stuart Woolf. A second-generation farmer, innovator, and longtime advocate for the Central Valley, Woolf is best known for his role as CEO of Woolf Farming & Processing, a powerhouse in tomatoes, almonds, and value-added crops. Now, he’s known for something else: planting over 450 acres of agave in Fresno County. “Honestly,” Woolf laughs, “I was drinking mezcal one night and thought, ‘Why am I not growing this stuff?’” That tequila-fueled epiphany has turned into a full-on movement, blending innovation with advocacy, climate resilience, and economic revitalization for drought-stricken farmland. … ” Read more from Ag Net West.
$255 Million awarded for Central Valley dam safety project
“The Bureau of Reclamation has awarded a $255 million federal contract to advance seismic safety improvements at B.F. Sisk Dam in Los Banos, a significant infrastructure investment aimed at strengthening the region’s water supply and protecting communities from potential earthquake damage. The contract marks the next step in an extensive, multi-phase effort to modernize one of California’s key water facilities, ensuring it remains stable and reliable for decades to come. The dam, originally built between 1963 and 1967, impounds San Luis Reservoir, which is the largest offstream reservoir in the nation. Holding more than 2 million acre-feet of water, it plays a crucial role in supporting farms, communities, and wildlife refuges across California’s Central Valley and beyond. The facility is vital to both the federal Central Valley Project and the State Water Project, making its structural integrity a priority for water security in the state. … ” Read more from Westside Connect.
‘Tastes like water’: how a US facility is recycling sewage to drink
“As the pumps whir around us, Denis Bilodeau motions to the liquid in the vats below. It looks like iced tea, but in fact it’s secondary treated sewage, cleaned of any solids by the plant next door. In less than an hour, and after three steps of processing, we will be drinking it – as pure water. The Groundwater Replenishment System facility in Orange County, California, houses the pipes, filters and pumps to move up to 130m gallons each day – enough for 1 million people – processing it from dark to clear. The facility, which opened in 2008, is part of broader moves to help conserve water. Bilodeau, the president of the water district, says: “This is going to be a blueprint for any community that’s facing water scarcity, or wants to have more locally controlled water.” … ” Read more from the Guardian.
Percolating groundwater is appurtenant to land and is transferred with it
“The Court of Appeal confirmed that the rights to floodwater captured and stored in an aquifer beneath property were not personal property but rather appurtenant to the land and were transferred with the property during a foreclosure sale. Sandton Agriculture Investments III, LLC v. 4-S Ranch Partners LLC, 109 Cal.App.5th 766 (2025). In August 2017, Sandton Agriculture Investments acquired ranch property through foreclosure after 4-S Ranch Partners defaulted on repayment of a loan. The primary legal issue was whether approximately 500,000 acre-feet of captured floodwater stored in an aquifer beneath the ranch should be classified as personal property or as part of the real property. … ” Read more from Perkins Coie.
New CA bill would streamline solar conversion for dry farmland
“As California water law forces more farmland out of production, a new bill would make it easier to convert it to solar fields. Assembly Bill 1156 from Assemblymember Buffy Wicks (D-Oakland) allows farmland under the Williamson Act to be converted to solar fields. Land can be converted back to ag use while maintaining the same tax protections. The 1965 Williamson Act gave farmers tax breaks in exchange for promises to keep the land for agriculture. But with the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act poised to put 1 million acres of farmland out of production, many farmers in dry areas face the need to fallow their land. … ” Read more from GV Wire.
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
‘This project is enormous’: Yurok land back project largest in California history
“This week the Yurok Tribe and the Western Rivers Conservancy, in conjunction with the California Wildlife Conservation Board and the California State Coastal Conservancy, announced that they had completed the largest land back project in California history. 14,968 acres conveyed by the WRC to the Yurok Tribe on May 30 marked the final step in a more than two-decade long, 47,097-acre, $56 million land transfer. The 73-square-mile project, over the course of the last 23 years, has doubled the size of the Yurok Tribe’s land holdings, returning land that is both critical habitat in need of stewardship and of deep cultural significance to the tribe. That land lies along the eastern side of the Klamath River and includes the entirety of its tributary Blue Creek. The lands involved in the project make up the Blue Creek Salmon Sanctuary, established in 2018, and the Yurok Community Forest, created in 2015, and contains “the entire lower half of the Blue Creek watershed, 25 miles of the eastern bank of the Klamath River and dozens of miles of smaller salmon-bearing tributary streams, including Blue Creek, Bear Creek, Pecwan Creek and Ke’Pel Creek.” … ” Read more from the Eureka Times-Herald.
SEE ALSO:
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- Largest-ever land back deal in California returns 73 square miles on lower Klamath to Yurok Tribe, from the Lost Coast Outpost
- Calif.’s largest land back deal returns 47,000 acres to NorCal tribe, from SF Gate
Commentary: Dams are coming down — and a new facility is going up.
Mendocino County Supervisor John Haschak writes, “June is time to celebrate those graduating and their families. Best wishes in this next adventure in life. June is also the budget month for the county. The Board approved a balanced budget on June 3. We heard presentations from 11 different departments and offices. The cuts haven’t been easy, and department heads and elected officials will be making their cases about what they can and can’t do without. We will use six million dollars of one-time-only money to pay one-time expenses, which will prevent more drastic cuts. The Inland Water & Power Commission had an all-boards’ meeting on May 29. Since the IWPC is composed of different boards, this was an opportunity for all the boards to hear the same update. … ” Read more from the Mendocino Voice.
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
CalFire awards nearly $72 million to landscape-scale forest health projects across California
“The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection has awarded nearly $72 million to support landscape-scale, regionally based land management projects that will restore forest health and resilience throughout California, while enhancing long-term carbon storage. Through its Forest Health Program, CalFire has awarded 12 grants (details of which are available on the Forest Health Program website) to local and regional partners carrying out projects on state, local, tribal, federal, and private lands. Designed to address critical forest health needs, these initiatives will reduce wildfire risk, improve ecosystem resilience, and enhance carbon sequestration across California’s diverse landscapes. … ” Read more from Lassen News.
New Placer County water treatment plant breaks ground, will serve Colfax to Applegate
“A major investment is underway aimed at improving both water access and fire safety in Placer County. The Placer County Water Agency broke ground just north of Interstate 80 on the new Colfax water treatment plant, serving foothill communities from Colfax to Applegate. Safe drinking water is essential, and this project will greatly improve water quality for thousands of homes. It will also help keep this community safer when it comes to fighting wildfires. “When you build for communities and homes, you also build for a fire system,” said Andy Fecko, general manager of the water agency. The new facility will replace one built 60 years ago that is now outdated, undersized, and nearing the end of its operational life. … ” Read more from CBS Sacramento.
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
Tehama holds off on well restrictions despite signs of sinking land
“Officials warn that sinking ground, linked to groundwater loss, threatens infrastructure and long-term water storage. The Tehama County Board of Supervisors this week tabled an urgency ordinance that would have limited new well permits in areas at risk of land subsidence, where the ground surface sinks. The move followed studies showing sinking ground in parts of the county, a phenomenon linked to declining groundwater levels due to drought and agricultural use. The ordinance proposed pausing new well permits in high-risk areas unless a study could show that a well would not hinder the region’s sustainable groundwater management goals. Public Works Deputy Director Justin Jenson, speaking at the meeting, said small annual drops in the county’s ground level are adding up. … ” Read more from Jefferson Public Radio.
SEE ALSO: Column: Tales of out west, take a back seat | Shooting the breeze, by Shanna Long
BAY AREA
San Francisco Baylands Resilience Metrics Mapbook: New adaptation tool identifies challenges and opportunities for baylands resilience
“SFEI’s Baylands and Shoreline Resilience team helps planners, regulatory agencies, community-based organizations, and other stakeholders make informed decisions about where and how to implement nature-based solutions for sea level rise adaptation. The 2019 Adaptation Atlas identified places that are suitable for various types of nature-based solutions, including tidal marshes, mudflats, eelgrass, beaches, and oyster reefs. Our current work on the Baylands Resilience Framework goes beyond opportunity mapping, creating metrics to inform the development of targeted projects that increase baylands resilience to sea level rise. The Mapbook highlights metrics from SFEI’s Baylands Resilience Framework to help planners pinpoint places where nature-based solutions can increase shoreline resilience to sea level rise. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Estuary Institute.
When courts fail the Bay: The Supreme Court ruling and San Francisco’s water system
“The waters of San Francisco Bay are in crisis. Regular algae blooms, persistent contamination, and combined sewer overflows have created a steady state of pollution that threatens ecosystems, recreation, and public health. San Francisco’s outdated combined sewer system—unique among California coastal cities—mixes stormwater with wastewater during heavy rains, overwhelming the system and regularly sending untreated sewage directly into the Bay and Pacific Ocean. This system, dating back to the 19th century, has replaced what was once a rich network of natural waterways. Beneath the streets of San Francisco once flowed creeks, lagoons, and acres of tidal wetlands that served as natural filters. Freshwater flowed – or seeped – from crevices in the most surprising of places. On the west side of the city, the vast expanse of natural sand dunes soaked water up into deep underground aquifers. These waterways were systematically buried during the city’s development and transformed into underground sewers that now fail during heavy storms. … ” Read more from the Sierra Club.
CENTRAL COAST
Two floodplain restoration projects on the lower Carmel River have had different fortunes.
“In the 1990s, the ailing Carmel River, long tamed by two dams and overpumping, flashed its wild side: The Highway 1 bridge over the river was swept out to sea by floodwaters. A similar flooding event occurred in 1998 – minus the bridge failing – causing even costlier damage to homes in the lower valley. It was the cumulation of those two floods that planted the seeds for the nonprofit Big Sur Land Trust’s Carmel River FREE project, a “green” infrastructure project on 128 acres that will restore part of the historic floodplain in the lower valley, creating a second point where water can flow under the highway as well as numerous side channels that will direct rising waters into a floodplain rather than a neighborhood. It’s been a project that, from the outset, has received widespread community and governmental support – including a pending $27 million FEMA grant – but over the past decade has been delayed by one setback after another. Now, the project is in its final stages: public comment closed May 30 on its federal environmental review. For the grant money to then be unlocked, there will be a “large project” notification to Congress. What happens then is somewhat of an unknown. … ” Read more from Monterey Now.
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
Century-old Tracy pump station faces critical failures, threatening water supply
“A century-old pump station near Tracy, operated by the Byron-Bethany Irrigation District, is grappling with failing infrastructure and power challenges, jeopardizing water delivery to over 6,500 acres of farmland. “This is an urgent need, and we’ve been working on this as quickly as we can. Unfortunately, we’re not working quickly enough. We have emergencies on top of emergencies right now,” said BBID General Manager Ed Pattison. The Wicklund Cut Pump Station, built in 1918, plays a crucial role in pumping water from nearby canals to sustain agricultural operations. … ” Read more from KCRA.
Powerful Kern water agency wants to boot judge off of Kern River case
“The Kern County Water Agency filed a motion May 30 seeking to remove Kern County Superior Court Judge Gregory Pulskamp from the long-running Kern River lawsuit saying it believes he is prejudiced against the agency. It’s highly unusual – one opposing attorney said improper – to try and get a judge removed from a case without a ruling, much less one that hasn’t even gone to trial yet. Disqualification efforts are typically filed if one side gets a negative ruling at trial that’s later overturned at a higher level and then sent back down to the original judge. That hasn’t happened in this case, in which Bring Back the Kern, Water Audit California and several other public interest groups sued the City of Bakersfield demanding it study the environmental impact of its river operations. The trial date is December 8, still seven months away. … ” Read more from SJV Water.
EASTERN SIERRA
DWP plans to maximize water export, and impacts to Mono Lake—again
“Mono Lake Committee and Los Angeles Department of Water & Power (DWP) staff members met at the edge of Mono Lake on April 1 for the annual joint lake level reading. With binoculars and cameras focused on the lake gauge, the collaborative affair produced, as usual, a consensus on the precise surface elevation of Mono Lake: 6,383.29 feet above sea level. But in downtown Los Angeles, far from the shores of Mono Lake, DWP leadership advanced an uncommon view of what the lake level means, and what to do about it. … ” Read more from the Mono Lake Committee.
Vehicle crash, generator failure blamed in massive fish hatchery die-off
“A power outage caused by a vehicle collision, combined with a backup system failure, has resulted in a massive fish die-off at the Fish Springs Trout Hatchery near Big Pine. Both the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) and the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) have confirmed details of the May 20 incident, which could impact recreational fish stocking across the Eastern Sierra for the next two seasons. The hatchery—operated by CDFW—lost electricity after a vehicle struck a power pole in the Owens Valley. In a statement provided to media, LADWP explained: “A power outage caused by a car colliding with a power pole in the Owens Valley led to an unfortunate loss of fish at the Fish Springs Trout Hatchery Tuesday, May 20. The power outage lasted approximately two and a half hours, while our crews responded to the incident and made repairs to restore power as quickly as possible. … ” Read more from KIBS/KBOV.
Recycling water is a good strategy, but can’t be the only strategy
“Water recycling — the advanced treatment of wastewater for use in agricultural irrigation or even potable drinking water — has become an indispensable component of modern water management. Nonetheless, water experts agree that recycling water alone is an insufficient strategy for true long-term water resilience. This is particularly relevant as it pertains to the Indian Wells Valley Groundwater Basin, which after decades of unchecked withdrawals from the basin, is now in a state of critical overdraft. Recent announcements from the Indian Wells Valley Water District are suggesting that water recycling, by itself, can address the region’s severe groundwater challenges. The Indian Wells Valley Groundwater Authority, the agency legally tasked with managing the region’s long-term water supply, acknowledges that recycled water can play a valuable role in maintaining local groundwater sustainability, but in and of itself, is not enough. … ” Read more from the Indian Wells Valley Groundwater Authority.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
San Clemente bides time on protecting wastewater pump station from a landslide
“A collapsing coastal bluff is imperiling a key part of San Clemente’s sewer system, the Linda Lane pump station, like never before. Ten years ago, the city put up a retainer wall to guard the pump station. An active, ever-encroaching landslide has since forced San Clemente to scale the wall up to 8 feet in height and reinforce it with raker system supports. Despite all efforts, the slow-moving landslide has breached the wall around the pump station and the city now faces the threat of a sewer spill. The San Clemente City Council on Tuesday weighed whether to approve a $2.3-million emergency contract to armor the pump station with caissons and tiebacks before the arrival of significant rainstorms or gamble by delaying the project for a few months to solicit competitive bids. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
IMPERIAL/COACHELLA VALLEYS
New $240,000 grant aims to revolutionize agriculture in California’s Imperial Valley
“A bold new agricultural initiative is taking shape in Calipatria. The Becoming Project, Inc. has been awarded a $240,000 planning grant through the California Jobs First Initiative to launch Forever Green Farms, a hydroponics and aquaponics site that promises to deliver food, jobs, and training to one of California’s most economically challenged regions. The farm is a joint effort between The Becoming Project, Inc., and community leader William Cooper, who brings his experience to the project. “I am currently a sector lead for Disinvested Communities for the California Job Search Initiative. It is a partnership with the governor’s office to do job creation and lower emissions in the period,” Cooper said in an in-depth interview with the Imperial Valley Press. … ” Read more from the Imperial Valley Press.
Along the Colorado River …
Worsening climate outlooks raise the stakes for an agreement on the Colorado River
“Everyone who’s haggling or agonizing over how to split up the drying Colorado River in coming decades is painfully aware that the river’s flow has dipped below what previous generations thought would water an ever-growing West. That’s now the good news. A leading Colorado River Basin climate scientist told hundreds gathered for a conference about how to stretch, share and save the river that the current warming trajectory will seriously strain their efforts at balancing supply and demand. The world is on track to exceed 3 degrees Celsius of global warming by 2100 — 5 degrees Celsius (or 9 Fahrenheit) over land — according to Colorado State University water and climate researcher Brad Udall. … ” Read more from Arizona Central.
Can learning from past policy save future users of the Colorado River?
“In 1858, the U.S. Army ordered Second Lieutenant Joseph Christmas Ives to provide the government with a better understanding of the Colorado River by exploring the length of the waterway in a steamboat. The New Yorker’s narrative of the trip is rife with accounts of the watercraft running aground in the rocky, twisting river that ran from Colorado to the Pacific Ocean through mountains and canyons. Over the course of his trip, Ives came to rely on directions toward deeper water from native Chemehuevi, who easily navigated the river on light, bundled reed rafts. “This was supposed to be a demonstration of American power to the Native people,” University of Colorado historian Patty Limerick told attendees of the 45th Colorado Law Conference on Natural Resources on Thursday, where this year’s gathering has been curated to reflect on past lessons learned in managing one of the western U.S.’ most important water sources. Several key agreements adapting the century-old Colorado River Compact to the aridifying region’s ever-decreasing water availability are set to expire next year, prompting Limerick to urge river stakeholders to heed lessons from Ive’s ill-fated expedition. … ” Read more from Courthouse News.
Colorado River talks must continue as deadlines loom
“The Colorado River and its tributaries are ribbons of life in the arid West, providing water to more than 35 million people, irrigating millions of acres of farms and ranches, a resource for the 30 Tribes in the basin, and sustaining habitat for more than 70 percent of all wildlife in the region, including hundreds of bird species. This is a crucial moment in the Colorado River’s history—the rules governing how it is managed expire in 2026. The federal government, which operates the major dams and reservoirs on the Colorado River, initiated a process to revise these rules in 2022, and decision makers from the seven states that share the Colorado River water supply (Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming) have been deadlocked in negotiations ever since. The central challenge is how to divide a water supply that simply has less to give. … ” Read more from Audubon.
ADWR Director briefs UA Water Resources Research Center Conference on Colorado River negotiations
“In his much-anticipated keynote speech at the conclusion of this year’s Water Resources Research Center’s Annual Conference at the University of Arizona, ADWR Director Tom Buschatzke laid out the vast complexities of managing the Colorado River system. With a deep sigh, he acknowledged that managing the vital river system “is a huge burden” for those mere mortals charged with that task. The Director included in his presentation to the conference audience an image he often uses when describing the on-going negotiations over new guidelines for river management: a depiction of the mythical Greek god Atlas holding up the world. Buschatzke told the WRRC attendees that “one thing that Atlas had going for him that we don’t have is that Atlas was a god, and we are not gods, so it is a huge burden for us to try to deal with this river.” … ” Read more from the Arizona Department of Water Resources.
Lake Mead, the biggest US reservoir, is at third-lowest elevation in a decade
“Every year, boating enthusiasts across the Southwest hitch watercraft to their vehicles and haul them down to Lake Mead, a Colorado River reservoir straddling Arizona and Nevada. This year, though, they’ll have to contend with dramatically low water levels. According to the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, the reservoir’s 2025 elevation is the third lowest it’s seen in a decade, and the Colorado’s meager snowpack isn’t expected to help matters.In response, the National Park Service is taking steps to ensure that visitors can still recreate on the lake this summer and beyond. But the future remains uncertain for the country’s largest reservoir. Both Lake Mead, which sits behind Hoover Dam, and the Colorado River, get their water from snowmelt that runs off of the Rocky Mountains, as well as other Colorado Plateau ridges. But during a snow drought (a period of below-normal cold season precipitation), there’s less snowpack to “feed” the river, meaning its reservoirs suffer, too. … ” Read more from SF Gate.
The forecast for Lake Powell continues to dwindle as experts say Western water use is ‘outpacing melting snowpack’
“In May, hydrologists forecasted that spring runoff into Lake Powell would be the lowest in years. A month later, the projections have only gotten worse. The Colorado Basin River Forecast Center reported on June 1 that the amount of water expected to flow into Lake Powell between April and July this year will be 45% of average. “Average,” in forecasting, refers to the average runoff between 1991 and 2020. The June forecast follows a consistent decline since the start of winter. Hydrologists said in December that Lake Powell’s runoff would be 92% of average. In January, the forecast dropped to 81%, then to 67% in February. The prediction pushed up to 70% in March, but fell to 55% in May, before dropping to 45% in June. … ” Read more from the Salt Lake Tribune.
Interior needs to step up in Colorado River talks, critics say
“Negotiations over a new operating plan for the Colorado River are being hobbled by the federal government’s failure to take a more aggressive role in the discussions, said current and former state and federal officials Thursday. The critiques came from a cadre of former water managers who took part in previous deals on the waterway under both Democratic and Republican administrations, speaking during the annual 45th Annual Colorado Law Conference on Natural Resources at the University of Colorado. “The current process kind of feels like the conclave,” said Jim Lochhead, the former CEO of Denver Water and former executive director of the Colorado Department of Natural Resources, referring to the process of electing a new Catholic pope. “We’re waiting for the black smoke or the white smoke to come out of the seven-state negotiating meeting.” … ” Read more from E&E News (sorry, subscription required).
The Colorado River conclave
John Fleck writes, “Fascinating observation from Jim Lochhead this morning at the Getches-Wilkinson Center Colorado River Conference about the nature of the current negotiations and the role of the federal government. It came during a panel moderated by Anne Castle focused on what we learned from the expiring 2007 river management guidelines, which are the subject of intense renegotiation among the seven basin states. From the perspective of the panel’s charge – what have we learned since the 2007 agreements – the way I phrased that, the the way the current process is going, should seem weird to us: “intense negotiation among the seven basin states.” According to Lochhead, a Coloradan who was in the room for the ’07 negotiations, the current cloistered seven-state process is very different from what happened leading up to the ’07 agreement. In 2007, Lochhead explained, the states weren’t the decision maker, the federal government was the decision maker, playing a much more active role as facilitator compared to the current process, which has deferred to the states to come up with a deal. … ” Read more from the Inkstain blog.
Why Colorado River water managers are skipping an annual meeting this week
“In the midst of negotiations over the future of the overallocated Colorado River, there’s a conference this week in Boulder that typically draws water managers from the Upper and Lower Basin states. But not this year. Alex Hager of KUNC, who’s in Boulder, joined The Show to talk about why and who will be there. … ” Read more or listen to podcast at KJZZ.
Colorado River’s hidden, below-ground reservoir is quickly shrinking, researchers say
“The Colorado River Basin’s hidden, below-ground reservoir — which spans parts of Colorado and six other states — has lost about 13 trillion gallons of water, and it’s shrinking faster than it has in the past, according to researchers at Arizona State University. Groundwater, stored in the cracks in rock and spaces between soil and sand below our feet, is the oft-overlooked stepchild of the basin, which provides water to 40 million people around the West. Policymakers, water managers and others spend much of their time talking about the basin’s shrinking above-ground supplies — even more so since two reservoirs, Lake Mead and Lake Powell, fell to historic lows around 2022. Meanwhile underground, more than a Lake Mead-worth of water has disappeared, according to a study published May 27 in the American Geophysical Union’s peer-reviewed research journal, Advancing Earth and Space Sciences. … ” Read more from E&E News.
Column: Colorado River cuts will hurt Arizona. But how much pain are we talking?
Opinion columnist Joanna Allhands writes, “Cuts to Arizona’s Colorado River water allocation will be painful, no matter how they shake out after 2026. But what kind of pain are we talking about — a broken arm kind of painful? Or an injury that puts us on life support? If only we knew. Though various groups have made proposals to pare back water use once the current rules expire, it’s not clear which provisions are still on the table. But we can surmise a few things. Let’s start with the Lower Basin proposal that Arizona, California and Nevada are touting. Arizona could be asked to pare back water use by 760,000 acre-feet in a status-quo year like this one, out of 1.5 million acre-feet of total conservation. That’s a deeper cut than our state would face in a Tier 3 shortage, the most stringent level under the current rules and one we have yet to reach. … ” Read more from Arizona Central.
Reclamation awards Colorado River Indian Tribes $1.1M to assess existing infrastructure and potential modernization opportunities
“The Bureau of Reclamation announced an investment of $1.1 million to the Colorado River Indian Tribes to assess the Colorado River Indian Irrigation Project. The funding will assist the tribe to review existing infrastructure and identify necessary maintenance. It will also be used to identify potential opportunities to install new equipment and utilize updated technology to modernize the project. “We appreciate the Colorado River Indian Tribe’s collaboration for many years on implementing its decreed water rights and the Water Resiliency Act,” said Acting Commissioner David Palumbo. “We look forward to utilizing this funding to further this partnership.” This assessment is intended to assist the Colorado River Indian Tribes as they evaluate a potential title transfer of the project in order to take direct ownership. This could allow for water leasing and other opportunities that could contribute to overall water savings in the Colorado River Basin. … ” Read more from the Bureau of Reclamation.
Arizona: ADEQ to expand PFAS testing and monitoring with new $5 million investment
“The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality is getting $5 million to address per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances known as PFAS. The funding will support the sampling of groundwater at six high-priority sites with confirmed contamination including: two in Tucson: Shannon Road/ El Camino del Cerro and a combined Miracle Mile and Silverbell Landfill site. A combined site in Gilbert at Cooper Road and Commerce Avenue and South Mesa, one site in Phoenix at West Central Phoenix – West Osborn Complex, one site in Lake Havasu City at Lake Havasu Avenue and Holly Avenue and one site in Prescott located at Miller Valley Road and Hillside Avenue. Sampling and testing on surface water and fish tissue is also a part of this initiative. … ” Read more from Arizona Public Media.
Arizona: They promised to save our way of life, then sold us down a (nearly dry) river
Travis Lingenfelter, Nikki Check, Holly Irwin and Patrice Horstman, opinion contributors, write, “Year after year, more than a million citizens in rural Arizona communities walk a precarious path — with virtually no real tools to secure our long-term water future. While urban regions continue to benefit from immediate, well-funded water solutions, rural areas are left to fight a losing battle against unchecked groundwater exploitation and political neglect. This is not just a crisis of policy. It is a crisis of principle that has played out before our eyes this legislative session. Both Sen. Tim Dunn’s rural groundwater bill (Senate Bill 1520) and the governor’s proposed legislation (Senate Bill 1425) contain provisions that are heavily influenced by special interests. … ” Read more from Arizona Central.
In national water news today …
Did SCOTUS just put NEPA on Ice?
“The Supreme Court issued its decision in the much anticipated Seven Counties Infrastructure Coalition v. Eagle County case, providing clear direction to agencies that they should narrow their study of environmental effects under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) to those with effects that directly result from the proposed action. The Supreme Court decision is very clear in some regards but also leaves open some flexibility for interpretation, which we’ll discuss below. The bottom line up front: agencies developing NEPA documents should use their discretion when narrowing the scope of their analysis to those effects that indirectly result from the proposed action and over which they have authority to approve or disapprove. We’ll unpack that a bit more as we go. … ” Read more from ESA.
How Trump’s ‘gold standard’ politicizes federal science
“The first time Donald Trump was president, the head of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency developed a regulation known as the “science transparency” rule. The administration liked to call it the “secret science” rule. “Transparency” sounds positive, but this rule instead prevented the EPA from using some of the best available science to protect human health. For example, it required the EPA to ignore or downplay studies that established links between exposure to chemicals and health damage if those studies were based on confidential patient information that could not be released to the public. The problem: Many health studies, including those underpinning many U.S. pollution rules, rely on confidential patient information. … ” Read more from The Conversation.
Also on Maven’s Notebook today …
NOW AVAILABLE: Groundwater recharge public workshop recording now online
NOTICE: SGMA Fees Discussion at Water Rights Fees Stakeholder Meeting on June 11, 2025
