The Steamboat Slough Bridge built in 1924 is a Strauss heel-trunnion bascule bridge on State Highway 160, crossing Steamboat Slough south of Painterville, California. Photo by DWR.

DAILY DIGEST, weekend edition: San Joaquin River Restoration Program set a new record for returning adult spring-run Chinook salmon; The fishermen allying with farmers in California’s water wars; A deal in sight? Colorado River talks are moving again, officials say; and more …

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In California water news this weekend …

San Joaquin River Restoration Program set a new record for returning adult spring-run Chinook salmon

An artist rendering of the proposed Arroyo Canal Fish Screen and Sack Dam Fish Passage Project looking upstream.

“The San Joaquin River Restoration Program set a new record this year for returning adult spring-run Chinook salmon: 448 – the highest number of captured returns recorded since the Program started reintroducing spring-run juveniles in 2014.  “The high return numbers clearly demonstrate that spring-run Chinook can survive and return to spawn in the San Joaquin River” said program manager, Dr. Donald Portz. “We look forward to a future where salmon will be able to swim unencumbered all the way to spawning grounds below Friant Dam,” he said.  The previous record for captured natural returns was 93 set in 2021.  Due to multiple in-stream structures which halt their migration upstream, the San Joaquin’s returning spring-run Chinook must be captured in fyke traps – large-diameter, mesh cylinders placed in the river – before they are trucked in a tank approximately 120 miles to Reach 1 of the Restoration Area near Friant Dam and released.  “Our fish need the cooler water and habitat of Reach 1 in order to hold over the summer before they spawn in the fall,” said the Program’s lead fish biologist, Dr. Oliver “Towns” Burgess. … ”  Continue reading from the San Joaquin River Restoration Program.

The fishermen allying with farmers in California’s water wars

“In California’s water wars, fishermen and farmers have long been enemies. But now that federal and state regulators have closed the salmon commercial fishing season for an unprecedented third year in a row to protect declining populations, at least one major commercial fishing group is shifting its alliances.  The Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations teamed up with farmers for a first-ever joint Washington, D.C., lobbying trip in early May. They met with members of Congress and federal officials to ask for more money for salmon hatcheries, which breed, raise and release young fish. … “We’ve been in water wars for 50 years, and we’re on our third year of salmon closure, so obviously we’re not winning,” said Lisa Damrosch, who joined PCFFA as executive director a year and half ago.  The realignment is also coming at a time when President Donald Trump is promising more water to farmers and slashing both environmental funds and rules — which Damrosch sees as a potential opening. She spoke with POLITICO about her “America First” pitch, her group’s already-tenuous relationship with some environmental groups and the future of commercial fishing in California. … ”  Read more from Politico.

Dusty skies in California farm country

“California’s Central Valley is a behemoth of U.S. agriculture. Its farmers grow one-third of the nation’s vegetables and three-quarters of its fruits and nuts, including 400 different commodity crops that represent tens of billions of dollars in value.  However, the amount of land in production fluctuates significantly year to year, with growers leaving some land idle, or fallow, depending on weather, market, and groundwater conditions. In the Central Valley, the amount of fallow land varies by thousands of acres per year, often based on the availability of water for irrigation. Such shifts have implications not just for farmers but for everybody living in the region, new research shows.  In Communications Earth & Environment, scientists detailed a link between fallow farmland and dust storms, showing that idled farmland was the dominant source of human-caused dust storms in California’s Central Valley region between 2008 and 2022. … ”  Read more from NASA.

State Water Board disputes Lemoore’s claims in groundwater lawsuit

“The state Attorney General’s office responded to the city of Lemoore’s attempt to side with the Kings County Farm Bureau, writing that the city’s brief was “flawed” and “unsupported.”  The response, filed on behalf of the Water Resources Control Board, asks the 5th District Court of Appeal to disregard the City of Lemoore’s “amicus brief” in support of an injunction issued in a lawsuit filed by the Farm Bureau against the Water Board.  The Farm Bureau sued the Water Board after it placed the region on probation in April 2024. It then sought, and won the injunction that paused probationary sanctions, including requirements for farmers to pay $300 per well, plus $20 per acre foot pumped, among other things. … ”  Read more from SJV Water.

California ag at a crossroads: Rich Kreps talks water, pistachios, and policy reform

““If you can’t feed the world, we’ve got issues.” That’s how Rich Kreps, pistachio farmer, crop advisor, and Chairman of the American Pistachio Growers, opened a wide-ranging, no-punches-pulled conversation with Nick Papagni, the Ag Meter for AgNetWest.  Speaking from Madera, CA, Kreps addressed the dire water challenges California farmers face — even after three wet winters — and criticized the state’s mismanagement of water infrastructure and distribution.  “We’ve had great winters, yet allocations are still just 55%. That’s unacceptable,” said Kreps. “Farmers paid to build this system. Now we’re being blamed for trying to survive without it.”  He shed light on California’s complex and often politicized water fight — calling it a “power struggle dressed up as environmental policy” — and explained how long-delayed storage infrastructure is leaving both farms and communities vulnerable. … ”  Read more or listen to podcast from Ag Net West.

Stuart Woolf: “Farmers are the greatest environmentalists we have”

“In a compelling interview on AgNet West, Nick Papagni, “the Ag Meter,” sat down with legendary ag leader Stuart Woolf of Woolf Farming and Processing to talk about the role of farmers as environmental stewards in California.  “Farming that land and tilling it… I do think the growers are kind of the proprietors of the great open spaces throughout the valley,” said Woolf. “I think we’ve been very good stewards.”  Woolf acknowledged that mistakes have happened in the past — over-spraying, runoff, and mismanagement — but emphasized that sustainable practices are not just a virtue, they’re a necessity for survival. … ”  Read more from Ag Net West.

State Lands Commission removes abandoned vessels in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta

This is one of the abandoned vessels removed by the State Lands Commission.

“The State Lands Commission has conducted the largest single-site commercial abandoned vessel abatement and site restoration action in its history.  Abandoned vessels have plagued waterways throughout the state for decades, but nowhere are they more concentrated than in the Delta. The abandoned vessels the Commission removed from the Sevenmile Slough area of the Delta, at a location known as the Skarry site, had been abandoned in the water for years, continued to deteriorate, and were a navigational hazard. They were highly visible, attracting scavengers and vandals and marring the serenity of this beautiful area.  “The Delta is one of California’s most vital and cherished waterways, and it deserves to be protected,” said Lieutenant Governor and State Lands Commission Chair Eleni Kounalakis. “These abandoned vessels not only pose environmental and navigational hazards but also threaten the health and safety of nearby communities. As Chair of the State Lands Commission, I’m proud that we are taking decisive action to restore this site, protect our natural resources, and prevent illegal dumping in our public waterways.” … ”  Continue reading from the State Lands Commission.

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In commentary this weekend …

To save ecosystems, sometimes hands-off is not enough

Edward Ring writes, “One of the biggest debates over environmental stewardship is whether a degraded ecosystem is best left completely alone to recover or whether it should instead be restored by increasing human intervention and management.  A perfect example of this is the conifer forests of California, extending over nearly 30,000 square miles. For millennia, lightning strikes ignited fires that routinely thinned the underbrush and most of the smaller trees, a process that was essential to maintaining a healthy ecosystem. But California’s forests have been transformed. Forest fires have been suppressed, which has caused these forests to develop tree densities 5–10 times greater than historic levels. More recently, environmental regulations have suppressed human activities—logging, grazing, prescribed burns, and mechanical thinning—that mimic the role that natural fires used to play.  As a result, California’s forests are tinderboxes, and the wildfires that aren’t immediately suppressed become catastrophic rather than quickly contained. Hence, the debate grows: do we permit activities that manage California’s forests or adopt a completely hands-off approach and trust ecosystems to eventually rebound? … ”  Read more from Edward Ring.

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Podcasts …

VIC BEDOIAN: Valley Farmers Rely on Water Blueprint

As the Central Valley begins implementing the state’s groundwater management plan, the agriculture industry is bracing to lose up to two and a half million acre-feet of water, with one million acres of land possibly taken out of production. Valley agriculture leaders want to fill the gap with a plan to substantially increase water exports from northern California. Vic Bedoian reports from Fresno.


WATER IS A MANY SPLENDOR’ED THING PODCAST: Responding to Drought

Experiencing drought has been for the most part a temporary climate condition that turns our field of crops and water supplies into empty regions where little more than wind sweeps across the parched landscape. How would our communities respond if droughts became much longer in duration than we have previously experienced. Water is a Many Splendor ’ed Thing brings you another water relationship that has a personally significant impact to your life.  Produced by Stephen Baker, Bringing People Together to Solve Water Problems, water@operationunite.co  530-205-6388


CALIFORNIA SUN: Michael Hiltzik deconstructs the California dream

Michael Hiltzik, the author of “Golden State: The Making of California,” examines five centuries from the Spanish conquistadors to Silicon Valley, challenging the enduring mythology that has shaped both California and America. Rather than offer another celebration of the California dream, Hiltzik reveals how the state has served as America’s testing ground — where national ideals about opportunity, innovation, and reinvention were both realized and betrayed. The state’s true history, he argues, provides essential insights into America’s character and future.


ECONEWS: The Supreme Court and the National Environmental Policy Act

This week: An all-star roundtable with our favorite law wonks, wherein we try to figure out where the Supreme Court is taking the National Environmental Policy Act — the most important federal law regulating the environmental costs of development.

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In regional water news this weekend …

NORTH COAST

The river that came back to life: a journey down the reborn Klamath

“Bill Cross pulled his truck to the side of a dusty mountain road and jumped out to scan a stretch of rapids rippling through the hillsides below.  As an expert and a guide, Cross had spent more than 40 years boating the Klamath River, etching its turns, drops and eddies into his memory. But this run was brand new. On a warm day in mid-May, he would be one of the very first to raft it with high spring flows.  Last year, the final of four hydroelectric dams on the Klamath River were removed in the largest project of its kind in US history. Forged through the footprint of reservoirs that kept parts of the Klamath submerged for more than a century, the river that straddles the California-Oregon border has since been reborn.  The dam removal marked the end of a decades-long campaign led by the Yurok, Karuk and Klamath tribes, along with a wide range of environmental NGOs and fishing advocacy groups, to convince owner PacifiCorp to let go of the ageing infrastructure. … ”  Read more from The Guardian.

Town hall in Lakeport unites voices to save Lake Pillsbury

“Passionate community members, elected officials, and tribal and environmental advocates gathered at the Soper Reese Theater on May 28 for a town hall meeting focused on the uncertain future of Lake Pillsbury and the potential removal of Scott Dam. Hosted by the Lake County Chamber of Commerce, the event highlighted competing concerns about water access, wildfire risk, economic impact, and ecological restoration as PG&E moves forward with surrendering its license for the Potter Valley Project.  The panel included Lake County Supervisors E.J. Crandall and Bruno Sabatier; Cloverdale Mayor Todd Lands; Lake Pillsbury Fire Chief Larry Thompson; Lake Pillsbury Alliance members Carol Cinquini and Frank Lynch; Round Valley Indian Tribes member Nikcole Whipple; and Deb Sally, representing the Sierra Club. Amanda Martin, executive director of the Lake County Chamber of Commerce, moderated the discussion. Congressman Mike Thompson addressed the audience via pre-recorded video remarks. … ”  Read more from MendoFever.

SACRAMENTO VALLEY

County Planning Commission approves Cache Slough mitigation bank

“The Solano County Planning Commission on Thursday unanimously approved a use permit for the development of the 330-acre Cache Slough Mitigation Bank.  There was no public objection during the hearing.  The project would re-establish approximately 300 acres of tidal freshwater wetland and floodplain at the southernmost reach of the Yolo Bypass, northeast of Rio Vista.  A mitigation bank provides the opportunity for developers to buy credits as compensation for impacts made by their projects that are the same as the ecological protections provided by the bank.  The project applicant is Westervelt Ecological Services. It’s representatives said they do not have any specific mitigation projects in the works at this time. … ”  Read more from the Daily Republic.

BAY AREA

Richmond fined for sewage water releases into San Francisco Bay

“Richmond agreed to pay a $336,000 fine after it was found to have released poorly treated sewage water into the San Francisco Bay for more than a year. Half of that money will go toward environmental education for children.  Between July 31, 2022, and Dec. 31, 2023, inadequately treated wastewater was released 112 times from the Richmond Municipal Sewer District Water Pollution Control Plant at 601 Canal Blvd., the San Francisco Bay Regional Water District announced Friday. Each violation cost the city $3,000, according to a settlement agreement between the city and water district.  Richmond’s water pollution control plant is responsible for reducing the amount of harmful chemicals and pollutants flushed down toilets and dumped in the drains of Richmond homes, businesses and industrial operations before flowing into the San Francisco Bay.  Agencies with permits to discharge treated water into the San Francisco Bay are expected to meet certain standards for how much pollutants can be in the treated water, explained San Francisco Baykeeper Executive Director Sejal Choksi-Chugh. … ”  Read more from the San Jose Mercury News.

Using spectral imaging to map vital mudflat microbial life in San Francisco Bay

“In newly published research, USGS scientists mapped ecologically vital microbial biofilm communities that thrive on intertidal mudflats—using remote sensing technology to characterize their distribution, composition, and nutritional value.  Though often overlooked, these slimy microbial mats are essential components of estuarine ecosystems. They play a critical role in nutrient cycling and serve as a major food source for migratory shorebirds. Some species, such as the Western sandpiper (which winters along coasts across the Americas and breeds in northern Alaska), may consume up to 20 percent of their body weight in biofilm per hour when fueling up for migration.  Because biofilm communities are thin, patchy, and located on soft, unstable substrate, they are difficult to study directly. To get around this, researchers used spectroscopy—a technique that measures how different materials reflect light across a wide range of wavelengths—to study biofilms from afar. Focusing on the southern San Francisco Bay, California, the team used high-resolution field spectrometers, airborne imaging tools, and satellite data to detect and analyze these biofilms. … ”  Read more from the USGS.

SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY

‘Water’ kicks off Modesto discussion series on key issues inspired by city motto

“The Modesto Chamber of Commerce is holding a series of advocacy sessions dedicated to the words residents know so well: “Water, Wealth, Contentment, Health.” The series, which runs monthly through September, started with a session on water. It was held June 5 at the State Theatre downtown. Trish Christensen, president and CEO of the chamber, said she wanted to team up its economic development committee and government relations council to bring conference-room discussions out into the community. … ”  Read more from the Modesto Bee.

Dos Rios State Park expands access with new trails, summer events

“Nearly a year after its grand opening, California’s newest state park, Dos Rios, expanded public access with five additional trails, offering visitors more opportunities to explore its scenic landscapes and rich ecological habitats.  Located eight miles west of Modesto, the park has welcomed nearly 10,000 visitors since June 2024, and the latest expansion aims to enhance outdoor recreation as the peak summer season approaches. Starting Friday, the new trails are open from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday to Sunday, bringing the total trail length to over 16 miles. The additions feature riverfront views, shaded forest paths and access to secluded beaches, making Dos Rios a prime destination for hiking, fishing and wildlife observation. … ”  Read more from the Turlock Journal.

Groundbreaking celebrates tiny Tulare County community’s connection to clean water

“More than 100 residents in the tiny unincorporated town of West Goshen can weather the summer months knowing that by the end of it, the water flowing through their faucets will be safe for drinking, cooking and bathing thanks to a new connection to California Water Service.  Residents along with local and state officials marked that monumental step at a groundbreaking ceremony Thursday evening in West Goshen, west of Visalia and Highway 99 in Tulare County. The celebratory atmosphere included upbeat Mexican music, colorful flags, a taco dinner and snow cones.   California Water Service provides water to Visalia residents. It was able to connect West Goshen through an emergency consolidation project. West Goshen residents had relied for years on bottled water after they discovered groundwater from private wells was laced with uranium, nitrates and other contaminants. … ”  Read more from SJV Water.

SEE ALSO:  ‘It means everything’: Tulare County community finally able to drink their water, from Your Central Valley

Lake Success spillway project completed, boosting flood protection and water storage

“After decades of planning and construction, the Richard L. Schafer Dam Spillway at Lake Success is officially complete.  Leaders say this large reservoir will dramatically improve flood control, protecting homes and lives in the area.  This is a historic milestone for our community,” said Congressman Vince Fong. “We not only built a new emergency spillway, but we raised this dam ten feet, that is more water storage for us.”  The improvements will increase the lake’s storage capacity by 28,000 acre-feet, bringing the total to 112,000 acre-feet. … ”  Read more from Channel 30.

California Supreme Court gets an earful on Kern River appellate court opinion

“One new legal filing and a raft of letters have been sent to the California State Supreme Court alternately praising and decrying the recent 5th District Court of Appeal opinion that overturned a local court order that had kept the Kern River flowing, at least for a few months.  The response, filed by several agricultural water districts with Kern River rights, urges the Supreme Court to deny a petition to review the 5th District’s opinion and let it remain published, which can set precedent for how other courts rule in similar cases.  The letters all seek to have the Supreme Court “depublish” the 5th District’s ruling, making it less potent. Two of the letters were filed by the original plaintiffs who had earlier submitted a petition asking the Supreme Court to review the 5th District’s ruling.  The state Attorney General and two environmental public interest groups also sent letters beseeching the state’s top court to depublish the 5th District’s opinion. More, similar, letters are expected in the next few weeks, said attorney Adam Keats, who represents Bring Back the Kern and several other public interest groups fighting for flows in the Kern River through Bakersfield. … ‘  Read more from SJV Water.

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

Fewer sewage spills closed OC beaches in 2024 than 25-year average, new report said

“There were 71 sewage spills reported to the OC Health Care Agency last year, three that resulted in ocean or harbor closures, far below the annual average.  The county agency recently released its Harbor and Bay Water Quality Report, published every two years, which said beach closures caused by sewage spills remained low for the 13th consecutive year. The report also looked at how beaches fared for bacteria and other coastal-related public health concerns, including tar on the sand and oil sheens in the ocean.  The average for the 38 years the agency has been tracking spills – 1987 through 2024 – is 178 spills per year. The three closures reported in 2024 resulted in a total of 11 days where people were warned away from the water, fewer than the average 16 beach closures resulting in 57 closure days seen since 1999. … ”  Read more from the OC Register.

IMPERIAL/COACHELLA VALLEYS

From Bodega Bay to the Salton Sea—A shorebird’s journey across the Pacific Flyway

“Birding with my six-year-old son along the mudflats of Bodega Bay Harbor, we paused to watch a flock of Western Sandpipers probing the shoreline. We were lucky—these were likely some of the last spring migrants passing through on their journey to the Northern Slopes of Alaska for the breeding season! As a cool (okay, maybe cold) ocean breeze swept over us, I couldn’t help but wonder if these same birds had recently passed through the Salton Sea, where we conducted shorebird surveys earlier this season.  I told my son about their incredible migration—how these tiny birds travel thousands of miles each year, from wintering grounds as far south as Peru to breeding grounds in the Arctic. I mentioned that some of these same birds may also be using the newly emerging wetlands we have been studying and documenting at the Salton Sea, a place he knows well from my frequent work trips. … ”  Read more from Audubon.

Shorebirds and wetlands may be winners at the Salton Sea, new Audubon CA report finds

“A new science brief published today by Audubon California shows that a number of factors have surprisingly resulted in an increase in wetland habitat, and that an increasing number of shorebirds are taking advantage of the changes—driving a growth rate of 15 percent per year in waterbirds overall. This new development comes as the Sea continues to witness the shrinkage of deep-water habitats and fish-eating bird populations.  This finding and others are drawn from seven years of Audubon’s bird surveys and habitat assessments at the Salton Sea. Located in the southern California desert and part of the Colorado River Basin, this important saline lake faces growing challenges from climate change and water reductions, with thousands of acres of habitat changing each year. The report also lays out a number of conservation recommendations. … ”  Read more from Audubon.

SAN DIEGO

Trespassers vandalize San Dieguito Dam infrastructure in Rancho Santa Fe

“Santa Fe Irrigation District infrastructure at the San Dieguito Reservoir and Pump Station was recently vandalized by trespassers. While the damage to the Rancho Santa Fe facility was minimal and did not impact the water supply, the district is using the incident to remind the community that accessing the reservoir and pump station is illegal.  The San Dieguito Reservoir and Dam, located off Lago Lindo, is used for water storage and is closed to the public in order to keep the water it holds safe and clean.  According to a news release, SFID crews discovered on the morning of May 28 that intruders had jumped the fence and removed the railing that protects pipeline vaults behind the dam. Both the railing and several large rocks were thrown into a vault with pipelines that feed water to nearby communities. According to SFID, the pipelines were not breached and the minimal damage to the infrastructure that monitors pipeline pressure is being repaired. … ”  Read more from the San Diego Union-Tribune.

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Along the Colorado River …

A deal in sight? Colorado River talks are moving again, officials say

“Metaphors about divorce and grief defined an emotional presentation about the Colorado River in Boulder, Colorado, on June 6. Those metaphors, however, did not represent strife or disaster in stalled water negotiations, but apparent progress and the willingness to let go of past ideas and move toward compromise.  “We’ve heard about the stages of grief … about denial and anger and the need to be at bargaining,” said Chuck Cullom, executive director of the Upper Colorado River Commission. “Well, I believe the basin states are there.”  Officials involved in tense negotiations over how to manage shortages on the Colorado River suggested that months of harsh talk and stalemates have ended and negotiators are exploring new options. … ”  Read more from Arizona Central.

Interior official: States must reach Colorado River deal or face federal action

A top Interior Department official said Friday that he expects the seven states that share the Colorado Basin to strike agreement on a new long-term management plan by next spring, but raised the threat of federal intervention if those negotiations fail.  Scott Cameron, a senior adviser to Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, said that a final plan to govern the drought-ravaged waterway and expected shortages will be unveiled by spring 2026.  “We are hopefully confident,” said Cameron, who also serves as acting assistant secretary for water and science, in remarks to the 45th Annual Colorado Law Conference on Natural Resources at the University of Colorado. “But it’s not a done deal until it’s a done deal.”  Cameron also said: “Make no mistake, the time for action is now. We do not have a lot of time to waste, people. The primary responsibility lies with the states.” … ”  Read more from E&E News.

Reflections: Major issues await action

Sharon Megdal, Water Resources Research Center, writes, “Each Spring, I typically reflect separately upon take-aways from teaching the graduate seminar, Water Policy in Arizona and Semi-arid Regions, and from the WRRC’s Annual Conference. This year, I am combining them because our 2025 Annual Conference, Shared Borders, Shared Waters: Working Together in Times of Scarcity, was scheduled immediately after the semester ended. Frankly, the whirlwind of activities has left little time to reflect.  Each Spring, a clear take-away from my class is one of optimism, and this year is no different. The 12 graduate students were highly engaged throughout the semester. Guest speakers regularly commented on their insightful questions. Throughout the semester, the students revealed deep interest in understanding complex matters associated with water policy as reflected in class readings, lectures, and individual assignments, including their policy-oriented research paper. … ”  Read more from the Water Resources Research Center.

How will Arizona deal with Colorado River shortages? Cities need a ‘Plan B,’ expert says

“Kathryn Sorensen likes to compare the options for finding water rights in central Arizona with shopping for clothes. Some options, such as tearing out turf, are like thrifting: cheap but a little picked over. Others, like desalination, are like buying a tiny designer handbag, expensive and ultimately limited in its capacity. And then there are other options, which might involve buying or borrowing other people’s clothes, and those options involve politics.  Sorensen, director of Arizona State University’s Kyl Center for Water Policy, spoke June 5 to an audience of water managers, scientists and tribal leaders at the 45th annual Colorado Law Conference on Natural Resources in Boulder, Colorado. She laid out how cities and developers are struggling for more limited water resources in the area of the Colorado River Basin most vulnerable to water cuts: central Arizona. … ”  Read more from Arizona Central.

ADEQ will begin testing groundwater for PFAS at 6 key sites around Arizona

“The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality says it will continue efforts to monitor water for PFAS contamination in six key sites around the state. The humanmade chemicals have been linked to health issues like cancer.  PFAS are widely used in industrial and commercial goods — but they don’t break naturally and exposure at certain levels pose health hazards.  ADEQ says it received $5 million from Gov. Katie Hobbs, part of funding from the American Rescue Plan Act. The money will be used to further existing efforts to investigate the prevalence of PFAS around the state. … ”  Read more from KJZZ.

Feds eliminate spawning site for invasive smallmouth bass on Colorado River

“Smallmouth bass just lost one of their favorite places to spawn in the Colorado River below Glen Canyon Dam, according to a Thursday news release from the National Park Service.  The water is moving again and the temperature is cooling down 3.5 miles past the dam after workers cleared a shallow slough where the river splits around a sandbar. The site, about 12 river miles upstream of Lees Ferry, Arizona, is the latest battleground in fighting the invasive smallmouth bass, which presents a threat to the humpback chub, which is federally protected.  The ongoing drought in the Southwest U.S. has contributed to lower elevations at Lake Powell, and warmer water from the surface is closer to the dam’s intakes. That’s providing a way for the fish to get through the dam and establish populations in the river. … ”  Read more from KLAS.

Invasive species threatens Colorado’s Rivers, and it’s worse than you think

“Colorado wildlife officials are raising the alarm after an aggressive invasive species was discovered in the West Fork Little Thompson River, the Cool Down reported. The culprit? The rusty crayfish—a voracious, fast-spreading species that’s now officially been confirmed east of the Continental Divide for just the second time.  According to Colorado Parks and Wildlife, the crayfish was first reported April 7 by a member of the public using a species ID app. By April 18, CPW biologists had verified the sighting and launched additional surveys to assess the population.  These invaders have been found elsewhere in Colorado in five bodies of water including in Lake Granby in August 2023. The rusty crawfish lives in both pooled water or fast water. … ”  Read more from Men’s Journal.

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About the Daily Digest: The Daily Digest is a collection of selected news articles, commentaries and editorials appearing in the mainstream press. Items are generally selected to follow the focus of the Notebook blog. The Daily Digest is published every weekday with a weekend edition posting on Sundays.