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On the calendar today …
- LEG HEARING: Assembly Committee on Natural Resources beginning at 2:30pm. Click here for more information.
In California water news today …
After the smoke clears, a wildfire’s legacy can haunt rivers for years, putting drinking water at risk
Ben Livneh, University of Colorado Boulder, writes, “Picture a wildfire raging across a forested mountainside. The smoke billows and the flames rise. An aircraft drops vibrant red flame retardant. It’s a dramatic, often dangerous scene. But the threat to water supplies is only just beginning. After the smoke clears, the soil, which was once nestled beneath a canopy of trees and a spongy layer of leaves, is now exposed. Often, that soil is charred and sterile, with the heat making the ground almost water-repellent, like a freshly waxed car. When the first rain arrives, the water rushes downhill. It carries with it a slurry of ash, soil and contaminants from the burned landscape. This torrent flows directly into streams and then rivers that provide drinking water for communities downstream. As a new research paper my colleagues and I just published shows, this isn’t a short-term problem. The ghost of the fire can haunt these waterways for years. … ” Read more from The Conversation.
Every drop counts: Urban water retailers and the future of California water conservation
“Beginning January 1, 2025, the “Making Conservation a California Way of Life” regulatory framework requires urban retail water suppliers — not individual households or businesses — to adopt a series of “urban water use objectives.” And beginning January 1, 2027, the regulations require urban retail water suppliers to annually demonstrate compliance with those objectives. The objectives are calculated based on indoor residential water use; outdoor residential water use; commercial, industrial and institutional irrigation use; and potable reuse. Implementation of the objectives includes setting and meeting specific targets for reducing water use per capita, improving system efficiency, and reporting progress to state regulators. Urban retail water suppliers are also required to implement water conservation programs, support the development of drought–resilient infrastructure, and encourage customers to adopt water-saving practices such as using “climate ready” landscapes. … ” Read more from Allen Matkins.
California’s quest to turn a winter menace into a water supply bonus is gaining favor across the West
“In December 2012, dam operators at Northern California’s Lake Mendocino watched as a series of intense winter storms bore down on them. The dam there is run by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ San Francisco District, whose primary responsibility in the Russian River watershed is flood control. To make room in the reservoir for the expected deluge, the Army Corps released some 25,000 acre-feet of water downstream — enough to supply nearly 90,000 families for a year. In doing so, the Army Corps averted the possibility of a catastrophic flood. But almost as soon as the water headed downstream, the pendulum swung in the other direction. The weather turned dry, and the months that followed proved to be the driest on record in California up to that point. A year later, the reservoir became a drought-cracked mudflat. The local water supplier, Sonoma County Water Agency, was forced to reduce releases by 60 percent during the dry summer, impacting urban and agricultural water users downstream. … In the wake of the controversy at Lake Mendocino, the quest to harness the power of atmospheric rivers birthed a new water-management approach: Forecast-Informed Reservoir Operations, or FIRO. … ” Continue reading at Western Water.
Nearly two-thirds of California is ‘abnormally dry.’ See where impacts are worst
“Nearly two-thirds of California was “abnormally dry” as the state braced for more hot, dry weather and strong winds, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor’s latest update. About a third of the Golden State was experiencing “moderate” to “exceptional” drought conditions as of Thursday, June 19, the U.S. Drought Monitor said, with Southern California and parts of the Central Valley getting hit the hardest. The worst impacts appeared to be confined to the southwestern corner of the state. Here’s a look at drought conditions across California … ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee.
George Skelton: Big state budget questions linger about crime, Medi-Cal, Delta tunnel
“California really does still have a Legislature, even if you haven’t been reading or hearing much about it. In fact, it’s currently making a ton of weighty decisions. … The Legislature passed a $325-billion so-called budget June 13, beating its constitutional deadline by two days. If it hadn’t, the lawmakers would have forfeited their pay. But although that measure counted legally as a budget, it lacked lots of details that still are being negotiated between legislative leaders and Newsom. … And there’s the matter of the governor’s proposed water tunnel in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta. Newsom tried to squeeze the controversial issue into the budget process, although it had nothing to do with the budget. But as a budget trailer bill, it could avoid substantive public hearings in the Legislature. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
Call to prioritize California farming amid environmental controversy
“Rich Kreps of Ultra Gro — a pistachio grower and board chairman of American Pistachio Growers — voiced growing frustration over how environmental narratives have long taken precedence over the needs of California agriculture. Speaking with Nick Papagni, Kreps warned that the ongoing battle over environmental water use in the Delta is approaching a crisis point, urging a reevaluation of state priorities.Kreps shared an often-overlooked historical account: during the California Gold Rush of the 1850s, people migrated west and relied on fishing the rivers for protein, as grocery stores were non-existent. To support this influx, trains brought in milk jugs filled with bass, catfish, and perch from places like Florida and Texas — introducing non-native fish species into California’s waterways. … ” Read more from Ag Net West.
California ag water outlook: Hope from Ryan Jacobsen
“In an interview with Nick Papagni, “The Ag Meter”, on AgNet West, Ryan Jacobsen, CEO of the Fresno County Farm Bureau, provided critical insight into California’s persistent water challenges—and a glimmer of hope for the future. When asked whether California’s water issues can ever be resolved, Jacobsen called it a “loaded question,” acknowledging the mounting difficulties while still seeing opportunity ahead. “It just keeps getting tougher and tougher as far as a reliable water supply,” he said, referencing the impact of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) and federal reductions. “It’s been death by a thousand cuts.” … ” Read more from Ag Net West.
DWR and Water Board propose key updates to desalination policy framework
“As climate variability and drought continue to challenge California’s water supply, the state is renewing its focus on seawater desalination as part of a diversified water portfolio. While only a handful of large-scale desalination facilities have been approved along the California coast — including the Carlsbad, Dana Point, and Marina plants — desalinated water remains a small but potentially expandable component of the state’s water strategy. Over the past year, the Department of Water Resources (DWR) and State Water Resources Control Board (Water Board) have taken significant steps to evaluate and update the regulatory and planning frameworks that govern these projects. … ” Read more from Allen Matkins.
Sac State professor turns California’s waterways – and the campus – into a living lab for environmental innovation
“Julian Fulton followed his curiosity about water to California’s rivers and oceans, eventually flowing to Sacramento State. In the decade since he began teaching Environmental Studies at the riverside campus, Fulton has integrated science and technology with broader questions of sustainability and how humans can coexist with nature. “Studying water as an organizing principle takes you in all kinds of different directions,” he said. “Water has led me in new directions, too.” His research looks at how to protect California waterways, and he often collaborates with faculty from other departments. He also engages students in his work, including on grant-funded projects like cleaning up San Francisco Bay or studying green stormwater systems designed to filter toxins out of water flowing from campus into the American River. “We’re using it as a learning lab,” he said. “It helps students to understand all these different environmental challenges we have, and to notice sustainability features in the landscape and how they fit into their daily lives.” … ” Read more from Sac State.
Lake Tahoe boat capsize: How rare, sudden storm turned into deadly conditions
“The first day of summer in Lake Tahoe began under blue skies, but the sunny Saturday suddenly turned dark when a thunderstorm whipped up strong winds and waves of 6 to 8 feet high. At least six people died when a boat capsized near D.L. Bliss State Park around 3 p.m.Summer thunderstorms are not uncommon in Lake Tahoe, but Saturday’s thunderstorm was particularly strong. At 1:45 p.m., South Lake Tahoe Airport reported a temperature of 57 degrees under clear skies and light winds. An hour later, the mercury dropped to 45 degrees with gusts exceeding 30 mph. Temperatures plummeted as low as 37 degrees just before 4 p.m. as a mix of rain and snow began to fall. Out on the open water, this boundary between cold air and warm air, known as a cold front, materialized itself as strong winds. At 3 p.m., the northern half of the lake reported northwest winds while winds continued to blow from the east and south in the middle of the lake. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
The power of water in both its liquid & frozen form it has carved California
“Water made California. The statement is often made about what is arguably the largest and most complex water transfer systems ever created by mankind — the California State Water Project — and it’s kissing cousin the federal Central Valley Project. California literally moves the precious liquid from the headwaters of the Sacramento River in the Mount Shasta City Park to the faucets of San Diego some 723 miles away. Along the way, the water passes through no less than four distinct water basins. Its journey is aided by the 444-mile California Aqueduct. A series of pumps — including the ones Edmonston that lifts water 1,926 feet to cross the Tehachapi Mountains — helps water to run uphill. The State Water Project is California’s largest single consumer of electricity. … ” Read more from the Manteca Bulletin.
An Owens Valley travelogue
“This is such a rare view. I have encouraged—OK, occasionally even badgered—many friends to go see it. The landscape, after all, is national park–quality, and right here is its best vista. Preserved in its rarity (in our era of sound-byte landscapes, quickly Instagrammed to death) by a half-hidden vista point that is just a little harder to locate. Consequently less known. The view is more literally preserved, in part, as dedicated wilderness along those snowy peaks over there (their summits actually belong to Kings Canyon National Park, beyond), but also by the accident of an underhanded water grab that saved the country’s deepest valley, at your feet, from sliding into the fate of, say, the San Fernando Valley, which, after all, grew to what it became watered by the desert river down there, recharged by snowmelt out of the Sierra Nevada. Which means “the snowy range.” There is no way to just stumble onto this vista; it requires some intention. … ” Continue reading at Alta.
Calif. mountain towns could be decimated by public lands sell-off
“On these hot summer days, families and dogs find cool respite on the 200-yard sandy shoreline of Lake Tahoe’s Kiva Beach. Swimmers head out to floating docks on Fallen Leaf Lake. And backpackers and hikers weave down forested paths into the high alpine, along the shoreline of Echo Lake. Come winter, chairlifts at Heavenly and Palisades’ Alpine Meadows grant thousands of skiers and snowboarders access to Tahoe’s public lands, while backcountry skiers hike for their turns on snow-covered slopes that seemingly dive into the crystalline blue water above Rubicon Bay and Emerald Bay. … All of these places are more exposed than ever to private interests, development and resource extraction due to a proposal in the reconciliation bill moving through the Senate that would sell up to 3 million acres of public land in the West — including land in California. “Given this administration’s war on California and the fact that it mandates a process for certain millions of acres to be sold, California is really going to be in the crosshairs,” said Wendy Schneider, executive director of public lands advocacy group Friends of the Inyo. … ” Read more from SF Gate.
What comes next for salmon in the Pacific Northwest?
“Millions of salmon once migrated up the Snake River to spawn. Today, in some areas, habitat loss, climate change, and overharvesting have led to population crashes of up to 90 percent. At least 13 subspecies of salmon in the Pacific Northwest are federally listed as threatened or endangered. Beginning in the 1990s, conservation groups waged a years-long campaign to compel federal agencies to bolster conservation efforts, often prevailing through court action. Finally, in December 2023, fish advocates and the Biden administration declared a truce, and the Resilient Columbia Basin Agreement was forged. Conservation groups agreed to stop suing if the federal government committed to salmon recovery, a once-in-a-lifetime pact to save the region’s salmon and trout. On June 12, the Trump administration withdrew from the agreement. … ” Read more from the Sierra Club.
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
Column: A two-basin deal is the only solution
Joe Parker, President of the Round Valley Indian Tribes, writes, “Our ancestors have hunted, gathered and fished in the upper Eel River watershed for millennia. They lived in harmony with the river and its surrounding ecosystem, intuitively understanding the intertwined nature of the cycles of the river and the cycles of life itself. Their knowledge of the river has been handed down over time, each successive generation adding to that knowledge and passing on to the next the sacred obligation to protect and preserve the river. No other sovereign has this connection to the upper Eel watershed. This has been, and will always be, our river. We are the Round Valley Indian Tribes. … ” Read more from the Santa Rosa Press Democrat.
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
Lake Tahoe beaches expand eco-friendly initiatives to preserve shoreline
“As summer arrives, Lake Tahoe’s beaches are ramping up efforts to maintain their pristine condition through the expanded Tahoe Blue Beach program. Building on last year’s success in reducing litter, the initiative now includes Kings Beach, the Tahoe Beach Club, Camp Richardson Resort, and Meeks Bay Resort, joining Zephyr Cove Resort in promoting environmentally friendly beach management. Kevin Schiesz, Tahoe district manager for Aramark Destinations, the concessionaire for Zephyr Cove Resort, said, “Through the Tahoe Blue Beach program, our guests last summer enjoyed a clean, pristine beach and they did their part to keep it that way. That’s the beauty of this program. Our staff worked together with Keep Tahoe Blue and the Forest Service to create an experience where taking care of the beach — while you enjoy it — just feels natural.” … ” Read more from Channel 3.
Could the Senate’s proposed budget bill jeopardize Tahoe land?
“The Senate is currently considering its version of the “Big Beautiful Bill” after the House passed the budgetary bill last month and it could have implications for treasured Tahoe landmarks. The bill itself is a standard tool lawmakers use to balance the checkbook with components such as funding cuts, the activation or increase of energy resources (oil, timber, coal), and land leasing, but one component is relatively new—the sell off of public lands. “Really never in our history has public lands and waters been something that was used as a budgetary item.” That’s according to Katie Hawkins with Outdoor Alliance, who warns this could set a dangerous precedent. “It sets the example that this can be done in the future,” Hawkins says. “If it does set the precedent that this can happen year over year, what does that mean?” … ” Read more from the Tahoe Daily Tribune.
All around the lake, beaches are taking steps to Keep Tahoe Blue
“Building on last summer’s success in reducing litter at Lake Tahoe beaches following busy holidays, Keep Tahoe Blue is expanding its Tahoe Blue Beach program around the Lake in 2025. Kings Beach, the Tahoe Beach Club, Camp Richardson Resort, and Meeks Bay Resort join Zephyr Cove Resort in raising the bar for environmentally friendly beach management in Tahoe. These Tahoe Blue Beaches are taking steps to make responsible, Lake-friendly recreation the easy and obvious choice for everyone who comes to the beach. “Through the Tahoe Blue Beach program, our guests last summer enjoyed a clean, pristine beach and they did their part to keep it that way,” said Kevin Schiesz, Tahoe District Manager for Aramark Destinations, the concessionaire for Zephyr Cove Resort. “That’s the beauty of this program. Our staff worked together with Keep Tahoe Blue and the Forest Service to create an experience where taking care of the beach — while you enjoy it — just feels natural.” … ” Read more from South Tahoe Now.
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
Bull trout and other endemic fishes: McCloud River
“There are about 130 fish species (as defined by the federal Endangered Species Act) native to the fresh waters of California. Most (80%) are arguably on trajectories to extinction. Seven species are already extirpated from the state (Thicktail Chub, Clear Lake Splittail, High Rock Springs Tui Chub, Bull Trout, Tecopa Pupfish, Humpback Chub, Colorado Pikeminnow). Two other endemic fishes, Delta Smelt and Winter Run Chinook Salmon, have not yet been extirpated because efforts by multiple agencies and NGOs (e.g., CalTrout, The Nature Conservancy) have allowed them to be reared in hatcheries along with other actions focused on improving habitat. In short, from my perspective, extinction is not an abstract possibility for many of California’s native fishes but a high likelihood. … ” Read more from the California Water Blog.
Budget woes force Nimbus Fish Hatchery to close visitor center as of July 1
“The Nimbus Fish Hatchery, a longtime regional hub for fish conservation and education along the American River, will close its visitor center, fish ponds and parking lot beginning July 1 due to budget constraints, officials announced Friday. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife, which operates the hatchery, shared the news in a statement posted to social media. The closure, they said, is due to “reductions in funding” and will remain in effect until further notice. “We are working to reopen these facilities as soon as possible and regret the inconvenience,” the statement read. … ” Read more from the Folsom Times.
BAY AREA
Stinson Beach sea-level report identifies $1.2B in projects
“A new report lays the foundation for an estimated $1.2 billion worth of work needed to defend Stinson Beach from the worsening threat of the rising ocean. The report assumes that sea levels could climb 3.3 feet by 2085, increasing the intensity and frequency of shoreline erosion, beach erosion and damage to homes, roads and other property. James Jackson, an engineer with Environmental Science Associates, a consulting firm that produced the report for Marin County, provided a project overview at a recent webinar. “Stinson Beach experiences hazards and impacts today under existing sea level,” Jackson said. If it rises by the expected 3.3 feet and a 100-year storm hits, he said, the result could be $1.3 billion worth of damage to homes and other property. The estimates are based on the current value. … ” Read more from the Marin Independent Journal.
Sausalito to transfer sewer system to wastewater agency
“Sausalito will transfer its sewer system to the Sausalito Marin City Sanitary District. The City Council authorized the deal on Tuesday, and the sanitary district board ratified the agreement on Wednesday. “I’m very pleased and proud to bring this longstanding priority and project to fruition,” said Mayor Jane Cox. “They have been great partners over the years, successfully collaborating with us to construct impressive pump stations where needed in Sausalito, most recently on Coloma Street, and there will be less confusion with a single sewer service invoices on our property tax rolls.” City officials have discussed the system’s transfer for more than a decade. The only change that residents will see is a single bill instead of two invoices on their property taxes. … ” Read more from the Marin Independent Journal.
Before-and-after images show most dramatic changes to the Bay Area’s landscape in a decade
“Parts of the Bay Area changed dramatically in the last decade, as green fields gave way to dense apartment complexes, tech hubs covered asphalt and dirt, and new parks grew out of barren sites. A Chronicle analysis of the United States Geological Survey’s National Land Cover Database identified the places in the Bay Area where land use changed the most between 2014 and 2023. Those changes included big tech growth in Silicon Valley, a building boom in the East Bay’s Tri-Valley and ecological restoration across part of the region. … We looked for the places that changed most on this development scale, with nature being the lowest on the scale and urban high density use the highest. Next, we found aerial imagery from the mid-2010s and the mid-2020s to show how those places looked then and now from the sky. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
CENTRAL COAST
Trump’s policies could impact Central Coast public lands, waters. Here are 3 ways
“On a warm, Wednesday afternoon, scientists, community members and local leaders gathered at the Grange Hall in San Luis Obispo to discuss the Trump administration’s attempts to weaken laws protecting public land and waters — and how those policies could impact the Central Coast. The Santa Lucia chapter of the Sierra Club hosted a panel of local environmental leaders to answer the community’s questions on Wednesday from 5 to 7 p.m. The panelists included Congressman Salud Carbajal, ocean policy expert Erin Eastwood, Carrizo Plain Conservancy board president Neil Havlik, wildlife biologist Ben Vizzachero and Coastal Band of Chumash Nation representative Michael Khus-Zarate. From an attempt to reduce the scope of the Endangered Species Act to an effort to allow the president to eliminate national monuments, here are three issues to keep an eye on for the Central Coast. … ” Read more from the San Luis Obispo Tribune.
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
$77M, 2-mile long tunnel project before SSJID
“The South San Joaquin Irrigation District is getting ready to improve water reliability for farmers as well as urban customers in Manteca, Lathrop, and Tracy. The SSJID board when they meet Tuesday at 9 a.m. is expected to award a $74,777,777 contract to Drill Tech Drilling & Shoring to construct a two-mile tunnel to replace the main supply canal that now carries irrigation water from Goodwin Dam through the steep and treacherous Lower Stanislaus River Canyon. The project, which is expected to be completed by spring 2029, is a joint effort of SSJID and Oakdale Irrigation District. … ” Read more from the Manteca Bulletin.
IMPERIAL/COACHELLA VALLEYS
Officials turn to innovative method to address longstanding emblem of water crisis: ‘Difficult projects are possible’
“The Salton Sea has long been a worrying emblem of California’s water crisis. Based in the parched, desert-like lands, the decades-long project to bring new wetlands back to the scorched dirt is finally underway. In the midst of the Salton Sea’s years of evaporation, the waters have grown progressively saltier, killing native fish that acted as a food source for dozens of migrating birds like white pelicans, double-crested cormorants, and eared grebes — all of which have faced significant population declines. The wetlands will encourage desalination, reviving the lake’s once-prosperous ecosystem. This restoration will further benefit humans who live nearby and have faced respiratory issues from dust and hydrogen-sulfide gas. Moreover, the lake is said to be a “major hub for California’s renewable energy economy” with companies seeking to mine vast deposits of lithium — used in batteries for electric cars — which could improve the economies of the Imperial and Coachella valleys, according to E. Joaquin Esquivel, the board chair of the State Water Resources Control Board. … ” Read more from The Cool Down.
Filmmaker Julius Olivas documents the Salton Sea’s slow collapse
“Imperial Valley native Julius Olivas began his filmmaking journey at home. “I’m from Imperial Valley, but right now we’re shooting in Tennessee,” Olivas said in an in-depth interview with Imperial Valley Press. He started making movies in middle school and high school, filming around the Valley before heading to college at the University of Southern California. “I studied a little at USC and did it there, and then COVID hit,” he explained. “But I continued my passion, and now this project is my first documentary.” Up until this film, everything he created was short films or marketing videos. Now, Olivas is working on a unique project that takes him back to his roots, a documentary about the Salton Sea and its evolving role in the Imperial Valley. … ” Read more from the Imperial Valley Press.
SAN DIEGO
OMWD completes construction of new recycled water pipelines in Carlsbad and Encinitas
“Olivenhain Municipal Water District has completed construction of several recycled water pipelines in Carlsbad and Encinitas. The installation of over 5,600 feet of new pipelines will allow several HOA communities in the project area to convert their irrigation systems to recycled water, resulting in more than 12.5 million gallons of drinking water saved every year, according to a news release. “Converting our irrigation system to recycled water was the right decision,” said Paul Heller, Summerhill HOA board president, in the news release. “We’ll be less impacted by future droughts that could limit watering schedules, and recycled water is more affordable than drinking water, which will reduce costs for our residents.” … ” Read more from the San Diego Union-Tribune.
Along the Colorado River …
Once a showcase of American optimism and engineering, Hoover Dam faces new power generation declines
“The long-term drying of the American Southwest poses a gathering and measurable threat to hydropower generation in the Colorado River basin. Should Lake Mead, the reservoir formed by Hoover Dam, continue to shrink, a substantial drop in the dam’s hydropower output is on the horizon. The diminished state of the lake and the potential severe drop in electricity supply illustrate the consequences of a warming climate for the region. Built in the throes of the Great Depression, Hoover was the signature project of a country displaying its grit and engineering prowess to tame the West’s mightiest rivers to irrigate farmland and build cities. Today the dam is an aging asset buffeted by hydrological change and generating half the power that it did just a generation ago. … ” Read more from Circle of Blue.
California water agencies extend funding for Colorado River Board
“The Colorado River Board of California (CRB), tasked with safeguarding the state’s water rights and interests in the Colorado River since its establishment in 1937, will continue its operations through July 1, 2026, under a newly proposed one-year funding extension. The amendment was approved through the consent calendar at the Tuesday, June 17, Imperial Irrigation District (IID) board meeting. It extends the existing financial agreement among the Six Agency Committee (SAC) without altering the cost-sharing structure. The SAC, comprising IID, Palo Verde Irrigation District, Coachella Valley Water District, San Diego County Water Authority, Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, and the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, has funded CRB activities since 1950. … ” Read more from the Desert Review.
Colorado River basins may split up to each do their ‘own thing’
“New information is emerging about what’s being negotiated between the seven states who rely on the Colorado River: an “amicable divorce” between the Upper and Lower Basins. At a meeting of a council made up of farmers, ranchers, and other Colorado River water users, the head of the Colorado River Authority of Utah disclosed some of what was being negotiated. “We have not agreed to anything yet,” Colorado River Authority of Utah Executive Director Amy Haas cautioned. “This, however, seems to be the one option that has the most traction in terms of getting a seven state proposal.” The Colorado River supplies water to more than 40 million people across the western United States and a portion of Mexico. … ” Read more from Utah Public Radio.
Colorado River ‘water market’ could bring security to farmers, fish and families: Study
“Applying a market-based approach to Colorado River management could ensure more robust and reliable supplies for farmers, communities and the environment, a new study has found. Without considerable cutbacks in basin-wide water consumption, fish populations could face dire consequences for at least one month of the irrigation season, scientists warned in the study, published Friday in Nature Sustainability. But if action were taken to deploy strategic water transactions among the basin’s stakeholders, resultant reductions in usage could improve the situation of more than 380 miles of restorable segments, per the research. “By strategically directing river water to the right places, even under drought conditions, fish can be saved with targeted restoration at nominal additional cost,” said senior author Steven Gorelick, a hydrologist at Stanford University, in a statement. … ” Read more from The Hill.
Report raises alarm on diminishing groundwater in the Colorado River Basin
“As the seven Colorado River Basin states haggle over the future of water allocations, authors of a new report on groundwater argue that equal attention should be paid to the water beneath our feet. Jay Famiglietti, a global futurist professor at Arizona State University and one of the authors of the research, said groundwater depletion has been worse than losses measured at reservoirs like Lake Mead or Lake Powell. “The rate of decline in the groundwater is about 2.4 times greater than the decline in the reservoirs,” Famiglietti said. In a conversation with Colorado Matters, Famiglietti discussed how satellite data was used to measure changes to groundwater in the Colorado River Basin states and how the public should think about aquifer storage, particularly where the depletion is occurring the fastest in lower basin states like Arizona and California. … ” Read more from Colorado Public Radio.
Arizonans support dedicated funding for water resilience and conservation projects and want Colorado River Basin states to develop collaborative solutions for water shortages
“A poll released today by Morning Consult on behalf of the Walton Family Foundation shows that future water supplies from groundwater and the Colorado River are a top concern and that Arizonans want to see dedicated funding for water resilience and conservation projects. As Colorado River Basin states negotiate future water allocations, Arizonans overwhelmingly believe that real solutions to Colorado River water shortages are possible through collaborative agreements between states, rather than lawsuits. The vast majority of Arizonans are concerned about future groundwater and Colorado River water supplies, and support dedicated funding for resilience and conservation projects. … ” Read more from the Walton Family Foundation.
Arizona Governor Hobbs advocates for state’s interests in Colorado River negotiations, stresses importance of sustainable water management
“Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs recently sat down with Scott Cameron, the Trump Administration’s top official on Colorado River matters, to advocate for Arizona’s interests in the vital Colorado River negotiations, as reported by the Office of the Arizona Governor. The conversation, occurring in the midst of discussions about post-2026 water management strategies, underscores the state’s proactive stance in securing a sustainable water future. Governor Hobbs later conveyed this commitment to the Arizona Reconsultation Committee, marking the first time a governor has directly engaged with the group.Underlining the importance of the meeting, Hobbs laid out her state’s contributions to water conservation, including the establishment of a new rural groundwater management area in over four decades and diverse conservation programs that have led to the lowest Lower Basin consumptive water use in 40 years, according to the Office of the Arizona Governor. … ” Read more from Hoodline.
The runoff: Dismal flows, funding thaws & big decisions ahead
“Peak river flows have come and gone on the Western Slope, with most rivers seeing below normal peaks and currently running well below last year’s levels. According to Aspen Journalism’s real time local streamflow tracker, streams are flowing at 42-63% of normal in the Roaring Fork Watershed. Streamflows peaked on June 3 or June 4 with the Roaring Fork River flowing as much as 3,050 cfs at Glenwood Springs, which was 87% of average peak flow, and the Colorado River running up to 11,400 cfs near the stateline the next day, which was 64% of normal. As of June 18, the Colorado River is running at about 4,370 cfs at Glenwood Springs, or 43% of average, down from 5,640 cfs last week and from last year’s 13,000 cfs, while the Colorado flowed at 5,360 cfs near the Colorado-Utah stateline, or 33% of average. … ” Read more from Aspen Journalism.
Hopes for Shoshone water rights project buoyed by Orchard Mesa Irrigation federal funds agreement
“The Trump administration has agreed to provide nearly $12 million to the Orchard Mesa Irrigation District for water projects, buoying hopes that the administration’s freeze on tens of millions of dollars the Biden administration pledged for Western Slope water projects — including the Shoshone hydroelectric power water rights — may be thawing. The Interior Department and Bureau of Reclamation say the Orchard Mesa district will receive about $10.5 million to modernize and improve water delivery infrastructure. The work will include converting 8.4 miles of canals into pressurized pipelines, which will eliminate 2,560 acre-feet of annual water losses and reduce irrigation water diversions by up to 6,900 acre-feet. Eliminating the canals will also reduce, by 4,560 tons a year, the amount of salt that leaches into the Colorado River each year, and support the recovery of endangered fish by improving streamflows in the critical 15-mile reach of the river just upstream of its confluence with the Gunnison River. … ” Read more from the Grand Junction Daily Sentinel.
In national water news today …
Amazon announces game-changing project to address harmful impacts of its facilities: ‘We are deeply committed’
“Amazon is expanding its use of recycled water to cool data centers, implementing the system in over 120 locations by 2030. On June 9, Amazon announced its plan to scale its use of previously used and treated water. The company uses recycled water for its direct evaporative cooling systems in Virginia and California. The new expansion will introduce these systems to Mississippi, Georgia, and more Virginia locations. The recycled water system helped Amazon save as much as 85% of water. The company expects to preserve over 530 million gallons yearly without sacrificing data server operations. According to a 2022 NPR article, the average data center uses 300,000 gallons of water daily. That’s as much water as roughly 1,000 U.S. households use a day. The UN reports that more than two billion people suffer from water insecurity. That number will likely increase, so mitigating water waste is urgent. … ” Read more from The Cool Down.
War, inflation and now drought are hitting global food supplies
“War, tariffs and inflation are not the only things driving up the price of food. Widespread drought is also looming over what people around the world eat. In Brazil, parched coffee farms have affected latte prices everywhere. In the Midwestern United States, years of poor rains have led ranchers to cull cattle herds and have raised beef prices to their highest levels ever. In China, one of the nation’s key wheat-producing regions, the Yellow River Basin, is withering under unusually hot, dry conditions. Germany had its driest spring since 1931, though rains in recent weeks have allayed concerns about its wheat and barley crops. Ukraine and Russia, rivals on the battlefield, are also facing the threat of drought for their wheat crops. Both countries are breadbaskets for millions of people far and wide. Morocco, for instance, now in its sixth year of drought, has relied increasingly on wheat imports from Russia. … ” Read more from the New York Times.
And lastly …
Say what … ??? One of America’s most snake-infested lakes is also one of its most popular vacation destinations
I have to say, I did not know this … “Lake Tahoe is known for its crystal clear waters and beautiful mountain scenery. … While Lake Tahoe is one of the most popular vacation destinations in the United States, it is also one of the country’s most snake-infested lakes, similar to Lake Mead, the deadliest U.S. national park that is home to four dangerous rattlesnake species. Nearly a dozen snake species slither about Lake Tahoe, and while most are non-venomous and pose little to no threat to humans, one species of rattlesnake has migrated into the area.Multiple snake species of varying genera inhabit Lake Tahoe. Venomousness and swimming ability differ between species, with most being non-venomous swimmers. … Read more from The Travel.
Also on Maven’s Notebook today …
DELTA CONVEYANCE PROJECT: Sixth amended notice of public hearing and procedural ruling
NOTICE: Term 91 now in effect
