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In California water news this weekend …
Inside the ‘revolutionary’ new Colorado River proposal
“In the contentious talks over how states will split the shrinking Colorado River, negotiators are reaching consensus on one point: Just go with the “natural flow.” The concept is a somewhat simple one. Instead of negotiating future cuts across the entire seven-state region, the process would rely on recent water records — the amount of water flowing from the Colorado River headwaters in the Upper Basin to a point in Arizona marking the boundary of the Lower Basin states. Negotiators recently heralded the move as a potential breakthrough in the long-stalled talks: It could help end a stalemate over how to share the pain of future water reductions and at the same time respond to the impacts of climate change. But that belies a set of lingering questions. For one, just determining the water in the river will require complex calculations relying on evolving research. Even more critically, there’s no indication negotiators are close on the particularly difficult issue of deciding how big a share of water each group of states can claim. Still, observers say it could mark an important change. … ” Read more from E&E News.
The Colorado River’s top climate expert is worried
“President Donald Trump may be erasing the words “climate change” from federal websites and moving to shut down climate science programs, but he can’t ignore the problems climate change is causing along the Colorado River. With current rules governing how states split the river’s water for farming and drinking set to expire at the end of next year and states at loggerheads over new ones, the West’s most important waterway is handing the Trump administration its first climate crisis as its levels have reached critical lows. No one knows that better than Brad Udall, a senior water and climate research scientist at Colorado State University’s Colorado Water Institute. Udall has studied the Colorado River for three decades and made it his mission to explain the science in a way that works for policymakers. “It’s hard to describe just how bad this is,” Udall said of the trajectory for the Colorado River, which supplies 40 million people, including nearly half of Californians and the agricultural engine of the Imperial Valley. Already the river has shrunk 20 percent since 2000 as temperatures have risen. … ” Read more from Politico.
Mono Lake has seen a shocking change. Experts trace it to a wet California winter
“Every spring, tens of thousands of California gulls, some from the Bay Area, leave their home on the coast for a lengthy flight over the Sierra Nevada to summer at Mono Lake. There, the next generation of birds is born. Last year, however, long-simmering problems with the gull population exploded into view. The number of chicks that hatched at Mono Lake dropped to its lowest level on record: just 324 birds, down from about 11,000 chicks the prior year, according to a new report by the research group Point Blue Conservation Science. The dramatic decline is not only raising questions about the future of the gulls, but it’s rekindling concern about how the iconic lake 200 miles from San Francisco is being managed. … “We kind of thought, oh, the gull (numbers) are up and down, but now we know they’re really slipping,” said Bartshé Miller, Eastern Sierra policy director for the Mono Lake Committee, a longtime advocacy for the lake. “This is one of the reasons for getting the lake level higher, sooner.” Miller added, “The assumption has been that the lake is saved. That’s what a lot of people think. That’s clearly not the case.” … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
The strange, salty power of Mono Lake
“Mono Lake shouldn’t exist—and yet it does, defiantly. In the high desert of central California, this otherworldly body of water is home to surreal landscapes, uniquely adapted ecosystems, and layered human histories make it a site of profound environmental and cultural significance. Twice as salty and alkaline as the ocean, Mono Lake has no outlet. For more than 760,000 years, water has flowed in but escaped only through evaporation, leaving behind dense mineral deposits. The result is an extreme environment where no fish can survive, yet life has adapted in extraordinary ways: Trillions of brine shrimp and alkaline flies thrive in its waters, forming the base of a food web that supports millions of migratory birds each year. The Kutzadika’a Paiute people have lived in the Mono Basin for centuries and maintain a deep ancestral relationship with the lake. They traditionally harvested the pupae of the alkali fly—rich in protein and cultural meaning—using intricately woven tools. Their knowledge of the lake’s rhythms and resources remains central to its story, especially as they continue to fight for federal recognition and the protection of their homeland. This series is a testament to the enduring entanglement of ecology and culture—and to the possibilities that emerge when we pay close attention to place. … ” Read more from Atmos.
Trump budget proposal eliminates funding for Western water conservation grants
“As Congress starts work on the next government funding bills, President Trump is proposing eliminating a key water conservation program that’s sent more than $3.2 billion to Western states since 2010. The program, known as WaterSMART and run by the Bureau of Reclamation, provides federal dollars to local governments and organizations in the West to address worsening drought and water scarcity. WaterSMART grants, combined with state and local dollars, have funded more than 2,350 projects addressing water conservation, habitat restoration, water recycling, drought preparedness and more. The program has funded 118 projects in Colorado since 2010, according to a federal dashboard. … ” Read more from Colorado Public Radio.
The camouflaged, artificial water supply keeping Calif.’s desert sheep alive
“On a triple-digit day last August, several trucks drove hundreds of miles through the remote desert landscape of the Newberry Mountains south of Interstate 40 near Barstow, each loaded with a giant tank of water. The trucks (and the volunteers inside them) were on a time-sensitive mission: refilling artificial water sources in the California desert for parched bighorn sheep. Three artificial water sources in the area had been refilled just a month prior, but they are so heavily relied on by bighorn sheep that water levels were already low. Nearly 6,000 gallons of water were hauled out through the desert by volunteers and poured into camouflaged water tanks, helping the local bighorn sheep survive through yet another scorching and dry summer. For over 60 years, volunteers with the Society for the Conservation of Bighorn Sheep have trekked deep into the Mojave Desert, augmenting or replacing once natural water sources that have been lost to climate change, drought and human development. It’s a cycle that often pops up in conservation and wildlife efforts: Human activities degrade habitat, then humans set out to recreate or restore that habitat to protect threatened species. … ” Read more from SF Gate.
USDA forecasts California almond crop to be second largest ever
“The USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service’s latest forecast for the California almond harvest is 3 billion meat pounds, which would be the second largest crop ever. The only time the state has surpassed that level was in 2020, when the harvest was a record 3.12 billion pounds, according to USDA data. The USDA California Almond Objective Measurement Report, released July 10, details that nut sets are significantly higher while kernel weight is down slightly, which should lead to stronger yields than recent years. The agency’s harvest forecast is up 7% from May’s subjective prediction, and 10% higher than the 2024 crop of 2.73 billion pounds. … ” Read more from the Capital Press.
SIERRA NEVADA: Burned black or thriving green: the case for proactive forest management and collaboration for the health of our shared watersheds
“In the Sierra Nevada, forests and water are deeply intertwined, and it’s these mountain headwater watersheds that supply clean, reliable water to our communities. Maintaining this delicate balance requires collaboration and proactive action to address the threat posed by large scale wildfires in California. As wildfires grow larger and more destructive, they don’t just scorch trees and soil—they destabilize entire watersheds. Ash, sediment, and debris wash into rivers and reservoirs, degrading water quality and complicating treatment. With dense forest communities and climate change fueling more frequent and intense fires, protecting forest health has become essential to safeguarding our most vital resource: clean water. … ” Read more from YubaNet.
MODESTO: “I run my deep well pumps almost daily,” says MID Director
“The July 8 meeting of the Modesto Irrigation District (MID) Board of Directors took an off road detour at the end of public commentary by former Oakdale Irrigation District Board Member Linda Santos when she queried MID Director Larry Byrd about water usage on property he farms on Stanislaus County’s east side. Santos had been castigating Byrd for his role in terminating water attorney Ronda Lucas’s contract. Lucas became a controversial figure after winning a 2019 lawsuit based on alleged gender harassment from an MID Board member. She was rehired early in January of 2023, on a 4-1 vote. At the time, Director Byrd was one of her more ardent supporters. “I’m the one that got her back,” he said after last Tuesday’s meeting. … ” Read more from the Valley Citizen.
SALTON SEA: 4.3-Magnitude earthquake rattles Salton Sea, followed by swarm of smaller quakes
“A 4.3-magnitude earthquake struck near the Salton Sea early Friday morning, jolting residents and triggering a series of smaller quakes in the seismically active region. The temblor, centered approximately 7.5 miles west-northwest of Calipatria, occurred at 2:55 a.m. PDT at a depth of 6.5 miles, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). No immediate reports of injuries or significant damage have surfaced, but the event has renewed focus on the area’s earthquake-prone geology. The quake was felt as far away as Carlsbad and Whittier, with over 30 residents reporting light shaking to the USGS. “I couldn’t tell if I was dreaming or rolling in the quake,” one Calipatria resident shared on social media. The main shock was preceded and followed by dozens of smaller quakes, ranging from magnitudes 1.0 to 3.7, marking the event as part of an earthquake swarm—a common occurrence in the Brawley Seismic Zone near the Salton Sea. … ” Read more from the Desert Review.
SAN DIEGO: Bicameral bill to address Tijuana River pollution introduced in Congress
“Democratic leaders in both houses of Congress on Thursday introduced legislation to help combat the ongoing Tijuana River sewage pollution across the U.S.-Mexico border by appointing the Environmental Protection Agency as the lead agency on the crisis. Sens. Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff, both D-California, and Cory Booker, D-New Jersey, along with Reps. Juan Vargas, both D-San Diego, introduced the Border Water Quality Restoration and Protection Act of 2025 on Thursday. In it, the legislators call for the EPA to create a new geographic program to manage each watershed through a comprehensive water quality management plan. Additionally, it would require the EPA to identify a consensus list of priority projects, including incorporating a “comprehensive suite of projects” identified by EPA and IBWC in the 2022 United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement implementation plan. … ” Read more from KPBS.
ARIZONA: ‘Ag-to-Urban’ sacrifices Arizona’s water future for development profits
Channel Powe writes, “As Arizonans, we understand all too well that water is scarce and our housing crisis is real. I’m saddened to say, Senate Bill 1611, known as the Ag-to-Urban bill, is not the solution. More than 400,000 acres of farmland could be eligible for conversion under the program — meaning up to a million homes could be built, along with the infrastructure to support those homes that will cut dramatically into our water supply. The latter water use has not been accounted for in this development deal. The 1980 Groundwater Management Act wisely required developers to prove a 100-year water supply before building. This new legislation sidesteps the intent of this landmark law, allowing development without meaningful guarantees of long-term sustainability. If we’re talking about building one million homes, we’re also talking about expanding roads, schools, hospitals, and everything else a thriving community needs — all of which will demand more water. Yet, this bill offers no plan to ensure that the water exists to support it. … ” Continue reading from the Arizona Mirror.
In commentary this weekend …
Stay hopeful, my friends
Geoff Vanden Heuvel, Director of Regulatory and Economic Affairs for the Milk Producers Council, writes, “Tucked away in the Big Beautiful Bill is a billion dollars of grant money to pay for “construction and associated activities that restore or increase the capacity or use of existing conveyance facilities constructed by the Bureau of Reclamation or for construction and associated activities that increase the capacity of existing Bureau of Reclamation surface water storage facilities.” Interestingly the final sentence of the section states: “None of the funds provided under this section shall be reimbursable or subject to matching or cost-sharing requirements.” This is a very significant federal investment in western water infrastructure. The need is much larger than this, but this money will help to leverage further investment by state and local participants. … ” Read more from the Milk Producers Council.
Protecting the Delta can help our aquifer
The Desert Sun editorial board writes, “The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta is nearly 500 miles away from the Coachella Valley. And there is no direct connection between the valley and the State Water Project. But state and local water officials tell us the Bay Delta Conservation Plan is critical to the future of our valley and the campaign to replenish our aquifer. The Coachella Valley Water District and the Desert Water Agency held a workshop this week to discuss the plan, which has been in development for seven years. Some participants made a pitch to The Desert Sun editorial board. Although it’s an expensive proposition — the preliminary estimate is $24.54 billion — and would take at least a decade to complete, they make a convincing case. … ” Read more from the Desert Sun.
And lastly …
AI explanations of California water management
Dr. Jay Lund puts Chat GPT to the test on California water management. California water management in a Hunter S. Thompson-style essay, a Dr. Seuss poem about water woes, and even a surreal Salvador Dalí-inspired California water map. Check it out at the California Water Blog.
Podcasts …
WE GROW CALIFORNIA: Karla Nemeth, Director of DWR: Leading, learning, and adapting
Karla Nemeth, Director of the California Department of Water Resources, a verifiable Woman of Water – aka a WOW – joins Darcy and Darcy this week and the conversation never stops! Karla shares her experiences and how relationships are the key to California’s water response success – especially in a crisis. She tells the Darcys how she has learned and adapted. Those lessons and adaptations came from weather uncertainty, regulations, legislation, and serving four (Yes FOUR!) Governors, each with their own Water and Delta plans. The complexity of her job grows daily, however, that has not dissuaded her. Karla shares that her job is to solve problems and she is ready for whatever may come. Darcy and Darcy don’t let her off easy. They ask her about floods and California’s preparedness, the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act, the Delta Conservation Plan (DCP), Infrastructure or lack thereof, and what keeps her up at night. Listen in! This is an episode you don’t want to miss!
FISH WATER PEOPLE: Restoration takes everyone, with Griff Griffith and Chuck Bonham
What does a renowned natural and cultural resource interpreter have in common with the Director of California Department of Fish and Wildlife? First, we sit down with Griff Griffith, a natural and cultural resource interpreter, in other words a man who can do it all. Griff takes us inside the massive Redwoods Rising partnership working to heal previously clear-cut, overplanted forests and create the diverse, resilient ecosystems that once defined the region. His advice for a strong, sustainable America? Fresh water, good soil, clean air, lots of fish, biodiversity, and cool forests. Next, we are joined by Chuck Bonham, Director of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, for a wide-ranging conversation about leading the agency tasked with protecting every living thing in the Golden State. We explore balancing conservation with community needs and why both guests believe California can be a model for stewarding natural resources for the next 1,000 years.
CALIFORNIA REPORT: Small farms could feel pinch from reconciliation bill
California’s small farmers are used to tough seasons. But this year, they’re not just battling drought or the rising costs of maintaining their farms. Small farmers say President Trump’s reconciliation bill could make it even harder to stay in business.
VOICES OF THE VALLEY: Agtech’s field of dreams in Salinas
In this Voices of the Valley episode, Western Growers SeniorVice President, Innovation, Walt Duflock and The Reservoir CEO Danny Bernstein introduce Reservoir Farms, a first-of-its-kind initiative in Salinas, Calif., where agtech startups can work with growers to do field trials of their technologies. In tandem with endeavors from the Western Growers Center for Innovation and Technology, Reservoir is trying to solve one of ag’s biggest problems: there is simply not enough labor to get crops out of the field and onto dinner tables. “We have a big and growing line-item expense challenge withgrowers in California,” Duflock says. “The best and maybe only realistic scalable solution for that is robots.”
TERRE VERDE: After the Fires, Under the Waves
The Palisades and Eaton fires scorched more than 40,000 acres and destroyed at least 12,000 buildings, sending remnants of household appliances, batteries, flame retardant, debris and other chemicals into coastal waters. Scientists and advocates are racing to assess not only the immediate contamination and public safety risks but also the long-term ecological consequences that threaten biodiversity, fragile habitats, and the marine food chain. On this episode of Terra Verde, host and producer Hannah Wilton speaks with Tracy Quinn, President and CEO of Heal the Bay, and marine ecologist Dr. Zoë Kitchel about the challenges of post-fire water monitoring, the gaps in federal and state response, and the early warning signs of ecological disruption unfolding offshore. They unpack what we’re learning from this disaster—and what needs to change to better protect our oceans in the future.
WATER SHELF: “Replumbing the City” by Sayd Randle
In this episode, Sayd Randle joins us from Kathmandu, Nepal, to talk about her fascinating new book, Replumbing the City: Water Management as Climate Adaptation in Los Angeles. We discuss her ethnographic approach to water and the challenges and opportunities of localizing urban water supplies. She also gives us a peek at what she’s now working on halfway around the world.
ECONEWS: Potholes in the Forest Service Roadless Rule
The Trump Administration has announced it seeks to revoke the “Roadless Rule,” the 2001 regulation limiting U.S. Forest Service activities in unroaded areas of our National Forests. Guests Kimberly Baker of the Environmental Protection Information Center (EPIC) and Scott Greacen of Friends of the Eel River join the program to discuss the history and purpose behind defending roadless areas and what this new attack on our public lands means for clean water, fish and wildlife, and recreation.
TALKING UNDER WATER: Recent floods, PFAS settlement payouts, & Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill
In this episode of Talking Under Water, we discuss industry news, including the recent floods in Texas, North Carolina and New Mexico, President Trump’s spending and tax bill, known as the Big Beautiful Bill and PFAS settlement payouts.
WATER IS A MANY SPLENDOR’ED THING: Framing Water
Hold up your open hands to your eyes and frame your view of life. Photographer Jeff Fricker has done this and has recorded the cultural reflection that water has contributed as a resource, utility, and recreational marvel. 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
