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On the calendar today …
- WEBINAR: Butte County Regional GSP Evaluation Results in the Feather River Corridor Results from 12pm to 1pm. This webinar will present the results from the Joint Evaluation of Groundwater Sustainability Plans (GSPs) for the Feather River Corridor. This evaluation was conducted by Montgomery & Associates on behalf of the Vina and Wyandotte Creek Subbasin GSAs and led by Butte County. Click here to register.
- MEETING: Delta Plan Interagency Implementation Committee (DPIIC) Restoration Subcommittee Meeting from 1pm to 3pm. Agenda items include a summary of the third Delta Restoration Forum that took place in Clarksburg on May 1, 2025; Folks from The Nature Conservancy will describe progress on implementing a mosaic of rice and wetlands in the Delta; an update on the Webb Tract Wetland Project; and a presentation on Projecting the Benefits of Tidal Wetland Restoration in the Delta and Suisun Marsh. Click here for the meeting notice.
Newsom launches Delta Conveyance Project accountability plan …
Newsom Administration launches Delta Conveyance Project accountability plan, includes $200 million in funding and support for Delta communities
“The Newsom Administration is committed to supporting local communities that could be impacted during construction of the Delta Conveyance Project. To acknowledge and address those impacts, today the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) released an Accountability Action Plan which memorializes a series of actions that holds DWR accountable to the local community in a transparent, trackable and measurable way. In addition to targeted and strategic communication and support, the plan establishes a $200 million Community Benefits Program for areas near the construction sites. The goal of the plan is to avoid, minimize, or offset potential impacts of project construction to residents, businesses, tribes, visitors to the Delta, and many others. The plan was developed, in part, to address concerns expressed in various community and public input forums during the planning process. … ” Read more from Governor Newsom.
Newsom launches Delta Tunnel accountability plan, $200 million in funding
“Facing stiff opposition from his own party, California Gov. Gavin Newsom has released a plan intended to ease concerns around the development of the Delta Tunnel. Newsom also allocated $200 million to benefit communities near the construction sites of the water conveyance project. First proposed decades ago to enhance water deliveries to Southern California, Newsom has made the project one of his top priorities since he took office in 2019. The project would consist of one 45-mile tunnel that would pipe water from the Sacramento River to bypass the Delta. Water would be redirected into Bethany Reservoir before feeding into an aqueduct headed south. … ” Read more from the San Joaquin Valley Sun.
SEE ALSO:
- Newsom releases accountability plan for Delta Tunnel project, from KTXL
- Newsom taking another run at his tunnel project, from the Manteca Bulletin
STATEMENTS
Reaction from the Delta Caucus
The California Legislative Delta Caucus on Wednesday once again urged leaders of the California Senate and Assembly to reject Gov. Gavin Newsom’s renewed effort to fast-track the Delta Tunnel Project.
The governor on Wednesday renewed his request that the Legislature approve his fast-tracking proposal before the end of this year’s Legislative session in September. In June, the Legislature rejected the governor’s attempt to include the fast-tracking plan in the state budget.
On Wednesday, the governor also proposed to create a $200 million “community benefits” plan for Delta communities that will be severely impacted by the 45-mile-long, $20 billion-plus water tunnel, should it ever be built.
“The Legislature rightly rejected the governor’s ill-conceived plan to fast-track the Delta Tunnel Project in June and should reject it again. Delta communities that will be devastated by this unaffordable and unnecessary project cannot be bought off with $200 million. In fact, no amount of money can compensate for the destruction of thousands of acres of prime farmland and the loss of fisheries and historic tribal resources,” said Delta Caucus co-chairs, Senator Jerry McNerney, D-Pleasanton, and Assemblywoman Lori D. Wilson, D-Suisun City. “We once again call on California to abandon the tunnel project boondoggle and instead pursue less costly and destructive alternatives, including fortifying Delta levees and increasing water recycling, water efficiency, and groundwater storage.”
Gov. Newsom’s proposal to fast-track the Delta Tunnel Project would effectively eliminate environmental and judicial review of the project, while giving the state a blank check to float bonds to pay for the water tunnel.
Building the Delta tunnel is expected to take at least 15 years, meaning that much of the Delta region and its 500,000 residents will be at ground zero of a giant construction project for nearly a generation. The project will require massive amounts of earth-moving because the 36-foot-wide tunnel will be 100 to 130 feet underground.
The tunnel project is opposed by every city and community in the Delta region and the broad bipartisan coalition against the tunnel fast-tracking plan includes more than 100 legislators; cities, counties, and public agencies; good government groups; environmental and tribal organizations; and nonprofits and local businesses.
The Delta Caucus is a bipartisan group of legislators dedicated to safeguarding the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, the largest and most important estuary on the West Coast.
From the Delta Counties Coalition:
In response to the Newsom Administration’s announcement today to launch a so-called Delta Conveyance Project Accountability Acton Plan, Patrick Hume, Chair of the Delta Counties Coalition (DCC), made the following statement on behalf of the five jurisdictions that would be most negatively impacted by the Delta Tunnel megaproject:
“Governor Newsom’s announcement of a so-called Delta Conveyance Project ‘Accountability Action Plan’ and a $200 million Community Benefits Program is nothing more than a thinly veiled attempt to recycle a plan the Department of Water Resources has been touting for years, pretending it’s new news to buy silence from the very communities that will be most devastated by the Delta Tunnel Conveyance Project. And, it doesn’t take into account the losses Delta communities would suffer during the decade-plus tunnel building process as well as loss of freshwater flows through the Delta during operations.
We cannot be bought with blood diamonds. If the Governor were truly listening, he would admit that we are asking for a way for our thirsty neighbors to get the water they need, without destroying and disrespecting this history, agricultural productivity, recreational opportunity and ecological fragility of this special place. Invest in upgrading existing infrastructure, increasing storage capacity and throughput and focus on forward thinking projects that use and reuse water more efficiently.
A bad project remains a bad project—no matter how much political gloss or money is thrown at it.
The Administration claims this “new” plan promotes transparency and accountability, but offers few specifics, and nothing enforceable that is not already a requirement for the project.
We see through the spin.
The people of the Delta have consistently and loudly opposed this project through public comment, legal challenges, and community advocacy. The Administration’s claim that our concerns are being heard is disingenuous at best.
Let’s call this proposal what it is: An attempt at a bribe—one that fundamentally misunderstands and insults the integrity, resilience, and unity of the Delta. We will not be placated. We will not be silenced. And we will not allow our communities to be sacrificed under the false promises of a tunnel that solves none of California’s water problems.
The Delta is not for sale and this recycled old news about alleged ‘community benefits’ doesn’t justify the Governor’s attempts to remove property, water rights, environmental and ratepayer protections in a Delta tunnel budget trailer bill later this summer. If the Administration was really listening, it would have proposed sustainable water supply solutions with broad support that would benefit the Delta and all Californians, such as strengthening levees, upgrading existing infrastructure, expanding water recycling, and building resilient storage above and below ground.”
From Restore the Delta:
Today, advocates for Delta communities, tribes, and environmental justice denounced the Newsom Administration’s so-called “Delta Conveyance Accountability Action Plan” as a hollow attempt to appease critics while continuing to push forward a deeply flawed and harmful project.
Releasing an “Accountability Plan” at this stage is too little, too late. After proposing sweeping legal rollbacks to fast-track the Delta Conveyance Project (DCP) in June, the Administration is now offering half-truths and sidestepping legislative oversight. Accountability must begin in the planning phase — and by excluding communities from developing this plan, the Administration has made clear that its intent is to silence, not support, those most impacted by this $100 billion water tunnel.
The $200 million in funding touted by the Administration is not new, not additive, and represents a paltry offering to offset a massive project that will decimate Delta communities and a multi-billion-dollar regional economy for generations. Worse, the funding focuses only on communities near the construction zone, excluding downstream communities like Stockton that will suffer from degraded water quality and increased pollution burdens.
This announcement completely misses the mark on the core issue: California’s water system is outdated, overallocated, and dependent on an ecosystem that has been in crisis for years. Instead of pushing a 20th-century political pet project, the state should invest in modern, local water solutions that reduce reliance on imported surface water and protect communities from flooding.
By clinging to the narrative of “capturing” nonexistent excess water from the Sacramento River, the Newsom Administration is ignoring the true urgency of the Delta’s decline and the climate crisis that is threatening vulnerable communities. The plan’s focus on mitigation through an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) that is still incomplete and fundamentally inadequate only reinforces this misguided approach. The EIR fails to fully assess or mitigate species, habitat, and ecosystem impacts — and relies on a flawed baseline that continues to drive Delta ecosystem collapse.
This announcement also comes alongside the Administration’s coordinated push to reform the Bay-Delta Plan and enable the Voluntary Agreements (VAs) — an unscientific scheme that excludes tribes and communities and, according to the Department of Water Resources itself, is necessary to make the DCP operational.
Ultimately, this is a distraction. While the Governor attempts to rebrand the tunnel and deflect criticism, his administration is simultaneously pushing trailer bills to override environmental protections, court rulings, and public opinion. This pattern of excluding communities and fast-tracking destructive policies has become all too familiar. No amount of PR spin can cover up the fact that the DCP is a deeply flawed project — built on outdated assumptions, ignoring science, and failing to protect the people and ecosystems of the Delta.
STATEMENTS FROM DELTA TRIBES AND ADVOCATES:
Vice Chair Malissa Tayaba, Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians:
“Delta tribes deserve a responsible and equitable approach to water management in the state that does not require jamming a tunnel through the Delta, destroying our ancestral homelands and waterways, or desecrating sacred sites and ancestral remains. Our culture and identities are intrinsically tied to the Delta. There is no price tag worth paying that would ever justify the harm done to us or the unquantifiable costs that Tribes and disadvantaged communities would ultimately bear.”
Gary Mulcahy, Governmental Liaison of the Winnemem Wintu Tribe:
“Where is the accountability for Governor Newsom who is once again circumventing law, when the people in the State of California have made it clear that they do not want a tunnel through the Delta. Newsom has designated Tribes as a special interest group, but his accountability plan doesn’t address the harm that Tribes will experience from the tunnel and the Voluntary Agreements for tribal beneficial uses and tribal cultural resources of the Delta watershed.”
Gloria E. Alonso Cruz, Environmental Justice Advocacy Coordinator, Little Manila Rising:
“The Delta Conveyance Project is a large-scale water diversion infrastructure that neglects the foreseen climate needs of recognized Disadvantaged Communities (DACs). These communities are interconnected by the waterways and cross multiple jurisdiction lines. The Project has failed to recognize this adequately, nor has it established long-overdue protections before proposing the project. Healthy ecosystems are necessary to cultivate healthy and thriving communities in California’s largest estuary. As it stands, the project will only exacerbate current and future climate conditions in the most vulnerable portions of the Delta.”
Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla, Executive Director, Restore the Delta:
“Governor Newsom is putting lipstick on a pig. His $100 billion tunnel will harm tribes and communities from Sacramento all the way down to Los Angeles. Let’s not forget: the U.S. EPA is still investigating a Title VI civil rights complaint against the Newsom administration over how the Water Board continues to violate civil rights in all of these linked processes. Once again, this shows Newsom’s water plan is for billionaires, not for everyday people.”
From the Southern California Water Coalition:
“The Southern California Water Coalition applauds the Newsom Administration and the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) for releasing the Delta Conveyance Project Accountability Action Plan and for establishing a $200 million Community Benefits Program for Delta communities.
This is a critical and timely response to the misleading narratives that opponents of this project have continued to push…narratives designed to delay, confuse, and obfuscate the true purpose and benefits of the Delta Conveyance Project. The facts are clear: this project is essential to securing California’s water future and will serve more than 27 million residents, hundreds of thousands of acres of farmland, and vital industries across our state.
For too long, critics have wrongly claimed that the concerns of Delta communities were being ignored. The Accountability Action Plan decisively refutes those claims. It outlines specific, trackable, and transparent commitments to local communities, demonstrating that the state is listening and taking action to avoid, minimize, or offset project impacts during construction. This includes the creation of an Ombudsman Office, Community Advisory Groups, and a proactive communications strategy, all designed to ensure that community voices are heard and respected throughout the process.
The Community Benefits Program, backed by a $200 million fund, underscores the Administration’s commitment to delivering real, lasting value to the people most affected by construction. This kind of forward-looking leadership ensures that infrastructure progress is balanced with social responsibility.
The Delta Conveyance Project will modernize our water delivery system, improve climate resilience, and better equip the State Water Project to capture and move water during high-flow events, all while strengthening earthquake protection for critical water infrastructure.
Southern California is downstream of the Delta. Our region and our economy depend on a reliable, secure water supply. We urge the Legislature to move swiftly to approve the budget trailer bill and empower the state to move this project forward without further unnecessary delay.
The time for action is now. The Delta Conveyance Project is not just a regional concern—it is a statewide imperative.”
In other California water news …
Designing groundwater markets that support communities
“As California’s farmers adjust to restrictions on groundwater pumping under the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA), tools to foster adaptation can be a big help. Groundwater markets are one promising tool, but how can groundwater sustainability agencies (GSAs) design groundwater markets to protect those who might be affected by trading? Why markets? A well-designed market gives participants a way to navigate uncertainty. In California, surface water supplies can vary significantly from year to year. It can make a big difference to a grower’s bottom line if they’re able to trade for additional water during the growing season. And for growers who manage their water carefully, selling extra water can provide extra revenue. … ” Read more from the PPIC.
Phillips: $1 billion should go to ‘shovel ready’ projects, including Friant-Kern Canal
“Something that hasn’t been as well publicized that’s in the Big Beautiful Bill that was passed by Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump is $1 billion for Bureau of Reclamation water storage and infrastructure projects. In his message in the Friant Water Authority’s eWaterline newsletter FWA executive director Jason Phillips is calling for that funding to go to “shovel ready projects” which he said includes projects involving the ongoing repairs of the Friant-Kern Canal. The Big Beautiful Bill allocates $1 billion for the “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.” … ” Read more from the Porterville Recorder.
What if Sites Reservoir was already built? Here’s how much water it would capture.
“If it had been operational, the proposed Sites Reservoir in Northern California could have captured more than 550,000 acre-feet of water between late November 2024 and early April 2025, according to data released by the Sites Project Authority. That amount of water could serve more than 3 million people, officials said. Designed as an off-stream reservoir north of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, Sites would capture and store excess runoff during wet years and release it during droughts—boosting water reliability and flexibility for both communities and ecosystems. … ” Read more from Active NorCal.
State Water Board: New watershed demand visualizations now live
“The State Water Board’s Supply and Demand Assessment Program has published new interactive surface water demand visualization dashboards for several watersheds across California. These dashboards provide insights into reported surface water demands and are part of our ongoing effort to improve data transparency and support informed water management. New dashboards are now available for the following watersheds: Butte Creek, Gualala River, Mattole River, Napa River, Navarro River, Putah Creek, Salmon Creek (Sonoma County), and Tomales-Drakes Bay.” Click here for more from the State Water Board.
State Water Board adopts revised water measurement and reporting regulations
“The State Water Resources Control Board on Aug. 5 adopted revised Water Measurement and Reporting regulations, which apply to water rights holders that divert over 10 acre-feet per year. The State Water board unanimously approved the regulations and they are set to take effect Oct. 1. “We’re at a point where we need to move forward,” State Water Board Member Sean Maguire said during the State Water Board meeting. “We can’t make good sound, efficient, effective water management decisions without good, sound data. And I think that’s been clear over the past few years with the droughts that we’ve been through.” … ” Read more from ACWA Water News.
SEE ALSO: Water Board eyes new rules that could affect Westside growers, from Westside Connect
Anchovy-rich diet linked to vitamin deficiency and deaths among salmon, study
“A new study links widespread deficiency of vitamin B1, or thiamine, among California Chinook salmon to their deaths. This adds yet another challenge for this iconic species whose population is already imperiled by climate change, habitat loss and overfishing. Salmon serve a critical ecological role in the Pacific Northwest, transporting marine nutrients from the ocean to the rivers where they were born when they return to lay eggs. The dual life in the ocean and rivers leaves them vulnerable to disturbances in both habitats: from ocean acidification and shifting food webs to rivers being blocked by dams and made too warm by climate change. … ” Read more from Mongabay.
Giant invasive frogs are wreaking havoc on the West
“On summer evenings in the Midwest, the muggy air comes alive with a chorus of crickets, cicadas, and frogs — especially bullfrogs. Their booming mating calls sound like something between a foghorn and a didgeridoo. As far as we know, summer here has always sounded like this. Bullfrogs are native to most of the Eastern US, from the Mississippi River to the Atlantic Coast. They evolved here. They belong here. I, for one, adored them as a kid growing up in Iowa, and spent countless summer days trying to catch them to get a closer look. What’s unusual is that a few states west — into Colorado and on to California — summer nights are similarly marked by the iconic call of the American bullfrog. But here, they don’t belong. They’re unwanted. And they threaten the very existence of some of the West’s other amphibious animals, such as the Oregon spotted frog, which is found only in the Pacific Northwest. … ” Read more from Vox.
Experts weigh in after girl attacked by sea lion in Monterey Co.: ‘We’re swimming in their backyard’
“California has the largest population of sea lions in the country and that is often on full display at San Francisco’s Pier 39. That said, we’ve seen a number of sea lion headlines of late. In Monterey County, a 9-year-old girl was recently attacked by a sea lion at a surf camp. “The sea lion went under my instructor’s leg and then it came up to me and bit me, and then I got dragged under water,” said Corale Olsen. … Over the course of the last 50 years, California sea lion populations across the west coast have risen to between 250,000 and 275,000. Rulli says that is a good thing as they are a warning signal so-to-speak, for emerging diseases and changes in the ocean. But they can be big and loud. … ” Read more from Channel 7.
Could California be in store for a drought? What you need to know
“While San Diego may be known for its sparkling beaches, some areas of the county are also susceptible to extreme heat and wildfires, which can pose a continued risk of drought throughout California.With elevated heat advisories coming into effect in several regions of the county this week, including El Cajon, Escondido and Campo, the risk of drought in these areas also rises. The Gifford Fire, which began Aug. 1 just south of Central California, has spread throughout San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara, and is 9% contained as of Wednesday, covering 83,933 acres. The spread of wildfires not only depletes water resources used in combating the flames but also creates further fuel for wildfires as the moisture in the soil becomes depleted in those regions, creating dry conditions. According to the National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS), “Since the start of the water year (October 2024), the area of California and Nevada in drought increased by 28% and intensified.” … ” Read more from Fox 5.
California’s getting an earlier start to wildfire season
“Climate change warps the timing of natural processes. Scientists have evidence that flowers are blooming, trees are dropping their leaves, and animals are emerging from hibernation earlier than they did years prior. Now, there’s new evidence of another climate-related shift: California’s wildfire seasons are beginning as much as 46 days earlier than the typical onset 3 decades ago. The analysis, published in a paper in Science Advances, found that the trend was similar in almost all of California’s varied ecosystems. The study defined wildfire season onset as the day when 5% of that season’s fires have occurred. “We’re seeing a trend towards an earlier onset,” said Gavin D. Madakumbura, a hydroclimatologist at the University of California, Los Angeles and lead author of the new study. “We wanted to understand what’s causing this.” Previous work, including one landmark 2006 study, indicated that in some western U.S. forests, the wildfire season has both lengthened and started earlier. … ” Read more from EOS.
SEE ALSO:
- Wildfire season is starting weeks earlier in California – a new study shows how climate change is driving the expansion, from The Conversation
- As Earth Warms, California Fire Season Is Starting Earlier, Study Finds, from the New York Times
- Scientists confirm that climate change is behind California’s earlier wildfire seasons, from the San Francisco Chronicle
Summer 2025 drought and wildfire in 11 maps
“From the destructive Dragon Bravo Fire in the Grand Canyon to smokey skies in the Northeast due to Canadian wildfires, discover how drought and fire are impacting the U.S. this summer. Drought and wildfire interact in numerous ways. Many of the conditions that cause worsening drought can increase wildfire potential. Temperature, soil moisture, humidity, wind speed, and fuel availability (vegetation) are all factors that interact to influence the frequency of large wildfires. When fire sparks in an area that is in drought, drought can affect the intensity and severity of the fire. For example, rapidly drying abundant fuels in forest understories and grasslands after a wet spring can feed larger fires. This summer, hot and dry conditions are driving large wildfires in the Western U.S. Check out the 11 maps below to better understand the conditions underlying current large fires and what’s forecast for fire and drought in the coming months. … ” Read more from NIDIS.
In commentary today …
As supplies thin, price of recycled water could go up
Norm Groot, executive director of the Monterey County Farm Bureau, writes, “As we all manage the implementation of our groundwater management sustainability plans in the next 15 years, there will be some hard choices that communities will need to make. Most of these will include financing various water supply solutions, such as resource projects, land fallowing and repurposing, and even water allocations. Communities that rely exclusively on groundwater will have the hardest decisions to make. With our state’s human right to water, there are more discussions on how our stretched-thin supply can continue to manage a growing state population and continue to produce food to feed our hungry nation. Yes, many are moving out of California due to any number of reasons, including the high cost of living, but there is still incremental population growth in many regions. This brings to light our decades-old water delivery systems to larger municipal areas, which often see demand exceeding capacity. … ” Continue reading this commentary..
Wildfire resilience requires active forest management – not a hands-off approach
Chris Anthony, former Chief Deputy Director of CAL FIRE, writes, “In the summer of 2021, the Caldor Fire roared over the Sierra Nevada crest and into South Lake Tahoe. Thankfully, proactive forest treatments including strategic thinning of dense trees, controlled burns, and defensible space allowed firefighters to slow the flames and save neighborhoods. Local fire officials noted that when the crown fire hit areas where fuels were reduced, the fire intensity greatly diminished, dropping from 100-foot flames in the treetops down to the ground, giving firefighters the room they needed to safely suppress the flames. Far from making fires worse, these science-based forest management actions clearly protected the community. The proposed Fix Our Forests Act (FOFA) supports these types of proactive forest management activities. … ” Read more from the Tahoe Daily Tribune.
In regional water news and commentary today …
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
Joint state effort shields Lake Tahoe from a record amount of polluted runoff
“A bi-state effort to reduce pollution and restore Lake Tahoe’s water clarity prevented a record amount of fine-grained sediment and other pollutants from reaching the lake’s world-famous cobalt waters in 2024, according to an annual performance report released today. By restoring wetlands and streams, limiting dust from roads and construction sites and improving stormwater systems, partners in the Lake Tahoe Total Maximum Daily Load Program (TMDL Program) reduced fine sediment loads into the lake by 29%, and nitrogen and phosphorus inputs by 23% and 17%, compared to 2004 baseline levels. These pollutants fuel algae growth and are known to reduce Lake Tahoe’s world-famous clarity and water quality. The report by the Lahontan Regional Water Quality Control Board, which is part of the California Environmental Protection Agency, and the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection (NDEP) found that an estimated 727,000 pounds of fine sediment, more than 5,800 pounds of nitrogen and nearly 2,100 pounds of phosphorus were prevented from reaching the lake in 2024, all annual record highs since the program began tracking these statistics in 2016. The mass equivalent of fine sediment reduced would fill approximately 29 dump trucks. … ” Read more from Cal EPA.
SEE ALSO: Research shows record amount of sediment prevented from reaching Tahoe in 2024, from Channel 8
Tahoe Summit urges unity for conservation amid federal funding fears
“This year’s Tahoe Summit theme is “Protecting Lake Tahoe: Balancing Sustainable Recreation and Conservation.” Leaders from California and Nevada, on both sides of the aisle, joined together to reach that goal. Kicking off the event this year was keynote speaker Jeremy Renner. The actor urged lawmakers to promote clean energy, prioritize fire protections, and protect wetlands to ensure Lake Tahoe remains blue. “Preserving Lake Tahoe requires leadership, action and above all, unity,” said Renner. … ” Read more from Channel 10.
Tahoe conservation pioneer receives Dianne Feinstein award at Lake Tahoe Summit
“A longtime environmental advocate was honored for his decades of work to protect Lake Tahoe during a major gathering of regional leaders. E. Clement “Clem” Shute, a California attorney recognized for his extensive legal and environmental work, received the Dianne Feinstein Lake Tahoe Award during the 2025 annual Lake Tahoe Summit held today in South Lake Tahoe. The award honors people who have shown a longstanding commitment to protecting and improving the Lake Tahoe environment and is named after the late Senator Dianne Feinstein. Shute was involved in Lake Tahoe conservation efforts from the early days of the environmental movement. … ” Read more from Channel 2.
MORE ON THE TAHOE SUMMIT:
Tahoe Summit tackles climate resilience and collaborative conservation, from KUNR
Not your typical ad: Billboards donated to raise awareness of Tahoe’s latest threat
“Whether you arrive to Tahoe via Interstate 80, Interstate 580, or Highway 50, if you pay attention, you’ll notice billboards that differ from a typical ad. Rather than marketing a good or service, the billboards appeal to the desire to protect Lake Tahoe against its latest threat. “STOP GOLDEN MUSSELS,” one such billboard reads in Reno, Nev. Over the years, the Lake Tahoe basin has successfully prevented the introduction of other invasive species such as quagga and zebra mussels, in large part due to strong policies and inspections, but the golden mussel is new player, spotted for the first time in North America in October. “The golden mussel is like the quagga mussel on steroids,” Tahoe Fund CEO, Amy Berry warns. … ” Read more from the Tahoe Daily Tribune.
Wildlife, water, and wildfire intersect at Wilson Ranch Meadow
“Healthy mountain meadows in a river’s headwaters have a cascading effect on the watershed that supports wildlife, clean water, and wildfire resilience. Wilson Ranch Meadow, a 90-acre meadow in Eldorado National Forest in California, was identified as a site that, if restored, would have watershed-wide impact and surrounding landscape, from improved groundwater storage, water quality, and enhanced wildfire resilience, to the species that depend on its health. But how did American Rivers identify Wilson Ranch as the next meadow restoration project? Our meadow restoration work follows a life cycle that starts with watershed-scale assessment and prioritization to identify impactful restoration opportunities, followed by planning, restoration, and adaptive management of the highest priority meadows. … ” Read more from American Rivers.
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
Citrus Heights’ new wells don’t just pump water out—they put it back in
“The Citrus Heights Water District is digging deep, hoping to create a more secure water future for the community. The water district held a groundbreaking ceremony in Citrus Heights for two new groundwater wells. These wells will be the first in the area to use aquifer storage and recovery technology, allowing them to not only extract water but also put it back underground. The innovative system will capture rainwater and heavy river flows, then inject that water back underground for storage during wet periods. When drier times arrive, the stored water will be available for community use. “We know less snow is coming down — it’s coming down as rain. So in the wet months, we can actually take that water — so that it doesn’t run out to the ocean — pump it underground, store it there, then it’ll be there when we need it in the dry, summer months,” said Rep. Ami Bera (D-6th District). … ” Read more from Channel 10.
NAPA/SONOMA
The profitability of regenerative viticulture in Sonoma County
“The transition to regenerative agriculture is gaining attention for its potential to enhance sustainability, but questions remain about its economic feasibility. Using data from four Sonoma County vineyards, we show that regenerative agricultural practices such as no tillage, compost use, and livestock integration result in similar degrees of farm-level profitability over a 30-year horizon relative to conventional practices, if we assume no change in yields.” Read more from the Giannini Foundation of Agricultural Economics.
CENTRAL COAST
New national monument site opening near Santa Cruz will feature first-of-its-kind technology
“When the new Cotoni-Coast Dairies national monument site opens next week, federal officials will be counting on a novel technology to manage the wildly scenic destination: virtual fences. Cows that graze on these public lands in Santa Cruz County, under federal lease, will be kept away from incoming visitors — and guided to more accommodating pastures — not with barbed wire or steel pens but with GPS-enabled collars that herd the animals from afar. The technology, which is similar to invisible dog fencing but operationally different and much more advanced, has found favor with a small number of early-adoption cattle ranchers in the United States and elsewhere. But its deployment at Cotoni-Coast Dairies is one of the first in a park-like setting, monument officials say. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Malibu residents urged to boil water until further notice. City blames Caltrans work
“Malibu residents are urged to use only boiled or bottled water for drinking and cooking. That includes water provided for pets and livestock. City officials said on social media that a “low-pressure event” was a result of a Caltrans bridge replacement project at Solstice Canyon Creek. The affected area is west of Corral Canyon Road and Solstice Canyon Road. Customers in the Trancas and Latigo canyons are not under the notice. LAist has reached out to Caltrans District 7, the city of Malibu and L.A. County for comment. … ” Read more from the LAist.
LADWP warns thousands in San Fernando Valley to boil tap water before using amid outage
“Thousands of residents in Granada Hills and Porter Ranch are being strongly advised to boil their tap water before using, or to use bottled water. The notice comes after the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power says a faulty valve knocked out the water supply to the area at 7 a.m. Wednesday. Here’s what we know about the situation. The water issue affects 9,200 customers in Granada Hills and Porter Ranch, according to the utility. … ” Read more from the LAist.
SEE ALSO: Water outage affects thousands in Granada Hills and Porter Ranch as DWP makes emergency repairs, from the LA Times
Homeowners say the Army Corps and its contractors mishandled L.A. fire debris cleanup
“After January’s wildfires reduced thousands of homes in Altadena and Pacific Palisades to heaps of ash and rubble, wildfire survivors hoped federal disaster workers would give them a fresh start on a rebuild-ready lot. But many residents say that has not been the reality. More than 800 complaints were submitted to a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers hotline dedicated to the agency’s debris removal efforts from March to mid-May, according to public records obtained by the Los Angeles Times. About a third of those reviewed by The Times allege that federal crews either didn’t thoroughly remove wildfire debris or failed to follow protocols.
Many wildfire victims complained that remediation was mostly confined to each building’s footprint, leaving significant portions of their properties untouched. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
Along the Colorado River …
As the Colorado River slowly dries up, states angle for influence over future water rights
“The Colorado River is in trouble: Not as much water flows into the river as people are entitled to take out of it. A new idea might change that, but complicated political and practical negotiations stand in the way. The seven Colorado Basin states have been grappling with how to deal with declining Colorado River supplies for a quarter century, revising usage guidelines and taking additional measures as drought has persisted and reservoir levels have continued to decline. The current guidelines will expire in late 2026, and talks on new guidelines have been stalled because the states can’t agree on how to avoid a future crisis. In June 2025, Arizona suggested a new approach that would, for the first time, base the amount of water available on the river’s actual flows, rather than on reservoir level projections or historic apportionments. While the proposal has been praised as offering “a glimmer of hope,” coming to agreement on the details presents daunting challenges for the Colorado Basin. … ” Read more from The Conversation.
Lake Powell’s plunge toward ‘dead pool’ puts New Mexico reservoir in play
“Amid a prolonged megadrought, the Bureau of Reclamation is predicting that Lake Powell, one of the Colorado River’s most crucial reservoirs, may drop to a “dead pool,” preventing the production of hydropower at Glen Canyon Dam. But, water managers won’t let that happen. They’ll first tap into reservoirs further upstream – including in New Mexico. Usually, a dam hits a dead pool when the water level sinks just below the pipes and tunnel infrastructure used to retain and release water – so the water just sits there, unable to flow downstream. For the Glen Canyon Dam at Lake Powell, Reclamation is projecting that water levels will sink well below the 3,500-foot dead pool elevation threshold next year. … ” Read more from KUNM.
Drought blankets most of Intermountain West, including Colorado — and will likely get worse
“Most of the Intermountain West is in a drought, with nearly 20 percent of the region stuck in the most severe, driest conditions, according to a Tuesday presentation from Colorado state climatologist Russ Schumacher and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The five state region includes Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Utah and Wyoming. August usually stems the tide during drought years — it’s typically the region’s wettest month due to monsoon rains. But this year has proven much drier and hotter than normal, further deepening the drought. “There’s not a lot of positive signs in terms of the drought situation improving,” Schumacher said. “It will likely get worse, at least over the next few weeks, through the rest of August.” … ” Read more from Colorado Public Radio.
Frozen federal funding halts water conservation projects in Colorado
“As water levels dwindle in the Colorado River Basin, frozen federal funding is hindering the implementation of statewide water conservation projects. The Bureau of Reclamation awarded over $150 million of “Bucket 2” funding, which is extended to public entities pursuing ecosystem restoration, to these projects. The funding was made available through the Biden Administration’s Inflation Reduction Act, which allocated $4 billion to drought mitigation in 2022. Funding was awarded to the Bucket 2 projects just three days before President Donald Trump took office earlier this year, and 15 projects have since been stalled after Trump’s early efforts to reallocate federal spending. … ” Read more from The Journal.
In national water news today …
After deep DOGE cuts, National Weather Service gets OK to fill up to 450 jobs
“The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration will hire as many as 450 people to shore up the National Weather Service after deep cuts this spring raised concern about dangerous understaffing, the Trump administration confirmed Wednesday. NOAA was granted permission to fill critical positions at its weather arm, including openings for meteorologists, hydrologists and electronics technicians, Trump administration officials said. The hirings are part of an exemption to a freeze on federal hiring in place through at least Oct. 15. NOAA declined to comment further. The planned hiring was first reported by CNN. … ” Read more from the Associated Press.
Trump moves to shut down NASA missions that measure carbon dioxide and plant health
“The Trump administration is moving to shut down two NASA missions that monitor a potent greenhouse gas and plant health, potentially shutting off an important source of data for scientists, policymakers and farmers. President Donald Trump’s budget request for fiscal year 2026 includes no money for the Orbiting Carbon Observatories, which can precisely show where carbon dioxide is being emitted and absorbed and how well crops are growing. NASA said in an emailed statement Wednesday that the missions were “beyond their prime mission” and being terminated “to align with the President’s agenda and budget priorities.” But the missions — a free-flying satellite launched in 2014 and an instrument attached to the International Space Station in 2019 that include technology used in the Hubble Space Telescope — still are more sensitive and accurate than any other systems in the world, operating or planned, and a “national asset” that should be saved, said David Crisp, a retired NASA scientist who led their development. … ” Read more from the Associated Press.
