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On the calendar today …
- PUBLIC HEARING: Delta Conveyance Project water right hearing beginning at 9am. The State Water Resources Control Board Administrative Hearings Office will hold a Public Hearing on the pending Petitions for Change of Water Right Permits for the Delta Conveyance Project. Interested members of the public who would like to watch this hearing without participating may do so through the Administrative Hearings Office YouTube channel at: bit.ly/aho-youtube. Click here for the meeting notice.
- WEBINAR: Supporting Small Farms in SGMA Implementation from 12pm to 1pm. In California, small-scale farmers vary depending on location, crops grown, natural resource use and more. The Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) is primarily focused on groundwater quantity management and restoration of aquifers to ensure long term groundwater sustainability. This webinar will introduce the characteristics of small-scale farms in different locations across the state and share resources available to support farmers navigating changes posed by SGMA. Click here to register.
In California water news today …
Central Valley groundwater pumping, land-sinking stressing Aqueduct. Is there a fix?
“Years of collapsing areas of land in the San Joaquin Valley — caused primarily by the over-pumping of groundwater for farming — has taken a toll on California’s largest water delivery system that relies on stable land to work well. A state report released this year determined its 2023 annual water delivery capability had fallen 3% compared to original-design deliveries. If no action is taken, it could fall up to 87% by 2043. If that happens, 21 million Californians would feel the impacts, according to the California Department of Water Resources (DWR). “There are no quick solutions,” DWR engineer Jesse Dillon told The Fresno Bee. “Everybody’s going to need to realize that this is as big a problem as it is.” … ” Read more from the Fresno Bee.
Sites Reservoir: The permitting process
“This blog provides a glimpse into the complexity of permitting for large water projects like Sites. California water law is as intricate and varied as the systems it governs. What begins as a seemingly simple doctrine, such as “first in time, first in right,” can quickly spiral into a labyrinth of layered principles, regulatory frameworks, and practical tradeoffs. Add to that complicated state and federal environmental laws and permitting processes, and legal frameworks make the decision to move forward with any project a very involved process. The proposed Sites Reservoir Project provides a good opportunity to understand some of the processes and approvals required for a major water infrastructure project. … ” Continue reading at the California Water Blog.
As flood risk grows, Suisun City weighs annexing California Forever land
“Becky Carroll’s earthy yellow ranch-style home faces a vast marshland filled with migratory birds and boaters. She lives in a quaint, waterside neighborhood on the edge of Suisun City, where streets have names like Dolphin Court. Even though Carroll lives right on the water, she isn’t worried that her property will flood. It hasn’t in the nearly 20 years since she and her husband moved in. And, she has faith in the marsh’s natural ability to soak up the water like a sponge. But this neighborhood, and a large swath of the marshy city, is located in what climate scientists call one of the Bay Area’s top sea level rise hot spots. Suisun City, a working-class community on the edge of San Francisco Bay, faces a slow-moving crisis: rising seas could swallow parts of the town within decades. It also faces an imminent budget crisis threatening insolvency.Among other solutions, city leaders are eyeing a controversial fix — annexing thousands of inland acres from California Forever, a tech billionaire-backed company — a move that could raise tax revenue and secure higher ground, but risks fierce fights over growth, climate adaptation and the city’s future. … ” Read more from KQED.
California weather shift: Heat, monsoon thunderstorms enter forecast
“After a breezy and cool weekend, California’s weather is about to undergo a big shift. “The most significant heat wave of the summer season, so far,” is expected to begin midweek and continue through the weekend, according to the National Weather Service. Heat is predicted to peak Thursday through Saturday, but there’s a chance it lasts even longer. High temperatures are forecast to be 10 to 15 degrees above normal and flirt with record territory in the mountains, deserts and valleys. San Francisco should be spared from the worst of the heat, as is typical with August heat waves. Subtropical moisture from the North American Monsoon will also bring a chance of thunderstorms and potential wildfire ignitions from dry lightning. The weather service warns of elevated fire weather danger in Southern California beginning Wednesday. Thunderstorms are predicted to spread northward toward the Lake Tahoe area Friday and Saturday. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
New undersea desalination pods to solve water & energy crises both at once
“The bottomless energy-sucking demands of AI data centers have sparked a hair-on-fire moment for the nation’s electricity grid, and that is not the only urgent grid-related issue in need of attention. Seawater desalination is another one of modern life’s great energy suckers, and the need is escalating alongside climate change and population growth among other factors. One solution has surfaced in the form of undersea desalination “pods” that can trim energy use by 40%, among other benefits, and the plan is poised for rapid scaleup.Conventional desalination systems need large amounts of energy to power reverse osmosis systems, in which water is pressed through a membrane. Instead of sourcing that pressure from fuels of various sorts, the California startup OceanWell is leveraging the naturally occurring pressure of deep ocean water. Its pod-like desalination modules are designed for deployment in the ocean at 400 meters (about 1,300 feet). … ” Read more from Clean Technica.
Innovative membrane technology promises access to clean water
“Water scarcity has been referred to as the silent existential crisis of our time. Our planet has very little fresh water — and is running out of it quickly. Yet no one seems to be talking about it. However, we do have significantly more saline water. With that, there’s good news, bad news, and more good news: The good news is that there’s a technology — desalination — to put that brackish water to good use. The bad news is that modern desalination is limited in its adoption due to cost, footprint, and sustainability concerns. The other good news is that a new technology developed by California-based company Active Membranes could ameliorate the desalination process and greatly enhance the world’s supply of freshwater. “Our goal is to make desalination cost-effective, less complex, and easier to adopt so that every community, big or small, can afford and sustainably benefit from it,” said Arian Edalat, Co-Founder and CEO, Active Membranes. … ” Read more from Tech Briefs.
California’s duck population continues rebound from drought impacts
“Three straight years of wet winters appear to be benefiting water bird species in the state, with some species showing a more than doubling in population since last year, according to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Total breeding duck populations in California increased 27%, with mallards increasing 49%. Gadwall numbers are up 104% . “The survey indicated an increase in mallard abundance, and habitat conditions were good in Northern California, so we expect average to above-average production for all waterfowl species,” said CDFW Waterfowl Program Biologist Melanie Weaver. … ” Read more from KCRA.
Valley fever cases on the rise in Central Coast and Central Valley areas
“Cases of a lung infection known as Valley fever are on the rise in the northern Central Valley and Central Coast regions of the state, the California Department of Public Health warns. “California had a record year for Valley fever in 2024 and case counts are high in 2025,” said CDPH director and state public health officer Erica Pan. Valley fever, also known as coccidioidomycosis, is an illness caused by breathing in fungal spores that grow in the soil. When soil containing the fungus is disturbed by digging or high winds, tiny fungal spores can get into the air. It is named after the San Joaquin Valley where it is most common, but reported cases have seen an increase in the northern Central Valley and the Central Coast areas, according to the state health department. Cases are also most common in the Southwest region of the U.S., especially in Arizona, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. … ” Read more from Stocktonia.
In commentary today …
AB 1156: Agricultural resilience for the Central Valley
José L. Pérez is President and CEO of Hispanics in Energy, writes, “As a former farmworker from California’s Central Valley, where I earned my education, I’ve seen the challenges facing our agricultural communities firsthand. Farming is our livelihood, our heritage, and the backbone of the local economy, especially for Hispanic families. But today, water scarcity and shifting markets are forcing us to adapt. Assembly Bill 1156, authored by Assembly Member Buffy Wicks and now awaiting a decision by the Senate Appropriations Committee, offers a balanced path forward. It allows farmland under Williamson Act contracts to be temporarily converted to “solar-use easements” for solar and battery storage — but only on lands with poor soils, low productivity, or insufficient water for viable farming. Critically, AB 1156 requires community benefit agreements to ensure that residents share in the rewards of these projects. … ” Read more from Capitol Weekly.
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
Crops, conservation, commercialization: How Shasta farms are working for their futures
“As Bob Nash drove around his family farm this summer, there were many things to look forward to. This fall marks 35 years of Nash Ranch’s pumpkin patch and at the time he gave Shasta Scout a tour in July, the fields were just turning green with growing pumpkin plants. Just a month earlier, after years of working on the process, Shasta Land Trust had announced the preservation of 96 acres of Nash Ranch through a conservation easement, blocking any potential development opportunities and ensuring the land will remain agricultural in the future. It’s a lot of work, managing even a small agricultural operation like Nash Ranch where Bob Nash and his adult son Louis are the operation’s primary staff. But the knowledge that a portion of the ranch is preserved for the future has relieved some worries and responsibilities. “The big thing is, it makes the property affordable to own, because it reduces the value of the property technically. And it protects the property so it can never be developed,” Bob Nash said. … ” Read more from Shasta Scout.
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
Pollution efforts in Lake Tahoe have cut sediment and algae run-off to preserve the water’s iconic clarity
“Pollution control efforts kept over 727,000 pounds of fine sediment out of Lake Tahoe, protecting its water clarity and quality. Revealed in a new California-Nevada environmental report, the efforts will help preserve the lake’s world-famous cobalt-clear water by harmful reducing algae blooms. The partnership, called the Lake Tahoe Total Maximum Daily Load Program (TMDL Program) is managed by the California Environmental Protection Agency and the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection. Founded in 2011, the TMDLP’s ultimate goal is the long-term downtrend of pollutants in the lake, such that by 2031 a visitor can see 78 feet down. … ” Read more from the Good News Network.
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
Paradise’s revised sewer project moves forward
“After a special Town Council meeting, Paradise voted to continue with a revised version of the sewer project Thursday night. The revised plan would create a localized sewer system, with phase one of the project encompassing “the critical downtown core and (the) Skyway between town limits and Elliott Road,” according to the special Town Council meeting agenda. The new system would use a “hybrid gravity/low-pressure collection system, aerated lagoon wastewater treatment, and percolation/evaporation pond effluent discharge.” The approval of the plan comes after the original sewer plan, which would have been part of a regional project, was halted in December 2024 because it was deemed financially infeasible. … ” Read more from the Chico Enterprise-Record.
NAPA/SONOMA
Is groundwater banking a viable solution to aquifer depletion?
“As explained on the Sonoma Water website, due to uncertainties in the reliability of regional future water supplies (both surface water and groundwater), Sonoma Water, City of Sonoma, and other local partners, including the cities of Rohnert Park and Cotati, Valley of the Moon Water District, and the Town of Windsor (study participants) have conducted a feasibility study for a regional groundwater banking program (Groundwater Banking Feasibility Study) to investigate the viability of enhancing the conjunctive management of surface water and groundwater resources (GEI, 2013). Conceptually, the groundwater banking program would involve the diversion and transmission of surplus Russian River water produced at existing drinking water production facilities during wet weather conditions (i.e., the winter and spring seasons) for storage in aquifers beneath the Santa Rosa Plain and/or Sonoma Valley. The stored water would then be available for subsequent recovery and use during dry weather conditions (i.e., the summer and fall seasons) or emergency situations. … ” Continue reading at the Sonoma Sun.
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
Rats invade San Joaquin County almond groves, causing massive crop loss
“Hungry roof rats have discovered tasty California almonds and chomped their way through 100,000 acres, much of it in San Joaquin County, an industry group warns. The Almond Board of California said in article aimed at growers that most of the “unprecedented” damage in San Joaquin County has been in the southern and western portions. It has also struck growers in Merced, Fresno, Kings and Kern counties. The roof rats use irrigation canals as a rodent highway to get from one grove to another. The California Department of Food and Agriculture reported in February that the damages at that time had already amounted to $109 million to $310 million. … ” Read more from Stocktonia.
Hanford to discuss appropriation of $17.8M for Water Meter Replacement Project
“The City Council is set to authorize an appropriation of $17,774,550 from the City’s Water Fund to support the ongoing Water Meter Replacement Project, ensuring the city’s water system remains accurate, efficient and reliable.The funding request, coming before the Council this week, covers a previously approved agreement with Badger Meters for citywide water meter replacements. The original contract, approved on July 2, 2024, was valued at $16.5 million, but the appropriation language was inadvertently omitted from the staff report at the time. The updated request includes a more accurate estimate of sales tax and a 10% contingency. … ” Read more from the Hanford Sentinel.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Antelope Valley residents waging battle against massive illegal dumping
“On a blustery blue morning in early June, Beth Worrell scampered up a 10-foot-tall, woodchip-covered berm that juts for more than a quarter-mile from the dusty Mojave Desert floor just inside the Kern County line near unincorporated Neenach. Worrell paused briefly at the top of the giant mound and then disappeared down the other side. A few minutes later, she reemerged, clutching a handful of unlikely treasures. “I’m making a collage for Kristina,” Worrell said wryly as she placed a plastic baby bottle, a metal rod, a rusty pair of pliers, and a used syringe in the dirt with her bare hands. Worrell’s friends, Kristina Brown of Fairmont and Ashley Mroz of Neenach, are engaged in a “David vs. Goliath” legal battle against some titans of Southern California’s waste management industry over the Kern dump site and more than 100 others like it scattered throughout the Antelope Valley. A federal lawsuit filed by the pair in April aims to rid the desert of thousands of tons of household construction, demolition and solid waste disguised as mulch that has been illegally dumped for decades in the far reaches of Los Angeles, San Bernardino and Kern counties. … ” Read more from the LA Daily News.
Los Cerritos Wetlands restoration project to have an additional 77 acres
“The Los Cerritos Wetlands restoration project took another step forward this week, with the California Coastal Commission OKing the effort’s Phase 2, which includes reestablishing an additional 77 acres of tidal wetlands, constructing a perimeter berm and improving public access amenities, among other things. The project will be carried out on the southern, 86-acre portion of the 154-acre Los Cerritos Wetlands, which was a privately owned oil field for the last six decades, according to the staff report. It is near the city’s border with Orange County and is bounded by Studebaker Road, Pacific Coast Highway, Second Street and Loynes Drive. A regional effort to restore and conserve the Long Beach wetlands has been ongoing for years, led by the Los Cerritos Wetlands Authority, a joint-powers agency with representatives from Long Beach and Seal Beach, the Coastal Commission, and the Los Angeles and San Gabriel Rivers and Mountain Conservancy. … ” Read more from the OC Register.
SAN DIEGO
Santa Fe Irrigation District working to keep people from fishing in reservoir’s local water supply
“While the water of the San Dieguito Reservoir may be enticingly clean and blue, the Santa Fe Irrigation District (SFID) wants to remind residents that the reservoir is not meant for recreational uses like fishing. The district is currently making some repairs at the dam at the reservoir off Lago Lindo and a portable dam is set up on the shoreline with metal stakes and a tarp. During an update at the Aug. 7 Rancho Santa Fe Association meeting, SFID Manager Al Lau showed security camera footage of a group of kids gathered on top of the temporary dam, fishing in the early morning hours last month. “It’s in the heart of the community here in Rancho Santa Fe. Most people drive by it, they think it looks very nice. Most people don’t realize it is an integral part of the drinking water system,” Lau said. “Even though it looks very calm and very tranquil, it is a safety concern.” … ” Continue reading from the San Diego Union-Tribune.
Along the Colorado River …
Arizona farmers prepare for more water cuts amid Western drought
“The Colorado River winds into Yuma, bringing water for the farms that provide the U.S. with its vegetables in the winter. But with Lake Mead at just 31% capacity and new water cuts announced, farmers are facing challenges to maintain this essential food source. To grow crops, it doesn’t just take a lot of water. It takes the perfect combination of sun, water, and soil that makes Yuma, Arizona essential to the food security of the entire U.S. “The best place to grow crops is where there’s the most sunlight, To produce photosynthesis to grow crops.” Tom Davis with the Yuma County Water Users Association said. “In the winter time it’s this area of the country, this winter produce can’t be grown anywhere else.” With the announced cuts, Lake Mead now at 31% capacity, and continued Colorado River negotiations, that security is in question. … ” Continue reading from Channel 15.
Watering weed: Should Arizona grow cannabis during a drought?
“Arizona has been in a stage of drought for almost 30 straight years, according to precipitation patterns statewide. It affects not only farming, vegetation and wildfire chances, but also domestic water supplies that provide water to households for drinking and cleaning. While the state has enough water to not induce complete panic yet, conservation methods are being put into place and Arizona’s long-term water supply is being considered more often by policymakers. Even some municipalities like Gilbert and Avondale offer a rebate if you convert your front lawn into a xeriscape. Efforts are being made because the population is growing, and water resources like the Colorado River and reservoirs like Roosevelt Lake are decreasing year after year. But if water is such a precious resource in Arizona, is it really a smart idea to use it to grow cannabis? … ” Read more from Arizona Central.
Audio: How tiny dams repair cottonwood trees damaged by giant dams along the Colorado River
“Giant dams built to conserve the Colorado River have nearly wiped out nearby native cottonwood trees, causing big ecosystem disruption. Tiny dams built to mimic those built by beavers could bring them back.” Listen at National Public Radio.
In national water news today …
How surging summer humidity is making nights hotter
“Summer heat is most obvious by day, as the sun bakes down and temperatures rise with increasing intensity. But a less noticeable trend is happening while most people sleep: Nighttime temperatures are accelerating, fueled by a summer of extreme humidity. Nearly half of the planet has experienced record or near-record high minimum temperatures since the start of June, according to a Washington Post analysis of historical weather data. That includes unprecedented overnight warmth across much of the eastern United States and parts of Europe and Asia. At the same time, nearly two-thirds of those areas have also endured record or near-record levels of humidity. The United States is suffering through one of its most humid summers on record, with 18 states and D.C. experiencing record humidity levels during July. … ” Continue reading from the Washington Post.
Trump team readies more attacks on mainstream climate science
“One author of a recent Department of Energy report that assailed established climate science said the 141-page document is only the beginning — and that the Trump administration plans to do more to undercut research that shows humanity’s use of fossil fuels is warming the planet and endangering its inhabitants. Steve Koonin, one of the report’s five main contributors, told POLITICO’s E&E News last week that the document likely is a precursor to a sustained assault on mainstream global warming research. Under discussion are plans to hold a public debate about climate science, write a line-by-line rebuttal of the National Climate Assessment and ready a counterattack against climate scientists critical of last month’s Energy Department report. A key next step, Koonin said, is to expand the Trump administration’s team of climate contrarians beyond the five scientists who wrote the initial report. The document already has attracted hundreds of responses through the Federal Register, and Koonin said they need the reinforcements to push back against the criticism. … ” Read more from E&E News.
