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On the calendar today …
- IN-PERSON: Yuba Salmon Study Community Engagement Meeting from 6pm to 7:30pm. The public is invited to Community Engagement meetings scheduled for August 27th from 6:00-7:30pm at the Downieville Community Hall, 321 Main St. in Downieville. Join the South Yuba River Citizens League to hear an update from California Department of Fish and Wildlife on the most recent rotary screw trap trials, pilot studies, and what is next for the reintroduction effort on the North Yuba River! Registration not necessary.
In California water news today …
Santa Clara Valley Water District halts work on $3.2 billion Pacheco Reservoir amid cost overruns, delays
“Faced with new cost overruns, the board of Santa Clara County’s largest water agency on Tuesday voted to kill a plan to build a huge new reservoir in the southern part of the county near Pacheco Pass after eight years of studies and $100 million in public spending. The board of the Santa Clara Valley Water District voted 6-0 to halt planning and engineering studies, and to withdraw the agency’s application for state bond funds for the Pacheco Reservoir project. The reservoir — for which the agency has already spent $100 million on planning, environmental studies, engineering work, legal bills and other costs — would have been the largest new reservoir built anywhere in the Bay Area since 1998 when Los Vaqueros Reservoir was constructed in eastern Contra Costa County. But soaring costs, the inability of the water district to find any other water agencies to help pay construction costs and share the water, and a decision last month by the federal Bureau of Reclamation not to allow water from federal projects to be stored in the reservoir, marked the end. … ” Read more from the San Jose Mercury News.
Video: California farms face pressure to boost efficiency as water supply declines
“The demand for water from the Colorado River is of paramount importance out West and the focus of some big battles. It’s been especially critical for farming and agriculture. In California’s Imperial Valley, there are growing questions over the use of that resource and whether bigger changes are needed. Science correspondent Miles O’Brien reports.”
Punishing droughts put fresh pressure on meat and dairy production
“Investors have an unexpected worry: access to water. Droughts have hit countries around the globe from Spain to Syria this year and parts of the U.S., including farm-heavy North Carolina. Worries about increasingly high temperatures have investors wondering how farming businesses are dealing with water shortages. Meat and dairy farms rely on water to hydrate their animals, grow crops to feed them and even to cool them off in extreme heat. Two-thirds of livestock companies surveyed by an investor group aren’t properly managing potential water shortages, “indicating widespread failure to manage water-related risks effectively,” according to a report published on Tuesday. The report, by the Farm Animal Investment Risk and Return Initiative, a global investor network representing $80 trillion in assets, analyzed water risk for 60 large global meat, dairy and aquaculture companies. The FAIRR initiative provides investors with research on risk to the animal agriculture industry. … ” Read more from the Wall Street Journal.
Water quality panel focuses on agricultural nitrogen use
“As California water officials consider changes to the state’s regulatory framework for nitrogen applications and discharges by farms that irrigate, those representing growers who rely on nitrogen fertilizers say more data and time are needed before strict targets are imposed. Kari Fisher, senior counsel and director of legal advocacy for the California Farm Bureau, said it is premature to adopt nitrogen applied and nitrogen removed limits at this time. She added that the industry is still gathering and evaluating data to develop realistic nitrogen targets that work for all crops in all regions. “We have found that the one-size-fits-all nitrogen and application reporting requirements don’t necessarily fit with how agriculture is grown in the state because of differences related to commodity type, where crops are grown and reliance on surface water versus groundwater and the like,” Fisher said. … ” Read more from Ag Alert.
Droughts don’t just dry up water — they drain livelihoods and weaken local economies
“Unlike hurricanes and floods, which arrive suddenly and tend to dominate headlines with dramatic images of wrecked homes and submerged towns, droughts are often overlooked by media, governments and markets because they unfold more slowly. Their gradual toll on fields, reservoirs and rural communities tends to be overshadowed by flashier disasters, but their consequences are no less severe. A drought is a shortage of precipitation — typically lasting a season or longer — that results in insufficient water availability for ecosystems, agriculture and human use. As climate change accelerates, droughts are projected to become more frequent and intense, especially in dry regions. This makes it increasingly urgent to understand their complex impact on agriculture, water supplies and regional economies. … ” Read more from The Conversation.
This startup says it can make seawater drinkable—without harming the environment
” … OceanWell is hoping to make salty ocean water drinkable with an innovative subsea reverse osmosis project, dubbed the Water Farm 1, which is expected to deliver up to 60 million gallons per day of fresh water by 2030 to thousands of residents in Southern California. Southern California is the perfect place to start due to its over-pumped groundwater basins, recurring and worsening droughts, and reliance on imports from sources like the shrinking Colorado River. For Robert Bergstrom, changing the game of water resources is worth the effort. After a career in investment banking and finance, he decided that he wanted to channel his efforts into tackling a big societal problem. This led him to founding his first water company, Seven Seas Water Company, based out of the Virgin Islands. After moving to Southern California in 2012 to retire, he learned about the conflict there between desalination plants and environmental activists worried about ecological risk, and started wondering if there was a better way to do it. … ” Read more from Inc.
How a shift in the track of Tropical Storm Juliette could impact California weather
“A tropical cyclone 500 miles off the coast of Mexico is forecast to weaken the next couple of days, but the decaying storm is expected to impact California weather. The cyclone, named Tropical Storm Juliette, was generating 65 mph winds Tuesday afternoon and moving slowly northwestward. Juliette’s winds will stay far away from Mexico and California, but the storm will stir up waters and push waves toward Southern California beaches on Thursday and Friday. Additionally, there’s a chance of dry lightning in Los Angeles and possibly rare August rainfall in San Diego. Previous forecasts mentioned that the tropical moisture could miss California altogether, but the National Hurricane Center said Tuesday there was a “a large northeastward shift,” in Juliette’s track from weather model predictions. That means there’s a better chance remnant moisture from Juliette reaches Southern California on Thursday and Friday. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
Scrambling to study smoke on the water
“As multiple fires raged through Los Angeles in January 2025, Bernadeth Tolentino had one more thing to worry about: kelp. Tolentino, a marine biologist and graduate student at the University of Southern California, is part of a lab that runs a gene bank of kelp spores. The repository preserves genetic diversity and allows scientists to bolster struggling populations. As the roaring fires turned homes, cars, and businesses into chemical-laden ash, Tolentino realized that runoff from postfire rains would eventually carry that ash to the sea. In the ocean, the ash threatened to block sunlight and pollute the water surrounding one particular kelp population in Santa Monica Bay—a population not represented in the gene bank. She needed to reach the kelp before runoff damaged viable spores. The dive team, including Tolentino, scrambled to apply for permits, gather their equipment, and coordinate dives before rainstorms carried too much toxic runoff to the site. “It was a little bit of a rush job,” she said. Accelerated permitting from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife allowed the team to reach the kelp population just in time. … ” Read more from EOS.
Audio: The playbook to fight wildfires’ unseen threat to tap water
“When the Eaton and Palisades fires ripped through Los Angeles and Ventura counties earlier this year, residents living in or near the burned communities were warned not to drink or cook with tap water because it was contaminated with known carcinogens; and yet, the actual reservoirs and water sources that serve the LA area were spared from the bulk of the blazes. In past years, utilities would have looked at watersheds and reservoirs as the first place where contamination took place. Then the Tubbs Fire struck in 2017, burning more than 36,000 acres across Sonoma, Napa and Lake counties. In the aftermath of that blaze, utilities learned that fire itself can sully clean water not just at the source, but at points of distribution, from treatment centers to the pipes. … ” Read more from KQED.
California lawmakers seek flood protection funding amid Hurricane Katrina anniversary
“As the nation reflects on the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, California lawmakers are raising concerns about the state’s flood preparedness and advocating for increased federal funding for essential flood protection projects. The Army Corps of Engineers is actively working along the Sacramento River to double the size of a weir, one of many flood protection projects deemed vital by officials. “The city of Sacramento is one of the most at-risk regions in the entire nation for catastrophic flooding,” said Greg Trible from the Army Corps of Engineers. It’s one of several projects that experts say is part of a large network of flood protection measures in the state. Despite the ongoing work, federal funding for four other projects is at risk. … ” Read more from Channel 3.
First tribally led forest resilience bond launches
“Blue Forest, in partnership with the Colfax–Todds Valley Consolidated Tribe, the Koy’o Land Conservancy and the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians, announces the launch of the Colfax I forest resilience bond: the first FRB led by a tribal nation. The FRB model has already been replicated across California, including in the North Feather I FRB in Plumas County. Blue Forest says additional Plumas projects are currently in development as well. The Colfax project takes place within the ancestral homelands of the Miwok, Maidu and Nisenan peoples — territory that includes the headwaters of the Sacramento River, most of the American River watershed and parts of the Bear and Cosumnes rivers. Restoration treatments span tribal trust lands, private holdings and Bureau of Land Management lands across Placer and El Dorado counties. … ” Read more from the Plumas Sun.
Clean electricity from the Earth: Bidders show interest in geothermal in the California desert
“For the first time in nearly a decade, federal officials on Tuesday auctioned off leases for new geothermal energy projects in California — and all 13 parcels offered received bids. Dozens of buyers participated in the Bureau of Land Management‘s online sale of 10-year leases on 23,000 acres in Imperial, Lassen and Modoc counties. Geothermal is a growing source of energy that can produce clean electricity 24 hours a day, unlike wind and solar power. Typically the technology involves drilling wells into pockets of steam and hot water rising from the center of the Earth, which then spin turbines to generate power. Many experts see an expanded role for geothermal in addressing climate change, and say it could be key in meeting California’s clean energy goals, including reaching carbon neutrality by 2045. California is already home to the world’s largest geothermal field — the Geysers in Sonoma and Lake counties — as well as a major field in the Salton Sea area. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
SEE ALSO: California Senate committee to consider streamlining geothermal energy projects, from NorCal Public Media
In regional water news and commentary today …
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
Lahontan Water Board approves $850,000 penalty for Lake Tahoe sewage spill
“The California Department of Transportation and the North Tahoe Public Utility District will pay $850,000 in connection with a 2024 wastewater spill that discharged approximately 85,000 gallons of untreated sewage into Lake Tahoe. The settlement approved by the Lahontan Regional Water Quality Control Board requires the parties to pay a civil fine and fund an environmental project near the spill site, which would include permanent public restrooms and drinking fountains at Secline Beach to improve the management and safe disposal of wastewater. These improvements will further the human right to sanitation and safe drinking water in Kings Beach, an economically disadvantaged community. The project also aims to protect water quality by constructing drainage improvements for sediment and erosion control. … ” Read more from the Lahontan Regional Water Board.
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
Sacramento weir expansion aims to enhance flood protection
“In the Sacramento and San Joaquin regions, more than a thousand miles of levees protect farms and communities, but these aging structures are vulnerable to floods and earthquakes. When there is a lot of water coming down the rivers, a system of weirs can take pressure off the levees by moving water into bypasses. The Army Corps of Engineers, along with state and local partners, is now working to nearly double the size of the Sacramento weir in West Sacramento to improve flood management in the region. KCRA 3 got a look at the project located about four miles upstream from the Tower Bridge on River Road. … ” Read more from KCRA.
NAPA/SONOMA
Emergency declared in Napa County over threat to water supply from wildfire
“Napa County officials declared a local health emergency on Monday over concerns that toxic materials from the Pickett wildfire could affect the local water supply. Officials said debris from the ongoing Pickett wildfire, which has burned 6,803 acres as of Tuesday morning, could lead to “imminent environmental threats to safe water supplies. “The health of Napa County residents is my highest priority, and the declaration of a local health emergency is a proactive and necessary step to protect our community from the unseen dangers left behind by this fire,” Dr. Christine Wu, the public health officer for Napa County, said in a statement. “This proclamation ensures that we have legal authority and resources to swiftly manage the cleanup process and mitigate potential for exposure to hazardous materials.” … ” Read more from SF Gate.
CENTRAL COAST
Central Coast Water Board staff present concepts for the Alternative Water Supply Program; Invite public comment through Sept. 9
“The August 21, 2025, meeting of the Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board was devoted mostly to discussion on developing an Alternative Water Supply Program (AWS). The meeting, characterized as the first “public workshop” on the AWS, was held at the Central Coast Water Board office in San Luis Obispo and livestreamed via Zoom. The meeting opened with information from regional board staff followed by presentations from the Ag Partners (who represent agricultural operations in the Central Coast region), then environmental justice representatives, and ended with public comments. Members of the regional water board also participated in the conversation. Developing an AWS was a mandate that the State Water Board included in its 2023 “Remand Order” that nullified portions of the Central Coast region’s Irrigated Lands Regulatory Program (ILRP) 2021 Agricultural Order (Ag Order), sending it back to the regional water board for revisions to make it consistent with the State Water Board’s “precedential” nitrogen (N) reporting requirements. … ” Read more from Jane Sooby at Maven’s Notebook.
State inspection finds Loch Lomond Dam ‘fair’; hazard ‘extremely high’
“The Loch Lomond Dam in Santa Cruz is considered a crucial piece of local water infrastructure. Loch Lomond Reservoir is the only water storage facility for the city of Santa Cruz. The last state inspection in March found the dam is in “fair” condition. City officials say its Hazard Rating remains “extremely high.” Inspectors checked the structure, the spillways, and the surrounding terrain. Had they found something truly alarming, it would have triggered immediate action. Heidi Luckenbach, the City of Santa Cruz’s water director, said, “We know that if something is occurring up here, we can remove water from the lake as quickly as possible. On a daily basis, we have staff available to come up if anything should raise some kind of alarm.” … ” Read more from Channel 8.
County to host virtual meeting on regional desalination plan
“The San Luis Obispo County Flood Control and Water Conservation District is inviting public input on its Desalination Executable Solution and Logistics (DESAL) Plan, a multi-phase effort to study the potential for a regional desalination project. The plan is being developed in partnership with other local agencies with water supply planning responsibilities. Officials said the initiative is part of a broader strategy to ensure a resilient, drought-proof water supply for San Luis Obispo County. … ” Read more from the Paso Robles Daily News.
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
Another View: TCCWD’s fundamental question: Where’s the water?
Tom Neisler, general manager of Tehachapi-Cummings County Water District, writes, “I am blessed to serve as general manager of the Tehachapi-Cummings County Water District (TCCWD). I also serve as CEO of the court-appointed Watermaster for the three adjudicated groundwater basins within the 415 square mile boundary of our district. Our role is to manage water resources for all 37,000 residents as well as the businesses and other institutions in our community. Mr. Greg Garrett’s Aug. 20 City Manager’s Memo requires a response from TCCWD. First and foremost, Garrett never addresses, or even mentions, the fundamental issue raised by TCCWD in all the ongoing litigation: Where’s the water? TCCWD is tasked with managing the native and imported water supplies for our entire district, which includes the city of Tehachapi. We have done this successfully for more than 60 years. Water supplies are diminishing in California and regulations are increasing. … ” Continue reading at the Tehachapi News.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Santa Susana Field Lab: Progress toward cleanup continues at Energy Technology Engineering Center
“Approval for an innovative groundwater pilot study, completion of ongoing soil sampling and submission of demolition work plans to state regulators are all part of the recent progress toward cleanup at the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Energy Technology Engineering Center (ETEC) at the Santa Susana Field Laboratory (SSFL). SSFL is a 2,850-acre former rocket engine and nuclear research facility comprised of four operational areas. DOE’s Office of Environmental Management (EM) is charged with remediation in Area IV, where ETEC previously operated. In July, the California State Water Resources Control Board approved a permit for a pilot study at ETEC’s Hazardous Materials Storage Area. The in-situ, or in-place, study is an innovative remediation approach that uses biological and chemical reduction to treat contaminated groundwater, said Josh Mengers, EM’s federal project director for ETEC. … ” Read more from the Department of Energy.
Wildfire milestone: After clearing nearly 10,000 homes, Army Corps says it’s close to finish line
“Less than eight months after the Eaton and Palisades wildfires destroyed 16,000 buildings in Los Angeles County, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on Tuesday announced it was preparing to clear wreckage from the final residential parcel that opted into the federal cleanup. At a news conference in Pacific Palisades, U.S. Rep. Brad Sherman (D–Sherman Oaks), L.A. County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath and L.A. City Councilmember Traci Park joined federal disaster agencies in commemorating the federal response to the wildfires as the fastest wildfire recovery in modern history. Federal contractors say they have cleared 2.5 million tons of fire debris from nearly 10,000 properties, finishing roughly four months earlier than the Army Corps’ January 2026 goal and well ahead of experts’ and lawmakers’ initial projections. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
When disaster science strikes close to home: How scientists across Los Angeles used their skills to help their communities recover from the 2025 fires
“Over 24 days in January, the Eaton and Palisades fires burned nearly 38,000 acres of Los Angeles County. Whole neighborhoods were destroyed, 29 people died, and thousands were displaced. The conditions that led to the fires were estimated to be 35% more likely because of climate change, and damage to public and private infrastructure made the blazes among the costliest wildfire disasters in U.S. history. In the wake of the fires, multiple local, state, and federal disaster response agencies mobilized to contain the flames, document dangers, and communicate those findings to the public. Agencies’ emergency response playbooks are tried and tested and often require interagency cooperation. Within this massive, coordinated effort in postfire monitoring and response, where have non-agency scientists with relevant skills and a desire to help fit in? This is a question Michael Lamb has wrestled with this year. Lamb is a geomorphologist at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) in Pasadena who was evacuated from his home and left without power for several days when the Eaton Fire tore through Altadena. … ” Read more from EOS.
Palos Verdes Reef Restoration Project shows continued success
“When nearly 53,000 tons of quarry rock was dumped off of the Palos Verdes Peninsula coast in 2020 to help restore reefs that had been decimated by landslides over the decades, scientists had hoped to attract fish and other marine animals to create a thriving ecosystem. It’s been working — though red tide has decreased the biomass density recently. The Palos Verdes Reef Restoration Project, in fact, has continued to exceed scientists’ expectations, as detailed in the project’s fourth annual report, which the Southern California Marine Institute and Vantuna Research Group of Occidental College released this month. Jonathan Williams, research scientist and senior instructor with the Vantuna Research Group, who is also with the biology department at Occidental College, said in an interview this week that one of the surprises of the reef restoration is the “diversity of fish that have shown up on these reefs.” … ” Read more from the Daily Breeze.
The call of a native frog is heard again in Southern California
“The scientist traipses to a pond wearing rubber boots but he doesn’t enter the water. Instead, Brad Hollingsworth squats next to its swampy edge and retrieves a recording device the size of a deck of cards. He then opens it up and removes a tiny memory card containing 18 hours of sound. Back at his office at the San Diego Natural History Museum, the herpetologist — an expert in reptiles and amphibians — uses artificial intelligence to analyze the data on the card. Within three minutes, he knows a host of animals visit the pond — where native red-legged frogs were reintroduced after largely disappearing in Southern California. There were owl hoots, woodpecker pecks, coyote howls and tree frog ribbits. But no croaking from the invasive bullfrog, which has decimated the native red-legged frog population over the past century. … ” Read more from ABC News.
SAN DIEGO
San Diego is getting sued because of one of its troubled dams
“The city of San Diego is in the middle of litigation centered on one of its dams rated in poor condition by the state, and the attorney on the opposing side is one city officials are all too familiar with. His name is Vincent Bartolotta, and he’s representing a company called El Monte Nature Preserve, LLC. The company is suing San Diego for releasing six billion gallons of water from the El Capitan Dam and Reservoir into the surrounding areas “without notice” back in 2023. El Monte Nature Preserve’s nearby property was one of those areas, and the release of water caused its water table to rise by roughly 40 feet, resulting in “damage to the value of the property,” according to the lawsuit. A water table is the area underneath the earth’s surface where soil is saturated with water. If it rises, it can derail plans to build or dig. … ” Read more from the Voice of San Diego.
How San Diego will save Sunset Cliffs from sea level rise
“One often wonders while strolling atop the bluffs at Sunset Cliffs: Will today be the day the path crumbles into the sea? Determined to enjoy the view, families and elderly couples navigate a dwindling, dusty trail along Sunset Cliffs Boulevard. Exercisers dart into the road or hurdle barriers where erosion has already consumed any remaining clifftop. Knowing the ocean will eventually rise and more of the cliffs will fall, the city of San Diego plans to epically change how people use this peninsula’s crown jewel. Namely, parking lots have got to move off the cliff’s edge and onto the street, making more space for natural land and hiking trails, the city’s plan says. On Sunset Cliffs at Monaco Street, traffic would switch to one-way heading south leaving one lane for parking and a protected walkway. (A southbound direction is the preference of emergency responders, I’m told.) … ” Read more from the Voice of San Diego.
San Diego’s water leader joins Met board
“The leader of the San Diego County Water Authority is joining the delegation that the region’s main water buyer sends to manage its water seller – the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. It’s rare that the Water Authority’s general manager, Dan Denham, serve in this capacity. Metropolitan has 26 member agencies, including San Diego’s Water Authority. Most of the board’s directors are political appointees. But it’s the votes of these member agencies that determine who will lead Met after its general manager was ousted, among other things. Denham will now, potentially, have a vote or a say on the matter. Denham stressed that he’s not been sworn in yet, and likely won’t be until September. (The quest to find Met’s new leader is in progress now – in fact the board is meeting in closed session Tuesday on the matter.) … ” Read more from the Voice of San Diego.
Along the Colorado River …
To save precious Colorado River water, groups want government to weigh ‘beneficial use’
“Earlier this year, several environmental groups sent a petition to the federal government with a seemingly simple message: Ensure that water from the imperiled Colorado River is not wasted and only being delivered for “reasonable” and “beneficial” uses. The organizations urged the Bureau of Reclamation to use its authority to curb water waste in the Lower Basin states: California, Arizona and Nevada. They argued it was necessary to help address the river’s water shortages. The concept of reasonable and beneficial use is not new, but it’s being discussed at a crucial moment. Chronic overuse, drought and rising temperatures linked to climate change have shrunk water flows. States reliant on the river are approaching a 2026 deadline to decide on new rules for sharing its supplies, and they have until mid-November to reach a preliminary agreement or risk federal intervention. The petitioning groups argue reducing water waste could help ensure the river has a sustainable future. But others worry cuts could bring hardship to farmers and consumers. … ” Read more from the Associated Press.
Lawsuit questions if Arizona city has enough groundwater for large housing development
“An Arizona-based conservation group is suing the state’s water resources director over concerns about a large housing development in Cochise County. The Center for Biological Diversity filed a lawsuit against Arizona Department of Water Resources (ADWR) Director Tom Buschatzke on Aug. 4, citing concerns that the city of Benson’s groundwater supply is below the standard for new housing as required under state law. At the center of the complaint is the Village of Vigneto, a development that includes plans for 28,000 homes. The Tuscany-inspired, master-planned community will span 13,000 acres and have a golf course once completed. … ” Read more from KTAR.
Audio: A mining project in Santa Cruz County threatens the residential water supply
“Recently, residents of Patagonia, a small mountain town in the southeastern part of Arizona, have been receiving troubling letters. They’re from a mining company called South32, and they’re raising concerns about the impacts of industrial expansion on the region’s water supply. Reporter Wyatt Myskow wrote about the letters and their implications for Inside Climate News.” Listen or read transcript at KJZZ.
Utah officials optimistic Colorado River deal can be reached
“The seven states that depend on the Colorado River are racing against the clock to meet the 2026 deadline to determine how they will divvy up the dwindling water supply, with one caveat — they need to submit their proposals by Nov. 11. The current operating guidelines for the Colorado River are set to expire next year after a century, but negotiations between the Upper Basin states — Utah, Colorado, Wyoming and New Mexico — and the Lower Basin states — Nevada, Arizona and California — have been at a standstill. Amy Haas, Executive Director of the Colorado River Authority of Utah, said she is optimistic they’ll meet that November deadline. “The stakes are very high, but I think as long as we stay at the table, we’ve got a chance of getting a seven-state agreement,” Haas told The Times-Independent. … ” Read more from the Times-Independent.
In national water news today …
Hidden dangers: The risk of America’s aging dams
“Some dangers hide in plain sight — what looks like a peaceful lake or a simple hole in the ground can, in reality, be a dam. These man-made barriers hold back massive amounts of water, and when they fail, the results can be catastrophic. “It’s hard for people or even elected officials to be advocates for dams. They’re out of sight and out of mind.” Eric Halpin spent 40 years with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and is a dam and levee consultant. But dams do affect us. “They’re some of the most impactful things that happen. If you step back, all the big legislation related to safety of infrastructure in the U.S. has come not from failures that caused economic losses, they were from failures that caused loss of life,” Halpin said. … ” Read more from KSBW.
Fall 2025 forecast: What to know as most of US set for a warmer fall
“The latest fall season outlook by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is out, and it’s calling for balmy and possibly hot conditions for much of the country in the fall. The seasonal outlook from NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center forecasts whether parts of the country will be above, below or near average for parts of the country for the meteorological fall — September through November. NOAA’s outlook puts much of the country with a higher chance of a warmer fall than normal, with the highest chance of warmer-than-average temperatures in the Southwest and New England. This means that most of the country will likely be milder than what is usually expected from September to November. … ” Read more from ABC News.
A more acidic ocean could be eating away at marine life
“An acidic ocean may seem like something out of a science fiction novel, but the reality is nearing. Scientists in Germany warn that marine life — particularly sharks — may already be experiencing some of the first tangible effects of the ocean’s decreasing pH levels. Since global industrialization began in the 1800s, the ocean’s pH has fallen from 8.2 to 8.1, a small but globally significant shift. With rising carbon dioxide emissions, scientists warn ocean pH acidity could increase tenfold, reaching 7.3 by 2300. While future conditions are uncertain, today’s changes are already visible: coral reefs are bleaching as waters warm and become more acidic, signaling the destabilization of marine ecosystems. Researchers at Germany’s Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf (HHU) suggest sharks may be hit hard. Just as soda erodes human teeth, an increasingly acidic ocean could damage their iconic, deadly grins. … ” Read more from the Courthouse News Service.
