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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.
- MEETING: SAFER Drinking Water Program Public Advisory Group from 9am to 1pm. Agenda items include a discussion on domestic wells, panel of domestic well programs, and SAFER Program quarterly updates on metrics. Click here for the notice and remote access instructions. (Note: scroll down)
- WEBINAR: Green Infrastructure for Small Systems: Exploring Real World Examples from 10am to 11:30am. Green infrastructure is often seen as a “nice to have” bonus part of a project or as a strategy to manage stormwater that is only available to larger, urban utilities. But a growing number of smaller more rural communities are busting this myth. These communities are successfully integrating green infrastructure into their projects to improve quality, reduce localized flooding, and achieve ecological benefits. This webinar will showcase Lancaster, PA, Harrisburg, PA, and Caledon, ON as leading examples of smaller communities relying on green infrastructure to help meet their stormwater challenges. Representatives from these communities will explain how their green infrastructure programs work and share their successes and lessons learned. The program will also feature how other communities inspired by these examples can access technical assistance to prepare and apply for funding for green infrastructure projects. Click here to register.
- MEETING: Delta Protection Commission from 5pm to 7pm. Agenda items include a closed session, discussion and possible action regarding appointment and salary for the Executive Director, a report on Delta Stewardship Council’s activities, and a report from the Delta Protection Advisory Committee. Click here for the agenda.
- RECLAMATION SCOPING MEETING: North-to-South Water Transfers Program from 6pm to 8pm. Reclamation manages the Central Valley Project which includes storage in reservoirs (such as Shasta, Folsom, and Trinity reservoirs) and diversion pumps in the Delta to deliver water to users in the San Joaquin Valley and San Francisco Bay area. When these users experience water shortages, they may look to water transfers to help reduce potential impacts of those shortages. Transfers are allowed under California State law and under Federal law.Reclamation proposed to facilitate and approve, in accordance with law, policy, rules, regulations and contracts, then in effect, the voluntary transfer of water from willing Sellers located primarily upstream of the Delta, to willing Buyers located primarily south of the Delta, and in the 2026-2027 North to South Water Transfers Environmental Assessment/Initial Study. Zoom Meeting Link
In California water news today …
Kern subbasin gets off enforcement track with latest groundwater plan redo
“It took half a dozen attempts but Kern water managers finally came up with a groundwater plan that met with state approval. The state Water Resources Control Board voted on Wednesday to move the Kern subbasin out from under its enforcement purview and back under oversight of the Department of Water Resources (DWR). The move is a huge relief to area farmers and water managers who had been facing the prospect of being put on probation. Probation comes with severe sanctions including requiring farmers to meter and register wells at $300 each, report extractions to the state and pay $20 per acre foot pumped. Earlier this year, Water Board staff had recommended the region be put on probation as its groundwater plan wasn’t protective enough of drinking water and didn’t do enough to stem subsidence, among other deficiencies. … ” Read more from SJV Water.
SEE ALSO: Kern Subbasin Saved from Probation, from Valley Ag Voice
One dam to rule them all
“California was supposed to kick off a new era of dam building when voters passed a $7.5 billion water bond in 2014. But ten years later, only one dam project from the list is still alive. Sites, which would divert water from the Sacramento River into an offstream reservoir capable of storing water for 3 million homes annually, is the sole survivor, as of Wednesday, of a batch of four new or expanded reservoirs that California officials had envisioned would bolster supplies for cities and farmers. It’s by some measure the beneficiary of others’ failures: The California Water Commission directed money last month from the other projects to Sites, which is now slated to get $1 billion from the bond, up from $780 million. The commission on Wednesday also gave the project a $10 million advance for pre-construction planning to avoid it running out of money by July 2026. … ” Read more from Politico.
White House to pull back Bureau of Reclamation nomination
“The White House plans to pull back its nomination of a former a veteran Arizona water official to lead the Bureau of Reclamation, leaving the agency without permanent leadership nine months into President Donald Trump’s second term. Ted Cooke, a former top official at the Central Arizona Project, told POLITICO’s E&E News on Wednesday that he has been informed his nomination will be rescinded. “This is not the outcome I sought, and I’ll leave it at that,” said Cooke in a message. … ” Read more from E&E News.
Nominee for top federal water role withdraws amid pushback from some Colorado River states
“The Trump Administration’s nominee to run the Bureau of Reclamation is withdrawing from the process. Ted Cooke, a longtime water manager in Arizona, said he was asked to step back by the White House. Cooke had been nominated to serve as commissioner of the federal agency that oversees the Colorado River. He faced pushback from some politicians and water officials who worried that he might bring bias into the position. “I was a political casualty,” Cooke told KUNC on Wednesday. … ” Read more from KUNC.
Fall ocean salmon fishery meets the 7,500 Chinook fall harvest guideline and is set to close for remaining 2025 dates
“Capitalizing on good weather and even better fishing, the 7,500 Chinook fall harvest guideline was reached during the Sept. 4-7 recreational ocean salmon fishery. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) estimates that 12,000 Chinook salmon were taken by 12,400 anglers in the brief fall season between Pt. Reyes and Pt. Sur. The National Marine Fisheries Service took in-season action on Sept. 17 to close the remaining 2025 fall dates of Sept 29-30, October 1-5, and October 27-31. The use of harvest guidelines and in-season management in California’s ocean salmon sport fishery management is new this year. The guidelines were developed as part of the Pacific Fishery Management Council’s pre-season process using catch and effort information from prior years along with expected performance this year. … ” Read more from the Department of Fish & Wildlife.
State Water Resources Control Board cancels public workshop on proposed update to failed Bay-Delta Plan
“In a remarkable development, according to an announcement from the State Water Resources Control Board, the agency has cancelled workshop dates scheduled for next week that were intended to allow public comment on the proposed update to the failed 30-year-old Bay-Delta Plan. “Clearly, the Board was assuming that the legislature would pass Governor Newsom’s trailer bill, which would have waived the state law requirement for the Board to prepare an analysis under CEQA of the likely environmental impacts of the draft Bay-Delta Plan update,” said Barry Nelson, senior policy advisor for Golden State Salmon Association. “Those potential impacts are severe, given that the Board proposed to adopt the flawed Voluntary Agreements. And, also clearly, the State Board staff believes they need more time to comply with this legal requirement.” … ” Read more from Save Our Salmon.
Mario’s ghost may ease California and Southwest dryness, but bring flash flood risk
“While winds associated with former Tropical Storm Mario have faded, moisture from the storm will stream into the southwestern United States to end the week. Some areas will benefit temporarily from rainfall, but excessive rain in others may lead to flooding and other hazards, AccuWeather meteorologists say. Lightning strikes could ignite new wildfires in areas with dry vegetation. The bulk of the rain in the Interstate 5 corridor of Southern California will occur through Thursday. In San Diego, the greatest amount of rain occurred Wednesday night. In greater Los Angeles, it will be on Thursday morning. … ” Read more from AccuWeather.
Tropical system brings a messy forecast to much of California
“Moisture from the remnants of Tropical Storm Mario is bringing a risk of thunderstorms, heavy rain, flooding and strong winds across the Southwestern United States this week, forecasters warned. The weather pattern could also bring dry lightning across Northern California, heightening the risk of wildfires at a time of year when the vegetation is especially flammable after drying out over the summer. Because of the complex meteorological setup, much of the forecast remained uncertain on Wednesday. Pinning down exactly where thunderstorms will occur and how severe they will be is one of the most difficult things for meteorologists to do. Heavy rain is unusual in Southern California at this time of year, and forecasters said anywhere from 0.1 inch to over 2 inches could fall through Friday. The heaviest rain is likely to be on Thursday. … ” Read more from the New York Times.
Snowpack ‘hotspots’ better than basin-wide mapping for predicting water
“Adding new snowpack monitoring stations at strategic locations would be better at predicting water supply in the western U.S. than basin-wide mapping — and it would be less expensive — according to a new study. “Measuring snow in the right places can benefit forecasts more than measuring it everywhere,” said lead author Mark Raleigh, an Oregon State University snow hydrologist. “This could guide our thinking about how snow monitoring might evolve to become more optimal for water forecasting,” he added. … ” Read more from the Capital Press.
SEE ALSO: Snow melts earlier in burned forests, new Science Advances study finds, from the Colorado School of Mines
Podcast: Innovation, water, and politics take center stage in California ag
“The September 18 edition of the AgNet News Hour delivered a mix of innovation, politics, and pressing issues for California farmers. Hosts Nick Papagni and Josh McGill covered everything from wildfire impacts on vineyards to a major upcoming ag conference, and even sat down with a fourth-generation poultry producer turned gubernatorial candidate. The show opened with coverage of the Pickett Fire in Napa Valley, now contained but leaving growers anxious about potential damage to premium wine grapes. With smoke, air quality concerns, and fire season lasting longer every year, the hosts called for more forest management and long-term solutions to protect both rural communities and crops. … ” Read more and listen to podcast at Ag Net West.
Fighting for California agriculture and values: David Tangipa on water, farmers, and policy
“California’s Central Valley is the heart of American agriculture, and its farmers face unprecedented challenges. Recently, I had the privilege of speaking with David Tangipa, Assemblyman for the Central Valley, about the issues affecting farmers, the state, and the nation. Known for his tireless advocacy for agriculture and core American values, Tangipa shared his insights on crises facing California, threats to free speech, and the importance of defending both our farms and our freedoms. … ” Listen to podcast or read excerpts at AgNet West.
SEE ALSO: Innovation, Water, and Politics Take Center Stage in California Ag, from AgNet West
Fresh produce growers focus on water for sustainability
“When asked what top three words came to mind when thinking about sustainability, respondents to The Packer’s 2025 Sustainability Insights Survey overwhelmingly responded with “water.” Every year, The Packer conducts three Sustainability Insights surveys — one each for produce growers, retailers and consumers — on their perceptions and opinions related to sustainability in fresh produce. In this year’s survey, 74 fresh produce growers representing 29 states responded. Though the response rate means the results are not necessarily widely applicable to growers across the country, they represent a good snapshot. Generally speaking, water-related concerns were very important to produce growers when it comes to sustainability. … ” Read more from The Packer.
Court permits flexible water service agreement for development
“A recent California Court of Appeal decision provides a useful framework for developers and public agencies structuring agreements for water service to new projects. On August 28, 2025, the California Court of Appeals for the First District issued a decision in Solano County Orderly Growth Committee v. City of Fairfield, and held that the City of Fairfield’s (“City”) agreement with the Solano Irrigation District to provide potable water services to a mixed-use development outside the City limits (“Potable Water Services Agreement”) was not inconsistent with the urban growth boundary in the City’s general plan because California law does not require that potable water services agreements be consistent with a city’s general plan. … ” Read more from Atkinson, Andelson, Loya, Ruud & Romo.
Smashing 6 million sea urchins with hammers saved a California kelp paradise thanks to volunteer divers
“GNN has reported before that conservation works, almost wherever, and with whatever method it’s undertaken—though to be honest, hammers aren’t usually involved. They are, however, very much the tool of choice for the Bay Foundation, an extraordinary, dedicated outfit that has brought about the resurrection of the Santa Monica area’s kelp forests, an ecosystem described as an underwater cathedral or a grove of underwater sequoias. They were decimated by the endemic purple spiny sea urchin, and for the last 13 years, an all-volunteer squad of divers have spent thousands of hours below the waves smashing them. Smashing, smashing, and smashing. Then smashing some more. Mass extermination of non-invasive species surely is one of the strangest conservation methods you’ll read about, but the explanation is an understandable one. … ” Read more from the Good News Network.
UC Santa Cruz researchers win funds to characterize makeup of Pacific coastal fog
“Researchers Peter Weiss-Penzias and Eyal Rahav at the University of California, Santa Cruz, have been awarded a five-year, $737,000 grant from the Heising-Simons Foundation to characterize the chemical and biological composition of Pacific coastal fog water. Their research will contribute to a multi-institute project that ultimately aims to enhance society’s ability to manage coastal resources and steward coastal ecosystems in a changing climate. This interdisciplinary Pacific Coastal Fog Research project will attempt to provide answers to the most frequently asked fog questions in popular discourse and the media: How will fog change as the planet warms? Will it go away? “Understanding if and how fog will change as the climate warms is critical for societal planning for climate change,” said Weiss, a continuing lecturer and faculty researcher in the Science Division. … ” Read more from UC Santa Cruz.
In commentary today …
Editorial: Delta tunnel project needs replacing to protect local waters
The Livermore Independent editorial board writes, “Last week in Sacramento, the state senate helped avoid a costly mistake: fast-tracking the Delta Conveyance Project. We can thank Sen. Jerry McNerney, who represents the Tri-Valley and parts of San Joaquin County, for helping stop the measure from getting to a vote. The project to build a 45-mile tunnel from the Sacramento River to the Bethany Reservoir is flawed and needs either major revisions or replacement to protect the San Francisco Bay Area ecosystem. There is no doubt that California is experiencing a record drought, and that San Joaquin Valley agriculture needs water. We all need water, even in the more temperate Bay Area. The California State Water Project, which provides drinking water for more than 27 million people, is tasked with the ever more difficult job of balancing the needs of people and agriculture. The Delta tunnel, which was championed by Gov. Gavin Newsom, was supposed to help rectify that balance, but it risked causing more harm than good. … ” Read more from the Livermore Independent.
Edward Ring: How the federal government can massively fund water supply infrastructure
Edward Ring writes, “A few months ago I had the privilege of speaking directly with some of the top executives at one of California’s largest water agencies. Their primary question for me was explicit, and my attempts to answer were inadequate. They contend, accurately, that during the last century there were periods when massive federal funding to pay for water supply projects was sustained for multiple consecutive years, and in some cases for decades. They also explained, accurately, that nothing of the sort has happened so far in the 21st century. So how do we restore federal funding, massive federal funding, to pay for the next generation of water supply infrastructure in California? … ” Read more from Edward Ring.
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
Entombed in Lake County, California, the Clear Lake Volcanic Field is one of the state’s riskiest
“California’s volcanic giants are hard to miss. Mount Shasta looms over the Oregon border. Lassen Peak, the southernmost active volcano in the Cascade Range, erupted just over a century ago, blasting ash and steam in scenes etched into early photographs. And in the Eastern Sierra, Mammoth Mountain rises above the Long Valley volcanic region — a complex of calderas and domes ranked from moderate to very high threat. These peaks dominate remote stretches of California, far from its major metropolitan centers.Just 90 miles north of San Francisco, however, thousands of people live, boat and build communities around Clear Lake. Rising from its southern shore is Mount Konocti — the largest volcano within the Clear Lake Volcanic Field and one of the most dangerous in California. Dormant for 11,000 years, it still hides an active magma chamber and restless geothermal system, earning a “high threat” ranking from scientists. … ” Read more from SF Gate.
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
Keep Tahoe Blue, The Tyre Collective, and DRI launch innovative pilot program to protect Lake Tahoe’s air and water
“Today, Keep Tahoe Blue, The Tyre Collective, and DRI announced a groundbreaking collaboration with the Emerald Bay Shuttle and its operator, Downtowner, that brings together science, technology, and alternative transportation to protect Lake Tahoe’s world-renowned water clarity. “While we know that vehicles impact water quality and Lake clarity, this project will help us better understand exactly how vehicles contribute to Tahoe’s water quality challenges,” said Laura Patten, natural resource director at Keep Tahoe Blue. “That knowledge is critical to creating solutions that protect this national treasure.” The pilot program employs The Tyre Collective’s proprietary technology — discrete, compact devices affixed to a vehicle’s undercarriage — to capture harmful tire wear particles directly at the wheel. … ” Read more from Desert Research Institute.
Yosemite’s ecosystem has been rebooted thanks to one adorable animal
“After years of silence, one of Yosemite’s most beloved, and adorable, species has made a comeback. Once widespread from Baja California to Washington state, the western pond turtle has disappeared from over half of its historic range due to habitat loss, competition and predation from invasive species, disease, and drought. The northwestern pond turtle (Actinemys marmorata), one of two species of western pond turtle, declined drastically in Yosemite National Park in the late twentieth century, primarily due to the introduction of the invasive American bullfrog. The American bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana) is one of the most harmful invasive species in the world. The American bullfrog has spread rapidly due to the pet trade, their escape from breeding farms and research facilities, and their intentional introduction as a means of biologically controlling insects, to be harvested as game animals, and for food. … ” Read more from The Travel.
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
LifePlace and the Sacramento Valley: Rooting our future in place
“In his book LifePlace: Bioregional Thought and Practice, U.C. Davis Professor Robert Thayer offers a powerful framework for how we can live more meaningfully and sustainably by reconnecting with the places we inhabit. His central idea is that a “life-place” is more than just geography—it is a living system where economy, ecology, culture, and identity converge. By rooting ourselves in place, we can create communities that are resilient, creative, and aligned with the natural rhythms of the land, water, and sun. Thayer defines a life-place as a region where people consciously live within the ecological limits of their surroundings, while celebrating the cultural distinctiveness that grows out of those landscapes. It is an antidote to rootlessness, sprawl, despair, and homogenization. … ” Read more from the Northern California Water Association.
Palermo mobile home park without water for weeks, supervisor calls it ‘uninhabitable’
“Dozens of residents at Pleasant Grove Mobile Home Park have been living without running water since Aug. 29, a crisis that Butte County Supervisor Bill Connelly says has rendered the park “uninhabitable.” Residents said the two wells supplying the park’s water were shut down because the property owner failed to pay the Pacific Gas and Electric Co. bill. Connelly confirmed that account, adding that the issue has persisted for years without meaningful intervention from the state. “It’s just disheartening that this has happened,” said Mike Kelley, a resident who pays $500 a month to live at the park. “We’re basically dumping water down the toilets to force the waste down. It’s a trip to Walmart every day just to get by.” … ” Read more from Action News Now.
BAY AREA
Why this Bay Area coastal town is ‘particularly vulnerable’ to rising sea levels
“The North Bay is already experiencing the effects of sea level rise, but none more than world-famous Sausalito, whose entire bay fronting shoreline is highly vulnerable.The latest study, as reported by the Marin Independent Journal, underscores that the tiny enclave must act but will have to figure out precisely how to do that. Because Sausalito juts well out into the Bay, the miles-long distance across the Bay allows waves to build up when stormy winds are high. … “Roughly 7,500 residents squished between the mountains and the Bay shorelines. So, we are particularly vulnerable to sea level rise,” said Sausalito’s Resilience and Sustainability Manager Catie Thow Garcia. The latest study shows vulnerability is growing. … ” Read more from KTVU.
Community considers sea level adaption plans for Yosemite Slough in SF
“Around 50 people, including residents, government officials, and environmental justice leaders, met at the Southeast Community Center in Bayview on Tuesday evening. The city’s planning department convened the meeting to collect community input for the Yosemite Slough Neighborhood Adaptation Plan. The slough is a wetland that extends inland from the Candlestick Point State Recreation Area. “The area around Yosemite Slough is some of the lowest lying areas of the city by elevation,” explained Danielle Ngo, a senior planner for the city and county of San Francisco. What’s in that water, and the tidal mud beneath it, are also concerns. For decades, industrial waste and contaminated stormwater flowed into the slough. The pollution is so bad that the EPA considers it as a Superfund site. But that’s not part of tonight’s conversation. The goal of this meeting was to get feedback on two design options for protecting the area from sea level rise. … ” Read more from KALW.
This East Bay park was a notorious landfill. Now it’s an art-filled wonderland
“I’m about 100 yards into my first stroll into the Albany Bulb, and I already feel like I’m in a Terry Gilliam movie. A tiny amphitheater made of multicolored stones appears, just big enough to seat a kindergarten class. Yards away, an enormous driftwood bench makes me feel like I’ve shrunk to hobbit-size. Small notes of motivation, inspiration and revolution are clothspinned to a birdcage-sized metal sculpture hanging from a tree. “To Do 2025: Resist Fascism,” one reads. There’s enough wild public art here to fill three museums, or a dozen fever dreams. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
Benicians asked to reduce water intake due to significant damage to transmission line
“Significant damage to a drinking water transmission line has caused Benicia city leaders to ask residents, businesses, schools, community organizations and other facilities to immediately reduce water use. Benicia City Manager Mario Giuliani said he hopes to know Thursday morning how long the emergency of limited use will go on for, but said Benicia Public Works crews have begun to monitor the damage and work with contractors to restore the water line damage near Goodyear Road and Morrow Lane. Giuliani said the damage is is unrelated to the 2023 incident near Interstate-680 and Gold Hill Road. In response to the situation, Benicia has declared a Stage 4 “Critical Water Shortage” alert, requiring a 40 percent reduction in water use citywide. … ” Read more from the Vallejo Times-Herald.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Southern California lakes suddenly ‘infested’ with invasive species
California Department of Water Resources
“A fast-spreading invasive species has been spotted in a pair of prominent Southern California lakes, raising grave concerns for the state’s ability to keep the tiny creature at bay. Last fall, the invasive golden mussel was identified in the Port of Stockton in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, representing the very first time the species had been found in North America — and now it’s come to two well-known lakes around greater Los Angeles. Without containment, the tiny mollusks could spread quickly, officials warned last fall. And they were right — last week, state officials announced the invasive species had been detected at two separate Southern California lakes that are over 250 miles south of the Port of Stockton. In less than a year, golden mussels have spread through the State Water Project to Southern California, threatening the state’s water infrastructure and damaging delicate aquatic ecosystems. … ” Read more from SF Gate.
UCI PFAS Study: Ending forever chemicals in OC drinking water
“For almost six years, Dr. Scott Bartell has been investigating the effects that per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have on the health of Orange County residents after high levels of PFAS were detected in drinking water supplies. PFAS is a family of chemicals known for their slow breakdown. Commonly known as forever chemicals, they were first developed in 1930, but their widespread use began in 1950. Bartell, an environmental occupational health professor, is the lead investigator of UCI’s PFAS Health Study, an extension of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)’s national Multi-Site Health Study on PFAS. The CDC’s study identified multiple sites across the US that had potential PFAS exposure. The study focused on the effects that different PFAS compounds and exposure levels have on health. … ” Read more from UC Irvine.
Court quashes IE water deal after city’s lawsuit reveals environmental violations, water supply risks
“A California court has ruled in favor of Ontario in the city’s legal challenge to the Inland Empire Utilities Agency claiming the Chino Basin Program violated state environmental law, officials announced Tuesday. According to the San Bernardino Superior Court’s Sept. 4 ruling, the IEUA in May 2022 violated the California Environmental Quality Act. The court found that the agency: “‘piecemealed’ the evaluation of the effects of the CBP by failing to evaluate the effects of the CBP and the Feather River Exchange outside of the Chino Basin”; “Used an unstable and inconsistent project description that evaluates the effects of a project life of 25 years, but then justifies the CBP based on purported water supply benefits over 50 years”; and “Adopted a biased and determinative project objective to justify a refusal to evaluate reasonable alternatives to the CBP.” … ” Read more from Hey SoCal.
Can Rancho Palos Verdes stop homes from sliding toward the ocean? A new study might find out
“The city of Rancho Palos Verdes is embarking on a comprehensive study to look at how stormwater flows into the landslide complex that has been slowly ripping homes apart — and if that water can be redirected elsewhere. The decision on Tuesday to go forward with the study comes as the city continues to grapple with unprecedented land movement that has led to around 20 homes being red tagged and dozens more damaged. The landslide has also been buckling roads, driveways and other infrastructure, prompting gas and electricity shut offs. “ For the last 40 years, we’ve been basically taking water out of our basement by need to survive. And in different versions of that, we’ve had different levels of success, mostly tied to how much rainfall,” said Councilmember Stephen Perestam at Tuesday’s meeting. “For the first time, we’re actually gonna take this step. We’re gonna go look at the whole move, what’s causing us to keep shoveling out the water out of our basement.” … ” Read more from the LAist.
SAN DIEGO
Project to clean polluted Tijuana River may do more harm than good: Scientists
“The International Boundary and Water Commission kicked off a pilot project this month to improve the water quality in the heavily polluted Tijuana River. However, local elected leaders and scientists are concerned the project could do more harm than good. “The USIBWC is conducting a small-scale pilot project to use ozone to remove contaminants from Tijuana River flows,” The IBWC said in a statement sent to NBC 7. “This technology has the potential to reduce the exposure of Americans to Mexican sewage by killing bacteria and reducing hydrogen sulfide levels.” Hydrogen sulfide levels have reached dangerous levels along the Tijuana River as it flows through the Tijuana River Valley near hundreds of homes and several schools and businesses. “My concern is that there’s not enough safeguards,” said District 1 San Diego County supervisor Paloma Aguirre. “Scientists have expressed concerns around what type of reactivity and byproducts it could create.” … ” Read more from NBC 7.
SEE ALSO: Concerns raised over new Tijuana River cleaning project using ozone nanobubbles, from Channel 10
Along the Colorado River …
Wyoming, other Upper Colorado River states, say Lower Basin states hog water
“A new period of tension looms over the waning availability of water from the Colorado River. Officials from upstream states, including Wyoming, claim that downstream states continue to use more than their fair share. Water-use negotiations and infrastructure operations are up for renewal after 2026. Representatives of the Upper Colorado River Basin States — Wyoming, Colorado, Utah and New Mexico — are alarmed over what post-2026 river management might look like. There’s concern that the Lower Basin states — Arizona, Nevada and California — aren’t holding up their end of the 1922 Colorado River Compact, which still sets the overarching policy for water use along the river. … ” Read more from Cowboy State Daily.
Progress slows to a trickle during negotiations on how to manage Colorado River’s water
“Colorado River officials from upstream states, including Colorado, had no progress to report Wednesday on high-stakes negotiations about how the water supply for 40 million people will be managed after August 2026. The commissioners from Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming said the talks continue to be challenging during an Upper Colorado River Commission meeting. The upper basin states and their downstream counterparts, Arizona, California and Nevada, have been tasked with reaching an agreement for how to manage the basin’s water supply once the current rules expire next year. But for months, they have failed to make progress on key issues, like how to cut water in the basin’s driest years. Now, they are less than two months away from a federal deadline. “The discussions with my counterparts have been and continue to be challenging, and sitting here today, it is often difficult to feel optimistic,” said Commissioner Becky Mitchell, who represents Colorado in Colorado River Basin negotiations. … ” Read more from the Colorado Sun.
The future of the Shoshone water right comes into focus
“This week the Colorado Water Conservation Board could make a consequential decision for water users on the Western Slope. The board is scheduled to hear almost 13 hours of testimony on Wednesday and Thursday about whether to add an instream flow water right to the hydropower water right associated with the Shoshone plant in Glenwood Canyon. The CWCB may make a decision on Thursday, but after a Tuesday notice from the River District granting a two-month extension, the board now has until its November meeting to decide. The River District says the extra time will allow the board to consider information presented at this week’s hearing and provide additional opportunities for the parties to pursue a negotiated resolution of the contested issues. … ” Read more from Aspen Journalism.
What will happen to the Glen Canyon Dam?
“The Glen Canyon Dam controls the flow of water to the lower Colorado River. If the antiquated dam breaks down, the Upper Basin States break their promise to everyone downstream. Is it time to say dammit to the whole dam thing? The Glen Canyon Dam needs a massive overhaul if it’s going to keep delivering hydroelectric power—or, for that matter, water to the lower Colorado River. Amidst contentious negotiations to decide who gets how much after the Colorado River’s current water guidelines expire in 2026, a letter from the Lower Basin states to the U.S. Secretary of the Interior demanded that any decision-making include the necessary infrastructure repairs and improvements to ensure the river keeps flowing beyond Glen Canyon Dam. “I think a lot of people, especially in Utah, don’t really realize that Glen Canyon Dam and Lake Powell were not built for recreation,” says Eric Balken, the Executive Director of the Glen Canyon Institute. … ” Read more from Salt Lake Magazine.
In national water news today …
Amid rise of RFK Jr., officials waver on drinking water fluoridation — even in the state where it started
“Drinking water fluoridation is widely heralded as a public health triumph, but it’s had critics since it was pioneered 80 years ago in Grand Rapids, about 150 miles southwest of Grayling. While once largely on the fringes, fluoridation skeptics now hold sway in federal, state and local government, and their arguments have seeped into the mainstream. Even in the state where the treatment began, communities are backpedaling. And because customer notice requirements are patchy, people may not even know about it when their fluoridation stops. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, has called fluoride “industrial waste” and supports an end to community water fluoridation. The head of the Food and Drug Administration said on a newscast that the CDC’s online description of water fluoridation as one of the greatest public health achievements is “misinformation.” … ” Read more from Pro Publica.
E.P.A. keeps polluters on the hook to clean up ‘forever chemicals’
“The Environmental Protection Agency will keep polluters on the hook to clean up “forever chemicals” linked to serious health risks, upholding a major rule despite chemical industry opposition. The decision, which was announced late Wednesday, came despite an effort by a former industry lawyer, who now holds a top post at the agency, to reverse the regulation. But Lee Zeldin, the administrator of the E.P.A., elected to uphold the rule, a rare move at an agency that has pursued a broad deregulatory agenda. The agency must still defend the rule in court from industry lawsuits. “Holding polluters accountable” while protecting the public from the family of chemicals known as PFAS continued to be a challenge for the agency, Mr. Zeldin said in a statement. … ” Read more from the New York Times.
A Trump administration playbook: No data, no problem
“When the Trump administration said last week that it would stop requiring thousands of industrial facilities to report their planet-warming pollution, the move fit a growing pattern: If data points to a problem, stop collecting the data. At the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, experts are no longer tracking the most expensive extreme weather events, those that cause at least $1 billion in damage. At NASA, Trump officials want to decommission two powerful satellites that provide precise measurements of the greenhouse gases that are driving climate change. And at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, layoffs have gutted a division that maintains statistics on car crashes, gun violence and homicides, among other things. The consequences of these moves could be far-reaching, experts said, since the government cannot address a problem if it cannot quantify the issue in the first place. … ” Read more from the New York Times.
The Trump administration is dismantling climate policies
“There is stronger evidence than ever that greenhouse gases are bad for us, the nation’s leading scientific advisory body said yesterday. Yet President Trump has proposed to cancel the government’s 16-year-old finding that carbon dioxide emissions endanger public health. Doing so would mean the Environmental Protection Agency could no longer limit emissions from cars or power plants. The Trump administration once merely downplayed the threat of global warming. Now it “flatly denies the overwhelming scientific evidence of climate change,” reports my colleague Lisa Friedman, who covers climate policy. For today’s newsletter, I spoke with Lisa about all the things that are shifting. … ” Read more from the New York Times.
Top scientists find growing evidence that greenhouse gases are, in fact, a danger
“The nation’s leading scientific advisory body issued a major report on Wednesday detailing the strongest evidence to date that carbon dioxide, methane and other planet-warming greenhouse gases are threatening human health. The report, published by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, is significant because it could complicate the Trump administration’s efforts to revoke a landmark scientific determination, known as the endangerment finding, that underpins the federal government’s legal authority to control the pollution that is driving climate change. … ” Read more from the New York Times.
SEE ALSO: National Academies backstops endangerment finding, risking feud with Trump, from E&E News
