A wrap-up of posts published on Maven’s Notebook this week …
Note to readers: Sign up for weekly email service and you will receive notification of this post on Friday mornings. Readers on daily email service can add weekly email service by updating their subscription preferences. Click here to sign up!
In California water news this week …
California asks appeals court to allow preliminary work for Delta tunnel to begin
“The California Department of Water Resources on Tuesday asked a state appellate court to lift a preliminary injunction on geotechnical investigations for the controversial Delta Conveyance Project — a proposed 14-mile tunnel that would divert water from the Sacramento River to Central and Southern California. Last year, Sacramento County Superior Court Judge Stephen Acquisto agreed with a group of local counties and water districts, as well as environmental and tribal organizations, that the preliminary work is a “covered action,” and the state agency must certify that the entire project complies with the requirements of the California Delta Reform Act. The hourlong hearing before a three-judge panel of the Third Appellate District of the California Court of Appeal in Sacramento Tuesday revolved around the question of whether the proposed preliminary work itself, as opposed to the tunnel itself, is in fact a covered action — which the water agency has to self-certify is consistent with the so-called Delta Plan for the Sacramento–San Joaquin River Delta — even though the state’s Delta Stewardship Council had said it’s not. … ” Read more from the Courthouse News Service.
Showdown: State says it’s time for water interests to show their cards on subsidence
“Ferocious overpumping that has caused huge swaths of the San Joaquin Valley to sink, damaging key water arteries including the Friant-Kern Canal and California Aqueduct must stop, according to the Department of Water Resources (DWR). It’s one of the main reasons the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) was passed in 2014. After 11 years, though, not much has slowed the sinking, other than a few good, wet years, prompting the state to issue proposed subsidence guidelines that leave no doubt how serious DWR is about the issue. “We are going to get everyone in the room to put their cards on the table,” DWR Deputy Director Paul Gosselin said during a workshop about the guidelines in Delano on Sept. 10, part of a three stop tour that also included Clovis and Willows. … ” Read more from SJV Water.
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.
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.
The Delta holds ‘environmental ticking timebombs’
“The quiet waters of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta hold a troubling obstacle course. Dozens and possibly hundreds of ships, abandoned in years and decades past, lie rusting in the water — disrupting the flow of marine traffic and posing a threat to shipping lanes if dislodged by the wind. Yet there’s little money to remove them, and most of their owners are long gone. Hazardous materials such as oil, asbestos and sewage may leak from the vessels into the water — potentially endangering salmon, migratory fowl and hundreds of other species native to the delta, according to John Durand, a senior researcher at UC Davis’ Center for Watershed Sciences. Contaminated runoff could also make its way to drinking water for cities or irrigation for farms, Durand said. The abandoned vessels are “environmental ticking timebombs,” said Sacramento County District Attorney Thien Ho. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
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.
Writer-in-Residence Mark Arax chronicles California’s lifeblood: Water
“UC Merced has debuted a writer-in-residence program with one of California’s premier chroniclers of its history, especially the titanic power plays for land and water that have shaped the state’s growth and loom over its future. Mark Arax, a Fresno native, author and former Los Angeles Times journalist, will host workshops about his craft throughout the academic year. His presence on campus also will offer inside access to a working author. The writer-in-residence program is co-hosted by the UC Merced Library and the School of Social Sciences, Humanities and Arts. The intent is to make this a feature of every academic year. “This is an honor,” Arax said, “and it comes at an interesting time because I’m embarking on a new book.” … ” Read more from UC Merced.
Axed Colorado River nominee alleges interference: ‘Never seen this kind of vitriol’
“The Arizona official nominated to anchor a rocky Colorado River negotiation process with an impending deadline claims he was iced out by Upper Basin officials who thought he would be biased against them. Ted Cooke, who said he came out of retirement to try and help the two divided groups of states come to a consensus, alleged in an interview Thursday that Upper Basin state officials from Colorado, Utah, Wyoming and New Mexico urged members of Congress to oppose his nomination for Bureau of Reclamation commissioner. “I’ve never seen this kind of vitriol and opposition based on presumed bias,” Cooke told the Las Vegas Review-Journal. “Are these basin states thinking that they’re going to be better off? Even if I was biased, or somebody else was biased, to have no commissioner rather than one from the opposite basin, that’s just crazy.” … ” Read more from the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
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.
Beavers return to tribal lands: a win for ecosystems
“The pictograph, an ochre-red outline with four paws and an unmistakable paddle of a tail, has been on the reservation “my whole life,” said Kenneth McDarment, a member of the Tule River Tribe. It’s just one of many paintings — of people, geometric designs and other wildlife — from 500 to 1,000 years ago adorning the walls of a site called Painted Rock in the southern California foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains. But today, it stands out to McDarment, who formerly served on the Tule River Tribal Council. “Sometimes you need to just look at things more often,” he told Mongabay. About a decade ago, a succession of drought years parched the land, and leaders were searching for ways to shore up the reservation’s water. … So, the Tule River Tribe decided to find a way to bring them back. … ” Read more from Mongabay.
As California installs more artificial turf, health and environmental concerns multiply
“Fields of plastic, or fake turf, are spreading across the Golden State from San Diego to Del Norte counties. Some municipalities and school districts embrace them, saying they are good for the environment and promote kids’ activity and health. But some cities including Los Angeles are considering banning the fields, citing concerns about children’s health and the environment. Nowhere in the country is turf growing faster than in California — on school athletic fields, city parks and residential lawns. Exact numbers are not known, but it’s estimated that 1,100 acres of the material, or the equivalent of some 870 football fields, are being installed across the state each year. … ” Read more from the LA Times. | Read via AOL News.
New test measures toxin from tires in marine life, helping understand risk to marine species and ecosystems
“Scientists at NOAA’s Northwest Fisheries Science Center helped pioneer the study of an automobile tire toxin found to kill salmon when it runs off highways in stormwater and into streams. Now they have found a way to measure the toxin, 6PPD-quinone, directly in marine life, including fish, shellfish and marine mammals. The new method can help scientists better understand how the toxin affects different species, and how it reaches and moves through marine ecosystems. It can help assess effects on more species in less time. That may, in turn, help managers find ways to reduce the risk it poses to salmon and other species. This will allow the fish to continue to support economically important tribal, commercial, and sport fisheries, bringing economic and environmental value to the region. “Without being able to measure it, we won’t be able to answer questions about its impacts on species,” said Li-Jung Kuo, who led research by the Science Center’s Environmental Chemistry Program to develop the new method.“We need to have a better understanding of 6PPD-Q distribution in the environment, including aquatic species. The capability to directly measure the 6PPD-Q body burden in aquatic species is a step forward, as it is essential for exposure assessment.” … ” Read more from NOAA.
In commentary this week …
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.
Slashing federal budget is big problem for state environment agencies
Keith Schneider writes, “Every dollar that the federal government directs to state environment departments enables the Great Lakes and every other region to steward natural resources, yielding many times the value of the federal contribution. State environment departments make the case daily that they merit more financial support, not less. That is why Circle of Blue’s opinion desk has been worried for months about the dangerous consequences of President Trump’s proposal to rip $5 billion – 55 percent – out of the Environmental Protection Agency’s $9.1 billion budget. Now that it’s September, we’re encouraged (just a tiny bit, mind you) by the actions MAGA Republicans in both houses of Congress have taken to break with the president to reduce the size of the proposed EPA budget reduction. … ” Read more from Circle of Blue.
In regional water news this week …
Klamath Tribes notified by feds of additional water takes for Klamath Project
“The Klamath Tribes are pushing back against an unexpected extension request to increase water allocations entered by the Bureau of Reclamation. In a news conference Wednesday, Klamath Tribal leaders gathered to inform news agencies of a newly developed issue before them. Klamath Tribes Chairman William Ray Jr. said that, two weeks prior, the Tribes received notification of Reclamation’s new proposal which would take an additional 38,000-acre feet of water from Upper Klamath Lake to be used among water users within the Klamath Project for local agriculture. “We oppose this action because it affects our water, our water quality and all the restoration work that we’re trying to do in order to save our endangered species,” Ray Jr. said. … ” Read more from Herald & News.
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.
Big Chico Creek turns muddy brown
“If anyone needs another reason not to swim in Big Chico Creek right now, it has turned brown. Opaque, murky water was present on Friday in Big Chico Creek at Sycamore Pool and as far as Forest Ranch after more than two months of a no-swim advisory, placed on Big Chico Creek because of the presence of E. coli that made five people sick this year. Corning resident Brianna Zimmerman, sitting on a blanket Friday at One Mile Recreation Area, said she and her family come to Chico all the time for its parks, but stopped coming to swim at Sycamore Pool because the creek was deemed unsafe to swim in. Friday was the first time Zimmerman had ever seen the water in the creek so brown. … ” Read more from the Chico Enterprise-Record.
Antioch’s $160 million desalination plant begins operation in bid to boost city water supply
“Antioch has finally turned on the taps of its long-awaited brackish water desalination plant, which is expected to help the city safeguard its water supply for decades to come. The $160 million facility, hailed by city leaders as a milestone in California’s water sustainability efforts, will meet up to 40% of Antioch’s water needs. Residents and businesses use up to 11 million gallons of water daily in the winter and 23 million in the summer. With the plant in service, the city can treat and convert into drinking water about 6 million gallons a day of brackish water pumped from the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta. The city has already been pumping as much water as possible from the river; however, because of an increase in saltwater levels over the years, it has been unable to do so during the summer and fall. To fill the gap, Antioch purchases more expensive water from the Contra Costa Water District to fulfill the needs of some of its 110,000 residents. … ” Read more from the San Jose Mercury News.
Bay Adapt Summit brings leaders together to discuss shoreline planning amid federal cuts
“Despite the efforts of President Donald Trump’s administration to erase the concept of human-caused global warming by deleting climate-related federal funding, climate change is still happening. Bay Area leaders have not halted their efforts to prepare cities for sea level rise and increasing environmental hazards. Government officials, environmental groups, urban planners and social justice consultants gathered this week for 2025 Rising Together: The Bay Adapt Summit. It was the second-annual summit, but it sold out fast. On Sunday, participants joined walking tours in cities at risk of flooding from sea level rise. On Monday, the summit concluded with an all-day meeting at the Exploratorium science museum in San Francisco. … ” Read more from Local News Matters.
Camarillo: ‘Water crisis’ of others’ making at heart of trial
“A high-stakes legal battle over groundwater rights is threatening the City of Camarillo’s water supply, with officials warning the dispute could lead to higher costs for residents and force a nearly $70 million desalter to be sidelined. In a letter to state Sen. Monique Limón, Mayor Kevin Kildee says the city is in a water crisis that stems from a lawsuit filed by a group of large landowners calling themselves the OPV Coalition against Camarillo and other groundwater users in the Oxnard and Pleasant Valley basins. The lawsuit is a process under the state’s Sustainable Groundwater Management Act, which aims to manage groundwater sustainably. But city officials assert the lawsuit is being used to manipulate the system for private gain. According to Kildee’s letter, the OPV Coalition and their allies—including United Water Conservation District and Pleasant Valley County Water District—have proposed a settlement that would severely cut Camarillo’s groundwater allocation. … ” Continue reading at the Acorn.
Rains are soaking Los Angeles for the first time in months. Is it enough to reduce wildfire risks?
“For the first time in months, widespread rainfall is drenching the Los Angeles area as a strong band of moisture from a dissipated tropical storm moves north. By Thursday morning, much of Southern California had already recorded some measurable — though mostly minor — rainfall, while a few inland areas were experiencing localized flooding that officials warned could get worse and expand. Much of the region remains under a flood watch through early Friday. “As the day wears on … we could definitely start getting those heavier showers and thunderstorms developing,” said Rich Thompson, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Oxnard. “Some areas will have a lot of rain.” … ” Read more from the LA Times.
Eaton fire contaminated Altadena with lead. It’s lingering even after cleanup, final county report finds
“The Eaton fire left significant levels of lead in Altadena’s soil, according to a final report from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers hauled away debris and soil from destroyed properties, but that did not completely remove the contamination, the report, released Friday, found. People whose homes are still standing, or are partially damaged, also face significant contamination. That is true both within and outside the burn scar. Most experts think the lead in the soil comes from incinerated lead paint that coated most homes built before it was banned in 1978. The findings are important because lead can permanently damage the brain, leading to developmental and behavioral issues in kids. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
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.
Did L.A. wildfire debris worsen this year’s toxic algal bloom? Researchers say it’s unlikely
“When scores of dead and dying sea animals began washing up on L.A.-area beaches just weeks after January’s devastating fires, the timing seemed suspicious. Harmful algae blooms had sickened marine life in each of the three years prior. But the especially high number of animal deaths this year prompted several research teams to investigate whether runoff from the fires may have accelerated algae growth to particularly dangerous proportions. … “Some of the fire retardants have nutrients in them, like ammonia or phosphate, that can fuel the growth of phytoplankton and the growth of organisms in the ocean. And we do see some spikes in those nutrients early on, immediately post-fire,” said Noelle Held, a University of Southern California microbiologist and oceanographer who has tested ocean water along L.A.’s coastline regularly since January. “But those increases are completely dwarfed by the major shift that happened in the ocean between the end of February and the beginning of April — the upwelling event.” … ” Read more from the LA Times. | Read via Yahoo News.
When lithium mining starts, who benefits, and who’s at risk? Inside this Salton Sea case.
“Critics of a proposed lithium mine near the Salton Sea entered round two of their fight to force stricter environmental review of the project. It’s the latest stage in a legal impasse over the massive lithium project. Environmental groups are trying to make sure nearby residents get the benefits of lithium production, while guarding against harmful impacts. The company says critics are using court challenges to stall an important energy project. The nonprofits Comite Civico del Valle and Earthworks filed arguments with the Fourth District Court of Appeal last week, asking the court to reconsider a claim they filed in 2024, which a superior court judge dismissed earlier this year. … ” Read more from Cal Matters.
Colorado River negotiations teeter over future water use
“Disagreements over whether states in the Colorado River Basin should agree to restrict future water development are threatening to derail the arduous negotiations over the waterway’s operations. A top Wyoming water official on Wednesday said that demands from the Colorado River’s Lower Basin states — California, Arizona and Nevada — would force it to sharply cut back on its water use and also prohibit future development in his state. That means essentially blocking Wyoming from tapping the drought-stricken river’s flows with new dams or diversions. “They’re asking me to give up the future we were promised and to make promises that I can’t keep,” said Wyoming State Engineer Brandon Gebhardt, who serves as his state’s lead negotiator, at a meeting with other leaders from the Upper Basin states of Wyoming, Colorado, Utah and New Mexico. … ” Read more from E&E News.
