Several news sources featured in the Daily Digest may limit the number of articles you can access without a subscription. However, gift articles and open-access links are provided when available. For more open access California water news articles, explore the main page at MavensNotebook.com.
On the calendar today …
- SoCAL WATER DIALOG: Reducing Water’s Carbon Footprint from 12pm to 1:30pm. Southern California’s water system’s energy use produces significant amounts of greenhouse gases. Multiple projects have launched or are planned to reduce water’s carbon footprint. Yet, these projects are often sabotaged by variables including regulatory constraints and cost. Join the Water Dialogue to learn more about agency project challenges, progress to date, and next steps to deliver on promises of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Click here to register.
In California water news today …
Metropolitan navigates choppy waters
“California’s largest drinking water supplier is trying to turn the page. The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, which imports and sells water to 19 million people in Los Angeles and the surroundings, earlier this month zeroed in on Shivaji Deshmukh, the current general manager of the Inland Empire Utilities Agency, to replace retiring General Manager Deven Upadhyay, according to three people with knowledge whom POLITICO granted anonymity to discuss ongoing internal deliberations. Metropolitan Board Chair Adán Ortega said in a statement that the board had selected a finalist but would not release the name until contract negotiations were final “in line with best employment practices to protect candidate privacy.” He said the board expected to announce its appointment in October following the conclusion of the negotiations. … ” Read more from Politico.
Sites Reservoir project advances with key negotiations
“Developers of the Sites Reservoir project are proposing an off-stream reservoir to enhance California’s water storage capacity. Representatives from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and the Sites Project Authority met at the Tehama Colusa Canal Authority building to continue public negotiations for a partnership. The proposed reservoir aims to stabilize water deliveries for agriculture, cities and environmental purposes. The Sites Project Authority, which will own the reservoir, is in formal negotiations with the Bureau of Reclamation to define its participation. … ” Read more from KRCR.
SEE ALSO: United States Bureau of Reclamation, Sites Project Authority hold public negotiation meeting in Willows, from Action News Now
DELTA CONVEYANCE PROJECT: Securing statewide water supplies part 8: Protecting important agricultural land in the Delta and throughout California
“Agriculture is vital to California’s economy and intrinsic to our way of life. Beyond the Golden State, we produce 13% of the nation’s total agricultural value, which wouldn’t be possible without reliable water supplies. The Delta region is an especially important agricultural area, with over 500,000 acres of productive farmland. It also supports local jobs and businesses. The Delta Conveyance Project, which is designed to improve water supply reliability for the State Water Project (SWP) and the 750,000 acres of irrigated farmland throughout California that depend on it, has been carefully planned to minimize its impact on Delta farmland. Some agricultural land will be used for the Delta Conveyance Project. However, the Department of Water Resources (DWR) and Delta Conveyance Design and Construction Authority (DCA) are taking significant and genuine steps to limit these impacts, involve local farmers in the planning, and compensate fairly for any losses. … ” Read more from DWR.
Water resilience, climate change, and water systems in California
“California’s water systems are at a pivotal moment. The pressures of climate change, population growth, aging infrastructure, and persistent inequities in water access are converging to create unprecedented challenges. At the same time, the state is moving forward with an ambitious, integrated vision for a resilient future, embodied in the California Water Plan Update 2023 (CWP-2023). Building on a long-standing tradition of five-year updates, CWP-2023 recognizes the urgency of climate impacts, the necessity of watershed-scale thinking, and the central role of equity in water policy. For the first time, it includes a chapter co-authored with California Native American Tribes, ensuring Indigenous knowledge, priorities, and rights are integrated into statewide planning. The plan serves as a strategic framework. … ” Read more from UCANR.
NOW AVAILABLE: 2025 State of Bay-Delta Science, part 2
“Part 2 of the 2025 State of Bay-Delta Science is now available online in the San Francisco Estuary and Watershed Science (SFEWS) journal’s latest issue. In whole, this edition includes seven articles summarizing the state of the science on climate change and extreme events, social and ecological impacts, and climate governance and adaptation strategies in the Bay-Delta and its watershed. In the most recent release, articles address wildfires and water quality impacts, atmospheric rivers and floods, and perspectives from the editorial board on how to improve science-informed decision-making under climate uncertainty. This Delta Week, read this information sheet and visit the SBDS website to learn more about this important ongoing synthesis outlet. Read State of Bay-Delta Science, Part 2.
Pacific ‘blob’ heat wave now spans an area the size of the US
“From seabirds to sea lions, wildlife along the California coast are now facing “the Blob,” a massive marine heat wave that’s become a recurring anomaly since the early 2010s. The oceanic phenomenon returned this past May, and it can have far-reaching impacts on marine life, leading to harmful algae blooms and massive animal die-offs. Rachel Hosler, a scientist at UC Santa Cruz who studies the California Current ecosystem, explained to SFGATE what scientists call the “blob” is a phenomenon best understood as a series of “distinct” heat waves. It first appeared from 2013 to 2015, followed by a second iteration in 2019, with each defined by its own conditions. … ” Read more from SF Gate.
When does beaver reintroduction make sense?
““It’s a little wet!” Ben Cunningham shouted over his shoulder as he slipped knee-deep into one of the unseen rivulets spidering through the hip-high grasses and willow galleries around us. Up until that point in our walk, Cunningham had been agreeably taciturn, contemplative about the return of this meadow to the Mountain Maidu people in recent years, and their efforts to bring beavers back as part of the tribe’s work to restore its health. “Next time, you’ll have to bring your boots,” he said, chuckling over the din of rushing water that seems to be both everywhere and nowhere under a thicket of green peppered with yellow-eyed, purple-petaled asters. Above, a young osprey circled in low loops above our heads. The bird dropped periodically, flying past dragonfly armadas, their abdomens glowing orange in the August sun. Our feet thoroughly soaked, we came upon a mound of sticks and mud nearly to eye level: a lodge. It had taken this beaver family a little less than a year to build, said Cunningham, a Mountain Maidu elder and chair of the nonprofit Maidu Summit Consortium. They’d been released here in 2023, California’s first beaver translocation in decades. … ” Read more from Mongabay.
Lisa Kerr warns of policy threats and fights for California farmers
“The September 24 edition of the AgNet News Hour featured one of the program’s most eye-opening interviews yet. Hosts Nick Papagni and Josh McGill welcomed Lisa Kerr, founder of Terrain Technologies, who laid out a stark picture of California agriculture’s future if current policies continue unchecked. … Water was a central theme of the conversation. Kerr argued California’s shortages are a manmade crisis, worsened by policy failures and financial interests. With water being traded as a commodity and environmental groups wielding outsized influence, she cautioned that rural communities could soon face the same fate as Taft — once a thriving oil town, now struggling after restrictive policies forced wells to close. … ” Listen to podcast and read excerpts from Ag Net West.
Court: Agricultural drains may operate without permit
“In what has been described as a resounding legal victory for agriculture, a federal appeals court has ruled that irrigation return flows discharged to waters of the United States through agricultural drains remain exempt from federal permitting requirements. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals decided earlier this month that operation of a large-scale Central Valley agricultural drainage system does not require a permit under the federal Clean Water Act because the discharge is composed entirely of return flows from irrigated farmlands. The three-judge panel upheld the dismissal of a lawsuit alleging that the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and the San Luis & Delta Mendota Water Authority’s operation of the Grassland Bypass Project and the San Luis Drain violated the Clean Water Act. … ” Read more from Ag Alert.
SEE ALSO: Ninth Circuit Clarifies Clean Water Act Irrigated Flows Exemption, from Somach Simmons & Dunn
California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Marijuana Enforcement Team raids illegal grow sites on publicly accessible lands at six sites across California
“During July and August, a specialized law enforcement team at the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) conducted raids on six illegal cannabis grow sites hidden within sensitive habitats and watersheds in five California counties. CDFW’s Marijuana Enforcement Team (MET) led enforcement operations at illegal grow sites in Los Angeles, San Bernardino and San Mateo counties; supported an operation led by other CDFW Cannabis Enforcement Program officers at an illegal grow site in Santa Cruz County; and supported operations jointly led by CDFW’s Cannabis Enforcement Program and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service at an illegal grow site in Tehama County. The enforcement operations took place on lands the public can access—including Forest Service property; municipal water district property; and large, underdeveloped private properties—and were part of CDFW’s ongoing work to help dismantle the illegal cannabis market in California, which contributes to a wide range of environmental impacts and risks to the public. … ” Read more from the Department of Fish and Wildlife.
SEE ALSO: California officials seize 21,000 cannabis plants, arrest 8 in statewide operations, from KTLA
Congressman Fong introduces Water Infrastructure Resiliency Act to strengthen communities, protect public health, and safeguard waterways
“This week,Congressman Vince Fong (CA-20) introduced H.R. 5513, the Water Infrastructure Resiliency Act, in partnership with Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01). This bipartisan bill empowers communities to modernize their water management systems by adopting cutting-edge technologies like advanced monitoring software, leak detection tools, and real-time data dashboards. These innovations help track and manage water resources more effectively, conserving water, improving efficiency, and reducing costs. Specifically, the Water Infrastructure Resiliency Act would clarify eligible uses under the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF), ensuring local governments can not only protect both public health and water resources more effectively, but also reduce costs. Updating the CWSRF to include eligibility for modern software tools allows the program to keep pace with today’s challenges, bringing the fund into the 21st century and equipping communities with every available tool to modernize infrastructure and secure long-lasting and efficient water systems. … ” Read more from Congressman Vince Fong.
In commentary today …
C-WIN: The secret meeting that privatized public water supplies
Carolee Krieger, C-WIN Executive Director, writes, “Water policy is convoluted, difficult to parse, and usually proceeds incrementally. But sometimes things happen that dramatically alter the legal and regulatory landscapes. It can be a court ruling, such as the 1983 National Audubon v Superior Court decision, which established limits on the amount of water the City of Los Angeles can take from Mono Lake. Or it can be legislation such as the 1992 Central Valley Improvement Act, which mandated changes in the federal Central Valley Project for the protection and revitalization of fisheries and wildlife habitat. Or it can be something that occurs with little attendant public awareness, but which has profound impacts on the way water is allocated and used. The Monterey Amendments are the prime case in point. … ” Read more from C-WIN.
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
California water board to address pesticide crisis in Smith River estuary
“The California North Coast Regional Water Board will convene a special meeting on October 8 in Crescent City to address the escalating pesticide contamination crisis in the Smith River estuary. The meeting will gather testimony from residents, scientists and conservation groups advocating for the elimination of toxic pesticide use on lands surrounding the estuary. The Siskiyou Land Conservancy (SLC) and the Environmental Protection Information Center (EPIC) are urging North Coast residents to attend the meeting and demand that the Water Board enforce a “zero discharge” policy for pesticide residues from Easter lily farms into the estuary. Currently, the Water Board is developing an “agricultural permit” under the Federal Clean Water Act, which would allow continued pesticide pollution by lily farmers. … ” Read more from KRCR.
NOTICE of Preparation and Scoping Meetings for an Environmental Impact Report for the Potter Valley Hydroelectric Project Surrender and Decommissioning
“The State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board), as the lead agency under the California Environmental Quality Act, has released a Notice of Preparation (NOP) and scoping meetings for an Environmental Impact Report in anticipation that the Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) will apply to the State Water Board for a Clean Water Act section 401 water quality certification for the Proposed Project. The State Water Board is accepting written comments on the NOP from the date of this notice through 4:00 p.m. on November 3, 2025.” Read the full notice here.
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
SYRCL leads over 600 volunteers in tackling micro trash at 28th Annual Yuba River Cleanup
“SYRCL held its 28th annual Yuba River Cleanup event on Saturday, September 20, 2025, from 9am to noon. We would like to thank the 657 volunteers who donated their time and energy to help remove trash from 25 sites throughout the Yuba watershed. We would especially like to thank the 29 individuals who took on the extra responsibility of being a site leader at the many different sites throughout the watershed. This year’s Yuba River Cleanup placed a special emphasis on micro trash, the small, stubborn items like cigarette butts, plastic dental floss picks, broken glass, and bits of plastic that are easy to overlook but have an outsized impact on water quality, wildlife, and the beauty of the river. While final numbers are still being compiled, early estimates show that volunteers collectively removed over 8,000 pounds of trash and recycling, including thousands of pieces of micro-trash. … ” Read more from the South Yuba River Citizens League.
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
CPUC hosts two public input sessions for Oroville’s fluoride removal proposal on Tuesday
“Two public input sessions are scheduled for Tuesday, September 23 in Oroville to discuss the city’s request to remove fluoride from the city’s water supply. The Oroville City Council voted to remove fluoride over a year ago and held several public input sessions; however, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) requested additional meetings be conducted under their jurisdiction before moving forward. According to the Cal Water website, it states that the forum “is part of a formal proceeding that will be documented and placed into the formal record so the CPUC can make a decision about Cal Water’s request.” … ” Read more from KRCR.
Yolo County Urgency Ordinance 1576 imposes a groundwater well permitting moratorium on new or modified agricultural wells within focus areas
“On August 26, 2025, the Yolo County Board of Supervisors (“Board”) adopted an urgency ordinance (Urgency Ordinance (“UO”) No. 1576) that imposes a 45-day moratorium for the issuance of new or modified agricultural groundwater well-permits in designated “Focus Areas” (see Figure 1 below). In addition to preventing the issuance of new permits, the moratorium will prevent Yolo County from approving eleven pending well permit applications that were submitted before the moratorium was put in place. The Board scheduled another public hearing for October 7, 2025, where it will consider extending the moratorium for an additional 10 months and 15 days (another year-long extension can be approved in August 2026). … ” Continue reading from the Kronick Law Firm.
BAY AREA
Corte Madera advances plan for drain upgrades
“The Corte Madera Town Council has approved a project to improve storm drain infrastructure in 10 areas. The council voted on the plan at its meeting on Sept. 16. The project is the first effort to implement the town’s “storm drain master plan.” The project is expected to cost about $609,000 and includes a 10% contingency for unforeseen expenses. The town had $760,000 available for the project in the fiscal year 2025-26 capital budget. Funding comes from the town’s Measure F sales tax fund, according to Chris Good, the director of public works. … ” Read more from the Marin Independent Journal.
Benicia: Water Line Successfully Repaired, City Lifts Conservation Order
“A busted water line in Benicia that forced the city to reduce its water use for nearly a week has been repaired and residents are no longer required to conserve water, the city said Tuesday evening. Last Wednesday, Benicia’s drinking water line experienced significant damage and all residents were immediately required to reduce their water use by 40% as the community went into a Stage 4 Critical Water Shortage alert. “We are pleased to announce that the Raw Water Transmission Line main break on Goodyear Road has been successfully repaired, and water is once again flowing from one of our primary sources,” said the city on Tuesday. City staff are still investigating the cause of the break and will share the findings once they are available, they said. … ” Read more from SF Gate.
CENTRAL COAST
Monterey Peninsula agencies demand rehearing of water decision
“Three Monterey Peninsula public agencies have petitioned a state regulator for a rehearing on a decision it made last month to accept future water supply and demand estimates from California American Water Co., arguing the regulator failed a number of legal requirements in its decision as well as accepting unfounded data. The city of Marina, Marina Coast Water District and the Monterey Peninsula Water Management District each filed separate petitions charging that the California Public Utilities Commission failed to follow state law when it approved Cal Am’s estimates. In accepting the investor-owned utility’s estimates, the CPUC established a shortfall in supply by 2050 along the Peninsula. Without an adequate supply in the next 25 years, the Peninsula would need additional water sources besides the Carmel River, Seaside Basin and the Pure Water Monterey water recycling project. Cal Am is standing by with its proposed desalination plant to meet what it says is a supply shortfall. … ” Read more from the Monterey Herald.
Study: Sea level rise could diminish $200M surfing economy along Santa Cruz coast
“It’s no secret that sun and surf draw millions of people to California’s beach towns. But now researchers in Santa Cruz are translating that wave into dollars and cents using the power of what some call, surfonomics. Professional surfer Shaun Burns is with the Save the Waves Coalition. They’ve just released a new study documenting the economic benefits that surfing brings to Santa Cruz. A figure they estimate at nearly $200 million a year. “People come here, they spend their money at restaurants, coffee shops. There’s the boardwalk, there’s many places that utilize the ocean and how beautiful the coastline is here. And one of the biggest draws to people visiting here and staying here, even though with sales and rent going up a lot, is surfing in the ocean,” says Burns. … ” Read more from KGO.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
SCV Water to hold meeting on contaminated well
“The Santa Clarita Valley Water Agency is holding a public meeting next month as part of a legally prescribed process for potentially restoring a “critical groundwater supply” that’s been offline due to contamination. Well NC-13, a water source about 700 feet west of the Wiley Canyon Road bridge over Railroad Avenue, has been offline for several years due to perchlorate contamination, said Kevin Strauss, spokesman for SCV Water. “It’s a very prescriptive, documented, regulated process for evaluating what would be the most environmentally friendly, cost-effective way to treat this well, to remove perchlorate from the groundwater and restore it to service,” Strauss said in a phone interview Monday, regarding the meeting. “This (well) has been offline for a number of years, and the agency is at a point to evaluate how to bring that back online.” … ” Read more from The Signal.
Building bridges: How LA Waterkeeper is bringing communities together for a healthier LA
“Over the past two months, LA Waterkeeper hosted a series of five watershed planning workshops across four major watersheds in Los Angeles County. Supported by Accelerate Resilience LA (ARLA), the Water Foundation, and the Los Angeles County Flood Control District’s Safe Clean Water Public Education and Community Engagement Grants Program, the workshops brought together residents, community-based organizations, NGOs, academics, city representatives, and watershed planning team members to weigh in on their watershed priorities. These gatherings were designed to collect community feedback on Los Angeles County’s Draft Initial Watershed Plans, which set long-term targets under the Safe Clean Water Program (SCWP). … ” Read more from the LA Waterkeeper.
IMPERIAL/COACHELLA VALLEYS
The race to understand the Salton Sea’s dust storms
“At least eight major dust storms have erupted in the Imperial Valley and the neighboring Coachella Valley since the turn of the century, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Half of those storms have taken place in just the last five years.The events, also known as haboobs, can make travel hazardous and cause accidents or leave people stranded in remote areas. They can also carry harmful particles that burrow deep into the lungs. For more than a decade, scientists like Evan have been trying to better understand the health impacts of these storms. Researchers have examined the density of particles in the air, asthma rates in nearby towns and increased strain on the region’s fragile health care system. But many Imperial Valley residents have grown weary of studies that all seem to reach basically the same conclusion — that the impacts of dust storms are bad and getting worse. … ” Read more from KPBS.
Imperial Irrigation District hires former Interior Deputy Beaudreau to represent District in D.C.
“The Imperial Irrigation District has engaged Tommy Beaudreau—former Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of the Interior—and the WilmerHale team, including Rob Lehman the firm’s Republican government relations lead, to strengthen IID’s presence in Washington, D.C. and on interstate water and federal energy issues, according to an IID press release. Beaudreau, who was the second-highest-ranking official at Interior from 2021 to 2023, is respected across party lines for his leadership on natural resource policy and his ability to forge bipartisan consensus, the release said. At Interior, he oversaw an agency responsible for one-fifth of the nation’s land and significant federal water and power resources across the West. His prior roles include Director of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Chief of Staff to the Interior Secretary, and Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Land and Minerals Management. Lehman is co-chair of the firm’s Public Policy and Legislative Affairs practice with more than 20 years of experience on Capitol Hill, including as chief of staff to former Senator Rob Portman (R-OH). … ” Read more from the Desert Review.
Imperial Irrigation District’s Watermaster retires after 50 years of service
“After a half-century of service ensuring the reliable delivery of water to nearly half a million acres of farmland, as well as to cities, businesses and industries in California’s Imperial Valley, Imperial Irrigation District’s (IID) Watermaster has announced his retirement. IID’s Merlon Kidwell, who joined the largest irrigation district in the nation in September 1975, will be closing the books on this week’s water order summaries, capping a career in water operations and management that includes the past 20 years preparing estimates to meet water requirements for the district’s water flow master schedule. “Being the Watermaster can be a great job, but you have to be able to accept the world as not being perfect,” Kidwell said, who also trained and supervised staff in the trade. “If the water is in the banks when you get to work, then a smart Watermaster will take that as a win. As we operate over 1,600 miles of irrigation infrastructure, we are always prepared for any challenges that may come up during the course of a day.” … ” Read more from the Desert Review.
SAN DIEGO
New drainage system aims to save eroding Del Mar cliffs
“Workers in Del Mar are finalizing an elaborate drainage system along the cliffs to prevent erosion that threatens a vital rail corridor. Like many coastal areas in California, the cliffs in Del Mar have been eroding at an average rate of six inches per year, with urban runoff and rain contributing to the problem. During wet and stormy periods, as much as six feet of the cliffs can crumble onto the beach below, posing a risk to the rail tracks that carry thousands of passengers and freight daily. The drainage system is designed to capture and redirect water from urban runoff and rain, which are the primary causes of erosion from the top down. In addition to the drainage system, 230 support beams have been installed beneath the railroad tracks to stabilize them. … ” Read more from Fox 5.
Why It Matters: What to expect when San Diego votes on raising water rates
“The San Diego City Council is set to vote next week on a series of water rate increases that could raise the average household bill by about $18 per month. Rates would then continue climbing by roughly the same amount each year for the next three years. That’s a 63% increase over four years. But City Council President Joe LaCava said support for the plan might be slipping. “The number of us on the council that are willing to say, ‘this looks bad, I’m gonna regret this vote, but I voted for it at the budget time, and I’ve gotta stick with it,’ and that number is getting smaller and smaller,“ he said. “And so as the council president, I’m beginning a little concerned about how do we actually deliver all that new revenue that we built into the budget.” … ” Read more from KPBS.
Study links Tijuana River pollution to toxic air in San Diego
“A new study published in Science has drawn a direct link between sewage pollution in the Tijuana River and hazardous air quality in nearby San Diego communities. Researchers found hydrogen sulfide from the river transferring into the air at concentrations up to 4,500 times higher than typical urban levels. The toxic, colorless gas – which smells like rotten eggs and forms when organic matter in sewage breaks down – has long been suspected as the root of health complaints among South Bay residents, including respiratory problems, fatigue, headaches, and irritation of the eyes, nose, and throat. … ” Read more from The Inertia.
Along the Colorado River …
Negotiations stall as Colorado River crisis looms again
“Time is running out for the seven states in the Colorado River Basin, as well as 30 tribes and Mexico, to reach a long-term deal for managing the overtapped river. The current guidelines and drought contingency plans for the river expire at the end of next year, and negotiators have until Nov. 11 to reach a new agreement or risk intervention by the federal government. Meanwhile, after one of the river’s driest years on record, reservoir levels at Lake Mead and Lake Powell have again declined, prompting warnings from federal officials and hydrological experts. “The urgency for the seven Colorado River Basin states to reach a consensus agreement has never been clearer,” Scott Cameron, acting assistant secretary for water and science at the U.S. Department of the Interior, said last month in a statement. “We cannot afford to delay.” … ” Read more from Ag Alert.
Dry conditions and high usage lead to concerns about Colorado River water levels
“A Utah State University team says that the Colorado River is experiencing low water levels and may be headed for a crisis. Utah State University’s Colorado River Studies team released a new report that shows that water storage levels in Lake Powell and Lake Mead is significantly reduced. Reportedly, water levels are near the same levels seen during 2020-2022, which have been designated as crisis years. The Colorado River is an essential water source for approximately 40 million people across the Western United States. Additionally, about 55% of the river’ consumption goes to growing livestock feed, according to the Utah State University (USU) Colorado River Studies Team. … ” Read more from ABC 4.
Arizona faces continued Colorado River water cuts, uncertainty about future access
“Arizona will continue to see an 18% reduction of its Colorado River water allocation next year, as decided by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. The level of future potential cuts is uncertain as the basin states are up against a 2026 deadline to negotiate new operating guidelines. The state currently gets about 40% of its water supply from the Colorado River, according to Arizona Department of Water Resources Director Tom Buschatzke. He said the state’s cuts, which have been going on for several years due to low reservoir levels, mainly impact agriculture. “Historically, that water would have been used in many ways, … by farmers in central and southern Arizona, Maricopa and Pinal counties mostly. So, they’ve lost that Colorado River supply,” Buschatzke said. … ” Read more from KTAR.
Queen Creek to pursue $240M deal to supply water that would enable growth
“Queen Creek stepped closer to winning state approval to supply water for development after it agreed to seek a $240 million deal to buy water rights. The Town Council directed its staff to enter negotiations to buy water rights from the Harquahala Valley. The town is in the early stages of considering how to finance the cost of the water, but said it would help bring local control over water rates. Queen Creek could not confirm that the final plan wouldn’t raise water rates for some residents. It’s possible that some ratepayers may have to pay more on their water bills to help the town cover the cost, but it’s too soon to know definitively. … ” Read more from the IndyStar.
Colorado sports betting brings in big bucks for state water plan projects
“Funding for the state’s 2015 water plan started as a trickle. But sports gaming revenue has now turned that trickle into a steady stream. The Colorado Division of Gaming announced this week that nearly $33.8 million from 2024-25 will be allocated to the Colorado Water Conservation Board to support the state’s water plan, with distribution to water projects set to begin in July 2026. Estimates of the following year’s revenues are even better: a forecast of nearly $39 million that could help fund hundreds of projects throughout the state. … ” Read more from Colorado Politics.
In national water news today …
Where ‘day-zero droughts’ could happen as soon as this decade
“Many parts of the world are predicted to endure “day-zero droughts,” periods of extreme and unprecedented water scarcity, which could happen as soon as this decade in certain hotspots including parts of North America, the Mediterranean and southern Africa, according to a new study. It’s well known that climate change, driven by burning fossil fuels, is throwing the global water cycle off balance and causing scarcity. What’s much less clear is when and where extreme water shortages will hit. The new research helps provide answers and some of them are surprising, said Christian Franzke, a climate scientist at Pusan National University in South Korea and an author of the study published Tuesday in Nature Communications. The scientists used a large number of climate models to assess the timing and likelihood of day-zero droughts. These are “unprecedented water scarcity events, events which haven’t occurred so far,” Franzke said. It’s when “you turn on your water tap and no water comes out,” he told CNN. … ” Read more from CNN.
“America first” puts big hurt on international water programs
“Last February, when Elon Musk called the U.S. Agency for International Development “a criminal organization” that had outlived its usefulness, the full calamitous measure of closing the world’s most important human aid organization was not yet apparent overseas or in America. Seven months later it is brutally apparent. Across the planet a shameful retreat is occurring in the global work to secure clean water and safe sanitation for millions of people in Africa and Asia. And across the American Heartland, the end of U.S.A.I.D. is simultaneously wrecking business plans for thousands of American grain producers who are perilously close to losing their farms. … ” Read more from the Circle of Blue.
Trump urges the world to abandon climate fight
“President Donald Trump’s address to the United Nations on Tuesday signaled that he is no longer content to sit on the sidelines as much of the world battles global warming. Instead, Trump made clear his administration would actively seek to undermine international efforts to tackle climate change. He used the bully pulpit to both tout the benefits of U.S.-produced fossil fuels — which are adding greenhouse gases to the atmosphere — and ridicule other nations for embracing green policies and renewable energy. “I’m telling you that if you don’t get away from the green energy scam, your country is going to fail,” Trump told a room filled with world leaders who had gathered for the 80th United Nations General Assembly. … ” Read more from E&E News.
SEE ALSO: ‘Con,’ ‘scam,’ ‘hoax’: Trump’s UN speech on climate, from E&E News
Despite Trump, the world isn’t slowing on climate, E.U. official says
“The European Union climate commissioner, Wopke Hoekstra, said President Trump’s repudiation of climate action shows no signs of affecting other countries’ ambitions, including his own 27-country bloc. “We’re doing the exact opposite of what the U.S. is doing, which, by the way, I find concerning and problematic,” he said in an interview in New York City. He described the actions of the Trump administration on climate as “basically checking out.” But other big economies, he said, are continuing to step up their targets for reducing their emissions of planet-warming greenhouse gases. That will be put to the test on Wednesday in New York City, where the United Nations plans to host a climate summit at which 118 countries are expected to announce their 2035 emissions-reductions targets under the Paris climate accord. … ” Read more from the New York Times.
