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On the calendar today …
- PUBLIC HEARING: Delta Conveyance Project water right hearing beginning at 9am. The State Water Resources Control Board Administrative Hearings Office will hold a Public Hearing on the pending Petitions for Change of Water Right Permits for the Delta Conveyance Project. Interested members of the public who would like to watch this hearing without participating may do so through the Administrative Hearings Office YouTube channel at: bit.ly/aho-youtube. Click here for the meeting notice.
- WEBINAR: Basics of Property Law for Tribal Stewardship from 11am to 12pm. Join the Sustainable Economies Law Center for the Tribal Stewardship Policy Toolkit Webinar: The Basics of Property Law for Tribal Stewardship. This webinar will overview the basic property law tools for stewardship, relying on the Seeds of Land Return Toolkit created and publicly provided by the Sustainable Economies Law Center. Hear from Agency staff on how to use a range of legal tools from those that enable sharing of space, to those that enable full title transfer, and learn more about some California-specific property laws, including the Public Trust Doctrine. Click here to register. Learn more about Sustainable Economies Law Center’s Seeds of Land Return here: Land Return – Sustainable Economies Law Center
- LUNCH-MAR: Water for Wetlands and Floodplains: Adapting Management for a Changing Climate from 12:30pm to 1:30pm. In California’s Central Valley, nearly all wetland habitat relies on actively managed water. As climate change brings less snow and more variable rainfall, wetland and floodplain managers must adapt. This session explores emerging strategies to capture, store, and distribute water based on ecological goals and water year conditions. To join a Lunch-MAR Session, please use this link.
- MEETING: Listening session for the Second Statewide Agricultural Expert Panel at 2pm. The State Water Resources Control Board will hold a public listening session for the Second Statewide Agricultural Expert Panel on Wednesday, October 1 to gather input from the public and all interested parties that will be shared with the Panel members for their consideration of the Panel charge questions, which ask the Panel to consider the approaches adopted in the State Water Board Order WQ 2018-0002, In the Matter of Review of Waste Discharge Requirements General Order No. R5-2012-0116 for Growers Within the Eastern San Joaquin River Watershed that are Members of the Third-Party Group and State Water Board Order WQ 2023-0081, In the Matter of Review of General Waste Discharge Requirements for Discharges from Irrigated Lands Order No. R3-2021-0040. Click here for the full agenda and remote access instructions.
In California water news today …
California prepares for extreme weather swings as new Water Year begins
“While California’s climate has always swung between dry and wet conditions, the past five years have proven what climate science has predicted: California must be prepared for extreme weather events of all kinds, even simultaneous drought and flood conditions. As the new Water Year gets underway, Lake Oroville, the State Water Project’s largest reservoir, is currently 109 percent of average for this date, however there is uncertainty about conditions this winter. The latest outlook from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Climate Predication Center shows a 71 percent chance of La Niña conditions this fall, decreasing to a 54 percent chance in December through February. La Niña events have historically resulted in more dry than wet years, but research also suggests that even as the climate grows hotter and drier overall, the precipitation that California does receive will arrive in stronger storms, increasing the risk from flooding. … ” Read more from DWR.
La Niña expected to bring ‘extreme’ weather patterns statewide, head climatologist says
“As Northern California’s rainy season quickly approaches, meteorologists are anticipating “extreme” weather events to hit the state for the rest of 2025. “Expect extremes, so dry periods interrupted by large and long-lasting atmospheric river conditions,” said state climatologist Michael Anderson during a virtual discussion Tuesday hosted by the state’s Department of Water Resources. DWR monitors the state’s water supply and oversees the construction and maintenance of dams. Anderson and other weather forecasters predict these conditions because of a “La Niña” pattern that is expected to peak in the remaining few months of the calendar year, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Climate Prediction Center. “We do have a La Niña brewing in the eastern tropical Pacific,” Anderson said. “There are cooler than average waters along the equator, hinting at our impending La Nina.” … ” Read more from NBC Bay Area.
SEE ALSO:
- ‘Expect extremes’: California officials warn of severe wet-dry swings, from the Sacramento Bee
- California’s 2025 Water Year ends as eyes turn to the weak La Niña this winter, from Channel 10
Water projects stall while agriculture waits
“On August 21, Governor Gavin Newsom announced that a funding increase of nearly $219 million from the California Water Commission was approved for the long-delayed Sites Reservoir project, which is exalted as one of the largest water storage efforts in California history. Initially proposed in the 1950s, Sites Reservoir has become a symbol of how long it takes to turn water promises into reality. The project gained steam after voters approved Proposition 1 in 2014, authorizing $2.7 billion of the $7.545 billion water bond for new storage projects — namely, Sites Reservoir. “We can’t wait to protect our state from water shortages – there are 40 million Californians depending on us. I am pleased to see the Sites Reservoir project move forward with additional funding, and urge the Legislature to continue to make our state’s water future a priority,” Newsom said in a press release. “Each day that we delay these projects costs our state more money. The Legislature has an opportunity to make history by fast-tracking critical water infrastructure that will ensure we are resilient against droughts and can continue delivering necessary water – a basic human right — to all Californians.” According to the California Farm Water Coalition, tens of millions of Californians and roughly 43 million acres of farmland rely on a fragile water network consisting of aging levees, canals, and dams, dating back to the 1930s. Yet real upgrades remain stalled by politics and lawsuits. … ” Read more from Valley Ag Voice.
Farmers face extraction fees under SGMA
“California farmers and ranchers are facing increased fees under the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act. The current annual fee structure for extractors includes a base filing fee of $300 per well and applies to all extractors required to report, excluding de minimis extractors. For extractors in unmanaged areas, the Unmanaged Area Rate is $10 per acre-foot if metered, or $25 per acre-foot if unmetered, also excluding de minimis extractors. In probationary basins, the Volumetric Rate is $20 per acre-foot, while extractors in probationary basins subject to an interim plan determined by the State Water Board are charged an Interim Plan Rate of $55 per acre-foot, excluding de minimis extractors. De minimis extractors in probationary basins pay a fee of $100 per well, but only if the State Water Board determines at a public hearing that they must report extractions and pay fees. Additionally, an automatic late fee of 25% per month applies to extractors that fail to file reports by the deadline. … ” Read more from Valley Ag Voice.
Postcard from California: Why the top US farming region is sinking
“By any measure, California’s San Joaquin Valley is one of the preeminent farming regions in the world. It’s home to the first, second and third-ranking US counties for overall crop production, and the top counties for fruits, nuts and berries, for cotton, and for livestock and poultry. That takes a lot of water, and in a semi-arid region of recurrent drought, farmers are always looking for more. The agriculture industry’s seemingly bottomless thirst gives the Valley another distinction: It is losing its groundwater – the essential stores of freshwater in underground aquifers – at a rate among the fastest on Earth. As a result, the Valley is sinking. Land subsidence is triggered by farmers drilling thousands of feet deep to tap into the aquifers and pumping the water to the surface. As water is sucked from the aquifers, layers of clay between them and the topsoil compacts, and the ground sinks. … ” Read more from The New Lede.
California’s water crisis: Farmers warn water rules could cripple Central Valley agriculture
“On Hansen Ranch in the Central Valley, fifth-generation farmer Erik Hansen grows a little bit of everything — pistachios, almonds, pomegranates, alfalfa, corn for silage, and cotton. … That diversification has long been the Hansen family’s survival strategy. But in spring 2023, no amount of crop rotation could shield them from disaster. “Where we’re standing right now was underwater,” Hansen recalls. “A mile from here, over by that PG&E substation, was the edge of the lake.” The flood wiped out 600 acres of pomegranates and 400 acres of pistachios. One thousand acres of permanent crops gone in one season. “It was a massive hit,” Hansen says. “We had about 5,000 to 6,000 acres under water. Some of that water lasted for over a year.” The irony is hard to ignore: In 2023, floodwaters destroyed thousands of acres. Now, Hansen says it’s the lack of access to water that could cripple farms across the Central Valley. … ” Read more from Ag Web.
Farm Bureau advocacy in Action: Water, labor and endangered species
“The first year of the 2025-26 California legislative session concluded Sept. 13. Bills that advanced to the governor now await signature or veto. Bills held in their house of origin may be worked on as two-year bills, meaning they are eligible to move forward in the second year of the session. The Legislature passed Senate Bill 72, by state Sen. Anna Caballero, D-Merced, which requires the California Department of Water Resources to add new analyses and storage targets to the California water plan update. California Farm Bureau supports the bill, which awaits the governor’s signature. The Legislature also passed Assembly Bill 263, by Assemblymember Chris Rogers, D-Santa Rosa, which codifies an instream flow emergency regulation for the Scott and Shasta rivers for five years or until the California State Water Resources Control Board develops a permanent instream flow rule. … Meanwhile, several water bills remained in limbo at the end of the legislative session. … ” Read more from Ag Alert.
Endangered species bill could stall projects and water deliveries
“The last day for California legislators to pass bills was September 12, sending proposed bills to Governor Newsom’s desk before adjourning for an interim recess. According to Capitol Weekly, 2,397 bills — 1,533 Assembly Bills and 864 Senate Bills — were introduced during the 2025 Legislative Session. One key bill, Assembly Bill 1319, passed the Senate floor on Sept. 11 and awaits a final decision from the governor by Oct. 12. On Sept. 11, Assembly Bill 1319 passed the Senate floor. The bill — Protected species: California Endangered Species Act — mandates that the Fish and Game Commission review species that experience a decrease in federal protection and consider a California ESA listing for any California native species with lowered protections under the federal ESA. According to a joint “oppose unless amended” letter by the Association of California Water Agencies, the new emergency regulation process proposed in the bill adds uncertainty for permit holders and could cause major delays in projects and maintenance. … ” Read more from Valley Ag Voice.
How fish ladders work – and why some do not
“A fish ladder is a structure in a natural or artificial waterway that allows fish to pass to a destination, like the ocean or spawning grounds. The ladder can go up, down, or around an obstacle like a dam. Throughout California, the success of native fish species and plants and animals in habitats that relate to them are often tied to whether fish can access and use fish ladders. “Fish passage is a huge issue throughout the U.S. and the world. It’s probably the biggest concern for hydropower dams, to ensure fish reach destinations like the ocean or their native spawning grounds,” said Steve Amaral, Principal Fisheries Scientist and owner of Biopassage, a consulting firm based in Holden, Massachusetts. Currently, fish ladders are researched by a wide range of biologists. They are designed and built by a multitude of engineering firms. New information about why and how fish ladders work is continually being discovered. … ” Read more from the California Sportfishing Protection Alliance.
Northeast Pacific endures fourth-largest marine heat wave on record
“The Northeast Pacific ocean, off the U.S. West Coast, is experiencing its fourth-largest marine heat wave since record-keeping began in 1982. “The extent of the current Pacific marine heatwave should be surprising … but unfortunately, record breaking heat is our new norm,” Chris Free, a marine scientist at the University of California, Santa Barbara, told Mongabay. Large marine heat waves have become a recurring theme in the Northeast Pacific since the early 2010s. In 2013, the region was gripped by what was nicknamed The Blob, a massive marine heat wave that stretched from the Gulf of Alaska to Southern California. Lasting roughly three years, The Blob had catastrophic impacts on marine wildlife and ecosystems in the region and was followed by more devastating heat waves. … ” Read more from Mongabay.
22,500 homes lost. Over five years later, only 38% rebuilt: What California fire survivors face
“On a hill in Sonoma County, François Piccin yearns to return home. In fall 2017, Piccin and his wife lost their ranch house when the Tubbs fire roared through Northern California’s famed wine region. Contractors found themselves in high demand and overbooked, and the one the couple hired abandoned the project halfway through. In the time it took to find a new builder, the price tag rose by a third to $2.4 million, forcing the Piccins to sell a rental property they owned to pay the bill. The home remains unfinished and their lives unsettled. “Financially, what we’ve done doesn’t make sense,” said Piccin, 66, standing this summer amid cardboard delivery boxes and stray cabinet drawers in his future kitchen. “But emotionally, psychologically, it is a mandate. We need to have this done to be able to close a chapter and turn the page.” … ” Read more from the LA Times.
In commentary today …
Groundwater tussle
Austin Snedden, Ranching Contributor, Valley Ag Voice, writes, “When it comes to California’s Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA), have no fear–the folks who played a big role in creating the problem are here to fix it. When the State refused to deliver contracted, paid, and promised water through the State Water Project because of a worthless little fish, farmers and municipalities were forced to pump groundwater. When the pumping resulted in lowering groundwater levels and subsidence, the State decided to heap burdensome regulations on its productive citizens. The rational solution would have been to deliver water, as promised, instead of letting millions of gallons of fresh water flow into the ocean, but instead, we have SGMA. I think the fight should be with the State and their breach of contract on State Water Project deliveries, but nevertheless SGMA is here and we are left to wrestle amongst ourselves to figure out who gets what and who pays what. … ” Continue reading at Valley Ag Voice.
Breaking the silos: why the San Joaquin Valley needs regional collaboration on water
“For decades, the San Joaquin Valley has tried to tackle its water challenges in isolated corners. Cities, water agencies, agriculture, environmental groups, and counties all work in silos. But the scale of our water crisis is too large for any one sector or agency to fix alone. Despite long efforts, little progress has been made because we have not coordinated our efforts. The floods of 2023 made this reality undeniable. Kings River runoff surged to a 40‑year record of 4.5 million acre‑feet. Tulare Lake reappeared. Nearly 94,000 acres of farmland were inundated and communities were threatened. But in many places, the infrastructure and coordination needed to capture that floodwater for recharge simply were not in place. Legal uncertainties over water rights compounded the problem. We lacked regional collaboration, and so that precious water slipped away. Flooding is one of our greatest threats and also our greatest opportunity. If we work together across counties, agencies, and industry, we can capture floodwater, recharge aquifers, protect communities, and build resilience. … ” Read more from the Water Blueprint for the San Joaquin Valley.
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
Coalition blasts Del Oro Water Company, calls for state investigation
“This weekend, a coalition of water customers calling themselves “Water Warriors Against Del Oro (WWADO)” released a statement outlining grievances with the Del Oro Water Co., a Chico-based water utility management and operations company that works with small communities and municipalities throughout the state, including Benbow and Ferndale in Humboldt County. In a statement issued last Friday, WWADO said that the organization, “on behalf of hundreds of households in the River Island Water District (in Tulare County) … call on all elected officials to demand the State Auditor conducts a thorough investigation of The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), and the State Water Resources Control Board for allowing, and aiding Del Oro Water Company to provide sub par service (if at all) for decades.” … ” Read more from the Eureka Times-Standard.
Rain year recap: Humboldt County was very wet once again
“Once again it is Sept. 30, which is the last day of the of the California water year, which means it’s time to take stock of the year in precipitation that was. And once again, we rejoice to tell you: It was a wet one! Very wet! The good people at the National Weather Service office on Woodley Island, who keep the Humboldt coast’s official rain gauge, estimate that we got a full nine inches more rain than what they call the “normal,” or “average,” year. Nine extra inches amounts to about a 23 percent wetter year than the average! … ” Read more from the Lost Coast Outpost.
Rearing and migration behaviors of juvenile salmonids in the Eel River watershed
Eric Woodruff writes, “In late August, I gave California Trout’s 2025 Eel River Pikeminnow Fishing Derby a shot. Sadly, I did not win the Derby. But I did come across a number of conditions that got me thinking about rearing juvenile salmonids. For starters, I caught and observed large Sacramento pikeminnow that appeared to be feeding very well in the summer’s warm water temperatures. Depending on where I placed my thermometer in the water column, the temperatures in the South Fork Eel River ranged between the low and the high 70s. Any juvenile salmonid that had options would be nowhere near these conditions. That begs the question, where do juvenile salmon and steelhead go? Also, what do they do as they grow and begin their downstream migration to the open waters of the Pacific Ocean? One of the strategies appears to be to avoid the mainstem Eel River and the forks of the Eel River. The fish remain in the tributaries of the Eel River as long as those tributary habitats are available. … ” Read more from the California Sportfishing Protection Alliance.
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
Feather River Mural Project nearing completion
“The Feather River Mosaic Mural Project is nearing an end in the city of Oroville. It’s been three years in the making, involving more than 1,000 kids creating the drawings and placing mosaic tiles on 60 16′ by 18″ panels. When it’s finished, there will be nearly 600 feet of beautiful mosaic mural wall installed along Table Mountain Boulevard, illustrating the journey of the Feather River from its headwaters in the Sierra Nevada and Southern Cascade mountains to its convergence with the Sacramento River. … ” Read more from Action News Now.
Water Forum releases DRAFT Water Forum 2050 Agreement
“The Water Forum has announced the release of the DRAFT Water Forum 2050 Agreement, a landmark update to the regional accord that has guided efforts to balance the Sacramento region’s water supply reliability with the protection of the lower American River for the past 25 years. First signed in 2000, the Water Forum Agreement brought together business leaders, citizen groups, environmental advocates, water providers, and local governments to address growing water demands while preserving the environmental and recreational values of the lower American River. The new agreement builds on that legacy with updated strategies that reflect the growing challenges of climate change, increasing regulatory demands, and economic pressures. As with the original agreement, Water Forum 2050 maintains the two coequal objectives as the guiding lights of the Water Forum: Providing a reliable and safe water supply for the region’s economic health and planned development through 2050; and preserving the fishery, wildlife, recreational, and aesthetic values of the lower American River. … ” Read more from the Water Forum.
BAY AREA
Bay Area braces for wettest day since spring. Here’s how rain could impact your commute
“A significant rain event is poised to move into the Bay Area on Wednesday. Unlike Monday’s sputtering system, this one carries more moisture and a better chance of breaking San Francisco’s monthslong run without a meaningful wet day. The city hasn’t logged more than a tenth of an inch in one day since early May, a mark that could easily fall on Wednesday. Showers will begin seeping into the North Bay before dawn, with the Marin Headlands and Highway 101 corridor first in line. Some predawn rain bands may drift south of the Golden Gate into San Francisco and the Peninsula, though the focus of the initial burst of rain remains north of the bridge. By sunrise, the forecast grows trickier. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
SFPUC modernizes San Francisco’s oldest wastewater plant with new $717 million headworks facility
“The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) announced the completion of the first major project in a multi-billion-dollar upgrade to San Francisco’s oldest and largest wastewater treatment plant. The Headworks Facility, the first stop for 80% of San Francisco’s wastewater at the city’s 1950s-era Southeast Treatment Plant, has been rebuilt to withstand a 7.8 earthquake on the San Andreas fault. The facility is the primary intake and pre-treatment area of San Francisco’s largest wastewater treatment plant. It’s responsible for removing large debris and grit from incoming wastewater. The new facility removes grit with much greater efficiency, protecting other critical treatment systems on site. It also significantly reduces odors, a welcome, long-requested improvement for the surrounding Bayview neighborhood. “Critical pieces of infrastructure like our treatment plants keep our city running and help us deliver the high-quality services that San Franciscans deserve,” said Mayor Daniel Lurie. “This investment in our city’s future is delivering real results—from jobs for local residents to vibrant neighborhood art to a stronger wastewater system that will serve San Francisco for years to come.” … ” Read more from the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission.
SEE ALSO: San Francisco officials cut ribbon at upgraded wastewater treatment plant, from KALW
CENTRAL COAST
A year in water: how much rain did the Central Coast pick up this ‘water year’
“Here in California, we see almost all of our rain in the winter months. This impacts the way we record our rain and how we talk about it, too. The California Water Year runs from October 1st through September 30th each year. As we close the 2024-2025 water year, here is a look at what we saw across Central Coast communities! … ” Read more from KSBY.
Historic battery plant cleanup kicks off in Moss Landing
“Monday, the Environmental Protection Agency began overseeing cleanup of the lithium-ion batteries that burned in a massive fire at the Moss Landing Power Plant in January. The effort, which involves removing tens of thousands of damaged battery modules, is the largest lithium-ion battery cleanup in the EPA’s history. On Jan. 16, lithium-ion batteries located in the Moss Landing storage facility and owned by Vistra, a Texas-based energy company, ignited and burned for two days. The fire, which burned about 55% of what was at the time the world’s largest battery energy storage system, made international headlines and caused local concern and confusion over the possible environmental and health effects of the disaster. Vistra’s 300-megawatt battery energy storage system contained 100,000 battery modules and was intended to store energy from renewable sources, such as solar and wind, to be distributed to the electrical grid at a later time. Following the fire, the batteries were delinked to minimize the risk of flare-ups. The Vistra batteries and the nearby PG&E batteries that did not burn, have been sitting idle since January. … ” Read more from the San Jose Mercury News.
2,700-acre Chevron land donation will double size of Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes refuge
“Union Oil Company of California (Unocal), a Chevron affiliate, is donating 2,700 acres of restored coastal dune habitat from the Guadalupe Restoration Project to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The donation, once finalized, will double the size of the Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes National Wildlife Refuge, enhancing public access and supporting long-term ecological preservation of one of California’s most sensitive coastal landscapes, said Jeff Moore, lead public affairs advisor for Chevron Environmental Management Company. Moore spoke as he lead a media tour around the dunes Tuesday, pausing occasionally to gesture toward key restoration zones. “We’ve been working to restore habitat on this site for about 25 years, and we think we have about three to five years of work left. At that time, we hope this land will become part of the National Wildlife Refuge, which is right next door,” said Moore. … ” Read more from the Santa Maria Times.
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
Riverdale Park Tract warns of PFOS and PFOA levels in local groundwater
“The Riverdale Park Tract Community Service District (RPTCSD) has notified the Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors that levels of perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) in local groundwater have exceeded state notification levels, according to a letter submitted for discussion at the next board meeting. PFOS and PFOA are man-made chemicals classified under per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), a group of emerging contaminants of significant concern. These chemicals are widely used in consumer products, including non-stick cookware, waterproof fabrics, carpets, paper food packaging, and fire-retardant foam. … ” Read more from Channel 10.
Diablo Grande community in Stanisaus County attempts to recall HOA board
“Homeowners in the small western Stanislaus County community of Diablo Grande are moving to recall their homeowners association board, saying the group has prioritized cosmetic fines over addressing a looming water crisis. Residents have already seen their monthly bills spike after agreeing to steep rate hikes this summer to keep water flowing through the end of 2025. Kern County Water Agency extended deliveries until Dec. 31 after the Western Hills Water District committed to payments on its $13 million debt. But with uncertainty over whether water will continue past January, residents say their HOA is issuing fines for brown lawns and other minor violations. … ” Read more from CBS News.
Friant Water Authority: Court rejects ETGSA’s motions
“Last week the Friant Water Authority issued a press release stating Tulare County Superior Court Judge Bret D. Hillman rejected two attempts by the Eastern Tulare Groundwater Sustainability Agency to dismiss its lawsuit against the agency. FWA stated Hillman rejected two ETGSA motions. The suit was filed by FWA and the Arvin-Edison Water Storage District over a 2021 settlement agreement between ETGSA and the two agencies. The two agencies contend ETGSA hasn’t lived up to that agreement to sufficiently provide funds to mitigate the effects of subsidence, the effective sinking of the Friant-Kern Canal, caused by excessive groundwater pumping within ETGSA boundaries. The press release states ETGSA committed to collect financial penalties to deal with the subsidence by its “unwillingness to address subsidence continues to threaten the conveyance capacity of the Friant-Kern Canal,” referring to the canal’s ability to deliver water. … ” Read more from the Porterville Recorder.
SAN DIEGO
Mayor’s water rate increase ‘dead on arrival’
“Mayor Todd Gloria didn’t have the votes on Tuesday to pass the huge water and wastewater rate increase needed to avoid layoffs at the city’s Public Utilities Department. Councilmembers voted 8 to 1 to push the decision on a 63 percent water and 31 percent wastewater vote to Oct. 28. Councilmember Vivian Moreno voted no. The mayor will need at least five to pass the rates by that date or risk layoffs at the Public Utilities Department or default on loans. In the meantime, councilmembers want to see the mayor’s staff find a way to save San Diegans money on their water bills. He’s got a lot of work to do. Councilmembers were pretty blunt about their feelings. “The rates will not go up another 62 percent. This is a non-starter. This is dead on arrival,” said Councilmember Stephen Whitburn who represents District 3. “Let’s go back and get this number down. I want to see the absolute lowest possible number that protects our workers and our residents.” … ” Read more from Voice of San Diego.
SEE ALSO: City Council balks at steep proposed water rate hikes, delays vote by a month, from the San Diego Union-Tribune
Sweetwater Authority joins stampede away from County Water Authority
“The Sweetwater Authority, which supplies drinking water to a wide swath of South San Diego County, is joining the ranks of local water agencies seeking to reduce their dependence on the San Diego County Water Authority. Sweetwater governing board members earlier this month voted unanimously to begin laying the groundwork for a major new groundwater project that would involve pumping and desalinating millions of gallons of water per year from a massive aquifer under southwestern San Diego County. The goal, said agency General Manager Carlos Quintero, is to boost Sweetwater’s homegrown water supplies and free ratepayers from footing the bill for expensive imported county water. “The county water authority is very expensive compared to local sources,” Quintero said. “We’re trying to keep the water rates lower by relying on cheaper water.” … ” Read more from the Voice of San Diego.
San Diego County Board approves next steps in Tijuana River Valley soil contamination study
“The County Board of Supervisors today voted to ask the State Water Resources Control Board to fund a $1.4 million study to test the ground and water within the Tijuana River Valley for contamination. The two-year study, called a Sediment Quality Object Triad Analysis, is a standard scientific method for testing soil and sediment chemistry, toxicity and ecological impacts. “This study is an important step in identifying hard evidence required by the Environmental Protection Agency to act and move toward a Superfund designation,” said Board Chair Terra Lawson Reemer. “This work is all in an effort toward ensuring that residents are no longer left to live, work, and raise families in the shadow of one of America’s most contaminated waterways.” … ” Read more from San Diego County.
Along the Colorado River …
Metropolitan Water District: Adapting to a changing Colorado River: Lessons from the past, plans for the future
“The Colorado River Basin states continue to meet in an effort to reach an agreement by the November deadline set by the Bureau of Reclamation. Bill Hasencamp, Colorado River Resources Manager, said that Reclamation is “all in” and dedicating significant effort to bring the seven states to a consensus. However, as of now, the states remain far apart in their negotiations. Looking ahead to 2027, Metropolitan Water District (Metropolitan) anticipates reduced water supplies from the Colorado River. Hasencamp noted that while the exact reductions are still unknown, Metropolitan has faced similar challenges in the past. In 2003, the district experienced a loss of 700,000 to 800,000 acre-feet of Colorado River water, prompting major operational changes and a reevaluation of system management. This history underscores Metropolitan’s ability to adapt to significant shifts in water availability. During the September meeting of Metropolitan’s One Water and Stewardship Committee and Imported Water Subcommittee, Laura Lamdin, interim team manager in the water resource management group, reflected on California’s and Metropolitan’s previous experiences with substantial reductions in Colorado River supplies. “By understanding the past, we can take lessons learned and apply that to the future, and also going through this framework will kind of give you an idea of the structure that we have to work with and need to work around,” she explained. … ” Read more from Maven’s Notebook.
‘Getting down to the wire,’ conservation groups try to pump up Colorado River negotiations
“More than three decades ago, water managers in Southern Nevada launched a plan to pipe groundwater from hundreds of miles away to augment Lake Mead’s water supply. The plan fell through and the region moved on, implementing major water conservation efforts instead. A coalition of conservation groups say Nevada’s history can offer hope as water managers across western states negotiate new rules for sharing the Colorado River’s dwindling water supply. The Great Basin Water Network, Living Rivers-Colorado Riverkeeper, Utah Rivers Council, and the Glen Canyon Institute released a report Wednesday with several recommendations they say would prevent the continued over-consumption of the river’s water. States reliant on the river are approaching a 2026 deadline to reach a consensus on how to manage the river, and they have until mid-November to reach a preliminary agreement or risk federal intervention. With only weeks until the earlier deadline, Colorado River basin states remain at odds over how to manage the river that serves 40 million people across the West. Those disagreements largely center on which half of the basin should decrease its water use, and by how much. … ” Read more from the Nevada Current.
SEE ALSO: Deadline looms for new water use agreement among Nevada, states that use Colorado River, from Fox 5
Save Lake Mead from ‘human intransigence’ in 9 steps, coalition says
“The crisis along the Colorado River is coming to a head as seven state negotiators fail to deliver an agreement on how to manage it over the next 20 years. But the river system can’t wait, and common-sense solutions that states can implement in the interim are being ignored, a coalition of nongovernmental organizations argues in a report released Wednesday. The report, titled “There’s No Water Available,” outlines nine recommendations to avoid collapse. The authors place some blame on the Upper Basin states of Colorado, Utah, New Mexico and Wyoming for their desire to draw more water from the river upstream and for their failure to commit to cuts in water use. Nevada, California and Arizona — the Lower Basin states — have, by contrast, a more realistic view of the immediate need to slash use across all states, the authors say. “What we’re really expressing is a frustration that there isn’t a public process going on right now,” said Kyle Roerink, a report author and executive director of the Great Basin Water Network based in Nevada and Utah. “Are we to just rely on 12 technocrats — the seven basin states, somebody from Mexico and a couple feds? When does the public get a better understanding of all this?” … ” Read more from the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
Why the basin states’ fight over Colorado River water is a big deal for Arizona
“Central Arizona Project (CAP) delivers water to about 90% of the state’s population. CAP is a 336-mile system of aqueducts, tunnels, pumping plants and pipelines that carries Colorado River water to Arizona’s most-populated regions. Terry Goddard, president of CAP, is worried about how operations will have to be restructured if Arizona gets shorted in when new Colorado River operating guidelines are finalized next year. The basin states first agreed to Colorado River operating guidelines in 2007 when they anticipated future water shortages. When the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation made the original allocations, they believed the river could be relied on 18-20 million acre-feet of water. But now, the figure is around half that amount, at 10-11 million-acre feet, resulting in ongoing allocation cuts to some states that use Colorado River water, including Arizona. … ” Read more from KTAR.
Zebra mussels threaten infrastructure and native ecosystems. Colorado is ramping up its efforts to detect and contain them.
“It’s a bluebird day at West and East Lake in Grand Junction, and Maddie Baker is throwing a plankton tow net into the water, and dragging it back to her. “This is made of a 64 micrometer mesh, so that allows us to trap the veligers in their juvenile form, where they are microscopic and invisible to the eye,” she explains. Baker is an invasive species specialist for Colorado Parks and Wildlife. A veliger is the larval form of many kinds of mollusks, including the invasive—and pervasive—zebra mussel. Baker doesn’t have to tow the plankton net to know the mussels are here. She picks mussel after mussel off of a concrete platform that gives anglers access to the lake. “It sucks, yeah,” she says. “It’s a very unfortunate realization for us to come to. And it shows us that this population is already well established in this body of water, if we can find adults with relative ease.” … ” Read more from Aspen Public Radio.
In national water news today …
River health is critical for U.S. communities: Key learnings from EESI’s resilient and healthy rivers briefing series
“Rivers are the lifeblood of society, supplying nearly 70% of drinking water in the United States and serving as vital habitats for more than 80% of U.S. species. Yet today, many of America’s rivers face growing threats from climate change, pollution, water scarcity, and habitat degradation. The Environmental and Energy Study Institute’s (EESI’s) briefing series, Resilient and Healthy Rivers, explored practical solutions that researchers and practitioners are implementing to revitalize and manage some of the nation’s most important waterways. The five-part briefing series featured 22 experts who shared insights from across the Colorado, Columbia, Mississippi, Ohio, and Tennessee river basins. Each river plays a distinct and irreplaceable role in the U.S. economy and environment. The Colorado River provides drinking water to 40 million people, or about one in every 10 people living in the United States. … ” Read more from the Environmental and Energy Study Institute.
Environmental review bill would sharply restrict public challenges to federal projects
“A new bill introduced in Congress, and co-sponsored by Republicans and Democrats, would significantly overhaul the environmental permitting process for federal projects. The “Standardizing Permitting and Expediting Economic Development” or “SPEED” Act alters language in a longstanding environmental law called the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) that essentially mandates federal agencies consider the environmental and cultural impacts of their actions and decisions. The bill comes after earlier changes under the Trump administration to significantly weaken the Council on Environmental Quality, which used to oversee how federal agencies implement NEPA. Because of those changes, agencies from the Department of Defense to the Bureau of Reclamation were empowered to individually alter their internal rules for environmental permitting without any public input. … ” Read more from KUNM,
Also on Maven’s Notebook today …
NOTICE OF PREPARATION of an EIR for the petition requesting an extension of time to more fully exercise conditional water rights for operation of the State Water Project
ANNOUNCEMENT: CalWATRS Launches October 7, 2025
NOW AVAILABLE: Final 2025 Agricultural Water Management Plan (AWMP) Guidebook
