A wrap-up of posts published on Maven’s Notebook this week …
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In California water news this week …
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.
Happy New Water Year 2026! – following 2025’s Normal and Extreme Hydrology
“October 1 marks the beginning of California’s new Water Year (WY). Water years here run from October 1 until September 30 of the next calendar year and are named for the calendar year of the bulk of the water year (January-October). October 1 is also the nominal beginning of California’s wet season. California’s hydrology has two basic seasons, wet and dry, with the wet season nominally from October 1 – April 1 (Figure 1). The first sizable storm sometimes arrives in late September and sometimes not until November (recently in 2021). Sizable storms rarely arrive after April. As we leave California’s long dry season, and prepare hopefully for the wet season, it is a good time to reflect on the last water year and prepare for what is also California’s flood season. At this time, it also is customary for people to make largely futile predictions and speculations of precipitation for the coming 12 months. … ” Read more from the California Water Blog.
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.
Sierra Nevada’s glaciers will soon be gone
“The glaciers that have carved the Sierra Nevada mountain range for millions of years will be gone by 2100, according to a paper published Wednesday in the journal Science Advances. Humans have never looked up at Mount Lyell, the highest point in Yosemite National Park, and not seen ice. There have been glaciers in the region for 30,000 years. “Climate change is sort of this abstract and a nebulous problem, in a lot of ways,” said the paper’s author, Andrew Jones, a geologist and PhD candidate at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. “But glaciers are tangible. A glacier is sort of a touchstone between the past and the present.” Since 1880, the average temperature on Earth has increased dramatically, by at least 1.8 degrees Fahrenheit, and by as much as 2.2 degrees Fahrenheit — largely the result of humans causing unprecedented levels of greenhouse gasses to be released into the atmosphere due to industrialization. The world is getting hotter; most people can see that on their iPhone’s weather app, or their summer electricity bill. But among the most concerning changes, as well as the most visible ones, are the melting of the polar ice caps and the glaciers. … ” Read more from the Courthouse News Service.
Kern County Water Agency urges investment in essential infrastructure: The Delta Conveyance Project
Andrew Nixon / DWR
“The Kern County Water Agency (Agency) has noted that the federal government has refused to direct additional funding towards the high-speed rail. The Agency strongly encourages elected officials to shift these infrastructure investment funds toward California’s proposed State Water Project (SWP), Delta Conveyance Project (DCP). The SWP supports a $2.3 trillion regional economy, delivers water to 27 million people, supports 750,000 acres of farmland, and sustains 8.7 million jobs and 800,000 businesses. It has delivered consistent, measurable benefits and remains a California essential infrastructure system, but one that is in serious need of investment and federal funding. In contrast, the high-speed rail project continues to face delays and cost overruns. “The DCP will contribute greatly to the economic well-being of our state, and it is fundamental to our nation’s food security, business continuity, and environmental resilience. Conversely, high speed rail has shown NO return on investment for the people. It is time to invest in infrastructure that helps to feed and power our nation,” said Gene Lundquist, Director of the Agency Board. … ” Continue reading from the Kern County Water Agency.
Delta Conveyance Project: Securing statewide water supplies: Acknowledging and addressing community concerns during project construction and operations
“Construction and operation of the Delta Conveyance Project will inevitably impact the local community to varying degrees. Members of the public have asked honest and fair questions about how the project could affect their day-to-day lives. To provide a transparent and simplified description of potential project effects, the Department of Water Resources (DWR) has put together a guide that offers a high-level summary of changes that communities could see with links to additional information. Questions addressed in the guide cover a variety of topics, ranging from construction noise and anticipated travel times to well water level and quality and the visual character of the Delta. Each topic includes a summary of what project operations and construction could be like, example commitments to reduce impacts, and relevant resources and citations. DWR has made numerous commitments to address effects within the local community that may be caused by construction of the Delta Conveyance Project, with the overall goal being to avoid, minimize or offset these effects for residents, businesses, recreators, subsistence fishers, Tribes, Environmental Justice communities, emergency responders, tourists, environmental NGOs, agricultural operations, and the traveling public, among many others. … ” Read more from the Department of Water Resources.
Kern County supervisor predicts “death of SGMA” after groundwater bill is tabled
“A pair of bills that arose out of the ongoing fight over groundwater in eastern Kern County’s desert have come to very different conclusions – one awaiting the Governor’s signature and the other tabled indefinitely. Both bills address a process known as groundwater adjudication, in which a judge decides how much water is available in a basin and then assigns pumping rights to various users. These cases can go on for up to 10 years as courts sift through rights going back more than 100 years and try to find and engage with every pumper in the disputed region. Assembly Bill 1466, placed on Gov. Newsom’s desk Sept. 23, attempts to alleviate some of that leg work by having groundwater sustainability agencies (GSAs) provide a report of all pumpers to the court. A companion bill, Assembly Bill 1413 was “ordered to the inactive file” on Sept. 9. That bill would have required judges to use groundwater amounts – known as “sustainable yield” – established by GSAs rather than litigate that issue independently. … ” Read more from SJV Water.
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.
From Fox Canyon to Mid-Kaweah: Insights into groundwater trading
“The August meeting of the California Water Commission featured a panel discussion on groundwater trading, which has emerged as a promising tool to help basins achieve sustainability while mitigating the economic impacts of reduced water use. However, designing and implementing effective groundwater markets is a complex process that requires careful planning, stakeholder engagement, and robust accountability systems. From the lessons learned in Fox Canyon and Mid-Kaweah to the development of an interagency workplan and state-supported tools, the discussion highlighted both the opportunities and challenges of groundwater trading. In early 2021, the California Water Commission was tasked by state agencies to implement Action 3.6 of the water resiliency portfolio. This initiative aimed to enable GSAs to trade water within basins and promote groundwater markets, while protecting natural resources, small and medium-sized farms, and disadvantaged communities’ water supply and quality. The Commission hosted public events to gather input, culminating in the 2022 release of a white paper outlining next steps for state involvement in groundwater trading programs. … ” Read more at Maven’s Notebook.
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.
Risk-taking is key to saving California’s freshwater species: A conversation with water lawyer Jennifer Harder
Now, a new Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) report highlights another threat to conservation: fear of making the wrong management decision. But saving freshwater species will require taking some risks. “We need to learn to be more nimble,” says Jennifer Harder, lead author of the report and a professor focusing on water and the environment at the University of the Pacific’s McGeorge School of Law. “Current management does not keep up with the needs of species.” The new report builds on a 2024 PPIC report, led by aquatic ecologist Ted Sommer, that calls for thinking beyond conventional approaches to conserving freshwater ecosystems. Emerging conservation tools include tissue archives to preserve genetic diversity, hybridization to increase genetic diversity, and moving species outside their historical ranges to get ahead of climate change. Harder, a co-author on the 2024 report, was then tasked with assessing the feasibility of implementing these tools from legal, policy, and institutional perspectives. … ” Read more from Robin Meadows at Maven’s Notebook.
GIS, data central to water agencies in a changing world
“A warming climate and the increasing threat of urban wildfires have water districts assuming new responsibilities as part of their role to provide fire protection — and they’re supporting that work with GIS, data advancements and hardware. The Santa Margarita Water District (SMWD) in Orange County, Calif., has developed three reservoirs, able to hold some 3 billion gallons of recycled water, strategically placed near wildlands to aid in firefighting, establishing the water district as a key component of the region’s resiliency in the face of fire threats. “You look in this continuum of need for water, and certainly you need it for just day-to-day living. But we’re also going to need it more so to maintain community resiliency in the face of climate change,” reflected Nate Adams, director of water resiliency at SMWD. The open-air reservoirs are supplied with recycled water for non-potable water uses such as irrigation. They are maintained at one-quarter to half-full in order to serve firefighting needs. “Those are located right adjacent to our national forests, and our other areas, so that helicopters and others that quickly need to refill, it’s immediate hookups and fill opportunities for them,” Adams explained. … ” Read more from Government Techology.
Governor Newsom signs SB 72
The Governor has signed SB 72 by Senator Anna Caballero (D-Merced) – The California Water Plan: long-term supply targets. A signing message can be found here. See full press release for more legislation signed by Governor Newsom.
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.
Can an AI-guided robot help San Rafael resist sea level rise and sequester carbon?
“In the Northern California Bay Area, the weather has never pulled its punches. Storms pound the shorelines, king tides swallow streets and wind-driven wildfires blast through the forests. But the ocean and coasts in the region are bringing additional challenges, as rising sea levels push the waters of the bay higher and soil compaction sinks the land. By 2050, according to a NASA-led study, sea levels in California are projected to rise between 6 and 14.5 inches above the average of levels recorded in the last quarter of the past century. During the next 25 years, Bay Area sea levels could increase even more, by over 17 inches, which would especially affect the city of San Rafael, in Marin County, one of the lowest-lying areas along the bay shoreline. Due to the risks posed by the rising water levels, in 2023, the state of California enacted the Regional Shoreline Adaptation Plans (RSAP) to address sea level rise, build coastal resilience and support communities near the water. That initiative gave rise to the Sea Level Rise Collaborative Project (SLRCP) in San Rafael. “Sea level rise in San Rafael, especially in the Canal area—a predominantly immigrant neighborhood that is home to more than 10,000 Latinos sitting on the ingress of the Pacific—is a big problem,” said Chris Cogo, an environmental justice specialist who is part of the SLRCP Steering Committee, a team made up of residents and property owners. … ” Read more from Inside Climate News.
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.
Winter forecast 2025-26: Snowy season ahead for parts of the US
“Get your heavy coats, ice scrapers and snow shovels ready, because the start of winter is just a few weeks away, and it could be a stormy season for parts of the United States. “It can be an intense stormy winter for areas of the country, particularly across the Midwest, Great Lakes, Ohio Valley, Northeast and parts of the mid-Atlantic,” AccuWeather Lead Long-Range Meteorologist Paul Pastelok said. … Winter across the West Coast and Rocky Mountains will be directly linked to a marine heat wave that has water temperatures running much higher than normal across the northern Pacific Ocean. “These waters off the West Coast and extending farther out are very, very important going into our [winter] forecast this year,” Pastelok explained. He added that there have not been many winter seasons in recent decades that have had a similar setup across such a vast area of the ocean. … ” Read more from AccuWeather.
In commentary this week …
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.
California’s dying salmon test our environmental values. We’re flunking
Opinion writer Tom Philp writes, “California salmon are as central to our historic identity as the symbol on our state flag, the California grizzly. It is a sad and ironic tragedy that the grizzly has been extinct for generations. What does it say about us if salmon may soon follow? California is known around the globe for its commitment to environmentalism. But the state is struggling in the present. Much is chronicled on how California is not on target to meet climate change goals, such as our pioneering plans for “net zero” emissions of global warming gases in just two decades. There is less attention on how the state is equally failing the signature inhabitants of its natural world. Losing salmon would be an ecological disaster for our freshwater ecosystems, forests, riverbanks and other native species if their links to the salmon were severed. Healthy salmon runs mean jobs for Californians, but the industry generating $1 billion is at risk, and is a historic piece of California’s culture. … ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee.
Department of Fish and Wildlife tips its hand in advance of white sturgeon status review
Paul S. Garland writes, “The Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Fish and Game Commission both play key roles in the implementation of the California Endangered Species Act (CESA). The Commission must act on petitions to list species under the Act, initially by determining whether listing “may be warranted,” in which case the species becomes a candidate for listing and the Commission subsequently determines whether listing as threatened or endangered is warranted. At both stages, the Commission’s decision is informed by a report and recommendation issued by the Department. At the outset, once Commission staff deem a petition to be complete, the Department is required to prepare a “written evaluation report” to inform the Commission’s decision as to whether the species should be a candidate for listing. If the Commission designates a species as a candidate, the Department is then required to prepare a written peer-reviewed status report based on the best scientific information available to inform the decision whether the species should be listed as threatened or endangered. … ” Read more from the Center for California Water and Policy and Management.
In regional water news this week …
Salmon reach new milestone after California’s massive dam removal
“A year after the celebrated removal of four dams on the Klamath River, salmon have etched a new milestone in their push into once-inaccessible waters in California and Oregon. Oregon wildlife officials last week captured video of a chinook salmon passing the first of two dams that still remain on the river above the sites of the former dams. Those remaining dams continue to pose obstacles for fish. The salmon’s ascent up a fish ladder at southern Oregon’s Keno Dam marks the farthest point upriver that salmon have been documented since the lower dams were removed, and it suggests that Keno Dam may be less of a problem than many had thought. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
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.
From stream to lake: new study shows the impact of upstream dynamics on the health of Lake Tahoe
“Lake Tahoe, renowned for its blueness and clarity, has recently seen its shores change color with an increase in algal blooms in a greening pattern that has been observed in similar lakes across the world. Tahoe is an oligotrophic lake, meaning that it is deep, clear, cold and usually would experience little algal growth, but ongoing environmental changes may be affecting algal growth on the bottom of the shoreline of the lake. Kelly Loria, recent graduate of the Ecology, Evolution and Conservation Biology doctoral program in the College of Agriculture, Biotechnology & Natural Resources (CABNR) at the University of Nevada, Reno, has harnessed the power of high-frequency sensors to understand algal growth by monitoring changes in Tahoe’s shorelines and streams in a study that has inspired a new era of data collection at Lake Tahoe. “Algae have really rapid turnover rates, meaning they’re really sensitive to environmental changes and can be a useful metric of change in an aquatic ecosystem,” Loria said. … ” Read more from Nevada Today.
Salmon habitat restoration priorities in the Lower Russian River
“NOAA Fisheries and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife are implementing a collaborative process called SHaRP (Salmon Habitat Restoration Priorities) to identify priority actions for restoring California’s salmon and steelhead habitat. SHaRP is a collaborative, consensus-based process to determine the most pressing habitat restoration actions needed to recover salmonids in a focus area (such as one or more streams or rivers). In the Lower Russian River watershed, the SHaRP effort targeted four focus areas: Green Valley Creek, Dutch Bill Creek, Willow Creek, and Mill Creek. The success of SHaRP depends on community and tribal participation. Creating these highly-specific restoration strategies requires deep, local understanding. Participants were convened to gather context and conditions of each of the four focus areas, and to identify habitat problems and solutions. … ” Read more from NOAA Fisheries.
New horizontal levee aims to enrich Baylands habitat in Palo Alto
“Visitors to the Palo Alto Baylands may have to navigate a construction zone next to the wastewater treatment plan for the next few months as the city commences work on unusual project that officials hope will enhance the habitat and protect the endangered species that make the nature preserve their home. The city broke ground in September on Bay Area’s first horizontal levee, a gently sloped expanse next to the Regional Water Quality Control Plant that officials hope to finish by next spring. Once completed, landscaped levee will incline from the tide toward Embarcadero Road. The area will be filled with marsh plants that will be treated with treated wastewater from the wastewater plant through an underground pile. The levee will serve as yet another filtering system for the effluent as it goes from the treatment plant to the Bay. … ” Read more from Palo Alto Online.
How two rivers could rescue sinking beaches and marshes
“On the west side of the mouth of the San Lorenzo River, where it flows into Monterey Bay, sits the oldest amusement park in California — the 118-year-old Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. The only barrier between the Boardwalk and the sea is Main Beach, which, at less than 100 feet wide in some spots, is vulnerable to sea level rise — like so many other beaches and wetlands in the Bay Area. But in this case, the San Lorenzo River has been giving the beach a much-needed and all-natural boost. Researchers with the U.S. Geological Survey have found that flooding events during particularly wet years result in the river sending loads of beach-building sediment to Santa Cruz, giving the dwindling Main Beach an elevation boost that lasts for three or four years before it starts to wane again. Their study, published in Geophysical Research Letters earlier this year and first covered by KneeDeep in January 2024, is one of a handful of similar efforts in the San Francisco Bay Area examining the movement of mud, clay, silt, and sand through watersheds to better understand how to prepare for and benefit from sediment transfer to shorelines and coasts that need to bulk up. “We want to come up with these management sweet spots where we’re doing right by the watershed and we’re also doing right by … our marshes and our mudflats,” says Scott Dusterhoff, senior scientist at the San Francisco Estuary Institute. … ” Read more from Knee Deep Times.
State urges Stanislaus city to OK housing but also reduce groundwater pumping
“A state agency is telling Patterson to reconsider an April 1 City Council decision that rejected the 719-home Keystone Ranch subdivision over water shortage concerns in western Stanislaus County. The California Department of Housing and Community Development said in a Sept. 22 letter that the council decision was not consistent with the Housing Accountability Act, which aims to remove unreasonable delays for new housing in a state with a shortage. The letter from HCD informed the city that it may notify the attorney general, the state’s top law enforcer, if it finds the city is in violation of state law. HCD asked the city for a response by Oct. 22. … ” Read more from the Modesto Bee.
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.
Proposal to undo roadless rule would open some of Southern California’s last wild forests to development
“To see what Southern California looked like before millions of homes sprawled through the region, head to Cleveland National Forest. Nestled between Los Angeles and San Diego, the forest’s three districts are a refuge for the region’s wildlife and locals looking to escape the hustle and bustle of the state’s two biggest cities. From above, a sea of homes surrounds the Santa Ana mountains—famous for the intense winds they generate—but the national forest forms a clear band of undeveloped wildlands connecting the southernmost peaks of the state’s Coast Ranges to the northern Mojave Desert. But a nearly 25-year-old federal rule protecting the area, along with portions of many other national forests across the country, may soon be rescinded, paving the way for more development and increasing wildfire risk in some of the nation’s last remote woodlands and wilderness areas. … ” Read more from Inside Climate News.
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.
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.
Millions rely on dwindling Colorado River — but are kept ‘in the dark’ about fixes, critics say
“The Colorado River, which provides water across the Southwest, has lost about 20% of its flow in the last quarter-century, and its depleted reservoirs continue to decline. But negotiations aimed at addressing the water shortage are at an impasse, and leaders of environmental groups say the secrecy surrounding the talks is depriving the public of an opportunity to weigh in. Representatives of the seven states that depend on the river have been meeting regularly over the last two years trying to hash out a plan to address critical shortages after 2026, when the current rules expire. They meet in-person at offices and hotels in different states, never divulging the locations. The talks have been mired in persistent disagreement over who should have to cut back on water and by how much. “We need more transparency, and we need more accountability,” said Kyle Roerink, executive director of the Great Basin Water Network. “I think if we had more of those things, we wouldn’t be in the situation that we are currently in.” … ” Read more from the LA Times. | Read via Yahoo News.
Announcements, notices, and funding opportunities …
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
