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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: Watersheds and Forest Succession at Cuyamaca Rancho State Park from 12pm to 1pm. Join California State Parks Interpreters Brianna and Will to discover the majestic water courses of Cuyamaca Rancho State Park. Following the devastating 2003 Cedar Fire, this intricate watershed has been pivotal in the park’s ecological recovery. Healthy watersheds promote regrowth and jumpstarting the process of succession in the decades following large disturbances. Approximately 90% of Cuyamaca’s forests were destroyed in the 2003 Cedar Fire, which marked a new era of mega-fires in California. This will be a unique opportunity to view the landscape live as we discuss the dynamic watershed at Cuyamaca Rancho State Park. Click here to register.
- WORKSHOP: DWR Real-time Data Direct Grant Program from 1:30pm to 3:00pm. The California Department of Water Resources will host a workshop for the Real-Time Data Direct Grant Program Draft Guidelines. This hybrid workshop will be held virtually through MS Teams and at the Joint Operations Center at: 3310 El Camino Avenue, Room 231; Sacramento, CA 95821. Members of the public can contact Boone Lek at 916-837-5700 or boone.lek@water.ca.gov to RSVP or request the Teams virtual meeting invitation.
- IN-PERSON EVENT: Science on Tap: What Salmon are Teaching us about Dam Removal from 6pm to 9pm. Kick off autumn with us at Deadwood Shasta for an evening of science, community, and drinks! Discover the incredible story unfolding on the Klamath River following the largest dam removal project in U.S. history. Our awesome lineup of speakers is excited to chat about the Klamath with you from all angles, from cutting-edge research to traditional ecological knowledge and cultural perspectives to the latest in fish tracking technology and environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis. Learn how we are monitoring salmon runs in real time – allowing us to watch the impact of restoration unfold and inform future restoration efforts. Featured speakers include Toz Soto from the Karuk Tribal Fisheries Program, Elwha River dam removal specialist Keith Denton, CalTrout’s James Whelen, CalPoly Humboldt’s Andrew Kinziger, and the team behind Fisheye AI from CalTech and MIT. Come for the science, stay for the conversation! Can’t wait to see you there. Where: 408 N, Mt. Shasta Blvd, Mt. Shasta CA 96067 (Google Maps Link) Admission Price: Free
In California water news today …
Powerful typhoon is set to trigger an unusually strong California storm
“A powerful typhoon that made a close approach to Japan is poised to energize the storm track across the Pacific Ocean and potentially bring heavy rain and snow to California next week. Typhoon Halong took a quick turn out to sea Wednesday, sparing Tokyo from the equivalent of a Category 4 hurricane. While Halong isn’t forecast to make landfall in North America, it won’t completely dissipate. The fast-moving winds of the jet stream are expected to absorb the typhoon’s energy, intensifying storms across the Pacific Ocean in the coming days — this phenomenon is caused by what are called “recurving typhoons.” Halong’s remnants are predicted to generate hurricane-force winds in Alaska’s Bering Sea this weekend. But it won’t end there. The amplified jet stream will nudge a massive high-pressure system into Canada and displace subarctic air toward Washington state, Oregon and California on Monday. A storm moving down the coast with this cold air could drop heavy rain in the Bay Area and feet of snow in the Sierra Nevada from Monday through Wednesday. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
Hurricane Priscilla remnants to bring widespread Southwest rain/thunderstorms (including far SoCal); more widespread precipitation possible with colder NorCal system by mid-Oct
“September 2025 was yet another “strange” weather month along the Pacific Coast. In California, multiple episodes of precipitation (and a fair bit of thunderstorm activity) brought wetter conditions to much of the state–particularly across central and southern California. Serious, even deadly flash flooding and debris flows occurred in the lower deserts of SE CA and the San Bernardino Mountains when remnant moisture and instability from Tropical Storm Mario produced locally torrential thunderstorm downpours; while rain elsewhere was (thankfully) much less dramatic, it was nonetheless unusual for September. Temperature-wise, it was a very mild month nearly statewide. No widespread record heat occurred, but temperatures were for the most part consistently elevated relative to the long-term average (especially in the Central Valley). While statewide temperatures were in most cases lower than recent Septembers that featured sustained record-breaking heat, they generally ranked among the top 10-20% warmest of all September temperatures in the past ~130 years. … ” Read more from Weather West.
SEE ALSO: First storm for Northern California next week? Here’s what the KCRA 3 weather team is tracking, from KCRA
La Niña has returned. Here’s what it means for California weather
“La Niña conditions are official in the central Pacific, according to an update Thursday from the National Weather Service’s Climate Prediction Center. The declaration upgrades the previous “watch” to a La Niña Advisory, the agency’s formal signal that the phenomenon has taken hold and is expected to persist into early 2026. According to NOAA, average sea-surface temperatures in the central Pacific fell half a degree Celsius (0.9 Fahrenheit) last month, reaching the threshold for La Niña conditions. It’s the first time those conditions have been observed since March 2025. La Niña conditions aren’t expected to stick around for very long though. The agency gives a 55% chance of La Niña conditions persisting through February 2026. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
SEE ALSO: La Nina is here: What it means heading into winter, from AccuWeather
Illegal cannabis cultivation leaves lasting chemical footprint on California land
“A new peer-reviewed study published in Science of the Total Environment sheds light on the persistent chemical contaminants left behind at illegal cannabis cultivation sites, also known as “trespass grows,” on California’s federally managed lands. The research, conducted by scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in partnership with the Integral Ecology Research Center (IERC) and with support from the U.S. Forest Service Law Enforcement and Investigations, provides the most comprehensive look to date at how pesticides, pharmaceuticals, and other organic pollutants linger long after grow sites have been abandoned. Researchers investigated former illegal cannabis cultivation sites in Six Rivers National Forest, Shasta-Trinity National Forest, and San Bernardino National Forest. … The findings highlight that these sites leave a lasting chemical footprint, raising concerns about impacts on wildlife, water quality, and forest ecosystems from the thousands of sites that remain on California’s National Forest Lands. … ” Read more from Laboratory Equipment.
DWR: California’s groundwater data collection and understanding of subsidence expands with launch of NASA-ISRO satellite
“Monitoring the sinking of land surface in California, called subsidence, requires immense amounts of data to track changes in surface levels over multi-year periods. Thanks to a new satellite launched by NASA and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), DWR will obtain even more data to improve groundwater agency and community efforts to manage subsidence. Launched in July, the new satellite — known as NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) — is designed to monitor changes in the Earth’s surface, such as the gradual sinking of agricultural areas and wetlands over time, as well as ground movement due to landslides, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions. According to NASA, NISAR can detect movement of the planet’s land surface down to fractions of an inch. The new data, combined with satellite data that DWR currently uses, will help water managers and decision makers make better-informed decisions by detecting any shifts caused by subsidence that could impact key infrastructure and jeopardize public safety. Data from the satellite is expected to become available later this year and DWR staff are ready to work with consultants and the NASA-Jet Propulsion Laboratory OPERA project to publish resulting subsidence maps. … ” Read more from DWR.
California nursery industry grapples with plastics, water, nutrients
“Nursery owners and landscapers are anticipating a slew of new laws to roll their way over the next few years. These rules are poised to alter business as usual in all sectors of the horticultural industry, from cut flower operations to native plant nurseries. The new rules encompass a variety of environmental topics, including single-use plastic pots, water use and nutrient management. Meanwhile, looming over the nursery industry is the warming climate, forcing business owners to adopt strategies that protect their plants – and profits – from record-breaking heat waves. Scientists from University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources brought these hot topics, and many others, to business owners’ attention at the 2025 California Nursery Conference. For the first time in years, the conference and accompanying farm tours were held in Ventura County. … ” Read more from UCANR.
CalWEP launches AB 1572 toolkit to support compliance with California’s landmark nonfunctional turf ban
“The California Water Efficiency Partnership (CalWEP) has launched a suite of new resources — including a customer-facing statewide website, sector-specific outreach toolkit, and internal agency guidebook — to help water providers implement Assembly Bill 1572 (AB 1572), California’s landmark law prohibiting the use of potable water to irrigate nonfunctional turf on commercial, industrial, and institutional (CII) properties. All outreach toolkit materials are now available for the public on the new website launched today, NonFunctionalTurfCA.org, with additional resources & customization exclusively for CalWEP members. The site also features a new rebate and enforcement finder, where users can type in their address to instantly see which water agency serves their property, what turf removal rebates and support they offer, and what local compliance rules apply. Users will also be able to map nonfunctional turf using Google satellite imagery —a powerful new feature to support compliance and planning. … ” Read more from the California Water Efficiency Partnership.
California Water Association applauds enactment of Assembly Bill 428 by Blanca Rubio
“As concerns over water affordability mount, the California Water Association applauds Governor Gavin Newsom for signing AB 428 into law. The measure addresses the hidden cost drivers of insurance that impact utilities and the communities they serve. The bill will allow water corporations, mutual water companies and public water agencies to collaborate on insurance through the formation of joint powers agreements (JPAs), rather than securing it individually. As enacted, this law will reduce risk, lower costs, create administrative efficiencies and stronger financial security – benefits that can be passed down to ratepayers. Authored by Assemblymember Blanca Rubio, AB 428 received broad bipartisan support for its commonsense approach to including water corporations, or investor-owned utilities, in already-established practices for developing JPAs to pool insurance resources. “The California Water Association applauds the enactment of Assembly Bill 428 for its ability to create cost savings and expanded insurance coverage that directly benefits California’s water customers,” said Executive Director Jennifer Capitolo. … ” Read more from the California Water Association.
California’s plan to ban forever chemicals sparks cookware debate
“California’s latest attempt to phase out forever chemicals, which have been linked to cancer, has received pushback from the cooking industry for going too far in banning nonstick cookware. PFAS chemicals are a broad class of chemicals that are heat-resistant and do not break down. The state has already enacted similar bans on cosmetics, textiles and outdoor products. Senate Bill 682, sitting on Governor Gavin Newsom’s desk, would extend that ban to food packaging, cookware and cleaning products, among others. “These are chemicals that we do not have to be exposed to, especially children. And keeping it out of cookware is a great way of making home-cooked meals safe for children,” said Jill Buck, founder/CEO of the Go Green Initiative. … However, the bill is opposed by the cooking industry due to the inclusion of non-stick cookware. … ” Read more from Channel 10.
Legal alert: Agreement authorizing city to transfer water beyond its boundaries did not require consistency with general plan
“The City of Fairfield was not required to demonstrate that an agreement to receive, treat, and return water to Solano County Irrigation District was consistent with the City’s general plan. Not every decision that affects land use is a “land use decision” that requires consistency with the general plan under California Planning and Zoning Law. Solano County Orderly Growth Committee v. City of Fairfield, 113 Cal.App.5th 1027 (2025). The City entered into a water supply agreement with the District which would allow the District to use the City’s water treatment system to provide potable water service to a new mixed-use development community, Middle Green Valley, in unincorporated Solano County. Under this “treat and wheel” agreement, the District would route raw water to the City, and the City would treat it and then convey an equivalent quantity of potable water back to the District for distribution to end-users in Middle Green Valley. … ” Read more from the California Land Use & Development Law Report.
Will California’s marine mammal conservation success come undone?
“The bluff at La Jolla Cove in San Diego is covered with pelicans and cormorants; below, some two dozen sea lions lounge on a rocky ledge or bark and frolic in the shallows, some leaping clear out of the water. On the shore, a volunteer from the local Sierra Club’s Seal Society, an organization that educates and advocates for pinniped protection, is monitoring an emaciated 13.5-kilogram (30-pound) pup, just a few months old, that has spent the last several days hauling up on the beach, with no sign of an adult nearby. Now, Hubbs Sea World has a response team on the way to rescue it. Hubbs is part of a marine mammal stranding network that covers California’s entire 1,770-kilometer (1,100-mile) coastline. Snorkeling in the cove amid healthy green surf grass, with bright orange Garibaldi damselfish (Hypsypops rubicundus) swimming by (think goldfish on steroids), my cameraman friend Charlie Landon and I are suddenly surrounded by swooping, barrel-rolling sea lions. They move like flexible torpedoes, twisting through the water column, some streaming bubbles from their snouts. … Continue reading from Mongabay.
In commentary today …
C-WIN to State Water Board: Newsom’s DCP violates California’s climate and affordability goals
“In testimony to the State Water Resources Control Board, California Water Impact Network senior policy advisor Max Gomberg stated that Governor Newsom’s proposed Delta Conveyance Project (DCP) runs contrary to state laws on climate adaptation, racial equity, and sustainable water management. Gomberg’s testimony explains that the state legislature has passed multiple laws over the past two decades designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, help Californians adapt to climate change-driven weather extremes without creating an affordability crisis, and ensure that low-income communities receive their fair share of investments in climate resilience. The climate policies specific to water use, including the Delta Reform Act of 2009, the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act [SGMA] of 2014, and the 2018 water conservation statutes AB 1668 & SB 606, all recognize the need to reduce unsustainable water use in an era of increasing hydrologic extremes. “The Governor thinks that spending $60 to $100 billion building a tunnel to maintain current levels of water use is reasonable, but it contradicts clear legislative direction,” Gomberg observed. “If we want to reduce agricultural sector emissions, reduce the number of people at risk from extreme heat and wildfire, and keep urban water supply affordable, we need a smaller water budget, especially for agriculture.” … ” Read more from C-WIN.
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
Fall Chinook salmon return to Link River after more than a century
“According to the Klamath Tribes, Fall Chinook salmon have been observed in the Link River for the first time in over 100 years. The salmon were spotted on Monday, Oct.6, marking a significant milestone in the efforts to restore the river’s ecological balance. … ” Read more from KRCR.
Mendocino County nonprofit awarded $2.8M federal grant for coastal wildfire mitigation
“The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced more than $200 million in grants for wildfire resilience projects nationwide last month, including nearly $25 million for work in California. One of the funded projects is in Mendocino County, where the Redwood Forest Foundation will receive $2.8 million for wildfire mitigation work near Leggett in unincorporated Mendocino County, the USDA said. The Fort Bragg-based nonprofit manages and restores forestlands throughout the North Coast. The new funding will support the expansion and maintenance of fuel breaks along state Highway 1 — including retreating about 4.5 miles of existing breaks and constructing roughly 3 additional miles. Fuel breaks will also be built along two nearby ridgeline spurs, totaling 579 acres of treatments. According to the foundation’s grant description, “these fuel treatments will protect impoverished, very remote and rural residents from anticipated wildfires originating in this dense, forested landscape.” … ” Read more from Local News Matters.
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
Forest Service lags on prescribed burns after Calif. loses 600-year-old trees to wildfire
“Lightning-sparked flames raced through a roughly 3,000-acre tract of old-growth forest in the central Sierra Nevada during the Garnet Fire in September. Before this year, the Teakettle Experimental Forest had last burned in 1865. Its historic fire region, however, means the mixed-conifer and red fir research forest should have seen wildfire every 15 years or so. When the Garnet Fire recently tore through, 160 years of accumulated fuels powered the flames, which burned so hot and fierce that the wildfire killed the majority of the trees — some of which were 600 years old. Tragically, U.S. Forest Service scientists had planned a large prescribed burn in the Teakettle Experimental Forest for next year. The prescribed burn would have reduced fuels and could have helped the forest survive an uncontrollable wildfire. … ” Read more from SF Gate.
Tahoe agency okays removal of hundreds of trees to make room for ‘glamping’
“A development designed as an opportunity to enjoy Tahoe’s great outdoors requires the removal of 300 hundred towering pine trees on nine acres of privately owned land in Douglas County near the Lake Tahoe shoreline, as well as on U.S. Forest Service land slated to provide access to the property, which is just off congested Highway 50. The 53-unit development is planned for year-round camping without the gear, but with the amenities of a luxury resort. Talaz, as it’s known, is intended to create “a positive impact through nature-based hospitality,” according to its website. It’s equipped with air conditioning, running water, and electric vehicle charging stations. “Camping is evolving,” Julie Regan, executive director of the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, said of the project at a meeting in late September. “How people experience the great outdoors is evolving.” But enjoying the great outdoors should not require the removal of healthy trees, say critics. … ” Read more from the Nevada Current.
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
Oroville moves forward with initial Bedrock Park design
“Ambitious plans to turn Bedrock Park into a centerpiece waterpark for the city have been approved, but making the dream a reality may be a challenge. The Oroville City Council approved initial plans Tuesday for Bedrock Park that will bring the park back up to standard, while maintaining options for designing its lagoon area in the future. Tim Kaber, project manager and engineer for Oroville, said the first phase of a two-phase design will include a renovation of the park’s burned bathrooms and new shade trees in the upper area; new irrigation and renovated turf in the lower areas; and code compliant stairs and ramps connecting the park from the levee bike path down to the water access. “This is what we’re developing into something that can be a jewel of Oroville and waterfront access,” Kaber said. … ” Read more from the Chico Enterprise-Record.
Oroville City Council moves to address issue of trash in Feather River by sending letter to Governor Gavin Newsom
“The Oroville City Council has moved to address the growing issue of trash along the Feather River by approving a motion to send a letter to Gov. Gavin Newsom. The council is seeking assistance in tackling the environmental impact they believe is caused by nearby homeless encampments. The Feather River is a vital part of the local community and environment. Last month, the Feather River Recreation and Parks District held their annual Feather River Cleanup event. During the cleanup, the FRRPD determined that a lot of trash came from local homeless encampments. Joseph Velasquez, the park maintenance supervisor with the district, says their team and the community picked up about 10,000 pounds of trash. “There were a total of 21 homeless encampments and of the 21 about 13 of them were active. The types of debris we are talking, is tents, tarps, all kinds of trash, mattresses, couches, shopping carts, trash cans you name it,” Velasquez said. … ” Read more from Action News Now.
Nimbus Fish Hatchery to drastically reduce salmon releases
“Nimbus Fish Hatchery releases around 4 to 4.5 million young salmon and 430,000 yearling steelhead into California waterways annually. But due to rising costs and limited federal funding, the hatchery is planning to release half of both numbers, which is unprecedented. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation funds the hatchery, which was originally created to mitigate the impacts of Nimbus Dam on steelhead and salmon runs. Fish raised in hatcheries like this one are key to keeping their populations alive in California. Collin Purdy, a fisheries environmental program manager with California’s Department of Fish and Wildlife, says the Nimbus hatchery’s costs have risen steadily over the last five years. Usually, he says the state would negotiate for more funding for the hatchery. But this year, he says federal officials aren’t offering enough funding to keep up. “I would say this is atypical,” Purdy said of the funding situation. “I feel that there needs to be some recognition by Reclamation that there needs to be an adjustment in funding level over time in meeting their mitigation production level.” … ” Read more from Capital Public Radio.
BAY AREA
Newsom signs bill that expedites Highway 37 project
“Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed into law a bill that relaxes environmental constraints to speed up a traffic and flood reduction project on Highway 37. Assembly Bill 697 was introduced by Assemblymember Lori Wilson, a Democrat from Suisun City in Solano County. The legislation signed Tuesday sets up Caltrans, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission and partners in Marin, Sonoma, Napa and Solano counties to begin construction in 2026 on the $500 million, three-phase project. “It’s a great relief the governor signed the bill,” Wilson said Wednesday. “This project has been delayed from the very onset, facing some major headwinds — part of it is cost and how do we fund it. But every day that we don’t do something, we are seeing serious negative impacts on the quality of life of the people driving on the road — and many of them are our most vulnerable community members and lowest wage earners.” … ” Read more from the Marin Independent Journal.
SEE ALSO: What to do when your highway is slipping into the sea, from Bay Nature
This Bay Area tour is so popular, tickets are usually gone within minutes
“A few times per year, East Bay Municipal Utility District allows curious residents to come take a look at what happens to everything that we flush down our toilets. The tours begin with a note of irony. Before a two-hour stroll through the wastewater treatment plant, visitors are advised to use the restroom at the front office, because there aren’t any lavatories within the bowels of this huge compound, which processes an average of 50 million gallons of raw sewage per day. Tour attendees are also warned to expect “strong odors.” According to EBMUD, “due to popular demand, these free [tour] tickets are usually all taken within minutes,” so I considered myself lucky to be gathered with about 25 other visitors in front of the treatment plant on a recent Saturday morning. The group was young, diverse and surprisingly fashionable, like we could’ve been gathered to attend an underground poetry reading instead of a visit to “the poop factory,” as one of the other guests referred to it. … ” Continue reading from SF Gate.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Hurricane Priscilla brings rain and flood risk to Southern California
“Hurricane Priscilla is losing strength in the Pacific, but forecasters say it will still deliver heavy rain and dangerous surf to Mexico’s Pacific coast and parts of Southern California starting Thursday. The National Weather Service in San Diego says tropical moisture from Hurricane Priscilla is expected to sweep across Southern California from Thursday through Friday, bringing heavy rainfall to the San Bernardino, Riverside, and San Diego Counties mountains and stretching east into the deserts and Arizona. While the risk of flash flooding is expected to ease over the weekend, forecasters warn that isolated showers and thunderstorms may linger near mountain areas on Saturday. NWS, San Diego, also warns of sticky, wet weather in the Southern California region through at least Saturday. … ” Read more from the Desert Sun.
SEE ALSO: Thunderstorms, muggy weather ahead for Southern California thanks to Hurricane Priscilla, from the LA Times
IMPERIAL/COACHELLA VALLEYS
Imperial Valley faces ‘serious risks’ from lithium mining project, report says
“Despite promises of bringing cash and clean energy to a long-struggling region in the California desert, a new lithium mining project is already under scrutiny for allegedly ignoring the severe impacts it could have on the people who actually live there, a recent report says.In 2024, Imperial County officials approved the Hell’s Kitchen Lithium and Power Project, a multistage mining operation located by a deposit of geothermal brine deep beneath the edge of California’s largest lake: the beleaguered Salton Sea. But after analyzing the project proposal, environmental advocacy groups announced that it poses “serious risks” to impoverished and overburdened communities in the region. … ” Read more from SF Gate.
Along the Colorado River …
A trio of tropical systems is driving significant Southwest flood threat
“Remnants of two recent East Pacific hurricanes — Priscilla and Octave — plus another developing storm off the Mexican coast are setting up a long-lived channel of deep tropical moisture that is targeting the Desert Southwest. The result will be several days of flood risk, including what could be a major threat across Arizona to end the workweek. The National Weather Service has placed a moderate (Level 3 out of 4) flood risk in that state on Friday, including the cities of Phoenix and Flagstaff. There are also flood watches issued for portions of southeast California, eastern Nevada, much of Arizona, southern Utah and into southwest Colorado. “Significant impacts are possible given the prolonged heavy rainfall potential,” the NWS warned, pointing at “parallels to early October 2018, when remnants of Hurricane Rosa moved into the Great Basin and prompted extensive flash flood impacts across central Arizona.” … ” Read more from the Washington Post.
Southwest monsoon season inspires questions
“Arizona’s “nonsoon” season went out with a loud bang as parts of Yuma saw about half of its average annual rainfall in a single day at the end of September. The annual climatic condition known as the North American Monsoon, or Southwest Monsoon Season, has for the past couple of years been known for its lack of rainfall in the desert Southwest. Yuma, Ariz., holds the distinction of being the “sunniest city on earth,” according to the Guinness Book of World Records. Rainfall here is rare, and when it happens it can be significant. I’ve sometimes joked we can see a good chunk of our annual average rainfall in under an hour from a single thunderstorm. That’s not hyperbole when our annual average rainfall is about three inches. This designation as the world’s sunniest city plays well into the region’s ability to support crops that are irrigated from the Colorado River. The region’s title as the “winter vegetable capital” benefits from this. … ” Read more from the Western Farm Press.
Colorado River users are at a crossroads as two looming decisions hang over the West’s future
“Western Slope elected officials, water managers, engineers and conservationists met in Grand Junction on Friday, Oct. 3, all focused on one thing: the uncertain future of the Colorado River. “Water users, as a lot, tend to crave certainty, and that certainty seems more and more elusive these days,” said Peter Fleming, general counsel for the Colorado River District, at this year’s annual seminar hosted by the River District. Andy Mueller, the River District’s general manager, said the Colorado River Basin was “at a crossroads.” While the seminar broached many of the challenges and opportunities facing those who rely on the Colorado River, most discussions came back to two looming decisions that will dictate how the future looks for the 40 million people, seven states, two counties and 30 tribal nations that rely on the waterway. … ” Read more from Vail Daily.
Arizona: Salt River Project installs unique flume to better monitor water that ends up in Valley supply
“Salt River Project (SRP) recently installed a first-of-its-kind hydrologic flume in northern Arizona to measure how much snowmelt makes it into the watershed. “This is going to help us to understand climate change and forest thinning in these forested watersheds,” said Zachery Keller, an SRP hydrographic scientist. The water yield from winter snowmelt is what makes up a large chunk of the Valley’s water resources. The flume will help measure the runoff volume and how much water is being lost to evaporation or absorbed by the soil, which scientists say has been impacted by climate change. … ” Read more from KTAR.
In national water news today …
Scientists completed a toxicity report on this forever chemical. The EPA hasn’t released it.
“This spring, scientists at the Environmental Protection Agency completed a report on the toxicity of a “forever chemical” called PFNA, which is in the drinking water systems serving some 26 million people. The assessment found that PFNA interferes with human development by causing lower birth weights and, based on animal evidence, likely causes damage to the liver and to male reproductive systems, including reductions in testosterone levels, sperm production and the size of reproductive organs. The report also calculated the amount of PFNA that people could be exposed to without being harmed — a critical measurement that can be used to set limits for cleaning up PFNA contamination in Superfund sites and for removing the chemical from drinking water. For months, however, the report has sat in limbo, raising concerns among some scientists and environmentalists that the Trump administration might change it or not release it at all. The EPA told ProPublica the report would be published when it was finalized, though the press office did not answer questions about what still needed to be done or when that would likely happen. … ” Read more from Pro Publica.
Also on Maven’s Notebook today …
SAN JOAQUIN RIVER RESTORATION PROJECT: Friant-Kern Canal Pump-Back Project FONSI Available
