A wrap-up of posts published on Maven’s Notebook this week …
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In California water news this week …
Thunderstorms could bring flash floods to CA as cyclone nears. When to expect rain
“As moisture from Tropical Cyclone Priscilla moves northward, thunderstorms could sweep across California. Although the storm is weakening west of the Baja Peninsula, its moisture will spread across the state — including Sacramento, Modesto, Merced, Fresno and San Luis Obispo — bringing showers and thunderstorms, according to the National Weather Service. “The greater flash flood threat will begin today across southeastern California, southwestern Arizona, southern Nevada, and southwestern Utah, shifting eastward on Friday,” the weather agency said in a news release on Thursday, Oct. 9. Flood risks will continue through Sunday, Oct. 12, according to the release. … ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee.
It’s officially La Niña. Here’s what California can expect.
“Forecasters now have a big clue to what weather will look like in California this winter. After much anticipation, La Niña conditions have emerged, the National Weather Service’s Climate Prediction Center declared on Thursday. The seasonal climate pattern signals a drier-than-average winter in Southern California — but gives equal chances of a rainy, normal or parched season for much of the northern part of the state, including the Bay Area.“For the Bay Area residents, I would just tell people to be prepared for anything,” Dalton Behringer, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service, told SFGATE. “The variability here for La Niña is so high.” La Niña is the cool phase of a pattern that brews across the tropical Pacific Ocean, called the El Niño-Southern Oscillation, or “ENSO.” During La Niña events, strong trade winds result in below-average surface temperatures in those waters, while during the other phase — El Niño — weaker winds lead to warmer ocean conditions. The pattern alternates irregularly every two to seven years, bringing a cascade of global weather impacts. … ” Read more from SF Gate.
SEE ALSO: La Niña is here: Is California heading for a dry winter?, from the San Jose Mercury
Return of The Blob: Heat wave spans Pacific Ocean
“A massive heat wave is hitting the Pacific Ocean from Kamchatka to California. Water temperatures several degrees above normal span thousands of miles, though they have mostly stopped short of the Pacific Northwest coast. Cool water welling up from the depths is thought to be keeping surface temperatures near the Oregon and Washington coasts closer to normal. Beyond disrupting the ocean’s food web and fisheries, the underwater heat wave, known as “The Blob,” can alter weather on land thousands of miles away. Since May, an ever-shifting mass of overheated water has occupied much of the northern half of the Pacific Ocean. In early September, it covered 3 million square miles — about the size of the contiguous United States — according to the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration’s “Blobtracker” program. … ” Read more from KUOW.
With gold prices at record highs, ‘gold fever’ returns to California
“Jody McNair squinted into a murky trough of water. She dipped a pan to the bottom and raised it, swirling until nothing remained but a slurry of pebbles and sand. As she shook the pan, a sequin-size flake glinted unmistakably in the light. “There we go!” McNair exclaimed. “That’s a picker.” Pickers — gold flecks that can be picked from a pan between one’s thumb and forefinger — sell for $20 to $100 at Matelot Gulch Mining Co., the historic gold panning outfit where McNair works. And as the worldwide price of gold has skyrocketed, they’re suddenly more valuable than ever. McNair is working to fill a one-ounce vial of gold. A year ago, such a vial would have been worth about $2,660. This week, the price climbed to a record $3,858. The result, according to McNair? “Gold fever,” with hobbyists pouring into the foothills to hunt for gold. This summer, Matelot Gulch has seen an influx of visitors from across the state, as well as countries as far away as Switzerland and the Netherlands. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle. | Read via MSN News.
Ruling in groundwater case out of Kings County could have far-reaching effects
“Appellate court justices heard arguments Tuesday in the highly watched dispute over whether the state exceeded its authority when it placed the Tulare Lake subbasin on probation last year for failing to come up with an adequate plan to protect the region’s groundwater. Or, whether a Kings County judge erred by refusing to dismiss the case and issuing a preliminary injunction that has held probationary sanctions at bay all this time. A ruling by the 5th District Court of Appeal is expected “soon,” which could mean two months or longer. The Kings County Farm Bureau sued the Water Resources Control Board after the probationary designation, which requires farmers to meter and register wells at $300 each, report extractions and pay the state $20 per acre foot pumped. The injunction has prevented those actions in the Tulare Lake subbasin, which covers most of Kings County. The outcome of Tuesday’s arguments could have far reaching effects throughout the San Joaquin Valley, most of which is severely overdrafted and struggling to comply with the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA). … ” Read more from SJV Water.
Farmers look for “common sense” solutions through maze of groundwater regulations
“As groundwater agencies limit pumping, sometimes in different amounts and ways, farmers with land across boundaries are trying to figure how to operate. Lakeside Irrigation District Board member and farmer Ralph Alcala brought up a hypothetical at the district’s Oct. 1 meeting: How will groundwater agencies stop farmers from transferring water between parcels, potentially out of one groundwater region and into another? “So I’ve got a ranch that is in Mid-Kings (River GSA) and I’ve got another ranch that’s in Greater Kaweah (GSA),” Alcala said during the meeting, referring to two groundwater sustainability agencies (GSAs). Between those ranches, is an underground pipeline that moves water between his parcels. However, since the passage of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA), which created an entirely new layer of government to oversee pumping, those two ranches now sit in different GSAs, as well as different subbasins. “This is infrastructure that I put in years ago, so now I have to block it off because I can’t use it?” Alcala questioned. … ” Continue reading from SJV Water.
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 water suppliers gear up for a dry year with confidence
“The results are in. California’s 446 urban water suppliers have conducted their supply and demand assessments, and 95.5% say they will have ample supplies to meet projected demand in the coming year, even if it is dry. The remaining 4.5% who project some level of shortage have identified response actions to address and mitigate the potential shortage. The Annual Shortage Report is a yearly stress test for water suppliers and serves as an important tool for successful and effective local water shortage contingency planning, ensuring water supply reliability and drought resiliency. This year’s Annual Shortage Reports cover projections for the 12 months from July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026. The Department of Water Resources prepares a report summarizing the findings by September 30 and submits it to the State Water Resources Control Board. … ” Continue reading from Maven’s Notebook.
NOTICE of intention to submit Certification of Consistency with the Delta Plan for the Delta Conveyance Project
“This notice serves to inform all interested parties that the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) intends to submit to the Delta Stewardship Council a Certification of Consistency for the Delta Conveyance Project. Consistent with the Delta Stewardship Council requirements, DWR is posting a draft of the certification at least 10-days prior to formal submission for public review and comment. … ” Read more and view/download certification.
State law protecting migratory birds made permanent
“The lovable stooge character on FX’s sitcom “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” once famously declared himself an expert in “bird law,” without offering specifics. But bird law is real and has been the subject of a years-long dispute between California and the federal government that started during Donald Trump’s first presidency, when his administration removed protections in 2017 for migratory birds that are killed or impacted for non-hunting reasons, like construction. The move left non-native migratory birds covered in the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act unprotected from such projects. In 2019, state lawmakers, led by Assemblymember Ash Kalra, D-San Jose, responded by writing the protection of the species listed in the treaty into state law, but the legislation sunset in early 2025. A new version of the law, Assembly Bill 454, the California Migratory Birds Act, was signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday, this time without an end date. It was reintroduced this year after the second Trump Administration revived its opinion that the activity was allowed under federal law. … ” Read more from SF Gate.
CV-SALTS: From safe drinking water to long-term solutions: CV-SALTS at five years
“2025 marks the 5-year anniversary of the launch of both the Salt and Nitrate Control Programs. To commemorate the progress of both programs, and to help lay the foundation for future progress, CV-SALTS held an online workshop on June 30, 2025, focused on water quality in the Central Valley. Workshop panelists included CV-SALTS program staff and regulated participants, elected officials, local community leaders, and State and Regional Water Board staff. The goals for the workshop included: Develop a wider recognition of the CV-SALTS program and its effectiveness; Build trust in the unique public/private partnership and how it is advancing water quality in the Valley; Reinforce and expand local partnerships on salt and nitrate management; and Lay a foundation for future funding. … ” Continue reading this newsletter.
First public listening session of the ag expert panel reveals ongoing differences on data and setting N application limits
“The Second Statewide Agricultural Expert Panel’s Public Listening Session #1 was held October 1, 2025, in Rancho Cordova and via Zoom. The expert panel has been convened to advise the California State Water Board on next steps for the Irrigated Lands Regulatory Program (ILRP) and has already met twice. You can read about the previous meetings here. The ILRP aims to regulate discharges of pollutants from irrigated farmland. While its original scope includes regulating a wide range of pollutants including pesticides and sediments, the expert panel is focusing primarily on nitrate contamination of surface and groundwater from nitrogen (N) fertilizer applications and specifically on the regulatory value of the metrics N applied (A) and N removed (R). As at previous meetings, contradicting perspectives on water quality data were a major theme of the session, as was the cost and difficulty of complying with agricultural orders for farms that differ from the dominant cropping systems in the Central Coast and Central Valley regions of the state. … ” Read more from Jane Sooby at Maven’s Notebook.
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.
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.
How 1st-in-the-state technology is harnessing energy from East Bay water pipes
“Deep in the Piedmont Hills, Gregg Semler and Casey Leblanc are checking up on what could be described as the Bay Area’s newest and smallest hydroelectric power plant. Semler is the founder and CEO of Bay Area-based InPipe Energy. He says InPipe’s technology is a first of its kind in California. The team installed the miniaturized turbine in a pipeline connecting part of the East Bay Municipal Utility District’s water distribution system. It takes the place of the normal water pressure regulator, housed in a small building next door. But instead of just controlling the flow, they say it harnesses it to produce electricity, spinning the turbine-driven generator. “We’ve developed essentially a rig that taps into those pipelines and generates a new source of renewable energy,” Semler said. … ” Read more from ABC Bay Area.
Scott Cameron takes the reins as acting head of Reclamation
“Scott Cameron will take over as acting head of the Bureau of Reclamation, shifting titles at the Interior Department while he maintains his role as the Trump administration’s lead official in negotiations over the future of the Colorado River. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum tapped Cameron for the role on Oct. 1, announcing the decision in a secretarial order that also updated other leadership roles recently confirmed by the Senate. The decision comes in the wake of President Donald Trump’s decision on Sept. 30 to withdraw his nomination of Ted Cooke, a former top official at the Central Arizona Project, to be Reclamation commissioner. … ” Read more from E&E News (sorry, subscription required).
In commentary this week …
Importance of State Water Project to Tri-Valley cannot be understated
Zone 7 Water Agency General Manager Valerie Pryor writes, “As best practice, public water agencies prudently plan for regional water supply needs and carefully piece together resilient portfolios of various water supply sources. Zone 7 is no different. Our agency plans for and delivers safe and reliable water to over a quarter of a million residents in eastern Alameda County. We do this primarily by importing surface water through the State Water Project, a vast system that captures and moves water from the Sierra Nevada Mountains to communities across the state. … A significant 70% of our Tri-Valley water comes from the State Water Project. This imported water is delivered to our neighbors in the Dublin, Livermore, Pleasanton and Dougherty Valley communities. We have studied other alternatives to augment State Water Project supplies, but the state’s system remains the backbone of the Tri-Valley’s water supply and is a lifeline for the local economy. … ” Read more from Danville San Ramon.
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.
Data centers must disclose how much water they’re consuming
Irina Raicu, director of the Internet Ethics program at the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics at Santa Clara University, writes, “The heat is starting to break, but plants are still wilted, and we are still conscious that water is precious — especially in California and other states in the West. Meanwhile, data centers here are sprouting like mushrooms after the rain. And data centers require a lot of water. In Silicon Valley, more than 55 data centers operate in the city of Santa Clara alone, and more have already been approved, according to the city. As generative AI floods into multiple aspects of our lives (work, health care, education, entertainment, access to information, companionship, national security, etc.), the need for powerful data centers grows. Some are cooled with air; some use recycled water; many, however, require drinking-quality water for cooling. (And cooling is only part of the demand; ultra-pure water, for example, is needed for the manufacturing of the chips used in the servers running in data centers, and, according to the Environmental and Energy Study Institute, “[c]reating ultrapure water is a highly water-intensive process” itself.) … ” Read more from the San Jose Mercury News.
In regional water news this week …
A river reborn: One year after Klamath river dam removal
“This October marks the first anniversary since the removal of the four lower Klamath dams, and scientists, advocates and Tribes are celebrating dramatic ecological improvements for the Klamath River. Ongoing scientific monitoring, which started years prior to dam removal, has enabled the documentation of significant advances in water quality, water temperatures, and the rapid return of native salmon populations to previously blocked habitats. “The Klamath is showing us the way. The speed and scale of the river’s recovery has exceeded our expectations and even the most optimistic scientific modeling, proving that when the barriers fall, nature has an incredible power to heal itself,” said Barry McCovey Jr., Director of the Yurok Tribal Fisheries Department. News of fish passing the former dam sites came the same week as the project’s completion in early October 2024. While scientists were actively monitoring fish movements and spawning activity in the weeks and months following the restoration of natural flows to the river, it took several months of analysis to finalize specific data related to fish activity above the former dam sites. We now know that more than 7,700 Chinook Salmon swam upriver of the former Iron Gate dam site (the lowermost dam in the system) last fall to access habitat previously blocked by the dams. … ” Read more from Cal Trout.
Town hall dives into pesticides in Smith River plain
“Wednesday, a packed town hall in Crescent City dove deep into pesticide use in the Smith River plain at lily bulb farms — with scientists presenting on pesticides measured in water and the impacts of those pesticides on fish. Nearly two hours of public comment urged the board to address the issue, while even more community members waiting on Zoom. A report on the watershed was released last month, which detailed levels of copper exceeding regulatory limits on the plain, below lily fields. California’s North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board sought public comment on the issue ahead of a new regulatory document that’s in the works. “Members of the community have made it clear to us, they are eager to speak directly to this board and to engage in a discussion about its plans for protecting water quality in the Smith River plain,” said David Kuszmar, an engineer for the NCRWQCB, at the meeting. … ” Read more from the Eureka Times-Standard.
Sacramento Valley StoryMap is the result of the first phase of the Sacramento Valley Historical Ecology Study
“The Resilient Landscapes Program at SFEI has recently completed the first phase of the Sacramento Valley Historical Ecology Study. The goal of the study is to synthesize diverse historical data to enhance understanding of the ecological, hydrological, and geomorphic conditions of the Sacramento Valley prior to major Euro-American modification. Ultimately, the study hopes to inform a pathway for creating more functional floodplains in the Sacramento Valley. Over the past century and a half, efforts to control flooding in the valley resulted in the construction of an extensive system of levees, weirs, flood bypasses, and dams. These changes have reduced or eliminated natural flooding. The floodplains were once vast wetlands that filled seasonally with overflow from the Sacramento River and water from streams. Now they are largely disconnected from river channels and dominated by agricultural and urban development. An understanding of historical ecology and physical processes in the Sacramento Valley is necessary to guide reestablishment (or approximation) of the natural physical and biological processes that create and sustain healthy ecosystems for salmonids and many other native plant and wildlife species. As part of this effort, we have developed an interactive, online StoryMap detailing the historical habitat patterns and channels of the Sacramento Valley. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Estuary Institute.
Partners eye raising level of Black Butte Reservoir to increase storage
“Planning for the future of Black Butte Reservoir and the role Tehama County should take is the topic in a memorandum of understanding approved unanimously by the Tehama County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday. There is an effort afoot to raise Black Butte Lake to benefit the Central Valley Water District,” said Supervisor Matt Hansen. Currently, there is a coalition of water districts, groundwater sustainability agencies,flood agencies and counties that have an interest in a potential increase in capacity at Black Butte Reservoir. A capacity increase would benefit water supply, groundwater levels, flood control, and recreational activities in Colusa, Glenn, and Tehama Counties. The geographical scope of the project is the Stony Creek drainage and the Sacramento Valley. … ” Read more from the Corning Observer.
Lake Tahoe algae experiment suggests seasonal shifts ahead
“As the climate warms and nutrient inputs shift, algal communities in cool, clear mountain lakes like Lake Tahoe will likely experience seasonal changes, according to a study from the University of California, Davis. Periphyton, that fuzzy layer of attached algae covering the rocks as you step into the water, is a healthy and critical part of a lake’s food web. Periphyton blooms, however, signal changes that can degrade both water quality and a shoreline’s natural beauty. Climate change is projected to increase global water temperatures by 1.8 to 7 degrees Fahrenheit by 2100. It’s also expected to increase nutrients to lake waters through increased runoff from higher intensity storms and more precipitation falling as rain rather than snow. “A majority of lakes globally are warming as a result of climate change,” said lead author Nick Framsted, a master’s student in the UC Davis Environmental Science and Policy department and Tahoe Environmental Research Center when the study was conducted. “With their clear, cold waters, mountain lakes are exceptionally sensitive to changes in temperature and nutrients.” … ” Read more from UC Davis.
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.
Coastal flooding in the Bay Area: New research illuminates strategies for adaptation
“Coastal communities around the world have long faced challenges related to flood risks. But as sea levels continue to rise and extreme weather events become more frequent, the need for more effective response strategies is greater than ever. The San Francisco Bay is one such region experiencing this exact trajectory, making it a focal point for scientists like Patrick Barnard, research director for the Center for Coastal Climate Resilience at the University of California, Santa Cruz. Barnard co-authored a paper recently published in the ASCE Journal of Waterway, Port, Coastal, and Ocean Engineering that explores coastal flooding patterns and mitigation strategies throughout the bay region. “This is a huge system and what we do physically affects very far reaches,” Barnard said. “Everything has implications and they have to be studied together to be understood.” … ” Read more from UC Santa Cruz.
Pure Monterey Monterey expansion launches with kudos and aplomb
“Amid congratulations, good-natured ribbing and even a dance troupe, Monterey One Water on Thursday ushered in its Pure Water Monterey expansion project that when combined with the current phase plans to deliver some 60% of the Monterey Peninsula’s potable water supply. Paul Sciuto, executive officer of M1W, introduced a bevy of policymakers and elected officials at the Pure Water Monterey expansion facility, or PWMx, in Marina. All complimented Sciuto, his staff and M1W’s board of directors for bringing a project to fruition that Erin Davison, Rep. Jimmy Panetta’s director of district operations, called “a model for California and the rest of the country.” “Climate change is not an abstract threat,” she said. “Here on the Central Coast we live with its extremes. Years of drought followed by flooding winters. The old way of managing water, storing it when we can and pumping when we need more, just isn’t enough anymore. With projects like Pure Water Monterey, we can screen it, clean it and put it back into the ground to safeguard our aquifers and protect our environment.” … ” Read more from the Monterey Herald.
Does a recycled water facility expansion mean it’s ‘Bye Bye Bye’ to the state’s cease-and-desist order?
“David Schmalz here. I’ve been to a good number of groundbreaking and ribbon-cutting events over the years, and generally speaking they aren’t exactly memorable—everyone gets together to celebrate the work they’ve done, say a bunch of nice things about each other, have some food and drink and then go on about their day. Yesterday, the ribbon cutting for Monterey One Water’s Pure Water Monterey expansion was different. It felt historic. And it was, because the hope is that this ribbon cutting can facilitate a hundred more ribbon cuttings, that it will finally bring the Peninsula’s water supply to the point where the State Water Board takes the handcuffs off and lifts the cease-and-desist order it laid down on Cal Am in 2009 for the company’s illegal, decades-long overpumping of the Carmel River. For over 15 years now, that order has precluded Cal Am from setting new water meters—or upsizing existing ones—which has for the most part prevented the construction of any new housing on the Peninsula at the time the housing crisis deepens statewide, even in places that have water. … ” Read more from Monterey Now.
Rancho Cañada Floodplain Restoration in Carmel moves to in-stream work
“The Rancho Cañada Floodplain Restoration project marked a major transition in September from heavy equipment work to shifting focus on planting and final in-stream work, according to a report from the Monterey Peninsula Regional Park District’s planning and conservation program manager. The major stream restoration project’s goal is to return the Carmel River’s natural flow through what was once a twin 18-hole golf course. About a mile of the waterway and surrounding land is part of the three-phase project designed to rewild the lower Carmel River, reconnect its historic floodplain and create a more resilient landscape for wildlife and the community. Phase one of the project officially broke ground in June and runs through June 2026 concentrating on the western, downstream half of what is now part of Palo Corona Regional Park. … ” Read more from the Monterey Herald.
Friant lawsuit against groundwater agency over sinking canal will go on but it may be individual farmers who ultimately pay
“The ongoing case against a Tulare County groundwater agency for allegedly not paying its fair share to fix the sinking Friant-Kern Canal will continue, according to a recent ruling. A trial date is set for Dec. 22 in Tulare County Superior Court. A judge recently shut down an attempt by the Eastern Tule Groundwater Sustainability Agency (GSA) to dismiss the lawsuit by the Friant Water Authority, which alleges Eastern Tule breached a 2021 agreement to pay up to $200 million toward fixing the canal. But Tulare County Superior Court Judge Brett Hillman’s Sept. 23 ruling also indicated that, should Friant win the case, it could be a hollow victory. In fact, Friant may have to go after individual landowners for the money it says Eastern Tule reneged on, according to some interpretations of Hillman’s ruling. … ” Read more from SJV Water.
Ventura County groundwater case heads to court. Here’s what to know
“Initial arguments have wrapped up in a Ventura County groundwater rights case – litigation that Camarillo officials have argued could undermine the city’s water supply. A group of agricultural property owners called the OPV Coalition filed the lawsuit in 2021. Pending in Santa Barbara Superior Court, it seeks to determine groundwater rights in two basins that include areas in Oxnard, Camarillo, Port Hueneme, Ventura and nearby unincorporated communities. The goal was to resolve all competing demands for groundwater in the Oxnard and Pleasant Valley basins, according to O’Melveny & Myers in Los Angeles, the law firm representing the coalition. The case was divided into three phases, with the first to consider the amount of groundwater available to pump. Other phases involve other issues, such as groundwater rights. … ” Read more from the Ventura County Star.
Phillips 66 Los Angeles refinery redevelopment unknown amid environmental, economic concerns
“For more than a century, the Phillips 66 Los Angeles refinery, in Wilmington and Carson, has symbolized the legacy of the region’s oil industry – which, in many ways, built Southern California. The industrial behemoth, however, now represents something else: the slow, but constant, decline of that once resolute legacy. By year’s end, Phillips 66 will shutter the refinery. … then there’s the question of how to redevelop a highly contaminated site, a process that will be costly and time-consuming – and will require clear eyes. “The reality is that is never possible,” Ann Alexander, an environmental policy consultant contracted by the Asian Pacific Environmental Network, said about whether the site could ever return to its pre-refinery state. “It’s not possible with most industrial sites and certainly not with something like a refinery.” … ” Read more from the LA Daily News.
REPORT: Building resilient utilities: UCLA issues report on key water and power infrastructure needs
Photo by Deposit Photos.
“More than 100 engineers, utility leaders, scientists and public officials came together in the wake of January’s catastrophic Los Angeles firestorms to identify innovative strategies and emerging technologies that could build more resilient infrastructure, recognizing the broader challenges of growing climate and disaster risks. The intensive June 9 workshop — commissioned by the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power and developed, organized and hosted by UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation with programmatic and logistical support from the Sustainable LA Grand Challenge (SLAGC)—created a unique opportunity for decision-makers to talk frankly and collaboratively to advance broader industry knowledge and capacity. The resulting report, “Innovation Opportunities for a Resilient L.A.,” emphasizes that no single strategy is sufficient. Instead, Los Angeles must pursue a mix of approaches, from upgrading infrastructure to improving coordination across agencies. Importantly, many of the ideas developed at the workshop are already informing LADWP requests for proposals and pilot projects. … ” Read more from UCLA.
Residents want a natural LA River. Officials say it’s risky
“The deluge of rain over the weekend flooded streets and damaged infrastructure across California. One place that didn’t flood? The Los Angeles River. That, of course, is by design. It’s exactly why local officials starting excavating the river and lining it with concrete 85 years ago, and ever since, most of the LA River’s 51 miles from the Santa Susana Mountains to the San Pedro Bay have served primarily as a flood management system. But a changing climate and changing ideas about how Angelenos want to live with nature are now sparking a debate about LA’s relationship with its straight-jacketed river. Is it too late for a better way? A nonprofit called The River Project says no, and is advocating for restoring the original river ecosystem Angelenos enjoyed 100 years ago. … ” Read more from KCRW.
As Colorado River nears collapse, it faces leadership, transparency ‘crisis,’ environmentalists warn
“There is no more water available. That’s the assessment of a new report published Wednesday about the Colorado River by a coalition of environmental groups urging the states that rely on the river and the federal government to take immediate action to cut back use. The river, they argue, is threatened by crises in both its hydrology and in the transparency of the groups negotiating its future. The report comes as the Colorado River verges on collapse. A recent study from leading experts found that by 2027, water levels will be so low in the system’s major reservoirs that their dams would become inoperable and nearly all storage would be lost, with water struggling to reach California, Arizona and Nevada. After two years, the seven states that rely on the river are at an impasse in tense negotiations over the cuts in water allocations that each of them will accept in a new agreement being drafted to take effect when the current guidelines for managing the river’s water expire at the end of 2026. That process is supposed to be public, with the Bureau of Reclamation, the federal agency that oversees the river and its dams, publishing environmental impact statements that allow for public review and comment. But so far, those reports haven’t arrived and there’s no word on when they will. Complicating the process even more, Reclamation still does not have an appointed leader after the Trump administration’s nominee for the post withdrew last month. … ” Read more from Inside Climate News.
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SAN JOAQUIN RIVER RESTORATION PROJECT: Friant-Kern Canal Pump-Back Project FONSI Available
