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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: Beneath the Surface: Understanding OCWD’s Groundwater Monitoring Network at 10am. OCWD manages one of the most advanced groundwater basins in the world. This webinar highlights how investments in monitoring and data analysis support reliable water management. Learn how wells track groundwater levels, quality, and movement—from seawater intrusion and contaminant plumes to purified water from the Groundwater Replenishment System. Speakers will cover the science and strategy behind OCWD’s monitoring network, including well design, construction, and data applications that help sustain one of the nation’s best-managed basins. Click here to register.
In California water news today …
Los Banos at the crossroads of California’s water wars: How San Joaquin River decisions shape the Valley’s future
“The San Joaquin River continues to sit at the center of California’s most complex water disputes, and Los Banos remains one of the communities most directly affected. As state and regional leaders debate over mining, water storage, flooding, fish habitats, and groundwater management, the outcomes will shape how water moves through the Central Valley for generations, and how much of it reaches local communities like Los Banos. At the western edge of the river system, just north of Los Banos, the B.F. Sisk Dam and San Luis Reservoir play a key role in storing and distributing water from Northern California to the rest of the state. Expansion of the reservoir, now underway, will increase capacity but has raised questions about who benefits most. Local observers note that while Silicon Valley and coastal regions may receive much of the additional water, Los Banos continues to serve as the logistical and environmental gateway where the reservoir, aqueduct, and wildlife refuges intersect. … ” Read more from the Los Banos Enterprise.
Local leaders push for overdue Oroville Dam deal to benefit community
“The original 50-year license for facilities at the Oroville Dam expired in 2007, leaving operations running on a year-to-year basis. Butte County Supervisor Bill Connelly expressed frustration over the situation. “It’s really patently unfair because they build a dam in our backyard, they provide water for over 27 million people, some of the richest corporate farms in America get water from this dam, yet they don’t make us whole,” Connelly said. Connelly criticized the Department of Water Resources for failing to fulfill promises made in the original deal. “They promised visitation to the dam and now you can’t hardly get in to see it, they make it a matter of security,” Connelly said. “They promised 1500 parking places in town, they promised hourly tours of the dam.” … ” Read more from Action News Now.
Water or rail? KCWA push to redirect federal funding
“As California faces growing water challenges, some say it’s time to rethink where our infrastructure dollars are going. The Kern County Water Agency is pushing for more investment in water projects rather than the high-speed rail. The Water Agency says federal funding should be shifted away from California’s high-speed rail project and instead be used to modernize the State Water Project’s Delta Conveyance Project. This project provides water to 27 million people — including Kern County, Southern California, and other regions. It supports nearly 750,000 acres of farmland and plays a critical role in California’s economy, supporting millions of jobs and hundreds of thousands of businesses statewide. Water Agency leaders claim the Delta Conveyance Project would secure reliable water supplies for decades to come — while the high-speed rail continues to face cost overruns and delays. … ” Read more from Channel 23.
Kaweah growers likely to avoid state intervention but still face “mountain of work”
“Even with the threat of state intervention all but in the rearview mirror, Kaweah water managers maintained a muted celebratory tone at a recent “State of the Subbasin” event, which attracted more than 350 farmers. Managers and consultants tempered their Oct. 21 presentations with the harsh reality of implementing groundwater plans that will maintain tough stances on subsidence, water quality and groundwater levels as the region complies with the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA). That means reduced groundwater pumping and less farming. “The reality is we have to go on this path and it won’t be pretty,” said Mark Larsen, general manager of Greater Kaweah Groundwater Sustainability Agency. … ” Read more from SJV Water.
ILRP: 2nd agricultural expert panel considers targets, limits, and nutrient management
“At its October 22 Working Group Meeting, the Second Statewide Agricultural Expert Panel made progress in assigning each of their “charge questions” to a two-person team, clarified the timeline for completion of their final report, and continued in-depth discussion of questions 1 and 2, which, in sum, ask if there are enough data to set crop-specific nitrogen-related limits and what series of increasingly protective limits could be set now. Because of California’s strict public meetings law, known as the Bagley-Keene Act, all work of the Ag Expert Panel must be conducted at “open and noticed” meetings that have been announced to the public in advance. The one exception is for a committee of less than three persons, which may convene without public notice–thus the two-person teams. In addition, Bagley-Keene prohibits “serial meetings” of more than two panelists, therefore the teams cannot be “mixed and matched.” … ” Read more from Jane Sooby at Maven’s Notebook.
The West’s new gold rush is the data center boom
“A new kind of gold rush is sweeping the West, and this time the prize isn’t minerals but megawatts. From Phoenix to Colorado’s Front Range, data centers are arriving with outsize demands for power and water. In a new report, the regional environmental advocacy group Western Resource Advocates (WRA) warns that without stronger guardrails, the financial and environmental costs could fall on everyday households. Across Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico and Utah, new data centers are expected to create a surge in resource use, raising consumers’ power bills while jeopardizing climate goals. By 2035, the surge in new data centers could send the Interior West’s electricity demand soaring by about 55 percent, WRA warns. The unprecedented extent of the industry’s energy requirements risks derailing decarbonization goals in several states. Energy experts say the astronomical power needs may keep fossil fuels like coal and gas in use longer. NV Energy, Nevada’s main utility, now expects its carbon emissions to rise 53 percent over 2022 estimates because of new data center growth. … ” Read more from Grist.
Iconic — but destructive — bird can soon be hunted year-round, new CA law says
“A highly-invasive species of waterfowl can be hunted in California year-round starting in 2026, according to a new law. Mute swans were added to the state’s “short list of invasive nongame birds…. That can be taken at any time by licensed hunters,” the California Department of Fish and Wildlife said in an Oct. 20 news release. Landowners and lessees will also be permitted to kill mute swans “at any time without needing a hunting license or depredation permit,” the department said. The legislation “was introduced to address the growing concerns about the spread of these destructive, non-native species throughout the state,” the department said. … ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee.
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
Salmon return to Klamath Basin sparks urgent and renewed push for fish screens to protect farms
“The discovery of Chinook salmon swimming through irrigation canals in the Klamath Drainage District is prompting renewed concern about the lack of fish screens meant to protect both farmland and fish. Last week, Klamath Drainage District (KDD) staff spotted large dark shapes moving beneath the surface of the Ady Canal. The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife later confirmed the fish were Chinook salmon—now observed as far as the Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge. The sightings mark a major moment in the salmon’s return to the Klamath Basin following recent dam removals, but they also highlight what KDD leaders call unfinished commitments. The district points to a 2016 agreement between federal and state agencies—the Klamath Power and Facilities Agreement—which promised funding for fish screens to prevent salmon from entering irrigation systems. Nearly a decade later, none have been installed. … ” Read more from KTVZ.
Klamath River temperatures changed dramatically after dam removal. That’s helping salmon swim farther upstream
“It’s been a little more than a year since four dams on the Klamath River came down — the biggest river restoration project in U.S. history. In that time, tribal, state, nonprofit and federal scientists have been closely monitoring the changes happening on the river. What they’ve found has shown the profound impact dam removal can have on water quality and the wildlife that depends on it. Water temperatures below the former dam sites are more natural. Dissolved oxygen — what fish and other creatures need to breathe — has stabilized. Toxic cyanobacteria, which often clogged the dam reservoirs during the late summer, have nearly disappeared. “The river seemed to come alive almost instantly after dam removal,” Damon Goodman, Mount Shasta-Klamath regional director for California Trout, said at a press conference this month. … ” Read more from Oregon Public Broadcasting.
Tribe regains ownership of ancestral land along Fall River in California
“The Pit River Tribe has regained ownership of 270 acres of ancestral land along the Fall River. The Western Rivers Conservancy purchased the Pope Jensen Ranch in early September and transferred it to the tribe, according to a community announcement. The move will allow the tribe to begin restoration efforts on nearly 135 acres of freshwater wetlands. The property is located within the ancestral lands of the Ajumawi Band of the Pit River Tribe and holds historical and cultural significance. … ” Read more from the Redding Record Searchlight.
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
CDFW: North Yuba River salmon reintroduction efforts enter second year with spawning, fertilization of 350,000 spring-run chinook salmon eggs
“The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) and its partners have initiated a second year of spring-run Chinook salmon reintroduction efforts into historic habitat in the North Yuba River. Roughly 350,000 spring-run Chinook salmon eggs were collected and fertilized recently at the Feather River Fish Hatchery in Oroville. The eggs will be hydraulically injected into the North Yuba River’s gravel substrate next month, as was done successfully last fall. The North Yuba River Spring-run Chinook Salmon Reintroduction Program is a multiagency, multifaceted effort to bring the state and federally listed threatened species back to its historic cold-water spawning and rearing habitat in the mountains of Sierra County. Access to this habitat has been blocked by two dams for almost a century. … ” Read more from the Department of Fish and Wildlife.
El Dorado Water Agency brings together water experts in Tahoe to discuss issues
“The El Dorado Water Agency (EDWA) held its first-ever regional plenary on Thursday, October 23 to hear from water experts in Tahoe about what the issues are and what can be done to solve them. A plenary is a large meeting attended by members of a smaller group. This plenary especially highlighted the unique challenges with water supply, water quality and public health. General manager Rebecca Guo was excited about the plenary, as it represents a major step in the creation of a long-term blueprint to support water systems throughout the county. Guo said she was aware of some of the big picture issues like localized flooding, aging water systems and smaller water systems like Tahoe City Public Utilities District (TCPUD) and their infrastructure. … ” Read more from the Tahoe Daily Tribune.
Officials plan to set fire to vegetation around Lake Tahoe this week — and they have a good reason
“Flanked by the majestic peaks of the Sierra Nevada mountains, Lake Tahoe Basin’s vegetative patches and scrublands hide a fiery secret. Underneath and on the surface, these bush-laced grounds are a hotbed growling with a riotous slew of fuel accumulated over decades and decades of fire suppression. Bonfires abandoned by campy tourists, autumnal leafmold collecting on the floor, rotting trees, dead underbrush piles, and drying pine needles; all this material racks up over time, carving flammable pockets within the forest that tend to erupt without warning. According to a press release, the USDA Forest Service officials are initiating a series of smaller, controlled fires in the region to prevent the risk of larger, uncontrolled wildfires from flaring up. … ” Read more from Green Matters.
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
A town hall on flood risk in Yuba County
“If a 100-year-flood doesn’t mean it floods only once every 100 years, then what does it mean? Answers to this and other questions about flood risk will be available Wednesday night in Marysville. As winter approaches along with the 40th anniversary of the 1986 flood in south Yuba County. the Yuba Water Agency is providing an opportunity for residents to get up to speed on the level of risk here, what steps have been taken to reduce that risk, and how to prepare for a flood emergency. It is hosting a town hall meeting Wednesday night on flood risk awareness and preparedness in Yuba County. Residents are invited to explore interactive displays on flood risk, levee improvement projects, emergency tools, and dam safety information. … ” Read more from the Appeal Democrat.
American River cleanup continues with removal of large metal debris from old bridge collapse
“Work crews are making progress on cleaning up debris from a decades-old bridge collapse in Northern California. The debris has been sitting in the American River since 1964, after the old State Route 49 Bridge collapsed following the failure of the Hell Hole Dam. Some 750 tons of metal and concrete fell into the riverbed. It wasn’t until 2022 that the process to clean up the mess started rolling, with California Gov. Gavin Newsom signing a budget that granted Placer County around $8 million for the work. Crews began the clean-up project in late August. … ” Read more from CBS Sacramento.
BAY AREA
Ranchers agreed to leave a national park. Then RFK Jr. got involved.
“Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a wellness influencer and a pioneering dairy farmer joined forces earlier this year to upend a landmark deal that stopped most cattle operations at this park north of San Francisco. In January, a decadelong fight over whether cattle nurtured or damaged a pastoral park on the Pacific Ocean appeared to close with a settlement that retired most of the cattle ranches and dairy farms. Now, even as barns come down and families move away, a small group of ranchers aligned with Kennedy is urging the Trump administration to again rewrite the Point Reyes story and order the National Park Service to re-embrace the region’s ranching roots. “It was the first glimmer of hope that I had that we could do something,” said Albert Straus, a dairyman in the region who first helped get Kennedy involved. … ” Read more from E&E News.
CENTRAL COAST
FORTAG work in Del Rey Oaks pushes through frog pond, other areas
“With its frog pond permit extension in place until Dec. 15, the Fort Ord Regional Trail and Greenway project continues to wind its way through part of the preserve and the rest of Del Rey Oaks. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife extended the permit for Transportation Agency for Monterey County to perform FORTAG work in the Frog Pond Wetland Preserve for two months, a day after it expired on Oct. 15. Though TAMC said last week it does not “currently anticipate completing the work in the frog pond by Dec. 15,” building the Canyon Del Rey Segment of FORTAG continues this week with the construction of retaining walls and drainage systems in the Frog Pond Wetland Preserve area. … ” Read more from the Monterey Herald.
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
Central Valley farms expected to lose millions due to natural disasters
“Several Central Valley counties are expected to lose millions each year due to the impacts of natural disasters on farms, according to a new report. Trace One, a product lifecycle management software company, released its 2025 edition of their “Where Natural Disasters Are Having the Biggest Impact on the Nation’s Food Supply” report, in which Fresno, Tulare, Madera and Kings County farms have been identified as some of the U.S. counties with the highest agricultural losses due to natural disasters such as droughts, floods, and hurricanes. Fresno County ranked no. 14 on the list, with a total expected annual loss of over $29.3 million and a $6,630 expected annual loss per farm. The total agricultural value in the county is over $7.4 billion. According to the study, the worst natural hazard for agriculture in Fresno County is drought. … ” Read more from The Business Journal.
Tehachapi: City, water district agree to private mediation in Sage Ranch case
“The city of Tehachapi and the Tehachapi-Cummings County Water District have agreed to enter private mediation in a case over the former’s approval of the proposed Sage Ranch residential subdivision. The case was filed by the water district against the city in September 2021, alleging that the city approved the project without verifying that enough water was available for the new residential units in the subdivision. Three of the four causes of action in that litigation were settled in favor of the water district in June 2024 and the fourth — that the city has a “pattern and practice” of violating state law — is still pending, with Sacramento County Superior Court Judge Stephen Acquisto announcing his intent to “command the city … to set aside Resolution No. 42-21 with respect to verification of a sufficient water supply … and any resulting project approvals” after that fourth cause of action is resolved. … ” Read more from the Tehachapi News.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
The Santa Ana winds are back, bringing wildfire threat, heat and dryness
“The first Santa Ana winds of the season are expected to start blowing Monday night, increasing in intensity through Tuesday night. Gusts could exceed 40 mph. The winds will also bring high temperatures and an elevated fire risk to the region, according to the National Weather Service in Oxnard. … ” Read more from the LAist.
LA’s oceanfront power plant is a test of clean-energy ambitions in the new Trump era
“The Scattergood Generating Station in Los Angeles is an oceanfront natural-gas-burning relic that sits on the uncertain brink of a clean-energy showdown. On Tuesday, the Los Angeles Board of Water and Power Commissioners will decide whether to advance a plan to shift the plant to futuristic hydrogen-ready turbines. The $800-million-plus retrofit is an anchor in California’s effort to boost hydrogen, a potentially clean fuel that for now remains costly, water-intensive and rarely produced without oil and gas. But California’s high hopes for hydrogen — and the state’s investments in it as a potential economic driver in the era of clean energy — are at a crossroads. Earlier this month, the Trump administration canceled $1.2 billion in federal funding for California’s hydrogen hub, a public-private partnership to build a clean hydrogen economy and support projects like Scattergood. The move followed a decision earlier this summer to scale back federal tax credits nationally for hydrogen. California says it’s pressing ahead with hydrogen projects including Scattergood, with or without federal support. … ” Read more from Cal Matters.
Lytton Rancheria invests $51M in Cadiz
“A publicly traded company announced Tuesday that it has secured $51 million in financing from Lytton Rancheria of California, marking the first tribal investment in the Mojave Groundwater Bank, a water supply and groundwater storage project planned as the largest groundwater bank in the Southwest. Cadiz Inc., a Los Angeles-based water solutions company, reported it is raising the capital through Mojave Water Infrastructure Company LLC, a special-purpose entity formed to construct, own and operate the project. The federally recognized tribe’s investment represents the first tranche of approximately $450 million in total equity capital the company is raising for the project. The company, along with Fenner Gap Mutual Water Company and the Fenner Valley Water Authority, will partner with Native American tribes, public agencies and water districts to build what it describes as the first large-scale, tribal-owned water infrastructure project off tribal lands in U.S. history, according to the Cadiz website. … ” Read more from Tribal Business News.
SAN DIEGO
While San Diego leaders balk at high rates, city debates less-ambitious sewage recycling plan
“In September, the San Diego City Council gave the mayor a month to find ratepayers savings on water rates. Tuesday’s the councilmembers’ second attempt to pass a 63 percent water and 31 percent wastewater increase over four years. Nothing has changed in the proposal. And everybody’s pointing fingers. The city’s Public Utilities staff blamed the rate hike on the region’s water seller – the San Diego County Water Authority – which sells expensive desalination water from a plant in Carlsbad and imported water from the Colorado River. The Water Authority later blamed the city’s massive project to recycle sewage into drinking water, Pure Water, for the higher water rates on all of its customers, in a Union-Tribune article. That may be the biggest loser: the second, and largest phase of Pure Water. The project would save millions of gallons of wastewater from being dumped into the ocean and send it instead, treated, through San Diego taps. That’s water San Diegans wouldn’t have to take from the desal plant or Colorado River. But its future is bleak. … ” Read more from the Voice of San Diego.
Along the Colorado River …
By the shrinking Colorado, AZ Dems and environmentalists rally for climate action
“Southern Arizona politicians joined representatives of the Sierra Club by the banks of the Colorado River on Oct. 27 to call on Washington to protect the waterway by taking action against climate change. The officials, including Democratic U.S. Rep.-elect Adelita Grijalva, were demanding an end to what they called major rollbacks in climate protections, most prominently the Trump administration’s plan to overturn the endangerment finding that enables the Environmental Protection Agency to regulate greenhouse gas emissions. Grijalva and others connected that action and the revocation of clean energy incentives with the prospect of drought and drying reservoirs that could keep water from flowing to Yuma in the future. … ” Read more from the Arizona Central.
Exploring the trickle-down effects of Arizona’s fall storms
“When rare bursts of rain sweep across the Valley, Arizonans can’t help but revel in the sound of thunder, the smell of wet creosote and the temporary relief from the heat. But while a soaking storm might feel like a gift to a drought-weary desert, the reality of Arizona’s water picture is far more complex. No one understands that complexity better than Sarah Porter, director of the Kyl Center for Water Policy at Arizona State University’s Morrison Institute for Public Policy. For nearly a decade, Porter has been one of the state’s leading voices on sustainable water management. She helps policymakers, communities and residents navigate the tough questions about where our water comes from and how we use it. This fall, after a series of unusually wet weeks brought nearly 7 1/2 inches of rain to the Phoenix area (the fourth wettest October on record), many residents have wondered whether the downpour might finally make a dent in Arizona’s long-term drought. … ” Read more from Arizona State University.
Did recent storms affect Arizona’s drought? What the experts say about conditions
“After several downpours fueled by tropical moisture from the Pacific Ocean, Arizona’s short-term drought has finally eased, at least a little. The latest U.S. Drought Monitor update shows the state’s dry areas shrinking for the first time since January. While any improvement in the monitor is good news, drought across the state is still far from over. A wetter-than-usual monsoon and the remnants of Pacific tropical storms helped chip away at months of dryness, but most of Arizona remains in some level of drought or “abnormally dry” condition. “In the Southwest, there’s been a pretty serious drought we’ve been assessing for quite a long time,” said Richard Tinker, a meteorologist and drought expert for the National Weather Service’s Climate Prediction Center, who authored the latest drought maps. “We’re still seeing a lot of areas in drought, but we have seen a pretty broad improvement over the last few weeks, and Arizona is no exception.” … ” Read more from Arizona Central.
Water Infrastructure Finance Authority looks to spend funds but anticipates budget cuts next year
“The state created the Water Infrastructure Finance Authority in 2022 with the mission to find and develop new water sources in the face of ongoing drought. Its board members are looking to spend the money they have, anticipating cuts in next year’s budget. The authority was originally promised a billion dollars in funding, but it’s only received a third of that under Gov. Katie Hobbs. Board members worry that trend will continue in next year’s budget talks as cuts in federal spending and tax reductions start to impact state revenues. … ” Read more from KJZZ.
U of A part of research project to find solutions to AZ water future
“University of Arizona researchers are looking for ways to protect the state’s water future, including plans to treat and desalinate wastewater for new use through a reverse osmosis system spearheaded by The UA Water & Energy Sustainable Technology Center. “We really need solutions to manage the water cycle, to make sure that there is more available, potable water in many places,” said chemical and environmental engineer Andrea Achilli, the center’s deputy director. Since the start of this year, the state’s drought conditions have worsened. About 60% of Southern Arizona is experiencing the second most severe level of drought, facing frequent water shortages and serious crop and pasture loss. … ” Read more from the Arizona Daily Star.
Rep. Crane leads bipartisan coalition in request for $28 million water infrastructure upgrade in Page
“U.S. Rep. Eli Crane (R-AZ02) led a bipartisan group of Arizona lawmakers in sending a letter to the National Park Service (NPS) last week, requesting $28.36 million to upgrade aging water infrastructure serving Page and surrounding communities. The funding, sought under the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA), would rehabilitate systems managed by Page Utility Enterprises (PUE) that supply water to Page, nearby Navajo Nation areas, and the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. Cosigners on the letter addressed to Acting NPS Director Jessica Bowron included Reps. Andy Biggs (R-AZ), Paul Gosar (R-AZ), and Greg Stanton (D-AZ). In a post to X, Crane wrote, “Despite the ongoing shutdown, my team and I remain focused on #AZ02. Yesterday, we urged @NatlParkService to help upgrade the water delivery system serving Page and nearby communities that serve as a gateway to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon.” … ” Read more from Arizona Free News.
Utah: River to reservoir with the Returning Rapids Project
“On a sunny morning this past May, as a thicket of tamarisk swayed in the wind along the banks of the San Juan River in southeastern Utah, a fleet of metal skiffs, pack-rafts, passengers and guides pushed off downriver from Clay Hills Crossing, the point at which San Juan boaters normally end their trip. The crew posed for a group photo in front of a big sign warning, “DANGEROUS WATERFALL: TAKE OUT ALL WATERCRAFT HERE.” Smiles, high fives and cheers erupted from the group as the boats drifted away from the eerie sign, ready to face whatever perils lay ahead. The group was headed into what’s known as the Lowest San Juan, a 35-mile stretch that has been under Lake Powell for decades and has re-emerged as lake levels drop due to the Southwest’s prolonged 25-year megadrought. No commercial rafting trips operate this section of river, which has remained largely unexplored due to its inaccessible nature, fluctuating reservoir levels, lack of modern maps, and, perhaps most notably, an 18-foot waterfall. … ” Read more from the Corner Post.
Court says no to pipe that would bring water from Utah — through Wyoming — to Colorado
“Utah’s Supreme Court has rejected a proposal to pipe tens of thousands of acre feet of water from Utah though Wyoming to Colorado. Water Horse Resources LLC says it wants to deliver at least 55,000 acre feet a year to meet the Colorado Front Range’s water needs. The pipe would start in Northeast Utah at the Green River, the largest tributary of the Colorado River, then funnel water along Wyoming’s Interstate 80 corridor to potentially be stored in Cobb Lake near Fort Collins, Colo. Water Horse has said this could be part of Colorado’s river water allocation, though some environmental groups dispute this logic. The state of Utah has denied the project, arguing it’s protecting its scarce resources. The Utah Supreme Court has now affirmed a district court decision. In an opinion filed on Oct. 17, the justices said Water Horse failed to show the resource can be put to “beneficial use” in Colorado. … ” Read more from the Wyoming Public Radio.
In national water news today …
What does the government shutdown mean for US infrastructure?
“Congressional turmoil has made it difficult to predict when the ongoing government shutdown will end. Caused by the Senate’s lack of consensus on a bill to fund the government, the shutdown began Oct. 1 and has brought about a slew of funding freezes, including an estimated $26 billion for infrastructure projects across the United States. As the shutdown persists, the pause in funding could cause major issues for affected projects. “A government shutdown can disrupt the planning, permitting, and funding processes that keep infrastructure projects on schedule,” said Keith Pugh, government innovation liaison at WithersRavenel. “Although most day-to-day public works operations are managed locally, many rely on federal agencies for grants, environmental reviews, and technical approvals.” These funding issues can lead to longer timelines and higher costs. … ” Read more from Civil Engineering Source.
Bill Gates says climate change ‘will not lead to humanity’s demise’
“Bill Gates, the Microsoft co-founder who has spent billions of his own money to raise the alarm about the dangers of climate change, is now pushing back against what he calls a “doomsday outlook” and appears to have shifted his stance on the risks posed by a warming planet. In a lengthy memo released Tuesday, Mr. Gates sought to tamp down the alarmism he said many people use to describe the effects of rising temperatures. Instead, he called for redirecting efforts toward improving lives in the developing world. “Although climate change will have serious consequences — particularly for people in the poorest countries — it will not lead to humanity’s demise,” he wrote. “People will be able to live and thrive in most places on Earth for the foreseeable future.” … ” Read more from the New York Times.
SEE ALSO: Will Bill Gates’s ‘Strategic Pivot’ Shake Up Climate Policy?, from the New York Times
Also on Maven’s Notebook today …
CA WATER COMMISSION: Proposed Regulation Change to Water Storage Investment Program
