Several news sources featured in the Daily Digest may limit the number of articles you can access without a subscription. However, gift articles and open-access links are provided when available. For more open access California water news articles, explore the main page at MavensNotebook.com.
On the calendar today …
- MEETING: Irrigated Lands Regulatory Program: Second Plenary Meeting of the Second Statewide Agricultural Expert Panel from 10am to 4pm. The State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board) will hold the second plenary meeting of the Second Statewide Agricultural Expert Panel to develop initial recommendations in response to the Panel charge questions, which ask the Panel to consider the approaches adopted in the State Water Board Order WQ 2018-0002, In the Matter of Review of Waste Discharge Requirements General Order No. R5-2012-0116 for Growers Within the Eastern San Joaquin River Watershed that are Members of the Third-Party Group (East San Joaquin Petition Order) and State Water Board Order WQ 2023-0081, In the Matter of Review of General Waste Discharge Requirements for Discharges from Irrigated Lands Order No. R3-2021-0040 (Central Coast Ag Petition Order). Click here for the meeting notice.
In California water news today …
New research reveals California cannabis cultivation and regulatory process puts Tribal cultural resources at risk
“A comprehensive new report from researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, and Northeastern University reveals that cannabis cultivation in California threatens Tribal cultural resources. As in other arenas of development, however, protecting those resources faces systemic challenges. Based on findings from a two-year study that surveyed both Tribal and agency representatives across the state, the survey found that the state’s current consultation policies, while stronger than in many other states, remain inadequate and are inconsistently applied, leading to significant risks of irreparable harm to Tribal cultural heritage sites. “Our research shows a significant disconnect between state policy and the experience of California’s Native American Tribes. The current cannabis permitting system, while well-intentioned, fails to adequately protect ancestral lands and cultural resources,” said Jennifer Sowerwine, principal investigator on the project, and UC Cooperative Extension specialist in the Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management at UC Berkeley. “It’s not just about historical preservation; it’s about respecting Tribal sovereignty and ensuring that this new industry does not perpetuate old harms. These findings provide a clear roadmap for the state to move beyond performative consultation toward a process that is truly meaningful and just.” … ” Read more from UC ANR.
Water Blueprint guides future of Valley supplies
“On October 29, the Water Blueprint for the San Joaquin Valley held a public meeting at the Fresno County Farm Bureau to discuss the Unified Valley Water Plan and other pressing issues affecting California’s water. According to the Blueprint’s Board Vice Chair Geoff Vanden Heuvel, the coalition aims to advance water resource policies and projects that maximize reliable supplies for farms and ranches, communities, and ecosystems in the San Joaquin Valley. Vanden Heuvel explained that the passage and implementation of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act was the impetus for this “coalition of the willing,” bringing stakeholders in the San Joaquin Valley together to address long-standing groundwater issues. “There’s a lot of reasons for why we are where we are, including droughts and policies and all the rest, but the fact of the matter is we’ve been mining a lot of groundwater,” Vanden Heuvel said. “It’s no longer sustainable, and we have to stop it. And now, we have to legally stop it, and that is a massive paradigm shift and a massive game changer.” … ” Read more from Valley Ag Voice.
Train spilled 1,400 tons of coal around California river. Did it violate state law?
“Union Pacific, a freight rail company, is accused of violating California law after train cars spilled tons of coal last year into the Sierra Nevada’s largest river. On Feb. 11, 2024, a train with at least 12 rail cars derailed in Plumas County, near Blairsden, because of a “track defect,” according to a preliminary report issued by the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services. About 1,400 tons of coal tumbled across a snow-covered embankment and splashed into and settled around the Middle Fork Feather River, authorities said. Discussions to settle a civil case between Union Pacific and local prosecutors have been ongoing for months after the California Department of Fish and Wildlife investigated the incident, according to the Placer County District Attorney’s Office. State law prohibits coal from contaminating the state’s waters and imposes a $25,000 civil fine for each penalty. … ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee.
SWRCB Authority & SGMA Enforcement: Appellate Court dissolves Tulare Lake injunction and guts Farm Bureau’s lawsuit
“On October 29, 2025, the Fifth Appellate District Court of Appeal issued two decisive, companion opinions that have significant implications for the legal landscape for SGMA enforcement in California. In a general victory for the State Water Resources Control Board (State Board), the appellate court reversed a preliminary injunction that had completely halted state intervention in the Tulare Lake Subbasin. Simultaneously, the court ordered the trial court to grant the State Board’s demurrer, gutting the Kings County Farm Bureau’s (Farm Bureau) core civil claims against the state. These rulings generally affirm the State Board’s authority under SGMA, clarify the path for challenging its decisions, and have immediate, significant implications for all Groundwater Sustainability Agencies (GSAs), landowners, and water users in basins facing a potential probationary determination and state intervention. … ” Read more from AALRR.
California farmers dealt costly defeat over groundwater usage
“California’s water resources control board can regulate groundwater usage by farmers in Kings County, after the state’s appellate court threw out a preliminary injunction and overruled a demurer. The pair of rulings means that farmers in the county will have to start metering and reporting how much water they draw from the ground, and pay the state fees of $300 per well and $20 per acre-foot of water used. A spokesperson for the State Water Resources Control Board applauded the ruling, saying in a written statement that it would “allow the board to resume the important work of achieving sustainable groundwater management in the Tulare Lake subbasin while trial court proceedings continue.” … ” Read more from the Courthouse News Service.
SEE ALSO: Court Upholds Enforcing Groundwater Management Act, from Eric Caine at the Valley Citizen
Culture and abundance: How should California bring back its ‘salmon society?’
“Salmon are one of California’s most iconic species. The powerful fish is famous for its long migration from the rivers to the ocean, and their final, fatal return to their spawning grounds. Once abundant across the state, the salmon also has deep cultural ties for local tribes. But decades of overfishing, dam construction and the ongoing impacts of climate change have left salmon populations a shadow of what they were at their peak. Significant efforts have been made to help salmon bounce back in recent years. One notable example was the removal of several decommissioned hydroelectric dams along the Klamath River near the California-Oregon border last year, the largest dam removal project in U.S. history. … As these restoration efforts are ongoing, some salmon experts are also wondering whether it is time for California to rethink its cultural connection to these fish. … ” Read more from Capital Public Radio.
There and back again: A journey into Desolation Wilderness
Nick Shockey / DWR
“On September 16, 2026, a fellowship made from the California Department of Water Resources’ Division of Flood Operations and GEI environmental consultants embarked on a three-day mission within Desolation Wilderness to renovate the existing Lake Lois snow pillow station with a new Hinge Fold Tilt-Pole. No road access meant the team had to reach the site on-foot, which was an 18-mile roundtrip hike in designated wilderness that climbed 8,600-feet in elevation through forest, mountains, and steep rocky terrain. Wilderness regulations meant the team relied on approved helicopter support to deliver the heavy and sensitive equipment which couldn’t be carried by hand. Once the team reached their destination, they erected and calibrated a Hinge Fold Tilt-Pole, which replaces the old fallen structure, and ties into the existing Lake Lois snow pillow infrastructure to transmit snowpack and critical hydrometeorological data to the DWR California Data Exchange Center. The information from the snow pillow station is used for flood forecasting and water supply decision making. This three-day excursion there and back was documented with photographs. Visit the photo gallery on DWR’s Pixel account to see all of the stunning images.”
State Water Board tightens PFAS advisory levels based on latest data for health risks
“Based on new data for the human health risks posed by specific per- and polyfluoroalkyl chemicals (PFAS), or constituents, the State Water Resources Control Board is lowering the notification level for PFOS and PFOA, lowering the response level for PFHxS, and is issuing a new notification level and response level for a fourth constituent, PFHxA, if detected in drinking water. … If drinking water reaches a response level, the Division of Drinking Water recommends that water systems take action to reduce exposure – most commonly, taking a well offline, adding treatment, or blending the water with another source to reach an acceptable level. A notification level is a health-based, non-regulatory concentration of a contaminant in drinking water that also warrants notification and further monitoring and assessment. … ” Read more from the State Water Board.
Fight over California coast and offshore oil drilling rekindled by leaked Trump administration plans
“Richard Charter of Bodega Bay has spent his adult life protecting coasts and oceans, especially from the ravages of energy extraction. When crude oil starts pouring into the sea, his phone tends to go off – as it did around 3 a.m. on an April morning in 2010, following an explosion on the Deepwater Horizon oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico. It happened again in the small hours of Oct. 2, when a plume of oil reached the surface of the Pacific Ocean a few miles off the coast of Huntington Beach. That 25,000-gallon spill, from a ruptured underwater pipeline, fouled 16 miles of Orange County beaches, with oil washing ashore as far south as San Diego. “I always seem to get the call in the middle of the night,” said Charter, who now works with municipalities up and down the California coast, helping coordinate their response to offshore drilling threats. … ” Read more from the San Jose Mercury News.
In commentary today …
A thriving Tuolumne River starts now: More water. More habitat. More fish.
Brad Koehn, General Manager, Turlock Irrigation District; Jimi Netniss, General Manager, Modesto Irrigation District; and Dennis Herrera, General Manager, San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, write, “California is at a crossroads in water management. The choices we make today will shape the future of our rivers, our communities, and our ability to thrive through drought, flood, and a changing climate. Fortunately, one of those choices is clear and ready to be implemented now: the Tuolumne River’s Healthy Rivers and Landscapes Agreement. The Tuolumne agreement delivers exactly what Californians expect from water policy in 2025 — real environmental benefits, grounded in site-specific best available science, funded by local partners, and ready to begin today. As General Managers of the Turlock Irrigation District, Modesto Irrigation District, and San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, we’re proud to stand behind this plan — not just because it benefits the environment, but because it reflects years of science, stewardship, and collaboration in one of the state’s most important watersheds. … ” Continue reading this guest commentary.
Farmers are key partners in managing subsidence
Paul Gosselin, Deputy Director of Sustainable Water Management for the Department of Water Resources, writes, “Parts of California have experienced subsidence, or the sinking of land, for almost a century, with some areas sinking more than 25 feet. Subsidence is a known issue in California caused by various factors, including excessive groundwater pumping. This can lead to damaged homes, roads, bridges, levees, wells and irrigation canals, disrupting water delivery and most of all, costing Californians hundreds of millions of dollars in repairs annually. Further, subsidence severely jeopardizes the long-term water supply reliability for agriculture. Earlier this summer, the California Department of Water Resources released findings showing that subsidence has restricted State Water Project delivery capability by 3%. The SWP, one of California’s primary water storage and delivery systems, helps supply water to 27 million Californians and 750,000 acres of farmland and businesses throughout the state. By 2043, if no action is taken, the current trajectory of subsidence combined with climate change could reduce deliveries by up to 87%. … ” Read more from Valley Ag Voice.
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
Salmon have flourished since California dam removal. But some may be swimming too far
“With the removal of four dams on the Klamath River, salmon are making tremendous progress on their migration upstream, reaching new, previously inaccessible waters along the California-Oregon border. In some cases, however, they may be making too much progress. This month, workers at the Klamath Drainage District observed chinook salmon in their irrigation complex, a grid of canals and ditches that forks off the river near Klamath Falls, Ore., nearly 250 miles from the river’s mouth. The fear is that these far-roaming fish will get caught in the irrigation water as it’s doled out to farms and swept onto dry land amidst the alfalfa, potatoes and grains. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
SEE ALSO:
- Resilience and hope for the Klamath River, from Oregon Wild
- Experts share stunning update about iconic US river following historic dam removal: ‘Seemed to come alive almost instantly’, from The Cool Down
The frighteningly destructive power of dog poo could harm local waterways
“Pet waste is one of the leading causes of water contamination in Humboldt County. It is full of harmful bacteria (like E. coli and Salmonella), parasites (such as Giardia and hookworms) and excess nutrients that can fuel toxic algal blooms which Humboldt waterways already struggle with seasonally. Just the odor of dog waste can interfere with the foraging behavior of wildlife including birds and small mammals. Not to mention, it smells disgusting on the bottom of a shoe. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the waste from just 100 dogs over a single weekend can contain enough bacteria to temporarily close a bay and 20 miles of surrounding watershed areas to swimming and shell fishing. … ” Read more from the Mad River Union.
Lake County Supervisors hear report on September fish die-off
“The work to understand the cause of a September fish die-off in Clear Lake is continuing. This week, the Board of Supervisors heard the latest on the ongoing efforts from scientists and local officials as part of a report from the Lake County Fish and Wildlife Advisory Committee. At the start of September, a fish die-off was reported in Clear Lake. At that time, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife told Lake County News that the die-off was believed to have been related to low levels of dissolved oxygen in the water. Luis Santana, chair of the Lake County Fish and Wildlife Advisory Committee and fish and wildlife director of Robinson Rancheria’s Danoxa Fish and Wildlife Department, presented the update to the board on Tuesday. … ” Read more from the Lake County News.
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
San Francisco woman nearly died after swallowing Lake Tahoe water, claim says
“A San Francisco woman says she nearly died after swallowing contaminated water from Lake Tahoe during a sewage spill that sent tens of thousands of gallons of raw waste into the lake last summer, according to a legal claim filed in Placer County. Lauren Helwig, 24, a biotechnology master’s student at the University of San Francisco, alleges she contracted a life-threatening E. coli infection after wakeboarding and surfing near Carnelian Bay and Dollar Point from July 19 to 21, 2024. The illness, known as Hemolytic-Uremic Syndrome, caused kidney failure and left her hospitalized for weeks. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
Salmon return to the North Yuba River in landmark California reintroduction effort
“For the first time in nearly a century, spring-run Chinook salmon are once again returning to the cold, clear waters of the North Yuba River. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) and its partners have begun a second year of salmon reintroduction efforts in the Sierra County watershed, part of an ambitious plan to restore the threatened species to its historic spawning grounds. Roughly 350,000 fertilized salmon eggs collected from the Feather River Fish Hatchery in Oroville will be hydraulically injected into the North Yuba River’s gravel beds next month — the same technique that successfully hatched young salmon there last fall. That first round of reintroduction planted about 300,000 eggs along a 12-mile stretch of river east of Downieville, with juvenile salmon later confirmed through snorkel surveys and trap collections. … ” Read more from Active NorCal.
8 illegal cannabis grows raided in Nevada County; Over 5,000 plants eradicated
“Eight illegal cannabis operations in Northern California have been shut down following a two-month investigation led by the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office and the state Department of Fish and Wildlife. Between September and October, investigators served search warrants at eight locations, the sheriff’s office said, including four in Nevada City, two in North San Juan, one in Grass Valley, and one in Smartsville. All were found to have illegal cannabis grows. More than 5,000 plants were destroyed across all sites, while investigators said they seized over 1,500 pounds of processed cannabis and recovered one unregistered firearm. … ” Read more from CBS News.
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
Sandhill cranes have arrived in Sacramento area. Where to see the winter visitors
“It’s that time of year in the Sacramento area — when everyone’s favorite winter visitors arrive by the thousands. A wildlife enthusiast who recently spotted sandhill cranes at the Llano Seco Unit Wildlife Viewing Area in Chico posted several photos of the birds to the Friends of the Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge Facebook page on Oct. 19. “The Flyover is underway, the ponds are still filling, but the birds are happening,” Guy Corrie wrote in the post. “Here are some photos of Sandhill Cranes taken at the Llano Seco Unit. They are amazing: Little flying dinosaurs with so much personality!” You won’t want to miss the sandhill cranes in southern Sacramento and northern San Joaquin counties. But where are the best places to see them? … ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee.
Great egrets spotted after flooding creates rare desert wetlands
“After the heavy rains earlier this month, when remnants of a Pacific hurricane flooded much of the city, Maricopa’s flatlands have been teeming with unexpected life. Among the most striking visitors: great egrets, the tall, snow-white wading birds more commonly seen in coastal wetlands than desert farmland. The birds have been sighted in low-lying areas where water still lingers, including flooded fields near Hartman and Steen Roads, where InMaricopa photographed a flock of egrets on the way back to the office from a Tuesday car crash. … ” Read more from In Maricopa.
Yuba flood risk reduced but more work needs to be done
“Yuba County is less likely to flood today than in 1986 or 1997, but more needs to be done to reduce the threat posed by the vast watersheds that drain into the Sacramento Valley. That’s the consensus of a panel that spent an hour Wednesday night discussing the nature of the flood risk, improvements to Yuba County levees, and other steps that have been taken to shore up levees and improve responses to flooding conditions. The Yuba Water Agency could assist in the construction of an additional bridge to improve evacuation response, but its general manager said the agency’s focus is on a $300 million second spillway at New Bullards Bar Reservoir that can help prevent the need for an evacuation in the first place. … ” Read more from the Appeal Democrat.
USACE conducts dye testing in Sacramento River near Old Sacramento
“The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Sacramento District began conducting dye testing of the Old Sacramento floodwall along the Sacramento River on Oct. 29, 2025, as part of ongoing work to investigate the floodwall following high water levels in the Sacramento River in 2023. After the water levels dropped, crews observed soil movement behind the floodwall. Despite this condition, the floodwall remains safe. This investigation will help identify the most comprehensive approach to address this condition and maintain the long-term stability of the floodwall. The dye testing is part of an initial investigation phase that also includes sampling and testing soils on both sides of the floodwall, measuring soil displacement behind the floodwall, and monitoring water levels in the river and in soil behind the floodwall. The comprehensive project is scheduled to occur from 2025 to 2028. … ” Read more from the US Army Corps.
Water Forum Watershed Resilience Pilot advances toward 2026 plan
“The Watershed Resilience Pilot has reached a key milestone with the completion of a gap analysis reviewing more than 70 studies across the American, Bear, and Cosumnes watersheds. This work sets the stage for a detailed vulnerability assessment that will guide strategies to prepare the greater Sacramento region for climate impacts. Launched by the Regional Water Authority (RWA) with support from the Department of Water Resources (DWR), the Pilot is one of five statewide pilots that are testing a new approach to water supply resilience planning. This approach expands both the geographic scope and the range of stakeholders, taking a “megashed” view that connects multiple watersheds—from headwater forests and foothill towns to groundwater basins and urban centers. … ” Read more from The Water Forum.
BAY AREA
Bay Area teen uses drones to map the wetlands he grew up loving
“Srivathsan Ramanujam loves looking up at the sky from Sunnyvale Baylands Park and watching plane after plane soar overhead. The protected wetland, which spans more than 100 acres, served as his most beloved childhood playground. As a kid, he enjoyed spotting red-tailed hawks soaring overhead and shorebirds skittering along the multicolored salt ponds. “I used to come out here and even eat the local pickleweed, which I insisted tastes like French fries,” Ramanujam said. Today, the 17-year-old is a self-proclaimed outdoors and aviation nerd. His passion began during the pandemic, when Ramanujam’s dad bought him his first drone with a high-definition camera to keep him occupied and to get him outside. After learning how to fly it in his backyard, he eventually purchased a second drone and began exploring the nearby marshes. … ” Read more from KQED.
‘Rotten egg’ smell leads to $734,000 penalty for C&H Sugar’s refinery in Crockett
“C&H Sugar Co., whose Crockett refinery was once considered the world’s largest, will pay $734,000 after releasing a stench that lasted more than a month. The San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board, which announced the settlement Tuesday, said C&H’s joint treatment plant emitted a smell compared to the odor of rotten eggs and sewage that permeated the East Bay community in 2022. C&H co-owns and operates the Philip F. Meads Water Treatment Plant which suffered an equipment failure during a heatwave three years ago, the water board said in a press release. In addition to the stink from September through October, the plant discharged wastewater that didn’t meet water quality standards. … ” Read more from Local News Matters.
CENTRAL COAST
Commentary: Creating water security in the Five Cities
Charles Varni writes, “In May 2017, the California Coastal Commission mandated that the SLO South County Waste Water Treatment plant in Oceano begin planning for a possible relocation by May 2047 due to legitimate concerns that the treatment plant could be compromised by climate change-induced sea level rise and creek flooding. It also required a progress report every 10 years and that studies be completed on: new locations that are safe from sea level rise and watershed flooding; the detailed life expectancy of the current plant; a detailed hazard response plan and risk assessment related to flooding and earthquakes; estimated costs to build a new treatment and drinking water standard purification plant for all municipal waste water from Arroyo Grande, Grover Beach, and Oceano; estimated costs to demolish the existing plant and restore the property to a natural state; and estimated costs to build new distribution structures for treated water. The first 10-year progress report is due in 19 months. Most of the above required information has been created and shared with the Coastal Commission. … ” Continue reading from New Times SLO.
More trials and tribulations for Sable Offshore
“Sable Offshore experienced a critical new setback in its ongoing quest to restart oil production off the Gaviota Coast, this time in the form of a terse letter signed by California State Fire Marshal Daniel Berlant, putting Sable on notice that the company had not repaired all the corroded portions of its damaged pipeline according to the specifications required by his office. Absent this level of repair, Berlant notified Sable on October 22, its application to restart the vast oil and gas plant up the coast, its much storied pipeline, and the three offshore platforms it purchased from Exxon two years ago could not be processed. According to Berlant, Sable has failed to make the repairs according to the specifications included in a special state waiver the fire marshal issued last December that would allow Sable to deploy a method of corrosion control and management other than the one originally approved when the pipeline was first permitted in 1986. Because the system’s corrosion control system did not work as hoped, the pipeline sprung a serious rupture in May 2015, and the pipeline has not been operative since. … ” Read more from the Santa Barbara Independent.
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
Return of more than 17,000 acres to Tule River Indian Tribe begins “healing”
“At a ceremony Oct. 29 marking the return of 17,030 acres of Tule River Indian Tribe lands, tribal members talked about the larger benefit of reclaiming their ancestral ground, including flood protection. Tribal plans include restoring the headwaters of Deer Creek high in the Sierra Nevada, which could provide greater protection for the southern Tulare County communities of Terra Bella, Earlimart, Allensworth and Alpaugh on the San Joaquin Valley floor. “This project goes beyond the tribe,” said tribal council member Charmaine McDarment. “All these communities will gain safer water supplies, reduced flood risks and restored ecosystems. This is environmental justice in action, healing lands and communities, including ours.” … ” Read more from SJV Water.
EASTERN SIERRA
State Water Board plans action … but when?
“News headlines shined spotlights on Mono Lake this summer. On the front page of the Los Angeles Times “‘It needs more water’: Calls grow for boosting Mono Lake” was followed several days later by “Mono Lake showing toll of LA’s thirst for water.” The multiple stories, reminiscent of the 1980s and 90s, were prominently featured in the LA Times, San Francisco Chronicle, New York Times, and more. The articles sparked new conversations with folks in Los Angeles, concerned Mono Lake Committee members, and thousands of visitors at Mono Lake. “When is the State Water Board hearing happening?” is an increasingly common question. To raise the level of Mono Lake the nine feet still needed to achieve the California State Water Resources Control Board’s healthy lake level mandate, the Board needs to hold a hearing to issue new rules for DWP’s water exports. But when that hearing will take place is still a guessing game. … ” Read more from the Mono Lake Committee.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Los Angeles will nearly double recycled water for 500,000 residents
“In a plan that will reverberate more than 300 miles north at Mono Lake, Los Angeles city leaders have decided to nearly double the wastewater that will be transformed into drinking water at the Donald C. Tillman Water Reclamation Plant in Van Nuys. Instead of treating 25 million gallons per day as originally planned, the L.A. Board of Water and Power Commissioners voted to purify 45 million gallons, enough water for 500,000 people. Board President Richard Katz said this will enable the city to stop taking water from Sierra streams that feed Mono Lake — a major shift that will address long-standing demands by environmentalists, who criticize L.A. for failing to allow the lake to rise to a healthy level. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
Will LA bring recycled water full circle for Mono Lake?
“The Mono Lake Committee’s decades-long effort to secure new local recycled water for Los Angeles, and effectively replace stream diversions from Mono Lake, may be on the precipice of finally being realized. The story begins in the 1980s when the Los Angeles Department of Water & Power (DWP) argued that any reduction in its Mono Lake exports would force Los Angeles to secure water from other places, hurting Southern California or the San Francisco Bay Delta. We said no. There had to be another solution. Los Angeles and Mono Lake shared the same need: reliable and adequate water supply. So, the Mono Lake Committee set out to help Los Angeles develop projects to create reliable water supplies within the city, so that Mono Lake could be saved and DWP would not transfer the problem to another place or community. … ” Read more from the Mono Lake Committee.
SAN DIEGO
Commentary: Water Independence — Not at Any Price
Jim Madaffer, a former San Diego City Council member, past Chair of the San Diego County Water Authority, and Vice Chair of the Colorado River Board of California, writes, “When it comes to water, honesty matters as much as infrastructure. On Tuesday, the San Diego City Council narrowly approved a two-year water rate increase — 14.7 percent next year and 14.5 percent the following year — rejecting staff’s push for a four-year plan. The Council’s message was clear: They want answers and accountability, not finger-pointing. City staff continue to blame the San Diego County Water Authority for rate hikes, citing higher wholesale costs and claiming the Water Authority “has too much water.” Yet when a councilmember asked what the city’s rate increase would be if the Water Authority raised rates by 0 percent, staff offered only double talk. That moment crystallized a larger issue — a troubling lack of transparency about the city’s own cost drivers, from deferred maintenance and energy costs to the growing expense of building the Pure Water program. … ” Read more from the Voice of San Diego.
EPA announces faster completion on two Tijuana sewage projects
“Nine cumulative months have been slashed from planned projects related to the ongoing Tijuana sewage crisis, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reports. Practically, this means that work on the Tijuana River Gates will be completed six months ahead of schedule, and rehabilitation of Pump Station 1 (PB-1) will be completed three months early. The gates project will replace more than 23,000 feet of deteriorating concrete wastewater pipes that are currently leaking untreated sewage directly into the Alamar and Tijuana Rivers. The PB-1 project will provide critical backup pumping capacity and redundancy to prevent future sewage spills into the Tijuana River when primary pumps fail. … ” Read more from The Coronado Times.
Imperial beach looks to grow beyond sewage crisis
“Sandi Crosby, president of the Imperial Beach Chamber of Commerce, says she wishes people knew what she knows about her beloved hometown. “If people haven’t come down here, I would encourage them not to let negative connotations from the past affect them,” Crosby said in a recent interview with Voice of San Diego. By “negative connotations,” Crosby meant the ongoing Tijuana River sewage crisis that has closed city beaches and dominated local headlines for what, to city residents, feels like forever. Crosby said local “businesses took a heavy hit” from relentless news coverage of the crisis. But she said there’s much more to Imperial Beach than closed beaches and a sewage-clogged river. … ” Read more from the Voice of San Diego.
Along the Colorado River …
Deadline closing in for Utah and 6 other states hammering out a new water plan
“Utah and six other states along the Colorado River are pushing up against a deadline to figure out as a group how to manage the river and its reservoirs. If they can’t reach an agreement by Nov. 11, the federal government is set to intervene and make its own plan. The existing agreement expires at the end of next year. “There’s still hope,” Marc Stilson, principal engineer for the Colorado River Authority of Utah, said Thursday. “They’re working hard, and they’re close.” The upstream Upper Basin states — Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, and Wyoming — and the Lower Basin states of Nevada, Arizona and California pitched competing plans to the federal government last year. Now, in the home stretch of negotiations, the seven states are working through questions including which reservoirs would be managed under the new agreement, how they’ll measure water use and whether the plan will include mandatory cuts to water allocations, Stilson said. … ” Read more from the Utah News Dispatch.
Utah may be forced to cut water rights if no Colorado River deal is reached
“Kevin Cotner is familiar with the dreaded term “curtailment.” The Price-area hay farmer experiences it naturally as a result of the ongoing drought. “The water’s just not here,” Cotner told FOX 13 News in an interview on Thursday. He has volunteered to fallow some of his farms through a program administered by the Colorado River Authority of Utah. Since he lives along a tributary, he’s being compensated to not grow crops on some fields for a couple of years. “To us, it’s a way to help, maybe, and get compensated,” Cotner explained. With a deadline quickly approaching to have a deal governing the Colorado River — which supplies water to more than 40 million people across seven states in the West — the Utah State Engineer’s Office is now floating worst-case scenarios that include the potential for deep cuts to people’s water shares. … ” Read more from Fox 13.
River users, landowners and lawmakers revive decades-long debate over river access in Colorado
“Colorado’s rivers are bouncing with boats. Anglers are casting everywhere. “We are getting into places that have never been paddled before and the increase in demand since COVID is a huge explosion of people getting in the outdoors learning more about our state,” said Nik White, who teaches whitewater paddling skills on the Arkansas River, Clear Creek and the South Platte with nearly a third of his classes focused on packrafting, up from zero five years ago. And White — who has been teaching paddling for 15 years and owns a company called Whitewater Workshop — has seen a recent uptick in angry landowners. He’s got stories of property owners waving guns, chasing boaters and threatening paddlers as they walk around dangerous rapids. “Landowners are getting more aggressive. It’s having a chilling effect that makes it difficult to go paddling in some areas,” White said. … ” Read more from the Colorado Sun.
In national water news today …
Emergency language in wildfire bill splits environmentalists
“A fast-moving bill to reduce wildfire risks in national forests would give the Agriculture Department a work-around past even the bill’s modest environmental safeguards, making the measure tough to swallow for some environmentalists and Hill Democrats. The “Fix Our Forests Act,” S. 1462, which advanced out of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee with bipartisan support earlier this month, would give the Agriculture secretary wide latitude to declare “emergency” situations on millions of acres of federal land. The language in the bill would provide even faster forest work than the rest of the legislation envisions and offer limited opportunity for the public to object. … ” Read more from E&E News.
