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On the calendar today …
- PPIC EVENT (Hydrid): California Water and a Changing Federal Partnership from 11:00am to 12:45pm. The federal government has been a key partner in California’s water management efforts for decades. From weather forecasting and flood management to water supply, state and federal agencies have had to work together to manage a complex system. As this partnership changes, how can California adapt? We speak with experts to envision a way forward. Click here to register.
- MEETING: Delta Protection Commission from 5pm to 7pm in Hood. Agenda items include a review of the Delta Conveyance Project’s Benefit-Cost Assessment and Economic Implications by Dr. Jeff Michael, Director, Bureau of Business and Economic Research, University of Montana; and consideration, potential approval, and direction to staff, including any delegation as appropriate, on Commission response to the Department of Water Resource’s Submittal of a Certification of Consistency for the Delta Conveyance Project to the Delta Stewardship Council. Click here for the agenda.
In California water news today …
Major storm to unload inches of rain, set off dangerous flash flooding in California
“A two-part storm system is expected to bring rounds of heavy rain to California later this week and into the weekend. The second wave could produce rainfall amounts typically seen over several months in Southern California, resulting in significant travel disruptions, flash flooding and debris flows. “The combination of a complex storm structure, a pronounced dip in the jet stream and abundant Pacific moisture is forecast to bring widespread drenching rain and drought relief to California,” AccuWeather Chief On-Air Meteorologist Bernie Rayno said. “Unlike the typical pattern where heavier rain impacts Northern California, this system is expected to bring the most significant rainfall to coastal areas of Southern California, including Los Angeles.” … ” Read more from AccuWeather.
SEE ALSO: ‘A lot of uncertainty’ suddenly surrounds a storm hitting California, from the New York Times
Experts warn ‘California will be a desert’ as atmospheric rivers move north
“In recent decades, a dramatic shift has been unfolding high above the Pacific Ocean. Vast corridors of moisture known as atmospheric rivers (ARs)—responsible for transporting nearly 90% of the world’s atmospheric water vapor from the tropics to mid-latitudes—are migrating northward. Since 1979, scientists have tracked these “rivers in the sky” moving 6 to 10 degrees closer to the poles, a change with profound consequences for regions like California that depend on them for rain and snow. … Experts warn that without rapid adaptation, California’s urban water security, wildfire resilience, and agricultural productivity could all be at risk. “Our infrastructure was designed for a climate that no longer exists,” said Dr. Emily Chen, a climate scientist at UC Davis. “We need to rethink everything from reservoir operations to drought planning.” … ” Read the full story at MSN News.
Rivers in the sky: What you need to know about atmospheric river storms
“If you live in California, you’ve likely heard the term “atmospheric river” thrown around recently. The West Coast is slammed by an onslaught of these massive, fast-moving storm systems every winter, and the Bay Area and much of California are now bracing for another soaking over the next few days. These storms can transport more than 25 times the moisture that flows through the mouth of the Mississippi River. Atmospheric rivers are a normal winter weather pattern for California, which relies on them to replenish its water supply. Strong or extreme atmospheric rivers can trigger heavy rainfall and major flooding. For example, in 2022, a family of atmospheric rivers dumped so much rain over California that levees crumbled from the force and intensity of the water, destroying hundreds of homes and disrupting life for thousands of people. But Daniel Swain, a climate scientist with UC Agriculture and Natural Resources, said their intensity doesn’t always translate into big rain or snowfall totals or flooding. … ” Read more from KQED.
Tracing mountain water to its hidden sources
“In mountain regions like the Rockies, headwater streams make up more than 70% of the river network and support the downstream waterways and communities. These headwaters are also home to many forms of aquatic life. While these sources are crucial, very few are monitored, and aspects of their hydrology are not well understood. A team of researchers, including UConn Department of Earth Sciences assistant professor Lijing Wang, are working to determine what influences how and when water moves through these streams, and what hidden source sustains them long after the rush of snowmelt. Their findings are published in Water Resources Research. The peak rush of water feeding into the headwater comes from snowmelt. In places throughout the Western United States, like the Colorado location at the focus for this study, summertime precipitation is largely lost to the air through evaporation and taken up by vegetation. The question then is, where is the water feeding the streams coming from after the snowmelt period? … ” Read more from the University of Connecticut.
CSPA supports draft science report and real substantial flow increases for the Lower Tuolumne River
“On November 5, 2025, Chris Shutes, Executive Director of the California Sportsfishing Protection Alliance (CSPA), made a presentation to the State Water Resources Control Board (Board) in general support of the Draft Scientific Basis Report Supplement for the Tuolumne River Voluntary Agreement Proposal (Draft Supplement). The presentation used examples from the Draft Supplement to show that the available science supports using a percent of unimpaired flow as the basis for flow standards for the lower Tuolumne River. On November 7, CSPA followed up with written comments on the Draft Supplement, which equally concluded that the available science does not support the proposed Tuolumne River Voluntary Agreement. …The Tuolumne River Voluntary Agreement (TVA), in contrast, proposes only very small increases in required flow in the lower Tuolumne River. Instead, it proposes to use “non-flow” actions like gravel supplementation, engineering new floodplains, and removing fish that eat salmon. Both CSPA’s presentation and comments cite the Draft Supplement to show the shortcomings of the TVA approach. … ” Read more from the California Sportfishing Protection Alliance.
Now’s the time to spot the Delta’s iconic sandhill crane
“In the fall, if you look to the skies, you might spot a sandhill crane. The iconic bird makes its way to the California Delta region each winter as part of its annual migration, generally arriving in October and sticking around until February. CapRadio’s Manola Secaira spoke with Stephanie Yee-Kay Chan and Courtney Matzke, the co-leads of the Sacramento birding group Bird Cult Sac. The two started the group as a way to meet other birding enthusiasts and post about events they’re hosting regularly on the group’s Instagram page. … CapRadio spoke with Chan and Matzke about the sandhill crane — which also happens to be the bird featured in Bird Cult Sac’s logo — and the part birding plays in getting more connected to your local environment. … ” Read transcript or listen at Capital Public Radio.
Drought linked to increased conflict between humans and wildlife in California: Study
“Researchers in California have pinpointed an unexpected impact of climate change within the state: an increase in human-wildlife conflict due to prolonged, climate-exacerbated drought conditions. Clashes between humans and wildlife — especially carnivores — were found to rise after prolonged stretches of reduced precipitation, according to a paper published Friday in Science Advances. Analysis of nearly 32,000 reports of human-wildlife interactions made to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife between 2017 and 2023 included reports of depredation — or animal damage to property — reports of anticipation of conflict or general sightings and reports of animal nuisance that did not result in property damage. More than 60 animal species were named in the reports. … ” Read more from ABC News.
There are too many wineries in California
“California has too many wineries. The state is home to 4,864 of them as of Jan. 2025, according to data from WineBusiness Analytics. That’s a nearly 47% increase since 2010, when there were 3,319. For most of that period, demand for wine was growing steadily, and thousands of entrepreneurs — whether driven by passion or seeking to capitalize on what was then an obvious market opportunity — cashed in. As the wine industry crisis has mounted over the last two years, a lot of attention has focused on California’s grape glut. Farmers can’t sell their crops, and many have heeded the repeated warnings from industry leaders that they should rip out many of their vines altogether: More than 38,000 vineyard acres were removed over the last year or so. But there’s been far less consideration of the other side of the wine-producing equation — the wineries who buy growers’ fruit, ferment it and sell it. Unlike behind-the-scenes farmers, the wineries represent the industry’s consumer-facing side, funneling bottles into tasting rooms, restaurants, supermarkets and wine shops. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
Yurok Tribe, Round Valley Indians sign Treaty of Friendship in advance of potential Eel River dam removal
“In an historic milestone, two sovereign Indian tribes have joined together to reverse decades of fisheries decline on the Eel River, the second longest river in California. On October 28, 2025, the Round Valley Indian Tribes and the Yurok Tribe met at the Wildlands Conservancy’s Eel River Canyon Preserve and signed a Treaty of Friendship that pledges their joint efforts to restore the Eel River. “The Eel River is our lifeblood and when it suffers, our people suffer,” said Round Valley Indian Tribes President Joe Parker after signing the agreement within the ancestral territory of the Tribes on the Eel River. “We are pleased to join with the Yurok Tribe, which is the leader in restoring the Klamath River through dam removal, revegetation, and habitat restoration,” he added. “With this partnership, we hope all Native tribes around the world will be motivated to stand up and fight for their culture and rights,” he noted. … ” Read more from the Lost Coast Outpost.
In Mendocino, river restoration pays off for salmon
“Conservationists restoring salmon along California’s North Coast have a mantra: A good coho salmon stream looks like a teenager’s bedroom — if teenagers discarded logs and branches instead of dirty clothes. Surveying a stretch of the Navarro River one morning last spring, Anna Halligan, a conservation biologist with Trout Unlimited, was delighted. “This is exactly what we want,” she said, examining the debris-filled water. The twigs, dirt and branches around a fallen redwood had slowed the river to a crawl and carved out a deep, sun-dappled pool underneath the trunk. In September 2020, Trout Unlimited’s partners spent days selecting a redwood and then carefully maneuvering it into the river to make it more coho-friendly. That tree has now vanished — crushed under this much larger redwood, likely carried downriver by this winter’s rains. The collision has created even more of a “mess” than Halligan could have planned. Halligan climbed down for a closer look. Within minutes, a young, silvery coho flashed into view in the new pool. … ” Read more from High Country News.
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
From rice fields to waterfowl: Agri-Business Bus Tour celebrates Butte County agriculture
“The annual Agri-Business Bus Tour returned during the 45th Farm City Celebration in Butte County, celebrating and educating visitors on the agriculture industry in the area. The tour was sold out, with 200 tickets sold and four buses used. Butte County Farm Bureau Executive Director Colleen Cecil said the overall goal of the tour is to educate the community, especially those who don’t work in agriculture, on what goes on in an industry that she said is “critically important” to the county. “Agriculture is a $700 million economy in Butte County,” Cecil said. “So it’s an opportunity to see it firsthand and hear about it from the farmers, from the producers, from the processors, from the operators, that’s the goal.” … ” Read more from the Chico Enterprise-Record.
California Water Service upgrades Chico infrastructure to boost reliability
“California Water Service is upgrading infrastructure in Chico to enhance water supply reliability and fire protection. Since work began last month, crews have replaced an old, undersized water main near Cherry Street. Approximately 750 feet of new PVC main has been installed, with nine new service lines connecting to homes, businesses and a new fire hydrant. Old water mains are prone to failures and leaks, and Cal Water wants to get out in front of those problems before they happen said Evan Markey, Chico District Manager for California Water Service. … ” Read more from KRCR.
NAPA/SONOMA
Sonoma County flood-map update could ease insurance burden for many, add risk for some
“After years of back and forth, new flood maps with major implications for property owners’ land values, insurance rates and building costs along a watershed stretching from Santa Rosa to Rohnert Park are in a final phase of review and approval. Sonoma County challenged maps produced by the Federal Emergency Management Agency that come with flood insurance requirements and added building restrictions for those deemed in higher-risk flood areas of the Todd Creek watershed. After the federal agency rejected its appeal, the county launched its own flood study in 2023, completed earlier this year. The results showed a different flood hazard designation for 289 — nearly one-third — of the 964 parcels affected, with more than half removed from a flood zone. … ” Read more from the Santa Rosa Press Democrat.
BAY AREA
Updated atmospheric river forecast shows 60+ mph wind gusts in Bay Area. Here’s what to expect
“A powerful Pacific storm fueled by a water-laden atmospheric river will start to impact the Bay Area Wednesday night, bringing damaging winds, heavy rain and even a slight chance of thunderstorms or waterspouts. The latest model runs show a slower system than previously expected, and that change means the worst of the storm will now hit between 4 a.m. and 10 a.m. on Thursday, causing significant impacts for the morning commute. The progression of the cold front appears to have slowed. The core window of heaviest rain now looks to fall between 4 a.m. and 10 a.m. Thursday, sweeping from west to east across much of the Bay Area. The heaviest rain will be a bit more delayed for the South Bay and Santa Cruz Mountains, passing through between 7 a.m. and 1 p.m. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
Sonoma Creek Enhancement: 400-acres of vital wetland habitat in San Pablo Bay
“Audubon California, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Marin Sonoma Mosquito Control District partnered to enhance 400 acres of tidal marsh habitat on the San Pablo Bay National Wildlife Refuge along Sonoma Creek in northern San Francisco Bay. The project is part of Audubon’s Coastal Resilience work and this project in particular is the first of its kind to demonstrate how to ensure the marsh and its wildlife will be better adapted to withstand climate change in the future, particularly from sea level rise and storm surges. The project will benefit birds such as Ridgway’s Rails, Black Rails, migratory waterbirds, and a number of marsh songbirds, along with the endangered salt marsh harvest mouse and native plants. Fish, such as Coho salmon and steelhead, rely on healthy wetlands as habitat where juvenile fish can feed and grow. … ” Read more from Audubon.
Why some Bay Area tap water tastes different right now
“A recent change in the Bay Area’s tap water has some residents noticing a different taste, but officials have said it’s completely normal. The East Bay Municipal Utility District, which supplies water to 1.4 million people, said it is going through “seasonal adjustments,” which might be why the tap water tastes a little off for some people. Some East Bay residents took to social media platforms such as Reddit, noting, for instance, that their coffee tasted different. “I was wondering if I’d lost my sense of taste or something,” one user wrote. … ” Read more from SF Gate.
CENTRAL COAST
Salinas Valley well owners are now required to register with Monterey County
“A new well registration program in the Salinas Valley requires all well owners to register by Jan. 31, 2026. The Monterey County Water Resources Agency (MCWRA) and the Salinas Valley Basin Groundwater Sustainability Agency (SVBGSA) launched the program aiming to better understand and protect groundwater resources in the Salinas Valley. The registration can be found on the County of Monterey’s website and can be submitted by email or mail. … ” Read more from KSBY.
Million-gallon sewage spill exacts million-dollar penalty
Goleta West Sanitary District is facing the consequences of flooding more than one million gallons of raw sewage into the Goleta Slough right before a four-day storm dropped more than 10 inches of rain in the watershed above. In a settlement that is still pending, the district will pay $1.5 million for a new program to improve drinking water in wells around the county, rather than the penalty of $10.7 million that could have been imposed, according to the settlement agreement reached with the Central Coast Water Board. When Goleta West’s Brian McCarthy and Joey Hilliard met at the airport property bordering the slough the morning of February 17, 2024, they found a mucky brown mess on the grassy edge. The day before, a contractor had been doing repairs late into the day at the pump house near Goleta West headquarters at the edge of UC Santa Barbara. As was standard practice after a repair, McCarthy, Goleta West’s superintendent, and Hilliard, who steps into that job next year, had returned to walk the main lines that Saturday in the daylight. … ” Read more from the Santa Barbara Independent.
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
California State Parks treating invasive hyacinth as it spreads across Stockton waterfront
“Hyacinth, an invasive and seasonal plant, is once again invading Stockton waterways. This year’s bloom came into downtown Stockton from the Tuolumne River, breaking off during the last storm. Some residents said they haven’t seen the hyacinth at the Stockton Marina this bad in a couple of years. “It’s like living in the jungle to me,” Stockton Marina Resident Leon Robinson said. Other Stockton residents who live near the water say it doesn’t bother them. “A lot of neighbors, they complain about it, but my neighbor next door, we just deal with it,” Robinson continued. “It’s a part of life, a part of nature, and we got to learn to adapt to it.” However, the state said it can cause all sorts of problems. … ” Read more from CBS News.
San Joaquin County crews pull cars out of water from marina near Stockton
“Crews from the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office are out in the Delta on Wednesday, pulling vehicles out of the water. The sheriff’s office says they’re focusing their efforts on the Whiskey Slough Marina. At least one vehicle, an SUV, has been pulled out so far. … ” Read more from CBS News.
Public asked for comments on proposal to address dry wells by Kings County groundwater agency
“Northern Kings County residents and landowners are being asked to have a say in how a local groundwater agency responds to domestic wells going dry. At its Nov. 6 special meeting, the South Fork Kings Groundwater Sustainability Agency (GSA) board approved releasing a draft of its $1.5 million well mitigation program for public comment for 30 days beginning Nov. 10. The draft program will aid domestic well owners, well dependent-communities and industrial well owners whose wells have gone dry or whose water quality has suffered due to excessive pumping. Routine electrical and mechanical issues would not be covered. The proposed program offers two tracks: One for domestic well owners and the second for municipal, industrial and community wells. … ” Read more from SJV Water.
Questions arise about whether former board president can legally serve as manager of Kern water agency
“The specter of California’s strict but confounding conflict-of-interest law prohibiting public officials from profiting from their own agencies came up recently in regards to the Kern County Water Agency hiring its former board president as its general manager. Was it OK, under California Government Code Section 1090 for KCWA to hire Eric Averett as its general manager though he had served as board president while the position was being discussed for nearly four months? A reader sent SJV Water several “advice letters” from the Fair Political Practices Commission that seem to suggest it may not have been OK. Averett resigned his board seat Oct. 8 – which was not publicly announced – and was named as the agency’s new general manager on Oct. 23. The position comes with a $525,000 annual salary, $60,000 signing bonus and other perks. He is set to begin his new duties Nov. 24. … ” Read more from SJV Water.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Southern California braces for potentially dangerous debris flows from upcoming cold rainstorm
“A storm bringing heavy rain and the potential for widespread flooding is expected to make its way into the Southern California region by Thursday, weather officials say. The National Weather Service said the storm should arrive by Thursday night in most areas and will remain through Saturday, with the possibility of lingering showers into Sunday. Weather officials are taking precautions with the heavy rainfall expected, warning residents about the potential dangers, including thunderstorms, flooded roads, debris flows in burn scar areas and gusty winds. The atmospheric river is moving south from the Gulf of Alaska and CBS LA meteorologists call it the coldest storm since the beginning of the year. … ” Read more from CBS News.
SEE ALSO:
- As Southern California storm approaches, evacuation warnings issued near recent wildfire burn scars, from KTLA
- Los Angeles To See Entire Month of Rain From One Storm, from Newsweek
LA leaders rally at Venice pier to oppose Trump’s revived offshore drilling push
“Los Angeles City Councilmembers Traci Park, Tim McOsker and Adrin Nazarian introduced a resolution Tuesday opposing the Trump administration’s push to revive offshore oil and gas drilling along California’s coast, drawing a firm line against what they called a reckless federal proposal. The trio announced the measure at a press conference on the Venice Pier, flanked by the Pacific Ocean and joined by environmental advocates, business leaders and regional officials. The event highlighted a unified resistance to the plan, which would mark the first new offshore leases in California since 1984, according to internal Department of the Interior draft documents viewed by CBS News. The resolution reaffirms the city’s long-standing ban on new coastal oil infrastructure, rooted in the 1969 Santa Barbara oil spill and solidified by voter-approved Measure O in 1988, which passed by a 2-to-1 margin under then-Councilmember Marvin Braude. “Los Angeles will never allow offshore drilling off our coast — not now, not ever,” Park declared. “We won’t invite another kind of disaster.” … ” Read more from the Santa Monica Mirror.
SAN DIEGO
Environmentalists say they’re cool with East County taking cred for Pure Water’s production
“There’s a debate over whether the city of San Diego should or could build a smaller sewage-to-drinking water recycling project than originally planned. If fully built out, the project costs would top $5 billion. And the City Council is desperate to save ratepayers money. But the city probably can’t build a smaller Pure Water project, even though some want it to, because recycling wastewater is something the city promised to do – or risk being sued by environmentalists. A bloc of East County cities is building their own, similar project. And they’ve told San Diego, hey, why don’t you just build less, save money and count the water we make from our toilet flushes toward your project? San Diego’s Public Utilities Department told City Council President Joe LaCava they’re looking into it during a heated water and wastewater rate hike debate. But it wasn’t clear whether environmentalists had a problem with East County sharing San Diego’s commitment toward wastewater recycling. So, our MacKenzie Elmer asked them. … ” Read more from the Voice of San Diego.
Unique partnership yields new water quality lab in south San Diego
“A new water quality lab recently opened in South San Diego County that will increase local testing capacity, learning opportunities, and transboundary pollution advocacy. The lab is a collaborative effort between the San Diego Chapter’s Blue Water Task Force and Clean Border Water Now programs and the YMCA’s Camp Surf. Located in Imperial Beach, the new lab will allow our BWTF program to cover more South San Diego sites and to test them more frequently. It will also provide new volunteer opportunities in the surrounding communities most affected by the transboundary pollution in the Tijuana River Watershed. Both partner organizations are especially excited about the educational and hands-on opportunities the new lab will provide for local high school students and youth that attend Camp Surf — where water is typically too polluted to enter at the beach on-site. Through this program, we shine a light on pollution issues impacting San Diego County’s coastal waters and unite our community to find and implement solutions. … ” Read more from Surfrider.
Along the Colorado River …
No deal on Colorado River
“Water managers from the seven states that share the Colorado River have blown a deadline given to them by the federal government to come up with a rough plan on how the drought-stricken river will be shared in the future. The Upper Basin (Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming) still cannot find agreement with the Lower Basin (California, Arizona and Nevada) about how the nation’s two largest reservoirs — Lake Powell and Lake Mead — will be operated and how cuts will be shared in dry years. In June, Scott Cameron, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation’s acting assistant secretary for water and science, said federal officials would need to know the broad outlines of a plan from the states by Nov. 11. Despite frequent meetings in recent months, negotiators were unable to hammer out a deal by Tuesday, leaving future management for the water supply for 40 million people in the Southwest cloaked in uncertainty. Instead, the states, the Interior Department and the federal Bureau of Reclamation released a short joint statement Tuesday afternoon, noting that serious and ongoing challenges face the Colorado River. “While more work needs to be done, collective progress has been made that warrants continued efforts to define and approve details for a finalized agreement,” the statement reads. “Through continued cooperation and coordinated action, there is a shared commitment to ensuring the long-term sustainability and resilience of the Colorado River system.” … ” Read more from Aspen Journalism.
States blow past Colorado River deadline, Arizona wants feds to order water cuts
“Negotiators from seven Western states missed a crucial deadline Tuesday to reach a consensus on dividing up water from the Colorado River. The states are negotiating new guidelines for how the federal government manages the largest dams and reservoirs on the river. The current guidelines have been in place since 2007 — but they expire this year, and a new plan needs to be in place by fall of 2026. The Interior Department set Tuesday’s deadline in June, although states have been hurtling towards the current impasse for around two decades. During that time, growing demand for water, plus an increasingly hot, dry climate, has squeezed supplies on the river. At issue is how the Upper Basin states (Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, New Mexico) and the Lower Basin states (Arizona, Nevada, California) will cut back their water use in the future. … ” Read more from Colorado Public Radio.
Hobbs urges feds to protect Colorado River users as states struggle to finish water plan
“With Colorado River water-sharing negotiations sputtering, Gov. Katie Hobbs and bipartisan legislative leaders are calling on the Trump administration to develop a plan that protects Arizona water users by requiring conservation in upstream states. Time is running short for the seven states that use the river to reach a negotiated deal before the current dam-operating guidelines expire next year, and there’s little evidence that the states are close to solving their impasse over splitting the deeper cuts in water use that continuing drought will require. The letter, addressed to Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, was released once it was clear the states had no plan to submit by the end of Nov. 11, a date by which one of Burgum’s assistants had asked the states to make clear whether a settlement was on the horizon. … ” Read more from the Arizona Republic.
SEE ALSO:
- Colorado River states missed deadline to agree on a water deal. This expert is not optimistic, from KJZZ
- Deadline passed, Arizona governor says Colorado River headwater states uncommitted to conservation, from the Associated Press
- Western US states fail to agree on plan to manage Colorado River before federal deadline, from The Guardian
- Water cuts may be coming to Utah as states negotiate Colorado River deal, from Utah Public Radio
- Colorado River Basin states miss another deadline to agree on water plan, from Aspen Public Radio
- Metropolitan issues statement on continued efforts to negotiate new rules for Colorado River operations , from the Metropolitan Water District
- Imperial Irrigation District Statement on California’s Continued Leadership on the Colorado River, from the Imperial Irrigation District
Commentary: We have sacred obligation to protect, preserve Colorado River
“The Colorado River is in jeopardy. We have all seen the stories of how the climate is hotter and drier, and under the Post-2026 Process that Arizona will have to take additional reductions beyond the already significant reductions in its allocation of Colorado River water. It is also clear that the Basin States and federal government are having trouble in agreeing on the management of this resource. Yet these public discussions only tell part of the story. They focus on how much water society can take from this resource. What is seldom heard in the press, nor in the briefings we are allowed to attend, is addressing the needs of the river itself, so that it can provide for the next generation, and those generations to follow. At the Colorado River Indian Tribes, we are changing this narrative. … ” Read more from the Arizona Republic. | Read via Yahoo News.
In national water news today …
EPA proposes changes to PFAS reporting requirements
“On Monday, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a proposal designed to improve the scope of its perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) reporting regulations under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). The changes, EPA said, are aimed at making the rules more implementable and to reduce unnecessary or potentially duplicative reporting requirements for businesses, which the agency said can be done while obtaining the necessary use and safety information on PFAS. In October 2023, the EPA under President Joe Biden’s administration finalized a one-time PFAS reporting and recordkeeping regulation under TSCA section 8(a)(7) that requires manufacturers (including importers) of PFAS in any year between 2011-2022 to report data to EPA related to exposure and any existing environmental and health effects. … ” Read more from Water Finance & Management.
1.5 degrees ‘no longer plausible’ as global emissions hit record
“The world is on track to set a new record for greenhouse gas emissions just in time for the 10th anniversary of the Paris climate accord. Climate pollution from fossil fuels are on pace to exceed 38 billion metric tons this year, the Global Carbon Project said Thursday. The report, which comes as nations gather in Brazil for the COP30 climate summit, underscores just how difficult it will be for countries to cut emissions to the levels agreed to in 2015. The Paris Agreement’s most ambitious climate target envisioned limiting global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius. But the world has virtually extinguished the carbon budget needed to meet that target, the Global Carbon Project found. … ” Read more from E&E News.
