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On the calendar today …
- WEBINAR: Land Repurposing and Watershed Health: How the Climate Bond (Proposition 4) and California Department of Conservation Programs are Working to Support Watershed Stewardship from 12pm to 1pm. Speaker: Shanna Atherton-Bauer, Director for the Division of Land Resource Protection at the California Department of Conservation. Click here to register.
In California water news today …
Atmospheric rivers nearly wipe out severe drought in California
“Major storms that soaked much of California in recent weeks sharply diminished drought conditions in the state. The United States Drought Monitor map, a joint project between multiple government bodies and the University of Nebraska at Lincoln, found just 0.7% of the state is in “severe drought” as of Nov. 18. That’s a startling decrease from just one week ago, when the Nov. 11 map showed that over 9% of California was in severe drought. Currently, most of the state (about 70% of California) has no drought conditions whatsoever; that number was about 50% earlier this month. That’s not to say that California is suddenly drought-free from corner to corner. According to the new Drought Monitor map, 14.2% of the state remains under moderate drought conditions, with an additional 15% under “abnormally dry” conditions. … ” Read more from SF Gate.
How much snow has fallen in Sierra Nevada so far? See latest Tahoe storm totals
“An atmospheric river recently swept through Northern California, delivering days of gray skies, gusty winds, steady rain and mountain snow. As ski resorts across Northern California prepare to open for the 2025-26 winter season, several have already recorded their first significant snow of the year. The Sierra Nevada, including the Lake Tahoe region, has received heavy amounts of snowfall recently, the UC Berkeley Central Sierra Snow Laboratory reported. As of Thursday, Nov. 20, the laboratory at Donner Pass had received 11.6 inches of snow over the past seven days. Here’s a look at how much snow has fallen so far in the Tahoe area — and how much more is on the way … ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee.
Last storm to close out California’s wet stretch with flooding rain, mountain snow
“A high-impact storm will close out a weeks-long stretch of active weather in California, bringing widespread rain and accumulating mountain snow into the weekend. The storm will raise the risk of flooding and landslides in areas already soaked from prior rainfall. Persistent downpours are expected from Los Angeles to San Diego, increasing the risk of flash flooding. Localized mudslides remain a concern—especially in recent burn scar areas where saturated soils increase the risk of debris flows and road washouts. Urban flooding could disrupt travel in low-lying or poorly drained areas. Spotty thunderstorms could produce gusty winds capable of blowing around unsecured holiday decorations. A couple of the strongest thunderstorms may spawn a waterspout or brief tornado. … ” Read more from AccuWeather.
Tribal and environmental advocates challenge certification of consistency of the Delta Conveyance Project
“A coalition of Tribes and environmental advocates have filed a formal appeal challenging the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) Certification of Consistency for the proposed Delta Conveyance Project (DCP), arguing the project violates state law and poses an imminent threat to Delta communities, its ecosystem and cultural heritage. The coalition, consisting of the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians, the Winnemem Wintu Tribe, San Francisco Baykeeper, Center for Biological Diversity, California Sportfishing Protection Alliance, Little Manila Rising, Friends of the River, California Indian Environmental Alliance, Sierra Club California and Restore the Delta, are urging the Delta Stewardship Council to overturn the certification citing inconsistencies with the Delta Reform Act and Delta Plan. … ” Read more from Restore the Delta.
California surface water costs triple during drought
“California often swings between climate extremes — from powerful storms to punishing droughts. As climate change drives more intense and frequent dry and wet cycles, pressure on California’s water supplies grows. A new University of California, Davis, economic study finds that drought in California pushes the price of water from rivers, lakes and reservoirs up by $487 per acre-foot, more than triple the cost during an average wet year. The research appears in Nature Sustainability. “The extreme volatility in prices surprised me,” said lead author Madeline Turland, a former graduate student in the UC Davis Agricultural and Resource Economics Department and now an assistant professor of resource economics at the University of Alberta. “During dry years we have really high surface water prices and during wet years we have really low water prices, but we found that groundwater seems to have stable prices over time, despite precipitation swings.” … ” Read more from Valley Voice.
Kelp restoration film reveals extent of crisis, hope for recovery
“The bull kelp forests of the Pacific Coast began to decline in 2013. A perfect storm of events —a climate-induced marine heatwave, a strong El Niño season and the explosion in population of a voracious kelp eater — obliterated the regional kelp populace by 95% in 2017. But according to long-time ocean advocates Natasha Benjamin and Ana Blanco, “Kelp is having a moment right now.” Benjamin, the associate director of Blue Frontier, an ocean advocacy group, and Blanco, the executive director of the International Ocean Film Foundation, are determined to sound the alarm bell and restore the coast’s kelp forests. Their documentary, “Sequoias of the Sea,” is screening at Asilomar State Beach and Conference Grounds at 2 p.m. Saturday. It portrays the great kelp decline as well as the impact it has had on a small town in Mendocino County, the greater California coast and the world at large. “We want people to be aware of how important kelp forests are to coastal communities, to our intertidal coastal ecosystems,” Benjamin says. “Kelp is the new coral.” … ” Read more from the Monterey Herald.
Costa introduces bipartisan legislation to modernize water systems and fund local water infrastructure projects
“Today, U.S. Representatives Jim Costa (CA-21), Kim Schrier (WA-08), Dan Newhouse (WA-04), John Garamendi (CA-03), Vince Fong (CA-20), Doug LaMalfa (CA-01), and Sharice Davids (KS-03) introduced the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) Amendments of 2025, a bipartisan bill to update and improve a loan program that funds critical water and wastewater infrastructure projects through modernized water systems in the San Joaquin Valley and California. “Water is the lifeblood of our valley; therefore, we must continue to invest in our water infrastructure. We know that where water flows, food grows, and nowhere is that more evident than in the agricultural heartland of the San Joaquin Valley. Over 10-year periods, we have either too much water and flood conditions or too little water and drought conditions,”said Congressman Costa. “That is why I am proud to lead a bipartisan piece of legislation that includes my bill, the “Restoring WIFIA Eligibility Act.” This effort will help strengthen the tools needed to modernize our water systems and protect every drop of water possible.” … ” Read more from Congressman Jim Costa.
Trump administration plans to open Pacific Coast to oil drilling for first time in more than 4 decades
“The Trump administration on Thursday announced plans to open the Pacific Ocean to new oil and gas leases for the first time in more than four decades. The draft plan released by the U.S. Department of the Interior confirms rumors that have been swirling for weeks. The proposal would see as many as 34 offshore lease sales across 1.27 billion acres of federal waters in the Outer Continental Shelf through 2031, including six areas along the Pacific Coast, 21 off the coast of Alaska and seven in the Gulf of Mexico. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum announced the plan with an order titled “Unleashing American Offshore Energy,” which directs the federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management to terminate former President Biden’s much more limited plan, which called for only three new oil and gas leases through 2029, the lowest number ever and only in the Gulf of Mexico. … ” Read more from the LA Times. | Read via MSN News.
SEE ALSO:
- Trump officials unveil plan to drill off California, sparking a fight, from the Washington Post
- Trump’s offshore drilling plan blasted by California politicians, from the San Francisco Chronicle
- Trump Plans to Open More Than a Billion Acres of U.S. Waters to Drilling, from the New York Times
Why California is seeing an earthquake cluster right now
“Around 90 small earthquakes have struck near San Ramon in the East Bay this month. It’s at least the sixth time a series of tiny quakes has lit up that area since 1970, including the most recent swarm back in 2015. Although smaller earthquakes can occasionally foreshadow a “big one” arriving, California scientists caution against that assumption in this case. “This has happened many times before here in the past, and there were no big earthquakes that followed,” Sarah Minson, a research geophysicist with the U.S. Geological Survey’s Earthquake Science Center at California’s Moffett Field, told SFGATE. “We think that this place keeps having earthquake swarms due to a lot of fluid-filled cracks, thanks to very complex fault geometry — unlike, say, the San Andreas Fault, which is this nice clean edge.” … ” Read more from SF Gate.
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
Humboldt County: Water district starts emergency pipeline relocation on the Samoa Peninsula
“In a special meeting Thursday morning, the Humboldt Bay Municipal Water District Board of Directors voted to approve an emergency pipeline relocation on the Samoa Peninsula. The project will relocate a stretch of pipeline that feeds county parkland and the U.S. Coast Guard Station Humboldt Bay. That stretch of pipeline had been found to be damaged by recent high tides and is currently at risk of being undermined by king tides predicted to exceed 9 feet in early December. “District staff were informed on Nov. 12, 2025, that an air-release valve and vault on the Samoa Peninsula was damaged,” a staff report of the subject states. “Staff investigated on Nov. 13 … and discovered the recent high tides (8+ feet) had undermined the vault, and (the vault and valve) were no longer secure. Staff removed the air-release valve and vault to prevent further damage and possible failure to the six-inch transmission pipeline which serves the Coast Guard at the southern end of the Samoa Peninsula.” … ” Read more from the Eureka Times-Standard.
City of Fort Bragg welcomes desalination pilot project
Last week, a group of local and state officials gathered with the public at Fort Bragg’s South Harbor to be introduced to a creative team and a bright yellow object that just might play a long-term role in easing drought conditions on the coast. Oneka Technologies and the City of Fort Bragg are collaborating on a one-year pilot project- the deployment of a “ResilienSea” desalination buoy. The cabin-sized device utilizes wave technology to desalinate coastal seawater, with all aspects of desalination taking place offshore. … ” Read more from the Fort Bragg Advocate.
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
$5.5M Grant from Wildlife Conservation Board supports historic return of 10,000+ acres in the Sierra Nevada to the Washoe People
“Today the California Wildlife Conservation Board awarded $5.5 million to the Wášiw-šiw Land Trust to support the purchase of 10,274 acres in the Washoe tribal homelands. The property, which is located northeast of Lake Tahoe and approximately 20 miles north of Reno, encompasses a vast natural landscape known for its outstanding wildlife habitat. The acreage is largely surrounded by public lands managed by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management. “The reclamation of these Washoe homelands is of great importance. Wá·šiw people were once forcefully removed from these lands. This plays a huge part in the trauma our people go through. Now the land is calling the Washoe people home and we are answering that call,” said Washoe Tribe Chairman Serrell Smokey. “We are deeply grateful to the Wildlife Conservation Board for providing essential funding for this historic land purchase by the Wášiw-šiw Land Trust.” … ” Continue reading this press release.
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
City of Redding to invest over $3M in new water pump station at City Hall
“The City of Redding is set to spend over $3M to install a new water pump station. City staff say the project will include the demolition and removal of the existing pump station located at 777 Cypress Avenue, at the southeast corner of the City Hall campus. It will then be replaced with a new pump station housed in a masonry block building with a sloping metal roof. The pump station will consist of a new pump with associated appurtenances, a new 24-inch pipeline, electrical instrumentation landscaping, paving, miscellaneous storm drain and wrought iron fence with gate. City of Redding contracted RTA Construction, Inc. for the project. … ” Read more from KRCR.
Landmark Battle Creek revitalization launches with acquisition of historic Tehama County Ranch
“Today, a major milestone in the revitalization of Battle Creek was achieved through River Partners’ acquisition of the historic 1,721-acre Battle Creek Ranch in Tehama County. The acquisition was made possible through a $15.05 million grant approved by the California Wildlife Conservation Board (WCB), which also awarded nearly $600,000 to retire a water-right diversion associated with the property. These awards mark a concrete step toward restoring one of California’s most important salmon-bearing waterways—an effort three decades in the making thanks to a coalition of California natural-resource agencies, conservation nonprofits, and local leaders. The acquisition will conserve the last unprotected lands along lower Battle Creek, completing a decades-long effort to conserve all properties along the waterway’s entire 7.5-mile lower reach. The ranch spans nearly two miles along the west bank of Battle Creek, from its confluence with the Sacramento River upstream to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Battle Creek Wildlife Area. The ranch has historically diverted over 20,000 acre-feet of water annually from Battle Creek (roughly 6.5 million gallons). River Partners plans to return this water to the creek to improve flows, water temperature, and habitat essential for endangered salmon and other native wildlife. … ” Read more from River Partners.
SEE ALSO: Battle Creek Ranch acquisition slated for salmon habitat restoration, from Action News Now
California Department of Water Resources holding ribbon-cutting ceremony for completed Big Notch Project at Fremont Weir
“The California Department of Water Resources announced on Thursday that they will be hosting a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Big Notch Project at the Fremont Weir. This project aims to aid in the recovery of endangered fish species and is one of the largest salmon-rearing habitat projects in the state’s history. The ceremony will begin at 10:30 a.m. and will include remarks from state and federal officials. Attendees will have the chance to view the operable gates designed for fish passage between the Sacramento River and the Yolo Bypass floodplains. … ” Read more from Action News Now.
Jobs vs. Nature: Sacramento City Council considers land annex for industry in protected Natomas Basin
“Sacramento City Council weighed the merits of a large industrial development in North Natomas on Tuesday as environmentalists, developers and laborers argued for or against the controversial project. The development, known as Airport South Industrial, would annex approximately 450 acres of protected land for warehouses into the city of Sacramento, south of the Metro Air Parkway and west of the Westlake neighborhood in Natomas. The project could bring thousands of jobs to the region, but would also develop on land that the city agreed to protect through the Natomas Basin Conservancy in 1997. No decision was made during the four hour public hearing, as a final council vote won’t come until next month at the earliest. But council members probed applicant Northpoint Development on specific concerns surrounding proximity to the Westlake neighborhood, traffic, air pollution and utility rates for neighbors of the project. … ” Read more from Capital Public Radio.
BAY AREA
Bay Area to dry out after stormy stretch
“The Bay Area’s parade of November storms is finally coming to an end. This weekend will mark the beginning of a dry stretch that should last until Thanksgiving, providing good weather for travel ahead of the holiday. Moisture evaporating from the ground after Thursday’s rain will aid in patchy fog formation Friday morning, especially in the Tri-Valley and Santa Clara Valley. Light northerly winds are expected to blow dry air through the delta toward San Francisco, keeping fog away from the city for the most part. Saturday and Sunday have greater chances of starting foggy in more of the Bay Area as the winds relax. High temperatures will stabilize over the weekend, remaining in the low to mid-60s throughout the Bay Area, coolest at the coast and warmest in Wine Country. Overnight lows will be chilly, in the 40s, with patchy morning fog. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
Hundreds of California and Bay Area hazardous sites could face future flooding
“Power plants. Sewage treatment facilities. Fossil fuel ports. Radioactively contaminated sites. These are just a few of the 249 hazardous sites across the Bay Area that could flood as seas rise in the coming decades in the worst-case scenario, according to a new report published Thursday in the journal Nature Communications. The researchers project that 5,500 hazardous sites across the nation could be at risk of coastal flooding by the end of the century. Around two-thirds of these facilities are at risk of coastal flooding within the next 25 years, during 100-year flood events. “Historically underserved communities” are more likely to live near hazardous sites prone to flooding, the scientists wrote in a preview of the study. Researchers from Climate Central, UCLA, UC Berkeley and Nanjing University collaborated on the study. … ” Read more from KQED.
SEE ALSO: 5,500 toxic sites in the U.S. at risk of flooding as seas rise, from EOS
Some birds in the bay are doing OK
“Since 2000, Julian Wood has perfected the art of not falling into the hidden channels that weave through the Bay’s tidal marshes. Come early spring tides, the San Francisco Bay program leader at the nonprofit Point Blue Conservation Science has his routine down: downing cups of coffee, donning rubber boots, and wayfinding out to a specific point in the marsh. Then he sets a timer for five minutes, and counts every single bird he sees or hears, from a song sparrow’s cheep to the shadow of a disappearing black rail. After five minutes, he hustles to the next spot, and repeats. Multiply that by 12 counts a morning, several days a year, over more than two decades, and Wood has gathered a wealth of data on what birds are doing by the Bay. … Now they have put it all together into one report: the 2025 San Francisco Bay State of the Birds, published online last month by Point Blue Conservation Science and the San Francisco Bay Joint Venture, a partnership that helps safeguard migratory birds. The research shows a mixed bag: some bird groups, like in tidal marshes, are doing well, while others, like shorebirds, are struggling. … ” Read more from Bay Nature.
SEE ALSO: Environmental report card has mixed grade for San Francisco Bay Estuary, from ABC Bay Area
With dams removed, spawning salmon are heading up Alameda Creek
“Nearly a dozen chinook salmon have swum the 12 miles upstream from the San Francisco Bay through Alameda Creek into Niles Canyon—likely the first salmon to spawn there in 30 years, according to Jeff Miller, founder of the Alameda Creek Alliance. From its mouth in the East Bay, between the San Mateo and Dumbarton bridges, Alameda Creek leads forty miles east into the Sunol Wilderness through abundant potential spawning grounds. But dams, pipelines, bridges, and other human structures in the creek blocked fish from that potential paradise in 1967. Since 1998, the Alameda Creek Alliance, a grassroots advocacy group, has worked alongside agencies, nonprofits, and community members to take down these barriers one by one. Two multimillion-dollar fish ladders opened the route to Niles Canyon in 2022. This September, the mainstem creek’s last remaining barrier, a concrete mat over a PG&E gas pipeline, was removed. … ” Read more from Bay Nature.
Mussel memory: Invasive mollusks remain on the brain for local water agencies
“My heart almost skipped a beat when scanning the email from a reader pointing out the implications of an under-reported item from last week’s East Bay Municipal Utility District Board of Directors meeting: the golden mussel is starting to spread in California. Mere mention of the bivalve froze me in full-blown flashback. I spent dozens of hours early in my career covering government meetings in Lakeport on invasive mussels and prevention efforts. Clear Lake has always been the economic (and political) epicenter of Lake County, so maintaining the health and vitality of the watershed was a recurring subject for the Board of Supervisors. When they weren’t talking about algae, weeds, water quality or flooding, the lake’s overseers at that time were laser-focused on the quagga quandary. … ” Read more from Pleasanton Weekly.
CENTRAL COAST
Commentary: The solution to Lopez Dam remains clear
Santa Lucia Chapter of the Sierra Club, Los Padres Forestwatch, and San Luis Obispo Coastkeeper write, “SLO County 3rd District Supervisor Dawn Ortiz-Legg’s recent op-ed (“The real risk to Lopez Lake are the environmental organizations that sued the county,” Oct. 16) in response to the Oct. 9 Down to Earth column, “The Lopez Solution,” misrepresents several key facts about the Lopez Dam litigation and the community groups involved. We’re here to set the record straight. Revisiting the basics: Community groups filed the Lopez Dam lawsuit in response to SLO County’s failure to remedy Lopez Dam’s decades-long violations of the Endangered Species Act. Arroyo Grande Creek’s low flow threatens the survival of the endangered local steelhead. The SLO County Supervisors have the opportunity (and legal responsibility) to fix the mistakes of their predecessors and make Lopez Dam finally compliant with the law. So, let’s address the misinformation … ” Read more from New Times SLO.
Cuyama Valley groundwater lawsuit marches on, dragging small farmers, residents in its wake
“About 30 ranchers and residents sat quietly in the Cuyama Valley Family Resource Center recently, hanging on every word from Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge William Highberger as he succinctly laid out the history, the status and the substantial stakes of an ongoing groundwater adjudication started by mega carrot farming companies Grimmway Farms and Bolthouse Farms in 2022. The farming companies have since dropped out of the suit, but Bolthouse Land Co. remains as a plaintiff. This adjudication, or lawsuit, “will affect the rights of people who are not even aware of the case,” Highberger said during the Nov. 7 special status conference. “I wanted this chance to alert people in and around New Cuyama that this case is proceeding in downtown Los Angeles, far from your farms, ranches and homes.” Highberger has already determined the safe yield for the Cuyama basin, which is the amount that can be pumped without causing problems such as land sinking or groundwater levels continuing to drop. That amount is 20,370 acre feet per year, he said. … ” Read more from SJV Water.
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
Water under ‘the bridge’ is problem for Manteca
“Manteca — in a four day period last week — received 3.29 inches of rain. And that rain in the form of runoff had to go somewhere. That “somewhere” for most of Manteca except the southwest portion of the city is the South San Joaquin Irrigation District’s French Camp Outlet that drains into the San Joaquin River and the Delta. The open outlet canal runs along the east side of the Union Pacific Railroad’s Altamont line tracks that serve as the common border for the cities of Manteca and Lathrop. Receiving 3.29 inches of rain in 96 hours is a lot of rain for Manteca considering the annual average based on National Weather Service data collected at Stockton Metro Airport, is 17.29 inches. … ” Continue reading at the Manteca Bulletin.
Lots of comments at Kings pumping policy events – just not about the pumping policies
“Two neighboring Kings County groundwater sustainability agencies (GSAs) released draft pumping allocation policies recently but had a hard time getting feedback from residents and growers at recent workshops. Not because growers and residents didn’t want to talk. They did. Just not about the pumping allocations. A combined 70 people attended the Mid-Kings River and South Fork GSA workshops Nov. 12 and 14, respectively. Attendees had plenty of questions and comments about government mandates, surface water supplies, fallowing programs, pumping fees, Corcoran clay compaction and more. But feedback on the draft pumping allocation policies was limited. “It’s a challenge to stay on topic,” Kevin Ruble said at the end of the South Fork workshop. Ruble sits on advisory committees for both GSAs. … ” Read more from SJV Water.
Storm brings rain and snow to Kern County, ending drought conditions
“The next weather system is here and is bringing scattered showers, and it’s marking the end of drought conditions in the state. The Drought Monitor reported no more drought for Kern County following recent rainfall totalling 1.90 inches from Thursday to Monday. … ” Read more from Bakersfield Now.
New manager of powerful Kern water agency won’t have “second job”
“The new General Manager for the Kern County Water Agency (KCWA) won’t also continue working for his former employer, Homer LLC, the agency’s attorney confirmed Thursday. Eric Averett “…is not advising, consulting, or on the Homer (or any of its related companies) Board of Directors. Eric and the Agency will comply with all governing rules now and in the future,” attorney Jim Ciampa wrote in response to questions about Averett’s continued association with Homer. Concerns about that connection rose after Averett sent an email to a string of people involved in local water the morning of Oct. 23 before his new position was announced. … ” Read more from SJV Water.
EASTERN SIERRA
Indian Wells Valley Groundwater Authority and Searles Valley Minerals announce comprehensive settlement and mutual release agreement
“The Indian Wells Valley Groundwater Authority (IWVGA) and Searles Valley Minerals have entered into a comprehensive Settlement and Mutual Release Agreement that fully resolves legal challenges concerning the Groundwater Sustainability Plan. The agreement states that both IWVGA and Searles have permanently dropped (“dismissed with prejudice”) all lawsuits filed against each other. The agreement is intended to support cooperative planning, management and implementation of projects that enhance the long-term groundwater sustainability in the Indian Wells Valley basin. The agreement creates immediate environmental benefits by incorporating reclaimed water into Searles’ operations, taking pressure off the overdrafted basin. By moving to reclaimed water for its industrial operations, Searles can stop pumping roughly 2,000 acre-feet per year of drinking-quality groundwater from the basin. … ” Continue reading this press release.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Torrential rains return to Southern California, prompting new flash flood fears, threat of mudslides
“Torrential rains have drenched parts of Southern California, leading to new flash flood warnings Friday for parts of Los Angeles County. Residents were warned of flash flooding of streets, creeks and streams and possible mudslides in several parts of Los Angeles. The most recent flash flood warning from the National Weather Service covered areas including downtown Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Hollywood, Beverly Hills and Studio City. Some vehicles were stuck in floodwaters near Culver City before dawn on Friday, the weather service reported. A potent atmospheric river is blamed for causing at least a half-dozen deaths earlier this month as it rolled across much of California. Heavy rains also bring the threat of mudslides in areas that were recently ravaged by wildfire. … ” Read more from ABC News.
SEE ALSO: It’s not over yet: SoCal storm brings flooding, possible tornado and trapped cars, from the LA Times
California’s reservoirs surge after back-to-back storms
“When it rains, it pours, and that’s a good thing when it comes to water supply levels in California, especially in Southern California. Statewide, reservoir storage is now about 114% of the historical average, marking a significant improvement in water availability. “We are going into this calendar year … we’re projected to go again with record-breaking storage in Metropolitan’s facilities,” said Demetri Polyzos, planning manager at the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, the state’s largest drinking water supplier. Polyzos said these record water levels could have a lasting, positive impact. “We’ve made a lot of investments in storage here in Southern California,” he explained. “Metro is unique because we’re able to take advantage of the wet years, store that water so we can use it in those drier years. That helps us get through consecutive dry years.” … ” Read more from ABC 7.
Even a full reservoir wouldn’t have ensured water in Palisades fire, California officials say
“In January, when crews fighting the fast-spreading Palisades fire were hampered by low water pressure and dry hydrants, Gov. Gavin Newsom ordered an investigation. After a 10-month review, California officials concluded in a report that the water supply in Southern California was “robust” at the time of the fire and that the water system isn’t designed to handle such large, intense wildfires. The state’s findings, released Thursday, also address an issue that has been a point of frustration and anger among residents in Pacific Palisades: the fact that Santa Ynez Reservoir, which can hold 117 million gallons of drinking water, was empty for repairs at the time of the fire. “Draining the Santa Ynez reservoir was necessary to protect public health while repairing the tear in its cover and required by both federal and state regulations,” the report says. Even if the reservoir had been full, the flow rate in the system’s pipes “would have been a limiting factor in maintaining pressure and the system would have been quickly overwhelmed” and hydrants would have lost pressure. … ” Read more from the LA Times. | Read via AOL News.
Aliens? Submarines? Gassy whales? Mystery bubbles off California coast spark intrigue, theories
“Is it a gassy whale? A top secret submarine? Godzilla rising from the surfer-filled waters of Hermosa Beach? Residents have been stumped over a patch of bubbles rising out of the ocean off the coast of Hermosa Beach this week, prompting several beachgoers to speculate at what exactly is under the surface and causing the water to spume. Videos of the bubbles, visible between 33rd Street and Longfellow Avenue, spread on social media, with commenters offering a variety of wild and not-so-wild theories. Neighbors stood on the street in the rain, gazing out into the ocean, wondering what was causing it. The answer to the bubbles mystery turned out to be far from interesting or surprising. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
Orange County Water District captures more than 5.6 billion gallons of stormwater from recent storms, strengthening local drinking water supplies
“The recent storms that brought approximately 3.5 inches of rain to the region allowed the Orange County Water District (OCWD; the District) to capture more than 5.6 billion gallons of Santa Ana River stormwater that will be recharged into the Orange County Groundwater Basin. The groundwater basin, managed by OCWD, provides approximately 85% of the drinking water supply for 2.5 million people in north and central Orange County. A large portion of these stormwater flows is currently held behind Prado Dam in Riverside County. This stormwater capture is possible because of OCWD’s long-standing partnership with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). USACE operates Prado Dam and allows stormwater to be held longer and released at controlled rates so OCWD can safely move it down the Santa Ana River and store the water underground. … ” Read more from the Orange County Water District.
SAN DIEGO
Santa Fe Irrigation District begins design of Larrick Reservoir upgrades
“The Santa Fe Irrigation District is moving forward with improvements at Larrick Reservoir in Solana Beach, the six-million-gallon concrete tank in Solana Beach that provides water service to 95% of the district’s customers living west of Interstate-5. The tank, which sits between Glenmont Drive and East Cliff Street, was built in 1965 and this will be the tank’s first-ever renovation in its 60-year history. The project is estimated to cost the district $13,350,000, including a seismic retrofit, roof repair, site drainage improvements and a new driveway access road. “It is a big spend, but it’s going to be a benefit for the next five decades,” said Manager Al Lau at the board’s Oct. 15 meeting, where they approved a $118,587 agreement with Dudek to begin the design work. … ” Read more from the San Diego Union Tribune.
Along the Colorado River …
Further cuts to Colorado River water use could increase utility costs
“Fitch Ratings does not anticipate near-term credit pressure on its rated water utilities despite increased costs stemming from likely cuts to Colorado River water allocations, based on utilities’ ability and willingness to pass on rate increases to customers and wholesalers’ long-term contracts with strong credit-quality purchasers. However, over the next three to five years, an inability to secure or develop additional supply to meet ongoing demand would likely weaken some utilities’ operating risk profiles, potentially negatively affecting credit quality. … ” Read more from Fitch Ratings.
Bill aims to preserve funding for key solution to Colorado River drought
“For Las Vegas to keep its taps flowing, Rep. Susie Lee says this one drought measure must survive federal spending purges: water recycling. Lee, D-Nev., and Rep. Juan Ciscomani, R-Ariz., introduced the Large-Scale Water Recycling Reauthorization Act in Congress on Thursday to reauthorize a federal grant program that will sunset in 2026. While it doesn’t currently add any more money to the program, Lee said it would allow the Bureau of Reclamation to dole out $125 million in unused funds, extending the program to 2031. “The states that surround the Colorado River — they’re red and blue,” Lee said in a Thursday interview. “But it’s a crisis, and the reason this reauthorization is so important is to make sure we continue to have the authority to use the funding to support these programs.” … ” Read more from the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
Charting a shared groundwater future in rural, southern Arizona with the community
“In the small town of Patagonia, Arizona, nestled in the rolling hills south of Tucson, water has long been both a defining feature and a pressing concern. Established as a railroad and mining hub in the late 1800s, Patagonia has transformed over time into a community prized for its unique character, rich ecology and abundant birding opportunities. However, pressures including mining and drought are reshaping the local landscape, and the area faces new challenges in sustaining its most vital resource. Those challenges, and the opportunities to meet them, were at the heart of a recent rural groundwater resilience workshop organized by Impact Water – Arizona, a pillar of the Arizona Water Innovation Initiative, a statewide project led by Arizona State University’s Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Laboratory in collaboration with the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering. … ” Read more from Arizona State University.
Editorial: We can’t let dreamed-of new water sources distract us from need for serious conservation
The Salt Lake Tribune editorial board writes, “When you are running low on a precious commodity, there are basically two things you can do: Use less or find more. Hope that you might be able to do the latter should not be allowed to distract from the necessity of the former. Recently we have seen examples of both approaches touted by some Utah state leaders in their approach to the growing water shortages here and throughout the American Southwest. Sadly, if predictably, the balance seems unsustainably tilted toward the dream that we can find more water than the reality that we have to find ways to live with less. … ” Read more from the Salt Lake Tribune.
Major water right approval could protect ample Colorado River flows
“State leaders are applauding another major step finalized Wednesday toward permanently protecting upper Colorado River water flows on the Western Slope. Members of the Colorado Water Conservation Board gave unanimous approval to an agreement between Xcel Energy and the Colorado River District, which manages water supplies for 15 Western Slope counties, to transfer two key water rights associated with the Shoshone Hydroelectric Generating Station to the district for $99 million. The terms of that deal called for the CWCB, which manages water resources statewide, to approve the Shoshone water rights as “instream flow” rights under a state program created in the 1970s to secure water rights for “nonconsumptive,” environmental uses. The two water rights held by the small hydropower plant date to 1905 and 1940 and add up to over 1,400 cubic feet per second of Colorado River water flows — two factors that would make it the most substantial set of rights ever secured by the instream flow program. “The importance of today’s vote cannot be overstated as a legacy decision for Colorado water and the Western Slope,” Andy Mueller, general manager of the Colorado River District, said in a statement. “It secures an essential foundation for the health of the Colorado River and the communities it sustains.” … ” Read more from Colorado Newsline.
SEE ALSO: State water board votes yes on Shoshone, from Aspen Journalism
A drying-up Rio Grande basin threatens water security on both sides of the border
“One of North America’s longest rivers, the Rio Grande — or Rio Bravo as it’s called in Mexico — has a history as deep as it is long. Indigenous people have tapped it for countless generations, and it was a key artery for Spanish conquistadors centuries ago. Today, the Rio Grande-Bravo water basin is in crisis. Research published Thursday says the situation arguably is worse than challenges facing the Colorado River, another vital lifeline for western U.S. states that have yet to chart a course for how best to manage that dwindling resource. Without rapid and large-scale action on both sides of the border, the researchers warn that unsustainable use threatens water security for millions of people who rely on the binational basin. They say more prevalent drying along the Rio Grande and persistent shortages could have catastrophic consequences for farmers, cities and ecosystems. … ” Read more from the Associated Press.
In national water news today …
Water utilities: Congress temporarily extends cyber laws, EPA releases new guidance
“On November 12, 2025, President Trump signed a bipartisan funding package that officially reopened the federal government after a six-week shutdown and temporarily reinstated two major cybersecurity authorities that expired on September 30: the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act of 2015 (CISA Act) and the State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program (SLCGP). Both authorities are extended through January 30, 2026. The reinstatement restores liability protections, reestablishes real-time cyber threat information sharing and ensures continued access to federal cybersecurity funding, key tools for drinking water and wastewater utilities. These actions follow the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) October 23, 2025, announcement of an updated suite of cybersecurity and emergency planning tools, including a revised Emergency Response Plan (ERP) guide, a Cybersecurity Incident Response Plan (CIRP) template, incident-specific checklists and a cybersecurity procurement checklist. EPA’s rollout coincides with heightened concern about increasingly sophisticated nation-state and criminal cyber threats targeting water systems. … ” Read more from Nossaman.
Trump Administration issues draft rule redefining “Waters of the United States”
“Today, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) published a proposed rule to further revise the definition of “waters of the United States” or WOTUS. For more than 50 years, this definition has determined which water bodies the federal government regulates under the Clean Water Act (CWA) and which may be regulated—if at all—under state law. The Trump administration first announced plans to amend CWA’s scope through a new WOTUS definition in March 2025. The draft rule narrows federal jurisdiction in alignment with a landmark Supreme Court decision: focusing on “relatively permanent” standing or continuously flowing waters, plus wetlands that have a continuous surface connection to those waters. … ” Read more from Brownstein Law Firm.
SEE ALSO: The Next Blow in the WOTUS Fight: EPA and the Army Corps Issue Proposed Rule, from Nossaman
NEPA bill includes amendment to protect project permits
“The House Natural Resources Committee advanced a permitting bill Thursday, clearing a big hurdle to crafting broader compromise legislation that lawmakers hope to pass this Congress. But the markup on “Standardizing Permitting and Expediting Economic Development (SPEED) Act,” H.R. 4776, showed the process has a long way to go. Natural Resources Chair Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) made changes to the bill to secure more Democratic buy-in. But in the end, the 25-18 vote only included two Democrats. Still, Westerman stressed the importance of his bill, which would tighten timelines for National Environmental Policy Act reviews and reduce the potential for litigation. He said a wide spectrum of projects stand to benefit.“NEPA abuse is strangling critical public and private investments, infrastructure, defense, energy and mining at a moment when we can least afford it,” he said. … ” Read more from E&E News.
New European service will investigate role of warming in weather disasters
“A new E.U. service will determine how warming is reshaping weather. Its findings, experts say, could help insurers better understand climate risks and help advocates hold polluters accountable for climate damages. Scientists with the Copernicus Climate Change Service will publish two reports a month on the role of warming in recent extreme weather, Reuters reports. It will be the first time that Copernicus will have an office devoted to attribution, the field of research concerned with discerning how emissions have shaped weather disasters. The service could aid insurance companies in determining how warming is altering the risks from extreme weather. “Financial institutions understand risk, and risk has to be quantified, and this is one way of quantifying,” Johan Rockström, of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, told Reuters. … ” Read more from Yale e360.
