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In California water news today …
CV-SALTS Progress Report: Addressing nitrate and salt contamination in the Central Valley
“In 2006, the Central Valley Regional Water Board launched the Central Valley Salinity Alternatives for Long-Term Sustainability (CV-SALTS) program to tackle the growing issue of nitrate and salt contamination in groundwater and wells across the region. This collaborative initiative brings together regulators, agricultural and industrial dischargers, municipal wastewater agencies, and environmental and environmental justice organizations to develop and implement sustainable solutions. The program’s overarching goals are to support the San Joaquin Valley’s agricultural economy, ensure access to safe drinking water, and protect the environment. CV-SALTS focuses on two critical areas: long-term salinity management and nitrate management. A key emphasis is placed on providing safe drinking water to communities in high-priority areas of the San Joaquin Valley, where nitrate contamination poses significant health risks. On October 21, representatives from the Central Valley Regional Water Board and the Central Valley Salinity Coalition presented the sixth annual progress report to the State Water Board, offering updates on the program’s advancements and ongoing efforts. … ” Continue reading from Maven’s Notebook.
There’s a path forward in the San Joaquin Valley to benefit farmers, communities, and nature — but only if we plan . . . and plant
“For most of its history, California treated groundwater and surface water as legally distinct. Unlike surface water diversions, groundwater pumping was largely unrestricted until 2014 when the state passed the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA), which requires the parts of the state where groundwater is pumped more quickly than it is replenished to set limits on current and future groundwater pumping. In the San Joaquin Valley alone, pumping exceeded replenishment by 2 million acre-feet per year for the three decades prior to 2014. To meet the goals of SGMA in the San Joaquin Valley, it is estimated that more than 500,000 acres of irrigated agricultural land will need to be retired by 2040 (Hanak et al. 2023). Repurposing land at this scale is a daunting challenge that requires strategic planning and tactical implementation. Without doing so, the negative aspects of abandoned or fallowed lands — such as worsening air quality, economic losses to farmers, and uninhabitable lands — are likely to be more severe, and we could miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to restore wildlife habitat in the valley. The good news is that conservation organizations, water agencies, local communities, and others have been planning and preparing for this transition — and our early efforts to demonstrate how land can be repurposed strategically and at scale to support groundwater sustainability and the recovery of imperiled species are bearing fruit. … ” Read more from California Agriculture.
Study: Data centers’ environmental impact rising, thanks to AI
“Thanks in large part to the training and running of artificial-intelligence models, the amount of power California data centers are using is surging — as are related environmental and health effects, according to a new report. The amount of power used by data centers in California nearly doubled between 2019 and 2023, and by 2028 could be more than double the 2023 total, according to a study by UC Riverside researchers published earlier this month by public and environmental advocacy group Next 10. Data-center carbon emissions and water consumption are expected to follow a similar trajectory over the 2019-2028 time period, according to the study. Meanwhile, pollution-related health costs linked to the state’s data centers more than tripled between 2019 and 2023. Although such costs will likely continue to grow, they’ll likely do so more slowly than power usage in coming years, according to the report. … ” Read more from the Washington Examiner.
How to make data centers less thirsty
“Data centers are notoriously thirsty. Researchers at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory have found that, in 2023, the facilities consumed roughly 17 billion gallons of water for their operations in the U.S. alone. But that’s only a small part of the picture: A much, much larger share of data center water-intensity is indirect, a byproduct of the facilities’ enormous appetites for energy. That’s because most power plants themselves require huge amounts of water to operate. This off-site, indirect water consumption amounted to a whopping 211 billion gallons in the Berkeley lab’s 2023 tally — well over 10 times the direct on-site usage. As Silicon Valley continues to pour hundreds of billions of dollars into artificial intelligence and demand for data centers grows, these water needs are only going to grow in tandem. However, new research from Cornell University shows that there’s a way to mitigate both the climate and water footprints of these facilities: build them in places with lots of wind and solar energy. “Location really matters,” said Fengqi You, an energy systems engineering professor at Cornell and co-author of the new study. Where companies choose to locate their data centers could alter their combined environmental footprints by a factor of up to 100. … ” Read more from Grist.
Announcing the International Fish Passage Conference 2026
“UC Davis will host the International Fish Passage Conference on May 4-8, 2026. Please join us for this opportunity to engage with fish passage practitioners working across academia, government, utilities, consultancy, and other professional organizations while enjoying the beautiful springtime of Davis and the greater Sacramento region. The International Fish Passage Conference seeks to strengthen the network of professionals from all over the world who are working on fish passage and related fields. The four themes of the conference this year are Restoration, Revitalization, Remediation and Reintroduction. … ” Read more from the California Water Blog.
Beer made from recycled shower and laundry water available in select states
“If you feel like you’ve tried just about every beer on the market, a California-based company is bringing brews made from an unexpected ingredient: recycled water. Epic Cleantec has announced that it will begin distributing its Shower Hour IPA and Laundry Club Kölsch across several states, including Oregon. The San Francisco-based business describes itself as a “pioneer in onsite water reuse solutions for the real estate industry.” It partnered with the San Carlos-based Devil’s Canyon Brewing Company to create the new products that feature shower and laundry water from the buildings that use Epic’s on-site purification systems. “As water and infrastructure challenges grow worldwide, buildings continue to discard perfectly good water with tremendous potential for reuse,” Epic Co-Founder and CEO Aaron Tartakovsky said in a release. “By creating Shower Hour IPA and Laundry Club Kölsch, we’re giving people a fun and approachable way to see recycled water in a new light. If a single great beer can change minds, imagine the impact of these advanced water reuse technologies when deployed at scale.” … ” Read more from Fox 5 San Diego.
California leaders blast Trump’s ‘reckless’ offshore drilling plan for the state
“California lawmakers on Thursday denounced the Trump administration’s proposal to open up six offshore lease sales in federal waters off the California coast, with Gov. Gavin Newsom calling the proposal “idiotic” and “reckless,” asserting it will not gain any traction in the state. The development follows reports earlier this month of a leaked draft of the plan, when Newsom — speaking from the U.N. climate summit in Brazil — reiterated his opposition, calling the proposal “dead on arrival” and referring to President Donald Trump as “the polluted heart of the climate crisis.” “This reckless attempt to sell out our coastline to his Big Oil donors is dead in the water,” Newsom said in a statement released shortly after the announcement on the plan was dropped. “Californians remember the environmental and economic devastation of past oil spills. For decades, California has stood firm in our opposition to new offshore drilling, and nothing will change that. We will use every tool at our disposal to protect our coastline.” … ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee.
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
Coastal Conservancy awards over $7.3M in wildfire, habitat projects across Nor Cal
“The California State Coastal Conservancy awarded more than $7.3 million in grants Thursday to help restore, protect and improve access to coastal areas in the greater Bay Area and on the North Coast. Most of the projects support forest and vegetation management and wildfire abatement, funded by Proposition 4, a climate bond passed in 2024 to support wildfire, water and climate projects. The Esselen Tribe of Monterey County will receive $1.2 million to restore ancestral land by revitalizing the use of Indigenous fire knowledge through live cultural burns in upper Carmel Valley. The tribe will also offer workforce development training to tribal members to conduct cultural burns across Monterey County. … ” Read more from the Mendocino Voice.
Ukiah workshop to address Mendocino County’s water future post–Potter Valley dams
“The Mendocino County Inland Water and Power Commission will host a workshop Monday about what the future holds for water supplies in the wake of the decommissioning of the Potter Valley Project. “The workshop is intended to help the public better understand the facts, dispel misinformation, and engage constructively in one of the most significant water supply issues facing the region,” organizers said in a statement. During the three-hour workshop, presenters from the IWPC, Eel-Russian Project Authority and New Eel Russian Facility will share factual updates and data about the future of water in Potter Valley and areas in the Russian River watershed. A Q&A, moderated by Potter Valley Irrigation District Commissioner Janet Pauli, will take place after the presentations. … ” Read more from Mendocino Voice.
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
One of Tahoe’s biggest ski resorts will open soon
“A 20-inch snowfall has enabled Heavenly Mountain Resort to salvage its winter kickoff, clearing the way for the South Lake Tahoe ski giant to open Monday after a stint of unseasonably warm weather delayed its planned Friday debut. Vail Resorts, which owns a trio of major ski resorts in the area, announced Heavenly’s opening day in a press release Saturday. But the opening date for the company’s Northstar California Resort remained uncertain. Staff for Northstar, near Truckee, are still monitoring conditions and manufacturing snow. Kirkwood, south of the Tahoe basin, remains on track for its Dec. 5 opening, the company said. Heavenly, Northstar and several other Sierra ski resorts typically hustle to open some downhill terrain before Thanksgiving by running their snow guns whenever colder temperatures allow. But those efforts have been stymied this season by warm weather. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
SEE ALSO: Tahoe ski resorts delay season opening with warmer weather; Heavenly opens Monday, from ABC 7
BAY AREA
Bay Area’s ultra-wealthy keep buying homes in this beach town — despite doomsday forecast
“Stinson Beach, beloved for its long strip of white sand and seaside cottages, was just named one of the nation’s most expensive markets for homebuyers. It may not last forever, however, as climate change is due to bring the surf ever higher, claiming more of the beach with each decade. It’s not the paradox that it appears to be, real estate experts say. Ultra-wealthy homebuyers love Stinson, and unlike most Americans, they can take a chance on their biggest assets. They also have the money for projects that may ward off the worst effects of sea level rise. “I don’t think anyone thinks sea level rise isn’t going to happen,” said Ashley Bird, a third-generation agent at Seadrift Realty, which currently represents two Stinson Beach houses listed at over $10 million. “They know they’re taking a huge financial risk. They’re just willing to take the risk because they love Stinson so much.” … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle. | Read via MSN News.
Restoration ecologists wage quiet battle for biodiversity on SF’s Yerba Buena Island
“Yerba Buena Island, the tall rock where the Bay Bridge ducks into a tunnel between San Francisco and Oakland, is home to one of the Bay Area’s most overlooked ecological front lines. Habitat Potential is a company of restoration ecologists that maintain the native landscape on the island and across San Francisco’s signature parks, including Golden Gate Park and the Presidio. “Doing environmental work, I mean, it would be so easy to get grim. You know, everything feels kind of hopeless and dismal,” said the company’s founder Josiah Clark at the end of a long work day clearing eucalyptus leaves from a wooded area on Yerba Buena Island. “But I think that there’s enough beauty and productivity and robustness in nature to kind of carry the story through.” … ” Read more from Local News Matters.
Boat launches at 2 EBMUD reservoirs to reopen in 2026 following closure due to invasive mussel
“Boat launches at two East Bay Municipal Utility District reservoirs will reopen in 2026 on a limited basis, following a yearlong closure aimed to stave off the invasive golden mussel. The reopening plan was approved last week by the EBMUD Board of Directors for the San Pablo Reservoir in the East Bay and the Camanche Reservoir South Shore in the Sierra foothills. The plan requires inspection of all trailered vessels and a mandatory 30-day quarantine and banding before they will be allowed to launch, according to EBMUD. The destructive species hasn’t been detected at any of EBMUD’s reservoirs, but the golden mussel has spread quickly throughout the state since it was first identified in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta in October 2024. … ” Read more from the San Jose Mercury News.
CENTRAL COAST
New report outlines economic impact of ag in Monterey County
“Agriculture contributed $11.706 billion to Monterey County’s economy and supported 81,315 jobs in 2023 according to a report issued by the Monterey County Agricultural Commissioner’s Office last week. “Economic Contributions of Monterey County Agriculture,” authored by Jeff Langholz and Fernando DePaolis of Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey, expanded upon the annually released County of Monterey Crop & Livestock Report, which details crop production values and acreage. This is the fourth report of its kind. The most recent was released in 2020 with similar findings. The report “highlights the importance of agricultural operations to our County’s economy, particularly the large number of jobs for residents, the support companies that rely on agricultural production for their business and the power of agricultural paychecks in our community’s stores and entertainment venues,” according to Executive Director of Monterey County Farm Bureau Norm Groot. … ” Read more from the Monterey Herald.
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
Here’s how much Millerton Lake reservoir rose after record rainfall in Fresno
“A surge in rainfall across California has filled the Millerton Reservoir to above-average levels compared to seasonal trends. As of 12 a.m. Thursday, the Millerton Lake reservoir was filled at 52% of its total capacity, which is 116% of the historical average for this time of year, according to data provided by the California Department of Water Resources. Millerton’s current surface elevation sits at 517 feet. On average, the reservoir is filled at 232,453 acre-feet at this time of year, according to state data. As of Thursday, the lake had filled to 269,373 acre-feet. … ” Read more from the Fresno Bee.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
$166 million expansion starts on desalter
“A new desalination plant of sorts broke ground earlier this month in Torrance. But rather than desalting offshore seawater, this facility will be treating groundwater that has turned salty due to seawater intrusion. The Lakewood-based Water Replenishment District of Southern California on Nov. 10 broke ground on a $166.5 million project to nearly double the production of desalted water from the Torrance Groundwater Desalter System. The city of Torrance sits atop what has become the largest brackish groundwater plume in the Los Angeles County Water Basin, taking up roughly 14 square miles. … After years of planning for an expansion and obtaining some $20 million in federal and state grants and loans, the board of the Water Replenishment District on Nov. 5 approved $146 million for the desalter expansion project, allowing the groundbreaking to take place the following week. … ” Read the full story at the LA Business Journal.
Cadiz inks $51 million deal with Tribe
“Downtown-based water infrastructure developer Cadiz Inc. has turned to an unusual source to help fund the development of a groundwater bank under its Mojave Desert holdings: a Northern California Native American tribe. On Oct. 28, Cadiz announced that it had executed an agreement with the Santa Rosa-based Lytton Rancheria of California Native American tribe for the tribe to provide an investment of up to $51 million for the construction and development of the Mojave Groundwater Bank. It’s the first tribal investment in the Cadiz water infrastructure project. The groundwater bank is the latest iteration of Cadiz’ decades-long effort to win approvals to pump and transfer water from its Mojave Desert aquifer to water customers in Southern California and throughout the state. … ” Read more from the LA Business Journal.
A dramatic stretch of desert is being proposed as California’s next national monument
“The Amargosa River is a rare force of life in California’s Mojave Desert, nourishing a dramatic landscape of ancient lakebeds, lush canyons and warm springs in one of the hottest, driest places in North America. Now, the river is at the center of a growing campaign to create a new national monument. A nonprofit group, formed in the remote desert town of Shoshone in Inyo County, has been working with a singular goal of creating a 1.2 million-acre Amargosa Basin National Monument, which would be larger than Yosemite. About a half day’s drive from the Bay Area — and less than that from Los Angeles and Las Vegas — the proposed monument spans a little-explored corridor between Death Valley National Park and the Mojave National Preserve, with numerous opportunities for hiking, climbing, hot-springing and four-wheel driving. A string of old, quirky mining towns like Death Valley Junction provides spots for visitors to stay and eat. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle. | Read via Yahoo News.
A scenic L.A. suburb with ocean views went off grid. How are residents surviving?
“About 120 homes in Rancho Palos Verdes’ Portuguese Bend neighborhood have become one of California’s largest off-grid communities, after public utilities stopped providing service there because of damaging landslide movement. Most residents have been operating fully off-grid for more than a year, using a combination of solar panels, batteries and backup generators. The community, however, depends on a network of electric-powered pumps that help mitigate local landsliding. Residents are calling for electricity to be restored, particularly to aid in the fight against ongoing land movement. … ” Read the full story from the LA Times.
IMPERIAL/COACHELLA VALLEYS
Lake Havasu Fisheries Improvement Program marks 30 years of stewardship, science, and community partnership
“As anglers around the world celebrate World Fisheries Day, a remarkable success story is unfolding on the shores of Lake Havasu: the Lake Havasu Fisheries Improvement Program is quietly entering its fourth decade as one of the nation’s most effective public-private conservation partnerships. What began in 1992 as an urgent response to declining fish habitat has transformed the 19,300-acre reservoir into a premier fishery renowned for trophy striped bass, giant redear sunfish, and thriving sportfish populations. The secret? Thirty years of science-driven habitat restoration, interagency cooperation, and the tireless work of volunteers—many of them retired anglers who refuse to let the lake’s underwater forests disappear. “It’s a true example of what happens when government agencies, nonprofits, and the public roll up their sleeves together,” said Bureau of Land Management (BLM) fisheries biologist Rachel Wirick, who leads the program from the Arizona Lake Havasu Field Office. “This lake doesn’t manage itself. It takes people who care—week after week, year after year.” … ” Read more from the Desert Review.
Along the Colorado River …
Zebra mussels threaten infrastructure and native ecosystems. Utah and Colorado are ramping up efforts to detect and contain them.
“On a bluebird day at West and East Lake in Grand Junction, Maddie Baker throws a plankton tow net into the water, and drags it back to her. “This is made of a 64 micrometer mesh, so that allows us to trap the veligers in their juvenile form, where they are microscopic and invisible to the eye,” she said. Baker is an invasive species specialist for Colorado Parks and Wildlife. A veliger is the larval form of many kinds of mollusks, including the invasive—and pervasive—zebra mussel. Baker doesn’t have to tow the plankton net to know the mussels are here. She picks mussel after mussel off of a concrete platform that gives anglers access to the lake. These zebra mussels are small, about the size of dimes (though they can grow bigger) and the little brown stripes that give the species their name are only just visible. “It sucks,” she said. “It’s a very unfortunate realization for us to come to. And it shows us that this population is already well established in this body of water, if we can find adults with relative ease.” … ” Read more from the Salt Lake Tribune.
Utah High Court blocks Colorado River pipeline plan
“Utah’s Supreme Court has upheld a lower court ruling that blocked state approval for a proposed, privately funded 338-mile pipeline project to convey 55,000 acre-ft of water annually from Utah’s Green River and Flaming Gorge Reservoir through Wyoming into Colorado’s Front Range region. In an Oct. 17 opinion, Utah’s top court said the project developer, Fort Collins, Colo.-based Water Horse LLC, “failed to establish that there is ‘reason to believe’ that exported water can be put to beneficial use in Colorado.” However, the court left open the possibility that the firm could resubmit a new application in the future. … ” Read more from Engineering News Record.
Desalination in Mexico among new Arizona water proposals
“Arizona is exploring some of its biggest water-supply ideas yet, unveiling seven proposals that could bring new sources of water into the state as the Colorado River continues to shrink and negotiations over future cuts remain stalled. The plans, made public this week by the Water Infrastructure Finance Authority of Arizona (WIFA) include desalination concepts, cross-border water conservation partnerships, wastewater treatment projects, and new groundwater storage efforts. WIFA leaders say the proposals give Arizona tangible options to move toward long-term water security. … ” Read more from Channel 15.
In national water news today …
Explaining the decline in WIFIA loan volume: Part 1
“What is happening at EPA’s Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) loan program? The mysterious issue is not the near-complete cessation of loan closings under Trump 2.0. The reason for that is clearer: the Office of Management and Budget’s pause on federal grants and loans in February combined with continuing federal upheaval under this administration. Much harder to explain is the steady decline in program loan volume since the end of 2021 through January 2025, despite rising U.S. water sector capex. During this period, WIFIA had a supportive Biden administration, plenty of funding and was run as efficiently as ever. Yet, the program’s annual executed loan volume fell from a calendar year peak in 2021 of over $5.5 billion to under $2 billion in 2024. … ” Read more from Water Finance & Management.
FERC opens inquiry on “blanket” authorisations for post-licensing activities at US hydropower plants
“The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has initiated a formal inquiry into whether certain routine operations at licensed hydropower facilities should be approved under blanket authorisations rather than individual case-by-case orders. This move is part of a broader effort to streamline federal permitting of energy infrastructure. At its meeting on November 20, the Commission voted to issue two Notices of Inquiry (NOIs). One (Docket RM26-3-000) seeks comment on changes to the hydropower licensing process under the Federal Power Act (FPA) – specifically on whether maintenance, repairs, upgrades and other post-licencing activities at hydroelectric projects can proceed without project-specific FERC orders. … ” Read more from International Water & Power.
EPA’s new clean-water rules: What a farmer, builder, and scientist say
“The Environmental Protection Agency is proposing to reduce the number of lakes, streams, wetlands, tributaries, and other waterways covered by the Clean Water Act, which regulates the amount and type of pollutants allowed in bodies of water. By some estimates, as much as 55 million acres of wetlands will no longer be subject to the law. Advocates for greater protections say broader regulations are necessary to protect public health – especially safe drinking water – and the environment. But people working in agriculture, construction, and other businesses say the regulations are burdensome and represent government overreach. The EPA’s proposal to scale back the rule known as “Waters of the United States” is the latest of several changes reflecting the priorities of different administrations. … ” Read more from the Christian Science Monitor.
EPA just approved new ‘forever chemical’ pesticides for use on food
“The Environmental Protection Agency is moving forward with approvals for pesticides containing “forever chemicals” as an active ingredient, dismissing concerns about health and environmental impacts raised by some scientists and activists.This month, the agency approved two new pesticides that meet the internationally recognized definition for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, also known as PFAS or fluorinated substances, and has announced plans for four additional approvals. The authorized pesticides, cyclobutrifluram and isocycloseram, which was approved Thursday, will be used on vegetables such as romaine lettuce, broccoli and potatoes. The agency also announced plans to relax a rule requiring companies to report all products containing PFAS and has proposed weakening drinking water standards for the chemicals. “Many fluorinated compounds registered or proposed for U.S. pesticidal use in recent years offer unique benefits for farmers, users, and the public,” EPA spokeswoman Brigit Hirsch said in a statement. … ” Read more from the Washington Post.
Watered Down: U.S. policy retrenchment leaves trail of broken engagements, unfinished infrastructure, weakened institutions, and diminished water security
“Water is a critical resource. Modern societies require sustainable supplies of safe, sufficient water for drinking, cooking, and cleaning, as well as to grow food, generate energy, promote industry, and ensure public health. Yet many countries and communities worldwide struggle to provide reliable water services for their people. Water resources are renewable, but they are unevenly distributed. Rainfall and river flows vary season to season and place to place. Extreme events such as floods and droughts can imperil water systems and water users. Contaminants can render water sources unsafe. Accessing, treating, storing, and delivering clean fresh water where and when it is needed; protecting water systems from extremes and disasters; and sustaining water resources to meet evolving demands requires substantial financial investment, infrastructure development, and managerial capability. These demands strain the capacities of many societies. Today, one-quarter of the global population lacks access to safely managed drinking water and two in every five people around the world do not have safely managed sanitation. … ” Continue reading at Circle of Blue.
From invasive species tracking to water security – what’s lost with federal funding cuts at US Climate Adaptation Science Centers
“When the Trump administration began freezing federal funding for climate and ecosystem research, one of the programs hit hard was ours: the U.S. Geological Survey’s Climate Adaptation Science Centers. These nine regional centers help fish, wildlife, water, land – and, importantly, people – adapt to rising global temperatures and other climate shifts. The centers have been helping to track invasive species, protect water supplies and make agriculture more sustainable in the face of increasing drought conditions. They’re improving wildfire forecasting, protecting shorelines and saving Alaska salmon, among many other projects. All of this work happens through partnerships: Scientists, many of them affiliated with universities, team up with public and private resource managers – the people who manage water supplies, wildlands, recreation areas, shorelines and other natural resources – to develop the research and solutions those managers need. But in spring 2025, after 15 years of operation of the centers, the president’s proposed federal budget zeroed out funding for them. Federal workers at the centers were threatened with layoffs. … ” Read more from The Conversation.
