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On the calendar today …
- WEBINAR: The RE:BEACH Oceanside Approach to Sustaining Beaches from 11am to 12pm. This presentation will provide an overview of Oceanside’s RE:BEACH Pilot Project, highlighting its innovative, nature-mimicking approach to responsible sand retention and mid-term shoreline resilience. The presentation will discuss the project’s design, implementation pathway, and anticipated benefits, while emphasizing important elements like monitoring, adaptiveness, community integration and knowledge-sharing across California’s coastal communities. Click here to register.
In California water news today …
California cities pay a lot for water; some agricultural districts get it for free
“California cities pay far more for water on average than districts that supply farms — with some urban water agencies shelling out more than $2,500 per acre-foot of surface water, and some irrigation districts paying nothing, according to new research. A report published today by researchers with the UCLA Institute of the Environment and Sustainability and advocates with the Natural Resources Defense Council shines a light on vast disparities in the price of water across California, Arizona and Nevada. … The research team spent a year scouring state and federal contracts, financial reports and agency records to assemble a dataset of water purchases, transfers and contracts to acquire water from rivers and reservoirs. They compared vastly different water suppliers with different needs and geographies, purchasing water from delivery systems built at different times and paid for under different contracts. Their overarching conclusion: One of the West’s most valuable resources has no consistent valuation – and sometimes costs nothing at all. … ” Read more from Cal Matters.
Report: Calif. officials look to oppose Trump’s latest water action
“California plans to respond to the Trump administration’s recent water policy move, which is expected to deliver more water to Central Valley farmers. California Attorney General Rob Bonta told McClatchy that his office is “looking at all available options to respond” to the new policy update. Last week the Bureau of Reclamation signed the Record of Decision for Action 5, which updates the long-term operations of the Central Valley Project and the State Water Project following executive orders from President Donald Trump to maximize water deliveries. … ” Read more from the San Joaquin Valley Sun.
Golden State Salmon Association urges Newsom to sue Trump over the fresh water grab
“The Trump administration just released a controversial plan to divert more Delta water, one that tribes, environmentalists and fishing groups say poses an extreme threat to already imperiled salmon, steelhead and other fish populations. This plan released by the federal Bureau of Reclamation, or BOR, follows through on a presidential order issued in January aimed at increasing agribusiness water deliveries to the Central Valley. Its details are summed up in a BOR document called Decision for Action 5, which updates the long-term operations of both the federal Central Valley Project and State Water Project, the two main canals that transfer Delta water south. … Vance Staplin, executive director of the Golden State Salmon Association, is urging Governor Gavin Newsom to file a lawsuit against Reclamation’s plan. “This administration’s rollback of already weak protections for salmon, steelhead and other imperiled species is disastrous, especially in dry years,” said Staplin. … ” Read the full story from Sacramento News & Review.
NASEM reviews science behind Central Valley Project and State Water Project operations
“Managing the delicate balance between reliable water delivery and environmental stewardship in California requires rigorous scientific backing. At the request of the US Bureau of Reclamation (USBR), the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) recently conducted a comprehensive review of the scientific activities supporting the long-term operations of the Central Valley Project (CVP). An 18-member committee led this work, and the report underwent independent peer review before its release. Issued in November 2025, this report serves as the inaugural product in a planned series of biennial reviews designed to solve complex problems and inform public policy. The committee’s charge was specific: assess the science informing three high-stakes actions managed by the USBR and the California Department of Water Resources (CDWR). These actions are central to daily operations and are critical for both water customers and the protection of six species listed under the Endangered Species Act. Because of their impact, these areas remain subjects of significant controversy. … ” Read more from Maven’s Notebook.
Mapping technology achieves 98% accuracy in tracking California wine grapes amid industry shifts
“California’s agriculture industry is facing a period of rapid change, with growers and organizations seeking new ways to adapt to shifting markets, regulations, and environmental pressures. In Sacramento, Land IQ, a firm led by Joel Kimmelshue, is using spatial mapping and data-driven analysis to help the state’s wine industry and other agricultural sectors make more informed decisions. Land IQ employs about 50 scientists specializing in agriculture and spatial analysis. The company’s main focus is mapping crops across California, providing detailed information on what is grown, where it is grown, and how those patterns are changing over time. According to Kimmelshue, understanding the precise agricultural footprint is essential for making sound decisions in a complex landscape. “If you know your footprint, you can make some fairly informed decisions,” he said. The company’s mapping technology achieves up to 98% accuracy for California wine grapes. This level of detail replaces guesswork with verified data, giving growers and industry groups a clearer picture of the state’s vineyards. … ” Read more from Vinetur.
ILRP: Points of difference, consensus emerge during ag expert panel working meetings
“The November 14 meeting started with presentations from regional water board staff and Central Valley coalition representatives discussing how the Central Valley Regional Water Board uses farmer-reported data to set regional nitrate discharge targets (groundwater protection targets, or GWP). Eric Warren, Irrigated Lands Regulatory Program (ILRP) Program Manager for the Central Valley Regional Water Board, walked the panel through the Irrigation and Nutrient Management Plan (INMP) Summary Report form that the Central Valley region uses to collect crop yield and total N applied data for each field growing irrigated crops. The coalitions–third-party groups that assist growers with ILRP compliance monitoring and reporting–aggregate the data and report it out by three factors: by anonymous member ID, by anonymous assessor parcel number (APN), and by township. This gives them an idea of the nutrient management efficiency of individual growers, individual fields, and by specific areas. … ” Continue reading from Jane Sooby at Maven’s Notebook.
Kern County Subbasin is returned to the Department of Water Resources’ jurisdiction under the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act
“The State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board or Board) returned the Kern County Subbasin to the Department of Water Resources’ (DWR) jurisdiction under the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) on December 8, 2025. On September 17th, the State Water Board approved Resolution No. 2025-0029 directing the Board’s Office of Sustainable Groundwater Management staff to send a letter to DWR formalizing the return of the Kern County Subbasin to DWR’s jurisdiction. This directive was contingent upon Board staff’s review of the adopted 2025 Kern County Subbasin Groundwater Sustainability Plans (GSPs) for consistency with the Draft 2025 GSPs and changes needed to address three priority deficiencies that staff identified in the Draft 2025 GSPs. Following its review, Board staff determined that the adopted 2025 GSPs were consistent with the Draft 2025 GSPs and satisfactorily resolved the three identified priority deficiencies. Accordingly, Board staff returned the subbasin to DWR’s jurisdiction. Local groundwater sustainability agencies will continue managing groundwater in the subbasin under DWR’s jurisdiction.” Click here for the letter from the State Water Board to DWR.
BirdReturns 2025: A remarkable year delivering crucial habitat for birds
“This year marked an incredible milestone – the 10th anniversary of BirdReturns. What began as a small pilot project to deliver habitat when birds need it most has expanded across California’s Central Valley, becoming one of the region’s most innovative and impactful working lands conservation programs. A decade in, BirdReturns continues to evolve, adapt, and scale thanks to the dedication of land managers, biologists, and partners across the state. In 2025, that collective effort resulted in habitat at a scale that reflects both the urgency of the moment and the strength of our partnerships. With more than 210 participating land managers and over 48,000 acres of wetlands and farmlands enrolled across California, BirdReturns supported hundreds of thousands of birds throughout the annual cycle. … ” Read more from Audubon.
Why are meadows important to the climate?
“When most people think of solutions to environmental degradation, meadows are not usually the first thing that comes to mind. But research by Ben Sullivan, a soil ecologist in the University of Nevada, Reno’s College of Agriculture, Biotechnology & Natural Resources, has brought new attention to the power of meadows in defending the environment, restoring watersheds and supporting ecosystems. His work may offer an opportunity to address the pressing climate issues we face today. “I love all meadows, no matter what meadow I happen to be standing in, regardless of condition or location or surroundings” said Sullivan, who also conducts research as part of the University’s Experiment Station “Their magic lies not only in their thriving flora and fauna, but in their significance to protecting surrounding ecosystems and the people who rely on them.” … ” Read more from UNR.
Skimpy snow makes life worse for skiers — and everyone else
Heather Hansman writes, “Last night, I woke up to percussion on the roof. In late November at 7,000 feet in the Rockies, you’d normally look for snow. But yet another predicted storm had petered out and come in as rain instead. This storm was going to be big, the local weatherman promised, with some places getting up to 6 feet. But then he downgraded the forecast — and downgraded it again. By the time the system moved off to the east, no more than a few inches had fallen in a couple of high places. We’d seen no significant snow, and we were getting closer to the solstice. Anticipation is a fickle feeling, a jittery mix of adrenaline and hope. Early winter used to make me excited, no matter where I lived in the West.But lately that anticipation has been subsumed by dread. Now, the forecast hits me with the wrong kind of adrenaline. I get a cramp in my stomach when storms don’t come. … ” Read the full story from High Country News.
An unrelenting tule fog
“An atmospheric phenomenon occurring over much of California was unmistakable in satellite imagery in late autumn 2025. Fog stretching some 400 miles (640 kilometers) across the state’s Central Valley appeared day after day for more than two weeks in late November and early December. Known as tule (TOO-lee) fog, named after a sedge that grows in the area’s marshes, these low clouds tend to form in the valley in colder months when winds are light and soils are moist. This animation shows a sprawling blanket of white fog filling most or all of the valley from Redding to Bakersfield between November 24 and December 9, 2025. … ” Read more from NASA.
In commentary today …
DAN WALTERS: Trump sides with agriculture again in California’s neverending water wars
“From the onset of his foray into presidential politics a decade ago, Donald Trump has been obsessed with managing California’s water, often interjecting himself into decades-long conflicts over how the precious commodity should be divvied up. During his first stint as president, Trump was heavily influenced by the Westlands Water District, a huge agricultural water agency in the San Joaquin Valley that sought more irrigation water for itself and other farm interests. That relationship led to an extremely controversial contract that guaranteed Westlands as much as 1 million acre-feet of water each year from the federal Central Valley Project, solidifying the district’s supply situation. Lacking water rights, Westlands had historically depended on temporary contracts to meet members’ demands. The new contract angered environmental groups because it threatened to reduce flows through the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta for wildlife habitat. The groups sued and won rulings against the contract in trial and appellate courts. After Trump moved back into the White House in January, he immediately picked up where he left off, issuing an order to federal water officials to maximize deliveries in California. … ” Read more from Cal Matters.
EDWARD RING: Will advocates for more water supply projects find unity?
“There’s only one way to restore reliable water allocations to farmers, avoid turning our cities into rationed “xeriscaped” heat islands, and cope with whatever the climate ultimately delivers. That’s to build more infrastructure to safely and sustainably produce millions of acre feet of new fresh water every year. There are many practical ways to accomplish this. Some are controversial. Others, less so. But chances are slim that any of them will happen anytime soon unless advocates for more water are unified. The single biggest variable in water supply projects and management priorities is the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. A new organization, The Great Valley Farm Water Partnership, joins together farmers from the delta and the San Joaquin Valley to “foster mutually beneficial water and environmental solutions through collaboration and expert guidance.” They have identified seven priority issues … ” Continue reading from Edward Ring.
C-WIN: Follow the Money: The Central Valley Project
“If the State Water Project is a travesty, its federal analogue – the Central Valley project – is an outrage. To be sure, the two projects have much in common. Both are stunningly expensive public works that divert water from Northern California to Southern California. Both benefit the few, the wealthy and the powerful at the expense of ratepayers, taxpayers, fishermen, and underserved and tribal communities. Both wreak immense environmental harm. But viewed as a matter of scale, the inequities and deficits of the CVP trump those of the SWP. A part of Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal initiative, the CVP was launched following decades of acrimonious dispute over California’s water distribution and policies. Getting the CVP built required the federal government to ignore tribal water rights claims and offer sweetheart deals to powerful interests that controlled water on both the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers. … ” Continue reading from C-WIN.
NRDC: Rethinking the price of water in the West
Isabel Friedman, Senior Advocacy Associate for NRDC, writes, “Americans have long romanticized the settlement and land grabs of the West through stories of cowboys riding through a rugged land. In old Western films, dust clouds would swirl behind their horses’ hooves as they beat down on the tough, arid land. These romanticized stories and the decisions that precipitated in Washington, D.C., ignored the long history of the people who already lived on this land, putting a first-come, first-serve sign on the land and natural resources of the region. Settlers in the 19th and early 20th century laid claim to parcels of land and the rivers that flowed through them. To them, the federal government doled out water free of charge, relying on these resources to drive the rapid development of the West. … Today, just as it was 100 years ago, substantial volumes of water in the Colorado River Basin are sold or diverted at little to no cost. California’s Central Valley Project, another massive federal water resource that was first envisioned in 1921, still allocates water under similarly antiquated pricing systems that allow water to be diverted for next to nothing, incentivizing inefficiency and overuse. … ” Read more from the NRDC.
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
First Upper Klamath chinook poached
“The good news? With removal of four dams on the Klamath River completed in 2024, thousands of Chinook have wasted little time making their way back into Southern Oregon waters. The not-so-good news? So too have poachers. Or at least two, anyway. Details come from the Oregon State Police Fish and Wildlife Division’s October newsletter, where troopers reported on what’s believed to be the first criminal case of unlawful take of salmon on the Beaver State side of the Klamath Basin since the sea-going fish lost access to the area in the early 1910s. Troopers say a witness phoned in a report about a man who was fishing on and had illegally kept a Chinook from Spencer Creek, which is about 15 miles west of Klamath Falls and had been closed to fishing at the end of September to protect spawning salmon. While the man was gone when a trooper arrived, witnesses provided a license plate, and the vehicle was subsequently spotted and stopped on Highway 66 by the officer. … ” Read more from NW Sports.
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
Lake Tahoe to get another underwater cleanup, with divers hauling out a different type of trash
“After fishing out more than 25,000 pounds of underwater junk from Lake Tahoe, divers are gearing up for another round. On Thursday, environmental nonprofit Clean Up the Lake plans to start a multi-year effort to remove trash from deeper parts of the lake, where divers expect to find bigger and heavier items than in shallower areas. The project presents technical difficulties, but “without a doubt it helps with the environmental protection of Lake Tahoe,” said Colin West, founder and CEO of Clean Up the Lake. In 2021 and 2022, divers — aided by boaters and other volunteers — worked their way around Lake Tahoe’s 72 miles of shoreline and picked up underwater trash down to a depth of 25 feet. They collected an array of objects, including fishing gear, aluminum cans and even sex toys. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle (gift article).
Tahoe Fund issues call for 2026 projects
“The Tahoe Fund today announced the opening of its annual call for projects. The nonprofit is seeking projects for its 2026 portfolio that will reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfire, improve the health of the lake, and make it easier to get around, enjoy, and take care of Lake Tahoe. Public agencies, nonprofits and environmentally focused businesses are invited to submit proposals for projects that require $5,000 to $1,000,000 in funding. Projects with the ability to leverage public funding as a result of Tahoe Fund support will be prioritized. “Every year, we are blown away by the creativity of the projects submitted for funding consideration,” said Caitlin Meyer, Chief Program Officer for the Tahoe Fund. “From transforming trailhead restrooms with beautiful murals to sending roving inspectors to busy beaches to prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species, our partners continue to lead with innovation as they work to improve the Tahoe environment.” … ” Read more from the Tahoe Fund.
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
Construction to begin on last Sacramento Valley “high priority” fish screen project
“In January 2026, the Meridian Farms Water Company (MFWC) will be selecting a contractor to begin construction on the second and final phase of its program to screen the diversions used to deliver Sacramento River water to the district. This is the last of the fish screening projects that were originally identified as “high priority” by state and federal fisheries agencies in the early 1990s. “Completing this project is possible due to the collaborative efforts and funding of many partners, including the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, California Natural Resources Agency, the Wildlife Conservation Board, the Bureau of Reclamation and Fish and Wildlife Service,” said Andy Duffey, General Manager of Meridian Farms Water Company. … ” Read more from the Northern California Water Association.
Big Chico Creek clear of E. coli O157, no-swim advisory lifted
“Sycamore Pool is finally safe enough to swim in. The E. coli outbreak in Big Chico Creek that made people sick this summer is now over, according to an announcement Tuesday by Butte County Public Health. BCPH on Tuesday lifted a advisory active since July 18 on Big Chico Creek after recent water and sediment tests came back negative for E. coli O157, the strain of bacteria that was found in five confirmed cases of severe infections in Butte County this summer. Lisa Almaguer, public information officer for BCPH, said Wednesday that the creek is considered safe enough to swim for Chico’s annual polar bear plunge tradition at Sycamore Pool, “but with a word of caution.” “This creek is a natural waterway. With natural waterways, there is always a risk of exposure to E. coli and other bacteria that can make people sick,” Almaguer wrote in an email. “People who swim in the creek, especially families with young children, should take steps to prevent exposure to E. coli and other bacteria.” … ” Read more from the Chico Enterprise-Record (gift article).
Work on DWR trailways ends for winter
“After months of sealing and paving along the Brad Freeman Trail that lines the Thermalito Afterbay, the California Department of Water Resources is putting the remainder of the project on hold for the winter. DWR announced Friday that the trailway would once again be open to the public, and the public was clearly aware by Wednesday, when dozens of walkers could be seen working their way across the Afterbay Dam Crest. Work completed this year consisted of trails near the Thermalito power plant access road and dam parking lot, as well as Thermalito Power Canal Road, said DWR spokesperson Jason Ince. Additionally, rails were installed at Canyon Drive and Oroville Dam Boulevard, along with striping work. “Altogether, the project is about two-thirds complete,” Ince said. … ” Read more from the Chico Enterprise-Record.
NAPA/SONOMA
Coho salmon found in Sonoma Coast creek for first time in 60 years
“The excitement started with a flash of silver followed by a hefty dose of disbelief. A team of conservationists and biologists from The Wildlands Conservancy, the nonprofit that manages the 5,600-acre Jenner Headlands Preserve on the Sonoma Coast, couldn’t believe what they were seeing: the telltale color and shape of juvenile coho salmon, darting back and forth in the clear current of the East Branch Russian Gulch. It had been decades since the endangered fish had made its way to that arm of the watershed. And yet there they were, as Ryan Berger, Corby Hines and Luke Farmer of The Wildlands Conservancy looked on. “I had never heard of coho being in the Russian Gulch in recent memory,” said Hines, a ranger with the group. … ” Read more from the Eureka Times-Standard (gift article).
SEE ALSO:
- ‘Pretty amazing’: Salmon seen in upper reaches of Russian River for first time in decades, from the San Francisco Chronicle
- Coho salmon are making a comeback in the Russian River for the first time in 30 years, press release from Governor Newsom
BAY AREA
The Bay Area weather pattern is finally shifting — but don’t believe the app forecasts just yet
“It’s been cool, dry and persistently cloudy in the Bay Area during the last few weeks. This dry streak, now at 20 days, is starting to show subtle impacts. One reader reported that dirt trails in the East Bay hills are hardening like it’s mid-summer, while another noted they had to turn on their sprinkler system to water flowers. So, it may come as a relief to some that the weather apps suddenly are showing a flurry of rain icons for next week. But how realistic is this forecast? Most likely, yes. The main reason for optimism: the so-called “ridiculously resilient ridge” of high pressure, which has kept us dry by diverting storms to the north of California, will finally break down this weekend. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
Editorial: Sausalito sea-level plan needs to work for all
The Marin Independent Journal writes, “While some sections of Sausalito are slowly sinking into bay mud, the waterfront stretch, including a famous tourist-drawing segment of Bridgeway, will soon face impacts from sea-level rise. It’s safe to say that city leaders are doing everything they can to quickly move forward with a response plan. After all, according to state data, Richardson Bay will be 10 inches higher by 2050 and 4.3 feet higher during king tides and storms. By 2100, bay levels are forecast to be 3.1 feet higher and reach 6.6 feet in storms and surges. Despite those urgent predictions, the Sausalito City Council was right when it put the brakes on the plan last month. The decision to stop, listen and send the 168-page proposal back for fine tuning is an important step to a workable plan for all. … ” Read more from the Marin Independent Journal.
Palo Alto begins horizontal levee construction project
“Palo Alto is about to get a first-of-a-kind solution to a major problem. A horizontal levee is being built in the Palo Alto Baylands to restore habitat and improve the quality of the water flowing into the Bay – all meant to address the climate crisis. Save The Bay volunteers spent Wednesday planting native species in a patch of dirt in the Palo Alto Baylands. These volunteers say they recognize this project could be a game changer for the environment. The City of Palo Alto has constructed an underground horizontal levee here. “This is an innovative way to improve water quality to the bay to protect our infrastructure and create a habitat for species in this area,” said Caitlin Sweeney, director of San Francisco Estuary Partnership. … ” Read more from NBC Bay Area.
SEE ALSO: Palo Alto: Milestone Reached On Construction Of Water-Cleaning Levee, from SF Gate
Santa Clara water agency explores digital twin technology with K-water
“Santa Clara Valley Water District (Valley Water), the public water agency for the county in California, held talks with Korea Water Resources Corp. (K-water) on Monday to discuss cooperation on water management technology and digital twin water systems. The three-day visit, joined by Assistant CEO Rita Chan of the district, focused on building on a partnership established in September, when the two sides signed a memorandum of agreement in San Jose, California, to enhance their cooperation on digital twin-based water management. Digital twin is a technology mirroring real-world entities in a virtual environment. … ” Read more from the Korea Times.
Data centers for AI could nearly triple San Jose’s energy use. Who foots the bill?
“San Jose, the symbolic capital of Silicon Valley, is now ground zero in California’s battle over how to govern the rise of data centers used to power artificial intelligence. The county seat of Santa Clara is touting its partnership with Pacific Gas & Electric, claiming the city is “the West Coast’s premier destination for data center development.” The investor-owned utility now estimates it has enough capacity in its planning pipeline to push the city’s electricity use to almost three times its current peak. Those plans are forcing major grid upgrades, PG&E and city officials say, while raising questions about who pays for them and whether the state can keep the power clean. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
CENTRAL COAST
Research article: Coastal wetland deposition of cathode metals from the world’s largest lithium-ion battery fire
“Fires at lithium-ion battery storage facilities pose emerging environmental risks that remain largely undocumented under real-world conditions. Following a major fire at the world’s largest Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) in Moss Landing, California, we conducted rapid, high-resolution soil surveys to quantify metal fallout in adjacent estuarine wetlands. Field-portable X-ray fluorescence (FpXRF), validated by SEM/EDS, laboratory XRF, and ICP-MS, revealed a significant but transient surface enrichment of nickel (Ni), manganese (Mn), and cobalt (Co). This enrichment had Ni: Co mass ratios near 2:1 serving as a geochemical fingerprint of NMC-type cathode materials. The metals were confined to a shallow surface layer (< 5 mm). Surface concentrations declined rapidly following precipitation and tidal inundation. The fallout’s thin, transient and patchy distribution would have eluded standard coring methods but was detected through spatially intensive FpXRF sampling, highlighting the importance of rapid detection and the mobilization of metals into wetland ecosystems. … ” Read open access article at Nature.
Greenfield City Council approves wastewater fee increase
“The Greenfield City Council voted tonight to increase wastewater fees in the city to finance the planned upgrade of the city’s wastewater treatment plant, which is currently over capacity and has led to a temporary building moratorium in Greenfield until the capacity can be increased. … ” Read more from KSBY.
Santa Barbara plan to protect wastewater systems from climate disaster
“Santa Barbara officials unveiled a new climate adaptation plan Tuesday that outlines some significant infrastructure changes to safeguard the city’s wastewater systems from rising sea levels and intensifying storms — changes that could cost up to $130 million over the next two decades. The Wastewater and Water Systems Climate Adaptation Plan, publicly released December 9, stems from a broader citywide resilience program launched in 2021. The plan focuses heavily on the city’s vulnerable infrastructure — including the El Estero Water Resource Center, which sits just south of Highway 101 in a historically low-lying estuary near the waterfront. While the El Estero Water Resource Center is often pictured as vulnerable to sea-level rise, its most immediate threat isn’t from future tides, but from the influx of water that comes from extreme storm events. The facility was originally constructed on slightly elevated ground within a historically low-lying estuary, which now acts as a sort of island. That gives it some protection — for now — from direct ocean flooding and groundwater inundation. … ” Read more from the Santa Barbara Independent.
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
Bringing life back to the Van Buskirk Wetland
“When the city of Stockton, California, closed the Van Buskirk Municipal Golf Course in 2019, local leaders were presented with a prime opportunity. The community of South Stockton, an underserved neighborhood, needed more green space and outdoor recreational opportunities. It also faced the looming threat of catastrophic flooding due to climate change and the aging flood infrastructure along the San Joaquin River. Now, with 192 green acres available, the city could potentially solve both problems if it worked toward a creative, nature-based solution. When the Yachicumne Yokuts and Miwok Tribes were the primary stewards of this portion of California’s Central Valley, the area had been freshwater wetlands that were naturally designed to flood. When settlers arrived in the mid-1800s, the wetlands were rapidly replaced with agricultural fields, and the river was hemmed in by levees built to protect farms and crops from flooding. Over time, Stockton grew into an urban and diverse community of more than 320,000 people. … ” Read more from American Rivers.
Manteca water rates going up but not due to raw water cost
“A pending 334 percent hike in the cost of raw water the City of Manteca secures through the South San Joaquin Irrigation District won’t impact municipal water rates for at least four years. That said, Manteca’s basic water rates are going up $6.36 a month from the current $21.24 to $27.60 on July 1, 2026. There are two more pending hikes already in place after that. The monthly household rate will go to $32.57 on July 1, 2027 and then $34.53 on July 1, 2028. The pending rate hikes are a direct result of the city not raising rates for 13 years to cover inflation-impacted maintenance and operations as well as a need to replace aging pipeline and other water system infrastructure. … ” Read more from the Manteca Bulletin.
Recharging seen as key for Stanislaus River watershed
“Altering control operations at New Melones Reservoir coupled with harnessing farmland for recharging has the potential to blunt — and almost negate — the near-term climate change impact on water supplies within the Stanislaus River watershed. That’s the CliffsNotes conclusion of a set of San Joaquin Basin Watershed studies released earlier this month by the California Department of Water Resources. Separate studies for the Stanislaus, Tuolumne, Merced, Calaveras and Upper San Joaquin rivers addressed flood managed aquifer recharge strategies. … ” Read more from the Escalon Times.
Proposed pumping allocations by two Kings County groundwater agencies ignite flurry of responses
“Incompatible pumping allocations being considered by two groundwater agencies in north Kings County have prompted a blizzard of responses, and even some accusations, from farmers and multiple entities. The South Fork Kings Groundwater Sustainability Agency (GSA) and Mid-Kings River GSA each had draft pumping allocation policies out for public comment. The GSA boards will likely discuss the policies further at their Dec. 16 and 18 meetings. The allocation amounts differ significantly, with Mid-Kings proposing to allow its farmers to pump a base amount of 1.43 acre feet per acre of land, which is more than double South Fork’s proposed base allocation of .66 of an acre foot per acre of land. That discrepancy initiated opposition from South Fork farmers, including Doug Freitas who said the lopsided allocation would essentially give Mid-Kings farmers the benefit of South Kings’ groundwater. … ” Read more from SJV Water.
EASTERN SIERRA
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
LA County sues oil companies for unplugged wells in Inglewood Oil Field
“L.A. County has sued four oil companies operating, or who have operated, in the Inglewood Oil Field near Baldwin Hills and Ladera Heights, alleging they’ve failed to properly clean up hundreds of depleted and idle wells. What the lawsuit says: The county alleged in the court filing Wednesday that the companies have failed to properly plug more than 200 idle or depleted wells, which are prone to leaking dangerous chemicals such as benzene. That harms the health of more than 1 million Angelenos who live within 5 miles, the county says. The background: The lawsuit is part of ongoing efforts by the county (as well as the city of L.A. and Culver City) to phase out oil drilling over the next two decades. … ” Read more from the LAist.
IMPERIAL/COACHELLA VALLEYS
Residents press IID over impacts of proposed data center
“With frustrations rising over a proposed data center in the Imperial Valley, residents confronted Imperial Irrigation District (IID) officials Tuesday, Dec. 9, with concerns about electricity reliability, rising rates, worsening air quality and whether IID can protect households while serving one of the most energy-intensive industries in the world. The workshop at IID’s Board Room drew a packed crowd, many of whom said they worry the project could strain an already fragile grid and deepen existing environmental burdens. One elderly resident said the Valley is already “choking on dust and pollution.” She said, “Our farmers are going down. We have dirt in the air that we can’t breathe,” adding that haze is visible “nine days out of ten” even when monitors classify local air quality as moderate. She mentioned that her adult son still suffers from asthma after growing up in Brawley, calling the region’s health struggle “nothing new.” … ” Read more from the Desert Review.
SAN DIEGO
Donald Trump warns Mexico is ‘true threat’ to California and Texas
“President Donald Trump on Wednesday accused Mexico of posing a “true threat” to residents of California and Texas, warning that the country must “immediately” address cross-border water and sewage problems. The president posted on Truth Social, “Mexico must take care of its water and sewage problem, IMMEDIATELY. It is a true Threat to the People of Texas, California, and the United States of America!” The post was accompanied by a video that says that “Mexico is sending millions of gallons of untreated sewage water into the Tijuana River.” Newsweek has reached out to California Environmental Protection Agency and Texas Commission on Environmental Quality via email on Wednesday afternoon for comment. … ” Read more from Newsweek.
SEE ALSO: Trump Urges Mexico To Address Its ‘Water And Sewage Problem,’ Calling it a ‘Threat’ To The U.S., from the Latin Times
Along the Colorado River …
UNLV student team tackles AI’s hidden water problem
“Save the drinking water for people, not machines. That’s the pitch one UNLV College of Engineering Senior Design team delivered to a panel of industry judges during the Fall 2025 competition. Team Waste to Watts — competing among 42 student teams in UNLV’s biannual Senior Design competition — understands how important your generative AI prompt is. But the data that tools like ChatGPT, Claude, and others draw upon to answer prompts and create content seemingly out of thin air needs something to cool it down. … Waste to Watts drilled down to a water source with untapped potential just below the city of Henderson’s surface that, up until now, has been seen as “waste.” The proposal, developed over months by Montenegro and teammates Alyssa Surette, Daniel Nevarez, and Elias Black, centered around Google’s data center in Henderson. “Our project tackles Henderson’s hidden water challenge by turning unused perched groundwater into a resource for data center cooling,” said Surette, a civil engineering major. “By reusing what’s already beneath our feet, we cut strain on drinking water supplies and create a sustainable path for the city’s growing tech infrastructure.” … ” Read more from UNLV.
Colorado state regulators delay approval of 32 new oil and gas wells near the Aurora Reservoir
“State regulators voted to delay a plan to drill 32 new oil and gas wells near the Aurora Reservoir on Wednesday, after nearly a year of sustained community opposition. Colorado’s Energy and Carbon Management Commission (ECMC) voted 4-1 to postpone approving the State Sunlight/Long development plan, proposed by the oil company Civitas and its subsidiary Crestone Peak Resources. The delay, known as a “stay,” followed months of public comments, as well as several days of testimony and deliberations. Residents cited health and safety impacts, proximity to schools and homes, climate change and other concerns in nearly 900 public comments. More than 250 people attended a public meeting in September, where residents and their children urged regulators to modify or deny the plan. “Please move it, protect us and keep harm away,” said one 10-year-old from an Aurora elementary school in September. … ” Read more from Colorado Public Radio.
In national water news today …
Trump Administration again proposes rule to narrow the definition of WOTUS with significant consequences for both wetlands and development projects
“On November 20, 2025, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published a proposed rule to redefine “waters of the United States,” commonly referred to as WOTUS, to better align with the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in Sackett v. EPA, 598 U.S. 651 (2023) (Sackett). This rule, if adopted, would overall narrow the definition of WOTUS, reducing the reach of the Clean Water Act (CWA) and reducing protections for wetlands and waterways across the country. The rule has potentially significant consequences for project cost and schedules by removing a common federal nexus to more efficient federal Endangered Species Act (ESA) permitting. The rule also has implications for water management as it would expand jurisdiction to tributaries used for water transfers, seemingly eliminating an existing exclusion from National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit requirements. … ” Read more from Somach Simmons & Dunn.
Trump EPA preaches ‘compliance first.’ Does that mean enforcement last?
“EPA has set out new guidelines for its staff interacting with polluters, championing quick compliance for violators of the law before turning to tough enforcement. Craig Pritzlaff, acting assistant administrator of EPA’s enforcement office, said the memo “reinforces a ‘compliance first’ orientation as the guiding principle” for the program, including for all civil enforcement and compliance initiatives at the agency. The memo, obtained by POLITICO’s E&E News, also tells employees to seek approval from top leadership, pulls back guidance from the previous administration and bars mitigation efforts, known as supplemental environmental projects, or SEPs. “This policy reinforces prioritizing environmental compliance across all OECA civil judicial and administrative enforcement activities in the most efficient, most economical, and swiftest means possible,” Pritzlaff said in the memo, dated Friday and sent to senior enforcement officials and attorneys across the country. … ” Read more from E&E News.
A new report describes deep environmental cuts, state by state
“Fewer inspections, weaker enforcement and less oversight: Deep cuts to state budgets and at the Environmental Protection Agency are preventing regulators from fully protecting the public from pollution, according to a report released today by the Environmental Integrity Project. The financial crisis at these agencies is occurring amid the expansion of the fossil fuel, plastics and petrochemical industries, said EIP Executive Director Jen Duggan. When states have fewer resources, Duggan said, “those protections, those rights that every American has under our environmental laws, are not being realized.” President Trump’s budget proposal would decimate 2026 spending at the EPA by 55 percent, or $4.2 billion, according to the report. House Republicans are recommending cutting it by a quarter, while the Senate Appropriations Committee voted for a reduction of just 5 percent. … ” Read more from Inside Climate News.
Data center boom creates political conundrum for the GOP
“Republicans on Capitol Hill who have championed Big Tech’s race to dominate artificial intelligence are now confronting a growing political obstacle: voters angry over the soaring energy demands and utility costs tied to the data centers. The politics of data centers are still very much in flux, but GOP politicians may be particularly vulnerable to a voter backlash because of their pro-development views and President Donald Trump’s all-in support for AI — including blocking states from setting their own rules. Some are starting to seek distance from the White House. Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis floated new limits on data centers as part of an “AI bill of rights.” Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene and Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley have also questioned Trump’s state preemption drive. Increasingly, congressional lawmakers from states at the center of the data center boom — Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia — are feeling the heat and looking to adjust. … ” Read more from E&E News.
