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On the calendar today …
- WEBINAR: The “How” of Water Diplomacy: An Introduction to the Routledge Handbook of Water Diplomacy from 11am to 12pm. This Special WRRC Water Webinar will include an overview of the Routledge Handbook of Water Diplomacy by one or more Handbook editors, a panel of Handbook authors, and a moderated discussion with participants. The Handbook is a comprehensive guide to understanding and practicing water diplomacy – a framework for building relationships, negotiating shared interests, and managing complex water challenges across physical, political, and societal boundaries. More information about the book, along with the link to download the PDF version, can be found here. The webinar, which will be conducted in English, is co-convened by the Stockholm International Water Institute, the International Centre for Water Cooperation, and the Women in Water Diplomacy Network. Click here to register.
In California water news today …
Pineapple Express poised to unleash serious flood threat for Pacific Northwest this week
“Back-to-back atmospheric rivers have doused the Pacific Northwest as of late, resulting in flash flooding, damaging mudslides and major river flooding. Some locations have already picked up over a month’s worth of rainfall within just a few days amid the active weather setup. Although the region caught a brief break from the intense storminess this past weekend, conditions won’t stay quiet for long. Another round of storms, including a specific type of atmospheric river known as the Pineapple Express, will affect the region for at least the first part of this week. … Rounds of rainfall will be funneled into western Washington and Oregon, as well as northwestern California into Wednesday. In the typically colder spots, rain can mix with snow at times, particularly overnight. … ” Read more from AccuWeather.
SEE ALSO:
- As warm atmospheric rivers slide gradually southward along Pacific Coast, a return to rain and end to tule fog in NorCal later this week–but don’t expect much mountain snow, from Daniel Swain at Weather West
- Rain returns to California this week. Here’s the storm-by-storm outlook, from the San Francisco Chronicle
How winter is warming in California
“Though it may not feel like it — considering recent bouts of cold snaps — winter is getting warmer in San Francisco and across the country, due in part to climate change, an updated analysis finds. Why it matters: Warmer winters can be a bummer for skiers and snowboarders, affect water supplies tied to annual snowmelt, and more. Driving the news: From 1970 to 2025, average winter temperatures rose in 98% of the 244 U.S. cities analyzed in a new report from Climate Central, a climate research group. Among the cities with an increase, winter temperatures rose nearly 4°F on average. … ” Read more from Axios California.
State releases amended Bay Delta Plan with new chapter
“The State Water Resources Control Board has added a new chapter and made other language updates to its draft Bay-Delta Plan. The changes were spelled out in two attachments to the San Francisco Bay/Sacramento-San Joaquin Bay Delta Water Quality Control Plan. They were released on Friday. “The release of these documents puts us on track for updates to the Bay-Delta Plan to come before the State Water Board for adoption in 2026,” E. Joaquin Esquivel, chairman of the board, said in a statement. “We look forward to the public’s continued feedback and partnership throughout the remainder of this process.” “Specifically, the amendments retain two distinct pathways for water right holders: a voluntary agreement pathway for flow and habitat commitments under the Healthy River and Landscapes program; and a regulatory pathway for water right holders that are not part of the HRL proposal.” … ” Read more from the Daily Republic.
California Chinook salmon are study of survival in changing climate
“Researchers studying fall-run Chinook salmon headed to California’s Central Valley rivers are monitoring their migration, hoping to identify factors from water temperature to nutrition that help get them to the spawning grounds. “We have been tagging salmon yearly since 2022 for this project,” said Miles Daniels, an associate researcher at the University of California, Santa Cruz, who is also an affiliate of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Southwest Fisheries Science Center. The research is funded by California’s State Water Board, which is interested in whether water can be managed to benefit the salmon while still supplying farms in the state’s Central Valley with irrigation water. That water is important to the growth of billions of dollars’ worth of produce and other agricultural products. It is also the highway for Chinook salmon migrating under the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco into the upper Sacramento River, and through the Sacramento -San Joaquin River Delta to the Central Valley Rivers’ spawning grounds. … ” Read more from National Fisherman.
USDA pushes back on California Ag Land Equity Plan
“On December 11, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Brooke Rollins sent a letter to Governor Gavin Newsom regarding the California Land Equity Task Force and its upcoming report on policy recommendations addressing the “agricultural land equity crisis.” The Task Force was directed to submit the report to the Legislature and Governor’s office by January 1, 2026. According to a draft report from November 2025, the Task Force’s recommendations include supporting tribal stewardship and land return, funding and encouraging land purchases for certain producers and land stewards, stopping and reversing farmland consolidation, protecting farmland while improving equitable access, prioritizing secure land ownership, and promoting urban agriculture. Rollins’ letter criticizes the proposed recommendations and expresses “substantial constitutional concerns regarding the State of California’s proposed redistribution of agricultural land based on race, ethnicity, and national origin.” She asserts that the policies, if implemented, would harm the state’s farmers, ranchers, and agricultural producers. … ” Read more from Valley Ag Voice.
In commentary today …
California salmon must return to the mountains. It’s time to take a chance
Opinion columnist Tom Philp writes, “Late in the 19th century on the McCloud River below Mount Shasta, California’s first hatchery began creating thousands of salmon embryos for an audacious plan to establish populations of California salmon throughout the Midwest and the Eastern seaboard of the United States. The effort failed miserably. Some, however, thrived after their embryos were transported all the way to New Zealand. There and only there did this relocation experiment work. For more than 100 years on South Island rivers like the Waitaki, California salmon, believed to be from the McCloud River, have lived a life without dams, free to spawn high in the headwaters and swim unimpeded to their adult life in the Pacific Ocean. … ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee (gift article).
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
Changing weather pattern ahead for Lake Tahoe – is snow in the forecast?
“Dry weather, light winds, and unseasonably warm temperatures continue through Monday. Patchy, freezing returns Monday morning before the day turns sunny, but look for the forecast to finally show a chance for precipitation starting Tuesday night. Any snow in the forecast is expected to be above lake level. The pattern change is expected to bring increased winds and slight chances for precipitation primarily to the Sierra and northeast California, according to the National Weather Service (NWS) in Reno. … ” Read more from South Tahoe Now.
Clean Up The Lake sets out on their second lap around Tahoe, this time deeper
“Clean Up The Lake (CUTL), the Tahoe nonprofit known for its environmental dive team, SCUBA cleanups, and completing the 72-mile cleanup of Lake Tahoe at depths of 0–25 feet in 2021 and 2022, is now going deeper into Lake Tahoe. The 72 Mile Deep Clean will extend CUTL’s work up to an additional 30 feet beyond the original cleanup, with divers operating between 35 and 55 feet throughout the entire 72-mile circumference of Lake Tahoe. The team’s priorities will be to remove as much litter in those zones as they can, GPS-mark any heavy-lift litter items they are unable to remove, and report any historical artifacts, aquatic invasive species, or algal blooms to the appropriate agencies. The team will rely on advanced technology, including diver propulsion vehicles and enriched air nitrox, to safely increase efficiency and bottom time at these new and challenging depths. … ” Read more from South Tahoe Now.
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
Commentary: Sacramento County still lacks reliable water as Serna loves a bad project
Opinion writer Tom Philp writes, “For months, Sacramento County has been advancing a 25,000-resident community north of downtown in Natomas without a confirmed water supply. Its new solution is a supply that was slashed by 82% in the last drought, yet the county is assuming that the ugly effects of modern-day climate change will never happen again. The latest version of the so-called Upper Westside Project near the Sacramento River adjacent to Garden Highway is even worse than the previous one. Not only does it have a dubious water supply, it would include an ugly new water treatment plant about a half-mile from the river that residents would have to pay for in their monthly water bills. … ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee.
NAPA/SONOMA
Cloverdale approves water supply assessment for proposed Esmeralda development
“The proposed new Esmeralda development in Cloverdale faced a key hearing this week focused on water. The plan for Esmeralda’s “village” calls for up to 605 new housing units. That would be a mix of single family homes, senior apartments, and townhouses. Plus a hotel with up to 200 rooms, along with commercial space, all on a 266-acre site near the Cloverdale Airport. The land used to part of a lumber mill complex. Currently it’s open space. … ” Read more from Northern California Public Media.
BAY AREA
Volunteers plant Bay Area’s first ‘living levee’ using treated wastewater
“Volunteers were out bright and early Wednesday morning along the Harbor Marsh coastline in the Palo Alto Baylands, joining an effort to build a nature-based buffer designed to absorb storm surges and curb flooding amid climate change and sea-level rise that threaten shoreline communities.They were helping build what project developers described as the Bay Area’s first horizontal “living levee” directly connected to the Bay and irrigated with treated wastewater. About 35 people joined the initial planting of native species such as black elderberry, ninebark and marsh baccharis. Another volunteer day was scheduled for Saturday morning.Save the Bay’s Jessie Olsen, whose organization helped lead the planting, said this is the first phase of work, with the plants expected to reach full maturity by the end of 2026. … ” Read more from the San Jose Mercury News (gift article).
Anheuser-Busch to close Bay Area brewery, a loss of 475 jobs
“Anheuser-Busch will shut down its Fairfield brewery in early 2026, city officials confirmed Thursday, marking the loss of one of the community’s largest employers and dealing what leaders say will be a major economic blow. Mayor Catherine Moy announced the closure in a social media post, calling the news “horrible” and “devastating.” She said City Manager David Gassaway notified her Thursday morning after receiving confirmation from the company. … Gassaway warned of significant local impacts, including the loss of jobs and reduced revenue for the city’s water utility. He added that the specialized nature of the brewery will make it challenging to find a new user for the site, though the city is already seeking to connect with the company’s real estate team to explore reuse options. … ” Read more from the San Jose Mercury News.
CENTRAL COAST
Residents near Moss Landing fire provide samples to measure health impact
“After experiencing a headache and metallic taste in her mouth during yardwork following a fire at the Vistra battery storage plant in January, Moss Landing resident Bonnie Grey decided to wear an N95 mask while dusting and vacuuming around her house in late February. A few days later, she became ill with rashes, vomiting and fever that persisted for at least a week. Her blood nearly turned septic. She was then admitted to the hospital where she received no conclusive diagnoses to explain her sudden symptoms. “I’m a healthy person,” Grey says. “I rarely get sick, but suddenly doctors were telling me I might have lupus or some autoimmune disease.” … ” Read more from the Monterey Herald (gift article).
IMPERIAL/COACHELLA VALLEYS
City of Imperial sues County to halt massive data center project, City of El Centro responds
“The City of Imperial has filed a lawsuit against Imperial County and its Board of Supervisors, seeking to block the development of a nearly 1-million-square-foot data center complex that city officials claim was fast-tracked without proper environmental oversight or public transparency. The legal challenge, filed in the Superior Court of California for the County of Imperial, centers on a “ministerial” grading permit issued by the county for the project. By labeling the permit as ministerial—an administrative act that does not require discretion—the city alleges the county effectively bypassed the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), which mandates rigorous environmental studies and public commentary for large-scale developments. … ” Read more from the Imperial Valley Press.
SAN DIEGO
EPA fast-tracks Tijuana River sewage construction projects
“The EPA recently announced it slashed nine months from construction timelines for projects aimed at mitigating the impacts of raw sewage flowing across the Southern border from Mexico into the United States. The announcement was made after the completion of a 100-day review of all existing Minute 328 infrastructure projects by a binational working group established in the historic July memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed by EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin and Alicia Bárcena Ibarra, Mexico’s secretary of environment and natural resources (SEMARNAT), in Mexico City, Mexico. The review also found that every project is on track to meet previously negotiated deadlines, which were accelerated in the MOU, affirming that progress continues to be made across the board. … ” Read more from EHS Leaders.
State officials meet to discuss sewage crisis. Residents want solutions. ‘Don’t talk about it; help us.’
“Avery Korkorowitz said she’s been recovering from a recent asthma attack that lasted three days. “I couldn’t breathe, I was gasping constantly,” said Korkorowitz, an Imperial Beach resident of four years. “It was terrifying. Maybe the scariest thing that’s ever happened to me.” Speaking in Imperial Beach on Monday from her car after county staff loaded her trunk with an air purifier and two filters, Korkorowitz said her asthma attack was the direct result of polluted air stemming from an environmental and public health catastrophe many experts are calling the worst of its kind in the nation: the Tijuana River sewage crisis. … ” Read more from the San Diego Union-Tribune.
Along the Colorado River …
Amid Colorado River ‘impasse,’ tense meeting comes to Las Vegas
“It’s down to the wire for officials to deliver a seven-state agreement to stabilize Lake Mead over the next 20 years. That’s why water managers are eager to attend this year’s annual policy gathering in Las Vegas. Federal and state officials, professors, nonprofit leaders and environmentalists will gather on the Strip this week for the Colorado River Water Users Association conference at Caesars Palace. It’s the largest meeting in the Colorado River world, happening as time runs out for seven states to agree on how to manage a shrinking river. The 2007 guidelines for how the river is shared will expire at the end of next year. “We’re really at a hydrologic precipice,” said Sarah Porter, director of the Kyl Center for Water Policy at Arizona State University. “And we’re at this impasse with very little idea about what the future holds. The volume needs to be turned up.” … ” Read more from the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
SEE ALSO: Tribes among water users trekking to Las Vegas for annual Colorado River conference, from KJZZ
Tribes say they’ve been left out of Colorado River talks, want a say in any final deal
“For three days next week, water leaders from across the Colorado River Basin will gather in Las Vegas to talk about water and the looming failure of the seven basin states to work out differences on a plan to manage the river through drought. Tribal leaders and water protectors will arrive with their own goals and a clear message for delegates to the Colorado River Water Users Association conference. They’re worried about not being at the negotiating table despite holding about 20% of the Colorado’s senior water rights. They want to see a more holistic approach to river management as the Southwest’s long-term drought threatens to permanently impact the Colorado’s flow. … ” Read more from the Arizona Daily Star.
As states draw Colorado River water, what’s left for the river?
“The rusty observation tower at the edge of this wastewater-fed marsh offers an osprey-eye view of two possible futures for the parched and overworked Colorado River. To one side, the marsh spreads across more than 20 square miles of pools and islands choked with cattails and phragmites, convoys of pelicans descending and splashing down for a rest on their journey south from the Great Salt Lake or other western waters. Dragonflies hover below, while a fish hawk circles above, scanning the open water between the reeds. This is a vision of a future in which partners across the Western United States and Mexico save enough water that they can spare some for nature, even if it means irrigating it with the salty dregs. On the tower’s other side, boundless flats of sand and cracked mud spread to the horizon across what was, prior to the river’s damming a century ago, one of Earth’s great green estuaries. … ” Read more from Arizona Central.
Even an average snowpack this year could spell trouble for Lake Powell
“Snow season is off to a rough start for Utah and its neighbors. Most of the West is in a snow drought, with so little white stuff covering the ground that the region hit a 25-year low. If the trend continues, it could be a recipe for disaster for the Colorado River and its reservoirs. That includes the nation’s two largest, Lake Powell and Lake Mead, which prop up a system that provides water to communities on the Wasatch Front and tens of millions of other Americans across the West. A new report from more than a dozen Colorado River experts projects that even near-average snowpack this winter could send the two reservoirs to record lows in 2026. “At the end of next summer, that amount would be lower than the storage has been since Powell and Mead initially filled,” said report co-author Jack Schmidt, director of the Center for Colorado River Studies at Utah State University. “So, we would be in unprecedented territory.” … ” Read more from KUER.
Trout Unlimited’s resident river doctor on finding a prognosis for the Colorado
“Meet TU’s resident river doctor, Sara Porterfield. With a PhD in the transnational history of the Colorado River Basin and a background as a rafting guide with the Colorado Outward Bound School, Sara brings a unique perspective to both the high-level policy discussions happening about the future of this watershed and the impacts of the historically low water levels on communities across the Basin’s seven states. Technically known as Dr. Sara Porterfield, Colorado River Program Director & Western Water Policy Advisor at TU, she quips at the notion of formality before jumping into the importance of her favorite river. “I don’t even go by doctor, let alone my title,” joked Porterfield. “Just call me, Sara. There are more important things happening on the Colorado River.” … ” Read more from Trout Unlimited.
Commentary: Agreement on reduced diversion of Colorado River water proving elusive
Mike Gardner, A Riverside resident and board member of the Western Municipal Water District, writes, “Under the 1922 Colorado River Compact about 16 million acre feet of water are allowed to be diverted from the Colorado River each year by seven US states, numerous Native American Tribal Nations, and the country of Mexico. However, since 2000 the average annual flow in the river is only about 12 million acre feet. Dealing with this roughly four million acre feet deficit has been the subject of discussion amongst the parties and the United States Bureau of Reclamation (USBR), which manages the Colorado River. The existing agreement is set to expire at the end of 2026 and the USBR has indicated it will allocate water diversion rights as it thinks best if the parties cannot agree on a plan. The parties have been working on a deal for several years but announced in November of this year, that they have not reached agreement on a basic framework, let alone a detailed agreement. This misses a key milestone in the timetable USBR has established for resolving the issue. … ” Read more from the Raincross Gazette.
Wall Street agency likes Queen Creek’s water plan
“Town officials’ efforts to secure Queen Creek’s water future is playing well on Wall Street. S&P Global Ratings earlier this month gave a AA rating – its third-highest grade – to the town’s Certificates of Participation that will fund the bulk of its $244.4 million purchase of Harquahala Basin groundwater to secure Queen Creek’s water security well into the next decade. S&P also reaffirmed its AA+ credit rating for the town’s finances overall, meaning it views Queen Creek as financially stable, well-managed, and very likely to repay its debts. … ” Read more from the East Valley Tribune.
South Tucson community remembers those affected by TCE groundwater contamination
“Residents on Tucson’s southside gathered at Mission Manor Park to remember those affected by TCE, a toxic industrial solvent found in the city’s groundwater in the 1980s. Forty years ago, activists uncovered the toxic chemical polluting South Tucson’s aquifer. Water cleanup efforts and major lawsuits followed, but people living in South Tucson say the effects are still being felt today. Arizona State Rep. Betty Villegas shared her family’s ongoing struggle during the emotional gathering. “My grandniece has metastasized stage 4 breast cancer and she’s 29,” Villegas said. … ” Read more from Channel 13.
Stewards of Colorado’s sweetest crops on high alert as invasive mussels gain ground in water supply
“Rob Talbott and his family have cultivated a living growing mouth-watering fruit in Palisade for almost 50 years. Tourists on electric bikes zip down crunchy gravel roads in the summer’s sweltering heat to visit Talbott’s farm and taste peaches and wine at vineyards. To keep these tasters happy, Talbott has overcome many threats, including droughts and destructive bugs. “The challenges change day by day,” Talbott said last week. “What we did last year may not be what we do this year. There’s always new technology that’s coming into play. There’s always challenges from marketing.” The Palisade peach’s sweetness also depends on water. Lots of it. … ” Read more from KUNC.
Study finds manmade whitewater parks in Colorado may inhibit fish migration
“A new study by Colorado Parks and Wildlife researchers suggests man-made whitewater parks that create “play waves” for kayakers and other recreationists are having a negative impact on fish passage. Colorado’s rivers are well-loved by both whitewater enthusiasts and anglers. Yet, as whitewater parks have been constructed throughout the state, researchers say the potential impacts on fish and anglers have not always been taken into consideration. “Essentially, they’re kind of at odds,” said Eric Richer, an aquatic research scientist with the state wildlife agency and one of the lead authors of the study. “Fish want slow, deep water and whitewater parks, to create the hydraulic wave, are constricting water into a steep chute or drop, often over a surface that has been grouted to try to make it as smooth as possible to get those velocities elevated.” … ” Read more from Sky Hi News.
US, Mexico strike deal to settle Rio Grande water dispute
“The U.S. and Mexico agreed to end a dispute over water at the border with Texas, days after President Donald Trump vowed to impose additional tariffs. Both governments agreed that Mexico will deliver an additional 202,000 acre-feet of water beginning the week of Monday, Dec. 15 and finalize a broader distribution plan by the end of January, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said in a statement on Friday. … ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee.
In national water news today …
Eight policy trends in water-wise development and land use
“Across the U.S., the future of real estate development and growth is being challenged by a shortage of fresh water. At the same time, the federal government is pushing rollbacks in both water-efficiency standards and government funding, adding even greater strain on states and municipalities as they scramble to meet ever-growing water demands—while trying to conserve dwindling supplies. On October 22, 2025, ULI convened the Water Wise Development Coalition to discuss the latest updates on water and land use policy and their implications for both the real estate industry and the country as a whole. The meeting brought together land use experts, real estate professionals, and public sector decision makers. Guest speakers included Kelly Connolly Kern, director of public affairs at the Alliance for Water Efficiency, and Lindsay Rogers, policy manager for municipal conservation at Western Resource Advocates. The convening revealed a number of dynamic trends in water and land usage at the federal, state, and local policy levels—with profound implications across the board. … ” Read more from the Urban Land Institute.
Supersized data centers are coming. See how they will transform America.
“This coal plant in central Pennsylvania, once the largest in the state, was shuttered in 2023 after powering the region for over 50 years.Earlier this year, wrecking crews blasted the plant’s cooling towers and soaring chimneys. Rising from the dust in Homer City will be a colossal artificial intelligence data center campus that will include seven 30-acre gas generating stations on-site, fueled by Pennsylvania’s natural gas boom. Shawn Steffee of the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers is hopeful. “The closing of the coal plant had been really brutal,” he said. “But this project just took the entire chess board and flipped it.” The Homer City facility will generate and consume as much power as all the homes in the Philadelphia urban area. It is among a generation of new supersized data centers sprouting across the country, the footprints of which are measured in miles, not feet. … ” Continue reading from the Washington Post.
SEE ALSO: Calls For A Moratorium On New Data Centers Get Louder, from Forbes
WateReuse spearheading regulatory guide for states
“The WateReuse Association (WateReuse) is heading up a new project to create a State Regulatory Guide that will offer recommendations to members and other stakeholders on developing and implementing state-level water reuse rules, regulations and standards. The guide, expected by May 2026, will offer recommendations on creating regulations across agriculture and irrigation, onsite, industrial non-potable and potable water reuse. “As our membership expands into states with limited or undefined regulations, we are committed to helping develop clear and effective policies that account for their unique drivers and regulatory landscapes,” said WateReuse Executive Director Bruno Pigott. “We are proud to lead this effort to ensure science-based and health-protective rules across the country.” … ” Read more from Water Finance & Management.
Proposed update to definition of WOTUS: Will federally regulated wetlands continue to shrink?
“Like the waters it is meant to protect, the definition of WOTUS has been fluid from 1972 to now, including the effects of the 2023 Sackett vs. EPA Supreme Court decision (Sackett) and the recent Memo to the Field “Proper Implementation of ‘Continuous Surface Connection’”. Despite frequent regulation changes and court cases, WOTUS issues persist. To address these issues, the current administration’s 2025 proposed WOTUS rule (Updated Definition of ‘‘Waters of the United States’’ or Proposed Rule) seeks to establish a clear, durable, common-sense definition of “waters of the United States,”; cut red tape and provide predictability, consistency, clarity, and regulatory certainty; and incorporate terms that are easily understood in ordinary parlance and should be implementable by both ordinary citizens and trained professionals. … ” Read moire from ESA.
Federal agencies move to return the Endangered Species Act to 2019 interpretation
“On November 19, 2025, the US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) announced four proposed rules (2025 Proposed Rules) that would change how the agency interprets and implements pivotal sections of the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) jointly proposed two of the rules with FWS (collectively, the Services). The Services are accepting public comment on the 2025 Proposed Rules through December 22, 2025. The 2025 Proposed Rules build on other Trump administration actions discussed in this Latham blog post and would (1) narrow the protections for newly listed plants and wildlife, (2) alter the approach to considering factors for listing a species as threatened or endangered and designating critical habitat for listed species, (3) clarify the procedure for excluding areas from a listed species’ critical habitat, and (4) reinstate the 2019 interagency consultation framework. … ” Read more from Latham Watkins.
Current reservoir conditions …
