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In California water news today …
2nd atmospheric river to flood California with firehose of rain into Christmas
“Two main atmospheric rivers will force copious amounts of Pacific moisture into California this week. Heavy rain with incidents of flooding, washouts and mudslides will expand and shift from north to south over the state, leading to travel disruptions at the very least and posing some risk to lives and property in extreme cases. The Sierra Nevada will receive many feet of snow as freezing levels lower through the week and the region is affected by both atmospheric rivers. The storms are hitting at a busy time of the year, with many traveling short and long distances, running errands and planning outdoor activities. The first atmospheric river was already in progress and will continue to focus on Northern to Central California into Wednesday. A second atmospheric river is forecast to develop and concentrate on Central and Southern California from Tuesday night through Christmas Day. But even beyond Christmas, lingering moisture will lead to additional rounds of showers and mountain snow, according to AccuWeather. … ” Read more from AccuWeather.
A wet and stormy week ahead in California, with substantial SoCal flood risk and initially warm Sierra rain transitioning to very heavy snow
Dr. Daniel Swain writes, “Well, the last 3-4 weeks sure have been exceptionally warm across most of the Western United States. Record warmth has occurred literally every day across a substantial chunk of the western third of the country. Accordingly, December 2025 is likely to end up as the warmest on record across a wide region; snowpack in most basins as at record or near-record lows. Even as I write this blog post, numerous locations are once again experiencing record warmth across the West (including a couple of locations even reaching or exceeding December monthly records). Notably, today this does include portions of California’s Central Valley. This is in stark contrast to the last 3+ weeks, which featured a localized but very persistent region of dense tule fog/stratus and unusually cool temperatures for days on end. Today, however, a few places in the San Joaquin Valley are experiencing daily record *high* temperatures–finally getting a taste of the record warm airmass that has been sitting just a few thousand feet above the surface for weeks. In the Sierra Nevada, particularly in the central and northern part of the mountain chain (which is both somewhat lower in elevation, and thus warmer on average, than the southern portion–and which also did not receive the record-breaking early-season precipitation in Oct-Nov that occurred in the south), snowpack is currently at record low levels for the late December date. … ” Read more from Weather West.
SEE ALSO: Heavy rain, flooding and snow to inundate California over the holidays, from CNN
Next storm forming off California’s coast could become bomb cyclone as it hits Bay Area
“As the Bay Area braces for an atmospheric river-fueled rainstorm this weekend, a potentially stronger system is on the horizon next week — one that could meet the criteria for a bomb cyclone and bring widespread damaging winds. While the term “bomb cyclone” may be generalized as a buzzword for a strong storm, there is a meteorological threshold for reaching that classification. If the central barometric pressure of a storm drops rapidly enough, it meets the criteria for a bomb cyclone. At San Francisco’s latitude, the threshold for “bombogenesis” is a central pressure drop of 17 millibars or greater in 24 hours. The powerful low-pressure system approaching California’s coast on Tuesday is forecast to drop 20 millibars in 24 hours, according to the European Center for Medium-Range Forecasts. Other weather models are also in line with the European’s simulation. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
SEE ALSO: California Faces a Weeklong Lashing of Rain, Wind and Some Snow, from the New York Times
Feds intervene in Eel River dam removal
“On Friday afternoon, the federal government responded to calls to intervene in PG&E’s process to remove the Scott and Cape Horn dams on the Eel River, which could delay the removal. The USDA filed a notice to intervene in the dam removal process with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, tasked with regulating hydropower. “If this plan goes through as proposed, it will devastate hundreds of family farms and wipe out more than a century of agricultural tradition in Potter Valley,” said Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins in a news release on Friday. The USDA points to “the profoundly negative and irreversible impact on local farmers, ranchers, agricultural producers, communities, and USDA equities” in the release and a letter from residents concerned about impacts to the permanent water supply of Lake Pillsbury, diversions to farmers, and other impacts of removal. … ” Read more from the Eureka Times-Standard (gift article).
SEE ALSO:
- Secretary Rollins Intervenes to Protect Potter Valley’s Water Supply, press release from the USDA
- Trump administration intervenes in dispute over future of Pacific Gas and Electric’s Potter Valley Project, from the Santa Rosa Press Democrat
- Trump Administration intervenes in Potter Valley Dam Removal, as Department of Agriculture asks FERC to halt decommissioning process, from the Lost Coast Outpost
- Trump Administration Enters Fight Over Potter Valley Project, Eel River Water, from the Redheaded Blackbelt
Delta Coalition urges State Water Board to extend public comment period on updated Bay-Delta Plan
“Today, the Delta Tribal Environmental Coalition (DTEC), consisting of the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians, Winnemem Wintu Tribe, Little Manila Rising, and Restore the Delta, formally requested that the State Water Resources Control Board grant a 60-day extension of the public comment period for the draft update to the San Francisco Bay-Delta Water Quality Control Plan (“Bay-Delta Plan”). The public comment period for the updated Bay-Delta Plan is currently scheduled to close on February 2, but advocates are urging the Board to allow additional time to review the extensive materials, which include 3,322 pages of draft regulatory text and updated environmental analysis across 13 separate documents. In its letter, the Coalition emphasizes that the Board’s current timeline does not provide Tribes and communities most affected by the Bay-Delta Plan with a meaningful opportunity to review and respond. … ” Continue reading this press release.
Scientists clash over how to track the West’s vital snowpack
“A controversial recent study highlights an old truth about the American West’s snowpack: it’s difficult to measure—and just as hard to forecast how much of its water will ultimately reach tens of millions of people and vast swaths of farmland. Water managers have increasingly turned to aircraft that use lasers to gauge the snowpack across entire basins. But the Aug. 15 scientific paper argues for a less expensive strategy: focusing new monitoring efforts on a select number of locations known as “hotspots” that excel at predicting how much water will run off from the snowpack—a frozen reservoir that can change dramatically over short distances. Snowfall rates vary widely with elevation, and the amount of water locked in falling snowflakes shifts from storm to storm. On the ground, snow accumulation depends on the wind, the forest canopy overhead, the exposure to the sun and the amount of dust that lands on the snowpack. Even a homeowner armed with a ruler can find very different snow depths depending on where they poke in their backyard. For water providers, knowing how much water is stored in the snowpack is essential. In much of the West, snowmelt supplies most of the runoff that flows through streams, rivers, reservoirs, irrigation canals and household faucets. … ” Read more from The Water Desk.
Study: AI use may need more water than drank from bottles
“The training and use of artificial-intelligence systems such as ChatGPT may already result in more annual carbon emissions than New York City and more water consumption than all the bottled water drank globally, according to new research. In one of the first studies to focus specifically on the environmental impact of AI, a new report in the journal “Patterns” estimated that the technology’s water consumption in particular was likely far higher than previous estimates. The study indicates that both AI’s carbon emissions and its water consumption are growing rapidly, thanks to its surging power use. “These are definitely quite huge numbers,” the study’s author, Alex de Vries-Gao, a PhD candidate at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, told The Examiner. … ” Read more from the SF Examiner.
Lots of water activity
Geoffrey Vanden Huevel writes, “There has been a flurry of recent activity related to water issues. On December 2, the federal Bureau of Reclamation released “Action 5” which are updated rules that will govern pumping water from the delta. The delta is the 1,150 square mile area located east of the Golden Gate Bridge where the great rivers that drain the Central Valley meet the salt water from the San Franciso Bay. This area is home to 500,000 acres of farmland and many sloughs and channels that contain important fisheries through which anadromous fish pass on their way from spawning grounds inland to the ocean where they spend adulthood. It is also the location where the major surface water delivery systems that serve millions of Californians and millions of acres of some of the most productive farmland on earth move water from the wetter region of northern California to the drier southern part of the state. … ” Read more from the Milk Producers Council.
Shining light on California dairy’s environmental leadership and the urgent need to address water scarcity
“Creating more efficient and resilient food systems reduces global climate impacts while better ensuring food and nutrition security. California agriculture is a world leader in this area and remains a steadfast partner in global efforts to advance sustainable practices. The state’s draft strategy for agriculture resilience demonstrates tremendous progress, a multipronged approach to improve climate preparedness, and a critical need to address water scarcity. These same themes were shared by members of the California dairy sector at the national Sustainable Ag Summit, held in Anaheim this year. Through several panel discussions and presentations at this conference and the adjoined national Dairy Sustainability Alliance meeting, dairy leaders highlighted success and ongoing challenges. … ” Read more from Dairy Cares.
YOUR INPUT WANTED: Help shape the 2026 Delta Science Plan
“The Delta Stewardship Council’s Delta Science Program has released the third iteration of the Delta Science Plan for public review. The Delta Science Plan outlines the vision, principles, and strategies guiding science in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. All members of the Delta science community and interested stakeholders are encouraged to provide input. This includes federal, state, and local agency scientists, tribes, non-governmental organizations, academic researchers, and members of the public who care about the future of the Delta. … ” Read more about the Delta Science Plan.
Navigating California’s evolving microplastics landscape in 2026
“As microplastics begin making headlines and sparking scientific inquiry into the impacts of these pervasive particles, state legislators, regulators, and law enforcers—as well as private plaintiffs’ counsel—are taking action. In California, a bipartisan coalition of legislators passed AB 823, expanding the scope of an existing state ban on products containing plastic microbeads. Governor Newsom vetoed the bill, citing concerns that the ban would inadvertently slow the adoption of non-plastic alternatives. In parallel, the California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) continues to move forward in a process to designate microplastics a Candidate Chemical (as defined by DTSC), and is currently seeking information regarding consumer products that contain or generate microplastics. Meanwhile, private plaintiffs have brought class actions against major consumer product companies alleging various “false claims” that products are “natural,” “recyclable,” or “free of artificial ingredients” when they allegedly contain plastics. At least one such case is proceeding to discovery, and the results of these early cases will set the tone for future private actions. … ” Read more from Crowell.
Gray introduces legislation to expand California water infrastructure
“Rep. Adam Gray (D-Merced) is looking to expand California’s water storage capacity by providing funding and technical support to both develop and maintain water infrastructure projects. The freshman congressman introduced his End the California Water Crisis Package last week, a series of bills that would authorize additional California water storage projects, ease permitting restrictions, and create enforceable timelines for environmental review processes. “A reliable water supply is essential for Valley families and our economy,” said Gray. “My End the California Water Crisis Package aims to strengthen and grow California’s water infrastructure so we can maintain dependable water supplies, reduce flood risks, and responsibly manage water flow to preserve our environment while unleashing agricultural production. The Valley is the nation’s leading agricultural region, and these projects will help ensure we remain competitive and resilient as we face historic drought levels.” … ” Read more from the Turlock Journal.
100 years ago, California’s last great rainmaker nearly drowned a city
“To find Charles Mallory Hatfield, you usually had to look up. California’s last great rainmaker was frequently found atop one of many handmade wooden stands, roughly a dozen feet square, that dotted California for decades in the early 1900s. If you were close enough to the slender man’s curious work, you’d undoubtedly notice his pale skin and crisp blue eyes, fastened upward as if daring the sun to blink first. Often, it would, shrinking away behind a darkening cluster of horizon clouds that Hatfield seemingly controlled like a pet. Even those who never saw the thoughtful Quaker in person knew when he was close by; they could feel his weather on their skin. For decades, Hatfield danced up and down the state, promising a heavenly waterfall to a drought-bedeviled world. Once contracted, he and his brother Paul would quench the thirst of Central Valley farmers or refill the waterways for coastal citizens who, without his help, would be reduced to drinking dust. His quiet alchemy, conducted up on those wooden platforms out in the hills, always seemed to work. … ” Read more from SF Gate.
Trump move to break up atmospheric research center threatens wildfire, storm predictions
“California officials and researchers across the country are sounding the alarm about the Trump administration’s plans to dismember a global hub for weather, wildfire and climate science: the Colorado-based National Center for Atmospheric Research. Russell Vought, President Donald Trump’s director of the Office of Management and Budget, posted Tuesday on the social media platform X that the National Science Foundation will be “breaking up” the science institution, which he called “one of the largest sources of climate alarmism in the country.” The move comes as Trump clashes with Colorado Governor Jared Polis. But scientists warn that dismantling the federally-funded science center will endanger Americans even beyond the hundreds whose jobs are now at risk in Colorado. “I’m alarmed. I’m worried. I’m upset. And I think we need to connect the dots between attacks on science and what it means to the safety of Americans,” California’s Natural Resources Secretary Wade Crowfoot told CalMatters. … ” Read more from Cal Matters.
In commentary today …
The top reason for the Delta ecosystem collapse: Massive water exports south
Dan Bacher writes, “Do you want to know why Delta smelt, imperiled salmon, sturgeon and other fish species the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta are on the edge of extinction? It just might have something to do with the fact that huge amounts of water have been exported out of the Delta for decades, combined with the impacts of toxics, pollution and invasive species. You can check out the annual exports out of the Delta by state and federal water projects over the 23 years from 2010 to 2023 in the charts below. Data wasn’t available yet for 2024 and 2025. These figures are in million acre feet of water. You can view the tables on the Delta Stewardship Council website: viewperformance.deltacouncil.ca.gov/… … ” Continue reading at the Daily Kos.
California is drowning in hazardous forest waste with nowhere to put it
Matt Dias, president and CEO of Calforests, writes, “Shaye Wolf is right about one thing: California has affordable clean energy options like solar and wind. But her op-ed ignores an urgent, critical reality on the ground: we are in a wildfire crisis and California is drowning in hazardous forest waste with nowhere to put it. Biomass energy is not about cutting healthy forests or replacing solar and wind. It’s about the fact that California is in a wildfire emergency, and the state faces a dangerous accumulation of forest fuels with limited safe disposal options. Policy decisions must reflect this operational and public-safety reality, not just theoretical comparisons among energy sources. … ” Read more from Cal Matters.
Small-scale bioenergy is critical for wildfire prevention, climate resilience, and emissions reduction
Gary Bradford, Yuba County Supervisor and Board Delegate of the Rural County Representatives of California, writes, “”As a Yuba County Supervisor, I strongly disagree with the call to end California’s BioMAT program. BioMAT is not a rogue policy; it is explicitly supported by the California Forest Carbon Plan, California Environmental Protection Agency, Natural Resources Agency, and the California Air Resource Board’s Climate Change Scoping Plan. All recognize small-scale bioenergy as a critical tool for wildfire prevention, climate resilience, and emissions reduction, and air quality regulators acknowledge the benefits of these projects as well. … ” Read more from Cal Matters.
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
One year after Klamath Dam removal, salmon surge into newly opened habitat: CalTrout and partners track recovery through comprehensive monitoring
“Just one year after the removal of the Klamath River dams, new monitoring results show thousands of Chinook salmon pushing deep into newly reopened habitat—some reaching more than 360 river miles from the ocean into the Upper Klamath Basin for the first time in over a century. These early outcomes reinforce what Tribes, scientists, and river advocates have long known: when we remove barriers and restore habitat, salmon come home. A coalition of 19+ partners, including CalTrout, the Karuk Tribe, Yurok Tribe, The Klamath Tribes, ODFW, CDFW, university researchers, and nonprofits, is powering one of the most comprehensive salmon monitoring programs in the West. Despite funding disruptions earlier this fall, the team has kept the monitoring program going. Consistent data is essential for informing management, guiding restoration priorities, and tracking the river’s recovery in real time. “We’re not missing a beat,” said Damon Goodman, CalTrout Regional Director. “This data is crucial to help us understand how successful dam removal has been and to guide the trajectory of recovery.” … ” Read more from CalTrout.
Angler caught poaching salmon in first case since Klamath River dams removed
“An unidentified angler was charged after he illegally caught two Chinook salmon from Spencer Creek, a tributary of the Klamath River south of Keno. The Oregon State Police Fish and Wildlife Division reported that an angler was caught illegally fishing possessing two Chinook salmon while fishing along Spencer Creek. The creek had already closed for the season to protect spawning fall Chinook. Wildlife officials were alerted after photos surfaced showing the unlawful catch. The fisherman left the area before officers arrived but witnesses provided a license plate number that led to a traffic stop on Highway 66. During the stop, the passenger admitted to fishing and surrendered the two salmon along with his rod and reel. He was criminally cited while the driver of the vehicle was warned for aiding the violation. Authorities did not release their names. … ” Read more from the Herald & News.
Water rate increases proposed for inland Mendocino County districts
“As water rate increases are proposed for most of the water customers in the Ukiah Valley, First District Mendocino County Supervisor Madeline Cline urged residents to stay informed and engaged. “The Ukiah Valley Water Authority, which is the consolidation of Redwood Valley, Willow, Millview, Calpella and the city of Ukiah, (recently) discussed rate increases, which they are asking for due to the need for upgrading aging infrastructure,” said Cline as part of her report during the Dec. 16 meeting of the Mendocino County Board of Supervisors, referring to a press release from the organization that had been sent this week. “I would encourage everyone to check that out, to ask questions of the individual boards, and to be involved in the process,” Cline said. … ” Read more from the Ukiah Daily Journal.
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
Tahoe is about to get a huge snowstorm — finally. Here’s when and how much snow
“Talk of a snow drought in Tahoe and the Sierra Nevada will be over soon enough. A powerful series of storms is set to bury the Sierra under several feet of snow this week, likely forcing major mountain pass closures shortly before Christmas and finally delivering the kind of snowfall ski resorts have been waiting for. The snow won’t start immediately. Through Tuesday, the core of an atmospheric river remains north of the Tahoe region, keeping the Sierra on the warm side of the system. Snow levels will stay elevated, above 9,000 feet, limiting accumulation to the highest peaks. That changes late Tuesday night. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
Palermo’s flooding woes continue as county works toward clean water program
“The ongoing flooding issues in Palermo have led to concerns over water pollution, property damage and dangers to the general safety of the public. Although the process has been slow, Butte County has been working toward finding long-term solutions to the issues. However, to reach larger fixes, projects will require significant funding. So far, the county has made progress on its Clean Water Consolidation and Dry Well Consolidation projects and is in the process of creating a Drainage Master Plan that could identify ways to mitigate flooding in Palermo. Butte County Water and Resource Conservation District Director Kamie Loeser said the master plan is still being finalized but will identify possible solutions and how to implement projects. From there, the county will begin looking for outside funding. … ” Read more from the Chico Enterprise-Record (gift article).
Is winter warmer in Sacramento than it was 50 years ago? What the science says
“Heather Fargo, a former Sacramento mayor, was in her senior year at UC Davis in 1975. Though she wasn’t a skier, she recalled that snow in the Sierra Nevada mountains was always “reliable” in those days. “There was never a time when there wasn’t snow for people to ski in during the winter,” Fargo said. The snow did not melt as quickly as it does today, she added. “It was just very predictable. It was reliable. And things started getting less reliable.” Her observation reflects today’s reality of global warming, as Sacramento’s average winter monthly temperatures have risen over the past 50 years. … ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee.
Yolo County Supervisors OK Cache Creek mining permit extension
“The Yolo County Board of Supervisors approved a mining permit extension with a unanimous vote during their most recent meeting, allowing a mining operation from Cemex to continue along Cache Creek until 2047. This action followed the Yolo County Planning Commission’s vote on Nov. 13 recommending the approval of the permit extension. This section of the Dec. 9 meeting spanned over five hours, and as a result, Cemex is able to continue gravel mining in the Cache Creek area so long as 100 acres in the reclamation plan are shifted from agriculture to habitat. The mine in question has existed for nearly 30 years after initial approval in 1996, according to the agenda item breakdown provided in the Board of Supervisors’ agenda for the Dec. 9 meeting. … ” Read more from the Daily Democrat.
Yolo County seeks public input on draft Drought Resilience Plan
“Yolo County is inviting public input on its draft Yolo County Drought Resilience Plan, which outlines how the County and partner agencies will address water supply vulnerabilities affecting domestic wells and state small water systems. In September 2021, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 552 (SB 552), which requires state and local governments to share responsibility for planning and responding to water shortage events, with a focus on rural communities and state small water systems. SB 552 identifies counties as the most appropriate entities to lead efforts to improve water resilience for residents reliant on domestic wells and small water systems. Under SB 552, all counties in California must prepare a County Drought Resilience Plan (County DRP) to support long-term water reliability and resilience. The legislation also directs counties to establish an ongoing County Drought and Water Shortage Task Force to promote continued drought planning and coordination. … ” Read more from the Daily Democrat.
BAY AREA
Bay Area storm will bring days of dangerous weather. Here’s a timeline of impacts
“The Bay Area is heading into a prolonged stretch of hazardous weather, with rain set to fall on already saturated ground and a more dangerous wind-driven storm arriving late Tuesday night. This will be a two-round system, with the highest risk coming overnight Tuesday into Wednesday, followed by another strong push on Christmas Day. Rain will remain intermittent from Monday into Tuesday afternoon as the atmospheric river wobbles across the region. Rainfall during this window will favor the North Bay and coastal ranges, while much of the urban Bay Area will see scattered showers rather than steady rain. A flood watch is in effect for the North Bay through Friday. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
CENTRAL COAST
Call for input on program that repurposes ag. land
“Community members are encouraged to share their input on a new program that seeks to repurpose the least viable and most flood-prone agricultural land in the Salinas Valley. The Salinas Valley Multi-Benefit Land Repurposing Program is a state-funded initiative that supports the voluntary transition of agricultural land to uses that reduce water consumption and provide environmental and community benefits. The program operates on a $10 million grant from the California Department of Conservation, which has granted more than $70 million to similar projects across the state, from Pajaro Valley to Tulare County. Through MLRP, landowners and growers can receive grant funding for transitioning certain farmland to low water consuming uses. … ” Read more from the Monterey Herald.
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
Fresno farmers can get paid to save groundwater
“Money is available to growers within the Fresno Irrigation District to help cover the cost of improving irrigation systems and to increase on-farm groundwater recharge. A webinar on Tuesday, Dec. 23 at 3 p.m. will walk growers through the process of applying for funding from the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), part of the United States Department of Agriculture. Two programs are available, the Groundwater Recharge Pilot Program and the EQIP-WaterSMART Initiative. … ” Read more from SJV Water.
“Don’t panic,” groundwater agency advises Hanford-area grower after approving controversial pumping allocation
“The Mid-Kings River Groundwater Sustainability Agency (GSA) approved a pumping allocation over objections from neighboring agencies and without any indication it will be approved by the state. “I’ve got to make decisions this month, next month, whether I’m gonna spend money on those trees or pull them out now,” farmer Dan Fiser said during Mid-Kings’ Dec. 16 meeting. The Mid-Kings board approved a pumping allocation of 1.43 acre feet per acre of land, more than twice that of the neighboring South Fork Kings GSA, which is proposing .66 of an acre foot per acre of land for its farmers. South Fork and several other entities have objected to Mid-Kings’ allocation, saying it’s far too generous. Fiser, who relies solely on groundwater, was fearful of depending on the controversial pumping allocation that the state Water Resources Control Board may not approve. Mid-Kings chair and Kings County Supervisor, Doug Verboon told Fiser to stay calm. “I don’t want anybody to overreact. Don’t panic,” said Verboon, who is also a walnut farmer. … ” Read more from SJV Water.
EASTERN SIERRA
Ridgecrest: IWVGA supports Navy’s ‘request for relief ‘ related to phase 2 safe yield pre-trial discoveries timing but Water District files formal opposition
“The Indian Wells Valley Groundwater Authority supports the U.S. Navy’s request for relief regarding Phase 2 discovery deadlines to accommodate the 43-day federal government shutdown, from October 1 through November 12, 2025. The government shutdown directly affected Department of Justice attorneys representing the Department of Navy; however, the Indian Wells Valley Water District is the only entity to file a formal opposition against the Navy’s request to extend discovery deadlines. Notably, the Navy did not seek to extend the trial date of June 1, 2026; rather, the request involves pre-trial deadlines to account for the time that the government was closed. The relief request is related to the adjudication lawsuit filed by the Indian Wells Valley Water District against all water users in the Indian Wells Valley basin, which includes the U.S. Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake. … ” Read more from the Indian Wells Valley Groundwater Authority.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Christmas storm still on track to hit Southern California. Here is when the heaviest rain arrives
“Southern California is preparing for a powerful winter storm over the Christmas holiday, with forecasters warning of heavy rainfall, gusty winds, and potential flooding across the region. According to the National Weather Service, the storm will bring an extended period of significant rainfall from Tuesday through Saturday, with totals expected to reach 4 to 8 inches across coastal and valley areas and 8 to 12 inches or more in the foothills and mountains by Saturday evening. Officials are urging residents to take necessary precautions, as flooding and debris flows could pose serious risks throughout the week. … ” Read more from KTLA.
Chiquita Canyon lets hard-to-reach leachate spill ‘evaporate’
“The discussion around Chiquita Canyon Landfill’s latest plan to address a leachate spill drew another violation but no financial penalty for the landfill, which closed off local assistance for impacted residents months ago despite multiple indicators the problems are worsening. The landfill’s “cleanup” action reported from a Nov. 14 spill — shared during the recent monthly community meeting for residents impacted by the facility’s “elevated temperature event” — was the latest source of concern. The facility’s answer was to let the liquid evaporate. The landfill blamed its own crew for an “operator error” that put more than 7,900 gallons of untreated leachate into an unlined ravine “not yet connected to the leachate collection system,” according to an email shared with The Signal from Kate Logan. Logan is a senior remediation project manager, who recently took over for Waste Connections’ longtime general manager of the site, Steve Cassulo. … ” Read more from The Signal.
Nature is rebounding a year after January’s fires, as plants, wildlife – and even a waterfall – thrive
“When a devastating Jan. 7 wildfire burned through the natural canyons above Altadena, land was charred and left denuded, but worse than that, the spring storm surge unloosed boulders and sediment that washed away trails and creek beds. But naturalists say there is a silver lining to all this fire, even one attached to those mammoth sediment and boulder flows. At the Rubio Canyon Preserve, storm surges pushed away 100 cubic yards of dirt that was burying the historic Maidenhair Waterfall since a 2004 mountain landslide, essentially bringing it back from the grave. “That storm flow was so great it unburied that waterfall, which is about 12 to 15 feet high,” said Sean Green, co-leader of the Rubio Canyon Trail Crew on Dec. 10. He said the upper portion of this 41-acre preserve where the waterfall has come back to life has lots of water from a spring deluge and more consistent November rains. … ” Read more from the LA Daily News (gift article).
9 public safety issues raised by Eaton, Palisades fires – and what’s been done about them
“Several factors affected how first responders battled the Palisades and Eaton fires, two of the most devastating wildfires in California history. Such factors ranged from the amount of staff deployed to basic communication among agencies and to the public. Those factors also impacted the evacuation of tens of thousands of people from their homes in the Pacific Palisades, Malibu, Altadena and its surrounding areas. One year later, here are updates on some of the challenges on Jan. 7 and what, if anything, is in the works to remedy them. The Los Angeles Fire Department, in anticipation of dangerous fire weather starting on Jan. 7, said it pre-positioned resources in key areas where wildfires were likely. Many of these resources were told to report to stations in the San Fernando Valley. … ” Read more from the OC Register (gift article).
Capping old oil well on Balboa Peninsula is taking longer due to complications
“An emergency repair to cap an abandoned oil well leaking oil and methane gas under a house on the Balboa Peninsula is taking longer than expected due to unforeseen technical challenges encountered during drilling, city officials said on Friday, Nov. 19. “Everything was on track to be done by Christmas,” said Mark Vukojevic, the city’s utilities director, explaining the goal is to drill into the old pipe and fill it with cement. But after drilling down 500 feet and locating the 1,000-foot-long pipe, the crews have been unable to pierce the cast-iron pipe, he said. “The angle is near vertical and it’s not getting a bite.” “Every day presents another day of risk for oil to seep into surrounding homes or waterways,” Vukojevic said. “It’s necessary to continue this emergency effort.” … ” Read more from the OC Register.
IMPERIAL/COACHELLA VALLEYS
Commentary: Eliminate the Imperial Irrigation District?
Jonathan Zasloff writes, “Not yet, but maybe soon: a new UCLA report shows how Big Ag water agencies are robbing the rest of the state blind. This should come as no surprise to anyone who has studied water in the West: “In a new study, researchers analyzed wholesale prices charged by the federal government in California, Arizona and Nevada, and found that large agricultural water agencies pay only a fraction of what cities pay, if anything at all. They said these “dirt-cheap” prices cost taxpayers, add to the strains on scarce water, and discourage conservation—even as the Colorado River’s depleted reservoirs continue to decline. “Federal taxpayers have been subsidizing effectively free water for a very, very long time,” said Noah Garrison, a researcher at UCLA’s Institute of the Environment and Sustainability. “We can’t address the growing water scarcity in the West while we continue to give that water away for free or close to it.”… ” Continue reading at the Legal Planet.
SAN DIEGO
No buyers for San Diego water … yet
“San Diego arrived in Las Vegas this week ready to sell off some of its excess water at negotiations over the dwindling Colorado River between the states, tribes and farmers who use it. They left without a deal in place. Dan Denham, the San Diego County Water Authority’s general manager, has been hinting there’s willing buyers of San Diego’s expensive desalinated ocean water in the state of Arizona. Arizona is first in line to have their Colorado River supply cut off during water shortages. That very scenario is what the annual Las Vegas negotiations were set up to prevent. … ” Read more from the Voice of San Diego.
State Lawmakers go after Tijuana River sewage crisis — again
“Sen. Steve Padilla on Wednesday announced a proposal to address the Tijuana River sewage crisis when the Legislature reconvenes in January. It’s the latest attempt from the Chula Vista Democrat to address the crisis, which impacts large swaths of his district. This week, I wanted to take a look at what Padilla, and other members of the San Diego delegation have done and are planning to do to address what’s considered one of the worst longstanding environmental disasters in California. For decades, billions of gallons of sewage water and toxic chemicals from Tijuana have entered the river from the heart of the city and traversed the border to Imperial Beach. Several beaches in the southernmost tip of San Diego County have been closed for years and the river continues to sicken nearby communities and Navy SEALS who train in the water. … ” Read more from the Voice of San Diego.
Along the Colorado River …
A river that millions rely on for water is on the brink. A deal to save it isn’t.
“The Colorado River Basin is, quite literally, 50 feet away from collapse, and an agreement to save it is nowhere in sight. Water titans clashed at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas this week, where negotiators from each of the seven Colorado River Basin states outlined what they have done to protect the river—and pointed fingers at each other, demanding more. Talks over how to manage the river after 2026, when current drought mitigation guidelines expire, began two years ago. Federal deadlines have come and gone, and the stakes are higher than ever as climate change and overuse continue to push the river that 40 million people rely on to the edge. Still, the states are refusing to budge. “It’s now 2025, we’re here in a different hotel a couple years later and the same problems are on the table. In the last two years, we’ve been spinning our wheels,” said JB Hamby, California’s lead negotiator, at the annual Colorado River Water Users Association conference.“Time has been wasted, and like water, that’s a very precious resource.” … ” Read more from Inside Climate News.
Feds demand compromise on Colorado River while states flounder despite water shortage
“Western states that rely on the Colorado River have less than two months to agree on how to manage the troubled river – and pressure is mounting as the federal government pushes for a compromise and a troubling forecast for the river’s two biggest reservoirs looms. Top water officials for the seven Colorado River Basin states — Arizona, California, Nevada, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming — gathered for the three-day Colorado River Water Users Association conference at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas last week. Colorado River states have until Feb. 14 to reach a new water sharing agreement before current operating rules expire at the end of 2026 —or the federal government will step in with their own plan. Despite the fast-approaching deadline, states reiterated many of the same issues they did during previous years at the conference, namely, which water users will need to sacrifice more water to keep the Colorado River stable as overallocation, climate change, and rising demand sucks the river dry. … ” Read more from the Nevada Current.
With stakes sky high, 3 takeaways from this week’s Colorado River conference
“The stakes for the water supply of 40 million people couldn’t be higher, but it was business as usual inside Caesars Palace this week. The single most important gathering of Colorado River Basin officials came and went — with no significant announcements regarding the often frustrating yet crucial seven-state negotiations for how to divvy up the river over the next 20 years. In Las Vegas, about 90 percent of the region’s water supply comes from Lake Mead, a reservoir that it shares with California and Arizona in what’s known as the Lower Basin. The Colorado River fuels some of the fastest-growing cities in the West, as well as a multibillion-dollar agriculture economy in California and Arizona. Experts said at the three-day Colorado River Water Users Association conference that if meaningful conservation doesn’t happen in states both upstream and downstream, leaders in the West could be headed for remarkably hard decisions about the future. … ” Read more from the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
EXPLORE MORE COVERAGE:
- The Colorado River is on the verge of crisis. No one has a solution, from the Washington Post
- Lake Mead adds 3 feet as California rains quench demand; Colorado River agreement gets new deadline, from Channel 8
- ‘The time to act is now’: Colorado River states still clashing as feds pressure them to reach a deal, from the Salt Lake Tribune
- New report paints grim picture of water use problems with Colorado River, from CBS News
- Pair of tribes ink proclamation on Colorado River with key Arizona water conservation district, from KJZZ
Editorial: Upper Basin states must be willing to compromise
The Las Vegas Review-Journal writes, “The states along the Colorado River are proving the truth of the famous adage often attributed to Mark Twain: “Whiskey is for drinking; water is for fighting over.” At the end of the year, the current agreement governing water in the Colorado River will end. The agreement includes seven states. The four Upper Basin states are Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming. The three Lower Basin states are Nevada, Arizona and California. In 1922, the seven states agreed to the Colorado River Compact. The agreement said that its purposes included “to provide for the equitable division and apportionment of the use of the waters of the Colorado River System.” That’s an important principle — in times of plenty and scarcity. When there isn’t enough, both groups must share in needed reductions. Unfortunately, there hasn’t been enough water for decades. … ” Read more from the Las Vegas Review Journal.
Massive energy storage project eyed for Four Corners region
Standing in a breezy parking lot on Navajo land in the state’s far northwest corner, Tom Taylor looked toward the western horizon and then upwards at the furrowed mass of the Carrizo Mountains less than 10 miles away. If all goes to plan, the infrastructure that could one day spill from the mountain’s flanks and through its core will become an essential piece of the region’s electric grid, able to store surplus electricity from renewable energy and other power sources for when it is needed later. … The project is the $5 billion Carrizo Four Corners Pumped Storage Hydro Center, which is designed to be one of the largest long-duration energy storage projects in the country. Pumped storage moves water between two reservoirs at different elevations. Water is pumped uphill when excess electricity is available and released to generate electricity when power demand warrants it. … ” Read more from the Circle of Blue.
In national water news today …
How sewage can be used to heat and cool buildings
“When a massive event center was being developed in Denver, planners had to contend with two existing 6-foot (1.8 meters) wide sewer pipes that emptied into the river, creating an unsightly dilemma. Developers wanted to bury them. The utility said the wastewater needed to vent heat before entering the river. There, a problem became a solution. Thermal energy from the sewage now powers a system that heats and cools classrooms, an equestrian center and veterinary hospital at the National Western Center complex. It’s a recent example of how wastewater flushed down the drain can heat and cool buildings in a sustainable way. Climate experts say sewage is a largely untapped source of energy due to its stable temperature of approximately 70 F (21 C). Wastewater heat recovery systems have already been installed in California, Washington, Colorado, New York and Canada. Pipes that transport sewage are already built, making it a low-cost and widely available resource that reduces the need for polluting energy sources. … ” Read more from the Courthouse News Service.
Bridging the skills gap: A growing threat to water infrastructure innovation
“Smart water initiatives represent the future of infrastructure management, promising unprecedented efficiency and reliability. In November 2024, a survey conducted by HMS Networks among water and wastewater companies uncovered a sobering reality: technical expertise shortages constitute a significant barrier preventing utilities from successfully implementing and operating these advanced systems. The findings underscore a fundamental challenge facing the water sector. While digital transformation offers solutions to aging infrastructure and mounting environmental pressures, the human capital required to deploy and maintain these sophisticated systems remains critically scarce. This skills gap threatens not only individual utility operations but the industry’s collective ability to modernize and meet growing demand. … ” Read more from Smart Water Magazine.
FWS chief orders ‘comprehensive’ review of wildlife refuges
“Fish and Wildlife Service Director Brian Nesvik has ordered a top-to-bottom review of the nation’s wildlife refuges and related properties, including a request for what he termed “organizational change recommendations.” In a directive dated Dec. 16, Nesvik set out his “requirements and expectations” for an agency self-assessment that is supposed to be both wide-ranging and fast-moving. The first internal reports are due Jan. 5. “The National Wildlife Refuge and National Fish Hatchery Systems require a programmatic, comprehensive review,” Nesvik stated, adding that “these reviews will ensure that the Service is directing its resources (e.g., staff, funds, and assets) to best meet our highest mission priorities.” Nesvik, who took the helm in August as the Trump administration’s FWS leader, ordered a look for “refuges or hatcheries established for a purpose that no longer aligns with the mission” of the Fish and Wildlife Service. He also invited potential “opportunities to achieve efficiencies in the areas of governance, oversight, and span of control.” … ” Read more from E&E News.
House approves permitting bill after tumultuous week
“Eleven Democrats joined nearly all Republicans to support House Natural Resources Chair Bruce Westerman’s signature legislation that would ease federal permitting rules and litigation. Walking off the House floor, the elated Arkansas Republican celebrated that he fulfilled his goal of passing the “SPEED Act” by the end of the year, even after last-minute grumbling from some GOP members threatened to block the bill. Westerman told reporters that despite last-minute changes meant to appease offshore wind foes, he didn’t lose any of his Democratic co-signers. The vote was 221-196. … ” Read more from E&E News.
‘Rusting rivers’ threatening Alaska’s Arctic after years of permafrost thaw, wildfires
“Arctic rivers flowing through Alaska are increasingly turning orange as wildfires, thawing permafrost and other factors contribute to an influx of heavy metals in these waterways. NOAA’s annual Arctic Report Card, released this week, highlights the growing issue, noting that more than 200 Arctic watersheds in Alaska’s Brooks Range have been affected. Iron and other naturally occurring elements released by thawing permafrost have turned what were once “pristine rivers and streams orange over the past decade,” according to the report. In a 2024 study, NOAA documented at least 75 streams that had already turned orange. Known as the “rusting rivers” phenomenon, scientists say the process is driven by increased acidity and elevated levels of toxic metals, which degrade water quality and threaten aquatic ecosystems. … ” Read more from AccuWeather.
A look at snow water content …
At first, I thought it wasn’t working …
