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On the calendar today …
- MEETING: State Water Resources Control Board beginning at 9:00am. Agenda items include the Delta Watermaster periodic report, Delta Lead Scientist update, Consideration of a proposed Resolution to amend the Expedited Drinking Water Grant Funding Program Guidelines; and consideration of extending the Yuba Accord program to 2050. Click here for the full agenda.
- MEETING: California Water Commission beginning at 9:30am. Agenda items include an overview of the Water Plan Update & Senate Bill 72; an update on Water Storage Investment Program; Kern Fan Groundwater Storage Project change in project type and early funding request; Sites Project update; and consideration of approval of the 2025 Annual Review of the State Water Project. Click here for the agenda and remote access information.
- WEBINAR: From Policy to Practice (Part 3): Tools, Resources, and Sustaining Compliance for Making Conservation a Way of Life Regulation from 10am to 11am. The Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA), the California Water Efficiency Partnership (CalWEP), and the League of California Cities (Cal Cities) are partnering to host a Part 3 of this webinar series focused on supporting continued compliance with the Making Conservation a California Way of Life regulation. As agencies reach the one-year mark of implementation, this session will highlight upcoming compliance milestones, key tasks on the horizon, and the tools and resources available to cities and urban water suppliers to meet the required targets. The webinar will also include an overview of California’s Nonfunctional Turf law (AB 1572), which restricts irrigation of non-functional grass areas with potable water. Click here to register.
- WEBINAR: EPA Tools & Resources Webinar: Lead (Pb) Overview and Data Mapping from 12pm to 1pm. “EPA reconstituted a leadership and operational structure for lead (Pb) this past summer, affirming continued progress in reducing lead exposure across environmental media. EPA put forward approaches under Administrator Zeldin for actionable risk communication, cooperative federalism, and private sector innovation while continuing to work under the government-wide 2018 Federal Lead Action Plan and fulfilling its statutory authorities and responsibilities to reduce exposure to lead. More specifically, EPA recently developed a blueprint for identifying potential lead exposures through multimedia data mapping using a systematic, flexible, multi-step process. This webinar will present both an overview of the Administration priorities for lead and a detailed look at this data mapping approach available now for states and partners to use. Register for the Lead (Pb) Overview and Data Mapping webinar.
- WEBINAR: Tribal Stewardship Policy Toolkit Webinar: Tribal Perspectives on Tribal Consultations from 3pm to 4:30pm. Join the California Natural Resources Agency for a Tribal Stewardship Policy Toolkit webinar discussing tribal perspectives on tribal consultations. During this webinar, non-tribal governments, NGOs, and other partners in tribal stewardship will hear from a panel of Tribal Historic Preservation Officers about tribal consultation from the tribal perspective. Participants will learn about internal tribal consultation processes, timelines, and will hear from THPOs about best practices in consultation and engagement. Click here to register.
- PUBLIC MEETING: Second Statewide Agricultural Expert Panel for the Irrigated Lands Regulatory Program from 3pm to 6pm. These sessions will facilitate Panel deliberations on issues relevant to the Panel charge questions, which ask the Panel to consider the approaches in State Water Board Order WQ 2018-0002, In the Matter of Review of Waste Discharge Requirements General Order No. R5-2012-0116 for Growers Within the Eastern San Joaquin River Watershed that are Members of the Third-Party Group (Eastern San Joaquin Water Quality Order) and State Water Board Order WQ 2023-0081, In the Matter of Review of General Waste Discharge Requirements for Discharges from Irrigated Lands Order No. R3-2021-0040 (Central Coast Ag Water Quality Order). Click here for the notice.
In California water news today …
Climate change, the Delta, and its watersheds: What we know, what we don’t, & what surprises might be out there
“California’s climate is changing in ways that challenge our understanding of water management, ecosystems, and infrastructure. From rising temperatures and shifting precipitation patterns to the intensifying extremes of droughts and floods, the state faces a future of increasing variability and unpredictability. Recognizing the urgent need to understand the rapidly evolving science of climate change and its impacts on the Delta, the Delta Independent Science Board hosted an emerging climate science symposium in September 2025 at UC Davis. The keynote speaker was Dr. Daniel Swain, Climate Scientist with the California Institute for Water Resources, UC Ag and Natural Resources. In his presentation, he discussed the profound impacts of climate change on California’s water systems, including rising temperatures, increasing variability in precipitation, and the intensification of extreme events like droughts, floods, and wildfires. He highlighted the science behind these changes, the uncertainties that remain, and the critical need for proactive adaptation strategies to address the challenges ahead. … ” Continue reading from Maven’s Notebook.
Legal alert: Court of appeal rejects challenge to EIR’s water supply analysis
“On January 14, 2026, the Third District Court of Appeal issued a published opinion upholding the City of American Canyon’s (City) environmental impact report (EIR) and accompanying water supply assessment (WSA) for the proposed Giovannoni Logistics Center Project (Project), an industrial warehouse complex to be located within City limits. Availability of water for new development is increasingly a focus of challenges under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) (Pub. Resources Code, § 21000 et seq.). There are very few published decisions addressing the adequacy of WSAs; the decision provides helpful direction to lead agencies regarding the level of detail required to satisfy CEQA and the Water Code. … ” Continue reading from Somach Simmons & Dunn.
Upcoming reporting deadline for California water right holders to submit annual use and diversion reports to new CalWATRS database
“California water right holders have until January 31, 2026 to electronically file their annual water use and diversion reports to the State Water Resources Control Board’s new California Water Accounting, Tracking, and Reporting System (CalWATRS) database. In 2025, the State Board launched the CalWATRS database to replace the outdated Electronic Water Rights Information Management System (eWRIMS), thereby modernizing the system for water right reporting and recordkeeping in the state. The State Board’s transition to CalWATRS is part of a larger effort — Updating Water Rights Data (UPWARD) — to modernize California’s water right data management system to allow for more comprehensive, accessible, and timely data collection and information; to improve transparency; and to inform decision-making with real-time and accurate data. Advantages of the new CalWATRS system include enhanced user-accessibility features, including improved record and document search options, and an updated GIS mapping interface that allows users to search for a particular water right by owner, address, or map location and to view and download readily available and detailed information about a particular water right. The updated mapping tools also allow water right holders to update geospatial features of their water right and to plot details, such as points of diversion and places of use, within the system. … ” Read more from the National Law Review.
State’s salmon strategy moves forward with $10 million for salmon and steelhead habitat restoration projects, new 2026 funding opportunity
“As part of Governor Gavin Newsom’s comprehensive strategy to restore and rebuild California’s salmon population, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) has selected 16 projects to receive funding for the restoration, enhancement and protection of salmon and steelhead (anadromous salmonid) habitat in California watersheds. The total funding for these projects amounts to more than $10 million in grant awards. Projects were awarded through CDFW’s Fisheries Restoration Grant Program (FRGP). This program was first established in 1981 and since 2000, has included funding from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund, established by Congress to reverse the declines of Pacific salmon and steelhead throughout California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Alaska. These awards also include funds from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act to help support the recovery, conservation and resilience of Pacific salmon and steelhead. … ” Read more from the Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Costa celebrates California’s return to drought-free conditions, calls for strong water allocations for valley agriculture
“Following a report from the U.S. Drought Monitor confirming that California is no longer experiencing drought conditions statewide for the first time since 2000, Congressman Jim Costa (CA-21) released the following statement: “While I am pleased to hear that California is currently alleviated of drought conditions, this marks a crucial moment to ensure that our farmers, ranchers, and dairymen and women receive a strong allocation in the coming weeks,” said Rep. Costa. “Agriculture in the San Joaquin Valley heavily depends on an early and robust water allocation to not only secure financing for the year, but determine whether certain row crops and permanent crops can be planted. Due to recent atmospheric rivers, California’s reservoirs are nearly at capacity and precipitation has far exceeded previous averages. Such conditions must be reflected in the coming water allocation from the Bureau of Reclamation. I will continue to work with State and Federal officials to ensure that the Central Valley Project and State Water Project are operated utilizing real-time adaptive management practices, not outdated assumptions. We have continually invested in expanding and improving upon California’s water storage and conveyance infrastructure. Operations of such infrastructure must reflect these favorable conditions.” (Source)
California weather brings rain for some, clouds and cooldown for most
“For the first time in nearly two weeks, rain is in the California forecast as a rogue weather system — albeit weak — spins toward the California coast. For the Bay Area, rain chances are slim. Weather impacts from the system will probably be limited to increased cloud cover Wednesday. A short-lived sprinkle cannot be ruled out late Wednesday into early Thursday, but shower chances are greatest south of Santa Cruz. The system will drift toward the Southern California Bight on Thursday, bringing hit or miss showers from San Luis Obispo County to Orange County. Rainfall totals will probably remain below a tenth of an inch in Los Angeles. Showers may linger Friday around San Diego. Even people who don’t encounter rain will probably notice a significant cooldown in Southern California. Santa Ana winds will shut off and onshore flow will take its place, dropping temperatures in Los Angeles to around 70 degrees Wednesday and to the mid-60s Thursday and Friday. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
Regional environmental groups dismayed by Trump rolling back critical clean water and air quality protections
“In mid-January, the Trump Administration took action to roll back sections of the Clean Water Act and Clean Air Act, dumbfounding environmental groups in Northern California and around the nation. The Clean Water Act, or CWA, establishes the basic structure for regulating discharges of pollutants into the waters of the United States and controlling quality standards for surface waters. The basis of the CWA was enacted in 1948, when it was first called the Federal Water Pollution Control Act. The act was significantly reorganized and expanded in 1972. The Clean Air Act, CAA, is the comprehensive federal law that regulates air emissions from stationary and mobile sources. Among other things, this law authorizes EPA to establish National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) to protect public health and public welfare and to regulate emissions of hazardous air pollutants. The local conservation group Restore the Delta issued a statement that characterized Trump’s rollbacks as “a direct assault on protections for vulnerable communities, decreasing oversight and regulation of pollutant discharges into our air and waterways,” adding that the proposed rollbacks would “essentially remove the legal tools that environmental justice communities and advocates have used to protect culturally sensitive areas and communities already burdened by high pollution levels.” … ” Read more the Sacramento News & Review.
Why California agriculture is losing ground despite feeding the world
“On Ag Meter, host Nick sat down with Diamian Mason—nationally recognized keynote speaker, podcaster, businessman, and working farmer—to tackle one of the most pressing questions in American agriculture: why is California, the nation’s top agricultural producer, struggling to protect its farming industry? Mason, who farms in Indiana and Arizona and frequently works with California agricultural organizations, is known for his direct, economics-driven approach to agriculture. While he remains optimistic about farming’s future, his assessment of California agriculture was candid and sobering. According to Mason, California’s biggest challenge is not its farmers, climate, or productivity—it’s political imbalance. Despite having one of the largest and most diverse agricultural sectors in the world, California agriculture is vastly outnumbered politically. … ” Read more from Ag Net West.
DATA CENTERS
Big Tech’s fast-expanding plans for data centers are running into stiff community opposition
“Tech companies and developers looking to plunge billions of dollars into ever-bigger data centers to power artificial intelligence and cloud computing are increasingly losing fights in communities where people don’t want to live next to them, or even near them. Communities across the United States are reading about — and learning from — each other’s battles against data center proposals that are fast multiplying in number and size to meet steep demand as developers branch out in search of faster connections to power sources. In many cases, municipal boards are trying to figure out whether energy- and water-hungry data centers fit into their zoning framework. Some have entertained waivers or tried to write new ordinances. Some don’t have zoning. But as more people hear about a data center coming to their community, once-sleepy municipal board meetings in farming towns and growing suburbs now feature crowded rooms of angry residents pressuring local officials to reject the requests. … ” Read more from the LA Times. | Read via the Associated Press.
The plan to build massive data center in Imperial County — without environmental review
“For more than a year, a mammoth $10 billion data center project has been quietly moving forward in the heart of California’s Imperial Valley. The nearly-one million-square foot computing warehouse is intended to power artificial intelligence development for one of the country’s biggest tech companies. By some estimates, it could rank among the largest data centers in the world. The facility could consume almost double the amount of electricity that the entirety of Imperial County used in 2024, according to state data and estimates shared by the project’s developer. It could also need 750,000 gallons of water per day. … ” Read more from KPBS.
Can you build data centers in a desert without draining the water supply? Utah is finding out.
“In late September, Governor Spencer Cox of Utah stood on the shores of the drying Great Salt Lake, flanked by top legislative leaders and wealthy developers as he unveiled a new partnership between the state government, a nonprofit, and business owners, that he said could help refill Utah’s iconic inland sea in time for the 2034 Winter Olympics. The lake needs to rise by more than 6 feet to reach what scientists and state resource managers consider a minimum healthy elevation, a goal that environmental advocates say would require years of substantially increased water flows. At the same time, Utah’s elected leaders have pushed for the state to be a hub for data centers, facilities that, for decades, have relied on large amounts of water to keep their servers cool, through a process known as evaporative cooling. Since 2021, Utah has added or announced plans for at least 15 new data center buildings or campuses, according to Data Center Map, and at least a few existing facilities expanded their footprints over that time. … ” Read more from Grist.
SEE ALSO:
- Water demand for AI expected to surge, new research says, from Water Finance & Management
- What is your AI footprint? Emerging tech carries an environmental cost, from Arizona Central
- The double-edged sword of AI data centers, from Slate Magazine
- Why your power bill is spiking faster than a nearby data center’s, from the Washington Post
CALIFORNIA FOREVER
California Forever announces largest construction worker pact ever
“California Forever has signed “the largest construction labor agreement in history” with the Napa-Solano Building Trades Council and Northern California Carpenters Union. “For over a century, California has been more than a state; we’ve been a promise: a symbol, a dare – to dream big, and to build even bigger,” California Forever said in a statement released Tuesday night. “From the shipyards of the Bay Area to the studios of Hollywood, from rockets in the Mojave to microchips in Silicon Valley, California didn’t just imagine the future, we built it,” the statement said. “Today, we’re reviving that spirit.” Jan Sramek, founder and chief executive officer for California Forever, said the construction agreement allows for “the next great American city, and (will) lay the foundation for the next 100 years of California’s promise.” … ” Read more from the Daily Republic.
SEE ALSO:
- California, let’s build the next great American city, from California Forever
- California Forever signs largest construction labor deal ever, from the Vacaville Reporter
WILDFIRES
Cities are drawing their fire lines
“The cities of Berkeley and Los Angeles aren’t waiting anymore for the state to finish its wildfire-resistant landscaping rules before imposing their own. But they’re moving in opposite directions, showing just how politically charged the issue has become. The state’s first-in-the-nation rules would expand on existing landscaping and building rules in fire-prone areas to limit flammable material within the first 5 feet of homes (aka “Zone Zero”). Prompted by a 2020 state law and already delayed a few times, the landscaping rules have become a slow-motion test of California’s ability to mandate climate adaptation — and avoid the fate of Oregon, which last year came up with a map of properties that had to meet their new codes only for state lawmakers to promptly repeal it after blowback from property owners. … ” Read more from Politico.
In commentary today …
State legislators rushed SB 131—the time to fix it is now
Jennifer Ganata, Legal Department Co-Director for Communities for a Better Environment, writes, “In the closing days of last year’s budget negotiations, California lawmakers approved Senate Bill 131, a far-reaching policy change that reshaped the state’s environmental review system with little warning and even less public discussion. Folded quietly into the budget, SB 131 carved out a sweeping exemption from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) for a broadly defined category labeled “advanced manufacturing.” It marked the first time the Legislature has so broadly exempted whole classes of industrial, often polluting, development from California’s bedrock environmental law. The full danger to California’s communities of passing SB 131 will depend on how quickly lawmakers fix their mistake. … ” Read more from Capitol Weekly.
Interior Department needs to address drought’s impact on Colorado River
Ron Rudolph, former assistant executive director of Friends of the Earth, writes, “There is an urgent need for the Department of the Interior to begin planning for ways to increase the amount of water that can flow through or around Glen Canyon Dam, which impounds the Colorado River to form Lake Powell. The persistent drought in the Southwest, combined with the dam’s structural flaws, limits the amount of water that can be released from Lake Powell through the dam. This combination increases the probability of mechanical failure at the dam, and heightens the likelihood of water supply disruptions for millions of people who depend on water released from the dam in communities throughout Arizona, Nevada, California and Mexico. It also threatens the productivity of more than a million acres of farmland that is sustained by the Colorado River, and unless action is taken, assures an endless cascade of costly litigation about how to allocate a dwindling water supply. … ” Read more from the National Parks Traveler.
Clarity for farmers, not confusion: Getting WOTUS right
Dan Keppen, Executive adviser, Family Farm Alliance, writes, “For family farmers and ranchers across the American West, water is not an abstraction. It is the lifeblood of rural communities, regional food systems, and national security. That is why the federal government’s ongoing effort to redefine “waters of the United States” (WOTUS) matters so deeply to those who live and work on the land every day. The Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers deserve credit for attempting to bring the WOTUS definition into alignment with the Supreme Court’s 2023 decision in Sackett v. EPA. That ruling made clear what many farmers have long argued: federal Clean Water Act (CWA) jurisdiction is not limitless. It applies only to relatively permanent waters and wetlands that are truly indistinguishable from them because of a continuous surface connection. Yet good intentions are not enough. As currently drafted, parts of the proposed rule risk re-creating the very uncertainty that Sackett was meant to resolve—especially for irrigated agriculture in the West. … ” Read more from the Western Farm Press.
In regional water news and commentary today …
SIERRA NEVADA
Commentary: Nevada legislators possess Lake Tahoe oversight power—will they exercise or cede it?
Pamela Mahoney Tsigdinos writes, “Nevada’s interim Legislative Committee for the Review and Oversight of the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) and the Marlette Lake Water System meets in Carson City on January 23 at a moment when funding is scarce, policy decisions carry outsized consequences, and TRPA’s regulatory capture has allowed private interests and their lobbyists to shape the basin’s priorities more than the public they’re supposed to serve. Two-thirds of Lake Tahoe, one of the deepest lakes in the world, lies within California’s borders, yet when it comes to oversight of the lake and the bi-state TRPA, Nevada consistently punches above its weight. Despite California contributing twice as much to TRPA’s budget – including new appropriations even as TRPA leaders approved raises for themselves ) – it was Nevada’s legislature that created a statutory TRPA oversight committee in 2003. With no comparable mechanism in California, Nevada holds a leadership role in shaping the agency’s accountability. Against this backdrop, you might assume unity is impossible across Tahoe’s distinct mountainous basin communities, yet talk to any of the 55,000 residents from the five surrounding lake counties and you’ll hear the same message: Lake Tahoe – listed on the EPA’s website as “impaired” – must be safeguarded for generations to come. There is also shared conviction that public safety must be a top priority. … ” Read more from the Nevada Current.
A quarter century of community science: Volunteers complete the 25th year of Yuba River monitoring
“2025 marked a major milestone for SYRCL’s community science-driven River Monitoring Program: 25 years of continuous monitoring of the Yuba River watershed! None of this work would be possible without our incredible volunteers, so we would like to extend our deepest thanks to everyone who contributed their time, energy, and care this past year. Each spring for the past 25 years, SYRCL has trained a group of devoted, caring, river-loving volunteers to collect water quality data throughout the Yuba River watershed. This consistent, long-term data collection allows SYRCL to track trends, identify areas of concern, and respond to changes in watershed health over time. … ” Read more from the South Yuba River Citizens League.
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
Nearly 500,000 chinook salmon fry released into the Sacramento River
“Nearly half a million young Chinook salmon are now on the move in the upper Sacramento River. Last Friday, Coleman National Fish Hatchery released approximately 480,000 fall-run Chinook fry into the Sacramento River, marking the start of a busy spring migration period for juvenile salmon. The release is part of a series of fry stockings scheduled over the coming weeks, timed to coincide with natural salmon movement patterns. As river conditions improve and flows increase, young salmon use the Sacramento River as a critical nursery—feeding, growing, and slowly making their way downstream toward the Delta and, eventually, the Pacific Ocean. … ” Read more from Active NorCal.
CENTRAL COAST
California subsidence solution
“The Central Coast Water Authority works hard to ensure our customers have access to reliable and affordable water supplies. But delivering on this promise has become more difficult due to land subsidence, a phenomenon that is rapidly putting California’s water supplies at risk. Subsidence refers to the gradual, often permanent, settling of land caused by natural processes and human activity, including groundwater pumping, where soils are comprised of soft silts and clays. When water is extracted from underground aquifers faster than it can be replenished, the surrounding soil may compact, causing the ground above it to compress and settle, which can damage roads, pipelines and water conveyance systems. … ” Read more from the Central Coast Water Authority.
Goleta Mayor and Mayor Pro Tem will attend Regional Water Board meeting to discuss sewage spill settlement
“Goleta City Council Members heard the city manager give a presentation on of a million gallon sewage spill over Presidents Day weekend in February of 2024. They also heard public comments from members of the Goleta West Sanitary District. The sewage spill was caused by a ruptured pipeline. It wasn’t detected right away and became the largest sewage spill in Santa Barbara County history. State regulators have proposed a $1.55 million dollar settlement with the Goleta West Sanitary District, but environmental groups including Channelkeeper and several elected leaders don’t think that is sufficient. … ” Read more from KEYT.
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
Have $31M? Megafarm with 1,000 acres+, lots of almonds trees, for sale in Tulare County
“More than 1,000 acres of diversified farmland is on the market in Tulare County for a price tag of $31 million. The property is one of the largest farms to be offered for sale in recent years. In 2020, the Gladstone Land Corporation acquired 4,642 acres of farmland in Tulare County for $61.5 million. The Gladstone property includes nearly 3,000 planted acres of almonds, pistachios and conventional and organic pomegranates. The property sits just south of the City of Tulare and east of Highway 99 and is made up of seven parcels of farmland that also includes several homes, a shop, space for equipment storage and approximately five acres of on-site solar. A majority of the land is growing almonds and there are about 30 acres of pistachios and about 30 acres of Star Ruby grapefruit. … ” Read more from the Fresno Bee.
Water first destroyed, and will now rebuild, the historic town of Allensworth
“Starting nearly 118 years ago, arsenic-laced groundwater and dry wells all but killed the hopes of California’s only town founded and governed by African Americans, many of them formerly enslaved. On Tuesday, residents of Allensworth celebrated a new well that will finally bring clean, abundant water to the town that was beset by water troubles soon after it was founded 1908 by Col. Allen Allensworth. “It was water that destroyed Allensworth,” said Sherry Hunter, president of the Allensworth Community Services District. But now, Hunter and others have hopes of a rebirth and even growth for the town of 530 residents. … ” Read more from SJV Water.
SEE ALSO: Historic Allensworth community breaks ground on new drinking water system, press release from the State Water Board
EASTERN SIERRA
Forest Service completes emergency welfare operation to save stranded wild horses
“The USDA Forest Service has completed an emergency operation to save wild horses trapped in deep snow on California’s Inyo National Forest after severe winter conditions left the animals with no access to food or water. Forest Service crews rescued 23 horses and transported them to a temporary holding facility in Bishop, California. Three horses were humanely euthanized due to critically poor body condition, and seven horses were found dead in the field because of starvation and exposure caused by prolonged snow cover. Many of the surviving horses were visibly emaciated and in poor health and would not have survived without intervention. Forest Service staff are providing care to stabilize the animals before transporting them to a better-equipped facility on the Modoc National Forest for continued care and rehabilitation. Recovery is expected to take up to 10 months. … ” Read more from the Sierra Wave.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
A look at Southern California’s water supply after winter storms
“Southern California’s largest reservoir, Diamond Valley Lake, is nearly full due in large part to two powerful sets of storms that drenched the region over the Christmas and New Year’s holidays. It’s at 94% capacity. Many of the reservoirs in Los Angeles County, just as critical, are also in good shape. It’s been a long time since the region has seen this much rain this early in the season. “This was a significant period of rainfall for us,” said Kerjon Lee with the L.A. County Department of Public Works. “It actually set a 54-year record. It goes all the way back to 1971, when we had that much rainfall over the holidays.” … ” Read more from KABC.
Commentary: We cannot afford Pure Water Los Angeles
Columnist Jack Humphreville writes, “The Department of Water and Power is developing plans for Pure Water Los Angeles (“PWLA”) a facility that will convert wastewater to drinking water. This project will be located at Hyperion, just south of LAX, and will produce an estimated 200,000-acre feet of potable water a year, an amount equal to more than 40% of the City’s annual consumption. This project is designed to increase the supply of water from local sources (10-15%), reducing our dependence on non-local sources (85-90%). Today, the City relies on water delivered by the Metropolitan Water District (“MWD”) through the California Aqueduct from Northern California and the Colorado River Aqueduct. We also receive water via the Los Angeles Aqueduct from sources in the Eastern Sierras and Owens Valley that are controlled by DWP, although this source has been constrained because of environmental issues. … ” Read more from CityWatch LA.
Desert could be on brink of rare super bloom thanks to exceptional winter rainfall
“Unusual winter weather patterns have set the stage for a possible desert super bloom in Southern California, with recent rainfall creating ideal conditions for a natural phenomenon that typically occurs only once every 20 years. The desert has already received 3.5 inches of rain over the past two months — nearly 70% of the region’s average annual rainfall of 5 inches. This exceptional moisture has triggered early blooms in areas like Henderson Canyon Road, where flowers are appearing weeks ahead of their typical late-March or April schedule. … ” Read more from Channel 8.
SAN DIEGO
Smuggler’s Gulch cleanup underway as trash piles up feet from Tijuana River Estuary
“We’ve been following the ongoing pollution crisis in the Tijuana River Valley, and today, we’re zeroing in on a spot that’s drawing a lot of attention: Trash piled up in Smuggler’s Gulch, just feet from where stormwater flows straight into the estuary. It is a mess out there. Broken plastic, household trash, debris stretching across what was a creek bed just weeks ago. All of this is sitting in Smuggler’s Gulch, a critical channel in the Tijuana River Valley. During heavy rain, the creek bed turns into a roaring river. When that happens, trash gets swept downstream and straight into the Tijuana River Estuary and, eventually, the ocean. Since then, I’ve been trying to figure out who’s responsible for cleaning this up. … ” Read more from Channel 10.
County Supervisor Paloma Aguirre wants to tap into reserve funds for South Bay sewage crisis
“San Diego County Supervisor Paloma Aguirre is calling on county leaders to divert millions of dollars from reserve funds to address what she describes as an ongoing public health emergency caused by toxic sewage pollution in the South Bay. Aguirre is requesting $19.25 million from the county’s $81 million in rainy-day reserves to mitigate impacts from the long-running sewage crisis, which worsened recently after a pipe rupture sent more than 11 million gallons of wastewater into the Tijuana River Valley. “People are still getting sick, and it’s time for the county to step in and do something,” Aguirre said. … ” Read more from Fox 5.
Along the Colorado River …
Colorado River talks: States are still at odds but working toward a 5-year plan
“With just weeks to decide how to share the Colorado River’s shrinking water supply, negotiators from seven states hunkered down in a Salt Lake City conference room. Outside was busy traffic on State Street and South Temple. Inside was gridlock that eased up for a time, only to return, Utah’s chief negotiator, Gene Shawcroft said Tuesday of last week’s meetings. The states moved forward on a deal for two-and-a-half days, then went back by almost as far as they’d come, Shawcroft said. “I would just tell you that four days is too long. We got tired of each other,” he said. … ” Read more from the Utah News Dispatch.
Baja California urged to adopt Las Vegas water management
“Mexicali industry leader Xavier Rivas Martínez has called on Baja California’s state government to implement aggressive measures in response to prolonged drought in the Colorado River Basin and rising urban water stress. He advocates adopting a water management model similar to Las Vegas, highlighting that the city reuses about 33% of its water supply, conducts continuous leak repair programs, and enforces conservation rules through fines. According to Rivas Martínez, Las Vegas also operates a “water patrol” that penalizes activities such as washing cars with hoses, watering outside permitted hours, and maintaining conventional lawns, which have largely been replaced with water-efficient landscaping. These measures have made Las Vegas a global benchmark for water efficiency, attracting delegations from Africa, the Middle East, Europe, and U.S. states such as Arizona and California. … ” Read more from Mexico Business News.
Colorado’s Attorney General prepares for legal battle over water rights for 40 million people
“Attorney General Phil Weiser went before state lawmakers this week and made it clear he’s not holding his breath for a new Colorado River Compact. “The reason it’s hard to get a deal is you need two parties living in reality and if one party is living in La La Land, you’re not going to get a deal,” Weiser said. “Arizona has continued ship alfalfa to Saudi Arabia, which is a classic example of what we should not be doing with water from the Colorado River.” The 1922 compact determines how water is allocated to Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming, Arizona, California, and Nevada. It expires this year and, if the states can’t agree on a new deal, the federal government will do it for them. … ” Read more from CBS Colorado.
Series of big storms are needed to make up huge snow supply gap, Colorado water experts say
“Colorado’s snowpack is at a record low, and the longer that continues, the harder it will be to make up the deficit before the end of winter, water managers say. Each year, the accumulation of snow in Colorado’s mountains helps supply Coloradans and millions of people in 19 downstream states with vital water for homes, businesses, farms and more. This year, the state has about 58% of its normal snowpack — the lowest on record for this time of year. Water experts are scoping out valleys and mountaintops, noting the lack of snowpack at low elevations and sparse supply up high. There’s a lot of winter left, they say, but at this point, the state would need some mega snowstorms to reach an average supply by the time water starts melting off the mountains. … ” Read more from the Colorado Sun.
Lawsuit: Vegas turf removal killed 100K trees
“A new lawsuit is taking aim at the Southern Nevada Water Authority’s turf removal program, claiming it has led to the death of 100,000 trees across the Las Vegas Valley. Four local residents have filed suit against SNWA, represented by attorney Sam Castor, Managing Partner of Lex Tecnica lawfirm, who argues the agency’s grass removal mandates lack proper legal and constitutional oversight. “We have to protect what has taken five generations to grow here in Las Vegas,” Castor said. The complaint opens with a quote from the Dr. Seuss children’s book “The Lorax”: “We speak for the trees.” … ” Read more from Channel 13.
Rare Nevada toad and fish prompt conservation lawsuit over gold mining
“A conservation group is preparing to sue the federal government for failing to make a decision on whether to list a rare Nevada toad and fish as an endangered or threatened species. On Tuesday, the Center for Biological Diversity notified the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service of their intent to sue the agency for allegedly violating the Endangered Species Act after federal wildlife managers failed to issue a timely 12-month finding on whether to list the Amargosa toad and the Oasis Valley speckled dace, as required by federal law. “The Amargosa toad and Oasis Valley speckled dace are small but powerful symbols of the remarkable biodiversity that makes Nevada so special. At this point the Endangered Species Act is their last line of defense,” said Patrick Donnelly, Great Basin director at the Center for Biological Diversity, in a statement. … ” Read more from the Nevada Current.
Could floating solar help save Utah’s shrinking lakes — and boost the state’s power supply?
“A novel idea to both conserve water and generate power surfaced on Capitol Hill earlier this month. Rep. Hoang Nguyen, D-Salt Lake City, joined representatives with Utah-based Water Wise Solar Solutions, advocating for floating solar panels across Utah water bodies. The panels could help slow evaporation on lakes and reservoirs while also supplementing the grid with some much-needed electricity, Nguyen said. “It’s something that’s intriguing to me,” Nguyen said, speaking to the Legislative Water Development Commission on Jan. 9. “We have to think outta the box. We have to be creative.” No bills or draft legislation have been introduced to advance the idea of floating solar, but the notion sparked bipartisan interest among commission members. … ” Read more from the Salt Lake Tribune.
In national water news today …
Water rule rollback stokes affordability concerns
“As President Donald Trump pledges to help lower costs for Americans, his administration’s plan to reduce protections under the Clean Water Act is fueling new concerns about water affordability. The administration is racing to finalize a rule that will chip away at federal oversight for millions of acres of streams and wetlands. Those resources play an important role in filtering pollutants out of drinking supplies and absorbing rainwater during floods — at no direct cost to consumers. Trump administration officials say their proposal will provide clarity for farmers and landowners and ease costs for businesses. Yet local officials who oversee sewer systems and water treatment plants say the changes could shift costs to them, putting pressure on water bills at a time when millions of Americans struggle to pay them. … ” Read more from E&E News.
Judges signal support for ‘forever chemicals’ Superfund rule
“Judges appeared ready to back EPA’s decision to designate two “forever chemicals” as hazardous under the federal Superfund law, keeping polluters on the hook for cleanups. During oral arguments in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit on Tuesday, the three-judge panel weighed arguments that EPA didn’t do enough to consider the costs the rule would impose on businesses. That rule, one of the few Biden-era rules the Trump administration has said it will defend, adds PFOA and PFOS — two of the most-studied chemicals in the PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, family — to its list of “hazardous substances” under the Superfund law. … ” Read more from E&E News.
Press release: EPA delivers 500 environmental wins during President Trump’s first year back in the White House
“Today, marking exactly one year since President Donald Trump was sworn in as the 47th President, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin shared 500 top environmental accomplishments EPA has achieved to fulfill the agency’s statutory obligations and core mission under President Trump’s leadership. On President Trump’s 100th day in office, Administrator Zeldin released a list of 100 pro-environmental actions taken by the agency during those first 100 days, and he has delivered a list for every 100 days to follow. Now, EPA is proud to celebrate one full year of President Trump’s leadership with an additional 200 newly announced accomplishments for 500 total top environmental wins since January 20, 2025. This progress includes the signing of a historic new agreement between the United States and Mexico to mark additional significant advancement to permanently and urgently end the decades-long Tijuana River sewage crisis, a proposed rule returning Clean Water Act (CWA) Section 401 to its proper statutory purpose to protect water quality and eliminate regulatory overreach, the decision to regulate dozens of applications of five widely used phthalate chemicals to Make America Healthy Again and address environmental and workplace risks, accelerated enforcement efforts to stop foreigners from profiting off sending poisons and pollution to the United States, billions of dollars in funding to reduce lead in drinking water, and so much more. … ” Continue reading from the EPA.
The consequences of Trump’s war on climate in 7 charts
“In just one year, President Donald Trump has fundamentally changed the arc of federal climate and environmental policy. Upon returning to office 12 months ago, Trump immediately declared an “energy emergency” and promised to “unleash American energy.” He packed his cabinet with oil executives and climate skeptics who have since rolled back the climate initiatives and protections of presidents Obama and Biden while accelerating fossil fuel development. From dismantling regulations designed to cut emissions and tame pollution to repealing the country’s most ambitious climate action, Trump has reveled in reversing years of progress. He has withdrawn from both the Paris Agreement and the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change and undercut scientific research at every opportunity. … ” Read more from Grist.
Trump’s EPA has put a value on human life: zero dollars
“Government officials have long grappled with a question that seems like the purview of philosophers: What is the value of a human life? Under both Democratic and Republican administrations, the answer has been in the millions of dollars. The higher the value, the more the government has required businesses to spend on their operations to prevent a single death. But for the first time ever, at the Environmental Protection Agency the answer is effectively zero dollars. Last week, the E.P.A. stopped estimating the monetary value of lives saved when setting limits on two of the most widespread deadly air pollutants, fine particulate matter and ozone. Instead, the agency is calculating only the costs to companies of complying with pollution regulations. … ” Continue reading from the New York Times.
The world is in water bankruptcy, UN scientists report – here’s what that means
“The world is now using so much fresh water amid the consequences of climate change that it has entered an era of water bankruptcy, with many regions no longer able to bounce back from frequent water shortages. About 4 billion people – nearly half the global population – live with severe water scarcity for at least one month a year, without access to sufficient water to meet all of their needs. Many more people are seeing the consequences of water deficit: dry reservoirs, sinking cities, crop failures, water rationing and more frequent wildfires and dust storms in drying regions. Water bankruptcy signs are everywhere, from Tehran, where droughts and unsustainable water use have depleted reservoirs the Iranian capital relies on, adding fuel to political tensions, to the U.S., where water demand has outstripped the supply in the Colorado River, a crucial source of drinking water and irrigation for seven states. … ” Read more from The Conversation.
SEE ALSO:
- We are “living beyond our hydrological means,” UN report warns, from EOS
- Much of the World Facing ‘Water Bankruptcy,’ U.N. Report Warns, from Yale e360
