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In California water news today …
A hard look at the 3,000-page Bay-Delta Plan
Photo taken August 28, 2025. Ken James / DWR
“A historic effort to pump some life back into the San Joaquin River’s devastated salmon runs began more than 15 years ago as water users began releasing more water each year from Friant Dam for restoration purposes. Under the rules of the San Joaquin River Restoration Program, Friant water users are permitted to recapture that water downstream of the 153-mile project area, but only if doing so has no adverse impact on the environment downstream of the recapture point. Now, as part of a state-backed plan known as the Voluntary Agreements that would rewrite Bay-Delta water and ecosystem management rules, the Friant water users have offered up to 50,000 acre-feet of annual Delta outflow to improve conditions for fish. To achieve this, they propose to forego recapturing the San Joaquin River restoration flows. But environmental watchdog groups are crying foul. … ” Read more from Alastair Bland at Maven’s Notebook.
Trial begins in tire chemical runoff case against tire manufacturers
“A chemical additive in car tires is leaching into rivers and other waterways, killing protected fish species, lawyers for a conservation group and a fishing trade association told a federal judge during a bench trial in San Francisco, California, Monday. After a three-day trial, the judge will determine whether tire manufacturers — including Bridgestone America, Goodyear Tires and Michelin North America — are violating the Endangered Species Act by harming protected and endangered fish species like coho salmon, steelhead trout and Chinook salmon. The plaintiffs claim the tire manufacturers make or distribute products that contain an additive called 6PPD, a chemical that ultimately transforms into 6PPD-quinone when it reacts with ozone. As the tire interacts with the environment and roads, 6PPD-quinone leaches onto hard surfaces. When it rains, the chemical falls into rivers and other waterways, where it can kill fish in a matter of hours, they add. … ” Read more from the Courthouse News Service.
Nearly two million juvenile salmon released into winter-flooded rice fields in hopes of stronger survival rates to the Pacific Ocean
“Marking one of the largest salmon releases of its kind, a coalition of rice farmers, fishermen, water suppliers, researchers, and conservationists, in partnership with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Coleman National Fish Hatchery, has introduced 1.8 million salmon fry into winter-flooded rice fields near the Sacramento River in hopes of contributing to higher numbers of healthier fish reaching the Pacific Ocean and returning to the valley as adults. The multiyear project is introducing fall-run salmon fry from Coleman National Fish Hatchery into working ricelands at Conaway Ranch and Knaggs Ranch, located in Yolo County. This large-scale hatchery release is a “fish on floodplain farm fields” project designed to demonstrate how winter ricelands can be managed to provide wetland-like food-rich habitat for migrating salmon. “We believe hatchery fish released into rice fields, where they have access to abundant food, will thrive, similarly to how salmon historically benefitted from feeding on natural floodplains,” said James Stone, President of the NorCal Guides and Sportsmen’s Association. … ” Continue reading this press release.
Recent scientific contributions by the U.S. Geological Survey in the San Francisco Bay and Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta Estuary
“The San Francisco Bay and Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta Estuary (hereafter, Bay-Delta) is the largest estuary on the West Coast of the United States. … The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is the primary science agency of the U.S. Department of the Interior, providing a broad range of Earth, water, biological, and mapping data and expertise to inform natural resource management across the country. This fact sheet focuses on research conducted by the USGS in the Bay- Delta region, mostly within the past 5 years. The fact sheet is organized across five major themes: water flow and water quality, fish and wildlife, wetland restoration, invasive species, and hazards. … ” Read the fact sheet from the USGS.
Residents of a polluted California town pinned hopes on new state rules. They’re still waiting
“Residents of Kettleman City live surrounded by pollution. Farms spray pesticides on almond and pistachio trees in this farmtown. A composting facility handles human sewage waste nearby. Particulate matter and diesel fumes from heavy freeway traffic fill the air. And the West Coast’s largest hazardous waste landfill is just a few miles away from town. … A decade ago, California enacted a law that aimed to better protect people from the cumulative impacts of multiple pollution sources in places like Kettleman City. The law required regulators to include these cumulative impacts when weighing whether to grant a hazardous waste permit. People living near the Kettleman Hills landfill, and others living near hazardous waste facilities, hoped new rules would strengthen their ability to object to major pollution sources. But the Department of Toxic Substances Control has released draft regulations seven years late. Asked why it missed the deadline, a spokeswoman for the department said only that regulators needed extra time to incorporate feedback after an earlier attempt to write rules five years ago. … ” Read more from Cal Matters.
Artificial intelligence and California’s water
“It can be hard to escape the hype over artificial intelligence (AI) right now, especially if you live in California. Is it going to transform society for the better or destroy the world as we know it? And, critical to those of us working on water issues, what do these advances mean for efficient water use—and our jobs? Through a series of blog posts, we will explore how California might leverage AI to better manage our water resources, while mitigating the risks of this rapidly evolving technology. AI isn’t new to California water, but recent advances may be changing the game. AI refers to computers performing tasks that typically involve human intelligence, such as reasoning, problem solving, and learning. While AI has exploded in the last few years, some water managers have been using early AI since the 1980s. … ” Read more from the PPIC.
SEE ALSO: Microsoft Pledged to Save Water. In the A.I. Era, It Expects Water Use to Soar., from the New York Times
AI vs invasive salmon: FISHBIO-Simsonar team invents new fish sorting technology
“In 2022, FISHBIO built, shipped, and installed resistance board weirs in arctic Norway as a management tool to stem the tide of invasive pink salmon. Originally introduced to northern Russia, this species has rapidly expanded westward and been documented throughout the North Atlantic—including in Canada, Greenland, Iceland, the UK, and Scandinavia. This spread has raised great concerns about their effect on fragile riverine ecosystems and valuable native species. In northern Norway, a world-class destination for anglers pursuing large, wild Atlantic salmon, residents and visitors alike now fear that their piscatorial pursuits are tarnished by small, humped, invaders from the East. … FISHBIO brought the fisheries expertise and teamed up with Simsonar, a Finnish company specializing in underwater video systems. Using AI technology, we began work on a platform that rapidly identifies and selectively sorts passing salmon. … ” Read more from FishBio.
PPIC fact sheet: California’s rivers and streams
“California’s almost $4 trillion economy—including its $60 billion agricultural industry—relies heavily on rivers for water supply. Rivers generate 20% of the state’s electricity and are hubs of recreational activity. Rivers and streams sustain commercially, culturally, and ecologically significant fisheries. These include salmon, steelhead trout, and remarkably diverse freshwater fish, many found nowhere else in the world. Most of California’s cities are built along rivers and streams, which puts them at high risk for flooding. A large statewide flood could cause $1 trillion in economic damages—greater than any projected earthquake. … ” … ” Read more from the PPIC.
The cleanest and grossest beaches in California — and it’s bad news for iconic Santa Monica Pier
“Ain’t that a beach! California is famous for its 900 miles of coastline, with signature beaches up and down the coast. However, the water at some spots is a whole lot cleaner than others — which is worth bearing in mind next time you want to take a dip. Heal the Bay, an environmental nonprofit that works to keep California’s coast healthy and clean, recently dropped its “Beach Report Card” to rank the best and the worst beaches when it comes to water quality. The report uses an A-F grading system, testing water samples for harmful bacteria including three key fecal indicator bacteria: total coliform, fecal coliform (E. coli) and Enterococcus species. “High concentrations of these bacteria indicate the presence of pathogens that could be harmful to beachgoers,” according to Heal the Bay’s site. … ” Read more from the California Post.
Irrigation sensation: With USGA guidance, a California muni made major water savings
“Three years ago, Matteo Serena barely knew the difference between a beaker and a bunker. Today, the native of Italy could be the most crucial person to ever visit your golf grounds. Sporting a history of academia and turfgrass research on his C.V., Southern California-based Serena has fast risen to the forefront of the game’s water conservation efforts as the senior manager of irrigation research and services for the USGA. His ascent fueled by intellect, outreach and an inherent European charm (“golf’a”), Serena’s drop-by-drop efforts have achieved exacting results across water-starved SoCal and beyond. At one popular public property in particular, his research and methodology have produced a scorecard filled with cost savings and sustainability. … ” Read more from the USGA.
Study: Allowing wildfires to burn can help forests return to historic conditions
“When the conditions are right, land managers sometimes allow naturally ignited fires to burn. And new research shows that there can be significant ecological benefits when they do so. The Mount Trumbull Wilderness Area is a remote piece of ground in Northwest Arizona. In the late 1800s, the forest was wide open, with an estimated 25 trees per acre. And then came more than a century of aggressive suppression policy, which ended the regime of frequent, lower intensity fires that maintained that openness there and in forest ecosystems across the West. “By 1999, the site was dominated by closed canopy stands, and we saw an increase from … 25 trees per acre up to 495 trees per acre,” said John Paul Roccaforte, a researcher with the Ecological Restoration Institute at Northern Arizona University. … ” Read more from Boise Public Radio.
How does climate change affect winter storms?
“Climate misinformation tends to proliferate around major weather events. On Friday, President Trump, a longtime climate skeptic, posted to social media, implying that the cold weather undermined the scientifically supported consensus that the planet is warming. (It is a claim he has made before.) The science is clear. The world is warming because of the burning of fossil fuels, and that doesn’t mean there won’t still be some cold days. Weather and climate are not the same thing, but they are related. In a broad sense, climate change encourages extreme weather events by altering the background conditions in the atmosphere. For example, as the atmosphere warms, it becomes capable of holding more moisture, and that moisture can then fall dramatically in the form of rain, sleet or snow. … ” Read more from the New York Times.
In commentary today …
To fight the golden mussel, California counties need a coordinated approach
Calaveras County Supervisor Amanda Folendorf writes, “In rural California, protecting our water is a daily, hands-on battle against aquatic invasive species like the latest one, the golden mussel. Crews now must scrub boat hulls, sample canal water and vigilantly monitor reservoirs. Yet, invaders too often slip through anyway. Golden mussels continue to appear in new reservoirs, bypassing our best defenses. They are now threatening fisheries, water infrastructure and the recreation economy that sustains many rural communities. In October 2024, state water managers first discovered that golden mussels had invaded North America after finding them in the Stockton Deepwater Shipping Channel near the Port of Stockton. Given how this is connected to the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, where all the rivers of the western Sierra merge before heading toward San Francisco Bay, the location of this discovery could not have been worse. … ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee. | Read via the Merced Sun-Star.
What Americans lose if their National Center for Atmospheric Research is dismantled
Carlos Martinez, a senior climate scientist with the Climate & Energy Program at the Union of Concerned Scientists, writes, “Americans set few everyday expectations for science, but they are fundamental: We expect the weather forecast to be right, we expect science and technology that allow weather hazards to be anticipated within reason, and we expect public services to protect our lives and livelihoods from such hazards—floods, fires, tornadoes, and hurricanes. Well, the fulfillment of those expectations is in real doubt now that the Trump administration plans to dismantle the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), a federally funded institution that underpins critical science that Americans rely on. Administration officials have argued that NCAR’s work can simply be redistributed to other institutions without loss. But NCAR is not just another research center. It is purpose-built critical infrastructure designed to integrate observations, modeling, supercomputing, and applied research in ways that no single university, agency, or contractor can replicate on its own. … ” Read more from EOS.
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
Mid Klamath Watershed Council champions beneficial fire
Michael Kraft writes, “I’m guessing, if you end up talking with Luna Latimer at a barbeque, you’re going to end up discussing fire. Fire and fish. Fire and acorns. The positive correlation between fire and water. Good fire, even in July. Luna serves as co-Executive Director of the Mid Klamath Watershed Council, or MKWC (widely pronounced “mikwik”). She became involved with the group as a graduate student at Oregon State University and never left. MKWC works in the region from the Trinity River-Klamath River confluence up to the former Iron Gate dam site. The area is characterized by very rural conditions where power outages are weekly events, where there is overwhelming federal ownership of land and where the Karuk people have made their home since time immemorial. … ” Read more from the Eureka Times-Standard.
SIERRA NEVADA
Brief snow showers may return to Tahoe this week
“After a mostly dry stretch of winter weather, the Tahoe Basin could see a brief return of snow showers, though impacts are expected to be minimal, according to regional forecasters. Bryan Allegretto, a forecaster with OpenSnow, said the region remains under the influence of a high-pressure ridge that has limited storm activity across the Sierra. While several storms are developing in the eastern Pacific, he said most have struggled to push inland. However, some forecast models indicate a slight chance of snow late Tuesday night into early Wednesday morning, while others keep the Tahoe region dry, Allegretto said in an OpenSnow forecast discussion. If precipitation does reach the area, colder temperatures could allow it to fall as snow, even at lower elevations. … ” Read more from the Tahoe Daily Tribune.
Tahoe Water for Fire partnership secures $2.125M in federal funding for critical water infrastructure projects
“The Tahoe Water for Fire Suppression Partnership today celebrated the enactment of the Fiscal Year 2026 federal appropriations “minibus” funding package, marking a major milestone for Lake Tahoe’s wildfire resilience and emergency preparedness efforts. Included in H.R. 6938, the Commerce, Justice, Science; Energy and Water Development; and Interior & Environment Appropriations Act, 2026, this legislation provides more than $20 million in federal funding for long-standing Lake Tahoe Restoration Act (LTRA) priorities, including watershed protection, forest health, aquatic invasive species mitigation, water infrastructure improvements, and climate resilience projects that reduce wildfire risk and protect water quality. … ” Read more from the Sierra Sun.
SEE ALSO: South Tahoe Public Utility District (STPUD) awarded $1.2M for critical water infrastructure improvements, from South Tahoe Now
Seeking public comment on Upper Truckee Marsh in South Lake Tahoe
“The California Tahoe Conservancy is in the planning process for restoration and public access improvements at the south end of the Upper Truckee Marsh in South Lake Tahoe, including the site of the former Motel 6. The Conservancy received public comment on the project in 2025 and is continuing in that process before a final project concept is completed. … ” Read more from South Tahoe Now.
Good fire at work: How strategic forest treatments made the Cedar Ridge burn possible
“This month, firefighters on the Stanislaus National Forest began a planned broadcast burn in the Cedar Ridge area – which is the ridgeline between the Tuolumne and Stanislaus Watersheds near Twain Harte. This is a carefully coordinated operation that plays an important role in restoring forest health and reducing wildfire risk in the Greater Yosemite Region. While prescribed fire may look dramatic from the outside, this burn is the result of years of planning, partnership, and on-the-ground restoration work. It’s also a powerful example of how proactive forest stewardship makes it possible to safely reintroduce good fire back into the landscape. … ” Read more from the Yosemite Rivers Alliance.
BAY AREA
Bay Area weather: First rain in weeks expected during evening commute
“The Bay Area’s first rain in nearly three weeks is forecast Tuesday, and it could arrive just in time for the evening commute. A weak cold front will fizzle as it approaches the Northern California coastline, but it should hold together just enough for light rainfall totals, in San Francisco, Oakland and Berkeley. San Francisco’s dry spell will end just shy of three weeks if 0.01 inches of rain is measured. Morning will present a good window for outdoor activities, with light winds and increasing clouds in the middle to upper elevations of the atmosphere. Those clouds could make for a colorful sunrise. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
SEE ALSO: Will the Bay Area’s Dry Winter Flip? Not Just Yet, But Storms Could Be Coming, from KQED
Sausalito seeks shoreline business input on sea-level plan
“Sausalito’s planning to adapt to sea-level rise will include engineering ideas from shoreline businesses. “The most important direction that we want to give tonight is to make sure the consultants and subconsultants work directly with the owners and businesses at the waterfront,” Mayor Steven Woodside said at the City Council meeting on Jan. 20. “Many of them have already done some of that engineering analysis.” The city’s draft shoreline adaptation plan catalogues numerous threats and responses to rising bay waters along every section of the city’s 2.5-mile shoreline. Sausalito received a $1 million state grant in early 2023 to create the report, which will be used by city officials and the region’s governing bodies. … ” Read more from the Marin Independent Journal.
Record-high tides hit a wealthy Bay Area county hard. It wasn’t ready.
“On Jan. 3, Jill Sherman and her children watched the San Francisco Bay rise and rise around their Sausalito houseboat. The water inundated the parking lot, bike path and roadways that provide access to the floating homes. But Sherman wanted a closer look at the unbelievable tide line. “I had this idea that we could kayak the bike path, so I put my two smallest kids in the kayak and off we went,” Sherman told SFGATE during a phone call. “I’ve never seen anything like it.” Over the first few days of the year, water levels in the San Francisco Bay Area hit record highs as the winter storms collided with king tides. Marin County, one of the hardest-hit areas, tallied over $4.3 million in damage from coastal and inland flooding across its central and southern zones, including a costly levee failure. The storms demonstrated how Marin, historically one of the wealthiest counties in California, still faces enormous obstacles to preparing its extensive coastline for climate change. … ” Read more from SF Gate.
Call for Mare Island building moratorium gains momentum
“A call for a moratorium on residential building on Mare Island sparked by an early January fire is gathering momentum, with longtime residents demanding that the Vallejo City Council take action. Ashley Epes, an 8-year Mare Island resident, is spearheading the drive for the city to temporarily ban additional residential building permits, as developer Lennar has plans to move forward with the 96-home Coral Sea Village development on the island. “The Vallejo Flood and Wastewater District reported in an October 2025 assessment report that the existing sewer system has exceeded its capacity to handle existing wastewater flows,” Epes said in an interview Thursday. She said 96 new homes would overburden the island’s already inadequate system. … ” Read more from the Santa Rosa Press Democrat.
Planning Commission backs industrial project in Oakley despite fears over data centers
“The Oakley Planning Commission on Tuesday approved a development plan that could include data centers as dozens of residents voiced concerns over potential environmental and health impacts and strains on existing infrastructure. With a 3-2 vote, the commission recommended the City Council approve the Bridgehead Industrial project, with the stipulation that a conditional use permit be required for data centers to operate on the property. Commission Chairman Leonard Price and Commissioners Sean Ireland and Pierre Goudie voted yes, while Commissioners Yared Oliveros and Kerry Harvey dissented. City officials assuaged concerns over the plan, noting that the exact tenants for the proposed 10 buildings were currently unknown. … ” Read more from the San Jose Mercury News.
CENTRAL COAST
Naval Base Ventura County gets national conservation award. Here’s why
“Federal officials recently recognized Naval Base Ventura County with a national conservation award, calling its work critical for fish and wildlife species. The base is home to scores of native plants, the largest coastal salt marsh estuary in Southern California and threatened and endangered species, from rare birds to green sea turtles. The turtle — one of the newest additions to the base along the Oxnard plain — typically is found farther south but one showed up deep in the estuary several years ago. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recognized the local base with this year’s Military Conservation Partner Award, which is given to one military installation each year. The agency cited a commitment to conservation and habitat restoration efforts at the base, which includes facilities at Point Mugu, Port Hueneme and San Nicolas Island, around 60 miles off the coast. … ” Read more from the Ventura County Star.
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
A once-in-a-generation chance to protect valley communities from catastrophic flooding
Saul Ayon, Mayor of the City of McFarland, and Robert Jeff, Vice-Chairman of the Tachi Yokuts Tribe, write, “Recent storms and record rainfall across California served as a clear reminder that California’s flood risk is growing. Rivers ran high, emergency responders were active, and communities across the state were once again forced to pay close attention to where all that water would go. For those of us in the Tulare Lake Basin, the message was familiar. For generations, people living in and around the basin have carried the same fear: not just wet shoes and soggy yards, but floods capable of devastating homes, businesses, schools, and sacred Tribal lands. Every big storm brings the same dread—Will this be the one? Too often, it is. Families are forced to evacuate, sometimes multiple times. When the floodwaters finally recede, we’re left scraping mud off our living room floors, dragging ruined furniture to the curb, and wondering how much more we can take. … ” Read more from River Partners.
Water continued to be a dominant factor in Kern County ag land values in 2025
“Reliable access to water remained a dominant factor in agricultural land valleys in Kern County over 2025, according to data compiled by brokerage and appraisal company Alliance Ag. Sales data from the past 21 years clearly show a “SGMA effect” that has driven prices down overall since the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act was passed in 2014. The good news is that it appears land values dropped less steeply in 2025 and may even have bottomed out in some water category districts. For instance, open farmland in State Water Project contract districts in far western Kern County have retained values of between about $2,000 and and $5,000 an acre from 2022 through 2025. … ” Continue reading from SJV Water.
Water moves: Bakersfield water chief to retire and private water company gets new leader
“Two key leadership positions in Kern County and San Joaquin Valley water circles are in the process of changing. Kristina Budak, director of Bakersfield’s Water Resources Department, recently announced plans to retire in May, a little less than three years after she took the helm. And longtime water attorney Joe Hughes has been named Chief Executive Officer of Homer LLC, the land and water division of Los Angeles-based Renewable Resources Group (RRG), a major private water player in the San Joaquin Valley. … ” Read more from SJV Water.
SEE ALSO: New data details Kern’s declining farmland values, from Bakersfield.com
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Volunteers for Friends of the LA River roll up their sleeves to remove invasive mustard
“Friends of the Los Angeles River held their Habitat Restoration Day, a community volunteer event designed to restore and protect the L.A. River watershed ecosystem. At the Sepulveda Basin Wildlife Reserve, volunteers from FoLAR showed up to remove invasive mustard and learn how it impacts the ecosystem — and why clearing it is key to restoring native habitat. Danette Bouzanquet, youth engagement manager, said, “I go to Habitat Restoration Day to give back to the land surrounded by community, and help right the wrongs of previous generations. But I always forget how good it feels for your mind and body too.” … ” Read more from the Los Angeles Daily News.
High bacteria levels prompt ocean water warnings at L.A. County beaches
“Despite the warm weather, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health is warning residents and visitors to avoid swimming, surfing, and playing in ocean waters at multiple county beaches due to elevated bacterial levels. Public health officials said the warnings were issued after recent water quality tests found bacterial levels exceeding state health standards. … ” Read more from KTLA.
IMPERIAL/COACHELLA VALLEYS
Podcast: Proposed data center brings controversy to Imperial County
“For more than a year, plans for a $10 billion data center have been quietly moving forward in Imperial County. By some estimates, it could rank among the largest data centers in the world. The center would use immense amounts of energy and water. But the developer is openly trying to avoid California’s environmental review process. We sit down with KPBS reporter Kori Suzuki to discuss his three-part investigation digging into the controversy.” Listen or read transcript from KPBS.
SAN DIEGO
County supervisors to vote on $4.75M plan to address Tijuana River pollution
“San Diego County supervisors will vote Wednesday on a $4.75 million funding proposal aimed at studying health impacts and reducing toxic emissions from the ongoing Tijuana River pollution crisis. The proposal, presented by the Ad Hoc Subcommittee on the Tijuana River Sewage Crisis, includes funding for epidemiological studies and a temporary infrastructure fix at Saturn Boulevard, identified as a major hotspot for airborne pollutants. Supervisors Paloma Aguirre and Terra Lawson-Remer announced the plan Thursday at a news conference near the affected area, where raw sewage and industrial waste have flowed for years. … ” Read more from the San Diego Union-Tribune.
San Diego County seeks funding for sewage-mitigation projects in Tijuana River Valley
“San Diego County Supervisors Terra Lawson-Remer and Paloma Aguirre are asking fellow board members to agree to spend $4.75 million on two projects to help mitigate the pollution in the Tijuana River Valley and the effects of the contamination on residents nearby. The foulness comes from millions of gallons of raw sewage, chemicals and bacteria carried by the Tijuana River on a daily basis — materials that originate south of the border. “We can see it, we can smell it, we live with it every single day,” Lawson-Remer said. She and Aguirre say the money for these projects will come from the county but they expect reimbursement from federal and state grants as well as other sources. … ” Read more from Fox 5.
Along the Colorado River …
California to host high-stakes discussion on Colorado River crisis as federal deadline looms
“With the clock ticking toward a year-end deadline to rewrite the rules for the Colorado River, the California Natural Resources Agency (CNRA) announced it will host a public forum next week to discuss the state’s strategy for securing a sustainable water future. The webinar, titled “What’s Happening on the Colorado River? Securing Water Sustainability across Seven States” is scheduled for Wednesday, Jan. 28, from noon to 1 p.m. PT. The event comes at a critical juncture: federal officials recently released a draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) outlining potential management paths that could see California’s water allocations slashed significantly. “The Colorado River is the lifeblood of the West, supporting 40 million people and the farming communities that feed our nation,” said California Natural Resources Secretary Wade Crowfoot, who will host the discussion. “As climate change continues to dry the basin, we must find a shared, durable solution that protects our communities and our environment.” … ” Read more from the Imperial Valley Press.
Risk of no Colorado River agreement
Governors from all seven basin states have been summoned to Washington D.C. for a meeting with the Secretary of the Interior.
Considerations for assigned water after expiration of the 2007 guidelines
“Assigned Water programs in the Colorado River system, like Intentionally Created Surplus and Mexican Water Reserve, have created valuable flexibility in the Lower Basin. These programs mitigate the disincentive for conservation or saving water inherent in the prior appropriation system of water rights, the “use it or lose it” phenomenon. They have proved to be critical to managing volatility in water supplies and were an essential component of the 2019 Drought Contingency Plan. During the two decades that Assigned Water has existed in the Colorado River, we have learned more about both the benefits of these programs and some of the problems with the specific rules through which they have been implemented. A group of Colorado River policy experts, dubbed the Traveling Wilburys of the Colorado River, has published a new paper discussing the advantages and drawbacks of existing Assigned Water programs and providing recommendations for designing a better system for the future, including a potential conservation pool in the Upper Basin. … ” Read more from the University of Colorado at Boulder.
CRS: Responding to Drought in the Colorado River Basin
“The Colorado River Basin covers more than 246,000 square miles in seven U.S. states and Mexico. Basin waters are governed by multiple documents, known collectively as the Law of the River. The Colorado River Compact of 1922 established the framework to apportion water supplies between the river’s Upper and Lower Basins, with each basin allocated 7.5 million acre-feet (MAF) annually; a subsequent agreement also provided for releases to Mexico. The Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) plays a prominent role in basin water management due to the many congressionally authorized projects in the basin.When federal and state governments approved the Colorado River Compact of 1922, it was assumed that river flows would average 16.4 MAF per year. Actual annual flows from 1906 to 2024 were approximately 14.6 MAF and have averaged significantly less (12.4 MAF) since 2000. Demand has exceeded these amounts in most years, and studies project lower flows in the future. … ” Read more from the Congressional Research Service.
Arizona braces for impact as Colorado River water negotiations hang in balance
“Arizona’s water future hangs in the balance as talks continue over how to manage the shrinking Colorado River, which has been depleted by years of drought and the growing impacts of climate change. Brenda Burman, general manager of the Central Arizona Project, has warned that additional water reductions could have serious consequences for the state, placing increased pressure on communities and the agricultural sector.In a statement obtained by ABC15, Burman said, “We’re very disappointed with that document. If any of those alternatives were implemented, it would be very, very difficult and perhaps devastating for Arizona.” Under some of the proposed plans, Arizona could face cuts of up to 57% if drought conditions do not improve. … ” Read more from Hoodline.
Dry winter so far raises early questions about water supplies in the Mountain West
“Cold temperatures have settled over much of the Mountain West this winter, but precipitation has been harder to come by, leaving large parts of the region unusually dry for late January. That’s raising early questions about water supplies across the West, which rely heavily on mountain snow to slowly melt and replenish rivers, reservoirs and groundwater through spring and summer. Federal data shows that snow cover across the West is at a record low for this time of year. In parts of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Idaho, Nevada and Wyoming, snowpacks are holding less than half the water they typically would. … ” Read more from KUNR.
SEE ALSO:
- Can Utah’s snowpack catch up after dismal start to winter?, from Fox 13
- Cox calls for prayer again as Utah’s snowpack nears record low, from KSL
- Can Colorado get back to normal snowpack conditions this winter?, from Sky Hi News
- Colorado ski resorts got some welcome snowfall from Winter Storm Fern, but not enough to turn a dry and warm winter around, from The Conversation
Arizona bill would allow for state-funded cloud seeding efforts
“A new bill at the Legislature could lead to state-funded cloud seeding projects that aim to increase sources for rural water. Cloud seeding is the practice of putting tiny particles, usually salts, into the atmosphere to increase precipitation chances. The practice has offered mixed results, with the U.S. Government Accountability Office issuing a 2024 report noting the benefits of the practice are unproven. The measure from Republican Rep. Gail Griffin would allow the Water Infrastructure Finance Authority to pay for cloud seeding efforts by allowing it to pursue snowpack augmentation as a water resource project. … ” Read more from KJZZ.
Airborne flights map Arizona snowpack in unprecedented detail
“Arizona State University and Salt River Project have announced a new effort to measure Arizona’s snowpack using advanced airborne technology, a first for the state. The project brings together university researchers, utility scientists, and Airborne Snow Observatories, Inc., a company that specializes in mapping snow from aircraft. Snowpack acts as Arizona’s natural water reservoir. Mountain snow slowly melts in spring and early summer, feeding rivers and reservoirs that supply cities, farms, and power generation. Knowing how much water is locked inside that snow is critical, but it has long been difficult to measure accurately in Arizona’s forested and mountainous terrain. … ” Read more from Western Water.
New tool will help manage one of Nevada’s most critical freshwater sources
“The Nature Conservancy in Nevada (TNC in Nevada), DRI, and the University of Wisconsin – Madison (UW-Madison) have developed the Nevada GDE Water Needs Explorer Tool. This new online resource helps land and water managers understand how groundwater supports groundwater-dependent ecosystems (GDEs) and how changes in water levels can affect them. “Groundwater is essential for both Nevada’s ecosystems and communities,” said Laurel Saito, Water Strategy Director for The Nature Conservancy in Nevada. “Understanding how to manage and protect this resource is critical for a sustainable future.” GDEs like meadows, wetlands, rivers, and some forests and shrublands that rely on groundwater to thrive are critical for both nature and people. Yet in Nevada’s arid climate, these ecosystems face mounting pressure from drought, rising temperatures, and water demands for people and nature. When groundwater levels drop, plants, wildlife, and people can lose access to the water they need, which threatens habitats, economic prosperity, and human health. … ” Read more from the Desert Research Institute.
In national water news today …
The EPA wants to eliminate one of the few ways that tribes can protect their water
“Earlier this month, the Environmental Protection Agency announced a proposal to revise the Clean Water Act, specifically a section of the law that regulates water quality and limits states’ and tribes’ authority over federal projects, as well as how tribes can gain the authority to conduct those reviews. Experts say the move would dissolve one of the few tools tribes have to enforce treaty rights and hamper their ability to protect tribal citizens. “What the Trump administration is proposing to modify here is a really important tool for states and tribes, because it gets at their ability to put conditions on or, in extreme cases, block projects that are either proposed by the federal government or under the jurisdiction of the federal government,” said Miles Johnson, legal director at Columbia Riverkeeper, an organization that works on issues affecting the Columbia River. … ” Read more from Grist.
