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On the calendar today …
- WEBINAR: 3D Hydrography Forum for California from 12pm to 1:30pm. Hosted by the California Geographic Information Association (CGIA), this 90-minute forum brings together leaders modernizing California’s surface water mapping. The U.S. Geological Survey’s 3D Hydrography Program (3DHP) is a national initiative to create a modern, high-resolution hydrography dataset that supports water resource management, flood risk analysis, ecological studies, and emergency response. You’ll learn about collaborations between the U.S. Geological Survey, California Department of Water Resources, California State Universities–Chico and Northridge, and the Santa Cruz Mountain Stewardship Network. Whether you’re exploring water data modernization or advancing existing initiatives, you’ll hear directly from the organizations building the tools and partnerships reshaping how California manages its most vital resource. The first hour of presentations will be recorded and shared on the California Geographic Information Association website, followed by 30 minutes of live Q&A. Click here to register.
- WEBINAR: CSU WATER Legislative Webinar Series, Part 3 of 3 from 2pm to 3pm. CSU-WATER, in partnership with the Maddy Institute and the Office of Assemblymember David Tangipa, is hosting a three-part Legislative Webinar Series focused on California water policy, governance, and workforce leadership. This series is designed for individuals interested in water, climate, environmental science, engineering, public policy, and public service. Participants will hear directly from Committee Consultants serving the Assembly Water, Parks & Wildlife Committee, the Senate Natural Resources & Water Committee, and other relevant committees. These individuals play a pivotal role in shaping water legislation — from drafting bill language to conducting analysis and advising elected officials. Webinar details and the full session lineup are included in this flyer. Click here to register.
- MEETING: SAFER Drinking Water Program: Advisory Group Onboarding Meeting from 2pm – 4pm. This meeting will bring together the newly appointed and reappointed SAFER Advisory Group members to discuss items on the following agenda. Items on this agenda are numbered for identification purposes only; the SAFER Advisory Group may consider the items out of the listed order. Agenda includes an overview of the water boards, a SAFER drinking water program, .Water Boards Overview, SAFER Drinking Water Program Overview, SAFER Advisory Group Overview, Collaboration Session, and Public Comment. Click here for the complete agenda and remote access instructions.
In California water news today …
State water officials are faced with a once-in-a-generation chance to save California’s salmon
“Negotiations over how to manage the Delta’s water and fish species hit a boiling point in late January, when hundreds of members of the public, environmental groups, and Tribes pleaded for days on end with California water officials. They demanded that the State Water Resources Control Board go against the wishes of powerful farming districts and mandate that more water flows through the ailing estuary, lest its once prolific chinook salmon, sturgeon, and smelt cross thresholds of extinction. “The soul of California is in your hands,” said East Bay resident Norma Wallace. “We need salmon to survive,” one member of the Klamath River’s Yurok Tribe, with two children at her side, told the board. … The grueling faceoff came during a three-day public hearing hosted by the State Water Board. The sessions focused on the Bay Delta Water Quality Control Plan, the keystone ruleset overseeing management of Delta water and its various beneficial uses. The plan is considered decades overdue for a thorough regulatory update. … ” Read more from Alastair Bland at Maven’s Notebook.
As La Niña is ending, signs of El Niño emerge for California
“La Niña, the seasonal climate pattern that emerged last fall, will likely fade out soon. There is a 60% chance that the current La Niña conditions, which bring a cascade of global weather impacts, will end between February and April, the National Weather Service’s Climate Prediction Center reported on Thursday. This waning La Niña may not have major impacts on California’s weather during the rest of the winter. “Because this is a very weak event at this point, it’s certainly possible that other factors could overwhelm the influence of La Niña in California,” Nathaniel Johnson, a meteorologist for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory, told SFGATE. … ” Read more from SF Gate.
California storms to bury Tahoe under feet of snow. Here’s when – and when not – to travel
“Tahoe was covered by a fresh blanket of snow Wednesday, but that’s just a sneak peak at what’s to come starting Presidents Day. A parade of storms is anticipated to bring 3 to 7 feet of snow to the Sierra Nevada as the atmosphere settles into a pattern favorable for back-to-back-to-back cold systems. It won’t be typical Sierra cement. Temperatures in the teens and 20s will be plenty cold for powdery snow that skiers crave. Tranquil weather is expected Thursday through Sunday afternoon, but the storm door will swing wide open thereafter. “Travel ahead of the system will be optimal, with no impacts expected,” the National Weather Service in Reno said. “Heavy snow moves in Monday, making travel back after the long weekend very difficult.” … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle. | Read via MSN News.
SEE ALSO:
- Palisades Tahoe Is Bracing for 50+ Inches of Snow, from Powder Magazine
- More big storms heading for California, US West starting in mid-February, from AccuWeather
These maps show where California sank the most over the past decade
“Over the past decade, parts of California have plummeted by multiple feet, according to satellite measurements. The San Joaquin Valley saw the biggest drops, with parts of the Tulare Basin sinking more than seven feet between 2015 and 2025. Although the most dramatic declines occurred during drought years, subsidence did not stop when wetter conditions returned: even from 2024 to 2025, sections of the basin sank by as much as five inches. Parts of the San Francisco Bay Area also subsided, though to a lesser degree. For example, spots in the North Bay and along the bay shoreline descended several inches over recent years. The map below shows how California’s landscape changed from June 2015 to October 2025, based on data from the Department of Water Resources. This data doesn’t cover the entire state because it is focused on groundwater basins. There are also data gaps where reliable year-to-year measurements weren’t possible because of land use changes. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
Expert urges action on invasive golden mussels now
“The time to act on golden mussels is yesterday. If not yesterday, then now, an expert on invasive mollusks told attendees at the World Ag Expo in Tulare Wednesday. The Expo continues Thursday. These things are “quagga mussel on steroids” said David Hammond, a senior scientist at Earth Science Labs. He urged irrigation and water district managers at the seminar to enact immediate preventative measures, or their entire conveyance systems would be at risk of being overrun by the tiny, rapidly multiplying mussels. “The fact that they have moved 400 miles in one year is astounding,” Hammond said after the seminar, which he proposed to Ag Expo organizers more than six months ago. “I foresaw this problem being timely for farmers and districts.” … ” Read more from SJV Water.
Edward Ring: Dredging the Delta could unlock millions of acre-feet for California
“The February 12 edition of the AgNet News Hour featured one of the most detailed and solutions-driven conversations of the year as hosts Nick Papagni and Josh McGill welcomed Edward Ring, Director of Energy and Water Policy at the California Policy Center. Broadcasting during the final day of World Ag Expo, the discussion centered on a bold but practical idea: dredging the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta to increase water supply, reduce conflict, and restore environmental balance. Ring argued that California’s water crisis is not simply about scarcity — it’s about management. Since the 1970s, environmental litigation halted large-scale dredging operations in the Delta. Over time, silt accumulation has significantly reduced channel capacity, cutting water throughput from historic levels of roughly 200,000 cubic feet per second down to about 130,000. That reduced flow capacity, Ring explained, forces reservoir operators to release more water for flood control rather than storing it for farms and cities. … ” Read more from Ag Net West.
How CA water management shows tension between tech growth and the environment
“A large data center can consume more water in a day than a city the size of San Luis Obispo, according to a report by the Environmental and Energy Study Institute. The California legislature passed a bill this year that would have required data centers in California to report their water usage on business reports. Governor Gavin Newsom vetoed the bill, AB 93, last year because of the “unprecedented demand for data center capacity” due to artificial intelligence. Newsom seemingly sided with tech innovation, but legislators say a bill like this would have provided more localities with necessary information to protect water sources. “This bill really represents the inflection point between innovation and sustainability,” said Diane Papan, the state assembly member who authored the bill. “I was really trying to reach that balance, especially when you’re talking about a resource like water. You can’t generate more water.” … ” Read more from Mustang News.
The oil industry’s latest disaster: trillions of gallons of buried toxic wastewater
“A cache of government documents dating back nearly a century casts serious doubt on the safety of the oil and gas industry’s most common method for disposing of its annual trillion gallons of toxic wastewater: injecting it deep underground. Despite knowing by the early 1970s that injection wells were at best a makeshift solution, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) never followed its own determination that they should be “a temporary means of disposal,” used only until “a more environmentally acceptable means of disposal [becomes] available.” The documents include scientific research, internal communications, and talks given at a December 1971 industry and government symposium. And they come from multiple federal agencies, including the EPA, the U.S. Department of Energy, and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). … ” Read more from Desmog.
2025 Adaptive Management Forum Summary
“The Delta Science Program hosts the Adaptive Management Forum every two years to promote dialogue and information exchange related to adaptive management in California’s Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. The 2025 Forum, held October 14-15, brought together more than 160 participants representing a range of sectors, and new resources from this event are now available. … ” Read more from the Delta Science Program.
Senator Seyarto introduces legislation to increase oversight of state boards and commissions
“Senator Kelly Seyarto (R-Murrieta) has introduced SB 986, a bill that would require the Legislature to vote to approve major regulations adopted by state boards, commissions, and agencies before they can take effect. Under current law, state agencies may adopt regulations to implement or interpret statutes they administer, often in response to new legislation, court decisions, or changing interpretations of existing law, and those regulations can take effect without a vote of the Legislature.
Over time, regulations have expanded in scope and complexity and now play a significant role in shaping statewide policies across broad economic sectors that impact all Californians, including energy, transportation, housing, and consumer products. Major Regulations issued by agencies such as the California Air Resources Board (CARB), the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), and the California Energy Commission (CEC) affect vehicle standards, electricity and energy programs, utility rates, and much more. … ” Read more from Senate Seyarto.
In commentary today …
Governor Newsom: Turn up the Delta pumps!
Edward Ring writes, “When it comes to the water supply in California for cities and farms, nothing matters more than how we manage the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. As of 2/09 we were 132 days into the 2025-26 rainfall season which began on 10/01/2025. That’s enough time to get an idea of how delta management is shaping up this year. During the last four months, 1.5 million acre feet (MAF) were pumped out of the delta and into California’s major southbound aqueducts, while another 7.1 MAF flowed into the San Francisco Bay. Aqueduct withdrawals equaled 18 percent of the available water. Of this, the state-owned pumps that supply the California Aqueduct moved 796,000 acre feet which is 30 percent of their pumping capacity. The federally-owned pumps withdrew an additional 738,000 acre feet, which is 66 percent of their capacity. When deciding how much water to pump during high winter flows, the governing concern is how additional pumping may affect the delta’s environment. There’s a lot at stake. … ” Continue reading from Edward Ring.
DWR’s selective conflict: it applies in court, but not before the agencies
Deirdre Des Jardins writes, “On Monday, February 9, 2026, Administrative Hearing Officer Nicole Kuenzi denied Somach Simmons & Dunn’s motion to stay the Delta Conveyance Project water rights hearing pending resolution of DWR’s disqualification motion in Sacramento Superior Court. The hearing will continue as scheduled, with most of the protestants’ rebuttal case likely to conclude before the March 20 court hearing on DWR’s motion. But the more revealing development came from DWR itself. In a February 10 email to the Delta Stewardship Council opposing a similar stay request, DWR Staff Counsel Chris Butcher confirmed what many suspected: DWR’s conflict claim is selective. … ” Read more from California Water Research.
RELATED: DELTA CONVEYANCE PROJECT: Procedural ruling on motion to stay, new hearing dates scheduled
Large scale desalination belongs in California’s water strategy
Edward Ring writes, “In debates over water policy in California, a common argument is that if only we managed the systems we’ve already got, there would be plenty of water for everyone. Agricultural and urban use would not have to be rationed, taxpayers and ratepayers would not have to be unnecessarily burdened, and we wouldn’t have to wait years (ok, decades) for new water projects to navigate the gauntlet of bureaucracy and litigation. This is a compelling argument, and perhaps we should just let the delta pumps run a bit more while engaging in ultra cost-effective projects, such as dredging the delta and constructing innovative new ways to safely withdraw millions of acre feet from the delta during winter storms. But if Californians want to achieve permanent water abundance, how we manage the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta should not be our only option, but instead be the centerpiece in a much broader vision. … ” Read more from Edward Ring.
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
Environmental groups target federal protections for South Eel River watershed
“This week, California Trout, Trout Unlimited and CalWild announced that they would be working in partnership with the the North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board (North Coast Water Board) to designate Cedar Creek and Elder Creek — two tributaries of the South Fork Eel River watershed — Outstanding National Resource Waters. The ONRW designation, a federal status established by the Clean Water Act, is “one of the strongest legal mechanisms available to protect water quality,” according to a joint news release issued Monday morning. ONRW designations “prohibit any actions that would permanently degrade the existing water quality, while allowing short-term impacts from activities such as restoration and fuels reduction projects, road repair or fire suppression.” … ” Read more from the Eureka Times-Standard.
Ahead of Potter Valley Project shutdown, water commission weighs storage options
“The Mendocino County Inland Water and Power Commission will meet Thursday to discuss water storage options as the county prepares for PG&E’s plan to shutter the Potter Valley Project. The meeting will be at 5 p.m. Thursday at the Mendocino County Administration Center in Ukiah. Community members can attend in person or by using a Zoom link, which will be available in the commission’s agenda packet. The Inland Water and Power Commission is a joint powers authority that works to protect the Russian and Eel river watersheds and ensure Mendocino County’s water sources are safeguarded. The board is working to find solutions, such as creating water storage, once the Potter Valley Project is decommissioned. … ” Read more from Local News Matters.
Water storage options to be discussed at IWPC meeting Thursday
“Potential options for storing water if and when the dams serving the Potter Valley Project are eventually removed will be discussed Thursday by the Mendocino County Inland Water and Power Commission, the board which First District Mendocino County Supervisor Madeline Cline still sits on despite reservations expressed last week by a fellow supervisor. “In November, the (Mendocino County Board of Supervisors) passed a resolution in support of the IWPC, the board working to secure water supply for the region after the planned removal of the Potter Valley Project and its dams,” said Third District Supervisor John Haschak Feb. 3 when introducing an agenda item that he sponsored, which called for reconsidering having Cline represent her fellow supervisors on the IWPC board. … ” Read more from the Ukiah Daily Journal.
SIERRA NEVADA
Lake Tahoe bridge with cheeky nickname reopens after $10 million replacement
“A Lake Tahoe landmark celebrated for how it encourages people to stop and lean over its railing to admire the water below reopened Tuesday after a full replacement that lasted several months. Fanny Bridge, a historic crossing over the Truckee River, is open again to vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists in Tahoe City. Part of Highway 89 at the southwestern edge of town, Fanny Bridge spans over Lake Tahoe’s only outlet via West Lake Boulevard. It was originally built during the end of the roaring twenties, between 1928 and 1929, and is across from the Lake Tahoe Dam. The bridge earned its nickname for how people’s bottoms, or “fannies,” often stick out as they peer over the railing to look at the water. Over the years, Fanny Bridge became an icon, but after nearly a century of use, local agencies determined it was time to replace the bridge since it no longer met updated structural and safety standards. … ” Read more from SF Gate.
SEE ALSO: $10.6 million makeover results in historic Fanny Bridge reopening in Tahoe City, from Fox 40
Washoe Tribe buys 10,000 acres in one of California’s largest ever land returns
“The Washoe Tribe has purchased more than 10,000 acres of land near Lake Tahoe for conservation in one of the largest tribal land returns in California history. The sprawling property, located 20 miles north of Reno, Nevada, stretches from the Great Basin through the Sierra Nevada and encompasses sagebrush scrublands and juniper and pine forests. It marks a key development for the tribe, which was forcibly removed from its lands and saw its individual allotments stolen, said the tribe’s chairperson, Serrell Smokey. “We were told we could no longer use the land for resources or ceremony. Since that time, the land has been calling us back, and we are answering that call,” Smokey said in a statement. “This land purchase is good medicine for our people. This is a small start to healing from generations of historical trauma, and the benefits will go on for many generations to come.” … ” Read more from The Guardian.
SEE ALSO: One of California’s largest ‘land-back’ deals hands huge area near Tahoe to tribe, from the San Francisco Chronicle
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
Northern California winter storm to bring rain, snow on Presidents Day
“A winter storm that dropped roughly half an inch of rain on Redding this week will clear on Thursday, forecasters said, but another storm will bring more rain and some snow over the Presidents Day holiday. Motorists should watch for slick roads in the valley and icy conditions in the mountains, including on Interstate 5 north of Shasta Lake, the National Weather Service said. The good news is February’s cool wet weather is helping replenish Lake Shasta reservoir after its water level dropped several feet during mostly-dry January. The coming storm could drop a few feet of snow on Mt. Shasta Ski Park, triggering its reopening over the Presidents Day holiday or week-long winter recess for schools. … ” Read more from the Redding Record Searchlight.
Film tells story of levee break that changed Yuba County
“In advance of the 40th anniversary of the 1986 flood in south Yuba County, the Yuba Water Agency Wednesday night debuted a new documentary it produced about the events leading up to, and following the Feb. 20 collapse of a section of Yuba River levee on the south bank above Linda. A full house at the Lee Burrows Center for the Arts watched the 23-minute movie, which contained still and moving images of the flooding with narration by members of the community who experienced the flood first hand. … ” Read more from the Appeal Democrat.
BAY AREA
Onslaught of storms is headed to California — with chance of snow in Bay Area
“One storm down, many more to come. An onslaught of storms is expected to lash California beginning Sunday, continuing through Presidents Day week. Before the storm parade begins, though, there will be a few days of dry weather. Isolated showers in the Bay Area on Thursday morning will give way to a mix of sun and clouds in the afternoon. It’ll remain dry through Saturday, with high temperatures right around seasonal norms, in the upper 50s to low 60s. While skies will calm, seas will not. The National Weather Service warns of an increased risk of rip currents and sneaker waves Thursday evening through late Friday night. Sunday will mark the return of rain and wind as the next storm approaches the California coast. Wet weather will stick around for a while, with at least a chance of showers in the forecast every day for the following week. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
A luxury Bay Area neighborhood’s $2 million pond problem — and the endangered frog behind it
“The pond at a Blackhawk golf course wasn’t always a mess. Eight years ago, water cascaded out of a waterfall into the pond, a pristine feature of the posh Tri-Valley neighborhood where homes routinely sell for several million dollars. Today, the pond water sits stagnant and murky green. Algae blankets the surface. Mosquitoes swarm above it. And residents like Laurie Cindric, who drives past it multiple times a day, can’t stop noticing. “It’s been frustrating, it’s an eyesore,” Cindric said. “The condition just continues to deteriorate with storms.” Fixing the situation has proved elusive and wildly complex. The Blackhawk Country Club, which oversees the pond, has barely touched it since 2019, when a worker noticed a red-legged frog, a federally protected endangered species, living in the water. That discovery froze any plans to dredge, treat or restore what residents considered a neighborhood amenity. Some believe the neglected pond has dragged down their property values. Now, there’s movement to finally get the project moving, but it could cost at least $2 million. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
Take me out for a trawl day
“The safety briefing on the research vessel Lonsme takes 30 seconds, because all this 23-foot boat contains is a steering console and a frame at the stern that’s used to tow a net. Keeping safe onboard boils down to not getting in the way. “Oh, and don’t trip on that hose,” says Jim Hobbs, captain, researcher, co-principal investigator, and founder of the Otolith Geochemistry and Fish Ecology Lab at UC Davis. He’s the veteran of more hours on this boat, which he designed, than he may care to count. Hobbs has spent 15 years steering the Lonsme, or its predecessor, through Bay waters, collecting and cataloguing whatever its trawl net catches. These are waters troubled by invasives, warmed by climate change—and the target of millions of dollars of restoration work, which requires monitoring. “You know what they say,” Hobbs tells me. “Don’t begin a long-term monitoring program. Don’t end one. And don’t ever change it once you’ve started!” But he’s breaking that rule. … ” Read more from Bay Nature.
EBMUD undertakes Carter and Arroyo Reservoir Improvement Project
“East Bay Municipal Utility District has begun the Carter and Arroyo Reservoir Improvement Project with the intention of enhancing water quality, renewing aging infrastructure, and improving operational flexibility and resiliency for the Carter Pressure Zone located at the end of Alta Mesa Drive in Moraga. The project also includes replacing the Town’s existing Arroyo Reservoir with two new tanks located at the end of Shannon Court. … ” Read more from the LaMorinda Weekly.
CENTRAL COAST
Santa Cruz County secures $13 million for flood protection upgrades
“Santa Cruz County has received a $13 million community block grant from the state to fund crucial flood protection upgrades in Pajaro Valley, an area historically prone to flooding, to improve safety during major storms. Santa Cruz County Supervisor Felipe Hernandez said, “It’s a grant program that’s focused on disaster relief. And so the urgent need for disaster relief was right here in South County.” The funding will support three major projects: flood repairs to Paulson Road in Watsonville, repairs to the flood wall along the Pajaro River, and a culvert replacement program countywide. … ” Read more from KSBW.
Draft study outlines PFAS water solutions near SLO County Airport
“A newly released draft feasibility study lays out possible long-term drinking water solutions for residents whose private wells were contaminated with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) near the San Luis Obispo County Regional Airport. In 2019, dozens of private wells in the Buckley Road area tested above California’s safety limits for PFAS, also known as “forever chemicals.” The synthetic chemicals have been associated with cancer and other health risks. According to the Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board, the Buckley Road contamination is linked to firefighting foam used for training at the airport. … ” Read more from KCBX.
San Luis Obispo County launches voluntary land fallowing program to protect Paso Robles Groundwater Basin
“The San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors recently approved a new voluntary program aimed at reducing groundwater use in the Paso Robles Groundwater Basin, giving local farmers a tool to help balance the region’s water supply. “Recent challenges in the ag economy, especially in the wine industry, have many grape growers interested in reducing the acreage of their vineyards,” Supervisor Bruce Gibson wrote in a newsletter. “Whether the vines are removed or simply not watered, ‘fallowing’ will reduce the pumping of irrigation water.” On Feb. 3, the Board of Supervisors approved the voluntary fallowing program through a new registry, officially called the Multi-Benefit Irrigated Land Repurposing Program. Landowners who enroll in the registry can designate portions of their land to be fallowed, meaning temporarily taken out of irrigation. … ” Read more from New Times SLO.
Help is on the way for Cuyama Valley’s embattled small farmers
“Dozens of subsistence farmers and ranchers in the Cuyama Valley, enmeshed in a water rights lawsuit that was filed against them by the world’s largest carrot corporations, got some welcome news this month. The presiding judge, William F. Highberger of the Los Angeles Superior Court, has issued a tentative order that would “excuse” 115 valley landowners from the four-year-old case, also called a water rights “adjudication,” because of their low water use. Many of these defendants are barely eking out a living in the vast, dry agricultural region east of Santa Maria. Some own small commercial vineyards, vegetable farms or herds of cattle. Others pump only enough water to meet their household needs. Some families go back generations in the valley. … ” Read more from the Santa Maria Times.
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
Three years after devastating floods, Planada residents still inching toward “normal”
“The story in Planada remains in the frustrating phase of “two steps forward, one step back” three years after many of the small farmtown’s homes and businesses were flooded out when Miles Creek busted its banks. Residents are starting to see progress with homes being rebuilt. But even with millions of extra state and federal dollars and widespread attention, the process has been slow, cumbersome and confusing. Liza Espinoza, who has been a vocal advocate following the flood, was grateful to be out of the Merced hotel she shared with her family for months. But the workmanship at her repaired home has been shoddy, especially electrical work that has left the family unable to use the microwave and washing machine at the same time. … ” Read more from SJV Water.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Does all this rain mean we’re in for a wildflower superbloom? We asked an expert
“This on-and-off rain is looking like good news … for wildflower lovers. We talked to Katie Tilford, our go-to wildflowers expert at the Theodore Payne Foundation here in L.A., which is dedicated to native plants and wildflowers in Southern California. And she is holding out hope the rains this week and next will be just what we need to see California poppies and more bloom big in the upcoming weeks. “A little more rain would be nice,” she said, “Then I think we’ll have a really good bloom this year. Either way, I think there’s going to be some flowers for sure … but a little more rain would really just kick things up a notch.” … ” Read more from the LAist.
L.A. beaches could be managed by the federal government
“While most environmental exchanges between California and the federal government these days are adversarial, one process has been quietly underway for two decades and is just now ripening: an examination of whether the federal government should manage Los Angeles County coastal areas. The National Park Service held a first public meeting Wednesday to help determine whether most of the county coastline should be part of a “park unit.” There are 28 park units in California, including the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, Channel Islands National Park and Yosemite. Management is flexible. It can mean ownership with management, management only or co-management with a nonprofit. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
Commentary: Lawmakers should safeguard Mojave water and environment
Mary Martin, retired Superintendent of the Mojave National Preserve and Lassen Volcanic National Park, writes, “If you’re a company trying to sell water in the American Southwest, you know it’s been a bad year when it starts with the California State Controller calling your project a risk to taxpayers and ends with an Arizona agency refusing to fund your project. And that’s exactly what happened to Cadiz, Inc., a Los Angeles based corporation that for 30 years has been targeting a Mojave Desert aquifer for pumping and profit. But despite repeated failures to secure permits and funding, the company continues to threaten desert parks and monuments with its project. I know this threat well, having spent my entire career in the National Park Service and over a decade of that protecting our desert. If the Cadiz corporation and their big international investors have their way, 50,000 acre-feet (16 billion gallons) of groundwater would be pumped each year and exported for sale, desecrating our public lands in the process. … ” Read more from Capitol Weekly.
IMPERIAL/COACHELLA VALLEYS
City of Imperial’s data center lawsuit hits setback as court rejects amended complaint
“Per a Feb. 10 press release, at a hearing held Tuesday, the Superior Court of California, County of Imperial ruled that the City of Imperial’s amended legal challenge to the Imperial Valley data center project does not, as currently pleaded, state a legally sufficient cause of action. By way of background, in early September, Imperial County determined that the data center project, located on industrially zoned land, was permitted by right under the county’s zoning code. In early November, the county approved a ministerial grading permit and issued a notice determining the project was exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). … ” Read more from the Desert Review.
SAN DIEGO
Pipeline rupture sends 36,000 gallons of wastewater near Tijuana River
“A pipeline carrying wastewater from Tijuana to a San Diego treatment plant ruptured Tuesday morning, sending 36,000 gallons through Stewart’s Drain just south of San Ysidro next to the border. The U.S. International Boundary and Water Commission said the rupture occurred at approximately 5 a.m. on February 10 at a pipeline bypassing Junction Box 1. Officials deployed portable pumps and water vacuum trucks to capture the wastewater before it could reach the Tijuana River channel. … ” Read more from Channel 10.
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 …
Three days left: Arizona faces deeper Colorado River cuts as federal deadline looms
“Arizona and six other southwestern states have just three days to reach an agreement on sharing Colorado River water, or risk the federal government stepping in with its own plan. The current rules for distributing Colorado River water expire at the end of this year, leaving millions of people across the Southwest in uncertainty about their water future. Despite ongoing negotiations, the seven basin states have yet to agree on how to divide the increasingly scarce resource. The Department of the Interior released some potential plans in January, many of which lay out deep cuts to Arizona. … ” Read more from ABC 15.
Less federal pressure, worsening drought, and more interstate tension loom over Colorado River talks
“The Colorado River Basin is in crisis. Climate change is reducing its flow and its biggest reservoirs are shrinking. The seven U.S. states that use the river are negotiating cutbacks to their water use. The Upper Basin states of Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, and New Mexico are deadlocked with the Lower Basin states of California, Arizona, and Nevada. But the federal government has a big stake in the negotiations, too. It oversees and operates some of the most critical infrastructure on the river, including dams that create its biggest reservoirs. Dwindling water levels hurt its ability to generate and sell hydropower. Lower flows degrade the federally-managed national parks the river flows through. Diminishing supplies threaten the viability of the river’s core legal document, the Colorado River Compact. With all of those layered interests, it’s led some to ask: Why aren’t federal officials applying more pressure to get a deal finalized? … ” Read more from Aspen Public Radio.
Governor, ADWR director and CAP GM brief Arizona water leaders on Colorado River negotiations as federal deadline draws near
“With the February 14 deadline for a conclusion of Colorado River negotiations fast approaching, ADWR Director Tom Buschatzke and Central Arizona Project General Manager Brenda Burman on February 2 briefed a statewide coalition of water leaders on progress. Director Buschatzke described for the members of the Arizona Reconsultation Committee (ARC) the recent meeting with Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and Colorado River Basin Governors, including Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs. Governor Hobbs told the ARC members that ‘the Colorado River is everything to Arizona.’ It allows us to grow the nation’s winter produce and some of the country’s most high-value agriculture. It runs through the taps in millions of homes. It is sacred to 22 of the 30 Basin tribes that live in Arizona. It generates hydropower that we rely on from both Glen Canyon and Hoover Dams. … ” Read more from Arizona DWR.
Colorado River decisions will shape the future of fish, wildlife, and the Southwest
“In early January, the Department of the Interior and the Bureau of Reclamation released a Draft Environmental Impact Statement outlining post-2026 operations for the Colorado River. The Draft EIS includes a range of alternative approaches that will shape future water management decisions with major implications for fish, wildlife, hunting, fishing, and outdoor recreation across the Basin. The Draft EIS announcement comes at a time of greater uncertainty regarding the Colorado River’s trajectory as Basin states and federal partners continue working to define a long-term management framework that provides stability for water users while safeguarding the Colorado River for current and future generations. The Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership has long been engaged in Colorado River Basin issues and works to advance durable, science-based solutions that sustain fish and wildlife, as well as the hunting and fishing opportunities that depend on healthy rivers. … ” Read more from the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership.
SEE ALSO:
- The Colorado River might get a short-term fix. Is that good enough?, from Colorado Public Radio
- Feds Unveil “Post-2026” Blueprint to Avert Colorado River Collapse, from the Lake Powell Chronicle
- Misunderstandings on the Colorado River, from Ken Neubecker
Lake Powell and Lake Mead are moving in opposite directions – What gives?
“In mid-September 2025, we noted that if the 2026 snowmelt was as little as in 2025, the total realistically accessible combined storage in Lake Mead and Lake Powell reservoirs (hereafter referred to as Powell+Mead) would likely fall to less than 4 million acre-feet (af) by early autumn 2026, less than the 21st century minimum of March 2023. At the mid-point of winter 2025-2026, where do we stand? Despite the bad news associated with this winter’s meager Rocky Mountain snowpack and the prospect of insignificant spring inflow to Lake Powell, unusually large autumn rainfall, alongside involuntary shortages and compensated system conservation efforts, reduced the need for deliveries to Lower Basin users, resulting in a significant increase in storage in Lake Mead that matched the drawdown of Lake Powell. As a result, total combined storage In Powell+Mead did not change in October, November, December, and January. This is a helpful and important outcome. … ” Read more from Utah State University.
All of the reasons Colorado’s horrible snowpack is so problematic
“Biologist David Inouye spent part of his Tuesday afternoon harvesting artichokes from his garden in the 1,400-person town of Paonia in western Colorado. “It’s been so warm and dry here that my garden’s ready to plant,” Inouye said. “I was actually thinking about maybe planting some spinach or peas this week.” Even with current snowstorms, Colorado’s snowpack this year is, frankly, horrible. The entire state has been in a snow drought with a record-low snowpack. The signs are everywhere: Skiers see it when they hit the slopes. Water providers keep an eye on their reservoir levels and talk about summer watering restrictions. Wildland fire experts gauge fire risk this summer and push people to remove flammable brush from their properties. … ” Read more from the Colorado Sun.
Colorado’s state climatologist explains what needs to happen in the next few months to build up snowpack
“Denver Water says snowpack as of Monday was near record lows. The Colorado River Basin within Denver Water’s collection system was at 55% of normal. The South Platte River Basin was 42% of normal. “In Denver Water’s decades of records for its watershed collection areas, as of Feb. 9, the Colorado River snowpack ranked among the worst, and the South Platte River snowpack ranked the worst,” a Denver Water statement reads. For some context, Denver7 talked to State Climatologist Russ Schumacher, who said the lack of snow is the worst we have had in over 40 years. He also said it’s Colorado, so you can never rule anything out. March and April tend to be our snowiest months. … ” Read more from Channel 7.
Why low snowpack levels across the Mountain West are raising alarms for Southern Nevada water supply
“Record-low snowpack across the western United States is raising serious concerns for the Colorado River and the 40 million people who depend on its water, including residents of Southern Nevada. The Upper Colorado, where Lake Mead’s water originates, sits at just 54% of average levels. Southern regions are faring even worse, with the Lower Colorado at only 24% of average snowpack. The lack of precipitation coincides with unusually warm weather patterns. Las Vegas experienced its fifth warmest January on record and started February with nine consecutive days of highs in the 70s from Feb. 1 through Feb. 9. Since Dec. 1, more than 8,000 daily high temperature records have been broken or tied across the West, creating challenging conditions for water storage. … ” Read more from Channel 13.
SEE ALSO: Snowpack has not improved in Nevada or the West, from the Nevada Current
Locals talk trees, grass and water amid ongoing SNWA turf lawsuit
“In the Las Vegas Valley, both shade and water are critical resources — and a new lawsuit is bringing to light how one is sometimes sacrificed for the other in our desert community. A lawsuit against the Southern Nevada Water Authority centers on grass removal practices that critics say lead to widespread tree damage. “They are not doing it well. The human toll, the environmental toll, and ultimately the economic toll on this valley is huge. And the economic toll, I spoke of in what I submitted as testimonial in the case currently being adjudicated,” Norm Schilling told Channel 13. Schilling, longtime Las Vegas horticulturalist and owner of Mojave Bloom Nursery, is named in the complaint as an expert voice. … ” Read more from Channel 13.
Colorado River cuts could increase Arizona utilities’ costs — and affect their credit ratings
“The seven Colorado River basin states have less than a week until a deadline to put forward a plan for how to divide up water in the over-allocated river. And the ongoing negotiations — and lack of a resolution — have impacts beyond those states and their residents who rely on the water. Water utilities are being mindful of their credit ratings — they help determine the interest rates they get when they borrow money to build new projects or pay for other needs. Fitch Ratings has a portfolio of water and sewer utilities nationwide, including in Arizona. According to a recent report, cuts to the Colorado River could increase those utilities’ costs. Shannon Groff is a director at Fitch in the U.S. Public Finance Group in the Water and Sewer Sector — she focuses on the Western region, and rates utilities like the Central Arizona Water Conservation District, Tucson Water, Glendale Water and Gilbert Water. She joined The Show to talk more about this.” Read the transcript or listen to show at KJZZ.
Pinal County stirs up a storm with ‘cheap rain’ cloud seeding gamble
“Pinal County tried to squeeze more rain out of this past summer’s monsoon with an experimental cloud seeding program, and officials say they managed to coax a little extra water into the ground. But the math, the messaging, and the late release of key documents have sparked fresh questions from lawmakers, tribal leaders, and neighbors about what exactly was done and whether the county should scale it up. County water officials say the pilot ran from July through September 2025 and involved roughly 30 cloud seeding flights over parts of the Pinal Active Management Area. According to KJZZ, the Pinal County Water Augmentation Authority hired outside pilots, logged the runs, and posted monthly flight reports and logs on its website and operations files. … ” Read more from Hoodline.
In national water news today …
Detailed map reveals groundwater levels across the U.S.
“How much fresh water is in the United States? It’s a tough question, since most of the water is underground, accessible at varying depths. In previous decades, it’s been answered indirectly from data on rainfall and evaporation. Knowing how much groundwater is available at specific locations is critical to meeting the challenges of water scarcity and contamination. Now, researchers at Princeton University and the University of Arizona have answered this question in unprecedented breadth and detail. Combining direct measurements with artificial intelligence methods, their new map estimates groundwater depth across the continental United States at a resolution of around 30 meters (98 feet). … ” Read more from the High Meadows Environmental Institute.
SEE ALSO: New maps show why some land slowly sinks over time, from MSN News
Federal bill inspired by river district, state programs
“Bipartisan congressional legislation to help entities pursue federal water funding is modeled after similar Colorado initiatives, including one spearheaded by the Colorado River District through its now-5-year-old, voter-funded Community Funding Partnership Program. U.S. Sens. John Hickenlooper, D-Colo., and Jerry Moran, R-Kansas, and U.S. Reps. Brittany Pettersen, D-Jefferson County, and Juan Ciscomani, R-Ariz., reintroduced the bipartisan Water Project Navigators Act. It would create a Bureau of Reclamation program to fund grant navigators who would help states, tribes and rural communities secure funding for projects that improve water efficiency, reduce water consumption and enhance ecosystem resilience, according to a news release from Hickenlooper’s office. … ” Read more from the Grand Junction Sentinel.
Trump’s EPAa rollbacks will reverberate for ‘decades’
“US President Donald Trump is shrinking the Environmental Protection Agency more quickly and aggressively than ever before, culminating in this week’s move to rescind the crucial “endangerment finding” underpinning key regulations of planet-warming pollution. And unlike Trump’s first term, the latest changes may be harder to reverse and result in long-lasting impacts on public health and the economy. Over the past year, the EPA has surpassed the staff and program cuts made during a similar period last time. It has also launched more pollution control rollbacks, with EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin proudly boasting about “the greatest day of deregulation our nation has seen.” … ” Read more from Bloomberg.
SEE ALSO: Climate leaders condemn Trump EPA’s biggest rollback yet: ‘This is corruption’, from The Guardian
Scientists see growing risk of ‘hothouse earth’ as warming gains pace
“Warming is accelerating, threatening a cascade of tipping points that destabilize the climate. In a new paper, scientists say the risk of “hothouse Earth” is greater than once believed. “After a million years of oscillating between ice ages separated by warmer periods, the Earth’s climate stabilized more than 11,000 years ago, enabling agriculture and complex societies,” said William Ripple of Oregon State University, lead author of the paper. “We’re now moving away from that stability and could be entering a period of unprecedented climate change.” A decade ago, countries set forth in the Paris Agreement a target of capping warming at 1.5 degrees Celsius. Earth is now likely breaching that threshold. The world has not officially surpassed the Paris target, which will be judged according to the average temperature over 20 years, but the average temperature over the last three years exceeded 1.5 degrees. … ” Read more from Yale e360.
