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On the calendar today …
- MEETING: State Water Resources Control Board beginning at 9am. Agenda items include Consideration of a proposed Resolution for the approval, authorization and direction of certain actions including the execution of certain documents related to the administration and funding of the Clean Water State Revolving Fund. Click here for the complete agenda.
- MEETING: Delta Independent Science Board from 9am to 12:30pm. Agenda items include the Delta Lead Scientist report and Discussion and Potential Action: Draft 2026 Delta Science Plan. Click here for the complete agenda.
- MEETING: California Water Commission beginning at 9:30am. Agenda items include California Water Plan Update (Senate Bill 72); Water Storage Investment Program: Review of the Commission’s Ex-Parte Communication Policy; Water Storage Investment Program: Harvest Water Program Update; Water Storage Investment Program: Sites Project Update; and State Water Project Briefing: Guided by Science. Click here for the agenda and remote access information.
- GRA BAY AREA (Berkeley): Vertical Hydraulic Gradients as Key Calibration Constraints In Regional Groundwater Models from 6pm to 7pm in Berkeley. In clastic sedimentary aquifer systems, interbedded coarse- and fine-grained deposits restrict vertical flow and promote horizontal flow—a condition commonly expressed as strong vertical anisotropy. In regional groundwater models, this behavior is often underestimated, leading to overestimated vertical aquifer communication. A key reason is the heavy reliance on vertically insensitive calibration targets, such as distributed groundwater level observations. As a result, models may appear well calibrated while misrepresenting important processes, including surface–groundwater exchange, subsidence, boundary flows, and solute transport. This talk uses California’s Sacramento Valley (19,800 km²) to demonstrate the value of observed vertical hydraulic gradients (VGs—the vertical component of the hydraulic gradient) as calibration constraints. The speaker is Dr. Yara Pasner. Click here for more information and to register.
In California water news today …
Feet of snow to bury California mountains through next week
“Widespread rounds of mountain snow in California will continue through Thursday night, with additional pass closures. As yet more storms roll in from the Pacific, they will focus on the mountains of Northern California and expand over Oregon and Washington through nearly the end of February. A long train of storms stretches across much of the North Pacific. “When this pattern finally wraps up late next week, parts of the Sierra Nevada will end up with 12-16 feet of snow,” AccuWeather Chief On-Air Meteorologist Bernie Rayno said. … ” Read more from AccuWeather.
Here’s how much snow the Sierra got this weekend — and how much is on the way
“A major storm blanketed Sierra peaks in feet of snow over Presidents Day weekend. And even more is on the way, with two to four more feet due by Wednesday morning, according to Chronicle meteorologists. This map shows snowfall totals across California over the past two days, according to estimates published Tuesday morning from the National Operational Hydrologic Remote Sensing Center. Ski resorts also reported big snowfall totals. Sugar Bowl Resort, in the Lake Tahoe area, tallied 33 inches of snow over the past 48 hours, according to data from the National Weather Service Sacramento office. Palisades Tahoe reported 18 inches of new snow at the base Tuesday morning and 29 inches on the upper mountain. Sierra-at-Tahoe logged 26 inches of snowfall at the summit over the past 24 hours, and Heavenly received 10 inches of new snow. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
Hundreds of young Chinook salmon found dead in Yuba River. What happened?
“Hundreds, and possibly thousands, of juvenile Chinook salmon were found dead in the lower Yuba River after a large water pipe burst at the New Colgate Powerhouse on Friday, according to a local conservation group. Aaron Zettler-Mann, executive director of South Yuba River Citizens League, explained that flows on the lower Yuba River briefly fell following the rupture, stranding young salmon in the rocks along the shore. “You work so hard and you spend so much time and energy and resources trying to bring these species back, and then there’s a terrible accident. It’s hard not to feel like a little bit of that hard work is undone,” Zettler-Mann said. DeDe Cordell, a spokesperson for Yuba Water Agency, told The Sacramento Bee the agency is aware of reports of dead salmon in the lower Yuba and are working with California Department of Fish and Wildlife and South Yuba River Citizens League “to assess the impact of the incident on conditions in the lower Yuba River, including fish mortality.” … ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee.
Yuba Water’s grant program limited after penstock failure
” The Yuba Water Agency, which has provided critical funding for levee improvements, water supply projects, and wastewater treatment facilities in Yuba County, will likely be scaling back a community grant and loan program as the result of the penstock pipe failure Friday that has compromised its ability to generate millions of dollars in hydroelectric power revenue. Even though they’ve not yet been able to enter the New Colgate Power Plant on the Yuba River east of Marysville that was swamped by water, mud, and debris, water agency officials know it will be some matter of months before the plant will again generate power. “The complexion of this agency will change,” Yuba Water Agency General Manager Willie Whittlesey told the agency’s board of directors Tuesday. “Our financial position will be impacted by this. Very likely external community grants will be impacted by this.” … ” Read more from the Appeal-Democrat.
SEE ALSO: Yuba Water Agency provides update on recent penstock rupture, from YubaNet
Soil health meets recharge: Lessons from the field
“As the afternoon sun burned the dense tule fog off the valley floor, a group of growers, water managers, researchers, and curious minds gathered at a Valov Brothers Farm pistachio orchard block in Tulare County. Water pulsed from a pump and spread across the orchard floor as the attendees discussed a shared question: how can we replenish groundwater resources while improving water quality? The field day brought together partners participating in a pilot research study designed to explore this question. The project examines how soil health practices like cover crops influence the impacts of on-farm recharge on conditions like nitrate leaching and water infiltration. By setting up side-by-side experiments, the project aims to generate data that growers, agencies, and researchers can use to better inform scaling recharge across the Valley. … ” Read more from Sustainable Conservation.
Grape glut lessens as growers scrap vines
“A global downturn in wine consumption in recent years left California with a persistent oversupply of grapes. However, while wine sales continued to decline last year, the recent widespread removal of vineyards could help the market reach equilibrium in the near future, according to experts. California’s grape-growing regions saw “an explosion” of vineyard removals during the past two years, Jeff Bitter, president of the grower-owned marketing group Allied Grape Growers, said last month at the Unified Wine and Grape Symposium in Sacramento. Between October 2024 and August 2025, winegrape growers removed more than 38,000 acres across California, roughly 7% of the state’s acreage, leaving about 477,000 acres, according to a report commissioned by the California Association of Winegrape Growers. Experts projected there will be future demand for around 410,000 acres of winegrapes in the state. … ” Read more from Ag Alert.
Tricolored blackbird conservation funding threatened
“The Natural Resources Conservation Service announced last week that the draft list of payment scenarios for the tricolored blackbird Regional Conservation Partnership Program omits silage delay as an option for program participants this year. Delaying harvest of silage crops is the primary scenario used to compensate landowners impacted by nesting tricolored blackbirds, typically providing payments ranging from $700 to $1,100 per acre. The closest remaining option on the draft list is “delayed mowing on hay fields,” which provides $200 per acre. According to California Farm Bureau staff, which has been monitoring the program, the decision to omit silage delay was made at the federal level within NRCS, while the state continues its efforts to advocate for the scenario’s inclusion. “The omission of silage delay as a payment scenario for the 2026 season would significantly hinder the ability to effectively protect tricolored blackbird colonies and to sustain strong partnerships with agricultural producers who voluntarily participate in the program,” said Richard Filgas, assistant director of policy advocacy for the California Farm Bureau. … ” Read more from Ag Alert.
Rep. Josh Harder urges Army Corps of Engineers to deny permits for embattled Delta Tunnel project
“As the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers considers making a decision on the embattled Delta Tunnel, Democratic Rep. Josh Harder (CA-09) called on the federal agency to deny the federal permits required for the project to be completed. The potential approval comes for the Delta Conveyance Project at a time when the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta ecosystem is its biggest-ever crisis as the Delta Smelt becomes virtually extinct in the wild and other Delta fish species and Central Valley salmon populations decline dramatically. Joined by Democratic members of Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Congressional Delegation, including John Garamendi, Ami Bera, Mark DeSaunier and Doris Matsui, Harder led a letter urging the Army Corps’ final Record of Decision to protect Delta waterways, families, and the regional economy by denying these permits. … ” Read more from Dan Bacher at the Daily Kos.
2026-27 Budget: Proposed elimination of state environmental positions
The Governor’s budget includes the permanent elimination of certain vacant state positions in environmental departments to generate budgetary savings, initially proposed as part of the 2025-26 budget but delayed subject to further legislative review. In January, the Legislature indicated it did not agree with eliminating 349 of these positions. If eliminated, they would generate annual savings of $45 million ($19 million from the General Fund and $25 million from special funds). We find that eliminating certain positions could have undesirable programmatic impacts because they serve important purposes, even if they happen to be vacant for a period of time. In addition, we find an important distinction between positions funded by the General Fund versus special funds. Maintaining the former would erode General Fund savings the Governor built into the 2026-27 budget proposal (and thus likely would require finding a commensurate level of savings elsewhere). In contrast, maintaining special-funded positions would have no direct impact on the General Fund condition. … ” Read more from the Legislative Analyst’s Office.
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
The water remembers: A story of the Klamath River
“Lawyer Amy Cordalis, a member of the Yurok Tribe, grew up on the Klamath River. She’s an advocate for Indigenous rights and environmental restoration, and her family’s history with the river goes back generations. Now, she tells that story in her new book, The Water Remembers. Q: Tell us about your family’s connection to fishing on the Klamath, and how that’s tied to the river’s restoration. A: The Yurok people are a fishing people. We’re privileged to have maintained a fishing way of life through generations since time immemorial. My dad would always say we’ve been fishing these same runs of salmon, in the same place, for so long that we carry each other’s DNA. A lot of people haven’t been able to maintain connections to their home villages and home waters. In my family, we have. The book tells the story of how we have fought for that. … ” Read more from the PPIC.
It’s official: Nordic Aquafarms has cut bait on its proposed $650m fish factory project on Humboldt Bay
“Seven years after publicly announcing plans for a huge land-based fish production facility on the Samoa Peninsula, Nordic Aquafarms quietly abandoned the project altogether. Last month, Nordic CEO Charles Hostlund submitted paperwork to formally dissolve the company’s California-based affiliate. The move came almost exactly a year after Nordic Aquafarms dropped plans for a similar fish factory in Belfast, Maine. Reached via email, Humboldt Bay Harbor District Executive Director Chris Mikkelsen confirmed that the company has bailed on Humboldt County. “We are aware that Nordic no longer intends to pursue a project on the Samoa Peninsula and are working with Nordic and the County for the orderly wind-down of the project,” Mikkelsen wrote in a reply email. … ” Read more from Lost Coast Outpost.
Cal Poly researchers look at powerlines and wildfire risks
“Wildfires and power outages caused by vegetation near powerlines have contributed to some of the state’s most destructive fires. To better understand and avoid those risks and guide safer management, researchers at Cal Poly Humboldt partnered with a utility company to study tree failures (falling trees and branches) and fuel buildup along powerline corridors. “Working directly with the utility company allowed us to connect what we were seeing in the field with real-world risks to communities,” Lucy Kerhoulas, a Cal Poly Humboldt forestry professor and a lead researcher of the study, said in a news release. “The goal was to identify where and why tree failures are happening, so management efforts can be focused where they matter most.” … ” Read more from the Eureka Times-Standard.
SIERRA NEVADA
What is ‘storm skiing’? The term linked to Tahoe avalanche, explained
“As crews continued searching Wednesday for a group of backcountry skiers reported missing after a large avalanche near Castle Peak in the Lake Tahoe region, attention turned to how and why the skiers were traveling during one of the Sierra’s most intense storm cycles of the season. Blackbird Mountain Guides, the company that led the trip to the Frog Lake backcountry huts, has previously used language associated with “storm skiing” in marketing materials and customer reviews of its guided tours. In ski culture, “storm skiing” refers to venturing into the mountains during an active winter storm to ride fresh, continuously falling snow. The storm that swept across the Sierra this week brought heavy snowfall and high winds — conditions that can create coveted deep powder for experienced skiers even as avalanche danger rises sharply. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
Five Mile flood control system concerns
“A Chico City Councilmember is raising concerns about the long-term maintenance of the Five Mile Basin, the city’s main flood control system. Action News Now was on the scene Tuesday to investigate the situation further. Last February, the Five Mile Basin faced a challenge when floodwaters went over the levee, worsened by debris from the Park Fire that added sediment to the water. In September, Butte County Public Works completed the SAFE Project to tackle immediate flood risks through vegetation management, channel improvements, and levee repairs. Addison Winslow, who is on the Chico City Council, emphasized the need for more effective floodwater direction. … ” Read more from Action News Now.
Bureau of Reclamation holding public negotiation session on Sites Reservoir Project
“The Bureau of Reclamation announced the continuation of public negotiation sessions with the Sites Project Authority on Tuesday. Officials say the negotiation sessions aim to establish a Partnership Agreement for the proposed Sites Reservoir Project. The project involves constructing a new 1.5 million acre-foot offstream reservoir about 10 miles west of Maxwell. The Bureau of Reclamation says that the reservoir is intended for water storage, conveyance, and service. The agreement will outline the terms and conditions that both parties involved in the initiative must adhere to. … ” Read more from Action News Now.
Coffer dam collapse near Auburn 40 years ago strained Sacramento flood defenses
“After three torrential storms dumped 10 inches of rain on Northern California in nine days in February 1986, Sacramento’s flood protections were bursting at the seams. Something had to give — and did. At 6 a.m. on Feb. 18, water began spilling over an earthen coffer dam built 14 years earlier as part of work on the stalled, and later dropped, Auburn Dam project. The deluge began to erode the dirt spillway, and then the nearly 300-foot-tall dam itself. By the time the dam completely gave way 12 hours later, almost 180,000 acre-feet of water — or 58.65 billion gallons — had poured down the American River into Folsom Lake. … ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee.
BAY AREA
Bay Area gets brief break before next storm. Here’s how long — and what may be coming this weekend
“After a wet start to the week, the Bay Area will trend cooler and quieter through Friday, with scattered showers midweek and a better dry window Friday and Saturday. The next question is late Sunday into early next week, when models diverge on whether the next storm arrives early and weak or later and stronger. You’ll feel the colder air mass Wednesday morning. Inland valleys in the North and East bays will drop into the 30s and low 40s, and the wet ground will only make it feel colder. A few snow showers could dust the highest Bay Area peaks, mainly above about 2,000 feet. In the coldest bursts, flakes may mix in at lower elevations without sticking. Otherwise, rain showers linger around the region, especially in the morning, then turn more scattered as the day goes on. It will stay chilly and mostly cloudy all day, with highs stuck in the low 50s. Thursday is the day to watch more closely. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
SEE ALSO: Heavy Rain and Snow Shut Down Roads Across Bay Area and Sierra Nevada, from KQED
A rare plant tough enough to save the future Bayshore
“Rare plants are often considered fragile. After all, there’s a reason they aren’t common … right? Yet along San Francisco Bay shorelines, one species not only can be surprisingly robust — it also has the potential to help the region adapt to sea level rise. The last wild populations of California sea-blite in the Bay Area died out in the 1960s as its shoreline habitat was lost to development — leaving this nondescript shrub locally forgotten by all but the most devoted botanists. Surviving in only one location, 200 miles south in Morro Bay, it’s listed as federally endangered. “This species is in jeopardy, but it is not a meek, mild, and fragile plant,” says ecologist Peter Baye, who has been incorporating sea-blite into restoration projects for more than 20 years in a reintroduction campaign that’s gradually gaining momentum. “These are robust ecosystem engineers. They just need a little help getting back to where they can colonize.” … ” Read more from Knee Deep Times.
CENTRAL COAST
Padilla, Schiff secure $54 million for Pajaro River Flood Risk Management Project
“A project to upgrade the Pajaro River levees and mitigate flooding has received $54 million in federal funding. Sens. Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff announced the funds would be used to increase flood protection for Watsonville and Pajaro residents through a systemwide levee upgrade along the Pajaro River and Corralitos Creek, tributaries that have experienced several severe floods over the decades. The Pajaro River levee was first built in 1949, but at least five major floods have been recorded since then. The most recent was in March 2023, when heavy rains cause the levee to breach, flooding the community of Pajaro where residents were evacuated and more than $300 million in damage was caused. … ” Read more from the Santa Cruz Sentinel.
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
Long-stalled plan would give more access to Fresno’s San Joaquin River. Will it happen?
“Construction on a long-stalled, $13 million project that would make recreation along the San Joaquin River more accessible to cars and foot traffic is scheduled to begin later this year, Fresno officials said Tuesday. The river, a public space, is considered a potential economic driver for the Fresno area that could improve residents quality of life and draw more visitors. But many properties in the San Joaquin River Parkway, a collection of public green spaces planned to stretch from Friant Dam to Highway 99, remain either closed to the general public or difficult to access by vehicle or even on foot. One access-enhancing project known as River West promises to one day add three new access points along the river just west of Highway 41 in Fresno, an area already popular with joggers and fisherman that has long needed improvements. “River West Fresno … is scheduled to go to construction this fall,” said Kari Daniska, executive director of the San Joaquin River Conservancy, which is the public agency tasked with creating the river parkway. … ” Read more from the Fresno Bee.
$2 million secured for San Joaquin River improvements
“Long-planned improvements could soon be coming along the San Joaquin River after $2 million in federal funding was secured. According to Fresno City Council President Mike Karbassi, the investment will help advance key projects that are aimed at expanding public access, enhancing recreation, and protecting natural resources along the river. … ” Read more from Your Central Valley.
Western Kings County farmers given deep groundwater cuts in hopes of pleasing the state
“Keeping on the state’s good side was paramount in the decision by a southwestern Kings County groundwater agency to cut pumping allocations to less than one acre foot per acre of land. The new allocation was one of a flurry of policies enacted by the Southwest Kings Groundwater Sustainability Agency (GSA) over the last few weeks, after the GSA had not met in six months. Effective immediately, growers in Southwest Kings will only be allowed to pump .66 acre feet per acre. Growers who go over that amount will be fined $500 per acre foot over the allotment starting Oct. 1, according to the policy approved by the board at its Feb. 13 meeting. … ” Read more from SJV Water.
MEETING NOTES: Kern water districts pledge millions toward fight against invasive mussels
“The Arvin-Edison Water Storage District and Wheeler Ridge-Maricopa Water Storage District boards both agreed recently to spend $2.5 million and $2 million, respectively, on efforts to rid their systems of invasive golden mussels. At its Feb. 10 meeting, Arvin-Edison’s Resource Manager Samuel Blue laid out a two-phase attack against the mussels. First, Blue plans to start with a chemical treatment called Natrix CA in March, when there is less water demand by district farmers and the temperatures are cooler. The mussels are more active in warmer water, Blue explained. He hoped the treatment would kill off 90%, or more, of the adult golden mussels. … ” Read more from SJV Water.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Southern California mountains got plenty of snow — with more on the way
“The first of three storms to hit Southern California this week dumped several inches of snow atop mountain communities — with more on the horizon. “(It’s) going to be, very probably, the best snowfall we’ve had all winter so far this season,” National Weather Service meteorologist Rich Thompson said. But with it could come treacherous traveling. So far, the San Bernardino Mountains have received 12 to 15 inches of snow, with nearby Wrightwood getting six inches, said Adam Roser, another Weather Service meteorologist. Three inches of snow have landed on Idyllwild as of Tuesday morning, Feb. 17. … ” Read more from the LA Daily News.
Pure Water Southern California clears key environmental review milestone
“The Board of Directors of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California has unanimously certified the Final Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for Pure Water Southern California, concluding more than five years of technical studies, public outreach and environmental analysis for the proposed large-scale water reuse initiative. Certification of the EIR completes the project’s review under the California Environmental Quality Act and allows Metropolitan to move ahead with future deliberations on potential implementation. These upcoming decisions are expected to address issues such as project phasing, funding strategies, design and construction timelines, and will be considered as part of Metropolitan’s Climate Adaptation Master Plan for Water evaluation process and its biennial budget review. … ” Read more from Smart Water Magazine.
SAN DIEGO
Infrastructure needs will cost San Diego $7.8 billion it doesn’t have
“San Diego’s funding shortfall for infrastructure projects has climbed to a record $7.8 billion this winter, up nearly 20% compared to last year and more than 62% compared to two years ago. The shortfall — the gap between projected infrastructure needs over the next five years and the funding available for them — would be even larger if city officials calculated infrastructure needs beyond five years. A new 77-page infrastructure report released over the weekend says the gap also doesn’t include the costs of new seawalls and other projects San Diego is expected to need as climate change accelerates sea-level rise. The report says the city has $12.82 billion in projected infrastructure needs from fiscal year 2027, which begins in July, through fiscal year 2031. To address those needs, the city projects to have just over $5 billion. … ” Read more from the San Diego Union-Tribune.
Councilmember talks stormwater infrastructure needs after heavy rain, flooding on Monday
“San Diego County experienced heavy rainfall on Monday. “There’s kind of two lessons from the heavy rainfalls,” Pat Abbott, a geologist, said. Abbott is a geologist from San Diego State. ABC 10News spoke with him about what multiple inches of rain in one week can mean for our region. “Now we’re adding more water into the ground. The more water that’s saturated below the ground, the more it weighs, the stronger the pull of gravity is, and landslides and cliff failures tend to be more frequent during times of heavy rain and water saturation like we’re in now,” Abbott said. … ” Read more from Channel 10.
Tijuana River sewage crisis draws political attention as residents demand action
“The ongoing sewage crisis along the Tijuana River is gaining statewide political attention as California’s gubernatorial race intensifies, with residents calling the situation a full-blown public health emergency. San Diego County Supervisor Paloma Aguirre recently toured parts of the Tijuana River Valley alongside gubernatorial candidate Katie Porter, highlighting the severe pollution and high levels of hydrogen sulfide that have plagued the area. “Until you live it and breathe it and your throat starts to burn, your eyes water and you feel nauseous from the stench, that is important for our next governor to experience because that is what our community is experiencing every single day,” Aguirre said. … ” Read more from Channel 10.
SEE ALSO: Porter vows to declare state of emergency for Tijuana River Valley, from the Border Report
Along the Colorado River …
Lake Powell forecast to reach critical lows, threatening hydropower generation
“Lake Powell could receive only half the normal amount of water from upstream rivers and streams this year, according to a recent federal study. The Bureau of Reclamation releases a monthly study that forecasts good, bad and most likely storage conditions for the Colorado River Basin’s key reservoirs over the next two years. The February forecast expects about 52%, or about 5 million acre-feet, of the normal amount of water to flow into Lake Powell by September. The more grim outlook says Powell’s inflows could be 3.52 million acre-feet or 37% of the average from 1991 to 2020. It’s enough to spike concerns about hydropower generation at Glen Canyon Dam, which controls releases from Powell, prompt discussions about emergency releases from upstream reservoirs and trigger federal actions to slow the pace of water out of the reservoir. … ” Read more from the Colorado Sun.
The threat of Colorado’s River water shortages
“As winter grips the American West this February, a deeper chill has settled over the seven states dependent on the Colorado River. The 14th of February — once marked as a key deadline for reaching a consensus on water management — has come and gone without an agreement. It’s now the second missed milestone, signalling a sharp turn from cooperative diplomacy toward federal intervention. The US Bureau of Reclamation is preparing to establish its own “Record of Decision” by October, a move that could reshape the water outlook for the western United States and Mexico. At the heart of the stalemate is a deep divide between the Upper Basin states — Colorado, Wyoming, Utah and New Mexico — and those downstream in the Lower Basin: California, Arizona and Nevada. … ” Read more from Smithsonian Magazine.
New Arizona ‘ag-to-urban’ water law draws first group of home builders
“Eight landowners want to build new development in groundwater-restricted areas of Pinal and Maricopa counties by taking farmland out of production and acquiring water credits for it. The areas are currently under building moratoriums if developers rely only on groundwater, but Arizona’s new “ag-to-urban” program offers an alternative. The program, signed into law by Gov. Katie Hobbs last year, was touted by proponents as the most consequential water law in decades and a win for affordable housing. … ” Read more from Arizona Central.
Will rapid data center growth help Arizona? Examining the pros and cons
“Arizona is engaged in a debate about where data centers should be built — with cities, developers and residents having varying opinions on the issue. So how do we find common ground? That was the driving force behind a Feb. 11 standing-room-only knowledge exchange that attracted experts from industry, community organizations and academia. The event was hosted by the Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Laboratory at Arizona State University, where scientists and industry leaders work to improve the planet; Energy Forward, the laboratory’s energy transformation network; and the NSF Futures Engine in the Southwest, an ASU-led effort to bolster the regional economy with air, water and power innovations. … ” Read more from Arizona State University.
Utah bill shields future water use in the lower basin
“Utah’s H.B. 187 protects certain lower basin water rights from forfeiture, including water held for future use by conservancy districts that file an affidavit and have ownership, lease, or contractual rights. The bill clarifies planning protections as Colorado River negotiations continue. The bill addresses water in the lower basin as defined by the Colorado River Compact and adjusts how some water rights are treated under state law. The House passed the bill on February 12, 2026, by a vote of 66 to 0, with nine members absent. As of February 17, 2026, it had received its first reading in the Senate and was assigned to the Senate Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee. If enacted, the bill will take effect May 6, 2026. … ” Read more from Western Water.
Former governor calls fair water distribution critical for Utah growth
“Utah’s future growth depends on fair access to Colorado River water, according to former Gov. Gary Herbert, who said water remains the state’s single biggest constraint. Herbert spoke to ARC Salt Lake about lack of snow during the 2025-2026 winter season. He said the lack of snowpack highlighted the bigger problem facing the Beehive State. “It’s been a stranger winter. We’ve never had such low snowpack,” Herbert said. “When I was lieutenant governor, one of my responsibilities was water. I’ve said many times, the only limiting factor to growth in Utah is water.” … ” Read more from KJZZ.
California’s governor offers support Utah’s desalination-for-Colorado River water idea
“A letter from California Governor Gavin Newsom to his fellow governors in states along the Colorado River is offering support for a multi-state solution to managing the water supply for 40 million people. But it’s a paragraph tucked in that letter, obtained by FOX 13 News, that has reliably red state Utah leaders praising their blue state counterparts. “I continue to be encouraged by our shared commitment to finding a common pathway to manage the Colorado River. By securing an agreement among our states, we can provide crucial water security to our communities and economy for years to come,” Gov. Newsom wrote in the Feb. 11 letter, which was sent before the negotiators announced an impasse on a framework deal on the Colorado River. … ” Read more from Fox 13.
Desperate in failing Colorado River negotiations, Wyoming water officials pitch conservation bill at home
“Wyoming water officials are desperately hoping to avoid a federal intervention into the high-stakes deadlock among Colorado River stakeholders seeking a compromise on shared water appropriation cuts. Wyoming and the six other Colorado River basin states blew through another deadline Saturday to come to an agreement, raising the possibility that the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation will dictate a new drought response plan — a situation that could dash cooperation and spawn intense legal entanglements, observers say. Making matters worse is an intense “snow drought” so far this winter that’s compounding a “mega drought” across much of the seven-state basin region that’s lingered for more than two decades. It’s so dry that federal water managers warn Lake Powell — for the first time in 63 years — could drop 50 feet, low enough to no longer produce hydroelectric power at the Glen Canyon dam, according to the Bureau’s latest projections. … ” Read more from Wyoming News.
Wyoming lawmakers move to ban “destruction” of water for hydrogen production
“When Focus Clean Energy’s Pronghorn project began taking shape in Converse County, promising hundreds of wind turbines and billions in investment, the pushback started with the turbines themselves. Ranchers and residents didn’t want them on the landscape. But the opposition intensified when locals learned what all that wind-generated electricity would actually do — power a process called electrolysis that would split their water into hydrogen and oxygen to produce “green” jet fuel. Rep. Tomi Strock, R-Douglas, watched the controversy unfold in her community. On Tuesday, she presented House Bill 116 to the House Agriculture, State and Public Lands & Water Resources Committee, calling it “a clear Wyoming first water protection bill.” “When the industrial process destroys the water molecule itself, it efficiently removes that water from the natural water cycle as water, changing its form and availability in a way that cannot be reclaimed for downstream uses in the same way,” Strock told the committee. “And in our arid state, that is not a policy choice. It’s a long-term resource decision.” … ” Read more from Cowboy State Daily.
In national water news today …
Winter is getting shorter across nearly 200 U.S. cities, new climate analysis finds
“Across the United States, winter’s chill is getting shorter by more than a week, even if it might not feel like it for those in the Northeast still thawing out from back-to-back winter storms. A new Climate Central analysis shows that in 195 of 245 major U.S. cities studied, the period of historically winterlike temperatures has shrunk, with the coldest part of the year now lasting about nine days fewer on average, compared with 1970–1997 averages. Climate scientists defined “winter” not by calendar dates but by the 90 coldest consecutive days in a historical reference period, then compared how long those winterlike conditions persist today versus several decades ago. In many places, winter now starts later and ends earlier, a clear sign that seasonal timing is shifting as the planet warms. … ” Read more from AccuWeather.
Wildfire season could ramp up early in 2026 as drought covers over 40% of the US
“More than 40% of the United States is experiencing drought heading into spring, and that dryness, combined with warmer-than-average conditions, is setting the stage for an active start to wildfire season in parts of the country. AccuWeather Meteorologist Brandon Buckingham says the most concerning areas this spring will stretch from the interior West into the Plains, with additional pockets of elevated risk across Florida and parts of the mid-Atlantic. Here’s where wildfire danger will be greatest … ” Read more from AccuWeather.
MAHA hamstrings EPA chemicals regulators
“Blowback from MAHA activists has prompted new scrutiny of smaller, less consequential decisions coming out of EPA’s chemical’s office, a reworking that has led to significant delays, multiple sources say. The added reviews stem from EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin’s push to quell criticism from a faction of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s “Make America Healthy Again” grassroots base upset about pesticide approvals, chemical evaluations and personnel choices. “Not only are they unable to figure out what to do about MAHA in a way that will feel meaningful to the MAHA people, they are also now failing at the basic, day-to-day processing of pesticide actions that aren’t even on MAHA’s radar in the first place, because they’re just so paralyzed by the whole thing,” said a chemical industry source. Sources have been granted anonymity to speak candidly about internal agency processes. … ” Read more from E&E News.
EPA faces first lawsuit over its killing of major climate rule
“The first shot has been fired in the legal war over the Environmental Protection Agency’s rollback of its “endangerment finding,” which had been the foundation for federal climate regulations. Environmental and health groups filed a lawsuit on Wednesday morning in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, arguing that the E.P.A.’s move to eliminate limits on greenhouse gases from vehicles, and potentially other sources, was illegal. The suit was triggered by last week’s decision by the E.P.A. to kill one of its key scientific conclusions, the endangerment finding, which says that greenhouse gases harm public health. The finding had formed the basis for climate regulations in the United States. The lawsuit claims that the agency is rehashing arguments that the Supreme Court already considered, and rejected, in a landmark 2007 case, Massachusetts v. E.P.A. The issue is likely to end up back before the Supreme Court, which is now far more conservative. … ” Read more from the New York Times.
