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On the calendar today …
- PUBLIC HEARING: Delta Conveyance Project water right hearing beginning at 9am. The State Water Resources Control Board Administrative Hearings Office is holding a Public Hearing on the pending Petitions for Change of Water Right Permits for the Delta Conveyance Project. Interested members of the public who would like to watch this hearing without participating may do so through the Administrative Hearings Office YouTube channel at: bit.ly/aho-youtube. Click here for the meeting notice.
- BAY NATURE: Jepson Prairie Ecology (Solano County) from 12pm to 1pm. Join Bay Nature and expert researchers for a virtual discussion about Jepson Prairie ecology on Wednesday, February 25 from 12pm – 1pm. This discussion is inspired by “Underneath California Forever,” a piece by senior reporting fellow Tanvi Dutta Gupta. As Tanvi writes “Tech billionaires are fighting for their proposed 400,000-person city in Solano County. At least 21 imperiled species depend on the ecosystems where the new city could be built.” Through this talk you’ll learn more about these vital vernal pool ecosystems and the animals, such as fairy shrimp, that depend on them. Tickets free for Bay Nature Members and $5 for Nonmembers. Click here to register.
- MEETING: CA Department of Fish and Wildlife Annual Salmon Information Meeting beginning at 1pm. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) invites the public to attend its annual Salmon Information Meeting. The hybrid meeting will feature the outlook for this year’s ocean salmon fisheries, in addition to a review of last year’s salmon fisheries and inland spawner returns. This year, the meeting will be held in person at the California Natural Resources Agency Auditorium at 715 P St. in Sacramento on Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026, at 1 p.m., and will also be livestreamed online. The 2026 Salmon Information Meeting marks the beginning of a two-month public process to help develop annual sport and commercial ocean salmon fishing seasons. The input is also used to inform inland salmon season development later in the spring. Salmon Information Meeting details, agenda, informational materials and instructions to view the livestream will be published in advance of the event on CDFW’s Ocean Salmon page. Livestream login information and a handout with the meeting presentations will be posted by the morning of Feb. 25. Click here for more information.
- MEETING: Little Hoover Commission: Consideration of Draft Report on Data Centers and California Electricity Policy beginning at 4pm. On Wednesday, February 25, 2026, the Little Hoover Commission will conduct a virtual public meeting to consider a draft report on Data Centers and California Electricity Policy at 4:00 p.m. Pacific Time. The meeting will be conducted via Zoom and the log in information is available, along with the agenda, below. For more information on the Little Hoover Commission’s work on data centers, click here. Zoom URL: https://bit.ly/4a01a93
In California water news today …
Governor Newsom launches most ambitious water plan in California history
“Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the formal launch of the California Water Plan 2028, marking the start of a multi-year effort to modernize statewide water planning in response to climate-driven extremes and long-term water reliability challenges. California is committed to protecting the water that families, farmers, and communities depend on for generations to come. “Climate change is reshaping life in California through historic droughts and record storms that threaten the farms that feed the nation, communities that depend on reliable water, and the environment we all share,” said Governor Newsom. ‘The 2028 Water Plan is a commitment to every Californian that we will capture, store, and conserve the water our state—the 4th largest economy in the world—needs to thrive, no matter what climate change throws at us.” … ” Read more from Governor Newsom.
Hoover Dam is iconic at 90, but rise in US dam removals signals changing mindset
“Ninety years ago, the most recognized dam in the U.S. and one of the defining engineering achievements of the 20th century opened: the Hoover Dam. Completed in 1936 with a March 1 opening, its construction required about 4.4 million cubic yards of concrete, 45 million pounds of reinforcing steel, and a workforce of more than 21,000. Rising 726 feet and stretching more than 1,200 feet across the Black Canyon, the arch-gravity dam became an instant American icon, drawing about 7 million visitors a year and making countless appearances in movies, TV shows, books, and every other variety of pop culture. Despite Hoover Dam’s enduring popularity and usefulness – it generates hydroelectric power, reduces flood risk, and stores water for irrigation and municipal use – Brian Graber, senior director of dam removal strategy at American Rivers, says the industry mindset has changed markedly over the past 25 years. … ” Read more from the Civil Engineering Source.
Bridge group establishing creative solutions for salmon restoration by collaborating with a unique set of organizations
“Finding solutions to complex problems often requires a different level of creativity, and the continued decline of California’s salmon populations has required thinking ‘outside the box.’ A unique group of partners consisting of fishermen, farmers, scientists, and water managers have been putting their heads together to develop an action plan in the attempt to restore salmon. The Nor-Cal Guides and Sportsmen’s Association (NCGASA), Golden Gate Fishermen’s Association (GFFA), Pacific Coast Federation of Fisherman’s Association, California Rice, Northern California Water Association, and Sacramento River Settlement Contractors have formed a collaborative working group to form the Northern California Fishing and Farming Bridge Group. Captain James Smith of California Dawn Sport Fishing and the GFFA has been a member of the group since its inception, and he is extremely enthusiastic about transitioning the ‘farmers vs. fishermen’ scenario from one of conflict to one of cooperation. … ” Read more from Western Outdoor News.
SEE ALSO: New project releases 500k young Chinook to restore Sacramento River salmon runs, from KRCR
Washington State University is helping California tribe to bring salmon home
“The trek to a remote lake in New Zealand begins before dawn for Nora Hickey, a veterinarian with Washington State University’s Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory. After sunrise, she and her colleagues begin collecting tissue samples from a handful of Chinook salmon caught in the frigid waters of Lake Heron, then pack them into a cooler bound for Pullman, Washington. The samples must complete a nearly 8,000-mile journey through four airports within 48 hours to reach WADDL, one of the nation’s leading aquatic animal disease diagnostic laboratories housed in WSU’s College of Veterinary Medicine. There, staff will test them for 29 different pathogens, including viruses, bacteria, fungi, and parasites. The work is part of a partnership between WSU and the Winnemem Wintu Tribe to bring Chinook salmon back to their ancestral lands along Northern California’s McCloud River, where the fish disappeared in the 1940s after Shasta Dam cut off access to their spawning grounds. The salmon being tested are descended from fish taken from the river and sent to New Zealand more than a century ago, a critical step in the tribe’s decades-long effort to restore the species and return it safely to California waters. … ” Read more from Washington State University.
New publication highlights importance of Yolo Bypass flooding for the estuary’s food web
“In late December 2025, a series of storms swept through Northern California, causing the Sacramento River to rise rapidly. By December 29, the river levels were sufficient to cause the Fremont Weir to overflow. This event marked a significant milestone: the overtopping of the two-mile-long weir coincided with the first operational activation of the Big Notch Project gates, an upgrade to the Fremont Weir designed to allow managers to control water flow from the Sacramento River into the Yolo Bypass earlier and more efficiently. Unlike the solid wall of the original weir, these gates allow water to flow into the Yolo Bypass at lower river elevations, before the river reaches the 32-foot flood stage. This engineering change transforms the weir from a strictly passive flood barrier into a managed diversion facility. “This is an updated engineering of the weir that gives managers more choices,” Delta Lead Scientist Dr. Windham-Myers told the Delta Stewardship Council at their January meeting. “It improves flood control. It provides fish pathways for big fish like salmon and sturgeon, and it demonstrates the multiple benefits of floodplain connectivity to the Delta community.” … ” Continue reading at Maven’s Notebook.
North American universities support global expansion of atmospheric river science program
“A program focused on key storm systems, known as atmospheric rivers, that provides students with hands-on research experience, launched its second season in January. The Coordinated University Sounding Program for Atmospheric River Reconnaissance (CUSP-ARR), led by the Center for Western Weather and Water Extremes (CW3E) at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego, will run through late February. It engages 16 universities in the U.S. and Canada in data collection to study atmospheric rivers and other high-impact weather events. CUSP-ARR is the land-based component of Atmospheric River Reconnaissance (AR Recon), a research and operations partnership led by CW3E, NOAA, and the U.S. Air Force in collaboration with federal agencies and international institutions. … ” Read more from Scripps Institution of Oceanography.
California fast-tracks groundwater recharge permits to maximise stormwater capture in wet season
“California has taken a further step to strengthen its water resilience strategy by accelerating the authorization of stormwater capture and groundwater recharge projects ahead of the current wet season. The State Water Resources Control Board has approved nine temporary groundwater recharge permits, allowing local agencies to store significant volumes of excess surface water underground during wet periods. Approved just before a new round of winter storms reached the state, the permits authorize the recharge of nearly 43,000 acre-feet of water across several major watersheds. This volume is roughly equivalent to the annual domestic supply of more than 128,000 households. The permits include two short-term authorizations valid for 180 days and seven permits covering five consecutive wet seasons, marking the largest number of longer-term permits issued in a single season since this option was introduced in 2020. … ” Read more from Smart Water Magazine.
Subpar snowpack pushes back crop plans for farmers
“Despite a strong start to California’s wet season, snowpack conditions remain below average. A deficient snowpack could mean less water available for summer irrigation, threatening to cut surface water deliveries to farmers. Rainfall at the end of last year helped boost water supplies, enough so that the U.S. Drought Monitor reported no drought conditions anywhere in the state in mid-January. The rain also helped fill reservoirs throughout California and are currently at levels that meet or surpass their historical average for this time of year. But in January, conditions dried up. State officials reported the snowpack was at 59% of average by the end of last month. Andrew Schwartz, director of the University of California, Berkeley, Central Sierra Snow Lab, said the state still saw rainfall during this dry period. But Schwartz said that rain will not improve water supplies as much as precipitation that sticks around as snowpack. … ” Read more from Ag Alert.
Country’s biggest solar project moving ahead in California
“An enormous solar project is moving forward in California, on land that farmers have had to keep fallow as the state restricts over-pumping the aquifers they previously used to irrigate crops.” Listen or read transcript from NPR.
A new city of dreams? The California Forever project envisions a new metropolis—but not everyone is on board.
“Foster’s Bighorn, a tavern in Rio Vista, California, feels far removed from San Francisco. Two blocks from the Sacramento River and 60 miles from the Embarcadero, it’s the sort of small-town watering hole where local lore looms as large as the hunting trophies above the bar. Deep in eastern Solano County, Rio Vista can seem alien to Bay Area denizens. If Jan Sramek and his tech backers have their way, however, Foster’s Bighorn and San Francisco are about to get much closer. Sramek is the founder of California Forever, a real-estate venture proposing to turn a 100-square-mile tract of farmland outside Rio Vista into a new planned city—anchored by an advanced-manufacturing park, a riparian shipyard, and, ultimately, a population nearing half a million. Locals don’t seem thrilled. … ” Read more from City Journal.
Behind the data: observing California’s toxic algae from space
“Often, on the west side of continents, wind and resulting currents push surface waters offshore. Water from the deep ocean then flows in to replace them, known as upwelling, and with it come nitrogen and phosphorous from the depths. These nutrients nourish the phytoplankton on the surface and can lead to excessive growth, also known as blooms. But not all algal blooms are created equal. Many are beneficial, supporting the fisheries in different areas of the world, including in Spain, Chile, and California. Others can deplete oxygen from the water while still others produce neurotoxins that harm the marine life that eat the toxic phytoplankton and the people that eat the affected marine life. EUMETSAT Climate Product Expert Dr Thomas Jackson describes a harmful algal bloom that occurred in early 2025 off the California coast and shows how satellite instruments are crucial tools in better understanding these events, which have wide impacts on the surrounding ecosystem and the people who inhabit them. … ” Read more from Eumetsat.
Connolly environmental bill seeks to improve manure handling
“Assemblymember Damon Connolly of San Rafael has introduced a bill intended to help California dairies reduce greenhouse gas emissions by changing how they manage cow manure. Assembly Bill 2100 seeks to expand access to the state Alternative Manure Management Program, which has awarded $113 million to 172 projects since 2017. The program provides farms up to $750,000 to implement practices that reduce the amount of methane emitted from manure. Funded projects can include techniques such as composting manure for use on pastures and avoiding the conventional practice of storing manure in ponds. “California dairy farmers are struggling to survive, let alone adopt new strategies to reduce methane emissions,” said Connolly, a Democrat who represents Marin and part of Sonoma County. “This bill helps our local farmers to transition to sustainable practices like composting that can help reduce emissions and improve water quality.” … ” Read more from the Santa Rosa Press Democrat.
Bill would shift focus of state demonstration forests from logging to restoration
“A bill to change how California’s demonstration state forests are managed — placing greater emphasis on research, public access and forest restoration rather than logging — was introduced in the State Assembly last week. Assembly Bill 2494 was introduced by Assemblymember Chris Rogers, D-Santa Rosa and co-authored by state Senator Mike McGuire, D-Healdsburg. According to Cal Fire, California has 14 demonstration state forests totaling 85,000 acres. Unlike state parks, they are working forests. Cal Fire manages the lands that are used to test and show forestry practices, conduct research, and harvest timber while remaining open to the public for recreation. … ” Read more from Local News Matters.
In commentary today …
Busting through the hype and politics of forest thinning
and write, “The phrase “All politics is local” was coined by former Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Tip O’Neill as a strategy for winning elections through the art and sometimes deception of message framing. Notably, in the trench warfare of political campaigns, framing separates the winners from the losers. When it comes to forest ecosystems under unprecedented “active management” and climate stressors, proponents often dumb-down the treatments using the language of politics, optics, and euphemisms. Applying O’Neill’s local politics framing in the context of “forest health” euphemisms can read this way: All wildfires and insect outbreaks are local politics; thus, active management is the solution to these forest-health problems otherwise exacerbated by lack of management. … ” Continue reading from The Revelator.
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
Yurok Tribe: Water quality in Klamath River markedly improves after dam removal
“Water quality in the lower Klamath River has “significantly improved” since the removal of four upper Klamath dams, according to preliminary results collected by the Yurok Tribe Environmental Department. Reductions in the concentration of heavy metals, algae-derived toxins, nutrients, and suspended sediments have all been measured in the two years since reservoir drawdown, according to a statement from the Yurok Tribe. Before dam removal, algae that bloomed behind Iron Gate dam produced high levels microcystin, a powerful liver toxin which is harmful to people and wildlife downstream. As a result, the Klamath mainstem was routinely posted with warnings to avoid human contact. … ” Read more from Dan Bacher at the Daily Kos.
SIERRA NEVADA
Rapid Tahoe warmup could accelerate snowmelt, raise flood concerns
“After last week’s record snowfall, the greater Lake Tahoe area and the avalanche danger are still in effect, meaning residents should be wary of flooding as rapid warming moves into the Greater Lake Tahoe region. The warmup predicted for Thursday and Friday is approaching record territory on the South Shore, with temperatures forecast in the 60s. Temperatures are forecast to surge well above average later this week. That kind of warm-up can accelerate snowmelt, sending more water into small creeks and neighborhood drainage systems, especially where storm drains, culverts, and gutters remain packed with snow and ice. … ” Read more from KTVU.
Yuba Water accesses damaged Colgate powerhouse, reports “extensive damage”
“Yuba Water Agency on Tuesday announced that it has launched initial visits to the New Colgate Powerhouse following a large water pipeline rupture at the facility. The announcement came late Tuesday afternoon, when the agency said its crews had “successfully accessed” the site by helicopter and reported “extensive damage” to the facility. “We are encouraged by what we initially saw inside the powerhouse,” said Willie Whittlesey, Yuba Water Agency’s general manager. “There is significant damage, but we had feared worse. We have a massive job ahead of us to restore safe access to the powerhouse facility and get the power plant back into working condition.” … ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee. | Read via Yahoo News.
SEE ALSO:
- Rain forces delays as cleanup continues after Yuba County pipeline failure, from CBS News
- Pipe bursts along Yuba River, prompting state of emergency, from SF Gate
Winter storm breaks canal flumes, halting flow of drinking water for much of Tuolumne County
“Winter storms from last week damaged a canal that provides drinking water to much of Tuolumne County, prompting officials to ask residents to reduce their use of water while repairs for some of the canal’s flumes are underway. Pacific Gas & Electric Co. said its Main Tuolumne Canal was severely damaged as more than 200 trees fell on top of the canal and multiple parts of its wooden flumes. PG&E said it gave the order to close the head gate of the canal on Feb. 17. PG&E said a patrol helicopter confirmed the damage on Feb. 20 and that two flumes, including one with five complete breaks, are in need of repairs. … ” Read more from KCRA.
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
Sacramento Regional Water Bank: 2025 progress recap and 2026 outlook
“In 2025, the Sacramento Regional Water Bank (Water Bank) focused on establishing the technical, analytical, and policy foundation needed to support future operations. The year was defined by clarifying how groundwater banking is measured, accounted for, and evaluated. Key efforts included developing and releasing the Water Accounting System (WAS) framework, advancing the analysis of previously banked water accumulated through historic in-lieu and direct recharge, and defining an initial starting balance that reflects the recoverable volume remaining after accounting for systemwide contributions. Together, this work established a shared understanding of how past banking actions have affected groundwater, rivers, and neighboring basins, and how those outcomes will be accounted for as the Water Bank moves toward formal environmental review and eventual operation. … ” Read more from the Sacramento Water Bank.
BAY AREA
Mountain View celebrates completion of major salt pond restoration
“Conservation groups, community members, and officials from federal, state and local agencies gathered on Friday morning to celebrate the transformation of a 435-acre salt pond into a tidal marsh just north of Mountain View’s Shoreline Park. The local project is just one small part of the largest wetland restoration effort on the West Coast, which aims to return portions of California’s bayshore back to its natural state. Mountain View City Council member Pat Showalter, a civil engineer who previously worked on the salt pond project management team at Valley Water, addressed the crowd at the Feb. 20 event, highlighting the years of complex work it took “to provide wonderful habitat for people and for wildlife.” “We should be very proud of this accomplishment, and also, we should take great pleasure as time goes on, watching it develop into a marsh,” said Showalter, as the crowd looked out over the water. “It’s going to be such a beautiful part of the city of Mountain View.” … ” Read more from the Mountain View Voice.
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
Major funding for Tribe water, biochar projects
“Last week came reports on two pieces of funding the Tule River Tribe is receiving for two major projects, one to drastically improve the Tule River Reservation’s water infrastructure and another for a biomass-to-biochar facility to be developed in Tipton. U.S. Senator Alex Padilla announced on Friday there would be a huge shot in the arm when it comes to funding for a much needed project to improve the Tule River Reservation’s water infrastructure. On Friday Padilla announced the Tule River Tribe would receive $14.6 million for its Tule River Tribe Intake Structure and Pipeline Improvements Project. Padilla also singled out the Tule River Tribe in his announcement in which he announced he had secured more than $37.2 million for 16 Central Valley projects as part of Fiscal Year 2026 Appropriations federal funding. The funding is part of more than $240 million in Congressionally directed funding Padilla stated he delivered for California for fiscal year 2026. … ” Read more from the Porterville Recorder.
Constitutional questions flow through Kern River case
“Briefs and replies are piling up in the Kern River case pending review by the state Supreme Court. The court agreed to look at an appellate decision that tossed out an 2023 court order to keep water flowing in the river through Bakersfield. There are two central questions in this fray: Can a Fish and Game statute be applied as it’s written under the state constitution? And who has the burden to prove that either way? Fish and Game Code Section 5937 states that the owner of any dam must allow enough water to pass the structure to keep fish downstream in good condition. Article X, Section 2 of the California Constitution states that stream flows “shall be limited to such water as shall be reasonably required for beneficial use” and that unreasonable uses aren’t allowed. It adds that “the Legislature may also enact in furtherance of the policy.” River advocates say 5937 is unambiguous in its intent, that it was, in fact, enacted in furtherance of Article X, Section 2 and flows for fish are, thereby, already considered reasonable. The City of Bakersfield and several agricultural water districts with rights to river water disagree. … ” Read more from SJV Water.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Downtown LA’s ‘water year’ stats are strong. See how much rain has fallen, so far
“Last week’s powerful winter storms helped boost an important number for Downtown Los Angeles: its rainfall total for the current “water year.” According to the National Weather Service, the water year runs annually from Oct. 1 through Sept. 30. During the 12-month period, the agency measures the total amount of water — rain and snow — that falls. NBC Los Angeles meteorologist Belen De Leon said on Feb. 20 that DTLA’s rainfall, so far, for the 2025-2026 water year was 18.36 inches, far above the city’s water year rainfall average of 14.25. … ” Read more from NBC 4.
Jeffrey Kightlinger: Water and Southern California: Past, present, and future
“The history of Southern California has always been inextricably intertwined with the story of its water supply. Southern California has a dry, Mediterranean climate with limited rainfall. While Southern California is more temperate than the hotter desert climes of Las Vegas and Phoenix, its relatively dry climate cannot sustain a large urban population base. In the late 1800s as Los Angeles and the surrounding region began to grow, the population relied primarily on the limited rainfall which fed the intermittent flows of the Los Angeles River and replenished the local groundwater basins. By the late 1890s, the discovery of oil reserves in Southern California led to an economic boom and a growing population. It became clear to everyone that Southern California would need to supplement its local water supplies if growth were to continue. By 1900, the head of the water department for the City of Los Angeles was a self-educated engineer named William Mulholland. Mulholland fully grasped that if Los Angeles were to grow, it would have to follow the model of Rome, another major metropolitan center built in a Mediterranean climate. … ” Read more from PBS SoCal.
Building the future for Southern Steelhead: A look back at the inaugural Southern Steelhead Symposium
“Steelhead are iconic and culturally significant, but their importance is not JUST about the fish — they are keystone species that serve as both important predators and prey within their ecosystems. As watershed indicators, their presence signals the overall health of an entire watershed. But Southern steelhead face mounting challenges that mirror the struggles of the urbanized environment they call home: habitat loss, passage barriers, degraded water quality, climate change, and even poaching. As Camali Lopez, Tribal Liaison, Southern Steelhead Coalition shared in his opening remarks at the Symposium, “This gathering is able to bring together our dreams, our different speculative reasonings, our understandings of the world and build that into the future.” For a species whose range stretches from Santa Maria to Mexico, traversing both aquatic and marine environments, collaboration across this vast geography is essential for species recovery. The needs of steelhead in San Diego differ significantly from those in Santa Barbara, making multi-stakeholder coordination critical for recovery efforts. … ” Read more from Cal Trout.
Santiago Canyon College’s new water sciences lab will enhance classes in water technology
“A new, modernized water technology classroom is in final planning stages for the Santiago Canyon College campus that will feature state-of-the-art equipment to help train students for well-paying careers in water districts throughout Orange County and beyond. The workings of water systems are largely hidden from public view, yet the everyday functioning of water taps, toilets, fire hydrants and irrigation systems depend on fully operating equipment and skilled workers to maintain them. Jobs in this area are in high demand. “Our need for water is not going away, and these are six-figure-salary jobs with pensions,” said Jason Parks, SCC’s vice president of academic affairs. The new lab will enhance SCC’s substantial Water and Wastewater Technology program. “Water technology is one of the most popular programs in the division of business and career education,” said Denise Foley, dean of the division. “It’s one of the few and largest programs in the state that teaches water operations in treatment and distribution.” … ” Read more from the OC Register.
SAN DIEGO
San Diego to pay $6.3M settlement over 2024 floods – but not to survivors
“San Diego City Council on Tuesday approved a $6.3 million settlement payment to insurance companies that sued to recover their payouts for the historic January 2024 flooding that devastated some neighborhoods, angering some residents who say they’re still trying to rebuild. “It’s really insulting. It’s really hurtful. And it’s just like a reoccurring slap in the face,” said Jessica Calix, who lost everything in the flooding and is still living in an RV more than two years later. The settlement is the first money to be paid by the city in connection with the flooding that damaged hundreds of homes and displaced residents, particularly in Southcrest, according to Domenic Martini, an attorney who represents Calix and hundreds of others. … ” Read more from NBC 7.
SEE ALSO: San Diego OKs $6 million settlement with insurance companies for flood damage, from the San Diego Union-Tribune
Along the Colorado River …
Video: Prof. Robison on the Colorado River and Tribal water rights
Tribal Water Fellow Alyson White Eagle recently sat down for a conversation with Professor Jason Robison of the University of Wyoming College of Law about the Colorado River and Tribal water management within the Colorado River Basin. Watch at the Native American Rights Fund.
Preparing for much less Colorado River water includes wise legislation
“The AMWUA cities have been preparing for reduced Colorado River water at the end of this year. That’s because the rules for how the water will be shared during shortages among the seven Basin States will soon expire. Planning has become more challenging as the Colorado River crisis has recently worsened due to several factors, including proposed state legislation.The Colorado River is producing 20% less water now than it did at the beginning of this century. This is a result of a mega-drought combined with a hotter, drier climate, which means less runoff from even average snowpack in the Rocky Mountains. Lake Mead and Lake Powell are already at dangerously low levels, with storage capacity at only 30% full. Adding to an already bad situation is this winter could be the worst ever for the Colorado River Basin. The situation is so serious that water may not be able to flow past the Glen Canyon Dam, and electricity production could stop by the end of this year. … ” Read more from the Arizona Municipal Water Users Association.
Engineering abundance in a water-scarce Arizona
“Survival in our arid environment is by design, not by accident. We do not live in a climate with year-round precipitation capable of sustaining our needs. Comfortable life in Arizona exists because of intentional planning and sound infrastructure design. Water security is constructed. Living sustainably in an arid state requires diversification. We spread risk across multiple water sources rather than relying on just one. We store water when it is available and move it to where it is needed. We reuse it instead of discarding it after a single use. That is not extravagance, it is necessity. Surface water in Arizona is episodic. Storms come in bursts. Snow melts in seasons. If we do not capture and store that water when it is plentiful, it disappears downstream. Reservoirs, recharge basins, and conveyance systems allow us to transform brief periods of abundance into year-round reliability. Water that falls in wet months must serve us in dry months. … ” Continue reading from Signals AZ.
When rivers can’t bounce back: what water bankruptcy means for Colorado’s rivers
“Water management has long depended on the assumption that systems will rebound after stress. New research suggests that, in some places, recovery may no longer be guaranteed and that risk may now be accumulating faster than it can be relieved. A recent report from the United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment and Health introduces a term for this emerging condition: water bankruptcy. The report argues that many human–water systems are now living beyond their hydrological means. … Across [Colorado], many rivers now experience earlier runoff, longer low-flow seasons, and reduced resilience. In some reaches, the question is no longer whether the river will be stressed in a given year, but whether it will even have enough functional flow, at the right times, to sustain the processes that keep it a river rather than just a delivery canal for downstream consumption. … ” Continue reading from the Colorado Water Trust.
From clouds to slopes: Cloud-seeding technology helps Winter Park Resort during this low-snow season
“Snow has finally dumped in the mountains, leaving many skiers and snowboarders relieved that their prayers have been answered. Even though this year has been a low-snow season, Winter Park Resort found ways to keep slopes skiable and visitors happy. Winter Park Resort has been around since 1940, serving as the oldest continuously operating ski resort in Colorado. Jen Miller, Winter Park Resort spokesperson, explained that while snow has been minimal this season, they are being creative to get terrain open. … ” Read more from Channel 7.
In national water news today …
How protecting wilderness could mean purposefully tending it, not just leaving it alone
“More than 110 million acres of land across the U.S. are protected in 806 federally designated wilderness areas – together an area slightly larger than the state of California. For the most part, these places have been left alone for decades, in keeping with the 1964 Wilderness Act’s directive that they be “untrammeled by man.” But in a time when lands are experiencing the effects of climate change and people are renewing their understanding of Indigenous knowledge and stewardship practices, protecting these places may require action, not inaction. … ” Continue reading at The Conversation.
