Note: The Daily Digest will return on Tuesday, March 3.
On the calendar Monday …
- 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.
- MEETING: SF Bay Dredging & Beneficial Reuse Committee Meeting from 12pm to 1:30pm. Join Bay Planning Coalition’s Dredging & Beneficial Reuse Committee for our first meeting of the year on Monday, March 2, from 12:00–1:30pm, via Zoom. The meeting will include a recap of the 2025 Dredging Workshop, discussion of the Committee’s 2026 priorities and action items, and updates on recent and upcoming engagements, and WRDA 2026 priorities. Guest speakers will be announced pending confirmation. Click here to register.
In California water news this weekend …
HYDROLOGY
DWR: February storms provide a much-needed boost but statewide snowpack remains below average
“The Department of Water Resources (DWR) today conducted the third snow survey of the season at Phillips Station. The manual survey recorded 28 inches of snow depth and a snow water equivalent of 11 inches, which is 47 percent of average for this location. The snow water equivalent measures the amount of water contained in the snowpack and is a key component of DWR’s water supply forecast. Statewide, the snowpack is 66 percent of average for this date. Today’s snow survey results show an increase from last month’s measurements following a series of cold, major snow-producing storms that ended a five-week dry period. Unfortunately, the recent storms were not enough to get the state back to average conditions for this time of year. Warmer storms early this week also caused snowmelt at lower elevations. … ” Read more from DWR.
Strong midmonth storms offer some help to California snowpack
“A strong storm that pushed through California midmonth raised the hopes of state water officials. It also raised the state’s snowpack, though less than officials had hoped. During the season’s third snow survey Friday, the state Department of Water Resources measured 28 inches of snow and 11 inches of snow-water equivalent at Phillips Station in the Sierra Nevada near Lake Tahoe. That level is 47% of average for the date and 45% of average for April 1, the benchmark for water supply forecasting. Statewide, snowpack stands at 66% of average. At the same point last year, Phillips Station measured 56% of average. Last month, it was 46%. “We are below average and not where we’d like to be at this time of year,” said Andy Reising, manager of the Snow Surveys and Water Supply Forecasting Unit with the state Department of Water Resources. … ” Read more from the Courthouse News Service.
SEE ALSO:
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- California snowpack grew after February storms, but remains below average, from Stocktonia
- California snowpack totals remain below average despite recent storms, from the Sacramento Bee
- Little snow in California and the West as a warm winter nears end, from the LA Times | Read via AOL News.
California’s rainy season is running out of time. Will storms return?
“When will it rain again in California? It’s a fair question, even if it feels premature after a run of February storms. But as we turn the calendar to March, the state is approaching the back half of the traditional rainy season, and the atmosphere is about to change gears again. Here’s the short answer. Outside of a slight chance of some light showers early next week, there is no meaningful statewide storm signal in the reliable forecast window. The first half of March looks mostly dry across California, and confidence is relatively high that no significant atmospheric rivers or organized storm systems will reach the state through at least March 15 or 16. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
Accounting for soil saturation enhances atmospheric river flood warnings
“Atmospheric rivers carry unfathomable amounts of water across the sky, bringing moisture to drought-stricken regions like the Western U.S. But whether a particular incoming atmospheric river storm will result in disastrous flooding has long been difficult for researchers to determine with confidence. Now, a new DRI-led study demonstrates that accounting for soil saturation levels can substantially improve our early warning of potentially destructive flooding events. The research, published February 12th in Nature Communications, was led by DRI hydrologist Mariana Webb. She and her team examined more than 71,000 atmospheric river storms in the Western U.S. and central Chile to improve flood hazard early warning. The existing atmospheric river scale — which ranks storms on a spectrum from primarily beneficial to primarily hazardous — is based solely on the size and duration of the storm. By incorporating soil saturation levels at the time of a storm’s landfall, Webb doubled the correlation between storm rank and flood outcome and increased the number of flood-generating storms classified as hazardous by over 25%. With these changes, meteorologists could accurately predict flood hazard potential for about 87% of storms in California and 72% of storms in Chile. … ” Continue reading from the Desert Research Institute.
DELTA PASSPORT
Congressman John Garamendi launches Delta National Heritage Area passport program
“Congressman John Garamendi has announced the launch of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta National Heritage Area’s Passport Program, a brand-new way to experience the cultural and natural riches of the California Delta. Tomorrow, Saturday, February 28, Congressman Garamendi and the Delta Protection Commission (DPC) will commemorate this new program with a ceremonial first passport stamp during the city of Rio Vista’s Lunar New Year Celebration. “I have spent my career fighting to protect and elevate the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta, and today I’m proud to partner with the Delta Protection Commission and Diane Burgis to launch California’s first and only National Heritage Area Passport Program,” said Congressman Garamendi. “This exciting new initiative will inspire a new generation to explore the Delta’s breathtaking landscapes, rich history, and vibrant communities. Through the Passport Program, visitors can capture stories, preserve memories, and discover America’s natural and cultural treasures in a hands-on way. I invite everyone to visit the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta National Heritage Area and experience the Delta for themselves.” … ” Read more from the Delta Protection Commission.
Delta National Heritage Area’s new passport program boosts tourism, preserves history
“The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta National Heritage Area is located an hour’s drive and a half-century away from San Francisco. Frozen in time, the winding roads include watery landscapes and a living archive of early 20th century agricultural architecture. On Saturday, U.S. Rep. John Garamendi, D-Fairfield, will speak in Rio Vista at the RioVision Gallery to launch the Delta National Heritage Area’s Passport Program, a milestone aimed at boosting heritage tourism and public engagement throughout the waterways and communities of Northern California. The Passport Program is modeled after the long-running Passport to Your National Parks initiative, a nationwide effort that encourages exploration through collectible stamps. Visitors can purchase an official passport book and collect free ink “cancellation” stamps at designated locations. … ” Read more from Local News Matters.
SEE ALSO:
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- Solano County sites eager to be part of Delta passport program, from the Daily Republic
- Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta National Heritage Area: A Timeless California Waterworld Awaits Your Discovery, from Travel and Tour World
DELTA TUNNEL CONSISTENCY DETERMINATION APPEAL
San Joaquin County: Drop the tunnel, fix aqueduct & strengthen levees
“San Joaquin County is pushing an alternative to the Delta Tunnel — re-enforce aging levees and restore 100 percent water flow in the California Aqueduct that is being severely compromised by subsidence. As such, county leaders are urging the Delta Stewardship Council reject the Department of Water Resources’ Delta Tunnel consistency certification. “Congressman (John) Garamendi said it best, we are being asked to make a false choice,” said SJ Supervisor Steve Ding who represents the county’s fourth district that lies in the heart of the Delta.” “This isn’t just about moving water — it’s about moving cleaner water while protecting Delta communities and our economy. Right now, there is no clear way to pay for this project, and Californians deserve honest answers.” … ” Read more from the Manteca Bulletin.
SEE ALSO:
- San Joaquin County Urges Delta Stewardship Council to Reject Department of Water Resources’ Delta Tunnel Consistency Certification, press release from San Joaquin County
- Yolo County Calls on Delta Stewardship Council to Remand Delta Tunnel Consistency Certification, press release from Yolo County
- Solano County throws its support behind water infrastructure, 2 other bills.
- The Delta Between Them, from Politico (scroll down)
OTHER CALIFORNIA WATER NEWS
Tribal nations fight for water rights
“Recently, the State Water Resources Control Board held comprehensive hearings on the update of the Bay Delta Plan that governs how much water flows from the state’s rivers though the largest estuary on the Pacific coast. The ecological health of the San Francisco Bay Delta estuary has been at risk from inadequate freshwater flows and climate change. The state’s draft plan was criticized by Delta farmers, the fishing industry, environmental advocates and dozens of individuals. Scientists warned it will lead to ecological collapse of the estuary. The hearings also exposed friction between tribal nations living in the Bay Delta watershed and the state government’s water planning and policies. Representatives from several tribal nations roundly criticized the plan that is on the table. They say they were not consulted early enough and that their sovereignty as nations was not considered. … ” Read more from the Fresno Community Alliance.
New paper analyzes water permitting for confined animal facilities in California
“This week, the Environmental and Natural Resources Law & Policy Program, in collaboration with the Climate and Energy Policy Program, released a white paper detailing California’s failure to adequately monitor and oversee confined animal facilities (CAFs) under the Porter Cologne Water Quality Control Act (Porter-Cologne Act), California’s equivalent to the Clean Water Act. California is home to a significant proportion of the CAFs in the United States, including more large commercial dairies than any other state. These facilities produce millions of pounds of manure each year. If not properly managed, this waste can pollute surface water, contaminate groundwater, and precipitate algal blooms, resulting in potentially severe human health consequences and long-term environmental damage. Pursuant to the Porter-Cologne Act, the Regional Water Resources Control Boards (Regional Boards) require CAFs to self-report their manure production and waste management practices in annual reports. In theory, the Regional Boards review these reports for procedural violations (e.g., failure to report adequate information) and possible substantive violations (e.g., failure to comply with waste management practices). … ” Read more from the Stanford Law School.
Lessons learned measuring and modeling evaporation across California
“Rainfall and snow falling across the state have several fates. One is runoff to rivers, reservoirs and the ocean. Another is storage in the snowpack, soil and groundwater. The third is evaporation from vegetation, soil and open water bodies. Historically, the rates and amounts of evaporation from vegetation and soil to the atmosphere have been difficult to assess. For instance, hydrologists have traditionally inferred evaporation at watershed scales as a residual of the water balance, e.g., precipitation minus runoff and storage [Hanak and Lund, 2012]. In contrast, agronomists often use weighing lysimeters (these are freestanding blocks of soil and plants on a scale that changes weight as water evaporates) to study crop water use, like the one at Campbell Tract on the UC Davis campus. While this approach is direct, it constitutes a relatively small sample. Better estimates of evaporation will allow water managers to understand where and how water is used throughout the state, improving water management. … ” Read more from the California Water Blog.
Newsom launches ambitious water plan
“For the first time in state history, California has a statewide water supply target: 9 million acre-feet by 2040. The California Water Plan 2028 is an action-oriented blueprint that will be built by voices from across the state and designed to close the water gaps that climate change, including extreme swings between drought and floods, is widening every year. Newsom’s office noted the plan marks the start of a multi-year effort to modernize statewide water planning in response to climate-driven extremes and long-term water reliability challenges. “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. 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,” noted Newsom. … ” Read more from the Lake Record-Bee.
At a California water system, risk management drives strategy, resilience
“Around the world, the water sector faces profound challenges. Hotter, drier conditions, extreme weather, and aging infrastructure are shaking long-held assumptions and reshaping strategy for many water industry organizations, says You-Chen Chao, risk and resilience officer for the State Water Project (SWP) at the California Department of Water Resources, the nation’s largest state-owned water system. “Virtually all the historical patterns and data we’ve relied on for decades for planning have changed. That means we need to think differently about how we manage risks to the delivery of water to Californians,” he says. In this conversation with Dmitriy Borovik, managing director and leader of the Energy & Resources practice at Deloitte & Touche LLP, Chao discusses how SWP uses strategic risk management to proactively address current and emerging challenges, and what it takes for leaders to enhance resilience and sustainability by integrating risk management into long-term planning and day-to-day operations. … ” Read more from the Wall Street Journal.
Report: Advancing Corporate Water Stewardship Insights From the California Experience
California is one of the most economically vital, socially vibrant, and ecologically diverse regions in the world, and all this is dependent on water. Yet, the long-term security of its water supplies is at risk. California has reached, and in many cases exceeded, the physical, economic, ecological, and social limits of traditional water supply options. Under business-as-usual conditions, California faces a 10 percent water supply gap by 2040. The economic cost of this water scarcity is estimated to be over $5 billion per year. Because of the confluence of economic importance and water stress, California has emerged as a proving ground for corporate water stewardship practices that go beyond their own operations to help address shared water challenges. This paper sets out to capture the trajectory of corporate water stewardship, both as a global movement and as on-the-ground action in California. Click here to read the report from the Pacific Institute.
Wildlife Conservation Board approves $59.6 million for wildlife crossings, salmon recovery, biodiversity and public access projects
“The Wildlife Conservation Board (WCB) approved $59,642,096 in grants for 27 projects across 18 counties to protect biodiversity, restore important wildlife habitats and improve public access to nature. Among these, five projects advance the California Salmon Strategy for a Hotter, Drier Future, restoring floodplains, improving stream complexity, and enhancing spawning and rearing habitat for coho salmon, Chinook salmon and steelhead. Projects also include investments in wildlife corridors, oak woodlands and grasslands, and wildlife-oriented recreation. The board met at the California Natural Resources Agency headquarters in Sacramento. WCB’s grants advance Gov. Gavin Newsom’s goal of conserving 30 percent of California’s lands and coastal waters by 2030, a globally adopted target known as 30×30. The initiative seeks to protect biodiversity, expand access to nature for all Californians and adapt to climate change. … ” Read more from the Department of Fish and Wildlife.
In people news this weekend …
Promotions, passings, profiles – submit people news items to maven@mavensnotebook.com.
Appointment: Keely Bosler, of Sacramento, has been reappointed to the Central Valley Flood Protection Board …
… where she has served since 2022. Bosler has been the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Keely MB Strategies since 2022. She was Director of the California Department of Finance from 2018 to 2022. Bosler was the Cabinet Secretary in the Office of Governor Edmund G. Brown from 2016 to 2018. She was the Chief Deputy Director for Budget at the California Department of Finance from 2013 to 2016. Bosler was the Staff Director for the California State Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Committee from 2010 to 2013. She was Associate Director of Fiscal Services at the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation from 2009 to 2010. Bosler was a Consultant for the California State Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Committee from 2004 to 2009. She was a Fiscal and Policy Analyst at the California Legislative Analyst’s Office from 2000 to 2004. She earned a Master of Science degree in Applied Economics from Cornell University. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $59,133. Bosler is registered without party preference.
Podcasts …
WHAT MATTERS: Is your tap water too cheap?
Join host Charley Wilson, Executive Director of the Southern California Water Coalition, for a candid conversation with Metropolitan Water District of Southern California Board Chair Adán Ortega, Jr. and new General Manager Shivaji Deshmukh. Recorded live in January 2026 at Santa Anita Park before 300 water, business, and community leaders, this compelling discussion tackles the future of Southern California’s water supply. Can Metropolitan invest enough to maintain system reliability while keeping water affordable and trusted? Tune in to hear water leaders address this critical question.
WATER RESOURCES PODCAST: Monitoring global land subsidence and impacts
Manoo Shirzaei discusses land subsidence in many regions globally, including Iran, California, Arizona, and U.S. Coast based on satellite data.
WATER IS A MANY SPLENDOR’ED THING: Outcome Based Water Management
Managing the health of a watershed has historically been attempted by predicting the results of possible manager behavior with computer models. The strategy was; if a good result was calculated, the approach would be tried in the field. This has produced mixed results. Are there better approaches to managing a watershed? Water is a Many Splendor’ed Thing brings you another water relationship that has a personally significant impact to your life. Produced by Stephen Baker, Bringing People Together to Solve Water Problems, water@operationunite.co 530-205-6388In regional water news this weekend …
NORTH COAST
Klamath water users respond to Bureau of Reclamation’s management plan
“The Klamath Water Users Association is closely watching whether upcoming release plans by federal agencies will provide enough water for Klamath Basin irrigators. The Bureau of Reclamation released its 2026 annual operations plan Tuesday for the Klamath Project. The plan outlines how water will be managed during the 2026 water year and establishes the operational framework for irrigation deliveries, Upper Klamath Lake elevations, and Klamath River flows under biological opinions that were adopted in 2024 by the National Marine Fisheries Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The plan identifies a goal of up to 350,000 acre-feet of Project water supply by maximizing stored water in Upper Klamath Lake for irrigation, dependent on hydrologic conditions, and staying in compliance with the 2024 biological opinions. … ” Read more from the Herald & News.
Multi-agency bust at illegal weed farm uncovers cache of firearms, hundreds of rounds of ammo, stolen vehicles and a taxidermied wolf, says CHP
“On Feb. 26, at approximately 10:30 a.m., the California Highway Patrol (CHP), with assistance from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Department, the California Department of Cannabis Control and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, executed a search warrant at a cannabis cultivation operation as part of an ongoing criminal investigation into stolen vehicles with altered Vehicle Identification Numbers (VIN). After securing the property, the Department of Cannabis Control found the site operating illegally. Investigators identified multiple environmental violations, including the unlawful diversion of water for the irrigation of the cannabis operation. Officers also found unpermitted structures used for cooking and habitation. … ” Read more from the Lost Coast Outpost.
Mendocino County Supervisors approve $500,000 for Potter Valley water efforts
“The Mendocino County Board of Supervisors this week discussed allocating a half-million dollars to regional entities involved with the decommissioning of the Potter Valley Project, with one supervisor questioning the need for it and another saying it was essential. Ultimately, the board approved $500,000 earmarked for the Mendocino County Inland Water and Power Commission and the Eel-Russian Project Authority. The money would go to “unanticipated” costs that may incur, according to Tony Rakes, deputy county chief executive officer. The Potter Valley Project, owned by PG&E, is a hydroelectric facility that will be dismantled as soon as 2028. … ” Read more from SF Gate.
8 weeks after massive sewage spill, Clearlake residents see no end in sight
“On a cool February morning, Shawn and Lindsay Heape slipped on their shoes and headed down their driveway, grabbing their green buckets on the way. Four minutes passed as they filled the two 5-gallon pails from an improvised water tank made from a pair of well-used, blue water drums connected to various garden hoses. The job is onerous, but important: Each drop of their limited water supply is precious. Buckets in hand, the weight digging into their fingers, they walked back into their three-bedroom home, past three large fish tanks and down the hallway toward the tiled bathroom. They place the buckets on the sink with the utmost care so the couple can brush their teeth, wash their hands and flush the toilet. … ” Read more from the Santa Rosa Press Democrat.
SIERRA NEVADA
Plans to recover rest of submerged barge in Lake Tahoe scheduled for March
“Underwater salvage operations to recover the barges that sank offshore last July are scheduled to begin in a few weeks. As a result, Ski Beach in Incline Village is scheduled to be closed to all public access from Friday, March 13th through Tuesday, March 31. The operation is now able to move forward following the resolution of contractual delays that had previously stalled the project. The salvage work is expected to take approximately 15 operational days, though scheduling may be adjusted based on weather and lake conditions. The temporary closure is necessary to support the safe recovery of a sunken barge owned by Tahoe Marine and Excavation along with remaining fireworks materials and associated debris located on the Lake Tahoe lakebed offshore of Ski Beach. … ” Read more from KTNV.
SEE ALSO: Barge and fireworks salvage plan in place for Incline’s Ski Beach, from South Tahoe Now
Cal-OSHA probing Yuba Water, security firm after deluge from Colgate pipe rupture
“California workplace safety inspectors have opened an investigation into the Yuba Water Agency and Elite Universal Security in response to a penstock rupture above the New Colgate Powerhouse earlier this month that led to helicopter rescues of five workers, including one who was hospitalized with serious injuries. A California Division of Occupational Safety spokesperson confirmed in an email Thursday night that an inspection had begun. The agency has up to six months to complete the inspection and may issue citations if it finds that workplace safety regulations were violated. Cal-OSHA will not provide additional information while the investigation is active, the spokesperson said. … ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee.
NAPA/SONOMA
Laguna de Santa Rosa Foundation wins million-dollar grant to kick off 175-acre wetlands restoration
“Two years ago, in February 2024, the Sebastopol Times reported on a Restoration Plan for the Laguna de Santa Rosa. The plan featured six restoration concepts for different parts of the Laguna, stretching from Rohnert Park up past Sebastopol to River Road. Yesterday, the Laguna de Santa Rosa Foundation announced that they have received a $1,045,694 grant from the California Wildlife Conservation Board to start work on a section of that restoration plan. The grant will pay for the design and environmental permitting to prepare for the restoration of 175 acres of riparian and wetland habitats along the Laguna de Santa Rosa between Sebastopol and Forestville. “This is an important milestone in the Laguna Foundation’s 37-year history,” said the Laguna Foundation’s Executive Director Anne Morkill. “It represents the largest singular project that we and our partners have undertaken to date in the Laguna de Santa Rosa floodplain.” … ” Read more from the Sebastopol Times.
BAY AREA
Willow Creek supporters seek $3M for Sausalito project
“An environmental nonprofit is seeking a $3 million grant to bring the underground creek to the surface at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Academy in Sausalito. Friends of Willow Creek has secured permission from the Sausalito Marin City School District to apply for the money from the San Francisco Bay Water Quality Improvement Fund. The funds would supplement the $3 million the district received from the same source in 2023. The application deadline is Tuesday. “The total project cost, including maintenance and monitoring, is likely to approach $6 million,” Friends of Willow Creek leader Steve Moore said Friday. “The SMCSD board directed in August that the creek project length would increase from 600 feet to 960 feet, and cost estimates increased as expected.” … ” Read more from the Marin Independent Journal.
Column: Marin needs ‘can do’ spirit to fight sea-level rise
Columnist Dick Spotswood writes, “Most Marin residents accept the reality that our shoreline along San Francisco Bay and in West Marin fronting the Pacific Ocean is experiencing the early impacts from sea-level rise. Recently, Marin County’s Public Works Department published its top-notch Marin Shoreline Sea Level Rise Vulnerability Assessment. … There are multiple viable ways to protect literally billions of dollars of homes, apartments and commercial properties plus public sector infrastructure even with a 50-year horizon. I recently moderated a sea-level rise forum for two homeowner associations bordering Southern Marin’s Richardson Bay. It took place just after this year’s combination of high king tides and storm runoffs. That convergence showcased what Marin’s future will resemble. … ” Read more from the Marin Independent Journal.
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
Man found guilty of dumping 200 gallons of waste in Stockton waterway
“A San Joaquin County jury convicted a Stockton man of multiple felony and misdemeanor charges for dumping hundreds of gallons of used oil into the Smith Canal in September 2024, prosecutors said. San Joaquin County District Attorney Ron Freitas announced Thursday that David Sump, 52, was found guilty following a trial stemming from what authorities described as a deliberate spill along the levee on Shimizu Drive. Sump, who has a prior strike conviction under California’s Three Strikes law, which can increase penalties for repeat offenders, was remanded into custody by Judge Xapuri Villapudua and faces up to six years in state prison. He is scheduled to be sentenced on March 3. … ” Read more from the Stockton Record.
Board issues new order directing Orosi and East Orosi to consolidate water systems
“Working to expedite long overdue access to safe and affordable drinking water for the residents of East Orosi in Tulare County, the State Water Resources Control Board today ordered the consolidation of the community’s water system with that of neighboring Orosi. After years of stalled progress toward a consolidation it first ordered in 2020, the State Water Board’s new mandatory consolidation order replaces all prior orders with a clear enforceable construction timeline and directives for specific actions. “In California, we recognize that safe drinking water is a human right,” said Andrew Altevogt, Assistant Deputy Director for the Division of Drinking Water. “We will enforce these new terms to make sure that East Orosi residents finally have reliable access to this basic necessity, just like 99% of all Californians.” … ” Read more from the State Water Board.
State Water Board to consider exclusions for small pumpers in the Tule and Tulare Lake subbasins
“The State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board or Board) designated the Tulare Lake Subbasin as probationary under the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) on April 16, 2024. The Board designated the Tule Subbasin as probationary on September 17, 2024. Most groundwater pumpers in the Tulare Lake and Tule subbasins are required to report their groundwater extractions by May 1, 2026, and pay fees to the Board. At the April 7, 2026, Board Meeting, the State Water Board will consider adopting resolutions to exclude groundwater pumpers in the Tulare Lake and Tule subbasins who extract no more than 20 acre-feet of groundwater per year from the reporting and fee requirements on the basis that these groundwater pumpers have a minimal impact on groundwater extractions. … ” Continue reading this notice from the State Water Board.
EASTERN SIERRA
Los Angeles leader sets forth “commonsense” plan giving State Water Board fast, affordable path to heal Mono Lake and benefit LA
“Last year Richard Katz, President of the Los Angeles Water and Power Commission, made headlines in the Los Angeles Times when he proclaimed, “This is a solution with lots of winners” and that once the water starts flowing, “we won’t need Mono Lake water to meet the supplies in LA.” Now Katz, who has since retired, has written a detailed letter spelling out how the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) is dramatically expanding a local water recycling and groundwater recharge project, enabling the agency to pause diversions from Mono Lake. Katz makes a compelling case to the State Water Board for the affordable, win-win plan. The letter looks beyond traditional conflicts of water policy to a refreshing, mutually beneficial future built on the abundance of local water supplies the Department of Water and Power has successfully engineered for the City. The Katz proposal is simple: Use the new local water supply to meet the needs of Los Angeles and pause Mono Basin water diversions to meet the needs of Mono Lake. … ” Read more from the Mono Lake Committee.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Introducing the L.A. Aqueduct Story Map! Discover LADWP in the Eastern Sierra
For more than 100 years, the Los Angeles Aqueduct (LAA) has delivered water to Los Angeles from the Eastern Sierra. Now, our new LAA Story Map helps you discover the important role this region plays in L.A.’s water supply, renewable power generation, and more. The map illustrates how LADWP provides safe, affordable, and sustainable drinking water to approximately 4 million Angelenos and why the LAA remains a vital part of diversifying our water supply mix. It also shows the path of the Eastern Sierra snowmelt as it travels more than 200 miles to Los Angeles, generating green energy along the way. Guided sections help navigate the map tour and dive into key parts of the region, from Mono Lake and environmental restoration in the Mono Basin to the snow surveys that help shape our water future. See the LAA Story Map
L.A. City’s Office of Public Accountability publishes information about LADWP bill drivers
L.A. City’s Office of Public Accountability recently published a blog post about the different services and factors that can impact a customer’s utility bill. Read the explainer from Tim O’Connor, Ratepayer Advocate, for more information about what makes up an LADWP bill. Read the article from the LA Ratepayer Advocate.
LADWP 2025 Urban Water Management Plan draft released and public comment period begins
“Every five years, LADWP adopts an Urban Water Management Plan (UWMP) that identifies long-term strategies to meet the City of L.A.’s water supply goals. This plan also includes a Water Shortage Contingency Plan that outlines how to identify and address water shortages. Earlier this month, we released the draft 2025 UWMP for public review. Following the draft’s release, we also opened the formal public comment period and began holding public meetings to allow the public to provide comments on this draft document. Upcoming meetings are planned for Wednesday, March 4, in-person at the North Hollywood Senior Center, and Saturday, March 14 via Zoom. To join these meetings, or to complete an interest form to engage in future meetings, visit LADWP.com/UWMP. Learn more about the UWMP
Now available: Metropolitan’s draft 2025 Urban Water Management Plan
Metropolitan’s draft 2025 Urban Water Management Plan is available for public review and input. A public hearing will be held during the One Water and Adaptation Committee meeting on April 13. Urban Water Management Plans are prepared every five years by water suppliers, including Metropolitan and its member agencies, to guide long-term planning and help ensure reliable water supplies for the region. Metropolitan is also updating its Water Shortage Contingency Plan, which describes planned responses to droughts and water shortage conditions. Learn more and participate
California legislators, on both sides of the aisle, call for federal wildfire disaster aid for Southern California
“The California Assembly this week called on President Donald Trump and Congress to send $34 billion in supplemental disaster aid to help Southern California wildfire victims more than a year after the catastrophic Palisades and Eaton fires. Gov. Gavin Newsom first requested tens of billions of dollars in disaster aid from the federal government in February 2025 and is still waiting for Trump to give the signal to the Republican-led Congress to approve the supplemental funding. The bipartisan resolution the Assembly passed on Thursday, Feb. 26, called on the president to “immediately submit a supplemental disaster declaration” for Congress to “unlock funding.” At the same time, it urged Congress to approve the aid “regardless of whether it receives a request” from Trump. … ” Read more from the LA Daily News.
Local nonprofit, U.S. Forest Service restore habitat for endangered SoCal steelhead trout
“The Southern California steelhead trout is a fish that has been on the endangered species list since 1997, and habitat loss has played a key role in their population decline. But recently, a local nonprofit, the U.S. Forest Service and other partners completed a roughly $6 million project in the Los Padres National Forest Service in Ventura County to improve their habitat. At Wheeler Gorge Campground in the Los Padres National Forest, a gentle water now feely rushes through Bear Creek. The creek, along with the North Fork Matilija Creek at Wheeler Gorge are part of the Ventura River Watershed and are habitats for the federally endangered steelhead trout. … ” Read more from Spectrum 1.
Inside the mission to get this amputee turtle back to the San Gabriel River
“Porkchop appeared eager to go home. Under a blazing sun, the green sea turtle thwapped the surface of the San Gabriel River with her sole front flipper as aquarium staffers gripped her shell. They let go and all 85 pounds of her instantly disappeared into the murky water — the same place she was rescued a year ago, with a mostly dead flipper and a hook lodged in her mouth. “I hope she gets to go far away or live a turtle life with no further involvement with human beings,” said Dr. Lance Adams, director of veterinary services for the Aquarium of the Pacific, which treated her injuries — including amputating the necrotic flipper — before releasing her into the wild on Friday morning. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
Fear that herbicides are poisoning Orange County creeks blows up on social media
“Residents concerned about the possible poisoning of Orange County waterways with herbicides have been making their voices heard on Instagram and pressured the county into holding a meeting on the issue Monday night. Their effort has exposed tensions between people who see the waterways as natural creeks and county officials who see them as flood channels. Brent Linas, a 41-year-old tech sales director in San Juan Capistrano, launched the Creek Team OC Instagram account after seeing changes on his runs along San Juan and Trabuco creeks. Lush green reeds in the channel had suddenly turned brown and lifeless, and birds had disappeared. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
IMPERIAL/COACHELLA VALLEYS
Obama protected this Calif. landscape. Now its future is uncertain.
“Ten years ago, the city of Desert Hot Springs was reinventing itself. After declaring bankruptcy in 2001 and fiscal emergency in 2013 and 2014, the city had started to turn its finances around after becoming the first in Southern California to legalize large-scale cannabis cultivation. When former President Barack Obama created Sand to Snow National Monument in February 2016, protecting 154,000 acres of desert and mountains, city officials hoped it would mean a tourism boost for the city of about 30,000 people located 20 minutes north of downtown Palm Springs. While known as a major destination for its spa resorts in the 1950s and 1960s, Desert Hot Springs has struggled more recently to keep up with the tourism dollars of its famous neighbors to the north and south: Joshua Tree and Palm Springs. … ” Read more from SF Gate.
SAN DIEGO
EPA Admin. returns to San Diego, visits Valley Center farm and shares new sewage crisis updates
“For the second time this month, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin made a return trip to San Diego, and this visit looked different. Instead of touring border infrastructure, he spent the day at Jackson Ranch in Valley Center, meeting directly with growers and hearing what they say are mounting pressures on local agriculture. This is part of Zeldin’s mission to visit farms across the country and bring their concerns back to Washington D.C. Zeldin rode through avocado grower Robert Jackson’s hillside farm, listening as Jackson explained how tight margins have become. “Every pound of avocados we pick right now, we’re losing money,” Jackson said. “And that’s because Mexico is just flooding our markets with avocados. We need help.” … ” Read more from Channel 8.
San Diego County hires D.C. lobbying firm to push federal action on Tijuana River sewage crisis
“The County of San Diego has hired a Washington, D.C.-based law firm to lobby federal officials on the Tijuana River sewage crisis, a contract worth up to $637,200 over five years, according to county records. Best Best & Krieger LLP, known as BBK, was selected through a competitive process in which the county received four bids, according to county spokesperson Tammy Glenn. The contract, signed in January 2026, tasks BBK with advocating before Congress, the White House and federal agencies on behalf of the county to secure funding and action to address cross-border sewage flows that have fouled South Bay beaches and communities for decades. Ana Schwab, BBK’s partner and director of government affairs, said the firm’s primary goal is ensuring the physical infrastructure necessary to address the crisis gets funded and built. … ” Read more from the San Diego Union-Tribune.
Along the Colorado River …
‘The risk of litigation is high’ for Colorado River states, says Utah’s negotiator
“The identical desert landscape on both sides of the Utah-Arizona border may make it seem like the states have a lot in common. But in the deadlocked negotiations over the Colorado River, the neighbors appear worlds apart. “If anything, it seems like that gap is widening, which is unfortunate,” said Kathryn Sorensen, director of research at Arizona State University’s Kyl Center for Water Policy. “It doesn’t seem like it’s moving in the right direction.” The federal deadline for seven Western states to reach a new deal on sharing the dwindling river came and went on Feb. 14. Despite years of negotiations, those in the upper basin — Utah, Colorado, Wyoming and New Mexico — and the lower basin — Arizona, California and Nevada — have not been able to agree on how much water each should be allowed to use as megadrought, climate change and overuse stretch the vital water supply thin. … ” Read more from KUER.
SEE ALSO: How to save the Colorado River, from Newsweek via AOL News
In which my colleagues and I share thoughts on the future of Colorado River governance
Jon Fleck writes, “It is hard to know where to begin. The Department of the Interior’s Post-2026 Colorado River draft environmental impact statement, and the deep questions it raises, is an “everything including the kitchen sink” sort of process. But at its root, the question it raises is simple: Tell us what you’re going to do. It is easiest to quote the Draft EIS itself on the central question: “In critically dry periods, all alternatives have unacceptable performance.” Roger that. Tell us what you’re going to do. In the short run, with a meager snowpack and no clear explanation of how federal and state managers are going to operate the reservoir system, the basin’s dams and diversions now, we have no clear picture of what will happen in 2026. Tell us what you’re going to do. The ad-hoc collective that Allen Best dubbed “the Traveling Wilburys of the Colorado River” – Anne Castle, Eric Kuhn, Jack Schmidt, Kathryn Sorensen, Rin Tara, and me – took yet another stab at offering our suggestions in comments we submitted yesterday to Interior’s P26 EIS process. … ” Read more from the Inkstain blog.
Want to know how much water will flow to Phoenix? Look in the snow
“High in the mountains of Arizona, the state’s water supply is slowly piling up. Across craggy peaks and sprawling ponderosa forests, blankets of winter snow represent the first step in filling Arizona’s reservoirs. The snow that falls at high elevation will melt into soils, streams and rivers before it’s collected in reservoirs that feed kitchen faucets and grassy lawns in the Phoenix area, about 100 miles away. At the source, when the water is still frozen, scientists are hard at work measuring and understanding it. Zachary Keller, a field hydrologist for the Salt River Project, trudged through shin-deep snow on his way to a measurement station near Happy Jack, a once-bustling logging camp. Now, it’s a tranquil sea of pines and trickling mountain streams. “I can’t believe they pay me to do this,” he said with a smile. “Best job I ever had.” … ” Read more from KJZZ.
Q&A: Tom Buschatzke: Keeping Arizona’s faucets functioning
“Tom Buschatzke is Arizona’s chief negotiator for the Colorado River negotiations and has been the arbiter of the state’s water supply for over 10 years as director of the Arizona Department of Water Resources. In a career spanning decades and beginning with an internship at the very department he now leads, Buschatzke said there’s never been a dull day. Q: What initially got you interested in water and water policy? A: When I was an undergraduate student, I decided to become a geology major because I liked the opportunity to potentially work outdoors, especially when you’re younger in that field. I went to undergraduate school in upstate New York, where there were lots of rivers, streams, etc. So the three pathways with that degree were probably mining, oil or water. … ” Continue reading at the Arizona Capitol Times.
Arizona Legislature’s data center conversations miss water angle
“As Arizona lawmakers look to address constituent concerns over data center growth in the state, water usage is increasingly fading from the conversation. Republican and Democratic legislators introduced 13 bills this session related to data centers, but now that the Legislature has entered crossover week, many of the bills aimed at curbing data center water usage have landed on the cutting room floor. Those bills, sponsored by Democratic lawmakers, would have limited daily water usage for data centers — many of which rely on large amounts of water to keep the technology and facilities cool. Gov. Katie Hobbs proposed imposing a water user fee on data centers as part of her executive budget, saying a fee of $0.1 per gallon could raise $6.5 million per year that would go toward Colorado River conservation. … ” Read more from the Arizona Capitol Times.
Tucson project looks to capture waste from wastewater and make it a usable water source
“Wastewater treatment plants play an important role in making sure all water goes to good use. But even treating sewage can create its own wastewater, called brine. Researchers at the University of Arizona are looking to make sure even the byproduct from wastewater can be used. Brine can also come from desalination plants, and chip manufacturing facilities like those at TSMC, though some have 100% capture capabilities. Brine has very high amounts of minerals like sodium and magnesium, and is also a byproduct of desalination plants. And putting it in the environment can have ecological consequences that can make seawater uninhabitable, pollute the air, and leak into groundwater. … ” Read more from KJZZ.
Colorado River bill gets some teeth thanks to Utah legislature
“A simple bill on the Colorado River Authority of Utah has been amended in a sign that negotiations are not going well. House Bill 473, sponsored by Rep. Scott Chew, R-Jensen, started simply by moving the Colorado River Authority of Utah from underneath the Governor’s Office and over to the Utah Department of Natural Resources. But language has been added into the bill to bolster its authority to stick up for Utah’s interests in the ongoing high-stakes negotiations over the river that supplies water to more than 40 million across the West. Rep. Chew told members of the Senate Natural Resources Committee that it was done because negotiations between the seven states along the Colorado River have not yielded a new agreement. “Those of us that rely on the Colorado River, it’s put us in kind of a tough spot. We know what litigation will do and our portion of the Colorado River extends across the state,” he said. … ” Read more from Fox 13.
SEE ALSO: Utah Power Play: Lawmakers Beef Up Colorado River Watchdogs As Crisis Nears, from Hoodline
A look at Utah’s biggest environment and land bills in 2026
“Though saving the Great Salt Lake has dominated public discourse this year during Utah’s Legislature, it is not the only thing the state’s governing body is trying to do about the water, land and the environment. From protecting miners to figuring out who should have jurisdiction over federal lands, the Utah Legislature has been busy. Here are a handful of bills with serious teeth. … ” Read more from Deseret News.
Early detection of aquatic threats: eDNA research in the Colorado River ecosystem & Lake Powell
“The USGS and partners are conducting environmental DNA (eDNA) research in the Colorado River downstream from Glen Canyon Dam and in Lake Powell to detect invasive fish species and other aquatic threats before they become established. eDNA is a cutting-edge technology that makes it possible to identify invasive species before they are visible, even in vast or hard-to-survey environments like rivers and lakes. The research addresses a critical challenge facing the Colorado River ecosystem: preventing warm-water invasive fish from devastating populations of threatened and endangered native fish species like razorback sucker (Xyrauchen texanus) and humpback chub (Gila cypha). This work is part of a broader effort by the USGS Southwest Biological Science Center’s Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center (GCMRC) in collaboration with the Bureau of Reclamation, U.S. Forest Service, National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Arizona Game and Fish Department. … ” Read more from the USGS.
‘Unprecedented times’ at Glen Canyon Dam could push power costs higher
“The scanty snowpack accumulating this winter in the Colorado River headwaters is threatening Glen Canyon Dam’s hydropower production and complicating an already fraught balancing act for the Southwest’s waterworks. A government river forecast predicts that poor flows could drop Lake Powell below the point at which the dam can produce power later this year. In practice, however, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation has suggested it will shuffle water among reservoirs to prevent that outcome so soon. Without a substantially wetter winter next year, though, the dam near the Utah-Arizona line could face a real prospect of halting production and raising electricity prices from metro Phoenix to the Navajo Nation and around the rural West. … ” Read more from Arizona Central.
