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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.
- EVENT: Accounting for Blue Carbon in the Bay–Delta: Science, Policy, and Practice from 9am to 4pm. This symposium will convene leading scientists, policymakers, land managers, and stakeholders to explore the science and policy of blue carbon—carbon captured and stored in coastal and aquatic ecosystems—in the San Francisco Bay and Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta (Bay-Delta) region. The event will highlight recent research on carbon dynamics across land-sea interfaces, identify key habitats and conditions that optimize carbon sequestration, and evaluate frameworks for carbon and greenhouse gas accounting and integration with climate policy. The event will run from 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM on Thursday, March 5th, 2026 at the UC Davis International Center and will also be live-streamed and recorded. This is a ticketed event for in-person and remote attendees. Click here to register.
- WEBINAR: Managing stormwater in small communities from 10am to 11am. Small communities face unique challenges as they work to protect water quality and mitigate flooding. This webinar will explore the ways that intermunicipal collaborations can enable communities to leverage their resources, meet regulatory requirements, and unlock new funding and financing to pursue shared stormwater management goals. Join us to learn about resources and dive into real world examples that explore the process of developing and implementing these partnerships. The presentation will also discuss opportunities to connect existing partnerships with the Clean Water State Revolving Fund and other funding and technical assistance opportunities. Click here to register.
- WEBINAR: Putah Creek Salmon in the Yolo Bypass from 7pm to 9pm. Max Stevenson, the Putah Creek Streamkeeper, will talk about the fall-run Chinook salmon migration through the Yolo Bypass. Thousands of adults come each year to spawn, and millions of juvenile salmon can migrate out of Putah Creek, through the Toe Drain (aka Tule Canal) and to the Ocean beyond. Max has been the full-time Putah Creek Streamkeeper for the Agency since January 2022. Max serves as the Executive Director of the Lower Putah Creek Coordinating Committee (LPCCC). Click here to register.
In California water news today …
California, Arizona and Nevada press Trump administration to rethink Colorado River water cuts
“Leaders of California, Arizona and Nevada are criticizing the Trump administration’s proposals for water cutbacks along the Colorado River, urging it to take a different approach and avoid a court battle. The three downstream states said in letters to the Interior Department this week that the agency’s preliminary outline of five options for cuts ignores the foundational “Law of the River” that has underpinned how seven western states operate for more than a century. Federal officials have so far failed to examine whether their options comply with the 1922 Colorado River Compact, and this is “a fundamental deficiency that must be corrected,” JB Hamby, California’s lead negotiator, wrote in a letter to the Trump administration. … ” Read more from the LA Times. | Read via Yahoo News.
Colorado, upper basin entities call for ‘durable,’ supply-driven management of Colorado River in federal comment period
“Following the Colorado River Basin states’ failure to reach an agreement, the future of the river and management of its two critical reservoirs now rest in the hands of the federal government. Entities across the basin are still weighing in, with Colorado and upper basin representatives pushing for durable, long-term and supply-driven rules to govern the reservoirs’ future, according to new comments submitted to the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. For over two years, the upper and lower basin states have been going back and forth over the post-2026 operations of Lake Powell and Lake Mead, which have widespread implications for the approximately 40 million people, seven states, two counties and 30 tribal nations that rely on the river as a water source. The current operational guidelines for the reservoirs were set in 2007 and expire this year. … ” Read more from the Post Independent.
SEE ALSO:
- Congressman Biggs Leads Arizona Republican Delegation in Formal Opposition to Flawed Colorado River Draft Plan
- Arizona Democratic Congressional Delegation Demand Equitable Colorado River Protections
- Governor Polis, Department of Natural Resources Express Concern Over Colorado River Environmental Impact Statement
Delta Stewardship Council hears appeals on the Delta Conveyance Project
“On February 26 and 27, 2026, the Delta Stewardship Council (Council) held a two-day public hearing to address ten appeals challenging the California Department of Water Resources’ (DWR) Certification of Consistency (C20257) with the Delta Plan for the proposed Delta Conveyance Project (DCP). DWR proposes to add two new water diversions on the Sacramento River in the north Delta near the community of Hood in Sacramento County, from which it would convey up to 6,000 cubic feet per second of Sacramento River water through a 45-mile underground tunnel to the south Delta for export to State Water Project contractors in the Bay Area, San Joaquin Valley, and Southern California. During the hearing, the Council and public weighed in with comments and questions directed at whether DWR’s consistency certification is supported by substantial evidence in the record. … ” Read more from Somach Simmons & Dunn.
Increased abundance of Sacramento and Klamath River Chinook points to improved salmon season
“Both the Sacramento and Klamath River systems saw increased numbers of Chinook salmon return to spawn in 2025 compared to the previous two years, pointing to a potential increase in fishing opportunities in the ocean and rivers this year. Dr. Michael O’Farrell of the National Marine Fisheries Service forecasts a current adult salmon ocean abundance of Sacramento River Fall Chinook to be 392,349, based on a model used to determine West Coast fishing seasons every year. The information was released at a meeting held by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) on February 27 at the Resources Building in Sacramento. The forecast is based largely on the number of jack (two-year-old) salmon that returned to spawn in 2025. The 2025 jack count of 63,369 was the highest since 2011, the result of very rainy, wet conditions in the Central Valley during 2024. … ” Read more from the Daily Kos.
New Stanford study finds water quality oversight failures at California dairies and feedlots
“California is failing to adequately monitor and enforce water quality regulations governing Confined Animal Facilities (CAFs), according to a new report from Stanford Law School’s Environmental and Natural Resources Law & Policy Program (ENRLP) and the Climate and Energy Policy Program at Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment. A CAF is a site, such as large commercial dairies and cattle feedlots, where animals are kept in corrals, pens, or other enclosed areas and fed by means other than grazing. Because these operations generate substantial volumes of manure and wastewater, they are required under the Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act to submit annual reports to Regional Water Quality Control Boards detailing herd size, manure production, wastewater generation, and waste management practices. The report, “Confined Animal Facility Permitting and Reporting Under the Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act: An Analysis of Regional Board Activities,” concludes that widespread reporting gaps and limited regulatory follow-up mean that state and regional regulators often lack the information necessary to assess water quality risks or take corrective action when violations occur. … ” Read more from Stanford Lawyer.
‘Insanity’: Bredefeld says human compost is being spread along the San Joaquin River
“A local supervisor is calling for change after discovering that human compost is being deposited along the San Joaquin River. According to Earth Funeral, human composting is “an eco-friendly alternative to cremation,” in which the dead are transformed into a cubic yard of nutrient-rich soil over 45 days. Per the company’s website, families choose how much soil they want, and the remainder is donated to local conservation projects for land restoration initiatives. Fresno County Supervisor Garry Bredefeld says the San Joaquin River Parkway Trust is allowing some of that remainder to be spread into the soil at the Sumner Peck Ranch near Solitary Cellars. … ” Read more from Your Central Valley.
Lawn renovations could play major role in conserving water in West, experts say
“Lawmakers and water utilities in the West are urging residents to conserve water as reservoirs hit record lows amid climate change-driven megadrought. Among the calls to action is a reminder for residents to make choices that lessen use of municipal water when it comes to maintaining landscaping in desert surroundings. About 30% of water usage for the average American family is used for the outdoors, such as watering lawns and gardens, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. But in the West, where water is zapped almost instantaneously by either the blazing sun or thirsty vegetation, outdoor water usage increases to about 60% of total household use, according to the EPA. … ” Read more from ABC News.
A hunger for answers on California Forever’s environmental impacts
“It’s been two and a half years since news emerged of a tech-billionaire-backed idea to put a 400,000-person city in Solano County, and a lot of big questions remain—as indicated by the 616 pages of public comments just on the notice that an environmental impact report was coming. After California Forever pulled a controversial ballot measure that would have put the development in voters’ hands, the project kept moving forward. Now the project has been reimagined as an expansion of tiny, broke Suisun City, and California Forever has officially begun preparing the environmental impact report people first asked for two years ago. It will be the first comprehensive look at what the massive development could mean for nature in southeastern Solano County. The public comments, submitted by 38 individuals or groups, offer feedback on the environmental impact report’s notice of preparation, or NOP, a step that lets government agencies and members of the public chime in about what they want to see in the draft report. … ” Read more from Bay Nature.
In commentary today …
Building the Abundant Water Coalition
Edward Ring, Director of Water and Energy Policy at the California Policy Center, writes, “If enough people in California agreed on a state water strategy, the political obstacles would be overcome. If every major water agency, every farming association, and a critical mass of environmental groups were all committed to a specific set of policies and projects, then elected politicians would be bound to adhere to those priorities. Regulatory relief, legislative actions, executive orders, agency directives, and sources of funding would all align. So what would it take for Californians to rediscover a consensus so durable that the state could embark on a water project for the 21st century that rivals the massive projects of the 20th century? It isn’t as if there aren’t proposals out there. The California Department of Water Resources has the California Water Plan, updated in 2023. Along with SB 72, passed in 2025, it calls for 9 million acre feet of additional supply, conservation, or storage by 2040. … ” Read more from Edward Ring.
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
Board of Supervisors approve $500K for water security efforts
“The Mendocino County Board of Supervisors recently approved setting aside $500,000 to support the Inland Water and Power Commission’s efforts to secure water supply for the region in the wake of pending Potter Valley Project decommissioning, though one supervisor suggested that most of the funds might better be spent on roads instead. “When I hear from constituents across the county, I hear they would like to see more road work done, so I would be inclined to reduce that (amount for water to) $50,000, (especially since) we don’t even know what it is for at this point,” said Fourth District Supervisor Ted Williams, suggested that $450,000 instead be put toward roads, with $50,000 remaining for the IWPC. “We’re trying to reflect public values,” Williams continued. “I hear people support law enforcement… and they support roads; that’s what I hear the most. I don’t hear people talking about allocating half a million dollars to fund unanticipated consequences or projects related to water.” … ” Read more from the Mendocino Beacon.
SIERRA NEVADA
Will Tahoe get any more real snow this year? Here’s what forecasters say
“With little snow in the forecast, California’s meager snowpack — at just 59% of normal for this time of year — could be in dire trouble. And that’s a big deal for winter sports enthusiasts who want to bag peaks or hit the slopes in Lake Tahoe this winter. This winter hasn’t been a dry one, but it has been a tale of warm storms bringing rain, a few big cold winter systems dropping multiple feet of snow and then warm temperatures prematurely melting some of the cold white layer blanketing the Sierra Nevada. “The full three-month period, winter 2026, was in fact record warm throughout a majority of the Sierra Nevada,” said Daniel Swain, a climate scientist with UC Agriculture and Natural Resources, in Monday’s edition of his YouTube video series. … ” Read more from KQED.
New Colgate Powerhouse breach: What do the longer-term impacts look like?
“It has been more than two weeks since a major environmental incident broke out in the Yuba County foothills. A penstock pipe at the new Colgate Powerhouse suffered a catastrophic failure on Feb. 13, flooding the facility located south of New Bullards Bar Reservoir and forcing workers to evacuate. The 14-foot-diameter pipe carried water from the reservoir through a tunnel into the powerhouse for hydroelectric power generation. Officials said 10 people had been working at the facility. Five managed to escape on foot, while the others had to be rescued by helicopter. One worker suffered serious injuries and was hospitalized, but has since been released to recover at home. … ” Read more from Capital Public Radio.
Drinking water for Tuolumne County expected to be restored soon as canal repairs almost complete
“Tuolumne County residents will soon be able to resume their normal water use in a matter of days as crews anticipate finishing repairs on a canal Wednesday evening. The main canal that supplies drinking water for about 90% of Tuolumne County’s residents was damaged during February snowstorms, prompting Pacific Gas & Electric Co., which manages that canal, to halt the flow of water. Residents were urged to reduce their water use until repairs could be made. County officials also issued a state of emergency in a push for more resources to repair the damage done by more than 200 trees falling onto the canal, breaking parts of its wooden flumes. … ” Read more from KCRA.
SEE ALSO: PG&E says repairs on Main Tuolumne Canal to be complete Wednesday night, from the Union Democrat
Placer County Water Agency maps out $295 million projects to upgrade plans, pipes
“The Placer County Water Agency has mapped out $295 million in projects that will upgrade infrastructure, such as rebuilding plants and rehabbing buries pipes, from the foothills to the freeway. The Colfax Water Treatment Plant, which opened in 1958, is getting a $36 million upgrade. The funding for the remodel comes from a $10 million zero-interest loan and $2.5 million in principal forgiveness from the State Water Resources Control Board, according to the PCWA website. … ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee.
A developer wants to build 110 homes just outside Yosemite. Locals are shocked
“A plan to build 110 modular homes at the edge of Yosemite National Park is shaping up as one of the most unusual battles in California’s long-running effort to force construction of new and affordable housing up and down the state. In this corner of the Sierra Nevada, some worry the cherished park would be diminished by the project, in which an Orange County developer is pursuing housing on private land on the park’s western boundary next to the longstanding community of Yosemite West. Others are questioning basic matters of road access, water supply and slope stability in the scenic yet remote mountain region. While such issues might normally present long regulatory odds for a project, the developer in this case has gained a potential opening by invoking a state law known as the “builder’s remedy.” The statute, designed to expedite housing in California, waives local zoning rules when the state determines that an area hasn’t sufficiently planned for new homes, as it has done in Mariposa County. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
DWR continues water releases from Oroville Dam; may not reach capacity this year
“For the first time since 2022, Lake Oroville may not reach its capacity in 2026 thanks to a lower snowpack and a lack of winter storms. Current inflows into the lake are measured at 14,800 cubic feet per second and the total outflows are 10,300 cfs, said Raquel Borrayo, a spokesperson for the California Department of Water Resources. About 10,000 cfs is being released downstream, though a portion is routed to the city of Oroville. Borrayo said the most recent snowpack measurement of the Sierra Nevada was low. DWR’s manual survey Feb. 27 at Phillips Station showed the snowpack at 47% of average at that location. … ” Read more from the Chico Enterprise-Record.
NAPA/SONOMA
Sonoma Ecology Center awarded $2.5 million for restoration work
“The Sonoma Ecology Center received nearly $2.5 million in federal grant funding from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to advance its floodplain restoration project in Sonoma Creek. U.S. Rep. Mike Thompson, who is running for re-election to retain his 4th Congressional District seat, announced the award during the last week of February. The St. Helena Democrat helped secure the nearly $2.5 million in funding for the center. “This project is one of only four projects in California funded through this competitive nation-wide grant program, and we appreciate Congressman Thompson’s support helping us bring these resources to Sonoma Valley,” said Richard Dale, executive director at the Sonoma Ecology Center. … ” Read more from the Sonoma Index-Tribune.
CENTRAL COAST
CDFW report touts “Cutting Green Tape,” including Big Basin Lodge Road restoration project
“The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) released its Fiscal Year 2024-2025 report on its “Cutting Green Tape” initiative to increase the pace and scale of ecological restoration and conservation. The report shows that the program has helped more than 500 restoration projects move forward and has helped restore nearly 300,000 acres of habitat, reconnect 5.5 million acres of land, and improve over 700 miles of California streams. Locally, the Lodge Road Wildlife Resilience and Large Tree Restoration Demonstration project will improve forest conditions and restore 54 acres within the Big Basin Redwood State Park, a step into recovery after the 2020 San Mateo–Santa Cruz Unit Lightning Complex Fire. … ” Read more from KSBW.
Three years after the Pajaro River levee breached, rebuilding continues at a steady pace.
“It’s been three years since the Pajaro River levee crumbled and the river flooded the town of Pajaro, displacing hundreds of people and causing untold amounts of damage to homes and businesses. Decades in the making, a project to bolster the levee in Pajaro and Watsonville is at last expected to begin construction in earnest this week, but first in Watsonville. Pajaro residents will have to spend a few more winters with the current levee, as the portion that breached and was repaired in 2023 may not begin construction until 2029 or 2030. Mark Strudley, executive director of the Pajaro Regional Flood Management Agency, says the Pajaro River Flood Risk Management Project takes years of effort behind the scenes, and support from the federal and state governments, before heavy equipment arrives on the scene. … ” Read more from Monterey Now.
Pajaro Valley Water opens public comment on draft resilience plan
“For those wanting to get their views in on strengthening the Pajaro River watershed system, the Pajaro Valley Water Management Agency has just the opportunity. The agency, which manages groundwater activities throughout South Santa Cruz and North Monterey counties, is accepting comments on its Draft Pajaro River Watershed Resilience Plan. The plan — a pilot program funded through the California Department of Water Resources — is intended to solicit feedback, concerns, areas of expertise and priorities from communities and identify local vulnerabilities in the Pajaro River Watershed amidst a changing climate. Comments will be accepted through March 16. … ” Read more from the Santa Cruz Sentinel.
2026 marks a key decision year for groundwater management in the Salinas Valley.
“Eight years ago, a milestone law for climate adaptation took effect to ensure California could maintain adequate water supplies for generations to come. The Sustainable Groundwater Management Act, or SGMA, created a 25-year roadmap by which local agencies would begin modeling, implement sustainability plans and enforce compliance. While still early in the overall timeline, 2026 marks a significant decision year as the Salinas Valley Groundwater Sustainability Agency brings together feasibility studies, modeling and economic analysis to formulate a set of projects and management actions to carry forward. “It’s a big year of decision-making and getting the whole community behind it,” says Piret Harmon, general manager of SVBGSA. “We need to choose a suite of projects to move forward, and that’s going to happen this summer.” … ” Read more from Monterey Now.
Flowing Into the Future: Water districts across Ventura County are planning for long-term use and drought resilience
“Lake Casitas had a watershed year in 2024 when it topped its spillway at elevation 567 feet and released water down Coyote Creek and the Ventura River for the first time since 1998. The lake topped the dam spillway again this year on Feb. 18 and water started trickling down the steeply angled concrete structure. Casitas Municipal Water District (Casitas Municipal) General Manager Michael Flood told the Ventura County Reporter that approximately 30% of the lake’s water is diverted from the Ventura River by the district’s Robles Diversion and Fish Passage Facility, while the rest flows from the watershed surrounding Lake Casitas. Flood said they were able to stop diverting water from the Ventura River earlier than usual this winter because Lake Casitas was so full from heavy rains in November and December. “In January, we actually stopped diverting because we know that there’s going to be more storms and there’s no reason to spend the effort in diversion just to spill it. These other storms came along like we expected and now it’s right at the top,” Flood said. … ” Read more from the Ventura County Reporter.
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
Snowpack is at just 63%, but Turlock Irrigation District plans full deliveries. Here’s why
“The Turlock Irrigation District will have full supplies this year despite the below-average snowpack in its watershed. The district staff laid out two reasons Tuesday: Rain has been adequate in the lower portions of the Tuolumne River basin, and storage is above average in Don Pedro Reservoir thanks to recent wet years. TID supplies about 149,000 farmland acres in Stanislaus and northern Merced counties. It also sells river water to the cities of Turlock and Ceres to ease their reliance on wells. The Modesto Irrigation District, which also taps the Tuolumne, has not set its 2026 allotment. It has about 58,000 acres in agriculture and is part of the city of Modesto supply. … ” Read more from the Modesto Bee.
Diablo Grande: A tale of water woes foretold
Steve Ringhoff, a former journalist with the Modesto Bee, writes, “Nature was part of the allure of Diablo Grande from the beginning, when deer could be seen trimming the hillside oaks while standing on their hind legs. Much less charming were the wild hogs that rooted for grubs at night in the lush fairways of the two golf courses, leaving parts of the greens looking like they had been plowed. The occasional Roadrunners at the course edges looked exactly like the cartoons, causing every golfer who saw one for the first time to think, or even say out loud: “beep, beep.” While the birds added a touch of whimsy to the situation, the prediction of the late Vance Kennedy of Modesto, more than two decades ago, is proving to be true: that water issues would lead to the downfall of the grandiose project. … ” Read more from the Valley Citizen.
How a tiny sea animal could disrupt farm water systems in Kern County. Experts are hoping to stop it
“A tiny mollusk, native to China and southeast Asia, made its way to California in 2024. Its potentially disruptive effects to water systems are now in Kern County. The golden mussel threatens to disrupt California’s surface water delivery system, from the Sacramento San Joaquin River Delta all the way to farms in Kern County. This week the Water Association of Kern County is holding its annual Water Summit and that tiny mollusk is becoming a bigger focus at this year’s event. The golden mollusk, by all accounts, is a prodigious progenitor colonizing beneath the water’s surface and anchoring itself to just about anything it can latch on to. … ” Read more from Your Central Valley.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
When is the 2026 Grunion run? How to see the fish out of water experience
“Here’s a bit of advice from grunion guru Jim Serpa: Don’t give up. “If they don’t run, wait an hour more. They almost always run early in the season,” said Serpa, a retired State Parks ranger who for decades has run a grunion program out of Doheny State Beach in Dana Point. “Just hunker down and wait.” Grunion season kicks off this week with the year’s first “run,” when little silver critters surf up onto the sand during a mating ritual that gives a rare look at the fish out of water, literally. Wednesday’s run is expected between 10 p.m. and midnight; Thursday and Friday’s runs should be 25 minutes later each night. The grunion mate on the sand during a two-hour window only on certain nights throughout the year, based on the moon and tides. It is a phenomenon unique to Southern California. … ” Read more from the LA Daily News.
Along the Colorado River …
Could ocean water help fix Arizona’s drought troubles? This agreement puts it one step closer
“It’s a tantalizing question. As the Colorado River drought squeezes the Southwest, why not turn to the ocean for more water? Now, the largest desalination plant in the Western Hemisphere could help make that a reality, purifying ocean water and helping boost Arizona’s drinking supplies. The San Diego County Water Authority, which uses the desalination plant in Carlsbad, California, signed a Memorandum of Understanding to explore a water transfer program. It’s the first step in a process that could see the Phoenix and Tucson areas benefit from treated seawater. … ” Read more from KJZZ.
Salt River Project measures snowpack in the Verde River watershed to calculate expected water production
“February’s snowstorm in Arizona’s high country hopes to produce ample snowmelt runoff for the watersheds. Salt River Project was out on the Verde River watershed in Happy Jack on Feb. 23, to measure the snowpack and calculate how much water it will produce. “It’s a long tube that we put in the snow. We can measure the depth, then we can take that out and weigh it and see how much mass there is and figure out based on the density of that snow how much there is,” SRP Senior Hydrologist Stephen Flora told KTAR News 92.3 FM. … ” Read more from KTAR.
Arizona Water Company receives first 100-year water designation in decades
“Arizona Water Company became the first water provider in more than 20 years to receive a 100-year water supply designation in Pinal County’s Active Management Area, officials announced today. The company received the designation through Governor Katie Hobbs’ new Alternative Designation of Assured Water Supply (ADAWS) program. The ADAWS program aims to conserve groundwater while enabling housing development. Arizona Water Company’s designation will provide water supply protections across its service area and support construction of more than 80,000 new homes, according to the governor’s office. The company is only the second utility statewide to receive designation through the ADAWS program. … ” Read more from the Herald & News.
In national water news today …
2026 Farm Bill includes new rural water programs
“The proposed 2026 Farm, Food, and National Security Act (H.R. 7567) includes provisions affecting rural water systems, wells, conservation programs, and drought resilience across the Colorado River Basin states. The Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 is the House’s latest major attempt to reauthorize and update the nation’s farm bill framework. Farm bills are large, multi-year packages that typically cover a wide range of programs, including the farm safety net for commodity producers, crop insurance and disaster tools, conservation programs, research and extension, rural development, and nutrition assistance such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. …. ” Continue reading from Western Water.
2025 was hotter than it should have been – 5 influences and a dirty surprise offer clues to what’s ahead
Michael Wysession, Professor of Earth, Environmental, and Planetary Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis, writes, “The past three years have been the world’s hottest on record by far, with 2025 almost tied with 2023 for second place. With that energy came extreme weather, from flash flooding to powerful hurricanes and severe droughts. Yet, by most indicators, the planet should have been cooler in 2025 than it was. So, what happened, and what does that say about the year ahead? As an earth and environmental scientist, I study influences that affect global temperatures year to year, such as El Niño, wildfires and solar cycles. Some make Earth hotter. Some make it cooler. And one particularly unhealthy influence has been quietly hiding a large amount of global warming – until now. … ” Read more from The Conversation.
The sea is higher than we thought and millions more are at risk, study finds
“Climate change’s rising seas may threaten tens of millions more people than scientists and government planners originally thought because of mistaken research assumptions on how high coastal waters already are, a new study said. Researchers studied hundreds of scientific studies and hazard assessments, calculating that about 90% of them underestimated baseline coastal water heights by an average of 1 foot (30 centimeters), according to Wednesday’s study in the journal Nature. It’s a far more frequent problem in the Global South, the Pacific and Southeast Asia, and less so in Europe and along Atlantic coasts. The cause is a mismatch between the way sea and land altitudes are measured, said study co-author Philip Minderhoud, a hydrogeology professor at Wageningen University & Research in the Netherlands. And he attributed that to a “methodological blind spot” between the different ways those two things are measured. … ” Read more from the Courthouse News Service.
