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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.
In California water news today …
Why thinning a forest could get you more drinking water
“You might appreciate snowpack as something to sled, ski, or snowboard on. But beyond the slopes, vast masses of snow melt as winter turns to spring, feeding rivers and streams, which go on to hydrate towns and cities and crops. We’re talking incredible amounts of water: California, for instance, gets 30 percent of its supply from the snowpack in its Sierra Nevada mountains. But across the American west, that bounty is in trouble as the climate quickly changes: The region is currently in the grip of a severe snow drought, as more precipitation falls as rain. At the same time, higher temperatures are desiccating the landscape, fueling massive wildfires once all that snow melts away. Not helping matters is a long history of fire suppression — quickly stamping out blazes has allowed dry vegetation to accumulate, adding yet more fuel to the flames. Scientists seem to have found a way to help alleviate the West’s fire and ice problems simultaneously, at least in Washington state. … ” Read more from Grist.
SF Baykeeper pursues appeal against Water Board amid extinction crisis
“On March 2, 2026, San Francisco Baykeeper, represented by Earthjustice, filed its opening brief in the California Court of Appeal seeking to overturn the Sacramento Superior Court’s 2024 ruling on Phase 1 of the State Water Resources Control Board’s update to the Bay-Delta Plan. The Board has failed to uphold its mandate to protect native fish that rely on river flows into the Delta, in the face of catastrophic losses. When river flows are too low, water temperatures rise, toxic algae proliferate, and the amount of oxygen in the water decreases—among other habitat disruptions—causing fish populations to plummet. Fall-run Chinook salmon populations, for example, have declined by over 85 percent since the 1980s. These precipitous drops have devastating effects, not only on the ecosystem, but on Native American communities and commercial and recreational fisheries. Toxic algal blooms facilitated by low river flows also harm people who try to recreate in or near the San Joaquin River. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Baykeeper.
Conservation groups and Tribes request release of overdue state report on 2022 Merced River drying
“Friends of the River, American Rivers, Big Sandy Rancheria, and the Southern Sierra Miwuk Nation have formally requested that the State Water Resources Control Board immediately release its long-promised analysis of the 2022 Merced River drying event. In a February 24, 2026 letter to State Water Board Chair Joaquin Esquivel, the coalition called on the Board to finalize and publish its report examining how approximately four miles of the lower Merced River went completely dry, from bank-to-bank, for nearly four months in the summer and early fall of 2022. The Board publicly committed in January 2024 to complete and release an analysis of the event for public review sometime in 2024. As of early 2026, no report has been made available. “A major California river ran completely dry for months,” said Keiko Mertz, Policy Director of Friends of the River. “The public deserves to know exactly what happened, why it happened, and what the State plans to do to prevent it from happening again.” … ” Continue reading this press release.
Cannon Michael warns west side farmers face major challenges with 15% water allocation
“The March 6 edition of the AgNet News Hour featured a detailed and eye-opening conversation with Cannon Michael, President and CEO of Bowles Farming Company, about the serious challenges facing farmers on the west side of California’s Central Valley. Speaking with hosts Nick Papagni and Josh McGill, Michael discussed water allocations, rising regulatory pressure, and the long-term future of farming in the state. Bowles Farming Company, based between Los Banos and Merced, represents one of California agriculture’s long-standing family operations. Michael is the sixth generation of his family to lead the business, which traces its roots back to the historic Miller & Lux cattle enterprise of the mid-1800s. Today, the operation farms roughly 11,000 acres of diverse crops, including tomatoes, melons, cotton, onions, garlic, carrots, pistachios, almonds, and herbs, along with managing hundreds of acres of wetland habitat along the Pacific Flyway. … ” Read more from Ag Net West.
SEE ALSO: Bureau of Reclamation water allocations start low, from the Mid Valley Tribune
Study improves understanding of food safety risks in California Central Coast produce
“A major five-year study on California’s Central Coast led by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Western Center for Food Safety at the University of California, Davis, is helping scientists better understand how harmful bacteria can move through the environment. Often called the nation’s “salad bowl,” growing more than 400 crops, including a large portion of the country’s leafy greens, the Central Coast has been linked to several foodborne illness outbreaks. In 2020, the FDA asked the Western Center for Food Safety at UC Davis to play a central role in a large-scale environmental study to better understand where disease-causing bacteria come from and how they spread. The study was built on close collaboration. Researchers worked in partnership with the FDA, the California Department of Food and Agriculture, ranchers, landowners and growers. “This was a five-year collaborative effort to test the environment within and surrounding produce fields, such as soil, surface water, sediment and air,” said Rob Atwill, a principal investigator for the Western Center for Food Safety and epidemiologist with the UC Davis Weill School of Veterinary Medicine. … ” Read more from UC Davis.
Satellite photos show California’s sudden snowpack meltdown: Now you see it, now you don’t
“Just weeks after major storms brought snow to the Sierra Nevada, a winter heat wave has all but eliminated California’s snowpack gains. Satellite photos from NASA show the extent of the major melting event, which took place in late February and early March. “The extremely rapid loss of the snow that fell during the late Feb storm cycle, which in many cases dropped multiple feet of snow in the Sierra Nevada over just a couple of days, is genuinely remarkable,” Daniel Swain, a climate scientist with UC Agriculture and Natural Resources, said in an email to The Times. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
Fortuna council approves purchase of 243 acres along Eel River for return to Wiyot Tribe
“More than a decade after efforts began to protect land along the lower Eel River, the Fortuna City Council unanimously voted Monday to approve moving forward with the purchase of more than 200 acres of undeveloped property—most of which will be returned to the Wiyot Tribe. The council approved the process for purchasing two plots of land: a 7.2-acre parcel at 1320 Riverwalk Drive and a 236-acre property along the Eel River, which will be returned to the Wiyot Tribe. Fortuna City Manager Amy Nilsen said the city has not yet bought the land. … ” Read more from KRCR.
Lake County seeks $2 million in federal funding to upgrade sewage system after Clearlake spill
“The Lake County Board of Supervisors is seeking $2 million in federal funding to repair and upgrade the southeast wastewater collection system — an aging series of sewer mains and pipelines that failed in early January and sent 2.9 million gallons of raw sewage into a Clearlake neighborhood. During the Board of Supervisors meeting Tuesday, supervisors directed county staff to pursue the funding through Rep. Mike Thompson, D-St. Helena, and the congressional appropriations process to help repair aging infrastructure and prevent similar failures from happening in the future. Congressional appropriations requests are highly competitive and must be approved by lawmakers as part of the federal spending process, county officials clarified during the meeting. … ” Read more from the Lake Record-Bee. | Read via the Mendocino Beacon.
SIERRA NEVADA
March snow survey: Sierra snowpack lagging, storage strong
“Nevada Irrigation District’s (NID) March snow survey shows that despite a strong February storm, warm temperatures have reduced the Sierra snowpack to below-average levels. NID hydrographers measured the snowpack at 65 percent of the historical average with an average snow water content of 18.4 inches across the District’s five snow courses. By comparison, the historical water content average is 28.1 inches. “The second half of February provided some much-needed precipitation and snow to our high-elevation watershed,” said NID Water Resources Superintendent Thor Larsen. “Despite above-average precipitation in February and increases to the snowpack, conditions remain below average for this time of year.” … ” Read more from YubaNet.
Could Tahoe still get a Miracle March? What forecasts say
“After a winter marked by a snowy Christmas, long dry stretches and a massive February storm, Tahoe ski resorts are now looking to March to see whether the Sierra Nevada could still deliver a “Miracle March.” For now, the short-term outlook suggests a quiet start to the month, snow-wise. The National Weather Service in Reno forecasts several days of sunny and mild weather across the Tahoe basin, with daytime highs climbing into the 50s and possibly low 60s by the week of March 9. Overnight temperatures are expected to remain below freezing in many mountain areas, but the overall pattern points to springlike conditions rather than major storm systems. While that warm stretch doesn’t rule out future snowfall, it means the Sierra is not currently entering March with a pattern conducive for a major storm. … ” Read more from the Reno Gazette Journal.
SEE ALSO: Is there a potential for flooding in the Sierra Nevada?, from KUNR
10,000+ acres of Washoe homelands returned
“The Feather River Land Trust announces that its partner in conservation, the Waší·šiw Land Trust, has completed the acquisition of 10,274 acres of Washoe homelands near Loyalton, now named the WélmeltiɁ Preserve. The purchase was finalized in early February. This project is the culmination of a four-year collaboration between the Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California, the Feather River Land Trust and the Northern Sierra Partnership and represents the largest tribal land return ever completed in the Sierra Nevada and the third largest in California. Largely surrounded by public lands, the WélmeltiɁ Preserve holds an outstanding diversity of habitat types, including sagebrush scrub, conifer forests and wet meadows, as well as 27 miles of creeks and streams, providing excellent habitat for many wildlife species, including 33 rare or threatened species. … ” Read more from The Plumas Sun.
Project at UC ANR center in Yuba County probes additive effectiveness on rangelands
“Previous studies have shown that adding red seaweed (Asparagopsis taxiformis) to beef cattle rations could reduce methane – a potent greenhouse gas – produced by the animals by up to 90%. But those results were in controlled settings – not wide-open rangelands. “The challenge now is finding a reliable method of delivering the seaweed product to cattle grazing on pasture,” said Andrea Warner, a University of California Cooperative Extension livestock and natural resources advisor for Sutter, Yuba, Placer and Nevada counties. “Cattle in feedlots or dairies are being fed a total mixed ration every day and they’re in a more controlled environment,” Warner explained, “whereas out here [on rangelands] we could have cattle grazing on several hundred acres of pasture.” … ” Read more from YubaNet.
Inside the cleanup at Englebright Lake after New Colgate Powerhouse pipe burst
“Almost all of the oil and debris have been removed from Englebright Lake in Yuba County after a major pipe failed back on Feb. 13. Buckets of oil came tumbling down that day, being damaged along the way and some of them spilling into the water and onto anything in it. CBS News Sacramento was granted a close-up tour of the cleanup efforts. “The water and sediment that flowed downhill and impacted the facility hit a storage shed that had multiple types and quantities of petroleum-based oils,” said Ryan Hanson, a lieutenant with California’s Department of Fish and Wildlife. Yuba Water Agency workers immediately installed three levels of log and oil booms to box in debris in the area where the river starts to pour into the lake. … ” Read more from CBS Sacramento.
Tuolumne Main Canal returned to service
“Following two weeks of emergency repairs, water has been restored to the Tuolumne Main Canal. Two flumes needed extensive repairs, including one with five complete breaks. Approximately 200 trees fell atop the canal and flumes. There were two to four feet of snow on sections of the canal. The water supply was temporarily cut off (provides around 90% of Tuolumne County’s drinking water). … ” Read more from My Mother Lode.
Tuolumne County seeks $6.3M state funding for emergency water reservoir after canal damage
“The Tuolumne County Board of Supervisors will meet on Tuesday, March 10, to consider sending a formal request to Governor Gavin Newsom for $6.3 million in state funding for a critical water infrastructure project. The funding would support construction of the Sierra Pines Raw Water Reservoir, a shovel-ready project designed to protect public health, fire safety, and disaster response. The request follows severe damage to the Pacific Gas and Electric Main Tuolumne Canal during a multi-day winter storm on Feb. 17. More than 200 trees fell onto the canal, damaging wooden flumes and forcing PG&E to halt water flows. The interruption cut off 95% of Tuolumne Utilities District’s drinking water supply, leaving the county reliant on limited tank storage and small groundwater wells. … ” Read more from Channel 10.
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
North State secures $1.85 million to restore critical salmon habitat on Battle Creek
“Juvenile salmon in Battle Creek will soon have new places to feed, grow, and survive, thanks to a $1.85 million habitat restoration award secured by the North State Planning and Development Collective at Chico State. The funding is part of more than $59.6 million in grants from the Wildlife Conservation Board (WCB) to protect biodiversity, restore important wildlife habitats, and improve public access to nature. Twenty-seven projects from 18 California counties received awards. The project on lower Battle Creek will address threats to juvenile salmon by reversing years of habitat fragmentation, floodplain disconnection, and diminished nutrients. Crews will construct a new perennial side channel and remove approximately 1,700 feet of abandoned levee to increase floodplain connectivity and provide salmon rearing and spawning habitat. The restoration comes at a critical time for California salmon, which have faced historic population declines due to drought, warming rivers, and habitat loss. Improving juvenile survival rates is widely recognized as one of the most effective strategies for rebuilding salmon populations. … ” Read more from Chico State.
SEE ALSO: Chico State leads $1.85M salmon project in Battle Creek, from KRCR
With time, effort and respect, returning fishermen say Putah Creek can change your life
“Johnny Feaster has always been drawn to Putah Creek. As a boy, he remembers fishing with his dad on Lake Berryessa and hearing stories about the 8-mile stretch of riffles, runs and pools that meander their way from Monticello Dam to Lake Solano. It was a beautiful place, one where oak woodlands drop down steep valley walls into cold, green-hued water. But for a young angler, it was also intimidating. Catching a fish on the upper section of Putah Creek just outside of Winters requires commitment, knowledge and a willingness to get skunked — repeatedly. “It’s the double black diamond of trout fishing,” Feaster said, now in his mid-thirties. For many, the dues paid in time and frustration aren’t worth the effort. But when Feaster caught his first fish on Putah Creek, it changed the course of his life. “These rainbows blew my mind,” he said. “You can catch the fish of a lifetime here.” … ” Read more from PBS Abridged.
BAY AREA
San Francisco could hit 80 degrees this weekend in rare March warm spell
“Get ready for a taste of summer in March. A favorable offshore wind pattern will send temperatures soaring over the weekend, with downtown San Francisco having a shot at reaching 80 degrees on both Saturday and Sunday. If an 80-degree day happens, it would be the earliest the city has reached that mark since 2004, when it hit 81 degrees on March 10. And if the city somehow reached 80 degrees on both days, it would mark an even rarer occurrence. The last time the city had two consecutive 80 degree days in March was in 2011. The occurrence of 80-degree heat in San Francisco in March requires a very specific setup. In this case, a ridge of high pressure will strengthen and expand over Northern California and the Pacific Northwest. As the high pressure extends inland, surface winds will rotate clockwise around the center, resulting in a prolonged period of northeast winds in the Bay Area. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
Commentary: The water we don’t need: Why SFPUC’s inflated demand projections threaten the Tuolumne and your wallet
Mark Shanihan writes, “San Franciscans and their Bay Area neighbors have done something remarkable over the past quarter century: they’ve cut their water use by 30 percent. They’ve ripped out ornamental lawns, installed low-flow fixtures, and adapted their habits all while experiencing drought after drought. It’s a genuine conservation success story. So why is the agency that supplies their water—the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission—planning for a future in which demand goes up? In a letter sent to SFPUC Commissioners this February, the Sierra Club argues that the draft 2025 Urban Water Management Plan—available for public review in March 2026—paints an unrealistically high picture of future water demand, with serious consequences for ratepayers and the Tuolumne River ecosystem. … ” Continue reading at the Sierra Club.
CENTRAL COAST
Central Coast water board approves Diablo Canyon water permit beyond 2030
“The Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board approved a wastewater discharge permit and a new water quality certification necessary to keep the lights on at Diablo Canyon Power Plant. The unanimous decision made on Feb. 26 drew criticism from the Santa Lucia Chapter of the Sierra Club, San Luis Obispo Mothers for Peace, and Committee to Bridge the Gap. “I was not surprised by the water board’s approval, but I am disappointed,” Committee to Bridge the Gap Executive Director Haakon Williams said. “The state Legislature’s official policy is that Diablo Canyon is not authorized to operate beyond 2030; a state agency should not be issuing certifications with expiration dates extending far beyond the timeframe authorized by state law.” … ” Read more from New Times SLO.
San Luis Obispo County grants permit for Cambria water reclamation facility
“After more than a decade of debate, environmental studies, and regulatory hurdles, Cambria’s water reclamation facility (WRF) reached a major milestone: The San Luis Obispo County Planning Commission unanimously approved the facility’s permanent Coastal Development Permit on Feb. 26. “The water reclamation facility has been under review for many years,” Matthew McElhenie, general manager of the Cambria Community Services District (CCSD) told commissioners on Feb. 26. “Over the past three years in particular, we’ve worked closely with county planning staff and regulatory agencies to bring the project to this point. County staff provided direction, and we responded through additional engineering, environmental studies, and operational refinements.” … ” Read more from New Times SLO.
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
Supervisor seeks law to halt human compost near Fresno County river. Is it safe?
“A Fresno County supervisor says he’ll introduce an ordinance to halt a type of human composting he recently learned has been used near the San Joaquin River, but advocates say he’s jumping the gun unnecessarily. The soil made from human remains in question was placed in a field at the Sumner Peck Ranch, land on Friant Road owned by the San Joaquin River Parkway and Conservation Trust less than 3 miles south of Lost Lake. Supervisor Garry Bredefeld said he was recently made aware of the composting, which includes a process that turns a person’s body into soil. He said he was not familiar with the process, but said using the compost on trust land was “stupid.” Bredefeld also sits on the board for the San Joaquin River Conservancy, a state agency that is different from trust, which is a nonprofit. “The stupidity and the lack of common sense is absolutely breathtaking. This public land is culturally significant and environmentally sensitive,” Bredefeld said at a Thursday news conference in downtown Fresno. … ” Read more from the Fresno Bee via MSN News.
SEE ALSO:
Tule small farmers may receive SGMA respite
“Small farmers pumping less than 20 acre feet per year in the Tule and Tulare Lake subbasins may see some respite from the state’s groundwater reporting sanctions. The state Water Resources Control Board announced it would consider excluding small pumpers from the May 1 reporting deadline. The Water Board will discuss the exclusion at its April 7 meeting. Those wishing to submit a public comment before the meeting, may email comments to SGMA@waterboards.co.gov with the subject line “Comments – Minimal Impact Exclusions” by March 30 at noon. Information on how to attend the April board meeting in person or virtually are not yet available. … ” Read more from the Porterville Recorder.
Invasive mussels top bevy of topics at annual Kern water summit
“Destructive, tiny golden mussels that hitched their way across the ocean into the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta about two years ago are likely here to stay, according to panelists at this year’s annual Kern County Water Summit. And, so far, no eradication, or even effective treatment, method has been discovered to keep the invasive mollusks from clogging up equipment and pipes in the state’s vast water delivery networks. “Unfortunately there is no silver bullet,” said biologist Valerie Goodwin of Dudek setting a sober tone for the summit’s first panel. … ” Read more from SJV Water.
SEE ALSO:
Kern County Water Summit highlights California’s 9 million acre-feet goal by 2040
“Water industry leaders gathered in Bakersfield for the 10th annual Kern County Water Summit at the Dignity Health Convention Center, focusing on what organizers described as the most ambitious water plan in California history. The plan sets a statewide water supply target of 9 million acre-feet by 2040. Joel Metzger described the scale of that goal, saying, “So, what is 9-million acre feet? That is the equivalent of two Shasta reservoirs, the largest reservoir in our state, or 18 million homes.” Metzger, seven months into his job, discussed what was described as a new era of water planning for the state, including a plan backed by Senate Bill 72 to modernize actions needed after recent rainfall and flooding. … ” Read more from KBAK.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Story Map: Got Water? Importance of retaining Southern California’s water
“Southern California has experienced one of the wettest winter seasons in recent history during the 2025-2026 wet season. The California Department of Water Resources recorded 10 inches of rain, or 204% of average precipitation, in the Southern California Region . This rainfall has been very beneficial in alleviating drought conditions, with 2026 being the first year since December 2000 that California had 0% drought conditions. However, about 9.59 inches of water washes off drought-stricken soil and hardscape like pavement and buildings annually. Efforts to retain this rainfall have facilitated the construction of built infrastructure to capture 27 billion gallons in L.A. County alone. Unfortunately, that is pale in comparison when compared to the 163 billion gallons of water washed into the oceans annually through runoff . The necessity of water retention infrastructure, both rural and urban, is essential to preserving our natural and built environments for generations of Californians to come. … ” Read Story Map from UC Irvine.
After uproar, Orange County stops spraying herbicide in two creeks
“Responding to residents who waged a social media campaign against the spraying of herbicides in local creeks, Orange County officials announced they will halt the practice in waterways near Doheny State Beach. Members of the community group Creek Team OC are calling the decision a huge victory. After three weeks of nonstop Instagram posts demanding the county stop using plant-killing chemicals in San Juan and Trabuco creeks, officials held a town hall in Dana Point on Monday. More than 200 people packed the room as County Supervisor Katrina Foley announced that “for the indefinite future, we will not be using any spraying of any kind of herbicide, Roundup or otherwise, in the channel.” The audience whooped and applauded. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
Calif. city’s residents win triple victory in data center fight
“Monterey Park has stepped to the front lines of the expanding resistance to data centers. On Wednesday, the Los Angeles suburb’s City Council voted unanimously to extend a data center moratorium and to put the topic before voters. The two 5-0 decisions come after a rapid campaign from local organizers, who rallied hundreds of residents against a data center that had been proposed for construction amid a swath of residential buildings. The “No Data Center in Monterey Park” group won a 45-day hold from the council back in January. The council’s decisions extend the block on permitting for 10.5 months and call for a special election in June on a ballot measure that would create a ban on data centers. … ” Read more from SF Gate.
Along the Colorado River …
Colorado River water negotiations: States reveal priorities in letters to federal agency
“FOX5 has obtained letters sent by negotiators from Nevada, California, Arizona and Colorado to the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, revealing where each state’s water priorities lie and what is stalling a deal on Colorado River conservation. The states, despite their divide, have one thing in common: they all dislike the alternatives put forward in the Bureau’s Post-2026 Operational Guidelines and Strategies for Lake Powell and Lake Mead. Four states have emerged as the most vocal opponents of the strategies proposed, and Nevada us among them. In their communication with the Bureau, Nevada’s negotiators highlighted the water-use reductions already made by users in and around Las Vegas. … ” Continue reading at Channel 5.
Imperial Irrigation District Post-2026 Colorado River Operations must comply with the Law of the River
“The Imperial Irrigation District (IID) submitted formal comments on the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation’s Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for Post-2026 Colorado River Operations, emphasizing that any operating framework adopted for the river must comply with the Law of the River, according to a recent IID press release. The DEIS evaluates potential alternatives for operating the Colorado River system beginning in Water Year 2027, when the current Interim Guidelines expire, per the release. IID’s comments recognize that the Draft EIS reflects Reclamation’s intent to analyze a reasonable range of alternatives under federal environmental law. However, the District emphasized that not all of the alternatives analyzed in the DEIS were consistent with the Law of the River and any alternative ultimately selected in the Final Environmental Impact Statement for implementation must be consistent with these foundational documents and agreements. These include the 1922 Colorado River Compact, the Boulder Canyon Project Act, the Colorado River Basin Project Act, and other federal statutes, contracts, and Supreme Court decrees governing the system, including the Colorado River Water Delivery Agreement: Federal QSA. … ” Read more from the Desert Review.
Breaking from Lower Basin pact, Nevada pitches emergency Colorado River stopgap plan
“None of the seven Colorado River states is happy with the Trump administration’s plans to divvy up the river as it faces its driest conditions in decades, but Nevada may have its own solution. Breaking from its longstanding pact with its Lower Basin neighbors, Nevada has proposed its own short-term plan to stabilize Lake Powell and Lake Mead levels that are expected to plunge over the next two years. John Entsminger, the state’s governor-appointed negotiator and general manager of the Southern Nevada Water Authority, said in an interview Wednesday that he sees it as the only viable path forward absent a seven-state consensus. “Nevada is willing to step out on our own and propose a pragmatic, two-year operating plan that we hope all six other states will adopt,” Entsminger said. “But this is a Nevada proposal. This isn’t something we vetted through anybody else.” … ” Read more from the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
SEE ALSO:
- Colorado River allocation debate could pose a massive impact for Arizona farmers, from the Las Vegas Review-Journal
- States blast feds playbook of potential Colorado River options, from KUNC
National Park Service plans for a lower Lake Powell
“Officials at Glen Canyon National Recreation Area are preparing for another year of lower water levels at Lake Powell as conditions across the Colorado River Basin continue to affect the reservoir. In a February 27 news release, the National Park Service said staff are working with private concessioners and state partners to maintain visitor access and services during the upcoming recreation season. Despite expected declines in lake elevation, the agency reported that lake access is not expected to be lost during the summer of 2026. Lake Powell, one of the largest reservoirs in the United States, sits along the Arizona and Utah border and serves as a major recreation destination for boaters, anglers, and houseboat visitors. … ” Read more from Western Water.
In national water news today …
Winter getting shorter in 80% of major US cities, new data shows
“For the millions of people across the United States who have spent the last month digging themselves out of above-average levels of snow and ice, this winter has felt especially long and harsh. But the typical winter is actually getting shorter in 80% of major US cities scrutinized by researchers, according to new data released by Climate Central, an independent climate science and communication group. Researchers found that across 195 US cities, winters are on average nine days shorter today than they were from 1970 to 1997, as the climate crisis progresses. For the purposes of the study, analysts defined winter as the coldest 90 consecutive days of the year during the past period, 1970-1997, and then compared the frequency of winter-like temperatures during the most recent 28-year period, 1998-2025. Across the country, they found that winter-defining temperatures are arriving later and ending earlier than in the 20th century. … ” Read more from The Guardian.
Nature report, killed by Trump, is released independently
“Scientists and other experts were preparing a first-of-its-kind assessment of the health of nature in the United States when President Trump returned to the White House. He canceled the report. The researchers went ahead and compiled it on their own. This week, they released a 868-page draft for public comment and scientific review. Many of the preliminary findings are grim: Freshwater ecosystems across the country are in crisis, “overdrawn, polluted, fragmented and invaded.” Marine and terrestrial ecosystems are degraded, with reduced biodiversity. An estimated 34 percent of plant species and 40 percent of animal species are at risk of extinction. Human pressures on nature are eroding the necessities it gives us, such as clean water, food, health, livelihoods and protection from storms and fire. But there is hope, and the authors emphasized the ability to chart a new course. … ” Read more from the New York Times.
