CAL MATTERS: California farmers depleted groundwater in this county. Now a state crackdown could rein them in Cal Matters Groundwater News April 15, 2024Kings County agencies and growers may face probation and millions of dollars in fines — which could be the first...
CAL MATTERS: ‘Forever chemicals’: Water supplies throughout California will exceed new national limits Cal Matters Policy and regulationWater quality April 10, 2024The nationwide cost to treat or replace contaminated drinking water is estimated at $1.5 billion a year. The ubiquitous chemicals,...
DAN WALTERS: California enjoys healthy water supply, but battles over its uses continue to fester Cal Matters Policy and regulation April 4, 2024California’s water supply is the healthiest it’s been this century thanks to two consecutive wet winters, but the state’s water...
CAL MATTERS: California farmers could save a lot of water — but their profits would suffer Cal Matters Agriculture March 26, 2024California farms could use 93% less water but less-thirsty crops, such as grains and hay, are much less lucrative than...
CAL MATTERS: California weakens plan for mandatory cutbacks in urban water use, yielding to criticism Cal Matters Policy and regulation March 13, 2024The revised proposal grants water providers an extra five years for reducing outdoor irrigation. Cities and water agencies are relieved,...
CAL MATTERS: ‘Simply catastrophic’: California salmon season to be restricted or shut down — again Cal Matters Fish and wildlife March 11, 2024Chinook counts are less dire than last year, but fishery managers are still opting to heavily reduce or ban commercial...
CAL MATTERS: California agrees to long-term cuts of Colorado River water Cal Matters Colorado River March 7, 2024California, Arizona and Nevada would cut their allocations about 20% when reservoir levels drop. But other states have their own...
CAL MATTERS: The Klamath River salmon die-off was tragic. Was it predictable? Cal Matters Fish and wildlife March 6, 2024Large numbers of young Chinook salmon were found dead two days after being released from a state hatchery. But biologists...
CAL MATTERS: California’s urban runoff flows down the drain. Can the drought-plagued state capture more of it? Cal Matters Policy and regulationWater supply augmentation February 29, 2024Researchers say if California could collect and treat more stormwater in cities, it could provide enough water to supply a...
DAN WALTERS: California needs reliable water supply, but climate change brings more uncertainty Cal Matters Climate changeCommentaryPolicy and regulation February 27, 2024As California’s precipitation becomes more erratic due to climate change, the state needs more tools, including more storage capacity, to...
CAL MATTERS: California’s polluted communities could miss out on billions under state’s flawed system Cal Matters Policy and regulation February 23, 2024The state’s environmental tool skews which communities are designated as disadvantaged, researchers say. Some immigrant neighborhoods could be left out,...
CAL MATTERS: Cannabis grower to pay $750,000 for violating state water, wildlife regulations Cal Matters Water quality February 2, 2024State officials said a Humboldt County cannabis operation took water from streams and damaged wetlands for years without authorization. The...
CAL MATTERS: Saving salmon: Newsom unveils blueprint for ending decades-long decline Cal Matters Planning and management January 31, 2024By Rachel Becker, Cal Matters Stay up-to-date with free briefings on topics that matter to all Californians. Subscribe to CalMatters...
COMMENTARY: It’s easy to criticize California water conservation. It’s a lot harder to offer solutions Cal Matters CommentaryPolicy and regulation January 31, 2024As California officials craft new regulations for urban water conservation, critics who belittle the importance of these efforts are often...
DAN WALTERS: California regulators want to spend billions to reduce a fraction of water usage Cal Matters CommentaryPolicy and regulation January 26, 2024Household use is a tiny fraction of California’s overall water supply, but the state wants to spend billions of dollars...