A collection of top water news from around California and the West compiled each weekday. Send any comments or article submissions to Foundation News & Publications Director Vik Jolly.
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… In many areas, all-important snowfall has been half of
normal, with even hotter, drier temperatures expected in the
coming months. Much of the nation is in a drought already, but
the headwaters of the Colorado River is among the driest
places, along with south Texas and all of Florida. Alarmed
civic officials across the West have already begun
ordering restrictions on watering lawns, cleaning cars and even
whether restaurant patrons get served glasses of
water. … Climate experts have long warned that
climate change will make the West hotter and drier, and worry
that what’s happening now represents a long-term shift that
could reshape how people live and work across Arizona,
Colorado, Nevada, Utah, New Mexico and Wyoming.
Instead of agreeing on a traditional, 20-year deal for the
Colorado River, the states that share the water source are
focused on a short-term plan as they stare down the basin’s
worst snow season in two decades. But that doesn’t mean
officials are ready to agree any time soon, despite mounting
federal pressure to do so. … “We are thoroughly prepared
to fight like hell if it comes to that,” said John Entsminger,
Nevada’s governor-appointed negotiator and general manager of
the Southern Nevada Water Authority. “We’re trying to avoid
that … If it comes to fighting to protect the water interests
of Southern Nevada, we’re ready.” A new deal must be in place
before the start of the next water year in October, whether the
states come to an agreement or the Trump administration imposes
one upon them.
Lake Oroville is sitting at 89 percent capacity, and the
Department of Water Resources is focused on keeping it that way
as dry conditions persist across the Feather River watershed.
The reservoir currently stands at 875 feet in elevation.
Releases to the Feather River are running at 2,100 cubic feet
per second, with a planned reduction to 1,750 cfs on Sunday,
March 29. Even with the reservoir nearly full, DWR is required
to maintain designated flood storage space under federal
guidelines set by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Between
mid-September and June, those rules dictate that a portion of
the reservoir’s capacity must remain open to absorb potential
inflows from rain and snowmelt.
… At least 36 states now offer tax incentives to attract data
center projects. But a backlash is growing in tandem — at least
12 states have filed moratorium bills this legislative cycle to
pause new data center construction while they sort out impacts
on electric grids, water supplies and public
health. Against that backdrop, the closed-door “Data x
Power” summit in Jackson April 1-2 will convene about 50 senior
leaders from hyperscale technology companies, energy
developers, government agencies and academia to explore whether
Wyoming belongs in the conversation.
Lawyers fighting for more flows in the Kern River got the green
light to question a noted river historian and author per a
court ruling issued Friday afternoon. It may seem like a “No
duh” objective to pick the brain of someone steeped in the
history of the Kern River in a trial about the Kern River, but
lawyers representing a local agricultural water district had
concerns about the breadth and nature of questions that would
be posed to Douglas R. Littlefield. … That’s because the
Buena Vista Water Storage District has hired Littlefield as an
“expert” witness in this and previous legal actions. So, he’s
not just someone who knows basic facts. He’s also potentially
privvy to Buena Vista’s legal strategies.
… Across Indian Country, many reservations still lack access
to safe drinking water. On the Navajo Nation—roughly the size
of West Virginia—about 30% of citizens live without running
water. A reservation where nearly one-third of residents lack
running water exposes a stark divide between national wealth
and daily reality. This is more than an infrastructure issue—it
is a public health crisis, a matter of dignity, and an ongoing
policy failure. Earlier this month, Navajo Nation President Buu
Nygren testified before the U.S. Senate Committee on Indian
Affairs during a hearing that included review of the
Northeastern Arizona Indian Water Rights Settlement Act of
2025. Nygren said a typical Navajo family that must haul
water to meet basic needs spends an average of $600 per
month. –Written by Levi Rickert, publisher and editor of Native
News Online.
A judge is now mulling whether to push pause on the attorney
general’s public nuisance lawsuit against a Saudi-owned alfalfa
farm as the state’s water resources department moves to
regulate groundwater in the area. Fondomonte
Arizona continues to face legal action from the state for
allegedly excessive groundwater pumping in the Ranegras Plain
Basin in La Paz County. But in January, the Arizona
Department of Water Resources’ director formed an active
management area in the basin, kickstarting the process for the
agency to assess and regulate groundwater use.
… Maricopa County Superior Judge Scott Minder heard
arguments from attorneys on March 25 and plans to issue a
ruling on whether to halt the case or let it proceed alongside
the AMA.
A state lawmaker has unveiled legislation designed to speed up
the construction effort that will bring much-needed flood
protection improvements to the Pajaro Valley. In the name of
increased efficiency, California Sen. John Laird has introduced
Senate Bill 1055, meant to expand the suite of contracting
tools available to the Pajaro Regional Flood Management Agency.
The local agency has been spearheading the ongoing overhaul of
the Pajaro River levee system in South Santa Cruz County and
North Monterey County alongside state and federal partners.
… The bill would authorize the flood management agency
to tap a number of additional contracting methods to maximize
flexibility in order to accelerate construction timelines and
reduce costs.
Sonoma County Regional Parks has received a $1.5 million state
grant to restore wetlands, streams and fish habitat at Mark
West Creek Regional Park and Open Space Preserve, county
officials announced. The funding from the California
Wildlife Conservation Board will support a three-year project
aimed at improving habitat for coho salmon and steelhead trout
in a key tributary of the Russian River watershed, according to
a press release issued Friday. … The project
includes installing structures that mimic beaver dams, placing
large logs in streams, restoring side channels and wetlands,
and modifying or removing concrete dams that block fish
passage, county officials said.
The Golden Hills Community Services District Board of
Directors, along with representatives from the city of
Tehachapi, Stallion Springs and Bear Valley, heard a
presentation last week from the Tehachapi-Cummings County Water
District and the California Department of Water Resources on
the Delta Conveyance Works Project and the effects it would
have on the region. … Delta Conveyance Works would
essentially be a massive tunnel transporting water from the
Sacramento River under the San Francisco Bay Delta to be
returned to the system near the San Luis Reservoir. It carries
a hefty price tag of $20.1 billion.
Located in the San Francisquito Creek watershed in Portola
Valley on Stanford University’s campus, Searsville Dam blocks
wildlife migration and critical sediment between the headwaters
and San Francisco Bay, harming threatened Central California
Coast steelhead populations and reducing sediment that is
needed to protect sediment-starved San Francisco Bay wetlands,
a crucial buffer for communities from sea level rise. … Just
days ago, an updated NOP [Notice of Preparation] has been
released with dam removal included as one of the alternatives
and plans for offstream flood attenuation, indicating our
voices have been heard and our expertise incorporated into
their planning. Stanford announced that the draft EIR will be
released in November 2026, and we look forward to partnering
with Stanford University and others on the removal of this
antiquated, deadbeat dam.
For more than 50 years, NOAA Fisheries has conducted vital
research on seal and sea lion populations at a remote research
station on San Miguel Island, California. The long-term data
set provides clues to help us understand what environmental
conditions lead to malnourished California sea lion pups and
increased stranding levels. This information is important for
managing their populations and helping rehabilitation centers
prepare for periods when sea lion pup strandings may be
elevated.
Aquafornia is off Monday, March 30, in
advance of Tuesday’s state holiday recognizing farmworkers.
We will return with a full slate of water news
on Tuesday, March 31. In the meantime,
follow us on X/Twitter for
breaking news and on LinkedIn for
Foundation-related news.
A large coalition of Native American tribes, environmental
groups and fishing organizations is asking California Gov.
Gavin Newsom to oppose a federal plan to raise Shasta Dam,
saying it would harm rivers, wildlife and tribal lands. In a
letter sent to the governor, about 50 groups said the proposal,
backed by the Trump administration and some Central Valley
farming interests, would increase the height of Shasta Dam in
the Northstate. Supporters say the project could store more
water, but opponents argue the costs would be too
high. The groups say raising the dam would flood parts of
the McCloud River, which is protected under California
law.
It might seem like an April Fool’s joke. But it’s not. After a
month of dry and sometimes record hot weather, rain is finally
back in forecast. A low-pressure system from the Pacific
Northwest is expected to bring rain to much of Northern
California next Tuesday and Wednesday. The showers would be the
first rain in the area in a month — since March 2 — and
although it is still early, could generate half an inch to 1
inch of precipitation across the Bay Area. … The same
two-day system is also likely to bring 1 foot or more
of snow and cooler temperatures to the Sierra Nevada,
where ski resorts have been closing early for the season and
the snowpack has been dwindling due to record-high temperatures
in recent weeks.
Arizona has lost about 90% of its snowpack in just three weeks
following this month’s record-breaking heat wave, according to
a new survey. The snowpack in the White Mountains acts
like a slow-release savings account that feeds Phoenix’s
largest reservoirs. But this year, that bank is
emptying fast. … Arizona State University and SRP have been
tracking the snowpack from the sky using a new airborne survey
that measures snow across the entire watershed, not just one
spot. … SRP officials say runoff is still tracking below
normal. But with reservoirs slightly more than half full, they
say the water supply is stable for now as they wait for the
next big wet year.
Under the rusty cliffs of Marble Canyon, the start of the Grand
Canyon in Arizona, a nondescript river measurement gauge has
been tracking the flow of the Colorado River for decades. …
The Colorado River’s flows at the gauge, called Lees Ferry, are
fundamental to water sharing agreements among upstream states,
like Colorado, and downstream states including Arizona,
California and Nevada. If the river’s flow falls too low, the
three downstream states can raise a ruckus, arguing the
upstream states are breaking century-old agreements and forcing
the basin into a legal mire that might only be decided in the
U.S. Supreme Court.
Utilities and cities across California secured a victory
Thursday in a water dispute that hinged on contracts between
the federal government and local agencies. U.S. District Judge
Jennifer Thurston granted summary judgment to the U.S. Interior
Department and a host of cities and agencies, dismissing the
case against them. A coalition of environmental groups, headed
by the North Coast Rivers Alliance, failed to persuade her that
Central Valley Project water deliveries
require judicial approval. After years of litigation, the
environmental coalition had one remaining claim: that no water
delivery by a federal reclamation project to an irrigation
district could occur without a proper court confirming the
contract.
California Democrats on Wednesday moved to reinstate some
environmental protections they rolled back last year, reopening
a fight over how far the state should go in weakening its
landmark environmental law. State Sen. Catherine Blakespear on
Wednesday introduced amendments to SB 954, which previously was
a spot bill, to narrow the California Environmental Quality Act
exemption that lawmakers granted last year to “advanced
manufacturing facilities,” which range from data centers to
lithium mining. Lawmakers passed the exemption as part of
last-minute budget negotiations with Gov. Gavin Newsom in SB
131. … The advanced manufacturing exemption, however, ran
into immediate opposition from environmental and labor groups.
One Kings County groundwater agency will send an emissary to
Sacramento to ask for more time before its farmers are charged
fees while other agencies pour over a recent state report for
guidance. At its March 24 meeting, the Mid-Kings River
Groundwater Sustainability Agency (GSA) approved sending Doug
Verboon, also a Kings County Supervisor, to Sacramento April 7
to appear before the Water Resources Control Board.
… Meanwhile, other GSAs are reacting to a recent Water
Board report on the neighboring Tule subbasin. … That report
recommended none of the Tule GSAs requesting exemptions from
reporting and fees be granted the so-called “good actor”
exclusions. The Water Board will consider the recommendation at
its April 21 meeting.
