When you think about how California’s water travels, you might imagine the water cycle diagram many of us were shown in elementary school: evaporation, transpiration, condensation, precipitation. However, the reality is a bit more complicated, especially in California’s spring-fed systems, which are of critical importance for water security for both fish and people. … In 2023, CalTrout and our partners embarked on a three-year study to provide a scientifically based toolset to better understand, manage, and advance the protection of the cold, clean spring waters in the Upper Sacramento River Basin. New research from CalTrout and our partners at UC Davis, Lawrence Livermore Lab, and Cal State East Bay is revealing how these spring systems actually work, and how resilient they may be as California’s climate changes. 

Other water and ecosystem news:

• California Department of Water Resources: Blog: Hidden from view, vernal pools host a dazzling display of diversity