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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A Red Bluff resident is speaking out against his local water
district. The resident, Dennis Hay, has three acres of land
that fall under the Proberta Water District territory. Hay
first received an invoice from the district in 2022, telling
KRCR there were no details on what the charge was for, and he’s
had no water ordered or delivered. The total for the most
recent invoice, he said, adds up to nearly $1,300. … Per
the California Water Code, a water district can charge for
water that has not been delivered as a standby charge if the
correct procedures are followed. Hay says he does not know if
the district billed him as a standby charge, adding that he is
not yet aware of how the invoice amount was calculated.
Environmental groups are demanding that the Trump
administration exercise the federal government’s authority to
curb wasteful water use in an effort to address the Colorado
River’s chronic water shortages. In a petition submitted
Tuesday, the Natural Resources Defense Council and nine other
groups called for the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation to enforce a
provision of federal regulations stating that water deliveries
in California, Arizona and Nevada “will not exceed those
reasonably required for beneficial use.” … The petition
takes aim in particular at wasteful water practices in
agriculture. … Leaders of the groups that submitted the
petition … suggested in it that the government should also
consider wasteful water use in cities and industries.
A recently released technical report concludes that the sinking
of land in the Central Valley due to over-pumping of
groundwater, referred to as subsidence, has restricted the
amount of water the State Water Project (SWP) can deliver in a
year by 3 percent. By 2043, if no action is taken, the current
trajectory of subsidence, combined with climate change, could
reduce deliveries by 87 percent. … The technical report,
an addendum that builds on the Delivery Capability Report (DCR)
released in 2024, analyzed the capability of the SWP to deliver
water under both current and potential future conditions in the
year 2043. The new findings underscore the importance of
eliminating groundwater overdraft in the Central Valley and
repairing existing damage to the state’s main water-delivery
arteries.
… Assembly Bill 697 by Lori Wilson, a Democrat from the
Fairfield area, would allow state highway officials to
potentially harm three protected bird species and endangered
mice as workers add new lanes to a stretch of Highway 37 to
wine country. … The 21-mile highway connects Interstate
80 in Vallejo in Solano County to Highway 101 in Novato in
Marin County along the north San Pablo Bay. It cuts though some
of the state’s last remaining salt marshes,
which are threatened by sea level rise. … Wilson’s
measure would, during construction, waive certain protections
under the California Endangered Species Act for the endangered
salt marsh harvest mouse, as well as for three protected birds:
the California clapper rail, the California black rail and the
white-tailed kite.
Layers of snowpack melted rapidly in Colorado in April, which
could lead to less water supply in the summer and higher
wildfire potential, according to data from the National
Integrated Drought Information System. The federal data,
released on May 1, indicate that “substantial and rapid”
snowmelt occurred throughout broad swaths of Colorado between
April 10-17. Several weather stations maintained by the U.S.
Department of Agriculture logged record snowmelt during that
week, compared to the same period in prior years. … How
quickly snow melts, and when it happens, can impact water
availability during hot summer months and affect how likely
wildfires are to occur in a region. An area that’s seen rapid
snowmelt in early spring could have dried-out vegetation by
summer, a potential fuel for blazes.
A grassroots petition to save the Mad River Fish
Hatchery is gaining momentum, with nearly 2,000 signatures
collected as of Tuesday afternoon. Launched by local
fishing guide Tyler Belvin on Change.org, the
petition calls on state officials to reverse
the California Department of Fish and
Wildlife’s (CDFW) decision to shut down the hatchery this
summer. Located just outside of Blue Lake, the Mad River Fish
Hatchery has been part of the North Coast community for more
than 50 years. Belvin’s petition describes the hatchery as “a
cornerstone of our community,” emphasizing its role in
steelhead conservation, local recreation, and environmental
education. “Its closure would not only disrupt these crucial
activities,” the petition reads, “but would also significantly
impact recreational fishing and local traditions linked to our
river heritage.”
With Utah’s first-in-the-nation ban on fluoride in public
drinking water set to take effect Wednesday, dentists who treat
children and low-income patients say they’re bracing for an
increase in tooth decay among the state’s most vulnerable
people. Republican Gov. Spencer Cox signed the law against the
recommendation of many dentists and national health experts who
warn removing fluoride will harm tooth development, especially
in young patients without regular access to dental care.
Florida is poised to become the second state to ban fluoride
under a bill that Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis announced
Tuesday he would sign soon. The Ohio and South Carolina
legislatures are considering similar measures.
A proposal by the Trump administration to reorganize the
Environmental Protection Agency targets divisions that house
its climate change offices as well as Energy Star, a widely
popular program designed to help lower energy costs for
American households. A chart of the proposed reorganization
reviewed by The Times on Tuesday showed plans for vast changes
to the Office of Air and Radiation, where the programs are
currently held, among several other divisions. … And
yet, perhaps the most dramatic cuts may be to the agency’s main
office devoted to understanding, tracking and combating climate
change, which is housed under the same division set for a
shuffle.
A tour bus filled with water experts, agency directors,
biologists, engineers and one news reporter traveled through
the Central Valley this spring, stopping at key infrastructure
sites where the San Joaquin Valley’s water is collected and
shipped to farms and cities. The tour offered a wealth of
information on water structures and districts covering about
20,000 square miles of the southern valley. The three-day
tour was put on by the Water Education
Foundation, a nonprofit organization that provides
information and education on California’s byzantine water
world, from April 23 – 25. Starting in Sacramento, the
tour moved south to the San Luis Reservoir, which stores water
for both the state and federal systems. Along the way, water
managers and experts shared crucial information about how the
systems operate.
American River Trees (ART), a grassroots organization based
in Sacramento, arranged a walk Sunday morning to protest
a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ (USACE) erosion
project. The USACE project, which aims to alleviate flood risk,
threatens the destruction of nearly 700 trees and miles of
habitat in the American River Parkway, according to ART. The
group walked during its protest a two-mile stretch of trail
from the Kadema Drive River Access to Larchmont Community
Park. ART says many trails, beaches and access to the
river’s edge will be lost, and USACE hasn’t sufficiently looked
into or incorporated less destructive alternatives.
… The organization said flood risk is exaggerated as the
stretch of river is relatively straight, has slower velocities
than downstream sites, and seepage walls in reinforced levees
are built to withstand water against them.
At its next regular meeting Wednesday, the Ukiah City Council
is expected to consider approving the contribution of another
$84,000 to another local entity for ongoing work related to the
Potter Valley Project. According to a staff report on the item
prepared for the May 7 meeting, the City Council will be asked
to approve a “financial contribution in the amount of $84,000
to the (Mendocino County) Inland Water and Power Commission for
consulting and legal services related to the Potter Valley
Project, and approve a corresponding budget amendment.”
… In an effort to continue the diversions in some form,
(Ukiah City Council administrative analyst Seth) Strader notes
that the IWPC, along with “the Round Valley Indian Tribes and
the Sonoma County Water Agency have submitted a proposal to
advance a regional solution for preserving flows in the Russian
River and improving Eel River fisheries.
The San Luis Obispo County Department of Public Works is
temporarily changing how it disinfects water in the South
County after residents were put under a boil water notice late
last week. Around 50,000 residents in the Five Cities area were
told on April 30 to boil their water before use after a sample
from the Lopez Lake water system tested positive for E. coli,
the county said. It was the first time such a sample had
prompted a boil water notice for the distribution system, which
feeds much of the South County region. … Now, Public
Works is expected to temporarily change the disinfectant used
in the Lopez Project distribution system from chloramine
disinfection — which uses a blend of chlorine and ammonia — to
free chlorine, according to a news release.
Windsor residents could expect to pay more for their water and
sewer services come July, as the Windsor Town Council is
looking to raise rates by about $12 a month. And that’s just
next year. Rate hikes are expected to increase each year
through 2029. The Town Council will discuss the proposed rates
at its upcoming meeting at 6 p.m. Wednesday at the Town Council
chambers, 9291 Old Redwood Highway. Should the council approve
the rates, a typical Windsor household would expect to pay
$3.24 more per month for water and $8.82 more per month for
wastewater, bringing average monthly water bills to $38.85 and
average monthly sewer bills to $94.07. … The
council is also proposing subsequent rate increases over the
next four years.
… As extreme weather intensifies, securing and sustainably
managing water resources will be critical to mitigating the
impacts of prolonged drought, wildfire and flooding. That’s why
business leaders are tapping in, with corporate stewardship
activities aimed at helping secure California’s water future.
We have come together under the California Water Resilience
Initiative, managed by the Pacific Institute, to accelerate
collective action across sectors. As part of the Water
Resilience Coalition, a global effort to mobilize corporate
water stewardship, the California Water Resilience Initiative
has a unique opportunity to lead both nationally and globally,
defining the playbook for how businesses, government and
non-profits can help build water resilience at scale. –Written by Emilio Tenuta, senior vice president and chief
sustainability officer of Ecolab, and Jason Morrison, president
of the Pacific Institute and head of the CEO Water
Mandate.
Every year, billions of gallons of sewage and toxic industrial
waste flow down the Tijuana River, across the U.S.-Mexico
border, and into the Pacific Ocean. It is a complex,
decades-old, transjurisdictional issue that environmentalists
and governments at the local, state, and federal level have
been grappling with for years. Recently, entities on both sides
of the border have made some progress, but experts agree that
more has to be done to address the international pollution
crisis. But viewers watching Fox News would have scant
understanding of the complexity of this issue, the shared
responsibility for its resolution, or the progress that has
been made in both the U.S. and Mexico. According to Fox and new
EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, the issue is simple: Mexico is to
blame.
The Klamath River Fund, a program of Humboldt Area Foundation
and Wild Rivers Community Foundation (HAF+WRCF), today
announced $1.2 million in grants awarded to 12
organizations working across the Klamath Basin. These
grants mark a significant step in the Fund’s 10-year commitment
to invest in and amplify community-led climate resilience and
restorative justice efforts following the unprecedented removal
of four dams on the Klamath River in 2023 and 2024.
… The grants invest in a wide range of organizations and
projects including sustainable agriculture along the Sprague
River at the Klamath’s headwaters in Oregon to the first effort
to boat the length of the un-dammed Klamath by local Tribal
youth.
The Imperial Irrigation District and its partners, the
California Department of Water Resources (DWR) and California
Project WET (Water Education Today), hosted a climate change
and water workshop for educators, Saturday, May 3, in IID’s
Condit Auditorium. Teachers working with students in
grades 3-12 attended to learn how climate change is allegedly
linked to floods, droughts, and water quality. Educators
learned how the changing climate may impact California’s water
resources, and Imperial Valley’s water in particular. They also
discussed activities to help students understand how they can
adapt to the region’s changing environment.
In a May 2, 2025, letter to Appropriations Committee Chair
Susan Collins, President Donald Trump’s FY2026 budget proposal
amounts to $4.2 billion in total funding reduction in 2026
compared to 2025 for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA). Clean and Drinking Water State Revolving Loan programs
would see the greatest reduction with an overall budget of $305
million. That amounts to $2.46 billion less than the 2025
budget. The President’s letter claims this change will place
the onus on states to fund their own infrastructure while
sharing additional reasoning as to why the reduction is on the
table.
Other water, environment and
agriculture funding news:
In a major change of plans aimed at rescuing California’s
struggling salmon populations, state wildlife officials have
done something never tried before: releasing millions of young
hatchery-raised Chinook salmon directly into the main stem of
the Sacramento River. This historic release of roughly 3.5
million juvenile fall-run Chinook salmon happened in mid-April
near Redding and Butte City. Typically, hatchery fish are
released into the rivers where their hatcheries are located,
like the Feather or Mokelumne Rivers. … This unprecedented
move comes as fall-run Chinook salmon numbers in the main
Sacramento River – the historical heart of California’s salmon
fishery – are at critically low levels.
A decade after the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act
became law, many California farmers still feel lost in the
bureaucracy surrounding its implementation. A new study finds
that, despite widespread awareness, real engagement remains
low. According to research from CSU-WATER — an initiative
encompassing 23 California State University campuses —
significant logistical and representational barriers have
prevented farmers from meaningfully engaging with their
Groundwater Sustainability Agencies. The research is part
of SGMA WAVE — short for Water and Valley Economy — a project
led by CSU-WATER, a water policy initiative involving all 23
CSU campuses. The study focuses on 72 GSAs across the San
Joaquin Valley counties of Madera, Fresno, Tulare, Kings, and
Kern.
