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Water news you need to know

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 Interim Director Doug Beeman

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Aquafornia news The Mercury News (San Jose, Calif.)

Thursday Top of the Scroll: California’s largest reservoir has risen 22 feet, as more rain drenches the state

After an unusually dry January where most of Northern California went without rain for 27 days in a row, the storms have come fast and furious, dramatically improving the state’s water-supply outlook. So much rain fell in the first week of February that California’s largest reservoir, Shasta Lake, near Redding, rose 22 feet. Shasta Lake is 34 miles long. The watershed at the state’s second-largest, Lake Oroville, in Butte County, has received 24 inches of rain in the past two weeks — five times the historical average — sending the reservoir level up 23 feet from Feb. 1 to Feb. 7. And now a new atmospheric river storm is forecast to soak the Bay Area and the rest of the state Thursday and Friday.

Other weather and water supply news:

Aquafornia news San Francisco Chronicle

Storm hitting California may bring ‘damaging’ debris flows. These maps shows areas most at risk

Heavy rain is expected to sweep across Southern California on Thursday, raising the risk of flash flooding and mudflows in and around recent wildfire burn areas. Small mudflows were previously observed around the Palisades burn scar from last week’s storm, but Thursday’s storm will present a more pronounced risk. Thursday could be the wettest day in Los Angeles since February 2024, according to National Weather Service forecasts, with 2 to 3 inches of rain expected.

Other debris flow risk news:

Aquafornia news KJZZ (Phoenix, Ariz.)

Arizona senators ask Bureau of Reclamation to resume funding Colorado River projects

Sens. Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego are asking the Bureau of Reclamation to ensure projects for Colorado River preservation will still get their funding. The Bureau of Reclamation has already signed off on money for projects across Arizona — including an $86 million agreement to build a recycled water plant in Tucson in exchange for the city taking less Colorado River water over the next 10 years. But in a letter to the agency this week, the lawmakers say their constituents are reporting funding for some of that work has been paused amid the Trump administration’s efforts to freeze federal funding.

Other Colorado River news:

Aquafornia news The Press Democrat (Santa Rosa, Calif.)

Historic pact reached on future Eel River water flows into Russian River

Officials from three counties and the Round Valley Indian Tribes have reached a historic agreement that paves the way for continued diversions from the Eel River to bolster flows in the Russian River. The agreement represents a critical development for anyone whose water comes from the Russian River. The complex accord resulted from years of negotiations to preserve supplemental flows in the Russian River, the water lifeline for residents, ranchers and wildlife in Sonoma and Mendocino counties. The agreement also supports the restoration and fish recovery in the Eel River, which was crucial to securing support from environmental interests, tribes and Humboldt County residents.

Related articles:

Aquafornia news Water Education Foundation

Announcement: Registration now open for popular Bay-Delta tour in May; Water Summit set for Oct. 1

Register today for the return of our Bay-Delta Tour May 7-9 as we venture into the most critical and controversial water region in California. Get a firsthand look at the state’s vital water hub and hear directly from experts on key issues affecting the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and San Francisco Bay. The 720,000-acre network of islands and channels supports the state’s two large water systems – the State Water Project and the federal Central Valley Project – and together with the San Francisco Bay is an important ecological resource. You’ll learn firsthand how the drought is affecting water quality and supply that serves local farms, cities and habitat.

Aquafornia news Somach, Simmons & Dunn, Attorneys at Law

Blog: California Court of Appeal holds that a water district’s surcharge to cover water infrastructure construction costs violates Proposition 218

In California, a levy, charge, or exaction imposed by a local government is an unconstitutional and invalid tax if it does not qualify as one of seven enumerated tax exceptions and was not approved by at least a majority of voters. The California Court of Appeal for the Fourth Appellate District recently invalidated a water rate increase imposed on non-agricultural water users because the water district failed to produce evidence that non-agricultural water customers were solely responsible for paying increased groundwater replenishment fees. The case highlights the evidentiary burden on local governments to demonstrate an exaction is not a tax under the California Constitution.

Aquafornia news The Water Desk (Boulder, Colo.)

Rain or snow? Observers help scientists understand wintry weather

Figuring out the dividing line between rain and snow has long flummoxed forecasters, especially in places like the high country of the American West, where complex topography and dramatic elevation differences shape the weather. … To gain a clearer picture of the rain-snow transition and its impact on the water cycle, scientists have been using a free phone app and data from thousands of volunteer observers who provide real-time reports of what precipitation type they’re seeing. The observations from the NASA-funded citizen science project—known as Mountain Rain or Snow—have highlighted the shortcomings of existing approaches to differentiating the phases of precipitation, according to a study published in Geophysical Research Letters in December. 

Aquafornia news The Colorado Sun (Denver)

Oil and gas advocate from Colorado named to lead BLM

President Donald Trump has nominated Colorado’s Kathleen Sgamma, the head of Western Energy Alliance, an oil and gas trade group, to run the Bureau of Land Management.  Kathleen Sgamma Sgamma, a Denver resident, has been the head of the Western Energy Alliance since 2006, working to protect the interests of oil and gas producers amid an international embrace of cleaner energies. Sgamma and the Western Energy Alliance have been a vocal critic of former President Joe Biden’s increased regulation of the oil and gas industry. 

Other federal agency and water policy news:

Aquafornia news KQED (San Francisco)

SF dumps millions of gallons of sewage during big storms. Surfers say that needs to stop

… Atmospheric rivers almost guarantee one thing for San Francisco: millions of gallons of stormwater and raw sewage will get poured into the Pacific Ocean and San Francisco Bay. In San Francisco, sewage and stormwater flow through the same pipes as part of a combined system. The problem is that large enough storms cause the system to overflow, which the city said typically happens less than 10 times a year. … Environmental groups and the state of California argue that the city is discharging too frequently and at such high volumes that it taints the waterways with bacteria that can cause illness if people come into contact with it.

Related article:

Aquafornia news MIT Technology Review

What a major battery fire means for the future of energy storage

A few weeks ago, a fire broke out at the Moss Landing Power Plant in California, the world’s largest collection of batteries on the grid. Although the flames were extinguished in a few days, the metaphorical smoke is still clearing. Some residents in the area have reported health issues that they claim are related to the fire, and some environmental tests revealed pollutants in the water and ground near where the fire burned. One group has filed a lawsuit against the company that owns the site. In the wake of high-profile fires like Moss Landing, there are very understandable concerns about battery safety. At the same time, as more wind, solar power, and other variable electricity sources come online, large energy storage installations will be even more crucial for the grid. 

Related article:

Aquafornia news In the Center Lane With Herb Paine

Blog: The mirage of water security: The politics of short-term fixes and scarcity

… With back-to-back atmospheric rivers poised to dump up to 10 feet of snow in the Sierra Nevadas and bring as much as 15 inches of rain to northern areas, California faces a familiar paradox: When it rains, it pours. Yet, water remains scarce when it’s needed most. Why? Because balancing environmental sustainability with agricultural and human needs has been an ongoing challenge in state policies. For example, substantial amounts of this precipitation are diverted to support fish populations, leaving the Central Valley – one of the nation’s most vital agricultural hubs – crippled by chronic water shortages, depleted groundwater, and rising unemployment.

Aquafornia news SJV Water

Well registration policy hammered out by Mid-Kings River groundwater agency advisory group

The new Mid-Kings River Groundwater Sustainability Agency’s advisory group made recent headway on improving plans and policies, though the agency is still behind its counterparts in the subbasin. … During a Feb. 10 meeting, the advisory group focused on updating Mid-Kings’ well registration and metering policies. The proposed changes will go before the GSA board for approval in March. When the former Mid-Kings imploded in summer 2024, the Kings County Board of Supervisors picked up the pieces and started anew creating the advisory group to represent growers. The advisory group has been doing a lot of heavy lifting going over core policies intended to help bring the area’s aquifers into balance, as mandated under the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA).

Aquafornia news Agri-Pulse Communications, Inc.

Accountability in drought regulations

Republican Asm. Juan Alanis of Modesto is pressing for more accountability in the state water board’s drought regulations. His new bill would require the board to perform a comprehensive economic study on the potential impacts of each emergency regulation before renewing it.  Last month the board readopted an emergency drought regulation along California’s northernmost rivers for the fourth year in a row. Local farmers and ranchers have unsuccessfully pleaded with the board for years to carefully consider the broader economic impacts of the regulation.

Aquafornia news Calexico Chronicle

Black Rock Geothermal suspension raises questions

Berkshire Hathaway Energy Renewables has suspended the permitting process for its three proposed geothermal plants near the Salton Sea, citing transmission interconnection challenges, permitting delays and the lack of state-backed offtake agreements. The projects — Black Rock, Morton Bay and Elmore North — would have added 357 megawatts of renewable energy to California’s grid. The decision comes after months of regulatory proceedings with the California Energy Commission and transmission studies with the Imperial Irrigation District. The suspension halts what had been expected to be a significant economic driver for Imperial County.

Aquafornia news Water Talk

Podcast: Advising Calif. tribal policy

A conversation with Anecita Agustinez (state tribal policy advisor, California Department of Water Resources) about water governance and expertise around challenging policy issues. Anecita Agustinez has served as (the DWR’s) tribal policy advisor since August 2013. Agustinez has over 30 years of advocacy experience on behalf of California’s Native American tribes. She provides policy support and recommendations regarding tribal issues to the director and chief deputy director and has been actively engaged with our projects and programs, assisting with tribal consultation and development of the DWR Tribal Consultation Policy. 

Aquafornia news California American Water

News release: California American Water completes $560,000 water tank rehabilitation in Monterey

California American Water announced the completion of a $560,000 water storage tank rehabilitation project in Monterey. This investment in critical infrastructure, a tank with 80,000-gallon capacity, will help ensure continued safe, clean and reliable water service for customers and communities. The Aguajito Tank project included extensive improvements to enhance its long-term performance and resilience. These upgrades included interior and exterior coating to prevent corrosion and leaks, minimizing potential service interruptions. 

Aquafornia news Hatchery International

California’s only native sunfish reintroduced at Granite Regional Park

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) is experimenting to see how the state’s only native sunfish fares after being reintroduced in Sacramento ponds. The department recently stocked 3,000 juvenile Sacramento perch – from M4 Aquatics, a Livermore-based hatchery – into a pond at Granite Regional Park for fishing. … Sacramento perch were once abundant within the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and Clear Lake in northern California. But have been displaced from their historical range due to habitat modification and competition from non-native sunfish that were introduced into California in the early 20th century. 

Aquafornia news The Daily Californian (Berkeley, Calif.)

Opinion: Unequal exposure: PFAS contaminates communities of color

… Once carrying the promise of affordable and durable materials, PFAS are now at the center of a widespread contamination crisis. Developed in the 1940s by private corporate actors, PFAS rapidly became used across industries because of their resistance to heat and water. However, over six decades after their widespread use, hidden research by their developers was brought to light by one of the most famous trials in PFAS in history. Now, there is incontestable evidence collected over decades that links PFAS with the development of over 13 serious conditions, including several types of cancers and neurodevelopmental disorders. More concerningly, the extent of the contamination crisis is so severe that out of every 100 Americans, over 97 have traceable amounts of PFAS in their blood.
–Written by Nathan Sharp, CFO at Environmental Litigation Group, P.C.

Aquafornia news Northwestern Now (Evanston, Ill.)

News release: This sponge soaks up pollutants but saves valuable minerals

As more waterways contend with algae blooms and pollution caused by minerals from agricultural runoff and industrial manufacturing processes, new methods to remove pollutants like phosphate, copper and zinc are emerging. … A specialized sponge created by researchers at Northwestern University that works to slurp up pollutants, and then release them as desired, may present a reusable, low-cost solution. The sponge, coated with nanoparticles that have an affinity for pollutants, can collect metals like zinc and copper, as well as phosphate, and in previous iterations has successfully pulled lead from water, and microplastics and oil from lakes and oceans. It then releases these valuable resources when it is exposed to different pH’s.

Aquafornia news San Francisco Chronicle

Wednesday Top of the Scroll: Large, cold winter storm to hammer California mountains with snow

Several feet of snow is anticipated to blanket California’s mountains this week, prompting the National Weather Service to warn of “the strongest storm of the season” so far in the Sierra Nevada. A powerful low-pressure system will move toward Cape Mendocino on Thursday, farther south than many previous storms this winter. The proximity of the storm means its cold front will remain intact as it moves from Lake Tahoe toward Mammoth Mountain and Yosemite National Park on Thursday afternoon. Heavy snow is expected along this cold front, with hourly accumulations of 2 to 4 inches and intense winds creating periods of “zero visibility,” according to the weather service. 

Other atmospheric river news: