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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 Sen. Anna Caballero

News release: Senator Anna M. Caballero introduces SB 72, California Water for All, to modernize water planning

Senator Anna M. Caballero (D-Merced) introduced SB 72, California Water for All, to modernize the California Water Plan to drought proof California and establish long-term water supply targets. This legislation addresses the state’s intensifying climate challenges and ensures high-quality water for urban, agricultural and environmental needs. … For over 20 years, California’s Water Plan—mandated by Water Code Section 10005(a)—has remained unchanged, despite the state’s growing population and the devastating impacts of extreme weather events, including prolonged droughts, destructive floods and declining groundwater reserves. Recent studies project a future water supply shortfall without state intervention of 4.6 to 9 million acre-feet annually by 2050. This shortfall represents up to 90% of California’s urban water use or the irrigation of 3 million acres of farmland.   SB 72 aims to close this gap …

Aquafornia news The New York Times

L.A. wildfires reveal the limits of hydrant systems

As firefighters scrambled to extinguish the wildfires consuming neighborhoods across Los Angeles County this month, they often found that the hydrants outside the burning houses were not much help. It was hardly the first time in recent years that a wildfire had encroached on an American neighborhood, and hardly the first time that hydrants were unable to make a serious dent in stopping an unfolding disaster. In Colorado, Hawaii and other parts of California, hydrants have provided minimal relief as home after home has burned.  A combination of extreme conditions, poor planning and delayed evacuations contributed to the widespread devastation around Los Angeles. There were also specific limitations on the region’s network of fire hydrants, including a large reservoir that was offline for maintenance. But in most cases, experts say, a working hydrant system would be inadequate for fighting a large-scale wildfire.

Aquafornia news Los Angeles Times

Metropolitan Water District board mulls top manager Adel Hagekhalil’s fate

The board of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California is considering the findings of a seven-month investigation into accusations against General Manager Adel Hagekhalil — a process that has revealed competing claims of discrimination and exposed deep divisions among leaders of the state’s largest urban water supplier. The board met twice in closed session [last] week to consider the findings of five completed investigations, which have not been made public. Board members then voted to continue Hagekhalil’s leave of absence until their next meeting Wednesday. Hagekhalil was placed on leave in June in response to allegations by the agency’s chief financial officer, Katano Kasaine, who accused him of sexism and alleged he had harassed, demeaned and sidelined her and created a hostile work environment. Hagekhalil has denied the accusations, insisting he did nothing wrong. During a public portion of Tuesday’s MWD meeting, Hagekhalil told board members he was pleased with the results of the investigations, which he said exonerated him, and that he was eager and prepared to return to his job.

Aquafornia news Bay City News/Mercury News

San Francisco Bay island sold at auction for $3.8 million

A long-running legal dispute over the fate of a small island in San Francisco Bay ended Wednesday when Point Buckler Island was sold at auction to the John Muir Land Trust, a nonprofit conservation organization. The land trust used a court-awarded credit worth about $3.8 million to purchase the 29-acre private island on a 50-acre parcel that is part of Solano County and is situated in a tidal marsh separating Suisun Bay and Grizzly Bay. It’s a critical habitat and corridor for delta smelt, Chinook salmon and other species. It was the subject of a prolonged legal back-and-forth between its former owner, John Sweeney, and county, state and federal regulators that began in 2016 when the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board ordered Sweeney to remove unpermitted infrastructure he built on the island, including about a mile of levies that he had restored.

Aquafornia news San Francisco Chronicle

Bay Area weather: How cold will it get, and when will storms return

The final week of January is shaping up to mirror how the rest of the month unfolded across the Bay Area: dry. No rain is in the forecast until at least Friday, which means January is almost guaranteed to finish as one of the driest on record in much of the Bay Area.  … The Bay Area remains on the wrong side of this storm’s circulation for precipitation. Dry air wrapping around the northern side of the storm will result in clear skies.  At night, the starry skies will allow for chilly nights, prompting a freeze warning in parts of the South Bay until 9 a.m. Monday. Cold overnight temperatures will continue until at least Wednesday morning, with lows in the upper 20s to mid-30s except in San Francisco, where temperatures will be closer to 40. Dry weather will prevail through at least Friday morning with near-normal high temperatures in the mid-50s to low 60s. But Friday could mark the return of storms to Northern California.

Related article:

Aquafornia news The Mercury News

Rethinking flood insurance: Monterey County considering new approach

During this winter of extremes in California, with tragic wildfires raging in the south and most of the season’s rain falling in the north, the insurance market has fallen only deeper into crisis. But one flood insurance product for local governments recently launched in the state models a different approach designed for such erratic climate patterns. The County of Monterey, which spent upward of $100 million to recover from flooding during the prior two winters, is among governments statewide looking closely at the new flood insurance option. Monterey County had applied for relief from FEMA after atmospheric rivers saturated the region, but it still awaits some of the federal reimbursement. By contrast, the new insurance product, which uses a structure dubbed “parametric,” vows to immediately deliver smaller payouts for a flexible range of emergency costs.

Aquafornia news California WaterBlog

Blog: Anticipating increases in flood risk for Yolo County and its native fishes

… I live in Davis, California and sometimes wonder if we Davisites are too complacent in recognizing that a similar or even bigger flood event might happen to us.  At some point, we may experience a megaflood in the Central Valley … Indeed, the whole landscape of the Central Valley is shaped by major flood events. … Sediment cores show such floods have occurred once every 150 to 200 years … The last such flood, a small one by geologic standards, was in 1861-1862 when the Central Valley became an “Inland Sea” … Sacramento was underwater and the newly elected governor famously had to be rowed from his house to the building where he was sworn in, on the second floor.

Aquafornia news San Joaquin Valley Sun

House passes forest management bill backed by Valley reps

The House of Representatives has passed the Fix Our Forests Act to provide for healthier forests and increased wildfire protection.  All Central Valley representatives co-sponsored the bill – which was introduced by Rep. Bruce Westerman (R–AR) and voted in support of it. … The Fix Our Forests Act will expedite environmental reviews for forest management projects, enhance grant programs and new research and stop frivolous litigation and consultations that delay forest management activities. … Along with the forest management part of the bill, the Fix Our Forests Act also includes the Headwaters Protection Act, which was introduced by Costa. The Headwaters Protection Act increases eligibility for public entities such as local water districts for funding under the Water Source Protection Program, which assists local groups with ensuring clean drinking water. 

Aquafornia news Los Angeles Times

Friday Top of the Scroll: Trump wants to alter California water policy. Experts say that would hurt state

In one of the first acts of his second term, President Trump is seeking to put his stamp on California water policy by directing the federal government to put “people over fish” and send more water from Northern California to the Central Valley’s farms and Southern California cities. … Karla Nemeth, director of the California Department of Water Resources, said the approach outlined by the president could do substantial harm by putting water supplies at risk as well as protections for vulnerable fish species. Nemeth said Trump’s order, on its own, does not change anything and that the current rules for operating California’s water delivery systems in the Central Valley — which were supported by the state and adopted by the Biden administration in December — remain in effect. Presumably, the president is directing the agencies to again start the lengthy process of revising the framework that governs how the two main water delivery systems, the State Water Project and the federal Central Valley Project, are operated.

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Aquafornia news Los Angeles Times

Officials were warned of failing water system before Palisades fire

Los Angeles County officials missed dozens of opportunities for water infrastructure improvements that experts say probably would have enabled firefighters to save more homes during the Palisades fire, public records show. As crews battled the blaze, attempting to extinguish flames that burned huge swaths of L.A. County and killed at least 11 people, some hydrants ran dry. The lack of water has come under scrutiny since the wildfire broke out Jan. 7, with officials scrambling to explain why the 117-million-gallon Santa Ynez Reservoir was left empty for maintenance. But thousands of pages of state, county and municipal records reviewed by The Times show the disaster was years in the making. Red tape, budget shortfalls and government inaction repeatedly stymied plans for water system improvements — including some that specifically cited the need to boost firefighting capacity. Many projects on a list of about three dozen “highest priority” upgrades compiled by county officials in 2013 have yet to break ground in communities devastated by the fires.

Other wildfires and rain articles:

Aquafornia news The Colorado Sun

Federal lawmakers push to revive Colorado River conservation program

A bipartisan group of federal lawmakers wants water users in four Colorado River Basin states to have more time to cut water use through a much-debated conservation program that pays water users to cut back. The lawmakers, including Democratic Sens. John Hickenlooper and Michael Bennet of Colorado, are hoping to extend funding for the System Conservation Pilot Program, saying it will help people explore more ways to respond to prolonged drought in the overstressed river basin. But some Colorado water experts question whether the program can actually deliver on its promises, and even if Congress approves the bill, time is short for potential participants to put their ideas into action before the summer growing season.

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Aquafornia news Voice of San Diego/California Health Report

What has and hasn’t happened in the year since San Diego’s devastating floods

… Extreme flooding events, even in regions typically associated with dry weather like Southern California, are becoming more common as the climate warms. Climate change, driven primarily by burning fossil fuels, is changing weather patterns, leading to heavier and more dangerous downpours that can overwhelm infrastructure designed for more predictable times. But Calix and others impacted by the disaster insist there is another force that exacerbated the flooding, one that also led to what many see as a disjointed and inadequate disaster response: Decades of government neglect and indifference toward San Diego’s lower-income neighborhoods. … Residents say the legacy of discrimination continues to this day through lack of city investment in flood-control infrastructure, and inadequate disaster planning and support for those affected. The result is even greater hardship and precarity for people and communities already on the edge. The situation is also a microcosm of the inequitable distribution of risks from climate change, and an example of the challenges communities and governments must grapple with as floods and other weather-related disasters become more frequent.

Aquafornia news KUNC (Greeley, Colo.)

Replacing grass can help save water, but just how much?

… This site is an experiment in reshaping the unused grassy expanses that sprawl across campus. For decades, the area was a patch of green grass that f ell into the category of “nonfunctional turf” – a term water experts use to describe grass that serves no purpose besides aesthetics. Now, as part of a statewide effort to save water, Colorado’s government is trying to convince people and institutions to rip out their thirsty grass lawns and replace them with native plants and more functional space. It comes amid an urgent need to cut down on water use, but there are limits to the amount of water that can be saved. With the help of a state grant and money from the nonprofit Western Resource Advocates, UNC’s patch of grass — which long served no purpose besides looking pretty — will be replaced with a patio, spots for hammocks and native prairie grasses.

Other water conservation articles:

Aquafornia news AgriPulse

California lettuce grower regulatory costs skyrocket 1,400%

A two-decade study offers a rare glimpse into the books of a large lettuce operation in the Salinas Valley. The research found labor, food safety and groundwater management rules — among many other regulations and fees — have led to a 1,366% increase in regulatory costs since 2006. The case study, commissioned by the Monterey County Farm Bureau, offers a snapshot of the financial challenges growers endure to operate within California’s rapidly changing regulatory environment. … In 2024, after several more major state laws took effect, regulatory costs hit $1,600 per acre, a 64% increase from 2017 and a nearly 1,400% jump since Hamilton first began the work. Compliance now accounted for more than 12% of the total costs. Total production costs, meanwhile, rose just 44% over the decades, landing at less than $13,000 per acre, and the farm gate value for lettuce went up at the same rate.

Aquafornia news The Appeal-Democrat (Marysville, Calif.)

Talk of ‘severing relationship’ with California Water Company: Marysville’s mayor says residents overcharged

Claiming that its residents are charged “double and in some cases triple” the rates for water in surrounding communities, Marysville Mayor Chris Branscum raised the specter of “severing our relationship” with the water company that has served the city since 1929. At a special meeting called three days after the city learned of a proposal by the California Water Service Co. to increase revenue 33 percent over the next three years across its system of 24 communities, the city council gave City Manager Jim Schaad direction to investigate the financial data  of the water company, and to let the California Public Utilities Commission know about its objection to the proposed increase. Two members of the Yuba County Board of Supervisors encouraged the city to discuss with the Linda County Water District and the Olivehurst Public Utility District the possibility of a regional water supply system, and to approach the Yuba Water Agency for a grant to help build the system. 

Aquafornia news CBS Sacramento

California school could finally provide clean drinking water after 70 years

For the first time in over 70 years, an elementary school in Central California could have consumable water.  Grayson Elementary School in Stanislaus County was built in 1952. The school has never had suitable drinking water. In November 2024, the district noticed corroded pipes after a pipe break inside the school. “Back in the fall, we set out to sort of solve this drinking water problem at Grayson Elementary,” said Dave Smith of the Patterson Joint Unified School District’s administrative services. That plan involved replacing all pipes inside the school that, up until that point, the district believed to be the original pipes. 

Aquafornia news The Washington Post

Trump puts industry insiders in charge of overseeing chemical safety

The Trump administration has appointed two industry insiders to oversee chemical regulations, amid a broader Republican push to speed up an approval process they say has held up innovation and economic growth. Two veterans of Trump’s first administration, Nancy Beck and Lynn Dekleva, were named to help lead regulation of chemicals at the Environmental Protection Agency, the agency confirmed in an email. The appointments were first reported by the New York Times. Beck is known for fighting strict chemical regulations and aligning policy with industry interests. She is returning to the agency’s Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention, according to an internal agency announcement reviewed by The Washington Post. The move has many environmental groups concerned that major chemical safety regulations, enacted to protect human health, could be back on the chopping block.

Related article:

Aquafornia news Eureka Times-Standard

Another $15 million secured towards Two-Basin Solution, Huffman reports

Rep. Jared Huffman (D-San Rafael) recently announced that the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation has awarded Round Valley Indian Tribes and the Sonoma County Water Agency $15 million toward implementing the Two-Basin Solution for water diversions from the Eel River to the Russian River. In a press release, Huffman explains that “the funds through the Inflation Reduction Act will fund a major Eel River estuary project supported by the tribes, and put a down payment on construction of a new wintertime diversion to the Russian River following the removal of two salmon-blocking dams on the Eel.” “This funding shows what can be accomplished thanks to the strong partnerships in the Eel and Russian river basins. We’ve now reached a significant milestone in restoring salmon and other aquatic life in the Eel River while protecting a key water supply for communities in Mendocino, Sonoma, and Marin counties,” Huffman is quoted as saying in the release.

Aquafornia news The Associated Press

Thursday Top of the Scroll: Cracks emerge in House GOP after speaker’s threat to saddle California wildfire aid with conditions

… In an interview aired Wednesday night, Trump said he may withhold aid to California until the state adjusts how it manages its scarce water resources. He falsely claimed that California’s fish conservation efforts in the northern part of the state are responsible for fire hydrants running dry in urban areas. … Several California representatives agreed that the federal government must guard against the misuse of funds but argued that the money should not be held up or saddled with restrictions not placed on other states after tornadoes and hurricanes. The dilemma played out in social media posts by Republican Rep. Ken Calvert, who narrowly prevailed in November in his swing district east of Los Angeles. “Californians are entitled to receive federal disaster assistance in the same manner as all Americans,” he wrote on X. But, he quickly added, “Some federal policy changes may be needed to expedite rebuilding as well as improve future wildfire prevention. Those kind of policies are not conditions.”

Related articles:

Aquafornia news The Colorado Sun

17 Colorado environmental projects are in limbo after Trump halts funding

On Friday, in the last hours of the Biden administration, the Bureau of Reclamation announced it would spend $388.3 million for environmental projects in Colorado and three other Colorado River Basin states. Now that funding is in limbo. The money was set to come from a Biden-era law, the Inflation Reduction Act. On Monday, President Donald Trump ordered federal agencies to halt spending money under the act. Lawmakers were still trying to understand whether the freeze applied to the entire Inflation Reduction Act or portions of it as of Wednesday afternoon.  The new executive order focused on energy spending but also raised questions about funding for environmental projects in the Colorado River Basin, including $40 million for western Colorado’s effort to buy powerful water rights tied to Shoshone Power Plant on the Colorado River and 16 other projects in Colorado.

Other Colorado River articles: