Dear Western Water readers:

New water storage is the holy grail primarily for agricultural interests in California, and in 2014 the door to achieving long-held ambitions opened with the passage of Proposition 1, which included $2.7 billion for the public benefits portion of new reservoirs and groundwater storage projects.

But deciding which projects should get money — and how much — has not been easy for the California Water Commission, the entity charged with refereeing the process. Proponents of the Sites Reservoir northwest of Sacramento and Temperance Flat Dam east of Fresno, and some elected officials, have rebuked the commission for its perceived stinginess, accusing it of dragging its feet on decisions and thwarting the public will. (The commission will make funding decisions July 24-26.)

Against this backdrop, Western Water’s Gary Pitzer spoke with Armando Quintero, chair of the commission, about the challenges of the unprecedented allocation process and the lessons to be drawn from it that may inform decision-making on California water projects in the future.

Read the full Q&A here.

Water Around the West

Here are five don’t-miss articles from the last week:

Southern California’s coastal communities could lose 130 feet of cliffs this century as sea levels rise. Rosana Xia with the Los Angeles Times reports that scientists are now one step closer to projecting how California’s coastal bluffs will fare this century — and the outlook is sobering. In Southern California, cliffs could recede more than 130 feet by the year 2100 if the sea keeps rising, according to a new study.

A New Groundwater Market Emerges in California. Are More on the Way? Alastair Bland, writing in Water Deeply, examines a pilot groundwater market program in Ventura County that experts say may be replicated in other parts of the state as California works to comply with the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act and curb overpumping of aquifers.

Drought raises demand for water deliveries to wildlife, but it’s a short-term fix. Alex Devoid with the Arizona Republic examines efforts by the state, nonprofits and individuals to haul water — and sometimes food — to animals in the wild amid a drought classified as severe or worse. It’s making a difference for the animals that find it. But some say the rescue efforts only address a short-term issue. 

A Renewed View of Some of the World’s Oldest Trees. Thomas Fuller, writing in The New York Times, explores the Mariposa Grove of giant sequoias in Yosemite National Park, which reopened after a three-year restoration project, with less asphalt and more concern for the health of the trees.  

Looking for signs of global warming? It’s all around you. Associated Press writer Seth Borenstein reports that climate isn’t the only thing changing — nature is changing, too. That’s the picture painted by interviews with more than 50 scientists and an Associated Press analysis of data on plants, animals, pollen, ice, sea level and more.

Water Word

Water Word of the Day: Dams. Dams have allowed Californians and the West to harness and control water dating back to the days of Native Americans. But public values have shifted amid a greater awareness about the need for healthy ecosystems, spurring governmental and private efforts to mitigate some of the impacts caused by dams. Read more about the history and uses of dams and the evolving values surrounding them in Aquapedia, our free, online water encyclopedia.

At the Foundation

Join us for our annual Water Summit, on Sept. 20 in Sacramento, where we will feature critical conversations about water in California and the West revolving around the theme: Facing Reality from the Headwaters to the Delta. As debate continues around longer-term remedies for California’s water challenges, the theme reflects the need for straightforward dialogue about more immediate, on-the-ground solutions. Key topics will include discussion of California’s headwaters, the human right to water and the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Brenda Burman will deliver the keynote address at lunch. Learn more about what’s planned here. 

Water Academy

Get an overview of California’s rivers, lakes and water delivery infrastructure on our California Water Map. The 24×36 inch map is widely known for being the definitive poster that shows the integral role water plays in the state. On this updated version, it is easier to see California’s natural waterways and man-made reservoirs and aqueducts — including federally, state and locally funded projects — the wild and scenic rivers system, and natural lakes. The map includes text that focuses on key issues: water supply, water use, water projects, the Delta, wild and scenic rivers and the Colorado River. Here’s how you can get one.