Dear Western Water readers:

One of California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s first actions after taking office was to appoint Wade Crowfoot as Natural Resources Agency secretary. Then, within weeks, the governor laid out an ambitious water agenda that Crowfoot, 45, is now charged with executing.

That agenda includes the governor’s desire for a “fresh approach” on water, scaling back the conveyance plan in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and calling for more water recycling, expanded floodplains in the Central Valley and more groundwater recharge.

Western Water’s Gary Pitzer talked with Crowfoot about what he expects to tackle during the next four years, including finding ways to make California more resilient to the extreme swings of drought and flood that are expected to come with climate change. Read the full story here. 

Water Around the West

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

Paradise Officials Unveil $53 Million Plan to Rid Damaged Water Pipes of Contaminants. Brett Walton, writing in Circle of Blue, explores the challenge — and cost — of a multiphase plan to overcome the primary impediment in rebuilding the fire-damaged town of Paradise: potentially extensive contamination of the water system.

Experts say Arizona tribes’ role in drought negotiations marks turning point for inclusion. Lillian Donahue, writing for Cronkite News in Arizona, examines how Arizona’s American Indian tribes played a critical role in the negotiation of a Drought Contingency Plan for the Colorado River. 

What drought? These states are gearing up to draw more water from the Colorado. Naveena Sadasivam, writing in Grist, examines six high-profile projects in Utah, Colorado, and Wyoming that combined could divert more than 300,000 acre-feet of water from the beleaguered Colorado River. That’s the equivalent of Nevada’s entire allocation from the river. 

Salk Scientists Plan To Combat Climate Change With Plants. Mark Sauer and Megan Burke, writing for KPBS in San Diego, take a look at a team of plant scientists at The Salk Institute who believe their simple idea of harnessing the power of plants to capture carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and store it in their roots could have a dramatic impact on efforts to combat climate change.

Endangered wetlands offer vital wildlife habitat and a reason to fight about coastal development. Martin Wisckol, writing in the Orange County Register, explores what remains of the wetlands that once existed in Orange and Los Angeles counties, and how they provide a crucial habitat for resident animals and migrating birds, including several endangered species.

Water Word of the Day

Salton Sea. As part of the historic Colorado River Delta, the Salton Sea regularly filled and dried for thousands of years due to its elevation of 232 feet below sea level. The sea serves as critical habitat for birds moving south to Mexico and Central America. Because of its ecological importance and due to concerns about dust-borne emissions, much attention has been paid to keeping the Salton Sea from completely drying up. There’s more to learn about the Salton Sea in Aquapedia, our free, vetted online water encyclopedia. 

At the Foundation

Our Bay-Delta Tour, June 5-7, will take you deep into the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, California’s water hub, to explore the 720,000-acre network of Delta islands and canals that supports the state’s water system and is California’s most crucial water and ecological resource. You’ll take in a ferry ride across the San Francisco Bay and explore a unique scale model of the Bay-Delta region. This is our most popular tour, so don’t miss it. Early bird pricing ends May 6. Here’s where to learn more and sign up.

Water Academy

California thrives on a complex and diverse network of natural waterways and man-made reservoirs and aqueducts – including federally, state and locally funded projects – as well as wild and scenic rivers and natural lakes. Our poster-size California Water Map features beautiful photos of California’s natural environment, rivers, water projects, wildlife, and urban and agricultural uses. You can learn more about key issues facing California water, including supply, use, projects, the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, wild and scenic rivers and the Colorado River. Here’s where to get yours.