San Joaquin County Water Digest

At 90% of the state historical average, the Sierra Nevada snowpack is far better than last year. But it’s nothing like the record-smashing 2023.

Applications are open for high school and college students to participate in the eight annual H20 Hackathon on May 3 at the San Joaquin County Office of Education. Read on to learn more.

Manteca residents can expect to see an increase in water and sewer rates starting May 15. Read on for more information.

Billions of state and federal dollars are spent on Lake Tahoe. But is all this attention actually protecting this unique treasure? Pollutants pour in, while development continues. Funding has shifted in focus to tourism and traffic projects, while money spent directly on fixing the lake has declined.

Read on to learn the story behind the Army Corps of Engineers abrupt release of billions of gallons of water from two California dams despite pushback from water managers and state elected officials.

The governor’s planned $20 billion tunnel to divert more water south and bypass the Delta would bring years of construction noise, pollution and traffic. Residents worry their rural farm towns will never be the same.

A new conservancy will oversee work to improve vegetation, water quality and natural habitat in the Salton Sea. Will nearly half a billion dollars in projects be enough?

Oakland Democrat Buffy Wicks said lawmakers will soon see 20 bills to speed up housing construction, along with more on energy, water and transit.

Read on to learn more about discounts to Manteca residents 60 years and older for waste, sewer and water rate discounts.

State and federal water managers have announced significant increases to water allocations across California thanks to early February storms and healthy reservoir levels.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is promoting the hunting and uh, eating, of invasive nutria as a means of curbing their presence in the Delta. Tastes like chicken? No, rabbit. Read on for more.

The governor vowed to clear the way for more groundwater recharge. Has it worked? “We’re still tinkering around with small numbers,” one expert says.

A new bill by a Bay Area state senator aims to create a special fund to help clean up so-called forever chemicals in California’s water supply. Senate Bill 454 was introduced by Jerry McNerney, D-Pleasanton, on February 18 and, if passed by the state Legislature and signed by the governor, would create the PFAS Mitigation Fund.

The South San Joaquin Irrigation District is partnering with the Oakdale Irrigation District on a $70 million project to protect water supplies from the Goodwin Dam. Read on to learn more.

Snowpack in the Sierra Nevada, which supplies about one-third of California’s water needs, was far lower than average for the end of January at one of the state’s measurement points on January 31.

Read on to learn more about the Trump-ordered "emergency" release of water from two San Joaquin Valley reservoirs and how it is literally going down the drain (and not to preserve LA from fires as claimed).

Repairs to the Victoria Island Levee have been complete, just in time as an atmospheric river approaches the region. Read on to learn more.

Read on to learn more about upcoming increases to water and sewage rates in the City of Manteca, and why the rate increases are necessary.

It would be impossible to overstate the complexity of water supply management in California.

Trump apparently wants to override new Biden-Newsom rules that have widespread support among Southern California cities and some Central Valley farmers.

Read on for the latest progress in the B.F. Sisk Dam Raise and Reservoir Expansion Project to raise the dam at the San Luis Reservoir to add storage capacity.

California State Senator Jerry McNerney, representing San Joaquin County and parts of Alameda County, has been appointed to the state Delta Protection Commission. Read on to learn more about the commission.

Read on for more information about a proposed rate increase to fund $30 million in upgrades to the Manteca water system.

President-elect Donald Trump faulted California water policies for the devastating wildfires that are burning in Los Angeles County. The fires started because of fierce winds and extremely dry conditions.

Some Northern California cities have been soaked with almost twice their average rainfall, while southern cities are bone-dry. This season’s huge — possibly unprecedented — disparity works in favor of the state’s water supplies.

The Delta Stewardship Council, a state-appointed agency that works to protect the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta while preserving it as a major water source, recently released a draft adaptation plan called Delta Adapts: Creating a Climate Resilient Future. 

New operating rules for massive Delta systems will increase water deliveries to Southern California cities and some growers. Salmon numbers could drop, especially in dry years.

The vintage cruise ship which sunk near Stockton, has been towed away by the Coast Guard. Read on for more information about the process of raising the vessel and the use of three tugboats to "deadship tow" it away.

Get the details behind a proposed hike in Manteca water rates, the first in 15 years.

Read on to learn how much water and sewer rates will be going up for Manteca residents, and why.

In a December 10 press conference, Governor Newsom urged lawmakers to press forward in building the Sites Reservoir in Colusa County. Read on to learn more about the project, the largest new reservoirs to be built in California in the last 50 years.

The San Joaquin County Sheriff will be enforcing the state boater ID law. Get the details of what you need to pilot area waters.