Statewide Region Local Water News Articles

Water Sustainability

California’s Drought Is Over—at Least for Now

11/07/2023
Intense rains have California out of a drought less than a year after most of the state faced water shortages. A climatologist is urging wise water usage ahead of California’s next drought.

From San Joaquin Valley Sun...

Water State of California

Preempting Enviro Blitz, Newsom OKs Streamlining Approvals for Sites Reservoir

11/07/2023
The first reservoir in California in nearly 50 years is now on the fast track for completion.

From CalMatters...

Environment Water Government

Western States’ Water Cuts Should Hold Off Colorado River Crisis—For Now

10/25/2023
Wet weather and planned cuts by California, Arizona and Nevada averted declines that could have threatened water deliveries and power production—but long-term threats to the Colorado River remain.

From CalMatters...

Environment Water Agriculture, Food & Gardening Government

San Joaquin Valley Groundwater Pumpers Need to Slow Down or Face Fines, State Says

10/12/2023
Hundreds of wells in Tulare Lake aquifer are at risk of going dry. Today's recommendation is the first time that state officials have moved to crack down on local plans that fail to stop excessive groundwater pumping.

From CalMatters...

Water Agriculture, Food & Gardening Government

To Make Water Conservation a ‘California Way of Life,’ the Price Tag is $13 Billion

10/04/2023
Water providers say rebates for residential areas are costly and residents may refuse to remove their lawns. The rules aim to save enough water for more than a million households a year.

From CalMatters...

Environment Land Use & Development Water Government

Your Lawn May be Gone. New Bill Bans Irrigation of ‘Ornamental’ Lawns

09/13/2023
The irrigation bill, which aims to force businesses and institutions to remove their lawns, now goes to the governor.

California Local Pin Marker From California Local...

Business, Economy & Jobs Environment Land Use & Development Water History Government

Dam Demolition Gets Going. Can Klamath River Be Saved?

08/31/2023
Image for display with article titled Massive Dam Demolition Gets Going, but Can the Klamath River be Saved?

Four hydroelectric dams totaling 100,000 tons of concrete will be destroyed by the end of 2024.

California Local Pin Marker From California Local...

Economy & Jobs Environment Water Government

Feds Investigate California Water Agency for Discrimination

08/10/2023
Image for display with article titled Feds Investigate California Water Agency After Discrimination Complaint by Native American Tribes

Image for display with article titled Feds Investigate California Water Agency After Discrimination Complaint by Native American Tribes

Allegation claims agency failed to properly protect water quality in Delta and Bay areas

California Local Pin Marker From California Local...

Environment Health Water Government

Sewage Could Be Converted to Drinking Water, State Plans

08/04/2023
Image for display with article titled California Plans to Turn Sewage Into Drinking Water, But This Isn’t ‘Toilet to Tap’

Extensive new purification standards could turn wastewater into “the cleanest drinking water around.”

From The Sacramento Bee...

Environment Water Sustainability

California Republicans Fighting Again to Raise the Shasta Dam

07/17/2023
Raising Shasta Dam to increase its capacity would provide 634,000 more acre-feet of water per year, legislators say. But that assumes there will always be enough precipitation, and the move risks flooding sacred Native American lands and harming local habitats.

From CalMatters...

Economy & Jobs Environment Water

Ending Mono Lake Diversions to Los Angeles: Good for the Environment, Bad for the Climate

07/12/2023
The environmental costs of ending water diversions from Mono Lake to Los Angeles would be mixed: It might help a shore bird habitat but would require changes that increase carbon emissions.

From YubaNet...

Water Sustainability

Study: Climate Change Is Changing the Ocean’s Color

07/12/2023
In the magazine Nature, a team of scientists reports that they have detected changes in ocean color that cannot be explained by natural, year-to-year variability alone. These color shifts have occurred over 56 percent of the world’s oceans.

From CalMatters...

Environment Water Government

California Budget Deal Delivers Major Setback to Delta Water Tunnel Project

06/27/2023
California Gov. Gavin Newsom had to concede defeat on trying to get the Legislature to give a very contentious water tunnel project streamlined regulatory treatment.

From Tahoe Daily Tribune...

Public Safety Environment Water

Judge Allows Use of Fire Retardant While Permit Pends

06/06/2023
The U.S. District Court for the District of Montana ruled the U.S. Forest Service can continue to use aerial fire retardant to fight wildfires while waiting on a Clean Water Act permit.

From CalMatters...

Environment Water

Mono Lake Advocates Demand State Stop Sending Lake’s Water to L.A.

05/29/2023
Environmentalists say it’s past time for California water officials to halt Los Angeles’ diversion of Mono Lake’s tributaries. But L.A. officials insist that water is a tiny but vital part of the city’s water supply.

California Local Pin Marker From California Local...

Economy & Jobs Water Government

California to Cut Colorado River Water Use

05/22/2023
Image for display with article titled California Will Cut Colorado River Water Use Under New Federal Deal

Cuts will hit hardest in Imperial Valley, where farms rely on water from the river.

California Local Pin Marker From California Local...

Water Agriculture & Gardening Sustainability

Mangoes and Agave in the Central Valley?

05/11/2023
Image for display with article titled California Farmers Take Creative Approach to Climate Change

As the planet warms, rain and heat patterns will dictate which crops are grown where.

From Santa Cruz Sentinel...

Water Sustainability

Wave-Powered Pilot Project Set to Test

05/03/2023
Fort Bragg is embarking on an innovative pilot project to desalt ocean water for the Mendocino Coast community using carbon-free wave action to power an energy-intensive process that in other cases generates climate changing greenhouse gases.

From The Mercury News...

Environment Water Sustainability

California Snowpack Data Debunked: 2023 Was No Record Year

04/23/2023
And neither was 1952. The top honor should really go to 1983, which clinched first at 231% of normal, an analysis by the Bay Area News Group found.

From CalMatters...

Water Sustainability

US Proposes Options for Cutting California’s Colorado River Water

04/11/2023
One of the options would override California’s water rights and split the cuts evenly between California, Nevada and Arizona—which would be a big blow to Imperial Valley farmers.

Statewide Region Local News: Water