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On the calendar today …
- PUBLIC HEARING: Sites Reservoir Project water rights hearing beginning at 9am. The State Water Resources Control Board Administrative Hearings Office will hold a Public Hearing on the pending petition for Sites Reservoir Project water rights. Interested members of the public who would like to watch this hearing may do so through the Administrative Hearings Office YouTube channel at: https://www.youtube.com/@swrcbadministrativehearing728/featured. Click here for the hearing notice.
- WEBINAR: Towards More Usable Science in Support of Data-Driven Decision-Making from 3:30pm to 4:30pm. In collaboration with the University of California Office of the President, this panel brings together science and policy leaders in California to explore the ways in which science, data, and technology can be better incorporated into decision-making and policy. The goal of this panel is to explore how scientific research can be more usable, actionable, accountable, and relevant in the context of advancing climate action, social equity, human health, and related priorities. Panelists will also highlight tangible ways for enhancing data-related collaborations between researchers and State leaders. Click here to register.
- WORKSHOP: State Water Board’s proposed stormwater infiltration water quality control policy beginning at 6pm. The State Water Resources Control Board staff will hold two informal virtual public workshops to provide an opportunity for public discussion and feedback on a proposed statewide Water Quality Control Policy (Policy) for urban stormwater infiltration. Both workshops will cover the same information provided by staff. State Water Board staff will present an overview of the proposed scope of the project and preliminary requirements considered at this time. The informal workshops will include opportunities for the public and interested parties to discuss and provide feedback on the information presented. This is the first of two workshops. Click here to register. Click here for the workshop notice. Click here for a fact sheet on the Urban Stormwater Infiltration Policy.
Atmospheric river storms arrive in California …
Atmospheric river storm set to hit California this week. What to know about the rain in SoCal
“A stronger atmospheric river is set to hit Northern California on Monday and then hit Los Angeles County on Tuesday, aiding hopes of a more definitive end to a devastating fire weather season for Southern California. The atmospheric river is expected to pack a more powerful punch in Northern California. A flood watch is in effect over a broad swath of Northern California between Monday afternoon through Wednesday morning, and heavy snow is expected for the Sierra Nevada. For Los Angeles County, what initially appeared to be one storm is now separating into two distinct storm systems, said Rose Schoenfeld, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service office in Oxnard. There will still be chances of rain from Tuesday through Friday across L.A. and Ventura counties. … ” Read more from the LA Times. | Read via Yahoo News.
‘Impressive’ atmospheric river set to deliver multiple rounds of rain to Bay Area
“Hang onto your umbrellas: An “impressive” atmospheric river is set to deliver multiple rounds of moderate to heavy rainfall across the Bay Area this week, the National Weather Service said, with minor flooding and gusts of up to 50 mph also expected to sweep through the region. A plume of moisture from the South Pacific, near the vicinity of Hawaii, has been producing steady precipitation since Friday, with scattered showers lingering across the Bay Area Sunday before the next round of heavier rain is slated to arrive by Monday morning. So far, higher elevations in the North Bay have seen 3 to 6 inches of rainfall, while inland portions of the Bay Area have seen roughly 2 to 4 inches, Joe Merchant, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service’s Bay Area office, told SFGATE. … ” Read more from SF Gate.
Winter storm warnings issued for Tahoe, Sierra snow as atmospheric river shifts
“An atmospheric river storm that brought warm, wet weather to the Tahoe basin over the weekend will give way to colder, snowier conditions this week. Several colder storms are on tap for Northern California, prompting winter weather alerts from the National Weather Service. Two separate winter storm warnings are in effect for the west slope of the Sierra Nevada and the Tahoe basin as heavy snow is in the forecast from midday Monday to Wednesday morning. For locations above 5,500 feet west of Donner Summit and Echo Summit, 1 to 3 feet of snow is expected, with up to 5 feet at the highest peaks. Gusts up to 70 mph are also possible. The winter storm warning is in effect from 1 p.m. Monday to 10 a.m. Wednesday. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
Flood watch for California until early Wednesday morning, according to the NWS
“A flood watch was issued by the NWS San Francisco CA on Monday at 12:44 a.m. valid from 4 p.m. until Wednesday 4 a.m. The watch is for Marin Coastal Range, Sonoma Coastal Range, North Bay Interior Mountains, Coastal North Bay Including Point Reyes National Seashore, North Bay Interior Valleys, San Francisco Bay Shoreline, San Francisco Peninsula Coast, East Bay Interior Valleys, Santa Cruz Mountains, Santa Clara Valley Including San Jose, Eastern Santa Clara Hills, East Bay Hills, Southern Salinas Valley/Arroyo Seco and Lake San Antonio, Santa Lucia Mountains and Los Padres National Forest, Northern Salinas Valley/Hollister Valley and Carmel Valley, Northern Monterey Bay and Big Sur as well as San Francisco and Monterey counties. The NWS comments, “Flooding caused by excessive rainfall is possible.” … ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee.
SoCal wildfires aftermath …
LA wildfires magnify need to rethink infrastructure
“As wildfires continue to wreak havoc on Greater Los Angeles, infrastructure experts are already considering how they can build back better, specifically by creating water management systems that will show improved performance in the face of future fires. In the past, wildfire season in California, which typically affected the region’s wildlands and development at the wildland-urban interface, ran from June through October, facilitated by dry conditions. Yet, as a result of climate change, that season is growing longer. With fires increasing in frequency and moving closer to urban areas, it’s a good time to reassess infrastructure needs. … “We’re seeing a significant increase in the number of large disaster events in Los Angeles County,” said Erik Porse, Ph.D., director of the California Institute of Water Resources. “While it’s becoming more and more clear that the conditions surrounding these fires made fighting them nearly impossible, it’s important that we start to rethink some of our systems from an engineering perspective, as well as the codes and standards we have, so we can understand the level of protection they can provide against fire events.” … ” Read more from The Source.
California should expedite rules that could have helped mitigate L.A. fires, lawmakers say
“California lawmakers are calling on the state to expedite rules that some scientists and fire officials say may have helped mitigate the damage from Los Angeles’ devastating wildfires. The idea is simple: by keeping the first 5 feet around a home clear of flammable vegetation, wooden fencing and debris, homeowners can reduce the risk of embers igniting their property — and, with that, the chances of an urban conflagration, in which flames spread from structure to structure. The California Legislature in 2020 passed a bill requiring property owners in fire-prone areas to maintain so-called ember-resistant zones around their homes. The legislation tasked the Board of Forestry and Fire Protection with writing up rules governing exactly what this should look like by Jan. 1, 2023. But the board still hasn’t done so, and doesn’t yet have a firm timeline for when they’ll be finished. … ” Read more from the LA Times. | Read via AOL News.
California lawmaker calls for changes to help keep fire hydrants working during wildfires
“Assemblymember Steve Bennett, D-Ventura, proposed legislation last week to require local districts to better prepare and protect water supplies for wildfires. The bill, introduced on Thursday, calls for Ventura County water districts in high fire risk areas to top off tanks during fire weather, provide reliable backup power for pumps and make sure areas around those tanks and pumps are hardened against flames. “After every one of these fires, one of the big questions citizens ask is why didn’t the fire hydrants operate,” Bennett said. Hydrants cannot deliver all the water needed during a wildfire when dozens are opened at the same time, but efforts should be made to keep them operating as long as possible, he said. … ” Read more from the Ventura County Star.
Horvath pushes for review of water systems in fire damaged communities
“Los Angeles County Supervisor Lindsey P. Horvath is pushing for multiple initiatives to aid recovery from the devastating 2025 wildfires, including a new county fund for immediate relief and an investigation into water system performance during the crisis. The Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a motion co-authored by Horvath and Board Chair Kathryn Barger to establish the Los Angeles County Fire Recovery Fund, allocating $32.2 million in ARPA funding to provide direct financial assistance to those affected by the fires. “These fires have devastated our communities, destroying thousands of homes, businesses, and livelihoods,” Horvath said. “The LA County Fire Recovery Fund will provide direct financial relief to homeowners, renters, workers, and small business owners, and nonprofits impacted by these disasters, ensuring they have the support they need to begin rebuilding their lives.” … ” Read more from the Santa Monica Daily Press.
Examining the environmental impacts of the LA fires
“Exacerbated by strong, dry Santa Ana winds; low humidity; dry vegetation; and a long period with scarce rainfall, to date, the recent fires in the Los Angeles area of California have resulted in at least 28 fatalities; consumed more than 40,000 acres; and damaged more than 17,000 structures. Approximately 200,000 people were ordered to evacuate, and damages from the fires are estimated to be in the billions in insured losses. “AccuWeather, which also measures the costs of weather events, now estimates total losses at between $250 billion and $275 billion, almost double what it estimated last week,” notes media company Deutsche Welle. The fires, characterized as a worst-case scenario, are predicted to have devastating impacts on the environment, both in the long and the short term. … ” Read more from EHS Advisor.
It was the big one. Just not the one L.A. was expecting.
“Dave Gomberg had been watching the wind, his concern mounting. A veteran fire weather specialist at the National Weather Service, he understood the high and low pressure systems that ginned up the infamous Santa Anas that blew periodically through Southern California. This wasn’t that. High in the upper atmosphere, powerful currents were forecast to align with the fast-moving air off the desert, threatening a rare supercharged windstorm — all this in a region that had seen less than a quarter-inch of rain over the last eight months. The National Weather Service held a conference call with Southern California fire and emergency management officials on Jan. 3, warning that a “truly historic event” was due in four days, with the possibility of fires that would spread with extraordinary speed. Even an amateur weather watcher was worried about the conditions: “Altadena, we have a problem,” he warned his followers. Yet neither days of lead time nor highly specific warnings from weather experts were enough to save Los Angeles from an inferno. … ” Read more from the New York Times.
Trump’s order to release water from dams …
Expert describes Trump-ordered Northern California water release as “dumb”
“After the tragic wildfires in Southern California, President Trump often attributed the disaster to what he said was a lack of water being sent from the northern part of the state, and vowed to fix the problem. On Friday, he posted an announcement showing a photo of a flowing river, calling it the “beautiful water flow that I just opened in California.” By executive order, he directed the Army Corps of Engineers to open the floodgates at two dams on reservoirs in Tulare County. In a statement from Washington D.C., the Corps wrote, “Consistent with the Executive Order…the US Army Corps of Engineers is releasing water from Terminus Dam at Lake Kaweah and Schafer Dam at Lake Success to ensure California has water available to respond to the wildfires.” But there are a few problems with that. … ” Read more from CBS News.
SEE ALSO: Rep. Jim Costa Presses Trump Administration for Answers on Army Corps’ Water Releases, from Congressman Jim Costa
Column: What does Trump know about California’s water system? So much less than he’d ever admit
Columnist George Skelton writes, “Several years ago, after she’d been elected state Assembly speaker, I asked Karen Bass about her views on the water supply — specifically from the troubled Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta. She was honest in her ignorance. “I’m strictly a city kid,” she replied, smiling. “Coming from L.A., we use [the water]. But we have no concept where it comes from. We get it out of a bottle or the tap.” Until last month, that is, when firefighters opened taps on hydrants in Pacific Palisades, and there wasn’t any water to douse the flames incinerating houses. The water pressure wasn’t strong enough to compete against the catastrophic wildfires fanned by hurricane-force winds. But fingers naturally were pointed at Mayor Bass. Why hadn’t she planned for this disaster? As if anyone could. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
What to know about President Trump’s order to release Northern California water for wildfires
Supervisor Chavez ‘encouraged’ by Trump’s executive action on California water
“Luis Chavez, newly sworn supervisor for Fresno County’s District 3, said Tuesday he was encouraged by President Donald Trump’s executive action on California’s water system. In a memo to the Commerce and Interior secretaries Monday, Trump directed federal agencies to “immediately restart” the work of his first administration on the environmental reviews used to determine the impact of California’s water infrastructure on threatened fish species. The goal is to route more water from the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta southward to the Central Valley and Southern California — a cause long championed by the region’s growers and opposed by conservationists. … “At a time when food prices have been steadily increasing, we have an opportunity to help lower food prices for our region and nation, by allowing one of the most fertile agricultural regions in the world to reach its maximum potential,” Chavez said in a statement. … ” Read more from The Business Journal.
In other California water news …
Reclamation brings new water management guidelines to Central Valley and State Water Projects
“In December, Governor Gavin Newsom and the Biden-Harris Administration signed off on the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation’s updated framework for the State Water Project and Central Valley Project, focusing on protecting endangered fish species. According to a press release from the Bureau of Reclamation, the new plan for the Long-Term Operation of the Central Valley Project and Delta facilities of the State Water Project includes more predictable actions for endangered fish and a more reliable response to multi-year droughts. This record of decision marks the end of a four-year process to overturn the 2019 biological opinions released under the Trump administration. “The completion of new operating rules for the Central Valley Project is the cornerstone of our efforts to address record drought and changing climate conditions in California,” Reclamation Commissioner Camille Calimlim Touton said in the release. … ” Read more from Valley Ag Voice.
Separating fact from fiction in California’s ag industry
“Two hot-button issues remain at the forefront of discussions about California agriculture — labor and water. In January alone, fear and confusion on these issues came in the form of a U.S. Customs and Border Protection operation in Kern County and deadly wildfires in Los Angeles, stemming from misinformation spread across social media, activist groups, and some news outlets. Misinformation and disinformation about the agricultural industry carry significant social, political, and economic repercussions for regulators, businesses, consumers, and other stakeholders, according to a 2024 study published in the Journal of Food and Water Policy. “Misinformation in food and agriculture can manifest in various forms, such as false labeling, deceptive advertising, or misleading claims about food products,” Jamie Woodside, author of “Misinformation in U.S. Food and Agriculture: A Policy Analysis of Impacts and Recommended Solutions” stated. “Likewise, the food and agricultural sectors have been victim of the politicization of scientific issues—such as climate change—and the weaponization of information related to farming practices, agricultural products, and policies.” … ” Read more from Valley Ag Voice.
Jimmy Carter and floodplain management
“It is the tradition upon the passing of a US President for Federal employees to get a day off in mourning, and later for the President to lie in state in the Capital. Many stories about President Carter will circulate in the coming weeks, but I wanted to briefly share his connection to flood management. One April 1, 1979, President Carter signed EO 12127, which established the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Carter recognized that the frequency of natural disasters was increasing and felt passionately that the role of government was to help those in need. The Federal Emergency Management Agency was intended to be the large vehicle to coordinate response at local, state, and Federal levels to emergencies and to address the often neglected task of recovery. FEMA was also chartered with a responsibility to mitigate natural hazards before they occurred. … ” Read more from the California Water Blog.
How much runoff comes from the West’s snowpack?
“Snow is a cornerstone of the American West’s water supply, but just how important is it to the region’s streams, rivers and reservoirs? In the popular press and academic papers, the sizable share of runoff that originates as snowmelt is often cited as a reason why the West’s snowpack is so crucial to both cities and farms, not to mention the region’s wildlife and very way of life. But when a team of researchers set out to study the question, they found a wide range of estimates cited in 27 scientific papers. They concluded that “a detailed study of the contribution of snow to the runoff over the western U.S. has not been conducted.” To clarify the connection between the snowpack and streamflow—and project how climate change is altering the relationship—the scientists used computer simulations and hydrological modeling in a 2017 paper in Geophysical Research Letters to estimate snow’s significance for runoff across the West. … ” Continue reading from the Water Desk.
After wildfires, wet storms and burn scars join forces in elevating landslide risk
“The Feather River Canyon begins just outside of Quincy, California. This corridor is home to Highway 70, one of the few year-round arteries to the many mountain communities. It is known for fishing and notable whitewater rafting, as well as steep canyon walls. The holiday season brought a series of storms to this area as part of an atmospheric river, a long, narrow plume of moisture that can stretch for thousands of miles. Think of it as a rain storm that travels along the jet stream. These events not only bring increased rainfall and provide much-needed precipitation to the American West; they also bring increased risks of landslides, especially in areas affected by wildfires. Since the 2021 Dixie Fire, there have been nearly a dozen reported landslides that have closed Highway 70 along the Feather River Canyon. These slides have ranged from small to major, closing the highway from just a few hours to days or weeks at a time. The trifecta of wildfires, topography, and heavy rainfall work effectively to dislodge the exposed rock and dirt. “When you take away the vegetation, the raindrop goes directly to the soil and that mechanical action of the raindrop on the soil can help dislodge soil particles and start moving material down slope,” said Nina Oakley, Ph.D, an applied meteorologist and climatologist for the California Geological Survey. … ” Read more from the Sierra Nevada Ally.
‘It’s a tool, it’s an ally’: Why an Indigenous-led burning group wants to change California’s relationship to fire
“Kayley Walker is no stranger to fire. It’s a force that’s painted all parts of her life — like as a kid, when she’d watch her grandfather light piles of dried sticks and brush at the family ranch. That’s a good memory for Walker, and one she counts among her first experiences with fire in an Indigenous context. But that relationship became more complex in 2017 when, as a teenager, she saw her home consumed by a blaze during the Tubbs Fire. “At that point, fire was just something to be afraid of,” Walker said. Despite that fear, she felt drawn to work with fire. She’s a tribal member of the Picayune Rancheria of the Chukchansi Indians and says the practice of cultural burning has been an important one to her Tribe for millennia. After some years, she started to explore her relationship with fire and began connecting to Indigenous practitioners. … ” Read more from Cap Radio.
In commentary today …
Dear Uncle Sam: Before blaming California, you might want to check whose land the L.A. fires burned
Columnist Joe Mathews writes, “Shut up, Uncle Sam. Or put up. Yes, I’m talking to you, my federal government. I don’t care if you don’t like my tone. Because, while falsely blaming California and its politicians for devastating fires, you never acknowledge your own culpability: You are the arsonist, and not just politically. Because half of California is yours. In fact, about 46% of the land in this state belongs to the federal government. Just 3% is managed by the state. The flames that leveled Pacific Palisades and Malibu are believed to have started in the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area (italics mine), managed by the National Park Service. (That’s you!) … ” Continue reading at the San Francisco Chronicle.
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
Final draft surrender application and decommissioning plan for the Potter Valley Project available for viewing
“On Jan. 31, PG&E made available its Final Draft Surrender Application and Decommissioning Plan for the Potter Valley Project. The Potter Valley Project hydroelectric facility in Mendocino and Lake counties has a long history of generating power and diverting water from the main stem of the Eel River to the Russian River watershed, which has benefited agriculture and communities in southern Mendocino, Sonoma and northern Marin counties. The project consists of the Potter Valley powerhouse built in 1908, Cape Horn Dam and Van Arsdale Reservoir, a fish passage and salmon and steelhead counting station at the Cape Horn Dam, a tunnel and penstock, Scott Dam built in 1922 and Pillsbury Reservoir. All portions of the Project were built more than 100 years ago. … ” Read more from PG&E.
PG&E moves to dismantle Potter Valley Project predicting ‘adverse impacts’ to the Russian River
“On January 31, 2025, PG&E released its Final Draft Application for Surrender of License for the Potter Valley Project (PVP), a hydroelectric facility that has historically diverted water from the Eel River to the Russian River watershed. The 2,086-page document outlines PG&E’s plans for decommissioning the century-old project and details the expected effects on Russian River water users, including agricultural, municipal, and recreational interests in Mendocino, Sonoma, and northern Marin counties. This summary highlights key takeaways relevant to the Russian River community. … ” Read more from MendoFever.
BAY AREA
Santa Clara County accuses companies of causing ‘environmental and human health crisis’ via ‘forever chemicals’ in drinking water
“One toxic compound killed all the monkeys 3M’s scientists fed it to, and another entered the bodies of pregnant women workers at DuPont and was passed along to their babies. The two companies kept selling products containing these compounds, members of a chemical family known as PFAS, and allegedly covered up the dangerous effects. Now the toxins, known as “forever chemicals” for their persistence in the environment, are contaminating Santa Clara County’s drinking water and groundwater, threatening residents’ health and fish and wildlife in the San Francisco Bay, a lawsuit filed last week by Santa Clara County against the pair of chemical giants and other companies claimed. … ” Read more from the San Jose Mercury News.
Martinez Refinery fire contained, investigations ongoing
“A day after plumes of smoke and towering flames took over a portion of the Martinez Refinery, officials said the fire is contained and community events are moving forward as planned, but investigations into the event are ongoing. Fire crews responded to the refinery at 3495 Pacheco Blvd., just before 2 p.m. Saturday to put out the blaze that officials said was the result of an explosion caused by a leak of hydrocarbons in the refinery’s Light Oil Processing area. Multiple complaints of “chemical/refinery odors” and “industrial burning” and “flaring” at the refinery had been filed with the Bay Area Air Quality Management District by 12:30 p.m. Saturday, according to an incident report published Sunday morning. … ” Read more from the San Jose Mercury News.
SEE ALSO: East Bay refinery fire caused by hydrocarbon leak, officials say, from the SF Chronicle
Commentary: A win for environmentalists at Point Reyes is a loss for almost everyone else
“A year and a half from now, almost all the dairy farms and cattle ranches in the Point Reyes National Seashore will be gone. Here’s the situation: In 2016, three environmental organizations — the Western Watershed Project, the Center for Biological Diversity and the Resource Renewal Institute — sued the National Park Service, arguing that the ranches and farms, which lease 18,000 acres of the 70,000-acre park, were polluting the waterways. The remedy, they contended, was simple: The ranches must go. …Twelve of the 14 ranches agreed to the buyout. They will be closed and the families who live there will be evicted. (There has been no census of these families: estimates range from 90 to 180 people.) The unique character of this national park will be history — and the neighboring communities and especially the workers are the losers. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
Managing Central Valley aquifers
“California recently celebrated 10 years since the enacting of the State Groundwater Management Act, the landmark legislation known by the acronym SGMA. The law mandated that overdrafted groundwater basins must come into balance over the next 20 years. That is when groundwater extraction must not exceed the amount aquifers are replenished. Most of the state’s overdrafted basins are in the San Joaquin Valley. Local agencies are now working to craft groundwater management plans that state regulators will accept. As aquifers continue to decline in the southern San Joaquin Valley, farmers and town residents alike are struggling to come up with groundwater sustainability plans that the Department of Water Resources (DWR) will certify. Otherwise, the state will take over—a fate that nobody wants. Tulare County is a case in point. … ” Read more from Community Alliance.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
State secures L.A. firestorm areas ahead of rain, crews lay 60 miles of specialized protective materials
“As another storm system is expected to reach California this week, work continues in Southern California to ensure communities impacted by the recent firestorms in Los Angeles are protected. At Governor Gavin Newsom’s directive, crews have been working around the clock to install nearly 60 miles of emergency protective materials in the recent Los Angeles-area burn scars. Through the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES), the California Department of Water Resources, California Conservation Corps, CAL FIRE, Caltrans, and the California Department of Conservation have coordinated and conducted comprehensive watershed and debris flow mitigation efforts to safeguard public health and protect the environment in affected communities. … ” Read more from the Office of the Governor.
Boeing Company loses Santa Susana lawsuit; New monitoring detects toxic discharges into Los Angeles River
“The Santa Susana Field Laboratory (SSFL), situated in the hills between Simi Valley and Los Angeles, was used for decades to test rocket engines and for nuclear experimentation. Accidents, spills, fires, leaks, and open-air burn pits resulted in the soil and groundwater being heavily contaminated with toxic chemicals, radioactive waste, and heavy metals, including lead and mercury. The legacy of contamination continues to pose environmental and public health concerns for the surrounding communities, where over 700,000 people live within ten miles of the site. Dangerous contamination from the SSFL flows into local streams and creeks during heavy rains, ending up in the Los Angeles River (LA River) and Calleguas Creek Watershed, where water is used for various beneficial purposes such as ecological habitat purposes, drinking water, agriculture, and recreation. … ” Read more from LA Waterkeeper.
Is it safe to breathe in L.A.? Lawmakers call for federal action to monitor wildfire pollutants
“The recent massive wildfires in Los Angeles County destroyed thousands of homes and vehicles, sending toxic chemicals into the air, soil and water — a health threat that a group of lawmakers say is going under-reported and poses serious long-term risks to residents in the L.A. region. The group of House Democrats are calling on the Environmental Protection Agency to lead a task force to improve air quality monitoring in the Los Angeles region. While the Eaton, Palisades and other fires spewed dangerous chemicals into the atmosphere, air quality readings in the region didn’t fully capture all the wildfire pollutants, air quality officials cautioned. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
NASA radar imagery reveals details about Rancho Palos Verdes landslides
“Researchers at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California used data from an airborne radar to measure the movement of the slow-moving landslides on the Palos Verdes Peninsula in Los Angeles County. The analysis determined that, during a four-week period in the fall of 2024, land in the residential area slid toward the ocean by as much as 4 inches (10 centimeters) per week. Portions of the peninsula, which juts into the Pacific Ocean just south of the city of Los Angeles, are part of an ancient complex of landslides and has been moving for at least the past six decades, affecting hundreds of buildings in local communities. The motion accelerated, and the active area expanded following record-breaking rainfall in Southern California in 2023 and heavy precipitation in early 2024. … ” Read more from NASA.
IMPERIAL/COACHELLA VALLEYS
Why it’s worth it to kayak the Salton Sea
“If you kayak long enough, you’re bound to end up in some pretty random places: paddling underground streams, breaking ice as you cross a lake — maybe you’ll even find yourself in the streets during a flood. And if you ever end up paddling Southern California’s Salton Sea like we did, it’ll definitely make that list of randoms in your paddling logbook. A surprisingly large body of water on the southern end of the Coachella Valley, two hours northeast of San Diego, the Salton Sea is, quite literally, deserted. It was created by excessive water channeling in the early 1900s when farmers and engineers worked to tract irrigation channels from the Colorado River. … ” Read more from the Mens Journal.
Along the Colorado River …
Podcast: The reality stopping water pipelines to the parched western US
“With so much water in the eastern U.S., why can’t the region pipe some of it to its drought-prone neighbors in the West? This perennial question nags climate journalists and western water managers alike. We break down why building a pipeline is unrealistic right now for the Colorado River.” Listen at NPR.
U.S. Senators introduce bill to support Lower Colorado River Multi-Species Conservation Program
“U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) and Representative Ken Calvert (R-Calif.-41) introduced bipartisan legislation to support Lower Colorado River Multi-Species Conservation Program (LCR MSCP) activities. The bill would increase the funding available for species conservation by creating an interest-bearing account at the Department of the Treasury for funds that the Colorado River Lower Basin states and the federal government contribute to the LCR MSCP. Currently, the Bureau of Reclamation holds the funding that states, including California, Arizona, and Nevada, contribute in an account that does not collect interest. The legislation advanced out of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources by voice vote last Congress. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), and Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) are cosponsoring the legislation. … ” Read more from the Imperial Valley Press.
Colorado has spent $389M to fund its far-reaching water plans in the past two years
“The state has spent $389 million in the past two years on programs designed to help Colorado stave off future projected water shortages even as it continues to grow. During the last two years, from July of 2022 through July of 2024, the Colorado Water Conservation Board has funded $232.7 million in loans and awarded $156.3 million in grants, and completed about 20% of the projects and activities the Colorado Water Plan has identified are needed to ensure the state has enough water in decades to come. The news came Tuesday as part of a water plan status update presented to the Colorado Water Conservation Board. The board is responsible for putting the plan into action and channeling loans and grants to dozens of major programs, including drought planning for farmers, turf replacement for homeowners and businesses, and helping prepare mountain watersheds and forests for wildfire. … ” Read more from the Colorado Sun.
In national water news today …
Trump administration freezes all environmental litigation
“The Trump Administration has issued a memo directing a temporary freeze on all environmental litigation to allow for review and potential reconsideration by the new Administration of its position in these matters. This pause applies to any court filings, including legal briefs, new case filings, or pending settlements. Further, the Administration has reassigned several career civil service senior managers, including the chiefs of the natural resources, environmental enforcement, environmental crimes, and appellate section, all housed within the Environment and Natural Resources Division of the US Department of Justice (DOJ). The four civil servants have been reassigned to work on immigration-related matters. … ” Read more from JD Supra.
E.P.A. tells more than 1,000 they could be fired ‘immediately’
“The Trump administration has warned more than 1,100 Environmental Protection Agency employees who work on climate change, reducing air pollution, enforcing environmental laws and other programs that they could be fired at any time. An email, reviewed by The New York Times, was sent to staff members who were hired within the past year and have probationary status. Many of those employees were encouraged to join the E.P.A. under the Biden administration to rebuild the agency, which had been depleted during President Trump’s first term. Others are experienced federal workers who had taken new assignments within the agency. … ” Read more from the New York Times.
Traditional weather forecasting is slow and expensive. AI could help.
“Every day, meteorologist Hannah Wangari takes the free graphs and maps produced by the five forecasting models she subscribes to and interprets what she sees. “What’s the likelihood of rain in different parts of the country?” she might wonder. “How much of it is likely to fall within the next 24 hours?” Answering such questions quickly and accurately is essential to the potentially life-saving work she and others do at the Kenya Meteorological Department. As climate change drives ever more frequent and intense extreme weather, the need for faster, more precise predictions will only grow. Heavy rain and floods wreaked havoc this year, killing hundreds and displacing countless more in the United States, Spain, central Europe, and a great swath of Africa, where over 7.2 million people have been affected. An estimated 267 people died in Kenya alone and another 278,000 were displaced as floods impacted 42 of the nation’s 47 counties last year. With torrential storms projected to intensify by 7 percent for each 1.8 degree Fahrenheit of warming, predicting precisely when and where such events will happen is key to saving lives and livelihoods. … ” Read more from Grist.
About the Daily Digest: The Daily Digest is a collection of selected news articles, commentaries and editorials appearing in the mainstream press. Items are generally selected to follow the focus of the Notebook blog. The Daily Digest is published every weekday with a weekend edition posting on Sundays.
