{"id":481229,"date":"2026-02-21T04:38:19","date_gmt":"2026-02-21T04:38:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/481229\/"},"modified":"2026-02-21T04:38:19","modified_gmt":"2026-02-21T04:38:19","slug":"daily-digest-2-20-new-storm-on-sunday-to-add-to-staggering-snowfall-totals-big-storms-boost-ca-water-supply-but-snowpack-lags-dwr-partners-with-agencies-to-untangle-mystery-of-cas-harmfu","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/481229\/","title":{"rendered":"DAILY DIGEST, 2\/20: New storm on Sunday to add to staggering snowfall totals; Big storms boost CA water supply, but snowpack lags; DWR partners with agencies to untangle mystery of CA\u2019s harmful algal blooms; Would you pay $49 a month to drink recycled wastewater?; and more … ~ MAVEN’S NOTEBOOK"},"content":{"rendered":"

Several news sources featured in the Daily Digest may limit the number of articles you can access without a subscription. However, gift articles and open-access links are provided when available. For more open access California water news articles, explore the main page at MavensNotebook.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n

On the calendar today \u2026<\/p>\n

PUBLIC HEARING: Delta Conveyance Project water right hearing beginning at 9am.\u00a0 The State Water Resources Control Board Administrative Hearings Office is holding a Public Hearing on the pending Petitions for Change of Water Right Permits for the Delta Conveyance Project. Interested members of the public who would like to watch this hearing without participating may do so through the Administrative Hearings Office YouTube channel at: bit.ly\/aho-youtube<\/a>.\u00a0 Click here for the meeting notice<\/a>.<\/a><\/p>\n

In California water news today \u2026
\nCalifornia faces a new storm threat on Sunday, adding to staggering snowfall totals<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>\u201cAnother storm is lining up for California starting later this weekend, arriving just days after the latest storm unloaded significant snow in the mountains and rain at lower elevations. The next round could bring drenching rain and more heavy mountain snow, especially to Northern California.\u00a0\u00a0Prior to the start of Thursday\u2019s storm, the 72-hour snowfall over parts of the Sierra Nevada ranged from a little over a foot of snow in the southern areas to nearly 8 feet in the central and northern parts of the mountain range, according to ski resorts. In the past seven days, 92.5 inches of snow have fallen at the Central Sierra Snow Lab.\u00a0 \u00a0The amount of snow is not unheard of in the Sierra Nevada, but it is excessive nonetheless and has already resulted in deadly avalanches and multiple road closures, including along the busy Interstate 80 and Donner Pass, California, area. \u2026 \u201d Read more from AccuWeather<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Big storms boost California water supply, but snowpack lags<\/p>\n

\"\"\u201cEver since California was pummeled by a series of storms in fall and early winter, experts have said the state\u2019s water supply is looking strong for this year.\u00a0\u00a0Those storms \u2014 with a potential bump from the ones hitting much of the state this week \u2014 have helped refill reservoirs and eased immediate drought worries in many parts of the state.\u00a0\u00a0But experts also say that a few wet storms don\u2019t mean we\u2019re out of the woods. That\u2019s because this winter is a \u201cclassically climate-change-flavored one,\u201d according to Daniel Swain, a weather and climate scientist with UC Agriculture and Natural Resources.\u00a0\u00a0And that\u2019s not because it\u2019s been a particularly dry winter, he explained. It\u2019s because it\u2019s the warmest winter the West has ever seen.\u00a0 \u201cIn the Western U.S., the snowpack is, on average, terrible,\u201d Swain said. \u201cIt\u2019s about as bad as it\u2019s ever been in observed history.\u201d \u2026 \u201d\u00a0 Read more from KQED<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Snow drought helped set the stage for deadly California avalanche, leading to unstable conditions<\/p>\n

\u201cA weekslong \u201csnow drought\u201d<\/a> in Northern California\u2019s Sierra Nevada helped set the stage for Tuesday\u2019s deadly avalanche, after several feet of new snow fell on an earlier layer that had hardened, making it unstable and easily triggered, experts said.\u00a0 The new snow did not have time to bond to the earlier layer before the avalanche near Lake Tahoe killed at least eight backcountry skiers, said Craig Clements, a meteorology professor at San Jose State University, who has conducted avalanche research. Six skiers survived and rescuers were still searching for another one who was still missing on Wednesday.\u00a0\u00a0The group was on a three-day backcountry trek in the Sierra Nevada on Tuesday morning when they were trapped by the avalanche as a winter storm pummeled the West Coast.\u00a0\u00a0The dangers generally are highest in the first 24 to 48 hours after a very large snowfall, Clements said, and authorities had issued avalanche warnings.\u00a0\u00a0Here\u2019s what to know. \u2026 \u201d\u00a0 Read more from the Associated Press<\/a>.<\/p>\n

State accelerates stormwater capture opportunities with 5-year groundwater recharge permits<\/p>\n

\u201cJust before storms began drenching parts of California this week, the State Water Resources Control Board issued the last of nine groundwater recharge permits for this wet season, bringing the total amount of water authorized for underground storage to nearly 43,000 acre-feet, or enough to supply over 128,000 households for a year.\u00a0\u00a0The State Water Board approved all the permit applications it received in recent months, including two 180-day and seven 5-year permits, the highest number of the longer-term permits issued for one season since they became available in 2020. Permits were granted to water districts and groundwater sustainability agencies for recharge projects in the Sacramento, San Joaquin, Shasta and Scott River watersheds. Two other 5-year permits issued in 2023 are still in effect.\u00a0 \u201cAs California\u2019s climate changes and grows more extreme, every storm is a critical opportunity to capture water and replenish our aquifers before the next drought,\u201d said board Chair E. Joaquin Esquivel. \u201cI\u2019m glad to see more of our partners taking advantage of our expedited process and 5-year permits, because building groundwater reserves helps communities maintain drinking water supplies when conditions turn dry.\u201d \u2026 \u201d\u00a0 Read more from the State Water Board<\/a>.<\/p>\n

DWR partners with agencies to untangle mystery of California\u2019s harmful algal blooms
\n\"\"Amelia Ayers, a Physical Scientist with the U.S. Geological Survey, packs up gear used to gather shellfish samples collected at Martinez Harbor, Contra Costa County. The shrimp are tested for levels of toxins found in Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs). Xavier Mascare\u00f1as \/ DWR<\/p>\n

\u201cAppearing like something out of science fiction, harmful algal blooms (HABs) can form thick mats that accumulate on freshwater surfaces throughout California. Most common during the summer, HABs are a nuisance that can smother entire portions of waterways, sucking oxygen from the system as they decompose, while producing toxins which can be dangerous to humans and pets.\u00a0\u00a0DWR is addressing the issue by drawing on its own expertise and that of partner agencies to better understand the drivers and dynamics of HABs. DWR is in the midst of a five-year, $3 million research project by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science\u2019s Monitoring and Event Response for Harmful Algal Blooms program, or MERHAB, with the aim of developing a HAB monitoring program for the Bay-Delta estuary. \u2026 \u201d\u00a0 Read more from DWR<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Sen. McNerney introduces legislation to protect California\u2019s water systems<\/p>\n

\u201cState Sen. Jerry McNerney, D-Pleasanton, announced Wednesday the introduction of legislation that would help protect California\u2019s primary water sources for decades to come.\u00a0\u00a0Supported by environmentalists and nonprofit groups that have often been at odds over water use, SB 872 would safeguard both the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta and the State Water Project, McNerney said.\u00a0\u00a0\u201cHistorically, California\u2019s water wars have pitted North against South, the environment versus agriculture,\u201d he said. \u201cSB 872 is a commonsense solution that brings traditional adversaries together to support vital water projects that will protect California\u2019s water and the Delta, while also benefitting the entire state.\u201d \u2026 \u201d\u00a0 Read more from the Lodi News-Sentinel<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Garamendi, Harder call on U.S. Army Corp to reject permits for Delta tunnel boondoggle<\/p>\n

\u201cAs the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers considers a decision in the years-long water saga, Congressman John Garamendi (CA-08), a senior member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, and members of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Congressional Delegation \u2013 including Representatives Josh Harder (CA-09), Ami Bera (CA-03), Mark DeSaulnier (CA-11) and Doris Matsui (CA-07)- called on the Army Corps to deny the federal permits required for the Delta Tunnel to be completed. They called for the Army Corps\u2019 final Record of Decision to protect Delta waterways, families, and our regional economy by denying these permits.\u00a0 \u00a0If approved, the Delta Tunnel would be a disaster for the Delta \u2026 \u201d\u00a0 Read more from Congressman Garamendi<\/a>.<\/p>\n

New online tool shows protection levels for California, US waterways<\/p>\n

\u201cMore than 80% of watersheds in the United States lack adequate protection and now, a new\u00a0online tool will tell you if the river or creek in your neighborhood is in trouble.\u00a0\u00a0The National Protected Rivers Assessment from the nonprofit American Rivers and Conservation Science Partners shows hundreds of rivers and creeks across California remain woefully underprotected.\u00a0\u00a0John Zablocki, director of river protection for the nonprofit American Rivers, said before now, the data has been scattered.\u00a0\u00a0\u201cUp until now, nobody\u2019s really had a reliable way to assess how protected rivers are,\u201d Zablocki pointed out. \u201cThey\u2019re really the most threatened systems, and also the least identifiably protected. So, we set out to develop a framework to address that gap.\u201d \u2026 \u201d\u00a0 Read more from Hey SoCal<\/a>.<\/p>\n

In regional water news and commentary today \u2026
\nNORTH COAST
\n39,860 natural adult Chinook salmon returned to Klamath River 2 years after dam removal completed!<\/p>\n

\u201cA total of 39,860 adult fall-run Chinook salmon returned to spawn in the Klamath River and its tributaries in the fall of 2025, two years after dam removal was completed.\u00a0\u00a0That\u2019s\u00a0according to the just-released Review of 2025 Ocean Salmon Fisheries published by the Pacific Fishery\u00a0Management Council (PFMC) on\u00a0February 18:\u00a0www.pcouncil.org\/\u2026<\/a>\u00a0 The return was 205 percent of the preseason prediction of 19,417 adults, according to the document used to help craft West Coast commercial, Tribal and recreational salmon fishing season alternatives every year in preparation for the PFMC\u2019s meeting in March 2026.\u00a0\u00a0\u201cThe 2025 preliminary postseason river run size estimate for KRFC was 51,277 adults compared to the preseason-predicted ocean escapement (river run size) of 28,554 adults,\u201d the review stated. \u201cThe escapement to natural spawning areas was 39,860 adults, which was 205 percent of the preseason prediction of 19,417 adults.\u201d \u2026 \u201d\u00a0 Read more from Dan Bacher at the Daily Kos<\/a>.<\/p>\n

SEE ALSO:\u00a0Klamath Fall Chinook Return Tops Expectations in\u00a02025<\/a>, from Fishing the North Coast with Kenny Priest<\/p>\n

SIERRA NEVADA
\nWaiting out winter: how (lesser known) animals survive Tahoe\u2019s snow season<\/p>\n

\u201cAs snow settles on the ground and temperatures drop, it\u2019s easy to think most animals are doing what plenty of people do\u2014curling up somewhere warm and waiting out the freeze.\u00a0\u00a0While it\u2019s a fun fact that Tahoe bears rarely go into full hibernation (with human sources of food around, there\u2019s not much need to), plenty of other creatures in the region spend their winters stockpiling, swimming or staving off the cold in other ways, and researchers at the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR) spend their time studying them. \u2026 \u201d\u00a0 Read more from the Tahoe Daily Tribune<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Yuba agency redirects funds, rejects extra salmon habitat request<\/p>\n

\u201cFollowing a large water pipe rupture at the Colgate Power Plant which led to hundreds and possibly thousands of salmon killed in lower Yuba River, Yuba Water Agency on Tuesday announced the $300,000 grant to a local conservation group for its fish restoration project, while turning down a second bid for a separate fish habitat effort. The awarded Upper Long Bar Restoration Project was proposed by the South Yuba River Citizens League to create juvenile salmon rearing habitat on the lower Yuba River and approved in January for about $1.8 million in grant funding by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Tuesday\u2019s grant is part of that larger restoration package, under which the Yuba Water Agency will contribute up to $300,000 in matching funds. \u2026 \u201d\u00a0 Read more from the Sacramento Bee<\/a>.<\/p>\n

SACRAMENTO VALLEY
\n40 Years Later: Remembering Northern California\u2019s devastating floods of 1986<\/p>\n

\u201cThis week marks 40 years since record-setting rainfall brought devastating flooding to parts of the Sacramento Valley.\u00a0 From Feb. 11 to Feb. 20, 1986, a series of storms, heavy with atmospheric river moisture, pounded the region. Each storm brought more rain than the last.\u00a0\u00a0Snow levels were above the Tahoe area passes much of the time. Blue Canyon measured an astounding 34.03 inches of precipitation during the stretch of storms. February 1986 would become the wettest on record for the central and north Sierra.\u00a0 Auburn had more than 15 inches of rain. Sacramento saw nearly half of its average annual rainfall with more than 8 inches. \u2026 \u201d\u00a0 Read more from KCRA<\/a>.<\/p>\n

BAY AREA
\nMartinez Refining Company hit with $10 million penalty<\/p>\n

\u201cAuthorities announced Thursday that they had secured a $10 million penalty against a Contra Costa County refinery owner after repeated violations over a four-year period.\u00a0\u00a0The Martinez Refining Company will also pay $600,000 in mitigation for environmental projects and has committed to making compliance improvements at its refinery on Pacheco Boulevard in Martinez. The facility has experienced a number of issues in recent years, including a release of spent catalyst in 2022 that covered parts of the city in an ash-like substance, as well as illegal flaring, fires, leaking tanks, and the release of coke dust that spread past its property line.\u00a0\u00a0\u201cThe residents of Martinez deserve to feel safe in their communities,\u201d Contra Costa District Attorney Diana Becton said in a statement. \u201cThis civil action holds the Martinez Refining Company accountable for numerous violations, enforces compliance with the law, and reinforces our office\u2019s dedication to protect public health and safety through all available legal means, including civil action.\u201d \u2026 \u201d\u00a0 Read more from the Vallejo Times-Herald<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Study points to Tennis, Hansen Parks as optimal sites for Pleasanton\u2019s new wells<\/p>\n

\u201cPlans to drill groundwater wells in southwest Pleasanton are settling on two new wells, one at Pleasanton Tennis and Community Park and another at Hansen Park, at a cost of around $40 million split between the city and the Zone 7 Water Agency.\u00a0\u00a0The two-well recommendation comes from a feasibility study completed on Dec. 31, 2025 by Luhdorff & Scalmanini Consulting Engineers. The study ruled out a previously considered well at Del Prado Park based on criteria around capital costs, operations and maintenance costs, operational flexibility and resilience, implementation schedule, community and environmental impacts, and water quality and treatment risk.\u00a0\u00a0At their Feb. 3 meeting, city council members praised the cooperation between the city and Zone 7 in completing the study. The two agencies are exploring a plan to build and operate the new wells as a partnership, although the exact split for the costs and water produced is still to be determined. \u2026 \u201d\u00a0 Read more from the Livermore Independent<\/a>.<\/p>\n

CENTRAL COAST
\nCalifornia\u2019s oldest state park expands for first time in 15 years<\/p>\n

\u201cCalifornia\u2019s oldest state park, Big Basin Redwoods, is expanding this week with the addition of 153 acres, a forested stretch intended to help the park recover after a devastating 2020 wildfire.\u00a0 The land, with a colorful history along Highway 236 in the Santa Cruz Mountains, is adjacent to where park officials are planning to rebuild the park\u2019s burned-up headquarters. As such, it will partially serve as the new gateway to the park.\u00a0\u00a0Big Basin officials envision people coming to the new property, after stopping at the planned park store, caf\u00e9 and visitor center nearby, and taking a quick hike amid towering conifers, 20-foot waterfalls and numerous mountain views.\u00a0 \u201cWe know that when people arrive at the park, they will want to see something scenic,\u201d said Will Fourt, senior parks and recreation specialist for California Department of Parks and Recreation. \u201cWith this (site), you\u2019ll just walk a mile or so and be able to see some of the scenery that Big Basin has to offer.\u201d \u2026 \u201d\u00a0 Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle<\/a>.<\/p>\n

SEE ALSO:\u00a0Redwood forest once owned by the \u2018King Tut of Hoarders\u2019 is added to famed Santa Cruz Mountains state park<\/a>, from the San Jose Mercury News<\/p>\n

Watsonville gets $1.09M for wastewater upgrades, plus $1.2M for veterans hall improvements<\/p>\n

\u201cWatsonville has secured more than $2.2 million in federal funding\u2014$1,092,000 to replace key components of the city\u2019s aging wastewater treatment facility and $1.2 million to improve accessibility and upgrades at the Watsonville Veterans Memorial Building.\u00a0\u00a0Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren visited Watsonville Civic Plaza on Thursday to deliver a $1,092,000 check. The money will be used to pay for a new Headworks and Influent Pump Station Facilities Project.\u00a0\u00a0\u201cIt\u2019s always a pleasure to visit Watsonville, but today was especially exciting, as I got to present over $1 million to the City for their new wastewater treatment facilities,\u201d Rep. Lofgren said. \u201cThe existing infrastructure is not meant to function much longer, and I wanted to prioritize this funding so that Watsonville can construct these new facilities that will meet federal and state water quality standards. This is also an investment in energy efficiency, one that will reduce overall operation and maintenance costs and save taxpayers\u2019 money.\u201d \u2026 \u201d\u00a0 Read more from KSBW<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Hundreds of unplugged oil wells sit on top of groundwater sources in Monterey County, a study finds.<\/p>\n

\u201cCalifornia\u2019s oil industry is over 150 years old, with its commercial beginnings traced back to the fittingly named\u00a0Petrolia<\/a> in Humboldt County. Production peaked in the 1980s before entering a steady decline, with wells falling out of production and creating a scattered and increasingly difficult problem to manage throughout the state.\u00a0\u00a0Today, there are more than 30,000 idle oil and gas wells, defined as wells that have been inactive for at least 24 months. Although these wells are no longer commercially productive, they can still leak oil and emit pollutants, including carcinogens like benzene and formaldehyde, air emissions including methane and pose physical hazards. In California, at least 4,449 of these wells are within 3,200 feet of a school, hospital, playground or elder care center, according to an analysis conducted by the nonprofit Center for Biological Diversity.\u00a0\u00a0The threats posed by idle wells in Monterey County, however, raise different concerns: The risk is less about neighboring hospitals or other actively used sites and more about drinking water reserves.\u00a0 \u2026 \u201d\u00a0 Read more from Monterey County Now<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Monterey Commentary: Reliable water is the foundation of affordable housing <\/p>\n

Jeff Davi, the chair of the Coalition of Peninsula Businesses, writes, \u201cOn the Monterey Peninsula, we all agree on one thing: we need more housing, especially for working families. But housing cannot exist without a legally compliant, reliable water supply. Treating water as an afterthought is not a path to affordability \u2014 it is a path back to moratoria, lawsuits and stalled projects.\u00a0\u00a0A recent commentary argues that lifting the current water constraints now will unlock housing because \u201cverified supply exists today\u201d and desalination is unnecessary in the near term. That framing misunderstands both the law and the history of our community\u2019s water planning.\u00a0\u00a0The cease-and-desist order was not adopted because of speculation. It was adopted because unlawful diversions from the Carmel River had to stop. That legal framework still governs us. Any housing strategy that depends on stretching existing sources to their limit risks triggering the very cutbacks that froze development in the first place. \u2026 \u201d\u00a0 Read more from the Monterey Herald<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u2018Small water user:\u2019 Some farmers facing a Cuyama Valley groundwater rights lawsuit could get help from new state legislation<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s plenty of legal jargon that goes over Jake Furstenfeld\u2019s head when he tunes in via Zoom to court proceedings tied to a Cuyama Valley groundwater dispute.\u00a0\u00a0This wasn\u2019t the case, however, when the local rancher and others with stakes in a lawsuit over water rights for a critically overdrafted basin heard a judge\u2019s tentative order in early February.\u00a0\u00a0\u201cThat was one of the first positive things that had come out of this,\u201d Furstenfeld said. \u201cIt kind of gave me a glimmer of hope.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0While citing newly passed state legislation, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge William Highberger said that he would potentially exempt around 100 Cuyama Valley growers and residents considered \u201csmall pumpers,\u201d due to their low water use, from the adjudication. A follow-up hearing is scheduled for early March. \u2026 \u201d\u00a0 Read more from the Santa Maria Sun<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Santa Barbara County\u2019s water picture rosier after recent storms<\/p>\n

\u201cWhile ski resorts in Northern California are reporting five feet of snow from the weekend\u2019s stormy weather, Santa Barbara County felt more than four inches of rainfall by a chilly Thursday morning. In terms of drought, all that snow adds to the positive water picture of county reservoirs at or more than 100 percent full.\u00a0\u00a0A dry January led to a measurement of California\u2019s snowpack of 59 percent of average at the end of the month, even after the big storms last fall. Traditionally, the heaviest snowfall drops January through March in the Sierra Nevada, where the spring runoff reserve for California mounds up during a good winter.\u00a0\u00a0After February\u2019s blizzards, the snowpack now sits at 69 percent of average, said Jason Ince of the state\u2019s Department of Water Resources (DWR). \u201cHowever, thanks to three consecutive seasons with above average or near-average precipitation \u2014 winters of 2023, \u201924, and \u201925 \u2014 major reservoir across the state are all well above their historical averages and water supplies are generally in positive conditions,\u201d Ince stated. \u2026 \u201d\u00a0 Read more from the Santa Barbara Independent<\/a>.<\/p>\n

State Parks seeks public input on future of\u00a0El Capit\u00e1n, Refugio, and Gaviota<\/p>\n

\u201cAfter four decades, California State Parks is rewriting the general plans governing El Capit\u00e1n State Beach, Refugio State Beach, and Gaviota State Park \u2014 an update driven by climate change, coastal erosion, and the visible toll of this winter\u2019s storms.\u00a0\u00a0At the same time, the agency finds itself reviewing an unrelated but consequential request: Whether to grant Sable Offshore Corp. an easement for an oil pipeline segment that crosses Gaviota State Park, a necessary step before the company can restart oil production halted after the 2015 Refugio Oil Spill.\u00a0\u00a0State Parks\u2019s planning effort was formally announced May 2, 2024, and is expected to take approximately two years to complete. When finalized, it will replace the original 1979 general plans that have guided management of the three parks. \u2026 \u201d\u00a0 Read more from the Santa Barbara Independent<\/a>.<\/p>\n

SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
\nGolden mussels detected in Friant-Kern Canal threaten water deliveries<\/p>\n

\u201cOfficials are sounding the alarm over an invasive species threatening one of California\u2019s key water systems.\u00a0\u00a0Golden mussels, first detected in the Friant-Kern Canal two months ago, are rapidly multiplying and could disrupt water delivery to farms and communities in the southern San Joaquin Valley.\u00a0\u00a0The Friant Water Authority held a board meeting Thursday to address the infestation and outline next steps.\u00a0\u00a0The board voted to hire a consultant to develop a comprehensive control plan, though any treatment would require permits and could take several months. \u2026 \u201d\u00a0 Read more from KMPH<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Northern Tulare County groundwater agency makes well registration mandatory<\/p>\n

\u201cSome landowners in Tulare and Kings counties are facing a mandatory well registration deadline of July 1, 2026.\u00a0\u00a0The Greater Kaweah Groundwater Sustainability Agency board of directors passed the resolution at its Feb. 9 meeting to gather depth, location, and type on approximately 2,000 wells in its boundaries.\u00a0\u00a0It is seeking the information on agricultural, domestic, industrial and retired wells that have not been destroyed.\u00a0\u00a0The Kaweah subbasin GSAs, which also include East Kaweah and Mid-Kaweah, all have well registration programs as part of their groundwater sustainability plan. But Greater Kaweah is the only one to make it mandatory.\u00a0\u00a0\u201cAfter months of requesting registration, only a small fraction have done so,\u201d said manager Mark Larsen, noting that less than 150 wells had been registered. \u201cThe information is critical for understanding and managing the aquifer, particularly subsidence.\u201d \u2026 \u201d\u00a0 Read more from SJV Water<\/a>.<\/p>\n

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
\nLong-awaited reports outline problems with Palisades infrastructure<\/p>\n

\u201cA long-awaited set of reports on how to build a fire-resilient Pacific Palisades, commissioned by Los Angeles city officials for $5 million, found that much of the hilly enclave remains out of compliance with standards for evacuating during a disaster.\u00a0 The reports, by the city and the global infrastructure firm AECOM, also recommended that the city complete significant brush clearance work, bolster its water system and move electrical wires underground.\u00a0\u00a0All of the recommendations are frequent asks from Palisades residents. Many have already been discussed at length by independent experts. They will inform the city\u2019s Long-Term Recovery Plan for rebuilding infrastructure and improving wildfire resilience after the Palisades fire killed 12 people and destroyed thousands of homes in January 2025. \u2026 \u201d\u00a0 Read more from the LA Times<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Mojave groundwater project selected for WIFIA loan<\/p>\n

\u201cThe U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has selected the Mojave Groundwater Bank \u2013 Northern Pipeline Project to submit an application for a low-interest loan of up to $194 million to fund capital costs under the federal Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) program.\u00a0\u00a0The Mojave Groundwater Bank is a conjunctive-use groundwater storage project located in southeastern California near the Arizona and Nevada border. Managed by Fenner Gap Mutual Water Company, the project is designed to interconnect the Colorado River and California State Water Project systems through new pipeline infrastructure, enhancing water supply flexibility and drought resilience for millions of Californians.\u00a0\u00a0The bank contains an estimated 30 million acre-feet of groundwater in storage and is approved to provide a reliable annual supply of up to 75,000 acre-feet per year, in addition to one million acre-feet of imported water storage capacity. \u2026 \u201d\u00a0 Read more from Water Finance & Management<\/a>.<\/p>\n

IMPERIAL\/COACHELLA VALLEYS
\nState lawmaker calls on Imperial County officials to halt controversial data center project<\/p>\n

\u201cA California lawmaker is calling on the Imperial County Board of Supervisors to halt a controversial data center project until they answer \u201ccritical questions.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0In sharply-worded statements last week, State Sen. Steve Padilla (D-San Diego) said the development, specifically the county\u2019s planning process, had been \u201cshrouded in secrecy.\u201d He said county officials had yet to reply directly to his December letter<\/a> seeking more information about their planning process and the data center\u2019s water and energy needs.\u00a0\u00a0\u201cI\u2019ve worked in land use and the public space for decades,\u201d said Padilla, whose district includes Imperial County, in an interview with KPBS on Friday. \u2026 \u201d\u00a0 Read more from KPBS<\/a>.<\/p>\n

SAN DIEGO
\nPoway\u2019s three-phase water infrastructure improvement project reaches milestone <\/p>\n

\u201cA nearly $87 million project to improve Poway\u2019s water system will reach another milestone this spring when an aging Clearwell is replaced with two 4 million-gallon circular concrete water tanks.\u00a0\u00a0The Clearwell replacement project is under budget, approximately 95% complete and on schedule for commissioning in spring 2026, according to a staff report.\u00a0\u00a0The water infrastructure improvement program is the largest capital project in the city\u2019s 45-year history, said Robert Weber, the city\u2019s principal civil engineer for public works-utilities, at the Feb. 3 Poway City Council meeting.\u00a0\u00a0The three-phase program aims to improve reliability, redundancy and resiliency of the city\u2019s drinking water system, Weber said. The program consists of a Clearwell bypass project that is in operation, a Clearwell replacement project under construction, and a treated water facilities project that is in the design stage, he said. \u2026 \u201d\u00a0 Read more from the San Diego Union-Tribune<\/a>.<\/p>\n

What are nurdles? The tiny plastic pellets threatening San Diego\u2019s lagoons<\/p>\n

\"\"\u201cSomething tiny is hiding in San Diego\u2019s sand, washing into our lagoons, and working its way up the food chain. It arrives by freight train, escapes by the billions, and has been polluting our most protected coastal habitats for decades with almost no oversight. It\u2019s called a nurdle, and we\u2019re doing something about it. Nurdles are tiny pre-production plastic pellets, roughly the size of a lentil or fish egg (1\u20135 mm). They\u2019re the raw material used to manufacture virtually every plastic product in existence. Water bottles, food packaging, car parts, toys: it all starts as a nurdle.\u00a0\u00a0Nurdles are produced in massive quantities \u2014 the U.S. alone manufactures approximately 27 million tonnes annually. As plastic is sourced from fossil fuels, the explosion in natural gas fracking in the U.S. has led to a boom in plastic production. Nurdles are then shipped by rail, truck, and cargo ship to factories around the world where they\u2019re melted down and molded into consumer products. And at nearly every step of that journey, they escape. \u2026 \u201d\u00a0 Read more from the San Diego Coastkeeper<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Along the Colorado River \u2026
\nColumn:\u00a0San Diego\u2019s Colorado River water should be secure despite dispute, says official
\n\"\"Hoover Dam.\u00a0 Photo by Deposit Photos<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Columnist Michael Smolens writes, \u201cThe ongoing anxiety throughout the West over the Colorado River water supply ratcheted up once again as negotiators last week blew through a second deadline in three months to reach agreement on how to divvy up the ever-diminishing flow.\u00a0\u00a0The distance and tensions between the upper and lower river basin states, the latter of which includes California, seem as great as ever.\u00a0\u00a0Sounds bad.\u00a0\u00a0But regardless of the outcome, San Diego should remain relatively unaffected by cuts that are sure to come on the Colorado River, which supplies the region with more than half of its water. \u2026 \u201d Read more from the San Diego Union-Tribune<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The West\u2019s winter has been a slow-moving catastrophe<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you are reading this on the East Coast, congratulations on the warmer weather you\u2019re finally getting this week. It was cold and snowy for a while there. Here in the West, we wish we\u2019d been in your shoes. Spare a thought for the tens of millions of us who live on the other side of the continent, where a catastrophe is unfolding.\u00a0\u00a0In Colorado, where I live and grew up, this winter has been especially warm and dry. Last year closed with the warmest December in the history of recordkeeping. It was 8.9 degrees warmer than the average from 1991 to 2020, and the warmest of all in a record that goes back to the late 19th century. Over this past weekend, my neighbors and my family walked with our dogs and our kids in T-shirts and shorts, because it was in the mid-60s in Colorado Springs. About 60 miles north, my family in Denver saw a new record high of 68 degrees\u2014on February 15. \u2026 \u201d\u00a0 Read more from the Atlantic<\/a> (gift article).<\/p>\n

Environmental groups warn of dire impacts after Colorado River negotiators miss another deadline<\/p>\n

\u201cFears are growing in the Colorado River basin about the prospect of painful water cuts, prolonged court battles and other dire impacts after negotiators from seven states missed a second key deadline Saturday to reach a conservation deal.\u00a0 \u201cThis winter has been a really stark illustration of some of the challenges that we may face in keeping our watersheds and rivers and lands healthy,\u201d Celene Hawkins, the Colorado River Program Director at The Nature Conservancy, said Wednesday. \u201cAnd so I think it is really profoundly terrifying to think about moving into a future where we aren\u2019t starting to really focus on implementing solutions that the basin needs.\u201d \u2026 \u201d\u00a0 Read more from KUNC<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Arizona Republicans urge Interior Secretary to withdraw Colorado River cutbacks over economic risks<\/p>\n

\u201cRepublican Congressman Juan Ciscomani and other members of Arizona\u2019s House delegation sent a letter<\/a> Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, asking for the withdrawal of proposed Colorado River operating guidelines.\u00a0 The letter states that strategies from the Bureau of Reclamation that were published in January, would impose \u201cdrastic reductions\u201d on Arizona\u2019s water supplies.\u00a0\u00a0Ciscomani says the seven basin states must share the weight of cuts and that current strategies put more pressure on Arizona than other states.\u00a0 \u201cWhat we\u2019re advocating for is to have that shared responsibility with all the others involved as well and [in] this case, the upper basin has the advantage but also the other states are not taking the hit that we are,\u201d he said. \u2026 \u201d\u00a0 Read more from Arizona Public Media<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Arizona pushes back on Post-2026 Colorado River plan<\/p>\n

\u201cArizona water leaders are pushing back against federal Draft Environmental Impact Statement proposals for post-2026 Colorado River operations. The Central Arizona Project warns that several alternatives could disproportionately reduce Arizona\u2019s water supply compared to other basin states, raising concerns about compliance with the Colorado River Compact and the long-term stability of Lake Mead and Lake Powell operations.\u00a0\u00a0 On January 26, 2026, the Central Arizona Project released a public statement responding to the federal Draft Environmental Impact Statement for post-2026 Colorado River operations. The Draft Environmental Impact Statement, prepared by the Bureau of Reclamation, outlines potential operating rules for Lake Powell and Lake Mead after the current guidelines expire in 2026. \u2026 \u201d\u00a0 Read more from Western Water<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Arizona, Lower Basin partners, commit to continuing efforts to find common ground on new Colorado River operations rules<\/p>\n

\u201cAs Colorado River negotiations broke down just prior to the federal government\u2019s Feb. 14 deadline, Arizona\u2019s chief negotiator repeated his commitment to seeking a collaborative solution to river management.\u00a0\u00a0\u201cArizona remains committed to compromise and accommodation,\u201d said ADWR Director Tom Buschatzke.\u00a0\u00a0\u201cThe negotiations may be at an unfortunate stalemate, but they are not at an end \u2013 not, at least, if our river partners in the Upper Basin accept the reality that Arizona cannot be asked to sacrifice its water security while receiving virtually nothing in return.\u201d \u2026 \u201d\u00a0 Read more from the Arizona Department of Water Resources<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Nevada\u2019s main water negotiator talks about the bumpy road ahead in the Colorado River discussions<\/p>\n

\u201cWater negotiations between the seven Colorado River basin states are at a stalemate. Talks remain stalled despite the Bureau of Reclamation\u2019s Feb. 14 deadline.\u00a0\u00a0Nevada\u2019s representative in those negotiations \u2014 John Entsminger, general manager for the Southern Nevada Water Authority \u2014 gave an update to KNPR\u2019s State of Nevada. Some key takeaways:\u00a0 The main sticking point: The upper basin states (Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming) disagree with the conservation guidelines of the lower basin states (California, Arizona, and Nevada) \u2014 the latter being the biggest water users among the basin states. \u2026 \u201d\u00a0 Read more from Nevada Public Radio<\/a>.<\/p>\n

How a water war is brewing over a drying lake in Nevada<\/p>\n

\u201cWater rights exceed water supply across much of the western United States. With many watersheds failing to deliver enough water for local needs, the suit is being watched by attorneys, state water managers, and federal agencies. It could potentially set a precedent in revising how states across the West regulate access to water.\u00a0\u00a0The Nevada case, filed by the Walker River Paiute Tribe and Mineral County, may also present an opportunity for a win-win solution, in which nonprofits and government entities purchase private water rights from willing upstream sellers and dedicate them to downstream public benefit.\u00a0\u00a0Without public-private intervention and the changes in state water law that the suit seeks, geologists and environmental experts agree the future is bleak for Walker Lake, a 13-mile long terminal lake about 75 miles southeast of Reno near the California state line in rural, sparsely populated Mineral County. \u2026 \u201d\u00a0 Read more from Zero Hedge<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Utah\u2019s first \u2018juicy\u2019 winter storm fails to reverse months of snow drought<\/p>\n

\u201cUtah finally got its first meaningful snowstorm of the winter season, bringing much-needed moisture to a dry desert landscape \u2014 but the state still faces major snowpack deficits.\u00a0\u00a0ARC Salt Lake spoke to Jon Meyer from the Utah Climate Center about the storm\u2019s impact on the Beehive State.\u00a0\u00a0He talked about the new concept of a \u201csnow drought\u201d and what needs to happen through the rest of the seasons to keep Utah\u2019s water levels above critical levels.\u00a0\u00a0Meyer did say the state desperately needed the snow Wednesday.\u00a0\u00a0\u201cUnless you\u2019re stuck in traffic or one of your reporters out storm chasing today, I think the general attitude is jubilation,\u201d he said. \u201cWe see the lift cameras out there, and boy, you can just see some of the relief that folks are seeing \u2013 crossing their minds as they\u2019re getting some what we love here in the state, which is the white stuff.\u201d \u2026 \u201d\u00a0 Read more from KUTV<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Threat of a Colorado River lawsuit looms. Here\u2019s how Utah is preparing.<\/p>\n

\u201cUtah leaders are preparing for a legal fight over the Colorado River as the seven states that share the dwindling water supply remain at odds.\u00a0\u00a0Utah lawmakers have requested roughly $6 million to be earmarked for litigation over the Colorado River.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s really, really critical to our state,\u201d Rep. Rex Shipp, vice chair of the House Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee, said about the river during a committee meeting on Feb. 11.\u00a0 About 40 million people across Utah, the Southwest U.S. and northern Mexico rely on the Colorado River for drinking water and agriculture. Over two decades of drought and an exceptionally warm and dry winter this year have pushed the river system near a breaking point: Lake Powell may reach power pool this year, cutting off electricity generation and unleashing infrastructure challenges at Glen Canyon Dam. \u2026 \u201d\u00a0 Read more from the Salt Lake Tribune<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Experts anticipate major US reservoir could reach critical level by end of 2026: \u2018Efforts have been productive\u2019<\/p>\n

\u201cLake Powell is again in the danger zone. The chronically water-hungry reservoir could reach \u201cminimum power pool\u201d by December because of drought conditions.\u00a0\u00a0What\u2019s happening?\u00a0\u00a0The lake, which is predominantly located in Utah and crosses the Arizona border, would not be able to produce electricity, according to a monthly Bureau of Reclamation study, KNAU<\/a> reported. The two-year projection<\/a> shows that the water level is rapidly approaching 3,490 feet of elevation, below which the Glen Canyon Dam is unable to generate power.\u00a0\u00a0Under the worst-case scenario, this would happen by August. \u2026 \u201d\u00a0 Read more from The Cool Down<\/a>.<\/p>\n

In national water news today \u2026
\nWould you pay $49 a month to drink recycled wastewater?<\/p>\n

\u201cOne day, you\u2019ll appreciate drinking recycled toilet water.\u00a0\u00a0Urban populations are growing as water supplies are dwindling, often due to worsening droughts. In response, some communities are treating wastewater, rendering it perfectly safe for consumption. It is so pure, in fact, that if a treatment facility doesn\u2019t add enough of the minerals the filtering process strips out, it could do serious damage to the human body. And trust me \u2014 it tastes great, too.\u00a0 Cities throughout the American West are already recycling water, easing pressures on dwindling supplies. Now here\u2019s a thought experiment: How much would you pay on your utility bill for the privilege of reused water, if it meant avoiding shortages and rationing in the future? A recent survey offers one answer. Residents of small communities of fewer than 10,000 people said they\u2019d be willing to drop an average of $49 to do so. \u2026 \u201d\u00a0 Read more from Grist<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Democrats sound alarm on Interior reorg\u2019s impact on wildfires, land management<\/p>\n

\u201cPlans to consolidate federal firefighting will inflict harm both to fire suppression efforts and other operations within the Interior Department, congressional Democrats warned on Wednesday, as staffing and other resources are siphoned away to a new agency.\u00a0\u00a0The Trump administration stood up the U.S. Wildland Fire Service earlier this year, creating a new agency within Interior that will subsume wildfire responsibilities from the department\u2019s existing components. The administration is looking to further merge firefighting operations currently within the Agriculture Department\u2019s U.S. Forest Service into the consolidated agency, but Congress has instituted roadblocks to the effort and the agencies have not yet announced a timeline for the change. \u2026 \u201d\u00a0 Read more from Government Executive<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Trump says climate repeal saves $1.3 trillion. The EPA\u2019s math differs<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen President Donald Trump on Feb. 12 announced the \u201csingle largest deregulation in American history\u201d \u2014 the repeal of climate emissions standards for all vehicles and the key scientific determination underpinning them, in one swoop \u2014 he said it would save Americans $1.3 trillion.\u00a0\u00a0But the administration\u2019s own analyses, found in the official rulemaking published Wednesday in the Federal Register, show a more nuanced picture. The climate rollbacks also come with costs, ranging from hundreds of billions of dollars on the low end to more than $1.4 trillion on the high end \u2014 an amount that exceeds the projected savings.\u00a0\u00a0The revoking of the so-called endangerment finding, a legal recognition that greenhouse gases harm human health, by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is the administration\u2019s largest climate rollback to date. It comes on the heels of deep cuts over the past year to the agency\u2019s staffing, programming, research and grants tied to climate and other environmental work. \u2026 \u201d\u00a0 Read more from Bloomberg<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

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. <\/p>\n

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