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Gary Arant has been enjoying several “farewells” over the past few weeks upon his retirement from general manager of the Valley Center Municipal Water District (VCMWD) after 36 years, but the sweetest may be the tributes from fellow water professionals and public officials at a special board meeting on Monday, January 5 at the district board room.

It began with praise by his successor, Lindsay Leahy, who declared, “I’m honored to follow in your footsteps,” and board President Enrico Ferro presenting a plaque “recognizing and commending” Arant’s 56 years in the business—including 36 at VCMWD and proclaiming “Water Titan Day.” Ferro recognized Arant for “Consistently placing the needs of the community [at the highest level], and protecting the district’s long-term interests” while “building trust and collaboration.”

For the first time in 25 years, the US Drought Monitor shows that no area of California is experiencing unusually dry or drought conditions. The Drought Monitor tracks and reports on the development or recovery of short and long-term drought patterns across the U.S.

Experts analyze recent rainfall, snowpack, streamflow, soil moisture and climatology to assess the severity of drought conditions, ranking them on a scale ranging from “abnormally dry” to “extreme drought.”

In a decision that could complicate Gov. Gavin Newsom’s push to build a giant water tunnel and remake California’s water system, a state appeals court has rejected the state’s plan for financing the project.

The 3rd District Court of Appeal ruled against the state Department of Water Resources’ plan to issue billions of dollars in bonds to build the 45-mile tunnel beneath the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta.

Despite a slow start, California’s snowpack has started to catch up to historical averages for this time of year across the central and southern Sierra Nevada. The northern portion of the mountain range — responsible for roughly 30% of Southern California’s water — continues to lag behind.

The northern Sierra is at 61% of normal, while the central Sierra is at 93%. The southern Sierra is at 114%. Large amounts of Southern California’s water come from the Sierra Nevada.

Tribes across the West have worked with states to protect the Colorado River and conserve enough water to raise elevations in the river’s two largest reservoirs, Lakes Powell and Mead, a move that has helped states during critical droughts.

Now tribes want to make it clear that any future agreements on how to manage the river’s water must include their input and an acknowledgment that they intend to develop their water rights.